Deep Transformation

Ep. 108 (Part 1 of 2) | Dr. James Finley, clinical psychologist, trauma specialist, scholar, poet, and author of the powerful memoir, The Healing Path, has an extraordinary breadth and depth of understanding about trauma and the alchemical effects of adding a depth dimension to therapy. Here, he shares about his own experience of trauma and healing, the therapeutic effects of introducing the depth dimension to his clients, the dynamics of anger and forgiveness, the path of longing, and how love gives itself away in the preciousness of each moment, rendering ordinary life sacred. James’ profound understanding of grace is unmistakable, beautiful, riveting—both from personal experience and as a student of Thomas Merton, who introduced him to the wisdom of the mystics at the Trappist monastery, Gethsemani.Practically everything James says is both a poem and a revelation, so whether you are Christian, Buddhist, or atheist, this conversation offers a therapeutic wisdom and understanding of trauma that goes way beyond the norm, as well as a transmission of infinite love, bottomless mercy. At the end, James laughs at how he is talking: “I can’t believe I’m talking like this…a traumatized kid from Akron, Ohio. It’s not coming from me; it’s flowing through me. All I’m doing is passing on what was passed on to me. So as it catches fire in you, it might pass through you into others.” Recorded August 17, 2023.“In the momentum of the day’s demands, we feel we are skimming across the surface of the depths of our own lives: we are suffering from depth deprivation.” (For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing Dr. James Finley, clinical psychologist specializing in trauma, spiritual therapist, author of The Healing Path & Merton’s Palace of Nowhere (00:58)How does James bring the worlds of psychotherapy and spirituality together? (03:32)James’ experience of God responding during his traumatic childhood and how Thomas Merton introduced him to the mystics at the Trappist monastery (04:22)Teaching high school religion, writing Merton’s Palace of Nowhere about how to find our way to our true self, leading silent contemplative retreats, and becoming a clinical psychologist (07:25)Where trauma and the presence of God touch each other: into the broken places, the light shines through (08:54)There is healing without forgiveness, but there is no healing without anger (11:21)Standing in the clear mindedness of anger, you’re not completely free until you forgive (14:29) Self-hatred and how we perpetuate the violence until we find a safe place to work it through (18:14)Finding refuge in zazen, forgiving abuse at home and in the monastery, and how James found his way back into mystical Catholicism and the depth dimension (20:58)Where faith comes in to interior healing, where the alchemy happens: being carried along by mercy equals salvation (25:00)Getting past the distortions of religiosity: regrounding therapy in the depth dimension, moving back and forth from the hurting place to infinite love and mercy (26:36)What shines forth out of love or out of tragedy: being intimately overtaken by the nearness of the unexplainable (30:11)When we have just lost everything, we glimpse the infinity of mercy, and a longing is born to abide in the depths so fleetingly glimpsed: this is the path (31:58)Where is all this trauma coming from? We are suffering from depth deprivation (33:13)The horizontal dimension of time is intersected by the vertical depth dimension of the infinite (35:19)“I know it, I know it, I know that I know it”—I can’t say what it is but I can bear witness to it (36:11)Psychotherapy at the depth level is meditation for two (37:27)Roger’s summary of points covered: forgiveness, anger, stages of working through trauma, how religion can be used in the transcendence of ego, and the tragic belief that I am the only one who is broken and suffering (37:39)Resources & References – Part 1James Finley, The Healing Path: A Memoir and an Invitation*James Finley’s podcast: Turning to the Mystics, hosted on the Center for Action & Contemplation websiteJames Finley, Merton’s Palace of Nowhere*James Finley, Christian Meditation: Experiencing the Presence of God*The Abbey of Our Lady of GethsemaniTranspersonal psychologyKen Wilber, Integral Psychology: Consciousness, Spirit, Psychology, Therapy*Ken Wilber, Integral Spirituality: A Startling New Role for Religion in the Modern and Postmodern World*Thomas Merton, The Seven Storey Mountain*, et al.*Thomas Merton, The Sign of Jonas*, “I have but one desire, the desire for solitude. To disappear into God’s face.”St. Teresa of Ávila, The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, Vol. 1 (featuring The Book of Her Life, Spiritual Testimonies, and the Soliloquies*St. John of the Cross, The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross* (includes The Ascent of Mount Carmel, The Dark Night, The Spiritual Canticle, The Living Flame of Love, Letters, and The Minor Works)Meister Eckhart, Meister Eckhart, from Whom God Hid Nothing: Sermons, Writings, and Sayings*Richard Rohr’s The Living SchoolDan Walsh, metaphysics professor, longtime friend & mentor of Thomas Merton The Poems of St. John of the Cross*, translated by Willis Barnstone* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Student of Thomas Merton and clinical psychologist, Dr. James Finley teaches how connecting to our Divine indwelling can transcend fear and shame and awaken our True Self. A faculty member at the Center for Action and Contemplation, he is the author of The Healing Path and Merton’s Palace of Nowhere, and the host of CAC’s podcast Turning to the Mystics.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 107 (Part 2 of 2) | Dr. Mamphela Ramphele, global thought leader, author, medical doctor, scholar, anti-apartheid activist, and co-founder of the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa has lived her extraordinary life guided by the knowing that every one of us is part of an inextricably linked system, and to live life as an authentic human being means assuming responsibility for oneself, others, and the whole web of life. Here, she connects the dots for us in so many ways, telling the remarkable story of how the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa was born with the realization that accepting a second-class identity was only perpetuating apartheid, internally and externally, and right away, the group became aware they needed to bring forth practical manifestations of this new consciousness. Mamphela has worked to do exactly that—bring the values of expanded consciousness into being—her whole life, first as an anti-apartheid activist and doctor, in bimonthly meetings with Nelson Mandela when he was in prison, writing books on social-economic issues in South Africa, and later, working to manifest the values of compassion, dignity, and social justice on a global level as a managing director of the World Bank, co-president of The Club of Rome, and more.When asked what hurts, Mamphela describes the terrible conditions in South Africa, which she explains could have been averted if post-apartheid leaders had chosen to act for the wellbeing of all rather than getting enmeshed in party politics. And what gives Mamphela hope? The hope she sees in the eyes of young people (and old), and the transformations already underway in small communities. As she says, “the world has lost its way…it’s all about having more rather than being more,” but Mamphela believes real change will happen in the next couple of decades, when our personal, professional, and political lives become framed by the same value system—the values of ubuntu, the traditional, indigenous wisdom values of Africa, which are not only Africa’s heritage but all of ours. Inspiring and enlightening, this conversation is a transmission from a vibrant elder who fully understands and puts into practice what it means to live an authentic, compassionate life, with courage, humor, integrity, and wisdom. Recorded November 9, 2023.“We need to recognize we are one human family: Europe, America, and MOST of the world—not Europe, America, and the rest of the world.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2We are wired to be compassionate, wired for self-respect, wired for social justice (01:40)The Global Compassion Coalition and reawakening our basic human compassion (03:44)The personal, professional, and political all have to be governed by the same value system—then we can have wellbeing economics (06:31)What hurts is how we gave away a wonderful opportunity and chose short-term party politics over the true transformation of society (09:04)What brings hope is the hope seen in the eyes of young people—even old people—and that the process of true transformation is underway in small communities (11:39)Ubuntu: living the ethics, principles, and compassion that are embedded in what it means to be human (14:51)The world has lost its way: it’s all about having more rather than being more (16:45) Assuming responsibility for yourself, others, and the entire web of life is a choice (18:36)It helped a great deal that there was a global anti-establishment movement at the time of Mamphela and her fellow activists’ awakening (21:03)What are Mamphela’s practices to stay centered and keep from being overwhelmed? (22:35)How has Mamphela kept faith in human nature? (29:46)Mamphela’s shift to global activism: channeling energies where it can make a difference (Club of Rome), also modeling to young people that Africans have a rich heritage and their value system matters (33:52)Sustainable ecosystems are sustained by Indigenous Peoples: life is about part of an inextricably linked system (37:03)The need to recognize we are one human family: Europe, America, and MOST of the world—not the “rest of the world” (40:05)“For us to harvest the lessons of nature, we have to become indigenous again;” opening to the great wisdoms of all the ages (40:47)Towards New Narratives of Hope, a recommended publication about the wisdom of Africa—which is everyone’s heritage (see resources below) (41:32)Resources & References – Part 2The Global Compassion Coalition, creating and introducing new approaches to economics, politics, child development, and climate policy that have compassion and justice at their coreRick Hanson, psychologist & best-selling author of Buddha’s Brain* et al. (see also Deep Transformation podcast episode #5, How We Can Hack Our Brain Using Neuroscience)Ubuntu philosophy, the bond that all of humanity sharesMargaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.”The Club of Rome’s mission is to apply holistic, interdisciplinary, and long-term thinking to ensure broader societal and planetary wellbeing; to move towards more equitable economic, financial, and socio-political models; ensure an inclusive human dimension to all systems change; and to emerge from emergencyAurelio Peccei, co-founder of The Club of Rome The Limits to Growth +50 (Club of Rome website)Donella H. Meadows, Dennis L. Meadows, Jorgen Randers, William W. Behrens III, The Limits to Growth: A Report for the Club of Rome’s Project on the Predicament of Mankind* (1974)Towards New Narratives of Hope for Fostering Transformative African Futures (Club of Rome website)Mamphela’s website: Dr. Mamphela Ramphele Mamphela Ramphele, Club of Rome About PageMamphela Ramphele, co-founder of ReimagineSA, reimagining South Africa rooted in ubuntuMamphela Ramphele, A Passion for Freedom: My Life*Mamphela Ramphela, Dreams, Betrayal and Hope*Mamphela Ramphele, Conversations with my Sons and Daughters*Mamphela Ramphele, Laying Ghosts to Rest: Dilemmas of the Transformation in South Africa*Mamphela Ramphele & Francis Wilson, Uprooting Poverty: The South African Challenge*Mamphela Ramphele & Francis Wilson, Children on the Front Line* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Mamphela Ramphele is a world-renowned figure with an outstanding career as an activist, medical doctor, academic, businesswoman, and political thinker. She has been co-president of the Club of Rome, is the co-founder of ReimagineSA, and Chair at the Desmond Tutu IP Trust. Previously, she served as a managing director at the World Bank and as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Town. Mamphela obtained a medical degree from the University of Natal in 1968, where she co-founded the Black Consciousness Movement with Steve Biko and became involved in the South African Students Association (SASO). Mamphela has received numerous national and international awards acknowledging her scholarship and leading role in promoting the empowerment of women, youth, and other oppressed people in South Africa and globally, and is the author of several books and publications on socio-economic issues in South Africa.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 106 (Part 1 of 2) | Dr. Mamphela Ramphele, global thought leader, author, medical doctor, scholar, anti-apartheid activist, and co-founder of the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa has lived her extraordinary life guided by the knowing that every one of us is part of an inextricably linked system, and to live life as an authentic human being means assuming responsibility for oneself, others, and the whole web of life. Here, she connects the dots for us in so many ways, telling the remarkable story of how the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa was born with the realization that accepting a second-class identity was only perpetuating apartheid, internally and externally, and right away, the group became aware they needed to bring forth practical manifestations of this new consciousness. Mamphela has worked to do exactly that—bring the values of expanded consciousness into being—her whole life, first as an anti-apartheid activist and doctor, in bimonthly meetings with Nelson Mandela when he was in prison, writing books on social-economic issues in South Africa, and later, working to manifest the values of compassion, dignity, and social justice on a global level as a managing director of the World Bank, co-president of The Club of Rome, and more.When asked what hurts, Mamphela describes the terrible conditions in South Africa, which she explains could have been averted if post-apartheid leaders had chosen to act for the wellbeing of all rather than getting enmeshed in party politics. And what gives Mamphela hope? The hope she sees in the eyes of young people (and old), and the transformations already underway in small communities. As she says, “the world has lost its way…it’s all about having more rather than being more,” but Mamphela believes real change will happen in the next couple of decades, when our personal, professional, and political lives become framed by the same value system—the values of ubuntu, the traditional, indigenous wisdom values of Africa, which are not only Africa’s heritage but all of ours. Inspiring and enlightening, this conversation is a transmission from a vibrant elder who fully understands and puts into practice what it means to live an authentic, compassionate life, with courage, humor, integrity, and wisdom. Recorded November 9, 2023.“The majority of white people [in apartheid South Africa] were petrified of losing their privileges—in the same way we continue with business as usual today, in the face of climate change.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing Mamphela Ramphele, physician, scholar, anti-apartheid activist, author, and global thought leader (01:32)Growing up in a family of educators with encyclopedias & books all over the place, asking, as a young child, what makes my country so different? (03:42)The day the penny dropped: as long as we call ourselves non-whites, we’re perpetuating the rule of the oppressors (06:00)First came a sense of power—we can change things—then the purpose: make a world where no one is identified as a “non-something”  (08:52)This also liberates white people from their superiority complex, which is a burden (10:51)The system itself funded the first meeting of South African students, the founding organization of the Black Consciousness Movement (12:32)The evolution of the Black Consciousness Movement: freeing mind, heart & body from mental slavery & translating the new consciousness into practical manifestations (15:02)The 15 students managed to get news about the Black Power movement, Martin Luther King Jr’s I Have a Dream speech, Malcolm X & Angela Davis (17:37)The majority of white people were petrified of losing their privileges—in the same way we continue with business as usual today, in the face of climate change (19:00)What did we do with the consciousness we had? Recognize we have to practice what we preach, mobilize people to restore their own dignity, and build black solidarity (21:01)The Soweto uprising and the mobilization of workers, parents, faith communities (22:02)The post-apartheid government failed to live up to the ideals that so many died for and how the African National Congress (ANC) tried to own Nelson Mandela (23:57)In the negotiated settlement, they should have been asking how to restructure the economy, but the new ANC missed that boat and focused on politics instead (26:01) The reunification of Germany could have been a great example of lifting the downtrodden up, erasing differences and equalizing communities (28:54)Asking the wrong question: who will be in power? Shortsightedness and the love of power (31:35)The good news: a resurgence of young people who want fundamental transformation of South Africa, including refocusing politics on citizens as the sovereigns of democracy (36:44)A fully conscious person must understand that to be human is to be relational—what’s important is to be who you were created to be, it’s not about having more (38:20)Resources & References – Part 1Mamphela’s website: Dr. Mamphela Ramphele Mamphela Ramphele, Club of Rome About PageMamphela Ramphele, co-founder of ReimagineSA, reimagining South Africa rooted in ubuntuMamphela Ramphele, A Passion for Freedom: My Life*Mamphela Ramphela, Dreams, Betrayal and Hope*Mamphela Ramphele, Conversations with my Sons and Daughters*Mamphela Ramphele & Francis Wilson, Uprooting Poverty: The South African Challenge*Mamphela Ramphele & Francis Wilson, Children on the Front LineJudith Harlan, Mamphela Ramphele: Challenging Apartheid in South Africa* (Women Changing the World)Steve Biko, South African anti-apartheid activist, protagonist of the film Cry Freedom University of Natal, South AfricaSteve Biko, I Write What I Like: Selected Writings*Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 1963 I Have a Dream speech (YouTube video with subtitles)Malcolm X, minister, human rights activist, Black empowerment advocate, The Autobiography of Malcolm X as Told to Alex Haley*The Black Power MovementAngela Davis, American revolutionary Marxist and feminist political activist, philosopher, academic, and authorHorst Kleinschmidt, human rights activist, leader in the National Union of South African Students Geoff Budlender, South African lawyerSoweto uprising, June 1976Nelson Mandela, first post-apartheid president of South AfricaAfrican National Congress (ANC), social-democratic political party in South AfricaHelmut Kohl, German chancellor who oversaw the reunification of GermanyFrancis Wilson, South African economistThabo Mbeki, 2nd president of post-apartheid South AfricaWalter Sisulu, South African anti-apartheid activist, Secretary-General of the African National Congress (ANC)Desmond Tutu, South African Anglican bishop and theologian, known for his work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Mamphela Ramphele is a world-renowned figure with an outstanding career as an activist, medical doctor, academic, businesswoman, and political thinker. She has been co-president of the Club of Rome, is the co-founder of ReimagineSA, and Chair at the Desmond Tutu IP Trust. Previously, she served as a managing director at the World Bank and as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Town. Mamphela obtained a medical degree from the University of Natal in 1968, where she co-founded the Black Consciousness Movement with Steve Biko and became involved in the South African Students Association (SASO). Mamphela has received numerous national and international awards acknowledging her scholarship and leading role in promoting the empowerment of women, youth, and other oppressed people in South Africa and globally, and is the author of several books and publications on socio-economic issues in South Africa.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 105 (Part 2 of 2) | Shachar Erez, longtime spiritual practitioner and integrally informed therapist in Israel, opens his heart, sharing his pain and overwhelming grief since the outbreak of war with Hamas and revealing another dimension of what’s going on than what we see in the news. It is a profound experience listening to a sensitive, compassionate person openly, honestly, courageously sharing what it feels like to be living with his family under threat of extreme violence, struggling to accept humanity as it is, working to help survivors reframe trauma to prevent PTSD, all amidst utter uncertainty as to the future of Israel and its people. Universal questions are raised: How to remain human in wartime? How is an ethical, spiritual, peaceful person to cope? Is there any hope for peace between Palestine and Israel? And, we are all broken—how do we accept the brokenness and continue to function?The sustaining power of an integral-spiritual practice is clear—it is practice (intense workouts and meditation especially) that gets Shachar through and able to muster up the energy to help others, which in turn is so helpful to him. Shachar marvels at how sitting in the therapist’s chair allows him to embrace all that he hears—all the realities, all the horrors—when if he heard it on the news, he couldn’t take it. As a therapist, Shachar is very much thinking ahead to the near unimaginable challenge of helping all the people who are hurt by this war, in Gaza and in Israel, after the fighting stops. “How do you find a shrink for 12 million people?” he asks, adding, “This should be an awakening all over the Western world—people should not be living in fear like this in 2023.” Recorded November 1, 2023. “People should not be living in fear like this in 2023.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2What is Israel to do in this situation? (02:04)Israel is inevitably dropping to lower developmental stages—to hope there would be no vengeance is naive (03:40)How to understand a level of motivation where you sacrifice your own people? (06:49)There’s no more left wing in Israel—what’s the future of this place? (07:49)Why Shachar left progressive Berkeley and returned to Israel (10:53)Can peace happen? The Palestinians have been taught to hate, but John reminds us how the U.S. and Germany, the U.S. and Japan, were reconciled very quickly after WWII (13:30)The most important practice now: high intensity workouts (17:45)If numb, do something small to regain functionality and motivation (18:21)Other helpful practices: talking to people, meditation, volunteering & helping others (19:41)In trauma, you always feel like you are alone, but Israelis are good at coming together socially if not politically (21:25)In the midst of trauma and hatred, human kindness is healing (22:43)What can we who are not near the battle do to help? Stay open to the suffering, to the questions, and avoid dogmatic certainty (23:27)What would be the most humane response? Holding compassion but holding strength (26:35)This should be an awakening all over the Western world – there’s something that needs to be realigned: people should not be living in fear like this in 2023 (27:31)What is the right response ethically, practically? (29:16)How to remain human? Being with our experience, open to the feelings of others, accepting our humanity (31:38)Resources & References – Part 2What are the stages of development? (Integral Life website: a cinematic journey created by Corey deVos portraying Ken Wilber’s levels of development)Don Beck & Christopher Cowan, Spiral Dynamics*Ken Wilber on Violence vs. Nonviolence (Integral LIfe website)The Bhagavad-Gita: Krishna’s Counsel in Time of War* Shachar’s website (in Hebrew): www.beinghuman.co.il The Generous Marriage podcast, co-hosted by Shachar ErezShachar’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/shachar.erez* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Shachar Erez is a marriage and family therapist living and working in Israel. On good days, he helps couples fall in love again. He’s integrally informed. And trauma informed. And has been practicing an integral practice for many years. Shachar is married to Judy and father to three beautiful kids.Since the horrors that happened in Israel and the war that is still raging, he feels like he’s been practicing all his life for this moment. ---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 104 (Part 1 of 2) | Shachar Erez, longtime spiritual practitioner and integrally informed therapist in Israel, opens his heart, sharing his pain and overwhelming grief since the outbreak of war with Hamas and revealing another dimension of what’s going on than what we see in the news. It is a profound experience listening to a sensitive, compassionate person openly, honestly, courageously sharing what it feels like to be living with his family under threat of extreme violence, struggling to accept humanity as it is, working to help survivors reframe trauma to prevent PTSD, all amidst utter uncertainty as to the future of Israel and its people. Universal questions are raised: How to remain human in wartime? How is an ethical, spiritual, peaceful person to cope? Is there any hope for peace between Palestine and Israel? And, we are all broken—how do we accept the brokenness and continue to function?The sustaining power of an integral-spiritual practice is clear—it is practice (intense workouts and meditation especially) that gets Shachar through and able to muster up the energy to help others, which in turn is so helpful to him. Shachar marvels at how sitting in the therapist’s chair allows him to embrace all that he hears—all the realities, all the horrors—when if he heard it on the news, he couldn’t take it. As a therapist, Shachar is very much thinking ahead to the near unimaginable challenge of helping all the people who are hurt by this war, in Gaza and in Israel, after the fighting stops. “How do you find a shrink for 12 million people?” he asks, adding, “This should be an awakening all over the Western world—people should not be living in fear like this in 2023.” Recorded November 1, 2023. “I feel I’ve been practicing my whole life for this moment.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing Shachar Erez, integrally informed Israeli therapist specializing in helping couples fall back in love (01:16)Roger’s hope that this podcast can in some way help allay the extreme partisanship and anti-Semitism arising as a result of Israel’s war with Hamas (04:07)Describing murder, kidnapping, funerals brings Shachar to tears (05:22)John’s early experiences gaining an understanding of Israel and the Jewish people (06:10)How can a man with spiritual values like Shachar get through this time of war and acute stress? (09:23)The first week just doing small things to keep functioning, then being there for others, working out, doing Integral practices, is what’s getting Shachar through at this point (11:50)The blessing is a knowing at a deep level that everything is “okay” despite the horror and the brokenness (12:52)Struggling to find the “other” inside himself, in this case the ability to commit horrific acts, as part of his spiritual practice (13:29)The Nova music festival massacre, and working to prevent PTSD later by remembering, telling the story, and reframing terror into resourcefulness (14:16)A therapist’s ability to contain the realities they hear, and the idea of being a sin-eater, eating people’s pain (17:21)Telling the story, as an Israeli to Americans, Shachar’s heart is torn open—he is usually more of a “tough guy” (18:53)We are all broken: how do we accept the brokenness and continue to function? (20:49)Shachar feels he’s been practicing his whole life for this moment (23:15)There’s something magic that happens when you’re willing to be with others in their pain (24:40)Agony, openness, and the deep knowing that everything is okay, even though everything is broken and could get a lot worse (30:33)Resources & References – Part 1Shachar's website (in Hebrew): www.beinghuman.co.il The Generous Marriage podcast, co-hosted by Shachar ErezShachar's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/shachar.erezLeon Uris, Exodus*Leonard Cohen, Anthem (YouTube video) Steven Jenkinson, Die Wise: A Manifesto for Sanity and Soul*Francis Weller, The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief*Carl Jung “Learn your theories as well as you can, but put them aside when you touch the miracle of the living soul.”Julian of Norwich, medieval mystic, “All shall be well.” Author, Revelations of Divine Love** As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Shachar Erez is a marriage and family therapist living and working in Israel. On good days, he helps couples fall in love again. He’s integrally informed. And trauma informed. And has been practicing an integral practice for many years. Shachar is married to Judy and father to three beautiful kids.Since the horrors that happened in Israel and the war that is still raging, he feels like he’s been practicing all his life for this moment. ---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Tyson Yunkaporta shares how Indigenous knowledge can help us survive in a changing world, emphasizing the need for a collective narrative. He opens up about his struggles with mental health while writing his books and discusses Aboriginal culture, dealing with grief, and the impact of disinformation. The podcast explores topics like epistemological crises, authenticity in communication, and bridging cultural wisdom in modern society.

Tyson Yunkaporta, author and senior research fellow, discusses Indigenous knowledge, the impact of colonization, and the power of storytelling as a therapeutic tool. He shares his personal experiences with mental health and writing books during manic and depressive episodes. Yunkaporta explores the challenges of civilization, the need for wisdom from elders, and the importance of reconnecting with indigenous knowledge.

Ep. 101 (Part 2 of 2) | With extraordinary joyfulness and verve, Native American shaman Charles Lawrence tells the inspiring and fascinating tale of how as a young man, he left psychology, religion, and the white man’s domesticated world in the dust when he became initiated on his journey by mythologist Joseph Campbell, and a paranormal world opened its doors. “If you have a destiny, you better go gracefully, or you’ll get dragged by your heels,” Campbell told him. Indeed, to this day, now in his late 80s, Charles follows the call to ceremonies and Elder Councils all over the world, sharing his sacred shamanic energy and wisdom in blessing and benefit for all. Part Blackfoot by origin, Charles was baptized by traditional Hopi Elders, adopted by elders of Lakota and Coast Salish (Musqueam band), and acknowledged and accepted by Native American tribes and Indigenous Peoples near and far. Here, Charles transmits his love of life, his fearlessness around death, and his easy familiarity with the multidimensionality of existence, the limitlessness in every moment. “Is there joy in this moment in time?” he asks. “If not, why not?”In regard to our collective future, Charles tells us that solutions await us beyond our normal consciousness; in relation to our personal yearning, he describes the transformative power of being seen, being witnessed for who we are at the deepest level, to free our souls and break out of the box. He urges us to sing, to dance, and to “cry our own cry.” (“Nobody has your cry, your experience. You’ve got to cry your own cry.”) Charles also shares his liberating approach to death (“Dying is simple, just pull out the clutch and go into neutral!”), about how he acquired “death medicine,” a wonderful ability to help people make the transition, and his own death medicine practice. One cannot help but be thoroughly inspired and reinvigorated listening to Charles—as Roger wrote him afterwards, “You left a legacy of joy in all of us. I will sing and laugh more and open the door wider to Mystery because of it. And try to practice my last 10 breaths.” Recorded June 1, 2023.“I live by deliberate intent, my default place is joy, my ultimate place is ecstasy.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2Solutions are already waiting for us beyond the average consciousness (01:17)Being a hollow bone and how opening to the Mystery is an ongoing practice (03:42)Stepping over the threshold, you are not the same person coming out: how are you different now? (04:56)Once you have been witnessed, you are forever changed (07:10)Raisa Gorbachev, Grandmother Carolyn, a trip to Russia in 2001, and on to South Africa with the Bush people (11:18)Why buy death by default? Die individually and make it a glorious journey, take your last 10 breaths as a practice (14:30)What is death medicine? (17:05)Everything about the journey is sacred, everything is wakan, and some of us are wake-makers (18:47)Grief is one of our biggest teachers (20:14)What is it that’s just waiting at any moment to burst out of us in joy? (22:29)Singing and dancing: your joy is essential to the emotional well-being of the village (25:31)The multidimensionality of existence and the shadow issues of Western culture—but it can be win-win-win, a benefit for all beings (32:11)I live by deliberate intent, my default place is joy, my ultimate place is ecstasy (34:21)Charles sings a Wallace Black Elk song (36:18)Transpersonal spontaneity (37:56)Resources & References – Part 2Albert Einstein, “You can’t solve a problem on the same level that it was created. You have to rise above it to the next level.”Rumi, “Out beyond ideas of rightdoing and wrongdoing, there is a field…”Oliver Sacks, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat*Raisa Gorbacheva, Soviet-Russian activist & philanthropist, wife of Soviet leader Mikhail GorbachevKatherine MacLean, neuroscientist & psychedelic researcher at Johns Hopkins, author of Midnight Water: A Psychedelic Memoir*Islam-Judeo-Christian (IJC), religions centered around the worship of the God of AbrahamAdyashanti, American-born spiritual teacherLouis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World (YouTube video)Bruce Lipton, On the Future of Human Civilization (YouTube video)Carl Hammerschlag, The Dancing Healers: A Doctor’s Journey of Healing with Native Americans*Books by Roger Walsh: https://deeptransformation.io/books/#roger-walshGrandmother Carolyn (Carolyn Tawangyama) worked all over the world to promote world peace and spiritual growth. In her words: “A small group of people who overcome themselves will unite the prophecies and bring back unity for all people.”* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---The Personal Reality of Charles H. LawrenceWith a flash or two of lightning, a personal reality is shattered! Synchronously, the doors of perception open wide enough for a “guardian at the gate”—Joseph Campbell—to introduce Charles H. Lawrence to having a destiny that MUST be followed, or be dragged to: From rejected to chosen, from the very limited (Western) perspective of life to the astonishing expansive spectrum of Indigenous Intelligence and intimate personal—far outside the box/cage relationship with all Existence. From prescribed, programmed, “follow-the-leader Western societies’ rules to discovering the command to “find one’s own way through the darkest part of the forest” (The Hero’s Journey). The endless, constantly evolving, transforming experience of being but a small yet significant part of a greater story, and assisting the unfolding of New Myths that are waiting to happen.Discovering that one had been predicted to show up—at least a hundred years previously (Coast Salish/ Musqueam). Learning the difference between being a “seeker” and “one who was sent.” Being a deliverer of long-cried-for assistance in far off reaches of the Earth (South Africa). Seen by a Peruvian Shaman as the one to assist in creating a Healing Center deep in the Amazon jungle. Being acknowledged as a visionary (Alta messiah) by the Quero of the Altiplano of South America. Recipient of a glimmering (NW Indigenous term) that created, decades ago, a Ceremonial Community that continues to evolve and transform into “Circles/ Communities” that serve the “Cries” of today. This, and much more!---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 100 (Part 1 of 2) | With extraordinary joyfulness and verve, Native American shaman Charles Lawrence tells the inspiring and fascinating tale of how as a young man, he left psychology, religion, and the white man’s domesticated world in the dust when he became initiated on his journey by mythologist Joseph Campbell, and a paranormal world opened its doors. “If you have a destiny, you better go gracefully, or you’ll get dragged by your heels,” Campbell told him. Indeed, to this day, now in his late 80s, Charles follows the call to ceremonies and Elder Councils all over the world, sharing his sacred shamanic energy and wisdom in blessing and benefit for all. Part Blackfoot by origin, Charles was baptized by traditional Hopi Elders, adopted by elders of Lakota and Coast Salish (Musqueam band), and acknowledged and accepted by Native American tribes and Indigenous Peoples near and far. Here, Charles transmits his love of life, his fearlessness around death, and his easy familiarity with the multidimensionality of existence, the limitlessness in every moment. “Is there joy in this moment in time?” he asks. “If not, why not?”In regard to our collective future, Charles tells us that solutions await us beyond our normal consciousness; in relation to our personal yearning, he describes the transformative power of being seen, being witnessed for who we are at the deepest level, to free our souls and break out of the box. He urges us to sing, to dance, and to “cry our own cry.” (“Nobody has your cry, your experience. You’ve got to cry your own cry.”) Charles also shares his liberating approach to death (“Dying is simple, just pull out the clutch and go into neutral!”), about how he acquired “death medicine,” a wonderful ability to help people make the transition, and his own death medicine practice. One cannot help but be thoroughly inspired and reinvigorated listening to Charles—as Roger wrote him afterwards, “You left a legacy of joy in all of us. I will sing and laugh more and open the door wider to Mystery because of it. And try to practice my last 10 breaths.” Recorded June 1, 2023.“What is it that’s just waiting at any moment to burst out of us in joy?“(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing psychologist and Native American shaman Charles Lawrence (01:04)How Charles left Western psychology & religion behind in the dust, beginning with his meeting mythologist Joseph Campbell and the opening of several paranormal doors (02:33)Living your destiny: follow the guidance, the intuition, whatever shows up (06:42)Native American wisdom has much medicine for us today; the knowing that everything is sacred (08:02)The Native American attunement to nature, sense of interconnection, and knowing that elders are to be revered contrasts sadly with our present culture (10:11)Charles’ call to meet Wallace Black Elk and his wife, Grace Spotted Eagle (12:17)Indigenous people’s special lens on reality and the death medicine tradition of the Ojibwe (14:23)Charles’ first Vision Quest in the Rockies while still a newbie (16:51)The Ghost Dance, the legend of the Broken Hoop, and inquiring into what would happen if we started gathering together again: weaving the basket of connection (19:10)How John came to travel with Wallace Black Elk, a man of connection and love with all beings (24:18)It still is the age of miracles! They don’t just happen in the Bible (27:14)How elders witness people, see people, and wake people up (28:06)Death medicine (helping people die): dying is simple, just push in the clutch and go into neutral (30:08)There is a difference between someone who is seeking something and someone who is sent (34:32)How Charles learned to talk to groups of hundreds of people with no microphone and fulfill the legacy, the prophecy, the path of destiny (36:20)Having a mission & being guided by something greater than you is an antidote to today’s cultural vacuum (37:10)What happened with John when Wallace Black Elk passed away (37:56)Resources & References – Part 1Joseph Campbell, professor, mythologist, author, The Hero with a Thousand Faces*Jean Houston, scholar, prolific author, visionary thinker, one of the principal founders of the Human Potential Movement  Robert Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land*Swami Muktananda, founder of Siddha YogaJean Erdman, modern dance dancer and choreographer, avant-garde theater director (Joseph Cambell’s wife), co-founder of The Open Eye TheaterJoseph Campbell, Myths to Live By*Joseph Epes Brown, The Spiritual Legacy of the American Indian*Margaret Mead, Continuities in Cultural Evolution*, Culture and Commitment*Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan, Life is a Pilgrimage*Wallace Black Elk, Native American shamanic teacher, Black Elk: The Sacred Ways of a LakotaGrace Spotted Eagle: Thunder’s Grace: Walking the Road of Visions with my Lakota Grandmother* by Mary Elizabeth ThunderBates Wilson, beloved superintendent of Arches National Park & Natural Bridges, the “Father of Canyonlands National Park”Malidoma Somé, Of Water and the Spirit: Ritual, Magic, and Initiation in the Life of an African Shaman*Stanislav Grof, Books of the Dead: Manuals for Living and Dying*George Soros, investor hedge fund manager, author, philanthropist* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---The Personal Reality of Charles H. LawrenceWith a flash or two of lightning, a personal reality is shattered! Synchronously, the doors of perception open wide enough for a “guardian at the gate”—Joseph Campbell—to introduce Charles H. Lawrence to having a destiny that MUST be followed, or be dragged to: From rejected to chosen, from the very limited (Western) perspective of life to the astonishing expansive spectrum of Indigenous Intelligence and intimate personal—far outside the box/cage relationship with all Existence. From prescribed, programmed, “follow-the-leader Western societies’ rules to discovering the command to “find one’s own way through the darkest part of the forest” (The Hero’s Journey). The endless, constantly evolving, transforming experience of being but a small yet significant part of a greater story, and assisting the unfolding of New Myths that are waiting to happen.Discovering that one had been predicted to show up—at least a hundred years previously (Coast Salish/ Musqueam). Learning the difference between being a “seeker” and “one who was sent.” Being a deliverer of long-cried-for assistance in far off reaches of the Earth (South Africa). Seen by a Peruvian Shaman as the one to assist in creating a Healing Center deep in the Amazon jungle. Being acknowledged as a visionary (Alta messiah) by the Quero of the Altiplano of South America. Recipient of a glimmering (NW Indigenous term) that created, decades ago, a Ceremonial Community that continues to evolve and transform into “Circles/ Communities” that serve the “Cries” of today. This, and much more!---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 99 (Part 2 of 2) | In this riveting, disturbing, and hopeful conversation, addiction expert and recovery coach Dr. Bob Weathers explains the enormous difference it makes when we apply the Integral Model to addiction and recovery. It helps us cover all the bases in our understanding of addiction, from the neuroscientific to the spiritual, and offers a map for recovery in the form of integrated practices that target our physical, emotional, spiritual, relational, and system-coping needs. Bob’s mission in life is to educate—his clients, treatment professionals, policy makers—everyone who is affected by addiction one way or another (which is pretty much everyone) about this set of perspectives that is comprehensive enough to address something as complex as addiction. Bob is deeply familiar with addiction and the suffering it causes on a firsthand basis, and he shares his own experience with an open heart. He is also well informed about the big picture of addiction and shares the latest statistics: 46.3 million Americans are currently clinically addicted—only 6% received treatment last year.What about the future of addiction? Technology is becoming increasingly capable of creating powerful “super stimuli,” making it ever more difficult for people to exercise self-restraint, and internet addiction and internet porn are through the roof. What can we do to influence the powers that be on a social/systemic level to guide us on a new path? One that recognizes that happiness correlates with connection, contribution, and flow rather than the never-ending quest for more acquisitions? Listening to this honest, heartfelt, and impassioned conversation, you will not be in the least surprised to find out Bob is the 2022 winner of the Most Dedicated Substance Abuse Education & Recovery Coach award. “Living a life of value, meaning, and purpose? If you want to talk about happiness, let’s talk about that.” Recorded May 15, 2023.“We have got to begin to find creative ways to endorse restraint at all levels of our society.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2Making the turn towards recovery from addiction is like an “incredible lightness of liberation” (01:23)Transformative lifestyle changes (TLCs) and daily practice invite the grace to change (04:28)The crucial element of giving something up: surrendering self (06:50)Cultivating a daily practice of acceptance: How surrendered am I in this moment? (09:01)Addiction is a progressive disease—and it’s devolutionary (11:33)The changing face of addiction: internet addiction, internet porn, super stimuli, evolutionary traps, globesity (15:36)Is the plague of addiction going to get even worse? What happens when virtual reality goes online? (18:05)The importance of a soul-centric approach: finding your higher power and higher purpose (20:08)Richard Rawson’s research on the effect of drugs on the dopaminergic system in the body and the brain (23:44)46.3 million Americans are currently clinically addicted—only 6% received treatment last year (25:36)To be human is to be enslaved: acknowledge there is no way we can compete with the stimuli we’re evolving, and the importance of restraint (26:06)What can we do as educators? Educate towards shifting public policy to something better than incarceration; harm reduction as opposed to a zero tolerance policy (27:38)What correlates with happiness? The illusion of acquisitiveness and how the happiest people are the ones who give back (29:43)The cultural roots of addiction (30:44)What makes Integral Recovery integral? (32:17)How would you define addiction and why can’t we be inclusive? (34:21)Resources & References – Part 2Roger Walsh, Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLCs) Can Be Powerful MedicinesRalph Waldo Emerson, Self Reliance*Tish Warren, thought leader on internet addiction,  Managing Screen Time is a Family Matter (New York Times opinion)Carl Jung, “individuation is an opus contra naturam”Richard Rawson, Associate Director of UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, Current research on the epidemiology, medical and psychiatric effects, and treatment of methamphetamine use (National Library of Medicine)Gary Snyder, “the man who has the soul of the wolf knows the self-restraint of the wolf,” from Turtle Island*Martin Seligman, Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment*David Courtwright, Forces of Habit: Drugs and the Making of the Modern World*What are the Four Quadrants? (Integral Life website)John Dupuy, Integral Recovery: A Revolutionary Approach to the Treatment of Alcoholism & Addiction*The Journey of Integral Recovery podcast with John Dupuy and Douglas PraterDr. Bob Weathers, recovery coach: https://www.drbobweathers.com* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Dr. Bob has created two powerfully healing and transformative guided meditations to which iAwake added brainwave entrainment technology. You can check them out here:The Freedom of Forgiveness & The Gift of Gratitude“It was a marvelous therapy for me. I’ve never been so candid and honest about myself and my past actions…it’s like months of therapy.”  ~ Nina---Dr. Bob Weathers is a highly regarded addiction educator, recovery coach, author, and public speaker. Over the course of his professional career, “Dr. Bob” has provided tens of thousands of hours of therapeutic counseling and recovery coaching to satisfied clients. He has also committed over four decades to teaching, training, and inspiring graduate-level mental health providers at several southern California universities, including helping to develop their nationally accredited addiction studies certificate and mindfulness-based clinical training coursework. His two most recent books on addiction recovery are currently in press with Cambridge University Press.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell