Deep Transformation

Ep. 89 (Part 1 of 2) | Award-winning educator and activist Shakil Choudhury is the author of the outstanding book Deep Diversity: A Compassionate, Scientific Approach to Achieving Racial Justice, and in this potent conversation we learn a lot we perhaps didn’t know about the psychological, emotional, and neurobiological reasons for our ingrained biases, and the systemic bias in the culture at large. How and why do we discriminate? Many of our biases are hidden in the unconscious, which makes it that much harder to bring them into the light so we can begin to understand what’s going on and find ways to move ourselves and society toward justice and equity. Shakil explains that changing societal norms is at the heart of the battle for racial and social justice, as our habitual cultural behaviors tend to be viewed as legitimate, normal, and natural, when actually they may be outdated, off base, offensive, and unjust. Shakil deftly lines us out with specific steps we can take to recognize and change our own behaviors, as well as actions organizational leaders can take to effect change on a broader level.Shakil contends that educating people to become diversity and equity literate is the first essential step, and the 360-hour program he has designed to this end has proven very effective. Once people see the data, they cannot help understanding the drivers of racial and social injustice more clearly, which leads to the place where real transformation can happen. Shakil’s extraordinarily insightful and illuminating approach is fueled by many years of contemplative practice, and he leaves us with a vision of what we are fighting for—not just what we are fighting against—based on Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream of Beloved Community. Small groups of dedicated people have managed to successfully nudge societal norms in the direction of justice in the past, and this conversation and Shakil’s book, Deep Diversity, most certainly contribute a compassionate nudge in the right direction. Bit by bit, recognizing that this is a journey, Shakil conveys both the means and the hope that justice will prevail. Recorded April 26, 2023.“Can we hold the tension between our common humanity and our differences simultaneously?”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing Shakil Choudhury, award-winning educator, racial justice & equity activist, author of Deep Diversity (01:17)How did Shakil come to create this “deep diversity” approach to racial justice and equity work? (02:15)Shakil’s healing journey: finding inner freedom, the world began to look different (03:16)The historical and sociological perspectives help us understand how we got here but it’s the emotional and psychological perspectives that can help us understand why we do what we do (05:38)The unconscious role of emotions, bias, identity, and power (08:11)Cultural diversity, wokeism, ethnocentricity, and how to talk with people at a traditional level of development about racism (10:54)How to get the most people on the side of justice? Let’s make it as easy as possible for people: agnosticizing racial justice and equity work (14:37) Racism is a systemic problem: it’s more than hate crimes, the KKK, and neo-Nazis, more than “spot the bigot” (16:27) We have to help people become systems thinkers: the key is pattern recognition (18:48)Moving racial justice work from an urgency project to a literacy project: changing behavioral patterns is like developing literacy, once you can read, you never stop (19:14) We need to bring forward a framework to make it easier for people to accept that becoming educated about diversity is a journey (22:55)What are effective interventions to begin to change specific behaviors? (26:33)Countering stereotypes: training ourselves to catch our biases when they show up (28:00)Shakil was socialized with a pro-white bias like the rest of society—our biases are not individual problems but a systems problem (31:41)What can we do on an individual level? (33:08)Internalized racism, sexism, and the unconscious nature of our biases (39:31)The ways in which the privileged are unaware of the realities of their own privilege and power: privilege is like a tailwind at your back (41:00)Resources & References – Part 1Shakil Choudhury, Deep Diversity: A Compassionate, Scientific Approach to Achieving Racial Justice* (Research and data references can be accessed in Deep Diversity*)Shakil Choudhury, co-founder & Chief Visionary Officer, Anima Institute: A Compassionate Approach to Racial Justice, offering innovative organizational change and training solutions to nurture inclusive, productive workplaces and communities* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Shakil Choudhury, M.E.S., B.Ed., B.P.E., co-founder & Chief Visionary Officer of Anima Institute, is an award-winning educator, consultant, and author with over 25 years of experience in the field of racial justice, diversity, and inclusion. He coaches executive teams and has worked with thousands of leaders across sectors in Canada and the United States to help improve their equity outcomes. Shakil also facilitates dialogue processes to resolve inter-group conflict, having led projects internationally as well as with organizations locally. Shakil is the author of Deep Diversity: A Compassionate, Scientific Approach to Achieving Racial Justice. Written in an accessible, storytelling manner, many have called it a “breakthrough” book on issues of systemic racial discrimination due to its non-judgmental approach that integrates human psychology with critical race perspectives. Shakil’s most challenging and rewarding management experience, however, involves his two high-spirited children repeatedly teaching him the humble lessons of fatherhood. To clear his head during the week, Shakil loves to run the beautiful ravine trails near his home in Toronto.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 88 (Part 2 of 2) | Climate change researcher, sustainable development expert, and activist Gail Hochachka works on the front lines of climate change research, asking—and answering—questions like: How does the way we make meaning, at all our different stages of development, relate to the ways we act on climate change? How can we foster more engagement with climate change? Is climate action scalable? And how are we going to show up for the people who are facing the greatest impacts? So far, in searching for solutions, we have largely neglected tapping into the human dimensions of the problem—the ways we understand climate change, the ways we respond, and the ways we can communicate together and make decisions about how to act. Herein lies the potential to come up with more viable solutions than we have so far, and this is the focus of Gail’s current research.Climate change is such a hugely complex and also emotional issue, it is understandably hard for anyone to wrap their head around it, Gail tells us, but the good news is that research is showing that taking action—in whatever way seems most appropriate and meaningful to each individual—is scalable, and that there are ways, which Gail outlines, of creating meaningful communication between people who have very different understandings, to where people can actually come to a place of agreement on how to move forward. Gail’s deep understanding of integral theory and stages of psychological development, combined with her extensive experience in sustainable development, gives her a uniquely insightful perspective on ways of confronting the climate challenge. Gail relates that, surprisingly, a positive way to look at climate change has come to light, which is that climate change is actually presenting us with an opportunity—an opportunity to become more conscious about the way we live, to the great benefit of people and planet. Recorded January 18, 2023.“We know that individuals collectively created the problem of climate change…but when it comes to solutions, we don’t honor that we individuals count.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2Research shows that a sense of the spiritual arises in later stage development (01:40)At later stage development, climate change presents us with an opportunity to be more conscious as to how we live our lives (03:06)Climate change scientists only represent a narrow bandwidth of psychological development (05:43)Research shows, even if we come from different understandings, we can have conversations and find ways to act that we agree upon (07:41)Psychic benefits and how later stage individuals show up in every group (09:26)What brought Gail into this field of study and research? (13:08)Is how women approach climate change different than how men do? (18:30)Social holons and sub holons: the group’s center of gravity will either grow you or limit you (20:53)Mentors and the paradox of success (23:06)How predictable are the outcomes of our changing environment? (25:26)We have the physio sphere, the biosphere & the noosphere—it is the noosphere that would be the first to go (27:28)How are we going to show up for people who are feeling the greatest impacts? (31:55)Double exposure, overlays, looking at communities facing multiple issues: which part of this ball of yarn are we going to pull? (33:12)How to avoid the single issue fallacy, single cause fallacy, and single solution fallacy, in order to maintain civilization (35:27)The extent to which you cross your own value action gap, sustainability does scale—there is an enactment in this moment that has ripple effects (36:36)Resources & References – Part 2The STAGES model of ego developmentTom Murray, Emerge podcast on Wisdom SkillsSee also Deep Transformation podcast with Beena Sharma, Vertical Development’s Many Gifts (on YouTube)Robert Kegan, The Evolving Self*Venn diagramKen Wilber, Sex, Ecology, Spirituality: The Spirit of Evolution*Corey deVos, Holons: The Building Blocks of the Universe (on Integral Life)John O’Neil, The Paradox of Success*David Christian, Maps of Time*Morphogenetic fieldsAndrew Harvey’s Institute for Sacred ActivismGail Hochachka’s website: https://www.gailhochachka.comGail’s recent publications: https://www.gailhochachka.com/publications* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Finding One’s Own Soul-Centric Climate Action [Live Online Course]with Gail Hochachka & Lisa Gibson, August 16th & 23rd, 12 pm Mountain Time---Gail Hochachka, B.Sc., M.A., Ph.D. works with the human dimensions of climate change using a transdisciplinary, integral approach. Her work focuses on understanding how people make meaning of climate change and how to engage with diverse groups towards a shared sense of the climate challenge. Her research has been published in various academic journals and has been used to support non-profit, private, and city actors in advancing climate action. Prior to this, Gail did her PhD at the University of Oslo on how climate change adaptation can account for meaning-making stages in diverse social groups and be carried out in a transformative manner, with fieldwork in Guatemala. Gail also has substantial previous NGO experience working in sustainable development in Latin America and Africa, and co-founded Integral Without Borders Institute. She is based in Vancouver, Canada, www.gailhochachka.com, and on her Recent Publications webpage, you can find a number of articles she drew from in this podcast: https://www.gailhochachka.com/publications/.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 87 (Part 1 of 2) | Climate change researcher, sustainable development expert, and activist Gail Hochachka works on the front lines of climate change research, asking—and answering—questions like: How does the way we make meaning, at all our different stages of development, relate to the ways we act on climate change? How can we foster more engagement with climate change? Is climate action scalable? And how are we going to show up for the people who are facing the greatest impacts? So far, in searching for solutions, we have largely neglected tapping into the human dimensions of the problem—the ways we understand climate change, the ways we respond, and the ways we can communicate together and make decisions about how to act. Herein lies the potential to come up with more viable solutions than we have so far, and this is the focus of Gail’s current research.Climate change is such a hugely complex and also emotional issue, it is understandably hard for anyone to wrap their head around it, Gail tells us, but the good news is that research is showing that taking action—in whatever way seems most appropriate and meaningful to each individual—is scalable, and that there are ways, which Gail outlines, of creating meaningful communication between people who have very different understandings, to where people can actually come to a place of agreement on how to move forward. Gail’s deep understanding of integral theory and stages of psychological development, combined with her extensive experience in sustainable development, gives her a uniquely insightful perspective on ways of confronting the climate challenge. Gail relates that, surprisingly, a positive way to look at climate change has come to light, which is that climate change is actually presenting us with an opportunity—an opportunity to become more conscious about the way we live, to the great benefit of people and planet. Recorded January 18, 2023.“We know that individuals collectively created the problem of climate change…but when it comes to solutions, we don’t honor that we individuals count.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing Gail Hochachka, climate change expert & researcher at the University of British Columbia, who brings a profound integral understanding to the way we look at climate change (01:05)What are the most exciting research findings? Global problems are actually global symptoms, and we need to look at what shaped the actual problems to come up with effective solutions (02:24)When we integrate the human dimensions into the global environmental problems, solutions become more apparent (03:47)How much of climate change can we actually make meaning of? We make a whole mental model based on only a fragment of the problem (04:32)The knowledge deficit model: do we do the right thing and respond skillfully if we have all the knowledge we need? No. (06:15)The value action gap in climate change: when it comes to making changes in our lifestyle, we don’t (08:24)The need to foster worldcentric awareness in order to foster climate action (10:08)Gnostic intermediaries: speaking across different cultures, translating concepts across space & time, translating meaning across developmental stages (13:14) How to approach engagement on environmental issues and the 5 why’s of what is most important to people (15:16)How to get people together and discuss climate change (18:54)Considering supply chains and the individuals who add value at each stage of the chain allows people to realize both common ground and that these are problems we all share (23:20)Interdependence reflection: reflecting on Indra’s net ends up as a meditation on boundless gratitude (27:10) We’re all talking from our fragments (29:47)Later stages of development and of meaning making make for more flexibility around your attachment to yourself, greater self-responsibility (30:32)Recommended climate change adaptations and indigenous cosmologies: given sovereignty of their own meaning making, the solutions are better connected to reality—and more likely to be implemented (36:03)Re-owning your sovereignty in relation to the issue is very empowering (38:43)The process of “photovoice:” taking photos in response to the question, what does climate change mean to me? (39:57)How does meaning making change as we mature developmentally? The object of awareness becomes more subtle, the complexity of thought changes, and the future comes more online (41:53)Resources & References – Part 1Gail Hochachka’s website: https://www.gailhochachka.comGail’s recent publications: https://www.gailhochachka.com/publications/Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory, Who Is Ken Wilber? (Integral Life), The Integral Vision*Tomas Björkman podcast, Cultivating Psychological Maturity in Both Individuals and Societies: The Race Between Maturity and Catastrophe, on Deep TransformationWhat Are the Stages of Development?, in cinematic form on Integral Life St. Paul, Romans 7:19-25, “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” Roger Walsh, The Transmission of Wisdom: The Task of Gnostic IntermediariesThe Deconstruction of the World Trade Center (Integral Life pdf), where Ken Wilber explores the many reactions people had to 9/11 as a way of explaining stages of developmentThe net of IndraThe STAGES model of ego developmentTom Murray, Emerge podcast on Wisdom SkillsSee also Deep Transformation podcast with Beena Sharma, Vertical Development’s Many Gifts (on YouTube)* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Finding One’s Own Soul-Centric Climate Action [Live Online Course]with Gail Hochachka & Lisa Gibson, August 16th & 23rd, 12 pm Mountain Time---Gail Hochachka, B.Sc., M.A., Ph.D. works with the human dimensions of climate change using a transdisciplinary, integral approach. Her work focuses on understanding how people make meaning of climate change and how to engage with diverse groups towards a shared sense of the climate challenge. Her research has been published in various academic journals and has been used to support non-profit, private, and city actors in advancing climate action. Prior to this, Gail did her PhD at the University of Oslo on how climate change adaptation can account for meaning-making stages in diverse social groups and be carried out in a transformative manner, with fieldwork in Guatemala. Gail also has substantial previous NGO experience working in sustainable development in Latin America and Africa, and co-founded Integral Without Borders Institute. She is based in Vancouver, Canada, www.gailhochachka.com, and on her Recent Publications webpage, you can find a number of articles she drew from in this podcast: https://www.gailhochachka.com/publications/.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 86 (Part 2 of 2) | Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas), founder of the contemporary spiritual path the Diamond Approach, beloved teacher, and author of many outstanding spiritual classics, has written a trilogy on the subject of love, and in this conversation the focus is on the recently published second book, Nondual Love. Hameed explains that most wisdom traditions target various ultimates: pure emptiness, pure consciousness, nondual awareness, being, non-being—each of which is sufficient for liberation, but fails to include the qualities of nondual love: goodness, sweetness, abundance, benevolence. Hameed brings these dimensions of love to the table, asking what does divine love feel like, look like, what is it made of? Listening to Hameed is a beautiful, rich experience, due to his extraordinary lucidity, gentle humor, and the profound understanding and assurance that pervade his words from his long experience swimming in the waters of which he speaks. He tells us we all have the potential to experience nondual love, although there are significant obstacles along the path that are inherent to being human. Hameed describes the different stages of opening to nondual love, from the first glimmerings of “unearthly sweetness” to the realization that we ourselves are love. And he outlines the nature of the barriers we face, like the beast of anger and hatred that arises in us when we perceive that reality has abandoned us. Hameed explains that by re-establishing basic trust, and feeling the presence of benevolent love, we can regain the sense that things will be okay and unfold ultimately for the good. Recorded April 12, 2023.“Our true nature has infinite potential of how it can be.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2The personal nature of God is responsive; the closer you are, the happier you are (01:24)The personal is a spiritual quality of presence that comes from pure being or source, as an expression of it (03:59)Practicing surrender and recognizing our true helplessness completely (06:01)The practice of awakening: how do we put practice (doing) together with the importance of non doing? (08:58)In a dualistic way, we have responsibility, free will, intention, and effort and we have to apply these to awaken; in time this shows us we are helpless: when we truly give up doing, then things can open up (11:35)It is inherent to the ego consciousness that we can’t do it—it’s an objective helplessness, not the fault of any one individual (13:31)Obstacles on the way to divine love: settling for substitute gratifications, the separate ego self (14:32) The beast arises when people have suffered and reality has left them hurt and feeling abandoned—then you hate God, you hate good (17:43) Transformation is through understanding; we have to be nonjudgmental about everything that arises in our experience (23:28)Jabba the Hutt, archetypal symbol of attachment, desire, greed, is disconnected from abundance, from divine love—to heal this in yourself, you welcome it (29:56)The main barrier to all nondual experience is believing we are separate entities—we feel the shape of our bodies, and we have to work through this central construct of our ego (33:51)Ego is a stage the soul goes through; to believe this stage is the only and final stage, that is the error (37:24)How does Hameed experience himself? Nobody, nothing here. Basic trust is second nature (38:27)How does Hameed teach others basic trust? By exploring and working through the limitations that came about in people’s lives where basic trust was lost (40:14)The more basic trust, the more people can open up, relax, let things happen—how Hameed discovered the importance of basic trust in teaching his students (42:44)Volume III of Hameed’s trilogy will be The Beloved and a brief blessing (45:19)Resources & References – Part 2Rigpa, the true nature of our mind, pure awareness, a central concept of DzogchenDharmakāya, the “body” or sum of Buddha’s teachingsRamesh Balsekar, one of Sri Nisargadatta’s disciplesThe Ājīvika school of Indian philosophy taught there is nothing you can do to awakenDilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Vajrayana master, scholar, poet, Dzogchen teacher, and recognized by Buddhists as one of the greatest realized masters; The Collected Works of Dilgo Khyentse, Vol. 1: Journey to Enlightenment; Enlightened Courage; The Heart of Compassion*Padmasambhāva, a central figure in the transmission of Buddhism to Tibet, renowned for taming the spirits and demons of Tibet and turning them into guardians for the Buddha’s DharmaNeti, neti (not this, not that)Freud’s concept of the unconscious: What is the Unconscious? (Freud Museum London)Jabba the Hutt, an expression of desire, greed, insatiability from the Star Wars movieA. H. Almaas, Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality*A. H. Almaas, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart*A. H. Almaas, The Beloved, the third book in the trilogy, is in the process of being editedHameed Ali, founder of The Ridhwan School, home to the Diamond ApproachHameed Ali’s book page on the Deep Transformation websiteSee also Deep Transformation podcast #43 with Hameed Ali, Nonduality and Beyond: The Exhilarating Adventure of Discovering the Nature of Reality and How Awakenings Can Unfold Endlessly (YouTube video)* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---A. Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 85 (Part 1 of 2) | Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas), founder of the contemporary spiritual path the Diamond Approach, and author of many outstanding spiritual classics, is writing a trilogy on the subject of love, and in this conversation the focus is on the second book, Nondual Love. Hameed explains that most wisdom traditions target various ultimates: pure emptiness, pure consciousness, nondual awareness, being, non-being—each of which is sufficient for liberation, but fails to include the qualities of nondual love: goodness, sweetness, abundance, benevolence. Hameed brings these dimensions of love to the table, asking what does divine love feel like, look like, what is it made of? Listening to Hameed is a beautiful, rich experience, due to his extraordinary lucidity, gentle humor, and the profound understanding and assurance that pervade his words from his long experience swimming in the waters of which he speaks. He tells us we all have the potential to experience nondual love, although there are significant obstacles along the path that are inherent to being human. Hameed describes the different stages of opening to nondual love, from the first glimmerings of “unearthly sweetness” to the realization that we ourselves are love. And he outlines the nature of the barriers we face, like the beast of anger and hatred that arises in us when we perceive that reality has abandoned us. Hameed explains that re-establishing basic trust, feeling the presence of benevolent love, we can regain the sense that things will be okay and unfold ultimately for the good. Recorded April 12, 2023.“Without love there would be no reason for the universe to exist.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas), spiritual master, creator of the Ridhwan School & Diamond Approach, and Hameed’s new book Nondual Love (01:07)What does Hameed mean by nondual love? It’s similar to nondual awareness but it includes the goodness, the sweetness, the heart that is inherent in our spiritual nature (03:00)In Plato, the main idea is the good, which is almost synonymous with love (06:05)What does divine love feel like? Does it have a color, a texture? (07:57)The fundamental benevolence of reality—without love there would be no reason for the universe to exist (09:10)The Sufis say, God created the universe out of love so God would be known—known through the human being (10:59)Rumi writes all the time about how love and God are inseparable: most poetry, most songs, most literature are about love, but we rarely hear about the very beingness of it (12:30)Beyond gratification: for someone who is awakened, the practice of sexual encounter is to bring out more love, the goodness of love (14:24)Stages of opening to divine love: our usual understanding of love is limited, but then comes a fullness in our hearts, a softness, an unearthly sweetness (16:47)The next stage is recognizing your full heart as just one wave of the ocean of love that comes through your individual heart (20:07)The next level is recognizing yourself as the ocean of love: I am love; this is the self-realization of nondual love (20:49)Basic trust: feeling the presence of benevolent love tends to evoke trust, a sense that things will be okay and unfold ultimately for the good (21:19)We are born trusting, but what happens in childhood determines if we will expand or be limited; our basic trust may go underground, but love and basic trust are inherent to people (24:24)Hameed teaches how to regain basic trust by dissolving the history that limits it (26:04)How many ultimates are there? Each teaching talks about a different ultimate—pure emptiness, consciousness, being, non-being—each of which is sufficient for liberation, but love includes also abundance (26:30) Spiritual teachers tend to think their teachings and practices are it, and even though they may experience and radiate love, they don’t speak about love (32:09)5 fundamental dimensions of our true nature: divine love, presence, emptiness, awareness, and change/dynamism; what is the difference between presence and awareness? (34:38)Creative dynamism is the dimension that shows how things change, because saying everything is one doesn’t explain movement and change (38:57)There is a reality that is truly unmanifest (40:25)True nature is a potential and will manifest to whoever is open to it (42:48)The truly unmanifest is unexperienceable: I don’t know what I am, but I am That (47:09)Resources & References – Part 1A. H. Almaas, Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality*A. H. Almaas, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart*A. H. Almaas, The Beloved, the third book in the trilogy, is in the process of being editedHameed Ali, founder of The Ridhwan School, home to the Diamond ApproachHameed Ali’s book page on the Deep Transformation websiteSee also Deep Transformation podcast #43 with Hameed Ali, Nonduality and Beyond: The Exhilarating Adventure of Discovering the Nature of Reality and How Awakenings Can Unfold Endlessly (YouTube video)Plato on “the good”Sufi philosophy says God created the universe out of love, so God could be known through usRumi, “The Meaning of Love”The school of object relations, a school of thought in psychoanalytic theory centered around theories of stages of ego developmentDilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Vajrayana master, scholar, poet, Dzogchen teacher, and recognized by Buddhists as one of the greatest realized masters; The Collected Works of Dilgo Khyentse, Vol. 1: Journey to Enlightenment; Enlightened Courage; The Heart of Compassion*Vedanta, Hindu philosophical tradition that encompasses the ideas contained in the Upanishads, with a focus on knowledge and liberationHeraclitus, pre-Socratic philosopher in ancient Greece, The only constant is change” Satcitananda, the subjective experience of the ultimate unchanging reality, BrahmanRamana Maharshi, likely the most famous Hindu sage of the 20th century, renowned for his saintly lifeDōgen Zenji, writer, poet, philosopher, and founder of the Sōtō school of Zen in Japan, “Buddha-nature is present at the time of becoming a buddha…”Rigpa, the true nature of our mind, pure awareness, a central concept of DzogchenAdvaita Vedanta, a path of spiritual discipline; advaita is usually translated as nondualismSri Nisargadatta Maharaj, Indian guru of nondualism, author of I Am That** As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---A. Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 84 (Part 2 of 2) | Lama Surya Das, beloved meditation teacher, scholar, pioneer of bringing Tibetan Buddhism to the West, and author of the bestseller Awakening the Buddha Within among many more, shares bright gems of wisdom from his extensive experience practicing Dzogchen, his long immersion in meditation retreats, and studying in person with the great spiritual teachers of Asia. Lama Surya is dedicated to getting the word out, and to young people especially, that the timeless teachings of the great masters are every bit as important and transformative in today’s modern world as they ever were. One doesn’t need to go on retreat to come to a place of wonder, understanding, and appreciation for life; Lama Surya assures us that daily practice of attentive awareness on the path of “awakefulness” is doable and effective in today’s world. This is the path that leads to self-knowledge, and we just need to explore and investigate to discover for ourselves that realization of the Great Perfection, of oneness, is never far away.Lama Surya embellishes his teachings with humorous tales of his early explorations with psychedelics, his spiritual adventures in India, how he came to undertaking not one but two 3-year silent retreats in the great Tibetan Buddhist tradition of Dzogchen, and coming home afterwards with a mission for transmission. He talks about divine love and how amazing and influential it was to hang out with spiritual teachers who actually practice unconditional love, here and now. Lama Surya Das’ own deep caring and compassion shine through his words, and his well-known “jolly lama” humor often elicits laughter from Roger and John. “There are a lot of lanes on the highway of awakening, you just want to watch you don’t go off into the ditch.” His authentic, endearing humility shines through as well. He is certain that “if I can do it, you can do it, anyone can do it.” Recorded September 7, 2022.“Spiritual elixir is the greatest panacea for our inner world: mind, body, heart & soul.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2Going to India, discovering the practice of of Vipassana and the cave retreat yogi tradition of Tibet (01:31)What timeless teachings did Lama Surya Das discover in his 3-year Dzogchen retreat? Love is not the same thing as light (05:21)Mother Teresa on loneliness and love, and meeting spiritual teachers who really lived the talk (07:44)Living, practicing, surrendering: learning that love is greater than any dichotomy of like or dislike (08:36)Teaching of Pema Wangyal Rinpoche: “Don’t expect the struggle to end.” (10:45)Coming back after the long retreat (11:47)We need an applied dharma that works for the postmodern world today (13:08)Continuing the practice with a second 3-year Dzogchen retreat (14:04)How Lama Surya Das became a Dzogchen teacher and started the Dzogchen centers (16:57)The importance of spending more time with daily practice and integrating it into your life: retreats are not for everyone (18:21)How long does it take to awaken? Awakening is very personal (21:08)Pointing towards awakening: absolute truth and relative truth, the middle way (23:44)What’s next for Lama Surya Das? The 3 H’s: healthy, harmonious & helpful—teaching young people, spiritual activism (26:46)Epistemological or logical debate: clarifying the meaning of how we know what we know (28:30)Cherishing life: cockroaches in the monastery (30:40)The timeless question: How should we live? (33:01)We have to accept the implications of our actions and the law of karma (35:32)Moving towards interdependence, interconnectedness (37:00)What are Lama Surya Das’ practices today? The joy of meditation: catching the updrift (38:51) A poem and a prayer (42:54)Resources & References – Part 2Roshi Philip Kaplan, beloved Zen teacher, founder of the Rochester Zen Center, author of The Three Pillars of Zen*Mirabai Bush, founder, Center for Contemplative Mind in Society, co-founder of the Seva Foundation, co-author with Ram Dass, Walking Each Other Home: Conversations on Loving and Dying*S. N. Goenka, teacher of Vipassana meditation, who started the first Vipassana Center in 1969, Meditation Now: Inner Peace through Inner Wisdom*Milarepa, renowned Tibetan yogi and spiritual poetKalu Rinpoche, Dzogchen master and Mahamudra teacher, Luminous Mind: The Way of the Buddha*, Foundations of Tibetan Buddhism*Andrew Holecek, lucid dreaming expert & author, see also Deep Transformation podcast episode #37, The Remarkable Practice of Dream YogaMother Teresa, founder of the MIssionaries of Charity, canonized as Saint Teresa of Calcutta in 2016Tulku Pema Wangyal Rinpoche on developing heart and love (YouTube video), Awakening Wisdom: Heart Advice on the Fundamental Practices of Vajrayana Buddhism*Padmakara Translation Group, established to preserve and make available Western translations of Tibetan Buddhist classicsDudjom Rinpoche, The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism: Its Fundamentals and History*, A Torch Lighting the Way to Freedom*Joseph Goldstein, Sharon Salzburg, Jack Kornfield, Insight Meditation Center, Spirit Rock Meditation CenterNyoshul Kenpo Rinpoche & Lama Surya Das, Natural Great Perfection: Dzogchen Teachings and Vajra Songs*Stephen Mitchell’s translation of Tao Te Ching*Karma Triyana Dharmachakra (KTD) monastery, Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Woodstock, New YorkBuckminster Fuller, Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth*Basho’s haiku The Old PondEmily Dickinson, from the poem I’m Nobody (…to an admiring bog)Lama Surya Das’ website: https://surya.orgLama Surya Das, Awakening the Buddha Within: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World*Lama Surya Das, Awakening to the Sacred: Creating a Personal Spiritual Life*Lama Surya Das, Awakening the Buddhist Heart: Integrating Love, Meaning, and Connection into Every Part of Your Life*Lama Surya Das, Buddha Standard Time: Awakening to the Infinite Possibilities of Now*Lama Surya Das and Sounds True, Dzögchen Meditation Training: A Direct Path for Awakening to the Radiant Buddha Within* (audiobook)Lama Surya Das, The Yeti and the Jolly Lama: A Tale of Friendship*Lama Surya Das, The Mind Is Mightier Than the Sword: Enlightening the Mind, Opening the Heart** As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Lama Surya Das is one of the foremost Western Buddhist meditation teachers and scholars. The Dalai Lama affectionately calls him “the American Lama.” Lama Surya has spent over forty-five years studying Zen, Vipassana, Yoga, and Tibetan Buddhism with many of the great old masters of Asia, including some of the Dalai Lama’s own teachers. He is an authorized lama in the Tibetan Buddhist order, a leading spokesperson for Buddhism and contemporary spirituality, a translator, poet, meditation master, chant master, and social-spiritual activist.Lama Surya Das is the author of the international bestselling Awakening trilogy: Awakening the Buddha Within, Awakening to the Sacred, and Awakening the Buddhist Heart, as well as his latest release and first children’s book, The Yeti & the Jolly Lama: A Tale of Friendship, and eleven other books. In 1991, he established the Dzogchen Centers and Dzogchen Retreats, and in 1993, with the Dalai Lama, he founded the Western Buddhist Teachers Network and regularly organizes its International Buddhist Teachers’ Conferences. Today, Lama Surya Das teaches and lectures around the world, conducting dozens of meditation retreats and workshops each year. Lama Surya can be followed on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; his own podcast Awakening Now can be found on the Be Here Now Network. For more information on Surya, as well as his lecture and retreat schedule, go to www.surya.org. Lama Surya Das resides in Lexington, Massachusetts.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 83 (Part 1 of 2) | Lama Surya Das, beloved meditation teacher, scholar, pioneer of bringing Tibetan Buddhism to the West, and author of the bestseller Awakening the Buddha Within among many more, shares bright gems of wisdom from his extensive experience practicing Dzogchen, his long immersion in meditation retreats, and studying in person with the great spiritual teachers of Asia. Lama Surya is dedicated to getting the word out, and to young people especially, that the timeless teachings of the great masters are every bit as important and transformative in today’s modern world as they ever were. One doesn’t need to go on retreat to come to a place of wonder, understanding, and appreciation for life; Lama Surya assures us that daily practice of attentive awareness on the path of “awakefulness” is doable and effective in today’s world. This is the path that leads to self-knowledge, and we just need to explore and investigate to discover for ourselves that realization of the Great Perfection, of oneness, is never far away.Lama Surya embellishes his teachings with humorous tales of his early explorations with psychedelics, his spiritual adventures in India, how he came to undertaking not one but two 3-year silent retreats in the great Tibetan Buddhist tradition of Dzogchen, and coming home afterwards with a mission for transmission. He talks about divine love and how amazing and influential it was to hang out with spiritual teachers who actually practice unconditional love, here and now. Lama Surya Das’ own deep caring and compassion shine through his words, and his well-known “jolly lama” humor often elicits laughter from Roger and John. “There are a lot of lanes on the highway of awakening, you just want to watch you don’t go off into the ditch.” His authentic, endearing humility shines through as well. He is certain that “if I can do it, you can do it, anyone can do it.” Recorded September 7, 2022.“Timeless wisdom is an endangered natural resource.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing Lama Surya Das, dedicated practitioner, spiritual teacher, pioneer of bringing the wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism to the West (01:09)How Lama Surya Das got to where he is now: his humor, his education, going to India and meeting his guru (03:57)Spiritual elixir is the greatest panacea for our mind, body, heart & soul (07:32)A core theme of Buddhist teaching: check it out for yourself (09:16)Dzogchen, the Great Perfection, the height of Tibetan Buddhism: awakefulness is the way (10:32) Mahamudra evergreen teachings of nondual awareness: we’re all buddhas by nature (15:52)If everything is perfect as it is, how come we feel like crap? (18:08) Self-knowledge is the way to wisdom: growing up to be a true mensch (18:45)The five wisdoms (gnoses), mirror-like wisdom, discriminating wisdom, and how they apply to now (21:20)Lucid faith, unshakeable realization (22:57)Lama Surya Das’ first vision of God, “beyond oneness or noneness” (24:28)Who are we really? Are we consciousness? What about the unconscious, the subconscious? (32:22)Replicating ego death in meditation, sensing Presence, experiencing beingness (33:33)“If I can do it, you can do it, anyone can do it.” (34:49)The middle way, moderation in moderation: there are a lot of lanes on the highway of awakening (36:50)Questioning and investigation are an important part of the spiritual path (37:57)Timeless wisdom is an endangered natural resource (39:10)A story of Lama Surya Das’ first 3-year Tibetan retreat, as told by Roger (40:06)Resources & References – Part 1Lama Surya Das’ website (which includes his lecture and retreat schedule): https://surya.orgLama Surya Das, Awakening the Buddha Within: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World*Lama Surya Das, Awakening to the Sacred: Creating a Personal Spiritual Life*Lama Surya Das, Awakening the Buddhist Heart: Integrating Love, Meaning, and Connection into Every Part of Your Life*Lama Surya Das, Buddha Standard Time: Awakening to the Infinite Possibilities of Now*Lama Surya Das and Sounds True, Dzögchen Meditation Training: A Direct Path for Awakening to the Radiant Buddha Within* (audiobook)Lama Surya Das, The Yeti and the Jolly Lama: A Tale of Friendship*Lama Surya Das, The Mind Is Mightier Than the Sword: Enlightening the Mind, Opening the Heart,* contains the Meister Eckhart quote, “The eye through which I see God is the eye through which He sees me.”Kalu Rinpoche, Dzogchen master and Mahamudra teacher, Luminous Mind: The Way of the Buddha*, Foundations of Tibetan Buddhism*The laughing diamond sutra or HevajraSocrates, “To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom.”The five wisdoms (gnoses), mirror-like wisdom, discerning, discriminating wisdom, and moreRabindranath Tagore, Bengali poet, playwright, and composer, the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, “To know your Self is to know God.”Sharon Salzburg, co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society, longtime teacher of Vipassana meditation, author, LovingKindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness*, et. al.Immanuel Kant, Critique of Pure Reason*, ens realissimum, the philosophical origin of the idea of GodEncounter groups at Esalen InstituteHenry David Thoreau, “Read not the Times. Read the Eternities.” “I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion.“Roshi Philip Kaplan, The Three Pillars of Zen: Teaching, Practice, and Enlightenment** As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Lama Surya Das is one of the foremost Western Buddhist meditation teachers and scholars. The Dalai Lama affectionately calls him “the American Lama.” Lama Surya has spent over forty-five years studying Zen, Vipassana, Yoga, and Tibetan Buddhism with many of the great old masters of Asia, including some of the Dalai Lama’s own teachers. He is an authorized lama in the Tibetan Buddhist order, a leading spokesperson for Buddhism and contemporary spirituality, a translator, poet, meditation master, chant master, and social-spiritual activist.Lama Surya Das is the author of the international bestselling Awakening trilogy: Awakening the Buddha Within, Awakening to the Sacred, and Awakening the Buddhist Heart, as well as his latest release and first children’s book, The Yeti & the Jolly Lama: A Tale of Friendship, and eleven other books. In 1991, he established the Dzogchen Centers and Dzogchen Retreats, and in 1993, with the Dalai Lama, he founded the Western Buddhist Teachers Network and regularly organizes its International Buddhist Teachers’ Conferences. Today, Lama Surya Das teaches and lectures around the world, conducting dozens of meditation retreats and workshops each year. Lama Surya can be followed on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; his own podcast Awakening Now can be found on the Be Here Now Network. For more information on Surya, as well as his lecture and retreat schedule, go to www.surya.org. Lama Surya Das resides in Lexington, Massachusetts.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 82 (Part 2 of 2) | Constitutional law expert and criminal justice professor Mark Fischler has a thirst for justice and a gift for teaching. With cogency and passion, Mark explains that law is not the absolute that we perhaps thought, but an ever changing reflection of the values we hold as a society. Law is a developmental process, and will benefit from our own dedication to inner moral development. Mark shows how the law can (and has) become ever more inclusive, with the potential to serve and uphold the dignity of all peoples, all beings. Because of its abstract clauses, there is room in the Constitution to interpret the law in ways that are attuned with our pluralistic society. Mark calls on us to come together and decide what we value as a people—there is no mandate in democracy that all decision making power must reside in the hands of the Supreme Court, which has only had the sort of unilateral power it enjoys today since the 1950s.This is no dry, legalistic conversation, but a truly illuminating vision of the potential of the law to embody justice, inclusivity, compassion. It is also a solid overview of where we have come from and where we are now, referencing many landmark rulings of the Supreme Court. Finally, this is spiritually inspiring as well—Mark tells the story of the transformational epiphany he had as a young man that led to his career as a public defender, onto the spiritual path, and eventually to become a well-respected, award-winning professor of criminal justice. Mark’s perspective on the law is far ranging, embracing human rights, animal rights, the rights of all beings. It comes from a place of deep care and compassion: “What is the happiness that the Declaration of Independence talks about, what is suffering?” Be inspired by Mark’s wise and knowledgeable teachings and the potential of the law to create a just society for all. Recorded January 4, 2023.“Law is our collective coming together and deciding what we value as a people.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2The 4th branch of government: administrative agencies like the EPA that implement policies are now under very specific guidelines from the legislature (01:40)Abstract language in the Constitution requires interpretation and the challenge of finding balance between restrictively specific guidelines and abstract directives (06:45)The history of the Supreme Court and how the Court is 10–20 years behind the rest of the culture’s center of gravity (09:44)The doctrine of originalism: is the Constitution a fixed document? (12:36)Ronald Dworkin, primary legal philosopher of his generation: “The law is absolutely an act of interpretation.” (15:55)Originalism’s effect on Brown v. Board of Education, the Equal Protection Clause, and Plessis v. Ferguson (16:35)Abraham Lincoln was competing with the courts on slavery—his point of view was far more holistic, respecting the equal dignity of all people (20:47)We all need to be involved in the determination of fundamental human rights and not leave it up to the Supreme Court (24:24)Our Constitution, because of the abstract clauses, allows us ways to start to relate differently to our environment and all beings (26:00)The law is a social institution embodying the ways we agree to relate to each other as a society (28:09)We need to become conscious that law is a developmental process, becoming more and more inclusive over time (29:18)Theories of justice and how to build a just society: integrating Immanuel Kant’s categorical imperative, universalizability, Aristotle’s virtue-based right action, Steve McIntosh’s observable piece, the utilitarian what’s the greatest good for the greatest number, and John Rawls’ justice as fairness (31:59)Using Integral to help us apply inclusivity to the law (35:32)Animal rights and our relationship to property, to the Earth (37:39)Is there a legal way to support people in the pursuit of self-actualization? (43:17)What is the happiness that the Declaration of Independence talks about, what is suffering? (46:15)Law is our collective coming together and deciding what we value as a people and this requires inner moral development (47:40)Peacemaking ethics: care, connection, mindfulness (53:22)The collective trance we live in (55:51)A call to participate in our democratic process: we can influence our laws, our communities, and make this world a better place (58:34)Resources & References – Part 2Obergefell v. Hodges, 2015 decision to guarantee the fundamental right to marry to same-sex couplesThe Federalist Society, a group of conservatives and libertarians dedicated to reforming the current legal orderFrederick Douglass, social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, statesmanThe theory of originalism is that all statements in the Constitution be interpreted according to the understanding at the time the statements were adopted Ronald Dworkin, primary legal philosopher of his generation, advocate of a moral reading of the U.S. ConstitutionBrown v. Board of Education, the Equal Protection ClausePlessis v. Ferguson ruling that racial segregation does not violate the ConstitutionHammurabi’s Code, Babylonian legal textHanzi Freinacht, The Listening Society*, Nordic Ideology*Immanuel Kant’s categorical imperativeSteve McIntosh, co-founder Institute for Cultural Evolution, author, Developmental Politics: How America Can Grow into a Better Version of Itself*, see also Deep Transformation episode #20, Consciousness Evolves, Politics Can TooJustice as Fairness, John Rawls and His Theory of Justice (Constitutional Rights Foundation)John Alexander, Capabilities and Social Justice: The Political Philosophy of Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum*Jonathan Rowson, anthology Dispatches from a Time Between Worlds: Crisis and Emergence in Metamodernity*, for more on metamodernism, see also Deep Transformation episode #17, Jonathan Rowson – Making Friends with Conflict, Metamodernity, Construct Awareness, and Other Ways of Facing the Current MetacrisisEudaimonia translates to the state or condition of ‘good spirit,’ commonly understood as happiness, welfare Tao Te Ching*, when the Tao declines, morality appears, when morality declines, the law appearsMichael Braswell, Belinda McCarthy, Bernard McCarthy, Justice, Crime, and Ethics, textbook with chapter on peacemakingDr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s quote about the “fierce urgency of now”* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Mark Fischler is a Professor of Criminal Justice and current program coordinator for the criminal justice and criminology programs at Plymouth State University. Prior to joining the Plymouth State faculty, he practiced law, representing poor criminal defendants for the New Hampshire Public Defender’s Office. Mark left the law after being guided by the Universe to focus on his Spiritual Awareness for almost two years. Upon his return, he was called to become a teacher and accepted a job at Plymouth State in 2003.Since then, Mark has worked extensively with alternative theoretical models in law, constitutional law, and higher education, and has published on integral applications to teaching, being a lawyer, and legal theory. In his time at the university, he’s been a chair, Dean, and Interim VP. His focus in the classroom is ethics and criminal procedure and constitutional law. He is well respected for a teaching philosophy that emphasizes recognizing the humanity and dignity of each student. Professor Fischler was awarded the outstanding teaching award at his university in 2014. He currently offers a weekly Spiritual Inquiry class for college students.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 81 (Part 1 of 2) | Constitutional law expert and criminal justice professor Mark Fischler has a thirst for justice and a gift for teaching. With cogency and passion, Mark explains that law is not the absolute that we perhaps thought, but an ever changing reflection of the values we hold as a society. Law is a developmental process, and will benefit from our own dedication to inner moral development. Mark shows how the law can (and has) become ever more inclusive, with the potential to serve and uphold the dignity of all peoples, all beings. Because of its abstract clauses, there is room in the Constitution to interpret the law in ways that are attuned with our pluralistic society. Mark calls on us to come together and decide what we value as a people—there is no mandate in democracy that all decision making power must reside in the hands of the Supreme Court, which has only had the sort of unilateral power it enjoys today since the 1950s.This is no dry, legalistic conversation, but a truly illuminating vision of the potential of the law to embody justice, inclusivity, compassion. It is also a solid overview of where we have come from and where we are now, referencing many landmark rulings of the Supreme Court. Finally, this is spiritually inspiring as well—Mark tells the story of the transformational epiphany he had as a young man that led to his career as a public defender, onto the spiritual path, and eventually to become a well-respected, award-winning professor of criminal justice. Mark’s perspective on the law is far ranging, embracing human rights, animal rights, the rights of all beings. It comes from a place of deep care and compassion: “What is the happiness that the Declaration of Independence talks about, what is suffering?” Be inspired by Mark’s wise and knowledgeable teachings and the potential of the law to create a just society for all. Recorded January 4, 2023.“Law is our collective coming together and deciding what we value as a people.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing professor of criminal justice and constitutional law expert Mark Fischler (01:31)How did Mark get into constitutional law? (03:45)At the foundation of legal theory is the question: natural law or positive law? How Ken Wilber reduced the cognitive dissonance going on around this for Mark (06:44)Law is a lawyer-driven process and the action is in the criminal courts (07:52)Mark’s 1996 transformational epiphany of self-knowledge around the judgmental character of his mind (09:16)How psychotherapy relates to Mark’s practice as a public defender and taking a bodhisattva approach to being there for all beings (13:59)The deepening of Mark’s spiritual practice: Am I supposed to leave everything behind, give it all up? (21:08)“The demon spoke” (Socrates): leaving public defender hood and the beginning of Mark’s spiritual journey (25:03)Miguel Luiz’ Four Agreements: principles upon which to life your life (29:35)Being of service to others is the foundational piece driving Mark to deepen his understanding of the law and in his role as professor (35:08)“We’re in a stage of pluralism, but we sure don’t act that way;”Justice Alito’s decision in the Dobbs case, overturning Roe v. Wade (37:02)Can we start to have a conversation about the law, from a 30,000’ point of view, transcending and including perspectives, even the Integral one? (38:20)Giving the Supreme Court so much power to make legal decisions is only as old as the 1950s (39:46) Was Roe v. Wade the best way to go? We needed to have a more honest conversation from the start (43:37)Human rights and how developmental stages play out in the justice system (46:35)Roger highlights the points Mark has brought up and their antidotes: absolutism, pluralism, the need for honest conversations, integrating different points of view (48:12)Teaching civil liberties to a class of diverse first generation students so that they feel heard and valued (51:47)Understanding Alito’s point of view, emotional contagion, and how Alito and other Supreme Court justices do not feel respected or heard (55:18)Black nationalism: being completely independent of the system (58:40)Resources & References – Part 1What’s the Future (WTF) and What Can We Do About It? Integral Conference, Sedona 2022John Kaiser, professor whose teachings stand at the crossroads between social & political philosophy, human rights, and ethicsPlato, The Republic*Ken Wilber’s Four Quadrants (Integral Life)Melvyn Zarr, professor who represented Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Hayden Valley, YosemiteRoshi Philip Kapleau, The Three Pillars of Zen*The Third Patriarch of Zen, “…and the burdensome practice of judging brings annoyance and weariness” Gerry Spence, founder of the Trial Lawyer’s College, who tried and won many nationally known cases, including the Karen Silkwood caseCarl Rogers, On Becoming a Person*The practice of tonglenPema Chodron, Reggie Ray, Ram Dass, Shunryu SuzukiBob Fogelnest, former president of the National Association of Criminal Defense LawyersPlato’s ApologyBo Lozoff, We’re All Doing Time: A Guide to Getting Free (foreword by The Dalai Lama)Miguel Luiz, The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom*Gini Gentry, ​​spiritual leader of the Toltec Eagle Knight Lineage Don Miguel Luiz: Events, Workshops, RetreatsDobbs v. Jackson, where Justice Alito’s decision overturned Roe v. Wade Jeff Salzman, beloved Integral pundit, The Daily Evolver podcastMarbury v. Madison, Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review in the United StatesThe Warren Court and Brown v. Board of EducationCorey Robin, The Enigma of Clarence Thomas*Stokely Carmichael, Malcolm X, Elijah MuhammadThomas Sowell, author, philosopher, economist, Discrimination and Disparities** As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Mark Fischler is a Professor of Criminal Justice and current program coordinator for the criminal justice and criminology programs at Plymouth State University. Prior to joining the Plymouth State faculty, he practiced law, representing poor criminal defendants for the New Hampshire Public Defender’s Office. Mark left the law after being guided by the Universe to focus on his Spiritual Awareness for almost two years. Upon his return, he was called to become a teacher and accepted a job at Plymouth State in 2003. Since then, Mark has worked extensively with alternative theoretical models in law, constitutional law, and higher education, and has published on integral applications to teaching, being a lawyer, and legal theory. In his time at the university, he’s been a chair, Dean, and Interim VP. His focus in the classroom is ethics and criminal procedure and constitutional law. He is well respected for a teaching philosophy that emphasizes recognizing the humanity and dignity of each student. Professor Fischler was awarded the outstanding teaching award at his university in 2014. He currently offers a weekly Spiritual Inquiry class for college students.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 80 (Part 2 of 2) | Connie Zweig, award-winning author, depth psychologist, master shadow guide, and longtime contemplative practitioner asks some good questions—and answers them too, with unusual clarity and deep insight born of long experience and a cutting-edge mind. Why is it that we meet darkness on the spiritual path? What do we banish into the shadow? How do we reclaim what we project onto charismatic leaders? Learning to recognize and resolve the shadow is a powerful practice, and one that is all too often overlooked in a time when psychology is focused on objective approaches, neglecting the fact and force of the unconscious. Cultivating shadow awareness, we can begin to look beyond projections and stereotypes, recognize the risks of black and white thinking, and learn how to reclaim what Carl Jung called the “unlived life.” Connie discusses the psychodynamics between spiritual student and spiritual teacher, and other situations where people have disproportionate power over others, shining a bright light of illumination on the nuances and complexities of these relationships.This is an intimate look into the challenges of the spiritual path, where we need both psychological practice and spiritual practice to advance our awakening, and a very relevant, timely conversation with shadow currently erupting in our culture in epidemic proportions. Connie’s dedication to helping people find their way through the dark nights we inevitably experience on our spiritual journey comes through strong and clear. Her authenticity, caring, and wisdom is palpable, inspiring us as to how the lights really go on when we start to see the dynamics of our inner world and relationships with more nuance, deeper insight, and shadow awareness. Recorded April 5, 2023.“When you meet the shadow, it means something else is required of you.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2Let’s talk about awakening: it’s not just about meeting the shadow (01:25)Connie’s intention is to help people move through and past the inevitable challenges on the path of spiritual growth (03:30)Spiritual shadow work: how do we reclaim our projections & gifts that we tend to give away to charismatic leaders? (04:44) How do we uncover what we banished into the shadow? Bringing forth our “unlived life” (06:11)Connie’s distress about the state of the field of psychology today: medicalization, the cognitive/behavioral/neuroscience approach, and a complete discounting of the role of the unconscious (09:12)Ken Wilber’s work (and the work of A. H. Almaas) provides a bridge for integrating depth psychology and spiritual practice (12:02)Importance of your own inner guidance: what feels right? (13:22)Taking up a practice without taking on the whole enchilada (15:14)What would an integrated spiritual regime look like? Contemplative practice, reflective practices, depth psychotherapy, group practice & relationships, study, and bodywork (17:23)Lifestyle is another crucial element of a well-rounded practice (22:25)Trump’s malignant narcissism is in some ways analogous to how spiritual leaders attract followers: appealing to our pre-rational selves (23:17)How many teachers empower their students to leave the community and go teach? (28:20)Cultural shadows: e.g., independent America’s shadow is dependence (30:32)The concept of salvation in our spiritual sub-cultures (31:38) The #MeToo movement wasn’t extended into the spiritual arena; the complexity of the issue of consent (34:19)Sexual relations with a spiritual leader trigger an identity crisis: Who am I? Victim, consort, special one? (40:50)What is the shadow side of the #MeToo movement? (41:49)Lonely spiritual teachers and systemic causes of abuse (43:07)Roger’s summary of Connie’s new book, Meeting the Shadow on the Spiritual Path (45:39)Resources & References – Part 2Buddha at the Gas Pump podcastKen Wilber’s Lines of Development (Integral Academy website)Carl Jung quote about The Unlived Life, Robert A. Johnson, Living Your Unlived Life: Coping with Unrealized Dreams and Fulfilling Your Purpose in the Second Half of Life*A.H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), creator of The Diamond Approach, see also Deep Transformation episode #43, Nonduality and Beyond: The Exhilarating Adventure of Discovering the Nature of Reality (or watch on YouTube)Arthur Deikman’s test of enlightenment: ask the spouseErich Fromm, Escape from Freedom*Ernest Becker, The Denial of Death*Association for Spiritual IntegrityThe #MeToo movementConnie Zweig, Meeting the Shadow on the Spiritual Path: The Dance of Darkness and Light in Our Search for Awakening*Connie Zweig, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul*Connie Zweig, The Holy Longing: The Hidden Power of Spiritual Yearning*Connie Zweig, Romancing the Shadow: A Guide to Soul Work for a Vital, Authentic Life*Connie Zweig & Jeremiah Abrams, editors, Meeting the Shadow: The Hidden Power of the Dark Side of Human Nature*Connie Zweig, A Moth to the Flame: The Story of the Great Sufi Poet Rumi*See also Deep Transformation episode #19, Connie Zweig –The World Needs Elders: How Inner Work Transforms Aging into a Developmental Process, a Life Culmination, and a Gift*Connie’s blogs on Medium: https://medium.com/@conniezweigConnie’s website: conniezweig.com, Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drconniezweig/, Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReinventingAge, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dr.ConnieZweig/, YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLdvX4rtyOC4SA75JU98qaA?view_as=subscriber* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Connie Zweig, Ph.D. is a retired therapist and co-author of Meeting the Shadow and Romancing the Shadow. Her award-winning book, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul, extends her work on the Shadow into midlife and beyond and explores aging as a spiritual practice. It won the 2022 Gold COVR Award, the 2022 Gold Nautilus Award, the 2021 American Book Fest Award, and the 2021 Best Indie Book Award for best inspirational non-fiction. Her new book, Meeting the Shadow on the Spiritual Path: The Dance of Darkness and Light in Our Search for Awakening, will be available in May 2023. Connie has been doing contemplative practices for more than 50 years. She is a wife, stepmother, and grandmother. After all these roles, she’s practicing the shift from role to soul.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell