Deep Transformation

Ep. 65 | Rev. Dr. Michael Clarke, principal of the Anglican seminary Codrington College in Barbados, beautifully articulates how embodied spirituality can change us and the importance of personal encounters with living Spirit to further us along our evolutionary path. He enlightens us as to the shortcomings of the Church and religion as it is largely practiced in the West in a way many of us may not have heard before, pointing out that the Church fails to take into account that the magnitude of our understanding of divine experience is ever expanding, in parallel with Ken Wilber’s Integral teaching on the ever expanding nature of consciousness, and mentioning that Jesus’ experience as divine man was not intended to be the end all religious experience for all time. As Michael says, “We need to understand the Oneness—we’ve done religion from the duality perspective, from a separatist perspective…missing the whole point!”Michael is passionate about creating opportunities for people to have personal encounters with living Spirit since having his own earth-shattering experience with the divine. He tells us that when spirituality comes into play, it offers a step upward, a higher place to stand to view the world that allows for Oneness, and describes the separation inherent in our world of duality today as a “wonderful avenue towards unification, appreciation, and understanding.” So, “How do you lift up this thing called spirituality and cause it to be a central part of religious response? Can the Church grow with what needs to happen?” Michael imbues this conversation with a bright, shining light of deep spiritual understanding and invites us all to be open to the “call to be more.” Recorded September 6, 2021.“This human experience causes us to fall asleep… thus the journey of awakening.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time StampsHow John met Michael Clarke at an Integral Christianity conference (01:25)Michael’s journey from cradle Anglican to hearing the call to ministry and becoming an ordained priest in 1984 (04:33)Speaking from the perspective of a Black priest rather than an Anglican priest for the first time (05:55)Michael’s spiritual turning point experience and consciousness shift (08:19)Climbing up the Jesus experience as a platform to go higher didn’t end up happening; the Jesus experience was made out to be the highest possible experience (09:16)Michael’s spiritual experience in more detail: finding himself on the floor of the Church and recognizing that there is another dimension of religious experience outside of dogma (10:40)Discovering a path parallel to the theoretical and philosophical with access to divine authority and power—direct experience of the living spirit—has been pushed aside, especially in the West, to focus on the objective (14:51)Our world (and the Church) tends to seek control, but no one can control the direct divine experience of an individual (18:00)How do you lift up this thing called spirituality and cause it to be the core of religious response? (19:38)Looking for a system that would transcend and include Michael’s experience—practices to induce religious response (21:12)Opening to the “more,” the luminous, capturing a sense that everything is expanding (27:13) Understanding that divine experience is an evolutionary process, forever changing; none of us have it all nailed down (29:14)The difficult of talking about this with people who haven’t had a divine experience (31:26)There is a growing sensitivity to the spiritual but the focus remains on the external journey rather than the inner, contemplative journey (34:49)Speaking as a Black priest from the West Indies: it’s no longer about religion but about the experience of coming into this white culture (36:14)The separation inherent In a world of duality provides a wonderful avenue for unification—for us to move higher and experience the oneness (40:31)We need to understand the oneness—we’ve done religion from the duality perspective, from a separatist perspective, missing the whole point (41:28)Re-examining Jesus as a spiritual being having a physical experience, focusing on the the incarnational aspect of Jesus as human and divine, allows us to look through a different lens and see the possibilities for all of us—we all can go higher (44:37)Individuals are open to the spiritual—the Church just needs to pick it up! Bring it back to the center, invite people to do the work and make the shift (51:56)Culturally, the Caribbean perspective is changing now, loosening the connection with established religion that endorsed slavery, and taking ownership for one’s life journey, asking, what does it mean to be me as a person, as an individual? (55:37)Resources & ReferencesRev. Dr. Michael Clarke, principal of Codrington College in Barbados, one of the oldest theological colleges in the Western hemisphereMichael’s radio program, Food for the Soul, aired on CBC 100.7FM at 1:00 pm EST on Sundays, https://liveonlineradio.net/q-100-7-fmMichael’s morning devotion on Contemplative Life Foundation’s Facebook and YouTube channels, Monday through Friday, 5:30 am ESTToronto School of Theology, one of the largest ecumenical centers for theological education in the English-speaking worldThe Episcopal Church, The Book of Common Prayer*iAwake Technologies, transformative sound technology for an evolving worldKen Wilber’s Integral Theory (a quick intro on the Daily Evolver website)Paul Smith, Integral Spirituality: The Spirit’s Call to Evolve*James Finley, faculty member at the Center for Action and Contemplation, author of Merton’s Palace of Nowhere* and The Contemplative Heart*, and host of CAC’s podcast Turning to the MysticsCynthia Bourgeault, mystic, writer, teacher within the worldwide Wisdom community, author of the Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening* and moreAlbert Einstein, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”Elaine Pagels, The Gnostic Gospels*, Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas*Thomas Keating, one of the principal developers of Centering Prayer, author of Open Mind, Open Heart* and many more * As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---The Rev. Dr. Michael A. Clarke, D. Min, graduated from Harrison College in 1978 and matriculated at the University of the West Indies in the same year. Upon graduating from UWI, he offered himself to test his vocation at Codrington College, the Anglican Seminary of the Church of the Province of the West Indies, and upon successfully completing his time there, he was accepted into Holy Orders, ordained deacon, and priested on the Eve of the Ascension in 1985. Dr. Clarke pursued a career in the full time ministry of the Church until 1990, when he left the diocese to study and work in the diocese of Toronto at St. Peter’s Church and St. Paul’s the Apostle Church, while pursuing his Doctor of MInistry degree studies at the Toronto School of Theology, Trinity College, University of Toronto.Dr. Clarke was instrumental in creating the Anglican Youth Ministry Service, an agency of the diocese of Barbados, which was set up to provide a service to parishes enabling those in Youth MInistry with the opportunity to develop their skills and allow for a greater engagement of young people within the Church in the several parishes. He served in this capacity from 1994 – 2001. In 2015, Dr. Clarke was invited to serve the Province as principal of Codrington College, ex-officio to the Provincial Commission on Doctrine and the Provincial Commission on Ministry. ---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 64 (Part 2 of 2) | Lynn Fuentes, Ph.D., author of The Koan of Chronic Illness and teacher of a series of courses on managing chronic illness, shines a bright light of understanding on chronic illness with all of its far-reaching ramifications in this very moving and important conversation. Lynn not only illuminates what chronic illness involves physically, emotionally, and relationally, but delves also into the existential questions it engenders: How should we live? How can we love each other? How can we embrace our suffering and allow it to be our path to greater connection with spirit? Lynn speaks from personal experience, having spent many years caring for a family member with a debilitating illness, and explains how she used the Integral Map in her own struggle to help make sense of the huge, all-consuming project that inevitably follows a diagnosis. Now she teaches others what she has learned about coping with the overwhelming logistics, healing the trauma, and also about transforming illness into a spiritual practice.This conversation really pertains to all of us, whether we are very ill or not, as aging towards death is something we all face. Can we learn to prepare ourselves? Can we reflect deeply on what is truly meaningful and important about life itself and live accordingly? Can we open to the wholeness of life, the pain and the bliss, the suffering that our cultural narrative would just as soon ignore? Chronic illness is a heartrending subject, but Lynn’s warm, wise, skillful, Integral approach allows us to see it in an expanded way, more profound, more transformative, than we may have seen it before. Recorded December 15, 2022.“We cannot separate suffering from life, they are intimately interconnected. Illness really shows us that.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2What are the essential things in life? Self-knowledge, the need for community, a spiritual connection, appreciating the small things (01:27)Transforming illness into a spiritual practice and the practice of surrender—in surrendering we can become larger; it’s not giving up, not defeat, it’s acceptance (05:20) Elizabeth Kübler-Ross’ stages of grief end in acceptance (08:22)Respecting people’s journey: people are too ready to make assumptions about what is needed, when we actually need to listen and ask, “What do you need?” (09:00)It’s very scary letting it in: this could happen to anyone at any moment (11:32)I thought life was about doing something! But now I can’t do. (12:53)How to take sick people’s grumpiness and irritability (13:27)How do we navigate the relationship part and allow each party, sick person and caregiver, to have their feelings; where is the place for sacrifice while still taking care of yourself? (14:50)We need to teach people how to be with a person who is suffering (18:13)Do most of us grow wiser as we age? (20:32)The importance of reflection and taking responsibility for one’s life (23:08)How is God here with me—as caregiver, as provider, as patient? (24:19)Philosophy—the love of wisdom—and the importance of spiritual practice in preparation for illness and dying (27:26)We cannot separate suffering from life—they are intimately interconnected (29:46)Opening to the wholeness of life goes against our cultural narrative that we have managed to eradicate suffering (32:43) The dialectic of progress: every social advance cures some problems but also introduces new ones (33:55)The important part is how you hold your suffering, how you relate to your illness or your suffering (37:03)The realization of love and its redemptive power as an answer to the koan (37:59)Resources & References – Part 2Roger Walsh, Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind*Ram Dass, Still Here: Embracing Aging, Changing, and Dying*Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’ stages of griefLady of the Camelias film starring Isabelle Huppert, based on the novel La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre DumasTerry Patten, A New Republic of the Heart*, Deep Transformation episode 8, Facing Death: A Call to “Get Real”iAwake Technologies, sound tech infused audio tracks to help deepen our spiritual lives, enhance creativity, heal emotional trauma, and become more compassionate (iAwake sponsors the Deep Transformation podcast)Bob Dylan, It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)Lama Surya Das, one of our foremost Western Tibetan Buddhist teachers and scholarsLynn Fuentes, The Koan of Chronic Illness: An Integral Approach*Lynn Fuentes, It’s Not Too Late: You Can Grow a Bright Future Starting Right Now*Lynn Fuentes, CEO, Transformation Teaching, offering personal and spiritual growth coaching, and courses in adult development, life planning, and chronic illness management, based on the integral theory of Ken WilberTransformation Teaching courses including Koan of Illness courses* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Lynn Fuentes, Ph.D., is CEO of Transformation Teaching, which offers personal and spiritual growth coaching and courses in adult development, life planning, and chronic illness management, based on the integral theory of Ken Wilber. Lynn is also the author of the 2022 book The Koan of Chronic Illness: An Integral Approach and It’s Not Too Late. She has taught in the areas of conflict management, chronic illness, writing, and adult psychology at Prescott College and DePaul University, where she also founded and directed the Chronic Illness Initiative, a unique program to help chronically ill students obtain a college education. She also served for many years on the board of the Solve ME/CFS Initiative.  Lynn’s primary focus is The Koan of Illness, a program dedicated to helping people with chronic illness using integral principles. Lynn has been a caregiver for the past 36 years for family members with serious chronic illnesses and was recently diagnosed herself with a chronic condition.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 63 (Part 1 of 2) | Lynn Fuentes, Ph.D., author of The Koan of Chronic Illness and teacher of a series of courses on managing chronic illness, shines a bright light of understanding on chronic illness with all of its far-reaching ramifications in this very moving and important conversation. Lynn not only illuminates what chronic illness involves physically, emotionally, and relationally, but delves also into the existential questions it engenders: How should we live? How can we love each other? How can we embrace our suffering and allow it to be our path to greater connection with spirit? Lynn speaks from personal experience, having spent many years caring for a family member with a debilitating illness, and explains how she used the Integral Map in her own struggle to help make sense of the huge, all-consuming project that inevitably follows a diagnosis. Now she teaches others what she has learned about coping with the overwhelming logistics, healing the trauma, and also about transforming illness into a spiritual practice.This conversation really pertains to all of us, whether we are very ill or not, as aging towards death is something we all face. Can we learn to prepare ourselves? Can we reflect deeply on what is truly meaningful and important about life itself and live accordingly? Can we open to the wholeness of life, the pain and the bliss, the suffering that our cultural narrative would just as soon ignore? Chronic illness is a heartrending subject, but Lynn’s warm, wise, skillful, Integral approach allows us to see it in an expanded way, more profound, more transformative, than we may have seen it before. Recorded December 15, 2022.“We cannot separate suffering from life, they are intimately interconnected. Illness really shows us that.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing Lynn Fuentes, founder of Transformation Teaching and author of The Koan of Chronic Illness: An Integral Approach (01:01)How Lynn came to focus on chronic illness—because of her son (01:52)Why say the “koan” of chronic illness? And the spiritually oriented questions that come up when facing such an illness, like “why me?” “Why my son?” (05:24)How to handle this as a parent and making lemonade from lemons (08:40)Genji-kōans arise out of life itself and the difference between knowledge questions and wisdom questions (11:02)The all-consuming challenge of chronic illness: getting an illness is both a trauma and a HUGE project, like taking several college causes when all you should be doing is resting (15:30)Be kind to yourself: this is not easy (20:22)Using Integral Theory’s four-quadrant model really helps get a handle on this (20:40)You need a village (22:52)The medical system needs to be completely revamped (24:03)Physicians’ burnout and moral injury (26:14)Support groups can be even more effective than the doctors (28:51)Chronic illness is not like acute illness: doctors want to be successful and patients feel guilty seeing their doctors when they’re not getting better (29:50)The heartless attitude that it’s all in your head (30:44) A longstanding UK study’s medical recommendations for exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy were just plain wrong (34:05)Chronic ME/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome) and Long Covid are so widespread, they’re forcing more research (34:57)Illness is actually one of the most profound experiences we can have: it’s a path for growth (37:19)Resources & References – Part 1Lynn Fuentes, The Koan of Chronic Illness: An Integral Approach*Lynn Fuentes, It’s Not Too Late: You Can Grow a Bright Future Starting Right Now*Lynn Fuentes, CEO, Transformation Teaching, offering personal and spiritual growth coaching, and courses in adult development, life planning, and chronic illness management, based on the integral theory of Ken WilberTransformation Teaching courses including Koan of Illness coursesThe Life and Work of Francis (Fran) Bennett, chaplainIntegral Life’s Who is Ken Wilber?Integral Life’s What are the Four Quadrants?Terry Patten, A New Republic of the Heart*, Deep Transformation episode 8, Facing Death: A Call to “Get Real”Bill Epperly, Integral, mindfulness-based coach* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Lynn Fuentes, Ph.D., is CEO of Transformation Teaching, which offers personal and spiritual growth coaching and courses in adult development, life planning, and chronic illness management, based on the integral theory of Ken Wilber. Lynn is also the author of the 2022 book The Koan of Chronic Illness: An Integral Approach and It’s Not Too Late. She has taught in the areas of conflict management, chronic illness, writing, and adult psychology at Prescott College and DePaul University, where she also founded and directed the Chronic Illness Initiative, a unique program to help chronically ill students obtain a college education. She also served for many years on the board of the Solve ME/CFS Initiative.  Lynn’s primary focus is The Koan of Illness, a program dedicated to helping people with chronic illness using integral principles. Lynn has been a caregiver for the past 36 years for family members with serious chronic illnesses and was recently diagnosed herself with a chronic condition.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 62 (Part 2 of 2) | Educator, author, philosopher, and futurist Zachary Stein gives a startling account of the effects the digital age already has on education and where this is headed. Think AI tutors and students talking in 3D with Socrates. Zak sees education in a deeply philosophical sense as fundamental to the sustainability of our civilization, with implications for each component of the metacrisis. Who will be driving the technology stack that actually leads to a viable civilization? Can we maintain our psychological sovereignty in a sea of digital propaganda and know the truth?Zak describes the metacrisis as a gestalt shift that allows us to orient toward the whole in an intuitive way and how this can give us traction in finding solutions. He finds hope for our future in the untapped potential of our collective human family and especially in the untapped potential of our youth, given the opportunity to make their lives meaningful and connected, working together to resolve the pressing challenges of our time. If you have a slightly outdated perception of the present, this impactful, far-reaching conversation may rock it squarely to the edge of present and future. Recorded November 30, 2022.“A crisis at the root of the way we make choices about civilization itself—the metacrisis is a crisis of the mind.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2How we ourselves are weaponized to spread propaganda (01:52)Meditation as an antidote: coming back to our own fundamental present moment experience (02:58)Algorithmic radicalization and how to stop the limbic hijacking that happens via the screen (04:20)The future of education: AI tutoring, virtual reality, and talking with Socrates (07:50)For the first time a generation could be raised by a non-human entity, creating a trans-human generation and fundamentally changing the dynamic of what a human is (12:31)The “return of the human” and the bicycle analogy (16:51)Who will be driving the technology stack that actually leads to a viable democracy in America and a viable civilization altogether? (19:06)Education broadly defined is social autopoiesis—the way the social system identifies, reproduces, evolves (21:06)Self-conscious evolution occurs through human education; our capacity for education makes us unique as a species (23:55)The future of education involves the end of schools and learning to socialize doing collaborative work (26:50)The adolescent mental health crisis: everyone senses schools are irrelevant (28:04)Making the lives of adolescents meaningful and reviving the guild structure (30:30)How do we foster virtue and maturity, and intelligence rather than only intelligence? (32:40)The de-spiritualization of society and the need to reintroduce religious meaning making (35:00)What gives Zachary hope: how much we underestimate human potential, and all the untapped collective intelligence that could come out of a cooperative approach vs a competitive one (39:31)Resources & References – Part 2Consilience Project propaganda series (#1)Consilience Project article, Social media enables undue influenceJonathan Rowson, anthology Dispatches from a Time Between Worlds: Crisis and Emergence in Metamodernity*Marshall McLuhan, Canadian philosopher whose work is among the cornerstones of the study of media theory, The Gutenberg Galaxy*John Dewey, philosopher, psychologist, educational reformerAlfred North Whitehead, developed a comprehensive metaphysical system which radically departed from most of Western philosophy, arguing that reality consists of process (process philosophy) What is a Tech Stack?Santiago theory of cognitionJean Piaget, psychologist whose work led to the study of development becoming a major sub-discipline of psychologyMichael Tomasello, comparative psychology researcher, Becoming Human*, The Evolution of Agency*Civilian Conservation CorpsDavid Graeber, Bullshit Jobs*Zachary Stein, Social Justice and Educational Measurement*Zachary Stein, Education in a Time Between Worlds: Essays on the Future of Schools, Technology & Society*Zak’s website: http://www.zakstein.orgZachary Stein, co-founder, The Consilience Project, aimed at improving public sensemaking and dialogueZachary Stein, co-founder, Center for World Philosophy and ReligionZachary Stein, co-founder, Lectica* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Dr. Zak Stein is a philosopher of education, trained at Harvard, co-founder of Lectica, Consilience Project, and Center for World Philosophy and Religion (formerly Center for Integral Wisdom). He is the author of dozens of published papers and two books, including Education in a Time Between Worlds.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 61 (Part 1 of 2) | Educator, author, philosopher, and futurist Zachary Stein gives a startling account of the effects the digital age already has on education and where this is headed. Think AI tutors and students talking in 3D with Socrates. Zak sees education in a deeply philosophical sense as fundamental to the sustainability of our civilization, with implications for each component of the metacrisis. Who will be driving the technology stack that actually leads to a viable civilization? Can we maintain our psychological sovereignty in a sea of digital propaganda and know the truth?Zak describes the metacrisis as a gestalt shift that allows us to orient toward the whole in an intuitive way and how this can give us traction in finding solutions. He finds hope for our future in the untapped potential of our collective human family and especially in the untapped potential of our youth, given the opportunity to make their lives meaningful and connected, working together to resolve the pressing challenges of our time. If you have a slightly outdated perception of the present, this impactful, far-reaching conversation may rock it squarely to the edge of present and future. Recorded November 30, 2022.“A crisis at the root of the way we make choices about civilization itself—the metacrisis is a crisis of the mind.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing Dr. Zachary Stein, educator, author, philosopher, futurist (01:12)What exactly is the metacrisis? (03:30) The main risk to the planet is our inability to make the right decisions (06:06)Creating a world philosophy that would be adequate for sustaining civilization, and shifting to an intuitive gestalt of the planetary whole rather than addressing only the parts or individual crises (07:10)The metacrisis is also about existential risk and catastrophic risk: the near-term future is precipitous (09:07)Where is the hope? What can we do as individuals? (10:14)The metacrisis does not imply anything faulty about humans (11:09)It’s as a result of our successes that we need to rebalance the domains that need attentionThe metacrisis hyperspace is so complex, it forces you to look at it intuitively—consulting the analytical and then returning to the whole gestalt (16:05)The sensemaking crisis and the booby trapping of the ecosystem of information (17:54)Public sensemaking, propaganda wars, the issue of trust with the news and politicians, cyber troops, and social media (20:03)The behavior manipulation machine, the thought terminating cliché, and how propaganda targets the intuition (24:05)Propaganda is the evil twin of education (32:28)How do we find our way through? Psychological sovereignty says a human being can know the truth (37:47)Resources & References – Part 1Books by Zachary SteinZak’s website: http://www.zakstein.org2015 Integral Theory ConferenceHans Despain, Roy Pascar, Sean Esbjörn-HargensDaniel Schmachtenberger, founding member of The Consilience Project, aimed at improving public sensemaking and dialogue (Zak Stein, co-founder)Ken Wilber, Sex, Ecology, Spirituality*Zachary Stein, co-founder Center for World Philosophy and Religion with Marc GafniMax Horkheimer & Theodor Adorno, Dialectic of Enlightenment*Habermas’ Critique of the Frankfurt SchoolJean Piaget, psychologist whose work led to the study of development becoming a major sub-discipline of psychologyAshley Rindsberg, The Gray Lady Winked: How the New York Times’s Misreporting, Distortions and Fabrications Radically Alter History*Consilience Project propaganda series (#1)Louis Menand, The Free World: Art and Thought in the Cold War*Fukushima, ongoing nuclear disasterOAN, One America News NetworkZachary Stein, co-founder, Lectica* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Dr. Zak Stein is a philosopher of education, trained at Harvard, co-founder of Lectica, Consilience Project, and Center for World Philosophy and Religion (formerly Center for Integral Wisdom). He is the author of dozens of published papers and two books, including Education in a Time Between Worlds.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 60 (Part 3 of 3) | Michael Murphy, author, co-founder of the world-famous Esalen Institute, and pioneer of the Human Potential Movement starting in the 60s, relates a wealth of intimate experience, knowledge, and wisdom covering his decades of living at the leading edge of transformative practice and the realization of human potential. Mike talks about Esalen’s latest research, our current crisis of belief, and the anchoring question that has guided Esalen (and Mike) all along: how best to serve? Mike has watched the developmental process of transformative practices themselves, such as somatics and psychedelics, now circling around after a period of purgation, and talks about current efforts to add research on the mystical and the ecstatic to meditation and mindfulness research in order to better understand what's going on. This podcast is a wonderful mix of tales from the past—including Mike and his wife Dulce’s achievements and adventures with Soviet-American citizen diplomacy towards the end of the Cold War—the present, and what’s coming up at the Esalen research center now, e.g., asking what is happening on "the other side," and discovering the truth about subtle body phenomena. On a personal note, Mike shares about practicing agnosticism, his respect and admiration for the quality of wonder, and about the magic of reading subtle cues and being increasingly in tune with “the algorithms of his heart.” Friendly, relaxed, and humorous, Mike is one of the world’s leading lights on self-transformation. Recorded on February 16, 2022.“With Esalen, life has given me this marvelous laboratory.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 3The magic of reading subtle cues and developing increasing discernment to the subtleties of one’s own internal psychic mechanism (02:26)Paul Ekman’s nonverbal cue study and how aging correlates with greater capacity to discern subtle social cues (06:03)The capacity for childlike wonder is one of the things Mike admires most (08:15)The human potential movement and the complexity of human beings (16:09)Spies, innocence, and transparency (19:08)Mike’s suspicions about developmental maps and schemes, especially in the spiritual world (23:37)There is no such thing as a single virtue: for example, you can’t have courage without prudence (28:38)Integral Transformative Practice: does it really work? Does it help us grow in virtue and character? (30:18)Mike’s calling to continue the inquiry: What’s going on on the other side? What is the truth about the subtle body phenomena? (32:33)Mike’s general advice: enough good habits, meditation, and tailoring your practice to who you are (33:59)The problem of suffering in this world is only going to be answered with an adventurous, experimentative embrace exploring what’s going on here (40:00)Resources & References – Part 3Fritz Perls, well renowned German psychotherapist and psychiatrist known for his notable works on Gestalt therapyHoward Gardner, Multiple Intelligences*Frances Vaughan, one of the great pioneers of transpersonal psychology, psychotherapist, teacher, authorDr. Paul Ekman, Nonverbal Messages: Cracking the Code*Solomon Asch conformity experimentsBill Walsh, 49ers football coachAbraham Maslow, psychologist who created a theory of psychological health predicated on fulfilling innate human needs in priority and culminating in self-actualization (Maslow’s hierarchy of needs)Will Schutz, author and creator of FIRO Theory (Fundamental interpersonal relations orientation)Gordon Wheeler, clinical psychologist who pioneered Gestalt Relational Constellations, integrating Systems Constellations work with Gestalt-based client experimentsTanya Luhrmann, studying people who attend Esalen for unique characteristicsIntegral Transformative Practice: ITP-International, founded by Michael Murphy & George LeonardThomas Merton, monk, writer, theologian, mystic, poet, social activist, and scholar of comparative religionOscar Wilde, Irish poet and playwrightMeister Eckhart, theologian, philosopher, and mystic born circa 1260Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov*Esalen Institute, a leading center for exploring and realizing human potential through experience, education, and research, Esalen’s Center for Theory & ResearchJames Redfield, Michael Murphy & Sylvia Timbers, God and the Evolving Universe: The Next Step in Personal Evolution*Michael Murphy, The Future of the Body: Explorations into the Further Evolution of Human Nature*Michael Murphy & George Leonard, The Life We Are Given*Michael Murphy & Steve Donovan, The Physical and Psychological Effects of Meditation*Michael Murphy, Golf in the Kingdom*Michael Murphy & Rhea White, In the Zone: Transcendent Experience in Sports** As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Michael Murphy is a graduate of Stanford University, co-founder of Esalen Institute, founder of Esalen’s Center for Theory and Research, and author of numerous books. His novels include The Kingdom of Shivas Irons, Golf in the Kingdom, Jacob Atabet, and An End to Ordinary History. His latest nonfiction work is God and the Evolving Universe, co-authored with James Redfield and Sylvia Timbers. Other nonfiction work includes: In the Zone, an anthology of extraordinary sports experiences, co-authored with Rhea White; The Life We Are Given, a book about transformative practice, co-authored with George Leonard; The Future of the Body, and The Physical and Psychological Effects of Meditation, co-authored with Steve Donovan.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 59 (Part 2 of 3) | Michael Murphy, author, co-founder of the world-famous Esalen Institute, and pioneer of the Human Potential Movement starting in the 60s, relates a wealth of intimate experience, knowledge, and wisdom covering his decades of living at the leading edge of transformative practice and the realization of human potential. Mike talks about Esalen’s latest research, our current crisis of belief, and the anchoring question that has guided Esalen (and Mike) all along: how best to serve? Mike has watched the developmental process of transformative practices themselves, such as somatics and psychedelics, now circling around after a period of purgation, and talks about current efforts to add research on the mystical and the ecstatic to meditation and mindfulness research in order to better understand what's going on. This podcast is a wonderful mix of tales from the past—including Mike and his wife Dulce’s achievements and adventures with Soviet-American citizen diplomacy towards the end of the Cold War—the present, and what’s coming up at the Esalen research center now, e.g., asking what is happening on "the other side," and discovering the truth about subtle body phenomena. On a personal note, Mike shares about practicing agnosticism, his respect and admiration for the quality of wonder, and about the magic of reading subtle cues and being increasingly in tune with “the algorithms of his heart.” Friendly, relaxed, and humorous, Mike is one of the world’s leading lights on self-transformation. Recorded on February 16, 2022.“With Esalen, life has given me this marvelous laboratory.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2What are the practices that are the most important to Mike? (01:07)Exploring what happens after we die and the richness of the subliminal mind (02:57)The nature of thoughts, their texture, their capacity to take over (06:28)Mike’s crap detector, his favorite skeptics, and his skepticism about reincarnation (09:29)Reincarnation studies at Esalen (15:39)Tacit knowing: Mike reads the “algorithms of his heart” (18:16)Agnosticism is a practice in the face of empiricism (20:38)The nature of the subtle body and building fellowships around this at Esalen (24:40)Central to what goes on on the other side is “degree of agency” (29:59)Merging the gnostic and agnostic at the same time (32:31)We need more language describing particular aspects of mystical to understand what’s going on (33:00)Back to reincarnation: yes—but it can be scary (34:03)The most surprising things that have happened to Mike over the years: people’s need to play the Game of Thrones (40:50)The Russian front, American hypocrisy, and Yeltsin’s conversion in 1989 (45:04)Resources & References – Part 2Esalen Institute, a leading center for exploring and realizing human potential through experience, education, and research, Esalen’s Center for Theory & ResearchM. de Voltaire, French Enlightenment writer and philosopherFrederic Myers’s Service to Psychology by William JamesR2-D2, character in the epic space saga Star WarsErnest Jones, The Life and Work of Sigmund Freud* Timothy Leary & Dick Alpert (Ram Dass), Dying to Know trailer (documentary about Ram Dass & Tim Leary)Willis Harman & Howard Rheingold, Higher Creativity: Liberating the Unconscious for Breakthrough Insights*James Fadiman, The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide*Edward Kelly & Emily Kelly, Irreducible Mind* Bruce Greyson, Journal of Near-Death Studies, After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences Reveal about Life and Beyond*Sri Aurobindo, deeply realized contemplative & mystic, led the most radical wing of the Indian independence movementWilliam James, Radical empiricismMichael Polanyi, Personal Knowledge*Taittiriya UpanishadSimon Cox, The Subtle Body: A Genealogy*Jeffrey Kripal, Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, Kali’s Child*Charlie Stang, Harvard School of Divinity and Esalen Board Member, author of Our Divine Double*The “undiscovered country” from Act 3, Scene 1 of Shakespeare’s Hamlet*Words of the Mother: Death and Rebirth (Sri Aurobindo Ashram)Rudolf Otto, German philosopher, theologian, and comparative religionistFritz Perls, a well renowned German psychotherapist and psychiatrist known for his notable works on Gestalt therapyPeter Berger & Thomas Luckmann, The Social Construction of Reality*Michael Murphy, Golf in the Kingdom*John le Carré, author of best selling international espionage novelsTrack II: An Institute for Citizen Diplomacy, host organization for the Russian-American ProgramJames Redfield, Michael Murphy & Sylvia Timbers, God and the Evolving Universe: The Next Step in Personal Evolution*Michael Murphy, The Future of the Body: Explorations into the Further Evolution of Human Nature*Michael Murphy & George Leonard, The Life We Are Given*Michael Murphy & Steve Donovan, The Physical and Psychological Effects of Meditation*Michael Murphy & Rhea White, In the Zone: Transcendent Experience in Sports** As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Michael Murphy is a graduate of Stanford University, co-founder of Esalen Institute, founder of Esalen’s Center for Theory and Research, and author of numerous books. His novels include The Kingdom of Shivas Irons, Golf in the Kingdom, Jacob Atabet, and An End to Ordinary History. His latest nonfiction work is God and the Evolving Universe, co-authored with James Redfield and Sylvia Timbers. Other nonfiction work includes: In the Zone, an anthology of extraordinary sports experiences, co-authored with Rhea White; The Life We Are Given, a book about transformative practice, co-authored with George Leonard; The Future of the Body, and The Physical and Psychological Effects of Meditation, co-authored with Steve Donovan.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 58 (Part 1 of 3) | Michael Murphy, author, co-founder of the world-famous Esalen Institute, and pioneer of the Human Potential Movement starting in the 60s, relates a wealth of intimate experience, knowledge, and wisdom covering his decades of living at the leading edge of transformative practice and the realization of human potential. Mike talks about Esalen’s latest research, our current crisis of belief, and the anchoring question that has guided Esalen (and Mike) all along: how best to serve? Mike has watched the developmental process of transformative practices themselves, such as somatics and psychedelics, now circling around after a period of purgation, and talks about current efforts to add research on the mystical and the ecstatic to meditation and mindfulness research in order to better understand what's going on. This podcast is a wonderful mix of tales from the past—including Mike and his wife Dulce’s achievements and adventures with Soviet-American citizen diplomacy towards the end of the Cold War—the present, and what’s coming up at the Esalen research center now, e.g., asking what is happening on "the other side," and discovering the truth about subtle body phenomena. On a personal note, Mike shares about practicing agnosticism, his respect and admiration for the quality of wonder, and about the magic of reading subtle cues and being increasingly in tune with “the algorithms of his heart.” Friendly, relaxed, and humorous, Mike is one of the world’s leading lights on self-transformation. Recorded on February 16, 2022.“With Esalen, life has given me this marvelous laboratory.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing Michael Murphy, Human Potential Movement pioneer, author, co-founder and director of Esalen Institute, co-creator of Integral Transformative Practice (01:20)Esalen’s “scouring of the Shire” (05:51)Forging a deeper marriage of the two parts of Esalen: public programming & the Center for Theory & Research (07:19)The realization that atman = Brahman and how Michael came to be a yogi (08:29)The anchoring vision and worldview of Esalen: evolutionary panentheism, embracing the whole in an evolving world (11:33) Our current crisis of belief: living between the death of the old gods and the birth of new gods has prompted more conflict, more divergences than ever before (16:37)How best to serve? Should Esalen continue? Most transformative practices (like somatics and psychedelics) have had to go through a period of purgation and are now coming back into play (21:34)The explosion of psychedelics in the 1960s through the psychedelic renaissance today and owning the immensity of its shadow side (27:47)Tanya Luhrmann, critical of the unwarranted hegemony of modern Buddhist influence on meditation research, researches contemplative, transformative, yogic, shamanic practices, including the evangelical Vineyard Movement (33:14)Tanya is now studying the uniqueness of people who have attended Esalen (37:28)On absorption capacity, its differentiating effects on our evolutionary capacities, and the concept of porosity, an attribute involving both the sensory and the extrasensory domain (38:29)  Resources & References – Part 1Esalen Institute, a leading center for exploring and realizing human potential through experience, education, and researchTrack II: An Institute for Citizen Diplomacy, host organization for the Russian-American ProgramJames Redfield, Michael Murphy & Sylvia Timbers, God and the Evolving Universe: The Next Step in Personal Evolution*Michael Murphy & George Leonard, The Life We Are Given*Michael Murphy & Steve Donovan, The Physical and Psychological Effects of Meditation*George Leonard, “taking the hit as a gift,” The Way of Aikido*Dick Price, ran Esalen in Big Sur for many yearsEsalen’s Center for Theory & ResearchFrederic Spiegelberg, professor at Stanford University, developed and theorized a mystical humanismJohn Steinbeck, Grapes of Wrath*Sri Aurobindo, deeply realized contemplative & mystic, led the most radical wing of the Indian independence movementEvolutionary panentheism, guiding vision and worldview for EsalenIntegral Transformative Practice: ITP-International, founded by Michael Murphy & George LeonardMichael Murphy, Golf in the Kingdom*Michael Murphy & Rhea White, In the Zone: Transcendent Experience in Sports*Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, scientist, theologian, philosopherAlfred North Whitehead, developed a comprehensive metaphysical system which radically departed from most of Western philosophyHenri Bergson, Creative Evolution*Martin Heidegger, one of the most influential philosophers of the 20th centuryDon Johnson, Diverse Bodies, Diverse Practices: Toward an Inclusive Somatics*Thomas Hanna, philosopher who gave the field of somatics its nameSomatic psychology, a form of psychotherapy that seeks to bridge the mind-body dichotomyIda Rolf, Structure, Function, Integration*, Dr. Ida Rolf InstituteAldous Huxley, provided a mediating language between metaphysics, the language of human potentialities, and the non-verbal humanities, The Doors of Perception*Georg W. F. Hegel, a founding figure of modern Western philosophyGeorge Brown, director for the Ford-Esalen project, Human Teaching for Human Learning: An Introduction to Confluent Education*Timothy Leary, clinical psychologist who developed a philosophy of mind expansion and personal truth through LSD, Exo-psychology: A Manual on the Use of the Human Nervous System According to the Instructions of the Manufacturers*Charlie Stang, Esalen board member & director of the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School Tanya Luhrmann, professor of anthropology at Stanford, When God Talks Back: Understanding the American Evangelical Relationship with God*, Our Most Troubling Madness*, How God Becomes Real*Richard Davidson, Mind & Life Institute, co-author with Daniel Goleman, Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body*William James, The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature*Abraham Maslow, American psychologist, creator of Maslow’s hierarchy of needsPam Kramer, President of ITP International, a non-profit organization that stewards the work of Michael Murphy and George Leonard and their creation of Integral Transformative Practice®MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory), a standardized psychometric test of adult personality and psychopathologyAuke Tellegen and the Tellegen Absorption Scale (TAS)Michael Murphy, The Future of the Body: Explorations into the Further Evolution of Human Nature*The Sandpiper with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton (filmed at Esalen)Fritz Perls, a well renowned German psychotherapist and psychiatrist known for his notable works on Gestalt therapyJane Austen, English novelist still popular though her novels were published 200 years agoStuart Symington, Secretary of the Air Force in the 1950sA Beautiful Mind, 2001 movie based on the life of the American mathematician John NashAgnews Developmental Center (originally “The Great Asylum for the Insane”)Ramakrishna, Hindu mystic who experienced spiritual ecstasies from an early ageCharles Taylor, Canadian philosopherVineyard Movement (Association of Evangelical Vineyard Churches)* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Michael Murphy is a graduate of Stanford University, co-founder of Esalen Institute, founder of Esalen’s Center for Theory and Research, and author of numerous books. His novels include The Kingdom of Shivas Irons, Golf in the Kingdom, Jacob Atabet, and An End to Ordinary History. His latest nonfiction work is God and the Evolving Universe, co-authored with James Redfield and Sylvia Timbers. Other nonfiction work includes: In the Zone, an anthology of extraordinary sports experiences, co-authored with Rhea White; The Life We Are Given, a book about transformative practice, co-authored with George Leonard; The Future of the Body, and The Physical and Psychological Effects of Meditation, co-authored with Steve Donovan.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 57 | Adult psychology pioneer and ego development expert Susanne Cook-Greuter introduces us to her favorite wisdom teacher: Nature. Susanne explains how Integral Theory’s 3-2-1 Process can be practiced with elements in nature to gain greater insight into the teachings of nature—evolution, cycles of life and death, the transience of life, the beauty that is everywhere—and to experience oneness with all. She notes that indigenous wisdom is based on deep connection with nature, and speaks of ubuntu, the concept of a shared humanity that reveals an entirely different understanding of self than what we have in the West. Susanne’s is a uniquely valuable perspective, informed and inspired by her many years at the cutting edge of what we know about adult psychological growth and development, and from being an integralist from the beginning of Ken Wilber's Integral Theory project and a beloved elder in the worldwide Integral community today. Susanne explains that people at every stage of development have gifts to give that we need to pay attention to, and that individuals at later stages of development are not necessarily more virtuous because of it. Recorded November 15, 2021."It is not a separation. I am because you are, and you are because I am."(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time StampsIntroducing adult development pioneer Susanne Cook-Greuter, who integrated her cutting-edge psychological development research with the wisdom of the great traditions and Integral Theory (01:31)Why nature is a better teacher than our human teachers (06:47)The teachings of nature: the transience of life, evolution, cycles of life and death, and how indigenous knowledge is based on a real connection with nature (09:12)Susanne introduces the 3-2-1 Nature Process, an Integral practice to gain wisdom and experience oneness (11:37)The feeling of belonging to nature leads to acting ethically (18:40)The need to re-own our fundamental connection with nature (21:51)Finding beauty in everything (22:38)Zen, developmental theory, humility, and ordinariness (27:29)Paying attention to what people at all levels have to give (29:04)Being at higher levels of development allows you to talk authentically with people at all levels and not get lost in abstraction (32:58)The healing capacity of nature and the acquisition mindset that has brain-washed so many (36:10)The deplorable state of children’s Christmas toys (40:53)The miracle of our body (42:21)What are some practical ways we can cultivate virtues? (43:30)Ubuntu and indigenous wisdom’s completely different understanding of self (49:17)The huge importance of role models to stimulate developmental growth, especially for children (50:55) Later stage people aren’t necessarily more virtuous (53:14)How did we get into this mess? (58:22)Let’s start with re-educating children and foster real play and imagination (01:00:20)Susanne’s mission now: to describe the developmental model for lay people using a fable situated at Walden Pond (01:05:21)Resources & ReferencesSusanne Cook-Greuter, Vertical Development Academy (VeDA)Susanne Cook-Greuter, Postautonomous ego development: A study of its nature and measurement *Susanne Cook-Greuter, “Making the case for a developmental perspective” Sadhguru, spiritual guru, yoga teacher, founder of the Isha Foundation, author of Inner Engineering, A Yogi’s Guide to Joy*, Karma: A Yogi’s Guide to Crafting Your Destiny*, and Death, An Inside Story: A Book for All Those Who Shall Die*Integral Theory’s 3-2-1 Process: Face it, Talk to it, Be it, and The 1-2-3 of GodWallace Black Elk, Black Elk: The Sacred Ways of a Lakota*Wakȟáŋ Tȟáŋka, Lakota term for Great Spirit or the divineThe Ten Ox Herding Pictures from the Zen traditionJane Loevinger, Ego Development: Conceptions and Theories*William Wordsworth’s poem “The World is Too Much With Us” Hanzi Freinacht, Nordic Ideology*Confucius, “Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of men.”Templeton Foundation funds research on character virtue developmentIntegral Africa Conference brings people from all over the world together with the African Integral community to support each other and craft an awakened community motivated by the highest good Ubuntu philosophy, the bond that all of humanity sharesWEIRD (Western, educated, industrialized, rich, democratic)Robert Kegan, In Over Our Heads: The Mental Demands of Modern Life*Maslow’s hierarchy of needsThe Street University, helping young people find exciting new futuresUrban Hub 23 – Integral Africa: Thriveable Cities* by Paddy Pampallis D.Prof, Paul van Schaik, et al., (Susanne Cook-Greuter contributed an essay on WEIRD in this volume)* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---Susanne Cook-Greuter is one of the world’s leading experts in adult psychology and ego development theory. Her Harvard dissertation (1999) “Post-Autonomous Ego Development” addresses the farther reaches of human development. Susanne is a founding member of Ken Wilber’s Integral Institute and an elder in its community. She developed the MAP, a sentence completion assessment of vertical development and acts as the chief research and knowledge officer at VeDA (Vertical Development Academy). Together with Beena Sharma, she trains and supervises coaches in tailoring coaching to the stage of the client. Currently Susanne is focusing on writing a book on ego development. She also enjoys co-writing a fable with a colleague from Australia. It takes place around Walden Pond near her home, and uses local animals and her love of nature to share the idea of adult development with lay readers. Susanne loves life, all creatures (2-leggeds and others), grand-mothering, world-wide travel and good questions.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 56 (Part 3 of 3) | A frank, hard-hitting conversation with TV producer David Riordan about the dangers democracy faces in this country, the fact that we are in a state of transition whether we like it or not, and the power of shifting our narratives to create change and a sustainable future. David has long been fascinated by the power of story, and has set up Vital Signs of Democracy, a platform that tracks and analyzes the narratives told and reported in the U.S. today—narratives that are foundational to our culture, our culture wars, our politics, and our future. Is there hope for American democracy? The good news is that studies show 65-70% of the population actually agree on and support the core principles of democracy—so if we could shift our narrative to reflect the majority view, we might be okay. The other news is that neither democrats or republicans, MAGA conservatives or progressives, have stepped up to represent this majority. David explains that we urgently need an alternative narrative from what we have to move forward—and we all need to ask what kind of country we want America to be. Recorded November 16, 2022 (on the heels of the 2022 midterm elections).“If you don’t like the story that’s driving you, you can change it.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 3Mediation: asking both sides, what are you willing to live with? (01:18)Why do democracies fail? (03:15)The frailties of democracies and the susceptibility to demagogues (04:57)Can post post-progressives sort out the conversation? (05:51)Capitalism has blown through its own guardrails: historically when wealth is in the hands of as little as 0.5% of the people, violent change is coming (10:23)The US is transitioning from a white-dominated culture to a multicultural population: can that kind of cultural transition happen peacefully? (13:42)We need an alternative narrative, a stakeholder economy rather than capitalism’s winner-take-all approach that has 99.5% of the wealth consolidated in the hands of the very few (17:02) Creating a more generative approach to the distribution of wealth requires re-thinking the meaning of success (25:49) Rewarding people for putting money back into the system instead of for keeping it all to themselves (27:59)What can one person do? Can the way we talk and the way we listen change things? (31:49)We can vote, support candidates financially, and volunteer for a campaign: is this enough at this point in time? (36:09)Vital Signs of Democracy is designed to answer the question, “Am I crazy to think our democracy is in extreme danger?” (41:56)Do the 2022 midterm election results mean democracy is safe? (43:51)What Vital Signs of Democracy can do for you (46:09)Are you willing to move outside of your comfort zone and address the serious problems democracy faces? (49:54)Resources & References – Part 3Diane Musho Hamilton, award-winning mediator, author, Zen teacher, Everything is Workable: A Zen Approach to Conflict Resolution*, see also Deep Transformation episode #14, The Essence of Zen: One Heart One Mind, Waking Up, Working Through Grief, and What Women Want From MenDiane Musho Hamilton, Gabriel Wilson & Kimberly Loh, Compassionate Conversations: How to Speak and Listen from the Heart*John Montgomery & Mark Van Clieaf, Net Zero Business Models: Winning in the Global Net Zero Economies*Jeff Bezos gives Dolly Parton $100 million to spend on charity (NPR News)Jeff Salzman, The Daily Evolver podcast, “a developmental take on the news,” see also Deep Transformation episode #1, Polarization, Being Woke, the Universal Agenda, Mindfulness Going Bad, and the Integral VisionIntegral Life.com, digital media community that supports the growth, education, and application of Integral Philosophy and integrative metatheory to complex issues in the 21st centuryKen Wilber, visionary thinker and the developer of an Integral “theory of everything”What Are the Four quadrants? (from Integral Life’s Ken Wilber Biography Series)David Riordan’s website: The Evolution of Intelligence: Storycatching the Now and FutureVital Signs of Democracy analyzes our cultural condition, providing biweekly reports on the formative narratives being told in the United States* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.---David Riordan is a transmedia producer who has years of experience creating and producing documentary television series, interactive entertainment, and participatory AR/VR experiences. Before founding Story Studio, David was the Vice President of Media for Ken Wilber’s Integral Life, where he was responsible for strategic planning, talent development, and content and conference development. He was also the producer for Random 1, a documentary television series on A&E Networks and the Executive Producer for the award-winning documentary film Lost in Woonsocket.Previously, David was the VP of Production at Time Warner Interactive, Disney Interactive, and Philips Media. He has won numerous awards from major interactive societies including seven Interactive Academy Awards. David also directed the documentary film The Future of Christianity, co-created Google Ocean on Google Earth, and directed the Ken Wilber Biography Project. David Riordan, Wikipedia. The Evolution of Intelligence: Storycatching the Now and Future.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell