New Dimensions

Murray inspires us to take our mindfulness practice into our garden, whether it be in pots on our patio or plots in our backyards. You’ll want to learn the language of the land, understand the wisdom of the weeds, and home in on the blessings of compost with this sweet conversation. Hear her tale of her blindfolded walkabout in the New Zealand bush. She is the author of: Mindfulness in the Garden: Zen Tools for Digging In the Dirt (Parallax Press 2012) Interview Date: 1/12/2013       Tags: Zachiah Murray, mindfulness, garden, gardening, walkabout, New Zealand Bush, walking meditation, landscape gardening, nature, gardening, Thich Nhat Hanh, weeding, gathas, anger, forgiveness, watering, pests in the garden, hand watering the garden, when seeds don’t grow, challenges, conflict, frustration, native plants, pruning, trees, compost, Personal Transformation, Philosophy, Self Help, Spirituality, Meditation, Ecology/Nature/Environment

Here Houston takes us on a whirlwind tour of the authentic American myth of the Wizard of Oz. She answers the question of what it means to have a brain, a heart, and to act with courage. Using the characters of the scarecrow, tin man, lion, and Dorothy, Houston inspires us to follow our deep yearning in order to develop and contribute to a better world with our full human capacities. She’s the author of nearly thirty books, including A Mythic Life (HarperSanFrancisco 1996), A Passion for the Possible (HarperSanFrancisco 1997) and The Wizard of Us: Transformational Lessons From Oz (Beyond Words 2012)Interview Date: 12/10/2012     Tags: allies, archetype, brain, creativity, extended families, field of poppies, Glenda the good witch of the north, gross happiness index, human potential movement, it takes a village, Jean Houston Ph.D., Frank Baum, myth, neuroplasticity, rainbow, Renaissance, social artistry, social artists, the arts, the scarecrow, thinking heart, Wizard of Oz, yellow brick road, Mythology, Personal Growth, Philosophy/Psychology, Self-Help, Spirituality

Evolution builds on what came before using it as a platform to transcend to a new level of complexity. McIntosh points out that we need not be repulsed by the values of either traditionalism or modernism. He encourages us to reclaim the best of earlier values and to include them in a higher level. He is the author of Integral Consciousness: The Future of Evolution (Paragon House 2011), Evolution's Purpose: An Integral Interpretation of the Scientific Story of Our Origins (Select Books 2012) and The Presence of the Infinite: The Spiritual Experience of Beauty, Truth, and Goodness (Quest 2015)Interview Date: 9/18/2012   Tags: agency, cosmological evolution, dialectic spiral, emergence, evolution, human consciousness, modern worldview, Paul Ray, physics, polarized culture, Post-modern worldview, purpose, social structures, Steve McIntosh, the Big Bang, The third Big Bang, traditional worldview, History, Philosophy / Psychology, Science, Social Change / Politics, Spirituality

Even though it may seem like the end of things, Meade reminds us there are always beginnings embedded in the endings. He takes us on a mythological journey that tips the world towards renewal and says, “Why not find our own thread even in the midst of uncertainty and pain, and learn how to weave and create?”Meade's many books include The Genius Myth (GreenfirePress 2016), Why the World Doesn’t End: Tales of Renewal in Times of Loss (GreenfirePress 2012), Fate and Destiny: The Two Agreements of the Soul (GreenFire Press 2012) , Awakening the Soul: A Deep Response to a Troubled World (GreenFire Press 2018)Interview Date: 8/13/2012         Tags: Michael Meade, renewal, recreation, destruction, apocalypse, cosmic cycle, myth, old woman in the cave, creation, destruction, lived time, evolution, devolution, wisdom, thread of eternity, elders, Book of Revelation, revelation of tragedy, innovation, nature, recreation stories, initiation, genius, confidence, courage, games, on-line games, virtual worlds, Jane McGonigal, elder bloom, Mythology, Global Culture, Philosophy, Social Change/Politics, Death & Dying

The two sides of the brain have different perspectives of the world and they lead us to make very different choices. Olson’s research shows that we need to blend these two for three-dimensional thinking. He discusses how we can tell when we are functioning from our right brain or our left brain. He’s the author of The Whole-Brain Path to Peace: The Role of Left- and Right-Brain Dominance in the Polarization and Reunification of America (Origin Press 2011)Interview Date: 1/30/2012     Tags: Personal Transformation, Science, Health & Healing, Self Help 

Diana Raab is an expert in journaling. She encourages each of us to make it part of our daily lives. Journaling can clear your mind, improve your mental status, and can help you find your joy. She shares some very specific suggestions about how to write poetry. Raab is an advocate of the healing power of writing and teaches nation-wide workshops and in the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program. She’s an award-winning memoirist and poet. She is the author of many books including Healing with Words: A Writer's Cancer Journey (Loving Healing Press 2010), Regina’s Closet: Finding My Grandmother’s Secret Journal (Beaufort Books 2007), Writers and Their Notebooks (editor) (University of South Carolina Press 2010), Writers on the Edge: 22 Writers Speak About Addiction and Dependency (co-editor with James Brown) (Modern History Press 2012), Writing for Bliss: A Seven-Step Plan for Telling Your Story and Transforming Your Life (Loving Healing Press 2017).Interview Date: 3/22/2012.  Tags: Diana Raab, addictions, depression, journal, journaling, suicide, poetry, Personal Growth, Religion, Self-Help, Spirituality, Work / Livelihood

In working with people in the helping professions who are most in danger of burnout or traumatic stress, Wicks has made many discoveries on how we can live our fleeting days with meaning, peace, compassion, and contentment. His reflections include many unforgettable stories that will live in your heart for years to come.  Robert J. Wicks, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist and serves as a professor in the graduate programs in pastoral counseling at Loyola University, Maryland.  In 1994, he was responsible for the psychological debriefing of relief workers evacuated from Rwanda during their bloody civil war. In 2006, he delivered a presentation on self-care to health care professionals responsible for Iraqi war veterans with multiple amputations and severe head injuries at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland and Walter Reed Army Hospital. He's the author of many books including Riding the Dragon: 10 Lessons for Inner Strength in Challenging Times (Sorin Books 2012), Bounce: Living the Resilient Life (Oxford University Press 2009). Prayerfulness: Awakening to the Fullness of Life (Sorin Books 2009) and Streams of Contentment: Lessons I Learned on My Uncle's Farm (Sorin Books 2011)Interview Date: 11/3/2011  Tags: Robert J. Wicks, Robert Wicks, Amish, 3 calls, self-understanding, pruning, transformation, surrendering, surrender, signature strengths, ordinariness, Anam Cara, joy, wonder, tyranny of hope, Thomas Merton, Fr. Flavian Burns, faithfulness, Henri Nouwen, self-care protocol, silence, reliance, Philosophy, Spirituality, Self Help, Psychology, Personal Transformation

Ghareman describes the dilemma of women today who are especially culturally rewarded to say yes to most every request made of them. Most of us have dozens of stories about how we self-sabotage ourselves instead of building a more balanced life.. How can we say a soft but effective no? What are some skillful ways for us to move from stress to contentment? What is true frugality?  Azarm Gharman, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist, and holds advanced degrees in chemistry and business administration, and has conducted many professional training workshops. She is the author of Longing for a Land: A Persian Woman’s Story of Individuation (Mazda Connections 2005) and Six Life Secrets of Content Women: A Guide for Emotional Self-Care (Mazda Connections 2010)Interview Date: 6/7/2011  Tags: Azarm Ghareman, frugal, frugality, Iran, Persia, Self-care, self care, time, wellness, inner critic, archetypes, witch, fairygodmother, fairy godmother, gratitude, grief, mourning, emotional, first aid, Womens' Studies, Personal Transformation, Psychology, Self Help

Huebl describes two competencies that can improve the art of living. The first one is silence so we may know ourselves more intimately. The second one is movement: voluntarily letting go of the old version of ourselves and moving with the ever changing flow of life. This leads to a highly innovative and creative life. Thomas Huebl is a spiritual teacher and workshop presenter who has dedicated his life to the task of exploring consciousness and supporting people worldwide in this exploration. He founded The Celebrate Life Festival and The Academy of Inner Science. He resides in Germany. He is the author of The Power of We: Awakening in the Relational Field (CD) (Sounds True 2014)Interview Date: 4/1/2012  Tags: Thomas Hübl, Thomas Huebl, transparent communication, competent perception, silence, movement, symptoms of separation, spiritual competency, spiritual intelligence, inner science, education, competency of stillness, competency of movement, intuition, collective patterns of consciousness, consciousness, inner, intelligence, Philosophy, Education, Spirituality, Personal Transformation

Is time speeding up? It seems so as we fill our lives with so many “labor saving” devices. The 21st century mantra could very well be: There isn’t enough time. Here we explore how we can free ourselves from the tyranny of time, as we step out of the fast lane on to the off ramp, in order to enjoy a saner and more balanced relationship with time. Lama Surya Das, a renowned Western Buddhist meditation teacher and scholar, teaches and lectures around the world, conducting dozens of meditation retreats and workshops each year. He is the founder and spiritual director of the Dzogchen Foundation and founder of the Western Buddhist Teachers Network. He is the author of many books, including Awakening the Buddha Within (Broadway 1997), Buddha Is as Buddha Does (HarperOne 2008) and Buddha Standard Time: Awakening To the Infinite Possibilities of Now (HarperOne 2011)Interview Date: 6/20/2011Tags: Lama Surya Das, time, Dzogchen, nowness, stress busters, artificial time, natural time, linear time, awareness, letting go, meditation, mindfulness, mindful prayer, technology, techno-addiction, full-connection, meditation, cyclical time, perception, presencing, Buddhism, Spirituality