The Mystical Positivist

Podcast: This week on The Mystical Positivist, we present a conversation pre-recorded on October 20th, 2019 with Alex S. Kohav PhD. Alex Kohav is the editor of and contributor to the recently published Mysticism and Meaning: Multidisciplinary Perspectives. He is an independent scholar based in Boulder, Colorado, and an affiliate faculty member at the Department of Philosophy, Metropolitan State University of Denver. His research has established a new area of scholarly study: Pentateuchal Mysticism and First Temple ancient Israelite priestly initiation tradition (achieved via Husserl's noema-noesis-hyle distinctions enabling "reverse-engineering" from the text to the practices that inspired it). Kohav is currently reconstructing/developing ancient Israelite philosophy, i.e., the foundational Hebraic metaphysics, epistemology, phenomenology, and ethics of early-antiquity Israel. He is the founder of the Institute for Ancient Israelite Spirituality, which is a pioneering spiritual and esoteric school that teaches consciousness alteration and transformation based on ancient Israelite practices. Thousands of years ago, these practices were developed by the people of Israel, and they are just as relevant and uniquely transformational now as they were in ancient times. Kohav also researches metaphysics and phenomenology of time, the self, being, and the relation between epistemology and attention. More information about Alex Kohav's work can be found at: Alex Kohav on the Academia.edu website: msudenver.academia.edu, Institute for Ancient Israelite Spirituality website: mosaickabbalah.org.

Podcast: This week on The Mystical Positivist, we present a conversation pre-recorded on October 13th, 2019 with Neil Douglas-Klotz, Ph.D. Neil Douglas-Klotz is a world-renowned scholar in religious studies, spirituality, and psychology. Living in Fife, Scotland, he directs the Edinburgh Institute for Advanced Learning and for many years was co-chair of the Mysticism Group of the American Academy of Religion. He is also co-founder of the International Network of the Dances of Universal Peace. A frequent speaker and workshop leader, he is the author of several books, including Prayers of the Cosmos (1990), The Hidden Gospel (1999), The Genesis Meditations (2003), The Sufi Book of Life (2005), Blessings of the Cosmos (2006), The Tent of Abraham (2006) (with Rabbi Arthur Waskow and Sr. Joan Chittister) and Desert Wisdom (1995, revised 2010). He has also produced three audio series of teachings on the Aramaic approach to Jesus, published by Sounds True. Known also for his citizen diplomacy work, Neil led several group trips to Russia and the Middle East and in 2004 and cofounded the Edinburgh International Festival of Middle Eastern Spirituality and Peace. In 2005 he was awarded the Kessler-Keener Foundation Peacemaker of the Year award for his work in Middle Eastern peacemaking. Under his Sufi name, Saadi Shakur Chishti, Neil also offers spiritual retreats combining his work with Native Middle Eastern spirituality with the lineage of Chishti Sufism. He was a long-time student of the Murshid Moineddin Jablonski (d. 2001), the spiritual successor of Sufi Ahmed Murad Chishti (1996-1971). Saadi was recognized as a teacher in the Sufi path in 1981 and a senior teacher, or murshid, in 1993 in the Chishti Sufi lineage. More information about Neil Douglas-Klotz's work can be found at: The Abwoon Network website: abwoon.org, Edinburgh Institute for Advanced Learning website: eial.org, Dances of Universal Peace website: dancesofuniversalpeace.org, Edinburgh International Festival of Middle Eastern Spirituality and Peace website: www.eicsp.org, European Ruhaniat website: www.ruhaniateurope.org.

Podcast: This week on The Mystical Positivist, we present a conversation pre-recorded on September 22, 2019 with Fourth Way practitioner Trevor Stewart. Trevor is a student of psychology, meditation, and the Gurdjieff Work. As a young adult, he worked with Buddhist teachers, practicing in an intensive monastic setting for 2 years. Trevor has studied Gurdjieff’s masterwork Beelzebub’s Tales intensively, employing textual, historical, and grammatical criticism, and has authored papers at the All and Everything conference and in other venues. A member of Two Rivers Farm in Oregon, he has worked with the Gurdjieff Movements in both America and Europe, and is an amateur pianist who studies the Gurdjieff/de Hartmann music. In daily life, Trevor runs a Design and Build Construction Firm based in Portland, Oregon. Among other things, this discussion provides a fascinating comparison and contrast between intensive monastic Buddhist practice and the Fourth Way Work of Self-Development in the context of daily life. It touches on the relative nature of deep mystical experiences while at the same time critiquing the sometimes overly intellectualized understanding of the "Awakening Experience" found in some strains of Fourth Way practice. More information about Trevor Stewart's work can be found at: The Seeker's Café website: seekerscafe.org, Two Rivers Farm website: www.tworiversfarm.org, Lucid Cubed blog: lucidcubed.wordpress.com, JNT Design & Build website: www.jntdesignandbuild.com.

Podcast: This week on The Mystical Positivist, we speak by telephone with Mark Matousek, author of the recent book, Mother of the Unseen World: The Mystery of Mother Meera. He is the author of two acclaimed memoirs, Sex Death Enlightenment and The Boy He Left Behind, as well as When You’re Falling, Dive: Lessons in the Art of Living, and Ethical Wisdom: The Search for a Moral Life. A former editor at Interview magazine, he is a featured blogger for PsychologyToday.com and HuffPost, and has contributed to The New Yorker, O: The Oprah Magazine (as contributing editor), Harper’s Bazaar, Yoga Journal, Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, and The Saturday Evening Post, among other publications. Internationally, he offers courses in creativity and spiritual growth based on his book, Writing to Awaken: A Journey of Truth, Transformation, and Self-Discovery. He is a founding member of V-Men, an organization devoted to ending violence against women and girls, and lives in East Hampton, New York. More information about Mark Matousek's work can be found at: Mark Matousek's Website: www.markmatousek.com, Mother Meera's Website: www.mothermeera.com,

Podcast: This week on The Mystical Positivist, we present a conversation pre-recorded on August 18, 2019 with long-time Fourth Way practitioner Federico Balsa. Federico Balsa is a retired Argentine high school teacher, who has been a sincere and persistent practitioner for over thirty years, and is a founding member of The Seeker’s Café website. He began his Fourth Way practice through the lens of an absolutely skeptical, formatory-mind, "intelligentsia worshiping” personality. After 11 years of practice, he had the Fourth Way equivalent of a kensho or satori, which was the point at which his skillful practice of intentional suffering really began, as he realized that his previous arrogant, self-aggrandizing views had no reliable foundation. His subsequent Fourth Way practice deeply informed his work with his high school students, and his own children. His passion, humility, and humor, makes this an energetic and often surprising conversation. More information about Federico Balsa's work can be found at: The Seeker's Cafe Website: seekerscafe.org,

Podcast: This week on The Mystical Positivist, we speak by telephone with Sotantar Suraj, a widely recognized Gong Master Teacher, Kundalini Yoga Teacher, and Kundalini Yoga Teacher Trainer in his home base of Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego, as well as in Europe. Sotantar Suraj has practiced and studied yoga, meditation, and healing since his childhood in Spain till present day. The Hermes Kybalion, The Patanjali Sutras, The Vijñana-bhairava Tantra Sutras, and the words of Carlos Castañeda became important influences in his life. By his early twenties he moved to the United States where he continued his study in yoga, tantra, and meditation. Later he found his connection with the Planet Gongs and he devoted himself to learning the ways of the Gong, Kundalini Yoga and Tantra. He was privileged to meet and receive teachings from the Master of Kundalini Yoga, Yogi Bhajan. Sotantar has worked with and had the opportunity to learn from world-renowned Gong Master Teacher Don Conreaux, and world-renowned Tantra Teacher Mahasatvaa Ma Ananda Sarita. He is also a Reiki Master Teacher, Sound Therapist, and Hypnotherapist. Sotantar Suraj brings the vibration of the primordial sacred sound of the Planet Gongs to honor our ancestors, their sacred places and traditions to workshops and retreats around the globe. He is dedicated to raising awareness, inspiring passion, creating balance, and spreading love, joy and peace to the universal community. His passion is teaching Kundalini Yoga, Tantra, and bringing the healing and transforming sounds of the Gong to the world. He has recorded a series of CDs and DVDs that include powerful and transformative Kundalini Yoga Kriyas, Gong Immersions, and Meditations. More information about Sotantar Suraj's work can be found at: Gong Avatar Academy Website: www.gongavataracademy.com, Sotantar Suraj on YouTube: wwww.youtube.com, Upcoming Gong Academy Workshops: Gong Academy Workshops.

Podcast: This week on The Mystical Positivist, we speak in the studio with Nick Egan, Ph.D., an educator, award-winning leader and executive coach who uses his deep understanding of positive psychology and Buddhist philosophy to encourage personal and organizational growth. In addition to coaching, he has taught meditation techniques for more than a decade. His newly released book, Shift: The Art of Transforming Limitations will form the basis of our conversation today. Nick regularly leads expeditions to various Asian destinations including Bhutan, Mongolia, Nepal, Thailand, and Tibet. Nick holds a BA in psychology, and MA in comparative religion, and a Ph.D. in Buddhist philosophy. He had a stint as co-host of the Mystical Positivist earlier in this decade. More information about Nick Egan's work can be found at: Nick Egan's Website: www.nickeganphd.com,

Podcast: This week on The Mystical Positivist, we present a conversation pre-recorded on August 3, 2019 with Zeke Badger, a long-time Fourth Way practitioner, a writer, blogger, and a founding member of the Seekers Café. Zeke is a career educator whose work focuses upon developing and implementing nature-based educational experiences that inspire and challenge individuals toward personal health, and a healthy relationship with the natural world through the use of adventure education, long distance walking adventures, and Rite-of-Passage endeavors.  He owns and operates a small family-run business offering herbal products. He was an adjunct faculty member for the University System of New Hampshire, teaching courses in Environmental Ethics, Natural History of Northern New England, and Outdoor Skills. Zeke has 30 years of class teaching experience developing and implementing outdoor programs and environmental education experiences for adolescents at the secondary school level. He is currently working on two books: Going Wild: Commentaries Upon Thoreau’s Walden, Walking, and Youth’s Adventure and Long Walking as a Rite-of-Passage. More information about Zeke Badger's work can be found at: The Seeker's Cafe Website: seekerscafe.org, Native Roots LLC Website: nativerootsnh.org,

Podcast: This week on The Mystical Positivist, hosts Stuart Goodnick and Rob Schmidt launch into an impromptu conversation after a last minute cancellation by the minister of The Church of Conscious Harmony, a contemplative Christian community in Austin, Texas. They discuss the Sacred, Esoteric Christianity as embodied in the Fourth Way tradition, Magnetic Center, and modern obstacles to valuing the Sacred. They also explore distinctions such as Life as an End as contrasted with Life as a Means. Friction generates heat as our hosts discuss whether the Fourth Way notion of Magnetic Center is really all that useful in explaining why some people value the sacred more than others. Finally they dive into the question of whether any of us can actually DO anything, or whether our sense of agency is more an illusion and a reflection of the action of Being at a higher level than our conventional scale of awareness. Rob Schmidt, Ph.D., and Stuart Goodnick co-direct Tayu Meditation Center, owner and operator of Many Rivers Books & Tea. They studied intensively with Tayu founder Robert Daniel Ennis, and are working to complete a book of his teachings this year called, Living Life As A Work Of Art: The Spiritual Work of Robert Daniel Ennis. More information about Tayu Meditation Center can be found at: Many Rivers Books and Tea Website: www.manyriversbooks.com, Conscious Family Festival Website: www.consciousfamilyfestival.org, Tayu Meditation Center Website: www.tayu.org/~tayu/, Old Many Rivers Blog: www.manyriversbooks.com/blog1/.

Podcast: This week on The Mystical Positivist, Rob and I present a conversation pre-recorded on July 20th, 2019 with Stephen Aronson. Steve received a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Connecticut in 1970. He taught as assistant professor of psychology in the early 70’s at Arizona State and Alfred University. He also served on staff at hospitals in Phoenix and Maine. After three years of community mental health practice he founded North Country Consultants, LLC in 1975 to provide training and clinical services throughout Maine. He taught family practice to medical students at Maine Medical Center and designed and taught the first year of Behavioral Science at New England College of Medicine. In 1979 he co-authored a pioneering book, The Stress Management Workbook: An Action Plan for Taking Control of Your Life and Health with Michael Mascia, MD. In the late 1990’s he co-founded Mental Health Associates of Maine, a multi-disciplinary psychological/psychiatric practice. Steve retired from clinical practice after 43 years of practice in 2013. Intellectually and emotionally, Steve has always been drawn to the mystery of existence. His interest in consciousness, as one of the most profound of these mysteries, led him to psychology as a career. He submitted himself to nearly 20 years of his own analysis in a variety of disciplines culminating in 12 years of Jungian analysis, during which he came to ‘see’ the reality of the Collective Unconscious and the universality of symbols in religion and dreams. In 1982 Steve experienced a ‘vision’ that was an overture to a series of synchronous events culminating in his discovery of the Gurdjieff Work. He has dedicated his inner search to the methods of G.I. Gurdjieff since that time, accepting the responsibilities of ‘leading’ groups studying this system. Steve’s immersion in ‘spiritual’ psychology led him to an interest in esoteric religion, particularly esoteric Christianity, and a recognition of the universality of the core of all traditions. It also profoundly influenced his understanding of the structure and function of the human psyche and his practice of clinical psychology. He has made a number of presentations to the All and Everything International Humanities Conference and participates in groups in Portland Maine, Moscow Russia and Toronto Canada. Although loving theoretical exploration of both psychological and spiritual questions, he remains dedicated to making the esoteric ideas come alive as actual subjective experiences. He believes that only through direct experience can such ideas find real meaning so that the system becomes the ‘teacher’. His primary objective has been to discover and share the practical application of these ideas and methods to the inner world of people. Steve is a founding member of The Seekers Café, a website supporting an online community dedicated to creating a effective portal to genuine spiritual practice. Note - There is a slight electronic distortion on this recording. More information about Stephen Aronson's work can be found at: Stephen Aronson at The Gurdjieff Club: Preparation for the Third Line of Work Stephen Aronson on The Dr. Lisa Show: Viewpoint, #96