The Weekend University

Leading thinkers in consciousness, Bernardo, Iain, Donald, and Rupert, discuss the mysteries of consciousness, exploring the shift in scientific perspectives, the intricate connection between mind and body, the idea of a conscious sun, and the impact of consciousness on existence.

Rupert is one of the world’s leading teachers on the nondual understanding of consciousness and its application to improving our everyday quality of life. He gives talks internationally and has written several books, including: Being Myself, The Nature of Consciousness, and You Are The Happiness You Seek. In this conversation, you’ll learn: — What the nondual understanding is and how it’s at the core of almost every religious or every spiritual tradition — How understanding this simple idea can transform your felt experience of being in the world; helping you to feel more connected both internally and to everyone and everything in the world around you — The pitfalls of seeking happiness in external things and why this almost always fails — The practical implications of nonduality for the individual and society And more. You can learn more about Rupert’s work by visiting: www.rupertspira.com. --- From an early age, Rupert Spira was deeply interested in the nature of reality, beginning to meditate at the age of seventeen and studying the teachings of the classical Advaita Vedanta tradition over the next twenty years. In 1997 he met his teacher, Francis Lucille, who introduced him to the Direct Path teachings of Atmananda Krishna Menon and to Jean Klein and the Tantric tradition of Kashmir Shaivism. More importantly, Francis directly indicated to him the true nature of experience. Rupert lives in the UK and holds regular meetings and retreats in Europe and the US. You can learn more about his work at www.rupertspira.com. 3 Books Rupert Recommends Every Therapist Should Read: — You are the Happiness You Seek - Rupert Spira: https://amzn.to/3VmUUhf — Conscious is all - Peter Dziuban: https://amzn.to/3icDxBt — Awareness and Tranquility - William Samuel: https://amzn.to/3Vf1czE

In this talk, we will seek to demystify and remove the 'loaded' feelings that oftentimes arise for so many when we hear the term "toxic masculinity". The term has become a part of the current lexicon and can serve to castigate half of the human population as inherently 'bad' or 'negative'. Masculinity is not a negative aspect of the human condition in and of itself, but like anything else, left unchecked, almost anything can be harmful without constructive and healthy direction. In the confines of the belly of the beast that is New Folsom prison, a movement was born that gave way to what is known today as Inside Circle. A movement that began with convicted felons...many serving life plus who had grown tired of killing for the sake of killing and wanted to learn how to feel again. Today the circles that these men began over 25 years ago have come to be known as 'healing circles'. From within the pits of despair, destruction and ruined lives...and from inside of one of the most 'toxic' environments on the face of the planet; what lessons are available about how men can grow to be healthy within their masculinity? --- Eldra Jackson III, is the Co-Executive Director-Inside Circle, a writer and sought after public speaker on the topics of at-risk youth advocacy, effective criminal justice rehabilitation, and turning around ‘toxic’ masculinity, Eldra brings clarity of purpose, mission focus, and inspiration to his role at Inside Circle. He was an inmate at New Folsom Prison when he found Inside Circle and began the inner personal journey that eventually led to his release in 2014 and his current leadership role. A living example of successful rehabilitation and re-entry, Eldra has dedicated his free time on the outside to serving at-risk youth and acting as a facilitator, trainer, and mentor. --- Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks5 - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Eldra’s profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eldra-jackson-iii-inside-circle - Eldra’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Eldra_Jackson_ - Eldra’s TED talk: https://bit.ly/3VrXrI1

Richard is a psychotherapist, author, speaker, and the managing editor of The Science of Psychotherapy magazine. He is currently completing his PhD on client-responsive therapy and has spent the past few years investigating the exciting role that curiosity can play in the therapeutic process. Richard is the author of three books including: The Practitioner's Guide to the Science of Psychotherapy, The Practitioner's Guide to Mirroring Hands, and "How the Real World is Driving us Crazy". In my work, I get to meet some fascinating characters but I have to say that Richard may be one of the most interesting, and in this interview, I think you'll see why. We cover: — The psychological and biological benefits of curiosity — How Richard's experiences as an actor influenced his therapeutic work and why he recommends that all therapists take one year of acting lessons — Why the best therapy is the one that you never repeat — The importance of learning multiple different types of therapy — The relationship between the actuality field, the probability field, and the possibility field and their relevance for therapy And more. You can learn more about Richard's work by going to www.richardhill.com.au. --- Richard Hill is a practicing psychotherapist who also writes and teaches to the profession. He works from the Davis Health Centre in Sydney, Australia with his wife, Susan Davis. Teaching takes Richard around the world where he is best known for his expertise in the neuroscience of psychotherapy and how this helps us better understand the struggles we face with mental health and well being. People have come to see Richard for many reasons, from emotional issues like anxiety and depression to managing psychobiological struggles in association with psychiatric treatment, to help heal relationships and assist with the daily difficulties of life. He has learned from the best and is proud to be mentored by the eminent therapist Ernest Rossi, PhD, who was himself mentored by one of the absolute greats, Milton H Erickson. Richard's latest book, written with Ernest Rossi about his innovative technique, Mirroring Hands, is a landmark achievement. Richard has also authored How the 'real world' Is Driving Us Crazy! and Choose Hope. ​ There is much more to Richard's story on his website at www.richardhill.com.au. --- Interview Links: — The Science of Psychotherapy website: https://www.thescienceofpsychotherapy.com — The Science of Psychotherapy community: https://www.thescienceofpsychotherapy.net — The Practitioner's Guide to the Science of Psychotherapy - Richard Hill & Matthew Dahlitz: https://amzn.to/42m6uwT — Richard’s website: http://www.richardhill.com.au

Brad is a best-selling author who researches, writes, and coaches on performance and wellbeing. His books include Peak Performance, The Passion Paradox, and The Practice of Groundedness, which this interview focuses on. Some of the key topics covered in this conversation include: — Brad's experiences with OCD and how they eventually led to writing the Practice of Groundedness — The importance of prioritising the process over outcomes — The curious paradox of Carl Rogers, and why, counterintuitively, the best foundation for getting better is when you are coming from a place of feeling "good enough" — The Dark Horse Path to Happiness And more. You can learn more about Brad's work by going to www.bradstulberg.com. --- Brad Stulberg researches, writes, and coaches on health, well-being, and sustainable excellence. He is the bestselling author of the new book The Practice of Groundedness: A Transformative Path to Success that Feeds -- Not Crushes -- Your Soul. He regularly contributes essays to The New York Times and his work has been featured in other large publications including The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, New Yorker, Sports Illustrated, Outside Magazine, Forbes, and more. In his coaching practice, he works with executives, entrepreneurs, physicians, and athletes on their mental skills and overall well-being. He is also a fellow at the University of Michigan's School of Public Health. His past books include Peak Performance and The Passion Paradox. Follow him on Twitter @Bstulberg and learn more at www.bradstulberg.com. --- Interview Links: — Brad’s Books: https://amzn.to/41ZYVfx — Brad’s Podcast: https://thegrowtheq.com/gepodcast — Brad’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/BStulberg

I'll propose an idealist ontology more parsimonious and empirically rigorous than mainstream physicalism, bottom-up panpsychism, and cosmopsychism. The ontology also offers more explanatory power than these three alternatives, in that it does not fall prey to the hard problem of consciousness, the combination problem, or the decomposition problem, respectively. It can be summarized as follows: there is only universal consciousness. We, as well as all other living organisms, are but dissociated alters of universal consciousness, surrounded by its mental activity. The inanimate world we see around us is the extrinsic appearance of this activity. The living organisms we share the world with are the extrinsic appearances of other dissociated alters. --- Bernardo Kastrup is the executive director of Essentia Foundation. His work has been leading the modern renaissance of metaphysical idealism, the notion that reality is essentially mental. He has a Ph.D. in philosophy (ontology, philosophy of mind) and another Ph.D. in computer engineering (reconfigurable computing, artificial intelligence). As a scientist, Bernardo has worked for the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the Philips Research Laboratories (where the 'Casimir Effect' of Quantum Field Theory was discovered). Formulated in detail in many academic papers and books, his ideas have been featured on Scientific American, the Institute of Art and Ideas, the Blog of the American Philosophical Association and Big Think, among others. Bernardo's most recent book is Science Ideated: The fall of matter and the contours of the next mainstream scientific worldview. For more information, freely downloadable papers, videos, etc., please visit www.bernardokastrup.com. Links - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks5 - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events - Dr Kastrup’s website: www.bernardokastrup.com - Dr Kastrup’s books: https://amzn.to/3fQ4yKv

Lauren is a Learning Consultant, Educator, and the Founder of The Learning Pirate. She works with organisations to create bespoke, scientifically designed learning programmes using the latest cognitive and behavioural science. She has received qualifications in Neuroscience from Harvard and John Hopkins University. In this fun and wide-ranging conversation, we explore: — What’s happening in the brain during the learning process — How to leverage the principles of metacognition to become intentional about your learning process — How to use science-based learning strategies such as interleaving and spaced repetition to accelerate your learning and increase your retention. And more. Lauren has recently launched a new interactive learning series called Joining Forces with Your Brain. This pairs the latest research on optimising your brain for peak performance, with science-based learning strategies that enhance your ability to learn. You can learn more about this at www.learningpirate.com --- Lauren has one true calling, to increase our abilities to learn and be more optimal humans by getting to know, experience, and join forces with our brains. As a credentialed science translator (Neuroscience, Medical Neuroscience) Lauren is one of the first learning designers in the world to merge the operational function of the brain with cognitive theories, spearheading the evolution of optimizing learning design. As both a designer and keynote speaker, she has taken people through transformative journeys of curiosity, spanning the globe (Japan, Australia, Canada, USA, Europe, UK), applying her talents to some of the most prominent industries (finance, hospitality, IT, retail, insurance, Edtech) and organizations (Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Tata Consultancy Services, Allstate Insurance, Tokyo Disney Land, Social Bakers, KPMG,). Whether you’re ending one journey or starting another, Lauren has one motto you’re sure not to forget. YARR!! You Are Really Ready!

Mark is an author, the host of The Unconventionalists Podcast, and a TEDx speaker with over a million views. His most recent book: Glow in the Dark, provides a masterclass in the art of storytelling, and how you can leverage it to improve almost any area of your life. In this conversation, you’ll learn: — Why stories play such a central role in human life — The psychological benefits of getting clear on your own story and sharing it with others — Mark’s simple framework for telling captivating stories. And more. You can learn more about Mark’s work at www.markleruste.com and get a copy of the book at: www.glowinthedarkbook.com. --- As the Founder and Host of The Unconventionalists, Mark Leruste is on a mission to help entrepreneurs and business leaders have an impact on the world with their message. Mark first burst onto the scene in 2012 after going viral with his creative video CV pitch “A Dream Job Would Be Nice”, which landed him his dream job as Country Manager at the globally-renowned organisation Movember Foundation, where he helped raise €2.8 million for men’s health and inspired 110,000 fundraisers to sign up, winning multiple awards along the way. Since then, his videos have been viewed over 2.5 million times on social media and his podcast The Unconventionalists was recently named "Best Interview Podcast" at the Podcasting for Business Awards 2021. He is the author of “It’s Not You, It’s Me”, a modus operandi for unfulfilled professionals looking to do more meaningful work, and his popular TEDx talk “What They Don’t Tell You About Entrepreneurship” has more than 1.2 million views. To connect with Mark visit: www.markleruste.com --- Interview Links: — Glow in the Dark Book: https://www.glowinthedarkbook.com/ — Mark’s website: https://markleruste.com

Mick is a Professor of Counselling Psychology at the University of Roehampton, a Chartered Psychologist, and an internationally recognised author, trainer and consultant in the fields of humanistic, existential and pluralistic therapies. This is Mick’s seventh engagement with The Weekend University, and today’s conversation focuses on his latest book: “Psychology at the Heart of Social Change”. We cover a wide range of topics, including: — How psychology and evidence-based psychotherapy can inform public policy to create a more equitable, compassionate, and fairer society — Whether life is primary in determining consciousness, or the other way around — The surprising parallels between healthy psychological functioning at individual, interpersonal, and societal levels. And more. You can learn more about Mick’s work at: www.mick-cooper.co.uk and get a copy of the book by going to: bit.ly/mc-book23. --- Professor Mick Cooper is an internationally recognised author, trainer, and consultant in the field of humanistic, existential, and pluralistic therapies. He is a Chartered Psychologist, and Professor of Counselling Psychology at the University of Roehampton. Mick has facilitated workshops and lectures around the world, including New Zealand, Lithuania, and Florida. His books include Existential Therapies, Working at Relational Depth in Counselling and Psychotherapy, and The Handbook of Pluralistic Counselling and Psychotherapy. His latest work is Psychology at the Heart of Social Change. Mick’s main areas of research have been in shared decision- making/personalising therapy, and counselling for young people in schools. In 2014, Mick received the Carmi Harari Mid-Career Award from the American Psychological Association. He is also a Fellow of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and the Academy of Social Sciences. You can follow him on Twitter: @mickcooper77. --- Interview Links: — Mick’s website: https://mick-cooper.squarespace.com/ — https://bit.ly/mc-book23

Fiona is an author, facilitator, and coach, whose clients include: The School of Life, Guardian Masterclasses, and The Wall Street Journal. This interview focuses on Fiona’s most recent book: “Find Your Own Path”, which provides a 12 step process to creating a more meaningful and engaging life. In this conversation, you’ll learn: — How changing our relationship with mortality can help us live more authentically — Fiona’s counterintuitive philosophy on purpose, why it doesn’t have to be grandiose, and instead can be actualised on a daily basis — How to live in alignment with your values and how this can help you flourish. And more. You can learn more about Fiona’s work and get your copy of the book at: www.fionabucklandcoaching.com. --- Fiona is a life and leadership coach, facilitator and speaker, who helps people develop powerful, effective leadership of themselves, their teams, communities, projects, businesses, organizations, and campaigns. In addition to her own private and corporate, individual and group coaching and facilitation practice, she also leads public workshops, Guardian Masterclasses and leadership development programmes. She is on the faculty of The School of Life, where she was previously Head of Learning, and has been featured in the media including the Guardian, the Independent and the BBC. She is also a guest lecturer in Coaching at Birkbeck University of London. --- Interview Links: — Fiona’s website: https://www.fionabucklandcoaching.com — Fiona’s book: https://amzn.to/3Yc2Z9D