Elevating Consciousness

Cedric Chin is a business operator, programmer, and founder of Commoncog, a platform focused on business expertise. He discusses the limitations of mental models and the challenges of deliberate practice. Cedric shares insights on how to transition from novice to expert by considering practical applications of theoretical knowledge. He emphasizes the importance of reading biographies, addresses the role of luck in success, and critiques conventional decision-making approaches. He also touches on the impact of social media on focus and engagement.

Cadell Last is an anthropologist, philosopher, and founder of Philosophy Portal - an online educational platform opening space for the next generation of philosophical thought. After developing a strong grounding in evolutionary anthropology and biology, he began a deep study of philosophies of phenomenology and psychoanalysis, which opened him to fresh perspectives and helped him better navigate some of life's most challenging aspects. Today his work explores biocultural evolution, mind-matter relation, and speculative futures. He is the author of “Global Brain Singularity”, and “Systems and Subjects”, co-author of “Sex, Masculinity, God”, as well as lead editor of community anthologies “Enter the Alien” and “Abyssal Arrows." In this episode, we speak about the limits of science and the Importance of philosophy, connecting dead philosophers with living philosophers, dialectical thinking, what Jordan Peterson & Richard Dawkins have in common, Global Brain Singularity and so much more.🔗[Links & resources] 🔗Cadell’s personal site Connect with Cadell on X/Twitter Connect with Cadell on Substack Become a member at Philosophy Portal Global Brain Singularity by Cadell Last (reach out to Cadell for a free pdf copy)Systems & Subjects by Cadell Last Plato Hegel Lacan Zizek Jordan Peterson Richard Dawkins 📝[Show Notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 2:51 - The Limits of Science and the Importance of Philosophy 15:10 - Building on the main ideas of Plato, Hegel, Lacan & Zizek30:55 - Connecting dead philosophers with living universally impactful thinkers33:36 - You have to understand thinkers deeply before you can deconstruct them 36:23 - The Importance of Dialectical Thinking 47:30 - What Jordan Peterson & Richard Dawkins have in common (Myths vs Drives) 57:55 - Putting Jung & Freud into Dialectics 1:02:49 - What is Global Brain Singularity?1:18:46 - Cultivating a Global Commons1:31:50 - The Impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution 1:38:29 - Non-duality, Non-Monism, Buddhism & affirming appearances 1:46:44 - Making sense of the upswing in Christian conversions & Unpacking Religion 1:56:20 - Cadell’s vision for Philosophy Portal *Subscribe to the Insighter substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens

Tom Morgan is a former financier and founder of The Leading Edge, a media platform and transformational community dedicated to sharing world-changing ideas and facilitating life-changing experiences. An Oxford graduate with a Masters in Philosophy, Politics, and economics, he has spent 20 years navigating the finance industry, working at top firms like Merrill Lynch, Bank of America, and most recently Sapient Capital. After becoming disenchanted with finance he had an awakening experience that caused him to quit his job and explore paths of meaning leading to a challenging yet transformative multi-year existential crisis. Eventually, he was able to piece together his life, integrating finance with the pursuit of meaning & wisdom. Today he describes himself as a “curiosity sherpa” and spends his life seeking out the most interesting thinkers and ideas to share with the world. In this episode, we speak about Tom’s journey from working in finance to exploring wisdom, navigating an existential crisis, integrating left and right brain functioning, shadow work, how to connect to your curiosity, bridging money & meaning, and creating a network of transformational communities.🔗[Links & Resources] 🔗Connect with Tom on X/Twitter Read Tom’s writing Join the Leading Edge community The Master & His Emissary by Iain McGhilchrist Maps of Meaning by Jordan Peterson (In-depth book summary) Syntropy by Ulisse Di Corpo Ervin Laszlo C.S. Lewis Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned by Kenneth O. Stanley & Joel Lehman The Passion of the Western Mind (epilogue) by Richard Tarnas Mona Sobhani Rebel Wisdom 📝[Show notes]📝0:00 - Introduction 2:07 - Working in finance, existential crisis & exploring wisdom 8:30 - Navigating hell 11:21 - Reinventing yourself 13:55 - Integrating left and right brain functioning20:22 - Applying a Mythic lens to life 25:06 - Shadow work, Monstrosity & Jordan Peterson  32:29 - How to connect to your curiosity 36:44 - When you don’t listen to your daemon it becomes a demon 38:37 - Holistic living (What Tom’s day looks like now) 41:36 - Why greatness cannot be planned45:38 - Bridging Money & Meaning 50:19 -  Navigating the Generalist-Specialist dynamic 55:44 - Does the world financially reward those who follow their bliss?1:01:29 - Creating a network of transformational communities 1:03:16 - Unpacking the Leading Edge community 1:08:00 - The problems many online transformational communities face1:14:58 - What makes Tom angry about society?1:15:49 - Creating a community full of love 1:16:55 - What Tom believes to be true that most people disagree with*Subscribe to the Insighter substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens

Kyle Kowalski is an ex-marketing executive turned solopreneuer. After experiencing an existential crisis he left the corporate world and founded Sloww - a digital knowledge base and community which shares insights into the art of living for students of life. He is an interdisciplinary dot collector and synthesizer who creates in-depth book summaries, e-books, and a wisdom-packed weekly newsletter. His work integrates slow living with meaning, purpose, money mastery, transformational learning, and human development. In this episode, we speak about how Kyle built his audience, monetized Sloww & overcame imposter syndrome, the impact of ego development theory, why the meta-crisis is a me crisis, the various challenges of post-conventional life, balancing knowledge consumption with direct experience and Kyle’s brand new Synthesizer course.  🔗[Links & Resources] 🔗Sloww Website Connect with Kyle on Twitter/X - https://x.com/KyKowSubscribe to the Sloww Sunday newsletter Get Kyle’s Synthesizer courseGet the IKIGIA 2.0 E-book by Kyle Kowalski  Sign up for the Sloww Premium Community Introduction to Susanne Cook-Greuter’s Ego Development Theory Metacrisis.org Is the meta-crisis a me crisis Wise Walk by Kyle Kowalski Paul Millerd & Kyle Kowalski path comparison Nora Bateson synthesis 📝 [Show notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 1:43 - Insights from entrepreneurship (navigating money & meaning )13:33 - The process of transitioning from the corporate world to solopreneurship 23:00 - How Kyle built his audience, monetized Sloww & overcame imposter syndrome 31:40 - The challenges of monetizing generalist/holistic content 43:44 - How to create purposeful work 52:34 - How Ego Development Theory impacted Kyle 56:37 - Synthesizing Nora Bateson’s opinion of developmental stage theories 1:09:55 - Why the Meta-crisis is a me crisis1:16:18 - The Post-conventional shift and the challenges that come with it1:22:52 - Balancing knowledge consumption with direct experience ( becoming a spiritual translator )1:29:40 - The role of relational practices in human development 1:37:52 - Unpacking Kyle’s Synthesizer course 1:43:28 - Gauging interest before creating a product 1:45:45 - What makes Kyle most angry about society today?1:51:12 - Tears of joy 1:56:34 - Final message*Subscribe to the Insighter substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-convention

Bernardo Kastrup is a philosopher of mind and the leading voice for metaphysical idealism - the view that all of reality is essentially mental. He holds PhDs in Philosophy and Computer Engineering, combining rigorous academic discipline with extensive practical experience. As a scientist, he has worked for the Europen Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the Phillips Research laboratories where the “Cassimir Effect’ of Quantum Field theory was discovered. He’s also had a rich career in technology where he founded the parallel processing company Silicon Hive which was acquired by Intel in 2011. Currently, he serves as the Executive Director of the Essentia Foundation, an organization dedicated to presenting scientific and analytic evidence that challenges traditional materialism in an accurate yet accessible way. He is the author of over 10 books including “Why Materialism is Baloney”, “The Idea of the World” and the upcoming “Analytic Idealism in a Nutshell.” In this episode, we discuss why all of reality is mental, why the brain does not generate the mind, how to avoid cognitive entrenchment, how idealism impacts meaning in life, suffering & happiness, psychedelics & self-deception, If enlightenment is real, and so much more.🔗[Links & Resources] 🔗Bernardo’s personal site Follow Bernardo on Twitter Analytic Idealism course (free)  Analytic Idealism in a Nutshell by Bernardo Kastrup (pre-order) Why Materialism is Baloney by Bernardo Kastrup (In-depth book summary)Rupert Spira David Chalmers Christof Koch Giulio Tononi Integrated Information theory   ​​ 📝 [Show notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 2:33 - Pivotal events and influences that shaped Bernardo 8:32 - From intellectual to experiential understanding 13:02 - Fear of death 15:54 - The simplest explanation of idealism 19:12 - A dream in the infinite mind or Dissociation 23:33 - The thinkers who most influenced Bernardo Kastrup 26:40 - Is there a way to test idealism scientifically?33:13 - Why the mind is not generated by the brain 37:58 - You can never convince someone of something they don’t already know39:56 - How does Idealism impact meaning in life45:49 - Psychedelics, self-deception & symbolism 51:02 - How Bernardo avoids getting trapped in his ideas 1:00:10 - Intellectual pursuits, human connection and loneliness 1:08:46 - Capacities Bernardo wishes he innately had 1:12:14 - Suffering, happiness, responsibility, and contentment 1:32:22 - Bernardo’s conception of Enlightenment (The monk who set himself on fire) 1:37:13 - What makes Bernardo most angry about society 1:40:13 - What Bernardo is most worried about 1:45:52 - Crying tears of joy 1:53:29 - What makes Bernardo’s upcoming book “Analytic Idealism in a Nutshell” unique 1:56:35 - What Bernardo is writing about now2:00:09 - What will never disappear *Subscribe to the Insighter substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-convention

James Baker is an inner work practitioner and founder of Intentional Society. After spending 15 years in software development he became disillusioned with the corporate world and decided to pursue his passions. He launched Intentional Society - an online transformational community centered on developmental and relational practices. After over 150 weekly gatherings the community has grown into a unique space for personal transformation and interpersonal exploration. In this episode, we speak about the role of relational practices in human development, playing with power dynamics, breaking through social conventions, navigating the relationship between safety and growth, becoming developmentally aware, and the paradoxical dance between being and becoming. 🔗 [Links & resources] 🔗Intentional Society (online transformational community)  Follow James on Twitter  Becoming Developmentally Aware by Artem Zen Already Free by Bruce Tift 📝 [Show notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 1:30 - From software development to human transformation 7:13 - What is Intentional Society and the premises it’s built on10:21 - Interpersonal development and relational practices 13:09 - Major takeaways from over 150 weekly gatherings 18:48 - Moving from modern to post-modern to metamodern perspectives21:24 - Playing with power dynamics 24:10 - Breaking through social conventions and stretching boundaries 29:55 - The Three Principles of Intentional Society 34:45 - Navigating the relationship between safety and growth (Meta-Safety)43:18 - Transforming our relationship to judgmental thoughts45:40 - What intentional society members have in common 49:52 - Becoming Developmentally Aware53:39 - The paradoxical dance between being and becoming (unfolding) 1:02:55 - The future of transformational online communities 1:10:27 - Cultural evolution vs. individual development 1:13:25 - The increasing need for an ecology of practices 1:19:15 - A message of fundamental okayness *Subscribe to the Insighter substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens *Follow me on Twitter (x) *Follow me on Instagram *For Contact, questions or ideas email me at artem@artemzen.com

Layman Pascal, a pioneering thinker in metamodernism and integral philosophy, discusses bridging the gap between money and meaning. He shares insights on transforming the relationship with money at both personal and societal levels. The conversation dives into innovative economic experiments, the development of conscious business practices, and the importance of collaboration. Pascal also emphasizes community engagement and the role of collective action in addressing economic challenges, all while exploring the intersection of financial viability and meaningful work.

Darcia Narvaez is a professor of psychology whose work explores the neurobiology of moral development, evolved parenting practices, and small-band hunter-gatherer societies. In 2020, she was identified as one of the top 2 percent of scientists worldwide in a recent analysis of 8 million scientists around the world. She is the president of Kindred World a non-profit dedicated to creating a wisdom-based worldview and the founder of the Evolved Nest a Kindred World initiative that integrates findings across various fields that bear on child development, child raising, and adult behavior while promoting optimal health and wellbeing, cooperation and sociomoral intelligences. She is the author of several books including the award-winning Neurobiology and the Development of Human Morality. In this episode, we speak about the optimal environment for early child development and how our modern culture falls short of this, navigating order & chaos in parenting, the surprising truth about nature & nurture, how the collaboration and competition dynamic is related to left & right brain views of the world, contrasting views of wisdom, and so much more. 🔗 [Links & resources] 🔗Darcia’s personal site - https://darcianarvaez.com/The Evolved Nest (site) - https://evolvednest.org/Neurobiology and the Development of Human Morality by Darcia Narvaez - https://www.amazon.com/Neurobiology-Development-Human-Morality-Interpersonal/dp/0393706559Breaking the Cycle of Competitive Detachment (short film) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jATflgNvl-EReimagining Humanity (short film) - ​​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_JR5fcrKkI&list=PLKSc66Q_SuJPviwCKee4mMaXyVm0TUFtM&index=21The Evolved Nest (short film) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo54PdNnNPg&list=PLUh7caZTn4oAV5K6Pg8GLpK7GgMtxs_Tl&index=2&t=9s( full list on YouTube page) 📝 [Show notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 2:01 - An overview of Darcia’s work 5:22 - The role of safety in morality 7:29 - The optimal environment for early child development15:42 - The importance of breastfeeding & co-sleeping 18:00 - How the modern world falls short of the evolved developmental niche 25:45 - Navigating Order & Chaos in Parenting 35:39 - What is the relationship between nature & nurture? 41:32 - How life for indigenous people was different than it is in the modern world 44:19 - Was war always a part of humanity?54:18 - Relating the collaboration & competition dynamic to left and right brain views of the world 1:02:27 - Contrasting views of wisdom 1:07:58 - Resources & tools for creating a more wholesome life1:14:07 - Learning to regulate our nervous systems through play 1:17:10 - Why returning to the evolved nest is critical for the world *Join the Elevating Consciousness list and get the latest interviews with emerging thinkers in the liminal space straight to your inbox -https://artemzen.ck.page/elevatingconsciousness*Join the "Top Insights" list and get insightful links, in-depth book summaries, and transformational frameworks delivered monthly to your inbox  -  https://artemzen.ck.page/topinsights*Subscribe on Youtube to watch the podcast - youtube.com/

Bruce Tift, a psychotherapist and author, discusses the relationship between psychotherapy and awakening, levels of psychological and spiritual maturity, understanding anxiety, the cycle of struggle, acceptance, codependent dynamics, and the practice of circling for intimacy and self-awareness.

Richard Bartlett is a community organizer, entrepreneur & coach who helps people grow high-trust communities & decentralized organizations. Back in 2011, he was a part of the Occupy Wall Street movement, a pivotal moment that set him on the path to becoming a key player in Enspiral - an organization that shares money, power & information to help its members do meaningful work. He went on to found Loomio, a software that helps companies seamlessly navigate the intricacies of decentralized organization. Later he founded the Hum, a non-hierarchical management consultancy that’s rewriting the rules of how we work together. His latest venture is a community-building network and movement known as Microsolidarity. In this episode, we speak about essential modalities & practices for community builders, building trust and accelerating personal growth through community, navigating the polarity of autonomy and belonging, collective intelligence, how to integrate vulnerability into the workplace, creating decentralized organizations and so much more. 🔗 [Links & resources] 🔗Rich’s personal site - https://richdecibels.com/Microsoldarity network and community building practice - https://www.microsolidarity.cc/Rich’s Consultancy The Hum - https://www.thehum.org/📝 [Show notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 2:32 - How Rich’s upbringing led to his work with community building & team organization 6:50 - The importance of integrating traditional values 8:44 - Creating a pluralistic community with a capacity to hold many perspectives 19:16 - What is Microsolidarity?27:45 - How group size changes relational dynamics 30:35 - Essential modalities and practices for community builders36:25 - Insights from Enspiral and working in community 44:33 - Building trust and accelerating personal growth through community 47:22 - The challenges of visionary leadership54:51 - Navigating the polarity of autonomy and belonging 59:28 - Michael Levin, the superorganism, collective intelligence, and the illusion of being self-made1:08:40 - How to integrate vulnerability into the workplace1:17:20 - Creating decentralized organizations 1:26:40 - Additional resources for community builders*Join the Elevating Consciousness list and get the latest interviews with emerging thinkers in the liminal space straight to your inbox -https://artemzen.ck.page/elevatingconsciousness*Join the "Top Insights" list and get insightful links, in-depth book summaries, and transformational frameworks delivered monthly to your inbox  -  https://artemzen.ck.page/topinsights*Subscribe on Youtube to watch the podcast - youtube.com/c/ArtemZen?sub_confirmation=1*Follow me on Twitter (x) - https://twitter.com/artemzen*Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/artem.zen*For Contact, questions or ideas email me at artem@artemzen.com