The MindThatEgo Podcast

(This talk is from an event hosted at osmos, Berlin, on 22 January 2020. The same topic which I presented at SAND 2019.)  The signs are there. They've been there for thousands of years. In this talk I'll take you through a personal journey of my "Hero's Return" from the darkness of depression and psychosis, to a world of magic and mysticism.  As above, so below; as the Hermetics proposed, I'll argue why this individual awakening process is being mirrored on the global scale.  I'll illustrate how the process of alchemising existential despair, or spiritual awakening, is unfolding across the world.  From the Mayans, to Carl Jung, Vedanta, Astrology, predictions from some of the world's greatest thinkers are leading us to what Teilhard de Chardin referred to as the Omega Point, the divine harmony of the metaphysical and the material, and how quantum physics is catalysing our global understanding on our non-dual nature.   In the early 1900s, sociologist Max Weber bemoaned the age of disenchantment, the de-magic-ation of our world and the mysterious within and without. We killed God, according to Nietzsche, but thanks to advances in science and the crumbling of institutionalised religion, and increase is esoteric practice, we're on the cusp of an unfathomable shift in consciousness.  The sacred union of spirit and the physical is happening. Our relationship with the world, with ourselves, and with each other, will be enriched beyond comprehension.  It's written in the stars. Welcome to the return of magic. Welcome to the age of Re-Enchantment. Title music: Monday Morning Wake Up Call by David Birch

I'm joined by David Lorimer, the chair of the Galileo Commission and Programme Director of the Scientific and Medical Network. The topic of our discussion is the science of spirituality. Or the spirituality of science. Depends how you look at it. "Science is full of metaphors of becoming and interconnectedness. If we could catch ourselves up as a culture with this view and make it primary, we would realise we’re all embedded in the same life, the same consciousness, and the same system.” This is an encyclopedic journey that will nourish your intellectual curiosity. I recommend grabbing your notebook and pen as you listen. David's a fountain of knowledge and there's so much to explore from this hour-long conversation. If you're anything like me, your reading list will triple in size. Science isn't one-size-fits-all. I found myself with a clearer understanding of the many fields of science, the different approaches to experimentation. Science isn't a flawless, unbiased, objective machine. David explains the historical, cultural, political and economic forces that shape the mainstream narrative around the nature of reality through the scientific lens. Science has lost its openness to new discoveries, but this isn't a modern phenomenon. On 25 August 1609 Galileo made the worldview-shifting discovery that the Earth isn’t the centre of the universe. It rotates around the Sun. The Roman Catholic Inquisition deemed Galileo’s belief in this discovery as heresy and warned him accordingly. In 1633 he was placed under permanent house arrest after publishing his paper Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems. A number of leading astrologers, philosophers and scientists opposed Galileo’s discovery. They refused to look through the telescope. In a letter to German philosopher Johanne Kepler in 1610, Galileo bemoaned his peers: “Truly, just as the asp stops its ears, so do these philosophers shut their eyes to the light of truth.” This is the crux of the Galileo Commission. We're at a time where many refuse to look through the telescope and see the light of truth — there's more to life than the material, physical world. Consciousness isn't a miracle of the brain, but the universal, primary source of life. Why does the mainstream scientific view matter? This assumption trickles down into all fields — including psychology and biology — and directly shapes what I refer to as the Disenchanted Worldview (as discussed in Mindsets for Mindfulness). I'm passionate about science and spirituality finding common ground. On an individual scale, it can completely transform the way you understand life, transforming apathy and nihilism to purpose and connection. Considering the current crises we face, a more expansive science is necessary for humanity's survival. Follow-up material Watch David's SAND2019 talk: Who's Not Looking Through The Telescope Now? Download the Galileo Commission Report for a comprehensive overview of their mission. David has a wealth of books. These include The Spirit of Science, Thinking Beyond The Brain, A New Renaissance, Science Consciousness and Ultimate Reality, and Resonant Mind. Available at all good retailers. Just in case you want even more to read, I recommend The Science Delusion by Rupert Sheldrake. It's always a good time for self-promotion. Here's an article I wrote that is vaguely related: The Ego Erodes When Enchanted By The Stars. Title music: Monday Morning Wake Up Call by David Birch

CRAZYWISE director Phil Borges returns to the show for a fascinating discussion based around Phil's knowledge of shamanic wisdom for healing and transformation. We discuss the nature of consciousness, awakening, the structure of the brain, discoveries from neuroscience, meditation, the nature of time, and so much more. What stood out the most for me during Phil's description of his experiences with meditation was the sense of novelty. Phil has spent three decades visiting tribes and cultures so far removed from normalcy. And yet through meditation, he's discovered a sense of newness and enchantment through the ability to be truly present — all from the comfort of his own home. It reminds of verse from T.S.Eliot's Four Quartets: "We shall not cease from exploration, And the end of all our exploring, Will be to arrive where we started, And know the place for the first time." I highly recommend watching CRAZYWISE, which is an eye-opener towards the West's dysfunctional approach towards mental health. And download Mindsets for Mindfulness for further exploration of the role of non-ordinary states of consciousness in healing and awakening. Enjoy the episode! Title music: Monday Morning Wake Up Call by David Birch

The aphorism "know thyself" has fuelled self-discovery for millenia, stretching back to Ancient Egypt. The phrase, favoured by Socrates, was even allegedly inscribed at the Ancient Greek Temple of Apollo at Delphi. More recently, depth psychology encourages exploring the unconscious aspects of the Self, to uncover the richness that resides within. In this episode I discuss why self-connection is an essential catalyst in the process of growth. Discovering the universe within — with all its nuances, patterns, shadow and beauty — ignites the journey of wisdom. Embarking on this journey requires a skilled approach to self-enquiry, to begin to understand: Who are you, really? Title music: Monday Morning Wake Up Call by David Birch

How do you overcome temptation, build new habits, and behave and express authentically? How do you move from daydreaming to action? How do you change your life? Most of us view change as all-or-nothing. But this linear approach of success and failure makes it difficult to create lasting change. In this episode I explore an alternative — the Stages of Change Model of behavioural change. Struggling to stop drinking alcohol? Struggling to go to the gym regularly? Looking to overcome ego-temptation and live from the heart? Crucially, these stages are cyclical and every-changing. The stages are: Pre-contemplation. Contemplation. Preparation. Action. Maintenance. Termination. This model is a useful tool to self-assess where you're at with various goals and dreams. It promotes a balanced, realistic approach to significant change. After all, self-actualisation authenticity require continuous change in all areas of life. But it all begins with small steps. Resources The Transtheoretical Model /Stages of Change (Boston University) The Six Stages of Change (VeryWellMind) MTE's Mindful Empowerment and Self-Enquiry Group (Facebook) Documentary: The Game Changers (vegan fitness, available on Netflix) Book: Wellness Coaching for Lasting Lifestyle Change by Michael Arloski Title music: Monday Morning Wake Up Call by David Birch

Perfectionism is defined as a "combination of excessively high personal standards and overly-critical self-evaluation." This episode focuses on perfectionist tendencies with emotions. Beliefs such as "I should always be happy," "anxiety is weakness," or "normal people don't feel so low," fuel feelings of frustration, shame, or hopelessness. But common concepts of healthy emotionality is skewed, in favour of positivity and fear of so-called negative emotions. This episode unpacks emotional perfectionism and its various guises (self-oriented, socially prescribed and other-orientated) and offers applicable solutions to move towards a place of acceptance and self-compassion. Resources: Mindfulness for Difficult Emotions (YouTube) Emotions Aren't Problems Needing To Be Solved [Title Music: Monday Morning Wakeup Call by Daniel Birch]

October the 10th is World Mental Health Day. This year’s theme is suicide prevention. Every 40 seconds, someone in the world dies by suicide. This has to change. Mental health stigma is reducing. But it’s still incredibly tough to talk openly about suicidal tendencies. We may feel shame. We may feel burdensome. We may want to avoid worrying or upsetting those we love. However, talking about suicide can be life-saving. In this special episode, I share my mental health story. I’ll share tools and techniques — from emotional regulation, thought management, meditation, mindfulness, spirituality, and more. I want you to know it’s possible to thrive post-depression. I want you to know suicidal thoughts are okay. I want you to know suicidal thoughts aren’t truth. Let's approach the subject with curiosity. Let's discuss with light and love — without avoiding the shadow. Let’s find light as we navigate the Dark Night of the Soul. Let’s take a few steps towards empowering ourselves through depression, to breathing a collective sigh of relief, to finding faith things will improve. Let’s take a giant leap of vulnerability, honesty, and openness. Let’s share the burden. Let’s talk about suicide. ---- Resources: Escape The Prison Of Hopelessness With The Power Of Choice World Suicide Prevention Day: The Times I’ve Wanted To End My Life [Title Music: Monday Morning Wakeup Call by Daniel Birch] ---- If you've been affected by the contents of this episode, or if you are currently experiencing suicidal thoughts or extremely low mood please visit Samaritans.org or call +44 (0) 8457 90 90 90. Those in Berlin can contact: International Helpline Berlin: 030-44 01 06 07. Worldwide visit: https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/. 

What if psychological crises were opportunities for spiritual awakening? That's the question that motivated Phil Borges to direct his documentary, Crazywise. While documenting indigenous and tribal cultures for over 30 years, he realised the healers and visionaries had each undergone a personal transformation our culture may label a breakdown, psychotic, crazy... Unlike in the West, these "disorders" are seen as gifts. Phil's Ted Talk on the subject has nearly 2 million views, and it's easy to see why. Having watched Crazywise after a friend recommended it to me, I was eager to talk to Phil. I wasn't disappointed — our discussion in MindThatEgo Podcast #5 was fascinating. We cover diagnosis, peer-support, the overuse of prescription drugs, hearing voices, authenticity, and much more. On a personal level, our discussion was extremely emotional. I've shared a few things not many people know about my own crisis, particularly around grief and psychosis. Phil was open-hearted about his experiences, too. It's a conversation that will no doubt stay with me for a while. Enjoy the show! [Title Music: Monday Morning Wakeup Call by Daniel Birch]

Ricky is joined by Valerie Mason-John (a.k.a Vimalasara), an award winning author, public speaker, and co-founder of Eight Step Recovery. The structure of the discussion is based on her book, Eight Step Recovery: Using the Buddha's Teachings to Overcome Addiction. Expanding on the Four Noble Truths, Valerie (and co-author Dr. Paramabandhu Groves) distill ancient wisdom to create a practical approach to tackle addiction. These steps are: - Step One: Accepting human life will bring suffering. - Step Two: Seeing how we create extra suffering. - Step Three: Embracing impermanence to show us suffering can end. - Step Four: Being willing to step on the path of recovery and discover freedom. - Step Five: Transforming speech, actions, livelihood. - Step Six: Placing positive values at the centre of our lives. - Step Seven: Making every effort to stay on the path of recovery. - Step Eight: Helping others by sharing the benefits we have gained. Listen as Valerie guides us through each step. Drugs, alcohol, food, sex, shopping, social media... None of us escape addition, to varying degrees. Consequently, the wisdom contained within this eight-step process is beneficial to all of us — spiritual or non-spiritual. Find more information on the Eight Step Recovery online or contact Valerie at eightstepsrecovery@gmail.com. (Title music: Monday Morning Wakeup Call by Daniel Birch)

Ricky is joined by Dr. Kelly Rohan, psychologist and leading expert on Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Though light therapy is the common treatment for SAD, Kelly's research of SAD-specific Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has proven targeting unhelpful thoughts and challenging habitual behaviour can drastically alleviate symptoms. No longer do any of us have to feel helpless victims to biology and body-clock when summer ends; by working on our thoughts and creating healthy behaviour patterns, it's possible to banish the winter blues. Talking points: - What CBT is and how it combats SAD. - Noting common cognitive distortions contributing to low mood. - Ways to schedule activities to override the habit of hibernation. - How cultural messages can give us a bad impression of winter. - Mindful exercises to override symptoms. - Practical tools you can start using today to make winter fun and enjoyable. (Title music: Monday Morning Wake Up Call by David Birch)