Dean Spade, an organizer, activist, and writer, discusses the transformative power of connection in combating societal disconnection. He emphasizes how genuine relationships can foster mutual aid and resilience, especially in times of crisis. Spade introduces ideas from his book, 'Love in a F*cked-Up World,' advocating for relationships grounded in desire and community support. The conversation also touches on the importance of navigating grief together, building consent, and redefining masculinity to create a more inclusive society.

This is the second in a series of episodes on HOW TO LIVE IN 2025, focusing on the thoughts, feelings, and actions we need to thrive, develop,  create, and resist. At the end of each of these episodes, I’ll offer an exercise - a thought exercise, spiritual exercise, or practical exercise - that brings an experiential dimension to what I and the shows guests talk about. This episode's theme: PRAYand my guest, ⁠BASTIAAN BAAN⁠. Bastiaan Baan is a teacher, author, and was a Christian Community priest in the Netherlands. His many books include the just-released ⁠Trust in the Future: Facing Uncertain Times With Confidence⁠; his book on the relationship between Christianity and the elemental beings, ⁠Lord of the Elements: Interweaving Christianity and Nature⁠; and his exploration of christian paths of meditation, ⁠Ways into Christian Meditation⁠. He also speaks around the world on spiritual topics.

This is the first in a series of episodes on How To Live in 2025, focusing on the thoughts, feelings, and actions we need to thrive, develop,  create, and resist. At the end of each of these episodes, I’ll offer an exercise - a thought exercise, spiritual exercise, or practical exercise - that brings an experiential dimension to what I and the shows guests talk about. That way, you won’t only be participating by listening, but you can actually bring some of the vitality of the conversation forward. The theme and action of this episode is ENVISION.And my guest is ROB HOPKINS. Rob is the author of From What Is to What If: Unleashing the Power of Imagination to Create the Future We Want and the forthcoming Falling in Love with the Future. He's also the host of the excellent 100-episode podcast, From What If to What Next which features a different conversation with big thinkers on each episode. He's also a founder of the Transition Network, which works via multiple initiatives (planting trees, local food sufficiency, alternate modes of transport, mental health support, and more) to usher towns and communities out of their entanglement with cultural, political and economic death, and into thriving and healthy sufficiency.

The task ahead is daunting: We must totally recreate economy, politics, and culture. How can we move forward with help from the three gifts of the magi: gold, frankincense, and myrrh?

Pilar Lesko, a money teacher and sought-after podcast guest, dives deep into the spiritual dimensions of finances during tough times. She discusses the emotional ties we have with money and how our personal values shape financial habits. Lesko encourages a shift from mere goal-setting towards a holistic understanding of value. The conversation also touches on the importance of authenticity in entrepreneurship, the impact of perceptions on financial interactions, and how personal growth is intertwined with financial decision-making.

Our inner lives do matter, more than ever, in this moment. But how do they matter, and how can we offer them up to the tasks of our time? And what if some of us get those inner conditions properly oriented to the spiritual work of the world we're in, but most people don't? Will any of it make a difference?To discuss this, I welcomed author and teacher Lisa Romero back to the show.Lisa and I talked about these themes before on the show, on AEWCH 257, but now we develop them more deeply here, particularly in relation to how the world is unfolding.

In the wake of a contentious election, the podcast explores the pitfalls of excessive emotional expression in politics. It questions the effectiveness of mourning over action and highlights the disconnect between marginalized communities and political accountability. Reflecting on personal experiences during the AIDS epidemic, the importance of community connections emerges as a potential pathway to understanding and healing. The discussion also emphasizes de-escalation tactics and individual transformation as avenues for creating a new political life.

I talk with Faroese songwriter and performer Eivør about music, water, The Faroe Islands, and myth!

I talk with authors/teachers/organizers DEAN SPADE (Mutual Aid) & SHULI BRANSON (Practical Anarchism) about how to get out of the mindset of the state as the election approaches, and how to think about creative and real engagement with the political instead.

On the heels of the release of their first album in 20 years (!) I talk with Karate frontman GEOFF FARINA about music as a conversation with ideas, and how music creates a lens for life.