The Integral Stage

Geoff Fitch, a founding partner of Pacific Integral, and Abigail Lynam, faculty at Fielding University, dive deep into the Awakened Wholeness project. They explore the dual nature of awakening and wholeness, discussing the tension between deconstructive awakening and full human identification. The conversation shifts to the importance of integrating disowned parts, embracing vulnerability, and witnessing awakening through multisensory experiences. They emphasize the role of humor and play in personal and collective transformation, inviting listeners to nurture intuition and connection.

Mark Gaffney, an author focusing on integrative spirituality, delves into the relationship between sorrow and spiritual maturity. He explores the significance of reclaiming our tears, discussing how Isaac's blindness reflects our struggle to connect with deeper emotions. The dialogue addresses the therapeutic power of tears, cultural recovery through rituals, and the transformative impact of empathy. Gaffney draws fascinating parallels between Isaac and Ishmael, revealing how their stories teach us compassion and the importance of embracing our emotional experiences.

Catherine Pawasarat-Sensei, founder of the Clear Sky community, shares her journey from Kyoto to creating a retreat center in Canada. She discusses the delicate balance required in intentional communities, addressing the risks of guru-dependence and handling scandals. Catherine emphasizes the importance of creativity and sustainability, exploring financial models and governance structures. Additionally, she reflects on the intersections of Western esoterica and Eastern practices, while also navigating the complexities of community living and relationships.

The concept of the "post-tragic," associated with the work of Marc Gafni and a few others, is not in broad circulation. Alexander Love is deploying and investigating the term and I join him to suggest that it is basically a redux of Nietzsche's concept of the Tragic per se. Plus we talk Painting!

Rufus Pollock, founder of Open Knowledge, and Sylvie Barbier, a French-Taiwanese performance artist, dive into the concept of a 'Second Renaissance.' They discuss how art can transform communities and the necessity of cultural activism during a meta-crisis. The duo envisions a new artistic manifesto that intertwines art with spirituality for emotional and societal healing. They also explore the evolution of storytelling, emphasizing modern narratives' relevance to contemporary issues like care and environmental consciousness, advocating for collective action and community building.

Marc Gafni, a Rabbi and intellectual exploring the nuances of metacrisis responses, takes listeners on an enlightening journey through the complexities of cosmo-erotic humanism. He delves into the concept of the 'God voice' in biblical stories, especially the Abraham/Isaac tale, offering a fresh perspective on faith and morality. Laughter as a divine connector in spiritual experiences is also explored, alongside the impact of personal trauma on societal interactions. Gafni intertwines these themes with discussions on eros, consent, and the transformative power of cultural traditions.

In this engaging discussion, linguistic philosopher Lisa Maroski dives into the transformative power of language. She explores how our linguistic habits shape consciousness and societal structures. Maroski proposes novel language forms inspired by paradoxical concepts like the Möbius strip to express unity and complexity. The conversation touches on the challenges of oversimplification in communication and the importance of preserving linguistic diversity. Through creative metaphors, she opens up new avenues for understanding non-duality and interconnectedness.

A MONK, A SHAMAN, AND A SCIENTIST WALK INTO A BAR AT THE EDGE OF THE APOCALYPSE...Layman sits down with meditation and planetary dharma teacher, John Churchill, to enjoy a Double Venti Alchemist's Elixir and a rich, wide-ranging conversation exploring the shape of emergent integrative spiritualities at the edge of the Apocalypse.Born in London, Dr. Churchill's interest in psycho-spiritual development, Integral theory, Contemplative studies, Western Esotericism, and Mahayana Buddhism began in his adolescence, eventually leading him to spend several years as a Buddhist monk at Samye Ling Monastery in Scotland. During this time, John received the esoteric Planetary Dharma transmissions that would in time unfold as his contribution to a planetary fourth turning teaching. Dr. Churchill spent 15 years training and teaching “Great Seal” meditation in an Indo-Tibetan Mahayana lineage under the mentorship of the late senior Western teacher, translator, respected author, and clinical psychologist Dr. Daniel P. Brown. He is also a founding member of the Integral Institute led by esteemed Transpersonal/Integral philosopher, Ken Wilber.Planetary Dharma websitehttps://www.planetarydharma.com/

My upcoming Parallax course Integral Theory for Idiots starts July 6th. I thought it would be intriguing to compare the audio of a course description that I wrote and the alternative descriptions put together by three different free online AIs -- Claude, Deepseek & Perplexity. The tone they favor and the particular elements they "chose" to emphasize are very interesting...

The Liminal Café is where the locals of the liminal web gather for coffee and conversation. In this new series, Layman chats with the people and patrons who, for some curious reason, find themselves drawn to this sketchy corner of the internet...NAGARJUNA, DELEUZE, AND WHITEHEAD ADVANCED RHIZOMATICALLY INTO A BARFor episode 11, Layman joins Kazi Adi Shakti in the Amaravathi branch of the Liminal Café for a wide-ranging, paradigm- and continent-crossing exploration of the development of a Process Buddhism.Kazi is an artist and theorist whose theoretical work primarily consists in the study and creative synthesis of process thought, Madhyamaka Buddhism, Western Marxism and Eco-feminist ethics. She graduated with a BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art, where she majored in Interdisciplinary Sculpture with a focus on computer modeling, 3D scanning and digital fabrication and currently works as a scanning specialist and digital artist in the 3D digitization industry.Kazi's blog, Holo-Poiesishttps://holo-poiesis.com/