For the fourth episode, they turn from reflection on grieving the death of God and the loss of the transcendental sacred, to grieving the state of the world and the impending loss of the immanent sacred.  They  discuss Nietzsche's insights into the pervasiveness of affective  nihilism in modern cultures, and the strengths and shortcomings of his  prescriptions; the problem of "god surrogacy," in a world that has lost  its center; the dynamics of a culture of make-believe and the  impediments to facing collective cultural shadow; the process of  grieving the state of the world and our implication in many of its  crises, environmental and otherwise; the radical challenge of moving  beyond anthropocentrism in our social organization and self conception;  and much more.

For the third episode, we continue our discussion of griefwork and reflect on the meaning of the "death of God," the factors that have forestalled many in the modern world from properly grieving this loss, and what such a grief process would look like.

Is Integral Theory a "poisoned chalice" -- wondrously made in some regards, but poisoned from within?  Has it failed in its promise and become unusable?  Bruce and Layman sit down with Daniel Görtz, one half of the metamodern avatar, Hanzi Freinacht, to discuss both the strengths of integral theory, but also the criticisms that have driven a number of people to abandon it -- whether in rejecting it altogether, or in forming counter projects (Hanzi's Metamodernism, various Integral 2.0 efforts), or just in the gradual dispersion of the "integral diaspora."  What is the future of the integral movement?  Will it fade in influence going forward, or is its full promise still yet to come?

Layman is joined by Jason Medland to talk about the wisdom and insight from both software engineering and long-running Western esoteric traditions, such as the Free Masons, for organizing effectively, preventing system stagnation, maintaining high-level sensemaking and moral commitment, promoting the continued growth of members, and much more.  Jason Medland is an OpenSource Software/Systems Architect, Free Mason, firearms and combat sport enthusiast, a Natural Born Psychonaught, and a Meanderthal.   Jason's Medium page: https://jasonmedland.medium.com/  Please consider supporting The Integral Stage on Patreon to make more of these conversations possible! https://www.patreon.com/theintegralstage

In Re/thinking Religion, a new Integral Stage series, John Vervaeke joins Bruce Alderman and Layman Pascal to explore possible points of contact and confluence between their respective approaches to religion and spirituality.  For the second episode, we discuss the distinction between absolute and relative in traditional and modern metaphysics, the Two Worlds mythology, and the Ascender and Descender paths, and we consider some historical and contemporary approaches to reconceiving their relations.   In the second half of the dialogue, we turn towards the emotional or 'felt' dimensions of a fundamental shift in perspectives, including David Michael Levin's notions of 'crying for a vision' and gelassenheit as the resolution of dualism; and we begin to touch on the importance for a Religion that is Not a Religion of 'moving into the lack' and fully grieving the death of God.   John Vervaeke is a cognitive scientist, a professor of psychology at Toronto University, and the creator of the popular YouTube series, "Awakening from the Meaning Crisis."  "Awakening from the Meaning Crisis" Playlist:

In this episode of New Education Systems, Layman is joined by Bonnitta Roy to talk about her new experiment in serial, transformative education: The Pop-Up School.  They discuss her inspirations and intentions for the school; her life-long history as an educator; the shortcomings of many current educational models; her ideal transformational curriculum; and the importance of education for the senses, the stages of the self, grief and 'dark nights,' and much more.   Bonnitta Roy is a process philosopher, the founder and president of Alderlore Insight Center, an associate editor for Integral Review, and a consciousness studies and transpersonal psychology professor at The Graduate Institute.  She is also the inspiration and instructor behind The Magellan Courses and the Pop-Up School.   Please consider supporting us to help make more of these videos possible: https://www.patreon.com/theintegralstage

In this special Integral Stage episode, Layman Pascal is joined by Cadell Last to inquire into the concept of self-relating negativity; the place of lack and the 'gap' in our thinking; the importance of Hegelian and Zizekian perspectives for emerging integrative and metamodern worldviews; the status and problem of the "One"; the question of suffering and our relationship to psychopathology and the symptom; Osho, mysticism and psychospiritual development; and much more.  For, as Hegel observed, "The owl of Minerva spreads its wings only with the falling of dusk."   Cadell Last is a philosopher (Ph.D.) with an interest in anthropology and psychoanalysis, and the author of Global Brain Singularity, and Sex, Masculinity, God.   Philosophy Portal https://www.philosophyportal.online  Home page https://cadelllast.com  YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCtCqYQFPhnU1OnHPveEnYw Please consider supporting us to help make more of these videos possible: https://www.patreon.com/theintegralstage

John Bunzl joins Layman to take a deeper look into Simpol, following his Integral Stage presentation for the Eutopia series.  What was the origin of the Simpol idea?  How does it relate to evolutionary process?  How can it serve worldcentric and healthy nationalist interests simultaneously?  How does it manifest in all four quadrants?  How can it serve global health and flourishing, without triggering concerns about the over-reach or oppressive dynamics of a 'one world government'?   Bunzl is a global political activist and businessman. In 2000, he founded the Simultaneous Policy (Simpol) campaign, a way for citizens to use their votes to drive politicians towards global cooperation. It has supporters in over 100 countries and enjoys the support of a growing number of Members of Parliament around the world. He has authored or co-authored a number of books including The Simpol Solution, Monetary Reform – Making it Happen!, People-centred Global Governance – Making it Happen!, and Global Domestic Politics. He has published numerous articles on global governance in the Journal of Integral Theory & Practice. He has lectured widely, including to The Schumacher Society, The World Trade Organisation, The Lucis Trust, and various universities.    The Simpol Website:  https://www.simpol.org/ Please consider supporting The Integral Stage on Patreon to make more of these conversations possible!  https://www.patreon.com/theintegralstage

For episode 15 of LOVE THE SYSTEM, Layman is joined by Welf von Hören to talk about his work co-founding the company, and launching the app, Potential, which aims to transform users' phones to help them unlock better choices.  Together they explore the potential for technology to help individuals strengthen agency, set and keep intentions, outgame the attention economy, and interface with AI to make omni-win decisions.  How can social media, wisely used, help individuals and communities develop and transform?  What is the role of profiling, and how can already-pervasive data collection be refined and improved, and turned towards individuals' and communities' health and benefit?  For Integral, GameB, and Metamodern communities, what is the right relationship to money, and how can these communities be empowered to really impact the world?   Welf von Hören is the co-Founder and CEO of Potential company, which produces an app to transform users' phones to help them unlock better choices.  He is an applied philosopher, product designer, and software engineer.  He studied at CODE University of Applied Sciences, trained with Human Systems, and co-hosts Humane Tech Berlin.  Personal website https://welf.co/  Potential app https://potential.app/  Please consider supporting The Integral Stage on Patreon to make more of these conversations possible!https://www.patreon.com/theintegralstage

Layman is joined by Krishna Gauci, a spiritual teacher and a disciple of HWL Poonja, to discuss the traditional and contemporary value of satsang; his experience and understanding of the nature and dynamics of spiritual transmission; the qualities needed in students and teachers to amplify and most benefit from satsang or other 'transmissive' contexts and encounters; healthy, unhealthy, and difficult student-teacher relationships; and much more.   Krishna Gauci was born in Monterey, California, and was raised in New York City. Thirty-four years ago, he moved to the Pacific Northwest. He presently lives in Portland with his wife, Vivian. While pursuing his spiritual endeavors, he has worked as an auto assembly line worker, a New York City taxi cab driver, a cabinetmaker, and a bus driver. Krishna has a background in the practice of Buddhist Meditation and has been a devotee of the Spiritual Master HWL Poonja (Papaji) since 1993. He has been a part of (what is now) the Trillium Awakening Community since 1998, and is a founding member of the Trillium Awakening Teachers Circle and the Institute of Awakened Mutuality. He has been holding Satsang since 2000.   Krishna Satsang website http://www.krishnasatsang.com/  Trillium Awakening website https://trilliumawakening.org/  Please consider supporting The Integral Stage on Patreon to make more of these conversations possible! https://www.patreon.com/theintegralstage