Friday, July 19, 2024

Message of the Day: Long Wave, Short Wave

Message of the Day: Long Wave, Short Wave

green coloured trails of light

Today's message is called Long Wave/Short Wave and focuses on the realm of sound waves and their impact on our consciousness.

The Short Wave carries the everyday sounds that constantly bombard us, akin to the AM radio band – reaching far but often filled with static. These are the fleeting conversations, the news cycle, and the general noise of daily life.

The Long Wave resides on a higher frequency than the short wave, and often requires effort to access. This is the realm of the Sound Current, often experienced through practices like meditation, prayer, and chanting. Tuning into this long wave can bring profound benefits, including:

- Reduced stress and increased peace of mind: By shifting our focus from the constant chatter of the short wave, we can find inner calm and tranquility.
- Access to higher forms of knowledge: The long wave carries subtle information that transcends the mundane, offering insights into deeper truths and wisdom.

Breaking Free from the Short Wave: Like many, I often find myself caught in the short-term filter of information overload. However, moments of clarity break through occasionally, revealing the fleeting nature of my preoccupations. These glimpses inspire me to spend more time seeking the long wave and tune my inner ear to higher frequencies.

Your Journey to the Long Wave: Does this long form/short analogy resonate with your experience?

And if it does, what practices or activities help you connect with the long wave?


https://bit.ly/3WrRlKf

Friday, July 12, 2024

Acceptance

Today's message focuses on acceptance, a concept that's easy to grasp but often difficult to put into practice.  At its core, acceptance is about embracing whatever life throws our way, whether it's a personal flaw we dislike, an infuriating encounter with a stranger, or an unexpected compliment. It's about acknowledging reality as it is, without resistance.

However, our natural inclination isn't always to accept.  We often deny or react defensively to what we encounter. We might tell ourselves we're not lazy, just unmotivated. We might lash out at a driver who's trying to pass us, nearly causing an accident. Or we might brush aside a compliment, dismissing it as insincere. 

In essence, we deny what is.

Many of us struggle with self-acceptance. We might readily acknowledge some aspects of ourselves while stubbornly resisting others.  We might intellectually understand that denying our flaws only gives them more power, but still find it difficult to embrace ourselves completely, warts and all.

Deepak Chopra, the renowned physician and lecturer, offers a helpful perspective on acceptance. He suggests that we begin by recognizing the inherent duality within us. Our inner being, burdened by karmic baggage, is a complex tapestry of opposing energies. It's a place where the saint and the sinner, the sacred and the profane, the divine and the diabolical coexist. Accepting this duality, embracing the full spectrum of our being, allows us to release the need to judge others.

This idea is beautifully illustrated by the allegory of the man and his shadow.  Haunted by his shadow, the man tries to outrun it, but every step he takes only creates more shadow.  He runs faster and faster, ultimately exhausting himself to death. He fails to realize that simply standing under a tree would have eliminated his shadow, or that stillness would have prevented it from growing.

The allegory highlights the futility of denying our shadows. We all cast shadows; it's an inevitable part of being alive.  The real challenge lies in choosing how much power we give to those shadows. Can we stand firm and allow the light of acceptance to shine through?

Chopra's insights also reveal a connection between self-acceptance and our ability to accept others. The greatest gift we can offer another person is to accept them for who they are, without trying to change them.  This can be especially challenging with those closest to us, but it's a gift worth striving for.

Today's message encourages us to cultivate a deeper sense of acceptance, both for ourselves and for others.  In doing so, we're liable to find a profound sense of peace and inner harmony.


https://bit.ly/4cSWU9K

Monday, November 21, 2022

Sleep Medicine: the Practice of Yoga Nidra


Restorative yoga practioner Jennifer Piercy explains the philosophy of yoga nidra, leads participants through a yoga nidra session, and answers questions about dreams, sleep and rest.

This is a recording of the 11/19/22 Sacred Inclusion Network Managing Dark Spaces exploration. 

The yoga nidra practice starts about 16:14, goes for approximately a half-hour, and is followed by questions and answers.

Piercy’s sleep meditation tracks on the Insight Time app have been played more than 21 million times. An experienced Restorative Yoga Practitioner, she’s studied with Dr. Rubin Naiman, a pioneer in integrative sleep and dream medicine, and has spent thousands of hours in her 16+ years as a yoga practitioner guiding people in the impactful and neglected art of slowing down. 

Links:


Check out this episode!

Sleep Medicine: the Practice of Yoga Nidra


Restorative yoga practioner Jennifer Piercy explains the philosophy of yoga nidra, leads participants through a yoga nidra session, and answers questions about dreams, sleep and rest.

This is a recording of the 11/19/22 Sacred Inclusion Network Managing Dark Spaces exploration. 

The yoga nidra practice starts about 16:14, goes for approximately a half-hour, and is followed by questions and answers.

Piercy’s sleep meditation tracks on the Insight Time app have been played more than 21 million times. An experienced Restorative Yoga Practitioner, she’s studied with Dr. Rubin Naiman, a pioneer in integrative sleep and dream medicine, and has spent thousands of hours in her 16+ years as a yoga practitioner guiding people in the impactful and neglected art of slowing down. 

Links:


Check out this episode!

Sleep Medicine: the Practice of Yoga Nidra


Restorative yoga practioner Jennifer Piercy explains the philosophy of yoga nidra, leads participants through a yoga nidra session, and answers questions about dreams, sleep and rest.

This is a recording of the 11/19/22 Sacred Inclusion Network Managing Dark Spaces exploration. 

The yoga nidra practice starts about 16:14, goes for approximately a half-hour, and is followed by questions and answers.

Piercy’s sleep meditation tracks on the Insight Time app have been played more than 21 million times. An experienced Restorative Yoga Practitioner, she’s studied with Dr. Rubin Naiman, a pioneer in integrative sleep and dream medicine, and has spent thousands of hours in her 16+ years as a yoga practitioner guiding people in the impactful and neglected art of slowing down. 

Links:


Check out this episode!

Sleep Medicine: the Practice of Yoga Nidra


Restorative yoga practioner Jennifer Piercy explains the philosophy of yoga nidra, leads participants through a yoga nidra session, and answers questions about dreams, sleep and rest.

This is a recording of the 11/19/22 Sacred Inclusion Network Managing Dark Spaces exploration. 

The yoga nidra practice starts about 16:14, goes for approximately a half-hour, and is followed by questions and answers.

Piercy’s sleep meditation tracks on the Insight Time app have been played more than 21 million times. An experienced Restorative Yoga Practitioner, she’s studied with Dr. Rubin Naiman, a pioneer in integrative sleep and dream medicine, and has spent thousands of hours in her 16+ years as a yoga practitioner guiding people in the impactful and neglected art of slowing down. 

Links:


Check out this episode!

Wednesday, November 09, 2022

Activating Egyptian Spirituality


African cosmologist, independent scholar and multimedia artist Marques Redd discusses African spirituality, the legacy of Egypt, and the tradition of the gatekeepers.

Redd here explains he first became interested in African spiritualty, his academic studies on the influence of ancient Egypt on Plato's philosphy and 19th century literature, and how these studies became the basis for his intellectual, artistic, and spiritual work.

"The reason why I'm attracted to African spiritual systems is that within them you can still see the remnants of these early understandings of what it means to be human, and conceptions of the Divine that, in a deeper sense, made us human, and made us into the beings and creatures that we are today." he says.

Redd will facilitate the Sacred Inclusion Network's 10/15 Online Community Exploration, in which he'll provide a map for activating ancient Egyptian rituals that can be used in one’s individual practice. The workshop will be grounded in guided meditations and an exploration of how to use hieroglyphics as shamanic tools.


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Bridging Together Indigenous and Modern Science


The sacred pipe, the Raven, and a peyote ritual were three touchstones of the path of Dr. Apela Colorado, traditional cultural practitioner and indigenous scientist of French and Oneida descent.

In this podcast, she shares stories of how each of these elements formed an essential part of her journey, from growing up as a mixed-race child in rural western Wisconsin to founding in 1989 the Worldwide Indigenous Science Network (WISN).

As she relates in this podcast and in her recently published book, Woman Between the Worlds, she as a teenager followed her grandfather’s advice and attended college, an action that rare for native women at the time. But while climbing the academic ranks and eventually attaining a Ph.D. from Brandeis University, she always remembered another part of her grandfather’s counsel: “Remember the pipe,” he told her, another way of saying “remember your roots.”

In this podcast, Colorado relates milestones from her remarkable journey, from her involvement in Indian Movement, through her encounters with indigenous elders in the south of France, Ethiopia, South Africa, and Central Asia. She also sheds light on native ritual and symbolism, such as the role of the sacred pipe in ceremony.

She also shares some lessons she learned from elders along the way, and mystical encounters with real and allegorical ravens, and how a peyote ceremony transformed her perception of life. 

Dr. Colorado is in equal measure shaman and academic, and her accomplishments are many. She's a Ford Fellow, who in 1982 received a PhD from Brandeis University, and went on to create the world's first doctoral program in traditional knowledge at the California Institute of Integral studies. She also directed the Indigenous Mind Program, which for 20 years taught students into ways of exploring their ancestral and earth-based holistic consciousness within an academic framework. 

Links:

 


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Activating Egyptian Spirituality (Excerpt)


Marques Redd on African spirituality, the lure of Egypt, and what to expect during the 10/15 Sacred Inclusion Network exploration.

Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/BHlxqvV6iac


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Archiving the Impossible


Within the halls of academia, the exploration of paranormal activity is for the most part off-limits to serious scientific inquiry. There are a variety of reasons for this, says religious scholar Jeffrey J. Kripal: the rise of behaviorism; the belief that the brain is in essence a biological computer; and the concurrent belief in physicalism - that there is nothing over and above the physical dimension of life.

Kripal here explains why he’s devoted his professional life to taking this phenomenon seriously. He’s one of a small, but increasing number of scholars who believe it’s as important to look at reality from the inside out as it is to examine it from the outside in.

Kripal, the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, is the author of eight books, including Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion, and Authors of the Impossible: The Paranormal and the Sacred.

Here he explains his latest project, Archives of the Impossible, which is both an actual archive of paranormal materials and a March 2022 Rice University conference.

He also details the evolution of his own interest in the paranormal; his view on the importance of the humanities; and what-he-calls “the flipped” experiences of materialists who changed their perspective to embrace the view or that mind or consciousness is primary and the material world is secondary.

The plenary speakers at the March 2022 Archives of the Impossible conference include Jacques F. Vallée, PhD, the founder of Documatica Research; Leslie Keen, author of the best-selling Surviving Death: A Journalist Investigates Evidence for an Afterlife and UFOs; Whitley Strieber, author of Communion and many other books; Diana Pasulka, Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington; John Phillip Santos, Rhodes Scholar, writer, journalist, and documentarian; Edwin C. May, president and founder of the Laboratories for Fundamental Research, Palo Alto, California. and Sebastiano De Filippi, Italian-Argentinian musician, author and scholar.

Links:

 


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A Sufi Approach to Business


Fourth generation entrepreneur Mark Silver is a pioneer in the integration of spirituality and business. He believes that commerce doesn’t need to involve hype or manipulation but instead can be based on transparency, integrity and heart. In this podcast, he describes how life circumstances led him to embrace the Sufi path, his belief that right business practice is inherently spiritual, and how when done correctly marketing can be a form of healing.

The founder of the Ithaca, New York-based Heart of Business company, Silver also discusses how political activism informs his sense of spirituality, common misconceptions of Islam, and his belief that capitalism is a both distortion of business practice and a root of many of the world's social problems.

He also describes the essence of his daily spiritual practice, the Sufi heart-centered process of Remembrance.

Links:

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The Poet, the Buddhist, the Trans Warrior


Esteemed poet Diana Goetsch talks about anti-gay and anti-trans attitudes within the American Buddhist community, how people fiercely protect the gender divide, and how her Vajrayāna practice sustained her during her transition. 

In between discussing these and other topics, she reads poetry from her eight collections, including the poem, Black People Can't Swim, which merited her  the 2012  Pushcart Prize. Because of this and others work, Diana's been cited as one of the few white poets willing to write on the subject of race. She also reads  from The Diana Updates, a series of letters to friends about her transition that was republished in The American Scholar.

In reaction to her American Scholar letters, she received supportive letters from people in all walks of life. "We are all, I was learning, in transition, people between people, longing to be fully ourselves. The only essential difference with my deal is that it’s glaringly obvious and can’t be hidden from anyone."

A former varsity athlete and concert jazz dancer, poet with award-winning collectionsa dedicated meditation practitioner and instructor, Goetsche is a multifaced advocate for America's newest visible minority.

Links:

 

 


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Christianity, Christian Denial, and the Future of the Men's Movement


It took a series of relationship failures to cause Dmitri Bilgere to embrace Christianity. Rather than giving the universe a kind of laundry list of what he wanted in a partner, he instead asked God to send him the right woman. This simple change of perspective brought him the love of his life, forms the basis of his personal faith, and is central to how he his work with the men he coaches or encounters in his workshops.

Bilgere (BILL-GERE) here describes his personal journey, the five mental errors that stop Christians from experiencing spiritual fulfillment, and the evolution of the men's movement. He also discusses what women are looking for from men in the post #MeToo era, how men's issues have changed since the founding of the mythopoetic men's movement, and his own approach to spiritual practice.

Bilgere is the author of Gateways to God: Remove Your Roadblocks and Live his Love, the co-founder of Inner King Training and Shadow Work seminars, and a life and relationship coach.

Links:

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From Diversity 101 to Radical Inclusion


One of the founders of the Diversity and Spirituality Network talks about the integration of diversity and spirituality; the need for diversity and inclusion work to evolve; and the role on inclusive, spiritually-oriented networks such as the Diversity and Spirituality Network in in an increasingly secular age.

 

Show Notes:

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New Religious Movements


Pejoratively  called "cults" by some, there are by some estimates more than 300 New Religious Movements in the United States and tens of thousands worldwide. These include offshoots of established religions, congregations with unique scriptures, and "New Age" churches that claim celestial origins. Some of these groups last less than a decade, whereas others span generations.

W. Michael Ashcraft, the Philosophy and Religion Department Chair of Truman State University, has been studying New Religious Movements for most of his professional life. The author of the recently published book, A Historical Introduction to the Study of New Religious Movements, Ashcraft here discusses the anticult movement that flourished in the '60s and '70s, why some groups survive and others don't, and the  similarities between New Religious Movements of the nineteenth century and those of the present day. He also draws distinctions between those groups with negative cult-like tendencies and those that are more benign. 

In addition to his most recent book, Ashcraft is the co-author with Eugene V. Gallagher of the five-volume set, Introduction to New and Alternative Religions n in America.

Links:

A Historical Study of New Religious Movements (most recent book)

Ashcraft's Academia.edu page

Diversity and Spirituality Network

Diversity and Spirituality Network Facebook Group

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Travel, Religion and Spirituality


Psychotherapist, author and world traveler Greesh Sharma talks about the transformative aspects of travel; how to trek without being a tourist; and how religion influences national culture. He shares stories from his visits to some 150 countries that illustrate the diversity of human experience, how religious practice differs from place to place, and how spending time abroad has expanded his sense of self. 

Sharma sees travel as a form of spiritual practice and one that paradoxically provides a vehicle for inner exploration. It's helped him become more open to others, sharpened his decision making skills, and generally broadened his view as to what it means to be human.

He experience of traveling to countries with and without national religions had shaped his opinions on the differences between religions, the relationship between religion and spirituality, and the roots of interfaith conflict.

"Travel to me is so transformative that I think even before people pay lots of money to pay a a psychologist for therapy, I think they should travel," Sharma says. "They will grow much faster and it will be much cheaper." 

Links:

Greesh Sharma's Website

Sharma's Amazon author page

The Diversity and Spirituality Network

Support our podcast on Patreon

 


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From Near-Death Survivor to Legend in Diversity


Although he grew up with privilege and an unconscious sense that he was better than others, a near-death experience caused Lewis Brown Griggs to see things differently. While hovering between life and death, he was "told" that he needed to come back and to "do his work." This meant overcoming what he saw as his principal weakness: learning to bridge the gaps between himself and other people. He's been helping others do this through diversity and inclusion work for more than 25 years.

Since surviving his near-death experience, Griggs has worked with companies all over the world, written three books and a host of multimedia projects, and been formally recognized as a "legend of diversity" from the International Society of Diversity and Inclusion Professionals.

But he's more that simply a diversity trainer and entrepreneur. He's also is a  co-active leadership coach, a relationship coach and a facilitator of Spiritual Consciousness gained form Near Death Experiences and Recovery.

In this podcast, Griggs talks about his near-death experiences and how they motivated him to cross-cultural work, how the diversity movement has evolved in the past 25 years, and the importance of coming to terms with death for both valuing diversity and growing spiritually.

Links:

Griggs Productions

The Gift of Near Death (Ted Talk)

Beyond Our Sight (documentary about near-death experiences)

Diversity and Spirituality Network

Diversity and Spirituality Network Facebook Group

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"About US" - A Foundation Story


Cindy Franklin interviews Angelo John Lewis, the co-founder of the Diversity and Spirituality Network. Lewis talks about his own mixed race identity and his eclectic spiritual journey.  He explains his understanding of the Sound Current and experience with groups such as the Movement of Spiritual Awareness and the Emissaries of the Divine Light. He ends by sharing his vision for the Diversity and Spirituality Network.

Links:

Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness

Emissaries of the Divine Light

Dialogues Circle

Diversity and Spirituality Network

Network Events


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"Shared Mystery" - the Unifying Thread


Philosopher F. Samuel Brainard previews his new book, "Reality's Fugue," and explores the unifying thread between diverse religious and scientific perspectives. He explores the critical role of philosophy in today's discourse and what he sees as the built-in limitations of both religion and science.

Links:

Reality's Fugue Website

Diversity and Spirituality Network


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"Spirituality is the River"


Rene Molenkamp, one of the founding members of the Diversity and Spirituality Network, speaks about his Jesuit training, facilitating Ignatian t retreats, the importance of silence, and how group relations can impact spiritual awareness. He also talks about the impact of his involvement in the Diversity and Spirituality Network, how he deals with a tumultuous political environment, and his upcoming spirituality workshop.


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A New Look at American Spirituality


Although the US is nominally a secular state, the majority of its citizens think of themselves as spiritual.

That's one of the central findings of a recent major study of spirituality in the United States.

"About three quarters of the respondents said that spirituality is either very important to them, or somewhat important," said Bob Boisture, the president and CEO of the Fetzer Institute, which sponsored the 2020 report, What Does Spirituality Mean to Us.

"As we probe more deeply in terms of what that translates to.... we found that it's not just important in the abstract, it manifests in these very real ways."

In this podcast, Boisture discusses the different ways that people define spirituality, how they express it within and apart from organized religious frameworks, and the degree to which spiritually-oriented people get engaged in civic life.

Among the report's conclusions: 86% of survey respondents considered themselves spiritual; about 66% aspire to be more spiritual; and people who identify as spiritual are more liable to be civilly engaged,, get involved in politics, and vote.

"A cross-cutting theme of what spirituality meant to people was around this theme of connection to a higher power, to other people, to the natural world, in whatever combination. And that connection was not just a physical connection, it was a connection of moral significance," Boisture said.

The Institute funded the study as part of its core mission of helping build the spiritual foundation for a living world. The Kalamazoo, Michigan based organization has a long-standing commitment to supporting research that deepens our understanding of spirituality and how it can animate concrete and positive change. 

Links:

 


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When Spiritual Practice Gets Messy


Author, teacher and coach Raphael Cushnir learned from hard experience that the results of spiritual practice aren't always warm and fuzzy or particularly pleasurable. In his case, they included kriyas, or very intense involuntary movements, sometimes accompanied by rapid breathing and non-nonsensical speech.

These were challenging enough to handle in private, but were especially problematic when occuring in public, such as in a meeting with colleagues.

Cushnir, the author of six books and a leading voice in the world of emotional intelligence, here tells a story he previously kept private. Sharing it now, he says, can help others more comfortably navigate the unexpected terrain of the mystical path.

Cushnir here talks about his upbringing, his belief in the importance of integrating spiritual practice and psychotherapy, his work with sacred sexuality, and the surprising things he learned when interviewing professed spiritual teachers about their personal growth edges.

Cushnir has shared his unique approach to personal and professional development with millions of readers in O, The Oprah Magazine, Beliefnet, Spirituality and Health, Psychology Today, and The Huffington Post.

He is the author of six books, lectures worldwide, and is a faculty member of the Esalen Institute, the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, and the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies. In addition, he coaches individuals and teams at Fortune 100 companies, governments, religious organizations, and leading non-profits.

The kriya experiences he shares here are elaborated in his most recent book, Surviving the Divine: A Memoir of Rude Awakening.

This podcast was recorded in advance of Cushnir's 12/9/21 Sacred Inclusion Network Event, "Navigating Spiritual States." 

Links:

 


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Spirituality and Business


Jim DeLuca, the general manager of Rochester New York's Abundance Cooperative Market talks the integration of spirituality and business, the "triple bottom line" and food coops, and his personal spiritual practice. He also shares his experience in the Spirit and Business Global Institute, the Omega Institute and the Mankind Project.

Links:

Mankind Project
Spirit in Business
Vipassina (wikipedia entry)


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Travels with Greesh


Psychologist Greesh Sharma on Hinduism, the Indian diaspora, and how travel has both  broadened and humbled him. He shares his critiques of contemporary psychological practice, and the limits of politics and religion. He explains why he formed the Vanaprastha Corp, a group of serves victims of the Hindu diaspora around the world. 

 

Sharma's most recent book is Mental Health Survival Guide; For Individuals and Families of Indian Origin.

 

Website: http://www.drgreesh.com/


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"Diversity as Path"


Sermon delivered January 29, 2017 at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Titusville, NJ. Explores the notion that humanity is currently in the midst of a transition from a period of tribalism to universalism; how this is expressed in the current trend of natavist politics and the implications; and some suggestions for those who actively want to promote that shift.  


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The Art of Reality Creation


Coach and author Frederick Dodson  explains common misconceptions aobut the law of attraction, the difference between magical thinking and reality creation, and explains why people have difficulty getting what they want.  


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Psychology and Spirituality


Psychologist David Stern talks about the journey that led him to integrate spirituality into his psychotherapy practice, provides some examples of what that looks like, and specific pycho-spiritual issues common to the Jewish community.


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Restoration, Dreams and Navigating Dark Spaces


Integrative restoration and dream educator, and yoga facilitator Jennifer Piercy here talks about yoga nidra, the importance of sleep and restoration practice, and the "wake-centric" bias of contemporary culture.

Rather than view sleep as a necessary evil, Piercy suggests approaching it as a kind of spiritual practice and an invitation to explore the unknown.  

"Part of being at home in the unknown is that we literally need to practice being at home in the dark. And sleep and rest are both literally and metaphorically inviting you into that. I think of it as a superpower that people forget they even have," she says.

Piercy's sleep meditation tracks on the Insight Timer App have been listened to more than an astonishing 21 million times.

Piercy is on a kind of mission to help people view sleep and restoration in a more holistic light. 

One of her favorite quotes of from Dr. Rubin Naiman, a pioneer in integrative sleep and dream medicine, and the man who coined the "wake-centrism" term.

"We are oblivious to a profound and pervasive bias in our perception, that waking is our sole, primary form of consciousness. Consequently, we tend to view sleep and dreams as secondary, subservient states of being. Wake-centrism is a kind of flat earth consciousness that discourages us from approaching the edges of our awareness. It is not a blind spot but a loss of peripheral vision. Wake-centrism is not a way of seeing, but a way of NOT seeing the bigger picture — the world behind the world," Naiman wrote.

In this podcast, Piercy talks about the path that led her to become a restoratation and dream educator, shares some practical suggestions for those struggling with sleep issues, and talks about the dangers of an overly medical approach to sleep disorders.

Piercy will facilitate the Sacred Inclusion Network's 11/19/22 event, Navigating Dark Spaces

Links:


Check out this episode!

Restoration, Dreams and Navigating Dark Spaces


Integrative restoration and dream educator, and yoga facilitator Jennifer Piercy here talks about yoga nidra, the importance of sleep and restoration practice, and the "wake-centric" bias of contemporary culture.

Rather than view sleep as a necessary evil, Piercy suggests approaching it as a kind of spiritual practice and an invitation to explore the unknown.  

"Part of being at home in the unknown is that we literally need to practice being at home in the dark. And sleep and rest are both literally and metaphorically inviting you into that. I think of it as a superpower that people forget they even have," she says.

Piercy's sleep meditation tracks on the Insight Timer App have been listened to more than an astonishing 21 million times.

Piercy is on a kind of mission to help people view sleep and restoration in a more holistic light. 

One of her favorite quotes of from Dr. Rubin Naiman, a pioneer in integrative sleep and dream medicine, and the man who coined the "wake-centrism" term.

"We are oblivious to a profound and pervasive bias in our perception, that waking is our sole, primary form of consciousness. Consequently, we tend to view sleep and dreams as secondary, subservient states of being. Wake-centrism is a kind of flat earth consciousness that discourages us from approaching the edges of our awareness. It is not a blind spot but a loss of peripheral vision. Wake-centrism is not a way of seeing, but a way of NOT seeing the bigger picture — the world behind the world," Naiman wrote.

In this podcast, Piercy talks about the path that led her to become a restoratation and dream educator, shares some practical suggestions for those struggling with sleep issues, and talks about the dangers of an overly medical approach to sleep disorders.

Piercy will facilitate the Sacred Inclusion Network's 11/19/22 event, Navigating Dark Spaces

Links:


Check out this episode!

Friday, October 07, 2022

Activating Egyptian Spirituality (Excerpt)


Marques Redd on African spirituality, the lure of Egypt, and what to expect during the 10/15 Sacred Inclusion Network exploration.

Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/BHlxqvV6iac


Check out this episode!

Activating Egyptian Spirituality (Excerpt)


Marques Redd on African spirituality, the lure of Egypt, and what to expect during the 10/15 Sacred Inclusion Network exploration.

Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/BHlxqvV6iac


Check out this episode!

"Shared Mystery" - the Unifying Thread


Philosopher F. Samuel Brainard previews his new book, "Reality's Fugue," and explores the unifying thread between diverse religious and scientific perspectives. He explores the critical role of philosophy in today's discourse and what he sees as the built-in limitations of both religion and science.

Links:

Reality's Fugue Website

Diversity and Spirituality Network


Check out this episode!

"World Peace, Through Inner Peace"


Social entrepreneur, spiritual guide and author Virginia Swain explains how personal tragedy shaped her spiritual focus, her work at the United Nations, and her vision for the transformation of America in a post 9/11 world. She also speaks about her most recent community project, America's Soul Cafe, and provides advice to anyone seeking to integrate their quest for inner peace with peace in the world.

Virginia is the author of the recently published book, My Soul’s Journey to Redefine Leadership: A New Phoenix Rises from the Ashes of 9/11.

This interview was recorded during the  August 21, 2017 Solar Eclipse.

Links: 

Virginia Swain's site

The Institute for Global Leadership

Center for Global Community and World Law

My Soul’s Journey to Redefine Leadership: A New Phoenix Rises from the Ashes of 9/11 (Virginia's Latest Book)

America's Soul Cafe

Diversity and Spirituality Network

 


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Spiritualities: East and West


Cross-cultural communication scholar William Kelly talks about what his extensive travels in Africa, the Philippines and Japan taught him about himself. He also talks about how Asian spirituality is fundamentally different from how most Westerners perceive it, the contrast between Asian spirituality and Western materialism; and how the current worldwide nationalistic trend may be a precursor towards a more spiritually oriented era in which global inter-connectivity is prized.

 

Notes:

Bill Kelly's UCLA Faculty page

Notes for a New Age (includes Kelly's article on the Meaning of the New Age)

Diversity and Spirituality Podcast Page


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About Men's Work: origins, importance and future directions


The founder of the Men's Leadership Alliance explains how he got involved with men's work, it's origins and evolution, how and why native American rituals are incorporated into men's work, and issues that white men in particular bring to him in his coaching practice.

Links:

Men's Leadership Alliance

Inner King Training Experience

Mankind Project

4 Gateways Coaching

The Diversity and Spirituality Network


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Spirituality, Sexuality & the Meaning of Trump and Brexit


Mark Argent, the former Chair of the Cambridge Liberal Democratic Party, talks about his United Reformed Church roots, spiritual direction East and West, LGBT spirituality, and the meaning of Trump and Brexit.

Argent is UK's Liberal Democrat  Parliamentary Candidate for Hertford and Stortford, plus is an Elder in the United Reform Church. He has trained in spiritual direction and has conducted spiritual retreats both in the UK and in East Asia. His range of interests include the creative arts particularly music and painting, spirituality, and psychoanalytically-informed approaches to society, organisations and politics.

 

Links:

 

Mark Argent's site

Liberal Democratic Party (UK)

Ignation Spirituality

Group Relations Explained

Diversity and Spirituality Network


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"About US" - A Foundation Story


Cindy Franklin interviews Angelo John Lewis, the co-founder of the Diversity and Spirituality Network. Lewis talks about his own mixed race identity and his eclectic spiritual journey.  He explains his understanding of the Sound Current and experience with groups such as the Movement of Spiritual Awareness and the Emissaries of the Divine Light. He ends by sharing his vision for the Diversity and Spirituality Network.

Links:

Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness

Emissaries of the Divine Light

Dialogues Circle

Diversity and Spirituality Network

Network Events


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"Spirituality is the River"


Rene Molenkamp, one of the founding members of the Diversity and Spirituality Network, speaks about his Jesuit training, facilitating Ignatian t retreats, the importance of silence, and how group relations can impact spiritual awareness. He also talks about the impact of his involvement in the Diversity and Spirituality Network, how he deals with a tumultuous political environment, and his upcoming spirituality workshop.


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Spirituality and Business


Jim DeLuca, the general manager of Rochester New York's Abundance Cooperative Market talks the integration of spirituality and business, the "triple bottom line" and food coops, and his personal spiritual practice. He also shares his experience in the Spirit and Business Global Institute, the Omega Institute and the Mankind Project.

Links:

Mankind Project
Spirit in Business
Vipassina (wikipedia entry)


Check out this episode!

Travels with Greesh


Psychologist Greesh Sharma on Hinduism, the Indian diaspora, and how travel has both  broadened and humbled him. He shares his critiques of contemporary psychological practice, and the limits of politics and religion. He explains why he formed the Vanaprastha Corp, a group of serves victims of the Hindu diaspora around the world. 

 

Sharma's most recent book is Mental Health Survival Guide; For Individuals and Families of Indian Origin.

 

Website: http://www.drgreesh.com/


Check out this episode!

"Diversity as Path"


Sermon delivered January 29, 2017 at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Titusville, NJ. Explores the notion that humanity is currently in the midst of a transition from a period of tribalism to universalism; how this is expressed in the current trend of natavist politics and the implications; and some suggestions for those who actively want to promote that shift.  


Check out this episode!

The Art of Reality Creation


Coach and author Frederick Dodson  explains common misconceptions aobut the law of attraction, the difference between magical thinking and reality creation, and explains why people have difficulty getting what they want.  


Check out this episode!

Psychology and Spirituality


Psychologist David Stern talks about the journey that led him to integrate spirituality into his psychotherapy practice, provides some examples of what that looks like, and specific pycho-spiritual issues common to the Jewish community.


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"Shared Mystery" - the Unifying Thread


Philosopher F. Samuel Brainard previews his new book, "Reality's Fugue," and explores the unifying thread between diverse religious and scientific perspectives. He explores the critical role of philosophy in today's discourse and what he sees as the built-in limitations of both religion and science.

Links:

Reality's Fugue Website

Diversity and Spirituality Network


Check out this episode!

Spirituality and Business


Jim DeLuca, the general manager of Rochester New York's Abundance Cooperative Market talks the integration of spirituality and business, the "triple bottom line" and food coops, and his personal spiritual practice. He also shares his experience in the Spirit and Business Global Institute, the Omega Institute and the Mankind Project.

Links:

Mankind Project
Spirit in Business
Vipassina (wikipedia entry)


Check out this episode!

Travels with Greesh


Psychologist Greesh Sharma on Hinduism, the Indian diaspora, and how travel has both  broadened and humbled him. He shares his critiques of contemporary psychological practice, and the limits of politics and religion. He explains why he formed the Vanaprastha Corp, a group of serves victims of the Hindu diaspora around the world. 

 

Sharma's most recent book is Mental Health Survival Guide; For Individuals and Families of Indian Origin.

 

Website: http://www.drgreesh.com/


Check out this episode!

"Diversity as Path"


Sermon delivered January 29, 2017 at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Titusville, NJ. Explores the notion that humanity is currently in the midst of a transition from a period of tribalism to universalism; how this is expressed in the current trend of natavist politics and the implications; and some suggestions for those who actively want to promote that shift.  


Check out this episode!

The Art of Reality Creation


Coach and author Frederick Dodson  explains common misconceptions aobut the law of attraction, the difference between magical thinking and reality creation, and explains why people have difficulty getting what they want.  


Check out this episode!

Psychology and Spirituality


Psychologist David Stern talks about the journey that led him to integrate spirituality into his psychotherapy practice, provides some examples of what that looks like, and specific pycho-spiritual issues common to the Jewish community.


Check out this episode!

Sunday, November 15, 2020

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Friday, November 13, 2020