Challenging the Stories We Tell Ourselves (Elizabeth Lesser)

Today’s guest is Elizabeth Lesser, bestselling author of classics like Broken Open, and co-founder of the Omega Institute, an internationally recognized retreat center, renowned for its workshops and conferences in wellness, spirituality, creativity, and social change. Throughout her life, Elizabeth has been somewhat of a doula for people in transition, for those who are looking for answers to some of life’s biggest questions—she helps them cross chasms, simply by pointing out the path “The obviousness of something that has been with us forever and must change, is often the most painful part”, she says. Lesser joins me today to talk about her newest book, Cassandra Speaks: When Women are the Storytellers, the Human Story Changes, which interrogates the way in which our origin tales and hero myths, where men are the prototype human, continue to influence our culture. She reminds us that these old stories are only half natural, and challenges us to activate, fund, and educate the emotional and caring nature we all possess, to face our shadows in order to recreate an Eden in which there is room for everyone.  EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Women, storytelling, and paying attention to the world within us Elevating the importance of the caretaker Changing systems, changing self MORE FROM ELIZABETH LESSER: Omega Institute Cassandra Speaks Broken Open Marrow The Seeker’s Guide Follow Elizabeth on Instagram  and Twitter DIG DEEPER: Biobehavioral Responses to Stress in Females: Tend-and-Befriend, Not Fight-or-Flight - Shelley Taylor, UCLA In the Bonobo World, Female Camaraderie Prevails - NYT, Natalie Angier Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices