Elevating Consciousness

Stephen Zerfas is the CEO and Co-founder of Jhourney — a tech startup scaling transformative meditation through a data-driven lens, guiding complete beginners into deeply absorbed meditation states known as the Jhanas, in less than a week.  Stephen discovered the first three jhanas through his own practice and, upon learning of their profound history, made it his mission to bring them to as many people as possible. He has since trained with leading jhana teachers, including Leigh Brasington and Delson Armstrong.Thus far, Jhourney has served over 1,300 alumni with a 60-70% success rate in helping participants access the jhanas on weeklong retreats.Before founding Jhourney, Stephen worked as a software engineer at Lyft and a management consultant at Bridgespan, a Bain affiliate. A University of Notre Dame graduate, he lives in the Bay Area with his wife and daughter. The following conversation was recorded live during Limicon - a digital conference for people in the liminal, game b, and metamodern adjacent spaces. In it, we speak about what the Jhanas are, how Stephen discovered them through self-experimentation, and why he decided to found a tech-company that teaches them. Later, Stephen guides us through a towards Jhana meditation, and we close with a group discussion on whether morality is — or must be — part of such a meditation practice.🔗[Links & Resources]🔗Jhourney's websiteSubscribe to Stephen on Substack90 second video capturing the intensity of the jhanas from people recorded on retreatA Jhourney retreat reflectionMeditation safety podcastHow to cry on cueThe Mind Illuminated by Culadasa🕰️[Time Stamps]🕰️0:00 - Introduction 2:49 - The contemplative corner of the liminal web 6:12 - How Stephen discovered the Jhanas on his own 12:22 - The guesswork problem of meditation and starting Jhourney 17:23 - What are the Jhanas?20:26 - Are these universally discovered states?22:44 - What do the Jhanas feel like?24:15 - Super well-being and taking the technology of meditation seriously 27:07 - Main barriers to accessing the Jhanas34:50 - Orienting to the meditation: Reflect like a scientist, play like a child 38:10 - Towards Jhana guided meditation 1:18:19 - What role does morality play in meditation?1:28:09 - The biggest concerns of Jhana meditation practice *Subscribe to my YouTube channel to watch the video versions of the Elevating Consciousness Podcast *Subscribe to the Insighter Substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional

Daniel Garner is a writer, philosopher, and one-half of O.G. Rose – the philosophical and literary voice he shares with his wife, Michelle Garner. Their work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize as well as the Uno Press lab prize and has been featured in literary publications such as The Iowa Review, The William and Mary Review, and Broken Pencil. Daniel has been involved in the writing of over a dozen books, including The Conflict of Mind, The Map is Indestructible, the Belonging Again series, and a creative fiction work, Under the Wing.When not writing or thinking on the deepest questions of our times, he manages the Mead Lake Lodge wedding venue, teaches piano using visuals from the DLG Pattern Method, and raises four children.The following conversation was recorded live during Limicon - a digital conference for people in the liminal, game b, and metamodern adjacent spaces. In it, we explore how belonging can be created beyond conformity or isolationism in a pluralistic and hyper-fragmented world — and what it asks of us across different scales, from the local to the national to the global. We highlight the importance of lack and negativity, forces so often overlooked in spiritual spaces; examine weak versus costly perennialism and the limits of any single system, model, or medium; and sit with the difference between talking about belonging and living it.🔗[Links & Resources]🔗O.G. Rose’s personal siteSubscribe to O.G. Rose’s SubstackWatch O.G. Rose’s YouTube channelBelonging Again: An Explanation by O.G. RoseBelonging Again: An Address by O.G. RoseTriumph of the Therapeutic by Phillip Rieff🕰️[Time Stamps]🕰️0:00 - Intro2:45 - The central problem of belonging 12:27 - Regressive forms of Belonging 16:37 - How belonging differs on a local, national, and global level21:15 - Cheap Vs Costly Perennialism and evolving structures 30:18 - Negativity, lack, and radical difference37:29 - The limits of any one system, model, or medium41:51 - Hegel's absolute knower, the Deleuzian individual, the Nietzschean child, and the debate between Freud and Jung 46:10 - The irony of not belonging in a conversation about belonging and the importance of intelligibility 57:24 - The social coordination mechanism 1:03:01 - Somewheres and anywheres1:06:41 - Democratizing media  1:11:41 - Racism as the problem of givens and releases 1:20:06 - Nature as a pathway to diversity and belonging 1:25:18 - The pros and cons of digital history 1:30:11 - The difference between talking about belonging and living it 1:35:37 - Finding belonging in different mediums and structures 1:41:45 - Daniel’s insights from running Eunoia, an in-person gathering space1:49:03 - We are all doomed without adequate social coordination *Subscribe to my YouTube channel to watch the video versions of the Elevating Consciousness Podcast *Subscribe to the Insighter Substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional

Richard Flyer is a community weaver and entrepreneur who has devoted his life to exploring how spirituality, local relationships, and practical action can renew communities, building eco-system networks from the ground up.Deeply influenced by Sarvodaya Shramadana’s grassroots mobilization of 15,000 Sri Lankan villages, Richard champions bottom-up regeneration rooted in local relationships, spiritual practice, and everyday service.His work spans founding Vecinos Unidos in San Diego, leading the San Diego Food Bank, supporting syntropic agroforestry in Hawaii, building symbiotic networks (Living Local Economy, Food Systems, Arts and Culture, and Neighbor Networks) in Reno and launching the Symbiotic Culture Lab to activate 50,000 micro-bioregional community networks by 2033. From early mystical experiences of a “Luminous Web” of interconnection to research with pilot whales and years immersed in nature, Richard’s life has been a living experiment in bringing the transcendent into the immanent—“bringing Heaven to Earth”— through practical, face-to-face community building grounded in love, service, and shared responsibility.He is the Author of Birthing the Symbiotic Age: An Ancient Blueprint To Unite Humanity which draws from five decades of hands-on experiments across cultures, faith traditions, and organizational contexts to help communities move from separation toward connection.In this episode, we speak about Richard’s early spiritual experiences and how they impacted his community building efforts, we also explore how to navigate the polarities of individual and collective, healing the culture of separation, the difference between values and virtues, driving change bottom up, re-sacralizing reality and unpack what Richard calls – The ancient blueprint – the practical applications of transcendent principles needed to birth a symbiotic culture. 🔗[Links & resources] 🔗Richard’s site & SubstackBirthing a Symbiotic Age by Richard Flyer Dr. AriSmall Is Beautiful by E.F. SchumacherA Secular Age by Charles Taylor🕰️[Time stamps] 🕰️0:00 - Introduction 3:53 - Richard’s vision of a symbiotic culture 8:14 - Do we need spiritual experiences to expand our circle of care?20:00 - Integrating spirituality into community building 31:16 - The influence of Dr.Ari and the Sarvodaya movement 35:39 - Becoming a Spiritual Gangster: Diffusing violence through loving awareness46:01 - Healing the culture of separation 58:43 - The worldview that devalues value and disconnects us from the transcendent 1:05:03 - Virtues and the objective sacred 1:10:00 - Navigating inclusivity & exclusivity in community and culture building 1:16:55 - The difference between values & virtues and connecting to foundational community needs  1:24:49 - Truth and love are inseparable and beyond our political beliefs 1:32:50 - Syncretism, perennialism and what brought Richard to Christianity 1:49:04 - How do we include atheists and materialists in this conversation?1:58:02 - Artem reflects on how Richard’s work is impacting him *Subscribe to my YouTube channel to watch the video versions of the Elevating Consciousness Podcast *Subscribe to the Insighter Substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional

Daljeet Peterson is an astrologer, Human Design analyst, and author exploring how ancient and modern systems of meaning can guide us through times of transformation. His work bridges astrology, Human Design, and the Gene Keys as complementary maps of consciousness—tools for aligning with one’s deeper purpose and participating more consciously in the collective evolution of our species. A former television editor turned cosmic cartographer, Daljeet brings a storyteller’s sensibility to the study of archetypes, weaving together myth, history, and contemporary culture. He’s the author of Collective Souls: Generations, Astrology, and the Future of America, which explores how generational astrology reveals the hidden cycles shaping our nation’s destiny—and the emerging potentials of a new Aquarian era. You can find his writings and upcoming offerings on his Substack called Mutable Fire.In this episode, we explore how astrology was discovered, its foundational principles, common misconceptions, and how to distinguish good astrology from bad astrology. We also touch on Human Design, & the Gene Keys, and how they tie into Astrology. Finally, Daljeet shares some of the main ideas from his new Book Collective Souls, advocating for intergenerational communication and understanding of time that is chronological and astrological.🔗[Links & resources] 🔗Daljeet’s siteSubscribe to Daljeet’s SubstackCollective Souls by Daljeet PetersonDaljeet’s Astrology 101: Blueprint of the Soul seriesCosmos & Psyche by Richard Tarnas🕰️[Time stamps] 🕰️0:00 - Introduction 4:38 - Daljeet’s journey into astrology8:22 - How astrology was discovered 16:27 - Is astrology a religion?21:55 - Common misconceptions of astrology 26:06 - How to distinguish good astrology from bad astrology 28:58 - The foundational principles of astrology39:52 - What is the mechanism behind planetary effects?45:00 - The limits of falsifiability, science, and left-brain ways of knowing 51:22 - Unpacking Human Design & Gene Keys 1:01:56 - Holding modalities with curiosity and humility 1:06:27 - Collective Souls: Generations, Astrology, and the Future of America1:13:00 - The unique gifts & challenges of the four generations (Baby boomers, Gen X, Millennials & Gen Z) 1:20:51 - Calls to action for the four generations*Subscribe to my YouTube channel to watch the video versions of the Elevating Consciousness Podcast *Subscribe to the Insighter Substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens

Natureza Gabriel is an ancestral neuroscience pioneer, the developer of Autonomics, and the founder of Hearth Science—an organization & community offering tools, trainings, and practices that help people cultivate nervous system fluency and deepen their experience of well-being.At the heart of his work is Autonomics: an animist cartography of living autonomic physiology. This framework has been shaped by over three decades of collaboration with more than one hundred mentors and advisors across 25 healing traditions and 24 cultures, many indigenous. It is considered one of the first accurate maps of the living Autonomic Nervous System in modernity. His Autonomics trainings have been sought out by the United Nations, a division of NATO, global social and ecological movements, and elite firms in executive coaching and leadership development.He is the author of many books, including Restorative Practices of Well-Being, Finding Home in Your Nervous System, Autonomic Triage, and The Neurobiology of Connection.In this episode, we speak about the origins of Gabriel’s autonomic model and how it diverged from Polyvagal Theory, the 13 autonomic states, what entails a healthy nervous system, the limits of HRV and the future of diagnostics, practices to rebalance the nervous system, the limitations of modernity, and pathways towards civilizational wellness.🔗[Links & resources] 🔗Gabriel’s personal site Gabriel’s autonomic trainingsGabriel’s clinicRestorative practices portalThe Neurobiology of Connection by Natureza GabrielGround: How Modernity Disconnected from the Earth, Why it Matters & How to Fix It by NaturezaFinding Home in Your Nervous System by Natureza GabrielAwakening Human Connection by Natureza Gabriel🕰️[Time stamps] 🕰️0:00 - Introduction 3:52 -  The origins of autonomics (bridging neuroscience and autonomic physiology) 7:53 - Stephen Porges, polyvagal theory and moving beyond a two-system autonomics 21:44 - The 13 Autonomic States 31:31 - Neuroception, Neurology & Neurochemistry 34:55 - What is a healthy autonomic nervous system?42:39 - The limits of HRV and the future of autonomic diagnostics 49:17 - The importance of restorative practices 52:00 - How to rebalance a hyper-activated nervous system 1:01:09 - How to rebalance a shut-down nervous system 1:05:47 - The importance of community in healing and processing grief 1:11:45 - The limitations of modernity 1:14:55 - Ground: How modernity disconnected us from the Earth 1:24:10 - The challenges of running a company in a culture of domination 1:33:52 - How do we bridge power & wisdom? (Becoming a mycelium network)1:45:10-  The disconnection that underlies the techno-optimist worldview1:48:33 - Pathways towards civilizational wellness*Subscribe to my YouTube channel to watch the video versions of the Elevating Consciousness Podcast *Subscribe to the Insighter Substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens

Pema Dragpa is a dharma teacher, author, and ordained Tibetan Buddhist Lama. He graduated with honors in Philosophy and Religious Studies from New York University in 2002. Since 2004, Dragpa has served as a resident teacher at Padma Samye Ling, a meditation retreat center founded by the Nyingma Dzogchen masters, Ven. Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche. In 2010, he was formally ordained as a Lama by the Venerable Khenpo Rinpoches. He is also a senior editor of more than 25 books on Buddhist philosophy and the author of An Integral View of Tibetan Buddhism: Preserving Lineage Wisdom in the 21st Century.Dragpa regularly travels to lead Padmasambhava Buddhist Center events, where he bridges traditional Tibetan wisdom with contemporary approaches to meditation and the path of awakening.In this episode, we discuss an integral approach & developmental stage, balancing spirituality & money, disagreements with Ken Wilber, unity in diversity & the shadow of Integral, core tenets of Vajrayana Buddhism, the intersection of politics & spirituality, and so much more.🔗[Links & resources] 🔗An Integral View of Tibetan Buddhism: Preserving Lineage Wisdom in the 21st Century by Pema DragpaListen to Pema Dragpa’s dharma talksPadmasambhava Buddhist CenterKhenpo Tsewang Dongyal RinpocheKhenchen Palden Sherab RinpocheJohn Churchill on the Elevating Consciousness PodcastKen Wilber🕰️[Time stamps] 🕰️0:00 - Introduction 3:32 - Pema Dragpa’s journey into Tibetan Buddhism 7:20 - A deep taste of samsara and the impact of the Khenpo Rinpoches 16:18 - The monastic vs the householder path 18:51 - Balancing spirituality with money and practical concerns 26:56 - Unpacking the Integral view/stage  33:01 - Disagreements with Ken Wilber (Is Vajrayana Integral?)43:26 - An integrative approach to transformation47:47 - Unity in diversity and the shadow of Integral 56:36 - John Churchill’s Sacred Humanism59:33 - There is no definitive answer, system, or theory (experimenting in fail-safe mode) 1:09:31 - The importance of communities of practice & syncing up with lineage wisdom  1:15:49 - Be wary of a Purtian Dharma1:16:34 -  The core tenets and frames of Vajrayana Buddhism 1:24:11 - Pema shares a Tibetan prayer 1:28:54 - We need more ways of being in touch (healthy integrative mode) 1:32:04 - The importance of going deep in one tradition 1:33:17 - The fourth turnings of Buddhism simplified 1:34:09 - The perfect practice for a degenerative age 1:42:24 - Do we need more politically engaged spiritual teachers?1:47:53 - Making change at a meso scale 1:50:56 - Integral, the notion of absolute truth & freedom from samsara  1:57:32 - Final message*Subscribe to my YouTube channel to watch the video versions of the Elevating Consciousness Podcast *Subscribe to the Insighter Substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens

Peter McEwen is an ordained Nyingma yogi, meditation coach, and founder of an organization called The Field, where he teaches tantric methods to practitioners navigating contemporary life demands. Since 1993, he's studied under Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Tulku Orgyen P'huntsok, Lama Pema Dorje Rinpoche, and Bruce Tift, and has completed the traditional Vajrayana three-year retreat curriculum.Peter writes The Current on Substack, sharing essays and tools from thirty years of integrating contemplative practice with daily life.His work focuses on embodied presence and nervous system fluency, offering methods that survive the actual pressures of work, relationships, and daily complexity. Grounded in three decades of traditional training, Peter brings Vajrayana into direct conversation with the realities of modern life.In this episode, we discuss Peter’s initial experiences of awakening, balancing personal, interpersonal & spiritual work, Tantra, Tummo, Deity Yoga, and how to get the most out of practice as a householder.🔗[Links & resources] 🔗Peter’s personal site The Field meditation training Upcoming Tummo course Subscribe to Peter’s Substack Bruce Tift on the Elevating Consciousness podcast Dzongsar Khyentse RinpocheTulku Orgyen P'huntsok Lama Pema Dorje RinpocheJohnny MillerDonald Hoffman🕰️[Time stamps] 🕰️0:00 - Introduction 2:38 - Initial experiences of awakening and getting into Buddhism 8:01 - Balancing personal, interpersonal & spiritual work 23:17 - The impact of working with Bruce Tift 27:15 - What is Tantra?34:59 - Selecting the appropriate practice for your developmental stage 44:32 - What is Tummo and how does it work? (Inner fire practice)54:45 - Peter guides a Tummo meditation 1:10:25 - How Tummo focuses the mind 1:12:28 - Visualization vs feeling in Tummo 1:16:00 - What is Deity yoga & how does it work?1:22:22 - Do traditional Deity forms work for Western minds?1:28:51 - How to get the most out of practice as a householder1:41:49 - Peter’s upcoming Tummo course *Subscribe to my YouTube channel to watch the video versions of the Elevating Consciousness Podcast *Subscribe to the Insighter Substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens

David Rug is a metaphysician, civilizational theorist, and visionary storyteller on a journey of transmuting childhood wounds of social fragmentation into memetic medicine for the human family. Sensitized to the pains of social division and disconnect early in life through his parents' divorce and the increasingly political fracturing of his family field, he set out on a quest to understand the root causes of conflict and miscommunication. While completing his bachelor's degree in physics at Heidelberg University, he discovered GameB and adjacent movements. Through the extraordinarily clear thinking shared by thought leaders in that space, he realized there was, in effect, a "physics of communication"—principles that could be understood and applied to address the challenges he cared most about.This insight led him to found Project Liminality—an open-source communication and co-creation layer designed to reshape how we share and organize around ideas. A central focus of this work is developing the InterBrain, a novel digital medium aimed at flipping the vector of conflict and fragmentation toward unity and wholeness. His work combines systems thinking, visionary storytelling, and a deep exploration of the kinds of shared ideas and narratives that can inspire humanity to unite in addressing our greatest challenges and creating the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible. In this episode, we speak about false progress, psychological warfare, developing a memetic immune system, returning to the spoken word, going from personal knowledge management to collective knowledge gardening, and David’s Interbrain project, which aims to bridge ancient wisdom with modern technology to end fragmentation.🔗[Links & resources] 🔗Support Project Liminality and the Building of the InterbrainProject Liminality YouTube channelThe Interbrain - How Collective DreamWeaving Can Heal the WorldDialectical thinkingJordan Hall in conversation with David Rug🕰️[Time stamps] 🕰️0:00 - Introduction 3:15 - Early experiences of fragmentation and discovering the liminal web  13:47 - The polarities of fragmentation and finding the third attractor 21:10 - The solution has to come from a higher dimension of consciousness 25:22 - False progress, psychological warfare, and developing a memetic immune system 34:52 - A Course in Miracles, Fear vs Love, Specialness vs Uniqueness 41:54 - Building trust networks, returning to the spoken word, and problems of scale 51:21 - From personal knowledge management to collective knowledge gardening 1:08:35 - Reflecting on David’s big insights ( the primacy of symbols, written vs spoken word )1:14:50 - The practicalities of the Interbrain (how it would work) 1:26:30 - Critiques and challenges of building the Interbrain 1:31:21 - Moving from independence to deep interdependence 1:36:42 - Revolutionizing journalism & politics1:44:06 - The process of DreamWeaving 1:52:55 - Support David’s work *Subscribe to the Insighter Substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens*Add me on Facebook

Dr. John Churchill is a psychologist, dharma teacher, and the founder of Planetary Dharma – an integrally informed community embracing the vows and path of the Bodhisattva, committed to elevating human consciousness and collective transformation.John holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from William James College and is also a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine. His journey into Buddhist psychology began as a monk at Samye (sam-yay) Ling Monastery in Scotland, where he undertook an in-depth study of Buddhist contemplative practice. He later spent 15 years training and teaching “Great Seal” (Mahamudra) meditation within an Indo-Tibetan Mahayana lineage under the mentorship of Dr. Daniel P. Brown.John is a founding member of the Integral Institute, led by transpersonal philosopher Ken Wilber, and has received advanced training in attachment therapy, hypnosis, positive psychology for peak performance, and the “Pointing Out” style of Mahamudra meditation. He is also the author of Becoming Buddha: Buddhist Contemplative Psychology in a Western Context.For the past 25 years, John has been developing what he calls the Fourth Turning Planetary Dharma—a full-spectrum psychospiritual approach that integrates the great Indo-Tibetan traditions with psychodynamic healing and adult development.In this episode, we discuss the vision of a 4th turning dharma, John’s differences with his teacher Dan Brown, navigating the traditional vs progressive polarity in spirituality, connecting to sacred world, moving into the transrational, transitioning from Buddhism to Sacred Humanism, and so much more. 🔗[Links & resources] 🔗Learn more about Planetary DharmaFollow Planetary Dharma on InstagramFollow Planetary Dharma on Facebook Planetary Dharma’s Medicine Dharma CourseDan BrownKen WilberA.H. AlmaasHamilton SoutherLama Mike Crowley🕰️[Time stamps] 🕰️0:00 - Intro 3:29 - Unpacking the four turnings of Buddhism 9:58 - Further distinguishing the fourth turning 16:09 - Artem’s experience participating in the Planetary Dharma introductory retreat 17:27 - Planetary Dharma’s emphasis on the imaginal and self-image 25:25 - John’s differences with his mentor and teacher Dan Brown 37:56 - Navigating the traditional vs progressive polarities in spirituality 49:01 - Transitioning beyond Buddhism into Sacred Humanism55:15 - Why modern minds are disconnected from Sacred World 1:02:46 - The pre-trans fallacy and navigating the trans-rational 1:16:17 - The role of psychedelics on the psychospiritual path 1:28:00 - What’s needed to build out a fourth turning academy 1:37:40 - The constraints of a householder and the future of Dharma 1:50:37 - Planetary Dharma offerings*Subscribe to the Insighter Substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens*Add me on Facebook

Ali Tataryn is a counselor, somatic educator, and coach who guides clients through somatic-emotional release and helps them map their internal emotional landscapes for healing and self-development. She is the founder of Relational Dojo, a welcoming space where kind humans come together to co-create curious and courageous conversations. Ali is also the co-founder of Sacred Somatic Events, a sober somatic dance experience that warmly invites participants into full-spectrum self-expression.Her primary training is in Counseling, Expressive Arts, and Somatic Education. Ali has completed over 260 hours of Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training and is a trained as T3 Circling Facilitator through the Integral Center. She is also a meditation teacher certified under Upasaka Culadasa and Junpo Roshi, with extensive personal practice in the Namgyal-Kagyu tradition under teachers such as Lama Lodro, Lama Sidney, Lama Rodney Devinish, and her mother, Dr. Darlene Tataryn. Ali proudly collaborates with her father, clinical psychologist Dr. Douglas J. Tataryn, facilitating and coaching through his Bio-Emotive Framework.In this episode, we explore Ali’s journey growing up with parents deeply immersed in emotional and spiritual work, her path as an actress and how acting became a form of spiritual practice, navigating identity as an artist, the Bio-Emotive framework and the art of emotional processing, how relational, emotional, and spiritual work come together and so much more. 🔗[Links & resources] 🔗Ali’s personal siteThe Bio-Emotive FrameworkFollow Ali on SubstackFollow Douglas Tataryn on SubstackHow to Process Emotions with Douglas Tataryn on the Elevating Consciousness PodcastDiane Musho HamiltonLeonard CohenWhat is Circling by Artem Zen🕰️[Time stamps] 🕰️0:00 - Introduction 4:00 - Growing up with cycle breakers 7:06 - Good enough parenting and an imperfect life10:08 - Navigating the self vs other polarity 16:18 - How does a bodhisattva deal with a narcissist?22:00 - Reconnecting to the good, true, and the beautiful 24:50 - Acting as a spiritual practice vs acting as a career 37:45 - Becoming aware of suffering 40:27 - The thin line between awakening & Psychosis44:25 - Navigating identity as an Artist 57:02 - The Bio-Emotive Framework & the art of emotional processing 1:08:07 - Emotions are not logical but they are lawful 1:10:57 - Balancing intellectual with emotional and relational development 1:15:49 - Circling (relational work) vs emotional processing vs deconstruction 1:31:43 - What is between me and love/truth?*Subscribe to the Insighter Substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens*Add me on Facebook

Delson Armstrong is a maverick meditation teacher and author. At the age of 16, disillusioned with conventional life, he embarked on a pilgrimage to the Himalayas, where he spent 6 to 8 hours a day practicing various forms of meditation, studying sacred texts, and receiving guidance from masters across multiple lineages.Through this intensive training, Delson developed the rare ability to enter nirodha-samāpatti—a meditative state marked by the complete cessation of perception and feeling—for extended periods of time. These claims have been rigorously examined through neuroscience research, with findings published in a 2023 paper titled Cessation of Consciousness in Meditation.He is also the author of A Mind Without Craving and a five-volume series on dependent origination. Delson currently teaches the Optimal Mind System, a synthesis of diverse practices designed to align the body, mind, energy, heart, and consciousness to catalyze deep insight and transformation.Although deeply informed by traditional models of awakening, Delson takes a universal approach and does not adhere to any single doctrine or path. He believes that idealized systems rooted in specific cultural norms and structures must be reimagined and innovated to meet the needs of our modern world.In this episode, we explore Delson’s experience working with and integrating different traditions and spiritual practices, how coming across integral theory has helped him recontextualize the spiritual path, whether it’s possible to end suffering, the relationship between psychedelics & meditation, the pro’s and con’s of being open about spiritual attainments, creating healtheir dynamics with spiritual teachers and going beyond spiritual idealization. 🔗[Links & resources] 🔗Delson’s personal siteListen to Delson’s Dharma talks on his YouTube channelA Mind Without Craving by Delson ArmstrongDependent Origination series by Delson ArmstrongDelson Armstrong, Guru Viking interviewsTales from Nibbana with Dor Konforty & Delson ArmstrongEnding Guru Worship for True Liberation by Delson Armstrong📝[Show Notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 2:43 - Artem’s experience following Delson’s journey 7:02 - Sutra, Tantra, and going beyond traditional teachings 13:29 - The impact of cultural context on spiritual practices22:28 - The fallacy of the superior path 27:50 - Letting go of idealistic views 33:31 - The Impact of Integral Theory (Integrating no self and true self) 37:12 - Is there an end to suffering?50:47 - Delson’s desire to master and integrate a wide variety of teachings56:42 - Rigpa vs Cessation 1:02:38 - The micro-phemenology of cessation 1:04:21 - The relationship between psychedelics, spirituality, and meditation 1:22:00 - The pros and cons of being open about spiritual attainments 1:29:11 - Creating healthier dynamics between spiritual teachers and students 1:37:44 - Final message*Subscribe to the Insighter Substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens*Add me on Facebook

Dor Konforty is a neuroscientist, entrepreneur, investor, and awakening teacher dedicated to distilling the first principles of the dharma and bringing them to every aspect of human life. He spent most of his twenties conducting interdisciplinary brain research in academic settings, and his thirties as an entrepreneur and CEO in the decentralization space—applying his neuroscience background to envision more collaborative, non-zero-sum human networks. In parallel, he has devoted thousands of hours to meditation practice as well as growth and relational modalities, training closely with pragmatic dharma teachers such as Culadasa, Daniel Ingram, and Delson Armstrong, and personal development coaches like Joe Hudson and Kim Barta. He is the founder of The Awakening Fund, a venture that invests in technologies aimed at making meditation unnecessary. Dor is also the author of The Heart Illuminated, a spiritual successor to Culadasa’s The Mind Illuminated. Drawing on over fifteen years of multidisciplinary experience, the book lays out a clear and systematic path towards awakening through a completely modern lens.In this episode, we explore Dor’s book The Heart Illuminated, his time studying with pragmatic dharma teachers—Culadasa, Daniel Ingram, Delson Armstrong, and Dan Brown—and dive into topics such as integrating emptiness with fullness, investing in awakening technologies that aim to make meditation unnecessary, aligning artificial intelligence with dharma, and navigating the complexities and controversies that can arise in relationships with spiritual teachers.🔗[Links & resources] 🔗Dor’s personal siteThe Heart Illuminated by Dor KonfortyDor’s investment venture, The Awakening FundFollow Dor on Twitter/XThe Mind Illuminated by CuladasaMastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha by Daniel IngramDelson ArmstrongDan Brown📝[Show Notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 3:43 - Dor's journey into meditation 7:09 - The unique contribution of “The Mind Illuminated”10:04 - Working closely with Culadasa and inspiration for writing “The Heart Illuminated” 21:49 - The iterative writing process and gathering feedback from community 24:58 - Understanding the multiplicity of the mind (sub minds, parts, agents, modules, and coordinators)  31:32 - Integrating awakening (emptiness) with healing (fullness) 39:22 - Is awakening about creating a better life?47:00 - Meeting Daniel Ingram and doing a 23-day Fire Kasina retreat under his guidance 55:30 - The Power of dark retreats and sensory deprivation 57:40 - Friendship with Delson Armstrong1:01:20 - Sutra, Tantra, metasystemicity, and stages of development 1:12:16 - The contributions of Dan Brown and Dustin Diperna 1:16:43 - Investing in awakening technologies and making meditation unnecessary 1:26:02 - Aligning artificial intelligence with Dharma 1:36:18 - Navigating the Culadasa controversy *Subscribe to the Insighter Substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens*Add me on Facebook

Daniel Thorson is a former monastic, podcaster, writer, and coach. He spent five years as a resident at the Monastic Academy and has accumulated two years of silent retreat experience. Daniel is also a certified Aletheia Coach and Circling facilitator, whose work weaves together embodied inquiry, attachment-based healing, philosophical exploration, and relational presence. For many years, Daniel hosted the Emerge podcast, a pioneering platform that helped catalyze emergent dialogues and shape what many now call the liminal web. He currently writes The Intimate Mirror on Substack, a publication exploring meaning, transformation, intimacy, and the search for religion in the age of Artificial Intelligence. In this episode we speak about Daniel’s extensive experience living and training at a Monastery, turning break downs into break throughs, developing a better relationship with conceptuality and rationality, Secure attachment with reality, leaving Buddhism, creating a Dharma capable of addressing the meta-crisis and many other resonant threads on personal and collective transformation.🔗[Links & resources] 🔗Daniel’s personal site & coaching servicesSubscribe to Daniel’s SubstackFollow Daniel on Twitter/XThe Upper Middle Path & Tech Bro Buddhism by Daniel ThorsonDaniel Thorson speaking about Secure Attachment to Reality on the Meta-Game podcastDaniel speaking about consensus Buddhism and pragmatic dharma on the Buddhist Geeks podcastMonastic Academy (MAPLE)Transformational ConnectionAletheia Coach trainingDaniel P. BrownDavid Elliott - Repairing Attachment | Elevating Consciousness podcast📝[Show Notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 5:06 - Daniel’s experience living as a monk 13:32 - Going through a psychological breakdown 17:29 - Discovering attachment work and the ideal parenting protocol 21:56 - Developing a better relationship with conceptuality and rationality 25:25 - Emotional attunement, relational practices, and the importance of safe containers34:15 - Secure attachment with reality 38:54 - Trusting the intelligence of every experience 40:30 - Is the fundamental nature of reality love?44:35 - What is missing from Buddhism?52:10 - Towards a Translineage spirituality 55:50 - Is there anything afforded by identifying as Buddhist or Christian?1:06:05 - From emptiness/deconstructing to soulmaking/skillfully playing with identity 1:09:29 - A dharma capable of addressing the meta-crisis1:11:36 - Daniel’s current meditation practice 1:14:20 - Integrating ethics with eros and clarifying desire 1:17:36 - Reflecting on the Human Transformation in a Time of Meta-Crisis conference at Harvard 1:22:17 - The liberation of creative agency*Subscribe to the Insighter Substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens*Add me on Facebook

Hyrum Lewis is a professor, author, and political theorist. He currently teaches history at Brigham Young University–Idaho, where he leads the American Foundations Team. Lewis’s research focuses on the history of ideology and the intersection of political and intellectual culture. He has written extensively on the evolution of American conservatism, historical pedagogy, and cultural conflict in the American West. He is the author of several books, including his most recent, The Myth of the Left and Right, co-authored with his brother Verlan Lewis. In it, they argue that the traditional left-right political spectrum is a misleading and oversimplified framework for understanding contemporary American politics. In this episode, we speak about why tribalism precedes philosophy, how what left and right means is always changing, what Jonathan Haidt got wrong, pathways towards more generative political conversations, and the relationship between religion and politics.🔗[Links & resources] 🔗The Myth of Left and Right by Hyrum Lewis and Verlan LewisThe Righteous Mind by Jonathan HaidtKeith StanovichJohn Stuart MillThe Scout Mindset by Julia GalefThe Rational Optimist by Matt Ridley📝[Show Notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 3:18 - The intuition that the political spectrum is broken 5:26 - The Essentialist Theory of Ideology vs The Social Theory of Ideology 8:38 - Why tribalism precedes philosophy 12:01 - Caricatures of the left and the right 14:25 - How what left and right means is always changing 17:44 - We choose our politicians before our policies 21:31 - How to better use terms left and right or liberal and conservative 27:03 - Voting on one issue without anchoring 32:05 - How do we move beyond left & right with a two-party system?39:25 - What Jonathan Haidt and Moral Foundations Theory got wrong  44:45 - Questioning the links between psychological traits and political positions49:17 - Pathways towards more generative political conversations 53:51 - Why we need to increase our tolerance for disagreement  59:16 - Developing a Scout Mindset 1:02:08 - What is the relationship between religion and politics 1:06:55 - The destructive ideology of Progressivism*Subscribe to the Insighter Substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens*Add me on Facebook

Jordan Hall is a tech entrepreneur, philosopher, and meta-systemic thinker who, over a year ago, announced that he had converted to Christianity. This conversation was recorded live during Limicon, a digital conference for those in the liminal, metamodern, and game B spaces. In it, we explored Jordan’s early experiences with religion and spirituality, what ultimately drew him to Christianity, and what Christianity might afford that Eastern traditions do not. We touched on discerning divine calling from the egoic mind, confronting fundamentalist forms of Christianity, and the shift from propositional to participatory forms of knowing.We also examined the role religion may play in ameliorating some of the negative trends in society and the meta-crisis at large.🔗[Links & resources] 🔗Subscribe to Jordan’s SubstackFollow Jordan on TwitterSubscribe to Jordan’s YouTube channelRead The Religious Case Against Belief by James CarseWatch Jordan Peterson in conversation with John Vervaeke and Jordan HallWatch Jordan Hall in conversation with Jonathan Pageau and John VervaekeLearn more about Black Mountain, North Carolina📝[Show Notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 3:07 - Jordan’s journey into religion & spirituality 16:39 - Entrepreneurship as a path to cultivating instincts and intuitions 20:40 - Landing in Black Mountain and finding Christianity 26:26 - Extensively studying Christianity and discovering a new level of humility 34:04 - What does Christianity afford that Eastern religions don’t?44:26 - The Meta-Crisis is a crisis of religion 54:05 - The Impact of Religious Traditions on Family 58:28 - Healing our religious trauma and deepening our capacity to love 1:04:05 - Differentiating intuition (divine calling vs egoic mind) 1:18:16 - Confronting fundamentalist forms of Christianity and finding a church that aligns 1:29:01 - Divine sensemaking *Subscribe to the Insighter Substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens*Add me on Facebook

Seth Zuiho Segall is a Zen Buddhist priest, clinical psychologist, and writer.  He has served on the clinical faculty of the Yale University School of Medicine for nearly three decades. He is also a science writer for the Mindfulness Research Monthly, a contributing editor for Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, and a review editor for The Humanistic Psychologist. Seth has been engaged with meditation and Buddhism for almost thirty years and is ordained in the White Plum lineage. He currently leads Pamsula Zen of Westchester and guest teaches at the New York Insight Meditation Center. He is also the author of several books, including “Buddhism and Human Flourishing” and his latest, “The House We Live In”. He writes consistently on his blog, The Existential Buddhist, covering a range of Buddhist topics from a naturalized, pragmatic, eudaimonic, and cosmopolitan perspective. In this episode, we explore Seth’s unique journey into Buddhism as well as his pragmatic and naturalistic understanding of it, the relationship between virtue, wisdom and pluralism, the foundations of flourishing, navigating political polarization, ethical ideals and the myth of the perfect person, better ways of thinking about enlightenment and why Seth became a Zen priest.🔗[Links & resources] 🔗Seth’s personal siteSeth’s blogSeth’s latest book “The House We Live In”Jon Kabat-ZinnSecular Buddhist NetworkThe Avoidant Dharma by Daniel ThorsonStephen BatchelorLarry RosenbergAndrew CohenParadox of ToleranceMastering The Core Teachings of the Buddha by Daniel IngramAlready Free by Bruce Tift📝[Show Notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 2:10 - Unpacking a naturalistic, pragmatic, eudaimonic, and cosmopolitan Buddhism 7:57 - Naturalistic vs. Secular Buddhism12:07 - Agnosticism & Beliefs 13:30 - Exploring Judaism and finding Buddhism 20:20 - Further questioning Secularization and modernization of Buddhism 29:18 - There is no one Buddhism; There are many Buddhisms 33:36 - Virtue, wisdom, and pluralism 36:17 - Has humanity become less violent over time?38:26 - The foundations of flourishing 42:22 - Disagreements on values and vulnerability 45:31 - Facing the dragon at your own pace 48:52 - Navigating political polarization & engaged Buddhism 53:53 - Ethical ideals and the myth of the perfect person 57:33 - The paradox of tolerance & cancel culture 1:03:48 - Better ways of thinking about enlightenment 1:12:15 - Why become a Zen priest 1:17:26 - Engaging with a religious tradition before you critique it*Subscribe to the Insighter Substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens*Add me on Facebook

Brad Kershner is an educator, independent scholar, and Head of School at Kimberton Waldorf School. He is also the co-founder of a meta-political think tank - The Reconstitution Project - and is the author of the book "Understanding Educational Complexity: Integrating Practices and Perspectives for 21st Century Leadership". In addition to his work in education, Brad works in collaboration with thought leaders and spiritual teachers from around the world who are engaged in developing wisdom-based responses to planetary problems. In this wide-ranging conversation, we explore the Waldorf approach to education, child development, the negative impacts of social media, politics and polarization, artificial intelligence, and the role of contemplative practice in wisdom cultivation. 🔗[Links & resources] 🔗Subscribe to Brad’s SubstackListen to Brad’s lectures on YouTubeConnect with Brad on TwitterKimberton Waldorf SchoolWaldorf educationRudolf SteinerThe Anxious Generation by Jonathan HaidtTaking Children SeriouslyAaron Stupple & Naval Ravikant on Tim FerrisThe Sovereign Child by Aaron StuppleThe Rational Optimist by Matt RidleyIain McGilchristTESCREAL📝[Show Notes] 📝0:00 - Intro 2:05 - Becoming an educator and the Waldorf approach to education 7:47 - Fundamental principles of child development 17:52 - Emotions & mental health in young people 24:36 - Haidt’s research on the negative impact social media is having on children 26:39 - Debating the parenting approach of Taking Children Seriously 35:22 - Reflecting on navigating screen time in children via “The Sovereign Child” by Aaron Stupple  49:14 - Before you can help children solve a problem you need to understand it 55:27 - Meta-crisis sensemaking and the limits of rational optimism 59:25 - Navigating politics & polarization 1:17:40 - Developing a wise relationship with technology & artificial intelligence 1:22:49 - Beyond the Tescreal Worldview: Integrating Wisdom & power1:30:12 - The big questions and disagreements in the metamodern & liminal spaces 1:36:49 - Why materialism is a less true view than idealism 1:40:53 - Flipping what we think we can and cannot know 1:44:20 -The role of meditation & contemplation1:49:50 - The importance of emphasizing meditation early in life 1:53:27 - Connect to Brad’s work*Subscribe to the Insighter Substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens*Add me on Facebook

Murray Stein is a Jungian Psychoanalyst, author, and lecturer.  He received his bachelor's in literature and Masters in Divinity from Yale and completed his PhD in Religion and Psychological Studies at the University of Chicago. He was trained as a Jungian Analyst at the C.G. Jung Institute of Zurich and is a founding member of the Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts and the Chicago Society of Jungian Analysts. He is the author of many books including The Principle of Individuation and Jung’s Map of the Soul. Murray Stein welcome to the show. In this episode, we unpack Jung’s Map of the Soul, explore Murray’s experience studying with Jungian legends James Hillman and Marie Louise von Franz, delineate levels of religious understanding, and dive deeper into ethics, serial killers, and collective shadows. 🔗[Links & resources] 🔗Murray Stein’s personal siteJung’s Map of the Soul by Murray SteinTransformation: Emergence of the Self by Murray SteinMemories, Dreams & Reflections by Carl JungThe Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund FreudJames HillmanMarie-Louise von FranzKarl BarthRob BurbeaTom Cheetham on the Elevating Consciousness PodcastHow to Illuminate & Integrate Your Shadow by Artem ZenTransformation: Emergence of the Self by Murray SteinThe Red Book by Carl JungDepth Psychology and a New Ethic by Erich NeumannCare of the Soul by Thomas MooreBTS - Map of the Soul (album)📝[Show Notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 1:53 - Growing up in a religious home, going to divinity school, and finding Jung12:38 - Studying with James Hillman and Marie Louise Von Franz and working with psychoanalysis 19:38 - Moving towards deeper levels of religious understanding 23:20 - What Hillman and von Franz contributed to Jungian psychology 26:58 - Unfolding Jung’s Map of the Soul 42:10 - Jung’s greatest discovery 46:15 - Jung’s Map of the Soul (Condensed) 49:09 - Diving deeper into ego, persona, and shadow 1:01:15 - Ethics, conscientious, serial killers, and collective shadows 1:06:40 - Taking Jungian psychology from theory into practice 1:12:45 - The Future of Jungian Analysis*Subscribe to the Insighter substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens*Add me on Facebook

Bonnita Roy is an insight guide, philosopher, and futurist whose work is deeply grounded in cutting-edge cognitive science, evolutionary theory, contemplative studies, and metaphysics. From 2014-2022 she designed, developed, and directed a masters course in Consciousness Studies at the Graduate Institute (now known as Salem Univeristy). Soon afterward she launched the Pop Up School where she develops and directs transformative courses such as A New Theory of the Body, Lyrics Culture: Ontological Designs for Backloop Realities, and Varieties of Religious Experiences. Her latest venture is The Divinity School - a leadership program that forges leaders who can see deeper into reality, make decisions that benefit the whole, and align humanity with the natural intelligence of the universe. In this episode, we discuss process relational philosophy, the limitations of science, the core metaphysical disagreements in the liminal space, naturalizing machine agency & horizons of biological intelligence, The Divinity School program, the four powers of transformational leaders and so much more.🔗[Links & resources] 🔗Follow Bonnitta on SubstackFollow Bonnitta on Twitter/XJoin The Divinity School transformational leadership programThe typology of process relations by Bonnitta RoyHerbert GuntherJean GebserAlfred North WhiteheadCharles HartshorneMatt SegallGregg HenriquesThe Dawn of Everything by David GraeberSabine HossenfelderKen WilberThe Ends of the World by Peter Brannen📝[Show Notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 1:38 - Articulating embodied insight into a coherent philosophy 5:22 - Landscaping, business & decoupling money from creative & intellectual work 14:15 - The immense challenge of writing 18:33 - Using images to understand and explain ideas24:35 -  What is Process Relational Philosophy? 36:30 - The limitations of science39:26 - How the post-modern mind misunderstands the observer effect 41:20 - The metaphysics needed to bridge science and religion 45:00 - The core metaphysical disagreements in the liminal space53:12 - People go from minimalist physicalism to maximal consciousness56:00 - What all meta-physics require (the 3 metaphysical necessities) 1:00:10 - Integral list serve, awakening & spiritual practice 1:12:27 - The Divinity School (Masters in leadership) 1:17:29 - Naturalizing machine agency and horizons of biological intelligence 1:25:08 - The four powers of transformational leaders 1:32:14 - The impact Bonnitta hopes her work has on the world*Subscribe to the Insighter substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens*Follow me on Twitter (x) *Add me on Facebook 

Ari Nielsen is a practitioner with an eclectic background that spans Reichian Breathwork, Cybernetics, Unschooling, Dzogchen & Improv. He spent over a decade living in the heart of the community surrounding the prime representative of California New Age spirituality of the 1970's, Adi Da. He also edited the collected works of Bruce Di, Marsico, an existential therapist whose philosophy can be summed up as “Be Happy, and Do What you Want.” Currently, he writes a publication on Substack that elucidates a radical liberating orientation to life which he calls “Searchless Responsiveness. In this episode, we explore Ari’s experience living in Adi Da’s community, the guru model of spirituality, the option method for happiness, self & identity, unconventional approaches to parenting and so much more. 🔗[Links & resources] 🔗Subscribe to Ari’s substackThe Option Method (The collected works of Bruce Di Marsico)Robert FrippGeorge GurdjieffAdi Da a.k.a Da Free JohnKen WilberAro gTerEvolving GroundWilhelm ReichKeith DowmanSean Esbjorn-HargensRob BurbeaTaking Children Seriously📝[Show Notes] 📝0:00 - Intro 2:03 - Ari’s journey into spirituality 9:00 - Living in Adi Da’s community and other pivotal teachers & teachings 20:10 - The guru model (risks & rewards) 27:51 - Bruce Di Marsico and The Option Method for Happiness35:43 - Dzogchen and Searchless Responsiveness 38:48 - Challenging perennialism and non-dualism 45:00 - Agenda without compulsion 49:04 - Unhappiness as motivation and the ideal state 53:18 - Self and identity 1:02:45 - The evolution of Ari’s meditation practice 1:04:18 - Khorde Rushen retreat with Keith Dowman 1:12:46 - Greatness, wholeness & desire through the lens of Searchless Responsiveness1:19:58 - Letting go of perfectionism 1:21:41 - The importance of changing up your meditation practice 1:25:27 - Unconventional approaches to parenting 1:39:29 - A simple practice to taste Searchless Responsiveness*Subscribe to the Insighter substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens

Zak is a writer, educator, and futurist whose work explores issues around existential risk and the meta-crisis. He studied religion and philosophy at Hampshire College and then later educational neuroscience, human development, and educational philosophy at Harvard. He is a co-founder of several organizations including Lectica, Civilization Research Institute, and the Center for World Philosophy and Religion. He is also the author of several books including “Education in a Time Between Worlds” and a co-author of “First Principles and First Values: Forty-Two Propositions on Cosmoerotic Humanism, the Meta-crisis, and the World to Come.” In this episode we speak about the problems of post-modernity, why value & consciousness are fundamental aspects of reality, Cosmo-Erotic humanism, evolving perennialism, the problem of evil, the most powerful and dangerous religion in the world today and so much more.🔗[Links & resources] 🔗Zak Stein’s personal siteFirst Principles First Values by David J. Temple (Zak’s latest book)My first conversation with Zak on the Education CrisisMy second conversation with Zak on his approach to human developmentDavid Ray GriffinDavid HumeIain McGilchristJohn VervaekeNick LandDeep Utopia by Nick BostromPerennial PhilosophyJurgen HabermasKen WilberStuart KauffmanB.F. SkinnerNoam ChomskyRichard DawkinsRupert Sheldrake📝[Show Notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 1:55 - The Problems of Post-Modernity 12:31 - Why value & consciousness are fundamental aspects of reality 21:35 - What is Cosmo-Erotic Humanism?42:40 - Evolving Perennialism and The Problem of Evil 52:20 - Global Intimacy Disorder & Emotional Maturity 1:04:35 - Balancing advances in technology with ethical development 1:10:36 - Bringing the wisdom of religions to the scientific rationalist mind 1:26:26 - The most powerful & dangerous religion in the world today 1:32:30 - The difficulty of transmitting ethical leadership*Subscribe to the Insighter substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens

Cedric Chin is a business operator, programmer, and writer. He is also the founder of Commoncog - a publication that explores the models of business expertise and how to accelerate the acquisition of that expertise. His approach to writing and learning is finding interesting ideas, trying them out in his life, and then sharing the results. Over the years he has compiled an extensive knowledge base on how to think and learn better in business and beyond. In this episode we speak about the limits of mental models, Ray Dalio & believability, three approaches to expertise, why you should read biographies, overcoming information overload and so much more. 🔗[Links & resources] 🔗Commoncog (Cedric’s blog) Follow Cedric on Twitter/X Farnam St Charlie Munger Principles by Ray DalioThe Fund by Rob Copeland Less Wrong Sources of Power by Gary Klein Daniel Kahneman Jean Piaget High Output Management by Andrew Grove You Have a Choice by Eric Nehrlich The Seven Secrets of the Prolific by Hillary RettigAccelerating Expertise (book) Milton Hershey Warren Buffett The Engines that Move Markets by Alasdair Nairn📝[Show Notes]📝0:00 - Intro2:54 - What led Cedric to study expertise (limits of mental models) 8:05 - The Problem with Deliberate Practice 10:05 - What is Commoncog?12:48 - Ray Dalio & Believability 21:03 - Sensemaking Less Wrong (Epistemic vs Instrumental Rationality) 25:11 - How “Irrational” people can be successful 26:39 - Gary Klein VS Daniel Kahneman 29:44 - Three approaches to gaining expertise 34:20 - What is tacit Knowledge?38:38 - The Recognition Primed Decision Making Model  47:30 - Cognitive Task Analysis 49:49 - The most important questions to ask experts 52:10 - Accelerating expertise in meditation & transmission of mind 56:48 - How to actually learn from books1:00:50 - Cognitive Flexibility Theory & ill-structured domains 1:06:55 - Integration (noticing sameness & difference) 1:09:31 - Using case studies to become an expert in cult dynamics 1:13:21 - Why you should read biographies 1:16:52 - How to overcome Information overload 1:21:48 - Mindful social media use 1:25:22 - Luck vs skill in success1:30:48 - Cedric’s opinion on Crypto 1:33:54 - The best and worst thing about living in Singapore 1:34:59 - Building the biggest storehouse of business expertise

Cadell Last is an anthropologist, philosopher, and founder of Philosophy Portal - an online educational platform opening space for the next generation of philosophical thought. After developing a strong grounding in evolutionary anthropology and biology, he began a deep study of philosophies of phenomenology and psychoanalysis, which opened him to fresh perspectives and helped him better navigate some of life's most challenging aspects. Today his work explores biocultural evolution, mind-matter relation, and speculative futures. He is the author of “Global Brain Singularity”, and “Systems and Subjects”, co-author of “Sex, Masculinity, God”, as well as lead editor of community anthologies “Enter the Alien” and “Abyssal Arrows." In this episode, we speak about the limits of science and the Importance of philosophy, connecting dead philosophers with living philosophers, dialectical thinking, what Jordan Peterson & Richard Dawkins have in common, Global Brain Singularity and so much more.🔗[Links & resources] 🔗Cadell’s personal site Connect with Cadell on X/Twitter Connect with Cadell on Substack Become a member at Philosophy Portal Global Brain Singularity by Cadell Last (reach out to Cadell for a free pdf copy)Systems & Subjects by Cadell Last Plato Hegel Lacan Zizek Jordan Peterson Richard Dawkins 📝[Show Notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 2:51 - The Limits of Science and the Importance of Philosophy 15:10 - Building on the main ideas of Plato, Hegel, Lacan & Zizek30:55 - Connecting dead philosophers with living universally impactful thinkers33:36 - You have to understand thinkers deeply before you can deconstruct them 36:23 - The Importance of Dialectical Thinking 47:30 - What Jordan Peterson & Richard Dawkins have in common (Myths vs Drives) 57:55 - Putting Jung & Freud into Dialectics 1:02:49 - What is Global Brain Singularity?1:18:46 - Cultivating a Global Commons1:31:50 - The Impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution 1:38:29 - Non-duality, Non-Monism, Buddhism & affirming appearances 1:46:44 - Making sense of the upswing in Christian conversions & Unpacking Religion 1:56:20 - Cadell’s vision for Philosophy Portal *Subscribe to the Insighter substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens

Tom Morgan is a former financier and founder of The Leading Edge, a media platform and transformational community dedicated to sharing world-changing ideas and facilitating life-changing experiences. An Oxford graduate with a Masters in Philosophy, Politics, and economics, he has spent 20 years navigating the finance industry, working at top firms like Merrill Lynch, Bank of America, and most recently Sapient Capital. After becoming disenchanted with finance he had an awakening experience that caused him to quit his job and explore paths of meaning leading to a challenging yet transformative multi-year existential crisis. Eventually, he was able to piece together his life, integrating finance with the pursuit of meaning & wisdom. Today he describes himself as a “curiosity sherpa” and spends his life seeking out the most interesting thinkers and ideas to share with the world. In this episode, we speak about Tom’s journey from working in finance to exploring wisdom, navigating an existential crisis, integrating left and right brain functioning, shadow work, how to connect to your curiosity, bridging money & meaning, and creating a network of transformational communities.🔗[Links & Resources] 🔗Connect with Tom on X/Twitter Read Tom’s writing Join the Leading Edge community The Master & His Emissary by Iain McGhilchrist Maps of Meaning by Jordan Peterson (In-depth book summary) Syntropy by Ulisse Di Corpo Ervin Laszlo C.S. Lewis Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned by Kenneth O. Stanley & Joel Lehman The Passion of the Western Mind (epilogue) by Richard Tarnas Mona Sobhani Rebel Wisdom 📝[Show notes]📝0:00 - Introduction 2:07 - Working in finance, existential crisis & exploring wisdom 8:30 - Navigating hell 11:21 - Reinventing yourself 13:55 - Integrating left and right brain functioning20:22 - Applying a Mythic lens to life 25:06 - Shadow work, Monstrosity & Jordan Peterson  32:29 - How to connect to your curiosity 36:44 - When you don’t listen to your daemon it becomes a demon 38:37 - Holistic living (What Tom’s day looks like now) 41:36 - Why greatness cannot be planned45:38 - Bridging Money & Meaning 50:19 -  Navigating the Generalist-Specialist dynamic 55:44 - Does the world financially reward those who follow their bliss?1:01:29 - Creating a network of transformational communities 1:03:16 - Unpacking the Leading Edge community 1:08:00 - The problems many online transformational communities face1:14:58 - What makes Tom angry about society?1:15:49 - Creating a community full of love 1:16:55 - What Tom believes to be true that most people disagree with*Subscribe to the Insighter substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens

Kyle Kowalski is an ex-marketing executive turned solopreneuer. After experiencing an existential crisis he left the corporate world and founded Sloww - a digital knowledge base and community which shares insights into the art of living for students of life. He is an interdisciplinary dot collector and synthesizer who creates in-depth book summaries, e-books, and a wisdom-packed weekly newsletter. His work integrates slow living with meaning, purpose, money mastery, transformational learning, and human development. In this episode, we speak about how Kyle built his audience, monetized Sloww & overcame imposter syndrome, the impact of ego development theory, why the meta-crisis is a me crisis, the various challenges of post-conventional life, balancing knowledge consumption with direct experience and Kyle’s brand new Synthesizer course.  🔗[Links & Resources] 🔗Sloww Website Connect with Kyle on Twitter/X - https://x.com/KyKowSubscribe to the Sloww Sunday newsletter Get Kyle’s Synthesizer courseGet the IKIGIA 2.0 E-book by Kyle Kowalski  Sign up for the Sloww Premium Community Introduction to Susanne Cook-Greuter’s Ego Development Theory Metacrisis.org Is the meta-crisis a me crisis Wise Walk by Kyle Kowalski Paul Millerd & Kyle Kowalski path comparison Nora Bateson synthesis 📝 [Show notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 1:43 - Insights from entrepreneurship (navigating money & meaning )13:33 - The process of transitioning from the corporate world to solopreneurship 23:00 - How Kyle built his audience, monetized Sloww & overcame imposter syndrome 31:40 - The challenges of monetizing generalist/holistic content 43:44 - How to create purposeful work 52:34 - How Ego Development Theory impacted Kyle 56:37 - Synthesizing Nora Bateson’s opinion of developmental stage theories 1:09:55 - Why the Meta-crisis is a me crisis1:16:18 - The Post-conventional shift and the challenges that come with it1:22:52 - Balancing knowledge consumption with direct experience ( becoming a spiritual translator )1:29:40 - The role of relational practices in human development 1:37:52 - Unpacking Kyle’s Synthesizer course 1:43:28 - Gauging interest before creating a product 1:45:45 - What makes Kyle most angry about society today?1:51:12 - Tears of joy 1:56:34 - Final message*Subscribe to the Insighter substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-convention

Bernardo Kastrup is a philosopher of mind and the leading voice for metaphysical idealism - the view that all of reality is essentially mental. He holds PhDs in Philosophy and Computer Engineering, combining rigorous academic discipline with extensive practical experience. As a scientist, he has worked for the Europen Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the Phillips Research laboratories where the “Cassimir Effect’ of Quantum Field theory was discovered. He’s also had a rich career in technology where he founded the parallel processing company Silicon Hive which was acquired by Intel in 2011. Currently, he serves as the Executive Director of the Essentia Foundation, an organization dedicated to presenting scientific and analytic evidence that challenges traditional materialism in an accurate yet accessible way. He is the author of over 10 books including “Why Materialism is Baloney”, “The Idea of the World” and the upcoming “Analytic Idealism in a Nutshell.” In this episode, we discuss why all of reality is mental, why the brain does not generate the mind, how to avoid cognitive entrenchment, how idealism impacts meaning in life, suffering & happiness, psychedelics & self-deception, If enlightenment is real, and so much more.🔗[Links & Resources] 🔗Bernardo’s personal site Follow Bernardo on Twitter Analytic Idealism course (free)  Analytic Idealism in a Nutshell by Bernardo Kastrup (pre-order) Why Materialism is Baloney by Bernardo Kastrup (In-depth book summary)Rupert Spira David Chalmers Christof Koch Giulio Tononi Integrated Information theory   ​​ 📝 [Show notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 2:33 - Pivotal events and influences that shaped Bernardo 8:32 - From intellectual to experiential understanding 13:02 - Fear of death 15:54 - The simplest explanation of idealism 19:12 - A dream in the infinite mind or Dissociation 23:33 - The thinkers who most influenced Bernardo Kastrup 26:40 - Is there a way to test idealism scientifically?33:13 - Why the mind is not generated by the brain 37:58 - You can never convince someone of something they don’t already know39:56 - How does Idealism impact meaning in life45:49 - Psychedelics, self-deception & symbolism 51:02 - How Bernardo avoids getting trapped in his ideas 1:00:10 - Intellectual pursuits, human connection and loneliness 1:08:46 - Capacities Bernardo wishes he innately had 1:12:14 - Suffering, happiness, responsibility, and contentment 1:32:22 - Bernardo’s conception of Enlightenment (The monk who set himself on fire) 1:37:13 - What makes Bernardo most angry about society 1:40:13 - What Bernardo is most worried about 1:45:52 - Crying tears of joy 1:53:29 - What makes Bernardo’s upcoming book “Analytic Idealism in a Nutshell” unique 1:56:35 - What Bernardo is writing about now2:00:09 - What will never disappear *Subscribe to the Insighter substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-convention

James Baker is an inner work practitioner and founder of Intentional Society. After spending 15 years in software development he became disillusioned with the corporate world and decided to pursue his passions. He launched Intentional Society - an online transformational community centered on developmental and relational practices. After over 150 weekly gatherings the community has grown into a unique space for personal transformation and interpersonal exploration. In this episode, we speak about the role of relational practices in human development, playing with power dynamics, breaking through social conventions, navigating the relationship between safety and growth, becoming developmentally aware, and the paradoxical dance between being and becoming. 🔗 [Links & resources] 🔗Intentional Society (online transformational community)  Follow James on Twitter  Becoming Developmentally Aware by Artem Zen Already Free by Bruce Tift 📝 [Show notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 1:30 - From software development to human transformation 7:13 - What is Intentional Society and the premises it’s built on10:21 - Interpersonal development and relational practices 13:09 - Major takeaways from over 150 weekly gatherings 18:48 - Moving from modern to post-modern to metamodern perspectives21:24 - Playing with power dynamics 24:10 - Breaking through social conventions and stretching boundaries 29:55 - The Three Principles of Intentional Society 34:45 - Navigating the relationship between safety and growth (Meta-Safety)43:18 - Transforming our relationship to judgmental thoughts45:40 - What intentional society members have in common 49:52 - Becoming Developmentally Aware53:39 - The paradoxical dance between being and becoming (unfolding) 1:02:55 - The future of transformational online communities 1:10:27 - Cultural evolution vs. individual development 1:13:25 - The increasing need for an ecology of practices 1:19:15 - A message of fundamental okayness *Subscribe to the Insighter substack to get in-depth articles on the theory and practice of human transformation through a post-conventional lens *Follow me on Twitter (x) *Follow me on Instagram *For Contact, questions or ideas email me at [email protected]

Layman Pascal is a prominent thinker in the Liminal, Metamodern, Game B, and Integral spaces. His work explores post-metaphysics, nonduality, metamodernism, integral metatheory, new shamanism, the future of religion, developmental philosophy, and meta-progressive politics. He is also the co-host of the mind-bending Integral Stage podcast. This episode was a live event recorded during Limicon 2024 and explored some of Layman’s ideas from his two popular essays “The Metamodern Business Burea” & “Make Game A Pay for the Wall”. After our dialogue, we opened the floor for participants to ask questions and share reflections. We navigated a wide range of topics including transforming the money & meaning relationship on a personal and societal level, developing a more conscious approach to business, new economic experiments, starting liminal business crews, bridging left and right brain ways of knowing, our relationship to dopamine and so much more. 🔗[Links & resources] 🔗The Metamodern Business Burea by Layman Pascal - https://laymanpascal.substack.com/p/the-metamodern-business-bureau-mmbbMake Game A pay for the Wall by Laman Pascal - https://laymanpascal.substack.com/p/make-game-a-pay-for-the-wall?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2Layman’s substack - https://laymanpascal.substack.com/Integral Stage podcast - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaA4zkLRnR3lGm8Y7c5TvdwLinchpin by Seth Godin - https://www.amazon.com/Linchpin-Are-Indispensable-Seth-Godin/dp/1591844096📝 [Show notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 2:40 -Transforming the money & meaning relationship on a personal and societal level 5:52 - Making the Metamodern Business Burea come alive 10:39 - Early examples of liminal business crews and what’s missing 13:42 - Developing a more conscious approach to business and economics education16:45 - New economic experiments 20:16 - Finding clients who can pay for your services 27:52 - Do we need to be more careful, or more courageous, in our sources of material wealth?33:23 - How we can influence the wealthiest families in the world to distribute their money? 36:50 - Do liminal & metamodern thinkers go over people’s heads?38:16 - Finding your role in the liminal ecosystem (simplifying and complexifying) 41:08 - Connecting people with complementary skill sets and starting businesses44:25 - Nominating liminal business leaders, failing forward, and learning from elders 49:30 - Group reflections 49:52 - It doesn’t need to be perfect we just need to take action 52:31 - Finding the right words to connect the liminal/metamodern space to the conventional world 57:07 - Bridging left and right brain ways of knowing 1:00:00 - Finding the economic model hidden in the inspiration and locating people & spaces at the edge of Game A  1:03:27 - How to do better business, why do we need marketing, bullshit jobs & our relationship to dopamine  1:13:22 - Mapping coherence and navigating divergence 1:16:32 - What’s next?*Join the "Top Insights" list and get insightful links, in-depth book summaries, and transformational frameworks delivered monthly to your inbox  -  https://artemzen.ck.page/topinsights*Follow me on Twitter (x) - https://twitter.com/artemzen*For Contact, questions or ideas email me at [email protected]

Darcia Narvaez is a professor of psychology whose work explores the neurobiology of moral development, evolved parenting practices, and small-band hunter-gatherer societies. In 2020, she was identified as one of the top 2 percent of scientists worldwide in a recent analysis of 8 million scientists around the world. She is the president of Kindred World a non-profit dedicated to creating a wisdom-based worldview and the founder of the Evolved Nest a Kindred World initiative that integrates findings across various fields that bear on child development, child raising, and adult behavior while promoting optimal health and wellbeing, cooperation and sociomoral intelligences. She is the author of several books including the award-winning Neurobiology and the Development of Human Morality. In this episode, we speak about the optimal environment for early child development and how our modern culture falls short of this, navigating order & chaos in parenting, the surprising truth about nature & nurture, how the collaboration and competition dynamic is related to left & right brain views of the world, contrasting views of wisdom, and so much more. 🔗 [Links & resources] 🔗Darcia’s personal site - https://darcianarvaez.com/The Evolved Nest (site) - https://evolvednest.org/Neurobiology and the Development of Human Morality by Darcia Narvaez - https://www.amazon.com/Neurobiology-Development-Human-Morality-Interpersonal/dp/0393706559Breaking the Cycle of Competitive Detachment (short film) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jATflgNvl-EReimagining Humanity (short film) - ​​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_JR5fcrKkI&list=PLKSc66Q_SuJPviwCKee4mMaXyVm0TUFtM&index=21The Evolved Nest (short film) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo54PdNnNPg&list=PLUh7caZTn4oAV5K6Pg8GLpK7GgMtxs_Tl&index=2&t=9s( full list on YouTube page) 📝 [Show notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 2:01 - An overview of Darcia’s work 5:22 - The role of safety in morality 7:29 - The optimal environment for early child development15:42 - The importance of breastfeeding & co-sleeping 18:00 - How the modern world falls short of the evolved developmental niche 25:45 - Navigating Order & Chaos in Parenting 35:39 - What is the relationship between nature & nurture? 41:32 - How life for indigenous people was different than it is in the modern world 44:19 - Was war always a part of humanity?54:18 - Relating the collaboration & competition dynamic to left and right brain views of the world 1:02:27 - Contrasting views of wisdom 1:07:58 - Resources & tools for creating a more wholesome life1:14:07 - Learning to regulate our nervous systems through play 1:17:10 - Why returning to the evolved nest is critical for the world *Join the Elevating Consciousness list and get the latest interviews with emerging thinkers in the liminal space straight to your inbox -https://artemzen.ck.page/elevatingconsciousness*Join the "Top Insights" list and get insightful links, in-depth book summaries, and transformational frameworks delivered monthly to your inbox  -  https://artemzen.ck.page/topinsights*Subscribe on Youtube to watch the podcast - youtube.com/

Bruce Tift is a psychotherapist, author, and long-time meditation practitioner. As a therapist he’s done his rounds – working in a psychiatric ward, social services, and maintaining a private practice since 1979. As a teacher, he taught at Naropa University for twenty-five years and lectured all throughout the world. He is also a Vajrayana Buddhism practitioner with over 40 years of practice under his belt. On his journey he has been fortunate enough to be a student of Chogyam Trunga Rinpoche and to meet a number of other realized teachers. He is the author of “Already Free” a fascinating book that explores the relationship between Psychotherapy and awakening. In this episode, we speak about the irresolvable paradox of relationship, what it means to be psychospiritually mature, stepping out of identification through immediate sensation, Individual vs couples therapy, nonduality & the Vajrayana view, and a healthier approach to awakening & liberation. 🔗 [Links & resources] 🔗Bruce’s personal site - https://www.brucetift.com/Already Free by Bruce Tift - https://www.amazon.com/Already-Free-Buddhism-Psychotherapy-Liberation/dp/1622034112Zen Mind, Beginners Mind by Shunryu Suzuki - https://www.artemzen.com/book/zen-mind-beginners-mind-by-shunryu-suzuki/Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%B6gyam_TrungpaWhat is Circling? - https://www.artemzen.com/what-is-circling/📝 [Show notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 2:10 - The pivotal events that put Bruce on the path 6:32 - The relationship between psychotherapy (healing) and awakening 13:01 - Bruce pulls the chair out from beneath me 16:58 - The irresolvable paradox of relationship 18:10 - Is it possible to heal and develop psychologically without psychotherapy?19:34 - What does it mean to be psychospiritually mature?23:30 - Holding developmental models lightly  25:55 - Learning to experience story-free anxiety 35:23 - Stepping out identification through immediate sensation42:30 - Why struggle is a way not to deal with our lives 53:43 - Individual vs Couples Therapy (navigating connection & separateness ) 1:06:29 - Using Circling/Relatefulness practice to understand your emotions and develop intimacy 1:10:29 - Diving into non-duality and the Vajrayana view 1:18:08 - A healthier view of awakening & liberation 1:26:11 - The hard problem of consciousness*Join the Elevating Consciousness list and get the latest interviews with emerging thinkers in the liminal space straight to your inbox -https://artemzen.ck.page/elevatingconsciousness*Join the "Top Insights" list and get insightful links, in-depth book summaries, and transformational frameworks delivered monthly to your inbox  -  https://artemzen.ck.page/topinsights*Subscribe on Youtube to watch the podcast - youtube.com/c/ArtemZen?sub_confirmation=1*Follow me on Twitter (x) - https://twitter.com/artemzen*Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/artem.zen*For Contact, questions or ideas email me at [email protected]

Richard Bartlett is a community organizer, entrepreneur & coach who helps people grow high-trust communities & decentralized organizations. Back in 2011, he was a part of the Occupy Wall Street movement, a pivotal moment that set him on the path to becoming a key player in Enspiral - an organization that shares money, power & information to help its members do meaningful work. He went on to found Loomio, a software that helps companies seamlessly navigate the intricacies of decentralized organization. Later he founded the Hum, a non-hierarchical management consultancy that’s rewriting the rules of how we work together. His latest venture is a community-building network and movement known as Microsolidarity. In this episode, we speak about essential modalities & practices for community builders, building trust and accelerating personal growth through community, navigating the polarity of autonomy and belonging, collective intelligence, how to integrate vulnerability into the workplace, creating decentralized organizations and so much more. 🔗 [Links & resources] 🔗Rich’s personal site - https://richdecibels.com/Microsoldarity network and community building practice - https://www.microsolidarity.cc/Rich’s Consultancy The Hum - https://www.thehum.org/📝 [Show notes] 📝0:00 - Introduction 2:32 - How Rich’s upbringing led to his work with community building & team organization 6:50 - The importance of integrating traditional values 8:44 - Creating a pluralistic community with a capacity to hold many perspectives 19:16 - What is Microsolidarity?27:45 - How group size changes relational dynamics 30:35 - Essential modalities and practices for community builders36:25 - Insights from Enspiral and working in community 44:33 - Building trust and accelerating personal growth through community 47:22 - The challenges of visionary leadership54:51 - Navigating the polarity of autonomy and belonging 59:28 - Michael Levin, the superorganism, collective intelligence, and the illusion of being self-made1:08:40 - How to integrate vulnerability into the workplace1:17:20 - Creating decentralized organizations 1:26:40 - Additional resources for community builders*Join the Elevating Consciousness list and get the latest interviews with emerging thinkers in the liminal space straight to your inbox -https://artemzen.ck.page/elevatingconsciousness*Join the "Top Insights" list and get insightful links, in-depth book summaries, and transformational frameworks delivered monthly to your inbox  -  https://artemzen.ck.page/topinsights*Subscribe on Youtube to watch the podcast - youtube.com/c/ArtemZen?sub_confirmation=1*Follow me on Twitter (x) - https://twitter.com/artemzen*Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/artem.zen*For Contact, questions or ideas email me at [email protected]

North Burn is a meditation teacher and practitioner. For the past fifteen years, he has devoted himself full-time to practice, primarily in Insight Meditation and Soto Zen schools, as well as other immersive settings. Collectively, he has spent five years in monastic communities, two years in silent intensive retreats, and several years in solitude and self-directed study. Some of the teachers who have influenced him the most include Joseph Goldstein, Greg Scharf, Leslie James, and Tenshin Reb Anderson Roshi. In 2016, after the encouragement of his teachers, he began teaching meditation retreats. During the pandemic, he came up with the inspiration to start Boundless Refuge an annual 3-month silent retreat dedicated to transforming suffering into peace by practicing the middle way.  When not teaching or organizing retreats, he devotes substantial energy to meditation practice, engaging with spiritual mentors, and continuing his study of various spiritual modalities and traditions.In this episode, we speak about the benefits of long retreats & intensive meditation practice, Sutric vs Tantric perspectives on Dharma, the pros & cons of being open about spiritual attainments, integrating stories into spirituality, the relationship between psychedelics & meditation, and so much more.*Join the Elevating Consciousness list and get the latest interviews with emerging thinkers in the liminal space straight to your inbox -https://artemzen.ck.page/elevatingconsciousness*Join the "Top Insights" list and get insightful links, in-depth book summaries, and transformational frameworks delivered monthly to your inbox  -  https://artemzen.ck.page/topinsights*Subscribe on Youtube to watch the podcast - youtube.com/c/ArtemZen?sub_confirmation=1*Follow me on Twitter (x) - https://twitter.com/artemzen*Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/artem.zen*For Contact, questions or ideas email me at [email protected]

David Loy is a professor, writer, and Zen teacher in Sanbo Zen tradition. He began zen practice in 1971 and finished the formal koan curriculum in 1988. For many years he has taught as a professor of Buddhist and comparative philosophy. Although he has retired from academia he continues to lecture internationally focusing primarily on the intersection of Buddhism and modernity and what they can learn from each other.Unless he is traveling, every Friday morning he guides an online meditation followed by a brief dharma talk. He is the author of many books including Lack & Transcendence, Ecodharma, and Nonduality: In Buddhism and Beyond. In this episode, we speak about the fundamental problem of human existence through the lens of psychotherapy, existentialism & Buddhism, the limits of philosophy, integrating personal with collective transformation, addressing the meaning crisis, and so much more. *Join the Elevating Consciousness list and get the latest interviews with emerging thinkers in the liminal space straight to your inbox -https://artemzen.ck.page/elevatingconsciousness*Join the "Top Insights" list and get insightful links, in-depth book summaries, and transformational frameworks delivered monthly to your inbox  -  https://artemzen.ck.page/topinsights*Subscribe on Youtube to watch the podcast - youtube.com/c/ArtemZen?sub_confirmation=1*Follow me on Twitter (x) - https://twitter.com/artemzen*Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/artem.zen*For Contact, questions or ideas email me at [email protected]

Charlie Awbery is a meditation teacher and a longtime Vajrayana practitioner. In 2002 they were ordained in the non-monastic Aro gTer lineage. Informed mostly by traditional Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism their practice consisted of yidam, yogic song, chod, psycho-physical yogas, and solitary retreats. Aside from Buddhist practice they have trained in Gestalt psychotherapy and have worked in mental health services and international human rights organizations. After twenty-five years in traditional Vajrayana, they decided to co-found Evolving Ground - a community for contemporary Vajrayana practice. In this episode we speak about the difference between Sutric & Tantric view, the vehicles of Buddhism & their different endpoints, why the Sutric view can be problematic for householders, different perspectives on awakening, the Evolving Ground meditation community, integrating emptiness & form practices, and learning from transmission. 

River Kenna is a writer, inner work practitioner, and a mythodynamics researcher. He spent the first 24 years of his life dealing with an incessant mental chatter which he tried to address with various meditations. Most of them had little benefit and it was only when he came across Somatic meditation that was he able to dissolve his inner critic and find deep inner peace. Today his work explores somatic resonance, mythopoetic cognition, and experiments in graceful non-linear living. He teaches the Somatic Resonance course and conducts one-on-one sessions in somatic and imaginal practices. In this episode, we speak about somatic meditation, imaginal practice & dream work, mythopoetic cognition, systematic vs. spontaneous mode, and devotional productivity.  

Rosa Lewis is a spiritual teacher and inner work practitioner. During an intense journey of awakening and healing, she experienced long periods of altered states and even psychosis. Eventually, she was able to return to a functional state but her experience of reality was forever transformed. Her work is greatly influenced by Carl Jung and tantric Buddhism. Everything she teaches comes from direct insight and integrates Buddhist emptiness, shadow work, tantric embodiment, archetypal and imaginal work, mysticism, and heartfulness. She is currently working on a framework for whole being awakening that integrates theory and practice and helps humans develop in a way that is holistic, inspiring, alive, and in touch with the depths of being. In this episode, we speak about, Rosa’s experience with spiritual psychosis, inclusive & exclusive perspectives on Awakening, the whole being awakening model, hierarchy & power dynamics in spiritual communities, embodying the brahma viharas and imaginal work.  

Jonas Atlas is a scholar of religions who writes and lectures on religion, politics, and mysticism. Although rooted in the Christian tradition, he has immersed himself in learning other traditions such as Hinduism and Islam. After his studies in philosophy, anthropology, and theology at different universities, he became active in various forms of local and international peace work, often with a focus on cultural and religious diversity. He currently teaches classes on ethics and spirituality at the KDG University of Applied Sciences and Arts. He is also the author of several books including Halal Monk, Re-visioning Sufism, and most recently Religion: Reality Behind the Myths. In this episode, we speak about why misunderstanding religion is a problem, the seven myths of religion, what religion really is, the false dichotomy of secular & religious, and the real reason people have a problem with religion.  

Stephen Faller is a chaplain, educator, and author. He currently serves as a Chaplain Educator at Overlook Medical Center where he runs the Clinical pastoral education program. He is also the director and Founder of The Institute of Spiritual Midwifery which is dedicated to the development of the theory, praxis, and pedagogy of spiritual midwifery in the ministry of individuals, families, and organizations. His work in chaplaincy and his experience with cerebral palsy offer a unique and powerful perspective on the intersections of disability and spiritual caregiving. Through speaking engagements, educational initiatives, and personal interactions he educates and inspires others to approach spiritual caregiving with a more inclusive and compassionate mindset. He is the author of several books including “The Art of Spiritual Mid-Wifery” and most recently “Christianity And the Art of Wheelchair Maintenance”. In this episode we speak about dialogue in spiritual midwifery, dialectic, paradox, parables, barriers to spiritual midwifery, tools of the spiritual midwife, and living with disability.

Guro Hansen Helskog is a professor, author & researcher. Her work explores the philosophy of education, wisdom research, and how philosophical dialogue can be integrated into all levels of education. She is the author of “Philosophising the Dialogo Way Towards Wisdom in Education” - an in-depth book that analyses different approaches to philosophical practices and shows how we can integrate them in a holistic manner in order to facilitate everything from critical thinking to spiritual contemplation. In this episode we speak about knowledge vs wisdom, dialogos as an integration of philosophizing approaches, uprooting atheistic beliefs, mystical experiences, the wisdom famine, why children should philosophize, and integrating God into humanity.  

Sean Wilkinson is a transformational coach and facilitator. He is also a co-founder of “Circling Europe” an organization that has helped spread the practice of circling to over 25 countries. Prior to being a circling leader, he was an elite tennis coach focusing on the psychology of performance. For the last 15 years, he has been deeply entrenched in relational practices, meditation, coaching, wisdom traditions as well as therapy and trauma work. Some of his latest offerings focus on navigating the darker dimensions of developmental trauma as well as exploring non-duality in the context of circling. In this episode, we speak about the middle way of emotions, integrating circling with meditation & therapy, navigating narcissistic and borderline patterns, and balancing empathy with boundaries. 

Tom Cheetham is an author, teacher, biologist, and poet. Throughout his life, he has navigated various fields from philosophy, to systematic entomology, complexity sciences, and eventually depth psychology. Today his work explores the ideas of Henry Corbin, Carl Jung, James Hillman, and creative imagination in human life and culture. He writes and lectures on these topics internationally. His books include Boundary Violations, All the World an Icon, and Imaginal Love among others. In this episode, we speak about Imagination in James Hillman, Carl Jung, & Henry Corbin, the pathology of literalism, distinguishing feelings from emotions, integrating the central insights from psychedelics, Buddhism & the Imaginal as well as aliveness, eros, and death. 

Loch Kelly is an award-winning author, meditation teacher, psychotherapist, and founder of the Effortless Mindfulness Institute. His teachings synthesize the best of ancient wisdom practices, neuroscience, and contemporary psychology. Using an all-inclusive style of dialogue and inquiry he helps people cut through suffering and awaken to their true nature. He has been sharing his teachings in retreats and workshops internationally for over 25 years and is the author of “Shift into Freedom” and “The Way of Effortless Mindfulness.” In this episode, we speak about the differences between deliberate & effortless mindfulness approaches, barriers to recognizing awakened awareness, why we don’t need 10,000 hours of meditation to awaken, integrating psychotherapy & meditation, and a mature understanding of emptiness & nonduality. 

Kyle Kowalski is an ex-marketing executive turned solo-preneuer. After experiencing an existential crisis he left the corporate world and founded Sloww - a digital knowledge base and community which shares insights into the art of living for students of life. He is an interdisciplinary dot collector and synthesizer who creates in-depth book summaries, e-books, and a wisdom-packed weekly newsletter. His work integrates slow living with meaning, purpose, money mastery, transformational learning, and human development. The breadth, depth, and consistency of the content he produces are a rarity in today’s 3-second world. In this episode, we explore the topics of intentional & slow living, happiness, purpose, the synthesizing mind, financial freedom, learning, reading, free will, and psychedelics all through a developmentally aware lens. 

Frank Yang is an artist, content creator, bodybuilder, and coach. He’s built an impressive following on youtube by creating provocative, grotesque, and visually alluring videos. His eccentric and bizarre style is also reflected in a wide-ranging portfolio of artwork including drawings, sculptures, and photography. These creative abilities don’t stop there as he is well-versed in playing the piano and violin. In recent years he has become most well-known for being open and outspoken about his spiritual attainments and his journey into awakening which he documents in mind-expansive videos and detailed writings. In this episode, we speak about Frank’s creative journey into awakening, structure vs spontaneity in meditation, the impact of awakening on sexual desire, pros and cons of being open about spiritual attainments, psychedelics, bodybuilding, and integrating awakening through traveling & being in the world.

Andrew James Taggart is a practical philosopher and meditation teacher. After finishing his Ph.D he completed training with the American Philosophical Practitioners Association (APPA) in philosophical counseling. Over the past ten years, he has helped countless individuals inquire into the most fundamental questions of life. His ideas have been featured in Quartz, The Guardian, Big Think, TEDx, and The Washington post. He partakes in a vigorous meditation practice of four hours each day, including a one-day meditation retreat each week, and a monthly 5-7 daylong meditation intensive. Using an approach of analytical rigor and compassionate openness he teaches meditation to individuals who have an earnest desire for awakening. In this episode, we speak about the pros and cons of different spiritual paths, why philosophy is important, how to choose which philosophers to read, the process of philosophizing together, the fundamental question of existence, and the end of suffering. 

Gregg Henriques is a clinical psychologist, professor, and theorist. He teaches courses on integrative/unified psychotherapy as well as personality, social, and cognitive psychology at James Madison University. He also regularly engages in pro bono clinical work and supervises doctoral students in their development. Most notably he has spent over twenty years developing an integrative framework of psychology which he outlined in his 2011 book “A New Unified Theory of Psychology”. His most recent book “A New Synthesis for Solving the Problem of Psychology” further builds on his work and introduces UTOK (Unified Theory of knowledge). In this episode, Gregg explains what the problem of psychology is, gives an overview of his Unified Theory of Psychology, diagnoses the meaning crisis, and grounds his theory in the real world. 

Brendan Graham Dempsey is a writer whose work focuses on the meaning crisis and the nature of spirituality in metamodernity. He earned his bachelors in religious studies from the University of Vermont and his masters in religion and the arts from Yale University. He is the host of the Metamodern Spirituality podcast where he interviews leading thinkers in the metamodernism, integral, synthesist, and Game B spaces about the topics of meaning-making and spirituality in today's world. He is also the author of a series of books including the most recent “Emergentism: A Religion of Complexity for the Metamodern world”. In this episode, we speak about the meaning crisis, the problem with spiritual but not religious, four levels of complexity, evolving our concept of God, and transcending nihilistic spirituality.

Adam Aronovich is a doctoral candidate at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Spain, focusing on Medical Anthropology and Cultural Psychiatry. He is an active member of the Medical Anthropology Research Center (MARC-URV) and part of the Ayahuasca Community Committee at the Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines. Adam spent over four years conducting research and extensive fieldwork in the Peruvian Amazon, where he also facilitated Ayahuasca workshops in the context of shamanic and medical tourism. He is the creator of Healing from Healing, a social media platform that casts a critical, skeptical, and humorous gaze at Healing Culture. Adam is currently the director of therapy and integration for Rē Precision Health, a wellness centre in the Pacific Coast of Mexico. He also facilitates preparation and integration processes in private practice, helping clients reframe “Healing” within relational and recreative frameworks using a secular, humanistic, grounded, open-ended interpretive, and epistemic orientation. In this episode, we speak about applying Medical Anthropology and Cultural Psychiatry to mental health, examining our culture’s dominant metaphysical assumptions, the dark side of psychedelics, the illusion of radical independence, and pathology-free psychedelic integration. 

David Elliott is a psychotherapist, professor and expert on attachment. He received his PH.D. in Psychology from Harvard University and shortly after completed his post-doctoral fellowship at McLean Hospital. He is the co-author of “Attachment Disturbance in Adults” one of the most comprehensive works that address attachment repair. He holds workshops teaching the methods detailed in his attachment book to mental health professionals internationally. In this episode, David masterfully unpacks what attachment is, how we can discover our attachment style, attachment insecurity’s impact on mental health, and the five conditions that contribute to secure attachment.

Daniel Gortz is a political philosopher, sociologist, and metamodern thinker. He is one of the two direct contacts that we have with the mythical metamodern philosopher Hanzi Freinacht. Daniel is an expert on Hanzi’s work which includes the listening society, Nordic Ideology, and his upcoming controversial book that challenges Jordan Peterson’s best-seller “12 Rules for life” and offers a potentially more nuanced and comprehensive philosophy. In this episode, we discuss why hanzi’s rules are much better than Jordan Petersons', denial of death and immortality projects, religion, wisdom, and finding the right therapy for you.