Almost Awakened

The Almost Awakened Podcast has some news to share and we wanted to tell our audience that news and how it will affect the show. And we have a short discussion on Trauma

In this enlightening episode, we delve deep into the life and philosophy of the Naked Pastor, a remarkable figure whose journey from the pulpit to the canvas has captivated hearts worldwide. Known for his candid approach to faith and art, the Naked Pastor offers a raw and authentic perspective on spirituality. Join us as we uncover the roots of his unique artistic expression and how it intertwines with his spiritual beliefs. From his early struggles with conventional religious norms to his breakthrough moment of creative liberation, every stroke of the canvas tells a story of transformation. Through thought-provoking anecdotes and heartfelt insights, the Naked Pastor shares how his work challenges dogma and invites others to explore their own paths to spiritual authenticity. Discover the profound connections between faith, vulnerability, and the artistic process, and gain a newfound appreciation for the power of creative expression in the realm of spirituality. Prepare to be inspired as we peel back the layers of the Naked Pastor’s artistic journey and reveal the beauty of baring one’s soul in the pursuit of a more genuine faith experience. This episode is a testament to the transformative potential that lies within each of us, waiting to be unveiled. Tune in to “Baring it All With The Naked Pastor” for an intimate conversation that will leave you with a fresh perspective on faith, art, and the boundless possibilities of self-expression.

RESOURCES:

https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3ADavid+Hayward&s=relevancerank&text=David+Hayward&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1

https://nakedpastor.com/

Christ, Krishna, and the Buddha with Bob Peck, Mystic Author Almost Awakened: 167 “Christ, Krishna, and the Buddha” is a exploration of the lives and teachings of three iconic spiritual figures who have left an indelible mark on the world. We sit down with mystic author Bob Peck delving into each of these spiritual figures investigating their timeless wisdom, remarkable stories, and enduring legacies of Jesus Christ, Lord Krishna, and Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha.

Bob Peck is a festival award-winning filmmaker, author, lawnmower, meditator, and a spiritual student of Christ, Krishna, the Buddha. With bachelor’s degrees in Religious Studies & Radio-TV-Film from the University of Texas, he has made ‘conscious films’—spiritual & advocacy documentaries—since graduating in 2011. He’s also a Kriya Yoga practitioner through KYI and a certified mindfulness & meditation teacher. His day job is centered around ads and mindfulness in Big Tech. A native Austinite, he lives with his wife and young son in Austin, Texas. “Original Sin Is A Lie” is his first book.

RESOURCES:

https://www.originalsinisalie.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Original-Sin-Lie-Spirituality-Reveals/dp/B0BCD1YBG8

https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Original-Sin-Is-A-Lie-Audiobook/B0BF66JYY1

https://www.tiktok.com/@originalsinisalie

Barbie & the Heroines Journey Bill and Britt outline the heroines journey and how it differs from the hero’s journey.

RESOURCES:

https://heroinejourneys.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/victoria-schmid.jpg
Weird Barbie – https://creations.mattel.com/products/weird-barbie-barbie-the-movie-hyb84
https://heroinejourneys.com/heroines-journey/
https://maureenmurdock.com/articles/articles-the-heroines-journey/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroine’s_journey
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/22/books/maria-tatar-heroine-with-1001-faces.html
https://storygrid.com/heroines-journey/
https://mythcreants.com/blog/using-the-heroines-journey/

Brene Brown has said that, “practicing spirituality brings a sense of perspective, meaning, and purpose to our lives.” She defines spirituality in terms of connection to others and to a power greater than ourselves. For some, they call a greater power God. For others, they call it nature, or fishing. Whatever name we use for our greater power, there is one skill that is essential to connecting deeply to it and to other people in our lives, and that is vulnerability. Join us as we have a conversation about vulnerability with Maxine Hanks. Maxine is a trained chaplain and mediator who has studied conflict resolution extensively. She is also a religious studies scholar and practiced in interfaith ministry. We will talk about why spirituality and vulnerability are important to our well-being and also why they can be so difficult to access. Our guest today is Maxine Hanks – Chaplain, Mediator, studied Conflict Resolution, Religious Studies scholar, Interfaith Ministry

Celtic Spirituality is not a church. It was never formed into a unified institution. So what is it? And how can learning about it help people dispossessed of their early religious formation continue to explore their spirituality? How does this tradition of “Insular Christianity” originating in the British Isles survive without a formal religious structure? This and more is what we hope to discover in a conversation with Father Scott Jenkins. Scott holds a Master of Divinity and is a trained pastor, chaplain, and spiritual director who has served in religious, spiritual, and service communities for nearly 40 years. He is the Creative Director of Celtic Way in Denver, which according to their website is “a collaboration of people moved to bring a fresh vision to the spiritual life by nurturing a vibrant, evolving and sustainable life with God in nature.

RESOURCES:

https://www.stitcher.com/show/crossing-over-podcast/episode/celtic-christianity-with-father-scott-jenkins-48987580

Delve into the intricate relationship between mysticism, religion, societal control, and progress in this thought-provoking podcast episode. Explore how mysticism, the pursuit of direct spiritual experience, weaves through diverse religious traditions, fostering inner transformation and unity with the divine. Uncover the “wounded healer” archetype, where personal suffering becomes a wellspring of wisdom, guiding others on their spiritual journeys.

Discover the common themes linking esoteric practices across religions, from hidden knowledge to sacred symbolism. Investigate how esoterica can be both a source of empowerment and a means of reinforcing authority. Journey through history to understand how religion has been harnessed to shape societies, offering moral frameworks, social cohesion, and educational platforms. Examine its dual role in promoting progress while sometimes stifling scientific exploration.

Navigate the intricate dance between religion’s capacity to inspire charitable acts and its potential to divide due to differing beliefs. Grasp the ways religion has molded cultures and traditions, fostering a sense of identity and belonging. Ultimately, this podcast illuminates how religion and mysticism, as forces of control and catalysts for advancement, coalesce in a complex tapestry that continues to shape human society in diverse and profound ways.

In this podcast, we present six beautifully crafted parables, each designed to illuminate the significance of values and perspectives in resolving conflicts. Through these timeless tales, we celebrate the art of taking a tie – whether through compromise, agreeing to disagree, or fostering room for understanding. Join us on this insightful voyage as we reflect on the significance of values and perspectives in resolving conflicts, and how taking a tie can lead to profound understanding and unity. Let these enchanting parables inspire you to navigate life’s challenges with empathy, respect, and an open heart. Tune in to “Values, Perspectives, & Taking The Tie” for an enriching podcast experience that will leave you enlightened and motivated to embrace the beauty of diversity and harmony.

In this thought-provoking episode of The Almost Awakened Podcast, we courageously delve into the heart of some of the most contentious and divisive topics of our time. Guided by a commitment to open-mindedness, empathy, and enlightenment, we embark on a journey to explore the complexities of highly controversial conversation topic such as euthanasia, security vs. privacy, individualism vs. tribalism, self-reliance, and systemic issues such as racism.

In this episode, we challenge each other and our listeners to engage in uncomfortable conversations, recognizing that true growth and understanding often arise from the friction of opposing ideas. Join us for this unmissable episode of The Almost Awakened Podcast as we push boundaries, illuminate perspectives, and together take bold steps toward a world that embraces the full spectrum of human experience. Remember, it is only through grappling with our controversies that we truly awaken to our shared humanity.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) – Unveiling the Layers of the Self: AA: 160 In this follow-up episode, we delve back into the Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, a groundbreaking modality that seeks to understand and heal the multiple facets of our inner selves. Jana ( and Bill are rejoined by Cory Reese (a professional therapist who utilizes IFS) together with experienced IFS practitioner Katrina Appiah, explore the core concepts of IFS, such as parts, self, and the role of the therapist. Listeners will gain valuable insights into how IFS can uncover and heal the layers of the self, leading to increased self-awareness, self-compassion, and personal growth. Stay tuned as we embark on a transformative journey through the intricate world of internal family systems.

RESOURCES:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/katrina-m-appiah-bountiful-ut/252906

https://ifs-institute.com/practitioners/all/98183

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/cory-reese-saint-george-ut/912763

https://www.brightwaytherapy.com/

In this Episode of Almost Awakened we take a look at Integral theory also known as Spiral Dynamics, a cognivitive development model made famous by Ken Wilber. We take a look a Introductory Look at this the through the lens of its facets of stages, states, lines of development, Types, and Quadrants RESOURCES: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2164956120952733 https://spiraldynamicsintegral.nl/en/about-sdi/integral-theory/ https://integraleuropeanconference.com/integral-theory/ https://spiraldynamicsintegral.nl/en/about-sdi/integral-theory/ https://www.dailyevolver.com/theory/ https://integrallife.com/what-is-integral-approach/ https://www.audible.com/pd/Kosmic-Consciousness-Audiobook/B00JJS1LG6 https://www.soundstrue.com/products/kosmic-consciousness Image on Cover is a visual model of the Spiral Dynamics

Today on the Almost Awakened Podcast Bill sits down with Licensed Professional Counselor and Author Sarah Westbrook to discuss the intersection of Psychedelics & Spirituality within therapy.

RESOURCES:

daisygirlcommunications.com

https://unpackingmormonism.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisingcrazy/

Sarah’s Email – daisygirlcommunications@gmail.com

While being kind and thoughtful others are traits that are correlated with thriving relationships, when they dominate to the detriment of our own needs, wants, and feelings, relationships can suffer. Bill and Jana will be joined by seasoned coach, Sara Fisk, host of The Ex-Good Girl podcast, to explore how people pleasing shows up and how it damages connection to others and also to ourselves and what we can do about it. This and more on this week’s episode of Almost Awakened – https://almostawakened.org/

RESOURCES:

The Ex-Good Girl Podcast on Apple Podcasts

Sara Fisk Life Coach

One of the big modalities currently in therapeutic practices is “Internal Family Systems” or “IFS” and the idea that the core you can learn to communicate with the parts that protect you and the parts of that have been exiled due to shame and fear.  IFS is showing itself to be a deeply productive way to do inner work and today Bill is joined by LCSW Cory Reese and they set the ground work for what IFS is and how it works.  The plan is to follow-up with another episode that models IFS conversations where one talks to their parts and our hope is that we can prompt you to get curious about this therapeutic modality and to learn more.

RESOURCES:

Finding an IFS therapist – https://ifs-institute.com/practitioners

Cory Reese’s practice in Southern Utah – https://www.brightwaytherapy.com/

The book “No Bad Parts” – https://www.amazon.com/No-Bad-Parts-Restoring-Wholeness/dp/1683646681

IFS Institute – https://ifs-institute.com/about-us/richard-c-schwartz-phd

The Multiplicity of the Mind: Dr. Richard Schwartz On A Systems Approach to Healing the Self – https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-rich-roll-podcast/episode/the-multiplicity-of-the-mind-dr-richard-schwartz-on-a-systems-approach-to-healing-the-self-304374502

IFS Podcast Conversation – https://gabbybernstein.com/podcast/ifs-therapy-changed-my-life/

Bill Reel and Gabe go for round 2 of looking at the nature of reality. They look at various models of seeing the world, check in on Modern Science such as Quantum Physics, and share insights from their own learning and experience to investigate if the world we all believe we are seeing is in fact reality.

Bill Reel and Gabe take a long look at the nature of reality.  They look at various models of seeing the world, check in on Modern Science such as Quantum Physics, and share insights from their own learning and experience to investigate if the world we all believe we are seeing is in fact reality. A Little more Mormonism than normal but the conversation is definitely Almost Awakened !

What are the 7 variations of atheism and the 7 new religions on the rise. Based on two books – The Seven Types of Atheism by John Gray and Strange Rites: New Religions in a Godless World by Tara Burton

Hartley and Reel sit down with Lincoln Cannon to discuss Transhumanism and to evaluate if it could, in fact, become a new religion.

RESOURCES:

https://lincoln.metacannon.net/

today we talk with TikTok sensation Matt Hershberger, whose interests lie in Nihilism, Anti-Natalism, and the Dark Arts.

resources:
https://betterstrangers.substack.com/
https://www.tiktok.com/@betterstrangersbooks

Hundreds of thousands of years, maybe millions, and this is the furthest we have come in creating a healthy world of Humans. War, genocide, starvation, homelessness, Poor or non-existent healthcare, abuse, & trauma. Today we lay out and discuss 10 Changes that would elevate our human race to a healthier state of peace, health, and inner wellbeing.

The New Ten Commandments – https://chat.openai.com/ 

1. Respect the dignity and worth of every human being.
2. Practice empathy and compassion towards others.
3. Treat others as you would like to be treated.
4. Foster a sense of community and promote social responsibility.
5. Promote equality and fairness for all individuals.
6. Encourage honesty, integrity, and transparency in all dealings.
7. Promote peaceful conflict resolution and nonviolence.
8. Respect the environment and preserve natural resources for future generations.
9. Encourage lifelong learning and personal growth.
10. Promote the common good and work towards the betterment of society as a whole.

These principles are not exhaustive, but they could form a foundation for a set of commandments that could guide individuals towards creating a better, kinder world. Ultimately, it is up to society as a whole to determine what values and principles are most important and how best to promote them.

We sit down with Jonathon Streeter, founder of the Blog and Youtube Channel “Thoughts On Things And Stuff” to discuss the manipulative tactics of High Demand Religions and how to spot them immediately.

RESOURCES:
https://thoughtsonthingsandstuff.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVTCFh3uDMH0GZlwl1JOoHQ
https://www.facebook.com/ThoughtsOnThingsAndStuff/

In This Week’s episode of the Almost Awakened Podcast, Hartley and Reel peek behind the curtain of Zen Buddhism to discuss the rampant sexual misconduct happening there. We are so used to hearing about sexual abuse with Catholicism or Mormonism or the Jehovah’s Witnesses but while sort of unexpected, Buddhist circles are also deeply affected by these atrocious acts. We sit down with TikTok’r @LifeAfterZen to discuss this sensitive issue and to learn how we can better be aware of and address the such problems.

RESOURCES:
https://www.shilohproject.blog/sexual-misconduct-and-buddhism-centering-survivors/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzoMdW8GEVI&list=PLpxqAk60QqWrlqnlVVWr4IvLyv1GtBw5I&index=2
https://www.religionandsexualabuseproject.org/
https://tricycle.org/magazine/sexual-abuse-in-buddhism/
https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-shocking-scandal-at-the-heart-of-american-zen
https://tricycle.org/magazine/sex-sangha-again/
https://www.lionsroar.com/openletteronabuse/

Abraham Maslow’s pyramidal “Hierarchy of Needs” model is a highly-influential way of organizing human needs from the most “basic” to the most advanced. Maslow’s argument is that the most basic needs must be met before people can move “up” to the more advanced needs. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a motivational theory in psychology comprising a five-tier model of human needs, often depicted as hierarchical levels within a pyramid. From the bottom of the hierarchy upwards, the needs are: physiological (food and clothing), safety (job security), love and belonging needs (friendship), esteem, and self-actualization. Needs lower down in the hierarchy must be satisfied before individuals can attend to higher needs. What is not as commonly known about Maslow is that toward the end of his life, he began to have some doubts about this model and just prior to his death added a 6th stage at the top of the pyramid called “Self-Transcendence” and today we review the standard hierarchy and finish by discussing at length the missing piece, Self-Transcendence.

RESOURCES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow’s_hierarchy_of_needs

https://www.wichita.edu/services/mrc/OIR/Pedagogy/Theories/maslow.php

https://www.thecareerproject.org/blog/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs/

https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-4136760

https://www.thoughtco.com/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-4582571

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs

Hartley and Reel sit down TikTok Sensation Jordan The Grey Witch, an Atheist Witch to discuss what it even means in 2023 to be a witch and how being a witch plays out. https://www.tiktok.com/@jordanthegreywitch

Today we sit down with Dr. Lisa Miller author of “The Awakened Brain” and “The Spiritual Child”. The discussion centers around spirituality and awakeness and what the science and research says about both. How can we humans be our best healthiest selves? How can we thrive while also progressing as a species to achieve our potential?

Lisa Miller, Ph.D., is the New York Times bestselling author of The Spiritual Child and a professor in the clinical psychology program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is the founder and director of the Spirituality Mind Body Institute, the first Ivy League graduate program in spirituality and psychology, and for over a decade has held joint appointments in the department of psychiatry at Columbia University medical school. Her innovative research has been published in more than one hundred empirical, peer-reviewed articles in leading journals, including Cerebral Cortex, The American Journal of Psychiatry, and the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and three children.

a.i. chat gpt was used to arrive at the following answers

Some potential solutions for world peace may include:

1. Building strong international partnerships: Countries can work together to establish partnerships and collaborations aimed at achieving common goals, such as reducing poverty, addressing climate change, and promoting human rights.
2. Promoting diplomacy and conflict resolution: Diplomacy can play a critical role in resolving conflicts and preventing violence. International organizations, such as the United Nations, can facilitate diplomatic negotiations and promote peaceful solutions to disputes.
3. Encouraging tolerance and understanding: Education and awareness-raising programs can help promote tolerance and understanding between different cultures and religions, reducing the risk of conflict.
4. Investing in economic development: Economic development can promote stability and reduce the risk of conflict by creating job opportunities, improving infrastructure, and reducing poverty.
5. Strengthening human rights protections: Protecting human rights can help prevent conflict by reducing inequality, promoting social justice, and ensuring that individuals are treated with dignity and respect.

Ultimately, achieving world peace requires a sustained and coordinated effort from individuals, communities, and governments around the world. It is important to recognize that there is no easy solution or quick fix, but rather a long-term commitment to promoting peace and cooperation.

Global climate change is a complex and urgent issue that requires a comprehensive approach at all levels of society. Here are some steps that can be taken to address and solve global climate change:

1. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions: This can be achieved by transitioning to renewable energy sources, increasing energy efficiency, and reducing the use of fossil fuels.
2. Implement carbon pricing: Implementing a carbon pricing system can help incentivize companies and individuals to reduce their carbon emissions.
3. Increase investment in research and development: Developing new technologies and innovations, such as carbon capture and storage, can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
4. Encourage sustainable agriculture and land use practices: Promoting sustainable agriculture practices and reducing deforestation can help mitigate the impact of climate change.
5. Educate and raise awareness: Educating people about the causes and impacts of climate change can help build support for climate action and encourage individuals to take action in their own lives.
6. Encourage international cooperation: Climate change is a global problem that requires a coordinated effort by all countries. Encouraging international cooperation and agreements, such as the Paris Agreement, can help ensure that all countries are working together towards a common goal.

Addressing and solving global climate change will require significant effort and action from individuals, businesses, and governments around the world.

Hartley and Reel take on a conversation around the book “The Four Agreements” by Miguel Ruiz. Reel has read the book 4 times but Hartley is tackling the content for the very first time. This will be the backdrop of this incredible conversation.

“The Four Agreements” is a self-help book written by Don Miguel Ruiz. It offers a code of conduct based on ancient Toltec wisdom that can help transform one’s life by breaking free from self-limiting beliefs and behaviors.

The book’s insights can be summarized in the following four agreements:
Be impeccable with your word – Speak with integrity, say only what you mean, and avoid using your word to speak against yourself or others.
Don’t take anything personally – What others say or do is a projection of their own reality and has nothing to do with you. Don’t take things personally or make assumptions about others’ motives.
Don’t make assumptions – Avoid misunderstandings by asking questions and clarifying things. Don’t make assumptions about others’ thoughts, feelings, or intentions.
Always do your best – Give your best effort in everything you do, regardless of the circumstances. Focus on the process, not the outcome.

These agreements can help you improve your relationships with others, free yourself from limiting beliefs and self-judgment, and live a more authentic and fulfilling life. One of the deepest insights of the book is the idea that much of our suffering comes from our own thoughts and beliefs, which can be changed through conscious awareness and a commitment to personal growth. The book encourages readers to take responsibility for their own happiness and to create their own reality through their thoughts and actions.

Brian McLaren has proposed 10 reasons to stay inside Religion and 10 reasons to leave Religion. Hartley and Reel dive into this list and share their thoughts and contemplate how much weight these reasons might have and what these reasons bring up within them.

Britt runs solo this week exploring a course for Teens she has created. The conversation will delve into what that course looks like and who it is designed for and will share several facets of Gen Z Spirituality.

Bill will be flying solo today (Britt had step away from this week’s episode due to an unexpected event). and discussing a couple of thoughts he had this week and to discuss the mass exodus out of Christianity.

The 5 Big Personality Traits are openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Everyone of us at any given moment fall somewhere on a spectrum within each of these traits. These traits affect our mood, our energy, our behavior, our ability to connect with others, how we disagree, and how we perceive our outer and inner world. Reel and Hartley not only explain each trait and how such affects our perception and behavior but also give a ton of examples and insights into how an awareness of these traits and how they play out in our lives can help us navigate these differences with less disruption and less negative impact on ourselves and others.

RESOURCES:

https://www.verywellmind.com/the-big-five-personality-dimensions-2795422

https://www.typematchapp.com/application-features/?forkey=Big%205%20Compatibility%20Dating%20-%20TypeMatch%20App

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/big-5-personality-traits

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Five_personality_traits

https://www.simplypsychology.org/big-five-personality.html

https://www.truity.com/test/big-five-personality-test

https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-big-five-personality-traits

https://positivepsychology.com/big-five-personality-theory/

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/big-five-personality-traits

https://www.bustle.com/p/what-is-self-distancing-this-practice-can-help-your-mental-health-relationships-17298648

https://effectiviology.com/self-distancing-rational-decisions/

http://selfcontrol.psych.lsa.umich.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1-s2.0-S0065260116300338-main-2.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org//wiki/Distancing_(psychology)

https://positivepsychology.com/psychological-distancing/

https://www.vice.com/en/article/k7a3mm/why-you-should-talk-to-yourself-in-the-third-person-inner-monologue 

Aphantasia: The inability to visualize images (medicalnewstoday.com)

Hartley and Reel sit down with “Faith Transition Coach” Kyle Bishop to discuss the process of deconstruction and what lies beyond God and Religion?

RESOURCES:
https://www.beyondgodandreligion.com/

Hartley and Reel welcome back Jana Spangler as their guest to discuss the Netflix Program “Stutz”. Stutz features Jonah Hill’s conversation with his friend and therapist, Phil Stutz as they try to present Phil’s unique, visual model of therapy To come to the conversation prepared, please take the opportunity to watch Stutz on Netflix.

RESOURCES:

https://www.netflix.com/title/81387962

https://www.thetoolsbook.com/tools/insecurity

An ISM is defined as “a distinctive doctrine, cause, or theory”. And in this week’s episode we explore just that. Everything from Theism to Nihilism to Absurdism and everything in between. What Ism’s do you ascribe to and how useful are the labels known as Isms.

Isms – 

Is there a God? Theism, Deism, Atheism, Agnosticism

Theism – Belief in a supreme being, especially a belief in one supreme entity as a creator of the universe intervening intentionally and having a personal relationship with humans.

Three Abrahamic religions Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

Bill: – A Need to explain the three questions (Where did we come from, why are we here, where are going) while also dealing with our sentient consciousness

Deism – Popular in the 17th and 18th century, deists insisted that religious truth should be subject to the authority of human rather than divine revelation. Rejected the Bible as the word of God, rejected supernaturalism and superstition like miracles and prophesy. For Deists, God was a benevolent, and distant, creator whose revelation was nature and human reason.

Bill: – Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient – When we boil God down to this base level of agreement of what God is such easily fits within the atheist view of the universe.   (Analogy – blood cell in the body)

John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine

Thomas Jefferson: “Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.” 

You can be a Christian deist and believe in the moral teachings but not divinity of Jesus. 

You can be A-deist which is that you don’t believe in a creator of any kind. 

Atheism – Not a belief structure, simply is familiar with the arguments of theism and is not convinced.  

Agnosticism – Agnosticism in our culture kind of means I just don’t know, but from a philosophical definition kind of place its the idea that we can’t know. Some people say that agnostics are then by definition atheists because they are not convinced by the theist and just say we can’t know, but that is a semantic argument that is up for debate. 

Picture 1 – There is a scale of agnosticism. Agnostic Atheist – doesn’t believe in God but also doesn’t claim to know there is no God. Agostic theist, believes a god exists but doesnt claim to know the belief is true Gnostic atheist – does not believe any god exists and knows that. Gnostic theist believes a god exists and claims to know. 

Picture 2 – Scale of theistic probability which is in The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins

1 – Strong theist 100% probability of God. I do not believe, I know.

2 – De facto theist very high probability but short of 100%. “I dont know for certain but I strongly believe in God and live my life on the assumption that he is there.” 

3 – Leaning towards theism. Higher than 50%, I am very certain but I am inclined to believe in God.”

4 – Completely impartial. Exactly 50% Gods existence and non existence are e ually probable. 

5 – Leaning towards atheism, more than 50% believe there is no God. “I do not know whether God exists but I’m inclined to be skeptical.”

6 – De facto atheist. Very low probability but short of zero. “I don’t know for certain but I think God is very improbably, and I live my life on the assumption that he is not there.”

7 – Strong atheist. “I know there is no God.” 

Dawkins argues that while there appear to be plenty of individuals that would place themselves as “1” due to the strictness of religious doctrine against doubt, most atheists do not consider themselves “7” because atheism arises from a lack of evidence and evidence can always change a thinking person’s mind. In print, Dawkins self-identified as a “6”, though when interviewed by Bill Maher he suggested “6.9” to be more accurate.

“Once you assume a creator and a plan, it makes us objects in a cruel experiment whereby we are created sick and commanded to be well, and over us to supervise this is installed a celestial dictatorship. A kind of divine North Korea.” – Chris Hitchens

We will include quiz in the show notes

What Kind of God? – Monotheism, Polytheism, Henotheism, Pantheism, Panentheism, Animism 

Monotheism – Belief in one God 

Is Christianity tritheistic? 

Polytheism – Belief in many Gods 

Bill: Allows us to separate good and bad, various skills, different and contradicting but also important values

Tribal religions in Africa, some folk religions in China

Henotheism – Worship one god but recognize many Gods

Most forms of Hinduism for example, are not polytheistic where there’s a bunch of Gods like in Greece, these are all manifestations of the same God that they worship. There are very few Hindu atheists and I think that’s because there’s just a high level of choice. One worships the god that one chooses. There are no rules in this regard. All gods yield the desired fruit, if properly worshiped. There are some guidelines in the form of class or sex or if you’re a leader or king but these are all manifestations of the same God that people come to know by different names. 

Is Mormonism technically henotheism? Eugene England thinks so. 

Bill: Allows some individualism as we select the God we want to emphasize

Pantheism – Everything shares the same spiritual essence and individuals do not have distinct spirits or souls. Its the idea that God is one and its the collective consciousness of all living creatures. Richard Dawkins says pantheism is sexed up atheism. So there is a rejection of God but there’s still some romanticism around the universe or life or the earth enough so to still call it God. Mushrooms?

Bill: touch on again a connected universe and creative energy 

Panentheism – Picture 3 Pantheism is that God is the universe, they are identical, Theism is that God created the universe, and Panentheism is that there is a God, but God is a part of the universe. So you can still get the everything is divine or spirit, but there is also a God, and God is a co-creator or a part of the universe. The shocking thing is that Mormonism now is God to prophet direct line and just be obedient, but early Mormonism from the Pratts and from Joseph’s King Follett Discourse God was very much a co-creator. God didn’t create the universe from nothing. He awoke and Jesus awoke and they made plans to help others awake but God can’t make all the rules because God didn’t create the universe out of nothing. So one way that Mormonism was interesting at the time is that when everyone else in this second great awakening in America were fighting about the extent of God’s power and the fall, Joseph has a unique answer to that. He doesn’t believe in the Fall, he doesn’t believe God is just a distant spirit, and he puts everything on a path of eternal progression, even apple trees and animals. So everything is spirit and can progress and is part of the universe. Its one of the most interesting things about Mormonism, but its been entirely lost in the bureaucracy which if you want to learn more about that transition please see all of Bills other podcasts. 

Animism – The attribution of a soul to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena and the belief in a supernatural power that organizes and animates the material universe.

Science that our organs have their own consciousness, Mushrooms, Twins.

Philosophies – Humanism, Nihilism, Absurdism, Existentialism 

Nihilism – Life is meaningless and to pursue meaning is pointless. You can get there with depression, you can get there with philosophy, you can get there just by thinking about how in the time span of 1,000,000,000 years nothing anyone does matters, or you can get there when you lose God. Philosophers call this place the void and I’ve talked about this on the podcast before because its something I struggled with and reached out to my own spiritual directors for help. It’s a black hole where you can’t make any decisions and its dangerous to individuals because its related to suicide. Its a hatred of being itself which we find in the Columbine killers if you ever read their journals. So you’re not just like there’s not God you’re just unimpressed with life itself.

Bill: If the only meaning is the meaning you make up in your head what does such mean
How important is any of us – Analogy with Presidents (zachary taylor, benjamin harrison, james buchanon, james polk), a speck of dust flying through the universe and some day humans won’t exist, and some day all life on earth won’t exist, and some day this galaxy won’t exist.  None of it really matters and in the effort to help life on earth within my realm of influence to have their trauma reduced and for life to have more pleasant moments and less unpleasant moments collectively, this very moment means everything..  

Active nihilism – Blow up the matrix so that you and other people could construct their own narratives and meanings. Nietszche wants us to erect our own values.

Bill: If the last 3 minutes of one’s life hurts beyond comprehension will it matter all the good they experienced prior?  Will that life have been worth living?

Passive nihilism – There will never be any meaning in the world so best you can do is separate yourself from your desires and reduce suffering where you can. You stay within the matrix of traditional values, but you have severe doubts about those values. 

Absurdism – Like the nihilism believes that the universe is absurd, but it embraces the absurdity and is open to the possibility of creating meaning, or enjoyment. Its like sunny nihilism. You want to spend your life surfing? Great life is absurd might as well. Want to collect cat posters? Cool why not? Embrace the absurdity and be free to do whatever you want to do with life as long as it doesn’t hurt others. So Absurdism is not about finding a meaning to life but about rebelling against the absurdity of life, it’s about standing aloof of the demand to find a meaning, rebelling against the absurd game itself and affirming life for what it is. 

Albert Camus 3 choices when you face nihilism

1. Suicide but you add more absurdity to life so you become the thing you hate, and your life was a miracle to begin with
2. Philosophical Suicide where you take a leap of faith and pretend there’s a higher power that gives our life meaning 
3. Embrace the Absurd and realize that we’re truly free. From there, we’re free to pursue anything we want and try to embrace what life has to offer.
   
   Bill: I try to intentionally choose (No, I don’t believe in free will) 3 everyday.  

Existentialism – Existentialists also doesn’t believe that the universe has intrinsic meaning but insists we have free will, awareness, and personal responsibility to become everything we can be and create subjective meaning. No one else is responsible for meaning except us and it is created through our existence and the choices we make. So Kierkegaard who was the first existentialist philosopher believed that each individual is tasked with giving meaning to life. He was also Christian so there’s room to work within religion here if you think the best expression of yourself is on a religious path. 

Humanism – Rejection of the divine and putting prime importance on human matters. 

Ten Commandments of Humanism: 

1. Promote the greater good
2. Be curious
3. Harm to your fellow human is harm to humanity. Do no kill, rape, rob, or victimize anyone.
4. Treat all humans as equals
5. Use reason as your guide. Science, knowledge, observation, and rational analysis are the best ways to determine any course of action
6. Do not force your beliefs onto others or insist that yours is the only way to live happily
7. Govern with reason not superstition, religions should have no place in any government
8. Act for the betterment of your fellow humans ans be altruistic in your deeds
9. Be good to the earth and its bounties for without it humankind is lost
10.  Impart your knowledge and wisdom gained in your lifetime to the next generation so that with each passing century, humanity will grow wise and more humane. 

Secular Humanism – Rejection of all supernatural, most popular form of humanism. 

Religious Humanism – Atheist but finds value in congregational rites and community activities. Self-described religious humanists differ from secular humanists mainly in that they regard the non-theistic humanist life stance as their religion while organizing with a congregational model. Religious humanism is sometimes referred to as non-theistic religion or congregational humanism. 

Difference between empiricism and rationalism for Atheists 

Rationalism – knowledge comes from reason and logic

Empiricism – knowledge comes from experience and experimentation 

The best example I’ve ever heard of this is that an empiricist would say that it would be valuable for the President of the United States once a week to walk up to a statue of George Washington and tell George what you did that week for the country. A rationalist would say George Washington is dead and there’s no reason this. But an empiricist says true but there’s something valuable in the experience. So Richard Dawkins is a rationalist, he read Alain de Botton’s Religion for Atheists and thought it was stupid. Steven Fry is an empiricist, he’s an atheist the problem of evil doesn’t make sense to him but he loves story and allegory and myth and symbolism and sees something valuable in those things on the level of experience. 

A few last isms that come up in modern conversations there’s hundreds of isms but some ones that are interesting:

Panpsychism is all the rage right now. Anciently it is an old idea from early Greek philosophers that there was an element of mind to everything that is physical. We would instead use the word consciousness today instead of mind. This theory says that consciousness does not emerge from matter, which is the hard problem of consciousness, but is a fundamental character of the universe. So the lights are on for everything. You’ll hear Sam Harris and especially his wife Annaka Harris discuss the possibility of panpsychism. The problem is we can’t test for it. If the universe was alive, if the sun was alive, everything would act how it acts now so its not currently falsifiable. But one way to solve the consciousness problem is that maybe everything is conscious.

Bill: It is this battle of whether Consciousness can only be born of itself or could it have been created for the first time out of a universe that is unconscious (And happy a billion times in a billion places in the universe)

Daoism – Daoism sometimes its pronounced Daoism or Toaism it depends when you’re translating from Chinese, but its become an increasingly popular ism because of Star Wars. The easiest way to describe it is that yoda is a taoist. Daoism is a Chinese philosophy of living simply, honestly, and in harmony with nature and with the flow of life. In balance with the flo of life. So when Luke is teaching ray about the force, this is what she says and its so close to Daoist scripture its unbelievable.

Luke Skywalker: What do you see?

Rey: The island. Life. Death and decay, that feeds new life. Warmth. Cold. Peace. Violence.

Luke Skywalker: And between it all?

Rey: Balance and energy. A Force.

Luke Skywalker: And inside you?

Rey: Inside me, that same Force.

The yin yang symbol which is popular enough in America that you see it everywhere has its roots in Daoism. Its this balance. In Star Wars you would say its a balance of the force, but in Daoism you would say the balance of the Dao. The yin, which is the dark swirl, is associated with shadows, the feminine, chaos, creativity…and the yang is the light swirl which is masculinity, passion, growth, strength. So even if you go down to your local yoga studio there is yin yoga which is softer and more flow and easier, and there is yang yoga which is like we’re going to kick your ass yoga. 

The purpose of daoism is to recognize opposing forces and recognize which side of the coin is needed in that moment and flowing with that energy so to speak. 

Doaism through Star Wars became so popular that in 2015 Jediism was recongized as an official religion by the US government. These are people from what I understand who know that Star Wars isnt real but find the life of a jedi and the meditation and balance of the force and simple life of service to be a moral life worth living and they take it to heart. 

5 last isms that come up in popular culture 

Asceticism – Severe self discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence. This happens in America mostly in the exercise world. Christian asceticism is not as common because right now in American history you’re more likely to get prosperity gospel Christianity which is the opposite of asceticism. But if you know someone who does long periods of fasting, limits social media, very strict diet, never any sugar or alcohol, takes cold showers, exercises obsessively, its kind of like a religion because it puts aside pleasure in order to strengthen your discipline and its a way to a kind of enlightenment or self transcendence. Sometimes it mixes with religion directly, like this link here:

Or in certain cults like this new cult movie I saw on HBO The Way Down where it was a whole cult that was Christian but also a weight loss club where you give up all your temptations for Jesus. 

Buddha started out as an ascetic just long time fasts he was skin and bone, but then the story goes he heard someone playing music and the string was strung so tight that the string broke so walked away from that life and developed “The Middle Path” that wasnt so extreme.

Bill: I find the juxtaposition between indulgence and restraint deeply interesting.   

Hedonism – The ethical theory that pleasure and satisfying desire is the proper aim of human life. What do you think? Charles Darwin was a fan of motivational hedonism which is that our behavior is founded on avoiding pain and pursuing pleasure and we should build lives that intentionally increase pleasure. Pleasure not just as sex and heroin but actually looking at ok what seems to be a life that has the most pleasure? It seems like being married gives you a built in safety net, my husband took care of me all week with my knee surgery, being 600 pounds doesnt look pleasurable so I’ll eat as pleasurable as I can while remaining relatively healthy, having friends both extends life and improves pleasure in life, so its building up a life of pleasure intentionally not because its the right the to do but because that’s what we are as creatures and you can study the science of happiness and pleasure and build your life on it to enjoy life as much as possible. 

Philosophical weakness – people who choose more suffering in their life for more meaning

Bill: I am drawn to the ying/yang of the two extremes and finding balance and a middle way.  Not forcing indulgence but allowing oneself to enjoy the good that comes one way and to allow and be present with the things that hurt or are uncomfortable.

Materialism – Nothing exists except matter and its movements, everything is matter. Richard Dawkins is a materialist. He argued that human beings are nothing apart from a body and physical matter consisting of atoms. He denied the existence of both a soul and the idea of consciousness. Dawkins also claimed that we are each the total sum of our DNA.

Bill: Consciousness is an illusion?

Determinism – The idea that all events, including human action, are ultimately determined by causes external to the will. Some philosophers have taken determinism to imply that individual human beings have no free will and cannot be held morally responsible for their actions.

Stoicism – The Daily Stoic is a very popular influencer on Instagram and stoicism is very popular right now as an ism. Its a 3rd century philosophy made popular by Marcus Aurelius, we should review his book Meditations a lot of the people we listen to really are inspired by his book Meditations. There are four virtues in stoicism Courage, temperance, justice, wisdom. Stoics live by the phrase memento mori, remember that you will die, which I love, and that remembering that because you will die focus on what you can become. And stoics are very suspicious of emotions. Just notice the emotion, decide what you want to do with it, make a correct choice, and move on. So in popular culture if someone says that person is very stoic, its kind of come to mean that person isnt very emotional. A Stoic lives well through having a good character, and death is the final test of it. While every death will be a bit different, the Roman Stoics believed that a good death would be characterized by mental tranquility, a lack of complaining, and gratitude for the life we’ve been given. 

Marcus Aurelius. “You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” 

Tom Brady, Tim Ferriss, Anna Kendrick, Arnold Schwarzennegar, Bill Belechick, are modern stoics

George Washington inspired by stoics, Thomas Jefferson had a bust of Seneca on his nightstand, 

Transhumanism – a philosophical and scientific movement that advocates the use of current and emerging technologies—such as genetic engineering, cryonics, artificial intelligence (AI), and nanotechnology—to augment human capabilities and improve the human condition. Basically they are on board with the idea that we can become Gods, but what’s going to get us there is technology. Surprisingly enough, many man post Mormons find themself in this ism because its there’s a lot of still talk about progression and progression as a human society, but its not through temple ordinances its done through genetic engineering and curing cancer and living 500 years. 

Should we associate with isms? “Not that I condone fascism, or any -ism for that matter. -Ism’s in my opinion are not good. A person should not believe in an -ism, he should believe in himself. I quote John Lennon, “I don’t believe in Beatles, I just believe in me.” Good point there. After all, he was the walrus. I could be the walrus.” Ferris Bueller 

What’s your ism?

Bill: I deeply relate to or even believe or subscribe to most of these even as I recognize they sort of contradict each other 

Hartley and Reel sit down with Author David Lawrence to explore Free Will. Do we have Free Will? Are we the one’s in control of our choices? David seeks to offer a counterpoint to Sam Harris’ argument that there is in fact no Free Will and this conversation is one you won’t want to miss!

RESOURCES:

https://smile.amazon.com/Are-We-Really-Biochemical-Robots/dp/B09WHPYX3Y/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TComkS60UU8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCGtkDzELAI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCofmZlC72g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u45SP7Xv_oU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J_9DKIAn48
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O61I0pNPg8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI3JCq9-bbM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_BTVN68-ZA

Hartley & Reel sit down with renowned children’s author Andrew Newman to discuss his series “Conscious Stories” Each book seeks to help children grasp the practice of meditation, helping them begin to comprehend complex emotions, exercises to regulating one’s feelings, and helping them develop tools on the way to healthy adulthood.

RESOURCES:

Andrews Author Profile on Amazon (Amazon Smile) – https://smile.amazon.com/stores/Andrew-Newman/author/B00L5OEAI8?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Andrew Newman’s Website – https://consciousstories.com/

Conscious Stories Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/ConsciousBedtimeStories/

Hartley and Reel once again invite Jana Spangler and Anthony Miller on to dive deep into the idea of Doubt. This is the Third and Final part using Brian McLaren’s book “Faith After Doubt” as the framing for this conversation. And along the way they hope to address how to move away from right belief in to encompassing Love and how to hold people as they are while make a big box for other’s humanity to fit in.

RESOURCES:

https://www.youtube.com/@UCtQo1nPDdzxeLFq021DMmTA

Today Bill sits down with his good friend and past guest Jess Foutz to discuss her work in Sound Therapy. Sound therapy is the practice of using beautiful sounding instruments to help you be both present and to go deep within yourself to process things in your past or present life. Jess gives us the example of multiple instruments that she owns and plays and around these instruments we engage in a deep conversation around music and sound.

RESOURCES:

Grow With Soul Website – https://www.growwithsoul.com/
Shamanic Sound Healings – https://www.growwithsoul.com/shamanicsoundhealings
What there is to know about Sound Healing – https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/sound-healing

Hartley and Reel decide to celebrate the Christmas Season by diving into their favorite stories that surround Christ. In spite of not holding a literal view of the Christ figure of the New Testament they still find a way to draw out modern spirituality through the stories attributed to the Christ figure!

Spiritual Atheist is a ground-breaking ‘philosophical memoir’ that draws on the author’s knowledge of cutting-edge neuroscience, physics, and psychology; his insights into wisdom traditions like Taoism, Kabbalah, Advaita Vedanta, Buddhism, Zen, and Sufism; and twenty years experience leading hundreds of major organizations, and tens of thousands of individuals, to transform themselves.

Unable to find lasting happiness with religion, reason, pills, therapy, partying, wealth, success, or entrepreneurship, the author discovered the life-changing and heart-expanding benefits of ‘spiritual’ enlightenment. But not satisfied with New Age ideology, he spent years meticulously joining the dots between science and spirituality to form a rigorous philosophy for the ‘spiritual but not religious’ who want to flourish in their inner lives, relationships, and careers.

RESOURCES:

https://switchonnow.com/

https://smile.amazon.com/Nick-Seneca-Jankel/e/B00L115YX0

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickjankel

Britt & Bill once again invite Jana Spangler and Anthony Miller on to dive deep into the idea of Doubt. This is the second of three parts using Brian McLaren’s book “Faith After Doubt” as the framing for this conversation. And along the way they hope to address the following.

• Doubt as Descent Doubt as Dissent
• Doubt as Love
• Doubt as a Human Problem
• Faith, Beliefs, and Revolutionary Love
  
  RESOURCES:
  
  Part 1 – https://youtu.be/3iFBEtHQZqI
  
  Jon Paulien Stages of Faith – http://www.thebattleofarmageddon.com/stages_of_faith.pdf
  
  Perry’s Stage of Cognitive Development – https://mormondiscussionpodcast.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/12/Perry-Scheme.pdf
  
  
  
  
  
  

Most of us believe inside our mind that we are being objective, fair, and reasonable. And at the same time we sort of grasp we are not and that our mind leans towards beliefs, conclusions, and taking sides on various issues. Today we discuss biases and how they affect us and how we can best avoid them which in turn helps us be more present in reality.

RESOURCES:

Brian McLaren on biases – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/learning-how-to-see-with-brian-mclaren/id1532685433

wiki List of cognitive biases – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases

Another list of Biases – https://thedecisionlab.com/biases

Three Ways To Avoid Bias In Decision-Making – https://www.forbes.com/sites/jarretjackson/2020/08/26/three-ways-to-avoid-bias-in-decision-making/?sh=5a7fe890a715

MindTools How Avoid Biases – https://www.mindtools.com/a0ozgex/cognitive-bias

Outsmart your own Biases –  https://hbr.org/2015/05/outsmart-your-own-biases

A dive into Greek Mythology and archetype for this episode. Chiron was the wisest of all centaurs, who can teach a lot about our wounds. It is in our wounds that we are healed.

Hartley and Reel sit down with Theologian and Philosopher Thomas Jay Oord to discuss Theology. Namely how Religion helps us connect with our inner and outer world. How humans are social creature who crave connection and whose minds seeks meaning constantly. Oord, Hartley, and Reel facilitate a conversation where we look into the Idea of GOD and if can can create a framing for God that allows us to dismiss the unhealthy facets of belief and religion. And if we take out all the unhealthy, if there is anything left of GOD worthy of continued belief.

Thomas Jay Oord is a theologian, philosopher, and multidisciplinary scholar who directs a doctoral program at Northwind Theological Seminary and the Center for Open and Relational Theology. He formerly taught for sixteen years as a tenured professor at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho and before that a philosophy professor at Eastern Nazarene College. Oord is the author or editor of more than thirty books and hundreds of articles. He is known for his contributions to research on love, open theism, process theism, open and relational theology, postmodernism, the relationship between religion and science, Wesleyan, holiness, Nazarene theology. Oord is consistently ranked among the most influential academic theologians of our time. (Wikipedia)

Britt & Bill once again invite Jana Spangler and Anthony Miller on to dive deep into the idea of Doubt. Using Brian McLaren’s book “Faith After Doubt” as the framing for this conversation. And along the way they hope to address the following.
* Doubt as Loss – How did you experience doubt as a loss?
* Doubt as Loneliness – How did doubt bring loneliness?
* Doubt as Crisis  -How did doubt bring crisis?
* Doubt as Doorway – What did doubt open up for you?
* Doubt as Growth – What growth did you experience because of doubt?

Resources:

Introduction to Stages of Faith – https://christoffaith.org/2018/04/7386/

Jon Paulien Stags of Faith – http://www.thebattleofarmageddon.com/stages_of_faith.pdf

Ages & Stages: Robert Keeley – https://faithformationlearningexchange.net/uploads/5/2/4/6/5246709/faith_development__faith_formation_-_keeley.pdf

Ken Wilber: Spiral Dynamics – https://mormondiscussions.org/discussion/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/12/IntegralMapBest.jpg

Perry’s Scheme of Cognitive Development – https://mormondiscussions.org/discussion/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/12/Perry-Scheme.pdf

Fowler’s Stages of Faith – https://psychologycharts.com/james-fowler-stages-of-faith.html

On this weeks episode Bill and Britt discuss How to have “Difficult Conversations”. When a Hard Disagreement occurs, often our Egos get in the way of having hard conversations where both sides feel heard and understood. Often even small conversations with nothing at stake can have us misunderstanding each other. So today Bill & Britt share their insights into how to navigate difficult conversations.

Resources For Hard Conversations:
https://www.hrmorning.com/articles/difficult-conversations/
https://au.reachout.com/articles/6-steps-to-help-you-tackle-difficult-conversations
https://www.judyringer.com/resources/articles/we-have-to-talk-a-stepbystep-checklist-for-difficult-conversations.php
https://hbr.org/2017/05/how-to-have-difficult-conversations-when-you-dont-like-conflict
https://www.betterup.com/blog/how-to-have-difficult-conversations

Often when we hear “Brainwashing” or “Mind Control” it feels weird or a little science fiction to us. In reality, mind control refers to a specific set of methods and everyday normal appearing techniques that influence how a person thinks, feels, and acts. Our minds can easily be influenced… simply notice the billions spent in advertising. So in today’s episode Britt & Bill discuss Steven Hassan’s work with the B.I.T.E. Model which is the manipulation of (B)ehavior, (I)nformation, (T)hought,and (E)motion in order to maintain control over a person or group of people.

Bill runs solo today and decides to talk about Privilege. How privilege permits a person or group of people to redistribute negatively felt experiences or trauma and allowing others or imposing others take that additional trauma or negative experience on. He then talks about who were the system makers. Why did we choose them to be our voice? To make our systems? To create our rules? Bill points out that even when someone comes along such as Jesus to help us deconstruct the system and hold system leaders accountable, notice how the message is twisted and sabotaged so that the privileged remain at the top and now manage the message of the the one who came to disrupt the system. Bill wraps up the episode inviting us to see through all that clutter and to take our lives back by leaning into awareness, being present, and showing up in our life with focus and intention that allows you to have greater capacity to be a good actor in the world around you.

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Britt and Bill explore the concept of “Dangerous Ideas”. Ideas that have the potential to turn our world upside down or to cause disruption to current systems, the outside world, or chaos to the inner mind.

QUESTIONS DISCUSSED

• Sending signals into space to contact extraterrestrial life

• Is not having a concept of Free Will dangerous
  
• Believing jesus will return and set everything straight
  
• Love your enemy

• Having a worldwide basic living income

• Capitalism for prisons

• Humans came into the world rather than from it  – not fleshed out enough in my mind

• Evolution controls us

• Transhumanism – allowing people to live longer may in fact slowdown progress and the implementation of new ideas

• If we can create consciousness should we

• Louis CK Pedophile doll 

• Should we bring children into the world, should secular people have more children

• Mouse embryos with no sperm or eggs – possibilities for LGBT children

• Teach history of religion in schools

• Allow religions to exist for the masses

• Differences between races
  
• Transgender folks allowed in gendered sports?
  
• Social Darwinism
  
• Should men and women orgasm equally?

This Week Britt & Bill take a look as various data including the Pew Research Data and try to extrapolate some of the shifts away and beyond from past generations, that Generation Z is making. How are they different from their parents and Grandparents and how healthy or unhealthy might these shifts be. And where do they fall in their trust and loyalty to religious systems and systems generally.

SLIDE SHOW

SLIDE 1

Who is Gen Z

 Generation X is anyone born from 1965 to 1980.

• Baby boomers are anyone born from 1946 to 1964.
• Millennials are anyone born from 1981 to 1996.
• Generation Z is anyone born from 1997 to 2012.
•          Born 1997-2012

SLIDE 2

         Sexually Fluid

         Racially Diverse

         25% of the population

         Biblically Illiterate

         Dreams to:

         Become Financially independent

         Follow their dreams

         Enjoy life and travel

         Learn who they are    

Internet

57% use their phones more than four hours a day, with phones being on their person close to 100% of the day. Their worldview, overall, is highly inclusive and individualistic based on the time that they spend hearing the stories and experiencing the lives of thousands of others online. While this can turn into a kind of moral relativism, it is based on the idea that other people’s experiences are valid. Their perspective includes the entire world all the time in the palms of their hands.

“As the most racially, religiously, and sexually diverse generation in American history, Gen Z expects people to have different beliefs and experiences, and they seem to have a greater appreciation for social inclusiveness.”

Family is not important to sense of self (Safer to Individuate)

Another defining characteristic is that although they admire their relationships with their parents with more than half saying that they parents are their primary role model, “most don’t feel family relationships are central to their sense of self – a major departure from other generations.”

Wide variety of friends (Safer to be Accepting and Inclusive)

Almost half of them are friends with those who are vastly different from them, as opposed to their grandparents who rarely had to rub elbows with people who had life experiences that would cause cognitive dissonance or pushback to their own beliefs. Their access to the variety of human experience is wider than any previous generation can fathom, making them less dependent on their family or tribe for their way of life.

High Anxiety

Underneath this expansive worldview lies insecurities as well. There is pressure to find themselves as people and become financially successful. Gen Z has come of age in a post-9/11 nation reeling from the 2008 recession, and many teens are anxious about their future. Their goals revolve around professional success and financial security, and a majority says their ultimate aim is “to be happy” – which a plurality defines as financial success.

It is very important for this generation to carve out their unique, financially secure, and authentic space in a very confusing and shifting world. Social media allows them to create networked communities where they actively take part in self-expression and identity formation. However, there is a cost. The pressure of matching their real life to what others post online can exacerbate loneliness, depression, fear of missing out, anxiety, and especially body image issues for young women. Insecure, young brains seeking identity and meaning in a secular, materialistic, perfect looking online world is going to be the challenge they have to overcome. According to psychology professor Jean Twenge, “this generation is on the verge of the greatest mental health crisis in decades.”Beneath the online veneer of happiness lies deep loneliness, anxiety, and stress.

         How are Gen Z different than other generations?

Gen Z and Religion

Gen Z is Leaving Organized Religion

SLIDE 3

A variety of studies report that 50 to 70 percent of young Christians walk away from the church by the time they are in their college years

79% of young people say that when they stop believing, it was during their teen years

SLIDE 4

         4% of Gen Z have a Biblical Worldview (They sense the absurdity of that view and don’t give it the time of day or are not raised with it imposed on them)

James White, in his groundbreaking book Meet Generation Z, notes the most defining mark of members of Generation Z, in terms of their spiritual lives, is their spiritual illiteracy…They do not know what the Bible says. They do not know the basics of Christian belief or theology. They do not what the cross is all about. They do not know what it means to worship. This isn’t a generation that is contained by holy writ, dependent on an interventionist God, or interested in classical forms of worship that focus on hoops to jump through towards salvation.

Why do they leave?

SLIDE 5

Researchers have been asking young ex-Christians why they leave the church, and their answers are worth consideration. Here are some of the most popular responses based from four different studies:

Some stuff is too far-fetched for me to believe (Notice the increased degree of critical thinking skills likely due to technology and the ease of accessing information)

Too many questions can’t be answered

I believe in science and not miracles

I realized the story was like Santa or the Easter Bunny

I have a hard time believing that a good God would allow so much evil or suffering in the world

I had a bad experience at church

I don’t see women, people of color, and LGBTQ people treated kindly at Church.

         59% of Gen Z’ers report that the Church is not relevant to me personally

         61% of Gen Z Christians also report that they find God elsewhere

It is important to note that the majority of even Christian Gen Z teens walk into church and cannot find God there more than they can outside of the church. But when asked about specific beliefs around God or Jesus, they are more likely than not (although less than other generations) to hold to Christian teachings about God and Jesus. (They see value beyond the myth having to be understood literally)

60% of Gen Z youth believe that Jesus was a real person who was actually raised from the dead and 70% believe that Jesus is the Son of God. This is surprising considering that only 25% believe that the Bible is accurate in all of the principles it teaches. So while belief in the literal truth of the Bible, church attendance, or that there is “only one true way” is too difficult a belief to maintain in light of modern science, technology, and multiculturalism, it seems that Gen Z has not thrown God and Jesus out with the bathwater. 

SLIDE 6 – NON CHRISTIANS BARRIERS TO FAITH

SLIDE 7 Rise of the Nones

American religion is experiencing its own unique flock away from the Pews. In 1986, 10% of young adults gave the answer to “none” when responding to a survey about religious affiliation. By 2016, that figure had shot up to 40%. (Due to their answers in the last section, it seems they are insisting that the Church doesn’t match their values and expectations and have looked for connection and awe in other places)

For the first time in American history, Protestant Christianity does not represent that majority of Americans. In 2009 51% of U.S. adults identified with Protestantism, whereas only 43% currently identify

The pace of this decline will only quicken in the years ahead now that Genera­tion Z has established itself as the most non-Christian in US history.  While not all “nones” are atheists, 13 percent of Generation Z clearly identify as atheists compared to 4 percent of boomers.

SLIDE 8 Politics Affects Religion in the 1990’s

Young Liberal Christians break from Christian right in the early 1990’s after a decade of observing its powerful role in conservative politics

According to Christian Smith, sociology and religion progressor at Notre Dame, the story of the rise of the religious right begins in the 1970s. With the rise of secular culture in the 1960s, the Roe vs. Wade decision, no fault divorce laws, universities losing tax-exempt status over their ban on interracial dating, and the sexual revolution Christians felt threatened and became more politically active. The Republican Party welcomed this white, wealthy, conservative group as its base. Within a decade, the religious right had become the major fundraisers for the Republican Party. By 1980, the GOP social platform represented conservative Christian views on sex, families, abortion, school prayer, evolution, and other issues where Christians had a dog in the fight.

Not all countries have an Atheist Left and a Christian Right, Christianity has both Left and Right Values, but that is how it developed in America.

Another reason for the shift – after 9/11, the enemy wasn’t the Godless communists of the USSR, it was Religious radicals, so “nones” could come out of the closet without sounding like Soviets

During George W. Bush’s presidency, Christianity’s association with unpopular Republican policies and an unpopular war drove young liberals and moderates away from the Church. What we begin to see is a gap between liberals and conservatives in religious affiliation. Although it would be wrong to call Democrats a secular party, the left now has a higher share of religiously unaffiliated voters than any time in modern history.

David Campbell, professor and chair of the University of Notre Dame’s political science department has said that a reason for religious decline is an “allergic reaction to the religious right.” The result is that the mixture of politics and Christianity threatens the long-term sustainability of religion in America.

SLIDE 9 Distrust of Authority (Religion depends on you trusting the outer authorities of your tribe and to devalue the merit of views from authorities outside your tribe.  But in an information age, with ease of access people are giving weight to merit over loyalty)

This group has significant trust issues when it comes to formal religious institutions. Asked to rate their trust of organized religion on a 10-point scale, 63% of young people answered 5 or below, including 52% of those who say they’re affiliated with a religious tradition.

SLIDE 10 Affect of Covid on Gen Z

Pew Research Center also reports that three in ten U.S. Adults say the outbreak has boosted their faith, the highest of any industrialized nation, with four in ten saying that it tightened their family bonds. It is common that during times of calamity there is an uptick of religious observance. What makes this a unique calamity is that instead of gathering with friends, family, and faith community, the pandemic required separation.

After 9/11, there was a great deal of evidence that immediately after the attack there was a surge in houses of worship being filled to capacity. But one year later, the statistics returned to what they were before. This emergency is different, churches closed and teens got used to not attending a house of worship. Early surverys show this increases Gen Z leaving the Pews specifically. 

SLIDE 11 Covid affected family ties, youth more likely to say it increased family bonds

SLIDE 12 Gen Z – Reject that there is one way, religion is not important

“Gen Z has rejected the way religion has sought to shape their forms of gender and sexual identity and expression,” Hedstrom said. “If the religion of my parents tells me there is a certain ‘right’ way to be a woman, or to be a sexual person, and I reject that one ‘right’ way, then I might very well also reject the religion that promoted it, and seek alternative religious, spiritual, or secular ways of being and belonging.” 

According to Pew Research Center data, more than 50 percent of teens in the United States ages 13 to 17 identify with the religion—or lack of religious affiliation—of their parents, yet there’s a marked difference between the age groups when it comes to whether they consider religion important in their lives: 24 percent of teens say it’s very important while 43 percent of their parents described it that way. (As Importance is diminished, folks will feel safe to explore other sources of truth, spirituality, awe, wisdom, etc…)

SLIDE 13

Do not rely on tradition for rituals

Though 75% of Gen Zers surveyed in 2019 said they have a religious background, only 18% said they planned to observe formal religious traditions at their wedding, while nearly 87% saw themselves making their own traditions (They no longer value its authority.  These rituals are no longer “The Way”)

Gen Z resists being called to fall in line (Feel empowered to dissent – their inner authority is stronger than their parents, grandparents)

For some, the path is set and it is only the job of Gen Z to fall in line, such as what we find in this quote from Jody Tadros who developed a Gen Z curriculum of discipleship:

“What distinguishes pastors is that God commissions them to teach His truth to His people, the church. They are the voice of absolute truth in a world that is contrary to it. Gen Z is a generation living in a world that pushes God away, making them thing that God is an option rather than the only way, the truth, and the life. It is for this reason, the church, especially pastors and teachers of the word of God are key in denouncing these heretic beliefs in a world going further away from the Biblical truth of Jesus Christ.”

SLIDE 14 Gen Z in need of leadership

Though they may not be turning to churches as often, young people still need adults in their lives, including pastors, to guide them during challenging and uncertain times.

In last year’s State of Religion and Young People 2020, Springtide found that as the number of trusted adults in a young people’s life increased, the level of loneliness and purposeless they feel decreased. While 24% of young people with no adult mentors say they never feel their life has meaning and purpose, with just one adult mentor, this number dropped to 6%. A similar trend held true for loneliness — while 58% of those with no adult mentors say they sometimes or always have no one to talk to, this number dropped to 48% with just one adult mentor.

How does Gen Z find adult mentors they can trust? (You have to place yourself in spaces where such voices are)

End of Slides

Gen Z Values

Generation Z, currently between the ages of nine and 24, is leading the fight against racial injustice, bringing about climate change awareness and legislation, and dismantling the systems that perpetuate historical disadvantages. By no means are we the pioneers of religious taste-testing—sampling, as many of us do, a wide variety of religions and spiritual practices—but we are certainly unafraid to vocalize our deconstruction of religious principles, hold them up to the light, and distance ourselves from the teachings that misalign with our values. 

4 major values

         Diversity

Pastor Zach Lambert, of Restore Austin, a nondenominational church, reports that since the pandemic began youth engagement was highest when a Black staff member hosted a Zoom discussion about racial bias. “We had a ton of young folks on that call,” Lambert says. “That was really their main church participation since COVID hit.” Imagine Christian churches in the 1950’s hosting a Black member of the congregation speaking to the community about their experience. It’s almost unheard of, and that deserves to be noted. When it comes to who sits with the marginalized, outcasts, sex workers, and second-class citizens as Jesus did, it is Gen Z that is the hero. They are the most willing to sit with someone, hear their story, mourn with those that mourn, carry people’s crosses, and stand against injustice. What is merely lacking here is the trepidation from Christians to call their social justice projects and protests “Christian,” when indeed it is.

Right Wing Politics driving Youth away from Christianity

         Openness

Gen Z do not debate Bible verses or lose their faith doing deep dives into philosophy and theology. They don’t have the same theological baggage. They are open to redefining Christianity and religion without requiring much work to get there. (One way or another they are able to avoid or push back against the pressure of these systems to gain loyalty and obedience.)

         Empathy

Empathy is sometimes viewed from older adults as being overly sensitive or “politically correct.” However, treading lightly on people’s experiences, giving space for other’s spiritual journeys, and being compassionate to someone’s unique way of life is a strength.

The old generation of leadership never sees Gen Z as the Good Samaritan, leading the way. They are always calling them back to the church and the old ways of life.

         Relationships

The last resonance worth mentioning is relationships. While some churches may say “people over principle,” it is Gen Z that seems to most live by it.

Generation Z values authenticity, vulnerability, and true connection over slick marketing and overly structured programming. They won’t be drawn into churches by graphic design, lighting and set production, or even by a young, hipster pastor. Like most everyone, they will come to a church where they have been invited by friends and where there are people that look like them on stage and on staff. Moreover, doctrine and religious rules won’t mean anything to them if it excludes their friends, including those in the LGBTQ community.

Gen Z – Interested in Tarot and Horoscope

Pew data released recently showed that 51% of young people of various faith identities engage in tarot cards or other fortune telling practices.

Divination practices are most popular among young people who identify as Russian or Greek Orthodox (78.1%), Mormon (69.4%) or Jewish (62.1%). Atheists had the lowest interest in metaphysical-adjacent practices at 34.4%, followed closely by those identifying with no particular faith tradition.

A new survey released by Springtide Research Institute confirms what metaphysical store owners and veteran tarot readers have known since the term Gen Z was invented: Younger Americans, known for fashioning their own spirituality the way they curate their social media feeds, do so using well-established alternative practices.

“Our generation has already been distancing ourselves from a lot of institutions,” wrote Zaina Qureshi, a 16-year-old who identifies as both Muslim and spiritual. “The main three Abrahamic religions leave little to our own interpretation of Scripture.”

With tarot and similar practices, Qureshi said, “we’re open to interpret what we want to think (for) ourselves and make our own guidelines when it comes to spirituality, which is why I think a lot of young people resonate with it.”

Mathew Blasio, a 22-year-old who is religiously unaffiliated and also works with crystals, told Springtide: “I think crystals are like ‘saints’ for young people and spirituals. Sometimes you just need something or someone that is rooted in courage.”

Members of Gen Z, whom Packard describes as “spiritual explorers,” are seeking to enrich and personalize their religious experience through various metaphysical practices

“Gen Z is very curious and engaged with the world around them. Increasingly, their interests in spiritual and religious concerns explore spaces outside of traditional institutional boundaries,” Packard said. “While the findings about tarot might be new, they are not surprising in this larger context of Unbundled Faith that we use to characterize Gen Z.”

.

Gen Z Returning Paganism

In the early 2000s, over 40 percent of Americans answered with an emphatic “yes” when Gallup asked them if “a profound religious experience or awakening” had redirected their lives; that number had doubled since the 1960s, when institutional religion was more vigorous. A recent Pew survey on secularization likewise found increases in the share of Americans who have regular feelings of “spiritual peace and well-being.”

         Beginning a post-Christian future for America, and paganism is on the rise

A fascinating version of this argument is put forward by Steven D. Smith, a law professor at the University of San Diego, Smith argues that much of what we understand as the march of secularism is something of an illusion, and that behind the scenes what’s actually happening in the modern culture war is the return of a pagan religious conception, which was half-buried (though never fully so) by the rise of Christianity.

While only about 1 million US adults identify as pagan or Wiccan, a staggering six in 10 Americans ascribe to at least one “New Age” belief, including astrology, psychics, or that objects like crystals contain spiritual energy, according to the Pew Research Center. 

Tarot gives one a sense of control in a political climate where things feel hopeless

Big Business has taken notice. Urban Outfitters carries several different varieties of crystals and tarot cards, including an on-trend millennial-pink deck, and $32 “ritual kits” of sage, incense, and of course, more crystals. Acolytes of Gwyneth Paltrow and her upscale lifestyle brand, Goop, can pony up $84 for a sleek glass water bottle encircled around a pillar of amethyst, ideal for infusing one’s beverage “with the power of crystals,” according to Goop’s website. For those eager to look the part of a modern mystic, Smashbox Cosmetics offers a line of makeup in collaboration with “witch influencer” Bri Luna, known as The Hoodwitch on Instagram, where she posts horoscopes and #witchtips for her 443,000 followers.

Gen Z – Interested in Political Causes

Burlap, a church assisting organization that exists to help churches reach Millennials and Gen Z, proclaims this: “In terms of living out the gospel principles of caring for the least of these, loving your neighbor as yourself, and laying down your life for the sake of your friends, Generation Z is leading the way. They are at the forefront of Black Lives Matter protests, human rights activism, gun control reform, and environmental protection. To them, social justice and equality for all are more than mere catchphrases; they are ways of life. While they may not be able to recite the books of the Bible, they are indeed modeling Christlikeness daily

More than half of Gen Zers (58%) have engaged in acts of protest as a religious or spiritual practice. These acts of protest are most popular among those who say they’re very religious or very spiritual.

Indeed, we continue to find that majorities of Gen Z perceive themselves to be religious (71%) or spiritual (78%) and frequently integrate their beliefs into other areas of life.

As Jewish theologian Abraham Herschel – It is customary to blame secular science and anti-religious philosophy for the eclipse of religion in modern society. It would be more honest to blame religion for its own defeats. Religion declined not because it was refuted, but because it became irrelevant, dull, oppressive, insipid. When faith is completely replaced by creed, worship by discipline, love by habit; when the crisis of today is ignored because of the splendor of the past; when faith becomes an heirloom rather than a living fountain; when religion speaks only in the name of authority rather than with the voice of compassion–its message becomes meaningless.

Religion’s message is becoming increasingly irrelevant for Gen Z. They will never worship like their ancestors did. The internet changed too much. But they are still seeking. They still mostly believe in God, even Jesus. They are seeking to find themselves, to find peace, to find meaning, and it’s a situation where the religious leadership can’t reach them in their own language so they are figuring out Tarot cards on Tik Tok together.

What will Gen Z do as they become adults?

The future has

The occult

New paganism

Political movements

Distrust of institutions

Belief in higher power still active

Lack of trustworthy adults as mentors

Anxiety about future of our world and humanity

Daniel Dennet religion change more over the past 100 years than two millenia

Will change more over the next 20 years than in the past 20 years

The Tree of Contemplative Practices illustrates some of the many contemplative practices used in education and secular organizations. In this Episode Britt & Bill walk us through this graphic discussing its meaning and usefulness. On the Tree of Contemplative Practices, the roots symbolize the two intentions that are the foundation of all contemplative practices: cultivating awareness and developing a stronger connection to God, the Divine, or inner wisdom. The roots of the tree encompass and transcend differences in the religious traditions from which many of the practices originated, and allow room for the inclusion of new practices that are being created in secular contexts. The branches represent the different groupings of practices. For example, Stillness Practices focus on quieting the mind and body in order to develop calmness and focus. Generative Practices come in many different forms (i.e. prayers, visualizations, chanting) but share the common intent of generating thoughts and feelings of devotion and compassion, rather than calming and quieting the mind. Please note that these classifications are not definitive. For example, mantra repetition could be considered a Stillness Practice rather than a Generative one.

RESOURCES:

Britt Hartley also offers various courses to assist you in spiritual development which are available for purchase here – https://www.nononsensespirituality.com/projects-8

Contemplation Tree – https://www.contemplativemind.org/practices/tree

On Being’s Contemplative Tree – https://onbeing.org/blog/the-tree-of-contemplative-practices/

Another discussion on the tree – https://maiaduerr.com/tree-of-contemplative-practices/

Bill and Britt Discuss the four Attachment styles. What are the Attachment Styles. What leads to someone displaying said style. What is healthy and unhealthy about each. And what can be done if anything to move towards a secure attachment style.

RESOURCES:

https://www.attachmentproject.com/blog/four-attachment-styles/#:~:text=There%20are%20four%20adult%20attachment,Secure

https://www.attachmentproject.com/blog/secure-attachment/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/starting-with-the-basics-attachment-theory/id1488275879?i=1000548791151&fbclid=IwAR3k7n25dN_ij1X41qlByqH7gU_2HsYlOhtv_wlK5qLkGAsik2CAQcIABCs

Religious Humanism seeks to heal the world through religion done better. It uses the cultural technology of religion to foster individual and collective thriving, and aims this uniquely motivating force at the urgent problems that confront us today. We sit down with Humanist Chaplain Jared Anderson to discuss Religious Humanism is and how its approach plays out in the world.

RESOURCES:

Jared’s 4 Meditation Points as a mystic – Integrity, Expedience, Life, Elegance

6 words to live by: Compassionate, Curious, Acceptance, Clear, Gentle, Firm

Jared’s Youtube Channel “The Life Devoted” – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ0MypZizDzeWcPCDRWXfvw

Jared’s website: http://religioushumanism.org/

Engaging Gospel Doctrine Podcast: https://engaginggospeldoctrine.org/

Britt & Bill tackle Spiritual Bypassing on todays episode. Spiritual bypassing describes a tendency to use spiritual explanations to avoid complex psychological issues. Rather than working through hard emotions or confronting unresolved issues, people would simply dismiss them with spiritual explanations.

RESOURCES:

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-spiritual-bypassing-5081640#:~:text=Spiritual%20bypassing%20is%20a%20way,Avoiding%20feelings%20of%20anger

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-empowerment-diary/201901/what-is-spiritual-bypassing

We pick up from last week’s episode and continue the conversation here in Part 2. Where does morality come from and how best might we humans nudge to a more effective way to create and perpetuate a healthier morality.

RESOURCES:
Sam Harris – TED Talk “Science can answer moral questions” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hj9oB4zpHww
Sam Harris — The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU0FeV3wj44
How Morality Has the Objectivity that Matters—Without God Ronald A. Lindsay – https://secularhumanism.org/2014/07/cont-how-morality-has-the-objectivity-that-matterswithout-god/
The Moral Argument – Good Without God – youtube.com/watch?v=OxiAikEk2vU

In this Episode Britt and Bill tackle a question that often comes up. If you leave religion how will you know right from wrong and how will you maintain a healthy morality rather than a laissez-faire attitude where anything goes?

RESOURCES:

Sam Harris – TED Talk “Science can answer moral questions” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hj9oB4zpHww

Sam Harris — The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU0FeV3wj44

How Morality Has the Objectivity that Matters—Without God Ronald A. Lindsay – https://secularhumanism.org/2014/07/cont-how-morality-has-the-objectivity-that-matterswithout-god/

The Moral Argument – Good Without God – youtube.com/watch?v=OxiAikEk2vU

We sit down with Mike Bahr who deconstructed his religious system later in life. We discuss what all is involved in deconstruction. The letting go of beliefs, the re-evaluating the existence of God, and the loss of community. But we also talk about how for most this feels like growth and involves feeling happier and more content with life.

Britt and Bill pick up off last week’s conversation where they discussed the benefits of a religious narrative and religious community when one is faced with tragedy and trauma and attempt in this conversation to help us understand how we got there. How did God come to be? Which Gods had more holding power? What functions did these adaptations have for helping groups of humans collaborate and perpetuate?

RESOURCES:

Hidden Brain Podcast – Creating God – https://www.npr.org/2018/07/16/628792048/creating-god

Oldest Cave Drawings – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cueva_de_las_Manos

The Sorcerer Cave Drawing – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sorcerer_(cave_art)

God: A Human History – Reza Aslan https://www.amazon.com/God-Human-History-Random-House/dp/0525624333

Sapiens Yuval Hariri https://www.amazon.com/Sapiens-Humankind-Yuval-Noah-Harari/dp/0062316095

Civilized to Death – Christopher Ryan – https://www.amazon.com/Civilized-Death-What-Lost-Modernity/dp/1451659105

Britt comes back to update us on her life and to expound with Bill on the idea of how Religion helps us to deal with trauma. And How one receives such support outside a religious paradigm. They hope to help you see value in the mechanisms religions bring to the table and to help us all figure out how to not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Bad things are going to happen to each of us and if we are going to create a better world we need to consider how these systems were built in order to help humans survive and to have needs met.

Britt shares an update on her family situation and thoughts about spirituality in trauma after religion.

To help Britt, her daughter and their family please consider the following options

1.) You can donate to the Almost Awakened Podcast and where Britt receives a significant majority of the funds collected. https://almostawakened.org/donate-to-almost-awakened-podcast/ (Tax Deductable)

2.) You can send money directly to Britt through her Venmo @brittsterhartley (NOT Tax Deductable)

3.) You help in other ways such as providing meals as they navigate the early stages of this event that has turned their world upside down https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0444a4aa22a20-support

Britt and Bill take a look at spiritual practices on the edges of society. Tarot, Necromancy, Divination, Crystals, Clairvoyance, Reiki, and many others. What is real and what isn’t and how can we know. And if some or even all of these practices contain no real supernatural processes, can they still be useful?

Bill & Britt dive into some wisdom around friendship and what it takes to be in relationship with others. We discuss little intricacies that we have learned over the years that will contribute to healthy relationships and community

Bill sits down with Carol Hollowell, founder and Executive Director of SwitchPoint. Switchpoint is a non-profit whose goal is to tackle homelessness and poverty throughout the state of Utah. They are doing this in dynamic ways that hitting the issue head on. Today we sit down and talk about the problem of homelessness in the state of Utah and cover what Switchpoint is doing to make a difference.

RESOURCES:

Switchpoint Website
Homelessness in Utah

Facets of Switchpoint

1. Shelter
2. Low income housing
3. Soup Kitchen
4. Thrift Store
5. Boutique
6. Pet daycare
7. Recovery Center
8. Domestic Violence Shelter
9. Childcare during non traditional hours
10. Community Supported Agriculture/Garden
11. Muffin Tops
    
    Ways You Can Help
    https://switchpointcrc.org/donations/monthlygiving/
    https://switchpointcrc.org/in-kind-needs/
    https://switchpointcrc.org/volunteer-2/
    https://switchpointcrc.org/shop-amazon-smile/
    https://switchpointcrc.org/planned-giving/
    
    

Today Bill flies solo and discusses the mechanisms and process by which two parties in a shared social space relieve each other of the pain or trauma and the shame or guilt when one party disrupts another. Once we grasp how this process works and what is going on underneath, we are much more likely to show up in a way that allows for real accountability, safe space for processing, and an easier time releasing the discomfort or trauma

RESOURCES:

https://www.nature.com/articles/srep10639

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frobt.2018.00009/full

https://www.ijcai.org/Proceedings/13/Papers/036.pdf

https://bioneers.org/the-power-of-apology-eve-ensler-ze0z1912/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/darwins-subterranean-world/201403/the-history-im-sorry

Bill and Britt sit down with Kimber Dutton, host of the podcast “Just Be Your Bad Self” to explore a conversation around being the bad ass person you are without the limitations the world places on you and even the limitations you place on your self. The topics we hope to center the conversation on are – Authenticity – Letting Go Of Perfection – Moving On From Patriarchy – Self Love and Acceptance

Resources:

https://www.justbeyourbadself.com/

Bill & Britt sit down with Jessa Bangerter to go over the Enneagram. The Enneagram is a model of the human psyche which is principally understood and taught as a typology of nine interconnected personality types. Understanding these types and where you are and where those in relationship with you are can be helpful to creating empathy and understanding for their humanity

ENNEAGRAM TESTS :
https://globalleadershipfoundation.com/rheti/test.html
https://www.truity.com/af/doyle.evan_2710315
https://www.yourenneagramcoach.com/a/21487/QgAGbeCN
https://cloverleaf.me/ https://s.crys.io/s/1RIzRw

ENNEAGRAM RESOURCES:
https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/
https://www.theenneagramworkshop.com/free-resources
http://inspireenvisioning.com/2017/05/01/favorite-enneagram-resources/
https://www.yourenneagramcoach.com/free-resources
https://www.mormonmatters.org/podcast-item/521-524-the-enneagram-for-mormons/

App:
EnneaApp in the app store

Books:
‘the enneagram of belonging’ – Chris Heuertz
‘the wisdom of the enneagram’ – Don Richard Riso & Russ Hudson
‘the road back to you’ – Ian Morgan Cron & Suzanne Stabile
‘personality types: using the enneagram for self-discovery’ – Don Richard Riso
‘the complete enneagram’ – Beatrice Chestnut PhD

David Peck, host of the podcast “Of Saints and Sufis” sits down with Bill Reel to explore the juxtaposition of Religion & Spirituality. They dive into what it means for Bill to describe himself as an atheist and a mystic and they then explore where Religion seems to miss the mark defining the undefinable while offering what Spirituality does in order to point the person to their own inner workings and own mystical experiences  and their own interpretation of those experiences.

The number one question heard by us from those who after having committed to stepping away from their religious system is “How am I going to raise healthy, wise, responsible children post religious deconstruction?” The answer to that is now easy…. UPLIFT.  Britt and Bill sit down with Jon Ogden, one of the creators of “Uplift”, a program designed to give your kids an inner compass utilizing resources designed to create weekly spiritual experiences that build wonder, resilience, and compassion without feeling the need to adhere to any religious dogma or belief system.

RESOURCES:

https://upliftkids.org/

https://upliftkids.org/our-approach/

https://upliftkids.org/lessons/

Britt does a deep dive into soul work through the story of Jonah and the Whale. She discusses the four existential fears, the places humans avoid most of all. Dive into the story and into your own fears to see what peace comes on the other side.

Britt and Bill sit down with author and the host of the “Secular Buddhism” Podcast, Noah Rasheta, and discuss second half of life principles and how secular Buddhism can be utilized to lean into growth and compassionate living.

RESOURCES:

No-Nonsense Buddhism for Beginners – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C31XJGP/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Secular Buddhism: Eastern Thought for Western Minds – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M7Y7953/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1

The 5-Minute Mindfulness Journal: Daily Practices for a Calmer, Happier You – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1641523050/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2

Secular Buddhism Podcast – https://secularbuddhism.com/

Buddhism Without Beliefs: A Contemporary Guide to Awakening – https://www.amazon.com/Buddhism-Without-Beliefs-Contemporary-Awakening/dp/1573226564

Buddhism for Beginners: Jack Kornfield – https://www.audible.com/pd/Buddhism-for-Beginners-Jack-Kornfield-Audiobook/B002V8OFZ0

Bill Reel was interviewed on the podcast “Rameumptom Ruminations” and below is a synopsis of the episode

Is there space for agency to exist in our causal and determined world? After listening to a recent Mormonism live episode where Bill and RFM discussed Agency with their guest Carah, Scott invited Bill onto the show to discuss the subject in further detail. This episode is a primer on the debate over the existence of a free will. In it, they cover determinism, compatibilism, and libertarianism and the arguments for and against each.

Sources

Schopenhauer, A., 1985. On the freedom of the will. Oxford, OX, UK: Blackwell.

Hume, David, and P F. Millican. An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007.

Britt and Bill sit down with Cami Hurst, host of the podcast “Sex Therapy 101” and discuss common issues within intimacy and relationships. Her podcast can be found at https://camihurst.com/sex-therapy-101-podcast.

Cami’s Bio: As a personal counselor I operate from a place of compassionate curiosity. I will help you visualize and own what you are wanting in life, explore blocks keeping you from attaining it, and walk with you towards realizing your personal power and internal authority. As a couples counselor I operate from a blend of attachment and differentiation based models. I believe our opportunity in relationships is to continue to grow and mature as individuals. It is appreciating our partner’s differences that make for long term fulfilling partnerships – not striving for sameness. As a sex therapist, I specialize in Female Sexual Development, Mutual Sexual Satisfaction for couples, Sexual Education for Premarital/Newlywed couples, Sexual Orientation and Identity congruence for individuals and their families (I do not offer conversion therapy), Affair recovery, and Post-addiction relationship recovery. I believe that sexuality is part of our wholeness. My focus is on creating mutual pleasure and sexual health within your own value system. I also specialize in spiritual issues such as faith crisis, faith reconstruction or transition, and mixed-faith marriages.

Today we dive into Alain De Botton’s Ted Talk Atheism 2.0. While in the original conversation we included the entire talk of Botton’s, his sections are condensed in this audio to the most important parts. The jist of the episode is that while we may discard religion as made up bunk, we will do ourselves a disservice if we don’t recognize Religion as a vehicle to transfer skills, tool, and technology that has been instrumental in perpetuating the human species and that we ought to at least consider repurposing religion so as to utilize its processes that are functioning positively within our world.

Bill’s wife Amanda fills in for Britt today and Bill and Amanda dive into a conversation about Miguel Ruiz’s book, the Four Agreements.
Agreement 1: Be Impeccable With Your Word
Agreement 2: Don’t Take Anything Personally
Agreement 3: Don’t Make Assumptions
Agreement 4: Always Do Your Best

And we wrap up talking about his book the Fifth Agreement which is

Agreement 5: Be skeptical, but learn to listen

Bill and Britt sit down with Teri Hales, a certified religious transition and trauma recovery coach, and the host of the Emancipate Your Mind Podcast to discuss multiple components of the deconstruction process and to talk about the skills and tools that one can lean into to create a healthier better second half of life.

https://emancipateyourmind.org/

Brittney and Bill sit down with David Peck Ph.D (Sufi al-Hajj Daud) to discuss sufism and its wisdom & value to the awakening soul. Sufism is among the most ancient spiritual traditions in the world. Sufism traces its origins back thousands for years through a golden chain of individually guided meditation and mystical practice. The modern stream of the Sufi tradition, called Universal Sufism, is growing globally, especially in the West. Universal Sufism invites all souls––from any faith tradition and background, or from no faith tradition or background–– to join with us on the Journey of Becoming.

RESOURCES:

https://www.ofsaintsandsufis.com/

In the Yoga tradition, there is a state of consciousness called, Atma Darshan, which simply means, “Glimpsing the Soul”. In todays episode we sit down with Philip McLemore as he shares preparatory “direct awareness” practices that have helped individuals “Glimpse their Soul”, which either motivated them to establish a practice or gain a vision of what the practice is intended to help them realize. The idea is to help the individual’s “taste” or “touch” his/her inner being or essential nature, in a simple, practical way, that doesn’t require months or years of practice. Today we give you the tools to glimpse your own soul which can be a catalyst for a deeper awareness and a more awakened life. We end discussing psychoactive substances as Tools to “glimpsing the soul”

The Meditation Practices:

1.) Gazing into a mirror to lookinto one’s own eyes to awaken awareness of a deeper or stable “Presence/Self” in self and others. Or Gazing into the eyes of another while asking the question, “What is the difference between you and me?” See Another’s Humanity and see yourself within them

2.) To awaken awareness of a continuity of a deeper or stable “Presence/Self” using a practice called “Life Review”, one examines how life and self have been experienced throughout one’s developmental stages in 5-to-10-year increments from as far back as one can remember to the present. One realizes that despite monumental physical, mental, and emotional changes throughout life, there has always been an unchanging, stable “Presence/Self”. – This process can be reversed and sometimes unveils repressed emotions, the source of “shadow” tendencies, and an understanding of how one’s essential nature has been limited or restricted by normal, human, developmental stages.

3.) To awaken awareness of an expanded self beyond time and space. – Sky or Star Gazing in such a way as to transfer the perception and experience of Infinity into oneself.

4.) Self-Inquiry or the Via Negativa. – Through contemplation of a series of questions, one “subtracts” the changing and temporal aspects of one’s “self” to discover what remains. – The question, “Who (or What) am I?”, is contemplated after reflection on a progressive series of questions such as, “Am I the body?” (Am I my arm, eyes, hands? ect… “Am I my thoughts?”; “Am I my emotions?”; and so forth, ie. personality characteristics, life circumstances, etc.

5.) To awaken awareness of the deeper “I” behind the “Me” using the the “Me” vs “I” contemplation.

6.) To awaken awareness of “the” or “a” deeper reality in self. – Difficult for traditional LDS, the “God (or Creative Energy of the universe) IN Me; God (or Creative Energy of the universe) AS Me” contemplation

7.) To awaken awareness of deeper “life” within or expanded “life” beyond self. – Use of vibration, chanting, or music. – Use of breath and/or “life force” within then without. – Use of breathing techniques like, Wim Hof Breathing, that can stimulate production of DMT.

Britt and Bill dive into the Hero’s Journey. The discuss the various elements and the ways in which those elements connect with the human world in reality.

RESOURCES:

ted.com/talks/matthew_winkler_what_makes_a_hero?language=en

https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/458496650/the-heros-journey

Britt flies solo today doing deep dive into nihilism, when deconstruction goes too far, and how to rebuild from the ashes.

Britt and Bill take a deep dive into the topic of Consent. What is consent, How does it operate in our society in formal ways such as Medical consent or consent within research. What about Consent within the topics of Marriage, raising a family, and yes even Sex? Britt & Bill help the audience to sense that Consent when understood affects so much of how we show up for others such as our kids and grandkids and even on Karaoke night !

RESOURCES:

https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/planning-managing/informed-consent/what-is-informed-consent.html#:~:text=Informed%20consent%20is%20a%20process,questions%20before%20procedures%20and%20treatments.

https://www.rainn.org/articles/what-is-consent

https://www.healthline.com/health/guide-to-consent

https://www.girlscouts.org/en/raising-girls/happy-and-healthy/happy/what-is-consent.html

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/06/01/728398532/how-to-talk-about-sex-and-consent-4-lessons-from-the-kink-community

https://www.npr.org/transcripts/972452455

https://www.npr.org/2021/03/01/972452455/navigating-consent-is-all-about-communication-heres-where-to-start

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/consent-or-coercion-revisiting-choices-we-made-when/id1548073775?i=1000527015014

Britt and Bill sit down with American humanist speaker and co-author of the book “Why I Left, Why I Britt and Bill sit down with American humanist speaker and co-author of the book “Why I Left, Why I Stayed: Conversations on Christianity Between an Evangelical Father and His Humanist Son” and discuss Deconstruction, Reconstruction and the future of Religion and humanity.  Part one focused on the deconstruction of religion while part 2 delves into reconstruction from a humanist perspective.

RESOURCES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bart_Campolo

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Campolo

https://americanhumanist.org/what-we-do/grassroots/start-humanist-group-area/

https://ehrmanblog.org/my-interview-with-erstwhile-evanvgelist-now-secular-humanist-bart-campolo/

Britt and Bill sit down with American humanist speaker and co-author of the book “Why I Left, Why I Stayed: Conversations on Christianity Between an Evangelical Father and His Humanist Son” and discuss Deconstruction, Reconstruction and the future of Religion and humanity

RESOURCES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bart_Campolo

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Campolo

https://ehrmanblog.org/my-interview-with-erstwhile-evanvgelist-now-secular-humanist-bart-campolo/

Today the Almost Awakened Podcast is revamped and goes through an upgrade and we share with all of you the improvements and the redesign.

Today we delve into three stories of experiences that I was present for where something occurred and I was given by the universe an opportunity to respond. I will be bragging a bit but with the hope that you can each learn something that equips you to respond better in the world.
Visit us at https://almostawakened.org/
Our reddit page https://www.reddit.com/r/AlmostAwakened/

This was an episode to another Podcast hosted by Bill Reel but there was so much in this episode that would pertain to the Almost Awakened audience that it has been published here as well.

Bill Reel sits down with Jared Anderson to discuss the inner work of Transformation. Along the way they hit on ideas of Consciousness, Tools that alter consciousness, human development, spiral dynamics, Men’s work, and leaving unhealthy systems. They cover a lot of ground and the conversation is insightful. If you wish to contact Jared you can email him at jaredandersoncoaching@gmail.com or visit his website linked below.  You can watch the video version of this episode here https://youtu.be/a4LcQx88wj0

RESOURCES:

https://www.jaredandersoncoaching.com/

Bill Sits down with Brittney Hartley, Jana Spangler and Anthony Miller and they tackle part 12 and the final session of Jack Kornfield’s series in an effort to help the Almost Awakened Audience sense the great resources and tools to a life well lived by exposing you to Buddhism and its contemplative nature. We are using as a backdrop the 12 part presentation by Jack Kornfield titled “Buddhism for Beginners” In Episode 12 We wrap up our series discussing “The Buddha’s Last Teachings” and how you the listener now need to go off and engage in the practice.

Brittney Hartley is the author of Mormon Philosophy Simplified. She has a masters degree in the Future of American Religion and is in training as a spiritual director with the Center for Non-religious Spirituality. Her work focuses on rebuilding spiritual health after religious trauma.

Jana Spangler is a Certified Integral Professional Coach with Symmetry Solutions who specializes in coaching individuals, couples, and families who are affected by shifting religious belief. She is an educator in subjects of faith, spiritual connection and development, and relationships. She attended The Living School under the direction of Fr. Richard Rohr, where she studied Contemplative Christianity and other wisdom traditions and how they can support the transforming work of love in ourselves, our communities, and the world.

Anthony Miller is an entrepreneur and education enthusiast in Billings, Montana, with Masters degrees in Business Administration and in Financial Services. After a lifetime of faithful membership in the church, he experienced a faith transition after he stumbled across the Gospel Topics Essays and similar materials in 2016, while he was searching for resources to support his adult gay son. Anthony blogs at UnpackingAmbiguity.com and is a frequent contributor to post and progressive Mormon support communities.

Bill Reel is the Founder and Executive Director of Mormon Discussion Inc. a non-profit whose mission it is to provide resources and support to humans who are deconstructing unhealthy spiritual systems and to help those individuals reconstruct a new world view that values Authenticity and Vulnerability.  Bill is the author of “Faith Development Explained” a document designed to help people understand their own awakening.  

RESOURCES:

Jack Kornfield – Buddhism for Beginners – https://www.audible.com/pd/Buddhism-for-Beginners-Jack-Kornfield-Audiobook/

Eckhart Tolle – A New Earth – https://www.amazon.com/New-Earth-Awakening-Purpose-Selection/dp/0452289963

The Urban Monk by: Pedram Shojai- https://www.amazon.com/Urban-Monk-Eastern-Success-Happiness/dp/1623366151

John Horga – Rational Mysticism: Spirituality Meets Science in the Search for Enlightenment – https://www.amazon.com/Rational-Mysticism-Spirituality-Science-Enlightenment

Don Miguel Ruiz JrThe Five Levels of Attachment: Toltec Wisdom for the Modern World Hardcover – https://www.amazon.com/Five-Levels-Attachment-Toltec-Wisdom/dp/1938289080

Rob Bell – Everything Is Spiritual: Finding Your Way in a Turbulent World – https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Spiritual-What-Were-Doing-ebook/dp/B0867R7P5J

This: Becoming Free – Michael Gungo – https://www.amazon.com/This-Becoming-Free-Michael-Gungor/dp/1944903615

Finding God in the Waves: How I Lost My Faith and Found It Again Through Science – Mike McHargue – https://www.amazon.com/Finding-God-Waves-Through-Science-ebook/dp/B01A4B1QIY

Bathing With God – Glenn Ostlund – https://www.amazon.com/Bathing-God-Playfully-Engaging-Divinity/dp/1735605905

Falling Upward, Richard Rohr – https://www.amazon.com/Falling-Upward-Spirituality-Halves-Life/dp/0470907754

Faith After Doubt – Brian McLaren – https://www.amazon.com/Faith-After-Doubt-Beliefs-Stopped/dp/1250262771/

Living Buddha Living Christ- Thich Nhat Hanh – https://www.amazon.com/Living-Buddha-Christ-20th-Anniversary/dp/159448239X

The Power of Myth interview series with Bill Moyers & Joseph Campbell – https://billmoyers.com/series/joseph-campbell-and-the-power-of-myth-1988/

The Wisdom Jesus, Cythia Bourgeault – https://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Jesus-Transforming-Mind-Perspective/dp/1590305809

Turning to the Mystics podcast with Jim Finley – https://www.amazon.com/Turning-Mystics-James-Finley/dp/B08JJRR1KQ

Learning How to See podcast with Brian McLaren – https://cac.org/podcast/learning-how-to-see/

Michael Singer – The Untethered Soul / The Surrender

Searching for Sunday – Rachel Held Evans – https://www.amazon.com/Searching-Sunday-Loving-Leaving-Finding/dp/0718022122

Bill Sits down with Jana Spangler and Anthony Miller and they tackle part 10 in a series that seeks to help the Almost Awakened Audience sense the great resources and tools to a life well lived by exposing you to Buddhism and its contemplative nature. We are using as a backdrop the 12 part presentation by Jack Kornfield titled “Buddhism for Beginners”

The goal of this series is to help you to be a more authentic & healthier version of yourself.

In part 10 we discuss the Four Elements

1. Earth
2. Fire
3. Air
4. Water

Jana Spangler is a Certified Integral Professional Coach with Symmetry Solutions who specializes in coaching individuals, couples, and families who are affected by shifting religious belief. She is an educator in subjects of faith, spiritual connection and development, and relationships. She attended The Living School under the direction of Fr. Richard Rohr, where she studied Contemplative Christianity and other wisdom traditions and how they can support the transforming work of love in ourselves, our communities, and the world.

Anthony Miller is an entrepreneur and education enthusiast in Billings, Montana, with Masters degrees in Business Administration and in Financial Services. After a lifetime of faithful membership in the church, he experienced a faith transition after he stumbled across the Gospel Topics Essays and similar materials in 2016, while he was searching for resources to support his adult gay son. Anthony blogs at UnpackingAmbiguity.com and is a frequent contributor to post and progressive Mormon support communities.

Bill Reel is the Founder and Executive Director of Mormon Discussion Inc. a non-profit whose mission it is to provide resources and support to humans who are deconstructing unhealthy spiritual systems and to help those individuals reconstruct a new world view that values Authenticity and Vulnerability.  Bill is the author of “Faith Development Explained” a document designed to help people understand their own awakening.  

RESOURCES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81bh%C5%ABta#:~:text=(Verse%202.12).-,Buddhism,%2C%20water%2C%20fire%20and%20air

http://buddhistpeacefellowship.org/4-elements-strengthen-us/

https://tricycle.org/magazine/the-elemental-self/

Bill Sits down with Jana Spangler and Anthony Miller and they tackle part 9 in a series that seeks to help the Almost Awakened Audience sense the great resources and tools to a life well lived by exposing you to Buddhism and its contemplative nature. We are using as a backdrop the 12 part presentation by Jack Kornfield titled “Buddhism for Beginners”

The goal of this series is to help you to be a more authentic & healthier version of yourself.

In part 9 we discuss the Four Abodes.

1. loving-kindness or benevolence (maitrī/mettā)
2. compassion (karuṇā)
3. empathetic joy (muditā)
4. equanimity (upekṣā/upekkhā)

Jana Spangler is a Certified Integral Professional Coach with Symmetry Solutions who specializes in coaching individuals, couples, and families who are affected by shifting religious belief. She is an educator in subjects of faith, spiritual connection and development, and relationships. She attended The Living School under the direction of Fr. Richard Rohr, where she studied Contemplative Christianity and other wisdom traditions and how they can support the transforming work of love in ourselves, our communities, and the world.

Anthony Miller is an entrepreneur and education enthusiast in Billings, Montana, with Masters degrees in Business Administration and in Financial Services. After a lifetime of faithful membership in the church, he experienced a faith transition after he stumbled across the Gospel Topics Essays and similar materials in 2016, while he was searching for resources to support his adult gay son. Anthony blogs at UnpackingAmbiguity.com and is a frequent contributor to post and progressive Mormon support communities.

Bill Reel is the Founder and Executive Director of Mormon Discussion Inc. a non-profit whose mission it is to provide resources and support to humans who are deconstructing unhealthy spiritual systems and to help those individuals reconstruct a new world view that values Authenticity and Vulnerability.  Bill is the author of “Faith Development Explained” a document designed to help people understand their own awakening.  

RESOURCES:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmavihara

https://www.lionsroar.com/what-are-the-four-brahmaviharas/

Bill Sits down with Jana Spangler, Britt Hartley, and Anthony Miller and they tackle part 8 in a series that seeks to help the Almost Awakened Audience sense the great resources and tools to a life well lived by exposing you to Buddhism and it contemplative nature. We are using as a backdrop the 12 part presentation by Jack Kornfield titled “Buddhism for Beginners”

The goal of this series is to help you to be a more authentic & healthier version of yourself.

In part 8 we discuss Buddhist Psychology. Buddhist psychology is primarily about self-knowledge- finding out more about who you are, understanding your decisions, actions, thoughts, feelings, etc

Jana Spangler is a Certified Integral Professional Coach with Symmetry Solutions who specializes in coaching individuals, couples, and families who are affected by shifting religious belief. She is an educator in subjects of faith, spiritual connection and development, and relationships. She attended The Living School under the direction of Fr. Richard Rohr, where she studied Contemplative Christianity and other wisdom traditions and how they can support the transforming work of love in ourselves, our communities, and the world.

Brittney Hartley is the author of Mormon Philosophy Simplified. She has a masters degree in the Future of American Religion and is in training as a spiritual director with the Center for Non-religious Spirituality. Her work focuses on rebuilding spiritual health after religious trauma.

Anthony Miller is an entrepreneur and education enthusiast in Billings, Montana, with Masters degrees in Business Administration and in Financial Services. After a lifetime of faithful membership in the church, he experienced a faith transition after he stumbled across the Gospel Topics Essays and similar materials in 2016, while he was searching for resources to support his adult gay son. Anthony blogs at UnpackingAmbiguity.com and is a frequent contributor to post and progressive Mormon support communities.

Bill Reel is the Founder and Executive Director of Mormon Discussion Inc. a non-profit whose mission it is to provide resources and support to humans who are deconstructing unhealthy spiritual systems and to help those individuals reconstruct a new world view that values Authenticity and Vulnerability.  Bill is the author of “Faith Development Explained” a document designed to help people understand their own awakening.  

RESOURCES:

WisdomOfTrauma.com

http://www.newcollege.utoronto.ca/academics/new-college-academic-programs/buddhism-psychology-and-mental-health/centre-for-buddhism-and-psychology/buddhist-psychology/

Bill Sits down with Brittney Hartley and Anthony Miller and they tackle part 7 in a series that seeks to help the Almost Awakened Audience sense the great resources and tools to a life well lived by exposing you to Buddhism and it contemplative nature. We are using as a backdrop the 12 part presentation by Jack Kornfield titled “Buddhism for Beginners”

The goal of this series is to help you to be a more authentic & healthier version of yourself.

In part 7 we discuss the Basic Characteristics of Life as Jack calls it and what is called the 3 Marks of Existence by other sources. Namely that 1.) All things are impermanent, 2.) That Life includes the physical and mental sufferings that follows all through birth, aging, illness, dying; including dissatisfaction from getting what a being wishes to avoid or not getting what one desires to have in that moment, and 3.) that there is no unchanging, permanent Self or soul in living beings and no abiding essence in anything or phenomena, or in other words, everything is always changing and nothing you have or experience is you.

Brittney Hartley is the author of Mormon Philosophy Simplified. She has a masters degree in the Future of American Religion and is in training as a spiritual director with the Center for Non-religious Spirituality. Her work focuses on rebuilding spiritual health after religious trauma.

Anthony Miller is an entrepreneur and education enthusiast in Billings, Montana, with Masters degrees in Business Administration and in Financial Services. After a lifetime of faithful membership in the church, he experienced a faith transition after he stumbled across the Gospel Topics Essays and similar materials in 2016, while he was searching for resources to support his adult gay son. Anthony blogs at UnpackingAmbiguity.com and is a frequent contributor to post and progressive Mormon support communities.

Bill Reel is the Founder and Executive Director of Mormon Discussion Inc. a non-profit whose mission it is to provide resources and support to humans who are deconstructing unhealthy spiritual systems and to help those individuals reconstruct a new world view that values Authenticity and Vulnerability.  Bill is the author of “Faith Development Explained” a document designed to help people understand their own awakening.  

Bill Sits down with Jana Spangler, and Anthony Miller and they tackle part 5 in a series that seeks to help the Almost Awakened Audience sense the great resources and tools to a life well lived by exposing you to Buddhism and it contemplative nature. We are using as a backdrop the 12 part presentation by Jack Kornfield titled “Buddhism for Beginners”

The goal of this series is to help you to be a more authentic & healthier version of yourself.

In part 5 we discuss the Five Hindrances of Awakening. Sensual or Sensory Desire, Ill Will or Anger, Apathy And Laziness, Anxiousness or worry, and Doubt

Jana Spangler is a Certified Integral Professional Coach with Symmetry Solutions who specializes in coaching individuals, couples, and families who are affected by shifting religious belief. She is an educator in subjects of faith, spiritual connection and development, and relationships. She attended The Living School under the direction of Fr. Richard Rohr, where she studied Contemplative Christianity and other wisdom traditions and how they can support the transforming work of love in ourselves, our communities, and the world.

Anthony Miller is an entrepreneur and education enthusiast in Billings, Montana, with Masters degrees in Business Administration and in Financial Services. After a lifetime of faithful membership in the church, he experienced a faith transition after he stumbled across the Gospel Topics Essays and similar materials in 2016, while he was searching for resources to support his adult gay son. Anthony blogs at UnpackingAmbiguity.com and is a frequent contributor to post and progressive Mormon support communities.

Bill Reel is the Founder and Executive Director of Mormon Discussion Inc. a non-profit whose mission it is to provide resources and support to humans who are deconstructing unhealthy spiritual systems and to help those individuals reconstruct a new world view that values Authenticity and Vulnerability.  Bill is the author of “Faith Development Explained” a document designed to help people understand their own awakening.  

RESOURCES:

https://insighttimer.com/blog/the-five-hindrances/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_hindrances

https://private.strategiccoach.com/store/products/186

https://anchor.fm/makingpolywork/episodes/Taming-your-Whoosh-eatio3

https://anchor.fm/makingpolywork/episodes/The-Art-of-Time-Outs-eav7u4

Bill Sits down with Brittney Hartley, Jana Spangler, and Anthony Miller and they tackle part 4 in a series that seeks to help the Almost Awakened Audience sense the great resources and tools to a life well lived by exposing you to Buddhism and it contemplative nature. We are using as a backdrop the 12 part presentation by Jack Kornfield titled “Buddhism for Beginners”

The goal of this series is to help you to be a more authentic & healthier version of yourself.

In part 4 we discuss the four fundamentals of mindfulness. These are mindfulness about BODY, FEELINGS, MIND, and PHENOMENA.

Brittney Hartley is the author of Mormon Philosophy Simplified. She has a masters degree in the Future of American Religion and is in training as a spiritual director with the Center for Non-religious Spirituality. Her work focuses on rebuilding spiritual health after religious trauma.

Jana Spangler is a Certified Integral Professional Coach with Symmetry Solutions who specializes in coaching individuals, couples, and families who are affected by shifting religious belief. She is an educator in subjects of faith, spiritual connection and development, and relationships. She attended The Living School under the direction of Fr. Richard Rohr, where she studied Contemplative Christianity and other wisdom traditions and how they can support the transforming work of love in ourselves, our communities, and the world.

Anthony Miller is an entrepreneur and education enthusiast in Billings, Montana, with Masters degrees in Business Administration and in Financial Services. After a lifetime of faithful membership in the church, he experienced a faith transition after he stumbled across the Gospel Topics Essays and similar materials in 2016, while he was searching for resources to support his adult gay son. Anthony blogs at UnpackingAmbiguity.com and is a frequent contributor to post and progressive Mormon support communities.

Bill Reel is the Founder and Executive Director of Mormon Discussion Inc. a non-profit whose mission it is to provide resources and support to humans who are deconstructing unhealthy spiritual systems and to help those individuals reconstruct a new world view that values Authenticity and Vulnerability.  Bill is the author of “Faith Development Explained” a document designed to help people understand their own awakening.  

Bill Sits down with Brittney Hartley and Anthony Miller and they tackle part 3 in a series that seeks to help the Almost Awakened Audience sense the great resources and tools to a life well lived by exposing you to Buddhism and it contemplative nature. We are using as a backdrop the 12 part presentation by Jack Kornfield titled “Buddhism for Beginners”

The goal of this series is to help you to be a more authentic & healthier version of yourself.

In part 3 we discuss the 7 Factors of Awakening often referred to as the Seven Factors of Enlightenment which involves the ways we bring perspective and mindset into our present experiences

Brittney Hartley is the author of Mormon Philosophy Simplified. She has a masters degree in the Future of American Religion and is in training as a spiritual director with the Center for Non-religious Spirituality. Her work focuses on rebuilding spiritual health after religious trauma.

Anthony Miller is an entrepreneur and education enthusiast in Billings, Montana, with Masters degrees in Business Administration and in Financial Services. After a lifetime of faithful membership in the church, he experienced a faith transition after he stumbled across the Gospel Topics Essays and similar materials in 2016, while he was searching for resources to support his adult gay son. Anthony blogs at UnpackingAmbiguity.com and is a frequent contributor to post and progressive Mormon support communities.

Bill Reel is the Founder and Executive Director of Mormon Discussion Inc. a non-profit whose mission it is to provide resources and support to humans who are deconstructing unhealthy spiritual systems and to help those individuals reconstruct a new world view that values Authenticity and Vulnerability.  Bill is the author of “Faith Development Explained” a document designed to help people understand their own awakening.  

Bill sits down with his wife Amanda and they discuss “TRUE LOVE” or rather the hard work one will do to wrestle with their own ego in an attempt to make safe space for their partner to be their authentic self. And that True Love allows others to be their real self

Bill Sits down with Jana Spangler and Anthony Miller as they present part 2 in a series that seeks to help the Almost Awakened Audience sense the great resources and tools to a life well lived by exposing you to Buddhism and it contemplative nature.  We are using as a backdrop the 12 part presentation by Jack Kornfield titled “Buddhism for Beginners”

The goal of this series is to help you to be a more authentic & healthier version of yourself.

In part 2 we discuss the 4 Noble Truths which involves 1.) An awareness that suffering exists 2.) That suffering is caused by grasping at making the world different than it is or resisting the world as it is via our attachment to an ideal or expectation of how we would prefer the world to be 3.) That suffering ends when we let go of said attachment, resistance, and grasping and 4.) The the 8 Fold Path discussed in Part 1 is the way to achieve a cessation of suffering in any given present moment.

Jana Spangler is a Certified Integral Professional Coach with Symmetry Solutions who specializes in coaching individuals, couples, and families who are affected by shifting religious belief. She is an educator in subjects of faith, spiritual connection and development, and relationships. She attended The Living School under the direction of Fr. Richard Rohr, where she studied Contemplative Christianity and other wisdom traditions and how they can support the transforming work of love in ourselves, our communities, and the world.

Anthony Miller is an entrepreneur and education enthusiast in Billings, Montana, with Masters degrees in Business Administration and in Financial Services. After a lifetime of faithful membership in the church, he experienced a faith transition after he stumbled across the Gospel Topics Essays and similar materials in 2016, while he was searching for resources to support his adult gay son. Anthony blogs at UnpackingAmbiguity.com and is a frequent contributor to post and progressive Mormon support communities.

Bill Reel is the Founder and Executive Director of Mormon Discussion Inc. a non-profit whose mission it is to provide resources and support to humans who are deconstructing unhealthy spiritual systems and to help those individuals reconstruct a new world view that values Authenticity and Vulnerability and Awakeness.  Bill is the author of “Faith Development Explained” a document designed to help people understand their own awakening.  

Bill Sits down with Jana Spangler, Brittney Hartley, and Anthony Miller and they embark on a series that seeks to help the Almost Awakened Audience sense the great resources and tools to a life well lived by exposing you to Buddhism and it contemplative nature. We are using as a backdrop the 12 part presentation by Jack Kornfield titled “Buddhism for Beginners”

The goal of this series is to help you to be a more authentic & healthier version of yourself.

In part 1 we discuss the Eight Fold Path which involves a wisdom in how we both perceive the world as well as how we respond rather than react to the world.

Jana Spangler is a Certified Integral Professional Coach with Symmetry Solutions who specializes in coaching individuals, couples, and families who are affected by shifting religious belief. She is an educator in subjects of faith, spiritual connection and development, and relationships. She attended The Living School under the direction of Fr. Richard Rohr, where she studied Contemplative Christianity and other wisdom traditions and how they can support the transforming work of love in ourselves, our communities, and the world.

Brittney Hartley is the author of Mormon Philosophy Simplified. She has a masters degree in the Future of American Religion and is in training as a spiritual director with the Center for Non-religious Spirituality. Her work focuses on rebuilding spiritual health after religious trauma.

Anthony Miller is an entrepreneur and education enthusiast in Billings, Montana, with Masters degrees in Business Administration and in Financial Services. After a lifetime of faithful membership in the church, he experienced a faith transition after he stumbled across the Gospel Topics Essays and similar materials in 2016, while he was searching for resources to support his adult gay son. Anthony blogs at UnpackingAmbiguity.com and is a frequent contributor to post and progressive Mormon support communities.

Bill Reel is the Founder and Executive Director of Mormon Discussion Inc. a non-profit whose mission it is to provide resources and support to humans who are deconstructing unhealthy spiritual systems and to help those individuals reconstruct a new world view that values Authenticity and Vulnerability.  Bill is the author of “Faith Development Explained” a document designed to help people understand their own awakening.  

Today Bill brings some Buddhism in and discusses the cause of suffering or grasping at how we want the world to be rather than sit with how it is. He explains why argument and conflict start and how they spiral and how good humans can learn to sit with the disturbances early in those conflicts and alter the path those humans are on. Once you understand that the conflict is inside of you and not outside, you are prepared to act differently, leading to avoiding most of the conflict that arises within you.

This conversation is held that involves the following 5 questions as well as other interesting places we take the conversation along the way.

1. What is more dangerous for the future of humanity, nihilism or dogmatism? What are the dangers of each?

2. What are the most important aspects of developing a spiritual life out of nothing?

3. How do you involve young children in a spiritual life outside of religion?

4. How do we transfer over spiritual institutions to a secular world (chaplains, churches, pastors, etc.). How do secular leaders make a living doing spiritual work in the world?

5. How do you build communities around secular morals? What are the new innovations in this field? How are people filling spiritual voids after religion?

RESOURCES:

Esther Perel Where Should We Begin

Jordan Peterson & Sam Harris Debates

The excitement surrounding the GME Gamestop Stock story for the last week has been palpable. So In today’s Episode of Almost Awakened I explain as simply as I can what the hell is going on with GME Gamestop stock. How did this train get going? What has potentially pumped the stock up, what potentially made it crash down, and what caused it to level off and where are we at today. And as we watch in upcoming days, what will happen to GME and the stocks such as AMC, BB, NOK right behind it? Its going to be fun to watch.

RESOURCES:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/27/business/gamestop-wall-street-bets.html

Reddit Wall Street Bets

https://www.thestreet.com/video/gme-stock-surge-reddit-change-stock-market-pyschology

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/28/robinhood-interactive-brokers-restrict-trading-in-gamestop-s.html

https://www.cnn.com/business/live-news/wallstreetbets-reddit-vs-wall-street/index.html

100%+ short interest in GameStock stock (GME) – fundamental & technical deep value analysis

Today with sit down with Veronica Funess, Intimacy Coach in Training and we discuss sexual shame that exists within society. We discuss how healthy negotiation of sexuality can look. We discuss kinks, fantasies, and how to incorporate your most vulnerable and healthy self into a healthy relationship with your partner.

Veronica is a Graduate in Gender & Women’s studies with minors in Business Administration and Communication. She is passionate about helping others improve their relationships and honor their erotic selves. Veronica is training at the Somatica Institute and Studied Gender and Women’s Studies at The University of Arizona. Past experience includes providing and directing peer education and facilitation for sexual violence and healthy relationships programming, market research and PR internships, and client and customer service positions: boutique fitness membership advising, and serving and bartending at an elevated NYC Vegan comfort food bar. 

A reminder when it comes to negotiating sexuality

“Within ethical and legal constraints, we all have the right to push for what we want from our partner (and to suffer the consequences for pushing too hard). Similarly, we also have the right to deny our partner’s requests (and to suffer the consequences for shutting them down). But we need to remember that nothing in a relationship happens in a vacuum—it is influenced by what came before, as well as what else is going on in the relationship. So generosity can be rewarded (and bad behavior can be punished) in more ways than one. Therefore, we have to keep the bigger picture in mind—what price am I willing to pay for this? If it’s worth it, then it’s worth it, but since life and relationships involve compromise and sacrifice, we have to consider the potential ripple effects.”

RESOURCES:

Somatica Institute

The Erotic Mind

Coming Together

Sex At Dawn

Mating in Captivity

Veronica Funess Linked In

Veronica Funess Instagram Page

My friend Phil McLemore comes back on the podcast and this time to debate the question of “What is the life well lived”? We talk about societies and individuals and how freedom versus control makes or inhibits space to be a growing responsible healthy adult who is happy with their life and producing a positive wake through how they move through life. We touch on drugs and sex due to the strong sentiments felt about this two topics and their polarizing nature to set the stage for this deep conversation around what leads to a life well lived and what leads to a wake of trauma, destruction, and self deception. This is one of the best if not the best conversation I have ever been part of and I hope you the listener will benefit from the push and pull as the two of us debate from somewhat different perspectives (and at times extremely different positions) what it means to “Live a Life well lived”

Resources:

Phil Mclemore and some of his written work

Becoming the Beloved PDF

Hindering the Saints PDF

The Yoga of Christ PDF

Mormon Mantras PDF

I sit down with my friend, Professor, Podcaster, and Author Jon Westover and we discuss his new book, “The Alchemy of Truly Remarkable Leadership: Ordinary, Everyday Actions That Produce Extraordinary Results”. We talk about what makes a good leader. What toxic leadership looks like. How good leaders foster principles like trust, diversity, inclusivity, and belonging. and Most importantly, I think, how good leaders create an environment for people around them to achieve and succeed. Jon truly is a great leader and you can tell that his words are congruent with his internal character. The world is a better place with humans like Jon around.

RESOURCES:

Jon’s LinkedIn Profile

Jon’s Book

Jon’s articles on Forbes

Jon’s Podcast

Bill talks today about how each of us is quirky, how each of us is seeking validation and acceptance. How we each are weird and have strange thoughts and yet each of us is fighting to reveal our true selves

Holidays tend to bring up things within us and for Bill and his wife Amanda, this Thanksgiving was one of those. From Amanda’s emotional awareness of her daughter moving out of state to take the next step in their own lives, To Bill dealing with the one year anniversary of the loss of his mom, to sensing that life moves one and life doesn’t stop. Today is about how we all deal with life’s constant change.

Phizer just announced and two more companies right behind them announced they have arrived at a vaccine for Covid19. These Vaccines are showing a 95% effectiveness. And yet…. somehow 50% of the population has been turned off of seeing such as a positive. 50% of our population is skeptical about receiving these vaccines. Today on the Almost Awakened Podcast we talk about why people are scared of vaccines, why we perceive a link between vaccines and negative outcomes including Autism, and what Science has to say about Vaccines.  NOT: We humans often have emotional connection to topics like this and such stops us from communicating to each other in ways that we can all listen and learn from each other.  Please be aware of such as you engage the conversation regardless of where you stand.

RESOURCES:

https://www.historyofvaccines.org/timeline/all

https://www.immune.org.nz/vaccines/vaccine-development/brief-history-vaccination

https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.24.3.611

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/ensuringsafety/history/index.html

https://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-history/developments-by-year

https://www.livescience.com/57488-vaccine-safety-numbers.html

https://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-safety/are-vaccines-safe

https://www.vaccines.gov/basics/safety

https://apnews.com/article/us-news-coronavirus-pandemic-177b3ba382517392911c029ecbe74daa

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/11/19/covid-19-vaccines-who-gets-coronavirus-immunization-first/3778098001/

Today Bill discusses Mental Illness and specifically Schizophrenia. Bill uses as the back drop his uncle, who was the first case of mental illness he had ever encountered, a close person who Bill was responsible to help who had some showing of such disturbances, and a recent movie, “Words on Bathroom Walls”, he watched that deeply and honestly displayed the difficulties of Schizophrenia and mental disorder and challenges. Bill ends the discussion asking us all to sit with the challenge of such lives of those who live out these nightmares and those responsible for caring for them.

RESOURCES:

https://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/what-its-like-to-have-schizophrenia#1

https://www.verywellmind.com/the-internal-experience-of-schizophrenia-2953095

https://www.jnj.com/personal-stories/i-have-schizophrenia-what-its-really-like-living-with-the-mental-illness

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-H7iJMo4fc

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/not-the-whole-person/201710/what-its-really-live-schizophrenia

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-disorders/schizophrenia-signs-and-symptoms.htm

https://www.bridgestorecovery.com/blog/what-its-like-to-live-with-schizophrenia-separating-myths-from-facts/

Glenn and Bill tackle an audio series created by Michael Singer, author of the untethered soul, and use it as a springboard for their own Almost Awakened conversation. This is part 3 and the final part in this multipart series and the conversation in this part covers the actual process one needs to implement to deal with your internal disturbances, that are based on your lifetime of experiences, when they arise. The formula is to RELAX and RELEASE. That when a sensation begins within you because your expectations of what this present moment should look like, how others sghould interact with you or what the outside world should show up as, you just RELAX and RELEASE. We talk about what this looks like and what it means. But in the end it deeply involves you SURRENDERING your expectations of how the world outside of you shows up and you SURRENDER your need to coerce and manipulate the outside world into showing up differently.

RESOURCES:

Video Describing the “Relax and Release” Method

The Key to the “Relax and Release” Method

How to free yourself from negative thoughts

Michael Singer “The Great Breakthrough”

OTHER RESOURCES FOR FUTURE GROWTH:

https://www.amazon.com/Fifth-Agreement-Practical-Self-Mastery-Toltec/dp/1878424610

https://www.amazon.com/Sex-Dawn-Stray-Modern-Relationships-ebook/dp/B007679QTG

https://www.amazon.com/Waking-Up-Spirituality-Without-Religion/dp/1451636024

https://www.amazon.com/Change-Your-Mind-Consciousness-Transcendence/dp/1594204225

https://www.amazon.com/Mating-Captivity-Unlocking-Erotic-Intelligence/dp/0060753641

Glenn and Bill tackle an audio series created by Michael Singer, author of the untethered soul, and use it as a springboard for their own Almost Awakened conversation. This is part 2 in a multipart series and the conversation in this part covers ideas such as the baggage we carry with us due to the good and bad experiences that have filled our life. How that baggage or “charges” are preventing us from living present and being at peace. That we are not our thoughts and we are not our feelings and we are not the world outside of us unfolding before us. And once we grasp these charges within us are deeply connected to how we react and respond within the world and often it happens in ways we are not happy with and which are not healthy. This episode is the bridge to the next conversation where we address how to show up in the world different so that we can release these charges and find more inner peace.

Today Bill monologues about human development and some of the human behaviors he notices in others. How we move back and forth between doing good by others and shitting on them. How we manipulate in order to calm our own disruptions. How we struggle to let others be them. And how when we tell stories about others we often do the universe an injustice.

Closing song was “Hallucinogenics” by Matt Maeson

Good Kisser on netflix

Letting others be themselves 1

Letting others be themselves 2

compersion

Glenn and Bill tackle an audio series created by Michael Singer, author of the untethered soul, and use it as a springboard for their own Almost Awakened conversation. This is part 1 in a multipart series and the conversation in this part covers ideas such as you are not your body, thoughts, or experiences but instead is just the observer behind your senses. That this moment does not belong to you. The marvelous process of how the universe started and how the earth formed and how all life flowed out from this. How we came out of the world rather than come into the world. How awareness affects our agency or “free-will” and if we even have “free-will”. And we end talking about how when our awareness changes we now have opportunities to show up in our world differently.

RESOURCES:

How the elements were created – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neMEo8ZrwuI&t=11s

The Journey of planet Earth birth to this present moment – https://youtu.be/uHUTbq-j0UU

You are not your thoughts – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QXmmP4psbA

The Creative Energy of the Universe – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcPWU59Luoc

Determinism vs Free Will – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCGtkDzELAI

The Peacock Spider’s Mating Ritual

Today I sit down with my friend Glenn Ostlund author of the book “Bathing with God“. Glenn and I both were deep believers in a specific religion. Then we both grew disenchanted with said religion. We deconstructed that religion and deconstructed other systems seemingly walked away from God and religion…. only to, unknown from each other, be on our own re-engaging the big questions and seeking learning from the best books and wisdom voices. This search led us both to awakening and to revisiting our certainties about the world and we in this 2 hour conversation cover so much ground including the multiverse, God being the creative energy in the universe and us being one expression of this energy moving through the universe, the big bang and the beginning of time, memories passed down, being present, the software newborns are born with helping them survive, lizard brain and fight or flight or freeze, Death, Ayahuasca, letting go of Ego, and collectively engage Glenn on his incredible book “Bathing with God“



RESOURCES:

Bathing With God BOOK

Bathing With God Audio

Stored Trauma Memories in our DNA 1

Stored Trauma Memories in our DNA 2

Stored Trauma Memories in our DNA 3

Joe Rogan & Sean Carroll and the Multiverse

Joe Rogan & Sean Carroll 1003

Joe Rogan & Sean Carroll 1151

Joe Rogan & Sean Carroll 1352

Joe Rogan & Brian Greene 1428

Banned TED Talk: The Science Delusion – Rupert Sheldrake

What happened before the big bang

Time and the Big Bang

Plants (Specifically Mushrooms) communicate with the world around them

The universe might be one big Neural Network

The software newborns are born with

Michael Singer: The Untethered Soul

Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender: David R. Hawkins

Michael Singer Living From A Place of Surrender

Bill and Phil McLemore sit down and have a conversation around wisdom teachings such as meditation, awareness, being present, ego, the Yoga of Christ, mind chatter, myth, evolution, free will, and death. What an amazing conversation Phil helps us create.

RESOURCES:

https://www.sunstonemagazine.com/pdf/146-30-45.pdf

https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-kriya-yoga/yoga-and-christ-ukiYPp7E9zG/

https://www.thymindoman.com/the-next-chapter-of-thymindoman-com-living-in-the-gift/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/meditatewithphil/

http://csa-davis.org/sites/?q=node/455

Today Bill dissects a 10 minute audio clip of Alan Watts. The video can be watched HERE and it is recommended you watch the video first before listening to the commentary. The truths being shared here are crucial to the awakened life. Learning to quiet your mind chatter. Learning to see the constructs of your life as something other than reality. Learning to be present rather than lost in past and future. And lastly learning that EGO isn’t really an eternal part of you.

youtube.com/watch?v=dYSQ1NF1hvw (Alan Watts on the Illusion of Time, Money, & Ego

Today Bill dives into tribalism. Why do we humans choose to be in tribes? What are the benefits and drawbacks of tribalism? What makes us humans unique and what facets of tribalism have we humans taken advantage of and at what expense? Where did tribalism come from? Can we cling to the benefits while minimizing and eliminating the drawbacks? All this and more is the jumping off point for today’s conversation, a conversation meant to simply get us started.

RESOURCES:

https://kevindelaplante.com/the-dangers-of-tribalism/

https://sensitiveevolution.com/the-limits-of-tribalism/

https://soapboxie.com/social-issues/The-Good-and-Bad-of-Tribalism

https://www.theatlantic.com/membership/archive/2018/10/trouble-tribalism/573307/

https://medium.com/@zaiderrr/why-toxic-tribalism-is-destroying-our-society-what-to-do-about-it-e05c3391d143

Today I sit down with a friend who spent roughly a year in prison. What is prison life like? How does an Almost Awakened person perceive and negotiate their time and thoughts and behavior and what observations are made about the system and people around them?

RESOURCES:

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/gabrielsanchez/sara-bennett-looking-inside-women-prison-incarceration

https://www.themarshallproject.org/2018/07/12/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-prisoner

Today on the Almost Awakened Podcast we talk about how we judge ourselves and judge others and our behaviors as good or bad. But there is a challenge to step back and to see others in their humanity. To comprehend the trauma that is handed down to each one of us and to sit with what that says about us humans collectively and individually. To recognize the kinds of behaviors we humans show up with and to see that no matter how healthy and responsible or how harmful and traumatic we show up is in fact human. That we are each pieces of shit (And we mean that in the nicest way) That we each have had Hundreds of thousands of years of trauma imposed on us and generations of trauma handed to us. And this should move us from judgement of good and bad to acceptance of things as they are an effort to even see the worst of behaviors among us as HUMAN. Rather than to love yourself, what if we could simply accept ourselves and accept others?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Je_vOpolGc Ram Dass Loving Yourself

https://www.netflix.com/title/81078802 – Sam Jay – Netflix

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190326-what-is-epigenetics – Trauma in our DNA 1

https://cordis.europa.eu/article/id/122740-dna-can-carry-memories-of-traumatic-stress-down-the-generations – Trauma in our DNA 2

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/10/trauma-inherited-generations/573055/ – Trauma in our DNA 3

Today Bill talks about 4 observations about human behavior

1.) That we need to be protectors of others Stories rather than one who hijacks the narratives of others.

2.) That we need to work on being present and not getting lost in the mind chatter that can overwhelm us and prevent us from showing up for others.

3.) That we need to learn that when in an argument we move from tangent to tangent such is likely a deflection mechanism that want to shift accountability.

4.) Understanding Sunken Cost vs Investment and pursuing the relationships where it feels like you are investing.

RESOURCES:

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/29/books/review/who-gets-to-tell-other-peoples-stories.html

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2017/02/28/8-science-based-tricks-for-quieting-the-monkey-mind/#4b8f22211af6

https://tealswan.com/resources/articles/deflection-the-coping-mechanism-from-hell-r234/

https://www.fatherly.com/love-money/why-do-we-stay-in-unhappy-relationships-sunk-cost-fallacy/

Today we talk about the move from fitting in to showing up as your authentic self. We often show up in the world the way the world needs us to which has us withholding important parts of ourselves that feel unacceptable. We pretend to be things we are not. And yet as the awakening process occurs we feel pulled to show up as our authentic selves. Today we talk about the pain that such causes and how there is an inherent tension and hurt when authenticity shows up.

Today I examine the issue of abortion. Not to decide the right or wrong of the issue but as a way to see into how we can think critically about a conversation where we are passionate and often not thinking as rationally. Abortion is a topic that often has us arguing from emotional passion and which runs so close to our sacred beliefs that we often struggle to think rationally and logically about the issue. Today I go over the pros and cons of pro-life and pro-choice and try to help us see how a person navigates such a debate logically and with an effort to value the evidence and data.

RESOURCES:

https://abortion.procon.org/

https://unplannedpregnancy.com/abortion/making-your-abortion-decision/pros-and-cons-of-abortion/

https://va.org/stance-on-abortion-pro-life-or-pro-choice/

https://www.kialo.com/pro-life-vs-pro-choice-should-abortion-be-legal-5637

https://helpwithadoption.com/steps-to-adoption/pregnant-and-considering-adoption/unplanned-pregnancy-options-abortion-pros-cons/

https://adoption.org/pros-cons-adoption-vs-abortion

https://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/health-centres/sexual-health/abortion/

https://www.bc.edu/content/dam/files/research_sites/cjl/pdf/Richie%20Abortion%20.pdf

In this episode we piggy back on last weeks episode on myth and help the Almost Awakened listener deconstruct one of our judeo/ christian myths… namely the Adam & Eve story around the Fall. We talk about what Adam and Eve could represent and more importantly what the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil could imply and point us to.

RESOURCES:

https://www.amazon.com/Change-Your-Mind-Consciousness-Transcendence/dp/1594204225

https://bigthink.com/mind-brain/stoned-ape-return

https://newatlas.com/mdma-ptsd-successful-trial-results/57074/

https://freedomandfulfilment.com/psychedelics-garden-eden/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j0_glRnJxI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaOfFixoxP8

Today we dip our toes into MYTH and how pervasive it is in our cultural and social structures. Any time we label or tell a story about the way things are and what they mean we are likely in the sphere of myth. Money, relationships, nationality and patriotism, family history, who people are…. all myth. Some myths are just inside our head and others are collectively agreed upon by entire societies. Myths are one of the crucial ways we make meaning. But once we enter the “Almost Awakened” space and see myths for what they are, we will feel the call to be present and simply enjoy this moment as it is with less need to tell a story about it.

RESOURCES:

https://faculty.gcsu.edu/custom-website/mary-magoulick/defmyth.htm

https://folkstory.com/articles/calgary.html

https://medium.com/@ChrisHerd/why-everything-you-know-is-a-myth-how-understanding-this-fact-lets-you-change-the-world-1fcf401b70d3

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/five-myths/

https://www.rocketmill.co.uk/video-everything-believe-myth

Today we dive into how to handle conflict differently. The conversation centers around what is needed to help people get out of lizard brain and to help another to feel heard creating the space needed to keep a conflict from devolving. The conversation helps us understand how fear affected us hundreds of thousands of years ago and how we evolved to create new mechanisms of fear when we created language, gossip, and myth. The conversation helps us see that if we really want a different result that we need to enter the conflict doing it differently.

Resources:

The Imago Method to handle conflict
Getting the Love You Want: A Guide for Couples
Imago Relationship Therapy
Evolutionary psychology explains how humans evolved to become gossips
Inside the science of bitchiness and how it helped humans thrive
On the Origin of Shame

Mekael and Bill utilize this episode to discuss the this George Floyd moment. His death, the protests and riots, the systemic racism in this country, the police abuse, and most importantly the ethnocentricity and tribalism that all these abuses and inequalities are rooted in.

RESOURCES:

https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/fall-2018/what-is-white-privilege-really

https://www.cpt.org/files/Undoing%20Racism%20-%20Understanding%20White%20Privilege%20-%20Kendall.pdf

https://nationalseedproject.org/Key-SEED-Texts/white-privilege-unpacking-the-invisible-knapsack

https://au.reachout.com/articles/standing-up-to-racism

https://www.opportunityagenda.org/explore/resources-publications/lessons-talking-about-race-racism-and-racial-justice

https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/people/how-to-deal-with-racist-people

http://www.oprah.com/inspiration/7-ways-to-stand-up-to-racism_1

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/23/podcasts/1619-podcast.html

https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/707189471/confronting-racism

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tR6mKcBbT4

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/mlk-a-riot-is-the-language-of-the-unheard/

https://www.lowellmilkencenter.org/newsroom/videos/view/jane-elliott-brown-eyes-blue-eyes

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/06/10/loving-day-june-12-marks-supreme-court-interracial-marriage-decision/5326018002/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.9ab792c9-d158-dbcc-452d-232a8e14f6a0?autoplay=1&ref_=atv_cf_strg_wb

We sit down with Brad Poulos and discuss Cannabis AKA Marijuana. We discuss Cannabis generally and get into what issues are on the forefront of the Cannabis Industry.

RESOURCES:
https://bradpoulos.com/
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/bradpoulos
https://www.axsource.com/welcome-brad-poulos-our-cannabis-expert/
https://ocannabiz.com/archives/speakers/bradley-poulos

Mekael Interviews Bill today about his career as a pawnbroker. How does a Pawn Shop Work? How do you know if something is stolen? What are the coolest things that have come through the shop? What skills are helpful to be a good pawnbroker? All this and more on today episode on the Almost Awakened Podcast.

Bill sits down with Janet Bennion, Professor of Anthropology at Lyndon State College. Prof. Bennion specializes in gender dynamics in Mormon fundamentalist communities which practice polygamy and slo in polyamory more generally. Bennion is one of the world’s leading ethnographers of North American plural marriage. She has raised the question of decriminalization of plural marriage in a variety of radio and television forums and several international scholar venues at Brandeis University and the European University Institute in Florence, Italy.

Today we discuss polygamy, its pros and cons and whether polygamy should be criminal. We talk about what happens when people have a choice in the type of relationships they enter. and what benefits come from giving people options besides monogamy.

Resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Bennion?fbclid=IwAR3RDo4ViYWqtHxZFTY-KcK_xiCN-bKZo821DRkdh2b6lNRb32S9ltfKTa4

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3411167

https://www.northernvermont.edu/about/news-events/news-center/nvu-johnson%E2%80%99s-janet-bennion-presents-polyamory-research-paris

https://www.amazon.com/Sex-Dawn-Stray-Modern-Relationships/dp/1491512407

https://www.amazon.com/Ethical-Slut-Third-Practical-Relationships-ebook/dp/B01N0SA1YW/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=polyamory+book&qid=1589639893&sr=8-3

https://www.amazon.com/The-State-of-Affairs-Esther-Perel-audiobook/dp/B072W97SV2/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=esther+peril&qid=1589639949&sr=8-3

https://www.amazon.com/More-than-Two-Practical-Polyamory/dp/B00X6CIHAY/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=polyamory+book&qid=1589639893&sr=8-2

https://www.amazon.com/Therapists-Guide-Consensual-Nonmonogamy-Polyamory-ebook/dp/B07B86YWND/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=polyamory+book&qid=1589639893&sr=8-6

https://www.yearofpolygamy.com/year-of-polygamy/episode-96-polygamy-as-feminist-with-dr-janet-bennion/?fbclid=IwAR1sK_wJMEG3KG7NMMeURVj2pLhOIxVSJAOtsyCoCIc6ghemPYkbedcQg7c

https://upcolorado.com/utah-state-university-press/item/2747-the-polygamy-question?fbclid=IwAR1MXJb6ZjQ5I8bq5HBLDeJoJQhUm5nf9UNb2YJksR8R-UWc9ccW-ECyh8Q

https://www.mormonstories.org/podcast/153-dr-janet-bennion-living-among-mormon-fundamentalist-polygamy-as-an-anthropologist/?fbclid=IwAR3D2mth_xtvw2zaNNhyZETV8jKMz4FHWecZl7owhd7Ft6H6Va5WctTq3XY

Mekael and Bill sit down with Steve Conlin from Five Wives Vodka to discuss the The History of their company and the challenges that their company has faced in getting their product out and how the alcohol industry generally is developing. As a side tangent we also touch on the history of the Barrison Sisters. We discuss the religious and religious deconstruction influence on their brand and how those who partake of alcohol can work with Vodka generally and what seperates good quality vodka from low quality vodka. We also share how Five Wives Vodka is helping during the Covid19 pandemic by shifting a significant segment of their production over to making hand sanitizer for hospitals and other institutional entities.

RESOURCES:

https://www.fivewivesvodka.com/

https://ogdensown.square.site/ – (Website section regarding their hand sanitizer along with other alcohol options they produce)

https://www.fivewivesvodka.com/blog – Five Wives Vodka Podcast

Barrison Sisters

Today Mekael and Bill sit down with Anthony Magnabosco who has pioneered the recorded demonstrations of Street Epistemology.

Street Epistemology is a conversational tool that helps people reflect on the quality of their reasons and the reliability of their methods used to derive one’s confidence level in their deeply-held beliefs.

Anthony shares how this works, what his motives are, how he deconstructed his own faith, and his personal thoughts on how various systems encourage continued belief even when said belief is irrational.

RESOURCES:

https://streetepistemology.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCocP40a_UvRkUAPLD5ezLIQ

How we let go of faith beliefs

https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/#rfr-welcome

Mekael and Bill sit down with their good friend Ryan to discuss his career as a Fireman and Paramedic. They talk about what it takes to handle life’s most harrowing moments. How to process tragedy. What is death to one who encounters death often. What First Responders to emergency situations do to process the horrific moments. And more.

Mekael and Bill in lieu of the Covid19 Pandemic decide to do a brief historical dive into major pandemics in human history.

RESOURCES:

https://www.mphonline.org/worst-pandemics-in-history/

https://www.livescience.com/worst-epidemics-and-pandemics-in-history.html

https://www.history.com/news/pandemics-end-plague-cholera-black-death-smallpox

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/history-of-pandemics-deadliest/

https://www.healthline.com/health/worst-disease-outbreaks-history#1

https://www.health.com/condition/infectious-diseases/worst-pandemics-in-history

We sit down today with Holly Hope and discuss her energy healing practice. We discuss the skepticism around this practice, how drums are made and used in healing practices, the use of energy crystals, and the real life scucess stories Holly has been part of.

You can find Holly at http://thebeautyofperspective.com/

Mekael and Bill sit down with Astrologer Rob Barnes to discuss Astrology. Is it legit. What is Astrology. And how can it be helpful.

RESOURCES:
https://www.astrologybyrob.com/
https://astro.cafeastrology.com/natal.php

Mekael and Bill sit down with local DJ and Music lover Chris Finnegan to discuss how Music has power to awaken us. How it soothes the ego by helping us through the lyrics live in our past and future and with the music it brings us to present. We discuss reggae music in particular and also discuss the deconstruction of systems.

Artists:
Dirty Heads
Rebelution
Iya Terra
Nahko
Tubby Love
Stick Figure
Little Stranger
Iration

Today Mekael and Bill discuss their recent visit to the Hashhouse, Bill’s unrelated Food Poisoning, the recent news on huge doses of LSD and how to raise children in a divorced mixed faith arrangement. Lastly Bill and Mekael wrestle with a father who masturbates his mentally and physically disabled adult child.

http://whyimasturbatemyson.blogspot.com/2016/05/why-i-masturbate-my-profoundly-disabled.html

https://www.sciencealert.com/a-woman-accidentally-took-550-times-the-normal-dosage-of-lsd-case-report-details

Today Mekael and Bill sit down with EMDR Therapist LaDawn and discuss Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.  Discussing how this therapeutic approach deals with trauma and help patients to heal and repair.

LaDawn Dewitt

What is EMDR

How Does EMDR Work?

EMDR Taking a Closer Look

Scott Jeffrey is an author and is the founder of CEOsage, a transformational leadership agency and resource for self-actualizing individuals. Scott is a voice of wisdom in several fields and one of those is Shadow Work. You can read Scott’s guide on Shadow work HERE. In today’s conversation we hear Scott’s wisdom around why we hide and why we create unhealthy mechanisms to protect ourself. What it means to start waking up and want to face one’s shadows. What to do when one is confronted with their shadow in the tense moment. And for the Newbie how to intiate and step into doing shadow Work.

RESOURCES:

A Definitive Guide to Jungian Shadow Work: How to Get to Know and Integrate Your Dark Side

HuffPost article on Shadow Work – https://www.huffpost.com/entry/shadow-work-the-beauty-of_b_9440912

Website dedicated to Shadow Work – https://lonerwolf.com/shadow-work-demons/

Welcome to Shadow Work – https://shadowwork.com/

Another shadow Work Guide – https://individualogist.com/shadow-work

Jared Clavin belonged to a religious system where alcohol was forbidden. Then Jared discovered his system didn’t have all the answers. As he begin questioning his faith he in turn had to question all the things his faith told him were good and were bad including alcohol. Once Jared stepped away from the faith of his Childhood he was now free to experiment for the first time with alcohol and to as an adult navigate and figure out this scary thing. We talk today about Jared’s written blog post on his journey titled “My First Year with Alcohol“. ‘Jared tells us about his good experiences, his bad experiences, what a hangover feels like, what alcohol does as a social lubricant, and how he managed discovering what he liked and what he didn’t and how to do this thing in a healthy and responsible way.

RESOURCES:

https://medium.com/@jaredclavin/my-first-year-with-alcohol-11281cabd5ef

Casual Drinking, Problem Drinking & Alcoholism

How to Drink Responsibly and Enjoy Alcohol

How to drink responsibly

How to Drink Responsibly at That Party and Still Have Fun

How to Get Past the College Phase and Drink Alcohol Like an Adult

Mekael and Bill discuss Body Image today. How different Genders perceive their bodies, what things we humans feel shame over, and How we can be healthier in how we treat others and ourselves.

RESOURCES:

Body Image: Not Just About Your Body: Jessi Kneeland: TED

Battling Our Bodies: Understanding and Overcoming Negative Body Images

Uncomfortable in our skin: the body-image report

It’s Not Just Girls. Boys Struggle With Body Image, Too

Defining the new male ideal

Women’s Ideal Body Types Throughout History

Building self-esteem

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Mekael and Bill discuss three things today. First they review some of their thoughts from last weeks conversation with River about ethical non-monogamy. Second Bill discusses some recent Shadow work including a sound bite from the hit TV show Criminal Minds. Lastly Bill and Mekael discuss Kinks and Fetishes including Bills discovery and sharing of how own kink.

RESOURCES:

MindHunter TV Show

Criminal Minds TV Show

101 KINKY THINGS – AN EXTENSIVE LIST OF KINKS AND FETISHES

Dacryphilia (Crying kink/Fetish)

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Our logo Concept was created by Kelsey Jones

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RESOURCES:

Three Steps to Opening Your Marriage: A New Permissive Monogamy – https://www.huffpost.com/entry/three-steps-to-opening-yo_b_9170688

How to Save Your Marriage With Ethical Non-Monogamy – https://www.fatherly.com/love-money/open-marriages-consensual-non-monogamy-therapists/

Is an Open Marriage a Happier Marriage? – https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/11/magazine/is-an-open-marriage-a-happier-marriage.html

9 Things to Know About Having a Successful Open Relationship – https://www.thecut.com/article/open-relationship-how-to-guide.html

The Most Skipped Step When Opening a Relationship – https://medium.com/@PolyamorySchool/the-most-skipped-step-when-opening-a-relationship-f1f67abbbd49

How To Tell Your Partner You Want An Open Relationship – https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-21544/how-to-tell-your-partner-you-want-an-open-relationship.html

How to Have a Happy Open Marriage – https://www.brides.com/story/how-to-have-a-happy-open-marriage

9 people in open marriages reveal what their relationships are actually like – https://www.insider.com/what-being-in-open-marriage-relationship-sex-is-like-reddit-2018-5

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Our logo Concept was created by Kelsey Jones

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Mekael and Bill sit down with Wendi Jensen, author, speaker, life coach, and trainer in the field of human potential and religious recovery. Wendi shares with us her love and knowledge of the Healing Arts.  We discuss Emotional Fluency, Spiral Dynamics, The Enneagram & Personality Types, and Tapping as a therapy approach.  We touch on vulnerability, curiosity, honest and open approaches, willingness to hurt or upset others, and lots more.

RESOURCES:
http://wendijensen.com/

The Healing Questions Guide

Wendi’s Story

Why a Couples Therapist Says ‘Emotional Fluency’ Is Crucial for a Relationship

Why a couples therapist says “emotional fluency” is important for a healthy relationship

Emotions As a Second Language – Or Should They Be Our First?

What is spiral Dynamics

How to Use Spiral Dynamics for Psychological and Leadership Development

What is Spiral Dynamics and Why Have I Become So Interested in It?

Enneagram – Explore the Personality Types

Enneagram Personality Test

What is Tapping Therapy

Tapping Therapy

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Our logo Concept was created by Kelsey Jones

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Mekael and Bill sit down with Personal Adventure Guide, Jennifer Saunders. Jennifer shares with us her passion for life and her love of adventure and love of humanity. Jennifer has given a TED Talk, developed her own Adventure Coach Program, hosts her own podcast. We discuss awakening, accepting and appreciating diversity, leaving and deconstructing systems, and seeing life as an adventure.

RESOURCES:

TheJenniferSaunders.com
Jennifer’s Email
Jennifer Saunders TED Talk
Living Courageously Exposed Podcast

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Our logo Concept was created by Kelsey Jones

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Today Bill and Mekael sit down with Author Spencer Wright regarding his book “How to think”. The discussion revolves around how we humans can be more rational with the beliefs we hold. We discuss at length the feasibility of completely shedding Ego and yet the merits of shedding some portions of ego in order to have the critical thinking skills necessary to shed false absurd beliefs when those beliefs make benefit us emotionally and are central to our identity.

Resources:

“How To Think” by: Spencer Wright

“Understanding the Tao Te Ching” by: Spencer Wright

Critical Thinking

6 Critical Thinking Skills You Need to Master Now

Can I Learn to Think More Rationally?

A User’s Guide to Rational Thinking

Rational Thinking as a Process

How to Train Yourself to Be a More Rational Thinker

Why Rational Thinking Is Not All It’s Cracked Up To Be

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Our logo Concept was created by Kelsey Jones

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Today Mekael and Bill talk about what has gone on over the last month.  The passing of a loved one, what they and their lovers are reading, the saving of a baby and essentially just catching the listeners up after a month of chaos.  They also spend a few minutes to talk about entering the drinking culture as a 40 year old adult.

Resources:
Sex At Dawn

Bill Rescuing a baby and it making National News

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Today Bill records an episode on his own giving Mekael a break. Bill had been in Ohio for two weeks sitting by the bedside of his mother who was in the final stage of her battle with Cancer. Today’s episode revolves around Bill’s confronting the death of his mom along with dealing with how we in this country handle the dying, Euthanasia, and if we are doing the best things to relieve suffering.

Today Bill and Mekael tackle SEX, namely Negotiating Sexuality within a relationship responsibly.

Within ethical and legal constraints, we all have the right to push for what we want from our partner (and to suffer the consequences for pushing too hard). Similarly, we also have the right to deny our partner’s requests (and to suffer the consequences for shutting them down). But we need to remember that nothing in a relationship happens in a vacuum—it is influenced by what came before, as well as what else is going on in the relationship. So generosity can be rewarded (and bad behavior can be punished) in more ways than one. Therefore, we have to keep the bigger picture in mind—what price am I willing to pay for this? If it’s worth it, then it’s worth it, but since life and relationships involve compromise and sacrifice, we have to consider the potential ripple effects.

Episode based on this post
https://www.reddit.com/r/AlmostAwakened/comments/dcd3mg/i_have_been_thinking_a_ton_about_sexuality_and/

RESOURCES:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sex-matters/201704/negotiate-sexual-differences-part-1-what-we-do

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sex-matters/201704/negotiate-sexual-differences-part-2-how-often-we-do-it

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/talking-apes/201908/how-couples-negotiate-frequency-sex

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sex-matters/201704/difficult-sexual-negotiations

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/understanding-the-erotic-code/201602/caught-negotiating-the-discovery-your-man-s-porn

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/so-happy-together/201703/negotiate-don-t-compromise

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/201301/twelve-rude-revelations-about-sex

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/201906/how-the-most-satisfied-couples-balance-sex-and-power

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/200601/lust-the-long-haul

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/201701/the-radical-thrill-intimacy

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Today we just riff discussing some shadow work we faced this week. Bill’s was his wife’s mechanism of feeling like she took something away from someone and then trying to force the person she feels she hurt into righting the ship for her and then punishing them when they don’t help her right her perceived wrong. For Mekael it was her interaction with a friend who challenged her to stop compromising herself to please others. The conversation traverses across things that should be helpful for all humans to consider and wrestle with. We end revealing that next weeks episode will revolve around SEX and around how humans are navigating this arena and how you balance the need to be yourself in its fullest expression while also not having it lead to hurting others

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Today we sit down with Ben Brown. He tells us about how he grew up in a high demand fundamentalist religious sect, his deconstruction of that as he left it and moved into another unhealthy world view but one that was more liberal in degree only. How his curiosity and deconstruction of multiple systems gave him the tools and skills to begin diving deep into why we humans do what we do and how once we become aware of it, we now have the ability to disrupt them and change our personal stories and myths into one that are more useful or bring us more happiness.

Resources:
Robert Sapolsky Behave
Lisa Feldman Barrett and Emotions

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Today we discuss a handful of signs that one is in the awakening process. Discussing the reduction of mind chatter, the sense of timelessness and being present, intimate human connection, and a increase in Empathy and compassion. We also hit on Mekael’s HOTT New Swimsuit (Shown Below).



RESOURCES:
10 Ways to Tame Your Monkey Mind and Stop Mental Chatter
5 Tricks That Will Calm Your Mind And Quiet Mental Chatter
12 IDEAS FOR BEING MORE PRESENT IN YOUR LIFE
Simple Ways to Be More Present in Our Everyday Lives
8 Easy Tricks to Be More Present
Silencing Your Inner Critic
Embracing Uncertainty

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Today we discuss the stories that are in our head. All the mind chatter and the real damage it can do. We also spend some time on the book “Talking to Strangers” by: Malcolm Gladwell. We hit on my mom’s visit and cognitive glitch and a couple of fun parties where Human behavior was in full view.

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Today we take on the topic of overcoming our Bigotry and Prejudice. We all grow up with stories handed to us about others. Often those stories not only fall short of capturing their actual stories and experience. When we tell another’s story inaccurately we often cause harm and trauma. When we carry these false beliefs about others unknowingly or even intentionally, this is often falls into the arena of bigotry and prejudice. Today we talk about the stories we grew up with and how the two of us and humanity collectively can lean into a better framing.

RESOURCES:

How to Knock Down the Wall of Bigotry and Hate
What Leaders Must Do to Battle Bigotry
Speak Up: Responding to Everyday Bigotry
Overcoming Prejudice
Ways to Reduce Racial Bias
Strategies for Reducing Racial and Ethnic Prejudice

Today we take on the complex topic of Shadow Work. What is Shadow Work? How does one begin to lean into working with one’s Shadow side? What does Shadow work look like?

Beneath the social mask we wear every day, we have a hidden shadow side: an impulsive, wounded, sad, or isolated part that we generally try to ignore.  The Shadow can be a source of emotional richness and vitality, and acknowledging it can be a pathway to healing and an authentic life.

psychotherapist Steve Wolf

Shadow Self is any aspect of ourselves, including thoughts, feelings, needs, desires, behaviors, and personality traits, that are unconscious.

Carl Jung

RESOURCES:
What is shadow Work
How to do Shadow Work
Why do Shadow Work
Introduction to Shadow Work
Working With Shadow
Shadow Work: Transforming Emotional Suffering into Freedom
Simple Starter Guide for Shadow Work
The Ultimate Guide to the Human Dark Side
Shadow Work: A Complete Guide
Shadow Psychology


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Today we discuss Pride Week in our local community. We discuss the recent local controversy where significant push back in our community over the numerous Pride Flags being put up to bring awareness to the cause and celebrating the week. We then talk about Pride week itself including the the “Dragalicious” Drag Queen show we attended last night. This takes us to discussing Bill’s own Homophobia and Mekael’s effort to be a safer space for others who do humanity differently. We discuss Bill’s “Asian” Massage and his masturbation experiences and end committed to try harder to be a better human.

RESOURCES:
https://www.abc4.com/news/southern-utah/rainbow-banners-advertising-southern-utah-pride-week-become-politicized/

https://www.thespectrum.com/story/news/2019/09/20/lgbtq-rights-pride-flags-policy-change-st-george-utah-laws/2369774001/

https://fox13now.com/2019/09/18/st-george-city-leaders-receive-backlash-over-pride-banners/

https://www.thespectrum.com/story/news/2019/09/14/st-george-pride-week-kicking-off-flags-controversy/2316007001/

Roots of Homophobia

Ten Ways Homophobia Affects ‘Straight People

Understanding Homophobia and Heterosexism

How the Mind Rationalizes Homophobia

The science of homophobia and how to cure it

Lasting Effects of Homophobia

Valuable Principles That Will Make You Treat People Better

Respect May Be Even More Crucial than Love

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You know those times there is conflict between you and your lover. One of you behaved in a way that annoyed or hurt the other and one of you lashes out in telling the other to knock off their behavior. Before you know it one of you is is being ultra defensive and the other is on the attack trying to fix their partner. and 1 hour later one of you is on the couch and one or both of you are deeply hurt and even crying. Well today is the day we try to start a new pattern.

Today we sit down with Family therapist Tim Birt and discuss healthy communication. We discuss the tool needed to have a healthy conversation. We discuss how to slow the conversation down and to focus on “I” statements and to share feelings without attacking behavior. We discuss consent and reasonable requests. When it is all done we only have scratched the surface. This practice, this work, requires you to take the ball from here and begin to take seriously your relationships and begin to do the hard work.

Timothy Birt, has a MS in Counseling and Psychology from Troy University, is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC- AL & GA), a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT – AL & GA), a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), a Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC), and an AAMFT Clinical Fellow. Tim provides individual counseling, couples and family therapy, and group counseling. He works with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families in Columbus, GA or Auburn, AL. He also provides home-based counseling in Lee, Russell, and Chambers counties in AL and Troop and Muscogee counties in GA.

RESOURCES:
Tim’s Recommended Resources
Expression / Understanding Skills
Skillfull / UnSkillfull Communication Skills
Here’s How Experts Define Healthy Communication In A Relationship
How Can We Communicate Better?
Effective Communication
The Key to Healthy Communication
Communication Skills for Healthy Relationships
How to Improve Your Relationships With Effective Communication Skills

Today we tackle our first interview with Author and runner Cory Reese. We talk about running and how it ties into life and being present.
Please email us your questions and comments at AlmostAwakened AT Gmail DOT Com and visit us at AlmostAwakened.org

Find us on Itunes, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, and other great third party Podcast apps. Also please check out our partner Red Roca Coffee, and if you place an order use the code AWAKE to get a 10% discount and and on orders of $30 or more you get free shipping!!!

Mekael and Bill are the hosts of the Almost Awakened Podcast. They have spent a ton of time diving into human development, human behavior, having deconstructed unhealthy systems and communities and what they have learned from that. As they have built with others, a vibrant healthy community where authenticity and vulnerability matter, they want to share with you what they have learned, point you to good books, provide you with the tools and resources to help you awaken, and share with you their experiences in doing shadow work and recognizing ego and working to reduce unhealthiness in our lives.

Our new logo was designed by Kelsey Jones!!! And We Love It!

RESOURCES:

The Untethered Soul

The Power of Now

Nowhere Near First: Ultramarathon Adventures from the Back of the Pack

Into the Furnace: How a 135 Mile Run Across Death Valley Set My Soul on Fire

Cory Reese

Fast Cory Blog

Today we talk about FEAR. Is Fear healthy? How do we cope with fear? What are some interesting things about fear such as does fear have a smell? Please email us your questions and comments at AlmostAwakened AT Gmail DOT Com and visit us at AlmostAwakened.org

Find us on Itunes, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, and other great third party Podcast apps. Also please check out our partner Red Roca Coffee, and if you place an order use the code AWAKE to get a 10% discount and and on orders of $30 or more you get free shipping!!!

Mekael and Bill are the hosts of the Almost Awakened Podcast. They have spent a ton of time diving into human development, human behavior, having deconstructed unhealthy systems and communities and what they have learned from that. As they have built with others, a vibrant healthy community where authenticity and vulnerability matter, they want to share with you what they have learned, point you to good books, provide you with the tools and resources to help you awaken, and share with you their experiences in doing shadow work and recognizing ego and working to reduce unhealthiness in our lives.

Our new logo was designed by Kelsey Jones!!! And We Love It!

RESOURCES:

Eight Facts You Didn’t Know About Fear

10 Things You Never Knew About Being Terrified

Top 10 Fascinating Facts About Fear

3 Interesting Facts About Fear

What Happens In The Brain When We Feel Fear

13 Of The Most Unusual Phobias

The Psychology Behind Fear

7 Things You Need to Know About Fear

Today we talk about Swearing and Cursing. Is Swearing a sign of an ignorant mind? Does it make someone sound ignorant? Is cursing good for you? Why are some words untouchable and become deeply taboo and way more than other swear words? What is your favorite Swear Word? Are humans the only species that swears?   Please email us your questions and comments at AlmostAwakened AT Gmail DOT Com and visit us at AlmostAwakened.org

Find us on Itunes, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, and other great third party Podcast apps. Also please check out our partner Red Roca Coffee, and if you place an order use the code AWAKE to get a 10% discount and and on orders of $30 or more you get free shipping!!!

Mekael and Bill are the hosts of the Almost Awakened Podcast. They have spent a ton of time diving into human development, human behavior, having deconstructed unhealthy systems and communities and what they have learned from that. As they have built with others, a vibrant healthy community where authenticity and vulnerability matter, they want to share with you what they have learned, point you to good books, provide you with the tools and resources to help you awaken, and share with you their experiences in doing shadow work and recognizing ego and working to reduce unhealthiness in our lives.

Our new logo was designed by Kelsey Jones!!! And We Love It!

RESOURCES:

Benefits of Swearing

Benefits of Cursing

Swearing is Good For You

People Who Swear May be Happier

Health Benefits of Swearing

7 Best Reasons For wearing

Science Behind Swearing

Surprising Benefits of Swearing

psychological benefits of swearing

Today we talk about The Purpose of Life. Is there one Universal Purpose? Does being good matter? Is there First half of life purpose and second half of life purpose.   Please email us your questions and comments at AlmostAwakened AT Gmail DOT Com and visit us at AlmostAwakened.org

Find us on Itunes, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, and other great third party Podcast apps. Also please check out our partner Red Roca Coffee, and if you place an order use the code AWAKE to get a 10% discount and and on orders of $30 or more you get free shipping!!!

Mekael and Bill are the hosts of the Almost Awakened Podcast. They have spent a ton of time diving into human development, human behavior, having deconstructed unhealthy systems and communities and what they have learned from that. As they have built with others, a vibrant healthy community where authenticity and vulnerability matter, they want to share with you what they have learned, point you to good books, provide you with the tools and resources to help you awaken, and share with you their experiences in doing shadow work and recognizing ego and working to reduce unhealthiness in our lives.

Our new logo was designed by Kelsey Jones!!! And We Love It!

RESOURCES:

Book Hope For The Flowers

Wikipedia description of Hope For The Flowers

First Half vs Second Half of Life

Second Half of Life

How Atheists Find Meaning and Purpose

Where do Atheists Get Meaning

The Absurdity of Meaning Making

How to create meaning in life

Today we talk about Dying and Death. What do we believe about Death and Dying. Thoughts on coping with such.  What happens at death? How to support someone who has lost a loved one?  How to arrive at peace over your own future death?  Please email us your questions and comments at AlmostAwakened AT Gmail DOT Com and visit us at AlmostAwakened.org

Find us on Itunes, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, and other great third party Podcast apps. Also please check out our partner Red Roca Coffee, and if you place an order use the code AWAKE to get a 10% discount and and on orders of $30 or more you get free shipping!!!

Mekael and Bill are the hosts of the Almost Awakened Podcast. They have spent a ton of time diving into human development, human behavior, having deconstructed unhealthy systems and communities and what they have learned from that. As they have built with others, a vibrant healthy community where authenticity and vulnerability matter, they want to share with you what they have learned, point you to good books, provide you with the tools and resources to help you awaken, and share with you their experiences in doing shadow work and recognizing ego and working to reduce unhealthiness in our lives.

Our new logo was designed by Kelsey Jones!!! And We Love It!

RESOURCES:

How to Deal With Death

Coping With Death

12 suggestions for Coping with Death

Coping with Loss

Dealing with Death as you Age

Stages of Grief Kubler Ross

Stages of Grief Kubler Ross Model 2

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross facing her own death has a change of mind on God and end of life care

Today we talk about Human Connection. What does human connection look like? What levels of intimacy is appropriate with various types of relationships? How do vulnerability and authenticity come into play? And what can we do to extend ourselves in healthy ways into deeper connection with both starbngers and people we love? Please email us your questions and comments at AlmostAwakened AT Gmail DOT Com and visit us at AlmostAwakened.org

Find us on Itunes, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, and other great third party Podcast apps. Also please check out our partner Red Roca Coffee, and if you place an order use the code AWAKE to get a 10% discount and and on orders of $30 or more you get free shipping!!!

Mekael and Bill are the hosts of the Almost Awakened Podcast. They have spent a ton of time diving into human development, human behavior, having deconstructed unhealthy systems and communities and what they have learned from that. As they have built with others, a vibrant healthy community where authenticity and vulnerability matter, they want to share with you what they have learned, point you to good books, provide you with the tools and resources to help you awaken, and share with you their experiences in doing shadow work and recognizing ego and working to reduce unhealthiness in our lives.

Our new logo was designed by Kelsey Jones!!! And We Love It!

RESOURCES:

We are hard wired to connect

When two souls collide

The Science behind human Connection

Improving connection with Others

Types of Intimacy

Need for Intimate Touch

Platonic Sensual Touch

Sexuality vs Sensuality

Sensuality and Touch

Today we tackle the Top 5 Catalysts for Awakening. Those would be Meditation, Reading or deep profound learning, Travel, Psychedelic Substances, and Existential Crises. We also throw in a surprise 6th towards the end. We hope you enjoy. Please email us your questions and comments at AlmostAwakened AT Gmail DOT Com and visit us at AlmostAwakened.org

Find us on Itunes, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, and other great third party Podcast apps. Also please check out our partner Red Roca Coffee, and if you place an order use the code AWAKE to get a 10% discount and and on orders of $30 or more you get free shipping!!!

Mekael and Bill are the hosts of the Almost Awakened Podcast. They have spent a ton of time diving into human development, human behavior, having deconstructed unhealthy systems and communities and what they have learned from that. As they have built with others, a vibrant healthy community where Authenticity and vulnerability matter, they want to share with you what they have learned, point you to good books, provide you with the tools and resources to help you awaken, and share with you their experiences in doing shadow work and recognizing ego and working to reduce unhealthiness in our lives.

RESOURCES:
Science Says That Travel Changes You
How Travel Changes You
How Traveling makes you a better person
Ways Traveling Scientifically Changes Your Personality For The Better

Meditation helps you awaken
How Meditation Taps The Subconscious Mind
Meditation as a tool
Mindful Awakening

The Spirituality of Psychedelic substance Users
Awakening – The Relationship With Psychedelic Drug Experiences
Magic Mushrooms change brain connections
psychoactive drugs- the self is an illusion
Magic Mushrooms lead to open mindedness
MDMA as a treatment for PTSD

Benefits of Reading A
Benefits of Reading B

Signs You’re Having An Existential Awakening
Spiritual Crisis to Spiritual Awakening
Dark Night of the Soul
What an Existential Crisis looks like

In Episode 3 we tackle vulnerability. What is vulnerability, when is the risk worth being vulnerable, what do safe space look like, how to lean into it, and so much more. We talk about vulnerability with your sacred stories, with your sexuality, and with who you are at your core. We hope you enjoy. Please email us your questions and comments at AlmostAwakened AT Gmail DOT Com and visit us at AlmostAwakened.org

Find us on Itunes, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, and other great third party podcast apps.

Mekael and Bill are the hosts of the Almost Awakened Podcast. They have spent a ton of time diving into human development, human behavior, having deconstructed unhealthy systems and communities and what they have learned from that. As they have built with others, a vibrant healthy community where Authenticity and vulnerability matter, they want to share with you what they have learned, point you to good books, provide you with the tools and resources to help you awaken, and share with you their experiences in doing shadow work and recognizing ego and working to reduce unhealthiness in our lives.

RESOURCES:
How To Embrace Vulnerability As Your Greatest Strength
Your Flaws Are Probably More Attractive Than You Think They Are
How Vulnerability Can Make Our Lives Better
The Power of Vulnerability TED TALK


Opening Song is Live in the Moment by: Portugual the Man
Closing Song was Brave by: Sara Bareilles

Part two of the “Almost Awakened Podcast” We dive into parts of the book Sapiens written by Yuval Noah Harari. Specifically speaking about how humans evolved to move from tribes whose cohesive mechanism was Intimate Connection to sightly larger groups based on Gossip and eventually onto Myth. We discuss how other great apes use Grooming in place of Gossip and myth and how an Almost Awakened community seeks to get back to Intimacy, Authenticity, and Vulnerability as the binding force.

Mekael and Bill are the hosts of the Almost Awakened Podcast. They have spent a ton of time diving into human development, human behavior, having deconstructed unhealthy systems and communities and what they have learned from that. As they have built with others, a vibrant healthy community where Authenticity and vulnerability matter, they want to share with you what they have learned, point you to good books, provide you with the tools and resources to help you awaken, and share with you their experiences in doing shadow work and recognizing ego and working to reduce unhealthiness in our lives.

Resources:
A Synopsis of Sapiens

https://www.skyword.com/contentstandard/storytelling/myth-history-and-religion-and-why-they-matter-for-your-brand-story/

https://www.stenudd.com/myth/ https://fs.blog/2016/01/yuval-noah-hararri-on-why-we-dominate-the-earth-myth-making/

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150227-where-did-gossiping-come-from

http://www.sirc.org/publik/gossip.shtml

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150227-where-did-gossiping-come-from

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/out-the-ooze/201601/gossip-is-social-skill-not-character-flaw

https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Sociology/Book%3A_Sociology_(Boundless)/6%3A_Social_Groups_and_Organization/6.5%3A_Group_Dynamics/6.5A%3A_Effects_of_Group_Size_on_Stability_and_Intimacy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intimate_relationship

The Book discussed in today’s episode was “Sapiens” by: Yuval Noah Harari
Closing song was “Tarzan Boy” by: Baltimora

What is the “Almost Awakened Podcast” you ask? Well imagine an intelligent beautiful lesbian and a equally intelligent but nerdy heterosexual male who have become best friends as they have leaned into vulnerability & authenticity with each other and their community. They have spent a ton of time diving into human development, human behavior, having deconstructed unhealthy systems and communities and what they have learned from that. As they have built with others, a vibrant healthy community where Authenticity and vulnerability matter, they want to share with you what they have learned, point you to good books, provide you with the tools and resources to help you awaken, and share with you their experiences in doing shadow work and recognizing ego and working to reduce unhealthiness in our lives. Today in episode #1 they introduce the podcast.

the Book discussed in today’s episode was “Already Free: Buddhism Meets Psychotherapy on the Path of Liberation” by: Bruce Tift