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COMMUNICATING THE WISDOM THAT'S CHANGING THE WORLD
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We are living in a time of a collective leap in consciousness. Consciousness is changing for the better. This is the Good News. On the other hand, when such a dynamic sense of change is unfolding on such a giant scale there is the presence of chaos. Needless to say in this great turning of an age, there exists more than a little chaos. How, then, do we find and maintain our balance and optimism in the midst of this great turning? I suggest that we would do well to engage in what I call the, "Four Keys of Wisdom." The Four Keys are:
It is important to get out of the house and rub shoulders with life. The mainstream media broadcasts, as if in one continuous loop, a litany of disasters, downturns, and miseries. This seduces us into staying at home and becoming paranoid and paralyzed. I suggest we go on a media fast of this kind of negative reporting, that holds up so few positive examples of the many breakthroughs that are happening all around us. Get out and circulate. Great synchronicities can happen when you rub shoulders with new people outside your well worn paths of circulation. Make yourself available to walk the corridors of life. Remember to circulate – not isolate. Stay Curious Curiosity is an antidote to fear. It is like taking a deep breath of fresh air. Curiosity has a lightness to it; it lets in the light. The in-breath oxygenates the blood which, in turn, brings oxygen to the brain and helps us to think more creatively and to be more imaginative. Curiosity helps us to be pilgrims of possibilities. When I start to catch myself spiraling down into fear and contraction, I say to myself, "Pull, up, pull up, be curious, not afraid.". Don't waste your time or energy wallowing in the paralyzing force of fear; move to curiosity where you can more effectively deal with daily challenges. Be Optimistic Optimism is an antidote to worry. The in-breath brings our bodies oxygen, optimism is like the blood that carries the oxygen. If we are worried we become tense. In fact worry has a negative physiological affect on the body as well as the mind and spirit. Through time this can be quite debilitating. Whereas optimism is the life blood of our soul. These two keys, curiosity and optimism keep us healthy. Being in a state of fear and worry is like contracting pneumonia. It stops the breath, which, in turn slows the blood flow, the brain is deprived of oxygen, and the blood becomes stagnant. Staying curious and optimistic will keep us healthy in body, mind, and spirit. Develop a Circle of "Friends of the Heart" Hang out with friends who support you in your fullness. Humans are more intelligent when we are in the company of others who are listening deeply to one another. There is an alchemical change that happens when we have truly been heard and witnessed by others. Having a community of friends of the heart is good for your brain power. Having deep conversations with others is good for developing your genius. We are more intelligent together. There is an African saying that goes like this: "A friend is someone who knows your song and sings it to you when you have forgotten it." Those who love you are not fooled by mistakes you have made or dark images you hold about yourself. They remember your beauty when you feel ugly; your wholeness when you are broken; your innocence when you feel guilty; and your purpose when you are confused. When you are feeling overwhelmed by these chaotic times and you are questioning your purpose use these four keys to unlock your positive potential. |
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April 2009 Broadcast Schedule
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| The Broadcast Week Beginning Wednesday, April 1-7, 2009
"What would happen if all the church people of all the Christian denominations in the United States woke up and said, 'Oh. If I'm going to follow Jesus, I can't have anything to do with war'—therefore we all resign from the military, resign from Livermore Labs and the Pentagon, refuse to kill anybody, abolish the death penalty, campaign to abolish nuclear weapons, and give all that money for the poor? The government would have a problem." Indeed it would. But that, in a nutshell, is what John Dear invites us to do. In the spirit of Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr., and yes, of Jesus, he reminds us of the true message of Christ—which has nothing to do with the notion of a "just war." Father Dear sounds a clarion call to nonviolence without reservation and peace without exception. But it's no mere vision to him. He sees a clear path toward making it a reality when each of us embodies nonviolence in our inner lives, in our interpersonal lives, and in acts of service to our communities, our nation, and the world. And while many of us have come to believe that a world without war is simply not realistic, Father Dear's gentle words and compelling faith will have you wondering, "why not?" John Dear, S.J., is a Jesuit priest, pastor, peace activist, organizer, lecturer, retreat leader, and the author or editor of twenty-five books. He holds two masters degrees in theology from the Graduate Theological Union in California, and in 2008 was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He has been a pastor; executive director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the largest interfaith peace organization in the United States; and is now coordinator of the New Mexico region of Pax Christi, the national Catholic peace movement. Father Dear has been arrested more than seventy-five times in acts of nonviolent civil disobedience for peace, and has worked with Mother Theresa and others to stop the death penalty. His newest book is A Persistent Peace: One Man's Struggle for a Nonviolent World (Loyola Press 2008). To learn more about the work of John Dear go to www.johndear.org or www.persistentpeace.com Topics Explored in this Dialogue:
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The Broadcast Week Beginning Wednesday, April 8-14, 2009
Darca Nicholson is in love with bodies. She nurtures them, she massages them, and she teaches the rest of us how to love and care for our own bodies. In her eyes, and under her deft healer's hands, the nervous system, the feet, the belly, and the heart all have their own magic, even their own stories. Her delight is contagious as she says, "All the systems of the body are just so intriguing and fascinating. They've got personalities of their own. There is a hierarchy in the body, but it's a democracy, too. If you don't take care of everybody it's going to be a wreck. It's a community. It's the whole system put together with all these different ways to think about it." She weaves her prescriptions for self-care with the lore of our ancestors to create a tapestry of ways to nurture yourself. You'll gain a new understanding of why your body does the things it does, and a greater appreciation of the life energy that flows through your veins, creating the beautiful body that is you. (Hosted by Justine Willis Toms) Darca Nicholson was one of the 12 women founders of the Emma Goldman Clinic, one of the first medical centers in the United States to be owned and operated exclusively by women. She has a private practice in integral health care in northern California, where she also teaches yoga at Mendocino College and Yoga Mendocino. Ms. Nicholson is the author of Body Matters: Simpler Secrets for Elegant Aging (Overhead Press 2007). To learn more about the work of Darca Nicholson go to www.darcaleenicholson.com
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| The Broadcast Week Beginning Wednesday, April 15-21, 2009
A conversation with Scoop Nisker is a funny, smart, enlightening foray into physics, spirituality, and the oddities of life as we know it. In this wildly entertaining yet informative interview, you'll hear a new spin on atomic theory, meditation, politics, evolution, and more. You'll even hear a song about the big bang, and lively banter about why "the here and now" was invented. Best of all you'll chuckle at Mr. Nisker's unique analysis of how our world is made, what's real, and what's not. He says, "Everything we perceive is made of atoms, and atoms are 99.999% empty space. There's hardly any matter to matter. So why don't we just fall through the floor and through the earth? Because it's just a magic act that's going on here. It's a sleight-of-hand, sleight-of-stuff. If your body's made of atoms, and atoms are mostly empty space, what is holding your clothes on? Not only does the emperor have no clothes, the clothes hardly have any emperor." Beneath the humor, though, is the wisdom of a man who sees life for what it is, and celebrates it for all it can be. Wes "Scoop" Nisker is a Buddhist meditation teacher, author, radio commentator, and performer. He is founder and co-editor of the Theravada Buddhist journal, Inquiring Mind, and an affiliate teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California. He travels the world leading retreats and workshops in insight meditation. Mr. Nisker is the author of The Essential Crazy Wisdom (Ten Speed Press 2001), The Big Bang, the Buddha, and the Baby Boom: The Spiritual Experiments of My Generation (HarperOne 2003), and Crazy Wisdom Saves the World Again! Handbook for a Spiritual Revolution (Stone Bridge Press 2008). To learn more about the work of Wes "Scoop" Nisker go to www.wesnisker.com Topics Explored in this Dialogue:
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The Broadcast Week Beginning Wednesday, April 22-28, 2009
Are you stuck in old habits, inhibited by fear and judgment, unable to realize your potential? Does it feel like you're grasping tightly to a branch and flapping wildly with the other wing, unable to fly? That's how Isha describes her life before she discovered the power of love consciousness. Like many of us, she was afraid of her own vulnerability, striving to live up to the expectations of others, her inspiration continually deflated by her own self-judgment. Now she lives in an ongoing state of connectedness with everything, where peace, joy, and the flow of possibility are the norm. Isha has developed a system that has helped thousands of others live in love consciousness as well. She believes we can create the world of harmony we all yearn for when we take responsibility for our own evolution, our own joy. She explains, "When you're really anchored in love consciousness, it gives you the courage to start cutting the branches that stop you from flying, and you start to see so clearly from your heart the things that stop you from experiencing absolute freedom. We think that enlightenment’s for mystics. It's not. It’s who we are. We just have to focus on the love and become that love again, and then it explodes into everything." A native of Australia, Isha is the founder of La I, an international center for the expansion of consciousness, with facilities in Uruguay and Mexico. She is the creator of the Isha System, designed to expand consciousness and anchor the practitioner in unconditional love. Isha has built a large following in South America as a writer and spiritual teacher, and now travels the world giving conferences and seminars. She is the author of Why Walk When You Can Fly? Soar Beyond Your Fears and Love Yourself and Others Unconditionally (New World Library 2008). To learn more about the work of Isha go to www.isha.com Topics Explored in this Dialogue:
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Michael and I love to watch movies. It is a magical art-form. They inform, inspire, and touch the heart and soul in so many ways.
Did you know that many visionary, soulful movies are made every year but never get into the theaters? Independent, spiritual filmmakers are creating movies with heart and soul, movies that really matter. Until now, though, hardly anybody got to see them.
Spiritual Cinema Circle® is a DVD club that sends out 4 features and short films in the mail each month on DVD. You keep the DVDs. The movies you get are full-length features, both dramas and comedies, short films, and documentaries on mind-opening subjects. They are about many different subjects, but they all share common elements: All our movies are carefully-chosen to provide genuine nourishment for the heart and soul, a much-needed nutrient at a time when more and more Hollywood movies are violent, profane and devoid of meaning. These movies inspire wonder, insight, deep feeling and transcendence. Above all, they make you feel better about being a human being.
Consider joining Spiritual Cinema Circle by using the link below. You can start with a free trial.
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Small Pleasures : Finding Grace in a Chaotic World by Justine Willis Toms Justine Willis Toms' new book Small Pleasures : Finding Grace in a Chaotic World. To get your copy click here. It makes a perfect gift. |
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Join with others from around the world for the monthly |
| Let us know where you are from, we are mapping all the places around the world where people are participating. | |
 Parties with a Purpose; Celebrating what's working in our communities, for people, for business and for the environment www.greenfestivals.com |
 Expand Your Consciousness in Optimal Learning Environments www.conferenceworks.com |
 Books for the Evolving Human Spirit www.hamptonroadspub.com |
 Transform the Way You Live and Lead with Purpose, Passion, Energy, and Joy www.getclarity.com |
 Books and Audio to awaken consciousness and global social potential. www.newworldlibrary.com |
 To Help Individuals Realize Their True Relationship with Life Through Higher Self-Studies Guy Finley, Director www.guyfinley.org |
