Almost Awakened

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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Our logo Concept was created by Kelsey Jones

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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

Don’t for get to check out our sponsor RED ROCA COFFEE and type in the code AWAKE for a discount on your order.

Our logo Concept was created by Kelsey Jones

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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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Our logo Concept was created by Kelsey Jones

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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

Don’t for get to check out our sponsor RED ROCA COFFEE and type in the code AWAKE for a discount on your order.

Our logo Concept was created by Kelsey Jones

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You can donate to the podcast by Clicking Here

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.

Our logo Concept was created by Kelsey Jones

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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.

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

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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Our logo Concept was created by Kelsey Jones

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You can donate to the podcast by Clicking Here

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

Don’t for get to check out our sponsor RED ROCA COFFEE and type in the code AWAKE for a discount on your order.

Our logo Concept was created by Kelsey Jones

Subscribe on Itunes, Stitcher, and other third party apps. And be sure to leave us a positive review.

You can donate to the podcast by Clicking Here