Dr. Richard Hamm, former General Minister and President of The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), joins Jeff on the podcast as they discuss the deeps of what is happening in the world today - from when technology began to happen in our minds and what the implications of that has been on spirituality, to the psychology and the landscape of the post Modern world. This is a lively discussion which has many segues - smooth transitions from one topic to another - as in the smooth movements from one symphonic movement to another.  Science and Psychology are implicated. The quote at the end from the Delphi Oracle is as follows: "Heed these words, you who wish to probe the depths of nature; If you do not find within yourself that which you seek, neither will you find it outside. In you is hidden the treasure of treasures. Know Thyself (Gnothi Seauton) and you will know the Universe and the Gods." Thank you Dr. Hamm. 

Dr. Deborah Childs PhD. spends time with Jeff as they reflect on the state of mental health in education today. How is the system itself causing its own mental health crises? With "no child left behind" now 20+ years in the works, we have witnessed unprecedented dreadful gun violence, surges in suicide, high drop out rates and the uses of illicit drugs by teenagers. Can the system learn to be "self assessing" in new ways?  Can we keep going in the same direction and expect different results? Is diagnosis of young students who are struggling to keep up with demands in a system that has lost track of them fair? A recent article in the St. Louis Post Dispatch suggested that teachers concerns for deemphasizing testing and hiring more support staff were disregarded by officials this year (Oct. 18, 2022 edition). Instead the top priority that was proposed was that teachers starting salary go from a whopping $25,000/year (for a teacher) to $38,000/year. This is very concerning, at least to me and to this podcast. Dr. Childs says that it is going to take a "village" to address our system and make some healing changes.  I give a shout out to all of those teachers who are going through a struggle to be authentic and to stand up for a new appreciation for the arts and humanity in education - it matters to the mental health of our children and to all of us.

The month of December 2021 - just some interviews with folk who follow the Open Mic circuit of Steve Hodak and Melanie Vaughn!  We have some fun talking in these interviews - at least I did.  I hope to interview some more next year so if you didn't get on this time, don't worry!  Make sure you come on for your turn to talk music and sounds on Florida's East Coast the next time you see the set up!

An adventurer in a very modern sense of the word, Grace has taken a leap of "trust" in the world to see there's enough "life" to support her on a trip that has taken her as far south as Ecuador - her most recent home - until she arrived in Florida.  Originally from Maryland, Grace has been on a self led, self determined trip to challenge herself to find out what is most important and lasting in life.  This interview with her reveals what she has had to go through to get here, what she has had to "let go of" and, as a result, what she has had the joy of discovering. She is a scientist trained in oceanography and worked for a time in the DOD. She manifests a kind of courage in a young person which will be an inspiration to anyone who is struggling to find "handles" in life. Among her other talents she is a singer, musician, surfer, a meditation coach and Yoga instructor.  She is truly an inspiration. Reach out to Grace @graciemagil on Instagram.

In this conversation, Eric Bourgault and I talk about the seemingly harmless internet and how it is possible to be so entranced by it, that you don't know it, but you are controlled "BY IT."  Ya think? Eric's dedicated the last several years of his life to learning all he can about internet addiction, admittedly coming out of it himself, so that he can help others.  It is true that the most skilled healer is the one who has known the wounds him, her or themselves. If you are suffering - or know someone who struggles with internet addiction and is trying to find more balance - reach out to Eric at [email protected] .  To connect with this podcast send an email to [email protected].  And now a question for when you listen to this podcast:  What does Charley Chaplin have to do with the internet?  See if you can find out. I hope that you enjoy the ride - until next time.

In this episode I interview (have a conversation with) Dr. Sheldon Solomon PhD.  He was a college professor already in the year I graduated from High School in 1980 (if that tells you anything!). An interesting fun fact that Dr. Solomon claims for himself in relation to Skidmore: "I have been here longer than most of the buildings and furniture!" Good laughs and some serious reflections happen in this interview. I am rating this episode "explicit" because of the intensity of the content and for the occasional "f" bomb that was dropped. I'm good with it, but just wanted you, my listeners, to know.  I think some pretty deep discussion was had here - and this is a place where we need to go as a culture.  I thank Dr. Solomon for leading us there. A book he referred to in our conversation was Rollo May's The Cry for Myth.  Please check out the movie "UNFIT" on Amazon Prime in which Dr. Solomon has a pretty significant part. Also, links below are for Dr. Solomon's book, Worm at the Core, on the role of death in life, written with two of his colleagues.  Below are links to the book and to Dr. Solomon's page at Skidmore College.  Thanks for listening and for not letting your but(t) get in the way!

Worm at the Core Link to Amazon.

Professor Solomon Link to Skidmore College.

In this episode I interview my new warrior brother Frank Verkley.  Frank is from London, Ontario Canada.  He has been living his whole life in Canada.  By mistake in the introduction, I didn't know how long Frank had been in the Mankind Project, but a sudden recollection reminded me that he has been in since 1999. Inaccurately I stated since 2013.  This interview is a conversation.  We went down into the weeds and came out. We talked about economics, mental health and channeling new ideas into the world. Hope you enjoy this interview.

As a senior in High School, living in St. Louis, Missouri for the past 5 years, having the experience of being an International Exchange Student, Wendy Do has an engaging conversation with Jeff about creativity, academics and what she feels is missing in the educational life of most kids in the world. Is it any surprise that anxiety and depression are high when our young adults are put to the test of passing or failing, which is often translated as a present point trajectory for a future life path? As you listen, you will hear that this is the posture of education "across the globe" even in Seoul. Jeff shares some of his own experiences around being confused by the early presence of a preSTEM testing system as a young man - some 40 years ago. Is our failure or success determined only by whether or not we allow ourselves to be shaped by a sySTEM that seeks to make us conform to IT?  Where is the human element - where are, as Wendy and Jeff reflect, the creative and imaginative impulses in the classroom? How is the neglect of these very important human character aspects adding to the sense of meaninglessness and pointlessness that so many of our young people feel? The day is calling us to re-evaluate Character as an important, currently virtually missing, aspect of our education - as it was for the Greeks so many thousands of years ago - when they reminded themselves to "Know Yourself." 

An introduction to Larry Pesavento and his book Toward Manhood (2016).  Jeff interviews Larry and together they discuss the importance of the archetype of initiation and how it offers men an alternative  to the programming offered in the contemporary Corporarchy/Patriarchy.  They discuss the presence of the Vader Voice in the Patriarchy and how difficult it is to break from from it to find their deeper self.   The rungs on the ladder of success in the Corporarchy only offer depressive emptiness as a reward. The rewards promised by participating in the Marketplace. are empty and unsatisfying.  Helping men find the life direction in the "old becoming new" is what initiation indicates. Men can find the new in the old.  

This is Episode 1/4.