Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description.

*

More than 10 million millennials are caring for aging parents before they've been able to fully launch their careers and consider starting their own families, and that's not including the incalculable numbers of people affected by long COVID. Writer and caregiver Jennifer N. Levin was 32 when her father was diagnosed with a rare degenerative illness. As she struggled with few resources and little support, she created Caregiver Collective, a national online support group for millennial caregivers.

*

In this episode, Jennifer is joined by CIIS Assistant Professor in the Integral Counseling Psychology program Emily Marinelli in a conversation exploring our current culture of care and the impact it has on millennial caregivers.

*

Jennifer shares insights from her latest book Generation Care, which offers wisdom from her own experience and her support group, Caregiver Collective. Jennifer details the urgency of caregiving, the financial burden for caregivers, and ambiguous loss caregivers experience. She also offers a roadmap to the types of solutions that can begin helping people now as well as build future policies.

*

This episode was recorded during a live online event on April 16th, 2025. You can also watch it on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube channel. A transcript is available at ciispod.com. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms.

*

We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing:

*

-Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller’s consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf.

*

-Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities.

*

-Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police.

*

-Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers.

*

-Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org.

*

LINKS

*

Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/

*

California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/

*

CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms

*

CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/

*

Mental Health Care and Support Resources:

https://988lifeline.org/

https://thrivelifeline.org/

https://translifeline.org/

https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics

https://befrienders.org/

Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description.

*

A Black Feminist, activist, professor, and author, Loretta J. Ross has spent five remarkable decades in activism. She’s deprogrammed white supremacists and taught convicted rapists the principles of feminism and it’s worked because the power of her message comes from who she is and what she’s lived through.

*

In this episode, Loretta is joined by CIIS Women’s Spirituality professor Dr. Alka Arora for a powerful and inspiring conversation about her life’s work and her latest book Calling In, a memoir-manifesto-handbook about how to rein in the excesses of cancel culture so we can truly communicate and solve problems together. Loretta discusses how using conversation instead of conflict—by focusing on your shared values over a desire for punishment—is the more strategic choice if you want to make real change.

*

This episode was recorded during a live online event on April 2nd, 2025. You can also watch it on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube channel. A transcript is available at ciispod.com. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms.

*

We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing:

*

-Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller’s consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf.

*

-Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities.

*

-Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police.

*

-Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers.

*

-Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org.

*

LINKS

*

Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/

*

California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/

*

CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms

*

CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/

*

Mental Health Care and Support Resources:

https://988lifeline.org/

https://thrivelifeline.org/

https://translifeline.org/

https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics

https://befrienders.org/

Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description.

*

In challenging times, it can be important to access a multitude of healing pathways, and we can use astrology as a supportive tool to understand both the current moment and access our personal and collective agency.

*

In this episode, Humanistic Astrologer, psychic medium, and author Jessica Lanyadoo is joined in an illuminating conversation with CIIS Associate Professor Sonya Shah on the astrology of these challenging times. Jessica discusses what’s happening in the stars right now and how to navigate through them while supporting your spiritual, emotional, and mental well-being.

*

This episode was recorded during a live event in San Francisco on March 13th, 2025. CIIS Public Programs members can watch a video of this talk on their member portal. A transcript is available at ciispod.com. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms.

*

We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing:

*

-Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller’s consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf.

*

-Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities.

*

-Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police.

*

-Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers.

*

-Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org.

*

LINKS

*

Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/

*

California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/

*

CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms

*

CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/

*

Mental Health Care and Support Resources:

https://988lifeline.org/

https://thrivelifeline.org/

https://translifeline.org/

https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics

https://befrienders.org/

Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description.

*

Lifelong activist and educator Dean Spade dares us to decide that our interpersonal actions are not separate from our politics of liberation and resistance. Many activist projects and resistance groups fall apart because people treat each other poorly, trying desperately to live out the cultural myths about dating and relationships that we are fed from an early age. How do we bring our best thinking about freedom and justice into step with our desires for healing and connection?

*

In this episode, Dean is joined by CIIS Anthropology and Social Change Associate Professor Targol Mesbah in a liberating conversation on how to combat cultural scripts and take our relationships into our own hands, better preparing us for the work of changing the world.

*

This episode was recorded during an in-person and live streamed event at California Institute of Integral Studies on February 28th, 2025. You can also watch it on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube channel. A transcript is available at ciispod.com. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms.

*

We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing:

*

-Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller’s consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf.

*

-Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities.

*

-Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police.

*

-Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers.

*

-Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org.

*

LINKS

*

Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/

*

California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/

*

CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms

*

CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/

*

Mental Health Care and Support Resources:

https://988lifeline.org/

https://thrivelifeline.org/

https://translifeline.org/

https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics

https://befrienders.org/

Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description.

*

In her work, author, organizer, and designer Aida Mariam Davis explores the historical and ongoing impacts of settler colonialism, making explicit the ways that extraction, oppression, and enslavement serve the goals of empire—not least by severing ancestral connections and disrupting profound and ancient relationships to self, nature, and community. Her recent book, Kindred Creation, is a call and response to dream and design better worlds rooted in African lifeways: a path to Black freedom, a love letter to Black futures, and a blueprint to intergenerational Black joy and dignity—all (and always) on Black terms.

*

In this episode, Aida is joined by CIIS Director of the Center for Black & Indigenous Praxis Preston Vargas for a powerful conversation exploring African epistemologies and recalling the dignity and distinction of the African way of life. Aida shares her philosophical framework: remember, refuse, and reclaim as a vital guide for birthing new worlds and reclaiming land, language, lifestyle, and labor.

*

This episode was recorded during a live online event on February 19th, 2025. You can also watch it on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube channel. A transcript is available at ciispod.com. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms.

*

We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing:

*

-Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller’s consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf.

*

-Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities.

*

-Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police.

*

-Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers.

*

-Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org.

*

LINKS

*

Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/

*

California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/

*

CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms

*

CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/

*

Mental Health Care and Support Resources:

https://988lifeline.org/

https://thrivelifeline.org/

https://translifeline.org/

https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics

https://befrienders.org/Afric

Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description.

*

Generational silence is a term applied to families who have experienced suppressed thoughts or repressed emotions for at least two generations. Generational silence addresses both the cycle and impact of issues like substance abuse, religion, racism, education inequality, and parenting. In her latest book, Breaking Generational Silence, mental health expert Nicole Russell-Wharton speaks from her Black experience about how slavery left an intergenerational impact on her family and how understanding and healing the root of silence can finally break the cycle for generations to come.

*

In this episode, Nicole is joined by Assistant Professor at California Institute of Integral Studies in the Somatic Psychology Department Deanna Jimenez for a transformative conversation exploring generational silence and healing from inherited trauma.

*

This episode was recorded during an in-person and live streamed event at California Institute of Integral Studies on February 13th, 2025. You can also watch it on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube channel. A transcript is available at ciispod.com. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms.

*

We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing:

*

-Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller’s consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf.

*

-Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities.

*

-Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police.

*

-Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers.

*

-Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org.

*

LINKS

*

Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/

*

California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/

*

CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms

*

CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/

*

Mental Health Care and Support Resources:

https://988lifeline.org/

https://thrivelifeline.org/

https://translifeline.org/

https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics

https://befrienders.org/

Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description.

*

This special episode features CIIS Professor Emeritus and cultural historian Richard Tarnas sharing illuminating insights into the nature of human consciousness and the cosmos. In this talk, Richard explores one of C. G. Jung’s most crucial contributions to psychology–the recognition that the unfolding of a human life is at a deep level a spiritual journey. He also explores the powerful archetypal principles and forces that deeply influence human experience and behavior.

*

This episode was recorded during a live online event on February 6th, 2025. You can also watch it on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube channel. A transcript is available at ciispod.com. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms.

*

We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing:

*

-Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller’s consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf.

*

-Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities.

*

-Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police.

*

-Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers.

*

-Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org.

*

LINKS

*

Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/

*

California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/

*

CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms

*

CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/

*

Mental Health Care and Support Resources:

https://988lifeline.org/

https://thrivelifeline.org/

https://translifeline.org/

https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics

https://befrienders.org/

Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description.

*

The Ten Oxherding Pictures is an image series that visualizes the Buddhist training path to enlightenment. The Ten Oxherding Pictures have served as a spiritual teaching tool for centuries, guiding seekers through the steps of awakening. But how are these images relevant today?

*

In this episode, CIIS professors Dr. Debashish Banerji and Dr. Sara Granovetter have a conversation about posthumanism, the Oxherding series, the Jungian individuation process, and the disowned wild self. Together, they explore how the ox may represent a part of the psyche that is habitually pushed to the margins of consciousness. They also help us discover what the Oxherding Pictures teach us about relating to the wild other within ourselves and the work of befriending it for spiritual awakening.

*

This episode was recorded during an in-person and live streamed event at California Institute of Integral Studies on January 30th, 2025. You can also watch it on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube channel. A transcript and images to accompany this episode are available at ciispod.com. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms.

*

We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing:

*

-Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller’s consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf.

*

-Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities.

*

-Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police.

*

-Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers.

*

-Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org.

*

LINKS

*

Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/

*

California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/

*

CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms

*

CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/

*

Mental Health Care and Support Resources:

https://988lifeline.org/

https://thrivelifeline.org/

https://translifeline.org/

https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics

https://befrienders.org/

Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description.

*

In this episode, 86th generation Zen master and Indigenous Hawaiian leader Rōshi Norma Wong is joined by CIIS Associate Professor Sonya Shah for an illuminating conversation exploring spiritual activism and how to envision co-creating new worlds from one in crisis.

*

They discuss Norma’s latest book, When No Thing Works, in which she inquiries into the ways we can live well and maintain our wholeness in an era of collective acceleration and explores ways we can step out of urgency to tend to our crises with wisdom, intention, and care.

*

This episode was recorded during a live online event on January 22nd, 2025. You can also watch it on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube channel. A transcript is available at ciispod.com. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms.

*

We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing:

*

-Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller’s consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf.

*

-Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities.

*

-Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police.

*

-Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers.

*

-Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org.

*

LINKS

*

Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/

*

California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/

*

CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms

*

CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/

*

Mental Health Care and Support Resources:

https://988lifeline.org/

https://thrivelifeline.org/

https://translifeline.org/

https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics

https://befrienders.org/

Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description.

*

As we approach the first season change of the year, we are finding ourselves inclined to revisit this conversation centered on time and ritual featuring author Sasha Sagan and CIIS Interdisciplinary Arts professor Carolyn Cooke.

*

Sasha Sagan was raised by secular parents, the astronomer Carl Sagan and the writer and producer Ann Druyan. They taught her that the natural world and vast cosmos are full of profound beauty, that science reveals truths more wondrous than any myth or fable.

*

When Sasha herself became a mother, she began her own hunt for the natural phenomena behind our most treasured occasions—from births to deaths, holidays to weddings, anniversaries, and more—growing these roots into a new set of rituals for her young daughter that honor the joy and significance of each experience without relying on religious frameworks.

*

Sasha’s first book, For Small Creatures Such As We, is part memoir, part guidebook, and part social history—a luminous exploration of Earth’s marvels that require no faith in order to be believed.

*

This episode was recorded during a live online event on October 10th, 2019. You can also watch it on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube channel. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms.

*

We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing:

*

-Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller’s consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf.

*

-Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities.

*

-Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police.

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-Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers.

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-Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org.

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LINKS

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Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/

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California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/

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CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms

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CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/

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Mental Health Care and Support Resources:

https://988lifeline.org/

https://thrivelifeline.org/

https://translifeline.org/

https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics

https://befrienders.org/