Embodiment Matters Podcast

Oh, what a shimmering, gorgeous, living, and enlivening conversation with one of the great embodied thinkers of our time! We loved interviewing David Abram and know you'll enjoy this episode in which we explore, through David's unique and gorgeous way with language, ways to be embodied and fully alive in our over-civilized world. We explore ideas about our use of language and the possibilities for "wielding our words" in ways that hold our senses open rather than shutting them down. We speak about recovering the wisdom of our animal senses; "tickling forth a way of being" in the world that is sensory, intimate and alive. David treats us to a reading from Becoming Animal, and shares the invitation to slow down and have patience even during the emergency we find ourselves in. He addresses the importance of leaving space in our lives, pulling the plug on our gadgets regularly to encounter the living world, and he speaks about why not only embodiment matters, but matter matters. We hope you enjoy being under the sensuous spell of David's language and beautiful mind as much as we did! You can find more about him at http://wildethics.org. We highly recommend his beautiful books The Spell of the Sensuous: Perception and Language in a More-than-Human World and Becoming Animal: An Earthly Cosmology.

Loch Kelly, M.Div., LCSW, is an author, meditation teacher, psychotherapist, and founder of the non-profit, Open-Hearted Awareness Institute. Lochteaches in a non-sectarian human being lineage using an adult education style based in the earliest non-dual wisdom traditions, modern science and psychotherapy. He is the author of Shift Into Freedom, and most recently The Way of Effortless Mindfulness.

In our conversation we explore the connection between embodiment and waking up in the world. We look at the at the distinctions between what Loch calls effortless mindfulness, and the forms of mindfulness that are more widely taught. We talk about spiritual awakening as a natural next stage of adult development, and how when we are both waking up and growing up, we are much more resourced to respond to the great challenges in the world today.

Loch also guides us in a couple of powerful short glimpse practices to offer listeners the direct experience of the concepts we are exploring.

We loved this conversation and hope you do too!

For more information on Loch's books, teachings and retreats, you can visit lochkelly.org

In this episode we share a deeply nourishing conversation with Daniel Foor, PhD, author of Ancestral Medicine and creator of the Practical Animism course. We explore embodiment as inter-relationship and indebtedness to the other-than-human world, about the intimacy of eating other bodies (whether plant or animal.) He says there are no environmental problems only human behavior problems and we explore how an animist, embodied worldview can help heal many current issues, including racism, sexism, disconnection, environmental harm and more.

We explore that it's not so important whether we can prove that ancestral healing or animism are "true," but what kind of results living with these perspectives offer to improve our lives. We talk about grief as part of the process of becoming reconnected; the importance of slowing down; and the beauty of making offerings; as well as Daniel's vision for his work in the world, which includes animist values becoming mainstream. (Yessss!)

We're so delighted to share this conversation with you. Find more about Daniel at ancestralmedicine.org. You can join us in his Practical Animism course through mid-June, 2019.

In this lively episode, we take a conversational wild ride as we speak with author, filmmaker and iconoclast, Jeff Brown, of soulshaping.com. We speak about embodiment (of course!), consumerism preying on the uncentered, conscious armouring, the way embodied humans have a certain quality of gravity, the way he thinks anyone who calls themselves a spiritual teacher is full of shit, how to not throw the holy man out with the bathwater, a new model of yoga or somatic practice, and so much more. Enjoy!

In this powerful conversation, we speak with Charles Eisenstein. Charles is a teacher, author, speaker, deep-thinker, and a good-hearted human being who asks great questions. His work challenges many of the deep stories and narratives that modern culture holds around economics, the environment, masculinity and more. His books include Sacred Economics, The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know is Possible, and the recently released Climate: A New Story. In this conversation, we cover a wide terrain of topics– looking at the connections between how we relate to the body and how we relate to the natural world; how to look at deeper causes rather than only addressing symptoms when it comes to challenges like climate change, racism, or misogyny. We also talk about the importance of not-knowing; about how to work with burn-out and overwhelm while seeing clearly the reality of our situation. We delve deep into these heavy issues and end up in laughter, hope, and a fresh sense of possibility. Join us!

In this episode, we playfully explore the territory of embodiment and creativity with Karen Wallace, M.Ed. BCATR. We speak about trauma, creativity, play, making things, and so much more. This conversation was so personally enriching for me! Karen has a wealth of knowledge and experience in working with people of diverse backgrounds and ages. She's written a gorgeous book called "There is No Need To Talk About This: Poetic Inquiry from the Art Therapy Studio." Many of her poems are simply stunning and she reads several during our conversation. In her private practice, Karen draws on a wide variety of theories to create an integrative approach. She is client-centered and uses techniques and theories which 'fit' the client. She is a practicing artist and combines theories in a very creative way in her practice to facilitate clients' journeys through change.

She embodies a wealth of education and experience. Some of the tools she uses in her work are sand tray, all forms of art making, Focusing, Narrative Therapy, Feminist Therapy, journal and creative writing, movement, Somatic Experiencing techniques, stress reduction techniques, EMDR, meditation techniques and play therapy.

She and her husband, Patrick Lewis, have just finished their new book called: Trauma-Informed Teaching through Play, Art, Narrative. You can learn more about Karen and her book(s) at http://www.islandnet.com/~kwallace/

Enjoy!

In this episode (our longest yet, and worth every minute!) we have the great pleasure to speak to the inimitable Stephen Jenkinson. Stephen is a teacher, author, storyteller, spiritual activist, farmer and founder of the Orphan Wisdom School. In this conversation, we explore topics such as how to strengthen your "wonder muscle," what it means to be a good ancestor, the importance of dwelling in not-knowing, what learning actually is, the etymology of the word "belonging," the importance of rites of passage and the need for wise elders, becoming permeable and letting the world soften our edges, the simultaneity of longing and peace of mind, living with a broken heart, and more. The conversation closes with Stephen reading a wonderful story from his new book, Come of Age: The Case For Elderhood in a Time of Trouble.

In this episode we talk with Don & Diane St.John. Diane is a somatic counselor, coach and Continuum Teacher. Don is a somatic-relational psychotherapist, Continuum Teacher and author. We explore many topics related to embodiment and relationships. We speak about growing a somatic practice, about cultivating spaciousness, about investing in your own embodied awareness (you have to want to!.) We explore how being more fully embodied impacts our relationships. We speak about the importance of becoming intimate with both self and other and about the necessity of growing our capacity to pay attention in a layered way. We explore ways to take this information into your own relationships, while emphasizing the importance of not "fixing" self or others. We talk about how to be present with our own discomforts and those of others, how to meet reactivity with embodied presence and kindness, about the importance of repair, and the importance of feeling our love and affection in an embodied way. Don and Diane offer a beautiful list of qualities to adopt and qualities to avoid in healthy relationships. We speak about the importance of tracking reactivity, of being a safe place for someone else to share themselves, and about the importance of vulnerability and how it's connected with a willingness to feel what's present in our bodies. We speak about the importance of not pathologizing ourselves and each other, and so much more. We hope you enjoy!