Foundations

In this episode, Bryce and Becky welcome special guest Kevin Anderson to the show. Kevin is a psychologist and poet in the Toledo area. You can find out more about him and his writing and work at his website www.thewingedlife.com

In this episode we begin with some lines from the well known and beloved poet Rilke as a way to enter into this conversation about living questions and shifting questions. Kevin invites us to consider that we are always living questions, and that misleading questions come to us so easily every day. But do we ever question the questions we are living??

Questions are powerful!
Sam Keen is known for saying "Nothing shapes our lives to much as the questions we ask."

In this episode you will hear several ways to support you in beginning to release the grip of the mind that often compels us to get everything figured out. When we wonder about how to question a question we happen to be stuck in, especially those that feel  like running into a dead end, the good news is that we have lots of options to help us. You will hear how things like taking a pause, spending time in nature, playing with words or art, and even paying attention to our physical bodies can support us when we need to shift a question.

*The sculpture Becky referred to is titled Expansion and the artist is Paige Bradley. You can learn more about the artist and sculpture at http://paigebradley.com/blog/the-story-of-expansion/

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In this episode Becky and Bryce discuss the topic of Brokenness. You will hear:
-What we mean by the term 'Brokenness'
-Three typical ways humans deal with brokenness and what else we can do with it
-How embracing brokenness is central to living an integrated and whole life 
-There are parts of each of us that are imperfect and that is OK, perfection is not the same as wholeness
-Welcoming all of our imperfections and brokenness is essential to telling the truth about our lives
-When we begin to embrace our brokenness, the voice of fear will show up, and we can learn to tenderly approach fear as we go into this work of knowing ourselves more deeply

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In this episode Becky and Bryce bring a poem by Carrie Newcomer to the show.

Carrie Newcomer is a songwriter, recording artist, performer and educator. She has been described as a "prairie mystic" by the Boston Globe and one who "asks all the right questions" by Rolling Stone Magazine. Carrie has 19 nationally released albums on Available Light & Concord/Rounder Records including Until Now, The Point of Arrival and The Beautiful Not Yet. Carrie has released three books of poetry & essays, A Permeable Life: Poems and Essays, The Beautiful Not Yet: Poems and Essays & Lyrics, and Until Now: Poetry by Carrie Newcomer.

Discover more about Carrie at https://www.carrienewcomer.com

The poem shared on this episode is titled "Pretending" and is found in her Until Now: Poetry book.

Enjoy!

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In this episode Bryce and Becky welcome special guest Sam Melden to the show. Sam has served as the Executive Director of Food for Thought, has worked at the Center of Servant Leadership and at Leadership Toledo, and is now serving as City of Toledo District 5 City Council Member.

In this episode we explore things like:
-What happens when a civic leader lacks self-awareness??!!
-Citizen vs Consumer Mindset
'How may I serve? '  vs. 'What's in it for me?'
-How to live in the tension between personal values and trying to consistently represent the community you serve/represent
-A brilliant quote from Parker Palmer's book Healing the Heart of Democracy
-We leave you with a challenge: If you don't engage and show up in the civic space, who will? Decisions are made by those who show up.

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In this episode Becky and Bryce explore the second part of the listening series. To frame this topic they discuss three aspects of outward listening which include: quieting the self, allowing for silence, and honoring the other.

You will hear:
 -How being a good listener is not an either/or 
-That all humans have the capacity to listen well and it is a capacity we can develop, and it shifts in various moments, situations, and times in our lives
-Why every human needs to listen consciously in order to live fully
-Some practical tools to support you in being able to listen well with others

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In this episode Becky and Bryce explore what it means to tune the ear of your heart, to listen inside oneself. You'll hear the hosts discuss how there is a deep wisdom that becomes available to us when we listen within. 
-The work of refining an inner ear is a life's work, but it is one of the best entryways into the fox, the soul or the true self. 
-Inner listening work is imperative to growth, knowing ourselves deeply and to feeling more regulated, peaceful and calm in our lives. 
-The inner wisdom that is accessed as we learn to listen within seems to maintain a simplicity and honesty to it, but it also holds transformational power.
 -Inner listening informs behavior that is filled with meaning, purpose and integrity. 
-We can learn to tune our inner ear more and more by giving ourselves permission to pause for brief moments.

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In this episode Bryce and Becky share a nested poem written by local author Kevin Anderson. Kevin is a respected psychologist, author and poet. You can find out more about him at his website www.thewingedlife.com 

At the beginning of the year, many of us are reflecting on where we want to go, what we want to do, changes we need to make, etc. No matter what threshold or decision or crossing you happen to find yourself at right now, this poem is an incredible gift for your path.  It is included in Kevin's book titled "Now is Where God Lives." 

You can buy this book and check out his other books at https://www.thewingedlife.com/kevin-anderson-books-store

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In this episode Bryce and Becky welcome special guest Sara Best to the show to discuss the role of assessments in the world of self-awareness.  Sara is the Principal and Co-Founder of Real Good Ventures and a self-proclaimed "Boss-Hole Prevention Specialist." You will want check out her podcast called the Boss Hole Chronicles (https://www.realgoodventures.com/the-bosshole-chronicles.)

In this episode you will hear about a handful of assessment tools including the Enneagram, the EQ-i 2.0, The Leadership Circle 360 and the Predictive Index.

Each of these tools supports us in tapping into and then leveraging our strengths as well as identifying areas that need adjustment.  The data these tools provide can support us in getting out of the various kinds of drama in our lives by making challenging areas a little more transparent for us. Assessment tools can open the door to greater awareness, and with greater awareness come more choices and with more choices come more feelings of empowerment.

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In this episode Bryce and Becky explore the topic of Paradox, and how it can be a powerful tool and framework  allowing us to be more self-aware. It can also support us to  make room for more nuance and truth in our inner world and in relationship to others.

You will hear:
- The hosts describe the paradox framework as used in the Foundations Program
-Examples of common paradoxes
-Personal stories involving paradox
-Reference to Parker Palmer's book titled The Promise of Paradox
-And more

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In this episode Becky and Bryce share a poem by David Whyte, a poet who has deeply impacted each of them. David Whyte's writing explores the timeless relationship of human beings to their world, to creation, to others, and to the end of life itself.  He makes his home in the Pacific Northwest, where rain and changeable skies remind him of the other, more distant homes from which he comes: Yorkshire, Wales and Ireland.

In this poetry break you'll hear the hosts read Everything Is Waiting For You a few times and then reflect on lines that stand out to each of them, followed by where those words intersect their own lived experiences.

Use the link below to hear David Whyte read Everything Is Waiting For You, recorded when he was a guest at On Being.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmA4s8r630s

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