Kind Mind

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The archetype of the wounded healer, a concept deeply rooted in psychology and mythology, offers profound insights into the human condition, empathy, and the transformative power of healing through sacrifice.

This talk touches on the intricate dimensions of this archetype, paralleling its essence with the natural process of an oyster creating a pearl — a metaphor that elegantly encapsulates the journey from wound to wisdom.

Original artwork for this episode can be found on the podcast website along with event details.

This original sci fi tale has been expanded! I’ve added more words and MUSIC and hope this makes it easy to access anytime through the podcast.

Brazilian artist Gabriel Melo (_TMist) has enhanced the story with futuristic imagery. Please watch on my youtube channel and subscribe at https://youtu.be/L2LpRgZn_8M

As always, you can support this work, access bonus content, and help me release shows faster at https://patreon.com/kindmind

The Aurascope is a dark allegory about the commodification of human empathy.

A tech innovation blurs the boundary between empathy and voyeurism in a future society marked by diluted authenticity and disconnection from the power of personal sacrifice.

The narrative also serves as a de-stigmatizing portrait of neurodivergence, adding meaning to the adventure.

You can support this show, connect with the Kind Mind community, and access bonus content at https://patreon.com/kindmind

This is episode 101.

The origin of speech remains rather mysterious.  The development of complex vocalization and symbology is unique and may involve evolutionary necessity.  Human survival has historically been dependent on social cooperation. Language allows us to share information, coordinate activities, and form complex bonds for success among species. 

At the same time, there are profound ways that language shapes our understanding of reality, its construction and our place within it. 

This episode explores the interplay between words and worlds and examines the limitations associated with ineffable mystical experiences and divine truth.  

Music “Winter Lake” by Lee Hannah.

Episode artwork can be found on the podcast website.

This is the 100th episode! Thank you for listening!

You can support this work at https://patreon.com/kindmind and access bonus content.

This episode delves into the underground world of seeds and the unexpected life lessons they can teach us. From the sacred lotus seed which can remain viable for over 1,000 years to the dust-like orchid seeds that rely on fungus to germinate to the lodgepole pine which requires fire to release its seeds from the resin in cones - there is much to glean about resilience, potential, and interconnectedness.

These odd timelines and strange conditions can remind us that human progress is also not always straightforward. It can also inspire us to remain engaged in sowing the seeds of kindness and transformation in the face of adversity, trusting the latent magic will unfold.

In Hinduism and Buddhism, "bija" is often used to describe the seed or essence of something, which can represent the beginning or source of a concept, idea, or practice. For example, in yoga, bija mantras are seed syllables that are considered to hold the essence of a specific energy or deity. When chanted or meditated upon, these bija mantras are believed to help activate and harmonize the associated energy or invoke the deity's presence.

We will reflect on the wisdom of seeds in nature and culture and explore ways to apply the insights to daily life for nuturing a destiny of peace and happiness.

(Music “Sunset Serenade” by Ethereal Ephemera and original artwork for this episode can be found on the podcast website)

This is the 99th episode and patreon members will receive a special gift in the mail to commemorate the centennial occasion.

Give, receive and elevate at https://patreon.com/kindmind

'Tis the season of giving, but the societal expectation to buy a bunch of gifts or marketing pressure to spend, spend, spend is not the real spirit of generosity.

As mystic poet Kahlil Gibran wrote,

"It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding; and to the open-handed the search for one who shall receive is joy greater than giving. And is there aught you would withhold? All you have shall some day be given; therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors'."

Sincere generosity is good for our health and according to psychological studies, our happiness is more linked with prosocial behaviors. And the "warm glow" or "helpers high" corresponds to an actual rise in body temperature and release of feel-good hormones like oxytocin and endorphins.

But how, when or what to give is worth considering further. Additionally, experiments with "hedonic adaptation" reveal that the happiness we enjoy from the same activity or experience diminishes over time but this is not true when giving in the same manner.

This episode explores the ways to give not just materially or commercially once a year but as a healthy habit, to give of ourselves as a spiritual practice but also between mind and body.

(Music “Fade to White” by Bing Satellites and original episode artwork on podcast website)

Recorded live in-person on Oct 25 2022 at The Homestead in Plano, IL.

You can support this work and connect more at https://patreon.com/kindmind

Why are so many people attracted to scary movies when in real life we typically avoid frightening situations?

There are a multitude of reasons but recent studies have indicated that fans of the horror genre fared better in the pandemic in terms of preparedness and psychological resilience. Therefore, it could function as a kind of virtual reality tester and mechanism of exposure to worst-case scenarios.

In the final episode of “Dirty John,” the true story of a murderous conman, the daughter Terra credits her survival and ability to fight like hell from having previously binged AMC’s apocalyptic zombie-gore series "The Walking Dead."

There are many different types of fear but psychologist Karl Albrecht believes that they can be categorized and fit into a hierarchy or “Feararchy.” However, philosophers like Jiddu Krishnmurti asserted that these are still only the branches of one tree of fear and implored seekers to cut it down at the root.

And on an evolutionary level, our instincts associated with fear are predominantly codes for responding to a long-gone world. Most of the ancient imminent death threats like predators, storms and enemies have been replaced by longform health complexities like addiction, obesity and loneliness.

What will it take to download the smart-brain updates and how could that transform our lives and society?

(Music “Make Sense of Everything” by Bing Satellites and original episode artwork can be found on the podcast website)

You can support the podcast on Patreon and access bonus content: https://patreon.com/kindmind

True leadership goes beyond mere titles and positions. It involves a convergence of inner and outer realms.

At its core, leadership is an outpouring of the inner work. Through introspection, one can illuminate their own positionality and the pathways to decentralize power within themselves and elsewhere. Then, the finest leaders do not merely stand in the spotlight but, instead, use their inner light to cast away the shadows enveloping others.

To lead without leading and serve without imposing, the echoes of kindness resound louder than shouts of authority. Today's world often rewards individuals for audacious certitude. However, timeless wisdom and contemporary insights remind that true leadership engages with the panorama of possibilities from a space of intellectual and cultural humility.

This transformative journey, rooted in self-reflection, is what differentiates true leaders from mere figureheads, making leadership not just an external role but also an ever-evolving inner quest.

(Music “The Stone of Rejuvenation” by The Lovely Moon and original artwork for this episode is on the podcast website)

You can support this show and join us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/kindmind

One of the predecessors of the word "create" is creare in Latin. This verb meant "to form out of nothing" as in the phrase creatio ex nihilo from the Book of Genesis in the Bible. Accordingly, God manifested heaven and earth from the void.

Thus, artists sometimes refer to their spark of inspiration as being in the likeness of God.

However, the art from us mortals is creatio ex materia. Stravinsky may have said it best with the annotation of "refitting old ships." Astronomer Carl Sagan added that if you really want to bake an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.

So, does ego help or hinder art?

Another etymological root of create is keres or later ceres from ancient Indo-European language. Ker means "to grow" like the Roman Goddess of agriculture known as Ceres.

Egoism believes that the “I” is the origin of creative ideas and offerings, but the spiritual attitude is that of a steward tending to the growth and garden of community.

We will explore whether ego impedes or augments one's creative output and how the mode of operation is different.

(music “Divine Influence” by Bing Satellites and original artwork for this episode is on the podcast website)

Please consider supporting this work on Patreon: https://patreon.com/kindmind

The paradox of curiosity is a contest between our innate desire for knowledge and our aversion to uncertainty. 

A delicate balance can be negotiated when the curious awareness is anchored to its Latin word origin.  "Cura" meant cure, care, concern or even choosiness.  Put simply, curate the curiosity.  Then, it serves as a transformative force, guiding us on the perpetual quest for understanding and self-discovery. 

In our conversation and beyond, let this spark of inquiry light the way up - towards kindness and necessary innovation. Embracing curiosity, we become weavers of our own wisdom, ever learning never concluding.

(music “Everything is Beautiful” by Solar Plexus)

You can support this work and access bonus content at https://patreon.com/kindmind

Today, we often associate adventure with planned activities or deliberate pursuits as is the case with travel itineraries or business ventures of calculated risk with defined goals. 

However, the prefix ad in the word "adventure" means "towards" and therefore indicates that in the true spirit of adventure, the unknown is not just a means to an end but the end itself.  In other words, the adventurous life is one that journeys beyond the familiar or comfortable and towards surrender and acceptance of the divine mystery. 

This episode explore various perspectives on adventure and how it has been associated with rites of passage, renouncing or risking self-interest and the quest for harmony with the natural world.

(Music “Even” by Bing Satellites)