The Courageous Life

On Choosing Love (No Matter What) | Deeyah Khan


Listen Later

Two time Emmy and Peabody Award winning Documentary Filmmaker 

Deeyah Khan has dedicated over a decade of her life to making empathetic and unflinching films which deal with some of the most important and polarizing issues confronting our world today; 

extremism, violence against women, inequality, racism and social exclusion.

Deeyah has filmed with:

battle-hardened jihadis, 

members of armed militia groups, 

American domestic terrorists and white supremacists, 

And through these encounters she’s had illuminating and often surprising results. 

After spending a number of months filming with members of the United States’ largest neo-Nazi organization, 

three high-ranking figures, including the leader, left the movement and rejected its white supremacist ideology. 

All of them crediting their encounters with Deeyah as the catalyst for them to leave.

Today we’ll engage in a deep and moving discussion about what Deeyah has learned from her unique and extraordinary experiences. 

Learnings that in essence come back to the power and potential of:

  • Radical curiosity,
  • Deep listening,
  • Choosing Love,
  • And having a fierce and unwavering commitment to center the inherent dignity of all human beings.

This is the final conversation in our mini series on Love. 

A four letter word that is perhaps one of the most complicated in our culture,

and yet simultaneously may be the most important practice for our time. 

This series, which has been years in the making ultimately brought together some of the world’s leading:

  • Peace and reconciliation workers, 
  • Conflict transformation experts,
  • Scholars on compassion, altruism, and generosity,
  • Storytellers,
  • Writers, 
  • Filmmakers
  • And spiritual teachers 

To unpack how Love, 

as Deeyah so beautifully puts it,

"Is, and has always been, the great interrupter." 

Love is what can help to break cycles of violence, hatred, and polarization.

Love is what connects us.

Love is what liberates.

Love is what heals.

Love is what brings us back to each other. 

And Choosing Love is exactly what these times are calling for. 

For more on Deeyah, her films, music, and other offerings please visit deeyah.com 

Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations from our mini-series on Love:

  • On the Possibility of Meeting Hate with Love | Dr. Barbara Tint
  • On Love and the Illusion of Separateness | Elias Amidon
  • On Awakening, Belonging, and Love | Henry Shukman
  • On Love, Storytelling, and Radical Curiosity | Baktash Ahadi
  • On the Power of Love | Stephen G. Post

Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Thanks for listening!

Support the show

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Courageous LifeBy Joshua Steinfeldt

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

79 ratings


More shows like The Courageous Life

View all
The One You Feed | Personal Growth, Emotional Resilience & Purpose by Eric Zimmer

The One You Feed | Personal Growth, Emotional Resilience & Purpose

2,568 Listeners

Tara Brach by Tara Brach

Tara Brach

10,523 Listeners

Untangle by Untangle

Untangle

843 Listeners

The Psychology Podcast by iHeartPodcasts

The Psychology Podcast

1,796 Listeners

Good Life Project by Jonathan Fields / Acast

Good Life Project

3,347 Listeners

The Rich Roll Podcast by Rich Roll

The Rich Roll Podcast

11,865 Listeners

Sounds True: Insights at the Edge by Tami Simon

Sounds True: Insights at the Edge

1,871 Listeners

Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg by Be Here Now Network

Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg

697 Listeners

10% Happier with Dan Harris by 10% Happier

10% Happier with Dan Harris

12,764 Listeners

Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson by Rick Hanson, Ph.D., Forrest Hanson

Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson

2,532 Listeners

Living Myth by Michael Meade

Living Myth

1,030 Listeners

The Science of Happiness by PRX and Greater Good Science Center

The Science of Happiness

1,908 Listeners

Mind & Life by Mind & Life Institute

Mind & Life

281 Listeners

Sounds of SAND by Science and Nonduality

Sounds of SAND

114 Listeners

The Telepathy Tapes by Ky Dickens

The Telepathy Tapes

8,867 Listeners