Radical Humanity

The Fourth Affirmation in the Beatitude Series, where Jesus gives eight odd blessing statements that maps a transformative journey of rupturing dependency on others and the external world in order to feel secure and satisfied, to a vibrant and passionate embrace of life lived from within, opening us up to enjoy this mysterious existence in freedom, compassion, joy, authenticity and aliveness. Here I discuss what this hunger and thirst means, how it is actually both a primal anger/rage and desire that both fuels confrontation of the early hurts, pains and woundings that has derailed one’s self and compels one to find their genuineness separated from what their family, society and the world at large dictates.

The Third Affirmation in the beatitude series, where Jesus gives eight odd blessing statements that maps a transformative journey of rupturing dependency on others and the external world in order to feel secure and satisfied, to a vibrant and passionate embrace of life lived from within, opening us up to enjoy this mysterious existence in freedom, compassion, joy, authenticity and aliveness. In this episode, I explore how “meek” is the subsequent return to our intrinsic human nature marked by vulnerability and a grounded position to living in the present after having grieved the loss of our inauthentic identity and attachments to the external for security and satisfaction. Also, why this “gentle” state of being is not devoid of anger, but a position that primes one for self-exploration and to embrace life openly and boldly. And what does Jesus mean when he talks about the meek “inheriting the earth”?

Here I read a personal poem on the loss of God, for me, as an object or being out in the ether, the wars that are created over this Divine being, the painful disorientation of that personal loss, and how the presence of the Divine is revealed through a passionate, connected, and bold embrace of life.

A reading and commentary of a personal poem exploring a time judgment kept me from being present and the sudden moment when it left, giving way to a peaceful, and euphoric connection with the environment around me while hiking through Point Lobos.

A surprising and profound conversation with a friend after a chance encounter that led to meeting up for beers. Ultramarathons, the obstruction of judgment, becoming fully present and attuned to one’s body despite the pull to give up, giving way to a euphoric energy to master the seemingly insurmountable, and why this is connected to the way I live and engage in the world.

After a “chance” run-in with a friend at a grocery store that brought about deeper sharing and an opportunity to be honest, I realized that there are those enigmatic moments in life that seem to be more than just an ordinary encounter.

The Second Affirmation in the beatitude series, where Jesus gives eight odd blessing statements that maps a transformative journey of rupturing dependency on others and the external world in order to feel secure and satisfied, to a vibrant and passionate embrace of life lived from within, opening us up to enjoy this mysterious existence in freedom, compassion, joy, authenticity and aliveness. Here, I explore the integral step of mourning or grieving the loss of what we depended on and the mask we wore, that covered up our genuine self, to feel secure, loved, accepted and connected. Also, why grieving this loss leads to an inner strengthening or “comfort” necessary for finding the authentic self.

A series within a series where I discuss my life in uncensored fashion. In this episode, disappointment that came from rejection from a woman on a dating site after vetting me for my belief system and spiritual lifestyle, led me to explore what I want in an intimate romantic connection, what was driving the need to get others to believe my way of seeing life, conflict over differences in a past relationship and a moment with a friend that taught me why diversity and difference can lead to a more genuine and deeper connection than a homogenized one.

A series within a series where I talk about my life in uncensored fashion. In this episode, I explore my dream about a moldy thermos and why this was symbolic of me leaving my family and finding my own identity. Also, I talk about differentiation, enmeshment, and why the process of scarification of plants is related to the necessary process of separating from the identity of a family/tribe.

The First Affirmation in the beatitude series, where Jesus gives eight strange blessing statements that maps a transformative journey of rupturing dependency on others and the external world in order to feel secure and satisfied, to a vibrant and passionate embrace of life lived from within, opening us up to enjoy this mysterious existence in freedom, authenticity and aliveness. In this first blessing statement, why despair and the utter loss of meaning and our self is the imperative first step to finding who we genuinely are. Also, what poor in spirit means, the brilliant psychological tale of Adam and Eve, the magical object, differentiation, the lack that lives inside us and why we turn to the external world to feel secure and satisfied, which inevitably creates more problems.