Does Stranger Things Hold the Secret to Real-World Resilience?

Don’t worry, No Spoilers!

In this special episode, we unpack the surprising resilience lessons hidden within the cultural phenomenon of Stranger Things. The show is more than just 80s nostalgia and sci-fi horror; it’s a modern myth that provides a powerful blueprint for facing adversity. This deep dive explores how the structure of tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons—a core element of the show—is not just a plot device, but a powerful tool for practicing collaboration, problem-solving, and mental fortitude. Blending pop culture analysis with scientific insights on the power of play and a personal story of real-world high school rebellion, this episode will make you see the kids from Hawkins, and your own capacity for resilience, in an entirely new light.

“So, if you ask me, can a a few gamer geeks organize people to stand up against the big bad? I say, hell yes. Hell yes!” — Michael Glavin

Key Insights & Provocations

In this episode…

• The Hidden Truth: Discover the tragic, real-life story behind the 1970s “Satanic Panic” and how Dungeons & Dragons became an unwitting scapegoat.

• The Science of Play: Uncover why childhood games like tag and hide-and-seek are not just for fun, but are essential evolutionary tools for practicing survival skills in a safe environment.

• The Gamer Rebellion: Hear the incredible true story of how a group of high school gamers used Hawaiian shirts to organize a real-world resistance against an oppressive school administration.

• Blueprint for Defeating Monsters: Analyze the recurring plot of Stranger Things to understand its powerful formula for how community, communication, and authenticity can overcome seemingly unbeatable evil.

• The Power of Naming: Learn the psychological strategy the characters in Stranger Things use to make overwhelming horrors manageable—a technique you can apply in your own life.

• Clinically Proven Benefits: Explore the scientific research showing that playing D&D for just one hour a week can significantly decrease depression, anxiety, and stress.

These insights are just the beginning of the story.

Helpful Resources

D&D Players Handbook

D&D Dungeon Masters Guide

D&D Monster Manual

Mouse Guard Roleplaying Game Box Set, 2nd Ed.

Mouse Guard Volume 1: Fall 1152

Novus Ordo Seclorum - Call of C’thulu RPG Group that runs seriously cool events at all the major gaming conferences.

White Leviathan - The most awesome, epic adventure and CoC world you will ever come across. Check it out!

Thousand Year Old Vampire - Solo Adventure as a Vampire.

Eclipse Phase - Sci-Fi, Trans-human RPG game.

Demons & Wonders — My magical-realism adventure — Coming soon!

Antioch College - The best College in the whole world. The start of you your adventure.

Research Papers:

A Study on the Efficacy of the Tabletop Roleplaying Game Dungeons & Dragons for Improving Mental Health and Self-Concepts in a Community Sample

Can playing Dungeons and Dragons be good for you? A registered exploratory pilot programme using offline tabletop role-playing games to mitigate social anxiety and reduce problematic involvement in multiplayer online video games

Systematic Review: Are Table-Top Roleplaying Games a Useful Therapeutic Tool for People with Neurodiversity?

A Scoping Review of Tabletop Role-Playing Game (TTRPG) as Psychological Intervention: Potential Benefits and Future Directions

When the days are short and the nights are long and cold, where do you turn for wisdom? This episode of Resilience in Dark Times we look beyond modern self-help videos and journey back to the ancient world. I share with you three powerful solstice myths, from Inuit, Celtic, and Norse traditions. These three stories talk directly to us about times of disruption, darkness, and loss. Each story provides cultural wisdom and how to handle these dark times.

You’ll hear a tale about a mischievous raven, one about two warring kings, and finally a myth about a pair of relentless wolves. We’ll learn about the liberatory power of disruption, the essential balance between action and rest, and the profound beauty found in the cycle of endings and new beginnings.

If you’re searching for a deeper, more timeless framework for building resilience, press play and learn how the stories our ancestors told in the dark can help us find our own way back to the light.

“All the benefits of the summer, the flowers and the pollinators and all that life...is made possible by the darkness, the frost, the cold, the down time...Both are necessary. Both are needed. Life is that cycle between the cold darkness and the warm light.”

— Michael Glavin

What You’ll Discover: Episode Highlights

• The Trickster’s Gift: Why do authoritarian systems hate tricksters? Discover how an ancient Inuit tale of a sun-stealing raven offers a powerful, liberatory strategy for breaking free from rigid thinking and welcoming creative chaos.

• Reconciliation after the Battle: An ancient Celtic myth pits the Holly King (darkness) against the Oak King (light). Find out why their endless battle is the key to understanding the vital, restorative power of downtime in your own life.

• Beauty in Transience: The Norse myth of wolves devouring the sun and moon sounds terrifying, but it holds the secret to appreciating the present moment. Learn why this story of Ragnarok is not about despair, but about the profound promise of rebirth.

“Everything’s going to die. Everything’s going to pass away. That makes everything precious and makes things more beautiful, more poignant. But also…[there] is regeneration and rebirth.” — Michael Glavin

Your Resilience Practice: This Week’s Action Item

This week’s action item isn’t another task for your to-do list. It’s a practical, tangible step you can take to immediately integrate the episode’s central lesson—the critical importance of restorative downtime—into your own life.

Make yourself a cup of tea, get under a blanket, and give yourself 20 to 30 minutes to slow down, do nothing, and recharge.

This simple act of intentional rest is a powerful way to honor the cycles of your own life and build strength for the days ahead.

Resources & Further Exploration

This section provides links and references mentioned in the episode, allowing you to deepen your own understanding of these powerful stories.

• The Raven Story: The version of “Raven Steals the Sun” shared in the episode can be found at solsticelady.com

• Trickster Energy in Film: The host references the character Harry Tuttle from Terry Gilliam’s dystopian film Brazil as a modern example of the trickster archetype.

• The Holly and Oak King: As promised during the episode, you can find the source for this powerful Celtic tale here: The Holy King and the Oak King.

• Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas: Many of the Norse Myths can be found here in The Project Gutenberg eBook.

• Hati and Sköll: The Celestial Wolves of Norse Mythology and Their Eternal Chase. A good discussion of the symbolism of the Norse Myths.

Coming Up Next on the Podcast

In our next episode, we’re distilling 15 episodes of Resilience in Dark Times wisdom into one essential toolkit. You’ll get a masterclass in the most effective, actionable strategies for building real-world resilience in our special “Resilience Essentials” compilation. Don’t miss it.

This is not a crisis. In a world that feels like it’s lurching from one emergency to the next, that statement might sound absurd. But what if the very framework of “crisis” is the source of our exhaustion and burnout? In this episode of Resilience in Dark Times, we dismantle the crisis mentality and introduce a more empowering, sustainable framework for navigating today’s challenges. Join us to discover how to protect your well-being, take meaningful action, and start building a better future without getting overwhelmed.

“You might have a crisis for a day... But a crisis doesn’t go on for weeks and months and years. When that’s the situation, the crisis mentality…can be a form of denial.”

— Michael Glavin

In This Episode, You Will Discover:

• How authoritarian regimes weaponize the “crisis mentality” to suspend your rights and manipulate your emotions.

• The classic “marshmallow test” and the simple secret it reveals about your relationship with your future self.

• The hidden reason why delaying gratification isn’t always the right strategy.

• What the marshmallow test can tell us about living in an unstable world.

• The personal health wake-up call that revealed the profound physical dangers of living in a permanent “crisis mode.”

• How to replace the disempowering “crisis” framework with a new framework to foster sustainable, long-term action without burning out.

• What an ancient Talmudic story about a man who sleeps for 70 years can teach us about our responsibility to build a future we may never see.

“All that is solid melts into air, all that is holy is profaned, and man is at last compelled to face with sober senses, his real conditions of life, and his relations with his kind.”

—Karl Marx

Take Action & Connect

Your Action Item Do one thing that will support someone else’s future self (a person or a creature). It could be planting a tree for future generations or donating food to a local pantry for someone to find tomorrow. The scale doesn’t matter; the intention does.

Join the Conversation Once you’ve completed your action item, share it with the community! Post what you did on our Substack and join the discussion.

Support the Show If this episode resonated with you, here are three ways you can support our work:

1. Share this episode with someone who might like to hear it. Breaking isolation is resistance.

2. Rate this podcast — 5 Stars — to boost our visibility.

3. Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform to help others find this community.

The Productivity Trap

If you feel overworked, stressed, and permanently exhausted—caught in a cycle of trying to do more with less time and even less energy—you are not alone. In our society, the pressure to constantly be more productive, to run faster, and to cram more into every waking moment often backfires, leading to burnout and a feeling of always falling behind. This “death spiral” leaves you with more to do and less capacity to do it. This episode of Resilience in Dark Times offers a surprising and counterintuitive path to reclaiming your time and restoring your energy. It’s an essential listen for anyone trapped on the hamster wheel and ready to learn how doing less is the only path to achieving more.

“The more and more…effort you put in, the less return you get. And so then you need to put in more and more effort and you get even less return. And it’s this death spiral.”

— Michael Glavin

What You’ll Discover in This Episode

In this episode, host Michael Glavin explores:

• Why the conventional advice to “be more productive” often makes the problem of burnout worse.

• The powerful, two-word strategy that seems counterintuitive but is the foundation for restoring your energy.

• The three-step progression for reclaiming your energy

• How to apply the principles of a pendulum to escape the cycle of low-energy work and low-quality rest.

• A Japanese folktale that serves as a powerful warning about the hidden costs of ambition and greed.

• How to redefine what you truly need to do, shifting your priorities to create the experience of abundant time.

“You want to think of it as a bow. If you want the arrow to go forward, you need to pull it back. You need that rest, relaxation. And the more you pull back on that bow, more rest and relaxation and good night sleep you get, then the more productive you’ll be, the farther that arrow will go.”

— Michael Glavin

Resources Mentioned

Explore the concepts and people discussed in this episode:

• Tara Brach: A psychotherapist and Buddhist teacher with a highly recommended podcast featuring free meditations and dharma talks. Check out her podcast.

• Jon Kabat-Zinn: The source of the definition of mindfulness used in the episode: “the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment.”

• Thursday is the New Friday by Joe Sanok: A New York Times bestselling book that explores the research behind how relaxation and recreation are directly linked to productivity.

• Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR): An 8-week course mentioned as an effective way to establish a mindfulness routine.

• “The Grateful Crane” (or “The Crane Wife”): The Japanese folktale used to illustrate the dangers of ambition and the importance of recognizing what you truly need.

• “Systematic Review of Mindfulness Practice for Reducing Job Burnout”: Strong evidence supports the use of mindfulness practice to reduce job burnout among health care professionals.

• “Give me a break!”: A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of micro-breaks for increasing well-being and performance.

• “Psychological detachment from work predicts mental wellbeing of working-age adults”: The ability to psychologically detach from work during the first pandemic lockdown, and improvement in this recovery activity over time, predicted better mental wellbeing and quality of life…

• “Associations of leisure-time physical activity and…mental health outcomes”: Promoting physical activity can improve population health. This study aimed to examine associations of leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and active school transport with mental health, that is, symptoms of depression and anxiety…

• “Cultural leisure activities, recovery and work engagement among hospital employees”: This study explored the relationship between cultural leisure activities, recovery experiences and two outcomes among hospital workers.

• Previous Episodes: This episode builds on concepts from past episodes. “Disconnecting from the Noise” introduces the “sanctuary chair” used for the “do nothing” practice, and “Transforming Fear” provides strategies for managing future-oriented anxiety that can interfere with being present.

The Double-Edged Sword of Hope

Is hope the force that fuels our resilience, or is it a dangerous illusion that leads to inaction and despair? This powerful, paradoxical emotion can be the crucial ingredient for survival, yet it can also trap us in a cycle of disappointment. It is a true double-edged sword, capable of sustaining us through the darkest of trials or increasing our suffering.

How do we differentiate between a form of hope that leads to despair and a hope that can guide us through these difficult times? That’s what we will explore in this episode of Resilience in Dark Times.

Hope, the Ancient Curse?

To truly understand the risks of hope, the episode journeys back to the ancient world and the original myth of Pandora’s Box. Forget the children’s story of a butterfly emerging from a box. In the original telling, the ending is much more ominous.

We will explore the darker side of hope.

Finding a Resilient Hope

If some forms of hope are a curse, it is strategically vital to find a version that is action-oriented and resilient. The episode turns to the work of Viktor Frankl, whose memoir Man’s Search for Meaning provides one of history’s most powerful testaments to hope’s ability to sustain life in the most horrific circumstances imaginable.

Frankl’s story offers a stark contrast between “false hope” and the “active hope” he cultivated. Learn how to discern one from the other.

Frankl’s example provides the foundation for the episode’s actionable advice on cultivating a hope that truly strengthens us.

In This Episode:

In this episode, you will discover:

• The surprising, original meaning of hope in the myth of Pandora’s Box

• How hope can be a curse when it is fragile or leads to passivity.

• How to tell if your hope is sustaining or fragile by asking a simple question.

• How to cultivate an active, resilient hope that is grounded in your ultimate values and fuels action rather than drains your energy.

Host Michael Glavin also reveals how his own perspective was transformed by this research. A self-described “hope skeptic,” he shares a powerful personal story of turning his despair after the 2024 election into community action—joining a rapid response team to protect his neighbors—and discovering a form of hope that sustains and empowers.

Listen Now

Are you ready to learn how to make hope a powerful ally in building resilience? Listen to the full episode and embrace a hope that will sustain you through these dark times.

Useful Links:

(If you buy a book from this link, you will support your local bookstores and you will support Resilience in Dark Times because I will get a dollar or two.)

Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, Human, All Too Human: A Book for Free Spirits

L5-Prometheus & Pandora (Hesiod’s Theogony and Works & Days)

PANDORA: HESIOD, WORKS AND DAYS 53-105

Podcast website

Practice website

Intro:

How do we get the time and the space that we need to connect with our deep, inner sources of resilience? Is it possible that the most exhausting parts of modern life come not from life itself, but from the simulations we mistake for life? What happens when we deliberately step out of the digital noise and let our minds reconnect with the world that actually exists?

Topic to be discussed:

In this podcast episode, Michael Glavin discusses disconnecting from the noise and finding sanctuary.

Summary:

* Hyperreality and the illusion of urgency

* Breaking out of hyperreality can be difficult

* The environment around you shapes your mind

* Reclaiming presence through sensory grounding

* Your action item for the week

Show notes:

Hyperreality and the illusion of urgency

How can we intentionally create the space that we need to connect with our deeper, personal states of resilience?

Michael opens by naming a problem many people feel but cannot articulate: we are pulled into states of stress, distraction, and overwhelm by realities that aren’t real.

We can connect with others … through love and through service, but we can’t do any of this unless we disconnect from the immediacy, the day-to-day, the urgency of the ‘now’ … We need to create a little bit of space.

(Michael Glavin)

Michael emphasizes that the nervous system cannot distinguish between a real event and a hyperreal trigger, which is why people experience stress from things that never actually happened to them.

Hyperreality is a simulation of reality that’s more intense … He calls the simulation [of fake reality] the hyperreal, and we can see this not just in theme parks, but all over.

(Michael Glavin)

Breaking out of hyperreality can be difficult

While we understand on one level that virtual reality is fake, disconnecting ourselves from it is still no easy task.

It’s so easy to get seduced into the shadows and the puppet-play that we see online in the virtual reality, and we start to think that that’s true, that it’s the reality, and then to break out of it is painful.

(Michael Glavin)

However tough it may be initially, it is worth the effort, because on the other side is genuine peace, rest, and the truth of the situation.

On the other side of hyperreality, we can rest, have grounded nervous systems, and engage with the world in calm rather than agitation.

The environment around you shapes your mind

Drawing on the concept of the extended mind, Michael explains that our cognitive states are not contained in our heads - they are co-created by the spaces, stimuli, and contexts we place ourselves in.

He notes that certain environments can naturally induce calm, focus, or creativity without effort.

Our mind doesn’t just exist inside our brain. A better way to think of it is our mind [is] existing outside of our body, drawing on our brain, body, and environment, and the things in our environment … Everything in our environment affects how we think, what we feel … Our mood, and our mental state.

(Michael Glavin)

Investigate which surroundings help you to think clearly and which ones distract and fragment your attention.

Reclaiming presence through sensory grounding

Michael explains that one of the fastest ways to exit hyperreality is to anchor yourself in direct sensory experience and to be intentional about the shift between doing something and relaxing. This pulls you out of the simulated world and back into the real one.

Try these three things:

1 - Purpose: What is your purpose in this moment? For example, relaxation, sleep, or being active?

2 - Location: Tie the purpose to a location. For example, where you relax should not be where you do your hard work.

3 - Transition: Can you instill some transitional rituals so that you can move your body and mind in unison between different locations and purposes?

That’s what I want for you, is to set up a “stress-place” where you do your stressful things that you need to do to get that information you need to take effective action in the world … And then create a space where it’s just relaxation.

(Michael Glavin)

Your action item for the week

Spend 10 minutes each day in a non-digital environment (a park, balcony, quiet room, garden, or street walk).

Go be in nature, go for a walk … for 10 minutes and come back, and start to imagine [it] as a ritual, that’s great, [because] that’s then part of your reconnecting with the truth of your real life, not the hyperreality, not the fantasy.

(Michael Glavin)

Try observing three sensory details you normally miss - a texture, a sound, a pattern of light - and notice how your mind shifts when you engage with the real world rather than a simulated one. This is a cornerstone to building your resilience.

Books mentioned in this episode:

Annie Murphy Paul - The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain

Useful links:

Podcast website:

Practice website:

Introduction: The Call of the Cosmos

Have you ever had an experience of feeling at one with the universe? A moment so profound that your sense of individuality melts away, replaced by a deep, timeless connection to the earth, the cosmos, and every living thing? This feeling of awe is more than a fleeting sensation—it is a wellspring of spiritual sustenance. In this episode of Resilience in Dark Times, host Michael Glavin reveals how you can consciously tap into this profound feeling of ‘interbeing’ as a source of strength to navigate our turbulent world.

A Moment of Awe

This episode explores the deep truth captured in William Blake’s timeless poem:

To see a world in a grain of sand, and heaven in a wild flower, hold infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour.

Why This Episode Is a Lifeline for Today’s World

In an era defined by overwhelming political upheaval and environmental crisis, it’s easy to feel isolated within a small, anxious “ego self.” Yet, as this episode reveals, it is often when things fall apart that we awaken to our profound interconnection. Building on recent explorations of resilience through political action, creativity, and personal love, this episode takes the ultimate step: expanding our sense of self to encompass the entire cosmos. It frames this universal connection not as a philosophical luxury, but as a vital resource for transforming anxiety into sustained, compassionate action.

“I…felt connected deeply with the heavens. I felt deeply connected with the universe. And I felt my particularity, my small place in this vast, awesome, awe inspiring universe.“ (Michael Glavin)

What You Will Discover Inside

Embark on a journey through ancient wisdom and personal stories designed to awaken your own sense of deep connection. Inside, you will discover:

• Awe in the Badlands: What can a sunset and moonrise over the Badlands reveal about our place in the cosmos? Hear the host’s perspective-shifting story and reflect on your own moments of profound awe.

• The Universe Looking at Itself: What happens when the universe recognizes itself through the eyes of a human and a robin? Hear the host’s deeply personal story from a silent retreat that reveals the startling truth of our shared consciousness.

• The Cloud in the Paper: Unveil the concept of “Interbeing” through Thich Nhat Hanh’s famous meditation. How can a cloud, a logger, and a field of wheat all exist within a single sheet of paper?

• Indra’s Cosmic Net: Settle in for the ancient Buddhist parable of Indra’s Net—a vision of the universe where every being is a brilliant gem reflecting every other gem. What does this infinite web of connection mean for our individual lives and our impact on the whole?

• The Radical Love of a Revolutionary: Explore the teachings of Jesus: How does the revolutionary act of loving the stranger and the enemy dissolve the illusion of separateness and place you in “the kingdom of heaven,” here and now?

• The Spiritual Warrior: Enter the Tibetan myth of the Shambala Warriors, who march into the heart of darkness. Learn about their two weapons “compassion” and “insight into inerconnection”—and why you need both to fight for a better world.

Why tend to these strangers? Why tend to these immigrants, the cast-outs? … Because of this universal recognition … we’re all connected, and we all need to take care of each other, and we need to take care especially of those who need it the most. (Michael Glavin)

Your Action Item:

Reconnect with the Web of Life through Forest Bathing

The goal of this practice is to quiet the mind and experientially reconnect with the natural world, allowing the feeling of interbeing to arise naturally.

1. Find a natural setting—a forest, beach, meadow, or park—and dedicate at least 30 minutes to being present there.

2. Leave your phone behind or keep it in your pocket. The goal is to disconnect from the digital world to reconnect with the physical one.

3. Engage all your senses. Consciously notice the details you would normally miss: the texture of a leaf, the variations of color in a stone, the sound of the wind, the smell of the earth. Let yourself be fully absorbed by your environment.

Listen to the Full Episode

To dive deeper into these transformative ideas and hear the full stories and reflections, listen to the complete episode.

About Resilience in Dark Times

Resilience in Dark Times is a podcast for anyone feeling overwhelmed by political upheaval and environmental crisis but who refuses to normalize injustice or ignore planetary emergencies. It is a space to explore how we can transform our anxiety into meaningful action and build the emotional resilience we need to keep fighting for a better world.

Subscribe & Join the Community

Building resilience is something we do together. If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and share it with someone who might need to hear it. Visit resilienceanddarktimes.com to learn more and join our community of people who refuse to give up.

Useful links:

Podcast website: ResilienceInDarkTimes.com

Practice website: DCCtherapy.com

William Blake, “Auguries of Innocence”

Thich Nhat Hanh, “Clouds in Each Paper”

“Indra’s Net”

Joanna Macy, “Shambhala Warriors”

Linked previous episodes:

Intro:

Love conquers fear, and this is why it is an act of resilience. Loves helps us be less afraid when regimes try to use fear to divide us. So, why is courage the core of love, and vice versa? How can you incorporate more love-centered practices into your daily life?

Topic to be discussed:

In this podcast episode, Michael Glavin talks about love, the heart-centered resilience.

Summary:

* Ego-centered living is fraught with anxiety and fear

* The power of love to transcend egotism

* Love: creating it and sharing it

* Love in spite of messiness of existence

* Your action item for this week

Show notes:

The problem we are trying to solve: egoism is fraught with fear

What I’m concerned about is that most of us go through our lives, most of the time, identifying with our ego, that’s where our locus of focus is, where our center is … The “small” self. There’s nothing wrong with that, but the problem [comes in] when we’re solely identified with that ego.

(Michael Glavin)

Our modern, Western society works incredibly hard at encouraging us to align far more often with our egos than with our capacities for love and compassion.

It encourages egoistic individualism, and to defer to self-servitude rather than to support and share resources for our benefit as well as for the benefit of others, because it makes us forget the essential nature of the collective, which acts as a safety net.

While it is important to get your needs met and to make sure that you and your family are safe, this need should not be allowed to turn into the extreme version of itself, which is resource hoarding.

Everything ego-related … can be stripped away. So, if you are ego-identified, that’s where your center and locus is, your power, then you’re going to be really worried about trying to maintain that … What we need is to de-center your ego, or transcend your ego. We need something else with a different focus.

(Michael Glavin)

The power of relationships

Many studies have been done on the power of relationships when it comes to human physiological health. They have shown that even holding the hand of a loved one when experiencing pain reduces the sensation of that pain.

People with strong social connections are happier, they live longer, they physically decline at a much slower rate. People with good relationships have lower rates of diabetes, arthritis, cognitive decline, and other chronic conditions … You need at least one person whom you can turn to when times are tough, and to be there to celebrate with you when times are good!

(Michael Glavin)

You can even experience versions of these benefits with beloved pets, such as cats and dogs, and people have conducted studies that show equine therapy offering a number of powerful benefits too. Even bird-watching gives us calming benefits.

The question is: why? Why do these relationships, with humans and non-human animals, have such powerful benefits and positive effects? We turn to the strongest force: love.

Love: creating it and sharing it

When you love someone, there are times when you may place their needs above your own. This is an example of de-centering the ego.

When we’re in love, when we’re in this state [of love], our partner’s needs are as important as ours. In some cases, even more important than our own … Your’re acting from this place, and that is an ego-transcended place.

(Michael Glavin)

This energy force, when we experience love for other beings, can be used for good.

It can compel us to help and care for others, but within reason, because while we can place other people’s needs above our own at certain times, it is still necessary for us to care for ourselves.

It shifts the relationship so that the ego comes in service of love. We then use our body to do the things to support our partners, to support our relationship, to support our children … Our lives then serve that person’s well-being.

(Michael Glavin)

Love in spite of mess

One of the powerful forces that love is capable of us pushing us to help and take care of our loved ones, even when the situation is horrific, unpleasant, or disgusting even.

We may concede to the discomfort and feel uncomfortable at times, but we also understand the necessity of helping and are willing to help our loved one, despite the disgust, because we love them.

Think of parents changing babies diapers, or an adult child caring for their aging parent. These are acts of love, despite the messiness that can turn the ego away.

I knew intellectually that it was gross, but I didn’t feel disgusted. Through love, I was able to see this simply as a part of life, and that the gross, messy bits go with the funny, loving, cute bits. They are all part of this creature that I love, and it’s all okay. (Michael Glavin)

Your action item for this week

Meditate on the qualities of the person that you love. What is it that you appreciate about them? Call these qualities to mind, and then feel delighted to be in their presence when you do see them.

Sit in that delight of them - enjoy the real-life act of love, and loving the person in front of you, whether it is romantic or platonic. Then express the love you have for who they uniquely are.

Books mentioned in this episode:

Julia Kristeva, Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection

Robert A. Johnson, He: Understanding Masculine Psychology

Robert A. Johnson, She: Understanding Feminine Psychology

Robert A. Johnson, We: Understanding the Psychology of Romantic Love

Useful links:

Podcast website:

Practice website:

Hugs and Cortisol Awakening Response the Next Day

Just the two of us: Holding hands can ease pain, sync brainwaves

Birdwatching can help students improve mental health, reduce distress

Equine‐assisted therapies using horses as healers

Intro:

What if the part of you that says “I” is only a fraction of who you really are? How can you access the vast, unseen realm of your unconscious mind? What happens when you start listening to the quiet power beneath the surface?

Topic to be discussed:

In this podcast episode, Michael Glavin explains how you are more than you know and how to access the power of your unconscious mind.

Summary:

* What the Self is and what it’s not

* The unconscious mind

* Michael’s recommendation: feed your soul

* How to get in touch with your unconscious mind

Show notes:

What the Self is and what it’s not

Here’s a good question to ask yourself when you want to figure out more about your Self: “What is the part of myself that I call ‘I’?”

Who says “I”? Is the “I” everything that we are, or is there something more beyond it? If you look at Sigmund Freud’s work, everything about the “I”, the part of yourself that has volition and makes decisions, he called the ego.

The “I” got translated into “ego”. That’s the part of us that says, “I” … The volitional part of us. I like to think of it as the manager of us, the part that mediates life and life’s situations between what we want and what society expects, [the part] that tries to cope and find a strategy through that.

(Michael Glavin)

A healthy, functioning ego is an important part of living a good life, but are we more than this part of the Self? Is there more? Many researchers, philosophers, and therapists have been discussing the unconscious mind over recent centuries.

Our unconscious mind extends far beyond the realm of the ego, but is as active and involved in our lives as the ego itself.

Where the ego is like a lighthouse on the shore, illuminating your path and options, the unconscious mind is the vast sea beyond it.

What is weaving all of this together? That’s our unconscious mind, that’s our embedded mind … That is amazing. That is what I want to be in touch with, [to] draw from that power.

(Michael Glavin)

The unconscious mind

How do we get in touch with our embedded mind, the unconscious mind, and the Self? What is the relationship between our ego and the unconscious mind?

If the ego is the realm of light and identity, the unconscious is the realm of night, shadows, and the moon. It is filled with darkness and blended identity.

(Michael Glavin)

The realms of our psyches can be dangerous and dark, but it is within them that the fullest extent of our power and authenticity waits for us.

It is important that we grapple with these deeper aspects of who we are and what makes us who we are, especially if we want to go through a mythical hero’s journey, face the monster, find the treasure, and share it with the world.

This journey is within us, via the unconscious self.

That’s where power, vitality, strength, and resilience reside. One way to be resilient is to be in connection with that vital energy inside of you. That vital energy is your nature-side; it is nature coming up through you.

(Michael Glavin)

Michael’s recommendation: feed your soul

Don’t think about your ego now, think about your vital, inner energy, that comes from the deeper source of your unconscious self:

* What do you crave?

* What lights you up?

* What interests you?

* What animates you?

Which aspects of life feed your soul: music, art, board games, books, creating art, being in nature, engaging with others in honest conversation?

That’s this pathway: going into yourself, going into your unconscious to try to come through to the other side, to get the gift to give to people. So, what’s the role of the ego in that? The role is to try to feed the unconscious … It’s the middle-manager part of us that does the things we know we need to do to feed the soul.

(Michael Glavin)

The four jobs of the ego:

1 - To feed the unconscious mind and soul

2 - To show up and bring you to the space where you can then engage with your unconscious self

3 - To then get out of the way to let the vital energy flow

4 - Finally, to clean up the mess and send you the thank you notes: ultimately, to serve the process of the unconscious mind

How to get in touch with your unconscious mind

* Journal, try it for five to ten minutes

* Let yourself dance and move in ways that feel good to your whole being

* Practice divination in whichever way feels most authentic to you

[Practice divination] and see what happens. I bet you’re going to be surprised, and pleased. And at the end, you’re going to get this sense of being held by something greater than you, and that greater thing than you is your unconscious, embedded mind. That intelligence, that will.

(Michael Glavin)

Books mentioned in this episode:

Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces

Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth

Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

Rick Rubin, The Creative Act: A Way of Being

Bill Plotkin, Soulcraft: Crossing Into the Mysteries of Nature and Psyche

Useful links:

Podcast website:

Practice website:

Smithsonian Magazine, “Need to Solve a Problem? Try Taking a Deep Power Nap for an ‘Aha’ Moment, Research Suggests”

The Creative Stereotype Effect

Intro:

What if the world’s darkest moments are also its greatest invitations to act? What if this historical moment means that you matter, that your actions matter? And what if heroism isn’t about grand gestures, but small, consistent action?

Topic to be discussed:

In this podcast episode, Michael Glavin discusses how now is a time for heroes and building a better world.

Summary:

* Why now is the time for heroes

* Michael’s 7-step process to find your purpose

* Final takeaways

Show notes:

Why now is the time for heroes

Things are bad right now politically, ecologically, and economically. The bad news is that a lot is going on in the world right now that is not good. However, the good news is that we can make a significant, positive impact through collective action.

The good news is that because things are so bad, it’s going to take everyone, everywhere, all at once to create a better future. What that means is that you are important. What you decide to do in this moment, what you choose to do in this moment, matters.

(Michael Glavin)

Remember: they win when we, when you and I, decide to give up and give in. That is what they want, complacency and apathy.

By continuing to learn, show up, organize, and take aligned, meaningful action, our collective effort has the potential and power to change the whole situation around.

If we take action, if we do something. We speak out, we non-violently oppose what is happening to defend what is good at right in our society, to do the right thing … We will win. We will prevail.

(Michael Glavin)

Michael’s 7-step process

You can get the full 7-step PDF on our website. Below is a shortened version.

1 - Let yourself be aware of what is not going well, and accept it. Don’t shy away from it, just know that it is happening and let yourself be drawn to it.

2 - What do you want instead of the injustice and corruption? What would justice look like? What would a socially, ecologically, politically, and economically healthy world look like for you?

3 - Now consider what it would take to accomplish and bring this positive vision of the future that you have to fruition.

4 - Complete a self-assessment.

* Think about your abilities, background, experience, education, and training.

* Think about your limitations, what’s doable and not, and find the middle ground.

* What should you protect, and what are you willing to sacrifice?

What skills do you have? Also, what do you like doing? What are you passionate about? What would you do for free? What would you do as a volunteer? … Take a moment to inventory yourself, your background, your experience, and how it relates to everything that needs to be done in terms of turning this situation around.

(Michael Glavin)

Where are your personal limitations and boundaries when it comes to your time, energy, and finances? Can you take small steps within your boundaries, instead of pushing yourself beyond these limits?

5 - Take action.

* Now that you have seen the scope of what’s needed, you’ve evaluated what you can give within your limits, and you have a vision to work towards. You are ready to find the best place to take the first step forward, and to take it.

* Join a group that you can work with and that shares your values. Being part of communities gives you the support and encouragement that you can rely on and fall back on when things get tough.

6 - Shift focus.

* Guard your attention and focus, and don’t let yourself get on board on the rollercoaster of social media and the news, which keeps you stressed and exhausted.

Don’t primarily focus on your feelings. What you need to do is focus on the action you’re taking in the world. Focus on the impact you’re having on the people, the planet. Focus on the good that you’re doing and how you’re helping people’s lives.

(Michael Glavin)

7 - How does your action connect up with everything else?

* Support yourself and your newfound network to maintain the action, instead of falling into feelings.

* Guard your safety and security, and work with people that you trust.

* Celebrate the change that your actions bring!

Final takeaways

If each of us overcome our fear and take action, we can build a better world. You matter. Your actions matter.

Books mentioned in this episode:

Hannah Arendt, On Revolution

Hannah Arendt, Between Past and Future

Douglas W Tallamy, Bringing Nature Home

Useful links:

Podcast website:

Practice website:

Food Not Bombs

How to Create a Mutual Aid Network

Indivisible

Stone Soup

Get the 7-Step PDF for Free: