Season 1, Episode 36, Release Date: 6-30-2024

Robert Falconer and the Others Within Us

Robert Falconer is defintely a hero of mine. He has written many enlightening books that include "The Others Within Us" and his latest (hot off the presses) "When You're Going Through Hell... Keep Going." Find out more about Bob here: www.robertfalconer.us

Bob successfully combines trauma healing and spirituality in his work. Through grace, he has always been very motivated, to heal both his own trauma, as well as helping others on their journeys. 

I admire how Bob looks toward other cultures (in addition to our own) to seek out wisdom and knowledge. 

When I spoke about how much wisdom can be found from long ago, I questioned if society was moving backwards. Bob reflected on Owen Barfield's work, and shared that long ago there was a strong connection with nature that was lost. However, Own believed that this was something that was going to be rediscovered, albeit in a different way.

Bob shared that Western psychology is seen by some as colonization of the mind. 

Is there a way to bring back spirituality to this? We spoke about how IFS does this, "to some degree." However, the 8 C's seem to stop short of some important Self qualities, such as:

Luminosity, Transcendence, Radiance

We spoke about how graduate schools seem content with the 8 C's-- particularly "calm"... however, to other cultures, spirituality is anything but calm. Bob shared how to the Sans people, Bushmen of the Kalahari, spirituality is moving, it is ecstatic dancing and high energy.

Bob shared how so much of the time we banish esctatic spirituality in this society. 

Perhaps one way to bring this back is through a psychedelic renaissance.

We spoke about how IFS could help prepare someone for a psychodelic healing experience. Bob stressed the need for permission from the entire system.

Bob shared how there has been some evidence which suggests psychedelics address rumination of a system.

Bob shared that he doesn't believe people can heal from trauma without some form of spirituality, or meaning, in their world. To him, each moment can be a doorway into eternity, if we can appreciate the present moment. We can do this by pausing when we find ourselves experiencing awe, wonder, joy. This is a way to respect our own existence.

We spoke about the definition of "mental health" and how our society puts these people in boxes that become extremely limiting. Instead, these people just might be the visionaries in the society, who are in need of more compassionate. We spoke about how other societies have been able to successfully construct a compassionate container for these people. Perhap, by learning from these societies, we can have kinder and more effective ways to address mental health in our society.