Kevin M. Johnson’s work is on the recovery of the space outside of ego, so our work in Big Self School swims in the same waters. Kevin is a teacher, retreat director, and co-host of the podcast Encountering Silence. Having spent years achieving a number of advanced degrees, speaking at large academic conferences, and even presenting at prestigious schools like Yale and Harvard Universities, he discovered he needed to walk a bit outside the halls of the Academy to explore deeper.

Although he continues to teach at the university level, he now jokingly refers to himself as “a recovering academic” who teaches online and in various settings outside the university that often crosses boundaries into spaces that are not currently on our cultural maps.

Kevin is looking to recover a space for holistic wellness and wisdom. Somewhere in the intersection of spirituality, psychology, wellness, self-help, and philosophy. A space that does not fit in easily on our current cultural maps. 

Find out more about Kevin at his website and at his podcast, Encountering Silence.

Time Stamps:

2:15 Kevin explains why he refers to himself as a recovering academic 

6:15 Kevin talks about the mental map and the difference between how we think about things today versus the past 

12:06 We discuss Seneca and Stoicism 

14:23 The philosophy conversation continues

17:36 Kevin shares the essential parts of what it means to be human and how it has been left out of our cultural map 

21:06 Kevin talks about silence and why it is so essential 

22:41 Kevin leads us through an exercise 

26:01 Silence and our inner critic 

28:23 Kevin answers the question ‘what makes us ready for silence?’ 

34:48 We discuss the intimacy of silence with ourselves and others 

37:43 What silence actually allows us to see 

41:34 Kevin shares two simple things you can do to help you feel more connected 

45:20 Shelley shares a Parker Palmer quote that she loves 

47:37 Where to find Kevin 

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