UnBoxing “God”

UnBoxing “God”

By McCallEducationSelf-Improvement
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UnBoxing “God” episodes

  • UnBoxing "God" with Cassidy and McCall - Teaser 2.0

    Because sometimes tackling an unmanageable life requires the help of an unorthodox higher power. 

    Each week we will dig into a topic that challenges us... from the "God" in 12 Step Recovery, to Social Justice issues like Gender, Race and Arranged Marriage...  using less than traditional tools and ideas. 

    Take what you like... and leave the rest.  

    4 min
  • The Great Spirit of Native Americans - an Indigenous Peoples' Day "Un"episode (10/12/20)
    Today has been known as Columbus Day for over a century but federally recognized since 1934. In more recent years, however, October 12th (or the second Monday of October) has come to be known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day.  Today we celebrate, honor, and uplift indigenous people.  Also, our friend and guest, Laura, stops by to tell us a little about Canadian Thanksgiving, which they call “Gratitude Day”, instead of honoring the violence of colonialism.
    “We’ve never been grateful for genocide.” - Laura
    McCall explains her attraction to the Native Americans idea of two-spirit people - combining characteristics of both genders. In many tribes, two-spirit people filled special religious roles, such as healers, ceremonial leaders, and shamans. In some tribes, these people were considered especially blessed in the areas of love and attraction, with the ability to bless others with that gift.
    Indigenous Americans view disease and death as the natural result of an imbalance in an individual. The Native American Church (NAC) uses peyote as a holy, sacred sacrament.
    “What better pharmacist than the Great Spirit itself, who purposefully created peyote for medicinal, spiritual, and healing purposes.” - McCall
    McCall breaks down the role of peyote in Native American Church and the amazing man, Quanah Parker, who began it.
    Is it a monotheistic religion, based on faith in One Supreme Spirit?
    The concept of that universal spiritual energy is called The Great Spirit, and it is interpreted as the power that resides in all.
    “All matter is animated and alive, emanating and receptive to some spirit force.” – McCall
    For most Native cultures, there is no distinction between the spiritual world and the material world. However, colonial European missionaries exploited the similarities between their concept of God and The Great Spirit to encourage conversion to Christianity. Worship of the land also created conflict with colonial Christians, which is explained in this episode with some beautiful spoken words from Professor Joseph Campbell that illuminate the dangers of dualism and the battle of Good vs Evil, Right vs Wrong, Man vs Nature.
    Conflict between colonial Europeans and Native Americans is addressed, noting a distinct connection to, and worshipping of, the land on which we reside. Today, there is a disconnect with Earth which we must mend. A ‘Koyaanisqatsi’ of sorts. Climate change is real, and McCall has some wise words regarding what we can to do make peace with our planet.
    “It is undeniable that we as humans are out of balance with the planet.” – McCall
    Perhaps we should adopt a way of thinking that is more aligned with the Native American culture, one where we strive for balance. Mother Earth needs us to take her into account when we act, celebrate, and create legacies.
    24 min
  • Trans (or 3rd) Gender - History, Sports + More [Ep #11.3]

    What do the sworn virgins of Albania, Caitlyn Jenner, Elagabalus, and Caster Semenya all have in common?  

    They’re transgender -- or, perhaps, third gender.  

    How long have we known about transgender?  Is gender just biological sex like some say or is there something more to learn from other cultures’ and countries’ histories of gender which is not binary?  Pink or blue only gender reveal parties, get ready to meet your match! 

    • [1:00] International Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, and Intersex Association - Trans Legal Mapping Report 2019 / Criminalization of trans people globally
    • [03:51] Erratum!  Our first but probably not our last...
    • [06:13] Trans around the world / Muxes in Mexico
    • [07:08] The Sworn Virgins of Albania
    • [08:20] Elagabalus, perhaps the first trans Roman Emperor from 200 CE
    • [12:18] Trans in the military / Christine Jorgensen post-WWII
    • [13:51] Ryan -M2F- on Australian school uniforms
    • [16:16] Ryan on transitioning genders and a first Al-Anon meeting
    • [18:46] Trans in history / Hijras in India
    • [20:13] Celia Daniels on Hijras
    • [26:51] Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, Hijra from India
    • [28:13] Indian Trans Olympic Games / Trans in Sports
    • [29:42] Caster Semenya
    • [35:24] Caitlyn Jenner
    • [36:31] Gender spectrum / Evolution to Third Gender ?
    • [37:58] 5 Genders? The Bissu of the Bugis people
    • [40:24] What’s to come...


      • Recommended Resources

      • ILGA Trans Legal Mapping Report 2019
      • Five Genders? | National Geographic video
      • Muxes in Mexico
      • Sworn Virgins | National Geographic
      • Muslim-Trans in Indonesia
      • India’s Third Gender
      • Changing Gender Dynamics in Current Structure of India | Laxmi Narayan Tripathi | TEDxSIUHinjewadi
      • Roman Scandal 22: Elagabalus and the Problem of Teen Rule
      • Find Celia Daniels on Facebook or on LinkedIn or Instagram
      • Support Celia Daniels’ work at https://transcanwork.org/

        • Join the conversation on Facebook!

        42 min
      • "Arranged" Marriage. India. Rules/Roles + Love [Ep #11.2]

        Arranged marriage - what reaction does that incite in you?

            This week, we’re delving into Indian marriage: who has arranged ones and can people be happy in them?  McCall and Cass have conversations with Celia Daniels, an Indian trans woman in a heterosexual arranged marriage; Monique, an Indian Australian woman who opted to have a non-arranged marriage; and Manpreet, a Punjabi woman who opted to marry a fellow Sikh.

        Summary

        • [02:22] Reminder: Who is Celia Daniels?
        • [03:02] Celia Daniels on Indian, Christian, Arranged Marriage
        • [07:04] Celia on her duality as womxn and husband/father
        • [08:35] McCall + Cass on arranged marriage
        • [09:11] Who participates in arranged marriages? Where did this idea come from?
        • [12:01] Types of arranged marriages

          •     SPONSOR AD [15:23-16:30]

          • [16:30] "Moonies'" Unification mass-ceremony arranged marriages
          • [20:40] Love is Blind…?
          • [22:13] Divorce + statistics, in the U.S.
          • [24:00] The caste system - in the U.S, too….?
          • [24:47] Is arranged marriage like the show “Married at First Sight”?
          • [27:20] Introduction to Manpreet in Punjab
          • [27:47] Manpreet on arranged marriage
          • [28:21] Monique's happy marriage
          • [30:29] Monique on gender roles in India
          • [34:52] What’s to come, Cass?

            • Quotes

            • [19:27] “The mirror of love is blind. It makes zucchini into okra.” --Arabic saying
            • [29:04] "I don't think it's the things that keep you together... It's when things go bad, and they're not enough to break you apart... that's when you know that it's a good relationship." --Monique Kalmar


              • Recommended Resources

              • Find Celia Daniels on Facebook or on LinkedIn or Instagram
              • Support Celia Daniels’ work at https://transcanwork.org/
              • Email Monique Kalmar at [email protected]
              • Join the conversation on Facebook!
              • Support UnBoxing “God” here
                • 35 min
              • Celia Daniels' Story [Bonus #11.1]

                Indian born and raised, a loving arranged marriage, a deep abiding Faith in God, and a sense that HE was a SHE from a very early age.

                This week, McCall delves into conversation with Celia Sandhya Daniels, who opens up about their life: Growing up a Christian boy in India; loving God, but hating the "girl inside"; an arranged marriage, to an incredible woman; coming out as transgender; and her struggles through depression and suicidality, in coming to terms with who God designed her to be - for the world, and who God created HIM to be - for his treasured wife & daughter.

                *Trigger warning: This story talks about molestation, sexual assault, and suicide ideation and behavior.

                52 min
              • Sex, Gender + ”God” [Episode #11]

                Are women the downfall of humanity? The Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) would have you believe so.

                • Did monotheism's misogyny intentionally kill the Feminine Divine?
                • Are there other interpretations of Eve, Adam, and the Creation Story?
                • Are we positive that Adam was actually male?
                • Who was 'Lilith'?
                • Might females really be the chosen ones, to redeem all of 'man'kind?
                • Is Androgyny the goal of human evolution?

                  •      From Eunuchs to Elvis. Ruby Rose to Virginia Woolfe. We use every resource we can, to face the hard questions we have, in an attempt to recover from the biased judgments we've developed.

                      Starting with the concept of Women's Intuition, breaking down preconceptions of androgyny, and exploring God's possible intention with Adam & Eve, McCall & Cass use history, literature, interviews, and conversation..., to "UnBox" Gender and Religion.

                  1 hr 6 min
                • The UBG Labor Day “Un”Episode
                  Since it's Labor Day in the States, and well over 100 degrees in Los Angeles (where McCall lives)... okay and also cuz we are still hard at work on a PACKED Episode 11 - Cass and McCall (and Kyle) are taking the week “off” and will offer up, instead of your regularly planned programming: some exciting info and a few teaser clips from interviews that will be featured over the last four weeks of Season One!
                  PLUS: A Call for "Listener Shares"!
                  Brother Matthew Paul re-joins us for some biblical enlightenment, as well as Alison WhiteAcre, the brilliant musician turned transition coach.  Plus, there are a few new guests - Michelle, a trans woman exploring her faith and sobriety, and Monique, who shares her experience navigating different faiths through Indian culture, in her native Australia.
                  Come here more from these guests and others... Next week!
                  Join the conversation on Facebook!
                  Support UnBoxing “God” here
                  Email Waldo (McCall and the team) at [email protected] if there’s anything you’d like to unbox with us!
                  23 min
                • Anima/Animus + Toxic Gender Roles [Episode #10.5]

                  Spoiler: We’re all basically androgynous. 

                  McCall’s ex talks masculinity and femininity during gender transition and Cassidy helps McCall unbox toxic femininity, through the lens of Jung’s theory of Anima (the feminine aspect in a male) and Animus (the masculine aspect in a female) and the toxicity that occurs when those characteristics become too extreme. 

                  This week, Alison Whiteacre, a transfemme transition coach (a perfectly suited career, we think!) and an old lover of McCall’s, joins the show to speak candidly on how she feels about femininity and masculinity, and what transitioning has taught her so far. Also, we introduce our new UBG Team member:  Cassidy, whose work in rape crisis gives her an interesting, albeit biased, perspective on terminology she unboxes with us.

                  • What is animus?
                  • What’s anima then?
                  • Alison Whiteacre and transition coaching
                  • Alison’s 4 Phases of Change (like playing your hand)
                  • Girls have more fun!
                  • Gender fluidity and Non-Binary Billy
                  • Gender Dysphoria
                  • Alison’s 3-Step Life Hack
                  • Cass’s reaction to toxic femininity
                  • Toxic gender roles: a phone call
                  • Devon Price: “Toxic Femininity Holds All of us Back”
                  • Call to Action
                  • John Mellencamp “Little Ditty” outtake
                    • 36 min
                  • Archetypes, The Collective Unconscious, + all things Woo-Woo! [Episode #10]
                    In Episode 10, McCall is unloading the box of all things woowoo! Most of us are familiar with archetypes, but Jung’s collective unconscious theory leads us to the fringe of what we know as mainstream and into the dreamworld, tarot card reading, and intuition.
                    This week she’s asked several guests to fill in the gaps of “woowoo” that she proclaims she is “both drawn to and repelled by”. Jenny Sieck gives us a crash course on Jung’s archetypes, intuition, and dream analysis. Haleigh gives us a practical tool to tap into our own archetypes: tarot! Plus, Cassidy and Ryan are back again -- this time breaking down a few archetypes and helping us float through the concept of the collective unconscious.
                    This week McCall is asking listeners, “What can the woowoo do for you?”
                    (NOTE: You do NOT need to like Patchouli, and may absolutely gag at the smell of Nag Champa, and you will still dig this episode.)
                    48 min
                  • The Mask & Shadow Self [Episode #9.5]

                    In this week’s bonus episode, McCall examines the shadow, or the dark side of Self, and the mask, or what is projected to the world. Through the exploration of an Al-Anon reading, Pinocchio, and Pandora’s Box, McCall guides us through these Jungian archetypes and how she handles her own mask these days. For this episode, she also enlists the help of Kyle, her husband, to unpack these concepts in a more relevant way: through rock and roll. Then singer-songwriter Kaciny has something to say, er, sing about it.

                    38 min

                  About UnBoxing “God”

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                  A search through theology, history, philosophy, science, religion and personal experiences to discover Spiritual Realities.