Spirit Matters is on a brief hiatus. Until we record new shows, we are posting a special series of interviews Phil did for Unity Online Radio in the spring of 2021, under the title of his book Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times. In this opening episode, “Regeneration and Sacred Activism,” Andrew Harvey, the renowned author and expert on the world’s mystical traditions, talks about how we can thrive spiritually and help birth a new humanity in this perilous time for our planet.
Anneke Lucas is an author, speaker, advocate for child sex trafficking victims, and creator of the Unconditional Model, a mindfulness modality. Her work is based on the personal experience of a 30-year healing journey after surviving being sold by her family as a child sex slave to a pedophile network. Her healing through psychotherapy, writing, yoga and meditation were synthesized during a decade of service with incarcerated populations and with survivors of sex trafficking inside and outside of prisons. Sharing her own healing shaped her message for personal and global evolution through the Unconditional Model. On this, her second visit to Spirit Matters, we spoke about Anneke’s gripping new book, Quest for Love: Memoir of a Child Sex Slave, and the surprising way her harrowing journey led to profound spiritual gifts. As she puts it, “Heinous suffering can unlock hidden spiritual treasures of transcendence and unconditional love. Learn more about Anneke Lucas here: https://annek...
Roger Walsh MD, Ph.D. DHL, is professor of psychiatry, philosophy, and anthropology at the University of California. His research focuses on topics such as meditation, psychological wellbeing, wisdom, and our global crises. An early pioneer in the field of Transpersonal Psychology, he is a student, researcher, and teacher of contemplative traditions, and an authorized lama in Tibetan Buddhism. His research and writings have received over twenty national and international awards, and his books include Essential Spirituality: The Seven Central Practices; The World of Shamanism; and The World's Great Wisdom. With John Dupuy, he cohosts the podcast Deep Transformation: Self-Society-Spirit, which is among the top 5% of English language podcasts and has listeners in over 100 countries. Among his more curious careers have been circus acrobat and “an extremely brief and unsuccessful career as a standup comedian.” In this, his second interview on Spirit Matters, we spoke about his podcast,...
Roger Walsh Discussion by Discussion by Dennis and Phil
Arthur Aghajanian is a Christian contemplative, essayist, and educator whose work explores visual culture through a spiritual lens. After many years of study and practice in Eastern traditions, he found his way back to Christianity with his discovery of the mystical tradition. His work, which combines a passion for art history and ongoing study of the great religious traditions, is committed to the idea that the study of images in both popular culture and art history through a contemplative lens provides support for those on the spiritual path. He holds multiple teaching credentials and has applied innovative pedagogy as an art educator for over twenty years, designing and implementing visual arts courses and teaching mindfulness to high school students. His essays have appeared in a variety of publications, including Ekstasis, Tiferet Journal, Saint Austin Review, The Curator, and many others. We spoke about the spiritually transformative qualities of visual art for both artists an...
Arthur Aghajanian Discussion by Discussion by Dennis and Phil
Stephen Cope is a best-selling author and scholar who specializes in the relationship between the Eastern contemplative traditions and Western depth psychology. Among his seminal works in this area are: Yoga and the Quest for the True Self, The Wisdom of Yoga, The Great Work of Your Life. Deep Human Connection, and his most recent book, The Dharma in Difficult Times: Finding Your Calling in Times of Loss, Change, Struggle, and Doubt. For almost thirty years, Stephen has been Scholar-in-Residence at the renowned Kripalu Center—the largest center for the study and practice of yoga in the Western world in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Formerly, he was director of the Kripalu Institute for Extraordinary Living, one of the world’s most influential research institutes examining the effects and mechanisms of yoga and meditation, in collaboration with researchers from Harvard Medical School and other institutions. In its twenty-fifth anniversary edition, “Yoga Journal” named Stephen one o...
Stephen Cope Discussion by Discussion by Dennis and Phil
Paul Muller-Ortega, Ph.D. is an internationally recognized meditation teacher, and a highly respected academic scholar in the field of Indian Religion and Hindu Tantra. A long-time student of the Kashmir Shaiva tradition with a PhD from the University of California, Paul is the founder of Blue Throat Yoga. He is devoted to teaching students how to access their truest Self, and to offering the knowledge base to understand and support that experience. He has led hundreds of meditation retreats, offered a vast array of study courses, translated and provided commentary on many of the most inspired sacred texts of the Śaiva-Śākta tradition, and has personally trained over 40 ācāryas as Authorized Teachers of Neelakantha Meditation. After teaching for 25 years at Michigan State and the University of Rochester, Paul left academia in 2009 to teach about the Shaiva tradition to a wider audience. We spoke about the origins, precepts, practices, and under appreciated influence of Kashmir...
Paul Muller 2 - Ortega Discussion by Discussion by Dennis and Phil