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Showing episodes and shows of
Polly Young-Eisendrath
Shows
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up is Not Enough Episode 32 - Original Love: A Conversation with Zen Teacher and Poet Henry Shukman
Why We Should Be at Ease With Ourselves and What Gets in the Way of It? Henry Shuman is a poet, author, and meditation teacher who has guided thousands of students from around the world in mindfulness and awakening practices. Henry is a Zen master in the Sanbo Zen lineage and the emeritus spiritual director at Mountain Cloud Zen Center in Sante Fe, New Mexico. He is the author of two books about meditation and his own experiences: One Blade of Grass: Finding the Old Road of the Heart and the book we will be talking about t...
2025-06-18
1h 15
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up is Not Enough Episode 32 - Original Love: A Conversation with Zen Teacher and Poet Henry Shukman
Why We Should Be at Ease With Ourselves and What Gets in the Way of It? Henry Shuman is a poet, author, and meditation teacher who has guided thousands of students from around the world in mindfulness and awakening practices. Henry is a Zen master in the Sanbo Zen lineage and the emeritus spiritual director at Mountain Cloud Zen Center in Sante Fe, New Mexico. He is the author of two books about meditation and his own experiences: One Blade of Grass: Finding the Old Road of the Heart and the book we will be t...
2025-06-11
1h 16
The Meaningful Life with Andrew G. Marshall
Polly Young-Eisendrath: Why Conflict is Necessary
Most of us dislike or even fear conflict with loved ones. Without it, however, you won't achieve sustained intimacy with your partner. This week, Andrew talks to writer, psychologist and Jungian analyst Polly Young-Eisendrath, the author of Love Between Equals: Relationship as a Spiritual Path. They explore the challenges and possibilities of building partnerships based on respect, freedom and real dialogue. Andrew and Polly discuss: What “real dialogue” means—and how to practice mindful curiosity with your partner. How and why to stop avoiding conflict with your partner. Projective identification in relationships. What to do if you...
2025-06-02
50 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up is Not Enough Episode 31 - Human Consciousness is Self-Consciousness: A Conversation with an Authority on Human Consciousness: Dr. Michael Lewis (Part 2)
You may be confused about the word “consciousness” because it is used broadly to mean anything that has awareness of any kind — from a fungus to a dolphin to a human being. Unfortunately, this has been the way that we speak with each other about consciousness since Darwin came onto the scene. Consequently, as humans we do not know what our unique features of consciousness are nor how they are related to our emotional development and life. You may know the word “ego,” but you probably do not know how it relates to your self-conscious emotions, like shame or guilt, or...
2025-05-21
49 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up is Not Enough Episode 30 - Human Consciousness is Self-Consciousness: A Conversation with an Authority on Human Consciousness: Dr. Michael Lewis (Part 1)
You may be confused about the word “consciousness” because it is used broadly to mean anything that has awareness of any kind — from a fungus to a dolphin to a human being. Unfortunately, this has been the way that we speak with each other about consciousness since Darwin came onto the scene. Consequently, as humans we do not know what our unique features of consciousness are nor how they are related to our emotional development and life. You may know the word “ego,” but you probably do not know how it relates to your self-conscious emotions, like shame or guilt, or...
2025-03-25
47 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up is Not Enough Episode 29 - What Is the Point? A Conversation with Zen Master Barbara Rhodes About The Primary Point of Spiritual Practice
Most spiritual practice, especially Zen, emphasizes a kind of engaged curiosity – remaining aware of the present moment. Why? What can we get from this kind of awareness that we cannot get from just enjoying a warm brownie? How can you drop your desire to control what’s going on in yourself and around you and what might happen if you did? In this sometimes light-hearted and sometimes serious conversation, Mike, Polly and Barbara – who goes by the name Bobby – tumble onto some extraordinary topics. For example, consider the possibility that good and evil, light and dark, are held toge...
2025-02-26
1h 08
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up is Not Enough Episode 28 - A Non-Dual Approach to the Philosophy of Quantum Theory: A Conversation with Dean Rickles PhD (Part 2)
Support the podcast: https://gofund.me/621e367c Dr. Dean Rickles and Dr. Harald Atmanspacher have together developed a new philosophical model called “dual-aspect monism.” This contemporary philosophy of physics attempts to transcend the hegemony of materialism in responding to observer phenomena and other puzzles inherited from Quantum Theory. In this fascinating conversation, Polly and Mike talk with Dean about his own awakening, why his theory steps towards non-duality and how he imagines Quantum Theory can change the way we see our agency, responsibility and relationship to the world. This conversation ranges from Carl Jung’s theory of synch...
2025-01-23
53 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up is Not Enough Episode 27 - A Non-Dual Approach to the Philosophy of Quantum Theory: A Conversation with Dean Rickles PhD (Part 1)
Support the podcast: https://gofund.me/621e367c Dr. Dean Rickles and Dr. Harald Atmanspacher have together developed a new philosophical model called “dual-aspect monism.” This contemporary philosophy of physics attempts to transcend the hegemony of materialism in responding to observer phenomena and other puzzles inherited from Quantum Theory. In this fascinating conversation, Polly and Mike talk with Dean about his own awakening, why his theory steps towards non-duality and how he imagines Quantum Theory can change the way we see our agency, responsibility and relationship to the world. This conversation ranges from Carl Jung’s theory of synch...
2025-01-09
46 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up is Not Enough Episode 26 - Enlightenment and Virtues in the West & East: A Conversation with Seth Segall PhD
Support the podcast: https://gofund.me/621e367c In this fascinating and rare conversation, Polly and Mike speak with psychologist and Zen teacher Seth Segall PhD whose recent book The House We Live In: Virtue, Wisdom and Pluralism looks at three great philosophers – Aristotle, Buddha, and Confucius – in terms of how they teach virtues and wisdom. In a conversation about what is universal and timeless and what is specific and timely, Seth and Mike and Polly express divergent and overlapping opinions and views, while remaining curious about each other’s stances. If you have ever wondered...
2024-12-19
1h 52
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode 25 - Unify Your Spiritual Development: A Conversation with Terry Moore
GoFundMe Page - https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-real-dialogue-polly-mikes-podcast-on-awakening Polly and Mike talk with writer and speaker Terry Moore whose recent book Here.Now.One: A Practical Guide to Spiritual Life sheds light on ways to make spiritual practice an integrated part of everyday life and whose recent TED talk directs our attention to Oneness. In this conversation, Terry talks about the nature of awakening and the ways peoples’ spiritual concerns and beliefs can become one-sided and empty of vitality. Terry’s created a model or map called “The Unified Path” that assesses and instructs how individ...
2024-12-05
1h 10
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode 24 - How and Why Conflict Avoidance Is Harmful and Dehumanizing in Leadership, Families, and Communities
We need dialogue with others who think and feel differently from ourselves because we so easily deceive ourselves. Every project we develop, from science and technology, to art and culture, is a long conversation with others. In these activities, our self-protection and self-promotion, as well as our desire to defeat others, clouds our self-awareness, but we can correct that problem through dialogue. When we avoid conflict and difficult conversations, we cheat ourselves of expanding our self-awareness or knowledge. Even well-meaning people may avoid conflict and gossip behind the back of a family member, co-worker, or leader and in this w...
2024-11-05
1h 17
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode 23 - Welcoming Your Experience, No Matter What: A Conversation with Gaylon Ferguson
In this lively and exploratory conversation, Mike and Polly talk with Buddhist teacher and author Gaylon Ferguson, Ph.D. Dr. Ferguson has led group meditation retreats since 1976 in many settings, but especially in retreat centers. He is the author of Natural Wakefulness (on the four foundations of mindfulness) and Natural Bravery (on the path of fear and fearlessness). Do you imagine that something is missing in your life? Have you been searching for spiritual awakening or some kind of deep transformation? Mike, Polly and Gaylon speak frankly about what provokes a spiritual search and where it leads. Along the way, the...
2024-09-25
1h 22
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode 22 - Awakening in the Context of Language, Culture, and Development: A Conversation with Anthropologist Bruce Knauft
How are awakening and adult development affected by widely different languages and cultures? Mike and Polly have a fascinating conversation with Bruce Knauft Ph.D, Professor of Anthropology at Emory University. He is a long-term friend of, and expert on, the Gebusi people of Papua, New Guinea, as well as a long-term practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism who has studied its roots in Mongolia and the Himalayas. Bruce was the first person to write down the language of Gebusi in the 1980s. Later, he began to practice Tibetan Buddhism and to become interested in enlightenment. In this conversation he looks back over...
2024-08-22
1h 25
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode 21 - Why Early Buddhism Matters Now: A Conversation with Bill Waldron (Part 2)
Bill Waldron PhD is professor of Religious Studies at Middlebury College where he teaches Indian religions, especially Buddhism. His recent book “Mind Only: Why Yogachara Buddhism Matters” is an important contribution to clarifying non-dual awareness and a non-dual way of life: no “object” called “world” and no “subject” called “self.” Neither object, nor subject?? So, what is reality? Mike and Polly have a lively and clarifying conversation with Bill about what these Buddhist teachings from the third century and why they are important now that theoretical physics and psychology are finally catching up.
2024-07-03
1h 12
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode 20 - Why Early Buddhism Matters Now: A Conversation with Bill Waldron (Part 1)
Bill Waldron PhD is professor of Religious Studies at Middlebury College where he teaches Indian religions, especially Buddhism. His recent book “Mind Only: Why Yogachara Buddhism Matters” is an important contribution to clarifying non-dual awareness and a non-dual way of life: no “object” called “world” and no “subject” called “self.” Neither object, nor subject?? So, what is reality? Mike and Polly have a lively and clarifying conversation with Bill about what these Buddhist teachings from the third century and why they are important now that theoretical physics and psychology are finally catching up.
2024-06-06
45 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode 19 - Politics of Belonging that Transcends Identities: Conversing with Bayo Akomalafe
In this episode, Dr. Akomalafe warns against colonizing our minds in the ways of colonialism: assuming we know exactly what to do to bring our situation under control or that we know exactly who we are. In this wide-ranging extraordinary conversation with Bayo, Polly and Mike discover new ways of thinking about body, life/death, and belonging while also finding a missing piece of the identity puzzle that truly breaks open all harmful models of “I am this.”
2024-04-11
53 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode 18 - Whole Brain Living: A Conversation w/ Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor
In this podcast, Polly and Mike have a fascinating and frank conversation with Dr. Bolte Taylor about awakening and brain functions, as well as about the role played by psychedelics in today’s world. Jill raises concerns about the potential for brain injury and schizophrenia, especially in young adult users. She and Mike speak openly about the challenges and benefits of the widespread encouragement of using psychedelics for mental health in our current era in which many US states are debating the safety of making psychedelics widely available. In many ways, this conversation exemplifies the use of Real Dialogue as all th...
2024-03-28
1h 21
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode 17 - What is the Nature of Post-Conformity?
At the later stages of Ego Development, people naturally encounter self-evaluated standards in place of group norms and begin to feel intensive responsibility for their own achievements, self-respect and creative fulfillment. They no longer look to others for support or approval, even though they still long for it. Full-blown post-conformity gradually unfolds into coping with inner conflicts and ambivalence, respect for individuality in self and others, deep acceptanceof the unattainable, and cherishing of particularity and even irreconcilable differences. These types of non-conformity include complex thoughts, ideals, and feelings about themultiplicity of different selves in human social contexts.Some of t...
2024-03-15
1h 28
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode 16 - The Cost of Conformity & the Tightrope of Belonging
You may believe that conformity means compliance or popularity. In this podcast, Polly and Mike talk about conformity (in terms of Loevinger’s Stage Development) as the need to feel identified with a group in which you comply with “the rules” in order be accepted and approved of. Conformity naturally begins in the 6 – 12 year old human, but it might stick around for a lifetime because a person unknowingly subscribes to certain roles and personas, even if they seem “non-conformist” — like some kind of identity that seems rebellious but has its own rules. Yes, humans can conform to non-conformity! Conformity is based on the convi...
2024-02-28
1h 27
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode 15 - Ken Wilber Uncovers: Zen, Awakening, & Stage Development - Insights on War, Ideologies, & Spirituality
In Part 2, Mike and Polly engage with Ken Wilber, a prominent American theorist and writer in transpersonal psychology, in a deep dive into the intersections of psychedelics, spiritual awakening, Zen, and spiritual development with contemporary issues like war and 'woke' ideologies. They explore how these diverse areas tie into adult stage development, focusing particularly on the Mythic and Conformist stages. Wilber illuminates how individuals can inadvertently become ensnared in egocentrism or even narcissism during these stages, mistaking a sense of personal specialness for a recognition of their interconnectedness in a unified consciousness. Ken Wilber is a...
2024-01-25
59 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode 14 - Ken Wilber Explains: Navigating Identity Politics and 'Wokeness' Through Adult Development Stages
In a candid and open discussion, Polly and Mike delve into a fascinating conversation with Ken Wilber, an acclaimed American theorist and writer. They explore the distinct concepts of “waking up” and “growing up,” unraveling why the latter is crucial in today’s world. Ken Wilber, renowned for his integral theory – a comprehensive four-quadrant grid aiming to encapsulate all human knowledge and experiences – brings a unique perspective to this dialogue. He is particularly celebrated for his work integrating adult stage theory into a broader understanding of key life processes: waking up, growing up, cleaning up, and showing up. Amid the re...
2024-01-18
49 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode 13 - Cogitating on Donald Hoffman’s Conversations with Us: What’s the Take-Away?
Mike and Polly spend some time reviewing what they learned and what they are thinking about in relation to their podcasts #11 and #12. What are the implications for new developments in Conscious Realism? Because Conscious Realism brings human subjectivity into the forefront of what we take to be the “world out there,” it shares a lot with Real Dialogue. Where do they overlap? Where might they depart from each other? Join us in trying to understand how human consciousness grows and develops through “an interactive network of conscious agents.”
2024-01-10
45 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode 12 - What’s True About Human Consciousness? A Conversation w/ Don Hoffman, Ph.D (Part 2)
In his current scientific investigations, Donald Hoffman proposes that the fundamental building blocks of reality are not particles or atoms but conscious entities. He also advocates for a radical shift in our understanding of evolution, suggesting it has shaped our perception to prioritize survival rather than truth. This thought-provoking perspective challenges our beliefs about reality and the nature of consciousness itself What do you believe about consciousness? Do you think it “comes from your brain”? Perhaps you’re aware that there is no scientific evidence that consciousness arises from a material source, like a brain. In this podcas...
2023-11-29
47 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode 11 - What’s True About Human Consciousness? A Conversation with Don Hoffman, Ph.D
In his current scientific investigations, Donald Hoffman proposes that the fundamental building blocks of reality are not particles or atoms but conscious entities. He also advocates for a radical shift in our understanding of evolution, suggesting it has shaped our perception to prioritize survival rather than truth. This thought-provoking perspective challenges our beliefs about reality and the nature of consciousness itself What do you believe about consciousness? Do you think it “comes from your brain”? Perhaps you’re aware that there is no scientific evidence that consciousness arises from a material source, like a brain. In this podcas...
2023-11-22
44 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War To Wisdom Episode 50: Why War is Not Necessary
In this final episode, Eleanor and Polly look back over their time together in doing the podcast and they assess where humanity seems to be standing in regard to war and wisdom. They reflect on the state of war and why humans return repeatedly to armed polarization, called “war.” And they talk about other options for polarization – being able to talk about our differences in a humanized way. Why is that still apparently unachievable? How does humane dialogue relate to mindfulness? Why are we stuck still in hostile enactments with other humans? In this final meeting, these two friends use hu...
2023-11-09
44 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode 10 - Stages of Adult Development (Part 2)
What does it mean to be impulsive from the perspective of how you see yourself and other people? When does this way of acting and thinking first arise in human development and how does it change and adapt to self-control and self-care? Why is impulsiveness considered “pre-conformist” or reactive and predictable? In this episode, you will learn about how your self-care can lack concern and compassion for others and under what circumstances your awakening can lead simply lead to more stereotyping and self-promotion.
2023-11-01
39 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode 9 - Stages of Adult Development (Part 1)
What does it mean to be impulsive from the perspective of how you see yourself and other people? When does this way of acting and thinking first arise in human development and how does it change and adapt to self-control and self-care? Why is impulsiveness considered “pre-conformist” or reactive and predictable? In this episode, you will learn about how your self-care can lack concern and compassion for others and under what circumstances your awakening can lead simply lead to more stereotyping and self-promotion.
2023-10-18
29 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode 9 - Predictable Differences in Adult Minds (Part 1)
What is the normal mind? Why do ordinary adults have so many differences and conflicts about what is real or true? Perhaps you have pondered this and looked at astrology, personality typologies, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Human Design or some other set of categories to try to figure out how you are different from other people. Or you have just given up trying to figure that out. In this episode, Polly and Mike will introduce a map for adult development that is grounded in extensive scientific research and can serve as a new way of understanding types of...
2023-10-18
29 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode 8 - Predictable Differences in Adult Minds (Part 2)
PART 2 What is the normal mind? Why do ordinary adults have so many differences and conflicts about what is real or true? Perhaps you have pondered this and looked at astrology, personality typologies, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Human Design or some other set of categories to try to figure out how you are different from other people. Or you have just given up trying to figure that out. In this episode, Polly and Mike will introduce a map for adult development that is grounded in extensive scientific research and can serve as a new way of...
2023-10-06
48 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode 7 - Predictable Differences in Adult Minds (Part 1)
What is the normal mind? Why do ordinary adults have so many differences and conflicts about what is real or true? Perhaps you have pondered this and looked at astrology, personality typologies, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Human Design or some other set of categories to try to figure out how you are different from other people. Or you have just given up trying to figure that out. In this episode, Polly and Mike will introduce a map for adult development that is grounded in extensive scientific research and can serve as a new way of understanding types of...
2023-09-27
42 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode 6 - Ecstasy, Bliss or Equanimity: What’s Your Desire?
In waking up, people experience and report ecstatic states. Often these states are associated with euphoria in which feelings of pleasure, ease, and excitement are greatly expanded. Others report bliss or a feeling of total happiness. And still others report equanimity or stability of the mind in experiences of awakening. In this episode, Polly and Mike talk about the kinds and qualities of emotional states that are sought by practitioners who want to wake up. What are the take-aways from these different states? What are you looking for emotionally in your awakenings? 1. Why do people s...
2023-09-06
54 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode #5 - What Limits What We Learn From Awakening?
How much control do we have about what comes into our lives through awakening? What are the constraints on what we can learn? Is awakening good for our relationships? Does it matter how awakening is initiated – by the circumstances or the motivations? Why are there so many differences in what people learn, bring back, and translate into relating to self and other? What are the similarities? How can we best bring awakening into every day relationships and our ability to serve others?
2023-08-16
46 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode #4 - What We Can Learn from Awakening?
In this episode, Mike and Polly consider the take-away from awakening. Does it matter how awakening is initiated – our motivations, the method, what is driving us? Why are there so many differences in what individuals bring back and translate into relating to self and other? If we experience an “ontological shock” from awakening, whether we induce it or the awakening happens to us (as in NDEs), what allows us to “make the most of it”? What about differences in the ways we see the world? What makes waking up a positive, negative or even harmful experience? How much as to do with...
2023-08-03
53 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode #3 - Why Wake Up?
What are we seeking through awakenings? If we are not seeking, they happen to us through childbirth or Near Death Experience, are there differences? Why is awakening valuable and/or is it always valuable? What part does the desire for awakening play in our experience? In this episode, Polly and Mike talk about their own seeking and motivations for awakening. They also talk about Nature waking us up – as in death and Near Death Experience. What about prayer, unseen deities, and other non-visible forces? Are they pushing us to awaken or are they problematic? Why do some religions warn ag...
2023-07-20
56 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode #2 - Who Awakens?
While this question is a kind of Zen puzzle or koan, it is also the case that individual people have awakenings – and they have personalities and perceptions through which they peek into the infinite nature of reality and love. In this episode, Polly and Mike talk about their own awakenings and their belief/ideas/theories about how personality interacts with waking up.
2023-07-05
1h 08
Speaking of Jung: Interviews with Jungian Analysts
Polly Young-Eisendrath
Jungian analyst Polly Young-Eisendrath, Ph.D. joins us to celebrate her first book, Hags & Heroes: A Feminist Approach to Jungian Psychotherapy with Couples, just re-issued by Inner City Books.
2023-06-28
56 min
Waking Up Is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space
Waking Up Is Not Enough Episode #1: Flourishing In the Human Space: Exploring Waking Up and Growing Up
On this episode of Waking Up: Flourishing in the Human Space, the hosts Polly Young-Eisendrath and Mike Berger explore the different ways humans can awaken to a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them. They discuss their personal experience with awakening and the sense of interconnectedness that comes with breaking through one's habitual way of experiencing themselves. In addition to discussing psychedelics and near-death experiences, they also explore the concept of waking up through experiences that can lead to acceptance and a newfound appreciation of life. Tune in to this thought-provoking episode to explore the mysteries of...
2023-06-15
42 min
Interview Radio Show
The Magical Mystery Tour Nov 25 2022 Love Between Equals with Polly Young Eisendrath
The Magical Mystery Tour Nov 25 2022 Love Between Equals with Polly Young Eisendrath by Tonio
2022-11-26
1h 24
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War To Wisdom Episode 49: Remaining Curious
In this episode, we discuss the meaning of curiosity as a primary emotion and how it is expanded or restricted, throughout our development from infancy through old age, by conscious and unconscious factors. Curiosity or “interest” motivates us to engage with our experiences in ways that we can learn from them. The human infant is born with a primary motivation to investigate its experiences with curiosity, even when they are painful. Naturally, our curiosity help us survive by allowing us to discern the markers of pleasure and pain.What blocks our curiosity, then, when we are relating to each othe...
2022-10-14
46 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War To Wisdom Episode 48: Listening Mindfully: Getting Out of Your Own Head
Why is it so hard to hear and feel another person’s meaning when you are in difficult conversations? Even though you may love the other person, when they speak about something that “makes you angry,” you may find it’s impossible to hear anything except your own thoughts. When we feel emotionally threatened, we protect ourselves and promote our own points. This is universal. Everyone closes their ears to anything except their own thoughts when they feel insulted or emotionally threatened. The second rule of Real Dialogue is called “Listening Mindfully.” It teaches us how to open our ears and our...
2022-09-22
51 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War To Wisdom Episode 47: Speaking For Yourself: Foundation of Real Dialogue
In this podcast, we talk about how and why a speaker should LOWER emotional threat if that person wants to be seen, heard, and felt accurately. We don’t have to “be nice” or even “be kind,” be we have to limit ourselves to our own experience in speaking (not using “we” or “you” or claim to know “the facts”). Being able to speak subjectively (only for yourself) means that you do not speak for someone else’s reality, perceptions, or feelings. Listening to this podcast you will learn how to lower emotional threat, how to remain authentic and confident, while cultiv...
2022-09-06
1h 00
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War To Wisdom Episode 46: What is Power? What is Vulnerability?
How do Homo Sapiens get and control power? What do we mean by power and how does it relate to influencing others or taking control? What is “true power” that can sustain us through our difficulties and “false power” that leads only to fears and misgivings? In this podcast, we will contemplate power and vulnerability, and how they function in our relationships, our aging, and our health.
2022-06-01
32 min
Discover U Podcast with JD Kalmenson
Polly Young-Eisendrath, PhD; Navigating Conflict with Real Dialogue
Host JD Kalmenson interviews Polly Young-Eisendrath, PhD, about how the skills of Real Dialogue can help us humanize those we have conflict with, appreciate a different perspective, and increase both self-understanding and compassion for others.Polly Young-Eisendrath PhD. Polly is a Jungian analyst, a psychologist, and a psychotherapist in private practice. She's a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont and is the founder and director of the Institute for Dialogue Therapy. She's the author and/or editor of 18 books on the topics of parenting, adult development, intimate and parental love, Buddhist theory, Jungian p...
2022-04-06
42 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 45: Fear of Death (Part 3)
What is death? Is it a flat-lining on the EEG in which the brain goes quiet? Is it cardiac arrest, the stopping of the heart? Is it the departing of consciousness from the body? Why does our definition of death change? If we cannot define death, how do we understand our fear of it? What’s the difference, for example, between what we feel about different kinds of death – e.g. “natural” death, murder, and accidental death? In this episode, we will explore the meanings of death in our own experiences, in the current science of Near Death Experience, and in t...
2022-04-04
29 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 44: Fear of Death (Part 2)
What is death? Is it a flat-lining on the EEG in which the brain goes quiet? Is it cardiac arrest, the stopping of the heart? Is it the departing of consciousness from the body? Why does our definition of death change? If we cannot define death, how do we understand our fear of it? What’s the difference, for example, between what we feel about different kinds of death – e.g. “natural” death, murder, and accidental death? In this episode, we will explore the meanings of death in our own experiences, in the current science of Near Death Experience, and in t...
2022-03-23
28 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 43: Fear of Death (Part 1)
What is death? Is it a flat-lining on the EEG in which the brain goes quiet? Is it cardiac arrest, the stopping of the heart? Is it the departing of consciousness from the body? Why does our definition of death change? If we cannot define death, how do we understand our fear of it? What’s the difference, for example, between what we feel about different kinds of death – e.g. “natural” death, murder, and accidental death? In this episode, we will explore the meanings of death in our own experiences, in the current science of Near Death Experience, and in t...
2022-03-08
41 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 42: Free Speech and Right Speech: Following the Path of Non-Hatred Part 2
There are many public debates about “free speech” in terms of limiting “hate speech” that includes insults, hostility, or slander against others, especially “vulnerable others.” In this podcast we discuss how speech (the ways we speak to ourselves and others) plays a central role in ceding or avoiding war and chaos. We will compare “free speech,” as defended in the US Constitution, with Right Speech as promoted in the Eightfold Noble Path of the Buddhist practice. Right Speech is divided into four components: abstaining from false speech, abstaining from slanderous speech, abstaining from harsh (divisive) speed, and abstaining from idle chatter. Sp...
2022-02-15
30 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 41: Free Speech and Right Speech: Following the Path of Non-Hatred
There are many public debates about “free speech” in terms of limiting “hate speech” that includes insults, hostility, or slander against others, especially “vulnerable others.” In this podcast we discuss how speech (the ways we speak to ourselves and others) plays a central role in ceding or avoiding war and chaos. We will compare “free speech,” as defended in the US Constitution, with Right Speech as promoted in the Eightfold Noble Path of the Buddhist practice. Right Speech is divided into four components: abstaining from false speech, abstaining from slanderous speech, abstaining from harsh (divisive) speed, and abstaining from idle chatter. Sp...
2022-02-07
45 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 40: What is Propaganda? How Can We Tell That We Are Being Persuaded by False or Fake Narratives? Part 2
Episode 40: What is Propaganda? How Can We Tell That We Are Being Persuaded by False or Fake Narratives? Part 2 with Polly Young-Eisendrath, Ph.D. and Eleanor Johnson with special guest Robert Caper In this second part of this podcast, we will explore the nature of propaganda and how easy it is to believe in rhetoric that is based on false assumptions. How can a listener/reader/consumer discern whether there are facts and evidence backing any particular report, statement, or argument? Is there some way to know if something that you read or hear is likely to be true or f...
2021-09-30
43 min
Eastern Philosophy Archives - C. G. Jung Institute of Chicago
The Adventure of Being Human: Beyond the Myth of Biological Salvation with Polly Young-Eisendrath
This episode is the opening lecture of a weekend given by Polly Young-Eisendrath. It contains a 1-hour lecture followed by an hour of Q&A. From the seminar description: We all sense a connection with the source that underlies our existence, whether or not we recognize it as such and we all wish to identify with something larger than ourselves. Some feel this as a spiritual yearning, while others wish for fame or celebrity or the knowledge of a larger truth. The spiritual isolation and materialism (both economic and philosophical) of our times make it difficult to...
2021-08-28
2h 26
Transformation Archives - C. G. Jung Institute of Chicago
The Adventure of Being Human: Beyond the Myth of Biological Salvation with Polly Young-Eisendrath
This episode is the opening lecture of a weekend given by Polly Young-Eisendrath. It contains a 1-hour lecture followed by an hour of Q&A. From the seminar description: We all sense a connection with the source that underlies our existence, whether or not we recognize it as such and we all wish to identify with something larger than ourselves. Some feel this as a spiritual yearning, while others wish for fame or celebrity or the knowledge of a larger truth. The spiritual isolation and materialism (both economic and philosophical) of our times make it difficult to...
2021-08-28
2h 26
Shadow Archives - C. G. Jung Institute of Chicago
The Adventure of Being Human: Beyond the Myth of Biological Salvation with Polly Young-Eisendrath
This episode is the opening lecture of a weekend given by Polly Young-Eisendrath. It contains a 1-hour lecture followed by an hour of Q&A. From the seminar description: We all sense a connection with the source that underlies our existence, whether or not we recognize it as such and we all wish to identify with something larger than ourselves. Some feel this as a spiritual yearning, while others wish for fame or celebrity or the knowledge of a larger truth. The spiritual isolation and materialism (both economic and philosophical) of our times make it difficult to...
2021-08-28
2h 26
Religion & Spirituality Archives - C. G. Jung Institute of Chicago
The Adventure of Being Human: Beyond the Myth of Biological Salvation with Polly Young-Eisendrath
This episode is the opening lecture of a weekend given by Polly Young-Eisendrath. It contains a 1-hour lecture followed by an hour of Q&A. From the seminar description: We all sense a connection with the source that underlies our existence, whether or not we recognize it as such and we all wish to identify with something larger than ourselves. Some feel this as a spiritual yearning, while others wish for fame or celebrity or the knowledge of a larger truth. The spiritual isolation and materialism (both economic and philosophical) of our times make it difficult to...
2021-08-28
2h 26
Jung Chicago Archives Podcast
The Adventure of Being Human: Beyond the Myth of Biological Salvation with Polly Young-Eisendrath
This episode is the opening lecture of a weekend given by Polly Young-Eisendrath. It contains a 1-hour lecture followed by an hour of Q&A. From the seminar description:We all sense a connection with the source that underlies our existence, whether or not we recognize it as such and we all wish to identify with something larger than ourselves. Some feel this as a spiritual yearning, while others wish for fame or celebrity or the knowledge of a larger truth. The spiritual isolation and materialism (both economic and philosophical) of our times make it difficult to...
2021-08-28
2h 26
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 39: What is Propaganda? How Can We Tell That We Are Being Persuaded by False Rhetoric?
In this podcast, we will explore the nature of propaganda and how easy it is to believe. How can a listener/reader/consumer discern whether there are facts and evidence backing any particular attitude, statement or marketing? Is there some way to know if something is likely to be true or false when you read about it or hear? What is “confirmation bias” and how does it function in relation to propaganda? What about the scientific standard of “falsification”? We will talk especially about medical, pharmaceutical, and health-related propaganda, as well as the ways the movies may enforce or resist our...
2021-06-29
32 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 38: What Is “Crowd Psychology”? How Does It Affect Individuals and Groups (Part 2)
NEW EPISODE of Enemies: From War to Wisdom is now live! Episode 38 (Part 2): What Is “Crowd Psychology”? How Does It Affect Individuals and Groups with Polly Young-Eisendrath, Ph.D. and Eleanor Johnson with special guest Robert Caper Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, believed that crowd behavior (sometimes called “mob psychology”) leads to unlocking the unconscious mind in becoming identified with a “group mentality” in the slogans or motivations of a charismatic leader. More contemporary theories of crowd behavior, such as psychologist Philip Zimbardo’s idea of “deindividuation,” claim that anonymity and group unity can persuade people to lose their conc...
2021-03-03
34 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 37: What Is “Crowd Psychology”? How Does It Affect Individuals and Groups (Part 1)
Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, believed that crowd behavior (sometimes called “mob psychology”) leads to unlocking the unconscious mind in becoming identified with a “group mentality” in the slogans or motivations of a charismatic leader. More contemporary theories of crowd behavior, such as psychologist Philip Zimbardo’s idea of “deindividuation,” claim that anonymity and group unity can persuade people to lose their concern for others, and reduce their sensitivity to guilt, remorse, and self-evaluation. In this podcast, we will talk about the power of “suggestion” and how it functions in close relationships and public spaces. If you wonder how and why anti-s...
2021-01-08
36 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 36: What About Mothers & Daughters? Why Is It So Hard?
In the arena of entangled and often painful human relationships, the mother-daughter relationship may be paramount. If you think about it for a moment, you realize that every woman on earth has been inside of another woman, and then come out and had to differentiate or at least grow apart from that original home. Women are far too often alienated from within themselves, divided against themselves, their bodies, and each other. Without blame, we may need to see that the mother-daughter bond has to be clarified by women in order to stop the alienation from ourselves and other women...
2020-11-03
49 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 35: Taking a Look at the Illusion of Reality: The Work of Donald Hoffman Part 2
In part two of this episode, we will talk about the theory offered by contemporary cognitive scientist Donald Hoffman to explain why our natural desires and fears do not lead us to insights about “reality.” We will review some of Hoffman’s model and approach which are still very much a work-in-progress. We are taking up Hoffman’s work on this podcast because we feel it offers an extraordinarily promising view of our human predicament in regard to our own self-protection and can help us sort out confusion about our “survival fitness” (experienced as our success in protecting ourselves and promotin...
2020-10-05
40 min
I'm Awake! Now What?
Polly Young-Eisendrath, Ph.D. - Psychologist, Teacher, Author, Buddhist, Podcaster discusses relationships as a spiritual path Ep. 109
This week I am joined by Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath, she is a Jungian analyst, psychologist, teacher, author, Buddhist, and podcaster. Dr. Young-Eisendrath shares an early childhood experience of being an elective mute and learning the meaning of "war," which had a significant impact on her life journey. She shares leaving her religion of origin and why it was important to her to not give her intellect away when it came to cultivating a religious and spiritual life. We highlight her book "Love Between Equals: Relationships as a Spiritual Path" which offers her version of personal love as a spiritual...
2020-09-20
1h 02
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 34: Taking a Look at the Illusion of Reality: The Work of Donald Hoffman Part 1
In this episode, we will talk about the theory offered by contemporary cognitive scientist Donald Hoffman to explain why our natural desires and fears do not lead us to insights about “reality.” We will review some of Hoffman’s model and approach which are still very much a work-in-progress. We are taking up Hoffman’s work on this podcast because we feel it offers an extraordinarily promising view of our human predicament in regard to our own self-protection and can help us sort out confusions about our “survival fitness” (experienced as our success in protecting ourselves and promoting ourselves). Along the wa...
2020-09-14
40 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 33: How Do We Make Sense of What Others Do to Us and What We Do to Others When Our Actions Seem Harmful or Helpful?
In 1958, psychologist Fritz Heider originated “attribution theory” in psychology. This theory tried to answer the question: How do people make sense of what happens to them? How do they hold themselves and others responsible or not responsible without knowing the actual causes or evidence for behavior? A related theory developed by psychologist Julian Rotter in 1954 is called “Locus of Control” and looks at how we reason about our own and other’s motivations. In this podcast, we will discuss the ways we all tend to credit or blame or shame ourselves and others when we judge actions or behaviors as intenti...
2020-07-14
48 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 32: The Dove is Never Free: Our Podcast Logo
In this podcast, we talk about the philosophy and meaning behind our logo of a white peace dove that is caught in a red interdiction circle – either wholly caught or partly escaping. Of course, the dove is a symbol of peace or harmony, or even a peace offering when it has an olive branch in its beak, as pictured in our logo. The red interdiction circle is an international symbol used on highways and products and written communications to mean “no,” “nay” or “prohibited.” Our symbol of the dove trapped in the interdiction circle is meant to indicate that homo sapiens m...
2020-06-15
40 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 31: The Help that Hurts and the Hurt that Helps: Knowing How to Help When Others Are in Need
Years ago, there was a saying that came out of family psychiatry, especially in working with families of young adults with severe psychological disorders. It went like this, “When it comes to parents, there’s the help that hurts and the hurt that helps” – meaning that it is very difficult to know how much we can really help when loved ones are in need or in trouble (especially when they are teens or adults), and how much we need to allow them to find their own way. In this episode, we will talk about helping those at home with you, as...
2020-05-29
48 min
Raising Good Humans
Ep 44: Dr. Polly Young Eisendrath on Fighting Well With And in Front of Kids and How Living With Masks Impacts Human Development
Dr. Pressman & Dr. Polly Young Eisendrath discuss Fighting Well With And in Front of Kids and How Living With Masks Impacts Human Development. This episode is lovingly brought to you by HealthyNest Show notes: https://young-eisendrath.com Produced by Dear MediaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2020-05-22
1h 06
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 30: The Snow Globe of Our Subjectivity: Why It’s So Hard to Agree
On earlier podcasts, we have talked about what it means to be a human being, an individual person who has a complex experience of seeing, hearing and feeling. On this episode we will go into the details of the individual world of being human and why it’s so hard for us to agree about what is happening from moment to moment. Our perceptions of “reality” are between about 45% and 85% individual at any given moment. That means we are not in the “same world” and consequently we don’t share the same meanings about what is going on. We base our ide...
2020-05-01
1h 08
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 29: Opposites/Contraries During the COVID 19 Crisis
At this crucial juncture when we are beginning to contemplate our return to “life outside,” when the lock-down is over, we especially need to be reflective, thoughtful, and open-minded. The famous poet and artist William Blake wrote “Without Contraries, No Progress” in his famous poem “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell.” In this episode, we will talk about the importance of all sides of the conversation being included in our coming to terms with what is next, regarding this virus, our economy, and other future pandemics. How do we work with our communities, ourselves, and our bodies in order to stay heal...
2020-04-22
44 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 28: Self-Righteousness and Moral Superiority
More than three centuries ago in 1793, the great poet and artist William Blake said, “Without Contraries is no progression. Attraction and Repulsion, Reason and Energy, Love and Hate, are necessary to Human existence.” And then in 1916, the imminent psychoanalyst Carl Jung wrote as though he were speaking to us today, “The present shows with appalling clarity how little able people are to let the other man’s argument count, although this capacity is a fundamental and indispensable condition for any human community.” At this moment, it seems as if we are persuaded of our own moral superiority in ways that can l...
2020-04-14
42 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 27: Humiliation-Rage Cycle in Private and Public Situations
Humiliation is the experience of being exposed in our weaknesses and losing our social status in a couple or group. Being humiliated naturally evokes rage as a protective mechanism because an individual feels undermined and loses face in front of others. As we have pointed out many times on the podcast, human beings are naturally self-promoting and self-protective in groups and families. The humiliation-rage cycle is an interactive cycle between two people or groups who use shaming and blaming or “calling out” faults as a means of handling conflicts and differences. In this episode, we will talk about how dest...
2020-03-21
47 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 26: Projection and Projective-Identification Part 2
Polly and Jill continue their conversation with psychoanalyst Robert Caper (expert on projective identification) about the emotional kidnapping and confusion that occur in unconscious communication in couples, other dyads, and groups when people get emotionally activated. This is the second part of a conversation about Projection and Projective Identification.
2020-01-25
38 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 25: Projection and Projective-Identification: What do they mean?
(Part 1) Why are even simple topics often difficult to discuss, especially if people have different viewpoints? Underlying many confusions and animosities in human interactions in couples and groups is a form of unconscious emotional communication that implies and evokes strong reactions in ways that usually fall outside our awareness. We suddenly feel triggered, trapped, or kidnapped into an emotional reality that we had not intended. This kind of communication may be positive or idealized, as when we fall in love. More often, though, it is negative and agitating as when we feel we MUST protect ourselves by insisting on...
2020-01-13
36 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 24: Why Do Marriage and Commitment Bring Up Feelings of Hostility and Fear?
When people are preparing to go through a wedding – whether it’s their first or not – they often dream they are dying or are about to attend a funeral instead of a wedding. Why does monogamous commitment to another person, who is an equal, tend to bring up deep anxiety and even hostility towards that person? In this episode, we are going to explore the Buddha’s teachings of impermanence and limitation in relation to the fears that many of today’s adults, young and old, have of marriage and commitment. We will look at the ways in which a committe...
2019-11-28
36 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 23: Troubled Sisterhood: Veiled Aggression and Competition
There are now many studies that demonstrate how successful white women will undermine other high-status women instead of sharing resources, praise or support. If you are a working white woman, especially if you are in a position of leadership or management in a stressful setting, you have probably noticed that your fans are not other White women around who are also trying to be successful. Traditionally, White women have relied on veiled competition with each other, giving the illusion of being less aggressive than their male counterparts, and so, they may be shocked when they arrive in positions of...
2019-10-30
57 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 22: The Problem of Hostile Dependency: Biting the Hand that Feeds You
You have heard the saying “No good deed goes unpunished” and you know there is a wisdom in it. But what is that wisdom? In today’s podcast, we are going to talk about a human condition that occurs in families and with friends: There is an unequal need or dependency between supposed equals (e.g. a grown-up child who needs to live with parents) and the dependent party becomes very resentful and ungrateful. The providing party is hurt and angry at the lack of recognition of generosity. This is a classic human set-up in which the emotion of envy p...
2019-10-22
49 min
Raising Good Humans
Ep 12: Escaping the self-esteem trap with Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath
Dr. Aliza speaks with Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath -author, professor, buddhist psychologist, and Jungian psychoanalyst- about the accidental trappings of trying to build self-esteem through praise, the importance of failure, and helping parents find the balance between support and coddling. Produced by Dear MediaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2019-10-04
41 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 21: Free Will and Wisdom: the Ten Commandments, the Five Precepts, and the Golden Rule
In this podcast, Polly Young-Eisendrath, Ph.D., Sarah Brodie, M.A. and Eleanor Johnson explore the meaning of “free will” and some of the arguments for and against it. They talk about free will in the context of the timeless “laws” or guidelines for how to develop our intentions wisely: The Ten Commandments, the five basic moral principles of Buddhism, and the Golden Rule. They will emphasize the nature of human negativity and hostility in relation to our natural reactions on an interpersonal and personal basis, as well as the wise guidance provided by our cultural ancestors in encouraging us to re...
2019-09-18
58 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 20: Introducing Sarah Brodie, Co-host for Real Dialogue Live Events
Preparing to bring the podcast live, on-stage, we interview Sarah Brodie, a Dialogue Therapist from Toronto, who will co-host Real Dialogue for Opposing Sides with Polly. These are structured conversations between those with opposing views or those who have been hurt by each other. These events will bring together thoughtful experts who disagree about such diverse topics as climate change, the nature of gender, the safety of psychiatric drugs, what happens after we die, the nature of consciousness, free will, and many other topics whose opposing views stir our emotions and imaginations. Each guest will first be interviewed as...
2019-08-19
52 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 19: Once Again, What is the Human Self?
Most of us find it confusing to see/hear/feel “the self.” We somehow believe it’s inside our bodies or is the same thing as our bodies. But the self is no thing. It does not exist as a thing anywhere, but instead is an interactional process that we begin to practice when we are about 18 months old and have the experience that we are “inside” this body and the world is “outside.” That sets up the experience of “I am” and “you are” that is always a unitary self/other interactional process. In this podcast, we will once again investigate...
2019-08-01
1h 00
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 18: Clearing the Fog of War
As the history of Homo Sapiens suggests, we are more likely to be at war against others in our species, than to be able to live peacefully with them. And yet, some of this agitation about facing others who have opposed or harmed us might be able to be contained and understood. In the 5th century BCE text “The Art of War,” attributed to Sun Tzu, there are rules of conflict that insist on little punishment of enemies after defeat and on the importance of providing some stable and secure circumstances for those you have conquered. The primary teaching is i...
2019-07-05
50 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 17: What is War?
In North American society, we make war on our enemies, opposing ideals, cancer, drugs, bullying, and false news. What do we mean and what does this attitude imply? In this podcast, we will talk about the implications and consequences of imbuing our deepest ideals and beliefs with meanings of hostility, conflict, strife, and competition between opposing forces. In place of “both/and” thinking in regard to life/death, health/disease, good/bad, virtuous/evil, victim/perpetrator, we assign “either/or” ways of understanding. And hence, we are often at war in our lives and our societies. In this podcast, we will...
2019-06-05
45 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 16: Speaking the Truth Kindly
In this podcast we will return again to the way we speak to ourselves and others. Once again, we will tune into the problem of speaking the truth to ourselves and to others. We will discern speaking the truth from judging what is right and is wrong with ourselves and others. In order to speak the truth kindly, we have #1 understand what “truth” means in the nature of the reality of being Homo Sapiens and living in an imperfect and impermanent world. For example, no human being (not your child or your spiritual mentor) is “Amazing”” or “Perfect.” Moments may be amazing...
2019-05-29
49 min
Think Act Be Podcast
Ep. 42: Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath — How to Grow in Your Loving Relationships
My guest this week is psychologist Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath. We talked about the big ideas from her recent book, Love Between Equals: Relationship as a Spiritual Path. Polly presents an inspiring view of committed relationships—while she acknowledges the challenge in sharing life with another person, she also points to the possibilities that await us in truly relating to someone over time. Her ideas might change how you think about and how you experience your own relationships. Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thinkactbe.substack.com/subscribe
2019-05-15
1h 02
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 15 Dressed to Kill: Appearance as Power
The Buddha repeatedly taught that we should regard ourselves and others by the consequences of our actions (including our speech) and not by our appearances. And yet, most of us evaluate and compare ourselves by our appearances all of the time. Why is that? In this podcast, we will talk about the association of power and appearance, and especially how the nature of being human, of being homo sapiens, involves us relentlessly comparing ourselves to others, typically finding ourselves lacking, and then feeling resentful. As Leonard Cohen famously said in his hymn “If It Be Your Will”:Draw us n...
2019-04-28
41 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
Enemies: From War to Wisdom Episode 14: Love & Hate for Self
In our podcasts, we have defined “self” as an “interactional process” with others. Self becomes a habitual set of dynamics with others, connected to narratives about identity, body, family and tribe. The ways we talk to ourselves and to others about ourselves are often imbued with negativity and aversion. In this podcast, we will talk about how we can develop an attitude of love, acceptance and witnessing of ourselves, and how we lose that attitude when we talk to ourselves in ways that are fundamentally untruthful about who we are and what we are doing.
2019-04-17
43 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 13: Hatred & Non-Hatred: What the Buddha Taught
What is the nature of hatred and how is it related to love? What about non-hatred, is it the same as love? Love and hate abide together in the ambivalence of close relationships. Why do we hold them as opposites? Why does hate become a recurring problem in our relationships, from the family to the larger society? In this podcast, we will explore the nature of hate as an attitude or intention – not a feeling – of indifference and animosity towards others. We will also explore the famous teaching of the Buddha that “hatred is never appeased by hatred in this w...
2019-04-14
42 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 12: Real Dialogue: Rules and Realities
We all recognize Real Dialogue when we encounter it: people speak only for themselves and listen, really listen, to others. In times of conflict, opposition and emotional warfare, Real Dialogue seems impossible — but it is the only way to avoid schisms, active and passive aggression, and alienation. In this podcast we talk about the skills and insights of Real Dialogue and why it’s different from Conflict Resolution and non-violent communication. Real Dialogue requires emotional maturity, truth-telling, and the mindful ability to be in touch with your own feelings and thoughts without automatically discharging or expressing them. Real Dialogue is t...
2019-03-31
38 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 11: Speaking to Yourself & Speaking to Others
Most of the time, we are walking around talking to ourselves in a manner that strongly affects how we feel about ourselves and others. Most of the time, we are not conscious of what we are saying, why we are saying it, and what the consequences are when we are speaking to ourselves. Our self-talk naturally flows into the ways we speak to others and so, on this podcast, we will open up some insight into self-talk and set up some constraints that can lead to greater respect and love for self and others. We will also begin to...
2019-03-24
47 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 10: The Difference Between Aggression & Anger
How are passive and active essentially biological and hard-wired through our mammalian brains? What does the limbic system have to do with our sense of outrage and disgust and what do these have to do with morality? Why is anger an essentially human emotion and how is it useful in conflict with respect/ This podcast will set the groundwork for a human dialogue about dangerous conflict without animal reactivity to the triggers of rage.
2019-03-17
40 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 9: Rejecting Humiliation, Hostility & Hate
If we embrace an uncompromising rejection of racism, sexism or other means of demeaning or dismissing other humans as inferior, how can we proceed in relating to others with whom we have conflict of needs, status, or ideals? How can we conduct ourselves if we constrain or restrain our destructive feelings and emotions? How can we make our anger and needs known in a way that does not compromise our sense of injustice or meaning, but does not create more hostility, hatred, or humiliation? In this podcast we will talk about setting mindful retrains as the basis for open...
2019-02-21
41 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 8: Love & Hate Part 2
Polly Young-Eisendrath, Ph.D. and Eleanor Johnson continue the discussion on human relating Why is love not an emotion or feeling? Why is hate not at all like love and yet often contained within our love for others or another? What can we learn about our enemies by understanding love and hate?
2019-02-10
46 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 7: Love & Hate Part 1
Polly Young-Eisendrath, Ph.D. and Eleanor Johnson. What are these two great categories of human relating? What are they about and are they biological? Why is love not an emotion or feeling? Why is hate not at all like love and yet often contained within our love for others or another? What can we learn about our enemies by understanding love and hate?
2019-01-03
18 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 6: Ourselves & Others
What allows us to feel comfortable in ourselves with others? What does it mean to feel like we "belong"? Can we do this without creating an "other" and without setting up an enemy, even though we may feel envious, jealous, ashamed, or self-conscious about our situation or status? Can we move through our outrage or rage without creating more humiliation and outrage?
2018-12-28
31 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 5: Emotions & Feelings Part 2
In Part 2, Polly Young-Eisendrath, Ph.D. and Eleanor Johnson talk especially about the two great categories of human emotions — primary emotions (that we are born with) and secondary emotions that develop to allow us to compare and protect ourselves in human groups, especially our families and close others. Deep dive into envy, jealousy, gratitude, guilt and shame and the insights they bring. Nobody is free of these feelings; the formula is eternal and it’s vital to understand that EVERYONE is motivated by them.
2018-10-25
31 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 4: Emotions & Feelings Part 1
Human emotions are complex and widely called “feelings” when much of what we call our “feelings” are actually our opinions, our preferences, our ideals, and the stories that we repeatedly tell ourselves about what’s going within the interactive process we call “self.” In this two part episode we will talk about what emotions are and how the dangerous cycle of humiliation and rage can get going between individuals and groups in a way that leads to war and destruction, and prevents resolving conflicts. We will talk especially about the two great categories of human emotions — primary emotions (that we are born with...
2018-10-11
30 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 3: Conflict
What is the meaning of conflict? Why do the exact same conflicts often recur repeatedly and not lead to any solutions? In this episode, we will deconstruct the roots of conflict and see why conflicts are so repetitive, and why and how unity has to enter into the encounter or relationship in order for problems to resolve.
2018-09-21
28 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 2: Why Enemies?
Polly Young-Eisendrath, Ph.D. and Eleanor Johnson explore their reasons for starting a podcast: the major reason is to be able to hold hope a forum and a space in which we can explore from each our own perspectives the roots of war and peace. Polly starts with the family and the unconscious tendency to “other” someone — to find someone to blame when things go wrong. Eleanor starts with the big issues left from the last century: is peace possible? what is democracy? do we have to have the massive destructive wars (of the 20th century) again? We want our li...
2018-09-13
38 min
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom
ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom Episode 1: Why do we need enemies?
Join Polly Young-Eisendrath, Ph.D. and Eleanor Johnson in their new podcast about ENEMIES. EPISODE 1: Why do we need enemies? From intimate relationships to politics, tribalism, and community, we cannot seem to stop dehumanizing each other. Are chronic conflicts in our families, societies, and nations inevitable? In this podcast, we analyze human hostilities from the most mundane to the most sophisticated as we apply psychology, psychoanalysis, art, spirituality, and relational theory in conversations about belonging and othering in our relationships and ideologies. Each program will reach for a fresh wisdom that shows us how to step back from creating...
2018-09-07
38 min
Grab Free Audiobook in Nonfiction, Philosophy
Gender and Desire by Polly Young-Eisendrath | Free Audiobook
Listen to full audiobooks for free on :https://hotaudiobook.com/freeTitle: Gender and Desire Author: Polly Young-Eisendrath Narrator: Colleen Patrick Format: Unabridged Length: 4 hrs and 5 mins Language: English Release date: 12-24-13 Publisher: University Press Audiobooks Genres: Nonfiction, Gender Issues Summary: Contradictory and provocative pathways crisscross the terrain of gender among contemporary psychologists and psychoanalysts. Clearing a path through this terrain, Polly Young-Eisendrath describes and illustrates issues of gender and desire among women and men. Young-Eisendrath introduces three world views: premodern, modern, and postmodern. Then, she calls our attention to how we shape reality and clearly explains how a lived...
2013-12-25
4h 05
Download the Top 100 Audiobooks in Nonfiction, Gender Issues
Gender and Desire Audiobook by Polly Young-Eisendrath
Listen to this audiobook in full for free onhttp://hotaudiobook.comTitle: Gender and Desire Subtitle: Uncursing Pandora (Carolyn and Ernest Fay Series in Analytical Psychology) Author: Polly Young-Eisendrath Narrator: Colleen Patrick Format: Unabridged Length: 4 hrs and 5 mins Language: English Release date: 12-24-13 Publisher: University Press Audiobooks Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 2 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Gender Issues Publisher's Summary: Contradictory and provocative pathways crisscross the terrain of gender among contemporary psychologists and psychoanalysts. Clearing a path through this terrain, Polly Young-Eisendrath describes and illustrates issues of gender and desire among women and men. Young-Eisendrath introduces three world views: premodern, modern, and...
2013-12-24
4h 05
Discover Popular Titles Audiobooks in Nonfiction and Gender Issues
Gender and Desire Audiobook by Polly Young-Eisendrath
Listen to the full audiobook free with a 30-day trial. Go tohttps://hotaudiobook.com/freeTitle: Gender and Desire Subtitle: Uncursing Pandora (Carolyn and Ernest Fay Series in Analytical Psychology) Author: Polly Young-Eisendrath Narrator: Colleen Patrick Format: Unabridged Length: 4 hrs and 5 mins Language: English Release date: 12-24-13 Publisher: University Press Audiobooks Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 2 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Gender Issues Publisher's Summary: Contradictory and provocative pathways crisscross the terrain of gender among contemporary psychologists and psychoanalysts. Clearing a path through this terrain, Polly Young-Eisendrath describes and illustrates issues of gender and desire among women and men. Young-Eisendrath introduces three world...
2013-12-24
4h 05