21st Century Vitalism

Storytelling, Folk Music, and Navigating Complexity with Leah Song

Joining us on the show this week is musician, storyteller, poet, and activist, Leah Song! Most widely recognized for co-founding the Rising Appalachia project with her sister, Chloe Smith - Leah is also a dedicated social activist who's been on the frontline for many fights on the environment, human rights, prison reform, and food justice.

For this conversation we explore the intersection of folk music and activism, the role of storytelling in orienting humans in their environment, and the power of sharing music in times of uncertainty. 

You can catch Rising Appalachia on tour at a city near you at https://www.risingappalachia.com/tour  Or check out Leah's other offerings over at leahsongmusic.com

Show Topics
- Maintaining Creativity in Times of Uncertainty
- Art and Liberation Movements
- The Power of Folk Music
- Storytelling and Rootedness
- Creating Your Own Stories 
- Importance of Lineage
- Art and Social/Digital Media
- The Ceremony of Catharsis
- Integrating Catharsis

Feeling As Others Feel Through Somatic Empathy with Dr. Cindy Engel

Joining us on the show today is author, biologist, and bodyworker, Dr. Cindy Engel! For this conversation we explore the topic of somatic empathy, which is the focus of her newest book, ‘Another Self: How Your Body Helps You Understand Others’. This is the first overview of how our bodies take on the physical, emotional, and mental states of others and how we can utilize these principles to tend to ourselves and our relations.

If you want to learn more after the episode, consider picking up a copy of ‘Another Self’ over at cindyengel.com

Show Topics
- What is Somatic Empathy?
- The Contagious Nature of Emotions
- Somatic Empathy and Media
- Strengthening and Dampening Somatic Empathy
- Mindful Movement for Resilience
- Everything We Perceive is a Guess
- Importance of Getting to Know Ourselves
- Somatic Empathy, Communication, and Bodywork
- Coregulation and Brain Coupling

Watching Your Mind with Sokuzan

Joining us on the show is the founder and abbot of the Sokukoji monastery, Sokuzan. Having received his full ordination as a priest in the Soto Zen lineage, Sokuzan has spent the past 50+ years of his life studying, practicing, and teaching the Buddhist Dharma. He also happens to be a lifelong artist who paints and teaches his students how to expand their awareness using meditative techniques that he’s developed.

In this conversation, we explore some of his prominent teachings on awareness. What it is, what it isn’t, and how we can live our lives operating from a more clear and present state of mind. We also explore his artistic expressions and the technique of ‘Opening the Eye Mind’ which is the focus of his upcoming book.

If you want to stay plugged in with Sokuzan, you can head over to sokukoji.org to watch recorded teachings and practice with the Sokukoji monastery on a daily basis. He also has many teachings available on YouTube which can be easily found.

Show Topics
- Sokuzan’s Story of Finding the Dharma
- The Teacher’s Path
- Where do Teachings Come From?
- The Role of Conceptual Practice
- What is Awareness?
- Understanding Enlightenment
- The Nature of Cultivation
- Nature of Personality
- The Meditator’s Role in Today’s Social Climate
- Managing Overwhelm
- Monastic Vows
- Art and Awareness

Visionary Art as a Catalyst for Social Change with Mark Henson

This week's episode of the 21st Century Vitalism podcast is now live! Joining us on the show today is visionary artist, Mark Henson (@markhensonart)! Most known for his stunning and psychedelic depictions of love, loss, warfare, and celebration. In this conversation we explore one of his life’s passions of utilizing visionary art as a means to inspire social change. Drawing on decades of experience starting from the 1960’s hippie movement of the west coast all the way through Occupy and into the current socio political waters - mark’s history of using psychedelic art as a tool for communication is rarely matched by his contemporaries. We talk a lot about his process of creation and also how you can cultivate your own artistic voice.

If you want to stay plugged into Mark’s work, head on over to markhensonart.com to check out his online galleries and other talks.

Show topics
- What is visionary art?
- Visionary Art of the 60’s
- Art and Social Movements
- Transmitting Messages Through Art
- Using Your Craziest Thoughts To Develop Your Voice
- Culture Wars
- Modern Art Movements
- How can an Artist Open Themselves Up?
- Mark’s Process of Creating Art
- The Emotional Quality of Painting Destruction
- The Power of Unsettling Images
- Art as a Time Machine
- Exploring Mark’s Work

Cultivating Self Compassion Through IFS and Buddhist Meditation with Ralph De La Rosa

Joining us on the 21st Century Vitalism podcast this week is psychotherapist, meditation teacher, and author, Ralph De La Rosa. In this conversation we explore his work in combining the therapeutic ‘Internal Family Systems’ framework with traditional Buddhist wisdom. Our intention is to create a map of how we can cultivate a real and palpable energy of self-compassion within our lives.

You can order a copy of Ralph’s new book, ‘Outshining Trauma: A New Vision of Radical Self-Compassion Integrating Internal Family Systems and Buddhist Meditation’ from wherever you go to get your books. 

ralphdelarosa.com

Show Topics
- What is Internal Family Systems?
- The Parts That We’re Made Of
- Contacting Self
- The Healing Process of IFS
- What is Trauma?
- How Can We Learn to Communicate With Our Bodies?
- Meditation and IFS
- Cultivating Self-Compassion
- What To Do When We Struggle with Self Compassion
- The Wisdom of our Hangups
- Deities and Mythology in the Process of Healing

How Worldviews and Climate Justice Can Remake a World in Crisis with Osprey Orielle Lake

Joining us on the show is the founder and executive director of the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network, Osprey Orielle Lake! In this conversation, we explore some of the themes of her recent book, ‘The Story Is In Our Bones: How Worldviews and Climate Justice Can Remake a World in Crisis’. Namely, we explore how some of the foundational worldviews of Western Culture have contributed to what researchers are calling the environmental polycrisis. We then talk about how we can realistically change these worldviews, the importance of taking a gendered perspective toward the climate crisis, and how connecting to our ancestors helps us connect more firmly with our sense of place.

SHOW TOPICS
- What is a Worldview and its Relationship to the Climate Crisis?
- How Can We Change Worldviews?
- Learning from Indigenous Worldviews
- Moving Away From Materialism and Into Reciprocity
- The Birth of Consumerism
- Consumerism as a Surrogate for Meaning Making
- The Need for us to be Present with Nature
- How to Form Relationship with Land
- Being Responsible Ancestors
- The Role of Stories in Discovering Who We Are
- The Politicization of Gender and the Patriarchy
- The Importance of Getting Political

Links

wecaninternational.org

'The Story Is In Our Bones: How Worldviews and Climate Justice Can Remake a World in Crisis’
https://a.co/d/31rm2HW

 

Freestyle Dance as Self Development with Nickel Yudat

Joining us for our 100th episode celebration is founder of the Beyond the Moves dance classes, Nickel Yudat. Nickel is a UK based freestyle hip hop dancer and teacher who imparts onto his students the importance of mindset in the practice of freestyle dancing. In this conversation, we explore Nickel’s story of how he found his way to dancing, and ultimately how he’s using it as a practice to deepen his connection to some inherent positive qualities that we all share. We also chat about how to find your creative voice, the importance of discipline, and battle culture.

If you want to stay up to date on Nickel’s journey, follow him over on Instagram or check out his website at beyondthemoves.com


Show Topics
- What is Freestyle Dance?
- Exploring ‘Battle’ Culture
- Navigating Failure
- Self Image and Dance
- Importance of Mindset in Dance
- Cultivating Positive Qualities Through Dance
- Resiliency, Empathy, and Adaptability
- Maintaining Consistent Discipline
- How to Keep Practice from Growing Stale
- Seeing the Fundamentals as Advanced
- How to Find Our Creative Voice
- Self Compassion and Navigating Inner Judgement

The Beginner's Guide to Karma with Mordy Levine

Joining us on the show this week is entrepreneur, meditation teacher, and president of the Jigme Lingpa Center, Mordy Levine. In this conversation we explore the teachings of Karma from the Buddhist tradition. Namely what it is and isn’t, how we can work with it to create more joy in our lives, and its role in the journey of awakening.

This episode is connected to the release of Mordy’s new book release that he co-authored with his teacher, Lama Lhanang Rinpoche called ‘The Beginner’s Guide to Karma’ which is now available for purchase wherever you get your books. If you want to study with Mordy and Lama Lhanang Rinpoche further, you can head over to buddhistsandiego.com to connect with their online classes.

Show Topics
- What is Karma?
- Karma and Intentions
- Levels of Karma
- Is There Good or Bad Karma?
- Selflessness and Joy
- How Do We Work with Karma?
- Creating Better Intentions
- The Wheel of Life
- Is There Collective Karma?
- Creating Wholesome Karma in Unwholesome Situations
- Mastery of Mind and Spontaneous Service

Political Engagement as Spiritual Practice with Reggie Hubbard

This week's episode of 21st Century Vitalism is now live! Joining us on the show is the 500 hr certified yoga teacher and founder of Active Peace Yoga, Reggie Hubbard. One part teacher, one part activist, Reggie has established himself as a guiding voice in the art of combining spiritual practice with political engagement. Having over twenty years of service in this domain, Reggie’s resume includes but isn’t limited to working with the Obama administration, campaigning on behalf of Bernie Sanders, and managing MoveOn. He’s also gone on to teach meditation to Members of Congress, Congressional Staff, and other leading progressive organizations.

In this conversation we explore the intersection of spiritual practice and political engagement. Most importantly how our practice should inevitably lead to more awareness of the entrenched systems which allow and perpetuate harm in our society. We also shine light on the spiritual aspects of living in a democracy and the immense power that comes with having the ability to vote. Ultimately this culminates in a collaboration on how we can best maintain a political awareness while simultaneously staying resourced within ourselves to prevent overwhelm.

If you want to stay in touch with Reggie, consider heading on over to activepeaceyoga.com or following him on Instagram @oreggieglobal.

Show Topics
- Practicing Spirituality for Challenging Times
- Spirituality as a Preventative for Burnout
- Waging Peace
- Collective Liberation is the Only Liberation
- Spiritual Practice Isn’t About Isolation
- The Spiritual Responsibility of Living in a Democracy
- The Power of Your Vote
- Allowing Diversity of Thought While Mitigating Harm
- Lessons Learned from Racism
- How We Care For Ourselves Enables Our Care for the World
- Finding Time for Political Awareness as a Low Income Earner
- Resourcing Ourselves in Times of Political Stress
- What Do We Do if Donald Trump Wins?

The Everyday Magic of Feng Shui with Anjie Cho

Joining us on the show today is architect, feng shui practitioner, author, and dharma arts teacher, Anjie Cho. In this conversation we’re laying the foundation for how to begin your own exploration into the world of Feng Shui. We do this by covering the essential topics and themes that you’ll need to start adding more intention and awareness to your spaces. This is a great conversation for both beginners and advanced practitioners alike!

For those who want to study with Anjie further, consider checking out her newest book, ‘Mindful Living: A Guide to the Everyday Magic of Feng Shui’ which she co-authored with Laura Morris. In it, you’ll find more detailed descriptions of the themes that we cover in this conversation. Beyond that, you can tune into Anjie’s podcast, ‘Holistic Spaces’ or sign up for her Mindful Design Feng Shui school!

Show Topics
- What is Feng Shui?
- Everyday Magic
- Qi and Increasing Our Sensitivity
- How Qi Moves Through a Space
- Stagnant Qi and “Bad Feng Shui”
- Qi and Attention
- The Five Elements
- Utilizing the Elements in our Spaces
- Plants in Feng Shui
- Reading and working with the Bagua
- Creating a Meditative Space

LINKS
https://www.anjiecho.com
https://www.holisticspaces.com/podcast
Mindful Living: A guide to the everyday magic of feng shui