014 - A Buddhist Teacher Considers Social Justice & Enlightenment
Release Date: 09/07/2021
033 - Letting Go, Celebrating, and Moving On
Bowing To Elephants Podcast
Welcome to the final episode of the Bowing to Elephants Podcast. It is with bittersweet feelings that I announce I'm discontinuing the podcast, just for the time being. Life is calling me to address different creative work right now. I appreciate all of you who have steadfastly listened to the show. Here today to help me reflect on the last six months and discuss my next adventure is my friend and cohort, Ben Gioia. What You Hear/Learn/Discover [1:40] Mag explains why she started the podcast in the first place. [03:08] Mag talks about her successes and disappointments with...
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032 - Cultural Lens Shapeshifter
Bowing To Elephants Podcast
Jill Mott is a “cultural lens shapeshifter,” photographer, and photojournalist who brings a unique, sparkling energy to everything she does. Armed with only her camera and imagination, she once traveled the world from England to Zimbabwe… with a stop in Italy for art school! Today, Jill teaches and shares her understanding of communication and storytelling — across a myriad of forms — particularly with the camera.
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031 - A Gourmet Destination on the Northern California Coast
Bowing To Elephants Podcast
Andrew and Liya Truong are stunningly talented chefs. They own and run Terrapin Creek Cafe & Restaurant in the sleepy, small town of Bodega Bay, California. Their fantastic menu garnered them a Michelin Star in 2011. And they have the love and devotion of Bodega Bay citizens and all those traveling along the coast who happen to stop by for a bite.
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030 - The Writer and Her Hammock
Bowing To Elephants Podcast
An author, a poet, and phenomenal woman, Bella Mahaya Carter is a writing teacher and coach who promotes self-awareness and mindfulness. Bella believes in the power of writing to heal and transform lives. She sees publishing one’s work as an opportunity to deepen self-awareness, nourish meaningful connections, and delight in peak experiences while being of service.
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029 - Becoming a Scholar
Bowing To Elephants Podcast
A creative soul and lifelong scholar, Sands Hall is a blessing to everyone who meets her. She shares her brilliant spark in many ways: as a teacher, musician, actor, and writer. And today, she joins us to talk about her moving memoir, Reclaiming My Decade Lost in Scientology. In her memoir, Sands shares what first led her to Scientology, the darker undercurrents of Ron L. Hubbard’s leadership, and how she eventually disentangled herself from the Church.
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028 - In The Shadow of Poets
Bowing To Elephants Podcast
Meet Author Gretchen Cherington, who, after many years of silence, chose to share her story of abuse. Sexually molested by her father, Richard Eberhardt, a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, Gretchen broke decades of silence to share what life with him was really like. Her memoir, Poetic License, is an authentic, brave piece of work.
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027 - The Seasons of Life
Bowing To Elephants Podcast
Tania Casselle calls herself a book doctor, a spiritual follower, a therapist, and a teacher. This multi-talented woman emigrated from England to the United States, where she now lives in Taos, New Mexico. She’s received multiple awards for her writing.
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026 - Burma & Bodhisattva Vows
Bowing To Elephants Podcast
To listen to Jack Kornfield is to be brought close to his heart and exquisite mind. Come hear him speak about his love for Burma. Listen to his thoughts on renunciation and the spiritual effects of the pandemic.
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025 - The Art of Storytelling
Bowing To Elephants Podcast
Today, my honored guest is Michael Katz, a professional storyteller who performs and works with children in the Santa Barbara area and teaches mindfulness in elementary schools. Michael has worked as a storyteller since 1985 and was the host of a radio show dubbed The Katz Pajamas. He also performs at elementary schools, festivals, and illustrious events like the opening of the Disney Concert Hall.
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024 - Feeding, Healing, & Loving The Soul
Bowing To Elephants Podcast
If anyone could light up a room or a person's heart, it’s Allison Post. An integrative health coach and somatic educator, Allison is a healer and a lover of all life. Over the last four decades, Allison taught courses in many massage modalities plus breath and bodywork.
info_outlineI invite you to join my conversation with my dear friend, Trudy Goodman, as we explore the racism woven into our everyday experiences. As a Buddhist and psychotherapist, Trudy helps people lead more mindful, meaningful lives. Her life in the Dharma is rich, and she uses her Buddhist teachings to inspire real change in the world.
Trudy is the founding teacher of the InsightLA Meditation Center and the co-founder of the Institute of Meditation and Psychotherapy. She’s currently writing a memoir about her spiritual journey.
What You Will Hear/Learn/Discover
[2:51] Trudy describes a Buddhist practitioner’s place in the fight against racial injustice.
[7:53] Mag wants to know how InsightLA is changing with the times.
[13:12] Mag and Trudy discuss systemic racism and our country’s long history of oppressing Black Americans and other people of color.
[16:35] Trudy explains how InsightLA differs from other meditation centers.
[19:29] Trudy talks about her memoir and how joining a writing group helped.
[22:29] Trudy tells us about the most painful events in her life and how they opened her heart.
[31:39] Discover Trudy’s working title for her book and her thoughts on a subtitle.
[34:25] Trudy talks about her marriage and what it’s like being married to a successful author.
[45:55] Trudy shares her thoughts on enlightenment and how it’s an ongoing quest.
Quotes
On Enlightenment:
“Enlightenment is not a state that you've attained once and for all. It's a process. Everything is a process...There are moments of awakening, moments of presence, moments of crystal clear understanding. And, then there are moments of confusion and moments of chaos … And, if we are able to be present with them, then they just move through. They don’t have to stick.”
On Racism:
“Because [racism] is so much a part of the air. [It’s part of] our sweat, the air we breathe, the water we swim in here in America … that we don't even necessarily question some of our biases.”
“I think if anybody can add humanity to this rather frightening predicament, I think the Buddhists can. Because as Buddhist practitioners, we are all about love and compassion. We’re about witnessing and honesty.”
Resources
InsightLA: insightla.org
Connect with Trudy Goodman
Website: trudygoodman.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/trudy_goodman
Appreciation
From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for being here. If you haven’t already, come join the community!
Instagram: https://instagram.com/magdimondauthor
Website: https://bowingtoelephantspodcast.com
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