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A New Look at American Spirituality

The podcast of the Sacred Inclusion Network

Release Date: 03/12/2021

Lucas Johnson on the Power of Nonviolence and Spiritual Activism show art Lucas Johnson on the Power of Nonviolence and Spiritual Activism

The podcast of the Sacred Inclusion Network

Host Angelo John Lewis and guest Lucas Johnson engage in a powerful conversation about spirituality and social justice. Lucas Johnson, an ordained minister and Executive Vice President for Social Healing for the On Being Project, shares his deep global experience in conflict resolution and community organizing. Drawing from his global experience, Johnson shares examples of nonviolent activism from around the world. From South Africa's truth and reconciliation process to the American civil rights movement, he highlights how nonviolence can effectively bring about positive social change. Key...

info_outline Spirituality and Social Justice Symposium show art Spirituality and Social Justice Symposium

The podcast of the Sacred Inclusion Network

This Spirituality and Social Justice Symposium explores the intersection of spirituality and activism. Host Angelo John Lewis engages in a dynamic discussion with guests Shariff Abdullah, Lucas Johnson, and Cat Zavis about their experiences in social activism and successful projects. The panelists highlighted the significance of inner work and personal transformation in effective activism. They emphasized the need for individuals to engage in self-reflection, challenging systems of oppression while practicing empathy and kindness. They agreed that the collective exploration of solutions and...

info_outline The Intersection of Faith and Activism: Cat Zavis on Spirituality and Social Justice show art The Intersection of Faith and Activism: Cat Zavis on Spirituality and Social Justice

The podcast of the Sacred Inclusion Network

Cat Zavis discusses her personal journey and insights on integrating spiritualism and activism. Zavis is Executive Director of the Network of Spiritual Progressives Cat and her colleague, Rabbi Michael Lerner, have worked tirelessly to build a Religious left movement in Israel, countering the religious right movement. They recognize the trauma and PTSD experienced by both Israelis and Palestinians and understand that Israel, as the dominant power, has the responsibility to address the unjust and inhumane situation created through the occupation. Having personally witnessed the devastating...

info_outline "Art as a Sacred Calling": An Interview with Tasleem Jamila Firdausee

The podcast of the Sacred Inclusion Network

Tasleem Jamila Firdausee, the executive director of Art as a Sacred Intiative, here talks about her Baptist upbringing, her immersion into mystical Islam, and her academic scholarship into the role of women in Sufism. She shares of her spiritual journey and the teachers she's encountered along the way, and illustrates them with readings from her two books, Black Baptist Muslim Mystic: from the Cosmos and From Mississippi Clay to African Skies in Search of Sacred Presence. By chance, this interview was conducted during the birthday week of the Prophet Mohammed. "There are traditions all...

info_outline Talismans and Lucid Dreaming show art Talismans and Lucid Dreaming

The podcast of the Sacred Inclusion Network

Dream Researcher Ryan Hurd talks about lucid dreaming and the secret history of using talismans to elicit lucid dreams. He defines lucid dreaming and its benefits, explores liminality and dreaming, and how to use talismans to facilitate lucid dreaming. Ryan Hurd is a dream researcher and life-long lucid dreamer. He edits the website DreamStudies.org, lectures internationally about dreams and consciousness, and is a member of the International Association for the Study of Dreams. Ryan has a MA in Consciousness Studies and Certificate in Dream Studies from John F. Kennedy University. This...

info_outline "What it means to be human": an interview with Bob Dunham

The podcast of the Sacred Inclusion Network

For leadership authority Robert "Bob" Dunham, there's a fundmantal difference between machines -- even complex computers that mimic logical thinking -- and humans. Before we even begin to talk about effective leadership, Dunham says, we need to get clear on this difference. The capacity of “caring,” Dunham says,  is the fundamental aspect of what it means to be human. "What's fundamental to being human is we are creatures that care. And so it's not only for leaders, it's for all of us as human beings. Our care is fundamental to our life experience. It's fundamental to our action. It's...

info_outline Sleep Medicine: the Practice of Yoga Nidra show art Sleep Medicine: the Practice of Yoga Nidra

The podcast of the Sacred Inclusion Network

Restorative yoga practioner Jennifer Piercy explains the philosophy of yoga nidra, leads participants through a yoga nidra session, and answers questions about dreams, sleep and rest. This is a recording of the 11/19/22 Sacred Inclusion Network Managing Dark Spaces exploration.  The yoga nidra practice starts about 16:14, goes for approximately a half-hour, and is followed by questions and answers. Piercy’s sleep meditation tracks on the Insight Time app have been played more than 21 million times. An experienced Restorative Yoga Practitioner, she’s studied with Dr. Rubin Naiman, a...

info_outline Restoration, Dreams and Navigating Dark Spaces show art Restoration, Dreams and Navigating Dark Spaces

The podcast of the Sacred Inclusion Network

Integrative restoration and dream educator, and yoga facilitator Jennifer Piercy here talks about yoga nidra, the importance of sleep and restoration practice, and the "wake-centric" bias of contemporary culture. Rather than view sleep as a necessary evil, Piercy suggests approaching it as a kind of spiritual practice and an invitation to explore the unknown.   "Part of being at home in the unknown is that we literally need to practice being at home in the dark. And sleep and rest are both literally and metaphorically inviting you into that. I think of it as a superpower that people...

info_outline Activating Egyptian Spirituality (Excerpt) show art Activating Egyptian Spirituality (Excerpt)

The podcast of the Sacred Inclusion Network

Marques Redd on African spirituality, the lure of Egypt, and what to expect during the 10/15 Sacred Inclusion Network exploration. Watch the full video here:

info_outline Activating Egyptian Spirituality show art Activating Egyptian Spirituality

The podcast of the Sacred Inclusion Network

African cosmologist, independent scholar and multimedia artist Marques Redd discusses African spirituality, the legacy of Egypt, and the tradition of the gatekeepers. Redd here explains he first became interested in African spiritualty, his academic studies on the influence of ancient Egypt on Plato's philosphy and 19th century literature, and how these studies became the basis for his intellectual, artistic, and spiritual work. "The reason why I'm attracted to African spiritual systems is that within them you can still see the remnants of these early understandings of what it means to be...

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Although the US is nominally a secular state, the majority of its citizens think of themselves as spiritual.

That's one of the central findings of a recent major study of spirituality in the United States.

"About three quarters of the respondents said that spirituality is either very important to them, or somewhat important," said Bob Boisture, the president and CEO of the Fetzer Institute, which sponsored the 2020 report, What Does Spirituality Mean to Us.

"As we probe more deeply in terms of what that translates to.... we found that it's not just important in the abstract, it manifests in these very real ways."

In this podcast, Boisture discusses the different ways that people define spirituality, how they express it within and apart from organized religious frameworks, and the degree to which spiritually-oriented people get engaged in civic life.

Among the report's conclusions: 86% of survey respondents considered themselves spiritual; about 66% aspire to be more spiritual; and people who identify as spiritual are more liable to be civilly engaged,, get involved in politics, and vote.

"A cross-cutting theme of what spirituality meant to people was around this theme of connection to a higher power, to other people, to the natural world, in whatever combination. And that connection was not just a physical connection, it was a connection of moral significance," Boisture said.

The Institute funded the study as part of its core mission of helping build the spiritual foundation for a living world. The Kalamazoo, Michigan based organization has a long-standing commitment to supporting research that deepens our understanding of spirituality and how it can animate concrete and positive change. 

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