Recorded on Oct 15, 2023, the day after a solar eclipse and “ring of fire.”
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Kindness takes on both light-hearted and profound expressions in our intricate world.
In its playful form, it encompasses spontaneous acts that bring joy and laughter, offering a refreshing break from gravity. In its most thoughtful expression, it addresses pressing societal issues with compassion and wisdom.
Striking a balance between these dimensions is pivotal and crucial; playfulness fosters connections and resilience, while empathy grapples with deep-rooted challenges, striving for enduring transformation.
Together, they cultivate a mature mind and harmonious society adept at navigating the complex dynamics of life with love and awareness.
This episode explores the concept of “space” not as the separation but as the link.
(original artwork on the podcast website and music “The Loudest Meditation” by Solar Plexus)
This is the 100th episode! Thank you for listening!
You can support this work at https://patreon.com/kindmind and access bonus content.
This episode delves into the underground world of seeds and the unexpected life lessons they can teach us. From the sacred lotus seed which can remain viable for over 1,000 years to the dust-like orchid seeds that rely on fungus to germinate to the lodgepole pine which requires fire to release its seeds from the resin in cones - there is much to glean about resilience, potential, and interconnectedness.
These odd timelines and strange conditions can remind us that human progress is also not always straightforward. It can also inspire us to remain engaged in sowing the seeds of kindness and transformation in the face of adversity, trusting the latent magic will unfold.
In Hinduism and Buddhism, "bija" is often used to describe the seed or essence of something, which can represent the beginning or source of a concept, idea, or practice. For example, in yoga, bija mantras are seed syllables that are considered to hold the essence of a specific energy or deity. When chanted or meditated upon, these bija mantras are believed to help activate and harmonize the associated energy or invoke the deity's presence.
We will reflect on the wisdom of seeds in nature and culture and explore ways to apply the insights to daily life for nuturing a destiny of peace and happiness.
(Music “Sunset Serenade” by Ethereal Ephemera and original artwork for this episode can be found on the podcast website)
Mary Oliver wrote that "empathy is a kind of seeing, and it involves imagination as well as vision."
The word "empathy" has origins in Greek "Empatheia" and the root "pathos," which means "feeling." It was first introduced to the English language in the early 20th century as a translation of the German word "Einfühlung," which means "feeling into." The term was initially used in the context of aesthetics and art appreciation.
Over time, the concept of empathy has evolved to encompass a broader range of psychosocial processes associated with 1) affective empathy (experiencing or sharing the emotions of another) and/or 2) cognitive empathy (understanding the perspective of another). Empathy is a crucial component of emotional intelligence and the development of meaningful relationships.
The opposite of empathy is apathy or the lack of feeling. So as a virtue, empathy can be the foundation for generating compassion and a motivating energy for prosocial behavior. However, it could also be argued that the value of empathy is unstable on its own and may need to be balanced with rationality and discernment in order to navigate between the extremes of excessive empathy and calloused indifference.
Otherwise, the drawbacks involve our susceptibility to emotional exploitation as targets of manipulative marketing or weaponized empathy. There is also the risk of empathy distorting facts as evidenced by proximity bias (preference for those close in distance or likeness) and other modes of selective empathy, short-term focus, and the prioritization of identifiable individuals (stories) over large groups or abstract statistics. These limitations have inspired the effective altruisim movement which aims to update our evolutionary empathy instincts to match the often complex modern social problems.
Additionally, unbound empathy can lead to distress and burnout. Preoccupation with the feelings of others can result in decision paralysis or the hindering of our ability to respond timely and skillfully. When a river floods its own banks, it turns turbulent and loses the balance that sustained its nourishing flow; or like the tides of the sea, we naturally require a cycle of rising and retreating.
Ultimately, empathy's true spiritual power reorients to our recurring theme of kindness and discovering our underlying circulation with totality. Feeling into oneness. It is an elegant common cornerstone among most major religions. At the heart of their moral philosophy, the empathic aphorisms enshrine the same message in colorful ways.
Beyond "The Golden Rule," other verses include "the whole world is a family" in the Rigveda, "all beings are Buddha nature" in the Lotus Sutra, and "be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle," attributed to Philo of Alexandria.
This episode explores the ends of empathy in all its bittersweetness.
(Music “To New Beginnings” by Bing Satellites)
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The word pray comes from the root sound “prek” as in precarious. It means to entreat or ask.
This corresponds to the often instinctive urge to seek something greater than ourselves or a higher power when in need or at a loss of options.
Check out the psychology and demographics of prayer in America in the intro of this episode and then learn more about the contemplative art and practice of praying power.
Intro music “New Apartment” by Coldbrew and “Everything is Beautiful” by Solar Plexus.
Mutuality is the way of nature, and we can observe it in the ecosystems. Look at the circle of shelter and food chains as well as relocation and procreation among the stationary plants and mobile animals.
Interdependence is a spiritual word because it makes room for the paradox of human life. It presupposes a relationship among parts but also implies oneness or unity.
Can you ever be truly alone or independent from a single element, like air or water or light?
Close your eyes and realize how reliant you are on that which is “outside” yourself.
Support this show at https://patreon.com/kindmind
(Intro music “New Apartment” by Coldbrew and “Absense of Definition” by Kowalski Room)
You can support this podcast on Patreon and access bonus content: https://patreon.com/kindmind
There is a baseline of magic in life.
But it can get covered up by routines and the illusion of control.
Moments of uncertainty open up the space for it to manifest and new ways of being are possible.
If we rush to resolve ourselves too soon, we may miss the opportunity for genuine psychological growth.
Unfamiliar circumstances prompt the brain to dedicate more resources to the hippocampus for learning and memory.
I have started trying to tolerate cold water. It is pretty uncomfortable at first, then a mental equilibrium dawns and finally the body emerges with more vitality.
There is a similar tripartite when we wade into our feelings and wait for clarity...for the right idea to arise by itself.
Music “New Apartment” by Coldbrew (intro) and “Dark Sky Explorations” by Ethereal Ephemera. Kind Mind logo design by Jon Marro and episode artwork on website by Emily Dawn Duforest.
Todd talks with Sandy Gibson.
Sandy Gibson is the Founder of Better Place Forests, America's first conservation memorial forest. Instead of graves, Better Places offers a sustainable alternative to cemeteries for families who choose cremation.
Launching in 2017, the 130+ acre woodland based in San Francisco has raised more than $75M in venture capital! Better Place Forests has also been featured in the New York Times, and on the Today Show.
https://www.betterplaceforests.com
"Live Free or Dialogue" is a video conversation series within Michael Todd Fink's "Kind Mind" podcast platform and based on the qualities of dialogue: two individuals (di) communicating with openness, respect and mutual search for meaning (logos).
Join the Patreon community and access bonus content and live events: https://www.patreon.com/kindmind
send mail to: michaeltoddfink@gmail.com
Sleep is really weird when you think about it. You get 16-24 hours of life out of a human and then they need 8 hours to fully charge.
There are so many interpretations of dreams from psychology and spirituality. They include descriptions of our subconscious resolving conflicts and playing out fantasies to intuition and prophecies.
fMRI studies of the brains of mice show activity similar to when they were trying to find cheese in a maze, suggesting that dreams have a lot to do with learning and integration.
Not only does life influence dreams but dreams sometimes alter the course of history.
(Music by Ethereal Ephemera “Reflections of Sunlight Drifting” and episode artwork on website by Emily Dawn Duforest)
Todd talks with Jose Hernandez.
In 2004 Jose began creating art as a meditative tool. His art has now exhibited in galleries across the US and hangs in private and corporate collections worldwide. Jose founded Inner Immersion, LLC and Immersive Arts, LLP. He is a member of the Association of Transformational Leaders. Jose is featured in the Netflix docu-series, Surviving Death, and the Dr Oz show. He regularly speaks on his near-death experience, and on Art as a Conduit for Healing.
More at https://www.innerimmersion.org
"Live Free or Dialogue" is a conversation series within Michael Todd Fink's "Kind Mind" podcast platform and based on the qualities of dialogue: two individuals (di) communicating with openness, respect and mutual search for meaning (logos).
Join the Kind Mind patreon community and access bonus content and live events: https://www.patreon.com/kindmind
You can send mail to: michaeltoddfink@gmail.com
We tend to take for granted when our bodies are healthy and strong. We also tend to assume the worst when there is pain and worry that it will never go away.
In my understanding, health is not a permanent state. Consider all the factors involved with health or disease: physical, psychological, genetic, social, environmental and more. And til now, death is still inevitable.
Each side of life is an opportunity to go beyond our limiting notions of self. In so-called good health, we can expand our awareness past the boundaries of our skin to feel the dis-ease in the wider field of our existence. Then, we can be an agent for positive change and healing.
Dis-ease is a signal to come back to our innermost being. To observe pain in the body with compassion and curiosity, again helps us feel less identified with the corporeal and find equanimity in the pure consciousness.
(Music by Ethereal Ephemera - “Slow Movement in the Light” and episode artwork on website by Emily Dawn Duforest)
Enjoy this October full moon Halloween spooktacular episode about ghosts and other paranormal experiences and the possible scientific explanations such as psychological bias, hallucination, sensory limitations and mental illness.
Music by Bing Satellites “Mysterious Ways Part 1-3” and episode artwork by Emily Dawn.
You can support this podcast and access bonus content here: https://www.patreon.com/kindmind
You cannot have opposites without some opposition. Right, left, masculine, feminine, hot, cold, day, night, and other seeming anitpodes dance or wrestle endlessly.
Another meaning of polarity has to do with terrestrial magnetism around the north and south pole, resulting from the dynamo effect of flowing liquid metal in the outer core generating electric currents.
In the body, there is also biomagnetism but metaphorically the spine is the axis and north is upward and the base is downward. Below, we have the currents of attraction for food, possessions and sex. Above, the search for knowledge, truth and love has its own pull.
Harmonizing these forces within leads to fulfillment in life and understanding our place in the universe. Raising one's consciousness to the north pole, all sense of direction ends. There is no further north and you get the best view of the inner northern lights. Then, one can engage in and enjoy everything below as it arises naturally but without the old attachment and selfishness.
Music “The Vastness of Night” by Ethereal Ephemera and episode artwork by Emily Dawn and the Kind Mind podcast design by Jon Marro.
You can support this podcast and enjoy bonus content and access to the Kind Mind studio and virtual meetings by becoming a patron at https://www.patreon.com/kindmind
Are people more skeptical than ever? Or are certain groups more skeptical than others when it comes to science, religion or certain knowledge? When is it good and when is not good to be skeptical?
The word "skeptic" has origins in ancient Greece and the philosophy of Pyrrho. It is derived from the root sound "spek" which meant to look but more specifically to inquire and reflect.
Skepticism has evolved to simply mean doubt, which has its benefits and costs. Trust and doubt is regulated by the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in the brain, which tends to decline beyond 60 years of age.
This is consistent with reports from the National Institute of Justice estimating that 12% of adults over 60 are exploited in financial crimes each year. It also explains why highly intelligent patients with injury to this brain region are more likely to fall victim to seemingly obvious online scams.
But when it comes to skepticism in the broader sense, perhaps we could upgrade our lenses. Generally speaking, we tend to be skeptical of anything that falls outside our worldview and overly welcoming towards that which resides within it.
With subtle meliorating, we can exchange some of our near-sightedness for far-sightedness when it comes to our outlook on life and the nature of things in order to strike a healthier balance that is cautiously optimistic, happily dissatisfied and taking our own thoughts with a grain of salt.
Music “Sunset Serenade” by Ethereal Ephemera and episode artwork on website by Emily Dawn.
You can support this podcast on patreon and access bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/kindmind
Often times, elegance is conflated with extravagance or opulence. There is a relationship insofar as all three involve style, but those other two are meretricious whereas elegance is actually something akin to their inverse.
In elegance, the outward style is simple but behind the appearance lies something powerful and substantive.
In nature, think of the uncomplicated beauty of falling snow. At a glance, it is quite plain in form and color and yet upon closer inspection, one finds countless unique snowflake designs containing exquisite symmetrical patterns. The same can be true of a forest from afar or the ocean or the desert - and the depth of life and meaning within.
Seeking elegance is not synonymous with seeking luxury.
Encounters with elegance can be difficult to put into words. In other disciplines like physics, great scientists have merely suggested "you know it when you see it" like in famous equations E=mc2 or F=MA. A few common letters point to far-reaching theories of special relativity and the laws of motion.
fMRI studies of the brains of mathematicians reveal activation in the same regions associated with the pleasure of viewing a beautiful painting, when their eyes are shown formulas that are simple but powerful and self-reported as elegant.
In life, perhaps "you know it when you feel it."
This episode explores the way of elegance as it relates to the art of choice and leading a life of inner goodness.
Music “Eight Hours” by Bing Satellites; episode artwork on website is by Emily Dawn; podcast logo by Jon Marro.
They say patience is a virtue, but it is impatience that society seems to nurture. Technological developments have greatly reduced the times of travel, communication and the fulfillment of desires - reinforcing our expectations for quick results.
However, the pandemic crisis has forced most people to slow down and wait for the storm to pass. If ever there was a time when we needed more patience, it is now.
Psychologists have recently began to study the wellness enjoyed by patient people. They have also identified three kinds of patience: interpersonal flexibility, enduring periods of hardship, and tolerating daily hassles.
This episode explores the health benefits of all three and offers simple yet effective strategies for cultivating patience in our lives.
Music “Ethereral Ephemera - Escape to Dreamscape II” by Bing Satellites. Episode artwork by Emily Dawn
One of the most important ways we can improve mindfulness in our everyday life is through acceptance. Acceptance is part of the practice of open awareness in the present moment. It means allowing experiences to come and allowing them to go – both pleasant and unpleasant. It also involves assenting to the reality of a situation and letting go of what cannot be controlled or changed.
Music “In the Mysterious Distance” by Ethereal Ephemera. Episode artwork by Dove Dahlia.
Psychologically speaking, maturity basically means the ability to respond to the environment in an appropriate manner. Sounds simple. But, how does one respond in an appropriate manner to a political, societal or any other environment when it seems so dark, chaotic or dysfunctional?
To answer, let us come back to the word maturity and trace its roots in search of deeper meaning. The etymology of spiritually charged words often reveals important messages that are hidden over time as words and their applications evolve.
The English word maturity has its origin in Latin. Maturus means “ripeness” which is a description specifically for fruit. What is the difference between ripe and unripe fruit? Unripe fruit is hard and bitter while ripe fruit is soft and sweet. Metaphorically, hardness means rigid and bitterness means unforgiving. Softness is not weakness but rather represents flexibility and sweetness implies kindness. Those are the qualities of maturity.
(Music by Lee Rosevere and episode artwork by Dove Dahlia)
Rivers are worshiped in many spiritual traditions as living deities, often goddesses. Many sacred tales from around the world take place along their banks. The river also represents the flow of our life as directed by our values.
"A woman in harmony with her spirit is like a river flowing. She goes where she will without pretense and arrives at her destination prepared to be herself and only herself." -Maya Angelou
We have transitioned to a new year. It is a symbol of letting go of the old and embracing the new. Traditionally, it is a time to live our better intentions and establish healthier routines. On a larger scale, we are now in the process of transitioning to a new decade. What have we learned about ourselves? What do we envision not only this year but in the upcoming decade? It is an opportunity to pause and consider the steps to a more beautiful life and world.
"Transition" can be a noun or a verb. As a noun, it refers to the process or period of changing from one state or condition to another. As a verb, it refers to causing such a process. Nature will script many transitions beyond our control - sometimes painfully. The nouns are set. If we willingly change and grow in the present - learning the art of transition each day - we will be ready. Ultimately, when our transitions are mindful, crossing over can be more of a celebration.
"To change with change is the changeless state." -Bruce Lee
The lotus flower grows in murky ponds which is a metaphor for making life beautiful regardless of the circumstances. And its leaf sits on top of the water but does not get wet. I was amazed when I took a lotus leaf and dunked it in water and watched all the drops roll right off like little balls of mercury. So it grows in that water but is unaffected by it.
This episode explores the deeper meaning of significant symbols from cultures around the world and various spiritual traditions and how to find symbols in daily life to guide our mindfulness practice.
"A symbol is an important thing. That is why we chose an Aztec eagle. It gives pride...When people see it they know it means dignity." -Cesar Chavez
(Image by Dove Dahlia)