In the Thick of It All with Mark Nepo

MP3 Download

These times seemed dire, even apocalyptic. Wildfires are rampant. Hurricanes are the size of states. And racism continues to rear its ugly head. Will we survive? Will humanity survive? Mark Nepo says, “I believe we will. Not because I deny the truth of these difficulties. Not because we tried to reframe everything into a better light. But because all things are true. All things are not fair or just, but all things are true… And it is the call of each generation to make sure that we choose love over fear and kindness over cruelty, one more time”… and he goes on to say, “Each generation in each life takes its turn in opening one more time—in giving one more time—in standing in integrity in the thick of it all.” Here we explore and rediscover practices that will help us restore our basic human nature and contribute to the remaking of humanity, yet one more time. He advises us of the archetypal difficulty with which all humans have had to deal which is we must not skip over pain, breakage, and loss. He goes on to say, “And, we must not drown in it or make a permanent residence of it. We have to find the corridor of aliveness that allows us to process our experience and land in the opening the storm has made in us and around us.” (hosted by Justine Willis Toms) 

Bio 

Mark Nepo is a poet and philosopher and a most eloquent spiritual teacher. In 2015, he was given a Life-Achievement Award by AgeNation and in 2016 was named by Watkins: Mind Body Spirit as one of the Most Spiritually Influential Living People. He was part of Oprah Winfrey’s The Life You Want Tour in 2014 and has appeared several times with Oprah on her Super Soul Sunday program on OWN TV. As a cancer survivor, Mark devotes his writing and teaching to the journey of inner transformation and the life of relationship. 

Mark Nepo is the author of many audio learning projects and over 20 books including: 

• Reduced To Joy (Cleis Press 2013)
• Seven Thousand Ways to Listen: Staying Close To What Is Sacred (Free Press 2012)
• The One Life We’re Given: Finding the Wisdom That Waits in Your heart (Atria Books 2016)
• Drinking from the River of Light: The Life of Expression (Sounds True 2019)
• The Book of Soul: 52 Paths to Living What Matters (St. Martin’s Essentials 2020)
• Surviving Storms: Finding the Strength to Meet Adversity (St. Martins’ Essentials 2022) 

To learn more about the work of Mark Nepo go to www.marknepo.com. 

Topics explored in this dialogue include: 

• How storms can be transformational agents, personally, politically, and culturally
• Storms are an instability of forces
• How the insurrection of January 6 can be seen as a social, political, and communal lightning strike
• How the global society today are charged grounds, areas of unstable energy.
• What are the lightning rods that will take the dynamic and unstable energy we are living in today
• The force of unstable air will dissipate when we are grounded by energy more than were incited by it. So, we need to ground ourselves in the turbulence
• How social media is contributing to a dissociation from a direct connection to life
• How the Roman Colosseum gladiatorial shows were a diversion to dissipate rebellious energy and reality TV is serving the same function today
• How personal touch and deep listening can restore our connection to life
• What close-hauled sailing and sailing into the wind has to do with dealing with fear
• What was the analogy that Nepo received from a dream with Tang Dynasty poet Tu Fu about how to face our fear and let it flow through us like wind in the trees
• When we choose fear over love we only seek things that will affirm what we already know and we will not learn how to love and live better
• How millions of people experienced 9-1/2 minutes of silence in a moment of collective empathy after the murder of George Floyd
• How the pandemic can be seen as a kind of global Sabbath
• We must have courage and do small things with love and committed to that one gesture of goodness, wherever we are called to enact it. 

Host: Justine Willis Toms   Interview Date: 7/20/2022   Program Number: 3765

Music Playlist

From Album:  Beautiful Wasteland
Artist: Capercallie
1998 Survival Records #RCD 10441

Opening Essay: Track 05 Beautiful Wasteland
Music Break 1: Track 05 Beautiful Wasteland (reprise)
Music Break 2: Track 06 Co Ni Mire Rium (Who Will Flirt With Me)
Music Break 3: Track 09 KeppleHall - 25 KTS