Join Tanya Luhrmann at the Stoa for a thought-provoking session titled "The Invisible Others," where she explores the complex and fascinating process by which gods and spirits become vividly real to the faithful. Drawing from her extensive ethnographic research across diverse religious communities, Luhrmann reveals the strenuous efforts believers make to bring the invisible into their lives, transforming their reality and deepening their faith. Through practices like storytelling, prayer, and the cultivation of inner senses, these individuals create a world where the supernatural feels intensely present. This session will delve into why these practices are more powerful than mere belief and how they profoundly change those who engage in them.
More from Tanya: https://anthropology.stanford.edu/people/tanya-marie-luhrmann
Got a comment? Join us at The Stoa for the next session and share it live: patreon.com/the_stoa
Join Tanya Luhrmann at the Stoa for a thought-provoking session titled "The Invisible Others," where she explores the complex and fascinating process by which gods and spirits become vividly real to the faithful. Drawing from her extensive ethnographic research across diverse religious communities, Luhrmann reveals the strenuous efforts believers make to bring the invisible into their lives, transforming their reality and deepening their faith. Through practices like storytelling, prayer, and the cultivation of inner senses, these individuals create a world where the supernatural feels intensely present. This session will delve into why these practices are more powerful than mere belief and how they profoundly change those who engage in them.
More from Tanya: https://anthropology.stanford.edu/people/tanya-marie-luhrmann
Got a comment? Join us at The Stoa for the next session and share it live: patreon.com/the_stoa
Do you have a proclivity for kindling invisible others in the comments section? Okay, fine, go here: youtu.be/8gqhKdANZIE?si=rYAcqbCAEW_dduUmInternet Real Life (IRL)The Stoa2024-10-17 | From November 8th to December 6th, at 12 PM Eastern, Katherine Dee ('default friend') and Peter from The Stoa will hold five sessions exploring how internet culture and real life intersect, aiming to better understand what 'internet-realism' might be.
For more information on internet-realism and how to sign up, see the following entries:
lessfoolish.substack.com/p/internet-real-life-irl https://default.blog/p/join-internet-real-life-irlUnseen Warfare w/ Justin MarlerThe Stoa2024-10-16 | Join us for a session called Unseen Warfare, featuring Justin Marler ("Death to the World"), where we explore the spiritual insights from his forthcoming book: The Art of Unseen Warfare. In a world where achieving happiness, contentment, and purpose can seem elusive, Marler offers a practical guide to navigating the complexities of modern life through the lens of spiritual warfare. Discover practical tools and reflections to strengthen your inner life and confront the unseen challenges of our times.
Got a comment? Join us at The Stoa for the next session and share it live: patreon.com/the_stoa
Are you interested in engaging in a seen warfare within a comment section? Alright, if you insist: youtu.be/8gqhKdANZIE?si=rYAcqbCAEW_dduUmAccelerating Wisdom: At the Leading Edge of the Metacrisis w/ Tom MorganThe Stoa2024-10-02 | In this Stoa session, Tom Morgan, founder of The Leading Edge, will offer a summary of his Accelerating Wisdom Series, a decade-long exploration into the synthesis of transformational ideas and practices. As the metacrisis unfolds, how can we cultivate wisdom to navigate the increasing complexity of our times? Tom will address this pressing question, highlighting how wisdom can serve as our greatest human advantage amidst the rapid evolution of AI and global challenges. Join us for an insightful discussion on how to accelerate the development of wisdom and apply it to lead in these unprecedented times.
Join Mark Stavish at The Stoa for a session titled "Egregores," where he explores the mysterious and powerful entities created by collective group minds. Drawing from his esoteric research, Stavish traces the history of egregores from ancient Greece and Rome to modern esoteric traditions and contemporary culture. Attendees will learn how egregores are formed, sustained, and their influence on human behavior, along with practical insights on how to identify, manage, or even dissolve these entities. This session is a deep dive into the hidden forces shaping our collective consciousness.
Patrick McNamara visits The Stoa for a session titled "Entity Dream Encounters," where he expands on his research into the mysterious phenomena of dreams. Known for his pioneering research in the cognitive neuroscience of religion, Dr. McNamara delves into the fascinating world of entities encountered during sleep and dreams. His work spans the intricate processes of REM and NREM sleep, and the role these elements play in religious and spiritual experiences. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on how dream encounters with various entities can offer profound insights into the workings of the human brain, consciousness, and the deep-seated evolutionary functions that shape our nocturnal visions.
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Jerry Marzinsky visits The Stoa for an exploration titled "Entities of Schizophrenia," drawing on his extensive experience as a psychotherapist and his work challenging conventional psychiatric views. In this session, Jerry delves into the unsettling and often overlooked reality that the voices heard by schizophrenic patients are not mere hallucinations but conscious, parasitic entities with malevolent intent. Based on decades of clinical investigation, Jerry argues that these entities exhibit behaviors that align disturbingly with descriptions of evil spirits found in historical religious texts. This session will explore the nature of these entities, their impact on mental health, and how understanding them could radically alter the treatment and perception of schizophrenia.
Evan McMullen returns to The Stoa with a new exploration titled "Intersubjective Entities," building on his previous work with "The Bridge” series. In this upcoming session, Evan delves deeper into the complex world of intersubjective phenomena—entities that emerge from the collective interaction of minds within a shared reality. These entities, shaped by our shared perceptions and beliefs, can influence individual and collective behavior, much like the "intersubjective parasites" discussed in his previous series. As modern society transitions from traditional to scientific paradigms, we may have lost touch with our ability to perceive these entities, yet their impact on our daily lives and political landscapes remains profound.
Got a comment? Join us at The Stoa for the next session and share it live: patreon.com/the_stoa
Do you need to leave a comment right now, or risk upsetting the intersubjective entities? No problemo—just comment here: youtu.be/8gqhKdANZIE?si=rYAcqbCAEW_dduUmMoloch Fuckery w/ John Mauriello and Raffi MinasianThe Stoa2024-09-09 | Join John Mauriello and Raffi Minasian for a deep dive into Moloch fuckery, where they unpack the destructive forces and perverse incentives that undermine collective well-being in modern society. Inspired by Scott Alexander’s definition of Moloch, this session explores how conflicting incentives lead to detrimental outcomes in various domains, from industrial design to corporate practices. Through real-world examples, they will illustrate how well-intentioned projects can result in harmful consequences due to mismatched priorities. Discover how these dynamics manifest in everyday products and learn strategies to recognize and mitigate Moloch’s pervasive influence.
Got a comment? Join us at The Stoa for the next session and share it live: patreon.com/the_stoa
Need to leave a comment right away, or Moloch will capture you? No sweat—just click here: youtu.be/8gqhKdANZIE?si=rYAcqbCAEW_dduUmBecoming Unplayable: On NPCs in the Metacrisis w/ Robert BoltonThe Stoa2024-09-05 | Join Robert Bolton from From Later where he explores being a Non-Player Character (NPC) in today's world.This event delves into how societal roles and behaviors often mirror NPCs in video games—characters with limited behaviors and scripted responses. He'll discuss the transformation of the NPC concept from a derogatory term to a self-effacing charm, highlighting its role in social dynamics and identity. Discover how the NPC archetype reflects our collective anxieties and offers a form of resistance and agency amidst the metacrisis. This session will provide a fresh perspective on navigating modern existential challenges.
Lama Tsultrim Allione, a pioneering Buddhist leader in the West, introduces the ancient Tibetan practice of "Feeding Your Demons.” In her upcoming Stoa session, Tsultrim will explore this accessible and powerful approach, rooted in an eleventh-century practice, to help individuals confront and transform their negative emotions, fears, and self-defeating patterns. Rather than battling inner demons, Tsultrim teaches that by feeding and nurturing these aspects of ourselves, we can dissolve their power and achieve true freedom and inner peace. Her method offers a unique bridge between ancient Eastern wisdom and the modern Western psyche, providing practical tools for personal growth and emotional healing.
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Will leaving a comment right now help you feed the demons? Okay, go here: youtu.be/8gqhKdANZIE?si=rYAcqbCAEW_dduUmBeyond Coaching w/ Joel Monk and Peter LimbergThe Stoa2024-08-21 | Explore the future of personal and professional development in this session with Joel Monk from Coaches Rising and Peter Limberg from The Stoa. This session will dive into the evolving landscape of coaching, moving beyond traditional methods to more holistic and transformative practices. Attendees will learn about emerging trends and techniques that are reshaping the coaching industry, making it more relevant and impactful in today's complex world. Whether you're a coach, a coachee, or someone interested in personal growth, this event promises to provide valuable tools and perspectives.
Got a comment? Join us at The Stoa for the next session and share it live: patreon.com/the_stoa
Need a YouTube comments section to hold space for you right this moment? No problem, head over here: youtu.be/8gqhKdANZIE?si=e-CzlogTCbdoi9WVThe Antidote to Mental Models w/ Dave SnowdenThe Stoa2024-08-14 | Mental models may seem to help us understand and navigate the world, but they can also limit our thinking and problem-solving abilities. Sensemaker Dave Snowden will explore alternative approaches to understanding complex systems and making decisions in uncertain environments. Drawing on his expertise in knowledge management and complexity theory, Snowden will offer practical strategies for breaking free from rigid mental frameworks and embracing more adaptive, fluid ways of thinking. This event is essential for anyone looking to enhance their cognitive flexibility and improve their decision-making in a rapidly changing world.
Got a comment? Join us at The Stoa for the next session and share it live: patreon.com/the_stoa
Do you feel an irresistible urge to leave a comment right now, or worry that your mental models might let you down? If so, go ahead and double-click here: youtu.be/8gqhKdANZIE?si=e-CzlogTCbdoi9WVThe Internet Is a Stage w/ Katherine Dee (default friend) and Peter LimbergThe Stoa2024-08-09 | Join Katherine Dee (default friend) and Peter Limberg for a discussion on the stagelike reality of the Internet. This event will explore how online platforms have become modern stages for self-expression, performance, and identity creation, as Sherry Turkle calls the "second self." We will delve into the ways individuals curate their digital personas, navigate virtual audiences, and the impact this has on personal and collective identity. Through a blend of sociological insights and personal anecdotes, default friend and Limberg will illuminate the performative nature of our online interactions and how they shape our perceptions of reality.
Join us for an evening with Sean Esbjörn-Hargens as we explore the mysterious world of "Non-Human Intelligences." Our vast and enigmatic multiverse transcends traditional scientific understanding, challenging long-held assumptions. Over 300 years, science has struggled to incorporate experiences that defy conventional models, often resorting to convoluted explanations to maintain outdated paradigms. These "wild facts" and "damned facts" disrupt our current understanding and call for a new scientific vision.
Sean will guide us through the need for a post-material, post-positivist approach that embraces anomalous, Fortean, extradimensional, and paranormal realities. By investigating these dimensions rigorously, we can expand and challenge our understanding of reality. This event is ideal for those interested in the intersections of science, philosophy, and the paranormal, as well as researchers and enthusiasts of UFOlogy and esotericism. Sean, a pioneer in integral theory and anomalous phenomena, will provide transformative insights into developing a comprehensive scientific approach to our multiverse.
More from Sean …
Sean's MA and PHD Program: Integral Noetic Sciences is at: www.cihs.edu
Join us at The Stoa for a session called "Demons" where the world’s leading psychiatric authority on demonic possession will delve into the hidden world of exorcisms and his journey from skeptic to believer. Over his twenty-five-year career, Dr. Richard Gallagher has encountered numerous cases of demonic possession, transforming his understanding of mental illness and the paranormal. In this session, he will share riveting accounts of his most extraordinary cases, including individuals exhibiting supernatural knowledge, speaking in ancient languages during trances, and displaying physical feats defying logic. Explore the fascinating and eerie realm of demonic activity and exorcisms with Richard Gallagher, whose unique experiences offer profound insights into the intersection of psychiatry and the supernatural.
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Join us at The Stoa for "DMT Entities w/ David Luke," an exploration into the extraordinary realm of chemically induced human experiences. Scientist and psychonaut David Luke will share insights from his research and personal encounters, delving into the mysterious entities often reported during DMT experiences. Combining scientific findings with firsthand accounts, David will illuminate the parapsychological dimensions of psychedelics, challenging our perceptions of reality and consciousness. Don't miss this opportunity to journey into the unknown and expand your understanding of the mind with David Luke.
Join us at The Stoa for "Unattached Burdens and Porous Mind" with Robert Falconer, where we will explore insights from his book The Others Within Us. Sparked by a client in the Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy who struggled with an unattached burden—an element in her psyche that did not belong to her—Robert Falconer embarked on a ten-year journey to investigate these mysterious internal entities and their treatment across different cultures and historical periods. This research is crucial for everyone, as it sheds light on the nature of the mind and offers a pathway to healing our deep-seated feelings of alienation and isolation.
The Others Within Us includes:
- Compelling case studies. - A comprehensive guide on addressing unattached burdens through IFS techniques. - A broad survey of how various cultures and historical periods have dealt with these internal entities.
Robert’s exploration reaches the outermost bounds of human experience, offering insights that encourage readers to reconsider their understanding of the mind and its healing capabilities.
Meow.Second Renaissance: Framing and Guide to Civilizational Crisis and Regeneration w/ Rufus PollockThe Stoa2024-06-06 | Our current civilization is crumbling, leading to a period of crisis and potential rebirth – what we could call a "second renaissance".
There are many terms associated with it: metamodern, metacrisis, integral, teal, liminal web, gameB, regenerative and more.
A new “Second Renaissance” project provides a framing and guide to this moment of civilizational crisis and awakening -- and the emerging ecosystem(s) related to it.
The project is an accessible entry-point for people to discover and make sense of this emerging moment and field. A bit like a curated art gallery for an emerging area of art.
There is a growing need to present this material to others in an *accessible* way – it’s both increasingly relevant *and* at the same time is relatively hard to find, make sense of and engage with. If we want this field to grow, we need to make this easier, especially for people not yet fully “in the space”.
Do you really have to leave a comment right this moment and if you do not it will hurt so bad? Okay, go here:
youtu.be/8gqhKdANZIEThinking vs. Feeling? w/ Vivian DittmarThe Stoa2024-05-30 | Without using the power of thinking, we often end up acting irrationally. But without the power of feelings, we can't relate to the world as it is. How can we integrate both thinking and feeling into a holistic process without being thrown off course by emotional baggage? Author , speaker, and wisdom teacher Vivian Dittmar Brings clarity to these difficult questions, and offers practical methods for staying grounded and reasonable even in the face of life's biggest challenges.
About Vivian
Vivian Dittmar is an author, wisdom teacher and founder of the Be the Change Foundation. Born in Germany, Vivian spent her childhood and youth on three continents, immersed in very diverse cultural and socio-economic contexts.
Do you really have to leave a comment right this moment and if you do not it will hurt so bad? Okay, go here:
youtu.be/8gqhKdANZIEThe Dark Forest Collective || The Dark Forest Anthology of the Internet RoundtableThe Stoa2024-04-20 | The Dark Forest Collective:
Yancey Strickler (Kickstarter/Metalabel) Venkatesh Rao (Ribbonfarm) Maggie Appleton Peter Limberg and Rebecca Fox (The Stoa) Joshua Citarella (Do Not Research) Arthur Röing Baer and GVN908 (Moving Castles) Leith Benkhedda (Trust) Caroline Busta and Lil Internet (New Models)
"The Anthology is a 208-page book that documents five tumultuous years when we learned how to live, create, and conspire on an increasingly adversarial internet.
The original “Dark Forest Theory of the Internet” essay was published by Yancey Strickler in a private newsletter sent to 500 readers. The post struck a chord and became widely shared, with hundreds of thousands of readers in the following weeks. The concept of the Dark Forest captured a feeling and sense of danger online that an increasing number of people shared.
In the years following, some of the most influential voices on the web and in culture built on, argued with, and expanded the original Dark Forest concept. "The Dark Forest Anthology of the Internet" brings those disparate pieces together into a canon of thought that defines a specific era of the internet.
The eleven authors include: Yancey Strickler (Kickstarter/Metalabel); Venkatesh Rao (Ribbonfarm); Maggie Appleton; Peter Limberg and Rebecca Fox (The Stoa); Joshua Citarella (Do Not Research); Arthur Röing Baer and GVN908 (Moving Castles); Leith Benkhedda (DNR, Trust, and New Models); and Caroline Busta and Lil Internet (New Models).
The Anthology contains:
— The Dark Forest Theory of the Internet by Yancey Strickler — The Extended Internet Universe by Venkatesh Rao — The Dark Forest and Cozy Web by Maggie Appleton — Chapel Perilous by Peter Limberg and Rebecca Fox — We Need New Platforms to Tell New Stories by Joshua Citarella — Proof of Vibes by Leith Benkhedda — Moving Castles by Arthur Röing Baer and GNV908 — The internet didn’t kill counterculture; you just won’t find it on Instagram by Caroline Busta — The Expanding Dark Forest and Generative AI by Maggie Appleton — Holographic Meda by Caroline Busta and Lil Internet — The Post Individual by Yancey Strickler
Further details:
"The Dark Forest Anthology of the Internet" Published by The Dark Forest Collective Paperback, 208 pages, 4.4 x 6.6 inches / 11.2 x 16.8 cm ISBN: 979-8-218-31123-0”How Stoicism Can Get You Laid Every Day!The Stoa2024-04-01 | lessfoolish.substack.com/p/how-not-to-win-in-the-attention-economyThe Living Question: Getting Right With Technology w/ Anjan Katta, the Wild ManThe Stoa2024-03-24 | "So, is The Stoa back?
Do you really have to leave a comment right this moment and if you do not it will hurt so bad? Okay, go here:
youtu.be/8gqhKdANZIENEW CULTURE COMING SOONThe Stoa2023-09-23 | There is an opening, seen through a crack in our shared consciousness. A radiant light gently spills in, illuminating possibilities previously thought impossible. Otherworldly music plays on the other side, with melodic whispers in cryptic tongues. When the music kisses the ear, hope fills the body, and not the kind that politicians fool us with. This hope compels the eyes to peer through the cracks, unveiling a place where temporal concerns cease to hold sway. Graceful bodies are there, dancing in harmonious abandon.
Above the dancing, a coral-colored neon sign reads: NEW CULTURE COMING SOON.
Video: Joe Sinopoli, www.joe-sinopoli.com Song: Don't Email My Wife - SMLR, smlr1.bandcamp.comMetacrisis Literacy w/ Josh WilliamsThe Stoa2023-09-16 | What is the Metacrisis? Or the meta-crisis? Don't we already have the polycrisis? What about The Meaning Crisis? Or about the climate crisis right now?! These are relevant questions, as are many others. And if you've been *listening* lately, you don't really need these terms to know something isn't right. But you probably want to talk about it with someone, and maybe you don't know if you should, or if you can, or if you know how to. You might just want to know for yourself, "what the heck is going on?" and "is there anything I can do about it?". Josh falls into all those buckets too; so he tried to summarize hours of podcasts and readings into something for newcomers to global risk and seasoned sense-makers alike. Josh emphasizes that he isn't an expert and that this presentation should sit at the beginning of one's journey to understand these ideas.
Metacrisis literacy will be increasingly important now and in the future, and Josh hopes we can work together on this collective endeavour to find the language that bridges divides. This presentation is Josh's contribution and attempt to create a minimum viable scaffolding—a potential starting point to crystallize Metacrisis literacy. To that end, the comment section is enabled. If you're willing and able, we encourage you to contribute to this experiment in collective intelligence at The Stoa. See [1:00:07] for suggestions on how best to contribute.
By way of introduction: Josh Williams is a multidisciplinary problem-solver, having worked over six years as a strategy consultant across a variety of enterprise functions in both civil society and the private sector. Outside of work, Josh is keen to explore pragmatic systems & tools, of both governance and economics, that are conducive to civic virtue, ethical tech, and risk reduction. Josh values humility, integrity, humanism, pluralism, curiosity, and much more. You can reach him directly through Twitter or LinkedIn, or at his personal site: sites.google.com/view/joshuadwilliams
For reference to the full slide deck and the online-only material excluded from the talk, go here: sites.google.com/view/intro-to-the-metacrisisBreathing Into Presence: The Final Public Event at The StoaThe Stoa2023-06-28 | June 28th, 2023
The final online public event at The Stoa includes:
Overview from Peter Breath exercise from Steve Beattie Collective Presencing from Ria Baeck Closing ritual from Rebecca Fox
To follow where the spirit of The Stoa goes next, subscribe to the Less Foolish Substack: lessfoolish.substack.com
The following passage from Holly McFarland that was read at the end:
“The Stoa. The Steward. A Place. The Sage on the Stage. Life is a constant process of disassembling and reassembling all the many pieces. A thought experiment. What if….What if Peter hasn’t been the Steward of this place? What if Allofus were the Stewards and he was the one we were stewarding? What if we were the spiritual bouncers guarding and shaping this place and Peter was the one in the club getting high on wisdom-laced Thumos? What if this whole time we were the Sages on the Stage? What if we were teaching the Sage how to speak, how to think, how to listen, how to be sage? What if it were the Fools in the Commons that created the Sage? What if I got more sleep and my journal entries were better?...Regardless of the generativity of this thought experiment, all I know is that I’m so grateful for this place (whatever its name may be)–this Body of allofus–and so grateful to participate in and bear witness to its disassembly and reassembly. It feels rich and good in my body.”Respond Presents: An Exploration of Wisdom and Desire w/ Nathan Vanderpool and Cheryl HsuThe Stoa2023-06-24 | June 22nd, 2023
Who is pursuing wisdom in these Post-Post-Modern times? Please tune in to the inspiration of next-generation "wisdom guides," what inspires them about pursuing wisdom, and explore its effects on art, relationships, and life.
"On the Internet," one famous comic strip goes, "nobody knows you're a dog." But what are we, online? This hourlong conversation, pegged to the release of Tara Isabella Burton's Self-Made: Curating our Identities from Da Vinci to the Kardashians, would explore what "self-creation" looks like in the age of the internet, from the careful cultivation of the personal brand or the social media personality to the wider transformation in what we think of as "reality." Does the Internet allow us to "lie," or does it challenge us to reimagine truth?
There is a time in one’s life when the prospect of death becomes more real—when we find ourselves facing new challenges and new callings in both the physical and spiritual domains. Everyone’s path is unique. And yet, when we know the end is nigh, there may be specific near-universal life themes that emerge—themes like coming to terms with the hand I was dealt and reflecting on how I feel about how I played my hand, or taking responsibility for the karma I created and doing my best to clean up my messes.
Let’s spend a couple of hours together considering both the practical and the philosophical dimensions of the growth work (and grunt work) required if we want to live our lives intentionally to the very end.
Our presenter, Susan Campbell, is only 82—and she hasn’t really hit the hard stuff yet. But she’s still got all her marbles and has not lost her zest for learning.
Charlie Awbery, Jared Janes, and David Chapman wrap up the contemporary Vajrayana series at The Stoa. This is the seventh in an introduction series (past sessions at http://evolvingground.org/resources) for those interested in Charlie & Jared’s community of yogic practice, Evolving Ground. Read Charlie & David's article on the learning relationship here: vajrayananow.com/evolving-ground-learning-relationship
Join philosopher-entrepreneur Bryan Johnson to explore the philosophy of the Blueprint. Bryan Johnson's Blueprint philosophy focuses on intentional practices and systems that shape our individual and collective destinies….
“My new endeavor, Project Blueprint, aims to measure all 70 organs of my body and then maximally reverse the quantified biological age of each. We have measured over 15 organs and I’ve scored 507 age reversal points. My chronological age is 44, measured biological age is 36.
…Blueprint is not Quantified Self or Life Optimization. At its core, it is an exploration into the future of being human. My parents have only known a healthcare system that responds to emergencies, usually when it’s too late. The societal norms of my life had me eating sugar cereal and processed foods, ignorant of good sleep hygiene, and hiding my mental health woes because of the stigma. The warring dietary ideologies left me flummoxed. Fingers crossed that Blueprint will enable my children and others to avoid these catastrophes while standing up to, with data, those in society who would energetically seek to persuade people to commit dietary self-harm in the name of profits, something this era will be condemned for.”
We delve into the fascinating concept of identity in the digital age. As society strives to establish trust in online spaces, the quest for Enlightenment ideals seems to be taking a concerning turn towards a totalitarian mindset. Identitarians aim to unleash the ancient magics of sociology and psychology to these ends, but their attempts often fall short in accurately predicting human behavior on the internet. In light of this, we present a thought-provoking theory: Could it be that the beings we encounter online are not humans at all, but an entirely distinct species? Join us as we delve into this intriguing perspective and invite you to engage in the conversation. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more captivating content!
Wellness and wellbeing are very much the spirit of the age, but what lies in their underbelly? Is there any truth in "wellness", or is it simply the latest trend in lifestyle marketing? Who do we trust when everybody is a life coach? And have the wounded healers really gone off the deep end this time? Join us for an examination of the absurdities, paradoxes, and promises of one of the 21st century's most hyped, most glamorous, and most ruthless industries.
To download a free trial of the app, drop an email to contact@others.co
In this episode, Daniel Görtz of Metamoderna addresses key issues around metamodernism and stage theories of personal development. He covers: how the community around it needs to stand behind the basic norms of discourse, the five stages of understanding the role of stage theory, conclusive deductive evidence for the existence and relevance of stage-related progressions and their relevance, the basic correspondence between stage theory and chaos theory, the differentiation between six forms of metamodernism (without which the criticism can get very sloppy), the inescapability of subjective development for the analysis of cultural artifacts to make sense, and much more.
Status is a ubiquitous feature of belonging, but it comes with a hidden price - a fear of its loss; status anxiety. Whether captured by a real audience or the audience in our imaginations, a fear of status loss suppresses the full creative range of our thoughts, expressions, and vitality. The most honest and complete way I have found to free myself from this capture is by an exposure therapy I call status burning. In this session, we will explore the concept of status burning, practicing it in real-time, and discussing it.
We find ourselves in a time of fracture, dissolution, and renewal. As we collectively reorganize values, meaning, and purpose, we discover one of the foundational elements of a healthy society; the sanctity of a romantic relationship.
The disaster of modern dating and noncommittal transactional relationships has created a profound need for a deeper connection with an other.
A conscious relationship is the alchemical container of mutual soul development in service of unconditional love. As we move through our shadow projections and wounded parts, we discover a more accurate sense of self, and touch a more authentic experience with the other.
How can men respond to the call for greater devotion to creating, nourishing, and sustaining a conscious relationship? What is the role of the emerging sacred masculine in holding the container for love, truth, and beauty? Let us inquire.
thestoa.ca patreon.com/the_stoa lessfoolish.substack.comThe Art of Truth w/ Jill NephewThe Stoa2023-05-30 | With the rapid advancement of human-simulating large language models, we have suddenly found ourselves in an existential crisis around what is true and how to establish what is true. This talk will present an argument addressing both issues and take a fresh look at what humanity was up to between the 14th and 16th centuries, when we may have addressed these issues before in a similar way.
Explore the concept of "ontological kindness" as a way to engage with others' deeply intertwined beliefs and experiences. Ontological kindness may be key to effectively hold space in philosophical discussions, allowing people to grow and disentangle themselves.
There is a whole spectrum of responses to the violences of the modern-colonial system: soft reform, which involves policies and practices; radical reform, including more people and perspectives; and beyond reform, which disinvests in the current unsustainable world and walk into the possibility of new worlds. In this session, the Gesturing Towards Decolonial Futures Collective introduces this spectrum, contextualising it in their Collective's pedagogy: based in hospicing worlds that are dying within and around us, facing our complicity in violence and unsustainability, composting our individual and collective shit, and holding space without falling apart. They will also introduce an upcoming six-week online course they have curated, organised by advaya, titled Sensing Harm by Design, which is based on their work and pedagogy.
ABOUT THE ONLINE COURSE: Sensing Harm by Design is a six-week course designed to support participants to activate dispositions that can expand their capacity to navigate increasing volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA) and to hold space for what is difficult and painful without feeling overwhelmed, immobilised or demanding quick fixes or rescue from discomfort. This course is for those who want to be better equipped to navigate the times we live in; to learn how to build different relationships and to build relationships differently, and to weather current and coming storms together without relationships falling apart. Decolonial practice and radical systems change need to begin now—and this starts with ourselves. Find out more about the course breakdown, learning outcomes, and more on the website. The course runs from 26 June to 31 July, on Mondays, 5–7pm UK.
Register at courses.advaya.life/sensing-harm-by-design with THESTOA20 for 20% off.
thestoa.ca patreon.com/the_stoa lessfoolish.substack.comAlchemical Soul-Making: An Imaginal Ethos of Potentiated Eros w/ Cheryl HsuThe Stoa2023-05-15 | “Alchemical Soul-making” was one of three philosophical art experiments or “happenings” that took place as an invite-only series from April to May 2023 on the Stoa. “Alchemical Soul-making” unfolds the care-protocols of “Collective (W)hole-making”.
-- series --
Collective (W)hole-making: A Philosophical-Art Experiment of Intersubjective Cosmopoiesis
Host: Source-keeper: Cheryl Hsu
Co-hosts: Intersubjective Field-holder: Nicholas Shore Steward of the Stoa: Peter Limberg
Collective (W)hole-making (originally titled Collective Soul-making) is a research-art project investigating the potential of intersubjective cosmopoiesis. Co-hosted with Nick Shore and Peter Limberg, this three-part series was specifically sourced and crafted for its spatio-temporal umwelt -- the virtual field of the Stoa. Collective (W)hole-making is a living social sculpture and an intersubjective alchemical vessel. It assumes a strange posture of radical provocation: erupting forth the esoteric wisdoms sourced in and through the volcanic vessel of the body, rhizomatically relating with other bodies in space, refined through the potentiated geometries of our zeitgeist. The hypothesis is bold: through the entangled posture of surrendered devotion and clarified sovereignty, a collective organism might source and midwife the animist arising of new life-worlds that desire to come into being.
Collective (W)hole-making took place on April 17, April 24 and May 1 of 2023, initially under the title of Collective Soul-making. At each happening -- Cheryl Hsu, the source-keeper -- presented a philosophical artefact that acted as the strange attractor of the field:
Toroidal Bodies: A Speculative Cosmology of Transversal Wholeness Participation Mystique: A Praxis Experiment in Intersubjective Cosmopoiesis Alchemical Soul-Making: An Imaginal Ethos of Potentiated Eros
Each happening was intended to be a whole-in-itself, “occasions” of experience constellated into the tripartite Care-View-Action protocols of Collective W(hole)-making. At each happening, the participants sensefully attuned to the allurement of its potential through the intersubjective practice of collective presencing.Participation Mystique: A Praxis Experiment in Intersubjective Cosmopoiesis w/ Cheryl HsuThe Stoa2023-05-15 | "Participation Mystique” was one of three philosophical art experiments or “happenings” that took place as an invite-only series from April to May 2023 on the Stoa. “Toroidal Bodies” (change to "Participation Mystique") unfolds the action-protocols of “Collective (W)hole-making.
-- series --
Collective (W)hole-making: A Philosophical-Art Experiment of Intersubjective Cosmopoiesis
Host: Source-keeper: Cheryl Hsu
Co-hosts: Intersubjective Field-holder: Nicholas Shore Steward of the Stoa: Peter Limberg
Collective (W)hole-making (originally titled Collective Soul-making) is a research-art project investigating the potential of intersubjective cosmopoiesis. Co-hosted with Nick Shore and Peter Limberg, this three-part series was specifically sourced and crafted for its spatio-temporal umwelt -- the virtual field of the Stoa.
Collective (W)hole-making is a living social sculpture and an intersubjective alchemical vessel. It assumes a strange posture of radical provocation: erupting forth the esoteric wisdoms sourced in and through the volcanic vessel of the body, rhizomatically relating with other bodies in space, refined through the potentiated geometries of our zeitgeist. The hypothesis is bold: through the entangled posture of surrendered devotion and clarified sovereignty, a collective organism might source and midwife the animist arising of new life-worlds that desire to come into being.
Collective (W)hole-making took place on April 17, April 24 and May 1 of 2023, initially under the title of Collective Soul-making. At each happening -- Cheryl Hsu, the source-keeper -- presented a philosophical artefact that acted as the strange attractor of the field:
Toroidal Bodies: A Speculative Cosmology of Transversal Wholeness Participation Mystique: A Praxis Experiment in Intersubjective Cosmopoiesis Alchemical Soul-Making: An Imaginal Ethos of Potentiated Eros
Each happening was intended to be a whole-in-itself, “occasions” of experience constellated into the tripartite Care-View-Action protocols of Collective W(hole)-making. At each happening, the participants sensefully attuned to the allurement of its potential through the intersubjective practice of collective presencing.Toroidal Bodies: A Speculative Cosmology of Transversal Wholeness w/ Cheryl HsuThe Stoa2023-05-15 | “Toroidal Bodies” was one of three philosophical art experiments or “happenings” that took place as an invite-only series from April to May 2023 on the Stoa. “Toroidal Bodies” unfolds the view-protocols of Collective (W)hole-making.
The AI featured in this session is created by media artist, David Rokeby.
-- series --
Collective (W)hole-making: A Philosophical-Art Experiment of Intersubjective Cosmopoiesis
Host: Source-keeper: Cheryl Hsu
Co-hosts: Intersubjective Field-holder: Nicholas Shore Steward of the Stoa: Peter Limberg
Collective (W)hole-making (originally titled Collective Soul-making) is a research-art project investigating the potential of intersubjective cosmopoiesis. Co-hosted with Nick Shore and Peter Limberg, this three-part series was specifically sourced and crafted for its spatio-temporal umwelt -- the virtual field of the Stoa. Collective (W)hole-making is a living social sculpture and an intersubjective alchemical vessel. It assumes a strange posture of radical provocation: erupting forth the esoteric wisdoms sourced in and through the volcanic vessel of the body, rhizomatically relating with other bodies in space, refined through the potentiated geometries of our zeitgeist. The hypothesis is bold: through the entangled posture of surrendered devotion and clarified sovereignty, a collective organism might source and midwife the animist arising of new life-worlds that desire to come into being.
Collective (W)hole-making took place on April 17, April 24 and May 1 of 2023, initially under the title of Collective Soul-making. At each happening -- Cheryl Hsu, the source-keeper -- presented a philosophical artefact that acted as the strange attractor of the field:
Toroidal Bodies: A Speculative Cosmology of Transversal Wholeness Participation Mystique: A Praxis Experiment in Intersubjective Cosmopoiesis Alchemical Soul-Making: An Imaginal Ethos of Potentiated Eros
Each happening was intended to be a whole-in-itself, “occasions” of experience constellated into the tripartite Care-View-Action protocols of Collective W(hole)-making. At each happening, the participants sensefully attuned to the allurement of its potential through the intersubjective practice of collective presencing.Awakening the Feminine and Honouring the Masculine w/ Fanny NorlinThe Stoa2023-05-04 | May 4th, 2023
Fanny Norlin visits The Stoa to discuss how the emerging “creating feminine” and “holding masculine” can be in right relationship with one another. This presentation will be based on her article series, “Feminine leadership in business” …
“In this article series, I want to share with you how the power of the awakened feminine, when fruitfully backed by the masculine, is key to realizing ideas and succeeding in the emerging business landscape. How this kind of leadership can make our initiatives and ourselves come alive and, rather than merely survive, allow us to tap into pleasure and honorably thrive in chaotic times.”
Bio. Fanny Norlin has for the past ten years lived and breathed decentralized initiatives, where she for the past five has specialized on the role the feminine and masculine play for leaders, organizations and the emerging society. She has created a framework that can help us cut through the culture wars and distorted versions of both polarities and unleash the power and creative potential between them. She is an engineer and economist, ex-C-level of one of Sweden’s largest and Europe’s most innovative e-commerces, deep practitioner of decentralized leadership and a leader of the feminine leadership movement within the business world.
Ina Meyer-Stoll and Achim Ecker visit The Stoa to discuss the ZEGG-Forum, “a ritualized form of transparent communication between individuals and groups.” From the website:
“ZEGG-Forum promotes awareness, essential communication and trust. It is a transforming process for inner work in groups. At the same time it presents a wholistic and creative possibility for individuals to express and explore oneself deeper.
ZEGG-FORUM is a ritualized form of transparent communication for larger groups. It depends on trained facilitators. One person, “the presenter” steps into the middle of the circle of the group and starts to express herself. It is like an existential stage, which includes the whole person with his/her physical and verbal expressions, with heart, mind, creativity and feelings. It is much more than a technique. ZEGG-Forum is a culture building process based on world views of high human and ethical values. It is held within the context of a cultural shift of paradigms. The perspective shifts from the paradigm of perceiving us as separate individuals with the consequence of a culture of wining and loosing to a paradigm of perceiving the flows, relationships and connections between everything. Latter will create a culture of "winning is happening", or "loosing is happening" if we keep polluting and destroying these connections.”
In the shadow of AI’s limitless creative capacity, human creativity has only one advantage to exploit - its limitations.
With the rise of limitless artificial intelligence, human creativity faces an existential threat. Alex Ebert will give us a survival tour of the new artistic landscape and show how our limitations - and our ability to fail - actually give us an unfair advantage over AI.
The possibility of a wisdom commons - a place that makes wisdom more common - has been an attractor to those drawn to The Stoa. What has not been considered is the risk space of unintentionally creating a “wisdom cult” from the advocacy of wisdom cultivation (and engaging in "wisdom signaling").
In this session, Jamie Wheal (Flow Genome Project), Dave Snowden (Cynefin framework), Bonnitta Roy (The Pop-up School), and Jill Nephew (Inqwire) will engage in a “dialogos” discussion on the possible development of wisdom cults developing.
Rosa shares an approach for modelling experience and awakening. This style of modelling uses a framework to map how each of us is a living body, heart, mind and soul eco-system.
We can get much deeper clarity on these different parts of experience - body, heart, mind and soul - than most people think is possible, while also recognising that there is no single or final source of truth. The framework is sufficiently sophisticated to meaningfully include a high level of complexity, while also encouraging a deep embodiment and connection with what is simply here in the present moment we share.
Rosa demonstrates different forms that this model can take, uses the model to outline an awakening path and describes how her approach differs from a more traditional Buddhist path and perspective.
Emotions and sensations in the body have been an integral part of the human experience for as long as humans have existed. And yet, our culture has lost guidance for relating to them. Many people are confused about how to relate to emotions and many more feel out of touch with “inner wisdom,” often wondering if such a thing even exists at all.
When we’re out of touch with emotions and sensations, our lives go astray in predictable ways. Rather than growing into our full human potential, we stay undeveloped: sometimes merely “missing out”, and sometimes crushingly weighed down by mental health and interpersonal challenges that grow heavier with time. It’s by tapping into our inner guidance system through the language of sensations (yes, we have one, and that’s the language it speaks!) that we begin to inhabit healthy life and healthy relationships.
As an emotional healing coach, I’ve been helping clients reconnect to their emotions for over 15 years. My clients self-report better results than what they achieved via mainstream therapy, because of the somatic toolkit I use. This toolkit gets to the root of issues faster and provides a map to the healing needed.
In this talk, I outline my process for cultivating a physiological state that is ideal for emotional work (using various breathwork patterns), for mapping out inner sensations (interception), for connecting to protector parts within, and for accessing deep inner wisdom. Listeners will leave with a much better sense of why somatic-based emotional tools are important and how to use them to gain clarity, release stress and trauma, and cultivate well-being.