Emerge: Making Sense of What's Next

Tasshin – which means “to reach or achieve truth” – describes himself as an “online pilgrim wandering this precious world for the benefit of all beings.” In this episode, Daniel talks with Tasshin about some of the lessons he has learned and his unique insights into what it means to “live your vow,” from clarifying one’s sense of unique purpose to effectively coordinating with individuals and groups. While breaking down a statement on “bottlenecks” from Tasshin’s recent article, they outline a powerful framework that connects inner and outer work and service. Topics covered include productivity, psychology, ethics, effective coordination, the technological and poetic attunements (as described by Heidegger), the pathology of trying to “solve the world’s problems,” and the duo’s friendship, which dates back to their two-plus years together at the Monastic Academy. Tasshin's Home on the Internet Support Emerge on Patreon Timestamp 02:15 Daniel and Tasshin’s Personal Connection and Mutual Inspiration 10:29 Overview of Tasshin’s Recent Article and Reading of His “Bottleneck” Statement 16:33 “Finding Your Vow Is The Bottleneck On Productivity” 24:02 Living One’s Vow/Purpose As An Iterative Process 28:23 Addressing Doubts Regarding The Concept of “Vow”or “Unique Purpose” 31:53 “Productivity Is The Bottleneck On Strategy” 44:37 “Strategy Is The Bottleneck On Effective Coordination” 47:57 Different Levels of Harmonization 54:17 Trusting Yourself, Trusting Experience, Trusting Life 58:52 From Solving The World’s Problems to Focusing On Goodness, Truth, Beauty, and Playing One’s Part 1:07:52 Closing

This episode is a 're-Cast' from the Coach's Rising podcast, hosted by Joel Monk. I was so moved and inspired by the conversation I thought I'd share it with you all on my stream. I've been following John Churchill's work for some time, and this was exactly the conversation I wanted to have with him. It's a beautiful episode, and I hope you enjoy. Dr. John Churchill is a Doctor of Psychology and teacher of Buddha Dharma as well as a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine and author. John’s interest in psycho-spiritual development, Integral theory, Contemplative studies, Western Esotericism, and Mahayana Buddhism began in his adolescence, leading him to spend several years as a Buddhist monk at Samye Ling Monastery in Scotland. During this time, John received the esoteric Planetary Dharma transmissions that would in time unfold as his contribution to a planetary fourth turning teaching. He is also a founding member of the Integral Institute. WEBSITES https://www.karunamandala.org/ https://samadhiintegral.com/ https://www.coachesrising.com/

Vince Horn and Daniel discuss the evolution, benefits, and potential of social meditation. They explore the new meditatewith.ai app created by Vince and Interbeing Inc. co-founder Chris Ewald. The app allows users to practice social meditation with an AI partner, with the ultimate goal of deepening the realization of human interconnectedness in everyday life. Vince and Daniel discuss how social meditation can affect relationships and networks, and how the practice might help address core issues of alienation from self, other, and world at the heart of the meta-crisis. Vince Horn is part of a new generation of teachers translating age-old wisdom into 21st century code. A computer engineering dropout turned modern monk, Vincent spent his 20s co- founding the Buddhist Geeks project while doing a full year of silent meditation practice on retreat. Timestamps 3:54 Intro 5:36 Intro to Social Meditation 11:23 Evolution of Social Meditation 16:33 The Role of Language in Meditation 21:50 Significance of Meditation Moving into the Inter-Relational Context 24:53 Social Meditation’s Effects on Relationships 26:04 The Meditatewith.ai App & The Issues It Addresses 30:11 Intra-Connection, Interconnection & How Social Meditation Can Impact Groups 34:19 Vince’s Inspiration For This Work 38:43 How AI Is Used in the App 49:09 Social Meditation and the Unfolding of the Spiritual Path 53:36 Creating and Refining a Protocol for Social Meditation 57:30 Value of Social Meditation for the Meta-Crisis 1:01:12 Next Steps for the App 1:03:09 Wrap-up Try the app at meditatewith.ai

In this conversation, John, Bonnie, and Thomas discuss various frameworks on what wisdom is, how it functions, and the different types and scales of complexity in which wisdom may arise. The conversation explores themes of wisdom and complexity with both depth and breadth, navigating the topic philosophically and pragmatically, and ultimately arriving at wisdom's relationship with the "It" beyond all relationship. This conversation is brought to us by the Respond Network. The Respond Network is a distributed research network focused on addressing the meta-crisis by researching and cultivating wisdom. Respond Network Practitioners taking place August 7th – 12th, 2023 in Bergerac, France Daniel's Patreon Timestamps 0:00 - Intro 5:59 - Virtue Reactivation 8:19 - Wisdom vs. Development & Complexity vs. Rootedness 12:47 - Wisdom as a function of Domains of Complexity 17:48 - Wisdom as a function of Relationship 20:30 - Wisdom as the Interplay between Sophia & Phronesis 25:35 - Moving between Scales of Sophia & Phronesis 30:37 - Vertical and Horizontal Axes of Wisdom & Complexity 35:41 - Letting Go of Complexity into New Emergence 38:35 - Receptivity to Spontaneity 40:20 - Reorientation Towards Rootedness 42:50 - Accessing What is Fundamental Through Rootedness 49:59 - John Explicating Bonita's Demonstration of the Topic 51:22 - Mindfulness Mirroring 56:27 - Recognizing the Exemplification of the Sacred as a Function of Wisdom 1:02:34 - The World as a grounding agent for Wisdom 1:05:24 - When and How did 'It' show up? 1:12:10 - The 'It' is Beyond Relationship 1:24:14 - In Story'ing 1:26:14 - Mindfulness Mirroring II

In this conversation I speak with Jill Nephew. Jill, a former AI black box algorithm engineer with extensive experience in developing software architectures, holds a highly heterodox perspective on the risks associated with LLM AIs. In this conversation we explore Jill's argument that using LLMs like ChatGPT or Bard are like eating plastic for your cognitive agency and natural intelligence, how it is that AIs could cause the rise of new 'supercults', and how another world is possible, if only we learn to ask the right questions. If you enjoy this podcast and want to support it please consider becoming a Patreon supporter. Jill's Conversation with Layman Pascal on the Integral Stage⁠ Inqwire, the software Jill has developed to help people reclaim their natural intelligence. Support Daniel on Patreon

John Vervaeke, Zak Stein, and Nora Bateson discuss transformation and its complex, cross-domain dimensionality. This episode addresses topics such as how does transformation take place and in what contexts? How does western culture misunderstand transformation? How is transformation naturally interwoven within the larger narrative of our lives? This conversation is brought to us by the Respond Network (https://rspnd.network). The Respond network is an initiative to address the meta-crisis by researching and cultivating wisdom. Respond is a network of researchers and practitioners who develop and deploy ecologies of practices (EoP) for personal and systemic transformation. 0:00:00 - Introduction, the Respond Network, Patreon 0:03:41 - Transformation Dimensionality 0:09:05 - Consequences of Transformation 0:13:13 - Transformation is not Chosen 0:19:11 - Virtue in Response to Fate 0:24:28 - Transformation is Ecological 0:29:41 - Re-Humanization of Transformational Spaces 0:32:05 - Necessary Tension within the Mythology of Hero 0:41:41 - Shifts in Intergenerational Transmission 0:44:08 - Ecology of Communication 0:50:58 - Necessity of Cultural Cognitive Grammar 0:53:20 - The Contextuality & Transferability of Transformation 1:08:23 - How Skills are Interwoven & Transferable Support Daniel on Patreon

Zak Stein and Daniel Thorson discuss the myriad risks of emerging AI tutoring technologies. AI tutoring is being developed now and will be deployed over the course of the next two to five years, bringing radical changes to our educational systems. This conversation explores the risks of this emerging technology while simultaneously proposing how, if designed correctly, this technology could solve the meta-crisis. Timestamp 0:00 - Intro 5:20 - Shift in Awareness of AI 10:08 - GAI Risk 15:51 - AI Alignment & Human Alignment 17:18 - Risks of Generalized Nature of AI 19:08 - Accelerating Misaligned Institutions 20:26 - AI Assistance & Anthropomorphism 25:35 - Instantaneous Media Interfacing 29:48 - AI Tutoring Risk 38:44 - Obsoleting Human Relationship 41:52 - AI Perfecting Propaganda 43:22 - Humanity's Educational Relationship 46:21 - Breaking the Human Nervous System 50:14 - AI Tutoring Risk Continued 55:17 - Building Aligned AI Tutoring Technology 59:56 - Importance of Non-Anthropomorphizable AI 1:02:10 - Irreducibility of Human Goodness 1:04:42 - The Limits of Computationalism 1:07:10 - AI Tutoring Guardrails 1:11:44 - Implementation of AI Tutoring Technology 1:17:36 - AI Planetary Tutoring System 1:21:59 - Solving the Meta-Crisis with AI Planetary Tutoring 1:25:06 - The Emergence of the New Human 1:29:18 - Right Relationship with Emerging AI Technology 1:35:18 - Conclusion ⁠Support the Emerge Podcast on Patreon⁠ ⁠Learn more about the Anti Fragile Heart Retreat at the Monastic Academy⁠

A conversation about how emergence can be the foundation a new society. We talk about how societies can create containers for healthy decision making. And how sacred containers can allow for the emergence of the planetary movement we’re longing for. David Sauvage asks, how do we create the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible? In my first episode after returning from the Emerge gathering in Austin, we discuss the future of collective decision-making, reflect on our shared past with Occupy Wallstreet, and consider the role of participatory democracy in what is emerging. David puts preliminary words to a vision originating from the gathering this summer. https://www.davidsauvage.com [00:00:00] Introducing David [00:05:24] David’s Vision from the Emerge gathering. [00:10:35] Occupy Wallstreet [00:29:30] The future of politics. [00:44:55] The Third Attractor.

Gary Sheng is a US-based technologist and civic entrepreneur dedicated to building tools, systems, and movements that accelerate human and planetary flourishing. He was recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30 for his work building Civics Unplugged. In this conversation we offer some friendly critiques of the emerging network and discuss how we can empower the next generation to actualize Game B. https://www.garysheng.com [0:00:00] Introducing Gary [0:16:40] Civics Unplugged [0:21:05] Dream DAO [0:39:11] Gary’s view of the emerging network from the outside in.

Steve March is the creator of an integrated ecology of practice and founder of Aletheia Coaching. In this episode we get into the history of coaching, depth and the fourth generation of coaching, going from self-improvement to self-unfoldment, Heidegger’s view on technology and attunement, depth ontology, eclecticism to integration, parts conflict in ecologies of practice, four depths of self-contact, internal family systems. Aletheia Coaching: https://integralunfoldment.com Steve's Paper on the Neuroscience of Transformation: https://libraryofprofessionalcoaching.com/research/brain-behavior/the-neuroscience-of-enduring-transformation/ [0:02:36] Introducing Steve [0:09:00] First, Second, Third Generation Coaching [0:13:43] Aletheia and the Fourth Generation of Coaching [0:18:10] What if we are already whole? [0:18:47] Reservations about the term “coaching” [0:20:38] Exploring Unfoldment [0:24:57] Technological Attunement and Poetic Attunement [0:44:53] Invoking Poetic Attunement [0:53:20] Deeping eclecticism into integration [1:37:00] Scaling Psychotechnologies

Circling Europe co-founder Sean Wilkinson and I explore what it's like to practice across paradigms, the limits and transformational potential of circling, and the interplay between mediation, circling, and trauma work. Sean shares from his experience about the problems with static orientations to practice, subtle grasping to personal growth, and the orientation of trust. Sean Wilkinson is a Circling Europe co-founder with an enduring passion for self-awareness, human potential, wisdom traditions and an ongoing inquiry into life. His focus includes extensive academic research, spiritual and psychological practice, coaching, and therapeutic training. [0:02:53] Introducing Sean [0:06:00] What is at the edge of meditation, circling, and trauma work? [0:10:00] Discovering the limits of circling [0:16:55] Exhausting an Orientation to Practice [0:33:50] Scale Invariance [0:39:10] Eclecticism to Integration [0:49:10] The Orientation of Trust [1:05:10] The Feeling Process [1:25:20] A short guided meditation [1:41:20] Metamodernism and the Meta-Crisis (mesa crisis?) [1:42:42] The Paradigm of Leadership If you'd like to explore the practice of Circling MAPLE is hosting the SAS 6-month Circling Training starting in June.

In this episode fellow Monastic Academy resident Ellen McSweeney and I explore the relationship between Circling and Soulmaking in an attempt to make sense of the experience we shared co-facilitating the Anti-Fragile Heart retreat in March. Towards the end there is a Q+A with retreat participants. If you'd like to explore the practice of Circling MAPLE is hosting the SAS 6-month Circling Training starting in June. This conversation was recorded in the meditation hall at the Monastic Academy, and the audio is a little wonky...

In this episode Mark Feenstra guides me through his 'accompanying' process. This process, which Mark has developed after 25 years of experimentation, is something like a systems collapse aware mixture of Circling, Internal Family Systems, and Imaginal practice...but really it's totally unique (and very potent!). Mark is offering a workshop on this approach on December 11th/12th. If you'd like to join you can click here: https://public.3.basecamp.com/p/3domHkJiNhPctmd6zboebQhb

Layman Pascal is an author, speaker, and body-mind-soul at large in the Integral and Metamodern scenes. In this episode we dive into Layman's 'integration surplus' model of spiritual practice. This model offers an integrative lens through which to view all transformative practices. Through my work at the Monastic Academy I developed a startlingly similar 'harmonization model' of spiritual practice, which forms the conceptual basis of the curriculum for the Willow Intensive. You can learn more about that in this companion episode with John Vervaeke. In this conversation with Layman we explore some of the deeper ramifications and affordances of this way of looking at transformative practice. If you'd like to explore this way of approaching practice more deeply we are offering two online courses: October 19 - November 9 at 11:30 a.m. ET: Intro to Harmonization: A New Ecology of Practices Register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/intro-to-harmonization-a-new-ecology-of-practices-tickets-182786668847 October 22 - November 12 at 6:00 p.m. ET: Jade Method Meditation Course Register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/jade-method-meditation-course-tickets-182814672607 -------------------------- In this conversation Layman and I speak about: - How the harmony model arose out of Layman’s spiritual & philosophical practice - That all spiritual practices can be framed in terms of harmonization, and why that is so significant - Why it’s important that this model is ‘ontologically agnostic’ - The common confusion between harmony and unison - The role of meeting conflict in order to reveal a deeper harmony - The four fundamental proto-skills to help us harmonize any system - How super abundant harmony can help us identify what is valuable and good in any context - The value and limitation of awakening, and why it can sometimes lead to unskillful behavior

John Vervaeke speaks with Seishin and myself about the ecology of practices we are exploring in the Willow Intensive. This was originally recorded on The Stoa. This episode includes a brief overview of the Harmony model and the five aspects we've been training to harmonize. We discuss the obstacles and opportunities of birthing a new kind of wisdom institution in the modern world, and the necessity of having an ecology of practices to adequately transform the human mind during a time of planetary crisis (and much more). The conversation ends with a Q&A. We are offering two online courses for those who would like to explore these practices more deeply: October 19 - November 9 at 11:30 a.m. ET: Intro to Harmonization: A New Ecology of Practices Register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/intro-to-harmonization-a-new-ecology-of-practices-tickets-182786668847 October 22 - November 12 at 6:00 p.m. ET: Jade Method Meditation Course Register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/jade-method-meditation-course-tickets-182814672607

Is it still possible to create a more beautiful future for life on earth, or are we now merely stewards for the dying process of our world? How do we live with the weight of this uncertainty? Soryu Forall responds to these questions during a recent lecture at the Monastic Academy. Soryu is the founder and head teacher at the Monastic Academy for the Preservation of Life on Earth (MAPLE). You can hear my previously recorded conversation with Soryu by clicking here.

Rob McNamara is an author, leadership coach, advisor and consultant with expertise in adult development and human performance. He is a co-founder of the leading consulting firm Delta Developmental, a faculty member for the Ivey School of Business' LIFT Advanced Coaching Program, and is a Senior Monk and Integral Zen Dharma Holder training with Diane Musho Hamilton Roshi. McNamara’s coaching focuses leaders on clarifying life purpose, growing critical leadership skills to advance value creation and fostering organizational development to enhance learning and innovation. MAPLE Fundamentals Online Training (Cohort Begins August 8th) Vision Quest at the Monastic Academy (September 10th - 19th) Show Notes: 00:02 Who do we need to become to navigate this planetary meta-crisis? 00:05 “Revolutionary enfoldment” / new vectors of development 00:10 Limitations of just adding more complexity 00:18 Takes 10 years. Do we even have that? XR: “sacrifice for future generation” — Hero frame 00:26 Exploring other distinctions / sovereignty and surrender 00:33 “If we’re not willing to die, we don’t get to touch the ineffable grace of life” 00:36 The diversification of identity 00:43 The illumined reality / world as image structure 00:51 What needs to happen in public? / education 00:55 How do we cultivate the capacity to attune to image? / image is prior to language 01:04 Circling / need for community 01:08 “giving someone an image that is not their own” 01:11 Omniwin / “image structure is not an exhaustible resource” 01:14 Finite and infinite games / “switching arena of pathos to soul-making” / “game on, forever” 01:16 How to increase access to this? 01:19 Organizational development / “If this is our last thing, what do we do?” 01:22 How do we ground this in community? / problem-solving / play 01:25 Robert = “bright counselor” 01:28 Wrap-up

Emerge is back! This is a solo episode where I share a few life updates and thoughts about the evolution of the Emerge podcast. Support me on Patreon

In this first conversation after a year sabbatical from the Emerge project I'm speaking with Zak Stein. This is a far ranging conversation about ethics, education, trauma, the erotics of moral understanding, and more. Support me on Patreon Show Notes

Emerge invites you to a new kind of monastery for a (meta)modern world... Learn more at: https://growingwillow.org/summer2021 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/emerge/support