Please listen to the intro on campus life and share to promote dialogue. If this work is meaningful to you, please consider supporting and joining us on Patreon - https://patreon.com/kindmind Grief can be highly personal and unique but this quote comes close to a universal definition:“Grief, I’ve learned, is really just love. It’s all the love you want to give, but cannot. All that unspent love gathers up in the corners of your eyes, the lump in your throat, and in that hollow part of your...

If you would like to support this work, you can do so at https://patreon.com/kindmind and if you are unable to contribute financially, you can still sign up and join as a free member. All are welcome to the Kind Mind community.Human blossoming is akin to the delicate yet profound process seen in the natural world, where flowers unfurl their petals to reveal their inner beauty. The metaphor of blooming relates to maturity and is explored in various contexts, from spiritual growth to personal...

Recorded on Oct 15, 2023, the day after a solar eclipse and “ring of fire.” If you value this show, please consider pitching in to support this independent work at https://patreon.com/kindmind Thanks!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...

If you benefit from this show and would like to give back, you can support us and join the patreon community at https://patreon.com/kindmind Thank you!Stillness is often associated with meditation, contemplation, and spiritual practices aimed at transcending the superficial layers of social life and the conventional sense of self.There is a three-part harmony to stillness including physical stillness of movement, auditory stillness of unnecessary sounds, and mental tranquility of thoughts....

You can pitch in to support this work and access bonus content at https://patreon.com/kindmind This episode explores the transformative powers of music and meditation, practices that serve as vessels for introspection, revelation, and communal connection. We delve into the philosophical and spiritual intricacies of how silence complements music—the way meditation underlines our active lives—inviting listeners on a contemplative journey toward self-discovery and collective understanding.In an...

Join us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/kindmind Understanding the nature of knowledge has been a timeless pursuit for thinkers and seekers throughout history. This branch of study in philosophy is often referred to as epistemology.There is an interplay between sensory perception, intellectual understanding and the notion of objective truth. The limitations, complexities, and transformative power inherent in the quest for knowledge cannot be understated.What does it mean to KNOW something? ...

Become a Patreon member of this show at https://patreon.com/kindmind The archetype of the wounded healer, a concept deeply rooted in psychology and mythology, offers profound insights into the human condition, empathy, and the transformative power of healing through sacrifice. This talk touches on the intricate dimensions of this archetype, paralleling its essence with the natural process of an oyster creating a pearl — a metaphor that elegantly encapsulates the journey from wound to...

This original sci fi tale has been expanded! I’ve added more words and MUSIC and hope this makes it easy to access anytime through the podcast.Brazilian artist Gabriel Melo (_TMist) has enhanced the story with futuristic imagery. Please watch on my youtube channel and subscribe at https://youtu.be/L2LpRgZn_8M As always, you can support this work, access bonus content, and help me release shows faster at https://patreon.com/kindmind The Aurascope is a dark allegory about the commodification...

You can support this show, connect with the Kind Mind community, and access bonus content at https://patreon.com/kindmind This is episode 101.The origin of speech remains rather mysterious.  The development of complex vocalization and symbology is unique and may involve evolutionary necessity.  Human survival has historically been dependent on social cooperation. Language allows us to share information, coordinate activities, and form complex bonds for success among species.  At the same...

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...

This is the 99th episode and patreon members will receive a special gift in the mail to commemorate the centennial occasion.Give, receive and elevate at https://patreon.com/kindmind 'Tis the season of giving, but the societal expectation to buy a bunch of gifts or marketing pressure to spend, spend, spend is not the real spirit of generosity.As mystic poet Kahlil Gibran wrote,"It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding; and to the open-handed the...

Recorded live in-person on Oct 25 2022 at The Homestead in Plano, IL.You can support this work and connect more at https://patreon.com/kindmind Why are so many people attracted to scary movies when in real life we typically avoid frightening situations?There are a multitude of reasons but recent studies have indicated that fans of the horror genre fared better in the pandemic in terms of preparedness and psychological resilience. Therefore, it could function as a kind of virtual reality...

You can support the podcast on Patreon and access bonus content: https://patreon.com/kindmind True leadership goes beyond mere titles and positions. It involves a convergence of inner and outer realms. At its core, leadership is an outpouring of the inner work. Through introspection, one can illuminate their own positionality and the pathways to decentralize power within themselves and elsewhere. Then, the finest leaders do not merely stand in the spotlight but, instead, use their inner...

You can support this show and join us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/kindmind One of the predecessors of the word "create" is creare in Latin. This verb meant "to form out of nothing" as in the phrase creatio ex nihilo from the Book of Genesis in the Bible. Accordingly, God manifested heaven and earth from the void.Thus, artists sometimes refer to their spark of inspiration as being in the likeness of God.However, the art from us mortals is creatio ex materia. Stravinsky may have said it...

Please consider supporting this work on Patreon: https://patreon.com/kindmind The paradox of curiosity is a contest between our innate desire for knowledge and our aversion to uncertainty.  A delicate balance can be negotiated when the curious awareness is anchored to its Latin word origin.  "Cura" meant cure, care, concern or even choosiness.  Put simply, curate the curiosity.  Then, it serves as a transformative force, guiding us on the perpetual quest for understanding and self-discovery. ...

You can support this work and access bonus content at https://patreon.com/kindmind Today, we often associate adventure with planned activities or deliberate pursuits as is the case with travel itineraries or business ventures of calculated risk with defined goals.  However, the prefix ad in the word "adventure" means "towards" and therefore indicates that in the true spirit of adventure, the unknown is not just a means to an end but the end itself.  In other words, the adventurous life is one...

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...

Historically, morality was in the domain of religion. Although most existing faiths claim their teachings go back to the dawn of time, we can understand that these belief systems have emerged and disintegrated like empires.  However, scholars trace living spiritual traditions of the Indian subcontinent to the 15th century BCE suggesting seniority at least among scriptures.  The cornerstone of these and many other organized moral philosophies around the world is nonviolence.  Also known as...

In 1976, German social psychologist Erich Fromm published a book which presented the titular question, "To Have or To Be?"  This philosophical inquiry would resurface throughout his work as two distinct modes of existence.  He further claimed that modern society in its materialism prefers having.On this podcast, we often consider the dialectic of being vs doing.  Well, Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa wrote, "to have is to tarry."  In a sense, the more you have, the more you have to do - which...

You can support this work and access bonus content at https://patreon.com/kindmind Unlike other virtues that may be situational or context-dependent, integrity is seen as a constant, underlying quality that inspires and threads all of our actions and decisions into a spiritual tapestry. It is not simply a commitment to certain core principles but a psychosocial, structural and creative coherence in how we live our lives.  However, integrity is delicate, easily unraveled, and difficult to...

You can support this show on Patreon https://patreon.com/kindmind and access bonus content. This episode considers the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on society and the human condition, and explores the ethical and existential concerns surrounding it. We also contemplate the limitations of AI in terms of consciousness, creativity, and complex emotional and social contexts, and warn of the potential dangers of its weaponization for propaganda or bias and the possibility of humans...

If you would like to support this podcast, check out the options and benefitis here: https://patreon.com/kindmind 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...

You can support this show and access bonus and companion content to this episode including the Q+A session and a guided meditation on validation here: https://patreon.com/kindmind Validation means to confirm or authenticate and allows people to feel heard and respected. This episode explores how validation of others and self-validation are both key skills for emotional well-being and effective interpersonal interactions.  It can help partners and teams be more present to each other and engage...

Happy New Year! You can support this podcast at https://patreon.com/kindmind The theme is HOPE.  It stands out among other virtues because it requires negative circumstances and straddles over the present and towards the future.Charles Snyder was a psychologist and dedicated researcher of hope, who emphasized its relevance in the context of doing vs being.  Accordingly, hope is a motivational set of cognitive traits that give people a reason to continue pursuing their goals despite the...