Spirit Matters Talk

Diane Berke Discussion by Discussion by Dennis and Phil

Rev. Micah Bucey is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, currently serving at Judson Memorial Church of New York City, a congregation committed to curiously seeking the intersections of spirituality, justice, and creativity. A graduate of Fordham University and Union Theological Seminary, Micah founded and continues to spearhead Judson Arts Wednesdays (JAW), a weekly art and food gathering that provides free meals for guests in need and developmental space for artists in need. Over the course of its nine seasons, JAW has fed thousands and nurtured the creative output of hundreds. Micah is a member of InterFilm, the International Interchurch Film Organization, and reviews films with an eye toward their spiritual message and meaning for Spirituality & Practice. In addition to his passion for nurturing the creativity in everyone, he is deeply committed to social justice. We spoke about his own history as a gay Christian, serving in ministry to the artistic and LGBTQ communities, and the link betw

Rev Micah Busey Discussion by Discussion by Dennis and Phil

Diana Butler Bass is an author, speaker, and independent scholar specializing in American religion and culture. She holds a Ph.D. in religious studies from Duke University and is the award-winning author of ten books, including Grounded: Finding God in the World—A Spiritual Revolution, Christianity After Religion: The End of Church and the Birth of a New Spiritual Awakening, and her latest work, Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks. She speaks regularly at conferences, consults with religious organizations, leads educational events, and teaches and preaches in a variety of venues internationally. She has taught in colleges and seminaries and has commented on religion, politics, and culture in various media. The recipient of numerous grants and awards, she holds an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from The General Theological Seminary in New York, serves on the board of Public Religion Research, and is an advisor on the project for a National Museum of American Religion in Washington, D.C. We

Diana Butler Bass discussion by Discussion by Dennis and Phil

Martin Rutte is a management consultant and president of Livelihood, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He has worked with clients such as SONY Pictures, Virgin Music, and Southern California Edison, helping them developing their vision for the future of their businesses. Martin has also spoken at Harvard Business School four times. He was the co-founder and Chair of the Board of the Centre for Spirituality and the Workplace at the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Canada. This was the first center of its kind in Canada and was a global leader in the field. He is co-author of the New York Times Business Bestseller Chicken Soup for the Soul at Work with sales of over 1.1 million copies and translations into 24 languages. His new book is Project Heaven on Earth: The 3 Simple Questions That Will Help You Change the World … Easily. We spoke about his work on spirituality in the workplace and his Project Heaven on Earth.

Martin Rutte discussion by Discussion by Dennis and Phil

Daaji interview by Discussion by Dennis and Phil

Daaji discussion by Discussion by Dennis and Phil

Connie Zweig interview by Discussion by Dennis and Phil

Connie Zweig discussion by Discussion by Dennis and Phil

Arielle Ford has been a leading personality in the personal growth and contemporary spirituality movement for the past 30 years. A celebrated love and relationship expert and the co-creator and co-host of Evolving Wisdom’s Art of Love series, she has been promoting consciousness through all forms of media. Arielle is the author of eleven books, including the international bestseller, The Soulmate Secret: Manifest The Love of Your Life With The Law of Attraction. She regularly presents workshops at leading venues around the world and has appeared on many national TV and radio shows. But we spoke less about her work than that of her late sister, bestselling author and spiritual teacher Debbie Ford, whose posthumous book, Your Holiness: Discover the Light Within, Arielle recently to publication. We spoke about the book’s discovery and content: the practical power of prayer. Learn more about Arielle Ford here: www.arielleford.com

Arielle Ford discussion by Discussion by Dennis and Phil

Mariana Caplan is a psychotherapist, yoga teacher, and the author of numerous magazine articles and books in the fields of psychology and spirituality, including Eyes Wide Open: Cultivating Discernment on the Spiritual Path; Halfway Up the Mountain: the Error of Premature Claims to Enlightenment; and The Guru Question: The Perils and Rewards of Choosing a Spiritual Teacher. Her latest book is Yoga & Psyche. Mariana teaches workshops and trainings at major retreat centers, yoga studios, and universities throughout the world and has been an adjunct professor at The California Institute of Integral Studies since 2001. In her psychotherapy, she incorporates traditional and alternative approaches including: psychodynamic, gestalt, cognitive behavioral therapy, somatic, and dialectical behavioral therapy. We spoke about her new book and the implications of integrating classical yoga and modern psychology. Learn more about Mariana Caplan here: http://www.realspirituality.com/

Marianna Caplan discussion by Discussion by Dennis and Phil

Lama Surya Das is one of the foremost Western Buddhist meditation teachers and scholars. An authorized lama in the Tibetan Buddhist order (the Dalai Lama affectionately calls him “the American Lama”), he is a leading spokesperson for contemporary spirituality as well as a translator, poet, meditation master, chant master, and spiritual activist. He is the author numerous books, including the Awakening trilogy—Awakening the Buddha Within; Awakening to the Sacred; and Awakening the Buddhist Heart—and his latest, Make Me One with Everything: Buddhist Meditations To Awaken From The Illusion Of Separation. In the 1990s, he established the Dzogchen Foundation and Dzogchen Retreats. He maintains a busy schedule of retreats and workshops around the world and blogs at Ask The Lama. We spoke on a wide range of topics related to Buddhism and today’s spiritual landscape. Learn more about Lama Surya Das here: surya.org

Lama Surya Das discussion by Discussion by Dennis and Phil

Chris Grosso is a youth mental health and healing group facilitator with Newport Academy. A public speaker, writer, and author, his books include Indie Spiritualist: A No Bullshit Exploration of Spirituality; Everything Mind: What I’ve Learned About Hard Knocks, Spiritual Awakening; and most recently Dead Set On Living: Making the Difficult but Beautiful Journey from F#*cking Up to Waking Up. He has spoken and performed at Wanderlust Festival, Celebrate Your Life, Yoga Journal Conference, Sedona World Wisdom Days, Kripalu, Sun Valley Wellness Festival, and other venues. Chris works with people who are in the process of healing or are struggling with addictions of all kinds. He is a member of the advisory board for Drugs over Dinner, hosts The Indie Spiritualist Podcast on Ram Dass’s Be Here Now Network, and is a member of The Evolutionary Leaders (a project of The Source of Synergy Foundation). We spoke about his journey from addiction to spiritual teacher and about his latest book. Learn more about Chris Gro

Chris Grosso discussion by Discussion by Dennis and Phil

Ian Johnson is a Pulitzer-Prize winning writer focusing on society, religion, and history. He has spent nearly twenty years in the Greater China region, as a student and a newspaper correspondent. He works out of Beijing, where he writes features and essays for The New York Times, The New York Review of Books, The New Yorker, and National Geographic. He also teaches undergraduates at The Beijing Center for Chinese Studies and advises a variety of academic journals and think tanks on China. He also worked in Germany twice, from 1988 to 1992, when he covered the fall of the Berlin Wall and German unification, and from 2001 to 2009 as The Wall Street Journal's bureau chief and senior writer. Johnson has earned several prizes for journalism, including the 2001 Pulitzer for his coverage of China. The latest of his three books, The Souls of China: The Return of Religion After Mao. We spoke about that book, which chronicles China's religious revival and its implications for politics and society. Learn more about Ian