Everyday Sublime Podcast | Body, Mind + Beyond – Details, episodes & analysis

In this very personal episode, I am joined by Perdita Finn. Perdita and her husband Clark’s work with their organization The Way of the Rose has had an enormous impact on my own practice.

Perdita and I both felt we were joined by the presence of my niece, Adelia (8) who left this earth all too soon. (For this reason alone, this is an episode unlike any other I’ve done).

Together we explore the significance of loss, the power of the rosary as a spiritual practice, and the importance of motherhood and collective healing in navigating the complexities of modern life. Perdita emphasizes the need for a deeper understanding of spirituality that transcends conventional frameworks, inviting listeners to reconnect with their desires and the mysteries of existence. We delve into the themes of reincarnation, intergenerational healing, the power of prayer, and how listening to children can reveal deep truths about our past and how ancestral connections can guide us in the present. The discussion also touches on the importance of manifesting desires through spiritual practices, the creativity that arises from prayer, and the revolutionary potential of women's voices in shaping new narratives. Ultimately, they emphasize the need for a collective reimagining of our stories and connections to foster healing and transformation in our lives and communities.

Perdita Finn is the co-founder, with her husband Clark Strand, of the feral fellowship The Way of the Rose, which inspired their book The Way of the Rose: The Radical Path of the Divine Feminine Hidden in the Rosary. They are currently at work on their next book together Circles Not Lines: Spiritual Community Beyond Patriarchy.  To find out more about her devotion to “ecology not theology” visit www.wayoftherose.org

In addition to extensive study with Zen masters, priests, spirit workers, and healers, she apprenticed with the psychic Susan Saxman, with whom she wrote The Reluctant Psychic. Perdita Finn now teaches popular workshops on Getting to Know the Dead. Participants are empowered to activate the miracles in their own lives with the help of their ancestors and recover their own intuitive magic. Her book Take Back the Magic: Conversations with the Unseen World is an intimate journey through her recovery of these lost ways. She speaks widely on how to collaborate with those on the other side, on the urgent necessity of a new romantic animism, and on the sobriety that emerges when we claim the long story of our souls. Her next book is The Body of My Mother.

She lives with her family in the moss-filled shadows of the Catskill Mountains.

Chapters

11:08 The Impact of Loss and Grief

16:57 Reimagining Spiritual Practices

22:52 The Power of the Rosary

28:59 Motherhood and Collective Healing

39:06 Exploring Reincarnation and Intergenerational Healing

44:52 The Power of Prayer and Ancestral Connection

54:20 Creativity and the Role of the Rosary

59:25 Revolutionary Conversations: Women and Change

01:06:19 Imagining New Stories for a New Era

Join Our Election Session Livestream, November 5, 7pm EST  – Root deep in your spiritual values as we face the most consequential election of my life. When you join our Newsletter, we will send you a link for the Zoom event a day and then an hour before. 

Join Josh + Terry’s Newsletter: Yin + Yang elements of Yoga, Energy Medicine, meditation and beyond.

See you then and enjoy this preview of our Election Day Conversation.

Summary

In this conversation, Josh Summers and Miles Sherts delve into the intricate relationship between spirituality and democracy, exploring how practices like meditation can inform our understanding of democratic engagement. They discuss the role of ego in personal relationships and political dynamics, the historical context of Buddhism in political landscapes like Burma, and the importance of personal experiences in navigating political tensions. The dialogue emphasizes democracy as a spiritual practice that requires ongoing effort and awareness, particularly in the face of polarization and conflict.

Miles Sherts: https://www.practicalpresence.org/

Books by Miles: Conscious Communication, The Tyranny of the Ego, Human Nature

Takeaways

• Democracy and meditation both require constant practice and effort.

• Ego can hinder both personal relationships and democratic engagement.

• The political landscape of Buddhism in places like Burma is complex and nuanced.

• Personal experiences can shape our understanding of political tensions.

• Democracy should be viewed as a spiritual practice that fosters inclusion.

• Navigating political polarization requires empathy and open-heartedness.

• The practice of democracy involves recognizing our shared humanity.

• Ignoring the outside world can detract from our spiritual practice.

• Emotional responses to political events can be integral to our practice.

• Healing in a polarized environment requires understanding and connection.

Chapters

00:00 Navigating Spirituality and Politics

10:06 Emotions and Spiritual Practice in Political Contexts

15:00 Democracy as a Spiritual Practice

21:54 The Challenge of Inclusivity in Democracy

22:52 The Intersection of Democracy and Meditation

25:46 Ego and Relationships: A Deeper Connection

28:58 Personal Stories: Bridging Political Divides

Originally recorded on June 17, 2024, Josh reflects on a few of Death’s lessons, nihilism, quitting caffeine, moods of depression and the rainbow nature of self.

LINKS mentioned:

Sign up for our FREE Everyday Vitality practice pack for effective (and simple) ways to improve the vitality of your body, energy and mind.

Josh and Terry share 4 guided practices:

• Self-Massage for Circulation + Energy Flow (10min)

• Daily Mobility for Joint Suppleness + Longevity (15min)

• Dynamic Flow for Integrated Stability + Coordination (30min)

• Soothing Flow for Relaxation + Inner Renewal (30min)

=====>>>>www.joshsummers.net and sign up for your pack of Everyday Vitality practices.

Everyday Strength: 4 Weeks to a Stronger You! Join Josh and Terry for a four week strength training program as a foundation for an integral life practice of yoga, energy work and heart-based meditation. ======>>>>>Everyday Strength Series.

In this episode, Josh talks with Mushroom Revival founder, Alex Dorr, about how functional mushrooms can support mental and physical health.

"We share over 50% of our DNA with fungi. We're more closely related to fungi than plants." - Alex Dorr

Mushroom Revival:  Revive your health with the help of functional mushrooms in every form. Always organic, non-gmo, vegan, gluten free, lab tested, and super potent. Always 100% mushroom fruiting bodies and never mycelium on grain. A sub 5 second routine to 10x your health.

With time, practice will reveal our unresolved wounds that are still wound within the conditions of original trauma. - Josh Summers

The conscientious young monk Meditating three years alone Can no longer be moved By the four worldly winds. - from fictional Zen story told by Ajahn Brahm

Like this cup, you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup? - Zen Master Nan-in

Even as a mother protects with her life her child, her only child, so with a boundless heart should one cherish all living beings. - Buddha (from the Metta Sutta)

When we shift from being subject to a racial worldview to looking at it as an object; when we are able to see how it works and work to not racialize ourselves or others... now we're getting to where we can start to actually get off that karmic cycle. - Greg Thomas

The Buddha spoke of sati (mindfulness) and sampajanna (clear comprehension) as the twin aspects of awareness that nurture wisdom and compassion. Mindfulness and clear comprehension suggest the relationship between deep listening and deep understanding. - Josh Summers