The AllCreation Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Hola! (Español Abajo) In this Spanish-language podcast Salvadorian/USA farmworker, Letty Pineda, is interviewed by Rev. Neddy Astudillo for our collection, "A Climate Transition Supported by Faith." Learn more.

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Por el Rvda. Dra. Neddt Astudillo, editor invitado y presentado del podcast -

En EE.UU., los trabajadores agrícolas sufren una inseguridad alimentaria 400% mayor que el resto de la población.(1) En todo el país, el 83% de los que recogen verduras y frutas se consideran hispanos.(2) Florida es el segundo mayor productor de frutas y verduras. En tiempos de cambio climático, los trabajadores al aire libre de este Estado, incluidos los trabajadores agrícolas, se encuentran entre los más vulnerables a las olas de calor, y los menos protegidos.

Actualmente en Florida no existen protecciones estatales o federales contra el estrés térmico para los trabajadores al aire libre. En cambio, en el Congreso se está intentando aprobar el proyecto de ley 433,(3) que impediría a las comunidades locales aprobar leyes para proteger a los trabajadores al aire libre de la exposición excesiva al calor y de las lesiones relacionadas con el calor, señalando que, de lo contrario, podría acabar con el negocio de la construcción; mientras tanto, los trabajadores agrícolas ven afectada su salud, su riqueza y sus medios de vida.(3) En 2023, un joven trabajador agrícola murió en el trabajo, de un golpe de calor fácilmente evitable, si las leyes estuvieran ahí para apoyar a los trabajadores, y no sólo a los beneficios empresariales. 

Dado que el acceso al agua, la sombra y los descansos es vital para la salud de los trabajadores agrícolas, la Asociación de Trabajadores Agrícolas de Florida, en colaboración con la Escuela de Enfermería de la Universidad Emori,(5) se ha propuesto la misión de educar a los trabajadores, supervisores y empleadores sobre cómo prevenir, reconocer y responder al estrés por calor en el trabajo, y evitar muertes. 

En este episodio, Letty Pineda, salvadoreña que trabajó en Florida como trabajadora agrícola durante 20 años, comparte su experiencia sobre los efectos de los pesticidas en la salud de los campesinos, y el aumento de las olas de calor de los últimos cinco años. Para ella, ambas cosas se hicieron insoportables. Hoy trabaja con familias de trabajadores agrícolas para la Asociación de Trabajadores Agrícolas, como organizadora del programa de Agroecología. En su nuevo puesto, Letty facilita oportunidades para que las familias de trabajadores agrícolas cultiven alimentos orgánicos en una parcela comunal, o Huerta comunitaria. Lo que crece en los campos pertenece a la empresa o al propietario de la tierra. En la Huerta, la gente es libre de recoger y disfrutar de lo que se planta y se cosecha. Como los propios trabajadores del campo eligen lo que se cultiva y participan en el mantenimiento de la huerta comunal, todo lo que crece tiene un valor cultural. 

Letty cree que la Creación está ahí para que la disfrutemos, y ha visto cómo la Tierra responde, dando y sanando, cuando la cuidamos bien.

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Gracias por su atención. Este podcast es parte de nuestra colección, Una transición climática apoyada por la fe: de las voces de mujeres islámicas e indígenas, editada por el Reva. Dra. Neddy Astudillo. Consulte esa colección para obtener más información. Visite nuestra lista de correo electrónico, podcasts y canal de YouTube para obtener más contenido. Regístrese para recibir nuestros correos electrónicos trimestrales aquí. 

Hola! (Español abajo) In this Spanish-language podcast, Argentinian cinematographer and forest-activist, Natay Etai Collet, is interviewed by Rev. Neddy Astudillo for our collection, "A Climate Transition Supported by Faith." Learn more here. Don’t miss Natay's exceptional cinematography in the videos here.

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SINOPSIS
En este podcast, el reverendo Neddy Astudillo entrevista a la directora de fotografía y activista forestal argentina Natay Etai Collet para nuestra colección "Una transición climática apoyada por la fe". Aprende más aquí. No te pierdas la excepcional cinematografía de Natay en los videos  aquí.

Del anfitrión, Reva. Dra. Neddy Astudillo -

Natay Etai Collet nació en la ciudad de Juan José Castelli provincia del Chaco, Argentina. Desde niña siempre tuvo relación con la naturaleza  y los animales de granja que a ella le tocaba cuidar junto a sus amigas y amigos que también eran de diversas culturas.  En su barrio había y hay una gran parte de gente que son descendientes de Alemanes del Volga, familias Criollas Campesinas y Familias Qom y un Sr. Wichí el cual vive debajo de un Quebracho Colorado. 

A los 9 años ya tenía una cámara de rollo y se pasaba sacando fotos al entorno donde vivían. A los 10 años se dijo, “esto es lo mío”, cuando vió en acción a un grupo de personas de un programa de Tv (“La aventura del hombre”), que venían a filmar el monte. Desde hace 14 años, y ahora como parte de Tortugas Producciones, realiza registros audiovisuales de la flora y fauna, paisajes y entrevistas a personas que viven en el departamento general Güemes y Brown llamado popularmente “el impenetrable”. Estos registros muchas veces lo hace en forma individual y muchas otras acompañada por personas conocedoras de la zona, vecinos y colegas guardaparques, con el objetivo de poder dejar un banco de imagen y sonido de lo que es la región. 

Natay ha trabajado en más de 100 proyecciones en comunidades Qom, Wichi, Criollos y para su pueblo. Entre ellas un Festival de cine Indígena impulsado por el Depto. de Cine de la Provincia y el CEFREC de Bolivia, donde ayudó con la producción y apoyo en los talleres, cine comunitario, cine donde la gente cuenta lo que quiere contar, la cámara como una herramienta de comunicación de la propia cultura escrita por la propia gente. 

Filmando conoció el desmonte, que de niña ya veía al pasar los camiones con árboles gigantescos. De grande ya eran camiones más máquinas topadoras con cadenas. Ha filmado el desmonte donde una vez filmó el monte. Ya no estaban los animales, ya no estaban las plantas. 

Y así, una mezcla de experiencias en Parques provinciales y las áreas naturales, más una crisis política y económica muy dura, la llevó recientemente a guardar la cámara viejita con su banco de imágenes, y a estudiar la carrera de Técnico Superior en Guardaparque en San Pedro Misiones. 

Desde hace un año Natay es guardaparque del Parque Natural Provincial Loro Hablador. Vive en el monte, trabaja para cuidarlo junto a la gente, y continúa haciendo cine móvil y filmando. Sobre todo, trata de disfrutar y colaborar para cuidar este último pedazo de monte que queda, con el sufrimiento de la gente, de la fauna, de la flora y de los ríos que se secan. Igual sigue filmando, poniendo el cuerpo y la esperanza, para que se preserve.

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Gracias por su atención. Este podcast es parte de nuestra colección, Una transición climática apoyada por la fe: de las voces de mujeres islámicas e indígenas, editada por el Reva. Dra. Neddy Astudillo. Consulte esa colección para obtener más información. Visite nuestra lista de correo electrónico, podcasts y canal de YouTube para obtener más contenido. Regístrese para recibir nuestros correos electrónicos trimestrales aquí. 

This is ’’Pathways of Teshuvah, Part 2 - The Power of Reconnection (to Nature): Divinity, Healing, Reconciliation.’’ This recording is part 2 of 3-part discussion with breakthrough academic, Dr. Pesach Chananiah, and youth mentor / gardener / veteran, Mr. Marcus Kar, on reconnecting to Nature for sacred communion and emotional wellbeing. In this segment, host Chris Searles invites Dr. Chananiah and Mr. Kar to share about their own Nature-reconnection, Nature-immersion experiences. They relate powerful connections to Divinity, Healing, Self-identification, Community-membership, and more. “This isn’t just about growing food and saving the environment.“

About Our Guests

•  Dr. Pesach Chananiah (author) is a Jewish ecopsychologist, educator, and community organizer working in interfaith and environmental spaces. He writes about the psychological impact of disconnection from land, through a Jewish lens, and explores modes of healing through embodied spiritual practice in the natural world. Read his paper, Pathways of Teshuvah, on AllCreation.org.
•  Marcus Kar (special guest) is a decorated veteran and a native of “North” Minneapolis, a predominantly African-descent (African-American) community struggling to overcome racism, economic poverty, and other forms of America’s institutional biases. Marcus is program director at Youth Farm, North Minneapolis, “a multi-faceted youth development organization growing food and young leaders, healthy bodies and minds, positive identity, neighborhood connections, community opportunities, and healthy relationships.”

Program
0:00  Welcome & Intro  

                “Reconnecting to the Land Life is our best asset for a whole number of NON-environmental solutions… This reconnection to nature is healing traumas and helping people grow into greater relationship with the other people around them.“ (Searles)

2:00 Session begins: 

     Accessing our positive potential thorough connection to Nature. 

2:25 Dr. Chananiah 

     On Connecting to the Divine outdoors, in modern times

4:30 Mr. Kar

     On connecting to mentors and ecosystems for answers:

       > Avri Zen

       > People, plants & sky 

       > Dean, the veteran

       > West African culture

       > Mom

       8:14 Doing better than ’’surviving’’

       9:30 Honesty, Apologizing, Integrity, Direct communication 

       10:30 Building Trust with Youth

       11:15 Taking away the Trauma

        > Farms & gardens as safe spaces 

        where people are challenged, respected, 

        and connected to each other… 

       12:45 Living in rhythm and harmony, instead of ’’control’’

15:00 What is ’’I love you. I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you.’’ ?

16:00  Dr. Chananiah 

       On visiting the West Bank 

       16:45 ’’Sin’’ vs. Missing the mark (Cheit)

       18:15 Apologizing, repenting, making amends 

       19:20 Tending olive trees and *Ho O Pono Pono* 

       19:55   Just do it! (Expressing care for God’s creation = stress avoidance)

21:30 Mr. Kar  

       On Reconciling and Returning

       23:00 Systematic Oppression in America is Real for Black People. 
                “This is how I got to Nature.“ (Kar)

        24:00 What Black Americans Need. 

        24:30 Marcus’s experience of oppression: treated like a criminal not a decorated veteran   

        24:55 Going to Nature for healing

25:30 How did you gain enough healing to be a leader? 

26:10 Mr. Kar  

                “I don’t want to pass the trauma on, I want to enjoy myself as I am and share it with everyone.“ (Kar)

         27:45 Back to Reconciliation

                ’What I need is the ability to spend the rest of my life enjoying and producing and creating my own healthy environment, and that will impact everyone around me.’’

This is ’’Pathways of Teshuvah, Part 1 - Identifying the Separation: Judaism's land-return.’’  This recording is part 1 of 3-part discussion with breakthrough academic, Dr. Pesach Chananiah, and youth mentor / gardener / war veteran, Mr. Marcus Kar, on reconnecting to Nature for sacred communion and emotional wellbeing. In this segment, host Chris Searles shares a synopsis of Dr.  Chananiah’s primary points on the impacts of the Exiles on Judaism’s disconnection from Nature, and Mr. Kar relates his own experience, seeking to be a vessel for positive change.

About Our Guests

•  Dr. Pesach Chananiah (author) is a Jewish ecopsychologist, educator, and community organizer working in interfaith and environmental spaces. He writes about the psychological impact of disconnection from land, through a Jewish lens, and explores modes of healing through embodied spiritual practice in the natural world. Read his paper, Pathways of Teshuvah, on AllCreation.org.
•  Marcus Kar (special guest) is a decorated veteran and a native of “North” Minneapolis, a predominantly African-descent (African-American) community struggling to overcome racism, economic poverty, and other forms of America’s institutional biases. Marcus is program director at Youth Farm, North Minneapolis, “a multi-faceted youth development organization growing food and young leaders, healthy bodies and minds, positive identity, neighborhood connections, community opportunities, and healthy relationships.”

PROGRAM

0:00  Welcome & Intro  

2:30 Part I: Identifying the Separation from Nature: Judaism’s land-return

   2:50 Temples were metaphors for homelands 

   3:30 Exiles were environmentally-harsh (from the Fertile Crescent to the barren desert)

4:25 Dr. Chananiah 

   4:50 Professional disclaimers, backstory, search for identity, field work

   7:15 Teshuvah: ’’to return’’

8:45 Mr. Kar 

   9:35 Self-acceptance, identity, feelings 

   11:30 Being a vessel, not an expert, for positive change

12:10 The Separation from Nature

   12:30 Benstein quote 

   13:00 Rev. Korngold quote  

13:00 Dr. Chananiah: quick chronologies of the Exile

   13:15 the Temple   

   15:00 from Rites to Teachings

   16:15 Laws > Connection (to the lands,  other life, and Earth) 

   17:30 Rabbi Nachman’s hitbodedut

19:00 The Divine IN Nature? 

20:00 Dr. Chananiah: on “Diveykut“ and hugging, wrapping & “cleaving“ to the Divine  

   21:00 Nomads’ literal connections: 

   e.g. Abraham goes to the teacher tree

   e.g. Moses and the Burning Bush

 
23:00 Could I, a modern person, also experience Divinity in the wilderness?  

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#Teshuvah

#hitbodedut

#diveykut

#lechlecha

Teshuvah means to Return... Welcome to Pathways of Teshuvah: a discussion with Dr. Pesach Chananiah and Marcus Kar on Dr. Channaniah's breakthrough paper, "Pathways of Teshuvah: Repentance, Return, and Reconciliation Across Time and Place". This conversation is a continuation of a couple of features from AllCreations collection, Envisioning Transformation. In this event, AllCreation exec. editor Chris Searles interviews Chananiah and Kar about the revolutionary idea of finding truer identity, connection to the divine, deep-trauma healing, authentic community, and a more -- through deeper and more engaged relationships with Nature.

In part one we explore the ancient Jewish exile as separation from a number of "Nature-based" spiritual practices and how that led to the invention of indoor worship. In part two, Dr. Chananiah and Mr. Kar share personal insights and reflections on how living a more Nature-immersed life is both healing and energizing. And in part three, they talk about the necessity of getting one's own time to be safe, alone with, and connected to Nature.

About 

• Dr. Pesach Channaniah (featured author) is a community psychologist, author, educator, and organizer in Nevada, currently working to bring unions together on issues and opportunities around cleaner energy, with the Blue Green Alliance.  
• Marcus Kar (special guest), Program Director, Youth Farm, North Minneapolis, is a youth mentor and food justice champion. He is also co-chair of the Homegrown Minneapolis Food Council. 
• Chris Searles (host) is director of BioIntegrity and executive editor of AllCreation.org. He is also chief editor of the AllCreation collection, Envisioning Transformation.   

 

Program
0:00 Welcome, Introduction, Overview
06:30 Conversation begins
    - Chris Searles, host 
    - Dr. Pesach Chananiah, author
    - Marcus Kar, special guest
08:40 Part 1: Identifying the Separation
32:00 Part 2: The Power of Reconnection
1:01:00 Part 3: How Do We Move Forward Together?

References

• Dr. Channaniah's paper: https://allcreation.org/home/pathways 
• "Envisioning Transformation": https://allcreation.org/home/winter-2022
• Marcus Kar interview: https://allcreation.org/home/marcus-kar
• In this video introduction (see video: https://youtu.be/rOjVC1ThtVo) host, Chris Searles, shows a timeline of the most recent scientific assessments of the history of Life on Earth, from first microbes to modern humans. To read an overview of that science, check out, "The Value of Biosphere Earth, part one: Earth's Life Timeline," here: https://biointegrity.net/value 

   

Thanks for listening.
Visit AllCreation.org for more. 
PResented by AllCreation & BioIntegrity.net 

Achieving Transformation: Dina Kunin. “It shifted my perspective that my life did not have to stay that way.” Reiki healer, harmonious dog trainer (family & child education, animal behavior improvement & relationship building), empath, stenographer, and more, Dina Kunin came to the US as Ukrainian Jewish refugee in her teens. In this interview, Ms. Kunin shares some of her personal story on overcoming that transition, takes us through one of her personal healing miracles, and shares powerful wisdoms related to personal healing and social progress (see Quotes section, below). Coming from a childhood where her grandparents “knew every leaf, plant and berry in the forest,” Dina goes on to share personal food and folk medicine regimens, talk about her work as a healer and dog trainer (aka. dog whisperer/human trainer), and much more. In this expansive conversation Dina is interviewed by guest editor and friend, Rev. Louis Tillman,  and AllCreation exc. editor, Chris Searles, as part of our Envisioning Transformation collection.

   

Learn More

• Dina’s Harmonious dog trainer website 
• Rev. Louis Tillman 

 

PROGRAM

0:00 Intro

1:30 Hello, what’s your story 

2:30 On migrating to the USA from Russia 

4:30 What is Reiki?

   > Definitions

   > 6:30 Her practitioner’s perspective 

  > 6:50 Her Reiki-healing miracle 

11:00 On achieving personal-healing / transformation 

13:15 To “envision transformation” one has to believe it’s possible; experiencing transformation helps…  

   > 14:30 Manifestation & visualization is such a beautiful thing; We are so powerful and we don’t even know it

   > 15:45 Breath. Matters.

16:15 How has Heath & Wellness impacted you, what do you recommend?

   > 17:00 Dina’s regimens 

   > 18:20 Fasting, Resting, Sleeping, Healing, Regenerating 

  > 19:40 On natural, folk & food medicines and healing 

   >20:30 Dina’s kitchen/health staples 

21:00 Louis asks about honey, food, community gardens, and … Crickets???

   > 24:30 What is keeping us from protecting our environment 

   > 25:00 Our Actual connections to the environment
  > 27:00 Meat & crickets 

   > 29:00 Wild locusts & honey 

   > 30:15  Crickets for manifesting good 

  > 31:00  Crickets for food…

32:20 Ahem,,, :) What institutional changes do we need?

   > 33:00 Dina’s mantra in life 

   > 33:30 Framing her opinions

   > 35:00 How do we bridge divides 

35:45 Positive change is intergenerational 

37:00 Are our Comforts creating despair? How do we move into being a convoy of hope as a Faith community?

   > 39:15 Connection, Community, & Community-knowledge

   > 39:50 Valuing our Elders    

   > 41:45 Give positivity

42:55 Is “Kinship “ the right thing to go for?

45:30 Louis inspired & grateful,,,  

   > 46:30 Yes: the essentials… We all have the same needs. > 47:30 Reconnect to our breath, our similarities   

   > 49:45 Connected care feels better   

   > 51:50 Breath: How to breathe 

   > 53:00 Creating peaceful feelings 

       > calming the dog  

       > breathing from your belly

55:45 What is your message to the world?

  > Choose: Connection. Choose: Positive Mindset. <

56:25 How can we help carry that out?

   > Choose: Kindness. < 

   > 57:30 Choose to do something good. 

 > 48:15 One action does make a difference. 

58:45 What keeps you going? 

   > 59:45 Re-connection; Coming back into focus 

   > 1:00:25 Vision: That We Realize Our Power as a Human Community.   

1:00:45 Wrap up

References 

• Reiki
• Diaphragmatic breathing
• Stenographer
• Product

 

Quotes 

Being compassionate is the key to all of this.

I have not been sick in years. 

We take breathing for granted and most of us don’t know how to breathe correctly...

We all just want to be happy, and we want to be secure, and we want to be free. We all have the same needs, every single person in the world.

For me to get to a peaceful state I picture myself sitting by the ocean, and listening to the water, and feeling the breeze and wind in my air, and smelling that salt air, and taking those deep breaths. . . I’m able to transition into that actual state. . . We are so powerful and we don’t even know it.  
 
It is always a balance of Western & Eastern Medicines coming together, but if I’m able to heal myself using natural foods that are available to me, that will always be my first go-to. 

I do feel the younger people will prevail, but we have to help them.   
 
Sometimes it’s just so overwhelming you don’t even want to think about, you don’t to even be there, so that’s why a lot people just numb themselves to this, because they feel if they can’t affect change then they just need to focus on themselves.
 
I know it’s cliche but, (our) similarities are so simple. You know, just listening to someone without having the need to respond, and just hearing their story — because our reality is only based in our perception and our experience of how we envision the world.

Even though it may not be your experience, and even though you may never be able to relate to exactly what they are going through…the humanity in all of us and just being compassionate — that is the key to all of this. Gratitude is the key to happiness, you know, being just mindful and grateful for things elicits peace for me.

Choose connection. Choose happiness. Choose gratitude.  Choose positive mindset — because a positive mindset does not change your situation, but it does change the way you respond to things. That will help you transform your life.

Choose kindness. Choose to take a deep breath before you react in a situation. Choose to do somet...

Achieving Transformation: Marcus Kar is a native of “North” Minneapolis, a predominantly African-descent (African-American) community struggling to overcome racism, poverty, and other forms of American-institutional abuse. Marcus is program director for Youth Farm, “a multi-faceted youth development organization growing food and young leaders, healthy bodies and minds, positive identity, neighborhood connections, community opportunities, and healthy relationships.” In this interview he shares garden-grown wisdoms on how and where to find healing and healthy-self. His insights are extensive (see Quotes, below). He is interviewed by friend, Rev. Louis Tillman and AllCreation exec. editor, Chris Searles, as part of our collection, Envisioning Transformation.

Learn More

• Youth Farm
• Marcus’s LinkedIN
• Marcus’s compelling music  

PROGRAM
0:00 Intro

2:45 Who are you?

   > about Youth Farm 

   > 4:00 about Marcus

   > 5:20 about working w kids 

   > 6:00 about redirecting energy and cultural identity

   > 7:30 about his homegrown Minneapolis Food Council 

   > 8:40 about his nature healing / nature wealth movement 

   > 10:00 on success & his vision

11:30 Does is take a village to raise a child?
   > 15:00 On separation and learned-behaviors

   > 15:50 “Nature is medicine... No one knows how to put the pieces back together... That’s what nature does“

   > 18:40 “I’ve been guided by powerful women“
   > 19:40 America’s worldview = Duality (duality is a divider)

   > 22:20 We have to find social balance.

   > 24:00 Comments on Bio-intelligence  

   > 28:35 “I want people to know…“ 

32:00 What is your message to the world?

   > 38:45 Coming together nonverbally, redirecting trauma, angst , pain and alienation

44:45 Wrap up

 

References

• “North“ = North Minneapolis 

 
Quotes

I’m an indigenous person. I’m a product of so many people.

What I try to tell people now is: I wish they would spend a little time with me when it comes to what they wanna see as far as change in their immediate environment, because I redirect energy...
  
No one is helping young people understand how to feel their feelings.       
 
I’m trying to create a movement around growing and I want people to use it as medicine. I wanna share what I gained from nature with my entire environment. 
  
One of the elders told me, “If you don’t move your physical, you lose your spiritual.”

Nature is medicine.

There’s a very thin line between a plant and a human being.

Everything we want for ourselves and we want to know about bettering this world, bettering our environment, you can find in the bio-ecosystem. We need to be a part of it, not necessarily be in control of it. You can’t control her.   

I tend to never be married to any one idea or approach. I’m not trying to sustain any of these (institutional) systems. I’m really trying to figure a way for us to be able to listen to each other and self-correct, in order to provide the kind of environment we need to thrive.

This idea of “intergenerational processes”: it keeps the Old young, and the Young wise.

It’s very hard for people who’ve never dealt with any kind of adversity or any issues with the police to understand, but a kid who got his arm broke by a cop will live his whole life feeling that phantom pain. We need to recognize how we can extract it: by holding him; telling him he’s ok; telling him how to avoid those things; and telling him where his power is or her power is…   

Instead of listening to people, you wanna write policy...

The new revolution has nothing to do with control or division. It has a lot to do with addition and it has a lot to do with balance. 

Seeing this stuff is traumatizing. . . Man, if you could only redirect that. I don’t want us to react. I don’t want us to live in the poison of guilt, anger, and sadness.     

Don’t ever keep this stuff to yourself. If you’re going through any depression or trauma, just do me a favor -- try to talk to someone.

I want to try and eliminate the number of shootings we have and green spaces have that impact on communities. The more we are outside together, eating together, living together, the less the shooters are there.   

I’m not special, I’m present. I know them, their grandmas, their aunties, their fathers, their mothers, and I get down to their level. They wanna call me in the middle of the night and talk to me about what’s happenin in the crib, I got you… I’m present.  
 
How do you keep the balance? This is something we don’t teach. We teach everyone they’re special and they all get prizes. No. Listen: In order to keep balance you need to learn how to follow… The idea of reacting isn’t a positive thing. 

If you’re not a kind man, you’re not my kind of man. (“Man” = human)

Everything that’s happening has an impact on everything else here. Be aware of that. Know that you’re important in the grand scheme of everything. 

We want to be one with [the seasons] so we can actually produce the thing that is our God-given right, what Nature provides us.

Every time we get an opportunity to rest and take our time, it seems like Capitalism is taking that away... I love being exhausted for a reason, like, if I get done shoveling 10 cubic yards of soil in a wheel barrow and running up and down a hill — yea, I’m tired, but for a reason. If you just wake up in the morning tired, there’s something wrong with that.

We should be in control of the technology… And I really hope we start using technology to Rest, first of all…

If you rest your mind, you’re capable of processing things -- not based on a forced system or process, you’ll be able to see many different processes and as long as there are shared values you’ll be able to take any approach to that end result… But, in order to choose one you have to rest; you gotta be in sync; you gotta be on time.

People think I’m growing all this, I’m not. This is a bio-ecosystem. I’m a part of it and I know...

A Life of Transformation: Rev. Jimi Calhoun. The son of a pastor, Rev. Jimi Calhoun was a teen and early adopter of Hippie culture in the San Francisco Bay area during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. As a prodigious young musician he worked with breakthrough stars like Wilson Pickett and Lou Rawls before he could drive. By the early 1980s he had played on 100s of credited and uncredited recordings, including Exile on Main Street by The Rolling Stones. He is best known today for classic recordings with Dr. John (including the album, Gumbo), Parliament Funkadelic, Sly Stone, and his own band, Creation. In 1983 he entered pastoral training and has been ministering ever since. He is currently Lead Pastor at Bridging Austin. Rev. Calhouns’ books explore how Rock & Roll and Religion can help each other create long-lasting reconciliations. He is interviewed here by AllCreation exec. editor, Chris Searles, as part of our Winter Solstice collection: Envisioning Transformation.

Learn More

• JimiCalhoun.com
• Jimi Calhoun author page
• Jimi Calhoun bass player page 
• A favorite early recording with Gene Redding
• BridgingAustin.org 
• Rev. Calhoun is also a guest panelist at: Called to Care.

  
  

References

• Genesis 1:26
• Genesis 2
• Teshuvah
• Restorative Justice
• Punitive Justice  

PROGRAM
0:00     Welcome & Intro

4:00     How have you experienced transformation?  

8:15     How does society come together around a common identity?

10:30     Were people less afraid of conflict and discomfort in the 60s? 

17:40     How did the Hippie movement and Civil Rights movements feel?  

25:00     How do you relate creation care to human care?

29:00     What do you mean by biblical ecology?

32:00     How do you view the long journey of healing, reparations, etc.? 

36:00     Restorative justice through kinship 

41:00     Why do we fight against and destroy Other-life?   

45:00     Doing service feels good, right?

48:30     Jimi’s comments on predictions & sticking together 

 

QUOTES  

“Who are we? Why are we here? Why are we doing this?“

We’ve lost our sense of mystery and wonder. We’re not looking beyond the everyday, mundane-accumulation of goods and materials-stuff. We’re not living in two places at once; we’re not living in the now and looking to the future.

There's no starting point for the common good. 
 
Our political system is adversarial by definition, but disagreements should only be on the issues, not the essentials. We’ve crossed a line from disagreeing with people to being disagreeable with people... You loved ’em before you found out who they voted for. So that same person you loved five minutes ago, you can still love. 

I’m not Utopian... I am altruistic and I do believe better is possible, but I believe it is hard to achieve. 

And I thought, Wow, what an illustration for how challenging it is in the broader culture to have people be patient with the other, while they’re pursuing what it is they’re trying to contribute to the overall...  We’re not a very patient society.   

My job is to be of benefit to everyone, to protect and serve.

In a covenantal relationship you have to keep going no matter what the other person does, you have to push ahead, you do your part regardless of the outcome, you do what you’re supposed to do... That is creation care.  

Where are my ’kind’? We really need to be careful when we assume we know who our KIND are.   

You can see diversity is already built into the universe. It should not take a degree from Harvard to figure out that diversity is a good thing.

They think they’re doing the right thing by assuming everyone has their worldview.

I could give you some answers from my reading or my religious training, but they wouldn’t be very satisfying because they would only cover a small segment of the population.

I would say the biggest adversary is laziness… Being aware and appreciative of the diversity that exists is hard work and I think we’re basically lazy. We want everything to come to us. I don't think anybody is afraid, I think they’re lazy.

As Western people, we’re result-oriented rather than process-oriented. To have transformation that’s going to be lasting or meaningful, sometimes it requires us to be process-oriented.

I’m doing this because. I’m doing this because. I’m doing this because.

 

 

###

Thanks for listening. 

This podcast is one of seven interviews 

from our Winter Solstice 2022 collection, 

"EnvisioningTransformation." It was edited
by Chris Searles. Visit our podcasts page 
for more.

A Life of Transformation: Marj Barlow, PhD., is a historically-significant therapist, global-business-change leader, and self-care advocate from Texas. Most famous for her pioneering leadership at Interface Carpets, the world’s largest commercial carpet manufacturer, and first global manufacturer to try to reach net zero and net regenerative environmental impacts, Dr. Barlow built her success off of an identity rooted in honesty, family, Faith, science, and her own experiences. In this podcast, AllCreation exec. editor Chris Searles asks Dr. Barlow to share about being a feminist co-leader, caring more for Other-life, and achieving right transformation. This interview is part of AllCreation’s Winter Solstice collection, Envisioning Transformation. 

Learn More

• MarjBarlow.com
• The Pocket Grandmother
• The Possible Woman
• Interface eco-sustainability legacy 

Listen to part 1 of this interview.

 Transformational Virtues Discussed

• Seeking love
• Awe
• Gratitude
• Healing
• Play
• Curiosity about positive potential   

PROGRAM
0:00    Feminism: How are we doing? 
10:00    The 4 levels of love: 

• Eros - attraction
• Agape - true friendship
• Philia - true familial love
• Caritas - sacrificial love, giving your life for the good of others (“a calling, a joy, a happiness“) 

15:00    How do you relate to the living creation?

19:00    How should religious institutions transform to achieve a better future?  

QUOTES

Studying Happiness has helped me have a sense of the value of our choice-making. Everyday I get up and I say, “What is today?” And I have a sense of awe. And every person that comes into my life, I have a sense of awe. That makes it new and real and exciting, and nothing every dull or boring, so perhaps curiosity and awe are valuable attributes at institutional-identity scale.

I kind of have an inner path I follow: I prefer to be curious, rather than certain. I think that has led me to a lot of diversity... There’s not just one way, as many of the Fundamentalist sermons I heard suggested. 

Most of the people who initiated (therapy in the early days) were female. It would be the mother bringing in the son, or the mother bringing in the whole family. The mother would be the one always organizing that.   

(In the 1960s, White America) was very paternalistic and I had to prove that I had done right by his money and his children.
 
The male does tend in our species to focus; he makes a good TV-watcher! The female is more the Gatherer; she’s born to shop! That is the problem right there: Can the shoppers and the focusers get together to declare the universe needs one song?! :)
 
We’re not done yet. We’re still evolving.

We have the joy of being present, listening, and seeking something new.

Love that stretches and a mind that is eternally curious, that’s how I see our evolutionary drift. 

The biggest change that’s on the horizon is the fact that we are hooked-up and we can communicate -- and, therefore, we can’t keep pockets of secrecy, and I think more and more are enlightened as to our environmental emergency.

I have a sense of gratitude and awe about how it all works. It’s the most fascinating thing in the world to think of Life as it exists here on this little blue, tiny planet. . . I am so in awe of the people who are learning how to be good stewards of our physical environment.

.... “Whatsoever thing thy neighbor doeth that pulleth thy chain, puncheth thy button or ringeth thy bell — that thing hath more to do with thee than thy neighbor!” :)

###

Thanks for listening.
This podcast is one of seven interviews
from our Winter Solstice 2022 collection,
"Envisioning Transformation." It was pro-
duced and edited by Chris Searles. Visit
our podcasts page for more.

A Life of Transformation: Marj Barlow, PhD., is a historically-significant therapist, global-business-change leader, and self-care advocate from Texas. Most famous for her pioneering leadership at Interface Carpets, the world’s largest commercial carpet manufacturer, and first global manufacturer to try to reach net zero and net regenerative environmental impacts, Dr. Barlow built her success off of an identity rooted in honesty, family, Faith, science, and her own experiences. In this podcast, editor Chris Searles wanted to ’envision transformation’ from an American/Christian historical perspective, so he asked Marj to share about her early life. Born and raised in rural West Texas in the 1930s, mother to five, and more, Marj knows transformation. This interview is part of AllCreation’s collection, Envisioning Transformation. 

Learn More

• MarjBarlow.com
• The Pocket Grandmother
• The Possible Woman
• Interface eco-sustainability legacy  
• Listen to part 2 of this interview. 

References 

• Owens, TX 
• The Great Depression, 1930s
• Fundamental Baptist (West TX), Texas Baptist history 
• Cream separator (1935), driving a tractor (1939)
• Canyon, TX; Kingsville, TX; The King Ranch; Austin, TX; Corpus Christi, TX (1940s-2010s)
• World War II, 1940-1945 
• Plastics engineering, 1945
• BBA, professional opportunities for White US women, 1945
• Quantum physics, 1950s 
• Rev. Carlye Marney, Gov. Alan Shivers, 1950s
• Clifton Strength Finder, Don Clifton, 1960s
• Positive psychology, 1960s   
• Cleburne County community therapy, 1960s 
• Jean Houston  
• Mystery of what love is 

Program
0:00    Welcome & intro 

3:00    Marj shares about her childhood 

10:00    Adult life at 15

15:15    A Baptist, quantum-physicist, first husband  

21:00    Single mom with four children at 34

24:30    Becoming a counselor & second husband   

32:30    Massive American culture shift 

38:00    New life as a therapist

42:00    How her beliefs have evolved 

• respect for more pious people
• exploring other Faiths, different pathways 
• social life
• sampling other Christian denominations
• Jean Houston, Life Force  
• Life after death science 

Quotes  

Each little child is to be unfolded, not molded.
 
I think that’s all we have, is our story -- and everybody’s story is very important to me. So I try to help people join what I call ’’The Triple A’’ and become the Author, Actor, and Audience of your life story. You’re the only one who will watch your story from birth to death… I help people get their story into a form they can live with.

Each human being is unique and very significant. We are God in action and it is our sacred privilege to travel a lifetime and learn how to love.
 
Who are you really? What could you be? 

Thanks for listening.
This podcast is one of seven interviews from our
Winter Solstice 2022 collection, "Envisioning Transformation." 
It was edited by Chris Searles.