Soul Forum

Amber (aka; Sheilajit) is a performance artist who weaves her deep connection to the earth and the cosmos into dance and music. Her reflections on the ways she channels the wisdom and medicine of the cosmos is a wonderful reminder to us all; we are not just our physical bodies, we are the 13.8 Billion year long story of the Universe.

How are you working to collaborate with this Cosmic Body?

Dan and Amber discuss how such a journey takes shape in her life, and its impact on the way she views herself and the world we share.

_________________

HOSTS:

Dan Senter brings nearly 40 years of experience engaging in the spiritual journey with individuals, congregations, and in community. 

In the previous two episodes, Karen and Dan discussed the different ways she finds her soul within the earth body. In this conversation, April speaks with her about the origins of her journey from waking up in domestication to becoming feral, wild and free; all while learning to coexist with the earth body, developing a more symbiotic relationship with this beloved planet we all call home.

-More About Our Guest-

If you’re interested in learning more about the Post Doom Bloom Women's Circle and/or the Post Doom No Gloom Discussion Group, you may contact Karen at her email below. Also below are two articles by Karen which she asked to be shared with our audience.

When all you imagine of yourself is integrated into the rhythms, patterns, and sustaining energy of the planet, where do you derive your sense of soul? In this second episode, Karen continues to explore her perspective on the character of this most intimate relationship and how it informs her self-understanding, and her deepest engagement with world. As the episode concludes, her life as an environmental activist begins to shift as she copes with a planet in crisis and discovers a hidden grace in the inevitability of climate collapse.

-More About Our Guest-

If you’re interested in learning more about the Post Doom Bloom Women's Circle and/or the Post Doom No Gloom Discussion Group, you may contact Karen at her email below. Also below are two articles by Karen which she asked to be shared with our audience.

Is there some way to expand your sense of body to include the very planet that sustains us? In the next three episodes, we sit down with Karen Perry as she takes us on a journey into her experience of moving away from domestication and into the wild. There, she begins to find a way into a deeper connection to the soul of the planet. For many, it is their relationship with nature that creates their most spiritual moments. Can it be that there is some access to soul body held within earth body?  

-More About Our Guest-

If you’re interested in learning more about the Post Doom Bloom Women's Circle and/or the Post Doom No Gloom Discussion Group, you may contact Karen at her email below. Also below are two articles by Karen which she asked to be shared with our audience.

The path of an artist is typically an uncommon one. In this episode, April sits down with Brian to unwrap the winding path that has led him to commit his life to a big goal that involves saving our planet in a conscious way.

-More About Our Guest-

Brian Enright's mission is to create works of art that inspire value and hope for individuals, communities and future generations; educating us about the beneficial impact of working with reclaimed materials.

All of our actions are interconnected and vital to our survival on this planet. Awakening as many people as possible to this reality is, therefore, increasingly important. By utilizing objects that would otherwise be discarded in landfill or forgotten places, he sheds light on the hidden potential of our refuse to literally take on a second life. He seeks to educate through his work on how better product design can and will eventually eliminate the end of lifespan for many man-made objects, an indispensable step in creating a sustainable environment worldwide for generations to come.

Enright and his art clearly demonstrate that simple changes in our thinking can effect positive changes in our culture and environment.

Brian Enright is an artist who works with found materials; the stuff none of us tend to notice. It is an art form that can remind us that there is a deeper story that is hidden beneath the surface.

While we tend to focus on our individual soul and its expression, is there a way to tend to the story held within our collective soul?

Brian uses the discarded to explore what that collective story might look like, what it tells us about ourselves, and the worlds we create. How might each of us tend to the collective story of our shared soul that runs silently under everything we touch, and see, and feel?

-More About Our Guest-

Brian Enright's mission is to create works of art that inspire value and hope for individuals, communities and future generations; educating us about the beneficial impact of working with reclaimed materials.

All of our actions are interconnected and vital to our survival on this planet. Awakening as many people as possible to this reality is, therefore, increasingly important. By utilizing objects that would otherwise be discarded in landfill or forgotten places, he sheds light on the hidden potential of our refuse to literally take on a second life. He seeks to educate through his work on how better product design can and will eventually eliminate the end of lifespan for many man-made objects, an indispensable step in creating a sustainable environment worldwide for generations to come.

Enright and his art clearly demonstrate that simple changes in our thinking can effect positive changes in our culture and environment.

Shifting from the idea of the individual soul to a possible collective soul is a tricky one. In this episode, Dan sits down with Brian Enright, who works as an artist, to discuss his experiences and perspectives as he attempts to create community art.

There is something about the process that feels like it might provide a window into the way each of us might tap into some sense of a collective soul. Where do we look or listen or journey to tap into a sense of soul that is beyond or beneath the individual perspective?

We hope you find the conversation provides some insights as you look a little deeper into the nature of our collective soul body.

-More About Our Guest-

Brian's mission is to create works of art that inspire value and hope for individuals, communities and future generations; educating us about the beneficial impact of working with reclaimed materials.

All of our actions are interconnected and vital to our survival on this planet. Awakening as many people as possible to this reality is, therefore, increasingly important. By utilizing objects that would otherwise be discarded in landfill or forgotten places, he sheds light on the hidden potential of our refuse to literally take on a second life. He seeks to educate through his work on how better product design can and will eventually eliminate the end of lifespan for many man-made objects, an indispensable step in creating a sustainable environment worldwide for generations to come.

Enright and his art clearly demonstrate that simple changes in our thinking can effect positive changes in our culture and environment.

In her early 30s, Marjorie was a super-capable single-mother doing all she could to keep life flowing for herself and her young children. Then the unimaginable happened, she discovered she had a brain tumor. Although the operation to remove the tumor was a success, Marjorie was left with her physical capacity deeply compromised. This forced her onto a  new path which included the hard won lessons of self-compassion and self-forgiveness. Along her journey,  she discovered the opening to embrace owning her own value with true grace and humility. As you listen to Marjorie share about her unique journey, which she’s also written about in her recent memoir, maybe consider the ways you allow yourself to step a little deeper into self-love and self-acceptance as you traverse the gentle, and not so gentle, paths life has laid before you. 

-More About Our Guest-

Using a few good stories, Dan works his way through a number of perspectives on what it means to imagine your spiritual life as an emerging spiral, or concentric circles, rather than a straight line. From the tree trunk, to the mythic story of Job in the Hebrew tradition, to discovering playground, to the Tenderloin in San Francisco, this episode invites you to explore the way your soul's journey might be unraveling and how you can pay attention to its curious dynamic.

-More About Our Guest-

n this episode, Dan sits down with Marjorie who is a storyteller. The stories she tells emerge from a body that has faced both emotional and physical trauma that derailed her from the linear path most of us think we travel, and set her on one that feels more like a circle. There is nothing graceful about the journey, but there may be some strange grace that allows a greater sense of self in the world.

Don’t we all walk away a bit wounded as we face all that life holds? How does it have an affect on the character of your soul? Take a walk around the island with us, as we reflect on the wisdom Marjorie brings to the journey.

-More About Our Guest-

In this episode, April sits down with Nina to explore her journey a little deeper. As a first generation Indian-American who holds a science doctorate, Nina brings a unique perspective to her expression as a college educator, yoga instructor, and a healing arts practitioner. Listen is as we learn how she’s journeyed to hear the distinct voices of her body and soul.

-More About Our Guest-

As an educator, yoga teacher, and self-discovery guide, Nina's purpose in life is to guide others on their self-discovery journeys so they can heal from trauma, reclaim their wholeness, and ultimately thrive in a heart-centered life. She is also the host of The Discovering Your Soul Podcast, a podcast that explores the experiences and lessons that we all may encounter while healing on our self-discovery journeys. You can connect with Nina through her website, Instagram, Facebook, and podcast.

Using poetry by Wendell Berry, Dan explores what it means to move beyond the experience of body as functional to the way it holds deep wisdom that we rarely tend to. As that inner wisdom finds voice, it often appears as intuition. Are there some ways you might try to enhance your listening skills? Dan and Nina continue the conversation into the story your body might be wanting to tell.

-More About Our Guest-

Nina is an educator, yoga teacher, and self-discovery guide. Her purpose in life is to guide others on their self-discovery journeys so they can heal from trauma, reclaim their wholeness, and ultimately thrive in a heart-centered life. She is also the host of The Discovering Your Soul Podcast, a podcast that explores the experiences and lessons that we all may encounter while healing on our self-discovery journeys. You can connect with Nina through her website, Instagram, Facebook, and podcast.

Nina knows that there is a hidden book within every body.  A book that is built chapter by chapter, story by story.   Your body stores memories and moments that can invite you deeper into awareness.   How might you integrate the layers of your body's story into your sense of soul?  How can you tap into the sensations of your body in a way that allows you to read your own complex and winding story.  Nina’s wisdom about the body will invite you to look deeper within as you seek a path into your most authentic self.

-More About Our Guest-

Nina is an educator, yoga teacher, and self-discovery guide. Her purpose in life is to guide others on their self-discovery journeys so they can heal from trauma, reclaim their wholeness, and ultimately thrive in a heart-centered life. She is also the host of The Discovering Your Soul Podcast, a podcast that explores the experiences and lessons that we all may encounter while healing on our self-discovery journeys. You can connect with Nina through her website, Instagram, Facebook, and podcast.

In this episode, April sits down with with Jenn to discover more about her unique journey. April and Jenn talk about the body-mind-spirit aspect of getting physical and the different ways that is expressed for different people. Jenn’s perspective is that as one finds and explores their own personal passions in the physical realm, it serves as a gateway and access point to tap into their most powerful selves. We hope you enjoy hearing this conversation and maybe notice for yourself the places your body leads you to your own unbound self.

-More About Our Guest-

Jenn Mecham is the founder at Unbound Training Company, headquartered in Lafayette, California. Unbound creates an inclusive, supportive training environment while improving the physical and mental health of members and their community. Simplify. Expand. Transform. Offering in-person and virtual training, nutrition and support. 

Dan picks up on the content from Episode 4 to explore more fully Jenn’s notion of the way the body has capacity to let all the distractions drift into the background as it is drawn into fully showing up. A capacity mirrored in many spiritual traditions that invite a kind of “letting go” which allows you to find your most authentic self. 

In what ways can you begin to let go and allow your body to show up more fully? And as it does…you may discover a new landscape that draws you into your sense of soul.  

-More About Our Guest-

Jenn Mecham is the founder at Unbound Training Company, headquartered in Lafayette, California. Unbound creates an inclusive, supportive training environment while improving the physical and mental health of members and their community. Simplify. Expand. Transform. Offering in-person and virtual training, nutrition and support. 

Jenn has spent a lifetime working with the human body. Training athletes to perform at their peak, working with folks from all walks of life looking to engage their bodies in activities that bring them joy and health. Jenn has discovered along the way that everybody has this capacity to transcend the wild array of distractions and to show up fully, to be focused in a way that feels like true presence. This “flow” state provides an experience of presence that serves as a foundation for being. Can it be that your body knows the way home to your most authentic self?   

-More About Our Guest-

Jenn Mecham is the founder at Unbound Training Company, headquartered in Lafayette, California. Unbound creates an inclusive, supportive training environment while improving the physical and mental health of members and their community. Simplify. Expand. Transform. Offering in-person and virtual training, nutrition and support. 

In this episode, we bring together a philosopher of religion, a few personal insights, and the poetry of Walt Witman to invite us more fully into a relationship with our own bodies. As we prepare for a deeper dive into the place of our body's expression of soul, how do we foster the best relationship and expectations for the role our body might play in the shaping of our sense of soul.

Join Dan as he wraps up Pt. 2 of our introduction to this series.  Bring your body along for the ride.

_________________

HOSTS:

Dan Senter brings nearly 40 years of experience engaging in the spiritual journey with individuals, congregations, and in community. 

In Western religious traditions there is often a wedge driven between body and soul. It can feel like the spiritual can exist on a plane that ignores the body at best. But, body not only matters, it is for many the pathway to a full experience of what it means to live in harmony with all we imagine as sacred. 

Orienting more fully to body can invite each of us to feel the soul's journey in our flesh and bones, and maybe even to find some deeper connection to the earth / cosmic body of which we are a part. 

In this Episode, Dan lays the  groundwork for the way ahead. Bring your body along for the ride.

_________________

HOSTS:

Dan Senter brings nearly 40 years of experience engaging in the spiritual journey with individuals, congregations, and in community. 

Soul Forum: A conversational journey across the landscape of the collective soul. 

In this series - SoulBody - we explore the wisdom and wonder within our own bodies that can provide a pathway into the experience of soul. The season begins with reflections on the body each of us inhabits and ends with reflections on the wider earth or cosmic body. There is plenty of reasons to trust that any access to a relationship with the divine, or mystery, or the very essence of life, is primarily accessed through the body. Can we reverse the idea that the sacred has figured out how to incarnate, or become flesh and bone, and explore how our sense of the sacred manifests from within every body? How might you honor and explore the body that invites you into wonder?

Welcome to Soul Forum.

_________________

HOSTS:

Dan Senter brings nearly 40 years of experience engaging in the spiritual journey with individuals, congregations, and in community. 

Don and Carolyn have a magical life story. Their reflections are an invitation to look more deeply under the hood of those key stories that serve as milestones in your own life. Do they serve as the foundation for the way soul might manifest in your life?

_________________

HOSTS:

Dan Senter brings nearly 40 years of experience engaging in the spiritual journey with individuals, congregations, and in community. 

🌟In this episode, Dan reflects on some of the themes that have been emerging in this series. Throughout all the conversations so far, a few key trends have emerged that might help you navigate or explore your own journey into your sense of soul. What is the character of the landscape on which this journey takes place? How to engage in the work? Is there a destination?

_________________

HOSTS:

Dan Senter brings nearly 40 years of experience engaging in the spiritual journey with individuals, congregations, and in community. 

Today April interviews Victoria, exploring community and connection as our collective world shifts into a new reality.

“Today, if we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other - that man, that woman, that child is my brother or my sister.” ~Mother Teresa

_________________

HOSTS:

Dan Senter brings nearly 40 years of experience engaging in the spiritual journey with individuals, congregations, and in community. 

Victoria grew up going to catholic schools.   As a GenX’r she has lost her zeal for the trappings of organized religion and yet continues to seek the impulse that may still beat within the origins and mystical experiences that rest under the trappings of religious life.   Through a capacity for stillness and receptivity, she discovers some greater sense of life that rises up to meet her.   Are there places and moments in life that invite you to strive less and simply soften into the gracious capacity of life to hold you close? 

_________________

HOSTS:

Dan Senter brings nearly 40 years of experience engaging in the spiritual journey with individuals, congregations, and in community. 

In this episode, April sits down with Candy, a passionate and committed social activist who supports causes that move us toward living in a world that works for everyone. She’s a creative woman, who's been running her own communications and marketing consultancy for over thirty years now. What's truly inspiring about Candy, is her incredible resilience in the face of the challenges life has thrown her way. With each experience she has embodied true grace, and chosen growth, expansion, and love above all else, consistently leading a heart-centered life. We hope you too will be inspired by her unique and intuitively guided path.

_________________

HOSTS:

Dan Senter brings nearly 40 years of experience engaging in the spiritual journey with individuals, congregations, and in community. 

Candy has a way of digging deep into her life experiences to find an authentic “through-line” that tethers her present moment to the trajectory of her life. There is something generative about living as a full expression of your authentic self. Her honest embrace of her winding story is a testimony to the capacity to find meaning within every story, your story! What is the thread that weaves its way through your story that might tether to your authentic self?

 _________________

HOSTS:

Dan Senter brings nearly 40 years of experience engaging in the spiritual journey with individuals, congregations, and in community. 

Building on the previous episode, Dan reflects on the characteristics of ritual that underpin the impact they have on our lives, and proposes that we explore the creation of rituals for our time. Given this recording took place a few days prior to Winter Solstice, a simple ritual tethered to the natural world provides an example of how you might craft rituals that work for you. How do you create moments that take you deeper into your experience of life?

 _________________

HOSTS:

Dan Senter brings nearly 40 years of experience engaging in the spiritual journey with individuals, congregations, and in community. 

Bob and Joan have spent a lifetime living into the challenges and opportunities of organized religion. Both have found something similar in the mechanism they use to tap into their sense of soul. One in the swimming pool, one in the ritual of communion. How do we foster the capacity to deeply connect to each other, the world and the ideas that help shape our lives? What are the simple practices you nurture that draw you into an expanded awareness of life and your own growing edges.

Curated by: 
Dan Senter, who brings over 35 years of experience engaging in the spiritual journey with individuals, congregations, and the community. 

April Bell, founder of Tree of Life Legacies, a storytelling and wisdom keeping project in the San Francisco Bay Area.

_________________

HOSTS:

Dan Senter brings nearly 40 years of experience engaging in the spiritual journey with individuals, congregations, and in community. 

Flowing with the Soul’s Journey: 
For our third installment in this series of conversations, April interviews Cole, a 22-year-old college senior studying philosophy and psychology. His breakdown+spiritual awakening invoked a course correction that’s placed him on the path of leading his own authentic life. Listen in as he reflects on the ways he seeks those moments and relationships that help him navigate his own sense of soul. Where do you look for guides and guideposts along the way? 

_________________

HOSTS:

Dan Senter brings nearly 40 years of experience engaging in the spiritual journey with individuals, congregations, and in community. 

The Pathway to Joy
This week we dive a little deeper with John, who recently turned 87, and has been on a path of spirituality and environmental activism, grounded in his relationship to the natural world. Lean in to hear how John's simple yet deep practices create soulful connections in his life. How do you practice the art of listening? 

_________________

HOSTS:

Dan Senter brings nearly 40 years of experience engaging in the spiritual journey with individuals, congregations, and in community. 

S1E2: Journey into Connection
Cole and John are at two ends of life’s journey. Cole is a Junior at college, studying philosophy. John just turned 87, and has been on a path of spirituality and environmental activism, grounded in his relationship to the natural world. Both share the way they connect to the journey of the soul. What is the deepest connecting point that pulls you into a search for soul?

Soul Forum is a journey across the landscape of the collective soul. 

In this series, “In Search of Soul,” we explore the diverse ways people stumble into, recognize or craft their sense of soul and its expression in the world. Each interview attempts to put language to experiences and expressions that often defy clear description. 

Weaving in the voice of each person, Dan reflects on the key themes that emerge within each conversation while April spends time exploring the back stories that emerge as the matrix from which a meaningful life develops.

Each episode provides some insight into how you might construct your own deep and vibrant sense of soul. So, give yourself a moment to journey a little deeper into the human experience. 

Welcome to Soul Forum.

HOSTS:

Dan Senter brings nearly 40 years of experience engaging in the spiritual journey with individuals, congregations, and in community.