New Dimensions

As a man born of a Nigerian father and a white mother, Jawando is our guide for the essential gift of mentorship and how staggeringly transformative it can be for an entire community. It’s a reminder of how even a brief encounter of positive mentoring can make all the difference for all our children, most especially those at risk. Will Jawando is an attorney, an activist, a community leader, and a councilmember in Montgomery County Maryland, a diverse community of more than 1 million residents. Called “the progressive leader we need” by the late Congressman John Lewis, Jawando has worked with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Sherrod Brown, and Pres. Barack Obama. HE is the author of My Seven Black Fathers: A Young Activist’s Memoir of Race, Family, and the Mentors Who Made Him Whole (Farrar, Straus and Giroux 2022).Interview Date: 7/8/2022    Tags: Will Jawando, Kalfani, Joseph Jacob, Deen Sanwoola, Nigeria, grandmothers, Dean Hoge, NAACP, Barack Obama, affordable housing, low-income housing, men

Inner and outer storms can be transformational agents. Nepo advises us that we must not skip over pain, breakage, and loss. He goes on to say, “And, we must not drown in it or make a permanent residence of it. We have to find the corridor of aliveness that allows us to process our experience and land in the opening the storm has made in us and around us.” Mark Nepo is a poet and philosopher and a most eloquent spiritual teacher. In 2015, he was given a Life-Achievement Award by AgeNation and in 2016 was named by Watkins: Mind Body Spirit as one of the Most Spiritually Influential Living People. He was part of Oprah Winfrey’s The Life You Want Tour in 2014 and has appeared several times with Oprah on her Super Soul Sunday program on OWN TV. As a cancer survivor, Mark devotes his writing and teaching to the journey of inner transformation and the life of relationship. He is the author of many audio learning projects and over 20 books including Reduced To Joy (Cleis Press 2013), Seven Thousand Ways to Listen: St

Despite our being connected 24/7 with others, post-modern life is replete with loneliness. Loneliness is not the same as aloneness. Loneliness is when you lack the feeling of being connected with another. Explore how to build fulfilling and deep connections with others and make closeness flourish. Kira Asatryan is a certified relationship coach who provides individual life coaching, relationship coaching, conflict mediation, and couples coaching. Before becoming a relationship coach, she was director of performance marketing for prominent Silicon Valley technology start-ups and cofounded an online marketing consultancy. She lives in San Francisco. Kira Asatryan is the author of Stop Being Lonely: Three Simple Steps to Developing Close Friendships and Deep Relationships (New World Library 2016)Interview Date: 4/3/2016     Tags: Kira Asatryan, introverted, closeness, caring, intimacy, families, caretaking, loneliness, empathy, inflammation, efficiency, effectiveness, social media, incidental

We are in a constant deluge of noise and information and chat whether it is from our email and social media, or the 24-hour news cycles with its constant announcements of breaking news. Even our households can be filled with noise. Here we explore how to lessen both the exterior and interior noise to hear our own intuition and tune in to our creative gifts. Justin Zorn has served as a senior advisor for Policy and Strategy at the Center for Economic and Policy Research. He has also served as a meditation teacher in the U.S. Congress and is a Harvard-and-Oxford-trained specialist in the economics and psychology of wellbeing. Leigh Marz is a collaboration consultant and leadership coach for major universities, nonprofit coalitions, and federal agencies. Marz and Zorn are the cofounders of Astrea Strategies whose purpose is to help businesses, nonprofits, and leaders find creative and enduring solutions in living beyond the noise. They are the co-authors of Golden: The Power of Silence in A World of Noise.

Approaching and facing some essential life questions and leaving them in a written “ethical will” will benefit our loved ones after we have passed and might be more important than any material things we pass on at our death. It will also be helpful in shedding light on our own deepest beliefs and dreams. Steve Leder is senior Rabbi of Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles. After receiving his degree in writing and graduating cum laude from Northwestern University, studying at Trinity College, Oxford University, Leder received a master’s degree in Hebrew letters in 1986 and rabbinical ordination in 1987 from Hebrew Union College. He is the author of many books including The Extraordinary Nature of Ordinary Things (Behrman House 1999), More Money Than God: Living A Rich Life Without Losing Your Soul (Volt Press 2003), More Beautiful Than Before: How Suffering Transforms Us (Hay House 2017), The Beauty of What Remains (Avery 2021) and For You When I Am Gone: Twelve Essential Questions to Tell a Life Stor

Meade advises us that we must break the spell of normalcy itself and we must accept the presence of uncertainty. However, the good news is that with every ending there is a new beginning. This deep dialogue explores the collective rite of passage we are experiencing and how using the wisdom of myths gives us a roadmap to the renewal of life itself. Michael Meade is a renowned storyteller, author, scholar of mythology, and student of ritual in traditional cultures. He has scoured the world to bring to us meaningful folk tales that tap into ancestral sources of wisdom and acts as a guide to connect them to the stories we are living today. Meade is the founder of Mosaic Multicultural Foundation. He also offers regular Living Myths Podcasts and workshops. He’s the author of many books including Why the World Doesn't End: Tales of Renewal in Times of Loss (GreenfirePress 2012), Fate and Destiny: The Two Agreements of the Soul (GreenFire Press 2012), The Genius Myth (GreenfirePress 2016), Awakening the Soul: A

How are the successes and failures of the fledgling South African democracy relevant to all democratic nations? Why a nation cannot truly thrive without full socio-economic equity. Why true freedom must also include freedom from an imprisoned mind. What is the importance of teaching a full, robust history of a nation? Mamphela Ramphele, M.D., Ph.D. is an activist, medical doctor, academic, businesswoman, and global servant. Besides her medical degree, she holds a Ph.D. in Social Anthropology. She was the managing director of the World Bank, and is a trustee of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, as well as chairwoman of the Bishop Desmond Tutu Trust. She also serves as co-president of the Club of Rome, which was founded in 1968 as a nonprofit, informal organization of intellectuals and business leaders whose goal is to identify holistic solutions to complex global issues, and to promote policy initiatives and actions to enable humanity to emerge from multiple planetary emergencies. She is the author of A

Debra Silverman suggests that each of us has basic personality traits that can be seen in the context of the four elements of earth, air, water, and fire. Each element has strengths and shadows. Understanding which element is most prevalent in your personality and which ones are weak will help you see what is missing in order to be a more balanced human being. Debra Silverman holds a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and has specialized in helping thousands of individuals achieve emotional health and wisdom based on their unique personality and the four elements of water, air, earth, and fire. She combines this work with her expertise in Soul-Centered Astrology. She is a host of an on-line radio program “Tell me a Story.” She works on an individual basis as well as with groups, and is the author of The Missing Element: Inspiring Compassion for the Human Condition (Findhorn Press 2016).She is the author of The Missing Element: Inspiring Compassion for the Human Condition (Findhorn Press 2016)Intervie

Andrew Harvey shares his experience of why it takes rigorous discipline to be an artist, why solitude matters, how to cultivate our personal passions, how “networks of grace” can save humanity, and more. He speaks eloquently on how to cultivate sacred friendships and speaks of his “soul brother,” 88-year-old pianist and teacher, Seymour Bernstein, a true wisdom elder. Andrew Harvey is an internationally acclaimed poet, novelist, translator, mystical scholar, and spiritual teacher. He is the Founder/Director of the Institute of Sacred Activism. He is the author of many books including The Direct Path: Creating a Personal Journey to the Divine Using the World's Spiritual Traditions (Harmony 2001), The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism (Hay House 2009), Teachings of Rumi (Shambhala 1999) and Play Life More Beautifully: Conversations with Seymour (Hay House 2016)Interview Date: 2/29/2016    Tags: Andrew Harvey, Seymour Bernstein, composer, solitude, soul friends, spiritual reservoir, Ethan Hawk

Lupa is a strong advocate for connecting with animal or plant totems as allies to enhance our spiritual life and help us reconnect with nature. They can provide a “bridge” between us and the rest of the natural world. She cautions us to understand that totems, whether they be animal, plants, or fungi, are not simple one-dimensional helpers limited to stereotyped meanings from dictionaries. They are vibrant, intelligent, dynamic beings sharing the world with us as much as anyone else, and while we may have forgotten what it is to be in nature’s community, they have not. Lupa is a neo-shaman, artist and sustainability geek. She has been working with animal magic for more than 20 years and has developed a self-created and spirit-directed neoshamanic path. She possesses a master’s degree in counseling psychology with an emphasis on eco-psychology. Her books include New Paths to Animal Totems: Three Alternative Approaches to Creating Your Own Totemism (Llewellyn 2012), Plant and Fungus Totems: Connect with Sp

Most people believe the loss of the body is the loss of life, but when Matthew McKay’s 23-year-old son Jordan was suddenly shot and killed, for Matthew, it was not the end of Jordan’s life. It was the beginning of a quest to penetrate the veil of death through some extraordinary communications. These virtual conversations led Matthew to co-author a book, with his son. Matthew McKay, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist and professor at The Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA. The Wright Institute offers Masters and Ph.D. programs to psychologists and provides support and evaluation for the research needs of its students. McKay is also the founder and publisher at New Harbinger Publications. He is the author and co-author of many books, including: The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook: Practical DBT Exercises for Learning Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation ^ Tolerance (coauthor Jeffrey Brantley) (New Harbinger Publications 2007) and Seeking Jordan: How I Learned the Truth about De

Here we take a closer look at many assumptions, unquestioned conclusions, and beliefs that are pervasive in our culture, such as our universe exploding from nothing in a big bang, or “we create our own reality”, or “humans are the most special of all the species on the planet”. In this provocative dialogue we explore the nature of consciousness, energy and matter. Christian de Quincey, Ph.D. is Professor of Philosophy and Consciousness Studies at John F. Kennedy University and Dean of Consciousness Studies at the University of Philosophical Research. He is the founder of the Wisdom Academy. His books include Radical Nature: The Soul of Matter (revised edition) (Park Street Press 2010), Radical Knowing: Understanding Consciousness through Relationship (Park Street Press 2005), Consciousness from Zombies to Angels (Park Street Press 2008), Deep Spirit: The Noetic Code (The Wisdom Academy Press 2008) and Blindspots: 21 Good Reasons to Think before You Talk (Park Street Press 2015) Interview Date: 1/5/2016&n

Phillips, a gay, former novice of the Catholic Church, reveals her religious crucible and the wisdom she’s gained along the way. She says, “I’m no longer a seeker, I’m a finder. Every morning, I find my source. As I say in one of my poems, ‘I eat God for breakfast, and all day long. I metabolize love. ‘” Jan Phillips is an award-winning photographer, writer, multimedia artist, and workshop leader. She's a co-founder of the Livingkindness Foundation, a global network for grassroots philanthropists. Early in her life she entered a convent as a novice to become a nun at the Catholic community of nuns at St. Joseph’s Provincial House in Latham, New York. After three years she was abruptly and surprisingly dismissed which led her on a life-quest to seek her personal spiritual truth. Jan Phillips is the author of many CDs and books including The Art of Original Thinking: The Making of a Thought Leader (9th Element Press 2006), Marry Your Muse: Making a Lasting Commitment to Your Creativity (Quest Books 1997), God I

This conversation encompasses a wide range of what it means to be human and life’s universal questions from very different perspectives. Valente responds to Trappist monk Brother Quenon’s question, “Does this bring you closer to God?” by saying “I think that's the question we have to ask ourselves all the time in our work. Is this bringing me closer to the Divine Presence? Judith Valente is a former staff writer for the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal and is a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in journalism. Valente contributes to the US Catholic magazine and National Catholic Reporter. Besides her life as a journalist, she’s a poet, retreat leader, TV & Radio Producer, and Benedictine lay Associate. Judith Valente and Brother Paul Quenon, OCSO are co-authors of : How to Be: A Monk and a Journalist Reflect on Living & Dying, Purpose & Prayer, Forgiveness & Friendship (Hampton Roads 2021) Interview Date: 4/8/2022   Tags: Judith Valente, Paul Quenon, Thomas Merton,

In this provocative dialogue, Finley guides us in how to better cope with our own sense of being overwhelmed by unbidden occurrences and the conditions of life. He points out that what we are truly seeking is a higher understanding of our relationship to Divine Source. Guy Finley is a spiritual teacher and author. He is the Founder and Director of Life of Learning Foundation, a nonprofit center for transcendent self-study located in Merlin, Oregon. He hosts the Life of Learning Foundation’s Wisdom School and offers free online classes open to all every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Each class also includes a question-and-answer session with Guy. He is the author of over 45 books including The Secret of Letting Go (Llewellyn Publications 2008), The Lost Secrets of Prayer: Practices For Self-Awakening (Llewellyn Publications 1998) and The Seeker, the Search, the Sacred: Journey to the Greatness Within (Weiser Books 2011). Also: CD: 5-Prayers for Self-Transformation - a self-discovery courseInterview Date:

Tygielski describes a movement that offers direct aid, connecting those who need help with those who want to be of help. Even when problems seem too big to solve, she says, “We start to pare down and look at things on a smaller level (such as within our own families or our children’s schools). Once we start there, it’s surprising how far reaching those effects are.” Shelly Tygielski is founder of the Pandemic of Love movement and is a self-care activist, community organizer, and mindfulness teacher. She is the author of Sit Down to Rise Up: How Radical Self-Care Can Change the World (New World Library 2021)Interview Date: 4/18/2022   Tags: Shelly Tygielski, Pandemic of Love, nonprofit disrupter, Covid Pandemic, Self Care, Self-Care, intention, baby steps, Canal Point Elementary School in Pahokee, Florida, Music teacher Mr. Goindoo, Pyoitr Kropotkin, Peter Kropotkin, Darwin, survival of the fittest, cooperation, collaboration, David Loye, Dan Siegel, Mwe Up Community, Personal Transformation, Co

Justine Willis Toms shares principles that lead to a more useful and fulfilling life. She asks the question: is worry fruitful and will it lead me to an effective outcome? She also encourages us to create circles of friends who support us in our fullness. She shares the lessons of the caterpillar and the butterfly. Since 1973, Justine Willis Toms has been exploring personal, social and spiritual transformation through her work as an electronic journalist, editor and writer. She is co-founder, executive director and host of New Dimensions Radio. She is a founding convener of The Millionth Circle Initiative and has been actively involved in circle work since 1980. She serves on the board of World Prayers as well as Women’s Perspective. In June 2004, she was one of 30 people in the world invited to participate in The Synthesis Dialogues with his holiness the Dalai Lama. She was inducted into the Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2011. She is the author of True Work: Doing What You Love and Loving What You Do (wi

Whether you believe intuition is our soul speaking to us, or that it’s coming to us from a greater field of universal wisdom and knowledge, intuition has been proven to assist us in the betterment of our lives and of the human condition. This dialogue explores examples of how intuition and spiritual telepathy can bring us powerful and enlightened insights. Colleen Mauro is the founder and former editor-in-chief of Intuition magazine published from 1988 to 2001. It explored the potential of the mind and the many varied ways of intuitive knowing, and featured research and how-to information on intuition, inspiration, and telepathy for the general reader. Colleen Mauro is the author of Spiritual Telepathy: Ancient Techniques to Access the Wisdom of Your Soul (Theosophical Publishing House 2015)Interview Date: 1/22/2016   Tags: Colleen Mauro, Intuition, Telepathy, gut feeling, ESP, Mind Dynamics, spiritual telepathy, Patanjali, Alice Bailey, Helena Blavatsky, clairvoyance, channeling, mind training

For those of us who are committed to a life of awakening and truth, Sluyter gives us deep insight into the writings of such luminaries as Mark Twain, William Blake, Ernest Hemingway, Virginia Woolf, J.D. Salinger and many more. You’ll not be bored in his class as he takes us deep into the spiritual insights hidden in the writings of these revered literary geniuses. Dean Sluyter lived in New Jersey for 33 years where he developed the Literature of Enlightenment Program at the Pingry School and worked with inmates at Northern State Prison and Mountain View Youth Correctional Facility. He now lives in Santa Monica, California and teaches natural methods of meditation and awakening throughout the United States and beyond. He's known for his funny, down-to-earth style and for making life-transforming teachings accessible and easy. He is the author of many books including The Zen Commandments (Tarcher/Putnam 2001), Why the Chicken Crossed the Road and Other Hidden Enlightenment Teachings (Tarcher/Putnam 1998),

Here we explore afterlife investigations such as near death experiences, after death communication, reincarnation, instrumental transcommunication, mediumship, and much more. Mishlove explores survival after death and whether or not consciousness is separate from the brain. Jeffrey Mishlove, Ph.D. is the only person who has been awarded a doctoral diploma in Parapsychology by an accredited American University - the University of California at Berkeley. For the past 50 years he's been a pioneer in the research of parapsychology. He is the founder and host of the radio and TV program series Thinking Allowed, and most recently, New Thinking Allowed. Both are available on YouTube. Dr. Mishlove is the recipient of the prestigious Bigelow Institute Award of $500,000 for his essay on parapsychology entitled Beyond the Brain: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily Death. His books include Roots Of Consciousness: The Classic Encyclopedia of Consciousness Studies Revised and Expanded (Da Capo Press;