Synopsis
New Dimensions is an original and powerful forum for inspired and inspiring voices and views on a wide range of timely and timeless topics. Activism, art, education, science, psychology, philosophy, health, spirituality, global transformation, cross-cultural traditions, the interconnectedness of all life All these and more are featured in this award-winning one-hour interview program that has been broadcast on public radio since 1973. For more information and over a thousand hours of downloadable programs visit newdimensions.org
Episodes
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Exploring the Hidden Kingdom of Fungi - Merlin Sheldrake, Ph.D. - ND3705
24/06/2026Fungi live their lives largely hidden from view and over 90% of their species remain undocumented. Sheldrake says that the fungal kingdom is more closely related to the animal kingdom. Here he takes us into his research on the ecological significance of fungi and its importance to all life on planet earth. Merlin Sheldrake, Ph.D. is a biologist and writer with a background in plant sciences, microbiology, ecology, and the history of philosophy of science. He received his Ph.D. in tropical ecology from Cambridge University for his work on underground fungal networks in tropical forests in Panama, where he was a pre-doctoral research fellow at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. He's also a musician and a keen fermenter. He is the author of Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds, & Shape Our Futures (Random House 2020) Interview Date: 5/19/2020 Tags: Merlin Sheldrake, fungi, photosynthesis, mushrooms, largest terrestrial organism on the p
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The Power of Trees and Chanting to Heal with Shannon Sullivan - ND3704
17/06/2026Here Sullivan talks about the power of trees in guiding us in understanding ourselves as well as our ancestral roots. She also shares the power of communal chanting that is a bridge of past and present that moves us deeply on a soul level as it connects us to Spirit. Shannon Sullivan is an interfaith spiritual teacher and teacher of meditation. She has broad experience with many spiritual traditions from around the world as well as her communion with nature. Trees in particular have a deep significance for her and she's developed a series of teachings and meditations using the metaphor of trees. One of her teachings involves healing our ancestral roots. Interview Date: 5/12/2020 Tags: MP3, Shannon Sullivan, Reiki therapy, energy work, chakras, family trees, forgiveness, ofrenda, chanting, Kintsugi, Health & Healing
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Thomas Aquinas-A Sacred Activist for Our Time - Fr. Matthew Fox, Ph.D. - ND3703P
10/06/2026 Duration: 54minHere scholar, theologian, and teacher Father Matthew Fox explores the writings and wisdom of this electrifying saint and speaks of Aquinas’ timeless wisdom to a postmodern world. Fox encourages all spiritual warriors and activists to grow our vision and our courage. He speaks of some of the positive things that the coronavirus has brought to us as we shelter in place. Father Matthew Fox is a priest and was a member of the Dominican Order of the Catholic Church for thirty-four years. For speaking out on women’s rights, gay rights, and Native American rights, he was silenced for a year and later expelled from the Dominican Order under the papacies of John Paul II and Benedict XVI. He then joined the Episcopal Church to work with young people to create postmodern forms of ritual and worship known as the “Cosmic Mass” that incorporates dance, DJ, VJ, rap, and other postmodern art forms. He is the co-founder of the Order of the Sacred Earth and, since Mother’s day 2019, has offered free daily meditations. He
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The Business of Stories Is Waking Up - Martin Shaw, Ph.D. - ND3701
03/06/2026Shaw helps us get acquainted with the kinds of folktales and myths that can be helpful in navigating these turbulent times. He says, “They are always trying to dig into the mud of the encounter with the notion that possibly there's a little bit of gold in there. There's some information that, over time, could turn into wisdom.” Martin Shaw, Ph.D. is a scholar of myth and an acclaimed storyteller. He's a wilderness rites-of-passage guide and is internationally regarded as one of the most exciting proponents of the mythic imagination. He tells "prophetic stories" that speak deeply to the challenges we face today, in the world and in our personal lives. He has devised and led the Oral Tradition course at Stanford University, is a visiting fellow at Shumacher College, and the Director of the Westcountry School of Myth, a learning community in Dartmoor in the far west of the United Kingdom. His books include A Branch from the Lightning Tree: Ecstatic Myth and the Grace in Wildness (White Cloud Press 2011), Sn
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The Soft Alert, Steadiness of Being A Ninja In Our Practices Of Wholeness - Rick Hanson, Ph.D. - ND3699P
27/05/2026 Duration: 52minHanson encourages us toward the upper reaches of our human potential as he reveals, in detail, the 7 practices: steadiness, lovingness, fullness, wholeness, nowness, allness, and timelessness and helps us to be clear, strong, centered, and stable no matter what’s swirling around us (like a ninja warrior) with these practices. Rick Hanson, Ph.D. is a psychologist with a deep interest in neuroscience and mindfulness. He is a senior fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California Berkeley and creator of the year-long course The Foundations of Well-Being. He is the author of many books including Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom (New Harbinger 2009); Just One Thing: Developing a Buddha Brain One Simple Practice at a Time (New Harbinger 2011), Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence (Harmony Books 2013), Meditations to Change Your Brain - CD Set (Sounds True 2009), Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of
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Circles of Listening and Healing - Anne Scott - ND3860
20/05/2026Anne Scott is the founder of Dream Weather Foundation and has led workshops and retreats for women from diverse communities and organizations around the country and the world. Her work centers on restoring the connection between feminine wisdom and social change, and on exploring the healing power of dreams. She has spoken to audiences across the U.S. and internationally—from Switzerland to India. In this episode Scott shares how facilitated women’s circles offer a restorative space for genuine listening and healing. Participants gather to reflect, be heard, and rediscover inner wisdom, fostering resilience, creativity, and a renewed sense of belonging, while reconnecting with the love, joy, and creativity at the heart of our shared humanity. Her books include:Serving Fire: Food for Thought, Body, and Soul (Celestial Arts, 1994)The Laughing Baby (Celestial Arts, 2001)Women, Wisdom, and Dreams: The Light of the Feminine Soul (Nicasio Press, 2008)Finding Home: Restoring the Sacred to Life – Stories of Women in
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The Sky Within - Astrology, Archetypes, and Ecology - Diana Badger - ND3859P
13/05/2026Diana Badger is a counseling astrologer, writer/editor, gardener, Sufi practitioner, dream work facilitator, and photographer. In this conversation, she explores astrology as a living relationship between ecology, myth, and archetype—where heavenly wisdom is brought down to earth. She works within an ancient system that views astrology not as prediction but participation. Drawing on archetypal wisdom and depth psychology, Badger reveals how the patterns of the cosmos mirror the deep structures of our psyches, offering a map for transformation in times of upheaval. Interwoven with ecological consciousness, her work reminds us that inner renewal and the healing of the Earth are inseparable. She is the author of Dance of the Archetypes: How Astrology Informs Our Lives and Connects Us to the Earth (Elemental Books 2026)Interview Date: 3/27/2026 Tags: Diana Badger, No Kings March, Aquarius, Grail legend, Celtic calendar of Earth seasons, Sherri Mitchell, Pam Grout, Quantum field of infinite p
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Exploring the Landscape of Our Current Food Supply - Zen Honeycutt - ND3692
06/05/2026This deep dialogue is dense with pertinent information about our food supply that is critical to the overall health of all people and most especially children. Honeycutt is a wealth of knowledge that has direct impact on all of us. She is a living example that together we can make a huge difference in the way people eat, their health, and the health of the planet. Zen Honeycutt is the mother of three boys and Founding Executive Director of Moms Across America, a national coalition of unstoppable moms. Their motto is “Empower Moms, Healthy Kids.” She is the author of Unstoppable: Transforming Sickness and Struggle Into Triumph, Empowerment and a Celebration of Community (Create Space 2018)Interview Date: 9/12/2019 Tags: Zen Honeycutt, Robyn O’Brien’s TED talk, food supply, Roundup, Patriotism on a Plate, Jeffry Smith’s movie, Genetic Roulette. California Proposition 37, food labeling, GMOs, glyphosate, BT Bacillus thuringiensis, HT herbicide tolerant seeds, Caius Rommens, Pandora’s Potatoes the Wors
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Navigating The Post-Trust Era - Shiv Singh - ND3671
29/04/2026In these days of fake news, it is more difficult to know whom to trust and what to believe. We have entered, what Singh describes as, a post-–trust era. Here we shine a light on how we can be more mindful of the role we play, sometimes unwittingly, in condoning and promoting fakery and how we can become more alert to how vulnerable we are to falling prey to fakeness. Shiv Singh's books include: Social Media Marketing for Dummies (coauthor Stephanie Diamond) (For Dummies 2014), Savvy: Navigating Fake Companies, Fake Leaders and Fake News in the Post-Trust Era (coauthor Rohini Luthra, Ph.D.)(Ideapress Publishing 2019).Tags: Shiv Singh, post-truth era, post-trust era, fact, fiction, Morton Deutsch, media silos, fake news, negative bias, Deb Roy, twitter, negative news, digital advertising, Edwin Rutsch, judgements, prejudices, newsguardtech.com, snopes.com, politifact.com, dog-whistling extremist points of view, artificial intelligence, AI, driverless cars, Media, Social Change, technology, personal transformati
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Living With Radical Aliveness - Richard Moss, M.D. - ND3858
22/04/2026Richard Moss, M.D. recounts his journey from practicing medicine to teaching the art of conscious living Moss presents “The Mandala Process” to reveal how the mind drifts into the past or future and falls into judgment. He teaches focused spaciousness as the key to embodied awareness and distinguishes emotions from feelings, describing the latter as trustworthy, embodied guides that root us in the living present.Richard Moss is a physician-turned-teacher and internationally respected pioneer in conscious living, inner transformation, and presence-centered spirituality. He has spent decades guiding individuals and groups worldwide to free themselves from limiting beliefs, awaken radical aliveness, and cultivate conscious, evolving relationships as a path of spiritual growth. He is the author of many books including:The Mandala of Being: Discovering the Power of Awareness (New World Library 2025)Inside Out Healing: Transforming Your Life Through the Power of Presence (Hay House 2011)Words That Shine Both Ways (
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Serene Readiness in Challenging Times - Eric Maisel, Ph.D. - ND3857
15/04/2026In an age of constant change and uncertainty, how can we remain calm, centered, and able to respond wisely? Maisel shares how we can cultivate serenity not just in meditation, but in the thick of daily life. Serene readiness, Maisel explains, means being mentally and emotionally prepared for life’s surprises while staying grounded in one’s values and creative intentions. This dialogue offers a powerful reminder: Serenity is not withdrawal—it’s readiness in motion.Eric Maisel is a retired, licensed psychotherapist and an internationally respected coach specializing in creativity, existential wellness, and relationship coaching. He trains coaches and offers workshops and webinars nationally and internationally. The author of more than fifty books, he also writes the long-running “Rethinking Mental Health” blog for Psychology Today and contributes to outlets such as The Good Men Project and Fine Art America. His books include:Night Brilliance: The Sleep Thinker's Guide to Powerful Problem-Solving (BTSL – Jim Dan
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A Biocentric View of Our Common Home - Angela Manno - ND3856
08/04/2026When we look beyond our ego-centered view, we see we’re not separate from nature. Our survival, sanity, and meaning depend on recognizing the living web of life that sustains us. By tuning into the more-than-human world, we begin to heal the split fueling ecological destruction and remember a more reciprocal way of being. Artist and iconographer Angela Manno, creator of the Sacred Biodiversity Oracle, offers a profound invitation into this awareness through a deck of 36 cards portraying animals and plants from around the world. Her luminous paintings shimmer with quiet, radical devotion to the living Earth, encouraging us to encounter other beings and ecosystems as sacred presences rather than distant “resources.” Environmental leader Bill McKibben has described her work as “Powerful reminders of the beauty and holiness of the world we are destroying, and of our duty to protect what remains.”Angela Manno is an award-winning visual artist based in New York City whose work weaves together spirituality, ecology,
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The Power of Poetry in Uncertain Times - Jane Hirshfield - ND3702
01/04/2026In this time of global uncertainty good poems can soften the heart and help us face another day with curiosity, wonder and hope. It gives us another lens to view the world and helps bring what is often unseen into view. Poetry opens us to feel our connection to one another and to nature. It gives us the opportunity to recalibrate our perspective on our place in the world.Jane Hirshfield is the author of nine books of poetry and two collections of essays. She has edited and co-translated four books presenting the work of world poets from the past. Her books have received the Poetry Center Book Award, the California Book Award, and the Donald Hal-Jane Kenyon Prize in American Poetry. Her poems appear in a wide range of prestigious outlets. A resident of Northern California, she is a chancellor emerita of the Academy of American Poets. She presents her work at literary and interdisciplinary events worldwide. She has authored many books including The October Palace (HarperCollins 1994), The Lives of the Heart (Ha
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How Words Can Change the Outcome of a Crisis Situation - Judith Simon Prager, Ph.D. - ND3700
25/03/2026Prager shares many stories and practical examples of words that heal. She empowers us to be more effective in helping others in need as she explores the power of Verbal First Aidtm. She shares particular words and phrases that are most effective in assisting the healing process when someone is in fear, shock, stress, or trauma. Judith Prager, Ph.D., CHt, is a clinical hypnotherapist with a PHD in psychology and a practices in the Los Angeles area. As a consultant to Cedars-Sinai Medical center, she developed a “Guided Imagery for Surgery” series of pre-intra-and post-operative and ICU creative imagery CDs that has been used with significant results in a pilot program in the Cardio-thoracic Surgery Unit. She’s trained physicians, nurses, and first responders across the U.S. in hypnotic language for pain and stress relief in emergencies and interactions with children. She presents keynotes and talks at conferences and medical centers. She is the author of Journey to Alternity: Transformational Healing through S
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Presence, Inhabiting Our Humanness - Mark Nepo - ND3698
18/03/2026Many gems of wisdom unfold here such as, “Being spiritual is inhabiting our humanness so thoroughly that the part of the universe that lives in me comes out and connects with the part of the universe that lives with you.” Other topics discussed are: being present and being absent as well as considering the difference between what we stand for and what we stand on. Mark Nepo is a poet, 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 List
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A Comprehensive Conversation About What We Eat - Will Tuttle - ND3697
11/03/2026Gandhi once said, “The most violent weapon on Earth is the table fork.” Dr. Will Tuttle asks us to consider one of the primary driving forces behind a whole network of problems we face as human beings is the mentality of violence, exploitation, exclusion and privilege that is required for us to eat animal foods. Will Tuttle, Ph.D., is a professional pianist, composer, and teacher who holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. For more than two decades he has presented at progressive churches, vegetarian and human potential conferences, and intentional communities throughout the United States. He trained in Korea as a Zen Buddhist Monk and has worked extensively in Tai Chi, Yoga, and meditation. He also works with his artist wife Madeleine Tuttle who contributes to his presentations, books, and albums. He is the author of many books including: Your Inner Islands: The Keys to Intuitive Living (Will Tuttle - revised 2017), The World Peace Diet: Eating for Spiritual Health and Social Harmony
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Reclaiming Illness and Death As Natural Parts of Life - BJ Miller, M.D. - ND3696
04/03/2026Next to birth, death is one of our most profound experiences. Dying is not without its pain but it can be meaningful and we can decide to be more aware and more conscious in how we orient ourselves toward the inevitable end of our lives. Dr. Miller advises us to be clear on our “goals of care” and to “participate.”B.J. Miller is a hospice and palliative medicine physician who has worked in many settings, inpatient, outpatient, hospice facility and home. He now sees patients and families at U.C.S.F. Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. Miller speaks all over the country and beyond on the theme of living well in the face of death. He’s also the founder of the Center for Dying and Living. BJ Miller is co-author, with Shoshana Berger, of A Beginners Guide to the End: Practical Advice for Living Life and Facing Death (Simon & Schuster 2019) Interview Date:12/3/2019 Tags: BJ Miller, hospice, medical directives, advance directives, advance care planning, silver tsunami, Hea
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The Creative Process-A Visit With A Writer - Mary Mackey - ND3695
24/02/2026Mackey writes both prose and poetry and has published many novels and books of poetry. She reveals her writing and creative process and how each kinds of writing requires a different approach and describes her process of “creative trance” that helps her to move into her own unconscious. She takes us from Western Kentucky to the Brazilian Rainforest.Mary Mackey is a novelist, screenwriter, and poet. She’s Professor Emeritus of English and former Writer-in-Residence at California State University, Sacramento. During her twenties, she lived in the rain forests of Costa Rica. Recently, she’s been traveling to Brazil incorporating her experiences in the tropical rainforests into her fiction and poetry. She's the author of The Year the Horses Came (HarperSanFrancisco 1993), The Horses at the Gate (Amazon Digital Services 2011), The Fires of Spring (Amazon Digital Services 2011), The Village of Bones: Sabalah’s Tale (Earthsong Series) (Create Space Independent Publishing 2016) and Immersion (iUniverse 2013)Inte
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Choosing One’s Best Death - Lonny Shavelson - ND3855P
18/02/2026Lonny Shavelson, M.D. is a national leader in medical aid in dying, reframing it as compassionate end-of-life care rooted in honest conversation, emotional support, and patient choice. He dispels myths equating it with suicide, explains safeguards against coercion, and highlights the importance of multidisciplinary, whole-person care.Lonny Shavelson, M.D is a California physician best known as a national leader in medical aid in dying for terminally ill patients. Dr Shavelson worked for nearly three decades as an emergency department physician in Berkeley, California, and later served as a primary care doctor in a clinic for immigrants and refugees. He's a founder and Board Chair of the Academy of Medical Aid-In-Dying, where he helps develop best practices, clinician education, and policy in this emerging field. He has also consulted widely with hospitals, ethics committees, and state efforts to implement aid-in-dying laws. He is the author of A Chosen Death (Simon & Schuster 1995) and Medical Aid In