Sandra Ingerman is a licensed psychotherapist and shamanic practitioner who teaches workshops around the world on shamanism and environmental sustainability. With Sounds True, Sandra has written the book Walking in Light: The Everyday Empowerment of a Shamanic Life. In this episode, Sandra and Tami speak about spiritual light and a practice called “transfiguration,” in which one transforms into a radiant being. They also talk about working with ceremonies—in particular ceremonies that can be used when we feel blocked or stuck in life. Finally, they discussed the evolution of what shamanism can offer contemporary society—not just as a set of techniques and practices, but as a way of life. (64 minutes)
Seane Corn is a celebrated yoga teacher, philanthropist, and the cofounder of Off the Matt, Into the World—a leadership training organization devoted to the use of yogic principles to foster global activism and education. With Sounds True, she has most recently released The Yoga of Awakening, a trilogy of instructional DVDs intended to guide viewers from the purely physical aspects of yoga into its more openly spiritual depths. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Seane and Tami Simon talk about yoga as a path of inquiry, and how that path could be a palliative for a world still saturated with conflict. They discuss the possibility of healing trauma through yoga, as well as how that trauma has long-term effects on the chakras. Finally, Tami and Seane speak on what it means to live purposefully and seven essential aspects of a fully embodied heart. (71 minutes)
Diane Musho Hamilton is a spiritual teacher, mediator, and group facilitator who has been studying mindfulness for more than 30 years. She is a featured presenter for A Year of Mindfulness, Sounds True’s yearlong online meditation program. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon and Diane discuss how her experience with mindfulness has helped her to become an effective group mediator. Diane speaks on how mindfulness skills transfer to interpersonal communication and skillful relationship—especially when it comes to being able to take on someone else’s perspective. Finally, Tami and Diane talk about the importance of relating to others with different views than us and how we can foster a better, more open engagement with the entirety of the world. (69 minutes)
Robert Wright is a scholar, journalist, and the author of books such as Why Buddhism Is True, Nonzero, and The Evolution of God. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Robert and Tami Simon examine meditation from a slightly different perspective, discussing the practice as both a tool of discovery and a kind of rebellion against the hardwired instincts of natural selection. They speak on whether there is a secret order to the universe and what truly fuels moral action. Robert and Tami also talk about different ways to conceive of the arising of thought and of “enlightenment” itself. Finally, Robert comments on how stepping back from our mental processes comprises a “metacognitive revolution” that is key to the survival of the human race. (76 minutes)
Dr. Mark Bertin is a pediatrician, mindfulness teacher, and the author of regular articles for Mindful.org, Huffpost, and Psychology Today. With Sounds True, he has published How Children Thrive: The Practical Science of Raising Independent, Resilient, and Happy Kids. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon and Mark discuss his research on executive functioning—those mental processes that allow us to organize and responsibly manage our immediate environment—and how this develops in children. Drawing from his extensive work, Mark explains the healthy stages of executive function development and why a supportive, open-minded, and fun-promoting environment is what kids actually need to thrive. They talk about Mark’s previous work with childhood ADHD and how it led to his current focus, as well as why attention disorders can be interpreted as delays in executive function development. Finally, Mark and Tami speak on setting boundaries around technology use and how introducing mindfulness practices early in childhood leads to healthier, happier lives down the road. (64 minutes)
A practitioner in Tree Pose (or you can, of
course, use any pose in this exploration) can experience the different layers
of neural processing stacked atop each other, even if unconsciously. The
structure and experience of Tree Pose itself reflect the hierarchical structure
of the nervous system; the stability of the lower, sensory layers is like the
trunk of a tree, whereas the higher, abstract layers are like the tree’s
branches.
Whole
Body
While
you are positioned in Tree Pose, what information is available to you?
At the bottom layer are the
exteroceptive senses that perceive the external world (touch, smell, sight,
taste, and hearing)
Next are the proprioceptive
senses—those that perceive the positions of neighboring body parts relative to
each other
Also at play is the
equilibrio-ceptive sense, which measures the position of the body relative to
gravity
Neck
Can you
sense your heartbeat and breath while in Tree Pose?
You cultivate the stability
discovered through equilibrioception through autonomic functions controlled by
the medulla and pons in the brain stem
Heart
What is
your emotional experience while in Tree Pose?
Do any
fears or past traumas influence your current experience, even unconsciously?
The limbic system—comprised of
numerous brain regions above the brain stem—is associated with assigning
emotional value to experience
Head
When we inhabit an asana like Tree Pose with ease and stability, we
experience multisensory integration in a refined and cohesive way.
Mindfully paying attention to the
body as we practice harnesses neuroplasticity, refining the neural pathways
associated with processing signals from the body
What
does it feel like to be you while in Tree Pose?
Feet
The self-sense is the most
abstract layer of the nervous system hierarchy; it’s associated with the
brain’s DMN (default mode network). It is the part of the nervous system that
generates a sense of selfhood, and it is also the capacity that allows the
feeling of being me to occur.
Excerpted from Yoga & Psyche: Integrating the Paths of Yoga and Psychology for
Healing, Transformation, and Joy by Mariana Caplan.
Mariana Caplan, PhD, MFT, E-RTY 500, is a psychotherapist, yoga teacher, and author of eight books in the fields of psychology, spirituality, and yoga. She has been teaching workshops and trainings online, in yoga studios and universities, and at major retreat centers throughout the world since 1997. She is the founder of Yoga & Psyche International, an organization created to integrate the fields of yoga and psychology globally, and lives in Fairfax, California. Learn more at realspirituality.com and yogaandpsyche.com.
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