New Dimensions

We all have access to a streaming presence of infinite intelligence, which is a wise internal source of love and wisdom. Kieves shares her journey from a successful law career to becoming a teacher and author, highlighting the transformative power of following our inner voice of genius and vitality. Tama Kieves graduated with honors from Harvard Law School, then chose to leave a prestigious law firm to become a teacher and workshop leader. Her books include: This Time I Dance! Creating the Work You Love (Penguin Publishing 2006) and Learning to Trust Yourself; Breaking Through the Blocks that Hold You Back (St. Martin’s Press 2025) Interview Date: 3/21/2025 Tags: Tama Kieves, inner voice, self-criticism, beliefs, higher power, sleep, Personal Transformation, Psychology

Wheatley shares the importance of creating "islands of sanity" in disruptive times to restore and awaken the human spirit. She outlines five stages for solving complex problems: deep listening, understanding diverse perspectives, inviting missing voices, letting go of old patterns, and creating conscious communities. Margaret J Wheatley, Ph.D. is an internationally acclaimed writer, speaker, and teacher. She is cofounder and President Emerita of The Berkana Institute, a charitable foundation that works with people around the world to strengthen their communities using the wisdom and wealth already present in their people, traditions, and environment. Her many books include: Leadership and the New Science (Berrett-Kohler 1998) and Restoring Sanity: Practices to Awaken Generosity, Creativity & Kindness in Ourselves and Our Organizations (Berrett Kohler 2024) Interview Date: 3/14/2025 Tags: Margaret J Wheatley, Meg Wheatley, dwelling mind, complex systems, Personal Transformation, Psychology, Social Change/Politics

Here we delve into Bolen’s Japanese-American heritage and some of the mystical moments that have been guideposts in her life including a transformative moment as a Girl Scout in the mountains and sleeping under the stars. Bolen emphasizes the importance of love, joy, and curiosity in life, and the potential for spiritual support and collective consciousness. Jean Shinoda Bolen, M.D. is a psychiatrist, a Jungian analyst, and an internationally known speaker. She is a former board member of the Ms. Foundation, an advocate for a 5th UN World Conference on Women and a convener of the Millionth Circle Initiative, as well as a permanent representative to the UN for the NGO, Pathways to Peace. She is the author of many books, including Ring of Power: Symbols and Themes Love Vs. Power in Wagner's Ring Cycle and in Us: A Jungian-Feminist Perspective (Jung on the Hudson Book Series) (Nicolas-Hays, Inc 1999) and Ever Widening Circles and Mystical Moments (Chiron Publications 2025) Interview Date: 2/14/2025 Tags: Jean Shinoda Bolen, Girl Scouts, Milky Way, mystical moments, Japanese American, resilience, spirit guides, synchronicity, life assignment, love, delight, joyfulness, Personal Transformation, Psychology

Microdosing involves taking small amounts of psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin mushrooms to enhance physical health and cognitive function. Here, we discuss protocols, legality, safety, and other collective knowledge. James Fadiman, Ph.D. is a former president of the Institute of Noetic Sciences and professor of psychology. Jordan Gruber was awarded a Juris Doctor degree, and has forged and sculpted authoritative volumes in forensic law. He is the author of The Bounce: The Complete SuperBound® Guidebook to 21st-Century Rebound Exercise (co-author Joy Daniels) (SuperBound 2020), James Fadiman and Jordan Gruber are the co-authors of Your Symphony of Selves: Discover and Understand More of Who We Are (Park Street Press 2020) and Microdosing for Health, Healing, and Enhanced Performance (St. Martin’s Essentials 2025) Interview Date: 2/21/2025 Tags: James Fadiman, Jordan Gruber, microdosing, LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, autism, depression, long-COVID, Paul Stamets, Health & Healing, Personal Transformation, Psychology

After having a life-altering dream of a dragonfly, Williams contemplates the re-enchantment of our world to rediscover wonder, mystery, and meaning in our relationship with nature and the environment. He invites us to consider new perspectives on nature, consciousness, and the practice of re-enchantment in our modern world. Brooke Williams is a naturalist and environmental writer who covers subjects such as evolution, consciousness, and his own ventures exploring both the inner and outer wilderness. He advocates for the preservation of wilderness. His writings also take us with him on his many treks into the deserts of Utah, where he lives with his wife and partner, the writer and New Dimensions guest Terry Tempest Williams. He is the author of several books including: Half-Lives: Reconciling Work and Wildness (Johnson Books 1999) and · Encountering Dragonfly: Notes on the Practice of Re-Enchantment (Uphill Books 2025) Interview Date: 1/17/2025 Tags: Brooke Williams, Kathryn “Mimi” Blackett, dragonfly, enchantment, Galapagos, Desert Fathers, climate change, imaginal world, Ecology/Nature/Environment, Personal Transformation, Psychology

Williamson stresses the importance of love over fear and explores the concept of Jesus as an internal teacher and the transformative power of forgiveness. She uses the analogy of cancer cells and quantum physics to illustrate the interconnectedness of all things and advises maintaining respect and openness in political discourse to foster moral persuasion and unity. Marianne Williamson is the author of many books. Throughout her career she has worked on such issues as poverty, anti-hunger, and racial reconciliation. She is a leader of a spiritually progressive circle, and six of her published books have been New York Times bestsellers, including A Return to Love. She has participated in two Presidential campaigns and is the founder of Project Angel Food, a Meals-on-Wheels program that serves homebound people with AIDS in the Los Angeles area. In 2004 she co-founded The Peace Alliance and supported the creation of a U.S. Department of Peace. Interview Date: 12/20/2024 Tags: Marianne Williamson, A Course in Miracles, ACIM, forgiveness, Jesus, true spiritual north, quantum physics, mental prison, atonement, Holy Spirit, natural intelligence, miracles, Martin Luther King Jr., Personal Transformation, Social Change/Politics, Religion, Spirituality

Brown shares his experiences of exploring the most unlikely zones of urban industrial wastelands where wild nature is eking out its existence outside the human realm. He encourages us to explore these exciting urban edgelands which are teaming with life. Christopher Brown is an accomplished lawyer who has worked on two Supreme Court confirmation hearings. He has also been general counsel for several technology companies. His varied experiences span from restoring prairies to reporting from Central American war zones. He’s author of three award-nominated science fiction novels and The Natural History of Empty. His current nonfiction book explores the natural world in urban settings: Lots: Field Notes from Urban Edgelands, Back Alleys, and Other Wild Places (Timber Press 2024). Interview Date: 12/2/2024. Tags: Christopher Brown, biodiversity, abandoned lots, industrial sites, urban creeks, brownfields, Neolithic, agriculture, Kiva, pit house, colony of Harvester ants, Edgeland home Austin, wastelands, Tesla plant in Austin, biodiversity, climate change, Animals, Ecology/Nature/Environment, Social Change/Politics

Orsborn shares the concept of embracing old age as a transformative process. She emphasizes the importance of accepting reality, embracing mortality, and recognizing one's belovedness. She also touches on the evolutionary purpose of old age and the role of spiritual practices in navigating life's challenges, including illness and loss. Carol Orsborn, Ph.D. received her Masters of Theological Studies and Doctorate in History and Critical Theory of Religion from Vanderbilt University, with post-graduate work in Spiritual Counseling at the New Seminary in Manhattan. She specialized in adult development and ritual studies. She has served on the faculties of Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount, and Georgetown Universities. She is the author of Older, Wiser, Fiercer: The Wisdom Collection (self-published 2019), The Making of an Old Soul: Aging as the Fulfillment of Life's Promise (White River Press 2021)and Spiritual Aging: Weekly Reflections for Embracing Life (Park Street Press 2024). Interview Date: 1/10/2025 Tags: Carol Orsborn, Joan Chittister, fear, denial, God, grace, Tolstoy, Death of Ivan Illich, Ram Dass, hope, expectation, curiosity, Personal Transformation, Spirituality, Aging

What drags us under when we experience setbacks, failures, criticism while working for a cause, person, or place? Wheatley advises us to work with as much diligence as we can. She says that in the end it is about feeling that it is our work to do and doing it with vigor and enjoyment even though we don’t know what the outcome will be. Margaret Wheatley is an internationally acclaimed writer, speaker, and teacher. She is co-founder and President Emerita of The Berkana Institute, a charitable foundation that works with people around the world who strengthen their communities using the wisdom and wealth already present in their people, traditions, and environment. Her books include Leadership and the New Science (Berrett-Kohler 1998), Perseverance (Berrett-Koehler 2010), Turning To One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope in the Future (Berrett-Koehler 2009), So Far from Home: Lost and Found In Our Brave New World (Berrett-Koehler 2012) and Who Do We Choose To Be: Facing Reality, Claiming Leadership, Restoring Sanity (Berrett-Koehler 2017). Interview Date: 8/19/2010 Tags: T. S. Eliot, "only don't know”, bravery, Carlos Castaneda, Chogyam Trungpa, creativity, curiosity, Don Juan, Hopi Nation, mp3, personal transformation, righteous anger, steadfastness, vision, Margaret Wheatley, Personal Transformation

Grunther states that we’re in the midst of a New Renaissance when the greatest knowledge and wisdom, both ancient and contemporary, is just a few keystrokes away through digital screens that billions around the planet can access. He shares the three key shifts in human consciousness taking place today, ranging from quantum physics to AI and left/right-brain thinking. Douglas Grunther is the creator and host of the Woodstock Roundtable an award winning radio talk show covering philosophy, depth psychology, and spiritual insight. He is also a dream work facilitator. He is the author of The Quantum & The Dream: Visionary Consciousness, AI, and The New Renaissance (Epigraph Books 2024) Interview Date: 11/15/2024 Tags: Douglas Grunther, AI, Right hemisphere of the brain, left hemisphere of the brain, Lynn Margulis, Elisabet Sahtouris, Albert Einstein, Iain McGilchrist, Wolfgang Pauli, Carl Jung, Sigmond Freud, Max Planck, Wermer Heinsenberg, Niels Bohr, Yin-Yang, Gaia theory, Plato, Marshall McLuhan, Science, Personal Transformation, History, Social Change/Politics

Writing your memoir is a powerful process for discovering elusive elements in your psyche. It forces you to see your life from an entirely different perspective. Peterson encourages us to explore the untold story of you — and the inner hero, heroine, angel, or villain you have yet to meet. She gives a simple writing exercise to help you get started. Brenda Peterson is a novelist, nature writer, and writing teacher. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Orion Magazine, and O: The Oprah Magazine. She’s a regular commentator for Seattle NPR and the Huffington Post. Her books include Build Me an Ark: A Life with Animals (W. W. Norton 2001), Duck and Cover (Backinprint.com 2004), I Want to Be Left Behind: Finding Rapture Here on Earth (Da Capo Press 2010) and Your Life is a Book: How to Craft & Publish Your Memoir (co-author Sarah Jane Freymann) (Sasquatch Books 2014), Wolf Haven: Sanctuary and the Future of Wolves in North America (coauthor Annie Marie Musselman) (Sasquatch Books 2016) and Wolf Nation: The Life, Death, and Return of Wild American Wolves (De Capo 2017) Interview Date: 2/10/2010 Tags: Brenda Peterson, family, memoir, inner critic, fundamentalists, the Rapture, humor, Writing, Religion, Family/Community, Ecology/Nature/Environment, Spirituality, Philosophy

Magsamen and Ross emphasize the transformative power of art, in all its forms. It impacts neural circuitry, physiology, and behavior, enhancing physical and mental well-being, reducing stress, improving cognitive function, and fostering social connections. They highlight the importance of integrating the arts in healthcare, education, and community building. Susan Magsamen is the founder and executive director of the International Arts + Mind Lab, Center for Applied Neuroaesthethics (known as the IAM Lab) at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she’s a faculty member in the Department of Neurology. Ivy Ross is Chief Design Officer of Consumer Devices at Google and has led teams that have won hundreds of design awards. She’s a National Endowment for the Arts grant recipient and was ninth on Fast Company’s list of the 100 Most Creative People in Business in 2019. Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross are Co-authors of Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us. (Random House 2023) Interview Date: 10/14/2024 Tags: Susan Magsamen, Ivy Ross, doodling, E.O. Wilson, salience, neuro arts, neuroaesthetics, improv, endocrine system, James Pennebaker, Stuart Brown, play, neurosynapses, John Krakauer, Art & Creativity, Health & Healing, Personal Transformation

Johnson shares her personal journey of engaging with A Course in Miracles, and speaks of its value in transforming our perception of the world and activating our innate intelligence, thus launching us into living a life of joy and fulfillment. According to ACIM, true miracles occur when our perception shifts from fear to love. Hope Johnson is a teacher of mysticism who draws on the teachings of Jesus from A Course in Miracles, as well as the Buddha, the Bhagavad Gita, yogic philosophy, quantum physics and other traditions. She leads free weekly online wisdom dialogues and free daily lessons on A Course in Miracles that involve reading a lesson with insightful commentary for practical applications in daily life. She also offers one-to-one guidance towards recognizing and embracing the ever-present reality of love. She is the founder and creator of Miracle Botanicals Essential Oils. She is the author of Unschooling For Parents: Protecting Innocence, A Mystics Guide To Awakening With Children (Hope Johnson 2019) Interview Date: 11/1/2024 Tags: Hope Johnson, A Course in Miracles, miracle, perception beliefs, dream, fear, love, negative thoughts, ego, suffering, Meditation, Personal Transformation, Psychology, Religion, Spirituality, parenting

In this conversation, Mirabai Starr, acclaimed author and translator of mystical texts, shares how ordinary moments invite us to explore how the sacred can be woven into daily life. She reveals how we can transform the mundane into moments of deep spiritual connection. Mirabai Starr has taught philosophy and world religions at the University of New Mexico, Taos, for 20 years and now teaches and speaks internationally on contemplative practice and the interspiritual dialogue. She's a certified bereavement counselor and travels the world speaking and giving workshops on contemplative practice and the teachings of the mystics. She is the author and editor of many books including: Dark Night of the Soul: St. John of the Cross (Riverhead 2003), The Interior Castle: St. Teresa of Ávila (Riverhead 2004), Devotion, Prayers & Living Wisdom (Sounds True - six-volume Christian mystics series 2008), God of Love: A Guide to the Heart of Judaism, Christianity & Islam (Monkfish 2012), Wild Mercy: Living the Fierce and Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics (Sounds True 2018) and Ordinary Mysticism: Your Life As Sacred Ground (HarperOne 2024) Interview Date: 9/13/2024 Tags: Mirabai Starr, Daily mysticism, spiritual practice, intimate relationships, deconstructing religion, direct spiritual experience, creativity, nature, rituals, personal growth, Spirituality, Personal Transformation, Religion, Women’s Studies, Relationships, Nature, Arts & Creativity

This dialogue highlights the benefits and dynamics of walking well, including comfort, vitality, and inspiration. He highlights the benefits of walking for creativity and problem-solving as well as connecting us with nature. In business, walking with others can enhance teambuilding. Gelb encourages us to feel a sense of sacredness with every step. Michael Gelb, Ph.D. is a fifth-degree black belt in Aikido and a teacher of Tai Chi and the Alexander Technique. He’s a pioneer in the fields of creative thinking, accelerated learning, and innovative leadership. Gelb leads seminars for organizations such as DuPont, Merck, Microsoft, Nike, and many others. He’ s the author of Innovate Like Edison: The Success System of America’s Greatest Inventor (co-author Sarah Miller Caldicott) (Dutton 2007), How To Think Like Leonardo da Vinci (Dell 2000), Brain Power: Improve Your Mind as You Age (co-author Kelly Howell) (New World Library 2012), Creativity On Demand: How to Ignite and Sustain the Fire of Genius (Sounds True 2014), Walking Well: A New Approach for Comfort, Vitality, and Inspiration In Every Step (co-author Bruce Fertman) (New World Library 2024) Interview Date: 8/30/2024 Tags: Michael Gelb, walking, Mary Oliver, John Forney, improv, creativity, physical balance, Julie Brock poem, standing meditation, Abraham Path Initiative, Camino de Santiago, Elizabeth Lesser, Health & Healing, Personal Transformation, Philosophy, Psychology

Anodea Judith substitutes the word “charge” for energy. “Charge” as it relates to our life-force energy can be blocked or be freely flowing. It also relates to our chakra system, which comprises the organizational centers in the body. Here she takes us through the seven chakra centers and how we can work more effectively with them. Tags: Anodea Judith, chakras, habits, beliefs, trauma, awareness, consciousness, brain, positive charge, negative charge, seven centers of the chakra system, third chakra power center, defiance, bullies, active listening, group speak, the Crusades, Hitler, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., hate crimes, positive vision, Philosophy, Psychology, Relationship, Personal Transformation, Health & Healing

Susan Perry reveals how Aikido principles extend beyond the mat into everyday life. She explains "beginner's mind" and how Aikido's philosophy of blending rather than opposing can transform conflicts. Perry offers insights on cultivating inner peace and applying Aikido wisdom to achieve harmony in daily interactions. Susan Perry, Ph.D., is a 6th-degree black belt in Aikido, philosopher, author, artist, and teacher. With nearly 50 years of Aikido practice, she has dedicated her life to understanding and sharing the most profound principles of this martial art. Perry is the founder of Aikido Today Magazine. She is the author of The Hidden Power of Aikido: Transcending Conflict and Cultivating Inner Peace (Park Street Press, 2024), Aikido Talks, Conversations with American Aikidoists (Arete Press, 2001) and Remembering O-Sensei, Living and training with Morihei Ueshiba (Shambhala Publications, 2002) Interview Date: 8/23/2024 Tags: Susan Perry, Aikido, conflict resolution, personal transformation, beginner's mind, virtue ethics, Aristotle, Morihei Ueshiba, O-Sensei, martial arts, inner peace, breath work, Japanese philosophy, Personal Transformation, Philosophy, Spirituality

Casey shares personal and historical highlights of the complexity and ecological importance of the ocean's depths. She reports on her dive to the Twilight Zone (600-3300 feet) that is filled with bioluminescent creatures that sparkle and glow. Despite these delights, Casey points to the terrestrial bias and lack of funding for ocean exploration compared to space. Susan Casey is a premiere chronicler of the aquatic world. Most recently she traversed the globe and gives first-hand accounts of joining scientists and explorers on dives to the deepest places on the planet. She stands in for us with her insightful questions of the lives and motivations of marine geologists, marine biologists, and oceanographers who are searching for knowledge in this vast unseen realm. She takes us on a fascinating journey through the history of deep-sea exploration, from the myths and legends of the ancient world to storied shipwrecks, to the first intrepid bathysphere pilots, to the scientists who are just beginning to understand the mind-blowing complexity and, most importantly, the ecological importance of the home of the quadrillions of creatures who live in realms long thought to be devoid of life. She is the author of several books including Devil's Teeth: A True Story of Survival and Obsession Among American’s Great White Sharks (Henry Holt 2005), The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks and Giants of the Ocean (Doubleday 2010), Voices in the Ocean: A Journey into the Wild and Haunting World of Dolphins (Anchor 2016) and Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean (Doubleday 2023) Interview Date: 8/5/2024. Tags: Susan Casey, ocean, bathysphere, bathyscaphe, submersibles, ocean depths, twilight zone, William Beebe, Otis Barton, Mariana Trench, Wyville Thompson, John Murray, deep sea mining, bottom trawling, ghost nets, Patrick Lahey, Victor Vescovo, Tonga Trench, hydrothermal vents, Ecology/Nature/Environment, History, Science, Technology, Travel

Sunny Strasburg explores the intersection of art, psychotherapy, and psychedelics in healing. She discusses creative expression in therapy, the potential of psychedelics for mental health, and the importance of trauma-informed approaches. Strasburg introduces the PANTHER protocol, emphasizing preparation, attunement, and integration in psychedelic-assisted therapy. Sunny Strasburg, LMFT is a licensed psychotherapist and trainer. She is trained in Internal Family Systems and is an EMDR-certified trauma specialist. Her practice includes an integration of psychotherapy, art, archetypal psychology, and psychedelic-assisted healing. Strasburg is a graduate of the Certification for Psychedelic Assisted Therapy from the California Institute of Integral Studies. She offers Ketamine Assisted Therapy and retreats and co-leads trainings with Richard Schwartz, Ph.D., the originator of Internal Family Systems. She is the author of The Theradelic Approach: Integrating Psychotherapy and Psychedelics for Healing (Sunny Strasburg, LMFT 2023) Interview Date: 06/26/24 Tags: Sunny Strasburg, psychotherapy, art therapy, psychedelics, mental health, trauma healing, group therapy, MDMA, psilocybin, LSD, ketamine, hero's journey, archetypal psychology, Psychology, Health & Healing, Arts & Creativity

Here the many complex dimensions of home are explored including the human need to find a home in nature. Andrews says,” Once you find a home in nature, you are never lost.” She also shares insights on those caretaking family members and other loved ones to age in place including those who choose to die at home and many other aspects of home. Valerie Andrews is a writer, editor, and seminar leader specializing in Jungian psychology and the inner life of home. She’s a graduate of the Guild for Spiritual Guidance and the editor of the digital magazine Reinventing Home: Culture, Creativity, Character. She’s also a contributor to many journals and magazines and was the host of the PBS documentary featuring Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul. She is the author and editor of A Passion for This Earth (Harper Collins 1994) and Sanctuary: The Inner Life of Home (Editor) (Chiron Publications 2024) Interview Date: 7/19/2024. Tags: Valerie Andrews, Jungian psychology, Sisyphus, Kaiser ACE study, plus-one proton, Ursula Le Guin, aging at home, Peggy Fleming, In the Evening of Life, Grassland Woman, Mary Reynolds Thompson, Eckart Tolle, James Hollis, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Gilda Frantz, storage lockers, Bayo Akomolafe, Starhawk, Community, Personal Transformation, Psychology