Inward Bound Mindfulness is a nonprofit organization offering intensive mindfulness retreats to youth across the country. In this episode, Inward Bound Executive Director Erik Osugi, and Nikki Cistac, the lead for programs and community engagement, talk about the transformative power of mindfulness for a richly diverse community of young people. Resources: Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/ Earth & Spirit Center website: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/ Inward Bound Mindfulness website: https://inwardboundmind.org/ Contact Erik Osugi: erik@inwardboundmind.org Contact Nikki Cistac: nikki@inwardboundmind.org

Matt Weir is a Louisville-based sculptor and stonecarver who has been commissioned to create an outdoor sculpture for the Earth & Spirit Center. In this episode, Matt reflects on his creative process, including the cosmic humility and contemplative practice entailed in working slowly with ancient natural materials. RESOURCES: Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/ Learn more about the Earth & Spirit Center: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/ Falls Art Foundry: https://fallsartfoundry.com/ Matt Weir’s website: https://mweirworks.com/ Louisville Visual Art: https://www.louisvillevisualart.org/ Information about the Louisville Visual Art’s Curate, Purchase, Inspire program, which is funding the installation of Matt’s sculpture on the Earth & Spirit Center campus: https://www.louisvillevisualart.org/cpi

Louisville Collegiate School is an independent school committed to whole-child education. In this episode, Head of School Rob Macrae and Assistant Head of School Jim McGuire describe how they are introducing spiritual practices and principles in a secular educational context, as a way to cultivate kids with self-awareness, a sense of community, resilience, and a commitment to the common good of people and planet. RESOURCES: Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/ Earth & Spirit Center homepage: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/ Louisville Collegiate School: https://louisvillecollegiate.org/ Collaborative for Spirituality in Education: https://spiritualityineducation.org/ Awakened Schools Institute: https://spiritualityineducation.org/awakened-schools/

Will Hunter is a former monk, hermit, and wilderness therapy guide, who currently serves as the retreat director for the Earth & Spirit Center in Louisville, KY. In this episode, Will and I talk about the evolution of monastic life and how the desert or wilderness spirituality of monastic practice is possible – and even essential – for all of us, even in the midst of our built environments and our busy lives. Resources: Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/ Earth & Spirit Center homepage: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/ Will’s upcoming three-week course on Wilderness Spirituality (in-person and online via Zoom): https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/class/wilderness-spirituality/

Shelly Sowell is a therapist and well-being coach who integrates mindfulness and self-compassion into her work with individuals and organizations. In this episode, we reflect on how mindfulness provides a helpful path of healing, integration, and hope for individuals and communities in the wake of the 2024 elections. RESOURCES: Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/ Earth & Spirit Center homepage: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/ Shelly's website: shellysowell.com Shelly’s Instagram: @buildamindfullife Shelly’s blog page: https://www.shellysowell.com/blog Blog Post on Fear: https://www.shellysowell.com/blog/buildamindfullife-workingwithfear Blog Post on Supporting Kids: https://www.shellysowell.com/blog/buildamindfullife-electionanxiety Blog Post from last year on Prepping for Holidays: https://www.shellysowell.com/blog/mindfullyprepfamilyholidays

In this brief episode, Earth & Spirit Podcast host and producer Kyle Kramer gives some background on why the podcast feed has been dark for a bit, and what the future holds for the podcast moving forward.

David Gershon is the co-founder and CEO of Empowerment Institute, author of a dozen books, and is one of the foremost social change experts in the world. In this conversation, David shares his vision of world peace by 2030 and the inspired and inspiring way he is helping create the means to achieve it. RESOURCES: Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/ Earth & Spirit Center homepage: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/ Registration link for World Building Workshop in Louisville on September 7, 2024: https://poe.earth/POEWBWorkshop Learn more about the Peace on Earth by 2030 Movement: https://peace2030.earth Learn more about the Peace Game and the Peace Game App: https://peacegame.earth https://docs.google.com/document/d/1arS7L8fkp2DgKgfuD3GOAxykugYm3TwGusaZ8Zw5ZA4/edit?usp=sharing https://poe.earth/app Learn more about David’s work and writing: https://empowermentinstitute.net

Brayton Bowen is an organizational consultant, author, educator, and speaker, who served as a senior human resources officer for Fortune 500 companies. He’s also a fierce advocate for compassion in the workplace. In this episode, we explore the benefits compassion can bring in organizational life and beyond. RESOURCES: Donate to support the Earth & Spirit Podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/ Earth & Spirit Center homepage: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/ Brayton’s website: https://buildingbetterworldsofwork.com/ Brayton’s books: https://buildingbetterworldsofwork.com/success-resources/

John Gage is a Louisville-based folk singer-songwriter and a former public radio host. For over six decades, his music has engaged deeply with spirituality, social justice, and care for the Earth. John brought his beloved old Martin guitar with him to the Earth & Spirit Center to add a few live songs to this wide-ranging conversation about music as a force for good in the world. His most recent album, Circles of Our Lives, features several Wendell Berry poems that John set to music, one of which he performed during this conversation. John teaches music for the Camp Odyssey summer programs at the Earth & Spirit Center, so since our summer camps are in full swing, we are re-airing this episode, which originally aired in 2021. Resources: Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/ Earth & Spirit Center website: www.earthandspiritcenter.org John Gage on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/26zYYPXePtVOO7hHjieUGj

Mat McDermott is Senior Director of Communications for the Hindu American Foundation, a non-profit advocacy organization for the Hindu American community, and an author and contributor for many Hindu American Foundation policy positions on environmental care and the ethical treatment of animals. This conversation explores how Hindu spirituality, and especially the various forms of yoga, help cultivate an ethic of love and care for the sacred world we all share. RESOURCES: Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/ Earth & Spirit Center homepage: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/ Hindu American Foundation: https://www.hinduamerican.org/ Learn more about the June 21 International Day of Yoga