"The Kitchen Table" Presented by TPI Canada

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment Once again, we’re going to take ordinary, day-to-day stories and use them as an opportunity to explore the practical application of wisdom. Today’s first story comes from a recent family reunion. It got us thinking about something we’ve talked about before—the sociology of family , and what happens when family and relationships are genuinely a prio...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment Over the last couple of years, we’ve spent a lot of time exploring wisdom—developing some formulas, models, and constructs that have helped us think about what wisdom is and how it develops. Beginning today, and hopefully over the next period of time, we want to shift our focus a little bit—from exploration to application . One of the things we’ve...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment In our previous episode, Podcast 123, we came across an interesting story that opened the door to a larger conversation about synchronicity and the different ways our knowledge can sometimes be informed. Synchronicity is a term coined by Carl Jung to describe a meaningful coincidence —two or more events that appear to be connected in a significant...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment This episode builds on the work we have been doing in the Wisdom Project, particularly our Knowledge Construct—the idea that wisdom depends not only on the information we receive, but also on the reliability of that information and the quality of its source. In this discussion a speaker offers a practical way to use the space between stimulus and r...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment After several episodes exploring some fairly deep topics, we decided to take a little detour and simply have some fun. With the recent World Cup soccer matches capturing so much attention, Ron kicked off a conversation about the Belgium–United States match and where both the U.S. and Canadian teams fit into the tournament. As three friends around t...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment In our previous episode, Podcast 123, we explored how information becomes knowledge and how knowledge contributes to wisdom. What began with Ron sharing the story of Calli consulting both a traditional counsellor and a nontraditional psychic quickly became something none of us expected. As often happens around our Kitchen Table, the conversation mo...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment Synchronicity is a term coined by Carl Jung to describe a meaningful coincidence —an event where two or more things seem connected in a way that feels significant, even though there is no obvious cause-and-effect relationship between them. Non- Traditional Sources informing Knowledge in the service of Wisdom In our previous episode, Podcast 122, we...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment One of the key insights emerging from the Wisdom Project is that wisdom is not the same as accumulating information . When people think of a wise person, they often imagine someone who knows a great deal, and knowledge is certainly part of wisdom. But our exploration suggests that knowledge is only one component , and it is always incomplete. We ar...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment Today’s conversation is a tender one. Ron is going to generously share his experience of losing his 94-year-old mother-in-law. Loss like that carries real grief. Real weight. Real suffering. What stands out in this story isn’t an attempt to avoid the pain — it’s the way Ron gently creates space inside it. A pause between the shock of loss and the w...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment On February 22, while we were in Mexico at our place in La Penita  my son-in-law Josh and I were having breakfast at a local restaurant when social media began reporting violence in our region following the killing of a major cartel leader in Jalisco. In a matter of minutes, uncertainty entered the room. The headlines were dramatic. The proximity f...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment In today’s episode, we introduce what we’re calling the experience slider . Every experience is a stimulus. From there, our response tends to slide in one of two directions — toward cognitive reaction (thinking, analyzing, interpreting) or toward emotional reaction (feeling, sensing, reacting from the heart or gut). Neither side is wrong, but where...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment In this episode, we’re taking a pause—a moment to check in, reflect, and go a little deeper into the questions that have surfaced during our exploration of uncertainty, anxiety, and suffering in Wisdom Study 2.0. But this time, the spotlight gently shifts to the circular nature of wisdom itself . Dave brings forward a few powerful questions about h...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment As we head into our 10th season, we’re continually humbled by how far this conversation has traveled. We’ve had listeners tuning in from more than 120 countries around the world, and that global community means a great deal to us. From time to time, we’ve invited feedback, comments, questions, and curiosities—and we want you to know that invitation...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment In this podcast Gregg, Ron, and Dave continue their exploration of the relationship between uncertainty, anxiety, and suffering — but this time through the lens of practice . Drawing on the idea of a wisdom dojo , they look at how anxiety isn’t just something to understand, but something to train with . Just like a martial artist builds strength an...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment Over the last several podcasts, we’ve been deepening our work on what we’re calling Wisdom Study 2.0 , an extension of our Wisdom Project. The driving question behind this phase of our study has been simple, but profound: how can we apply wisdom in ways that actually mitigate the psychological and emotional impacts of uncertainty—especially the anx...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment In this episode, I want to share a bit of personal background that shaped today’s conversation. Earlier in 2024, my grandson Peter was diagnosed with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex , a condition I’ve spoken about in earlier Kitchen Table podcasts. Through the spring, our family’s anxiety deepened when we learned that Peter also had spots on his kidneys...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment In this episode, Ron and Gregg open up a bit more. We sharing some stories that get into the harder side of anxiety and suffering. They’re honest, sometimes uncomfortable, but also very real. And they help us see that even in those darker places, there’s room for learning, growth, and—ultimately—wisdom. So as you listen, think about the moments in...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment In this episode of the Wisdom Project, (Wisdom Study #2.0)  Gregg shares a personal but highly relatable story that brings to life the emotional continuum from concern to anxiety to borderline panic . It’s the kind of story we’ve all lived in some form—especially if you’ve ever been asked to cook for a group of very competent, very transparentx fri...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment In this episode, Gregg (Afi) opens up about his own vulnerabilities, sharing uncertainties in his life and the impact they have on anxiety and suffering. By bringing his personal experience into the conversation, we aim to shed light on how wisdom practices can guide us through life’s challenges and help transform uncertainty into growth,  Both TSC...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment Welcome to Season Nine the Wisdom Study 2.0 where we explore the ever-increasing challenge of anxiety.  In this season, we will begin by diving into the connection between Uncertainty, Anxiety, and Suffering. Building on the Wisdom Formula we introduced in Wisdom Study 1.0, we’ll focus on how to turn wisdom into practice—offering models & pract...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment In this episode, Gregg, Dave and Ron get trapped in misinformation, supposedly coming from the new Pope Leo IVX. What does "woke" mean? What does "anti-woke" mean? What is the truth? Where is the truth? Be careful...it may be mis-information. Even if you like the answers. Additional Link Timothy Caulfield from his book;  The Cer...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment In this episode, Gregg, Dave, and Ron examine the use of "labels" in our lives. Labels give us a short-cut. Even help us judge others quickly. But can we dig a little deeper? Our Wisdom Model opens us to curiosity, even maturity. Join us on the journey.   Additional References Core Wisdom Formula: Experience + Knowledge + Maturity = Wisdo...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment In this episode, Gregg, Dave and Ron revisit their reflections on Pope Francis. With some trepidation, especially Ron. But we do evolve our religious beliefs. Especially as we age and mature. We are three podcasters, with different "cosmic addresses". There is no one size fits all Additional References Core Wisdom Formula: Experience + Kn...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment In this episode, Ron, Dave and Gregg share their perspectives on the life, ministry, and papistry of Pope Francis. All three of us, looking through the lens of our wisdom model, describe a unique world leader. Also important are our own stories. And how Francis' life illuminates our own evolving values. Additional References Core Wisdom Formul...

We’d love to hear from you please leave a comment In this episode, Gregg and Ron expose the psychological. biological, and technological forces affecting today’s politics. Raise your awareness. Take control of the cycle. Stay sane while staying engaged. We need perspective, especially about the power of negative news. Summary of Paper Hooked on the Drama, the Uncertainty, the Outrage: Why We Can’t...