Front and Center with Steve and Michael

Conversation with Integral Philosopher Steve McIntosh “Instead of the familiar political tug-of-war pulling us apart, we need a tug of peace where we all pull together in the same direction."   -- Swami Beyondananda Here is the political paradox of our times. At a time when the body politic seems more polarized than ever, there seems to be a parallel impulse to come together at a coherent and...

Front and Center Interview with “Habits of Unity” Author Elaine Parke “There’s no need to change the world. There is a better way. I say let’s toilet train the world, and we’ll never have to change it again.” -- Swami Beyondananda In these times of division, fear, misunderstanding, and confusion, those who are awakening to the “shituation” are asking, “What can I do?” Maybe the better question is,...

We – Steve Bhaerman and Michael Maxsenti -- launched our Front and Center podcast in September with the intention to help all sides get off the political battlefields and onto the cooperative playing fields so we could write our new story together. Our first seven guests have shown us the pathway to turn this ideal into the REAL DEAL – by awakening the recognition of what is possible and highlight...

“There are no sides, only angles. And if we see things from the right angle, we’re all on the same side.”  -- Swami Beyondananda Three months ago, amidst very little fanfare, we – Michael Maxsenti and Steve Bhaerman – launched a podcast to bring awakening individuals from all sides “front and center” to get off the political battlefields, and on to the cooperative playing fields, so that we could...

“There are no sides, only angles. And if we see things from the right angle, we’re all on the same side.” -- Swami Beyondananda Three months ago, amidst very little fanfare, we – Michael Maxsenti and Steve Bhaerman – launched a podcast to bring awakening individuals from all sides “front and center” to get off the political battlefields, and on to the cooperative playing fields, so that we could w...

“If we truly want peace in the Middle East, we must first have peace in the Middle West.”  -- Swami Beyondananda For decades, we’ve been exposed to the meme, “visualize world peace.” Well, maybe the key to transforming the world at large is to transform the “world at small” – a peace-building movement to bring together our red and blue tribes to sit in “sacred circle” and talk until they’re “purpl...

A Conversation with Author and Eco-psychologist Glenn Aparicio Parry “When we shift our’ c-ing from fear to love, we move from scared to sacred.” -- Swami Beyondananda Sacred purpose? Given the current political polarization and deep division, we see a lot more scared than we do sacred. And yet, that “sacred purpose” embedded in the untold story of how Native Americans and English settlers lived i...

A Conversation with Author and Talk Show Host Thom Hartmann “We need to replace the Four E’s – extraction, exploitation, extortion and extinction -- with the Four C’s, cooperation, collaboration, cultivation and community.” -- Swami Beyondananda The lost people. What an intriguing title. Who are those “lost people”? Are they an ancient people whose ways and history are lost to us? Or are they the...

A Conversation with Activist and Wisdom-Keeper Shawna Bluestar Newcomb “Life calls on us to move from survival of the fittest to thrival of the fittingest.” -- Swami Beyondananda Are you familiar with the “Doctrine of Discovery”? Probably not. It sounds innocuous, but was the Papal bull that legitimized the conquest of the new world and the genocide of its inhabitants. Believe it or not, this 15th...

“The currency of our evolved species, Humankind, is human kindness.” -- Swami Beyondananda "...you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in." ​-- Isaiah 58:12 There seems to be one thing everyone across the political spectrum can agree on – we are divided like never before. So, can this breac...

A Conversation with Randall Paul Foundation for Religious Diplomacy What if the key to breakthrough is not getting opposing parties to agree – but getting them to disagree agreeably?  This week’s guest, Randall Paul, President of the Foundation for Religious Diplomacy, says that when we transform those we perceive as opponents into “trustworthy rivals”, we open the door to finding the “whole truth...

To launch our podcast Front And Center: Writing Our New Story Together ... and to help propel us off the political battlefields and on to the creative playing fields, we had a conversation with visionary philosopher Charles Eisenstein, author of several books including, “The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know Is Possible.” Says Charles: “We are immersed in a story of separation, a story that has...

Our fundamental purpose and mission is summed up in our show title, slogan and subtitle … Front and Center ... ‘From Political Battlefields to Cooperative Playing Fields’ ... Writing Our New Story Together.