Life Itself Podcast

Rufus interviews Jim Rutt on his life journey to becoming chairman of the Santa Fe Institute and a leading pioneer of ‘Game B’. Rutt shares insight into the failures of the Game A financial system. Rufus and Rutt explore the historical context of our ‘Game A’ system and what characteristics a Game B communities need to survive and grow with integrity. About the episode In this Life Itself Podcast,...

Sylvie Barbier brings sensemaking to bear on the polarization that followed the Kirk assassination and explores the significance of the Kirk memorial in an interview hosted by Jacob Kishere. The dialogue delves into the profound importance of speech, cycle-breaking forgiveness, non-violence, and remembering the sanctity of life. About the episode: In this episode of the Second Renaissance Podcast,...

Rufus dives into the life story of the one and only Layman Pascal: exploring his unique childhood, what he found in Wilber’s Integral, his relationship to intentional communities and what it means to live beyond a post-modern world. About the episode: In this interview with Layman Pascal and Rufus Pollock, Layman recounts his upbringing and the unique childhood in the Canadian Pacific Northwest th...

Following our interview with Lectica Co-founder Zak Stein , Rufus interviews Theo Dawson, Lectica’s founder and executive director, about her journey into transforming education and the complex and critical science of measuring educational development. Listen above or watch the episode here: About the episode: In this interview Theo Dawson, award-winning educator, scholar, & founder of Lectica Inc...

Sylvie Shiwei Barbier Co-founder of Life Itself and Ritual Artist calls upon the necessity of re-imagining and committing deeply to the role of the spiritual warrior. A path of vows, communal bonds, shadow work and ethical restoration. Listen above or watch the episode here: About the episode: In this interview with Jacob Kishere, Sylvie presents new work on why we need spiritual warriorship and w...

In this interview with author Manda Scott we explore Manda’s journey as bestselling fiction author into the realms of the shamanic and her subsequent search for new and ancient narratives that can lead us through and beyond collapse. Listen above or watch the episode here: About the episode: In this interview, award-winning novelist and the host of Accidental Gods Podcast Manda Scott explores huma...

In this conversation, Rufus interviews Zak about his early learning journey, exploring the corruption of graduate education, the sacredness of measurement for ancient man and what kind of new wise agency is needed amidst existential risk and all pervasive information warfare. Listen above or watch the episode here: About the episode: In their second interview, Rufus explores Dr. Zak Stein's format...

In this podcast series Jacob Kishere interviews key speakers on themes of education, metacrisis, transformation and the possibility of a Second Renaissance. On May 2-3rd the corresponsing conference 'Education For Flourishing: In a time of Metacrisis and Second Renaissance' will be held in partnership with Life Itself at Harvard Graduate School of Education. In this first dialogue with conference...

In this Second Renaissance episode from Life Itself, Rufus Pollock sits down with Bonnitta Roy for part II of their conversation. Listen above or watch the episode here About the Episode In this episode, Bonnitta Roy delves into the challenges of large-scale collective action, the limitations of extrinsic motivation, and the importance of fostering intrinsic motivation and prosocial behavior. Draw...

In this conversation, Zak and Rufus examine the shift that has taken place from a belief in the intrinsic value of the universe to the modernist view that denies the reality of value. Listen above or watch the episode here: About the episode Zak explains how this loss of value has contributed to the current metacrisis, impacting areas such as education, architecture, and technology. The concept of...

In this episode of Ordinary People, Rufus Pollock speaks with Kyle Kowalski, the founder of Sloww. Kyle shares his journey that led him from a high-powered marketing career to becoming a self-described "student of life" and creator of a digital platform dedicated to the art of living. In 2015 Kyle experienced a turning point that shattered his then current and conventional path and set him off on...

In this episode from the Ordinary People series, Rufus Pollock sits down with Bonnitta Roy to explore her extraordinary life journey, from her early days in a Connecticut factory town to her groundbreaking work in neuroscience, philosophy, and spiritual practice. Bonnitta recounts her adventurous childhood, her academic achievements, and the profound moments of introspection that shaped her worldv...

In this episode of Ordinary People host Sylvie Barbier speaks with Rainer von Leoprechting, an inspiring figure who transitioned from a structured career in the European Commission to a fulfilling life as an independent consultant working internationally from his small farm place in  Austria. Rainer shares his journey from studying Economics and Business Administration in Germany to embracing a cr...

In this episode of Ordinary People host Sylvie Barbier sits down with Natalia Lombardo, a multifaceted community developer and psychedelic guide. Natalia shares her journey from her roots in Argentina to her current endeavors in Europe, where she engages in community development, permaculture, and creative activism. She opens up about her personal healing journey following a severe brain injury an...

In this episode of Ordinary People Walking Extra-Ordinary Path, Life Itself Co-Founder Sylvie Barbier is joined by Liam Kavanagh. Liam reflects on his transition from observing environmental changes to spearheading initiatives like the Climate Majority Project. From his childhood curiosity and nourished creativity to his adult inquiries into the nature of thought and emotion, Liam shares how an op...

In this episode of Ordinary People Sylvie Barbier speaks with Elizabeth Debold in a thought-provoking dialogue exploring the intersections of gender, identity, and culture. Elizabeth shares her journey of questioning societal norms around gender roles and relationships, stemming from witnessing the destructive dynamic between her parents. She talks about her early spiritual experience that opened...

In this episode of Ordinary People Rufus Pollock talks with Daniel Thorson. Daniel shares his unique journeys of finding faith, meaning, and personal growth through unexpected avenues of meditation, living at a Goenka center, and participating in the Occupy Wall Street movement. They delve into the critical roles of trust, courage, and support in navigating life's uncertainties and explore the int...

In this episode of Ordinary People Sylvie Barbier speaks with Valerie Duvauchelle on the transformative power of Zen and embodied practices. Valerie explains her personal journey as she navigates the complexities of cultural and generational trauma, exploring the profound impact Zen Buddhism had on her connection with self, others, and nature. #ordinarypeople #zen #wisdom #meditation #wiserworld #...

In this episode of Ordinary People walking an extra-ordinary path podcast, Life Itself co-founder Sylvie Barbier is joined by Dr Simon Longstaff. Dr Simon Longstaff is the Executive Director of The Ethics Centre, co-founder of the Festival of Dangerous Ideas, and has been named one of the True Leaders of the 21st century by Australian Financial Review BOSS magazine. He shares with us his journey i...

In this episode of the Ordinary Poeple walking an extra-ordinary path Podcast, Life Itself Co-Founder Sylvie Barbier is joined by Jamie Bristow a leading expert on inner development and contemplative practices in public life. Ordinary People is a podcast series that delves into the lives of individuals who have defied societal expectations and embarked on extra-ordinary paths despite their seeming...

In this episode of the Life Itself Podcast, Rufus Pollock sits down with Professor Joseph Henrich to continue the discussion on the study of cultural evolution. In this second part of the conversation continuing from episode 3, Rufus Pollock and Joe Henrich discuss the implications of cultural evolution in relation to modern challenges. They explore the potential for intentional experimentation in...

In this episode of the Life Itself Podcast, Rufus Pollock sits down with Professor Joseph Henrich to continue the discussion on the study of cultural evolution. In this episode the significance of family structures and the church takes center stage in their role towards shaping human societies. Joseph explains that different kinship networks influence behaviors, trust, and cooperation within socie...

In this episode of the Life Itself Podcast, Rufus Pollock sits down with Professor Joseph Henrich to continue the discussion on the study of cultural evolution. In this episode they discuss the innate human inclination to develop and learn from culture and to transmit this knowledge across generations. This conversation emphasizes that our success as a species is attributed not only to individual...

In this episode of the Life Itself Podcast, Rufus Pollock is joined by Dr Jeffery Martin. Jeffery is a founder of the Transformative Technology space, a serial entrepreneur, and a social scientist who researches personal transformation and the states of greatest human well-being. In this episode, Jeffery discusses Persistent Non-Symbolic Experience, more commonly referred to as Fundamental well-be...

In this episode of the Life Itself Podcast, Rufus Pollock is joined by Dr Jeffery Martin. Jeffery is a founder of the Transformative Technology space, a serial entrepreneur, and a social scientist who researches personal transformation and the states of greatest human well-being. In this episode, Jeffery discusses Persistent Non-Symbolic Experience, more commonly referred to as Fundamental well-be...