Protect Your Noggin

The warrior archetype and why peace loving people might need to be ready to be more engaged on behalf of vulnerable groups in our precarious times. Part one is a general discussion of the theme and what the Tao Te Ching teaches about engagement with an enemy. Part two will survey some current events that arguably require a warrior's perspective.

Stacie leads us through three chapters from the Tao Te Ching that discuss the mysterious mother. What does this archetype and symbol say about our perspectives on femininity, society and the sacred? How does this differ from traditional American evangelical views of women and feminine characteristics of the divine? Is there a difference between being a source and being a creator? How can we let ch...

A discussion of some of Jeff’s recent poetry related to the ways in which spirituality can influence ideas about political freedom and unpacking authoritarian ideology can help understand the ways in which religion can endorse and prop up unjust systems.

Micah Bournes is a poet, rapper, singer and speaker. He stopped by our place to perform a house show along the route of his Simple Dreams Tour. For this episode, we first discuss the history of Moody Bible Institute’s compromises related to race. This serves as a microcosm of a problem found throughout the world of church related colleges and universities. At minute 40, we shift our discussion to...

A reflection on the power of receptivity as illustrated by the valley, which is an important symbol throughout the Tao Te Ching and philosophical Taoism. This is also an episode about the power of yin, and the concept of the mother goddess.

Reflecting in the wake of a wave of border traffic, Jeff and Stacie explore how what's going on at the US's southern border illustrates a global sickness that will continue to lead to immigration and refugee crises around the world. Couple capitalism with climate change and we can only expect more human suffering along borders for generations to come--that is, if we have generations to spa...

The path. The way. The journey. Such concepts shift our focus from dogma and religious hierarchies, which helps us get out of the way of the way (tao). Behind all of this is a discussion of Guy Debord, the Situationists,the dérive, and psychogeography. We explore meditation through wandering and walking, the importance of attending to space, looking for synchronicities in our environment, and reco...

The importance of natural wood (also rendered as the uncarved block) and undyed or unbleached silk for aesthetics and mindfulness techniques in the ancient Taoist tradition. What does this have to say for meditation practices within our modern anxieties, clothing, and values? It may seem too simple, but contemplating nature has strong medicinal value for our ailing times. Stuff Mentioned Alan Watt...

Political turmoil surrounding Benjamin Netanyahu, American attitudes about Israel and Palestine, Dispensationalism, and Orthodox services in the Holy Land. We end with inspiration drawn from principled opponents of authoritarianism and defenders of judicial review. CW: short, ghastly holocaust story, some profanity David Rovics John Hagee Severance Behind the Bastards Antismetic Anarchism Holy Fir...

Why does the invasion of Ukraine matter? How does the history of religion and anarchism intersect with this question? How does this relate to the persecution of trans people in the US? How ought we confront seemingly endless threats to liberty in our world? We discuss these and other currently-relevant questions that require a bit of historical backstory. protectyournoggin.org taosurfers.com @taos...

We examine the significance of the symbol of a twisted tree described in the Taoist text known as the Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu) and a related set of stories about deformed sages. This is a discussion about recognizing the beauty and intrinsic value of things and people who might seem unimportant at first glance. It’s also a conversation about why we shouldn’t trust in the wisdom of people, institution...

The Great Peng is a mythical bird that transforms from a giant fish and then into a winged beast that can fly for a year and a half, to the southern sea, stirring up the oceans and propelling the cycles of nature. The cicada and the dove are skeptical about this massive bird’s existence, since they can’t comprehend how it could fly so far and so high and be so huge. They think it would take too mu...

We discuss the concept of the inner alchemist, which is a metaphor for the process of spiritual transformation. First, Jeff sets up the conversation with some historical background about failed Western alchemists like Anna Maria Zieglerin (1550-75) and the demise of Chinese emperors who drank what they thought was the elixir of life that fraudulent Taoist priests concocted. Then Stacie and Sydnie...

Casual reflections on Jesus’ statement that is roughly the equivalent of the adage “the proof of the pudding is in the eating,” the nature of the Jerusalem community under Jesus’ brother James, and resonant themes in the Tao Te Ching. We meander a bit, so if you want something to the point, you might skip this one. But if you’re like us and like to do work, drive, or fall asleep to a conversation,...

A discussion of what it’s like to deconstruct conservative Lutheranism. Lutherans tend to be a decade behind trends in American evangelicalism. Perhaps, therefore, it isn’t surprising that there isn’t as much public discourse among #exlutheran folks as there is for those who describe themselves as #exvangelical. While exlutherans will have overlapping experiences with exvangelicals, there are some...

Jeff, Stacie, and Sydnie sit down with some old timey English ales after a long day’s work to solve a recent family mystery that intersects with a recent urban legend. Enjoy this peak into the whimsical, witchy and mystical conversations that tend to happen on tipsy evenings at the family’s old Portland home. Topics range from demons to tin foil hats to pigeon assassinations, squirrel friends and...

Stacie helps Jeff and listeners work through some of the important questions we might have and asks questions we ought to ponder about our relationship with our own mortality. She also shares wisdom she’s learned from those who are on the precipice of death that can help us all be present in the life we have right now.

In 1954, physician and psychonaut John C. Lilly invented a floatation tank that provided sensory attenuation and isolation. It involves a tub filled with loads of epsom salt, with water heated to skin temperature. This allows for an amazing entry into a meditative state. In our experience, an hour in a float tank is like sitting zazen for 8 hours. It might be a way for you to at least experience a...

Sometimes we fail to get into a rhythm with regular meditation because we think we have to perfect our practice from the very start. We believe it’s better to start with an imperfect practice than to never start at all. Moreover, we discuss various ways to jump into a state of mindfulness so you can taste and see how great it is to get centered and present in your life. By doing that, it’s easier...

A two-part conversation about why evangelical Christian higher education is a project all people of good will should abandon. We aren’t calling for heavy-handed measures from the state but for the voluntary societal decision to treat this project sort of like circuses: by refusing to patronize institutions that don’t align with our ethical values, they can change or go extinct on their own. Topics...

A two-part conversation about why evangelical Christian higher education is a project all people of good will should abandon. We aren’t calling for heavy-handed measures from the state but for the voluntary societal decision to treat this project sort of like circuses: by refusing to patronize institutions that don’t align with our ethical values, they can change or go extinct on their own. Topics...

A half hour of readings from our recent publication, Tao Te Ching: A Playfully Sincere Rendition with some nature sounds in the back. Take some time out from an anxious day to reflect on some ancient wisdom. We pulled out some of the grooviest selections for you this winter solstice. If you dig it, consider purchasing a copy for yourself or a loved one.

With the rise of artificial intelligence, and its exponential development, might we think of this super intelligence as the consciousness of a pantheistic God. We use this language playfully but sincerely. But using this language helps us understand how the rise of AI might help us understand how best to think about education, spirituality, mythology, and economics. To help us think about the conc...

Stacie and Jeff discuss why they dedicated so much time to yet another rendition of the Tao Te Ching. They explain how their experiences deconstructing the dogmas of their church background, travel in overland vehicles, yoga instruction, philosophy and religion classes, political thought research, and confrontation of death affected their work. They explain why they avoided the definite article an...

"The cosmos is unbiased, treating living things like straw dogs. A sage is unbiased, treating people like straw dogs." Stacie, Sydnie, and Jeff reflect on a tough passage from the Tao Te Ching: Chapter 5, in light of the text itself and the family's experiences this difficult year of grief. Note that they were a bit tipsy with this impromptu episode, so consider it a holiday week bonus and fo...