Unraveling Religion

This conversation with Lisa and Joel explores Lisa Carley's new podcast 'The Labyrinth' and its slogan 'Destination Unknown' and its relationship to the 'Unraveling Religion' podcast, whose own slogan 'What You Are Is More Than What You Want.' These two old friends share deep vision of hope and work toward a brighter future as they deconstruct meaning, mission, and purpose, and the mechanisms of w...

In Part 2 , Lisa , Rich , and Joel explore knowing the ' why ' and knowing the ' big picture ' versus being in the flow of life . The talk continues in the examination of life asking ' What is being asked of me ? What do I need to learn about this situation ? What do I need to perceive in this situation ?' Also, asking questions of life , and responding to life ' s obstacles in a way that challeng...

In Part 1 of this three part episode , Joel lassoed Rich Grego and Lisa Carley into a conversation recorded weaving threads through time and space and love , itself . This conversation meanders among these three old , dear friends , and touches on nihilism , dissolution and  romanticism , Dharma decay and Dharma renewal , changes and transformations . Is there room for Hope in the world today ? Op...

In Part 3 Lisa, Rich, and Joel examine the secret to the existential delimma and how to resolve it. The answer, 'service.' Also, surfing and meditation and the story of Reb Zusha, a Hasidic Master. A Jewish Kabbalistic look at death, judgment, and Heavenly Decrees, ultimately who judges us? Does human life have spiritual veils and what do they hide? Also discussed is American Zen Buddhism and the...

Henry Cretella and Joel discuss collaboration to present a series of four workshops in 2024 from Amber Light, Int. and Education Training Center, Inc.'s Ground and Sky Poetry Series entitled 'Spirituality In Everyday Life.' The topics of the four workshops are: 1. Spirituality And Service 2. Spirituality And Relationship 3. Spirituality And Mental Health and 4. Spirituality And The Arts. Also, Hen...

From The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson , to the Ba'al Shem Tov , to Maimonides and Moses this discussion includes topics of the security of the Jewish people and the Land of Israel and how the Jewish people can fortify their existence and safety. Rabbi Greenberg and Joel examine the best Jewish responses to the terror attack October 7th, 2023. The journey of this conversation addre...

Dusted off as one of Unraveling Religion's original episodes back in 2008, Activist and Poet Chris Barbera joins Joel for a talk exploring the landscape of our collective sorrows and how to address them. The terrain covers the root response to suffering found in exploring spirituality. The question of 'work' and how work is defined was answered. Chris begins with his own expressed spiritual develo...

Part 2, continues the vital disucssion regarding the implications of spirituality, of religion, or neither? Continue listening to this panel discussion with five practitioners who are either involved or have been with both spirituality and religion, as they explore their views and experiences. Aude Chesnais, Ph. D.,  has encountered various spiritual traditions before finding her family on the Suf...

Alchemical Dialogues held a panel discussion regarding spirituality and religion. These two practices not the same, but this can be confusing for many. Westerners, in growing numbers, identify as 'spiritual, but not religious.' Likewise, there are many who list their religious affiliation as 'other.'   Atheism and agnosticism are growing, often touting the benefits of community without the perceiv...

In Part 2 of this talk , Mike , Mike and Joel continue deconstructing meaning death and spirituality . Joel tells a story of his ' good friend ' John Bednarchik who passed in 2012 , and John ' s profound influence on Joel through his living example cultivated by John ' s long and devoted practice of Zen Buddhism . How do we sow seeds   of faith in the process of life itself ? How the idea of " Own...

In Part 1 of this episode , at Joel ' s place , in the midst of new friendship and burning Sage , Mike Morde , Mike Pernot , and Joel Lesses talk about life , spirituality , psychology , meaning , and death .  Explored are the importance and practice of meditation and mindfulness ; also ' awareness of the process as the goal in life .' The vital link between service to community and our individual...

In Part 2 of the Alchemical Dialogues Podcast with Henry Cretella and Joel Lesses, more discussion surrounding wisdom of lived experience including Joel's personal history exploring mental health distress and an opporunity.  Bio: Joel Lesses founded the Education Training Center as a means of counseling people marginalized by trauma, addiction, and psychological distress, and its effects including...

Henry and Joel discuss lessons from lived experience with mental health distress, including: lessons from trauma, isolation, loneliness, marginalization, existential crisis, and how mental health distress may be a calling to become a healer leader and teacher in community. Extracting lessons and asking the 'why' slowly begins to uncover answers, reveals meaning and purpose, calls us to understandi...

Joy Harjo and Joel connect in this dusted off, older episode, to open and discuss our shared human experience in its different forms and the pervading spirit found in mountains and rivers, water and air, in people and the Earth. The shared community we live in calls us to understand our actions affect others and the Earth. Joy and Joel discuss spirituality, Joy's history and development as an arti...

On Richard Wicka 's I Thou Video Series  Richard and Joel, two old friends, talk and deconstruct meaning, trauma, and suffering and its relation to political and religous spectrums and systems of belief. Richard and Joel teach each about their perspectives in deeply honoring and respectful discourse, examining: nationalism, Hilter, neonazism, the liberal or left versus the right or conservative be...

Karl Shallowhorn and Joel talk about lived experience with mental health distress, the different ways to improve the quality of life for people with mental health distress, Karl's own history and biography, personally and professionally, with lived experience. Karl and Joel explore the importance of peer to peer connection not just for people with mental health distress, but its importance for all...

In this brief talk, Henry Cretella, MD and Joel examine the history and relationship between Amber Light's Podcast 'Alchemical Dialogues' and Joel's own podcast 'Unraveling Religion.' Henry and Joel have been friends since 2014, and have cross-pollinated sharing ideas and wisdom including episodes regarding dreams, poetry, the spiritual path, psychology and mental health. 'Alchemical Dialogues' ar...

Curiosity delving deeply into the Talmud and Rabbi Gedaliah Gurfein's website 'The People's Talmud' https://thepeoplestalmud.com/home (which is all in English). Rabbi Gedaliah Gurfein and Joel discuss a vast terrain of time and topics, in Judaism, Judaism's relation to the World, and a Jew's responsibility and obligation to their community. Every single aspect of life is address in Talmud, the int...

Part 1 of this talk, Reb Brian Yosef and Joel share thoughts and perspectives on Divine Providence, dreams, spiritual awakening, meditation, and the importance of how to integrate awakening experiences into our daily lives, in an enduring way. Also, seeing beyond our human conditioning into our deeper self, our Soul, and the intellect as a tool for spirituality. Buddhism and Judaism are compared a...

In Part 2 of this talk, Reb Brian Yosef and Joel talk about the second and third Portals of Awareness, as taught by Reb Brian. Feeling the breath, the relation of the many meanings of the Hebrew word 'Ruach:' spirit, wind, breath, and soul. The practical instructions of mystical teachings, awareness, and consciousness, meditation. 'I am this awareness, the open field.' Encouraging the realization...

Rah and Joel discuss the life of fathers, Rah expresses the benefits and challenges of fatherhood today and of the spiritual side of parenting. Rah teaches regarding his experiences as a father of nine, and his deep desire to improve the quality of life for parents, fathers, and children. Through his deep wisdom and life experience, Rah shares with Joel insights and hopes he also explores in his p...

In this conversation recorded, Sam, a deeply gifted poet, and Joel deconstruct aspects of friendship and creative writing and its process. Sam and Joel share some of their own personal influences, also talk about story poems, and Shakespeare. Together the two explore 'Where did poetry find you?' and 'where did poetry bring you?' Also, reflections on poetry and the contemplative aspects of life are...

Dr. Hilary Weaver and Joel connect and speak of relational understanding the web of life for all people, all life; the talk opens discussing the Lakota people and ways, her devotion to people through her vital efforts to improve the quality of life for people as a Social Worker, her past experiences working with inmates on death row at San Quentin, the shootings in Buffalo, NY and how to view dark...

In Part 2 of this talk, Graham and Joel touch on common ground between them, forms of contemplation and how the best minds, poems, paintings, are formalized spirituality. The mystical experience, Science, the elemental construction of nature, what is our relation as humans to the Universe? Does the soul exist? The Theory of Evolution, Gravity, laws of Science and consciousness, Religion as an unin...

In this old talk with a dear friend, reposting from the archives from August 2009, Graham and Joel cover religion and ethics and Graham's formative ethical and philosophical development, including the history of religion and the philosophy of religion, exposure to the Koran, Bhagavad Gita, and the old and new Testament. Graham and Joel continue to explore how to inform oneself with moral awareness...