Key Takeaways:
[4:17] Mark talks about the experience of almost dying from a rare form of lymphoma when he was in his 30s, and how it was the introduction to facing the unavoidable work of the friction that comes with life.
[5:32] We must face what is done to us, but we are more than what has been done to us.
[5:41] Mark talks about how the pandemic showed our generation it’s time to learn to choose love over fear, and compassion over self-interest.
[11:20] One of the first “faults” goes back to the Industrial Revolution, where this is the first time in history that where we live and work is separated.
[17:16] Reality TV is our present-day virtual Colosseum.
[27:23] Often spiritually, the safest place is in the center.
[28:09] Every one of us has a daily and perennial choice between love and fear. But there’s a difference between letting fear move through you and obeying it.
[34:38] Through solitude, we restore our direct connection to the universe, and through relationships, we restore the wonder of being human and compassion and kindness.
[37:11] The bad news is we’re always falling. The good news is there’s no bottom.
[47:56] Mark’s challenge and invasion: inhabit life fully by being as open-hearted and as loving as possible. This will require courage, strength, and kindness.
Mentioned in This Episode:
Start Finishing: How to Go from Idea to Done, by Charlie Gilkey
Surviving Storms: Finding the Strength To Meet Adversity, by Mark Nepo
Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day, by Jay Seti
No Mud, No Lotus: The Art of Transforming Suffering, by Thich Nhat Hanh
Mark Nepo: Navigating Storms of the Human Experience (Episode 247)