Mark Nepo: Navigating Storms of the Human Experience (Episode 247)

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:

Productive Flourishing

Start Finishing: How to Go from Idea to Done, by Charlie Gilkey

The Academy

Momentum App

Mark Nepo

Surviving Storms: Finding the Strength To Meet Adversity, by Mark Nepo

The Social Dilemma

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

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