Embodied Dialogue: Movement, Relationship, Wisdom & Practice

A conversation with cognitive scientist John Vervaeke about overcoming spiritual illiteracy. In a world where organized religion feels less and less viable to the increasing number of people with no religious affiliation and science is sometimes elevated to the status of God, how does a person cultivate wisdom and a tangible sense of connection to something larger than his/her individual experience?John and I discuss the practice of Dialectic into Dialogos, a modern Socratic practice of collectively exploring the meaning of the virtues and, more generally, how social engagement is a form of "opponent processing" where people's differing perspectives can act as a corrective against ego-centric narrow-mindedness when dialogue is engaged in the spirit of fellowship rather than for the purpose of achieving argumentative victories. See John & Seth's previous conversation: https://youtu.be/9aXGD2PjS9sWatch Episode #1 of John Vervaeke's "Awakening from the Meaning Crisis":https://youtu.be/54l8_ewcOlYConnect with Seth at:http://MoveWithSeth.ComLearn more about the Musicality of Being: https://sethdellinger.com/musicality-of-being/https://sethdellinger.com/musicality-workshop/

A conversation with Daniel Zaruba about philosophy "as a way of life" - an approach that is very distinct from the way philosophy is typically taught and studied in modern academic institutions. Daniel is the Headmaster of Japanese Thought at the online Halkyon Academy founded by philosopher Johannes Niederhauser. Daniel and Johannes are offering a course on the Kyoto school, a group Japanese philosophers who bridged Western philosophy with Zen meditation (see below for enrollment details).Daniel and I discussed the interplay between thought, language, bodily movement and sensation that are all part of the process of transformative insight and personal growth. In particular, we discussed Dialogos, a relational practice pioneered by cognitive scientist and philosopher John Vervaeke which revives the classic tradition of Socratic dialogue as a means for creating connection and collaborative thinking as an antidote to the rampant nihilism of the modern landscape.Daniel is teaching a course on Japanese philosophy together with Johannes Niederhauser at the Halkyon Academy (https://www.halkyonguild.org/). In the course we will also integrate different philosophical exercises.Enroll here:https://halkyonacademy.teachable.com/p/dialogos-with-the-japanese-house-of-beingUse the coupon FELLOWSHIP at the checkout and we give you $100 off the fellowship/group seminar study option. Live group seminars for the course begin April 2nd._________________Daniel's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/zappzapp00The article discussed by Daniel & Seth was Commuting between Zen and Philosophy: In the Footsteps of Kyoto School Philosophers and Psychosomatic Practitioners by Bret W. Davis: https://www.academia.edu/45432722/Commuting_between_Zen_and_Philosophy_In_the_Footsteps_of_Kyoto_School_Philosophers_and_Psychosomatic_PractitionersConnect with Seth at:http://MoveWithSeth.Com#philosophy #feldenkrais #meaningcrisis

A conversation with Matt Zepelin, acquisitions editor at Shambala Publications, about his PhD dissertation, "From Esotericism to Somatics: A History of Mind-Body Theory and Practice Across the Divide of Modernism, 1820s-1950s." While discussing figures in the somatic lineage, including François Delsarte, Gustav Fechner, Genevieve Gibbins, Annie Payson Call, FM Alexander, Mabel Todd and Moshe Feldenkrais, Zepelin explains how the field of somatics has developed in a constant dance with evolving cultural ideas of health, science, philosophy, psychology and spirituality.In addition to discussing this history, Matt and I also consider the role of somatic practices in the cultural and political atmosphere of the present day.Read Matt's dissertation at: https://colorado.academia.edu/MatthewZepelinMatt's essay, "The Feldenkrais Method, Science, and Spirituality: A Historical Perspective" is included in the book The Feldenkrais Method, Learning Through Movement, edited by Staffan Elgelid and Chrish Kresge: https://www.handspringpublishing.com/product/the-feldenkrais-method/Matt's website:http://www.mattzepelin.comConnect with Seth at:http://MoveWithSeth.ComIF YOU PREFER VIDEO, FIND THIS PODCAST ON YOUTUBE (CHANNEL NAME IS "MOVE WITH SETH")#somatics #feldenkrais #meaningcrisis

A conversation with movement educator Christine Ruffolo about her transformation from a star high school athlete to a "post-competitive" movement coach, teaching movement in the public school system, and the Think Movement collective, her community-building project aimed at make more of the wisdom of today's most innovative movement teachers accessible to the general public.The thread running through this entire conversation is how movement opens up the possibility for deeper human connection. As you listen, think about how different this world would be if every kid had a teacher like Christine . . . a truly inspiring conversation!Christine's website:https://postcompetitiveinsight.com/Christine's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1iUNQkCoM6VrUozHrno_vQ/Think Movement: https://thinkmovement.net/😍 Don't miss the COOLEST PE class ever! 😍https://youtu.be/1WHyW_O-SfcConnect with Seth at:http://MoveWithSeth.ComLearn more about the Musicality of Being: https://sethdellinger.com/musicality-of-being/https://sethdellinger.com/musicality-workshop/IF YOU PREFER VIDEO, FIND THIS PODCAST ON YOUTUBE (CHANNEL NAME IS "MOVE WITH SETH")

A conversation with musician and philosopher John Russon, about his book Bearing Witness To Epiphany: Persons, Things and the Nature of Erotic Life. In this book, Russon uses music as a metaphor to explain how our bodily experience of moving through life, including how we experience perception, learning, family life, sexual intimacy, politics, the arts, philosophy and more. Russon teaches philosophy at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada and is also the author of Human Experience, Adult Life, and Sites of Exposure.I compared notes with John about what I've learned through somatic and relational practices like the Feldenkrais Method and the Art of Circling and my explorations of the "Musicality of Being." Get John Russon's book, Bearing Witness To Epiphany: https://sunypress.edu/Contributors/R/Russon-JohnJohn Russon's YouTube channel (includes free introductory philosophy courses and music by the John Russon Quintet): https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnRusson123Learn more about John Russon: https://www.uoguelph.ca/arts/philosophy/people/john-russonConnect with Seth at:http://MoveWithSeth.ComLearn more about the Musicality of Being: https://sethdellinger.com/musicality-of-being/https://sethdellinger.com/musicality-workshop/IF YOU PREFER VIDEO, FIND THIS PODCAST ON YOUTUBE (CHANNEL NAME IS "MOVE WITH SETH")

Candace Scarborough is a performer, choreographer, and movement teacher based in Baltimore MD. She teaches yoga and the Gaga movement language created by Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin - which she traveled to Tel Aviv to study in 2016-17. She has performed with  many different companies and presented her own work on many stages in the Baltimore-DC region as well as abroad. She collaborated with performance artist Samantha Mohr and musician Liz Delise to create the multi-media dance/animation film velvet pony which can be viewed online at the Museum of Wild & Newfangled Art. https://www.mowna.org/We talked about her path in the world of dance, through ballet, contemporary dance and Gaga movement language, to performing, choreographing and curating. We also discussed the challenge of creating velvet pony - a film about moving together - during the restricted circumstances of the global pandemic and why she created a solo choreography inspired by the story of Anne Boleyn.Connect with Candace on Instagram - @candaceyoga & @candancesConnect with Seth at: http://MoveWithSeth.com or on Instagram - @dcfeldenkrais

Lewis Cooke is a multidisciplinary movement artist and the creator of his own his own movement methodology, RelaxtoErupt. This practice fuses his curiosity and in depth understanding of a wide range of movement styles from dance to sport with an emphasis on exploration and play to discover new patterns and movement pathways.We talked about the development of RelaxtoErupt and some of its key principles which include the willingness to fail, the power of childlike curiosity and play, and the perspective of mixing foundational practices with exploration to maximize adaptability.

Lara Heppell is a Yoga, Somatic & Intuitive Movement teacher and doula who helps guide women through the different stages of their life journey. A special emphasis in her work is educating about menstrual cycle awareness and organizing. In addition, she hold regular Moon Circles for women and trains and mentors other teachers.We talked about how the practice of charting menstrual cycles in relation to lunar cycles, seasonal changes and life stages can give a woman a clearer sense of her fluctuating resources and needs. We also talked about how the growing awareness of women's health issues can be part of creating a new balance in the relationship between men and women.Connect with Lara at https://all-woman.co.uk & https://laraheppell.comor on social media: Instagram - @weareallwoman Facebook - Lara HeppellConnect with Seth at: http://MoveWithSeth.com or on Instagram - @dcfeldenkrais

Vinny Mwano is a video strategist, filmmaker, dancer and educator. He combines his talents with a passion for storytelling with an emphasis on human connection.We talked his about formative experience of using dance to communicate before learning English after arriving in the United Staes as a refugee from the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We also traced the theme of movement and storytelling through his creative experiences as a dance teacher, the father of a baby born during the global pandemic, and an activist in the fight for racial justice.Connect with Vinny at http://vinnymwano.com or on social media: Instagram - @vinnywano & @vinny.mwanoVinny's YouTube channelhttps://www.youtube.com/user/Msmart12Also find Vinny on Twitter, Linkedin, Clubhouse & GreenhouseConnect with Seth at: http://MoveWithSeth.com or on Instagram - @dcfeldenkrais

Haidee Stairmand is a teacher of yoga and Hanna Somatics in Auckland, New Zealand who infuses her love of anatomy into her classes. She places an emphasis on making movement accessible to her students by providing plenty of space for individual exploration and the development of inner listening.We talked about how combining the study of anatomy with one's movement practice can facilitate a better understanding of function and promote a sense of wonder about the human body that motivates further learning. In addition, we discussed how nature can be a source of inspiration and how to begin designing a personal practice outside the classroom.Connect with Haidee at http://www.revelyoga.co.nz or on Instagram - @revelyoga She teaches in Auckland at Yoga West: https://www.yogawest.co.nzConnect with Seth at: http://MoveWithSeth.com or on Instagram - @dcfeldenkrais

Juliana Pongutá is an adventurous dance maker, improvisor and movement educator who has performed on stages around the world. She has developed extensive practices of movement research which expand beyond the realm of dance performance into uniquely personal inquiries into how a human body works.We talked about what "movement research" means and how it unfolds in movement practice with a partner, with a group, or by an individual. Further questions we discussed included: At which point in the development of a movement practice does research become essential? How does your intention shape the form of your practice? How does your movement practice influence the way you understand the world you live in?Connect with Juliana on Instagram - @pongutajulianaWatch Áspero, a piece which shows Juliana's movement research collaboration with Jhonatan González:https://vimeo.com/176370071Connect with Seth at: http://MoveWithSeth.Com or on Instagram - @dcfeldenkrais

Brian is breath work coach, a certified instructor of the Wim Hof Method and a visual artist. He offers immersive breath work experiences to help people release emotional trauma and teaches simple tools that can be used to manage stress and anxiety. As an artist, he has explored questions related to the way that gender is performed through the human body.We talked about how a path of transformation is shaped by an individual's ideas of what kind of change will improve their quality of life and their willingness to commit to ongoing practice. In contrast to the failed approach of the pharmaceutical model of confronting the growing mental health crisis with medication, the growing popularity of breath work and other personal growth practices offer the opportunity for people to reassert autonomy over their quality of life.Connect with Brian for breathwork at https://www.thebreathingproject.org or on Instagram - @breathingprojectFind out more about Brian's art projects at http://www.brianjmorrison.com or on Instagram - @bjmorrison_Connect with Seth at: http://MoveWithSeth.com or on Instagram - @dcfeldenkrais

SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT THIS EPISODE IF YOU ARE LISTENING VIA AUDIO ONLY: This podcast was recorded with video and Mateusz wanted to begin and end the conversation by sharing his movement. When he dances at the beginning of the episode, he speaks, narrating his internal process, but he is not right next to his microphone. At the end, he dances again, but does not speak. See Mateusz's narrated dance on my YouTube channel, Move With Seth:https://youtu.be/lywX9CPUs2M____________________________________________________________Mateusz Bogdanowicz is a contemporary dancer and choreographer in Essen, Germany in his final year of study at the internationally recognized Folkwang University of the Arts. Mateusz combines his background in the martial arts, training in many different dance forms, and his love of photography to celebrate the beauty of the human body in motion. During the global pandemic, he has initiated several social projects to invite people to experience what was missing: movement and human connection. This conversation started and ended with dance improvisations by Mateusz. In between, we talked about how dance - and movement in general - is a special kind of language that creates a kinesthetic connection between performer and audience, how developing body awareness improves the quality of life, and Mateusz's belief that dancers have a special role to play in society - and how he has acted on this conviction during the global pandemic.Connect with Mateusz at https://www.mateuszbogdanowicz.com or on Instagram - @mateuszdanceSeveral short videos of Mateusz dancing: https://youtu.be/4wssD26-XMkhttps://youtu.be/8vH8MCgpP5U https://youtu.be/bLIpwtpkluUhttps://youtu.be/STCRjBFomNoFacebook page for the Imagination Space Center:https://m.facebook.com/imspacentConnect with Seth at:http://MoveWithSeth.Comor on Instagram - @dcfeldenkrais

Paul Pui Wo Lee is a Feldenkrais practitioner and contemporary dancer who has performed throughout the world. In his teaching he emphasizes how people can discover their own personal sense of artistry by expanding their awareness of their options and experimenting with different choices.We talked about this concept of artistry, the intimate relationship between movement & communication, developing your own sense of "right" & "wrong" in movement - and much more!Connect with Paul at https://www.paulsfeldenkraisprojects.com or on Instagram - @paul_moves & @paulsfeldenkraisproject Connect with Seth at:http://MoveWithSeth.Comor on Instagram - @dcfeldenkraisIF YOU PREFER VIDEO, FIND THIS PODCAST ON YOUTUBE (CHANNEL NAME IS "MOVE WITH SETH")

Tobi Portella is an adventurous mover & thinker, a physiotherapist and teacher of Animal Flow locomotion and Fighting Monkey practice with the 9 Speed Tool, a dynamic process for learning how to organize the joints to manage the movement of weight through space in multiple directions.We talked about the process that unfolds when an individual follows what sparks their interest, while navigating a range of movement traditions, student-teacher relationships, social institutions, and the complexities of living in an unpredictable world. A significant portion of the conversation focused on the potent possibilities of combining learning strategies of constraint in the Feldenkrais Method with the experimental play of Fighting Monkey Practice.Connect with Tobi at https://askeokineo.comor on Instagram - @tobiportellaConnect with Seth at:http://MoveWithSeth.Comor on Instagram - @dcfeldenkraisIF YOU PREFER VIDEO, FIND THIS PODCAST ON YOUTUBE (CHANNEL NAME IS "MOVE WITH SETH")

Chandler Stevens is an embodiment and business coach and the creator of the Movement As Metaphor training program for movement teachers, counselors, and psychotherapists. In his teaching he emphasizes the connections between different domains of life experience in order to orient clients towards a movement practice connected to their life purpose.We talked about how movement practice connects to other realms of life - and death! - and how to sort out a path forward when there are unlimited possibilities but limited time.Connect with Chandler and get a free introduction to Movement As Metaphor at https://www.bodymindclass.comConnect with Seth at:http://MoveWithSeth.Comor on Instagram - @dcfeldenkraisIF YOU PREFER VIDEO, FIND THIS PODCAST ON YOUTUBE (CHANNEL NAME IS "MOVE WITH SETH")

Andrew Gibbons is a Feldenkrais Practitioner based in New York, USA. He brings the rigor and creativity of his training as a classical pianist into his movement teaching with an emphasis on helping his clients develop specificity in the use of their attention, an awareness of how their action is shaped by their thinking, and a commitment to life-long learning.It was a pleasure to have Andrew join me for this, the first of many planned conversations, about cultivating a movement practice that expands your possibilities in all arenas of life.Connect with Andrew and learn more about his online membership program via Patreon at his website:https://www.bodyofknowledge.meAndrew's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOHONleEfWPl4-Q3BwgLhYwConnect with Seth at:http://MoveWithSeth.ComIF YOU PREFER VIDEO, FIND THIS PODCAST ON YOUTUBE (CHANNEL NAME IS "MOVE WITH SETH")