Exploring the Ego and the Universal Mind with Menas Kafatos: How to Unravel Suffering & Illuminate the Mind
Description
Join meditation instructor Dena Argyropoulou as she explores the mysterious yet ridiculously simple practice of meditation with renowned astrophysicist, quantum mechanics expert, and philosopher MENAS KAFATOS, who has uncovered the irrefutable connection between the human mind and universal mind, and the compelling central conflict of the ego's need for happiness.
You will learn how to use meditation to free yourself from ego and suffering to access the power of the Universal Mind.
"The wisdom of the ancients that in many ways you experience in Athens, is that one thing I know is I know nothing. However, you have to make the effort." - Menas Kafatos
Minas Kafatos is a member of several international academies of science with research in astrophysics, quantum mechanics, philosophy and consciousness. He is the co-author of the New York Times bestselling book You Are the Universe with Deepak Chopra, and has authored over 340 referred publications.
Dena Argyropoulou, a meditation instructor, met with MENAS KAFATOS, a member of several international academies of science, to discuss the differences between the human mind and the universal mind. They explored the concept of awareness and consciousness and the role of the ego in human suffering. They concluded that ego serves a purpose of protecting the individual, but the issue arises when the individual misunderstands its purpose. In the end, they turned to Socrates' wisdom of knowing nothing to push through any difficulties.
In this episode, you will learn the following:
1. What is the difference between the human mind and the universal mind?
2. How does the ego play a role in human suffering?
3. What is the difference between awareness and consciousness?
Other episodes you'll enjoy:
Susan Piver
Miles Kessler
Soren Gordhamer
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Website: https://www.denaargyropoulou.com/podcast
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Chapter Summaries:
[00:00:02 ]
Meditation is not what you think. You don't have to stop your mind from thinking, sit in any weird postures or make any bizarre sounds. All you need is a little guidance, and after that, the practice will show you the way. Join us as we dive deeper into this mysterious yet ridiculously simple practice.
[00:00:48 ]
Menas Kafatos is a member of several international academies of science. He studies the true nature of things, focusing on consciousness in our human experience. He's co authored more than 20 books, including the New York Times bestselling book with Deepak Chopra called You Are the Universe.
[00:02:24 ]
We know we have the human mind, and we also know that there is a universal mind. What is the difference and how are they connected? How come it's such a big problem in human society? And for this we have to look at what the ego plays.
[00:07:30 ]
When you say illuminate the mind, what do you mean? And also what is this difference between consciousness and awareness and being aware and consciousness arising? Perhaps this explains the inability of science to get to the bottom of what the mind is.
[00:10:04 ]
In some ways, awareness and consciousness are similar to the human mind and the universal mind. But consciousness encompasses the individual mind. Consciousness is more universal. But is awareness or awareness the foundation of everything?
[00:13:51 ]
By trying to grasp the meaning of the mind, there's this suffering that comes with it. What is the reason behind this strange thing that is called the ego? If we analyze a little bit more, I may say a few words about that further down.
[00:16:51 ]
What is it that makes the ego so eager to be unhappy? When somebody is happy, there's not really much to talk about. But when one is unhappy, it causes an issue on oneself and one's health. How did it happen?
[00:20:07 ]
The human ego or the human mind, the limited mind, takes what the great ones said and puts it in a specific mold that suits the ego. And that's perhaps the source of the unhappiness. By being aware and conscious of it and understanding that separation, that I'm not the ego, it can serve a purpose.
[00:24:47 ]
meditation is the centerpiece of trying to make sense of the mind. The main point is really just being aware of the surroundings, including my own self. Unfortunately, meditation is we make it more complicated than it really is. Like, simple simplicity is the best answer.
[00:30:17 ]
With meditation, is to sit down, relax, and let go, let things be as they are. It's not easy if you're in mid of a crisis. But compassion, this fact that we are together, we work together.
[00:33:40 ]
meditation has given me the space to relax with what is. The problem is exclusion. When we try to exclude everything else from our vast field of experience. If it has disappeared from our awareness, then what is the point to try to scalise?
[00:39:51 ]
Dina: What questions should we be asking ourselves? She says experience cannot be translated. We have a tendency to exclude experiences of ourselves that are always there and treat them as nonexistent. The Heart Podcast is created for people like you who want to find out what meditation is all about.Menas C. Kafatos, Ph.D. (M.I.T.), is the Fletcher Jones Endowed Professor of Computational Physics and Director of the ECHO Institute, Chapman University, Orange, California. He has authored more than 340 refereed publications, and edited/co-authored more than twenty books including NY Times Bestseller You Are the Universe with Deepak Chopra. He is a member of several international academies of science, with research in astrophysics, quantum mechanics, philosophy and consciousness.
Ο Μηνάς είναι καθηγητής Υπολογιστικής Φυσικής στο Πανεπιστήμιο Chapman της Καλιφόρνιας και διευθυντής του Κέντρου Αριστείας στα Πρότυπα και Παρατηρήσεις Γεωσυστημάτων, κβαντικός φυσικός και αστροφυσικός. Έχει κάνει co-author το βιβλίο You are the Universe μαζί με τον Deepak Chopra. Μελετάει την αντίληψη της πραγματικότητας, τη συνειδητότητα, την κλιματική αλλαγή, την κβαντική μηχανική και την επίγνωση του νου. Πιστεύει πως ο διαλογισμός είναι ο μόνος τρόπος να εμβαθύνουμε την αντίληψη μας και να ξεκλειδώσουμε το νου μας.
Conversations about the power of mindfulness meditation for stress, anxiety, deepening awareness and living with ease. Listen as international teachers and practitioners share their insights on how meditation helped them find clarity, inspiration, creativity, wisdom, strength. Mindfulness is a powerful tool to manage stress, anxiety and the challenges in life with courage and compassion.
In each episode you'll learn practical tips on how to start a meditation practice at home, how to face the most common meditation challenges and the power that comes when you work with your mind through mindfulness meditation. Each episode will help inspire you to create the meditation practice you've always wanted!
Create the meditation practice you've always wanted with Dena, your personal meditation teacher. https://www.denaargyropoulou.com/sessions re/st your mind νιούζλετερ - διαλογισμός για να ξεκουράσεις το νου σου, ένα email που δεν θα σε αγχώνει. https://denaargyropoulou.substack.com/
GET DENA'S book "CLARITY OF MIND IS POWER: a 5-week journal to support your meditation practice and train your mind to see clearly." https://www.denaargyropoulou.com/book
Produced, created and hosted by Dena Argyropoulou. Sound editing and mixing by Dimitris Misirlis at Matrix Recording Studio, Athens, Greece. Song "In a world" written and performed by Tiger Gang.