Think Queerly Podcast Ep. 173
Dualities are not irreconcilable opposites or conflicts. Rather, they are mutual compliments of each other.
In this episode, I dive deep into the nature of dualities from a Taoist perspective and speak to the synthesis and harmonization of opposites — better expressed as dualities. I quote Wing-Tsit Chan’s translation of the second verse of the Tao Te Ching (from “The Way of Lao Tzu”).
“Being and non-being produce each other; Difficult and easy compliment each other; Long and short contrast each other; High and low distinguish each other; Sound and voice harmonize each other; Front and behind accompany each…
Morality
Part III: Where you stand requires understanding the moral myths that organize society.
In part I and part II of this series I discussed the qualities that define our humanity and support one’s integrity. These qualities include your natural and desired character traits, your core values, and the beliefs that orient you within society. Knowing these qualities will support where you stand in life, but without a meaningful and actionable purpose, you won’t have clarity or direction about where you’re going in life and why.
In this article, I will dive into the much bigger picture: Where do you as an individual ground yourself in the larger, moral landscape to commune with the…
Purpose & Integrity
Part II: What you stand for is the integrity of a meaningful and actionable purpose.
If a house is built poorly, it will break down quickly and require constant maintenance. Who wants to live in a place like that? Likewise, if you don’t know your core values in life, or what you believe in and why, it will be a challenge to live with integrity. It will be a struggle to act on what’s most important to you if you don’t know what you stand for in your life.
In part I of this series, Is What You Stand For In Life Making a Meaningful Difference in the World? I said that knowing your core…
Values & Beliefs
Part I — If you don’t have a clearly defined purpose, how will know if your choices will move you in the right direction?
“A journey of a thousand miles
Begins beneath the feet”
Verse 64 of the Tao Te Ching* suggests that when you act with integrity, when you are firmly grounded in who you are, the greatest of any journey begins with who you are (and not with a single step).
When you know what you stand for in life you have the clarity about what action steps to take next. …
Think Queerly Podcast EP170
Every human being deserves the freedom to express who they are and to love whomever they love without prejudice.
In this deeply personal episode, I share my thoughts about how far we have come, and how far we still have to go regarding universal human dignity. Throughout history, humans have exercised and practiced various forms of control, which Yuval Noah Harari refers to as the myths that create our culture in his book, “Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind.” These controls have dictated who belongs and who doesn’t within society.
I argue for an end to dehumanization, for a more critical reflection of rigidly held religious beliefs, and I express dismay at the fear and hatred of LGBTQ2S+…
LGBTQ2S+ History in Canada
Authors Craig Jennex & Nisha Eswaran on the Think Queerly Podcast
In this deep-dive interview with the authors of “ Out North: An Archive of Queer Activism and Kinship in Canada “ — with co-host, Jeffrey Iovannone — we explore and examine Canada’s queer history and activism. The book is described as, “Canada’s definitive visual guide to LGBTQ2+ movements, struggles, and achievements.”
I’m honoured to bring you this interview, one I have been waiting to record since late July 2020. In reading “ Out North: An Archive of Queer Activism and Kinship in Canada “ to prepare for the podcast, I realized how much I have been both a witness…
What limits our potential is thinking that we’re not enough.
Back in late October, I started reviewing the 300 pages of notes I had written from my study and contemplation of eight translations and commentaries of the Tao Te Ching for a book I am planning to write.
During the first three days of that week, I was in a state of panic. I felt overwhelmed and incredibly insecure. My thoughts were a looping refrain of,
“Who do you think you are? How dare you call your little human-hearted leadership idea a philosophy. You’re not a trained philosopher! You will never write this book!”
Have you ever had a voice…
A Personal Evolution Process to get unstuck and create a simple strategy to easily do what you want and need to get done.
I stopped work at 4 PM yesterday, opened a bottle of Pinot noir, parked my ass on the couch, and then watched RuPaul’s Drag Race. We ordered pizza for dinner, I made banana bread, and had a slice of that too. Ugh! This morning, I still feel stuffed from the pizza, and I’ve yet to have a workout this week. What do I need to change to make working out at home not only easier, but more frequent?
After writing the above in my journal, my coaching brain was activated. I realized I should create a new Personal Evolution Process…
The thing is not the thing: A coach’s perspective on setting meaningful, intentional goals for what they will make of you.
So, 2020 happened. We all have a story to tell about a year that will be spoken about and analyzed by historians, sociologists, scientists, and political pundits for many years to come.
The usual refrain of, “This is going to be my best year ever,” was not unexpectedly absent, at least from the many article titles I’ve gleaned on Medium. …
Think Queerly Podcast
A Think Queerly Podcast discussion with Canadian author, speaker, musician, and former Dominican Prior, Kelly Walker.
I am pleased to share this intimate discussion with my cousin, Kelly Walker. If ever there were a person to speak with about the fragile but necessarily formative transitions that happen in our lives, that require both trust and love of the self and others, it is Kelly.
“The grace to live with an inner sense of delight.”
Kelly and I share a purpose in life; helping liberate people and transforming institutions. In our discussion, Kelly shares the wisdom of living life as a celebration. At 79, he is living as a happy elder who accepts himself as (his words) both ‘old’ and ‘older.’ …
