Join Andrew Holecek for a conversation with Dr. Richard "Dick" Schwartz, the pioneering creator of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, in this Edge of Mind podcast episode. This deep dive explores the understanding that we all naturally contain multiple "parts" within ourselves - and that's not only normal, it's valuable.

Dr. Schwartz reveals how IFS transforms our relationship with our inner landscape, showing that even our most challenging parts can become allies when approached with curiosity and compassion. The conversation illuminates the profound connection between IFS and non-dual wisdom traditions, particularly Tibetan Buddhism, demonstrating how ancient spiritual insights and modern therapeutic breakthroughs can mutually enhance each other.

Discover how the essence of confidence, openness, and compassion - emerges naturally when our parts feel safe to relax. Learn about the practical applications of IFS in addressing everything from personal trauma to collective healing, including Dr. Schwartz's work with legacy burdens that affect entire cultures.

This episode challenges common misconceptions about meditation and spirituality, exploring how some practitioners use spiritual practices to avoid rather than address their inner work. Andrew and Dick discuss the integration of embodied awareness, dream work, and somatic approaches within the IFS framework.

Whether you're a seasoned meditator, therapist, or simply curious about the nature of consciousness and healing, this conversation offers insights into the multiplicity of mind and the path to authentic self-compassion.

Join host Andrew Holecek in a thought-provoking conversation with Jeffrey Kripal, the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University. In this engaging episode, Kripal shares insights from his book "How to Think Impossibly," offering a refreshing challenge to conventional materialistic worldviews that have dominated scientific discourse.

With a blend of scholarly rigor and unexpected humor, Kripal explores how paranormal experiences and phenomena like UFOs deserve serious intellectual consideration rather than dismissal. His emphasis of "dual aspect monism" provides a fascinating framework for reconciling seemingly contradictory experiences of reality, suggesting that what we call "paranormal" only appears so within our limited materialistic paradigm.

This conversation bridges philosophy, spirituality, and cutting-edge thinking about consciousness. Whether you're interested in the boundaries of human experience or simply enjoy questioning established frameworks, Kripal's perspective offers valuable insights into how we might expand our understanding of reality beyond current limitations. Listen in as two thoughtful minds explore the territory where science meets mystery, and where new possibilities for human understanding await.

In this profound conversation, Andrew Holecek interviews Patrick Harpur about "daimonic reality," exploring a rich, alternative understanding of existence beyond conventional rational thinking. Harpur describes daimons as liminal, shape-shifting entities that exist between physical and immaterial realms, present in cultures worldwide. These beings are characterized by their elusiveness, ambiguity, and ability to mediate between conscious and unconscious worlds, challenging the modern scientific worldview that has systematically banished such mythological understanding.

The discussion delves into the differences between the path of soul and spirit, with Harpur arguing that soul embraces complexity and multiplicity, while spirit seeks ascension and unity. They explore how the unconscious mind was formed by repressed mythological entities, and how these beings continue to manifest in modern life through various phenomena like dreams, paranormal experiences, and collective movements. Harpur suggests that re-enchanting the world requires a more imaginative perception, one that sees beyond literal interpretations and recognizes the deeper mythological currents underlying human experience.

Throughout the conversation, both Holecek and Harpur emphasize the importance of openness, peripheral awareness, and understanding the mythological principles that shape individual and collective consciousness. They discuss practices for cultivating relationship with these liminal entities, such as poetry, deep attention, and alternative modes of perception. The podcast ultimately presents a compelling argument for a more nuanced, imaginative approach to understanding reality, one that acknowledges the rich, mysterious dimensions of human experience beyond rational, materialistic frameworks.