How do we reconcile the beauty of existence with its inherent suffering? Join us in this episode of “Slay Your Dragons with Compassion” as philosopher and facilitator Tim Freke shares his journey of evolving personal philosophy through adversity. From the heart-wrenching experiences of his parents’ deaths to his profound work with the dying, Tim reveals how these moments have shaped his understanding of the universe’s evolutionary nature and the necessity of addressing suffering. We explore the intricate dance between spiritual experiences and scientific understanding, striving for a grounded spirituality that neither falls into naive utopianism nor cynical resignation.
Imagine feeling a profound sense of unity with humanity, as if we are all interconnected branches of a single tree. Tim and I dive into the transformative power of “deep awake” states and the quest for collective consciousness. Reflecting on our early existential inquiries and significant spiritual awakenings, we discuss how sustained spiritual practice and creativity play pivotal roles in this journey. Our conversation unravels the vision of an irredeemably loving universe, suggesting that the evolutionary process is heading towards a sublime state of collective consciousness and unity.
What if suffering is not an obstacle, but a catalyst for growth? Borrowing from Michael Mead’s metaphor of the heart needing to be broken to reveal its hidden jewel, we discuss how life’s challenges shape who we become. Tim and I share personal dragons we’ve faced, from youthful mistakes to deeper family realizations, illustrating that each hardship allows us to emerge anew. This episode underscores the continuous nature of self-discovery and growth, emphasizing that overcoming life’s dragons reveals more about our evolving selves and contributes to the broader evolutionary process.
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Presenter
Malcolm Stern has worked as a group and individual psychotherapist for more than 30 years. He was a co-founder of Alternatives at St James’s Church in London and runs groups internationally.
He is the author of Falling in Love / Staying in Love (Piatkus 2004) and Slay Your Dragons with Compassion ( Watkins 2020). He co-presented Channel 4’s relationship series, ‘Made for Each Other’ in 2003 and 2004 and sailed on the ‘Rainbow Warrior’ with Greenpeace in the 1980s. The book he is currently writing is an exploration of the shadow and its necessity in our evolutionary development.
To become equal to the dream sewn within us, our heart must break open and usually must break more than once. That’s why they say that the only heart worth having is a broken heart. For only in breaking can it open fully and reveal what is hidden within.” – Michael Meade
This is a series of podcasts based on the premise explored in Malcolm Stern’s acclaimed book of the same name, that adversity provides us with the capacity to develop previously unexplored depths and is , in effect , a crucible for self reflection and awareness. Malcolm lost his daughter Melissa to suicide in 2014. It slowly dawned on him over the following few years that he was being educated and an opportunity was being presented where new insights helped him forge a path through his grief and despair. As part of that cathartic journey, he wrote “ Slay Your Dragons with Compassion ( Watkins 2020 ) where he was able to describe some of the practices that had helped him shed light on a way through the darkness.
