Caer Hallundbaek welcomes Robert Frager, Ph.D., founder of the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto, CA, where he is currently Professor of Psychology and Director of the Spiritual Guidance Masters Program.

Dr. Frager is a Sufi teacher in the Halveti-Jerrahi Sufi Order, an international order based in Istanbul, Turkey. He is president of the Jerrahi Order of California and has been a Sufi spiritual guide for over 25 years. Additionally he received a 7th degree black belt in Aikido and has been an instructor for over 45 years. His latest book is Sufi Talks: Teachings of an American Sufi Sheikh.

Topics in this engaging hour include: an event that touched Robert’s heart and changed his life; Sufi Talks – a collection of conversations about spiritual topics, drawn from his weekly teachings; the Sufi order as an unbroken chain; apostolic succession; saints;  the opening of the heart; the heart as a temple and a mediator; the practice of chanting and energizing the heart; surrender to God; more about his upcoming book; restoring character; ‘waking before we die’; Aikido; and more.

For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com

Born and raised in South Africa, Rev. Robert V. Taylor saw firsthand the difference that could be made when oppressed people are given the freedom to discover their voices, trust their imaginations, and find the courage to be who they are.

In 1980 Taylor was sent to the United States by his mentor, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, to avoid imprisonment for his anti-apartheid activity. Along the way, Taylor found his own voice — and in his book ‘A New Way to Be Human,’ continues to explore integrating personal spirituality and values - driven strategies with the question of how we each leave a footprint of compassion in the world.

Topics in this hour include: the importance of sharing our story and connecting it to others’; his experience of spinal surgery as a teen that led to spiritual breakthrough; the cultural environment in South Africa; becoming a protégé of Desmond Tutu; finding one’s voice; the barriers to our authentic selves; his new book, A New Way to Be Human: 7 Spiritual Pathways to Becoming Fully Alive; breaking through enclosures; risky invitations; holy surprises; the ‘Thin Places’ or holiness disguised; the need and importance of tolerance – including religious tolerance; and more.

For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com

Today on the Godspeed Institute we welcome Mair Honan, UCC minister and co-founder of Grace Street Ministry - a compassionate outreach ministry to the homeless and marginalized in Portland, Maine, offering support through presence, prayer and advocacy.

Topics in the hour include: Caer’s reflection on the homeless from The Saints’ Guide to Relationships, Volume 3; a walking ministry; history of Grace Street Ministry; remembering the sacred in the midst of it all; the imagined and real boundaries between those who have little materially and those who have much; how ministry can be as simple as sharing a cup of coffee in Dunkin Donuts… to being with people “who have been beaten and discarded and are sure that God does not exist in the reality of their suffering”; hope; fear; overflowing shelters; being authentic; greed; her personal journey to this ministry; Caer’s Tip for Your Spiritual Toolbelt; and more.

94% of human beings in the world believe in God, or a form, or forms, of a Supreme Being. Could it be scientifically proven that human beings are built to have a spiritual nature as a survival function, just as we are designed to develop fingers and toes?

Matthew Alper is the author of The God Part of the Brain: A Scientific Interpretation of Human Spirituality and God. Part of the emerging fields of biotheology and neurotheology, his book has been called “an essential book for those in search of a scientific understanding of man’s spiritual nature.”

Topics in this hour include: whether human beings are hard-wired to develop spirituality and religions as a survival mechanism; the struggle with mortality that set Matthew off to find answers; the spiritual nature as a developed and adapted evolutionary trait; developing this survival trait to quell our fear of death; how science can measure the real effects of prayer and meditation in the human brain; religion as delusion and imagination; the role of ethics and morality therein; whether human life has a purpose; Caer’s Spiritual Tip for your Spiritual Toolbelt; more.

For more information visit www.godspeedinstitute.com.

Livia Kohn is Professor Emerita of Religion & East Asian Studies at Boston University. Her specialty is Daoism and the study of Chinese longevity practices. A long-term practitioner of taiji quan and meditation, she is also a certified instructor of yoga and qigong.

One of the world’s foremost scholars, Livia is expert at placing each practice in its historical and cultural context, relating its current application and efficaciousness to modern Western living.

Topics in this hour include: the Daoist Tradition – its basic principles; the Three Jewels of the Tao; the Three Pure Ones; how Daoism is practiced; how Daoism relates to our health; energy; taiji quan, meditation, yoga and qigong; Daoism in the West; Chinese longevity practices; Dr. Kohn’s books; how Daoism help us relate to others;  Caer’s Tip for your Spiritual Toolbelt that you wrap around yourself each day.

For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com.

This is the motto of The Theosophical Society in America, founded in New York in 1875 with three main purposes: to form a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste, or color; to encourage the study of Comparative Religion, Philosophy, and Science; and to investigate the unexplained laws of Nature and the powers latent within the human being.

The Society is composed of lifelong students belonging to any religion - or to none. Rooted in Ageless Wisdom, and engaging knowledge that is religious, scientific and esoteric, their bond is not the profession of a common belief, but a common search and aspiration for Truth. Joining Caer Hallundbaek to discuss theosophy is Tim Boyd, president of the Theosophical Society in America.

Topics in this hour include: what Theosophy is; the beginnings of the Society in America; Oneness of all things; the nature of Divinity; wisdom through the ages; reconciling humanity’s scientific, philosophical, and religious disciplines and practices into a unified worldview; how the Theosophical movement inspired the New Age; ‘the unexplained laws of Nature and the powers latent within the human being’; remembering; truth; how ‘all souls are identical with the Universal Oversoul’; study, meditation and service; how Theosophy helps us relate to others and effect religious tolerance; Caer’s Tip for your Spiritual Toolbelt; and more.

For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com.

There are many great quotes out there, by Quakers and about Quakers, by people from Harriet Tubman to Woody Allen – but this is one that caught my attention this week: “A good End cannot sanctify evil Means; nor must we ever do Evil, that Good may come of it” – this by William Penn, Quaker leader and founder of the state of Pennsylvania.

Today Caer discusses Quaker beliefs and practices with Barry Crossno, General Secretary of Friends General Conference, exploring the Quaker’s spiritual core – the Light Within – which can offer an experience of faith, and worship, without rituals, clergy or other church structures.

Topics in this hour include: Friends General Conference; how he learned of Quakers at age 21; how like many Friends, he came into Quaker practice feeling “wounded by traditional Christianity”; his experience of Buddhism; Barry’s blog “The Quaker Dharma”; Quaker history; rejecting the hierarchy and rituals of existing churches, and challenging all people to encounter God directly; Christianity, ‘cleaned and polished down to its very essence’; the subordinate role of scriptures, church authority, tradition, reason, and formal religious education; dispensing with ‘rites and ceremonies, ritualized sacraments, sacred books and buildings, creeds, clergy, and holy days’; “leadings,” or the spiritual call to action; FGC programs & services; interfaith relations and religious tolerance; Caer’s Tip for your Spiritual Toolbelt; and more.

For more information, visit godspeedinstitute.com.

“The teacher with whom we have the closest relationship is our heart,” writes the Rev. Sun Myung Moon in his current autobiography. In 1954 he founded The Unification Church - officially the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity. In this millennium, Rev. Moon and his wife, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon have founded the Universal Peace Federation, working with the United Nations, with members in every corner of the globe. In this program Caer Hallundbaek speaks with Dr. Thomas G. Walsh, president of UPF.

Topics in this hour include: The life and experience of Rev. Sun Myung Moon, now 92; his Christian ministry; founding of the Unification Movement after WWII; his goals as a minister; misconceptions of Rev. Moon; cults in the 1970s; what led to the development of UPF; the principles of the organization; family - the “school of love and peace”; the sacred core of marriage; how ‘love must have a partner’; peace through cooperation beyond the boundaries of ethnicity, religion, and nationality; the organization’s work with the U.N.; Caer’s Tip for your Spiritual Toolbelt; and more.

For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com

He is the award winning author of The Victorian Translation of China; Daoism and Ecology; and Myth and Meaning in Early Daoism: The Theme of Hundun. Topics in this engaging hour include: Girardot’s course on Jesus, Buddha, Mao, and… Elvis; the First Church of Elvis the Divine; humor; where religions come from; creation from a Daoist perspective; the Three Pure Ones; the Triune God in Christianity, or the Holy Trinity; yin and yang; when Daoism emerged; Lao Tzu; the Dao Te Ching; the word Dao translated as “way” or “path”; how Daoism is practiced; Daoist views on ecology; the growth of evangelical Christianity in China; philosophical and religious Daoism;  the unity of spirit and matter; humility; Caer’s Tip for your Spiritual Toolbelt that you wrap around yourself each day; and more.

For more information, visit godspeedinstitute.com

Dr. Steve McSwain is the author of The Enoch Factor: The Sacred Art of Knowing God. He was a Christian minister for over 20 years, but, as he says, didn’t receive his spiritual awakening until he quit going to church.

Dr. Stewart Bitkoff grew up in New York City. An avid student of Sufi Mysticism and the Perennial Philosophy, he wrote A Commuter’s Guide to Enlightenment and the new book ‘Sufism for the Western Seeker.’

www.stevemcswain.com/

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http://www.stewartbitkoff.com/

She has been developing and leading workshops and retreats for women for over 20 years in the United States and other countries. From her experience she has come to understand that women and the feminine way are critical for the health and well-being of all life – families, communities, societies and the earth.

Topics in this hour include: ‘who we are’ compared to ‘what we do’ – or, tasks; how culturally this has it affected women; DreamWeather Foundation, and how it began with a dream;  a formative spiritual experience including a Buddhist chef; how she came to know Sufism; the Divine Feminine and women’s spiritual connection; how knowledge of the feminine became buried deep within us; dreams – what they are, and how they work; dream work; keeping a dream journal; Caer’s Tip for your Spiritual Toolbelt; and much more.

Caer explores a new spirituality with Dr. Steve McSwain, author of The Enoch Factor: The Sacred Art of Knowing God, and Dr. Stewart Bitkoff, author of A Commuter’s Guide to Enlightenment and the new book Sufism for the Western Seeker.

Topics in this engaging hour include: What drew Steve McSwain to be a Baptist minister for 20 years, and the events that made him leave the church; feelings of anger and life unraveling; Stewart Bitkoff’s feeling of emptiness in his family’s tradition of Judaism; how they found their spiritual awakening; making life a prayer; moving beyond the trappings of religion; the figure of Enoch; his presence in Jewish, Christian Islamic texts; how  churches have come to mimic material culture, rather than model spiritual values; fear and reward; the difference between religion and spirituality; the form spiritual living will take; the effect of mysticism on religious tolerance; Caer’s Commentary on Viktor Frankl; and more.

For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com

Since 1985 Alex has been sharing with groups and individuals the knowing of the infinite unity and relatedness of life through her work in the fields of spirituality, education, dream study, women’s wisdom, and energy dynamics. An educator and spiritual counselor, she has recently written about the Occupy movement from the spiritual point of view.

Topics in this engaging hour include: a favorite Sufi story; her early life in Argentina; two intense spiritual periods in her life that helped form her; her childhood as a Roman Catholic and discovery and experience of Sufism; her experience of Sufism as a woman; education and children’s minds; the ‘New Era’; the Occupy movement; awakening the citizenry, at home and abroad; how Oneness works through these issues; Caer’s Tip for your Spiritual Toolbelt; and more.

For more information, visit godspeedinstitute.com

Dr. Terry Gunnell is professor of Folkloristics at the University of Iceland at Reykjavik, where he teaches Old Nordic religion and mythology, Scandinavian Folk Tales and Traditions; Icelandic Legends, Folk Beliefs and Society; Tolkien; and much more. He received his PhD in Icelandic Studies at the University of Leeds, is a prolific writer, and the editor of the books ‘Legends and Landscape’ and ‘Masks and Mumming in the Nordic Area.’

Topics in this engaging hour include: Gunnell’s favorite Old Norse deity; the Old Nordic worldview; their relationship with people, the earth, nature, the elements; the peoples who make up the Nordic or Scandinavian cultures; Odin, Thor, Loki, Freya and other gods; how women were much more central in the older traditions as the majority of priests; a spirituality based in the present; the landscape; the film The 13th Warrior; the role of human beings in Norse mythology; Icelandic developments and the impact of Irish slaves; the Vikings; dreams, omens and the dead; JRR Tolkien, The Hobbit, and Nazi Germany; the popular presence of fantasy including Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, The Narnia Chronicles; our yearning for mythology; and much more.

For more information, visit godspeedinstitute.com

On August 18th, 2000, at 9:00 am, Jean Béliveau left Montreal, Canada. His goal was to walk around the planet to promote peace and non-violence for the children of the world. He traveled alone with a three-wheeled stroller that held his food, clothing, a First Aid kit, a small tent and a sleeping bag.

Jean walked across the continents, from North America to South America, then across to South Africa, up to Europe, then the Middle East, South and Eastern Asia, Australia, New Zealand and finally back to Canada. Known as “The Walker,” he returned home on October 16, 2011, after meeting 1600 families around the world and walking more than 75,000 kilometers.

Caer Hallundbaek speaks with him about his journey, which was made in support of the United Nations International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World.

Topics in this hour include: what inspired him to go on this decade-long journey; where he was on 9-11 and how it affected his journey and thoughts; stories from the road, including the U.S., Peru, Africa, the Middle East, the Philippines, Europe; his encounters with poverty, children, joy; how these affected his spirituality; how joy is not found in material values and gadgets; how his life was changed by this journey; a reflection for your spiritual tool belt; and much more.

For more information, visit godspeedinstitute.com and wwwalk.org

A graduate of The Institute of Ethical and Clinical Hypnosis in Washington, D.C., she is creator and publisher of 10 hypnosis self-help and spiritual development resources. A qualified forensic hypnotist, Rev. Decker has worked with various law enforcement agencies, as well as persons in the private sector, to help witnesses and victims of crime or accidents to recover repressed or forgotten information. She is a member of the National Guild of Hypnotists, the American Association of Behavioral Therapists, and the United Metaphysical Churches.

Topics in this hour include: The International Metaphysical University, and its development; the role world religions play in the curriculum at IMU; the mystical component of religious traditions; consciousness; how we are part of a greater consciousness, but often do not realize it; consciousness in relation to healing; Decker’s discovery of her interest in hypnosis; how she found it more helpful than psychology; how it affects consciousness; how hypnosis allows her to help heal clients; the spirituality of this work; her role as a minister; psychic and intuitive development; how any one can develop these faculties; Carole’s weekly tip for your spiritual toolbelt; and more.

Carole Hallundbaek speaks with Reverend Dr. Leland Witting, Pastor of the Union Street Brick Church in Bangor, Maine and Staff Chaplain at Eastern Maine Medical Center. He holds a doctorate in Near Death Studies from Bangor Theological Seminary and is a board member of the International Association for Near-Death Studies. Founded in 1978, it was the first organization in the world devoted to the study of near-death and similar experiences and their relationship to human consciousness.

Topics in this hour include: what a near death experience (NDE) is; Witting’s own experience of an NDE at age 8; who coined the term near death experience in the 1970s and its prevalence in culture and films; the 4 phases of NDE - disassociation, naturalistic/supernatural perception, life review, return; distressing NDEs; some aftereffects of NDE; how his affects his service as a hospital chaplain; stories of NDEs – accounts that he has found particularly striking; why is it important to study NDEs; its unifying impact on religious communities; the material and the spiritual; how today’s crises, including the Occupy Wall Street movement, is a result of a deep-seated desire for a change in values that are spiritual at their core; and more.

For more information, visit www.godspeedinstitute.com