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Culture, at its essence, is like a game, where the collective beliefs, practices, and values of any two or more people overlay the tangible world, shaping perceptions and bidirectionally influencing behaviors.
Like the sum of all dreams, these shared impressions become the social fabric and the drama of humanity that we all navigate - guiding norms, rules, and identities that will continue to evolve according to our collective imagination.
I like to think of cultures as constellations, portraying each individual as a star within the societal cosmos. The connections we draw between these stars—due to our angle of observation, common locations, traditions, rituals, or treatment—form patterns that emerge as the recognizable outline of cultures.
Like the constellations in the sky, these social conventions are not inherent but are instead the product of human perception and interpretation, emphasizing the subjective nature of cultural construction.
Expanding this model metaphysically introduces a contrast between dominant and non-dominant cultural forces. I see a prominent space-oriented theme and the rigid cultures around divided land such as nations with controlled and defended physical territories.
Another theme involves fluid, time-oriented perspectives and frameworks around cycles, renewal, and culture as a way of relating - where past, present, and future are deeply interconnected.
Spiritual texts offer profound insights on the correction of perception which facilitates the undoing of fear and the transformation of love. The concept of cultural humility, with its emphasis on openness, learning, and empathy, aligns with wisdom teachings which call for a shift from judgment to forgiveness, and from fear to love.
Spiritual growth involves recognizing our shared identity beyond the superficial divisions of the ego. This mirrors an understanding of culture as "true-ish"—a construct that can guide but not define our deepest truths and connections.
Metaphors such as the dream tapestry or social constellations can help us navigate the complex social landscape and honor a balance between the world of forms and our underlying unity of being.
(Music "A Blanket of Japanese Violets" by Bing Satellites and episode artwork on podcast website)
It flies and heals. People try to make it, buy it, save it and kill it. Yet, there is never enough of it, and it might not be real. It is T I M E.
Many cultures personify and deify Time. Kronos is the father of Zeus in Greek mythology and therefore older than god. Hindus may worship Mahakala or the lord of time. In America, we have the expression, "Father Time is undefeated." Even if only imaginative mythology, it can teach the importance of respecting time and using it wisely.
This episode breaks down our ideas and beliefs about time to illuminate a radically different but potentially happier and saner approach and like a child, even a slowing down of this strangely beautiful flash of life.
(Music intro by E. Fink and song "Timeless" by Lee Rosevere and episode artwork by Dove Dahlia)
Centenarians are the fastest growing age segment of the human population. This episode explores the secrets of longevity around the world in places like Okinawa, Japan. It also highlights some of the findings of the longevity project in the United States and the case studies of centenarians by Dr. Mario Martinez.
(Music by E. Fink and Chris Russell)
(Episode artwork by Dove Dahlia)