SPEAKER_01 0:01

Welcome back everybody to this week's weekly dispatch where we talk about what's top of mind today. And we've been we just we always have fun starting out with each other and exploring a bit before we start. So one of the the thing we were just tossing around was thinking about consciousness and stories and the mind. And um it was inspired by this book or at least for me it was inspired by this book called Um Until the End of Time Mind, Matter and Our Search for Meaning in an Evolving Universe by one of my favorite authors, Brian Swim. And um so yeah, we the what the thing he said that really struck me was that the reason that we create our stories, or reason we create myth and religion and spirituality and have this need to have stories is because we are conscious of the fact that we're going to die. And other um maybe plants don't have that consciousness, so they just live their lives and they die. Um and we don't know. Of course we don't know. But we don't know, right? We yeah, we don't know whether dolphins, maybe, or uh whales or some of the other more intelligent species do understand that and do tell each other's stories just for that reason. So, but that's really a fascinating idea to me.

SPEAKER_02 1:24

Um It is, and I I was intrigued with this because uh I haven't told you my story of what I did over the weekend.

SPEAKER_03 1:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:32

And so uh I was just uh up at Pythage uh finishing a film shoot with my friend who's been making a movie for the last couple years, and we went and we were in this family working, talking, playing, laughing, you know, being with each other. And around us are um packs of dogs.

SPEAKER_03 2:00

Oh.

SPEAKER_02 2:02

And you know, there's the the family dogs, the ones that they have named and allowed into their kind of their how their home, their household.

SPEAKER_04 2:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 2:14

And and there are other dogs who kind of just kind of just like move past to see if they can find any food. Uh these are not, these are not pets, these are just, you know, these are just dog kin who live around us. And um during this weekend, I noticed that there was one black puppy that kept getting kicked by kids. And uh then also the dogs would just really get angry if it came too close to where we were spending time. And it's a very small puppy. And I went for a long walk over to the sweat lodge with uh a few girls, and I just oh, and this puppy followed us. And as we were sat there and talked, I noticed that the puppy was full of stickers, like thorns. Yeah, and I just I just you know took a moment and I pulled out the thorns, checked the paws and everything. And consciousness exists in the most it's like a thread of silk floating in the wind, a a spider web uh, you know, floating in the wind. Because that little puppy looked at me and made eye contact and was like, that is love.

SPEAKER_04 3:27

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:28

That is support, that is help. And I noticed the look, and I just was like, and that's when I started asking more questions about this puppy. And indeed, uh they they have Sundance that it goes on on this land, and and the kids said, yo, yeah, somebody came to Sundance and then just left their dog. And so, and she's you know, and they said, We we're just gonna take it to the dump. Or, you know, this other thing was it's gonna be puppy soup is a joke. Yeah. And um I noticed that there was all these dogs had a look of knowing. Because sometimes you meet dogs that are just very infantile, juvenile, right? Like they're just like goofy dogs. All of these dogs made clear eye contact with me and also responded to who I am, right?

SPEAKER_03 4:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 4:19

Um I brought this puppy home, by the way.

SPEAKER_00 4:23

I was cleaning going.

SPEAKER_02 4:25

I was gonna say well, the funny the funny story about this was I don't want a puppy and I don't need a puppy. And and, you know, and and there was a joke with everybody on the crew like, we can't take, you know, you should take the puppy home because it'll die, but we don't need a puppy. And I was like, yeah, you know, I'm you know, and I just had all these thoughts like if this happens this way, then it's meant to be, but not anyway. Funny side story is that I do the wardle. Oh, by the way, so we started calling it soup. Okay, and so and so um that night I had forgotten to do my wardle. So my friend was like, hey, don't forget to do your wardle. And it was like 11:45. I'm like, okay, I like blearily looked up my wardle. The New York Times places, you know, the wardle on puzzle.

SPEAKER_01 5:10

Okay, yeah, okay. Wordle wardle. Okay, yeah, yeah. Thank you. I had no idea what you're talking about. I was glad you defined that.

SPEAKER_02 5:15

Oh, yeah, sorry. It's the it's the little puzzle.

SPEAKER_01 5:17

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:18

And guess what the word was?

SPEAKER_01 5:21

Soup.

SPEAKER_02 5:22

Soupy. And I went to sleep and we were already not fair.

SPEAKER_01 5:28

The universe is messing with you, girl.

SPEAKER_02 5:31

Oh, I know. So I was already 45 minutes away from the res, and I got up at the crack of dawn and drove back, dropped off some computers that my friend had forgotten to give them, grabbed the dog, brought it home. And but I but I want to go back to this consciousness piece because we also because we have to be done with um the binary of anything in this world of man, woman, alive and dead, conscious, not conscious, because there is a spectrum.

SPEAKER_04 6:04

Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 6:05

And, you know, we know that there's information transmitted amongst animals. We and actually, I was with a medicine man during this time, and he went on to tell me uh about a specific tree, I think he was telling me about, that uh doesn't like to share some of its resources with surrounding trees. Oh, and so we'll actually like not give off whatever support these other trees might need because times are hot or tough or whatever. Okay. But he's like, but but in good times, these trees are like everybody can abound and you know, we can re can multiply. And he's like, such and such tree, I've noticed, has been very like keeping its energy close. And I really truly believe that everything is conscious. I mean, that is the animist in me.

SPEAKER_00 6:53

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:54

Right. And so as a spiritual guide, uh I do like the idea that we, on some level, all beings can reflect on the potential, on the the absolute, absoluteness of death. Every animal has smelled death, every like ravens hang out with their dead partners. Yeah, you know, uh elephants do, yeah. Elephants do that too. So there is absolutely in my mind a consciousness. And there are stories, and there are stories that need to be transmitted because once, and that's the other thing with elder elephants, actually, is that the mother, those elder ladies tell everybody about the best roads to use, where they can find certain stuff.

SPEAKER_03 7:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:38

It is such um uh it's such hubris to think we're the only top, you know, apex predator, conscious, cool dude, whatever. I'm done with that.

SPEAKER_01 7:52

But no, I I couldn't I can't disagree with that at all. I think because the one thing we all know, if we don't, if we had if we have a little bit of humility, if we don't have that hubris, is that there's evidence that we can't possibly even understand, that we don't have the the uh the wherewithal or the capacity to understand the commute communications that are happening around us and and uh you know on different areas, different levels that we don't perceive, we don't have the perceptions of. Um so I I keep you know, I can't argue with that at all. And and to some extent, it's not really I don't know the the difference, I guess, in consciousness. It's more about what what's different and the and the difference that Brian Green, Brian, uh yeah, Brian Green is talking about.

SPEAKER_02 8:40

Brian Swim, right?

SPEAKER_01 8:41

Oh, you know what? This is Brian Green. I thought it was Brian Swim. Okay, Brian Green. That's funny. Anyway, um so the difference is that um that he's talking about is uh not I don't know if it's as much a difference, but it's the uniqueness of our species, of the human person, the human species, is that we have these stories we tell and these stories that we live. And we've seen and and witnessed how those stories can interfere with our ability to be with each other in a in a good way. Because a lot of some of the stories anyway are othering, you know, create these stories that and and that there's scarcity stories. Um those kind of stories can do harm and do damage. And um and we've and we also it can also help or you know, give us a sense of that that people who don't know know or believe our stories are um ignorant or stupid and aren't real, aren't real, aren't blessed, aren't part of the divine mission, you know, that are somehow some aberration or something.

SPEAKER_03 9:46

Right.

SPEAKER_01 9:46

And um Moody, just Moody's Beity, who we interviewed, just uh sent out a poem today about remembering that everything is divine, right? Even the people that are crazy and causing harm are are divine. And um so that's I think that's part of these stories. And the other part that you know we talked about it a bit ago was that some of the stories that we tell, or some of the ways that we react or respond to the understanding that we're going to die and that awareness that we're gonna die is by ver is is by denial. And um, so we've also you know, we've we run into people um that either are like more like us and want to talk about it or willing to talk about it or become willing to talk about it when we start having a uh opening our com the conversation. And also people who just do not want to. And they're they're gonna deny the fact that they're gonna die because they don't want to think about that. And just it's fear. They're living in that fear.

SPEAKER_02 10:45

So maybe, maybe that's the that's the uh the binary we ought to consider is the denialist of life and death and the rationalist who accepts that they're that life equals birth and death, right? Like it's like because because I really do feel there's a stuntedness in it in um in the way that you can use your life and your story to to help one another if you're going to deny the the absoluteness of the end of your life.

SPEAKER_01 11:16

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:17

That is it.

SPEAKER_01 11:18

Yeah, right, which is what really gives us a potential and um just a um a reason to care for each other, you know. If we if we can acknowledge that every one of us is going to die, including our pets, including our animals, including the world, the earth, including the sun, including the universe, you know. Yes, if we can realize that put that connection that we all have, that we're all temporary, you know, and that we're not infinite and that we're all temporary, and for that, and for that to be our our connection with each other, then we cannot uh it it at least hopefully we can't cause harm.

SPEAKER_00 12:07

We can't create that, you know.

SPEAKER_01 12:09

We want everybody to inspire that that could the emphasis on creativity and living life as best we can and letting everybody and everything live life as best they can because it's not gonna last.

SPEAKER_02 12:23

It's not gonna last. Yeah, and you know, going back to my new puppy soup, although I've also put it out there that, you know, if somebody would love to have a new puppy, I have a puppy. Uh, you know, I uh I really had to think a lot about this. Uh and also, you know, I don't know if I've brought this up in the last few weeks. I've been going through a lot of grief and a lot of crises in my personal soul and trying to reconnect myself to the soul that I was born to be rather than the soul that I've been forced to be based on relationships around me.

SPEAKER_04 12:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:58

And so I was, you know, I was really thinking hard about what impelled me to go back and pick up this puppy. And because I rationally know that it's, you know, this is not a great choice for me in this time. And also I recognized that there was a there was a soul in need. There was a soul that kept getting pushed to the outside. I get, you know, it was eating like paper bags that had grease on it, right? Because that's all the food it was getting.

SPEAKER_04 13:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:26

And and it, you know, I thought back to that really kind of almost silly, you know, trope from the 70s or 80s, like the posters, like, you know, the girl walks on a beach and there's a bazillion starfish, and she toss and somebody tosses one back, and they're like, Why'd you toss that one back? There's zillions that need to go back. And like for that one, it matters.

SPEAKER_04 13:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:45

Right. And so, you know, in that moment too, with taking care of this one sentient being, and and I and like, you know, the wardle, right? Like the universe said this is important. And I wonder if it's important to my soul and my stories and my finiteness, or is it the story of this this other sentient being who will maybe go on to another family and bring much joy, right? But it's the awareness of um of lack and and othering that we can all as humans, this is what we this is what makes us consciousness. We recognize these things.

SPEAKER_04 14:18

Yeah. Yeah. Right?

SPEAKER_02 14:19

And we care. And we care. And that's when we can step in and say, this isn't okay. We need to like step into the gap, as you know, Christians like to say.

SPEAKER_01 14:29

Yeah. And, you know, and yeah, exactly. And and the other book I just finished was Where Western Christianity Got It Wrong, which is, you know, speaking to how the current um radical right Christian, quote unquote, um, is not doing anything like what Christ was talking about. And Christ was sharing that message of we are all connected, and our work on this world is to care for each other, everybody, especially the dispossessed.

SPEAKER_03 15:00

Right.

SPEAKER_01 15:00

And um, and he did that by example. And um, if we live that way, there would be no way that we could uh not invite the the immigrant. We could not uh we could shut down poverty um programs.

SPEAKER_02 15:18

Well we would care, we would kill for sh we would care for children and elders and and people who are struggling with mental health, a drug addiction. We would have more compassion to help people and say, this this one person matters, and everybody, we could all do a little something for everyone.

SPEAKER_01 15:33

Yeah, yeah. Wouldn't that be amazing? And and you know, again, how you know, trying to figure out a way to well, I and and part of it, part of trying to stay in balance is this sense that you know we we look out at the current um lot uh a lot of places in the world, the places where the people in power seem to have no connection to that idea of morality or caring for each other.

SPEAKER_02 15:58

And in fact, well, in fact, they s they they spurn it. They're like it's disgusting to be empathetic. And I'm like Right.

SPEAKER_01 16:04

What? Yeah, yeah. And it's disgusting to support people and it yeah. Um, and every, you know, the army should be macho, you know, all these stupid ideas that just don't make any sense. And it's like, how can these be human beings with families and with you know, having grown up in the world? And and we all know that, you know, in a disaster, everybody around, no matter what their beliefs, religious, spirituality, or their elk, political ilk, they all come together in those moments to help. And so that is, I believe, the the core of who we are as humans. And this twisted um anomaly, and unfortunately not an anomaly, which is in power in the world, yeah. Um, just has to be balanced by all of us who know that and feel that and care about that, by everything we can do every day in our own place without and and not being overwhelmed by the insanity.

SPEAKER_02 17:04

Yeah, the work. Well, I'm gonna just say, like, you know, the course of humankind has always had this.

SPEAKER_04 17:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:11

There has not been one season of the of the timeline of this of this being, which is Mother Earth, that has not held people who fight for having more, you know, subjugating others, yeah, whatever. All the all the the dark belly, the underbelly of humanity, right? And so if we're talking about consciousness, consciousness is not able to like, you know, have language, have a chair, eat, whatever. Like it's industrialized it. That is not consciousness. Consciousness should be where we spread more of that self-ness to include others.

SPEAKER_04 17:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:49

That's like you widen your own self. That might be the conscious. And when you do that, that's when death is absolutely in that sphere.

SPEAKER_01 17:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:58

You know?

SPEAKER_01 17:59

Yeah. Accepted and and and celebrated as part of the sphere of what's going on. So yeah, and I, you know, I think you could. I mean, we've talked about all of this abominations that we watch are based on fear of, and really in the end, it's the fear of dying. You know, it's the fear of not having enough and therefore dying. And or of, you know, somehow that's gets twisted to the extent where you can't stop making money and and you can't stop fighting and you can't stop killing. Um yeah, you're right. It's it has been the history of humankind since humankind got became conscious that they fought.

SPEAKER_02 18:42

They they did you know, it's become so industrialized as everything else, the the industrial and the um uh you know Well, it's it's been it it's taken up the extraction of everything for the capitalist grind.

SPEAKER_01 18:59

Yeah, to the point where we're killing ourselves and the earth and we're killing our own home, you know. Which is, you know, it in the past, I guess because there were less humans perhaps, and because we were less crowded, and who knows? Um there are examples of people actually living together peacefully, and maybe they would have an argument, but they'd be set, they'd figure out a way to settle it without killing everybody in the other tribe.

SPEAKER_02 19:22

Yeah. Well, they knew they had to balance and and yeah, there was a better sense of balance and connection. Yeah. Yep. Anyhow.

SPEAKER_01 19:32

So we could do better, and I still think we can do better. And I think that, you know, our work is to find ways to do better in our communities and and balance out the fear and anger and pain and suffering with love and compassion and caring and creating uh organizations that continue that work. Doing I was so excited to be on my daughter's sustainable farm a couple of weeks ago for her wedding. You know, and there's this that just really lifted me up just because here's an example, and many of the people at the wedding were farmers too. Here's all these young people starting to create sustainable farming and and um changing the way we do things in the world.

SPEAKER_02 20:16

Yeah. Um, I'm also gonna say a shout out to you know, young farmers who want to support because the reservation where the US government has pushed my people, our people, all of us, our indigenous brothers and sisters, into extreme poverty. And it was very difficult to be there and know how hungry everybody is, very hungry. So, yeah, you know, I hope we can do better for not just you know, nice organic farmers with trust funds. Let's like let's like lend a hand, let's lend a hand to one person, one farmer, one family out there because it's gonna take all of us to make it through this next uh period of time.

SPEAKER_01 21:00

So true. So true.

SPEAKER_02 21:02

Anyhow, lovely dispatch. But if you have, I like I want to hear more people talking about great books around consciousness. What do you think about animism?

SPEAKER_00 21:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:12

Um are you interested in a puppy?

SPEAKER_00 21:15

If you're in Colorado, you know, Denver, Denver area, come get her a puppy. Come get a beautiful little puppy.

SPEAKER_02 21:22

Although there's already three different families who are like, you know, sending me like puppy gifts and somebody just went and took her to the vet. And you know, it's gonna be a village pet, I suspect.

SPEAKER_01 21:33

That's good anyway. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:35

Um anyways. So yeah, so stay tuned. Um we'll be keep publishing our weekly dispatch as often as we can, and we do miss it once in a while. But and uh we'll be we'll be on next uh Saturday will be another recorded one. So we're looking forward to having all of you join us. And and do you see at the bottom of the notes a way to get onto our substack where we can have a conversation? We would love to have a conversation with all of you.

SPEAKER_03 22:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:01

So um blessings and adios.

SPEAKER_02 22:05

Adios.