Conscious Revolution

Deconstructing Corporate Cults w/Ash Riley

Have you ever worked in a high-control environment? Do you know how to spot the signs of a healthy v.s. culty workplace?

Firstly, I’m so excited to announce the rebranding of my podcast, with a new mission and focus!

In this episode, I have the pleasure of talking with Ash Riley, a trained journalist and business consultant with a focus on trauma-informed and ethical business practices.

In this interview, we dive into a paradoxical situation that many people find themselves in—being stuck in toxic and harmful companies. We want to help you recognize the red flags to watch out for when considering a workplace. These include a lack of transparency in salary and benefits, an unstable work environment, and the presence of toxic or abusive behavior.

We also take a closer look at how some companies use core values as a cover-up for their toxic practices. It's important to be aware of this facade and not be fooled by superficial displays of values that mask underlying issues.

Join us as we uncover the truth behind toxic workplaces and equip you with the knowledge to make better choices for your career and well-being.

Enjoy!

Links

Liz Holmes wants you to forget about Elizabeth

Elizabeth Holmes has changed her voice again

Is your corporate culture cultish?

19 cult-like jobs people couldn’t wait to quit

5 signs that Apple is a cult 

Ethical Entrepreneurship 101 Course:

https://ethicsforcoaching.thinkific.com/courses/ethicalentrepreneurship

You can connect with Ash here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashrising/

Website: www.inmysacredspace.com

Deconstructing the money cult in new-age and the coaching industry

This episode is comin' in hot after a few weeks of critical discussion around the questionable price points that we see in the coaching industry. Needless to say, opening up that conversation has lead to an influx of coaches into my corner of the internet who are also wondering: WTF is going on?!

There's been a lot of pushback from those who feel *triggered* by this conversation and it's been pretty disappointing to see the level of gaslighting, silencing, dismissing, and victim-blaming that has transpired but I'm trying to focus less on that and more on the incredible humans that are organizing around our shared mission. 

I hope I can contribute to this conversation by deconstructing the money cult dynamics that are leading so many well-meaning people down a path of money worship, spiritual materialism, and financial exploitation. 

Follow me down the rabbit hole as I talk about money, power, status, and coercive control. 

Topics covered:

• The roots of the money cult in the 'manifest destiny' prosperity gospel - 9:13
• Debunk 2 common myths of the money cult ("money is neutral energy" and "money is an unlimited resource") - 15:00
• Is "money mindset" just code for culty psychological programming? - 22:45
• The psychology + energetics of money worship (money power + money status) - 28:25
• The cost of spiritual materialism on your mental health - 37:34
• How to dismantle money cult dynamics and move towards a more authentic way to relate to money- 56:04

Enjoy!

References/further reading:

• Why it's more expensive to be poor (6 minute video)
• 40% of America’s lowest-income families’ consumption goes on luxuries
• Nearly Half of Americans Emotionally Overspend
• Is the coaching bubble bursting? (Rachel Kay Albers)

More links:

• Sign up for the Authentic Life Newsletter on Substack
• Become a Patreon member 

Theme song credits: Laff- Said Mrad & Dany El Helou

How to discern Truth v.s. Beliefs v.s. Opinion for reality-testing

In cult deprogramming work, it's important to learn the skill of reality-testing your truth v.s. your beliefs v.s. your opinions so you can DISCERN reality from illusion (which is the whole point of Awakening). 

In this episode, I provide a framework for critically examining our thoughts from a nondualism and scientific perspective. This is episode will add value to anyone who is interested in developing critical thinking + media literacy skills. Enjoy!

Topics covered:

• How new-age spirituality has co-opted the concept of "Truth" to become a buzzword (and why it has created so much confusion and misunderstanding).
• Understanding Truth through the Hindu teaching of sat-chit-ananda (truth-consciousness-bliss)
• The Paradox of Truth
• The psychoenergetic mechanisms of how truth becomes a belief, becomes an opinion 
• Understanding first-order and second-order reality 
• What are beliefs and why they are meaningful, but not valid? 
• What are opinions and what makes them right/wrong. 
• The importance of falsifiability in reality-testing (understanding the unfalsifiability bias) 
• Self-inquiry questions for reality-testing to practice 

References:

1. Sat-chit-ananda
2. First-order and second-order reality discourse by Hareesh

Theme song credits: Laff- Said Mrad & Dany El Helou

 

Political Awakening 101: Who is in?

This episode is the first of many on political awakening. Political awakening is the part of our spiritual awakening journey where we critically examine the sociopolitical, cultural, and economical zeitgeist of our time. This sets the stage for deeper inquiry into who we are, as we begin to define ourselves outside the social and political systems that infiltrate every aspect of our culture & consciousness.

 

Show notes & Breakdown:

 

5:09- My political awakening journey. How privilege makes us ignorant and politically disengaged (especially the Millennial generation)

 

10:40- My thoughts on BLM as a catalyst for the culture war. How social media was weaponized as a political tool for violence.

 

15:54- The hate machine (a term coined by the Black queer community) & its threat to democracy

 

18:10- Feeling helpless, confused, lost, fearful, angry, despair? You’re not alone! I talk about alchemizing uncomfortable feeling states into sustainable, meaningful activism v.s. performative activism (and some crucial skills we need). Also: how to avoid activism burnout.

 

28:00- What is inner sacred activism from a nondual perspective?

 

35:00- What NOT to do (watch out for these ego traps!)

 

38:38- How to begin working with ‘Who Is In?’ I talk about surrender, courage, and vulnerability. Also: collective shadow work + why we are afraid of feeling pain/suffering.

 

50:22- How to feel “enough”; aligning with ‘isness’ instead of bypassing. Also: reclaiming your power from the hate machine

 

59:00- Beautiful transmission of Chögyam  Trungpa’s teaching on surrender. Making disappointment our way of life. Also: nondual manifestation.

 

1:04- Practical tips to navigate politically uncertain times.

 

1:09- Managing the voices of shame, embarrassment, and guilt; meet your Inner Oppressor.

 

1:15- Closing remarks

 

Recommended readings:

Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism -  Chögyam Trungpa

Nonviolent Communication- Marshall Rosenberg

Do Better- Rachel Ricketts

 

Sharing BIPOC activists who have inspired my work, please follow them on Instagram & support their work. I am following THEIR lead & by no means an expert on activism.

@wokescientist @freckledwhileblack @greengirlleah @amberabundance @crutches_and_space @ihartericka @Rachel.cargle @adriennemareebrown @xiyebeara @hailethomas @mariebeech @laylafsaad @aimrachelricketts @decolonizingtherapy @dr.rosalesmeza @boundlesswarrior @muchachafanzine @shantiwtihin @decolonizemyself @decolonizethisplace @intersectionalenvironmentalist

 

Theme song credits: Laff- Said Mrad & Dany El Helou

The Con of Pseudoscience (watch out for these red flags & dirty tactics)

This episode is about how science gets weaponized by charlatans to manipulate our beliefs.

I talk about:

How to discern between bad science and good science, even if you're not a scientist (4 conditions)

5 elements of pseudoscience (the red flags to look out for)

4 quick-n-dirty deception tactics used by Law of Attraction & other culty paradigms. 

Enjoy!!! 

 

Spiritual Materialism 101: How the ego hijacks our spiritual practice

Spiritual materialism happens when the ego hijacks our spiritual practice and uses it to fulfill its hopes, dreams, expectations, desires, etc. 

This episode is an overview of what spiritual materialism is, what it's not, how it manifests in our meditation practice, and the ways in which the new-age industry reinforces spiritual materialism to sell us capitalism. 

I also offer 3 practical tips in moving out of materialism. 

Enjoy! 

Reference: Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism by Chögyam Trungpa. 

How to stay embodied in your spiritual practice without dissociating

One of the ways that the new-age industry participates in the hate economy is through the politics of dissociated spirituality. 

Dissociated spirituality is strategic for the hate economy to hold power over us. Simply put, it’s a “divide and conquer” approach aimed to fragment & hijack our consciousness. The more dissociated we are, the more disempowered we are towards anyone and anything that tries to sell us shit. Hence why the spiritual materialism sector of new-age is booming.

A big part of sacred activism is reclaiming the parts of our consciousness that have been severed off and used against us without our conscious awareness or consent. To use without consent constitutes abuse. Spiritual abuse is rampant in new-age because the industry thrives within a systematic structure of domination, coercion, and control. By dissociating, we conform to the needs of this structure. 

How do we deepen our relationship with spirituality, especially those teachings that tend to be misunderstood and manipulated by new-age, without dissociating? 

We explore this central question in  this foundational episode on the psycho-spiritual mechanisms of dissociation, how it relates to trauma, specific strategies the new-age industry uses to capitalize on our vulnerabilities/trauma, and some self-inquiry questions to guide your wholesome spiritual practice.

Enjoy! 

Comments? Email me at seekingwithsattva@gmail.com.

Further reading: Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation: Skills Training for Patients and Therapists by Kathy Steele, Onno van der Hart, and Suzette Boon. Dissociation work should be done with a licensed trauma-informed therapist. 

Your Brain on Social Media [Part 1]: Why Is Social Media So Addicting?

This is the first episode of a 3-part series on how social media affects our psyche + spirit. In this episode, I talk about the casino-like techniques that product developers at Facebook use to hook you.

Are You Suffering From Comparisonitis? How to Heal.

If you're constantly comparing yourself to others, this episode is for you. Healing is possible; and in some cases, Comparisonitis can be cured. 

 

This is the last week to apply to work with me 1:1 in my 6-week coaching program, Authentic Self.

This Is What Stagnates Spiritual Growth (Hint: It's Not What You Practice)

Wanna know what actually keeps seekers stagnant on their growth? It's not what you think! 

....

Fall 2020 registration for my 6 week 1:1 Coaching Program Authentic Self is now open! If you're ready to take your growth to the next level, apply here.