393. Charles Eisenstein

Buddha at the Gas Pump

Charles Eisenstein is a speaker and writer focusing on themes of human culture and identity. He is the author of several books, most recently Sacred Economics and The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know Is Possible. His background includes a degree in mathematics and philosophy from Yale, a decade in Taiwan as a translator, and stints as a college instructor, a yoga teacher, and a construction worker. He currently writes and speaks full-time. He lives in Asheville, North Carolina with his wife and four children. Websites: charleseisenstein.org sacred-economics.com "More Beautiful World" Facebook page Other Books: The Ascent of Humanity: Civilization and the Human Sense of Self (Related website and free book online.) The Yoga of Eating: Transcending Diets and Dogma to Nourish the Natural Self Transformational Weight Loss Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 3/25/2017 Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:49 - Living an Ordinary Life 00:09:04 - The Baggage of the Old Story 00:13:09 - The Crisis and Opportunity 00:17:47 - The Habit of Needing to Know Everything 00:22:20 - The Endless Cycle of Creating Problems 00:26:37 - The Emperor's New Clothes and the Games People Play 00:30:33 - The Displacement of Desire 00:34:57 - Finding Fulfillment Within Oneself 00:39:17 - The Search for Meaning and Effort 00:43:08 - The Gift of Willpower 00:47:24 - The Ripple Effects of Our Actions 00:51:54 - The Intelligence of Nature 00:56:10 - The Unity of Beings within Nature 01:00:22 - The Mythology of Separation and Domination 01:04:42 - The Power of Gifting Society 01:08:55 - The Increasing Competitiveness of the World 01:13:36 - The Relationship between Health and Responsibility 01:17:51 - The Story of Separation and Changing the Mythology 01:21:47 - Transmission through Myth and Archetype 01:26:45 - The Ordeal of Identity Shattering 01:31:14 - The Shattering of Collective Reality 01:35:54 - Raising Bottom Through Acts of Love 01:41:03 - Disrupting the Story 01:45:18 - The Value of Unpredictable Moments 01:49:41 - Relying on Nature's Intelligence 01:54:04 - Following the More Beautiful World 01:58:38 - Investing in Generosity in Times of Crisis 02:03:13 - The Importance of Preparing to Exercise Compassion 02:07:18 - Shifting the Cause 02:11:31 - Music Introduction Save