MOVIE

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Crazywise

2016

What can we learn from those who have turned their psychological crisis into a positive transformative experience? During a quarter-century documenting indigenous cultures, human-rights photographer and filmmaker Phil Borges often saw these cultures identify "psychotic" symptoms as an indicator of shamanic potential. He was intrigued by how differently psychosis is defined and treated in the West. Through interviews with renowned mental health professionals including Gabor Mate, MD, Robert Whitaker, and Roshi Joan Halifax, PhD, Phil explores the growing severity of the mental health crisis in America dominated by biomedical psychiatry. He discovers a growing movement of professionals and psychiatric survivors who demand alternative treatments that focus on recovery, nurturing social connections, and finding meaning. CRAZYWISE follows two young Americans diagnosed with "mental illness." Adam, 27, suffers devastating side effects from medications before embracing meditation in hopes of recovery. Ekhaya, 32, survives childhood molestation and several suicide attempts before spiritual training to become a traditional South African healer gives her suffering meaning and brings a deeper purpose to her life. CRAZYWISE doesn't aim to over-romanticize indigenous wisdom, or completely condemn Western treatment. Not every indigenous person who has a crisis becomes a shaman. And many individuals benefit from Western medications. However, indigenous peoples' acceptance of non-ordinary states of consciousness, along with rituals and metaphors that form deep connections to nature, to each other, and to ancestors, is something we can learn from. CRAZYWISE adds a voice to the growing conversation that believes a psychological crisis can be an opportunity for growth and potentially transformational, not a disease without a cure.

82 min

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Ep. 60 Time Management for Mortals With Oliver Burkeman

Ethan Nichtern speaks with Oliver Burkeman about his new book, Four Thousand Weeks, and how a constant emphasis on productivity prevents us from being in the present moment.

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Ep. 1 Lisa Weinert

Lisa Weinert joins Ethan Nichtern to introduce The Road Home podcast. They talk about applying Buddhist teachings to our modern lives.

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Ep. 2 Kate Johnson

Ethan sits down with Kate Johnson for a conversation around dharmic social action, compassionate communication and practicing different modalities of mindfulness and meditation.

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Ep. 3 No Such Thing as a Relationship Expert

Ethan celebrates the release of The Dharma of The Princess Bride in paperback with a reflection on bringing our own culture into our spiritual practice and honoring our role in a relationship.

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Ep. 5 Roshi Joan Halifax

Roshi Joan Halifax visits Ethan for a chat about the challenges and rewards of service work and the intersection of Dharma and social action.

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Ep. 6 Sharon Salzberg

This time on the Road Home Podcast, Ethan catches up with longtime friend Sharon Salzberg. Their chat touches on the energy of our current political and social climate, bringing joy into our daily lives and practice, and what is necessary for making real change in the world.

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Ep. 7 The Future of Shambhala

Ethan invites Aarti Tejuja, Dr. Shanté Paradigm Smalls and David Perrin to the show for an open discussion of the revelations which have recently transformed the Shambala community and together look forward to where they see the future of Shambala.

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Ep. 9 Radical Dharma with Rev. angel Kyodo williams

Rev. angel Kyodo williams joins Ethan for a conversation around practicing radical Dharma, waking up to our privilege and bias, and finding opportunity for institutional change in our toxic political climate.

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Ep. 10 Direct Action is the New Kundalini

Ethan is joined by Kerri Kelly, Michael Kink and Charles Khan for a conversation about bringing our personal practice into the realm of direct social action.

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Ep. 11 The Three Levels of Real Change With Sharon Salzberg

Ethan rings in the New Year with old friend and colleague Sharon Salzberg, together they look at the three levels of spiritual practice that allow us to effect real change in the world.

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EXPLORE TOPIC

Depression