Ep 56 | Marilyn Schlitz, PhD: The Ineffable Death--From Terror to Expanded Worldview 4 of 10

Join me as I interview Marilyn Schlitz, PhD, a social anthropologist, researcher, writer, and charismatic public speaker.  Marilyn is a Professor in the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology at Sofia University and has previously taught and/or conducted research at Stanford, Harvard, and Trinity Universities.  She is President Emeritus and Senior Fellow of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, an organization she led for more than 25 years.  Marilyn is a leader in consciousness studies (over 3 decades).  Her research and publications focus on personal and social transformation, cultural pluralism, extended human capacities, and mind-body medicine.  She is adept at working with both individuals and organizations, helping them develop the personal and interpersonal skills required for modern leaders.  

Her books include:

• Consciousness and Healing:  Integral Approaches to Mind Body Medicine;
• Living Deeply:  The Art and Science of Transformation in Everyday Life;
• Death Makes Life Possible (Co-producer with Dr. Deepak Chopra of film by same title).  

Marilyn has published hundreds of articles --- including the results of scientific studies in scholarly journals and more popular publications.  She has lectured extensively around the world and has spoken before the UN and Smithsonian.  

We touch upon:

• Her career as a transpersonal journey.
• What's resonating for her now.
• Her current scientific research and study:  exploring the psychomanteum and its impact on grief -- succeeded by its impact on talent & training.  Her research includes live and VR studies.    
• How "absorption" enters into her research:  the capacity of an individual to enter a flow state and truly immerse into an experience.  
• How training, repetition, and practice impact or detract from the experience.  
• The work of Tanya Lurhmann, author of the book How God becomes Real:  how habits, practices, relationships, sensations and stories enable humans to experience God as real.  By delving into the differences across faiths and cultures, she makes a persuasive case for what we actually do share in common.  
• Her audio series on moving through grief.  
• Death terror:  what it is and how we can move closer to our fears.
• Death as an opportunity for transformation.
• Overcoming cultural taboos around death.  
• What "being on the edge of a paradigm shift" really means.  
• How our current "worldview" impacts our experience and how we can expand our awareness to consider/encompass other worldviews.  
• How uncertainty keeps things fresh:  "Whatever it is, I hope I can't envision it from my current vantage point."  
• Power dynamics in our modern healthcare paradigm.  
• Why questions enable us to expand our current worldview or paradigm around dying & death.  
• The meaning of the Tagore quote:  "On the day death comes knocking at your door, what will you offer to him?"  How do we rephrase so as not to instill fear, but instead encourage individuals to embark on a more fulfilling life?
• The role of transformation in all of our life experiences.  

Find Marilyn:  marilynschlitz.com

I would love it if you would follow, rate, or write a review for my podcast. What you think matters and I appreciate all feedback!

Get in touch with topic ideas relating to my podcast's categories:

• The meaning of health and well-being, personal and collective consciousness, and maximizing full human potential.

My email: plantsroc@gmail.com.

With sincere gratitude,

Noreen