#751: Elizabeth Gilbert and Jack Kornfield

This episode is a two-for-one, and that’s because the podcast recently hit its 10-year anniversary and passed one billion downloads. To celebrate, I’ve curated some of the best of the best—some of my favorites—from more than 700 episodes over the last decade. I could not be more excited. The episode features segments from episode #430 Elizabeth Gilbert’s Creative Path: Saying No, Trusting Your Intuition, Index Cards, Integrity Checks, Grief, Awe, and Much More and episode #300 “Jack Kornfield — Finding Freedom, Love, and Joy in the Present

Please enjoy!

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Timestamps:

[05:36] Notes about this supercombo format.

[06:38] Enter Elizabeth Gilbert.

[07:04] Liz shares who Rayya Elias was and how she’s remembered her in story at The Moth.

[14:53] What kind of stories and storytellers make Liz break out in applause?

[21:05] What has Liz learned from Martha Beck?

[23:49] Staying true to one’s inner compass and saying “No” without remorse.

[27:03] The simple “No” via Byron Katie.

[33:07] The wisdom of the body.

[36:56] Enter Jack Kornfield.

[37:24] Jack’s connection with hang gliding and paragliding.

[40:06] Jack’s childhood, abusive father, and role as family peacemaker.

[45:12] “If you’re going to be angry, do it right.”

[47:48] Jack’s transition from pre-med to Asian studies at Dartmouth.

[49:28] From hippie to Buddhist monk.

[50:57] Psychedelics’ influence on Jack’s spiritual path and current stance.

[59:53] Meeting Stanislav Grof.

[1:03:32] Finding and studying under Ajahn Chah.

[1:05:59] Rookie monk training in Thailand and enduring suffering.

[1:13:49] Long silence periods and out-of-body experiences.

[1:16:37] Mystical experiences aren’t always pleasant.

[1:19:15] Tim’s experience at Spirit Rock.

[1:20:10] Challenges during training in Thailand and Burma.

[1:24:47] “Hatred never ceases by hatred, but by love alone is healed…”

[1:29:55] Advice for deep inner work with real-life responsibilities.

[1:42:04] Compassion vs. empathy.

[1:46:19] Technology’s role in developing compassion.

[1:47:26] Lovingkindness meditation for Westerners.

[1:56:04] Attending the first White House Buddhist Leadership Conference.

[1:57:59] The mission of CASEL.

[1:59:18] Introducing mindfulness practice and love as a superpower.

[2:10:11] Returning to self-discovery after derailment.

[2:15:57] Apparent derailment as necessary communication.

[2:19:17] Self-talk for managing inappropriate anger.

[2:37:21] Returning to the US to study clinical psychology.

[2:42:50] Using forgiveness to help veterans and at-risk youth.

[2:45:30] Why community support beats community apathy.

[2:49:23] Lack of significant initiation rituals in modern society.

[2:53:10] Recommended book for newcomers to Jack’s work.

[2:57:48] Jack’s billboard.

[2:59:02] Parting thoughts.

*

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Past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry SeinfeldHugh JackmanDr. Jane GoodallLeBron JamesKevin HartDoris Kearns GoodwinJamie FoxxMatthew McConaugheyEsther PerelElizabeth GilbertTerry CrewsSiaYuval Noah HarariMalcolm GladwellMadeleine AlbrightCheryl StrayedJim CollinsMary Karr, Maria PopovaSam HarrisMichael PhelpsBob IgerEdward NortonArnold SchwarzeneggerNeil StraussKen BurnsMaria SharapovaMarc AndreessenNeil GaimanNeil de Grasse TysonJocko WillinkDaniel EkKelly SlaterDr. Peter AttiaSeth GodinHoward MarksDr. Brené BrownEric SchmidtMichael LewisJoe GebbiaMichael PollanDr. Jordan PetersonVince VaughnBrian KoppelmanRamit SethiDax ShepardTony RobbinsJim DethmerDan HarrisRay DalioNaval RavikantVitalik ButerinElizabeth LesserAmanda PalmerKatie HaunSir Richard BransonChuck PalahniukArianna HuffingtonReid HoffmanBill BurrWhitney CummingsRick RubinDr. Vivek MurthyDarren AronofskyMargaret AtwoodMark ZuckerbergPeter ThielDr. Gabor MatéAnne LamottSarah SilvermanDr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.

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