The Artist of Possibility Magazine

26/08/2023

Issue 15: Awakening Through the Body
Subscribe for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com

In this issue we explore some of the ways that we can awaken through the body. Spiritual awakening or enlightenment is sometimes assumed to be mainly a cognitive expansion into higher perception, vision, and knowledge, but it is also always an opening in our bodies that allows more of the vital force of life to live through us.

We speak with two teachers who are focused on the energetic awakening of bodily wisdom. First is Dr. Lawrence Edwards who teaches kundalini awakening in the Hindu tradition, and second is Jody Mountain who teaches in the Hawaiian indigenous tradition of Ancient Lomi Lomi.

Our conversation continues with three powerful contributions from members of The Mystery School who are involved with spiritual work in which the body is central, Adriana Colotti Comel, K.D. Meyers, and Judith Marsden.

Lady Tavedikul of Thailand is our featured artist for the issue and we are happy to include two poems by Liesbeth deJong and Charles Glass, two more members of The Mystery School.

As you read through this issue we encourage you to contemplate how the awakening of awareness is always coupled with a corresponding awakening of the energies of the body.

26/08/2023

Issue 14: Reflections on Spiritual Heritage
Subscribe for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com

In this issue we explore what it takes to preserve cultural and spiritual traditions in today’s world. There is a growing recognition that the wealth of wisdom contained in many of humanity's early traditions are in danger of being lost, and many people want to find a way to ensure that this wisdom remains intact and authentic well into the future.

To help us better understand the subtleties of the issues involved, Amy Edelstein spoke with Diane Schenandoah, Faith Keeper of the Wolf Clan of the Oneida nation. Diane spoke openly about the tragedies her people have endured and the generational trauma that resulted. She also shared stories of her spiritual heritage that explain why forgiveness and inner peace became its guiding values.

Jeff Carreira spoke with Pamela Eakins, a sociologist, author, and the creator of a contemporary tarot deck, and learned how modern science shows us that the same principles that govern the evolution of the universe are reflected in the symbolism of the tarot and in religious traditions from around the world.

Robin Beck and Ariela Cohen review the Sharing Spiritual Heritage Report from the Fetzer Institute. And Olivia Wu shares an essay about the negative and positive aspects of tradition from her perspective as a Chinese immigrant in the United States.

You will also find a number of powerful written contributions from members of The Mystery School.

26/08/2023

Issue 13: The The Spirit of Relationship
Subscribe for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com

In this issue we wanted to explore the theme of relationship, but not just any relationship, we were interested in the experience of those rare and profound relationships that change our lives. They may or may not be explicitly spiritual in nature, but they reach us in the depths of our soul and often dramatically impact our lives.

To help us better understand the nature of deeper human relationships we naturally turned toward Stephen Cope the author of Soul Friends: The Transforming Power of Deep Human Connection. Ariela Cohen spoke with Stephen about the challenges of isolation and loneliness that so many suffer from in the modern world. Then Jeff Carreira spoke with Stephen about that magical soul spark, or what Stephen calls 'mystical resonance' that sometimes ignites between people.

Olivia Wu also wrote an essay that shares how her childhood reading of an ancient classic of Chinese literature had given her a model of what a true spiritual relationship could be.

We also asked the members of The Mystery School to contribute writing about their own stories of transformative relationships in their lives and we are including some powerful pieces that show how significant the influence of another human being can be on our lives.

Our featured artist this month is Judith Marsden whose painted mandalas vibrate with mysticism and magic.

26/08/2023

Issue 12: The Future of Community
Subscribe for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com

The human world today is often characterized by polarization and division between people. It seems that it has always been, and still is, difficult for human beings to live and get along together. Perhaps this is why spiritual pioneers and cultural creatives have often attempted to develop better models of community. In this issue we decided to explore ideas about how communities work and how better communities might be established in the future.

We began our conversation with Douglas Stevenson who shared his thoughts after being part of one of the largest and longest running experiments in intentional community to emerge out of the counterculture of the 1960’s.

We then spoke with Dr. Theodore Eisenman who has some exciting ideas about how urban areas can be designed to awaken higher evolutionary potentials in the people who live in them.

Finally we spoke with Nora Bateson who offered us her deep systems understanding about the complexity of human communities and what factors are necessary to optimize how they function and thrive.

Our final feature is aRobin Beck's thought-provoking review of the book Choosing Earth by Duane Elgin. In his review, Robin explores the turbulent times that lie ahead for humanity and the ways that we can best emerge through the breakdowns and collapses that we are likely to endure.

Our featured artist for this issue is Robert Brown who shares a number of artworks that were created during an experiment in group consciousness. The pieces are bold and brightly colored and are striking for the combination of depth and movement that they present.

Finally, we have a number of wonderful contributions from members of The Mystery School. We are always delighted to present you with each issue of The Artist of Possibility and we would greatly appreciate hearing your thoughts after you’ve had a chance to read this issue.

15/07/2022

In this dialog Jeff Carreira speaks with Dr. Erin Prophet, the daughter of two famous spiritual leaders, Mark and Elizabeth Clare Prophet. Her father started the group as The Summit Lighthouse in 1958. After his death in 1973, Erin’s mother became the spiritual leader of the group, which has also been known as Church Universal and Triumphant (founded 1974). In the late 1980’s Elizabeth began predicting that a global "karmic" reckoning was near, based on her interpretation of both Eastern and Western scriptures. Church members infamously built huge underground shelters that they supplied and briefly occupied in anticipation of a variety of disasters. As her mother’s daughter, Erin had a unique vantage point from which to view it all. In this conversation we discuss her book Prophet's Daughter: My Life with Elizabeth Clare Prophet Inside the Church Universal and Triumphant and attempt to unweave the subtle complexity of both the miracle and madness of spiritual communities.

You read the interview in Issue 11: Alternative Spirituality and Religious Adaptation (July 2022)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hWF7_o952M

In this dialog Jeff Carreira speaks with Dr. Erin Prophet, the daughter of two famous spiritual leaders, Mark and Elizabeth Clare Prophet. Her father started...

15/07/2022

Issue 11: Alternative Spirituality and Religious Adaptation (July 2022)

Subscribe for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com


Many people today identify as practitioners of nontraditional spiritual paths and in this issue we explore both the promise and challenges posed by these paths.

We have been inspired in this exploration by a new research program started by The Harvard Divinity School called The Program for the Evolution of Spirituality which has been developed in response to the growing interest in alternative forms of spirituality.

We begin our exploration with an interview with Dr. Dan McKanan who leads The Program for the Evolution of Spirituality. In the interview Dan describes the cultural context that has led to the rapid diversification of spiritual pursuits and the unique way that the Harvard Divinity School has responded to it.

Next we speak with Dr. Erin Prophet from The University of Florida who gives us an inside look at Church Universal and Triumphant that was led by her mother Elizabeth Clare Prophet. Erin’s candid interview shows how an emerging spiritual organization and the well-meaning individuals in it were led dramatically far from their original idealistic intentions.

These interviews are followed by autobiographical sketches written by two women who both experienced profound breakthroughs as modern seekers. The personal accounts offered in these essays give us an inspiring glimpse into what is possible when alternative spiritual paths are pursued wholeheartedly.

Our art director, Silvia Rodrigues is also the featured artist for this issue. You will find her whimsical and inspiring paintings and drawings throughout the issue.

And as always, we have a number of wonderful contributions from members of The Mystery School.

We are always delighted to present you with each issue of The Artist of Possibility and we love to hear your thoughts after you’ve had a chance to read it.

We hope you enjoy!

Subscribe to read all past and future issues for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com

15/04/2022

Issue 10: Visions of the Future and the Evolution of Spirituality (April 2022)

Subscribe for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com



We are very pleased to present to you this issue dedicated to exploring new and better visions of the future and the ways in which spirituality might evolve. The idea that we exist within an evolving universe created a firestorm of debate following the publication of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species in 1859.

Today, the idea of evolution remains somewhat controversial, although its use in the strictly Darwinian sense - as a mechanism for the evolution of species by natural selection - is widely accepted as a scientific fact. The word evolution is used far beyond this strictly Darwinian sense to encompass many forms of transformative growth, including spiritual growth. It is in this wider sense that we will explore evolution.

What does the knowledge that we are part of an evolving universe mean for our lives, our spiritual potential and the future of humanity? This is the question we are asking. In our search for answers, we had the chance to speak with Steve McIntosh, one of the leaders in the movement of integral philosophy and evolutionary spirituality. We also spoke with Eric Hoffman, J.D., Ph.D. who has been a leader in the human potential movement for decades. To finish off this exploration, we spoke with Tejal Tarro, a consultant creating more diverse and inclusive organizations, to explore how greater diversity and inclusion could be brought into the world of alternative spiritual pursuit.

To enrich our inquiry of this issue, our own Robin Beck wrote a powerful review of the book A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers. And once again, we are featuring wonderful contributions from our members.

Our featured artist is Nhia Alq, whose cosmic water colors can be found throughout the issue.

We are always delighted to present you with each issue of The Artist of Possibility and we love to hear your thoughts after you’ve had a chance to read it.

We hope you enjoy!

Subscribe to read all past and future issues for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com

28/03/2022

In this conversation, Rhea Harper, professional musician, creativity coach and meditation teacher, talks with Carreira about creative flow and how she discovered the secret to letting go into our inherent creative genius. Along the way they discuss spiritual awakening, the conditions that lead to flow states, and the creative drive of the universe.

This interview can also be found in The Artist of Possibility: Issue 1: Unleashing Creative Flow. (January 2020).

As a touring musician from 2012 – 2016, Chela playing bass guitar in three different heavy metal and rock bands – Coal Chamber, White Empress, and The Awakening. Today she is recording a studio album and working as a creativity coach.

Chela Rhea Harper, professional musician, creativity coach and meditation teacher, talks with Jeff Carreira about creative flow and how she discovered the se...

28/03/2022

Fernando Pessoa is widely recognized as the greatest Portuguese poet of modern times, and is featured in The Artist of Possibility Issue 4: The Transformative Power of Fiction (October 2020)

In this presentation with Carreira you will learn that Pessoa was much more than a poet. In fact he was many poets. Besides writing as himself, Pessoa wrote in the name of at least 72 other personalities. He insisted that these were not just pseudonyms. They were other beings that would write through his body. Perhaps most astounding is the fact that three of these other poets, all of whom had styles dramatically different from each other and from Pessoa, himself, are all considered world class poets in their own right.

Fernando Pessoa is widely recognized as the greatest Portuguese poet of modern times. During this presentation you will learn that Pessoa was much more than ...

28/03/2022

In this conversation Jeff Carreira talks with mystical philosopher, Tim Freke about his visionary new understanding of the nature of reality and the purpose of life.

See also Tim's interview in The Artist of Possibility Issue 6: The Nature of Truth and Reality (April 2021)

Tim Freke is the author of 35 books that include a number of bestselling and award-winning titles. Through his books and live events, Tim has touched the hearts and minds of hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. In his work, Tim combines evolutionary science and deep spirituality to offer a visionary new understanding of the nature of reality and the purpose of life.

In this episode Jeff Carreira talks with mystical philosopher, Tim Freke about his visionary new understanding of the nature of reality and the purpose of li...

28/03/2022

Dr. Jeffrey J. Kripal, author and professor of philosophy and religious thought at Rice University talks with Jeff Carreira about his ground breaking work in Religious Studies. Following in the tradition of William James, Kripal is looking for spiritual illumination at the edges of the main stream. Kripal recognizes that the status quo resists new insights and unusual experiences and keeps them from being recognized by hiding and discrediting them. These experiences can be found though, especially if you look for them in places where you don’t expect to find them.

Listen to this interview to find out about how spiritual experiences are showing up in unusual places and about the courageous individuals who never stop trying to give voice to the impossible.

Also check out Dr. Krippal's interview in The Artist of Possibility Issue 8: Magic, Mysticism and the Paranormal (October 2021)

Dr. Jeffrey J. Kripal, author and professor of philosophy and religious thought at Rice University talks with Jeff Carreira about his ground breaking work in...

28/03/2022

In this conversation Jeff Carreira speaks with author and former rock star, Gary Lachman about his book 'Dark Star Rising: Magik and Power in the Age of Trump', and the reality of magic in the world today. The conversation explores how Gary's post-modern attitudes have led to the revitalization of magic in the world, and includes discussion about the twentieth century magician Aleister Crowley, psychologist Carl Jung, the English philosopher Collin Wilson, and other pioneers of modern magic.

This interview can also be read in The Artist of Possibility Issue 6: The Nature of Truth and Reality (April 2021).

Gary Lachman is the author of twenty-one books on topics ranging from the evolution of consciousness, to popular culture and the history of the occult. Before becoming a full-time writer Lachman studied philosophy, managed a new age bookshop, taught English Literature, and was a founding member of the pop group Blondie. In 2006 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Lachman was born in New Jersey, and has lived in London since 1996.

In this conversation Jeff Carreira speaks with author and former rock star, Gary Lachman about his book 'Dark Star Rising: Magik and Power in the Age of Trum...

28/03/2022

In this conversation, Jeff Carreira speaks with Dan Millman about his latest book, Peaceful Heart, Warrior Spirit: The True Story of My Spiritual Quest, which shares the reflections on the extraordinary experiences that shaped Dan Millman’s evolution from youthful dreamer to spiritual teacher, written to inspire readers on their own quests.

You can read the interview in The Artist of Possibility: Issue 9: The Modern Spiritual Quest (January 2022).

Dan Millman teaches “the peaceful warrior’s way” in the United States and around the world. Author of eighteen books published in twenty-nine languages, Millman is a former world-champion athlete, university coach, martial arts instructor, and college professor. His bestseller Way of the Peaceful Warrior was adapted into a feature film starring Nick Nolte. Millman and his wife, Joy, live in Brooklyn, NY.

In this conversation, Jeff Carreira speaks with Dan Millman about his latest book, Peaceful Heart, Warrior Spirit: The True Story of My Spiritual Quest, whic...

28/03/2022

Issue 9: The Modern Spiritual Quest (January 2022)
Subscribe for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com



In this issue we explore the modern spiritual quest. For many people in today's world the quest for material success tends to drown out our spiritual aspirations, so in this issue we wanted to celebrate the spiritual lives that so many of us have led and are leading.

We are very excited to include an interview with Dan Millman the author of the iconic book, The Way of the Peaceful Warrior. In this interview we discuss Dan's latest release Peaceful Heart, Warrior Spirit. In this interview, those of us who were touched by Dan's earlier books finally get the chance to discover who and what were the inspirations behind his genius.

​​We also have an interview with Amy Edelstein on her new book Adventure in Zanskar. In her beautiful memoir, Amy recounts the story of her time spent traveling alone in northern India. During that time, she trekked alone through the Himalayas, visiting ashrams and learning Buddhist wisdom from sages and adepts.

Our featured artist for this issue is Louis Parsons. You will see Louis' SoulScaping art throughout the issue and each piece offers a window revealing a different vista of one's inner landscape. In addition to these featured pieces, there are a number of other powerful contributions that together create a broad exploration of the spiritual quest as it is manifesting in the modern world.

Subscribe to read all past and future issues for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com

28/03/2022

Issue 8: Magic, Mysticism and the Paranormal (October 2021)
Subscribe for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com



In this issue we explore magic, mysticism and the paranormal. Many of us who are driven to live a spiritual life have experienced strange and profound events that can't be explained. It seems that throughout history, anomalous experiences of this type have fascinated humanity. What are these bizarre and often inexplicable occurrences? Can we explain them? Are they useful to our spiritual growth and awakening? These are the types of questions we will ask, and attempt to answer, in these pages.

This issue contains three feature pieces. The first is an interview with Dr. Jeffrey J. Kripal, a leading academic expert on mystical and paranormal occurrences. Jeffrey's context setting article is followed by a beautiful and thoughtful essay from Christopher Millington. Next, we have an interview with author Gary Lachman who offers his thoughts about magic and how it is being used in the world today. These three pieces, taken together, offer a powerful contemplation of magic, mysticism and the paranormal.

We are also happy to offer a number of other wonderful contributions of poetry, art, as well as an additional essay by Manon Desjardins.

Our featured artist for this issue is Rheana McAnear, whose beautiful imagery is displayed on numerous pages, including this issue's cover page.

Subscribe to read all past and future issues for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com

28/03/2022

Issue 7: Being Well (July 2021)
Subscribe for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com




In this issue we take a holistic look at what it means to be well. The pandemic of the past year has made it crystal clear that none of us can take our health for granted. Many of us have a renewed desire to be as healthy as possible, but what does that mean? Ideas of well-being in the West are often overly simplified and compartmentalized. The articles you find here explore how we can maintain the health of our whole being, inside and out, including our physical, mental, and energetic bodies.

The issue opens with Supriya Kini's poetic description of the Hindu breathwork practice of Pranayama. Then we travel from the wisdom tradition of India to the indigenous wisdom of Hawaii where Jody Mountain shares the worldview of Ancient Lomi Lomi bodywork. Robyn Landis show s us how self-care can become a practice of sacred devotion in which we love the divine by loving ourselves. And in our last feature article, Susan Kullman shares an excerpt from her forthcoming book to illuminate how our emotions intersect with our bodies.

In addition to these features, you w ill find beautiful and illuminating contributions from The Mystery School members and friends. As always, it has been a joy to envision this issue for you and to offer perspectives, insights and practices with life-altering potential.

And we are grateful to this month's featured artist, Kathy Edwards. Kathy currently lives in Maine, but her paintings expand beyond any physical borders, revealing universal visions of nature and the human spirit.

Subscribe to read all past and future issues for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com

28/03/2022

Issue 6: The Nature of Truth and Reality (April 2021)
Subscribe for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com



In this issue we explore the nature of truth and reality. And what better way to do this than to include interviews by two pioneering philosophers whose teachings and writings have affected thousands of people around the world.

In these pages, Ken Wilber will summarize for us the main content of his new book, Trump and a Post-Truth World. We will also be talking to Tim Freke who will offer his visionary new understanding of the nature of reality and the purpose of life.

Once again, we have also included several contributions from The Mystery School members. These contributions also serve in inspiring us to open up to different possibilities when it comes to the way we see the world, and we are very appreciative of these added gems to our publications.

Finally, throughout this issue, we have included the works of a Montreal-based artist named Linda Luttinger. Linda's art seemed like a perfect fit for this issue, given the dream-like quality of her pieces and how they may inspire us to open up our minds and hearts to seeing beyond w hat we have been conditioned to assume is true or real.

Subscribe to read all past and future issues for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com

28/03/2022

Issue 5: Loss, Grief and Transformation (January 2021)
Subscribe for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com



In this issue we explore the theme of grief, loss, and transformation. Given these challenging times, we thought it relevant to introduce you to a few unique individuals who may help us shed some light on the experiences of loss and grief - namely, how to find the courage to be with the difficult emotions that these experiences give rise to, and how such experiences may ultimately lead to deep transformation.

In these pages, you will meet the bestselling author Jay Michaelson who will talk about his book, The Gate of Tears, in which he discusses the type of relationship we can develop with sadness, how it can lead to creative insight/expression, and can also be a catalyst for awakening. We will also address the topic of ecoanxiety and the complexities surrounding how to go about processing the continued and inevitable loss of our ecosystem as we know it.

And once more, Amy Edelstein has contributed another inspiring entry in which she reviews Mirabai Starr's book, The Caravan of No Despair; the story of a woman's vulnerable and heartening journey through multiple experiences of loss and hardship.

Finally, we are privileged to have received many wonderful contributions from The Mystery School members, and hope you enjoy the variety of entries that are included in this issue, including an excerpt from Candida Maurer's book, Enlightenment on the Path of Grief.

May this issue bring you some solace, and maybe even some inspiration during these difficult times.

Subscribe to read all past and future issues for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com

28/03/2022

Issue 4: The Transformative Power of Fiction (October 2020)
Subscribe for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com



In this issue we explore the transformative power of fiction. Our lives are like stories of fiction. We are the main character and we 'read' our experiences as they occur to make meaning out of them. And, because life is like a story, a powerfully written piece of fiction allows us to inhabit a life other than our own. We can experience things from another vantage point and perhaps lose our own ego's captivating grip on our attention. Fiction sparks the imagination in ways that other forms of prose cannot. Fiction doesn't just tell us things, it allows us to see them, feel them and live them. In this issue, we wanted to explore some of the powerful ways in which authors of fiction use their works to transform their readers.

In these pages, you will meet the spiritual teacher and prolific author E.J. Gold who will introduce us to his unique creative process. We will explore the fiction of the Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa through the eyes of one of the leading scholars on Pessoa's work, Jerónimo Pizarro. Also, we will share a conversation with award w inning novelist and astrologer Eliza Robertson.

We are also happy to offer another wonderful book review by Amy Edelstein, and some inspired poetry and spontaneous writing samples from The Mystery School members.

Finally, a special thanks to a former member of The Mystery School, Mystie Brackett, whose beautiful art is displayed throughout the issue.

Subscribe to read all past and future issues for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com

28/03/2022

Issue 3: Expanding the Possible (July 2020)
Subscribe for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com



In this issue, we explore a theme which is the core of our mission - how can we expand what is possible? If reality is defined by what is possible, then how can we expand reality?

This issue reaches us during months of troubling times. Global pandemic and racial tensions have created an atmosphere of social unrest filled with anger and fear on all sides. And, of course, this lands on top of threats like climate change and economic disparity, that were already creating so much insecurity for many of us. Thomas Kuhn wrote a book in 1962 that was called, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. In it he explains the mechanisms of paradigms. How they keep us locked in a certain worldview and why they are so resistant to change.

Kuhn identifies three factors that lead to a shift in paradigm, and one of them is the existence of longstanding persistent problems that we find ourselves unable to change. We find that it is simply not possible to solve these problems because the reality we live in is too small.

This issue is dedicated to the art of expanding the possibilities of reality. That means finding ways to shift how we perceive so we can see through our assumed limitations and recognize that more is possible than we had imagined.

Our own Ariela Cohen starts the issue off by sharing how she has learned to cope in these unsettling times. From there, we speak with Nicole Bigar to get an inside view on how artists contribute to new possibilities. We have a book review about the magic of Tibetan Buddhism and, in The Mystery School members section - alongside several wonderful contributions to explore - we have a powerful piece on the 20th Century philosopher Richard Rorty by George Collins.

Subscribe to read all past and future issues for FREE: http://theartistofpossibility.com