Using Movement, Breath, and Sound to Prepare for and Recover from Politics with Jaycee Gossett of the Class

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You're listening to The Selection, where we are
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committed to the inner work that is needed
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to do politics differently.
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This is episode number 3. I'm your host,
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Katie Cochran, and I'm so glad you're here.
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This podcast series offers a new way of
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looking at politics, one that focuses on how
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we engage with others rather than on our
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partisan identities or policy preferences.
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It explores why politics is so triggering and
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offers spiritual practices that heal past wounds,
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ground us in our bodies, and connect us
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to that which transcends our differences.
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If you are committed to active citizenship but
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feel worn down by a political culture of
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fear and anger, this podcast is for you.
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If you've lost sleep over politics or your
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temper or a friend,
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this podcast is for you.
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Politics is hard, but it's something we can
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heal from, and it's something we can change.
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It won't be easy.
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It will take practice.
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But my hope is that the conversations here
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open us up individually and collectively to a
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new way of engaging.
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This election, we will do politics
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differently.
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JC Gossett is a founding teacher of the
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class, a transformative workout experience that uses music,
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movement, breath, and sound to strengthen the body
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and open the heart.
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As vice president of teacher training, JC not
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only creates space for class students to discover
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their strengths, explore freedom, and reconnect with spirit,
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she also guides class teachers in their role
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as facilitators in this incredible experience.
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As someone who goes to the class for
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many different things and who enjoys the unique
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offerings of each teacher, I am in awe
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of how JC's mentorship and love has created
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space for each of them to bring their
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own light and wisdom to this powerful method.
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JC's love of music and dance is something
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that has been with her her whole life.
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Before joining the class, Jaycee traveled around the
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world studying movement, competing in ballroom dance, and
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working in television and film, where she hosted
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and produced multiple series on the Travel Channel,
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Zliving TV, and Amazon Prime.
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Today, we will dive into how she discovered
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the healing power of movement and how that
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wisdom is incorporated into the class's approach to
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practice on and off the mat.
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That wisdom has been transformative in my own
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life.
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JC was the 1st teacher that I practiced
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with after receiving a gift subscription to the
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class from a friend during the pandemic.
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I was trying to keep the shelter open
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and to keep everyone safe, and I was
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drowning.
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Her class lifted me up and helped me
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realize that I was not alone.
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It opened me up to my own strength
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and inner wisdom and gave me the courage
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to move forward.
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I believe that the wisdom that I discovered
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that day and the wisdom embodied in the
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class's approach to movement
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and just the wisdom in our own bodies
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offers us a path toward healing
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our political wounds and transforming the way we
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engage politically.
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I'm so excited to explore the power of
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movement with JC today and to share her
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wisdom with you all.
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JC, thank you so much for being in
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conversation with me today.
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Thank you so much. What a beautiful intro
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and what a gift to be talking to
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you and what a gift that your friends
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gave you. And
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I love nothing more than talking about what
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we do, the healing power of not just
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the class, but
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all of the practices
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and technologies that go into it as well,
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and how life changing
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it can be for many, many people in
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different ways.
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I totally agree. So I want to start
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though with politics because that's what the focus
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of this podcast is. And one of our
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goals is to really expand the definition of
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politics. We often think about our partisanship or
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what our policy preferences are, but I really
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want to challenge
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our listeners
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to think about politics as the way we
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engage with each other when we're working out
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our political differences.
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And so keeping that definition in mind, can
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you tell me about an early
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memory of politics and what that taught you
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about how to engage?
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Yeah. So my first
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very early memory is going with my mom
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to vote.
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And
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I remember the experience of like standing online
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and
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going into the little,
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he kind of curtained
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section
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with her and seeking under the curtain and
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her being very clear, like you can't go
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in anybody else's section. Don't look on terrific
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curtain.
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It was tense
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and quiet and
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there were people on that line and people
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in that room
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that we knew that I knew. It was
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either like my friend's parents or people from
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school. I grew up in a very small
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town for a 4 square mile town called
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Roseanne, New Jersey. So it wasn't often you
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went places and you just didn't know people,
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you'd know everybody.
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But there was this
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kind of like of an energy excitement that
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something was happening, but it was also infused
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with this tense, quiet, rigid,
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secretive,
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don't necessarily
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talk or make eye contact. And
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that was interesting for me at the time
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of why we couldn't necessarily talk to people.
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In retrospect, when I think about it, and
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this is so great to go on this
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journey with this question as you define politics
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in the way that you do here in
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this way to engage with others, to determine
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what our society will be is
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if that actually is what we're doing, then
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it really is interesting to think about how
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secretive it is. And if it's secretive and
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looking to
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avoid
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conflict,
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where conflict can be healthy in determining these
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things, we don't wanna upset anybody. We don't
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wanna be attacked. We don't wanna necessarily
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make anybody else feel bad. And that kind
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of carried
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as I got a little bit older
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learning that there were certain things you just
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didn't talk about or ask certain people, or,
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don't bring this up with that person, or
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don't say this and expose yourself.
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A lot of that was rooted in fear,
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which makes sense because the way that
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we do communicate
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has and can cause a lot of harm.
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So it would make sense why
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the early learnings were
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not to
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for fear of either making somebody feel bad
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or you yourself
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being othered or
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not liked.
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I feel like that's a little bit of
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what it's like to to go to the
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polling booth now. You're not making eye contact.
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It's just your own little thing. And that
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secretiveness
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that, like, trying to disconnect from the other
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people around you,
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it leads to this tension. Right? It's this
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unspoken tension. We're doing this hopeful thing when
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we vote. Right? We're, like, engaging. We're trying
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to create the society we want, and yet
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it's this like, nope. We're just gonna look
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down and avoid each other when we need
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each other so much. That's such a common
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experience so many of us have had, but
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I haven't really thought about even what just
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that teaches us about
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how
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society says we should engage. Right? Mhmm. And
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it's publicized in a very big way. You
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see it all over the TV, the night
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of counting the votes, and all of that
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is very public and
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everywhere in the media. Yet that part of
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it
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is very isolated and
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loaded with a lot of interesting energy.
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Yeah.
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So the other
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two pieces of our project is so one
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is politics, and the other two pieces are
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trauma and spirituality.
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So the trauma lens is important because it
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helps us understand how politics has wounded us
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because it has wounded a lot of us.
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And then the spiritual component is important because
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it's how we move through that discomfort and
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move through that trauma to be able to
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still remain engaged and active.
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Today's episode is focused on
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movement as a spiritual practice. And so I
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was wondering if you could tell us a
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little bit about
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the role that movement has played in your
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own Mhmm. Own journey
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and when and how you realized its healing
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capacity. So I was very lucky. I was
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very blessed. My mom had me it's great.
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My mom is in 2 of these stories.
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My mom had me in dance when I
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was very young,
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and I think I had a lot of
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energy and I loved playing sports.
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And she was very excited
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because
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she had a lot of boys and then
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had me, 4 boys before me, and then
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a boy after me.
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And
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I think that
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she really loved dance, although she wasn't a
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dancer herself, but she loved it and she
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loved music. And so she really wanted
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that for me.
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And it was one of the greatest gifts
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for sure that she gave me. And I
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often say, like, dance has saved my life
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so many times. Movement has saved my life.
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I really question mark on
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what would have happened for me in different
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seasons of my life without it.
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It has always been a guiding force. It
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has always been a guiding light.
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It is where I feel the most like
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myself. It is very much everything you said,
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a practice of spirituality, which that definition for
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me is just the process of looking in
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and going inward,
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connecting to something bigger, whatever that bigger is
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that you believe in,
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feeling the oneness of collective consciousness and
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the oneness of the elements, if you believe
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in any of that or work with any
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of that.
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But from scientific perspective, all the things that
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are happening in your body and your brain,
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it makes sense why it feels so good
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and how much your body and your brain
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really like movement and what lights up inside
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of you. My home growing up was chaotic.
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There was a lot of kids and a
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lot going on all of the time and
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bless my mom for doing all of the
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things,
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but it was like I needed something
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for me, just for me, that was this
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this thing that I can go and do
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and tune into and tap into
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to
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really feel some form of expansive quality or
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hope or
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belief in something. Now you traveled around the
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world a ton exploring movement. Did your travels
276
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change the way you see movement or deepen
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the texture around
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Yeah. Your relationship with it?
279
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Yes. So I,
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and, again, like, very young, was always really
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interested in all the places in the world.
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Like, I loved the globe. I loved looking
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at the maps. I loved learning about culture
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and,
285
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specifically music and dance. And there was a
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period of my life where I was a
287
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big fan of Anthony Bourdain, and I loved
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what he was doing with food and showing
289
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food as a way to connect
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with
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humans, but also using food as a way
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to be the lens of experiencing a culture
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in its essence.
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And that was movement and dance for me.
295
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So I was very thirsty to understand
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how movement came to be, how dances came
297
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to be. Did one day someone just
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create the samba?
299
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Or what's the the history of line dancing
300
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and two stepping? I was just thirsty for
301
00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:21,700
all that information of how humans
302
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started to take movement in an organized way,
303
00:11:26,434 --> 00:11:29,315
bring it to others in a collective way,
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and then use it in these different ways,
305
00:11:31,875 --> 00:11:35,954
whether that was for performance, celebration, grief, for
306
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the seasonal changes
307
00:11:38,410 --> 00:11:38,910
around
308
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weddings, funerals,
309
00:11:41,529 --> 00:11:42,029
births,
310
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healing.
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And
312
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one of the things that I took away
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from is no matter where you go,
314
00:11:50,345 --> 00:11:51,485
when you are moving
315
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in that way with another human, you really
316
00:11:54,664 --> 00:11:56,985
don't need to understand the language. Like, it
317
00:11:57,065 --> 00:11:59,544
what is actually happening is not cognitive in
318
00:11:59,544 --> 00:12:00,444
that way where
319
00:12:00,745 --> 00:12:02,444
we're intellectually understanding.
320
00:12:02,745 --> 00:12:05,324
We're just existing in an energy conversation
321
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that is so just pure and true.
322
00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:12,559
Yeah. Almost like it transcends language, right, and
323
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even culture a little bit.
324
00:12:14,639 --> 00:12:16,660
So tell me a little bit about how
325
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this wisdom about the healing capacity of music
326
00:12:20,084 --> 00:12:22,804
is incorporated into the class and cultivated by
327
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the class.
328
00:12:23,845 --> 00:12:25,625
So we are a music driven
329
00:12:26,485 --> 00:12:26,985
workout.
330
00:12:27,605 --> 00:12:29,125
And what that means for us is we
331
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move on the beat with the beat, and
332
00:12:31,044 --> 00:12:34,308
we generally move as one together with the
333
00:12:34,308 --> 00:12:37,576
bead, that creates a sensory experience that falls
334
00:12:37,576 --> 00:12:40,845
into a category called entrainment. You can look
335
00:12:40,845 --> 00:12:44,113
at studies of animals moving to music. But
336
00:12:44,113 --> 00:12:47,382
as far as I know, there are in
337
00:12:47,382 --> 00:12:49,424
studies of masses of mammals
338
00:12:49,825 --> 00:12:53,105
moving together on the beat in unison together.
339
00:12:53,105 --> 00:12:54,804
That's just like a human thing.
340
00:12:55,424 --> 00:12:56,884
But when we do that,
341
00:12:57,345 --> 00:12:57,845
the
342
00:12:59,184 --> 00:13:00,804
feelings that come up,
343
00:13:01,345 --> 00:13:03,424
probably all the feel good chemicals being released
344
00:13:03,424 --> 00:13:05,889
from the brain is powerful.
345
00:13:06,269 --> 00:13:08,990
It's very, very, very, very powerful. The way
346
00:13:08,990 --> 00:13:11,549
we use music on the beat, the music
347
00:13:11,549 --> 00:13:12,610
with the move,
348
00:13:13,789 --> 00:13:14,610
each song
349
00:13:15,709 --> 00:13:17,250
opens up a portal
350
00:13:17,934 --> 00:13:20,274
for an emotion and an energy to process.
351
00:13:20,975 --> 00:13:23,054
So as opposed to just playing music in
352
00:13:23,054 --> 00:13:25,214
the background or maybe playing music that I
353
00:13:25,214 --> 00:13:27,794
personally just like, we're really curating
354
00:13:28,334 --> 00:13:30,514
the journey of the music and the moves
355
00:13:30,929 --> 00:13:31,429
to
356
00:13:32,450 --> 00:13:33,269
help the emotional,
357
00:13:33,889 --> 00:13:37,009
energetic, cathartic processing of strong emotions. I've experienced
358
00:13:37,009 --> 00:13:39,889
it. So I I I totally, totally feel
359
00:13:39,889 --> 00:13:41,730
you there. What are some of the other
360
00:13:41,730 --> 00:13:44,309
elements of the class that enable people to
361
00:13:44,625 --> 00:13:47,125
process their trauma and move through discomfort?
362
00:13:48,304 --> 00:13:51,184
So we do a lot of hands on
363
00:13:51,184 --> 00:13:51,684
body,
364
00:13:52,304 --> 00:13:55,044
a lot of self regulation so that
365
00:13:55,985 --> 00:13:58,465
everyone can feel that they are driving the
366
00:13:58,465 --> 00:13:58,965
experience
367
00:13:59,409 --> 00:14:01,409
and putting your hands on your body gives
368
00:14:01,409 --> 00:14:04,450
you a sense of safety that where you
369
00:14:04,450 --> 00:14:06,690
are in space, where you are with your
370
00:14:06,690 --> 00:14:07,190
attention
371
00:14:07,889 --> 00:14:10,149
and bringing it back to you
372
00:14:10,610 --> 00:14:13,394
with the agency that at any point you
373
00:14:13,394 --> 00:14:15,414
can just come back to this home base
374
00:14:16,274 --> 00:14:18,134
and stop the movement, change the movement.
375
00:14:18,995 --> 00:14:21,154
We do a lot of breath work, a
376
00:14:21,154 --> 00:14:23,154
lot of deep breathing, a lot of long,
377
00:14:23,154 --> 00:14:24,695
slow inhaling and exhaling.
378
00:14:25,799 --> 00:14:27,419
We bring in vocal release.
379
00:14:27,879 --> 00:14:29,419
So we're using sound
380
00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:32,220
on top of the breath in movement
381
00:14:33,639 --> 00:14:35,179
to help open the throat
382
00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:38,700
and any stuck energy, any unprocessed
383
00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:42,815
energy experiences that have found their way embedded
384
00:14:42,954 --> 00:14:44,954
into the body. And all of that is
385
00:14:44,954 --> 00:14:47,674
just another way of communication. So the movement
386
00:14:47,674 --> 00:14:50,554
is communicating, the breath is communicating, the sound
387
00:14:50,554 --> 00:14:51,375
is communicating,
388
00:14:51,914 --> 00:14:52,414
and
389
00:14:52,875 --> 00:14:55,355
that is there to help people really work
390
00:14:55,355 --> 00:14:57,054
it through, work it out.
391
00:14:57,460 --> 00:14:59,480
We ask questions
392
00:14:59,940 --> 00:15:01,399
to the students in the room
393
00:15:01,779 --> 00:15:05,220
for them to explore their experience as opposed
394
00:15:05,220 --> 00:15:07,159
to just telling people what to do.
395
00:15:07,620 --> 00:15:09,554
So if you take the class, you'll notice
396
00:15:09,554 --> 00:15:11,475
that there are a lot of moments where
397
00:15:11,475 --> 00:15:13,254
the teacher is prompting you,
398
00:15:13,634 --> 00:15:15,335
asking you how it feels,
399
00:15:15,715 --> 00:15:18,195
asking you where you feel it, and guiding
400
00:15:18,195 --> 00:15:20,615
people somatically into places
401
00:15:21,570 --> 00:15:23,570
that could use a little bit of attention,
402
00:15:23,570 --> 00:15:25,090
a little breath, a little sound, a little
403
00:15:25,090 --> 00:15:26,549
bit of release
404
00:15:27,490 --> 00:15:27,990
and
405
00:15:29,009 --> 00:15:30,470
learning how to self regulate.
406
00:15:31,410 --> 00:15:33,429
Man, did I wish I learned this earlier
407
00:15:33,490 --> 00:15:34,470
in my life?
408
00:15:35,250 --> 00:15:36,710
Wow. Did I wish that
409
00:15:37,134 --> 00:15:38,595
5th grade was about this,
410
00:15:39,054 --> 00:15:40,034
or 3rd grade,
411
00:15:40,414 --> 00:15:42,414
as opposed to all the things that we
412
00:15:42,414 --> 00:15:42,914
did
413
00:15:43,454 --> 00:15:46,514
to try and not feel our feelings or
414
00:15:46,735 --> 00:15:48,674
take ourselves out of the pain.
415
00:15:49,214 --> 00:15:50,194
But for us,
416
00:15:50,970 --> 00:15:53,450
Learning how to self regulate with a strong
417
00:15:53,450 --> 00:15:55,309
emotion in an intense time
418
00:15:55,690 --> 00:15:58,330
of political change, as opposed to doing the
419
00:15:58,330 --> 00:16:00,409
things to try and take away the feelings
420
00:16:00,409 --> 00:16:02,409
or numb the feelings or block the feelings
421
00:16:02,409 --> 00:16:04,909
or sweep them under the rug, which never
422
00:16:04,970 --> 00:16:07,574
works. It never makes anybody feel better.
423
00:16:07,954 --> 00:16:09,394
I say this all the time. I've never
424
00:16:09,394 --> 00:16:12,034
found one healing book that says just sweep
425
00:16:12,034 --> 00:16:13,794
it under the rug or just numb yourself
426
00:16:13,794 --> 00:16:15,495
out, and that's the answer to everything.
427
00:16:16,514 --> 00:16:18,274
Right. It's how do you be with it?
428
00:16:18,274 --> 00:16:19,975
And I love it. I can just picture
429
00:16:20,809 --> 00:16:23,210
myself in the burpee and not feeling great
430
00:16:23,210 --> 00:16:24,570
about it, but being like, okay. I can
431
00:16:24,570 --> 00:16:26,409
still stay here, and I can not be
432
00:16:26,409 --> 00:16:28,250
judgy about how I'm feeling about this. I
433
00:16:28,250 --> 00:16:30,409
can just feel it, and we can go.
434
00:16:30,409 --> 00:16:32,490
And Yeah. Sometimes I can complete the burpee
435
00:16:32,490 --> 00:16:34,570
sequence, and sometimes I can't, but, like, I
436
00:16:34,570 --> 00:16:35,710
don't have to leave.
437
00:16:36,475 --> 00:16:38,254
The guidance that you provide really
438
00:16:38,794 --> 00:16:41,115
enables us to stay with it in the
439
00:16:41,115 --> 00:16:43,915
burpee, and then maybe in uncomfortable situations off
440
00:16:43,915 --> 00:16:46,394
the mat too. 100%. If we can learn
441
00:16:46,394 --> 00:16:48,575
how to be with strong emotions,
442
00:16:50,100 --> 00:16:50,600
growth,
443
00:16:51,299 --> 00:16:52,360
and evolution,
444
00:16:53,620 --> 00:16:56,179
and a million other things become possible. If
445
00:16:56,179 --> 00:16:58,360
we can be with these things within ourself,
446
00:16:58,980 --> 00:17:01,059
then you learn how to be with anything.
447
00:17:01,059 --> 00:17:02,820
But being with yourself is the is is
448
00:17:02,820 --> 00:17:06,285
the beginning and not running from it, which,
449
00:17:06,285 --> 00:17:08,205
of course, you pause, you drop it, you
450
00:17:08,205 --> 00:17:09,265
come back. But
451
00:17:10,125 --> 00:17:11,644
to be able to come back and keep
452
00:17:11,644 --> 00:17:13,325
touching it and just going a little bit
453
00:17:13,325 --> 00:17:15,164
deeper and releasing and going a little bit
454
00:17:15,164 --> 00:17:16,845
deeper is when you really start to see,
455
00:17:16,845 --> 00:17:19,509
like, wow. There's there's really something to this
456
00:17:19,509 --> 00:17:20,009
and
457
00:17:20,710 --> 00:17:21,690
so much is possible.
458
00:17:22,549 --> 00:17:23,049
Yeah.
459
00:17:24,070 --> 00:17:26,549
You've talked about the class as practice for
460
00:17:26,549 --> 00:17:28,970
life, and that parallels one of the commitments
461
00:17:29,109 --> 00:17:31,335
of the this election project, which is that
462
00:17:31,494 --> 00:17:34,394
we approach politics as practice. It's something that
463
00:17:35,015 --> 00:17:37,654
we do and we learn from. And sometimes
464
00:17:37,654 --> 00:17:39,654
we make mistakes, but then we try again.
465
00:17:39,654 --> 00:17:41,034
We repair. And so
466
00:17:41,414 --> 00:17:43,174
I wonder what can we learn on the
467
00:17:43,174 --> 00:17:46,170
map that we can bring into political spaces
468
00:17:46,170 --> 00:17:48,349
so that we can engage in healthier ways?
469
00:17:50,089 --> 00:17:51,070
I guess to everything
470
00:17:51,450 --> 00:17:53,849
that you just said, class is practicing life
471
00:17:53,849 --> 00:17:54,349
and
472
00:17:55,049 --> 00:17:56,829
politics are part of life.
473
00:17:57,485 --> 00:18:00,445
Relationships are part of life. Communication is part
474
00:18:00,445 --> 00:18:01,105
of life.
475
00:18:01,644 --> 00:18:03,825
If we are a human, we're interacting
476
00:18:04,205 --> 00:18:07,265
with the world in some way. And
477
00:18:07,725 --> 00:18:09,630
what the class teaches us to do in
478
00:18:09,710 --> 00:18:11,470
being with those strong feelings and learning how
479
00:18:11,470 --> 00:18:13,309
to regulate and come back and and kinda
480
00:18:13,309 --> 00:18:15,650
coach ourselves through the process of it
481
00:18:16,349 --> 00:18:18,509
is the things that you can do in
482
00:18:18,509 --> 00:18:19,170
the moment
483
00:18:19,549 --> 00:18:20,450
when either
484
00:18:20,990 --> 00:18:22,944
you're watching the news, you're in a conversation
485
00:18:22,944 --> 00:18:25,024
with your family or a conversation with a
486
00:18:25,024 --> 00:18:28,644
stranger or someone that you know, and you
487
00:18:28,865 --> 00:18:32,325
starts to feel those risings of strong emotions.
488
00:18:33,345 --> 00:18:36,039
We get very curious in the class. We
489
00:18:36,039 --> 00:18:38,360
get very curious as to what is coming
490
00:18:38,360 --> 00:18:41,000
up. Where do we feel it? Maybe we
491
00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:43,580
ask it some questions like, What's that about?
492
00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:46,299
And then knowing we have breath, deep breaths,
493
00:18:47,014 --> 00:18:48,375
let them move a little bit, come back
494
00:18:48,375 --> 00:18:50,294
into our body, come back into our own
495
00:18:50,294 --> 00:18:52,234
experience. Because in a lot of these conversations,
496
00:18:52,855 --> 00:18:55,414
it can get charged very quickly and escalate,
497
00:18:55,414 --> 00:18:57,255
and then very quickly we are out we're
498
00:18:57,255 --> 00:18:59,494
not in our bodies anymore. We're, like, in
499
00:18:59,494 --> 00:19:00,154
the thing,
500
00:19:00,779 --> 00:19:01,519
not present,
501
00:19:01,820 --> 00:19:04,380
not aware of how maybe our energy is
502
00:19:04,380 --> 00:19:04,880
being
503
00:19:05,660 --> 00:19:06,160
expressed
504
00:19:06,460 --> 00:19:08,779
or our breath or any of that. So
505
00:19:08,779 --> 00:19:10,059
being able to come back to all of
506
00:19:10,059 --> 00:19:11,039
those things is
507
00:19:11,420 --> 00:19:14,000
very useful in these kind of conversations,
508
00:19:15,424 --> 00:19:17,424
as well as knowing what your intent is.
509
00:19:17,424 --> 00:19:19,345
So in in lots of moments of class,
510
00:19:19,345 --> 00:19:20,085
we set
511
00:19:20,384 --> 00:19:20,884
intent
512
00:19:21,345 --> 00:19:23,904
for people to decide what they're doing today,
513
00:19:23,904 --> 00:19:25,744
why they're moving today, what the movement is
514
00:19:25,744 --> 00:19:27,424
about, whether it's the burpee, whether it's the
515
00:19:27,424 --> 00:19:29,424
entire 60 minute class, whether it's the heart
516
00:19:29,424 --> 00:19:29,924
clearing,
517
00:19:30,569 --> 00:19:32,730
how you are directing your energy. And when
518
00:19:32,730 --> 00:19:34,349
we go into some of these conversations,
519
00:19:34,890 --> 00:19:36,029
if it's about politics,
520
00:19:37,130 --> 00:19:39,289
it's very interesting to ask ourselves, what is
521
00:19:39,289 --> 00:19:39,950
the intent?
522
00:19:40,409 --> 00:19:41,849
What are we hoping to get out of
523
00:19:41,849 --> 00:19:42,589
this conversation?
524
00:19:43,130 --> 00:19:45,069
Why are we engaging in this conversation?
525
00:19:45,765 --> 00:19:47,464
And there's a responsibility
526
00:19:47,845 --> 00:19:49,785
in there for all of us
527
00:19:50,884 --> 00:19:53,205
to check those things. Not everyone feels the
528
00:19:53,205 --> 00:19:55,205
same. But if my intent is just to
529
00:19:55,205 --> 00:19:57,065
be right and make you feel bad,
530
00:19:58,005 --> 00:20:00,429
let me just enter this conversation so that
531
00:20:00,429 --> 00:20:02,029
I could make somebody feel wrong and be
532
00:20:02,029 --> 00:20:02,529
right.
533
00:20:03,789 --> 00:20:05,789
It helps keep you in check a little
534
00:20:05,789 --> 00:20:08,190
bit, and then also know what's happening for
535
00:20:08,190 --> 00:20:10,769
what you're receiving. What's happening really right now?
536
00:20:11,934 --> 00:20:13,775
Is the energy right now that no matter
537
00:20:13,775 --> 00:20:15,535
what I say, I just
538
00:20:16,575 --> 00:20:18,975
the whole thing is about winning. Okay. Then
539
00:20:18,975 --> 00:20:21,235
you have agency and choice there to say,
540
00:20:22,575 --> 00:20:24,195
I'm gonna engage or not engage.
541
00:20:25,180 --> 00:20:26,220
A lot of what we do at the
542
00:20:26,220 --> 00:20:27,820
class is getting curious. I think it's the
543
00:20:27,820 --> 00:20:29,119
same in all these conversations,
544
00:20:29,660 --> 00:20:30,160
curiosity
545
00:20:30,539 --> 00:20:31,519
around the conversation,
546
00:20:31,820 --> 00:20:34,539
asking people how they feel, why they feel
547
00:20:34,539 --> 00:20:36,559
without the judgment and agenda.
548
00:20:37,974 --> 00:20:40,214
Terry Reel's definition of a safe space is
549
00:20:40,214 --> 00:20:42,375
a space without judgment and agenda. So if
550
00:20:42,375 --> 00:20:44,375
we're judging ourself or we're judging the other
551
00:20:44,375 --> 00:20:47,255
person, then the conversation is not going to
552
00:20:47,255 --> 00:20:48,794
be a space of curiosity,
553
00:20:49,859 --> 00:20:50,359
authenticity,
554
00:20:51,460 --> 00:20:51,960
vulnerability,
555
00:20:52,339 --> 00:20:52,839
integrity,
556
00:20:53,220 --> 00:20:53,720
because
557
00:20:54,420 --> 00:20:55,319
there's an agenda.
558
00:20:56,019 --> 00:20:56,519
Yeah.
559
00:20:57,539 --> 00:20:59,960
And if we're coming in with an agenda,
560
00:21:00,019 --> 00:21:02,660
then we may also not be creating space
561
00:21:02,660 --> 00:21:04,119
that actually allows for
562
00:21:04,734 --> 00:21:06,355
connection and discussion and learning.
563
00:21:06,815 --> 00:21:08,434
If we're coming in with you're wrong,
564
00:21:10,255 --> 00:21:12,734
then where are we really going with that?
565
00:21:12,734 --> 00:21:15,054
What is the intent of the conversation? We
566
00:21:15,054 --> 00:21:17,134
ask a lot of questions in the class
567
00:21:17,134 --> 00:21:19,339
of what is coming up and then maybe
568
00:21:19,339 --> 00:21:21,500
what is underneath that. And as I explore
569
00:21:21,500 --> 00:21:23,119
that in myself and
570
00:21:24,059 --> 00:21:26,000
in other people around these
571
00:21:26,380 --> 00:21:27,279
charged topics,
572
00:21:28,139 --> 00:21:30,319
there can be a lot of intense emotions
573
00:21:30,619 --> 00:21:32,319
like anger and pain.
574
00:21:32,734 --> 00:21:33,955
And Carla McLaren
575
00:21:34,575 --> 00:21:36,654
has a book about language of emotions. We
576
00:21:36,654 --> 00:21:38,434
all study it here at the class,
577
00:21:38,815 --> 00:21:41,634
and she will often ask what's underneath it.
578
00:21:41,695 --> 00:21:42,195
And
579
00:21:42,975 --> 00:21:44,195
underneath the anger
580
00:21:45,055 --> 00:21:47,315
usually is sadness and grief and pain.
581
00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:50,380
And yet what's coming out is this like
582
00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:51,820
lashing to
583
00:21:52,279 --> 00:21:52,779
make
584
00:21:54,039 --> 00:21:55,259
harm possibly.
585
00:21:58,039 --> 00:22:00,279
And sometimes even if we're moving from a
586
00:22:00,279 --> 00:22:03,214
place of sadness and grief, if our automatic
587
00:22:03,275 --> 00:22:04,494
reaction is one
588
00:22:04,875 --> 00:22:07,115
of anger and defensiveness, then we can cause
589
00:22:07,115 --> 00:22:09,194
harm even if that's not our intent. Right?
590
00:22:09,515 --> 00:22:10,015
And
591
00:22:10,634 --> 00:22:11,375
we then
592
00:22:11,674 --> 00:22:14,075
activate that person, and then it spirals from
593
00:22:14,075 --> 00:22:14,575
there.
594
00:22:15,369 --> 00:22:17,690
I I really loved all everything you're saying.
595
00:22:17,690 --> 00:22:18,169
I,
596
00:22:18,650 --> 00:22:20,329
love all of it. But at the beginning,
597
00:22:20,329 --> 00:22:21,309
just the, like,
598
00:22:21,609 --> 00:22:23,529
learning to pay attention to our bodies, to
599
00:22:23,529 --> 00:22:25,529
be like, oh, what is happening in my
600
00:22:25,529 --> 00:22:26,029
body?
601
00:22:26,730 --> 00:22:28,650
And to know that then you can ground
602
00:22:28,650 --> 00:22:30,029
yourself, that noticing
603
00:22:30,684 --> 00:22:33,085
just seems so important as something that is
604
00:22:33,085 --> 00:22:35,404
missed, partially because politics is, like, at us
605
00:22:35,404 --> 00:22:36,924
all the time. And so it's just this
606
00:22:36,924 --> 00:22:39,404
constant load level thing that we don't always
607
00:22:39,404 --> 00:22:41,724
notice that our body's having a reaction to.
608
00:22:41,724 --> 00:22:43,565
Mhmm. And partially because it's triggering, and so
609
00:22:43,565 --> 00:22:46,149
those reflexes are automatic. Right? And so I
610
00:22:46,149 --> 00:22:48,230
just I think even that piece of being
611
00:22:48,230 --> 00:22:49,829
like, if I'm gonna enter into the a
612
00:22:49,829 --> 00:22:50,649
political space,
613
00:22:50,950 --> 00:22:53,269
I'm gonna pay attention to what's happening inside
614
00:22:53,269 --> 00:22:54,970
me so that I can make choices
615
00:22:55,750 --> 00:22:56,714
rather than just
616
00:22:57,115 --> 00:22:57,615
reacting.
617
00:22:58,315 --> 00:23:00,154
Knowing how to really care for ourself in
618
00:23:00,154 --> 00:23:02,015
those spaces, because sometimes
619
00:23:02,634 --> 00:23:05,115
it it it is so deep and it
620
00:23:05,115 --> 00:23:07,615
can be way beyond just us.
621
00:23:08,234 --> 00:23:10,974
But even just knowing of, something feels
622
00:23:11,329 --> 00:23:12,769
fill in the blank, or I don't even
623
00:23:12,769 --> 00:23:14,450
know what it is. What can I do
624
00:23:14,450 --> 00:23:15,890
right now? What can I do about this?
625
00:23:15,890 --> 00:23:17,569
What can I do right now to support
626
00:23:17,569 --> 00:23:18,069
myself?
627
00:23:18,769 --> 00:23:19,269
Yeah.
628
00:23:19,809 --> 00:23:21,990
So on the issue of safe spaces,
629
00:23:22,609 --> 00:23:23,109
you
630
00:23:23,424 --> 00:23:25,664
teach the teachers. Right? And part of what
631
00:23:25,664 --> 00:23:27,125
you're teaching them is
632
00:23:27,505 --> 00:23:29,125
how to create these
633
00:23:29,424 --> 00:23:30,404
safe spaces,
634
00:23:30,865 --> 00:23:31,845
where people can
635
00:23:32,305 --> 00:23:34,144
deal with their trauma, where they're rewriting their
636
00:23:34,144 --> 00:23:35,339
narratives. And so
637
00:23:35,900 --> 00:23:38,159
I was wondering how you create that safety
638
00:23:38,220 --> 00:23:39,919
and what we might learn
639
00:23:40,460 --> 00:23:43,099
from that about how to create safer political
640
00:23:43,099 --> 00:23:43,599
spaces.
641
00:23:44,059 --> 00:23:45,679
So in the class, we
642
00:23:45,980 --> 00:23:47,759
also work a lot with a woman named
643
00:23:48,205 --> 00:23:50,225
Tara Tinini, who's a trauma informed
644
00:23:50,684 --> 00:23:51,184
specialist.
645
00:23:51,884 --> 00:23:54,285
And I'll I'll call out Amanda Martinez, who's
646
00:23:54,285 --> 00:23:55,904
a teacher of the class and,
647
00:23:56,285 --> 00:23:59,085
helps me reframe the language of safe space
648
00:23:59,085 --> 00:24:00,465
into a safer space.
649
00:24:01,140 --> 00:24:03,380
Because even though a space might feel safe
650
00:24:03,380 --> 00:24:05,779
for me or my intent is to create
651
00:24:05,779 --> 00:24:09,460
safety, there's still always potentially someone who that
652
00:24:09,460 --> 00:24:11,960
space may not feel safe for. So
653
00:24:12,740 --> 00:24:15,140
with the intent of it being a safer
654
00:24:15,140 --> 00:24:15,640
space,
655
00:24:16,294 --> 00:24:18,234
we look a lot around
656
00:24:18,855 --> 00:24:19,355
language
657
00:24:19,894 --> 00:24:22,154
and how we're using our words.
658
00:24:22,855 --> 00:24:23,355
And
659
00:24:24,694 --> 00:24:26,775
for me personally, what I love so much
660
00:24:26,775 --> 00:24:28,394
about what we do is
661
00:24:29,390 --> 00:24:31,549
the guidance is not telling you what is
662
00:24:31,549 --> 00:24:33,309
right and what's wrong and what you should
663
00:24:33,309 --> 00:24:34,670
do and what you shouldn't do. I feel
664
00:24:34,670 --> 00:24:36,850
like we get that all day long everywhere.
665
00:24:37,390 --> 00:24:40,430
Everyone has an opinion and agenda and a
666
00:24:40,430 --> 00:24:40,930
projection,
667
00:24:41,924 --> 00:24:45,605
And this really is just for you to
668
00:24:45,605 --> 00:24:46,904
hear you.
669
00:24:47,765 --> 00:24:48,265
And
670
00:24:48,565 --> 00:24:50,424
it's not the teacher just
671
00:24:51,684 --> 00:24:53,684
letting it be about them and what they
672
00:24:53,684 --> 00:24:54,505
wanna say.
673
00:24:55,740 --> 00:24:58,160
It really is for you
674
00:24:58,859 --> 00:25:01,119
to go in and listen
675
00:25:01,420 --> 00:25:02,640
and be with yourself
676
00:25:03,099 --> 00:25:03,599
without
677
00:25:04,299 --> 00:25:07,119
any you have to, you should, you must.
678
00:25:07,625 --> 00:25:10,345
We're very intentional about the space we take
679
00:25:10,345 --> 00:25:11,644
up in the room
680
00:25:12,265 --> 00:25:13,325
and making sure
681
00:25:14,744 --> 00:25:17,065
the centering is about the student. And if
682
00:25:17,065 --> 00:25:19,085
I'm thinking about this, as we go into
683
00:25:19,909 --> 00:25:21,049
the political space,
684
00:25:21,509 --> 00:25:23,849
there's an air of transparency.
685
00:25:25,109 --> 00:25:27,109
We're very transparent around. This is what this
686
00:25:27,109 --> 00:25:28,630
is, and you can take it as far
687
00:25:28,630 --> 00:25:30,390
as you wanna go, and it's really up
688
00:25:30,390 --> 00:25:32,055
to you. And I feel like you're always
689
00:25:32,295 --> 00:25:32,795
checking
690
00:25:33,095 --> 00:25:35,095
in with us too. Right? Oh, yeah. Mhmm.
691
00:25:35,174 --> 00:25:37,174
Back to your body. How does it feel?
692
00:25:37,174 --> 00:25:37,674
Like
693
00:25:38,295 --> 00:25:40,215
and and I think maybe there's a lesson
694
00:25:40,215 --> 00:25:42,375
there too, right, of we may start a
695
00:25:42,375 --> 00:25:44,579
conversation and it's all going great, and then
696
00:25:44,740 --> 00:25:47,140
whatever topic gets brought up that is super
697
00:25:47,140 --> 00:25:48,819
triggering for 1 or another person, and then
698
00:25:48,819 --> 00:25:50,819
all of a sudden, the conversation is not
699
00:25:50,819 --> 00:25:53,059
okay, and you can both sense it. I
700
00:25:53,059 --> 00:25:54,179
don't feel like we do a very good
701
00:25:54,179 --> 00:25:56,179
job of being like, let's just check-in. How's
702
00:25:56,179 --> 00:25:57,779
it going? Are we still okay having this
703
00:25:57,779 --> 00:25:58,904
conversation? Yes.
704
00:25:59,705 --> 00:26:01,545
And so maybe there's something there too about
705
00:26:01,545 --> 00:26:04,285
just like, it's not a one time check-in.
706
00:26:04,505 --> 00:26:07,384
Yes. Continual check-in. Right. I I love that.
707
00:26:07,384 --> 00:26:09,224
We also work with a woman named Melissa
708
00:26:09,224 --> 00:26:09,724
Carter,
709
00:26:10,265 --> 00:26:10,765
who
710
00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:12,980
works in the
711
00:26:13,519 --> 00:26:16,720
spirituality department in NYU. And whenever we work
712
00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:18,660
with her, she begins with care agreements.
713
00:26:19,039 --> 00:26:21,119
And at the top of the conversation, these
714
00:26:21,119 --> 00:26:23,119
are our care agreements for this conversation. Do
715
00:26:23,119 --> 00:26:24,019
we all agree?
716
00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:25,779
And at any point,
717
00:26:26,105 --> 00:26:27,484
if someone needs to pause,
718
00:26:27,865 --> 00:26:30,184
we're gonna pause. If anyone needs to take
719
00:26:30,184 --> 00:26:32,184
a moment because something is coming up and
720
00:26:32,184 --> 00:26:34,184
we wanna go into it, we're gonna take
721
00:26:34,184 --> 00:26:35,964
a pause. And then there's usually a guardian
722
00:26:36,184 --> 00:26:36,684
who's
723
00:26:37,384 --> 00:26:40,345
checking in the conversation, noticing if it starts
724
00:26:40,345 --> 00:26:43,650
to get charged, that guardian can call the
725
00:26:43,650 --> 00:26:45,490
pause. And I know that's probably not possible
726
00:26:45,490 --> 00:26:47,330
to have a guardian when you're having conversations
727
00:26:47,330 --> 00:26:49,250
with your family. But I wonder if there's
728
00:26:49,250 --> 00:26:50,609
times too when we can think about what
729
00:26:50,609 --> 00:26:52,789
role we're playing in a conversation. Like, sometimes,
730
00:26:53,305 --> 00:26:55,305
we're the one that's curious and is learning
731
00:26:55,305 --> 00:26:57,865
and is getting triggered or not. But maybe
732
00:26:57,865 --> 00:27:00,265
sometimes, we do have the capacity to be
733
00:27:00,265 --> 00:27:02,184
a guardian and to be the one around
734
00:27:02,184 --> 00:27:03,865
a dinner table with multiple people just checking
735
00:27:03,865 --> 00:27:05,384
in and be like, hey. It seems like
736
00:27:05,384 --> 00:27:07,884
it's getting tense here. Like, is everyone okay?
737
00:27:07,945 --> 00:27:08,445
And
738
00:27:08,809 --> 00:27:10,730
if we have the kind of emotional intelligence
739
00:27:10,730 --> 00:27:12,650
to bring that awareness of ourselves and others
740
00:27:12,890 --> 00:27:14,509
Mhmm. And can transition from
741
00:27:15,049 --> 00:27:17,230
participant to guardian at times,
742
00:27:17,609 --> 00:27:19,630
I think that can still be a service.
743
00:27:20,089 --> 00:27:21,929
So there's one piece of this, which is
744
00:27:21,929 --> 00:27:23,309
how do we create safety?
745
00:27:23,815 --> 00:27:25,734
And then there's the other piece, which, going
746
00:27:25,734 --> 00:27:27,734
back to your definition, safe spaces have no
747
00:27:27,734 --> 00:27:30,535
agenda and no judgment. Political spaces have, like,
748
00:27:30,535 --> 00:27:31,674
a 1,000,000,000 agendas
749
00:27:32,535 --> 00:27:34,615
and lots of judgment. So sometimes we're gonna
750
00:27:34,615 --> 00:27:37,174
be entering spaces that are are not safe.
751
00:27:37,174 --> 00:27:39,000
They're gonna be charged. How do you think
752
00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:40,380
we can prepare ourselves
753
00:27:40,759 --> 00:27:42,779
to enter those spaces that we know
754
00:27:43,160 --> 00:27:43,900
are fraud?
755
00:27:44,279 --> 00:27:46,680
I am a Capricorn. I love preparing. I
756
00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:48,299
love being prepared for everything.
757
00:27:48,680 --> 00:27:49,660
And I
758
00:27:51,494 --> 00:27:52,474
find the preparation
759
00:27:53,174 --> 00:27:53,835
very helpful.
760
00:27:54,215 --> 00:27:55,894
Once we get to the point where things
761
00:27:55,894 --> 00:27:57,835
are already happening, it's too late.
762
00:27:58,455 --> 00:27:59,734
I did a lot of courses at the
763
00:27:59,734 --> 00:28:01,434
clairvoyant Institute of Hawaii,
764
00:28:01,894 --> 00:28:04,154
and they teach you a lot about energetic
765
00:28:04,215 --> 00:28:04,715
boundaries.
766
00:28:05,160 --> 00:28:06,460
They teach you
767
00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:09,720
different tools to set your capacity and your
768
00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:11,559
energy of what you're willing to take on
769
00:28:11,559 --> 00:28:12,460
and take in
770
00:28:12,840 --> 00:28:14,299
before you enter a space.
771
00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:17,559
There's a visualization you can do about the
772
00:28:17,559 --> 00:28:19,880
space before you get in there, where you
773
00:28:19,880 --> 00:28:22,015
can just wrap it in a certain kind
774
00:28:22,015 --> 00:28:24,674
of texture or energy, do that to yourself,
775
00:28:24,894 --> 00:28:26,575
and then maybe you make your own care
776
00:28:26,575 --> 00:28:28,595
agreements with yourself. Okay.
777
00:28:28,974 --> 00:28:30,674
This is how we're going into here.
778
00:28:31,134 --> 00:28:32,994
I gave myself lots of time
779
00:28:33,535 --> 00:28:34,674
setting my capacity
780
00:28:35,609 --> 00:28:37,130
of what I'm willing to do and not
781
00:28:37,130 --> 00:28:39,849
do. Those are my personal care agreements for
782
00:28:39,849 --> 00:28:43,069
myself. I'm gonna make sure I'm hydrated. Hopefully
783
00:28:43,210 --> 00:28:44,190
have some food,
784
00:28:44,970 --> 00:28:46,269
put a plan in place
785
00:28:46,970 --> 00:28:48,650
when it's time to leave. If you're going
786
00:28:48,650 --> 00:28:50,704
with somebody like, Hey, let's just have a
787
00:28:50,704 --> 00:28:52,305
thing that we do when it's time to
788
00:28:52,305 --> 00:28:54,865
go, or someone needs a break, or we
789
00:28:54,865 --> 00:28:55,684
can go outside.
790
00:28:56,785 --> 00:28:59,585
Maybe you set your own alarm 20 minutes
791
00:28:59,585 --> 00:29:01,184
in, check-in with yourself. How am I doing?
792
00:29:01,184 --> 00:29:02,005
I feel okay.
793
00:29:02,464 --> 00:29:04,964
But those little moments that you can prepare
794
00:29:05,025 --> 00:29:08,130
ahead of time to give yourself those buffers
795
00:29:08,349 --> 00:29:11,009
during it to check-in with yourself with options.
796
00:29:12,190 --> 00:29:12,690
Yeah.
797
00:29:13,390 --> 00:29:14,990
I I love this idea of a care
798
00:29:14,990 --> 00:29:16,990
agreement with ourselves to be like, okay, I'm
799
00:29:16,990 --> 00:29:18,825
gonna go into this space. Might get a
800
00:29:18,825 --> 00:29:19,724
little dicey.
801
00:29:20,025 --> 00:29:21,704
How am I gonna take care of me?
802
00:29:21,704 --> 00:29:23,625
And what are my boundaries? Where am I
803
00:29:23,625 --> 00:29:25,944
gonna stop? How am I gonna respond? And
804
00:29:25,944 --> 00:29:29,144
so so, again, we're not just reacting. We're
805
00:29:29,144 --> 00:29:31,865
implementing the plan. We're paying attention to what
806
00:29:31,865 --> 00:29:33,750
we need, but we figure that out before
807
00:29:33,750 --> 00:29:34,730
we are triggered.
808
00:29:35,269 --> 00:29:37,190
Yes. And maybe what am I contributing? How
809
00:29:37,190 --> 00:29:38,630
do I wanna leave this space? How do
810
00:29:38,630 --> 00:29:41,029
I like to contribute to wherever this is
811
00:29:41,029 --> 00:29:42,009
I'm going to?
812
00:29:43,029 --> 00:29:45,029
Great. I would like to create ease and
813
00:29:45,029 --> 00:29:47,445
peace. Okay. My job is to be in
814
00:29:47,445 --> 00:29:49,945
a place of cultivating ease and peace.
815
00:29:51,605 --> 00:29:52,984
And with those boundaries,
816
00:29:53,684 --> 00:29:55,684
knowing our patterns, all of us have these
817
00:29:55,684 --> 00:29:56,904
patterns that are very,
818
00:29:57,445 --> 00:29:58,265
very deep
819
00:29:58,589 --> 00:29:59,089
And
820
00:29:59,869 --> 00:30:02,049
shifting them can be sometimes very challenging.
821
00:30:02,429 --> 00:30:04,609
When we feel the strong thing, we react.
822
00:30:05,069 --> 00:30:05,970
Having that
823
00:30:06,429 --> 00:30:09,069
feeling of how you're going to contribute and
824
00:30:09,069 --> 00:30:12,529
holding yourself accountable without beating yourself up if
825
00:30:13,144 --> 00:30:14,845
you don't hit it the whole time,
826
00:30:15,224 --> 00:30:17,065
but that's a touch point to come back
827
00:30:17,065 --> 00:30:18,984
to. Wait. What am I doing here again?
828
00:30:18,984 --> 00:30:20,744
Why am I here? What's my purpose? Oh,
829
00:30:20,744 --> 00:30:21,244
okay.
830
00:30:22,105 --> 00:30:24,684
Yeah. So you've talked about
831
00:30:24,984 --> 00:30:26,904
curiosity and we've touched a little bit on
832
00:30:26,904 --> 00:30:27,404
vulnerability
833
00:30:27,704 --> 00:30:28,204
and
834
00:30:28,850 --> 00:30:30,690
all three of which are core values of
835
00:30:30,690 --> 00:30:33,009
the class. Do you think it's possible to
836
00:30:33,009 --> 00:30:35,190
bring these values into the political arena?
837
00:30:35,809 --> 00:30:38,210
And what's possible what might be possible if
838
00:30:38,210 --> 00:30:41,029
we did that? I believe anything is possible.
839
00:30:41,330 --> 00:30:42,869
I really do. I believe
840
00:30:43,355 --> 00:30:46,255
in the greater good of all things.
841
00:30:47,355 --> 00:30:47,855
And
842
00:30:48,555 --> 00:30:50,795
I think that's hard work to hold all
843
00:30:50,795 --> 00:30:53,295
of the time, but I think it's possible.
844
00:30:54,075 --> 00:30:54,734
I think
845
00:30:55,115 --> 00:30:56,335
setting our expectations
846
00:30:56,714 --> 00:30:59,710
that not every dialogue we're gonna have is
847
00:30:59,710 --> 00:31:02,430
gonna hold those core values, whether that that's
848
00:31:02,430 --> 00:31:03,970
from us for the other person,
849
00:31:04,349 --> 00:31:05,570
setting that expectation
850
00:31:06,109 --> 00:31:08,529
is helpful so that we're not disappointed.
851
00:31:08,990 --> 00:31:10,829
And I believe so strongly in all of
852
00:31:10,829 --> 00:31:13,244
the work that we do and also
853
00:31:13,945 --> 00:31:16,184
am clear on the reality that not every
854
00:31:16,184 --> 00:31:18,285
single person in the world is also
855
00:31:19,144 --> 00:31:19,884
doing this.
856
00:31:20,345 --> 00:31:22,845
And and that's okay. Every person is playing
857
00:31:22,984 --> 00:31:24,445
their part in their own
858
00:31:24,825 --> 00:31:26,639
way. And I think there are a lot
859
00:31:26,639 --> 00:31:27,299
of people
860
00:31:27,639 --> 00:31:28,139
doing
861
00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:29,220
that work
862
00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:31,379
that are ushering in
863
00:31:32,319 --> 00:31:33,220
a new way
864
00:31:33,679 --> 00:31:34,179
and
865
00:31:35,279 --> 00:31:37,379
all of these things take many generations
866
00:31:38,079 --> 00:31:39,299
and many, many lifetimes.
867
00:31:40,184 --> 00:31:41,884
Yeah. But they come.
868
00:31:42,585 --> 00:31:44,044
They do come. And I think
869
00:31:44,345 --> 00:31:47,164
that there is power in showing up differently.
870
00:31:47,865 --> 00:31:49,224
And so we're not going to do it
871
00:31:49,224 --> 00:31:51,484
perfectly. Like you said, sometimes we'll get triggered.
872
00:31:51,625 --> 00:31:53,144
It has to still be practice. We have
873
00:31:53,144 --> 00:31:54,365
to show ourselves grace.
874
00:31:54,750 --> 00:31:56,269
It has to be okay that we're learning
875
00:31:56,269 --> 00:31:58,769
how to do this. But if we try,
876
00:31:59,190 --> 00:31:59,690
I
877
00:32:00,109 --> 00:32:01,009
think there's,
878
00:32:01,309 --> 00:32:03,869
there's a learning that comes from that. When
879
00:32:03,869 --> 00:32:05,569
you come into a room and
880
00:32:05,950 --> 00:32:07,710
even if it's all charged, if one person
881
00:32:07,710 --> 00:32:08,529
is calm
882
00:32:09,234 --> 00:32:10,214
and is curious,
883
00:32:11,474 --> 00:32:14,355
that curiosity can be contagious. Right? And that
884
00:32:14,355 --> 00:32:16,755
authenticity can be contagious because I think people
885
00:32:16,755 --> 00:32:17,894
crave those things.
886
00:32:18,355 --> 00:32:20,514
Mhmm. Everyone doesn't have to show up that
887
00:32:20,514 --> 00:32:22,274
way, but a couple of people showing up
888
00:32:22,274 --> 00:32:24,750
that way, I think, can make a big
889
00:32:24,750 --> 00:32:25,250
difference.
890
00:32:26,509 --> 00:32:27,250
I agree.
891
00:32:27,950 --> 00:32:29,169
I definitely agree.
892
00:32:29,630 --> 00:32:32,690
So I'm super excited because you are
893
00:32:33,389 --> 00:32:35,649
creating a class specifically for
894
00:32:35,950 --> 00:32:37,809
political engagement. Is that right?
895
00:32:38,565 --> 00:32:39,784
We are. We're working
896
00:32:40,244 --> 00:32:43,044
on a class here at the class that
897
00:32:43,044 --> 00:32:44,505
you'll be able to experience
898
00:32:44,964 --> 00:32:47,544
on our on demand digital platform,
899
00:32:47,924 --> 00:32:50,964
which basically means it'll be there forever for
900
00:32:50,964 --> 00:32:52,825
as long as you need it and can
901
00:32:53,299 --> 00:32:54,279
take that class
902
00:32:54,819 --> 00:32:56,259
and do it as many times as you
903
00:32:56,259 --> 00:32:58,039
need, whenever you need it. That
904
00:32:59,140 --> 00:33:01,619
will be geared towards something that you can
905
00:33:01,619 --> 00:33:02,119
do
906
00:33:03,700 --> 00:33:05,859
in maybe a short period of time to
907
00:33:05,859 --> 00:33:06,599
help yourself
908
00:33:07,884 --> 00:33:10,605
really process everything that's not just going on
909
00:33:10,605 --> 00:33:12,444
now, but that is going to continue to
910
00:33:12,444 --> 00:33:14,545
go on in these next couple of months
911
00:33:15,005 --> 00:33:17,005
when you need the pause, when you need
912
00:33:17,005 --> 00:33:17,505
to
913
00:33:18,684 --> 00:33:20,765
roar it out, when you need to sweat
914
00:33:20,765 --> 00:33:22,444
it out, when you need to run it
915
00:33:22,444 --> 00:33:22,920
out,
916
00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:25,080
when you maybe just need to hold yourself
917
00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:26,680
and give yourself a hug and let some
918
00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:27,500
tears shed,
919
00:33:28,519 --> 00:33:30,759
really a place for any emotion that you
920
00:33:30,759 --> 00:33:33,080
might be experiencing and how to come back
921
00:33:33,080 --> 00:33:33,820
and reset
922
00:33:34,519 --> 00:33:35,580
to what you're guiding
923
00:33:36,205 --> 00:33:38,684
principles are. I'm so excited. I will, be
924
00:33:38,684 --> 00:33:41,164
tuning in for sure and probably using it
925
00:33:41,164 --> 00:33:41,744
a lot.
926
00:33:42,845 --> 00:33:45,164
But I know for some people, taking a
927
00:33:45,164 --> 00:33:47,244
full class may be a little intimidating. And
928
00:33:47,244 --> 00:33:48,525
even for those of us that are taking
929
00:33:48,525 --> 00:33:50,765
full length classes, there may also be times
930
00:33:50,765 --> 00:33:51,809
where we just can't.
931
00:33:52,370 --> 00:33:55,250
What are some smaller practices that people can
932
00:33:55,250 --> 00:33:55,750
use
933
00:33:56,370 --> 00:33:59,170
in the moment, either to prepare themselves for
934
00:33:59,170 --> 00:34:02,690
political spaces or to Mhmm. Come back to
935
00:34:02,690 --> 00:34:03,190
themselves
936
00:34:03,890 --> 00:34:06,470
when they start feeling a little bit overwhelmed?
937
00:34:07,815 --> 00:34:10,074
Deep breathing, inhales and exhales,
938
00:34:10,375 --> 00:34:11,434
audible breaths.
939
00:34:12,454 --> 00:34:13,755
Give yourself a moment.
940
00:34:14,375 --> 00:34:15,114
If you can
941
00:34:15,494 --> 00:34:17,655
in the bathroom, in your car, just let
942
00:34:17,655 --> 00:34:18,715
out a lot of,
943
00:34:20,329 --> 00:34:23,530
any literally vocalizing in any way. If you
944
00:34:23,530 --> 00:34:26,010
wanna speak out how you're feeling, if you
945
00:34:26,010 --> 00:34:27,230
just wanna make sounds,
946
00:34:28,570 --> 00:34:30,809
playing one of your favorite songs, it doesn't
947
00:34:30,809 --> 00:34:32,889
matter the length of it, and just moving
948
00:34:32,889 --> 00:34:34,724
your body in any way that you want.
949
00:34:34,805 --> 00:34:37,945
2 minutes, 1 minute, 3 minutes, shake everything
950
00:34:38,005 --> 00:34:39,545
out. Shake out
951
00:34:40,164 --> 00:34:43,045
all the feelings, anything, the anxiety, the concern,
952
00:34:43,045 --> 00:34:45,065
the stress, the worry, the unknown,
953
00:34:45,605 --> 00:34:46,105
having
954
00:34:46,485 --> 00:34:48,905
a really good group of people
955
00:34:49,500 --> 00:34:52,059
around you or an accountability person that you
956
00:34:52,059 --> 00:34:52,559
can
957
00:34:52,860 --> 00:34:54,780
check-in with and say, Hey, can we go
958
00:34:54,780 --> 00:34:57,440
for a walk? Can we do something together
959
00:34:57,500 --> 00:34:59,519
just to kind of have that touch point?
960
00:35:00,380 --> 00:35:02,619
Having a way to to get a break
961
00:35:02,619 --> 00:35:03,519
from the stimulation.
962
00:35:04,775 --> 00:35:06,315
What can happen sometimes is
963
00:35:06,775 --> 00:35:08,695
we just get sucked into it. And then
964
00:35:08,695 --> 00:35:09,755
we're overstimulated
965
00:35:10,454 --> 00:35:13,594
or over saturated with the information and
966
00:35:13,974 --> 00:35:15,655
the brain and the body just need a
967
00:35:15,655 --> 00:35:18,535
break. So if you can take time to
968
00:35:18,535 --> 00:35:21,550
just turn everything off, go outside, take a
969
00:35:21,550 --> 00:35:23,329
walk, take a shower without
970
00:35:23,869 --> 00:35:24,769
any form
971
00:35:25,949 --> 00:35:28,289
of external information coming in
972
00:35:29,150 --> 00:35:30,210
could be really helpful.
973
00:35:30,750 --> 00:35:32,750
Love all of those. And they are so
974
00:35:32,750 --> 00:35:34,934
accessible to all of us. Right? Almost always
975
00:35:35,015 --> 00:35:37,094
possible to find music and definitely always possible
976
00:35:37,094 --> 00:35:37,914
to take breaths
977
00:35:38,295 --> 00:35:39,594
and to make sound.
978
00:35:39,894 --> 00:35:41,655
One of the things you mentioned I I
979
00:35:41,655 --> 00:35:43,094
wanna touch on, which is the finding of
980
00:35:43,094 --> 00:35:43,835
the accountability
981
00:35:44,375 --> 00:35:46,454
partner of of a trusted circle of friends
982
00:35:46,454 --> 00:35:48,454
that you can go to. It's interesting because
983
00:35:48,454 --> 00:35:50,940
I've practiced a class through the digital program,
984
00:35:50,940 --> 00:35:53,340
so I'm normally by myself in my house,
985
00:35:53,659 --> 00:35:56,139
watching it. But but it started as a
986
00:35:56,460 --> 00:35:57,739
and it still is because you all can
987
00:35:57,739 --> 00:35:59,679
practice live in New York and LA. But
988
00:35:59,900 --> 00:36:01,920
as a very communal thing,
989
00:36:02,465 --> 00:36:04,565
can you talk a little bit about community
990
00:36:05,425 --> 00:36:06,885
and the role that you see
991
00:36:07,184 --> 00:36:08,405
community playing
992
00:36:09,184 --> 00:36:11,684
in the way we can transform our politics?
993
00:36:11,985 --> 00:36:12,485
Yes.
994
00:36:13,025 --> 00:36:14,244
So we know that
995
00:36:15,539 --> 00:36:17,800
a big drive for us is in connection,
996
00:36:17,860 --> 00:36:20,039
and we know that we're wired for that.
997
00:36:20,579 --> 00:36:21,640
We know that
998
00:36:22,180 --> 00:36:24,599
there is something that happens in community
999
00:36:25,619 --> 00:36:27,619
that can lift our spirits. It can give
1000
00:36:27,619 --> 00:36:28,119
us
1001
00:36:28,420 --> 00:36:29,400
hope. It
1002
00:36:30,215 --> 00:36:32,215
can be the moments where we realize we're
1003
00:36:32,215 --> 00:36:32,954
not alone
1004
00:36:33,574 --> 00:36:34,394
and that
1005
00:36:35,094 --> 00:36:37,414
the feelings we're feeling are not just happening
1006
00:36:37,414 --> 00:36:38,155
for us.
1007
00:36:38,695 --> 00:36:41,494
And we can learn a lot by watching
1008
00:36:41,494 --> 00:36:44,715
other people go through or hear their stories.
1009
00:36:45,069 --> 00:36:46,589
And this is why I so love your
1010
00:36:46,589 --> 00:36:48,829
work and what you're doing here. Sharing in
1011
00:36:48,829 --> 00:36:50,769
this way can be profoundly
1012
00:36:51,469 --> 00:36:54,530
helpful for people to, to share your story
1013
00:36:54,670 --> 00:36:56,929
and to hear somebody else's
1014
00:36:57,605 --> 00:36:58,105
story.
1015
00:36:58,484 --> 00:37:00,344
So for our last question,
1016
00:37:00,964 --> 00:37:03,444
the goal of the podcast is to empower
1017
00:37:03,444 --> 00:37:04,505
people to engage
1018
00:37:04,804 --> 00:37:07,045
politically from a place of hope. And so
1019
00:37:07,045 --> 00:37:09,204
I was wondering if you could share how
1020
00:37:09,204 --> 00:37:12,164
you're engaging this election season and also where
1021
00:37:12,164 --> 00:37:14,030
you're finding hope. I will be teaching a
1022
00:37:14,030 --> 00:37:16,909
lot of class. I will be being of
1023
00:37:16,909 --> 00:37:19,969
service and support by creating the spaces that
1024
00:37:20,110 --> 00:37:22,510
I create for as many people as I
1025
00:37:22,510 --> 00:37:23,010
can.
1026
00:37:23,309 --> 00:37:25,230
I myself will be taking a lot of
1027
00:37:25,230 --> 00:37:27,090
class. I do take the class
1028
00:37:27,775 --> 00:37:30,255
and all of the tools and practices and
1029
00:37:30,255 --> 00:37:32,414
things that we do. I will be putting
1030
00:37:32,414 --> 00:37:34,594
my own care agreements in my conversations
1031
00:37:34,974 --> 00:37:35,715
and relationships.
1032
00:37:36,414 --> 00:37:37,554
And for the past
1033
00:37:38,735 --> 00:37:40,994
5 years, I've been
1034
00:37:41,469 --> 00:37:43,710
bringing the class and also participating in something
1035
00:37:43,710 --> 00:37:46,210
called the Nantucket Project, which happens every year.
1036
00:37:46,430 --> 00:37:49,809
It's a nonprofit organization that's dedicated to creating
1037
00:37:49,949 --> 00:37:50,930
a better world
1038
00:37:51,550 --> 00:37:52,289
by reimagining
1039
00:37:52,829 --> 00:37:55,329
solutions to today's complex challenges
1040
00:37:55,965 --> 00:37:57,744
and strengthening a culture and pluralism
1041
00:37:58,045 --> 00:37:59,664
through conversation and storytelling.
1042
00:38:00,285 --> 00:38:02,765
And I offer the class there. There's about
1043
00:38:02,765 --> 00:38:05,505
600 people and everyone that is there
1044
00:38:06,364 --> 00:38:09,260
is a leader in some field. And they
1045
00:38:09,260 --> 00:38:11,260
bring together people from all over the world
1046
00:38:11,260 --> 00:38:11,760
to
1047
00:38:12,539 --> 00:38:13,039
learn
1048
00:38:13,500 --> 00:38:14,319
how to be
1049
00:38:14,699 --> 00:38:16,559
in challenging conversations
1050
00:38:17,019 --> 00:38:18,719
through peace and care
1051
00:38:20,780 --> 00:38:22,800
and that authenticity of curiosity.
1052
00:38:23,934 --> 00:38:26,114
And where are you finding hope?
1053
00:38:27,855 --> 00:38:29,934
You know, I find hope in a lot
1054
00:38:29,934 --> 00:38:32,494
of the small things. I find hope in
1055
00:38:32,494 --> 00:38:33,795
nature and the
1056
00:38:34,894 --> 00:38:35,394
strength
1057
00:38:35,855 --> 00:38:38,255
of nature in our planet and all of
1058
00:38:38,255 --> 00:38:38,755
that.
1059
00:38:39,460 --> 00:38:41,559
I also find a lot of hope
1060
00:38:42,420 --> 00:38:42,920
in
1061
00:38:43,860 --> 00:38:45,480
youth and the young people.
1062
00:38:46,660 --> 00:38:48,519
Every conversation I have with
1063
00:38:49,539 --> 00:38:51,079
someone that is from
1064
00:38:51,780 --> 00:38:52,280
anywhere
1065
00:38:53,784 --> 00:38:56,204
teens, early twenties, and even younger,
1066
00:38:56,905 --> 00:38:59,724
I am so blown away and optimistic
1067
00:39:00,184 --> 00:39:01,005
of just
1068
00:39:01,385 --> 00:39:02,204
the thinking
1069
00:39:02,505 --> 00:39:03,005
and
1070
00:39:04,344 --> 00:39:05,244
the understanding.
1071
00:39:07,389 --> 00:39:09,789
Yeah. That gives me a lot of hope
1072
00:39:09,789 --> 00:39:10,929
when I think about
1073
00:39:11,309 --> 00:39:13,570
the passing of that torch and
1074
00:39:14,030 --> 00:39:14,530
what
1075
00:39:15,949 --> 00:39:17,409
is being ushered in.
1076
00:39:18,110 --> 00:39:20,030
Wonderful. Thank you for all that you are
1077
00:39:20,030 --> 00:39:22,815
doing with the class, with your life to
1078
00:39:22,815 --> 00:39:25,234
create these spaces for all of us.
1079
00:39:25,775 --> 00:39:27,775
It has touched my life, and I know
1080
00:39:27,775 --> 00:39:29,855
it's touched so many others. So thank you
1081
00:39:29,855 --> 00:39:32,335
so much, and thank you for being in
1082
00:39:32,335 --> 00:39:34,574
conversation with me today. Thank you. I'm so
1083
00:39:34,574 --> 00:39:35,474
glad that you're
1084
00:39:35,775 --> 00:39:36,275
here.
1085
00:39:36,849 --> 00:39:38,250
We did this. I can't wait for you
1086
00:39:38,250 --> 00:39:39,589
to come take class in person.
1087
00:39:40,530 --> 00:39:41,269
Me too.
1088
00:39:47,409 --> 00:39:49,875
At this election, we see politics as practice,
1089
00:39:49,954 --> 00:39:52,034
and each conversation is paired with a practice
1090
00:39:52,034 --> 00:39:53,394
that you can take with you as you
1091
00:39:53,394 --> 00:39:55,815
heal from and engage the political arena.
1092
00:39:56,355 --> 00:39:59,315
JC is developing a class specifically for political
1093
00:39:59,315 --> 00:39:59,815
engagement.
1094
00:40:00,355 --> 00:40:02,275
That class will go live in October, and
1095
00:40:02,275 --> 00:40:03,715
we'll add a link to the show notes
1096
00:40:03,715 --> 00:40:04,614
once it's ready.
1097
00:40:05,000 --> 00:40:05,819
In the meantime,
1098
00:40:06,119 --> 00:40:08,199
the class is offering our listeners a 30
1099
00:40:08,199 --> 00:40:10,539
day free subscription to their digital studio.
1100
00:40:11,159 --> 00:40:13,079
The studio has a class and so much
1101
00:40:13,079 --> 00:40:15,099
more. It has breath work, meditations,
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yoga, guided stretches, walking meditations, guided runs, and
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00:40:19,554 --> 00:40:21,235
even mini classes for your work day and
1104
00:40:21,235 --> 00:40:22,295
to do with your kids.
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00:40:22,994 --> 00:40:25,155
All of these offerings incorporate the elements of
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00:40:25,155 --> 00:40:27,175
movement that we've been discussing today,
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00:40:27,474 --> 00:40:27,974
music,
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00:40:28,434 --> 00:40:28,934
breath,
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00:40:29,394 --> 00:40:29,894
sound.
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They're also an incredible workout.
1111
00:40:32,930 --> 00:40:34,530
I will be using all of these this
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00:40:34,530 --> 00:40:36,630
election season and hope you will too.
1113
00:40:37,250 --> 00:40:38,930
The link to the subscription is in the
1114
00:40:38,930 --> 00:40:41,410
episode show notes and on our website at
1115
00:40:41,410 --> 00:40:41,910
www.thiselection.org/spiritualpractices.
1116
00:40:46,535 --> 00:40:48,695
The class for political engagement will be posted
1117
00:40:48,695 --> 00:40:50,235
there too when it's ready.
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00:40:51,575 --> 00:40:53,414
You have been listening to this election where
1119
00:40:53,414 --> 00:40:55,255
we explore the inner work that is needed
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00:40:55,255 --> 00:40:56,635
to do politics differently.
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00:40:57,255 --> 00:40:59,575
Today, we heard from JC Gossett, vice president
1122
00:40:59,575 --> 00:41:01,275
of teacher training at the class.
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00:41:01,769 --> 00:41:03,949
You can find the CLASS at www.theclass.com
1124
00:41:06,570 --> 00:41:09,289
and on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest at the
1125
00:41:09,289 --> 00:41:09,789
CLASS.
1126
00:41:10,650 --> 00:41:13,050
CLASS also has a killer Spotify account with
1127
00:41:13,050 --> 00:41:15,050
playlists that will meet you wherever you are
1128
00:41:15,050 --> 00:41:15,375
at,
1129
00:41:15,855 --> 00:41:18,094
including a playlist called Vote, which has great
1130
00:41:18,094 --> 00:41:20,114
songs to get you motivated this election.
1131
00:41:21,454 --> 00:41:24,034
You can find JC on Instagram at jcgossett.
1132
00:41:24,655 --> 00:41:27,054
You can also practice with JC live in
1133
00:41:27,054 --> 00:41:29,295
the class's LA studio or online with her
1134
00:41:29,295 --> 00:41:30,755
in the digital studio.
1135
00:41:31,610 --> 00:41:33,690
I am your host, Katie Cochran, and I
1136
00:41:33,690 --> 00:41:35,530
would love for you to try JC's mini
1137
00:41:35,530 --> 00:41:38,030
practices as you engage politically this week.
1138
00:41:38,329 --> 00:41:40,090
And then let me know how it goes
1139
00:41:40,090 --> 00:41:42,489
by emailing me at Katie at thiselection dot
1140
00:41:42,489 --> 00:41:45,469
org or messaging me on Instagram at Katie.m.cochran.
1141
00:41:47,585 --> 00:41:50,144
If you have enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe,
1142
00:41:50,144 --> 00:41:52,464
rate, and review the podcast on whatever platform
1143
00:41:52,464 --> 00:41:53,684
you are listening through.
1144
00:41:54,065 --> 00:41:55,505
This is the best way to help our
1145
00:41:55,505 --> 00:41:57,424
vision of a different type of politics reach
1146
00:41:57,424 --> 00:41:58,964
as many people as possible.
1147
00:41:59,930 --> 00:42:02,329
Some of my favorite people helped make this
1148
00:42:02,329 --> 00:42:03,230
episode possible.
1149
00:42:04,010 --> 00:42:06,170
Our lovely theme music was written and performed
1150
00:42:06,170 --> 00:42:08,670
by Ian Cochran and produced by David Cochran.
1151
00:42:09,289 --> 00:42:11,769
Podcast artwork was created by Kristen Connolly and
1152
00:42:11,769 --> 00:42:14,250
is available for purchase via her website at
1153
00:42:14,250 --> 00:42:14,750
love,comacrystondot
1154
00:42:16,724 --> 00:42:18,404
com. Thank you for spending this time with
1155
00:42:18,404 --> 00:42:19,924
me and for the work you are doing
1156
00:42:19,924 --> 00:42:21,065
to heal our politics.
1157
00:42:21,364 --> 00:42:23,284
I'm with you, and I'm so grateful we
1158
00:42:23,284 --> 00:42:24,424
are in this together.