Elizabeth Gilbert and Jack Kornfield
04 Jul 2024 (2 months ago)
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- Elizabeth Gilbert and Jack Kornfield, interviewed by Tim Ferriss, discuss the significance of presence and mindfulness in daily life.
- They emphasize the importance of being fully engaged in the present moment, rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.
- Gilbert shares her personal experiences with mindfulness and how it has helped her overcome challenges and find greater happiness.
- Kornfield explains the scientific research supporting the benefits of mindfulness, including its ability to reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance overall well-being.
- They encourage incorporating mindfulness practices into daily routines, such as mindful breathing, practicing gratitude, and engaging in activities that bring joy and fulfillment.
- Topics also discussed include the concept of "broken time" for personal growth, the importance of self-compassion and self-acceptance, the benefits of meditation and mindfulness practices, and the role of creativity and imagination in personal development.
Notes about this supercombo format.
- Tim Ferriss' podcast recently celebrated its 10th anniversary and surpassed 1 billion downloads.
- This episode is a compilation of some of the best moments from over 700 episodes.
- The goal is to feature both well-known and lesser-known guests who have had a significant impact on Tim Ferriss' life.
- The episode pairings were carefully curated to provide a diverse and enriching listening experience.
- For more information about the guests, visit tim.blog/combo.
Enter Elizabeth Gilbert.
- Elizabeth Gilbert is a #1 New York Times bestselling author.
- She has written 10 books, including "Eat, Pray, Love" and "Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear".
- Her books have sold over 25 million copies worldwide.
- Her latest book is titled "City of Girls".
- You can find her on Twitter at @GilbertLiz.
Liz shares who Rayya Elias was and how she's remembered her in story at The Moth.
- Elizabeth Gilbert's close friend, Rehea Elias, overcame a challenging past and lived 19 years sober, becoming a strong and protective presence in the lives of those around her.
- Despite being in a loyal marriage, Elizabeth fell in love with Rehea over the course of 17 years and left her husband to be with her when Rehea was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
- Rehea remained independent and strong even in her dying days, surprising Elizabeth, who expected to be the hero and protector.
- Elizabeth's speech at The Moth aimed to capture the essence of Rehea's extraordinary life and the unexpected realities of her death.
- Elizabeth Gilbert shares her experience with grief and the unexpected humor that can arise during difficult times, emphasizing the importance of humor in coping with challenging situations.
- Humor can be found even in the darkest moments, such as in hospitals during the COVID crisis or among soldiers under fire.
- After her friend's death, Elizabeth Gilbert and her friend's ex-wife shared a humorous moment that reflected the deceased person's personality, highlighting the role of humor as a crucial tool for navigating life's difficulties and a form of grace.
What kind of stories and storytellers make Liz break out in applause?
- Great art is both surprising and inevitable, and poetry can encapsulate both in a small space.
- In times of crisis or despair, waiting without hope, love, or thought can lead to faith and transformation, as exemplified in T.S. Eliot's poem "East Coker."
- Walt Whitman's description of himself as an observer, both in and out of the game, represents the highest level of enlightenment.
- Elizabeth Gilbert admires writers who create work that feels authentic and intimate, like Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall Trilogy, which she compares to the Godfather movies in terms of quality.
What has Liz learned from Martha Beck?
- Liz praises Martha Beck's writing style for its readability and memorable sentences.
- Liz appreciates Beck's emphasis on the importance of wonder and awe in life.
- Liz highlights Beck's advice to embrace "bonfire moments" where one must take risks and jump into the unknown.
- Beck suggests that these moments can either lead to personal growth or complete transformation, both of which are positive outcomes.
- Liz considers Beck to be one of the most influential people in her life due to her unconventional and inspiring approach to life.
Staying true to one's inner compass and saying "No" without remorse.
- Elizabeth Gilbert treats her inbox like an extension of her home.
- She deletes emails from people who enter her inbox uninvited, without feeling obligated to respond.
- She compares uninvited emails to people entering her home without permission and feeling no obligation to make them coffee.
- She finds it entertaining when people keep resending emails after she has deleted them.
- For people she cares about or is interested in, she sends a polite decline without feeling the need to provide a reason.
The simple "No" via Byron Katie.
- To avoid manipulation, a simple and direct "no" is often the most effective response, as explanations are unnecessary when dealing with skilled manipulators.
- Byron Katie, a teacher of "The Work," emphasizes the importance of a simple "no" without hesitation or conflict, and her "simple no" technique begins with "thank you" and avoids the word "but."
- If someone persists after a simple "no," one can acknowledge their feelings and maintain the "no" without engaging in further explanations.
- Adding "if I change my mind, I'll let you know" can be a helpful addition to a simple "no."
- Saying no can be difficult, especially with family and close friends, but it is important to set boundaries and clarify the true character of people.
The wisdom of the body.
- The body has an innate wisdom that can guide us in making decisions.
- Cultural and societal influences can override the body's wisdom, leading to decisions that we later regret.
- Many people ignore their intuition and make decisions based on societal expectations or fear-based scarcity.
- The wisdom of the body can be seen in people who know deep down that a decision is wrong, even if they go through with it due to external pressures.
Enter Jack Kornfield.
- Jack Kornfield is a key teacher who introduced mindfulness practice to the West.
- He is the author of 16 books on mindfulness and meditation.
- He is a founding teacher of the Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts and Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California.
- He can be found on Instagram at @jackkornfield.
Jack's connection with hang gliding and paragliding.
- Jack Kornfield started hang gliding with a friend when he was in his late 20s.
- He later learned paragliding, which requires a license.
- Jack enjoys tandem paragliding from high mountains like Grindelwald in Switzerland.
- Paragliding gives him a thrilling and delicious experience, similar to the feeling of flying in dreams or meditation.
- He hopes to go paragliding again next summer when he returns to the Elms.
Jack's childhood, abusive father, and role as family peacemaker.
- Jack Kornfield is 72 years old.
- He had three brothers and an abusive father who was also brilliant.
- His father worked on various projects, including artificial hearts and lungs, and for the Army biological weapons people.
- Jack's family moved frequently due to his father's job instability.
- He attended eight schools by the time he finished high school.
- Jack became a peacemaker in the family to mediate between his parents.
- His twin brother confronted their father physically, which reduced the abuse.
- Despite the abuse, Jack had a close relationship with his brothers.
- His parents had intellectual interests and encouraged reading and learning.
- His mother tried to leave his father but stayed due to societal pressures.
- Jack's inner healing from his family's pain took a long time.
If you're going to be angry, do it right.
- Elizabeth Gilbert shared her experience of becoming angry while practicing as a Buddhist monk in Thailand.
- Her teacher advised her to confront her anger rather than suppress it.
- She realized that she had been carrying trauma and anger from her childhood and being human.
- Gilbert spent days and months learning to be present with her anger without being overwhelmed.
Jack's transition from pre-med to Asian studies at Dartmouth.
- Jack Kornfield initially pursued pre-med studies at Dartmouth.
- He took an Asian studies class out of interest and was captivated by the teachings of Dr. Wing-tsit Chan on Buddhism and suffering.
- Kornfield realized that he could transform his heart and mind through Buddhist teachings and practices.
- He became increasingly interested in Asian studies and eventually changed his major.
From hippie to Buddhist monk.
- Jack Kornfield became a card-carrying hippie and an LSD user.
- To avoid the draft, he joined the Peace Corps and requested to be sent to a Buddhist country.
- He wanted to find a Zen master and experience the teachings he had read about.
- He had detours, like being in Haight-Ashbury during the Summer of Love, which profoundly impacted his life.
- He felt a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood during this time and realized there were alternative ways of living.
- Elizabeth Gilbert and Jack Kornfield discuss the intersection of spirituality and creativity.
- Kornfield emphasizes the importance of presence and awareness in both spiritual practice and creative work.
- Gilbert highlights the role of curiosity and openness in the creative process.
- They agree that creativity and spirituality are deeply connected and can enhance each other.
- Kornfield suggests that creativity arises from a state of presence and awareness.
- He encourages artists to be fully present in the moment and to let go of expectations and judgments.
- Gilbert adds that curiosity and openness are essential for creativity.
- She encourages artists to explore new ideas and to be willing to take risks.
- Both Kornfield and Gilbert emphasize the importance of play and experimentation in the creative process.
Psychedelics' influence on Jack's spiritual path and current stance.
- Elizabeth Gilbert and Jack Kornfield discuss their experiences with psychedelics, particularly LSD, and how it showed Gilbert the possibility of inner freedom and the realization that she is not her body, personality, or history.
- Recent research at NYU and Johns Hopkins is exploring the therapeutic use of psilocybin for various conditions such as terminal cancer, depression, alcohol addiction, nicotine addiction, and end-of-life anxiety.
- Some individuals who have had ego-dissolving experiences through psychedelics, like Sam Harris, a PhD in neuroscience and well-known atheist, have become diligent meditators.
- Psychedelics like psilocybin can be used to set intentions for learning and opening up, leading to inward discoveries.
- Meditation and spiritual disciplines can help individuals step back and see the mystery of life beyond daily routines, fostering love, connection, and a different way of being.
- Every person has gifts to bring to the world, and opening up to the mystery of life fosters love, connection, and a different way of being.
Meeting Stanislav Grof.
- Elizabeth Gilbert met Stanislav Grof in 1973 after returning from a monastery.
- She connected with Grof through Dan Goldman, a graduate student at Harvard who introduced her to the Tibetan wheel of birth and death as a psychological diagram.
- Gilbert became part of a collective of people interested in transformative experiences, including Richie Davidson, a prominent neuroscientist, and Dan Goleman, author of "Emotional Intelligence."
- She worked at an Esalen-like growth center in Boston and set up programs with John Lilly and Stan Grof.
- Gilbert and Grof have been friends and collaborators for 45 years, working together on the development of holotropic breathwork and teaching in various parts of the world.
Finding and studying under Ajahn Chah.
- Elizabeth Gilbert was a volunteer in the Peace Corps in a remote area of Thailand.
- She learned to speak Thai during her time in the Peace Corps.
- While working in the health department, she heard about a Western monk named Ajahn Sumedho.
- She met Ajahn Sumedho and became friends with him.
- Ajahn Sumedho told her about his teacher, Ajahn Chah, who was known for being a strict and demanding teacher.
- Elizabeth Gilbert decided to visit Ajahn Chah and was impressed by his authenticity and wisdom.
- She decided to stay with Ajahn Chah and study under him.
Rookie monk training in Thailand and enduring suffering.
- Elizabeth Gilbert visited a monastery where she met Jack Kornfield, who warned her about the challenges of monastic life.
- The training at the monastery included practical aspects like wearing robes and dealing with cultural differences, as well as inner struggles of meditation and facing one's own mind with compassion.
- The monastic lifestyle emphasized simplicity, with limited possessions and sharing of food offered by the village.
- The daily routine involved waking up early, meditating, chanting, walking barefoot for food, and returning to the monastery for more meditation and work.
- One unique practice involved visiting a cremation ground, contemplating death, and watching bodies burn as a reminder of life's impermanence.
- The monks ate one shared meal a day, sometimes made from field mice, rats, bats, or grasshoppers due to food scarcity during the dry season.
Long silence periods and out-of-body experiences.
- Elizabeth Gilbert spent 500 days in silence at a Burmese Monastery, with the exception of 10-minute conversations with her teacher every few days.
- She practiced sitting and walking meditation for 18 hours a day.
- After a couple of months, she was exhausted and decided to lie down on the wooden floor to avoid sleeping too long.
- She had an out-of-body experience and saw her body lying on the floor.
- She realized that her intention to get up soon was so strong that her body got up without her.
- She had a series of interesting experiences after this.
Mystical experiences aren't always pleasant.
- Elizabeth Gilbert had experiences with psychedelics before learning to navigate mystical experiences without substances.
- Mystical experiences can include out-of-body experiences, vastness, profound silence, the Void, and luminosity.
- Physical sensations, such as heaviness, lightness, heat, cold, vibrations, and energy in chakras, can accompany these experiences.
- Deep energies can cause physical pain as they open up closed areas, such as the heart and throat.
- Visions and sounds may also occur as the brow chakra opens.
Tim's experience at Spirit Rock.
- Tim experienced a powerful opening in the chest during a 10-day retreat at Spirit Rock, where Elizabeth Gilbert is an instructor.
- The retreat was incredibly difficult and terrifying for Tim, who felt like he had crossed a boundary into madness and feared he wouldn't be able to return.
Challenges during training in Thailand and Burma.
- Elizabeth Gilbert got sick with malaria while training in the jungle.
- Chaw, a monk, visited her and told her that she could do it and that the medicine monk would bring medicine for her.
- Elizabeth Gilbert had a passion to understand and explore her human capacity.
- She wanted to see if the old zen stories were true and find out for herself.
- As she started meditating, she experienced out-of-body experiences, rapture, and changes in openings.
- She realized there was something to learn from these experiences.
- Elizabeth Gilbert's teacher, Chaw, told her that the experiences she was having were just like movies on a screen.
- The important thing was to turn her attention back and ask who was the witness of these experiences.
- By resting in the timeless Consciousness, she could tolerate anything and respond with love and understanding.
- Meditation is not so much about having experiences, but about turning back to ask who we are and what is the Consciousness itself.
- This is the mysterious Consciousness that was born into the body and will leave it.
Hatred never ceases by hatred, but by love alone is healed…
- Mahag Gananda, a Cambodian monk, survived the Cambodian genocide and went on to open a temple in a refugee camp.
- Despite the trauma the refugees had experienced, Gananda taught them that hatred never ceases by hatred, but by love alone is healed.
- Gananda led the refugees back to their villages on foot, chanting the chant of loving kindness, so that they could reclaim their land and their hearts.
- Elizabeth Gilbert poses the question of how to decide.
Advice for deep inner work with real-life responsibilities.
- Deep inner work involves stepping out of routines to open up to mystery and love, leading to transformative experiences.
- Balancing deep inner work with worldly responsibilities requires intuition and recognizing life stages' demands.
- Deep inner work can be found in everyday responsibilities and relationships, not limited to specific locations or practices.
- Intention and commitment are crucial for effective and meaningful deep inner work.
- Meditation retreats can be transformative, even for those with busy schedules or family commitments.
- Meditation and self-awareness practices help navigate difficult family relationships and childhood traumas.
- Obstacles can be the path to growth and fulfillment, as suggested by the idea of "the task that hinders your task is your task."
- The question of "to whom do out-of-body experiences happen?" prompts contemplation about human existence and consciousness.
- Neuroscientists have been unable to locate the self within the brain; it's constructed through identification with thoughts, body, and experiences.
- Transcendent moments reveal a deeper aspect of ourselves beyond personal history and emotions.
- We can experience our true nature as the witnessing awareness and loving consciousness that inhabits the body.
- Returning to one's family after spiritual experiences can be challenging, as exemplified by Buddha and Jesus.
Compassion vs. empathy.
- Compassion is different from empathy.
- Empathy is feeling what someone else is feeling, while compassion is feeling what someone else is feeling and wanting to help alleviate their suffering.
- Compassion is a natural human quality that can be reawakened and extended through practice and meditation.
- Compassion can be used to connect with others and build a more compassionate world.
- Compassion Tech is a field that explores how to build compassion into our interactions with technology.
- Examples of Compassion Tech include:
- A Fitbit for compassion that tracks moments of care.
- AI assistants that respond to expressions of loneliness with compassionate messages.
- Compassion can help address issues like loneliness and isolation.
- Compassion is a powerful force that can connect people and create a better world.
Technology's role in developing compassion.
- Elizabeth Gilbert and Jack Kornfield previously collaborated with Adam on software like Meditrain.
- Meditrain was one of the tools Adam used in his experiments to rejuvenate his mental capacity.
- Elizabeth Gilbert and Jack Kornfield have a successful track record of collaborating with neuroscientists and technologists on compassion-related projects.
Lovingkindness meditation for Westerners.
- Loving-kindness meditation involves focusing on others, promoting compassion and reducing self-criticism.
- In Western culture, meditation can lead to self-criticism due to societal conditioning.
- Loving-kindness meditation starts by cultivating mindful awareness of thoughts and emotions, creating distance from negative self-talk.
- Practicing loving-kindness meditation for others can be easier and can gradually extend to self-compassion.
- Compassion arises naturally when considering others' struggles, fostering a desire for their well-being.
- Loving-kindness meditation involves visualizing loved ones and extending wishes for their protection, safety, happiness, and well-being.
- The practice can also be directed towards oneself, promoting self-compassion, kindness, and healing.
- Research suggests that cells respond to consciousness and intention, and loving-kindness meditation can positively impact the body and mind.
- Guided loving-kindness meditations and audio resources are available from teachers like Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzberg, and Tara Brach.
- Jack Kornfield's website and soundstrue.com offer programs and meditations on compassion, loving-kindness, and mindfulness.
Attending the first White House Buddhist Leadership Conference.
- Invited to be part of the first White House Buddhist leadership Gathering.
- 120 Buddhist leaders from different communities were present.
- Various communities were involved in charitable activities like soup kitchens, helping the homeless, and supporting healing projects worldwide.
- Mentioned that the Buddha would likely meet with leaders like Obama if he were alive today.
- The Buddha's advice for a wise society includes:
- Training people to meet with respect, listen to differences, and come together peacefully.
- Tending to the vulnerable, young, old, and sick.
- Nurturing a healthy environment.
- These principles of compassion and wise society can be found in various traditions.
The mission of CASEL.
- CASEL (Consortium for Social and Emotional Learning) works in schools to teach social and emotional learning, including compassion.
- Kids who learn social and emotional skills perform better academically and can better cope with life's challenges.
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction is being incorporated in clinics, hospitals, and businesses.
- Mindfulness coaches have even been used by championship sports teams.
- These capacities can be learned and transform our lives, making it possible to experience inner peace and fulfillment in everyday life.
Introducing mindfulness practice and love as a superpower.
- Loving-kindness meditation involves sending well-wishes to oneself and others, reducing self-criticism, and promoting well-being.
- Love is a powerful force that can counter aggression and violence and is the underlying motivation for our actions.
- Mindfulness practices, including loving-kindness meditation, can benefit busy and impatient individuals by managing stress and enhancing overall well-being.
- Gary Snyder advises saving the world out of love and a sense of connection rather than guilt, anger, or fear.
- Mindfulness and loving-kindness practices can transform individuals and their relationships, and guided meditations can help develop these skills.
- Starting with small, achievable practices and gradually increasing them over time is an effective strategy for behavioral change.
- Focusing on a loved one or a pet can open the gateway to compassion and loving-kindness.
- Practicing mindfulness and loving-kindness can reveal and address the hypercritical nature of the mind and underlying shame.
- Self-judgment and self-loathing are part of being human, and the goal is to hold these feelings with kindness and compassion rather than judge them.
- Mindful self-compassion allows individuals to be kind to themselves and let go of the need to fix or perfect themselves.
- The focus should be on perfecting love rather than trying to fix or perfect oneself.
Returning to self-discovery after derailment.
- Jack Kornfield advised Elizabeth Gilbert to recognize self-criticism as a coping strategy and visualize thanking and placing it on a shelf, alongside wise figures like Buddha, for future use if needed.
- This approach helps individuals separate their true selves from survival strategies developed during vulnerable times and reconnect with the field of connection and interdependence through practices.
- Experiences like knowing when someone dies suggest that our consciousness extends beyond the physical body.
- Ram Dass, a Jewish man, appreciates aspects of the Jewish spiritual tradition, such as its generosity, teachings on consciousness, and wise masters, while also embracing Hinduism.
- He humorously remarked that he is "only Jewish on my parents' side," implying that one's identity is not limited to their heritage.
Apparent derailment as necessary communication.
- The Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu's book, "The Book of Joy," discusses how they maintain joy despite their suffering.
- The Dalai Lama emphasizes that he refuses to let others take his happiness.
- Archbishop Tutu chooses to focus on life-affirming aspects and the joy of being alive.
- This shift in consciousness is necessary for the world to overcome ongoing issues like warfare, racism, and environmental destruction.
- Humanity needs to develop inner transformation to match the rapid outer advancements.
- The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff described humanity as "a nation of nuclear giants and ethical infants," highlighting the need for growth.
- Personal growth and understanding lead to the empowerment to help others and create a collective awakening that humanity needs.
Self-talk for managing inappropriate anger.
- Elizabeth Gilbert shared her struggles with self-criticism and self-medication with caffeine to cope with challenges.
- Jack Kornfield advised Gilbert to practice non-judgment and loving-kindness towards herself, accepting her personality and its quirks.
- Kornfield also suggested mindful observation and connecting with a wise figure to manage anger effectively.
- Gilbert and Kornfield discussed receiving a symbolic gift during meditation to help manage intense emotions, such as a blue pyramid representing stability and power.
- The practice involves visualizing the giver of the gift, Jigoro Kano, touching the recipient's shoulder and whispering words of advice, emphasizing hard work and perseverance.
- The principle of Zenyo in Judo encourages the most efficient and benevolent use of energy, and the speaker encourages its practice in daily life.
- The speaker believes that wisdom and compassion are inherent within each individual and can be accessed through contemplative practices, rather than seeking external sources.
Returning to the US to study clinical psychology.
- Jack Kornfield, a renowned psychologist and meditation teacher, shares his experiences working with diverse individuals, including Buddhist seekers, adolescents, war veterans, and CEOs.
- After studying in Asia as a monk, Kornfield returned to the US to explore integrating Eastern and Western psychological approaches.
- Eastern psychology is gaining acceptance in Western clinical practices, with many therapists now incorporating meditation or mindfulness into their work.
- Inner capacities like presence, understanding attention, and compassion are universally applicable, regardless of background or circumstances.
- Forgiveness practices are crucial in trauma work, especially for veterans, and creating safe spaces for sharing experiences is therapeutic.
- Storytelling can release emotional burdens carried in the nervous system and body, making it a necessary tool for emotional well-being.
Using forgiveness to help veterans and at-risk youth.
- Forgiveness practice and self-forgiveness are important for liberation from past survival mechanisms.
- Creating a safe and respectful environment is crucial for sharing difficult stories.
- Rituals like collecting stones for lost loved ones can help establish a safe space for dialogue.
- Michael, a drummer, storyteller, and mythologist, works with veterans and at-risk youth.
Why community support beats community apathy.
- Ancient stories tell of warriors returning from battle, filled with violence and unable to stop it.
- In one myth, an Irish warrior named Culain returns to his town covered in blood and still possessed by the violence of war.
- The townspeople are terrified and ask the old wise woman for help.
- She suggests three things: lining up all the women in the village who bare their breasts, tying Culain up and putting him in a cauldron of cold water, and singing to him the stories and myths of warriors who had protected the kingdom and then come back and released the violence.
- After three days and nights of singing, Culain's eyes open and he is back to normal.
- The story illustrates the power of community support and compassion in helping people to heal from trauma.
Lack of significant initiation rituals in modern society.
- Modern society lacks meaningful initiation rituals.
- Bar Mitzvahs, a Jewish coming-of-age ritual, have become relatively superficial.
- The absence of proper initiation leads to issues like gang violence, where individuals seek self-initiation in harmful ways.
- In the Maasai tradition, young men prove their bravery by killing a lion at a certain age.
- The Mayans and people in Thailand had initiation rituals involving becoming a monk for a period.
- These rituals aimed to teach inner life and discipline.
- Modern society lacks structured initiation rituals, leading to issues like youth violence.
- Initiation rituals should be integrated into education and psychology to provide meaningful rites of passage.
- Michael Meade, a colleague of Jack Kornfield, has insightful writings on initiation and its potential in modern society.
Recommended book for newcomers to Jack's work.
- Jack Kornfield recommends different books for people starting with his work:
- An Introduction to Meditation - simple introduction to meditation.
- The Art of Forgiveness, Loving Kindness, and Peace - simple stories and practices on forgiveness, loving kindness, and peace.
- A Path with Heart or The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Principles of Buddhist Psychology - richer and fuller books on Buddhist psychology.
- Jack also suggests online resources, including his website and the 40-day mindfulness course on Soundcloud.
- Jack Kornfield discusses the concept of the trusting heart, which involves meeting difficulties with understanding, courage, and compassion.
- He recommends the book The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker, which highlights the growing consciousness of humanity despite conflicts and environmental challenges.
- Jack also mentions the book Bury the Chains, which tells the story of the ending of slavery in the British Empire and the role of the Quakers in this movement.
- He emphasizes the amazing possibilities humans have and the importance of each individual's contribution in making a positive impact.
Jack's billboard.
- Jack Kornfield was asked what message he would put on a billboard if he could share a message with millions or billions of people.
- He suggested a question rather than a statement: "How could I love myself better?"
- The purpose of this question is to remind people of the importance of self-love and to encourage them to reflect on how they can improve their self-love.
- Jack believes that self-love is essential for overall well-being and happiness.
Parting thoughts.
- Elizabeth Gilbert expresses gratitude to Jack Kornfield for his teachings on self-love, compassion, and following one's highest intention.
- Kornfield's three knots symbolize refuge, commitment to compassion, and pursuing one's highest purpose.
- Gilbert recommends Kornfield's work and resources, including his website, soundstrue.com, and Spirit Rock Meditation Center, which are linked in the show notes.
- Tim Ferriss promotes his "Five Bullet Friday" newsletter, sharing his weekly discoveries and explorations.
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