In this final episode of Being: In Practice Season One, Erin and Dani talk all about Being! From recapping parts of this season, to sharing stories of the importance of being to each of the co-hosts, this episode is personal, vulnerable, and also covers many facets of the collective practice of being. This episode contains Erin sharing the story of the death of a family member, and Dani mentions suicidality and mental illness recovery - these stories are shared in trauma-informed ways, but as always, please listen at your discretion. Full of validation, thoughtful dialogue, empowerment, and resources, this episode is a heartfelt exploration on the theme of this podcast - the messy and multidimensional experience of being human.

Key highlights: 

• There is possibility in being because we are all whole and enough, and even if there are behaviors that are no longer serving us, we can move towards self-acceptance and self-trust

• The choices that are possible for us to evaluate in every moment can influence our perspective, our presence, and can be a radical anti-capitalist and anti-oppression act of self-reclamation

• The only thing that is actually real is the perception of the experiences a person is having at any given time - we assign meaning to our experiences and our ways of being and that is the lens through which we live

• Debunking the conditioned and immature ideal that “happiness is a choice” or that happiness is the goal of life - and providing insight around skills-building for regulation, emotional processing, and cultivating joy as more sustainable alternatives

Find episode resources on our website: https://beinginpracticepodcast.com/

In this deep dive, Dani and Erin discuss grief. This episode is very special for many reasons, throughout the season Erin has talked about how grief is one of their favorite feelings, so they had been looking forward to recording this episode with Dani. During the recording, Erin’s grandfather died; he was hit while walking by a drunk driver. Erin found this out right after we got done with recording, their brother had called them during. Erin also edited this episode. 

It was special to discuss grief while this all occurred. Dani and Erin remind listeners that grief is a universal human experience, but it’s depths and nuances often go unexamined. We get into the intricate facets of grief, shedding light on how we process, cope with and understand this misunderstood emotion/experience. 

Key Highlights:

• The Nature of Grief; We begin by contemplating the very essence of grief. What does it mean to grieve, and how do we navigate this emotional terrain, especially in a society that frequently undervalues the expression of emotion

• Unacknowledged Grief; One of the challenges we face is the tendency to overlook or suppress our grief. There are numerous aspects of life that call for mourning, but we often struggle to give ourselves permission to do so.

• Diverse Sources of Grief; Grief is not confined to the loss of loved ones; it extends to various life transitions, such as divorce, job loss, or even positive changes like marriage, graduation, and moving. We explore how even joyful events can evoke feelings of grief.

• The Non-Linear Path of Grief; Grief doesn't follow a linear trajectory. It is characterized by fluctuating intensities, with moments of profound emotion followed by periods of relative calm. We discuss the significance of creating spaces to process our feelings of grief.

If you are interested in working with Erin or Dani or are looking for episode resources, visit our website: https://beinginpracticepodcast.com/

In this dynamic conversation, Dani and Erin interview author, artist, and content creator Chuck Copenspire about the collective, and fluid, experience of identity. Chuck shares his wisdom as a creative thinker, as queer trans man, as a parent, as a person who has held many identities in career and otherwise - and is currently going through multiple major life and identity transitions. We dive into so many facets of what it means to both claim certain identities as acts of reclamation in self-discovery, and also accept how they can (and most often do) change throughout our lives. Touching on elements of ego, the survival self, queer identity, spirituality, gender identity, sexual identity, identity in career as entrepreneurs and employees, as parents, as people with mental illness, disabilities, and neurodivergence (with mis-diagnoses and late diagnoses), we also explore how all of these can be fluid. We provide examples, context, and supportive resources for anyone grappling with identity in any form, or for those curious about what it means to embrace, or shift, pieces of identity with trust, self-acceptance, and empowerment.

Key highlights:

• Regulation and self-validation are key pieces to accessing different parts of identity, and being receptive and open to shifting identities, while recognizing that it can serve us to unwaveringly identify with true core parts of ourselves as a part of integration

• External perception and conditioning often drive identity until we decide to influence and discover for ourselves what pieces of identity feel true for us, which can be a lifelong unfolding process

• Accepting and embracing changes in identity often comes with reckoning with grief, resistance, shame, fear, and the versions of ourselves we thought we would be - and why we deserve support for processing these pieces

• Impermanence and fluidity are a part of our reality because we are humans, and part of reconciling with non-attachment and identity is supported by reconnecting with the cycles of Earth and the natural world

• Endings or changes in identity don’t have to be perceived as failures, because they are just transitions, and new beginnings

How to reach Chuck Copenspire: https://magicalweirdo.com and @magicalwierdochuck 

Find episode resources on our website: https://beinginpracticepodcast.com/