Lifefulness: Live Life Fully

Today our guest is Shappi Khorsandi comedian, actor and author. I've known Shappi since we gigged on the stand up circuit together, and always loved her way of dealing with all manner of topics from politics to parenthood. Her passion for living a good life in a secular way led to her being elected President of the British Humanist Association in 2016 and today she is still the Vice-President. ..Shappi’s outlook is coloured by an unusual life story - her parents emigrated from Iran when she was a child and she was brought up as a sort of culturally Muslim atheist. Pretty cool. Her journey to TV stardom has not always been easy, leading to addictions and 12 step programmes...3 Key Takeaways...We deep-dive into the importance of funerals, weddings and rites of passage.You’ll learn how taking part in “I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here” created a spiritual transformation in ShappiThere’s a deep dive into how a lack of meaning, disconnection and low self-esteem led into addiction...News: Lifefulness 101..We are launching Lifefulness 101 - a new group learning experience that will help you devise meaningful goals for 2021 and give you a community of absolute legends who will inspire you to make them happen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest today is Samantha Moyo. Sam is vibrating harpstring of a human. In 2013 she founded MorningGloryville - an early morning sober rave. The concept went off like a bass bomb. City workers, professionals and folk of all stripes were kicking off their day with a dance to DJs like Fat Boy Slim.Joyful, non-rational, transformative experiences are fundamental to being human, are a fundamental part of Lifefulness and she is an expert in them.Her work was recognised in the ‘How We Gather’ report from Harvard Divinity School as an important way millennials were finding community in a post-religious world. Today Sam is a culture change and innovation consultant for major brands, and a spreader of wisdom and joy.In this conversation you'll get a glimpse into a fascinating pan-religious upbringing in Zimbabwe before we dive into the MorningGloryville story. Fans of the show will know that there’s adult language and this episode has got more than most. There’s an unusual story at the end which certainly acknowledges the existence of sex. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Liz Oldfield is a remarkable woman who began life in TV and radio, before becoming director of the Theos Thinktank - which is dedicated to studying faith in the UK. This means she’s the first Christian we’ve had on the show. Sound the trumpets, kill the fatted calf, sing hosannas in the highest, and then some even higher than that.Liz appears regularly in the media on matters of faith and culture. You might have seen her on BBC One, Sky News, the World Service, or caught her writing in The Financial Times.What You'll Get.I thought we were going to talk about faith in Britain, the changing landscape of belief and her reports but we ended up getting a breakdown of what she gets from her church.I realised I’d never spoken to a religious person like this (and Liz hadn’t spoken about her faith this way either).You’ll hear what it’s like to experience God, the support her community gives her, how central the worship experience is to her life, the role of money in community and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today my guest is Guy Claxton - emeritus Professor of the Learning Sciences at the University of Winchester, cognitive scientist, author of over 30 books and a world leader in the field of education. Combined with his background as a researcher Guy's a balls-to-the-wall spiritual seeker. Have you seen the Netflix documentary ‘Wild Wild Country’ about the Rajneesh community? Guy was part of the Rajneesh in India but got out before they all went crazy in Oregon. His life and work show how an appreciation of spiritual pathways can be scientific, academic and not at all hippy. And, I love him, so you’ll love him.In the conversation:The main reason I got Guy is because he’s an expert in embodied cognition - an idea that is so important when linking ancient spiritual practices to modern knowledge.Embodied cognition is the idea that you think, feel and are with your body as much as your mind. It shows how this stuff is not elite, academic or impractical. For instance, Traders on the stock market who are in touch with their embodied cognition and bodies make more money.On top of that you’ll learn what it was like in the Rajneesh community, what spirituality means to him, how these practices stablise altered states, and, as ever, a whole lot more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we're speaking to Dan Snow who is one of Britain’s most recognisable historians. Dan’s a BBC TV presenter, filmmaker, author podcaster and even runs his own History Channel, History Hit.The guy loves history and is on a mission to pump as much of it out there as possible.Dan and Sanderson first worked together in 2013 when they created a secular Remembrance Sunday service. It turned out that it was Britain’s first ever non-religious commemoration of the British war dead.Because not only is Dan interested in these fundamental human questions as a historian, but he’s also a passionate humanist who regularly campaigns on issues close to his heart. In the conversation:One of the main reasons we wanted to speak to Dan is because he’s created a sort of secular spirituality of history. He has found something that moves him profoundly, then dedicated his days to living it as truly as possible.  On top of that Dan speaks very openly about his mental health struggles, and told us it was the time he’s done it in public. Amidst all of this there are insights into community, his ritual practices and a really handy tip for looking round museums! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we speak with Vanesa Gomez Brake, the Associate Dean of Religious Life at the University of Southern California. Vanessa’s amazing because she is the first Humanist Chaplain to be a Dean of Religious Life in any American University. In her role, she works to support and promote university religious and spiritual life, serving the spiritual needs of all students regardless of their religious perspective.Vanessa’s fascinating because even though she became nonreligious in her teens, she studied religion at university and got a Master of Divinity degree - meaning she has spent years studying religion and religious identity as a sort of outsider. She’s thought about how all people can benefit from religious and spiritual practices, even if they don’t have religious beliefs. We spoke to her because she is an expert in understanding how spiritual practices can be adapted for everyone, and she also knows how to do that within an organisation.   What will you get from it?You’ll learn what what it means to be a chaplain in a secular and inclusive way, and what being a chaplain is actually is.You’ll be introduced to the idea of ‘stealth chaplaincy’. ‘Stealth chaplains’ aren’t vigilantes but Vanessa uses this term to describe how companies in Silicon Valley, now have the chaplain role but without the word.You’ll also really appreciate how Vanessa defines a ‘spiritual life’ - in a way that makes sense for religious and non-religious alike. She then digs into what that looks like on a university campus in a way that will be really useful for anyone in any type of organisation, school or community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are interviewing Tim Minchin - a comedian, musician, actor, songwriter and multi-talented genius. He’s played sold out comedy shows at the Sydney Opera House, his songs have gone mega-viral a bunch of times, he wrote the every award-winning musical Mathilda and we feel he should leave some of the success for everyone else.Alongside this he’s been a proud skeptic, atheist and humanist who, through his art and public comment, engages deeply with why we are here, and how we should live.What you’ll get.What you’ll find in this conversation is:a brilliant discussion of why meaning is the most important thing in the Universewhy Tim thinks the Universe is meaninglessa moving description of the power of ritualand some very personal insights into the cost of fameYou’ll also find Tim engaging with the positive sides of spirituality and religion more than we've ever heard from him in the past. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’re going to be talking money - which doesn’t seem that spiritual. Why are we doing that? Because before we launched our podcast we did a survey of the Lifefulness community asking one question: "What was preventing you living life as fully as possible?" A lot of people said money and finances.That’s why we reached out to Dasha Kennedy - the inspirational founder of the Broke Black Girl community that gives financial advice catering to black women. At its heart is a 70 000 facebook group, that provides resources and support to this underserved demographic. Her advice is transforming the lives of her community members, and we think there’ll be loads in it for you and your broke ass.What do we cover:Simple ways to get your finances under control.Ways to reframe saving.Insights into how financial services provide advice centred on white people.Understanding of black economic oppression.In this conversation you will get brilliant insights in how to think about money, how to change your relationship with your finances and how to get better with it. I’ll be honest I was learning a lot because I am not great with personal finances. I loved learning about the Money Minute - find out what that ios and how it can help you in our conversation - and I really appreciated Dasha’s insights into how structural inequalities and racism affect financial advice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

OK. This is our favourite Lifefulness podcast so far. Start here. We love the other shows but this was special. Why? Because we changed the format to make it more loosey-goosey, a bit sillier.You get all the deep chat, all the dramatic life-changing insights AND dumb jokes.We explore:How you can introduce the benefits of religion and spirituality into your life, even if you’re not religiousHow you can use ritual to bring soul to the workplaceHow you can respectfully adapt religious practicesThe dangers of bringing meaningful practices into the workplace Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Community Life is the third pillar of Lifefulness and is obviously vital to spiritual communities. We think of a congregation we think of community!We look through our own personal experiences of community, then dive into traditions, ways of finding community, the science behind it and some misconceptions we have about it.This episode would go particularly well when paired with our interview with Lennon Flowers.The second pillar of Lifefulness is Celebration because gathering together to adore what is sacred, or taking time to connect to your meaning individually, is a vital part of spiritual community.James and I explore our own experiences with celebration in Sunday Assembly and The Ethical Society, before diving into the science, history, traditions and practices.This podcast will give you ideas of what you can do in your life, as well as a broader understanding of this vital part of Lifefulness.Lifefulness Podcast Launch ContestAs you heard on the podcast we are running a competition for the until 29th September which you can apply to join at www.lifefulness.io/podcast. The more you share the podcast, the more chance you have of winning.Lifefulness Small GroupsWe are passionate about the podcast but we are even more keen on building community. Not just community for the sake of it, not community in a bullshit 'You're part of the Corn Flakes community' but real connections that help you live your life as fully as possible.We are launching Small Groups which will meet twice a month to discuss the big issues we engage with on the podcast, to hold each other accountable, and to inspire each other to be our fullest selves.You can apply to join at www.lifefulness.io/membership.Subscribe, rate, review and share.You can find us here on social media.Insta: @thelifefulnessprojectFB: /thelifefulnessprojectTwitter: @lifefulnessprjtLifefulness At WorkWe love to take Lifefulness into the workplace to help create wonderful work environments through events, training and consultancy. Check out Lifefulness At Work.The HostsJames and I would also love a follow.James CroftTwitter: @croftspeaksSanderson JonesInsta: @sandersonjonesTwitter: @sandersonjones Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The second pillar of Lifefulness is Celebration because gathering together to adore what is sacred, or taking time to connect to your meaning individually, is a vital part of spiritual community.James and I explore our own experiences with celebration in Sunday Assembly and The Ethical Society, before diving into the science, history, traditions and practices.This podcast will give you ideas of what you can do in your life, as well as a broader understanding of this vital part of Lifefulness.Lifefulness Podcast Launch ContestAs you heard on the podcast we are running a competition for the until 29th September which you can apply to join at www.lifefulness.io/podcast. The more you share the podcast, the more chance you have of winning.Lifefulness Small GroupsWe are passionate about the podcast but we are even more keen on building community. Not just community for the sake of it, not community in a bullshit 'You're part of the Corn Flakes community' but real connections that help you live your life as fully as possible.We are launching Small Groups which will meet twice a month to discuss the big issues we engage with on the podcast, to hold each other accountable, and to inspire each other to be our fullest selves.You can apply to join at www.lifefulness.io/membership.Subscribe, rate, review and share.You can find us here on social media.Insta: @thelifefulnessprojectFB: /thelifefulnessprojectTwitter: @lifefulnessprjtLifefulness At WorkWe love to take Lifefulness into the workplace to help create wonderful work environments through events, training and consultancy. Check out Lifefulness At Work.The HostsJames and I would also love a follow.James CroftTwitter: @croftspeaksSanderson JonesInsta: @sandersonjonesTwitter: @sandersonjones Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the Lifefulness podcast from The Lifefulness Project but what is Lifefulness? This 6 Part Mini-Series goes over the 6 Pillars of Lifefulness and number 1 is Ultimate Meaning.Meaning decided what is important to you and Ultimate Meaning is the most important thing to you. This podcast is about the most important thing in your whole life.That's some claim.But how often do we really spend thinking about our Ultimate Meaning? How often do we cultivate it? How much of our lives do we dedicate to it? Probably not quite enough.Lifefulness Podcast Launch ContestAs you heard on the podcast we are running a competition for the until 29th September which you can apply to join at www.lifefulness.io/podcast. The more you share the podcast, the more chance you have of winning.Lifefulness Small GroupsWe are passionate about the podcast but we are even more keen on building community. Not just community for the sake of it, not community in a bullshit 'You're part of the Corn Flakes community' but real connections that help you live your life as fully as possible.We are launching Small Groups which will meet twice a month to discuss the big issues we engage with on the podcast, to hold each other accountable, and to inspire each other to be our fullest selves.You can apply to join at www.lifefulness.io/membership.Subscribe, rate, review and share.You can find us here on social media.Insta: @thelifefulnessprojectFB: /thelifefulnessprojectTwitter: @lifefulnessprjtLifefulness At WorkWe love to take Lifefulness into the workplace to help create wonderful work environments through events, training and consultancy. Check out Lifefulness At Work.The HostsJames and I would also love a follow.James CroftTwitter: @croftspeaksSanderson JonesInsta: @sandersonjonesTwitter: @sandersonjones Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest this week is Zoe Cormier, author of Sex, Drugs and Rock n’ Roll: The Science of Hedonism and the Hedonism of Science, who challenges us to take fun seriously. And not just fun: joy, ecstasy, transcendence, pleasure, the whole shebang.Zoe’s journalism has featured in Rolling Stone, The Times, Wired, Nature, New Scientist, The Guardian, The Globe and Mail, BBC Focus and many other publications. As a founder of the organization Guerilla Science, Zoe believes that science is not only a tool but a wonderful window into the biggest questions of existence, and that understanding the world better helps us live life more fully. What we get from this:There’s so much in this conversation because almost every spiritual tradition, and Lifefulness, makes joyful celebration a key part of a good life. Zoe’s passion for science - and for the hedonistic aspects of life - shines through in our discussion, so you’ll feel good about having fun. We dive into why, and how, art, comedy, music and dance are so vital to humanity.She was really insightful when she stressed how monastic religious traditions - ones which insist we find spiritual truth and fulfilment in solitude, silence, and asceticism - have got it all wrong. Rather, she thinks we find our greatest source of spiritual wonder in the hedonic acts we perform with each other: bopping on the dancefloor, writhing at the rave, and bonking in the bedroom. (Quick disclaimer: while I (Sanderson) am writing this in the first person, James chose the word 'bonking').If you want to live life more passionately and less guiltily, this is the conversation for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Stevenson is an author, futurologist, entrepreneur and podcaster. The book that catapulted him to renown was The Optimist’s Guide To The Future - which examined how humans could make the next century the best century. Before you throw your phone into the sea because you don’t want to hear a mindless optimist, then let me reassure you, that’s not what you’re going to get. Mark describes himself as a possibilist because a great future is possible - if we make the change.I know Mark because he’s spoken at Sunday Assembly many times, and he's always been great. He, like me, was a stand up early on in his career though he made a cleaner break than I did. I think I'm still waiting, like a bank robber trying to go straight, for one last big job (that always turns out well).Conversation: Mark gives us an overview of Systems Change - the best way of thinking about changing the world in my humble opinion. There’s practical tips on how to fight climate change and a super simple of overview of how to create change, This is super relevant to The Lifefulness Project because one of huge benefits of being part of a spiritual community is this idea that you will change the world (that's why Changing The World is one of the 6 Pillars of Lifefulness). However a major problem today is we feel the world is so big, that we can’t possibly have an impact.Lastly, we loved Mark’s encouragement to make the most of this pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic is a disaster, but it’s also an opportunity to make change in your community, organization, business, or life - because if you can’t make radical change now, when can you? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest today is Lennon Flowers - an amazing thinker, doer and creator who is an inspirational figure in this world of reimagining spiritual community in a way that is non-religious. She does this through The Dinner Party - a non-profit that helps people in their 20’s and 30’s who have lost loved ones and are experiencing grief. The work is inspired by her own mother’s death when she was at college, which left her feeling isolated because no one knows what to say.It was after college that she arranged a dinner party for younger people who were grieving, and a movement was born. Today there have been dinner parties in over 100 cities, and she’s been recognised as an outstanding social entrepreneur, and a reanimator of spiritual traditions.Conversation:We loved this conversation because Lennon is GREAT and I could talk to her for hours. You’ll get an insight into grief, the grieving process, the transformative potential that lurks within loss; the power of community for change; what makes a good community; and so much bloody more. James and I had our ears on stalks because this was such a rich conversation. James was really connected because his dad died only a couple of years ago, and this conversation made him really wanted to join one of the dinner parties. What she said about loss and the need for community resonated with him and he actually signed up for a virtual Dinner Party.Lennon is the perfect example of someone who is doing Lifefulness (without knowing the word). Her work revives and makes sacred the act of coming together to eat and - classic segue - I think you’ll find this conversation absolutely delicious. On reflection, using the word 'delicious' in relation to any woman, even tangentially, instantly sounds priddy creepy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matthew Parris is a legendary broadcaster, author, journalist and quasi-national treasure. We wanted to speak to him because frankly, who wouldn't? It's Matthew bloody Parris.But, he's also a really important voice in some huge questions that are of vital importance. One in particular comes from his experience losing his tribe. Matthew was life-long Conservative, he began his career as an MP, and still has fond memories of Margaret Thatcher but left the Tory party over Brexit. We dived into what it was like to lose a tribe, what he realised about tribal thinking and why tribes are still important.We discussed false Messiahs, the dangers of spirituality, the mixed blessings of Christianity in Africa and much else besides. We know you'll love to spend time with him as much as we did.Find him:Twitter: @matthewparris3Matthew's books: Buy 'em here!Lifefulness Podcast Launch ContestAs you heard on the podcast we are running a competition for the until 29th September which you can apply to join at www.lifefulness.io/podcast. The more you share the podcast, the more chance you have of winning.Lifefulness Small GroupsWe are passionate about the podcast but we are even more keen on building community. Not just community for the sake of it, not community in a bullshit 'You're part of the Corn Flakes community' but real connections that help you live your life as fully as possible.We are launching Small Groups which will meet twice a month to discuss the big issues we engage with on the podcast, to hold each other accountable, and to inspire each other to be our fullest selves.You can apply to join at www.lifefulness.io/membership.Subscribe, rate, review and share.You can find us here on social media.Insta: @thelifefulnessprojectFB: /thelifefulnessprojectTwitter: @lifefulnessprjtLifefulness At WorkWe love to take Lifefulness into the workplace to help create wonderful work environments through events, training and consultancy. Check out Lifefulness At Work.The HostsJames and I would also love a follow.James CroftTwitter: @croftspeaksSanderson JonesInsta: @sandersonjonesTwitter: @sandersonjones Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are we looking for something more? - Lisa SmosarskiJames and I were so pleased to speak to Lisa Smosarski because as the founding editor of Stylist Magazine, she had a unique birds eye view over the culture that we’re living in today. We wanted to find out how her readers were answering their need for meaning and belonging in 2020.Also, Lisa is just one of those sparkling, shining people that it’s just great to hang out with. It was a win-win-win-win-winnie mandela-winning with Michail Winner-win. In this podcast we learn about Lisa’s childhood going to Sunday school, without believing in God, then forcing her parents to still take her, when they stopped going. The conversation then moved onto the desire for people today to seek answers outside their own lives. A search that often leads to astrology, something that is not up Lisa’s alley at all. We then slag off astrology for a bit (but in a way that is respectful of all people’s beliefs).From here the conversation moved on to cover fashion, identity and how we can engage with the current system while agitating for change. After this we moved onto looking at Lisa’s incredibly successful career, to find out a bit more about how she was able to become the editor of the iconic Smash Hits aged only 25. This developed into a great conversation about how she creates a work culture where everyone can excel, without becoming all Devil Wears Prada. Finally we got stuck into what makes Lisa tick, and the specific ways of thinking that enable her to be a beacon of light when things get stressful. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the trailer for Lifefulness: Live Life Fully a new podcast that is dedicated to (maybe you can figure it out from the name) helping you live life fully through Lifefulness. Congrats on figuring that out. Go you!Every week Sanderson Jones and James Croft interview incredible thinkers, doers, artists, and scientists, as well as folk from a religious background, to discuss the biggest questions in life, and the super practical.Please subscribe, like, share, follow us on social media (maybe follow us home? maybe follow our advice) and all the rest.Find us:Facebook - @TheLifefulnessProjectInstagram - @TheLifefulnessProjectTwitter - @LifefulnessPRJTSite:www.lifefulness.io/podcastHosts:Twitter - @SandersonJones Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.