Facing Death

“I want us to recognize our tremendously strong impulse to draw a conclusion, to think we know. But it’s in the NOT knowing—the inquiry, the curiosity, the humility, the beginner’s mind—that we create a real opening.”Terry Patten

An extraordinary, heartfelt conversation with spiritual practitioner, teacher, activist, Integralist, and author Terry Patten, who was at the time facing his own mortality following a recent diagnosis of a rare and aggressive cancer. An inner radiance shines forth as Terry, with much graciousness and candor, discusses the call to “get real”—not only personally but also collectively; his deepened perception of the “amazing grace of existence;” the directionality that has guided much of his life; and action inquiry: working on becoming next-stage human beings by experimenting with being the best people we can be. A touching and transformative talk, Terry conveys the deepening understanding coming from living on the edge and transmits a “radical okayness” with everything.

Recorded September 21, 2021.

Topics & Timestamps: Part 1

• The call to “get real,” personally and collectively; waking up to the miracle of existence (04:17)
• With the diagnosis, the burden fell away (21:44)
• Mortality versus morbidity: many sufferings are worse than death (31:02)
• The directionality that guided Terry’s life and wanting to be “good” (41:11)
• Encountering his root guru, Adi Da (44:50)
• The importance of being kind (46:54)
• Let’s bend a knee to something greater than ourselves and LISTEN (53:43)
• The radical okayness of it all (55:52)
• Action inquiry and evolving into a new stage of human development (56:27)

Resources & References

• Terry Patten, A New Republic of the Heart: An Ethos for Revolutionaries*
• The nonprofit organization A New Republic of the Heart invites spiritual practitioners and change agents to learn, practice, and collaborate in becoming the next-stage human beings who can rise to our collective moment.
• Terry Patten.com
• Rumi, “The Beloved,” The Way of the Sufi*
• Stephen Jenkinson, Die Wise*
• Adi Da, American spiritual teacher
• Aldous Huxley, “Try to be a little kinder.”
• His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Compassion and the Individual
• Joanna Macy, The Great Turning or the Great Unraveling: It’s Our Choice
• Brightening Every Darkness, 4-part webinar offered in the last weeks of Terry’s life, with Terry, Diane Hamilton, Indra Adnan, and Craig Hamilton

About Terry Patten

An integral coach, consultant, teacher, and author of four books, Terry’s work focuses on serving “the integral heart” by evolving the leading edge of leadership and practice. He was the senior writer and co-author, with Ken Wilber, of Integral Life Practice: A 21st-Century Blueprint for Physical Health, Emotional Balance, Mental Clarity, and Spiritual Awakening.

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About Roger Walsh

Roger Walsh, M.D., Ph.D., has spent nearly a quarter century researching and practicing in the world’s great spiritual traditions. His critically acclaimed book, Essential Spirituality, is a summary of that wisdom, outlining the seven spiritual practices common to the world’s major religions.

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About John Dupuy

John Dupuy is co-founder and CEO of iAwake Technologies, a company that creates cutting-edge, high-tech brainwave entrainment soundtracks that support the healing of emotional/shadow issues, deepen meditation, mental focus, creativity, and flow states, and enhance a daily integral transformative practice. John has been working personally and professionally with brainwave entrainment technology since 2004, and travels internationally to teach and inspire on the subjects of Integral Transformative Practice and Integral Recovery®. John is also the author of Integral Recovery: A Revolutionary Approach to the Treatment of Alcoholism and Addiction (SUNY Press, 2013), winner of the 2013 USA Best Book Award, and co-host of the popular Journey of Integral Recovery podcast. John also hosts the online series Spiritual Tech Talks 2.0, in which he converses with leaders, pioneers, and inventors on the current wave of emerging spiritual technologies.