Falling Down and Getting Up with Mark Nepo

#1 NYT best-selling author and spiritual teacher Mark Nepo joins “The Good Mood Show” once again to share insights from his highly anticipated new book Falling Down and Getting Up. 

Mark has been named by Watkins as one of the 100 most spiritually influential living people. In this episode, he discusses how the essence of life is an evolution of falling down and getting up, each time with a little more wisdom. As Mark explains, we never reach an "arrived state" without problems, because that’s not how life truly works. We can't bypass the challenges; we have to live through them. 

You will learn how the strength of being alive comes from embracing our wholeness, being real, and being authentic. 

Here are some power takeaways from today’s conversation: 

• The mystery of life and how it works

• The importance of making amends

• Seeing things as they are

• The wisdom of being present

• The story of Gilgamesh

[08:12] The Mystery of Life and How It Works

In life, we often seek the good times and avoid the tough stuff, but that's not how life works. The strength of being alive comes from embracing its wholeness, being real, and authentic. We can't bypass the challenges; we have to live through them. It's like water - we can't just have hydrogen alone and call it water. Life is a mystery, and its wholeness requires us to support and journey together. We've always chased the ideal state without problems, but the truth is, there are no problems only in death.

[10:38] The Power of Authenticity of Making Amends

Pain and suffering are inherent in the cycle of life, according to Buddhist teachings. While unavoidable, we must learn to work with it. When we unintentionally hurt each other, it's often a mistake that can be rectified through sincere apologies and making amends. This process plays a crucial role in fostering intimacy and growth. However, there is also deliberate harm caused by evil, which stems from personal pain and avoidance of facing one's own issues. The courage to be authentic and face our own pain reduces violence in the world and allows us to support rather than harm one another. 

[13:00] Seeing Things as They Are

Being authentic requires us to embrace the challenging yet essential practice of seeing things as they truly are, rather than through the lens of our desires or the urge to escape. By facing reality head-on, we empower ourselves to navigate through obstacles and extend support to one another. When we acknowledge our mistakes and the harm we have caused, we can take the necessary steps to repair and prevent such incidents from recurring.

Notable quotes:

[09:00] The strength of being alive comes from its wholeness, and we can only access its wholeness by being real and authentic. [09:11]

[11:59] The courage to be authentic by itself reduces violence in the world because then we help each other rather than hurt each other. [12:08]

[17:46] If we are open-hearted, we are returned to life right where we are. [17:52]

[18:08] When we are stopped, or we willingly stop, there's always a teacher nearby, always. And often, we run right past it. [18:18]

Resources Mentioned: 

Falling Down and Getting Up

www.sophiainstitute.org 

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About the Guest 

Mark Nepo is an American poet, author, and spiritual teacher. A New York Times best-selling author, Mark has been called one of the finest spiritual guides of our time and named by Watkins as one of the 100 most spiritually influential living people. He was also chosen as one of the Oprah Winfrey Network's Super Soul 100 and has appeared several times with Oprah on her Super Soul Sunday program.