Sounds of SAND Science and Nonduality
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- Society & Culture
Sounds of SAND is a podcast from Science and Nonduality which contemplates and reveres the beauty, complexity, pain, and great mystery that weave the infinite cycles of existence.
We explore beyond ultimate truths, binary thinking, and individual awakening while acknowledging humanity as a mere part of the intricate web of life.
Episodes tap into SAND’s rich history and collaborative future by presenting talks, dialogs, interviews, readings, music, and recordings from SAND Conferences, events, and webinars weaving timeless wisdom and embodied experience.
Let’s listen, learn, and share.
➡️ Find out more at scienceandnonduality.com
💌 Reach out to us at podcast@scienceandnonduality.com
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#91 Decolonizing Healthcare: Dr. Rupa Marya
Dr. Rupa Marya discusses her work at the intersection of medicine, health, land, and justice. She explains the concept of deep medicine, which looks at the health impacts of colonialism and colonial capitalism and emphasizes the need to address the root causes of illness.Dr. Rupa Marya is a physician, activist, writer, and composer at UC, San Francisco. Her work intersects climate, health, and racial justice. As founder of the Deep Medicine Circle and co-founder of the Do No Harm Coalition, she's committed to healing colonialism's wounds and addressing disease through structural change. Recognized with the Women Leaders in Medicine Award, Dr. Marya was a reviewer for the AMA's plan to embed racial justice. Governor Newsom appointed her to the Healthy California for All Commission to advance universal healthcare. Also a musician, she's toured 29 countries with her band, creating what Gil Scott-Heron called "Liberation Music”. Together with Raj Patel, she co-authored the international bestseller, Inflamed: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Injustice.
Links and Resources:
RupaMarya.org
Deep Medicine Circle
Inflamed: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Injustice by Raj Patel & Rupa Marya
“Discourse on Colonialism” by Aimé Césaire
“The Deep Medicine of Rehumanizing Palestinians” by Dr. Rupa Marya & Ghassan Abu-Sitta
Where Olive Trees Weep (film)
Where Olive Trees Weep - Conversations on Palestine
“Work for Peace” by GIl Scott Heron
Topics:
00:00 - Introduction
02:01 - Meeting Dr. Marya
06:31 - Shallow vs Deep Medicine
11:58 - Balancing Deep Medicine and Immediate Health Crises
15:28 - Essential & Integrative of Medicine
19:48 - Media Narratives Around Health
25:32 - Colonialism & Healthcare
30:51 - Dehumanization
36:16 - The Power Mind Virus
40:19 - Imagining What’s Possible
44:16 - Narratives Supporting Genocide
50:46 - Heaviness, Hopefulness & Listening
53:37 - Protest Music in the Era of Big Media
56:01 - Closing
Support the mission of SAND and the production of this podcast by becoming a SAND Member. -
#90 Dancing in the Fire: Farah El-Sharif, Ayesha Kajee, Seemi Bushra Ghazi & Daniel Foor
Muslim Spirituality Illuminating the Path to Freedom: An exploration of how the spiritual heart of the Islamic tradition can inspire and fuel contemporary struggles for liberation, justice and humanity.
Through their unique lens, this panel of visionaries modeled how spiritual life is not an escape from systemic injustice, but a revolutionary process which strengthens our collective capacity to transform unjust realities. They discuss Islam’s deepest essence and the spiritual fortitude to remain anchored in the commitment to truth, beauty and universal human flourishing.
Today’s episode is a live talk as part of the World People’s Premiere of 21 days of conversations on Palestine with the release of the film Where Olive Trees Weep by SAND. Today’s talk is entitled Dancing in the Fire: Muslim Spirituality Illuminating the Path to Freedom with Farah El-Sharif, Ayesha Kajee, Seemi Bushra Ghazi and hosted by Daniel Foor.
This talk is part of a package of talks that includes the 21 days of conversation with leading historians, spiritual teachers, trauma therapists, poets, artists, and more, plus extended interviews from the film, a live Q&A with Dr. Gabor Maté and Ashira Darwish from a live screening in Oakland, CA, a film discussion guide, and six community conversations on Palestine.
To find out more about purchasing this package and supporting the mission of SAND and the film, visit WhereOliveTreesWeep.com.
Dr. Farah El-Sharif is a writer, educator and research scholar. She received her PhD from Harvard University where she specialized in West African intellectual Islamic history. She earned degrees from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA and Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and served as Associate Director of the Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies at Stanford University, where she is currently a Visiting Scholar. Her writings have appeared in CNN, Newlines, and Muftah. Read more of her work on her Substack sermonsatcourt@substack.com
Ayesha Kajee is a human rights and governance consultant based in Johannesburg, Ayesha Kajee has conducted research across much of sub-Saharan Africa, and has observed elections and peace processes in several countries. Her published research and opinion-analyses appear in various academic and news media, and she is often called upon by media houses for comment on topical issues. She was previously the founding director of the International Human Rights Exchange program at Wits University in Johannesburg, where she also lectured in Politics and International Relations. Ayesha briefly directed South Africa’s Freedom of Expression Institute before leaving full-time work to care for an invalid parent. She now works on a freelance basis. Her focus areas include transitional justice, media and media rights, African political economy, gender justice, migration and environmental rights.
Seemi Bushra Ghazi is lecturer in Classical Arabic at the University of British Columbia, specializes in Islamic literature, culture, and spirituality. A student in the Rifai Marufi lineage, she performs traditional Islamic arts, including Qur'anic recitation featured on BBC, CBC, NPR, and PBS. Her work appears in "Approaching Islam: the Early Revelations" and "A New Encyclopedia of Islam." Born in London and of South Asian origin, Ghazi studied at prestigious institutions in the U.S. and Middle East. Deeply involved in interfaith work, she hosts a monthly Unity Dhikr in Vancouver and is a founding board member of the Rumi Society and Vancouver Interspiritual Centre Society. Her expertise spans Islam, gender, and cross-cultural understanding
Daniel Foor is a doctor of psychology, experienced ritualist, and the author of Ancestral Medicine: Rituals for Personal and Family Healing. He is a practicing Muslim and initiate in the Òrìṣà tradition of Yoruba-speaking West Africa who has also learned from Mahayan Buddhism and the older ways of his English and German ancesto -
#89 Arab Jewish Mysticism: Hadar Cohen
Hadar Cohen shares her deep connection to her Middle Eastern Jewish ancestry and the intertwining of mysticism and activism in her work. She discusses the complexity of her Arab Jewish identity and the impact of colonialism on the narrative of Arab Jews. Hadar also delves into the weaponization of trauma and the need for a multi-religious, secular society in a free Palestine. The conversation covers a wide range of topics, including the concept of Zionism, the intersection of science and spirituality and her Jewish Mysticism School.
Hadar is an Arab Jewish scholar, mystic and artist. She teaches spirituality and Jewish mysticism at Malchut, a mystical school teaching direct experience of God. She was born and raised in a Sephardic Jewish home in Jerusalem, a city she is still lovingly devoted to. Her ancestral roots span the Middle East, from 10 generations in Jerusalem and with additional lineage roots in Syria, Kurdistan, Iraq and Iran. Throughout her life she has traveled between Jerusalem and the US, bridging the Levant with the West. Connect with Hadar’s writings on Substack.
Topics:
00:00 - Introduction
02:52 - Ancestral Lineage
10:04 - Arab Judaism
17:42 - Colonialism and Spiritual Division
21:15 - Zionist, Trauma, and the Empire Mind Virus
30:01 - Vision for a Secular Multi-religious Palestine
33:49 - Science and Spiritually in Arab Culture
40:28 - Modernity and Religion
49:51 - Malchut Mysticism school
55:37 - Upcoming Retreats
Support the mission of SAND and the production of this podcast by becoming a SAND Member -
#88 Where Olive Trees Weep: Premiere
Today, June 6, 2024, we’re celebrating the release of SAND’s new film Where Olive Trees Weep. And to celebrate the launch of the film, we welcome you to Donate and Watch the film by visiting WhereOliveTreesWeep.com.
Donating to watch the film will also enroll you in a 21-day online event called “The World People’s Premiere” which happening online from June 6-27 with conversations, music, poetry, and . And you can donate to watch the film and sign up to watch all the conversations with speakers such as, Ashira Darwish (star of the film), Dr. Gabor Maté, Angela Davis, V, Daniel Foor, Dareer Tatour, Ilan Pappé, Michael McBride, Mona Haydar, Norman Finkelstein, Pir Zia Inyat Khan, Neta Golan, Tara Brach, and directors of the film, Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo. Whom we also interview on episode #86 if you want to hear more of the story and vision on the film.
The film gives background to the current crisis in Israel/Palestine and brings to light the lives of people we met on our 2022 journey in the occupied West Bank. Their universally human stories speak of intergenerational pain, trauma and resilience. We hope they touch your heart, stir compassion and understanding, and give rise to a pursuit for justice. For without justice, peace remains an empty slogan.
Cinema can be a powerful force for change. Our aim is, beyond mere education, to truly move hearts and minds and inspire audiences to echo the calls for freedom, equality and dignity that have gone unanswered for far too long.
The film is our modest contribution towards our dream for an end to the occupation in Palestine, the attainment of equal rights and fair treatment for Palestinian people, and the spreading of healing for all intergenerational cycles of trauma in the region.
https://whereolivetreesweep.com/ -
#87 Cultural Stories & Mysticism of Gaza: Haneen Sabbah
A recording of excerpts from a live SAND Community Gathering hosted by Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo from Apr 20, 2024.
Storyteller Haneen Sabbah, a Palestinian Falahi woman and mother from Gaza, guided us through an experience of the vibrant and thriving place Gaza once was, before it became a pile of rubble. She transports us to the rich history and culture of this region through her enchanting drumbeats, meditations, and songs.
In this episode, we explore the connections woven into the very name "Gaza" غزة, unveil layers of history, traditions, and symbolism that this ancient land carries, discover the deep ties between land and people, and are reminded of the resilience that has sustained them through decades of challenges.
We share a vision of a once-again thriving and free Gaza.
Haneen Sabbah, a Palestinian Falahi woman now based in southern Portugal, is a writer at We Are Not Numbers and Global Voices, and an organizer, singer and storyteller at heart. She also teaches Arabic online to Israeli Activists and Jews who want to connect to their Arabic roots.Having left Gaza in 2018, she moved to a community where she learned peace work and non-violent communication, which helped her advocate for nonviolent resistance with the Palestinian people. Shining a light on Palestinian culture with songs, food and stories, she is part of a dream circle of Palestinian and Israeli women who work toward supporting peace and the protection of life. Believing in the importance of inner healing for collective liberation, she leads a guided movement meditative practice. Her work is rooted in love.
Topics
0:00 - Introduction
04:30 - The Place of Gaza
18:50 - Stories from Gaza's Past
29:50 - "Halalaya" A Song from Haneen
34:50 - A Story of Haneen's Friends in Gaza
41:28 - Life in Diaspora
45:24 - Ways to Support Gaza
48:51 - Final Poem from Haneen
Visit WhereOliveTreesWeep.com for more information about SAND’s new film on Palestine
Also mentioned in this episode is SAND’s Fundraise to help relocate a family from the genocide in Gaza. https://givebutter.com/THzYSN
Support the mission of SAND the production of this podcast by becoming a SAND Member. -
#86 SAND’s New Film on Spirituality in the Face of Injustice: Zaya & Maurizio Benazzo
In this episode with filmmakers, producers, and founders of Science & Nonduality (SAND) Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo discuss their new film, Where Olive Trees Weep, which explores the impact of colonialism and intergenerational trauma on indigenous cultures, particularly in the occupied West Bank and Palestine. The film serves as a call to action for spiritual activism and aims to amplify the voices of those affected by oppression and injustice. The 21-day release of the film is accompanied by conversations, music, and poetry to provide a more holistic experience for viewers entitled World People's Premiere June 6–27, 2024.
Their aim is, beyond mere education, to truly move hearts and minds and inspire audiences to echo the calls for freedom, equality and dignity that have gone unanswered for far too long. This film hopes to inspire a dream for an end to the occupation in Palestine, the attainment of equal rights and fair treatment for Palestinian people, and the spreading of healing for all intergenerational cycles of trauma in the region.
Visit WhereOliveTreesWeep.com for more information, to join the premiere, and to share in the vision.
Zaya Ralitza Benazzo is a producer and a film director born and raised in Sofia, Bulgaria. She is the co-founder of the nonprofit organization SAND. She has produced and directed several award-winning documentaries including The Wisdom of Trauma, The Art of Life, Rays of the Absolute, America's Chemical Angels, and Wings and Strings.
Maurizio Benazzo grew up in Genova, Italy. At an early age he began actively traveling the spiritual path, exploring the practices of Zen Buddhism, Transcendental Meditation, Yogic philosophy, Catholicism and Philosophy. He has experience in all aspects of production both in front of and behind the camera, including acting, directing, cinematography, and distribution.
Topics
00:00 - Introduction
03:58 - The Path towards the Olive Trees
08:42 - History with Spiritual Activism
13:14 - The Reality in the West Bank
23:19 - Keeping Inspired During the Painful Moments
26:35 - Hopes for the Film
32:15 - The People’s Premiere Event
37:06 - Shadows of Modern Spirituality in the Face of Injustice