Spiritual leadership is a skill. You can think of it as the ability to create conditions that are conducive to the development of consciousness in others, using our intentions, speech and actions. No other skill is so important, yet we scarcely recognise it as a skill unto itself.

The skill of spiritual leadership is not just for those in designated roles – it will make you a better parent, partner, friend, neighbour, manager, colleague, and overall contributor to society. It is an arcane skill that has historically been the remit of religious leaders. Of course that can’t work anymore for all people and the needs of today, so it is helpful to consider spiritual leadership as a standalone skill, open to all people, that involves investigating, guiding and leading by example.

I believe that individuals, organisations and society at large must continually expand in awareness, empathy and responsibility in order for civilisation to be preserved. And recognising spiritual leadership as a standalone skill is a key part of that.

You can read my article about spiritual leadership here: https://makeitconscious.com/spiritual-leadership/

Exploitative control dynamics exist at all levels in our culture - between individuals and across organisations. Everyone is affected by them whether or not they realise. So whether you've had an encounter with a narcissist, exploited at work or joined a group that turned out to be a cult, you are in the majority. But recognising it as such, overcoming it and leveraging the experience for growth - that is unusual.

In this episode I discuss the exit and recovery process - whether from an abusive relationship, an exploitative cult or a toxic workplace. As usual this involves personal responsibility, gaining insight and seeing the situation as it really is. As part of this I also discuss the Five Phases of Codependency, how to make an exit plan, and Jungian Shadow Work.

The Five Phases of Codependency can help an individual understand where they are in an abusive relationship or exploitative cult, as well as gain insight into a previous situation. The model can be used to understand the challenges, risks and opportunities at each phase, and inform decision making on how to resolve the situation and integrate the experience.

The idea is to provide a model based on what is happening in the mind, as opposed to what a narcissist/abuser is doing, to serve as a useful tool towards individuation, spiritual growth.

The Five Phases of Codependency are:

1) The Attraction Phase

2) The Bliss Phase

3) The Conflict Phase

4) The Clash Phase

5) the Recovery 

You can also read about The Five Phases of Codependency in my ebook The Cult Recovery Guide, which is available here: https://makeitconscious.com/freeguide/

Mind control is a real phenomenon. Whilst some would like us to believe that “you” are completely in control of your own thoughts, speech and actions, the truth is more nuanced, and you won’t be surprised to know that it involves the unconscious mind.

In this episode I discuss the various techniques of psychological manipulation, using Steven Hassan’s BITE Model as a guide. My hope is that by understanding the principles of mind control, that you can equip yourself to see it for what it is, and turn encounters with manipulative people into fuel for spiritual growth.

As part of this I discuss persuasion and empathy, the role of the unconscious, modern trends in cult and mind control dynamics, subtle and covert tactics, as well as the four types of control covered by the BITE model: Behavioural, Information, Thought and Emotional control.

Unfortunately I had some audio challenges when recording this episode. I inadvertently used the built-in laptop mic rather than the studio mic as I had thought. So there is a bit more background noise than usual, but I have done my best to remove most of it in the editing and it is thankfully still very listenable. I'll improve on this for next time.

Narcissism is not necessarily a judgement. It is an observable phenomenon. Our cultural aversion to being seen as judgemental is creating great challenges in our society, which are showing up in the form of pervasive narcissism and other normalised pathologies.

In this episode I discuss the phenomenon of narcissism from a psychospiritual perspective. My hope is that by understanding the principles of narcissism, that you can equip yourself to see it for what it is, in whatever new and idiosyncratic form it may take. I also share some tips for engaging skilfully with narcissism when you encounter it. The idea is to find the "middle way" between judgementalism on one hand and total lack of discernment on the other. 

As part of this I discuss the Persona and Shadow, the role of feeling, the narcissist's MO, narcissistic supply, narcissistic rage, DARVO, hoovering and the "anti-narcissism" movement.

Most cults do not look like cults. Exploitative group dynamics are way more common in today's society than most people realise, and anyone can become involved in a cult. In fact, most people have, often without realising something is amiss.

In this episode I discuss the phenomenon of exploitative cults from a psychospiritual perspective, so that you can best equip yourself to spot exploitative cults of all kinds. As part of this I discuss some key cult myths, my own experience of cults, codependency, narcissism, how cults avoid detection, participation mystique and spiritual self-sovereignty. 

The Cult Recovery Guide - 80-page ebook available free at https://makeitconscious.com/freeguide/

In this episode I describe empathy from a psychospiritual perspective and discuss why true empathy is essential for spiritual growth. Most can agree on the importance of empathy, yet there is still quite some disagreement on what empathy actually is. 

As part of this I explore the why true empathy doesn't always 'look like' empathy, why false empathy often does, the different ways empathy can show up, the Persona, what true empathy looks like and some red flags to be aware of when discerning daily situations.

In this episode I continue on the theme of - what is spirituality? I examine what modern psychology misses about spiritual growth, and why a ‘life practice’ that permeates all aspects of life is necessary to grow spiritually. 

As part of this I explore: what is individuation and why it matters, Carl Jung and his contribution to psychology, the cornerstones of any spiritual practice, the multiple ways spiritual disinterest shows up in modern culture, and an introduction to The Seven Habits of Individuation. 

This episode will set the foundation for further discussion of psychospirituality and for sharing the techniques to help you develop your consciousness.  Check out makeitconscious.com for free resources and downloads, or to make a coaching enquiry.