
Sagewolf Interviews
The dirtiest secrets. That's what's happening here. Well...not entirely. Humans have always fascinated me. I'm most curious about what drives us creatively forward in our lives. When others share their stories with me, I arrive a little closer to knowing how many parallels we all share - how big this human family is, and that comforts me. I hope that by sharing these with you, you might know that too. I also hope that I'm able to present these in a way that you have a visceral experience - like you're there with us at the time and place of the interview - inside these beautiful human exchanges. These moments of connection are truly everything we humans seek when life is all boiled down to it's essence. I included the full audio, with the exception of minor edits of extremely personal information, as requested by my subjects. Many of these interviews are told "between the questions" - as is life. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do <3 XOO, Sagewolf
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Sagewolf Interviews
Gregory Sellers: Ex-Monk / Super Mr. Mom / Zen Skater
@gjsellers
The scene:
We are in Santa Fe, New Mexico in the dining room/greenhouse of Gregory’s home for an off-chance, last-minute interview opportunity that almost didn’t happen due to a possible veterinary appointment and a childcare snafu. But, we made it happen! Gregory tried despite it all and I was ready and willing whenever he pulled the cord. These are my favorite kind of interview because they end up being full of discovery, surprises, and delight by all participants - including little ones. Join us for a rich conversation about leaving the world of a Zen monk for the world of a Zen working dad.
Highlights:
+ From skateboarding in PA to meditating in NY and Japan
+ Spent 7 years in Japan in a Zen Buddhist monastery (age 22-27)
+ Ordained as a monk in ’99, left the monastery in ’06
+ Relocating to NM to build a Zen temple
+ From monk to partner to father
+ Fatherhood as THE training just as being a Zen monk was the training
+ Charlie (2) and Tobias (1) join us (with a banana snack)
+ The REAL life of caring for toddlers…while doing an interview
+ Becoming a father at 46
+ Ginger Snaps - an appropriate dad snack
+ Anyone in a monastery wants an “out”
+ There is no “out” from parenthood
+ Children as teachers
+ The rarity of being self-possessed
+ How to live a pure, authentic, high-quality life from the essence of who we are
+ The limitation of words in describing the hugeness of our life’s pursuit
+ The inquiry of how to live the highest quality lives we can, exactly as we are
+ Go back to the source and get real
+ Nothing is wrong - but we fear that it is
+ Pushing yourself into a very small tight box
+ Learning to silence our inner critic
+ Courage, fearlessness, and transparency
+ Saying yes! - spontaneity takes courage
+ Making Zen your own and calling it a practice
+ Being a genius master at blocking yourself from the truth
+ Your work is right in front of you - wherever you go, there you are
+ We don’t get to flake out on life if we want a rewarding one
+ The one thing you can’t [afford to] screw up with your kids is being unconditionally loving with them
+ We are not our children’s choices
+ Fish don’t see water in the same way humans don’t see energy
+ Accepting someone exactly as they are - non-judgement
+ The goal of “just one day sooner”
+ “There’s no salesmanship in truth”
+ “If I light up me, I light up you”
+ We don’t have to get anyone to change
+ Being an extroverted introvert - outgoing AND shy
+ Learning to just be reasonable
+ Solo retreats are community supported also
+ There is no separation between an individual and their community
+ Reciprocircle - our newly made-up word
+ Everything’s gonna be ok
+ Love the things you’re doing - don’t check out
A taste:
“That’s what love is - is accepting people, appreciating people exactly as they are, exactly how they are.”
Favorite saying:
“Pop Art is to love things.”
- spoken by Andy Warhol in response to being asked, “What is Pop Art?”
Thank you for listening!
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Love, Sagewolf xoxo