Facing Up: Life Beyond Belief
A place for people who have lost their way to wrestle with the dark night and find life beyond belief.
Episodes
82 episodes
Liminal Space
Liminal space is the awkward "in-between" that separates two states of existence. Facing Up helps people navigate liminal space between story and being. The payoff is life beyond belief.
OUTRAGE! is dangerous energy
OUTRAGE is everywhere these days. But outrage is dangerous energy. It's negative, not positive. Worse, it can unleash our inner Pharisee.
Love Stinks!
It is liberating to face the fact that I am a predator like everything else. This opens a door to empathy and gives me the freedom to harmonize with others in a new way.
Just War?
Is the war in Iran a just war? Maybe that's the wrong question. I'm looking at the war and my conflict with other people through a different lens these days. I like it way better.
An Old Man, Full of Years
I'm up in Seattle this week with my dad, who broke his hip a few weeks back. Here are some thoughts on growing old and facing death.
Reality Is Better than Imagination
It's fun to use my imagination but what I imagine is always a pale shadow of actual experience. If you want to be amazed, don't turn to imagination. Open your eyes!
Ultralight on the Trail with my Old Friend
Thoughts from my Easter trip to Point Reyes on feeling close to the Divine plus some info on ultralight backpacking for those who are interested.This one has lots of pictures. If you want to see the video, go to https://facingup.club/ult...
How I Pray Now
The hardest to thing to let go of when I stopped being a Christian was the feeling that God was close.
I'm Sick of Making Deals
I'm getting sick of making deals. A deal is a zero sum game where there is a winner and a loser. There is a better way.
Why Do I Check Out?
I know how great it feels to live an authentic life. Why is it so hard??
Mistakes and Lies
Sometimes when people make a mistake they say, "Oops! I lied." But making a mistake and lying are different. A lie is not a misunderstanding of reality, It is a betrayal.
Serenity Now!
I get discouraged when I look at what is going on in the world. I find the Serenity Prayer to be a helpful tool to navigate the chaos. (Not Frank Constanza's serenity prayer. We'll look instead to the Dalai Lama and Reinhold Niebuhr.)
Love Without Friendship Isn't Enough
Sometimes Julie says to me, "I love you but I don't like you." Other times she says, "I don't just love you. I like you!" I like the second statement way better! When it comes to relationships, commitment isn't enough. You g...
A Picture of Life Beyond Belief
Here's my sloppy drawing of the the existential shift to life beyond belief.You can watch the "Three Breaths" video here.
ADVENTURES are the secret of MEANING in life
Is your life a meaningless grind? Don't sit around waiting for things to change. Strike out on an adventure!
The Paradox of Tolerance
Isn't it dogmatic to oppose dogma? Philosopher Karl Popper has an enlightening insight that has helped me understand why resisting the current push toward Christian Nationalism is not the same thing as being dogmatic. He also helps...
A Toxic View of Myself?
I'm a slow learner! I'm just starting to recognize one of the most damaging effects of evangelical Christianity: a toxic view of myself. There is a better way!
Choosing Joy, Rain or Shine
Everyone feels joy when things go their way. But what happens when things go wrong?Here are some thoughts from the trail along with the wisdom of three exceptional women.
Our Only Hope to Get Along with Each Other
When we assert our story as Truth we produce dogma, tribalism, and war. Our superpower is that we tell stories. Our Achilles heel is that we believe them. Stories are an essential expression of our existence but they are a lousy foundation....
What Would Katniss Do?
Will the good guys finally wipe out the bad guys so we can live happily ever after? The world Katniss lives in is not so simple. Neither is ours.
Facing Up And The Attack on Venezuela
Facing Up is not an escape. It is a way to embrace being human on every level: desire, story, and being. Today, I woke to the news that the United States has invaded Venezuela. This is how I am processing this through the lens of Facing U...
My Goal is to Make 2026 the Best Year of Your Life
In 2025 I put myself on the hook to share my life with you each week. In 2026 I'm putting myself on the hook to help you make the shift from beliefs and circumstances to the triumph of pure being. Want to be a beta tes...
The Existential Shift
Sometimes I give a conditional "yes" to life, based on circumstances. The existential shift is to START with "yes" and go from there. The story of my life is no longer the foundation of my life. It becomes an expression of it. The difference ma...
