Saturday, July 16, 2016

The Mystical Positivist - Radio Show #229 - 16JUL16

The Mystical Positivist is now a weekly radio show on KOWS-LP 107.3 FM, Occidental, CA. Listen live on Saturday evenings from 4:00 - 6:00pm, PST, via the web at KOWS Live Stream.
This week's podcast features:
  • A conversation by telephone with Alan Francis, author of the book Secrets of the Fourth Way. In his preface to the book, Francis writes: “For many years now, I have sought out and spoken to people who actually knew Gurdjieff, and others whom I respect for their dedication to the Work. Of course I asked them questions that were important to me personally, but I also tried to find out what in the Work was most vital for them. What was, in their opinion, the most important idea, method, form, direction, meaning, and how did they weight them? Finally, what was the sense and aim of this Work? Why does it, and why should it, continue to exist? What is, as Michel de Salzmann asked, the specificity of the Work? What does the Work touch and develop that the many other teachings do not? This inquiry inevitably led to trying to understand this particular phase of our Work and what is required of you and me if the Work is to evolve, that is, to continue. This moment is connected with the whole life of the Work, yet it cannot all be lumped together. It is like building a house or raising a child; each phase must be attended to and respected."

    Alan Francis began Fourth Way work with Jim and Norma Flynn in 1969 at the Los Angeles Gurdjieff Foundation. In 1999 he founded the Oregon Gurdjieff Foundation with Norma Flynn, with the approval of Michel de Salzmann. Commensurate with his work with the Foundation, Alan was the founding director of Turnaround, a skid row social services center that specialized in the treatment and rehabilitation of alcoholics and drug addicts. In 2006, Alan founded the Russian Center for Gurdjieff Studies and now leads groups in Moscow.
More information about Alan Francis' work can be found at:

Saturday, July 9, 2016

The Mystical Positivist - Radio Show #228 - 09JUL16

The Mystical Positivist is now a weekly radio show on KOWS-LP 107.3 FM, Occidental, CA. Listen live on Saturday evenings from 4:00 - 6:00pm, PST, via the web at KOWS Live Stream.
This week's podcast features:
  • A conversation by telephone with John Francis, author of the 1998 book The Mystic Way of Radiant Love: Alchemy for a New Creation. John Francis, has been meditating and practicing hatha yoga consistently for the past forty years. He has had many influential teachers, both Eastern and Western, during that time. John’s spiritual journey began with a near-death experience in 1975. Since then he has been decoding the Bible’s hidden teachings through heart-centered meditation and esoteric numerology. In 1978 he cofounded the Spiritual Healing Center in San Jose, California. At the Chicago “Parliament of the World’s Religions” in 1993 he gave a talk entitled: “The Biblical Symbols of the Soul.” His book, The Mystic Way of Radiant Love, postulates that the Bible conveys contemplative-practice teachings using metaphors, numbers, allegories and parables. He has given many talks on the radio, at expositions and in bookstores on the subject of contemplative practices. He has also been active in Buddhist-Christian dialogues in the San Francisco Bay Area.

    Several years ago John retired from his thirty-year position as a college mathematics professor. His specialty was experimental design and statistical analysis. He did come out of retirement from mainstream-academic education to teach a semester-long course in sacred geometry at Ananda College. He has also written several e-books on contemplative practice, which will soon be published.
John Francis can be contacted at: