UPBUILDING THE SELF

Learning to Carry Our Shame and What’s At Stake If We Don’t

As Rasanath shares in this episode, “Walking through our shame is the deepest experience of authenticity.” But what does it really mean to “walk through our shame” and how does one actually do that? In this episode, Michael and Rasanath do a deep dive into the emotion of shame and how it is impacting all of our lives in both big and subtle ways. They explore the nature of shame, its origins, and its complex role in our daily lives and relationships. They shed light on how shame fuels our actions, the internal struggle it creates, and the transformative journey from shame to humility. They also share strategies to confront and carry shame—an essential step towards achieving authenticity and higher consciousness.

Podcast Hosts: Michael and Rasanath

Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform

Highlights

  • [02:20] The definition of shame and why it exists

  • [08:00] How we cope with shame

  • [10:00] The shame-anger cycle

  • [12:30] Different faces of shame

  • [14:40] Three questions to ask ourselves

  • [16:00] Why it’s so difficult to talk about shame

  • [22:50] How the ego and Inner Critic play a role in shame

  • [27:00] What it means to “walk through shame”

  • [30:10] Michael’s personal experience with shame

  • [33:50] Rasanath’s personal experience with shame

  • [38:10] Moving towards our real self

  • [40:30] Becoming aware of our God complex and transforming shame into humility

Quotes

  • “In order for us to be able to move towards our best self and really reach our potential, one of the things that we all have to work on is to be able to really carry and walk through our shame.” - Michael

  • “There is no such thing as a pain-free feeling of shame.” - Michael

  • “There are many external ways of coping with shame…but the most fundamental strategy…is moving away from our heart.” - Rasanath

  • “Shame is one of the most traumatic emotions.” - Rasanath

  • “When we shut down so that we don't have to feel the pain of shame, it also blunts our ability to experience other things like joy and freedom and love and the things that we're all really looking for.” - Michael

  • “Shame is a corrective emotion. There is something in it that is actually telling us that we have moved away from who we are.” - Rasanath

  • “Walking through shame is the deepest experience of authenticity.” - Rasanath

For first timers, welcome to Upbuilding the Self

About the podcast: Two former monks, a former startup founder and CEO, and a former equity derivatives trader dive into how to be our best selves, free from the ego. Our egos are the identities we create for ourselves and wish the world to validate, but when we are not seen as we want to be, we feel insecure. This podcast lives at the intersection of leadership and spirituality. It will help you understand your ego and shed light on your inner world so that you can act with greater clarity, compassion, and the freedom to be your best self.

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