Friday, April 19, 2013
8:00 pm
Cubberley Auditorium
Stanford University
Free; no registration is required

The original idea of genius refers to the natural spirit and inner qualities of a person; this includes god-given talents as well as the way they are aimed at life. In that sense, everyone has a genius nature and something essential to give to the world. The inner genius is what our “calling” calls forth as it tries to become known throughout our life. Whether young or old, our job is to answer the call and risk our unique destiny. Enduring happiness requires that we awaken to the inner spirit that brought us to life in the first place. For when neglected or rejected our natural genius can incite our worst inner demons. Often, our genius waits to be found where the world seems most dark and fearful to us and following our genius always involves risk, but the greater risk is to live a life not aligned with one’s inborn spirit.

Join us for a special evening with mythologist Michael Meade to discover the territories in which genius can be found, and the qualities of genius, including: talents and skills as well as one’s natural style. We will consider the ways in which our genius will lead us into the “right trouble” and the ways that genius can trouble our lives in order to grow our soul.

Michael Meade, D.H.L., is a renowned storyteller, author, and mythologist. He is the author of Why the World Doesn’t End: Tales of Renewal in Times of Loss, Fate and Destiny: The Two Agreements of The Soul, and The Water of Life: Initiation and the Tempering of the Soul. He is the founder of Mosaic Multicultural Foundation, a nonprofit network of artists, activists, and healers who work with oppressed and at risk populations. Besides directing Mosaic’s innovative healing work, Meade serves as adjunct faculty at Pacifica Graduate Institute teaching intensives in mythology and psychology and is also a regular contributor to the Huffington Post.