Our worldview shapes our perceptions and actions towards each other and the world around us. In this special Earth Day episode, Diana Hill talks with Four Arrows and Darcia Narvaez about the core precepts of an indigenous worldview. Together these precepts can guide us to live more harmoniously with each other and the earth. We explore the indigenous worldview’s emphasis on community welfare, respect for gender role fluidity, the sacred nature of competition, and living from our wise hearts.

Listen and Learn:

• The difference between place-based knowledge and Indigenous Worldview
• Concerns about cultural appropriation
• The Indigenous Worldview and sustainability
• Neuroscience and Indigenous Worldview
• Emphasis on community welfare
• Gratitude and generosity
• Asking permission before taking
• Heart wisdom over head wisdom

About Four Arrows

Wahinkpe Topa (Four Arrows), also known as Don Trent Jacobs, is of Irish/Cherokee ancestry and a made- relative of the Oglala Lakota Medicine Horse tisopaye. As a Sun Dancer/Pipe Carrier he follows the Lakota spiritual path. With doctoral degrees in Health Psychology and in Curriculum & Instruction (with a cognate in Indigenous Worldview Studies), his many books, chapters, articles, and presentations focus on Indigeneity and the importance of non-binary rebalancing of dominant and Indigenous worldviews for surviving and thriving. Named one of 27 visionaries in education by AERO, a recipient of the Martin Springer Institute’s Moral Courage Award, his co-authored book, Restoring the Kinship Worldview, was recognized by UC Berkeley’s Science Center for the Greater Good as one of the top 15 inspirational and practical texts. He is also the subject of Dr. Michael Fisher’s biography, Fearless Engagement of Four Arrows: The True Story of an Indigenous-based Social Transformer, he lives on the Costalegre where swims, surfs and is trying to create a sanctuary to save the fish

About Darcia Narvaez

Darcia Narvaez is Professor Emerita of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame, Fellow of the American Psychological Association, American Educational Research Association and American Association for the Advancement of Science. Born in Minnesota, she grew up living around the world as a bilingual/bicultural Puerto Rican-German American but calls the earth her home. Her earlier careers include professional musician, business owner, classroom music teacher, classroom Spanish teacher, and seminarian, among other things. In her academic career, She employs a lifespan, interdisciplinary approach to studying evolved morality, child development and human flourishing, integrating anthropology, neuroscience, clinical, developmental and educational sciences. She was a blogger for Psychology Today (“Moral Landscapes”), hosts the webpage EvolvedNest.org and is president of KindredWorld.org. See her 6-minute movie: http://www.Breaking TheCycleFilm.org.

Related Resources

• Become a MORE Life in Process member to support the show.
• Find out what kind of Striver you are and get your free Skillful Striving Toolkit
• Want to learn more about ACT? Take Diana’s on-demand course Foundations of ACT
• Read Diana’s Psychology Today Blog On What Are The Benefits of Compassion?
• The Indigenization Controversy: For Whom and By Whom? By Four Arrows
• Read Restoring the Kinship Worldview by Four Arrows and Darcia Narvaez
• Learn more about The Evolved Nest
• Read Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer 
• A Heart and A Mind: Self-distancing Facilitates the Association Between Heart Rate Variability and Wise Reasoning

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Thank you to the team Craig and Ashley Hiatt. Thank you to Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Remember when you become psychologically flexible, you become free.