Inspirations: Jean Houston on Opening to Limitless Possibilities (2012)

Jean Houston – whose résumé includes author, philosopher, story teller, social activist, actor, and so much more – is a pioneer in the human potential movement. In a lively and far-ranging conversation, she shows us that the “possible human” is the being that is inside of us, far greater than what we can see or imagine.

Jean shares the stories from her remarkable life, speaking of some the brilliant and influential thinkers she has known – such as Pierre Teilhard de Chardin and Margaret Mead – and describes the powerful influence they had on her, setting her on a path of exploration.

She discusses her belief that we are living in a critical era that may set mankind’s path for a long time to come. She talks about “Jump Time,” which she describes as a time of punctuated equilibrium. She notes that the evolutionary process seems to contain long periods of seemingly little activity with sudden jumps. Right now, she believes, we’re seeing an acceleration of time and history. For example, one of the important positive changes she describes is the steady rise in women’s status.

And Jean shows us some remarkable exercises that can help us reach our full potential. In one case, she helps Lisa deepen a connection to her goals with the help of her five senses. In another case, Jean shows us how we can use a great story (in this instance, The Wizard of Oz) to help us change our own story, by connecting with the mythic and universal themes.