Elizabeth Lesser: The Power of Stories and the Female Connection

https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/uixq7z/ELesser_final_-_1_17_21_511_PMbf8oj.mp3

EPISODE SUMMARY:

Elizabeth Lesser, cofounder of the Omega Institute, is a midlife woman using her expertise in mindfulness and holistic studies to help change people’s lives. Through her work at the Omega Institute, Lesser and the staff help both individuals and organizations integrate social change and personal growth into their lives. Not only is she a cofounder, but Lesser is the author of multiple books. In today’s episode, we sat down with Elizabeth to discuss her experiences while working at the Omega Institute as well as the inspirations and messages behind her writing.

After reading Elizabeth’s book, Cassandra Speaks, we were interested to know the inspiration behind it. Elizabeth told us that the inspiration for the book came from her childhood. From an early age, Elizabeth questioned gendered norms and stereotypes, and after creating the Omega Institute, she was motivated and become inspired to write her book. When we asked who the “Cassandra” in the book title is, Elizabeth informed us that the name comes from a story about a woman named Cassandra who was the princess of Troy and was cursed with being able to see the future but never having anyone believe her. Elizabeth spoke about how after seeing the stories of female Olympic athletes coming forward about the sexual abuse they experienced from an Olympic doctor, she felt as if they all represented versions of a modern Cassandras and incorporated that into her storytelling. We then talked about the changing conversations surrounding women and power, and Elizabeth said she thinks women are beginning to become more comfortable gaining power while still remaining themselves. Often times, women are told to repress their more “feminine” qualities out of fear of not being taken seriously in the workplace. Now, women are starting to display their vulnerabilities and lead in their own way.

When speaking about her books, we mentioned a term Elizabeth had created called “Innervism”. Elizabeth explained it to us, saying that while activism encourages getting up and making a change, “Innervism” promotes change within the self that is just as important. We also asked Elizabeth about the changes she’s seen with the Omega Institute over the years. Other than the institute having to temporarily close due to COVID-19 and financial strains, Elizabeth told us that both the student population and curriculum have significantly increased in size over the past few years. The topic of “Imposter Syndrome” came up, and Elizabeth spoke to us about how common it can be. Many people feel it, and she told us a story of how when she worked with Oprah, Oprah told her that all of the guests she’d had dealt with Imposter Syndrome. We then spoke about Antoinette Tuff, a woman who prevented a school shooting by talking the shooter down and convincing him he wasn’t alone. She’s a hero, and yet, many people do not know who she is due to the media never mentioning her. Elizabeth brings up Antoinette and this issue in her book, and she told us that she hopes to see more stories of real people being heroes told in the news. Finally, we asked Elizabeth her opinion on how the meaning of “midlife and beyond” is changing.

Elizabeth said she believes that midlife women are taking power and changing the narrative on what it means to be in midlife by feeling confident enough to stand up for themselves. She also emphasized the importance of women getting connected to other women to create a support system and strong community and to share common stories to feel less alone.

Elizabeth Lesser

From Elizabeth’s Website:

Elizabeth Lesser a bestselling author and the cofounder of Omega Institute, the renowned conference and retreat center located in Rhinebeck, New York. Elizabeth’s first book, The Seeker’s Guide, chronicles her years at Omega and distills lessons learned into a potent guide for growth and healing. Her New York Times bestselling book, Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow, has sold almost 500,000 copies and has been translated into 20 languages. Her third book, Marrow: Love, Loss & What Matters Most, chronicles the journey Elizabeth and her younger sister went through when Elizabeth was the donor for her sister’s bone marrow transplant. Her newest book Cassandra Speaks: When Women are the Storytellers, the Human Story Changes reveals how humanity has outgrown its origin tales and hero myths, and empowers women to trust their instincts, find their voice, and tell new guiding stories.

Elizabeth cofounded Omega Institute in 1977—a time when a variety of fresh ideas were sprouting in American culture. Since then, the institute has been at the forefront of holistic education, offering workshops and trainings in integrative medicine, prevention, nutrition, and the mind/body connection; meditation and yoga; cross-cultural arts and creativity; ecumenical spirituality; and social change movements like women’s empowerment and environmental sustainability. Elizabeth is also the cofounder of Omega’s Women’s Leadership Center, which grew out of the popular Women & Power conference series featuring women leaders, activists, authors and artists from around the world. Each year close to 30,000 people participate in Omega’s programs on its campus in Rhinebeck, New York and at urban and travel sites, and more than a million people visit its website for online learning.

A student of the Sufi master, Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan for many years, Elizabeth has also studied with spiritual teachers, healers, psychologists, and philosophers from other traditions. In 2008 she helped Oprah Winfrey produce a ten-week online seminar based on Eckhart Tolle’s book, A New Earth. The webinar has been viewed by over 40 million people worldwide. She was a guest on the Oprah Show, a frequent host on Oprah’s Soul Series, a weekly radio show on Sirius/XM, and is one of the Super Soul 100, a collection of a hundred leaders who are using their voices and talent to elevate humanity.

In 2011, she gave a popular TED talk called “Take the Other to Lunch,” a call for civility and understanding as we negotiate our differences as human beings. She gave her second TED talk in 2016, about the power of truth-telling.

Elizabeth attended Barnard College, where she studied literature, and San Francisco State University, where she received a teaching degree. In 2011 she received an honorary doctorate from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, in Palo Alto, California. Early in her career she was a midwife and birth educator. Today, besides writing and her work at Omega Institute, she lends her time to social and environmental causes, and is an avid walker, cook, gardener, friend, mother, grandmother, and homebody. She and her husband live in New York’s Hudson River Valley.