Stuart Davis talks to host Steve Banks about his own creative process, the central themes that inform his art, and how he unpacks the radical unknowable mystery at the center of the creative furnace. Stuart and Steve focus on two themes in particular: sex and death (aka eros and thanatos, creativity and destruction, the self-transcending and self-dissolving drives shared by all holons in the Kosmos). They also explore how these themes are all expressions of a single primordial creative lineage running through all of our human activities, and indeed through all manifestations in this universe.
About the Author
Posts by Stuart Davis
Sitting in the Mystery: Aliens, Artists, and the Experiencer Group
Stuart Davis and Corey deVosBelief in UFOs and alien contact continues to find more and more legitimacy. In this fun and fascinating discussion, Stuart and Corey take a deep dive into these cosmic mysteries, exploring the many ways the Integral framework helps us illuminate and interpret the full enchilada of human (and non-human) experience, from the ordinary to the extraordinary to the extra-extraordinary.
Easter
Stuart Davis and Saul WilliamsTrack 04 from the album ¿What (2006). Lyrics by Stuart Davis and Saul Williams.
Sex, God, Rock ‘n Roll
Stuart DavisSex, God, Rock ‘n Roll is sort of a mashup of Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show, and standup comedy monologues, all with a decidedly Integral twist. Stu has assembled some incredible talent—not to mention an incredibly talented production team—and together they have put together one of the most bizarre, unique, and consistently hilarious programs on television.
FUCT: A Love Story
Stuart DavisSome love stories are simply timeless. Titanic. Romeo and Juliet. And now… FUCT: A LOVE STORY joins their ranks. This unforgettable, magical masterpiece absolutely must be made, and when you see this short promotional video, you’ll rush to be a part of this crowd-funded blockbuster of love and loss among divergent species.
The Swerve Toward Modernity
Stephen Greenblatt and Stuart DavisStuart Davis speaks with Pulitzer-Prize winning author Stephen Greenblatt about his book The Swerve: How The World Became Modern. They explore how life might’ve been different if Epicureanism had not nearly vanished, and some similarities and distinctions between Buddhism and Epicureanism.
Dude, Where’s My Body?
Stuart DavisStuart loses his body, and enlists some deadly sins to get it back.
American Mysticism: The Hidden History of Positive Thinking
Mitch Horowitz and Stuart DavisMitch Horowitz joins Stuart Davis to unveil the hidden history of Positive Thinking and the profound effect it’s had on modern America.
Pulsing
Stuart DavisThe first track from Stuart’s album, Songbook of the Dead .
Becoming Human
Stuart DavisWhy would a cosmic nomad want to incarnate as a human being? Learn the mysteries of corporeal manifestation!
Warp Wisdom
Steve Beckett and Stuart DavisSteve Beckett is the founder and owner of Warp Records, located at the epicenter of the electronic music revolution for decades. Founded in 1989, Warp has worked with some of the most groundbreaking and influential artists in the world: Aphex Twin, Flying Lotus, Autechre, Squarepusher, LFO, Nightmares on Wax, Boards of Canada, Brian Eno, and dozens of other electronic pioneers, all of whom have stretched our minds (and our eardrums) in ways we never imagined possible. Steve also happens to be an accomplished integral coach and a longtime fan of Ken Wilber’s work, as he discusses with host Stuart Davis.
Stuart Davis: Live and Lurid
Stuart DavisStuart Davis offers an electrifying (and hilarious) performance of music and spoken word. He then shares some exclusive clips from his cable TV show, Sex, God, Rock n’ Roll.
Love Has No Opposite
Stuart DavisStuart Davis offers a hysterical sit-down comedy routine, anchored deep in the heart of the Integral Tantra. Integral enlightentainment at its finest!
The Empty Flute: Translating the Ecstatic Poetry of Jalal al-Din Rumi
Coleman Barks and Stuart DavisColeman Barks and Stuart Davis explore the powerful cultural and spiritual legacy left by one of the world’s most famous and most beloved spiritual writers, as well as Coleman’s own creative process as he works with this fascinating material.
Bringing Legitimacy to UFO Research
Leslie Kean and Stuart DavisLeslie Kean talks with Stuart Davis about her book UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go On the Record, the result of a ten-year investigation into one of the world’s most mysterious (and most marginalized) phenomena. Whether you “want to believe” or you want to roll your eyes at the mere mention of UFOs, we invite you to open your mind, open your heart, and allow yourself to sit in the radical, unknowable Mystery for just a little while. The universe is so much bigger and darker than we can ever imagine. Good thing we’ve got a flashlight.
Exploring the Architecture of Happiness
Alain de Botton and Stuart DavisAlain de Botton and Stuart Davis discuss the many ways architecture affects our moods, minds, and identities, shaping our experiences and bending our will according to the patterns of society. Together they help us recognize all the ways we are influenced by our surroundings, allowing us to deepen our relationship with history and more consciously engage our environment in the present moment.
The Last Airbender: Spirituality for Kids (of All Ages!)
Brian Konietzko and Stuart DavisThe co-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender, one of the most entertaining — and enlightening — animated shows on television, shares the story behind Avatar and why working on Family Guy just wasn't enough.
The End of Faith
Sam Harris and Stuart DavisMythic-literal fundamentalist religion is quite possibly the single most destabilizing force on the face of the planet. Not only is each religion at war with the other religions, but they are also at war with the modern world as we know it. Listen as Sam Harris and Stuart Davis explore the many challenges faced by religion in the 21st century.
The Meaning of the Avant Garde
Ed Kowalczyk, Stuart Davis and Ken WilberKen Wilber, Ed Kowalczyk, and Stuart Davis met at the Ken Wilber’s house in Boulder for a special meeting focusing on Integral Art and Transformative Practice. What followed was an afternoon of vibrant discussion and electrifying performances, centered on the themes: What is the relation of art and transformation? How can art be part of an integral transformative practice?
Artist as Instrument: Esoteric Rock and Roll
Ed Kowalczyk and Stuart DavisEd Kowalczyk, the lead singer and songwriter for the acclaimed rock band Live, talks with Stuart Davis about music, creativity, and performance as a powerful form of spiritual practice — a means to transcend self and contact Self.
Smoke
Stuart Davis and Ed KowalczykStuart Davis and Ed Kowalczyk offer a stunning performance of Stuart’s “Smoke” — a song Stuart originally wrote with Ed in mind.
Godhead Gives Good Phenomena
Stuart Davis and Ken WilberIn this classic dialogue — so classic, in fact, it is the very first dialogue we ever published! — Stuart Davis discusses his music and creative process in intimate detail and offers an intimate performance of 8 of his songs, including a incredibly touching version of “Swim”, based on the death of Treya Killam Wilber.