189. How To Be A Friend (In An Unfriendly World) with Barnet Bain

How To Be A Friend (In An Unfriendly World) with Barnet Bain

What does it really mean to be a friend not just to others, but to yourself and to life itself?

In this deeply human episode of the Sacred Changemakers Podcast, I’m joined by Barnet Bain, award-winning filmmaker, author, and teacher known for exploring themes of creativity, connection, and the human spirit. His film credits include What Dreams May Come, Homeless to Harvard, and Milton’s Secret, based on the teachings of Eckhart Tolle. His new book, How to Be a Friend (in an Unfriendly World), offers a tender and practical guide to friendship as a living spiritual practice.

Together, we explore why friendship is more than a social bond; it’s a profound act of consciousness. Barnet invites us to look closely at the “bubbles” of belief and conditioning that shape our relationships, and to cultivate the courage to step beyond them. He shares what it means to become a “safe harbor” for others, how friendship differs from romantic or family love, and why being a friend to ourselves is the foundation for genuine connection.

This conversation is both wise and intimate, weaving together stories from Barnet’s creative journey, psychological insights from his Columbia University course, and timeless truths about belonging, vulnerability, and love. It’s an episode that reminds us that friendship (when practiced with intention and attention) is a radical form of transformation.

Key Takeaways

• Why genuine friendship begins with becoming a safe harbor for yourself and others.
• How to step outside “the bubble” of your own conditioning to see others more clearly.
• The difference between friendship, romantic love, and family bonds, and why all are needed.
• How small, conscious acts of friendship can transform your day and ripple through the world.
• Why “remembering the love” is the most essential practice of being human.

Guest Bio

Barnet Bain is an award-winning filmmaker, author, and teacher known for his exploration of creativity, consciousness, and connection. His film credits include the Oscar-winning What Dreams May Come, the Emmy-nominated Homeless to Harvard, and Milton’s Secret, based on the teachings of Eckhart Tolle. His new book, How to Be a Friend (in an Unfriendly World), grew from a Columbia University master’s course he created for psychologists, offering a heartfelt guide to practicing friendship in all its forms.

Learn More About Today’s Guest

• Barnet’s website ****→ https://BarnetBain.com
• BOOK: How To Be A Friend (In An Unfriendly World) by Barnet Bain → https://amzn.to/4opDrny

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Books by Jayne Warrilow:

• ‘Becoming: Poems From The Thresholds Of Change’ →