Each of us has a sense of ourselves as a separate and distinct individual, or what’s commonly called the personality or the ego. Yet beneath the surface of who we take ourselves to be shines a radiant and holy true Self, or who we are at the soul level. In this podcast, Sounds True’s founder, Tami Simon, speaks with celebrated spiritual teacher and author Zulma Reyo about the continual work of releasing the limitations of the egoic self to uncover and express the light and love of our deepest nature. 

Drawing on insights from the books Inner Alchemy and Emergence of Consciousness, Zulma and Tami explore: the gift of etheric sight; the relationship between the personality and the soul; ego death; objective self-observation; the lifelong process of clearing out stuck emotional energies; the three energy bodies of the personality; turning your attention from the personality to your deeper, inner self; finding community support; seeing the purity within others; working on yourself as an act of service to the world; humility and self-honesty; the practice of letter writing; giving yourself the love and acceptance you didn’t receive as a child; a guided experience of Zulma’s alchemical alignment practice; connecting to the radiant sun within yourself; forgiving the unforgivable; the emergence of a new group consciousness; examining your attachments; and more.

Note: This episode originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.

Provocative questions and life-changing answers. That’s what the Insights at the Edge podcast is all about, and this episode is no different. Here, Tami Simon speaks with celebrated minister Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis about her new book, Fierce Love, and our shared calling to follow the compass of our hearts as we navigate these times of uncertainty. Tune in as Tami and Dr. Lewis explore how to find joy and inspiration amid grief and despair, gaining a deeper understanding of what it means to love your neighbor, and more.

They explore recovery and resilience through community; the honesty that love demands; the “holy other” that is both of and outside of us; how a familial sense of the divine boosts faith amid uncertainty; the aquifer of joy; the sustaining grace of God’s steadfast presence; entering a transformative, not transactional, relationship with God; embodying fierce love when tragedy strikes; holding up a mirror to the best parts of ourselves; the qualities of fierce love, and the writings of Saint Paul; the shift from fear and overwhelm to wise action; loving your neighbor and the essence of Christianity; the extraordinary kindness and generosity often offered by complete strangers; nonpossessive delight; hand-to-hand reckoning and accompanying; interrogating our self-limiting identities; discovering “the sweetness in the sorrow”; making amends; a special blessing to support us in responding with love; and more.

Note: This episode originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com. 

Right now, we may be surrounded by grief, anxiety, fear, and uncertainty. But we don’t have to drown in our sorrows or deny the painful realities of these trying times. In this podcast, join Tami Simon in dialogue with psychotherapist, bestselling author, and “soul activist” Francis Weller to explore a new and empowering approach to grief—one that is essential for both our personal well-being and our capacity to be of service to others. 

Listen now to a much-needed conversation about the attitudes and skills involved in “an apprenticeship with grief,” including: how grief softens and opens the heart; metabolizing grief, and the choice to engage instead of endure; how to “offer a bottom” to your grief to mitigate feelings of anxiety or panic; the energy of melancholy; relinquishing our culture’s heroic ideal; containment and release—the two requirements of grief; navigating “the long dark” of our times; getting into “village mind” and embracing a communal approach to grief; breaking the pattern of denial; how grief work brings you more fully into the present moment; waking up from “the amnesia and the anesthesia”; being an adult in your relationship to grief; simple rituals you can explore to engage grief with deeper intention and meaning; attuning to the rhythm of “the archaic psyche”; our soul responsibility—to register the losses of the world; ancestral grief; patience; the elements of soulful living; the invocation of courage and faith; and more.

Note: This episode originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.

“Why am I the first? Why hasn’t anyone had these conversations before me? Why is everyone so uncomfortable with the truth? Why have so many people in my family felt like their voices didn’t matter?” When Nicole Russell-Wharton asked herself these profound questions, it sparked a difficult yet empowering process of inquiry that led to the writing of an important new book: Breaking Generational Silence. In this podcast, Tami Simon sits down with the trauma-informed healing instructor and bestselling author to share key takeaways from her work and steps you can take to begin a healing journey of your own—for yourself, for your ancestors, and for the next generation. 

Give a listen as Tami and Nicole discuss: why we desperately need to hear the stories of our parents and ancestors—and how you can begin to approach the task; generational silence—what it is and how it impacts us; the obligation to protect our loved ones by sharing the hard realities of our family history; speaking with family members who feel “sworn to secrecy”; releasing judgments about your parents and predecessors; faith and forgiveness; the practice of “speak and repeat”; passing on the truths we learn; and more

Note: This episode originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.

To the mystic, every moment is sacred—and every step is taken on holy ground. Mirabai Starr, the celebrated author, religious scholar, and “translator of the mystics,” has devoted herself to sharing the insights of beloved figures including Teresa of Avila, Saint John of the Cross, Hildegard of Bingen, and others. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Mirabai Starr about her new book, Ordinary Mysticism, and how we can each open ourselves to the direct experience of divine union—and become agents of change for our troubled world. 

Listen now to this inspiring discussion of: spiritual transmission and communicating mystical realization to others; the power of ritual; setting yourself up for “an encounter with the beloved”; the willingness not to know; collaborating with your muses; Natalie Goldberg’s writing practice methodology; a commitment to beauty; mystical seeing; four gateways to the sacred; freeing yourself from the brain’s default mode network; how meditation expands your capacity for awe; tending the seeds of wisdom; interspirituality; avoiding cultural appropriation; grief as a gateway to the sacred, and letting the darkness have its way; the dark night of the soul; the paradox of “surrendering and showing up”; and more.

Note: This episode originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.

Our understanding of the severe scope of trauma in our world has greatly expanded in recent years. This includes intergenerational trauma, something that all of us likely carry within. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon speaks with Rabbi Tirzah Firestone about her book Wounds into Wisdom and our collective task to acknowledge, face, and work to heal our invisible wounds and break the cycle of intergenerational trauma. 

Tami and Tirzah discuss: the concept of “image deposits” and “task deposits”; dreams containing real-life experiences of our ancestors, and how they are far more common than we might think; the shift from impotence to agency; harnessing our pain as a fuel for growth; how the human nervous system holds on to unresolved trauma despite the debilitating consequences; hypervigilance and the dangers of overactive stress hormones; overcoming self-blame, shame, unworthiness, and isolation; unlearning inherited beliefs that impair our well-being; choosing compassion instead of “othering”; the roots of anti-Semitism; kabbalah, the mystical branch of Judaism; disidentifying from victimhood; the power of being witnessed; why healing intergenerational trauma is a gift to both our ancestors and our descendants; self-regulation and coming back home to ourselves in nurturing ways; a guided practice for finding inner safety amid stressors; alchemizing pain into wisdom (instead of passing it on); and more.

Note: This episode originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.

The counterintuitive approach to life that Lee Holden calls the Slow Method has an immediate power to decrease your stress levels, boost your energy, and improve your overall health and well-being in remarkable, seemingly miraculous ways. But why is it so hard for us to slow down, even when we understand intellectually how ineffective and miserable it is to live at warp speed? 

In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with the internationally celebrated Qi Gong master and author about his new book, Ready, Set, Slow. Give yourself “the gift of slow” and tune in for this illuminating conversation about: the link between slow and flow; becoming more receptive to the energy that’s all around you; a brief history of Qi Gong and tai chi; a simple awareness practice—“Where am I?”; the coherence of energy and mind that defines the flow state; prioritizing “bliss over busy”; active relaxation; shifting out of stress and into the open space of the heart; how compassion, gratitude, and appreciation help heal the nervous system; mindfulness and an embodied experience of the present moment; liberating ourselves from our conditioning around survival; accessing the inner treasures of your energy system; applying the Slow Method when enjoying a morning beverage, at mealtimes, and in other situations where we tend to be on autopilot; finding your personal motivation for slowing down; breathwork; slow relationships; the Microcosmic Orbit practice; and more.

Note: This episode originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.

Imagine how our world would change if all of our actions were rooted in love and compassion. Is that even possible? In this podcast, Tami Simon sits down with Dr. Cortland Dahl, the renowned Buddhist scholar, translator, scientist, researcher, and author of several books including his newest, A Meditator’s Guide to Buddhism, to discuss how compassion can become the energizing force that motivates you and inspires you each and every day.

Listen now for their insights on attuning to the intelligence of your heart; a neuroscientific approach to healing anxiety; the exciting research and new modalities emerging from the study of contemplative practice; how quickly we can begin to enjoy the profound benefits of meditation; the four pillars of a healthy mind: awareness, connection, insight, and purpose; appreciation and noticing the positive; living life in a meditative way; bringing your innate compassion up to the surface of conscious experience; doing the dishes as an act of love—how every action can become a gift; generosity, the inner richness that can never be exhausted; how empathy and compassion activate the brain’s “care network”; compassion in relationships; the universal longing for meaning and purpose; transformative pain, and why physical discomfort does not equal suffering; dealing with uncertainty; unlocking the insights of our emotions and finding the beauty in difficult experiences; a pith instruction: look at your mind; and more.

Note: This episode originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.

Can you recall an experience from your past that felt simply awful at the time, but you now see as something positive and necessary for your personal growth? When we’re in the midst of a painful situation, it’s natural for us to resist, complain, or wish it would just go away. The last thing we want to hear from someone is, “Be grateful for this learning opportunity!” In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with world-renowned meditation teacher Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche about his book In Love with the World, and how we can begin to transform suffering into a pathway to compassion and connection. 

Give a listen for some profound insights on: adding wood to the fire, or turning obstacles into opportunities; thinking outside of the box for solutions; impermanence; making friends with life’s ups and downs; challenging yourself to grow and testing your level of realization in the real world; uncovering the fundamental qualities of awareness, love, and compassion within you; cultivating courage; bardo practice and meditating on our mortality; discovering the ground of luminosity; the four-step process of offering, dedication, intention, and motivation; emptiness, or “unborn awareness”; how acceptance leads to freedom; maintaining confidence and trust during times of uncertainty or despair; and more.

Note: This episode originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.

Dr. Yuria Celidwen is at the forefront of a historic expansion in the field of contemplative science—or the study of inner practices like meditation, prayer, and mindfulness. Until recently, researchers have primarily focused on major religious traditions such as Buddhism or Christianity. Today, Dr. Celidwen is bringing the long-overdue perspective of Indigenous cultures into the discussion. In this podcast, Sounds True founder Tami Simon speaks with Dr. Celidwen about her new book, Flourishing Kin: Indigenous Wisdom for Collective Well-Being. 

Tune in for this invigorating conversation exploring: Yuria’s definition of flourishing as a gradual unfolding of aesthetic arrest; cultivating an embodied sense of your interconnection with all of creation; why Indigenous perspectives are vital for solving the climate crisis; honoring spirit, the animating principle of life; a deeper understanding of health; the direct experience of “moments of truth”; sunshine as a seed of awareness; the core right of self-determination; relating to Indigeneity respectfully; the possibility of collective flourishing; and more.

Note: This episode originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.

Our understanding of the human nervous system has grown exponentially in recent years, thanks to astounding discoveries from neuroscience, Polyvagal Theory, trauma research, Attachment Theory, and other emerging fields. No longer do we see the functioning of the nervous system as an unconscious process outside of our control. Today, we know that you can actually befriend and work with your nervous system to self-regulate in the face of emotionally triggering situations, release unresolved trauma from the “stuck places” inside, and reclaim a life of integration and wholeness. Sounds True’s annual training, The Healing Trauma Program, was designed expressly for these purposes. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with psychotherapist and lead teacher of the program Dr. Jeffrey Rutstein.  Tune in for an eye-opening conversation on: the connection between unhealed trauma and nervous system dysregulation; raising self-awareness around your personal triggers and conditioned responses; shifting from defensiveness to feelings of safety and belonging; chronic dysregulation; accurately discerning when you’re in danger; the vagus nerve, the ventral vagal response, and the “tend and befriend” zone where we can be fully present; the interplay of genetics and your upbringing in the formation of your “go-to nervous system states”; a nervous system approach to transforming self-blame and shame into self-compassion and worthiness; three pools of energy—hyperarousal, hypoarousal, and the Window of Tolerance; the empowering firsthand experience of changing your nervous system states; why there are no “bad” nervous system states; why being in a regulated state is so critical to healthy relationships; neuroception; simple, on-the-spot techniques (or “nervous system hacks”) you can use to self-regulate, from breathwork to gentle stretching and more; the shortcomings of talk therapy; co-regulation and the social engagement zone; the four key questions of the aspiring nervous system co-regulator; severe trauma and how “the state drives the story”; meditation practice, the true self, and the inner “hijacker”; and more.   Note: This episode originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.