Category: Spirituality

Miranda Macpherson: The Transforming Power of Ego Rela...

Many of us struggle to truly live what we believe spiritually. What if closing that gap wasn’t about trying harder, but something quite the opposite? “Through the practice of ego relaxation,” teaches Miranda Macpherson, “we can stop trying to beat ourselves into spiritual shape and yield instead to an unshakable presence within.”

In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon speaks with Miranda about taking a more feminine approach to spiritual seeking and why that involves creating an atmosphere of unconditional love. Miranda explains ego relaxation, her unique process of letting go of all the qualities that maintain the illusion of being separate from the rest of existence. Considering the roles of trust and vulnerability on the spiritual path, Tami and Miranda discuss what it means to be a channeler of grace. Finally, Miranda leads us in a guided practice for discovering the mountainous presence already available in each moment.

Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg: Mending the World with a Proph...

Every spiritual tradition teaches that we are all interconnected. Yet when we are faced with the world’s many injustices, we often want to turn away and isolate ourselves rather than feel the full measure of our grief, anger, and fear. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg about how we can choose another path—one of openly encountering others with deep connection, accessing our prophetic voice to speak truth to power, and taking action while staying grounded in our spiritual selves. 

Give a listen to this moving conversation exploring connecting to “the still, small voice” within yourself; Rabbi Nachman’s practice of the inner scream; allowing our bodies and hearts to process what we see in the world; our obligations as bystanders of harm; leaving your “spiritual bubble” to engage in real activism; speaking uncomfortable truths; the five steps involved in the work of repentance and repair; why the best spiritual practice is done in community; the practice of rest as a social justice issue; prayer, the work of the heart; and much more.

Vanessa Loder: Listening to the Voice of Your Soul

Vanessa Loder was a successful VP at a private equity firm, swiftly making her way up the corporate ladder, when she had a striking realization: Everything on paper looked great, but inside there was this feeling that something was missing… In this paradigm-shifting podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Vanessa Loder about her new book, The Soul Solution, and the “star seeds of awakening” we are called to become at this time. Listen in as they discuss: past-life regression and the insights it can provide; the courage to listen to “the whispers of your soul”; following your “energetic breadcrumbs”—the inner impulses that will lead you to your most fulfilling life; the intersection of creativity, making money, and doing what you love; finding your role models; working with fear, anger, sadness, and other challenging emotions; unwinding the myths we tell ourselves; how to “break up with busyness”; the “power hour” practice; allowing ourselves leisure time and pleasure; visualizing your greatest future; and more.

Getting Off the Crazy Train: Living a Soul-Directed Li...

For decades, New York Times bestselling author Cheryl Richardson has been renowned as a self-care coach for professionals and other high achievers. But when she entered her elder years, life surprised her. All of her many achievements became less important than a new landscape of joys and aspirations that began emerging. “The journey through midlife and beyond,” Cheryl says, “is a shift from less ego to more soul.” In this uplifting episode, she joins host Tami Simon to share practical insights for anyone, at any “calendar age,” to move beyond outer accomplishments and approval, and nurture a deeper life of pleasure and purpose.

Last Rites: Wisdom from a Fourth-Generation Undertaker

Ceremonies for honoring the departed are crucial parts of our lives, but few people know where our traditional practices come from—and what they reveal about our history, culture, and beliefs about death. In today’s podcast, Tami Simon speaks with funeral director, embalmer, and certified postmortem reconstructionist and cremationist Todd Harra to talk about the roots of the Western funeral and to remove some of the fears that surround it. Their riveting conversation looks at: the myths and misconceptions about the funeral director, the sacred responsibility of handling the deceased, the rise in home funerals in our time, the origins of the practices of embalming and coffin burial, the different shades of the “green” cemetery and burial, why there is great value in permanent memorialization, making a ceremony sacred, why simply showing up is the greatest way to support those in mourning, mushroom suits and the controversy around them, the process of natural organic reduction (NOR), and much more.

Roar Like a Goddess

In this podcast we join Sounds True founder, Tami Simon, in conversation with Acharya Shunya, a master of Ayurveda and an internationally renowned spiritual teacher and scholar of Advaita (nondual wisdom). Give a listen to this informative dialogue to hear about Acharya Shunya’s book, Roar Like a Goddess, and her empowering insights into : Awakening the inner goddesses of the Vedic tradition; the progressive revelation of Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati; “ugly power” based on ignorance, and the devas (or light bearers) who cultivate power ethically; how symbolism helps you discover your power; healthy rage and “correctional, super-conscious anger”; the divine, ultimate truth of nonduality at the core of Vedic wisdom; the river of light that flows within all of us; and more.

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