• E107: Becoming Okay Inside

    Michael Singer — August 28, 2025

    The fundamental spiritual question is not “How do I be okay?” It is “Why am I not okay?” Our inner discomfort is not caused solely by external events but...

  • The Michael Singer Podcast

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  • Insights At The Edge

    Tami Simon’s in-depth audio podcast interviews with leading spiritual teachers and luminaries. Listen in as they explore their latest challenges and breakthroughs - the leading edge of their work.

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Subscribe to The Michael Singer Podcast

Join the New York Times bestselling author of The Untethered Soul, The Surrender Experiment, and Living Untethered for this free series of curated teaching sessions, recorded at his Temple of the Universe yoga and meditation center.

Meet Your Host Michael Singer

Michael A. Singer is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Untethered Soul, The Surrender Experiment, Living Untethered, and several popular Sounds True programs, including the Living from a Place of Surrender online course. In 1971, while pursuing his doctoral work in economics, he experienced a deep inner awakening and went into seclusion to focus on yoga and meditation. In 1975, he founded Temple of the Universe, a yoga and meditation center where people of any religion or set of beliefs can come together to experience inner peace. Through the years, he has made major contributions in the areas of business, the arts, education, health care, and environmental protection. Author photo © Timothy Davis

Most Recent

E103: From Preference to Presence: The Journey Beyond ...

We create tremendous suffering by shrinking our world to the narrow confines of our personal preferences. They have the effect of locking us in a house of our own building wherein we don’t realize there is a whole universe outside that house. Through sincere inner work, we can expand our awareness beyond the limits of ourselves into a world of peace, clarity, and selfless giving.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

Maggie Jackson: Being Uncertain as a Form of Wakefulne...

In this thought-provoking episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon sits down with Maggie Jackson, acclaimed journalist and author of “Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure.” Together, they delve into the emerging science of uncertainty, discussing how our discomfort with not knowing can actually be a source of growth, creativity, and resilience. Maggie shares practical strategies for cultivating a healthy tolerance for uncertainty, explains the difference between fear and uncertainty, and highlights the power of curiosity, mindfulness, and adaptive expertise in navigating today’s unpredictable world. Whether you struggle with anxiety about the unknown or want to harness uncertainty as a tool for personal and professional development, this conversation offers wisdom and actionable insights for embracing life’s many mysteries.

Note: This interview 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. 

E102: Reality Is Bigger Than You Think

We don’t realize how tightly confined we are to our personal mind—its thoughts, beliefs, preferences, past experiences, and suppressed emotions. This represents such a tiny subset of reality compared to the vastness of what actually exists. Spirituality is about transcending that limited frame of reference and opening up to a world that is not filtered through our ego. Every moment is part of a vast cosmic unfolding, and the key to joy and spiritual freedom lies in expanding awareness beyond oneself.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

Customer Favorites

The Power of Emotions at Work

Karla McLaren is an award-winning author, social science researcher, and renowned expert in emotions and empathy. Her work focuses on her grand unified theory of emotions, which reconsiders how we think of “negative” emotions and opens new pathways into self-awareness, communication, and empathy. With Sounds True, Karla is the author of the landmark book The Language of Emotions, a book on The Art of Empathy, and a new book called The Power of Emotions at Work: Accessing the Vital Intelligence in Your Workplace. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon speaks with Karla about why the full range of emotions is necessary for us to bring forth our best thinking. They discuss the “toxic positivity bias” that has become the norm in the contemporary workplace, how this leads to widespread suffering and dysfunction, and how we can achieve an “emotionally well-regulated” workplace that works for all of us.

When Grief Lands with Love

Join Sounds True’s founder, Tami Simon, in this compassionate podcast with Dr. Sherry Walling about her new book, Touching Two Worlds, as they discuss navigating the duality that exists on the opposite spectrums of our lives, the healing practice of writing about our experiences of grief, overcoming the stigma and silence around suicide, the just-world hypothesis and how traumatic events change our view, accepting limitations in life while taking responsibility for finding our own sense of meaning, accessing a sense of calm and grace to release the unresolved shock of grief, finding closure versus finding the place “where grief lands with love,” and more.

Kelly McGonigal: Cultivating Positive Change

Kelly McGonigal, PhD, is a renowned lecturer at Stanford University, bestselling author, and longtime researcher into the mind-body connection. With Sounds True, she has recently published the unique audio journey 40 Days to Positive Change: Daily Support to Create a New Habit. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon speaks with Kelly about the often-overlooked components of the change process that are essential to cementing a habit in daily life. They discuss why you need to begin the change process from a place of curiosity rather than self-criticism, as well as how you can induce positive feeling states. Kelly explains why it helps to regard the change process as a “gift to your future self” and the importance of properly celebrating your accomplishments. Finally, Tami and Kelly talk about the relationship between personal and collective change, segueing into a discussion of how pets (particularly cats) can help us regulate our nervous system responses.

Timeless Classics

Diana Winston: The Big Bang of Natural Awareness

Diana Winston is is the director of mindfulness education at UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center, a member of the Teachers Council at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, and a pioneer in mindfulness education for children. With Sounds True, she has released The Little Book of Being: Practices and Guidance for Uncovering Your Natural Awareness. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon speaks with Diana about “natural awareness”—an always-available, foundational flow state distinguishable from deliberate mindfulness practice. They share “glimpse practices” designed to open up perception and embodiment of natural awareness, commenting on how each can be practiced in day-to-day life. Diana and Tami discuss the value of going on retreat, the spectrum of different awareness practices, and common misconceptions about what it takes to become a mindfulness teacher. Finally, Diana explains why it’s important not to become a “bliss-ninny” as well as the difference between natural awareness and spacing out. (64 minutes)

Seth Godin: Taking the Leap . . . and Picking Yourself

Seth Godin is a bestselling author and popular blogger who is known for his writing on marketing, the spread of ideas, and mindful business strategies. With Sounds True, he released the audio program Leap First: Creating Work That Matters. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon and Seth discuss the concept of resistance and how it must be sought out in any effective pursuit of art. They also talk about the contemporary “connection economy” and how there is no guarantee that one can make a living through genuine self-expression—but also how one should do so anyway. Finally, they spoke on the necessity of taking leaps and Seth’s concept of living a life of faith. (62 minutes)

Tami’s Takeaway: Seth Godin looks at a picture every day that depicts a person triumphantly jumping off of a third story building onto a street below. The caption: “Leap into the Void.” Seth leaps every day and inspires others to do the same. He teaches us not to wait to be discovered—for someone to choose us to come forward. Instead, we take the leap and “pick ourselves,” engaging in the creative act of being vulnerable, making art, and expressing ourselves. And whether 10 people notice or 10 million, we have the deep satisfaction of living courageously and pouring out our creative souls in ways that matter.

Van Jones: Breaking Out of Our Resistance Bubble

Van Jones is a New York Times bestselling author, public speaker, and host of The Van Jones Show on CNN. This special edition of Insights at the Edge re-broadcasts Van’s powerful session from Sounds True’s Waking Up in the World online event. In this in-depth interview, Tami Simon speaks with Van about the necessary meeting between spiritual practice and social activism. They discuss the currently fraught political climate and why it’s essential for everyone to break out of their respective bubbles to engage with people with diverse views. At the same time, Van emphasizes the need to combat rising hate and why we all need to stay true to what we value most in life. Finally, Tami and Van talk about the possibility of broad societal change and how spiritual people can catalyze that movement. (66 minutes)

Tami’s Takeaway: Van Jones challenges people who drive hybrid cars, eat lots of kale, listen to NPR, and go to yoga classes (people like me!) to break out of what he calls our “resistance bubble.” This means connecting with people who live dramatically different lives, in different socio-economic circumstances, and with radically different political views and affiliations. When we do, we stop polarizing and congratulating ourselves on our progressive ideals and start building coalitions that lift up everyone, especially the people in greatest need.

Most Recent

E95: Relax, Release, and Rise: The Real Work of Spirit...

Deep spiritual growth is not about collecting more techniques but about releasing the inner disturbances we have stored from our past. These suppressed energies—called samskaras—remain inside, continuing to influence and limit our lives. Instead of struggling to cope with life’s experiences, we can learn to welcome them as opportunities to release these past blockages. Over time, this leads to purification of the heart and the ability to remain undisturbed, even in the face of intense experiences. Our natural state is one of unconditional joy, love, and divine energy—reclaim it!

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E94: Spiritual Freedom Is Simpler than You Think

Life is fundamentally simple—we’re sitting on a tiny planet spinning through infinite space for a few years, and that’s it. We make it complicated by deciding how everything must be for us to be okay. This creates suffering, anxiety, and endless worries. Spirituality is about opening up, honoring, and appreciating life as it is. As we let go of ourselves, life becomes joyful, creative, and rich, not because it changed, but because we did.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E93: The Practice of Unconditional Openness

When you’re open, life feels beautiful and joyful; when you’re closed, everything seems wrong. This leaves you with two choices: find things that open you or find out how not to close. The first leads to a life of struggling with people, places, and things to match your preferences, while the second leads to the spiritual state of unconditional well-being. Make your choice.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E92: Releasing the Meaningless Moments That Create the...

The central spiritual teaching is that we are not the mind but the awareness behind it. The personal mind, composed of impressions from past experiences, creates a false sense of self (ego) that causes suffering and distraction. Spiritual growth begins by recognizing this addiction to the personal mind and learning to lean away from its pull rather than engaging with or resisting its thoughts. This process allows divine energy (Shakti) to emerge and guide us deeper into the source of consciousness.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E91: Allowing Life to Remove Your Blockages

The foundational flaw in human behavior is the belief that “I’m not okay.” What follows is the lifelong attempt to fix this through external achievements, relationships, and coping mechanisms. Spiritual growth begins by shifting from trying to fix one’s discomfort to inquiring why the discomfort exists in the first place. Life itself becomes the guru, revealing daily why we close our hearts. The only true practice is to let go of resistance in every moment, allowing life to sculpt us into our highest nature, which is already pure joy and love.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E90: How to Stop Minding and Start Living

“Do you mind?” We “mind” everything, from traffic to childhood memories, and this habitual minding creates endless mental ripples that disturb our peace. Spiritual growth is not found through adding practices but through subtracting resistance, through relaxing and letting go of what disturbs us. Every moment becomes an opportunity to free ourselves by choosing not to mind, and over time this unlocks profound freedom and transformation.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

Listener Favorites

S3 E2: Letting Go of Reactive Energies

There’s nothing even remotely spiritual about going through life reacting to events. In this episode, Michael Singer explores how to become aware of our emotional reactions, navigate the energies that drive them, and learn to respond to triggering events with greater consciousness.

For more information, go to michaelsingerpodcast.com.
© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2024 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

S3 New Year’s Bonus: Every Day Gets Lighter When...

What do you plan to do with your “next lap around our star”?

Nearly everyone, Michael Singer observes, will do the same thing they do every other year of their lives: try to get what they want and avoid what they don’t want. And they’ll be just as unhappy.

Why do we do this? Can’t we liberate ourselves from this no-win situation? Here, Michael shines an optimistic light on the New Year.

For more information, go to michaelsingerpodcast.com.
© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2024 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

S3 E5: Experiencing Love and Joy Instead of Fear and D...

“When your personal self isn’t taking over,” teaches Michael Singer, “your heart is full and your mind is clear.” So what stops this from happening? Our fears and our desires.

In this episode, Michael shows us how to replace the never-ending pursuit of what you think will make you OK with that which will actually fill you with unconditional love and joy.

For more information, go to michaelsingerpodcast.com.
© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2024 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

S3 E3: Navigating the Ocean of Life

Like a boat sailing on the sea, there are two significant forces guiding our journey through life: the natural forces all around us and the practical skills needed to reach our destinations. Here, Michael Singer explores the essentials for making our way on the spiritual path.

For more information, go to michaelsingerpodcast.com.
© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2024 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E39: Reconnecting with Your Natural State of Joy and L...

Much of our inner suffering arises from the accumulation of unresolved emotional experiences stored within. By learning to release these blockages and letting life’s events pass through without resistance, you can reconnect with your natural energy flow, which fosters love, creativity, and harmony. By practicing self-awareness and nonjudgment, and using life’s challenges as opportunities for spiritual growth, you can rediscover your true nature and live in a state of inner freedom, compassion, and fulfillment.

For more information, go to michaelsingerpodcast.com.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

 

E1: Living From a Deeper Part of Your Being

What do you truly want? Wealth? Recognition? A perfect relationship? At our core, reflects Michael Singer, what we really want is to be happy: to dwell in a place of joy, love, and freedom from fear. In this episode, he shows how our thoughts and emotions lead us astray with solutions and goals… and how to experience the deeper, complete part of our being that transcends both external events and the misguided perceptions and tendencies of the mind.

For more information, go to michaelsingerpodcast.com. 
© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2024 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

Timeless Classics

E13: The Mind: Prison or Liberator?

The mind can act as either a prison or a liberator, depending on how we use it. By holding on to uncomfortable past experiences, we trap ourselves in suffering. Expanding our thoughts beyond ourselves allows us to break free of the prison of mind. Through this process, we can liberate our consciousness, experience peace, and ultimately achieve enlightenment.

For more information, go to michaelsingerpodcast.com.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2024 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E14: From Thoughts to Awareness: Reclaiming Your Divin...

In this talk, Michael explains that the mind need not be an obstacle to spiritual growth but can actually be a great tool when used properly. This involves realizing you are not your thoughts, any of your thoughts—rather, you are the awareness observing them. By remaining centered in this awareness, free from the pull of personal thoughts and emotions, one can experience great states of natural joy, love, and divinity.

For more information, go to michaelsingerpodcast.com.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2024 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E15: Contemplating Truth: The Path to Inner Freedom

There are two fundamental truths that can help free you from the bondage of the ego. The first is your relationship to the vastness of the universe, and the other is how short your time is on this tiny planet. By acknowledging these truths, you can free yourself from the burden of personal preferences, opinions, and the mind’s fixation on past experiences. Embracing these deep truths leads you to a greater sense of perspective and a life of freedom that comes from releasing ego and harmonizing with Reality.

For more information, go to michaelsingerpodcast.com.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2024 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E16: When the Mind Becomes Disturbed

The mind, like the ocean, can be calm or disturbed, but the same consciousness is observing both states. Rather than trying to fix or overreact to a disturbed mind, one can learn to step back and observe the disturbance without feeding it. Ultimately, ceasing to thrash around in the disturbed mind allows the mental energies to settle down naturally. This process of letting go of the impulse to struggle leads to greater inner peace and spiritual growth over time.

For more information, go to michaelsingerpodcast.com.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2024 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E17: The Power of Acceptance: Evolving Beyond the Ego

Life is a spiritual journey where every experience serves as an opportunity for growth and evolution. The core of human suffering stems from attachment to the ego and resistance to the natural flow of life. By recognizing that we are not our egos but are instead the divine consciousness that is aware of the ego, we can transcend suffering and embrace inner peace. The ultimate purpose of life is spiritual liberation, achieved by letting go of resistance, aligning with reality, and embracing love and compassion in all circumstances.

For more information, go to michaelsingerpodcast.com.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2024 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

 

E18: Beyond the Mask of the Ego: Embracing Pure Awaren...

Consciousness is the foundation of all meaning, because without awareness, nothing has significance. People mistakenly identify with their ego, which is simply a collection of thoughts and self-concepts they are aware of. This false identification leads to tremendous suffering. True spiritual enlightenment comes from recognizing that the self is not the ego but the pure awareness behind it.

For more information, go to michaelsingerpodcast.com.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2024 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

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