Sounds True: Insights at the Edge - podcast cover

Sounds True: Insights at the Edge

Tami Simon, Founder and Publisher of Sounds True interviews spiritual teachers, visionary writers, and living luminaries about their newest work and current challenges—the growing edge of their inner inquiry and outer contribution to the world.
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Episodes

Mark Nepo: The Half-Life of Angels

How do we know our own authenticity? How can we return to our hearts when we find we’ve left them? As we evolve and change along our journey, how do we relate to the “former selves” in our past? In this podcast, Tami Simon and poet-philosopher Mark Nepo address these questions and more, as they discuss his creative process; his new book, The Half-Life of Angels; and how we can each touch the ever-present and wholly miraculous “spark of becoming” waiting to guide our lives. Tune in as Tami and Ma...

May 09, 202357 min

Jon Kabat-Zinn: Befriending Pain

Current statistics tell us that 20% of the US population has some form of chronic pain, defined as severe discomfort that has continued for six months or more. That’s more than 50 million people. Jon Kabat-Zinn has received international acclaim for his leading work in bringing the life-changing practices of meditation and mindfulness into the mainstream of medicine and society. In this inspiring podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Jon about his empowering new book, Mindfulness Meditation for Pain R...

May 02, 20231 hr 5 min

Lorna Byrne: Knowing Yourself as a Spiritual Being

There is a material world we can touch with our hands and see with our eyes. And as Lorna Byrne assures us, there is also a spiritual world that is just as real—one that most of us have forgotten how to see. How might your life change if you were to reclaim your own “spiritual sight”? What would happen if you lived with a direct knowing of yourself as both a physical and a spiritual being? In this podcast, join Tami Simon for a fascinating conversation with the bestselling author of Angels in My...

Apr 25, 20231 hr 15 min

Ruby Warrington: Women Without Kids

Whether or not to become a parent is a central question in life. There are many factors that influence the decision, some of which are out of our control. Yet foregoing motherhood, for any reason, can lead to painful stigmatization and conflict (within and without). In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with thought leader and author Ruby Warrington, about her profound book Women Without Kids: The Revolutionary Rise of an Unsung Sisterhood—and the long-overdue conversations we need to begin having ...

Apr 20, 202359 min

Elissa Epel: The Stress Prescription

How can we live without the sense that our value is measured by achievements and productivity? What kind of attitude and skills are needed today to deal with the stress so many are feeling? In a nutshell, what does it mean to be human right now? In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with bestselling author and stress expert Dr. Elissa Epel about the inextricable connection between the mind and the body and how we each have the capacity to protect our health and well-being even in times of volatile ...

Apr 18, 202351 min

Zenju Earthlyn Manuel: Opening to Darkness

Darkness is an inseparable part of life. Yet instead of resisting it or trying to eradicate it, as society would often have us do, how can we use darkness as fodder for our growth and evolution? In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with poet, Zen Buddhist priest, and artist Zenju Earthlyn Manuel about her new book, Opening to Darkness: Eight Gateways for Being with the Absence of Light in Unsettling Times, and how we can begin to change the way we relate to darkness and blackness. We invite you to...

Apr 11, 20231 hr 5 min

Andrea Owen: Speaking with a Damn Good Coach

Andrea Owen is an author, global keynote speaker, and professional certified life coach who helps high-achieving women master their confidence and resilience. But as she puts it, “I was not born an evolved person.” In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Andrea about her personal journey and her new audio program, Getting Damn Good at Life: Strategies for Managing Your Inner Critic, Growing Confidence, and Experiencing More Happiness Now. Give a listen to this inspiring podcast that will leave y...

Apr 06, 20231 hr 4 min

Mara Glatzel: What Do You Need?

We all have needs. Yet why is it so difficult to honor them? In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Mara Glatzel about her book, Needy: How to Advocate for Your Needs and Claim Your Sovereignty, and how we might begin to answer the profound question: What happens when we take radical responsibility for our needs? Tune in for an empowering and indeed much-needed conversation about “giving ourselves permission to take up space in the center of our lives,” exploring: building a working vocabulary ...

Apr 04, 202359 min

Rachel Macy Stafford: The Soul Shift to What Really Matters

In her new book, Soul Shift, Rachel Macy Stafford offers a practical approach to navigating a culture of distraction and depletion to find your way back to what delights your heart, makes you feel alive, and brings you peace. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Rachel about the attitude and actions involved in making a “soul shift” and learning to embrace what we know matters most to us. Give a listen to a conversation that will help you radically reprioritize your to-do list with urgency an...

Mar 28, 20231 hr 2 min

MaryCatherine McDonald: The Trauma Response Is Never Wrong

For centuries, we’ve been taught that being traumatized means we are somehow broken—and that trauma only happens to people who are too fragile or flawed to deal with hardship. Instead, says Dr. MaryCatherine McDonald, the trauma response proves our spirit cannot be broken. In this podcast, Tami Simon and “MC” (as her students call her) discuss her new book, Unbroken: The Trauma Response Is Never Wrong—And Other Things You Need to Know to Take Back Your Life, and how we might as a society begin t...

Mar 23, 20231 hr 8 min

Iain S. Thomas & Jasmine Wang: Can AI Answer Life’s Biggest Questions?

Mention to someone the words “artificial intelligence,” and chances are you’ll get a very emotional response. For some, the thought of AI triggers fear, anger, and suspicion; for others, great excitement and anticipation. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with technologist and philosopher Jasmine Wang along with poet Iain S. Thomas, coauthors of the new book What Makes Us Human? An Artificial Intelligence Answers Life’s Biggest Questions. Whatever your view on AI, we think you’ll find this conv...

Mar 21, 20231 hr 2 min

Paulina Porizkova: Aging Beautifully

We're all beautiful in different ways. To see this beauty in everyone around you only takes a little kindness and patience. This is just one of the many deep insights you'll hear in this podcast with author and former supermodel Paulina Porizkova. Here, Tami Simon speaks with Paulina about her book No Filter, and how "the world is so full of beauty on every level if you stop to look for it." Give a listen as Tami and Paulina talk about the trouble with the word "still"; our cultural bias about y...

Mar 14, 202359 min

Sará King: Liberatory Technology from the Future

We live in an age of astounding technological wonders. Yet there is great fear and uncertainty around where it’s taking us all. The multitalented Dr. Sará King is a neuroscientist, education philosopher, public speaker, and codirector of Mobius, a nonprofit committed to the creation of “liberatory technology” as a countercurrent to the harm perpetuated by much of our modern technology. In this thought-provoking podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Dr. King about her life and work, covering a variety ...

Mar 07, 20231 hr 5 min

Daniel J. Siegel: IntraConnected: Discovering MWe (Me + We)

We may have a mental understanding that all of life is one inseparable whole, yet how do we actually feel into this reality? And how do we relate to others and the world from this felt awareness? Dr. Daniel J. Siegel is a visionary creative thinker, professor, and founder of the field of interpersonal neurobiology. With Sounds True, he has authored numerous audio programs and courses, and his internationally bestselling books offer us an empowering new understanding of our bodies, our minds, and...

Feb 28, 20231 hr 16 min

Emilia Elisabet Lahti: Sisu: Embodying Gentle Power

How do we find the strength to keep going when it feels like there’s nothing left inside of us? The Finnish philosophy of sisu shows us a new way to look at power and perseverance—not as force and domination but as the harmonious expression of human character in everyday actions. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Dr. Emilia Elisabet Lahti about her work leading the world’s first empirical research on sisu and her new book, Gentle Power: A Revolution in How We Think, Lead, and Succeed Using...

Feb 23, 20231 hr

Sarah Blondin: Heart Minded

Is your heart asking you for a more meaningful conversation? Are you longing to engage a different kind of awareness than the thinking mind? Sarah Blondin is beloved by millions for her online guided meditations that invite us to come back home to our hearts and to embrace the fullness of our experience. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Sarah about her new book, Heart Minded, and how we can each take up residence in the intelligence and strength of our hearts. Tune in as Tami and Sarah di...

Feb 21, 20231 hr 2 min

Valerie Gangas: In Deep Shift

When our lives are unexpectedly overturned, how do we regain our footing and make something new and better of ourselves? In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with author Valerie Gangas about her book, In Deep Shift: Riding the Waves of Change to Find Peace, Fulfillment, and Freedom, an empowering guide to help us navigate those times when life turns upside down and inside out. Give a listen as they talk about spontaneous awakenings and spiritual "emergencies," the connection between deep despair a...

Feb 16, 202355 min

Connor Beaton: Men’s Work

What does it look like to connect to our own masculinity, our own masculine core, in a healthy way? How as men do we welcome the parts of ourselves we dislike the most? Where can we find the validation and recognition we seek? These are the questions that Connor Beaton addresses in his new book, Men’s Work: A Practical Guide to Face Your Darkness, End Self-Sabotage, and Find Freedom. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Connor about his life and work, discussing why the work of men begins wit...

Feb 14, 20231 hr 11 min

Melody T. McCloud: Black Women’s Wellness

Dr. Melody T. McCloud has written a first-of-its-kind, truly groundbreaking book that serves as an indispensable guide to help Black women lead healthier, happier lives. Black Women’s Wellness: Your “I’ve Got This!” Guide to Health, Sex, and Phenomenal Living sheds light on the unique challenges Black women face, including microaggressions and the less-than-desirable statistics and legacy of health-care outcomes. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Dr. McCloud about her personal story and th...

Feb 07, 20231 hr 1 min

Bruce Tift: Already Free

Have you ever wondered how to hold the following two seemingly contradictory experiences? On the one hand, you feel in touch with the vast expanse of being. You sense that your true nature is infinite, boundless, unconditionally loving, and outside of time. And on the other hand, you know that in certain situations (usually involving other people!), you are avoidant, dismissive, reactive, and shut down, and—truth be told—you have a lot of healing and personal growth work to do. Buddhist psychoth...

Jan 31, 20231 hr 11 min

Jordan Davidson: So When Are You Having Kids?

For anyone deciding whether or not to become a parent, Jordan Davidson asks you to be sure to consider these questions: What have you been taught about having children? What have you been taught about what it means to be a successful adult and what makes a good life? In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with the author of the new book So When Are You Having Kids: The Definitive Guide for Those Who Aren’t Sure If, When, or How They Want to Become Parents about societal pressures, fertility challeng...

Jan 24, 20231 hr 13 min

Ken Hansraj: Watch Your Back—Relieve Back Pain Without Surgery

Back problems are the leading cause of disability worldwide—and most of us will endure acute or chronic back pain at some time in our lives. The good news: there are excellent, highly effective alternatives to surgery and painkillers. In this podcast, join Tami Simon in conversation with spine and neck expert Dr. Ken Hansraj for an amazing discussion of his new book, Watch Your Back: Nine Proven Strategies to Reduce Your Neck and Back Pain Without Surgery. They cover the Text Neck study; meditat...

Jan 17, 20231 hr 4 min

Elaine Gibson: Learning from Family Systems Theory

How do you view your family of origin? Our family dynamics have a tremendous influence on how we feel about ourselves, show up in the world, and relate to others. When these dynamics are subconscious, we remain bound and encumbered by them. But when we bring them to the surface, we can engage our power to change and grow. In this thought-provoking podcast, Tami Simon speaks with marriage and family therapist Elaine Carney Gibson about her new book, Your Family Revealed: A Guide to Decoding the P...

Jan 10, 20231 hr 7 min

Caverly Morgan: The Heart of Who We Are

When Caverly Morgan reentered society after eight years as a Zen monk, she was confronted with a question many of us are asking these days: Considering the enormity of the problems before us, how can one individual’s spiritual practice make a tangible difference in our world? In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Caverly about her new book, The Heart of Who We Are, and the connection between self-realization and collective transformation. Tune in as they explore these topics and more: the diff...

Jan 03, 20231 hr 6 min

Lynne Twist: Finding Fulfillment in a Purpose Larger than You

At a time when many of us are feeling hopeless, angry, or cynical, how can we reclaim our joy and choose to see possibility instead? How can we change what we tell ourselves about our lives and our world? In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with author and activist Lynne Twist about her new book, Living a Committed Life, and discovering the role we each must play to usher in a new era for humanity. Tune in for an inspiring discussion of strengthening your “possibility muscle”; the power of disrup...

Dec 27, 20221 hr 7 min

Gabor Maté: Healing into Wholeness in a Toxic Culture

Celebrated author and physician Dr. Gabor Maté has become one of the world’s foremost voices on the journey of healing from trauma—in large part because it is a path he walks himself. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Dr. Maté about his new book, The Myth of Normal, sharing breakthrough insights into the nature of trauma and some of the necessary steps for our personal and collective recovery. Give a listen as Tami and Dr. Maté discuss the truth of our interconnectedness; disease as a proc...

Dec 20, 20221 hr 1 min

Christopher Willard: How We Grow Through What We Go Through

Most of us are familiar with the concept of post-traumatic stress. Fortunately, there’s another way we can respond to extreme adversity. This is what researchers call post-traumatic growth—and it’s something we’re all biologically “hardwired” to access, to turn even our most difficult experiences into a source of resilience and strength. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with clinical psychologist and author Dr. Christopher Willard about “how we grow through what we go through”—which is also th...

Dec 13, 20221 hr 2 min

Miranda Macpherson: The Transforming Power of Ego Relaxation

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 atm...

Dec 06, 20221 hr 2 min

Christian Conte: Healing Conflict: Listen, Validate, Then Explore Options

How do we fully meet and support someone experiencing emotional distress—anger, in particular? In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon talks with Dr. Christian Conte about his Yield Theory of emotional management, focusing on the process of “listen, validate, and explore options.” Dr. Conte explains the events that led to his interest in anger management, as well as the origins of Yield Theory. He emphasizes the importance of meeting others where they are, giving them the opportunity...

Nov 29, 20221 hr 3 min

Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg: Mending the World with a Prophetic Voice

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 spiri...

Nov 22, 20221 hr 1 min
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