The Crucible:Conversations for the Curious - podcast cover

The Crucible:Conversations for the Curious

Hamish Nivenhamishniven.com
Awakenings often force us to confront our deepest fears and beliefs. The Crucible: Conversations for The Curious explores the transformative journeys of ordinary people who've navigated life-altering events. Join us as we dive into their remarkable stories of hope, resilience, and self-discovery.
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Episodes

S2-E17 | Stop Living Someone Else's Belief System

Hamish and Juliana rip open the invisible cage of belief. How does unconscious programming dictate decisions, limit potential, and keep us trapped in societal scripts? Through raw war stories and unflinching self-examination, they examine the tension between mind-driven dogma and the body’s primal wisdom—that visceral “Wrong way!” scream we too often ignore. Why do we cling to beliefs that strangle growth, even as relationships fracture and friends disown us? This isn’t theoretical: They confron...

Mar 15, 202539 minSeason 2Ep. 17

S2 E16 | Juliana & Hamish - Dirty Lenses - Seeing the World Through Your Unique Perspective

This episode marks the beginning of a series designed to provoke thought and inspire listeners to take charge of their own lives. Are you prepared to challenge your current reality? Ready to embrace the notion that existence can transcend mere survival? Life holds immense beauty and limitless potential, and it’s time to awaken to that reality. Join us in questioning the dogmas society imposes and take the reins of your own narrative. Highlight "The more free you are, the more responsibility you ...

Jan 25, 202559 minSeason 2Ep. 16

S2-E15 | What if the substances that you abused actually led you to find yourself?

Highlight I couldn't understand regular social nuances as a kid. Sarcasm was lost on me. I was gullible, and people took advantage. I used drugs to find a way around that - in those social circles, everyone seemed nicer. But what I was really searching for went deeper. Each question about God led to more questions until I realised the answers weren't in substances - they were in facing myself. Summary In this conversation, Hamish and Joshua discuss the complexities of self-medication and addicti...

Jan 22, 20251 hrSeason 2Ep. 15

S2-E14 | From The Crucible - Quitting Made Me Successful And It Will Help You Too

Highlight "So you quit. So you've been to the gym for two weeks and it's impossible. That's okay. Step back, reassess what was important. Was it that important? If it was, what can you do to get there? Chances are, like my New Year's resolutions from years gone past, I hadn't thought it through." Summary This episode redefines quitting, shifting it from a failure to a vital tool for personal growth. Strava - the "Social Fitness Network" noticed that 80% of people give up on their fitness goals b...

Jan 12, 202515 minSeason 2Ep. 14

S2-E13 | What if your most painful differences carry the medicine for your deepest healing?

Highlights "Growing up with albinism isn't easy. A lot of questions are asked... When I was very young in my childhood, doctors had basically told me that I would be completely blind by the age of eight or nine. They didn't think that I would even be alive at this point. I am now 34... it's an amazing story." Summary Born with albinism to Black parents, JD shares his journey through identity crisis, addiction, and mental health challenges that led him to multiple rock bottoms. Despite facing pre...

Jan 08, 20251 hr 7 minSeason 2Ep. 13

S2-E12 | What if your neurodiversity contains hidden instruments waiting to tell your story?

Highlight "If I'm not feeling okay, I find out right away. And instead of sitting with the emotion, I try to make friends with it so I can say, right, I can walk with this... Recovery is a journey. It's not an end destination... it's that getting up in the morning and taking those steps. It's okay to have a bit of a down day once in a while as long as we don't sit with it for too long." Summary In this episode, I speak with James Brodie, a storyteller, songwriter, and producer, who shares his re...

Jan 03, 202555 minSeason 2Ep. 12

S2-E11 | What if the streets that broke you became the path to help others rise?

Highlight "When I see people on the streets, I see future nonprofit leaders, I see future teachers, parents, retaking the head of their families. The days of going into a hospital after overdosing and some social worker handing you three pieces of wrinkled paper that are stapled together and saying good luck, call these numbers and nobody answering need to be over. It's not acceptable." Summary AJ Lovewins shares his profound journey from a troubled childhood marked by adoption and family strugg...

Dec 23, 20241 hr 4 minSeason 2Ep. 11

S2-E10 | What if alcohol blurred your truth until prison made it unavoidable?

Highlight "For the first time in a long long time I was given the grace of a period of time just to reflect for me it was almost like my body and my head had said right you're not going to stop through your own accord so we're going to stop you for you... the higher power, for me it's a higher power anyway, it works in mysterious ways, very mysterious ways." Summary In this conversation, Eleri Haf Cosslett shares her remarkable journey from a successful career as a lawyer and property developer ...

Dec 21, 20241 hr 49 minSeason 2Ep. 10

S1-E9 | What if belonging is the medicine your addiction is searching for?

Highlight "Your path to healing might start with a concerned friend, then maybe a doctor or a family member - each one gently suggesting something isn't right. It could be a coworker, a friend, or even a stranger at a bar. But it's that eleventh person - saying exactly what the other ten said before - 'I think you need help.' And suddenly, the penny drops. It's never about what they say - it's about being ready to hear it. Those first ten people? They planted the seeds that finally bloomed when ...

Nov 12, 202459 minSeason 2Ep. 9

S2-E08 | What if the path to wellness begins with befriending the body you've battled?

Highlight "For me it was that it was small simple steps but taken consistently had massive changes. Like my life is unrecognisable now compared to how it used to be... if I can do that, anybody can do that. It's not difficult. It's very simple, it's just it's the consistency mostly that's sometimes challenging because we have to go against how we think." Summary Robyn shares her transformative journey from chronic illness to vibrant well-being in this enlightening conversation. Through her raw a...

Oct 29, 202453 minSeason 2Ep. 8

S2-E07 | What if you could reprogramme your identity like lines of broken code?

Highlight "I was endlessly thinking about my life problems from morning to night. And I just lost control of my thoughts. The only thing that really helped me a little bit was you could smoke a cigarette. That would stop them for a bit, but then I started chain-smoking. And then that just made me more anxious, right? And so then I started drinking because I drink every day then. I have to drink." Summary In this episode, Bryan takes us on an extraordinary journey from the brink of despair to a l...

Oct 22, 20241 hr 2 minSeason 2Ep. 7

S2 - E06 | What if your addiction to exercise is undermining your path to wellness?

Highlights "I remember five nights out of seven, I'd be in a bar until 3 AM, then up at 6 AM to serve breakfast to chalet guests. Looking back, I was surviving on fumes, pushing my body to extremes just to keep up with this insane lifestyle." "There I was, spending a night in a Thai prison cell, surrounded by other prisoners, not knowing if I was about to be deported. My entire dream of living in Thailand was crumbling because of one stupid decision to take a shot with some yacht crew." "The gym...

Oct 10, 202459 minSeason 2Ep. 6

S2-E05 | What if standing at a spiritual cliff edge is exactly where to begin?

Highlight "I had an identity imposed upon me, one which I swallowed hook, line and sinker at the time. I was taught, like we all are, to identify with who I am by society standards, by external validations, basically. So I studied law, and I became a barrister. I worked in the criminal justice system for over two decades, got married, had two wonderful boys, became an addictions therapist in between all of that somehow." Summary Prem shares her journey from successful barrister to spiritual seek...

Oct 09, 202455 minSeason 2Ep. 5

S2 E04 | What if the life we're afraid to live sober is actually the one we've always wanted?

Highlight "Nine and a half years down the line, having sorted out many of those problems, although there is still a little bit of DIY I haven't got around to, but no one's perfect. I am so glad that I managed to get myself in a position where I could deal with those issues because I love my wife, and I love my daughter, and they wouldn't be in my life if I hadn't changed." Summary In this conversation, Duncan Bhaskaran Brown shares his journey from being a heavy drinker to finding sobriety and p...

Oct 07, 202456 minSeason 2Ep. 4

S2-E02 | What if the pain in your children's eyes hold the mirror you need to change your life?

Highlight "Shame and guilt were huge for me. It was like shame is such an inward emotion. Like it's not projected out to other people, it's hidden, and it's more casting in on yourself. And that's what it feels like. And you know when you're shameful when you start hiding your drinking." Summary In this conversation, Ned Miro, the Drinkless Coach, shares his transformative journey from a life of alcohol dependency to becoming a coach who helps others navigate their relationship with drinking. He...

Oct 03, 202458 minSeason 2Ep. 2

S2-E03 | What if the golden boy facade had to crumble for the real man to emerge?

Highlight "I was the golden boy, you know? Perfect life, perfect job, perfect wife. Then the divorce hit, and suddenly, I didn't know who I was anymore. Everything I'd built my identity on just crumbled. That's when I started down the rabbit hole of partying and drugs. I thought I was living the life, but I was losing myself. It's crazy how fast it all fell apart." Summary In this powerful conversation, Dan Hungerford unveils his extraordinary journey from success to addiction and ultimately to ...

Oct 01, 20241 hr 8 minSeason 2Ep. 3

S2 - E01 | What if the person we are meant to become is waiting on the other side of fear?

Highlight "And a month and a half after we got married, I lost my job. So here she's thinking that she married a guy who is this wonderful guy who has his shit together, has held a job for 24 years, making good money to find out he's been sneaking cocaine behind her back the whole three years that they were dating. That was even a blow for her." Summary Al Richards shares his personal journey of overcoming addiction and transforming his life. He discusses how he started using drugs as a way to e...

Oct 01, 202457 minSeason 2Ep. 1

S1-E22 | What if your breaking point is actually your breakthrough moment?

Highlight "We are stalwart characters, we keep on going on, and we think that we are superhuman. And then I finally got the phone call to say that I wasn't successful in my interview and I was put at risk for redundancy... And that was when, mentally and physically, I ultimately shut down. And yeah, went on my own healing journey, so to speak, from that point. Because yeah, not an ideal time because of COVID, so I wasn't able to speak to a therapist, or wasn't able to see a therapist, as say, so...

Sep 27, 20241 hr 2 minSeason 1Ep. 22

S1-E23 | What if your inner demons are actually inner teachers waiting you to listen?

Highlight "Midway through my 57th year, I had been asked by a business person where I live to attend a networking event. It turned out that it was an evening with him... old patterns started to emerge again in me, triggers started to emerge again in me. I left that evening in floods of tears. I literally ran home because it was in running distance. I threw myself on the bed and I didn't want to wake up anymore. I was completely out of control, weeping, sobbing, fell asleep sobbing, woke up sobbi...

Sep 26, 202455 minSeason 1Ep. 23

S1-E21 | What if OCD's whispers are just thoughts, not prophecies of who you'll become

Highlight "Around the age of seven, every single night time, I used to be scared to go to bed because of the fear of me stabbing my parents. And it took a long, long time for me to really understand what that was. I used to cry, I didn't want to go to bed, and I couldn't tell my parents because, of course, if you tell your parents that, I mean, what's gonna happen?" Summary In this enlightening conversation, Eleanor shares her profound journey through the struggles of intrusive thoughts and OCD,...

Sep 24, 202449 minSeason 1Ep. 21

S1-E20 | What if saying no to your abuser awakens the divine feminine within you?

Highlight "No matter what happens to us, no matter what traumatic experience we go through, we always have the power to choose. We always have the power to say no. We always have the power to stand up and say, this is not okay with me anymore. Everything that happened in my life was needed for me to grow, to expand, and to become who I am today. I'm grateful for all those experiences because I would not be here talking to you today if I would not go through all those experiences." Summary In thi...

Sep 17, 20241 hr 28 minSeason 1Ep. 20

S1 - E19 | What if your child's birth awakens the warrior spirit you never knew existed?

Highlight "And what happened when I had my little girl, you become the protector, the warrior, the one that all of a sudden sees all the enemies out there or potential enemies out there. And you start seeing your role as someone that needs to be a little bit more level, needs to have the self-empowerment that you need in order for you to set up boundaries with people around you." Summary Pavli shares her journey of awakening and self-discovery from her childhood to her current role as a holistic...

Sep 07, 20241 hr 11 minSeason 1Ep. 19

S1-E18 | What if the bravest act of leadership is learning to care for yourself first?

Highlight "A psychologist bluntly told me, 'You're about a month away from being hospitalised.' She asked why I worked so hard. I said to look after my people and family. She replied, 'How good are you going to be to these people from a hospital bed?' That drove the point home—I needed to care for myself first." About Steven Website - https://www.dare2be.co.za LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-levy/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dare2be_stevenlevy/ Connect with Steven on Linke...

Sep 02, 20241 hr 11 minSeason 1Ep. 18

S1 - E17 | What if your psychic gifts are your truest path to healing?

Highlight I grew up seeing spirits, travelling through my dreams, remembering past lives, all kinds of crazy stuff. My grandfather was schizophrenic... So from an early age, I really had a fear that I was just bananas. So I learnt just to keep everything quiet, all the stuff about spirits and past lives and travelling through space and dreams. I've kept all my sensitive stuff as quiet as possible, all my psychic stuff as quiet as possible and I've been ashamed of it most of my life. Finding sham...

Aug 30, 20241 hr 5 minSeason 1Ep. 17

S1 - E16 | What if asking for help is the bravest step to change your life?

Highlight Late 2018, things were really getting bad. I was popping the beers whilst driving over the flyover out of Cape Town. There were cars in every direction. Sometimes we were only doing 15-20 kilometers an hour. And the bottles weren't in bags. Look left and right; no cars are coming, and you are drinking. It was utterly self-destructive. Summary Here, I share my personal story of addiction and recovery, highlighting the conflicts, events that knocked me flat and disappointments I experien...

Aug 20, 20241 hrSeason 1Ep. 16

S1 - E15 | What if your creative voice has been whispering while you covered your ears?

Highlight And so I had this really great gift of being able to tap into creativity and this powerful energy of self-discovery and sharing yourself and flow and all these words. And then I just decided I wasn't going to trust it. And I cut it off for probably about 15 years. summary Ryan Watts shares his personal journey of self-discovery and reconnecting with his creativity. He discusses the importance of self-awareness and being present in the moment. He also explores the concept of ADHD as a f...

Aug 19, 20241 hr 14 minSeason 1Ep. 15

S1- E14 | What if surrendering to discomfort is your most powerful medicine?

Highlight "I realised I was carrying all this stuff other people didn't experience. I call it a personal hell because that's what it was for me. Like my body was in this state of static. I felt like there was constant static running through my body, like there was this buzz, and I couldn't connect with anything outside of that buzz. And later on, I realised that I had PTSD." Summary Nirushka shares her journey of awakening and self-discovery, starting in 2020. She describes her experience of rea...

Aug 19, 202454 minSeason 1Ep. 14

S1 - E13 | What if your childhood wounds hold the map to your life's purpose?

Highlight "When you stop drinking, you actually realise that you knew all along what you were doing, but you weren't prepared to pause. It was immediately reaching out for something. So, what did I notice after I stopped drinking? I noticed I have other addictions." Summary Marléne shares her journey of overcoming alcohol addiction and finding healing and purpose in life. She discusses the impact of growing up with a single parent who was an alcoholic and how it influenced her own relationship w...

Aug 12, 20241 hr 12 minSeason 1Ep. 13

S1 E12 | What if your prison mugshot was actually a portrait of your future healer?

Highlight Cindy takes us from the fast-paced world of high-end hospitality to the realm of spiritual awakening. A night in jail following a drunk driving incident became the catalyst for stopping her drinking and a spiritual evolution. Cindy candidly shares how she confronted her alcohol addiction, deep-seated shame, and personal fears, ultimately discovering her true calling as a spiritual leader and healer. Her story is a powerful testament to the human capacity for change and growth, demonstr...

Aug 05, 20241 hr 17 minSeason 1Ep. 12

S1-E11 | What if awakening begins where addiction ends?

Highlight Gayle shares her journey from addiction to spiritual awakening. She discusses how childhood trauma led to substance abuse, her experiences as a high-functioning addict, and the pivotal moment that sparked her recovery. Gayle describes her unexpected spiritual awakening and how it transformed her life, emphasising the importance of community, self-reflection, and taking responsibility. She also touches on the challenges of maintaining relationships during recovery and finding a new sens...

Jul 31, 20241 hr 1 minSeason 1Ep. 11
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