LivingToBe – When Faith Stops Working

Turn on the news, and you'll be told the crisis of our time is politics, inflation, or AI. But beneath all of it, Reino Gevers argues, runs something deeper: a crisis of meaning. In this episode, he traces the return of tribalism from South Africa to Europe to the US, asks why anxiety and loneliness keep rising even as material life improves, and makes the case for wonder over certainty. Along...

What happens when life feels profoundly unfair? In this episode, I reflect on an unexpected spiritual lesson arising from my own struggle with the Spanish tax authority. Rather than asking, Why is this happening? , I explore a more transformative question: What is this asking me to learn? Drawing on the wisdom of Celtic spirituality, the teachings of Jesus, and the insights of the mystics, we cons...

We live in an age of unprecedented access to information, advice, and expertise. Coaches, influencers, therapists, spiritual teachers, authors, and commentators all promise answers to life's biggest questions. But what happens when meaning itself becomes a marketplace? In this episode of LivingToBe, we explore the growing crisis of trust and the challenge of finding purpose in a world overflowing...

Before joining the FBI, Eric Robinson spent 12 years in Christian ministry. He then embarked on an extraordinary 24-year career in federal law enforcement, investigating everything from white-collar crime and public corruption to counterterrorism, gang activity, narcotics trafficking, and crimes against children. Along the way, he served as a SWAT operator, firearms instructor, and tactical traine...

Why are hundreds of thousands of people once again walking the ancient pilgrimage routes of Europe? In this episode, we explore the remarkable revival of the Camino de Santiago and other medieval pilgrimage paths — journeys once central to European spiritual life that are now attracting modern seekers searching for meaning, healing, silence, and transformation. From the dangerous pilgrimages of th...

In a world shaped by endless scrolling, constant distraction, and shrinking attention spans, many people are discovering a deeper spiritual hunger beneath the noise. Why, in an age of instant answers and endless stimulation, do so many still feel disconnected, restless, and searching for meaning? In this episode, we explore the lost art of stillness and why ancient wisdom may be more relevant toda...

In this episode of LivingToBe , we explore the crisis of modern life: the loss of community, ritual, and spiritual belonging. As more people leave villages, churches, and traditional forms of community behind, many find themselves living in increasingly anonymous worlds — surrounded by people, yet deeply alone. But what exactly have we lost in the process? Drawing on insights from the Blue Zones,...

In this reflective episode of LivingToBe , we explore the loss that doesn’t make headlines but reshapes lives across continents. What happens when the places that once grounded us begin to fade? When communities slowly empty out, not through catastrophe, but through a steady drift toward elsewhere? Drawing from a deeply personal journey through rural South Africa, this episode traces the visible s...

In 1936, during a Nazi rally in Hamburg, thousands of arms were raised in perfect unison—except for one. August Landmesser stood silently with his arms crossed, refusing to conform. At first glance, it looks like a simple act of defiance. But behind that moment lies a deeply personal story of love, conviction, and the cost of standing for what is right. Landmesser’s quiet resistance wasn’t politic...

What happens when the life you’ve built—your identity, your direction, your sense of control—changes in an instant? In this conversation, Reino Gevers speaks with Dr. Tom Dutta, known as The Quiet Warrior , about a journey that moves far beyond success, resilience, or recovery. After rising to the highest levels of corporate leadership as a CEO, Tom came to a quiet but decisive realisation: leader...

Karma is often misunderstood as fate—something fixed, inevitable, and beyond your control. But what if that’s not true? In this episode, we explore a deeper, more empowering understanding of karma as intentional action and the ripple effects it creates in your life. Drawing on insights from Buddhist wisdom and Christian mysticism, this conversation reveals how every thought, word, and choice becom...

What happens when a marriage feels beyond repair—when years of disconnection, frustration, and silence seem impossible to overcome? Today’s guest, Larry Bilotta, has lived that reality. After 27 years in a loveless marriage, he reached a breaking point that led to a profound personal breakthrough—one that didn’t just restore his relationship, but transformed his entire life. For over two decades,...

Ann Tashi Slater is a writer and speaker who invites us to explore how our personal histories and cultural inheritances shape who we are—and who we are still becoming—in a world defined by constant change. In her deeply moving new book, Traveling in Bardo: The Art of Living in an Impermanent World , Ann weaves together intimate stories of love, marriage, friendship, family, and creative life with...

When catastrophe strikes, humanity returns to an ancient question: Is this God’s judgment? In this episode, we journey back to the 14th-century Black Death to explore how one of history’s most devastating pandemics shook faith, reshaped belief, and revealed radically different spiritual responses. From the dramatic penitent processions of the flagellants to the quiet courage of clergy who stayed b...

What did Jesus Christ really mean when he said, “Love your enemies”? In this episode, we explore why forgiveness is one of the most misunderstood teachings in the Christian tradition. Drawing on the insights of the mystic Meister Eckhart and lessons from history and psychology, we examine how resentment can trap us in cycles of pain, and how forgiveness becomes a powerful act of inner liberation....

Kenny Stoddart Jr. seemed to have everything the world defines as success. By 24, he was already a self-made millionaire. Over the next 27 years, he built an impressive career in cybersecurity, closing major deals with some of the world’s largest technology companies. But behind the success was a quieter struggle. While rising professionally, Kenny was privately battling alcohol dependence — a fig...

Holly Porter is a transformational leader who doesn’t just talk about purpose — she has lived it through fire. A 17-time best-selling author, keynote speaker, and founder of 12 startup companies, Holly is the CEO of Retreat RnR, a prop-tech and concierge platform helping retreat leaders and entrepreneurs create profitable, purpose-driven experiences. After surviving a 70-day near-death battle with...

After 15 years of climbing the corporate ladder, Baiba Wisse reached the success many strive for—yet inside, something essential was missing. In this powerful conversation, the host of Career In Technicolor shares how burnout, anxiety, and inner restlessness became the catalyst for reconnecting with her sacred purpose and creating work that is energizing, nourishing, and deeply aligned. If you’ve...

Growing up in apartheid South Africa, Reino Gevers witnessed how religion can be distorted to sanctify power, exclusion, and cruelty. In this episode, he reflects on those memories and explores the unsettling parallels he sees today in Christian Nationalism and its social-Darwinist logic. Drawing on the Christian mystical tradition—from Paul to Meister Eckhart— Reino contrasts faith aligned with d...

Hans is a mystic, author, and illustrator who has written and illustrated more than 200 books, including several in collaboration with Byron Katie. His work has reached over 40 million readers and has been translated into 30 languages. For more than twelve years now, Hans has also been sharing his wisdom through short YouTube videos—over 170 of them—where he draws as he explains the spiritual laws...

What I have learned over the course of my life is this: When you  push beneath the surface—beneath the pain, the losses, the disappointments, the anger—what you avoiddoesn’t disappear. It amplifies. It shows up as exhaustion, numbness, overworking, or the quiet escape into distractions that keep you away from yourtrue authenticity and vulnerability. Life happens. Emotions like anger, grievance, an...

Today I want to speak to a particular moment in life. Amoment that many of us know intimately—but rarely talk about. It’s that space in between . Where the old story has ended, but the new one hasn’t yetbegun. Where the path ahead is unclear, and the usual answers no longer satisfy. Where something inside us is shifting, quietly, beneath the surface. If you’re in that space right now—or if you’ve...

A mother leans in, lowers her voice, and confesses—almost inshame—that her son, now in his thirties, is still living at home. He’s unemployed. He spends most of his days in the basement playing PC games. Meanwhile, his sister—same upbringing, same parents—is thriving. She’s independent, fulfilled, and living what appears to be the life of her dreams. This isn’t an isolated story anymore. It’s beco...

Zen teacher David Rynick on waking up to the confusion, the difficulty and the pain that is part of life.

David Rynick—Zen teacher, author, and lifecoach—explores the tender joys and everyday challenges of being human. In this episode, David shares hisdeeply personal journey to Zen, from growing up as the son of a Presbyterian minister to becoming a founding teacher of the Boundless Way Zen Temple. #spirituality #zen #buddhism #ZenPractice #SpiritualJourney #MindfulLiving #PodcastInterview #DavidRynic...