Soul Boom

Change rarely asks permission. Cognitive scientist Maya Shankar joins to unpack why we cling to certainty, how rumination traps us in mental spirals, and what it actually takes to build a self that can survive life’s curveballs. From identity loss and grief to moral beauty, compassion, and the psychology of “default options,” this conversation blends neuroscience, philosophy, and spiritual wisdom...

AI, power trips, and what comes after late stage capitalism. Comedian Reggie Watts joins us to unpack how billionaires are trying to control the systems they built, why government is not a business, and how community and joy can outlast fear and shock tactics. We also debate psychedelics and ketamine, including the difference between sacred practice and shortcut culture, and how altered states can...

Reggie Watts (comedian, musician) joins us to unpack simulation theory, psychedelics, AI, and Eastern mysticism. He and Rainn cover everything from Seattle's underground art scene to how John Hughes movies and existentialism shaped them. SPONSORS! 👇 Nutrafol (Code: SOULBOOM for $10 off!) 👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://nutrafol.com Miracle Made (promo code: SOULBOOM for 20% OFF!) 👉 ⁠⁠⁠trymiracle.com/SOULBOOM⁠...

Dr. Daniel Amen (brain health expert, psychiatrist and physician) wants to reframe “mental health” as brain health, and explain how brain imaging can reveal patterns behind depression, anxiety, addiction, and even chronic pain. They unpack automatic negative thoughts, negativity bias, and simple daily “tiny habits” that can reshape your brain and your life. Plus, Dr. Amen connects science with mea...

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Hospice Nurse Julie sits down with Rainn to completely re-frame how we think about death, dying and what might come next. From the biology of how the body peacefully shuts down to mystical deathbed visions, guardian angel stories and “miracle pancakes,” she shares raw, hopeful and surprisingly funny lessons from years at the bedside. They dive into addiction, spirituality, fear, atheism, pets show...

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How can we humanize our political "opponents" and stop viewing the world as "them vs. us?" Revolutionary love in practice. Valarie Kaur returns to unpack how we can transform grief into courageous action, and build a bigger we that resists dehumanization while defending democracy. We walk through tools like wonder, grief, listening across difference, and experiments with love on the frontlines and...

Shabnam Mogharabi (co-author of the Soul Boom Workbook: Spiritual Tools for Modern Living, co-founder of SoulPancake) joins Rainn to unpack their new book and explore awe, beauty, and gratitude, through practical “tools for turbulent times” that scale from the self to community. Shabnam also shares her vulnerable story about suffering, intuition, and why noticing” small needs can spark real change...

Comedian Roy Wood, Jr. (The Daily Show) joins Rainn to explore the fractures in American society, from racism and political division to technology, capitalism, and the myth of unity. Roy reflects on his upbringing in Birmingham, the lessons in resilience and hustle that shaped his path, and why he believes comedy is a spiritual tool for truth-telling. Can America find healing, or is division our d...

Part 2! Mark Ruffalo joins us again to talk about marriage as "soul work," raising artists, healing family trauma, and why vulnerability might be the bravest thing a man can practice. He opens up about his father’s Baha’i journey, the sweetness of those early firesides, Standing Rock, and the Lakota lessons that reshaped his activism and hope. Mark Ruffalo is an Oscar-nominated actor, producer, an...

Yung Pueblo (Diego Perez) explore how inner transformation creates outer change. He and Rainn discuss impermanence, self-love, meditation, and why cultivating inner peace is essential to addressing today’s mental health crisis and global challenges. Yung Pueblo also shares his journey through silent meditation retreats, his new book How to Love Better, and the radical idea that healing ourselves i...

Mark Ruffalo (AppleTV's Task, Marvel's Avengers) explores how America can find compassion in divided times, the dangers of political violence, and why activism must be rooted in empathy. Ruffalo reflects on losing his brother to gun violence, the climate crisis, and his journey with The Solutions Project, which uplifts frontline communities fighting for change. Together, they ask: how do we move b...

Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love author) opens up about love, addiction, grief, and spiritual growth. She opens up about her relationship with Raya, the painful lessons of codependency, and why heartbreak can feel as devastating as substance abuse. Together, they explore life as “Earth School,” the healing power of unconditional love, and why telling the truth is often the only way out of life’s...

Danny Rensch stopped being a pawn in his family's cult and broke free to rebuild his life and found Chess.com. He and Rainn unpack what life is like growing up in a cult, the painful process of leaving, and the long journey of healing and reconnecting with his mother. Together they explore resilience, forgiveness, and how meaning can be rebuilt after spiritual manipulation and control. THANK YOU T...

Comedian Lil Rel Howery (Code 3) joins Rainn to unpack how he got out of grief, panic attacks, and an extremely dark season after the death of his mother. He shares the wild prophecy that named his breakout roles years before they happened, why the Black church shaped his soul and service, and how stand-up became his medicine. They swap stories on Code 3, Get Out, The Carmichael Show, The Office a...

Ryan Holiday (The Daily Stoic) joins Rainn Wilson to connect Stoicism’s deepest roots to spirituality, from the Logos and justice to the common good and service. They explore how ancient practice becomes modern medicine for anxiety, purpose, and resilience, and why journaling and radical acceptance still work. THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! Fetzer 👉 https://www.fetzer.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⏯️ SUBSC...

Sri M, Himalayan spiritual teacher and social reformer, joins Rainn Wilson to explore the mysteries of consciousness, the soul, and the universal search for meaning. Together they discuss how spirituality is inseparable from service, why love and peace lie at the heart of all traditions, and how to live a spiritual life while fully engaged in the modern world. THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! GreenChef...

Adam Grant (NYT bestselling author of Think Again and organizational psychologist at Wharton) joins us to unpack why everything we believe about confidence might be backward. From navigating failure and perfectionism to learning how to detach worth from work, Adam explores why passion isn’t something you “find,” how spirituality intersects with identity, and how reframing narratives can lead to a...

When a high-achieving lawyer suddenly drops her corporate life for poetry and yoga, her words manage to reach millions online. Victoria Hutchins explores religious deconstruction, what it means to “make believe” in God again, and the soul-saving power of small joys. Victoria reads several of her most powerful poems and shares practical wisdom for those navigating anxiety, burnout, or existential c...

Ed Helms, (The Office, The Hangover) digs into memory, identity, and what it means to truly live in the moment. The two reflect on their years together on The Office, the unexpected emotional impact of a single line from the show's finale, and how chasing success nearly kept them from appreciating the present. Ed opens up about his ADHD diagnosis, his evolving relationship with therapy, and how se...

If belief dies, can wonder survive? Britt Hartley (author of No Nonsense Spirituality) digs into her journey from devout Mormonism to mystic atheism, her deconstruction of religious dogma, and her experience of profound nihilism after losing belief in God. THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! Quince (FREE shipping!) 👉 ⁠⁠⁠https://www.quince.com/soulboom⁠⁠ Fetzer 👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fetzer.org⁠⁠⁠⁠ MERCH OUT NOW!...

Casey Neistat (YouTube creator, filmmaker, entrepreneur) joins Rainn Wilson to dive into the dangers of social media algorithms, the role of empathy in art, and how fatherhood reshaped Casey’s purpose. THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! ⁠⁠⁠Get a 4-week trial, free postage, and a digital scale at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.stamps.com/soulboom⁠⁠⁠. Thanks to Stamps.com for sponsoring the show! Fetzer 👉⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://...

Comedian Pete Holmes (I Am Not For Everyone) joins Rainn Wilson LIVE to dive into the nature of God, spiritual awakening through psychedelics, and why ego isn’t the enemy...it might even be divine. They unpack the parable of the Prodigal Son, discuss mystical consciousness and atheism, and reflect on comedy’s role in revealing truth. Plus, Pete shares early jokes, voice memo rage, and his unique w...

Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, White Chicks) opens up about addiction, masculinity, faith, and healing. He shares his journey through addiction, religious trauma, and the deep inner work required to rebuild his life and marriage. He shares how recovery helped him rediscover his soul, his artistry, and his definition of love and how public accountability set him free. THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! ⁠...