Sounds True: Insights at the Edge

Steve Taylor is a senior lecturer at Leeds Beckett University in the UK and the author of many books, including The Fall, The Leap, and Waking from Sleep. With Sounds True, he has published the audio program Return to Harmony: From Turmoil to Transformation. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Steve and Tami Simon talk about the concept of spiritual awakening: what it means, the different way...

Karen Johnson is a co-developer and long-time teacher of the Diamond Approach, a spiritual and philosophical modality that strives toward inner realization. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Karen speaks with Tami Simon about the experience of developing the Diamond Approach into what it is today, including how she first met Hameed Ali—the man who would take up the pen name A. H. Almaas. Dr...

Steven Kotler is a journalist, New York Times bestselling author, and the director of research for the Flow Genome Project. His many books include Tomorrowland, Abundance, A Small Furry Prayer, and Stealing Fire. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon talks with Steven about his interest in "flow states"—those states of consciousness in which we act largely without thought, purely in...

Sera Beak is a scholar of comparative religions who has conferred with shamans, monks, and mystics the world over. She is the author of The Red Book: A Deliciously Unorthodox Approach to Igniting Your Divine Spark and Red Hot and Holy: A Heretic's Love Story. With Sounds True, she has most recently published Redvelations: A Soul's Journey to Becoming Human. In this episode of Insights at the Edge,...

Edward Espe Brown is a renowned chef and Zen teacher who is best known as the first head cook at the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. In addition to writing several cookbooks including the classic Tassajara Bread Book, Edward founded Greens Restaurant in San Francisco. With Sounds True, he has published No Recipe: Cooking as Spiritual Practice. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon spe...

Gustavo Ferrer, MD, is a pulmonologist who specializes in end-of-life care and has been named one of the best doctors in the nation—including Most Compassionate Doctor—by US News & World Report. With Sounds True, he has published Graceful Exit: How to Advocate Effectively, Take Care of Yourself, and Be Present for the Death of a Loved One. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon talks...

Nataly Kogan is a public speaker, author, and the founder of the training organization Happier. With Sounds True, she has published the book Happier Now: How to Stop Chasing Perfection and Embrace Everyday Moments (Even the Difficult Ones). In this edition of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon speaks with Nataly about redefining happiness not as a state where we experience no negative feelings whats...

Dr. Mark Bertin is a pediatrician, mindfulness teacher, and the author of regular articles for Mindful.org, Huffpost, and Psychology Today. With Sounds True, he has published How Children Thrive: The Practical Science of Raising Independent, Resilient, and Happy Kids. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon and Mark discuss his research on executive functioning—those mental processes t...

Rob Bell is a former pastor and the New York Times bestselling author of books including What We Talk About When We Talk About God, What Is the Bible?, and Love Wins. Andrew Morgan is a filmmaker whose works include After the End and The True Cost. In this special episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon speaks with both Andrew and Rob about the new documentary film that they collaborated on—Th...

Tiffany Shlain is an Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker, internet pioneer, and the author of Brain Power: From Neurons to Networks. Her most recent film, 50/50: Rethinking the Past, Present, and Future of Women + Power, debuted at the TEDWomen conference and is the inspiration for 50/50 Day, a global event devoted to bringing about greater gender balance in all sectors of life. In this episode o...

Aaravindha Himadra is a spiritual teacher and the founder of Sambodha, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the awakening of human consciousness. With Sounds True, he has published the English-language edition of Immortal Self: A Journey to the Himalayan Valley of the Amartya Masters. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon speaks with Aaravindha about the events descri...

Clemens Arvay is a biologist and nonfiction author who specializes in landscape ecology, applied plant science, and the emerging field of eco-psychosomatic studies. With Sounds True, he has released The Biophilia Effect: A Scientific and Spiritual Exploration of the Healing Bond Between Humans and Nature. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon speaks with Clemens about the term "bioph...

Latham Thomas is a lifestyle maven who founded Mama Glow and was named one of Oprah Winfrey's SuperSoul 100. She is the author of Mama Glow and Own Your Glow. With Sounds True, she has created the audio program Beditations: Guided Meditations and Rituals for Rest and Renewal. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Latham and Tami Simon talk about the true meaning of self-care, as well as why the...

Rolf Gates is a yoga teacher, counselor, and author who cofounded the Yoga, Meditation, and Recovery Conference and currently teaches at Spirit Rock Insight Meditation Center. With Sounds True, he has published the audio program Meditations on the Mat: Practices for Living from the Heart and co-wrote the children's book Yoga Friends. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon speaks with...

Charles Eisenstein is an author, speaker, and "degrowth activist" whose books include The Ascent of Humanity and Sacred Economics, among others. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Charles and Tami Simon speak on the many crises currently facing the planet, from the increasingly urgent issue of climate change to the loss of meaning and trust in the center of civic life. They discuss the two f...

James Hollis is a licensed Jungian analyst and the author of many books on personal development and the search for meaning. His works include What Matters Most, Why Good People Do Bad Things, and Through the Dark Wood. With Sounds True, he has published Living an Examined Life: Wisdom for the Second Half of the Journey. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon speaks with James about wh...

Dorothy Hunt is the spiritual director of Moon Mountain Sangha and founder of the San Francisco Center for Meditation and Psychotherapy. Invited to teach the dharma by Adyashanti, Dorothy is the author of Only This! and Leaves from Moon Mountain. With Sounds True, she has published Ending the Search: From Spiritual Ambition to the Heart of Awareness, a collection of teaching stories, inquiry pract...

Wim Hof is an athlete and extremophile daredevil nicknamed "The Iceman" for his feats of withstanding extreme weather conditions. The holder of more than 20 Guinness World Records, Wim attributes his endurance to specific meditation and breathing techniques. In this intriguing episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon speaks with Wim about "The Wim Hof Method" of exercises, mindfulness technique...

Robert Wright is a scholar, journalist, and the author of books such as Why Buddhism Is True, Nonzero, and The Evolution of God. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Robert and Tami Simon examine meditation from a slightly different perspective, discussing the practice as both a tool of discovery and a kind of rebellion against the hardwired instincts of natural selection. They speak on whethe...

Sadhguru is a yogi and mystic who created the Isha Foundation, a nonprofit organization devoted to exploring the outer limits of human potential. Belonging to no specific tradition, Sadhguru has taught at many international gatherings, including the United Nations and World Economic Forum. With Sounds True, Sadhguru has created an audiobook version of his New York Times bestseller Inner Engineerin...

Gabrielle Bernstein is the New York Times bestselling author of such books as Spirit Junkie, Miracles Now, and May Cause Miracles. Her newest book is Judgment Detox: Release the Beliefs That Hold You Back from Living a Better Life, which details a six-part process for applying spiritual principles to shuck off the toxic ideas holding you back. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon sp...

Dr. Joel Kahn is a holistic cardiologist, clinical professor of medicine, and author who is known as "America's Healthy Heart Doc." With Sounds True, he has published The Plant-Based Solution: America's Healthy Heart Doc's Plan to Power Your Health. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Joel and Tami Simon discuss why making the switch to a whole-food, vegan diet is the best decision you can ma...

Margaret Wheatley is a writer and management consultant who draws upon systems analysis, chaos theory, and other diverse fields of study to inform her work. She is the author of Leadership and the New Science and Who Do We Choose to Be?, among others. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon talks with Margaret about the cycles of life and history, especially as they apply to the chaoti...

Dan Millman is an author and international lecturer who is best known for his semiautobiographical first book, The Way of the Peaceful Warrior. Almost 40 years and 17 books later, Dan has worked with Sounds True to release the spoken-word audio offering The Complete Peaceful Warrior's Way: A Practical Path to Courage, Compassion, and Personal Mastery. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Dan a...

Goldie Hawn is an Academy Award-winning actor, director, producer, and activist best known for her roles in films such as Cactus Flower, Private Benjamin, and Death Becomes Her. She created The Hawn Foundation, the nonprofit organization behind MindUP™, an educational program that is bringing mindfulness practices to millions of children across the world. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, T...