Sounds True: Insights at the Edge

Spiritual teacher and former attorney Nanci Danison has a truly amazing story. When she was 43 years old and a highly successful lawyer in health care, she had the first of a remarkable series of beyond-death experiences that completely altered her understanding of herself and her relationship with the divine. In her popular Backwards book series, Nanci writes about the empowering insights and les...

Heartbreak is a universal human experience. Yet we often lack the vocabulary and the skills needed to move through heartbreak wisely. This was certainly the case for Sara Avant Stover, whose decades of spiritual practice and deep inner work could not prepare her for the “serial heartbreaks” that upended her life. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with the author of Handbook for the Heartbroken ab...

Friendships aren’t always easy and fun. Like all meaningful relationships, they require work. They require nurturing and a willingness to grow. And in today’s world, explains author and journalist Anna Goldfarb, many friendships are being pushed to the brink and painfully ending. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Anna about her new book, Modern Friendship, an empowering guide to creating wha...

Tapping is a simple form of energy psychology that can help you transform difficult emotions; overcome addiction, anxiety, or depression; change self-defeating habits; and more. Today, there are more than 175 peer-reviewed scientific studies supporting its efficacy. Yet despite 20 years of growing evidence, many people remain skeptical. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with the authors of the ne...

Where does creativity come from? How do we uncover our authenticity and deepest expression in a society that would have us cover it up to fit in? What is the connection between creativity and healing? Join Tami Simon in conversation with poet, artist, and author James McCrae as they discuss these questions, the role of the artist today, and his new book, The Art of You: The Essential Guidebook for...

What have we done to our mothers? Sociologists call our times “the era of intensive mothering,” a period in which moms must be it all and do it all for their children and families. Psychotherapist and maternal mental health specialist Erica Djossa has made it her mission to teach today’s mothers how to take care of their well-being in a sustainable way. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Eric...

What is the treasure that we all seek? What is it that we are looking for above all else? Contemporary spiritual teacher and author Rupert Spira believes that it's the feeling of sufficiency, of ease, of peace—or the realization of our innermost nature as being. In this podcast that is at once expansive and experiential, Tami Simon speaks with Rupert about his book You Are the Happiness You Seek a...

A healthy relationship—whether that's between two people or two nations—is not one in which everyone agrees; it's one where it's safe for differences, and we have the skills to honor all of our needs. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with renowned mediator and bestselling author, William Ury, about his new book, Possible and the insights he has gleaned through more than four decades of conflict-...

The climate crisis is something we can no longer ignore. Yet in this time of global upheaval, how can we face our collective challenges with our hearts and integrity intact? We Are the Great Turning is a new 10-part series exploring the spiritual roots of the climate crisis and how to turn toward our heartbreak, honor it, be informed by it, and, in the process, transform our grief and anger into a...

After 50 years of helping thousands of clients in trauma recovery and now in his 80s, Peter A. Levine, PhD, continues the work of healing—both others and himself. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with the beloved Sounds True author and groundbreaking creator of the Somatic Experiencing® method about his personal journey and ongoing mission.  Give a listen to this inspiring conversation about the...

When we think about those special traits or abilities we consider to be "superpowers," empathy isn't usually the first thing that comes to mind. In fact, empathy is often seen as a weakness, not a strength. Through her bestselling books and her work training new psychiatrists, Dr. Judith Orloff is helping to change the narrative around empathy. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Dr. Orloff ab...

A good poem, says David Whyte, is revelatory; it takes hold of us and surprises us with new understanding. David Whyte is the bestselling author of ten books of poetry, three works of prose, and the celebrated Sounds True audio program What to Remember When Waking.  In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with David about his writing career, his creative approach to leadership, and the conversation wit...

Friendship is a vital need. Without caring connections with others, we suffer physically, psychologically, and spiritually. In his new book, Spiritually, We, Sah D’Simone shares a collection of teachings, stories, practices, and techniques to “open ourselves to the dance” of relationship and help end the epidemic of loneliness in our time.  Enjoy Tami Simon’s conversation with the uniquely savvy a...

Our modern worldview emphasizes the material factors that impact our health and well-being — such as our genetics, lifestyle, or environment. From the shamanic perspective of our indigenous predecessors, however, there are unseen, spiritual influences that are equally vital and valid to recognize. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with her partner of over 20 years, shamanic healer and teacher tra...

Through centuries of reductionist science, we’ve come to believe that we live in a random universe. But that old paradigm is beginning to change. Since the advent of quantum physics, we’re realizing what the ancient wisdom traditions have always known: we are each an inseparable aspect of the cosmos, with the potential to cocreate a future based in love and awareness. “Take your protein pills and...

How do we stem the tides of fear and aggression sweeping over our divided world? How can we spread the love that heals and uplifts everyone? Sharing insights from her bestselling book, Dying to Be Me, and her latest work, Sensitive Is the New Strong, Anita Moorjani offers her hope-giving answers to these questions of compelling urgency for our times.  Tune in for this remarkable teacher’s inspirin...

Newcomers to tarot often feel a measure of trepidation or uncertainty. A reading might show you things you're not eager to see—which is exactly why the cards can serve as one of our greatest tools on the journey of self-discovery and healing. With her new book, The Inner Tarot, Kate Van Horn offers a gentle, practical handbook for any level of experience to help demystify the tarot and work with t...

It’s not just you. Millions upon millions of people today are feeling more stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed than ever before. As a result, explains philosopher and writer Dr. Nate Klemp, a lot of us are contracting ourselves—closing our minds in an effort to shield ourselves from the constant noise of the 21st century. With his new book, Open, Nate explores possible solutions to help us shift in...

There are valid reasons why we sometimes guard our hearts. Yet when we keep them closed, we diminish our capacity to live life to its fullest. Alexandra Roxo has a gift for helping people “meet the difficult places” within us, to heal and open our hearts and “dare to feel” the emotions that were once too painful or overwhelming.  This episode of Insights at the Edge features Tami Simon in conversa...

Women across every age and culture have struggled with the pain of repressing essential aspects of themselves. There may be no misery greater than when we bury our vital spark beneath a dense layer of niceness that society insists upon. With her book The Vital Spark, Lisa Marchiano, a Jungian analyst, author, and podcaster, offers readers a breakthrough guide filled with insights, practices, tales...

Do you have a habit you just can't break no matter how hard you try or how badly you want to? Renowned addiction psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and bestselling author Judson Brewer—or Dr. Jud, as he's widely known—has helped millions of people find freedom from excessive worry, overeating, cigarette smoking, and many other challenging behaviors. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Dr. Jud about...

In a confessional reflection on writing his new book, Becoming Gandhi, acclaimed journalist and bestselling author Perry Garfinkel says, “It was so difficult I almost gave up twice. I thought, ‘I can’t write this book. It’s too big a subject. Who am I to try to become Gandhi?’” Garfinkel persevered, and in this podcast Tami Simon speaks with him about what he discovered along the journey—and how p...

Midlife has a bad reputation, often paired with the word "crisis" or seen as the "over the hill" phase of our journey. As the founder of the Modern Elder Academy (the worlds' first midlife wisdom school), Chip Conley is changing this negative narrative to one that reclaims our middle years as a time of incredible regenerative possibilities. In this podcast, Tami Simon sits down with Chip to talk a...

When things are at their worst, says celebrated author and writing mentor Mark Matousek, Stoicism is at its best. Considered the most practical of all philosophies, Stoicism is on the rise in today's world—for reasons you'll hear discussed in this podcast.  Give a listen to this educational, pragmatic, and perspective-shifting conversation with Mark and Sounds True's Tami Simon exploring control v...

What if instead of trying to avoid or attack the people or situations in life that we don't like, we chose to "invite them all to dinner”? In Tibetan Buddhism, this counterintuitive approach is known as "feeding our demons." In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Lama Tsultrim Allione about making the choice to turn toward what we usually avoid—and the healing and integration this choice can lead...