Think Act Be Podcast

My guest this week is Dr. John Eric Baugher, author of Contemplative Caregiving . We often think of caregiving as an act of self-sacrifice, but John makes it clear that caring for others is a privilege. In this episode we talk about how he started working in hospice care on the front lines of the AIDS crisis in the early nineties. This is more than a conversation about how we die—it’s really about...

My guest this week is Rajshree Patel, author of The Power of Vital Force . I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this discussion, though I’m sure you’ll get a sense of it as you listen. We discussed the many ways we limit ourselves and disconnect from the deeper truth of who we are—from the vital force that Raj describes in her book. One of my favorite parts of the approach she shared is how simple...

My guest this week is Karen Newell, co-author of Living in a Mindful Universe  and co-creator of Sacred Acoustics, which produces binaural beats audio recordings. Karen and I explore what binaural beats are, how they're created, and many intriguing topics in this area. These simple beats seem to have far-reaching effects on things like sleep, anxiety, and meditative states.  Get full access to Thi...

My guest this week is Solan McClean, author of a book called Driving into the Now: PRND . We discussed the big idea from Solan’s book, which is that we can use driving as a mindfulness practice, and carry that practice into other parts of our lives. Solan describes how the practice of mindful driving is not only good for us as individuals and for our personal practice of mindfulness, but it also c...

My guest this week is psychiatrist Dr. Suvrat Bhargave, author of the recent book, A Moment of Insight . It was a great conversation about the deep work of psychotherapy, which can even lead to spiritual growth—for both people in the therapy relationship. We explored the challenging and exciting question of figuring out who each of us actually is; how healing can lead to growth; reliable ways to r...

My guest this week is the Rev. Lisa Schubert Nowling, an ordained minister and Lead Pastor at the First United Methodist Church in Bloomington, Indiana. In this episode we talk about the life of a pastor (interesting to me as the son of preachers), what it means to have a "calling" and how to find yours, and the nature of divine love. Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thinkactb...

My guest this week is Dr. Aria Campbell-Danesh, back for a second time (Aria was my  very first podcast guest ). We’re really pleased to announce the release of the book we wrote together called  A Mindful Year , on September 10, 2019 (Blackstone Publishing). In this episode Aria and I explore many of the themes that came up in our year-long collaboration as we wrote back and forth to each other,...

My guest this week is historian and author Dr. Rachel Chrastil, who recently wrote a book called  How to Be Childless: A History and Philosophy of Life Without Children . We discussed the intersection of her professional and personal interest in this topic—Rachel herself has chosen not to have kids—and several of the myths about a life without children. Her perspective is uplifting, as she emphasi...

My guest this week is author and change agent Laurie Warren. We discussed her forthcoming book  Wild World, Joyful Heart  (Oct. 8, 2019) and her approach to empowered well-being. Along the way we explored how body, mind, and spirit are interconnected, and how we can take back responsibility for our own health and well-being. Laurie emphasizes that joy (which is different from “happiness”) is alway...

My guest this week is Dr. Raymond Moody, who brought the phenomenon of near-death experiences (NDEs) into the mainstream with his landmark 1975 book,  Life After Life . In this episode we explored how the field of NDE investigation has evolved in the past four decades, and discussed some of his latest thoughts about the boundary between this world and whatever is beyond. It was a fascinating conve...

My guest this week is Dr. Yonder Gillihan, a professor of Theology with special expertise in the Dead Seas Scrolls. He's also my older brother, so our discussion included some of our personal history with religion and the Bible, and what it was like growing up as preacher's kids in a fundamentalist Christian home. Yonder describes how his relationship with the Bible has changed over the past four...

My guest this week is Dr. Eben Alexander, a neurosurgeon who had a near-death experience (NDE) about a decade ago. You may be familiar with Eben's story from his  New York Times number one bestselling book, Proof  of Heaven.  I found this to be a surprising and thought-provoking discussion about some rather controversial ideas—for example, that memories aren't actually stored in the brain! We disc...

My guest this week is Doug Holt, who is best described as a holistic executive coach. Doug specializes in helping people move toward their most important life goals. We discussed Doug’s philosophy on life and coaching, and the intimate connection between the different parts of our lives, like who we are as people and the work we do. We explored ideas that overlap a lot with cognitive behavioral th...

My guest this week is Lisa Smartt, whose recent book, Words at the Threshold , examines what those who are dying say as they approach the end of their life. This is a really important topic, as Lisa reveals that the dying are often communicating much more to us than we might realize. By paying attention in the ways she recommends, we can hear more of what’s being said. Get full access to Think Act...

This week we’re going to go all the way back to the roots of cognitive behavioral therapy—back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. My guest is philosopher Dr. William Ferraiolo, who recently wrote a book called Meditations on Self-Discipline and Failure: Stoic Exercise for Mental Fitness . The big idea of Stoicism is that we don’t have to let external events and our unruly minds determine our well-b...

Have you ever felt frustrated by money? Most of us have. Maybe you feel like you’re not paid enough, or there’s barely enough to cover your expenses, or your bills seem unmanageable. Whatever the case, my guest today can help you develop a healthier relationship with money. Ken Honda is known as the “Zen Millionaire” in Japan, and he’s written a new book called Happy Money: The Japanese Art of Mak...

My guest this week is Gregg Krech, a leading authority in North America on Japanese psychology. We focused on the principles of Morita therapy, which emphasizes taking action that brings meaning to one's life. This approach contrasts with our tendency to dwell on how we feel and what we feel like doing, and to get lost in self-focused attention. By asking instead, "What needs to be done?" we can b...

My guest this week is yoga instructor Tim Senesi, host of the popular “Yoga with Tim” YouTube channel and a teacher of yoga classes near his home in Southern California. I’ve done countless of his online videos myself and haven’t found any better instruction than what Tim offers every week. In this episode, Tim offers many insights into yoga practice and philosophy.  Get full access to Think Act B...

My guest this week is Jules Blaine Davis. Jules is helping people to reconnect—with themselves, with their needs, with what it means to nourish and be nourished, and what it means to really relate to another person. She also shared about her medical diagnosis within the past year, and the unique perspective she brings to that experience.   Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thin...

I've enjoyed having a garden for many years, and recently it's taken on deeper significance in my life. So I loved this conversation with this week's guest Joe Lamp'l, the Joe behind Joe Gardener ®, as we discussed the many benefits of gardening—not just the obvious ones like physical exercise and fresh produce, but the mental, emotional, and even spiritual benefits of being in your garden. Get fu...

Have you ever found yourself stuck in a manipulative relationship that you know deep down is toxic, yet each time you try to leave you're pulled back in? My guest this week is Renee Linnell, who had exactly that experience during her time in a religious cult. She offers an intimate look at that period in her life in her recent book,  The Burn Zone: A Memoir , which I explored with her on this week...

How can we practice more presence in our lives and stay connected with our truest selves? My guest this week is Ora Nadrich, a mindfulness instructor who addresses these questions in her recent book, Live True: A Mindfulness Guide to Authenticity.  We discussed her approach to mindful living, awakening to our existence, and valuing every moment.  Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan...

My guest this week is Alejandra Costello, a professional organizer with over one million YouTube subscribers. We explore the many positive effects of tidying up, from the obvious improvement in your living space to the deeper mental and emotional benefits. Alejandra also shared key principles for decluttering your home and getting organized.  Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at t...

My guest this week is psychologist Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath. We talked about the big ideas from her recent book, Love Between Equals: Relationship as a Spiritual Path . Polly presents an inspiring view of committed relationships—while she acknowledges the challenge in sharing life with another person, she also points to the possibilities that await us in truly relating to someone over time. Her...

What is the surest path to success and contentment in life, and what are the mistakes to avoid along the way? My guest this week is Skip Prichard, who has thought a lot about these questions for many years. He's distilled his insights into his  Wall Street Journal bestselling book, The Book of Mistakes: 9 Secrets to Creating a Successful Future . We explored some of the nine secrets and we discuss...