Pulling The Thread with Elise Loehnen

“We’re all addicted to light,” says Andrew Holocek, author of Total Eclipse of the Mind: Unleashing the Power of Darkness for Creativity, Healing, and Transformation. “We’re all light junkies in the deepest possible way. And so because we're so lost in the light, blinded by the light, that I think the pendulum is swinging back. And there's a deep intimation, it may be inarticulate for a number of people—why so many people are simultaneously attracted and repulsed by the darkness, of what it represents.” Today, Holocek (who has been meditating for 50 years and doing dark retreat for 30) shares how to dip your toe into dark practice, a soothing way of framing fear, and a glimpse into what each of us might find in the dark.  For the show notes (including a link to the masks we talk about), head to my Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 28 May 2026

As I’m heading into a series of initiations, I’m sharing a few challenges (opportunities!) that I’m sure many of you are familiar with: our struggle to prioritize ourselves, worrying over what will happen if I slow down, wanting to have faith in myself in the way that I have faith in other people and in the world. In this month’s solo episode, I’m also sharing a bit about my upcoming move from Substack to Beehiv, a sabbatical of sorts that I’m taking, and what’s coming up on the podcast. For the show notes, you can still head to my Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 25 May 2026

New York Times–bestselling author Bruce Feiler is back after just a few years with another great one, A Time to Gather: How Ritual Created the World—and How It Can Save Us. Today, he reveals what he’s learned about the rise of reinvented rituals. He shares some incredible stories of people around the world who are creating rituals for all kinds of moments—from celebrating professional and personal milestones to honor walks for organ donors, miscarriage rituals, and Taylor Swift divorce parties. He also guides me through a ritual design class in real time, showing how simple—and powerful—it can be to create a ritual of connection in our own lives. For the show notes, head to my Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 21 May 2026

Ibram X. Kendi, is the author of the #1 New York Times–bestseller How to Be an Antiracist. His new book is Chain of Ideas: The Origins of Our Authoritarian Age. It is incredibly insightful and illuminating in terms of mapping out how we got to where we are, around the world. And what Kendi shares in our conversation today is also quite helpful in terms of pointing us in a new direction. For the show notes, head to my Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 14 May 2026

I met Stacey Lindsay about a decade ago and worked with her for a few years—she’s a curious, compassionate journalist and writer—but I didn’t know much of her own incredible personal story until I read her new book Being 40 and had this conversation with her. We talked about the meaning of this decade of our lives, but more broadly, we talked about the scripts and checklists that women are often handed throughout our lives—and how we go about setting these down, centering ourselves, and self-authoring. We talked about being disappointed by the people we love, about forgiveness, about breaking cycles, and about the people we want to become next. For the show notes, head to my Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 7 May 2026

In 2018, health and science journalist Alexandra Sifferlin began her investigation into the American diagnosis crisis: Why are so many people being misdiagnosed? What is the cost of this error? Who is trying to change the system—and what does a better healthcare system (for all of us) look like? The resulting book—The Elusive Body—is a fascinating read. Today, we cover the major parts of Sifferlin’s investigation and what’s unfolded even since she finished writing. For the show notes, head to my Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 30 April 2026

I had some personal highs this April, and also a strange feeling (for me, someone who is constantly in motion, always moving forward) of being a bit unmoored—a reminder of needing to wait, of letting cycles be, of accepting stillness (or trying to, at least). I’ve also been thinking of a (related) Carissa Schumacher metaphor—the idea that each of us prefers a different part of the cycles of life: seeding, growing, or harvesting. I’m reflecting on all of this—and a few other new things that have become very meaningful to me—in this month’s solo episode. For the show notes, head to my Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 27 April 2026

In her moving and beautiful book, When We See You Again, Rachel Goldberg-Polin writes about her love for her son, Hersh, who was stolen from a musical festival on October 7, 2023, and executed after 328 days of being held hostage. While I completely understand the instinct to turn away, I also really hope you will stay with us for this conversation, if you can. Rachel is incredible, and there are so many gifts to be found in her words. She told me stories that made me laugh, that stunned me, that were utterly profound, and that will stay with me forever. If you have ever wondered why we’re here—or what your “why” is—I think you will also be changed by Rachel, too. For the show notes, head to my Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 23 April 2026

Psychiatrist Amir Levine, MD, is the coauthor of the mega-bestseller Attached. In his new book, Secure, he takes another look at the four attachment styles and the myths surrounding them to show how each of us—regardless of our starting point—can flex and become more secure in our relationships. In this (delightful) conversation, he also explains why certain seemingly insignificant minor interactions (which he calls SIMIs) have an outsize effect on our brains and our intimate relationships. He offers some advice for turning down the volume on the insecure attachments in your life. And we talk about more psychological phenomena that I think will resonate with many of you—from attachment gaslighting to the protest-regret cycle.   For the show notes, head to my Substack.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 16 April 2026

Psychiatrist Amir Levine, MD, is the coauthor of the mega-bestseller Attached. In his new book, Secure, he takes another look at the four attachment styles and the myths surrounding them to show how each of us—regardless of our starting point—can flex and become more secure in our relationships. In this (delightful) conversation, he also explains why certain seemingly insignificant minor interactions (which he calls SIMIs) have an outsize effect on our brains and our intimate relationships. He offers some advice for turning down the volume on the insecure attachments in your life. And we talk about more psychological phenomena that I think will resonate with many of you—from attachment gaslighting to the protest-regret cycle. For the show notes, head to my Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 16 April 2026

I had a fascinating numerology reading with Janine Slome, and have been wanting to get her on the podcast for some time. Here, she shares a brief background on numerology, and why the practice can serve as both a potent portrayal of life and a map to guide you along your path. We also talk about karma—where it comes from, the different types, what to do about it. And Slome shares several predictions for our future. This episode is one of the wild ones—enjoy!   For the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2026

“I think we can take the same mindset to any change that we make, which is that getting off track is not something in you, it's part of the process itself,” says Eric Zimmer, host of the podcast The One You Feed. “And so the question just becomes, how do I get back on track with the minimum amount of emotional drama?” In this conversation, and in his new book, How a Little Becomes a Lot, Zimmer shares what he’s learned about how to create meaningful, lasting change. He draws from his personal experience (including a dark night of the soul he experienced with addiction), varied research, philosophies, and teachers, as well as what he’s observed coaching and serving others. His approach is full of nuance and complexity—but also, blessedly, he has very practical and helpful tools that you can put to good use immediately.   For the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 2 April 2026

In my latest episode sans guest: What I learned from a new Yeshua journey with medium Carissa Schumacher. Why it’s difficult for many of us to actually listen. Why I prefer the concept of contribution over purpose. One of my favorite stories recounted by Michael Meade about the old woman at the end of the world. A reflection on what’s your thread to add. A framework for understanding power and different energies. How I’m currently thinking about AI. And a request for your feedback on a new project, and the possibility of gathering together in a few cohorts. Feel free to leave your thoughts as a comment/review right here on the episode.   And for the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 30 March 2026

Meg Josephson is a psychotherapist and the author of the instant New York Times–bestseller, Are You Mad At Me? In her own life and in her work with clients, she’s come to focus on why many of us have an overactive fawn response. (You’re likely familiar with the other classic responses: fight, flight, freeze, and perhaps faint.) The fawn response can look different depending on the person but it is often related to a desire to feel safe, to be liked, to secure approval, and to please others. In this conversation, Josephson shares the five fawn-related archetypes, or behavioral patterns, that she’s identified. (My guess is that at least one will resonate with you.) Josephson explains why these patterns and responses make sense and why they can be protective—and also what to do if their overuse has become a strain on your life and relationships.   For the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 26 March 2026

One of my favorite repeat guests is back: I’m talking to psychotherapist Satya Doyle Byock about the duality of individuation and community. We get into the difference between individuation and individualism, and why it’s critical for all of us to individuate—to go on our own journeys—so that we can genuinely be a part of the collective, and not just subject to herd mentality. We also chat about our search for meaning, and why Satya encourages people to trust an irrational guide. And we talk about getting in touch with our daemons—which you can think of as your inner genius, a spark that wants to come through you.   You can learn more about the retreat that Satya and I are hosting at Omega in May here: https://www.eomega.org/workshops/tapping-what-wants-come-through-you.    And for all the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 19 March 2026

“This is, I think, when people need more help remembering how to access their play or kind of letting themselves play—because adults do play,” says Cas Holman, a world-renowned designer and the author of Playful: How Play Shifts Our Thinking, Inspires Connection, and Sparks Creativity. Today, we talk a bit about Holman’s unique approach to play for kids, but mostly we talk about what she’s doing to help adults shift their mindsets—so that we might find age-appropriate ways to play that we genuinely enjoy and that can serve as a salve for our communities.   For the show notes, head to my Substack.   Get 50% off Monarch, the all-in-one financial tool, at monarch.com/thread.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 12 March 2026

“Glorians are unearned, unbidden, freely given,” says legendary author and mentor Terry Tempest Williams. “And to me that's also what grace is—those moments of grace that we didn't anticipate, we didn't deserve, we couldn't have imagined. And here they are. And I think that's another element that is deeper than hope. And do we recognize grace when it comes in all its different manifestations?” For me, this is one of the most moving conversations I’ve had on Pulling the Thread. I treasure every stunning story Terry told during our time together.    For Terry’s new book The Glorians, and all the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 5 March 2026

“And that may be its greatest contribution—to insist that God is equally male and female,” says Daniel Matt, PhD, a scholar and teacher of Kabbalah. Matt shares radical revelations, some dangerous reinterpretations, and beautiful lessons from the mystical teachings of Kabbalah and the Zohar (which is the main book, or as Matt calls it, the masterpiece of Kabbalah).    For the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 26 February 2026

I’m reflecting more deeply on evil in the present moment: What is evil? What’s our relationship to it? How do we increase our tolerance for acknowledging dark energies so that we can moderate and metabolize them—and keep ourselves and others safe? This episode is not meant to scare; my intention is really the opposite, as I don’t find fear to be helpful here. I’ll be sharing a few sources and ways of thinking—about evil and how we might respond to what’s currently playing out in the culture—that I do find incredibly helpful. There’s psychiatrist M. Scott Peck on exorcisms and the lie of evil, a framework of understanding from psychic medium Carissa Schumacher, a beautiful map for us to follow from energy healer Carla Schwiderski, and more.   As always, if you want to explore further, you can find links in the show notes on my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 23 February 2026

Marieta Pehlivanova, PhD, is a research scientist at the University of Virginia’s Division of Perceptual Studies (DOPS), which is a highly unique research group that investigates the mind’s relationship to the body, and the possibility of consciousness surviving physical death. They study children who report past-life memories, people who have near-death experiences, and more. Their work is fascinating, and it has the potential to change and shape our understanding of…well, why we’re here in the first place, and what the meaning of our lives really is.   If you want to go deeper on related topics (consciousness, mediums, other psychic phenomena, etc.)—see the show notes on my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 19 February 2026

“I think that we are most likely to benefit from such an encounter than to suffer from it,” says physicist Avi Loeb, PhD, who describes himself as an optimist in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Today, Loeb shares: What astronomy and dating have in common. His theories on the three interstellar objects that have been observed (including 3I/ATLAS). Why it’s likely that other intelligent civilizations exist. And why he thinks it would be wonderful to meet them—and  imperative for the future of human beings that we do so.   For the show notes, head to my Substack.   Get 50% off Monarch, the all-in-one financial tool, at monarch.com/thread. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 12 February 2026

Lucy Kalanithi, MD, continues to instill hope in me. Today, she shares lessons from her life and her work as a primary care physician (she’s also Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Stanford University)—along with reflections on the legacy of her husband Paul Kalanithi, MD, who wrote the now canonical memoir When Breath Becomes Air before his death in 2015.    For the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 5 February 2026

Journalist and bestselling author Jennifer B. Wallace shares the key ingredients to feeling like you matter, and to making others feel like they matter, too. She covers my favorite stories and stats from her new book Mattering, along with the practical tools, habits, and practices she leans on in her own life. We talk about the importance of putting a bow on things; how we can use the mattering lens to approach life transitions; the benefits of ego extension; and something called “the beautiful mess effect.” Wallace also shares how she’s approached what might be the hardest but most profound part of this, which is figuring out: How do I matter to myself? For the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 29 January 2026

In this month’s solo episode, I’m sharing more about the model of developmental psychology that I’m finding incredibly useful right now: Spiral Dynamics. As a framework, I think it can help us understand our world and culture better—and it can guide us in the best, and most effective ways to respond to it.  If you want to go deeper into Spiral Dynamics, there is a ton more for you in the show notes on my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 26 January 2026

Tori Dunlap is the author of Financial Feminist and the host of the podcast of the same name. She has a very compelling way of helping women to effectively approach (and earn) money, while addressing underlying emotions, traumas, triggers, and stories. I think you’ll find her advice helpful if: You’ve ever been told, or thought, that you’re bad with money. You feel like you need to justify any spending or any earning. You feel like you have no control over your money (or your partner handles all the finances). You’d love to switch from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset. Or, you can deduce what the ostrich effect is, and you want to know how to combat it.   For the show notes, head to my Substack.   Get 50% off Monarch, the all-in-one financial tool, at monarch.com/thread. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 January 2026

Michael Meade is a groundbreaking storyteller, author, and scholar of mythology, anthropology, and psychology. He blew my mind with a historical gem that he shared in this conversation. I was also moved by his perspective on our “crisis of masculinity” and the manosphere, what might be the antidote to monoculture, and why the hero’s journey is a bit of a fallacy. And, even more so, his case and how-to for each of us, individually, to grow our own soul. For the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 15 January 2026

Kelly Corrigan Wonders recently launched a 6-part series called Super Traits, featuring conversations with people like NBA coach Steve Kerr, writer George Saunders, and do-gooder Father Greg Boyle, all masters of the super traits. These deep dives are one part inspiration and one part How To guide on how to get yourself in the right headspace for a great 2026. Tune in to hear fantastic conversations on wonder, humility, and curiosity.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 12 January 2026

”That’s what everything comes back to for me—are you feeling the way that you want to feel every single day?” says podcast host and author Liz Moody. “And if you’re not, how can I give you more tools and more resources to do so?” Here, I asked Moody to share her life mottos, philosophies, habits, and ways of thinking that I find particularly compelling. Such as: Your body is for living, not looking. And Liz’s match theory behind how we meet people in life. We talk about the connection between novelty and meaning (and ways to add in micro bits of novelty to our lives). She shares some interesting research about friendship, like how many friends make sense in your inner circle and why friendships are formed through something we tend to overlook. We also cover goals we’ve brought into the New Year with us—and much more. For the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 8 January 2026

Psychological astrologer Jennifer Freed shares a preview of 2026, her tips for each sign, and, of course, many more nuggets of her signature wisdom. For the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 1 January 2026

Here’s my take on New Year’s resolutions and what I think many of us are ready to resolve and let go of. For the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 29 December 2025

This week—for some joy, levity, and laughs—I asked my very funny friend to keep us company. Nora McInerny is an author and the host of the podcast Thanks for Asking. Today, she’s sharing some holiday traditions that would be fun to try out with your family or friends, along with a minimal gift-giving method that truly impressed me. We talk TV show recommendations for the season, personality surveys, and other ways to laugh right now. For the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 23 December 2025

Anna Malaika Tubbs is the New York Times–bestselling author of The Three Mothers and Erased. Today, we talk about some of the cultural forces and figures that have certainly shaped us—but that have largely been hidden from us. For the show notes, head to my Substack. Get 50% off Monarch, the all-in-one financial tool, at www.monarch.com/thread. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 18 December 2025

This is an unusual episode with one of my favorite psychic mediums, Carissa Schumacher—who is also a channel for Yeshua, or Christ Consciousness. Wild, I know! Here, Carissa is sharing insights pertaining to what is going on in our upside-down world currently, and what is ahead for us in 2026 (and even beyond, going into 2027 and 2028). She covers the major themes of the new era we’re entering, and her recommendations for do’s and don’ts next year. For the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 11 December 2025

Two of my favorite teachers started collaborating with one another to help us to individually, and collectively, release our burdens, heal, and deepen connection: Internal Family Systems (IFS) founder Richard Schwartz and group facilitator Thomas Hübl. Today, they share their process, helpful exercises and tools, and more from their new book, Releasing Our Burdens. For links to my previous episodes with Dick and Thomas, and all the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 4 December 2025

“ We know in clinical science, there is nothing that is a quarter as protective against suffering as spirituality,” says psychologist Lisa Miller, PhD, author of The Awakened Brain. Miller shares poignant research and patient experiences that changed the way she thought about mental health, and her life. She outlines three significant windows in our lives—and how we might approach each. And she also shares her three-step synchronicity practice; the red-door, yellow-door practice; and some help for parents that I really appreciated. For the show notes, head to my Substack. Get 50% off Monarch, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarch.com/thread. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 28 November 2025

This week we're sharing a special episode from a show we love, Wiser Than Me. Julia Louis-Dreyfus sits down with 70-year-old New Yorker cartooning legend Roz Chast, whose humor and unforgettable illustrations Julia has adored for decades. They dive into Roz’s anxieties, obsessions, and the worldview behind her award-winning memoir “Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?” Roz chats about raising kids through constant worry, caring for her aging parents, and how her work helps her make sense of the chaos. Plus, Julia’s mom Judy recalls how she handled the sex talk with Julia when she was growing up.   For more episodes, follow Wiser Than Me wherever you get your podcasts or head to https://lemonada.lnk.to/wiserthanmefd See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 25 November 2025

In November’s solo episode: A major reframe I had. What you might learn from the Trickster archetype. Little ways I’m finding meaning in the universe. Other ways of thinking about the process of evolution and change. How we might hold inspiration and discernment at once—and why this is crucial. Thoughts on the guru-ification of our culture and other things happening in our upside-down world. The (perhaps surprising) book I’m obsessed with right now. And more.   For the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 24 November 2025

James Kimmel, Jr., PhD, is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine and the author of The Science of Revenge. He’s known in part for identifying compulsive revenge seeking as an addiction. He explains how perceived wrongs, grievances, and revenge desires—and how we deal with them, or not—affect us all. Actually trying to get revenge is pretty much always a lost cause—it simply makes us feel worse—but often, blanket forgiveness feels impossible. Which is why Kimmel came up with a simple but brilliant process that you can run through in the courtroom of your mind. For the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 20 November 2025

Renowned psychic medium Laura Lynne Jackson shares how each of us can use our own intuition and respond to messages from our teams of light, as she calls them, to live a more meaningful, connected, and fun life. She also shares the download she received from the other side that prompted her to write her new book Guided, which follows her New York Times bestsellers Signs and The Light Between Us. For the show notes, head to my Substack.Get 50% off Monarch, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarch.com/thread.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 13 November 2025

“We’re in a time of masking and masks, whether we know it or not,” says psychotherapist Satya Doyle Byock. “And my hope is that us talking about it draws that into greater consciousness for people to make decisions about when to put them on and when to take them off.” Today, we’re talking about persona, in the sense of the masks we wear for various reasons (some beneficial, some nefarious). And, how, in becoming attached to the idea of authenticity and being in a rush to identify someone else or ourselves as inauthentic—we can really miss our mark. For the show notes, including sign-up links to the events that Satya and I will be doing together, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 6 November 2025

“I believe basically what I’ve seen in the laboratory,” says scientist Dean Radin, PhD. “I'm driven by experience just like anybody else, except my experience is experiment.” Radin studies things like telepathy, consciousness, quantum physics, and more parapsychology. He shares some of the most fascinating discoveries from his lab, broader research, and new book The Science of Magic. Such as, how the present can be influenced by the future. For the show notes and links (including that Jeffrey Kripal story that I share after today’s conversation), head over to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 30 October 2025

In my one episode sans guest this month, I’m reflecting on: how we might enjoy solitude more (and fear loneliness less), the manifestation program I just finished (called the Money Challenge), how I’m feeling about attention and power these days, and a couple of other micro and macro realizations that are surfacing right now. For the show notes, head over to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 27 October 2025

“There are so many blessings in the in-between,” says Jessica Gill, chief content officer at To Be Magnetic and cohost of the Expanded podcast with Lacy Phillips. “You can manifest amazing mini manifestations or just kismet opportunities or these things that you wouldn't even believe would transpire in the midst of doing this work.” Today, Gill breaks down the deeply intuitive—and simple, but not easy—manifestation process that is the core of To Be Magnetic and the new book How to Manifest. This has changed the way I think about manifestation, the purpose of it, and the potential it has to help us outgrow old dynamics and evolve with new ones. For the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 23 October 2025

Social psychologist Carol Tavris, PhD, breaks down cognitive dissonance, why it’s so hard for us to see our own blind spots, the power and danger of self-justification, and the pyramid of choice that can lead us to some unexpected places. She also shares some fascinating findings about anger and catharsis that turn a few assumptions on their head. In doing so, she helps us understand our own behaviors and motives better—and she helps us to see others more clearly. For the show notes, head over to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 16 October 2025

Longtime sex-advice columnist and author Dan Savage shares how he thinks about monogamy, marriage, infidelity, and repair. We explore how sex and relationships get conflated. We get into identities, orientations, preferences, language, and how we’re raising kids today. Also, Savage’s take on heteropessimism, what makes a man an attractive partner, and a word he introduced me to: tolyamory, meaning tolerating your lover’s BS. There’s so much to unpack in here, and to keep thinking about. For the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 9 October 2025

“We have to let go of our own patriarchy,” says Elinor Dickson. “And we’re afraid to because it represents control for us.” Dickson spent more than 35 years as a Jungian therapist, and she cowrote the seminal Dancing in the Flames with her good friend Marion Woodman. She’s one of the wise elders of our time. We explore the new universal mythos our culture so badly needs, Dickson’s fascinating historical perspective (including how our modern world is largely shaped by the Great Plague), and why neither a matriarchy or a patriarchy is right for us. Dickson also shares where she sees shoots of hope, and one wild story of synchronicity.  For the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 2 October 2025

In this month’s solo episode, I’m exploring the parts of our culture and our collective that we can own—and impact. And I’m sharing more on the power of triangulation, and how you can use certain systems and tools to better understand yourself, your roles, and what you might be trying to do in work and in life. For ALL the show notes, head over to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 29 September 2025

The hilarious Jen Hatmaker (New York Times–bestselling author and host of the podcast For the Love) joins me to chat, in part, about her new memoir Awake. We talk about the moment in her life when everything seemingly dissolved (including her marriage of 26 years and her relationship to the church) and the much deeper awakening that she entered from there, when she truly started to rely on herself. For the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 25 September 2025

Katie Hendricks, PhD, is known for helping people use their body’s innate intelligence. She shares some of her most powerful tools and teachings, including: Her fear-melters for when we get caught in fight, flee, freeze, or faint mode. How to play with your pace so that you’re able to get present, instead of just feeling at the effect of everything coming at you. The loop of awareness, which is a tool for shifting your attention and getting the nourishment of somebody else’s aliveness. Why she sorts life into two files every day. How to incrementally start spending more time in your zone of genius. And persona work. These are potent (and often fun) ways to, as Hendrick puts it, be filling your reservoir so that you don’t have to feel victim to overwhelm, or sacrifice yourself to the world. I’m including a lot in the show notes, including links to the movements for each fear-melter. You’ll find everything on my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 18 September 2025

“I don't think anybody manages to go through their experience incarnated in human form and not have chapters of your life that are like, what literally just happened?” says Elizabeth Gilbert. “How did I end up here and who am I? And where did the ground go beneath my feet?” Today, Gilbert shares the story behind her new memoir, All the Way to the River: Love, Loss, and Liberation. She rightly describes it as the most excavating and the most searching thing she’s ever written. The book, and this conversation, are full of lessons for all of us about what we might search for, and find, in ourselves, in our relationships, and in love. For the show notes, head over to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 11 September 2025