S2:E4 - The Song That Felt Like a Spiritual Experience | In The Garden by Van Morrison

What happens when a song feels less like music… and more like a spiritual experience?In this episode of One Song One Story, I’m joined by Dr Gareth Palmer: therapist, musician, artist, and someone who has played a quiet but meaningful role in my own creative journey. Together we explore creativity, discipline, therapy, and the strange way a single song can carry deeper meaning across decades.Gareth brings a track that isn’t just about lyrics or melody. It’s about seeking, transcendence, and those rare moments that arrive without warning. No method. No teacher. No guru.🎶 Song Choice: In the Garden by Van Morrison(From the album No Guru No Method No Teacher)We talk about:Hearing this song for the first time on cassette in the 1980sWhy the music hit before the lyrics made senseJung, creativity, purpose, and the need to keep making thingsSpirituality that feels grounded, not performativeHow songs change as we changeWhy some art can’t be improved, covered, or explainedIf you’ve ever heard a song that bypassed your brain and went straight to something deeper, this episode will land.🎧 Subscribe for more episodes exploring music, memory, identity, and the stories hidden inside the songs we love.00:00 Welcome to One Song One Story00:12 Intro to the episode and Dr Gareth Palmer01:06 Gareth’s morning routine and “if your day was a song”01:54 Today’s vibe: “Resolve” by Röyksopp02:38 A song that connects host and guest03:08 Shubeeh shares his song “One Way Fare” and therapy connection05:11 Gareth on writing songs in his head and early songwriting06:43 Shubeeh’s piano journey and writing without distractions08:20 Do therapists play music in sessions08:52 Gareth’s unexpected connector song: Ernie the Fastest Milkman in the West11:04 Gareth’s creative life: music, art, and therapy12:25 The Nice Fish band and writing hundreds of songs13:28 PhD years, freedom, golf, and creativity15:18 Purpose, work ethic, and stepping away from Instagram16:22 Using art to support therapy and insight18:02 Sitcoms, humour, and cheering yourself up20:16 Song reveal: In the Garden by Van Morrison20:54 Van Morrison as seeker and spiritual artist22:15 Creativity, ageing, and the need to keep going25:28 Alternate song choice: Public Service Broadcasting (Race for Space)27:25 First time hearing In the Garden on cassette28:44 Why the song hit so hard emotionally30:37 Lyrics vs music and how meaning evolves31:42 From love song to spiritual encounter32:40 No guru, no method, no teacher and the idea of transcendence33:38 Effortless craft and envy of artistic flow34:46 Van Morrison’s career, freedom, and experimentation36:05 Gareth’s spiritual journey and Jung38:26 Gareth’s creativity as constant motion40:06 Losing old work, not looking back, always making the next thing41:22 Rehearing the song decades later with new understanding42:19 Transcendence arrives without instruction43:49 Shubeeh’s deep dive and what the song unlocked for him45:54 Nostalgia, vinyl culture, and listening to new music48:29 First gigs and Pink Floyd memories51:03 Who should cover this song (and why nobody should)53:55 Johnny Cash, Rick Rubin, and when covers work56:05 What the song choice says about Gareth57:02 Where to find Gareth: menshouldtalk.com57:28 Closing