Sounds True: Insights at the Edge

Kelley Kosow is a Certified Master Integrative Life Coach and the entrepreneur behind the popular Go Goddess!™ brand of books, games, and seminars. Today, she is the CEO of The Ford Institute. With Sounds True, she is publishing her first book, The Integrity Advantage: Step into Your Truth, Love Your Life, and Claim Your Magnificence. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Kelley speaks with Tami Simon about the definition of integrity: what it is, why it isn't necessarily evenly spread across every aspect of one's life, and how it arises from our greatest personal truth and vision. They also talk about Kelley's journey from being focused on future outcomes to one of self-acceptance—a journey facilitated by her mentor, Debbie Ford, that required her to confront and integrate even those parts of herself she considered "negative." Finally, Tami and Kelley discuss the legacy of Debbie Ford, her death, and why Kelley decided to take up her mentor's mantle as an Integrative Life Coach. (59 minutes)

7 Nov 201759min

Karen Brody is the founder of the Daring to Rest™ Program for Women, which promotes women's empowerment and increased health through yoga nidra meditation. With Sounds True, Karen has published Daring to Rest: Reclaim Your Power with Yoga Nidra Rest Meditation. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Karen and Tami Simon have a serious discussion about the epidemic of burnout and exhaustion in modern culture. This is especially true for women, who are often held to the societal expectation that they serve the needs of those around them before they ever consider taking even the most necessary rest. Karen offers yoga nidra as a one part of the solution to this wave of fatigue, describing how her own practice and the cultivation of turiya—"the sleep of the yogis"—helped her move past a period of intense, chronic sleeplessness. Finally, Karen and Tami speak on the liberation in abandoning perfectionism and how yoga nidra can be folded into the course of our daily lives. (64 minutes)

31 Okt 20171h 3min

John Lockley is a traditional healer, or sangoma, from the Xhosa lineage in South Africa, the same tribe that gave us Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He runs "Ubuntu" (humanity) workshops worldwide, helping people connect to their ancestors, the earth, and one another. His mission in the Western world could be summed up in the Xhosa word "Masiyembo"—involving a profound remembering of the human spirit. As John says, "When people can remember their dreams and connect to their life purpose, then their true vocation surfaces; namely being in service and acting as guardians to our planet." With Sounds True, John has published Leopard Warrior: A Journey into the African Teachings of Ancestry, Instinct, and Dreams. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, John speaks with Tami Simon about his startling journey to becoming a sangoma and what he learned while caught between two cultures in apartheid-era South Africa. They speak on what it means to honor one's ancestors and how life takes on a new richness with that practice. Finally, John sings a blessing song called "The Great Spirit," inviting listeners to share in its calling. (69 minutes)

24 Okt 20171h 9min

Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche is a celebrated Buddhist teacher, artist, poet, and author whose many books include Rebel Buddha, Wild Awakening, and Emotional Rescue. He is the founder of Nalandabodhi, an international association of Buddhist teaching and cultural centers. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon speaks with Rinpoche about his ongoing efforts to develop a genuine dharma tradition unique to the West, as well as the ways he adapts his teachings for Western sensibilities and problems. Speaking from his decades of experience, Rinpoche shares anecdotes of his own teachers and comments on the modern conception of the teacher/student relationship. Finally, Tami and Rinpoche talk about the current turbulence in the world and what it might mean for spiritual seekers of all stripes. (55 minutes)

17 Okt 201755min

Megan Devine is a mental health counselor who has become known as one of the most promising emerging voices in the field of grief therapy. With Sounds True, she has released the new book It's OK That You're Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn't Understand. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami speaks with Megan about It's OK That You're Not OK and the tragedy that inspired the book—the accidental drowning of her partner. With this in mind, Tami and Megan discuss "the wild howl at the center of grief," the challenge of shouldering things that only we can carry, and why "letting go" is a myth. They also talk about what you can do for someone enduring the grieving process and why it can be best simply to lend an understanding ear. Finally, Megan unravels the concept of "fixing" grief and why there is an intrinsic connection between grieving fully and loving well. (69 minutes)

4 Okt 20171h 8min

Anne Lamott is the celebrated author of many books of fiction, essays, and memoirs. Her works include Bird by Bird, Hallelujah Anyway, and Crooked Little Heart. In this special edition of Insights at the Edge originally recorded for The Self-Acceptance Summit, Tami Simon speaks with Anne about acts of "radical self-care" and how they are essential for anyone's well-being. Anne talks about self-acceptance as an innately feminist concept, especially around issues of body image and self-esteem. Finally, Anne and Tami discuss how it is necessary to fully accept oneself before being able to show up for others, and why modern society often argues the opposite. (54 minutes)

26 Sep 201754min

Pedram Shojai is a former Taoist monk, Qi Gong master, physician, and bestselling author known as The Urban Monk. Renowned for his diverse and direct teachings, Pedram has teamed with Sounds True to release The Urban Monk Inner Stillness Training Program: How to Open Up and Awaken to the Infinite River of Life. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon speaks with Pedram about the awakening that led him to Eastern esoteric practices and why he decided to bring those practices out of the monastery and into the world at large. Pedram and Tami talk about the practices of Taoist inner alchemy and how these can initiate profound personal change on many levels. They also discuss Pedram's experiences with documentary filmmaking and how they have informed his view that conscious capitalism needs to take a more active, focused role in helping the world in these turbulent times. Finally, Pedram leads listeners in a breathing exercise intended to settle the body and bring a glimpse of timelessness. (64 minutes)

19 Sep 20171h 3min

Lauren Walker is a certified energy medicine practitioner, teaching assistant to Donna Eden, and one of the originators of Energy Medicine Yoga, which she teaches internationally. With Sounds True, Lauren has released The Energy Medicine Yoga Prescription. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon and Lauren discuss the ideal ways that energy moves through the body and how that flow can be manipulated to help heal a number of conditions. Lauren highlights specific practices for the treatment of insomnia and gut issues, as well as a method for listening to "meridian pulses" to diagnose unknown pains. Tami and Lauren also speak on how the development of self-acceptance in conjunction with Energy Medicine Yoga can help us reclaim pleasure and joy in our daily lives. Finally, Lauren leads listeners in "The Wake-Up," a short practice designed to readjust the natural flow of our subtle energy. (63 minutes)

12 Sep 20171h 3min