Sounds True: Insights at the Edge

Tami Simon speaks with Bradford Keeney, an internationally renowned scholar, therapist, speaker, and teacher. In addition to being the author of several classics in the field of psychotherapy, including Aesthetics of Change and Shaking Medicine, Brad has a deep connection to elders of numerous indigenous cultures and is a recognized spokesperson for the old ways of ecstatic shaking. He is the author of the Sounds True audio learning course Shaking, and the book Shamans of the World. In this episode, Tami has an intriguing and surprising conversation with Brad about being "struck by lightning" on the path to awakening, the value of both arousal and relaxation in our practice, and the vital role of absurdity in our spiritual journey. (55 minutes)

24 Mai 20110s

Tami Simon speaks with Mariana Caplan, PhD, a psychotherapist, cultural anthropologist, and professor of yogic and transpersonal psychologies at the California Institute of Integral Studies. She is the author of six books in the fields of psychology and spirituality, including Eyes Wide Open: Cultivating Discernment on the Spiritual Path and her newest book with Sounds True, The Guru Question: The Perils and Rewards of Choosing a Spiritual Teacher. In this episode, Tami speaks with Mariana about who needs a dedicated spiritual mentor, what to look for and what to avoid when seeking a teacher for yourself, and the path of "conscious discipleship"—what it means to be a great student. (72 minutes)

17 Mai 20111h 12min

Tami Simon speaks with Joseph Goldstein, who is the cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, and has been teaching insight and lovingkindness meditation worldwide since 1974. He is the coauthor of the Sounds True audio learning course Insight Meditation (with Sharon Salzberg), and has recently released the third volume of his landmark audio course of advanced teachings and practical guidance on the Satipatthāna Sutta, Abiding in Mindfulness. In this episode, Tami speaks with Joseph about his study of the Satipatthāna Sutta as the Buddha's central teaching of mindfulness meditation, the evolution of his own practice over the past four decades, and what it might mean to live without any sense of there being an "I" or a "me." (60 minutes)

10 Mai 20111h

Tami Simon speaks with Joan Halifax, who is an anthropologist, Buddhist teacher, and the author of The Fruitful Darkness, Shamanic Voyages, and The Human Encounter with Death, co-written with Dr. Stanislav Grof. In 1994, Joan created a project called "Being with Dying" to help health care professionals learn how to care for dying patients in a compassionate, mindful fashion—and which was the source for her Sounds True audio training course, Being With Dying: Contemplative Practices and Teachings. In this episode, Joan speaks about the powerful insights on living that she has learned from her years of caring for the dying—including the greatest gift that we can give another person. (67 minutes)

3 Mai 20111h 7min

Tami Simon speaks with Hank Wesselman, who has a PhD in anthropology from the University of California at Berkeley, and for many years studied the origin of the human species in the Rift Valley in East Africa. He is also a student and teacher of shamanic practices and is the coauthor of the Sounds True book Awakening to the Spirit World, with fellow shamanic teacher Sandra Ingerman. His new book with Sounds True is The Bowl of Light: Ancestral Wisdom from a Hawaiian Shaman. In this episode, Dr. Wesselman speaks the lessons he learned from his friendship with the late Hawaiian kahuna and wisdom keeper Hale Makua-including a technique called "the bowl of light" that can help us connect to our divine nature, and the vision of an "Ancestral Grand Plan" for humanity. (58 minutes)

26 Apr 201158min

Tami Simon speaks with Leigh Fortson about her book Embrace, Release, Heal, an empowering guide to talking about, thinking about, and treating cancer. Leigh spent decades practicing healthy lifestyle habits, and was shocked to find out, in 2006, that she had cancer. Today she has a clean bill of health and lives in Colorado with her family. In this interview, Leigh speaks about "the morphic field" of cancer, the importance of accepting responsibility after a cancer diagnosis, and her view of "fighting cancer" in order to thrive. (56 minutes)

19 Apr 201156min

Tami Simon speaks with Lewis Mehl-Madrona, MD, PhD, who is certified in family practice, geriatrics, and psychiatry, and has worked for years in rural emergency medicine. He is the author of several books, including Narrative Medicine and Coyote Healing. Dr. Mehl-Madrona has worked in collaboration with Sounds True to create two new programs: The Spirit of Healing and Native American Healing Meditations.In this episode of Insights at the Edge Dr. Mehl-Madrona speaks with Tami Simon about what Native American wisdom can offer modern medicine; the value of relational, storied, and ceremonial culture; and the role of spirit beings in the healing process. (57 minutes)

12 Apr 201157min

Tami Simon speaks with Maoshing Ni, a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Their discussion includes using the mind as an ally in the healing process, what Dr. Mao has learned from his study of centenarians, the correlation between caloric intake and longevity, and how certain exercises can help us bring the mind and the body into harmony. Dr. Mao has been featured in the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, and is currently featured as an expert on Yahoo! Health. With Sounds True, Dr. Mao has released Meditations to Live to Be 100 and has a forthcoming release called Qi Meditations: Guided Visualizations for Self-Healing. (49 minutes)

5 Apr 201149min