Podcast Episodes

In this special bonus episode, Thomas reads Verse 25 from the Tao Te Ching, offers his analysis, and shares how we can come back to living a life that is more informed by inner balance in a world that is often out of balance.

This episode is dedicated to a cherished member of our team, the late Digo Delgado. His adventurous spirit, kindness, and laugh touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. We dedicate this episode in loving memory to Digo, with gratitude for all of his contributions and the time we shared.

Thomas is joined by Buddhist teacher, Founder and head teacher of Upaya Zen Center, social activist, and author, Roshi Joan Halifax. They discuss Roshi Joan’s pioneering work in end-of-life care, and how spirituality can inform and inspire more compassionate activism.

Roshi Joan shares her insights on how decades of practice have equipped her to navigate suffering with resilience, how compassion benefits both the giver and receiver, and the importance of embracing moral challenges with grace. She and Thomas also explore the importance of community, mindfulness, and meditation in healing trauma, and how this can lead to beautiful post-traumatic growth.

Thomas is joined by internationally recognized speaker, author, and expert in the field of attachment theory and trauma resolution, Dr. Diane Poole Heller. They discuss Diane’s work in attachment theory, exploring how our early experiences with our caregivers affect our attachment styles, and what we can do to move into secure attachment in our relationships.

Dr. Heller views trauma as a broken connection—with ourselves, our lives, the earth, or other people—and explains how therapists and healers can co-regulate and attune with their clients’ nervous systems to create a safe environment for transforming trauma. Dr. Heller believes that we can interface with the energy of trauma in a way that doesn’t cause overwhelm, and opens us to maturation, spiritual experiences, and changes in consciousness.

She and Thomas also discuss how working collectively in a group amplifies healing, and how all therapists and healers are ultimately agents of grace.

Thomas shares deep insights into how we can embody the soul’s wisdom and increase our capacity to be present and form a deeper alliance with life. He shares tools and practices for becoming more grounded and spacious in our daily lives, and in challenging situations, and how that gives us the courage, curiosity, and strength to turn difficulties into growth, expansion, and wisdom.

He also offers embodiment practices to help us connect our physical and emotional data streams, creating a more coherent awareness of our internal processes, and increasing our natural intuition and capacity for change.

As Thomas explains, we are all part of an interconnected world, but trauma tends to create a sense of separation. Reconnecting to the essence of life helps us develop a deeper sense of ourselves so that we can achieve greater regulation and resilience.

Thomas is joined by global wellbeing and wellbeing economics expert, program facilitator, and researcher, Julia Kim. They discuss how Bhutan’s holistic approach to economics, deeply rooted in spiritual and cultural values, prioritizes individual and collective happiness and wellbeing over profit and expansion of capital.

Julia explains the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH) in Bhutan, contrasting it with the more conventional measure of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and how this system is more regenerative than extractive, less driven by overconsumption, and leads to better outcomes for people and the environment.

At a time of personal and collective trauma, burnout, and loss of hope, strengthening our capacity for inner wellbeing and authentic leadership is critical for enabling and inspiring wider organizational and systemic transformations.

Thomas is joined by celebrated author, educator, and meditation teacher, Ruth King. They explore the profound responsibilities and perspectives that come with eldership and the importance of presence in guiding others. Ruth shares her wisdom on racial healing, the power of community, and the role of artistry as cultural medicine. She and Thomas explore the healing potential of mindful communication and the value of embracing impermanence to alleviate suffering. Ruth also shares reflections on integrating Buddhist Dharma teachings into social contexts and using how words can heal when used with conscious intention.