What/Why?
I’m starting a podcast as a way to have great conversations and share them with interested others. I don’t have a defined topic plan at this point, beyond “something that I find interesting and/or want to learn about”.
So I’m going to start the podcast under the name Ways of Being, which fits with most things I’m interested in. After a conversation, GPT suggests this summary and podcast description:
“Ways of Being” encourages listeners to embrace a life of depth, wonder, and authenticity. Delve into the myriad pathways we traverse as humans, blending age-old wisdoms with modern revelations.
*Which sounds about right to me.
In a rapidly moving world, “Ways of Being” stands as a sanctuary for souls yearning for depth and intuition. Guided by our host—a boat-dwelling nomad— episode becomes a haven, where scholars, creators, and everyday visionaries share tales of living deeply, listening to one’s inner compass, and breaking free from the chains of mundane routines. It’s a voyage into the heart of existence, embracing cyclical lives, the raw power of our nervous system, and timeless philosophies. Here, we don’t just live—we feel, we resonate, we immerse.
*Which sounds a little, well, “much” but actually resonates pretty strongly with what I’m after creating.
What do I mean by “way of being”?
A way of being is not just the actions you take, but the very essence that drives those actions. While society often emphasizes the “doing”—the achievements, the routines, and the tangible outcomes—it’s the “being” that truly defines us. It’s the silent hum of our soul, the subconscious decisions we make, and the inherent feelings that dictate our responses to life’s intricate dance.
Modern society has a default way of being, one that often places undue emphasis on relentless productivity, linear progression, and external validation. This paradigm champions the hustle culture, urging individuals to constantly strive for more, even presenting self-development as endless “work”. Instead of allowing room for introspection, for the ebb and flow of life’s natural rhythms, or for the simple joys that come from being present, this societal mold pushes for a life measured by accomplishments, experiences, and acquisitions.
Intuitive living is, for me, at the heart of embracing another, more personal, way of being. Instead of being slaves to external metrics of success or others’ opinions, living intuitively means heeding an internal compass—a compass calibrated not by societal norms, but by personal truths and inner resonances. It means trusting that our feelings, inexplicable nudges and subtle inclinations have valuable insights to offer. And I believe that by training then following those insights, we can step back and simply “be”, at peace and immersed in the present, with an effortless skill at the art of living how you want to live.
There are, of course, infinite ways of being. These are not categories, except as rhetorical constructs like “default” and “intuitive” above. Every individual’s way of being at any one moment is a rich tapestry woven from threads of genetics, upbringing, environment, and conscious decisions. When these elements come together, they don’t just paint a picture of “who we are” —they craft a dynamic, evolving narrative of our journey, capturing every nuance, every learned lesson, and every innate reaction. And they shape our experience of life.
Through this podcast
I’ll be having conversations with people who have any of:
- the knowledge, whether scientific or not, behind these ideas - and most knowledge impacts on these ideas when you think deeply enough about it.
- techniques and tools that might help people transition to having a personal way of being, away from the default.
- an interesting life, that signifies a personal way of being I’d like to know more about.
- insights to offer on “what it means to BE human”, both in the present and categorically.
Length and format will vary, but I’ll mostly be interviewing people who are either experts or coaches whose work can lead people into a way of being that I think is important or at least interesting. I’ll probably record some episodes solo, too, in time.
A Pretty Picture
This is the most salient-feeling of a few images I generated. Although I think I’ll likely do with something simpler for podcast art, when I actually have a podcast:
Midjourney prompt: Two abstract human profiles facing each other, engaged in conversation, with their minds represented by interconnected patterns or waves. The background can have elements of nature, such as leaves or waves, intertwined with soft technological symbols like circuits or lines, showing the blend of nature, technology, and human connection.