Spirituality is about recognizing that you are a conscious being, separate from your thoughts, emotions, and external experiences. You suffer because you identify with the past experiences that have molded your preferences and desires. True spiritual awakening occurs when your consciousness ceases to be distracted by the ego, permitting thoughts and emotions to pass through without clinging to them. This allows the shift inward to the infinite consciousness that lies beyond personal identity.
What happens when a rational, skeptical filmmaker encounters evidence that consciousness might work in ways science hasn’t yet explained?
This week, Tami Simon welcomes Ky Dickens—an award-winning documentary filmmaker whose podcast The Telepathy Tapes became the #1 podcast in the world in 2025. Ky’s work explores telepathic communication within the non-speaking community, raising profound questions about consciousness, human potential, and how we can better support individuals with autism and apraxia.
Join Tami and Ky as they discuss:
How a lightning bolt creative moment led to The Telepathy Tapes and what it means to trust the creative muse
The scientific evidence for telepathic communication in non-speaking individuals with autism
“Mindsight”—the remarkable ability of young children to see through blindfolds, and why this capacity appears strongest before age twelve
The interstitium, a recently discovered system in the body that may explain ancient knowledge about energy meridians
Why consciousness as fundamental, rather than materialism, better explains emerging research in telepathy, energy healing, and remote viewing
The dignity and rights of non-speaking individuals and why Communication Regulation Partners (CRPs) should be standard in schools
How this work has transformed Ky’s understanding of death, the non-physical world, and why we’re here
If you’ve been curious about The Telepathy Tapes or wonder what lies at the frontiers of consciousness research, this conversation offers a grounded, scientifically minded exploration of phenomena that challenge our understanding of human potential and invite us into a more marvelous world.
Listen now to discover what becomes possible when we approach the unknown with curiosity rather than dismissal. And to see where Ky and her team are heading with Season 2 of The Telepathy Tapes…and beyond.
You can listen to both seasons of The Telepathy Tapeshere.
Tami Simon speaks with David Whyte, a passionate speaker, poet, and the author of the Sounds True audio learning program Clear Mind, Wild Heart, and most recently What to Remember When Waking: The Disciplines of Every Day Life. David discusses exile as a core human competency, the conversational nature of reality, and vulnerability as enhanced perception in the invisible support that surrounds us. (58 minutes)
Our five primary senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell) evolved in relationship with our environment and other life-forms to become highly sensitive instruments that help us survive and thrive as a species. Perhaps you can recall walking behind someone wearing strong cologne or perfume. Now imagine that you can smell the musk of a buck or the odor of a bear that a spring breeze carries toward you. We still have the capacity; we need only to awaken our senses again. It’s not enough simply to go outside. We also need to bring our attention and intention to the senses in order to consciously invoke, awaken, and sharpen their capabilities.
Our hunter-gatherer ancestors lived in simple shelters made of poles, straw mats, animal skins, and other natural objects. These human nests were often arranged in circles, following the way energy moves in nature, and they were permeable, allowing the sounds of the earth to filter in, along with drafts, which carried information. Although we’ve improved the functionality and comfort of our homes, we’ve also sealed ourselves off from the living, breathing world out there. As a result, many people who live mostly indoors suffer from sensory anesthesia, the gradual loss of sensory experience. Think about the number of plants growing in a forest or a field, the myriad decomposing life-forms washing around the ocean, the dry herbs and tree resins in a high desert plain. All these environments have their own concoction of smells, textures, sights, sounds, and flavors, richer and more varied than the average office environment.
In the woods and out on the land, the sense of smell is essential for survival. It can help us detect an incoming storm (think of the smell of the ozone before a thunderstorm) or the musk of a predator, like a skunk we want to avoid. To awaken this sense outdoors, I often invite folks to gather eastern hemlock or balsam needles, press them between their palms to release the aromatic oils, and then cup their hands and take deep inhalations. Another great stimulus for scent are the fallen leaves in autumn; crush them in your hands and take in their sweet, earthy smell.
During an outdoor mindfulness retreat I led with the Audubon Society one winter, we kept coming up on fox tracks in the snow. My co-facilitator, Dale, a naturalist, kept sniffing and asking the group if we could smell the scent of fox on the air. At first the group was oblivious to it. Then Dale knelt down and lifted a small handful of snow with a small, yellow ice crystal in it, a drop of frozen fox urine. He invited us to take a whiff, and sure enough, it had a potent, musky, almost skunk-like smell. From then on, we were on our knees sniffing every little yellow patch of snow we found near fox tracks. After a few days, the group began picking up the smell on the wind.
You can feel a sensual connection with the living earth after only a few minutes of quiet and reflective nature meditation and observation. It may give you peace and joy, but it may also stir up other emotions, including grief—grief for species loss, environmental degradation, and climate change. Awakening our senses and countering sensory anesthesia is a practice of awareness, and when awareness expands, it perceives both pleasure and pain, light and dark, joy and sadness. That is why in the contemplative traditions there is an emphasis on clear seeing and calm abiding. We might be able to see the truth, to observe what is really happening, but can we handle it? Can we hold an experience of deep, clear perception without being totally swept away by it? We need to learn how to be with the expanding boundaries of our awareness. This comes as we develop a strong witness consciousness, that part of us that soars like an eagle and can see the big picture. When we can temper feeling more with wisdom, we build our capacity of true spiritual growth.
All year-round, but especially during the winter, we can often easily find natural areas where the wonderful smell of pine fills the atmosphere—freshening the senses and stimulating the mind. I do a lot of mindful breathing and tend to pause often to take deep breaths within pine forests, which has a calming effect on the mind and body. This practice is enhanced by the concentration of essential oils in the air. In ancient times, pine boughs were believed to ward off evil spirits and disease. Today, research into the power of phytoncides bears out this ancient belief in pine’s medicinal attributes. Essential oil, tea made from the needles, and ointment made from the pine resin have all been shown to have healing properties.
Below, I share my recipe for an eastern white pine tea:
In the depths of winter, the eastern white pine (Pinus strobus), like other evergreens, holds on to its green needles. Rich in vitamin C, the needles can be used to make a comforting tea. The eastern white pine is a prosperous and beautiful member of the forest community in New England. Its needles grow in packets of five, which is an easy way to identify it since white has five letters.
To make a bright, citrus-pine-flavored tea from white pine needles, you will want to gather at least 20 packets of white pine needles.
Rub a couple of the packets between your hands to release the pine resin, as you offer a gesture of thanks to the trees for this provision.
Drop the crushed needles into a pot of freshly boiled water and allow them to steep for 5 to 15 minutes (although I like to cut them up into smaller pieces to help release the oils before steeping them).
Strain the needles from the boiled water and pour the tea into a mug.
Before sipping, hold the cup up near your nose and take a few deep inhalations. Drink as is or sweeten with maple syrup or honey. Enjoy!
Safety Note: Be sure to always properly identify the tree using a field guide or the internet before consuming any part of it. Avoid pines that aren’t really pines such as yew (Podocarpus macrophylla), Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla), as well as lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), because they are poisonous.
Micah Mortali is director of the Kripalu Schools, one of the largest and most established centers for yoga-based education in the world. An avid outdoorsman, mindful wilderness guide, 500-hour Kripalu yoga teacher, and popular meditation teacher, Mortali has been leading groups in wilderness and retreat settings for 20 years. In 2018, he founded the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership. Mortali has a passion for helping people come home to themselves and the earth, and he is finishing his master’s at Goddard College on nature awareness and mindfulness practices. He lives with his wife and children in the Berkshires. For more, visit micahmortali.com.
People often think that “personal branding” is a dirty word. That it revolves around ego and vanity and self-promotion. After building and running my personal branding agency,SimplyBe. and reflecting on our unique approach to this space, I realized that there was something much deeper to this work.
Each of us is here for a specific reason. Each of us has a light that we need to shine. And most people don’t know how to technically, practically tell their own story. Most of all, they don’t feel they have the permission, the confidence, the support, to take the leap. My book, Be: A No-Bullsh*t Guide to Increasing Your Self Worth and Net Worth by Simply Being Yourself, is that permission slip—for you to get out of your own way, to dive deep and take the journey within. Although often perceived as a practice in exterior image, personal brand is really about how you see yourself, how you know yourself, how you come to cherish yourself. That is the journey that awaits you in Be.
There are a lot of people who don’t want to be on social media or don’t want to be “famous” and therefore feel like the work of personal branding isn’t for them. But frankly, it doesn’t matter if you use social media every day or if you never touch it for the rest of your life—you have a personal brand.
Your personal brand is your value. It’s your worth. It’s the impression you leave behind in any room or crowd. It’s how you make people feel. It’s how you interface with people wherever you go—the way you treat your barista, the way you talk to your children’s teachers, the way you communicate with your team at work, how you create relationships in our community. It’s your legacy. All of these daily interactions are opportunities to hone and master your brand on your terms. That is personal branding.
My background is in marketing and branding. I’ve cut my teeth in the world of social media working with Fortune 500 brands over the last 15+ years. That said, in this book you will find frameworks and easy DIY tools to build your brand from the ground up and to take it online and leverage it to build your business, your career, your reputation, your followership. You’ll learn how to craft a message and a strategy, build PR awareness, create original content, identify your competitive landscape, and much more. It is a very tactical book in that sense. But my biggest inspiration and passion is bringing more humanity to business. Be. is a personal empowerment book at its core. Simply put, Be. is a study in the power of authenticity.
Authenticity is a unique superpower that we all have. It’s a practice in you simply being you, inclusive of all of your shadows, sh*t, failures, weaknesses, AND all of your successes, triumphs, talents, and unique gifts. That’s what Be. will really challenge you to own—your fully unapologetic YOU.
My book is far more than what meets the eye. I hope you pick it up and learn that you, indeed, have a brand and that this simply means that you have something worthy and meaningful to share with the world. Personal branding, at its core, is an act of service. It is about what we are here to give versus what we are here to get. And when we architect a personal brand from that place, we come alive.
The world needs your light.
The world needs you to shine.
Every one of us has not just the privilege but the responsibility to step forward and simply be.
Don’t let us down.
With love and light,
Jessica Zweig Bestselling author of Be. Founder & CEO,SimplyBe.
Jessica Zweig is the CEO and founder of the SimplyBe. agency, a personal branding company that helps millions of people worldwide. She’s been named a “personal branding expert” by Forbes, a Top Digital Marketer to Watch by Inc., one of 2020’s Most Notable Entrepreneurs by Crain’s Chicago Business, and the 2018 and 2019 recipient of the international Stevie® Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year. She’s been featured on FOX, ABC, NBC, Thrive Global, Business Insider, and more as an expert on how an authentic personal brand is the key to a more successful career. For more, visit jessicazweig.com.
Vulnerability is often misunderstood. Many of us were taught to associate it with weakness, as if showing emotion or uncertainty somehow discredits our strength. But the truth is, some of our most meaningful human experiences, love, trust, connection, and creativity can’t exist without it. Vulnerability isn’t a flaw to fix. It’s the starting place for everything that gives life depth.
At Sounds True, we’ve spent decades creating teachings that support emotional wellness, spiritual depth, and authentic living. Our programs are rooted in the belief that transformation happens when we meet life as it is, with honesty and heart. We’re proud to collaborate with voices like Brené Brown, whose work opens the door to wholehearted conversations about what it means to be human.
In this piece, we’ll discuss Brené Brown’s insights into vulnerability, why it’s not only necessary but also one of the greatest strengths we can bring to our lives and relationships.
Key Takeaways:
Vulnerability Is Courage: Choosing vulnerability means facing emotional risk, not weakness. It is the foundation of authentic strength.
Connection Needs Openness: True connection requires emotional honesty, not perfection or control. Vulnerability builds trust and belonging.
Daily Practice Matters: Small, intentional acts of honesty and self-compassion help make vulnerability a sustainable part of everyday life.
What Brené Brown Teaches Us About Vulnerability
For many of us, vulnerability feels like exposure to something to avoid, something unsafe. But Brené Brown offers a different lens. Through her research and teaching, she reveals that vulnerability is the birthplace of courage, creativity, belonging, and love. It’s not a flaw to be hidden. It’s the very fabric of human connection.
Rather than defining vulnerability as weakness, Brené invites us to see it as uncertainty, risk, and emotional openness. These aren’t liabilities. They are the core of what it means to show up fully in our lives. Whether it’s sharing a hard truth, asking for help, or allowing ourselves to be truly seen, she reminds us that vulnerability is the measure of real courage.
In her programs with Sounds True, including The Power of Vulnerability, Brené breaks down years of research into stories and insights that are as relatable as they are transformative. What emerges is a message that stays with you: vulnerability isn’t something we need to fix. It’s something we can honor.
Why Vulnerability Is A Sign of Strength, Not Weakness
Vulnerability often carries a false reputation. We’re taught to hide it, control it, or overcome it, but Brené Brown reminds us that the willingness to be vulnerable is not a weakness to correct, but a strength to live by. Here’s why it holds such power:
It Takes Strength To Show Up Without Certainty
There’s nothing easy about stepping into the unknown. Whether we’re starting something new, speaking our truth, or navigating conflict, we rarely have a guaranteed outcome. Choosing to show up anyway, that’s strength.
Authenticity Is Braver Than Perfectionism
Pretending to have it all together is a defense. Authenticity is a decision. It’s vulnerable to say “this is who I really am,” and that act of truth-telling builds resilience, not fragility.
Emotional Openness Builds Inner Resilience
Brené teaches that emotional exposure isn’t the opposite of strength. It’s the training ground for it. Each time we allow ourselves to feel, to share, or to ask for support, we build a deeper kind of courage.
Letting Go Of The Armor Creates Deeper Connection
When we drop the need to appear invulnerable, we invite others to do the same. This is where true connection begins. Vulnerability becomes the bridge, not just to others, but to ourselves.
The Courage To Be Vulnerable In Everyday Life
Vulnerability isn’t reserved for big life events or dramatic turning points. It lives in the everyday, in the small, honest moments where we choose to be real instead of safe. Brené Brown reminds us that courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes, it simply sounds like telling the truth, setting a boundary, or asking for help. Here’s how it shows up in daily life:
Speaking Honestly, Even When It’s Uncomfortable
Whether it’s a difficult conversation with a partner or sharing feedback at work, honesty often comes with risk. Vulnerability means saying what’s true, even when it might not land perfectly. Trust that honesty creates space for growth.
Letting Others See The Real You
We all carry parts of ourselves we’d rather keep hidden. Choosing to share your true feelings, stories, or struggles takes courage. It opens the door to deeper connection and trust.
Asking For Support Without Shame
One of the most human things we can do is need each other. Still, many of us hesitate to ask for help, fearing judgment or rejection. Brené’s work encourages us to see asking not as weakness, but as brave, wholehearted living.
Saying No To What Doesn’t Feel Right
Boundaries are an act of vulnerability, too. They require clarity, honesty, and a willingness to disappoint others in order to stay aligned with ourselves. It’s not always easy. But it is courageous.
How Embracing Vulnerability Deepens Connection
At the heart of every meaningful relationship is one simple truth: connection requires openness. When we allow ourselves to be seen, truly seen, we create the conditions for intimacy, trust, and belonging. Brené Brown’s research points to vulnerability as the key ingredient in relationships that feel real, grounded, and lasting. Here’s why:
We Build Trust by Letting Others In: Trust isn’t built through perfection. It’s built in moments of mutual openness. When we’re honest about our fears, hopes, or boundaries, we give others permission to meet us with the same level of care and honesty.
Vulnerability Makes Empathy Possible: When someone shares a raw, human moment with us, we don’t respond with solutions. We respond with presence. That space for empathy can only exist when we stop hiding behind a polished version of ourselves.
Belonging Grows Where Masks Come Off:True belonging isn’t about fitting in. It’s about being accepted as you are. And that can only happen when we’re willing to show who we really are. Vulnerability invites that kind of acceptance.
Relationships Thrive on Emotional Honesty: Whether it’s with a partner, friend, colleague, or family member, emotional honesty strengthens the fabric of connection. It helps us repair misunderstandings, express needs clearly, and stay grounded in compassion.
The Role Of Self-Compassion In Vulnerability
Being vulnerable with others begins with how we relate to ourselves. Without self-compassion, vulnerability can feel unbearable. Like opening a door without any sense of safety on the other side. Brené Brown often highlights that we cannot offer ourselves to the world authentically if we’re busy beating ourselves up inside. Here’s how self-compassion supports the courage to be vulnerable:
Self-Kindness Softens The Fear Of Judgment
When we’re harsh with ourselves, we naturally fear that others will be, too. Practicing self-kindness allows us to face vulnerability without bracing for shame or criticism. It builds the internal safety to take emotional risks.
Awareness Without Harshness Builds Resilience
Self-compassion isn’t about ignoring our flaws. It’s about seeing ourselves clearly, but with warmth. This kind of mindful awareness strengthens us from the inside and helps us stay open even when things feel shaky.
Letting Go Of Perfectionism Starts With Self-Acceptance
We often armor up with perfectionism to avoid being seen as “not enough.” But the more we accept ourselves as we are, the less we need that armor. Self-compassion clears the way for more honest, human moments.
Our Inner Dialogue Shapes Our Outer Courage
What we say to ourselves matters. When our internal voice is critical, we shrink. When it’s gentle, we grow. Brené speaks to this often in The Power of Self-Compassion, inviting us to cultivate a relationship with ourselves that supports our vulnerability.
Bringing Vulnerability Into Your Own Practice
Vulnerability isn’t a one-time act. It’s a daily choice to live with openness, even when it’s uncomfortable. It shows up differently for everyone, but the practice begins the same way: with intention. Brené Brown encourages us to turn toward our lives with more presence, honesty, and willingness to be seen. Here are a few ways that might look:
Start by Noticing Where You Hold Back: Awareness is the first step. Pay attention to the places where you avoid speaking up, asking for help, or showing emotion. Those quiet pullbacks often signal moments when vulnerability seeks a voice.
Practice Small Acts of Emotional Honesty: You don’t have to make sweeping changes. Try sharing how you’re feeling with someone you trust, or saying no to something that doesn’t align with you. These small, everyday choices build your capacity for wholehearted living.
Let Vulnerability Be Part of Your Spiritual Life: In Rising Strong as a Spiritual Practice, Brené explores how spiritual growth and emotional honesty go hand in hand. Your inner work deepens when you stop trying to appear invulnerable and start showing up as you are.
Remember That Vulnerability Is a Process: This is a practice, not a performance. Some days you’ll feel brave. Other days, you might want to retreat. That’s okay. Keep coming back to the intention to live more openly, gently, and honestly.
Learn More Through Brené’s Courses
Brené Brown’s teachings offer more than insights. They offer tools for living. If you’re ready to explore vulnerability not just as an idea but as a lived experience, her digital courses with Sounds True are a meaningful place to begin. Each program is rooted in research and delivered with the honesty and heart that make her work so resonant.
In The Power of Vulnerability, you’ll hear six sessions of Brené’s most essential teachings, filled with stories and guidance that bring the research to life.
Courage and Vulnerability invites you to walk the path of openness with greater clarity and compassion, an experiential course that supports real change.
If you’re working on how you treat yourself while you open up to others, The Power of Self-Compassion can be a gentle but transformative companion.
And for those who want to go deeper spiritually, Rising Strong as a Spiritual Practice offers a grounded way to explore healing, courage, and emotional honesty from within.
Each course is an invitation. Not to be perfect, but to be present.
Final Thoughts
Vulnerability isn’t about spilling everything or being unguarded with everyone. It’s about choosing to show up honestly, on purpose, and with heart. As Brené Brown reminds us, vulnerability is where our courage lives. It’s not the easy way. But it’s the real one.
Living this way doesn’t mean we won’t get hurt. It means we’re willing to be alive, to love, to try, and to keep going. And in that willingness, there is strength. Not loud or flashy, but steady, grounded, and deeply human.
At Sounds True, we hold space for that kind of living. Not perfect. But present. Not polished. But wholehearted.
Frequently Asked Questions About Brené Brown Vulnerability
What does Brené Brown say is the biggest myth about vulnerability?
She identifies the biggest myth as the idea that vulnerability equals weakness. Instead, she emphasizes that vulnerability is the most accurate measure of courage.
Is vulnerability always appropriate in every situation?
Brené notes that vulnerability involves boundaries. It’s not about oversharing or being emotionally unfiltered with everyone, but about being open with people who’ve earned your trust.
How does Brené Brown define vulnerability?
She defines it as uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure, the willingness to show up and be seen even when there are no guarantees.
Does Brené Brown connect vulnerability with leadership?
Yes. She teaches that courageous leadership requires vulnerability. Leaders who embrace emotional honesty create environments where innovation and trust thrive.
What role does shame play in preventing vulnerability?
According to Brené, shame is a major barrier. It tells us we’re not worthy of connection, which keeps us silent and hidden. Naming and understanding shame helps us move through it.
Can vulnerability be practiced without talking about emotions?
Not really. Vulnerability often involves acknowledging emotions, even if they’re not discussed in detail. Emotional awareness is a part of wholehearted living.
How does vulnerability relate to creativity and innovation?
Brené explains that without vulnerability, there is no creativity. Trying something new always carries risk, and vulnerability is what allows us to take those creative leaps.
What practices help build vulnerability over time?
She recommends daily self-reflection, self-compassion, and building trust in small ways. These help develop the muscle to stay open over time.
Is vulnerability the same as transparency?
Not exactly. Transparency is sharing information. Vulnerability is about emotional risk. You can be transparent without being vulnerable, and vice versa.
Why does Brené Brown say vulnerability is essential to connection?
Because connection requires authenticity. Without vulnerability, relationships stay on the surface. Real connection happens when we let people see who we truly are.
Michelle Cassandra Johnson is an author, activist, spiritual teacher, racial equity consultant, and intuitive healer. She is the author of six books, including Skill in Action and Finding Refuge. Amy Burtaine is a leadership coach and racial equity trainer. With Robin DiAngelo, she is the coauthor of The Facilitator’s Guide for White Affinity Groups. For more, visit https://www.michellecjohnson.com/wisdom-of-the-hive.
Our five primary senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell) evolved in relationship with our environment and other life-forms to become highly sensitive instruments that help us survive and thrive as a species. Perhaps you can recall walking behind someone wearing strong cologne or perfume. Now imagine that you can smell the musk of a buck or the odor of a bear that a spring breeze carries toward you. We still have the capacity; we need only to awaken our senses again. It’s not enough simply to go outside. We also need to bring our attention and intention to the senses in order to consciously invoke, awaken, and sharpen their capabilities. 
Micah Mortali 
