• Lodro Rinzler: Basic Goodness in a World on Fire

    Lodro Rinzler — June 16, 2026

    How do you hold true to your convictions to be good in a world that’s on fire? This week, Tami Simon speaks with Lodro Rinzler—Buddhist meditation teacher, founder of...

  • The Michael Singer Podcast

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco.

    Listen Now
    Subscribe:
  • Insights At The Edge

    Tami Simon’s in-depth audio podcast interviews with leading spiritual teachers and luminaries. Listen in as they explore their latest challenges and breakthroughs - the leading edge of their work.

    Listen Now
    Subscribe:

Subscribe to The Michael Singer Podcast

Join the New York Times bestselling author of The Untethered Soul, The Surrender Experiment, and Living Untethered for this free series of curated teaching sessions, recorded at his Temple of the Universe yoga and meditation center.

Meet Your Host Michael Singer

Michael A. Singer is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Untethered Soul, The Surrender Experiment, Living Untethered, and several popular Sounds True programs, including the Living from a Place of Surrender online course. In 1971, while pursuing his doctoral work in economics, he experienced a deep inner awakening and went into seclusion to focus on yoga and meditation. In 1975, he founded Temple of the Universe, a yoga and meditation center where people of any religion or set of beliefs can come together to experience inner peace. Through the years, he has made major contributions in the areas of business, the arts, education, health care, and environmental protection. Author photo © Timothy Davis

Most Recent

Robin Wall Kimmerer: What Does the Earth Ask of You To...

Something shifts when you encounter Robin Wall Kimmerer’s work. The food in your bowl starts to look different. The tree at the corner of your block becomes something more than scenery. The world, quite suddenly, feels alive with relationship.

This is how her writing impacted Tami, and this week Tami and Robin—botanist, MacArthur Fellow, National Humanities Medal recipient, enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, and author of the beloved Braiding Sweetgrass—talk about what it means to move through the world not as a consumer of natural resources, but as a participant in a web of living gifts.

Join Tami and Robin to explore:

  • Why Robin calls this moment in history “the Age of Remembering”—and what humanity is being called to reclaim
  • The profound difference between a commodity and a gift, and how that shift in perception changes everything
  • Brain chauvinism—why we’ve dismissed the intelligence of plants, rocks, and the more-than-human world, and what science is now revealing
  • The landmark sweetgrass experiment that proved humans can be partners to plants, not just threats
  • How to practice reciprocity with the earth, from small daily acts to systemic advocacy
  • Plant Baby Plant—Robin’s new movement offering a counter-narrative to extraction culture
  • How to hold grief, outrage, and love for the living world simultaneously—without surrendering to despair

In a time when the relationship between humans and the earth feels broken, Robin Wall Kimmerer offers something rare: a vision of healing rooted in science, indigenous wisdom, and the simple, radical act of giving your gifts back to the world.

Learn more about Robin Wall Kimmerer:
robinwallkimmerer.com
https://www.instagram.com/robinwallkimmerer/
plantbabyplant.com

This conversation offers genuine transmission—not just concepts about awakening, but the palpable presence of realized teachers exploring the growing edge of spiritual understanding together. Originally aired on Sounds True One.

E166: The Clouds That Block the Inner Sun

Spiritual growth is about removing the inner blockages that prevent us from experiencing the joy, love, and spiritual energy that are always present. The problem is that the mind becomes disturbed because it accumulates stored impressions—samskaras—from past experiences that were never fully processed. These impressions shape our preferences, fears, desires, and judgments, causing us to react to life through the lens of our past. Suffering arises when we expect the outside world to conform to our internal preferences. It naturally dissolves when we let go of these blockages, allowing clarity, peace, and spiritual awakening to flourish.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2026 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E165: Living with Clarity Instead of Fear and Desire

People suffer because they try to control the outside world to fix the disturbances they carry inside. Fear and desire are natural emotions, but when we resist or cling to them and project them into the future, they distort perception and drive poor decisions. True wisdom comes from letting experiences pass through without leaving lasting impressions, allowing decisions to arise from clarity rather than from fear or desire.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2026 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

Customer Favorites

Building Belonging: Being an Ambassador to the Earth

john a. powell is the director of the Othering & Belonging Institute and a professor of law, African American studies, and ethnic studies at the University of California, Berkeley. He previously directed the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity at the Ohio State University, and the Institute on Race and Poverty at the University of Minnesota. He is also the author of Racing to Justice: Transforming Our Conceptions of Self and Other to Build an Inclusive Society. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon speaks with john about how to create a culture of deep belonging. They discuss what it takes to become “belonging activists,” a process that begins with empathetic and compassionate listening. john also explores the large and small ways othering occurs in our society. Finally, Tami and john talk about the spiritual lessons we can learn from suffering.

Joan Chittister: Presence and Perpetual Goodness

Sister Joan Chittister is an American theologian, Benedictine nun, and the author of more than 50 books. For over 40 years, she has passionately advocated on behalf of peace, human rights, women’s issues, and church renewal. This week’s podcast shares with you an excerpt from Sister Joan’s audio program, Catching Fire: Being Transformed, Becoming Transforming, a seven-hour conversation with Tami Simon intended to spark the fire of the divine within each one of us.

Acharya Shunya: Sovereign Self

Acharya Shunya is a classically trained master of Ayurveda and an internationally renowned spiritual teacher and scholar of Advaita nondual wisdom. The first female leader of a 2,000-year-old Indian spiritual lineage, she has dedicated her life to the dissemination of Vedic knowledge for the spiritual uplifting of all beings. With Sounds True, Acharya Shunya has written a book titled Sovereign Self: Claim Your Inner Joy and Freedom with the Empowering Wisdom of the Vedas, Upanishads, and Bhagavad Gita. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon and Acharya Shunya explore our spiritual journey from feeling afraid to feeling powerful, from bondage to sovereignty. Offering unique perspectives that come from being both a woman and a householder, as well as the spiritual leader of her lineage, Acharya Shunya describes the boundless essence of spirit we all have within, the importance of breaking free from the cultural limitations that prevent us from remembering our true spiritual freedom, and how Vedic wisdom provides us with a timeless guided journey to spiritual sovereignty. 

Timeless Classics

Most Recent

E112: The Dance of Shakti: Conscious Energy and Libera...

All of life is Shakti, the universal conscious energy that vibrates at different rates to manifest as physical form, thoughts, emotions, and the flow of spiritual energy. Our suffering arises when we resist life’s experiences and block this flow, storing disturbances that shape the personal mind and distort our lives. Freedom comes when we stop pushing experiences down, let old disturbances rise and pass, and learn to relax in the face of life so that the inner flow of shakti can carry us back to our natural state of joy, openness, and oneness with God.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

 

E111: The Mind Isn’t the Problem—It’s That You a...

The deep spiritual teachings emphasize that the real problem is not the mind itself but our attachment to it and the impressions we’ve stored inside that distort our experience of life. We mistakenly look outward for solutions to this problem, when the real work is to release the inner disturbances that block the natural flow of energy and cause suffering. Spiritual liberation is found by turning inward, observing the mind, letting go of stored pain, and returning to the joyful, transcendent nature of consciousness itself.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E110: Awareness: The Essence of the Spiritual Path

The essence of spirituality is directly experiencing awareness itself. Your thoughts, emotions, body, and external objects are simply things you are aware of. They are not aware of you—you are aware of them. Spiritual growth is learning to remain centered in that awareness, letting experiences pass without clinging or resisting. This allows you to handle reality as it is, instead of as a reaction to your past, and leads to a life filled with love and inspiration.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E109: You Are Already There: Letting Go of Distraction

Deep spirituality is not about techniques, beliefs, or outer practices. It is about recognizing that you are already pure consciousness—whole, infinite, and one with the universe. But your awareness is constantly distracted by the outside world and your thoughts and emotions. You are unlimited, but what you are looking at is limited to the tiny sum of your past experiences—forming your false concept of self. Liberation comes by ceasing to identify with what you are looking at and identifying with who you really are—this is Self-realization.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E108: Understanding the Personal Mind and the Path to ...

The personal mind is a self-created mental construct formed by holding on to past experiences we have tagged with like and dislike. Whatever we experience passes through this layer of mind, which has the effect of distorting our perception and causing suffering. Liberation requires recognizing that you are the awareness noticing these thoughts, not the thoughts themselves. You can then learn to stop storing new personalized impressions while allowing old ones to pass. In this freedom, you can live in harmony with reality, guided by clarity and peace rather than personal preferences.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E107: Becoming Okay Inside

The fundamental spiritual question is not “How do I be okay?” It is “Why am I not okay?” Our inner discomfort is not caused solely by external events but by what we have stored inside: past disturbances, fears, and self-concepts that continually distract us from our natural state of well-being. The ego, built from these stored impressions, causes us to demand that life always match our preferences, which it never can. Spiritual freedom comes from letting go of these inner blockages so our natural state of openness and joy can shine through.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

Listener Favorites

E91: Allowing Life to Remove Your Blockages

The foundational flaw in human behavior is the belief that “I’m not okay.” What follows is the lifelong attempt to fix this through external achievements, relationships, and coping mechanisms. Spiritual growth begins by shifting from trying to fix one’s discomfort to inquiring why the discomfort exists in the first place. Life itself becomes the guru, revealing daily why we close our hearts. The only true practice is to let go of resistance in every moment, allowing life to sculpt us into our highest nature, which is already pure joy and love.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E74: The Art of Undistracted Living

Liberation comes not through meditation alone but by ceasing to be distracted by the personal mind. Distractions have their root in resisted past experiences that form the basis for your preferences and desires. They end up causing great suffering and pull consciousness away from its natural, divine seat. The key to spiritual freedom lies in allowing reality to unfold without resistance and practicing letting go on a daily basis. This practice helps dissolve the ego and reveals the true self—a permanent state of peace, love, and service to others.

For more information, go to michaelsingerpodcast.com.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E18: Beyond the Mask of the Ego: Embracing Pure Awaren...

Consciousness is the foundation of all meaning, because without awareness, nothing has significance. People mistakenly identify with their ego, which is simply a collection of thoughts and self-concepts they are aware of. This false identification leads to tremendous suffering. True spiritual enlightenment comes from recognizing that the self is not the ego but the pure awareness behind it.

For more information, go to michaelsingerpodcast.com.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2024 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

E26: Why the Outside Affects the Inside: Finding Inner...

If our consciousness dwells inside, why do external circumstances have such a strong effect on our inner well-being? It is attachment to past experiences that creates a mental filter that distorts reality as it comes in. By releasing stored emotions and judgments, we can access a natural state of joy and peace, regardless of external events. The path to self-realization involves continuous self-awareness and letting go of attachments, ultimately leading to a life of authenticity, freedom, and bliss.

For more information, go to michaelsingerpodcast.com.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2024 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E82: Stop Leaving the Self: The Path to Unconditional ...

Most people must constantly manage their thoughts, emotions, and outer conditions to avoid discomfort. The deeper path through life is to realize that there is a place of great beauty and peace inside that transcends all outer turmoil. This is the seat of Self. Spiritual growth means learning how to become established in the Self by relaxing through all inner and outer disturbances, and returning to a state of absolute, unconditional well-being.

For more information, go to michaelsingerpodcast.com.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

 

E43: Life as a Teacher: Lessons in Acceptance and Clar...

Acceptance and surrender are key spiritual principles that focus on embracing reality as it is and using it to let go of inner resistance and turmoil. Seen in this light, life’s challenges are not problems; they are opportunities for growth and spiritual evolution. For example, karma is not a punishment but a learning tool encouraging you to evolve consciously. By practicing acceptance and surrender, individuals can achieve clarity and respond to situations thoughtfully, which fosters great spiritual growth.

For more information, go to michaelsingerpodcast.com.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

Timeless Classics

E17: The Power of Acceptance: Evolving Beyond the Ego

Life is a spiritual journey where every experience serves as an opportunity for growth and evolution. The core of human suffering stems from attachment to the ego and resistance to the natural flow of life. By recognizing that we are not our egos but are instead the divine consciousness that is aware of the ego, we can transcend suffering and embrace inner peace. The ultimate purpose of life is spiritual liberation, achieved by letting go of resistance, aligning with reality, and embracing love and compassion in all circumstances.

For more information, go to michaelsingerpodcast.com.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2024 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

 

E170: From Control to Freedom—The Spiritual Art of H...

Human suffering comes from trying to control the outside world so that our inner state feels good, all of which is based on impressions from our past experiences. Spiritual growth begins when we stop clinging to these impressions and instead learn to handle whatever reality presents. By letting experiences pass through without resistance, inner energy rises naturally, eventually dissolving the personal self and leading to liberation.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2026 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E171: Why Love Stops—The Real Cause of Inner Closure

There are times when people experience deep love, joy, and inspiration. But these states disappear the moment we close ourselves because life does not match our expectations. We end up storing every uncomfortable experience inside, and these suppressed impressions create the fears, judgments, and egocentric thoughts and emotions that block our natural openness. Spiritual growth is not about achieving something new but about letting go of stored inner disturbances so that the natural state of love and energy can flow freely again.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2026 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E172: Stop Chasing Happiness—Remove What Blocks It

People rely on external goals for their inspiration and happiness. But the sense of happiness is actually experienced inside and, with right understanding, can be an unconditional state of being. Conditions for our happiness exist because we have stored past disturbances that must be avoided if we want to feel okay inside. True liberation comes from letting go of these inner blockages, staying open to life, and choosing happiness regardless of what happens.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2026 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E173: The Life that Leads to Liberation

Suffering is created by the mind’s demand that reality match its preferences, and the attempt to control the world only deepens the sense of disturbance. Spiritual growth comes from letting go of these egocentric demands, accepting reality as it is, and refusing to engage with the inner voice that insists things should be different. When this letting go occurs, life becomes an act of effortless service, where actions arise naturally from the unfolding moment rather than from personal desire.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2026 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

E174: Reality Is Not a Problem—Your Preferences Are

The world around us unfolds in accordance with the vast universal forces of cause and effect, which have been going on throughout time. In contrast, our inner world is created by the tiny sum of our individual experiences. Human beings create suffering by filling the space between themselves and reality with their likes and dislikes. By practicing acceptance, surrender, and non-resistance, one can live freely, engage fully with life, and act from a place of openness rather than personal preference. True peace arises when one stops resisting reality and instead honors and participates in it fully.

© Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2026 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

ON SALE NOW.

Discover Michael Singer’s collection of work.