Shows
The Gathering Room PodcastListen Again: Awakening Your MagicianDid you know that the right hemisphere of your brain is doing supercomputer-level processing all the time, whether you’re aware of it or not? Wild, right? Martha calls the right hemisphere “the magician” because it can come up with the most amazing, brilliant solutions to very difficult problems, seemingly out of thin air.In this episode of The Gathering Room: Awakening Your Magician, Martha talks about how we can activate our highly creative right hemispheres, so we can solve the problems in our lives—and in the world.And the best part is, reawa...2025-06-1928 min
The Gathering Room PodcastListen Again: Igniting Your PurposeIn this Listen Again episode of The Gathering Room, Martha talks about following your curiosity to activate the right side of the brain, which is where our passion lives. And our passion is what leads us to our life’s purpose. If you want to start looking for things that draw your attention (rather than push yourself toward the things you think you should do), and you’re ready to prepare yourself to follow your curiosity wherever it leads, tune in to the full episode—it may contain just the spark you need! CONNECT WITH US...2025-06-0531 min
BewilderedYou Have One Missed Call From DestinyIntuition is like a call from destiny that we often miss because we're always "on the other line" with culture. In this episode of Bewildered, Martha and Ro explore the concept of intuition and how to connect with it amidst all the noise of our cultural conditioning. They talk about how to tell the difference between intuition and anxiety, the reasons we tend to ignore intuition, and how to hang up with culture so you can listen to the messages your intuition is trying to tell you. Don't miss it! CONNECT WI...2025-02-051h 05
BewilderedHow Not Anxious?Martha and Ro are back with another episode of Bewildered, and it's a follow-up to their "Why So Anxious?" episode. This time they're talking about how not to be anxious, and why moving beyond anxiety is linked to creativity, your life’s purpose, and building a better society. You'll learn ways to retrain your brain to have a completely different experience of being human in community—and how lowering anxiety can help us all create a more beautiful, more just world together. Give it a listen! CONNECT WITH US Follow Marth...2025-01-2252 min
BewilderedWhy So Anxious?Do you suffer from the odd bit of anxiety? In this Bewildered, Martha and Ro are talking about Martha's new book Beyond Anxiety, which examines the causes of anxiety, its prevalence in our culture, and tried-and-true ways to overcome it. Martha says that moving more activity into the right sides of our brains is the only way to conquer anxiety—and the first step to getting there is curiosity. Tune in to hear more about cultivating curiosity to step out of anxiety and into a life of creativity and calm. CONNECT WI...2025-01-0848 min
The Gathering Room PodcastSpecial Guest Gabby BernsteinOn this episode of The Gathering Room, special guest Gabby Bernstein joins Martha to talk about her newest book, Self Help: This Is Your Chance to Change Your Life. Martha and Gabby both love Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy—also known as “parts therapy”—and Gabby’s new book is all about making the principles of IFS Therapy accessible to everyone. To learn more about IFS from Martha and Gabby—and for the chance to join Gabby and Martha in a transformative guided meditation—be sure to tune in! CONNECT WITH US Follow...2025-01-0249 min
The Gathering Room PodcastUsing Your Powerful SensitivityCulturally we tend to think of sensitivity as weakness, but Martha says that in fact, it’s a superpower! In this episode of The Gathering Room, Episode #186: Using Your Powerful Sensitivity, she talks about how to appreciate your sensitivity and use it to create the life you’re meant to live.By definition, sensitivity has to do with reacting strongly to very slight stimuli. As a result, our society has come to believe that it’s not a strong position to be highly sensitive, that such people are fragile. What Martha has come to rea...2024-12-1933 min
The Gathering Room PodcastCalling Yourself HomeMartha’s recent encounter with a flock of wild turkeys made her think about her relationship with wild animals and how they always seem to come when she calls them. In this episode of The Gathering Room, Episode #185: Calling Yourself Home, she shares several stories of her incredible interactions with animals and how her steps for calling to them can also be used on the wild parts of yourself to “call them home.” This can be especially helpful during times when you feel overwhelmed, exhausted, or burned out. In Martha’s coaching experience, December is a particu...2024-12-1231 min
BewilderedBest of Bewildered: How to Get StartedIn this Best of Bewildered episode, Martha and Ro answer a question from listener Josephine, who's trying to understand and overcome her resistance to doing things that are good for her. The culture tells us that if something is good for us, we should just do it! Otherwise, we need to punish ourselves. There's only one problem with that: Punishments don't work. To learn how Martha and Ro use kindness and creativity to get past inertia and move through transitions, be sure to listen to the full conversation! CONNECT...2024-12-1146 min
The Gathering Room PodcastHow to Access Intuition When You Really Need ItOur culture generally teaches us that anxiety will keep us safe—but really it’s our intuition that does that. In this episode of The Gathering Room—Episode #184: How to Access Intuition When You Really Need It, Martha talks about how to tell the difference between anxiety and intuition and how to hear what your intuition is trying to tell you. There’s something Martha calls the “sense of truth,” which is a feeling of concord, peace, and calm that comes into us when we believe something that feels true at the deepest levels of the self. It’s trustin...2024-12-0533 min
BewilderedBest of Bewildered: The Other ButterfliesMartha and Ro have a very special guest on this Best of Bewildered episode…Ro's mum Paula! Paula has a mind-expanding story to tell about the time she followed monarch butterflies on their migratory path and learned that 10% of these butterflies always follow a different path—and for an unexpected reason. Tune in to find out the purpose of these aberrant butterflies' journey, why Martha and Ro relate to them so strongly, and why all paths through life, whether "normal" or divergent, are valid and valuable. CONNECT WITH US Follow Mart...2024-11-2730 min
The Gathering Room PodcastTogether We HealThe state of the world right now is unnerving. In this episode of The Gathering Room, she shares how we can start to heal the parts of us that are in pain or despair over the state of things. Martha says that when we experience trauma, shock, fear, or loss, our psyches can split into different parts to help us cope. To heal this loss of integrity or wholeness, we need to unite all the parts of ourselves that are hurting. And we do this by loving them unconditionally. In this episode, Martha walks us...2024-11-1434 min
BewilderedAwkward MomentsDo you ever lie awake, burning with embarrassment about something awkward you said or did? In this episode of Bewildered, Martha and Ro are talking about how those awful, awkward moments (like when your child pulled your pants down in front of the babysitter, or when you unintentionally said something offensive during a big presentation) could be the moments that give you access to personal—and maybe even global—revolution. Find out how by tuning in for this inspiring (and hilarious) conversation! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewi...2024-11-131h 01
The Gathering Room PodcastListen Again: Awakening Your MagicianDid you know that the right hemisphere of your brain is doing supercomputer-level processing all the time, whether you’re aware of it or not? Wild, right? Martha calls the right hemisphere “the magician” because it can come up with the most amazing, brilliant solutions to very difficult problems, seemingly out of thin air.In this episode of The Gathering Room: Awakening Your Magician, Martha talks about how we can activate our highly creative right hemispheres, so we can solve the problems in our lives—and in the world.And the best part is, reaw...2024-10-3128 min
BewilderedMissing Your ExitHave you ever woken up feeling like you’re off course, as if you somehow missed an exit you were meant to take? This happened to Martha recently, and on this episode of Bewildered, she and Ro are talking about how to choose the right navigation system to guide your course through life, how to recognize when you've missed an exit, and how to get back on track. To learn how you can be sure you’re navigating by your true nature and not by cultural rules you never chose, tune in for the full conv...2024-10-3056 min
The Gathering Room PodcastListen Again: How to Heal Your HeartIn this Gathering Room, Martha talks about the “heart healer” within every person. When we’re heartsick, this is the only thing that heals us. Learn how to access your own heart healer in this very popular episode! (Originally aired: January 15, 2023) CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Gathering Room Show Notes Join Martha for a Live Episode of The Gathering Room via Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.2024-10-2430 min
The Gathering Room PodcastListen Again: Letting the Force Steer Your LifeWe're not trained to think of a spiritually led life as being hilarious or silly or goofy. But as Martha reminds us, laughter is the beginning of prayer.In this episode of The Gathering Pod: Letting the Force Steer Your Life, she talks about the difference between spiritual faith and religious faith, and how to connect with and trust spiritual energy (aka the Force) to guide you. When you do, you’ll be in for some truly delightful surprises!As Martha puts it, “The universe is not your butler. The universe is a cont...2024-10-1730 min
BewilderedWhen to Go with the FlowMartha and Ro are digging into their BeWild Files for this episode of Bewildered, answering listener Mandy’s question about the distinction between drifting in a cultural current versus surrendering to cosmic guidance. They talk about the difference between the behaviors we adopt due to cultural pressure and the behaviors that truly represent our deepest selves, what it means to live your life by surrendering, and how to recognize the kind of cosmic guidance you'll likely want to follow. Don't miss it! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show No...2024-10-1650 min
The Gathering Room PodcastListen Again: Igniting Your PurposeSome people have a bullseye picture of their purpose in life and are headed straight toward it. However, this is extremely rare. Why? Martha says it’s because we live in a culture dominated by left-hemisphere thinking, which pulls us toward anxiety and socializes us to do as we’re told and acquire material wealth. In this episode of The Gathering Room podcast, Martha talks about following your curiosity to activate the right side of the brain, which is where our passion lives. And our passion is what leads us to our life’s purp...2024-10-1031 min
BewilderedWilder TogetherMartha and Ro are back with a different kind of episode this time, to introduce something they are crazy excited about... It's called Wilder: A Sanctuary for the Bewildered—and it's a new online space where they can hang out with YOU! If you've been yearning to connect with like-minded souls, and you know there's a next step out there but you're not sure what it is, Martha and Ro believe that next step is community—and they hope you'll join them in Wilder. For details, tune in for the full episode! CO...2024-10-0227 min
The Gathering Room PodcastLetting Rest Do the WorkIs there something you’re trying to get done? Something you really, really want, but you're struggling?While our culture teaches us to “never give up the struggle,” in this episode of The Gathering Room, Martha is talking about how taking breaks and allowing for rest can lead to unexpected improvements and breakthroughs.As many Gatherers know, Martha’s been working on watercolor painting for months now, and she finds it extremely challenging. Recently she had to take a break from it, and when she finally got back to her easel, something strange happened… Her hand just...2024-09-2630 min
The Gathering Room PodcastThe Joys of BewildermentHave you been struggling to climb pyramids of power, education, wealth, or anything else our culture teaches us to value? Are you ready to find (or return to) your true nature instead?In this episode of The Gathering Room, Martha is talking about the importance of “be-wilder-ing” ourselves and the transformative power of making authentic connections.She says that if we can get far enough from society's rules and be willing to break them in some ways—and also be willing to look deeply within ourselves—we will go back to what nature wants us to be.2024-09-1934 min
BewilderedDon't Control YourselfWe all have a "control mode" inside us that tells us if we don't tightly control everything, it's all going to go wrong. The only problem is...it's literally impossible to control everything! Sometimes a little control is necessary, but often it's the opposite of what we need. And control kills the creativity we need to solve our problems. So if you've been trying really hard to control things, and you could use some tips on how to let go of control, join Martha and Ro for this episode of Bewildered! C...2024-09-1847 min
The Gathering Room PodcastWhen You’re Caught Between Hope and FearThere are times when really important things are happening, and we really care about the results. At such times, it’s hard not to get stuck in that awful place between hope and fear.In this episode of The Gathering Room, Martha is talking about how hope and fear are on the same continuum. The moment you get attached to a hope, you’re also afraid it won't happen. And the moment you’re afraid of something happening, you also hope that it won’t.As it says in Martha’s favorite book, the Tao Te Ching...2024-09-1228 min
BewilderedTreasure Hunter Mode: EngagedHey there, Cahootniks! Martha and Ro are back with another episode of Bewildered, inspired by their recent discovery of a "secret" society that's been playing a game right out in the open, all over the world… The game is a literal treasure hunt—and Martha and Ro are obsessed! They share how they've been following clues, making delightful discoveries, and wondering what it would mean to live life like one big treasure hunt. Want to find treasure in unexpected places? Join them for the full episode! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Insta...2024-09-0454 min
The Gathering Room PodcastJoy Is the Only StrategyCan you remember times when you’ve experienced pure joy?Martha recalls some key moments that led her to make joy her strategy for living, and she’s talking about it in this episode of The Gathering Room.The dictionary defines a strategy as “a plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major or overall aim." We all want to experience joy, and yet we have a society that tells us joy is not a strategy—that we should be strategizing to achieve success instead. But until you have joy, Martha argues...2024-08-2930 min
The Gathering Room PodcastYour Best Next StepThere’s a saying Martha likes that goes, “A hundred years before you were born, God drew a circle around the place you're standing now." In other words, you are here because you are meant to be here—but from this place, you can literally go in any direction! So what is the best next step for you to take? That’s what Martha is talking about on this episode of The Gathering Room podcast. She shares all of the things she’s been “nerding out” over in her quest to discover her best next step: th...2024-08-2231 min
BewilderedNot Everything Has to Have a PointDo you enjoy making shiny, pretty things—or, as Martha and Ro like to call them, “precious, pointless” things? These can be anything you make for the sheer enjoyment of creating, rather than for making money (which our culture believes is the only "point" to anything). Join Martha and Ro for this inspiring episode of Bewildered to learn how making shiny, pretty, pointless things can help you become more attuned to the beauty all around you—in people, in objects, in nature…and in your own wild soul. CONNECT WITH US Follow...2024-08-2147 min
The Gathering Room PodcastFinding the JoyDid you know that joy is your birthright as a human?Finding joy is one of Martha’s favorite topics, and that’s what she’s talking about on this episode of The Gathering Room! Martha says that joy, like beauty, is its own excuse for being, and she shares ways we can look for and experience joy, even in the midst of difficulty.She quotes a Jack Gilbert poem that says, "We must have the stubbornness to accept our gladness in the ruthless furnace of this world.” Meaning, we must find joy wherever...2024-08-1530 min
The Gathering Room PodcastThe Only Way ForwardDo you ever try to make forward-thinking plans, but then you get hit with surprises you never saw coming?Martha says it seems to happen to her about once every six months… For example, because of a recent trip to Costa Rica, where she happened to befriend the incredible women of Sleep-Works, she’s now a sound sleeper (and a morning person!) after a lifetime of insomnia.Trying to make plans in a world of escalating change is a challenge, Martha says, because there’s just no way to plan for everything that’s going to happe...2024-08-0829 min
BewilderedShining Your Light and Charging What You're WorthDo you find it difficult to share your unique offerings with the world? How about charging money for your work? In this BeWild Files episode of Bewildered, Martha and Ro answer a question from listener Rebecca who is trying to find the courage to shine her light in the world—and get paid well for it. Martha and Ro share their own experiences with this issue, and they offer three magical little words that can banish shame and set you free to shine your light and charge what you're worth. Join them! ...2024-08-0751 min
The Gathering Room PodcastYour Economic EcosystemAre you someone who likes making vision boards? They’re a fun way to direct your attention—and because whatever we put our attention on tends to show up in our consciousness and in our lives, vision boards can be powerful tools for healing and for helping you manifest your desires. In this episode of The Gathering Room, Martha shares how to create a vision board, starting with digging deep into your preferences to find out what you truly want (not what you’ve been socialized to think you want) and allowing yourself the time and spa...2024-08-0131 min
The Gathering Room PodcastMending Your Energy ShieldsDid you know that we’re energetically connected?We all have the ability to feel each other’s energy: if someone is happy and calm, we can feel it, and when someone is angry or dangerous, we can feel that as well. What’s more, we’re each projecting our own energy all the time.However, when you’re not aware of the energy you’re giving off, you inadvertently create what Martha calls “energetic dark spots”—and these make you vulnerable to people with negative energy who want to prey on you in some way.In thi...2024-07-2530 min
BewilderedChange the Shape of CultureOn their Bewildered podcast, Martha and Ro explore the many ways that the culture pulls us away from our true nature. However—as they want to make absolutely clear in this episode—the culture is not the boss of us! As Martha and Ro point out, we have a hand in creating the culture, and it can be thrilling to look at the power we have when we put ourselves into the cultural equation. To learn how to step fully into your role as a creator of the culture (and why it matters), tune in for...2024-07-2452 min
The Gathering Room PodcastWeathering the Waves of ShameWaves of shame. They're icky, they're toxic, and they're not easy to escape. In this episode of The Gathering Room, Martha is talking about how we can move past this particularly intense form of anxiety and swim on to better horizons.Shame attacks us at the level of basic self-identity and makes us believe that our vulnerabilities are permanent, personal, and pervasive. It also wants us to keep secrets and hide things. So, Martha says, by being open and sharing our humiliating moments—the opposite of what shame wants us to do—we can...2024-07-1829 min
The Gathering Room PodcastHow to Bring the Good Times BackMany of us have heard about the mind-body connection, but have you ever tried sense-memory therapy? Martha recently lost her sense of smell to a sinus infection, and instead of worrying that she'll never get it back, she's trying sense-memory therapy—she holds her favorite pine-scented candle close to her nose while relishing the memory of smelling that candle. Recalling positive sense memories creates connections in the brain that reinforce positive, joyful times instead of fear or anxiety, and that's what Martha is talking about in this episode of The Gathering Room. Martha be...2024-07-1127 min
BewilderedBeware Fake Urgency"Quick! Do this now! It's urgent!" Our culture constantly pressures us to do things that serve the system, and we’re trained to think of these things as urgent. But are they really? In this BeWild Files episode of Bewildered, Martha and Ro dive into the topic of urgency—how there’s a type that will crush your soul and a type that will grow your soul, and how you can tell the difference. If you often find yourself responding frantically to problems which may or may not be urgent, this episode is for you...2024-07-1041 min
The Gathering Room PodcastYour Genius is CallingDid you know you were born a creative genius? All of us are, Martha says, but we are socialized out of our genius by the structures of culture. Why? Because the culture wants everyone the same, but genius doesn’t homogenize well. However, your genius is still calling to you, and in this episode of The Gathering Room, Martha shares how you can recognize—and follow—its call. She says your genius will have three main characteristics: It hides in plain sight—it’s the thing that for you is so easy you think...2024-06-2730 min
BewilderedThe Empty ProjectDo you ever feel like you’re trying to fit even more stuff into a life that’s already full? In this episode of Bewildered, Martha and Ro are talking about our culture's obsession with more, more, more, and how it's making us overwhelmed, exhausted, and burnt out. Their solution? Empty space! Our culture doesn't train us to appreciate empty spaces, but emptiness is what gives things value. To hear how to shift your focus so you can start noticing and using the empty spaces in your life, be sure to tune in!2024-06-2637 min
The Gathering Room PodcastKindness in MotionThe world can be a hard, inhospitable, downright hostile place, and people can quite often be less than kind. Yet Martha says that by practicing what she calls “kindness in motion,” we can start to change the whole complexion of the world. Martha defines kindness in motion as “kindness while doing things” and she’s sharing how to do it in this episode of The Gathering Room. As Martha describes it, all of our perceptions come through the filter of the mind. The voice in our heads that we think is coming from the outside actually is...2024-06-2030 min
BewilderedAll the Way to Heaven is HeavenMost of us are socialized to believe that if we suffer enough, we’ll be rewarded later—and the reward for our suffering will be happiness. In other words, happiness is something we must earn through suffering. In this episode of Bewildered, Martha and Ro challenge this cultural belief, inspired by the words of 14th century mystic St. Catherine of Siena who said, “All the way to heaven is heaven.” To hear more about this idea—and how you can experience happiness right now—don't miss the full episode! CONNECT WITH US Follow Marth...2024-06-1243 min
The Gathering Room PodcastListen Again: The Way Back to HappyYou’ve heard of the fight and flight reflexes, but what about flop and fake? Flop and fake (also known as fawn) are two of the other responses in the polyvagal system, a theory about how our nervous systems adapt to stress and the environment. Fake/fawn is a people-pleasing response, and flop means you just lie there unable to drum up motivation. In this special “Listen Again” episode of The Gathering Room, Martha’s talking about polyvagal theory and how to regulate your nervous system when it gets hijacked by fight, flight, flop, fake, or freeze...2024-06-0629 min
The Gathering Room PodcastListen Again: Martha with Dr. Dick SchwartzFor this special “Listen Again” episode of The Gathering Room, Martha is sharing her conversation with Dr. Richard Schwartz, the brilliant creator of Internal Family Systems (IFS), a wonderful therapeutic model that Martha loves using! IFS provides an optimistic, empowering framework to help us focus on the different “parts” of our personalities so that we can shift into a state characterized by curiosity, calm, confidence, and compassion. Tune in for their conversation about Richard’s latest book, YOU ARE THE ONE YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR: APPLYING INTERNAL FAMILY SYSTEMS TO INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS, which is available at...2024-05-3035 min
Bewildered"Dream Food" And Other Lies About FulfillmentCulture teaches us that scrambling up peaks of achievement is a worthy goal—and that when we reach the pinnacle of success, we'll finally be happy. The problem is, not everyone can reach the very top. And even for those who do, achieving that goal doesn't make them happy. Wondering how this could be? Martha and Ro offer a theory: We're climbing the wrong mountain! Join them for this fun episode as they break down the cultural myths surrounding success and fulfillment and point you toward true happiness. CONNECT WITH...2024-05-2941 min
The Gathering Room PodcastListen Again: How to Spark the MagicAre you in the mood to make some magic? Martha is! And in this special “Listen Again” episode of The Gathering Room, she’s sharing inspiration from Suzanne Eder’s book, What You Want Wants You, to help you reconnect with your true desires so you can follow the path to your soul’s fulfillment. While our culture teaches us to associate desire with selfishness and even depravity—a.k.a. “base desire”—Eder’s book says this is a misinterpretation. Instead, real desire is an expression of the one soul that is the basic ground of being for a...2024-05-2334 min
The Gathering Room PodcastYour Spiritual BrainHave you ever experienced synchronicity? As Martha defines it in this episode of The Gathering Room, a synchronicity is any event or experience that seems to confirm or indicate that the universe is not random—that there's something making all this happen. Martha has been re-reading The Awakened Brain by Dr. Lisa Miller, who writes about synchronicities and what she calls a “spiritual docking station” in the human brain. What Dr. Miller found in her research is that when people are open to the idea of spiritual realities like synchronicities, they have access to much...2024-05-1632 min
BewilderedLiving Lightly (and The Opposite of Golf)Watch out, everyone...Martha and Ro have F-bombs and they’re not afraid to use them! Join them for this episode of Bewildered, where they're plumbing the depths of what it is to live a good life—and more than a little profanity might be involved, along with plenty of metaphorical golf. (But definitely no literal golf.) To hear Martha and Ro's insights on seriousness vs. levity in life, surrendering to the idea of magic, and doing the opposite of playing golf (reminder: it's a metaphor), be sure to tune in! CONN...2024-05-1539 min
The Gathering Room PodcastMaking Up Your MissionHas anxiety been keeping you from your life’s mission? In this episode of The Gathering Room, Martha shares that the best way out of anxiety is not simply to calm yourself, but to get creative! When you take the creativity route, Martha tells us, you get so deep in the process of creating solutions to the problems that matter to you that it becomes literally impossible for your brain to be anxious. So how do you start living from a creative place? Martha says the key is getting curious, and to...2024-05-0930 min
The Gathering Room PodcastThe Perfection of ConnectionIs there something you’re having trouble with that you’re trying to do perfectly? If so, you’re not alone… As Martha reminds us in this episode of The Gathering Room, we are all trained by the culture to strive for perfection and to look for it in others. However, you are not going to show up perfectly—because it’s impossible! If you show up not to be perfect but to connect, nobody will care that you haven’t done it perfectly. As Martha says, we are here to be connected with a world i...2024-05-0229 min
BewilderedFeeling Like an AlienHave you ever felt like a stranger in a strange land? In this BeWild Files episode of Bewildered, Martha and Ro dive into a question from listener Alia about feeling like an alien when you're among the people you’re “supposed to” feel at home with. Tune in to learn how the spirit of community is different from the simple grouping together of people, and how sometimes differences can be a good thing because they enhance the wisdom of the crowd. It's a thought-provoking conversation you won't want to miss! CONNECT WITH U...2024-05-0143 min
The Gathering Room PodcastThe Power of the Pleasant MomentPleasure is something that many of us may think of as an indulgence, but Martha says it’s actually the gateway to the things that really enrich our souls… And we access this pleasure by relaxing. 🍃 In this episode of The Gathering Room, Martha shares an exercise you can do to drop into relaxation mode, and it doesn’t require a trip to the spa—you can do it anywhere! Using small, pleasant feelings to anchor the whole mind can lead to revolutionary changes, Martha says, and it begins with just two simple steps: First, cl...2024-04-2531 min
The Gathering Room PodcastYour Secret SuperpowerDid you know that you have a superpower you might not know about? 🦸🏽♀🦸♂️ In this episode of The Gathering Room, Martha talks about how to tap into the creative impulses at the center of your psyche—a superpower we all have but may not realize it! Remember the things you did when you were a child or a teenager for no other reason than the pure joy of it? Maybe you still do these things now, but the culture dismisses them as unimportant “hobbies.” Martha says that the very things that brought you joy as a child, the thing...2024-04-1832 min
BewilderedThe Other ButterfliesMartha and Ro have a very special guest on this episode of Bewildered…Ro's mum Paula! Paula has a mind-expanding story to tell about the time she followed monarch butterflies on their migratory path and learned that 10% of these butterflies always follow a different path—and for an unexpected reason. Tune in to find out the purpose of these aberrant butterflies' journey, why Martha and Ro relate to them so strongly, and why all paths through life, whether "normal" or divergent, are valid and valuable. CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on I...2024-04-1730 min
The Gathering Room PodcastThe Magical Corner of Intention and InventionHave you ever tried to manifest something, but it just wouldn’t happen?In this episode of The Gathering Room, Martha shares how to use what she calls the “technology of magic” to make your deepest yearnings a reality.Martha says that having a thought or intention is a necessary but insufficient condition for manifesting the things you want. Your intention must be combined with invention—or as Martha calls it, “rolling up your sleeves and getting to work!” At the corner of your intention and your invention is where the magic happens. And it only...2024-04-0431 min
BewilderedReally, Really, Really Far OutsideMartha and Ro are doing something a little different and a lot of fun on this episode of Bewildered: sharing about times when they’ve gone WAY outside of the culture. Because when we all tell each other stories about going outside culture, we give each other permission to do it more! Tune in to hear about invisible whales, public nose-picking, polygamy, and more—plus find out the new name they’ve come up with for their beloved Bewildered community. If you love stories, this is the episode for you! CONNECT WITH US...2024-04-0351 min
BewilderedOn Burnout and ResetEver suffer from burnout? Martha and Ro have, and they're talking all about it on this episode of BEWILDERED! Burnout is something our culture doesn't allow because it expects us to be productive non-stop. However, our wild natures require “wintering” periods where we rest and reset. If you need to recover from burnout (or you want to preempt it), tune in to the full episode to hear Martha and Ro’s insights and suggestions for getting ahead of burnout and resetting your body, mind, heart, and spirit. CONNECT WITH US Follow...2024-03-2046 min
The Gathering Room PodcastThe Joy of Drudgery“How do we adjust to the drudgery?” Martha was asked this question by Ro when they returned home from a wonderful stay at the Imiloa Institute in the Costa Rican jungle. A lot of upkeep is required to sustain ordinary living, and much of daily life gets consumed by repetitive tasks. In this episode of The Gathering Room, Martha talks about a shift we can make to transform drudgery into beauty. In traditions where they have the concept of awakening or enlightenment, Martha says, the emphasis is not on what you do, but how...2024-03-0730 min
BewilderedUndercover Counterculture BanditGet excited because Martha and Ro have a very special guest on this episode of BEWILDERED: their beloved partner Karen Gerdes! While Karen may seem mild mannered and conventional at first glance, that’s just her cover. Karen stopped listening to the voice of culture a long time ago, and she's a dedicated follower of her wild nature. To get to know this paragon of unconditional love, plus learn more about her baffling yet lovable quirks (aka Karen-isms), don’t miss this fun conversation. It's a love fest! CONNECT WITH US...2024-03-0652 min
The Gathering Room PodcastSetting SailWhere does your life want you to go sailing?In this episode of The Gathering Room, Martha is talking about the pull for adventure that all humans have but are often too scared to follow.To build up your adventuring spirit, Martha recommends going on “little adventures” every day—things that push you out of your comfort zone and into your growth zone. How do you do this?By consulting with your deep, deep essential self to see how you truly feel about all the different things you could do in a day...2024-02-2234 min
BewilderedBig FeelingsHave you been struggling with big feelings? Frustration. Overwhelm. Anger. Grief. These are all vitally important human emotions, yet the culture demands we suppress them at all costs. In this episode of Bewildered, Martha and Ro talk about why that is, and how our painful emotions help us survive—and thrive! If you want to learn more about "feeling all the feels" and the powerful healing and transformation waiting on the other side of your heaviest emotions, this is an episode you won’t want to miss! CONNECT WITH US2024-02-211h 00
The Gathering Room PodcastWorth the TroubleHow do you know when something is worth the trouble?That’s the question Martha’s exploring in this episode of The Gathering Room, and the short answer is: If it’s your passion, it’s always worth the trouble!Martha’s recent trip to New York with her family to see Ani DiFranco on Broadway ended up being an enormous amount of trouble—but when she finally got to see the show, she was blown away. She found that the joy it brought her was worth all the trouble it took to get there.She a...2024-02-1531 min
The Gathering Room PodcastRest for SuccessDo you feel in desperate need of a rest? Most of us are underestimating our need to rest to an almost criminal degree, and Martha is talking about why that is—and how to change it—on this episode of The Gathering Room. We live in a society that wants us to work constantly. However, nature says that we need to rest regularly—in fact, this is absolutely crucial. “You can live without intense activity,” Martha reminds us, “but you cannot live without rest.” Rest is your connection to the Divine and comes in many differe...2024-02-0832 min
The Gathering Room PodcastHow to Compose YourselfWhat does it mean to “compose yourself”? The usual definition is to calm down and control yourself, but Martha has a very different meaning in mind, and she’s exploring it in this episode of The Gathering Room: How to Compose Yourself. As Martha defines it, you are literally composing your life—the being that you are—through the act of creating something new. Whether it’s a watercolor you’re painting, a meal you’re preparing, a business you’re building, or a child you’re raising, the act of creation is also creating you—and...2024-02-0130 min
The Gathering Room PodcastDoing the Thing You Think You Cannot DoIs there something you really want to do, but the thought of it absolutely terrifies you? 😱Martha has been there many times, and that’s what she’s talking about on this episode of The Gathering Room: Doing the Thing You Think You Cannot Do.If you’re facing something in your life that you want to do but it makes you anxious, Martha says to remember that 99% of every original thing that has ever been done has been done by someone who didn’t think they could do it. In other words, you’re in g...2024-01-2531 min
BewilderedChange Cycle: Wild HorsesHave you ever felt driven to do specific excruciating tasks, and you couldn’t explain why? This "wild horses feeling" is present whenever you're working toward your heart's desire, and it's a key part of what Martha calls Square Three in her Change Cycle methodology. To learn the difference between culture and nature when it comes to hard work, and how you can find strength in the struggle, be sure to tune in to this third installment of Martha and Ro's four-part Bewildered series on The Change Cycle. CONNECT WITH US...2024-01-241h 00
The Gathering Room PodcastBig Change. Now What?Sometimes we’re hit with a change so big it knocks us for a loop. We look around in a daze thinking, “NOW what?” 🦋 Welcome to what Martha calls “Square One” in The Change Cycle, a unique framework she developed to help people understand and navigate life’s transitions. 🦋 As Martha explains, life's changes aren't things we plan in our calendars. They are fundamental metamorphoses. You will go through the four Squares of the Change Cycle over and over throughout your lifetime. And Square One is about not knowing exactly what to do or what will happe...2024-01-1831 min
The Gathering Room PodcastA Year of PeaceAre you someone who makes New Year’s resolutions? Martha enjoys making one (yes, one) each year—and she always keeps it! In this episode of The Gathering Room: A Year of Peace, she talks about her resolution to increase her brain’s wellbeing by dropping demands that have an overriding feeling of negativity and tend to make her brain shut down. Research that has shown that our brains work best when we can answer YES to two questions: Am I safe? Am I loved unconditionally? After basic survival, Martha says, love is...2024-01-1132 min
BewilderedChange Cycle: A Space for DreamingChange isn't always easy, but did you know that parts of the process can be a lot of fun? In this second re-release episode from their four-part series about The Change Cycle, Martha and Ro are exploring Square Two—the "dreaming and scheming" phase when the feeling of who you're becoming begins to filter into your consciousness. To learn how to play in the "space for dreaming," follow your curiosity, and find out who you're truly meant to be, be sure to listen to this fun and insightful conversation! CONNECT WITH US...2024-01-101h 03
The Gathering Room PodcastKeep SwimmingDo you ever struggle to do things you know you have to do, even though you don’t really feel like it?We’ve all been there—including Martha—and she’s talking about it in this episode of The Gathering Room: Keep Swimming. Humans are the kind of creatures that can get so focused on a dream that even if that dream seems impossible, or the work it requires feels like a total slog, we can make ourselves keep going.Martha watched a movie about long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad, who made several failed att...2023-12-1429 min
BewilderedChange Cycle: Bug SoupDo you know what happens to a caterpillar inside its cocoon? It disintegrates into a gooey mass before its cells reform into a butterfly. This "bug soup" phase isn't pretty, but it's an essential part of change—what Martha refers to as Square One in her Change Cycle methodology. In this special re-release episode of BEWILDERED, Martha and Ro talk all about Square One and what happens when your previous identity must dissolve. If you've been struggling with change and letting go, this episode is for you! CONNECT WITH US Foll...2023-12-1353 min
The Gathering Room PodcastHow to Play with the Conscious UniverseDid you know that everything around you is conscious and responding to you in various ways?It may sound woo-woo, but Martha says there's a tremendous amount of legitimate scientific research to support this idea!When we’re willing to acknowledge that we don't know everything about the universe, and we’re willing to play with the idea that the universe is conscious, very interesting things start happening…In this episode of The Gathering Room: How to Play with the Conscious Universe, Martha talks about the synchronicities and “God winks” that occur when we realize...2023-12-0731 min
BewilderedBittersweet MisunderstandingsThe culture says it's a given that the people who love you will understand you. But very often, the people who love you don't understand you at all—yet they can have the strongest ideas about who you should be. Martha and Ro are opening up the BeWild Files to talk about how to stay committed to your purpose when your loved ones don't understand it. Listen to the full episode to learn how to let go of the longing for consensus, disentangle love from understanding, and find the people who truly get you.2023-11-2942 min
The Gathering Room PodcastAwakening Your MagicianDid you know that the right hemisphere of your brain is doing supercomputer-level processing all the time, whether you’re aware of it or not? Wild, right? Martha calls the right hemisphere “the magician” because it can come up with the most amazing, brilliant solutions to very difficult problems, seemingly out of thin air.In this episode of The Gathering Room: Awakening Your Magician, Martha talks about how we can activate our highly creative right hemispheres, so we can solve the problems in our lives—and in the world.And the best part is, reaw...2023-11-1628 min
BewilderedBeauty That MovesMartha and Ro are coming “full square” on this episode of BEWILDERED® to talk about Square Four in Martha’s Change Cycle. The culture tells us that whenever we achieve a goal, we're supposed to stay there: “Now you're a butterfly. The End.” Yet Nature, which we're all part of, is constantly changing. Eventually, you'll be sent back to Square One and the cycle will start anew. To find out how to enjoy Square Four without gripping it too tightly—and welcome the next change into your life—be sure to tune in!LINKS SECT...2023-11-1552 min
The Gathering Room PodcastHow to Make a Sanity QuiltDo you ever feel like your life is a crazy quilt? Martha says that creating your life is the ultimate creative project, and that’s what she’s talking about in this episode of The Gathering Room. Each of us is given all the material to make a life—a human body, a set of circumstances, and a set of abilities—and the life we make from that material is ours to determine in this day and age. Sometimes it feels like we’re just piecing things together helter-skelter without a pattern, crazy-quilt style, but...2023-11-0230 min
BewilderedZen and the Art of Travel With ToddlersThe hinges have come off, folks—Martha and Rowan have jet lag (and they're not afraid to use it!) in this episode of Bewildered: Zen and the Art of Traveling with Toddlers. On two recent international trips, Martha and Ro's toddler got sick, and things were challenging to say the least... Now Ro wants to figure out if all the suffering was worth it, or if they sacrificed their child's wellbeing for the sake of culture. The answer they arrived at may surprise you, so don't miss the full conversation!See omnystudio.com/lis...2023-11-0155 min
The Gathering Room PodcastSolving the Puzzles of Our LivesMartha says one reason we humans are a strange species is because we love to make jigsaw puzzles—beautiful pictures that we cut up into tiny pieces and disassemble, and then put back together. And we don’t like them to be too easy!In this episode of The Gathering Room: Solving the Puzzles of Our Lives, Martha talks about the way problems in our lives are like puzzles, and how it often can be more joyful to have a puzzle than not to have one. These puzzles are the life situations given to us by circumstance. 2023-10-2630 min
BewilderedBest of Bewildered: Vulnerability HangoversHave you ever bravely shared your authentic self, only to agonize over it later thinking you shared too much? This is something Brené Brown calls a "vulnerability hangover”—and we've all been there. In this episode from THE BEST OF BEWILDERED, Martha and Ro share their own experiences with vulnerability hangovers and reveal the "culture work" that’s brought them massive liberation. Feeling hungover from vulnerability? Then be sure to tune in for the full episode—it's one of Martha and Ro's favorites!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.2023-10-1854 min
The Gathering Room PodcastThe Way Back to HappyYou’ve heard of the fight and flight reflexes, but what about flop and fake?Flop and fake (also known as fawn) are two of the other responses in the polyvagal system, a theory about how our nervous systems adapt to stress and the environment. Fake/fawn is a people-pleasing response, and flop means you just lie there unable to drum up motivation.In this episode of The Gathering Pod: The Way Back to Happy, Martha’s talking about polyvagal theory and how to regulate your nervous system when it gets hijacked by fight, flight, free...2023-10-1229 min
The Gathering Room PodcastLetting the Force Steer Your LifeWe're not trained to think of a spiritually led life as being hilarious or silly or goofy. But as Martha reminds us, laughter is the beginning of prayer.In this episode of The Gathering Pod: Letting the Force Steer Your Life, she talks about the difference between spiritual faith and religious faith, and how to connect with and trust spiritual energy (aka the Force) to guide you. When you do, you’ll be in for some truly delightful surprises!As Martha puts it, “The universe is not your butler. The universe is a cont...2023-10-0530 min
The Gathering Room PodcastWhen Stopping Is the Way to Go“Be prepared to stop.” This is serious life advice, Martha says, because no matter what we’re doing (or how much we want to continue doing it), at some point we’re going to get interrupted by life.Whenever we have to stop something we thought was going to continue indefinitely—like a job, for example, or a marriage—it can really hurt. In this episode of The Gathering Pod: When Stopping Is the Way to Go, Martha talks about how we can make peace with inevitable interruptions by embracing another perspective:“In the f...2023-09-2829 min
The Gathering Room PodcastDropping AnchorAre you familiar with polyvagal theory? It may sound highly scientific, but Martha says polyvagal theory has a profound effect on spiritual practice as well, and she’s talking all about it in this episode of The Gathering Room: Dropping Anchor. The polyvagal nerve is a system of nerves connecting the brain to various parts of the body, and it plays a key role in our response to stress—either revving us up or shutting us down. And according to the work of Deb Dana, it’s also involved with our sense of joy, com...2023-09-2133 min
BewilderedBest of Bewildered: Elizabeth Gilbert gets Bewildered!In case you missed out the first time around, Martha and Ro are sharing some of their all-time favorite episodes in a series called The Best of Bewildered. First up, Elizabeth Gilbert Gets Bewildered! In this encore episode, Liz joined Martha and Ro to discuss why the culture is so hostile toward women who are childless by choice. Don't miss their engrossing conversation about resisting the patriarchy, the saving grace of oversensitivity, and how to trust the wisdom of the body to guide us to our truth.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...2023-09-2059 min
BewilderedBug SoupDo you know what happens to a caterpillar inside its cocoon? It disintegrates into a gooey mass before its cells reform into a butterfly. Martha calls this state "bug soup." It's not pretty, but it's an essential part of change—including our own! In this episode of BEWILDERED®, Martha and Ro talk about how to allow yourself to dissolve, even though the culture teaches us to resist it like crazy. If you've been struggling with change and the process of letting go, this is an episode you won't want to miss.See...2023-08-2353 min
The Gathering Room PodcastFilling the WellHave you been feeling depleted? So many of us are tired, so much of the time. To find out what we can do about it, join Martha for this episode of The Gathering Pod: Filling the Well.Martha points out that there are many situations in human life that are analogous to drought— times when our energy feels like it’s drying up. The good news is that there are sources of energetic replenishment always available to us.With enough spiritual practice you can actually get to a place where you feel the dewp...2023-08-1730 min
The Gathering Room PodcastWired to AwakenDid you know there is a powerful connection between spirituality and mental health?Martha recently read a book about this subject—The Awakened Brain: The New Science of Spirituality and Our Quest for an Inspired Life by Lisa Miller—and she’s talking about it on this episode of The Gathering Room: The Benefits of Awakening.Martha believes in the transformative power of spiritual awakening, which she defines as being what you are in your true essence, once you’ve discarded illusion. While spiritual enlightenment in this lifetime may be an impossible goal, stories of spiritua...2023-08-1030 min
BewilderedThe Deep, Slow River of CreativityOn this episode of BEWILDERED® Martha and Ro answer a question from listener Laurel, who's struggling to focus on a big creative project in a world full of distractions. The culture tells us that we can be successful at our long-term projects if we just work harder. But since we’re human beings and not robots, Martha and Ro recommend a different approach. For their insights on how to commit to the flow of creativity, value surrender, and stake your claim to a creative life, tune in for the full episode!See omnystudio.com...2023-07-2637 min
The Gathering Room PodcastCalm Down, We Can Do Both!In this episode of The Gathering Pod: Calm Down, We Can Do Both!, Martha talks about how calming yourself frees the brain to come up with creative ways to get everything your heart desires—even when those desires seem to conflict with each other.Martha recommends that when you reach an impasse in your yearning, push hard against the frustration you feel and let the yearning be bigger—and then let go. That’s when you get calm, which activates your brain’s full creative potential to find solutions you never thought of before! (Note...2023-06-2731 min
BewilderedThe Anxiety Files, Vol. 2: A Tiny Crunch of FearAnxiety in the culture—what exactly is going on there? That's what Martha and Ro are trying to figure out in this special Anxiety Files episode of Bewildered. As a society we create structures to control things and keep us safe so we don't have to feel afraid. The irony is it doesn't work—because being controlled is also scary! Join Martha and Ro for the full episode to learn how to use your right brain to stop the spin of anxiety, break free from the culture's control, and return to your true nature...2023-06-1441 min
BewilderedThe Anxiety Files, Vol. 1: Courage and AvoidanceAnxiety is like breathing for Martha and Rowan…maybe it is for you too? If so, you are sooo not alone! All over the world, anxiety is skyrocketing, and Martha and Ro are exploring this subject in depth over a series of special Bewildered episodes they’re calling The Anxiety Files. While the culture's "solution" to anxiety is to avoid discomfort, avoidance only shrinks our world, not our anxiety. But by using courage we can expand our comfort zones—and our lives. To learn how, don't miss the full episode!See omnystudio.com/listene...2023-05-311h 03
BewilderedHow to Get StartedIn this episode of Bewildered, Martha and Ro answer a question from listener Josephine, who's trying to understand and overcome her resistance to doing things that are good for her. The culture tells us that if something is good for us, we should just do it! Otherwise, we need to punish ourselves. There's only one problem with that: Punishments don't work. To learn how Martha and Ro use kindness and creativity to get past inertia and move through transitions, be sure to listen to the full conversation!See omnystudio.com/listener...2023-04-0546 min
BewilderedThe Upside of Necessary EvilsIt’s another BeWild Files episode of Bewildered, and Martha and Ro are answering a question from listener Gazit, who's trying to co-parent with a difficult ex, and the experience does not feel joyful or authentic. Martha says when trying to navigate any painful situation, the first step is to stop pretending it's going to be easy. By staying in your integrity, you can observe a difficult situation and work through your feelings to get to a place of peace. Listen to the full conversation to learn how!See omnystudio.com/listener for pri...2023-03-0833 min
BewilderedGetting Through the Tough StuffThere will always be hard things we have to do in life. That's just a given. So how do we go about doing them without suffering? Martha and Rowan say the key is freedom, and in this episode of Bewildered they explore ways you can do difficult things while still feeling like you have a choice. While the culture encourages us to push beyond our limits into genuine suffering, Martha and Ro look to Nature for ways we can do what needs to be done—with kindness instead of force. Don't miss this one!S...2023-02-2246 min
BewilderedWild EnergyIn this episode of Bewildered, Martha and Rowan are talking all about emotional energy—the moods, feelings, or intentions that come across without any words or physical action. This kind of energy can be a powerful teacher and director of the decisions we make, but our culture doesn't teach us how to understand what we're sensing. (In fact, it rejects the whole idea.) To find out more about emotional energy and how to interpret it impeccably, be sure to join Martha and Ro for the full conversation!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...2023-02-0849 min
The Gathering Room PodcastBest of The Gathering Pod: Oprah's Book Club EditionWe’re happy to announce that Martha’s bestselling book The Way of Integrity is out in paperback now! In honor of this new release, we are replaying Martha’s one-hour Oprah's Book Club Edition of The Gathering Room from March 6, 2022. In this episode, Martha shares how you can bring yourself back into wholeness (aka integrity) to allow more peace, freedom, belonging, and joy into your life. She also answers questions from her friends over at Oprah's Book Club and her beloved regular Gathering Room peeps, so you won’t want to miss this very...2022-12-2958 min
The Gathering Room PodcastFinding Second SightMartha shares the secret of her own “second sight”—how being a visual artist has changed the way she physically sees the world. Using her own most recent paintings, Martha explains how she sees when she uses the left hemisphere of her brain versus the right. We all have this ability to turn on second sight, Martha says, and to see the infinite light within every material form. (Originally aired: August 29, 2021)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.2021-09-0231 min
BewilderedWhen They Don't Get YouIn this episode, Ro and Martha talk about a disheartening phenomenon that can happen when you bring your truest truth into the world. Instead of positive or negative feedback, some people just won’t get you. This non-response is weirdly hard, but we can still come to our senses. Also covered in this fun-filled ep: Martha’s love-hate relationship with Siri, and for the first time Ro and Martha answer questions from bewildered listeners!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.2021-08-041h 01
The Gathering Room PodcastUsing Your Creativity for Good Instead of EvilAfter hearing Brene Brown declare that “unused creativity is not benign,” Martha and her family decided to hold a Creativity Day … but when Martha sat down to paint, she found it terrifying and overwhelming! This is because culture trains us to value activities done for money or to help others over activities that help us build meaningful and joyful lives for ourselves. Martha challenges us to push the edge of creativity, past any blocks, until we can feel the euphoric flow. (Originally aired: Mar. 7, 2021)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.2021-03-1130 min
BewilderedBewildered TrailerA podcast for people who are trying to figure it out. Join Martha Beck and Rowan Mangan for help figuring out everyday conundrums. If you’re bewildered, join us!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.2020-02-1101 min
BewilderedSelf-Doubt and CreativityIn this episode, Martha and Ro dive into an eternal creative conundrum: how to manage inner criticism. They explore ways to quiet the voice of your destructive inner critic, making way for the discerning inner critic who can improve your work. You’ll learn how Martha and Ro each navigate constructive self-criticism and get some insightful guidance from Martha about how to quell the fear (which is the source of self-doubt).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.2020-01-2434 min