The Gathering Room Podcast
The Gathering Room Podcast
Welcome to a virtual gathering that will kindle your curiosity and soothe your soul! Join Martha Beck for the podcast edition of her weekly live event, and listen in as she touches on a spirituality or personal growth topic that’s on her mind. You'll also hear the lively conversation that follows as Martha opens the floor to questions from the live viewers. With topics ranging from courage to crea…Social links:
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What Always Never Works
“Always” and “never” feel so satisfying... But they’re almost always wrong. In this Gathering Room episode, I explore how absolutist language keeps us stuck in self-judgment, bad relationships, and susceptibility to false prophets. The antidote is one little phrase: “sometimes, maybe.” This cracks …
32:11
The Joy of Failure
In this episode of The Gathering Room, I set out to interview author Eric Zimmer about his brilliant new book, How a Little Becomes a Lot, but life had other plans. Due to some frustrating tech failures, we were forced to reschedule. But in the shambles of my expectations, I felt inspired to talk a…
31:40
The Unknown World
We’re living through a “phase transition,” but I believe it’s what our souls signed up for. In this Gathering Room, I explore why the chaos of our times isn’t a sign of collapse, but of metamorphosis. Using the metaphor of ice to water to steam, I share how relaxation, not clinging, is the key to n…
31:06
What to Do With Pain
This Gathering Room was inspired by…my neck. Painful, stiff, and cranky, like it’s got a personal grudge against relaxation. As it turns out, it’s teaching me the ultimate lesson: that pain isn’t the enemy, but a doorway to awakening. In this episode, I share how a brutal bout of food poisoning fin…
29:49
How to Win
What if the way to “win” at life isn’t self-help, productivity, or prizes, but making deep connections with other people? In this Gathering Room, I share how a reality TV show made me realize that the clock time of modern culture has replaced the communion time that once shaped human days. To hear …
29:15
How Wide Your Life Can Be
In this Gathering Room, I'm questioning the idea of accepted reality as I share stories of telepathy, near‑death experiences, animal visitations, and the ways that denial keeps our lives narrow. I talk about deciding to “live wide” by kicking down the walls of what our materialist culture tells us …
30:32
Let the Other Shoe Drop
In this episode of The Gathering Room, I share how a perfectly wonderful, creative day unexpectedly led to a moment of anxiety, and how that experience transformed my understanding of fear, struggle, and even death. We reframe the old familiar saying “waiting for the other shoe to drop” to acknowle…
29:28
When to Let it Be
In this Gathering Room, I explore what it means to “let it be” when life feels unfinished, messy, or even painful. Through stories of near‑death experiences, spiritual teachers, personal loss, and wild synchronicities, I reflect on the idea that having experiences—good, bad, and everything in betwe…
31:46
Shortcut to Bliss
What if you could turn even your most painful moments into a pathway to bliss? In this episode of The Gathering Room, I talk about the Hindu concept of satcitānanda—which means the joining of truth, consciousness, and bliss—and how we can drop into this state by letting go of resistance. I’ll share…
31:08
How to Dance Sideways
Are you one of the millions of people who are struggling financially right now? In this episode of The Gathering Room, I talk about how to navigate times when money feels tight and the old ways of surviving just aren’t working anymore. I share how “dancing sideways”—following flutters of discomfo…
35:06