At the age of sixty-six, Dierdre Wolownick became the oldest woman to climb El Capitan, the iconic 3,200-foot "big wall" in Yosemite. Earlier that year, her son, Alex Honnold, stunned and terrified the world by climbing the same 1/2 mile vertical wall without ropes—a free solo assent. Should we see Honnald’s climbing as reckless? A sophisticated dance with passive-aggressive self-harm? Or does our strong emotional reaction to his mastery and success in this solitary sport say more about our own denial of the risks we take every day?
In this episode of The Soul of Life I speak with Dr. Michael Mithoefer, the lead investigator that has successfully piloted the first-ever study of MDMA, otherwise known as ecstasy, into the third and final stage of FDA approval for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Dr. Mithoefer is featured as a lead character in the 2015 book Acid Test by award-winning journalist Tom Shroder, a meticulously researched history of the controversy and unprecedented healing properties associated with psychedelics.
Coming soon on Season Two of The Soul of Life on February 12th, I speak with Dr. Matthew Green, a professor of political science, about cancel culture, conspiracies, and how to stay hopeful and connected to one another in an age of identity politics.
My conversation with Nobel laureate and top NASA scientist Dr. John Mather reminds us of how the Apollo program in the 1960s united a nation's eyes toward the heavens.
This Soul of Life bonus episode will dive into very practical ways to mindfully reflect on being who you want to be in 2021. I talk about how the brain is a connection machine and how you can use moments, like little prayers, to help generate energy and focus. Season 1 is wrapped! I can't wait to share my amazing guests for S2, launching 2/5/21.
At the age of sixty-six, Dierdre Wolownick became the oldest woman to climb El Capitan, the iconic 3,200-foot "big wall" in Yosemite. Earlier that year, her son, Alex Honnold, stunned and terrified the world by climbing the same 1/2 mile vertical wall without ropes—a free solo assent. Should we see Honnald’s climbing as reckless? A sophisticated dance with passive-aggressive self-harm? Or does our strong emotional reaction to his mastery and success in this solitary sport say more about our own denial of the risks we take every day?