How People Grow: Finding Wisdom in Every Season

What can neuroscience and mystical traditions teach us about who we are and who we might become? I sit down with Dr. Vladimir Miskovic, a neuroscientist, former monk, and former assistant professor of psychology and integrative neuroscience at Binghamton University, to explore the mysteries of consciousness and the meeting place of science and spiritual experience. Drawing on his book Dreaming Reality: How Neuroscience and Mysticism Can Unlock the Secrets of Consciousness, co-authored with Steven Jay Lynn, we explore how dreams, contemplative practices, and experiences that stretch our understanding of reality might open new possibilities for seeing ourselves and discovering...

What happens when your life doesn’t fit neatly into one story? Ben Sullivan is a private investigator, music teacher, and church pianist whose unexpected path challenges the idea that we have to choose just one identity. In this conversation, we explore the art of embracing our different sides, following an unconventional path, and discovering that figuring out who you are later in life can be an advantage—not a disadvantage. Sometimes, becoming whole means giving yourself permission to be more than one thing.

 • To support this podcast go to: https://substack.com/@davidachata 
 • To join the waitlis...

Makete Roesch is a wildlife researcher, backcountry wilderness guide, musician, and world traveler with a gift for storytelling. In this conversation, he shares unforgettable encounters with grizzly bears, a lone lion in Zambia, and mysterious experiences in unexpected places. Through these stories, we explore how entering unfamiliar worlds—whether wild, cultural, or mystical—can challenge our assumptions, awaken our curiosity, and change who we become.

As with many episodes this season, this recording features great original music. 

Links: 

What does it mean to learn the language of the soul? David sits down with bestselling author Thomas Moore, whose work has helped generations of people explore spirituality, mythology, depth psychology, imagination, and the arts. They talk about dreams, desire, nature, enchantment, and the mysterious ways the soul gets our attention—and what it might look like to listen deeply enough to become more fully who we are.

Also, as with many episodes in this season - hang in there for some original music shared in this interview. 

Links:

What happens when we slow down long enough to hear what’s really happening within us?

David sits down with spiritual director and longtime ministry leader Joe Steinke to explore the practice of tending the soul. They talk about spiritual direction, leadership, prayer, and the importance of creating space for what is often overlooked or hidden beneath the surface. Together, they explore what it means to walk through life with greater attentiveness, honesty, and care.

Links: 

What happens when the life we expected suddenly changes?

After not being accepted into a PhD program, David entered a two-day silent retreat—and in that liminal space, and had a dream of his grandfather in the Amazon of Peru. In this episode, David tells that story and how nine months later, he is preparing to travel to the very place he saw in that dream.

In this episode, David explores what it means to cross a threshold, listen to what emerges in liminal spaces, and step into the unknown without knowing exactly where it wil...

What happens when we begin paying attention to the desires that keep calling us toward something deeper? David sits down with Rev. Dr. Peter Traben Haas to explore desire, spirituality, contemplation, and the mysterious process of becoming who we are. Together they ask what our deepest longings might be trying to tell us—and whether desire can become a kind of compass for the journey.

Links: 

In this interview, David Achata speaks Dr. Elizabeth Santiago. She is a writer, educator, and mentor who teaches at Emerson College in Boston, where she works in literature, storytelling, and narrative. Through her work with The Untold Narratives, she has mentored emerging writers from diverse backgrounds in finding and telling the stories that matter to them.

In this conversation, Elizabeth and David explore the Call to Adventure—the moment when something within us begins to stir and asks us to pay attention. They talk about identity, finding our voice, the stories we inherit and the stories we ha...

David sits down with filmmaker and storyteller Stanley Pomianowski, founder of Duck Duck Productions, to explore why the Hero’s Journey continues to show up across cultures, religions, films, and human lives. Stanley helps us see how stories mirror our own journeys of transformation—and what happens when we recognize that we may be living inside a story much larger than the one we thought we were writing.

Links:

David Achata introduces the new season of How People Grow, Becoming Who We Are—an exploration of the inner journey of transformation. Drawing from the Hero’s Journey, Brian McLaren’s stages of faith, Richard Rohr’s Order → Disorder → Reorder, and the wisdom of writers like James Hollis and Rumi, David reflects on desire, identity, dreams, spiritual development, and the courage to listen to the life unfolding within us. This season asks a simple but profound question: What does it mean to become who we truly are?

To support this podcast go to: https://substack.com/@davidachata 
To join t...

In the late 1960's John Perkins nearly died in the Amazonian Jungle of Ecuador... he was saved by a traditional healer and it changed his life.

In this season finale episode, he shares his story.

John Perkins is a New York Times bestselling author, international speaker, and activist best known for his book Confessions of an Economic Hit Man and other works including The World Is As You Dream It. A former chief economist at a major international consulting firm, he advised the World Bank, United Nations, Fortune 500 corporations, and governments around the world. His...

Can plants really teach? 

In this episode, I speak with Francisca Santibáñez, founder of Plant Spirit Talk, about plant communication, and her own journey of healing that reshaped her life. Raised across Brazil, Chile, and California, Francisca traces her lineage to the Tupi-Guarani people of Brazil and has spent over a decade studying plant healing with Shipibo teachers in the Peruvian Amazon, alongside other Indigenous lineages in Peru.

We talk about how a severe health crisis became a turning point that led her into herbal medicine, plant initiations, and a lifelong path of remembrance and...

Leonard “Casey” Church is a member of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, of the Bear and Crane clans. A former U.S. Marine, he is a cultural practitioner, teacher, and spiritual leader who has spent decades working to restore Indigenous ceremony and identity in contemporary life. He’s the author of Holy Smoke and Native American Rites of Passage, and his work explores how ritual and ceremony can foster healing, belonging, and personal transformation.

Today Casey joins us to talk about the role ceremony plays in the lives of indigenous peoples and how "everyone has a native...

Lorena Saavedra Smith is the author of the new book, Awaken Your Roots: Reclaim Your Ancestry and Sovereignty by Heeding the Jaguar’s Call.

Lorena is a Pacha Philosopher, an Eco-Psychologist, and a wellness consultant dedicated to helping individuals heal through ancestral wisdom, nature reconnection, and holistic well-being.

She joins the podcast to share Pacha Philosophy, and her ideas on how to reweave the broken soul. 

Connect with Lorena at https://www.lorenasaavedrasmith.com/

To support this podcast go to: https://substack.com/@davidachata
To learn more about David's leadership & per...

Dr. Damian Costello joins us this week to talk about the role of visions in an indigenous worldview.

Dr. Costello is an international expert on Nicholas Black Elk, a Lakota Medicine Man. Damian is the author of Black Elk: Colonialism and Lakota Catholicism, and holds a Ph.D. in theological studies from the University of Dayton. Currently serving as the Director of Postgraduate Studies at NAIITS: An Indigenous Learning Community, he focuses on the intersection of Indigenous traditions and Catholic theology, with a career deeply informed by extensive ethnographic research.

To support this podcast go...

Dr. Stephanie Goins joins the show this week to share what it means to "Walk in a Good Way." Stephanie calls on her research working with former child soldiers in Sierra Leone, her work as a Psychologist, teacher, and more. 

Dr. Goins helps us understand in this episode some of the factors that come into play when we think about living in a good relationship with ourselves, the earth, and others. 

If you'd like to connect with Stephanie, you may email her here or connect with her on Linkedin.

To support this podcast go...

Rev. Dr. Randy Woodley, Ph. D., is a farmer, activist/scholar, distinguished speaker, teacher and wisdom keeper who addresses a variety of issues concerning American culture, faith/spirituality, justice, race/diversity, regenerative farming, our relationship with the earth and Indigenous realities.

In this episode, he talks with us about the Harmony Way of native cultures and how that impacts how we live with one another and even govern.

Learn more about Randy Woodley at https://www.randywoodley.com/ and check out his books here. Randy writes regularly at Substack.com

To hear David's...

In this episode, David Achata interviews Danny Zacharias & Chris Hoklotubbe's about their new book, Reading the Bible on Turtle Island: An Invitation to North American Indigenous Interpretation. 

Their book explores the historical and systemic dismissal of Indigenous worldviews within Western Christian circles, specifically how colonial practices labeled these cultures as "problematic" and stripped them of their theological value.

Zacharias and Hoklotubbe believe that reasserting the dignity of Indigenous cultures is essential for the modern Church, as these unique interpretations provide invaluable insights into Scripture that a Western-only perspective simply cannot offer.

This episode, D...

Welcome back to Season 6 of the How People Grow Podcast. 

This season focuses on what indigenous wisdom could teach us today. In this introductory episode, David Achata overviews for us why this conversation is important and what the word "indigenous" means.

David takes us on his own journey of embracing his native roots. He'll take us on a journey to the Andes Mountains, we'll learn from a Lakota Medicine Man, we'll talk about the Doctrine of Discovery and the importance of joining all parts of ourselves together with a little wisdom from Richard Rohr. 

...

Father Len Cowan is a retired priest in the Anglican and Episcopal Churches. Today he runs the Abbey of the Way, a retreat center in Worcester, MA. Learn more about the Abbey here: https://www.abbeyoftheway.us/

In this season five bonus episode, Len shares with us his fascination with the Irish and how he returns to Ireland regularly to learn of the life of St. Patrick and the unique form of Christianity that took root there. 

Len shares what a rooted Christianity looks like and encourages us to adopt practices to form our vision o...

In this bonus episode, David Achata challenges us to look at the Holiday Season as a time to remember "The Religion of Jesus" vs. "The Religion about Jesus." Who were the Magi that came from a distance of 1600 miles? Why did they go to Jerusalem? What do their beliefs about power, wisdom and authority show us for our time today in 2025? 

As we finish 2025 and look ahead to 2026 - here's a Christmas message to contemplate. 

If you'd like to read the substack blog that comes with this podcast, go click here.

To support th...

In our season finale, David Achata sits down with legendary author Parker Palmer to explore what it means to live a rooted life. Discover the wisdom of prioritizing faithfulness to your true values over the pressure of external effectiveness, and how integrity deepens as we grow old.

In this episode, Parker Palmer quotes a poem by William Stafford. 

A Ritual to Read to Each Other

Jeff Vanderstelt is the Executive Director of http://saturatetheworld.com/ an organization committed to equipping the church to live out of its identity in every space and place. He also helped found the Soma Family of Churches and lives near Seattle, Washington with his wife Jayne, and their family. 

In this interview, Jeff shares his story of learning to be himself. After many years of personal work, Jeff reflects on his own life, changes, and his learning to be present to himself, to God and others. 

To support this podcast see http://davidachata.substack.com/

Tim Ross is a Cherokee teacher, retired pastor, missionary and current seminary teacher. In this episode Tim shares with us native ways of praying, as well as the concept of becoming a "Sticker" - meaning, someone who stays and invests in a community.

Tim's teaching work can be found at NAIITS, an an indigenous seminary. To learn more about Tim and his work, check out https://naiits.com/

If this podcast was helpful to you, please leave us a review by clicking here, scrolling to the bottom and leaving a rating and a note. 

Lisa Sharon Harper is an author, theologan, teacher, and consultant. She is the founder of https://freedomroad.us/ and gives her life to helping others learn to do justice in just ways. 

This is Lisa's second appearance on this podcast. To listen to her first interview, go back to Season 2 and check out our season finale. 

In this episode, Lisa shares about a recent trip to Brazil to work with an influental church there, and talks with us about the importance of silence when cultivating a rooted life. 

Join Lisa's Substack page with nea...

Dr. Donna Burske serves as a Hospital Chaplain Manager in Orlando, Florida. She is a mother, teacher, contemplative, and a cancer survivor. In this episode Donna shares what it was like growing up adopted and eventually finding her biological family. 

She shares what it means to her to live a rooted life in this thought-provoking episode. To contact donna email her at [email protected] 

To support this podcast go to http://davidachata.substack.com/ 

Joe Steinke is a Spiritual Director, a former pastor, lifelong musician and co-founder of 24/7 Prayer USA. In this interview he shares what it was like to grow up in community in the midst of the Jesus Movement of the 1970's. He also shares practices people can engage in to find their rooting. Joe shares what it means to be a mystic and encourages us to find a "greater grace from a deeper well." 

To find out more about Joe Steinke and connect with his work visit http://www.souloftheshepherd.org/ 

To support this podcast go to...

Ron Pickell is a retired pastor and chaplain. His most recent position was serving on the University Campus of UC Berkeley, California for 25 years. 

In this episode Ron talks with us about how being rooted means knowing what you’re about, where you’re going, and what’s most important. For Ron, that means understanding the presence and power of God among us right now. Ron shares his conversion story, his near death experience of a years ago and how that changed him.

As a special bonus, we’ve included a song of Ron’s from many y...

What does it mean to be a rooted person in a world that leaves so many of us feeling lost? To be rooted is to be connected — to God, to others, and to the larger story we’re part of.

This season, David Achata, author, leadership consultant, coach, and former pastor, takes listeners on a journey of listening, learning, and connecting with mentors and community. In this episode, he draws from the wisdom of Parker Palmer, Richard Rohr, and John O’Donohue, as well as Scripture and Indigenous traditions. David explores how rootedness can transform pain, restore connec...

Andrew Holley was once a pastor and church planter. But then his house burned down. After picking up the pieces, he and his wife tried to keep going the way they always had, but something had changed. 

Some time later, at the urging of his friends, he entered a singer/songwriter contest. From there, he kept playing. Today, Andrew has embraced the music life and writes music that's full of soul, blues, and good ole' rock n' roll. 

He spoke on the How People Grow Podcast about this transition - listen and enjoy his wisdom ab...

Tommy Rutledge began his career as an Engineer, but later in life felt the call to serve in pastoral work as a Church Planter. Tommy shares how it changed him and helped birth the most unusual kind of work.

To learn more about Tommy check out http://somaasheville.com/ and https://www.mountcarmelgoats.com/ 

To support this podcast go to http://davidachata.substack.com/ 

To join the Leadership renewal collective go to http://achatacoaching.com/ and click "coaching cohorts." 

Daniel Kasambira is the CEO of the United Way in Madison County, Alabama. After a successful career in non-profit work Daniel moved to the for-profit sector. But after being laid off, he faced the question: how do I navigate this season of unknowns?

Finding himself delivering pizzas, he got an opportunity that changed everything. Today he shares his story as a way to encourage people to not give up and to remember those who helped you along the way. 

To learn more about Daniel see https://uwmadisoncounty.org/leadership/

To learn about the L...

Ashi Alison is a Yoga and Breathwork teacher currently living near Chattanooga, Tennessee. In this special interview, she talks with us from a courtyard in Ireland.

Ashi describes why she left a successful career at the North Face, selling all her possessions, and moving to a shack in Costa Rica for 10 years. 

Ashi walks us through what she learned during a season by the Ocean and encourages us to "embrace the fertile void" when in a transition season. 

To support this podcast go go http://davidachata.substack.com/ 

To learn more abo...

Brooke Lark is the founder of Lark & Co. She is the world's most downloaded food photographer and one of the world's most interesting women. 

After leaving the Mormon faith, she embarked on a journey she could never have predicted. To listen to her first interview on this show, click here. 

What happens after you leave your faith and your marriage? For Brooke, a call with a U.S. Senator changed everything and led her into the world of plant medicine. In this episode she shares that when you embark on a healing journey, you heal. 

Tim Ross is a lifelong pastor, missionary and teacher. He's also a Native Cherokee related to Chief John Ross. In this episode Tim shares his story, his life with the Maasai People for ten years and most recently, his work with NAIITS, the North American Indigenous Institute for Theological Studies. 

Tim walks us through what it means to step into your ancestry and take the simple steps the Creator reveals. He invites us to pray, "show me, teach me, I'm open." 

Learn more about NAIITS at https://naiits.com/

Support this podcast at ht...

Transitions are marked by endings, then a murky middle zone, and then a new beginning. In this episode David Achata discusses why we're focusing on transtions for season 4. 

To learn about David's work see http://achatacoaching.com

To support this podcast go to the new Substack page at: https://substack.com/@davidachata 

Join us as Amy Achata recounts her deeply personal story of overcoming chronic illness and migraines. Amy shares how she discovered the surprising reason for a lifetime of pain lay hidden in her own story. From there, she was able to explore the untapped intelligence of her body.

Amy delves into the specific embodiment practices that enabled her to finally understand and respond to her body's needs, resulting in remarkable transformation and healing.

She shares invaluable lessons learned on her path and provides actionable tips for listeners seeking to alleviate chronic pain or illness by...

Ever wonder where those "gut feelings" really come from?

In this episode, David shares a personal story about stalking a deer that led him to a surprising understanding of the gut's influence on what we think. He and Dr. Tyler McCurry, D.O., unpack the fascinating gut-brain connection and how optimizing your gut health can unlock clearer emotional and intuitive guidance.

Plus, get actionable advice on strengthening your intuition through practices like mindfulness and spending time in nature, and explore how faith can be a powerful ally in trusting your inner voice. Tune in to...

Discover the powerful connection between your mind, body, and spirit with us. David shares his personal journey of overcoming a decade of chest pain by understanding the link between his emotions, breathing, and physical health.

Dr. McCurry explores how spiritual practices like prayer and meditation can support your overall wellness and revisits the idea of your body as a sacred temple deserving of care.

Learn to live with intention, aligning your actions with what truly matters. Join David Achata & Dr. Tyler McCurry, D.O., for insights on a holistic path to a healthier, more fulfilling...

Join David Achata and Dr. Tyler McCurry as they discuss the vital role movement plays in both our physical and emotional well-being. Explore the benefits of mindful practices to connect with your body and release tension. Dr. McCurry explains how regular exercise helps calm the nervous system and reduce stress. Discover the surprising connection between movement and spiritual practices like prayer and meditation. Plus, get practical ideas for easily incorporating more movement into your daily life, no matter your current fitness level.

To support this podcast go check out http://patreon.com/howpeoplegrow/

To join...