Awaken

Welcome to AWAKEN, a new podcast presented by the Rubin Museum of Art and hosted by acclaimed musician and performance artist Laurie Anderson. AWAKEN explores the dynamic path to enlightenment and what it means to “wake up.” In ten episodes we dive into the personal stories of guests who share how they’ve experienced a shift in their awareness, and as a result, their perspect

Life can be chaotic. Do we really have to face it in order to taste enlightenment? In our first episode, we speak with comedian Aparna Nancherla about her own relationship to inner turmoil, from pushing discomfort away to the relief of acknowledging it. She shares what it was like growing up a child of immigrants, her journey to recovery from an eating disorder, and how her struggl

What if enlightenment is not something to strive for, but an innate quality born to every human being? Gender non-conforming writer, performer, and public speaker Alok Vaid-Menon challenges us to see the divine nature in every person, including ourselves, and asks who we might be if we choose to step outside of the limitations of judgment. Alok considers a sculpture of the Buddha T

For most, deep and lasting enlightenment doesn’t come in an instant. When considering how to navigate a path of study and self-inquiry, what is important? Psychologist, author and teacher of meditation Tara Brach shares her own story of how her life took an unexpected turn, what it was like to find her own path as both a student and teacher of Buddhism, and how her spiritual jour

The journey to enlightenment can be intimidating. When you don’t know exactly where you are going, how do you get there? Master birth doula and world-renowned wellness leader Latham Thomas discusses visualization as a tool for empowerment, the necessary balance between preparation and surrender, and her own experiences with the body as a portal to the spirit world. As Latham shar

What role does darkness play in the journey toward enlightenment? In this episode, hear about the power of darkness and what it means to embrace it. Musician, songwriter, and best-selling author Amanda Palmer shares the story of her childhood, the trajectory of her life as a street performer to musician, and how embracing her own darkness set her free. Amanda begins by considering

Is it possible to bridge the sacred with everyday, ordinary life? In this episode, we speak with artist Tsherin Sherpa, whose work suggests that the sacred and mundane are not separate, but inseparable. He shares his story of being trained by his father in the art of traditional thangka painting, discovering his own artistic voice as a contemporary artist, and how he finds potentia

What is the ego, and what role might it play in the process of awakening? In this episode we ponder these questions with best-selling author, activist, and Buddhist teacher Lama Rod Owens, who shares his story of working through trauma, embracing pleasure, and both accepting and letting go of his ego. Before we dive in, Lama Rod responds to a ritual object called the flaying knife-

Can letting go into death be the ultimate act of awakening? In this episode we explore how the process of dying can be an act of truly living. We speak with hospice and palliative medicine physician and author BJ Miller, who discusses his first encounter with death, facing his own mortality as a triple amputee, and what it means to have a good death. To start, BJ responds to a four

Remarkable experiences can inspire, but without integration, they can also bring a sense of alienation. What role does integration play in the process of awakening? In this episode, we speak with Patricia James, a Medicine Woman of Seminole tribe heritage who has been formally trained in the Cheyenne tradition as a Priest and a Pipe Carrier, which means that she is a steward of a s