The Gathering Room Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Beyond the Barricades Jan 30, 2021

Show notes

After the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, Martha says we don’t need revolution, we need a dissolution where personal suffering is washed away by enlightenment. She contrasts mindless rage and mindful anger, explaining that the former feels good in our amygdalas but is entirely unproductive while the latter gives us both insight and impetus to take meaningful action. Martha assures us that learning to dissolve mindless rage will lead us to dissolving our own suffering. (Originally aired: Jan. 10, 2021)

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A Little New Year's Magic Jan 30, 2021

Show notes

The season of resolutions, vision boards, and intention-setting lists is upon us! Martha shares a few stories about the magic of creating mindful lists, including remarkably long ones and ones that describe our ideal partners in extreme detail. She implores those of us who make such lists to consider them tools or guidance systems for attracting what we want. She also explains the differences between big dreams and outlandish fantasies. (Originally aired: Jan. 3, 2021)

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2020 As Your Teacher Jan 30, 2021

Show notes

Sometimes when you think you’re losing your mind, you’re actually regaining your sanity. Martha talks about a colleague who’s coping with the stress of 2020 by buying a huge number of houseplants and explains that this behavior—and other unusual or new behaviors like it—are a reaction to broken culture. She says when culture breaks, our true natures rise. 2020 was challenging, but it also taught our souls what they truly want to be. (Originally aired: Dec. 20, 2020)

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The Season of Letting Go Jan 30, 2021

Show notes

The winter holiday season of 2020 has felt uncomfortably different for many of us, and Martha is eager to help reframe our year-end celebrations. Celtic Winter Solstice celebrations are about letting go of the year that’s coming to a close, cleansing, and releasing. She points out that many of us have experienced grief and loss in these past months and walks us through a guided meditation for creating emotional closure. (Originally aired: Dec. 13, 2020)

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Making Friends with Money Jan 30, 2021

Show notes

Money is the single most emotional thing that human beings deal with on a regular basis. As we enter COVID December and much of the world is stressing about holiday gift costs and year-end taxes, Martha suggests we reconceptualize our relationships with money. She points out that committing to work on our emotional connection to money and cultivating an attitude of abundance and generosity can completely transform our financial circumstances. (Originally aired: Dec. 6, 2020)

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I’ve Fallen Off My Spiritual Practice, and I Can’t Get Up! Jan 30, 2021

Show notes

Martha’s spiritual practices have helped her get through both physical and emotional pain and paved a path to bliss. But now that it’s getting colder, she’s not gravitating toward meditation and contemplation; she’s trading spiritual practice for staying warm in bed! In this episode, she discusses the cyclical nature of intention and relaxation in spirituality. (Originally aired: Nov. 29, 2020)

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Shape Your World, Don’t Be Shaped By It Jan 30, 2021

Show notes

Every one of us influences the world, but most of us don’t realize this. We focus instead on how much the world has influenced us. Martha points out that we can change this by shifting our attention. If we pay the most attention to people and events that have harmed us, those things will shape us. If we put our energy toward the people and events that have impacted us in positive ways, we can reshape the world as we experience it. (Originally aired: Nov. 23, 2020)

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What Other People Think of You Jan 30, 2021

Show notes

We’ve ALWAYS been sensitive to what others think of us, but now we are exposed online to more criticism, bullying, and mockery than we experience in person. Including things people would never say to our faces! Martha talks about how prevalent judgment-fueled anxiety and depression have become in the age of the Internet, explains the Spotlight Effect, and shares a psyche-shielding exercise from psychologist Mario Martinez. (Originally aired: Nov. 15, 2020)

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Stay Calm, Everything Will Be Okay Jan 30, 2021

Show notes

A few days before the contentious 2020 election, Martha delves into how American power systems were born and how they are continuing to evolve. She points out that the changes we’re witnessing can be unsettling (like all changes), which is why many Americans feel intensely fearful and worried. She encourages those of us who can become centers of calm amidst this panic to do so, since our energy has a softening effect on those around us. (Originally Aired: Nov. 1, 2020.)

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Coping When Life Hits the Accelerator Jan 30, 2021

Show notes

Did you know that at just 5 weeks old, babies hit a major developmental milestone? The new kiddo in Martha’s household has just reached this age and is experiencing the associated burst of neurological development . . . which can be both overwhelming and unpleasant! That got Martha thinking about how adults ALSO experience periods of unexpected acceleration and growth. She shares 7 steps for coping during these tough times. (Originally Aired: Oct. 25, 2020.)

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