Best David DeSteno Podcasts (2024)

1
Tiny Religions 37:44

4d ago37:44

37:44

Ever heard of the Bartonian Metaphysical Society? How about the Druze? If you’re like most people, you probably haven’t. On this episode, we ask: What’s it like to be a member of a tiny religion in a world dominated by “Big God”? From the early days of new religious movements to the precarious old age of ancient faiths, join Dave as we explore the …

1
U.F.Whoa! 34:05

25d ago34:05

34:05

Religion is often about powerful beings coming down from the skies and humans yearning to go up to join them. Does that mean we can swap aliens in for God? More and more people seem to think so. In fact, many spiritually-minded people are looking to UFOs as opportunities to commune with enlightened alien teachers. Some believe they’re even aliens t…

1
The Power of Pilgrimage 36:55

1M ago36:55

36:55

What makes a trip a pilgrimage? And why have people from across the globe made these treks for millennia? Is it the destination that makes these journeys so important to so many cultures? Or is it the community and meaning-making that happen along the way? And how are people changed by the experience after they come home? Join Dave as he talks with…

1
Is War Holy? 32:58

2M ago32:58

32:58

Is religion a source of conflict, or a way to end it? From the tragic situation in the Middle East to rising Christian Nationalism in the US, it might seem the former. But for faiths that emphasize love, compassion, and forgiveness, might the latter also be true? Join Dave as he talks with theologian Miroslav Volf about how religion blurs with poli…

1
Season 6 Trailer 1:49

2M ago1:49

1:49

Join us for Season 6 of How God Works, starting next week!By PRX

1
How God Works Presents: No Small Endeavor with Lee C. Camp 49:30

3M ago49:30

49:30

Hey How God Works listeners! While we’re hard at work on Season 6, we’d like to invite you to check out No Small Endeavor, a podcast that explores what it means to live a good life, hosted by professor of theology and ethics Lee C. Camp.By PRX

1
Finding Hope in Dark Times 34:29

4M ago34:29

34:29

Surveys show feelings of sadness and despair peaked in 2023. So as we look to the new year, it's understandable why any of us might be feeling pessimistic, even hopeless. But these feelings aren't written in stone. We always have a choice. It's in these darkest of times, when all feels lost, that hope helps us find our way...not just to heal oursel…

1
Religion & Mental Health Part 2: Addiction 36:13

4M ago36:13

36:13

When it comes to treating addiction, twelve-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous are some of the most often used in the US. But while twelve-step programs have several components, one of the most central is surrendering control to a higher power. But how important is that idea? Does relying on a divine influence help or hurt? And might there be …

1
Religion & Mental Health Part 1: Psychotherapy 31:22

5M ago31:22

31:22

For most of the past 200 years, religion and psychiatry didn’t get along too well. Or so the story goes. But if you go back far enough, the two have more in common than you might think. On this episode, we’ll hear about the deep history of integrating spirituality into mental health treatments, and how it’s being rediscovered today at some of the w…

1
Every Breath You Take 39:25

5M ago39:25

39:25

It’s no accident that the Hebrew word for breath is the same as the word for spirit (ruach). Breath doesn’t just give us life: it helps regulate everything from vital organ functions to cognition and emotional states. That’s why spiritual traditions the world over incorporate it as a practice to help heal body and mind and walk the path towards pea…

1
Touching the Transcendent 34:11

6M ago34:11

34:11

We’ve all heard of spiritual experiences – moments of feeling intense awe and deep love and connection. People who’ve had them – and it’s a lot more than you might think – see them as some of the most profound moments of their lives. Moments that change them for the better in enduring ways. But what’s going on in our brains when these experiences h…

1
Introducing: Mother is a Question 46:35

6M ago46:35

46:35

Today we’re featuring an episode from the new PRX podcast Mother is a Question. What is Unteachable about Mothering? Our journey into this territory of mothering begins. Tasha searches out someone whose deep wisdom about mothering was totally lost on her when they first met ten years ago. Back then, Teourialier Johnson—who Tasha met as “T”—was a te…

1
From Two Spirit to Bissu, Gender Diversity Has Deep Roots 38:49

6M ago38:49

38:49

Around the world, gender diversity isn't the exception; it's fairly common. It’s also not a new invention. Many indigenous societies have long recognized a wide variety of gender expressions, and given leadership roles in spiritual life to gender fluid people. And while colonization has often influenced gender norms, leading to discrimination and v…

1
Queer and Here! 37:22

7M ago37:22

37:22

Christianity and Judaism have had long standing theological concerns with LGBTQ+ issues. BUT from the Vatican to certain Jewish denominations, there are movements afoot to be more open, tolerant, and accepting. In the first of a two-part series on gender and spirituality, we’ll talk with Father James Martin and Rabbi Shira Stutman about the history…

1
Seeking Silence 40:34

7M ago40:34

40:34

When’s the last time you actually heard silence? We’re flooded with noise everyday, so much so that we don’t even realize it. And it's not just bad for our ears, it's not great for our health or wellbeing either. We’ll take a look at how noise (and its absence) affect the workings of our mind and our emotions. Why silence can make us feel more conn…

1
Season 5 of How God Works is Coming 1:43

7M ago1:43

1:43

How God Works is coming back to your feed on September 24th! Tune in this season as we tackle topics like the value of silence, how different faiths view gender and sexuality, the power of mystical experience and connecting to the breath, and much more. And in the meantime, feel free to catch up on older episodes, and rate and review the show where…

1
Is Burning Man a Party or a Pilgrimage? (2022) 38:19

8M ago38:19

38:19

Every year, thousands of people head to Nevada's Black Rock Desert for a week at Burning Man. And while from the outside, it might seem like a place for partying, drugs, and debauchery, to many, it offers something deeper, even life changing. We’ll ask neuroscientist Molly Crockett and Episcopal minister Alex Leach, both burners themselves: Is Burn…

1
Soul-ercise 34:54

10M ago34:54

34:54

The lights are dimmed, candles are lit, bodies begin to sway together as the voice from the stage says a spirit-lifting, soul-stirring affirmation…and then screams “Now sprint for 10!”. Group fitness classes have, for many, become something more than just a good way to get the blood pumping and pounds dropping. On this episode we take a look at why…

1
What’s Old is New Again 33:40

10M ago33:40

33:40

It's not news that the US is becoming more secular. People have been drifting away from religion for decades, and that trend is accelerating right now in people under 40. But there is a small but growing trend in those same generations of people who are seeking just the opposite. These people are looking to older and more orthodox forms of faith to…

1
Can Ancient Wisdom Help Gen Z's Stress & Unhappiness? 45:10

11M ago45:10

45:10

This episode is an edited version of a live event held at WBUR’s Cityspace on May 15, 2023. A full-length video of the event is available here. For decades, studies from around the globe showed that happiness followed a U-shaped curve across the lifespan. For many people, the teens and twenties were some of the happiest and most carefree times of l…

1
Moving Beyond Us vs Them 38:06

11M ago38:06

38:06

Hate and prejudice based on ethnicity, religion, gender and sexual orientation are all too common in our world. But are we doomed to be this way? Or is it possible to create a world where cooperation and peace are the norm? Join Dave as he talks to NYU professor Jay van Bavel about the deeper mechanisms at work when it comes to group conflict (and …

1
Sacred Sound 38:23

12M ago38:23

38:23

Music has the power to transform and connect us, no matter our native tongue. In many ways, it's a language unto itself. It ties us to memories...to people....to places. It heals us, promotes compassion and empathy. It unites us not only to each other, but according to many people, perhaps even to something greater. On this episode we’ll take a loo…

1
The Flow of Craft 35:53

12M ago35:53

35:53

What do we get out of making things with our hands? Traditions the world over incorporate crafts into their religious practice, and for secular people, that experience of getting “in the zone” while weaving or working with wood or clay can also feel meditative, even spiritual. So maybe it’s worth asking: Is there a craftsperson in all of us that we…

1
God is Green 37:02

1y ago37:02

37:02

Were the Earth and all its resources created just for our benefit? Do plants and animals exist solely for us to consume? Or should we be viewing our role on this planet differently? When it comes to protecting the environment and addressing climate change, religion has had mixed results. Why is that? With Earth Day almost upon us, we thought it wou…

1
The Power of Awe 29:54

1y ago29:54

29:54

Awe fills us with wonder -- we feel small in the face of things that seem vast, inspiring, almost beyond comprehension. So it makes sense that spiritual experiences often inspire awe. But new science is showing it can also work the other way around. Awe from any source -- nature's beauty, art and music, even others’ noble acts -- can actually nudge…

1
Season 4 Trailer 1:50

1y ago1:50

1:50

Season 4 is coming on Sunday, April 2! Can learning to experience awe more often be good for us? Does learning to make pottery, sing in a choir, or play a group sport give us some of the same benefits as being part of a religious community? Does being Christian make you more or less likely to taking a stand on climate change? What does Buddhism hav…

1
From The Happiness Lab: Yoga of the Mind 38:40

1y ago38:40

38:40

While we’re working on Season 4, we wanted to share a special episode from another podcast we love, The Happiness Lab. On The Happiness Lab, Dr. Laurie Santos explores all the ways we get our happiness wrong and what we can do to really feel better. She walks through the latest evidence-based strategies for improving your mental health, sharing pra…

1
How to be a Great Ancestor 35:46

1y ago35:46

35:46

What do we owe future humans? In principle, it seems obvious that we should do what we can to make life better for the generations that follow, just as our ancestors did for us. But while most of us agree that doing this is the right thing, it can be hard to put into practice while also avoiding some of the pitfalls that often afflict growing philo…

1
Grief: Moving Through Loss (2022) 34:27

1+ y ago34:27

34:27

Sooner or later, most of us experience grief from losing someone we love. It’s always painful, and sometimes even debilitating. But there is plenty we can do to help ourselves and others be resilient. Join Dave as he talks with Columbia University psychologist George Bonanno and Rabbi Angela Buchdahl about ways to promote a healthy mourning process…

1
Uniter or Divider? Explore Religion in Modern America. A How God Works Live Event. 1:23:12

1+ y ago1:23:12

1:23:12

If you ask people what they think about religion, you often get one of two answers: Religion is the source of war, violence, abuse, and hypocrisy OR a route to love, kindness, tolerance, and mercy. Put another way, it’s either what divides us or it’s the thing that can actually bring us together. In a country deeply divided over social, political, …

1
A Holiday from Tech Addiction 39:08

1+ y ago39:08

39:08

Time with family, friends and loved ones is supposed to be at the center of the holiday season… but in our screen-dominated world, how many of us can say that’s still true? Our devices are purposefully designed to monopolize our attention and make themselves hard to put down. So even though we know that spending too much time staring at screens is …

1
How to Forgive 32:51

1+ y ago32:51

32:51

‘Tis the season for giving and…forgiving. But while forgiveness is something to which we often aspire, it can be harder than it seems at times. It's human to feel the tension between the urge for revenge and the intent to forgive, especially when the hurt or betrayal is great. That tension shows up in many religions too, though forgiveness usually …

1
How God Works Live Event! 1:04

1+ y ago1:04

1:04

Join us for the very first How God Works live event this Wednesday, December 7th at 7:30pm, at The Greene Space in New York. For tickets and more information, click here. If you can’t make it in person, not to worry, we’ll be livestreaming the event here.By PRX

1
How to Fix Work 35:39

1+ y ago35:39

35:39

Work is becoming a “religion” for many people these days. It’s worship of the efficient, productive, and almighty dollar. But that doesn’t make people very happy. And organizations filled with miserable employees aren’t ideal for making the world a better place either. Can anything be done to fix it? We’ll talk to Sacred Design Lab co-founder Angie…

1
Religion and Robots and AI…Oh My! 35:34

1+ y ago35:34

35:34

Can you pray with a robot? Will people worship AI like a god? It's not science fiction. It's starting to happen now. But what does it mean if robots become priests, or AIs start offering ethical advice? And how do we know when to trust them? We’ll talk to MIT social roboticist Cynthia Breazeal about how technology can manipulate our minds and emoti…

1
Making God Real 37:25

1+ y ago37:25

37:25

Have you ever heard a voice, seen an image, or felt a presence around you that you couldn’t explain? If you have, you’re not alone. More people than you might think report having these kinds of experiences. For some, it can be easy to write these off as tricks of the mind. But for others, especially the religious and spiritually-inclined, these eve…

1
How God Works Live Event! 1:03

1+ y ago1:03

1:03

Join us for the very first How God Works live event on Wednesday, December 7 at The Greene Space in New York. For tickets and more information, click here. If you can’t make it in person, not to worry: we’ll be livestreaming the event too.By PRX

1
Is Burning Man a Party or a Pilgrimage? 37:43

1+ y ago37:43

37:43

Every year, thousands of people head to Nevada's Black Rock Desert for a week at Burning Man. And while from the outside, it might seem like a place for partying, drugs, and debauchery, to many, it offers something deeper, even life changing. We’ll ask neuroscientist Molly Crockett and Episcopal minister Alex Leach, both burners themselves: Is Burn…

1
Season Three Trailer 1:32

1+ y ago1:32

1:32

How God Works will be back with Season 3 starting October 16th! This season we’ll continue to explore some of life’s deepest questions through science and spirituality. But we’ll also have another big question in mind - What comes next?By PRX

1
Death: Embracing the Last Transition 32:56

2y ago32:56

32:56

As a society that fears death, we tend to avoid the subject. But the key to having a positive end-of-life experience might come in doing just the opposite. On this episode, we’ll hear from philosopher Simon Critchley, Boston-area chaplains Ruth Delfiner, Sarah Byrne-Martelli, and Maude Quinn, and Threshold Choir singer Leigh Davis about what makes …

1
Grief: Moving Through Loss 31:37

2y ago31:37

31:37

Sooner or later, most of us experience grief from losing someone we love. It’s always painful, and sometimes even debilitating. But there is plenty we can do to help ourselves and others be resilient. Join Dave as he talks with Columbia University psychologist George Bonanno and Rabbi Angela Buchdahl about ways to promote a healthy mourning process…

1
Midlife: Leaning Into the Change 35:51

2y ago35:51

35:51

Data shows that for many people, happiness takes a big dip around 50. But aging doesn’t have to be a crisis if we can figure out how to embrace who we’re becoming rather than hanging on to who we used to be. If done right, midlife can actually be a time of deepening joy and satisfaction. Join Dave as he talks to The Atlantic columnist Arthur C. Bro…

1
Relationships and Marriage (Part 2): Keeping the Fire Burning 30:44

2y ago30:44

30:44

To hear Hollywood tell it, good sex is a clothes-ripping race to the finish line, often between people who barely know each other. But the version we’re getting from movies and pop culture isn’t what it takes to build real intimacy, trust, and connection in the long term. On this episode, we’ll talk to Rachel Alba, a clinical sexologist with a mast…

1
Relationships and Marriage (Part 1): Finding the Right Balance 26:07

2y ago26:07

26:07

The definition of a “good” marriage has changed drastically over time and today it seems our expectations for our partner are higher than ever. We want a best friend, intellectual equal, lover, and for many, a sensational co-parent who can also touch our soul. Which is a lot of pressure to put on one person! On this episode we'll talk to psychologi…

1
Adolescence: How to Build an Adult 34:44

2y ago34:44

34:44

When you're a teenager, you're kind of between two worlds. You're leaving the comforts and carefree days of childhood behind and stepping into the challenges and responsibilities adulthood brings. But when exactly should you make that change? And, more importantly, how can rites-of-passage help? Join Dave as he talks with psychologist Leah Somervil…

1
Childhood: Growing the Moral Muscle 35:12

2y ago35:12

35:12

Do children need religion to grow into ethical, caring adults? Sixty-five percent of Americans think so, but the relationship between religion and morality is a nuanced one. Join Dave as he talks with psychologist Larisa Heiphetz and Unitarian Universalist minister Leonisa Ardizzone to explore how kids’ beliefs about God and participation in ritual…

1
Birth: Getting Off to Good Start 31:13

2y ago31:13

31:13

For all the joys a new child brings, it can also be a trying time filled with stresses, worries, and for some, depression. Long before new parents turned to books and blogs for advice, they turned to traditional practices and community for support. Join Dave as he speaks with neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett and psychologist Andi Clements to exp…

1
New Year, New You, Take 2! 10:37

2y ago10:37

10:37

Struggling with your New Year's resolution already? You're not alone! By this time every year, more than 25% of resolutions have already been broken. In this bonus episode, Dave will share three tips to get you back on track.By PRX

1
Pain: The Benefits of Suffering 31:12

2+ y ago31:12

31:12

Across the world, people accept pain in the name of God. Whether through painful public rituals or private sacrifices, suffering plays a role in many faiths. Join Dave and his guests anthropologist Dimitris Xygalatas and psychologist Paul Bloom to see how extreme rituals improve the lives of both those who do them and those who watch them, as well …

1
Giving Alms: Why Everybody Wins 31:16

2+ y ago31:16

31:16

December concludes a season of gifts for many. And while it's undeniably enjoyable to get gifts, it’s not what brings us the most happiness. It turns out GIVING gifts not only makes us happier than getting them, but does so for longer. Join Dave as he speaks with Harvard Professor Michael Norton and Director of Indiana University’s Muslim Philantro…

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