Wisdom and Practice (Aspen Institute)

It can feel natural to seek wisdom in the big moments of life. But what about looking for wisdom in the smaller moments, the everyday encounters that shape us?

In this week’s episode, Simran speaks with bestselling memoirist, Kelly Corrigan. She opens up about the transformative experiences that shaped her life, from a spiritual experience in her youth to the quiet interactions that often hold the deepest meaning. 

Kelly then takes us back to her childhood memories, reflecting on the power of connection and how the simple act of being present has made all the difference. Then, through the sudden loss of her mother, we learn how she shaped her views on humility, self-awareness, and the need to unplug from the noise of technology to truly see the world around us. 

This conversation is a warm invitation to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with the people and moments that matter most.

Resources:

• Check out Simran’s work on his website at simranjeetsingh.org.

Wisdom & Practice is produced in partnership with PRX and the Aspen Institute, with support from the John Templeton Foundation. 

Music by Raj Kanwal Singh.

This episode was produced by associate producer, Serena Chow, producer, Rithu Jagannath and senior producer, Morgan Flannery. Our project manager is Edwin Ochoa, our show is mixed by Tommy Bazarian and the executive producer of PRX Productions is Jocelyn Gonzales.

It can be easy to assume that purpose comes from grand gestures or major life events. But what about the moments of quiet connection that shape how we see the world?

In this week’s episode, Simran speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof. From reflecting on remarkable experiences in the midst of global conflicts, to a childhood memory of spiritual connection in the wilderness, we explore the life-changing encounters that fuel his reporting and writing.

Nicholas takes us back to the stories that have stayed with him—the real people behind the headlines, the resilience he’s witnessed in the face of war, and the emotional toll of bearing witness to tragedy. He also reflects on the delicate balance between taking risks and protecting one's own well-being, all while holding onto hope.

This conversation is a reminder that meaning is often found in the smallest moments, and that storytelling—both our own and others’—can be a powerful force for change.

Resources:

• Check out Simran’s work on his website at simranjeetsingh.org.

Wisdom & Practice is produced in partnership with PRX and the Aspen Institute, with support from the John Templeton Foundation. 

Music by Raj Kanwal Singh.

This episode was produced by associate producer, Serena Chow, producer, Rithu Jagannath and senior producer, Morgan Flannery. Our project manager is Edwin Ochoa, our show is mixed by Tommy Bazarian and the executive producer of PRX Productions is Jocelyn Gonzales.

In this first episode, host Simran Jeet Singh reflects on a life-changing conversation with his father that sparked a mid-life reflection on his journey of faith, doubt, and the quest for meaning. He explores the concept of doubt and faith with Miroslav Volf, the Founding Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture.

Through the lens of Christianity and his personal journey, Miroslav discusses the importance of intentionality and vision, how faith and doubt can coexist and enrich one another, and the role that practices play in helping us live according to our beliefs and ideas.

Resources:

• Miroslav Volf’s Book: Flourishing: Why We Need Religion in a Globalized World
• Yale Center for Faith and Culture

Check out Simran’s work on his website at simranjeetsingh.org.

Wisdom & Practice is produced in partnership with PRX and the Aspen Institute, with support from the John Templeton Foundation. 

Music by Raj Kanwal Singh.

This episode was produced by associate producer, Serena Chow, producer, Rithu Jagannath and senior producer, Morgan Flannery. Our project manager is Edwin Ochoa, our show is mixed by Tommy Bazarian and the executive producer of PRX Productions is Jocelyn Gonzales.

Today, we have a special episode for you! If you’ve been enjoying this show, Wisdom and Practice, here's another podcast we think you’ll like.

On “Know What You See”, host Brian Lowery delves into the ways our fundamental need to connect with others profoundly shapes our experience of life. Brian is a professor of social psychology at Stanford University, and on his podcast, he explores the surprising, perplexing and sometimes transcendent lives we create together. 

In this conversation, Brian is joined by Simran to explore the intersection of faith, purpose, and daily life. Simran shares how his Sikh faith guides his journey toward self-improvement, happiness, and meaningful community connections. Together, he and Brian discuss the role of religion as a practice—not just a belief system—and its potential to transform individuals and societies.

Resources:

• For more on Know What You See, visit knowwhatyousee.com 

• Check out Simran’s work on his website at simranjeetsingh.org

Wisdom & Practice is produced in partnership with PRX and the Aspen Institute, with support from the John Templeton Foundation. 

Music by Raj Kanwal Singh.

This episode was produced by associate producer, Serena Chow, producer, Rithu Jagannath and senior producer, Morgan Flannery. Our project manager is Edwin Ochoa, our show is mixed by Tommy Bazarian and the executive producer of PRX Productions is Jocelyn Gonzales.

Follow now and get the trailer on June 27th.

Leaning into love and compassion doesn’t always feel natural, especially when the people we’re dealing with are fueled by hate. But what happens when we resist our urges to hate, and instead, see humanity in one another? And how might we begin to do that? In this week’s episode, Krista Tippett, Peabody award-winning journalist and the host of the podcast On Being, explores how we can practice love in times of divisions and hatred. 

Together, Simran and Krista speak openly with one another about the challenges that come with sustaining relationships, as well as the transformative impact of fostering deeper connections—offering reflections on social advocacy, friendships, and living your way into becoming love. 

Resources:

Check out Simran’s work on his website at simranjeetsingh.org.

Wisdom & Practice is produced in partnership with PRX and the Aspen Institute, with support from the John Templeton Foundation. 

Music by Raj Kanwal Singh.

This episode was produced by associate producer, Serena Chow, producer, Rithu Jagannath and senior producer, Morgan Flannery. Our project manager is Edwin Ochoa, our show is mixed by Tommy Bazarian and the executive producer of PRX Productions is Jocelyn Gonzales.

Despite having grown within The Baháʼí Faith, Rainn Wilson didn’t feel particularly connected to God or really any sense of spirituality. 

But during the height of his career, while he was starring in the hit TV series “The Office”, in which he played Dwight Shrute– the strong willed, over-confident and ever-nerdy assistant regional manager to Michael Scott at the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company– Rainn Wilson found himself unhappy and dissatisfied.

This wasn’t the first time Rainn was looking for answers. He’d seen disconnects before, including in his upbringing within the Baha’i faith. 

Rainn Wilson: 

“The difficulty I encountered was my family was so fractured and dysfunctional. My dad ended up being married four times. My birth mother ended up being married five times. My parents were in a loveless marriage. So there was this very strange disconnect between, a faith that preaches and practices love and unity at all costs. And a home life that didn't have any love or unity in it.” 

In this conversation, Rainn walks Simran through the long path that led him to re-discover his alignment with The Baháʼí Faith that he had been raised in and poses the interesting thought: what if we are not human beings having a spiritual experience, but spiritual beings having a human experience?

Resources:

• Check out Rainn Wilson's Podcast "Soul Boom" here
• You can find Rainn Wilson's Book "Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution" here
• And his website here. 

Check out Simran’s work on his website at simranjeetsingh.org.

Wisdom & Practice is produced in partnership with PRX and the Aspen Institute, with support from the John Templeton Foundation. 

Music by Raj Kanwal Singh.

This episode was produced by associate producer, Serena Chow, producer, Rithu Jagannath and senior producer, Morgan Flannery. Our project manager is Edwin Ochoa, our show is mixed by Tommy Bazarian and the executive producer of PRX Productions is Jocelyn Gonzales.

Does life ever feel too predictable? Boring? Anodyne? Do you ever crave for a sense of adventure, to turn mundane tasks into opportunities for excitement and new experiences?

That’s how author of “Enchantment” and host of “How We Live Now”, Katherine May, actively engages in embracing the beauty and wonder of the mundane. She perceives the world with adventure,  the richness of diverse experiences and the importance of embracing rather than taming the natural world.

In this episode, host Simran Jeet Singh speaks with her about the loss of sense of play, the power of attention, the concept of hierophany, and how we can reconnect with a sense of wonder.

Resources:

• Learn more about Katherine May from her website here.
• How We Live Now with Katherine May
• Follow Katherine May on Instagram here.

Check out Simran’s work on his website at simranjeetsingh.org.

Wisdom & Practice is produced in partnership with PRX and the Aspen Institute, with support from the John Templeton Foundation. 

Music by Raj Kanwal Singh.

This episode was produced by associate producer, Serena Chow, producer, Rithu Jagannath and senior producer, Morgan Flannery. Our project manager is Edwin Ochoa, our show is mixed by Tommy Bazarian and the executive producer of PRX Productions is Jocelyn Gonzales.

Growing up as a Muslim in America comes with its own challenges.  

For Assistant Dean for Religion and Public Life at Harvard Divinity School, Hussein Rashid, that struggle lies at the center of his work on modern day pop culture and its representations of Islam.

In this raw and candid conversation, Simran and Hussein discuss different forms of Islamic practice and growing up code-switching, with multicultural identities in a religiously diverse society.

And most importantly, we’ll hear how recognizing the beauty in our spiritual traditions and embodying their wisdom can create a more just and compassionate world.

Resources:

• Check Hussein Rashid’s website here
• Harvard Divinity School

Check out Simran’s work on his website at simranjeetsingh.org.

Wisdom & Practice is produced in partnership with PRX and the Aspen Institute, with support from the John Templeton Foundation. 

Music by Raj Kanwal Singh.

This episode was produced by associate producer, Serena Chow, producer, Rithu Jagannath and senior producer, Morgan Flannery. Our project manager is Edwin Ochoa, our show is mixed by Tommy Bazarian and the executive producer of PRX Productions is Jocelyn Gonzales.

Did you have a profound spiritual experience in your youth? 

Rabbi Rick Jacobs' spiritual connection came during his summer camps in Northern California. Forging a bond with the natural world shaped his approach to blending traditional religious practices with universal spirituality, and they also inspired an appreciation for spiritual experiences outside conventional settings of worship. 

Now serving as the President of the Union for Reform Judaism, he emphasizes the importance of curiosity, asking questions, and caring for people of all backgrounds in the universal quest for holiness.

In today’s episode, Rabbi Rick and host Simran Jeet Singh explore how open-heartedness can fuel a journey of lifelong learning and how engaging with ambiguity can actually lead us to a path toward growth.

Resources:

• Union for Reform Judaism
• You can find him on X
• If only Netanyahu would say this to congress - Times of Israel
• Why we’ll fight Israel’s new extremist political agenda - Jewish Chronicle

Check out Simran’s work on his website at simranjeetsingh.org.

Wisdom & Practice is produced in partnership with PRX and the Aspen Institute, with support from the John Templeton Foundation. 

Music by Raj Kanwal Singh.

This episode was produced by associate producer, Serena Chow, producer, Rithu Jagannath and senior producer, Morgan Flannery. Our project manager is Edwin Ochoa, our show is mixed by Tommy Bazarian and the executive producer of PRX Productions is Jocelyn Gonzales.

College, for many of us, is a time of intense growth, self discovery and exploration. 

That was certainly the case for Starsky Wilson, an activist, philanthropist, and public theologian. Though in Starsky’s case, that journey was one of deep introspection about one question that began to gnaw at him: what was his purpose? 

From his early years growing up in Dallas attending a Baptist Church to discovering greater meaning at Xavier University to leading and ministering during the uprisings in Ferguson, Starsky shares how his experiences have shaped his commitment to bringing a faith perspective to social issues.

Simran and Starsky discuss the importance of introspection and reflective practices like prayer and journaling in cultivating personal growth, and what guided Starsky to answer a call to ministry. 

Resources:

• Starsky's Website 
• Children's Defense Fund
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Check out Simran’s work on his website at simranjeetsingh.org.

Wisdom & Practice is produced in partnership with PRX and the Aspen Institute, with support from the John Templeton Foundation. 

Music by Raj Kanwal Singh.

This episode was produced by associate producer, Serena Chow, producer, Rithu Jagannath and senior producer, Morgan Flannery. Our project manager is Edwin Ochoa, our show is mixed by Tommy Bazarian and the executive producer of PRX Productions is Jocelyn Gonzales.

Our experiences in faith communities can be as diverse and layered as the facets of our identities. 

For Rima Vesely-Flad, a visiting fellow at Princeton University, her winding journey to the Theravada Buddhist tradition has also been a path to finding a community where she feels seen and challenged to live with radical compassion. Rima is the author of Black Buddhists and the Black Radical Tradition: The Practice of Stillness in the Movement for Liberation. 

In this conversation, Rima and Simran speak honestly about what it’s like navigating faith communities and practices as people of color and how to grapple with the tension of balancing the self and the collective. 

Resources:

 Buddhism and Black Voices

Check out Simran’s work on his website at simranjeetsingh.org.

Wisdom & Practice is produced in partnership with PRX and the Aspen Institute, with support from the John Templeton Foundation. 

Music by Raj Kanwal Singh.

This episode was produced by associate producer, Serena Chow, producer, Rithu Jagannath and senior producer, Morgan Flannery. Our project manager is Edwin Ochoa, our show is mixed by Tommy Bazarian and the executive producer of PRX Productions is Jocelyn Gonzales.

Everyone has some version of a daily practice. These can range from simple routines like setting an alarm, making coffee, taking the kids to school, or clocking in at work, to more spiritual disciplines like praying, meditating, or fasting. Our daily disciplines can be easy, fun, challenging, or uncomfortable. But what can we learn from each other's practices to live more intentionally? And how can we all cultivate more meaning, purpose, and growth in our everyday lives?

Join Simran Jeet Singh, author, educator, and seeker, as he explores ancient and modern traditions to learn about the habits and rites that can bring us a deeper understanding of our lives. In each episode of Wisdom & Practice, Simran dives into life’s greatest questions with thought-leaders, artists, philosophers, and more to learn from their unique rituals and perspectives.

Wisdom & Practice launches on August 15. Follow us wherever you get your podcasts.

Growing up in a strict religious environment can leave deep imprints on us. Addiction can too. So what happens when we dare to step beyond these and discover spirituality on our own terms? 

In this week’s episode, Simran Jeet Singh sits down with Nadia Bolz-Weber, ordained Lutheran pastor, best-selling author, and founder of the House for All Sinners and Saints, to explore the journey of transformation and radical honesty.

Together, Simran and Nadia reflect on the path from rigid belief systems to a faith that is deeply personal and inclusive. Nadia shares her story of breaking free from conformity, finding healing through Alcoholics Anonymous, and building a spiritual community that welcomes the fullness of human messiness.

They dive into the psychology of belonging, the courage it takes to be truthful with ourselves, and the profound impact of creating spaces where everyone feels seen. It’s a conversation that will resonate with anyone seeking to reconcile their past, rediscover their identity, or build deeper, more authentic connections. 

Resources:

• Check out Simran’s work on his website at simranjeetsingh.org.

Wisdom & Practice is produced in partnership with PRX and the Aspen Institute, with support from the John Templeton Foundation. 

Music by Raj Kanwal Singh.

This episode was produced by associate producer, Serena Chow, producer, Rithu Jagannath and senior producer, Morgan Flannery. Our project manager is Edwin Ochoa, our show is mixed by Tommy Bazarian and the executive producer of PRX Productions is Jocelyn Gonzales.

What happens when spiritual wisdom meets scientific inquiry? In this episode of Wisdom and Practice, host Simran Jeet Singh engages in a thought-provoking conversation with David DeSteno—renowned psychologist, Northeastern University professor, and host of the How God Works podcast.

From his Catholic roots to his journey as a scientist and agnostic, David shares how his exploration of human behavior revealed unexpected truths about the power of ancient spiritual practices. Their conversation unpacks how traditions like gratitude, meditation, and rituals can elevate compassion, build community, and fortify resilience—offering practical tools for navigating the complexities of modern life.

Resources:

• Desteno’s Website
• How God Works
• Social Emotions Lab

Check out Simran’s work on his website at simranjeetsingh.org.

Wisdom & Practice is produced in partnership with PRX and the Aspen Institute, with support from the John Templeton Foundation. 

Music by Raj Kanwal Singh.

This episode was produced by associate producer, Serena Chow, producer, Rithu Jagannath and senior producer, Morgan Flannery. Our project manager is Edwin Ochoa, our show is mixed by Tommy Bazarian and the executive producer of PRX Productions is Jocelyn Gonzales.

Have you ever thought that discipline was a burden? Well, you’re not the only one. So many people have felt the same way. And yet, for Pulitzer Prize-winning author Charles Duhigg, discipline may be a path to freedom for many.

Simran and Charles unpack the science of habit formation—why cues, routines, and rewards are the secret to sustainable change— like laying out gym clothes or finding moments of presence—can transform our lives. And in turn explore how spiritual practices, whether in daily prayer or simply savoring a moment with loved ones, can ground us in a chaotic world.

Together, they explore the role of discipline in creating freedom, the unexpected spirituality of parenting, and why kindness to ourselves is essential for real growth.

Resources:

• Duhigg’s Website
• The Science of Better
• Charles Duhigg’s Tools

Check out Simran’s work on his website at simranjeetsingh.org.

Wisdom & Practice is produced in partnership with PRX and the Aspen Institute, with support from the John Templeton Foundation. 

Music by Raj Kanwal Singh.

This episode was produced by associate producer, Serena Chow, producer, Rithu Jagannath and senior producer, Morgan Flannery. Our project manager is Edwin Ochoa, our show is mixed by Tommy Bazarian and the executive producer of PRX Productions is Jocelyn Gonzales.

Biases shape how we see the world, how we interact with others, and even how we see ourselves. But what if we could reimagine those patterns and break free from them? Today’s guest, Anu Gupta, has made it his mission to do just that.

Anu is a thought leader, mindfulness expert, and the author of the groundbreaking book Breaking Bias. Simran, in hearing about Anu’s rich tapestry of spiritual exploration, Simran uncovers the early influences that shaped his worldview.

Through practices like mindfulness and Kriya Yoga, Anu explains how he realized these tools are not just for personal growth—, but also for transforming the way we perceive and interact with the world. 

Simran and Anu explore how stereotypes and unconscious biases affect our mental health, relationships, and societal structures. They also discuss how mindfulness can serve as a powerful antidote to stress, prejudice, and division, fostering deeper empathy and compassion.

Resources:

• Breaking Bias: Where Stereotypes and Prejudices Come From–and the Science-Backed Method to Unravel Them
• Be More with Anu
• Anu’s website

Check out Simran’s work on his website at simranjeetsingh.org.

Wisdom & Practice is produced in partnership with PRX and the Aspen Institute, with support from the John Templeton Foundation. 

Music by Raj Kanwal Singh.

This episode was produced by associate producer, Serena Chow, producer, Rithu Jagannath and senior producer, Morgan Flannery. Our project manager is Edwin Ochoa, our show is mixed by Tommy Bazarian and the executive producer of PRX Productions is Jocelyn Gonzales.