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Bewildered

Martha Beck and Rowan Mangan

What if we stopped listening to the controlling voice of the culture around us, and instead learned to reconnect with our own true nature? 

Sometimes we aren’t even sure why we feel so bewildered… and discontented… and even downright miserable. Often it’s because we have let the forces of society replace our own instinctive knowledge of what is right for us. 

Now, it’s time for us to find that voice again—before it’s too late.

For Martha and Rowan, Job One is to live according to our deepest truths, making the commitment to feeling good even when it means looking weird. We believe that this is how we will reinvent our world—from the inside out— to create a society that’s kinder, more equitable, and more ecologically sustainable than the one we see around us right now. 

This is the vision that we laugh and stumble and chat and feel our way towards here on this podcast.  Did we mention LAUGH? We want no part of personal and global transformation if it isn’t fun!

So if you struggle to find a place where people who are as idealistic and brokenhearted, as silly and deeply sincere, as bewildered as you are—you might have just arrived. 

Welcome!

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  • 27 episodes
  • fortnightly
  • Avg 1 hr 2 min
  • English

Episodes 27

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  • S1 · E139
    Yesterday · 1 hr 11 min

    Your Plans Are Not the Boss of You

    Have you been outsourcing your knowing to apps, rings, and to-do lists...but you still feel overwhelmed? We’ve been there. On this episode of Bewildered, we talk dog crates, corn patches, and cushion forts: all the places we retreat to when another “fabulous plan” hits the wall. We also share about our timid shelter dog Rumi, a marathon runner who couldn’t feel his own exhaustion, and why surrendering to love beats surrendering to schedules. We’ve got plenty of personal stories in this one—join us! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram Martha’s Substack—The Pyramid and The Pool CREDITS Wandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deck Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • S1 · E138
    October 21 · 1 hr 9 min

    When Hard Work Works

    Most of us would probably agree: We wish to work less, but not get paid less. Is that countercultural, or just common sense—or both? On this episode of Bewildered, we’re looking at the distinction between working hard for the culture and working hard for our own true nature—and how to tell if you’re spinning on a hamster wheel or actually getting some traction. We also talk about trust, chickens, and the difference between clumping as culture and clumping as community. Tune in and let’s figure it out! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITS Wandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deck Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • S1 · E137
    October 7 · 57 min

    Blessed Are the Wigglers

    In the face of the unprecedented complexity of today’s world, how do we navigate our days? On this episode of Bewildered, we explore why five-year plans and rigid schedules no longer work, and how to trust the unexpected pockets of beauty in our days instead. Join us for the full conversation to hear how to ditch cultural expectations, go up and down with the water, and find the magic hiding inside your wiggle room. Tune in, lean into the present moment, and learn why “blessed are the wigglers”! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITS Wandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deck Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • S1 · E136
    September 23 · 55 min

    Are We There Yet?

    We’re all chasing a destination—that big promotion, that perfect relationship, that hundred million dollars—convinced that once we arrive there, life will finally stop life-ing and everything will fall into place. This time on Bewildered, we dig into why relationships, body, and money are “the biggies,” why the place we want to go always recedes like a desert mirage, and how coming to our senses means realizing we’ve already reached our destination: this exact moment, right here, right now. Join us! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITS Wandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deck Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • S1 · E135
    September 9 · 58 min

    Hadestown and the Mythology of Work

    This time on Bewildered, we’re doing something kind of interesting… Using the brilliant Broadway musical Hadestown by Anaïs Mitchell, we explore how we feel about work, money, “the man,” patriarchy, capitalism, and the grind that feels like hell. But as Anaïs Mitchell points out so beautifully—and as we’re discovering for ourselves—there’s a crack in the wall of hell. We’re looking for that crack in expectancy theory, pattern interrupts, and the transcendent enchantment of art. Join us to hear more! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITS Wandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deck Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • S1 · E134
    August 26 · 59 min

    Why is This Always Happening to Me?

    Trying to figure out why something always happens to you? In this episode of Bewildered, we’re talking about recognizing patterns that repeat in our lives, what causes them, and how they feed the culture (and the culture feeds them). By shifting the story from “Why is this happening to me?” to “Why is this happening to me?”, we become curious detectives of our own psychology. Join us to learn how you can shift your patterns, change your story, and become more free and joyful in your life. CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITS Wandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deck Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • S1 · E133
    August 12 · 52 min

    Playing Without Performing

    Do you ever feel like there are invisible people in your head criticizing your every move, even when you’re by yourself? We’ve found that a lot of people have this experience, us included. The good news is we don’t have to be stuck with it. In this episode of Bewildered, we’re talking about how to recognize the critical voice of the culture, how to free yourself from it, and how to turn towards an imaginary (or real!) group of people who are loving, accepting, approving…and wilder. Join us! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITS Wandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deck Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • S1 · E132
    July 29 · 1 hr 6 min

    Enriching Your Enclosure

    We all need more hobbies…and we’re not joking. In this episode of Bewildered, we dig into why the culture dismisses hobbies, pushing them to the margins, when really they can be radical forms of rebellion. We talk about how to “enrich your own enclosure” rather than waiting for someone else to do it, how money can kill creativity (but doesn’t have to), and why interdependence is better than self-sufficiency. This episode will help you see hobbies in a whole new light. Tune in and join our revolution! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITS Wandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deck Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • S1 · E131
    July 15 · 55 min

    Afraid to Thaw

    This time on Bewildered, we’re talking about the human tendency to brace against good things happening—to freeze in place, even in the middle of a summer day. The culture teaches us that if we let go of our pessimism and caution for a second, something will get in through the chinks. So we look at the greenest landscape and our vibe is still: “Winter is coming.” But the ultimate suffering isn’t the cold itself…it’s refusing to thaw. Join us for the full episode and let’s figure it out together! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITS Wandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deck Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • S1 · E130
    July 1 · 1 hr

    Following Your Inner Pull

    Have you ever kept pushing toward something that keeps pushing back? We’ve all been there. In this episode of Bewildered, we’re talking about the “push” and the “pull” and what it means to “jump into the river.” Many of us spend our lives pushing toward things that repel us, just because the culture tells us to. But when we stop pushing, we become susceptible to the pull—when we’re drawn toward the things we yearn for, and they’re drawn toward us. It’s mutual and it’s magical... Tune in to hear more! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITS Wandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deck Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • S1 · E129
    June 17 · 1 hr 22 min

    How to Open a Closed Mind

    For this episode of Bewildered, we’re bringing back something we haven’t done in ages—the BeWild Files! This time we’re answering an excellent question from listener Jaison about whether true discernment is possible when our amygdalas are running the show. Spoiler: probably not. But being out in nature really helps, as does shared endeavor in community (and the occasional luxury retreat in Costa Rica). If you want to learn ways to calm your mind and find common ground with others, this one’s for you. CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITS Wandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deck Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • S1 · E128
    June 3 · 55 min

    The Good Faith Footprint

    On this episode of Bewildered, what starts as Ro's confession about late-night online shopping soon spirals into a story about our panicked late-night rescue mission for a box of creatures that weren't what we thought they were. In telling this story, we explore why panic and despair are the worst tools we have for saving the planet, and why good intentions are the most powerful footprint you can leave. Join us for the full conversation to find out more (and to learn how bees factor into the equation). CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITS Wandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deck Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • S1 · E127
    May 20 · 52 min

    You Can't Waste Time

    Have you ever mastered something...and then felt the urge to throw it all away and start fresh? In this episode of Bewildered, we explore the rhythm of growth and why change is not failure—it’s our true nature. We talk about the sunk cost fallacy, the cultural pressure to never lose your spot at the top of the pyramid, and the radical idea that it’s actually impossible to waste time or money. If you’re feeling the itch to shed your skin and grow into something new, this episode is for you. Join us! CONNECT WITH US • Follow Martha on Instagram • The Bewildered Show Notes • Follow Ro on Instagram • Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITS Wandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deck Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • S1 · E126
    May 6 · 1 hr 3 min

    Going Off-Brand

    When you hear “branding,” do you think of burning a hot iron into the side of a cow? Probably not, but that’s what a brand originally was. And metaphorically, it still is. A brand is a mark that defines where you belong, and our culture says it's never supposed to change. On this Bewildered, we start out in the world of branding culture and end up in the deep waters of impermanence and identity. We explore how the less you grip your brand, the more you find out who you actually are. Join us! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITS Wandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deck Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • S1 · E125
    April 22 · 1 hr 2 min

    The End of the Hustle

    What if you’re not burned out…you just don’t want to hustle anymore? In this episode of Bewildered, we talk about how hustle culture strives to make our lives sterile and abstract: from fluorescent lighting and spreadsheets to profit-and-loss statements and KPIs. We explore what gets lost in that way of life and how to reclaim our wild human power from a world that keeps turning us into pixels. If you're curious what life could look like beyond the endless grind, this episode is for you. Join us! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITS Wandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deck Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • S1 · E124
    April 8 · 51 min

    Rewrite the Rules

    Have you noticed how there seem to be “cheat codes” (as they’re called in video game world) that let certain people ignore reality and get away with outrageous things? What if we could use our own cheat codes to quietly change the world for good? In this episode of Bewildered, we look at how truth gets twisted, why consensus is shattering, and how we might discover new cheat codes by trusting our senses, our weirder ways of knowing, and the invisible web connecting us beneath the chaos. Join us! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITS Wandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deck Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • S1 · E123
    March 25 · 1 hr 4 min

    Nature, Take the Wheel

    When life as you know it crumbles—lost jobs, shaken identities, houses (literal or figurative) in rubble—what if you’re not meant to rebuild the old structure at all? In this episode of Bewildered, we're exploring our deep attachment to “putting it back how it was,” how culture teaches us to fear impermanence, and what becomes possible when we let Nature “take the wheel” to allow something entirely new to emerge. Tune in to grieve, rethink, and reimagine what the next chapter of your life could be. CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • S1 · E122
    March 11 · 1 hr 16 min

    End Times and Errands

    How do you continue doing ordinary human-life things while the world feels like it’s collapsing in real time? That's what we're trying to figure out on this episode of Bewildered. We talk about ping‑ponging between school runs, summer camp registration, doctor's appointments, and breaking-news notifications that feel like the apocalypse is upon us. If you've been feeling caught in this same unnerving and exhausting back-and-forth, this episode is for you. Tune in and we'll come to our senses together. CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITS Wandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deck Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • S1 · E121
    February 25 · 59 min

    Surrender to the Season

    How are you weathering the season you’re in? In this episode of Bewildered, we talk about what it really means to surrender to the season, whether it’s an upstate New York winter, perimenopause, a busy parenting era, or the “my foot hurts and I think my gums are receding” phase of life. We talk about how culture tries to flatten all seasons into one endless, brightly lit, 69-degrees-and-productive-all-the-time moment, and why our bodies, souls, and sanity refuse to go along with that plan.​ Join us! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITS Wandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deck Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • S1 · E120
    February 11 · 1 hr 6 min

    Trusting Your Spider Senses

    Have you ever felt something was “off” about a situation or person...but then ignored that instinct to please others? In this episode, we explore how culture teaches us to override our body's internal signals in order to stay socially appropriate and “normal.” We talk about the difference between anxiety and intuitive warning, why our “social self” silences our “essential self,” and how trusting your body’s wisdom can keep you safe, possibly even psychic... Join us for this episode and find out how! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITS Wandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deck Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Showing 1–20 of 27 episodes