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In this second installment of "The Problem with Problems" series, hosts Marti Spiegelman and Todd Hoskins explore how our dualistic worldview impacts our sense of belonging. They discuss how a binary "either/or" perspective shrinks our awareness to two dimensions, forcing us to see ourselves as either included or excluded, which fundamentally limits our creative capacity and connection to the world.

Marti and Todd propose that true belonging isn't about fitting in with specific groups but rather about recognizing our inherent membership in the greater whole—the living universe. They suggest that when we shift our awareness away from self-reference and into direct sensory experience of the world around us, we can discover that belonging is already guaranteed and unconditional.

Throughout their conversation, Marti and Todd look into how this shift in orientation transforms our relationship with problems, creativity, and collective action. They explore how indigenous cultures maintain connections to something larger than ego structures and how our modern disconnection from Nature places excessive pressure on human relationships for validation.

The episode concludes with Todd's potentialities essay on "Sinuosity"—the value of winding, responsive paths versus our cultural obsession with directness and efficiency—and how embracing our natural rhythms might lead to more authentic ways of being in the world.

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In this episode, Marti and Todd begin a new three-part series exploring "The Problem With Problems," focusing first on the worldview that centers around problems and solutions. They open with a revealing story about forest management, where the seemingly simple solution to prevent all forest fires actually created the conditions for far more devastating blazes – a perfect illustration of how our problem-solution mindset often backfires in complex living systems.

The conversation delves into how deeply we've embedded this problem-solving reflex in modern life. From business to healthcare to personal development, we've trained ourselves to see challenges primarily as problems needing fixes. But what if this very worldview is limiting our ability to thrive in a complex world?

Drawing from original human wisdom, Marti and Todd invite us to consider a different way of being – one where we participate in living systems rather than trying to control them. They explore how our sense of belonging shifts when we stop looking for problems everywhere and instead experience our membership in the world around us.

This thought-provoking conversation challenges us to reconsider the problem-solution paradigm that has shaped our modern world and encourages us to explore more expansive, creative ways of engaging with life's challenges and possibilities.

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In the final episode of their climate consciousness series, Marti and Todd welcome Liz Carlisle, associate professor at UC Santa Barbara and author of "Healing Grounds: Climate Justice and the Deep Roots of Regenerative Farming." They explore the essential relationship between human consciousness and agriculture through the lens of indigenous wisdom and regenerative farming practices. Carlisle shares insights learned from women farmers and indigenous leaders about the importance of putting "roots in the ground all year round" - both literally in farming practices and metaphorically in how we approach our relationship with the land. The conversation delves into how regenerative agriculture isn't just about carbon sequestration, but about healing our relationship with the earth and each other through practices that give back to the land rather than simply taking from it. The hosts and guest discuss the potential for regional food systems to scale out (rather than up) regenerative practices, and how everyone - even those not directly involved in farming - can participate in healing our relationship with the planet. The episode concludes with the new "Potentialities" segment, replacing the previous "Conscious Rant," where Todd shares observations from a regenerating forest in Costa Rica as a metaphor for how consciousness in leadership can create conditions for sustainable transformation.

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In the third episode in their series on climate consciousness, Marti and Todd are joined by Felipe Benitez, the founder of Corazón Latino. They dive into a discussion on approaches to leadership and addressing climate change through a lens of love, compassion, and engaging diverse communities. Benitez emphasizes the importance of reconnecting people, especially communities of color, with Nature in joyful and experiential ways, rather than relying on top-down messaging or policy changes alone. He shares insights on effectively inviting people into Nature, tapping into shared human experiences, and catalyzing collective action through a focus on hope and positive engagement. The three of them discuss the power of individual consciousness, the need to move beyond polarization, and the opportunity to create a more hopeful future by highlighting our interconnectedness with the natural world.

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In continuing the series on climate consciousness, Marti and Todd welcome guest Hrund Gunnsteinsdóttir, an Icelandic author, filmmaker and sustainability leader. Hrund discusses the Icelandic concept of "InnSæi" which means intuition or "inner sea." She describes how InnSæi represents seeing within oneself, understanding one's place in the world, and navigating life with an inner compass.

The conversation explores how modern life has disconnected people from their InnSæi and the natural world. However, by cultivating presence, imagination, and awe, we can shift our center of gravity back within. This helps us make better decisions, empathize, tap into creativity, and care for the planet. The conversation stresses the importance of understanding the complexity and interconnectedness of life. We must move from separation to participation, respecting planetary boundaries. Our consciousness and actions impact the world.

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Marti and Todd welcome citizen scientists Hilde Fålun Strøm and Sunniva Sorby for this inaugural episode on climate consciousness. They discuss their eyewitness experiences with climate change in the Arctic over 19 months living in a small cabin, as well as their work educating others. Key points include the disproportionate impact occurring in polar regions, the importance of individual action, and the need for people worldwide to reconnect with Nature.

Despite having no modern amenities in Svalbard , Hilde and Sunniva engaged people globally and inspired action. They continue to share the challenges climate change poses for humanity and biodiversity worldwide, emphasizing our interconnectedness. They share of how the isolation of their experience actually better connected them to themselves, each other, and the natural world. Their story underscores how belonging to the Earth and her cycles teaches us about belonging to Life itself.

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Marti and Todd welcome guest Elizabeth Soltis, author of Authentic Collaboration, to discuss the topic of bridging—the art of connecting ideas, groups, and perspectives. They explore how to shift mindsets from predetermining connections to living into the process of exchange and relationship building. The hosts and guest share insights on attuning groups, finding common ground, embracing vulnerability, getting comfortable with not knowing, and opening up to new possibilities. Key themes include moving from static structures to emergent processes, and from transmitting expertise to participatory meaning-making. Authentic collaboration requires suspending preconceived outcomes in order to bridge diverse views, tapping into the momentum and potential that arises through open disclosure.

From the Edge: The Coordinates of You (Marti)
Conscious Rant: Questioning the Need for Speed (Todd)

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In their final episode in the series on leadership and power, Marti and Todd explore what makes each person's expression of power unique and valuable, and how these expressions create a sense of wholeness in teams, organizations, and communities.

From the Edge: Dam Dismantling (Todd)
Conscious Rant: In Case You Didn't Notice (Marti)