What happens when mythology meets astrophysics, and the stars become storytellers? In this episode of The Podcast With A Thousand Faces, JCF’s Joanna Gardner sits down with Dr. Moiya McTier - an astrophysicist, folklorist, author, and science communicator whose work bridges the worlds of science, story, mythology, and creativity. Since breaking barriers at both Harvard University and Columbia University, Dr. McTier has given hundreds of talks around the world, helped design museum exhibits, consulted on projects with Disney, and become a compelling voice helping people reconnect wonder, metaphor, and meaning with the cosmos. She is also the host of the astronomy podcast Pale Blue Pod and the author of the upcoming book Mothers of Invention.

Together they explore Joseph Campbell’s influence on her work, the mythic resonance of the Artemis II mission, the role of metaphor in both science and myth, and what creativity can teach us about being alive in an increasingly technological world. Thoughtful, expansive, and full of wonder, this conversation invites us to reconnect with curiosity, imagination, and the shared human experience beneath the stars.

For more on Dr. McTier visit https://www.moiyamctier.com/

Instagram: @goastromo

For more information on the MythMaker Podcast Network and Joseph Campbell, visit JCF.org.

To subscribe to our weekly MythBlasts go to jcf.org/subscribe

The Podcast With A Thousand Faces is hosted by Tyler Lapkin and is a production of the Joseph Campbell Foundation. It is produced by Tyler Lapkin. Executive producer, John Bucher. Audio mixing and editing by Tristan Batt.

All music exclusively provided by APM Music (apmmusic.com)

In this episode, Sean Brawley, performance coach, former top-ranked professional tennis player, and expert in accelerated learning, joins John Bucher for a wide-ranging conversation that begins in the world of elite sport and opens into something much deeper. Drawing on his experience competing at the highest levels and his work with Tim Gallwey and the Inner Game philosophy, Sean shares how his understanding of performance shifted from effort and control toward awareness, attention, and the way we learn.

From there, the conversation moves into language, etymology, and the hidden layers of meaning within the words we use every day. Along the way, the ideas of Joseph Campbell weave through the discussion, especially the notion of following your bliss and the unexpected turns that shape a life. What emerges is a thoughtful exploration of performance, identity, and how paying closer attention - to both our experience and our language - can open up new ways of seeing and engaging with the world.

To learn more about Sean vist: https://seanbrawley.com/

For more information on the MythMaker Podcast Network and Joseph Campbell, visit JCF.org.

To subscribe to our weekly MythBlasts go to jcf.org/subscribe

The Podcast With A Thousand Faces is hosted by Tyler Lapkin and is a production of the Joseph Campbell Foundation. It is produced by Tyler Lapkin. Executive producer, John Bucher. Audio mixing and editing by Tristan Batt.

All music exclusively provided by APM Music (apmmusic.com)

Cassidy Gard is a three time Emmy Award–winning journalist, author, and entrepreneur whose work bridges storytelling, healing, and cultural insight. After more than a decade in the high pressure world of television news, including her years at Good Morning America, a personal and spiritual turning point during the pandemic led her to step away and reimagine her life and career. Her work explores recovery from childhood trauma, perfectionism, burnout, conscious sobriety, and the identity shifts of modern motherhood. She is the author of the memoir Cosmic Goodness: Surrendering the Shadows to Live in the Light, and lives abroad with her partner, their two sons, Golden and Indigo, and their fifteen year old Maltipoo, Hazel.

In this episode, Cassidy joins JCF's Joanna Gardner for a rich and personal conversation on the power of storytelling, the influence of Joseph Campbell, and the meaning of following your bliss. Together, they explore how our struggles can become sources of strength, and how the hero’s journey can unfold not as conquest, but as an inward reclamation - one rooted in authenticity, creativity, and the courage to live what truly lights us up.

For more on Cassidy and her book visit: https://www.cosmicgoodness.com/

Instagram: @cassidygard

For more information on the MythMaker Podcast Network and Joseph Campbell, visit JCF.org.

To subscribe to our weekly MythBlasts go to jcf.org/subscribe

The Podcast With A Thousand Faces is hosted by Tyler Lapkin and is a production of the Joseph Campbell Foundation. It is produced by Tyler Lapkin. Executive producer, John Bucher. Audio mixing and editing by Tristan Batt.

All music exclusively provided by APM Music (apmmusic.com)