Join Hidden Compass co-founders and podcast co-hosts Sivani Babu and Sabine K. Bergmann as they bring you stories from their award-winning magazine, and go behind the scenes with each storyteller to see what inspired them to venture to the frontiers of courage and curiosity. Season 1’s theme is “What Have I Done?”
With the end of a year comes the end of a season. For the last episode of Hidden Compass: The Podcast, Season 2, co-hosts Sabine and Sivani present a story and a conversation all about finding hope and wonder despite — and maybe even because — of the moments that challenge us. This episode’s guest is writer and environmental educator Brandon McWilliams, who was just 19 years old when he wrote his Hidden Compass piece. Brandon speaks with Sabine and Sivani about turning rejection into a workin...
16 Dec 2021
Wartime in the Woods
It’s the penultimate episode of season 2 and Sabine and Sivani are feeling contemplative — jumping into thoughts about the discomfort of the Internet and the voices that need to be heard. This episode’s story, “Wartime in the Woods,” is a beautiful illustration of the latter. Today’s guest is award-winning writer and best-selling author Jennifer Billock, who speaks with Sabine and Sivani about journalist intuition, the relative intelligence of Homo sapiens, and the multiple sides of our own s...
9 Dec 2021
Just Another Adventure Story
We hope you’re ready for “Just Another Adventure Story” — one of our earliest photo features, this remarkable story presents itself as not a remarkable story, which is, in fact, what makes it a remarkable story. If that doesn’t make sense yet: don’t worry. This is Hidden Compass: The Podcast, which means everything gets murkier before it becomes clear. Especially for this season’s theme, “What Have I Done?” Today’s guest is world-renowned photographer Robert Holmes. Co-hosts Sabine and Sivani...
1 Dec 2021
Indefensible Escobar
From taboos in the margins of a journalist’s notebook to Viking battlefields, season 2 of Hidden Compass: The Podcast has taken us to some compelling places. In episode 5, we find ourselves even further down the rabbit hole of our theme — “What Have I Done?” — with a story set in a Columbian narco-terrorist’s home, where a young woman faces an ethical dilemma. For today’s episode, co-hosts Sivani Babu and Sabine K. Bergmann are joined by restless writer Victoria Sanderson to discuss distorte...
24 Nov 2021
Invasion
We’re halfway through Season 2 of Hidden Compass: The Podcast, and co-hosts Sivani Babu and Sabine K. Bergmann can barely believe it. There’s so much more to dig into with the season’s theme: “What Have I Done?” The roots of that question — and its larger corollary of what humanity has done — run through today’s story and the following interview. On this episode, Sivani and Sabine sit with queer poet, writer, and world traveler Shannon Donaghy to talk about the space we take up while tr...
17 Nov 2021
You Should Be Dancing
Three episodes into the second season of Hidden Compass: The Podcast, and we’re delving even deeper into the intellectual and emotional weeds of season two’s theme: “What Have I Done?” On today’s episode, co-hosts Sabine K. Bergmann and Sivani Babu sit in conversation with marine biologist, storyteller, and self-identified geek Russell Bradley. The three discuss the humanity of scientists, the lure of a wildly remote outpost in the tropical North Pacific, and the intersection of tedium, bliss...
10 Nov 2021
The Raven-Feeder’s Island
Welcome back to Hidden Compass: The Podcast, where we venture to the frontiers of courage and curiosity and ask the question of season two’s theme: “What Have I Done?” On today’s episode, co-hosts Sabine K. Bergmann and Sivani Babu sit with author Keith Skinner to discuss reading poetry written in battle, finding humanity in a blood-thirsty conqueror, and facing the impermanence of it all. But first, journey with us, as Keith takes us to the Orkney archipelago off the northeastern coast of S...
3 Nov 2021
The Age of Conquest
Welcome back to Hidden Compass: The Podcast! Co-hosts and Hidden Compass co-founders Sabine K. Bergmann and Sivani Babu have missed you — and can’t wait to share a brand-new season featuring not only stories from our award-winning magazine, but conversations with the remarkable humans who wrote them. Join us at the frontiers of courage and curiosity, facing what frightens us, inspires us, and causes us to ask the question of season two’s theme: “What Have I Done?” We kick things off with “The...
28 Apr 2021
Sweet as Challah
For our last episode of season 1, we welcome queer Russian-Jewish refugee storyteller and activist — and former Hidden Compass editor — Sonya Pevzner to Hidden Compass, The Podcast. As always, Sonya blows us away by her courage and candor as she speaks with Sabine and Sivani about the heartache of prejudice, the serendipity of survival, and the triumph of claiming a right to our own family histories. But first, journey with us, as Sonya takes us to the siege of Leningrad and its aftermath to ...
21 Apr 2021
Journey of a Golden Soul
On today’s show, travel writer and former documentary filmmaker Martha Ezell joins co-hosts (and Hidden Compass co-founders) Sivani Babu and Sabine K. Bergmann to chat about beautiful insects, generational wisdom, and the testosterone-filled art scene of New York City in the 1980s. But first, journey with us, as Martha takes us to takes us to the sacred fir forests of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt to be awed by the “Journey of a Golden Soul.” Storyteller: Martha Ezell is a freelance travel ...
14 Apr 2021
Trick of the Light
On today’s podcast, San Diego-based journalist and essayist Annelise Jolley is here to speak with co-hosts (and Hidden Compass co-founders) Sivani Babu and Sabine K. Bergmann about challenging victim narratives, surreal clubbing, and the meaning of choice. But first, journey with us, as Annelise takes us to Pattaya, Thailand, and gets closer to figures long obscured by the “Trick of the Light.” Storyteller: Annelise Jolley is a journalist and essayist based in San Diego who writes about food,...
7 Apr 2021
Ice Bear
Today our very own co-host and Hidden Compass co-founder, Sivani Babu, is in the hot seat at Hidden Compass, The Podcast! Sivani is an award-winning nature photographer and journalist, and she talks with co-host Sabine K. Bergmann about everything from saying "yes" to last-minute opportunities to her desire to hug apex predators to the need for us humans to understand our place in the universe. But first, journey with us, as Sivani brings us to the beautiful and desolate ice floes of the Arct...
31 Mar 2021
The Medusa of Time
Today we welcome professor, science educator, and storyteller Daniel Hudon to Hidden Compass, The Podcast to talk about bringing ancient beings to life, the story humanity tells itself, and fossil beds that shine to us like beacons. But first, journey with us, as Daniel takes us back in time 565 million years to traipse among the strata and be caught in the gaze of “The Medusa of Time.” Storyteller: Daniel Hudon is a writer and educator drawn to wonder and humor. He’s taught natural science a...
24 Mar 2021
The Beauty and Violence Beneath Our Feet
And just like that, we’re at our third episode of Hidden Compass, The Podcast! Each week, Hidden Compass co-founders and podcast co-hosts Sivani Babu and Sabine K. Bergmann bring you stories from their award-winning magazine, and go behind the scenes with each storyteller to see what inspired them to venture to the frontiers of courage and curiosity. This first season, our theme is “In Pursuit of Phantoms.” This episode’s story is “The Beauty and Violence Beneath Our Feet” by writer, editor,...
17 Mar 2021
Awakening the Canopy
Welcome back to Hidden Compass, The Podcast! Each week, Hidden Compass co-founders and podcast co-hosts Sivani Babu and Sabine K. Bergmann bring you stories from their award-winning magazine and go behind the scenes with each storyteller to see what inspired them to venture to the frontiers of courage and curiosity. Season 1’s theme is “In Pursuit of Phantoms.” This episode’s story is “Awakening the Canopy” by our very own Sabine K. Bergmann, who speaks with Sivani about the wisdom of our anc...
10 Mar 2021
People of the Forest
Welcome to the first episode of the first season of Hidden Compass, The Podcast! Join Hidden Compass co-founders and podcast co-hosts Sabine K. Bergmann and Sivani Babu as they bring you stories from their award-winning magazine, and go behind the scenes with each storyteller to see what inspired them to venture to the frontiers of courage and curiosity. Season 1’s theme is “In Pursuit of Phantoms.” This episode’s story is “People of the Forest” by the the über-talented photographer and wri...
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