Ruptures and Roots

About Ruptures and Roots

We are living in unprecedented times — of rupture, unraveling, and transformation. In the Gospels of Rupture podcast, host Joshua Swenson invites companions he has met on his path of healing and awakening to share their stories. Together, we explore the moments when life split apart, the beauty that roots in the ruins, and the possibilities that emerge through grief, collapse, and renewal. These are not tidy success stories — they are raw, human, and alive with the reminder that even in the cracks, life insists on growing deeper. www.gospelsofrupture.com (https://www.gospelsofrupture.com?utm_medium=podcast)

Publisher

Conversations on the moments when the world cracks open, and the life that emerges in the ruins.

Category

religion & spirituality · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

29 Aug 2025

Latest episode

21 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

14 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   21 Oct 2026

   Bending Reality: Miguel Ojeda on Psi Training, Anomalous Experience, and the Corporate Cult

   In this first episode of Gospels of Rupture season 2 (formerly Ruptures and Roots), Joshua sits down with Miguel Ojeda, a MindSight facilitator based in North Carolina. Miguel trained with Dalia Burgoin of the Telepathy Tapes and Rob Freeman of Vision Without Eyes, and after his very first workshop he discovered he could open MindSight in other people. Before that, he was a pastor’s son, then spent twenty years as a working musician, “broke and happy,” before stepping into the corporate world in his early forties. Their conversation traces the slow build of a rupture. Miguel shares how he learned to hold space at the bedsides, jail visits, and dialysis rides of his father’s congregation, and how a thread of unworthiness was woven through that faith. He describes what he saw inside corporate life: people held hostage for their health benefits, pregnancies hidden for fear of being fired, leadership that functioned like a cult, and bright young hires drained like dying batteries within a month. Then came a night on a beach in Spain, in front of a lit cathedral, when his wife called out to her guides and two glowing orbs appeared over the water, changing color in response to their thoughts. Miguel went home and quit his job, and soon after found his way to MindSight, even as a miscarriage and his father’s traumatic brain injury arrived in the same season. Together they explore why joy and play are the keys that open these abilities, how grief and wonder rise together, the return of men’s circles, notions on what consciousness might actually be, and how shared belief seems to make reality a little more malleable. This episode invites listeners to consider: what if the systems draining us are only one version of what’s possible? And what might open up if we gave ourselves permission to play again?Check out Miguel’s coaching service: intuitivepractice.org (http://intuitivepractice.org) Watch Joshua’s recent short film on psychic abilities: Psi Guy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRqtWwr1buE) Tune in to more conversations and Joshua’s essays at Gospels of Rupture (http://gospelsofrupture.com). Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at www.gospelsofrupture.com/subscribe (https://www.gospelsofrupture.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

2. 

   25 Jul 2026

   Lifting the Veil: Zina Brown on Chronic Pain, Creative Fire, and the Faerie Rings

   In this twelfth episode of Ruptures and Roots, Joshua sits down with Zina Brown — a filmmaker with over 25 years of writing and directing experience whose work has been honored at festivals from Barcelona to Kyiv, Mexico City to Amsterdam. His short film Dreams of the Last Butterflies screened at 50 festivals across 13 countries and 5 continents. He’s now bringing to life The Faerie Rings (https://www.thefaerierings.com/), a feature film about the promise of visionary plant medicines and the tyranny of those who would outlaw them. Their conversation moves through the rupture that reshaped Zina’s life: a routine antibiotic prescription that triggered a rare and devastating toxic reaction, leaving him in chronic full-body pain, unable to walk more than a block, dance, or hold a phone to his ear. Doctors could name the condition but offered no path through it. Zina shares the discovery that the one time the pain lifted was when he was writing, how leaning into the story became its own medicine, and how shamanic practice and a return to ayahuasca helped him remember his own capacity to heal. Together Zina and Joshua explore metamorphosis as more than metaphor, the daily gratitude practice that emerged from those years, and the story of The Faerie Rings itself — a dystopian fairy tale written in 2019 that keeps growing more prescient. This episode invites listeners to consider: what if the hardest thing that ever happened to you turns out to be one of the great gifts of your life? And what does it mean to survive an apocalypse by undergoing your own?Check out The Faerie Rings and connect with Zina at The Faerie Rings (https://www.thefaerierings.com/) To support this podcast, read Joshua's essays, and connect with fellow travelers, subscribe to Gospels of Rupture (https://gospelsofrupture.substack.com/) Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe (https://gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

3. 

   20 Jun 2026

   The Memory of the Future: Daniel Thorson on Eros, Heartbreak, and Building Community Beyond Empire

   In this eleventh episode of Ruptures and Roots, Joshua sits down with Daniel Thorson — podcaster, writer, coach, former Occupy Wall Street organizer, and author of The Intimate Mirror on Substack. Daniel spent five years at the Monastic Academy in Vermont, accumulated over two years of silent retreat experience, and hosted the Emerge podcast for over a decade. His life has been a long apprenticeship in falling, learning, and reaching again. Their conversation traces the many ruptures that have shaped him — the early heartbreak of realizing he had hurt the people he claimed to love, the intellectual arrogance and sarcasm he wore as armor, the humbling pedagogy of the monastery, and the heartbreak of watching Occupy Wall Street collapse under the weight of its own design flaws. Together they explore Eros as both the life force that drives the infant's reach and the tangled energy that can cause us to harm what we love most. They sit with the difference between clarified and unclarified desire, the shadow's role in human relationships, and what it might take to build a robust emergence of soul and consciousness that empire cannot break. This episode invites listeners to consider: what if our deepest longing is a memory of the future? What does it mean to trust our clarified desire? And how might rupture itself be part of the vessel-making — the heartbreak that prepares us for the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible?Find out more about Daniel’s work at The Intimate Mirror (https://intimatemirror.substack.com/) on Substack. Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe (https://gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

4. 

   23 May 2026

   Listening to the More-than-Human: Katie Hamaker on Plant Thinking, Decentering the Human, and the Ethics of Relationship

   In this tenth episode of Ruptures and Roots, Joshua sits down with Katie Hamaker — adjunct instructor, PhD candidate at the California Institute of Integral Studies, and a teacher of courses on critical thinking, academic writing, and learning from plants. Katie's research weaves together Christianity, psychedelics, and social justice through feminist and process-philosophical lenses, asking what becomes possible when we let inherited religious narratives crack open. Their conversation traces the slow, layered rupture of a worldview Katie inherited from Western philosophy and socialized Christianity — one that placed humans at the top of a hierarchy and silenced the voices of plants. From her early ayahuasca journeys in Peru to the years of dissonance that followed, Katie explores what it means to move beyond both materialist dismissal and the easy trap of anthropomorphizing the plant world. Together, they sit with the mycorrhizal connectivity of redwoods, the dream-teachings of mugwort, the difference between morals and ethics, and the quiet question of what it might mean to plantize the human rather than humanize the plant. This episode invites listeners to consider: what voices have we been taught not to hear? How might we hold dissonance without rushing to resolve it? And what becomes possible when we expand our understanding of beingness to include the more-than-human world? Follow Katie on Substack:https://substack.com/@katiehamaker (https://substack.com/@katiehamaker) Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe (https://gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

5. 

   25 Apr 2026

   Letting It Have You: Anu Brandt on Healing, Surrender, and the Hidden Thread of Your Life

   In this ninth episode of Ruptures and Roots, Joshua sits down with Anu Peter Brandt — ordained sacred ceremony minister, shamanic practitioner, breathwork facilitator, energy healer, and lifelong musician. Together, they trace the thread of healing that ran quietly through Anu's life long before he recognized it: from childhood performances to Broadway stages and the jungles of Peru, where his first encounter with ayahuasca set a course that would reshape everything. Their conversation moves through the rupture of leaving a performing career that looked like success but never quite fit, the profound years of his mother's decline and passing, and the ways plant medicine, energy work, and out-of-body exploration opened Anu to dimensions of reality he'd always sensed but couldn't name. He shares the story of his mother visiting him in ceremony, the moment ayahuasca shifted him from wanting to escape his body to wanting to fully inhabit this life, and how music became a vessel for healing rather than performance. This episode invites listeners to consider: What if everything we've done has been preparation for the work that's truly ours? What does it mean to let rupture have us rather than running from it? And how might surrender be the doorway to everything we've been searching for? Find out more about Anu’s incredible healing work here:https://hummingbirdcircle.org/ (https://hummingbirdcircle.org/) Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe (https://gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

6. 

   21 Mar 2026

   Beyond Logic: Steven Schrembeck on Mind Sight, Soul Families, and the Edges of Consciousness

   In this eighth episode of Ruptures and Roots, I sit down with Steven Schrembeck—a software engineer by trade and by calling a dedicated explorer of meaning. Stephen’s journey is a profound study in how a strictly logical, structured life can be cracked open by curiosity and a relentless accountability to the truth. We delve into the “ruptures” that shattered Stephen’s materialist worldview, beginning with a serious meditation practice that evolved from a stress-management tool into a vehicle for firsthand exploration of consciousness. Stephen shares the ontological shock of his first UFO sightings, the 30-hour discipline of learning telekinesis, and the startling reality of “Mindsight”—the ability to perceive the world with eyes closed. In this circle, we explore: * The Transition from Logic to Intuition: How a former atheist began to navigate psychic phenomena and telepathy. * UFOs as a Catalyst: Why anomalous experiences often serve as a “gateway drug” to deeper spiritual awakening. * The “Soul Family”: Stephen’s experience meeting non-physical entities and navigating a universe that feels increasingly playful and abundant. * Practical Grounding: How to maintain stability and function when your understanding of reality begins to stretch beyond familiar bounds. Stephen reminds us that reality is far more mysterious and loving than we’ve been led to believe, and his story is an invitation to “never stop playing” with our own experiences. Links & Resources * Stephen’s Writing: Different Compass (https://www.google.com/search?q=https://differentcompass.inc) Recommended Reading: The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe (https://gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

7. 

   21 Feb 2026

   Trusting the Unseen: Radical Integrity, Spirit, and Community Healing

   In this seventh episode of Ruptures and Roots, Joshua sits in conversation with a deeply devoted guide and facilitator of plant medicine ceremonies, exploring the terrain of rupture, truth, and radical integrity. Together, they navigate stories of ancestral connection, encounters with spirits and guides, and the ways psychedelic and somatic practices illuminate the unseen dimensions of our lives. Their dialogue moves through experiences of rupture and repair—personal, communal, and ecological—highlighting the lessons of honesty, discernment, and presence. From navigating land and cultural relationships in ceremony to reflecting on the challenge of finding truth in a world of disinformation, they explore how we cultivate alignment with our own lived experience. This episode invites listeners to consider: how might we trust what we cannot see? How do we engage with community and the living world with integrity? And how can rupture open the door to rooting deeper into life, connection, and creative possibility? Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe (https://gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

8. 

   17 Jan 2026

   Reimagining Family: Andrew Belinsky on Music, Masculinity, and Healing in Community

   In this sixth episode of Ruptures and Roots, Joshua is joined by Andrew Belinsky — musician, facilitator, community builder, and musical mentor. In this conversation, they explore the intersections of rupture, masculinity, and transformation. Andrew shares about the role of community in healing, the importance of initiation and elderhood, and how men’s work offers a pathway toward vulnerability and emotional honesty. Andrew also shares his own journey through divorce and into conscious co-parenting, reflecting on how new paradigms of family and connection can emerge from deep listening and shared care. Joshua and Andrew speak about the shadow side of modern masculinity and how music becomes a vessel for healing, expression, and belonging. The episode closes with a spontaneous musical offering — a reminder of how creativity can carry us through uncertainty and back into the heart of community. Connect with Andrew and learn more about his work at andrewbelinsky.com (http://andrewbelinsky.com) Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe (https://gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

9. 

   20 Dec 2025

   Embracing the Earth: Erin Carper on Somatic Healing, Rites of Passage, and Nature's Wisdom

   In this episode of Ruptures and Roots, Joshua sits down with Erin Carper, an eco-somatic guide and wilderness rites of passage facilitator. Together they explore Erin’s transformative journey from a professional ballet dancer to a somatic healer deeply connected to the land. Through personal stories and reflections, they discuss the power of nature, the importance of rites of passage, and the healing potential of reconnecting with our bodies and the earth. Join us for a heartfelt conversation about embracing life’s ruptures and finding strength in the roots that ground us. Connect with Erin and learn more about her work at erincarper.com (https://www.erincarper.com/) Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe (https://gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

10. 

    22 Nov 2025

    The Gifts of Our Fathers: Adam Tutor on Faith, Ritual, and Sacred Masculinity

    In this fourth episode of Ruptures and Roots, Joshua sits in the circle with Adam Tutor — men’s coach, wilderness guide, and founder of Wild Discipline. Together they trace Adam’s journey from boyhood ruptures and spiritual questioning to his life’s work guiding men through rites of passage that restore connection between fathers and sons. They explore themes of masculinity, faith, vulnerability, and the courage to walk into discomfort as a path of awakening. Through stories of wilderness, ritual, and personal transformation, Adam shares what it means to carry one’s burdens consciously — and when to lay them down in service of love. The conversation culminates with a poetic offering from Adam, calling men to remember their tears as medicine and to bring their gifts down from the mountain. You can find out more about Adam’s work at Disciple of the Wild (https://www.discipleofthewild.com/wild-discipline) Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe (https://gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

11. 

    22 Oct 2025

    Listening to the Living World: Leah Clements on Ceremony, Rupture, and Renewal

    In this third episode of Ruptures and Roots, Joshua sits down with Leah Clements to explore the tender terrain of rupture, ceremony, and transformation. Leah shares her story of undergoing a profound ceremonial experience through her vision fast that reshaped her relationship to self, community, and the living world. Their conversation moves through themes of instability and surrender, the dance between grief and gratitude, and the ways nature mirrors our own cycles of loss and renewal. Together, they reflect on how rupture can open the heart to deeper listening—both to the inner voice and to the world around us. Through Leah’s insights, this episode invites us to honor the messiness of growth, to find beauty in descent, and to remember our belonging within the great web of life. Mentioned in this episode: I, Coronavirus (⁠https://www.bayoakomolafe.net/post/i-coronavirus-mother-monster-activist⁠) by Bayo Akomolafe Gofundme for Palestinian journalist Mahmoud Alshaer (⁠https://www.gofundme.com/f/aid-for-mahmouds-family-amidst-gazas-war⁠) Becoming Unsettled (https://centerforneweconomics.org/events/becoming-unsettled-why-white-virtue-will-not-save-us/): Why White Virtue Will Not Save Us The School of Lost Borders (⁠https://schooloflostborders.org/⁠) Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe (https://gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

12. 

    8 Oct 2025

    Walking with the Night: Josh Harper on Intuition, Grief, and Communing with Nature

    In this second conversation of Ruptures and Roots, Joshua sits down with “soul friend” Josh Harper to explore themes of masculinity, healing, and transformation. Together they reflect on the wounds of anemic masculinity and the possibilities that open when men integrate feminine energy into their lives. Josh shares the Flowering Wand, from the book by Sophie Strand, as a new archetype for masculinity—one rooted in regeneration, growth, and authenticity. Their exchange moves through personal healing journeys, the role of grief as a teacher, and the power of somatic practices, community, and men’s groups in supporting transformation. They also delve into the importance of nature connection—especially night hikes—as a way to deepen intuition, emotional honesty, and spiritual grounding. The conversation culminates in reflections on parenting, vulnerability, and what it means to walk together toward the Great Turning: a shift into regenerative living and authentic relationship with self, community, and the more-than-human world. Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe (https://gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

13. 

    24 Sept 2025

    Leaning into the Darkness: Sungil Fleischman on Healing, Boundaries, and Transformation

    In this first conversation for Ruptures and Roots, Joshua sits down with Sungil Fleischman to explore the ongoing nature of rupture and transformation. Together they reflect on Sungil’s journey of healing from a high-control religious background and the practices that have helped him root deeper into his authentic self. The conversation touches on parts work and Internal Family Systems (IFS), the challenges of navigating relationships and setting healthy boundaries, and how parenting transforms when children are free to express their emotions. From psychedelics and plant medicine to hiking, meditation, and emotional expression, Sungil shares insights into the many ways rupture can become an opening into deeper connection. This episode culminates in reflections on embracing the unknown and recognizing the generational impact of healing work. Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe (https://gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

14. 

    29 Aug 2025

    Ruptures and Roots - Trailer

    In this trailer, host Joshua Swenson introduces Ruptures and Roots — a podcast born from his own journey of healing and awakening. Along the way, he’s met companions with powerful stories of rupture and renewal, and this podcast is a circle for those voices. Subscribe now to hear their stories in upcoming episodes. Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe (https://gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings