Cosmic Intelligence Podcast
Exploring philosophy (Western and Vedic), consciousness, cosmology, spirituality, and technologies in the broadest sense—technologies of the sacred, of transformation, and of the mundane. Hosted by Chad.
About the Podcast
Welcome to Cosmic Intelligence, a podcast that explores the world through spirituality, from a grounded and clear-eyed perspective. We talk about ways to expand consciousness, the importance of feeling our feelings, and how to lean into fear. Sometimes we have guests.
I’m your host, Chad Jayadev Woodford, a master yoga teacher, cosmologist, lawyer, product manager and technologist.
Recent Episodes (from Newest to Oldest)
I am relaunching my podcast with a new name and a broader focus! Starting this week on this same feed, the show will be called Cosmic Intelligence and explore fundamental questions about philosophy, artificial intelligence, consciousness, cosmology and what it means to be human in this new age. We will delve into philosophical ideas, spiritual practices and reflections on how technology is shaping the human experience.
This week I talk to Hilary Jackendoff, a yoga nidra and meditation teacher and trainer, and Human Design coach. In this episode, we talk about Yoga Nidra, states of consciousness, how Hilary came to the spiritual path, the importance of rest, making spiritual practices accessible, ashram life, and being seen by the Divine.
This week I discuss discernment: What it is, why it’s important, how it can prevent ridiculousness, why that matters, and how to increase our discernment.
In this episode, we talked about the ways in which the concept of wellness is distorted and unhealthy, and how, for us to truly heal as a country and a humanity, we need to examine our intentions, motives, and prejudices relentlessly so we can truly build community and transform collectively.
My podcast guest this month is Schuyler Brown, a futurist, facilitator, coach, teacher of embodiment and meditation, and a writer.
In this month’s episode, we approach plant medicine from a yogic perspective. And we explore how yoga and sacred plant medicine are complementary practices with a long-standing symbiotic tradition; how yoga can be a powerful preparatory and integrative practice when working with plants; and how yoga can also be a powerful alternative to working with plants—not everyone needs to work with plants.
In this episode we explore the role of fear and forgiveness on the spiritual path, utopian communities and the importance of community, giving people tools for living through the kind of elevated entertainment that Adam produces, the power of following your heart, how to build spiritual resilience, and much more.
Inspired by people like Daniel Pinchbeck, who have been so critical of spirituality, I mount a full-throated defense of spirituality, first acknowledging the pitfalls and shortcomings. Spirituality for me is a holistic worldview and set of practices that make us more relevant and impactful in the world, instead of more escapist and checked-out. Authentic spirituality is becoming a spiritual scientist, making us more discerning, not more out-of-touch.
My podcast guest this week is Meghan Kemp. We discuss holistic yoga, ashram life, the role of a guru, cults, enlightenment, and Jyotish.
We live in what seems like the denouement of the age of reason. We feel separate and alienated in a world bereft of meaning. Astrology can be a remedy for that alienation and emptiness. To see why and how, I explore the history of science and European reason, depth psychology, and quantum physics.
In this inaugural episode of Spiritual But Not Ridiculous I attempt to define spirituality, explain the title, and talk about the themes and topics I will be exploring on future episodes…
In this episode, Chad explores a scientific theory of consciousness first put forth by Nobel Laureate Roger Penrose and Dr. Stuart Hameroff in the 1990s called quantum consciousness. This unorthodox, yet-scientific theory proposes that consciousness arises out of highly coordinated quantum processes occurring in the cells of the brain. This theory combines quantum mechanics, relativity, neuroscience, cognitive science, molecular biology, and philosophy.