Ruptures and Roots

Conversations on the moments when the world cracks open, and the life that emerges in the ruins.
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We are living in unprecedented times — of rupture, unraveling, and transformation. In Ruptures and Roots, 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. gospelsofrupture.substack.com

Episodes

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

    23 May

    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 Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe

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

    25 Apr

    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/ Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe

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

    21 Mar

    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 Recommended Reading: The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe

    1hr 23min

  4. 21 Feb

    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

    54 min

  5. 17 Jan

    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 Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe

    1hr 5min

  6. 20/12/2025

    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 Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe

    1hr 13min

  7. 22/11/2025

    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 Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe

    1hr 6min

  8. 22/10/2025

    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 by Bayo Akomolafe Gofundme for Palestinian journalist Mahmoud Alshaer Becoming Unsettled: Why White Virtue Will Not Save Us The School of Lost Borders Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe

    1 hr
  9. Walking with the Night: Josh Harper on Intuition, Grief, and Communing with Nature

    08/10/2025

    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

    59 min
  10. Leaning into the Darkness: Sungil Fleischman on Healing, Boundaries, and Transformation

    24/09/2025

    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

    58 min
  11. Ruptures and Roots - Trailer

    29/08/2025

    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

    2 min
  • 11 Episodes

About

We are living in unprecedented times — of rupture, unraveling, and transformation. In Ruptures and Roots, 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. gospelsofrupture.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Conversations on the moments when the world cracks open, and the life that emerges in the ruins.
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Gospels of Rupture
  • Show Website
    Ruptures and Roots

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