LivingToBe – When Faith Stops Working

Reino Gevers
  • 5.0 (10)
  • Religion & Spirituality
  • Updated Biweekly

LivingToBe explores what happens when inherited beliefs no longer carry the weight of lived experience. Through reflective conversations and grounded spiritual inquiry, each episode engages the deeper questions that arise when life no longer fits old certainties. This is a space for those who sense that meaning, faith, and purpose cannot be reduced to doctrine or belief alone — but must be discovered through experience. Especially in the second half of life, LivingToBe invites a shift: from fixed beliefs about identity, life, and purpose to direct engagement with the sacred within.

  1. 21h ago

    The Words We Live By: How Language Shapes Your Mind, Body and Relationships

    What if the words you use every day were shaping your health, your relationships, and the way you see the world? In this episode, I explore the surprising science behind language — from a landmark study linking angry, hostile speech on social media to higher rates of heart disease, to research showing how a lifetime of reading may protect the ageing brain. We'll look at why leaders who normalise belittling language give everyone else permission to do the same, why mantras and prayer have endured for thousands of years, and why choosing curiosity over contempt, or compassion over blame, isn't just a nicety — it may be one of the most powerful things you can do for your wellbeing. This isn't about banning negative words or pretending everything is fine. It's about noticing the vocabulary you live inside of, and asking: what kind of emotional climate am I creating — for myself, and for the people around me? #LivingToBe #PowerOfWords #Mindfulness #WellbeingPodcast #Neuroscience #Language #MentalHealth #Resilience #Reading #Mindset #HealthyAgeing #PsychologicalScience #Podcast More Information: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.reinogevers.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://reinodiary.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribing to Letters from the Threshold⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Books:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sages, Saints and Sinners⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Deep Walking for Body Mind and Soul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Walking on Edge: A pilgrimage to Santiago⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  2. Aug 30

    What Happens When You Die? Lessons from the Threshold of Life

    What if facing death could teach us how to live more fully? In this deeply moving episode of LivingToBe, I speak with Catherine Duncan, author, chaplain, ordained minister and long-time companion to the dying. Catherine’s journey began at just ten years old, when she was diagnosed with childhood cancer. That early encounter with mortality led her into a private life of prayer and a profound awareness of the preciousness of life. Years later, a near-death experience while whitewater rafting changed the course of her life and ultimately led her away from a successful career in advertising and toward theology, spiritual direction and hospice care. Catherine has since accompanied hundreds of people through the final stages of life, as well as several members of her own family. Along the way, she has witnessed something remarkable: as people approach death, many of the things they once believed were important begin to fall away. What remains, she says, is love and forgiveness. In our conversation, we explore some of the deepest questions we can ask: What actually happens as we approach death?What might lie beyond this life?Can the dying teach us something about the soul and consciousness?What do people most regret leaving unresolved?And what can death teach us about how we should live today? Catherine's work offers a powerful reminder that death need not be something we simply fear or avoid. If we are willing to face it, it may become one of our greatest teachers. Because ultimately, this conversation isn't only about dying. It's about learning how to live. #LivingToBe #CatherineDuncan #WhatHappensAfterDeath #DeathAndDying #NearDeathExperience #LifeAfterDeath #Spirituality #Consciousness #Soul #EndOfLife #Hospice #GriefAndLoss #MeaningOfLife #LivingFully #Purpose #SpiritualJourney #Mindfulness #Love #Aging #LivingToBePodcast More Information: https://www.catherineduncan.org/ Book: Everyday Awakening

    What Happens When You Die? Lessons from the Threshold of Life

  3. Aug 23

    The Helicopter is Still There: Are You Listening to the Warnings?

    What if the warnings you keep waiting for are already the message? In this episode of LivingToBe, I revisit an old story about Angelo, a man who refuses to leave his home during a devastating flood because he trusts that God will save him. A neighbour comes. A fire engine comes. A rescue worker comes. Finally, a helicopter arrives. Angelo refuses every offer of help—and ultimately drowns. The story is funny on the surface, but beneath it lies a profound question: How often do you fail to recognise the help, warnings and opportunities that are already in front of you? Walking through Wandsworth Common during another extraordinary European summer, I found myself noticing the dry grass, struggling trees and exhausted wildlife—and thinking about how nature communicates with us through patterns, seasons and change. This is not simply an episode about climate change. It is about faith, listening, uncertainty, and the courage to question what we think we know. Perhaps faith is not about waiting for someone to rescue us. Perhaps faith means having the wisdom to recognise the helicopter when it arrives—and the courage to climb aboard. What is life trying to tell you? #LivingToBe #FindingPurpose #ClimateChange #Faith #Spirituality #Nature #Mindfulness #Wisdom #PersonalGrowth #PurposeInLife #DeepWalking #ClimateAwareness #LifeLessons #Listening #InnerWisdom #Resilience #ConsciousLiving ⁠Subscribing to Letters from the Threshold⁠⁠⁠ More Information: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.reinogevers.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://reinodiary.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Books:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sages, Saints and Sinners⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Deep Walking for Body Mind and Soul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Walking on Edge: A pilgrimage to Santiago⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  4. Aug 14

    Train Like an Athlete, Live Like a Champion: Dr. Jack Groppel on high performance

    Dr. Jack Groppel spent his career translating elite athletic training into principles anyone can use. A Hall of Fame coach, scientist, and cofounder of the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute, he's spent decades showing business leaders, healthcare professionals, and organizations worldwide that peak performance isn't about pushing harder — it's about managing energy well. In this episode, we talk about what sport science can teach us off the field: how elite athletes train their energy, and what the rest of us can borrow from that to work better, feel better, and live with more purpose. #HumanPerformance #EnergyManagement #PeakPerformance #Leadership #Wellbeing #SportsScience #Podcast #LivingToBe #PersonalDevelopment #Mindset More Information Dr. Jack Groppel's book: Mountains Within https://noboringbooks.com/books/mountains-within/ Website: https://jackgroppel.net/

    Train Like an Athlete, Live Like a Champion: Dr. Jack Groppel on high performance

  5. Aug 9

    The Art of Conscious Living | Ulrich Schaffer on Love, Loss and Inner Peace

    For more than five decades, poet, photographer, andbestselling author Ulrich Schaffer has invited millions of readers to slow down, embrace life's uncertainties, and discover the sacred hidden in ordinarymoments. In this inspiring conversation, we explore the differencesbetween religion and spirituality, the gifts of solitude, caring for a loved one through dementia, aging with grace, and why a meaningful life begins withpaying attention. If you're searching for more presence, hope, and authenticity, this episode offers gentle wisdom for the journey. More Information: Website: https://www.ulrichschaffer.net/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Ulrich-Schaffer-100044312745416/ #LivingToBe #UlrichSchaffer #ConsciousLiving #Mindfulness#Spirituality #Poetry #Purpose #Grief #Hope #AgingWell #PersonalGrowth#InnerJourney

    The Art of Conscious Living | Ulrich Schaffer on Love, Loss and Inner Peace

  6. Aug 2

    The Obstacle Is the Way: Why Your Greatest Challenges May Be Your Greatest Teachers

    Have you ever reached a goal only to wonder, "Is this all there is?" In this episode of LivingToBe, I reflect on one of the most important lessons I learned after walking the Camino de Santiago. I thought the journey ended when I arrived in Santiago. Instead, I discovered that the real pilgrimage began when I returned home. Together we'll explore why success alone rarely brings lasting fulfillment, why so many people feel trapped climbing the wrong ladder, and why the obstacles we try hardest to avoid often become the very experiences that shape our character, deepen our resilience, and awaken a greater sense of purpose. Drawing on personal experience, insights from workplace wellbeing, and the wisdom of philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, this episode offers a different way of looking at work, retirement, adversity, and the search for meaning. Perhaps the challenge you're facing today isn't standing in your way. Perhaps it's showing you the way. Reflection Question:When you look back on your own life, did your greatest growth come from the seasons of comfort—or from the challenges you once wished would disappear? #LivingToBe #Purpose #MeaningOfLife #PersonalGrowth #CaminoDeSantiago #Pilgrimage #Resilience #SpiritualJourney #Mindfulness #ContemplativeLiving #WorkplaceWellbeing #Retirement #SelfDiscovery #LifeLessons #OvercomingChallenges #InnerJourney #SpiritualGrowth #ConsciousLiving Subscribing to Letters from the Threshold⁠⁠ More Information: ⁠⁠⁠www.reinogevers.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://reinodiary.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Books:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sages, Saints and Sinners⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Deep Walking for Body Mind and Soul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Walking on Edge: A pilgrimage to Santiago⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  7. Jul 19

    What You Lose When You Stop Reading

    Fewer than half of American adults read a single book in 2022. Reading for pleasure has nearly halved in twenty years. Behind those numbers is a deeper story: What happens to a mind, and a democracy, when it loses the habit of sitting with a difficult idea for three hundred pages? In this episode, Reino traces the line from deep reading to deep thinking: how following a long argument builds the same muscle we need to resist slogans, hold nuance, and imagine lives unlike our own. He returns to a small town in rural KwaZulu-Natal, to a teacher named Andy Towert who could make a room fall silent with the toss of a leather bag, and to the books — King Solomon's Mines, The Pilgrimage, Anam Cara — that quietly redirected the course of his life. A reflection on reading, attention, and what a post-literate society stands to lose. #LivingToBe #LettersFromTheThreshold #WhyWeRead #DeepReading #Attention #Literacy #Empathy #Democracy #Pilgrimage #CaminoDeSantiago #ContemplativeLife #Bibliophile #SlowLiving #Storytelling ⁠Subscribing to Letters from the Threshold⁠ More Information: ⁠⁠www.reinogevers.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://reinodiary.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Books:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sages, Saints and Sinners⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Deep Walking for Body Mind and Soul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Walking on Edge: A pilgrimage to Santiago⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  8. Jul 9

    The Crisis We Don't Talk About

    Turn on the news, and you'll be told the crisis of our time is politics, inflation, or AI. But beneath all of it, Reino Gevers argues, runs something deeper: a crisis of meaning. In this episode, he traces the return of tribalism from South Africa to Europe to the US, asks why anxiety and loneliness keep rising even as material life improves, and makes the case for wonder over certainty. Along the way: cicadas outside his window in Mallorca, Romans 1:20, Rabbi Schneur Zalman on the soul's longing for home, and a favorite line from Boris Pasternak on how transformation actually arrives — quietly, not dramatically. #LivingToBe #SpiritualCrisis #Tribalism #Wonder #ContemplativeLife #Mysticism #Purpose #Presence #Spirituality #Podcast #InnerLife #LettersfromtheThreshold #reinogevers Subscribing to Letters from the Threshold More Information: ⁠www.reinogevers.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://reinodiary.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Books:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sages, Saints and Sinners⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Deep Walking for Body Mind and Soul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Walking on Edge: A pilgrimage to Santiago⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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LivingToBe explores what happens when inherited beliefs no longer carry the weight of lived experience. Through reflective conversations and grounded spiritual inquiry, each episode engages the deeper questions that arise when life no longer fits old certainties. This is a space for those who sense that meaning, faith, and purpose cannot be reduced to doctrine or belief alone — but must be discovered through experience. Especially in the second half of life, LivingToBe invites a shift: from fixed beliefs about identity, life, and purpose to direct engagement with the sacred within.

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