Be Alive with Kate Manser

Kate Manser
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There’s more to aliveness than just breathing. It’s a verb, an intention, a feeling. Kate Manser has spent the past decade studying life, death, consciousness, and transcendence. Be Alive with Kate Manser unveils profound insights on the art of being alive — how to be bold, creative, loving, and authentic. Join Kate and her guests to go beyond existing and hop on the ecstatic, fulfilling ride of being truly alive.

  1. MAY 12

    The Ultraview Effect: What Space Reveals About Being Alive | Deana Weibel

    For as long as I can remember, I have been obsessed with the Overview Effect. It's a huge shot of awe, perspective, reorientation of priorities, and gratitude. I believe feeling alive is one way to get a micro Overview Effect without flying to space. So when I came across space anthropologist Deana Weibel and her work on The Ultraview Effect, I knew I had to have her on the show. Deana has been studying astronauts for decades. She's interviewed them all and researches the psychological and spiritual impacts they experience in their work. While NASA research prioritizes physical risks like radiation and microgravity over emotional and spiritual impacts, Deana's doing the work to research the psychological effects. Her discovery? Space exploration shapes meaning-making around awe, humility, spirituality, and the unknown. But the Ultraview Effect and the Overview Effect are not the same thing. Weibel contrasts the overview effect (seeing Earth from space, often inspiring environmental concern and a sense of shared humanity) with the ultraview effect (seeing deep space/star fields in true darkness, producing disorientation and profound intellectual humility). The keyword there is HUMILITY. The conversation in this episode connects awe to mortality awareness, beginner’s mind, and the practices us non-astronauts can use to cultivate The Ultraview Effect right here on Earth. The Ultraview Effect: Awe, Humility, and What Space Reveals About Being Alive 00:00 Embrace Not Knowing 01:19 Meet Deana Weibel 03:19 Vastness and Ritual Awe 07:32 Space and Spirituality 10:35 Why This Matters Now 14:32 Overview Effect Explained 21:13 Ultraview Starfield Awe 24:42 Disorientation and Denial 29:24 Research Gaps at NASA 33:07 Ultraview Impacts and Humility 39:36 Beginners Mind and Curiosity 42:05 Humility as Superpower 43:16 Sailing Humility Lesson 45:11 Awe Makes Better Humans 49:42 Practicing Humility Daily 55:45 Mortality And Meaning 01:02:33 Grief And Creative Grace 01:09:22 Aliveness As Ecosystem 01:13:20 Book Plug And Next Project 01:18:05 Season Two Teaser About Deana Weibel Deana Weibel is a Professor of Anthropology at Grand Valley State University and a leading voice in the study of human experiences of space exploration. Her work explores how astronauts and space professionals make meaning of awe, humility, and the unknown. She is the author of The Ultraview Effect: What We Can Learn from Astronauts About Awe, Humility, and Exploring the Unknown, which examines how looking out into deep space can transform the way we understand ourselves and our place in the universe. Through interviews, fieldwork, and storytelling, she brings a deeply human perspective to the future of space travel. Get Deana's New Book: 30% off for listeners of Be Alive with Kate Manser The Ultraview Effect: What We Can Learn from Astronauts about Awe, Humility, and Exploring the Unknown Listeners can receive 30% off The Ultraview Effect through the University of California Press website using the code UCPSAVE30 Book link: https://www.ucpress.edu/books/the-ult... *** Thanks for being alive with me. ️⚡️ Come find me in the wild: Instagram: www.instagram.com/thealivekate TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@thealivekate www.katemanser.com Once a week, I’ll text you a nudge to help you feel alive wherever you are, on any ordinary day. Text ALIVE to 512-898-7850

    1h 19m

  2. APR 6

    Celeb Hair & Fashion Icon RICKY HODGE | Be Unapologetically Yourself

    Life's short — so you might as well look good and be completely, unapologetically yourself while you're here. That's the energy Ricky Hodge brings to every room, every client, and every inch of his maximalist wardrobe. And in this episode, he brings it to you. 2025 Haircut of the Year winner Ricky Hodge is a celebrity hairstylist, fashion icon, and one of the most authentic humans I've ever sat across from. He pivoted into cosmetology in his late 30s after selling his grandparents' real life ‘Schitt’s Creek’ motels. Today, he has a roster of high-profile clients and at 57 years old, has amassed a social following closing in on 1M. His personal brand is so distinctive it basically has its own gravitational pull. This conversation is an instruction manual for anyone who wants to be more themselves — and hasn't quite given themselves permission yet. In this episode: ✂️ We talk about the wild pivot that started it all and what "all in" actually looks like when you're terrified. Ricky shares how his original signature look back in the day — bow tie, suspenders, mustache — was never just aesthetic. It was strategy. It attracted exactly the clients he wanted and repelled the ones he didn't. 🏆 We get into the 80/20 truth about success: only 20% is skill. The rest is how you show up — your energy, your presentation, the way you treat people. 🫀 Ricky opens up about coming out later in life, what it cost him and what it gave him, and why staying selective with your inner circle is an act of self-respect. 🤑 He talks raising his prices, knowing his worth, and why mentoring peers is part of how he defines a life well-lived in his profession. 💅 And yes — we talk maximalism. Not just as a fashion philosophy, but as a full life stance. Own your vibe. Take up space. Be the most YOU version of you. No holds barred. Mic drop moments throughout. This one will stay with you. Timestamps 01:21 A wild career pivot at 35 06:19 The all-in mindset 07:28 Signature style as personal branding 10:55 Authenticity and change 14:19 A 10-year Power Move 15:55 Nerves and courage 22:12 Real influencer values 26:32 Soul decisions and self-love 31:07 Lessons from Ricky’s momma 33:32 Truth-teller parenting 39:15 Know your WORTH as a service provider 40:23 Raise your prices $$$$$$$$$ 46:56 Go above & beyond 51:09 The MAXIMALISM mindset 54:52 Love what you do or don’t do it 57:06 OWN YOUR VIBE Follow Ricky Hodge Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rickyhodge/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rickyhodge Website: www.rickyhodge.com Get his merch: https://rickyhodge.bigcartel.com/ *** Thanks for being alive with me. ⚡️ Come find me in the wild: Instagram: www.instagram.com/thealivekate TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@thealivekate www.katemanser.com Once a week, I’ll text you a nudge to help you feel alive wherever you are, on any ordinary day. Text ALIVE to 512-898-7850

    1 hr

  3. MAR 29

    Voice:Vision:Visibility - Your Creative Liberation | Ayesha Ophelia

    This one’s for the people yearning to be FREE. Where are you bound? Which set(s) of golden handcuffs keep you stuck? Ayesha Ophelia is one of my favorite spiritual guides and digital creators. She makes me feel like I am capable of more. She helps me feel my inner fire. What she won’t do is make you feel 100% comfortable all the time. If you’ve got a dream but have been feeling apathetic or like you’ve lost the plot on it, listen to this episode. Ayesha makes living your most vibrant and expressed life INEVITABLE. We bonded over our shared love of Incubus, we talk about her Golden Handcuffs exercise, and she offers a 2-step process to starting down your most wild and wonderful dream path. IN THIS EPISODE: ➖ Spirituality as subtraction 🔮 The importance of somatic intuition 🍒 Novelty-based pattern interrupts 🛠️ How to build your “architecture” to support your dreams Timestamps 01:34 Incubus “Warning” IYKYK 04:06 “Harmonicity” Music Oracle 08:15 Audacity and Inner Genius 10:28 Body Terrain and Subtraction 15:31 Why You Need Novelty & Pattern Interrupts 22:09 Mortality and How I feel my Mom after her death 24:49 The Golden Handcuffs Exercise 31:17 WHO are your Dream Tenders? 33:58 Trusting Your Somatic Intuition 37:18 Dancing With Fear 37:42 The Addiction to Disassociation 38:40 The Egypt Purge Story 41:29 Devotion Over Achievement 46:34 ALIVENESS & “Brushes With Life” 50:54 Birthday Trauma and Transformation 55:37 Closing Reflections About Ayesha Ophelia Ayesha Ophelia is an author, guide, and spiritual provocateur. She’s the founder of Humanities The Unlearning Portal, a hybrid classroom altar where seekers gather to learn, teach, and transform. She works at the crossroads of creativity, myth, and embodiment, and her latest creation, The New Romantics, is a sound based divination system now available wherever books are sold. Ayesha’s Top 3 Areas of Expertise Creativity & Mythic Expression The intersection of art, intuition, and ritual. Turning imagination into embodied practice. Helping people find their voice, their story, and their creative identity. Transformation & Unlearning Somatic, spiritual, and psychological frameworks for shedding old identities, dissolving conditioning, and stepping into a deeper, more sovereign self. The Unlearning Portal, Vessel, and your teaching style all live here. Divination & Soul Technologies Systems of knowing that bypass the mind. Music as oracle. Dreams as maps. Archetypes, Gene Keys, nature, symbols, and sound as pathways into self revelation. The New Romantics sits at the heart of this. Follow Ayesha Ophelia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ayeshaophelia/ Website: https://www.ayeshaophelia.com Get her book: The New Romantics: The Art of Musical Divination https://www.amazon.com/New-Romantics-Art-Musical-Divination/dp/B0D86Z3HRK FREE GIFT The Vessel Devotional Field Guide: Get oriented to what wants to flow through you https://societyofwildhearts.myflodesk.com/pzgan4syiu *** Thanks for being alive with me. ⚡️ Come find Kate in the wild: Instagram: www.instagram.com/thealivekate TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@thealivekate www.katemanser.com Once a week, I’ll text you a nudge to help you feel alive wherever you are, on any ordinary day Text ALIVE to 512-898-7850

    59 min

  4. MAR 23

    'Original sin is a lie'...but THIS is our real common thread | Bob Peck

    Bob Peck thinks the doctrine of original sin is a lie...a later institutional add-on. He argues instead that we're not inherently flawed -- we are inescapably loved. His ‘volcano’ metaphor for how spiritual insight can harden into institutional religion really hit me. We explore cyclical growth, “I am” language across traditions, a Swami Vivekananda quote on inner divinity, Robert Jay Lifton’s 5 modes of symbolic immortality, and non-duality’s view of material life as dreamlike. Bob describes practices that foster presence—writing, service, mindfulness, and humility—his interfaith “buffet” approach and his work on the Awareness and Compassion Project for schools. Bob’s big question these days for external and internal obstacles is, "can I just love my way out of this?" I challenge you to ask yourself that today. Is there some way you can love yourself out of what’s getting under your skin? Timestamps 00:30 Meet Bob Peck 01:22 Eastern wisdom on mortality 04:31 How to love the full spectrum of being alive 06:12 Original Sin Reframed 08:30 Volcano metaphor of religion 11:29 How to keeping the spark alive 15:02 The “I Am” reading of the Bible - on inner divinity 19:46 Bob reads from a mystical baseball card 21:57 The 5 modes of Symbolic Immortality (from Robert J. Lifton) 24:57 Mysticism And Nonduality 31:51 Alive Moments & presence 33:21 Awakening through small shifts 35:34 Service, creativity & humility 37:05 The Four Yogas Paths 40:14 “Buffet Line” Spirituality 46:30 Nondual beliefs - loosely 49:40 Can I just love my way out of this? 55:04 Loving Your Enemies Practice 57:31 Bob & his work About Bob Peck Bob Peck is an author, filmmaker, and mindfulness teacher exploring the thread of mystical wisdom that runs through all traditions. His book Original Sin Is a Lie argues we're not inherently fallen—we're inherently good. He's just a billboard pointing toward the masters. Follow Bob Peck Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobpeck/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iambobpeck TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iambobpeck Website: linktr.ee/bobpeck Get his book: Original Sin Is A Lie: How Spirituality Defies Dogma and Reveals Our True Self https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62338778-original-sin-is-a-lie *** Thanks for being alive with me. ⚡️ Come find me in the wild: Instagram: www.instagram.com/thealivekate TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@thealivekate www.katemanser.com Once a week, I’ll text you a nudge to help you feel alive wherever you are, on any ordinary day. Text ALIVE to 512-898-7850

    57 min

  5. MAR 8

    Use Spiral Movement to Come Alive | Ting Ting Guan

    After following Ting Ting’s work for a year, I am so excited to feature her on the show! Ting Ting’s GuanJing Method is aliveness in motion. This episode is for those who have been feeling stuck, stagnant, and lacking a sense of vitality. Or perhaps you’ve been feeling that your yoga or running practice isn’t making you feel as alive and strong as it used to. Ting Ting Guan’s GuanJing Method is a spiral-based practice at the intersection of Qigong, yoga, dance, and Chinese medicine. Ting Ting and Kate dive into how stress and disconnection show up in the body, how spiraling movement helps release energetic blockages, and how softness, play, and rest can coexist with real strength in both personal healing and how we show up in the world. Key takeaways 🌊How to keep emotions from getting stuck in your body 🌀What’s so special about spiral, dynamic body movement 🏵️How to feel strong in your softness and vulnerability 👯Why vitality lives in presence and play Timestamps (01:11) Meet Ting Ting Guan (02:26) The Birth of the GuangJing Method (07:09) Transformation Story (10:08) Understanding Stuck Emotions (17:29) Managing Disassociation and Emotions (22:49) Embracing Vitality and Aliveness (27:59) Overcoming Self-Judgment (28:53) The Power of Breath and Movement (30:14) Building Confidence Through Dance (31:19) The Michelangelo Approach to Self-Discovery (33:21) The Significance of the Spiral (37:45) Balancing Softness and Strength (46:04) The Future Vision for Guang Jing Method (48:26) Upcoming Retreats and Opportunities (53:11) Embracing Rest and Fun (55:06) Conclusion and Future Plans Engage with Ting Ting Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/one.with.soul/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@guanjingmethod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@guanjingmethod Website: https://www.guanjingmethod.com/ Connect with Kate Manser www.instagram.com/thealivekate www.katemanser.com Be immersed in living an alive life. Get Kate’s weekly text: Text ALIVE to 512-898-7850 Thanks for being alive with me ⚡️

    56 min

  6. FEB 25

    The Life & Death Storyteller: Niki DiGaetano

    Niki is a death doula, writer, designer, and backpacker who came to death work following a career and existential crisis in 2019. By day, she works in design and copywriting. By night and by passion, she helps her clients tell the stories of their and their loved ones' lives. She also helps the bereaved navigate loss through individual grief support sessions. In her free time, she is working on a book that explores death's transformative call to live - and how that call once saved her life - all set against the story of her 900 mile hike on the Appalachian Trail. Additional information about her death doula practice and her upcoming book can be found at numbered-days.com Key takeaways 🪴Grief never just “goes away”—we grow around it, learning to hold loss over time. 👯‍♀️Support from others, including professionals and peer mentors, is invaluable in heavy times. 🌅There’s no set timeline for healing; everyone’s process is different and deserves respect. 🌊Expressing grief and seeking validation helps counter shame and unnecessary suffering. 🥾Embracing uncertainty and “wandering” is essential both in recovery and in everyday life. Timestamps (00:00) Introduction and Personal Reflections on Mortality (01:10) A Journey into Death Work (02:43) Early Life and Career Path (04:01) The Turning Point: Discovering a New Path (08:09) Volunteering and the Birth of a Death Doula (11:28) Blending Passions: Graphic Design and Storytelling (16:44) Personal Transformation and Overcoming Darkness (19:12) The Appalachian Trail Adventure (29:17) New Beginnings in Utah (30:52) Transition to Death Doula Work (31:26) Starting Grief Support (32:55) The Power of Letting Go (37:43) Lessons from Grief Work (45:31) Embracing the Wandering (53:38) The Importance of Pattern Disruption (57:34) Concluding Thoughts on Aliveness (01:02:29) Closing Remarks and Future Plans Engage with Niki Visit Niki's grief support website to learn more or book sessions: numbereddays.com Subscribe to Niki’s newsletter (writing + grief insights): https://nikielle.substack.com/ Connect with Niki on Instagram: @numbereddays.doula What are your top 3 topics & areas of expertise? - Grief work/support/education: no, you're not "crazy" for not being "over" the death of your loved one after 2.5 months. It's neuroscience. - Legacy and storytelling: how to document and capture your stories, your loved one's stories, and why it matters. - Death's call to Live: we are impermanent. Everything and everyone we love is impermanent and will die someday. Sound morbid? It's not. It's a way to laser-focus your priorities, get clear on priorities, and enhance your relationships. Connect with Kate Manser www.instagram.com/thealivekate www.katemanser.com Be immersed in living an alive life. Get Kate’s weekly text: Text ALIVE to 512-898-7850 Thanks for being alive with me ⚡️

    1h 4m

  7. 11/17/2025

    A Mouse Living in my Engine & Slowing Down for Winter | Stories [Solo Episode]

    A quick life update with some reflections on the year, a Kate versus Mouse story, and what's going on in my world for the rest of 2025. I hope it brings you a laugh and some reflections for your own life. As always, sending you lots of love with every episode. Coming up on 50 episodes of Be Alive with Kate Manser 🥳 Subscribe & share this show - let's spread the ALIVENESS in 2026 and beyond. ⚡️ Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome and Life Update 01:09 Nomadic Lifestyle Reflections 03:56 2025 Personal Growth Project: Cutting Some Cords 07:17 Pajamas almost died but she is alive! 09:52 The Mouse was Living in my Engine 15:17 My Winter Experiment: Can I still be productive if I turn down my intensity? 20:03 Winter Travel Plans and Final Thoughts

    22 min

  8. 11/03/2025

    Be Unshakeable - Haters, Confidence, & Resilience | Juls Bindi

    Juls Bindi is an entrepreneur on fire. Featured on one of the funniest episodes of Shark Tank, a former celebrity massage therapist, inventor, and author...Juls has been on the receiving end of a lot of haters throughout her journey. What do you do when you get death threats online, lawsuit threats, and people making fun of you? Listen to this episode to hear Juls' take on how to manage online and offline resistance to you, your business, invention, book, outfit - whatever. Juls Rule #1: Not everyone will like you or your product. In this episode, learn: ✅ How to make better decisions in business and in life ❤️‍🩹 The 1 essential element to emotional freedom and breaking generational trauma 🧒 How to build children’s emotional intelligence 🔁 How to see yourself as an evolving work of art rather so you can grow and realign over time. (01:08) Introducing Juls Bindi (03:02) My 1st Invention (04:48) Going Viral and Shark Tank Success (07:07) Handling Criticism and Death Threats (10:00) Personal Growth Through Adversity (15:22) Forgiveness and Childhood Trauma (23:04) Empathy and Breaking Generational Trauma (29:35) Empowering Children with EQ Kid Books (32:21) Discovering Life Lessons (33:52) A Life-Altering Divorce (34:46) The Birth of a Children's Author (36:34) Rebuilding a Business (42:37) Embracing Emotional Intelligence (44:12) The Power of Forgiveness (48:34) Living a Vibrant Life (57:38) Final Thoughts and Gratitude 🌐 Engage with Juls Attend Juls Bindi’s "Unshakeable" Zoom coaching sessions held first and third Thursday of each month, donation-based: www.eqkidbooks.com (under the "Unshakeable" section) Explore and purchase Juls’s children’s books, including My Body, My Rules and related activity/coloring books at www.eqkidbooks.com Instagram: @julsbindi Website: www.eqkidbooks.com ⚡️ Connect with Kate Manser www.instagram.com/thealivekate⁠ www.katemanser.com⁠ Be immersed in living an alive life. Get Kate’s weekly text: Text ALIVE to 512-898-7850 Thanks for being alive with me ⚡️

    1h 1m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

There’s more to aliveness than just breathing. It’s a verb, an intention, a feeling. Kate Manser has spent the past decade studying life, death, consciousness, and transcendence. Be Alive with Kate Manser unveils profound insights on the art of being alive — how to be bold, creative, loving, and authentic. Join Kate and her guests to go beyond existing and hop on the ecstatic, fulfilling ride of being truly alive.

Information

  • Creator
    Kate Manser
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    49
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    ©Kate Manser and Highline House, 2024
  • Show Website
    Be Alive with Kate Manser

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