Veriditas Leadership Podcast

Lauren Borden

Welcome to the Veriditas Leadership podcast, where we believe leadership is a spiritual path. Together we’ll bridge the divide between the practical and the spiritual, the conscious and the unconscious, and mind, body, and spirit, all to support you in deepening your growth so that you can create the impact in the world that only you can have. Stay tuned for raw and real conversations that will help you expand your consciousness as a leader, create massive inner shifts, and come home to yourself.

  1. #30 The Cup and the Water: Austin Walker on Grounded Masculinity

    May 24

    #30 The Cup and the Water: Austin Walker on Grounded Masculinity

    In this profoundly grounding episode of the Veriditas Leadership Podcast, Dr. Lauren Borden sits down with Austin Walker, a men's coach, guide, and community leader, to explore the often misunderstood landscape of men's work and intentional masculine leadership. Austin shares his personal evolution from living an unexamined life that looked crisp and clean on the outside, yet felt hollow and disconnected on the inside, to awakening to a path of deep purpose and emotional integrity. Together, they unpack the alchemy of the "cup and water," illustrating how a grounded masculine structure serves as the vital, steady vessel required to safely hold the flowing life force of the feminine. Moving beyond surface-level wellness, Austin illuminates the unique grit required to navigate this path as a man of color, highlighting the compound interest of inner work and the tragic reality of those who remain unaware that such transformative spaces even exist. Delving into the modern epidemic of male loneliness, they describe societal conditioning as a cage locked from the inside. Austin candidly addresses how this profound isolation leads men to unknowingly overburden their romantic partners, and why true emotional regulation and sexual polarity cannot be achieved in a silo, it requires the honest, loving reflection of a dedicated brotherhood. It is a powerful invitation to redefine what it means to be a trustable leader, reminding us that discovering exactly who we are is the ultimate antidote to a hollow existence. In This Episode, We Explore: The alchemy of the "cup and water" and how to embody a grounded, trustable masculine structure The profound lack of rites of passage in Western society and the courage required to consciously claim your initiation Why relying solely on a romantic partner for emotional processing destroys sexual polarity and breeds resentment Expanding your nervous system's capacity to hold space for conflict without collapsing into defensiveness The compound interest of inner work and how access to conscious community fundamentally alters your life's trajectory This Episode Is For You If: You are a man yearning for an authentic, deep brotherhood but feel trapped by the surface-level connections of everyday life You are a woman seeking to intimately understand the internal landscape, societal conditioning, and unspoken burdens of the men you love You default to avoidance in your intimate relationships and want tangible tools to cultivate safety and trustability You feel aimless or disconnected from your core mission and are ready to claim a fully expressed, purpose-driven life If this conversation resonates with your spirit, please share it with a man in your life who you deeply care about. For men of color seeking a transformative brotherhood, Austin's BIPOC community, The Man Cave, is currently offering a complimentary two-week trial to experience the power of the space. Applications are also open for their upcoming Leadership Intensive Retreat taking place October 23rd to 26th in James Creek, Pennsylvania.  To step deeper into this work or to connect directly with Austin, visit austinwalkercoaching.com or follow him on Instagram at @iamcoachaustinwalker.

    1h 9m
  2. #29 Remembering the Garden Pt. 2

    May 8

    #29 Remembering the Garden Pt. 2

    We stand at a critical threshold, navigating the complexities of healing our past while actively birthing a new way of living.  In this continuation of their deep dive, Dr. Lauren Borden welcomes back her co-facilitator and soul sister, Chelsea Rose-Cotton, to further explore the profound teachings of The Beauty Way and what it looks like in daily practice. Moving beyond the theoretical, this episode unpacks the tangible grit required to live in deep intimacy with all facets of life, from the simple magic of frothing your morning coffee to discovering the heartbreaking beauty hidden within unbearable grief. Lauren and Chelsea delve into the challenging but necessary work of lineage healing, inviting us to hold both the harm our ancestors caused and the resilience they passed down, not as a heavy rock, but as a "joyful burden" and a living amends. It is a reminder that we are intricately connected to each other, our ancestors, and the Earth, and that remembering this connection is the ultimate antidote to our collective suffering. In This Episode, We Explore: The grit of The Beauty Way and its echoes across diverse mystic traditions Finding joy in the mundane and expanding your capacity for grief Using bodily responses like disgust or anxiety as portals for deeper healing Lineage healing and holding ancestral harm and strength as a joyful burden The difference between contracting fear and awe-inspiring fear Why holding opposing truths and paradox is a vital leadership skill Tending to your inner child to unlock sacred rage and compassion The illusion of separation and the urgent need to remember our interconnectedness This Episode Is For You If: You want tangible, grounded ways to embody a purpose driven life You are exploring your ancestral lineage but feel unsure how to navigate its complex history You want to trust the unseen and follow the emergent nudges of your soul You default to hyper-independence and want to soften into the safety of community You are ready to lovingly integrate all parts of your humanity If this conversation resonates, share it with someone walking their own threshold. And if you feel called to step deeper into sacred leadership and collective remembrance, stay connected. Applications are now open for the next Beauty Way retreat, taking place May 21st to 24th in Bend, Oregon. This season is just beginning. Links & Resources: Remembering the Garden: ⁠https://rememberingthegarden.com/⁠Work and teachings by Megan Waterson (Christian mysticism reference)

    1h 9m
  3. #28 Remembering the Garden

    Apr 24

    #28 Remembering the Garden

    In this conversation, I sit down with my dear friend and co-creator Chelsea Cotton to explore what it really means to remember—not intellectually, but in our bodies, our lives, and our way of being. Together, we open up a different path of leadership, one rooted in soul, intuition, and deep listening rather than control, strategy, or hustle. We talk about the creation of the Beauty Way and the Garden—not as something we built from a plan, but something that revealed itself through trust, surrender, and relationship with the unseen. If you’ve been craving a different way to live, lead, or create—one that feels more alive, more true, and more connected—this episode will meet you there. In This Episode, We Explore: Why so many of us are living disconnected from our own sacrednessThe difference between creating from control vs. creating from deep listeningWhat it actually looks like to trust emergence in your work and lifeReclaiming spirituality as something that includes your full humanity—not bypasses itThe Beauty Way as a path of remembrance, not achievementHow ancient “technologies” already live within your bodyWhy community is essential—not optional—for healing and transformationThe deeper meaning behind “the Garden” and what it represents for our future This Episode Is For You If: You feel like something in your life isn’t fully aligned—but you can’t quite name whyYou’re craving a more intuitive, soul-led way of living or leadingYou’re navigating a transition and want clarity without forcing controlYou’ve felt disconnected from spirituality—or constrained by itYou’re longing for deeper connection: to yourself, others, and the Earth Links & Resources: Remembering the Garden: https://rememberingthegarden.com/Work and teachings by Megan Waterson (Christian mysticism reference)

    54 min
  4. Feb 25

    #26 Sacred Warriorship: Leadership at the Threshold of 2026

    We are living through a threshold. Old systems are shedding. Illusions are dissolving. Something sacred is asking to be remembered — and defended. In this opening episode, Lauren explores leadership as sacred warriorship: not positional power, but embodied, spiritual, courageous action in service of what is holy in our lives and in our world. Drawing on initiatory wisdom, the symbolism of the year of the snake, Christian mysticism, and ancient teachings on the heart as a portal to the soul, this episode is an invitation to stop waiting and step forward. If you’ve felt the grief of what is ending and the pull of what is being born, this conversation is for you. In This Episode, We Explore: The symbolism of shedding and why thresholds require sacrificeWhat it means to place something on the altar in order to walk through a portalLeadership as warriorship for the sacredWhy waiting is no longer neutralThe buried wisdom of Christian mysticism and the heart as the seat of the soulHow shifting from fear to love changes how we leadA simple heart-centered breath practice to ground you in clarity and courageThis Episode Is For You If: You feel called to lead in a different wayYou sense that something in your life needs to be releasedYou are navigating grief, change, or identity shiftsYou want leadership rooted in embodiment and spiritualityYou believe ancient wisdom has something to offer this momentIf this conversation resonates, share it with someone walking their own threshold. And if you feel called to step deeper into sacred leadership and collective remembrance, stay connected. This season is just beginning.

    31 min
  5. #25 From Production to Performance

    11/14/2024

    #25 From Production to Performance

    In today’s episode, we’re excited to dive into the world of high performance with our guest, David Namm, an award-winning human performance and leadership coach. Having coached hundreds of high performers from Fortune 500 corporations, David joins us today for a deeply insightful conversation on the importance of creating a life that energizes us and aligns with our highest purpose. Tune in as we explore the journey of tapping into our innate potential and the courage it takes to be assertive in one's purpose. We talk about the key difference between high performance and high productivity, challenging conventional measures of success by clarifying what it means to truly show up in the world. Don’t miss out as David shares the crucial mindset shift that allows us to overcome seemingly impossible challenges without breaking a sweat. With our guest’s uniquely profound approach to life, this episode is a treasure trove of practical advice to breaking off old habits and entering into a new stage of life as our most enlightened selves. Key Takeaways: 1. How high performance can come naturally to anyone 2. Tapping into the spiritual aspect of productivity 3. How to unlock a level of performance that creates a legacy 4. Answering the call to be a coach 5. Recognizing our purpose for being alive 6. The value of high performance versus high productivity 7. Facing life challenges with the question of “How?” 8. Learning how to be present in order to truly show up 9. Designing your life to be value-aligned 10. Getting out of your own way - trusting your effort For more of David: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidnamm1/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidnamm  Website: https://www.thec-suitecollective.com/davidnamm  Book Mentioned Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear: https://www.amazon.com/Big-Magic-Creative-Living-Beyond/dp/1594634726

    1h 11m
  6. #24 Reignite Your Spark: The Power of Identity in Overcoming Burnout with Nephi Niven

    09/19/2024

    #24 Reignite Your Spark: The Power of Identity in Overcoming Burnout with Nephi Niven

    In today’s episode of the Veriditas Leadership Podcast, we’re excited to hear from Coach Nephi Niven who has spent over a decade helping visionaries and organizations achieve incredible success and exceed all expectations. As a leader in the field of executive coaching, Nephi is well-known for his unique approach to guiding others in the art of balancing life, work, authenticity, and purpose. Today’s conversation tackles the rise of burnout in modern workplaces - and what this means for our overall well-being. With the glorification of hustle culture and workaholism, it’s no wonder most people possess a skewed sense of self-worth and identity that values professional titles and productivity over anything else. To combat burnout, Nephi walks us through his tried-and-tested formula to handling burnout that asks us to reevaluate our relationship with work and grounding ourselves in what truly matters in life. Tune in as Nephi shares his profound philosophy on the need to stay connected with our most truest self, especially developing a unique and authentic identity outside of work. Key Takeaways: 1. Nephi’s philosophy of the beauty of work 2. The very real dangers of suffering from burnout 3. The dysfunctional nature of workaholism in today’s society 4. Nephi’s system for working through burnout 5. Developing a positive narrative of yourself outside of work 6. Understanding your perspective of work through the process of meaning-making 7. The problem with over-identifying with your job 8. How the end of burnout can lead to a new beginning 9. Finding transformative healing within community 10. How curiosity can change your life For more of Nephi: Website: https://www.coachnephi.com/  Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/nephiniven_executivecoach/

    57 min
  7. #23 Becoming a Rooted Renegade with Rebecca Arnold

    08/29/2024

    #23 Becoming a Rooted Renegade with Rebecca Arnold

    In today’s episode, we’re thrilled to sit with Rebecca Arnold, a Professional Certified Coach and founder of Root Coaching & Consulting, a holistic leadership coaching firm. Known for her compassionate yet straightforward approach, Rebecca has worked with renowned mission-driven leaders in sectors such as education, medicine, law, and social impact. Today, we’re talking about her latest book, The Rooted Renegade: Transform Within, Disrupt the Status Quo & Unleash Your Legacy, which talks about tapping into our repressed passions and creating a path for ourselves to become truly exceptional. Our discussion centers on the importance of individual work as a catalyst for broader community impact. We challenge the idea that self-development should be solely individualistic as our own personal evolution can contribute to a larger movement of positive change that benefits not just ourselves, but also those around us. Rebecca shares key insights from her experiences such as learning how to navigate moments of crisis and turning them into opportunities for significant personal transformation. By approaching them with mindfulness and a willingness to grow, we can turn breakdowns into breakthroughs, emerging stronger and more aligned with our true purpose. Key Takeaways: 1. Eliminating the barrier of access to resources and knowledge on coaching 2. Why it’s time to disrupt the status quo 3. What is existential peace and how can it change the world? 4. The consequences of ignoring our purpose and potential 5. Where to start finding your inner calling 6. The power of semantic practices in understanding ourselves better 7. Learning how to consciously manage our emotions 8. How to be fully present with others without being overwhelmed 9. Rebecca’s powerful exercise for practicing forgiveness 10. Navigating breakthroughs during our breakdowns   For more of Rebecca: Website: https://www.rootcoachingconsulting.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rootcoach/ Book: https://www.therootedrenegade.com/book/p/country-feast-set-3nybt-ap8x2

    1h 4m

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Veriditas Leadership podcast, where we believe leadership is a spiritual path. Together we’ll bridge the divide between the practical and the spiritual, the conscious and the unconscious, and mind, body, and spirit, all to support you in deepening your growth so that you can create the impact in the world that only you can have. Stay tuned for raw and real conversations that will help you expand your consciousness as a leader, create massive inner shifts, and come home to yourself.