Navel Gazing

I find this podcast to be a great reminder to slow down and pay attention to life. I’ve replayed season one 4 or 5 times and each time I’m inspired to be a bit more present. I love johns writing/wording. Excited for season two.

John’s Navel Gazing is the podcast equivalent of the great American classic books of years past. It often seemed like listening to a modern Steinbeck novel. It’s at once deeply thoughtful and at the same time delightfully lighthearted. In an environment where everything is turned up to an 11, it’s refreshing to spend some time listening to insightful, yet leisurely meandering thoughts. I hope there’s a season 2. I think we could all use more of something like this.

The term “navel gazing” doesn’t have to be pejorative. It derives from the Greek “omphaloskepsis,” to describe a meditative practice of focusing on the navel in contemplating the mysteries of the universe (the umbilicus being, after all, a sort of portal to our past and to the infinite, by which we all came into being). This is just one of the many fascinating trivia you can pick up from listening to John Dickerson ruminating on this podcast in conversation with various past John Dickersons. It is a wonderful thing.

I love this podcast and the way John offers insights with such grace and humility. What a model for decency and wisdom, especially in this time. Thank you!