The Being Human Podcast with Richard Atherton

▶️ Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardatherton-firsthuman/   Can energy healing be measured? And if so, what does it mean for medicine? In this episode of Being Human, I speak with Dr. Shamini Jain, founder of the Consciousness and Healing Initiative (CHI) and one of the leading scientific voices bridging mind-body medicine and biofield science. Drawing on controlled laboratory studies on cells, tumors, animals, and humans, Dr. Jain explains why the evidence for biofield mechanisms can no longer be dismissed as placebo or wishful thinking.   We explore how ancient healing practices map onto modern physics, why the biomedical model struggles with subtle energy, and what a paradigm shift in healthcare could look like. This conversation sits at the frontier where science, spirit, and healing converge. We discuss: Evidence beyond placebo What “biofield” actually means Cancer and cell line studies Why medicine must evolve Links: Dr. Jain’s Website

▶️ Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardatherton-firsthuman/   What if love isn’t just an emotion — but the deepest truth of reality itself? In this episode of Being Human, I speak with Dr. Stephen G. Post — bioethicist, medical humanities professor, and founder of the Institute for Research on Pure Unlimited Love. Drawing on decades of work in medicine, neuroscience, spirituality, and ethics, Stephen explores love as a lived practice, not a vague ideal.   Stephen shares extraordinary stories from medicine, caregiving, near-death research, and neuroscience, including a striking insight: pure unlimited love may be the first thing we encounter when life ends. We explore why modern education and culture often strip meaning from life, how service transforms suffering, and what it means to live aligned with a deeper calling.   A profound conversation about love, purpose, and what truly matters.   We explore: Following your calling All are suffering Love tough vs the 'carefrontation' Addressing the Nature Deficit Disorder Pure unlimited love in the workplace Links: The Institute for Research on Pure Unlimited Love Stephen’s Website

▶️ Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardatherton-firsthuman/   Is modern education preparing us for the world we’re actually living in? Or is it accelerating our collapse? In this episode of Being Human, I’m joined by Jim Garrison, founder of Ubiquity University, to explore why today’s education system may be failing humanity at the deepest level.   Jim argues that Western education prioritises left-brain development: memorisation, analysis and knowledge acquisition, while neglecting ethics, inner growth, and wisdom. Drawing on philosophy, systems thinking, and decades of institutional leadership, he explains how this imbalance fuels ecological destruction, political instability, and moral drift. We explore what a new educational paradigm could look like. It includes somatic, creative, and experiential learning, along with the development of our rationality. Ultimately, it focuses on pursuing the good, the beautiful and the true.    We discuss: Why memorisation replaces wisdom Education’s role in global crises The loss of ethics and values What transformative learning requires Jim is a brilliant orator and true pioneer of a new educational paradigm. Links: Uniquity University

▶️ Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardatherton-firsthuman/   What happens when a high-flying executive loses himself in the pursuit of success? Breaking down in a bar with his CEO became the turning point for rebuilding his entire leadership philosophy on compassion? In this episode, Nigel Kilpatrick shares his remarkable journey from burnout, toxicity, and emotional collapse to becoming a leading voice for compassionate leadership.   Nigel reveals how confronting his own behaviour and facing multiple health crises reshaped his understanding of work, responsibility, and what people truly need from leaders today. He explains why compassion is not “soft,” but a strategic and measurable foundation for performance, culture, and wellbeing.  He shares why organisations that ignore it risk losing both their people and their purpose.   We dive into his book The Ten Traits of a Compassionate Leader, his creation of the Compassion Exchange, and his mission to transform workplace culture from fear-driven to human-centred.   We cover: From toxic leadership to self-healing Compassion as a business strategy Why empathy alone isn’t enough Building cultures rooted in trust and honesty Links: The Ten Traits of a Compassionate Leader - The Book The Compassion Exchange  

▶️ Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardatherton-firsthuman/   What does it really mean to live in balance — not by escaping pain, but by transforming how we meet it? In this episode of Being Human, filmmaker and Tai Chi teacher George Thompson shares his journey from anxiety, self-doubt, and overthinking to presence, spaciousness, and embodied awareness. After travelling to the Wudang Mountains in China to study Tai Chi and Daoist philosophy, George discovered a radical shift: “To hurt is to be human. Balance is possible. Practice is the path.”   We explore how ancient wisdom meets modern life, and how spirituality becomes actionable, grounded, and deeply human.   We cover: - Turning up at the wrong temple - Scrolling Reddit on the Sacred Mountain - Materialism vs dualism vs panpsychism - The role of compassion and connection in leadership Oh, to have so much wisdom so early in life! George is a treat. Links: George’s Website Taoist Wellness Online