Soul Search

Do you ever look around and think, there must be a better way to do life, here? On Soul Search, we’re meeting people asking the big question of how to live well in the world as we find it. We hear from Dr Jonathan Cornford, a political economist on a mission to live more slowly, gently, and simply, and Asher Packman, the current President of Meditation Australia.

Today, an exclusive interview with Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev. He’s a Ducati-riding yogi and spiritual teacher, who has caught the attention of millions worldwide, and there's a lot to discuss — from karma to COVID-19 and politics in India. We also hear from Associate Professor Monima Chadha, an expert on classical Indian thought, to talk about the origins of the concept of karma, and the misconceptions surrounding karma today.

Irrespective of whether or not you are a fan of Lin Manuel Miranda’s musical, Hamilton, it’s a fascinating and provocative take on the early American republic. So what are some of the questions the Musical opens up about religion and the American Revolution?

Once upon a time, Australia was described as 'a workingman’s paradise.' But does that ring true – either in the past, or now? On Soul Search we’re looking at work, and at one of the world’s most influential discussions of it. 130 years ago this month, Pope Leo XIII, put out a statement on capital and labour known as Rerum Novarum, a controversial document, even in 1891, and it had a big influence here in Australia.

How can we live in proper relationships with other species? We often consider environmental questions in terms of science, or perhaps economics or even politics. But what can religious perspectives - like Buddhism - add to the conversation? As the world marks Earth Day on April 22, on Soul Search we're revisiting a conversation with Professor Stephanie Kaza.

The Tibetan Book of the Dead is the most famous Buddhist text in the West, selling more than a million copies since the first English version was published in the 1920s. But why does the book of the dead resonate so deeply with the living? And, in our diverse and often divided world, can different faiths seek peace together? Catholic priest, writer and theologian, Hans Kung passed away recently. We revisit his ideas.

American poet W.H. Auden said that 'poetry, might be defined as the clear expression of mixed feelings.' On Soul Search today, we meet two religious poets. Sara Saleh is an award-winning Arab-Australian Mulsim poet whose attuned to the messiness of life and the ambiguities of faith, and contemporary Sufi master Cemalnur Sargut, who is one of Turkey's leading spiritual teachers.

On this Easter Sunday as Christians remember the death and resurrection of Jesus, we are joined by internationally renowned artist Makoto Fujimura as he reflects on suffering, humanity, time, and creativity. And we travel to the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre in Western Sydney, to take a look at the 66th Blake Prize exhibition — one of Australia’s longest running and most prestigious prizes for religious and spiritual art.

What kind of memory do we need to face an uncertain future? Jewish communities are asking that right now, as they recall the ancient exodus out of slavery in Egypt. Professor Danielle Celermajer reflects on how we might face up to the climate crisis, and African-American and Jewish culinary historian, Michael Twitty, explains how food and memory are inextricably linked.

What does it mean to face up to slavery today? What exactly does slavery look like in the modern world? Were the convicts slaves? And what about Indigenous Australians? Jacob Sarkodee, Chief Impact Officer for the International Justice Mission and Jane Lydon, author of Anti-slavery and Australia: No slavery in a free land? join the program.