The Hoffman Podcast

By Hoffman Institute Foundation

Love’s Everyday Radius... more

4.9

104104 ratings

FAQs about The Hoffman Podcast:

How many episodes does The Hoffman Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 256 episodes available.

Best of The Hoffman Podcast

The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

Number 1: S12e22 (non-grad): Cory Muscara – Life is the Meditation Cushion
“If we imagine fear as this tight fist that says, I’m not going to let go, I need to keep you safe, love comes in as just this warm hug, and it’s like, It’s all right, sweetheart, I’ve got you, you don’t have to hold this burden anymore. And the fear doesn’t want to do this…. It is doing it because it does not believe there is another path for you in order to survive or get your needs met.” – Cory Muscara Cory and Drew Cory Muscara Former monk and down-to-earth spiritual teacher Cory Muscara wraps up Season 12 with a powerful exploration of the lived human experience. Cory is not a graduate of the Hoffman Process, but he has recommended it to many and plans on attending in the near future. The ethos of his work blends beautifully with that of the Process. After a painful relationship breakup in his twenties, Cory began to meditate as a way to support himself. Realizing he wanted to go deeper into meditation, he headed to a monastery in Burma for a 6-month meditation retreat. Truly, it is hard to summarize this conversation. Like life, it must be experienced. You can feel the invitation to soften when in Cory’s presence as he articulates the process of internal healing and self-compassion. Later in the conversation, Drew mentions that a Process is completing just down the hill. He asks Cory what he might tell them. Cory offers a compassionate response to them and ultimately to all of us. He shares that leaving a retreat such as the Process and heading back into life offers us the opportunity to continue the work to heal, realizing that life is the meditation cushion. Life is where the ‘work’ continues. It is also where love can blossom with more ease and grace for ourselves and others. We hope you enjoy this wise and compassionate conversation with Cory and Drew. We’ll see you again in late August when we launch season 13. Thanks for listening and watching. We appreciate you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bgf3BpOFloY Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify More about Cory Muscara: Cory Muscara is a former monk, host of the Practicing Human podcast, and bestselling author of the book Stop Missing Your Life. With over 1.5MM followers across his social media channels, Cory has gained popularity for his down-to-earth teachings on mindfulness, wellbeing, and mental health. Cory has taught mindful leadership at Columbia University, is an instructor in Positive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, and, for the last decade, has offered mindfulness keynotes, workshops, and retreats around the world, helping people find peace and transformation in a chaotic world. Cory’s meditations have been heard more than 50 million times in over 150 countries. His goal is to share wisdom teachings in a practical and accessible way. Discover more about Cory here and find resources here. Follow Cory on Instagram and LinkedIn. As mentioned in this episode: The monastery Cory resided at is Panditarama Hse Main Gon Forest Meditation Center in Burma. Cory’s teacher, Sayadaw U Pandita Sayadaw means “venerable teacher.” Vipassana Meditation. • Vipassana means to “see things as they really are.”• Vipassana meditation is one of India’s most ancient meditation techniques. Walking meditation: • Thich Nhat Hanh on How to Take a Mindful Walk Attunement Internal Family Systems (IFS) • IFS Model, Parts, and Protective Patterns • Richard Schwartz – Listen to Richard on the Hoffman Podcast: IFS & the Unburdening of Self The productivity tool Cory mentioned is ToDoist. C.A.R.E. – Connect. Appreciate. Reveal. Empathize. 19:44 (video), 18:47 (audio) Two levels of pain: Primary and Secondary pain 37:09 (video), 34:40 (audio) Cory’s episode is the first one we filmed at our new Hoffman Podcast Studio at Santa Sabina. We celebrated this inaugural episode with a crew photo. Drew Horning – Host, Cory Muscara – Guest, Julie Daley – Executive Producer, Mike Ingrasci – Director of Marketing, outside the new studio at Hoffman Retreat Center, Santa Sabina.
July 02, 202654min
Number 2: S12e21: Mike Ingrasci – The Gifts That Come With Change
“It was this conversation between three generations — but I was the only one who could speak. Someone wise told me to recognize the gifts that come with change. That was really a gift. There’s a connection there across generations. And that’s really what Hoffman does.” – Mike Ingrasci Drew and Mike/Hoffman Podcast Studio Hoffman’s Director of Marketing, Mike Ingrasci, sits down with Drew to talk marketing, brand, and his Hoffman experience. The son of Raz and Liza Ingrasci, founders of the Institute, Mike’s experience of Hoffman goes way back. He shares, “I think that I got Hoffman a bit through osmosis, whether it was like whispers in the house, teachers who came to visit at dinner, just the way in which my parents raised us as children. …They really let us be kids, and they were protective of that, because they had done the Process, and they knew what that meant.” Raz, Mike, and Leo Since Raz’s passing, Mike has reflected on the gifts that come with change. His friend suggested this as a way through the tough time ahead. Between the day Raz passed away, Dec 31, 2025, and the day of his Celebration of Life in March, Mike and Sara needed to take turns putting Leo to bed. Leo was going through a stage where he didn’t want to be left alone. So every other evening, Mike would lie on the floor by Leo, writing into his Notes app on his phone. One night, he realized that there were three generations linked – father, son, grandson – and only one of them – Mike – could speak. He continued to write the words from this generational connection, eventually sharing them with the over 1500 friends and family gathered. As Mike shares, this is a cornerstone of what Hoffman is about. Aligning and refining Hoffman’s Brand: As Director of Marketing, one of Mike’s goals is to align and refine Hoffman’s brand to accurately reflect the decades of powerful transformational experiences of well over 100,000 Process graduates. When young, Mike had a hard time knowing how to talk about the Process. He knew his parents were ‘helping people,’ and that they loved and wholeheartedly believed in the Process. Once Mike took the Process in 2009, he understood, as a lived experience, what he could never conceptualize. And now, it is perfect that he is the guide for this elevation of Hoffman’s brand into something that reflects what it is and makes it welcoming, understandable, and reflective of its organic coolness. Armed with a mood board, Instagram, and a lifetime surrounded by Hoffman, Mike is crafting an ever-evolving invitation into the profound beauty and magic of the Hoffman Process. For Mike, Brand = Promise + Experience + Reputation. At Hoffman, these three things have always been incredibly strong. The Process delivers on its promise, the experience is transformative, and the reputation speaks for itself. Mike’s approach isn’t about changing any of that…it’s about building the world around it: creating an ecosystem that feels thoughtful, elevated, and welcoming for both people discovering Hoffman for the first time and graduates who continue to engage with it for years. His goal is simple: to make every touchpoint reflect the integrity of the Process, and elevate how Hoffman is experienced and perceived while remaining true to the work itself. We hope you feel the warmth and care of this invitation and conversation. https://youtu.be/OlvZy60Vjkc Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify More about Mike Ingrasci: Liza, Mike, Raz, and Marissa Long before joining the Hoffman Institute as Director of Marketing, Mike Ingrasci was embraced by the Process. His parents, Raz and Liza Ingrasci, served as its stewards for decades. Hoffman was woven into the fabric of Mike’s childhood. Mike earned a BFA from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts before beginning his career as Director of Video at Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp. He joined Barack Obama’s historic 2008 presidential campaign as an intern, then became a key member of the 2012 Obama campaign’s Chicago-based video team. He produced content for the President throughout his successful re-election campaign. This experience reinforced Mike’s belief in the power of storytelling to move people and create change. Leo, Mike, Sara Ingrasci Over twelve years, Mike helped build John Elliott into one of the world’s most respected independent fashion brands. He led sales and brand marketing while helping shape its creative voice. During Mike’s tenure, the brand earned accolades, including GQ’s Best New Menswear Designer, presented runway shows in New York and Paris, and collaborated with globally recognized brands Nike, Converse, Gap, and more. That experience shaped Mike’s approach to marketing: the best stories don’t sell — they connect. Although Mike grew up around Hoffman, the Process itself remained unknown until he attended in 2009. His biggest takeaway? While many of us spend our lives searching for love outside ourselves, we’re ultimately looking for the ability to give more love — and the openness to receive it. This realization underscores Mike’s work, relationships, approach to fatherhood, and the stories he tells. Mike lives in Northern California with his wife, Sara, and their two-year-old son, Leonardo “Leo” James. Leo’s middle name honors Raz, whose lifelong dedication to the human potential movement inspires Mike’s work and belief in the transformative power of the Process. Discover more: Follow Mike on Instagram and Facebook. As mentioned in this episode: Raz and Liza Ingrasci, Founders of the Hoffman Institute Foundation • Liza is the former CEO and President. Raz was a Hoffman teacher and the former Chairman of Hoffman International. Listen to Raz on the Hoffman Podcast: Husband, Father, Son • Liza and Raz Ingrasci’s stated mission: “Our mission is to provide people greater access to the wisdom and power of love in themselves, in each other, and in the world.” Mike filming during the Obama campaign. Mike was drawn to the message of hope and change. Oprah and Raz on the Oprah Podcast Maria Shriver shares her Process experience on the Oprah Podcast. Hoffman on Instagram: Daily 8 am PT Quad checks and 6 pm PT Appreciation and Gratitude posts Inside(r) Baseball New Age Hoffman Process Scholarships Ongoing Hoffman programs: The Q2 three-day intensive: Beyond Mom and Dad Webclasses One-day Refreshers The iPhone Notes App The Ingrasci Family photo, Thanksgiving, 2025 Charles “Raz” James Ingrasci Obituary Video recording of Charles “Raz” Ingrasci Celebration of Life, March 14, 2026 “Look at the hoop, close your eyes, and think of something you love, and it will go through.” – Raz Ingrasci “Love is a renewable resource.” – Raz Ingrasci
June 25, 202631min
Number 3: S12e19: Julie Shapiro – Bubba, Buddha, and a Bench
“It was always in a weird way, I wouldn’t say triggering, but I just didn’t like it. And then by the end, I really did love it. It just felt really heartwarming when different people in the Process, even still, since we all – a lot of us still keep in touch, and they call me Bubba, it makes me smile.” – Julie Shapiro Hoffman grad, Julie Shapiro, found herself at a crossroads. She knew what she wanted to change in herself. Yet, she also felt unable to make that change. There’s change we can make through our choices, and then there’s change that must come from deeper within. The Hoffman Process works in this deeper place within us through the Cycle of Transformation. This is the place where the “magic” of the Process happens. Julie’s story is one of courage, desire, and willingness. She came to the Process with profound scepticism. But she also came with a willingness to fully enter into the Process to allow change to happen within her, even though she couldn’t understand how it would happen. In moments of silence in nature, time with a Buddha, and places where Julie knew she had to go deeper, the “magic” of transformation happened. She gained new insights and saw a deeply rooted pattern. In one moment that allowed her Process to go deeper, Julie realized she had to use the childhood nickname her father had given her on her name tag rather than her given name. She knew that, even though her nickname, Bubba, triggered her, using it would be important. And it turned out to be. As Julie shares, using Bubba “was the real way to connect with my childhood, connect with my parent relationship, work through some things that I may not have had the opportunity to do before he died, and just really connect with him.“ Connecting with her childhood unlocked something deeper within. Hearing fellow students call her Bubba began to bring her joy. Beautiful, ineffable things can happen when you surrender to the Process, as Julie did. We hope you enjoy this heartfelt conversation with Julie and Sadie. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify More about Julie Shapiro: Have you ever known exactly what you wanted to change about yourself — but felt unable actually to make the change? It was at that crossroads that Julie Shapiro signed up for the Hoffman Process. At 42, she felt that certain milestones, like marriage and starting a family, were out of reach. A lifelong New Yorker, she’d recently moved to Los Angeles and unexpectedly lost her dad within weeks of moving. A Stanford graduate, she set impossibly high standards for herself, both personally and professionally. Little Bubba Julie had spent years in therapy, taken meditation courses, and tried other modalities to reduce anxiety. She was self-aware and could name her patterns. But awareness alone wasn’t moving the needle to evoke the changes she wanted. The Hoffman Process was not something she ever would have considered. She expected it to be “woo woo” and couldn’t imagine that a one-week retreat had any long-term benefits. But despite her skepticism, she attended the Process in 2024, hoping it might unlock something within her. The Process did just that. Through the Cycle of Transformation, Julie was able to move beyond her lawyer-trained intellect and tap into her emotional and spiritual selves. She discovered a deeply rooted pattern of living in survival mode — pushing through things that made her unhappy just to achieve the end goal. As the Process week unfolded, she began to believe that a spirit-led life, focused on “being” rather than “having,” was not only possible, but available to her. One year later, in 2025, Julie returned for the Q2 graduate program to deepen her Hoffman toolkit. She is actively reorienting her life around who and what truly light her up — and redefining achievement along the way, from her tangible accomplishments to the person she is becoming. Follow Julie on Instagram. As mentioned in this episode: Hoffman’s Q2 is a three-day program for Process graduates. Early-onset Alzheimers Drew Horning: Julie’s Hoffman teacher and one of the Hoffman Podcast hosts. The Crossword Hoffman Terminology and Tools: Awareness Hell: In the Hoffman Process, when we’re in awareness hell, we know we are aware of our patterns and the things we do that we wish we didn’t, but we are still unable to change. We understand, but feel stuck in this place of hell, even though our awareness keeps expanding. To get out of awareness hell, our work to grow and transform must include three additional steps for change to take place. These three steps are Expression, Compassion, and New Ways of Being. All four make up the Cycle of Transformation. The Cycle of Transformation: The four steps in the cycle are Awareness, Expression, Compassion, and New Ways of Being. All four make up the Cycle of Transformation. Be-Do-Have vs. Do-Have-Be: The life we long for comes from Be-Do-Have; the life we are taught we should strive for comes from Do-Have-Be. Recycling/pre-cycling is a tool and a practice for receiving wisdom from your own Spiritual Self, which gives you qualities that lead you directly to new behavior, authenticity, and the freedom to respond rather than react to patterns. You replace a pattern with an authentic quality of your Spiritual Self and embody that quality. You create new behavior from this embodiment. When recycling, you use a scene from your recent past when you acted out the pattern. In pre-cycling, you use an imagined scene when you act out the pattern at some point in the future. Your Spiritual Self ultimately guides you on how to BE so that you DO what supports your being and HAVE what you need to support your living. Read about Dark Side work in the Hoffman Q2.
June 11, 202639min
Number 4: S12e17: Markus Bihler – Intelligence Below the Neckline
“At the very end, we’re all the same, and we want the same thing, which is we want to feel like we’re worthy of love and belonging.” — Markus Bihler Markus Bihler | Chairman, Hoffman South Africa The Chairman of Hoffman Institute South Africa, Markus Bihler, is a different person than he was before taking the Hoffman Process. One beautiful outcome of his Process was the journey he made from his head to his heart. Markus spent 35-plus years of his life as a “medical anomaly,” namely, “as somebody who had a head but no body.” He lived in his intellect. During the week of his Process, Markus cried more than he had ever cried in his adult life. Calling it a “liberating experience,” he now knows that all emotions are legitimate and have a reason for being. And he found deep empathy for young Markus, which led to empathy for his family and people in general. After his Process, not only did Markus change, but his life changed, too. He and his wife, Angelina, moved home to South Africa. Once there, one of the first things he did was look for a Hoffman grad group. When he realized there was no Hoffman Institute South Africa, he and Angelina rolled up their sleeves to create one. They have opened and now run the Hoffman Institute in South Africa. They held their first Process this past Spring. Using powerful metaphor and analogy, Markus shares his experience and knowledge of the Process in ways that bring its gifts into clear focus. He also speaks to the business side of Hoffman. For Markus and Angelina, the ‘business’ of Hoffman is not to make money. It is to “provide scale for this Process to permeate further into the world.” Their expertise and enthusiasm for the Process’s growth are helping to bring Bob Hoffman’s vision, “world peace, one person at a time,” more fully into reality. Listen on Apple Podcasts More about Markus Bihler: Markus and Angelina Bihler Angelina and Markus Bihler have started the Hoffman Institute South Africa, based in Cape Town, where they live with their two young sons after a global career in tech and finance, respectively. Markus Bihler is a director, investor, and former CEO with a background spanning global consumer and investment businesses. He has worked across Europe, Southeast Asia, and international markets, including leading two successful CEO-led exits and founding a global long/short hedge fund focused on consumer equities. Earlier in his career, he was with Blackstone and EQT in private equity. Markus is a graduate of Oxford University and a Professor of Finance at the University of Cape Town. Follow Markus on LinkedIn. Find out more about Hoffman South Africa’s upcoming Process dates here and their global press coverage here, and follow them on Instagram. As mentioned in this episode: Hoffman Institute UK • Serena Gordon and the UK team • Serena on the Hoffman Podcast: The Treasures of Your Past Read more about the new China Hoffman Center. • Rao Rao, Hoffman China teacher, on the Hoffman Podcast: Across the World, We Share the Same Humanity Matt Brannagan, CEO of Hoffman Institute. • Matt on the Hoffman Podcast: Our New CEO for Hoffman 3.0, Communities of Meaning Read more about Bob Hoffman, founder of the Hoffman Process. Raz Ingrasci, Founder of the Hoffman Institute Foundation, USA. • Raz on the Hoffman Podcast: Husband, Father, Son • Raz and Marissia Ingrasci on the Hoffman Podcast: Spiritual Lineage and the Hoffman Process Hoffman South Africa Process venue: • Mont Fleur Conference Venue in the heart of the Stellenbosch winelands. Nestled in the Blaauwklippen Valley, Mont Fleur is a small, family-run venue. read more…
May 28, 202631min
Number 5: S12e16: Tyson Fok – Wisdom, Wonder, and the Question of ‘Why?’
“Wisdom is a little bit more than just knowledge or experience; it’s a felt sense of truth and what reality is, and it’s a very tricky thing, because no one really has the final say on some of these things.” – Tyson Fok When philosopher, designer, innovative creator, and Hoffman Process grad, Tyson Fok, tells his story, he weaves together his life experiences with his joyful pursuit of wisdom, an open sense of wonder, and a deeper quest for understanding. In doing so, he reveals a thoughtful retelling of a dynamic life path. There are many powerful threads to this conversation with Tyson and Sadie. What stands out is Tyson’s way of navigating the world and relationships with his fellow human beings. Since he was young, Tyson has explored his curiosity and sense of wonder. The question of ‘Why?’ has been at the heart of this exploration. He came to the Hoffman Process in 2019, having completed a ten-day silent retreat prior. Tyson touches on multiple outcomes from his Process. One is a deeper relationship with his wife. Another is the desire to leave awareness hell and venture into an active exploration of turning his ideas into reality. And a third is a profound understanding of his parents’ stories, separate and together, which helped him express his appreciation and love for them. Tyson shares, “My mother is an immigrant from Macau. My father’s family is from Hong Kong. And it’s such a different reality than what I grew up with. And to understand their story, where they came from, has given me just a whole different level of appreciation of my life. That was a huge shift for me that came out of Hoffman.” After the Process, and during COVID, Tyson decided to start a podcast. Eventually, his podcast morphed into what it is now, Mixtape Memories. The podcast has blossomed into a physical card game and an app. We hope you enjoy this wise and wonderful exploration of the question of ‘Why?’ with Tyson and Sadie. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify More about Tyson Fok: Tyson Fok is an interior designer, podcast host, and creative producer working at the intersection of space, story, and human connection. His design practice centers on creating environments that are not only visually compelling, but deeply aligned with the lives people want to live—spaces that function as both backdrop and catalyst for meaningful experience. He is the creator of Mixtape Memories, an ongoing storytelling project that explores identity through the music that shapes us. Through its podcast, Songversation card game, and companion app, the project invites people to reflect on their lives through song—transforming personal memory into a shared language of connection. Across his work, Tyson is driven by a core question: how do we design for a more intentional, connected life? This inquiry extends beyond interiors into the gatherings and communities he builds. As a community and event organizer, he creates spaces—both physical and social—where people can engage more honestly with themselves and each other, often blending elements of storytelling, design, and facilitated conversation. His approach is interdisciplinary but precise: remove noise, surface what matters, and design environments—whether a room, a conversation, or an experience—that make those priorities tangible and actionable. Follow Tyson on Instagram. As mentioned in this episode: The Mormon Church The Boy Scouts, now called Scouting America Japanese Buddhist Temple in Sebastopol, California 10-Day Meditation Retreat: This is usually a reference to a Vipassana Meditation retreat taught by S.N. Goenka. Awareness Hell: At the Hoffman Process, when we’re in awareness hell, we know we are aware of our patterns and the things we do we wish we didn’t do, but we are still unable to change. We understand, but feel stuck in this place of hell, even though our awareness keeps expanding. To get out of awareness hell, our work to grow and transform must include three additional steps for change to take place. These three steps are Expression, Compassion, and New Ways of Being. All four make up the Cycle of Transformation. Mixtape Memories: Mixtape Memories is an ongoing storytelling project that explores identity through the music that shapes us. This is Water, David Foster Wallace’s Commencement Speech A Songversation Game Mixtape Memories App 1980’s Culture Mixtape MTV Macau Hong Kong Peace Piece, by Bill Evans • Listen to Peace Piece
May 21, 202634min