The Garrison Institute Presents: The Common Good

How can we create a future rooted in interdependence rather than isolation? In this episode of Inner Works, Gretchen Steidle speaks with Norma Wong, a Native Hawaiian Zen master, experienced political leader, and author of Who We Are Becoming Matters. Norma explores kuleana, the Hawaiian concept of mutual responsibility and stewardship, and how reconnecting with ourselves, each other, and the natural world can transform how we understand social change. She challenges us to look beyond systems change alone and cultivate the communities, practices, and relationships needed to navigate a time of profound disruption. From forest bathing and sharing food to collective action, Norma offers practical wisdom for moving from individual effort toward collective thriving and reminds us: “Let’s not get stuck.”

We’d love to hear your thoughts about the podcast, please send us a note at podcasts@garrisoninstitute.org to let us know what you think.

Produced by The Garrison Institute and The Podglomerate.

What if the greatest prison isn't made of concrete, but of the unconscious patterns we carry within ourselves? Susan Olesek, founder of the Enneagram Prison Project, and EPP ambassador Alex Senegal join Gretchen Steidle to explore how self-awareness, compassion, and the Enneagram are transforming lives inside prisons and beyond. Together they discuss the relationship between trauma, personality, and behavior, the power of psychological safety, and why healing begins by recognizing our innate goodness. Alex also shares his extraordinary journey from gang involvement and incarceration to becoming a leader helping others find freedom from within. This conversation offers a hopeful vision for criminal justice reform, personal transformation, and the role inner work can play in creating healthier individuals, stronger communities, and lasting systems change.

We’d love to hear your thoughts about the podcast, please send us a note at podcasts@garrisoninstitute.org to let us know what you think.

Produced by The Garrison Institute and The Podglomerate.

In this special bridge episode, Steve Varley, Managing Director of the Garrison Institute, introduces a new chapter in the Institute's podcast story. Reflecting on the themes explored in "The Common Good" with Jonathan F.P. Rose, Steve welcomes Gretchen Steidle, director of Garrison Institute's Spirituality and Social Change initiative, as the host of the forthcoming "Inner Works" series. Together, they explore the origins of the Conscious Change Collective, a global initiative mapping organizations that integrate contemplative practice, spirituality, and personal transformation into social change. Gretchen shares her own path into inner work, explains what the Collective has uncovered about the field, and offers a preview of four remarkable conversations that explore how inner transformation can become a catalyst for lasting systems change.

We’d love to hear your thoughts about the podcast, please send us a note at podcasts@garrisoninstitute.org to let us know what you think.

Produced by The Garrison Institute and The Podglomerate.

In this episode, Jonathan F.P. Rose speaks with Samir Goel, co-founder and co-CEO of Esusu, about reimagining credit, expanding financial inclusion, and building an economy that works for everyone. Samir shares his journey from the son of Indian immigrants to leading a billion-dollar fintech company helping millions of renters build credit and unlock economic opportunity. Together they explore the hidden power of credit scores, the role of trust and community in financial systems, housing affordability, and stakeholder capitalism. This conversation offers a hopeful vision for creating wealth, strengthening communities, and advancing the common good through thoughtful innovation and systems change.

We’d love to hear your thoughts about the podcast, please send us a note at podcasts@garrisoninstitute.org to let us know what you think.

Produced by The Garrison Institute and The Podglomerate.

What does it mean to flourish—not as isolated individuals, but as members of a living web of relationships? In this episode, Indigenous scholar, contemplative researcher, and author Yuria Celidwen explores the wisdom traditions that have shaped her work on collective wellbeing, ecological belonging, and kinship with the more-than-human world. Drawing from her Maya Tseltal heritage and decades of research bridging Indigenous contemplative sciences and Western scholarship, Yuria reflects on language preservation, ancestral knowledge, the healing of historical harms, and the responsibilities we owe future generations. Hosted by Garrison Institute co-founder Diana Calthorpe Rose, this episode examines the principles behind Yuria’s groundbreaking book Flourishing Kin and consider how Indigenous perspectives can help us reimagine belonging, stewardship, and the transformation our world urgently needs.

We’d love to hear your thoughts about the podcast, please send us a note at podcasts@garrisoninstitute.org to let us know what you think.

Produced by The Garrison Institute and The Podglomerate.