BALLOON explores the big questions and mysteries of life and our spiritual existence with humour, awe and lighthearted seriousness.
I started this podcast as a pure experiment, in response to a conversation with my teenage son. I asked, “What would you most like to hear on a podcast? What would you stop your life to listen to?” His answers delighted me: What is going on here? What is the purpose of human life? Why are we here? How should we use our emotions? What about life after death?
BALLOON is response to those questions (and more!). Let’s be clear: BALLOON is a Response- a joyful exploration into deep mysteries of life - not a summary of answers. I don’t subscribe to the notion that we should chase after answers the way we have been taught to do in school. Because answers, if we aren’t careful with them, most often close down our pathways to awe and wonder. And I believe it is in the realms of real AWE where we become truly open to new thoughts, ideas and inspirations. It is in that space of open wonder that we can become enlightened and connected to feelings and registrations of the unknown, deep, mysterious parts of ourselves and this place of our existence. I wholly believe the quest for awe is much more important than the quest for answers.
And so, BALLOON began with one simple experiment. One episode. I gave it to my son to listen to and he said: “WOW. Mom, this is really good. I was totally locked in. You should do this. You should start a podcast. People would want to listen to this.” Now there’s a way to inspire a mother! So, I recorded another episode, still with no idea where it might go. I sent it to a few friends and asked if they would have a listen. The feedback was amazing, very encouraging, asking for more. So I kept going. And before you knew it, there were 15 episodes.
Most interesting for me about the whole thing, was how buoyant it was. How freeing. How thought provoking. The process was alive and vibrant. It’s like the task of recording these switched on some light in my mind, causing me to see things and notice things. And most fascinating, it seemed that it was doing that to the people who were listening too. There was what I called the “Surround sound” of this experiment- profoundly interesting, open conversations sparking with my friends and with the people who had started listening. One enthusiastic friend shared it with her friend and suddenly I had feedback coming from across the world, from someone I had never even met. Very electric! The podcast was having an effect on us, and it was bright, light, inspiring, fun and free.
Before long there were some hurdles to overcome. What is this? Where to put it? Is this actually going to “Be something” or just be a little small thing shared with a few friends? What is it’s name? Should I promote it somehow? And there was a question that inspired much debate: Do I actually need to introduce myself? Yes, I really tried to squirm out of that one, eventually choosing a ‘stage name’, which you will soon discover if you listen! I wasn’t really sure what to do with the growing pile of recordings. But some very keen listeners urged me: “Put it online. Do it. It’s great! Keep going! We are loving this. It’s unique and fresh. You should find out if others want to hear it by sharing it, otherwise you will never know!”
And so, here it is. From the very first episode on-wards. Unedited. As it happened. If you want to listen from the beginning you will hear how it unfolds very organically. If you want to just launch in and choose an episode, be my guest! There is most definitely not a ’right way’ to listen!
I have a personal motto I wrote for myself: I WANT TO BE A LIVE BEGINNING, NOT A DEAD END.
Putting BALLOON out there is most definitely a live beginning! Let’s see where it goes.
I am most curious about your responses and where this takes you. Please reach out to [email protected]
And Please, if this inspires you - Tell 2 Friends!
THANK YOU!
ENJOY!