Making Meaning: Deep Conversations on Life, Purpose, and The Human Experience

Why are we here? What's the meaning of life? What's the meaning of your life? Exploring these mysteries often results in more questions than you began with. So how do we move forward living meaningful lives? Making Meaning by The Cohere Collective explores this exact question. Every other week, host Reese Brown interviews a new guest about how they have chosen to live their life in a meaningful way. We hope that through these stories you can explore how you have, and can, make meaning in your life. Let's make meaning together. We are so glad you're here!

Making Meaning: Deep Conversations on Life, Purpose, and The Human Experience is a education podcast hosted by The Cohere Collective, with 91 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

The Cohere Collective hosts Making Meaning: Deep Conversations on Life, Purpose, and The Human Experience, a education show with 91 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #83

  Finding the Lesson in Every Trigger: You Owe it to Yourself to Heal with Tracy Smaldino

  Aug 26, 20261h 41m

  Trauma is something we all experience and are called to integrate and grow through, and no one’s journey exemplifies this strength of the human spirit more than Tracy Smaldino. ****CW: SA, Physical Trauma, Car Accidents A near-death auto accident at 12, group sexual assault at 15, and a lifetime of repression and suppression led Tracy to a moment where she realized it was time to start living life on her terms. From meditation and reflection to MDMA therapy, Tracy has dedicated her life to herself and her healing and now uses her story, authenticity, and compassion to help others feel heard and supported in their own journeys. Tracy embodies what it means to be a survivor, and a true Trauma Rock Star, which also happens to be the name of her podcast! In this episode of the Making Meaning Podcast, hear more about Tracy, her journey, and how she built a life, not defined by her trauma, but defined by her resilience. Learn about Tracy’s Work: https://traumarockstars.com/#about Listen to Trauma Rock Stars: https://traumarockstars.com/ Work with Tracy: https://traumarockstars.com/#offers Follow Tracy: https://www.instagram.com/traumarockstars/ https://www.tiktok.com/@trauma.rock.stars?lang=en https://www.facebook.com/people/Trauma-Rock-Stars/61577768623272/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfF2mjPEQcXMepzlntQmCow Follow The Cohere Collective: https://www.instagram.com/thecoherecollective/ https://www.tiktok.com/@thecoherecollective Learn about The Cohere Collective: www.thecoherecollective.com To support The Cohere Collective, head to https://www.thecoherecollective.com/support Follow Triston Morgan, the creator of Making Meaning's theme music: https://www.instagram.com/tristonmorgan/ Follow Nicole Oesterreicher, the creator of Making meaning's art and podcast cover: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleocreates/ https://www.instagram.com/nicoleodesign/ Resources and References: Watch Siobhan Briar Aquilar’s video on The Tell by Amy Griffin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcELZgiSIgY&t=698s Thank you for being here! Smack, Reese

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  Episode #81

  From Half Half Cakes to Whole Lives: Redefining Success and Presence with Jim Sabellico

  Jul 28, 20261h 43m

  On his son’s 6th birthday, Jim came home late from work to find half of a birthday cake, presents already opened, and the realization that everything he had been taught and believed about success led him to act in contradiction to who he wanted to be. Throughout his life, Jim worked tirelessly to provide for his family, and though he provided financially, he realized he wasn’t providing the most important aspects of parenthood; patience and time, a strong example of healthy masculinity, and presence with his family. No Half Cakes was born when Jim began to redefine his purpose, and redefine how he lived, and now helps you do the same. A huge thank you to Jim for his time, energy, and presence during our conversation! Learn more about Jim Sabellico: https://nohalfcakes.com/ Follow Jim: https://www.instagram.com/jimsabellico/ Follow No Half Cakes: https://www.instagram.com/nohalfcakes Follow The Cohere Collective: https://www.instagram.com/thecoherecollective/ https://www.tiktok.com/@thecoherecollective For more information, head to www.thecoherecollective.com To support The Cohere Collective, head to https://www.thecoherecollective.com/support Follow Triston Morgan, the creator of Making Meaning's theme music: https://www.instagram.com/tristonmorgan/ Follow Nicole Oesterreicher, the creator of Making meaning's art and podcast cover: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleocreates/ https://www.instagram.com/nicoleodesign/ Resources and References: Learn about and read the Bhagavad Gita: https://ocoy.org/read-our-books/introduction-gita-for-awakening/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=756548521&gbraid=0AAAAADNGo5MMRG4uPSl7WJf8HJSQmBAZb&gclid=CjwKCAjwpqHTBhAcEiwAj2AfumU73Wq-EQhpkpcYe_xK4ZGnVAZdxY87F83HyoVjYPJsbgn5ATn88hoCsZIQAvD_BwE Read the Myth of Sisyphus, Albert Camus’ work that touches on Philosophical Suicide: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/91950.The_Myth_of_Sisyphus Thank you for being here! Smack, Reese

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  Episode #80

  The Sacred Art of Hunting: A Journey of the Land and the Self with Christie Green

  Jul 14, 20261h 46m

  Christie Green is the author of Moonlight Elk: One Woman’s Hunt for Food and Freedom published by The University of New Mexico Press (UNMP) in 2024. Christie is a land and water steward, landscape architect, local food activist, educator and hunter which attracts passionate audiences in these fields. She represents a fundamental missing bridge between polarized audiences and cultural extremes. During our conversation, Christie and I discussed the ethics of food consumerism, feminist hunting practices, and ways in which we all can take steps to become more aligned with the natural world. Green’s forthcoming book, Salmon Dreaming: Coming Home to Alaska will be released by UNMP in 2027 and her third book, The New Meridian: Undamming the West will be released by UNMP in 2029. Learn More about Christie Green: https://www.christiegreen.net/ Read Moonlight Elk: https://www.unmpress.com/9780826366726/moonlight-elk/#:~:text=Here , Follow Christie Green: https://www.instagram.com/radiclelandscape/ Follow The Cohere Collective: https://www.instagram.com/thecoherecollective/ https://www.tiktok.com/@thecoherecollective For more information, head to www.thecoherecollective.com To support The Cohere Collective, head to https://www.thecoherecollective.com/support Follow Triston Morgan, the creator of Making Meaning's theme music: https://www.instagram.com/tristonmorgan/ Follow Nicole Oesterreicher, the creator of Making meaning's art and podcast cover: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleocreates/ https://www.instagram.com/nicoleodesign/ Thank you for being here! Smack, Reese

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  Episode #79

  How to Choose Yourself and Create Lifelong Evolution and Balance with Hakeem Bourne Mcfarlane

  Jun 30, 20261h 41m

  We’ve all heard, “put your own oxygen mask on first,” and yet, we still all struggle to do so, and to make space for others to do so too. Choosing yourself sounds self-centered. So why does it allow us to step into service and reverence with so much more presence? Hakeem Bourne Mcfarlane is a speaker, coach, and storyteller focused on harnessing his story of resilience, honesty, and accountability to help others recognize their power and choose themselves before life chooses for them. Hakeem isn’t worried about growing pains, questioning authority, or getting real. He confronts life’s challenges with humor, raw truth, and practical frameworks that empower himself and others to be self-centered, in the most Coherent sense of the word! In our conversation, we dive in to Hakeem’s story as an only child living inside addiction, instability, and silence, not from a lack of love, but from parents who were struggling to Choose Themselves. Becoming and older brother at 10 completely changed Hakeem, as did the lessons learned through athletics, but nothing seemed to be able to break him out of the prison of his own mind. Facing five knee surgeries, chronic pain, incarceration, and addiction, Hakeem found the thing that finally saved him: himself. A huge thank you to Hakeem for the time, presence, and energy during this conversation! Learn About the Choose Yourself Community: https://chooseyourself.info/ Follow Hakeem: https://www.instagram.com/bigdreamhakeem/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@bigdreamhakeem Follow the Choose Yourself Community: https://www.instagram.com/chooseyourselfchannel/?hl=en https://www.youtube.com/@ChooseYourselfChannel Follow The Cohere Collective: https://www.instagram.com/thecoherecollective/ https://www.tiktok.com/@thecoherecollective For more information, head to www.thecoherecollective.com To support The Cohere Collective, head to https://www.thecoherecollective.com/support Follow Triston Morgan, the creator of Making Meaning's theme music: https://www.instagram.com/tristonmorgan/ Follow Nicole Oesterreicher, the creator of Making meaning's art and podcast cover: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleocreates/ https://www.instagram.com/nicoleodesign/ Thank you for being here! Smack, Reese

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  Episode #20

  The Power of Musicality in Connection, Transformation, and Meaning with Tigrilla Gardenia

  May 19, 20262h 5mS4

  <p>Community has been a pressing need in the zeitgeist. But beyond the desire for human connection, there is a vast world of other-than-humans ready to connect and waiting for us to come home.</p><p>Tigrilla Gardenia, B.M. M.S., Nature-Inspired Mentor, Certified Life Coach (ICF PCC), and World Ambassador for Plant Advocacy, empowers creative multipotentialites and nature-inspired professionals to confidently live authentic, purpose-driven lives in collaboration with the plant world. Tigrilla’s multifaceted experience allows her to connect with individuals and broad communities to remind us of truths we intuitively connect with and have always known.</p><p>...

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