The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer

In this episode of Mind Set In Stone, Dave and Poppy take you on an enlightening journey through The Untethered Soulby Michael A. Singer — a powerful exploration of self-awareness, inner freedom, and spiritual awakening.

Discover how to observe your thoughts and emotions without being consumed by them, and learn to release the mental and emotional blockages holding you back. 

Dave shares real-life examples of applying Singer’s teachings to daily challenges, while Poppy offers practical steps for quieting the inner critic and reconnecting with your true self.

Whether you’re seeking peace, clarity, or spiritual growth, this deep-dive conversation will help you untether from limiting beliefs and embrace the vast potential within you.

Tune in now and unlock the power of presence, freedom, and inner calm.

Keep your mind set in stone and your curiosity open.

 This is a Big L Riz Media Podcast — where big ideas meet lasting impressions.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Mind Set in Stone Podcasts. If you enjoyed our deep dive, be sure to subscribe and leave us a review! Share your thoughts with us on social media, and let us know which book you’d like us to explore next. Until next time, keep your mind set in stone and your curiosity open.

This has been a Big L Riz Media Podcast—where big ideas meet lasting impressions.

Transcript

 Welcome to Mind Set in Stone Podcasts, where we dive deep into the most compelling books on the shelf. Join hosts Dave and Poppy as they uncover the stories, themes, and ideas that shape our understanding and inspire curiosity. Get ready to explore the big ideas that leave a lasting impact.

Let's get started.

Welcome to another deep dive. We like to really get into a single topic and explore it in detail so that by the end, you really have a good understanding of this thing.

Exactly. We do all the reading and research, pull out all the key takeaways, and try to give you, the listener, a shortcut to becoming as well informed on the topic as possible.

For this deep dive, we are getting into Michael A. Singer's The Untethered Soul. It's a book that's gotten some pretty impressive praise from a lot of people for how it takes on inner freedom in a way that's deep but still easy to understand.

Deepak Chopra even talks about how it guides us to the source through what's called Guyana, the yoga of the intellect, with really elegant simplicity.

Right. For those who might not be familiar, Guyana yoga is all about achieving liberation through knowledge and wisdom.

And it's honestly really interesting to see how much this book has resonated with such a wide range of people. You've got endorsements from folks like James O'Dea from the Institute of Noetic Sciences, which is all about consciousness.

You've also got Rabbi Zalman Shachter Shalomi, a real spiritual leader. And then there are even endorsements from areas you wouldn't expect, like finance, with Louis Kivachi from Merrill Lynch and Peace Studies, with Abdulaziz Saeed from American University.

And on top of that, you've got spiritual teachers like Mayoga Shakti Saraswati and Yogi Amrit Desai, who really embraced the insights from the book. That kind of range of support from such different fields really says something about how universally true Singer's work is.

It definitely speaks to that. I think it shows that Singer's message isn't tied to just one specific belief system or area of expertise. It taps into something that's fundamental to being human.

The desire to understand ourselves and find some lasting inner peace.

Exactly. Right.

So that's exactly what we're trying to do for you today. Distill the essence of the untethered soul, give you a solid understanding of what self-awareness is, some practical ways to find that inner freedom, and how you can live a more conscious, fulfilling life. Basically, we're giving you the cheat sheet to the book's most important wisdom.

Yeah. And the way we're going to explore this, kind of mirrors how Singer unveils his ideas. We'll start with that voice we all have in our heads, you know, that constant inner chatter.

The one that never seems to shut up, right?

Yeah. Then we'll dive into the nature of consciousness, how to deal with all the noise and disturbance going on inside us, and finally, we'll talk about the path to finding happiness no matter what and connecting to something bigger than ourselves. Okay.

Sounds like a plan. So, let's jump right into it. One of the first things Singer tackles is that never-ending commentary in our heads, that voice that's always going on and on about something.

He actually calls it the roommate you've got living in your mind. You know, have you ever really stopped and just listen to how constant and sometimes completely ridiculous that voice can be?

It's kind of amazing when you actually do. Singer makes us think about why we just accept this ongoing narration without question. Like if we're the ones talking and the ones listening, what's the point of the whole thing?

Right. What are we achieving with all the internal back and forth? And like he says, it's even funnier when that inner voice starts arguing with itself, which, let's be honest, happens a lot.

Who's actually winning that fight inside your head?

It's true. It's like imagine if you were out somewhere and you overheard someone just narrating every single thing they were doing and thinking out loud.

Oh my gosh, it would be so strange.

Exactly. You probably think they're a little off, but for some reason, it's totally normal for us to do it internally. Singer really emphasizes just how relentless that mental chatter is.

And if you look at it objectively from the outside, it's kind of bizarre.

Yeah. It's like what's the purpose of all that noise? What's the benefit we're getting from it?

So, this is where Singer gives us a crucial insight. You are the one who hears the voice, which means you are not the voice itself. You are the awareness of the voice.

That's a really simple idea, but it's also really profound because it's a very first step in breaking free from thinking that our thoughts are all we are.

So, we're not just our thoughts, we're the space in which those thoughts happen. It's like the radio broadcast isn't the radio itself.

Precisely.

And then Singer takes it a step further, suggesting that this constant inner monologue isn't just random background noise, it actually shapes how we experience the world around us. He says it creates what he calls a personal presentation of the world according to you, which can be very different from what's really happening out there.

Absolutely. Our minds are constantly busy interpreting all the information coming through our senses, and it filters all that raw data through our past experiences, our beliefs about how things work, and our expectations about how things should be.

And that mental filter becomes the reality we live in.

Right. And it often blocks us from experiencing the present moment in a more direct and unfiltered way.

He uses a really relatable example to illustrate this. Imagine it's the middle of winter, you step outside, and that inner voice immediately chimes in with, it's freezing.

We've all been there.

Well, obviously, we already know it's cold because we're the ones feeling it, right? So, Singer suggests that the mind does this kind of unnecessary narration, like recreating and labeling something that's already obvious as a way to feel more in control of the situation. It's like adding a commentary track to our own lives to make it feel like we're directing the show.

That makes sense. It's like we have this need to feel like we have agency, like we're in charge. And when we can't control the external stuff, like the weather, we try to control our internal experience by labeling and narrating it.

So instead of just experiencing the cold, we're telling ourselves a story about how cold it is.

Right. And even though the cold is still there, saying something like, it's cold, but I'll be inside soon, can give us a sense of direction and help us manage the discomfort.

So, what does this mean for us, for the listener? Singer's point is that we have this strong tendency to live in our minds, stuck in that world we create for ourselves, instead of really being present in the actual world around us. We often get so wrapped up in our thoughts about an experience that we miss the experience itself.

It's like going to an amazing concert, but spending half the time mentally critiquing the performance, instead of just enjoying the music. It's like we're watching the movie of our lives instead of actually living it.

Right. And that leads to a really big question about who we are. If we're not our thoughts, then what are we?

Shakespeare famously said, to thine own self be true. But as Singer points out, which self are we supposed to be true to?

Yeah, that's the question, right? Which one of the many versions of ourselves is the real one? Are we the self that's happy one minute and then frustrated the next?

Even psychological models like Freud's, id, ego, and superego show that there are all these conflicting forces at play within us.

It really is a puzzle.

So, Singer gives us this simple but powerful thought experiment. If someone asked you right now, who are you? What would you say?

Most likely, you'd answer with your name, your job, maybe a little bit about your life story.

Right. We tend to define ourselves by external labels and roles.

Exactly. But Singer argues that none of those things actually capture the essence of who you are. Your name is just a label, your job is a role you play, and your biography is just a bunch of events that have happened.

But who is the one experiencing all those things?

That's the key question. Who is the constant behind all those changing elements?

Right. There's this awareness, this sense of being that's always there, regardless of what's happening in our lives.

You don't have to think about it. You just know that you exist. Even if you somehow lost all your memories, that core sense of I am would still be there.

It's like the foundation of everything else. To illustrate this, Singer uses this consciousness experiment that I think is really helpful. Think about quickly looking around the room you're in right now.

In that split second, you take in tons of details, the colors, textures, the way things are arranged all at once, without even thinking about it.

And we do all that without having to mentally describe every single detail.

Exactly. Now imagine trying to describe all those details one by one. It would take forever.

It would be such a slow and laborious process.

Right. And that difference shows just how powerful pure awareness is. It's consciousness simply observing without needing to use words, analyze or judge anything.

It's like taking a snapshot of reality as it is.

So, the main takeaway here is that your true self, that core essence, resides in what Singer calls the seat of consciousness. This is that deep inner space where you observe your thoughts, emotions and the world around you. It's like you're the screen where the movie of your life is playing.

And our consciousness has this amazing ability to focus. It can get so locked in on certain things, like a movie or a train of thought, that we forget about the bigger picture. We forget that we're the ones who are watching.

It's like getting so sucked into a movie that you forget you're sitting in a theater. So, to bring ourselves back to that seat of consciousness, that place of pure awareness, Singer recommends this simple practice, silently say hello to yourself over and over again. It's not about thinking about the word itself, it's about noticing the thought as it arises and recognizing that you are the one hearing it.

It's about developing that habit of being aware of the awareness itself, that background of presence.

Makes sense. Now, this whole idea of consciousness is also tied to energy. Singer talks about this underlying energy field that influences our mental, emotional, and physical states.

Have you ever noticed how your mood can completely change after just a short conversation?

Yeah, definitely. You can go from feeling totally drained to suddenly feeling super energized after a good chat with someone, and it can happen almost instantly.

Right. Singer asks, where does that sudden shift in energy come from? We haven't physically done anything, but our whole internal state changes.

He explains that this energy is always there, flowing beneath the surface of our experience, but we have the ability to either close up and block that flow, or to open up and let it move freely.

And he says that when we're open, that's when we feel things like love, enthusiasm, joy, that general zest for life.

Think about how you feel when you're genuinely excited about something versus when you're feeling guarded or withdrawn.

It's a completely different feeling.

And that opening or closing is often a choice, even though it can be an unconscious one. So, Singer encourages us to consciously choose to stay open, no matter what's happening around us, by committing to experiencing that limitless energy we have and choosing not to shut down.

Of course, it's natural to want to close off when we feel uncomfortable or when we're in pain or we perceive a threat.

But Singer argues that closing ourselves off actually cuts us off from our source of energy and traps us in a more limited experience of life. It's like trying to protect a plant by keeping it in a dark, sealed box. It won't thrive.

It needs light and air to grow.

So, it's about finding that balance between protecting ourselves and staying open to experience. Now, Singer also talks about the spiritual heart as the center of this energy flow. But as you might imagine, that center can get blocked.

What causes those blockages?

Right. Singer explains that the heart center can become constricted by these stored up energy patterns from past experiences. He calls them some scars.

They're like energetic imprints or leftovers from things we haven't fully processed and let go of.

Like emotional scar tissue.

Exactly. And those scars can restrict the natural flow of energy.

Okay. So ideally, when we have an experience, the energy from that experience flows through us. We feel the emotions and sensations that come with it, and then it passes, leaving us open to the next moment.

Right. We experience it and we move on.

But that's not always how it works.

Definitely not. When those incoming energies trigger feelings of disturbance, like fear or anxiety, sadness or anger, we tend to resist them. We try to push them away instead of just letting them pass.

And that resistance is what creates the blockage.

Exactly.

So, what happens when that energy gets trapped? Singer says it can kind of escalate. First, it shows up as a really active, sometimes racing mind filled with thoughts trying to either deal with or avoid the discomfort.

If the energy can't find release that way, it moves into the emotional realm, leading to heightened and often unpleasant feelings.

And if we keep resisting even those emotional expressions, the energy gets pushed down deeper and stored as the samskara is in the heart center.

So, it's like it goes from our minds to our emotions and then gets lodged in our hearts.

Right. And these samskaras aren't just some abstract concept. They actually hold a lot of detail about the events they're connected to.

Every unreleased energetic impression stays with us. Forming a kind of encrustation on the spiritual heart.

Like layers of unprocessed experiences.

Exactly. And that build up can block the flow of our life force and contribute to feeling heavy, emotionally numb, or even depressed.

So, it's like we're carrying around all this energetic baggage that we might not even realize is weighing us down. And then these dormant impressions can get triggered by things happening in the present that remind us even slightly of the original situation.

Right. Seemingly small things can act like keys that unlock those stored patterns, bringing back all the thoughts, emotions, and even physical sensations from the original event.

And it can feel like that old memory is happening all over again.

Exactly. It's like the intensity of the original experience gets reactivated.

And here's something important that Singer points out. It's not just negative experiences that create blockages. We can also block the flow by clinging too tightly to positive experiences.

We want them to last forever, and we resist the fact that they're temporary.

It's like we're afraid to let go of the good things.

And that attachment, that fear of letting go, prevents us from fully experiencing the present moment.

So, whether we're resisting what we don't like, or clinging to what we do like, we're disrupting that natural flow of energy. Singer suggests that the way to break free from this is to learn to enjoy life without all that grasping and pushing away.

To just let each moment impact us and then let it go.

Exactly. To really embrace the ever-changing nature of life.

It's like being present for the dance, for the whole experience without trying to control the music.

I love that analogy.

So how do we actually free ourselves from all those ingrained blockages? Singer talks about spiritual growth, not as gaining something new, but as unifying the different parts of ourselves. It's about reaching a place where there isn't this scared or vulnerable part that needs constant protection.

It's about becoming whole.

Exactly. He encourages us to pay attention to how our energy changes in response to even small things. Like if a co-worker takes your pen without asking, notice that little flicker of irritation or annoyance, and then consciously choose to relax and let go of that reaction.

Make it a game.

Right. See how quickly you can catch yourself reacting and then choose to let it go? It's about stepping back from that tendency where our minds have to blow things out of proportion and make a big deal out of everything.

Our minds are drama queens.

Totally. But we don't have to get caught up in all that drama. We can choose to relax and stay centered even when things feel chaotic.

It's like watching a storm from a safe distance. You know you don't have to go out and fight the wind and rain.

You could just observe it.

Right. And Singer makes it clear that true freedom isn't about never experiencing difficult or uncomfortable feelings. It's about being able to stay grounded and at peace even when those feelings are present.

It's about not letting our emotions dictate our inner state of being.

It's about being the eye of the storm.

Now, Singer uses this really powerful analogy that I think will stick with you. Imagine you have a thorn stuck deep in your arm, right on a sensitive nerve. Every time something brushes against it, it sends these waves of pain through you.

Singer says there are two ways you can deal with that thorn. The first is to build your whole life around protecting that arm. You make sure nothing ever touches it.

You develop all these elaborate strategies to avoid any contact with the thorn. Maybe you even create these bulky contraptions to shield the area.

You become hyper focused on protecting that one spot.

Exactly, but even if you get really good at protecting the thorn, it still controls your life. It dictates where you can go, who you can be around, even how you sleep. Every decision is influenced by the need to avoid that pain.

The thorn, even though it's just in one small spot, runs your whole life.

It becomes the center of your world.

And then Singer presents the second option, which is much more direct. You just remove the thorn.

Get rid of the source of the pain.

Exactly. And that's what he's suggesting we do with our emotional pain, with those samskaras. Instead of trying to control our external world, to avoid triggering them, we address them directly and let them go.

We face the discomfort head on to find lasting relief.

So instead of constantly trying to avoid situations that might trigger those old wounds, we heal the wounds themselves.

And Singer really emphasizes that choosing to protect the thorn, even though it feels like the safe option, actually gives that unhealed wound even more power over us. Because no matter how hard we try, those triggers will still come up. Things will happen that will bump against that stored pain, bringing up all those uncomfortable feelings and thoughts.

So we're perpetuating the cycle of suffering by trying to avoid it.

Right. And the alternative is to learn to be a witness to those difficult feelings, like if you're feeling lonely, Singer says, just observe that feeling without getting swept up in it. Don't judge it.

Don't resist it. Just let it be there and eventually it will pass.

It's like watching a cloud float by. You don't try to hold on to it and you don't try to push it away. You just let it drift through the sky.

Exactly. Now this brings us to something really fundamental. The choice of whether or not we actually want to be happy.

Singer presents this as the most important decision we make in our lives.

It sounds so simple, but it's profound.

It is. He says that most of us add all these conditions to our happiness. We say things like, I want to be happy, but only if my relationship is perfect, or I'll be happy when I achieve this goal, or I could be happy if the world were different.

We put all these conditions on our own happiness.

And Singer says that unconditional happiness means choosing to be happy regardless of what's happening around us. It's about creating an inner state of well-being that doesn't depend on things going our way.

It's not about waiting for the perfect conditions. It's about choosing happiness now.

Exactly. And he says that making that unwavering commitment to be happy no matter what is actually the highest spiritual path. It's a direct route to a profound awakening.

Because life is going to throw challenges at us. There will be ups and downs, but it's how we respond to those challenges that determines our happiness.

It's about choosing to enjoy being alive and to learn from every experience, even the difficult ones.

And to do that, we have to let go of that part of ourselves that thrives on drama, that part that's always looking for reasons not to be happy.

The inner critic.

Exactly. And Singer reminds us that in the grand scheme of things, our problems are pretty small.

Yeah, he often points out that we're just a tiny planet spinning in this vast empty space. Why waste our precious time and energy being stressed out and unhappy about things that are relatively insignificant?

Right, it puts things in perspective.

He suggests that those internal disturbances, the anxiety, the anger, the sadness, are like alarm bells telling us that our model of how things should be is being threatened. That model is our ego, our constructed sense of self and reality.

It's our story about who we are and how the world works.

And the goal is to be willing to let go of that model, to dismantle it.

To break free from the limitations of that story.

Right. And to do that, Singer emphasizes the importance of becoming the watcher, that quiet observer that can witness all the mental and emotional chaos without getting caught up in it. We just notice those thoughts and feelings without judging them or resisting them.

Like watching a movie without getting emotionally invested in the plot.

Exactly. So how do we actually put all these ideas into practice in our everyday lives? Singer talks about cultivating a state of spiritual living, which is essentially about non-resistance.

What does that look like in real life?

It means choosing not to get caught up in that constant internal struggle, to maintain our self-concept and our ideas about how things should be. It's about allowing things to come and go without desperately clinging to them, or letting them leave these lasting negative impressions.

It's about going with the flow.

Exactly. Singer encourages us to see those disturbances not as problems, but as opportunities. There are chances to break down that limited model of ourselves and move towards greater freedom and authenticity.

So instead of resisting those challenges, we embrace them.

Right. Because resisting them only creates more suffering without actually changing anything. He uses the example of resisting the fact that a good friend has moved away.

Your resistance won't bring them back, but it will definitely cause you a lot of unnecessary pain.

Then Singer introduces this idea of the spiritual path of non-resistance. It's about consciously relaxing into the flow of life and letting things happen without getting too attached or resistant. He says that our real work, our true spiritual practice, is what's left after all those turbulent personal energies have settled down.

It's that underlying peace and awareness that's always there.

He gives this example of someone who's terrified of dogs. If they can consciously relax through that fear without being overwhelmed by it, it can actually create a ripple effect throughout their whole being.

Like they're teaching their soul how to let go of disturbing energies.

Exactly. It's like clearing a blockage in a stream. The water flows more freely everywhere.

Now, another practice that Singer recommends is the contemplation of death. He suggests that regularly reflecting on the fact that our time here is limited can be a powerful way to appreciate the present moment and to focus on what really matters.

It's a reminder not to take things for granted.

Exactly. He emphasizes that we don't know when our time will come, and he encourages us to think about how we would live if we only had a week left. He says that people who are truly awake live each moment with this awareness, fully embracing the preciousness of now.

So it's about living each day as if it were your last, not in a reckless way, but in a way that makes you appreciate every moment.

Right. And Singer also cautions against always chasing after those extraordinary or special experiences. He says that that pursuit can actually make us miss the beauty and richness that's already present in the ordinary moments of life.

It's like we're so focused on getting to the destination that we forget to enjoy the journey.

Exactly. He reminds us that life is meant to be experienced, not just achieved. And the awareness of our mortality can make those everyday moments feel even more precious.

So it's about being present for the whole experience, not just the highlights.

Now, Singer also talks about the importance of balance, which he refers to as the middle way or the towel. It's about finding that sweet spot between extremes. Like we all know that eating too much or too little isn't good for us.

And being in extreme heat or extreme cold is uncomfortable.

Exactly. The towel is that balanced place where there's no energy pushing too hard in either direction. It's a state of harmony.

And Singer says that swinging back and forth between extremes, whether it's in our thoughts, emotions or actions, is really draining. It's like we're wasting energy.

It's like trying to run a marathon by constantly sprinting and then collapsing. You'll never make it to the finish line.

So finding that middle path, that balanced way of being, can actually make us more efficient and reduce a lot of internal conflict.

He uses the example of someone trying to quit smoking. They might go back and forth between smoking heavily and then trying to quit cold turkey.

Which is really difficult.

The middle way might be to gradually reduce how much they smoke, while also addressing the underlying cravings in a more compassionate way.

Instead of just relying on willpower.

Exactly. And in the context of the Tao, events just happen, and they last only as long as they need to. We don't get caught up in the extremes of the experience.

We allow our energy to return to the present moment.

And that can lead to what Singer calls effortless action, where we act in alignment with the natural flow of things without feeling burdened or stressed.

It's like a dancer, moving with grace and ease.

Beautiful. Finally, Singer tackles the big question of our connection to something larger than ourselves, something he calls the loving eyes of God. He acknowledges that there are so many different teachings and beliefs about the divine, and it can be really confusing.

Yeah, it can feel overwhelming trying to figure out what to believe.

But instead of getting bogged down in all the different doctrines, Singer points to the possibility of a direct inner connection with the divine, a connection that goes beyond our individual self.

It's about experiencing the divine within.

And he says that when we consciously choose to identify with this deeper part of ourselves, it starts a natural process of inner transformation. He describes it as a feeling of drifting up as we let go of negativity, anger, fear, and self-consciousness. Things might still happen in our lives, but they don't affect us as deeply.

It's like rising above the clouds.

And as we identify more with spirit, with that essence of being rather than our limited ego, our inner world starts to shift. We start to experience a sense of love, openness, beauty, and appreciation as our natural state.

Like a fundamental shift in perception.

Exactly. And Singer describes the ultimate point of this journey as emerging with this universal oneness. It's like an individual drop of consciousness merging into the vast ocean of the Supreme Soul.

He even draws parallels to similar concepts in different spiritual traditions.

It's about realizing that we're all connected.

And he describes some incredible transformations that happen along this path. A deep love and appreciation for all of creation, a letting go of judgment, and a sense of honoring and respecting all being.

Like seeing the world through the eyes of love.

And Singer says that this shift in perception, this ability to see the beauty and sacredness in everything, is actually a glimpse of God. It's the most authentic way to truly know the divine.

It's about experiencing the divine in everything.

And he ends by encouraging us to look at the world through those loving eyes of God, to see the beauty, the interconnectedness, and feel that deep sense of joy in all of creation. He says that when we do that, we realize that God is eternal conscious bliss and a place of unconditional refuge.

It's a beautiful way to look at the world.

So, to wrap up our deep dive into The Untethered Soul, let's recap the key insights we've explored. We started by recognizing the importance of becoming the observer of our thoughts and emotions, not getting caught up in that constant inner chatter.

Right. We talked about the importance of self-awareness.

Then we looked at how those energetic blockages, those samskaras, form from past experiences and how letting go of resistance can free up that energy.

And how choosing unconditional happiness is a powerful spiritual practice.

Exactly. And we discussed the wisdom of non-resistance, of learning to go with the flow of life and embrace change.

And the importance of finding balance in everything, the middle way.

And finally, we explored the potential for connecting with the divine through inner transformation and cultivating unconditional love.

It's been a really rich discussion.

It has. Our goal today was to give you a clear understanding of these core principles from The Untethered Soul, giving you a bit of a shortcut to these really profound insights.

We hope you found it valuable.

We do. And as we finish up, I want to leave you with a question to ponder. What would change in your life and your relationships, your work, your overall well-being if you truly committed to being that conscious observer, if you consistently practiced letting go of resistance, and if you made unconditional happiness, your primary intention?

It's something to think about.

It is. And if you're interested in exploring these ideas further, we encourage you to read Michael A. Singer's The Untethered Soul.

His website, untetheredsoul.com, also has a lot of lectures and other materials that you might find helpful.

It's definitely worth checking out.

Thank you so much for joining us on this deep dive into the untethered soul. We hope that the things we talked about today will be valuable tools for you on your own journey of consciousness and well-being. Until next time, may you find increasing peace and freedom within.

Thank you for listening.

We hope you're leaving with fresh insights and a spark of inspiration. Remember to subscribe, leave a review, and check back for more episodes as we dive into new worlds of thought, one book at a time. Until then, keep your mind set in stone and your curiosity open.

This has been a Big L Riz Media Podcast, where big ideas meet lasting impressions.