

The Container: A Circling and Authentic Relating Podcast
The Container Collective
Conversations at the crossroads of Consciousness, Human Connection, and Circling. Adventure with us to far out realms of reality and how we get there together.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 1, 2026 • 1h 19min
Awaken Through Poetry w/ Will Jefferson
Will Jefferson is a writer, coach, and facilitator who brings poetry into vivid connection and conversation with everyday life.Interested in his Poetry of the Everyday course? Use promo code ‘container’ for 20% off!It starts Tuesday, April 28. But spots will go fast, so be sure to sign up today.Go to: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-poetry-of-the-everyday-6-week-online-course-registration-1986201370767For more of Will’s work, check out: https://willjefferson.comSome of the poems we talked about: “Composed upon Westminster Bridge” by William Wordsworth“Humpbacks” by Mary OliverSupport Our Work📈 Like, subscribe, rate, and review🙌 Become a patron on Patreon💌 Subscribe for free to our newsletterConnect and Learn More About the Relational Arts🖥️ Our website (www.thecontainerpod.com) 📺 Our YouTube (www.youtube.com/@TheContainerPod) 👥 Our Facebook groupKeep it namaste 🙏

Mar 25, 2026 • 57min
You Forgot You're Already a Mystic w/ Mareike Christensen
The Container is launching a new adventure: Mystical Creatures.On this journey, Jonathan and Marei are going to deep dive into mystical practice, that collection of tools that bring us into radical union with the sacred. Call it God, why don’t you?In this conversation, Marei talks about her life, how she began to notice something strange was going on, and how you can begin to reclaim your birthright as a mystical creature.Near the end, Marei even teaches us some pointers we can use to drop into a more unitive state of presence.To get coaching from Marei and find out more about events she is leading, check out here website here: https://www.intopresence.se/You can also contact her directly at: kmareikec@gmail.comSupport Our Work📈 Like, subscribe, rate, and review🙌 Become a patron on Patreon💌 Subscribe for free to our newsletterConnect and Learn More About the Relational Arts🖥️ Our website (www.thecontainerpod.com) 📺 Our YouTube (www.youtube.com/@TheContainerPod) 👥 Our Facebook groupKeep it namaste 🙏

Mar 19, 2026 • 1h 2min
Tools for Awakening w/ Daniel Schmidt
Daniel Schmidt, the documentarian behind the fantastic Samadhi film series, shares the best practices he's found for spiritual awakening. This includes the ones used in the Samadhi Center's 7-Day I AM Retreat.We touch on meditation, psychedelics, and even relating practices (like Charles Berner's two-person method of self-inquiry). But most of all, we investigate how any spiritual tool for awakening might be used on the Pathless Path.Schmidt's wide-ranging interests and masterful way of communicating esoteric spiritual wisdom makes for a deeply rewarding conversation. And it's wonderful getting to hear the voice behind so many great films responding to questions!You can find his work at:Awaken the World (https://awakentheworld.com/)Awaken the World YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmzsYSXn3zdCsLS063oCt8w)7-Day IAM Retreat (https://awakentheworld.com/onlineretreats/)Support Our Work📈 Like, subscribe, rate, and review🙌 Become a patron on Patreon💌 Subscribe for free to our newsletterConnect and Learn More About the Relational Arts🖥️ Our website (www.thecontainerpod.com) 📺 Our YouTube (www.youtube.com/@TheContainerPod) 👥 Our Facebook groupKeep it namaste 🙏

Mar 5, 2026 • 1h 7min
What is Stemless? w/ Harmony, James, and Sahil
Stemless is a radical new entry to the world of the relational arts, mindfulness, and social meditation. It takes us out into uncharted waters, where we use skillful projection to wake us up and make vital contact with how we create our reality.We brought the entire founding team on to talk about what Stemless is, how it came from and builds off of Circling, and what you can expect when you jam with this new practice.(BTW, welcome back James to the pod. We recently had him one for Episode 79 with Month of Potential.)Check them out here:Their website (https://stemless.org/)Their MUST READ Substack (https://stemless.substack.com/)Their WhatsApp for updates on online and in-person events (https://chat.whatsapp.com/CMrtH2sjSNB2DPH1Q4crFY?mode=ac_t)Here is a blurb from the Stemless team to learn more:‘Stemless’ is a relational presence practice where we connect via direct transmission of our rich inner experience without explanation. We aim to glimpse and own not just our arising feelings but our overall perceptions. As a group or in pairs, we share what’s happening between us in the here and now, free of violence (meaning: deeply owned). To start off, we practice using overt sentence stems, being careful to use language that doesn’t crowd anyone else’s experience (eg. “This is just my story, but I think you might be angry?”). Then comes ‘stemless’, where we open toward the more mysterious space where all projections can be recognized as inherently toothless. Without overt management, even an expression like “You’re the devil!” can be, paradoxically, conflict-free. It becomes just another beautiful opportunity to meet in connection. Past participants have said the practice is psychedelic, pointless, deeply connecting and alive, endlessly frustrating, what do I do with all this freedom!? and “the most important relating practice that I know of, in the world.”We find intimacy in truth by foregrounding the often-unsayable stories we’re constantly inventing about ourselves and each other. Our notion of connection is not in achieving a shared understanding of who or what we are. Rather, we attempt to lucid dream in our waking lives: to catch ourselves in the act of inventing the characters we see (and imagine ourselves to be). Feelings of connection might come, but they are not the goal, and this might feel awkward or weird at times. Participants will likely feel dropped or unacknowledged, at times or often. You will hopefully also experience a kaleidoscopic tilting of your world’s dream logic; laughter; insight; and a taste of our passion for this practice. A meditative practice of surrendering to reality expressing itself through each of us in every moment.Support Our Work📈 Like, subscribe, rate, and review🙌 Become a patron on Patreon💌 Subscribe for free to our newsletterConnect and Learn More About the Relational Arts🖥️ Our website (www.thecontainerpod.com) 📺 Our YouTube (www.youtube.com/@TheContainerPod) 👥 Our Facebook groupKeep it namaste 🙏

Feb 18, 2026 • 1h 8min
The Circle Is a Reality Playground w/ Andrew Venezia
The brilliant Andrew Venezia comes on the podcast to talk about the many layers of Circling. He takes us from the basics of an interbeing practice to deep insights into the nature of reality itself. It's a mind-bending episode, but it's always grounded in Andrew's warmth and openness to the questions themselves.You can work with Andrew by visiting his website here: https://www.andrewlouisvenezia.life/You can also go right ahead and book a conversation with him here: https://www.andrewlouisvenezia.life/schedule-a-psychoactive-conversationAlso, you'll notice we have a new theme song! That comes from The Purples!Support Our Work📈 Like, subscribe, rate, and review🙌 Become a patron on Patreon💌 Subscribe for free to our newsletterConnect and Learn More About the Relational Arts🖥️ Our website (www.thecontainerpod.com) 📺 Our YouTube (www.youtube.com/@TheContainerPod) 👥 Our Facebook groupKeep it namaste 🙏

Feb 4, 2026 • 1h 4min
Circling and the Occult w/ Ben Hodgson
Can circling bring us into deep mystical and magical practice? Certainly, yes. And Ben Hodgson comes into The Container to tell us just exactly how that might work. He also gives us a delightful account of his magical journey. Oh, did I mention we talk about the Kabbalah, ritual magic, and insanity?It’s that kind of discussion.You can work with Ben at Transformational Connection.Support Our Work📈 Like, subscribe, rate, and review🙌 Become a patron on Patreon💌 Subscribe for free to our newsletterConnect and Learn More About the Relational Arts🖥️ Our website (www.thecontainerpod.com) 📺 Our YouTube (www.youtube.com/@TheContainerPod) 👥 Our Facebook groupKeep it namaste 🙏

Jan 21, 2026 • 1h 14min
Starting a Conscious Community w/ MoP
The Month of Potential (MoP) experiments with living in radical connection. Using the practice of circling as the foundation, they recently spent a month living and working together fully engaged in relational practice. They share their experiences, challenges, insights, and plans for the future. They even give tips and insights (and invites) to people who want to go on similar journeys.You can find documentation of their work here: https://publish.obsidian.md/potential/If you would like to learn more about their work as individuals, reach out to them using the links below:Emma van den Boogert Emma van den Boogert works with individuals and groups to cultivate collective fields of connection, where people feel deeply seen, attune to the deeper intelligence moving them, and step into their highest potential. She's passionate about integrating the personal, interpersonal, and systemic, and holding the space where breakdown and breakthrough unfold. Drawing on Political Science, Nonviolent Communication, and practices like Parts Work and Transformational Connection, she facilitates The Singing Field, coaches life and career professionally, and contributes to networks and communities of conscious global changemakers - including Living Cities Earth, Love Organized and the Syntropy Network - supporting those willing to truly listen and act from emerging possibility.Website: https://www.emmavandenboogert.com/ Noor Al-HashemiI am drawn to the mysterious caves and deep-sea lagoons buried deep in the fabric of our beings. Devoted to cultivating the precision and humility needed to listen for the very subtle parts of our experience, to give life to them and allow them to move us. Based in London, I lead Transformational Connection and work 1-1 online with those who want to dive into the depths together.You can read more and book in a session at circlingwithnoor.com or send me an email at circlingwithnoor@gmail.comJames BrownRelational coach, lay therapist, group facilitator and leader.Supporting you to connect, accept and stand, with love and honesty.Relational coaching at - https://jameswonders.uk/Group facilitator and non-duality practice at - https://stemless.org/Luz QuiñoneroLuz works with people who feel disconnected - from themselves, their relationships, or their sense of purpose - to develop relational awareness and create the meaningful, conscious connections they desire.https://luzquinonero.com/Nick HayesNick helps relational and presence-based practitioners move beyond insight and self discovery, into sovereign creator-ship of their whole world.You can learn more about him here: https://nickhayes.me/Support Our Work📈 Like, subscribe, rate, and review🙌 Become a patron on Patreon💌 Subscribe for free to our newsletterConnect and Learn More About the Relational Arts🖥️ Our website (www.thecontainerpod.com) 📺 Our YouTube (www.youtube.com/@TheContainerPod) 👥 Our Facebook groupKeep it namaste 🙏

Jan 7, 2026 • 1h 20min
The Ultimate Group Transformation Process w/ Angelo DiLullo
Angelo Dilullo is an author, podcast host, and teacher who brings a down-to-earth reality to the topic of awakening.His podcast Simply Always Awake is a treasure trove of insights into awakening with a refreshing lack of pretense or unnecessary spiritual window dressing. His approach is practical and lived in, and that’s probably why tens of thousands of people have benefitted so much from his teachings.Angelo’s book Awake is a great reminder that awakening is a natural process just about anybody can experience.Today, we have him on The Container to talk about awakening and bringing this kind of consciousness into we-space practices like circling.Check out his website here!Watch his YouTube channel here!Buy his book here!Support Our Work📈 Like, subscribe, rate, and review🙌 Become a patron on Patreon💌 Subscribe for free to our newsletterConnect and Learn More About the Relational Arts🖥️ Our website (www.thecontainerpod.com) 📺 Our YouTube (www.youtube.com/@TheContainerPod) 👥 Our Facebook groupKeep it namaste 🙏

Dec 11, 2025 • 1h 1min
The Book of Circling with Marc Beneteau
Marc “Marco” Beneteau is a major force in the Authentic Relating and Circling world. His newsletter has become a must-read feature of the field, and his introduction to Circling has been one of the most important resources for newcomers.And now… Marco’s working on a third version of his intro book, bringing in some of the biggest names in Authentic Relating to help. He comes on the podcast to help us.Find out more about his Circling Guide here: https://circlingguide.com/Contribute to the fundraiser here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-circling-guide-3rd-editionSubscribe to his newsletter here: https://marcobeneteau.substack.com/Support Our Work📈 Like, subscribe, rate, and review🙌 Become a patron on Patreon💌 Subscribe for free to our newsletterConnect and Learn More About the Relational Arts🖥️ Our website (www.thecontainerpod.com) 📺 Our YouTube (www.youtube.com/@TheContainerPod) 👥 Our Facebook groupKeep it namaste 🙏

Nov 26, 2025 • 42min
Five Books
These five weird books will change your life. This isn’t a list of great books you’ve already read. No, no. These are a bit off the beaten path, but they all support a spirit-forward life. These will guide you, support you, and even entertain you, whether you are seeking enlightenment, sainthood, or a little growth in the right direction.Below is the full list with links to buy them:Spacecruiser Inquiry by A.H. AlmaasThiftbooksBookshop.orgGetting Our Bodies Back by Christine CaldwellThriftbooksBookshop.orgNew Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas MertonThriftbooksBookshop.orgEasyway to Quit Smoking by Allen CarrThriftbooksBookshop.orgThe Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis WellerThriftbooksBookshop.orgSupport Our Work📈 Like, subscribe, rate, and review🙌 Become a patron on Patreon💌 Subscribe for free to our newsletterConnect and Learn More About the Relational Arts🖥️ Our website (www.thecontainerpod.com) 📺 Our YouTube (www.youtube.com/@TheContainerPod) 👥 Our Facebook groupKeep it namaste 🙏


