Practical Spirituality
Gareth Michael & Kim Jewell
Join this fascinating discussion between Kim, a behavioral specialist with a deep curiosity about spirituality, and Gareth, a spiritual channel of Michael, as they address and explore the biggest and most meaningful questions we face in our day-to-day lives. Featuring direct, open and informed conversations about the things that impact us the most - from self-love and self-acceptance through to channeling and spiritual understandings. Discover new ways to connect to the deeper meaning of the world around you and understand the one within you. Become a Supporter at https://www.garethmichael.com/ to join our community and get early access to new episodes, answers to your personal questions and so much more.
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Top 10 Practical Spirituality Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Practical Spirituality episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Practical Spirituality for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Practical Spirituality episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Healthy Confrontation
Practical Spirituality
12/16/24 • 47 min
This episode of the Practical Spirituality Podcast re-examines confrontation as a tool for personal growth rather than something to fear. The hosts show how early experiences shape responses to conflict and demonstrate that facing issues head-on can lead to positive transformation.
They discuss both the illuminating and painful aspects of conflict, and explore how avoiding conflict can often create underlying tension. By understanding emotional triggers and common reactions like fight, flight, or freeze, listeners can learn to move beyond avoidance and build more authentic connections.
The episode also provides practical strategies for handling confrontational conversations with empathy and active listening. With these insights, listeners can approach conflict more confidently and turn challenging moments into opportunities for deeper understanding and growth.
Become a Community Member at https://community.garethmichael.com/ to join our community and get early access to new episodes, answers to your personal questions and so much more.
Feeling Invisible?
Practical Spirituality
03/10/25 • 31 min
In this episode of the Practical Spirituality, Gareth and Kim examine the universal experience of feeling invisible, exploring why people often feel unheard or unseen by others. They discuss various scenarios—from the middle child overshadowed by siblings to the partner in a long-term relationship who no longer feels appreciated—revealing how these situations can deeply affect self-confidence and self-worth.
Our hosts explain that repeated experiences of this feeling can lead individuals to withdraw and stop sharing their perspectives, unintentionally reinforcing their own sense of being unseen. They highlight the paradox of seeking external validation: the more desperately someone looks for visibility, the less likely they are to find it. Instead, they emphasize the power of “seeing yourself first,” encouraging listeners to focus inward and develop self-validation before seeking recognition from others.
Throughout the episode, Gareth and Kim offer compassionate insights for transforming the pain of feeling invisible into an opportunity for spiritual growth. They discuss how building a relationship with oneself—independent of external approval—can pave the way toward peace and acceptance.
Become a Community Member at https://community.garethmichael.com/ to join our community and get early access to new episodes, answers to your personal questions and so much more.
Do We Need Hope?
Practical Spirituality
02/24/25 • 40 min
In this episode of the Practical Spirituality Podcast, Gareth and Kim explore the delicate balance between despair and hope. Through candid conversations, they look at what happens when a person hits low points, and examine how these moments can trigger spiritual awakenings and personal growth. Sharing personal stories and reflections, the discussion assesses how hope changes with time and according to each individual.
From youthful optimism to the tempered resilience of adulthood, the hosts consider how life’s ups and downs reshape one’s understanding of hope. They also address societal conditioning and personal expectations, emphasizing that each individual’s personal challenges are unique, and facing them can lead to personal growth and increased self-awareness.
The hosts discuss a wide range of other topics, including unpredictable life paths, spiritual contracts, and the transformative power of acceptance. They highlight the tension between clinging to an idealized world and confronting challenging realities, and they share stories of people who discovered new opportunities later in life, underscoring that growth remains possible at any age. Emphasizing the importance of professional support, they remind listeners that hope can guide them out of setbacks and toward a more fulfilling, peaceful existence.
Become a Community Member at https://community.garethmichael.com/ to join our community and get early access to new episodes, answers to your personal questions and so much more.
Self-sabotage
Practical Spirituality
07/03/23 • 38 min
Do you ever feel like you're your own worst enemy? In this week’s episode, we look at all the different ways in which we ‘self-sabotage’. Having had some unexpected challenges ourselves in the recording of this episode, we dig deep into our vulnerabilities and the unexpected opportunities for growth they've revealed.
We explore how self-sabotage has become so normalized within our day to day lives that it's often hard to recognize. We share our own experiences with navigating the tricky waters of self-awareness, questioning our actions, and distinguishing between self-destruction and life's inevitable roadblocks.
We ultimately focus on how self-sabotage can also be a spiritual guide. How these self-defeating patterns can actually lead us to a deeper understanding of our experiences and ourselves.
Join us as we delve into these challenges, and emerge resilient, offering insights on how to better understand, and build healthier relationships with, our self-sabotaging behaviours.
Become a Community Member at https://community.garethmichael.com/ to join our community and get early access to new episodes, answers to your personal questions and so much more.
Breaking Down Communication
Practical Spirituality
03/17/25 • 33 min
In this episode of the Practical Spirituality, Gareth and Kim explore why communication often breaks down, even when people believe they are speaking clearly. They explain how everyone operates from their own unique “map of the world,” shaped by personal experiences, backgrounds, and cultural influences. As a result, two people raised in the same household can still develop entirely different communication styles.
They discuss how most people were never taught the art of true communication. They highlight the importance of self-awareness in conversation, noting that unresolved internal issues can surface when individuals use dialogue to avoid self-reflection. The episode challenges the tendency to focus on who is “right” or “wrong,” arguing that such binary thinking destroys the curiosity and vulnerability necessary for genuine connection.
The hosts offer practical strategies for improving communication, including maintaining genuine curiosity, being fully present, asking clarifying questions, and recognizing when emotional reactions signal the need to pause. They also acknowledge that not everyone is ready for deeper connection and emphasize the value of seeking professional support, such as therapy or coaching, when needed.
Become a Community Member at https://community.garethmichael.com/ to join our community and get early access to new episodes, answers to your personal questions and so much more.
When Love Isn't Enough
Practical Spirituality
03/24/25 • 38 min
In this episode of the Practical Spirituality Podcast, Gareth and Kim challenge the popular belief that love can solve all relationship problems. They discuss how, despite genuine affection, relationships can still reach a breaking point when underlying issues—like toxicity, poor communication, or conflicting values—go unaddressed.
Drawing on personal experiences, Gareth and Kim highlight how societal expectations often persuade people to endure unhealthy situations. The conversation takes a revealing turn when they examine how fear sometimes disguises itself as love, causing individuals to remain in damaging relationships out of concern for finances, loneliness, or the difficulty of starting over.
The hosts underscore the vital role of self-love in fostering healthy connections, providing oneself with enough self love to maintain protective boundaries and avoid accepting toxic behavior. This perspective shifts the notion of love from self-sacrifice to a balanced exchange that respects both partners.
Whether listeners are grappling with a current relationship or recovering from a past one, this episode provides compassionate advice, support and practical strategies for navigating the limits of love.
Become a Community Member at https://community.garethmichael.com/ to join our community and get early access to new episodes, answers to your personal questions and so much more.
Exploring Divine Purpose / Divine Design
Practical Spirituality
04/25/22 • 51 min
In this week’s episode, Gareth & Kim approach the question: what is divine purpose - also known as divine design? Did we choose to go through all of these positive and negative life experiences - and if so, why? What role does free will play in all of this? They discuss intuition and look at what elements of all of these areas that are difficult for people to accept.
Become a Community Member at https://community.garethmichael.com/ to join our community and get early access to new episodes, answers to your personal questions and so much more.
Learning to Surrender
Practical Spirituality
09/11/23 • 40 min
In their latest episode, Gareth and Kim delve into the concept of surrender, exploring why it's often difficult yet liberating to relinquish control and expectations, and open up to accepting our life path, wherever that may lead. They ask how much control we actually have over the key moments in our lives, and why we try to maintain control, and are reluctant to surrender.
They discuss the self-exploration that comes along with surrendering, including the challenging conversations it may prompt and the life skills it reveals. They also look at the difference between surrendering and giving up, and how the idea of surrendering might not be as scary as we sometimes think.
Our hosts talk in depth about the role of surrender within relationships, and how letting go can lead to healthier dynamics. They also look at how surrender can foster emotional resilience.
Gareth and Kim conclude the episode with tips on navigating the journey towards surrender, emphasizing self-love, self-compassion, and acceptance.
Become a Community Member at https://community.garethmichael.com/ to join our community and get early access to new episodes, answers to your personal questions and so much more.
Are Difficult People Our Greatest Teachers?
Practical Spirituality
09/04/23 • 34 min
In this week's episode, Gareth and Kim tackle a topic we all have to deal with from time to time: dealing with difficult people in our lives. They ask whether we may actually benefit from the growth that comes from these challenging interactions, and reflect on their own experiences and the learnings that came from them. They suggest that, rather than seeing these challenging individuals as obstacles, we can view them as mirrors reflecting our own unresolved issues and triggers.
Gareth and Kim delve into the body's fight-or-flight response, emphasizing that recognizing these instinctive reactions can be transformative. They discuss the complexities of human interactions and the importance of understanding what sets us off, and how difficult it can be to get that perspective when we're triggered. They also touch on the importance of setting boundaries and the art of saying 'no' without feeling guilty or overwhelmed, and discuss the option of creating distance from those who disrespect our boundaries as a form of self-preservation.
As always, our hosts take a candid look at how these difficult interactions can actually be opportunities for personal growth within the framework of practical spirituality. The discussion has the potential to help listeners rethink their relationships with challenging people and use these experiences as tools for self-improvement.
Become a Community Member at https://community.garethmichael.com/ to join our community and get early access to new episodes, answers to your personal questions and so much more.
Redefining Relationships
Practical Spirituality
08/07/23 • 34 min
Have you ever paused to consider how your relationships are shaping your spiritual journey? This episode invites you on a reflective exploration of this complex maze. We begin by discussing a pattern we've noticed in our own lives and those around us: the tendency to 'demonize' our partners when we're feeling overwhelmed. This, we realize, is often a misguided attempt to find meaning in the midst of confusion, a reflex that distracts us from the real work of looking inward.
As we dig further, we discover how our upbringing and past experiences can silently dictate our expectations in relationships. Here, we share insights and personal anecdotes that illuminate the beauty of maintaining a healthy interdependent relationship, even when our paths diverge from those of our partners. We also candidly explore the challenge of navigating complex relationships, assuring you that these seemingly fraught interactions can actually serve as profound learning experiences for the soul.
Lastly, we turn to the transformative power of self-love. We discuss its pivotal role in making difficult decisions within relationships, emphasizing that it is never too late to appreciate the wisdom harvested from past relationships. The discussions further extend to friendships and professional relationships, spaces often underappreciated for their growth potential. Tune in and join us on this journey of unraveling the intricate dynamics of human connections.
Become a Community Member at https://community.garethmichael.com/ to join our community and get early access to new episodes, answers to your personal questions and so much more.
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FAQ
How many episodes does Practical Spirituality have?
Practical Spirituality currently has 55 episodes available.
What topics does Practical Spirituality cover?
The podcast is about Purpose, Intuition, Society & Culture, Spirituality, Soul, Manifesting, Self-Help, Mental Health, Religion & Spirituality, Wellness, Spirit, Podcasts and Mindfulness.
What is the most popular episode on Practical Spirituality?
The episode title 'Are Difficult People Our Greatest Teachers?' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Practical Spirituality?
The average episode length on Practical Spirituality is 41 minutes.
How often are episodes of Practical Spirituality released?
Episodes of Practical Spirituality are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Practical Spirituality?
The first episode of Practical Spirituality was released on Apr 17, 2022.
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