Ayad Akhtar: How Do We Stay Open to Life’s Mysteries?

2026-09-29 · 67 min · 45 entities

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Entities found in this episode

concepts 27

mentioned Relationships concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: relationships
mentioned Spirituality concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: spirituality
mentioned Health concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: health
mentioned Wellness concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: wellness
mentioned well-being concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: well-being
mentioned social connection concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: social connection
mentioned health & well-being concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: health & well-being
mentioned emotional well-being concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: emotional well-being
mentioned meaning concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: meaning
mentioned public health concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: public health
mentioned isolation concept

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mentioned togetherness concept

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mentioned personal growth concept

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mentioned How Do We Stay Open to Life’s Mysteries concept

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Ayad Akhtar: How Do We Stay Open to Life’s Mysteries?
discusses Relationships concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: relationships
discusses Spirituality concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: spirituality
discusses Health concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: health
discusses Wellness concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: wellness
discusses well-being concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: well-being
discusses social connection concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: social connection
discusses health & well-being concept

0.40

evidence rules-v5
Feed category: health & well-being
discusses emotional well-being concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: emotional well-being
discusses meaning concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: meaning
discusses public health concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: public health
discusses isolation concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: isolation
discusses togetherness concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: togetherness
discusses personal growth concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: personal growth

persons 8

mentioned Vivek Murthy person

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Feed author/publisher: Vivek Murthy
mentioned Staying Human person

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Feed author/publisher: Staying Human
hosted by Vivek Murthy person

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evidence rules-v5
Feed author/publisher: Vivek Murthy
hosted by Staying Human person

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Feed author/publisher: Staying Human
mentioned Mental Health person

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Feed category: mental health
mentioned Purpose person

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Feed category: purpose
discusses Mental Health person

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Feed category: mental health
discusses Purpose person

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Feed category: purpose

websites 8

mentioned Medicine website

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Feed category: medicine
mentioned Happiness website

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Feed category: happiness
mentioned Community website

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Feed category: community
mentioned Inspiration website

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Feed category: inspiration
discusses Medicine website

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: medicine
discusses Happiness website

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: happiness
discusses Community website

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: community
discusses Inspiration website

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Feed category: inspiration

books 2

mentioned Loneliness book

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Feed category: loneliness
discusses Loneliness book

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Feed category: loneliness

Episode description as stored

Vivek talks with Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Ayad Akhtar about his new novel, The Radiance, and what it means to be truly connected to the world—including the parts of it which defy easy explanation. In this novel, a professor recovering from a hit-and-run bike accident grapples with two accounts of what's happening to him: the clinical, scientific one reflected in scans and diagnoses, and an experience that feels far more spiritual. Vivek and Ayad follow this tension into their own lives, including how mystery has shaped their own beliefs and life experiences.They discuss everything from the craft of writing, to protecting our attention, to existential questions of what it means to be human in the age of machines and AI. They also get deeply personal with Vivek sharing about time he spent recently at an ashram in India, and Ayad describing why dreams are so important to him that he’s actually slept with a pencil tied to his finger to better record them. This is a provocative, surprising conversation that brings together both heart and mind. Is there a moment in your life that was profound, spiritual, and hard to explain — one that shaped who you are? Leave a message at 1-833-74-HUMAN (1-833-744-8626) or email hello@stayinghuman.us. We'd love to hear from you. . . . About Ayad “ The Great American Novelist” | Esquire Magazine The Radiance Book tour Ayad Akhtar’s recent essay “ What Were My Dreams Trying To Tell Me?” | The Atlantic About Dr. Vivek Murthy IG @drvivekmurthy Substack vivekmurthy.substack.com/ #StayingHuman #VivekMurthy #AyadAkhtar #Radiance #spirituality #Soul #Consciousness #WritersOnWriting #Empathy #Mindfulness #LiteraryFiction #SpiritualAwakening #Meditation #mystical