Before Thought

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Anoop Kumar, emergency physician, author, and speaker, to explore a paradigm-shifting idea: that consciousness is fundamental, and matter is its pattern. Together, we examine how this perspective challenges the current model of modern medicine, and what it could mean for the future of healthcare.Dr. Kumar offers a vision of medicine that moves beyond just the physical body and toward understanding the deeper nature of human experience. This conversation invites us to reconsider what it means to heal, and how a shift in worldview could transform not just healthcare systems, but our relationship to ourselves.More information at anoopkumar.com 

In this episode, Molly and Chelsea are going on a field trip to Birmingham Covington School in Birmingham, Michigan, where students are participating in an experience called The Amazing Shake. The Amazing Shake is a dynamic competition that helps students build interpersonal and professional skills through immersive staged scenarios. Whether they’re acting as a travel agent assisting a customer or a movie theater manager explaining that the projector is down, students practice communication, confidence, problem-solving, and grace under pressure in memorable real-world simulations.

Is yoga meditation? Is there such a thing as moving meditation? In this episode Molly and Chelsea discuss the practice of yoga as a wakeful practice, not necessarily a transcendent one. While we love yoga and understand that people with different physiologies are attracted to different practices, we are acutely aware that for us, yoga prepares our bodies to sit. 

In this episode, Chelsea shares the first time she tried to meditate on her own and how different the experience was after she had a meditation teacher guide her through the process. Molly offers her thoughts on why we should consider leaning into having a master of the art show us into the subtleties of our mind.

In this episode, Molly explains stress as a natural by-product of everyday life, and how you naturally gain more time in your day when you use meditation as a tool to unwind that stress.

In this episode we discuss gratitude as an act of radical connection. When you reflect back to someone a mutual affection, you enliven what it is you're seeking to grow between the two of you.

Molly and Chelsea dive into conversations about consciousness, with Molly sharing that the series is rooted in a curiosity about how culture mirrors both our individual and collective inner worlds. While consciousness is often called the “hard problem" of science, we begin from a simple, shared understanding: when we talk about consciousness, we're talking about everything we experience. Along the way, we acknowledge the frustrations of the monkey mind, but return again and again to a shared intention: to lead more from the heart than the head, to move beyond the mental chatter, and to sink into a deeper pool of knowing that holds the potential for everything.  

This bonus episode follows E 18: On Place.

In this episode, we explore the sacredness of nature and how landscapes are brought to life through human activity. We consider how movement and migration shape the meaning of place across time, inviting you to feel more deeply connected to the land, and extend that connectedness to the people who inhabit it at any given time.

What began as Consciousness and Creativity has evolved into something simpler and more spacious. From here on out we'll be exploring how tuning into the space before thought can encourage a life lived more spontaneously. This shift feels like a return to the heart of our work, both a reintroduction and an invitation to pause, listen and react from a deeper place of knowing.

In this episode we talk about the reciprocal nature of gift giving. The care that we take in giving gifts, and sometimes the manipulative energy we have behind gift giving, impact both the gifter and the giftee.

In this episode of Consciousness and Creativity, we unpack some of the reflections and feedback from our previous conversation, and dive deeper into the question: Why do you believe what you believe about yourself?How is our sense of self shaped by the subtle cues we absorb from society? How do mentorship, self-awareness, and caring for body, mind, and spirit all play a role in reshaping those inherited beliefs? This episode invites listeners to pause, reflect, and reexamine the stories we all tell ourselves about who we are and who we can become.

In this episode, Molly and Chelsea discuss the implications of losing sincere human to human interaction. They reflect on the life of Charlie Kirk, and explore a way to move forward from political violence.

In this season finale, Molly and Chelsea sit down together to reflect on the themes that have carried through this season: presence, vulnerability, adaptability, and the quiet power of showing up. Through personal stories, clips from this season’s guests, and their own candid conversation, they explore how simple acts, whether it’s a last-minute theater performance, a classroom conversation, or a small moment of kindness, can ripple out to create meaningful change. They also share what might be ahead for the podcast, and why, at its heart, this work is about honoring the invisible threads that hold communities together.

In this bonus episode, we’re sharing the full tarot reading from our recent conversation with Brandi Gunn O’Leary -- an intuitive and symbolic look at what the cards had to say.If you haven’t already, we recommend starting with our previous episode, where Brandi shares her story as a tarot reader, energy worker, and spiritual guide. Then come back here to experience the full reading -- part insight, part art form, and part mirror.

In this episode, tarot reader and intuitive guide Brandi Gunn O’Leary joins us for a heartfelt and wide-ranging conversation on the deeper meanings of tarot, and the mystery behind what we’re really tapping into when we listen closely.Brandi shares her unexpected path into tarot, stories of eerily accurate readings, and how her work is less about fortune-telling and more about connection, healing, and honoring the unknown. Together, they explore what it means to be a vessel, the importance of trust and openness, and why some messages defy logic, but still land with soul-level truth.From party tricks to sacred moments, this episode invites listeners to think differently about intuition, creative tools, and the unseen forces that may be guiding us all. Whether you’re a tarot skeptic or seeker, this one opens the door to possibility.

In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with Amine Kouider, Chair of the Department of Cinematic Arts and New Media at Maharishi International University, and a Transcendental Meditation teacher. With a career spanning continents and communities, from children in Colombia to Buddhist nuns in Thailand, Amine brings a deeply human perspective to filmmaking, education, and consciousness.We talk about what it means to teach from a place of inner stillness, how TM supports creative flow, and why the most radical shifts in life often begin in silence. Amine shares stories from the field, insights on mentoring young artists, and reflections on the power of awareness to transform how we tell stories. Whether you’re a filmmaker, educator, or someone curious about the inner workings of creativity, this conversation invites you to consider what happens when the creative process becomes a spiritual practice.

In this heartfelt conversation, yoga teacher and author Amy Ippoliti joins Chelsea and Molly to explore what it means to truly embody the practice of yoga -- on and off the mat. From her teenage discovery of the Tao Te Ching to her evolution as a teacher, Amy shares how yoga shaped her sense of self, community, and purpose. Together, they reflect on the journey from scripted instruction to intuitive teaching, the courage it takes to lead with integrity, and the sacred art of becoming a vessel for something greater.Amy discusses her activism, the role of listening in teaching, and how consciousness reveals itself in quiet moments of reflection as well as in bold political action. Whether you're a yoga teacher, educator, or simply curious about living more consciously, this episode invites you to reconnect with your purpose—and remember that you are worthy of the journey.

In this episode, we talk with Tiffany Sims, founder and executive director of Dream Arts, a vibrant youth theater company in Metro Detroit. Tiffany shares how the magic of theater goes far beyond the stage—shaping confidence, building lifelong friendships, and creating space for kids to work through fear and step into their power. With heart, humor, and a healthy dose of confetti, this conversation celebrates the joy of community and the transformative potential of the arts.

In a world that loves to slap on labels and put people in boxes, today’s students are coming out of years of disruption—not broken, but weighed down by expectations that don’t always fit. This conversation is about shaking off the stories that no longer serve us, unlearning the false identities we’ve been handed, and building real emotional resilience. It’s about finding that edge—the place where you’re stretched but not shattered—and learning to trust yourself there.Join Molly and Chelsea for a conversation with an old friend - Val Weiss, Wellness Director at the College for Creative Studies (CCS), early supporter of Tuning the Student Mind, and a roller derby queen. This podcast is for  educators and students alike - an invitation to move beyond just getting by and a reminder to have some fun along the way. Let’s talk about self-accountability, human connection, and the courage to "do it scared." Because the next chapter isn’t about playing by the old rules—it’s about rewriting them.

Join the founders of Tuning the Student Mind, author Molly Beauregard and filmmaker Chelsea Jackson, for the second season of their podcast, Consciousness and Creativity: Stories of Belonging. In this seven-episode series, you'll meet inspiring individuals who are passionate about creating spaces of connection and inclusivity – from a youth theatre director who helps everyone unlock their unique talents, to a social worker who encourages young people to "do it scared". Through these stories, we aim to spark new ideas for fostering community, and invite you to explore ways to cultivate belonging in your own life. Join us as we learn, laugh, and hopefully make some new friends along the way.

In this episode, you'll hear Chelsea and Molly dive deep into the many ways cultivating awareness and openness brings us into alignment with our true selves. Molly and Chelsea enjoy a happy - and weirdly synchronous - reunion in Colorado. During their time together, they learn of the passing of film director David Lynch. Lynch, a long-time friend of Tuning the Student Mind as well as inspiration for its mission, encouraged people to embrace the flow of life, trust their inner guidance, and find deeper meaning in the seemingly random moments that infiltrate our days.

In this episode you'll hear Molly and Chelsea discuss how mindfulness, meditation, and incorporating structured exercises into the classroom can deepen student engagement and cultivate a more grounded, reflective, and authentic approach to their work and interactions.

Using lessons learned from documentary filmmaking, Molly and Chelsea discuss the role of storytelling as a tool for fostering community, compassion, and societal transformation. Together Molly and Chelsea reiterate the power of self-awareness to break down assumptions and experience deeper connection with others. 

Storytelling is a powerful tool for understanding and showcasing the profound impact of small, authentic actions, especially in times of crisis. Molly and Chelsea discuss the hero's journey as a storytelling framework through the lens of the film Gardening in a War Zone.

In this episode, Molly and Chelsea challenge educators, filmmakers, and audiences to reflect on the power of language and representation in storytelling. You’ll hear Molly have an ‘aha’ moment when she recognizes how much of her work has been about teaching people to tell ethical stories about themselves.

Hear Chelsea recount some first day teaching jitters which Molly relates to completely. Molly offers Chelsea some reassurance that vulnerability is what brings a classroom to life.

Molly and Chelsea share stories about their work together including the early challenges they faced in their efforts to bring meditation to students at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. You’ll learn about the impact of integrating meditation and self-awareness into education, and hear how these practices can foster emotional well-being, creativity, and connection among students and educators alike.