Surrendering to the Signs

In this heartfelt and reflective Season Two finale, Laura looks back on the conversations, insights, and transformations that shaped this powerful season of Surrendering to the Signs.Framed as both a reflection and a gentle guide, Laura shares the deeper intention behind the podcast, not just as a series of conversations, but as a kind of “homework” for life. Each episode, each guest, and each story has been carefully chosen to offer listeners practical wisdom, hope, and direction in navigating an increasingly complex world.From listening to the body’s wisdom, to trusting intuition, to finding the courage to act on what we already know, Laura revisits the key lessons from her guests and what they reveal about living a more conscious, aligned life.This episode is both a closing and an opening: a moment to integrate what’s been learned, and an invitation to trust your own inner guidance moving forward.Because ultimately, the goal isn’t to follow someone else’s pathIt’s to learn how to follow your own.And perhaps, to become your own guru.What You’ll Hear In This EpisodeWhy Laura sees the podcast as a form of guidance and real-life “training”How stories and lived experiences can offer landmarks for navigating lifeThe deeper intention behind the podcast: helping you reconnect with your own wisdomThe message at the heart of it all: Be your own guruResources & LinksConnect with LauraFacebook https://www.facebook.com/surrenderingtothesignsWebsite www.surrenderingtothesigns.comDownload your free copy of Seven Keys to Surrendering to the Signs Home | Laura Gates | Surrendering to the Signs | Spiritual PodcastMusic FeaturedThe music in each episode of Surrendering to the Signs has been carefully curated to enhance the episode, below is a list of all tracks featured.List of MusicEasy to Love - Instrumental Version _Song by SaggieLouis Adrien _The Moon In your eyesPodcast co-produced, edited, and sound designed by Daniel De Souza https://www.danieldesouza.com

In this deeply thoughtful and personal episode, Laura is joined by returning guest Bob Gates, professor emeritus from Syracuse University, Jungian scholar, photographer, and Laura’s father.Building on their widely loved conversation from Season One, Laura and Bob explore the profound symbolism of The Wizard of Oz and why this beloved film continues to resonate across generations. Through a Jungian lens, Bob explains how the story reflects the universal psychological journey of individuation, the process of becoming fully ourselves.Together, they discuss archetypes, dreams, synchronicities, and the deeper meaning behind the signs that appear throughout our lives. Bob shares insights from decades of studying Jungian psychology, documenting dreams, and following creative impulses that have shaped his own life path.The conversation also touches on grief, intuition, curiosity, and the courage required to release identities that have outlived their purpose. With warmth and honesty, this father–daughter dialogue reminds us that life is not about reaching a final destination, but about learning to trust the unfolding journey.Ultimately, this episode invites listeners to consider that the answers we seek may already be within us and that sometimes the signs guiding us home are everywhere, if we’re willing to pay attention.Bob grew up in New Jersey and attended graduate school in Iowa, where he obtained a PhD in English and studied photography at the University of Iowa. He taught English at Syracuse University for forty-two years and had a second career as a Fine Arts and drone photographer.Bob is a student of various psychological and spiritual traditions, including Jungian and Lacanian Psychology and the Buddhist and Advaita Vedanta spiritual traditions. He has published fiction, poetry, and a collection of “sayings,” and his photographs have been exhibited and published widely.What You’ll HearWhy The Wizard of Oz is an enduring and psychologically powerful storyHow the film reflects Jung’s concept of individuation — the development of the selfHow the story reflects humanity’s ongoing struggle with patriarchy and powerThe difference between overcoming life’s challenges and assimilating themWhat it truly means to surrender — not to the world, but to deeper truths within ourselvesHow synchronicities and signs can guide us toward greater awarenessThe relationship between intuition, dreams, and the unconscious mindResources & LinksConnect with LauraFacebook https://www.facebook.com/surrenderingtothesignsWebsite www.surrenderingtothesigns.comthen add inDownload your free copy of Seven Keys to Surrendering to the Signs Home | Laura Gates | Surrendering to the Signs | Spiritual PodcastCarl Jung and Jungian psychologyIndividuation and archetypesYou can connect with Bob on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobGatesPhotoBuy his books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Bob-Gates/author/B07R28YH5FAnd find out more about Bob on his website: bob gates photographyVisit www.surrenderingtothesigns.com Music FeaturedThe music in each episode of Surrendering to the Signs has been carefully curated to enhance the episode, below is a list of all tracks featured.List of MusicEasy to Love -  Saggie - InstrumentalDance of the Sugar Plum Fairy - Kashido Magic - John Dada the WeathermenEvery Little Thing - Adam DibPodcast co-produced, edited, and sound designed by Daniel De Souza https://www.danieldesouza.com 

In this deeply energising and wide-ranging conversation, Laura is joined by Ginny Clarke , conscious leadership expert, executive coach, former executive recruiter at Google and Spencer Stuart, and featured thought leader in Brené Brown’s book Strong Ground, to explore what it truly means to lead with consciousness, integrity, and soul.Ginny shares her personal and professional evolution, from navigating loss and spiritual awakening to observing firsthand how leadership impacts human wellbeing inside some of the world’s most influential organizations. She speaks candidly about the urgent need to bring humanity, truth, and self-awareness back into the workplace and why conscious leadership is no longer optional, but essential.Together, Laura and Ginny explore the deeper dimensions of leadership, not as a role or title, but as a way of being. This episode invites listeners to reconnect with their own agency, energy, and essence and to recognize that leadership begins not with managing others, but with remembering who you truly are.What You’ll Hear In This EpisodeGinny’s journey from executive recruiter to conscious leadership pioneerHow personal loss became a catalyst for spiritual awakening and purposeWhy only a small percentage of leaders are truly effective, and what’s missingThe difference between ego-based leadership and soul-based leadershipWhy energy awareness is one of a leader’s greatest superpowersThe urgency of reclaiming humanity in modern workplacesResources & LinksConnect with LauraFacebook https://www.facebook.com/surrenderingtothesignsWebsite www.surrenderingtothesigns.comthen add inDownload your free copy of Seven Keys to Surrendering to the Signs Home | Laura Gates | Surrendering to the Signs | Spiritual PodcastThe Five Dimensions of Conscious Leadership ™Brené Brown’s Strong Ground - leadership and vulnerability researchGallup leadership engagement researchVisit www.surrenderingtothesigns.com Music FeaturedThe music in each episode of Surrendering to the Signs has been carefully curated to enhance the episode, below is a list of all tracks featured.List of MusicEasy to Love - Saggie - Instrumental Seven Raindrops -Yonnie DrorFlower Duet Lakmé- Song by HawkinsBirds - J. GPodcast co-produced, edited, and sound designed by Daniel De Souza https://www.danieldesouza.com

In this moving and energising episode, Laura is joined by Maria Medrano, CEO and Co-Founder of Inspirame, tech executive, mother, and first-generation pioneer, to explore how faith, education, and an unwavering belief in possibility can change not just one life, but generations.Maria shares her remarkable story, from growing up in a working-class immigrant family in California to becoming the first in her family to graduate high school and college, building a career in Silicon Valley, and ultimately dedicating her life’s work to ensuring others can see, and access, the paths available to them.This conversation weaves together themes of spirituality, grief, resilience, education as liberation, and the quiet ways our loved ones continue to guide us after they’re gone. It’s a powerful reminder that signs often arrive through people, through opportunity, and through a deep inner knowing that we are here to give back what we’ve been given.What You’ll Hear in This EpisodeMaria’s early life story and the influence of her parents’ strength and valuesBeing the first in her family to go to college and what that really tookHow teachers became early “signs” and champions of possibilityNavigating criticism, doubt, and being told she didn’t belongThe loss of Maria’s mother and how her presence continues in a new formHow grief sharpened Maria’s commitment to personal growth and purposeThe creation of Inspirame as an embodiment of legacy and loveHelping young people navigate education systems without shame or confusionResources & LinksConnect with LauraFacebook https://www.facebook.com/surrenderingtothesignsWebsite www.surrenderingtothesigns.comthen add inDownload your free copy of Seven Keys to Surrendering to the Signs Home | Laura Gates | Surrendering to the Signs | Spiritual PodcastInspirame, a technology platform dedicated to simplifying access to education and career pathways for underserved communitiesVisit www.surrenderingtothesigns.com Music FeaturedThe music in each episode of Surrendering to the Signs has been carefully curated to enhance the episode, below is a list of all tracks featured.List of MusicThis Is an Adventure _Song by Kyle PrestonLiving the Dream _Song by RynnPassion _Song by YestalgiaEl Río Fluye _Song by Reuven BransburgHeart and Soul _Song by Dreams Are HerePodcast co-produced, edited, and sound designed by Daniel De Souza https://www.danieldesouza.com

In this expansive, philosophical, and deeply grounding conversation, Laura is joined by longtime mentor, friend, and executive coach Joel Kimmel to explore one of the most fundamental questions of our time:Who are we being  and how is that shaping the world we’re living in?Drawing from near-death experiences, decades of leadership work, and a lifetime of inquiry into language and awareness, Joel shares a radically compassionate way of seeing life, one that moves beyond right and wrong, success and failure, and into honor, contribution, and presence.Together, Laura and Joel explore how language doesn’t just describe our reality, it creates it. From the difference between “to-do lists” and “to-have-happen lists,” to listening beyond the thinking mind and into the quiet intelligence of being, this episode invites listeners to slow down, soften certainty, and discover new possibilities hiding in plain sight.This is not a conversation about fixing the world but about seeing it differently, and allowing what wants to happen to unfold.What You'll Hear In This EpisodeJoel’s near-death experience and the three truths that shaped his lifeWhy who we are being matters more than what we are doingThe difference between intuition and embodied awarenessWhy teams (and families) thrive when being is acknowledgedListening to the inner voice without letting it dominateResources & LinksConnect with LauraFacebook https://www.facebook.com/surrenderingtothesignsWebsite www.surrenderingtothesigns.comDownload your free copy of Seven Keys to Surrendering to the Signs Home | Laura Gates | Surrendering to the Signs | Spiritual PodcastSelf: The Vast World Behind Our Words — Joel Kimmel & Judy KimmelVisit www.surrenderingtothesigns.com Music FeaturedThe music in each episode of Surrendering to the Signs has been carefully curated to enhance the episode, below is a list of all tracks featured.List of MusicEasy to Love - Instrumental Version _Song by Saggie Night Patterns _Song by FlorianDarklouds _Song by Out of Flux Clarity_Song by Roie Shpigler Butterfly_Song by Ian PostDreamy_Song byYehezkel Raz - Creative CutHighway - Song by Yarin Primak - - Instrumental versionNever Die- Song by Noa Lembersky - - Alternative VersionPodcast co-produced, edited, and sound designed by Daniel De Souza https://www.danieldesouza.com

In this spacious, and deeply nourishing conversation, Laura is joined by leadership coach Nancy Larocca Hedley to explore the subtle art of completion, discernment, and listening to the body as a source of truth. Nancy brings wisdom from the world's spiritual traditions to her work with leaders, team facilitation, and leading in her community.Together they reflect on how endings are not failures, but sacred thresholds, portals into the next chapter of becoming. From leaving long-held roles and relationships, to closing chapters at work, to making space for creativity, rest, and truth, Nancy shares how honorable closure has become one of her most powerful spiritual and leadership practices.They talk about discomfort as a doorway, the difference between mental resistance and bodily knowing, the courage to have crucial conversations, and why our lives so often unfold through the unexpected rather than the planned.This episode is a gentle invitation to slow down, notice what is complete, and trust what is quietly asking to be born.What You’ll Hear in This EpisodeHow Nancy learned to trust her body as her primary compassA powerful story of leaving Yahoo after a series of life signsThe subtle signals that tell us when something is no longer ours to doThe Enneagram as a tool for liberation rather than identityLaura and Nancy’s reflections on the “helper” archetype and self-careWhy discomfort is often the doorway to freedomLetting go of caffeine, alcohol, and habits that no longer serve the bodyThe difference between being busy and being availableResources & LinksConnect with LauraFacebook https://www.facebook.com/surrenderingtothesignsWebsite www.surrenderingtothesigns.comDownload your free copy of Seven Keys to Surrendering to the Signs Home | Laura Gates | Surrendering to the Signs | Spiritual PodcastThe Yamas (particularly non-stealing / right use of energy)The Enneagram (as a tool for ego awareness and freedom)Yoga philosophy and Kriya Yoga lineage (Yogananda, Roy Eugene Davis, Ellen Grace O’Brien)Visit www.surrenderingtothesigns.com Music FeaturedThe music in each episode of Surrendering to the Signs has been carefully curated to enhance the episode, below is a list of all tracks featured.List of MusicEasy to Love - Instrumental Version _Song by SaggieFold _Song by nuer selfEchoes of the Forest _Song by Thomas Ben TovWakening_Song by Shai-li PaldiWere Looking Up_Song by Chris MasonAlmanac_Song by Seth ParsonSame Side - No Lead Vocals_Song by Lemon JPodcast co-produced, edited, and sound designed by Daniel De Souza https://www.danieldesouza.com

In this deeply human conversation, Laura sits down with her longtime friend Tim Winters to explore the winding, painful, and ultimately transformative journey of addiction, surrender, and recovery.Tim shares his story with remarkable openness, from a teenage sense of not quite belonging, to decades of alcohol and drug use that slowly narrowed his world, to the quiet, devastating moment when he realized he could no longer save himself.He recounts the unforgettable car ride when his daughter-in-law drove him, without telling him where they were going, straight to rehab. A moment of fear, resistance, and finally surrender that would change the trajectory of his life.What unfolds is not just a story about addiction, but about identity, worthiness, masculinity, grief, spirituality, and what happens when we finally stop running and let ourselves be helped.What You’ll Hear in This EpisodeThis episode is a powerful reminder that healing rarely arrives the way we expect but often exactly when we are ready.How early shame and identity struggles shaped Tim’s inner worldWhy alcohol and drugs became a way to feel connected, confident, and safeThe slow progression from “social” use to silent dependencyWhy “just don’t drink today” became a life-saving reframeHow anxiety and depression lifted only after sobriety beganThe power of routine, community, and spiritual practice in recoveryHow meditation and prayer became unexpected anchorsWhat Tim wishes people understood about addiction, recovery, and compassionHow small signs and nudges now guide his life in ways they never could beforeResources & LinksConnect with LauraFacebook https://www.facebook.com/surrenderingtothesignsWebsite www.surrenderingtothesigns.comDownload your free copy of Seven Keys to Surrendering to the Signs Home | Laura Gates | Surrendering to the Signs | Spiritual PodcastAlcoholics Anonymous (AA)Father Martin’s Ashleigh House treatment centerVisit: surrenderingtothesigns.comMusic FeaturedThe music in each episode of Surrendering to the Signs has been carefully curated to enhance the episode, below is a list of all tracks featured.List of MusicMarch the Machine -  One Day - Creative CutJames Forest - EmergencyBen Winwood  - IntimacyWav Two - SakuraPodcast co-produced, edited, and sound designed by Daniel De Souza https://www.danieldesouza.com

In this deeply resonant and wide-ranging conversation, Laura is joined by Jana Hendrickson, executive coach, researcher, and global citizen, to explore what it truly means to follow the signs even when fear, uncertainty, and practical logic are present.Jana shares her extraordinary life journey, from growing up in East Germany with no spiritual framework, to a life shaped by intuition, somatic wisdom, faith, and profound trust in the unseen. Through vivid stories, turning away from Paris at the last moment, leaving a marriage she loved but had outgrown, years of nomadic living, and ultimately finding home. Jana illustrates how the body often knows the truth long before the mind catches up.Together, Laura and Jana reflect on the discomfort of the “in-between,” the myth of instant clarity, the role of fear as a compass, and the difference between spirituality and religion. They also explore how social media, synchronicity, and shared stories can act as catalysts for courage and how our own brave choices quietly give others permission to make theirs.This episode is a powerful reminder that surrender is not passive, it’s an active, embodied practice of listening, trusting, and moving forward one honest step at a time.What You’ll Hear in This Episode:Jana’s first profound experience of listening to her body’s wisdomHow “the pull” feels in the body and how to recognize it’The difference between clarity and certainty and why clarity often takes timeJana’s journey through divorce, grief, and radical self-trustNomadic living, synchronicity, and saying yes without a roadmapHow social media can act as a modern conduit for signs and connectionWhy our stories matter and how sharing them gives others courageFind Jana on Instagram at @iamjanahendrickson or connect with her on LinkedIn. She is currently completing her doctoral research in professional coaching and human development and is passionate about integrating spirituality, philosophy, neuroscience, and somatic intelligence into leadership practice. Jana’s work invites leaders to move beyond performance alone and into alignment, depth, and wholeness.Resources & LinksConnect with LauraFacebook https://www.facebook.com/surrenderingtothesignsWebsite www.surrenderingtothesigns.comDownload your free copy of Seven Keys to Surrendering to the Signs Home | Laura Gates | Surrendering to the Signs | Spiritual PodcastWorld Domination Summit (Chris Guillebeau)Brené Brown (early speaking work)Nancy Duarte – The Arc of StorytellingMarie Forleo’s B-SchoolThe 4-Hour Workweek by Tim FerrissTony Robbins coaching methodologyDavid Deida’s work on polarityVisit: surrenderingtothesigns.comMusic FeaturedThe music in each episode of Surrendering to the Signs has been carefully curated to enhance the episode, below is a list of all tracks featured.List of MusicMaya Pacziga - Winter in ParisANBR - Mon AmourNuer Self - IndigoKyle Preston - Cafe de Philosophie Jozeque - SealSaggie - Easy to Love - Instrumental Version Podcast co-produced, edited, and sound designed by Daniel De Souza https://www.danieldesouza.com

Welcome to Season Two of Surrendering to the Signs. In this opening episode, host Laura Gates reflects on the deeper meaning behind signs, synchronicities, and, most powerfully, the people who show up on our path at exactly the right moment.Laura explores how encounters often carry lessons, invitations, and turning points we can only understand in hindsight. From unexpected reunions and uncomfortable interactions to chance meetings on trains and long-term relationships born from unlikely moments, this episode invites listeners to look beyond first impressions and trust that the universe is constantly conspiring on our behalf.As we step into a new season, Laura offers a gentle reminder that growth doesn’t always come through dramatic awakenings. Sometimes it comes through coffee meetings, missed deadlines, difficult conversations, quiet inner nudges, and moments where listening to the body becomes the most profound act of self-trust.What You’ll Hear in This Episode:Why making it to Season Two is a meaningful milestoneThe many forms signs can take, goosebumps, intuition, inner voices, and peopleHow first impressions can block meaningful connection if we let themA powerful story of a chance meeting on a train to GlastonburyReflections on meeting soul-aligned collaborators, clients, and lifelong partnersHow surrendering control opens space for guidance and supportHonoring winter, rest, and seasonal cycles as part of the soul’s rhythmResources & LinksConnect with LauraFacebook https://www.facebook.com/surrenderingtothesignsWebsite www.surrenderingtothesigns.comDownload your free copy of Seven Keys to Surrendering to the Signs Home | Laura Gates | Surrendering to the Signs | Spiritual PodcastTriggers by Marshall GoldsmithVisit: surrenderingtothesigns.comMusic FeaturedThe music in each episode of Surrendering to the Signs has been carefully curated to enhance the episode, below is a list of all tracks featured.List of MusicBeauregard feat Ryvr - 101Saggie - Easy to LoveRisian - UndertowRoie Shpigler- ClarityWav Two - SakuraFamily Kush- Heavy SummerPodcast co-produced, edited, and sound designed by Daniel De Souza https://www.danieldesouza.com

In this reflective season finale, Laura looks back on the conversations and transformations that shaped Season One of Surrendering to the Signs.She shares what she has learned from her guests, from her own life, and from the unexpected signs that have continued to appear along the way, including the story of a small alleyway in Glastonbury that offered a message from her sister, three years after her passing.This episode speaks to the journey we are all on: learning to trust our intuition, listening for the messages that guide us, and finding the courage to walk the path, even when we can’t yet see the ending.If you’ve ever wondered: Why am I here? What is my purpose? How do I follow the signs in my life?This closing reflection offers comfort, clarity, and companionship for that journey.What You’ll Hear in This Episode:Laura’s gratitude for the people who helped bring Season One to lifeHonoring the guests whose stories opened the season’s conversationThe evolving identity of the podcast and why naming the “mystery” mattersWhy so many of us hesitate to talk about spirituality or intuition openlyHow signs, synchronicities, and subtle nudges guide us toward alignmentA moving story of Laura’s sister Janice and a message that arrived in GlastonburyDreams, symbols, and the quiet language of the unconsciousSeeing relationships through the lens of soul contracts and karmic lessonsReflections on not having children and the unexpected ways motherhood showed upWhat Season Two will explore: deeper conversations, more seekers, practical guidance, and spacious truth-tellingResources & LinksConnect with LauraFacebook https://www.facebook.com/surrenderingtothesignsWebsite www.surrenderingtothesigns.comDownload your free copy of Seven Keys to Surrendering to the Signs Home | Laura Gates | Surrendering to the Signs | Spiritual PodcastSpirit Babies, Walter Makichen The Surrender Experiment, Michael SingerThe Untethered Soul, Michael Singer The Alchemist, Paulo CoelhoThe Awakened Mind, Dr. Lisa MillerSeat of the Soul, Gary Zukav  The Art of Infinity, The spiritual journey of Albert Einstein by Kieran Fox.Mind Magic, Dr. James Doty Music FeaturedThe music in each episode of Surrendering to the Signs has been carefully curated to enhance the episode, below is a list of all tracks featured.List of MusicSaggie, Steven Beddall & Jenny Penkin - Easy to Love101 feat Ryvr -  BeauregardRisian - UndertowRoie Shpigler - SakuraFamily Kush - Heavy SummerPodcast co-produced, edited, and sound designed by Daniel De Souza https://www.danieldesouza.com