Hello Universe

We’re back for Season 6 of Hello Universe! 🎉We kick off this season with a listener question so many are asking:  ”Every time I open the news, I feel like I'm hit with another wave of heartbreak. Part of me wants to stay awake and engaged, but another part of me just feels so tired. But then I turn away to preserve my sense of self and protect joy, and I feel guilty and maybe irresponsible. How do you hold hope in a moment that feels so dark? How do I find the balance in a moment like this?”HighlightsThe “not enough monster” that latches onto everything—including activism.Joy as resistance, and the radical practice of letting yourself feel good even when the world is on fire.“Tend to your part of the garden”—why committing to your thread matters more than chasing all of them.The difference between helplessness (grief that opens) and despair (grief that shuts down).Why living in possibility is vulnerable work—and how to practice it every day.Eva’s blunt question: “Are we evolving or regressing?” and the nuanced answers that follow.The paradox of progress: letting go of the myth of linear evolution while still choosing trust.Kyley on unworthiness as the invisible wall between us and love—and why believing we deserve better is collective sacred work.The radical agency of choosing happiness, and why blame is a seductive detour away from accountability.This episode is a balm for anyone who has felt the whiplash of living in a world of abundance and devastation at once. If you’ve ever wrestled with guilt for feeling joy, or wondered if your thread really matters, we made this one for you.A Gentle & Fierce Path Forward: A Workbook for Staying Present, Committed and Resourced in Times of Crisishttps://portal.kyleycaldwell.com/gentle-fierce-workbookEvaSign up for Awakening for FREEhttps://dogged-trailblazer-8821.kit.com/756fe8553dEva's instagram: @iamevaliaoBook a discovery call with EvaKyleySign up for upcoming FREE  Workshop - Torchbearer: Build a Business That Builds a Better World https://portal.kyleycaldwell.com/torchbearer-workshopKyley's Instagram: @kyleycaldwellKyley's free mini-course 

 Welcome back to season six of Hello Universe. We have been working together all summer to improve the show and bring you topics we think you will love to make this truly, I think what is going to be the most epic season ever!

Kyley opens up about a story she never tells.Eva's instagram: @iamevaliaoBook a discovery call with EvaKyley's Instagram: @kyleycaldwellKyley's free mini-course

This week is a deep dive on money, anti-capitalism, and ethical business with artist and author Sarah Faith Gottesdiener.https://moon-studio.co/https://www.instagram.com/gottesss/Eva's instagram: @iamevaliaoBook a discovery call with EvaKyley's Instagram: @kyleycaldwellKyley's free mini-course

Melody Beatty wrote a number of really important books, including most famously Codependent No More, and she actually passed away in February of 2025, which makes this really moving interview so much sweeter. I am happy for you to get a chance to experience some of her warmth and honesty and courage.Bestselling author Melody Beattie comes on the show to teach us about codependency, loving yourself more than others, setting limits, and generally being a badass.https://melodybeattie.com/https://www.facebook.com/writermelodybeattie/  Twitter: @MelodyBeattieInsta: @authormelodybeattieEva's instagram: @iamevaliaoBook a discovery call with EvaKyley's Instagram: @kyleycaldwellKyley's free mini-course 

What does it all mean & spiritual awakening. Kyley has a drug free psychedelic trip. She trips on “mushrooms”—without taking any drugs Eva and Kyley dissect what the hell happened Eva's instagram: @iamevaliaoBook a discovery call with EvaKyley's Instagram: @kyleycaldwellKyley's free mini-course

In this deeply personal and vulnerable conversation, Eva is pulling back the curtain on her relationship with her partner, Tom, an incredibly special and unique human by all accounts.  He’s also the man she once had on a spiritual pedestal, who also happens to be 26 years older than her, a wildly private human. In other words… not your average “how we met” story.In this conversation with Kyley, Eva spill’s on all the odd and beautiful circumstances that come with their love — from navigating projections (“isn’t that the cliché of the teacher dating the student?”) to dismantling conditioning about what’s “right,” to learning how to actually let ourselves be loved without condition.It’s juicy, hilarious, and rooted in something much bigger than just romance: it’s about self-love, joy, and trusting life enough to let the good all the way in.In this episode, we discuss: The meet-cute that took seven years — from a Costa Rica retreat crush to living together in a surf shack in BrazilLove without conditions: how it feels to be in a partnership where both people are exploring whether there’s any limit to love or joy.Pedestals are prisons: how putting someone “above” you is unkind to them and to yourself, and what happens when you smash the hierarchy.Self-love as subtraction, not addition: letting go of self-condemnation, judgment, and the “I” story so Source can pour in.Being willing to be disliked — and why your joy might be the medicine that irritates someone right into their own healing.Living under the influence of good: the simple but terrifying practice of trusting life right now, in this moment.

This episode is an honest look at difficult relationships in all their paradoxical glory. It will touch anyone navigating complex family dynamics, caregiving, inner conflict, or the slow, radical return to self.Eva opens up about the intense push-pull dynamic with her mother—someone who is mentally ill, disabled, and fiercely challenging, yet also one of the people she loves most in the world. From the tropical beauty of Brazil to the ancestral weight of being back in Taiwan, Eva unpacks the spiritual and emotional reckoning of caretaking, resentment, cultural expectations, mortality, and what love actually asks of us.Kyley, ever the sorting hat of spiritual insight, helps organize the messy candy pile of emotion. Together, they navigate:- How resentment isn’t your enemy, but your flashlight- The difference between love with a story vs. love without one- What it means to love yourself and someone else without abandoning either- How sacrifice can either be sovereign or soul-squelching- The unbearable tension between caregiving and freedom- Why boundaries can sometimes become cold walls- The danger of spiritual bypassing through over-intellectualizing pain- The terrifying (and freeing) question: What if their life isn’t your responsibility?“My needs are generous”—the new mantra for every recovering codependent By the end, Eva has a mic-drop moment of realization:  What if real love—capital L Love—is loving yourself without a story?Eva's instagram: @iamevaliaoBook a discovery call with EvaKyley's Instagram: @kyleycaldwellKyley's free mini-course

One of Eva's favorite conversations from last year! We sat down with Diana Harper—relational astrologer, poet of the cosmos, and philosophical firestarter—to explore a radically different take on healing, belonging, and what it means to be in true relationship. This isn’t a conversation about “doing the work” in isolation. It’s a remembrance of your interconnectedness with everything: your ancestors (yes, even the weird ones), your neighborhood spiders, the trees on your block, the grief in your belly, the granite boulders in your backyard.We explore:Diana’s definition of healing as “increasing the capacity to be in relationship”The grief and rage of being severed from Indigeneity—and how that rupture underpins modern disconnectionThe deep wisdom encoded in cities, sidewalks, vegetables, and purple carrot soupHow creature comforts like herbal tea can reveal our tenderest fears about worthiness and comfortThe devastating illusion of separateness—and how spiritual belonging doesn’t mean samenessThis episode will leave you soft, wrecked, held, inspired, and maybe a little furious at the Stanley Cup industrial complex.Whether you’re crying in a grocery store parking lot at sunset or whispering thank-you to your morning tea (or giant granite boulder in your backyard), Diana reminds us: you are in relationship. You belong. You’ve always belonged.Diana - ddamascenaa.compatreon.com/ddamascenaainstagram.com/ddamascenaa

This week, we’re bringing you a deeply real, wildly tender conversation with Ned Buskirk — founder of You’re Going to Die — an artist, grief guide, and all-around wise soul who is not afraid to look directly into the darkness… and still choose love.Together we dive into:How grief work can be healing — but also a sneaky trap for self-worthThe quiet ways life tries to harden us, and how to stay (or become) softParenthood as a portal to awe, heartbreak, and presenceWhat it means to dissolve the ego and disappear into connectionIf you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the weight of this world — or confused about why you’re drawn to the darkness in the first place — this conversation will feel like a warm, unflinching hand on your shoulder.Ned Buskirk is the Founder, Podcast Host, Facilitator, and Executive Director for You’re Going to Die [YG2D] – a 501(c)3 nonprofit bringing diverse communities creatively into the conversation of death and dying, inspiring life by unabashedly sourcing our shared mortality.www.yg2d.comhttps://www.instagram.com/yergoing2die/https://www.facebook.com/yergoingtodie/https://twitter.com/yergoing2dieEva's instagram: @iamevaliaoBook a discovery call with EvaKyley's Instagram: @kyleycaldwellKyley's free mini-course

In this very special episode, we sit down with Eva’s personal mentor of two years, Amma Thanasanti. Formerly living as a fully ordained Buddhist nun for 28 years, today Amma guides others in the path of embodied awakening—bringing together deep meditation, nervous system repair, and attachment healing to help people feel truly safe, seen, and at home in themselves.Through Amma’s stories—including an unbelievable near-death encounter with a bear—this conversation explores the ways early attachment wounds shape our nervous systems, how safety can be reclaimed through somatic practices, and how reimagining our origin stories can transform not only our minds, but our physiology.This episode is less of an intellectual download and more of a transmission. If you’ve ever longed for deep connection, struggled with overwhelm, or felt like your nervous system was living in a permanent state of hypervigilance—this one is for you.🌀 In this episode, we explore:What real safety feels like in the body—and why many of us have never actually experienced itHow Amma re-imagined her origin story through “belly bonding” ceremonies with the EarthThe role of the pelvic floor in nervous system regulation, trauma, and embodimentThe three-pillar framework for attachment repair, developed by Dr. Dan Brown and David ElliottThe difference between telling yourself you’re safe and actually feeling it somaticallyThe subtle but profound impact of living with an insecure attachment styleWhy some people retreat from relationships—not because they don’t want connection, but because their system is stuck in overprotection 

Two years ago, Eva packed up her life in Portland, left a breakup in the rearview mirror, and hit the open road to start over in Austin, Texas… solo. What followed was an epic road trip, equal parts grief, healing, awe, and badassery. In this reissued episode, Eva shares the behind-the-scenes of that transitional season—one where everything was falling apart, and somehow also coming together better than she ever could’ve planned.It’s summer. People are road-tripping. Maybe you’re also in a season of upheaval. Maybe you're grieving, starting over, or wondering if it's possible for life to get better than you imagined. Spoiler alert: it is.This episode is your message from the future: you’re gonna be okay. Actually? Better than okay.What we cover in this episode:😭 The messy, nonlinear reality of grief (and how Eva tried to "do it well")💔 Rage, sadness, and the surprise healing that comes from visiting an ex🧼 The difference between surviving grief vs. trying to control it🐍 Lessons from nature, the desert, and the wide open sky🔥 The secret catharsis of screaming and throwing rocks into water (yes, really)🌈 The beauty of trusting the in-between and letting arrival be just another beginning💡Why it's okay to romanticize a new life—and why it's also okay when it turns out to be messy AF💃🏼 The importance of place: finding the kind of land that makes you feel alive🤝 Friendship as medicine and why it's absolutely possible to make real friends as an adultEva's instagram: @iamevaliaoBook a discovery call with EvaKyley's Instagram: @kyleycaldwellKyley's free 2 Day Money Magic Workshop 

What does it mean to hold the unbearable complexities of the world without shutting down or lashing out? In this rich, heartfelt conversation, Eva and Kyley sit down with Ellen Wong, entheogenic death companion and host of the Mum podcast, to explore how we can stay present with grief, righteous anger, and the impossible paradoxes of life.Together, we grapple with questions like:How do we show up when the world is on fire?How do we stay human when social media, activism, and politics feel polarized and violent?Is it possible to hold both fierce anger and deep compassion without collapsing into binaries?Ellen shares her profound perspective as a death doula, inviting us to develop an intimate relationship with death—not just at the end of life, but in the countless transitions, identity shifts, and ego deaths we encounter along the way. The conversation weaves through themes of grief, cancel culture, safety, attachment, social justice, ancestral wounds, and the liberating power of surrender.💥 Expect tears, belly laughs, and a radically honest look at what it means to be alive in these times Ellen - https://tripwithellen.com/https://www.instagram.com/tripwithellen/https://www.instagram.com/mumthepod/Eva's instagram: @iamevaliaoBook a discovery call with EvaKyley's Instagram: @kyleycaldwellKyley's free 2 Day Money Magic Workshop 

This episode got meaty & esoteric fast. We wound up discussing free will and the grace of choicelessness with the brilliant and wise Victoria Jane.https://victoriajane.co/,https://www.instagram.com/victoriajane.hd/Eva's instagram: @iamevaliaoBook a discovery call with EvaPocket Mentor(Friend)ship- Eva's Newest Offering!Kyley's Instagram: @kyleycaldwell 

This show is brought to you by our inner teenagers.  With surprise and delight, we wound up reminiscing about the 90s, reveling in fashion-as-play and power, and generally invited our inner teen selves to run the show this week.Kelly - Instagram.com/kellymahalakEva's instagram: @iamevaliaoBook a discovery call with EvaKyley's Instagram: @kyleycaldwell 

It’s the Season 5 finale(!) and we’re celebrating by asking each other some big, weird, and delicious questions, including:-End-of-life wishes-What our teenage selves needed to hear-The worst snack food-Our super-hero figurine selves, and what they are bringing into battle✨ Plus, all summer long we’re re-releasing some of our most beloved episodes—so whether you’re new here or a longtime listener, there’s magic coming your way. Meanwhile, we're scheming up  BIG things for the fall, so stay tuned.We love you!!https://www.instagram.com/caratruth/https://www.caralai.org/Eva's instagram: @iamevaliaoBook a discovery call with EvaPocket Mentor(Friend)ship- Eva's Newest Offering!Kyley's Instagram: @kyleycaldwellMoney Magic Free 2-Day Workshop

This week, dharma teacher Cara Lai joins us on the show to explore the misunderstood power of yin (or feminine) energy—and what it really means to do less without abandoning yourself.We cover rest, rage, spiritual bypassing, chronic illness, and the sacred art of screaming in the woods and putting our boulders down.Also: why Ali Wong is the medicine for us all. https://www.instagram.com/caratruth/https://www.caralai.org/Eva's instagram: @iamevaliaoBook a discovery call with EvaPocket Mentor(Friend)ship- Eva's Newest Offering!Kyley's Instagram: @kyleycaldwellMoney Magic Free 2-Day Workshop 

What if you don’t see anything when you meditate? What if your intuition doesn’t show up the way everyone says it’s supposed to?This week, we answer a question from Spiritual FOMO—someone who’s craving a deeper connection to their intuition but feels stuck when it comes to visualization.Re: intuition.If you’ve ever felt like the only one not “seeing things” during meditation or wondered whether you’re doing it wrong—you’re not alone.Dear Eva and Kyley,I keep hearing people talk about how powerful visualization is during meditation and manifestation—but honestly, I struggle with it so much.When someone says “picture a golden light” or “see your higher self” my brain is just… blank.It makes me feel like I’m doing it wrong. I want to connect more deeply to my intuition and spiritual practice, but I feel blocked. Is there something I can do to strengthen this muscle?With loveSpiritual FOMOEva's instagram: @iamevaliaoBook a discovery call with EvaPocket Mentor(Friend)ship- Eva's Newest Offering!Kyley's Instagram: @kyleycaldwellMoney Magic Free 2-Day Workshop  

Can you truly love your body and still want to change it?This week, we answer a listener question from someone who deeply loves herself… but also kinda wants to change it.Does getting Botox or hitting the gym mean you’ve sold out your self-love? Is there room for both radical acceptance and the desire to feel even hotter?We dig into vanity, desire, body politics, and why self-love doesn’t have to mean self-stagnation. Re: body image: Hi Eva and Kyley! I love your show and here’s my question: Can I truly love myself and still want to look hotter? Like, I do love myself. I’ve done a ton of inner work around body image, self-worth, and all that good stuff. But also… I still want to glow up. I want to feel sexier, maybe lose a little weight, and I think about getting botox… And sometimes I wonder—am I being vain? Or betraying the self-love I’ve worked so hard for? Does wanting to look better mean I don’t accept myself as I am? Or is it okay to want both—to radically love who I am and also still want to turn heads when I walk into a room? Help. I’m confused and also slightly overthinking this. Thanks, love you both! Signed, Hot & HealingEmail your questions to podcast@hellouniversepod.com or DM us on instagramEva's instagram: @iamevaliaoBook a discovery call with EvaPocket Mentor(Friend)ship- Eva's Newest Offering!Kyley's Instagram: @kyleycaldwellMoney Magic Free 2-Day Workshop

What happens when astrology starts to feel like a rigid set of rules, instead of a tool for self-discovery? Sofia Adler joins us to talk about how astrology can create anxiety instead of insight, and how it can become a box we feel stuck inside, rather than a relationship to ourselves and the stars that we are living. Sofia also shares about her current work with Emotion Code and energy work, and how it’s changing everything for her. If you've ever felt afraid of Mercury Retrograde or trapped by your birth chart, this one's for you.www.sofiaadlerwellness.com https://www.instagram.com/sofiaadler_/https://sofiaadler.substack.com/Eva's instagram: @iamevaliaoBook a discovery call with EvaPocket Mentor(Friend)ship- Eva's Newest Offering!Kyley's Instagram: @kyleycaldwellQuantum Leap Your Business - Free Workshop