We need a recovery of the sacred in our secular world. Because the mental, emotional, and psychological struggles haunting society right now can’t be solved without addressing meaning, purpose, and the longing for connection to something beyond ourselves.

In other words, spiritual health is an essential part of mental health.

In this conversation with Varun Soni, we discuss:

• Finding the sacred in our secular culture.


• Religious pluralism and what it means to build trust that reaches across religious lines of difference.


• The transformative power of finding your “truth north”—your North Star—to orient our journeys of faith and spirituality.


• Varun shares six pillars of flourishing; how to align our actions with our values; and the benefit of listening to the cultural narratives and stories we tell.


• He reflects on the missing elements of spirituality in our understanding of mental health today, evidenced in his work with teens and emerging adults.


• He offers us a Hindu meditative practice to provide inner clarity, stability, and calm.


• And he comments on compassion and a cultivation sacred spiritual practices to counteract the loneliness, anguish, and suffering in our world.

About Varun Soni

Varun Soni is the Dean of Religious Life at the University of Southern California (USC), bringing a unique and extensive academic background to his role. He holds numerous degrees, including a B.A. in Religion from Tufts University, an M.T.S. from Harvard Divinity School, and an M.A. in Religious Studies from UC Santa Barbara. He also earned a J.D. from UCLA School of Law, where he completed the Critical Race Studies Program, and a Ph.D. from the University of Cape Town, where his doctoral research focused on religion and popular culture. His global perspective was shaped by immersive experiences, including a semester at a Buddhist monastery in India and field research in South Asia through UCSB. Prior to his work at USC, he taught in the Law and Society Program at UCSB.

Beyond his academic and administrative roles, Dean Soni is an author, a producer, and an active public intellectual. He is the author of Natural Mystics: The Prophetic Lives of Bob Marley and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and has contributed writings to publications like the Washington Post and Huffington Post. His production credits include the graphic novel Tina’s Mouth: An Existential Comic Diary, which is being adapted into a film. He also hosted a radio show showcasing South Asian music and was involved in organizing the 2009 Concert for Pakistan at the United Nations. Dean Soni is currently an Adjunct Professor at the USC School of Religion and serves on the advisory boards for several interfaith and educational organizations.

About the Thrive Center

• Learn more at thethrivecenter.org.


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About Dr. Pam King

Dr. Pam King is Executive Director the Thrive Center and is Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at Fuller School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy.  Follow her @drpamking.

About With & For

• Host: Pam King


• Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook


• Operations Manager: Lauren Kim


• Social Media Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen

Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and the Fuller School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy.