Podcast Summary: On Being with Krista Tippett

Episode: A New Season of On Being
Release Date: April 10, 2025
Host: Krista Tippett
Studio: On Being Studios

Main Theme & Purpose

This special episode introduces a new season of On Being, crafted by Krista Tippett around her recent explorations and encounters. The season is designed to offer wisdom, solace, and orientation for listeners navigating a turbulent world. Tippett highlights an eclectic lineup of upcoming conversations that interweave spiritual inquiry, science, social healing, and poetry, drawing on both new experiences and the show’s rich 20-year archive.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Announcing a Return with Purpose

• Tippett opens with palpable enthusiasm:

  “What a thrill to let you know that On Being is coming back with a special season crafted around adventures I’ve been having out in the world these last few months.”
  (00:01)

• The new season is positioned as a response to both the tumult and tenderness of our times, aiming to ground listeners and inspire forward movement.

2. Preview of Signature Conversations

• Justin Vernon (Bon Iver):
  The season opens April 16th with “a joy of a conversation about life and love, heartbreak and healing” as Vernon releases a new album.
• Young in America:
  Tippett hints at an “in-depth, wide ponder” about contemporary youth experiences in America.
• Mohawk Elder Gucci Cook:
  A “revelatory encounter at a cross-generational gathering” promises intergenerational wisdom and Indigenous perspective.
• Palestinian and Jewish Citizens Dialogue:
  Krista references a “tender, mind and heart-expanding conversation” from the Hague, highlighting stories of coexistence and shared humanity.
• Grounding Our Lives with the News:
  The show will also include an “immensely grounding and calming conversation” about how to live well amidst overwhelming news cycles.
• Practice of Prayer:
  Listeners can look forward to “a refreshing, ever relevant introduction to beginning a practice of prayer experimentally,” offering spiritual tools for uncertain times.

3. Archival Wisdom & New Community Resource

• Tippett announces a forthcoming seven-week resource (May–June), “Hope, Imagination and Remaking the World,” inspired by lessons from the On Being archive. This program is meant for collective participation—friends and communities can join together to practice and reflect.

  “[It’s] something you can do alongside others in your life.”
  (00:48)

4. An Invitation for Challenging Times

• Krista directly names the present moment:

  “This is a hard, bewildering time in the life of the world. We’re all feeling that. And in different keys, this hybrid experiment of a season stays tethered in the persistent beauty and courage of what it can mean to be human.”
  (00:56)

• The season aims to both “honor the questions so many of us are asking right now” and provide solace and practical wisdom.

5. Essential Questions & Orientation

• Tippett reflects on the orientation of the new season:

  “How to be present to the gravity of this time and keep body and soul together as we do so. What to orient towards? What is the work that is ours to do?”
  (01:11)

• Her language conveys both solidarity and hope, resonating with listeners’ search for meaning and direction.

6. Warm Closing Invitation

• Krista ends the episode by inviting listeners to join her, subtly breaking her usual podcasting form:

  “I haven’t said this for a while into a mic for my work, but here you go. Please join me starting April 16th.”
  (01:25)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “This hybrid experiment of a season stays tethered in the persistent beauty and courage of what it can mean to be human.” (00:56)
• “How to be present to the gravity of this time and keep body and soul together as we do so. What to orient towards? What is the work that is ours to do?” (01:11)
• “Please join me starting April 16th.” (01:25)

Important Timestamps

• 00:01 – Krista announces the return and new direction for the season.
• 00:13 – Preview of the inaugural conversation with Justin Vernon.
• 00:20–00:43 – Overview of upcoming featured guests and topics.
• 00:48 – Introduction of the “Hope, Imagination and Remaking the World” resource.
• 00:56 – Acknowledgement of global uncertainty, call for resilience.
• 01:11 – Reflection on essential questions of purpose and orientation.
• 01:25 – Personal invitation to listeners for the new season launch.

Tone & Language

Krista Tippett’s introduction is warm, honest, and deeply reflective. There’s an undercurrent of both urgency and hopefulness. Her language remains accessible yet poetic, embodying the spirit of On Being: gentle presence, curiosity, and care for communal and personal flourishing.

Summary

This episode offers a heartfelt invitation to a renewed On Being, promising soul-expanding conversations with diverse voices. Crafted as an antidote and companion for these “tender, tumultuous” times, the upcoming season blends fresh inquiries with archival wisdom, all centered on deepening our understanding of what it means to be alive and to care for each other in uncertain times. Krista Tippett encourages listeners to gather, reflect, and imagine together, making clear that the journey ahead is both communal and vital.