Episodes

  • Sound Pathways, January 21, 2026

    Sound Pathways, January 21, 2026
    Jan 22 2026
    Sound Pathways with Dr. Karen Olson The Art of Frequency Reset Introduction In this episode of Sound Pathways, Dr. Karen Olson—an acclaimed violinist and sound healer—explores the concept of a "Frequency Reset." The discussion focuses on how our internal emotional baseline acts as a filter for reality, determining whether we perceive problems or possibilities. Dr. Olson provides practical tools to move from a state of contraction and stress to one of alignment, clarity, and flow through the power of sound and conscious presence. Detailed Key Takeaways Frequency as Your Life Filter "Frequency" is defined not as a mystical concept, but as your inner state, mood, or emotional baseline. This baseline doesn't stay contained within your mind; it shapes what you notice and what manifests in your life. When frequency is low (contracted), one feels urgency, irritation, and fear, leading to reactive behaviors and overthinking. Conversely, an open frequency grants access to patience and creativity, allowing life to feel cooperative rather than combative. It is compared to internal weather—real, but not your permanent identity. The Ladder of Inner States Top Rungs (Expansion): Bliss, Peace, Acceptance, Clarity, Willingness. ⬆ Bottom Rungs (Contraction): Fear, Irritation, Worry, Regret, Envy, Shutdown. Strategy: Don't try to leap to the top instantly. Aim to move up just one rung at a time to shift your nervous system. Signs of Dissonance vs. Resonance Recognizing when you are "out of tune" is the first step to retuning. Symptoms of dissonance include feeling perpetually rushed (even when you have time), looping negative thoughts at night, overeating or loss of appetite, and feeling "numb" or flat. Stress acts like driving with the emergency brake on—movement is possible, but it requires exhausting effort. In contrast, resonance is characterized by deep breathing, dropped shoulders, slowed thoughts, and the ability to hear inner guidance clearly. The Mechanics of Retuning Retuning isn't about forcing yourself to be happy; it is about removing the "static" or blocks that the system created for protection. Sound and vibration are effective tools because they bypass the analytical mind, giving the brain a pattern to follow which signals safety to the body. When the static clears, inspiration and creativity return naturally without force. Even simple acts, like listening to the hum of a refrigerator or a truck, can help settle the mind by anchoring attention in the present moment.
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    31 mins
  • Sound Pathways, January 7, 2026

    Sound Pathways, January 7, 2026
    Jan 8 2026
    Sound Pathways with Dr. Karen Olson Bob Atkinson - Unity is not an idea -- it's a practice! The Way of Unit: A New Story of Wholeness for Our Lives and Our Time Title: Unity is not an idea -- it's a practice! In a time of deep division, what if peace begins with remembering our shared wholeness — and living it in practical ways? Tonight on Sound Pathways, I’m joined by Robert Atkinson, Ph.D., award-winning author, educator, and developmental psychologist, to explore his new book The Way of Unity and the essential principles and “preconditions” for peace we can apply in everyday life — starting now. Robert Atkinson, PhD, is an award-winning author, educator, and developmental psychologist whose work bridges storytelling, transformation, and the evolution of consciousness with a unitive vision. His latest book, The Way of Unity: Essential Principles and Preconditions for Peace (2025) offers a framework and study guide for putting into action the unitive wisdom underpinning our collective evolution. He is the author of A New Story of Wholeness (2022), Our Moment of Choice (co-editor, 2020), Year of Living Deeply: A Memoir of 1969 (2019), The Story of Our Time (2017), The Gift of Stories (1995), and six other books. He is director of StoryCommons, founder of One Planet Peace Forum, and member of the Evolutionary Leaders Circle.
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    38 mins
  • Sound Pathways, December 24, 2025

    Sound Pathways, December 24, 2025
    Dec 25 2025
    Sound Pathways with Dr. Karen Olson The Miracle of Forgiveness with Dr. Davon James. Clearing the Path for a Powerful New Year The Miracle of Forgiveness As we arrive at the final Sound Pathways episode of the year, we turn toward one of the most profound gifts we can give ourselves: the miracle of forgiveness. This closing chapter invites you to clear emotional residue from the past year, soften what has been heavy, and open space for the new energy waiting to emerge. Today, I’m joined by the extraordinary Dr. Dravon James—author of Forgiveness: The Pathway to Happiness, transformation specialist, and founder of Everyday Peace. Together we explore how forgiveness becomes a miracle when we choose readiness, awareness, acceptance, compassion, and a heart willing to move forward. We’ll also explore identity shifts, habit-building, and how transforming our relationship with stress can help us step into the year ahead with clarity, strength, and peace. This sacred year-end episode is an invitation to release what no longer matches your frequency and to welcome a new chapter with intention, spaciousness, and hope. We’ll close with an intuitive viola sound bath crafted to help you let go, harmonize, and rise. Let this be your moment to forgive, renew, and begin again.
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    36 mins
  • Sound Pathways, December 10, 2025

    Sound Pathways, December 10, 2025
    Dec 11 2025
    Sound Pathways with Dr. Karen Olson Fearless Fusion with Charu Suri: When Roots, Life, and Brilliance Collide Please join our conversation with the brilliant Charu Suri on Sound Pathways: When roots, life, and brilliance collide. I’m so excited to share my conversation with pianist-composer Charu Suri — a beautiful reminder that the many parts of who you are can become your greatest strength. We explore how Charu transforms her challenges and her prodigious gifts into music, sharing, and service with real purpose, and how she weaves her rich cultural and musical heritage into a signature blend of ragas, Western classical influence and training, jazz, and global sound. If you’re an artist, you’ll love the creative process insights. If you’re not, you’ll still walk away inspired to bring your own experiences into a more integrated, expansive, and meaningful life — and to share what you’re creating in ways that uplift not only yourself, but others.
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    38 mins
  • Sound Pathways, November 26, 2025

    Sound Pathways, November 26, 2025
    Nov 27 2025
    Sound Pathways with Dr. Karen Olson Living Stories Becoming Life Songs with Grant Maloy Smith. Living Stories Becoming Life Songs. Karen Olson sits down with Grant Maloy Smith, Billboard Top 10, multi–award-winning Americana artist whose songs turn American history and real lives into powerful story-songs. His music paints vivid stories of the American experience in Dust Bowl: American Stories, Appalachia: American Stories, and Mississippi: American Stories. Together they explore where his songs really come from—the lived experiences, history, and people that shape them—and how our own stories can become “life songs” in the way we live, love, and show up each day. Karen also shares the ongoing collaboration between Sound Pathways and Indie Collaborative, celebrating the power of creative community to help all of us create the life of our dreams. Grant Maloy Smith is a Billboard Top 10 recording artist and MusicRow Country Breakout charting songwriter of American Roots music. His Americana theme albums, including DUST BOWL: AMERICAN STORIES, APPALACHIA: AMERICAN STORIES, and MISSISSIPPI: AMERICAN STORIES, have all earned rave reviews from Americana Highways, MusicRow Magazine, Bluegrass Today, Roots Music Report, and more. Over the years, his albums have spent 17 weeks on the Billboard charts, including eleven weeks in the Top 10 on the Americana/Folk album sales chart and #12 on the Country album sales chart. Grant has performed twice at Carnegie Hall and has won numerous awards, including two Grammy® certificates. In 2020, he was inducted into the Indie Music Hall of Fame in Hollywood. Critics have raved about his music, including: “… lyrics and music as potent as Woody Guthrie ... A reminder of the darker period of Bob Dylan, and it’s that good, that memorable…” ~ NO DEPRESSION magazine “If you took a few ounces of Willie Nelson and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, mixed them carefully, Grant Maloy Smith would appear ... One day we’ll be talking about how Grant Maloy Smith is a national treasure – like John Prine. I’d be the first to say it’s so.” ~ AMERICANA HIGHWAYS magazine
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    36 mins
  • Sound Pathways, November 12, 2025

    Sound Pathways, November 12, 2025
    Nov 13 2025
    Sound Pathways with Dr. Karen Olson Ricky Kej - One World, One Sound: Music as a Healing Force for Nature, Souls & Humanity Sound Pathways with Ricky Kej, 3x Grammy winner, United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, Environmentalist. When sound becomes service, it transforms everything it touches. In this week’s Sound Pathways, I speak with 3× GRAMMY® winner and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador Ricky Kej, whose music bridges compassion, creativity, and environmental consciousness. It’s a reminder that harmony isn’t just something we play — it’s something we live. https://www.rickykej.com/ 3X Grammy® Award Winner, US Billboard #1 artist, GQ Hero 2020, Ricky Kej is an internationally renowned Indian Music Composer and Environmentalist. He has performed at prestigious venues in over 30 countries, including the UN Headquarters in New York and Geneva. Ricky has won over 100 music awards in 20 countries. He serves as the United Nations "Goodwill Ambassador" (UNCCD) United Nations Refugee High Profile Supporter, UNESCO MGIEP “Global Ambassador for Kindness”, UNICEF “Celebrity Supporter” & Ambassador for “Earth Day Network”. His vast repertoire of work includes 24 studio albums released internationally, over 3500 commercials and 8 feature films, including the natural history documentary ‘Wild Karnataka’ narrated by Sir David Attenborough. Ricky’s awards include the United Nations “Global Humanitarian Artist” award and is conferred with the title “Youth Icon of India”. ‘Real Leaders’, a Signatory to the United Nations named Ricky Kej as one of the 100 Real Leaders who ‘Inspire the Future’. The House of Commons, Parliament of Canada awarded Ricky for his “Outstanding Musical and Humanitarian Achievement”. A chapter on Ricky’s life and musical journey is taught in the 7th grade English textbooks in India. Ricky Kej is also a professor at the prestigious National Institute of Advanced Studies.
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    38 mins
  • Sound Pathways, October 29, 2025

    Sound Pathways, October 29, 2025
    Oct 30 2025
    Sound Pathways with Dr. Karen Olson Lakecia Benjamin - The Fire Within: How music, fatih and fearless living ignite one of jazz's brightest stars The Fire Within Featuring the Electrifying Saxophonist Lakecai Benjamin Title: The Fire Within: Courage, Faith & the Saxophone Soul of Lakecia Benjamin How music, faith, and fearless living ignite one of jazz’s brightest voices. In this electrifying episode of Sound Pathways, Dr. Karen Olson sits down with the unstoppable Lakecia Benjamin—5x GRAMMY-nominated saxophonist, composer, and UN Global Ambassador of Music. From her Papa’s early influence to surviving a life-threatening car accident in 2021, Lakecia shares how courage, faith, and the healing power of sound shaped her journey. Seen on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and NPR’s Tiny Desk, and headlining sold-out performances from the Hollywood Bowl to the Newport Jazz Festival, Lakecia continues to blaze a trail as one of the defining voices of her generation. Fierce on stage yet tender at heart, she embodies what it means to rise to the top with brilliance, purpose, and a heart of gold. At its core, this episode celebrates creating and living your dream — a journey Lakecia Benjamin embodies with every note she plays. Lakecia Benjamin — 5x GRAMMY-Nominated Saxophonist, Composer & UN Global Ambassador of Music New York–based saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin is a 5x GRAMMY-nominated powerhouse whose magnetic blend of jazz, soul, and funk has captivated audiences worldwide. With a tone often compared to Johnny Hodges and a fiery, onstage presence, Lakecia has headlined the Hollywood Bowl, the Newport Jazz Festival, and major stages around the globe. She has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and NPR’s Tiny Desk, and tours internationally with sold-out shows across North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. A passionate composer, arranger, and bandleader, she has worked with icons including Clark Terry, Terri Lyne Carrington, Gregory Porter, and Robert Glasper, and served as Music Director for the NEA Jazz Masters Concert. Following her acclaimed albums Pursuance: The Coltranes and Phoenix (produced by Terri Lyne Carrington), Lakecia continues to break boundaries—embodying faith, courage, and the transformative power of music. Endorsed by Vandoren, Yanagisawa, Key Leaves, Sennheiser, and Conn & Selmer, Lakecia Benjamin stands as one of today’s defining voices in contemporary jazz—a true ambassador of sound, resilience, and inspiration.
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    38 mins
  • Sound Pathways, October 15, 2025

    Sound Pathways, October 15, 2025
    Oct 16 2025
    Sound Pathways with Dr. Karen Olson Guest: Ricky Persaud, Jr.
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    36 mins