In this Between Guests reflection, our host pauses in the space between conversations to explore something many of us are quietly carrying: fear — and what lives beneath it.

When the world feels loud, uncertain, and demanding, fear often shows up as urgency, control, and the pressure to fix ourselves or get it right. This piece isn't here to offer solutions. It's here to offer a pause.

Through gentle reflection on listening, trust, wholeness, and presence, this episode invites you to rest for a few minutes in what doesn't need to be solved or improved.

No advice.
No fixing.
Just a quiet place to breathe and listen.

Between guest conversations, Listen To Nothing offers space for reflection.

In this short solo episode, Shukin Mark Moderski shares Not Here To Be Optimized—a reflection on being human in a world that prioritizes productivity, efficiency, and constant self-improvement.

This episode explores:

• Why burnout isn't a character flaw

• How anxiety may be information, not pathology

• The difference between fixing yourself and understanding yourself

• Slowing down enough to hear what's actually happening

• Living from the inside out

This is not a system, a method, or a set of steps.

It's a reminder.

You are not a malfunctioning machine.
Your worth is not measured by output.
And clarity begins when we stop performing and start listening.

This is not self-help.
This is self-remembering.

In Episode 9 of Listen to Nothing, I'm joined by Alan Cohen, https://www.alancohen.com , beloved author of 33 books including A Course in Miracles Made Easy. Alan describes himself as "a spiritual being going through a material experience" and shares the timeless message at the heart of his work: life flows best when we relax, trust, and choose love over fear.

In this conversation we explore:

• Recognizing the different voices of love and fear — and choosing love

• The difference between judgment and discernment

• Why being fully present and truly listening is a rare and healing gift

• How spiritual practice is less about chasing enlightenment moments and more about openness and purification

Alan's wisdom is a reminder that we are spiritual beings first, and that every moment offers us the chance to choose again.

✨ Listen to Nothing is a podcast about honest, vulnerable conversations with extraordinary people, exploring spirituality, mindfulness, and what really matters in today's world

✨ Learn more about Alan and his work at https://www.alancohen.com