My Podcast Conversation With David Whyte
““One line of poetry can transform a life.”
– David Whyte
We’re thrilled to kick off Season 2 of Mindful Leadership with Marc Lesser (formerly Zen Bones) with none other than poet, philosopher, and author David Whyte.
In this deeply moving conversation, David reflects on his journey from working with global corporations like Boeing to returning to the revelatory edge of poetry, Zen, and contemplative leadership.
What you’ll hear in this episode:
· Why poetry belongs in the boardroom, and the break room.
· How deep conversation begins with real invitation.
· The surprising truth about stopping as a path forward
· What Zen and heartbreak teach us about leadership.
· A powerful reminder: “Not knowing is most intimate.”
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This episode is a poetic exploration of meaning, vulnerability, and the lifelong practice of staying open—especially when our hearts are broken.
Listen now and join us in welcoming a new season of insight, heart, and human spirit.
Mindful Leadership With Marc Lesser, David White episode
A core theme throughout David Whyte’s talks is the human ability to hold and live two contrasting worldviews. This theme presents itself in my conversation now available in this podcast “The World Was Made To Be Free In.” Due to popular demand, (and because I find it extremely nourishing), I’ve launched Season 2 of Zen Bones podcast under a new name: Mindful Leadership with Marc Lesser. Here these two “worldviews” of Zen and Leadership are woven together to create a tapestry of depth, sacredness, and effectiveness.
Here are a few lines from this new podcast conversation:
“The whole dynamic is about making real invitations to yourself, to another, to a group of people. You can call it an organization or a business. The way poetry touches people when I’m out there is that you will often get people who would come into a corporate room because they have some goal, something they want.
But actually what happens in that room is it’s way beyond that goal. It is touching something way underneath that goal too. If I’m doing my work properly, it’s touching people at a deep foundation. Years ago at Oxford Business School I had a man from a major telecommunications company run up to me after my session and said, I don’t know whether to buy a Harley Davidson and drive off into the sunset or redouble my efforts in my work.
And I said, well, just hold those two things together because you’ve got exactly what I was talking about, you know? All of us have that conversation between these polarities. There’s that gorgeous line by Rilke where he says, stretch your well disciplined strengths between two opposing poles.
Because inside human beings is where God lives. We use this word God, but it really means anything far over the horizon, as you could ever imagine: imagine or engage with. So, what calls us also lives within us at the same time.”
If you haven’t listened to Season 1 of the Zen Bones Podcast, do check it out. I appreciated and enjoyed my many conversations including Jon Kabat Zinn, Jane Hirshfield, Joan Halifax, Parker Palmer, and many others. There are also several “practice episodes” containing guiding meditations and short talks on work, Zen, and life. Zen Bones Podcast is here.
Mindful Leadership With Marc Lesser, David White episode
With appreciation
Marc