Podcasts · Staying Human with Dr. Vivek Murthy
Ayad Akhtar: How Do We Stay Open to Life’s Mysteries?
· 1 h 07 min
Episode Ayad Akhtar: How Do We Stay Open to Life’s Mysteries?
Vivek talks with Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Ayad Akhtar about his new novel, The Radiance, and what it means to be truly connected to the world—including the parts of it which defy easy explanation.
In this novel, a professor recovering from a hit-and-run bike accident grapples with two accounts of what's happening to him: the clinical, scientific one reflected in scans and diagnoses, and an experience that feels far more spiritual.
Vivek and Ayad follow this tension into their own lives, including how mystery has shaped their own beliefs and life experiences.They discuss everything from the craft of writing, to protecting our attention, to existential questions of what it means to be human in the age of machines and AI. They also get deeply personal with Vivek sharing about time he spent recently at an ashram in India, and Ayad describing why dreams are so important to him that he’s actually slept with a pencil tied to his finger to better record them. This is a provocative, surprising conversation that brings together both heart and mind.
Is there a moment in your life that was profound, spiritual, and hard to explain — one that shaped who you are? Leave a message at 1-833-74-HUMAN (1-833-744-8626) or email hello@stayinghuman.us. We'd love to hear from you.
. . .
About Ayad
“The Great American Novelist” | Esquire Magazine
The Radiance Book tour
Ayad Akhtar’s recent essay “What Were My Dreams Trying To Tell Me?” | The Atlantic
About Dr. Vivek Murthy
IG @drvivekmurthy
Substack vivekmurthy.substack.com/
#StayingHuman #VivekMurthy #AyadAkhtar #Radiance #spirituality #Soul #Consciousness #WritersOnWriting #Empathy #Mindfulness #LiteraryFiction #SpiritualAwakening #Meditation #mystical
Links in the notes 7
- https://ayadakhtar.com
- https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a73824681/ayad-akhtar-the-radiance/
- https://www.instagram.com/summitbooks/p/DdCXghDlm-m/?hl=en
- https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/11/ayad-akhtar-dreams-meditation/688676/?gift=K2JgrgPP0jNBuzu_i39iPM-9zElYivYUxQM10YPE3kQ&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share
- https://www.vivekmurthy.com
- https://www.instagram.com/drvivekmurthy/
- https://vivekmurthy.substack.com/
Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them. Explicit shows are for adult profiles only, and children’s profiles hear only children’s shows. More about this list.