On April 20, MIU’s Maharishi Vedic Science department will launch a new podcast that aims to bring the university’s long‑standing work on consciousness and human development into a wider global conversation.

April 20 is known in the Vedic calendar as Akshaya Tritiya, the most auspicious day to launch new initiatives.

Pictured above: Owen Blake, podcast director, and Joe Holland, podcast host.

Titled Consciousness & Human Potential, the podcast features in‑depth conversations with scholars, researchers, educators, and practitioners exploring questions at the intersection of consciousness, science, education, and human flourishing.

“This podcast places MIU at the center of one of the most significant and growing conversations of our time — the nature of consciousness, the science of human development, and what it truly means to realize our fullest potential as human beings,” said podcast director Owen Blake. Blake holds a PhD in Maharishi Vedic Science, serves as associate athletic director at MIU, and teaches in the MVS department.

“This has been a passion project for a long time,” Blake said. “I’m optimistic this podcast will place the flag of Maharishi Vedic Science within the global field of consciousness, spirituality, and meditation. Right now, MIU isn’t a major voice in the field, and I want to support us sharing more broadly the principles and ideas we care so much about.”

Produced on MIU campus in Fairfield, Iowa, the podcast will be available on YouTube and major podcast platforms, with potential future distribution through the Transcendental Meditation app.

The podcast is hosted by Joe Holland, who holds a master’s degree in Maharishi Vedic Science from MIU and teaches courses in Consciousness and Human Potential. Before joining the MIU faculty, Holland worked in radio broadcasting in London, an experience he says prepared him for the long‑form, exploratory conversations the podcast will feature.

“I used to host radio shows many years ago, but that often involved talking about what my bosses wanted me to talk about, or reacting to what callers were interested in,” Holland said. “I’m looking forward to these expansive conversations and to diving into rich domains of knowledge with fellow explorers.”

Plans for the first season

The first episode features Ed Sarath, a longtime leader in integrating music, higher education, and contemplative practice. Sarath explores improvisation not only as a musical skill but as a way of engaging with life itself, touching on creativity, sports performance, and moments of shared awareness.

Another upcoming guest is Molly Beauregard, a longtime educator at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit and author of Tuning the Student Mind. In her episode, Beauregard and Holland explore consciousness‑centered education, student mental health challenges, the role of meditation in the classroom, and the deeper questions of identity and creativity.

The team

The podcast’s production team also includes Ruta Matuleviciute, a member of the Lithuanian Artists’ Association, with an MFA in Painting from Vilnius Academy of Arts and an MA in Enlightenment and Leadership from MIU. With experience in curatorial practice, website creation, and project management, she is the director of Visual Arts for the NextGen Arts for Enlightenment project.

Rounding out the team is brand manager Marta-Kristi Põld, who brings a background in digital marketing and branding together with experience with Silicon Valley tech start-ups and Consciousness-Based businesses and nonprofits. She holds an MA in Consciousness and Human Potential from MIU. 

A platform for dialogue and cross‑pollination

The timing of the podcast reflects broader cultural shifts, Blake said. Interest in meditation, spirituality, and consciousness research has expanded in recent years, driven in part by mental health concerns and renewed philosophical questions raised by advances in artificial intelligence.

“Questions about consciousness, the nature of reality, and what it means to be human have taken on new urgency,” Blake said. “MIU holds a distinctive position in this conversation, but our perspective is often underrepresented or misunderstood.”

“MIU holds a distinctive position in this conversation, but our perspective is often underrepresented or misunderstood.”

— Owen Blake

Rather than presenting a single authoritative viewpoint, the podcast is intended as a platform for dialogue and cross‑pollination, engaging voices from within and beyond MIU’s academic community. The team hopes it will encourage collaboration, inspire new research, and contribute to broader understanding of consciousness‑based approaches to education and human development.

Ultimately, Blake said, the goal is not only to expand MIU’s visibility, but to contribute meaningfully to conversations that are increasingly shaping education, science, and society at large.

“We want this to be a valued voice in the field,” he said, “and a place where real curiosity and meaningful inquiry can thrive.”

Information and photos provided by Owen Blake