On the 107th episode of What is a Good Life? podcast, I am delighted to introduce our guest, Ben Bushill. Ben is a writer, spoken word artist and ceremony holder. His passion is the remembrance and sanctification of our human lives as we try to understand our place and our belonging in the vast unfolding web of existence. In his work as a poet he aims to bring us to the place where we can be grateful and humble before the truth of our undeniable vulnerability and humanity. His ceremonial work with marriages, memorials, ritual and circles of wise love is a way for us to feel and honour the key moments of our lives beyond ideas of religion or alignment. He has been a student of a Sufi mystery school for the last twenty years and is currently setting the foundations for the establishment of a new school.
In this enlightening conversation, Ben shares his journey of balancing the divine and the ordinary, alongside his ongoing inquiry into how he will meet each day. We explore the paradox of being deeply connected to life yet alone, the softening of the heart, and the link between vulnerability, the unknown, and aliveness. We also discuss the expression of our essence in shaping our purpose and the challenges of being human, all the while holding onto the hand of love.
03:00 How do I meet this day?
07:30 Balancing the divine and ordinary sense of life
11:58 The paradox of being alone and connected
17:40 The tenderising of the human heart
24:40 The vulnerability of the unknown
28:20 The love of your own essence
36:00 The longing of your soul
40:30 Vulnerability and aliveness
43:00 Your purpose is your essence
51:40 Navigating the paradox
58:30 Embracing the symphony of life
1:00:40 What is a good life for Ben?
What is What is a Good Life??
This isn’t a podcast about fixing you. It’s about living life more fully.
What Is a Good Life? is a long-form conversation project exploring how people actually live, feel, and make meaning of their lives.
Over the past four years, I’ve sat with more than 300 people — artists, parents, executives, wanderers, therapists, and strangers — and invited them into a simple but profound inquiry: What is a good life for you?
These conversations aren’t about advice, formulas, or self-improvement. They explore presence, paradox, uncertainty, and the moments that quietly shape a life — love and loss, trust and fear, clarity and not knowing.
This podcast isn’t here to give you answers.
It’s here to slow you down, to listen deeply, and to invite you into conversation with your own life.
New episodes weekly.