Hey friend — in this episode Bryan and I sit down to unpack the word connection. We talk about what it means to be linked — emotionally, spiritually, physically — and why those overlaps matter for meaning and belonging.
We dig into the small, everyday ways we find connection (the Venn diagram of shared books, hometowns, or hobbies), and the larger, deeper ties — family, land, nature, the divine, and even an idea or outcome you’re attached to.
We get curious about mutuality: can connection be one-sided? Does the land feel it? Is it a chemical thing (hello oxytocin and dopamine) or an energy exchange? Bryan brings a yogic lens — that everything comes from the same source — so connection can be both an inherent truth and something we cultivate.
Safety, trust, curiosity, and vulnerability keep coming up as prerequisites for connection. We talk about how attachment styles from childhood shape our ability to open up, and why courage is often the price of connection. If you’ve ever felt protective or defensive, you’re not alone — that’s a human response, and it can be healed.
Intimacy and connection are cousins: intimacy is the practice of sharing parts of ourselves, and that sharing deepens connection. But connection shows up in lots of ways — intellectual, emotional, physical, social, and spiritual — and sometimes baby steps are all we need to begin.
We also talk outcomes and attachment: how to show up fully and practice without getting crushed by one specific result. There’s a tension between taking action and holding results lightly, and we reflect on how fear of failure can keep us from trying the things that matter most.
Play and nature get a big spotlight. Bryan shares a sweet moment playing in the woods with his son — balance beams, streams, and total presence — and we agree that play plus nature is a magical doorway to connection because it lowers defenses and invites joy.
We touch on tools that help people feel connected, from somatic therapy to plant experiences that can open the heart and perspective. And while we don’t pretend there’s a one-size-fits-all fix, we celebrate glimpses of oneness — those moments when everything feels aligned.
If this episode landed for you and you want to practice connection in person, join us for our Love in Practice Relationship Day Retreat — a full day with Bryan and me digging into tools for intimacy, repair, and self-relationship. Visit radintimacy.com or email sarah@radintimacy.com for details.
"Connection is why we're here: it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives." — Brené Brown
Connect with Us:
- Sarah Koch: @radintimacy | radintimacy.com
- Bryan Russell: @sadhanayogaschool | sadhanayoga.com
- Suggest a topic: DM us or email podcast@radintimacy.com
Subscribe & Share: If this episode moved you, subscribe wherever you listen and share it with someone who might love it too. Let’s grow this beautiful, curious, intimate community—together. 💛
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Cardiac Cowboys
The heart was always off-limits to surgeons. Cutting into it spelled instant death for the patient. That is, until a ragtag group of doctors scattered across the Midwest and Texas decided to throw out the rule book. Working in makeshift laboratories and home garages, using medical devices made from scavenged machine parts and beer tubes, these men and women invented the field of open heart surgery. Odds are, someone you know is alive because of them. So why has history left them behind? Presented by Chris Pine, CARDIAC COWBOYS tells the gripping true story behind the birth of heart surgery, and the young, Greatest Generation doctors who made it happen. For years, they competed and feuded, racing to be the first, the best, and the most prolific. Some appeared on the cover of Time Magazine, operated on kings and advised presidents. Others ended up disgraced, penniless, and convicted of felonies. Together, they ignited a revolution in medicine, and changed the world.