On the Path with Kissiah Young

In today's episode, we explore the reality that no one is exempt from life’s impermanence. From diagnosis to the instinct to cling to life, we examine the truth of our mortality, the fight to keep living, and the inevitability of death. Through this reflection, we ask: how might remembering our mortality guide us to live with greater intention, depth, and fullness?

Thank you for your presence. As always, I appreciate you.

With g...

Sometimes grief catches us off guard. It sneaks up on us in moments when we come across something that touches a tender spot and reminds us of perhaps something that went missing, a loved one no longer here in physical form, or a deep ache or longing from childhood. What do we do when we have these moments? How do we hold the grief that lingers? 

In this episode we pause and turn toward that lingering grief. We give ourselves permis...

We will all experience times when peace seems to elude us, where it feels out there somewhere rather than within. Often, this is the result of our not wanting to experience what is in front of us, or fearing something to come. As long as we turn away when we are to turn toward, or hold tightly to that which we are to hold loosely, we suffer, and our peace fades into the murk of confusion. 

Join me today as we look closely at how cli...

In Buddhism there is great talk on the subject of suffering. In fact, it is behind much of the teachings, and the root of the Buddha's Four Noble Truths: suffering exists, there is a cause of suffering, there is a path out of suffering, and the way of the path out, the message.

In today's episode we look at the cause of our suffering, and how the messages, thoughts, and vexations of our mind lead us more deeply into suffer...

Grief has many layers and many faces. It isn't solely the result of loss, or of death and dying, but rather a multitude of reasons. Our life is full of experiences, some wonderful, and others that leave us feeling some kind of way, perhaps a way that points to grief. In this episode we look at the face our grief wears and how we are choosing to be with it, see it clearly, and hold the sight of our seeing. Thank you for being h...

One of the hardest parts about experiencing grief, is turning to face its fullness. The fear and sadness can be overwhelming. We hide. We deny. We distract ourselves only to face a life that doesn't reflect our fullness. In this episode, we explore the necessity of turning to face our grief, and to experience the weight of what it brings that we might free ourselves of its holding and the consequences that often come when we i...

We have arrived at the final episode in July's grief series. In this episode we give thought to how any given moment could be our last. We pause long enough to not take for granted the hellos or goodbyes; instead we treat them with the presence and holding as if they would be no more. I can't help but feel like by doing so we learn how to live and love well. We are here for only a time. Every day, our lives are moving for...

Life is quick in the way that it shifts the wind ruffling our lives to disruption. One minute we are swimming calm seas, and another the seas have taken us. On July 20th, at the age of 54, Malcolm Jamal Warner was taken by the sea and many are holding the weight of loss.

In this episode we enter into the grief that comes in an instant, and what it is we are called to do in those moments, or to be.

Join me as we hold the sudden nature...

"Whenever I leave this world, whether it’s sixty years from now, I wouldn’t want anyone to say I lost some battle. I’ll be a winner that day." – Andrea Gibson, Poet

Andrea Gibson won on July 14, 2025.

The day that Andrea Gibson died, I had an unrelated deep cry. I cried for the love that went missing when I was a child, a sadness that was so deep I didn't recognize it; for years it wore the face of anger. Sometimes our...

Grief is a natural, human response to loss—but suffering doesn’t have to be a lifelong companion. 

In this episode, part two of five in the grief series, we explore how to honor our pain without being consumed by it. Through compassionate reflection and practical insights, we talk about the difference between feeling our grief and feeding our suffering. If you’re navigating a season of loss, this conversation offers gentle permissio...

The month of July is dedicated to grief with each week bringing its own distinct voice, contemplating what arises in the moment while holding softly our grief. 

In today's episode we talk about how life seems to happen suddenly, often in painful ways, ways that bring us to the feet of the unknown. We ache there at the unknown, uncertainty too uncertain to hold well. Fear and worry rise as we seek answers to questions that dwell...

Communication isn't always easy, but it's essential. So often people quiet themselves for fear of rocking the boat or what another might think, only to carry the burden of not being seen, heard, understood, or well loved. Without a foundation of communication, we can't expect to navigate rough waters, sensitive matters, or our feelings. We end up feeling frustrated, alone, and upset. We see this time and time again i...

In this episode, we explore the layers of forgiveness, and how non-linear its path. I have found that it takes much effort and inquiry to arrive at a true integration of what needs to be reconciled and healed. Forgiveness, especially with matters of childhood trauma, often has many layers. Yet, when we remove the feeling of it being personal, and see clearly what is, it helps us take a step closer to releasing the hold and accessin...

In this episode, we explore the moments in childhood where parts of us were taken—or where we felt we had to abandon them to survive. Through reflection and gentle truth-telling, we uncover how those early separations shaped our identity and how healing begins when we reclaim what was lost. It’s an invitation to pause, go back to those moments, honor our hearts, and return to ourselves.

Thank you for being here with me. 

~Kissiah

I...

So many of us go, go, and go. We operate in our daily life as if on E, running empty and depleted, while struggling to say no. In this episode, we talk about reclaiming ourselves, and giving ourselves back to ourselves, so that we find our overflow and begin practicing from that place, and not from our reserve. We do not have to give of ourselves until there is nothing left. There is a different way. Let's talk about it.

Gratef...

Religion has a way of evoking a wide range of thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Some find it a place of holding while others a source of trauma and pain. I have experienced both, but mostly the latter, particularly because of my sexual orientation. Having grown up Baptist, you could imagine the conflict involved in being gay. Talk about a doozy! I had to walk away from Christianity in order to become myself, and now I rest in a kin...

In this episode, we explore what it means to Find Your North—that deep internal compass that guides you toward a life aligned with your values, voice, and truth. We delve into the journey of cultivating a sense of belonging, not just in community, but within ourselves, and how this belonging opens the door to accessing our most authentic selves.

As always, thank you for being here with me. 

Deep bow,

~Kissiah

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