john a. powell | Othering and Belonging

john a. powell | Othering and Belonging

Author: Thomas Huebl January 20, 2026 Duration: 1:05:01

This week, Thomas sits down with law professor and Director of the Othering and Belonging Institute, john a. powell, for a deep examination of humans’ tendency to become divided, and how the narratives we construct around fearing other groups are actually a symptom of our fundamental drive for connection.

They explore how our capacity for connection and community, driven by culture and storytelling, can produce divisiveness, and how we can use these same capacities to increase our empathy for suffering, deepen our embodiment, and overcome the fear, anxiety, and disconnect that result from collective trauma.


This is a deep dive into the social and cultural drivers of disconnection, and an inspiring look at how we can tap into our spiritual and ancestral resources to bridge the divides that keep us stuck repeating the harmful patterns of the past.


✨ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:

👉 https://youtu.be/dFtytUEwFsg

Video episodes are typically posted at 8am PT/ 11am ET


✨ Order Thomas and Dr. Richard Schwartz's co-authored book, Releasing Our Burdens, here:

👉 https://www.releasingourburdens.com


✨ john a. powell is Director of the Othering and Belonging Institute and Professor of Law, African American, and Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley. He has led institutes focused on race and poverty at Ohio State and the University of Minnesota, and formerly served as National Legal Director of the ACLU. A co-founder of the Poverty & Race Research Action Council, he is known for developing frameworks of “targeted universalism” and “othering and belonging” to effect equity-based interventions.


Connect with john here:

👉 https://belonging.berkeley.edu


Thomas Hübl, PhD, is a renowned teacher, author, and international facilitator who works within the complexity of systems and cultural change, integrating the core insights of the great wisdom traditions and mysticism with the discoveries of science. Since the early 2000s, he has led large-scale events and courses on the healing of collective trauma.

In addition to Attuned, he is the author of Healing Collective Trauma: A Process for Integrating Our Intergenerational and Cultural Wounds. He has served as an advisor and guest faculty for universities and organizations, as a coach for CEOs and organizational leaders, and is currently a visiting scholar at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University.


✨ Connect with Thomas here:

Website: https://thomashuebl.com/

Facebook: https://facebook.com/Thomas.Huebl.Sangha/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thomashuebl/

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ThomasHuebl

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thomashuebl


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In a world often defined by fragmentation, Point of Relation with Thomas Huebl explores the subtle connections that bind us. This isn't a series of abstract lectures; it's a living inquiry into how our personal awareness directly shapes the cultural and spiritual fabric we all share. Thomas, drawing from a deep well of integrative practice, guides dialogues that feel both timely and timeless. Each conversation with a guest-whether a scientist, artist, or community healer-unfolds like a collaborative exploration. You’ll hear them grapple with practical spirituality, the philosophy of interconnected systems, and the often-unseen patterns in society that call for our attention. The aim is to move beyond theory into a felt sense of relational intelligence. Listening to this podcast, you become part of a space where the divide between the mystical and the empirical softens, revealing actionable insights for personal and collective transformation. It’s for anyone curious about how inner work contributes to outer healing, and how our most pressing global challenges might be met not with more division, but with a renewed capacity for nuanced, compassionate understanding. The discussions are deep, sometimes challenging, but always oriented toward a more coherent and connected world.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Point of Relation with Thomas Huebl
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