The Bardo Podcast

1:40

The Bardo Podcast is Back

The Bardo Podcast ·

2026/09/29

Hello there. The Bardo Podcast is back! New episodes are starting next week, with some very interesting conversations with some very interesting people. I'm really happy to be back! Follow the podcast wherever you're listening and I'll see you next week.

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26:38

Solo: You're Waiting for Your Life to Begin

The Bardo Podcast ·

2026/07/28

In this solo episode I explore why so many of us postpone happiness until some future version of ourselves finally arrives. Inspired by the surreal Japanese film Mind Game, I reflect on ambition, creativity, Buddhism, meditation, comedy and clowning. Along the way I explore the friction between desire and burnout, the weight of social comparison, and what it actually means to just stop trying so hard to become 'somebody.' I'll be taking a short summer break while I'm performing at the Edinbur...

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109:46

Ep.15 - Lionel Snell: Why We All Think Magically

The Bardo Podcast ·

2026/07/21

Marc Salmon is joined by writer, magician and occult thinker Lionel Snell (also known as Ramsay Dukes) for a wide-ranging conversation about magical thinking, magic, Buddhism, uncertainty, creativity, stories, play and the models we use to understand reality. Together they explore belief systems, scepticism, Robert Anton Wilson, reality tunnels, the Western esoteric tradition, conspiracy theories, identity, and why taking our models too seriously can become its own kind of spell. Support the ...

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76:36

Ep.14 - Tyson Yunkaporta: Indigenous Knowledge and...

The Bardo Podcast ·

2026/07/07

Marc Salmon is joined by Aboriginal scholar and author Tyson Yunkaporta for a wide-ranging conversation about Indigenous knowledge systems, Aboriginal culture, comedy, Buddhism, ecology, power, and the stories that shape the worlds we live in. Together they explore why humour keeps power in check, right story versus wrong story, high and low context cultures, animism, serpent lore, meme magic, and how stories can become either medicine or curses. Support the podcast: If you enjoy The Bardo Po...

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75:25

Ep.13 - Marty Gleeson: Why Do We Lose Our Weirdness?

The Bardo Podcast ·

2026/06/30

Marc Salmon is joined by comedian, writer and illustrator Marty Gleeson for a conversation about creativity, perfectionism, stand-up comedy, artistic competition and staying playful. Together they explore how drawing competitions changed Marty's relationship with art, preparing a debut Edinburgh Fringe show, getting an agent, comedy writing, synchronicities and why the funniest ideas often arrive when you stop trying so hard to make sense. Support the podcast: If you enjoy The Bardo Podcast ...

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1:11

Stand-Up, Drag, Clown & Socialism | Leftist Comedy Night

The Bardo Podcast ·

2026/06/19

Leftist Comedy Night is back! Free stand-up, drag, clown and sketch comedy. Little Nan's 2.0 - Auntie's Ballroom, Deptford Thursday 25 June Doors 7.30pm | Show 8pm Come find community, laugh at the hellscape and unpack the madness with us. It'll be political, but mostly silly. We're the left... but fun. Featuring: Kuan Wen Huang Lawrence Dodd Verity Sharpe Tarek Turjman Will Davies Judy Harris Hosted by Marc Salmon and Celine Kuklosky. Free tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/leftist-comedy...

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90:26

Ep.12 - Tsering Paldron: Finding Peace in an Anxious...

The Bardo Podcast ·

2026/06/16

How do we let go of things we can't control? In this episode of The Bardo Podcast, Marc Salmon is joined by Buddhist teacher, author and meditation instructor Tsering Paldron for a conversation about anxiety, burnout, compassion, aging, identity and what actually matters in life. Together we explore why so many of us struggle to let go, why we often create stories that make us suffer, the difference between empathy and compassion, and how Buddhist practice can help us respond to uncertainty w...

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78:24

Ep.11 - John Higgs: Reality Tunnels, David Lynch and...

The Bardo Podcast ·

2026/06/02

How do you stay open to mystery without becoming trapped by your own beliefs? In this episode of The Bardo Podcast, Marc Salmon is joined by author John Higgs for a conversation about David Lynch, Robert Anton Wilson, reality tunnels, synchronicity, creativity and the challenge of making sense of reality in confusing times. John's books explore many of the strange thinkers, artists and movements that sit at the edges of culture, from William Blake and Timothy Leary to Discordianism and the KL...

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102:07

Ep.10 - Lawrence Dodd: The Buddhist Clown Trying to...

The Bardo Podcast ·

2026/05/19

How do you stay human in a world that constantly pushes you towards fear, certainty and overwhelm? In this episode of The Bardo Podcast, Marc Salmon is joined by comedian and clown Lawrence Dodd for a conversation about comedy, Buddhism, sobriety, neurodivergence, political despair and the search for connection in confusing times. Lawrence’s work blends clowning, existential confusion and performance art into something vulnerable, chaotic and unexpectedly hopeful. Together we explore what hap...

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91:00

Ep.9 - Emily Herring: Henri Bergson | Why You Feel...

The Bardo Podcast ·

2026/04/28

Why do so many people feel rushed, rigid and disconnected from themselves? In this episode of The Bardo Podcast, Marc Salmon is joined by writer and philosopher Emily Herring to explore the life and ideas of Henri Bergson, once the most famous philosopher in the world. We discuss Bergson’s ideas on time, freedom, memory, intuition, laughter and why modern life can feel increasingly mechanical. Emily explains how we often mistake clock time for lived experience, habit for freedom, and concepts...

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88:34

Ep.8 - Rob Copland: Why Being Funny Doesn’t Fix You

The Bardo Podcast ·

2026/04/14

What happens when things start going well… and you still feel like a fraud? In this episode of The Bardo Podcast, Marc Salmon is joined by award-winning comedian Rob Copland for a conversation about imposter syndrome, self-doubt and the reality of life as a stand-up. Rob shares what it’s actually like behind the scenes, from writing and performing to the pressures of the Edinburgh Fringe, and why success doesn’t always bring the relief you expect. A funny, honest and reflective episode about ...

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145:10

Ep.7 - Steve Todd & Cesare Saguato: Death, Change and...

The Bardo Podcast ·

2026/03/31

What happens between moments of change, loss and uncertainty? In this episode, Marc Salmon is joined by Steve Todd and Cesare Saguato to explore the Buddhist idea of the bardo, often associated with death, but also something that may be happening all the time. Drawing on Tibetan Buddhist teachings, including The Tibetan Book of the Dead and the Six Bardos, the conversation explores death, impermanence, consciousness and how we respond to change in everyday life. This is a thoughtful and groun...

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138:10

Ep.6 - Fer Rodil: Cancer, Love, and Letting Go

The Bardo Podcast ·

2026/03/17

What happens when a cancer diagnosis forces us to confront death earlier than expected? In this episode of The Bardo Podcast, comedian Marc Salmon is joined by storyteller, director and screenwriter Fer Rodil for a wide-ranging conversation about cancer, comedy, philosophy and the search for meaning. Fer shares what a cancer diagnosis taught him about love, mortality and happiness, and how facing death changed the way he thinks about relationships, creativity and the mind. The conversation mo...

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27:03

Solo: How Do We Make the Left Fun Again?

The Bardo Podcast ·

2026/03/10

Why does activism sometimes feel miserable? And how could politics feel joyful again? In this solo episode of The Bardo Podcast, comedian Marc Salmon reflects on activism, community, and why movements trying to change the world can sometimes lose their sense of humour. Through stories from activist meetings, reflections on anarchist philosophy, and everyday examples of mutual aid, Marc explores ideas like worker cooperatives, universal basic income, and solarpunk futures. But the real questio...

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115:12

Ep.5 - Gabriel Kennedy: Robert Anton Wilson and the...

The Bardo Podcast ·

2026/03/03

In this episode of The Bardo Podcast, comedian Marc Salmon is joined by writer and researcher Gabriel Kennedy, author of Chapel Perilous: The Life & Thought Crimes of Robert Anton Wilson, for a wide-ranging conversation about uncertainty, belief systems, and the art of not knowing. They explore the life and work of Robert Anton Wilson, including ideas like model agnosticism, reality tunnels, Chapel Perilous, and the SNAFU Principle, and why his thinking feels especially relevant in an age...

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128:42

Ep.4 - Abby Wambaugh: Vulnerability, Comedy, and...

The Bardo Podcast ·

2026/02/17

What happens when honesty becomes risky, and how do we care for ourselves and others when we tell the truth? In this episode of The Bardo Podcast, comedian Marc Salmon is joined by writer, performer, and comedian Abby Wambaugh for a wide-ranging conversation about vulnerability, creativity, and honesty in performance. They discuss comedy, sincerity, trauma, and responsibility, with Abby reflecting on making work that risks truth without causing harm. The conversation explores humour and socia...

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13:56

Solo: What Accountability Looks Like (For Me)

The Bardo Podcast ·

2026/02/10

In this solo episode of The Bardo Podcast, I reflect on what accountability looks like for me in practice. This is a more personal and reflective episode than usual. I talk about sobriety, spiritual identity, ego, mixed motives, and the discomfort of speaking publicly while still figuring things out. I discuss Buddhist ideas like samsara, beginner’s mind, and confession without self-punishment as a way of thinking about accountability as something lived and ongoing. Artwork by Zoe Brownstone ...

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70:47

Ep.3 - Mark Simmons: Dying on Stage and the...

The Bardo Podcast ·

2026/02/03

In this episode of The Bardo Podcast, I’m joined by Mark Simmons, award-winning one-liner comedian, for a focused conversation about stand-up comedy, confidence, failure, and the philosophy of laughter. We explore what really happens when a joke lands or fails, how audiences perceive confidence on stage, and what “dying on stage” actually means. The conversation covers joke writing, wordplay, timing, audience trust, taboo, and why the same material can succeed in one room and fail in another....

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90:45

Ep.2 - Dr Steve Todd & Cesare Saguato: The...

The Bardo Podcast ·

2026/01/20

What happens when the stories we’ve relied on no longer work, and certainty itself starts to feel like part of the problem? In this episode of The Bardo Podcast, I’m joined by Dr Steve Todd and Cesare Saguato for a wide-ranging conversation about the so-called meta-crisis, the overlapping crises of meaning, ecology, politics, and mental health shaping modern life. Drawing on Tibetan Buddhism, physics, psychotherapy, and Western esotericism, we explore how rigid worldviews can collapse into ...

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96:05

Ep.1 - Lara Ricote: Play as a Radical Act

The Bardo Podcast ·

2026/01/06

What happens when we stop trying to get everything right and allow ourselves to be seen as we are? In the first episode of The Bardo Podcast, I’m joined by award-winning comedian and actor Lara Ricote for a thoughtful conversation about uncertainty, play, and living without pre-approval in art, politics, and everyday life. We explore clowning as a philosophy of life, the fear that shapes creativity and politics, and why joy and silliness are so often dismissed as naïve. Along the way, we talk...

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