Thomas W E Budge, formerly detained as a teenager for objecting to South African conscription in the apartheid army, reflects on why he produced the audio drama podcast "Stripped." Old apartheid South Africa and the Watchtower Society both exerted control over the young Jehovah's Witness boys growing up in the country in the early 1970s. "Stripped" isn't about self-pity or heroism, but is about helping others trapped in similar systems. Societal changes allow this story to be told now, and the themes are as relevant today as they were for the youth back then who, as young individuals, fought bigotry and had difficulty navigating a non-inclusive world. "Stripped" is a story of self-advocacy, and is also a reminder to the world of an almost forgotten chapter in South Africa's apartheid history.

This story about Thomas Budge's struggle to triumph over discrimination is one that must be told, not only to expose harmful religious doctrines but to provide encouragement to the many, many victims of margin­alisation, victim­isation, and expulsion from society because they had no say over their difference from what some consider to be the norm. When you mention "podcast" in South Africa, the image that often comes to mind is an interview. Yet, the team at Baird Media is challenging this norm by embarking on an ambitious project to produce South Africa's first feature-length audio drama podcast. Stripped delves into the true story of Thomas Budge, a courageous young man who, in 1971, bravely defied conscription into the apartheid military due to his unwavering religious convictions. Raised as a Jehovah's Witness, Thomas staunchly adhered to the teachings instilled by his mother and the organisation's elders, steadfastly opposing the idea of bearing arms. His principled stance led to imprisonment in the now-demolished Military Detention Barracks (DB) in Voortrekkerhoogte (Thaba Tshwane) in Pretoria, where he spent most of his sentence in solitary confinement. Only through his father's persistent letter-writing campaign and subsequent changes in legislation did Thomas find liberation, albeit after enduring immense personal sacrifices.

Juxtaposed against the outer world lies an inner world full of imagination and abstraction, a rich world of raw emotion, a cauldron of lust, holiness, inspiration, insightfulness, depravity and terror. To some this is a private sanctuary, to others it is their place of imprisonment. Which is it for you?

Standing in the immigration queue at O R Thambo airport on one of my regular trips back south, I watch the strangest scene unfold.

None of us asked to be here. Nobody offered us a choice over our gender, race, body type, looks, upbringing, preferences, idiosyncrasies and inherent skills, yet here we are whether we like it or not. So, the million-dollar question is, "What the hell do we do with this strange and awkward thing called life?"

Today, Yvonne graciously volunteered to be my Guinea pig so that I could record a 40-min hypnosis session as my gift to all of you. Please do not listen to it if you are on the go or need to focus your attention on what you are doing. Only listen to it when it is safe for you to do so. If you do share this track with others, please share the entire blog and not just the recording as it is important that we convey this cautionary note to all listeners. The recording is intended to help you get into hypnotic trance so it is best enjoyed in a quiet, private, undisturbed space where you can cozy up in a comfortable armchair or recline on your bed or sofa. It would also be a great idea to put your phone on silent while you listen to it. I recorded the session in my consulting room and so it has a tiny bit of echo which I cannot erase. So be it. The theme of this session demonstrates that you have the power to control your subconscious responses to that which the world throws at us all. As with all hypnosis, you need no special skill to fully enjoy this space. You cannot get stuck or locked into this space either. The worst-case scenario (if you follow the instructions above) is that you could drift off into a wonderful deep, relaxing sleep from which you will awaken, refreshed, relaxed and rejuvenated, as you always have done after all those magical naps of yours. I'd love to get your comment and suggestions as always. Contact me here or privately. Do I mind if you share this with others? Not in the least. If it helps others to cope with #lockdown, be my guest and share it freely.

This is a story of how scientific advances removed God from the equation governing all physical matter and replaced Him with science’s powerful sense of control over the clockwork mechanics that it had discovered. Science also changed our views about life and God’s role in it when Darwin published his theories of evolution. The church fought an arduous battle to keep God at the centre of things but the scales had tipped and science emerged victoriously. Yet, this is a story much greater than science’s victory over God, it is a story of new discoveries which dilutes the power biotech has over gene expression and DNA engineering, giving primary control back to you. Learn how you, through mindfulness, meditation and positive visualisation can rewire the very DNA inside your cell’s genes. This is not science fiction, it is science fact with profound consequences.

Have you ever traded sex for the other person’s love and respect? Have you ever believed that you must first offer God your loyalty and faithfulness before you can receive His favour? If so, you have then experienced the perversion of the Law of Reciprocity. In this show, we explore what we mean by the reciprocity rule and we shall see how it can easily go awry with tretcherous consequences. Join me as we explore into this fascinating topic.

Are you stuck in a world of guilt, remorse and shame? Forgiveness might be the tool to use to set yourself free. It is not the kind of forgiveness most people think of. There is a truth behind the truth, the one powerful trick you can use to dramatically change your future for the good. Join me in this show to learn what that forgiveness trick is. You won’t regret it.

What have wormholes through space, filled with drifting coloured balloons and a hovering naked man got to do with spirituality and time? Well, they fit together as perfect symbols that explain our layered consciousness, how we attract experiences and how we perpetually live in this present moment of time, which we call ‘now.’