Compass, Banyan Tree’s Storytelling Platform, Publishes 2nd Part of Content Series with Changemakers

Captions (L-R): Social entrepreneur, social advocate and former MP - Anthea Indira Ong; Buddhist psychiatrist and founder of the Contemplative Studies Programme - Dr. Miles Neale; activist and law student - Shaneel Lal; social entrrepreneur - Somsak Boonkam

Compass, Banyan Tree’s storytelling platform, continues to share stories from some of the most remarkable storytellers of our generation, with four new episodes of its premier content series: The Possibility Podcast.

Since going live in June 2022, Compass has provided a dedicated space for disruptors and changemakers to share their personal journeys and profound reflections on being grounded in the present moment, and what it means to create a better future.

The second part of The Possibility Podcast will continue to be hosted and produced by award-winning Storyteller and TEDx speaker Mukul Bhatia, a sustainability advocate whose work and vision have been lauded by international media like Forbes America, The New York Times, National Geographic TV, and GQ Magazine.

“We spent a lot of time ideating the intentional philosophy around Compass, and having it out in the world, and receiving so many positive messages from our listeners has been heartwarming,” Bhatia said, adding: “We are elated to have four upcoming podcasts from diverse changemakers, as well as an upcoming photographer’s feature called Nomadic Haikū, which will bring new, meditative immersion into the journey inwards, allowing reflection and reinspection of personal meaning, and what it means to travel with a cause.”

The next four episodes of the podcast will feature:

• Entrepreneur, social advocate, and former Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP), Anthea Indira Ong from Singapore. A former banker, Ong has founded several social impact businesses, including Hush Tea Bar, Singapore’s first silent tea bar that employs and empowers the deaf and people recovering from mental health conditions. She has championed multiple social issues, most notably, mental health.
• Dr. Miles Neale, a US-based Buddhist psychiatrist and founder of the Contemplative Studies Programme. He is a faculty member of Tibet House (USA) and Weill Cornell Medical College, with more than 20 years integrating mind science and Tibetan Buddhism with psychology, trauma research, neuroscience, and mythology. Dr. Neale is also a published author, and leads pilgrimages around the Buddhist world.
• Law student, columnist, activist and political commentator Shaneel Lal, from New Zealand. Lal spearheaded the campaign that led New Zealand to ban the controversial practice of conversion therapy this year. Lal was recently included in New York University Centre on International Cooperation’s first cohort of Young Justice Leaders, and has been featured in Vogue, The Guardian, and Forbes’ 30 Under 30.
• Somsak Boonkam from Thailand, founder of community-based travel operator Local Alike. His team runs workshops and trainings that have persuaded more than 200 communities across 46 provinces in Thailand to create and manage their own authentic, localised tours. Boonkam has been an Ashoka fellow and recognised in Tatler Asia’s Generation T for Social Entrepreneurship.

For more information on Compass, visit www.banyantree.com/compass. The Possibility Podcast debuted on Spotify, Google Podcasts and Apple Podcasts this May, with new episodes being introduced every two weeks.