What did you learn from the challenges you surpassed? Do you think that self-confidence is key to “winning” or thriving in life?
In this episode of the Align Podcast, Chris Duffin and I chat about the challenging and uncomfortable situations that we may face in our lives and how surpassing those is the only way for us to grow both mentally, but physically too. In fact, the same can be said about your muscles.
We also talk about Chris’ impressive training techniques that have been tested and clinically proven to get the results most people are looking for when weight lifting, but with less weight and less training time. Known as the BFR (blood flow restriction) method, this allows your body to actively flush your body’s toxins and forces both lymphatic and blood drainage. In fact, this method reduces the blood flow in your body to an area, provoking deep muscle fatigue sooner. This causes hypertrophy, which is an increase and growth of your muscle.
Chris Duffin is an inventor, thought leader, and serial entrepreneur in Health and Fitness. He has Co-Founded multiple prominent brands the largest of which, Kabuki Strength. Chris has invented multiple ‘game-changing’ products improving human biomechanics under load, as well as systemized approaches to assessing and correcting human movement dysfunctions.
Find out more about Chris:
Website: christopherduffin.com
Book: The Eagle and the Dragon: A Story of Strength and Reinvention
Instagram:@mad_scientist_duffin
In this episode of the Align Podcast, Dr. Amen and I discuss the stigma towards mental illness and how it makes those who are suffering feel ashamed, which can worsen their symptoms and conditions. While most doctors might look at mental illness as a simple diagnosis, Dr. Amen was thought to think of people going through these health conditions not as someone with a diagnosis, but as a whole by considering the four circles of life; biological, psychological, social, and spiritual.
Plus, we also talk about how to deal with negative thoughts and a negative mindset. The first thing is to be able to detach ourselves from our thoughts, so we can deeply question them. Then, it is important to live with the end, meaning death, in mind. This way, we are much more likely to be present and take advantage of the now.
Dr.Daniel Amen is one of America’s leading psychiatrists and brain health experts. Dr. Amen has helped millions of people change their brains and lives through his health clinics, best-selling books, products and public television programs.He has appeared on numerous television shows including Dr. Phil, Larry King, Dr. Oz, The Doctors, and The View.
To learn more about Dr. Amen:
Website: danielamenmd.com
Book: Change Your Brain Change Your Life
Podcast: The Brain Warrior’s Way
Instagram: @doc_amen
What is embodied cognition? How do our senses help us process our reality? How can psychedelics help us let go and surrender?
In this episode of the Align Podcast, Kyle and I discuss psychedelics. Kyle narrates his 17-day experience with a medicine known for allowing its users to continue living through the experience during their sleep, with one single dosage. Further on, we also discuss depression and what is currently going on in the world.
Another interesting subject we cover is the value of intentionality. We are intentional about certain things, such as a business. but then we can be completely unintentional about other things, such as a geographic location. However, having acceptance and love for whatever your answers are to what you are intentional and unintentional about is essential. There’s no answer to what is the right or wrong way to live a life, but you must have the awareness to be able to engage with the choices you make.
Kyle Kingsbury is the host of the Kyle Kingsbury Podcast, is an optimization expert, everyday shaman, full-time coach on the Fit For Service Fellowship, and a former UFC fighter.
How important is blood sugar stability to your overall health? What happens if we don’t have that? How should we be eating for optimal energy, brain function, and to achieve satiety?
In this episode of the Align Podcast, Dr. Will Cole and I discuss how exactly fasting affects our levels of hunger and our health. In fact, fasting in a ketogenic diet, where most of the diet is plant-based, is a proven and effective way to help stabilize blood sugar, if done consistently.
Plus, Will discusses the benefits of eating and living intuitively and why he supports this lifestyle, beyond what the medical data says. He encourages people to check within themselves; check on their sleep quality, their energy levels, their brain functions, and to learn to listen to what feels better for themselves. This is the best way to achieve optimal health; by simply listening to your body.
Dr. Will Cole is a leading functional-medicine expert. Dr. Cole was named one of the top 50 functional-medicine and integrative doctors in the nation and is a health expert and course instructor for the world’s largest wellness brands such as mindbodygreen and goop.
To learn more about Dr. Will Cole:
Website: drwillcole.com
Instagram: @drwillcole
Podcast: The Art of Being Well with Dr. Will Cole
Book: Intuitive Fasting
Are you sleeping enough, eating enough, hydrating enough, or socializing enough? What happens if the answer is “no”? At what point will efficiency become a burden to our biology?
In this Episode of the Align Podcast, Dr. Ruscio and I talk about how the answer to our health issues often lies in the foundational layers of our health. Too often, we have the initial reaction to look beyond those layers, when the answer to our conditions or disease lies in what we nourish and treat our bodies on a daily basis.
Plus, we talk about how moderation is key to everything. We all have different bodies, so we must all make use of measures on a moderate basis, such as dieting and exercising, as all of our bodies will respond in their own unique way. Lastly, stress isn't always a hazard. When loaded properly, stressors help our organisms become more resilient, every time we recover.
Dr. Ruscio is a Doctor of Natural Medicine, Doctor of Chiropractic, clinical researcher, and author. His book, Healthy Gut Healthy You, has helped countless patients regain their health even when numerous doctors have been unable to.
What we discuss:
02:19: At what point can efficiency become a burden to our biology?
05:22: Under what circumstances is stress beneficial?
06:31: Gut health issues and how they manifest in the US population
08:59: How Dr. Ruscio got into this field
13:23: How can we determine the likelihood of an issue coming from the gut?
14:43: What is an effective way to determine a gut-joint-related issue?
17:07: What are FODMAPs and how do they work?
23:09: Diets, food sourcing. and quality ingredients
27:53: Scientific research behind the cellular impact of feeling connected to something greater than yourself
34:36: Is sun exposure dangerous?
37:06: Vitamin D: supplements for the microbiota
38:16: Why is there an epidemic of undiagnosed sleep apnea and upper airway resistance syndrome?
45:57: What is bloating and how can we use probiotics to reduce bloating?
53:09: What is the gut, actually?
56:27: The gut-brain relationship
58:56: The detrimental effects of excessive exercise
1:07:08: The ultimate balance in medicine
To learn more about Dr. Ruscio:
Instagram: @drruscio
Website: drruscio.com
Book: Healthy Gut, Healthy You
Where did COVID come from? What can you do right now to make sure you can fight the virus, if you are ever infected? Should you get vaccinated?
In this episode of the Align Podcast, Dr. Steven Quay and I discuss how the Coronavirus has been able to develop so quickly in the human body, the mechanisms of it, and how our immune system works to fight it. We talk about how exactly vaccines act to help our body fight viruses and how the antibody-dependent enhancement’s (ADE) unpredictability can affect people of different ages.
Plus, Dr. Quay points out how the posture that we tend to hold during the day causes us to lose lung capacity. With our lungs and intercostal muscles being primordial to effectively fight the hazards of COVID, he suggests a yoga-based practice to help us develop both of these capacities.
Dr. Steven Quay has over 360 published contributions to medicine, placing him in the top 1% of scientists worldwide. He holds 87 US patents and has invented seven FDA-approved pharmaceuticals which have helped over 80 million people. He is the author of the best-selling book on surviving the pandemic, Stay Safe: A Physician's Guide to Survive Coronavirus.
What we discuss:
03:58: How can we train our body to help combat COVID and other respiratory diseases?
06:09: Aaron’s symptoms when he was infected with COVID
08:04: What does Dr. Quay recommend you do to fight Covid?
09:20: Supportive breathing practices you can start today
10:27: Where does the virus originate from?
15:19: What kind of repercussions has Dr. Quay faced for his scientific opinions?
17:59: What will the world be like post-vaccination?
19:06: Should young and healthy people take the vaccine?
20:35: The race between covid-2 vs the immune system
21:42: Are masks effective?
27:39: What does the future of the coronavirus look like?
30:41: The antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE)
32:28: What is the virus’ infection mechanism?
34:39: Describing the 3 phases of the virus
36:09: The burden of COVID in our world and political implications
40:56: Physiologic response to the vaccine Vs developed immune response
47:03: Why did Dr. Quay write his book?
48:50: What can we do to protect ourselves if we suspect we were exposed to the virus?
49:55: Why does it turn into pneumonia?
52:31: The issue with western medicine not looking at the importance of nutrition
57:52: How the metro transport system could have been the conduit to spreading COVID in major cities
Learn more about Dr. Steven Quay:
Website: drquay.com
What is the cure to pain? What are we supposed to do with the learnings we gain from going through painful experiences? What does holding space actually mean? What happens when we withhold our own truth?
In this episode of the Align podcast, Stefano shares with us why and how he hit rock bottom, how he expressed his addictions to sex, alcohol, physical extenuation, materialism, status, and how someone living through a similar passage can find peace with their story.
Plus, we explore the reality that most of us act according to what people feel is “normal” and expected by our society, which results in us feeling ashamed of expressing what we truly want and suppressing our own fantasies.
Stefanos Sifandos is a relationship alchemist, international speaker, and author who facilitates transformational growth through neuro-empowerment practices to help evolve and enhance relationships.
What we discuss:
06:03: Stefano’s 10 day fast in the wild
12:50: What does ‘holding space’ actually mean?
14:27: How to cultivate depth within ourselves in order to be of supportive of others
15:28: Stefano’s story of learning through pain
20:04: How does one acknowledge their own story in order to re-write it?
24:50: Are there any 'neuroses' that can't be healed by love?
28:34: Is it possible to re-parent ourselves?
29:30: What shame feels like to Stefano
35:55: How to come to peace with your own story
37:00: More about relationships
40:00: Thriving in familiarity Vs novelty
46:13: Masculine and feminine energy - how does polarity work?
51:33: How can we relate to each other effectively?
57:36: How a female embodies feminine elements to attract a masculine figure
1:04:49: Will society erupt?
1:05:39: Is equilibrium even sustainable?
1:10:31: Modern use of psychoactive substances to address trauma and wounds
To learn more about Stefanos:
Website: stefanossifandos.com
Instagram: @stefanossifandos
Can the dietary choices we make right now affect how we feel later in the day? What’s the difference between “doing” health and creating health?
In this episode of the Align Podcast, Drew and I discuss how the food that we consume can impact our mental health both in a positive or negative way. For example, incorporating brain food such as omega-3 fatty acids and leafy greens are proven to help promote healthy brain functions and keep your mood stable.
Plus, we talk about how individuality is not something that is taken into consideration on social media when advice is shared in regards to health and diets. We all have different genetics and needs in terms of nutrition and following a cookie-cutter rule for nutrition can lead to unintentional malnutrition.
Drew Ramsey, M.D. is a psychiatrist, author, and farmer. He is a clear voice in the mental health conversation and one of psychiatry's leading proponents of using nutritional interventions. He is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
What we discuss:
03:26: The 6-week anti-depressive timeframe
04:21: Why Drew decided to focus on anxiety and depression
07:43: The impact on the health care system when the health care providers' mental health is not taken care of
11:28: Being in the cycle of nature
15:24: Bacterial exposure in nature and how it relates to mental health
20:29: How are bugs controlling us?
24:24: A prediction on the effect on young people being hindered from facial expressions due to the current mask usage
28:47: What is nutritional psychiatry?
34:06: How does social media influence our choices and the dangers of not considering our individuality
37:53: Why some patients might feel worse in their first psychiatry appointment
40:51: Are we at an inflexible point in the masculinity shift?
50:53: How will the world be after COVID in regards to social and sanitization matters
55:24: Discussion on labeling people with a certain pathology
57:23: What can awareness actually do?
1:01:22: Drew's Ramsey book
1:07:55: What’s next in medical research?
1:18:26: Olive oil; why it should be the main fat we consume
1:19:26: Top foods that might cause depression from a nutritional standpoint
More about Drew:
Website: drewramseymd.com
Instagram: @drewramseymd
For some of us, we tend to say yes to any opportunity that comes our way. For others, we just aren't able to say no to favors that are being asked of us. But why is that? Why do we say YES when we want to scream NO?
In this episode of the Align Podcast, Christine Hassler and I define issue-based relationships, how to build a proper foundation for opening up to relationships, and what type of people should be staying single at certain points in their lives.
Plus, we cover how compensatory strategies are formed in childhood as coping mechanisms that are later reflected throughout our adult lives.
Christine Hassler is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, master coach, and podcast host who is committed to guiding people and organizations into their highest potential.
What we discuss:
02:00: Christine's process in saying “no”
05:04: Where does the fear of saying “no” come from?
08:34: How can someone recognize their own compensatory patterns? What is the expectation hangover?
11:16: Why are we here?
12:54: Does the ideal mate exist?
17:25: How to create a foundation in order to open up space for a relationship
20:42: What are issue-based relationships?
23:02: Can a relationship just be easy?
25:02: Can we create a healthy foundation by examining our childhood?
28:48: how to connect to ourselves as a child
30:59: Christine's first deep inner child meditation
42:34: Who should stay single?
45:59: How does Christine define God + her religious upbringing
1:03:44: How are our outer experiences a reflection of the inner reality?
To learn more about Christine:
Website: christinehassler.com
Instagram: @christinehassler
Podcast: Over It & On With It
What is a thought? Where are our thoughts located? What weight do our thoughts have?
In this episode of the Align Podcast, Dr. Caroline Leaf and I discuss what defines the concept of thoughts and how exactly they affect our body and our DNA. In fact, the human brain is capable to identify toxic and negative thoughts and treat them as foreign invaders, similar to how our bodies react to foreign invaders that attack our immune system.
Plus, Dr. Leaf shares with us a proven 5 step process that is designed to help us overcome trauma, depression, anxiety, and more.
Dr. Caroline Leaf is a communication pathologist and cognitive neuroscientist, specializing in cognitive and metacognitive neuropsychology. She has researched the mind-brain connection, the nature of mental health, and the formation of memory. Dr. Leaf is also the bestselling author of Switch on Your Brain, Think Learn Succeed, Think and Eat Yourself Smart, and many more.
What we discuss:
02:02: What is a thought? Where are thoughts located? What weight do our thoughts have?
06:12: How much control do we have over our entire thought process?
08:01: Dr. Leaf’s path to engaging in the knowledge of the mind
14:4: How do we experience things through our mind?
18:29: An explanation to why we don’t have a negative bias
19:18: Why are our brains drawn to the negative?
23:16: What is consciousness and unconsciousness? How do they relate to each other?
36:55: Where does shame come from?
43:27: Breaking down the NeuroCycle
51:55: The advantage of multi-perspective
To learn more about Dr. Leaf:
Website: drleaf.com
Instagram: @drcarolineleaf
Podcast: Cleaning Up the Mental Mess
We often feel that the career choice we made years ago is permanent, that we are hostages of a degree we earned or a couple of decades of experience that we accumulated. But that isn’t true.
In this episode of the Align podcast, Ashley Stahl and I discuss the 9 core skill sets that you should develop if you are contemplating switching careers. Plus, Ashley explains how the skills that you naturally have are more important than the interests you have.
Lastly, we get to hear all about how Ashley’s impressive background in counterterrorism helped her develop soft skills that are essential for the career choice she made after leaving the Pentagon.
Ashley is an angel investor, writer, career coach, podcast host, and an ex-counterterrorism professional for the Pentagon. Her leadership firm, Ashley International Inc., offers private coaching and unparalleled online programs to empower Millennials to find their purpose, land more job offers, and increase their income.
What we discuss:
04:26: Ashley's creative process for writing her new book
08:36: Expanding options vs going unidirectionally in a career
12:56: Making core skill sets relevant
16:22: Ashley's background in counter-terrorism
22:39: How Ashley incurred a loss in her business
24:41: What brought Ashley to her current formula?
29:25: Why did the Senate get raided?
32:22: Ashley's day to day working in counter-terrorism and international development
35:57: How are skill sets becoming obsolete in the workforce
40:01: What was Ashley's relation to Al-Qaeda in her professional role?
41:51: Ashley's experience as a female in her previous field
44:42: Developing self-awareness to determine our own hardness
47:00: Making career choices based on past wounds
48:46: What are the required skills of a good spy?
52:37: The power of being good with words
55:16: How did Ashley's perception of death evolve throughout time
01:03:05: The value and disadvantages of the current educational system
01:05:42: Changing careers at a mature age
To learn more about Ashley:
Website: ashleystahl.com
Instagram: @ashleystahl
Podcast: Your Turn Podcast
How many of you experienced bullying in your childhood? How did that experience shape the person that you are today? Is self-love all that you need to get through difficult times?
In this episode of the Align Podcast, we get deep and personal with Justin Wren. From bullying to self-sabotage with addiction, we discuss the importance of learning self-love and how expressing kindness towards yourself and others is the key to healing.
We also get a very intimate insight into Justin’s darkest thoughts and moments and how he overcame them. Plus, a message is given to those going through dark times.
Justin Wren is a former heavyweight division fighter, holding an MMA record of 15-2. After overcoming depression and addiction, Justin took the decision to step away from MMA, seeking out a purpose and passion for his life. He then founded Fight For The Forgotten initiative, where he now fights for those who don’t have a voice.
If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States. Call 1-800-273-8255 to talk.
What we discuss:
02:26: Justin's relationship with his mom
05:30: What do martial arts teach you?
07:11: What makes a bully?
11:18: Justin's experience with bullying
24:50: Learning how to love yourself
29:17: Discussing suicide ideation and attempt: Justin's experience
01:08:44: How kindness can help you
01:17:47: Self-sabotage with addiction
01:22:58: A message for those going through dark times
01:34:10: More about the Fight for the Forgotten initiative
To learn more about Justin:
Website: fightfortheforgotten.org
Instagram: @fightfortheforgotten / @thebigpygmy
Podcast: The Justin Wren Podcast
Are you honest with yourself? Do you have realistic expectations of how your body can perform? What thoughts are you using to fuel your body and optimize its performance?
In this episode of the Align podcast, Steven Kotler and I discuss how understanding our own human biology is the most important thing we can do for ourselves in order to properly pursue and attain our goals. In fact, knowing how to make biology work for us and not against us is the secret of many successful people.
We also talk about the crucialness of honesty, and how we must accept that we can only work with what we have. Steven recommends how we should feed our pattern recognition system properly and on a daily basis to help us reach peak body and brain performance.
Steven Kotler is a New York Times bestselling author, an award-winning journalist, and the Executive Director of the Flow Research Collective. He is one of the world’s leading experts on human performance. His nine bestsellers are praised all around the world and by industry leaders such as Elon Musk, Bill Clinton, and more.
What we discuss:
02:56: Discussing Steven's religious upbringing
08:42: How peak performance and honesty related to each other
10:00: Changing a child's direction through parenting
12:20: How praying is great training for peak performance
14:36: How evolution has been shaped by the force of innovation
16:31: What is the general thinking of flow?
18:13: Drivers of evolution: more food and better health
22:36: Why long-term planning and flow are dissociated
26:03: Kotler's Art of Impossible book
28:26: Motivation, learning, creativity and flow
To learn more about Steven:
Website: stevenkotler.com
Book mentioned: Art of Impossible
Instagram: @kotler.steven
Podcast: Flow Research Collective Radio
If time is relative, how can we dilate it to live presently? How can you improve your focus to bring more time, energy, and money into flow? What does a monk think of money and what financial advice does he give?
In this episode of the Align Podcast, I have a conversation with Pedram Shojai, a.k.a. The Urban Monk, about the very fundamentals of meditation, how to be present and mindful, and how you can go as far as you can with the means you have today.
Plus, we talk about the concept of identity and how so many of us nowadays find our identity structure through ideology groups. We also discuss the value of rites of passage and the importance of wilderness, which often seems to be a missing component in urban life.
Pedram is a master herbalist, licensed acupuncturist, and wellness consultant. He is a dynamic teacher, Taoist minister, and lifelong student of various Alchemical Traditions. Pedram is also a Filmmaker and author, father, and husband.
What we discuss:
03:55: Pedram’s experience of studying with the Dalai Lama
04:47: Explaining educational and philosophical differences between Tibetans and Westerners
06:51: How and why Pedram became a Taoist monk
10:16: How to self-reconcile
12:53: Best practices for optimal focus
14:55: Why do we spend so much time online and how can we stop doing that?
20:08: The value in rites of passage
26:41: Money is trade
29:28: Financial advice from a monk
33:15: Being able to re-write our own story
38:42: Can meditation have different forms?
40:32: How to meditate effectively
44:17: Dissecting the perception of time and how to dilate it
:51:44: Dealing with imposter syndrome
53:55: Transitioning to a bigger game in life
To learn more about Pedram Shojai:
Website: theurbanmonk.com
Instagram: @official_urbanmonk
Book: The Urban Monk
Podcast: The Urban Monk Podcast
What is thyroid disease, exactly? What causes it? Can we even reverse thyroid disease? If so, how can we do that?
In this episode of the Align Podcast, I have a conversation with Alan Christianson, where we discuss how the foods we choose to fuel our body can actually help reverse thyroid disease and how a healthy thyroid contributes to our immune system, our mental health, and our physical health. We then break down what is iodine, what are the optimal levels for human consumption, and what are the best resources we can refer to in order to ensure we are intaking the proper and recommended amount.
We also pick Alan’s brain about emotions and how they can impact our overall wellbeing, his own personal practices of meditation and journaling, and we even touch upon epistemology!
Alan Christianson is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor (NMD) who specializes in natural
endocrinology with a focus on thyroid disorders. He is the author of The Metabolism Reset Diet
and the New York Times bestselling book The Adrenal Reset Diet. He has been named a Top Doctor in Phoenix Magazine and has appeared on national TV shows and in numerous print media.
Website: https://www.drchristianson.com
Instagram: @dralanchristianson
Book: https://www.drchristianson.com/thyroidresetdiet/#Bonus
What we discuss:
[00:02:46] Christianson's new book on thyroid disease research
[00:04:26] The value in making our own food
[00:06:54] What is Iodine?
[00:09:47] The repercussions of iodine deficiency and excess
[00:11:52] What are the optimal levels of iodine?
[00:13:12] What causes thyroid disease?
[00:15:59] Can thoughts and feelings affect the functioning of the thyroid?
[00:18:45] What is the thyroid and how does it work?
[00:20:10] How emotional states contribute to your physical health issues
[00:22:50] Do we have free will?
[00:26:01] Alan’s biggest challenges
[00:32:09] How do we know we know?
[00:36:30] A guide to mediation and journaling practices
[00:38:37] Alan’s thoughts on God
[00:40:19] What are signs of an underlying thyroid issue?
[00:41:26] Can all diseases be reversed and what be the root cause for it?
[00:43:10] How does toxic fat develop?
What's the planet's most nutritious food? SPROUTS! And in this episode of the Align Podcast, the author of the Sprout Book, Doug Evans, tells us why.
Among the mind-blowing nutritional qualities of sprouts:
― they have 20-30 times the nutrients of other vegetables and 100 times those of meat
― they pack cancer-fighting properties and help to protect us from cardiovascular disease and environmental pollutants
― they aid in digestion
― they are a simple way to grow your own vegetables and compatible with all diets
Ready to learn more? Tune into the full episode!
Over 70% of our body is composed of water, which means that staying hydrated is extremely important. But is simply drinking water enough to keep us hydrated?
In this episode of the Align Podcast, our guest Tracy Duhs covers the hidden capabilities and benefits of hydrating adequately. We discuss the incredible amount of information that water is capable of holding onto and how that is crucial for processing our emotions.
We also discuss the different water filtering processes and filtering systems and how we can upgrade the quality of the water we drink, catered to various budgets.
Tracy Duhs is the director and founder of The Sanctuary Wellness Experience, a luxury retreat that provides complete nurturing for the mind, body, and soul. She is a herbalist, alchemist, and specialist in integrative medicine.
What we discuss:
03:54: What is water?
08:13: What are the potential contaminants in water?
11:08: How does water hold information?
13:52: Masaru Emoto's experiments with water
16:22: What is structured water?
19:57: How do our bodies create structured water?
20:46: What is vortexing water?
22:58: Possible methods to upgrade the water we drink
26:33: What is Ocean Plasma?
31:14: Why and how Tracy started to experiment with different types of water
37:40: How to mineralize our water
44:16: How movement and hydration relate to each other
48:12: How sunlight exposure impacts hydration
51:16: The 9 Pillars of Health
To learn more about Tracy:
Instagram: @tracyduhs
Website: tracyduhs.com
Book: Hydrate with Tracy Duhs
Podcast: Hydrate
In this episode of the Align Podcast, I have a wonderful conversation with Emily Fletcher where we dive into the semantics of meditation and how it's much more powerful than many of us may realize. It's not only a tool for calming our mind, but it physically transforms our mind and body.
We also dive into our childhood wounds, how it has affected us in our adult life, and what we have found to be successful in our healing process.
And as a bonus, at the end of the episode, Emily offers us a transformative 5-minute mediation practice that you
can use as a tool for yourself.
Emily Fletcher is the creator of The Ziva Technique and the founder of Ziva, where she developed the world meditation training program. She is also a best selling author: she wrote
Stress Less, Accomplish More - Meditation for Extraordinary Performance. She is one of my best friends and overall, a meditation legend.
What we discuss:
[00:08:16] How meditation calms our chaotic energy
[00:11:43] The cerebral processes that occur in meditation that make us more empathic
[00:12:29] Bypassing our emotions vs. allowing ourselves to feel them
[00:23:13] How the body is a record of our past
[00:24:13] How meditation is healing: de-exciting our nervous system
[00:27:15] 5-minute meditation exercise
Instagram: @emilystellafletcher
Website: zivameditation.com
Book: zivameditation.com/my-debut-book
What’s keeping you from claiming your true powers? Are you even aware of the powers you hold within you and how you can tap into them?
Today’s conversation is with one of my closest friends and widely known, Mr. Jim Kwik. We talk about his book, Limitless – a fabulous read! Jim’s main niche is about memory, focus, and accelerated learning, although the book content is much wider than that. While our imagination might make us think that being limitless is a synonym for perfection, in this episode, Jim explains it in a much more tangible and human way: Limitless is about advancing and progressing beyond what we believe to be possible.
Jim has created a three-part framework that he breaks down for us in this episode. This framework acts as a lens to see what holds us back and to construct our self-awareness to "unlimit" the areas that are in our way. Plus, we both talk about what makes us come alive and our purpose - both fundamental emotional factors for
reaching our full potential.
Jim is a renowned brain coach, a memory and speed-reading expert, international speaker, and a social entrepreneur. He has been featured in many programs and podcasts and his book, Limitless, became an instant New York Times bestseller and #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller.
What we discuss:
[04:45] Jim’s go-to practices for dealing with stress and anxiety
[05:53] Defining what it means to be "limitless"
[11:11] Why we need to have a sense of purpose in our lives
[15:36] What makes Jim feel alive?
[16:52] What makes Aaron feel alive?
[20:52] Opening our own mechanisms through the love towards another person
[27:03] The antidote for feeling stuck
[27:20] The 3 M’s: Mindset, Motivation, Methods
[29:06] What Jim would change in the current western educational system
Find more from Jim:
Website: www.jimkwik.com
Instagram. @jimkwik
Book: www.limitlessbook.com
Be sure to check out the Align Collection, including Align bands, pants, shorts, and more! Shop now here.
Do you know how to love? And more importantly, do you know how to let love in?
In this conversation, I sat down with the legendary Bobby Klein at his own awesome home in Tulum, Mexico who shares the most important life lessons he has learned throughout his 89 years of life, including why the bottom line of life is always love.
Plus, we explored the ideas of what this human experience is, our inner guidance and intuition, and how necessary it is to be brutally honest with ourselves.
As we go deep into what the hell we are doing here, he shared a handful of fascinating and badass experiences in his life.
Bobby Klein is a truly special guest: He carries a rare wealth of experience, deep compassion, and an arsenal of healing tools. He's a clinical psychologist, spiritual and psychological educator, writer, and intuitive Life Path Counselor. He was also a driving force in securing the legalization of acupuncture in America and became one of the first practicing acupuncturists in the United States. He is a true elder and a new friend I see as a mentor.
What we discuss:
03:53: Why 'fake it till you make it' is horse shit
05:09: What stands out that is different in the world today compared to the 60s?
06:06: How Bobby's relationship with death has transformed over the years
11:12: is fear the root of suffe14:28: Alcohol vs. psychedelics
21:30: How trusting someone can let them show who they really are
22:29: Do guidance systems exist? What are they?
29:40: The blueprint for cultivating a relationship with yourself
34:06: What it means to be wild
41:50: How Bobby got started with acupuncture
46:14: Healing and intuition
52:17: Is the concept of 'survivor' attached to the idea of suffering?
Find more from Bobby:
Website: bobbyklein.com
YouTube Channel: @bobbyklein
Be sure to check out the Align Collection, including Align bands, pants, shorts, and more! Shop now here.
What can we learn about ourselves when we go through a separation from another? It’s easy to feel strong when things are working, but what about when things aren't?
There is valuable opportunity given to us that only present themselves when relationships fall apart–The opportunity to navigate through the deep layers of ourselves. But how do we actually navigate through these layers?
In this conversation, Aubrey Marcus and his wife Vylana - two of my very favourite people - answer the questions I have on separation from someone you love (or feel deeply about), as it's something I currently am going through in my own life. Plus, they discuss why “wounds allows the light to enter”, and how truly loving ourselves is the best tool for facing a broken heart.
Aubrey is the founder of ONMIT, a NYT bestselling author, the AMP podcast host, and founding member of Fit For Service Fellowship.
Vylana is a sound alchemist, singer, Tahitian dancer, and medicine woman.
What we discuss:
[00:07:09] Aaron's current context
[00:12:17] Love autonomy
[00:18:56] Using the pain of a separation to growth
[00:22:35] Facing and accepting fear
[00:27:37] Self-love practices
[00:40:38] Trust in acceptance
[00:45:25] Expediting the process of accepting events within ourselves
[00:51:22] Why current life events show you where there is still work to be done
Find more from Aubrey and Vylana:
Podcast: https://www.aubreymarcus.com/blogs/aubrey-marcus-podcast
Program: https://www.aubreymarcus.com/pages/fit-for-service-fellowship
Instagram: @aubreymarcus
Instagram: @vylanamarcus
Our ability to connect and relate to each other is dependent upon how we feel. Which means, the food we eat has a strong influence on how we connect to each other. But one of the issues lies in the fact that the environment we have created around us is conducive and supportive to sickness, and is ultimately preventing us from experiencing deeper connections.
In this episode of the Align Podcast, I have a conversation with Shawn Stevenson on what contributes to deeper human connection, how the media affects our relationships, and why Shawn’s marriage has been successful.
Plus, he also discusses how nutrition plays a surprising role in sleep, his thoughts on the conventional medicine approach.
Shawn is a bestselling author of Sleep Smarter and has another book coming out, Eat Smarter, is a nutritionist, science educator, & creator of The Model Health Show, featured
as the #1 Health Podcast in the U.S.
What we discuss:
[00:06:15] Shawn discusses the relationship between social media and sleep deprivation
[00:09:07] How nutrition affects sleep
[00:11:32] What Shawn thinks of the conventional medicine approach
[00:16:47] How the environment plays a role in our behavior
[00:24:32] Who we are at our core vs. how we behave
[00:29:08] Romanticized media vs. our true needs in a relationship
[00:37:55] Being human: intuition and connection
[00:50:55] Our capacity of connecting to others is dependent upon how we feel individually
[00:56:12] How does our nutrition affects the way we relate to our significant other
Website: https://themodelhealthshow.com/
Instagram: @shawnmodel
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheShawnModel/
Book: https://eatsmarterbook.com/
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-model-health-show/id640246578
How often do we extend the effort to connect with our parents as the humans they truly are? Do we really know who they were before their parent roles and who they are beyond?
This episode is truly special: My mother, Tina Louise Thomas, and I have a deeply intimate and vulnerable conversation that we initially were hesitant to release. Although, we decided if it helps even just one person connect more deeply with their parents or child, it's worth it.
We talk about holding in emotions (and why my mother felt the need to hide her emotions during my upbringing), accepting aging and death, dealing with regrets, navigating forgiveness, moving forward after divorce and so much more.
This has been a beautiful moment in which we felt deeply connected to each other, and probably one of the most important moments of my life.
What we discuss:
My mother is a brilliant and very musician and artist, former Miss Pennsylvania and Miss America scholarship pageant national talent winner and runner-up.
This to her music here: https://soundcloud.com/tina_louise_thomas