Schmindfulness

Scott Taylor is not your typical small business consultant. Sure, the former CEO can help you launch and grow your business as good as anyone, but he also brings an added bonus—an expertise in guiding others through a Near-Death Experience (NDE). Okay, let us explain... Scott teaches a 6-day workshop exploring near-death experience and is author and voice of “Into the Light”, a CD produced by The Monroe Institute, a Virginia-based center devoted to the work of Bob Monroe (1915-1995)—a successful businessman who was committed to pushing the boundaries of the human mind. Through the years, Scott and his colleagues have educated tens of thousands of people through the institute’s residential and outreach programs in the art of enhancing their mental abilities, resolving emotional conflicts, experiencing consciousness outside of time and space, and more. Put on your seat belt and get ready for a serious trip as Scott details the journeys he's been on and describes how you might take one too.

Scott Taylor is not your typical small business consultant. Sure, the former CEO can help you launch and grow your business as good as anyone, but he also brings an added bonus—an expertise in guiding others through a Near-Death Experience (NDE). Okay, let us explain... Scott teaches a 6-day workshop exploring near-death experience and is author and voice of “Into the Light”, a CD produced by The Monroe Institute, a Virginia-based center devoted to the work of Bob Monroe (1915-1995)—a successful businessman who was committed to pushing the boundaries of the human mind. Through the years, Scott and his colleagues have educated tens of thousands of people through the institute’s residential and outreach programs in the art of enhancing their mental abilities, resolving emotional conflicts, experiencing consciousness outside of time and space, and more. Put on your seat belt and get ready for a serious trip as Scott details the journeys he's been on and describes how you might take one too.

Shawn Stevenson has lived several lives: suburban dream, inner city survival, and now a path of being awake and in service. In the process, he's become an expert at empowering others to answer the harder-than-you-think questions of "why" and "how."   Now an author, speaker, and host of the very popular podcast "The Model Health Show," Shawn believes in creating a blueprint tailored to your specific goals and circumstance. If you still need to shine a light on some facet of your life, listening to this two-parter may just help you take that first step. 

Shawn Stevenson has lived several lives: suburban dream, inner city survival, and now a path of being awake and in service. In the process, he's become an expert at empowering others to answer the harder-than-you-think questions of "why" and "how."   Now an author, speaker, and host of the very popular podcast "The Model Health Show," Shawn believes in creating a blueprint tailored to your specific goals and circumstance. If you still need to shine a light on some facet of your life, listening to this two-parter may just help you take that first step. 

Just imagine being in charge of putting on 20,000 concerts a year—for the likes of Beyonce, Jay Z, Coldplay, Shakira, and John Mayer. As the CEO of Global Music for Live Nation, Jason Garner was a busy guy with a lot of important people depending on him. Then one day, he found out his mom had stage 4 stomach cancer, and all that just sort of...didn't matter anymore. Through six months of caring for her before she died, Garner came to realize that he needed more from life, and he set out to discover what that was. Traveling to China and spending hundreds of hours in training, he found a new path and tells the story of arriving on it in the book ...And I Breathed: My Journey From a Life of Matter to a Life That Matters. Hear what now inspires Garner each day and why he believes one doesn't need to lose their true self while discovering all they can be.

Ariel Garten does not like sitting still. But she does like being happy! So when the neuroscientist, fashion designer, psychotherapist, artist, and CEO of InteraXon started using her own product, Muse—a headband that acts as a brain fitness tool to help people start meditating—she was thrilled to discover the benefits of a regular mindfulness practice. Hear her explain how it might just change your life, and why mindfulness is the key to so many new beginnings. Also, check out her recent TED talk titled "Know thyself—with a brain scanner."

On the occasion of celebrating 40 episodes recorded, Pete & Jay look back at their eclectic list of guests and see if they can draw a few life lessons from all the wisdom they've been exposed to. Pete shares how mindfulness made a big difference during a recent traumatic family medical ordeal.  In the process, Jay tries to understand physics and Pete talks more about his 6-pack. Enjoy this very special episode of Meditate This!

Armed with the savvy and wisdom only a Sagamore Junior High education provides and that one expects from a former Burger King "Employee of the Month," Anthony Del Broccolo is currently a writer and producer on the hit CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, with credits that also include Cheap Seats: Without Ron Parker, Lil' Bush, Zooey 101, Drake & Josh, and All That. And though he's spent his career making millions laugh, hear how the Long Island native endured decades of depression and anxiety until he was able to name his issues and confront them head on. You'll also get some very practical tools for managing anxiety from a guy who has invested years experimenting with just what works. Do yourself a favor and give this one a serious listen. And then, do Anthony a favor and go watch the Big Bang Theory. (Hey, good ratings help manage stress too.)

A self-proclaimed mindhacker, Vincent Horn is using the most modern forms of communication to translate the ancient art of staying present. In addition to starting the wildly popular Buddhist Geeks podcast, Vincent speaks and teaches all over the world—an endeavor that has inspired Wired UK’s to put him on their Smart List of "50 people who will change the world.” In this episode, we hear just how Vincent was led toward this lifestyle, why he feels compelled to share it, and what happens in the highly rare, occasional moments when he loses his cool.

It might seem like the guys catching the ball on the 50 yard line usually wind up with all the glory, but for Pat Flynn, playing trumpet in the University of California–Berkeley marching band helped put him on the path that would lead to fame and fortune.   Now a world-renowned blogger, podcaster, marketer, and educator on all things social media, Pat has built an empire with his unique brand of communication over at SmartPassiveIncome.com. But like anyone who wants to keep ahead, he was intrigued when he heard of more and more business leaders taking up this meditation thing. And so Pat tried it too—and the rest is history.   Hear Pat describe his own techy approach to meditation, and how the practice is helping him tackle what promises to be a year full of happy challenges.  

What do you do when you're running a rock music station and having a good ol' time up in Montreal and suddenly you hear someone on tape filled with this bizarrely overwhelming vibration of love and peace and light that you can only describe it as feeling finally "at home"? Simple. Devote your life to their practice.   It's worked out pretty well for Raghu Markus. After meeting Ram Dass in the late 1960s, he went on to spend years in India with him and their spiritual guide, Neem Karoli Baba Maharaji. These last decades have been filled with music and transformational media, having launched Triloka Records and Karuna Music, which included such artists as Krishna Das, Hugh Masekela, Walela, and Jai Uttal. Media projects have featured Ram Dass, Deepak Chopra, and Les Nubians.    Currently the executive director of of Ram Dass's Love Serve Remember Foundation, Raghu Markus also co-hosts the podcast "Mindrolling" on the Mindpod Network, which he helped to create. Listen to them. Learn some truth!   But first, hear

Feeling lethargic? Does life just seem dull and gray? Then you MUST listen to our interview with Eleen Langer, best-selling author and Harvard professor of social psychology who has been dubbed the "mother of mindfulness." How much more convincing do you need? She has authored 11 books and more than 200 research articles. And she's going to tell you why making some very simple changes in how you perceive the world can have a very profound impact on how you live.   So what are you waiting for? Sit up, put down your phone, and just press play!   And afterwards, be sure to check out www.ellenlanger.com and www.langermindfulnessinstitute.com for links to her books and lots more information. 

Most people get frustrated throughout the day—an unwanted assignment at work, a leaky sink at home. But there are some experiences that forever put those things in perspective. Our guest in Episode 33, Allan Lokos, survived a plane crash in Myanmar on Christmas Day in 2012. Four doctors believed he would not live, but after a mighty struggle to endure, he's now regained much of the life he knew before the crash. Hear Allan explain the seemingly impossible road he took to get back and why his years of practicing and teaching meditation were key to his ability to persevere.You can also read his story in the new book Through the Flames: Overcoming Disaster Through Compassion, Patience, and Determination.

Most people get frustrated throughout the day—an unwanted assignment at work, a leaky sink at home. But there are some experiences that forever put those things in perspective. Our guest in Episode 33, Allan Lokos, survived a plane crash in Myanmar on Christmas Day in 2012. Four doctors believed he would not live, but after a mighty struggle to endure, he's now regained much of the life he knew before the crash. Hear Allan explain the seemingly impossible road he took to get back and why his years of practicing and teaching meditation were key to his ability to persevere.You can also read his story in the new book Through the Flames: Overcoming Disaster Through Compassion, Patience, and Determination.

You've tried it all. You're searching for relief. Well, Meditate This! is here to offer options. In Episode 32, we present the wonderful Elizabeth Healy—owner and practitioner at West Village Acupuncture—who explains how the treatment works, who it might be right for, and what this thing called "Qi" (or "Chi") actually is. She also shares her own inspiring story of personal transformation Take a listen and get some clarity!

When was the last time you felt really angry? Oh? You don't get angry? Cool!   But we don't believe you.   We asked Americans what makes them angry and they responded.  We picked the four most tantalizing answers you could ever imagine!    In episode 31, Pete and Jay break down why anger is as natural as feeling tired or hungry, and how blasting heavy metal might be a perfect way to manage it. 

A former modern dancer in New York City, Genny Kapuler grew up in a time before "spirituality" was a thing you talked about at brunch. She started studying yoga in 1976 and became a teacher in 1990. Twenty-five years later, she is one of New York's legendary Iyengar instructors, working out of her wonderfully oh-so-Bohemian loft on Wooster Street in Soho.  With a strong understanding of anatomy, Genny guides her students toward a deep understanding of their bodies and the way they move through the world. Funny, thought-provoking, and no-nonsense, hear what Genny means when she says "we're all in this together."   Read more on Genny's perception of time.

The Oxford English dictionary defines "urgency" as... wait. Forget it! We don't have time for elaborate definitions and meditations on how to proceed. Let's all take a quick look at what we're making excuses for in our lives and get down to business. In this episode, Jay (aka- "The King of Procrastination") challenges us all to stop wasting energy on why we can't do something and to focus on starting. Like, today.

Because Jay is inherently lazy, he's by far the best person to offer advice on how you can transform yourself in the new year. All it takes is one tiny tweak to your routine--like walking a block out of the way or saying hello to a stranger.    So put down that long list you're making, give this episode a listen, and keep it simple. 

Pete has stepped in with a highly no-nonsense and helpful guide to doing that thing we're always talking about on Meditate This! Yup, meditation.  Hear why Pete doesn't care if you like him (he so does) and why it's okay if your meditation makes your mind race even more (it's inevitable). Also, it's funny.  This is THE first installment of a soon-to-be wildly popular series titled "Not Extremely Deep Thoughts." Sit back, relax, and enjoy. And remember this moment when you're watching Pete & Jay accept the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2032.