Catching Z's: The Millennials Guide to Mindfulness

Thanks for everyone's patience while I was VERY delayed in uploading this episode.  There is no other guest I'd rather have on for my last episode then with the man that started it all with me, Zach Darmon.  The comradre picked up right where we left off and we reflected on what the podcast and what meditation has done for us in our lives, talking about some of our favorite guests and riffing on lifes biggest questions.   Thanks to everyone who tuned in over the 5 years of this podcast.  If you'd like to connect with me in the future for any reason you can reach me at nickzolfo@gmail.com.  Love you all! 

Shauna Shapiro, PhD, is a professor, author, and internationally recognized expert in mindfulness and compassion. Nearly one million people have watched her 2017 TEDx talk "The Power of Mindfulness," rated one of the top 10 talks on mindfulness. Dr. Shapiro has published over 150 journal articles and coauthored two critically acclaimed books translated into 14 languages: The Art and Science of Mindfulness, and Mindful Discipline. Her work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Mashable, Wired, USA Today, the Dr. Oz Show, HuffPost, Yoga Journal, and the American Psychologist. Dr. Shapiro has been an invited speaker for the King of Thailand, the Danish Government, Bhutan's Gross National Happiness Summit, and the World Council for Psychotherapy, as well as for Fortune 100 companies including Google, Cisco Systems, Procter & Gamble, and Genentech. Dr. Shapiro is a summa cum laude graduate of Duke University and a Fellow of the Mind and Life Institute, co-founded by the Dalai Lama. Shauna and I chat about:  How having spinal fusion surgery at age 17 got her into mindfulness "Hippie" Dad introducing her to the practices Mindfulness and pain management Happiness research Researching mindfulness in the 90s “What you practice grows stronger” Her latest book Good Morning I love you  The resistance of self-love Choosing self compassion over shame Much more! https://drshaunashapiro.com

Dr. Greyson's interest in near-death experiences began just a few months after graduating from medical school, when he treated an unconscious patient in the emergency room who stunned him the next morning with an account of leaving her body. That event challenged his beliefs about the mind and the brain, and ultimately led him on a journey to study near-death experiences scientifically, leading to more than a hundred publications in medical journals. He co-founded the International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS), an organization to support and promote research into these experiences, and for 27 years edited the Journal of Near-Death Studies, the only scholarly journal dedicated to near-death research. Through his research, he has discovered common and universal themes in near-death experiences that go beyond neurophysiological or cultural interpretations, as well as patterns of consistent aftereffects on individuals' attitudes, beliefs, values, and personalities. We chat about:  His interest in Near Death Experiences (NDEs) Common themes across NDEs Are psychedelic experiences similar to NDEs?  The brain during a NDE What happens after a person has an NDE?  Lesson to be learned from NDEs What is Consciousness and where does it arise from?  His book After Much more! https://www.brucegreyson.com/  

I had to get JP back on the show for my 100th Episode.  At 96 years young, he emanates wisdom with every word.  I let him guide the conversation and he wanted to share a couple of mantras and then we have a chat in between each of the chants.  It was a true delight and we really get in the weeds on this one.  Mantras chanted:  Shanti Mantra Gayatri mantra Adi shankaracharya morning mantra Self-written song - Pilgrims of light A Jainism mantra  Heart Sutra Topics we weave in: Attachment Accepting death and what continues on Embodying religion or spiritual practices Eternal Love What is the soul? Check out the first interviews with JP here: Part 1 Part 2 JP's website    

As a sought-after speaker, event facilitator and executive coach, Finnian has been dubbed “the Business Mystic” because of his unique ability to put consciousness into business and inspire leaders to find new levels of meaning and purpose through their creative endeavours.  This approach flowed through his term as President of the Colorado Chapter of Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) - the largest and most influential community of entrepreneurs in the world.  Finnian helps people ‘love their path' so they can feel content with a life lived in the now. As an entrepreneur, Finnian built and exited two multi-million dollar companies in the financial industry.  He's the Creator and Chief Visionary Officer of Intentionality.com. Through the four paths of the Intentionality framework, Finnian guides people to be purposeful and aligned in their belief, thoughts and behaviors so they can feel more love in their life.  We talked about:  Getting into meditation after a divorce  How can you give yourself grace in tough times Pattern interrupting  Viewing his divorce as a wonderful thing How we can let go of our past traumas  The process of emotional clearing Equipping us with the tools to look inward at an early age Being intentional as a core value Harnessing the ego   https://www.finniankelly.com/

Alex was at a point in his life where he was throwing up his breakfast because he was so stressed and burnt out from his job.   He ventured off to Australia to get away from this and find himself.  His father passed away and this caused him to re-evaluate his life, turning to meditation.  He went and got certified to teach meditation and has been doing it ever since.  More recently, he dove into cryptocurrency and feels that it complements his spiritual practice and can provide financial freedom to those it was previously unavailable to. Alex and I chat about:  Traveling to Australia to escape burnout from work The impact his father passing away had on him Getting certified to teach Meditation Mystical experience that connected him deeper   His experience with going on 2 ayahuasca retreats Getting into crypto How he views spirituality and crypto complement each other Our roles as individuals in the crypto movement Enlighten with Alex  February 22nd Crypto Webinar Enlighten with Alex website Alex's Crypto community PROMO CODES: 33% off promotion. Use code EC22 for monthly payment of £22 per month (usual price £33) or EC222 for annual payment of £222 (usual price £333) at the checkout   Aura Health 30 day free pass Alex on Insight Timer

Hey everybody, this is my annual year in review where I reflect on the  year that was.  This was a year of a lot of growth mixed with a lot of pain.  Such is life!  I hope you enjoy my ramblings about my experiences and that they prove to be supportive to you in some way.  I talk about:  Being more consistent with posting episodes and where I want the podcast to go My 5th year of doing this podcast!  How difficult parenting is Punching a wall and how that was a catalyst for a lot of growth Starting therapy and leaning into who I am Accepting and allowing Self righteouness Doing less

When Cesare was recommended to me by Ringu Tulku Rinpoche's team,  I immediately knew it was going to be a special time with him.  The depth by which he can articulate the many nuances of life was fascinating.   We talked about:  How he got into contemplative practice through Christian Mysticism  Finding a new way to look at life Getting introduced to Buddhism Influence after reading the Tibetan Book of Living and Dying Finding out more about what already existed within you Following the Spiritual path How he relates to death   Cesare's website Run Zen Bodicharya Kent

Amanda Gilbert is a meditation teacher, lecturer of mindfulness at the University of Southern California, speaker, and author. She leads meditation for top companies like NBC, Paramount Pictures, W Hotels, Merrill Lynch, Macy's, and YouTube. Before dedicating herself to teaching full-time, Amanda was the center director for the Aging, Metabolism, and Emotions Center at the University of California, San Francisco, a world-renowned health psychology laboratory conducting scientific research and publishing investigations on the biological and psychological effects of mindfulness, meditation, and stress resilience. Her formal meditation training has been with UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center, Deepak Chopra, and in the Insight Meditation tradition. She lives in Los Angeles, CA. Amanda's new book, "Kindness Now" introduces her 28-day guided meditation program aimed at helping you become a kinder, more compassionate, and radically loving person. With each daily practice, you will learn how to be more resilient in the face of common stressors, including anxiety, feelings of depression, "imposter" syndrome, and social media comparison effects, and ultimately make meditation an essential part of your life and self-care practice. I talked with Amanda about:  Getting into meditation in high school Feeling at home during meditation How she describes "the mind" Being more heart centered The power of Love Honoring your identity Using your practice for the benefit of all beings How she chose Kindness for the topic of her book, "Kindness Now" The power of the heart practices or brahma viharas Living our truths What if we don't like the word Kindness? https://www.amandagilbertmeditation.com/

Linda Leaming first traveled to Bhutan in 1994, and moved there three years later. This tiny Buddhist country hidden away in the Himalayas is a very happy place for many. Its king believes in Gross National Happiness instead of Gross National Product. Leaming has written two books about her life in Bhutan and how she learned to live more simply, how she laughs at herself instead of getting mad at others, and how she slows down to look for magic-- because it's everywhere. In Bhutan, she's known for using a salad spinner instead of a washing machine, and her village man makeovers.  I had a great time talking with Linda as we explored:  Being introduced to mindfulness through Bhutanese culture Going to Bhutan originally 4 pillars of gross national happiness in Bhutan Thinking about death 5 times a day Why thinking about death is constructive Being happy where you are Much more! https://www.lindaleaming.com/ 4 Pillars of Gross National Happiness Maker Mind Newsletter where I discovered Linda  

Ven. Thukten was born in a small village in Bhutan called Gelephu. She is 32 years old and 15 out of those she dedicated to the monastic life. Currently, she resides at Jangchub Choeling Nunnery in Southern India. Thukten is studying at Emory University as a Tenzin Gyatso Science Scholar. She thoroughly enjoys observing nature. Thukten was AMAZING to talk to.  She walks us through so many topics:    How her past lives influenced her becoming a nun What is karma?  Mind training and why it's necessary What is consciousness composed of?  How she views reaching enlightenment The 12 links of dependent origination   Explanation of Twelve links of dependent origination

Ora Nadrich is founder and president of the Institute for Transformational Thinking and author of Live True: A Mindfulness Guide to Authenticity. A certified life coach and mindfulness teacher, she specializes in transformational thinking, self-discovery, and mentoring new coaches as they develop their careers.    I had a great time speaking to Ora about what true transformation looks like and how to achieve it yourself.  We also talked about:  Starting off her meditation journey with TM and switching to mindfulness Authenticity  How to define your authentic self The journey to authenticity What it means to go through a transformation Defining how you would like to change How to raise your consciousness Much more! Ora's website

Lödrö Gyendon  is a Buddhist monk living in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Raised in South Florida, Gyendon first encountered Buddhism in college when he was studying sculpture.  He moved to Sravasti Abbey to deepen his study in 2011 and trained under the guidance of Bhikkshuni Thubten Chodron, before moving to Gampo Abbey in 2014 where he has lived and trained under the guidance of Pema Chödrön.  We chat with Gyendon about: How he was interested at looking for alternative lifestyles and ways of living and led him to being a monk Difference in monastery, abbey, nunnery Wanted to explore buddhism and the monastic life but needed refuge before he could be considered Importance of lineage Examining “Trust born from understanding, understanding born from trust” His understanding with impermanence through his fathers experience of dying Exploring the phrase from Thich Naht Hahn: “Would you freeze the whole ocean for the sake of one wave?” Exploring the nature of mind Transmitting vs. translating the dharma Being American and taking on Buddhist vows Disease of disembodiment and the utility of our bodies Trisha hershe Nap ministry Striving and how it can cloud our dharma practice. Recognizing how painful attachment is Much more!  

Alan Stein, Jr. teaches proven strategies to improve organizational performance, create effective leadership, increase team cohesion and collaboration, and develop winning mindsets, rituals, and routines. A successful business owner and veteran basketball performance coach, he spent 15 years working with the highest-performing athletes on the planet (including NBA superstars Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and Kobe Bryant).  In addition, he's been a huge advocate for meditation for as long as he's been practicing.  Alan is the real deal and I loved chatting with him for his combination of motivation and practical advice for life.  Great perspective from Alan as we talk about:  Finally getting into meditation after avoiding it for so long Why we should be open to trying new things for our wellness How important routine and preparation is Benefits that he’s seen through his meditation practice Importance of consistency and discipline His love for basketball and how that started Importance of mindset What his morning routine consists of  Stories about his time with Kobe and why you should never get bored with the basics

This was another EPIC conversation, this time with Nun Tenzin Choyang.  Choyang was born in Tibet and came to India to study Buddhist philosophy. She has been studying Buddhist philosophy at a nunnery for over 17 years.  In between that time, she went to Emory University in the United State to learn science and scientific techniques.  Currently she is continuing her Buddhist study in Mundgod near Drepung Loselling Monastery in India. We talked with her about SO MUCH! Including:  Feminism in Tibetan Buddhism Running away from tibet on a month long journey to India to become a nun The importance of studying logic How to introduce logic and investigation techniques to children What she thought the monastery was going to be and what it actually was The concepts of Emptiness and Compassion How to come to experiential knowledge Studying science at Emory and bringing that back to her nunnery to teach The value of hope How we can decipher our emotions correctly How we can lessen the power of the ego Using lovingkindness to show up authentically for others Reincarnation and Karma Social emotional ethics

Carley Hauck is a learning architect, leadership development consultant, author,  speaker, and serves as adjunct faculty at Stanford University and UC Berkeley Haas  School of Business. For the last decade, she has served hundreds of leaders and  companies in Fortune 100 companies and high growth start-ups such as: LinkedIn,  Genentech, Pixar, Clif Bar, Intuit, and Bank of the West.  She helps them cultivate their recipes for resilience and create thriving workplaces and mission driven businesses. In her upcoming book, Shine- Ignite your inner game to lead consciously at work and the world, Carley guides readers on a transformational inner to  outer journey to inspire a new workplace and world that works for everyone and  prioritizes people and planet first. Carley’s writing and work has been featured in Mindful  Magazine, Conscious Company Media, 15 Five, and Emerging Women. Additionally,  Carley is the host of the inspiring Shine podcast.  Carley and I had a wonderful inspiring chat as we talked about:   How her Yoga practice got her into meditation  Why she’s drawn to wisdom and how she defines it What nature can teach us about our internal environment Layers of a spiritual journey and where she is at currently Moving from your Head to your heart Tapping into the resilience that is already within you and a resilience exercise Her organization Leading from Wholeness Her book “Shine: Ignite your inner game to lead consciously at work and in the world” Using emotional intelligence with conscious leadership How our perspective on others exposes your inner world Leaning into discomfort for healing Shine Book Carley's newsletter and podcast  

Ven. Geshe Tenzin Damchoe was born in Dharamsala India and attended Tibetan Childrens Village (TCV) school until the 10th grade.  After that he attended TCV Bylakuppe where he received a Bachelors of Commerce from St. Philomena’s college of Mysore University. After graduating with his commerce degree, Geshe-la joined the Institute of Buddhist Dialectic school, where he spent over a decade studying Buddhist philosophy and earning the prestigious Geshe degree (which is equivalent to a PhD) from Drepung Loseling Monastery in south India. He later became a professor: teaching Buddhist Philosophy and Practices at Earlham College and then at Oxford University in England as a visiting scholar. Geshe-la now works at Sarah College for higher Tibetan studies as a program coordinator and renowned lecturer for Buddhist Philosophy studies.    Given his expertise, Marshall and I discussed with Ven Geshe-la: How he became a monk Prevalence of monks in tibet What does being a geshe mean How to keep your cup of knowledge from getting full Respecting others by thinking about their good qualities Self centered attitude vs. self-cherising Unconditional vs. Conditional love  Interdependence of everything Two different types of meditation: Analytical and one pointed meditation Two different types of compassion: Emotional and Wisdom Positive influence western traditions have had on him How karma and murphy’s law share similarities 4 Noble Truths Contextualizing the four noble truths and 8-fold path as they pertain to coping and surviving the COVID-19 crisis.   The utility of the identities we hold How Finding nemo shows us a great example of the 4 noble truths

Thomas J. Bushlack (Ph.D., University of Notre Dame) is currently the Regional Director of Mission Integration with SSM Health in St. Louis, MO. He brings over 20 years of experience in higher education, public speaking, leading retreats, leadership coaching, and consulting in organizational development in mission integration. Tom’s expertise is in integrating Contemplative Practices with Ethics & Wise Decision-Making. He enjoys helping leaders to harness their innate capacity for wisdom for success in professional and personal life. As the creator of the Centering for Wisdom™ Assessment tool, and the founder of Kalon Enterprises, LLC, Tom knows the struggles of being a good leader and growing a successful business aligned with personal and corporate values – all in service to the common good. Based in Metro St. Louis, Tom lives with his wife, Anna, and their three young children.   https://thomasjbushlack.com/ https://centeringforwisdom.com/ Thomas' YouTube Channel

I reflect on the year that was 2020.  The highs and lows and all the wonderful lessons that I learned because of having to go through it all.  I talk about:  Where the podcast is headed in 2021 Life lessons from growing marijuana Experiences and thoughts on death Ram Dass' massive influence on me Love and Fear Reach out at revibemindfulness@gmail.com ! Alex Stokes blog: How to Relax Be Here Now Becoming Nobody    

Marshall and I met earlier this year and formed a very close bond immediately through being facilitators of the satsang we created, Unity Community.  His depth of experiential knowledge and wisdom from all of the text he's read always make for a fascinating conversation.  He talks about deep stuff while also making it digestible to any audience.  There's something for everyone in this episode!  We chat about:  Starting Meditation in College His trips to India with the Emory Tibetan Science Center initiative Being an Interdisciplinary studies major and studying compassion Cultivating compassion  Where his thirst for knowledge comes from Using suffering to create meaning Compassion and Emptiness His Spiritual milestones What is the self?  Couple of riffs on death Co-founding Source Wellness Much more!   Source Wellness Marshall's LinkedIn  

In a time where there is so much uncertainty and many reasons to be pessimistic about the future, Asha brings us a breath of fresh air and provides us insight that brings hope.  As a Black Woman, those things don't come easy but Asha puts in the internal work to be able to show up in a meaningful way for herself and for those around her.  Asha Tarry is an author, an award-winning community mental health advocate, psychotherapist, and certified life coach. As a treating provider, Asha has 20 years of experience providing evaluations, diagnoses, treatment, and life-enhancing skills to children, adults, families, and couples. We talk about:  A book by Arrianna huffington that got her into meditation How to know what to say no to How mindfulness can help with trauma Allowing awareness to be held in a safe place internally Asha’s experience of the current racial climate Power of doing the work yourself first How she has a positive outlook on life during COVID and the social injustice Why cynicism doesnt serve her Her book: Adulting as a Millennial and the guidance it provides What goes into the difficulties of millennials coming into adulthood Finding your purpose innately   Asha's website

Ada Velonis is the Founder of Marmalade + Kindness. Born and raised in Melbourne, she has always had a passion for baking and cooking. Being of Greek descent, food has always played a prominent role in practicing her culture and shaping her identity. Her fondest food memories are those she spent learning traditional holiday recipes under the wing of her beloved grandmother. Inspired by her own experience, she decided to create Marmalade + Kindness as a way to share her food journey with loved ones in Australia, and to encourage others worldwide to practice ‘mindful cooking’.  We talk about: How her love of cooking came about What mindful cooking is all about and why everyone can do it Why cooking is therapeutic for her and can be for others How Marmalade + Kindness came to be Her mantra of "practice makes progress" Her mother allowing Ada to be herself which has helped her in adulthood The inward and outward experience of cooking Why cooking in the kitchen doesn't always have to be Zen! Her favorite meal  A wonderful guided meditation at the end with a beautiful poem Marmalade and Kindness "Thursday" poem

Andre is in tune with life in a very fascinating way.  He reached the milestone of 24,000 minutes meditated so I had to have him on the show to talk about his journey.  We chat about: Imitating Pop cultures version of meditation when he started How meditation has had a domino effect on his life "Metacognition of your own life's soundtrack" Recognizing the Unity of Humanity “Would a meditator do this?” How meditation influenced his decision making skills Meditation and it's utility during COVID-19 and the racial climate Much more!     Andre's Youtube channel Twitter Instagram

Janelle Christa is a Hollywood coach, actress, producer, and screenwriter, and creator of “conscious entertainment”. Having come from a history of affairs, divorce, and family dysfunction as well as a bi-polar diagnosis, she strongly believes that happiness is a choice. Janelle’s level of expertise sees her coaching celebrity clients and people from all walks of life seeking to bring fulfillment into their lives. Janelle is also a founder of conscious production company Le Murian Dreams. Her and I talked about:  The power of visualizations that got her into meditation How her adverse experiences caused her to dig deep into herself and turn her life around The power of tapping into your state of being How influential hope was in helping her turn her life around Why we should share our vulnerabilities Creating Conscious Media and movies  What being a member of the #zerofucksclub means to her Much more!   https://www.janellechrista.com/

Alex and I met through a couple of friends just over 2 months ago now.  I immediately felt his understanding of the world and the way that he articulated it was something special, so I had to have him on the podcast.  I know that you'll feel the same way after listening to our conversation.   We talk about:  His introduction to meditation How he got into Tai Chi How Tai Chi enhanced his meditation practice The power of letting go  An explanation of Tai Chi and the Water method Experiencing our physical body An elegant explanation of our existence on this planet How Tai Chi has helped him during Covid and the climate of racial injustice.  Much more!

Devon and Craig Hase are such genuine people and speak about the deep topics of Buddhist Dharma in a very accessible way.  They spread joy through their words and lighthearted nature and have recently published a book, "How Not To Be a Hot Mess" that captures so much of what makes them great to talk to, and offers a practical guide to living in today's world.   Devon's experience of unhappiness in college along with a Pema Chodron book that led her to meditation Craig's chaotic teen years that led him to meditation The difficulty of beginning a meditation practice for Craig Devon going to Spirit Rock in college and having a powerful experience there that made her want to continue diving in How Devon + Craig met  Being married to someone who also practices meditation Their current experience with an "urban" retreat How being on a retreat during the global pandemic is What they love about Dharma practice How their book "How Not To Be a Hot Mess" came to be How the chapters of their books are based on the Buddhist precepts but with a more modern approach Why some people (myself as an example) turn to drugs and alcohol in our teen and early 20's Finding clarity in your life How they find the lighthearted moments of life Tips on applying How Not To Be a Hot Mess to the current global pandemic http://devonandcraighase.com/

Stefanie was a joy to talk to.  She started meditating about 5 years ago and didn't maintain that consistently.  Recent events within her life have caused her to reconnect with her meditation practice and that just so happened to be in the middle of the current global pandemic.  We talked about:  Burnout in her first job caused her to turn to Meditation 5 years ago What drew her to meditation during times of personal hardship How being the child of an immigrant helped with her resilience Getting back into meditation 3 months ago Her self awareness and how she’s cultivated this How meditation has helped take ownership of her mind Meditation during the current pandemic Tips for beginning your meditation practice Creating a community around MYND Why it’s so important to have mental health resources accessible Stefanie's Twitter Mynd website Email Stefanie!

Miles has been on a couple of year long retreats and has found each of his experiences only further fuels his curiosity and wonder about his mind and the minds of others.  He speaks very deeply about the precious inner workings of life backed by close to 10 years of devotion to these practices.  We talk about:  Doing a 10 day vipassana reatreat prior to college Traveling to thailand to be ordained as a monk and how this was a profound milestone in his life Diving into a 2 month retreat with Alan Wallace after coming back from Thailand with the desire to keep his practice going What is Goenka?  How his practice continues to develop How true curiosity has helped his practice Ajahn Sucitto and how he taught Miles to pay attention to his intentions during meditation The feeling of just scratching the surface that continues each day Understanding everyone as individuals Monasteries of the future and how those will look Co-founding Dharma Gates  Feelings about the current global pandemic https://www.milesbukiet.com/ https://dharma-gates.org/ Miles' Masters Capstone project  

Sierre is a very interesting person to chat with.  She combines a depth of knowledge with a thoughtful approach to looking at life.  She's only been meditating for a little over a year and already speaks about life in delicate and amazing ways! We chatted about:  How reading Andy Puddicombe’s book got her into meditation Mom’s present of Transcendental Meditation  How she relates to her mind  Experiencing silence of her mind  How meditation influences her physically Presence and Decision Making  Meditation and Appreciating K-Pop with her sister Timing around adopting a meditation practice  How Design and meditation align  Creating novel ideas through Meditation Liberating structures of design thinking and meditation What she’s excited about with her practice The hardship that comes with life  

I left this interview feeling more connected to the world and felt like I had traveled around the world as well.  Mag is a magnificent storyteller and has made traveling a center piece to her life and marrying those two things is wonderful to experience.  We chat about:  How she got the travel bug at 11 years old when she lived in Italy for 3 years  Why she started journaling as an outlet from her difficult upbringing Feeling at home in many places abroad What travel allowed her to find out about herself  How connection is important for what she feels makes a place feel like home Innate traits that we all possess as humans that she discovered in travel  The importance of journaling in her adventures  Common themes that arose in her journaling showing what she values in experiences The impact that her grandmother had on her instilling compassion in her Translating her journals to the book that she wrote, “Bowing to Elephants”  How a moving experience with Elephants led to the title of her book  Getting into meditation later in life after a masseuse advised her to  How to forgive deeply and how she forgave her mother Her favorite food and country around the world Loving Kindness meditation to conclude!    magdimond.com

Aaron is so in tune with the tiny details of life and how they play out in our realities. He was so fascinating to chat with that I threw out just some random questions I'd been pondering in my head and he answered them with poise and an amazing amount of thoughtfulness with each word.  He is dedicating the foreseeable future to the monastic life and I'm excited to see the great things he will do there and with everything he dedicates his energy to like the organization he's starting to get college graduates exposed to the benefits of monastic life!  Truly an amazing conversation every second we shared together.  Listen to us talk about:  Practicing TM in Asia at 20 years old Rowing and how it showed him a different experience of his mind + body How Ashtanga got him more into a sitting practice  Influential teachers in his life How he chose to begin living the monastic life  The benefits he’s received in the monasteries he’s lived in How he views suffering and deals with it Inspiration for Dharma Gates and how it was inspired from his own experience after college How Meditation can give you the power of discernment   https://dharma-gates.org/

Cheryl has a contagious energy and speaks from her heart while she talks intensely about her struggles with anxiety.  She's had a long career as a musician and she has a competitive drive that helped when she added meditation to her self-care routine.  She's now over 600 days in to her practice and isn't looking back.  We covered a lot of topics including: 10 years of anxiety attacks that led to her looking into meditation Her feelings against meditation originally Tracking her happiness and life factors for a year  How she experiences panic attacks now being over 600 days into her meditation How she discovered her effective self care practices Writing sad music as a child and how she believes it helped her be a happy person Keys to expressing your true self What her meditation practice looks like  Discoveries she’s had about herself through meditation Why meditation is so important to her Where her practice shows up the most in her life How music has influenced her practice and vice versa Creating her recent Luminary album in a desolate town in Greece What she values in the production of her music She shares with us one of the tracks from her new album that she added positive affirmations to!  New Album "Luminary" Cheryls Website

Alex achieved a good amount of success in high school in both sports and academics.  Little did he know the real world would give him a rude awakening that would eventually manifest in a panic attack.  He turned to meditation after sifting through many self help guides and has seen great benefits since then.  We talk about:  Achieving a lot at an early age setting the stage for future stress How having a panic attack made him look at his life deeper  How he seeks out self help info to gain an advantage and how this led him to meditation His recognition of his place on earth to get him through tough times The benefits that he received from meditation early on How to turn awareness into action How his competitive nature crept into his meditation practice and caused him to step away for a litle bit Where meditation shows up in his life How just breathing can be a game changer How meditation has benefitted him in Sales What his new years resolution was

Jeff has a breadth of knowledge that makes chatting with him a marvel. He has degrees in neuroscience and behavioral psychology as well as a masters of Buddhist studies from Hong Kong University.  I was so eager to chat with him and get his thoughts that I threw a bunch of different topics at him and he did not disappoint with any of his answers.  We talked about:  How he found there was a push and a pull to get him into meditation in the first place How studies in neuroscience and behavioral psychology influenced the want to go deeper into meditation How clinging to labels can be detrimental Suffering from an eating disorder and needing to relearn how to be in his body with love An impromptu guided meditation on loving the body that you’re in How our minds influence our body and how to bring a better balance to this How mindfulness gives us a conscious choice in life Why it’s important to establish boundaries around appropriate use of technology The power of training your attention How what you’re feeding your body feeds your mind Using your pain to teach you about how to heal Making me rethink how I define meditation and how narrow minded it was! https://jeffsiegelwellness.com/

Beauty is not only her name but also classifies the  amazing energy she radiates when I talked to her.  She has gone through some pretty traumatic experiences in her life and has chosen a path of healing rather than a path of self destruction.  The strength and confidence by which she talks about each subject we cover is outstanding and you can feel how genuine she is living through her words (and so damn well spoken through her EP)  We talked about:  Her introduction to meditation through Yoga Getting certified as a yoga teacher through the Africa Yoga Project The experience of teaching yoga in a low-income area and why she did this in part to change the image of what a person doing Yoga looks like Her memories teaching kids meditation and yoga The rise of yoga in Namibia and what has contributed to it How she defines her healing and how it helps her get through her trauma Pushing through the “grunge work” of meditation and yoga The release of her new EP and how it was a great form of expression for her What’s next for her on her healing journey How staying in tune with her ancestors has helped her to make decisions that align with her inner self   Beauty's twitter Heal EP

Tasshin is currently the Assistant Director at the Monastic Academy.  Saying those words to 23 year old Tasshin would have made him laugh and he would have wrote them off.  His journey and his transformation is truly fascinating.  He talks from a place of experience about the foundational elements of what it means to be a human and speaks about them from a place of wisdom.  He admits that by no means is he a perfect person and that he still has a lot to learn but I was blown away by the depth by which he understands life after only being at the Monastic Academy for 4 years. We chat about:  How he was introduced to meditation growing up as a unitarian universalist How going on a week long retreat made him decide to dedicate his life to these practices How he decided to dedicate his life to a meditation practice  Finding that Thai Buddhism wasn’t for him and how this led to the decision to join the Monastic Academy Difference in the Monastic Academy and a traditional monastery Tasshin’s desire to have more people learn from monastic teachings What Shinzen Young’s Unified Mindfulness is Peace Pilgrim and the 13 different characteristics cultivated through spiritual practice His experience with taking the bodhisattva vows How lessons are learned What a day in the life looks like at the Monastic Academy The idea of perception and behavior and how meditation helps with these areas Much more! Tasshin's website Tasshin's Twitter Monastic Academy Website https://www.peacepilgrim.org/  

Dr Danny Penman is a  meditation teacher and award-winning writer and journalist. He currently writes features for the UK Daily Mail, having previously worked for the BBC, New Scientist and the Independent newspaper. He is co-author of the international bestseller Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World.  I talk to Danny about  The paragliding accident that caused him to turn to meditation Why people come to mindfulness from a place of desperation Can meditation be abused for competitive advantage? Is McMindfulness harmful to mindfulness?  How meditation has been around for thousands of years in different cultures If there are any other ways to receive the benefits of meditation How meditation gives us a “direct route” to our inner selves The way that he defines the difference in meditation and mindfulness How his latest book, The Art of Breathing, came from his own frustration about global adoption of mindfulness and how he made the book digestible for anyone who wants a thorough, quick introduction to mindfulness How he uses his PhD in Biochemistry to approach mindfulness 3 things you can do to change your life How seemingly random things in our lives are actually meaningful http://franticworld.com/ Danny's Twitter

Heidi has been around the wholistic wellness world for a while, she holds a Doctorate in Psychology, is a Yoga Teacher, and teaches mindfulness based therapy to create a practice that looks at the whole person instead of just a couple of pieces. She has a ton of knowledge about what it takes to be a full human and she was a joy to chat with. We talk about: Her experience of meditation through getting into Yoga to lose weight Defining the spirit and why we don’t usually tend to our spirit  What companies are doing for millennials to help feed their spirit What we can learn from the Baby Boomer generation Why studying psychology left her wanting to know more about Anxiety + Depression Why she feels we shouldn't talk about anxiety and depression as illnesses Her new book:  Soothe: Your Mind-Body-Spirit Guide for Dealing with Crappy Emotions Difference in Resilience + Strength and when to use each How to use the phrase: Strong Like Oak, or Bend Like Grass Guided Meditation: Breathe the way you want to feel   

Xenia was experiencing bouts of depression and even suicidal thoughts and she knew that she either had to make a change or that the path she was on wouldn't end well. She decided that she needed to leave her unfulfilling job and leave her home country of Germany.  She decided to make a significant change by moving to Canada as well as taking up a serious self care routine that included meditation.  She has since been living life more intentionally and even opened up her own business being a Millennial Coach giving advice to her fellow millennials on how to live a life of more intention.  We chat about:  What went into her decision to leave Germany and live in Canada How to get outside your comfort zone How diversity is so important for one's life Living a life of more intention Why Millennials are going through quarter life crises and what we can do to mitigate that How she was able to discover her authentic self and how you can too What little things we can do to bring kindness to others Free Enough Coaching Xenia's instagram Xenia's Facebook  

Toby Sola dove into meditation in his teens when he was introduced to some contemplative practices through a neighbor who was willing to share them with him.  Lyme Disease then caused him to dive even deeper into a meditation practice in a time in need.  I loved this conversation because you can tell how long he's been practicing and how deeply he's experienced the benefits of meditation.  We chat about:  His first introduction to meditation through a neighbor that was into shamanistic practices How Lyme Disease caused him to dive deeper into meditation How having Lyme Disease caused him to understand how to separate your thoughts from your physical experience What sweat lodges are Shinzen Young’s philosophy How Shinzen Young influenced him early on and how that lead to him working with him on BrightMind How Brightmind designed their app to be comprehensive but not complicated How as a tech company focused on mindfulness he looks at the iterative process Toby’s research on effective pedagogies of meditation and the results from that His guided meditation of focusing on sounds    Toby's Twitter BringMind Website: Use code CATCHZ for 50% off your subscription!

Jakob Brewer has an amazing awareness about himself.  He just recently started getting serious about meditation and achieved a milestone of 1,000 minutes of meditation time and I had to have him on to talk about his experience.  We chat about:  How a wild epiphany during meditation caused him to want to dive deeper Getting to 1,000 minutes of meditation Previous self care regiments prior to diving deep into meditation How Meditation has caused allowed him to not resent his thoughts How meditation has influenced his spirituality What he was most surprised about himself that he learned through meditation We tackle SIYLI’s July Dyad! Jakob's Twitter July Dyad

Jay has a lot of experience in the design field and you can feel the mindfulness influence that he brings to his work.  The way that he approaches thinking about design concepts is refreshing and forward thinking.  We chat about:  Getting exposed to meditation growing up in India and being taught the gayatri mantra  How a jam session turned into getting deeper into meditation The ups and downs of sitting on a 10 day retreat Tips of how to keep going when starting out in meditation Getting into human computer interaction design Taking feedback on his early design concepts in graduate school Why Technologists should take a hippocratic oath towards product design What good technology design looks like Being an Attention activist Why he’s hopeful for the future of mindfulness and technology   attentionactivist.com jayvidyarthi.com

On this month's Catching up with Catching Z's, I talk about some recent conversations that I've been having with individuals about starting a meditation practice and the benefits it can have on your life.  It's important to keep in mind why this practice is worth putting forth the effort and I dive into that on this episode!    

Karen Salmansohn is hilarious and is wonderful to talk to.  She embraces her journey in life and talks about concepts in very digestible ways.  She talks about how she has applied this to her most recent book, Instant Calm, which has 2 minute sensory meditations in it and is available everywhere August 27th.  Pre-order it at the link below! We also talk about:  How she got into meditation Her new book Instant Calm and the power of sensory meditations (including chocolate meditations) Why sensory meditations are helpful beginning steps to a meditation practice Why she describes her books genre as "Self help for people who wouldn’t be caught dead doing self help" How meditation can be a selfie for your soul How meditation and other factors gave her wild success How she uses humor to “jiggle free your ego” In what circumstances humor can backfire If having celebrities endorse you comes with added pressure Pre-order Instant Calm here! https://www.notsalmon.com/

Brian Aikens is doing amazing work in Pennsylvania teaching kids SEL and changing their lives from the inside out.  He has an amazing dedication to his craft and has a true passion for helping kids.  We talk about:  How stressing out in graduate school got him introduced to meditation What effects he feels today from meditation Bringin SEL techniques into schools Changes that the kids go through that he sees through SEL How SEL helps kids get a solid foundation for life Insight Minds  Little techniques to bring SEL into the classroom How to get kids the confidence to succeed http://insightminds.com/ Insight Minds Twitter  

Stephan is a licensed psychotherapist as well as a spiritual teacher, and he has been a pioneer in the integration of Eastern wisdom and Western psychology and in the embodiment of awakened awareness in everyday life.  We had a wonderful, life-changing chat about many things but the direct approach to mindfulness he teaches is truly a life-changing practice, at least it was for me! We also talk about:  Finding Zen as his first meditative practice The idea of coming home and what it means to Stephan What he felt he wasn’t getting from his zen practice and why this led him to get his masters in psychotherapy Prescription use for mental health Blending Mindfulness and Psychotherapy  His new book "Beyond Mindfulness: The Direct Approach to Lasting Peace, Happiness, and Love" Using the Direct Approach to Mindfulness Defining awakening The Myth of Striving   https://www.stephanbodian.org

Donald Altman was a fascinating person to chat with.  His background is in psychotherapy, he's a former Buddhist monk, and grounded in a lot of research and science that comes through on almost every topic that we discuss together.  We talked about: Being a buddhist monk at the age of 40 and how this formalized his meditation practice How a Cadbury chocolate egg at the monastery taught him a lot about understanding himself What studies show about our mind wandering and our happiness His latest book, Reflect,  and how it can be used as it's own meditation practice Reflection vs. rumination The underlying reasons for mindless eating Uncovering the true essence of ourselves How to navigate the seemingly daunting task of facing our past trauma How research has shown the power that gratitude can have in our lives Get Donald's new book, Reflect, by entering promo code DONALD10 when you checkout! Get it here: https://www.pesi.com/ Donald's website Reflect Community Upcoming E-course from Donald https://www.trackyourhappiness.org/  

Lyonzo Vargas is a special soul and you get that vibe the minute you hear him talk.  I had a great time talking to him about how he got to where he is and how visualization meditations have helped influenced that path.  We chat about:  How anxiety as an artist got him to find meditation The pressures that he had as an artist Using visualization meditation to manifest things in his life Mario Kart reference to life and it’s various checkpoints How his meditation practice has influenced his vision How he views manifesting things in life How GLBLVLLG got started and how they diversify wellness How the GLBVLLG experience allows people to be their most authentic selves Why we lack the ability to be our most authentic selves in today’s world  We tackle SIYLI's May Dyad   https://www.glblvllg.com/ Lyonzo's twitter  

This was a very special conversation for me to have with my role model, my inspiration, my father, Mike Zolfo. It gives you some good insight into why I am the way that I am.  We talk about the ups and downs of being a father, how he has viewed being a father, what being a father means to him and the joy that this has brought him in his life.  He gives some advice to present and future dads and talks about how he and my mom instilled resilience in us.  We share an emotional moment at the end where it all comes to a head and I realize the impact that my dad has had on me and on the journey of where I am today and how I am now passing this down to my son, Wylie. Love you, Dad!    Previous episode with my dad

Loch Kelly plain and simple changed the way that I look at mindfulness.  He shares many wonderful tips about the technique that he has adopted he refers to as "effortless mindfulness".  We tackle many other topics along the way.  How a broadcaster talking about a quarterback with eyes in the back of his head got him into trying to do an early form of meditation Deliberate mindfulness vs. effortless mindfulness Traveling to Asia landed him in Nepal studying effortless mindfulness Why some of these ancient practices were kept secret Research backing this practice His “new normal” after practicing effortless mindfulness What his definition of awakening is How to practice effortless mindfulness His new book (in bookstores June 5, The Way of Effortless Mindfulness  https://lochkelly.org/

Sounds like a crazy headline but truly the only thing that I can use to describe my recent experience.  Hard to interpret right now, and even saying that sounds crazy but know that y'all will be along for my exploration into this new found way of meditating!    Richard Miller Episode Loch Kelly's website Stephan Bodian's website