The Examined Life with Bram Levinson

I am in Greece taking time and space for myself, and as I had hoped would happen (but could not have planned for), I woke up this morning with somewhat of an epiphany I felt compelled to share. Enjoy!

It's been nine months since the last episode, and I am back, this time recording live from Paros. Some thoughts, musings, epiphanies and observations I felt compelled to share, so enjoy! 

I have been talking to students this week about channeling the energy of calm and well-being that they find in their personal meditation or yoga practice out into the world for this Holiday season. Then, tonight, I came across a social media post my younger brother posted that introduced me to an initiative that does just that. Check out The Kindness Calendar and please make it your mindfulness practice for this month. Special thanks to www.action for happiness.org for putting this out into the world!

Pandemica. Terror attacks. Election Day in the US. The fight for freedom and equality. We are living in a concentrated moment of life happening, and the tendency is to anesthetize from the discomfort it elicits in us. Don't. Here's why.

Happiness seems to be in short supply these days. All the more reason to talk about it, give some insight into it and dip into The Ashtavakra Gita to get some wisdom that will only steer us in the right direction, closer to happiness and closer to enjoying the ride. So enjoy the ride :)

I stepped out today into the greenery of Mont-Royal with musician Mike Daigle for some quality conversation about meditation, music, the artistic process and even tiny bit about anti-maskers. Enjoy!

I woke up this morning exhausted from my digestive system trying to deal with the massive Indian dinner I ate last night. That somehow inspired me to produce this latest episode :)))) Enjoy!

Many of my coaching clients over the past few months have been working to balance out all the doing with some down time, and it has not been easy. Every single one of us needs to give ourselves an opportunity to rest, to properly allow the nervous system to come closer to its default settings. So here's a relatively short offering that should be of help to many of you. Jump to 4m30s to dive into the meditation, or enjoy the short talk before. 

We all have work to do, work that allows us to shed old habits and patterns that may be doing more harm than good, and I am no exception. In this episode, I reference a spiritual teaching that helps me keep myself accountable and in check when necessary. Enjoy!

In Yogic and Hindu studies we are taught that attachment is an obstacle to finding peace. And so what does the practice of non-attachment actually entail? Here are my thoughts about it all.

A short, eight-and-a-half minute, meditation to listen to with headphones and a smile. Words from A Year In The Light, all words and music written and produced by me. Enjoy :)

Just when you thought things couldn't get more volatile, they did. Riots, protests, marches, fists raised in solidarity in the air. There are lessons to be learned and battles to fight, and we all are being forced to participate. The revolution is being televised and here are my thoughts about it.

What started out as a potential episode for a new podcast project ended up being a frank, candid conversation with one of my closest friends, perfect for The Examined Life. Give it a listen for some real talk among real friends.

We learn in times of adversity, when life doesn't go the way we hoped it would. And the most important thing we can learn is our ability to practice magic, to transform what harms into what heals. Give this a listen to see what I mean. 

A short contribution to the podcast introducing a new, meditative way of listening to my words, voice and expression. All content created by me, for you all. Enjoy.

I had a moment last week when I needed to get some inspiration, and I found it in the most ironic of places thanks to all of you who have shown me how my books were meant to be used. This episode is largely a tip of the hat and the heart to all of you who have traveled with me around the world. Have a listen...

Things are different. And many of us have found ourselves thrust into new ways of doing, new practices, new routines. Check out my thoughts about this new wave in time we are riding in the first episode of the second season of the podcast!

Some thoughts in the time of Covid-19 from the perspective of someone who has lived formative years in the presence of fear. With lots of swearing. And wisdom. And light. And swearing.

Sometimes shit going "wrong" is what it takes to wake us up to how we meet life's bumpier moments. In this unique moment of firsts that we are all experiencing, I wanted to share some thoughts that have arisen from the exchanges I've had over the last couple of weeks. Have a listen.

Coronavirus. Covid-19. Isolation. Distancing. Quarantine. Our vocabulary has changed. Life has changed. Drastically. These are my musings.

In this episode:  - my absence from podcasting explained - some observations in this moment of growing panic - perspective on fear - why getting the shit scared out of you might just be the greatest awakening ever

I was reminded recently that every little thing that occurs potentially holds significance that will eventually make itself known given time and awareness. I was also reminded of how suffering can bring us together in indescribably beautiful ways. Give this a listen...

Suffering is one of life's great equalizers, no one is immune to it, and I felt compelled to record this episode after being on a call with a client who is going through chemotherapy treatments. Whether suffering is initiated by a negative belief or physical pain, we all need tools to respond wisely to it, so here you go!

This last day of the Yoga & Meditation City Break in Rome has been full of insight and revelations. From the second I woke up and checked my messages to the group's closing circle following our last class together, there have been lessons to contemplate. Here is one last episode from this beautiful city, from me to you all. Enjoy!

What is liminality? What are liminal spaces? Why should you even care? In this first episode of 2020, I explain it all. Enjoy, and Happy New Year! 

My thoughts and musings as this cycle of 2019 comes to a close and leads us into a new decade, and a special dedication to a special woman. Happy, healthy New Year to you all!

I spent a week in Miami to not only getaway from Montreal's winter, but to see Madonna on her Madame X Tour. The lessons I have to share from the whole experience are waiting for you in this episode. Enjoy!

The Gunas, as taught in the Bhagavad Gita, are the three qualities of nature that are present within and all around us. What they are, how they work, why they can be obstacles to finding truth and how they apply to every one of us is discussed in this episode. Enjoy!

If we understood ourselves to be somewhere on a timeline in relation to our jobs, our relationships, our friendships and all other aspects of life, what we would change? Lots. Check out what I mean in this latest episode.

Dyan Soloman is the co-owner of Olive + Gourmando, Foxy, Il Po Di Piu, some of Montreal's top restaurants. She has also just released the long-awaited Olive + Gourmando cookbook, and I sat down with her to talk about that project, as well as the "mini-empire" that she oversees, an empire that is close to so many Montrealers' hearts. 

Whether it's money, health, work, family or any other aspect of the human experience, there are "do's and dont's" imposed on us and we end up playing a game whose rules were established by others long ago. This episode is about doing the unthinkable, making new do's and dont's that will set you up to enjoy life instead of just trying to keep your head above water. 

I have always fought against settling for anything that I felt was going to waste my time or was going to result in mediocrity. I'm now reading Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and I'm being reminded why that fight has been a blessing. Check it out in this latest episode!

Many of us know the depth of the bonds we have with our pets, our furry companions. In the past, I would write about one of my dogs once he or she had passed on, and so today I felt compelled to not only talk about the pups I've shared my life with, but to share what Willow has taught me, my dog who is very much alive, well and almost mythical. Check it out :)

Managing the business of life can often keep us blinded from seeing what makes this moment the moment we will look back on as golden. Stop whatever else you are doing and listen to this episode and you'll understand what I mean. 

One of the most helpful tools in life is the ability to witness and observe life occurring as if you are watching a film play out. I practiced this over 48 hours and the result was hilarious (and worth telling you about). Have a listen and enjoy!

With so much going on in the world and in our lives, it's only normal that we try to respond to and resolve everything, right? This episode, delving a little bit deeper into the Bhagavad Gita, discusses why trying to take on everything is as good as taking on nothing at all. Enjoy! 

Seane Corn is an internationally celebrated yoga teacher and speaker, co-founder of Off The Mat Into The World and the author of the new book Revolution of The Soul: Awaken To Love Through Raw Truth, Radical Healing, and Conscious Action. Check out this latest episode in which I talk to Seane about her book, her life and the world we live in. 

There are so many subtle and insidious ways that we are conditioned to not pay attention to the skin we live in. Check out my thoughts on the matter in this latest episode!

Every one of us has a narrative, a story, about ourselves that we identify with and that we stick to, no matter what. This episode looks at the role this life script plays, not only in how we make our way through life, but in how we find meaning, purpose and freedom. 

I have always had an aversion towards commonly accepted avenues or guidelines showing us how anything "should" be done, and the term "best practice" actually leaves me with (imaginary) hives. Why aren't we encouraged to rely and depend on ourselves and what we inherently know? Is it because we don't know we know it? Check it all out in this latest episode.

Doing spiritual work, seeking truth, should not be in opposition to being in perfect harmony with what is, even if what is presents itself as being problematic. There is much to object to in today's world, but that objection cannot supersede finding peace now. After all, there is just this. Check it all out in this latest episode, and let a word to the wise be sufficient - there are a lot of curse words in this one :)

I have always considered myself to be an emotional person, but not everyone does. What separates those who go by feel versus those who are more reasoning, logical thinkers? Check it out in this latest episode. 

Our relationship to conflict defines how we react and/or respond to life's more challenging moments. This episode looks at how we can approach conflict, internal and external, to bring us closer to spiritual understanding and, ultimately, peace. Enjoy!

I figured it was time for me to share my experience with Yoga throughout my life, to talk about how it found me, what it has meant to me, and the love/hate relationship I've often had with it. So here you go...enjoy!

Why are we so fascinated by other people's lives? And why do we feel the need to talk about their successes and failures, and generally be all up in their business? Is it harmless fun or is there more to gossiping than we are aware of? Check it out in this latest episode.

What does it mean to feel powerful in your life? How are your limiting beliefs about yourself influencing how you live? And what does it take to not feel like you have to change or fix anything about yourself to be of worth and value? Check it all out in this latest episode.

I come to Paros every year, to nourish my soul and give it a place to land, as well as to hold the Yoga & Meditation Vacation. I'm leaving today, and these are the musings I felt compelled to share. Enjoy!

In Eastern scriptures, the word Sutra translates to thread, and the totality of the Sutras woven together form a fabric of wisdom to apply to daily life. Years ago, I wrote down some nuggets of wisdom and flippantly called them The Brama Sutras. Although I never published them, I still have them and have dedicated an episode to sharing them. Enjoy!

Comparison is a killer, and a teaching from the Bhagavad Gita explains why. Check it out in this latest episode.

What is your relationship to risk? Are you a risk-taker or risk-averse? And why? This latest episode looks at the relationship we have to risk and why it is so fundamental to finding what we seek from the experience of life.

I'm in Greece and I had some thoughts I wanted to share about what the experience of life could, and should, be. Check it all out in this latest episode.