Podcasts about Qigong

Chinese system of coordinated posture and movement, breathing, and meditation

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Latest podcast episodes about Qigong

Crushing Classical
Ruth Phillips: Beauty at the Edge of Catastrophe

Crushing Classical

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2026 36:26


Enjoy this special gift, a recorded meditation by Ruth Phillips:Practice 1: Settlinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1PqsA8Epmy_QzyXtuRFJiOaYJfcBfDF_x/view?usp=share_linkAND, sign up for her newsletter to receive Practice 2: Breath https://ruthphillips.com/contact/Alongside her rich and diverse career as a concert cellist and teacher, Ruth is internationally sought after as a performance coach, mentor and meditation teacher, helping people who suffer from tension, stage fright, or lack of focus or self esteem overcome the physical and mental strains of the music profession. Ruth is certified as a Mindfulness Meditation teacher and mentor under Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield, through the MMTCP (Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification) and the MMT (Mindfulness Mentor Training) programs. She is also a trained therapist, holding a Masters' degree in Voice Movement Therapy. She has been attending yoga classes with Peter Blackaby for the past 30 years, and has completed three modules of the Non-Violent-Communication training. Her interest in the natural functioning of the body has inspired her to work closely with Alexander Technique, Qi Gong, Body Mapping and Feldenkrais practictioners, and her musical experience includes not only classical music but folk, Indian and African traditions. Over the last ten years Ruth has given Breathing Bow and mindfulness workshops in California, France and the UK, at the Yehudi Menuhin School, the Royal Glasgow Conservatoire, the Royal Northern College of Music and Benslow Music, and for members of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. She has presented for the European String Teachers' Association International Conference and the London Cello Society. She is regularly invited as a mindfulness coach to the Verbier festival. Ruth taught on the online platform for musicians' well-being, The Exhale, for three years and her clients include students and graduates from Stony Brook University, Julliard School, Royal Academy of Music, Paris Conservatoire, Royal Northern College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music, members of the Marmen quartet, and the Hallé, Oakland Symphony, San Fransisco Opera, Liverpool Philharmonic and Philharmonia Orchestras.Ruth is the author of Beauty at the Edge of Catastrophe – Cultivating Mindful Presence in Musical Performance. Her articles on stage fright, music, mindfulness and yoga have appeared in the Strad, BBC Music Magazine, Classical Music Magazine, Paul Katz' CelloBello blog, The London Cello Society newsletter and the European String Teachers' Association magazine, ARCO. She has appeared on the Music Mind and Movement and the Thoroughly Good Classical Music, Things Musicians Don't Talk About and Your Free Voice podcasts. Her memoir, Cherries from Chauvet's Orchard, was shortlisted for the Guardian Women's Memoir award. https://beautyattheedgeofcatastrophe.com  (Buy the book, then email Ruth at ruth@ruthphillips.com  She'll send you Practices 3 Kindness and 4 Just Like Me as a gift.)https://ruthphillips.com https://www.facebook.com/ruth.phillips.752 https://www.instagram.com/ruthphillipscellohttps://zenezen.net/Your portfolio career is YOURS to design. If you are seeking inspiration, grab the first chapter of my book for FREE at the link below! You are allowed to thrive, and your artistry MATTERS.https://jennetingle.kit.com/c6e4009529Make sure you SUBSCRIBE to Crushing Classical, and maybe even leave a nice review! Thanks for joining me on Crushing Classical! Theme music by DreamVance.I help people to lean into their creative careers and start or grow their income streams. You can read more or hop onto a discovery call from my website.  https://jennetingle.com/work-with-meI'm your host, Jennet Ingle. I love you all. Stay safe out there! 

Ask Julie Ryan
#807 - How to Tell Fear From Intuition With Rose Wippich

Ask Julie Ryan

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2026 60:41


EVEN MORE about this episode!Rose Wippich joins Julie Ryan for an inspiring conversation about intuition, healing, purpose, and the courage to follow your soul's calling. After leaving a successful but unfulfilling career and navigating a life-changing breast cancer diagnosis, Rose discovered that some of life's greatest challenges can become powerful invitations to awaken.Together, Julie and Rose discuss how the body communicates through sensation, how to distinguish fear from true inner guidance, and why the uncertain "in-between" seasons of life often contain our greatest opportunities for growth. Rose also shares remarkable stories of spirit guides, intuitive messages, signs from loved ones, and the practices that helped her trust her path.Whether you're facing a major life transition, seeking greater clarity, or learning to reconnect with your intuition, this episode offers practical tools and spiritual wisdom to help you move forward with confidence and trust.Guest Biography:Rose Wippich is the author of "Empress Rising: Own Your Energy, Trust Your Wisdom, and Rewrite the Rules of Aging", a groundbreaking book that redefines a woman's later years as a time of power, purpose, and sovereignty. An award-winning podcaster and host of *Chat Off The Mat*, Rose is also a certified Reiki Master/Mentor and Qigong teacher and speaker who blends practical tools, ancient wisdom, and personal storytelling to guide women in reclaiming their vitality and stepping into their Empress years with confidence and grace. Through her work, she empowers women to rise from invisible to invincible and embrace aging as their most radiant chapter yet.Episode Chapters:(0:00:00) - Aging as Sacred Initiation and Returning to Self(0:06:17) - Confusion, Soul Transformation, and Divine Guidance(0:14:52) - Liminal Space and the Courage to Trust(0:23:28) - Identity Dissolution and the Breast Cancer Message(0:31:46) - Spiritual Heritage and Intuition Masked in Prayer(0:39:24) - Distinguishing True Guidance from Fear(0:47:12) - The Body as Oracle and Clairvoyant Connection(0:54:38) - Scent as Spiritual Communication(1:00:21) - Stillness, Sacred Practices, and Closing Wisdom➡️ Subscribe to Ask Julie Ryan YouTube➡️ Julie's Intuitive Trainings✏️ Ask Julie a Question!

Kat John is REAL, RAW, RELATABLE
Wu Wei - effortless action

Kat John is REAL, RAW, RELATABLE

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2026 36:35


In this episode, I'm sharing a reflection on Wu Wei, a Taoist principle often translated as "effortless action" or "action without force," and why this ancient wisdom has landed so deeply for me in this current season of life.For years, my business moved with a rhythm I had come to trust. Coaching spots filled, programs attracted people with ease, and opportunities seemed to flow naturally. But this year has looked very different. For the first time in a long time, coaching enquiries have slowed right down, and a program that has comfortably filled for years now has only a handful of participants.This season has challenged me in ways I didn't expect. It has brought up questions about trust, identity, worth, and what happens when the external validation we've become accustomed to begins to quieten down. Rather than immediately looking for another strategy, another offer, or another way to make things happen, I've found myself sitting with a different question altogether: What if nothing has gone wrong?In this conversation, I explore how quickly we can move into fixing, forcing, controlling, and solving when life doesn't unfold the way we expect it to. I share how Wu Wei has invited me to consider a different approach. One that isn't passive or detached, but one that asks us to stop exhausting ourselves by pushing against reality and instead learn how to move with life rather than against it.I also reflect on something I've been thinking deeply about lately. For many years, my work has been about helping people come home to themselves, uncover their conditioning, recognise the ego, and reconnect with who they truly are. But what if authenticity isn't the destination? What if it's only the beginning?Because once we know who we are, life asks us a new question: Can we trust that person? Can we trust ourselves when the future is uncertain? Can we trust ourselves when the evidence isn't there? Can we trust ourselves when life isn't unfolding according to our plans?This episode is a vulnerable reflection on what it means to stay open when certainty disappears, to loosen our grip on outcomes, and to trust that life may be leading us somewhere we never would have chosen for ourselves.If you've ever found yourself in a season where the old ways no longer seem to work, where you're questioning what comes next, or where life is asking you to trust more deeply than ever before, I think you'll find something for yourself in this conversation.In this episode, I explore Wu Wei and effortless action, trusting life through uncertain seasons, navigating change in business and identity, authenticity beyond self-discovery, releasing attachment to outcomes, and learning how to meet life as it is rather than constantly trying to make it something else.My hope is that this episode reminds you that not every season is meant to be conquered. Some seasons are meant to be listened to.Support the show

Perfect Guru
Erlaube dir negativ zu sein!

Perfect Guru

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2026 32:34


In dieser Folge spreche ich über Frust, gescheiterte Pläne und die Frage, ob wir wirklich jedes unangenehme Gefühl sofort wegatmen müssen.Qi Gong kann helfen, zur Ruhe zu kommen. Aber manchmal besteht die eigentliche Kunst darin, einem Gefühl erst einmal Raum zu geben.Vielleicht musst du nicht sofort positiv sein.Vielleicht darfst du erst einmal ehrlich sein.

The Self Esteem and Confidence Mindset
Master Mingtong Gu: The Energy Most High Performers Have Lost

The Self Esteem and Confidence Mindset

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2026 40:38


You can find more from Master Mingtong Gu here:https://mingtonggu.com/What if the energy you're looking for isn't something you need to create—but something you need to reconnect with?In this episode, I sit down with Master Mingtong Gu, founder of The Chi Center, Wisdom Healing Qigong teacher, and recipient of the Qigong Master of the Year award, to explore how leaders, entrepreneurs, and high-achieving professionals can access greater energy, clarity, resilience, and aliveness.Master Gu trained at China's renowned "medicine-less hospital" under Grandmaster Dr. Pang Ming, where thousands of people experienced profound healing through energy-based practices. Since then, he has helped more than 100,000 people across 47 countries transform their health, wellbeing, and quality of life through Wisdom Healing Qigong.In this conversation, we explore:• Why so many successful people feel exhausted despite their achievements• The hidden connection between energy, confidence, and performance• How stress and mental noise disconnect us from our natural vitality• The role of Qigong in restoring clarity and resilience• Why empathy and presence are leadership skills in today's world• Practical ways to reconnect with your energy and sense of aliveness• Ancient wisdom and modern neuroscience on healing and wellbeingIf you're a leader, entrepreneur, or ambitious professional feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or disconnected from yourself, this conversation offers a powerful perspective on what it means to thrive—not just perform.

china master lost energy practical ancient qigong high performers qigong master wisdom healing qigong chi center
Beyond the Reiki Gateway
Fear, Flow, and What Your Body Is Holding with Master Mingtong Gu

Beyond the Reiki Gateway

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2026 51:53


Andrea and Master Mingtong Gu talk about why stress does not just go away because you understand it. When fear, pressure, and old survival patterns stay active too long, they settle into the body and begin to feel normal. Their conversation opens up a different path, one rooted in energy, qigong, presence, and the move from contraction into flow.   If stress keeps pulling you back into the same internal state, this episode offers a way to think about healing that is less about forcing and more about changing what your body has learned to hold. ✨ Learn more about Master Mingtong Gu: https://chicenter.com/Recorded: May 11th, 2026Episode Highlights: 00:00 - Stress Lives in the Body01:04 - Meet Master Mingtong Gu02:19 - Qigong vs Tai Chi Explained04:26 - Everything Is Energy07:44 - Three Kinds of Practice08:38 - Awareness Connection Union11:21 - Body as the Gateway11:46 - Guided Meditation16:16 - Listening to Discomfort18:46 - Embrace the Discomfort25:35 - Movement as Meditation27:08 - Open Energy Gently28:13 - Spine Mobility 29:17 - Hips and Repetition30:43 - From Healing to Connection31:33 - Healing Without Fixation on Outcomes34:30 - Embodied Awakening Purpose36:27 - Intention Into Practice38:11 - Practice in the Modern World40:17 - Empaths and Energy Labels44:47 -  Coming Home to Embodied Awakening Book48:08 - Self Healing Anywhere48:57 - Programs and Farewell✨ Meet Andrea in July at Omega! ✨Our event is: Radical Rest Reset --Restore Sleep, Energy & Inner BalanceWith Jillian Pransky, Andrea Kennedy, Tom Francescott, and Robert Moss. Check it out here: https://www.eomega.org/workshops/radical-rest-resetAndrea's Links: https://beacons.ai/andrea_kennedyAndrea's Reiki Business Success Course:https://www.mainstreamreiki.com/reiki-business-success-courseVisit our websiteVisit our Amazon Shop  Sponsored by The Mainstream Reiki Community https://members.mainstreamreiki.com/HealthyLine offers revolutionary PEMF  and far-infrared mats. Get 10% off and free shipping in the continental US with code "Mainstream10FS". What Resonates? is produced by Twisted Spur MediaAndrea may earn money through Amazon for qualifying purchases.Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program do not  reflect those of the podcast or anyone affiliated with its production. This program is presented for entertainment purposes only. The utilization of the information provided is at the listener's own discretion.

Sjelfull Business-podden m/ Mayka Brevik
Du kan høre kosmos, med qigong og tai chi mester Harald Øygard

Sjelfull Business-podden m/ Mayka Brevik

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2026 97:48


Harald er tilbake i studio og denne gangen går vi dypt inn i den myke kraften.Den som ikke handler om muskler eller vilje, men som kan kaste deg bakover uten at du skjønner hva som skjedde.Harald driver Qigongsenteret i Oslo og har brukt 30 år på å forstå og undervise gamle kinesiske systemer.I denne episoden snakker Mayka og Harald om:• Hva qigong og tai chi egentlig er, og hvorfor det handler om å gjenopprette deg selv • Den myke kraften som overvinner hard muskelkraft og hvordan du finner den • Yin og yang, maskulint og feminint og hvordan du finner balansen som er riktig for deg • Den spirituelle reisen og hvorfor den til syvende og sist handler om å være jordet • Spontan bevegelseskraft og hva som skjer når kroppen begynner å regulere seg selv • Hva som skjer når posisjon, holdning og energi klikker på plassDette er en episode for deg som kjenner at du vil skape mer fra ro enn fra press og som er nysgjerrig på hva kroppen din egentlig er i stand til. Bli med på bedriftsprogrammet SMARAGD her innen 1.7: https://smaragdbusiness.noBli med på sommerkurs med Harald: https://www.qigongsenteret.no/sommerkurs-oslo/Bli med på retreat i Jølster: https://www.qigongsenteret.no/qigong-hostretreat-i-jolster-2/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Typical Skeptic Podcast
The Interdimensional Nature of Healing, ET Agendas, Cultivating Life Force - Geraldine Orozco - Typical Skeptic - #2664

Typical Skeptic Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2026 64:31 Transcription Available


Typical Skeptic #26646:30 PM EasternGeraldine Orozco - The Interdimensional Nature of HealingGuest BioGeraldine Orozco Official WebsiteGeraldine Orozco is an international educator, researcher, clinical hypnotherapist, epigenetic psychotherapist, meditation teacher, Medical Qigong practitioner, and consciousness researcher. She is known for her work exploring biospiritual anatomy, multidimensional healing, trauma transformation, DNA reprogramming, energy cultivation, and consciousness expansion. Through her research and teaching, Geraldine bridges modern psychology, nervous system healing, epigenetics, and multidimensional awareness to help people understand the connection between biology, energy, and consciousness.Suggested TitleThe Interdimensional Nature of Healing, Consciousness & Human Potential | Geraldine Orozco | Typical Skeptic #2664TopicsHumans as multidimensional beingsNon-physical anatomyConsciousness and healingEpigenetics and transformationTrauma integrationEnergy cultivationHuman evolution and potentialInterdimensional awarenessQuestions for GeraldineWhat do you mean when you say most of the human body is non-physical?How does consciousness influence healing?What is biospiritual anatomy?Can trauma affect our energetic structure?How do humans access greater levels of awareness?What role does epigenetics play in spiritual growth?Are we entering a new stage of human evolution?What practices help people connect to their multidimensional nature?#TypicalSkepticPodcast #UFO #Disclosure #Consciousness #Healing #PsychicReadings #Spirituality #Aliens #UAP #EnergyHealing

Even Tacos Fall Apart
Rebuilding Life with Clarity & Purpose with James Brett

Even Tacos Fall Apart

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2026 88:13


For anyone who has hit a wall, whether that's a diagnosis, a burnout or just the quiet feeling that something has to change, this conversation with James Brett is the one to queue up.More info, resources & ways to connect - https://www.tacosfallapart.com/podcast-live-show/podcast-guests/james-brettJames Brett has lived a life most people only read about. He led high-stakes sales teams across Australia, Singapore and Europe, won multimillion-dollar contracts and collected the kind of corporate success that looks great from the outside. Then he got a stage three kidney cancer diagnosis, had a ten-centimeter tumor removed along with his right kidney, and nearly died from a bowel obstruction in the week that followed. What came next wasn't just survival. It was a complete rebuilding of who he is and how he lives.In this episode of Even Tacos Fall Apart, James sits down to talk about the cost of running too fast for too long, and what it actually looks like to come back from rock bottom with more clarity than you had before. He's honest about the fear that comes with a cancer diagnosis, the identity crisis that follows when the career you built your life around disappears, and the quiet grief of having a parent with dementia on the other side of the world while you're fighting for your own life.James now runs a boutique retreat space on the mid-north coast of Australia with his partner Lisa and works with coaching clients around the world. His approach pulls from Eastern practices like Qigong and Taoist energy work, neuroscience, non-duality and what he calls the inside-out understanding of the mind. The core of everything he teaches comes down to one shift: we don't experience life like a camera pointed at the world. We create our experience from the inside through thought, and when you really see that, everything changes.We talk about the concept of radical wholeness, which includes waking up, growing up, cleaning up and showing up, and why doing just one of those without the others will only get you so far. We get into gratitude practices, how moods are contagious and what to do about it, why playfulness is seriously underrated in adult life, and how nature showed up for James in the most unexpected ways during his recovery.James also shares his life hack for deeper connection in relationships, the eye-gazing practice he does with his partner every night before sleep, and the moment he saw a wedge-tailed eagle circle above him coming out of the hospital and just completely fell apart in the best way.If you are a caregiver who has put yourself last so long you've forgotten what your own needs even feel like, if you are rebuilding after something that broke you wide open, or if you just have a nagging sense that there has to be more to life than the pace you've been running at, this one is for you.

Good Morning Portugal!
Quantum health, healing & vital ageing and well-being on Good Morning Portugal!

Good Morning Portugal!

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2026 59:56 Transcription Available


The Portugal Club quiz and...Jeremy Colledge is a Qigong practitioner, healer, and author with over 30 years of experience in Zhineng and Medical Qigong.His philosophy centers on proactive, self-directed health, shifting focus from 'passive healthcare' to holistic, mindful well-being.His notable quotes and teachings on health emphasise balance, resilience, and the mind-body connection:On the Philosophy of Healing: "Hao Le!" (A traditional Chinese phrase he frequently uses, which translates directly to "Everything is good already!" - a fundamental mindset for inviting healing into your life.) On Consistency and Routine: "Give your body the gift of this exercises set every morning. To start with, go slowly, and take it easy... But most importantly, SMILE! Take time to really enjoy the exercises."On the Mind-Body Connection: "We distill it deep into the centre of your brain. Relax the center of your brain. Relax the whole of your brain."On Transitioning to Proactive Health: "Our aim is to help you to move from passive healthcare... to Pro-active health creation."On the Power of Internal Practice: "I had a toxic lifestyle that was killing me... I had to find something to save my life. I finally found Qigong, and loved it straight away."https://quantumqigong.co.uk/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-good-morning-portugal-podcast-with-carl-munson--2903992/support.Get help moving to and living in Portugal

The Animal Communication Podcast
Tips to Open Your Intuition

The Animal Communication Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2026 42:10


Have you ever had a gut feeling you couldn't quite explain — and it turned out to be exactly right? In this episode of The Animal Communication Podcast, Julie, Meredith, and Karen pull back the curtain on their own intuitive journeys, sharing the childhood moments, animal encounters, and life experiences that first cracked them open to trusting what they couldn't always see or explain. From Meredith feeling a mysterious vibration between her nose and a little dog's as a child, to Karen bursting into tears at a gorilla's gaze at the zoo, to Julie discovering her intuition quietly at work in her advertising career — each path is beautifully unique. Together, they explore the everyday practices that keep their intuitive channels open (think walking with your dog, yin yoga, Qigong, and yes, the shower), how to tell the difference between intuition, fear, and ego, and why gratitude for even the smallest signs — a bird that lingers a moment too long, a song on the radio at just the right time — is one of the most powerful things you can do to keep the channel flowing. Do YOU want to be an animal communicator or learn more about Soul Level Intuitive Coaching®? Check out the new classes and Be Open Community offered by our teacher, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Danielle MacKinnon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. It's a great place to learn Energy Management, trusting yourself and even finding a great, supportive community.   YOUR HOSTS Julie is a Soul Level Animal Communicator®, Heart Animal Soul Professional Communicator, Soul Level Intuitive Coach®, Spirit Animal Sacred Alchemy Practitioner and Certified Trauma-Informed Grief Coach. She writes the column ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Trust the Animals”⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Substack and is a teaching assistant for the Danielle MacKinnon School. Find out more about her and her monthly Pet Loss Grief Circles at her website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.juliehirt-intuitive.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Karen is a Soul Level Animal Communicator®, Soul Level Intuitive Coach®, Pangu Shengong (qigong) Instructor and Energy Healer. She is an End-of-life Companion Animal Doula through the UVM certificate program and a teaching assistant for the Danielle MacKinnon School. She is also on the board of NicaLove Animal Rescue and the Founder and a Director of The Animal Communication Collective®. Find out more about her at her website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.karendendysmith.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Meredith is a Soul Level Animal Communicator®, Soul Level Intuitive Coach®, Let Animals Lead® Animal Reiki Practitioner, and certified dog trainer with a focus on behavior modification and positive reinforcement. She is also a Director of The Animal Communication Collective®. Find out more about her at her website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.meredithtollison.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ You can find all of our episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MindBodySpirit.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Reach out to us with questions or comments via the Contact Us form on our website (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theanimalcommunicationpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about the fundraising work Karen, Meredith and Julie do with The Animal Communication Collective at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.animalcommunicationcollective.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Enlightened World Network
Light Body Activation and Meditation with Kevin Schoeninger

Enlightened World Network

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2026 61:03


In this weekends Raising Our Vibration meditation on EWN, we'll read from Kevin Schoeninger's new book, “Light Body Activation,” and practice a Light Body Activation meditation. Kevin Schoeninger's new book, “Light Body Activation: How to Embody the Light that You Are."This book is a guide to embodying the Luminous Loving Presence that YOU ARE on the deepest level of Being. You'll learn 12 Keys to Light Body Activation, along with science and traditions which support this spiritual transformation. In the end, you'll take away a profound meditation practice you can use every day to raise your vibration and elevate our Collective Consciousness. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H3P3M65GA Meditation A Day, daily guided meditations is presented by EWN. Our intention for our time together is to come together to surround the planet, humanity and ourselves with divine healing love. We know when two or more are gathered, that we then amplify the intention and energy for ourselves and for the collective.Kevin Schoeninger holds a masters in the Phenomenology of Consciousness and is a certified Qigong Meditation Instructor and Holy Fire Reiki Master Teacher, with forty years of experience leading mind-body training in T'ai Chi, Qigong, Subtle Energy Meditation, and mindfulness.⁠https://raisingourvibration.net⁠Kevin's ROV (Raising Our Vibration) Global Meditations aim to raise our collective consciousness to the finer frequencies of peace, love, and light and live in vast Awareness. We hope you will join us.Enlightened World Network is your guide to inspirational online programs about the spiritual divinity, angels, energy work, chakras, past lives, or soul. Learn about spiritually transformative authors, musicians and healers. From motivational learning to inner guidance, you will find the best program for you.Check out EWN's website featuring over 150 spirit-inspired lightworkers specializing in meditation, energy work and angel channelinghttps://www.enlightenedworld.onlinePlease consider donating to support the work of the EWN https://www.paypal.me/EnlightenedWorld.Enjoy inspirational and educational shows at    / enlightenedworldnetwork  Listen to Enlightened World Network on Apple Podcast (https://apple.co/3W8rx2n)Spotify (https://spoti.fi/3Xb4DIT)Amazon Music (https://amzn.to/3CNvu5H)Please share EWN's shows with your community so more people can find us. We appreciate your friendship.To sign up for a newsletter to stay up on EWN programs and events, sign up here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/2TRBaeGLink to EWN's disclaimer: https://enlightenedworld.online/disclaimer#meditationpractice #raisingourvibration #lightmeditation #nonduality #lightsourcing #lighttransmission

VI Talk
14: QiGong with Pat for June 2026

VI Talk

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2026 58:16


QiGong is gentle, mindful movement which can be done either seated or standing. The sessions take place over Zoom on the first Monday of the month at 8 pm. More details can be found in VI Talk Wellbeing & Lifestyle.

Perfect Guru
So habe ich in 25 Jahren die Energiemassage entwickelt!

Perfect Guru

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2026 31:58


Viele Menschen sind erstaunlich gut darin, etwas für ihre Gesundheit zu tun.Sie machen Sport.Sie üben Qi Gong.Sie arbeiten an sich.Sie entwickeln sich weiter.Und trotzdem fehlt manchmal etwas.In dieser Folge spreche ich über eine Beobachtung aus über 25 Jahren Praxis: Warum manche Menschen sich erst dann wirklich öffnen, wenn sie einmal nichts leisten müssen.Außerdem erzähle ich, wie aus der Frage „Was wirkt wirklich?“ die Nei Dan Shan Energiemassage entstanden ist.Eine persönliche Folge über Gesundheit, Energie, Loslassen und die oft unterschätzte Kraft des Empfangens.

Perfect Guru
Du musst nicht alles alleine schaffen | Das Windschattenprinzip

Perfect Guru

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2026 31:52


Viele Menschen denken, sie bräuchten mehr Disziplin, mehr Motivation oder einfach mehr Willenskraft. Vielleicht fehlt aber etwas ganz anderes.In dieser Folge geht es um das Windschattenprinzip – eine Idee aus dem Radsport, die erstaunlich viel mit persönlicher Entwicklung, Gesundheit, Qi Gong und Lebensveränderung zu tun hat.Warum scheitern so viele gute Vorsätze? Weshalb fühlen sich manche Entscheidungen unmöglich an? Und warum gelingt Veränderung oft plötzlich, wenn die richtige Unterstützung da ist?Eine Folge über Energie, Klarheit und die Kraft der Gemeinschaft.

The Scrumptious Woman
S2 EP28 Why Good Women Stop Wanting Sex, with Rosa Kelly

The Scrumptious Woman

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2026 25:48


WelcomeHello, lovelies. It's Juliette here, and today I'm joined by Rosa Kelly, intimacy and relationship expert, Qigong practitioner, and guide in Taoist sexuality and embodied connection.In this conversation, we speak about desire, presence, sexual energy, relationship repair, body wisdom, and what happens when intimacy becomes another task on the to-do list.Rosa shares her journey through cancer, the healing power of Qigong, and why slowing down may be the most powerful thing we can do for our relationships.This episode is about coming back to aliveness.Not through performance or pressure, but through presence, curiosity, and connection.

Vision Beyond Sight
Coming Home to Yourself: Embodied Awakening in the Age of AI with Master Mingtong Gu (Episode #158)

Vision Beyond Sight

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2026 49:33


In this powerful episode of Vision Beyond Sight, Dr. Lynn Hellerstein speaks with Master Mingtong Gu—founder, visionary, Master Teacher of Wisdom Healing Qigong, author, and international speaker—about embodied awakening and the importance of reconnecting mind and body in the digital age to discover the energy within us. Master Mingtong explores the growing disconnection many people experience from their bodies especially with the advent of AI and explains how awakening begins with the choice to come home to ourselves. Drawing from his own journey through childhood adversity, chronic illness, and ultimately the healing practice of Qigong, he shares how cultivating awareness of energy can lead to greater vitality, creativity and joy. He also provides a simple meditation practice that will allow you to discover “you” and your energy. The conversation highlights how healing, self-realization, and leadership are deeply connected, and why reconnecting with the body may be the foundation for meaningful change in our lives and the world. Master Mingtong also discusses themes from his book, Coming Home to Embodied Awakening: Reclaim Your Body, Power, and Purpose in the Age of AI, and concludes with an original song welcoming us back to ourselves. Dr. Lynn Hellerstein, Developmental Optometrist, co-owner of Hellerstein & Brenner Vision Center, P.C., award-winning author and international speaker, holds powerful and inspiring conversations with her guests in the areas of health, wellness, education, sports and psychology. They share their inspirational stories of healing and transformation through their vision expansion. Vision Beyond Sight Podcast will help you see with clarity, gain courage and confidence. Welcome to Vision Beyond Sight! Also available on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Audible and Stitcher.

Purpose Chasers Podcast| Author| Transformational Life & Business Coach| Keynote Speaker|

He Got Sick the Day He Stayed. He Started Healing the Day He Quit.Thuan did not leave his job. His body made the decision for him.Three months on medical leave. A doctor who refused to clear him to return. A resignation email he sat with for a long time before he finally hit send.The same day he sent it, he started feeling better.That is the kind of story that sounds like luck until you hear the whole thing. Because Thuan had been planting seeds for years. Recovery. Yoga. Qigong. Sound baths. A decade of healing himself and then helping others heal inside the walls of addiction treatment centers. He knew what the work was. He just had not yet had the courage to take it into the world.The universe took care of that part.In this episode, Thuan shares how his path through Alcoholics Anonymous and Refuge Recovery led him to holistic healing, how a wellness director job he was not supposed to have changed his life, and how he and his business partner Britt built the Zen Den, a wellness studio in Connecticut designed for the one person everyone forgets about: the busy human who needs peace but has to be at work by nine.He also breaks down what the word abracadabra actually means. And once you hear it, you will never say it the same way again.In this episode:Why Thuan says he genuinely enjoys powerlessness, and what that taught him about trustThe resignation email that triggered his healingHow saying "2026 is going to be big for me" with zero plan behind it turned out to be exactly rightThe Zen Den model: mindfulness built around the real obstacle, which is timeThe one phrase that stops fear in its tracks: "My faith is stronger than my fear"If you are sitting with a nudge you keep ignoring, this episode is for you.Subscribe to Purpose Chasers so you never miss a conversation like this one. New episodes drop weekly and every single one is built around one idea: the person you are becoming is worth chasing.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. And if this episode moved you, leave a review. It takes two minutes and it helps more people find the show.ThePurposeChasers.com

Mindfulness Exercises
Taoist Meditation Practices For Stillness And Vitality, with Solala Towler

Mindfulness Exercises

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2026 56:16 Transcription Available


We talk with Taoist meditation and qigong teacher Solala Tauler about returning to the source through simple practices that fit into real life. We explore how slowing down, sensing the body, and learning from nature can restore steadiness, vitality, and meaning.Returning To The Source: https://www.amazon.com/Returning-Source-Meditations-Rediscovering-Everyday/dp/1645475085/ To learn more about Solala's books, classes, tea ceremonies and his Qigong and Cha Dao tours to Taiwan go to www.abodetao.com/• Solala's origin story from Buddhism to Taoist practice and teaching • How qigong and stillness meditation work together through qi • Core Taoist principles like flexibility and wu wei as not forcing • Nature as the highest teacher and the shift from head to belly • Lower dantian as a foundation for embodied awareness • “Source” as Tao and the longing to reconnect with the great mother • Manzou and why going slowly deepens experience and reduces harm • Organ balancing through the five phases and emotional qualities of organs • Breath training and the idea of breathing with the whole body • Acupuncture as a way to unblock stuck qi and restore flow • Tea meditation and Cha Dao as a path to presence and gratitude • Pu'er tea, fermentation, aging, and why “energy” matters in ritual I encourage everyone to check out the book. Teach mindfulness without self-doubt, fear of judgment, or imposter syndrome. Learn about our Internationally Accredited Certification Program:  https://certify.mindfulnessexercises.com/Mindfulness Exercises with Sean Fargo is a practical, grounded mindfulness podcast for people who want meditation to actually help in real life.Hosted by Sean Fargo — a former Buddhist monk, mindfulness teacher, and founder of MindfulnessExercises.com — this podcast explores how mindfulness can support mental health, emotional regulation, trauma sensitivity, chronic pain, leadership, creativity, and meaningful work.Each episode offers a mix of:Practical mindfulness and meditation teachingsConversations with respected meditation teachers, clinicians, authors, and researchersReal-world insights for therapists, coaches, yoga teachers, educators, and caregiversGentle reflections for anyone navigating stress, anxiety, burnout, grief, or changeIf you're interested in:Mindfulness meditation for everyday lifeTrauma-sensitive and compassion-based practicesTeaching mindfulness in an authentic, non-performative wayDeepening your own practice while supporting others…you're in the right place.Learn more at ...

Own Your Health
Why Your Belly Fat Won't Budge (It's NOT Just Diet & Exercise)

Own Your Health

Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2026 25:12


You've cleaned up your diet, you're exercising regularly, and yet the belly fat still won't budge. Sound familiar? In this episode of Own Your Health, Katie Brindle looks at why the answer may have less to do with calories and more to do with what is happening inside your body. Katie draws on the principles of Chinese medicine, to explain how stress, emotions, digestion, and energy flow can all contribute to stubborn belly fat, particularly as we get older. She reveals the roles of the liver, spleen and lungs in storing and processing excess energy, why feelings such as frustration, overwhelm and resentment may be affecting your waistline, and how everyday habits like eating cold foods or rushing meals could be working against you. Katie also shares simple techniques, including breathing exercises, body tapping and Qigong-inspired movement, that may help support your body's natural ability to restore balance and release what it no longer needs. 

The Skeptic Metaphysicians - Metaphysics 101
How Qigong Healed 200,000 People Inside a Medicine-Less Hospital

The Skeptic Metaphysicians - Metaphysics 101

Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2026 58:58


You've meditated. You've journaled. You've done the work. So why do you still feel stuck? If that question hits a nerve, this episode is for you. Master Mingtong Gu has a clear and somewhat unsettling answer, and it has nothing to do with your mindset. About This Episode Master Mingtong Gu trained at a real hospital in China where the only prescription was energy, no medicine, no surgery, no supplements, just Qigong practice, all day, every day. The results were documented. The patients were real. And the conditions being healed were the kind conventional medicine had already given up on. In this conversation, Will and Karen sit down with Master Gu to explore what Wisdom Healing Qigong actually is, why most of us are spiritually "trying" from the neck up while completely bypassing the body, and what that disconnect costs us in an age increasingly dominated by AI. His core argument is simple and hard to shake: the gap between knowing something and actually living it doesn't live in your mind. It lives in your body. What You'll DiscoverWhy "incurable" is a statement about a doctor's limits, not yours, and what Master Gu says that means for your healingThe two patterns of energy that explain chronic stress, anxiety, and physical tension in one framework, and why "negative energy" might be the wrong lens entirelyWhat 8 to 10 hours of daily Qigong practice at the medicine-less hospital actually looked like, and why the intensity matteredThe surprising reason group practice produces results that solo practice can't replicate, including what a 30-day energy measurement study foundWhy the AI conversation isn't just about technology. it's about whether we're choosing to remain humanA short embodiment practice Master Gu leads mid-episode that you can do right now, hands on chest, no experience requiredThis Episode Hits Differently If... You've explored meditation, energy healing, or spiritual awakening and still feel a gap between the concept and the actual lived experience. Master Gu doesn't offer another belief system. He offers a way back into your body, where he says the real work, and the real medicine, has been waiting all along. Listen. Then sit with it.Deepen your practice with Master Mingtong Gu's bestselling book Coming Home to EmbodiedAwakening and receive a free bonus collection of teaching videos when you orderat www.mingtonggu.com/book.Connect with Master Mingtong Gu and explore his programs at:o https://mingtonggu.como https://mingtonggu.com/embodied-awakening-book/o https://www.linkedin.com/in/mingtong-gu-60125119/o https://www.instagram.com/chicenter/o https://www.facebook.com/wisdomhealingqigong/_____________________________________________Free gift: My Life After Death: A Memoir from HeavenWant to know what the afterlife actually looks like? Dr. Elisa Medhus's son Erik wrote a book about it...from the other side. A book channeled from the other side that readers call the most convincing account of the afterlife ever written. Grab your free digital copy at:skepticmetaphysician.com/newsletterThe Skeptic Metaphysicians is a spiritual awakening podcast for open-minded thinkers who refuse to check their critical thinking at the door. Each episode explores consciousness expansion, enlightenment, soul purpose, and soul growth through honest, grounded conversation with leading voices in metaphysics, psychic phenomenon, quantum healing, and beyond. We dive deep into spiritual awakening, ascension, alignment, and the awakening process without the dogma. From mediumship and spirit guides to Arcturian contact, astrology, and the subconscious mind, we explore it all with curiosity, humor, and zero guru worship. Whether you're in the middle of your own awakening, questioning reality, or just spiritually curious, this is the podcast for seekers and skeptics alike.Subscribe, Rate & Review!If you found this episode enlightening, mind-expanding, or even just thought-provoking (see what we did there?), please take a moment to rate and review us. Your feedback helps us bring more transformative guests and topics your way!Connect with Us: 

ImperfectlyPerfect Podcast
Coming Home to the Body: Healing, Energy & Embodied Awakening

ImperfectlyPerfect Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2026 40:47


If this hit different hit subscribe — new episodes and clips every week with real talk on mental health, purpose and the truth behind building something that matters.

Your Peak Performance
Meet The Governor Candidates Wife “Born in China – Made in America”

Your Peak Performance

Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2026 125:50


JUST DROPPED: The most POWERFUL episode yet of the Take Your Power Back Show with Kim Yeater! Meet The Governor Candidates Wife “Born in China – Made in America” Stephanie Shields, future First Lady of California, shares her raw, firsthand story of growing up under Mao's communist regime… and how she broke free to embrace the freedom and kindness that ONLY America provides. In this explosive 57-minute interview: Brainwashed to hate America as a child Witnessed Tiananmen Square horrors on free U.S. TV Escaped the “mind virus ” of Marxism through ancient spiritual truth Fell in love with the strength and heart of the American people Her husband, gubernatorial candidate Scott Shields, connects the dots: The same atheist Marxist cancer –“the mind virus” that destroyed China is infiltrating California TODAY — and they have the plan to DE-MARXIFY our state and lead us back to freedom, prosperity, and greatness! This episode is a MUST-WATCH wake-up call for every Patriot! Watch & Share NOW: https://Rumble.com/takeyourpowerbackshow/live #TakeYourPowerBack #DeMarxifyCalifornia #ScottShieldsForGovernor #BornInChinaMadeInAmerica #AmericaFirst #FreedomOverMarxism We WILL take our California back — and America with it! Connect with Us: • Website: TakeYourPowerBackShow.com • Rumble: rumble.com/c/TakeYourPowerBackShow • Live Stream: rumble.com/TakeYourPowerBackShow/live • Social Media: o X: @realkimyeater o Facebook: kimberlyyeater o Instagram: Takeyourpowerback_kimyeater o TikTok: takeyourpowerbackshow • Email: TYPBProducer@gmail.com Related Movement: TakeOurCaliforniaBack.com TakeOurElectionsBack.com Take Our Border Back • Website: TakeOurBorderBack.com • Rumble: rumble.com/c/TakeOurBorderBack • Live Stream: rumble.com/TakeOurBorderBack/live • Social Media: o X: @Tobbconvoymain o X:Send us Fan MailSupport the show

Taichi e Qigong per l'italiano medio
Pod Taichi & Qigong S4 E4 - Il Sistema

Taichi e Qigong per l'italiano medio

Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2026 43:23


Il SistemaIn Cina si sono sviluppati storicamente centinaia di sistemi marziali, come il Taijiquan, lo Xingyi, il Bagua, il Wingchun, solo per citare alcuni di quelli più famosi e diffusi anche in occidente. Allo stesso tempo, anche scuole di Qigong e Meditazione si sono costituite attraverso dei sistemi. Ma cos'è un Sistema? In questa puntata, cerchiamo di fare chiarezza.

2 Old 4 TikTok
TikTok Audio Trends, NYC Froyo Revival, and Exercise Tok

2 Old 4 TikTok

Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2026 34:08


 Podcast founder Melissa joins Dena this week since Catalina is still away. Similar to last week, this week's guest host also airs her grievances with the pod as of late. Starting with audio trends, “Melissaaaa I'm drunk and outsiiiideeee” has been trending (examples from @stevenandluke and @sarahu192). Dena's FYP includes a surprising lack of Eurovision content, Hyatt devaluation points breakdown (thanks to @carielizabethh), and a Trader Joe's money opportunity from @erica_tara. Melissa's FYP is full of “quick and easy” exercise transformation videos (i.e. @juliiaannne), Qigong tutorials, and jaw release videos (featuring a stitch with LeAnn Rimes from @lazor.lanson). NYC TikTok is all about who's lining up for what, and this week it's Mimi's yogurt (video from @imjuhm). Dena and Melissa contemplate hacking their spouse's algorithm like @lmcanty. And @valinthebay's take on slow walkers ignites Melissa's latest hot take.    Check out all the videos we mention and more on our blog (2old4tiktok.com), Instagram (@2old4tiktokpod), and TikTok (@2old4tiktok_podcast).  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Misophonia Podcast
#230 - Pia

The Misophonia Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2026 72:27


This week I'm talking to Pia Watson. Pia is an actor, artist, and body-mind transpersonal therapist currently in Mexico City and about to move to London. We talk about her experience with misophonia, autism, ADHD, and autistic burnout, and how all of those layers can heighten sensory overwhelm. Pia shares early memories of trying to escape teeth grinding on family vacations, hiding in a closet as a safe place, strategically choosing seats in classrooms, and gradually realizing that what she was dealing with had a name. We also get into her path through acting, art, shamanism, meditation, Qigong, hypnosis, and self-hypnosis, and how those practices changed her relationship to misophonia—not necessarily by “fixing” triggers overnight, but by helping her nervous system respond differently. A lot of this conversation circles around trauma, masking, modern life, neurodivergence, and the possibility that misophonia may be part of a much larger mind-body picture. Pia also talks about her work with clients, her interest in supporting neurodivergent people in Spanish-speaking spaces, and why she's rethinking how therapy might help people with sensory issues.  ---Try the new Misophonia Podcast app: https://app.misophoniapodcast.comWeb: https://misophoniapodcast.comOrder "Sounds like Misophonia" - by Dr. Jane Gregory and IEmail: hello@misophoniapodcast.comSend me any feedback! Also, if you want some beautiful podcast stickers shoot over your address.YouTube channel (with caption transcriptions)Social:Instagram - @misophoniapodcastFacebook - misophoniapodcastTwitter/X - @misophoniashowSupport the show

AMERICA OUT LOUD PODCAST NETWORK
The bioenergetic bridge between medicine and Qigong

AMERICA OUT LOUD PODCAST NETWORK

Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2026 57:00 Transcription Available


The Nurses Report on America Out Loud with Gail Macrae, BSN, RN – Medical Qigong practitioner Keith Coley joins Nurse Gail Macrae to explore how energetic medicine, frequency healing, and Qi cultivation address root causes beneath chronic illness. Their conversation challenges symptom management and invites listeners to restore coherence through sound therapy, acupuncture, and consistent intentional daily practice...

Nurses Out Loud
The bioenergetic bridge between medicine and Qigong

Nurses Out Loud

Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2026 57:00 Transcription Available


The Nurses Report on America Out Loud with Gail Macrae, BSN, RN – Medical Qigong practitioner Keith Coley joins Nurse Gail Macrae to explore how energetic medicine, frequency healing, and Qi cultivation address root causes beneath chronic illness. Their conversation challenges symptom management and invites listeners to restore coherence through sound therapy, acupuncture, and consistent intentional daily practice...

Age Well with Dr Sophie Shotter
The incredible power of sound, resonance, and vibration – with world-leading practitioner, Tensuhi

Age Well with Dr Sophie Shotter

Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2026 36:19


“All of us have a fundamental frequency - like having our own bandwidth on a universal radio station.”Follow Tensuhi on Insta here: https://www.instagram.com/tensuhi/More info and contacts here:w: www.elementalresonance.come: info@elementalresonance.comCheck out Tensuhi's socials for details of her latest workshops and retreats.May / June 2026 – daily immersive meditation journeys in Soho, London with a state-of-the-art 360° spatial audio system. 12-15 June 2026 - ‘ILLUMINATE' in Italy will explore vibrational sound, Qi Gong and Sound harmonisations under the stars.Thanks for listening to Age Well with Dr Sophie Shotter!Find out more about Dr Sophie by heading to https://drsophieshotter.com/Follow Dr Sophie on Instagram… https://www.instagram.com/drsophieshotter/?hl=en…and Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@drsophieshotter?lang=enThis podcast was produced by https://thepodcastpeople.co/Co-host: https://fionamattesini.co.uk/The content in this podcast is for general information purposes only and is not meant to serve as medical advice or to replace or substitute advice given by, or consultation with, your doctor or any other healthcare professional. Please contact your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns about your health. Dr Sophie Shotter, her company and any employees or representatives are not liable for any claims arising out of or in connection with this podcast.

Meditations by Gregory T. Obert
Tracy Bonham on Creativity, Mindfulness, and Finding Your Voice After Losing Everything

Meditations by Gregory T. Obert

Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2026 44:25


Ready to begin your journey of healing? It's time to reclaim your life with elite and discreet premium psychotherapy with Dr. Gregory T. Obert;

Find your model health!
EP 426 Navigating Grief and Healing | A Conversation with Carole Murko.

Find your model health!

Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2026 49:43


In this episode, Carole Murko and I have an honest conversation about grief, healing, loss, heartache, and the different ways people process pain. We discuss navigating grief after loss, learning to cope with difficult emotions, and why healing looks different for everyone. I share my experience with grief and why silence felt overwhelming during my healing journey — how music, conversation, and constant connection helped me cope during one of the hardest seasons of my life. Carole shares her perspective while navigating her husband's cancer diagnosis and her mother's illness, and how silence, presence, and reflection have helped her process grief in a different way. In this conversation, we discuss: How people process grief differently Coping with grief and emotional pain Healing after loss and heartbreak The connection between grief and love Learning to be present during difficult seasons Mental and emotional healing Finding comfort through connection, silence, or reflection Grief has no timeline and no single “right way” to heal. Whether you need noise, silence, people, prayer, music, or space - healing is so deeply personal. If you are navigating grief, loss, heartbreak, or emotional pain, we hope this conversation helps you feel seen and understood. Please reach out if you need some support xo Carole Murko is a consultant for Dr Joe Dispenza's company Neuro Change Solutions, a Qigong instructor, herbalist, and nutrition coach. As the founder of Love.Eat.Heal, Carole champions the belief that true healing begins with self-love, conscious eating, and wellness practices such as breathwork, meditation, and journaling. Find out more and her work here; https://www.loveeatheal.com/ LinkedIn - carole-murko-2b310b Instagram - loveeatheal

Kung Fu Conversations
Chen Taiji Training with Feng Zhi Qiang, Zhang Xue Xin - J. Justin Meehan - Ep#105 - Interview #39

Kung Fu Conversations

Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2026 82:57


In this episode Randel and Owen talk with J. Justin Meehan about his martial journey and training Chen Taiji with Feng Zhi Quan, Zhang Xue Xin.From the ICMAC Hall of Fame website:"J. Justin Meehan has been training in martial arts since the 1960s, studying Taijiquan and Chinese Kung Fu Wu Shu (Siu Lum, Praying Mantis, Hung Gar, Wing Chun and weapons, especially straight sword). He is a St. Louis attorney and President of the Chinese Internal Arts Association and St. Louis Taoist Research and Resource Forum. He has studied Yang Taiji under William CC Chen and Yang Zheng-Duo (son of Yang Cheng-Fu) and Chen Taiji under Feng Zhiqiang, Chen Xiao Wang, Ma Hong, and Zhang Xue Xin. Meehan was a member of the first U.S. Sports Delegation to study the original Chen-style Taiji in Beijing, China. He has published more than 30 articles on Taiji in leading martial arts magazines. He has frequently been a chief judge for Chinese Martial Arts tournaments and has taught numerous students who have excelled in these competitions. He also teaches Qigong and has studied Buddhist, Taoist, Er Mei, Health Maintenance, and Hun Yuan systems."⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠Need More From Kung Fu Conversations (KFC)?⁠⁠⁠KFC Email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KFC Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KFC Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KFC Buy-Me-A-Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KFC Merch⁠⁠⁠Need Kung Fu Training?⁠⁠⁠Xingyi and Bagua in Colorado - Boulder Internal Arts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wing Chun in Colorado - Red Forest Chinese Boxing⁠⁠⁠#kungfupanda #taichi #kungfu #kungfuconversations #meditation #qigong #wingchun #baguazhang #fengzhiqiang

Girl Talk with Tay
Living Meditation, Longevity & Ancient Eastern Wellness Practices with Modern Meaning featuring Dr. Jenelle Kim

Girl Talk with Tay

Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2026 51:01


In this episode of Girl Talk with Tay, I sit down with Dr. Jenelle Kim, Doctor of Eastern Medicine, ninth generation practitioner, and author of The Korean Art of Living Well, for a conversation on longevity, mindfulness, and ancient wellness practices that support modern life.We discuss Jenelle's “Three M's” of wellness, medicine, movement, and mindset and how these pillars impact beauty, hormones, energy, and overall health. She explains the role of herbal medicine, supplementation, Qi Gong, and mindful nourishment, along with why “food is medicine” remains one of the foundations of wellness.Jenelle also introduces the concept of “living meditation,” which focuses on staying grounded and present throughout everyday life instead of only during formal meditation. She shares her “Three A's” framework, acknowledge, assess, and act as a practical approach for navigating stress, fear, uncertainty, and emotional overwhelm.We also talk about warming foods for circulation and hormonal balance, building resilience through movement and mindfulness, approaching fear differently, relationship harmony, and creating a more intentional way of living. Jenelle also shares insights from her nine generation Taoist lineage, her work formulating products for major retailers including Sephora, Ulta, and Whole Foods, and the inspiration behind her book.Such a grounding and insightful episode for anyone looking to support their wellness, mindset, and longevity in a more intentional way.xo, Tay⸻Follow Jenelle Kim!

The Grimerica Show
#761 - Dr. Edith Ubuntu Chan - Luminous Blindfold Vision | SuperWellness

The Grimerica Show

Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2026 114:40


Explore the extraordinary journey of Dr. Edith Ubuntu Chan as she shares her profound mystical experiences, the evolution of consciousness, and groundbreaking work in blindfold perception training for children and adults. This conversation reveals how innate human abilities can be awakened and expanded through science, metaphysics, and community. Dr. Edith Ubuntu Chan is a holistic medicine doctor, author, and human potential coach, creator of Luminous Blindfold Vision training, which activates our innate human ability to see beyond the physical senses.(She's also the creator of the Luminous Education Revolution, SuperWellness, and other consciousness expanding projects.)   https://dredithubuntu.com/ blindfold.vision   https://grimerica.ca/2020/09/16/447-caroline-cory/ https://www.superhumanfilm.com/ Key Topics: Dr. Edith's mystical experience in 2003 and its impact on her perspective of reality The journey from Chinese medicine and Qigong to consciousness exploration The development of blindfolded vision and remote viewing capabilities How children and adults can rapidly develop intuitive perception skills The role of community, co-facilitation, and advanced methodologies in accelerated learning Insights into the future of human evolution and innate superhuman abilities Practical applications of perception training in sports, arts, and everyday life The significance of addressing limiting beliefs, skepticism, and scientific validation   Become a Lord or Lady with 1k donations over time. And a Noble with any donation. Leave Serfdom behind and help Grimerica stick to 0 ads and sponsors and fully listener supported. Thanks for listening!! Help support the show, because we can't do it without ya. https://www.simulationmaps.com/#products Suite of Interactive Maps! DisasterMap, VolcanoSim, AsteroidSim, ShipwreckMap, UFOMap etc https://www.amazon.com/Unlearned-School-Failed-What-About/dp/1998704904/ref=sr_1_3?sr=8-3   Support the show directly: https://open.spotify.com/show/2punSyd9Cw76ZtvHxMKenI?si=ImKxfMHgQZ-oshl499O4dQ&nd=1&dlsi=4c25fa9c78674de3 Watch or Listen on Spotify https://grimericacbd.com/ CBD / THC Gummies and Tinctures http://www.grimerica.ca/support https://www.patreon.com/grimerica http://www.grimericaoutlawed.ca/support   Our audio book website: www.adultbrain.ca Check out our next trip/conference/meetup - Contact at the Cabin www.contactatthecabin.com www.grimerica.ca/shrooms and Micro Dosing Darren's book www.acanadianshame.ca Join the chat / hangout with a bunch of fellow Grimericans Https://t.me.grimerica grimerica.ca/chats   Discord Chats https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/grimerica-outlawed Sign up for our newsletter https://grimerica.substack.com/ SPAM Graham = and send him your synchronicities, feedback, strange experiences and psychedelic trip reports!! graham@grimerica.com Purchase swag, with partial proceeds donated to the show: www.grimerica.ca/swag Send us a postcard or letter http://www.grimerica.ca/contact/ Episode ART - Napolean Duheme's site http://www.lostbreadcomic.com/ MUSIC https://brokeforfree.bandcamp.com/ - Something Galactic Felix's Site sirfelix.bandcamp.com - Should I               Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Exploring consciousness and spiritual healing 00:39 - Dr. Edith's background in Chinese medicine and mystical experiences 02:17 - Reconciling practical life with multidimensional traveling 03:13 - Prosperity immersion and living in flow 04:35 - The collapsing system and building parallel solutions 05:46 - Mystical experience: the cosmic formlessness state 06:01 - Returning from infinity to physical form: emotional aftermath 07:11 - Becoming a truth seeker after the mystical event 09:45 - The awakening of perceptual abilities through Qigong 14:26 - Deep meditative state and cosmic unification experience 15:41 - Insights into the true nature of reality and self 19:35 - The awakening of innate human powers and limitations 23:53 - The evolution of blindfold vision training and child activation 27:58 - Conception of the future generation of children with advanced consciousness 33:22 - Practical demonstrations of blindfolded perception and remote viewing 36:56 - The scientific evidence and adult training programs 41:30 - How light, facial exposure, and mask materials influence perception 44:31 - Community, co-creation, and fast-tracked development of abilities 51:20 - Unlocking physical and metaphysical potential: strength, endurance, and beyond 55:38 - The limits of human capabilities and innate metaphysics 58:10 - The importance of physical training, nature, and domestication effects 58:29 - Scientific protocols for perception: masks and light exposure 62:20 - The future of consciousness expansion and metaphysical training 66:43 - Overcoming skepticism, limitations, and conditioned beliefs 68:31 - The role of self-love, fun, and play in perceiving superhuman abilities 69:01 - Qigong practices and community energy mastery 70:31 - Resources: Website, future facilitator programs, and ongoing projects      

TheOccultRejects
The Mechanics of Magick- Breath as the Threshold: Religion, Occult Discipline, and the Brain on Altered States

TheOccultRejects

Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2026 73:18 Transcription Available


If you enjoy this episode, we're sure you will enjoy more content like this on The Occult Rejects.  In fact, we have curated playlists on occult topics like grimoires, esoteric concepts and phenomena, occult history, analyzing true crime and cults with an occult lens, Para politics, and occultism in music. Whether you enjoy consuming your content visually or via audio, we've got you covered - and it will always be provided free of charge.  So, if you enjoy what we do and want to support our work of providing accessible, free content on various platforms, please consider making a donation to the links provided below.  Thank you and enjoy the episode!Links For The Occult Rejectshttps://linktr.ee/theoccultrejectsOccult Research Institutehttps://www.occultresearchinstitute.org/Cash Apphttps://cash.app/$theoccultrejectsVenmo@TheOccultRejectsBuy Me A Coffeebuymeacoffee.com/TheOccultRejectsPatreonhttps://www.patreon.com/TheOccultRejectsPrimary / traditional texts and core religious sourcesĀnāpānasati Sutta (MN 118), translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, Access to Insight. Best primary source for Buddhist mindfulness of breathing.“Ḏekr / Dhikr,” Encyclopaedia Iranica. Strong source for Sufi remembrance, rhythmic repetition, posture, and breathing-linked practice.“Hesychasm,” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Good general source for the Christian contemplative tradition of stillness, uninterrupted prayer, and the Jesus Prayer.“Saint Gregory Palamas,” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Useful for the role of bodily posture and controlled breathing in Hesychast prayer.Crowley, Aleister. Liber E vel Exercitiorum. Primary text for Crowley's explicit inclusion of “Pranayama – Regularisation of the Breathing” in occult training.Crowley, Aleister. Book Four, Part 1. Useful for Crowley's statement that pranayama is useful in “quieting the emotions and appetites.”Historical / religious context“Prana,” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Best short source for the deep Indian background: prāṇa, the five prāṇas, and breath as vital force.“Pranayama,” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Best short source for classical Yoga: pranayama as the fourth limb aimed toward samādhi.“Hatha Yoga,” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Useful for the force-oriented turn: bodily mastery, purification, and regulation of breathing.“Qi,” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Good for Daoist and Chinese background: qi as psychophysical energy and breath-linked vital force.“Qigong,” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Useful for qigong as a discipline combining movement, breathing, and mental concentration.“Are Kabbalistic Meditations all about Ecstasy?” in Hermes Explains (Cambridge). Strong academic source for Abraham Abulafia and ecstatic Kabbalah.“Classical Kabbalah, Its History and Symbolic Universe.” Useful academic source noting ecstatic Kabbalah's breathing exercises, postures, and developed techniques.Neuroscience / physiology / altered statesAshhad, Kam, Del Negro, and Feldman. “Breathing Rhythm and Pattern and Their Influence on Emotion.” Annual Review of Neuroscience (2022). One of the best overview papers for the whole episode.Yackle et al. “Breathing control center neurons that promote arousal in mice.” Science (2017). Key source for the preBötzinger complex / calm-vs-arousal section.Schottelkotte and Dutschmann. “Forebrain control of breathing: Anatomy and potential functions.” Frontiers in Neurology (2022). Best source for cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and thalamus in breathing control.Krohn et al. “The integrated brain network that controls respiration.” eLife (2023). Strong review for respiration as part of a larger integrated brain network.Heck et al. “Breathing as a fundamental rhythm of brain function.” Human MEG work on respiration-modulated brain oscillations across frequency bands and brain regions.(Note: the specific MEG paper surfaced in earlier research as the respiration-modulated oscillations study; the review sources above are the strongest anchors for that section.)Zelano et al. “Nasal Respiration Entrains Human Limbic Oscillations and Modulates Cognitive Function.” Journal of Neuroscience (2016). One of the most important human papers in the whole script.Schreiner et al. “Respiration modulates sleep oscillations and memory reactivation in humans.” Nature Communications (2023). Best source for the sleep-spindle / memory-reactivation section.Zaccaro et al. “How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psychophysiological Correlates of Slow Breathing.” Frontiers in Human Neuroscience / PMC version (2018). Best broad source for slow breathing under 10 breaths per minute.Shao, Man, and Lee. “The Effect of Slow-Paced Breathing on Cardiovascular and Emotion Functions: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.” Mindfulness (2024). Useful for the stabilizing-road section.Kozhevnikov et al. “Neurocognitive and Somatic Components of Temperature Increases during g-Tummo Meditation.” PLoS ONE (2013). Best source for vase breathing and inner-heat claims.Zhang et al. “Hyperventilation in neurological patients: from physiology to outcome evidence.” Useful source for hypocapnia, cerebral vasoconstriction, and reduced cerebral blood flow.Havenith et al. “Decreased CO2 saturation during circular breathwork supports emergence of altered states of consciousness.” Communications Psychology (2025). The key modern paper for circular breathwork and altered-state onset. Also want to remind people about the website, if you're into reading we have tons of information by multiple contributors, and we got t-shirts up on the site if you're interested. Fun fact, the art is all based on the eyeball. Now let me introduce the rest of the panel and guests.

Sleeping with Celebrities
A Lot of Work Goes Into Eliza Coupe's Spiritual Practice, But Not If You're Just Listening To It For Sleep Reasons

Sleeping with Celebrities

Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2026 41:46


Eliza Coupe is an actor who has appeared regularly on shows like Scrubs, where she was Dr. Denise “Jo” Mahoney, and Happy Endings, where she starred as Jane Kerkovich-Williams. She's also a person who lives much of the time in Joshua Tree, California, dedicating herself to a rather elaborate, daily, hours-long spiritual practice. We're going to let her go through all that effort while you simply lie back and listen to her smooth professional actor voice tell you all about it. Hear about her sauna suit, her collection of dogs, her supportive husband who would rather not join in on all this business, and the ever-transforming power of snakes. And we play a round of In The Cart Or On The Shelf with actual coupes. Listen to Miracle Tones, the music Eliza Coupe listens to, to unwind, focus, or just zone out, man, on Spotify. Hey Sleepy Heads, is there anyone whose voice you'd like to drift off to, or do you have suggestions on things we could do to aid your slumber? Email us at: sleepwithcelebs@maximumfun.org. Follow the Show on: Instagram @sleepwcelebs Bluesky @sleepwithcelebs TikTok @SleepWithCelebs John is on Bluesky @JohnMoe John's acclaimed, best-selling memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. _________________________________________________________________________ Join | Maximum Fun If you like one or more shows on MaxFun, and you value independent artists being able to do their thing, you're the perfect person to become a MaxFun monthly member. Go to www.maximumfun.org/joinsleeping for our one-stop portal to becoming a member and supporter of Sleeping with Celebrities. Thanks to everyone who participated in this year's MaxFunDrive! Still want to get in on the action? Follow this link to support this show (and get in on our limited-time keychain sale to benefit the Center for Constitutional Rights): https://maximumfun.org/joinsleeping

Optimal Performance Podcast
A Pro-AI Qi Gong Master And His Predictions For The Future Of Humanity

Optimal Performance Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2026 58:50


LEARN about Sean McCormick - seanmccormick.com Master Mingtong Gu is a Qigong Master, Teacher, Author and Futurist. You may be surprised to hear his thoughts on AI - I sure was. LEARN about Dry Fasting - dryfastwithfriends.com 00:00 Introduction to Qigong and Embodied Awakening 02:45 The Importance of Connection to the Body 05:46 The Role of Technology in Human Experience 08:25 Understanding AI and Its Implications 11:14 The Human Experience vs. Artificial Intelligence 14:17 Using AI as a Tool for Self-Discovery 17:18 The Future of Humanity in the Age of AI 29:54 The Reflection of Humanity in AI 30:48 Navigating AI's Role in Personal Growth 33:07 The Dangers of Over-Reliance on AI 37:16 Disconnection and the Human Experience 41:53 Embracing Discomfort for True Connection 46:46 Challenging Established Norms 53:04 Reconnecting with the Body LEARN about Sean McCormick - seanmccormick.com

The Drunken Boxing Podcast
The Drunken Boxing Podcast #067 - Jim Roselando

The Drunken Boxing Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2026 75:07


The Drunken Boxing Podcast #067 - Jim RoselandoSifu Jim Roselando has been involved in the martial arts for over twenty-five years. A 6th generation disciple of Pin Sun Wing Chun under Master Sifu Henry Mui, he is also the only American to have performed a disciple ceremony with the late Grandmaster Fung Chun. Jim is a devoted practitioner and teacher of Zhan Zhuang (post standing), Qigong and Yang Sheng life-nourishing methods, and he is the founder of both the MIT Qigong Club and Harvard Qigong Club. Through his Gulao Boxing Association, he serves as a key representative of Pin Sun Wing Chun in America and is known internationally as a Wing Chun researcher, historian, teacher, and columnist for Wing Chun Illustrated.Contact Sifu Jim Roselando:http://www.gulaoboxingassociation.com/---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * The SECRETS of XINGYI QUAN - Ep.11https://youtu.be/uhp07Ht-dEI* The Secrets of Xingyi Quan – Ep.12https://youtu.be/lq1ZUF_j1YY* Wang Ziping - Kung-Fu Explainedhttps://youtu.be/J_8aDpR3N6c* Bagua's Sixty-Four Hands - Learn Authentic Kung-Fu Applicationhttps://youtu.be/y7undW-hySg* Get Your Kung-Fu Swag - Premium Martial Arts Apparel & Equipmenthttps://youtu.be/NK6exuWqjss* Liang Style Bagua Zhang Volume One - Foundational Practices available through the Mu Shin Martial Culture Website: https://www.mushinmartialculture.com/shop/p/liang-style-bagua-zhang-vol1-paperback* New Shaolin Kung Fu and Shaolin Temple Apparel!https://www.mushinmartialculture.com/shop/p/shaolin-retro-nes-teehttps://www.mushinmartialculture.com/shop/p/shaolin-temple-retro-tee---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ⚫ Support this channel and all my projects: https://www.patreon.com/mushinmartialculture ⚫Give us a tip/donation: https://tinyurl.com/mu-shin-tip ⚫ Learn martial arts from me via my Hua Jin Online Learning Program available through the above listed Patreon platform. For more info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE1x_-jw-wQ ⚫ Check out my awesome merchandise!: https://www.mushinmartialculture.com/shop----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Drunken Boxing Podcast Anchor: https://anchor.fm/the-drunken-boxing-podcastRSS Feed: https://anchor.fm/s/d5c0c08/podcast/rssFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Drunken-Boxing-Podcast-801368680265940----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow Mushin Martial Culture: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mushinmartialculturceFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MushinmartialcultureTwitter: https://twitter.com/Mushin_MartialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mushinmartialculture/Podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-drunken-boxing-podcast----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music in this episode:White Bat Audioby Karl Casey @ White Bat AudioIntro/Outro Music Information: Artist: Mujo情 Track Title: Wu Dang Mountain Pt.2 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0vg08N1z9G9LrGLkG1nNDS?autoplay=true&v=ABandcamp: https://mujobeatz.bandcamp.com/album/hidden-forestInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mujobeatz/Used with permission from Mujo情

Lightworkers, Unite
Show 152: Feel the Force! Retreat in Sedona!

Lightworkers, Unite

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2026 28:53


What if the reset you've been craving isn't something you have to search for, but something you give yourself permission to receive? In this episode, Mayim & Manjeet invite you into the magic behind their upcoming “Feel the Force” Retreat in Sedona, a powerful, soul-nourishing experience designed to help you reconnect with your energy, your purpose, and your inner truth.  Set against the breathtaking red rocks and vortex energy of Sedona, this retreat isn't just a getaway it's a full-body, mind, and spirit activation. From sacred ceremonies to deep healing practices, this is your opportunity to step away from the noise of everyday life and step fully into your power. Whether you're feeling called to reset, recharge, or realign, this conversation will give you a glimpse into what's possible when you say yes to yourself.   In this episode, you'll hear: ✨ The story of how the Sedona retreat came together (and the divine timing behind it) ✨ Why Sedona's vortex energy is unlike anywhere else ✨ What “Feel the Force” really means and how it applies to your life ✨ A breakdown of the retreat experience from start to finish ✨ The powerful intention behind the “F words” (Flow, Freedom, Fulfillment, and more) ✨ Healing experiences like sound baths, Qigong, fire ceremonies, and energy work ✨ The importance of protecting and managing your energy as a lightworker ✨ VIP experiences, including boundary rituals, tea ceremonies, and energy healing ✨ How this retreat supports deep transformation, connection, and sisterhood ✨ Why this is your time to refill your cup and step back into alignment   This isn't just about attending a retreat, it's about remembering who you are. It's about giving yourself space to breathe, feel, heal, and expand into the next version of you.  If you've been feeling the pull, this might be your sign.   Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast! Spread the word and spread the light with Lightworkers Unite.   Follow them on Instagram: @mayumenmanjeet Watch the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lightworkersunitepodcast

Dharmaseed.org: dharma talks and meditation instruction

(Sumedharama Monastery (Casa de Oração Santa Rafaela Maria)) 00:34 Q1Can you say more about the nature of mind; 09:38 Can you explain one more time sati (mindfulness) being inside and outside and both inside and outside; 17:24 Q2 Can you speak about jhana. Some Thai forest teachers teach it and others won't mention it. 27:41 Q3 How to cultivate clarity of vision. 30:01 Q4 What is the difference between cause and effect and conditioning? 33:49 Q5 Do creativity and imagination help or can they be obstacles to the practice of Buddhism? 37:43 Q6 What is the role of practices like QiGong and yoga and spiritual life? 35:54 Q7 What can we do about physical and leg pain? 42:59 Q8 How can one deal with repeated negative thoughts? 50:16 Q9 I am concerned about good and evil in the world. Should one be taking up action against it? 51:42 Q10 What qualities or practices should we focus on as an anagarika (one who leaves the household life)? 54:28 Q11 What's a good thing to think about as the last thing before you sleep?

buddhism qigong ajahn sucitto
Dharma Seed - dharmaseed.org: dharma talks and meditation instruction

(Sumedharama Monastery (Casa de Oração Santa Rafaela Maria)) 00:34 Q1Can you say more about the nature of mind; 09:38 Can you explain one more time sati (mindfulness) being inside and outside and both inside and outside; 17:24 Q2 Can you speak about jhana. Some Thai forest teachers teach it and others won't mention it. 27:41 Q3 How to cultivate clarity of vision. 30:01 Q4 What is the difference between cause and effect and conditioning? 33:49 Q5 Do creativity and imagination help or can they be obstacles to the practice of Buddhism? 37:43 Q6 What is the role of practices like QiGong and yoga and spiritual life? 35:54 Q7 What can we do about physical and leg pain? 42:59 Q8 How can one deal with repeated negative thoughts? 50:16 Q9 I am concerned about good and evil in the world. Should one be taking up action against it? 51:42 Q10 What qualities or practices should we focus on as an anagarika (one who leaves the household life)? 54:28 Q11 What's a good thing to think about as the last thing before you sleep?

buddhism qigong ajahn sucitto
Kung Fu Conversations
Ep# 102- Interview #37 - Hai Yang - Qi Gong, Chen Taiji and Xingyi Training and Teaching pt2

Kung Fu Conversations

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2026 63:03


In this episode Randel and Owen continue their talk with Hai Yang about his martial journey, Qi Gong, Chen Taiji and Xingyi and training and teaching.From the Dao I Podcast:"Master Hai Yang, born and raised in Tianjin, China, began his Xing Yi training at the age of 6 under the guidance of his grandfather, Yang Qinglin, a disciple of Zhang Zhaodong. In his adolescent years, he also began practicing Cheng-style Ba Gua, Xing Yi - Ba Gua Palm, also under his grandfather's guidance, Chen-style Tai Chi from Master Ma Hong and his own uncle, Yang Fengwu, different practices of Qi Gong such as Zhineng and Wild Goose, and of course, Daoism. Till date, he has amassed close to 50 years worth of practice experience, almost 40 of which also include extensive teaching experience in China, Canada, the US, Europe, as well as online. Since May 2020, Master Yang has been regularly publishing lecture videos on his YouTube channel covering theoretical as well as practical aspects of the Internal Martial Arts, Daoism and Qi Gong.Master Yang founded the Daoist Arts Organization International (DAOI) a couple of years ago with the aim of bringing together practitioners in the community and elevating the overall standard of practice within the community."Contact Master Hai Yang:⁠YouTube⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠Daoist Arts Organization International (DAOI)⁠Need More From Kung Fu Conversations (KFC)?⁠⁠KFC Email⁠⁠⁠⁠KFC Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠KFC Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠KFC Buy-Me-A-Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠KFC Merch⁠⁠Need Kung Fu Training?⁠⁠Xingyi and Bagua in Colorado - Boulder Internal Arts⁠⁠⁠⁠Wing Chun in Colorado - Red Forest Chinese Boxing⁠⁠#kungfupanda #taichi #kungfu #kungfuconversations #meditation #qigong #haiyang #wingchun #baguazhang

Joe Drummer Boy

What if your consciousness… isn't actually in your brain?Robert Monroe didn't just talk about out-of-body experiences—he tested them. And in at least one bold experiment, the results suggested consciousness could be active outside the brain.In the early days of the Monroe Institute, physicist Tom Campbell and audio engineer Dennis Mennerich joined Monroe in controlled experiments using Hemi-Sync audio. They would lie in separate rooms, wearing headphones, entering deep “mind awake / body asleep” states.But the goal wasn't just to have an experience.

The Whole Body Detox Show
269.Qigong Healing Explained: How Reconnecting With Your Body Unlocks True Health & Inner Peace

The Whole Body Detox Show

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2026 67:47


Good morning and welcome to the show with David DeHaas from Living Waters Wellness Center. In this powerful and insightful episode, David is joined by world-renowned Qigong master Master Ming-Tong Gu, a respected healer and teacher who has helped bring ancient energy healing practices to a global audience.In this conversation, Master Gu shares his deeply personal journey—from suffering severe asthma, scoliosis, and hardship during his early life in China, to discovering Qigong and ultimately healing himself through dedicated practice. Trained at one of the largest “medicineless” Qigong hospitals in the world, he now teaches how the body, mind, and energy are all interconnected—and how true healing begins from within.This episode dives into the core principles of Qigong, including: The connection between physical illness and emotional trauma  Why many chronic conditions may stem from deeper energetic imbalances  The concept of “living above the neck” and how disconnection from the body affects health  How movement, breath, sound, and visualization can activate the body's natural healing ability  The role of energy (qi) in restoring balance across physical, emotional, and spiritual levels Master Gu emphasizes that healing is not just about treating symptoms, but about reconnecting with your body, releasing stored stress and trauma, and awakening your inner “medicine.” This integrative approach goes beyond traditional methods by addressing the root causes of imbalance—helping individuals experience greater clarity, peace, and vitality.Whether you're exploring natural healing, dealing with chronic illness, or seeking a deeper understanding of mind-body connection, this episode offers practical insights and transformative perspectives.Related Episodes https://www.wholebodydetoxshow.com/163-healing-the-unseen-within-creating-peace-and-resilience-with-heart-coherence-with-dr-deborah-r/To learn more about holistic health programs, detox support, and wellness resources, visit: Living Waters Wellness Center David DeHaas 855 S Curtis Rd Boise, ID, 83705 OfSupport the showReady for your healing journey?Visit our website: www.LivingWatersCleanse.com Or give us a call at: (208) 378-9911Stem Cell Activation Patches:www.StemCellPatch.netGet your Supplements and Natural Body Products Here:www.livingwaterscleanse.com/supplementsQI-Shield EMF Devices:Protect your whole home or office with a touric shield from EMF's. 1. QI Shield Covers 16'x16'2. QI Home Covers 50' x 50'3. QI Max Covers 250'x250'Click on link and enter Livingwaters in discount code section during checkoutMagnesium Soaks:Follow us on our socials: Living Waters Wellness CenterBitChute: www.bitchute.com/livingwaterswellnessRumble: www.rumble.com/living...

And That's Why We Drink
E479 Tonsil Hockey Olympics and Flying Pig Yoga

And That's Why We Drink

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2026 124:16


Welcome to episode 479 where we're closing the loops and learning the difference between hockey at the summer vs winter Olympics AFTER purchasing tickets! First Em brings us hopefully the finale of the Zak Bagans Cinematic Universe series that has been haunting us with part two of the Old Washoe Club. Then Christine brings us another finale in part two of the story of the disappearance of Dorothy Arnold. And please join us in visiting the Cincinnati YMCA website for Christine's podcast promo at Qigong class... and that's why we drink!It just takes a few minutes to sign up. Head to https://Chime.com/drinkShop plans at https://mintmobile.com/ATWWDFind candidates who really want YOUR job on ZipRecruiter. Try it for FREE at https://ziprecruiter.com/DRINKGo to https://hellofresh.com/drink10fm to get 10 free meals plus a free Nutribullet® Ultra Plus+ 2-in-1 Compact Kitchen System on your 3rd box; new subscribers only, must order the 3rd box by May 31st, 2026.Get 30% off sitewide at https://hellobatch.com , including subscriptions, with code DRINK at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MAX WELLNESS
EP.53 - 93 ans de vie : une conversation avec mon grand-père sur ce qui compte vraiment

MAX WELLNESS

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2026 37:18 Transcription Available


Send us Fan MailAujourd'hui, c'est un épisode un peu différent.Je me suis assis avec mon grand-père, Gérard Lavoie, qui aura bientôt 93 ans, pour une conversation simple, humaine et intemporelle.On parle de son enfance à Montréal dans les années 30–40, d'une époque où les chevaux livraient la nourriture, où la vie était plus lente, plus communautaire… et profondément différente.On plonge aussi dans ses souvenirs de la guerre, sa vision de la santé, de la famille, de la spiritualité… et surtout, de ce qui compte vraiment avec le recul du temps.Ce n'est pas un épisode structuré comme les autres, mais plutôt un moment à part — rempli d'histoires, de mémoire et de sagesse vécue.J'espère que cette conversation vous touchera autant que moi.Bonne écoute!  :)00:00 — Une autre époque : chevaux, marché Maisonneuve et vie simple 02:20 — Montréal dans les années 40 : une vie plus lente et communautaire 04:45 — La guerre : peur, mariages et blackouts 06:00 — Grandir pendant la guerre : journaux et prisonniers 08:15 — Une vie active : sport, mouvement et discipline 09:10 — Le pouvoir du sourire 12:00 — Vieillir et s'adapter physiquement 13:15 — Qi Gong, respiration et présence 14:00 — Alimentation simple et sans excès 14:30 — Regarder les nuages : retour à l'essentiel 15:10 — Une enfance créative sans technologie 16:30 — Foi, épreuves et résilience 17:25 — L'amour, le couple et les épreuves 18:00 — Le bonheur : “c'est vous autres” 19:50 — “Tout s'arrange” : philosophie de vie 21:40 — Lâcher prise sur le stress 23:40 — Être parent : confiance et présence 25:30 — Le monde d'aujourd'hui et le manque de bonheur 26:30 — Les beaux côtés du monde moderne 28:45 — Corps, respiration et état d'esprit 30:15 — Peur, médias et futur 31:50 — De quoi est-il le plus fier 33:20 — Message aux prochaines générations 33:50 — Ses principes de vie 35:00 — Comment il souhaite qu'on se souvienne de luiUnytii.com | 15% de rabais sur tous vos achats | Code: MW15Support the showProgramme MAX Wellness - Liste d'attente (automne 2025)

You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist
208. How Sweet, Sensitive Boys Enter the Porn-Addiction-to-Transgender Pipeline | Shane Cole

You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2026 91:43


If you have a son, this conversation is essential listening. I'm welcoming back Shane Cole, breathwork practitioner and men's coach, who first appeared in episode 149, where we broke down what parents need to know about sissy hypnosis pornography. This time, we go even deeper. One of the things I'm most passionate about tackling here is the dangerous myth that sweet, sensitive, smart boys are somehow immune to porn addiction. Shane is living proof that the opposite can be true — and that this particular profile of boy may in fact be especially vulnerable, for reasons we explore in depth.We walk through the architecture of how sissy hypnosis pornography works: how it enters through mainstream platforms using innocuous images, then systematically eroticizes male insecurity using professional-grade hypnosis techniques, binaural beats, and repeated mantras designed to take young viewers into deeply suggestible trance states. This is not content a boy can simply "turn off" — and we make the case for why that framing fundamentally misunderstands the neuroscience involved.We also get into territory I think the gender-critical community need to be taking far more seriously: the role of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the environment and how they may be contributing to skyrocketing rates of gender dysphoria. I share my perspective — tinfoil hat and all — on why normalizing trans identity as an "identity to be affirmed" may function as a convenient cover for the very industries that are poisoning us. And I make the case that parental guilt and ideological defensiveness are getting in the way of an honest reckoning with this data.From there, Shane lays out a compelling and deeply personal vision of his alternative path, including semen retention, Qigong, meditation, breathwork, and a sense of masculine purpose directed outward toward the world. We contrast the easy-now-hard-later escape of estrogen and porn with the hard-now-easy-later path of character, and Shane speaks directly to the young men who are standing at that crossroads right now.Shane Cole is a trauma-informed breathwork facilitator and founder of Inspiratus Breathwork. After studying psychology at the University of Southern California and completing a nine-month, trauma-informed breathwork facilitator training program, he travels the country to musical festivals and retreats teaching breathwork. With Inspiratus, he creates sacred spaces for humans to cultivate purpose, positivity, and presence through his research-backed approach to breathwork. Throughout his life, he struggled with gender dysphoria and an addiction to sissy hypnosis pornography. After traditional talk therapy did not assist or even want to address the issues he faced, he turned to alternative solutions. Using breathwork, meditation, IFS therapy, psychedelic-assisted therapy, and men's work, he was able to free himself from his addiction, come back to his masculinity, and reclaim his innocence. He is now on a mission to bring breathwork practices to clients struggling with gender dysphoria and pornography addiction. To work with Shane, join the EDM Breathwork Council.Follow him on Instagram @breathingwithshane and @edmbreathworkBooks Mentioned in This Episode:-Countdown by Dr. Shanna Swan-Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill[00:00:00] Start[00:03:00] Why Sweet, Sensitive Boys Are Vulnerable to Porn Addiction[00:06:34] What Is Sissy Hypnosis Pornography[00:14:40] How the Content Escalates into Full Hypnosis Videos[00:19:25] Why "Just Turn It Off" Fundamentally Misses the Point[00:26:47] Breathwork and Reclaiming Your Dopamine System[00:28:44] Male Sexual Energy: A Powerful Force[00:33:23] Testosterone Decline and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals[00:40:57] Semen Retention, Qigong, and Channeling Purpose[00:50:55] Why Estrogen Feels Like a Solution to Young Men[00:54:10] Reclaiming Anger as Vital Energy[00:56:26] Alexithymia and the Allure of Synthetic Emotions[01:04:53] The Anima, Autogynephilia, and Real Relationship[01:13:00] Hard Now, Easy Later: The Path of Character[01:17:24] A Message to Young Men Standing at the CrossroadsROGD REPAIR Course + Community gives concerned parents instant access to over 120 lessons providing the psychological insights and communication tools you need to get through to your kid. Now featuring 24/7 personalized AI support implementing the tools with RepairBot! Use code SOMETHERAPIST2026 to take 50% off your first month.PODCOURSES: use code SOMETHERAPIST at LisaMustard.com/PodCoursesTALK TO ME: book a meeting.PRODUCTION: Looking for your own podcast producer? Visit PodsByNick.com and mention my podcast for 20% off your initial services.SUPPORT THE SHOW: subscribe, like, comment, & share or donate.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order.MUSIC: Thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude & permission. ALL OTHER LINKS HERE. To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at

Dharmaseed.org: dharma talks and meditation instruction
Jaya Rudgard: Talk - Mindfulness of Body and Qi Gong

Dharmaseed.org: dharma talks and meditation instruction

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2026 46:40


The Health Fix
Episode 604: Using peptides & bioregulators to speed up gut health protocols with Dr. Jannine Krause

The Health Fix

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2026 39:53


What if your gut issues are simpler to solve than you think? In this solo episode, Dr. Jannine Krause dives deep into the science and history of peptides, gut repair, and the overlooked role of circulation and movement in digestive health. From bioregulator peptides to East Asian medicine principles, this episode connects ancient wisdom with cutting-edge research to help you get real results. In this episode you'll learn: The history and science of peptides plus why they're finally getting the attention they deserve The difference between research peptides, bioregulator peptides and pharmacetical weight loss peptides (aka GLPs) Why Tai Chi and Qi Gong circulation movements are non-negotiable for gut health How adding in peptides and bioregulators support your microbiome and repair your gut lining in a way no one is talking about Practical ways to use peptide bioregulators for specific organ support Why overeating and chronic stress are silently overloading your gut Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction to The Health Fix Podcast & Peptides 00:59 – Understanding Peptides and Their Importance 10:52 – The Gut: Foundation of Health 22:02 – Circulation and Its Role in Gut Health 29:34 – Peptide Bioregulators: A New Approach 37:44 – The Future of Gut Health and Probiotics Resources Mentioned: BioLongevity Labs Limitless Biotech Peptides Designs for Health - Anaerostipes probiotic  21 Day Cleanse Protocol by Standard Process Key Takeaways: ✔ Cycle peptides to avoid overstimulation ✔ Rotational movements, breathwork & abdominal massage support gut circulation ✔ Research your options and demand better results from your health care Connect with Dr. Jannine Krause:

Anthony Metivier's Magnetic Memory Method Podcast
How to Think on Your Feet: The Complete Training System for Mental Agility Under Pressure

Anthony Metivier's Magnetic Memory Method Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2026 101:31


If you want to know how to think on your feet, you need to understand something most advice on this topic gets wrong: Thinking on your feet is not a talent. It's a trained response. And the training required goes far deeper than memorizing a few “power phrases” or practicing small talk at networking events. Real mental agility, by which I mean the kind that serves you in a boardroom, on a stage, in a heated conversation, and even in physical danger, is something you earn. And to earn it requires systematic preparation across multiple domains. I know this because I've spent decades training for exactly these moments. As a university professor, I've lectured in multiple languages to rooms of students who didn't always want to be there. And to get my PhD, I had to sit for a dissertation defense in a room where some of the examiners delighted in throwing hardball questions. As a performing musician, I've improvised solos on stages where the set list changed mid-show. While performing card magic, I've recovered from botched tricks in front of audiences who were actively trying to catch me out. And as a martial arts practitioner, I've used my training to escape three real-world physical confrontations without throwing a single punch. Then there was my TEDx Talk where I had to make real time adjustments when the audience failed to even smile at my scripted laugh lines, but chuckled substantially during parts I had not planned to be funny. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqtDy68-gkY How to Think on Your Feet: The Complete Training System for Mental Agility Under Pressure What I've learned across all of these experiences is that every domain of “thinking on your feet” shares one foundational requirement. It's not intelligence. It's not quick wit. It's often not even confidence. Rather, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that thinking quickly and responding in the best possible way comes down to the systematic reduction of ego. That might sound philosophical, but it's intensely practical. And it will become the thread that connects everything in this guide. From how to recall information instantly in a conversation to how to physically escape a threatening situation without freezing. Here's what we'll cover today: Part 1: Why “Thinking on Your Feet” Is a Trained Skill, Not a Personality Trait Part 2: The Ego Problem (Why Your Self-Image Is Your Biggest Obstacle) Part 3: Mental Recall Under Pressure (How to Access What You Know When It Matters) Part 4: Verbal Agility (How to Sound Smart, Pivot, and Recover in Conversation) Part 5: Performance Under Pressure (Lessons from Music, Magic, and the Stage) Part 6: Physical Composure (How to React When Your Safety Is at Stake) Part 7: Daily Training Exercises for Mental Agility Part 8: Loading Your Mind (Why What You Memorize Determines How Well You Think) Part 9: The Paradox of Mental Silence Let’s dive in with why most people struggle with the skill of spontaneously responding in optimal ways in the first place. Why “Thinking On Your Feet” Is a Trained Skill, Not a Personality Trait As Freud pointed out, civilization is not our natural state. In Das Unbehagen in der Kultur, which is usually translated as Civilization and Its Discontents, he argues that much of our inner tension comes from how our social training represses our instincts. “Discontents” is not really a great translation for the title of this book. “Unbehagen” means something more like “unease” or “discomfort.” And since languages and skills are something we learn, we literally have to undergo a process of discomfort to learn most things. That's not a political statement. It's a neurological one. Your brain's implicit memory system, the part that handles automatic behaviors, gut reactions, and how you repeat social patterns on autopilot, was shaped by millennia of environments that looked nothing like a conference room or a dinner party. It was shaped by physical survival, tribal dynamics, and the need to read danger before it arrives. This means that when you're put on the spot in a modern context, your brain defaults to patterns it learned through observation, not through deliberate training. And those patterns were modelled on the people around you growing up. Especially in contexts like: Being asked a question you weren't expecting Getting challenged during a meeting Having someone force you to improvise a presentation at school or work In such situations, you might find yourself freezing under pressure and not realizing that you’re actually repeating how you saw a parent go cold when you were young. Or you might find yourself getting defensive in arguments the way a sibling did, or going blank during presentations based on someone else’s blip you observed. When you repeat this behavior yourself, it’s not a character flaw. That's implicit memory doing exactly what it was designed to do: replicate observed behavior. And if you’re reading this and don’t have problems thinking on your feet, chances are that you were a lucky observer of someone who could when you were young. Combatting Implicit Memory’s Hold with Reconsolidation The problem is that your default patterns are not optimized for the situations modern life throws at you. They're survival patterns, not performance patterns. Since you’ve learned to react like those you’ve observed instead of how you’d prefer to act as a fully realized being in this world, what can you do? Fortunately, quite a bit. Neuroscientists call the mechanism behind how you can shift the hold of implicit memory on your behavior memory reconsolidation. Here’s how memory reconsolidation works in brief: Every time you recall a memory, it temporarily destabilizes. Researchers call this destabilization a “labile state.” And while the memory is transitioning, the memory can be modified before your brain stores it again. This includes modifying behavioral patterns, not just facts. So when you clam up after being put on the spot and then reflect on what happened, that freezing response is briefly open to revision. This process was first demonstrated in landmark research by Karim Nader and Joseph LeDoux at NYU, which you can read about in Memory Reconsolidation. As part of their investigation, Nader and LeDoux demonstrated that even deeply encoded fear memories could be altered during reconsolidation. Unlocking Transformation Bruce Ecker and colleagues later applied this principle therapeutically. I recommend their discussion in Unlocking the Emotional Brain: Memory Reconsolidation and the Psychotherapy of Transformational Change. As you’ll read, they discovered how long-held emotional patterns can be rewritten. Not through willpower, but through a specific process of activating the old pattern, introducing a contradictory experience, and allowing the brain to re-encode. Monica Khosla explores a parallel idea in The First and Last Belief. This fascinating book is written by someone who experiences non-dual states similar to those I shared in The Victorious Mind: How to Master Memory, Meditation and Mental Well-Being. Khosla discusses how our earliest family-formed beliefs become the templates for how we respond under pressure as adults. Her work in family therapy suggests that these templates aren’t permanent fixtures. Rather, they’re “reconsolidatable,” provided you understand how they were formed and deliberately create new experiences that contradict them. This is precisely what the training in the guide you’re reading now is designed to do. Every exercise, every practice, every discipline I’ll share works by activating your default pattern (the freeze, the defensive reaction, the blank stare) and replacing it with a trained alternative in the moment it’s most labile. The Catch But there’s a catch. There’s always a catch, isn’t there? The pattern that most resists reconsolidation is your self-image. It’s also your self-image that most aggressively defends itself against change. People literally argue for hours with therapists that they cannot change. I know because I made this argument myself for years in front of my own therapists. This is precisely why thinking on your feet requires training. You cannot simply decide to be quicker, calmer, or more articulate under pressure. You have to deliberately replace your default patterns with trained responses. And use deliberate practice to ensure those responses become the new default. The training looks different depending on the context: In conversation and debate, it means learning frameworks for organizing thoughts rapidly and practicing with real people. In professional settings, it means memorizing key information so thoroughly that recall becomes effortless, freeing your mind to think rather than search. On stage or in front of an audience, it means thousands of hours of performance practice that builds a reservoir of recoveries and pivots you can draw on automatically. In physical danger, it means martial arts or self-defense training that bypasses conscious thought entirely and produces trained physical reactions. Each of these contexts has its own training methods. But they all share the same underlying principle: the trained response must be so deeply encoded that it fires before your conscious mind has time to interfere. The single biggest source of that interference? Your ego. But never fear. As big of a problem as the ego can be, you’re going to learn how to solve and resolve it. Part 2: The Ego Problem (Why Your Self-Image Is Your Biggest Obstacle) Here's the uncomfortable truth that almost no “how to think on your feet” article will tell you: The reason most people freeze, fumble, or fail under pressure is not that they lack information or intelligence. It's that they're managing their self-image at the same time as they're trying to perform. They experience serious cognitive drain as a result. Why? Well, when you're in a meeting and someone asks you a question you don't know the answer to, your mind doesn't just process the question. If your ego is not well-managed, your mind simultaneously processes: “What will they think of me if I don't know? Will I look incompetent? How do I maintain my status?” That parallel processing consumes the very cognitive resources you need for actual thinking. The Additional Cognitive Drain of Fantasizing Your Own Wit The psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan made an observation that I've found profoundly useful in this context. He once pointed out that our fantasies are almost always better than the reality. For example, when we fantasize about being the quick-witted person everyone admires, we're constructing an idealized self-image that the real moment can never live up to. At least not all the time. You’ve probably heard the phrase “the gods have clay feet.” Well, spend enough time with accomplished performers, and you’ll start to see why. No one always has: the perfect response the devastating comeback the elegant pivot But we fantasize that some people do. And then when we don't perform like our fantasy, we experience not just the failure of the moment, but also a painful collapse of our self-image. That's why a stumble in a presentation can feel catastrophic even when the audience barely notices. The ego is experiencing a much larger injury than the situation warrants. How to Reduce Ego Before It Costs You There’s no quick fix for the ego. And ego reduction exercises so you can respond with greater self-satisfaction in the moment require: Practice in advance Consistent application in a variety of situations And in a variety of ways until responding off the top of your head from a clear mind becomes your default orientation. Then you maintain the practices that get you the spontaneous mastery you want over time. Here is a powerful place to start. Practice Stoic Premeditation The Stoics called it premeditatio malorum or negative visualization. Basically, you deliberately imagine everything that could go wrong related to the situations that regularly require your response. If you regularly visualize yourself going blank in a meeting, stumbling through a presentation, or being publicly corrected, the actual event loses its power to destabilize you. You've already experienced the worst in your imagination. The real version is almost always milder. It’s the flipside of the point from Lacan we discussed above. You’ve now made the reality much better than the fantasy. Modify the Classic Stoic Exercise You can modify premeditatio malorum in two key ways. I suggest you experiment with both techniques I’m about to describe. One: Transform Old Memories of a Disastrous Performance First, you can excavate through your memory to find situations you recall where things have already been bad for you. Then, you can “cleanse” those memories by placing them in a “Happy Memory Palace.” The scientific basis for this process comes from research showing promise in therapy for trauma, such as this study of memory reconsolidation specific to declarative memory. And there is the now classic Tim Dalgleish-headed research on using Memory Palaces or the method of loci for successfully reducing depression. For more on this kind of research, the following livestream replay gives you an exact exercise and more about the memory science behind the positive outcomes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs9UHz4pVuM In terms of how I’ve used this approach personally, I sometimes wince at one particular memory from when I sang a song during show-and-tell one morning when I was in grade two. I don’t know why I used to feel embarrassed when the memory would arise as an adult, but I could feel the sting in my cheeks. And later when I first started sharing the Sanskrit phrases I’ve memorized, that little flush of shame would arise again. So to forgive that kid whatever my memory was holding against him for his squeaky little voice, I turned the classroom into a Memory Palace and used it to memorize a delightful poem. From the point that I finished learning the poem (you can learn the process from this poetry memorization guide), I can think of that episode without that old embarrassment reviving any of its sting. And I’ve used this approach to transform other lingering memories I don’t like as well, something I’ll share more in-depth in a forthcoming book. Releasing old negative memories that involve shame makes me feel more spontaneous. And I’m confident you’ll enjoy a similar benefit too. Two: Memorize Stoic Quotes Memorizing poetry is one thing, but it takes time. You can commit quotes to memory a lot faster. I share one of my favorite quotes from Seneca in this YouTube short, one that took only a few minutes to memorize, even though it’s in Latin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISvX0-CfRkk I found this quote in Kevin Vost’s Memorize the Stoics! Although it’s not on my list of best Memory Palace Books, it provides a great look at memory training through a Stoic lens. And Vost is right: The value of having ancient wisdom on tap cannot be exaggerated. Not just for correcting your ego. You’ll also find that you have more things to say when pressed to speak on the spot. Things that have stood the test of time. Meditate Specifically for Ego Reduction Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now, often says in his talks that if you are empty of thought, you don’t have to worry about what to say next during a conversation. You’ll spontaneously produce the best possible reply. I often wondered how it was possible to empty my mind of thoughts until I encountered Gary Weber’s Happiness Beyond Thought and Evolving Beyond Thought amongst other works. Although Weber’s full program requires a fair amount of time, it’s worth it for the mental space and spontaneity you’ll enjoy. Two Other Tactics for Detaching From Your Ego for Greater Spontaneity While you’re experimenting with Stoicism, here are two other tactics to explore. They’re both counterintuitive, but powerful. Embrace ignorance as a position of strength Saying “I don't know, but I'll find out” is not a failure. It's a demonstration of intellectual honesty that most people find more impressive than an imaginary answer. If your ego tells you that not knowing something is a form of weakness, push back. Admitting when you don’t know something and then doing some research and following up, builds trust at the same time as it builds your knowledge base. Detach from Needing Any Particular Outcome Your job in any high-pressure moment is not to be brilliant. It's to be present and responsive. Almost as if there is no “you” longing to be perceived in any particular way. Or desiring things to play out for or against you. When you stop trying to produce the perfect response and instead focus on actually hearing the question, understanding the situation, and responding honestly, the quality of your thinking improves dramatically. And it happens largely because you've freed up the cognitive resources consumed by your egotistical needs. You’ll also enjoy your perception of the present moment much more. Part 3: Mental Recall Under Pressure (How to Access What You Know When It Matters) One of the most common experiences of “not thinking on your feet” is this: You know the information, but you can't access it in the moment. You know your mind possesses the answer. But the pressure of the situation has locked the door. There's a neurological explanation for this. Researcher Amy Arnsten has documented how stress signalling pathways in the prefrontal cortex effectively shut down under acute stress. As we know from studies in anxiety-induced memory loss, during stress, the amygdala takes prominence over the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for working memory, reasoning, and flexible thinking. As a result, your brain redirects resources toward fight-or-flight responses that are useful for physical survival but terrible for articulate speech. This is a major reason why you can know something perfectly in a calm environment and go completely blank when asked about it in front of an audience or in a heated discussion. The information hasn't disappeared. Your brain has simply redirected resources away from the systems that retrieve it. The Alphabet Retrieval Technique When I suddenly can't recall something (a name, a fact, a point I wanted to make), I have a technique that works more often than I'd expect: I mentally run through the alphabet from A to Z. It doesn’t always bring back the information. But the technique works often enough to make it a reliable first move, hitting the correct first letter while scanning through the alphabet triggers the retrieval. When it works, it’s because the first letter acts as a cue that unlocks the rest of the word or thought. It’s also the basis of how associative memory operates. As Dr. Gary Small has explained, your brain stores information in networks that somewhat resemble neighborhoods. And the first letter of a word is often enough of a “key” to unlock the door on a full node of information. It's the same principle behind why a song's opening notes can bring back the entire melody. Or how just a word or two of a lyric can bring back an entire verse. The “Let It Go” Retrieval Technique If scanning the alphabet doesn't work, the next best strategy is counterintuitive: Stop trying. In other words, deliberately release any attempt to search your mind for the content. Instead, move on to the next point, the next topic, the next question. Often, within 5–10 minutes, the information you were grasping for will come racing back to mind. This form of recall happens because your subconscious continues processing the retrieval request even after your conscious mind has moved on. Releasing the conscious effort actually accelerates the process, because you've removed the stress that was blocking retrieval in the first place. The Anti-Digital Amnesia Discipline You Need In order to ensure your memory gets stronger over time, you need to break the habit of immediately reaching for your phone or a search engine when you fail to recall something. Every time you outsource mental retrieval to a computer, you weaken the neural pathways that perform recall. You're training your brain that it doesn't need to do the work — and over time, it stops trying. This is the phenomenon I've written about as digital amnesia, and it's one of the most insidious threats to mental agility in the modern world. Preloading: The Real Solution to In-the-Moment Recall Both alphabetical retrieval and simply letting go are recovery strategies. They're useful when recall fails. But the real solution to thinking on your feet is to ensure that recall rarely fails in the first place. This is where a variety of memory training techniques enter the picture. Not as gimmicks, but as the foundational infrastructure for mental agility. The Memory Palace Technique Using Memory Palaces provides a core means of preloading information into your mind. Because this technique allows you to encode very large amounts of information, retrieval under pressure becomes qualitatively different from trying to recall something you passively read or heard. You literally own that information, forwards and backwards. It works because the spatial structure of the Memory Palace gives your brain a retrieval path that works even when the prefrontal cortex is under stress, because spatial memory is processed partly by the hippocampus. This is a different system than the one stress shuts down. In practical terms: If you've memorized the key points of a presentation using a Memory Palace, you don't need to “remember” them under pressure. You just mentally walk to the next room. The information is there, waiting. But it’s not merely attached to a place you know as well as your own home. It has also entered long-term memory. To learn this approach, check out The Memory Palace Technique: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide. Memory Wheels and the Art of Combination Retrieving facts, quotes, even entire passages under pressure is one thing. But what about those moments when you need to synthesize information on the spot? Such as when someone poses a complex question and the right answer isn’t a single piece of information but a combination of ideas you need to assemble in real time? This is where most people’s recall fails them entirely. They might remember one relevant point, but they can’t pull together the three or four ideas needed to construct a substantive response on the spot. I use a technique for this that dates back to the 13th-century philosopher Ramon Llull, later refined by the Renaissance memory master Giordano Bruno. It’s called ars combinatoria or the art of combination. It works by pre-organizing your knowledge onto mental structures called memory wheels so that you can rotate through ideas rapidly and recombine them in novel ways during live situations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Opmb-mU-KPI Here’s the simplest version of how it works in practice: Imagine a circle in your mind with the letters A through Z arranged around it. For each letter, you’ve pre-assigned a thinker, a framework, or a principle you know well. A might be Aristotle. B might be a breathing technique. C might be a core value you hold. M might be Marcus Aurelius. S might be the Stoic concept of premeditatio malorum. When a difficult question hits you in conversation, instead of grasping for one perfect answer, you mentally spin the wheel. Instead of searching randomly for something to say, you approach the task of coming up with something to say by scanning an organized inventory of your best thinking. Because you’ve pre-loaded and spatially arranged all of it, your mind can traverse what you’ve already learned quickly. Memory Wheel Example One of my favorite Memory Wheels is populated with philosophers (one for each letter of the alphabet). When I’m confronted with a complex topic, I rotate through and consider what Aristotle would say and then move on through as many philosophers as I like, all the way to Zizek for Z. I know this technique sounds elaborate and it requires having read the best philosophy books, but once you have a Memory Wheel built and practiced, the rotation takes seconds. Here’s a rapid fire discussion with a few more examples from one of my YouTube shorts from the road in Brisbane: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/29nOib2ZS_4 Please don’t overlook this technique. It produces responses that are genuinely multi-perspectival, not just whatever my default opinion happens to be. The deeper history of this technique and detailed instructions for building your own memory wheels are covered in my full guide to Ramon Llull’s memory wheel method. But the principle you can apply immediately upon developing your own memory wheels is this: If you pre-organize your knowledge into a spatial structure rather than leaving it scattered across your memory, you gain the ability to not just recall individual facts under pressure but to combine and recombine ideas on the fly. That is the difference between someone who can answer a question and someone who can think through a problem in real time. It’s not speed without purpose. It’s architecture with a sense of direction based on the shoulders of giants. Part 4: Verbal Agility (How to Sound Smart, Pivot, and Recover in Conversation) Verbal agility isn't about having a quick tongue. It's about having a calm mind with a deep well of material to draw from. The people who seem effortlessly articulate in conversation are rarely making it up on the spot. They're drawing on vast reserves of pre-loaded knowledge, practiced frameworks, and rehearsed transitions. What looks like spontaneous brilliance is actually the visible tip of an enormous iceberg of preparation. Frameworks for Organizing Your Thoughts Rapidly When someone throws a topic at you and you need to respond coherently, having a mental framework prevents the rambling that makes people sound unprepared. Here are several that work, provided you practice using them before they’re required in real-life situations: The PREP Framework PREP stands for: Point Reason Example Point It’s a very powerful formula to practice during debates as well as in conversation. When using PREP, you state your position, give one reason, illustrate with one example, then restate your position. This takes 30–60 seconds and helps keep your replies structured without sounding rehearsed. The WRAP Technique I learned this one from Chip and Dan Heath's Decisive. WRAP stands for: Widen your options Reality-test your assumptions Attain distance before deciding Prepare to fail I placed WRAP on a memory wheel and demonstrate how to run through it mentally in this ars combinatoria video tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cYDmaBXvJg What to Do When You're Stumped Even with the frameworks we just discussed or tactics like running through the alphabet, you will experience situations where you simply don't have a response. Here are more strategies you can try. Pause Peacefully Although falling silent can feel painful when you first start practicing it, rest assured that it barely registers to the person listening. And in many cases, a two or three-second pause before responding signals thoughtfulness, not ignorance. Most people rush to fill silence because their ego can't tolerate appearing slow. But a measured pause followed by a substantive response is always more impressive than a rushed response followed by backtracking. Seek Clarification There’s nothing wrong with asking people: “Can you say more about what you mean by that?” or “Are you asking about X or Y specifically?” Such questions will not stall the conversation. It's genuine intellectual engagement, and it often reveals avenues for further conversation that would not be revealed any other way. Use the Truth You might not know this, but many people find it refreshing when someone admits that something is outside of their area. Nir Eyal did that on my podcast a few years ago and I’ve never forgotten his willingness to “stay in his lane,” as he put it. The best part? Nobody penalizes honest uncertainty and a request to move on if you really don’t have a settled opinion on some matter or any expertise. Practice Physical Awareness Sometimes when we’re stumped, our body tenses up. Shoulders rise, the jaw clenches and breathing shallows. This physical tension feeds back into your mental state and makes mental freezing worse. But deliberately dropping your shoulders and taking one slow breath can help break the cycle. More on this kind of physical solution is coming up in Part 6. Practice Steelmanning One of the most powerful exercises for verbal agility is practicing steelmanning. Related to the principle of charity in rhetoric, steelmanning is the practice of arguing for positions with which you disagree. But not half-heartedly. No, you make the argument in the strongest possible terms. One simple way to practice steelmanning involves getting a friend to throw topics at you randomly. Your job is not to argue your own position, but to construct the best possible argument for the opposite side. This practice accomplishes three things simultaneously: It forces you to think through ideas from perspectives you wouldn't naturally adopt, which builds cognitive flexibility. It trains you to separate your ego from your position, because you're explicitly not defending your own views. It prepares you for actual debates, because you've already rehearsed the strongest version of your opponent's argument. For more tips that will help you in this department, check out my guide to preparing for debates. The Improv Principle If you take one thing from this section and act on it, let it be this: Take an improvisation class. Why? Improv comedy training provides you with the single most transferable skill for verbal agility in any context. The core principle of improv is quite easy. You simply answer everything with either “yes, and…” or “no, but…” This simple structure teaches you to accept whatever is thrown at you and build on it rather than blocking or deflecting. This is the exact skill you need in meetings, conversations, presentations, and debates. Improv also provides the one thing you can't get from reading articles: Real-time practice under social pressure while receiving immediate feedback. No amount of theory replaces the experience of standing in front of a group with nothing planned and having to produce something. It’s been a long time since I took an improv class, or any class. But you really only need one round to create a permanent transformation. Part 5: Performance Under Pressure (Lessons from Music, Magic, and the Stage) If you've never performed music, theatre, magic, public speaking, or any other form of real-time presentation, you may not realize how much of “thinking on your feet” is simply having enough trained material that you can recover from anything. The principle applies far beyond the stage. But the stage is where the principle is most visible, so let me share what I've learned from three performance disciplines. Music: Improvisation Is Built on Structure & Self-Awareness When I studied music, I learned something that most non-musicians find surprising: improvisational soloing requires more preparation than playing a written piece. A written piece has every note specified. You practice it, you perform it, you're done. An improvised solo, on the other hand, requires you to internalize the underlying structure so thoroughly that you can navigate it in real time without conscious planning. You need to know the modes, the chord changes, the rhythmic patterns, the phrasing conventions. And you need to know them so well that they're available to your fingers before your conscious mind has time to think about which note comes next. I know this from decades of musical experience. But my life in music almost never happened at all. In grade five, I failed a recorder test. It was given as a prerequisite for joining band class in grade six. The reason, though I didn’t have the language for it at the time, was a condition then called image-deficit disorder, now known as aphantasia. I couldn’t visualize what my teachers were asking me to see on the recorder or the sheet music. And the boring mnemonic sentences they gave us for remembering the notes made no sense to me. The school’s verdict in the face of my supposed failure? No band class. My dad changed that. He rolled up to the school on his Harley Davidson and had a conversation with the administration that I wasn’t privy to. Whatever he said, it worked. I was in. So long as I played the trombone instead of my dream bass guitar. They thought trombone would be easiest for me with its one simple slide. The Art of Coping By Copying But getting into band class didn’t mean I could play. In fact, for the entire first year, I sat beside another trombonist who picked up every note like it was nothing. I survived by watching his slide positions and copying them. I wasn’t reading music. I was reading him. The next year, in grade seven, the teacher gave us separate parts, and my copying lifeline was over. I remember sitting alone in a room with that trombone, sweat rolling down my face, sheet music on the stand turning my brain into wet sawdust. It felt like staring at an explosive I didn’t know how to defuse. But something shifted as my juvenile brain worked to solve the problem. Once I was forced to actually engage with the notation instead of mimicking someone else, I started seeing patterns. The theory behind the notes began to click. My teacher noticed the transformation quickly, both in performance and on my written tests. Later that year, she encouraged me to enter a sight-reading competition. Even though I didn’t win, I remember the thrill of performing music I’d never seen before. And because my teacher saw how deeply I’d started engaging with music, she helped me secure a spot at the local summer school of music before high school. That summer changed my trajectory. I studied with a celebrated trombonist from Canadian Brass. My skills went up substantially, and after a solo I played during the final concert, I was asked to audition for the Kamloops Rube Band. I turned that invitation down and finally retired the trombone for a bass and joined a heavy metal band instead. Over the years that followed, I played in multiple bands, learned increasingly complex music, and eventually realized a lifelong dream: going on tour with an established band. Memory expert Anthony Metivier performing at a concert in Germany. The Lesson That Changed How I Perform And it was during that tour, playing with a sophisticated band called The Outside, that I received perhaps the most important lesson about thinking on your feet that music ever gave me. After a show, our drummer Tito told me I’d missed a few notes. I braced for a critical lecture, but he said something I’ve never forgotten. It was an important tip that has everything to do with the practice of thinking on your feet: “The real problem isn’t missing the notes. It’s looking like you made a mistake. If you look like you made a mistake, it is a mistake.” From that moment on, I trained myself to improvise how I looked just as much as how I sounded. A missed note played with confidence reads as a creative choice. A perfect note played with visible anxiety reads as a near-miss. The audience often doesn’t hear your mistakes, but they do see your reaction to them. This principle extends far beyond music. It shows up in meetings, presentations and conversations. Your stumbles themselves are almost never what people remember. They remember whether or not you flinched. And to tie this all back to the beginning, flinching is an ego response. It’s the visible evidence of caring more about how you appear than about what you’re communicating. Tito didn’t know he was teaching me about ego reduction back during that tour in 2013. But that’s exactly what his lesson was. Card Magic: Multiple Outs and Recovery In card magic, which is especially useful in memorized deck magic, there's a concept called “multiple outs.” I think about it constantly in non-magic contexts. A multiple out is a tactic you might never use, but always have something prepared so that no matter what the spectator does, you conclude the trick successfully. In other words, no matter which card they choose, which pile they point to, which decision they make, you have a prepared path to a successful conclusion. The spectator thinks they're making free choices. In reality, every choice leads to the same place, or to one of several equally impressive endings. This is exactly how preparation works for thinking on your feet. If you've prepared thoroughly for a meeting, you don't just have one argument. You have multiple arguments, multiple examples, multiple pivot points. If someone challenges your position, you have an “out.” If someone asks an unexpected question, you have another “out.” The more preparation you've done, the more outs you have. Magician in Trouble There's also a sub-genre in magic called “magician in trouble” where the performer intentionally appears to make a mistake, building tension before a surprising recovery. What the audience doesn't realize is that the “mistake” was planned and the recovery was rehearsed. But it only works because the performer has done thousands of hours of practice behind the scenes. If you’re having trouble acting spontaneously, learning a few magic tricks is one of the best things you can do. The more tricks you know, the more you can make mistakes and recover. If one trick goes wrong, you transition to another. If a spectator does something unexpected, you have a different trick that accommodates their choice. The depth of your repertoire is directly proportional to your ability to handle anything. Translate this to your professional life: The more tools, frameworks, examples, and stories you have memorized, the more “tricks” you can draw from when a conversation or presentation goes sideways. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvtYjdriSpM Two Levels of TEDx Improvisation Where Preparation Met Reality Minutes before I was due on stage for my TEDx Talk, a long-time fan showed up without a ticket. From what I gathered, he’d traveled to attend the event in Melbourne. And I could tell he was genuinely excited. But he didn’t have a ticket. And when the venue staff told him he couldn’t come in, due to fire capacity rules, we were both frustrated. Anyone with two eyes could see that the room wasn’t actually full. But there was no time to argue the bureaucracy. I was about to deliver the most important presentation of my career, after all. This is exactly the kind of moment that derails people. Not the talk itself, but the things that happen right before you hit the stage. I’m talking about the unexpected disruptions that flood your system with cortisol at the worst possible time. My ego wanted to fight for this person’s entry. It wanted to make a scene about the absurdity of empty seats and fire codes. It wanted to be the hero who fixes things. Instead, thinking on my feet, I suggested we meet for dinner after the talk. He understood. We shook hands. And then I had approximately four minutes to completely reset my mental state before walking on stage. Here’s what I did, standing backstage where nobody could see: I placed my hands behind my back and began Kirtan Kriya. This is a four-syllable meditation (Sa, Ta, Na, Ma) combined with a sequential mudra where your fingers tap. Gary Weber teaches it in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehvokeZnXMM By using the technique with both hands behind my back so no one would see, I simultaneously slowed my breathing and brought myself back to center. Between breath cycles, I also ran a quick body scan from my feet to my scalp, deliberately releasing tension wherever I found it. Jaw, shoulders, hands, the major muscle groups. By the time they called my name, I was calm. Not confident in the way people usually mean. I wasn’t puffed up or “psyched” to give my speech. Just calm in the way that comes from having emptied the bowl. The fan situation was gone from my mind. The ego’s need to intervene was gone. What remained was a mind with nothing in it except a memorized talk and the willingness to deliver it to whoever was in that room. What To Do When the Room Doesn’t Follow Your Script Shortly after my talk began, the room did something I hadn’t planned for. A scripted joke that had worked perfectly to create laughter during the dress rehearsal the day before landed in silence. Not awkward silence. Just… nothing. The audience looked at me with interest but no laughter. A few minutes later, during a section I hadn’t intended to be funny at all, they laughed. Genuinely. A speaker working from notes would have been buried in their script at that moment, unable to read the room because their eyes were on the page. But my entire talk was encoded in Memory Palaces using the technique I teach in my guide, How to Memorize a Speech. I didn’t need to look at any notes. I could look at everyone and connect with them directly. So I did and leaned into their laughter. I let it breathe. I adjusted my pacing to ride the energy they were giving me rather than forcing the energy I’d planned. Going with the flow, I made an unscripted joke and it landed. And when the moment passed, I stepped to the next station in my Memory Palace and continued on with the talk. What the Audience Saw vs. What Actually Happened The audience experienced this as spontaneity. They saw a speaker who was loose, present, reading the room. What actually happened was decades of training expressing itself through a four-second decision. The musical performance training that taught me to keep playing through mistakes without flinching. The card magic training that taught me to have multiple outs when a planned effect doesn’t land. The teaching experience that taught me to read a room full of people who may not be responding the way I expected. And underneath all of it, my ego-reduction efforts shone through, including the willingness to let go of the talk I’d planned and deliver the talk the audience needed. After the event, several people told me how natural and relaxed I seemed. One person said it felt like I was just talking to them, not giving a speech. That’s the highest compliment a speaker can receive. And it was entirely the product of preparation. But nothing about that talk was spontaneous other than the joke I made up on the fly. Otherwise, every word of that talk was memorized verbatim. The audience saw someone thinking on their feet. What they were actually seeing was someone falling back on their training. That, and they witnessed someone with enough training to fall back on. That is the difference. And it’s available to anyone willing to put in the work before the moment arrives. Part 6: Physical Composure (How to React When Your Safety Is at Stake) There are situations where “thinking on your feet” has nothing to do with being articulate or quick-witted. Quite the opposite. There are many moments in life when thinking itself is the problem, especially during situations where what you need is a trained physical response that fires before your conscious mind has time to interfere. I've been in three of these situations. Each time, it was my years-long Systema training that kept me safe. In case you don’t know it, Systema is a martial art focused on breathing, relaxation, and fluid movement under stress. To be clear, it didn’t help me fight. It helped me because it stopped fights from erupting in the first place. Let me explain. Incident One: The Attempted Mugging While writing my dissertation, I was living in Washington Heights, a district north of Harlem in New York City. I was walking south, down to the 170s from the corner of 187th and Cabrini, where I’d stopped to use a bank machine. On my way out, a man stood in front of me with something resembling a gun in his pocket. Exactly as it happens in the movies, he gestured in quick spurts of energy so that my eyes dropped and looked at his pocket. “Give me your wallet and all your money,” he demanded. My Systema training kicked in. Instead of having my shoulders shoot up with anxious tension — the default I’d seen in almost every new student Emmanuel Manolakakis worked with, including me during my first lessons — my mind automatically followed the training I’d received. Without willing it, my shoulders dropped and my mind and body synced with my breath. In a way that still completely bewilders me, a smile came across my face. I don’t know what I looked like, but my expression unnerved the mugger. It created the stress in him that should have been in my body. After what seemed like an eternity, the mugger said, “Wipe that smile off your face or I’ll shoot you.” At this point, my smile grew wider and I started to laugh. An instant later, it felt right to move. I took one step forward into his space and angled to the left with the second and third steps. I didn’t break his gaze and watched as his eyes and entire head tracked me as I moved past him. Then, still operating completely on autopilot, I started to run and found myself in a cleaning supplies store filled with mops and buckets. No confrontation. No escalation. No ego. Just a trained body responding faster than a thinking mind would have. My Systema training, from breath coordination to deep muscle relaxation and long hours of practice with dropping into calm during situations of simulated threat, delivered exactly what it was designed for: bypassing the conscious mind that would have frozen me and let the body handle the situation. Incident Two: The Dark Path in Toronto Some time later, walking in Toronto, I approached a path at the end of a high school field. It was too late to be taking this popular shortcut, but there I was during a night that was far darker than I would have liked. There was just one street lamp hanging over that path, and its bulb was barely working. Before I stepped onto the path, I put a dime on my thumb. I didn’t think about why. There was no conscious strategy at work. My body simply did what training had taught it to do: prepare for the possibility of contact without committing to a plan. Sure enough, someone stepped into my path. I flicked the dime. The coin caught his gaze and seized his attention, producing a few seconds of involuntary visual tracking. This is the same reflex that makes every human eye follow sudden movement. Thanks to the distraction created by the spinning dime, I moved past him easily and paced off into the distance before his focus returned. The entire encounter lasted maybe three seconds. There was no conversation, no confrontation, no mental calculation. Just a trained response that created a tiny window of distraction and an immediate exit through it. I still think about the fact that I put the dime on my thumb before anything happened. It wasn’t a decision so much as it was a product of procedural memory — the same memory system that helps a musician’s fingers find the right fret before their conscious mind has named the note. Systema trains you to read environments the way musicians read chord changes. Not by analyzing, but by responding to patterns your body has trained to respond to inside the dojo. Incident Three: Outside the Post Office The third incident was the strangest. Outside a post office, someone with a grievance I didn’t fully understand began yelling at me aggressively. His body language was escalating and the situation felt like it could turn physical. My response was immediate: I raised my hands into a prayer gesture. With my palms together and fingers standing straight up, I found myself saying “thank you” over and over. I wasn’t being clever. I wasn’t trying to defuse the situation with wit. The gesture came from training, and it served two purposes simultaneously that I was only partially aware of in the moment. First, it put my hands in a position to quickly block any incoming strike. The prayer position is a natural guard because your hands are high, elbows close and forearms ready to redirect. I mean, it’s not going to make you bulletproof, but it’s just as disarming as the smile I delivered back during the mugging I survived in New York. Second, my response psychologically short-circuited the man’s aggression. Being thanked while you’re on the offensive is so dissonant that the brain doesn’t know how to process it. This person’s rhythm broke. His volume dropped. The escalation stalled because the script he was running had been interrupted by a response that didn’t fit. He didn’t thank me back. But at least he stopped. And I walked away unscathed. The Common Thread: No Ego, No Thinking, Just the Fruits of Training In all three incidents, the pattern is identical: Because the ego was out of the way, I wasn't trying to prove anything or “win” the encounters. There was also no conscious thinking. The responses were physical, automatic, and executed faster than mental deliberation would have allowed. Plus, there was relaxation under threat. The counterintuitive act of relaxing when threatened, which Systema specifically trains, prevented the freeze response that ego and fear typically produce. Finally, the strategy in each case was oriented toward getting away, not engaging. For anyone who wants to develop this dimension of thinking on their feet, I strongly recommend studying a martial art that emphasizes relaxation, awareness, and movement rather than aggression and force. Finding Your Own Physical Practice If personal experiences make you want to sign up for Systema, I’d encourage it. But I’d also encourage any martial art that emphasizes awareness, breathing, and relaxation over aggression and force. The point is not to become a fighter. The point is to develop a body that responds to threat with trained composure rather than untrained panic. Beyond martial arts, I practice Qigong daily and have for years. It’s not a combat discipline, but it trains the same foundational skills experienced in a gentler format: Breath coordination Bodily awareness Relaxation under tension For someone who has no interest in martial training, Qigong offers many of the same benefits for composure and physical presence without ever throwing or receiving a strike. Whatever physical practice you choose, I’d offer one caution: Don’t romanticize these practices or turn them into a glamorous fantasy. Remember the lesson from Lacan and the Stoic lessons that make sure reality is better than fantasy if and when real situations of trouble land. The three incidents I described above weren’t action sequences. They were awkward, brief, and slightly absurd. I didn’t defeat anyone. I smiled, flicked a coin, and said thank you. The training didn’t make me dangerous. It made me calm enough to exit each situation without a scratch. And that brings me to what I consider the most important physical skill of all, one that doesn’t require any formal training: situational awareness. Train for Situational Awareness In each of the three incidents, there was a moment before contact where my body registered something my conscious mind hadn’t articulated yet. In Washington Heights, I noticed the man’s posture before he spoke. In Toronto, something made me put a dime on my thumb before I entered the dark path. Outside the post office, I registered the escalation in body language before any words were exchanged. To train for greater situational awareness, walk with your phone in your pocket instead of your hand. Move around the world with your ears empty instead of listening to music or podcasts. When you enter a room, notice the exits. When you’re in an unfamiliar environment, pay attention to who is around you and how they’re moving. These aren’t paranoid habits. They’re the same environmental reading skills your ancestors used every day. Modern life has simply given us the luxury of ignoring them. There is almost no better way to think on your feet than the thinking that steers you clear of sticky situations in the first place. When it comes to physical confrontation, the best-trained response is the one you never have to use. Part 7: Daily Training Exercises for Mental Agility Everything discussed so far requires ongoing practice. Here are the specific daily exercises I use and recommend, organized from quick (2 minutes) to involved (30+ minutes). Breathing Techniques (2–5 minutes) Before any high-pressure situation, be it a presentation, a meeting or a difficult conversation, controlled breathing is the fastest way to shift your nervous system from sympathetic (fight-or-flight) to parasympathetic (calm and focused). The simplest technique: Breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, breathe out for 6 counts. The extended exhale activates the vagus nerve and physically slows your heart rate. Do this for 2 minutes and you'll enter any situation calmer and more mentally available. For more advanced breathing techniques, check out this video tutorial I made for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeO06_uZZcg   Progressive Muscle Relaxation (5–10 minutes) Systematically tensing and releasing muscle groups, from your feet to your face, trains your body to release the physical tension that accumulates under stress. Over time, you develop the ability to detect and release tension in real time — during a conversation, during a presentation, during a confrontation. This is the body scan component that I used before my TEDx Talk, and it's a core element of Systema training as well. The ability to scan your body for tension and deliberately release it is a physical skill that directly supports mental agility. Steelmanning Practice (15–20 minutes) Get a partner. Have them throw random topics at you. Your job: argue the strongest possible case for the position you naturally oppose. Switch roles. Do this twice a week and within a month you'll notice a dramatic improvement in your ability to think through problems from multiple angles under time pressure. Now, you might think about going to Chat-GPT or some other LLM. You can certainly give this a try. However, beware of context-dependent memory and state-dependence issues. If you only train in digital environments with a bot, you will likely find that you perform fine when sparring with a computer, but flounder with a human. As this study found, training in certain environments creates less cognitive fatigue than others. So if you come to develop certain beliefs about the difficulty of discussing things based on experiences with chatbots, you will probably not like the energy-drain you encounter when dealing with humans. Remember: we tend to fight the way we train, so practice all rhetorical argumentation in a variety of environments, never just one. Random Topic Riffing (10–15 minutes) Have someone give you a topic and speak about it for 2 minutes without stopping. What you say doesn't need to be brilliant, but work at speaking continuously. The exercise trains your brain to keep producing output even when it doesn't feel ready, which is exactly the skill you need when put on the spot. Increase difficulty by having the topic-giver interrupt you with new topics mid-stream. This trains your ability to pivot and shift directions without losing composure. Memory Palace Practice (15–30 minutes) Every time you encode information using a Memory Palace, you're doing more than memorizing. You're building the retrieval infrastructure that makes recall under pressure possible. Regular Memory Palace practice is the single most important investment you can make in your ability to access information when you need it. The more you memorize, the more you should seek to incorporate memorized material into your steelmanning and random riffing practice routines. Alphabet Drills and Multiple Mentality (5–15 minutes) One of the most unusual training systems I’ve encountered comes from Harry Kahne, a performer from the 1920s who could write with both hands simultaneously while reciting poetry from memory. He called his approach “Multiple Mentality” because it’s the deliberate practice of running several mental operations at once. His exercises sound deceptively simple. The foundational one: write out the alphabet backwards from memory. Not from Z-A printed on a card. From memory, cold. Most people find reciting the alphabet backwards surprisingly difficult the first time. But once you can do it? That’s when the real training begins. Kahne then asks you to pair the alphabet’s extreme ends mentally: A-Z, B-Y, C-X, working inward. Then start from the center and pair outward in reverse. These are pure concentration drills because they force your brain to hold a structure in working memory while performing various forms of recall. I go deeper into the full Multiple Mentality system and all of Kahne’s exercises in my detailed review of his course, including the parts I think are brilliant and the parts where I respectfully disagree with him. Part 8: Prepping Your Mind (Why What You Memorize Determines How Well You Think) Most of us know that the quality of your thinking is directly proportional to the quality of what you've committed to memory. A mind loaded with poetry, philosophy, scientific principles, historical examples, memorable quotes, and well-understood frameworks will produce richer, more nuanced, more creative responses under pressure than a mind that relies on whatever it happens to recall from last week's reading. This is not about showing off. It's about having raw material that makes you mentally dexterous. And gives you information you can use in an instant. What to Memorize for Maximum Mental Agility As you’ve seen, I strongly recommend memorizing quotes and poems. Because memorized poetry gives you access to compressed wisdom, beautiful language, and emotional resonance that you can draw on in conversation, writing, and thinking. Likewise, you can learn how to remember a story. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM4TxD6ez1Y When you've memorized a poem or story, you own the content in a way that reading on its own never provides. The lines and structures become part of your mental vocabulary. I've memorized dozens of poems and passages of verse, and they surface constantly in conversation, in my writing, in my thinking about problems that have nothing to do with literature. Memorize Speeches for Mental Dexterity Likewise, you can seek out speeches from people like Churchill, Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr. and Marcus Aurelius. The words of leaders who were themselves masters of thinking on their feet make for excellent training material. When you've memorized their words, you internalize their patterns of thought. You don't just quote them. You begin to think in the structures they used. Learn to Tell Jokes Like improv, humor provides you with one of the ultimate forms of thinking on your feet. And telling jokes is far more learnable than people assume. To get started, commit a few jokes to memory and study their structure. You’ll soon notice that a good joke is a tiny argument: The setup establishes expectations The twist violates the expectations The punchline resolves the violation in a surprising or ironic way This simple structure is not so different from the PREP framework we discussed above. Practice Parroting and Accent Imitation Imitating a famous actor might sound like a party trick, but it's actually a profound exercise in sharing another person’s perspective and behavioral patterns. To imitate someone convincingly, you have to at least try and understand how they think, how they move and how they use language. As a result, the understanding you develop translates directly to the ability to read and respond to different people in different contexts. I’m not particularly good with foreign accents or imitating people. But merely by putting time into practicing a few people, I’ve learned a lot and become more spontaneous on my feet. Reflective Thinking Practice Memorization alone isn't enough. The material you memorize needs to be processed through reflective thinking. This is the practice of deliberately considering what you've learned, connecting it to other things you know, and forming your own positions. I do a lot of my reflective thinking through journaling, through conversation with carefully chosen friends, and through a practice I've maintained for years: regularly re-reading books I've already read, looking for things I missed the first time. All of these practices transform static knowledge into dynamic intellectual resources you’ll draw upon with great ease when you find yourself put on the spot. Part 9: The Paradox of Mental Silence We've covered a great deal of ground today: ego reduction, memory techniques, verbal frameworks, performance training, martial arts, daily exercises, and the art of loading your mind with quality material. And now I want to end with something that sounds like a contradiction but is, in fact, the deepest truth about thinking on your feet: The goal is not to think faster. Rather, it’s to create the conditions where you don't need to think at all. I know this sounds paradoxical. How can “thinking on your feet” require not thinking? It’s because the highest level of performance in any domain doesn’t just look like effortlessness. It actually is, if only in the present moment. I’m talking about the musician who plays a transcendent solo. That performer isn't thinking about which notes to play. Nor does the martial artist who evades a strike sit there thinking about which direction to move. And the speaker who delivers a perfect response to an unexpected question isn't thinking about what to say. They’re drawing upon deep preparation. In each case, the performer has trained so deeply that the right response emerges from a place beneath conscious thought. The preparation started long ago. Practice has quieted your fantasies, both positive and negative. And what remains is a mind so well-prepared that it can be still during the demands and in that stillness, the right response simply appears. This outcome is common in the world of mindfulness and meditation, where practitioners describe the experience of being “full by being empty.” In order to receive the moment as it actually is (not as your ego wants it to be, nor as your anxiety fears things might go wrong), you just have to empty your mind of the noise that normally fills it. Your Next Step If this article has shown you anything, I hope it's this: thinking on your feet is not a gift. It's the product of deliberate, ongoing training across multiple domains — mental, verbal, physical, and philosophical. The foundation of all of it is memory. Not “good memory” as a vague trait, but trained memory — the ability to encode, store, and retrieve information on demand, under pressure, in any context. If you want to start building that foundation, I've created a free course that teaches you the core Memory Palace technique in four video lessons. It's the same starting point my Masterclass students use, and it will give you your first experience of what trained recall feels like. For even deeper training that includes the Memory Wheel technique, ars combinatoria, advanced Memory Palace strategies, and the Recall Rehearsal patterns that make long-term retention predictable, my Magnetic Memory Method Masterclass takes you through the complete learning system. And if you want to explore the meditation, breathing, and muscle relaxation routines I've combined with memory training for maximum mental composure, I go into all of that in The Victorious Mind. So what do you say? Are you ready to stop worrying about what you’ll say next and start training so deeply that the right response arrives on its own? Remember: the secret every performer, martial artist, and memory expert discovers is ultimately the same. You don’t rise to the level of the mome