Podcasts about taoist

Seeing lights while meditating can be alarming or lead people to fantastical conclusions. Here Danel Zhang, an inheritor of the Wu Liu pai school fo Taoist yogic Alchemy describes what is really happening and I add some musings based on current neuroscience. Neither believe nor disbelieve what you see, neither advance nor retreat from it. Allow any sensations to find their bay back into the smooth functioning of the body and spirit.

What if the way people respond to you is being shaped before you say a word? In this episode, Dr. Andrew Miles explores how heart rate variability (HRV), nervous system regulation, and emotional synchrony may influence trust, conflict, and connection. From couples caught in escalating arguments to people who naturally draw a group's attention, Andrew looks at how our bodies can affect the rhythm of an interaction. He discusses how stress and low HRV may shape the way we read facial expressions and tone, and how calm, breathing, and regulation can help people feel safer and more connected. In this episode, you'll hear about: - How heart rate synchrony can begin before a conversation - The role of emotional contagion in both conflict and connection - How HRV relates to social stress, loneliness, and nervous system regulation - Why some people seem to set the rhythm of a group - The connections Andrew draws between breath, posture, the vagus nerve, and HRV - His use of HRV sensors and EEG headsets in his Chinese medicine practice in Chengdu Andrew also shares traditional Chinese medicine and Taoist perspectives on resonance and the heart's capacity to rest. He closes with ways to observe HRV over time and discusses the customized support offered through his practice. For more about Botanical Biohacking and Andrew's work, visit botanicalbiohacking.com and chorusforlife.com. Want to know if we will be a good fit to work together? Schedule a 15 minute call: Here: https://scheduling.chorusforlife.com/dashboard     References: Cardiac physiological synchrony as a component of social behavior. Autonomic Neuroscience & Disorders, 2025. Mimicry, emotion contagion and HRV synchrony; stronger in close partners; heart-rate synchrony as a trust marker. Physiology & Behavior, 2024. Bidirectional HRV coupling in conversation. PMC, 2026. Therapist regulation transferring to clients; synchrony above chance. Family Process, 2026. HRV synchrony during marital conflict and daytime inflammation. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2018. Loneliness and blunted HRV reactivity; loneliness induction and brain-heart interaction. Biological Psychology, 2024; Social Neuroscience, 2025. Resting HRV governed by the vagus. Biological Psychology, 2024. HRV in Spleen-qi deficiency as a differentiation biomarker. J Acupunct Meridian Stud, 2019; acupuncture vs. moxibustion on HRV in qi deficiency. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu, 2017. Breath-based HRV biofeedback for anxiety and depression, 2020-2025 evidence. European Psychiatry, 2026. Artwork: Sapho And Erinna by Simeon Solomon

Learn how to love deeply without abandoning yourself.How do you love someone without losing yourself? In this episode of Tao Dialogues, we explore authentic love, healthy boundaries, self-love and relationships through the wisdom of Taoism and the Inner Child. Discover why love without truth can become self-abandonment, how boundaries can strengthen relationships and how to move beyond people-pleasing, emotional bargaining and fear of rejection.Read the blog post that inspired this episode: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/p/familiaritys-false-shelter [second blog post on this page]Our Tao Dialogues are powerful yet gentle teachings about authenticity, spirituality and finding emotional balance and flow in everyday life. These spoken-word episodes draw from David James Lees' practice as a Taoist monk and teacher, and expand upon popular posts on ‘David's Journal', his Substack blog.You can subscribe to David's Journal here: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Learn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comOther related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:TAO DIALOGUES PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICamFP2zMyey3KGTnfm2aUq&si=AW_ZOUeldKv3nHhFLOVE & RELATIONSHIPS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zID3yxrdCbbZFuKHCwgV6qhX&si=9yNvhZaaUGvRWMOe INNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/ Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup -Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.Music by Earth Tree Healing

What if balance is not a fixed point we finally reach, but a living relationship with what is happening?In this episode of Mindful Mondays, Ashley explores the space between holding on and letting go, certainty and possibility, roots and wings. Beginning with the image of a surfer responding to the movement of a wave, she asks what changes when we stop searching for the permanently correct position and begin listening for what this moment actually requires.Today's Bite-Sized Buddhism wanders next door into Taoism through the ancient story of the Chinese farmer and his enduring response to apparent fortune and misfortune: “Maybe.” Alongside Alan Watts's backwards law, the story invites us to leave a little room around the meanings we assign while life is still unfolding.With essential Neurodivergent Nuance, Ashley considers why routine, predictability and clear answers may be genuine forms of nervous-system support - and why flexibility should never become another demand to override ourselves.Drawing upon David Eagleman's image of roots and wings, Ido Portal's “wild and wise,” emerging neuroscience around creativity, Carl Jung's transcendent function and Mark Nepo's reflections on fragility and resilience, the episode explores the human capacities that appear to oppose one another but may actually need each other.Even Cookie Monster makes an appearance as an unlikely Taoist philosopher.The episode closes with a guided practice, Roots and Wings. Through the natural movement of the breath, you will be invited to honour the truth already present within you while making room for another truth to exist beside it.Not everything must be resolved today. Sometimes we need only enough grounding to remain - and enough freedom to move.Practise with Ashley on Insight Timer:https://insighttimer.com/AshleyDupuyExplore From Mask to Map and more:https://www.integrativeiom.co.ukOur Sponsors:

What if balance is not a fixed point we finally reach, but a living relationship with what is happening?In this episode of Mindful Mondays, Ashley explores the space between holding on and letting go, certainty and possibility, roots and wings. Beginning with the image of a surfer responding to the movement of a wave, she asks what changes when we stop searching for the permanently correct position and begin listening for what this moment actually requires.Today's Bite-Sized Buddhism wanders next door into Taoism through the ancient story of the Chinese farmer and his enduring response to apparent fortune and misfortune: “Maybe.” Alongside Alan Watts's backwards law, the story invites us to leave a little room around the meanings we assign while life is still unfolding.With essential Neurodivergent Nuance, Ashley considers why routine, predictability and clear answers may be genuine forms of nervous-system support - and why flexibility should never become another demand to override ourselves.Drawing upon David Eagleman's image of roots and wings, Ido Portal's “wild and wise,” emerging neuroscience around creativity, Carl Jung's transcendent function and Mark Nepo's reflections on fragility and resilience, the episode explores the human capacities that appear to oppose one another but may actually need each other.Even Cookie Monster makes an appearance as an unlikely Taoist philosopher.The episode closes with a guided practice, Roots and Wings. Through the natural movement of the breath, you will be invited to honour the truth already present within you while making room for another truth to exist beside it.Not everything must be resolved today. Sometimes we need only enough grounding to remain - and enough freedom to move.Practise with Ashley on Insight Timer:https://insighttimer.com/AshleyDupuyExplore From Mask to Map and more:https://www.integrativeiom.co.ukOur Sponsors:

Tony Salvaggio checks in from Fantastic Fest in Austin with his first impressions of:Resident Evil (2026) — Zach Cregger's reinvention follows an ordinary medical courier trapped in Raccoon City during a horrifying outbreak of mutated creatures.Beware Boiúna — A medical mission deep in the Amazon becomes a desperate fight for survival when it awakens Boiúna, a colossal ancient serpent determined to reclaim its domain.The Blood Countess — Isabelle Huppert stars in this campy vampire comedy about Elizabeth Báthory's return in modern-day Vienna and her search for a mysterious book capable of destroying vampires.The Glorious Dead — The Adams filmmaking family delivers a practical-effects-driven apocalypse tale about a small-town sheriff and her deputy confronting bloody fissures, grotesque creatures, and the rising dead.Kylgor in the Grisly Abyss — In this gloriously gory puppet fantasy, a band of barbarians beheads an evil king, only to plunge into an underground labyrinth filled with monsters, hallucinations, and dark magic.Into the Sky — Sam Richardson plays a man whose attempts to repair his broken marriage are continually derailed by mysterious alien abductions in this blend of science fiction, comedy, and romance.Kung Fu Deadly — Two bumbling Dublin pest exterminators join forces with a Taoist guardian to battle an ancient Chinese jiangshi in a supernatural martial-arts comedy inspired by classic Hong Kong cinema.Upiro — In 1755, a young woman sent to a remote convent discovers novices suffering from a mysterious blood-related illness connected to a supernatural upyr.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/castle-of-horror-podcast--4268760/support.

Discover true fulfilment, inner peace and emotional balance through this calming guided meditation - with Taoist monk and teacher, David James Lees. In this meditation, you'll be guided to release striving, comparison, and the need to prove your worth; reconnect with your authentic self; and remember that fulfilment does not come from achievement or external validation. Through gentle breathing, Taoist philosophy and powerful affirmations, we explore how to live with greater meaning, harmony and self-worth.✨ You are already enough. Your peace comes from within.⚠️ PLEASE DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION WHILE DRIVING OR OPERATING MACHINERYLearn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other teachings and guided meditations you may enjoy: GUIDED MEDITATION PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIA12P7BftG6a18lIWFDjL35&si=bWWub6YyoZpXhFubINNER CHILD PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qq&si=7TkslLfvthRWePOIIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/ Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup -Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.Music by Earth Tree Healing

In this episode, I'm talking with Alex Grendi, a men's intimacy and confidence coach who spent years quietly numbing his own performance anxiety before he understood what was actually driving it. Alex is a former professional soccer player, and he opens up about carrying performance anxiety into the bedroom long before he ever had sex, shaped almost entirely by porn and movies telling him he'd better be good at it or be humiliated for it.We get into why the confidence he built on the field never carried into intimacy, how getting sober forced him to actually look at how he was showing up with women, and how a friend mentioning a book on Taoist sexuality sent him down the path to becoming a sex coach himself. Alex breaks down the mindset shift, not just the technique, that actually resolves performance anxiety, and we talk candidly about the sexual scripts most men are following without realizing it, why heterosexual sex still gets treated as over the moment the man finishes, and the one question, "can I kiss you?", that changes everything in the bedroom and that almost no one asks. I even share a recent dating experience of my own where I could feel a partner running his script in real time.This is part one of a two-part conversation, so stay close for part two next week.‼️ Join the waitlist for my upcoming coaching program for midlife men HERE. In This Episode:0:00 – You're Not the Only One Staying Silent0:16 – Welcome to Taboo to Truth0:42 – Meet Alex Grendi, the Men's Intimacy Coach Who Used to Numb It All1:31 – From Pro Soccer to the Bedroom: Alex's Unlikely Path2:30 – Where His Performance Anxiety Actually Came From4:45 – Discovering Taoist Sexuality and What a Sex Coach Actually Is7:52 – Finding the Courage to Book That First Call9:30 – The Real Fix Isn't a Technique, It's a Mindset Shift10:49 – Newsletter11:08 – Why Field Confidence Never Transferred to the Bedroom12:06 – The Sexual Script: Why Men Think They're Supposed to Already Know13:39 – Karen's Own Story: Shutting Down When a Partner Ran His Script14:51 – Why "Can I Kiss You?" Is the Sexiest Question a Man Can Ask17:30 – Teaching Men to Lead by Asking, Not Assuming19:23 – Part Two Is ComingTo watch the video version of this episode, head over to YouTube!About The Guest:Alex Grendi is a men's intimacy and confidence coach who helps men reconnect with their bodies, expand their capacity for pleasure, and build deeper emotional and physical connection with their partners. His coaching blends ancient practices, practical exercises, and a simple step-by-step process, supported by direct guidance and a community of men on the same journey. Alex's work empowers men to move past shame, rebuild self-trust, and create meaningful, lasting intimacy in their relationships.Connect with Alex Grendi:Website: https://www.alexgrendi.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alex.grendiYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Alex.GrendiAbout The Host:Karen Bigman, a Sexual Health Alliance Certified Sex Educator, Life, and Relationship Coach. She tackles the often-taboo subject of sexuality with a straightforward and candid approach. On this show, we explore the intricacies of sex in midlife, offering insights and support for all those experiencing this transformative phase.This podcast is not intended to give medical advice. Karen Bigman is not a medical professional. For any medical questions or issues, please visit your licensed medical provider.Looking for some fresh perspective on sex in midlife? You can find me here:Email: karen@taboototruth.comWebsite: https://www.taboototruth.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taboototruthYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@taboototruthpodcastSubstack: https://karenbigman.substack.comTake control of your pleasure with my Pleasure Playbook, filled with tips to help you connect with your body and enhance intimacy. Download it now at www.taboototruth.com/pleasureplaybook.LINKS, RESOURCES, EXCLUSIVE VIP DISCOUNTS & FREEBIES

What happens when you achieve the success you worked so hard for, yet still feel empty? Taoist wisdom reveals why achievement alone can never create lasting fulfilment. In this episode, we explore why success can stop feeling meaningful and what Taoist wisdom teaches us about genuine happiness, purpose and fulfilment. Discover why chasing achievement, status and external validation can lead to burnout, emptiness and disconnection, even when life looks successful from the outside. Learn how to redefine success, reconnect with your values and purpose, and cultivate greater inner peace, gratitude, presence and balance.With your hosts, David James Lees (ordained Taoist monk, emotional and spiritual health teacher) and Alexandra Lees (mindset and business coach).Learn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:Our INNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqSHEN (THE SPIRITUAL SELF) PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIBmp50wYcmU7jCBLp1Qvl-jIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email:  https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup Music by Earth Tree HealingDisclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.

Ben Oofana shares how overcoming adversity requires moving toward difficulty instead of running away from it. Ben's path began at seventeen, leading him into decades of intense study with legendary figures like Horace Daukei, a traditional doctor of the Kiowa Tribe, and Chinese Master Shifu Li Tai Liang. Through his training in the Taoist internal arts, he gained a unique perspective on how we can use our hardest moments as fuel for growth. This conversation highlights why we should view adversity as a teacher rather than an obstacle. By engaging with life's challenges directly, we develop the resilience training necessary to build a stronger character. His story is a powerful reminder that our struggles are often the most effective tools for personal growth if we approach them with the right mindset. Subscribe for weekly perseverance stories and let us know in the comments how you have turned a difficult situation into a moment of strength. Website: https://benoofana.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ben.oofana Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benoofana/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-oofana8/ X: https://x.com/benoofana Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/benoofana You may also contact Professor of Perseverance through email, Jamesperduespeaks@comcast.net #perserverance #overcomingadversity #resilience #motivational  

What if the future is already visible in the present? In this trailer for Living the Tao Episode 1-197, Master Mikel Steenrod introduces one of the simplest—and most demanding—skills in Taoist training: observation. He explains why his teacher could often predict what was about to happen simply by watching carefully, how judgment interferes with perception, and why learning to see what is actually there can become a form of Taoist practice. The episode then moves into advanced Qigong training and the practice of blessing, where thousands of repetitions can expose an uncomfortable question: is what you believe about yourself actually true? Watching, Blessing, Living explores observation, wu-wei, symbolic truth, qi, and the difference between reality and the stories we tell ourselves. This full episode is available to Living the Tao subscribers on Supercast.  Premium Episodes, Full Catalog (4x the content), and episode commentary: https://living-the-tao.supercast.com

#451 In this podcast episode, Guy talked with San Qing about surrender, submission, sacrifice, and the deeper challenge of meeting the self beyond identity, fear, and spiritual performance. San Qing explained that true surrender had required a kind of death of the old self, where people stopped avoiding discomfort and instead faced the thoughts, emotions, and vulnerabilities that kept them stuck. They also explored the Taoist rhythm of stress, adaptation, and expansion, showing how growth had happened when a person leaned into the fire instead of running away from it.  The conversation also challenged the pursuit of enlightenment as another form of seeking, especially when people used spirituality, forgiveness, or ideas of light to avoid deeper truth within the body. By the end, San Qing brought the message back to simplicity, reminding listeners that breath, presence, openness, and willingness were powerful ways to return to wholeness and move from contraction into expansion. ==================== Guy in the USA: immortaltaoistrites.com/matt-and-guy-lawerence Online Healing Sessions with Guy:https://shorturl.at/rzee4     Guy's Official Partners: The DNA Company – Get 10% Off https://thednacompany.com/letitinpodcast FLFE – 2 Week Free Trial (No Credit Card Required) https://www.flfe.net/rp-affiliates.php?p=LiveInFlow&w=TryFLFEfree ====================  Referenced in This Episode LIVE IN FLOW 3-Days Las Vegas Retreat (Guy, Matt & San Qing) Matt Omo ====================  Key Points Discussed:  (00:00) - The Trap of Seeking: Enlightenment, Surrender and the True Nature of Self! (02:45) - Surrender, Submission and the Spiritual Chase for Answers (04:00) - Why Awakening Usually Starts With Getting Kicked Into the Dirt (05:50) - The Double Bind That Traps People in Good or Bad (07:30) - The Death of Self Hidden Inside True Surrender (08:50) - Why Everyone Wants the Light But Avoids the Darkness (09:48) - Walk Toward the Edge and Dive Into What You Fear (12:45) - Creation, Completion and Rebirth in the Taoist Trinity (14:00) - Thoughts and Emotions Are Temporary, But You Are Not (16:50) - The Gym Lesson Behind Stress, Adaptation and Expansion (18:10) - Why "More Is More" Breaks the Body and the Spirit (19:15) - The Alchemy of Becoming More Than Your Own Battery Pack (21:30) - When Saturated Energy Leaves No Room for Distortion (25:40) - Turning the Story Into a Gateway Instead of a Trap (30:43) - LIVE IN FLOW — Experience This Work in Person (31:30) - Exercise as Exorcism for Anger, Fear and Frustration (34:42) - Why Enlightenment Became the Scarlet Letter of Spirituality (39:15) - If You're Knowing, You're Feeling (49:45) - The Desert Retreat Built to Blow Open the Old Self ==================== Guy's Offerings  www.liveinflow.co ====================  How to Contact San Qing: theway126.com www.youtube.com/@theway126experience ====================  Listen on Podcast Spotify Apple Podcasts ====================  Connect with Guy Instagram www.instagram.com/guyhlawrence Live In Flow www.instagram.com/live.in.flow ====================  Continue Your Journey Explore Guy's complete collection of solo podcast episodes: www.youtube.com/show/VLPLKOgPYwzskDo?sbp=Kgt1clRBdHJGem9pd0AB

What if karma isn't a cosmic system of reward and punishment? In this Living the Tao Short (2-30), Taoist Master Mikel Steenrod and Morgan unpack the idea of the karmic nursery—a condition in which actions may have social consequences without accumulating the kind of karmic weight that produces lasting power. That protection comes with a tradeoff: no consequence also means no power. Steenrod explains why karma, in this framework, is not the universe handing out justice. Instead, karmic accumulation depends on consistency. A person may act positively, negatively, or neutrally—but without consistency, little accumulates. Leave the nursery, and actions begin to add up. They can build power, diminish it, move you toward what you seek, or move you away. The conversation also explores why someone might choose to return to the nursery, why doing so can mean living a “much smaller life,” and why the karmic nursery is not simply a product of the social mind. A short discussion about consequence, responsibility, ling, and what it means for your actions to truly matter.   hat if the future already exists—and your choices still matter? In this Living the Tao Short, Taoist Master Mikel Steenrod and Morgan explore the Taoist concept of nonlinear time: a model in which past, present, and future are not simply points moving along a single line. The conversation moves from memory and our ordinary experience of time into much stranger territory. If every moment remains part of existence, does that mean everything is predetermined? Steenrod argues that it does not. Change, in the Taoist model he describes, does not necessarily depend upon linear time. Along the way, they examine why our sense of the past may be tied to fading memory, why every action may remain part of existence, why Taoism resists placing the individual at the center of creation, and why nonlinear time was traditionally a subject reserved for more advanced practice. The future has already happened. And somehow, you may still be writing it.   Prefer the video format?  That's here: https://youtu.be/gI1MFRJGASs

Meet my qi gong teacher, Peter Caughey from Forest Rock Qigong.Peter is the founder of Forest Rock Qigong, a master teacher in Qigong and Taiji, and a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine with more than 30 years of teaching and clinical experience. (Forest Rock Qigong)Together, we speak about the impact qi gong has on us mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually, as a practice that brings us back into the body, back into presence, and back into a more honest relationship with ourselves.We talk about how qi gong supports the mind to slow down, the body to soften, the emotions to move, and the spirit to feel more connected. It is not about forcing yourself into calm. It is about learning how to listen. Learning how to meet what is here. Learning how to move with life instead of constantly pushing against it.Peter also shares the deeper wisdom of yin and yang, and how life is not about choosing one side over the other. It is the dance between doing and being, strength and softness, effort and surrender, movement and stillness. This conversation is a reminder that we are not meant to live in one mode all the time. We are meant to learn how to respond to the season we are in.We also speak about the Taoist way of wu wei, which is often understood as effortless action. Not doing nothing. Not being passive. But moving in a way that is aligned, natural and in rhythm with life. Knowing when to act, when to pause, when to soften, and when to let life meet you.This episode is for anyone who feels like they have been living from force, pressure, urgency or overthinking, and is ready to return to a steadier way. A way that feels less like pushing, and more like listening. Less like control, and more like trust. Less like being separate from life, and more like being in relationship with it.You can learn more about Peter and Forest Rock Qigong here: https://forestrockqigong.com/You can also explore Peter's 21 Day Online Qigong Challenge here: https://forestrockqigong.com/21-day-qigong-challenge/ (Forest Rock Qigong)Support the show

Self-sabotage isn't a lack of discipline—it often begins with an old belief you've learned to trust. Discover how Taoist wisdom can help you break the cycle and rebuild trust in yourself. In this episode of Tao Dialogues, we explore how to stop self-sabotaging and start trusting yourself through the wisdom of Taoism and Inner Child healing. Discover how limiting beliefs, fear, perfectionism and old childhood patterns can drive self-sabotaging behaviour and how the Golden Thread Process can help you uncover the beliefs beneath those patterns. Learn to recognise the difference between the fearful voice of the Inner Child and the quiet wisdom of Shen, rebuild self-trust, and return to truth, honesty and integrity. Through authentic living, we can stop fighting ourselves and begin flowing more naturally with life.Read the blog post that inspired this episode: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/p/regret-without-ruin  (third post on this page) Our Tao Dialogues are powerful yet gentle teachings about authenticity, spirituality and finding emotional balance and flow in everyday life. These spoken-word episodes draw from David James Lees' practice as a Taoist monk and teacher, and expand upon popular posts on ‘David's Journal', his Substack blog.You can subscribe to David's Journal here: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Learn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comOther related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:TAO DIALOGUES PLAYLIST  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICamFP2zMyey3KGTnfm2aUq&si=AW_ZOUeldKv3nHhFSHEN (THE SPIRITUAL SELF) PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIBmp50wYcmU7jCBLp1Qvl-jINNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/ Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup -Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.Music by Earth Tree Healing

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays, it's Labor Day weekend! And while everyone else is talking about watermelons, corn, and barbecue, Dan the Produce Man is sharing some groovy goodies, from the produce department in your grocery store to some rarities at the fruit stand.We kick things off with Asian pears, along with an old Chinese tale about a pear farmer and a Taoist monk that has a little lesson tucked inside.Then we get into Golden Russet apples, an old-world heirloom variety. From there, we go to everyone's favorite. That's right, fresh okra!Then we round things out with some late-season peaches from up north that are actually early-season varieties, along with the legendary Elephant Heart plum.It's all right here on Fresh from the Field Fridays, from the Produce Industry Network, powered by AgLife Media. Check out AgLifeMedia.com today!

Can Qi stop a bullet? That question opens a much larger discussion about the Four Spheres and a common human mistake: trying to solve a problem with the wrong kind of tool. In this episode (1-196), Taoist Master Mikel Steenrod explores why physical force, social influence, intelligence, Qi practice, and other approaches each belong to different kinds of problems. The issue is not simply whether one sphere is “stronger” than another, but whether the method being used actually fits the situation. Along the way, Steenrod and Morgan look at Taoist martial skill, surgeons and swordsmen, negotiation, asymmetric warfare, intelligence networks, revolution, and why force often becomes most useful only after better options have already disappeared. And then there is Camelot: Arthur, the Round Table, Merlin, the dream of the perfect kingdom—and Steenrod's observation that he owns shirts that have apparently lasted longer. A practical discussion about timing, strategy, Qi, and why lasting change usually begins before the crisis does. Prefer to watch rather than listen? https://youtu.be/-6_6SYmIn8Q

This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit https://helloalma.com/dg/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=privatepractice to learn more Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/ Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/inner-circle-new Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/295562197518469/ In this Part 2 of 2, Shane talks with Arjuna Ardagh about The Tao of Love, Sex, and Deep Intimacy. Arjuna supports couples in the practice of conscious relationships and Taoist sexual practices. Hear how to help couples deepen their sense of truth in the world, what to do when partners have different levels of sexual desire, the most common ways couples start relationships, how to help partners share what they truly want with each other, and how couples can practice these concepts at home.   To learn more about Arjuna Ardagh and The Tao of Love, Sex, and Deep Intimacy, visit: TaoOfDeepIntimacy.com Instagram @TheTaoOfDeepIntimacy  

Just in time for the Year of the Snake, this classic Chinese folktale takes us to the famed shores of the West Lake in Hangzhou where magical Taoist snakes turn into beautiful women and fall in love with good hearted shepherds. It's The Legend of the White Snake! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/2137

This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit https://helloalma.com/dg/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=privatepractice to learn more Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/ Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/inner-circle-new Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/295562197518469/ In this Part 1 of 2, Shane talks with Arjuna Ardagh about The Tao of Love, Sex, and Deep Intimacy. Arjuna supports couples in the practice of conscious relationships and Taoist sexual practices. Hear how he became so in love with love, his unique approach with couples, the history of relationships, helpful exercises related to Taoism, and the difference between healthy connection & codependence.   To learn more about Arjuna Ardagh and The Tao of Love, Sex, and Deep Intimacy, visit: TaoOfDeepIntimacy.com Instagram @TheTaoOfDeepIntimacy  

Send us a text & leave your email address if you want a reply!Can Fellatio Actually Feel Good for You, Not Just Him? Willow and Leah Break Down 5+ Oral Sex Secrets. In this episode of Sex Reimagined, Dr. Willow and Leah  get honest about why so many women avoid giving oral sex and how to turn it into something you actually crave. They share the comfortable positions that save your neck and jaw, the eye contact and hair pulling dynamics that turn submission into a turn on, and the Taoist reflexology map that connects the head of the penis to the heart. Willow and Leah also walk through breath and sound techniques for deep throating, the ejaculatory control trick every woman should know, and the language shift that changed how Leah relates to oral sex altogether. This conversation blends real technique with real vulnerability, making it a must listen for anyone who wants to feel more pleasure, power, and connection while pleasuring their partner. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTSDitch the "on top" position. The right angle protects your neck and completely changes how oral sex feels in your body.Eye contact and hair holding aren't about control, they're an invitation to feel seen and worshipped.Every part of the penis has a reflexology point, and knowing them lets you send pleasure straight to his heart.Coconut oil, breath timing, and slowing down at your edge are the real secrets to comfortable deep throating.One small hand technique can stop ejaculation in its tracks when you want the fun to last longer.Changing your language from "blow job" to "honoring" can transform oral sex from a chore into a devotion.LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE CAN BE FOUND ON THE WEBSITE: https://www.sexreimagined.com/blog/deep-throating-tips Sexual Reflexology Online Masterclass - Join us September 2nd at 4pm Pacific / 7pm Eastern for a live masterclass on zoom. Register for $33 HERE (free limited replay window available) Tantra Unlocked: A Map to Sacred Sexuality for Real People | Sep 16 and 17, 2026 > Most people spend their entire lives having the same experience on repeat. This September, twelve of the most trusted voices in conscious sexuality are gathering live to give you the real map. Free to Register: https://www.sexreimagined.com/power-of-pleasure Rooted in Desire: Women's Retreat One woman told us she walked out having shed sixty years of shame in a single weekend. That's what happens in a room where women are finally given permission to feel what's true. Rooted in Desire is an intimate retreat blending pelvic floor release, tantric breathwork, and sisterhood. Join us in Santa Barbara, Jan 30-31, 2027. Register Here Support the showPlease help support the production costs of the show! Donate now: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2032242/supporters/newFREEBIE- Introduction to Tantric Kissing Video and WorkbookSxR WebsiteDr. Willow's WebsiteLeah's Website 

Dr. Willow called in to talk all about peptides, HRT, sexual health and how she helps people have better sex. Tune in to hear all the details including what peptides are and how they differ from HRT, PT-141 and how it can help with libido and sexual function, popular peptides including tirzepatide, tesamorelin, ipamorelin, sermorelin, semaglutide, retatrutide and more and what they can do, why it's important to get peptides through a legitimate compounding pharmacy, how quickly people can start noticing results, the Glow Stack and what's in it and how the different peptides can help with skin, hair, joints, gut health and more, how hormones affect sexual desire and why HRT can help, how men can become more attuned to women and help increase their arousal, Tantra and Taoist sexuality and the different kinds of orgasms people can experience, how cultivating higher levels of arousal can make you more magnetic to others, how she works with people to help them sexually and a whole lot more. You can find her here: https://drwillowbrown.com GET A COPY OF THE STRICTLY ANONYMOUS BOOK! Strictly Anonymous Confessions: Secret Sex Lives of Total Strangers. A bunch of short, super sexy, TRUE stories. GET YOUR COPY HERE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4i7hBCd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  or Get the audiobook version ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here: Strictly Anonymous ConfessionsSecret Sex Lives of Total Strangers   To see HOT pics of my female guests + hear anonymous confessions + get all the episodes early and AD FREE, join my Patreon! It's only $7 a month and you can cancel at any time. You can sign up here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/StrictlyAnonymousPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and when you join, I'll throw in a complimentary link to my private Discord! To join SDC and get a FREE Trial! click here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.sdc.com/?ref=37712⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or go to SDC.com and use my code 37712 Want to be on the show? Email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠strictlyanonymouspodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.strictlyanonymouspodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and click on "Be on the Show." Want to confess while remaining anonymous? Call the CONFESSIONS hotline at 347-420-3579. All voices are changed.   Sponsors:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://beduc.at/pd2630-anonymous⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Click here to take the quiz and  get your personalized SUMMER roadmap to sexual happiness  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://VB.HEALTH⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- To get 10% off DRIVE BOOST by VB Health, use code: STRICTLY   ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bluechew.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — Buy 2 months of Bluechew GOLD and get the third month FREE! Use code: STRICTLYANON⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Follow me! Instagram  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/strictanonymous/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/strictanonymous?lang=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.strictlyanonymouspodcast.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Everything else: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Strictlyanonymouspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rejection does not define your worth. This guided meditation will help you release the need for external validation, heal rejection wounds and return to inner peace - with Taoist monk and teacher, David James Lees.In this guided meditation for rejection and self-worth, discover how to let go of the need for approval, overcome people-pleasing and reconnect with your true value. Drawing on Taoist philosophy and Inner Child healing practices, this calming meditation explores how rejection can become redirection—and why your worth can never be given or taken away by another person. Release external validation, self-doubt and fear of rejection as you build self-acceptance, inner peace, emotional resilience and trust in yourself and the flow of life.⚠️ PLEASE DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION WHILE DRIVING OR OPERATING MACHINERYLearn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other teachings and guided meditations you may enjoy: GUIDED MEDITATION PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIA12P7BftG6a18lIWFDjL35&si=bWWub6YyoZpXhFubLOVE & RELATIONSHIPS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zID3yxrdCbbZFuKHCwgV6qhX&si=-zdah_z6MiSZIl0tIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/ Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup -Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.Music by Earth Tree Healing

FLASHBACK FRIDAYS: What if the reason humanity feels exhausted isn't because life is too hard—but because we've forgotten how to feel?Master Mingtong Gu didn't set out to teach spirituality—he was responding to a world overwhelmed by anxiety, disconnection, and constant mental noise. Why do so many people feel numb in their own bodies? Why does seeking enlightenment often create more tension instead of peace? And why has modern spirituality overlooked the very place awakening begins?In this conversation, Master Gu draws from Taoist wisdom and Qigong practice to reveal awakening as a return to embodied awareness—not belief, effort, or transcendence. As humanity enters a profound shift in consciousness, this discussion reframes healing, presence, and spiritual growth through the body itself—offering a path that feels grounding, humane, and deeply alive.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/next-level-soul-podcast-with-alex-ferrari--4858435/support.Take your spiritual journey to the next level with Next Level Soul TV — our dedicated streaming home for conscious storytelling and soulful transformation.Experience exclusive programs, original series, movies, tv shows, workshops, audiobooks, meditations, and a growing library of inspiring content created to elevate, heal, and awaken. Begin your membership or explore our free titles here: https://www.nextlevelsoul.tv

What happens when your questions become part of the show? The Living the Tao AMA gives Supercast subscribers a place to ask about Taoist practice, the I Ching, spiritual development, unusual experiences, and the questions that do not always fit neatly into a regular episode. In the August AMA, Taoist Master Michael Steenrod takes up questions about changing interpretations of the I Ching, choosing among too many possible paths, becoming the complete human, and how we decide whether something is real. Some questions get a brief answer. Others open a much larger door—and can become the basis for future episodes. This AMA episode is available exclusively to Living the Tao subscribers on Supercast. Bring your questions. Premium Episodes, Full Catalog (4x the content), and episode commentary: https://living-the-tao.supercast.com

We're back with the fourth episode in our series in which we're working our way through Pam's book, The Unschooling Journey: A Field Guide. Today, we're continuing our exploration of the deschooling phase of the journey with stage eight: Accepting the Value of All Experiences. We’ve questioned our beliefs about learning and about parenting. Now we're moving beyond judgement. As our understanding of this new world of unschooling grows, we are drawn to digging deeper. Using the lens of unschooling, we're exploring what it means to be a human being living fully in the world, with all of the ups and downs. We had a great time diving in. We hope you find this episode helpful on your unschooling journey! Watch the video of our conversation on YouTube. THINGS WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE Learn more about Pam's book, The Unschooling Journey: A Field Guide. We invite you to join us in the Living Joyfully Network, a warm and welcoming online community of like-hearted parents. It's a non-judgmental space where you can steep in these unconventional ideas around parenting, relationships, and learning, and explore what they might look like day-to-day in your uniquely wonderful family. We offer a free month trial so you can see if it's a good fit for you. Click here to join us. Sign up to our mailing list on Substack to receive our email newsletters as well as new articles about learning, parenting, and so much more! Check out our website, livingjoyfully.ca for more information about exploring unschooling and navigating relationships. EPISODE TRANSCRIPT PAM: Hello, everyone. I’m Pam Laricchia from Living Joyfully. And I am joined today by my co-hosts Anna Brown and Erika Ellis. ANNA, ERIKA: Hello. PAM: And we are back with another episode in our A Field Guide series. We are working our way through my book, The Unschooling Journey: A Field Guide, which is framed around the hero’s journey and is a weave of myths, contemporary stories and tales from my own journey. We are now deep in the deschooling phase. In the last episode of this series, episode 413, we dug into some of the popular conventional paradigms about parenting, and we found more truths buried there. And as we continue our journey on the road of trials, we’re exploring the idea of accepting the value of all experiences. If you’re newer to unschooling, and this is your first time exploring these truths, you’re likely dancing with these ideas intellectually to understand what they mean and some of their further reaching implications. If you’ve been unschooling for a while and feel like you already intellectually embrace these ideas and have been bringing them into your family’s lives, now’s the time to peel back some more layers to build more connections and context around them, strengthening your web of understanding with your personal experiences, building your wisdom as you move towards believing them in your bones as your own truth. Now we are well into the deschooling phase. In the last two stages, we challenged those conventional pieces of wisdom around learning, like embracing curiosity rather than following curriculum, and parenting, replacing control with connection as our relationship dynamic with our kids. These stages often have lots of twists and turns as we bring these ideas into life, life into our family, and see how things unfold, right? Again, not about right or wrong. We’re gaining experience, we’re seeing how things happen. So this episode, which is stage eight of the journey, we’re exploring the idea of accepting the value of all experiences. In other words, we’re moving beyond judgment. Now here we go. As our understanding of this new world of unschooling grows, we are drawn to digging deeper. Using the lens of unschooling, we’re exploring what it means to be a human being living fully in the world. So Joseph Campbell calls this stage the meeting with the goddess. So in myths and stories, the hero must be spiritually prepared to meet this revered goddess, the universal mother, who represents the whole cycle of life. To meet her in her true form is to rise to her challenge and be able to contemplate the entire birth death cycle that she presents with equanimity with calmness and composure, the ups and the downs, the good and the bad, cosmic creation and destruction, to be able to hold both of these seemingly opposing ideas, opposites in your mind with comparable appreciation. So in the book, I shared that Kali from Hindu mythology is a great example of the kind of goddess you might meet in this stage. As a goddess of time, creation and destruction, she represents both the benevolence of a caring, comforting mother, and the fury of an aggressive punishing one, as well as the expanse of time that contains them both. So, when we look at Kali’s right side, we see good and on the left, we see bad. That’s what she represents. And when we are ready to grasp the truth that lies at the heart of this stage, we see her full nature, both. We see her in full. And we’ve been preparing to meet our Kali with all that we’ve learned so far on our unschooling journey. Like how on earth are we going to link those together? Here we go. We started to see the connections play out between our new perspective on things like we talked about in the last Field Guide episode, like why quitting things isn’t bad, right? Why saying yes more to our kids isn’t bad. Why are kids seemingly doing nothing is not bad. We’ve noticed times when we didn’t stop our child from making a choice that we feared might go badly. And they went on to happily engage with the activity. So by giving our days the time to unfold more naturally, we’ve seen new and interesting things take root in the wake of destruction and upset many times. From a fallen block tower springs a taller, sturdier one. From highly anticipated plans falling through emerges, say, a spontaneous trip to the park, or a cuddly movie day, which turns out to be just what was needed. Without knowing it, we have been thoroughly preparing ourselves for this meeting. And for me, I think the key shift has been your mantra, Anna, there’s plenty of time. The trick was giving moments more time and space to unfold. That allowed me to see how seemingly good and bad moments actually weave together that they’re not like just separate single incidents. They’re not like these distinct events where I can tell you that like, oh, we had five good moments today and seven bad moments. So that was a losing day, or if they were the opposite, that was a winning day, right? To see the fuller, bigger picture, see how this is our life and, and the good and bad were weaving together. But that block tower one is just something I remember, you know, one kid running up and knocking it over. And like just those pieces, think of your own stories in your own life. Think back to when you’ve seen those things go from, from bad something upsetting to working out well, and vice versa. It’s all so very interesting, I think. ANNA: Yeah, it is. And I think Kali is such an interesting representation for this phase, because many people are very afraid to get Kali in a reading because they associate her with destruction. But yes, both pieces are there, creation and destruction. And it fits here so well, because how I see that destruction part is really just a sweeping away of old paradigms, creating a clean slate, allowing us to build a stronger foundation when that tower of our ideas are knocked down, and a new framework to support where we are now with all of this new information that we’re taking in. And it really can’t be built on top of the old. We can take what we’ve learned with us. So it’s not that we’re leaving everything behind. But letting go of the fear around letting go of the old and embracing a new paradigm allows us to fully open to all it can bring us. And a lot of discomfort comes, I think, in straddling the old and new, because we aren’t actually fully in either at that point. And releasing judgment was such a key part of my journey. You know, in my 20s, I loved a good debate and was quite adept at it. And as I started to value connection over winning, I realized how disconnecting the judgment was. I will never know what’s best for another person, even my child. So any judgment of them or their actions actually just keeps me from learning about them, who they are, how they want to move through the world, what their priorities are. And honestly, it keeps my own learning stagnant. If I’m so sure I know what’s best, how do I see a new way, a way that might serve me better in this moment where I am right now. And I love the tally piece that you mentioned because I think it’s a really slippery slope. If we are focused on categorizing the day or the event as good or bad, we’re missing the nuance that exists in every day, every event, because there’s always going to be both, they exist together. And while our brain can like this idea of categorizing as a shortcut, it really takes us out of being present in each moment. And it can end up dictating our emotions around it. So have we had a good week? Okay, then I can feel happy and feel good. I’m a great parent, we’ve done it this week. But then if this week has been bad, then there must be something wrong with me, and I should have done something differently. That type of judgment and kind of surface level ranking just doesn’t serve us personally or relationally. And it can really keep us stuck in this yucky cycle, instead of learning and growing together. And so that is something to watch for that like, oh, this was good and so now this means X, you know, whereas again, I think the idea of plenty of time really does help just let things unfold, and not getting attached to those pieces, we just learn so much more. ERIKA: Yes, I like this phase, because it really feels to me like having gained some perspective, and maybe some maturity, after making a whole lot of huge mental shifts and paradigm shifts we’ve been working through in the last few episodes. And so I just think life is so much more nuanced than there’s one right answer, or there’s one right way to do something. And I think we may absorb that message in school that there is a right answer or one right path. But it’s so much more real and true to living life in this world to be in this gray area, there are infinite possibilities, there are infinite paths, we’re not sure how it’s going to play out. And so I feel a lot more grounded and safe when I have that perspective, and I’m not clinging so strongly to this is good, this is bad. I also feel a lot more generous and nonjudgmental towards other people as well. Because I can recognize, we’re just all doing our best in each moment to meet our own needs and just figure out what’s going to work best for us. And we’re all different. And I don’t need to judge others. And I just feel like it’s a grounding place to be, when we get to this stage. PAM: Yeah. Oh, I love that. Okay, so the next aspect we want to explore around the idea of accepting the value of all experiences is moving beyond this is good and bad. So in the book, I share a quote that’s usually attributed to Alexander Graham Bell. When one door closes, another opens. But we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us. I think that succinctly describes life before this encounter with the goddess, right? We don’t realize the connection between destruction and creation between good and bad on that continuum of time. So this is the wisdom that the stories of Kali and other cosmic mother goddesses are meant to convey, rather than being tossed around by the ups and downs of life, like that whole roller coaster image, we now see the value of and the connection between those moments. So as we’ve been paying attention on our journey, giving things time and space to unfold, which you hear us talking about all the time on the podcast, we’ve soon experienced the cycle and had time to learn that trying to rush through the down times doesn’t work. We can’t pry open a door that doesn’t want to give. We’ve learned that doesn’t mean passively sitting back and waiting. It means being attentive, just like from that quote, right? Maybe knocking on a door, wandering the hallway, noticing the door that’s slightly ajar, hearing the faint click of a doorknob being unlocked. Eventually, something happens and things move forward, maybe in unexpected ways. But in my experience, often in more interesting ways than we had first imagined. That was us looking at that door, that’s where we thought we were going. That’s where we thought things were going to be. But when we there’s just so many more ways that life can unfold. I actually really learned this more through observing my kids’ lives in action. So often, when I was able to stretch my comfort zones and follow them where they were eager to go, the door they wanted to go through, I saw them learning so much, both when things went well and when they didn’t. There’s that good/bad. I was humbled by how often my initial predictions were just flat out wrong. Thank goodness I kept them to myself because I wasn’t ready quite yet to admit how often I was wrong. But without me clouding their experience with my judgment, they could more clearly and directly learn what was most valuable to them in the moment, because that’s where their mind was. That’s where their whole body was. I want to be in this moment, and just see how it plays out. So as my wish to understand my children’s perspective, and choices grew, my need to judge them truly faded. And with that, so did so many of our conflicts, and our trust in each other grew. And again, remember that not judging isn’t about giving in or giving up or saying do whatever you want, right? It’s about engaging more deeply but with openness. The image that helps me is beginner’s mind. What can I learn here? That’s what this stage is encouraging us to discover. It’s about seeing the value of all aspects of life, moving through the bad moments with as much awareness as the good ones, not covering your eyes and trying to ignore them until they pass. Because, as you see, through all the ups and downs, all these moments are integral to our lives. They all mean something. They all help us learn something. ERIKA: Yeah, that’s a huge shift when we can stop labeling things as good and bad. It’s just more complicated than that. And I think our judging tends to influence what happens next. And so I don’t, I certainly don’t want to label my day as a bad day, especially at the beginning, which I do hear people do that sometimes. Because a day has all kinds of moments in it. And we don’t know what’s going to happen next. And by labeling it bad, I think we’re just setting ourselves up for well, now it is going to be bad because we said that. But we learned from it all. In some of the meditation courses I’ve participated in, I really came to understand and value that idea of equanimity. It’s a power that we can cultivate, to be able to just witness the turbulent nature of life and still see the bigger picture. It feels like not getting swept up by every little thing that’s happening. And it helps keep me going and moving towards the things that I want. Whereas if I am getting swept up, it makes it so I’m so overwhelmed that I can’t even face what’s happening or make decisions or move forward. And so I feel like if we can move away from judging ourselves, judging others, judging all the moments as good or bad, I think there’s just so much more potential and so many more possibilities in front of us. To me, it has a very spacious feeling. ANNA: Yeah, I really like that visual, witnessing the turbulent nature of life, but not getting swept away. I think that therein lies that practice of equanimity and just presence. I feel like the categorizing that I mentioned earlier keeps us from really appreciating the nuances of all the experiences. Each experience brings with it a wealth of knowledge and understanding about ourselves, about each other, about the world. And the idea of releasing good or bad always brings to mind for me the Taoist farmer story. I’ll post a better version in the show notes. But the idea is that there’s a farmer who has a series of events happen to his family at each event, the village wants to weigh in with, Oh, what bad luck you’re having? Or Oh, what good luck you’re having? And each time the farmer answers maybe. His horse runs away, bad luck. Maybe. His horse returns with six more wild horses. Good luck. Maybe. His son breaks his leg on a new horse. Bad luck. Maybe. His son doesn’t have to go to war when all the other young men do. Good luck. Maybe. As the story unfolds, you see how something first appears is never the whole of the story. And if we can step away from preconceived notions and judging everything as good or bad, it opens us to more nuances, to new paths, to new ideas. Even just bringing “maybe” into our mind when something happens can slow us down and help us widen our view. Because we get caught up with the quick snap judgment, and it creates this ripple that really narrows our focus, and keeps us from seeing the bigger picture. And that’s the thing with good or bad, it is just this narrowing of the focus. And so if instead, I acknowledge that what is happening just is, I’m more open to seeing the opportunities for growth and learning, I’m more open to actually experiencing it. And I guess that’s a big piece for me, because judging really takes us out of the moment and puts us back into our head. We’re categorizing, this is a problem, this is not good, this is bad, end of story. But there’s no end to the story. Each bit of life leads to another and weaves into this larger tapestry. And with openness and willingness, we can create this massive tapestry that keeps us learning and growing throughout our life. And once we understand that for ourselves, we can see that our kids are doing exactly the same. They are on their own unique journey, building their own unique, massive tapestry. PAM: I love that piece. And the word maybe could be so helpful if you’re navigating this stage right now. And just put a little card that says maybe somewhere where you see it. It’s just a little reminder that judging something in that moment, maybe you’re right but maybe not. Let’s let things unfold. Okay, so the next aspect we want to explore around the idea of accepting the value of all experiences is the epiphany moment. We’ve talked before about how we often understand things intellectually before we feel them as truth in our bones. And in the book, I liken the intellectual understanding as puzzle pieces we have floating around in our minds, right? They each make sense to us on an intuitive level, but they haven’t really quite solidly clicked into place. So as you begin this stage of moving beyond judgment, you may not yet have enough puzzle pieces to grasp what this not judging thing might look like in the bigger picture. And then at some point, the piece appears that kind of changes everything. The moment that sparks this epiphany, as with so many other insights on our unschooling journey, truly might be quite ordinary. It doesn’t need to be a special puzzle piece. It’s just the puzzle piece for you. This is the one, for some reason, that gives you the flash of insight. All of a sudden, you can see the picture you’re building, and how the pieces are going to fit together. So, the naivete, it’s so easy to write, less so much to say. But this naive urge to judge something becomes clear, and our understanding of the value of all experiences, good, bad, otherwise, medium, whatever word you’re using, or words you’re using to judge things, rises out of the confusing free-for-all that we first envisioned at the thought of moving beyond. If we’re not judging things, everything is just, everything’s good then? What does that mean? From this turning point, this epiphany, our perspective shifts. We stop desperately trying to avoid or escape bad moments. Understanding that they, while, absolutely not what we’ve hoped for, are just moments. And, as you often talk about, Anna, we grow to trust ourselves to handle whatever kind of moment comes our way. A deeper sense of confidence begins to take root, as we more mindfully engage in all the moments of our days. And, we more clearly see our children living this trust and confidence. I think it’s something humans are born knowing. But, we lose track of it growing up when we’re immersed in judgment, shame, and fear. And those being used to control us. Going back to that last episode of Control and Connection. And, it hits us now. We’ve got this puzzle piece. Life isn’t about trying to avoid the bad moments, so we can finally live our good lives. And, we’re just like, I want this good life. I want this good life. We have been living our full lives, our rich lives, all along. ANNA: I think there’s just such a beautiful freedom in recognizing that life is going to contain it all. It’s not about optimizing. It isn’t something we can control. There is not one path that will lead to everything being perfect. I think, as the Buddhists would say, the suffering is in the attachment to that outcome. And so, to me, it really plays out. If I’m gripping so tightly to control, thinking I can somehow make the right choice, and then everything will always be great, it feels so dysregulating when it doesn’t happen that way, when I’ve tried so hard, and then the mark has been missed. Again, that goal that we talked about a little bit earlier. If instead, I’m just open and curious, and greeting things as they come, be them obstacles or gifts, with the same open energy, I can stay regulated, and I can find the growth available to me in all of those areas, in both, in obstacles and the beautiful gifts of life. And that’s where I got to the place that you mentioned. The epiphany for me was seeing how well we worked together, how we survived whatever came our way. We had tools to get through it, and that doesn’t take away the sting of disappointment or loss when it happens, because it still can sting. But our relationships were solid. Nothing felt shaky there. And from that foundation, the bumps felt more manageable. So, instead of the acrobatics of trying to miss the bumps, my focus was on strengthening our connection and our communication, so that we could roll over the bumps together. That was something that I could actually influence. Attempting to stop the bumps never worked, no matter how hard I tried. It’s outside of my control, and it ends up taking me out of the moment, and I’m actually not using the time or energy to strengthen my relationships. I’m over here juggling and trying to do something perfectly. And I think this can be really hard at first, though, because we really have been taught that there are answers, that things fit nicely into good and bad and right and wrong. And so, when something so widely accepted, like school, isn’t working for your family, it can feel very intense. We become invested in finding the next right answer, but it’s not about that. Life is about nuance, growth, exploration. It’s messier and more unpredictable than that. But again, I think once we embrace that and understand what we can control, which is basically just how we show up and who we are, there is a freedom, a release that happens. It opens you up to see the beauty in all of it, the beauty and the value in all experiences. So, back to the theme. ERIKA: I love that, and I know it feels hard sometimes, because it really does feel like maybe I can control everything, and then I’ll know how it’s going to turn out, and it’ll all turn out perfectly. But life shows me that it doesn’t work like that. But that’s not failing. That’s just life. And so, I can connect with other people, because we all are sharing this human experience of all of these parts. Life has it all. And if someone in my life seems unable to see that for themselves, I know that’s just where they are on their own journey. I don’t have to pull them to where I am. Life has it all, the ups and the downs, and we’re just going to roll with it. If someone’s not ready for that, I can’t get them there. It’s one of those things that I think just has to click for us in time, and I guess that’s why we’re calling it the epiphany here. So, yeah, I love that. PAM: It has to click for us. I love that. I love that. And, okay, so this last aspect that we want to dive into is embracing the value of time. And just imagine, time is what we’ve been talking about to see how good and bad are actually linked together, and they don’t need to be judged. They’re things that happen. They’re things that have happened, and this led to this and maybe to this. Anyway, I had mentioned earlier that I think the key shift for me in understanding this stage of the journey was really in your mantra, Anna, there’s plenty of time. This is the piece that I wanted to bring out because there’s two aspects of time for me that came to me. One was giving moments more time and space to unfold. That’s what we’ve been talking about. Most often, we don’t need to solve moments, right? I don’t need to ride the high of good as long as I can, and I don’t need to fix the bad as fast as I can. That is just something that fades alongside the urge to judge them, that this is what comes with the epiphany. But the other was more time to ponder things. There’s a deeper level of understanding that comes with continuing to poke and prod our thoughts, to look at our ideas from this way and that way, up close, far away, sideways. Giving myself that time and space allowed me to see how seemingly good and bad moments actually weave together. It’s just the up and down and in and out of playing with things. It’s like, oh, it was so useful to me to recognize when I get stuck in something, right? I need to change how I’m looking at something. And truly, if you are persistent, you will reach deeper levels of understanding, moving from the comprehension, if this is kind of your first engagement with these kinds of ideas, that makes some sense to experience. Then you see these ideas in action. So often for us, it’s seeing them in action with our kids, right? And then to the truth, you’ve seen them play out multiple times in multiple circumstances, and you’re starting to see how they might actually apply to you as well. And this stage is just a great example of this. If discovering the truth around learning and parenting in the last two stages was akin to adding new landmarks to your map, this stage was about taking the time to explore them more fully, eventually revealing like the secluded trails that connect them. We also get our first taste of the fruits of this inner journey. Releasing that need to be constantly judging things is just so freeing. I mean, the curiosity that bubbles up from that, it was just life changing for me. Time is a priceless and integral part of both our journey to understand and embrace unschooling, but also the practice of unschooling itself forevermore. We’ve gone from intellectually understanding that life encompasses good and bad moments to experiencing the learning about the world and about ourselves that is found in both kinds of moments, to embracing the truth that all moments, good, bad, and all manner in between moments have value in our lives. We are learning through the ups and downs, through the good and bad. This is life or as Campbell describes it, which I thought was cool, the nature of being. Yeah, that lands for me. ERIKA: That’s beautiful. I love that. I can definitely find myself clinging to time when things are feeling good, and just wishing it would slow down. But really the only way to slow down time that I’ve found is to get really present, and take note of all the things that are happening in this moment. There are all kinds of feelings, experiences, things to see, people to be with. And so I don’t typically wish away time even when things are hard. I think it’s a human impulse to do that though, like I just wish this day was over. But I think my personality specifically tends to cling to time rather than hope it goes by faster. But I have found there’s plenty of time to be just such a soothing phrase. It’s a reminder for me to just relax, let go of my intensity about finding that solution or getting to a certain place. I mean, even physically getting to a place, we have to get to whatever, get to the party on time. And I love how we all hear Anna’s voice in our minds with that reminder. It really helps me move out of that kind of tunnel vision and to a more grounded place where I can see what’s actually in front of me and make decisions about what to do next. And even just taking a breath can be so helpful too, just to settle down my nervous system. There’s plenty of time. We’ve got this. And just let me be present in this moment. ANNA: Yeah. Oh my goodness. How many times do we remind each other that we’ve got this during any given week and that there’s plenty of time?! It really does calm my nervous system and sometimes it feels cheesy to type or hear. But it also calms my nervous system every time because it’s true because we have a history of having gotten it. And so I know we will keep doing it, but I do think it’s fun to think about time. It’s just such an interesting concept and it can drive so many feelings and behaviors, or I guess maybe more accurately our reactions and interplay with time drives the feelings and behavior, but understanding that helps us see the choice, right? So time can seem to be crawling and then it can fly by in a blink and can often feel out of our control. But I like the pieces that have been pulled out, like the idea of giving space to a moment, not needing to rush in with solutions or move quickly through it. I think we do that sometimes because we don’t like to sit in discomfort. But that discomfort has messages for us. It’s not a scary place. It can be a place of growth and we miss that if we’re rushing through it, just like we miss the joy present in those small moments, as well, if we’re always rushing ahead to the next thing. And the unfolding became such an important concept to me. I was a planner. I still am, but with a lighter, more playful grip. Allowing moments and days to unfold, I started to see this organic flow that was always present, a flow I had really missed in my tightly controlled timelines. And I started to feel a real difference in my body. The tightness that I was literally carrying as I was trying to plan and control all the things versus the softness, the openness in my body when we just allowed a day to unfold. And that learning could happen in a moment when I stopped talking and observed. These things were not easy for me. That is why ‘there’s plenty of time' is such an important mantra for me, because I could feel myself relax with that reminder. And it is not my natural state of being. I am wanting to do, do, do, maximize, go, do. There’s not enough time. But boy, it really helps ground me. And then the part you mentioned, Pam, about time to ponder, that was also really critical. I had to slow down and trust in the time to find the deeper layers, to better understand myself and the people around me. And it doesn’t happen overnight. It happens with an intentional commitment to take the time to feel the feelings, to dig into the layers, to understand the connections, the reactions, the context, the ideas that we’re holding on to. I don’t think you can grow, have growth without time to be in that space. And so what I learned about myself was that my kind of go, go, tight control and planning was really me trying to outrun some past trauma pieces and things I didn’t want to look at about myself, and maybe even about the world and the things around me. And slowing down felt really scary. But I really allowed myself space to feel the feelings and understand how my patterns from childhood were showing up now. And that was really the only way I could make changes and show up in new ways to be the person I wanted to be for my kids. So that shift is kind of what you’re talking about Pam, the ideas, they feel great, this kind of intellectual understanding. But it took me doing this slowed down work to really get to feel it in my bones and be able to act on it from my bones versus just this intellectual understanding. PAM: Yeah. Oh, and just to wrap things up, as I was writing the book and really thinking about the phases. I could see how those three ideas came together. That’s why I love choosing Kali, here’s a goddess who is time, creation, and destruction, those three things good, bad and unfolding, are just so integral to growing as a human being to understand what’s going on at some level. There are always more layers, as we talked about, but it’s just fascinating for me to see how these things so beautifully weave together as part of this tapestry. I love that image, too. Okay, so thanks so much to everyone for joining us. We hope you enjoyed this dive into the third stage of the de-schooling phase of our journey, as we explored the idea of accepting the value of all experiences. And we invite you to join us in the Living Joyfully Network to continue this conversation because we love talking about this stuff. It’s a warm and welcoming online community of like-hearted parents, a non-judgmental space where you can steep in these unconventional unschooling ideas, and just start to explore and talk about what they might look like day-to-day in your uniquely wonderful family. Your first month is free, so you can get a sense of whether the community is a good fit for you. We are excited to welcome you. To learn more and join us, just follow the link in the show notes or go to livingjoyfully.ca and choose Network in the menu. Wishing everyone a lovely day. Thanks so much, you guys. Bye.

Your mind can think its way into knots, but your body already knows how to come home. Sean Fargo sits down with longtime Qigong teacher, Taoist meditation guide, and author Solala Towler to explore a simple, practical reset: bring attention down into the belly. We talk about the lower dantian as the foundation of Taoist practice, and why “understanding” the Tao is less about collecting ideas and more about doing the breathing, movement, and stillness that changes how you live day to day.From there we wander into story and source. Solala shares the legendary tale of Lao Tzu leaving a crumbling society and writing the Tao Te Ching at the last gate, then disappearing into the wilderness. It becomes a lesson in clarity, humility, and letting nature finish the teaching. We also unpack what Solala calls Source, another name for Tao: the sacred, nameless ground where being arises and where we return, especially when modern speed and distraction pull us away from what is natural.We get concrete with practices and maps you can use right away, including “manzou” (go slowly) as a lived mindfulness method, plus Taoist organ balancing through the five phases used in Chinese medicine. Solala explains how organs link to emotional qualities like anger, joy, worry, grief, and fear, and how breath, qigong, tai chi, and acupuncture all aim at one thing: restoring the free flow of qi through the body's meridians.If this conversation helps you feel more grounded, share it with a friend, subscribe for more guided mindfulness, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.BECOME A CERTIFIED MINDFULNESS MEDITATION TEACHER Teach mindfulness with confidence and skill — without self-doubt, fear of judgment, or imposter syndrome. Our internationally accredited certification is for therapists, coaches, yoga teachers, educators, and helping professionals. Accredited by the IMMA and CPD; endorsed by Gabor Maté and Rick Hanson. → https://mindfulnessexercises.com/certification/NEW HERE? START FREE Explore 3,000+ free guided meditations, scripts, and worksheets — for your own practice or to share with the people you teach. → https://mindfulnessexercises.com/free-mindfulness-exercises/ENJOYING THE PODCAST? Follow the show in your favorite app and leave a quick rating or review. It takes a moment, and it genuinely helps more teachers and practitioners find these conversations.———————————————————————————ABOUT THE SHOWMindfulness 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 — the show explores how mindfulness can support mental health, emotional regulation, trauma sensitivity, chronic pain, leadership, creativity, and meaningful work.Each episode offers a mix o...

In this episode, VLOW and Nicole sit down with Truth Calkins, a Taoist herbalist and holistic health coach who has spent more than 26 years studying health, longevity, consciousness, and what he calls the fallacies of the Matrix.We start with Jing, the Taoist concept of primal essence, and explore Truth's perspective on why modern life may be leaving us depleted. We get into stress, sleep, stimulants, coffee, longevity, minerals, ancient wellness practices, and what it actually means to preserve your energy. Question everything. Decide for yourself.Welcome back to Matrix Assassins.

Send us a text & leave your email address if you want a reply!Ever been told you're "too wet" or worried you're "not wet enough?" In this episode of Sex Reimagined, Leah Piper and Dr. Willow Brown break down the real truth behind vaginal wetness, arousal signals, and why lubrication isn't the only factor  with how turned on you actually are. They dig into why making noise during sex unlocks deeper arousal, the difference between Taoist and Tantric approaches to sounding, why lube should be a staple and never a source of shame, what happens once you experience female ejaculation, how to navigate period sex with confidence, and how to have a compassionate conversation with a partner about hygiene without triggering shame. This one is packed with practical, body-literate tools for anyone who has ever felt self-conscious about wetness, smell, sound, or fluids during sex.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTSWetness and arousal don't always match. Cervical fluid, cycle timing, and hormones can make you wet or dry independent of how turned on you feel.Sounding isn't performance, it's a shortcut to pleasure. Making noise from the top of your inhale to the bottom of your exhale moves energy and gets you out of your head.Female ejaculation strips away viscous fluid. Ejaculators often need more lube afterward, not less.Lube is a tool, not a confession. Reaching for it has nothing to do with how attracted you are to your partner.Period sex has ancient roots as ritual and healing, not just something to tolerate or avoid.Hygiene conversations go better with curiosity and a "we can do better here" frame instead of blame.LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE CAN BE FOUND ON THE WEBSITE: https://www.sexreimagined.com/blog/too-wet-not-wet-enough Sexual Reflexology Online Masterclass - Join us September 2nd at 4pm Pacific / 7pm Eastern for a live masterclass on zoom. Register for $33 HERE (free limited replay window available) Tantra Unlocked: A Map to Sacred Sexuality for Real People | Sep 16 and 17, 2026 > Most people spend their entire lives having the same experience on repeat. This September, twelve of the most trusted voices in conscious sexuality are gathering live to give you the real map. Free to Register: https://www.sexreimagined.com/power-of-pleasure The Sacred Spot Retreat | Santa Barbara, Nov 6-8 We are bringing our most intimate couples workshop to California. Over three days, you will learn Sacred Spot Massage, Erotic Attunement, sensual touch as a somatic practice, and the ritual skills that change the way partners meet each other in the body. Ten couple spots only. Register at sexreimagined.com/events Rooted in Desire: A Women's Weekend Retreat One woman told us she walked out having shed sixty years of shame in a single weekend. That's what happens in a room where women are finally given permission to feel what's true. Rooted in Desire is an intimate retreat blending pelvic floor release, tantric breathwork, and sisterhood. Join Leah & Dr. Willow Brown in Santa Barbara, January 30-31, 2027. sexreimagined.com/rooted-in-desireSupport the showPlease help support the production costs of the show! Donate now: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2032242/supporters/newFREEBIE- Introduction to Tantric Kissing Video and WorkbookSxR WebsiteDr. Willow's WebsiteLeah's Website 

What if the future already exists—and your choices still matter? In this Living the Tao Short, Taoist Master Mikel Steenrod and Morgan explore the Taoist concept of nonlinear time: a model in which past, present, and future are not simply points moving along a single line. The conversation moves from memory and our ordinary experience of time into much stranger territory. If every moment remains part of existence, does that mean everything is predetermined? Steenrod argues that it does not. Change, in the Taoist model he describes, does not necessarily depend upon linear time. Along the way, they examine why our sense of the past may be tied to fading memory, why every action may remain part of existence, why Taoism resists placing the individual at the center of creation, and why nonlinear time was traditionally a subject reserved for more advanced practice. The future has already happened. And somehow, you may still be writing it.   Prefer the video format?  That's here: https://youtu.be/4KQ6FH6UNZc

Rejection hurts—but it doesn't define your worth. Discover the Taoist way to stop chasing validation, let go with dignity, and find peace when life says no. Discover why rejection can trigger self-doubt, childhood wounds, fear of abandonment and people-pleasing—and how to stop seeking external validation or trying to force people and situations to align.Learn how non-attachment, self-acceptance and wu wei can help you process rejection, protect your self-worth and emotional wellbeing, and trust that sometimes rejection is redirection towards a more authentic path.With your hosts, David James Lees (ordained Taoist monk, emotional and spiritual health teacher) and Alexandra Lees (mindset and business coach).Learn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:Our INNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqLOVE & RELATIONSHIPS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zID3yxrdCbbZFuKHCwgV6qhXIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email:  https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup Music by Earth Tree HealingDisclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.

Let go of regret, but learn the life lesson. In this episode of Tao Dialogues, you'll discover how to let go of regret, guilt and self-criticism without losing the wisdom your past experiences can teach you. Drawing on Taoism, spirituality and Inner Child teachings, we explore how to break free from emotional patterns, self-punishment and the past. Learn how authentic reflection, self-acceptance and the ‘power of three' — truth, honesty and integrity — can transform regret into wisdom, confidence and personal growth. You don't honour yesterday by living there — you honour it by learning from it.Read the blog post that inspired this episode: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/p/regret-without-ruin (first blog post on this page) Our Tao Dialogues are powerful yet gentle teachings about authenticity, spirituality and finding emotional balance and flow in everyday life. These spoken-word episodes draw from David James Lees' practice as a Taoist monk and teacher, and expand upon popular posts on ‘David's Journal', his Substack blog.You can subscribe to David's Journal here: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Learn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comOther related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:TAO DIALOGUES PLAYLIST  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICamFP2zMyey3KGTnfm2aUq&si=AW_ZOUeldKv3nHhFSHEN (THE SPIRITUAL SELF) PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIBmp50wYcmU7jCBLp1Qvl-jINNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/ Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup -Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.Music by Earth Tree Healing

Send us Fan MailI'm ready to share my personal journey with you — it's one I've been wanting to share for a long time: an introduction to my shadow work — what it is, how it works, and how it changes everything for the better.Many of you know me through the horses. But beneath everything I teach lives a deeper practice.In this episode, I finally open the door to what I've been studying and practicing for the last 40 years: Carl Jung Shadow Work.Through my 40 years of living, experiencing and practice, I have an extension of his work called: Inner Alchemy Shadow Work.My shadow work coaching integrates Jungian psychology, nervous system science, and Taoist philosophy — a deeply personalized excavation of the self, guided by someone (me) who has walked the path herself my entire life.If you've ever felt like something in you is broken (I know I have) — like no matter how hard you try, you keep landing in the same place — this episode is for you.Because you're not broken. You're living inside a loop that has its own logic. And the moment you understand that logic, the loop begins to lose its grip.In this episode, I will share:What the shadow actually is — and how it quietly runs your life from beneath the surfaceWhy trying harder and "fixing yourself" keeps you stuckHow my approach works: Jungian depth to see the pattern, nervous system science to feel safe enough to meet it, and Taoist wisdom to integrate it — wholeness, not perfectionHow your horses are your shadow work mirrors and best teachersReadings from my forthcoming memoir, Breaking Free — the story of walking this path myselfThis is the doorway into the personal work and growth I love most. I hope you join me as I explain how amazing this process is for inner peace and well-being.In shadow and in light, Caroline

John Ross chats with repeat guest Tim McGirk about Sima Qian (c. 145–86 BC), the Father of Chinese History. He earned this accolade for his monumental work, the Shiji (usually translated as Records of the Grand Historian). It covers more than two thousand years, from the legendary early emperors up to Emperor Wu, under whom Sima Qian lived and fell afoul. Sima Qian would use his history writing to criticize cruel leaders, most notably Qin Shi Huang, the despotic first emperor of China, who burned books and attacked the humanistic legacy of Confucius. The backstory of the Records is one of the great bibliographic tales of all time. And as McGirk explains, the man and his work were inspiration for his historical novel, The Wondrous Elixir of the Two Chinese Lovers. Books discussed: Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian (English translation by Burton Watson, Columbia University Press, 1961, 1993, 1996). The Wondrous Elixir of the Two Chinese Lovers by Tim McGirk (Plum Rain Press, 2025) Related episodes: In BOA episode 53, John chatted with Tim about his Plum Rain Press novel The Wondrous Elixir of the Two Chinese Lovers. It weaves the story of archeological discoveries in modern-day Mexico with that of Xu Fu, a Taoist alchemist/priest sent to bring back the secret of immortality. And in episode 65, John and Tim talked about Simon Winchester's biography of Sinologist Joseph Needham, The Man Who Loved China. The Books on Asia Podcast is co-produced with Plum Rain Press. Subscribe to the BOA podcast from your favorite podcast service. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

John Ross chats with repeat guest Tim McGirk about Sima Qian (c. 145–86 BC), the Father of Chinese History. He earned this accolade for his monumental work, the Shiji (usually translated as Records of the Grand Historian). It covers more than two thousand years, from the legendary early emperors up to Emperor Wu, under whom Sima Qian lived and fell afoul. Sima Qian would use his history writing to criticize cruel leaders, most notably Qin Shi Huang, the despotic first emperor of China, who burned books and attacked the humanistic legacy of Confucius. The backstory of the Records is one of the great bibliographic tales of all time. And as McGirk explains, the man and his work were inspiration for his historical novel, The Wondrous Elixir of the Two Chinese Lovers. Books discussed: Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian (English translation by Burton Watson, Columbia University Press, 1961, 1993, 1996). The Wondrous Elixir of the Two Chinese Lovers by Tim McGirk (Plum Rain Press, 2025) Related episodes: In BOA episode 53, John chatted with Tim about his Plum Rain Press novel The Wondrous Elixir of the Two Chinese Lovers. It weaves the story of archeological discoveries in modern-day Mexico with that of Xu Fu, a Taoist alchemist/priest sent to bring back the secret of immortality. And in episode 65, John and Tim talked about Simon Winchester's biography of Sinologist Joseph Needham, The Man Who Loved China. The Books on Asia Podcast is co-produced with Plum Rain Press. Subscribe to the BOA podcast from your favorite podcast service. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/east-asian-studies

John Ross chats with repeat guest Tim McGirk about Sima Qian (c. 145–86 BC), the Father of Chinese History. He earned this accolade for his monumental work, the Shiji (usually translated as Records of the Grand Historian). It covers more than two thousand years, from the legendary early emperors up to Emperor Wu, under whom Sima Qian lived and fell afoul. Sima Qian would use his history writing to criticize cruel leaders, most notably Qin Shi Huang, the despotic first emperor of China, who burned books and attacked the humanistic legacy of Confucius. The backstory of the Records is one of the great bibliographic tales of all time. And as McGirk explains, the man and his work were inspiration for his historical novel, The Wondrous Elixir of the Two Chinese Lovers. Books discussed: Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian (English translation by Burton Watson, Columbia University Press, 1961, 1993, 1996). The Wondrous Elixir of the Two Chinese Lovers by Tim McGirk (Plum Rain Press, 2025) Related episodes: In BOA episode 53, John chatted with Tim about his Plum Rain Press novel The Wondrous Elixir of the Two Chinese Lovers. It weaves the story of archeological discoveries in modern-day Mexico with that of Xu Fu, a Taoist alchemist/priest sent to bring back the secret of immortality. And in episode 65, John and Tim talked about Simon Winchester's biography of Sinologist Joseph Needham, The Man Who Loved China. The Books on Asia Podcast is co-produced with Plum Rain Press. Subscribe to the BOA podcast from your favorite podcast service. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

John Ross chats with repeat guest Tim McGirk about Sima Qian (c. 145–86 BC), the Father of Chinese History. He earned this accolade for his monumental work, the Shiji (usually translated as Records of the Grand Historian). It covers more than two thousand years, from the legendary early emperors up to Emperor Wu, under whom Sima Qian lived and fell afoul. Sima Qian would use his history writing to criticize cruel leaders, most notably Qin Shi Huang, the despotic first emperor of China, who burned books and attacked the humanistic legacy of Confucius. The backstory of the Records is one of the great bibliographic tales of all time. And as McGirk explains, the man and his work were inspiration for his historical novel, The Wondrous Elixir of the Two Chinese Lovers. Books discussed: Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian (English translation by Burton Watson, Columbia University Press, 1961, 1993, 1996). The Wondrous Elixir of the Two Chinese Lovers by Tim McGirk (Plum Rain Press, 2025) Related episodes: In BOA episode 53, John chatted with Tim about his Plum Rain Press novel The Wondrous Elixir of the Two Chinese Lovers. It weaves the story of archeological discoveries in modern-day Mexico with that of Xu Fu, a Taoist alchemist/priest sent to bring back the secret of immortality. And in episode 65, John and Tim talked about Simon Winchester's biography of Sinologist Joseph Needham, The Man Who Loved China. The Books on Asia Podcast is co-produced with Plum Rain Press. Subscribe to the BOA podcast from your favorite podcast service. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

John Ross chats with repeat guest Tim McGirk about Sima Qian (c. 145–86 BC), the Father of Chinese History. He earned this accolade for his monumental work, the Shiji (usually translated as Records of the Grand Historian). It covers more than two thousand years, from the legendary early emperors up to Emperor Wu, under whom Sima Qian lived and fell afoul. Sima Qian would use his history writing to criticize cruel leaders, most notably Qin Shi Huang, the despotic first emperor of China, who burned books and attacked the humanistic legacy of Confucius. The backstory of the Records is one of the great bibliographic tales of all time. And as McGirk explains, the man and his work were inspiration for his historical novel, The Wondrous Elixir of the Two Chinese Lovers. Books discussed: Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian (English translation by Burton Watson, Columbia University Press, 1961, 1993, 1996). The Wondrous Elixir of the Two Chinese Lovers by Tim McGirk (Plum Rain Press, 2025) Related episodes: In BOA episode 53, John chatted with Tim about his Plum Rain Press novel The Wondrous Elixir of the Two Chinese Lovers. It weaves the story of archeological discoveries in modern-day Mexico with that of Xu Fu, a Taoist alchemist/priest sent to bring back the secret of immortality. And in episode 65, John and Tim talked about Simon Winchester's biography of Sinologist Joseph Needham, The Man Who Loved China. The Books on Asia Podcast is co-produced with Plum Rain Press. Subscribe to the BOA podcast from your favorite podcast service. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/chinese-studies

I interviewed Wuer about Mnemosyne on Sunday, August 31, 2025 at Venice Immersive in Venice, Italy. Here is the story synopsis for Mnemosyne: "Mnemosyne is an innovative immersive work that blends VR film and live theatre, offering a multi- sensory experience and a poetic exploration of love, illusion, and awakening. Inspired by Tang Xianzu's Ming Dynasty classic The Peony Pavilion, the piece draws on Eastern philosophy to evoke the notion of “ultimate 情 (Qing/emotion)”. It combines 360° animation, 180° live-action footage, and live performance, with the surrounding environment, shaping each audience member's evolving sense of presence. The layered narrative unfolds like ink in water: fluid, evocative, and open to interpretation, inviting the audience to drift between constructed memories and imagined futures. Mnemosyne seeks to create a meditative landscape of shifting emotions, centring on the intimate experience of transcending illusion to uncover genuine feeling. It views this hybrid medium of merging physical and virtual presence as a potential stage for exploring the social dimensions and future possibilities of VR/XR." Here are the contextual domains that are explored: Connecting to the earth and nature [4], but also Eastern Religiion from Daoist and Buddhist thought [9]. Focusing on and reflecting upon your own embodied experiences [1] Here is the Elemental Center of Gravity: 1st Center of Gravity of Earth Element / Environmental and Embodied Presence: Most of the experience is CGI-based VR Animation and Cinematic VR, but there's is an immersive theatrical installation of something like a Tea Room, with meditation booths, which have a number of spatial modulations over the course of the performance. There's also an actor at the end with Mixed Reality Components. So it's a real blending of the spatial contexts.2nd Center of Gravity of Air Element / Mental and Social Presence: Lots of Taoist and Zen influences, and some quoted poetry and passages, but the density of the philosohical thought create a bit of like Zen Koan type of experience, where there were lots of deeper philosophical mysteries being explored. Very poetic, if not a bit mysterious -- and even the cretor was a bit vexed to communicate what the experience would be. You have to experience it to fully understand.3rd Center of Gravity of Water Element / Emotional Presence: Spatiousness from the cinematic montage of different scenes and poetic reflections. Jumping between the pre-recorded aspects (Chronos) and the live performative elements (Kairos) of the momen.4th Center of Gravity of Fire Element / Active Presence: LIVE performance elements. But also no real narrative or spatial agency. Aiming to sort create a contemplative poetic experience. Archetypal Themes and Character Explored: Lots of Truth vs Illusion themes. "poetic exploration of love, illusion, and awakening." Also, "it offers a sensory framework where gazes, pauses, and subtle gestures shape the unfolding rhythm. Within a layered dreamscape of animation, live-action, and performance, the audience becomes not just an observer but a co-creator of emotional experience. Drawing from the Daoist idea of “breaking illusion to perceive truth”, the work uses VR as a poetic medium — an ephemeral vessel to navigate between illusion and reality, dream and awakening — until the line between the two gently dissolves." Artist Statement: "Mnemosyne is an immersive narrative experiment focused on “empowering the audience's imagination”. Rather than presenting a closed storyline, it offers a sensory framework where gazes, pauses, and subtle gestures shape the unfolding rhythm. Within a layered dreamscape of animation, live-action, and performance, the audience becomes not just an observer but a co- creator of emotional experience. Drawing from the Daoist idea of “breaking illusion to perceive truth”, the work uses VR as a poetic medium — an ephemeral vessel to navigate between illusion and reality, dream and awakening — until the line between the two gently dissolves." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEAyABepKFM This is a listener-supported podcast through the Voices of VR Patreon. Music: Fatality

What if the path to healthy longevity lies not in choosing between ancient healing traditions and modern science, but in learning how to integrate both? In this episode, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with Dr. Mao Shing Ni—38th-generation doctor of Chinese medicine, co-founder of Tao of Wellness, and author of Secrets of Longevity—about how Traditional Chinese Medicine can complement modern approaches to healthspan optimization. Dr. Mao explains the foundational principles of Chinese medicine, including balance, the five elemental systems, and the links between organ function, emotional health, stress, and aging. This conversation also explores why daily habits, Tai Chi, Qigong, meditation, and purposeful movement remain some of the most powerful healthy aging strategies for preserving vitality, resilience, and independence over time.  Dr. Mao Shing Ni is board certified in anti-aging medicine and trained in acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutrition, Tai Chi, Qigong, and integrative East-West healing approaches. Dr. Mao is the author of more than 20 books, including Secrets of Longevity and Second Spring, and has spent decades translating traditional healing wisdom into practical modern health guidance. His work integrates Traditional Chinese Medicine with contemporary research in preventive health, resilience, and preventing age-related disease. A longtime advocate for aging youthfully, he focuses on helping people improve daily habits, restore balance, and build sustainable foundations for lifelong vitality. He is internationally recognized for bringing Taoist medicine, mind-body practice, and lifestyle medicine into the mainstream longevity conversation.  Episode Timeline  00:00 – Welcome, introduction, and why ancient wisdom still matters in modern longevity  04:05 – Dr. Mao's personal healing story and the family lineage that shaped his life's work  07:37 – The core principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine: yin and yang, balance, and the five elemental systems  13:11 – How Chinese medicine views the liver, lungs, gut, kidneys, stress, and emotional regulation  17:28 – Wearables, AI, and the intriguing intersection of modern health data with Chinese medicine principles  21:36 – Why Secrets of Longevity focuses on practical, habit-based actions rather than theory alone  24:08 – The fundamentals of longevity: sleep, movement, stress reduction, purpose, and healthy daily habits  28:02 – Tai Chi and Qigong as powerful mind-body tools for cardiovascular health, balance, bone strength, and brain health  30:21 – Ballroom dancing, movement diversity, coordination, and cognitive resilience  32:00 – Where longevity science is headed: regeneration, organ support, prevention, and extending healthspan  36:04 – Dr. Mao's final message: healthy longevity is built on habits, consistency, and personal responsibility  Connect with Guest  Tao of Wellness https://taoofwellness.com/  Yo San University https://yosan.edu/  Secrets of Longevity by Dr. Mao Shing Ni https://taoofwellness.com/product/secrets-of-longevity/  Second Spring by Dr. Mao Shing Ni https://taoofwellness.com/product/second-spring/  Connect with your host, Dr. Gillian Lockitch Connect with your host, Dr, Gillian Lockitch email: askdrgill@gmail.com  For a personalized one on one conversation about health aging strategies Website: www.askdrgill.com https://www.facebook.com/gillian.lockitch/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillianlockitch/    

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives: From the Archives, we revisit a fascinating conversation with author, researcher, and longtime explorer of the unexplained, David Weatherly.David is a true Renaissance man of the strange and supernatural. For decades, he has traveled the world investigating ghosts, cryptids, UFOs, ancient mysteries, magic, psychic phenomena, and the many things that seem to exist just beyond the boundaries of our understanding. From haunted castles and remote islands to ancient sacred sites and modern paranormal hotspots, David has dedicated much of his life to pursuing the unknown. His fascination with the unexplained began at an early age, fueled by ghost stories, strange creature encounters, and UFO reports. Influenced by legendary researchers and writers such as John Keel, Jacques Vallée, and Hans Holzer, David eventually began conducting his own investigations into the mysterious.But his approach to the paranormal extends far beyond traditional investigation. Throughout his travels, David has studied shamanic, mystical, and magical traditions from cultures around the world. He has spent time with Taoist masters in China, Tibetan Lamas, Native American and African tribal elders, and shamans from numerous traditions. He has also explored subjects ranging from alchemy and divination to Qigong, Ninjutsu, energy work, and ceremonial magic. That unusual background gives David a unique perspective on paranormal phenomena and the strange entities people have encountered throughout history.David is the founder of Eerie Lights Publishing and the author of numerous books, including Strange Intruders, Eerie Companions, the Monsters of America series, and the Haunted series. He has appeared on Coast to Coast AM, Ancient Aliens, Mysteries of the Outdoors, Beyond Belief, On the Trail of UFOs, and many other programs.So settle in as we head back into the archives for a conversation with one of the most well-traveled researchers of the strange and unusual, David Weatherly.All of this and more on this installment of Expanded Perspectives: From the Archives.Find out more about David Weatherly and his work at Eerie Lights Publishing.

A guided meditation to help you break free from self-sabotage, reconnect with your Inner Child and take the first calm step towards your true potential - with Taoist monk and teacher, David James Lees Feeling stuck, procrastinating, or trapped in self-sabotage? This guided meditation combines Taoist wisdom, Inner Child healing, mindfulness and self-compassion to help you release fear, overcome perfectionism, reconnect with your inner spiritual wisdom, and move forward with calm confidence. Through gentle visualisation, affirmations and breathwork, you'll learn to replace old protective patterns with authentic, aligned action—one peaceful step at a time.⚠️ PLEASE DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION WHILE DRIVING OR OPERATING MACHINERYThis meditation can be practised daily or whenever you need it. Learn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other teachings and guided meditations you may enjoy: GUIDED MEDITATION PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIA12P7BftG6a18lIWFDjL35&si=bWWub6YyoZpXhFubLOVE & RELATIONSHIPS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zID3yxrdCbbZFuKHCwgV6qhX&si=-zdah_z6MiSZIl0tIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Book an online Golden Thread Process & Inner Child Consultation with David: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/therapies-for-body-mind/ Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email: https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup -Disclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.Music by Earth Tree Healing

What if the secret to mastering life is not doing more, but interfering less?In this series, I select my favourite and most insightful moments from previous episodes of the podcast.Today, my guest Bob Martin, former criminal trial lawyer turned mindfulness mentor, shares a teaching he received from a 72nd generation Taoist Master, on what it truly means to master life. Through the metaphor of a swimmer reading the tide, Bob reveals why knowing when to push and when to wait is one of the most powerful and underrated skills a person can develop.Press play for one of the most memorable and practically useful pieces of ancient wisdom I have ever shared on this podcast.˚VALUABLE RESOURCES:Listen to the full conversation with Bob Martin in episode #496:https://personaldevelopmentmasterypodcast.com/496˚Coaching with Agi: https://personaldevelopmentmasterypodcast.com/mentor˚

Feeling stuck in life? Discover how to break free, stop living beneath your potential, and begin flourishing.Why do so many capable people feel stuck in life, despite working hard and doing everything they're "supposed" to do? In this video, we explore the hidden psychology of self-sabotage, revealing how unresolved Inner Child issues create procrastination, perfectionism, people-pleasing, fear of failure and emotional stagnation.You'll discover how limiting childhood beliefs can keep you trapped in familiar patterns and practical steps to help you overcome these, stop repeating the same emotional cycles, and begin making decisions from integrity rather than fear.With your hosts, David James Lees (ordained Taoist monk, emotional and spiritual health teacher) and Alexandra Lees (mindset and business coach).Learn more about David's online consultations, events, books and audio teachings: https://www.wuweiwisdom.comSubscribe to David's FREE Journal: https://davidjameslees.substack.com/Other related teachings on our YouTube channel that will help you:Our INNER CHILD PLAYLIST  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zICGLRS1b7q1HSJhZRash5qqOur GOLDEN THREAD PROCESS PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NQ_PWX4zIAsS_wgdRN7QGBKIk54sbyDIs there a question you'd like answered on the show? Submit it at: https://bit.ly/askusyourquestion Join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Community Facebook support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wuweiwisdomcommunity  If you love our work, you can now make a small donation to help fund the continued production of our weekly teachings by buying us a 'virtual coffee'! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wuweiwisdom Follow us on Instagram: @wuweiwisdomSign up to receive a relaxing guided meditation gift, plus our weekly newsletter + offers via email:  https://www.wuweiwisdom.com/signup Music by Earth Tree HealingDisclaimer: This podcast and any associated teaching and comments shared are not a substitute for professional therapy, mental health care, crisis support, medical advice, doctor diagnosis, or professional healthcare treatment. Our show episodes provide general information for educational purposes only and are offered as suggestions for you and your professional therapist or healthcare advisor to consider and research.