The One Component Of Fitness Most People Neglect (Meditation, Plant Medicine, Yoga, Sex & More: How Ben Greenfield Trains For The Spiritual Disciplines).

Dec 26, 2019

The discussion underscores the vital link between spiritual health and physical fitness. Listeners explore practices like meditation, gratitude, and fasting as pathways to deeper fulfillment. Personal experiences highlight the importance of integrating these spiritual disciplines into daily life, including structured morning routines and family involvement. Techniques for enhancing meditation and mindfulness help manage stress and foster connection. Engaging family games and rituals further emphasize the transformative nature of spirituality in relationships.

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ADVICE

Spiritual Retreat

Schedule 2-5 days for a personal, silent retreat in nature.
Focus on reading, fasting, meditating, and journaling for profound breakthroughs.

ADVICE

Morning Spiritual Routine

Start your day with spiritual uplifting by reading, meditating, and praying.
Enhance meditation with essential oils, gamma waves, or microdosing psilocybin.

ADVICE

Family Gratitude Practice

Incorporate stretching, deep tissue work, and uplifting audio into your morning routine.
Practice daily gratitude with your family, sharing truths, gratefulness, and service intentions.

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The Jesuit guide to almost everything

Fr. James Martin

The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything offers a comprehensive introduction to Jesuit spirituality, emphasizing core values like finding God in all things, discernment, and service. James Martin provides practical advice on integrating spirituality into daily life, including practices such as the Examen and Ignatian meditation. The book is accessible to a wide audience, encouraging readers to cultivate a sense of joy and balance in their lives.

Solitude

Michael Harris

The Science of Enlightenment

Shinzen Young

Mind to Matter

Dawson Church

Becoming supernatural

Joe Dispenza

In 'Becoming Supernatural', Dr. Joe Dispenza draws on research from his advanced workshops since 2012 to show how common people can achieve extraordinary transformations. The book combines scientific research in epigenetics, quantum physics, and neuroscience with ancient spiritual wisdom. Readers learn how to balance the body’s 7 energy centers, free themselves from the past, and create reality in the present moment by changing their energy. It also covers topics such as changing brain chemistry to initiate mystical experiences, accessing the quantum field, and the role of the pineal gland in spiritual experiences. The book aims to help readers develop a more efficient, balanced, healthy body and an unlimited mind[1][2][3].

Stealing fire

How Silicon Valley, the Navy SEALs, and Maverick Scientists Are Revolutionizing the Way We Live and Work

Steven Kotler

This book explores the revolution in high performance driven by four accelerating forces: psychology, neurobiology, technology, and pharmacology. It delves into how trailblazers like Eric Schmidt, Elon Musk, Navy SEALs, and maverick scientists are harnessing rare and controversial states of consciousness to solve critical challenges and enhance their lives. The authors, Steven Kotler and Jamie Wheal, spent four years investigating these leading edges, from Silicon Valley to the Navy SEALs, and present a provocative examination of what is possible and how to radically upgrade one's life.

Spiritual Disciplines Handbook

Practices That Transform Us

Adele Ahlberg Calhoun

This handbook provides practical, accessible guidance on various spiritual disciplines, from classical practices like prayer, worship, and scripture study to more contemporary disciplines such as mentoring, journaling, and unplugging. It is designed to help readers transform their spiritual lives by offering clear definitions and practices of these disciplines. The book is structured into several parts, including Worship, Open Myself to God, Relinquish the False Self, Share My Life with Others, Hear God's Word, and Incarnate the Love of Christ. It is highly recommended for both new and seasoned Christians seeking to enhance their spiritual growth and intimacy with Christ.

Celebration of discipline

the path to spiritual growth

Richard Foster

Celebration of Discipline explores the central spiritual practices of the Christian faith, dividing them into three categories: inward disciplines (meditation, prayer, fasting, and study), outward disciplines (simplicity, solitude, submission, and service), and corporate disciplines (confession, worship, guidance, and celebration). Foster argues that these disciplines are essential for spiritual growth and a balanced spiritual life. He provides practical insights and examples on how these disciplines can be integrated into daily life to bring about personal transformation and a deeper connection with God and others.

Surrender

40 Songs, One Story

Bono (Paul David Hewson)

Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story is an autobiography that delves into Bono's life, from his early days in Dublin to U2's rise to fame and his extensive work in social justice. The book is structured around 40 U2 songs, each chapter offering insights into his personal struggles, relationships, and faith. Bono candidly discusses his mistakes, successes, and the role of faith in his life, making this memoir both personal and profound.

Spiritual disciplines for the Christian life

Donald Whitney

In *Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life*, Donald S. Whitney explores various spiritual practices that lead to spiritual growth and godliness. The book covers disciplines like Scripture reading, prayer, worship, evangelism, serving, stewardship, fasting, silence and solitude, journaling, and learning. Whitney draws from Christian history, particularly Puritan teachings, to illustrate how these disciplines are channels of God’s transforming grace. The revised and updated edition includes in-depth discussions on Bible study and prayer methods, making it a valuable resource for both new and seasoned Christians to deepen their spiritual lives.

Awareness

a de Mello spirituality conference in his own words

Anthony de Mello

In 'Awareness', Anthony de Mello combines Christian spirituality, Buddhist parables, Hindu breathing exercises, and psychological insight to challenge readers to wake up from the go-go-go world of illusion. The book, composed of short chapters and lectures, encourages readers to become aware of their thoughts, actions, and motivations. De Mello argues that true happiness and freedom come from dropping illusions and living in the present, free from the constructs of culture, conditioning, and fear. He emphasizes the need to observe oneself, understand negative feelings, and practice detachment to achieve a more authentic and fulfilling life[1][3][5].

As I age, observe great thinkers and philosophers, and continually seek wisdom, I've become increasingly convinced that caring for one's spirit is as important - no - more important than caring for one's body and brain. After all, long after our muscles have atrophied and skin has sagged, long after our brains have degraded and accumulated with plaque, long after our blood vessels and nerves have become clogged and weak and long after our relentless pursuit of fitness and longevity has become a vain effort, our spirits can be just as strong and bright as ever. Yet, sadly - especially among those immersed in physical culture, fitness and biohacking, it seems that the spirit is the most oft-ignored component of our human vessels, quite frequently shrunken and shriveled from a near complete neglect of the spiritual disciplines...

...disciplines such as meditation, gratitude, prayer, fasting, study, fellowship, celebration, charity and all those elements that most of us know are important but somehow shove to the side because, let's face it, life gets busy and it just seems far more practical and immediately useful to go hit the gym rather than sit cross-legged on the floor meditating breathing, spending an extra ten minutes in bed journaling, or prioritizing a family dinner.

As I mention with increasing frequency the importance of the spiritual disciplines, I'm often ask how I personally incorporate these practices in my own life.

So, similar to how last week I shared with you the nitty-gritty details of my own nutrition supplementation program, in this podcast I'm going to delve into how I weave everything from yoga to breathwork to plant medicine into my own life. I in no way profess to be an expert in these matters, and although it is my goal over the next ten years to become as spiritually fit as I am physically fit, and to focus perhaps even more on the spiritual disciplines than I currently do on the physical disciplines, I hope that a few of the insights I've incorporated into my own life these past several years may serve you well in your own pursuit of spiritual greatness.

During this podcast, you'll discover: -Why value spiritual disciplines in the first place?...6:40

Focusing only on physical health and wellness can be quite shallow
Spiritual exercise/discipline is just as real and vital as physical
Caring for our spirit is just as important, if not more so, than our body and brain
Attachment exercise from Awareness by Anthony Di Mello
- Think of something or someone to which you're attached
- Say, "I really do not need you to be happy; I can be happy without you"
Happiness is a state of non-illusion -- the absence of an illusion

-How Ben has educated himself on spiritual disciplines...13:00

Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard Foster
Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney
Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele A. Calhoun
The Jesuits Guide to (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life by James Martin, SJ
Solitude: A Philosophical Encounter by Philip Koch
Once a year practice of stoicism
- 2-5 days of silence and solitude
- No family, completely alone
- Reading, journaling, fasting
- Kion Fasting book

-Ben's morning spiritual disciplines...19:27

Before getting out of bed, time w/ family, etc. read in bed (scriptures, aforementioned books) for 5-10 minutes
- Study
- Meditation
- Prayer
Enhancing meditation tips:
- Eco Meditation from Mind to Matter by Dawson Church
- Joe Dispenza's meditations from his book Becoming Supernatural
- Dab a bit of Third Eye essential oil by Essential Oil Wizardry between the eyes
- VieLight Gamma
- Psilocybin micro dose
- Stealing Fire by Steven Kotler (book)
Spiritual disciplines can be "hacked" just like physical disciplines
MiCacao tea w/ Kion Coffee
Spend 10-15 minutes doing stretching and deep tissue work
Family gratitude practice
- Christian Gratitude Journal
- Sing a song together

-Ben's sauna practice...37:45

Clearlight Sanctuary sauna
Flow yoga w/ deep breathwork
Drink a hot beverage beforehand (black pepper tea or coffee or green tea)
Respire Essential Oil by Essential Oil Wizardry (sprinkled in the sauna before going in)
Listening to something educational
- Book: The Science of Enlightenment by Shinzen Young
Prototype topical oil by ATP Science (enhances your ability to sweat)
Finish w/ a cold plunge in a Morozko Forge ice bath followed by this prayer:
- Our Father in heaven, I surrender all to you Turn me into the father and husband you would have for me to be Into a man who will fulfill your great commission And remove from me all judgment of others Grant me your heavenly wisdom Remove from me my worldly temptations Teach me to listen to your still, small voice in the silence And fill me with your peace, your love, and your joy. Amen

-How Ben manages stress during busy and intensive work days...44:45

Brief pauses throughout the day for breath work
- Box breathing (4 in, 4 hold, 4 out, 4 hold)
- Alternate nostril breathing
- 4-8 breathing (4 in, 8 out over and over)
21 day Soma breath work course by The Renegade Pharmacist

-End of day spiritual practices...47:28

Gather for family dinner (big factor for longevity in Blue Zones)
- Meditation, activation of para-sympathetic nervous system ..."I'm aware of my body I'm smiling at my body I'm aware of my food I'm smiling at my food I'm aware of my company I'm smiling at my company"
- Centering breaths
Games for family dinners
- Table Topics
- The oatmeal: Unstable Unicorns, Bears vs. Babies, Exploding Kittens
- Gubs
- Quiddler
- Boggle
Finish up remaining business while family cleans up and gets ready for bed
- You dwell on and dream about what you've dwelt on during the day
Family bedtime
- Sing together
- App: Ultimate Guitar Tabs
- Prayer together
- Eye gazing
Self-reflection journal (a la Ben Franklin amazon links...)

-Spiritual lovemaking...57:50

True, tantric, spiritual sex is oft ignored in modern society
Backjack chairs - chat for 5-15 minutes prior to lovemaking, sleep, etc.
Couple's plant medicine therapy
Holotropic breath work (Renegade Pharmacist offers this)
Ben's massage setup
- Blast body w/ Whole Tones by Michael Tyrrell
- Ketamine and oxytocin intranasally, occasionally w/ THC
- PEMF table by Pulse Centers

-Areas for improvement...1:09:00

Participating in local charitable causes
Share your gifts -- make your service enjoyable
Strengthen connection w/ local church community

-And much more... Resources from this episode:

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