My guest today is holistic center pioneer and all around Dharma good guy, Ralph White. Ralph was the first program director for the Omega Center up in Rhinebeck NY as well as one of the founding members of The Open Center in NYC. We discuss a whole bunch of topics in this episode so here are some bullet points to make it easy for you: Topics Discussed in This Episode The rise of holistic centers in the U.S. and beyond Holistic Hustlers The Importance of Discernment Adventure Journeying to Tibet as a Westerner Science of the Spirit Rudolf Steiner Ralph turned me onto Rudolf Steiner at the end of this episode and for that I'm eternally grateful. Ralph just wrote a memoir, "The Jeweled Highway: On The Quest for A Life of Meaning" which is fantastic and I finished it in four days so maybe check that out why dontcha? Also, I'm giving away a copy of Ralph's book for this week's Synchronicity book giveaway contest. Remember, all you need to do to enter the book giveaway contest is join the Synchronicity Community which you can do right here: eepurl.com/bSWrqT. And as always be sure to Subscribe to Synchronicity and rate and review on iTunes and Stitcher.

My guest today is meditation teacher, musician and all around creatrix, Biet Simkin who's based out of NYC. Biet is a wonderful example of someone who's let her inner life guide her external life (is there really a difference?) which is working out pretty pretty great for her. As you'll hear in the episode Biet is also an incredibly genuine and love-filled person. Coincidentally, my favorite type of person! Biet is also leading guided sound meditations at Further Future a music and lifestyle festival taking place April 29 through Sunday May 1, 2016 at the Moapa River Indian Reservation near Las Vegas, Nevada. More details inside the episode but Further Future is going to be an amazing time and experience and if I didn't have a baby due right when it was taking place I'd be attending. Find out more about Further Future here: http://www.furtherfuture.com/ Topics Discussed in This Episode The blessing of Biet's tragic upbringing Biet's father, Grigori Simkin Overcoming depression and addiction Biet's musical career Changing your mind to change your life Surrendering Suffering Listening to your inner voice Radical Joy Being Sober and Getting High (off your own supply) Closing song is "Si Do Hymn" from Biet's most recent album, "The Lunar" As always, subscribe to Synchronicity on iTunes and Stitcher and rate and review if you haven't already. Many thanks to Jordan from Further Future/Robot Heart for linking me and Biet. You rule Jordan!

My guest today is creative professional extraordinaire, Paul Jarvis. Paul is founder and launcher of a plethora of online products for creative professionals including Creative Class, Chimp Essentials, Project Prescription, 4 Wordpress Themes and his weekly emails The Sunday Dispatches. Paul also has his own podcast called, The Freelancer, which you 100% should check out because he drops wisdom bombs like they're going out of style on a regular basis. Paul currently resides in the woods of Canada, on an island with his wife Lisa and their gang of pet rats. He rocks cheap beer toques and meditation beads (typically at the same time). He also has way more tattoos than you. (I ripped this little about part from his site so that's how I know he has more tattoos than you.) I stumbled across Paul when a friend of mine recommended I check out his Chimp Essentials MailChimp course which was hands down one of the best courses I've ever taken. The course is on hiatus right now but will be back soon. I'll let you know when it's back because it is great. Just from taking that course I got the sense that: a) Paul really knew what he was talking about b) he genuinely seemed to care about the people he was speaking to c) he seemed like a really awesome person I'd like to talk with. So, I hit him up and he responded and we set up a time to chat and this podcast is the fruit of that (very easy to do) labor. Topics Discussed This Episode Being Honest and Authentics The Value of Introspection The Similarities Between Being a Musician and a Freelancer Business Done Right Being Service The Pitfalls of the Mindset of "Doing Only What You Love" Is Paul Spiritual? What is Spiritual? Creating Things with Purpose Fear and Action Coexisitng Creating Space in Life/Business No Having Expectations Having Clear Intentions and Being Radically Honest The Merits of Veganism In addition to being a creator par excellence Paul is also a musician and I asked him for a couple of music recommendations. At the time he was enjoying Side Data (a Canadian band) and the Kruder and Dorfmeister Sessions Volume 1 (which is one of my favorite mix compilations of all time). Paul also recommended Oliver Burkeman's, "The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking". I'm giving away a copy of "The Antidote" for this weeks Synchronicity giveaway. All you need to do to is join the Synchronicity Community and you are automatically entered in the contest. Find Paul on Twitter and be sure to check out his very excellent website. Be sure to subscribe to Synchronicity on iTunes, Stitcher and wherever else fine podcasts live. And of course rate and review and all that jazz. Grazi!

My guest today is business owner and marijuana lifestyle advocate slash activist, Davis Clayton Kiyo. Davis and I went to the same high school but didn't really know each other too well back then. Since ye olden days he's embarked on a new career centered around one of my favorite things in life: marijuana. You may remember my last guest, Ben Kovacs, is a co-founder of a company called Myster. Well, Davis is the other co-founder. You'll hear it in the episode but Davis has a creative and energetic spirit that is palpable and contagious. Davis also relays a very interesting story about a near death experience someone he knows had and how that altered his view of reality and death. We talk about a whole host of topics including: Davis' parents being Donald Trump supporters Bringing more awareness into your life The pros and cons of marijuana use (mostly the pros) Normalization of marijuana in culture and society An interesting legal situation Davis is in right now Hacking the voter system The knowability of the universe Science vs Spirit The dogma of religion Changing reality with your thoughts This was another in-person podcast and have I said how much I love these? Because I very much love them. For this weeks book giveaway I'm giving away a brand new copy of Carl Jung's, "Man and His Symbols." If you want to enter the contest all you need to do is join the Synchronicity Community and you do that by clicking this. Also, be sure to Subscribe to Synchronicity if you haven't already.

Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with Ben Kovacs who I'm gonna call an actualizer-extraordinaire. Ben is a good old-fashioned renaissance man. In addition to working his day job at Twitter, Ben just founded Guardian Gym which aims to help urban populations and at-risk youth via martial arts. Ben also is co-founder of a marijuana accessory and lifestyle company called Myster. How's that for diversity? In addition to practical tips about how he's been able to cultivate success in his life, Ben has an especially refreshing perspective on work, life, helping others and synthesizing all of those thing together. Things Discussed In This Episode The genesis and mission behind Guardian Gym The importance of martial arts Being humble and developing confidence Having a purpose in life beyond making money Working at Twitter Ben's relationship with marijuana The future of marijuana (normalization) The benefits of microdosing LSD Yoga and marijuana How to cultivate happiness The practical benefits of following your passion and doing what you love Follow Ben on Twitter here (@moobypong) Subscribe to Synchronicity aqui. And don't forget to rate on iTunes and Stitcher. This week's book giveaway is "Tribal Leadership" by Dave Logan, John King and Halee Fischer-Wright. To enter the contest join the Synchronicity community here. That's it!

Music Biz legend and all-around smart dude, Danny Goldberg returns to Synchronicity. For those who caught the first episode with Danny you know the episode cut off at the end because the battery on my recorder died. For those of you who didn't listen to that episode, well, now you know too. Danny is one of my favorite people to talk to not only because he's objectively cool and insightful but he's also got a real knack for presenting perspectives that I don't know anything about. Case in point, he makes a compelling case for Hillary Clinton for president (even though he's a Bernie Sanders supporter). And yes, in case the title didn't give it away we get deep down in the muck to talk politics for this episode. Topics Discussed In This Episode Compassion in Politics Donald Trump Does Bernie Sanders have a chance? Hillary Clinton Danny shares some practical tips that have helped him Saying things that are true, kind and helpful I also announce the winner of last week's Synchronicity Book Giveaway (congrats Derek!). If you want to be entered in the next book giveaway all you have to do is join the Synchronicity Community which you do right here. And if you haven't already be sure to Subscribe to Synchronicity on iTunes and Stitcher. Also, Danny has his own podcast called "Rock and Roles" which I highly recommend you subscribe to as well.

My guest today is the uber-intelligent and incredibly cool, Jeremy Johnson. Jeremy is an editor for Reality Sandwich and a polyphonic enthusiast of all things religion, science fiction, and philosophy (I wish I could take credit for the description but I shamelessly pulled it from his bio.) Let's just say Jeremy is interested in a lot of stuff. One of the things Jeremy and I share a love for is literature and books. Exploring how books affect consciousness was one of my favorite threads of our conversation. Speaking of books I'm giving away a brand new copy of the book we mention in this episode, Whitley Streiber and Jeffrey Kripal's, "The Super Natural." To enter the contest all you need to do is join the Synchronicity Community by clicking this link and entering your email. Good luck!   Things Discussed in This Episode Literature and Consciousness Transmedia The Ba'hai Faith The Evolution of Consciousness Jeremy's new project, "The Theory of Everybody" "Mutants and Mystics" by Jeffrey Kripal Psychedelics Salvia   Where to Find Jeremy Online Jeremy on Twitter Jeremy on Facebook LitGeeks Book Club   As always, subscribe to Synchronicity if you haven't already and rate and review on iTunes and Stitcher.

I'm joined today by one of the loveliest and sweetest people I've ever met, Mirabai Starr. Mirabai writes, speaks and leads retreats on the inter-spiritual teachings of the mystics. Known for her revolutionary translations of John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, and Julian of Norwich, Mirabai renders mystical masterpieces accessible, beautiful, and relevant to a contemporary circle of seekers. Her commentaries on the interconnected wisdom of all traditions are lyrical and evocative. She builds bridges not only between religious traditions, but also between contemplative life and compassionate service, between cultivating an inner relationship with the Beloved and expressing that intimacy in community, between the transformational power of loss and longing for the sacred. She's also experienced a good deal of tragedy and objective suffering in her life, but has come out of those experiences with one of the most refreshing takes on life I've ever witnessed. Mirabai and I talk about the power of suffering, the true meaning of the phrase "dark night of the soul," spiritual crises and turning painful life experiences into powerful transformational experiences. Mirabai has a new book out called, "The Caravan of No Despair: A Memoir of Loss and Transformation." I'm also giving away a brand new copy of Mirabai's book on this episode so listen to the episode for full details. Enter that contest here: http://eepurl.com/bSWrqT As always, Subscribe to Synchronicity on your favorite podcast channels.   Other stuff mentioned in the episode Berning Down the House - Fundraiser  Berning Down the House is a grassroots fundraiser to raise some dollars for Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign. #berningdowndc The event will bring together a variety of artists, musicians, and advocates who all believe that Bernie Sanders' campaign represents real change in America; a departure from a society and government controlled by the financial elite. Bernie Sanders can help redirect American democracy to truly be in the hands of the people, while reducing economic inequality, empowering minorities and the impoverished, and saving the planet. Flash - DC Doors open at 6pm18+ **ADVANCE TICKETS**https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/berningdowndc

Recently I had the pleasure of sitting down with slash ingesting cannabis pixie sticks with filmmaker and highly tuned-in person, Sean Dunne at his apartment in Brooklyn. Sean has made some truly incredible documentaries (Trump Rally, Oxyana, Florida Man, Cam Girlz, American Juggalo) which you can (and should) check out over on his website (FOR FREE): http://www.veryape.tv/ Sean and I met once last year but this time we really had a chance to connect and learn more about each other and am very glad we did. Credit to Michael Donovan for linking us up. We talk about marijuana, DMT, psychedelics, veganism, Sean's super awesome films, Donald Trump and a whole bunch of other stuff. Note: I am a big time potty mouth in this episode and basically every mind-altering substance is mentioned so now you've been warned. Things Discussed in this episode Marijuana Mushrooms DMT Veganism Sean's Amazing Documentaries Donald Trump (DRUMPF) Your Life (and Work) as a Spiritual Path Donald Trump (again) Sean on Twitter Sean's Podcast Hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did. As always be sure to subscribe, rate and review Synchronicity on iTunes, Stitcher or wherever else you consume your podcasts from.

On a recent trip back to NYC (my home from '08-'15) I sat down with the wise, insightful and all around cool guy, Danny Goldberg. Currently, Danny Goldberg is President of GoldVE Entertainment. Danny has also worked in the music business as a personal manager, record company president, public relations man and journalist since the late sixties. Goldberg is also a consultant to the newly released HBO series “Vinyl”. From 1983-1992, Goldberg was the founder and President of Gold Mountain Entertainment, an artist management firm whose clients included Nirvana, Hole, Sonic Youth, Beastie Boys, Bonnie Raitt, The Allman Brothers, Rickie Lee Jones and more. In addition to of all the worldly accolades Danny has maintained a keen interest in ethics and spirituality throughout his life. Topics we discuss on this episode: Navigating the "real" world with a "spiritual" perspective The Power of Not Being an Asshole (and apologizing if you happen to be one on occasion) The Power of Prayer Working with Great Musical Artists Music and the Spiritual Path Politics Danny has his own podcast called "Rock and Roles" which (shhh, don't tell anyone) is my favorite podcast on MindPod Network. Definitely check it out. Danny also recommends Michael Moore's new film, "Where To Invade Next" and a book (which happens to be my all-time favorite spiritual text) "The Gospel of Ramakrishna." Don't forget to subscribe to Synchronicity if you haven't already. Also rate and review on iTunes and Stitcher. THANK YOU!