
Align Podcast
Welcome! I'm Aaron, host of the Align Podcast. Understanding your mind and body can be confusing, this podcast will help by combining ancient wisdom with modern science to better know yourself.
New here? Start with these episodes: Byron Katie, Bruce Lipton, Aubrey Marcus, Gabor Maté, Robert Sapolsky, Chris Williamson, Robert Edward Grant, Dr. Perry Nickelston, Wim Hof, Peter Crone, James Clear, Zach Bush, Teal Swan, Dr. Mike Israetel, Gabby Reece, Laird Hamilton, Marianne Williamson
If you love this podcast, I would love for you to connect with me on Instagram, @AaronAlexander
Latest episodes

Oct 17, 2017 • 41min
Anodea Judith: Eastern Body, Western Mind, Chakra System | Ep. 137
Anodea Judith Ph.D. has been called a “prophet for our time.” A globally recognized teacher, speaker, healer, and writer on the intersection of personal and collective awakening, her passion for the realization of our potential matches her concern for humanity’s impending crises—her fervent wish that we “wake up in time.” She holds Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Psychology and Health, is a Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (500 hour E-RYT), and therapist with lifelong studies in somatic psychology, mythology, history, sociology, systems theory, and mystic spirituality. She is best known for her groundbreaking work reviving the chakra system of ancient yoga, and its profound correlation to human psychology, cultural evolution, and the downward process of manifestation. Her best-selling books have gained worldwide recognition with over a million books in print in 18 languages, and won several awards. She is a well-loved workshop presenter, whose exhilarating live workshops are not only informative but life-changing, with trainings for therapists, yoga teachers, and leaders, with transformative techniques for those on the path of awakening. She is also a global presenter in online workshops and summits. A riveting keynote inspirational speaker, her pictorial animated powerpoints are like movies, with messages that bring hope without mincing words about the challenges of our times. Her central vision is that our evolutionary challenge is learn how to create Heaven on Earth. This will, of course, take a miracle, but she believes that is the initiatory challenge of humans learning to wield the power of gods. And finally Anodea Judith is a musician, artist, poet, avid gardener, priestess, mother, and grandmother, whose pioneering work has changed lives and is working toward changing the world.

Oct 9, 2017 • 1h 9min
Hunter Maats: Effective Thinking, Perception, Unlearning | Ep. 136
Hunter Maats is a friend and sincerely one of the most intelligent people I've come across. This conversation spans a variety of topics from how to think more effectively, where our perceptions come from in the first place and lots of old dead guys perspectives on various matters of the sort. Desfruta!

Oct 3, 2017 • 50min
Jason Khalipa: Mind-Set Tips, Supplementation, Redefining Values | Ep. 135
Being an athlete doesn’t stop when you exit the arena, field, or court. Being a competitor is a lifestyle, a lifestyle that Jason Khalipa knows well. As Jason struggled to balance training for the CrossFit Games, fatherhood, fitness entrepreneurship, coaching, and maintaining his business, he soon realized he needed to reevaluate his approach to life. It is now Jason's approach to life to wholeheartedly focus on the present without fear of reevaluation. Jason has competed in the CrossFit Games on 8 separate occasions. Competing as an individual for 7 consecutive years, and wrapping up an 8th year as a team competitor, Jason is no rookie to the sport of fitness. Throughout his CrossFit Games career, Jason has only placed outside the Top 10 once, has won every Regional competition he has participated in, and he won the Spirit of the Games award in 2009. Not only has Jason held all podium positions at the world championships, but he was also named to Team USA 3 times.

Sep 25, 2017 • 1h 11min
Bryan Callen: Assume the Position, Benefits of Tragedy, Body Language | Ep. 134
Born in the Phillipines, Callen spent the first fourteen years of his life overseas in countries like India, Pakistan, Lebanon, Greece and Saudi Arabia, before moving to the U.S. He went to high school in Massachusetts and earned his B.A. in History at the American University in Washington D.C. Bryan Callen has spent the last 17 years in Los Angeles fighting traffic because that’s where he seems to find the most work. (Bryan Callen is also writing this but making it seem like someone ELSE is writing this by referring to himself in the 3rd person) Callen got his start as an original cast member of MAD TV. He then went on to play numerous roles on the small and big screen including, “Old School” “Bad Santa”, “Sex and the City”, “Entourage,” “Californication”, “7th Heaven,” “King of Queens,” “Stacked,” “Las Vegas,” “West Wing,”“News Radio,” “Significant Others,” “CSI,” “NYPD Blue,”“Suddenly Susan,” and “Frasier.” He recently finished a two season character arc on USA’s“In Plain Sight” Callen is not a famous actor but sometimes people look at him and scream “Bilson, ” since that’s the character he played on several episodes of CBS’s “How I Met Your Mother.” His most recent TV role was Captain Frank Dashell, leader of the Undead Task Force, in the short lived but critically acclaimed MTV comedy, “Death Valley”. He’s been recognized for that role exactly 4 times but who cares since he’s been recognized over one million times (I’m guessing) as EDDIE, the Middle Eastern owner of a wedding chapel in a little movie called THE HANGOVER. Not to mention his role as Samir, in HANGOVER II where he played basically the same exact character only Samir had thick, curly, hair and darker skin which is actually a good look on Callen considering his Irish/Italian heritage has left him with a ruddy complexion and thinning, mouse-brown hair. His most recent role on the big screen was in the Lion’s Gate drama WARRIOR where he did an excellent job playing himself. Between acting gigs Callen spends his time power lifting, taming lions, vanquishing evil and making people laugh as a stand up comic. That’s why he can currently be seen on SHOWTIME performing a stand up comedy special called MAN CLASS.

Sep 18, 2017 • 1h 17min
MIND PUMP II: Bonobo Love, Phantom Pain, Hacking Nervous Systems| Ep. 133
What Is MindPump? What exactly IS MindPump? MindPump is an online radio show/podcast that has been described as Howard Stern meets fitness. It is sometimes raw, sometimes shocking and is always entertaining and informative. Your hosts, Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer and Justin Andrews have over 40 years of combined fitness experience as personal trainers, club managers, IFBB fitness competitors and fitness thought leaders. The fitness world is filled with charlatans and snake oil salesmen pushing the latest and greatest (and sometimes downright dangerous) workout programs, supplements and faux science on the unsuspecting masses. Sal, Adam and Justin use MindPump as a platform to shed the light of TRUTH on health, fitness and a host of other topics. By listening to each episode of MindPump, you will be able to absorb over 40 years worth of workout wisdom in record time so that you can cut through the BS and experience the absolute fastest way to reach your health and fitness goals.

Sep 11, 2017 • 1h 8min
Porangui: Capoeira, Resolving Trauma, Sound Healing | Ep. 132
BIO “My art is that of holding sacred space. The degree to which I can hold space musically or in silence, on a stage or with a client on the massage table, determines if magic will happen. Whether we are dealing with the space between notes or the space between breaths, the healing power of my work happens when I get out of the way and allow Spirit to move through me.” - Poranguí As a live musician, world soul artist and one-man orchestra Poranguí weaves ancestral songs and indigenous rhythms from around the globe. Creating his performances from scratch using looping technology, Poranguí’s live grooves range from meditative to dance party, moving the body, lifting the spirit, and transcending the divide between performer and audience. An evening with Poranguí might take you on a journey from deep, earthy didgeridoo grooves to high-vibe ecstatic Brazilian beats to blissful African kalimba lullabies. Serenades and storytelling to beat boxing and booty shaking: Together, these make an unforgettable experience. As a DJ, Poranguí performs funky tribal world house sets that integrate live instrumentation, a hybrid of his organic indigenous sound with a potent electronic bed that moves large dance floors. And in sound design and media production roles – including film soundtrack contributions – Poranguí’s work is informed by experience with photography and filmmaking. As a therapeutic bodyworker providing individual sessions in private practice, Poranguí draws on his academic background in neuroscience, his family legacy in the healing arts, and his training as a licensed massage therapist. His “Myorhythmic Release” technique combines the healing properties of sound, movement, and breath, supporting clients from all backgrounds and health conditions in finding freedom from the limitations and suffering of old patterns and trauma. Poranguí’s integration of these practices – music, healing arts, and arts education – makes him a valued resource for and contributor to retreats, arts centers, school programs, festivals, and special events. For Poranguí, this rich practice of music, healing, teaching, performance, and creative collaboration represents the intersection of journeys both personal and professional. “Growing up among such different worlds (cultural, linguistic, spiritual) challenged me as a child. Now I look back and see the blessing it afforded me, to serve as a bridge for others. It taught me to appreciate the salient threads that connect us in our collective human experience. It informs my art and pushes me to find new ways to tell the stories of our ancestors in a way that we can all hear it – in the midst of our contemporary culture.”

Sep 5, 2017 • 1h 10min
Carl Paoli II: Butterfly Effect, Freestyle Movement, Fitness of Empathy | Ep. 131
About Carl Paoli Born in the U.S. to Swedish parents and growing up in Spain, Carl Paoli learned from an early age how to connect to and be conscious of others. Carl's childhood passion and enthusiasm for physical activity lead him to explore many different sports such as snow boarding, skiing, wake boarding, water skiing, karate, among others. It was his love for gymnastics, however, that would greatly shape his definition of hard work and determination. Carl soon rose to become an elite gymnast in Spain where he trained and competed for over fifteen years. Throughout his gymnastics career he received many accolades, including a National Gold Medal for Vault. Carl studied Environmental Science at Universidad Miguel Hernandez and specialized in Genetic Engineering and Coral Reef Ecology. After university, Carl returned to the U.S. to pursue his career in marine biology. Carl's mind was never far from his appreciation for sport and fitness, and he reentered the world of gymnastics in 2004 in San Francisco. He now works as a Strength and Conditioning Coach and runs his own practice called Naka Athletics, which specializes in all level physical preparation and representation of action sports athletes.

Aug 28, 2017 • 58min
WIM HOF: Inner Fire, Reversing Disease, Breathing Deep | Ep. 130
Exceptional performance with practicing Almost two hours in a cylinder filled with 700 kilograms of ice cubes seems like an impossible feat. To climb the highest and coldest mountains in the world, in only shorts, you have to be almost superhuman. And a half marathon barefoot running through snow and ice?! … Yep, it might sound unbelievable, but it’s nothing but true. You know what else? You can do this too! Wim Hof has several breathing exercises and cold-water training that made him able to deliver this performance. It begins with proper breathing Wim is able to hold his breath with ease for over six minutes while his entire body is submerged under water. Cold water, obviously. It’s possible for everyone. The base lies in proper breathing. Through a proper breathing and training it, you can train to hold your breath longer and make conscious contact with your heart, autonomic nervous system, and immune system. It also has a positive influence on your blood circulation. Next step: Confrontation with the cold After the breathing and meditation exercises, your body and mind will be prepared for the next challenge: the confrontation with cold. Through certain exposures to the cold, you can make your body stronger. You can start now by practicing this at home! For example, take a cold shower after a hot one. This will train the tiny muscles in your veins to become more flexible. As you progress you can even sit, walk, or run through the snow and ice. More importantly, this helps your body prevent future diseases

Aug 17, 2017 • 1h 18min
Christopher Kelly II: Hormetic Stressors, Psychogeography, Belly Fat | Ep. 129
My Story Two years ago I had an awful lot going on. Some of the symptoms listed here I only recognise with hindsight, and many are so common that some people regard them to be normal, I know now that's just not true. Symptoms Gas, diarrhea, painful bloating, belching Poor cognition Mild depression Caffeine dependency and weird food cravings Chronic fatigue, poor recovery from training Chronic insomnia, tired in the afternoon and wired at night Sugar cravings that persisted after eating sugar Sleepy after eating Non-existent libido Seasonal and cat allergies Extreme sensitivity to bright light Nagging injuries with no known cause Cold during the day, sweating at night I'm lucky enough to have PPO health insurance provided by my employer, so after an extended period of denial I booked an appointment with my primary care physician. Unfortunately this kind of doctor can only help with symptom relief, and each and every visit ended with the prescription pad. Can't sleep? Take some Ambien. Got allergies? Here's some Allegra. Low iron? Try this supplement. Never once did anyone I visited ever question why I had these problems. The situation came to a head shortly after visiting the gastroenterologist. By this time I’d spent a fortune in deductibles on tests and each time the result would come back with confirmation of what I already knew. It was like I somehow had to prove a point before the doctor would believe me. I drew the line at the colonoscopy, a risky procedure that would almost certainly lead to a prescription for an anti-inflammatory steroids. The words colonoscopy and steroid had clearly caught the attention of my now wife Julie. The gastroenterologist didn’t really question my diet, and being a food scientist, Julie refused to believe there was no link between my symptoms and diet and set about scouring the literature for a solution. Soon after, and luckily just days before I was to return to the gastroenterologist, she found a body of research that turned out to be life changing. At this point we’d both enjoyed some health improvements through a year of eating a gluten-free Paleo diet but this new body of research, known as the Autoimmune Paleo Protocol, took us to a new level. Within a few weeks I felt so much better, and occult fecal blood and C-reactive protein tests came back normal. The solution always starts with food, but as it turned out that was only half the solution. Inspired by the huge improvement in way I felt eating AIP I developed a voracious appetite for research. I felt empowered, suddenly I realised that genetics were not the only underlying root cause, and that the answers were really out there waiting to be discovered. Learn more at Align.nbt.ai

Aug 14, 2017 • 1h 6min
Dr. Belisa Vranich: Breath Psychology, Orgasm Hacks, Healthy Masturbation | Ep. 128
Dr. Belisa Vranich is a renowned clinical psychologist, public speaker, and the author of Breathe: The Simple, Revolutionary 14-Day Program to Improve your Mental and Physical Health (St. Martin’s Press/Hay House). As founder of The Breathing Class™, Dr. Belisa has taught and lectured nationwide on topics related to dysfunctional breathing patterns and stress. Unique in its straightforward approach, The Breathing Class™ addresses both physical and psychological problems related to oxygenation that is out of balance, and teaching people to breathe in an anatomically congruous way that maximizes balanced inhales and exhales.