In this episode, we explore what it means to live an authentic life. Many people view ego as their enemy, but is that really accurate? Can ego actually be a helpful tool when it comes to personal growth?You'll discover the power of ego and how to use it for your own benefit. So if you're interested in living a more authentic life, make sure to check out this episode!     Have you ever been told that your ego is your enemy? Or been accused of having too much of an ego?So many spiritual teachers/ influencers through the years attempt to validate the efficacy of their teachings through the lack of their ego or claiming that they do not have an ego or that their teachings can help you rid yourself of your ego.Spiritual egotism is the attempt to use what is of a higher nature to fulfill the desires of that of a lower nature. To think you are somehow more spiritual or awakened than another person because of what you practice, is in itself self diminishing as anything spiritual.The ego is important and necessary to have an individual experience. You couldn’t say, “I’ve gotten rid of my ego” without an ego. “I” would be a meaningless concept without the ego. The ego or “I” is merely a measuring of your individual conscious experience. It is about as real as the equator or the earth. The equator is real in the sense of having a way to divide the hemispheres of the earth, but it doesn’t physically exist as a line we can see, it exists through social institution, as an agreement we share to indicate the midpoint of the earth’s northern and southern hemispheres. This doesn’t mean it is wrong or invalid. The ego is the same in the sense that it is just a word, a symbol to describe an experience.When you are operating through the “ego” or have “too much ego” it simply means you are over invested in the measuring device of individual experience rather than the experience itself as a whole. Similar to mistaking the dinner menu for nourishment or money for wealth.

Do you ever feel like life is throwing too many challenges your way? It can be tough to stay positive and motivated when everything seems to be going wrong. But with the right mindset, you can turn any challenge into an opportunity for growth.  We turn to ancient Stoic philosopher, Epictetus about how to grow in spite of difficulty. If you're looking for some wisdom that will help you stick to your goals, then you don't want to miss this!

 Key Takeaways:“Defeat is a state of mind; no one is very defeated until defeat has been accepted as a reality." - Bruce LeeThe present moment is the convergence point where everything can change. The past is a memory and the future is just speculation. Concluding what something will mean is a product of the mind, it is not reality. Things can always change.We think bringing closure to reality makes us feel safe through knowing what will be, but the reality is, that it blinds us. The way towards truly knowing is first acknowledging that you don't with full embrace.

“My formula for greatness in a human being is amor fati: that one wants nothing to be different, not forward, not backward, not in all eternity. Not merely bear what is necessary, still less conceal it—all idealism is mendacity in the face of what is necessary—but love it.” -Friedrich Nietzsche Rules may give us guide rails to move towards goals, but they will not create fulfillment of what we most desire. Zen is not about following a set of rules or doctrines, but instead it is to be perfectly and simply human, wholeheartedly without having to keep an eye on one’s self. “When your philosophy becomes about philosophy, it becomes a pompous and lifeless shell. Philosophy becomes fully alive when it is about being human and truly living.” -Victor Pierantoni We never hold onto actual realities of events in our lives but rather abstract memories of what occurred. Carrying abstract memories weighs us down and doesn’t allow for us to move forward. Everything changes. Life ultimately exists in a state of impermanence. The more we attempt to cling to what was and pursue insoluble problems as a means to validate our identities, the more we will perpetuate our own suffering. Love your path! All of it, the good, the bad, pleasant, and unpleasant. It is the path you chose. You must play the hand of cards life gave you. You don’t play any better by looking at the cards of others or wishing your cards were different. You play best when you don’t just play your cards, but love and embrace the hand you got!

Sal is a well renowned and sought after hair stylist in Los Angeles, who seeks to find the meaning of life in all that he does. He creates magic in the “hair chair” by using his experiences of his spiritual practice and philosophy to transform his clients to express themselves fully, one hair cut at a time.Sal moved to the United States from Mexico at 13. He touched his first pair of shears shortly thereafter and hasn't stopped since. He graduated from Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy and began working at the esteemed Sally Hershberger Salon then at Ramirez Tran Salon in Beverly Hills.Sal continues pushing himself into being a better artist. He has had the pleasure to work with many celebrities & artists as well as children, teenagers, moms & grandmas. His focus is to create quality work and let it speak for itself. After four successful years in Beverly Hills, three at Ramirez Tran, most recently Salon Benjamin, working in New York City, San Francisco, and Mexico City, Sal is now creating all-new outpost in the Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles.

In this episode we dive into the third aggregate of the Zen Stoic Rendition of the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path: Meditation/Concentration.We discuss how to live in a meditative state through practicing the 3 components of the Meditation/Concentration Aggregate: Integral Effort, Integral Awareness, and Integral Concentration.**Integral Effort:** Here we discuss how to find the sweet spot of effort. Following the stereotypical motivational advice of going 110% all the time is a trap!It seems as though we’ve become obsessed with speed and the idea of “getting there”Whether it’s the dream of finally becoming successful, meeting the love of your life, reaching financial freedom, getting your Instagram model bodyHave you ever noticed though, the faster you want something to happen, the longer it feels and further away it feels?**Integral Awareness:** Here we discuss how to ACTUALLY feel our emotions rather than finding creative and righteous ways to avoid them. We also go into how to use our pain as a guide to healing our traumas and creating breakthroughs.The reality is that pain is a great teacher. The real problem to solve is “what is the pain trying to teach me.”What if your pain held a sacred message for you? One that would set you free if you were able to fully acknowledge it. Imagine what the world would be like if you were able to welcome pain and negative emotion with presence and calm, knowing that it had something to share with you.**Integral Concentration:** Here we discuss how to live in a state of flow by truly living in the present moment. 

In this episode we continue with part 2 of our 3 part series of the Zen Stoic rendition of The Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path. We discuss the aggregate of morality and conduct. This is based on our outlook on life, how we treat one another, and how we go about sustaining our lives. This aggregate includes the components of: Integral Action: This is related to how we conduct ourselves in the world and with others in a manner that is optimal for our liberation. Living a life with a sense of morality that is oriented around our humanity is key to aligning with our nature, without creating excessive or unnecessary suffering.Integral Speech: This is related to how we express and communicate with ourselves and others. Words are our symbols for reality. We filter everything through our word choice. How we speak will either enhance or diminish our ability to live a liberated life.Integral Livelihood: This is related to how we earn our living. We all need to accumulate food, resources, and shelter to live. HOW we do this matters. Are you earning your living in a way that supports or conflicts with your own liberation? 

In this episode, we dive into the Zen Stoic rendition of the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path. The path is the way of liberation for a person to end their suffering. The Buddha’s Path has 3 Aggregates: Wisdom, Morality, and Meditation. This episode covers the Wisdom Aggregate which contains 2 components: Integral View and Integral Intention. We discuss how to have a complete view of life, self, and circumstance. Oftentimes we suffer because we are viewing life with a limited view, and having an Integral View solves this. In addition to having an Integral View, we also break down how to live with Integral Intention. From a Zen Stoic perspective, one of the most crucial elements between ourselves and our inner peace is having delusional intentions in life. No matter how much we do and say the “right” things, we can never hide our own intentions from ourselves, and in this episode, we discuss exactly how to reconcile our own intentions and create inner peace. We dive deep into The 4 Intentions and 4 Delusions of Zen Stoic Philosophy and how to apply them in your own life.Highlights:“There are things we KNOW and things we DON’T KNOW. What you do not know is an opportunity for understanding and curiosity.”“Humans are mortal. Remember your own mortality. It is what gives life meaning. It is what gives every individual a sense of priority in which to focus attention.”“At times the path may become foggy or riddled with obstructions. Absent the path, this is the path. The path is always now. The path is where the present moment and free will meet.”Reference Links:- Alan Watts - Buddha The Man Who Woke Up: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWAqyFl-QDM&list=PLUtpVD4eyUYe47RpZqyo-6IWrimlMAUMK&index=5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWAqyFl-QDM&list=PLUtpVD4eyUYe47RpZqyo-6IWrimlMAUMK&index=5)- Alan Watts The Real Eightfold Path: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi0axKhWgv0&list=PLUtpVD4eyUYe47RpZqyo-6IWrimlMAUMK&index=4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi0axKhWgv0&list=PLUtpVD4eyUYe47RpZqyo-6IWrimlMAUMK&index=4)- The Noble Eightfold Path: [https://www.existentialbuddhist.com/tag/noble-eightfold-path/](https://www.existentialbuddhist.com/tag/noble-eightfold-path/)- Fundamentals of Buddhism: The 4 Noble Truths: [https://buddho.org/buddhism/#the-truth-of-the-way-that-lead-to-cessation](https://buddho.org/buddhism/#the-truth-of-the-way-that-lead-to-cessation)

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek” - from Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung. This episode we discuss championing the journey of the individual by first embracing the flaws and imperfections of our lives. Includes turning the pain of our past into something beautiful that contributes to the development of our character as well as discovering how to lift the limits of our identity that were the basis of much of our pain in the first place. I discuss methods of how you can train yourself to become a “warrior in the garden,” so that you can be prepared for the inevitable storms and battles life will bring and simultaneously enjoy  your highest ideals and those that you love.References:Kintsugi: The Centuries-Old Art of Repairing Broken Pottery with Gold: https://mymodernmet.com/kintsugi-kintsukuroi/ EASTERN PHILOSOPHY - Kintsugi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBUTQkaSSTYFrom Broken To Beautiful: The Power of Kintsugi: https://concreteunicorn.com/blogs/journal/from-broken-to-beautiful-the-power-of-kintsugiJordan Peterson: 5 Hours for the NEXT 50 Years of Your LIFE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8e_dvbXoCQ&t=4500sAlan Watts - Buddha The Man Who Woke Up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWAqyFl-QDM&list=PLUtpVD4eyUYe47RpZqyo-6IWrimlMAUMK&index=5Alan Watts The Real Eightfold Path: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi0axKhWgv0&list=PLUtpVD4eyUYe47RpZqyo-6IWrimlMAUMK&index=4