Inspired Evolution with Amrit Sandhu 🙏🏻

Our guest for this week is Abdulazez Dukhan, a digital artist, photographer, humanitarian, and creator of the ‘Through Refugee Eyes’ project.About AbdulazezAbdulazez grew up in Syria and was only 12 years old when the civil war started. Three years after, his family was forced to leave their home in search of safety and peace. He first traveled to Turkey. Abdulazez started learning about Photoshop and digital art through tutorials on YouTube, which is also how he started learning English. But as time went by, the situation and the conditions for the refugees were becoming more and more difficult. In January of 2016, he moved to a refugee camp in Greece. It is in Greece where he fully embraced the path of an artist. He received his first camera as a gift from one of the volunteers he collaborated with and he’s been involved with photography ever since.In April 2016, he started an independent photography project called “Through Refugee Eyes” with a goal of providing Syrian refugees with a voice. He noticed that the media was spinning stories in order to portray the people who are fleeing war as hopeless, dangerous and ignorant. He realized that he needed to act upon this injustice and start documenting what truly happened inside refugee camps.To this day, Abdulazez is hoping to spread the word about the true adversities people who are fleeing their war-torn homes are faced with every day. He is looking to share the message of respect, appreciation, and collaboration, hoping we can build a better future together, for everyone.Abdulazez recently shared his story at the Mindvalley University in Croatia, 2019. You can check out his full talk here!Connect with Abdulazez:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AbdulazezDukhanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/abdulazez_dukhan/Website: https://azyeux.com/Abdulazez’s Story of Inspired EvolutionAbdulazez was only 12 when the protests in Syria started. These demonstrations grew out of the Arab Spring movement and they were sparked by an incident when several boys were arrested for writing the words “Freedom” on their school walls. These boys were around the same age as Abdulazez at the time.Their arrest was supposed to be a strong message made by the Syrian government. Even though the stance of the general public was clear and everyone could feel the injustice, no apology was made. The government stood by the decision and their lack of remorse fueled the will of the people to stand and speak up.“No human being is right all the time. Some of my ideas aren’t perfect, some of yours aren’t perfect. Nobody is perfect!” - Abdulazez DukhanAt the time, Abdulazez was still in primary school. But instead of worrying about homework, he had to think about whether or not he is going to get home from school safe and sound. We don’t often hear in the news about how the revolution looked in the early stages and Abdulazez recalls some of the memories from that period of his life. He remembers people shouting at those who were tasked with bringing down the demonstrations that “they are one and that there was no need for violence.”“You can see a lot of footage where people were walking on the streets with olive branches.” - Abdulazez DukhanThe domestic media started spinning stories in the news in order to portray the protests as acts of terror. As the situation became increasingly difficult, to a point when Abdulazez and his family had no choice but to seek safety away from their home.“Giving up on your country is a hard thing to do. You only give up as a last resort.” - Abdulazez DukhanThe first country he went to was Turkey and it was there where he started learning about digital art by watching tutorials on YouTube. He spontaneously started learning English in order to be able to explore new techniques.Later on, he migrated to Greece and the move came with a completely new set of adversities. While staying at a refugee camp along with thousands of people, he got a camera as a gift from one of the volunteers. He’s been a photographer ever since, acquiring knowledge about the art form in any way he can.“The knowledge I have today came from many photographers coming from all over the world.” - Abdulazez DukhanHe currently resides in Belgium, still doing anything he can to break the stigma about Syrian refugees promoted in the media and provide them with a voice.In This Episode We Canvas:Adapting to Extraordinary CircumstancesAbdulazez reflects on how adaptation was the number one tool that helped him handle adverse situations. He faced new challenges each day but he realized he had to take an active approach and try to make the most out of difficult conditions.“We had hope. I had lots of hope but I knew hope won’t change my situation. I had to move. I had to do something. - Abdulazez DukhanHelping Others In Adverse SituationsThrough adaptation, we can benefit others and not just ourselves. Abdulazez experienced this first hand. Even though his English wasn’t perfect, he did not shy away for helping others who were in need, desperately trying to get their message across.“It was such a heartwarming feeling whenever people showed their gratitude for doing a good job translating. That pushed me to try and do more.” - Abdulazez DukhanTaking In Positive Energy from Your CommunityAbdulazes was clearly fueled by the desire to help people. It seems as though each good deed provided him with the motivation and the fuel to continue his mission. We sometimes underestimate the effect our community can have on lifting our spirits, thus helping us become an even better version of ourselves.“These people are doing all of this because they believe in me, so I have to believe in myself!” - Abdulazez DukhanIntegration Through ContributionThe essence of Abdulazez’s efforts is to discredit the narrative that the refugees are people who want to disrupt other cultures and steal jobs. He is trying to share a message of appreciation and gratitude while also expressing an overall desire people have for being able to contribute and give back.“We are there to respect their cultures because this is their culture, this is their country... I don’t have to give up my religion or my culture or my background. I’m the same person but I’m just thanking them for what they are giving me.” - Abdulazez DukhanAbdulazez’s Message of Inspired EvolutionI am so grateful that I was able to have this conversation and meet Abdulazez. His story is incredible, his art is breathtaking, and his motivations are pure. I truly admire how he was able to overcome adversity and still be able to find a place for beauty and art. Striving towards peace and acceptance, fueled by love, communicating through the language of art. You inspire us all.“It would be great to spread the message. It would be great to spread love. That’s what I’m trying to do.” - Abdulazez DukhanSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is Panache Desai, a spiritual thought leader, teacher of life mastery and personal development, vibrational catalyst, author and inspirational speaker.About PanachePanache grew up in East London in a very spiritual family. As he grew older, he distanced from this atmosphere of prayer and worship in order to explore new things. At one point in his life, he was an MC working his way through clubs all across London. But in his last year of University, a series of events urged him to go back to his roots and recall the principles he was thought as a child.He moved to New York in 2001 in an effort to open himself up to the world. On his travels, he met and learned from many prominent spiritual teachers and leaders. After a couple of years, in a moment of epiphany, Panache accepted love as his purpose and began a new life. A life of service, with a goal of spreading the message of love, purpose, and acceptance. Ever since, he has traveled the globe, meeting new people, evoking and sharing divine energy. On the list of his memorable appearances in the media is an interview with Oprah Winfrey on the Emmy-award winning show Super Soul Sunday.Panache works with people all over the world and shares his teachings, tools and real-world techniques to help them achieve inner peace, a sense of fulfillment and purpose, and create a clear vision of their most authentic self.In 2014, Panache released a book titled “Discovering Your Soul Signature” in an effort to invite people to change the energy that surrounds them and discover their life’s purpose. The underlying premise is that life provides us with boundless possibilities. Through the course of 33 days, by following the guidelines and going through each carefully crafted and positioned section at the right time, you will rediscover your purpose and live a life of authenticity. Panache is also organizing a huge conference this summer in Phoenix, Arizona called Global Gathering 2019! He has hand-picked and gathered 18 world-renowned speakers who will, over the course of 4 days, inspire and empower people to live the life of their dreams. Global Gathering will be held from 23rd to 26th of August, 2019. There is a Hot Global Gathering Sale going on at the moment and you can get your tickets for up to 30% off!Connect with Panache:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/panachedesaifanpage/Twitter: https://twitter.com/panachedesai?lang=enInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/panachedesai/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/panachedesaiWebsite: https://www.panachedesai.com/In This Episode We Canvas:Why Do We Believe We Are Not Enough?We start the conversation off by focusing on the ever-important question of “enoughness” which has been a popular theme on the Inspired Evolution Podcast. Panache offers his unique understanding by pointing out different societal limitations we experience throughout our lives and the effects they have on our mental well-being and view on life. Through social conditioning, we somehow form a belief that we are not enough.“The problem with that is you think, on some level, that there’s something wrong with you. Because we’re living our lives from the outside in instead of from the inside out.” - Panache DesaiThe Untold Story of Mainstream SuccessWe reflect briefly on the notion of “success” in terms of how the general public perceives it. Panache shares thoughts and insights from the lives of his friends and clients to highlight the fact that when we try to define “success” we usually tend to not use the appropriate or relevant metrics. We need to evaluate success in alignment with what is truly important for us in life. “The only definition of success that works for me is peace.” - Panache DesaiUnderstanding Limitations by Analyzing Original DesignWe slide into the next topic which acts as an introduction to the question of finding our purpose. Panache describes the setting of the traditional education system and demonstrates a witty technique to deduce why the majority of the people is not feeling comfortable and in flow within a limited school setting. The system was made with another purpose in mind.“As soon as you start to understand what the intention of the design is, you can begin to figure out what the inherent limitations are in that system.” - Panache DesaiDehumanizing Social DynamicsExploring the causes of broad unhappiness and dissatisfaction further drives our discussion forward. Panache shares his thoughts on why he thinks current social dynamics are responsible for the fact we feel dehumanized. He strengthens his arguments by recalling examples from the medical industry.“Our humanity is being systematically drummed out of us. It’s not OK to have an original thought, it’s not OK to feel, it’s not OK to express uniquely and if you do, you’ll be judged, you’ll be shamed and you’ll be very quickly put back into whatever box they can put you back inside of to be able to control and manipulate you.” - Panache DesaiThe True Purpose of a Spiritual JourneyOur escape from the shackles of pressure enabled by modern society is usually saught in moments of personal growth and transformation. But Panache argues that the mainstream approach to personal development got the crucial aspect upside down. The idea is not that we need to achieve, build or attain a new, better version of ourselves, but we need to dig deep within and uncover what we have put away. Panache puts it best by saying that “personal development is about making the Ego more effective.”“The purpose of the spiritual journey is in unlearning. It’s an unwinding of that conditioning. It’s an unwinding of everything that’s inside of us. It’s about relaxing into the core foundation of being that’s ever-present, that’s become covered over.” - Panache DesaiPanache’s Message of Inspired EvolutionHaving Panache on the Inspired Evolution was such a blessing. Reflecting on our conversation, I’m getting the impression that it is incredibly difficult to divide it into sections. It seems as though all of the topics were closely intertwined and all the messages connected. The underlying concept that is bringing everything closely together, while giving the entire story a deeper meaning and a happy ending, is love. Beautiful, infinite love.“Who you are is love! You came from love, you’re here to express love and when you leave, you’re going to return to that love.” - Panache DesaiSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is Dr. Dain Heer, an energy transformation virtuoso, author, international speaker, and workshop facilitator, best known for his transformation process ‘The Energetic Synthesis of Being’ (ESB).About Dr. HeerDr. Heer started off his career as a professional chiropractor and he acquired his Doctorate in Chiropractic at the Southern California University of Health Sciences.In 2000, he co-created Access Consciousness, a simple set of tools, techniques, and philosophies with the purpose of teaching people how to create dynamic change in every area of their life. Ever since then, he has been encouraging people to unleash their true greatness by helping them let go of the judgments that are keeping them down.Dr. Heer is renowned for his energetic transformation method called ‘The Energetic Synthesis of Being’. Over the course of a 3-day period, he helps his clients utilize the power of choice in order to achieve the transformation of both body and mind. With his approach, Dr. Heer empowers people to choose a better life for themselves.Dr. Heer has authored nine books which are popular world-wide and his international best-seller called ‘Being You, Changing the World’ has been translated into Swedish, German, Spanish, Italian and Estonian. Written for the dreamers who dream, Dr. Heer aims to provide those who know something different is possible with the tools to attain it. It is a wonderful guide for generating infinite possibilities and a dynamic change, providing you with an alternative perspective on the concept of being.Connect with Dr. Heer:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDainHeer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dainheer/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/drdainheerWebsite: https://drdainheer.comIn This Episode We Canvas:Inability to Deal with JudgementJudgment is one of the core concepts we’ll explore throughout the conversation. Dr. Heer shares that the defense mechanisms we use as ways to handle judgment are warping the way we perceive the world around us and subsequently, the way we act. As much as it’s a way for us to protect ourselves, it can also make us miss out on the good stuff as well.“You put up a brick wall around you, and it keeps out everything.” - Dr. Dain HeerHow Are We Absorbing Other People’s Points of View?Dr. Heer suggests that we should all consider the origins of our values and our points of view. He goes on to describe how our worldviews are shaped from a very early age by absorbing the points of view of our parents. This dynamic continues to occur throughout our life in different forms but Dr. Heer makes a very deep revelation regarding as to why this phenomenon actually occurs.“The thing most people don’t realize is, most of the points of view that we’ve picked up from other people are actually energetic. It’s the energy that they live their lives from that we’ve picked up on because we’re so highly aware energetically.” - Dr. Dain HeerRethinking the Concept of Personal DevelopmentWe touch on both the popularity of personal development and the way it has been received in the public. Dr. Heer believes there is a common misconception related to our understandings of personal development. He argues that seeing it as a tool for overcoming problems is very limiting and that we stand to gain more if we acknowledge everything that the process of personal development truly has to offer.“Whether we call it ‘personal development’ or ‘consciousness’, or whatever term you want to put on it… It’s actually about exploring the possibilities beyond the box of this reality and having the ability to create them.” - Dr. Dain HeerThe Root Cause of Leading ‘Heavy’ LivesFeeling stressed, strained, pressured, burdened, anxious and depressed are all components that contribute to the sensation of living a heavy life. And Dr. Heer uses a simple experiment to demonstrate how self-talk plays an important role in all of this. Another interesting point he makes is that, even though we’ve incorporated these stories and ways of thinking into our everyday lives from the outside world, it’s still important to acknowledge that we’re the ones causing ourselves pain. We’re the ones causing the heavy.“Notice how many of us tell ourselves these stories continuously. We’re doing that shit to ourselves!... You’ve bought a lot of lies that keep running in your head, that you keep telling yourself and this is when we need to be willing to have a different perspective and use some of these tools to change this stuff.” - Dr. Dain HeerUnderstanding That We Are Infinite BeingsDr. Heer aims to answer the question of what do we mean when we say we’re infinite beings and how does that understanding actually help our personal development. “Somewhere, we know that we’re more than we’re letting ourselves be.” - Dr. Dain HeerReframing Points of View You Don’t Agree WithYet again, judgment is one of the key elements of our conversation and in this section, Dr. Heer explains why it is the worst strategy for inviting change in behavior. He describes a very personal situation in order to demonstrate how rejecting other people’s point of view does not make them want to change it but rather hold on to it even stronger. He also provides us with an elegant tool to use in these situations and ease the frustrations of both sides included.“You just get the sense of it and go ‘Interesting point of view, I have this point of view’... and that’s how you let it go because what you’re doing is taking the positive and negative polarity out of it.” - Dr. Dain Heer  ‘Humans’ vs. ‘Humanoids’Dr. Heer makes a distinction in his teachings between people who are growth-oriented and those who are not. Those who reflect on their behavior with the goal of personal growth and improvement he calls ‘humanoids’ or ‘seekers’ and highlights a particularly interesting characteristic. Even though ‘humanoids’ are more likely to refrain from judging other people, they are still at a much greater risk of suffering from debilitating self-judgment.“As a seeker, what you tend to do is judge yourself and think you’re judging other people. And, the other side, the people who are not interested in change… they do tend to judge other people but they would never think of themselves unjudgemental.” - Dr. Dain HeerDr. Heer’s Message of Inspired EvolutionIn this episode, we’ve covered a whole range of different topics and Dr. Heer has provided us with some glorious insights into the mechanics of judgement and its consequences on our mental health and growth. My personal takeaway is that his philosophy about how we should approach personal development is refreshing and breathtakingly inspirational. We usually put too much focus on the things we’re supposed to acquire and add that we forget that it is just as important to let go parts of ourselves which are hurting us.“Your mind is a dangerous thing. Waste it.” - Dr. Dain HeerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is Dr. Srikumar Rao, a keynote speaker, author, executive coach and the creator of the renowned ‘Creativity and Personal Mastery’, a course designed to effect personal transformation. About Dr. RaoDr. Rao has obtained his Ph.D. in the field of Marketing from the Columbia Business School. Prior to that, he was an executive at Warner Communications and the head of the Marketing Research Department at Data Resources.Later, he went over to academia and in 1994 he created his famous course called ‘Creativity and Personal Mastery’ (CPM). Since, he has taught CPM at some of the world’s leading business schools such as Columbia, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, London Business School, and Haas School of Management at the University of California at Berkeley. The course was created with a goal of empowering students to discover their unique purpose, creativity, and happiness, through teamwork and considerations of the philosophical perspective. In 2013, he founded The Rao Institute. Dr. Rao has coached thousands of executives on how to be better leaders by helping them discover a deeper meaning to their career and life. He has helped them achieve “quantum leaps in effectiveness”.He is also an author of several books on the subjects of personal mastery, purpose, and success. In 2010, he released a book titled “Happiness at Work: Be Resilient, Motivated, and Successful - No Matter What”. In it, Dr. Rao aims to teach you the vital wisdom essential for achieving a joyful life, successful per your own standards, by helping you become more resilient and develop a stronger inner core.Connect with Dr. Rao:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/srikumarsrao/Twitter: https://twitter.com/srikumarsraoFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/theraoinstituteYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheRaoInstituteWebsite: https://theraoinstitute.com/Dr. Rao’s Story of Inspired EvolutionDuring his student days, Dr. Rao was on the path of becoming a successful physicist. Yet, the twist occurred some years later when he decided to visit America and acquire a doctoral scholarship. In 1980, he got his Ph.D. from the Columbia Business School in the field of Marketing.But he was already very successful in the field since Dr. Rao had worked as an executive at Warner Communications several years prior. His big break came when he worked on an advertising strategy for a blockbuster movie which is to this day on the list of top 50 grossing movies of all time. The movie in question was the world-wide phenomenon, ‘The Exorcist’ released in 1973.His career was skyrocketing but he felt restrained and put down by corporate politics. He decided to shift towards academia and teaching. But some time after joining the University of New York, Dr. Rao started questioning his decision.“Basically, I stagnated. And there was a time when I woke up feeling very sorry for myself and I had this great corporate career and I threw it away.” - Dr. Srikumar RaoDr. Rao relied heavily on reading about spiritual subjects in order to find his inspiration but he was always confused by the fact that these teachings weren’t working for him in the real world. He knew these insights were valuable but he just needed to figure out a way of how to apply and make use of them.“One day I had my bright idea which was ‘Why don’t I take the teachings of the worlds, great masters, strip them of religious, cultural and other connotations, and adapt them into exercises acceptable to the diligent people in the post-industrial society.’ And the thought of doing that made me come alive!” - Dr. Srikumar RaoHis desire to create a course wasn’t driven by the needs of the market. He prepared the course because he felt he needed to do it for himself. After some adjustments and a couple of iterations, Dr. Rao created what we know today as ‘Creativity and Personal Mastery’ course.In This Conversation We Canvas:The Pursuit of HappinessDr. Rao postulates that our principal desire is to be happy in some shape or form. We go over the dynamics that create the underlying anxiety, depression and overall unhappiness in today’s society. Dr. Rao realizes that the model which we use to conceptualize happiness is broken and suggests a perception change.“We are unhappy because we’ve spent our entire life learning to be unhappy. And the way we learn to be unhappy is by buying into the “if-then” model and the model is broken.” - Dr. Srikumar RaoThe ‘Sense of Control’ ParadoxDr. Rao reflects on our need to control the world around us and points out the paradoxical nature of our attempts to attain it. He also describes how we can use this paradox to our advantage.“The more you accept that you don’t have control and you let go of your need to have control, paradoxically, that’s when you find that you have the greatest control.” - Dr. Srikumar RaoShould Mental Models be True or Useful?We use different models to understand the world around us. But rather than focusing on whether or not a model is true or if it rightfully depicts our reality, Dr. Rao suggests we should be asking ourselves if the model is useful. Taking this as the main standard for assessing our models, we can then use this perspective in order to deal with issues and challenges we face in both our personal and professional lives.“Look at the situations in your life that you find unpleasant. And every time you find a situation in your life that you find unpleasant and it persists, you’re using one or more mental models that are not serving you well.” - Dr. Srikumar RaoLiving a Life of ServiceHaving a sense of purpose is one of the main aspects of Dr. Rao’s teachings. Feeling that we’re connected to a cause greater than ourselves is one of the preconditions to living a happier life. The great thing is that “serving the greater good” is a very flexible idea meaning that we can all define it for ourselves and create a path that’s just right for us.“You need to have a cause which is bigger than yourself and which brings a greater good to a greater community. And you get to decide what the greater good is and what the greater community is. You have tremendous flexibility!” - Dr. Srikumar RaoThe Importance of Intent for Personal GrowthDr. Rao recognizes the importance of the things that we are doing but also proposes that what we are being while we’re doing those things is way more important. He believes having the right intent is an essential component of our attempts to become better versions of ourselves.“Whatever you do, the intent with which you do that is what really counts. That is what makes a difference in your growth and development and in many cases that is also what makes a difference to the other person.” - Dr. Srikumar RaoDr. Rao’s Message of Inspired EvolutionThe message in the teachings of Dr. Rao is one of hope for a better tomorrow. His courses and books have inspired an evolution in the minds of many and he sees that this approach is not only a solution for improving the wonderful world we are living in further, but it is also our duty. “It is, fundamentally, a wonderful world. And it is your job to recognize it, anchor yourself on it and continue to make it better for yourself and for everybody else.” - Dr. Srikumar RaoSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is Jessica Zweig, a serial entrepreneur, a personal branding expert and the Founder and CEO of ‘SimplyBe. Agency’.About Jessica ZweigJessica started her entrepreneurial career back in 2008 when she co-founded CheekyChicago.com, the very first lifestyle magazine dedicated to the women of Chicago. After 7 years and an audience of 100 000 readers locally, she decided to open up a new chapter in her life. She yearned to discover her authentic self and what it would truly take for her to live her truth.In 2014, she founded 'SimplyBe. Agency' and entered the business of transforming experts into thought leaders. Her company helps C-level clients and entrepreneurs by providing them with brand identity development and brand strategy, content creation, communications, and book writing services. On her impressive list of clients, you can find names of world-renowned companies such as Heineken, Red Bull, NIKE, Virgin Brands, BBMC Mortgage, Shift7 Digital, River North Design District and PROjECT Interiors.Connect with Jessica:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simplyjessicazweig Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jessica_ZweigLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicazweig/Website: https://www.jessicazweig.comJessica's Story of Inspired EvolutionJessica’s educational background is a degree in acting from the University of Illinois. Five years later, she stumbled upon her entrepreneurship career when she co-founded Chicago’s first online digital magazine for women, aka “Cheeky Chicago”. She worked hard to help her magazine thrive in a time where the vast world of social media that we know and use today was just at its very beginning. During her 7 years at “Cheeky Chicago”, she gained valuable practical experience she now calls her “real-life MBA”.“Some people don’t believe in the “fake it ‘till you make it” philosophy, but I do. I really do because I did it. I’m a case study on what it can look like.” - Jessica ZweigAs time went by, “Cheeky Chicago” was steadily rising and reaching 100 000 readers and partnering up with hundreds of national brands. But she was feeling out of alignment for a long time. The relationship with her business partner had become very strenuous. She finally decided to leave the company and start a new life, one where she could just simply be. “I have this little tattoo on my wrist, says “Simply Be”, that I’ve gotten years before… as a reminder to always be OK with where I am because I am where I’m supposed to be.” - Jessica ZweigShe now spends her life helping experts architect their success through personal brand development, relying on her digital marketing expertise and guided by the principles of authenticity and living your truth!In This Episode We Canvas:Living Your TruthWe go over what it truly means to be authentic in life and in business and what are the essential ways of unlocking your magnificence through living in alignment with your truth.Searching for Support and Investing In YourselfJessica goes into detail about her personal hardships of living a life out of alignment and not feeling fulfilled. She highlights the role which her personal coach played at that difficult time. Through a supporting, trusting, professional relationship she managed to get through one of the toughest times in her career and life.“You are your most precious asset and life is hard and we can’t do it alone… Find somebody else that can put their trust in you or show you what that trust looks like.” - Jessica ZweigTaking the Leap of FaithWe go over Jessica’s personal experience of taking the leap and she points out that because of the fact she was on purpose, making the leap was the most positive thing she could have done. She reflects on how quickly things began to manifest due to the fact she was in line with her deepest desires, goals, and values.“The trust will come when you fully step out of your own comfort zone and see your own power.” - Jessica ZweigBecoming CourageousWe get real personal and Jessica shares her struggles in having a tense relationship with her father who had anger management issues. We talk about the essence of being brave, how courage affects different aspects of our life, and how we can develop it if we have the right approach.“How do you become courageous? I think that you just need to find something that you believe in so much that you are willing to sacrifice something.” - Jessica ZweigBuilding Your TribeJessica provides us with clear insight into how her methods actually operate and why the foundational premise of her business is living your truth. We talk about the intricacies of building an audience around your personal brand and how authenticity plays an important role in surrounding yourself with the people you need.“You cannot be for everyone, don’t even try… The more you do you, the more you’re going to attract your right tribe and that’s all you need.” - Jessica Zweig How to Brand YourselfWe’re also blessed with a mini-masterclass in personal branding as Jessica shares basic introductory steps to setting up a personal brand that fits you best. “Branding is an exercise in clarity. You can’t talk about 25 things a month. I say you have to pick 4… because it’s enough that gives you depth, but it’s small enough that gives you that concise clarity.” - Jessica ZweigJessica's Message of Inspired EvolutionThis is a wonderful conversation about how important it is for everyone to be able to be authentic and live their truth. Jessica is the perfect example of what we are capable if we only had the courage to take the leap and open ourselves up to the world.“Your truth is your magic. Your truth is your superpower.” - Jessica ZweigSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is Steven Kotler, a best-selling author, award-winning journalist, and entrepreneur.Steven is a leading expert on ultimate performance and the state of flow. He co-founded the Flow Genome Project in order to answer questions such as the relationship between flow and creativity, flow and business success, as well as to explore altered states of consciousness and their effect on human performance. Other organizations he has founded are Creating Equilibrium, a conference dedicated to solving critical environmental challenges, and Rancho de Chihuahua, a hospice care dog sanctuary in the mountains of Northern New Mexico he co-founded with his wife Joy.Steven is also a renowned, best-selling author with 2 Pulitzer Prize nominations to his work on “Stealing Fire” and “A Small, Furry Prayer”. His latest book called “Last Tango In Cyberspace” is a brilliantly well-researched novel which explores the future we may be living in just 5 years from now. The book is inspired by cutting edge technology which is still exclusively available in modern labs across the world. His predictions are based on years of researching the frontiers of neuroscience, psychology, psychopharmacology, and ecology, with a special appreciation for the progress of animal rights. Using this Sci-Fi setting, Steven dives into topics such as the evolution of empathy, the nature of consciousness, and our definition of “life.” Connect with Steven:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KotlerSteven/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxbLU30FsQmr-Ikxu6VrTAgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kotler.steven/Twitter: https://twitter.com/steven_kotlerWebsite: https://www.stevenkotler.com/What Will Our World Look Like 5 Years From Now?Steven has always been fascinated by technological advancements and he’s heavily invested in studying the forefronts of cutting-edge tech. He recognizes that the future will not come one new tech at a time but as a combination of complementary discoveries which will completely reshape the world we live in. He wrote “Last Tango in Cyberspace” in order to try and visualize what that world might look like 5 years from now, based on his insights into the technology available in some of the best labs and research centers in the world.Even though most people view his book as futuristic, Steven firmly states that he was very conservative about what went into the book and steered away from making speculations and statements he wasn’t clear about. He also sees that the reason why making these types of predictions is extremely difficult is that rapid technological advancements have affected our ability to analyze and extrapolate about our progress:“We can’t look back 5 years and go: “Well, what was happening 5 years ago? I can use that to make a prediction.” Because it’s accelerating so quickly.” - Steven KotlerThe future tech works as a well-researched context in the “Last Tango In Cyberspace” but the book actually deals with questions related to humanity and one of the key messages emerging regards the notion of empathy. Throughout our conversation, you can see that Steven is very excited about connection and the interconnectedness of the world that we’re living in. He puts empathy at the core of our humane values but the idea he calls “empathy for all” concerns not only empathy towards and among humans but animals, plants, ecosystems… He sees that the only way we can move forward when facing some of the biggest challenges of today’s world is that we base our efforts on empathy.“We have the technology to meet these challenges… What we don’t have is the cooperation.” - Steven KotlerThe Future of AI“What’s getting a lot of attention lately is: “Holly crap an AI is going to wake up and kill us all!”... But that’s not the point… It doesn’t matter. Because we’re not going to be able to tell if it’s awake or not.” - Steven KotlerWe proceed to explore the current use of AI technology and what we can expect from advancements in that field in the near future. We go over some of the applications of AI in human therapy and psychological consultation. Steven goes on to describe the Ellie military project. Ellie is a virtual AI therapist that is designed to help detect PTSD symptoms in war veterans and Steven had a chance to test it out personally. Another platform that we’ve discussed is Xiaoice, a Microsoft bot based on emotional computing framework. These bots are a great example which demonstrates how quickly the AI is advancing, especially when interacting with humans directly. However, there’s another interesting observation to be made here and which is that AI has already started influencing how we make major decisions in life, the effects of which will drastically increase in the near future.“Some couple was going to break up and stayed together because of Xiaoice and I’ll bet they have a baby. Which is, to say, that the first AI-inspired baby is probably already in existence and that’s a little weird! - Steven KotlerThe Relationship Between Curiosity and Fear“If you’re feeling curiosity you can’t really feel fear. Literally, they’re the same signal.” - Steven KotlerAt the very end of our podcast, you can see that we’ve put in a little extra for this week’s episode. We were finished with our official recording but Steven kept dropping little gems and we just had to get them out to you as well. We got to chatting about how curiosity is innate to our perspective and Steven reflected on the relationship between curiosity and fear. He pointed out that animals can’t feel the two at the same time, but they will rather go back and forth between the two. Humans can do it, but since the two emotions are using very similar neural pathways and have a similar neurochemical reaction at its foundation, Steven blessed us with a lovely life hack for getting over our fears.“One of the best ways to deal with fear is to get curious about the shit that scares you.” - Steven KotlerSteven’s Message of Inspired EvolutionI can’t even begin to describe what this conversation meant to me personally but I truly believe that this podcast has something in it for everyone to enjoy. We’ve covered a broad range of modern topics and Steven’s insight into the next generation of technology is mindblowing. But what I’ve particularly appreciated was our discussions on empathy. His notion “empathy for all” is something that’s been magnificently depicted in his latest book and I’m very excited to see where this idea takes him next. Steven firmly believes that empathy will play a key role in resolving some of the biggest global, modern-day issues we’re currently faced with:“I think empathy is the future.” - Steven KotlerSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is Jamie Wheal, an expert on peak performance, the co-founder and executive director of the Flow Genome Project and co-author of “Stealing Fire”.Jamie’s background is an amalgamation of expeditionary education, wilderness medicine, and surf rescue. He has over a decade of experience advising high-growth companies on strategy, execution, and leadership. His client list is a who’s who of top corporate executives including the owners of NFL, NBA, MLB, and Premier League teams, executives of Google, Goldman Sachs, Deloitte, Cisco. Jamie has also worked with the U.S. Naval War College and Special Operations Command and advised the athletes of Red Bull on the topic of peak performance.In 2015, he co-founded the Flow Genome Project and he is leading an international team of world’s renowned scientists, athletes and artists with a goal of mapping the genome of peak performance state also known as Flow. Their vision is rooted in “taking a rigorous, multidisciplinary and supremely practical approach to the science and research of peak-performance.” As self-described “flow hackers” the end goal of the Flow Genom Project is to use this research to help more people level up in their actual lives.Along with Steven Kotler, Jamie co-authored the global bestseller titled “Stealing Fire: Silicon Valley, Navy SEALs and Maverick Scientists are Revolutionizing the Way We Live”. In it, they explore the many ways how the world’s most successful people use altered states in order to unlock peak performance.Connect with Jamie:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-wheal-887212a/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamiewhealpage/Website: https://www.flowgenomeproject.com/Altered States vs NOSCsIn order to further clarify the topic of Jamie’s studies, we start off our conversation by making a clear distinction between altered states of conscious and NOSCs which stands for ‘Non-Ordinary States of Consciousness’. This is a much more appropriate and precise term originally coined by Dr. Stan Grof. These states are one of the topics in Jamie’s book ‘Stealing Fire’ and they can be meditative, contemplative, states brought on by smart technology, psychedelic, sexual, athletic, kinetic or artistic. “Basically all the positive non-ordinary states you can think of that seem to share an awful lot underneath the hood of the mechanism of action. What’s happening in our bodies and brains to get us there.” - Jamie WhealMonophasic vs Polyphasic CultureWe dive further and deeper into the exploration of these non-ordinary states and Jamie makes yet another key distinction which helps us understand this problematic from a historical perspective. On the point of recognizing and appreciating different states of consciousness, we differentiate between monophasic and polyphasic culture. Polyphasic culture accepts different channels of consciousness, while later, during the age of enlightenment in the 18th century, mainstream ideas shifted towards the monophasic culture, focusing exclusively on the basic sensory input, an approach that gave birth to the idea of the rational self-aware waking self. Jamie points out that this shift has left a significant mark on our society and he argues that there’s a good chance this idea of being closed off to different channels of consciousness is causing all sorts of contemporary “diseases of despair”, which include anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc. He sees the solution in determining and accepting a post-conventional polyphasic culture in order to utilize these non-ordinary states of consciousness in order to both maximize our peak performance and “bring our collective project forward”.Ways of Reaching Peak Performances “You take breathing, respiration, movement, music, sexuality and then skillful use of substances and you can combine them and stack them in ways that can provide really profound peak experiences.” - Jamie WhealJamie proceeds to explore each of these methods of evoking non-ordinary states of consciousness how it can help you achieve peak performance. From controlled breathing to patterns of skilfull movement to listening to compelling music to harnessing the neurochemistry of the conscious sexuality all in the service of accelerated human development. He proceeds to explore a vast amount of intriguing cases and studies regarding the potentials of sexuality in particular, one being the comparison between the resemblance in the ways MDMA and orgasm affect our brain chemistry and neurophysiology. The way he envisions the purpose of these practices is essentially a reset of the nervous system in order to preserve and improve mental and physical health.“Can we actually defrag on a regular basis so that we stay current so that we stay resilient and we can actually face life with as much as resourcefulness as possible?” - Jamie WhealGroup Flow (i.e. Communitas)We step away from the individual and focus more on the collective in this part of our conversation. Jamie elaborates on the relationship between peak performance and the potential for healing or getting a release. To put in another way, we discuss the relationship between ecstasis and catharsis. However, these experiences are often not occurring in isolation. We rather seek to share our experiences and through communitas or “group flow” we connect. We bond in order to create “a reservoir of trust” as Jamie puts it, “which allows us to do hard things together.”Discipline of EnoughnessWhen we discuss the potential habits of people that are taking us in the wrong direction, Jamie has a collection of creative terms at his disposal. Yet, behind the ideas such as “hungry ghosts,” the true issue lies and we’ll need to deal with in the years to come. We need to fight off the role we have been conditionalized into which is the role of the hyper-individualized consumer purged by the need for instant gratification. But we need to do so in a way that allows us to regain our humanity and not to lose grasp of it completely in the transition.“We have to practice ‘discipline of enoughness’ and we have to seek the actual nutrients that we need like love, connection, belonging, contribution creativity… Good, old-fashioned, human stuff.” - Jamie WhealJamie’s Message of Inspired EvolutionThis podcast is an amazing opportunity for us to broaden our horizons and reexamine what we value as a society. Jamie’s expertise is vast and diverse yet probably the most impressive thing is the practical, “call to action” vibe of his message of Inspired Evolution, which he portrays by also leading the way. It is most certainly true that without proper action, any form of enlightenment is rendered pointless. That is why I wholeheartedly support Jamie when he is saying that:“The best antidote to anxiety and existential wondering right now is, go help somebody less fortunate than you.” - Jamie WhealSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is Benjamin J Harvey, a speaker, educator, coach and founder of Authentic Education.Benjamin has been studying psychology for the past 20 years. On his journey to explore the intricacies of the human psyche, he has learned from and collaborated with different people of diverse vocation. From psychologists to scientists, to seers, to shamans, Benjamin has used their insights to develop a special approach for bringing change into people’s lives and helping them discover their Shadow Values. He is helping people across the globe discover their authentic message and achieve financial abundance all the while inspiring them to live their love.On Benjamin’s impressive list of clients, you can find names of companies such as Adecco, Universal Events, Christopher Howard Training, Centrelink, IBM, Apple, St George, Qantas, and AGL. His specialties include personal and professional coaching, sales coaching, training and management, business development strategies, neurolinguistic programming, and human potential.He founded Authentic Education, an organization that offers business and development courses with a mission to create the largest group of world-class coaches, speakers, and online educators earning over 6 figures, by helping people live their love. Check out their website for a tone of free educational content from eBooks to motivational audio downloads!Connect with Benjamin:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authenticeducationLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminjharvey/?originalSubdomain=auTwitter: https://twitter.com/authenticbenWebsite: https://www.authentic.com.au/Personal Website: http://www.benjaminharvey.com/Benjamin’s Story of Inspired Evolution“Everybody’s got a story, a hard-luck journey. Mine is no better than anybody else’s… When I was a young kid I went through some pretty intensive sexual abuse and that really, sort of… screwed my mind up quite a bit.” - Benjamin J HarveyBenjamin is very open about his childhood traumas of being a victim of sexual abuse. These incidents have made a devastating mark on his psyche, one he has fought throughout his youth. By the age of 20, he was regularly visiting psychiatrists and psychologists, seeking help to try and recollect his fragmented mind. His struggles culminated with him being admitted into a psychiatric ward. The experience itself was traumatic but the stigma of mental illness is so strong that he cites feeling an enormous amount of shame and guilt at that time, related to being held in a mental institution and diagnosed as bipolar with a borderline personality disorder.“Everyone’s wanting to live their love and to do what they love, but they don’t realize that what they truly love in life… has been given value by the traumas and the experiences they’ve been through.” - Benjamin J HarveyFor the next 5 and a half years of his life, Benjamin was severely medicated and struggling all-round. The real push and a defining moment that inspired the change came through a tragic event. One of his best friends from school had committed suicide and the news shook Benjamin to his very core. In the aftermath, he decided that he needed to take control of his own life and to take matters into his own hands. He gradually got off his medication all the while educating himself on meditation and personal transformation. The results of his efforts were astounding, embodied in the fact that he has been medication-free since 2002.“When I finally got on track and started doing what I love it was the most remarkable thing. My brain was no longer sending me feedback. It no longer had to tell me that I’m not on purpose.” - Benjamin J HarveyBenjamin discovered his love in the form of educating and coaching. He now shares his story without being riddled with shame and guilt but rather uses it as a tool to inspire and motivate others. He remembers he felt like the horrible things that happened to him were unique and that he was the only person struggling. By sharing his story, Benjamin is also making sure people who are suffering get a very important message - that they’re not alone.The Complex Nature of Purpose“It’s important that people realize that purpose is many things. Your purpose can be your love of swimming while you also enjoy your 1-on-1 coaching, but you also love reading a book… those many things will come in a hierarchy and you’ll work out that hierarchy eventually.” - Benjamin J HarveyBenjamin has a very compelling version of how the process of finding our purpose actually works. He proposes the idea that our mind has a unique way of showing us what we’re born to do. Benjamin continues to infer that if we’re doing what we love our mind can relax. These activities that, as he puts it, “silence the mind”, are responding and in line with our values which means that by doing them we’re actually fulfilling our purpose. Through all of this, we can understand that he is offering a new take on the idea of “purpose” by making it synonymous with presence.“If you observe the things that allow you to become present with no effort, you’ve found your purpose. And it can be 15 things that do that. If you find 15 things that make you present, just clear out your diary and just start doing those 15 things.” - Benjamin J HarveyMoney as a Transference of Love“These people have been convinced that there’s something wrong with being financially successful because we’ve been told by people who are ridiculously financially successful not to have financial success.” - Benjamin J HarveyWe also dive deep into the social values and commentary regarding the ethics behind achieving financial abundance and success. Benjamin is disappointed by the hypocrisy of the situation where people are being told they should give up the pursuit of wealth by people who are themselves very wealthy. He argues that abundance is our birthright and that financial abundance is just another aspect of that. Benjamin’s relationship with money changed the moment he realized that it could be a tool that allowed him to express love while empowering him to have more freedom.“Money really is a transference of love just in another form. And when this clicked for me I realized that I can express my love in multiple ways and people can express their love for me in multiple ways and one of those ways is money.” - Benjamin J HarveyBenjamin’s Message of Inspired EvolutionBen’s personal story is a true inspiration. He is the living proof that your experiences don’t determine the person you’re going to become and that you have the power to change, take control of your life and prosper. His cause is noble and I particularly loved his method we can use for self-determining our purpose in life. We often struggle to find meaning and we’re insecure about whether we’ve made the right choices or not. His words offer comfort and guidance:“Gravitate towards the things that silence your mind and you will have found your truth.” - Benjamin J HarveySupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is Dr. Rupert Sheldrake, a biologist, an international best-selling author, and the creator of the Morphic Resonance Hypothesis.Dr. Rupert Sheldrake got his doctorate at the University of Cambridge in the field of biochemistry but has also studied philosophy and history at Harvard as part of his Frank Knox Fellowship. From then on he went to work as a Principal Plant Physiologist and Consultant Physiologist in India, at the Botany Department of the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. He later engaged with extensive experimental research, studying unexplained subjects including telepathy and cases of peculiar animal behavior.He's credited with co-discovery of the mechanism of polar auxin transport but he’s probably the most well-known aspect of his work is the Morphic Resonance Hypothesis, which posits that “memory is inherent in nature” and we discuss it much further in the podcast. Some have labeled him “controversial” as he is speaking out about the many dogmas riddling the modern scientific approach and offers alternative views, which encompass many aspects of spiritual knowledge as well. You can find more on his thoughts about scientific dogmas in his book “The Science Delusion” also known by the title “Science Set Free” in the US.In 2017 he released the book titled “Science and Spiritual Practices” which is one of the main topics of our conversation. In it, he explores the recent scientific studies that have confirmed the connection between spiritual practices on one hand and happiness and well-being on the other.Connect with Dr. Sheldrake:Website: https://www.sheldrake.org/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/RupertSheldrakePhDFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RupertSheldrakeThe Science Delusion“Well, basically the Science Delusion is the belief that science already understands the nature of reality, in principle, leaving only the details to be filled in.” - Dr. Rupert SheldrakeWe dive deep into our discussion starting off with his criticism of modern science and its approach. Dr. Sheldrake argues that scientific dogmas are so deeply integrated into our education which and are largely represented by the philosophy of mechanistic materialism, making it a default starting point for most graduates. The idea that nature and all of its subsequent products operate like a machine, made out of specific parts and compartments with a clear and distinct function. Dr. Sheldrake recognizes this as a metaphor that has seeped into and taken over the scientific narrative. He proposes a different metaphor which he believes is a more apt description of our world.“It’s actually much more appropriate to think of nature as an organism, as alive. The whole universe is like a developing organism. It starts small with the Big Bang, a bit like the hatching of the cosmic egg. It’s been growing and expanding ever since.” - Dr. Rupert SheldrakeAnother scientific dogma that he points towards is the notion that purposeless of nature which is one of the products of the “machine metaphor”. He finds this worldview particularly depressing because it leads people on the path of secluding themselves from different aspects of life which they label as pointless, like for instance spiritual practices which is something that we’ve discussed later on.Scientific Research of Spiritual Practices“Generally speaking feeling connected and linked to something greater than one’s self makes people happy.” - Dr. Rupert Sheldrake Just a small disclaimer here. If you haven’t realized so far, Dr. Sheldrake’s is an experienced scientist with an impressively broad educational background. This description would need to be verbatim in order to truly give it justice. I urge you to listen to the podcast in order to get the full impression of our conversation as it’s intended.In this section of our conversation, Dr. Sheldrake connects the notion of a higher consciousness present in all religions and elaborates the data which shows that religious and spiritual practices are connected with higher levels of happiness, health, and overall well-being. He cleverly acknowledges that the so-called “new atheists” have not been immune to the effectiveness of these practices which is why many of their more popular representatives are getting involved with yoga and meditation. He also acknowledges atheistic intepretations of spiritual practices and the physiological changes they cause. As a response, he questions whether these interpretations are a valid argument for suggesting that these experiences are nothing but changes in the chemical release of the brain. However, he is very optimistic that we’re in for an era of amazing discoveries in the field of spirituality.“I think that we’re actually on the threshold of a new phase in spiritual evolution because it’s possible to do these practices within religious traditions and also on the scientific front, who prefers that. So this is a completely new situation that we’re in.” - Dr. Rupert SheldrakeMorphic Resonance“Morphic Resonance is really an idea about memory in nature… This memory means that information is carried from past to present across space and time based on similarity.” - Dr. Rupert SheldrakeIn this part of our conversation, Dr. Sheldrake guides us through his idea of Morphic Resonance. We talk about the understanding of how “evolution is an interplay between creativity and habit” and the subsequent conclusions drawn along those lines of thought. He points out that some parts of the habitual aspect of our existence have been present for billions of years but that the possibility for creativity is what breaks the cycle of calculable predictability. This “freedom” as he defines it is present in not only in ourselves but in all of nature.We proceed to explore the interconnectedness of everything and Dr. Sheldrake evokes one of the greatest insights from the Rishi tradition in India.“I think that our own lives are kind of fractiles of the universe and that our own consciousness is a kind of fractile of the universal consciousness.” - Dr. Rupert SheldrakeDr. Sheldrake’s Message of Inspired EvolutionTalking to Dr. Robert Sheldrake has been an utterly deep intellectual roller coaster full of glimpses into many alternative approaches to comprehending and exploring the world around us. His works provide an abundance of food for thought, so much so that it’s hard to pinpoint one, summarizing the message. I’ll have to go for the one that seems most inclusive and reflects his intentions to both remove the veil of scientific dogmas while also embracing the most valuable from both worlds of science and spirituality.“There may be many levels and kinds of consciousness beyond our own.” - Dr. Rupert SheldrakeSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is Tyler Tolman, a world-renowned speaker, facilitator, author, health revolutionist and founder of Heal Thy Self.Tyler has been exploring the rules of healthy lifestyles ever since his early teenage years when he used to help his father organize a retreat on his 200-acre farm for the first time. These retreats were being held for people who are in desperate need of learning how to take care of their body. His father’s philosophy resonated with the visitors and Tyler was able to witness these profound changes first hand. From then on, he went to study and discover some of the basic principles of health and wellbeing. Diving deep into the wisdom of Greek philosophers, famous scientists, and ancient Egyptians, Tyler yearned to attain a diverse educational background in an attempt to develop a holistic idea of what it means to live a healthy life.His realization is that living healthy is a simple idea, intuitive to most of us, yet modern culture has brought us up in a way that we’ve lost track of the truth. With years of experience in researching how to live a disease-free life, Tyler is determined to spread the ideas and the principles that have been taught for over thousands of years which will help you improve your physical, emotional and mental health.Tyler organizes events, retreats, offers online programs and has authored several ebooks, all of which you can check out by visiting his website! He has also developed his own brand of self-care tools, products, and resources called “Heal Thy Self”. With it, he offers a range of products that facilitate detox and improve your nourishment.Connect with Tyler:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TylerTolmanTT/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylertolmantt/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TylerTolmanTTWebsite: https://www.tylertolman.com/Tyler’s Story of Inspired EvolutionTyler reminisces about his childhood. He remembers how he never felt like he fit into the traditional mindset of Western society. He grew up dealing with feelings of being suppressed and unloved. But around the time he was 13, he got an opportunity to go and stay with his father at his 200-acre farm in Salem, Missouri. His father organized retreats for people who were dealing with disease and offered his philosophy as well as communal support for those looking to improve their health. It was then and there when everything changed for Tyler. He witnessed the effects of leading a healthy lifestyle and was shocked yet very intrigued.“I saw people from sick to totally… mindset of ‘I’m going to die’, to color back in their skin and feeling alive and ‘Holy shit! I believe I can heal myself.’ ” - Tyler TolmanHe went back to his old life in Washington after that but quickly realized that he was becoming more and more “sick” himself. He was smoking, eating junk food and slowly getting into drugs. He felt disassociated from the world but he now knew that there was a different life somewhere out there possible. Calling out to him and waiting for him. With suicidal thoughts roaming through his mind, Tyler realized he needed to make a choice.“I either go dedicate my life to this way of living and my father and helping people or… I don’t want to be here, basically.” - Tyler TolmanFrom then on he went deep into researching the basic principles of health and wellbeing, relying on scientific research and combining it with ancient philosophies and traditional wisdom. His path has led him to a place where he is today - a man looking to share information about attaining health through natural means and empowering his audience to heal themselves.The Simplicity of Living a Healthy Life“So many people are looking to… ‘Oh I need the magic thing… I need the pill, I need the herb, I need the sacred food from the freaking deep well of the Himalayas to be healthy’. It’s like - NO!” - Tyler Tolman Tyler keeps bringing us back to how simple living healthy actually is. However, he acknowledges that simplicity does not imply that the process will be easy. Our culture seems to have derailed and stunted our growth in the fields of physical, emotional, and mental health. We’re often scared into doing things that are clearly damaging our health while the excessive anxiety keeps pushing us towards self-destructive behavioral patterns. Tyler points out that his suggestions for a healthier life were cross-culturally present at all points of humanity’s history with the foundation being laid in walking and drinking clear water. We should be building on this notion by adding nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables, rounding it all up with a healthy mindset.“Intuitively, we all know what’s good for us. Eat fruits and vegetables, go for a walk, drink water, don’t be a dickhead… the basic stuff… But because it’s simple we just overlook it.” - Tyler TolmanThe Intricacies of Detoxification and Fasting“The truth is we’re all detoxing all the time.” - Tyler TolmanAt one point in the conversation, Tyler proceeds to get into and hold what can only be described as a mixture of a masterclass and a crash course in detoxification and fasting. You’ll just have to listen to this podcast because retelling this section here wouldn’t do it justice. I’ll just mention that we covered topics such as the systems involved in detoxification, common issues and problems caused by poor detoxification, the benefits of fasting, different types of fasting and how fasting contributes to overall health. Enjoy!“If we are toxic internally, we will reflect and make a toxic world for ourselves.” - Tyler TolmanTyler’s Message of Inspired EvolutionSpeaking with Tyler was an amazing treat. You can sense his expertise and studiousness has been woven into our conversation showing their glimpses whenever he reveals majestic insight into a vast array of health-related topics. This is a very important conversation to have in this day and age but the message is very concise and offers a solution in the shape of well-tested behaviors recognized throughout human history. But the main takeaway is probably the empowering aspect of Tyler’s message, spotted in his self-aware statement on the exact role he is looking to play on people’s path to a healthier life:“That’s why the brand is ‘Heal Thy Self’. I can’t heal you… I’ve got information but if you choose to follow and do some basic principles YOU can heal yourself!” - Tyler TolmanSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.