21st Century Vitalism Brett Kane

This weeks episode is with visionary floral sculptor, Anthony Ward! Most known for his elaborate performances on stage combining his extensive history of dance with his love for floral arrangement, Anthony has shared his art with thousands across the globe. Having had opportunities to collaborate with the likes of Michael Franti, Bobby McFerrin, STS9, Tipper, and a slew of spiritual teachers such as the Dalai Lama, Eckhart Tolle, and Ram Dass; Anthony has secured his spot as one of the world's top contemporary floral artists. In this conversation, we discuss his life of working with flowers and the intersections between arrangement and dance. We then explore the lineages of floral arrangement, how we can begin our own practice, and the lessons he's learned from a lifetime of dedicating himself to this artform. If this inspires you to begin your own journey into the world of floral art, I'd highly encourage you to check out his book, 'Being With Flowers' (link down below)Show Topics- Anthony’s Story of Connecting with the Flowers- The Intersection of Flower Arrangement and Dancing- Floral Art as Spiritual Practice- Impermanence and Flowers- Ikebana- How to Start Flower Arranging- Forming Relationships with Individual Flowers- Lessons from Flowers for Troubled Times- The Universal Quality of Flowers- Weeds and Gathering Materials - Flowers and Masculinity- The Enlivening Quality of PassionLinksAnthony at Envision: https://youtu.be/3efXGXxEoKE?si=jCnQh93KbmmyXibnAnthony Meeting the Dalai Lama: https://youtu.be/GPQs1lyCS1o?si=w9NUPxPRAFj3sbKKBeing With Flowers: Being With Flowers Amazon Link

Joining us on the show is meditation teacher, author, and co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society, Sharon Salzberg! With over 50 years of teaching experience, Sharon is largely attributed as one of the first western teachers to bring mindfulness based practice to the West. In this conversation, we explore a process she outlines her recent book, 'Real Life' in which she outlines the path of moving out of a constricted frame of mind and heart to one that is more open and expansive. Interweaving lessons from mindfulness, loving kindness, and a lifetime of guiding people toward recognizing their own innate brilliance; this conversation is sure to leave you feeling more open and inspired to engage with your world more fully. To start studying with Sharon, head on over to her website, sharonsalzberg.com to see her online offerings or order one of her many books! Show Topics- What Makes Us Constricted?- Passion, Aggression, and Delusion- Managing Expectations for Meditation- The Three Personality Types of Buddhism- How Mindfulness Points Us Toward Service- Addressing Hopelessness- Preventing Burnout- What is Love in the Buddhist Context?- Is Love Unconditional or Cultivated?- Metta Practice- The Courage to Love- Responding to the Suffering in the World

Returning to the show is movement specialist, author, and Structural Integrationist, Mary Bond! Most known for her contributions to the world of Rolfing Movement practice with her books, 'New Rules of Posture' and 'Body Mandala'; Mary has gone on to establish herself as a pioneer in reimagining the relationship between perception, sensation, and posture. In this conversation we discuss how to become more embodied in the modern age; we explore the role of fascia in creating our perceptions, how to make an unbreakable connection to the body's midline, and how the energies of earth and space help us maintain our authenticity in trying times. If you wish to plug into Mary's work more thoroughly, check out her online workshops or order her books over at: healyourposture.comShow Topics- What is Embodiment?- Fascia is a Sensory Organ- What is Disembodiment? - Cultivating Intereoception- Posture Change is Perceptual and Not Forced- Exploring the Body's Midline- Connecting to the Quality of Earth and Space- Falling out of Sync with the Midline- Sitting Tensegrity Practice- Exploring the Core- Space and Trust

Joining us on the show this week is the singer, composer, producer, dancer, and creative guide, Ayla Nereo. For this conversation, we explore her work with the Living Song project; a creative community aimed at helping people dissolve creative blocks and find their authentic voice. We then use that as a foundation to explore central themes in Ayla's work such as resiliency, vitality, and the role of our intuition in the creative process. Ayla's music can be streamed wherever you find your music and her courses can be found over at thelivingsong.aylanereo.comSHOW TOPICS - What is the Living Song Project? - What does it mean to be a Vessel? - What is Writer's Block and How Can We Overcome it? - Grasping Vs. Trust - The Energetic Throat Center - The Four Elements and Creativity - What is Vitality and Intuition? - Importance of Feeling Good - What is Sovereignty in the Modern Age? - Facing A Troubled World, What Can We Do As Creatives? - Sovereignty and Motherhood

Joining us on today's show is the CEO of Dhama Moon and my personal meditation teacher and friend, David Nichtern! Dharma Moon is an online meditation community which specializes in teaching the next generation of mindfulness meditation instructors. As a senior teacher in the lineage of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, David has gone on to write two books, be an Emmy winning and Grammy nomiated musician, and host of the popular, Creativity, Spirituality, and Making a Buck Podcast. In this conversation, we talk about some of the most compelling teachings that we've explored together which are commonly referred to as the sacred path of the warrior. They're a perennial set of teachings found in cultures around the world which are uniquely relevant for living a spiritually inclined life in the modern age. They ask us, how can we be fully awake, courageous, and authentic right now in the life that we're currently living? If you want to study with David he has many online offerings that can be found through the link below. I highly recommend his 'Mindfulness Teacher Training' course starting up in June for one of the most comprehensive deep dives into meditation you can find on the internet.  SHOW TOPICS- What is Warriorship?- The Qualities of a Warrior- The Strength of Being Gentle- Seeing Clearly- How to Properly Face Oneself - Meditation- How Being Self Conscious Closes Off the World- Discovering our Basic Goodness- Moving out from the Cocoon- The Profundity of Householder Practice- Business and WarriorshipLINKSdharmamoon.com

Joining us on the show is the globally renowned electronic music producer, educator, and performer, Mr. Bill. In this conversation we talk about the incredibly important subject of substance abuse and recovery. Having gone through his own stint of addiction, we dive into his story of struggling to stay afloat while being a touring musician and the hard fought battle of getting sober. We also share our mutual appreciation of electronic music, production, and the rave scene which undoubtedly changed both of our lives.All of Bill's work can be found streaming wherever you find your music - with his tutorials solely on mrbillstunes.com. His new album, 'Mechanomorphic' is out on April 12th through Monstercat! The first two singles, 'Bones' and 'Rawthentic w/ Infected Mushroom' are out now on all streaming platforms.SHOW TOPICS- Bill's Story of Finding Electronic Music- Cultivating an Ear for EDM- Differences in Creative Process for Instruments and EDM- Raves and Substance Use- How Scenes Dictate What Substances are Used- Ketamine's Influence on Electronic Music Culture- What is Ketamine? - Bill's Story of Ketamine Addiction- Touring/ Playing Shows With an Addiction- Getting Sober- Touring as a Sober Musician- Attending Shows Soberly- How To Show Up for Friends Struggling with Addiction