Grit and Zen Podcast

A journey to the Self.

Kurt Armstrong, a former substance abuser and violent offender, transformed his life through Yoga and meditation. Now a certified Yoga instructor (200hr RYT), he shares his journey of self-discovery and healing, aiming to inspire others to embrace change and find their Self. Kurt completed Yoga Teacher Training through the Prison Yoga Project, with a focus on trauma-informed Yoga.He has studied eastern philosophy for most of his life and has been doing Asana practice for over 14 years. He now follows the path of Raja Yoga; encompassing the entire 8 limbs of Yoga. Kurt shares insights, Yogic philosophy, & more. www.gritandzen.com

  1. Sep 17

    Free of desires yet filled with love.

    * Blessings and Well Wishes: The speaker offers blessings and wishes for a good day or evening to listeners in any situation. * Shared Positive Qualities: Love, joy, and happiness are described as always present and not requiring effort to obtain. * Disinterest in Small Talk: The speaker finds small talk uninteresting but not negative, preferring deeper topics. * Preferred Topics: Conversations about philosophy, consciousness, quantum mechanics, God, spirituality, or religion are favored but not bar-friendly. * Silence as Experience: The speaker views silence as the only experience, leading to no desire or need to speak. * Irony in Sharing: The speaker views the irony of podcasts and great things as a personal battle while sharing a story of transformation. * Shift from Ego to Presence: The speaker describes moving from being lost in mind or ego—thinking fast and feeling misunderstood—to a state of minimal thinking. * Intentional Thinking: Thinking now occurs deliberately, such as planning future desires like travel, rather than being automatic. * Avoiding Thought During Tasks: The speaker avoids getting stuck in thought during work or routine actions. * Full Presence in Moments: The speaker aims to be fully engaged in each present activity, treating every second as the coolest moment. * Focus on the Present: The speaker prioritizes staying in the current moment rather than anticipating what comes next. * Bartending Rushes: Bartending involves cycles of rushes and pauses, prompting a practice of readiness without rejecting the present. * Practice of Readiness: The challenge is being ready for the next wave without desiring something better than what is happening now. * Path of Silence: Described as self-realization and silence, this path follows an earlier route of Roger yoga. * Contentment in Being: The speaker experiences a positive loss of desire, finding satisfaction in silence, contemplation, and meditation. * Enjoyment of Activities: The speaker values asana practice, observing nature, and seeing the divine in other people. * Origin in Love: All creations, including buildings made by people, are seen as arising from love, whether through passion for work or care for family. * Unity of Life: Everything is viewed as made from life, forming one living, breathing organism where beings coexist. * Love and Appreciation: Interaction with the world is framed as rooted in love, appreciation, awe, and observation rather than judgment or negative assumptions. * Being Over Doing: The emphasis is on simply being and silencing activity, recognizing inherent beauty without needing to understand or act. * No Requirement for Achievement: Actions like winning awards or earning degrees are unnecessary unless they bring happiness; comparison is not required. * Acceptance of Lifestyle: If a life of relaxing, watching TV, drinking wine, and smoking brings contentment, it should be accepted, loved, and enjoyed. * Path to Self-Realization: The speaker describes a journey toward self-realization marked by shifting waves and curves that felt cool and interesting. * Considered Renunciation: There was a phase of wanting to abandon material possessions, live from a backpack in India, meditate in ashrams, and follow spiritual leaders on a pilgrimage. * Shift from Isolation: After time in southern Oregon, isolation was rejected in favor of being around people, leading to thoughts of living in Portland and taking side journeys. * Acceptance of Current Role: The speaker accepted bartending instead of teaching yoga, valuing the job for serving others and interacting with people. * Positive Worldview: Engaging with music and people without cynicism allows the speaker to experience the world as a place of love when viewing it from love. * Universal Love: The speaker expresses sincere love for listeners and states that God loves them, regardless of belief systems, emphasizing pure being and love. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.gritandzen.com

    Free of desires yet filled with love.
  2. 11/05/2025

    Ishvara Pranidhana (Surrender) | Niyamas | Yogic Philosophy

    The final Niyama, Ishvara Pranidhana, is about surrender and devotion, not just giving up but letting go. It involves dedicating one’s life to the benefit of humanity, seeing God in everything, and practicing non-attachment. By surrendering to a higher power and offering efforts and results to something greater, one can achieve tranquility of mind and peace. The text discusses the concept of non-attachment, emphasizing the importance of accepting situations as they are without being driven by emotions or expectations. It highlights the role of surrender, intuition, and inner wisdom in this process, encouraging individuals to trust in a higher power and let go of specific outcomes. The text also touches on the practice of yoga, suggesting that true yoga occurs when one surrenders into a pose, achieving alignment and a connection with the divine. The speaker discusses the concept of surrendering to a higher power, drawing parallels between this idea and the practice of yoga, particularly the pose Savasana. They share a personal experience of a profound out-of-body experience during Savasana, which sparked their lifelong journey into yoga and spiritual enlightenment. The speaker announces a break from the podcast to caretake for their father, promising to return with a new season focused on the Yamas and Niyamas. Kurt wishes peace and encourages everyone to be their true selves, filled with love and positivity. He signs off, looking forward to season three. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.gritandzen.com

    Ishvara Pranidhana (Surrender) | Niyamas | Yogic Philosophy

About

Kurt Armstrong, a former substance abuser and violent offender, transformed his life through Yoga and meditation. Now a certified Yoga instructor (200hr RYT), he shares his journey of self-discovery and healing, aiming to inspire others to embrace change and find their Self. Kurt completed Yoga Teacher Training through the Prison Yoga Project, with a focus on trauma-informed Yoga.He has studied eastern philosophy for most of his life and has been doing Asana practice for over 14 years. He now follows the path of Raja Yoga; encompassing the entire 8 limbs of Yoga. Kurt shares insights, Yogic philosophy, & more. www.gritandzen.com