The Spiritual Ninja Podcast

Jonathan Hewitt
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Biweekly

Heart-to-heart conversations with people who blend deep inner work with meaningful outer impact. Exploring how spiritual depth, clarity, calm, and purpose show up in real life.

  1. Aug 12

    Flying to God: An F-16 Pilot's Journey of Faith, Purpose & Calling | Tom Cedel

    In this episode of the Spiritual Ninja Podcast, Jonathan Hewitt sits down with Tom Cedel, retired Air Force F-16 pilot, university president, educator, scientist, and lifelong student of faith, to explore one of life's biggest questions: What are we here to do? Tom's remarkable journey takes him from flying F-16s and serving in the military to earning a PhD, leading a university, mentoring future leaders, and navigating cancer. Through all of it, one idea kept returning: vocation is not about what you get. It's about who you serve. Together, Jonathan and Tom explore: • What it really means to find your calling• Why your purpose may be bigger than your career• How faith can provide a foundation during uncertainty• Why disappointment and unexpected detours may be part of your path• The connection between vocation, service, and community• How to listen to your heart instead of living entirely from your head• Why character and competence must grow together• The meaning of an "upright heart and skillful hands"• How relationships can help us stay grounded through difficult seasons• What cancer taught Tom about how he wants to live• Why life may be less about "me" and more about "us"• How kindness, service, and community can become a spiritual practice Tom also shares a powerful perspective on purpose: "It's not about me. It's about community. It's about us." This is a deeply human conversation about faith, purpose, service, leadership, resilience, and learning to trust the path even when life doesn't unfold the way we expected. If you've ever wondered What am I supposed to do with my life?, How do I find my calling?, or What is my purpose?, this conversation offers a grounded and deeply personal perspective. Connect with Tom Cedel 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-tom-cedel-b9b5a87/ Explore Spiritual Ninja 🔗 https://spiritualninjapodcast.com/ Subscribe for more conversations about spirituality, personal growth, purpose, consciousness, leadership, and learning how to live with greater clarity, connection, and freedom. #PurposeOfLife #FindingYourCalling #SpiritualGrowth #Faith #LifePurpose #SpiritualNinja #PersonalGrowth #Vocation #Leadership

  2. Aug 7

    Why Your Pain Doesn't Define You | Shanti Kelley on Spiritual Psychology

    What if your greatest struggles weren't meant to break you... but to awaken you? In this deeply meaningful conversation, Jonathan Hewitt sits down with Shanti Kelley, spiritual psychology professor, yoga therapist, and longtime student of Zen, Yoga Nidra, and non-dual philosophy, to explore one of life's biggest questions. How do we truly heal? Rather than trying to fix ourselves, Shanti shares why healing begins when we stop identifying with our pain and start recognizing the wholeness that has always been within us. Together they explore how mindfulness, loving awareness, movement, breath, and spiritual practice can help transform life's hardest experiences into wisdom, compassion, and purpose. • Why your pain does not define who you are • The foundation of Spiritual Psychology • How judgment keeps us stuck • Why healing is about remembering your wholeness • The connection between Yoga Nidra, mindfulness, and emotional healing • How our life experiences become wisdom instead of suffering • Learning to trust your intuition and inner guidance • Why loving awareness transforms everything Whether you're beginning your spiritual journey or have spent years exploring personal growth, this conversation offers practical wisdom for living with greater peace, courage, and authenticity. Connect with Shanti Kelley 🌿 Websitehttps://www.shantiyogapractice.com/ 📸 Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/shantiyogapractice/ Explore more Spiritual Ninja 🌎 Websitehttps://spiritualninjapodcast.com/ If this conversation inspired you, subscribe for more discussions on spirituality, mindfulness, personal growth, leadership, martial arts, and living with greater purpose. #SpiritualPsychology #ShantiKelley #SpiritualGrowth #PersonalDevelopment #Mindfulness #YogaNidra #Healing #NonDuality #SelfAwareness #JonathanHewitt #SpiritualNinjaPodcast

  3. Jul 27

    Why Meditation Alone Isn't Enough for Spiritual Awakening | Andrew Keaveney

    Is meditation enough to heal emotional pain and awaken spiritually? Or is there something deeper?In this episode of the Spiritual Ninja Podcast, Jonathan Hewitt sits down with meditation teacher Andrew Keaveney to explore the deeper purpose of meditation, breathwork, spiritual practice, and returning home to yourself.Andrew shares how a lifelong search for truth led him through Buddhism, contemplative traditions, and decades of meditation practice. Together, they discuss why spiritual growth is not about collecting experiences or chasing enlightenment, but learning to let go and reconnect with the peace that already exists within us.They also explore how conscious breathing can calm the nervous system, why meditation should become natural rather than forced, and how authentic teachers guide us back to our own inner wisdom instead of creating dependence.In this episode:• Why meditation alone may not be enough• The difference between spiritual knowledge and direct experience• Breath as a doorway to calm, awareness, and presence• Why chasing enlightenment can become another obstacle• Returning home to yourself instead of searching outside• The role of the body, breath, and mind in meditation• Finding authentic spiritual teachers and trusting your intuition• How service naturally grows from spiritual practice• Why true spirituality becomes simple, grounded, and practicalWhether you're beginning meditation or have practiced for years, this conversation offers practical wisdom for finding greater peace, authenticity, and presence in everyday life.Learn more about Andrew:https://srisrischoolofyoga.org/na/amo-team/andrew-keaveney/https://artoflivingretreatcenter.org/teacher/andrew-keaveney/Explore more conversations on spirituality, meditation, healing, and conscious living:https://spiritualninjapodcast.com#Meditation #SpiritualAwakening #Breathwork #Mindfulness #Buddhism #SpiritualGrowth #SelfAwareness #PersonalGrowth #ConsciousLiving #SpiritualNinjaPodcast

  4. Jul 21

    Can Meditation Heal Emotional Wounds? | Justin Michelson

    Can meditation help us heal emotionally, or does true healing require something more?In this episode of The Spiritual Ninja Podcast, Jonathan Hewitt speaks with Justin Michelson about the connection between meditation, Buddhism, emotional healing, nature, and spiritual growth.Justin shares how a lifelong connection with nature led him toward meditation and Buddhist practice, and how decades of spiritual exploration eventually revealed something important: spiritual awakening and emotional healing are deeply connected.Together, Jonathan and Justin explore what happens when we stop treating our wounds as something to overcome and begin meeting them with curiosity, compassion, and awareness. They discuss self-compassion, childhood conditioning, somatic healing, authentic living, and why meditation alone may not address every part of our inner experience.The conversation also explores how nature can become a spiritual teacher, why difficult emotions can carry wisdom, and how integrating psychological healing with spiritual practice can help us become more fully ourselves.In this episode:• Meditation, Buddhism, and the path to spiritual growth• Why meditation alone may not heal emotional wounds• Bringing spirituality and psychological healing together• Self-compassion and working with difficult emotions• How childhood experiences shape our inner world• Somatic healing and listening to the body• Nature as a teacher and spiritual practice• Moving beyond spiritual bypassing• Living authentically instead of seeking approval• Finding wholeness by embracing every part of yourselfJustin Michelson is the author of Awakened Living: A Practical Guide to the Spiritual Life, which explores how spiritual practice and personal healing can come together as one integrated path.The Spiritual Ninja Podcast explores awakening, healing, consciousness, meditation, personal growth, and the practices that help us live with greater peace, purpose, authenticity, and connection.Learn more about Justin Michelson:https://www.justinmichelsondharma.com/More about Jonathan Hewitt, Life Ki-do, and Spiritual Ninja:https://lifekido.com/https://spiritualninjapodcast.com/#SpiritualAwakening#Meditation#EmotionalHealing#SpiritualHealing#Buddhism#SelfCompassion#Mindfulness#PersonalGrowth#SomaticHealing#AuthenticLiving#SpiritualNinjaPodcast#JustinMichelson

  5. Jul 14

    What True Spirituality Looks Like Beyond Religion | Shabana Serang

    In this heartfelt Spiritual Ninja Podcast episode, Jonathan Hewitt speaks with Shabana Serang, known as The Mercy Queen, about growing up with a father who taught her that spirituality begins with love, mercy, and intention rather than judgment or labels.Shabana shares how conversations with her father shaped her understanding of faith, compassion, and human connection from an early age. She reflects on arriving at UC Berkeley, the pressure to fit into religious identities, and the realization that seeking acceptance from others led her away from her authentic self. Her journey is an honest reminder that true spirituality is not about becoming someone else, but returning to who you have always been.Together, Jonathan and Shabana explore forgiveness, discernment, mental health, trauma, purpose, and the balance between strength and compassion. They discuss how intention shapes our lives, why love should unite rather than divide us, and how healing begins by extending mercy not only to others, but also to ourselves.This is a soul-to-soul conversation about spiritual identity, authenticity, resilience, emotional healing, and the courage to live from the deepest truth within yourself.In this episode:Growing up with stories of Sufi saints and prophetic wisdomHow intention shapes a meaningful spiritual lifeFinding authenticity instead of seeking approvalFaith, identity, and belonging at UC BerkeleyThe balance between forgiveness and healthy boundariesMental health, depression, and learning to ask for helpThe influence of both parents on strength and compassionReligion, spirituality, and finding unity beyond labelsWhy mercy begins with yourself before it can be shared with othersLiving with purpose instead of external validationThe Spiritual Ninja Podcast is about awakening, healing, consciousness, courage, love, wisdom, and the practices that help us live with more peace, purpose, and connection.More about Shabana Serang (The Mercy Queen):YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMercyQueen/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shabanamarkar/Mercy Mindset: https://mercymindset.com/about/Miracles 4 Mercy: https://miracles4mercy.com/Mercy Mediterranean: https://mercymediterranean.com/Luna’s Halal Taqueria: https://www.lunashalaltaqueria.com/More about Jonathan, Life Ki-do, and Spiritual Ninja:https://lifekido.com/family-life-skills/https://spiritualninjapodcast.com/#SpiritualNinjaPodcast#ShabanaSerang#TheMercyQueen#SpiritualJourney#SpiritualIdentity#Authenticity#MentalHealth#EmotionalHealing#Faith#PersonalGrowth#Forgiveness#SelfDiscovery#ConsciousLiving#IntentionalLiving

  6. Jul 7

    From PTSD to Spiritual Bodybuilder: A Veteran’s Healing Journey

    In this powerful Spiritual Ninja Podcast episode, Jonathan Hewitt speaks with Vahum about his deeply personal journey from military service, combat trauma, PTSD, and emotional shutdown into bodywork, bodybuilding, spiritual awakening, surrender, and heart-centered healing. Vahum shares how serving in Iraq as part of the military bomb squad forced him to face death, fear, moral injury, and the deeper wounds he had carried long before combat. He opens up about medication, bodybuilding, somatic release, plant medicine experiences, emotional healing, surrender, and the long process of learning to feel again. This conversation explores the connection between the body, nervous system, trauma, empathy, masculinity, spirituality, and the courage it takes to live authentically. Together, Jonathan and Vahum reflect on what it means to become a “spiritual ninja” — someone who learns to navigate the inner world with honesty, love, wisdom, boundaries, courage, and connection. Vahum’s story is not just about trauma. It is about transformation. It is about learning that the body can become a doorway to healing, that surrender can lead to strength, and that opening the heart may be one of the most courageous paths a person can take. This episode explores PTSD, combat trauma, moral injury, somatic healing, bodybuilding as meditation, emotional release, the dark night of the soul, masculinity, vulnerability, empathy, boundaries, service, and the spiritual path of remembering the light within. The Spiritual Ninja Podcast is about awakening, healing, consciousness, courage, love, wisdom, and the practices that help us live with more peace, purpose, and connection. More about Vahum Vizakis https://www.spiritualbodybuilder.com/...More about Jonathan, Life KI-do, and Spiritual Ninjahttps://lifekido.com/family-life-skills/https://spiritualninjapodcast.com/

  7. Jun 30

    True Freedom Begins Within | Spiritual Ninja Reflection on America’s 250th

    As America approaches its 250th anniversary of freedom, Jonathan reflects on the deeper spiritual meaning of freedom and the natural human impulse to be free. True freedom is not simply having unlimited choices on the outside. Without wisdom, freedom can easily become chaos. We can become controlled by every thought, emotion, reaction, fear, habit, or outside pressure. The Spiritual Ninja path begins from the inside out. In this solo reflection, Jonathan explores freedom through the body, breath, brain, emotions, and spirit. He looks at how the body can become rigid or fluid, how the breath can support inner openness, how the mind can become trapped in thought, how emotions can either be suppressed or expressed with awareness, and how spiritual freedom connects us to the miracle of life itself. True freedom with wisdom is not just about “me being free.” It naturally supports freedom, wisdom, connection, and well-being for everyone. As we celebrate freedom outwardly, this episode invites us to reflect inwardly: Are we nurturing true freedom with wisdom in ourselves, our families, our communities, and the world? The Spiritual Ninja path is about learning to live from inner freedom and express that freedom outwardly with love, clarity, courage, consciousness, and purpose.

  8. Jun 23

    Nursing from Love & Wisdom l Winston Miekle on Healing, Presence & The Power of Love

    In this episode of The Spiritual Ninja Podcast, Jonathan Hewitt speaks with Winston Meikle about his spiritual journey, his lifelong work in nursing, and his vision for bringing more love, presence, and wisdom into healthcare. Winston shares how early experiences with meditation opened him to a deeper reality beyond the five senses, and how decades of nursing revealed moments of connection, healing, and transformation that could not be explained by technique alone. Together, Jonathan and Winston explore love-based nursing, fear-based conditioning, burnout, patient trust, consciousness, spiritual presence, and why true healing begins when we show up with our full humanity. This is a powerful conversation for nurses, healthcare professionals, caregivers, healers, teachers, parents, and anyone seeking to live and serve with more peace, purpose, compassion, and connection. MORE ABOUT JONATHAN HEWITT & LIFE KI-DOhttps://lifekido.com/Family Personal Developmenthttps://lifekido.com/family-life-skills/Spiritual Ninjahttps://spiritualninjapodcast.com/MORE ABOUT WINSTON MIEKLEhttps://poweroflovetheory.com/about-t...

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5
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3 Ratings

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Heart-to-heart conversations with people who blend deep inner work with meaningful outer impact. Exploring how spiritual depth, clarity, calm, and purpose show up in real life.

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