Life is a Festival
Transformational gatherings, the communities they build, and the teachers who help us bring that open-hearted joy home.
Eros and the Shepherdess: A Tale of Trans Emergence
Life is a Festival #72: Zhenevere Sophia Dao (The MogaDao Institute)
Zhenevere Sofia Dao returns to the show to share, for the first time, the story of her transgender emergence during sixteen months of silence in the Jemez Mountains.
Collective Liberation for Drug Users
Life is a Festival #71: Mohawk the Educator
Cognitive liberty is a beautiful thing and all drug users should have the right to experiment safely.
Skeptical Thinking for Spiritual People
Life is a Festival #67: Dr. Anna Zakrisson (Doctor Anna’s Imaginarium)
With an upswell in conspiracy theories and lack of good sensemaking on social media, Dr. Anna Zakrisson of the Swedish Skeptics Association is here to help us think about thinking in this confusing time.
Embodiment Practices for Healing Trauma
Life is a Festival #66: Tina Nance (Yoga Barn)
Tina Nance, a yin yoga and yoga therapy teacher in Bali, is a true master of the art of cultivating interoception (the felt sense of the body) and meeting our edge with mindfulness and compassion.
A North Star for Psychedelic Ethics
Life is a Festival #65: Liana Sananda (Auryn Project)
The psychedelic movement is at a threshold point where it is vitally important to create an attractor coalition of value-driven leadership. However, in order to get this right we need to co-create and move at the speed of trust.
The Way of the Metamodern Burner
Life is a Festival #63: Hanzi Freinacht (Metamoderna)
“Metamodernism is the marriage of extreme irony with a deep, unyielding sincerity.” - Hanzi Freinacht.
Bonus Birthday Blast From the Past
Life is a Festival #61: Behind the Mynd with David Colón
If you’ve discovered my work through this show and you want to know more about the Life is a Festival philosophy or how I met so many fascinating friends to interview (or if you just want to hear some silly stories on my birthday) this is the podcast for you!
From Crisis to Coronation
Life is a Festival #60: Charles Eisenstein (Sacred Economics)
How long is the journey from crisis to coronation? It may be very long and will certainly be very difficult, but a more beautiful world is possible.
Is Life Still a Festival?
Life is a Festival #59: World of Wisdom Podcast with Nils von Heijne
This repost from an interview I did on the World of Wisdom podcast is the best articulation I’ve made of the Life is a Festival philosophy and why even though there are no gatherings to attend and the world is filled with grief and anxiety, we should keep the fire of celebration burning.
Festival Medicine on the Frontlines
Life is a Festival #58: Richard "Wolverine" Gottlieb (RGX Medical)
What can civilians do to support healthcare workers in the fight against coronavirus and how does festival medicine make Wolverine uniquely suited for the battle ahead.
Turn Isolation into a Spiritual Playground
Life is a Festival #57: Nino Mendes (Nino Yoga - China)
With self-isolation and shelter in place proliferating the globe, here’s some good medicine from a yogi who spent 5 weeks in lockdown in a small apartment in China.
My Sacred Morning Ritual
Life is a Festival #56: Solocast
A morning ritual tailored to your personal needs is a wonderful way to pack in all the incremental changes you’d like to see over time, whether that’s in physical health, mental wellness, creativity or new hobbies.
A Love Letter to Earnestness
Life is a Festival #55: Alex Ebert (Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros)
Raging against the gatekeepers of cool and waxing about the importance of being earnest. Fame may seem to be a way to transcend death, but if every life is an epic, we are all already famous.
The Acid Countess and the Art of Consciousness
Life is a Festival #54: Amanda Feilding (Beckley Foundation)
I ask the sphinx of psychedelia all my favorite acid questions, like whether medicalization is the best path to legalization and how to avoid unnecessary emotional downturns (sugar it turns out). We dive deep into her research, the nature of the ego, and the jealousy between different psychedelic compounds.
Wilderness First Responder
Life is a Festival #53: Ryland Gardner (NOLS)
Life can still be a festival when it all goes wrong, but only if we develop our resiliency and practice the skills necessary to keep everyone safe.
The Marvelous Mother Shucker of Mardi Gras
Life is a Festival #52: Katrina Brees (The Bearded Oysters)
We go deep into the history of Mardi Gras with fabulous parades and exclusive balls, prideful showings and pubic wigs. We discuss Katrina’s work advocating against gun violence, microdosing for mental health, and throwing a lemonade party when life gave her its sourest lemon.
How to Help Someone Having a “Bad Trip"
Life is a Festival #51: Sara Gael (The Zendo Project)
The key is to keep them safe and trust their inner healer. Sounds simple right? In fact, it’s a profound art, which requires specialized training and can be incredibly personally rewarding.
The Boy Hero Must Die
Life is a Festival #48: The Mythic Masculine Podcast with Ian Mackenzie
It is the humility of the failed hero that allows him to truly connect with his brothers
Iboga, the Mount Everest of Psychedelics
Life is a Festival #41: Tricia Eastman & Dr. Joseph Barsuglia
Here he comes… Doctor Iboga!
Living Yoga Off the Mat
Life is a Festival #40: Janet Stone (Janet Stone Yoga)
From Burning Man to the bake sale, Janet Stone teaches us to live life like a festival both on the mat and off it.