Life is a Festival
Transformational gatherings, the communities they build, and the teachers who help us bring that open-hearted joy home.
The Mad Scientist of House, Techno, & Love
Life is a Festival #64: Lee Reynolds (Desert Hearts)
Get your mind over what matters, fly your freak flag, forget to grow up, and get weird enough to *maybe* believe the Earth is flat with Papa Lee Reynolds!
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.
Financial Resilience for Creatives
Life is a Festival #62: Nick Farr, CPA (The Long Disaster)
Nick Farr, CPA, shares the immediate steps we can take for financial resilience, specifically how to get money from the government including Economic Impact Payments, unemployment benefits, and loans. We talk about how communities can support each other and what people with privilege can do. Once we have some ground under our feet, long term resiliency means switching our mindset from disaster response to birthing a new way of being.
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.
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.
Serve in the Way that Feeds You Most
Life is a Festival #50: Christopher Breedlove (Burners Without Borders)
How can we weave service into our lives for the betterment of our communities, our friends, and our own mental health?
Party to Escape or Celebrate to Connect?
Life is a Festival #49: Live at Spotify Stockholm with Gustaf Tadaa
Fostering deep connections is one of the core tenets of the festive life.
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
Tales of an English Folk Hero
Life is a Festival #46: Jay McAllister (Beans on Toast)
From helping Banksy launch sky lanterns, to extolling the virtues of a bamboo toothbrush, Beans is the paradigm of a festive life that makes a difference.
Life is a Festival Top 10 of 2019
Life is a Festival 045: Top 10 of 2019
From psychedelic origin stories, to following your erotic destiny, these were the most popular podcasts of 2019.
The Terrifying Delight of Self-Surpassing
Life is a Festival #44: Michael Murphy (Esalen Institute)
Evolutionary panentheism, the magic of Esalen, and a menagerie of friends who’ve since become legends.
A Brief History of British Festivals
Life is a Festival #43: Live from Spotify London with Marcus Barnes
Britain’s brilliant festival history from country fairs and fêtes, through the goliath of Glastonbury, the acid house revolution, and the explosion of festivals today.