The Downward Facing Spiritual Spiral

Today on the Spiritual Spiral Podcast, I felt inspired to talk about our culture's obsession with attention. Why are people so wrapped up with getting more attention seemingly all the time? Did Instagram create this craze or has it always been here? When you see people posting non stop selfies on Instagram, do you see the insecurity permeating off your phone? Do you see authentic behavior or someone who is screaming for attention? I share a story about a woman I saw at the pool today and I wonder if she was there to exercise or merely to capture some sexy selfies for Instagram. I also talk about a TED TALK i recently watched where actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt shares his views and struggles with technology and this concept of wanting attention versus paying attention. Next up, I welcome yoga teacher Meredith Fogg Liebross to the show which should land on all podcast sites Monday or Tuesday of next week. If you enjoy the show, please share it with your friends or be sure to write a review on iTunes. You can also support the show by visiting my Patreon Page. As always, thanks so much for listening and supporting the show.  

I am thrilled to welcome the owner and founder of Yoga Salt LA and Yoga Salt Wilmington, Tamal Dodge to The Spiritual Spiral Podcast. Tamal grew up living in an ashram in Hawaii and it was here where he learned firsthand from his father about yoga, the physical asanas, the history of the practice and the value of living a deeply spiritual life. The moment you step into one of Tamal's classes, you instantly sense a man who is passionate about sharing his love for meditation and yoga with his students. He has been teaching yoga ever since childhood and currently owns Yoga Salt in Culver City as well as Yoga Salt in Wilmington, North Carolina. He co-owns a jiu jitsu studio and he also recently wrote a cook book with his wife called The Yoga Plate which hits bookstores nationwide on September 24th. He and I talk about his new book and the process involved in coming up with over one hundred different recipes. He shares personal stories and perspectives about yoga philosophy, the importance his father played on his life and this idea of dying with dignity and grace. We talk about social media, the value of living a spiritual life as well as what it was like growing up in an ashram. He also tells us how and why he opened up two yoga studios and he ends our conversation by singing a song. You can follow Tamal on Instagram @tamaldodge and be sure to buy his book when it hits shelves on September 24th. If you enjoy the show, please share it with friends or head on over to iTunes and write a review. You an also support the show directly by visiting my Patreon page. As always, thanks so much for supporting and listening to the show. 

I am thrilled to welcome the Owner of Deli Board SF, Adam Mesnick to The Spiritual Spiral Podcast. Adam is probably best known as the chef and creator of the highly recognized restaurant, Deli Board SF, which serves huge over the top and absolutely delicious sandwiches in the SOMA District of San Francisco. After graduating from college, Adam entered the mortgage banking industry but after the financial crises, Adam left the finance industry to follow his dream of owning a restaurant. His restaurant has been consistently ranked as one of the top eateries in all of San Francisco and he's been featured in Thrillist, Eater SF, SF Travel and Hoodline. Adam also created BETTER SOMA, a community outreach program aimed at helping addicts and draw more awareness to the drug crises in his neighborhood. Adam was getting tired of the neglect from the city towards the homelessness and rampant drug use in his neighborhood so he started posting graphic images on his Twitter handle hoping for change and to draw attention to the problem. He eventually drew the attention of former mayor Ed Lee and was even featured on CNN where he talks about the opioid and homelessness crisis in the SOMA District. He and I talk about social media, technology, his passion for food and the day to day grind of owning a restaurant. We also talk about the drug crises and "war zone" he sees in his neighborhood each and every day as he walks to and from work. Be sure to follow Adam on Instagram @DeliBoardSF and if you dig the show, please share it with friends or head on over to iTunes and write a quick review. You can also support the podcast directly by visiting my Patron Page. As always, thanks so much for listening and supporting the show.  

Today on The Spiritual Spiral Podcast, I continue discussing the disruption of core values at home and why I believe so much of the chaos in the world stems from Instagram and tech invading people's homes. I talk about my curiosity with the TV show Euphoria and why I believe it brilliantly captures the concept of people living "two lives." I also talk about how Instagram wants its users to believe a "story" is a fifteen second oftentimes meaningless snapshot of someone's day to day life. Instagram has watered down a "story" into drivel which is why I think it's more important than ever to share and tell actual stories that inspire deeper thought and imagination. Next up on the show, I have a powerful conversation with Adam Mesnick, owner of Deli Board SF which should hit all podcast sites later on this week. As always, if you enjoy the show, please head on over to iTunes and write a quick review or you can support the podcast directly by visiting my Patreon page. Thanks so much for listening. 

Today marks the one year anniversary of The Downward Facing Spiritual Spiral Podcast so to honor this achievement, I felt inspired to record my 65th episode. I never could have imagined creating a podcast would have had such a major impact on my life but it's incredibly apparent to me that starting this show has been one of the best decisions I've ever made.  Huge thanks to all my guests who have taken the time to talk with me. You have all expanded my mind and perspective and deeply inspired me. A huge thanks also to iTunes and Podbean for featuring my podcast over the last year and of course, a HUGE thanks to all of my loyal listeners. Your support means the world to me! Today, I talk about how Instagram is creating more disconnect and this may be most apparent at home when families reach for their phones instead of speaking with one another. I believe the sense of community and building values at home is disrupted and lost because of technology and Instagram's addictive qualities. I talk about this concept of chaos and a disturbing new show on HBO called Euphoria. I also play a clip from the Sam Harris Podcast where he speaks with Douglas Rushkoff about the impact of technology on our culture. Don't forget to head over to iTunes and write a quick review for the show or please share the podcast with your friends. I still can't believe it's been a year since I sat down and pressed record and began this podcasting journey. Thanks again for your continued support. Much love.... 

Actor, writer, producer and all around wacky cool guy, Sean Cowhig joins me on the Spiritual Spiral Podcast. Originally from Boston, Sean moved out to Los Angeles to not only pursue an acting career, but to "become famous." He shares stories about his early days as an actor and why he had to choose between playing basketball and performing in a play. He talks about his love/hate relationship with alcohol and about eighteen months ago, why he decided he should probably stop drinking. He talks about IO West and Improv classes, the importance of Improv as an actor and if Improv can actually be taught. He also shares insight regarding the impact of social media on his life and why it can be disheartening when casting agents care more about "followers" than actual craft. Sean is one of the founding members of the comedy group Dr. God. and was one of the writers for their first feature BLOODSUCKING BASTARDS, in which he also plays the Janitor. You can follow Sean on Youporn at.... Just kidding... Follow Sean on IG @seancowhig. If you enjoy the show, please share it with friends or head on over to iTunes and write a review. You can also support the podcast by visiting my Patreon page and as always, thanks so much for listening to the show. 

Los Angeles based yoga teacher and my friend Calvin Corzine joins me for a special yoga edition "Emergency Podcast." A couple months ago, Calvin came up with the idea of posting "tub talks" where he shares his views or poses questions about various topics surrounding the yoga community. In his latest post, he asks his followers if "pretty pictures" inspire or ultimately make people feel jealous or bad about themselves. We talk about his intention behind the videos and if bringing more comments and dialogue onto a social media platform is a good or bad idea. We also discuss Alexa Terrazas, the young woman who fell off of her balcony while posing for Instagram doing an extreme yoga posture. Be sure to follow Cal on IG @calvmonster and if you feel inspired, head on over to iTunes and write a quick review for the show. Thanks so much for listening! 

Today on the Spiritual Spiral Podcast, I share thoughts regarding truth versus perception. There is an omnipresence of lies and false information constantly enveloping the world and I get the sense it's anybody's guess what's true or false anymore. To make matters worse, people are primarily posting falsified impressions of their lives on Instagram, which means the line between truth and the perception of truth is becoming even blurrier. It's a complicated evolution but I try and make sense of Instagram's effect on people's inability to see or share the truth. Be sure to share the podcast with friends and head on over to iTunes and write a quick review of the show. You can also visit my Patreon page to directly support the podcast. Thanks so much for listening. 

Joe Nicchi, owner of the now infamous CVT Soft Serve Food Truck joins me on the Downward Facing Spiritual Spiral Podcast. If you haven't heard the story before, over the last eight weeks, Joe's life has completely been turned upside down being featured in The LA Times, Time Magazine, Newsweek and even The Today Show. Joe was getting tired of "influencers" asking for free ice cream in exchange for "exposure" so he took a stand and ultimately decided to post a photo on Instagram telling "influencers" he charges them double. The photo quickly went viral and now Joe has gone on to be featured in media outlets around the world sharing his anti-influencer stance. We talk about the day to day grind of running a food truck in Los Angeles, we discuss the good and the bad of Instagram, why he moved out to LA, how we ended up meeting one of his heroes Bill Murray, and Joe tells us how this is actually the second time he has been featured on The Today Show. Not only is he standing up for small business owners, but for anyone who may be tired of Instagram's power and the egomaniacal culture surrounding "influencers." You can follow Joe on Instagram at CVT Soft Serve and of course if you dig the show, be sure to share it with friends or head on over to iTunes and write a quick review. You can also support the show by visiting my Patreon page. As always, thank you so much for supporting the show. 

Today on the Spiritual Spiral Podcast, I am thrilled to welcome the multi talented Derek Beres to the show. When it comes to introducing Derek, I don't even know where to begin because he has his hands on so many different creative pursuits and projects. First and foremost, Derek is a writer and he has already written nine books all of which can be found on Amazon and his latest book Whole Motion investigates the importance of training your brain just as much as training your body. He is a columnist for the Big Think where he writes about health, neuroscience, religion and social issues. He has a lifelong passion for music and as a DJ, he regularly curates new mixes and music that can be found on Spotify and Soundcloud. He has also been a yoga teacher at Equinox since 2004 where he co-created Flow Play, a program that fuses music, yoga and neuroscience and he even hosts his own podcast called The EarthRise Podcast. I could have talked to Derek for at least a few more hours but in our limited time together, we manage to talk about CBD, psychedelics, social media, the impact of technology and all the potential distractions in our lives. We talk about the importance of reading and having down time, we share thoughts on the yoga culture and we discuss his passion for health and fitness. Be sure to follow Derek on Instagram where he loves to post cat photos and definitely take his class over at Equinox and be sure to read his articles and stories on The Big Think. If you dig the show and you feel inspired, head on over to iTunes and write a quick review or share the show with friends. You can support my show by visiting my Patreon page and as always, thanks so much for listening to the show.