The Downward Facing Spiritual Spiral

The Instagram Effect on Truth

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

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. 

Derek Beres

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. 

Jimmy Gnecco

On today's episode, I am freaking stoked to welcome the incredibly talented singer/songwriter and lead singer of the alt-rock band OURS, Jimmy Gnecco to The Spiritual Spiral Podcast. I first heard about Jimmy almost seventeen years ago when a friend of mine gave me a copy of his first record called Distorted Lullabies. From his soaring vocal range that can truly take your breath away to the powerful songwriting and lyrics, that record became one of my favorites. He is without a doubt, one of the best rock male vocalists of all time and I was so grateful he took the time to talk with me. Jimmy has close to two hundred songs he is in the midst of recording and so we talk about his creative process, his latest record New Age Heroine and when we can expect a new album from the band. We talk about his experience having a record deal with Dreamworks in the late 90's, what drew him to work with legendary producer Rick Rubin on his third record and ultimately why Jimmy felt it was best to move forward as an independent artist. We also hear his take on social media and the dramatic impact it's having on the creative culture as well as the current music scene. Jimmy and his band have four shows scheduled at the end of the year in New York, Dallas, Chicago and Los Angeles so be sure to check him out live. You can purchase tickets by clicking here and definitely head on over to iTunes and listen to his incredible catalog of music. As always, thanks so much for listening to the show and if you feel inspired, please head on over to iTunes and write a review or you can support the podcast by visiting my Patreon page. Thanks so much for listening. 

Dr. Vicki Rapaport

Today on the show, I'm really excited to welcome Beverly Hills and Culver City based Dermatologist, Dr. Vicki Rapaport to the Spiritual Spiral Podcast. I met Vicki almost ten years ago and I was instantly struck by her welcoming and caring personality as well as her overall warmth and professionalism. She is easily one of the most well known and highly regarded dermatologists in all of Los Angeles. She developed SKN which is her very own skincare line, she offers esthetician services and she regularly treats both medical and cosmetic cases including botox, laser procedures and microdermabrasion. Vicki went into practice seventeen years ago so we talk about her practice, how it has evolved over the years and some of the latest trends. We discuss social media and Instagram and how these platforms are affecting our culture as well as her practice. While her practice has seen a rise in cosmetic procedures, Vicki continues to focus on the medical side of dermatology so she offers suggestions on how you can take better care of your skin. Be sure to follow Vicki on Instagram and if you feel inspired, head on over to iTunes and write a review for the show. You can also support the podcast by visiting my Patreon page and as always, thanks so much for listening to the show. 

Get Out Of Your Head

Today on the Spiritual Spiral Podcast, I talk about an issue that stems from the Instagram culture and why I believe Instagram is creating a world of immense narcissism where people can't stop thinking about themselves. I play a clip from a recent interview on The Ringer between Kara Swisher and Bill Simmons and I talk about why it's so valuable to take time to get our of your own head. I also talk about why having conversations is so valuable and I discuss how Instagram isn't like all the other technology that's preceded it since it's dramatically affecting brain chemistry just like a drug and it's changing the way people view themselves and others. Next week I welcome Beverly Hills dermatologist Vicki Rapaport to the show. As always, thanks so much for listening to the show and for your continued support. 

TRISHES

Super talented LA based singer/songwriter TRISHES joins me on the Spiritual Spiral Podcast this week. I read about Trish a couple months ago in the LA music blog Buzzbands and I was instantly struck by her voice, the subject matter of her lyrics and her overall creative talent. Although she was born in Boston, she spent her childhood in Trinidad until the age of 7 when she then moved to New Jersey and ultimately ended up in San Diego. We talk about her childhood and what it was like growing up in Trinidad as well as when she realized music was such a big part of her life. She attended the Berklee College of Music and eventually landed in Los Angeles so we talk about why she moved to LA, we chat about social media and some of the social and political issues she's passionate about and we talk about her incredible new EP called EGO. She is planning on releasing a new record early next year and she expects to go on tour on the west coast as well as schedule some dates on the east coast. Be sure to follow her on Spotify and Instagram and as always thanks so much for your continued support and for listening to the show.

Jake Reed

Los Angeles based drummer Jake Reed joins me on The Downward Facing Spiritual Podcast. I met Jake about six months when I started recording some new music and I am so stoked I met him because he's truly an incredible musician. Seriously, if you're a songwriter or in a band and you're looking for a drummer, he is super talented, easy to work with and a complete pro. We talk about music and drumming and what bands and musicians inspired him the most. We talk about the impact of drum machines, what it's like making a living as an artist in Los Angeles, the process of recording and what it entailed creating his own home recording studio. He shares a story about a summer job that put life and his passion for drumming into perspective and he also shares personal stories about the impact of social media and what he likes about social media and the struggles he has managing the addictive qualities of Instagram. He is also in a really amazing jazz band in Los Angeles called Trio Kait and they should be heading back in the studio later on this year. Be sure to follow Jake on Instagram, and if you dig the conversation, please share it with your friends or head on over to iTunes and write a review for the show. Thanks so much for listening and supporting the show.