The Downward Facing Spiritual Spiral

Vytas Baskauskas

Santa Monica based yoga teacher Vytas Baskauskas joins me on the Spiritual Spiral Podcast this week. Vytas is one of the most well known yoga teachers in the country and he was my primary yoga teacher for almost three years. He currently teaches at Yoga Works Main Street, online at Udaya.com and Beachbody and he teaches at Power Yoga East, a donation based yoga studio in Santa Monica. We talk about yoga and why he may be regarded as a polarizing teacher. We also talk about meditation, the teacher/student dynamic, the expectations that come with being a yoga teacher, the impact of social media as well as lessons he's learned being a father. He also shares a personal story about drug addiction and how he wound up in jail over twenty years ago and ultimately how yoga helped turn his life around. Vytas leads yoga retreats around the world as well as teacher trainings for Yoga Works so whether you're brand new to yoga or someone who's an advanced practitioner, I would definitely suggest you try one of his classes. If you have a moment, head on over to iTunes and write a review for the show and as always, thanks so much for listening. 

Troy Akers

I am really excited to welcome Nashville based singer/songwriter Troy Akers to the Spiritual Spiral Podcast. I met Troy maybe six years ago at a music supervision conference in Santa Barbara and at the time, he was one of the members of the band The Co. Since then, he has gone out on his own as a singer/songwriter creating Bandit Heart. The music is much more cinematic, dramatic and lush with vocal layers and powerful piano yet it also has a raw and intimate feel to it as well. We talk about music and what inspired him to go out on his own and create a solo project. We talk about Nashville and the music scene and we discuss social media and the impact it's had on his life as well as his creative pursuits. He shares his love for India and why he has travelled there each year since the age of 19. We also talk about his upbringing and how he got into music and we touch on one of his biggest musical influences and share thoughts on The New York Times article about Ryan Adams that came out in February. Be sure to listen to Bandit Heart on Spotify and follow him on Instagram. Thanks so much for listening and please share the show with friends or if you have a moment, please write a review on iTunes. Thank you.

The Practice of Savoring

Today on the Spiritual Spiral Podcast, I felt inspired to talk about this idea of savoring and it came up for me after watching the amazing show Escape at Dannemora. You have to check this show out because it's one of the best TV shows I have ever seen. After finishing the show, I thought about how much I enjoyed watching it over a two week period because I felt like I truly lived with the show. I wanted to take my time with it and I didn't feel the need to "binge watch" yet it feels as though our culture is always in a mad rush to scroll or finish TV shows as quickly as possible without truly savoring or absorbing the process. I also talk about this great new story that came out in The New York Times this past week called The Great Race to Rule Streaming TV and it touches on these same concepts. Networks are less concerned with quality but more concerned with creating more content that will keep you hooked on their platform. Remember to please share the show with friends and consider writing a review on iTunes. Thanks so much for listening.

Serena, Apologies and The Impact of Filters

The Spiritual Spiral has reached episode 50 and I am so appreciative that you've taken the time to listen to the show and I have been so inspired by the process of creating a podcast, sharing my thoughts and getting to meet and talk to so many incredible guests. It's truly been life changing for me. Today, I felt inspired to talk about Serena Williams and the way she handled herself during last year's US Open Final. I pretty much forgot all about it but an article just came out this past week in Harper's Bazaar where she talks about the match and how "victimized" she felt during and afterwards. I believe her behavior represents the growing trend in our culture of looking perfect and "being right" and also how people have a hard time apologizing or taking responsibility for their actions. I also wonder why the act of posing in a magazine "un-retouched" should be considered admirable. I had a lot of questions floating around in my head after reading Serena's essay so I felt inspired to talk about it. Thanks again for all the support and you can find me on Twitter or if you inspired, please write a review on iTunes or even share the show with friends. 

Madeleine Tibaldi

Today I am stoked to welcome LA based yoga teacher Madeleine Tiabldi to the Spiritual Spiral Podcast. Maddy currently teaches full-time over at Sweat Yoga in Downtown LA as well at Hot 8 in Koreatown. She is originally from Manhattan, New York and she talks about what inspired her to move to Australia then to Thailand for a yoga teacher training and ultimately why she would up in Los Angeles. We talk about the yoga culture in LA and of course social media and why she's been off Instagram for the last two weeks. She also shares some thoughts on communication and why it feels like people don't make phone calls anymore. Be sure to check her out on Instagram and take one her classes if you live in Los Angeles. As always, thanks so much for listening and be sure to share the podcast with friends and if you feel inspired, writing a review for the show on iTunes would be amazing. Thanks again.

Earthquakes and The Need to Be in Control

Today on the Spiritual Spiral Podcast, I wanted to talk about the huge earthquake we had this past week and talk about the day I had leading up to it. I talk about some of the anxiety I was feeling afterwards and how I was probably subconsciously reliving the experience of being in Los Angeles during the huge Northridge quake in 94. I also talk about this idea of being in control and why that may be one of the biggest reasons why Instagram is so popular. People desperately want to feel like they're in control all the time. I also share a quick story about what July 4th may actually mean and I quickly talk about a new song by Thom Yorke that has been resonating with me. Thanks for listening and please share the podcast or if you have a moment, go on and write a review on iTunes. Thanks so much!

A Conversation Requires Actual Talking and Our Visual World

Today on the Spiritual Spiral Podcast, I talk about this idea of what it means to have an actual "conversation." Instagram wants you to believe a DM or a text or responding to an "IG story" constitutes a conversation but an actual "conversation" happens when two people are actually talking. I play a clip from Recode Decode where Instagram's CEO Adam Mosseri talks about what they're doing to create more "conversations" and I share some of my thoughts on what he says. I also wonder if IG is creating a world where if you're not comfortable speaking in front of or sharing your face on camera, then is your life less valuable because it seems that is the world IG is creating. As always, if you dig the show, please write a review on iTunes or share it with your friends. Thanks so much for listening and supporting the show! 

Menachem Silverstein

Today on the Spiritual Spiral Podcast, I welcome writer/actor and stand-up comedian, Menachem Silverstein to the show. Menachem is originally from Brooklyn, New York and even at the young age of four, he always had a gift for telling jokes and making people laugh. He talks about his Orthodox Jewish upbringing and growing up in a household with six brothers and sisters. He talks about what it was like being raised as an Orthodox Jew and also having a family that embraced his love for the arts and making people laugh. He shares a hysterical story about bed sheets and how he always loved to wear a cape to school. He tells me why he moved to Los Angeles and as a comedian, Menachem shares what he likes about social media and how it gives him a place to try out new comedy sketches. You can see Menachem at the Laugh Factory on July 8th or at the Comedy Store on July 22nd or be sure to follow him on Instagram. Thanks as always for listening to the show and if you share the show with friends or write a review on iTunes, that would be incredible. Thanks so much.