Wall Street Wizardry and Ritual Theater: Navigating Madness, Money, and the Multiverse of Self

In this riveting second installment, Julian Royce continues his conversation with Duncan Blake (formerly Duncan Horst), an experience designer and ritual theater creator with one of the most eclectic life stories ever shared on the show. Duncan opens up about the "meta-crisis" of trust and story, tracing his path from a bullied "genius" child in New Jersey to a 10-hour mushroom-induced "death trip" in Amsterdam, and ultimately, to a high-stakes career as a Wall Street analyst managing half a billion dollars for MIT’s endowment.The episode bridges the gap between Internal Family Systems (IFS) and the corporate world, demonstrating how a "decentralized self" isn't a pathology, but a superpower. Duncan explains how he used Kabuki theater techniques to interface with CEOs while maintaining a rigorous spiritual practice to ground his nervous system against a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. This is a masterclass in alchemy—turning trauma into art and neurodivergence into a competitive edge in the "attention economy."Main Topics CoveredThe Meta-Crisis of Story: Why trust is the number one currency of our age and how ritual theater helps people coordinate on a shared reality.The 13-Page Guide to Assimilation: Duncan’s childhood coping mechanism of "horcruxing" his personality to survive intense bullying by modeling his traits after popular peers.Medical Trauma and the Psych Ward: A raw account of being hospitalized at 21 after a massive mushroom trip and the "psychic pathogens" present in institutional environments.The "Burdle Box" and Multiple Selves: How Duncan used creative writing and chess to have empathy for his different sub-personalities, predating the current popularity of IFS.Wall Street as Theater: The transition from a "pretty boy cater waiter" to a financial analyst, and why financial math is actually "advanced seventh-grade math" hidden behind gatekeepers.Intuition as a Grounded Skill: How deep meditation and yoga allowed Duncan to outwork competitors by accessing long-term intuition rather than chasing short-term dopamine hits.The Corporation as a Fractal Body: Applying the parts of the self to corporate structures (e.g., the CMO as the creative self, the CTO as the autistic/order-seeking self).The Spiritual Incursion: Navigating a Kundalini awakening while working within the veins of the financial establishment.Key TakeawaysDon't Struggle for "Normal": Duncan argues that trying to get back to the self you were before a rupture is a trap; healing requires reconstituting a new, more integrated version of yourself.The Ringmaster Self: In the "Muppet Show" of the mind, we need a "Capital S Self" that can lead all the internal performers with compassion and clarity.Madness vs. Breakthrough: Many psychic breaks are actually "breakthroughs terminated for the convenience of others." Proper grounding can transform these crises into profound gifts.Money as Energy: When viewed through a spiritual lens, finance is simply the movement of energy; accessing deep intuition is more valuable than any algorithm.MyFeelium combines the healing benefits of ancient medicine with science backed nootropics and adaptogens.Discover their expertly tailored mushroom and herbal products:https://myfeelium.co//discount/julian20?aff=58Connect with Duncan BlakeInstagram: Follow Duncan for clips of his ritual theater and freestyle raps.Experience Design: Reach out to Duncan to learn about his improv musicals and "Wizard of Odd" performances.Follow, Like, and ShareIf Duncan’s journey from the psych ward to Wall Street inspired you, please follow the podcast, like this episode, and share it. Helping us grow allows Julian to keep hosting these messy, human, and life-changing conversations.Connect with Julian RoyceTherapy & Meditation: Visit astateofmind.life for sessions in Boulder or online.Support the Show: Join our Patreon page.Sponsors: Check out Mycelium for mushroom blends and EMR Tech for blue light blocking glasses.