Episodes
-
Agnostic Pragmatic Spiritualism | Ep #285
Ultimately, I do not know. I am agnostic as to the nature of reality, consciousness, and the mind. The more I meditate, the more questions I uncover, and the larger the field of the unknown becomes. But I am pragmatic in my approach. If we are receiving genuine benefits from a practice, does its...
-
Finding Awe & Wonder in Everyday Life | Ep #284
There is a temptation to continually seek out peak experiences. To always be searching for awe and wonder, only be saddened when everyday life comes up short. But what if we made the mundane a meditation? The reality is that most of life is ordinary. But there is wonder to be found, if we stop...
-
Masking, Burnout, and Neurodivergence | EP 283
Masking is a survival strategy, often used by neurodivergent people to fit in, stay safe, and meet social expectations. But maintaining the mask comes at a cost. This talk explores the difference between masking and simply showing different parts of ourselves, the exhaustion and burnout masking…
more -
How to Stop Losing Yourself In Others | Ep 282
This talk is for the people pleasers. It offers insight into why we struggle to say no, set boundaries, and why we lose ourselves in others. It explores people-pleasing as a survival response, how the fear of conflict and disappointment can disconnect us from our own needs, values, and identity,...
-
Discovering Your Calling | Ep 281
What is your calling? This episode explores what it means to discover your calling and why living in alignment with your deepest values can transform your mental health and sense of purpose. Drawing on my own journey from teaching to psychotherapy, I reflect on trauma, uncertainty, and the search...
-
The Importance Of Agency | Ep 280
Agency is your belief in your ability to influence your life. Effort + Time = Results. I’ve been reflecting on this a lot lately, as I’m in the midst of some major life changes. I recently received my Graduate Diploma of Counselling and I am updating my website, books, and offerings to reflect…
more -
The Body Keeps The Score | Ep 279
This episode begins with a reading of the poem ‘a broken mirror’s gaze’. From there we discus how the body keeps the score; life will cause us to suffer. If we do not process these trauma’s (because we don’t know how or it isn’t possible) we hold onto it. We hold onto it in the form of chronic...
-
Cultivate A Daily Meditation Practice | Ep 278
In this episode I share the first session of the 30 Day course ‘Cultivate A Daily Meditation Practice’. It introduces the basic practice of mindfulness meditation as well as highlights the importance of continuing your practice ongoing; it is okay to miss a day of practice, provided you get back…
more -
Join the 30-Day Meditation Challenge - Starting 1st March! | Ep 277
Want to establish a daily meditation practice and learn how to build and maintain a positive habit? Join the 30-day challenge :) Join the free Art Of Self-Connection community and click Cultivate a Daily Meditation Practice. There you’ll find 30 sessions ready to go, one for each day. This course...
-
How To Respond To Anxiety, Triggers & Dysregulation | Ep 276
This is an informational talk on how to reduce the severity, duration, and impact of panic attacks, triggers, and dysregulation. We start with the core reminder: you are not in danger, this will pass, and you can support your system back toward steadiness. From there, the talk focuses on…
more -
Can You Love Yourself Whilst Fixing Yourself? | Ep 275
You don’t have to choose between the journey and the destination. Most self-improvement and inner peace approaches lean hard in one direction, acceptance without growth, or growth without self-love. But real, sustainable, purpose-aligned change needs both. Inspired by Dialectical Behavior Therapy...
-
The Beauty Of The Sea | Ep 274
'I closed my eyes to the beauty of the sea, shielding the fragile part of my soul that still believed in an untainted moment. As I walked away I couldn't help but feel...' In this episode share a story of healing and self-acceptance through poetry. Using the symbolism of water, nature, and...
-
The Vulnerability Of Positivity | Ep 273
I recently returned from a men’s work retreat through the Island of Men: a transformative program designed to help men connect and heal. I left with two main takeaways. 1: There is a tremendous male loneliness and meaning epidemic. Men feel alone and unsure of what they are doing, why they are...
-
NOT My Annual Fuck Christmas Episode… AKA: How To Stay Sane This Festive Season! | Ep 272
Usually around this time of year I talk about the pain that this time of year can bring: extra commitments, financial burden, overwhelm, and forced socialization. This year I am looking to actually make something positive come from the festive season, so I am inviting you to join in with a self...
-
How Language Is Keeping Us From The Divine | Ep 271
Language is flawed, and it keeps us from touching the divine. Every time we try to communicate, we start with a felt sense (thoughts, emotions, sensations) and we’re forced to translate that into code. Words. Sounds. Symbols. Then we hope the signal survives the noise. That nothing gets lost...
-
The Art Of Self-Connection | Ep 270
There’s a barrier between us. A barrier built from platforms and algorithms, each one acting as a simulacrum that promises connection and depth, but really only offers shallow engagement. Even this podcast is limited. It’s me talking, you listening. One-way, with little space to truly respond or...
-
How To Live In Harmony | Ep 269
The four principles of how to live in harmony to: move slowly, breathe deeply, and focus broadly, with compassion for all. In this short talk, I introduce these principles as a gentle form of guidance towards inner peace. When combined and embodied we they help us to begin to connect, both to our...
-
Turning Fight, Flight, Freeze and Fawn into Flow | Ep 268
When faced with extreme and overwhelming situations we do whatever we can to survive. Typically this involves one of four responses: fight, flight, freeze, and fawn. If this approach to stress works, we survive. Good in the moment, but often that survival comes at a cost. Unless we are able to...
-
Fear is Temporary, Regret is Forever | Ep 267
It’s all too easy to let fear stop us from acting when it matters most. Not just in the big, cinematic moments of bravery, but in the small, everyday chances for connection and emotional release. There is a saying that goes, ‘fear is temporary, regret is forever,’ and it rings painfully true. In...
-
The Limits of Language and the Search for Truth | Ep 266
Truth is beyond words alone. At best, language is a flawed code, an attempt to translate physical sensations, mental states, and spiritual experiences into something shareable. Yet in doing so, it often distorts what it tries to reveal. Whether through science, religion, or spirituality, we keep...
-
How To Release Trauma From The Body | Ep 265
Intuitive Guidance is the process I am using to help 100’s of people each week to release trauma from the body. It holds to the premise that the body keeps the score. Simply put, what we don't or can't process (trauma) manifests over time as illness, injury, psychological blocks, and stress. The...
-
The Art Of Manifestation | Ep 264
The art of manifestation gets a bad wrap, tied in the minds of most to questionable woo-woo ideas that seem fanciful at best. But manifestation is real, and the methods it works on are simple and obvious once explained and embraced. Simply put, we manifest what we focus on because we are primed…
more -
Is It Time To Take That Leap Of Faith? | Ep 263
There comes a time when we know we need to act, but nonetheless find ourselves blocked by fear, or inertia, or confusion, or some other unnamable emotion. It is then when we must take a leap of faith - despite the possibility that we may fail. In this episode I discuss how I have taken a leap of...
-
A Gentle Return To Self - Guided Meditation
In today’s session I share with you a guided meditation that weaves together mindfulness, breathwork, healing visualization, and mantra, inviting you to soften, slow down, and reconnect to the self and the moment. You can follow each cue or simply sit and listen. This space is here for you. Let…
more -
The Struggle Of Standing Up For Yourself | Ep 262
Why is it so hard for some people to stand up for themselves? In this episode I discuss three primary reasons why as well as some solutions that you could implement to overcome them. 1: Low self-worth - if you don’t believe you deserve to be treated well/get what you need from life, then you will...
-
Who Am I? On Trauma And Self Identity | Ep 261
Who are you beyond the consequences of your past? Trauma and self identity are inextricably interconnected - you became what you needed to become to survive. These defense mechanisms saved you, but now you are left wondering who you are outside of them. Your interests, beliefs, desires, and goals...
-
How To Help Someone Who Is Being Triggered And Opening Up About Their Trauma | Ep 260
Here is what to do when someone is being triggered and opening up about their trauma - or at least what works for me: 1: Make Sure They Are Safe - out of danger to and from themself and to and from others/the environment. 2: Make Sure You Are Safe - physically, emotionally and spiritually...
-
My Annual F*ck Christmas Podcast Episode | Ep 259
It’s time once again for my annual Fuck Christmas podcast. For some, the festive season is the opposite of fun - full of triggers and trauma and overwhelm and the forced obligation to spend time with the people and in places that caused you the most pain. It is a time when substance abuse, self...
-
Overcoming Poverty Mindset | Ep 258
Tendrils of the past manifest in the present and will continue to impact you into the future unless you take action. In this episode I discus the process of to identify and overcoming poverty mindset and other limiting beliefs. Sharing the story of moving out of home at 16, surviving of charity…
more -
Anger Turned Inwards | Ep 257
Anger is a useful inner tool to keep us safe and living a life of purpose - only if it is embraced as an ally not a danger. Unfortunately, for some, our childhoods cause us to fear our own anger - rather than using to utilize it appropriately, we instead repress it and turn it inwards, with...
-
How To Break The Cycle | Ep 256
Are we doomed to repeat our past? To inflict upon our children what was inflicted upon us? If we are a product of our genetics intersecting with our environment, how can we break the cycle once and for all? In this episode I story of my past and why that has led me to give away all 17 of my books...
-
What I Learnt On A 10 Day Silent Retreat | Ep 255
No talking. No writing. No touching. Just 10+ hours a day meditating for 10 days straight… In this episode I share my experiences on a 10 day silent retreat at Dhamma Aloka, under the instruction of S.N. Goenka where I learnt the technique of Vipassana meditation. Here I share the lessons learnt,...
-
TMS Saved My Life After Antidepressants Almost Ended It | Ep 254
What do you do when you are genetically predisposed to have negative reactions to antidepressants, have lost your job, have had little success with talking therapies, and have not yet processed the trauma of the past? Answer: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) This episode is a collaboration...
-
The Value Of Silence | Ep 253
What is scarier: sitting in silence or the fact that you are afraid to sit in silence? In this episode I discuss how technology has granted us the ability to endlessly occupy the space that was once filled with silence. The benefits of which are obvious: education, entertainment, content and...
-
Why There Is No 'Best' Meditation Position | Ep 252
It feels like every tradition has a prescription on how you should sit; where to hold your hands, what to do with your eyes, and how you should handle sleepiness and pain are all prescribed. For advanced practitioners, these suggestions should be heeded, but for beginners, they can be a hindrance…
more -
What Drives Me To Share My Soul Online? | Ep 251
Part product of the past, part vision for the future, part desire to live a meaningful life, part belief that I can make a difference … In this episode I break down the reasons why I feel compelled to share my soul online, discussing the journey I took to get here and where I am hoping to go. If...
-
Are You Manifesting Your Own Reality? | Ep 250
How much of our reality do we create? Not from a ‘woo woo’ sense, but as a function of the result of the interaction between our past and our particular genetic predispositions? If we have faced significant life challenges, and have a fearful disposition, there is a chance that we will view the...
-
Fuck Capitalism, Do Art | Ep 249
Buy more. Do more. Be more. Consume more. Watch more… This seems to be the mantra of modern society and it is kill us. We are losing our communities, forgetting our art, and wasting our lives, all in pursuit of an ever diminishing in value dollar and ever rising expectations to keep up with the...
-
Life Sucks When Your Expectations Are Not Met | Ep 248
The difference between expectation and reality is often the source of significant discontent. Life trains us to search for ideals: the perfect partner, job, life, outcome. Unfortunately this almost never arises and even if it did, it would be fleeting. Thus there is a real potential for ongoing…
more -
Give The Gift Of Presence - Guided Meditation | Ep 247
What greater gift can you give someone than the gift of presence? When you are fully present, mindful, and in the moment, you are able to give all those around you access to the best version of you, and thus the moment they are in with you. In this episode, I share with you a guided meditation…
more -
Stuck Inside My Mind | Ep 246
‘Stuck Inside My Mind’ Freestyle improv poetry. Watch the video on Instagram, and read the full poem here. Current offerings: - Insight Timer: guided audio courses & free meditations - Skillshare: video courses on personal development - How To Get Your Sh!t Together: the last self-help book you...
-
Why You Should Never Stop Learning About Yourself | Ep 245
The more you know about yourself the better choices you will make and thus the better life you will lead. In this episode I share some recent instances of deep personal insight where I discover things about myself that are both good, bad, and ugly. I share the importance of such discoveries as…
more -
How To Mindfully Meditate For Absolute Beginners | Ep 244
Yesterday, a friend asked me how to meditate, that talk inspired this episode. Here is my guidance for absolute beginners: 1: sit comfortably (no pain or sleepiness) 2: set a timer for 5 minutes 3: pick a meditation object (breath, vision, sound) 4: when you notice a wandering kind, bring it back...
-
If You Know The Way Broadly You Will See It In All Things - Samurai Wisdom | Ep 243
When you dedicate yourself to one thing, the lessons learnt begin to help you with everything. In this episode I discuss the quote by Miyamoto Musashi 'If you know the way broadly you will see it in all things' - applying the lessons I have learnt in martial arts, poetry, meditation, chess and…
more -
My Anxiety Is Gone, TMS Treatment Is Working! | Ep 242
Two weeks ago I began transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to treat my depression, anxiety and PTSD. 10 sessions in and I am starting to see significant progress. In this episode I share my experiences of the process and my hopes for the future. Current offerings: - Insight Timer: guided audio...
-
Escape The Labels That Define You | Ep 241
The moment we label something, it is limited. The label isn’t the truth, it is a representation of, it’s a finger pointing to the moon, it is a suggestion of possibility that always falls short of reality. In this episode I share the following poem and muse about its implications, leaving you…
more -
Rebuilding Connection After Trauma | Ep 240
In this session I share the audio from my presentation in the Breaking Boxes ‘Power Of Connection Summit’, where I joined seven other presenters over two days to talk on all things connection. My talk was titled ‘Connection From Within The Darkness’ - I talk about the disconnect we often feel to...
-
Eliminate Excess Suffering By Identifying 'The Second Arrow' | Ep 239
Life will shoot us with the first arrow - these are real injuries, setbacks, losses and pain. But the greater cause of our suffering comes form ‘the second arrow’ - the fear, anxieties, ruminations, and other internal mechanisations that we dwell upon. In this episode I discuss the concept of the...
-
A Revolutionary Reframe Of Your Gratitude Practice - Guided Meditation | Ep 238
In this episode I share a guided meditation that I shared on the Insight Timer app. What if you were to give thanks in advance for the wonderful things that were going to happen? - And what if you used that question to reframe your gratitude practice into the future? In this session we…
more -
An Invitation Into The Peace Of The Present Moment - Guided Meditation | Ep 237
In this session I share a guided meditation that I shared on the Insight Timer app. This track is an invitation to explore the beauty of the present moment. To stop the rush and to settle into the now. It begins with a discussion of the benefits of finding opportunities to meditate through out…
more
About this show
Short talks on meaning, mental health, and what it actually takes to live a more examined life.
With Zachary Phillips
Hosted by
Zachary Phillips