Ep. 37 - Will Spencer - Plant Medicines, Esoteric Knowledge, Travel & On Being A Man

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Hey everybody! Episode 37 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend Will Spencer. Will and I met at the Amazonian plant medicine center, the Temple of the Way of Light, where he came down as a guest to work with ayahuasca in the Shipibo lineage. I befriended Will and followed his journey as it transpired from there onto a four-year journey around the world in a search for inner and outer discovery. Will has experience working with plant medicines and has a deep interest and knowledge about various esoteric traditions. He also recently started a podcast, called the Renaissance of Men, where he tries to discover and teach what it means to be an integrated man. Will has a lot of knowledge and wisdom to share and it was a pleasure sitting down and speaking with him. The podcast went almost four hours but we delved into myriad topics and I think you will gain some unique insights and potentially be exposed to some new and important ideas. To view bonus material and extended conversations, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!

YouTube:  bit.ly/YouTubeUW

Apple  :  bit.ly/AppleUW

Spotify:  bit.ly/SpotUW

Google:  bit.ly/GooglUW

Amazon: bit.ly/AmazonUW

"Eight years ago, my life was a mess. I was overweight, filled with grief and shame, and pursuing the wrong goals for the wrong reasons. Then I found strong men who held a mirror up to me and helped me see, “You can’t get there from here.”
Two years later, I had turned my life around. I even liberated myself to pursue my personal Hero’s Journey: solo backpacking around the world, which I fulfilled to wild success.
Along the way I discovered my mission, my “Why”: to pass on what I’ve learned about what it means to be a man. Now I create transformation in my brothers, guiding them to Purpose, Passion, and a Place of honor in their lives, just as I found mine."

To learn more about Will, his work, and his podcast, visit his website at: https://renofmen.com/

To find him on Instagram and Twitter, visit: https://www.instagram.com/renofmen/ and @will_renofmen

And to read the blog he spoke about, visit: https://willspencer.co/to-lose-the-world-and-gain-my-soul/

This episode of the show is sponsored by the Temple of the Way of Light. To learn more or sign up for a retreat, visit:

https://templeofthewayoflight.org/

If you enjoy the show, it would be a big help if you could share it with your own audiences via social media or word of mouth.  If you’re watching on YouTube if you could take a second and Subscribe to the channel and if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts to leave a starred rating and a short review. That would be super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!

My colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) and I will be running diets in the Sacred Valley of Peru on March 3-19 and May 1-17. If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do, visit my site at: https://www.NicotianaRustica.org

And finally, with the pandemic, most people doing this work have been without access to work since March and the future is uncertain.  If you are able to and would like to donate to the show to help out with new content that would be deeply appreciated.  For just a few dollars a month you can subscribe through Patreon and it gives you some really nice added benefits like early access to shows, bonus episodes, and a chance to ask personalized questions.

To support this podcast on Patreon, visit: https://www.patreon.com/UniverseWithin  

To donate directly with PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/jasongrechanik 

Another way you can support the show is if you are ordering anything from Amazon.com, and you use this link, the show will get a small commission with no additional cost to you: https://amzn.to/2Gw51PS

Music courtesy of Nuno Moreno. See his work at: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound and https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com/  

And please leave any questions or comments in the comment section or email at:

https://www.UniverseWithinPodcast.com

This will help me with ideas for future shows.

Thanks and until the next episode!

https://www.facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

https://www.instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

Ep. 36 - Irene Pérez Méndez - Plant Medicine, Jungian Archetypes, Research & Integration

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Audio version:

Hey everybody! Episode 36 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend Irene Pérez Méndez. Irene and I met working at the Amazonian plant medicine center, the Temple of the Way of Light, where she initially came down to do research with ICEERS on the long-term effects of ayahuasca. While there, she also taught art therapy and worked with Jungian archetypes, and eventually started facilitating retreats. I've had the chance to know Irene for a number of years and she's one of my favorite people in this work. She brings joy, passion, humor, and integrity to her work. And she has a lot of knowledge about this work through her own experience and also through having worked with many people. It was a pleasure for me to sit down and catch up with her and I think there is a lot to be gained by her sharing. To view bonus material and extended conversations, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!

YouTube:  bit.ly/YouTubeUW

Apple  :  bit.ly/AppleUW

Spotify:  bit.ly/SpotUW

Google:  bit.ly/GooglUW

Amazon: bit.ly/AmazonUW

"Irene Pérez Méndez is a certified TRE facilitator, art therapist and anthropologist. TRE is a somatic technique that helps us to release tension patterns in the body and regulate the nervous system; it is indicated for those who suffer from anxiety and stress. In the last 10 years, Irene has guided more than a thousand people in the process of working with master plants, focusing on the intention setting, facilitation and integration of experiences. She puts all her heart, respect and sense of humor in holding space and being at service, working for the health and balance of body, soul and spirit as fundamental parts of the human being."

To learn more about Irene, visit her website at: http://www.lacasadelviento.es

And her music at: https://soundcloud.com/samambai_a

To view the study on ayahuasca and the Temple, visit: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31938878/

And finally to learn more about ICEERS and TRE, visit: https://www.iceers.org/ and https://traumaprevention.com/

This episode of the show is sponsored by the Temple of the Way of Light. To learn more or sign up for a retreat, visit:

https://templeofthewayoflight.org/

If you enjoy the show, it would be a big help if you could share it with your own audiences via social media or word of mouth.  If you’re watching on YouTube if you could take a second and Subscribe to the channel and if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts to leave a starred rating and a short review. That would be super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!

My colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) and I will be running diets in the Sacred Valley of Peru on March 3-19 and May 1-17. If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do, visit my site at: https://www.NicotianaRustica.org

And finally, with the pandemic, most people doing this work have been without access to work since March and the future is uncertain.  If you are able to and would like to donate to the show to help out with new content that would be deeply appreciated.  For just a few dollars a month you can subscribe through Patreon and it gives you some really nice added benefits like early access to shows, bonus episodes, and a chance to ask personalized questions.

To support this podcast on Patreon, visit: https://www.patreon.com/UniverseWithin  

To donate directly with PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/jasongrechanik 

Another way you can support the show is if you are ordering anything from Amazon.com, and you use this link, the show will get a small commission with no additional cost to you: https://amzn.to/2Gw51PS

Music courtesy of Nuno Moreno. See his work at: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound and https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com/  

And please leave any questions or comments in the comment section or email at:

https://www.UniverseWithinPodcast.com

This will help me with ideas for future shows.

Thanks and until the next episode!

https://www.facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

https://www.instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

Ep. 35 - Monica Gagliano - Scientist, Author & On Plant Intelligence

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Audio version:

Hey everybody! Episode 35 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Monica Gagliano. Monica is a scientist and the author of the very good book, Thus Spoke the Plant. Monica’s scientific research has focused on plant intelligence, communication through sound, and cognition. She has a really interesting story and has not only experienced plants and life through her scientific work, but also with her own direct experience of plants through ceremonial practices. I think Monica really embodies the true spirit of a scientist, someone who is willing to question the world, even in the face of adversity, and to come to conclusions that help to illuminate and deepen our understanding of the world we live in and our relationship to it. I think she is doing very important work and I imagine her work will only continue to grow and expand as it becomes more accepted. It was a pleasure speaking with her and I think you all will gain a lot out of it. To view bonus material and extended conversations, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!

YouTube:  bit.ly/YouTubeUW

Apple  :  bit.ly/AppleUW

Spotify:  bit.ly/SpotifyUW

Google:  bit.ly/GoogPodUW

“My main research is broadly focusing on key aspects of the ecological processes by which organisms are able to gather information on the variable conditions of their surrounding environment in order to thrive.

In collaboration with various disciplines across the Sciences and the Humanities, my research aims at expanding our perception of animals, plants and more generally Nature. In the process of learning how to do this, I have pioneered the brand-new research field of plant bioacoustics and extended the concept of cognition to plants, re-igniting the discourse on plant subjectivity, sentience and ethical standing. 

I am a Research Associate Professor in Evolutionary Ecology at the Biological Intelligence (BI) Lab, Southern Cross University, a Research Associate Professor (Adjunct) at the University of Western Australia Research Affiliate at the Sydney Environment Institute, University of Sydney.”

To learn more about Monica, visit her website at: https://www.monicagagliano.com/

And to learn about the Mind of Plants book and symposium she spoke of, visit: https://www.themindofplants.com/

This episode of the show is sponsored by the Temple of the Way of Light. To learn more or sign up for a retreat, visit:

https://templeofthewayoflight.org/

If you enjoy the show, it would be a big help if you could share it with your own audiences via social media or word of mouth.  If you’re watching on YouTube if you could take a second and Subscribe to the channel and if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts to leave a starred rating and a short review. That would be super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!

My colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) and I will be running diets in the Sacred Valley of Peru on March 3-19 and May 1-17. If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do, visit my site at: https://www.NicotianaRustica.org

And finally, with the pandemic, most people doing this work have been without access to work since March and the future is uncertain.  If you are able to and would like to donate to the show to help out with new content that would be deeply appreciated.  For just a few dollars a month you can subscribe through Patreon and it gives you some really nice added benefits like early access to shows, bonus episodes, and a chance to ask personalized questions.

To support this podcast on Patreon, visit: https://www.patreon.com/UniverseWithin  

To donate directly with PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/jasongrechanik 

Another way you can support the show is if you are ordering anything from Amazon.com, and you use this link, the show will get a small commission with no additional cost to you: https://amzn.to/2Gw51PS

Music courtesy of Nuno Moreno. See his work at: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound and https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com/  

And please leave any questions or comments in the comment section or email at:

https://www.UniverseWithinPodcast.com

This will help me with ideas for future shows.

Thanks and until the next episode!

https://www.facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

https://www.instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

Ep. 34 - Richard Condon - Plant Medicine, Ontology & Integration

YouTube version:

Audio version:

Hey everybody! Episode 34 of the show is out. In this show, I spoke with my friend Richard Condon. Richard and I met at the Amazonian plant healing center, The Temple of the Way of Light, where he came to drink medicine and began offering his work and teaching to help align, deepen, and bring distinctions to the organization and work being done there. I have learned a lot from Richard and consider him a teacher. His work with ontology, distinctions, language, alignment, and integrity has taught me a lot and helped me to deepen the work that I do. One of the questions I get asked the most is about the integration of plant medicine work, and Richard’s work is an excellent tool in aiding in this. And his work is really powerful outside of this field as well. I really enjoyed this conversation. To me, Richard really embodies what an inquisitive, clear, and focused mind is able to accomplish, as well as a big heart. I always enjoy speaking with and learning from Richard and I think you all will get a lot out of this episode, just as I did. To view bonus material and extended conversations, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!

YouTube:  bit.ly/YouTubeUW

Apple  :  bit.ly/AppleUW

Spotify:  bit.ly/SpotifyUW

Google:  bit.ly/GoogPodUW

“From a very young age I have been interested in thinking and living from a quote by Buckminster Fuller:

“How can a single individual make a difference in the world.”

I grew up in a very artistic household. My parents were artists and actors and as such the creative and aesthetic aspects of life have always been close to my heart.

Born in Chicago and formative years in New York City, my own evolution traversed from my early career as a drummer in a rock band opening for some of the preeminent bands of the 60’s to being an entrepreneur, primarily, in the restaurant and nightclub business.

In the middle of my life I asked myself the question at the end of my life, what is it that I want to have fulfilled? The answer was having made a difference in people's lives in a profound way and to have elevated our own humanity.

This led me to the next 25 years of my life where I led programs for a well known self-development and transformation company that has taken me to most major cities in the United States as well as Europe, China, Japan, Thailand, Peru, and India delivering programs for over 150,000 people. I have designed and delivered innovative perspectives on leadership, corporate culture, communication, productivity, teamwork, and elevating performance. This has allowed me to work with international and domestic corporations representing various sectors, including industrial, retail, banking, services and environmental.

As I enter the last act of my life I have been even more deeply engaged in Bucky’s question. This has given rise to a deeper exploration of a new access to living, “Living an Aligned Life.”

In this regard, I have been working as a Partner with MissionB, developing an inquiry into the Fundamental Intention for our life, and exploring, with our clients, what it takes to live and work truthfully and powerfully from this declared North Star. The fundamental principles that we work from are that we can invent, design and fulfill our own authentic and heart-based lives, then act, in thought, speech and action, consistently and coherently. Simply said. “Living True”.

Currently I have also partnered with Jeff Willmore to deliver The Entrepreneurship, Accomplishment & Autonomy Course. This unique structure and methodology deliberately steps away from the “tips and techniques” kind of business knowledge that betrays top performance and instead, allows you to embody the advanced knowledge of a market leader and allows you to design leading edge practices based on your own original thinking.”

To learn more about Richard and his work, vist: https://www.missionb.co

This episode of the show is sponsored by the Temple of the Way of Light. To learn more or sign up for a retreat, visit:

https://templeofthewayoflight.org/

If you enjoy the show, it would be a big help if you could share it with your own audiences via social media or word of mouth.  If you’re watching on YouTube if you could take a second and Subscribe to the channel and if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts to leave a starred rating and a short review. That would be super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!

My colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) and I will be running diets in the Sacred Valley of Peru on March 3-19 and May 1-17. If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do, visit my site at: https://www.NicotianaRustica.org

And finally, with the pandemic, most people doing this work have been without access to work since March and the future is uncertain.  If you are able to and would like to donate to the show to help out with new content that would be deeply appreciated.  For just a few dollars a month you can subscribe through Patreon and it gives you some really nice added benefits like early access to shows, bonus episodes, and a chance to ask personalized questions.

To support this podcast on Patreon, visit: https://www.patreon.com/UniverseWithin  

To donate directly with PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/jasongrechanik 

Another way you can support the show is if you are ordering anything from Amazon.com, and you use this link, the show will get a small commission with no additional cost to you: https://amzn.to/2Gw51PS

Music courtesy of Nuno Moreno. See his work at: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound and https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com/  

And please leave any questions or comments in the comment section or email at:

https://www.UniverseWithinPodcast.com

This will help me with ideas for future shows.

Thanks and until the next episode!

https://www.facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

https://www.instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcast