Upgrading your Brain

Alex Crow

meditations spoken

On the Practice You Podcast, expect raw, real inquiries into relationship, lifestyle, healing, education, spirit, service, ancient practice, and modern wisdom. Expect explorations that uplift our understandings, stories to support our strengths, and lessons in compassion to amplify our love. Together we’ll elevate humanity to spark, share, and sustain wellbeing.

Practice You Podcast

Elena Brower- Meditation Practice

The Dream Of Life - Alan Watts

Listen to the NEW Living Wisdom on Spotify today featuring the production wizardry of @Phutureprimitive.

https://open.spotify.com/album/5njykYa3HBUuxLwfUFyAm7?si=GKMVEqAbRBSYufJmXyoTmQ

Unity ~ 2nd Gene Key Contemplation (featuring Gabriel Braun)

A 15 minute Guided Meditation with Tias Little in Santa Fe, NM.

Guided Meditation - Shamanta

This is a recorded workshop from Sound & Silence Festival on Corfu.
Sunday 10 September 2017 – 7:00 to 8:30 am.  The photo is really from the class!

ASANA PRACTICE STARTS AT 5:45 (the first 5 minutes are introduction)
 
David Lurey: Yoga class + savasana vocals/guitar
Gyuri Simon: vocals & guitar
Eszter Tóth: vocals & zither
Reggie Riverbear: vocals
Patrick Niels: Recording

This class is a journey from the Root to the Crown with yoga poses, affirmations and breathing techniques.

A Balanced Life Practice(Chakra in Action) **LIVE RECORDING**

Awareness

On the intelligence of risk, radical independence, and decoding the real conversation that happens in relationship.&nbsp;

Episode 4:  Collecting Difficult Moments in Relationship, with James Benard

Seeing difficult moments as evidence that it was always coming together. Length: 5:00 Timecodes: 2:00 Seeing that every difficult moment is a teaching. A Call For Revolution by His Holiness the Dalai Lama Seek evidence that it was always coming together Hold a state of peace within our hearts “...respond to terror with increased democracy, openness and tolerance” 4:15 May we be more gentle with our fear May we apply the tolerance, non-violence within our own homes May we look upon those closest to us (with whom we might be challenged) and continue to believe that there is a teaching in this challenge.

Episode 3:  It’s All a Teaching, with Elena

Seeing difficult moments as our treasures. Strategies and perspectives for releasing stories and tensions. 0:00-1:40 Vanda Scaravelli quote: Tension is a theft. To be in adherence with the present moment. On the stories we’ve repeated in our minds to create tension “Notice the stories you hold in your mind. Let go of the ones that cause tension.” -Yung Pueblo 1:45 On our being accustomed to - and recreating a baseline neutral of tension… On the contradictions we’ve adhered to - and seeing them as the treasures and the lessons On stopping the fight 2:30 Welcoming the child in us that we’ve shunned And collecting the presence, creating a sacred space for that part of us 3:30 How to be with those parts of ourselves that we’ve denied Making time for compassion Seeing your child bring forth all the parts of you that you’ve denied 4:10 On being with the sting of childhood, seeing how it’s still likely driving our choices Not dramatizing, nor glorifying, just giving it compassion and love 4:45 Rod Stryker SANCTUARY APP Rod Stryker on Glo Seeing what hasn’t received my full compassion and love 5:30 Feeling the lesson now; observing and choosing with more clarity 6:15 Our PRACTICE for this episode: Noting and writing what still hurts. What part of you needs your compassion How old were you when that happened / was happening Write it out 7:00 My example from 5th grade 8:15 If we wish to help and serve, to land in the source of lingering childhood pain is a viable endeavour - write it out… Then note: What’s a good response, from the perspective of the person that you are now? 10:00 Complaining less Serving more More transparency Recent conversation with my son There's no map for parenting; we don’t really know how we’re doing 11:15 Jonah's honest response to my burgeoning self-compassion 12:00 Your writing out the difficult moments will serve as your map. 13:00 - 16:45 As you observe the choices you’ve made as a result of the tension you’ve cultivated unconsciously, here are some possible practices. 17:00 Looking ahead to Episode Two with Ally Bogard. RESOURCES MENTIONED:  Sanctuary App Glo with Rod Stryker Ally Bogard

Episode 1: Collecting Difficult Moments, Intro with Elena

On the energetic and practical wisdom of gathering difficult moments; seeing them as food for your journey. Length: 54:07 Timecodes: 0:00 Eternal Two Step by Mark Nepo, p.33, Things That Join the Sea and Sky 02:40 Collecting difficult moments like little gems. Don't try to avoid them; gather them up like fuel, food, treasures. 04:18 When you're a child, the imagination still reigns; there isn’t the impression of meaning just yet… the meaning of what's occurring is entirely open to our interpretation. Meanings begin to be collected and change us. Collecting difficult moments puts us back into the world of imagination, allowing us to reclaim creativity. 06:13 That moment you started to feel like the adult with your parents. Collecting moments of trusting that everyone has their path. AB the pleaser; letting go of the need to control other people's experience. Collecting the difficult moments makes them sacred. Reclaiming lost bits of ourselves, our imagination. 07:45 Self Compassion practice; Rod Stryker- Sanctuary app What hasn’t been healed? Acknowledging what hasn’t been healed. Giving love and compassion to those aspects. What is it that hasn't been healed? 09:00 EB the fixer; growing the heart v. boundaries. Committing to self in the midst of relationship. 10:15 AB: Loving yourself is never somewhere we get, it's a never-ending journey. Knowing that you, yourself are your person and committing to that. “Her” film: the computer loving her 800 humans. What if my self-love can be so big, it doesn't get rid of my self-hate, it can simply expand to hold and encompass it? 12:45 Practicalities. Scheduling. What is on your calendar that map that self-love? AB: I tend to schedule things for someone else; having spare time means meeting myself in the blank spaces. Schedule the void diligently. The busyness is just my way of avoiding myself. I don't want to keep accumulating difficult moments without processing the wisdom / extracting the gold from them. I have to make mandatory space in the early morning. So I determine the energy I run in the day. And at least once during the day touching down with someone that nourishes me. 17:45 On distractions EB: Business is my favourite distraction; traveling is a good way for me to just stare into space and get great insights about how I want to show up. 19:15 EB: collecting difficult moments with kids; realizing that she doesn’t need to have Jonah be anything or anyone other than who he is. 21:00 EB: Taking space to take space in order to respond to a difficult moment as it’s happening. Moving from baseline overt volatility to softening. AB: Moving from silent treatment / avoidance / repression to learning how to fight. 24:00 EB: Learning from James’ experience with mens’ work how to listen, communicate. On truly listening. Accepting what the other person is telling you, and then also offering your side. AB: Can I suspend my first judgement of thinking this is “good” or “bad” - the wisdom of hindsight teaches me that all the tough moments were other than what I thought was being asked of me. I'm grateful that life or God always knew what was needed. Who do i want to become with what's happening, so that we aren’t passive bystanders? What current of energy are you running in your system? 27:00 In all difficult moments you were met by grace. Seth Godin - difficult moments will not be helped by brute force. How can we get creative with what’s happening or happened. We're not passive bystanders. Choosing what kind of energy you’re running in your system. 30:00 With what are you identifying in this particular moment? Flexible identities v. fixed identities. When we look at collecting difficult moments; it's not the identity about what happened, but what we chose to do with it. eg. I was abandoned, so I chose not to abandon. AB chooses her charity: Navajo Water Project fundraiser. 33:00 Help provide solar power and water where need is greatest in our land. EB...

Episode 2: Collecting Difficult Moments, with Ally Bogard

In this episode, on the occasion of Mary Oliver's passing, I took time to read my favourite passages and poems. Her work has informed mine since 1998, and reading her words brings me back to the earliest days in my teaching and learning to lead. Readings from: Thirst A Thousand Mornings Felicity Devotions A Poetry Handbook

Episode 5: Remembering Mary Oliver

On meditation and the merits we carry as a result of our practice, engaging inward connections, &nbsp;and cultivating heart community, with Diego Perez, the writer known as Yung Pueblo. Diego perez is the writer behind the pen name yung pueblo. The name yung pueblo means "young people." It serves to remind him of his ecuadorian roots, his experiences in activism, and that the collective of humanity is in the midst of important growth. His favorite word, liberation, took on a deeper meaning once he started meditating vipassana, as taught by s.n. goenka. Through writing and speaking, he aims to support the healing of the individual, realizing that when we release our personal burdens, we contribute to a global peace. Resources Inward

Episode 10: Diego Perez / Yung Pueblo

On the subtlest interior shifts we can make to conduct currents of sweetness within and around us.&nbsp;

Episode 14: Elena Brower

On Nature as musical instrument, pauses as assets, honouring the elders, everyday ceremony. Includes a bonus track of Ram Dass x East Forest. Derived from the German translation of his last name, East Forest (aka Trevor Oswalt) creates a hypnotizing brand of music for old souls that blends achingly emotional wordlessness, ambience and contemporary classical touches with a touch of pop sensibilities and electronic flavors. Based in Boulder Utah, Oswalt performs internationally and is armed with a live show that is continually evolving; sometimes performing solo, sometimes with a string section, and often with theatrical elements and cinematic projections. With experiences offering music in a hospice, as well as backpacking explorations throughout the wilderness of the world including the Amazonian jungle searching for spiritual answers, his music is a connected journey that's been dubbed "a revelatory excursion in sound" (Under The Gun) that invites listeners to "go on a journey of self discovery" (Earmilk). He's been featured on NPR's Second Stage and Tiny Desk Contest, and shared the stage with artists ranging from Trevor Hall to Crystal Bowersox (Amer. Idol), Bluetech to Moby. His 2016 collaboration with MC YOGI, Ritual Mystical, went #1 iTunes Electronic, #8 Billboard Dance and #2 Billboard New Age. EAST FOREST's newest release, "RAM DASS" is a full length album releasing in collaboration with the acclaimed spiritual teacher. In June 2018, East Forest was invited to Maui to record brand new teachings from Ram Dass. After capturing these words of wisdom East Forest returned to his studio to compose the soundtrack to beautifully support each songs’ subject. Covering topics such as dark thoughts, nature, the soul and so much more, these songs are full of inspiration. The album will release in four “chapters” throughout 2019, culminating in a full length release on August 9, 2019. Trevor Hall and grammy nominated artist, Krishna Das are among the featured artists who make guest appearances on the 14-track album. SHOW NOTES eastforest.org Cultivating Spiritual Intelligence Audio Meditation Course Art of Attention Audio Meditation Course

Episode 15: East Forest

In this episode, I dive deep into the concept of pivoting and how this has played a major role in my success throughout life.

http://www.AdamRoa.com

Deep Dive Musings | Why Pivoting Is A Key To Success

On owning our anxiety as a sacred cue to wake up and remember ourselves. On becoming our own eternal support system. Practical tools to soothe and serve--yourself and others. Length: 56.10 Timecodes:  Breathing. [2:38] Teachers and singing. [4:00] Using discernment to reduce anxiety.[4:45] Power of playing.[6:45] Planning your meals. [9:00] Surface level anxiety. Simple choices that can help. [9:45] Body as a gateway to the mind. Anxiety as a helpful sign to let you know something is out of alignment. [10:44] Watching for the after effects of toxicity in your life. [14:28] Being mindful of the music you choose. Jai-Jagdeesh.[17:49] Tiny choices that contribute to anxiety.[19:17] Choosing your self-talk.[20:18] Becoming your biggest fan. [21:00] Visualization. [22:49] Creating Art as therapy. [28:10] Ending negative relationships. Developing a more positive relationship with yourself. [31:06] Wanting to live a better life. [35:00] Volunteering. Donating resources.[37:40] What needs healing. [0:25] Favorite view. [47:31] Prayer. [49:03]  Julian Brass is an international keynote speaker, yoga teacher, anxiety coach, and author of the book Own Your Anxiety - 99 simple ways to channel your secret edge. His personal journey of learning to shift his relationship with anxiety while being the former CEO of the number one media company for millennials in Canada. Prior to the launch of the book, Julian has been featured on NBC, ABC, FOX, Global, and Chedder.com. Now it can be purchased at Barnes &amp; Noble, Indigo, Costco, Amazon, and over 100 Hudson’s Airport Booksellers. Resources http://julianbrass.com Own Your Anxiety includes 99 easily digestible tips for shifting your relationship with anxiety. Split mindfully into three sections; own your body, own your mind, own your soul - this book has valuable tips to assist anyone through their healing journey. For a small investment, you can have the tools that can change your life. The book is now available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes &amp; Nobles, Costco, Indigo, and over 100 Hudson's airport sellers. Follow Julian's journey @julianbrass on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Episode 30: Julian Brass

Got inspired by a speech of Alan Watts and I felt the need to combine it with a sweet melody. Found the perfect tune in Small Moments...

Above & Beyond ft. Alan Watts - Living Small Moments (Jeffrey Source Mashage)

Bestselling Author, Artist, Poet, Podcast Host.