The How You Breathe Is How You Live Podcast

10 Ego - It Never Dies

In this episode we discuss  the concept of ego evolution, emphasizing the common misconception of 'ego death' and clarifying the ego's role in self-preservation and daily functioning. 
Jake explains Freud's perspective on the ego as a mediator between subconscious desires and the conscious mind. The ego creates personal narratives that shape our perception of life, which can change over time. 
A detailed explanation of the first four of  seven layers of ego evolution is provided, covering self-centered, group-centered, skill-based, and self-determined stages. Each stage is described in terms of its attributes, challenges. 
Jake  also touches on related concepts such as the default mode network, framing, and paradigms, and explains how these influence the ego and personal growth.

9 Intentions: The Ultimate Life Hack

This episode discusses the importance of setting intentions in life and differentiates them from goals and resolutions. 
Jake highlights how living on autopilot can lead to unfulfilling outcomes and suggests that having clear intentions can act as a life hack. Using relatable analogies, the speaker explains that intentions help guide actions and decisions, fostering self-awareness and presence. 
Rituals and the setting of intentions in practices like breathwork are emphasized as means to cultivate gratitude and clarity. 
Jake  also shares personal experiences and provides practical advice on how to start and end the day with intentionality, underlining the transformative impact of mindful living.

8 Transcendence- Unity with All

This week we discuss the transformative journey through breath work, starting from healing and progressing through self-awareness to self-actualization and finally to transcendence. 
 
It explains how breath work helps quiet the mind, induce timelessness, and create a sense of unity and gratitude. 
 
Breath work can lead to personal growth, better self-awareness, and a state of transcendence that transcends personal ego. It covers various experiences people have during breath work, such as timelessness and complete unity with the universe, and explains that breath work facilitates the healing of emotional blocks, enhancing self-awareness, generosity, and acceptance. 
 
It also underscores the importance of authenticity, compassion, and forgiveness in achieving a transcendent state and living harmoniously with oneself and others.

7 Achieving Your Full Potential (Actualization)

We begin by using using a musical instrument analogy to describe the spiritual journey and self-actualization process. It argues that rather than climbing a never-ending mountain, the journey is akin to tuning and learning to play an instrument.
The process involves three stages:
healing,
gaining self-awareness, and eventually
achieving self-actualization.
Healing involves repairing emotional and mental aspects to fully experience life.
Self-awareness is compared to learning scales and practicing on an instrument, which involves understanding one's values and developing skills.
Subsequently, self-actualization allows a person to be creative and operate at their fullest potential, leading to fulfillment and mastery.
Jake has a dim view of the grind culture, emphasizing alignment and flow rather than continuous effort and stress. It also discusses the balance between diligence and relaxation, as well as the idea of finding meaningful, fulfilling work rather than being driven by ego or external rewards.

6 The Power of Breath: A Path to Self-Awareness

This episode explores the process of achieving self-awareness through breath work, starting with creating calmness and centering oneself. It explains that becoming centered allows individuals to experience emotions without fear of being stuck in an extreme state. The discussion further breaks down self-awareness into 
Calmness
Self-Connection
Clarity
Courage
Confidence
Curiosity
Compassion, And Finally 
Creativity. 
Each step builds on the previous, creating a comprehensive path to understanding and expressing one's authentic self both internally and externally. The dialogue also touches on related concepts such as groundedness, the importance of curiosity, discernment versus judgment, and the integration of mind, body, and emotions.

5 BreathWork: A pathway to Emotional Release and Transformation

This is a conversation about the intricacies and transformative potential of breath work. It delves into what breath work involves and the expectations people have when they experience it—ranging from skepticism to anticipating a psychedelic-like journey. 
The discussion highlights the different forms of breath work, focusing particularly on conscious connected breathing. It explains the physical, emotional, and spiritual effects, such as body vibration, emotional release, and even transcendent states. 
We  also contrast the gentle experience of a sound bath with the more intense and sometimes surprising outcomes of breath work. 
Personal anecdotes and examples from breath work sessions underscore its potential for profound personal insight and trauma healing, emphasizing the importance of setting intentions and the benefits of sharing experiences in a group setting.

4 Life’s a symphony: Self Awareness for Purpose and Meaning

Jake presents a detailed discussion on the meaning and purpose of life through the lenses of breathwork, psychedelics, and personal experiences. He begins by exploring life purpose and argues that it remains constant throughout one's life, though the methods to fulfill it may change. Personal anecdotes highlight how seemingly small actions in childhood can reveal one's life purpose as an adult. 
He discusses the distinction between life’s purpose and its meaning, suggesting that life is inherently meaningless but driven by the quest to master different domains. The importance of breathwork, particularly conscious connected breathing, in fostering self-awareness and healing is emphasized. 
He further dives into the impact of emotional and mental health on physical wellness, advocating for healing journeys to resolve deep-seated issues like shame, guilt, and grief. The conversation also touches upon the significance of authentic relationships, the role of contribution in personal fulfillment, and the necessity of celebrating wins in companionship. Lastly, practical tips and expectations for engaging in breathwork sessions are shared.

3 Finding Breathwork: From Skeptic to Mystical Experiences

This episode covers Jake's discovery of breathwork facilitated by various guides. Initially skeptical about its effectiveness, he first encounters limited success but later has a profound mystical experience under more directive guidance.
They explore the history and methods of breathwork, particularly focusing on the development of holotropic breathwork by Stanislav Groff and the significant role of music in facilitating breathwork sessions. The story details the step-by-step growth of their own breathwork practice, from private sessions to hosting large groups, overcoming numerous logistical and business challenges including relocating studios multiple times due to various circumstances.
He highlights his unique approach to breathwork facilitation, emphasizing the importance of music as a narrative tool and rejecting unnecessary mysticism or rigid structures in favor of accessibility and effectiveness.

2 From Anger to Enlightenment

This episode starts with struggling through meditation, a transformative ayahuasca experience, and the subsequent profound changes in life. Jake initially disciplined to a fault, had difficulty meditating, but an ayahuasca ceremony sparked significant spiritual experiences, including conversations with God and dealing with deep-seated trauma.
The journey included bringing friends into similar healing experiences, navigating their reactions, and ultimately finding a path to inner peace.
Jake’s ceremonies involved laugh-filled moments, intense emotional and physical releases, and a resolution of lifelong anger.

Breaking Point: From Struggle to Awakening

The beginning of the story of how it all began in 2017 when he was struggling with life post-divorce. Professionally successful but personally distressed, he sought different methods to improve his life with no success until his friend Chaos introduced him to Ayahuasca. The narrative includes their adventurous road trip to Cabo San Lucas, participating in a sweat lodge and Ayahuasca ceremony, and experiencing a profound spiritual and psychological journey.
The episode concludes with the narrator deciding to quit his job as advised by his divine vision during the Ayahuasca experience, marking the beginning of a new chapter in his life.
00:00 Introduction: Life Struggles and Frustration
01:12 Failed Attempts at Finding Relief
02:38 Meeting Chaos and the Shaman
04:22 The Journey to Cabo San Lucas
06:54 Sweat Lodge Experience
08:57 Ayahuasca Ceremony Begins
14:21 The Experience Begins
14:54 The Face Seizures
15:48 Visions of Past Lives
18:32 The Divine Conversation
20:14 The Command to Quit
26:01 The Group Share
27:26 The Toad Venom Experience
30:08 The Aftermath and Reflection
31:21 Quitting the Job