Catching Z's: The Millennials Guide To Mindfulness

Thanks for everyone's patience while I was VERY delayed in uploading this episode.  There is no other guest I'd rather have on for my last episode then with the man that started it all with me, Zach Darmon.  The comradre picked up right where we left off and we reflected on what the podcast and what meditation has done for us in our lives, talking about some of our favorite guests and riffing on lifes biggest questions.   Thanks to everyone who tuned in over the 5 years of this podcast.  If you'd like to connect with me in the future for any reason you can reach me at nickzolfo@gmail.com.  Love you all! 

Shauna Shapiro, PhD, is a professor, author, and internationally recognized expert in mindfulness and compassion. Nearly one million people have watched her 2017 TEDx talk "The Power of Mindfulness," rated one of the top 10 talks on mindfulness. Dr. Shapiro has published over 150 journal articles and coauthored two critically acclaimed books translated into 14 languages: The Art and Science of Mindfulness, and Mindful Discipline. Her work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Mashable, Wired, USA Today, the Dr. Oz Show, HuffPost, Yoga Journal, and the American Psychologist. Dr. Shapiro has been an invited speaker for the King of Thailand, the Danish Government, Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness Summit, and the World Council for Psychotherapy, as well as for Fortune 100 companies including Google, Cisco Systems, Procter & Gamble, and Genentech. Dr. Shapiro is a summa cum laude graduate of Duke University and a Fellow of the Mind and Life Institute, co-founded by the Dalai Lama. Shauna and I chat ab

Dr. Greyson’s interest in near-death experiences began just a few months after graduating from medical school, when he treated an unconscious patient in the emergency room who stunned him the next morning with an account of leaving her body. That event challenged his beliefs about the mind and the brain, and ultimately led him on a journey to study near-death experiences scientifically, leading to more than a hundred publications in medical journals. He co-founded the International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS), an organization to support and promote research into these experiences, and for 27 years edited the Journal of Near-Death Studies, the only scholarly journal dedicated to near-death research. Through his research, he has discovered common and universal themes in near-death experiences that go beyond neurophysiological or cultural interpretations, as well as patterns of consistent aftereffects on individuals’ attitudes, beliefs, values, and personalities. We chat about:  His interest in N

I had to get JP back on the show for my 100th Episode.  At 96 years young, he emanates wisdom with every word.  I let him guide the conversation and he wanted to share a couple of mantras and then we have a chat in between each of the chants.  It was a true delight and we really get in the weeds on this one.  Mantras chanted:  Shanti Mantra Gayatri mantra Adi shankaracharya morning mantra Self-written song - Pilgrims of light A Jainism mantra  Heart Sutra Topics we weave in: Attachment Accepting death and what continues on Embodying religion or spiritual practices Eternal Love What is the soul? Check out the first interviews with JP here: Part 1 Part 2 JP's website    

As a sought-after speaker, event facilitator and executive coach, Finnian has been dubbed “the Business Mystic” because of his unique ability to put consciousness into business and inspire leaders to find new levels of meaning and purpose through their creative endeavours.  This approach flowed through his term as President of the Colorado Chapter of Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) - the largest and most influential community of entrepreneurs in the world.  Finnian helps people ‘love their path’ so they can feel content with a life lived in the now. As an entrepreneur, Finnian built and exited two multi-million dollar companies in the financial industry.  He’s the Creator and Chief Visionary Officer of Intentionality.com. Through the four paths of the Intentionality framework, Finnian guides people to be purposeful and aligned in their belief, thoughts and behaviors so they can feel more love in their life.  We talked about:  Getting into meditation after a divorce  How can you give yourself grace in tough t

Alex was at a point in his life where he was throwing up his breakfast because he was so stressed and burnt out from his job.   He ventured off to Australia to get away from this and find himself.  His father passed away and this caused him to re-evaluate his life, turning to meditation.  He went and got certified to teach meditation and has been doing it ever since.  More recently, he dove into cryptocurrency and feels that it complements his spiritual practice and can provide financial freedom to those it was previously unavailable to. Alex and I chat about:  Traveling to Australia to escape burnout from work The impact his father passing away had on him Getting certified to teach Meditation Mystical experience that connected him deeper   His experience with going on 2 ayahuasca retreats Getting into crypto How he views spirituality and crypto complement each other Our roles as individuals in the crypto movement Enlighten with Alex  February 22nd Crypto Webinar Enlighten with Alex website Alex's Crypto c

Hey everybody, this is my annual year in review where I reflect on the  year that was.  This was a year of a lot of growth mixed with a lot of pain.  Such is life!  I hope you enjoy my ramblings about my experiences and that they prove to be supportive to you in some way.  I talk about:  Being more consistent with posting episodes and where I want the podcast to go My 5th year of doing this podcast!  How difficult parenting is Punching a wall and how that was a catalyst for a lot of growth Starting therapy and leaning into who I am Accepting and allowing Self righteouness Doing less

When Cesare was recommended to me by Ringu Tulku Rinpoche's team,  I immediately knew it was going to be a special time with him.  The depth by which he can articulate the many nuances of life was fascinating.   We talked about:  How he got into contemplative practice through Christian Mysticism  Finding a new way to look at life Getting introduced to Buddhism Influence after reading the Tibetan Book of Living and Dying Finding out more about what already existed within you Following the Spiritual path How he relates to death   Cesare's website Run Zen Bodicharya Kent

Amanda Gilbert is a meditation teacher, lecturer of mindfulness at the University of Southern California, speaker, and author. She leads meditation for top companies like NBC, Paramount Pictures, W Hotels, Merrill Lynch, Macy’s, and YouTube. Before dedicating herself to teaching full-time, Amanda was the center director for the Aging, Metabolism, and Emotions Center at the University of California, San Francisco, a world-renowned health psychology laboratory conducting scientific research and publishing investigations on the biological and psychological effects of mindfulness, meditation, and stress resilience. Her formal meditation training has been with UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center, Deepak Chopra, and in the Insight Meditation tradition. She lives in Los Angeles, CA. Amanda's new book, "Kindness Now" introduces her 28-day guided meditation program aimed at helping you become a kinder, more compassionate, and radically loving person. With each daily practice, you will learn how to be more resili

Linda Leaming first traveled to Bhutan in 1994, and moved there three years later. This tiny Buddhist country hidden away in the Himalayas is a very happy place for many. Its king believes in Gross National Happiness instead of Gross National Product. Leaming has written two books about her life in Bhutan and how she learned to live more simply, how she laughs at herself instead of getting mad at others, and how she slows down to look for magic-- because it's everywhere. In Bhutan, she's known for using a salad spinner instead of a washing machine, and her village man makeovers.  I had a great time talking with Linda as we explored:  Being introduced to mindfulness through Bhutanese culture Going to Bhutan originally 4 pillars of gross national happiness in Bhutan Thinking about death 5 times a day Why thinking about death is constructive Being happy where you are Much more! https://www.lindaleaming.com/ 4 Pillars of Gross National Happiness Maker Mind Newsletter where I discovered Linda  

Ven. Thukten was born in a small village in Bhutan called Gelephu. She is 32 years old and 15 out of those she dedicated to the monastic life. Currently, she resides at Jangchub Choeling Nunnery in Southern India. Thukten is studying at Emory University as a Tenzin Gyatso Science Scholar. She thoroughly enjoys observing nature. Thukten was AMAZING to talk to.  She walks us through so many topics:    How her past lives influenced her becoming a nun What is karma?  Mind training and why it's necessary What is consciousness composed of?  How she views reaching enlightenment The 12 links of dependent origination   Explanation of Twelve links of dependent origination

Ora Nadrich is founder and president of the Institute for Transformational Thinking and author of Live True: A Mindfulness Guide to Authenticity. A certified life coach and mindfulness teacher, she specializes in transformational thinking, self-discovery, and mentoring new coaches as they develop their careers.    I had a great time speaking to Ora about what true transformation looks like and how to achieve it yourself.  We also talked about:  Starting off her meditation journey with TM and switching to mindfulness Authenticity  How to define your authentic self The journey to authenticity What it means to go through a transformation Defining how you would like to change How to raise your consciousness Much more! Ora's website

Lödrö Gyendon  is a Buddhist monk living in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Raised in South Florida, Gyendon first encountered Buddhism in college when he was studying sculpture.  He moved to Sravasti Abbey to deepen his study in 2011 and trained under the guidance of Bhikkshuni Thubten Chodron, before moving to Gampo Abbey in 2014 where he has lived and trained under the guidance of Pema Chödrön.  We chat with Gyendon about: How he was interested at looking for alternative lifestyles and ways of living and led him to being a monk Difference in monastery, abbey, nunnery Wanted to explore buddhism and the monastic life but needed refuge before he could be considered Importance of lineage Examining “Trust born from understanding, understanding born from trust” His understanding with impermanence through his fathers experience of dying Exploring the phrase from Thich Naht Hahn: “Would you freeze the whole ocean for the sake of one wave?” Exploring the nature of mind Transmitting vs. translating the dharma Being Ameri

Alan Stein, Jr. teaches proven strategies to improve organizational performance, create effective leadership, increase team cohesion and collaboration, and develop winning mindsets, rituals, and routines. A successful business owner and veteran basketball performance coach, he spent 15 years working with the highest-performing athletes on the planet (including NBA superstars Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and Kobe Bryant).  In addition, he's been a huge advocate for meditation for as long as he's been practicing.  Alan is the real deal and I loved chatting with him for his combination of motivation and practical advice for life.  Great perspective from Alan as we talk about:  Finally getting into meditation after avoiding it for so long Why we should be open to trying new things for our wellness How important routine and preparation is Benefits that he’s seen through his meditation practice Importance of consistency and discipline His love for basketball and how that started Importance of mindset What his morn

This was another EPIC conversation, this time with Nun Tenzin Choyang.  Choyang was born in Tibet and came to India to study Buddhist philosophy. She has been studying Buddhist philosophy at a nunnery for over 17 years.  In between that time, she went to Emory University in the United State to learn science and scientific techniques.  Currently she is continuing her Buddhist study in Mundgod near Drepung Loselling Monastery in India. We talked with her about SO MUCH! Including:  Feminism in Tibetan Buddhism Running away from tibet on a month long journey to India to become a nun The importance of studying logic How to introduce logic and investigation techniques to children What she thought the monastery was going to be and what it actually was The concepts of Emptiness and Compassion How to come to experiential knowledge Studying science at Emory and bringing that back to her nunnery to teach The value of hope How we can decipher our emotions correctly How we can lessen the power of the ego Using lovingkind

Carley Hauck is a learning architect, leadership development consultant, author,  speaker, and serves as adjunct faculty at Stanford University and UC Berkeley Haas  School of Business. For the last decade, she has served hundreds of leaders and  companies in Fortune 100 companies and high growth start-ups such as: LinkedIn,  Genentech, Pixar, Clif Bar, Intuit, and Bank of the West.  She helps them cultivate their recipes for resilience and create thriving workplaces and mission driven businesses. In her upcoming book, Shine- Ignite your inner game to lead consciously at work and the world, Carley guides readers on a transformational inner to  outer journey to inspire a new workplace and world that works for everyone and  prioritizes people and planet first. Carley’s writing and work has been featured in Mindful  Magazine, Conscious Company Media, 15 Five, and Emerging Women. Additionally,  Carley is the host of the inspiring Shine podcast.  Carley and I had a wonderful inspiring chat as we talked about:   H

Ven. Geshe Tenzin Damchoe was born in Dharamsala India and attended Tibetan Childrens Village (TCV) school until the 10th grade.  After that he attended TCV Bylakuppe where he received a Bachelors of Commerce from St. Philomena’s college of Mysore University. After graduating with his commerce degree, Geshe-la joined the Institute of Buddhist Dialectic school, where he spent over a decade studying Buddhist philosophy and earning the prestigious Geshe degree (which is equivalent to a PhD) from Drepung Loseling Monastery in south India. He later became a professor: teaching Buddhist Philosophy and Practices at Earlham College and then at Oxford University in England as a visiting scholar. Geshe-la now works at Sarah College for higher Tibetan studies as a program coordinator and renowned lecturer for Buddhist Philosophy studies.    Given his expertise, Marshall and I discussed with Ven Geshe-la: How he became a monk Prevalence of monks in tibet What does being a geshe mean How to keep your cup of knowledge fro

Thomas J. Bushlack (Ph.D., University of Notre Dame) is currently the Regional Director of Mission Integration with SSM Health in St. Louis, MO. He brings over 20 years of experience in higher education, public speaking, leading retreats, leadership coaching, and consulting in organizational development in mission integration. Tom’s expertise is in integrating Contemplative Practices with Ethics & Wise Decision-Making. He enjoys helping leaders to harness their innate capacity for wisdom for success in professional and personal life. As the creator of the Centering for Wisdom™ Assessment tool, and the founder of Kalon Enterprises, LLC, Tom knows the struggles of being a good leader and growing a successful business aligned with personal and corporate values – all in service to the common good. Based in Metro St. Louis, Tom lives with his wife, Anna, and their three young children.   https://thomasjbushlack.com/ https://centeringforwisdom.com/ Thomas' YouTube Channel

I reflect on the year that was 2020.  The highs and lows and all the wonderful lessons that I learned because of having to go through it all.  I talk about:  Where the podcast is headed in 2021 Life lessons from growing marijuana Experiences and thoughts on death Ram Dass' massive influence on me Love and Fear Reach out at revibemindfulness@gmail.com ! Alex Stokes blog: How to Relax Be Here Now Becoming Nobody    

Marshall and I met earlier this year and formed a very close bond immediately through being facilitators of the satsang we created, Unity Community.  His depth of experiential knowledge and wisdom from all of the text he's read always make for a fascinating conversation.  He talks about deep stuff while also making it digestible to any audience.  There's something for everyone in this episode!  We chat about:  Starting Meditation in College His trips to India with the Emory Tibetan Science Center initiative Being an Interdisciplinary studies major and studying compassion Cultivating compassion  Where his thirst for knowledge comes from Using suffering to create meaning Compassion and Emptiness His Spiritual milestones What is the self?  Couple of riffs on death Co-founding Source Wellness Much more!   Source Wellness Marshall's LinkedIn