The How You Breathe Is How You Live Podcast

This episode we discuss Susan's transformative journey with 5MEO-DMT, starting from her initial curiosity influenced by a friend's experience, to multiple intense sessions with profound realizations.  Throughout, Susan confronts her beliefs, grapples with existential fears, and seeks deeper understanding of life and death. Her experiences include confronting the fear of death spurred by an aneurys...

In this episode we finally start discussing how to develop through the stages of vertical ego development, emphasizing that progression requires navigating through each stage without skipping.  Advancement often arises from disorientation and trauma, which force individuals to re-evaluate their approach to life.  The importance of feedback and self-examination is highlighted, along with practices...

We continue a detailed discussion on ego development.  Part two starts by recapping the first four stages— Self-Centered,  Group-Centered,  Skill-Based, and  Self-Determined. We then cover the fifth stage,  Self-Questioning,  which involves valuing authenticity over success and being open to differing opinions without needing to be right.  The sixth stage is  Self-Actualization,  where individuals...

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 d...

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.  R...

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...

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...

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 Fi...

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,...

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.  H...

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...

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 heal...

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...