Alchemy on the Island

Relationships can be both enriching and challenging. They nourish and support us but also require time and energy to maintain their healthy functioning. In this episode we asked the questions: What happens to a marriage when you put it in the pressure cooker of full time internal arts training internationally? Does it enhance or detract, and how can a couple of cultivators navigate these waters ef...

Is there a map for spiritual practice within the eastern arts, or are all maps flawed to the point of uselessness? We sit down with The Engineer, Janne Asmala, to discuss the benefits and dangers, as well as inherent limitations of map building. We also venture into a little map building of our own within the Daoist alchemical system we are practicing in Bali. Our conversation meanders through a w...

Have you ever wondered what fascia actual is and how it can be used not only to heal the body but also to generate movement, power and connectivity? Well, your hosts didn't really either, well at least not until they started practicing the internal arts! In this episode Gimo and Dan speak with the lovely, wildly knowledgeable (on all things fascia), and highly skilled craniosacral bodyworker A...

Welcome back to Alchemy on the Island! After a brief hiatus Gimo and Dan found a tiny pocket of energy and motivation to get a flurry of recordings done at the end of their second year in Bali. They hope you missed them but aren't too offended if you entirely forgot that this podcast existed. In this episode, with the expert help of Aidan Keeva, Dan and Gimo go deep into the exploration of Chinese...

For many, the idea of spiritual practice involves following your bliss, being true to your feelings, and trying to calm the mind. However, according to many of the sages and mystics throughout history this would be pretty far off the mark. Though these qualities may be helpful for your psychology at times, the requirements for true spiritual attainment have long involved quite a bit of rigor, dete...

Sitting on the bed of Gimo’s room, Anastasia Frenkel, Dan and Gimo explore in depth the concept of “Qi”. Generally translated as “life force”, qi is at the heart of what powers the internal arts. The word qi can also vary in meaning depending on the context, be this martial arts, Chinese medicine, philosophy or even daily conversation. Anastasia shares her extensive practical as well as intellectu...

In this episode Gimo & Dan speak with the esteemed and gracious Leo Bierman about the heart of their practice in Bali, Nei Gong. The powerful body based energetic path of Nei Gong contains many practices designed to open the body, purge pathogens, build Qi, and generally prepare the individual for deeper spiritual transformation. The work is at times both physically and mentally challenging an...

What is a cultivator of the spiritual arts? We're glad you asked . . . In the first episode of the show, Dan, Gimo and their guest Jackson Collings tackle the equally crucial and vast topic of spiritual cultivation, the core aim of their studies on the Island. The conversation runs between high minded ideas and practical notions, punctuated by anecdotes from Jackson’s fascinating personal jour...

Welcome to Alchemy on the Island!  Meet your hosts, Dan and Gimo; learn a little bit about what makes them tic and listen as they attempt to convince you to come hang on the island with them by jangling sparkly previews of all the wonderful things in store on season one. Enjoy the show.