Spiritual Underground Podcast

During the opening of the show, I explain how I initially came to know Don, I'll spare you that here. Few folks have impacted my recovery at the level that his gentleman has. During our conversation, I kept realizing just how many of the "sayings" I use, more than likely can be attributed to Don. I could sit and talk to him for hours on end, he is so full of wisdom, he conveys it with humility and...

B-Mo and Mike pull up chairs to talk about what has been going on lately, B-Mo just completed his 5th step, and Mike has been making major moves in personal growth. The miracles of 12 Step Recovery are showing up in the lives of these men, one nearly new, and the other a half dozen years down the path. Listen up as they tell us what can happen when we practice these principles. Subscribe! Like! Sh...

Public Quit Announcement #8 Many of you might be asking yourselves, why does the Colonel keep mentioning this “daily Promise” thing… what does it really mean? Well, my friends, let me explain that concept since it is the foundation of any Quit plan or recovery program. Each morning we folks in recovery go thru a routine that is essential to our success, regardless of what substance we are trying t...

I had met Mark at a meeting but I did not put two and two together when I received a heart warming email that was hugely complimentary towards the podcast. I immediately replied and we had a few exchanges before I was able to put the face with the name. Mark has filled a spot in my heart with his vulnerability, his deep sharing, and his ability to humbly explain what recovery has meant in his life...

Public Quit Announcement #3: Today’s subject is a controversial topic in the world of nicotine recovery. To use or not to use tobacco Quit Aids or even those substitutes. The difference being Quit Aids include the nicotine patches, gum or prescription meds to ease off of nicotine, while substitutions are like choosing to use fake tobacco products that do not have nicotine… there are several types...

Public Quit Announcement #7 In the words of one of my dearest quit brothers Kyle-J, “When I get a crave, I just go to my room drop my pants, open the drawer of my nightstand… place my testicles in said drawer, and the SLAM it!!! Bammo, no more craving.” Kinda extreme you say? Well, since a craving can last an excruciating 3-20 minutes, some extreme measures may actually save you from starting the...

I love it when HP brings folks into your life and you almost immediately recognize it from the start. Some others take time, but Marshall was a known factor from my first conversation with him and I still recall exactly where I was when that happened - that says something in itself. I think it’s important to hear guys like Marshall, he just hit his first year of recovery and is a shining example o...

Public Quit Announcement #2   Today, I want to talk about something extremely important to all of you just starting and to those with some Quit time already under your belts. Its called a Quit Plan, i.e., what are you going to do when the cravings are too much, or you are caught off-guard when a friend lights a cigarette next to you or cracks open a fresh can of Copenhagen just upwind of you. That...

Sharing some things that are going on lately as I approach my 50th birthday, talked a little about my home incarceration experience, about my 2017 trip to Japan, nicotine quitting and a few other rambling thoughts. We have some super cool guests coming up over the next few weeks, so stay tuned, also PQA #2 has been been included which speaks to having a Quit Plan - Keep your eyes open and your ear...

Public Quit Announcement #1 - Days 1-3, Am I Normal Everyone always wants to know about that first couple of days and how bad it is, or whether their’s was a normal experience.  Well, after Lord knows how many times I have gone through it, I can tell you that each one.... Listen for more... Are You Finally Ready to Quit?

The three banned bandito’s of nicotine quit picked up the microphones and chatted on a Saturday morning, discussions were primarily around Billy’s Quit journey, but also about quitting nicotine in general and what fun we used to have as we battled what was, and is still considered the Nic Bitch. The three of us met on a nicotine quitting website and our story is partially told here, and also in Ep...

My buddy Wayne came by the studio to share his story, he and I met in early 2015 as we were both finding our way, our dates are just a couple months apart. We saw each other regularly for the first year or so and then as things tend to happen, we found ourselves drifting apart. We are battle buddies of sorts, and those are lasting bonds. Then fate brought us back together through a mutual friend,...

“A Fighter’s Submission” Alex visited the studio on a Monday morning to tell his amazing story, and I promise you this one does not fit the script. Alex was a professional MMA fighter who had the world in his hands, yet, “everything” was still missing. A solid meditation practice kept him sane for a few years before he found 12 Step Recovery, then with a lot of hesitation, he waded in and now has...

Recovery: To Regain Something Lost or Stolen The Universe is opening up my thoughts as they pertain to the word "Recovery", I want to explore these various ways one might find that which was lost or stolen. As a divorcee, I know that was one of the toughest periods of my life, and I was unable to maintain my sobriety through that process.  When Bryann popped up on a podcaster's networkin...

I met Dave on a New Years Day, I don't know what year, I'm gonna guess 2015. Anyway, here comes this dude walking into Happy's Meditation with a big bronze singing bowl in his backpack. He started talking about goofy stuff like Yoga, and his personality grabbed me instantly. Neither knew the other was in recovery, and it took a few weeks before we bumped into one another in a meeting. His walk is...

I met Lisa in 2014 at a friend's meditation meeting above his garage, and I felt like Higher Power told me to "Watch what I do with this woman". Her energy was an immediate attraction. That story is recorded in the podcast, and so is the fact that Lisa was sentenced to 30 years in prison and served only nine months. I have told countless people the "I have not seen anyone work the steps and place...

On October 17, 2017, I bounced into a nicotine cessation website where groups of nicotine users were gathered in 30 day increments to begin a nicotine free lifestyle. We walked the cold turkey "Quit" path together, and with the help of others further down the path, some of us succeeded. One of the first guys I met was Jim A, also known as Colonel_No_Cope, later shortened to The Colonel.  Not only...

Nick and Mindy visited the studio to discuss recovery relationships in recovery . I often joke around about “resentments" being the number one offender, I disagree, "relationships" are the number one offender; I've heard "finances and romances" are some of the biggest threats to sobriety.  Somewhat a joke, but the fact is that relationships are hard to navigate, especially in early recovery....

I simply can't begin to express how much this man means to me, he held his hand out and brought me along side of him when I most needed a mentor, a spiritual guide, a lantern bearer... He showed me the path to recovery beyond my greatest expectations. He is the author of "Twelve Step Spiritual Recovery, How to Reclaim Your Original Self/Soul", he is my sponsor and above that, he is my best friend....

As I search for ways to carry this message to a broader audience, I am finding connections with other podcast hosts to be a great way to learn and to increase exposure. on today's episode, I was invited to Chef Salty Pork's "Pork and Wine" podcast. This is that conversation, check him out at the following links: https://www.youtube.com/c/porkandwine https://anchor.fm/chef-salty-pork https://www.in...

I met Mike in my very first Spiritual Underground meeting, and one point he was on my short list as a sponsor (listen to my story, Episode 122), Mike is a solid member of our tribe who has struggled with some things while remaining recovered. Those stories are discussed here and I know it important that we see challenges still exist and can be survived in a healthy manner as long as we continue to...

Typing show notes for this one is not easy, I really don't know what to say except that I was completely consumed by addiction at one point in my life and ended up with consequences that backed me into a corner that I felt there was no escape. The Twelve Steps revolutionized my entire being and that story is told in this podcast, I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed doing it.  Subscr...

Josh is just an awesome guy, he’s another one of the many that have come in to our group over the past few years, at the time this recording he was just over one year from his last use. I think it’s really important to tell the stories of how far person can come in such a short amount of time when they implement these tools the “right” way. Josh is really rocket it into the fourth dimension quickl...

I’m attending the MyPath festival down near Harrodsburg Kentucky on Memorial Day Weekend 2019, led to take a few minutes and share a little bit what’s going on down here and all the juiciness we are getting to experience. More info ->  MYPATH to Empowerment ~May 23-26, 2019~ "Empowerment is the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one's life and claimi...

Beginning in 2016, our home group began holding overnight retreats on private property in Southern Indiana, this is the sixth one of these. We began at noon on a Friday and grew to 32 men around the campfire meeting on Saturday night. Great food, awesome fellowship, and deep connections are enjoyed by all. Truly a fantastic time, it is transformational, if you ever get a chance to go on one of the...