The DPO Project

Don't let a good crisis go to waste.  This week Zi and Vindesh dive deep into the pathology of pandemics and how the cultural landscape has become a ground zero for viral rumors.  The response to COVID-19 is like a dress rehearsal for when another mass event occurs.  So this is an opportunity.  It's an opportunity to step back and assess our resources, relationships, and mental health.  Self-care...

We've set ourselves up for this. Being disconnected from nature and shifting narratives to support our individualistic perspective of the world has not been sustainable. Zi and Vindesh break down the signs and patterns in our society that have led to the madness of the crowds. Normalizing unhealthy behavior has compromised our immune systems. Zi describes techniques to improve your immunity as wel...

We all understand there can be consequences to our speech, but not every offense is an assault.  Without contemplation and humility, we lose opportunities to better ourselves.  Seeking knowledge becomes arduous if it does not meet our expectations.  Zi and Vindesh discuss the difference between an offense and a threat.  Accept that people may you see in the way you don't see yourself. The irony of...

  On this episode of a two part series, Zi and Vindesh discuss what it means to be offended.  One word too far in a performance, and a comedian is no longer booked.  The professor treads politics in order to avoid getting fired.  Our words become lawsuits held against us, but what is really behind offensiveness? Zi talks about coming to terms with yourself and observing what happens when you feel...

Words are powerful, malleable, and are modified each generation.  When we think of duty or being of service, we immediately feel burdened and tasked with too much responsibility.  It's not my job.  I don't feel like it.  I'll do it when I'm in the mood.  This narrative begins to impact every area of our life.  Our biggest responsibility is to be dutiful to ourselves, so that we can nourish our rel...

We've all had that moment after a conversation with someone who we just met, or have known for quite sometime, and thought, "what a character!" On this podcast, Vindesh and Master Zi discuss the elements of character building. When building our own character, we can find clarity in our relationships with friends, family, and coworkers.  Like a chef in the kitchen, we can look at traits the same wa...

Hello Everyone, We are back with new episodes of the Dispassionate Observer Podcast.  While on hiatus, we worked on our new project called Dharma Media.  Some of you know that Zi Malonga has been in the health and wellness industry for over 30 years, so we started producing online classes, instructional work out programs, and documentaries showcasing Zi’s students and their journey to better healt...

Dignity starts with honoring yourself. When we pursue our passions, express our ideas, and cultivate close relationships...when we fully embrace our humanity...life becomes joyful and free flowing. Our spirit shines like the stars we see in the dark night sky. Each day we hold an opportunity to leave our mark on the divine. Being true to ourselves not only increases our own life force, but allows...

Our affiliations with organizations, groups, and our personal narratives can lead to certain limitations.  They can limit our progress with our health and the way we connect with those around us.  In an effort to feel like we belong, we face the possibility of losing ourselves in group think.  Our health works the same way.  When we ask ourselves what we are willing to give up, we find freedom to...

Checklists can be extremely useful. We use checklists to figure out why a baby cries. To make sure that a surgeon operates on the right patient. To prevent planes from falling out of the sky. But we rarely use checklists on ourselves.   And we miss a huge opportunity. Oftentimes, our physical maladies and mental anguish stem from a few simple causes. We feel depressed because we drink too much, or...

Our minds struggle with complexity and uncertainty. We simply cannot process all of the information and possibilities that the world presents. So we create our own reality. We reduce the world to labels and simple narratives. She is “shy” and “introverted.” He is such a “jerk!” We then weave these strands together into a mental fabric: the fabric of our reality. And we do our best to hold this fab...

We tend to blame others for our problems. My boss is ruining my career...my partner makes unreasonable demands...other people are just so freakin' annoying! Similarly, we regret our past decisions. If I had married my college sweetheart, my life would have been perfect. And we hang our hopes on the future. Once I retire, my life will be great! Yet even if others have hurt us, or our past decisions...

Strength starts with the core. In sports, a strong midsection can improve balance, stability, and explosiveness. Movement and coordination originate within the core and project outwards. The same principle holds true in life. Our success, and our happiness, depend on a strong sense of self. Confidence in our abilities. Clarity of purpose. Contentment with who we are. Absent a strong sense of self,...

OH GOD...I can't find my KEYS!  NO, NO, NO! The waiter SCREWED UP MY ORDER! OH LORD, Amazon delivered the WRONG PACKAGE!   Collectively, we have become addicted to panic. We have normalized urgency. Minor inconveniences cause us to break down in tears and frustration. We sense this frenzy in the tone of someone's voice, or the crazed look in their eyes. Most of the time, we are safe and secure, ye...

Part II - We talked about what matters, and defining what matters to us... but is it worth it? Are our lifestyle choices WORTH our time? Our energy? The demands they place on our health? To answer this question, we need to know the value of what we sacrifice. Are WE worth it? What is the value of our health? Our peace of mind? The pleasure of our company? Examine your life. Develop conviction in y...

Nowhere to run to, baby. Nowhere to hide. When desires are endless. And the demons are inside. The mind loves to run. It runs towards hopes and dreams, towards a future that promises success and love and self-esteem and peace of mind. It runs away, away from the present, from the boredom and insecurity and anxiety that we feel. Yet in reality there is nowhere to run! How can we run towards a fanta...

Contentment is the highest state of being. It is absolute, unconditional. It does not depend on circumstances beyond our control. It does not demand that others act in certain ways. It guarantees our freedom. Well yes, but... “Yes, but you don’t understand. My boss is a jerk. I recently lost my home. My marriage just ended. How can I feel content?” To hell with these excuses! Contentment does not...

We talked about what matters, and defining what matters to us... but is it worth it? Are our lifestyle choices WORTH our time? Our energy? The demands they place on our health? To answer this question, we need to know the value of what we sacrifice. Are WE worth it? What is the value of our health? Our peace of mind? The pleasure of our company? Examine your life. Develop conviction in your self-w...

We all want to feel safe, from disease, from pain, from irrelevance, from loss. So we create our own world inside the real world. A world with certain rules. A world that says, if we treat others well, good things will happen. Or a world that says, If we make a lot of money, we will feel important and other people will respect us.    We establish this world to protect ourselves from the real world...

Our lives feel incredibly important, to us. Our needs, our priorities, take center stage. Yet no one else cares! Others have their own needs, their own priorities. Our existence amounts to a brief flash in the infinities of space and time. Soon after we die, the world will forget we existed.  Our irrelevance feels terrifying. We want to believe that our life is important, that it counts for someth...

What matters to us in life? What makes us feel passionate, excited, energized, and engaged? Without clarity on what matters, life loses its color and texture. We simply go through the motions and our spirit quietly dies. Decide what matters to you. Not what society, or politicians, or family, or religion, tell you should matter. But what truly resonates with you and sustains you. And then build yo...

We have learned to equate "more" with happiness. Yet "more" undermines its own objectives, it guarantees our unhappiness. If we always need more, we always feel insecure and discontent. Instead of searching for more, learn to ask, "What is Enough?" By defining what is enough...enough money, enough status, enough activity...we create the capacity to enjoy life. To feel successful. And to appreciate...

Freedom is vital to the human experience. Generations have fought and died for freedom. Our society celebrates its freedom...but are we truly free? And if not, how can we reclaim our freedom, reclaim the richness and beauty of life, and express the true essence of ourselves?  ~VinDesh  Please Subscribe  

What matters to us in life? What makes us feel passionate, excited, energized, and engaged? Without clarity on what matters, life loses its color and texture. We simply go through the motions and our spirit quietly dies. Decide what matters to you. Not what society, or politicians, or family, or religion, tell you should matter. But what truly resonates with you and sustains you. And then build yo...

We want to be happy, we try so hard to be happy, but the harder we try, the worse that we feel. Does this sound familiar?    Many of us approach life with the wrong strategy. We make a simple mistake that guarantees our unhappiness. We call this mistake the Original Error, the original source of our pain. By correcting this mistake, by changing our life strategy, we may discover much greater joy a...