The Examined Life with Bram Levinson

There is too much to say about my latest guest on the podcast. You may know her from The Traitors Canada or from Big Brother Célébrités or from her ever-growing social media presence. Tranna Wintour is a writer, performer, comedienne, actress, reality TV personality and Montreal royalty. Her sharp wit, humour and perspective contribute to what makes her so celebrated and are surely what will conti...

I met Jen Millar in 2024 when I brought a group of yoga and meditation students to the retreat centre she and her husband, Stuart, own and operate on the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica and the rest, as they say, is history. Jen is a functional medicine nutritionist and health coach, and what she and Stu have created with Nereus Retreats in the jungle is inspiring and exactly what we need to find shar...

If you aren't familiar with Sam Demma, you should be. Sam is doing incredible things in the Keynote Speaking world, largely informed by his work in schools, auditoriums and arenas inspiring young adults (and older ones) to plug into higher-frequency vibrations. He has one book out (Empty Your Backpack), has another one (Be Someone's Taco) being released in just a few weeks, co-spearheads the Pickw...

As some of you know who follow me on social media, I crossed paths with photographer Robert Sturman a few weeks ago when I arrived in Costa Rica, and what a serendipitous crossing it was.  For those of you who don't know Robert or his work, you should. He is most commonly known for the photography he's done capturing images of prison inmates, war veterans and so many other people in their yoga/med...

I wrote Storyteller to spark recognition and commonality in readers who were reading the stories I shared from my life in the book. In the spirit of doing just that, bringing us together through hearing other people's stories, the Storyteller Series for this podcast was born.  For our first episode, I am so, so happy to share the conversation I had with internationally renowned author Catherine Mc...

A short minisode recorded deep in the Costa Rican jungle from Nereus Retreats to kick off the new season of the podcast! Not only has Storyteller been released into the world, but a very special new season of the podcast titled The Storyteller Series is dropping in the coming weeks. Some fascinating guests are lined up to share their own tales in the spirit of storytelling, so make sure to subscri...

The Italian Odyssey continues in full wonder and amazement...more travel, more friends (some new) and lots of serendipitous signs all around me. Enjoy and stay tuned for the final instalment from the land of carbs.

It all started with an invitation to officiate a wedding in Italy. With that wedding still days away, the past four days have been a whirlwind of all the things, culminating in an evening tonight that will go down in my memory as one of the greatest moments of my life. Enjoy, and I'm expecting your comments on my social media channels, so don't disappoint me :)))

How do a psychological modality for healing, Hindu scripture and mindfulness all intersect? The latest episode of the podcast brings together Internal Family Systems, the Upanishads and mindfulness to illuminate a path of healing that has played a huge role in my own healing and the wellness coaching I offer for clients. 

Doesn't it just seem like life is getting more and more constraining? Like we're being barraged by destabilizing information from all sides, all the time? This episode speaks directly to how life seems to be these days and offers some laughs, some insight and some helpful hacks to navigate your way through. 

On Tuesday, January 23, while onstage at Madison Square Garden, Madonna spoke about, and to, two nurses who had been on the frontlines during the HIV/AIDS epidemic in New York City in the 1980's and 1990's. Her words paid homage to these unsung heroes, and Valery Hughes and Ellen Matzer sat down with me for today's episode of the podcast to talk about their experiences, their bond and their shared...

After heading to Costa Rica for a yoga, meditation and mindfulness retreat in the jungle that elicited zero emotions or feelings leading up to it, I found myself with my heart blown open in a land of enchantment and wonder. Enjoy the contents of my heart and my mind as I felt compelled to share them in the moment. 

On my last full day in Paros, I got into the car and let intuition guide me to wherever I felt compelled to be on the island. I ended up in the mountains, no surprise there. Some thoughts at the tail end of an adventurous couple of months. 

A stream of (pre-considered) consciousness that may just change the way you think about certain things. Enjoy!

A frank and in-depth conversation with Sarah Wilkinson, a woman who has spent the last couple of years redesigning her life and who has some valuable insight and wisdom to show for it. 

As I take a day out of the sun, I can't help but reflecting on the past decade of offering the Paros wellness trip and gleaning some wisdom from it all. Enjoy!

Yoga philosophy tells us that attachment is an obstacle to finding truth, and mindfulness and meditation tell us that withdrawal of the person and the senses are essential, yet attachment theory tells us that every one of us will seek out someone to attach to and that that is not only ok, we are hardwired for it. To attach or not to attach, that is the question. How do we navigate conflicting mess...

Life had a major lesson in store for me over the last couple of months, and as I believe lessons are meant to be shared, let this one be a lesson that stays with us all. It all started back in 1988 with a Rolling Stone article that changed my life, and the rest...well give this episode a listen to find out the rest.

As has been the norm over the last few episodes, there has been an extended pause since this podcast has been updated. The sea change seems to be occurring, and I'm back, this time broadcasting from my other home away from home, England. Some musings and sharing to kick things back off, so enjoy.

What is it about beautiful geographical locations that resonates so much with us? And what can we do when, even in the most engaging moments, the mind wanders into the anxiety and rumination-inducing patterns? Welcome to The Woodpecker Rule, a daily mindfulness practice that is easy to use, available to us all, and is always helpful.

I am in Greece taking time and space for myself, and as I had hoped would happen (but could not have planned for), I woke up this morning with somewhat of an epiphany I felt compelled to share. Enjoy!

It's been nine months since the last episode, and I am back, this time recording live from Paros. Some thoughts, musings, epiphanies and observations I felt compelled to share, so enjoy! 

I have been talking to students this week about channeling the energy of calm and well-being that they find in their personal meditation or yoga practice out into the world for this Holiday season. Then, tonight, I came across a social media post my younger brother posted that introduced me to an initiative that does just that. Check out The Kindness Calendar and please make it your mindfulness pr...

Pandemica. Terror attacks. Election Day in the US. The fight for freedom and equality. We are living in a concentrated moment of life happening, and the tendency is to anesthetize from the discomfort it elicits in us. Don't. Here's why.

Happiness seems to be in short supply these days. All the more reason to talk about it, give some insight into it and dip into The Ashtavakra Gita to get some wisdom that will only steer us in the right direction, closer to happiness and closer to enjoying the ride. So enjoy the ride :)