Encouraging listeners to examine their relationships with death and endings, Frank Ostaseski and Chris Grosso talk about living fully.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.

In this deep conversation, Chris and Frank Ostaseski go over:

• Death, dying, and what we can learn about living fully
• Death as our secret teacher
• The relief of impermanence versus the oppression of permanence
• Ram Dass’ idea of death being like taking off a tight shoe
• Breaking the walls of our identity and living a life that is more curious
• Frank’s 5 invitations to living well and dying without regret
• Witnessing transition through a different lens
• Perspectives on what happens after we die
• Being with people who are dying and walking side by side
• Working with fear and distinguishing emotion from object
• Setting aside our judgments and welcoming experiences

“To imagine that at the time of our dying, we’re going to have the mental stability, the emotional strength, the mental clarity to do the work of a lifetime, is a ridiculous gamble. The time for the conversation is now.” – Frank Ostaseski

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Come hang out with Chris Grosso and Brian Fair from the band Shadows Fall as they chat about life, meditation, and the golden eras of skateboarding and punk rock.

Today’s episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.

In this episode, Chris and Brian dive into:

• The new wave of skateboarding
• Brian’s initial exposure to metal music
• Skateboarding in the 1980’s and 90’s
• Growing up catholic and being disillusioned with religion
• Brian’s dabbling into meditation and Hatha yoga
• Music and movement as a form of meditation
• Moving away from perfectionism
• Being there for each other

About Brian Fair:

Brian Fair is an American musician from Massachusetts, best known as lead vocalist of the metalcore band Shadows Fall. He is a skateboarder, father, and thrives off yelling at people on stage. Keep up with Brian on Instagram.

“That’s what’s funny about meditation, and a reason why I think people may not realize it’s not just about sitting in silence. It’s about being fully in a moment regardless of what transported you there. It can happen through music, through physical movement, or through silence or stillness.” – Brian Fair

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In an enthralling discussion on the archetypes, myths, and symbols within the 12-step recovery program, Kikan Massara joins Chris Grosso.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.

This time on The Indie Spiritualist, Chris and Kikan dive into:

• A.A. and Chris’s journey with recovery
• The ways that everyone can benefit from the 12-steps of recovery
• Living an accountable life filled with integrity
• Kikan’s work making recovery more accessible for all
• Seeing universal principles within the steps
• Admitting powerlessness and recognizing this as a human experience
• Reading through Kikan’s interpretation of all of the 12 steps
• The beauty of having a community on a recovery journey
• Turning our will over to God and learning to ask for help
• How the ego can get in the way
• Making emotional decisions and why people end up in addictive processes
• Getting well for ourselves so we can help others

Get your copy of Kikan’s book, The 12 Steps — Symbols, Myths, and Archetypes of Recovery, HERE

About Kikan Massara:

Kikan is a psychotherapist, author, and creative. A passionate researcher of consciousness studies, meditation, and emotional health, she has long used visual arts, symbols, and myths in her practice to facilitate access to the empowering resources of the inner world. Her new book, The 12 Steps — Symbols, Myths and Archetypes of Recovery was published by TASCHEN in November 2023. Learn more about Kikan on her website.

“Admit powerlessness. Who hasn’t felt powerless over something in their lives? Who hasn’t been in despair over something they couldn’t change? Who hasn’t felt like an utter failure when they couldn’t change something by willpower alone? We’re not talking about helplessness here, which is so often learned in childhood, we’re talking about just the limits of being human.” – Kikan Massara

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