#48 - Mandy Ramsdell

Bradley Lovell (@burntbybradley) is my friend with whom I've hiked across America on the Pacific Crest Trail, traveled to Nepal to live with a spiritual teacher, and who continues to inspire me to this day. In this podcast, we discuss artistic pursuit, child-like play vs. mature play in daily practice, and various tools for dissolving life's challenges. We then explore the ideas of the changing and unchanging Self, using sensations and feelings as guides, and waking up to the reality of suffering. Finally, we wrap things up by getting Bradley's perspective on being written into David's books. It was a blast of a conversation. I hope you enjoy the interaction as much as I did. Love, David 👣Connect to Guest👣 Bradley's Instagram: @burntbybradley   🙏Special thanks to Patrons🙏 http://patreon.com/thinkingwithdavid   👁Books, Blog, Podcast & More:👁 https://www.thinkingwithdavid.com   ✌️Connect with me, David✌️ Instagram: @stay.in.alive Facebook: @thinkdavidsmart Purchase my books: True Nature, The Trail Provides

Mandy Ramsdell is a spiritual teacher and creator of the Light on Earth YouTube channel.   I've been following Mandy's YouTube channel for nearly a year before the stars and our schedules finally aligned. On her channel, Mandy shares her experience with non-duality, the law of attraction, and spiritual awakening. In this conversation, we discuss these ideas and more, including truth, conceptual models, and teachers/gurus. I hope this reaches you at the right time in your life. Love, David 👣Connect to Guests👣 Mandy's YouTube: Light on Earth   🙏Special thanks to Patrons🙏 Support this work here: http://patreon.com/thinkingwithdavid   👁Books, Blog, Podcast & More:👁 https://www.thinkingwithdavid.com   ✌️Connect with me, David✌️ Instagram: @stay.in.alive Facebook: @thinkdavidsmart Read my memoir: The Trail Provides  

I'm extremely pleased to release this truth-telling, marathon-of-a-podcast featuring two of my closest college fraternity brothers and present-day homies, Bradley Lovell (@wake.shake.roll) and Alex Skold (@skoldblooded). This episode gets better and better as it goes along and those who stick around until the end will be greatly rewarded. We spend the first hour of the podcast in disagreement while attempting to sync up, a somewhat frustrating display of poor communication skills on all ends until Alex had to dip. From there, Bradley and I proceed onward, analyzing what went wrong, then dive into sharing deeply personal stories about relationships, integrating the shadow, and important lessons learned over these past few years. It's a showcase of vulnerability and honesty between friends, and a fascinating self-study of the great difficulties and great rewards of communication and connection. Strap in and enjoy the ride. Love, David 👣Connect to Guests👣 Instagram (Bradley): @wake.shake.roll Instagram (Alex): @skoldblooded   🙏Special thanks to Patrons🙏 Support this work here: http://patreon.com/thinkingwithdavid   👁Books, Blog, Podcast & More:👁 https://www.thinkingwithdavid.com   ✌️Connect with me, David✌️ Instagram: @stay.in.alive Facebook: @thinkdavidsmart Read my memoir: The Trail Provides  

Malcolm "Lil Bird" MacDuffie (@lilbirdtweettweet) is a hip-hop artist, meditator, and friend. I've been a fan of Lil Bird and his music for the last year, so when he agreed to come on the podcast, I was stoked. The vibe of Malcolm's music resonates and feels to me highly melodic, lyrical, and intentional—birdsong, you could say. In our conversation, Malcolm pulls back the curtain to reveal his musical process as we discuss the importance of opening up to others, sharing your true self, the influence of meditation and isolation on his creativity, and the formation of his most recent album, Yellow Bird, which he wrote on a goat farm in a tiny, secluded Airbnb cabin. Featured on the podcast is one of my favorite songs of his, "Home/Sunshine." Stick around until the end to hear Lil Bird serenade us with an acoustic version of his hit song "Always." It was truly inspiring to speak with an artist who so consistently puts out high quality and highly intentional music while simultaneously living a simple, balanced, and mindful life. Here's to many more years of success, brother. Lil Bird is on the come up at this very moment, so watch out for this guy and go listen to his music, yall—he's the real deal. If you didn't know, now you know. Hope you enjoy the conversation. Love, David 🐥Connect to Lil Bird🐥 Instagram: http://instagram.com/lilbirdtweettweet Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6P2eLfUASOvfwRDTv9BVRp?si=ZlpGQly8SUqAq_KLyHr4ig 👁Blog, Podcast & More:👁 https://www.thinkingwithdavid.com ✌️Connect with me, David✌️ Instagram: http://instagram.com/stay.in.alive Facebook: http://facebook.com/thinkdavidsmart 🙏Special thanks to🙏 Patrons, for your financial support. http://patreon.com/thinkingwithdavid Friends & Family, for your love and support. 🏕Purchase my thru-hiking memoir, The Trail Provides🏕 Ebook/Paperback/Audiobook (affiliate): https://amzn.to/304PqLK 🎙Sign up to Audible and claim the audiobook for free (affiliate): https://www.audible.com/pd/B07QXM9ZPT/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-149999&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_149999_rh_us Thanks and wishing you well. Love, David 💛

Kristina Licare (@journey.to.the.heart) is a relationship coach, television scriptwriter and awakened human being. Kristina's online content guides others toward complete freedom from suffering by dissolving one's tendencies to identify with patterns of thought and form.   Kristina's content reached me at just the right time in my life, a challenging time when many of my closest relationships are shifting. I deeply appreciate Kristina's efforts in creating clarity around the topic of awakening, something that's subject to a lot of confusion and misconceptions. I can see how having a silent mind helps in this endeavor, a full-time experience she's gradually awakened to in the last five years.   In our conversation, we discuss the space between thoughts, Kristina's awakening, the importance of presence in relationship, the difference between feeling sensations and becoming them, and of course, Kristina's alien friend.   ✨Connect to Kristina✨ Instagram: @journey.to.the.heart   🙏Special thanks to Patrons🙏 Support this work here: http://patreon.com/thinkingwithdavid   👁Books, Blog, Podcast & More:👁 https://www.thinkingwithdavid.com   ✌️Connect with me, David✌️ Instagram: @stay.in.alive Facebook: @thinkdavidsmart Read my memoir: The Trail Provides

Brian Johnson (@brianmovement) is an exercise physiologist, integral philosopher, and the owner/teacher of The Movement Standard, a movement school teaching principles inspired by Ido Portal.   In this podcast episode, we explore Brian's path of self-development, his interest and growth in body/health/nutrition, and the legendary origin story of The Movement Standard located here in the heart of Dallas, Texas. Delight in the stories, laughter and philosophy and be sure to join us for the one-minute meditation near the start of the episode. You will thank yourself for it.   Oh, and I forgot to say this at the end of the audio—thanks for coming on the show, Brian!   Cheers, and enjoy the show.   -David   👣Connect to Brian & The Movement Standard👣 Instagram: @brianmovement Instagram: @themovementstandard Website: The Movement Standard   🙏Special thanks to Patrons🙏 Support this work here: http://patreon.com/thinkingwithdavid   👁Books, Blog, Podcast & More:👁 https://www.thinkingwithdavid.com   ✌️Connect with me, David✌️ Instagram: @stay.in.alive Facebook: @thinkdavidsmart Read my memoir: The Trail Provides

Mark England (@markengland2020) the founder of Procabulary and Enlifted Athletes, online programs designed to improve our language to reduce suffering, achieve personal goals, and strengthen our connection to ourselves and others.   This podcast is about the power of words. Words shape our stories, identities, realities and ultimately, our destinations. May we think/speak/write them wisely.   🙏Special thanks to Patrons🙏 Support this work here: http://patreon.com/thinkingwithdavid   👁Books, Blog, Podcast & More:👁 https://www.thinkingwithdavid.com   ✌️Connect with me, David✌️ Instagram: @stay.in.alive Facebook: @thinkdavidsmart Read my memoir: The Trail Provides  

Here's the latest episode of the podcast, featuring yours truly talking to myself.  In the midst of ego backlash, I discuss my uncertain future, taking a break from the podcast, and creating space. I do my best to point you/me in helpful directions. Here are some of the links and resources I can provide you with to aid in your journey: - Difficult Conversations by Douglass Stone: useful audiobook/ebook on navigating difficult conversations - Procabulary: an effective language course by Mark England - Actualized.org: an insightful YouTube channel by Leo Gura - Vipassana Retreats: 10-day, donation-based meditation retreats - Spiral Dynamics Resources: Leo Gura Intro, Liturgists Intro Love, David Access Early Podcast/Blog Content: Subscribe to Patreon: bit.ly/twdpatreon Subscribe to the Blog: bit.ly/twdblogsubscribe Connect with David: Blog, Stories, Podcast & More: thinkingwithdavid.com/ Instagram: @stay.in.alive Read my book: The Trail Provides

Kurshot Akyuz (@kurshot) is a digital nomad, adventurer, freedom seeker, friend, and creator of the online program Ultimate Freedom Lifestyle. I was excited to reconnect with my friend Kurshot to pick his brain on topics like building an online course for aspiring digital nomads, studying the ways of Tony Robbins, Tim Ferriss, and Gary V, taking psychedelics, softening the ego, and finding the space to step back from grinding to gain perspective on what's really important in life. I'm inspired by Kurshot's authenticity and his uncanny ability to speak his truth. He's studied personal development for many years, and it shows. Life is filled with problems, and to think we will avoid them is delusion. May we all continue to find the tools necessary to lift us out from the valleys of life and to reprogram our minds to return to freedom and beautiful states of being. Without further adieu, please enjoy this inspiring and laid-back chat with my dear friend, Kurshot! Love, David Access Early Podcast/Blog Content: Subscribe to Patreon: bit.ly/twdpatreon Subscribe to the Blog: bit.ly/twdblogsubscribe Connect with David: Blog, Stories, Podcast & More: thinkingwithdavid.com/ Instagram: @stay.in.alive Read my memoir: The Trail Provides

Today I'm joined by my two younger brothers, Duncan (25; @smartdunc) and Philip (20; @philipsmart) to discuss stories of mischief and misbehavior, our influence on each other's life paths, how we contribute to the family, the role of creativity in our lives, and what brotherhood means to us.   It's such a treat to get my family involved with this on-going project, and I thank my brothers for engaging in something that might be out of their comfort zone. I think we are all stronger because of it. :) Without further adieu, please enjoy this episode feat. the Smart Brothers!   Love, David   Access Early Podcast/Blog Content: Subscribe to Patreon: bit.ly/twdpatreon Subscribe to the Blog: bit.ly/twdblogsubscribe Connect with David: Blog, Stories, Podcast & More: thinkingwithdavid.com/ Instagram: @stay.in.alive Read my memoir: The Trail Provides