Ep. 206 - Mingtong Gu - Qigong, Spirituality & Embodiment

THE UNIVERSE WITHIN PODCAST — EP. 206 - MINGTONG GUIn this episode, I speak with Mingtong Gu about his childhood in China during the Cultural Revolution, being adopted and moving from home to home, and eventually moving to the United States. We explore his lifelong longing to understand who he was and find a sense of home, his discovery of Qigong and deep immersion in the practice, spirituality, embodiment, the times we’re living through, AI, and much more. Mingtong brings a beautiful presence, depth, and wisdom to the conversation.Connect with Mingtong-----------SUPPORT THE UNIVERSE WITHIN PODCASTTo support the podcast, get early access to episodes, bonus material, and Q&As: Support the Podcast on Patreon-----------SPECIAL OFFERS FOR UWP LISTENERSREAL MUSHROOMSThis episode is sponsored by Real Mushrooms. UWP listeners receive 25% off their first order.Real Mushrooms — 25% off with code UNIVERSEMEA WATERIf you enjoyed my recent episode with Robert Gourlay and would like to learn more about MEA Water, UWP listeners receive 10% off all orders.MEA Water — 10% off with code UNIVERSE-----------DREAM MASTERCLASS: Jason & Merav’s masterclass on plant medicine dreams-----------SACRED TOBACCO: watch the documentary about Jason's work with sacred tobacco.-----------UPCOMING PLANT MEDICINE DIETAS & TRAININGSJason will be guiding his upcoming plant medicine dietas and trainings with his colleague Merav Artzi, whom he interviewed in Episode 28.November 2–30, 2026 — Sacred Valley, PeruDecember 9–16, 2026 — Remote Online DietaFebruary 7–March 7, 2027 — Sacred Valley, PeruMay 21–June 7, 2027 — PortugalJune 11–19, 2027 — LithuaniaJune 24–29, 2027 — Practitioner Training, PortugalFor more information about joining Jason and Merav, Jason's work, or future retreats:Nicotiana Rustica Website-----------WORK WITH JASONBook an Integration / Consultation CallNicotiana Rustica — Plant Medicine Dietas-----------SUPPORT THE UNIVERSE WITHIN PODCASTPatreonYouTube MembershipsPayPal-----------FOLLOW THE UNIVERSE WITHIN PODCASTWebsiteInstagramFacebook-----------MUSICNuno Moreno — Groove a Zen SoundStefan Kasapovski — Santero Project

THE UNIVERSE WITHIN PODCAST — EP. 205 - LUCAS BERGENDAHLIn this episode, I speak with Lucas Bergendahl about his childhood, his memories of past lives and how those memories began to fade, his experience of the dark night of the soul and the process of remembering, the development of his telepathic abilities, spirit guides, demons, healing people and animals, and much more. It was a fascinating conversation, and Lucas speaks from a place of deep experiential wisdom and a unique perspective on consciousness and the unseen world.Connect with Lucas-----------SUPPORT THE UNIVERSE WITHIN PODCASTTo support the podcast, get early access to episodes, bonus material, and Q&As: Support the Podcast on Patreon-----------SPECIAL OFFERS FOR UWP LISTENERSMEA WATERIf you enjoyed my recent episode with Robert Gourlay and would like to learn more about MEA Water, UWP listeners receive 10% off all orders.MEA Water — 10% off with code UNIVERSEN1O1 / NITRIC OXIDEIf you enjoyed my recent episode with Dr. Nathan Bryan and are curious to try nitric oxide, UWP listeners receive 10% off all orders at N1O1.N1O1 — 10% off with code UNIVERSE-----------DREAM MASTERCLASS: Jason & Merav’s masterclass on plant medicine dreams-----------SACRED TOBACCO: watch the documentary about Jason's work with sacred tobacco.-----------UPCOMING PLANT MEDICINE DIETAS & TRAININGSJason will be guiding his upcoming plant medicine dietas and trainings with his colleague Merav Artzi, whom he interviewed in Episode 28.November 2–30, 2026 — Sacred Valley, PeruDecember 9–16, 2026 — Remote Online DietaFebruary 7–March 7, 2027 — Sacred Valley, PeruMay 21–June 7, 2027 — PortugalJune 11–19, 2027 — LithuaniaJune 24–29, 2027 — Practitioner Training, PortugalFor more information about joining Jason and Merav, Jason's work, or future retreats:Nicotiana Rustica Website-----------WORK WITH JASONBook an Integration / Consultation CallNicotiana Rustica — Plant Medicine Dietas-----------SUPPORT THE UNIVERSE WITHIN PODCASTPatreonYouTube MembershipsPayPal-----------FOLLOW THE UNIVERSE WITHIN PODCASTWebsiteInstagramFacebook-----------MUSICNuno Moreno — Groove a Zen SoundStefan Kasapovski — Santero Project

THE UNIVERSE WITHIN PODCAST — EP. 204 - ANDY LETCHERIn this episode, I speak with Andy Letcher about Druidry, Celtic cosmology, European ancestral traditions, animism, plants and fungi, and deep ecology. We explore the role of plants and mushrooms in traditional European cultures, the more-than-human world, and the connections between these ancient traditions and the Amazonian plant medicine traditions that have shaped my own work.Andy was recommended to us by Dennis McKenna and brings a deep knowledge of these subjects and a thoughtful perspective on spirituality, ecology, and the revival of older traditions.Connect with Andy at EPIC-----------SUPPORT THE UNIVERSE WITHIN PODCASTTo support the podcast, get early access to episodes, bonus material, and Q&As: Support the Podcast on Patreon-----------SPECIAL OFFERS FOR UWP LISTENERSREAL MUSHROOMSThis episode is sponsored by Real Mushrooms. UWP listeners receive 25% off their first order.Real Mushrooms — 25% off with code UNIVERSEMEA WATERIf you enjoyed my recent episode with Robert Gourlay and would like to learn more about MEA Water, UWP listeners receive 10% off all orders.MEA Water — 10% off with code UNIVERSEN1O1 / NITRIC OXIDEIf you enjoyed my recent episode with Dr. Nathan Bryan and are curious to try nitric oxide, UWP listeners receive 10% off all orders at N1O1.N1O1 — 10% off with code UNIVERSE-----------DREAM MASTERCLASS: Jason & Merav’s masterclass on plant medicine dreams-----------SACRED TOBACCO: watch the documentary about Jason's work with sacred tobacco.-----------UPCOMING PLANT MEDICINE DIETAS & TRAININGSJason will be guiding his upcoming plant medicine dietas and trainings with his colleague Merav Artzi, whom he interviewed in Episode 28.November 2–30, 2026 — Sacred Valley, PeruDecember 9–16, 2026 — Remote Online DietaFebruary 7–March 7, 2027 — Sacred Valley, PeruMay 21–June 7, 2027 — PortugalJune 11–19, 2027 — LithuaniaJune 24–29, 2027 — Practitioner Training, PortugalFor more information about joining Jason and Merav, Jason's work, or future retreats:Nicotiana Rustica Website-----------WORK WITH JASONBook an Integration / Consultation CallNicotiana Rustica — Plant Medicine Dietas-----------SUPPORT THE UNIVERSE WITHIN PODCASTPatreonYouTube MembershipsPayPal-----------FOLLOW THE UNIVERSE WITHIN PODCASTWebsiteInstagramFacebook-----------MUSICNuno Moreno — Groove a Zen SoundStefan Kasapovski — Santero Project

THE UNIVERSE WITHIN PODCAST — Ep. 203 - ALAN SCHEURMANIn this episode, I speak with Alan Scheurman about his journey into psychedelics, spirituality, and the Shipibo-Konibo tradition. We explore how encounters with ayahuasca and peyote changed Alan's worldview and opened him to spirit; his work with initiation and dieta in the Shipibo tradition; his experiences guiding ceremonies and diets; and his critiques of contemporary psychedelic practice and the so-called “Psychedelic Renaissance.” Alan has been working in this field for many years and brings a depth of experience, perspective, and curiosity to these subjects.Connect with Alan-----------SUPPORT THE UNIVERSE WITHIN PODCASTTo support the podcast, get early access to episodes, bonus material, and Q&As: Support the Podcast on Patreon-----------SPECIAL OFFERS FOR UWP LISTENERSMEA WATERIf you enjoyed my recent episode with Robert Gourlay and would like to learn more about MEA Water, UWP listeners receive 10% off all orders.MEA Water — 10% off with code UNIVERSEN1O1 / NITRIC OXIDEIf you enjoyed my recent episode with Dr. Nathan Bryan and are curious to try nitric oxide, UWP listeners receive 10% off all orders at N1O1.N1O1 — 10% off with code UNIVERSE-----------DREAM MASTERCLASS: Jason & Merav’s masterclass on plant medicine dreams-----------SACRED TOBACCO: watch the documentary about Jason's work with sacred tobacco.-----------UPCOMING PLANT MEDICINE DIETAS & TRAININGSJason will be guiding his upcoming plant medicine dietas and trainings with his colleague Merav Artzi, whom he interviewed in Episode 28.November 2–30, 2026 — Sacred Valley, PeruDecember 9–16, 2026 — Remote Online DietaFebruary 7–March 7, 2027 — Sacred Valley, PeruMay 21–June 7, 2027 — PortugalJune 11–19, 2027 — LithuaniaJune 24–29, 2027 — Practitioner Training, PortugalFor more information about joining Jason and Merav, Jason's work, or future retreats:Nicotiana Rustica Website-----------WORK WITH JASONBook an Integration / Consultation CallNicotiana Rustica — Plant Medicine Dietas-----------SUPPORT THE UNIVERSE WITHIN PODCASTPatreonYouTube MembershipsPayPal-----------FOLLOW THE UNIVERSE WITHIN PODCASTWebsiteInstagramFacebook-----------MUSICNuno Moreno — Groove a Zen SoundStefan Kasapovski — Santero Project

Hey everybody! Episode 202 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Aviaja Rakel Sanímuinaq Kristiansen. I think this one of the more beautiful conversations I’ve had on this podcast. Rakel is a shaman of the Inuit people of Greenland. I think she speaks beautifully from a place of a deep experience knowledge of what she has discovered for herself, in her own journey of being born into a shamanic lineage, her struggles and shamanic illness, her journey of remembering, connecting with her ancestors and spirit, overcoming her fear through ceremony, and finding her calling and path in service of others. Rakel speaks with a beauty, grace and wisdom and I trust you all will gain much from her presence and wisdom. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!If you enjoyed our recent episode with Robert Gourlay and would like to purchase a MEA water device, as listeners of the show visit: https://meawater.com/universe and receive a 10% discount on all orders using the Coupon code: UNIVERSEThis episode is sponsored by Real Mushrooms (https://realmushrooms.com) As listeners, enjoy a discount of 25% off your first order at checkout using the Discount code: UNIVERSETo learn more about or contact Rakel, visit her Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/rakel_angakkerTo learn more about our work, visit our website: https://NicotianaRustica.orgTo view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wI will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:November 2-30: Sacred Valley of PeruDecember 9-16: Remote Online Dieta February 7- March 7, 2027: Sacred Valley of PeruMay 21 - June 6, 2027: Sacred Valley of PeruJune 11 - 19, 2027: LithuaniaJune 24 - 29, 2027: Practitioner TrainingIf you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgIntegration/Consultation call: https://nicotianarustica.org/consultationPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinYouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal donation: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikWebsite: https://jasongrechanik.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanikFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMusic: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

Hey everybody! Episode 201 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Adam Butler. Adam and I sat down and had a really interesting conversation about his background, his struggle with depression and how that led him to DMT, what DMT is and how it helped him, the space and entities that are encountered there, his views on healing and the work he is doing. He has a genuine passion for this work and wrote a great little book called Butler’s DMT Field Guide. I hope you enjoy this conversation and gain from Adam’s experience and wisdom. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!If you enjoyed our recent episode with Robert Gourlay and would like to purchase a MEA water device (https://meawater.com/universe), as listeners of the show, you receive a 10% discount on all orders using the Coupon code: UNIVERSEIf you enjoyed our recent episode with Dr. Nathan Bryan and are curious to try Nitric Oxide, as listeners of the show, you can receive a 10% discount on all orders from their WEBSITE at checkout by using the Coupon code: UNIVERSETo learn more about or contact Adam, visit his instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/thealchemistoftears/To learn more about our work, visit our website: https://NicotianaRustica.orgTo view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wI will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:September 1-8: Remote Online DietaNovember 2-30: Sacred Valley of PeruDecember 9-16: Remote Online Dieta February 7- March 7, 2027: Sacred Valley of PeruMay 21 - June 6, 2027: Sacred Valley of PeruJune 11 - 19, 2027: LithuaniaJune 24 - 29, 2027: Practitioner TrainingIf you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgIntegration/Consultation call: https://nicotianarustica.org/consultationPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinYouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal donation: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikWebsite: https://jasongrechanik.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanikFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMusic: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

Hey everybody! Episode 200 of the show is out. This episode is a podcast I was interviewed on called The Psychedelic Podcast hosted by Paul Austin. Paul has a great podcast and I was happy to be invited on. We spoke about my work, ayahuasca, tobacco, dietas, lineage and deeper aspects of this work. Paul has been involved in this work and field for a number of years so he led a great interview. I hope you all enjoy it. And if it resonated, consider supporting his work. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!If you enjoyed our recent episode with Robert Gourlay and would like to purchase a MEA water device (https://meawater.com/universe), as listeners of the show, you receive a 10% discount on all orders using the Coupon code: UNIVERSEThis episode is sponsored by Real Mushrooms (https://realmushrooms.com) As listeners, enjoy a discount of 25% off your first order at checkout using the Discount code: UNIVERSEIf you enjoyed our recent episode with Dr. Nathan Bryan and are curious to try Nitric Oxide, as listeners of the show, you can receive a 10% discount on all orders from their WEBSITE at checkout by using the Coupon code: UNIVERSETo learn more about or contact Jason, visit his website at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgTo learn more about or contact Paul, visit his website at: https://thethirdwave.coTo view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wI will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:September 1-8: Remote Online DietaNovember 2-30: Sacred Valley of PeruIf you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgIntegration/Consultation call: https://nicotianarustica.org/consultationPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinYouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal donation: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikWebsite: https://jasongrechanik.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanikFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMusic: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

Note: For the english version, see the previous episodeHola a todos! Ya está disponible el episodio 200 del pódcast. En este episodio conversé con Jacques Mabit. Jacques es el fundador de Takiwasi, el centro de medicina tradicional amazónica más antiguo y reconocido del Perú. Conozco el trabajo de Jacques desde hace muchos años, prácticamente desde que comencé a dedicarme a este camino. En 2013 visité Takiwasi y tuve la oportunidad de recibir un recorrido personal por sus instalaciones. Quedé muy impresionado por el lugar, el equipo humano y su enfoque terapéutico. Takiwasi no solo es un centro de sanación, sino también un centro de investigación, además de elaborar sus propios productos con estándares de altísima calidad. Takiwasi se ha especializado en el tratamiento de las adicciones a las drogas y cuenta con una tasa de éxito excepcionalmente alta. Me sentí muy feliz y honrado de que Jacques aceptara esta entrevista. Conversamos sobre su trayectoria, las diferencias entre las visiones del mundo occidental e indígena, la sanación, la ayahuasca, el tabaco, los desafíos y riesgos de este trabajo, y muchos otros temas. Considero que esta es una de mis entrevistas favoritas del pódcast. Jacques posee una sabiduría muy profunda y una perspectiva poco común, si no única, sobre la medicina tradicional amazónica. Esta conversación está llena de enseñanzas valiosas y espero que todos la disfruten. También quiero agradecer a Luis Solaratpor la locución. Como siempre, si deseas apoyar este pódcast, acceder anticipadamente a los episodios, disfrutar de contenido exclusivo y participar en sesiones de preguntas y respuestas, te invito a visitar mi página de Patreon, cuyo enlace encontrarás más abajo. Que lo disfruten!Para conocer más sobre Jacques o ponerte en contacto con él, visita el sitio web de Takiwasi: https://takiwasi.comPara ver el documental reciente, Sacred Tobacco, sobre mi trabajo, visita: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wJunto con mi colega Merav Artzi (a quien entrevisté en el episodio 28), estaré guiando nuestras próximas dietas con plantas medicinales en 2026: 1 al 8 de septiembre: Dieta en línea (modalidad remota) 2 al 30 de noviembre: Valle Sagrado del Perú Si deseas más información sobre cómo participar, conocer el trabajo que realizo o enterarte de futuros retiros, visita mi sitio web: https://NicotianaRustica.orgLlamadas de integración y consulta: https://nicotianarustica.org/consultationPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinÚnete al canal de YouTube y accede a beneficios exclusivos: https://bit.ly/YTPerksDonaciones vía PayPal: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikSitio web: https://jasongrechanik.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanikFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMúsica: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

Hey everybody! Episode 199 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Jacques Mabit. Jacques is the founder of the oldest and most renowned traditional Amazonian medicine center in Peru, Takiwasi. I have know about Jacques for many years, ever since I started doing this work. In 2013, I visited Takiwasi and was given a personal tour there. I was very impressed with their space, staff, and system of healing work. Takiwasi is not only a healing center but also a research center as well as producing their own products of a very high quality. Takiwasi has specialized in the treatment of drug addiction and has an extremely high success rate. I was very happy and honored that Jacque agreed to this interview. We spoke about his background, Western and indigenous worldviews, healing, ayahuasca, tobacco, pitfalls of this work, and much more. I think this is one of my favorite interviews on this podcast and Jacques has a deep wisdom and a very rare, if not unique, perspective on traditional Amazonian medicine. This interview is filled with a very deep wisdom and I hope you all enjoy it. Also thank you to Luis Solarat for the voiceover. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!To learn more about or contact Jacques, visit Takiwasi’s website at: https://takiwasi.comTo learn more about our work, visit our website: https://NicotianaRustica.orgTo view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wI will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:September 1-8: Remote Online DietaNovember 2-30: Sacred Valley of PeruIf you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgIntegration/Consultation call: https://nicotianarustica.org/consultationPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinYouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal donation: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikWebsite: https://jasongrechanik.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanikFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMusic: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

Hey everybody! Episode 198 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Matteo Politi. Matteo is an independent researcher who has specialized in pharmacology, phytotherpay, naturopathy, amongst other things, and for a number of years has been doing research at the renowned Peruvian Amazonian Medicinal center Takiwasi. We sat down and spoke about his background, the pharmaceutical industry, phytochemistry, Amazonian indigenous medicinal practices, his work at Takiwasi, and a more holistic approach to plants and human well-being. Matteo is a very deep thinker and I think is really creating a beautiful bridge between world views to create a more holistic way of working with plants and how we as humans can create a more biodiverse world. I think you all will gain much from his wisdom. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!If you enjoyed our recent episode with Robert Gourlay and would like to purchase a MEA water device (https://meawater.com/universe), as listeners of the show, you receive a 10% discount on all orders using the Coupon code: UNIVERSEThis episode is sponsored by Real Mushrooms (https://realmushrooms.com) As listeners, enjoy a discount of 25% off your first order at checkout using the Discount code: UNIVERSEIf you enjoyed our recent episode with Dr. Nathan Bryan and are curious to try Nitric Oxide, as listeners of the show, you can receive a 10% discount on all orders from their WEBSITE at checkout by using the Coupon code: UNIVERSETo learn more about or contact Matteo, visit Takiwasi’s website at: https://takiwasi.comTo learn more about our work, visit our website: https://NicotianaRustica.orgTo view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wI will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:September 1-8: Remote Online DietaNovember 2-30: Sacred Valley of PeruIf you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgIntegration/Consultation call: https://nicotianarustica.org/consultationPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinYouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal donation: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikWebsite: https://jasongrechanik.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanikFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMusic: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H