The Art of Active Relaxation: Sir John Kirwan

In his superb book No Self, No Problem: How Neuropsychology is catching up to Buddhism Chris Niebauer explains how the left side of the brain — brilliant at language and problem-solving — also creates constant mental chatter. It labels, judges, compares, and spins stories, including the biggest story of all — the idea of a solid identity or self-concept. But this overthinking isn’t who we are — it’s just a habit of the left brain doing what it does. In this conversation, Chris shares how recognising this can free us from getting caught in endless thought loops, helping us drop back into the present moment where clarity, ease, and creativity naturally arise. Key Insights: The left brain is responsible for language, categorization, and creating a narrative of who we are Our thinking mind is not our true self, but a survival mechanism that generates constant stories Suffering often leads people to spiritual exploration and understanding consciousness The right brain represents intuition, playfulness, and immediate experience Consciousness is fundamental, not an emergent property of the brain Meditation and self-inquiry can help us recognize the space between thoughts Themes Explored: The illusion of self Limitations of psychology and materialism Flow states and intuition The role of suffering in personal growth Potential of AI and consciousness If you would like to explore more you can sign up for my free mini-course on finding flow: https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-mini-course Or get in touch about 1:1 explorations: https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-coaching Other links: YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book Website: simonmundie.com Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Success is not synonymous with happiness and wellbeing. So many high performers reach the top of the proverbial Everest only to discover that it did not provide the lasting satisfaction that it seemed to promise. One such person is Caitlyn Jenner, who won gold in the Olympic decathlon in 1976. However, the issues that were bubbling away under the surface were free to reassert themselves once the Games were over. If you would like to explore more you can sign up for our free mini-course on beating burnout and finding flow: https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-mini-course Or get in touch about 1:1 explorations: https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-coaching Other links: YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book Website: simonmundie.com Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Philosopher and consciousness researcher Bernardo Kastrup argues that reality isn’t made of matter — it’s made of mind. And that insight, if true, changes everything: how we relate to each other, how we handle grief, how we understand mental illness, and even how we live day to day. In this conversation, Simon and Bernardo explore what it means to live from a worldview that sees all of life as interconnected. They go deep into fear, death, empathy, identity, and the consequences of seeing through the illusion of separation — not as a spiritual ideal, but as an existential truth. They discuss: Why Bernardo fears death — and what it might mean to merge with all suffering The lived consequences of seeing others as yourself How this view affects grief, kindness, and the way we consume Where materialism breaks down — and what might replace it Why moments of flow, play, and stillness matter more than we realise The role of madness and suffering in our evolution as a species Bernardo's book Analytic Idealism in a nutshell: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Analytic-Idealism-Nutshell-straightforward-metaphysics/dp/1803416696 You can watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8yTY3Fw1Ns&t=233s If you would like to explore more you can sign up for our free mini-course on beating burnout and finding flow: https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-mini-course Or get in touch about 1:1 explorations: https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-coaching Other links: YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book Website: simonmundie.com Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“How you do anything is how you do everything.” That’s the core of Ryan Holiday’s message in this bitesize episode. The bestselling author of The Obstacle is the Way shares why Stoicism — which he calls “the most practical of all philosophies” — is ultimately about action. Every moment is a chance to show up fully, to do our best, and to live in alignment with our values. We won’t always succeed — but we can always try. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve all said it — “there just aren’t enough hours in the day.” But Jasmin Paris proves otherwise. In 2019, she won the gruelling 268-mile Spine Race — not only becoming the first woman to win it, but beating the men’s course record by 12 hours. Alongside being an elite ultrarunner, Jasmin is a mum, a vet, and lives a full family life. She’s a brilliant example of what it looks like to prioritise what truly matters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do so many of us feel anxious, disconnected, or low — even when, on the surface, life looks fine? Psychologist and author Dr Margaret Paul believes the answer lies in self-abandonment — the subtle but powerful ways we disconnect from our feelings, judge ourselves, and hand responsibility for our emotional lives to others. In this episode, Simon is joined by the creator of the Inner Bonding process, a six-step pathway to healing that’s helped tens of thousands of people reconnect to themselves. This conversation is particularly personal — as Margaret’s work had a big impact on Simon’s life over a decade ago, and continues to inform his own work around burnout, flow and self-leadership today. What we explore: The four core ways people abandon themselves How digital distraction keeps us emotionally disconnected What it means to develop a “loving adult” inner voice Practices for tuning into your feelings with compassion How this work can transform relationships, leadership and wellbeing https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-mini-course https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-coaching My links: Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie Website: simonmundie.com Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/ [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr Emma Seppälä — psychologist, author of Sovereign, and faculty at Yale and Stanford — explains why you can’t think your way out of anxiety, and how the breath, body and nervous system hold the key to deep emotional healing. https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-mini-course https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-coaching My links: Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie Website: simonmundie.com Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/ [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

‘I am the master of my stress mechanisms’ Wim Hof – aka the Iceman – says that our obsession with comfot comes at a great cost. What’s the answer? To go consciously into stressful situations, to change our relationship to it. https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-mini-course https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-coaching My links: Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie Website: simonmundie.com Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/ [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Burnout isn’t just a buzzword — it’s a creeping, physiological and psychological disconnection that’s become all too common in high-achieving cultures. And often, the people most affected are the ones least likely to see it. In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Clare Ashley — author of A Burnout Doctor and former NHS medic — who knows this terrain from the inside. After her own collapse early in her medical career, Clare began to explore burnout not just as a condition, but as a message. We explore: Why denial is often a hallmark of burnout The subtle early signs we tend to ignore How purpose, community and autonomy act as protective forces Why 20% of meaningful work can shift everything How burnout recovery ties in with self-awareness, flow and intention This is a vital conversation — especially if you’ve been pushing through, wondering why you’re so tired, or feel like something’s been missing. 👉 To go deeper, check out my free mini-course on burnout and flow at simonmundie.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feeling anxious? One of the best ways to address anxiety can be through improving the health of your gut microbiome - which produces serotonin (think SSRI antidepressants) and GABA (think Valium). Improving gut health is something I am passionate about - and I’m delighted @tim.spector could join me on A New Way of Being https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-mini-course https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-coaching My links: Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie Website: simonmundie.com Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/ [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices