In this episode, I sit down with Case Bradford to explore the intersection of community, spirituality, and holistic health. We delve into the raw milk movement and its role in fostering decentralized exercise groups, emphasizing the importance of community and shared values. Our conversation touches on the power of prayer and spirituality in enhancing personal well-being and the significance of bringing people together through shared interests and activities. We also reflect on personal journeys of overcoming fear and resistance to achieve personal growth and contribute positively to our communities.
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Whenever you wanna do anything great, the the greater the thing that you wanna do, the more fear that's gonna come to mind, that's gonna hold you back. There's a resistance in the war of art. And the more fear that you feel, the more resistance that you have to doing that thing, the the more you'll wanna lean in and kind of bring forth the hero within you to to conquer that and slay that dragon and bring that service to your community to bring people together. I sit down with Case Bradford, and we talk about raw milk movement meetups, which is like a decentralized
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exercise group that can happen anywhere in your community. We We talk about prayer, spirituality, why community is important. I hope you get a lot of value from this episode. And as always, America Plus is a value for value show. What that means is I'll never have any advertising. So if you're getting any value from this, please like, share, subscribe, follow me. And if you wanna support me financially, go to the links down below or in a modern podcast app. Thanks. You said you were gonna go. I was like, oh, shit. I think I might meet Case in real life. And, the day you met me, dude so we were up up at the up at the farm.
I was about half a bottle of wine into that first encounter. So your first impression, we might have been a little wild, but, regardless, I was grateful, and I am and I'm still grateful. So do you remember any of that? I'd it rings a bell. I that's what I would have guessed, and I have
[00:01:20] Unknown:
a tendency if I see someone running about raw milk and sharing the power of raw milk on the Internet, then I like to connect with them, especially if I see that they're located somewhere nearby. And then I usually invite them to the movement meetup group, which has really grown and evolved through the connection around raw milk. And Los Angeles is, like, the kind of the core nexus of of that group as it's grown. Because I know if you're into raw milk, then you're probably aligned with other values that that that I share around, like, holistic health and sovereignty. So those that's, like, a a keystone thing for me to connect with people is is around that because I'm very passionate about it. It's it's a really powerful
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part of our culture, and so I'm glad that we're able to connect around that and meet at Raw Farms, which is an amazing place. It was holy. It It was a holy experience. I was about and then a few hours later, I was, like, two bottles of wine in, and I'm, like, talking to the cows. And I'm, like, thanking I'm thanking the cows for their milk. Like, that's where I was, dude. That's really where I was. The prints ended. It really was, dude. The sunset there was so awesome. Yeah. It's funny. Like, I got into raw milk only because I was having, issues with almond milk. I was drinking almond milk for about seven years, and I wasn't even trying to be ideological about food. I was keto, but I was just trying to not have stomachaches.
And then I find some random videos about some some parents getting raw milk for their for their children and their children not having any, digestion issues after that. And then I chose to try it, and then I fall down this rabbit hole of raw milk. And then I find you, and, it's interesting because, like, I wasn't, like, seeking, like, I wasn't seeking to be a part of a group like like, the group that you've sort of, like, loosely created. But it's, like, at the same time, it's it's created such widen my horizons a bit more, like, what type of people I wanna surround myself with. Because I sort of grew up with people who, you know, just like I guess we can just call them normies. You know? They're just drinking the almond milk. They're they're doing the normal things with their with their life. But they're, like, you know, they're good people, and they're working hard.
But it's such a different vibe. I I call you guys the Santa Monica crew because, like, you know, just everyone is like I just happens to be in Santa Monica, and I'm not. But I find so much, like, hope in, like, a group like the movement meetup and just, like, the guys that we've, like, surrounded ourselves with because they are just it's a different type of mindset that I didn't think existed, and I wasn't seeking that.
[00:04:02] Unknown:
Were you? I was I was seeking it. I was seeking to cultivate and share it. So it's great to hear that it is having the intended effect on you where you realize, like, oh, there are other people out there like this because I was very lonely throughout my twenties, and and I was seeking other people like me. And, eventually, as I started to find other people, I thought, well, if I bring us all together and I'm able to then amplify that vibration or or that state of being or that mindset to to a greater level because as you connect and cultivate community, you're then able to become more than the sum of the parts. And that's the power of any congregation is that you're able to send a a greater sense of self into the into the broader Mhmm. You know, community through through that, through gathering and and through celebrating things that you
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value and support. Yeah. Did that happen during COVID? Like because COVID, like, radicalized me, dude. I was, like, so, like I was at the park every day during COVID. You know, before the movement meetups, I was just at the park. I wanted to be at the park. My my gym was closed down, and I got into working out with kettlebells and steel maces and the clubs. And I just I was just naturally I gravitated towards the park. Like, did that happen? Was it, like, a similar story with you during COVID?
[00:05:18] Unknown:
Yes. It was. Start training more outside and eventually really wanted to connect with other people. I don't remember exactly when it began. It was maybe '21 or '22, but COVID really liked the the lockdowns and the aftereffects of
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that really, like, lingered for years in in LA. I don't even know when it, like, technically ended. It's like COVID was three years for LA. Three years. Yeah. It was, like, a few months for some states because I have family in Arizona, and lockdowns were, like, three months maybe. Not even not even three months. Like, they were all open by May. So and LA was just forever, and that just really screwed everyone up. Exanity.
[00:05:58] Unknown:
Exanity on so many levels. So to be able to seek to bring people together, that was that was a primary objective that it took a while for my objective to sort of manifest into what it is now, which was the ultimate aim where it's this thing that's growing organically sort of outside of me. I could leave, which I did for earlier this year or a few months, and it was still happening on some level. And that was always the goal. So it's it's good to see that it got there. It took a long and I think if I were to start it somewhere new, it would happen a lot faster now that I have learned sort of how to get it going. But it's exciting to see it have success here from the kernel of the idea of, like, maybe this will work. And now it's it's spreading in in Miami.
Just yesterday, Miami had their first meetup, and there was, like, 50 people in that group chat, and eight people showed up. So I'm really excited to see it spread there and hoping that it spreads all over because it has been such a powerful thing.
[00:06:48] Unknown:
Yeah. Decentralized movement. That's also a good sign of, like, a good leader. Like, whenever, like, a leader starts something and then they leave, sometimes or so many times, the thing falls apart when they leave. But I think that's really interesting how there's this idea of a decentralized thing where, yes, one person starts it, one person initiates it, but then they can just walk away for whatever reason. Maybe they're just on vacation or something bigger, and then the thing still happens because people see the value in it. People see the value in the deeper idea. That's what I love about it, dude. Like, that's just it's so powerful because it's different from the gym. It's different from Orangetheory.
It's different from so many different types of fitness groups. Different from run clubs. You know? Like, it's radically different. And maybe it's, like, a bit niche because it's at the beach and stuff like that, and not everywhere has a beach. You know, more more areas have roads to run on than they have beaches to to move on. Yeah. But, it's still very interesting, and it's, like, a beautiful thing. And it's, like, I feel like we've, like, lined up with stuff, you know? Like, I'm not even trying to get political, but just, like, RFK Jr existing in the world and, like, him just being, like, a raw milk guy and him just, like, being a a health guy. Like, that's sort of brought in these types of ideas to the mainstream.
You know? And I think that's really interesting.
[00:08:09] Unknown:
Yeah. It is good because it's true, and it's nice to see things that are true rising to the top and into the collective consciousness because there's been so much illusion for so long that has been dominating the public consciousness. So it's nice to see things that are good and right and true begin to proliferate because that's how we make the world a better place ultimately. Yeah.
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How do we make the world a better place? Do people just need to make keep moving? Do we need more exercise? Do we need more, like, fitness programs?
[00:08:38] Unknown:
We definitely need more movement. There's a lot of stagnation that is holding people back. And I don't know if that necessarily needs to be fitness programs or No. Exercise per se. Those mean different things to different people. But any way you can get more movement into your life is, generally speaking, gonna be positive on your quality of life. Yeah. It's just so difficult because, like, out here in California,
[00:09:03] Unknown:
like, we're on the edge of western civilization. And, like, we have access to a beach, and we have, like, we have this, like, instinct to move. And then I might visit home in Arizona, and specifically now, just because it's summer, it's fucking one eighteen. You know? It's like, you're not gonna go outside. Even, like, us. Like, we're probably not gonna go outside at one eighteen and and try to do some jumps and stuff like that. Like, we're looking for an indoor environment. We're looking for air conditioning, and that usually just means gyms. And that usually means bodybuilding. And that usually means, like, very strict up and down square types of workouts. And I've just been trying to think about how to, like, break the mold.
And I still don't know how, but I feel like we just need more CrossFit. We need more, like and I'm not I'm not even saying CrossFit as, like, that brand, but, like, we need more cross across the aisle fitness situations. You know? Yeah. Because I see value in the bodybuilding, and I see value in, like, the jump squats at the same time. Yeah. You know? There's value in the bear crawl. So it's just like it I I don't know how to break this mold as, like, a culture.
[00:10:15] Unknown:
I just got back from a a week long training camp for a movement modality known as Bluticon, and it's a blend of yoga, martial arts, calisthenics. It's a practice created with the intention of how do you become the best possible athlete for your entire life. How do you master movement for as long as possible? And there's not much bodybuilding in that practice because bodybuilding is really more focused on aesthetics. It's it's not focused on function or really at all. Like, there's never gonna be a situation in life where you're lying on a bench and you have to, like, push weight directly up off you at a 90 degree angle, which is a bench press, which is, like, a primary part of bodybuilding that's just, like, that's never gonna happen. But you may need to jump. You may need to balance. You may need to kick someone in the head. You may need to punch someone in the face. And those are practical skills that you can practice every day, that will get you fit, that will be a part of your movement practice on a daily basis for life. And and those are the kind of things that I like to engage in my life, not just because, like, it might happen someday. You might need to know these things, but also because that gives meaning and purpose to the practice.
Going to the gym and doing an exercise simply to put more weight on the bar can be relatively meaningless. I've tried that, and I just, like, got bored by it pretty quickly. And then I found myself forcing myself to go, and then I was that's not a place where we wanna be where you're like, I have to do this because otherwise, like, I, you know, feel bad about myself or whatever. I'd much rather do something that gives me joy in the actual practice. It gives me meaning, gives me purpose, gives me fulfillment, and that that's that's an available option for us. Yeah.
[00:11:50] Unknown:
It's funny because, like, I I think of just, like, high school when it comes to, like, bodybuilding and, like, traditional exercises. My football coaches were, like I guess they're, like, sort of, like, cliche. Like, they treated it like it was, like, the military. And, you know, we're all going in there, and there's so much, like, competition and, like, testosterone when it comes to, like, traditional bodybuilding exercises and, like, you're doing this many sets. You're doing this many reps. You're doing this right now. Go. Go. Go. Yeah. And then, we we had, like, a cycle of, like, different days. Right? So, like, majority of the week, we would do, like, the bench and the squats, but then there were some days when we would do plyometrics.
And plyometrics, I just had so much more fun. You know, I enjoyed doing the footwork. I enjoyed just doing, like, a one legged hop on the bench inside of the, basketball court. I really enjoyed. And then we would, like, some days, we'd go into the wrestling room, and we had this, like, I forget what it was. It was, like, some monkey weave thing. Like, there'd be three of us and, like, one person would hop over. Like, it it would do, like, a push up hop over another and then you would weave each other with that push up hop. Yep. And I was like, that's this is so much more fun. Can we just do this every day? Yeah. And that's and that and and movement meetup brought me back to that, idea and, like, modality of, like, just having more fun with the exercise and actually, like and you're using your muscles. Yeah. Like, you can build muscle by doing a monkey hop.
By doing the little monkey weave. Definitely. And, like, it's it's very interesting how culture seems, like, stagnant or it seems, like, stiff. We gotta, like, open it up. You know? It's like the jewels with the fascia. Yeah. Like, the the the the culture fascia is stiff within a certain, like, idea of doing things, and we just gotta break that molt amount. I don't know how that works in places like Arizona or, like, Minnesota. Like, how do you do a movement meetup in the snow? You know? And it's, like, negative two. Like, it's it's very interesting. I feel like that's, like, a I don't wanna say a hurdle, but it is, like, something to, like people need to get creative if they if there's someone out there in an environment that's not by the beach, but they care about health, like, that needs to we gotta work through that. Like, I'm praying for that.
[00:14:03] Unknown:
I'd love to love to see that happen. It's there's definitely opportunities for movement in every environment. It may not be as pleasant as a Southern California beach day. Yeah. But I am excited, looking forward to the day where maybe I'm up north or I connect with someone up north who's willing to start that and maybe do long sort of farmers carries through the snow and be cold for thirty minutes, an hour, hour and a half. And then you go back inside and you're warm and you're so grateful for that warmth. Or if it's in Arizona, you get back inside the air conditioning, you're like, oh, you know, ultimately, it's not gonna kill you most likely in training in any depends, dude. Any American environment. You can I mean, yeah, there's some risk if you're, like, dehydrated and you're you're training in, you know, a a hot temperature and you're sweating a lot, but, like, I feel like it would take a pretty high degree of, like, lack of awareness to actually die? And or, like, you just are really pushing yourself. So, you know, it's easy to say from the comfort of a 75 degree Los Angeles a day, but, I know for a fact I grew up in New Hampshire where it was very cold and and hot in the summers where we would do stuff outside, and we'd survive and have a really fun time. Yeah. It it's it's oh, there's always opportunities to integrate play and nature into life and benefit from the vitality it springs from that environment. Mhmm. Oh, yeah. I mean, playing football in high school, like, the heat warning out there isn't until it's, like, 107.
[00:15:27] Unknown:
So it's it's one zero six, and we're we're in, like, full pads hitting each other. But that shit just sucks. And, I just think back to that. I'm like, if that if people have, like if there's, like, a traditional like, if people growing up, if if they go through that, they probably won't be as into going back outside when they're out of school, when they're out of the extracurricular activities, and it's one zero seven and they don't and, like, what's the point of working out when it's one zero seven? You know? Yeah. It's very interesting. Well, let's say it's not a 107 every day, and and some days may be better than others to
[00:16:03] Unknown:
enjoy training in nature for, like, a full immersion, but even going for walks outside and then coming back can be so life giving and and nourishing if you are stuck inside this on where you live. So there's always there's always something. I mean, there's always something you can do, and it's always gonna bring value in into your life. Yeah. Were you doing, like the way you work out, were you doing that before COVID? I was a little bit in in some ways, but I'm a little worried about that towel. Oh, shit.
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Okay. Okay.
[00:16:35] Unknown:
You could probably fold it up too. Yeah.
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Yeah. We it's an accent.
[00:16:42] Unknown:
It happens. We're on with it. We're not going with the flow. Yeah. I I was a little bit I was gym free at that point, but I didn't wasn't doing as much. I wasn't doing any handstands. I wasn't doing as much, like, explorative, playful movements that that I am now. I've I've, like, drifted more in that direction over time as I've learned and evolved in in my practice. But I hadn't gone to a gym for a few years at that point. Interesting. And I was like was that instinct, or was that, like, more, like, ideological? Like, you started hating the gym. It was just an instinct to wanna be outside in the sun. I didn't know about the benefits of sunshine and earthing and fresh air at that point. I just felt a intuition that I didn't wanna be inside this box when I had free time. I wanna be outside in this open air space with the sunshine on my skin, with the fresh air in my lungs, and with the earth beneath my feet. Yeah.
[00:17:34] Unknown:
I feel like gyms just need to expand as well. Like, gyms need to have more outdoor environments. So I've thought a lot about that. I I've had a lot of ideas of, like, how can you change the gym to be more more move more general movement based and more, like, nature based. And it's like we need more outdoor areas. We need more more shade. If it is hot, we need more, like, just we need to be more creative. I I I had this idea for, like, a family gym, family centered gym, where it's a trampoline park, which I'm not sure if you've been to a trampoline park before. No. Okay. Case. You need to, like, jump on a trampoline. Like, that if you want a real workout, dude, jump on trampolines with a bunch of six year olds.
Like, that's the real workout, dude, for two hours. Because you pay for, like, a two hour stint. Jump jump on a trampoline for two hours and see how tired you are afterwards. And then so, like, the trampoline park would be in the middle. And then on, like, the outer, shell, there'd be, like, you know, traditional gym stuff, and, like, the parents would be able to, like, see the kids jumping and stuff. And then, you know, you you'd have a pool, and then I would imagine, like, a little, like, outdoor area. There'd be, like, a track and field. Like, we need just more general track and field stuff within the gyms. Yeah. You know, I feel like that's, like, that's, like, a low hanging fruit. You know? Track and field is, like, it's in the Olympics, but it's not at the gyms.
I think that's weird.
[00:19:02] Unknown:
Yeah. I I know that part of the restriction or or the the box that a gym is within is is just gonna be the cost of of real estate, and there's not a lot of Mhmm. Commercial real estate where they're including these outside areas. Just like here's a here's a warehouse. Here's a, you know, a structure. You You can pay us around a month, and we'll let you do whatever you want with it. So, you know, a lot of gyms are are built in that way, but I know people that are making their own gyms, and it's a lot more cost effective to just do outside. I don't need to use some bars. I know some people who are shaping trees into workout gear so you can shape trees can be shaped, and they can be turned into pull up bars and and things that you can climb on in swing form. Trees in general are are amazing little gyms that you can climb on or hang on or do pull ups, entire calisthenics routines. And they provide shade, but not only shade, they're emitting phytoncides, which are well known to increase our immune system, elevate our mood, increase our energy, terpenes, negative ions. Trees are little health making machines, and and compare that to inside of a gym where you have none of that. Mhmm. You've actually got the opposite of that. You got stale air. You've got positive ions, which increase inflammation.
You've got all kinds of chemicals from people's perfumes, from cleaning supplies. You've got people farting. And you're, like, inhaling all that when you're in there. So you're inhaling all that. You've got high EMF. You've got the positive ions. It's it's a devitalizing environment. Yeah. I think it's a bad choice personally, but I know that for some reason, people for for some reasons, people need need to go in there to to do what they need to do, and and it can help a lot of people. It's just not for me, and I'd like to illuminate
[00:20:44] Unknown:
another way for people. Yeah. No. But I love that. And, like, for me personally, I have chosen the gym over the park on certain days because I might value like, I might wanna do a machine. You know? Sometimes, like, there's, like, some good squat machines and, like, there's some days when I just feel like I wanna squat heavyweight, but I don't wanna do, like, the traditional, like, bar my back. You know? They have, like, different you know, they got, like, the the thrust thing. They got, like, this, like, thrust machine that's, like, interesting. And I don't know. Like, something about me maybe it's just because of the way I grew up and the high school workouts sort of ingrained in me, like, the traditional bodybuilding exercises, and maybe that's why I do feel like I wanna do that sometimes.
But I also feel the thing that you're saying is, like, yeah, there's way too much inflammation. Like, the gyms create inflammation, and sometimes I don't feel good when I leave the gym. If I do feel good, it's probably because I'm just going to the gym for the sauna. You know, that's pretty much what I'm paying for my gym for, just the access to the sauna. I feel like that's, like, the number one thing for me in my life. I've been doing the sauna since, like, 2036, 2017, and that's always been my top tier. Like, I'm I'm I need the sauna. I need it. Even in Arizona, I was going to the sauna. And, you know, when it's one eighteen outside, but it's one eighty in inside the sauna, like, that that's a difference. And it trains you differently. And I definitely feel better when I go to the sauna specifically.
But when I go to the gym, I'm just at the gym, like, I feel you. Like, I I don't feel as high vibe. I don't feel high vibrations when I leave the gym.
[00:22:25] Unknown:
So maybe I just need to think about that more. Well, that's interesting. Right? You're saying it's too hot outside to work out, but then you're choosing to go into a place that's even hotter. Mhmm.
[00:22:35] Unknown:
Because I want it. I don't know why. I'm just a desert rat, dude. I'm a desert rat. Like, I like the heat, and I'm like a weird guy. Like, I I I feel like all my friends growing up would say that I'm that I'm a weird guy. But, like, I I don't wanna, like, work out in the hot sun, but I would work out or I would just sit in a hot room.
[00:22:54] Unknown:
Yeah. I mean, that that's a really interesting observation because you're essentially accomplishing the same goal if you were to train outside. It's just like a free sauna. There are some days in LA that will be hot. Like, it's a hot day in this part of LA is, like, 85, 90, and there's a bit of a breeze. But what I'll do is I'll put on couple pairs of sweatpants, sweatshirt, another sweatshirt, and a winter hat. I look like a crazy person going for a run, but it's I call it my sauna jog because I'm just, like, basically taking a sauna. But there's more movement involved because I'm, like, jogging at a slow pace, which I don't usually condone jogging. But in this situation, I've created my own little mobile sauna. And I don't have a gym membership, but sometimes I go to a sauna, like, you know, a sauna studio because I do love the social aspect of sitting and sweating and having conversations. It's an amazing state. I'm not shitting on saunas anyway. I'm just illuminating this, like Yeah. Interesting dialectic between, like, training outside, turning it into a free sauna. Yes. It's hot, but I'm also getting all the benefits of a sauna versus, like, going and seeing a sauna. Very different. Like, it's apples to oranges, but it it's interesting to talk about. And I I totally love saunas in the meditative state and the thoughts and the ideas and the way you feel afterward is, like, impossible to replicate. Yeah. But it is interesting to think about it from that perspective.
[00:24:08] Unknown:
Yeah. There is, like, spots popping up. Like, there is, like, some sauna place in Venice that has sauna and ice baths, and there's another place. I think it's in, like, Westwood or something like that, somewhere in Beverly Hills called Remedy. That's like, it they they have saunas, and they have ice baths, and they have, different massage things. They have some robot massager. For for a thousand dollars a month, you could have a robot massage you, which I think is interesting. Yeah. But there's, like, maybe things like that need to open up more that it's not traditional, but it does help you have, like, it does force you to to put yourself in a different state because that's what the sauna does. Different a different state of mental, a different state of your body, and, you're also being social. And it's not I don't think it causes inflammation. You know? If, like, a group of strangers went to the sauna and ice bath, I think that's different than strangers trying to lift weights and farting next to each other when they're trying to do some back exercises.
[00:25:12] Unknown:
Yeah. It's definitely something that needs to be more widespread. They're amazing. They're they're great places. And I think as more people tune in to this frequency, to this ideation around holistic health, to, like, wanting to live that life. So I see more of that. I think a lot of money is currently going towards, like, bars and fancy restaurants and or, like, sports like, look at the state sports stadiums. And the fact that these 20 year old kids are making millions of dollars to play with balls, that's because there's so much attention and money going to this act of, like, sitting and watching other people play with balls. Like Mhmm. That that's an insane thing to do in my in my perspective. If you love it, I'm all for it, but I I don't do that. And I don't I don't recommend that people do that because it's, I think, it's a waste of waste of time. You you could be improving your quality of life in a really real and and meaningful way by doing things like training out in nature, sitting in the sauna, engaging in movement. There are things that you can apply your energy and attention and money towards, and then you're also building a better world because you're getting more people to do that. You're, like, supporting that movement. You're adding you're contributing your energy
[00:26:18] Unknown:
and your money towards this towards this movement. That is really powerful and life changing movement. Yeah. I've gotten more border sports as time has moved on. Like, I'm not watching I haven't watched sports, like, actively in years. Like, sometimes I I I give myself guilt if I'm, like, missing the UFC fight, but then when I really just, like, sit back and just, like, take a breath, I'm like, I just don't give a shit. I give zero shits about the sport. I give zero fucks about anything going on within any of that world. And maybe that's just because of, like, my mentality. Maybe that's because of some sort of wider consciousness thing going on where, you know, the world's ending and I realized that or something. Like, I just don't care about the little game going on because I care about bigger things happening in my life and around me. Yeah.
I just yeah. I I feel you on that. I I just don't care about sports, and I feel like people I mean, football tickets are so expensive too. Basketball tickets are, like, a fucking luxury. And, like, you're just gonna go there. You you you pay for the luxury ticket, and then you pay for the luxury beer. It's a $20 beer. And then you you're trying to impress people somehow. Like, it's a weird social dynamic.
[00:27:29] Unknown:
There's this thing happening where we humanity used to play music, but now that's being outsourced to professionals. We used to play sports with each other. Now that's being outsourced to professionals. We used to, like, connect with each other and have sex with each other. And now even that's, like, being out, people are paying for it. They're like, oh, I'll pay someone else to, like, do that for me. And I'll just watch her like a beauty. That that's, like, all that's all insane. And I'm not saying Wow. Yeah. I didn't even think about that. That's yeah. Well, I'd rather pay for professionals to have sex. Yeah. All those things are all those things are crazy. And I'm not perfect in in all those regards. Like, I don't play any musical instruments. I don't sing and and dance as as much as I probably should. It would bring a lot of value to my life if I can get together with my friends, and we're all playing musical instruments. Like, I I turn on Spotify and listen to music. Mhmm. But it's something really interesting to think about if you are in that point where you're, like, paying for all these things. Like, how would you stop, like, two out of three of those? Those other two I mentioned, like, just quit those now, and your life will be dramatically better over the next coming years as you, like, stop those last two that I mentioned. Like, keep listening to music if you want. But if you cut that out too, great. Like, start playing music for you and your friends. I guarantee they'll be bringing some high vibes to wherever you go. If you're, like, really good at making music and playing it for your friends, that's an amazing service. Make your own little sex. Make your own love. Yeah. Make your own music. Yep.
Make your own food. That's very That's another one, food. Yeah. People are paying for other chefs to make food when it takes five minutes to to make food at home. Yeah. And it's a lot healthier. Yeah. You know, working at I I I was working at a restaurant for a long time for, like, a couple years,
[00:29:02] Unknown:
and I was already already, like, semi into cooking. I, like, I knew how to cook myself a steak, and I knew how to, like, I would I was already, like, generally cooking for myself. And, but then working at the restaurant, I just realized, like, how few people actually cook for themselves. Yeah. Everyone there would cook for themselves because we would all talk about, like, what did we make last night? What do we, like, oh, this is really good spot. How, like and then we talk about, like, if someone who's working at the restaurant goes to another restaurant or goes to a taco stand or whatever, they're, like, interested in how it's being made. You know? But, generally, in within, like, the general public, like, people are just buying it. Like, they're just buying the box. They're buying the box of food. They're just getting like, they don't care how it's prepared. They don't care what's even in it. They don't care what's gonna make it better. Because in the kitchen, they're like, oh, dude. You gotta put some lemon on this. No. To put lemon and lime, like, no. Blah blah. Like, you gotta do this. Like, you know, we got this whole there's a whole community around how to make the best food.
And that really opened my eyes to, like, wow. Like, cooking is a it's not just like a skill. Like, it's a value. And, like, giving that away to some sort of, company, some sort of, quote, unquote, professional. You know? It's like it's so strange. Because, like, maybe, like, your grandma might be a professional at making, like, whatever your grandma makes. You know? So it's like, you don't wanna make, for instance, like, in my family, we have these, like, cookies. We call them no bake cookies. It's just like oatmeal and chocolate. It's usually made, for Christmas. There's no way I'm making that. Grandma, you make that. And then my sister Lauren, like, Lauren, you make that. I'm not making this. I might need to learn it one day, but, like, you know, I want those people to make what I like. You know? So it's it that's a funny dynamic where we want some people to make the things that we love, but, generally, we need to make the things that we need.
You know? That's such an interesting observation.
[00:31:01] Unknown:
It's part of what makes those gatherings so special is that you gather with people you love, and they're cooking food. And they're either they're infusing love into the the food. Mhmm. There's this common idea. Oh, it's made in full of it. There's that's very real. And and that practice, that process of creating things for people you love, infusing your love into the meal, that makes it more nourishing. And you're able to gather on a table. Everyone says a prayer, and you're just your nervous system is regulated. You're laughing. You're making eye contact with people. You're sharing stories. You're talking about real things, and then you're enjoying, like, a a beautiful meal made with love. And and that's, like, resigned to only the holidays. That's crazy. That that should be happening real All the time. All the time. Yeah. All the time.
[00:31:43] Unknown:
It's hard too because, like, sometimes, like, life, jobs, and things like this, like, it doesn't allow that. You know? It's I don't think people are really rejecting that. I feel like they're busy and then they forget, which is another type of rejection, but it's like a sad type of rejection. It's like a like, damn. Like, some people are just forgetting to, like, invite people over. So some people are just forgetting, like, oh, yeah. We can, like like, here's one regret I have during COVID. I should have bought a grill and just started grilling food in my courtyard.
You know? Like, that was something that I thought about. Like, I thought about that consistently throughout lockdowns. Like, what if I just bought a grill and just started making food and, like, had the other people, like, bring, like, their bratwurst or whatever, and I never did because I was, like, afraid of something. I don't know. Afraid of I don't even know what I was afraid of. Just, like, afraid of that, like, reaching out. Like, I was I would open myself up, I guess. Like, I don't know. I felt vulnerable. I I guess I was afraid of the vulnerability. Yeah. And maybe I justified about, like, oh, the building doesn't allow grills or some bullshit. I don't even know the rule. Don't even know what's going on there.
But I allowed myself to not open up to people, and I always think about that because, you know, the majority of the people in my building, they were there during COVID, and they're still here. It's like, damn. I still don't know these guys. I still don't know in anyone's name. Like
[00:33:08] Unknown:
That is an important observation. I think fear is, like, always what holds us back from getting to where we wanna go. There's always that thought. Whenever you wanna do anything great, the the greater the thing that you wanna do, the more fear that's gonna come to mind, that's gonna hold you back. There's a resistance in the war of art. And the more fear that you feel, the more resistance that you have to doing that thing, the the more you'll wanna lean in and kind of bring forth the hero within you to to conquer that and slay that dragon and bring that service to your community, bring people together in this example around grilled meat and good food. And I'm sure this exact thing or something similar will manifest in your life going forward, or maybe it has recently. I know it does in in my life pretty consistently. And every time I want to get to that next level, there's always some vision I have of what I wanna do or what I wanna create that will ultimately be of service to other people. And there's always some fear around it. Like, who am I to do that? Here's some reasons why not to do that. The mind loves to keep us confined to what is comfortable, keep us in this comfort zone, but everything great, it lies without that. Right? Right outside that that comfort zone. So it's it's great to be aware of that so that next time it comes along, you can hopefully slay that dragon and get to the next level of being of service to the people around you because you never know what will come of that. Yeah.
[00:34:19] Unknown:
I wanna do that. You know, I've always had this idea of, like, having everyone that I knew the growing up, you know, friends and enemies, like, the girlfriends who hate me or the ex girlfriends who hate me now. Like, I want everyone in my backyard, and I would just wanna have a giant barbecue. You know? It's sort of like a dream of mine. Maybe it's, like, some some silly dream or just, like, you know, some, like, fantasy, but, like, I just I love the idea of having everyone together during a barbecue. You know?
I experienced something similar like that, last year after my dad died. We did a, celebration of life, and many people came over. And, it was at our house. Many people came over, and we had, we had, like, tacos and stuff. We had a lot of food and, just that sort of environment. Like, even though it was a sad experience, it was like, wow. Look at all the love here. Look at all the love in my backyard. Like, this is awesome. And then, you know, that party I call it a party because it was a party. That party went on to, like, three in the morning. And I was like, damn. Like, that's legend. That's legendary. Like, this awesome. Like, we're all and we were drinking. We're getting inflamed. We were I was drinking a lot back then, Case. Not anymore.
But the connection around food, the connection around just coming together in a certain environment and choosing that, you know, it's it's being forgotten for some reason. Like, it is, but it's not at the same time. Like, we gotta break through that. Maybe I maybe I just need to be the leader in that case. Like, if I'm, like if I see it, then I gotta, like, fill that need. You know? That's what I'm realizing right now.
[00:35:59] Unknown:
Everyone has that that opportunity to create community and host gatherings and and catalyze these things. And you're right. It is really important. And some of our I think most of our best memories are likely with other people. It's not gonna be like, oh, I love all these memories of me being alone
[00:36:17] Unknown:
and, like,
[00:36:18] Unknown:
you know, doing this stuff by myself. It's like maybe for some people who are, like, really into solo traveling or something might have peak experiences by yourself. But for the most part, all our favorite moments of life are when we're with each other and and we're filled with love. And maybe there's alcohol involved in that anti alcohol. There are some moments where, like, I think alcohol is is a good thing. It's it's part of our culture for a reason. And Mhmm. There there there are many ways to cultivate community and then enjoy gathering and good food, music, playing, dancing, having some alcohol or other substances that help get you out of, like, that sober state Yeah. Is is important and and necessary, and it's definitely an opportunity we all have. It's so easy. It's free.
Yeah.
[00:37:01] Unknown:
The party drugs should stay at the party. I feel like I used to smoke weed. I quit smoking weed last year. Now I just, like, I I'm not even seeking it, you know, and I'm thinking, like, the same thing about alcohol. Like, maybe alcohol and weed and certain things need to be, held on to or, reserved for that gathering because that sort of enhances it as well because I used to just, like, smoke alone. You know? And I could there's, like, zero positive memories of me smoking alone. Like, I don't know when I had a good experience. Like, I I really don't know how that helped me at all, But I can tell you, like, when I had a good time smoking with my cousins, when I had a good time smoking with my friends. You know? So that's very interesting to think about as well. And maybe I actually drinking with my friends as well. You know? That's you just create memories. You know? It's like, on the dark side, you might get, like, the hangover, and you put your friend on the roof, and he almost dies.
But on the positive side, it's like, yeah. Like, we're together here, and we're we're having a good time. Have you had that have you have you had an an experience like that where you and your friends were just, you know, just balls out to the wall, you and and you had a good time? Yeah. That was, like, all through all through college. That was last night. Yeah. Not not last night. No. In
[00:38:20] Unknown:
my early late teens, early twenties, I had a lot of that, and it was difficult to get a grip on it, kinda get out of control. So I had to put a stop to it after I think it was, New Year's when I was 22 or 23. I had, like, a woke up. I didn't know where I was. I had flashbacks of, like, wandering around these snow banks in New Hampshire, and, like, I could have died that night if I had not somehow found my way into somebody else's home. I could have frozen to death in a snowbank pretty easily, so I that's crazy. After that, I realized, like, okay. I'm gonna have could've stopped this. And I I don't go out. Like and it didn't I didn't actually successfully put a stop to it that day. When I moved out here when I was 25, ten years ago, I was still very depressed and having suicidal thoughts and alcohol. I had, like, one more experience on, like, Halloween sometime with my brother's friends, and they had a similar experience where it's, like, headway too much, too fast, and just, like, you know, essentially blacked out and and was in a terrible state the next day. And that's when I really truly put a stop to it was was after that because it was another sort of near death experience where I was just, like, knew that I could no longer do that. It was just like, I have to put my foot down. I'm on this rock bottom. I'm in this rock bottom place, and I have to use the rock bottom to push up and get myself into into better state of being and quality of life. So that's when I really got on a mission to learn as much as I could about how to live a good life and how to be healthy and how to elevate my vitality. And that sort of began a journey to get me to where I am today and where I continue to where I will continue to to go. But alcohol, I think it can be nice in small amounts on social occasions, but it's definitely abused by a lot of people, and maybe it's they get trapped in that.
[00:40:09] Unknown:
So you were depressed when you were younger, and that then you sort of, like, had to, like, build like, climb your way out of that. Is that that story? Yeah. I was definitely
[00:40:18] Unknown:
definitely had a lot of depression and anxiety when I was younger and then sort of, like, had ups and downs. And then, eventually, I sort of figured out how to be more buoyant. But that took took a long time. Took took a lot of learning and and experiencing to to get there. It's something that a ton of people struggle with, and they have no tools to deal with it. And it's really sad that the default option is just, like, take these pills. And then if you have side effects, take more pills. And Mhmm. A lot of people get stuck in that because it's it's certainly not a solution. Like, you're not depressed because you have a deficiency in pharmaceuticals.
[00:40:52] Unknown:
You're right about that. You're right about that. What's crazy, here's a here's a fun fact about about the SSRIs and all those pills for depression and anxiety. They say it's like they they don't test your levels of serotonin. They don't test that. Like, you don't get a test. It's just an observation. But then, like, they give you something that that changes your chemistry. They're not testing your chemistry before they give you those pills. Like, that's something that I found out, and it's like, that's even crazier to think about. Like, we're prescribing something that changes the body, but you're not actually measuring the body as to what it needs. It's sort of just like this, like, blind dart game. Like, alright. Let's try this amount. Let's try this one. Let's try this one. It's like and then you just gotta find the one that works, and it's like, this is not the way. Like, how can anyone think that this is the way?
Because there's a lot of money in it. Yeah. Yeah. You're right. I mean, you're totally right. I've never been on any sort of medication. Thank god. I feel like I've been I've been lucky from that. My parents were never into that. My parents never needed a lot of medication. My mom takes medication because she has, like, autoimmune stuff, and I'm like, you can get rid of your autoimmune so you do certain things, mom. And, you know, that's, like, her own journey, you know, but, never, like I was never brought up to, like, listen to the doctor. I feel like my mom I haven't had a vaccine since, like, 02/2004, and I'm I'm always been thankful for for my mom because of that. Like, thank you for not forcing me to get any stupid shot. You know? And I there's been times when I tell people that, like, I haven't had a vaccine since o four. They're like, what?
They think I'm, like, dead. Like, they they look at me like I'm ill, but they have all the issues. I have no medical issues. They have all the all the issues and but I'm the weird one. Ain't that weird?
[00:42:47] Unknown:
Yeah. It's how upside down our our culture is as one example. It's just the reliance on these pharmaceutical treatments Mhmm. That aren't necessarily the best long term and aren't even the best short term for for many of these conditions, but it's very convenient.
[00:43:05] Unknown:
Take this pill to heal you. Boil this milk to not kill you. Like, that's so crazy. When I figured out the raw milk thing, I was like, wait. So they're boiling it to kill the bacteria, but they're actually killing the healthy bacteria that actually helps you. Like, that was, like, a major flip for me. And then I started thinking about, like, all the other raw things that you can buy at the store. You know, not even talking about, like, health like, you can you you buy raw meat. You buy raw lettuce. You buy raw pasta. You buy raw everything. Everything at the store is raw, and then you cook it.
But the milk needs to be boiled before I buy it? That makes no sense. Is anyone buying pre boiled pasta for the for for the safety? Like, that's insane. And I try to explain this to people and they're like, Maybe. And it's like, that's still, like, a hurdle for getting through.
[00:43:59] Unknown:
And maybe I'm just like maybe I don't know how to talk about it correctly yet, but it's so weird how, like, milk is, like, the only thing that you need to boil for it to be safe. It'd be a sad world if you walk into the grocery store and all the meat was cooked well done and all the fruit was already just, like, sauteed and Yeah. Boiled, and it was like a lumpy, mushy mess. And the raw milk, definitely, the beneficial bacteria are more present in Mhmm. Its raw, true, authentic form and also the enzymes that help you digest it. I thought I was lactose intolerant Mhmm. Up until I discovered raw milk, and it healed my so called lactose intolerance. In reality, that was just
[00:44:35] Unknown:
my body's reaction to drinking overcooked milk. So okay. So that's interesting. So you if one day you, like, someone gave you a glass of milk and they didn't say it was pasteurized, but it was pasteurized,
[00:44:49] Unknown:
you would be able to digest that? Now I would be. Really? Because I have the enzymes and the beneficial bacteria in my digestive system, in my microbiome from drinking so much on dairy and eating raw cheese, but previously, I would not have been able to Same here. But I've also had experiences where I might buy the brand, Alexander Farms, which is vat pasteurized,
[00:45:12] Unknown:
which is a light pasteurization. I still and it's I I don't have immediate gut issues. It's like it's like when I'm taking a shit, then I'm feeling it. I'm like, wait. I'm like I'm like constipated for some reason. And I feel it and it's only I could I I know for a fact it's specific when I have that milk in my house. And so I still have some sort of sensitivity when it comes to some sort of pasteurization. And milk specifically too because I might have there's that ice cream brand, Bear ice cream for bears Yeah. And they do a light pasteurization, but I don't have any issues, with with that type of ice cream. I can do the light the vat pasteurized heavy cream. I don't have any issues with that mainly, but specifically with the milk. It's interesting. And so I don't know what that is. But when I drink raw milk, like, everything's everything's awesome. Everything's great. I feel great.
[00:46:03] Unknown:
Yeah. Looking at looking at poop and understanding the pooping process is an interesting way to understand health and certain tolerances.
[00:46:11] Unknown:
It's it's an immediate indicator of, like, how your system is is functioning. It's the only way to know that you're healthy. It's it's one way. It's I mean, it's I mean, it's one way, but it's I feel like it's the only way. Because, like, I'm actually been, like, extremely, like, like, I'm, like, conscious of, like, how I'm shitting. Yeah. Like, I'm, like, oh, man. I shouldn't have had that. Like and people make jokes about, like, the spicy food fucking you up, but it's, like, like, you know, like, I if I have too many cashews, like, I'm really fucked. Like, if I have you know what I mean? Like, if I have too many nuts, if I have too many, and also, like, if I have, like, too much, too much cream. Like, there's times when I have, like, too much heavy cream. Yep. If I because sometimes I might do, like, frozen berries and cream and, you know, and then I'm all of a sudden, like, it's like, fuck. I'm shitting a rock.
[00:46:58] Unknown:
It's true. Because there's no moisture. Yeah. If you go out of balance, your body will will let you know, and that's one way. That's really obvious. Yeah. That your body will will clue you in to, like, how things are are going within. You can just see it or feel it. Mhmm. And that that's a great indicator to, like, observe those observations that you that you shared. That's a great example. And there could be a lot of things going on with with the milk. Who knows? I know that there is certified regenerative of Alexander Family Farms, and and they're light pasteurized through the VAT pasteurization process. But there could be other things going on that that may be causing the digestive distress for whatever reason. Mhmm. We don't know everything about nutrition. There's a ton of open question marks. There's a ton of mystery. So it's a good learning process to just know, like, okay. This doesn't really agree with me for whatever reason, so I'll just drink other milk. And There needs to be, like, a holistic Brian Johnson.
[00:47:48] Unknown:
You know what I mean? Because, like, the only, like because, like, I I hate Brian Johnson. But, like, the only thing that he's, like, good for is actually, like, I really respect how he's measuring everything. I think that's a really valuable thing. And just, like, interesting as well, like, measuring your organs, measuring how things are affecting your organs and your skin and and and things like that. But But there needs to be that we need to measure how the holistic stuff is affecting our organs and affecting our our bodily functions.
I feel like there needs to be more measurement on that because there just isn't yet. You know? There might be some sort of there's, like, studies on how raw milk affects asthma with young kids, but that's, like, not enough. You know? Yeah. We need to actually, like is there a way to, like, see or, like, measure how our digestion is going that doesn't require us to wait to shit? Like, we need, like, a little, like, nanobot. We need, like, a little, like, camera going in there. Like, just looking at how everything's going. Well,
[00:48:46] Unknown:
I'd say the way to measure that is through the way that you feel. Mhmm. Now that feeling state, are you energetic? How's your mood? Like, mood isn't just some random thing. Yeah. That's a downstream part of your lifestyle, not just what you're eating Mhmm. What you're thinking, your environment, the way that you are engaging with other people. And there's a lot that gets messy, the scientific, atomistic, we're gonna measure this thing. And that really blinds you to a lot of what's going on in life because then you're missing everything that you're not measuring. Yeah. And if you take the super scientific approach to health, you're missing the other side of the coin, which is the artistic
[00:49:27] Unknown:
approach to health. And I would say The intrinsic, like, the instinctual.
[00:49:31] Unknown:
Exactly. Exactly. I mean, if you think about all the great works of art, do you think da Vinci was looking at his paintings and thinking to himself, like, I need to measure this? Mhmm. Or was he just painting? Yeah.
[00:49:42] Unknown:
I I definitely feel that. Because I've been feeling it's this weird dichotomy where, like, culture, like, modern society sort of led by science. But then it's like and because I've been, I I watch a lot of podcasts about, like, God and spirituality and things like this, and, there's some people in my life where I might mention something about the soul. And, they're like their response is like, I'm gonna have to see some studies on that, Cole, or, like, something like that. It's like, they need, like, a study to prove the existence of the soul. And I get, like, pissed off. I'm like, is there any, like, double blind, placebo on that good is good?
Like, do we how do we know that good is good? You know what I mean? Like, how do we know that you're like, have you, have have you doubled plot? Have you, have you measured your your instinct? How do we know your your instinct is good for your life? You know what I mean? It's like, if you really wanna be scientific, like, we then you're gonna have to study every single thing. How do you know your right foot is really good for walking? It's like, you know, it's like something some things are observational. Some things are based on experience. And then I'm also valuing science at the same time. Like, that's where I'm at right now. It's like, I'm so in line with the soul, and I'm, like, seeking more soul and instinct and art.
But then it's like, people only care if it's scientifically proven. It's like, what the fuck is this? What is this? I don't know.
[00:51:10] Unknown:
Well, not everyone thinks like that. A lot of people have made science their god, their religion. Mhmm. Collectively, as a culture, that's probably the dominant religion, and look how it's working out for us.
[00:51:22] Unknown:
It's not. It's not. But it's only good for measuring. Right? Like, the scientific method, it's, like, it it measures. It's there to measure things. And so if you can measure something that is a part of your body, like, if you can if if there's a way to measure the positive benefits of meditation, you know, like that, I would say that's a good science, quote, unquote, good science. You know, people have their studies that say that they show how praying regulates your nervous system and how praying over food can help, the nutrients in the food absorb into your body more because your though your body and the food are now aligned with each other, on a vibrational level.
But yet people don't even care about those studies because then they think those studies are woo woo. It's like somehow the science goes woo woo,
[00:52:14] Unknown:
which is still crazy. Yeah. I mean, the most important things in life cannot be measured. How do you measure Yeah. Love? How do you measure Yeah. The way it feels when you're laughing with your friends and all these things that, like like, wow. I'm so glad science is so valuable. We've proven that praying is is good. It's like, we've known that Yeah. For generations. It's like, wow. Science is so great. It's finally proven that. A thousand generations. Meditation is good. So, yeah, we we know that already. It's like, thanks, but we've figured this out. And there's really no place for science and health. I I don't think it's done any good anywhere. There there are some situations where maybe in medicine, it has it has done well and, like, oh, great. We figure out how to, like, fix your your leg from this infection so we don't have to amputate it anymore. We can give you we can give you the antibiotics. We can do surgery in, like, a really tactical skillful way now. We can do stem cells.
Machinery stem cells. There are there are some ways in medicine that has been tremendous innovation, but there's nothing new in the world of health that has been powerful and impactful from science. It's just, like, brought in what is old forth into the into the new consciousness. And maybe for some people, that was, like, revelatory. They're like, wow. Look at this study on meditation. I'm gonna start meditating now. It's gonna help me, but it's not, like, a new thing. It's it's Yeah. Science doesn't science doesn't create anything new. That's so interesting. Science doesn't create anything. It just, like, sees
[00:53:39] Unknown:
something. Whatever you wanna look at, it it it can show you. That's so that but spirituality is sort of like there's there's more creation within spirituality, I feel like.
[00:53:51] Unknown:
Yeah. Depending on how you how you define spirituality, I I see the process of creation as a connection with God and able to make something exist that hasn't existed before. AI will never be able to do that. Only only we can do that because we have a connection to to God, and we're able to tune in to that process through the act of creativity. Mhmm. And and that's where where new things come from. We're able to remix. We're able to reach out into the great beyond of unmanifested potential and make something happen that has never been done before and and, you don't do that through, like, observing what has already been done and, like, figuring out different measurements around it. You only do that through the creative process and tapping into the flow of of God and gently into the here and now. Yeah. The field.
[00:54:36] Unknown:
The field of consciousness. Yeah, man. I've been getting into I'm, like, on day five or six of, like, doing some new Joe Dispenza meditations, and something really clicked for me, on at, like, after the third time I did it. So so I've had a meditation practice for a little over a year already, and mainly to, like, help me it was always to, like, calm me down. Right? Especially during, during and after my dad died, I had, like, a spiritual unlock with the meditations. I was actually able to achieve a level of peace in my heart, and I was actually able to feel peace and gratitude.
And, but but lately, most recently, this past week, I had this realization of what like, as I move through my life and as I create my life, whatever I want to be created in my life, it's only going to come from a place of gratitude. And throughout the day, I might feel stress about money, about what I need to do, mainly money. You know? And it's like, the life that I want is only going only going to come from feeling gratitude all the time. Like, practicing feeling peace and gratitude for that creation coming forward, coming through. And the meditation helps get the ball rolling to create momentum for that.
And I realized that this past week, and I thought it was a really powerful thing for myself because I might have meditated for about, I don't know, fifteen minutes, under fifteen minutes. And I'm looking for a sense of peace. And, and I'm it's been an active practice of doing that. But then throughout the day, like, I lose it. And then I'm trying to do some other thing and, like, there might be something where there might be some days where I might have a good meditation, but then I lose it midday. And then at the end of the day, I'm looking for alcohol. And it's like, I'm looking for alcohol for peace.
I'm looking for some sort of I need it. And and then I'm trying trying to justify it. Like, why why do I need the alcohol? At least I'm trying to understand it. But this past week, I realized that, oh, wow. I'm getting the ball rolling. Like, there's momentum when it comes to beginning the meditation. And I can I'd it's a choice to keep that momentum going. And it's, like, the same thing with, like, health. Right? Because, like, the the workout lecture, you might get healthy, like, in the moment of the workout. But then that workout only brings you momentum to do more workouts, to give you energy for more workouts, and to give you clarity, to eat something healthy, or to give you curiosity.
Because if you're not working out, then you're probably less curious. And so I've just been thinking about these things, like, the the idea of, like, meditation and, like, creating, momentum for your spirituality. Like, this is, like, a big thing for me right now. What do you think about that?
[00:57:42] Unknown:
That's huge. That's a great deep insight to focus on the momentum of all these things. And as you're struggling and striving to build new habits, to create a new lifestyle, each little brick in the wall is, like, how you build the foundation of their your new self. And maybe it's a meditation practice. Maybe it's a training session. And then the ideal is, yeah, you're doing it on a regular basis. It's just a part of your life. It's who you are. It's this new identity. It's like, I'm case I'm a meditator. It's not like I'm I meditated today or I'm trying to meditate. I am the meditator. Right? I do this every day. It's because I love the act of being in this state of zen, and I love how it makes me feel. And I love the peace that exudes other people. And I love how it gives me more authority over my life to cultivate gratitude and to make better choices.
So building that momentum is very real. It's very powerful, and it's really the only way to get started on any any journey, whether it's a mindfulness practice or a training practice or a creative practice, just stacking those bricks every day is how you kinda become the person that you wanna become and and by integrating it in your life. You'll never change from just, like, doing something once. Yeah.
[00:58:51] Unknown:
And so because growing up, I I grew up Christian. Right? I grew up going to church. And, there's always this idea of, like, don't be, like, a Sunday Christian. And it's, like, there's this positive idea of, like, like Sunday church, going to church on Sunday is supposed to be like where you just connect with people and it it like it church is like a should be a very specific moment in your spiritual life and then you bring that forward throughout the week. And I always, like, aligned with that. Like, yeah. Like, I get that. But then with religion at large, it like, the that type of culture does not is not created.
And so I've sort of, like, fallen away from traditional Christianity. I don't really identify with being a Christian anymore, but the teachings from Jesus are incredibly real. And, there's so much overlap with teachings from Buddha. And there's so much more overlap with just the the world religions or just, like, the golden rule. You know? Treat others how you would wanna be treated. Like, there's so much more oval overlap with that and humanity. And I've just been, like, realizing, like, meditation brings me there in, like, a more better way, and that can help me connect with people in a deeper way like that. And I'm not sure if people who call themselves spiritual or religious or Christians, whatever, if they can actually say that they feel gratitude or they feel peace.
You know? There's these things that they say the religion say that they're saving you, but there's still so much chaos within people's hearts. And I don't know. I've just been on this journey of, like, trying to conjure up peace within myself. Has that been similar for you?
[01:00:48] Unknown:
Absolutely. Absolutely. And a woman asked me last week, she met me. She's like, how do you stay so zen? And it struck me because I was like, I haven't thought about that. And I guess it must be sensible, like, for, like, asked me. I'm like, I didn't realize I was exuding this, like, state of state of zen. You get all pissed off right away. What the fuck are you talking about, son? Yeah. So it it's funny it's funny to reflect on because I I did I definitely used to have a lot more chaos, and now I have more clarity. And it was through the practicing the art of cultivating serenity because a lot of times I was chasing happiness. But happiness comes from the Latin root term. Just like happen stands where it it's just like happens. You can't really Mhmm. Cultivate. You can't craft happiness. It just like happens. And then when it happens, you can enjoy it and then let it go. But if you keep chasing that, you're you're gonna be chasing the dragon. You're gonna be going after all sorts of the dopamine fixes, whether it's, like, online shopping or drugs or things that are probably only good in the short term, not so much in the long term. But you can cultivate serenity from within just like you're describing through meditation practice. For me, it's often through my movement practice. I'm able to cultivate a a state of serenity and acquiescence with the flow of life, the inevitable ups and downs. So I I think we can all find our our way there. There are many ways to the waterfall, but there is certainly something to be said for allowing yourself to accept the present moment as it is, being here and now, not thinking about the future, not thinking about the past, just being right here, right now, feeling your breath, expressing gratitude for the little things even though you may not be living the exact life that you wanna live. You've got a lot to be grateful if you're listening to this, if you're watching this. I guarantee that you are living a lot better than at least a billion people, at least. Yeah. There are at least a billion people who live on less than $1 per day. Yeah. And and they're living in some sort of, like, unimaginable hell realm compared to what we are enjoying, and that includes everyone who is listening and watching this. So Yeah. And then that's not you know, playing that comparison game is is pretty silly. Ultimately, like, oh, you're not you're not dying at a war in Gaza. It's like, okay. Okay. But, like, my life is still terrible.
Great. Like, you can build from that place. You can find that place of, okay. And from here, I'll take the next best step for me and my friends and my family, and that can be a difficult step sometimes. Mhmm. But from that place, you're gonna be a lot more capable of taking that step. I feel like the ego wants to compare suffering,
[01:03:14] Unknown:
and, like, that's, like, not good for culture. It's, like, no good. Like, they wanna compare status and suffering at the same time. Like, I might judge how much you have compared to me, and then I'm gonna judge how little I have compared to this other person. And some person might compare how oppressed they are compared to some other person. It's like, I feel like comparing is, like, a very ego trap.
[01:03:40] Unknown:
Comparison is the thief of joy. Yeah.
[01:03:43] Unknown:
Yeah. Did you grow up religious, or did you grow up with any sort of faith when you were younger? Completely agnostic. Really? Yeah. Your whole family?
[01:03:51] Unknown:
At least my immediate family. And I would say even, grandparents to some degree, my one my dad's parents, they would go to church. Mhmm. But they never push it on us. We would say grace around the Zoom table. And then my other parents, my my mom's family, they wouldn't go to church. So we were just like they never really talked about it. So it was a huge question for me as I started to become a man. I would explore different religions. I enjoyed reading the Bhagavad Gita and looking to Buddhist religion and Zen because I was fascinated by the art that they created. They made these giant statues of the Buddha for generations carved into a mountain sign. Like, what would cause people to do that? Like, father, son, grandfather, all carving away at this mountain to create an effigy of this symbol.
Like, why?
[01:04:39] Unknown:
They want to. They wanted to. I don't know. I couldn't answer that. That's very interesting. I didn't they did create it for thousands of years. I know I haven't gone too deep into Buddhism
[01:04:49] Unknown:
or or the what's the book called again? The Bhagavad Gita. Bhagavad Gita. Yeah. That's like the Bible of Buddhism. And Yeah. There's really there's things like this in every religion, beautiful medieval churches and those stained glass windows and the, the the Sistine Chapel. There there's beautiful art created and through every major religion and discipline. And I would say the reason why is because I felt such a a soulful fire through being connected with God or, you know, the primary teachings of of these texts, you know, through what is called a religion, and that's a power for them. Yeah. The Scientology building in Hollywood, it's so beautifully empty. It is marvelous.
[01:05:28] Unknown:
That's interesting, man. It's interesting that, like, you grow up agnostic, but then you're still interested in things. You know? Because, like, some scientific minded people might say to, like like a lot of, like, scientific minded people will fall away from the faith stuff because, like, they say that they know better or there's just no evidence for it. And, it's just interesting how you have an experience where I don't wanna say lukewarm, but you're definitely more open than not, and you're still curious enough to explore. Like, is that just proof of the soul wanting to connect to the bigger whole?
[01:06:07] Unknown:
It could be. It it could be seen as a as a reason for for being, like, free will and and having the soul is gonna be generally curious about, like, where what is all what is going on here? Like, what happens after
[01:06:21] Unknown:
we die, and, like, what's the point of it all? Those are natural questions, I think, to ask Mhmm. Especially if someone hasn't given you an answer from I feel like I know. You know? I'm in a place where, like, I feel like I know what happens. Like, I'm not even worried about that question anymore. Many people are, but I feel like just reincarnation is real. You know? Could be. I think it is. I think it's just, like, objective. You know? That's my opinion, but I think it is. Objectively,
[01:06:45] Unknown:
it's a mystery.
[01:06:46] Unknown:
Correct. We have no studies to prove it. Well, we have
[01:06:51] Unknown:
we have story. We do have some stories from people who died. Yeah.
[01:06:56] Unknown:
Yeah. Near death experience.
[01:06:57] Unknown:
Is that is that what you're saying? Near death experience. No. They didn't, like, fully die for a while, but they all said it was a, like, very loving experience, like, going home. Yeah. Felt a lot of bliss. Ram Dass says death is like taking off a tight shoe. So from all the evidence that we do have, it does seem like death is nothing to be afraid of.
[01:07:17] Unknown:
Yeah. I'm definitely, I don't wanna say I'm curious about it, but I'm, like, less afraid of it. I'm less, I'm I'm less worried about it, I guess. I'm still working through those emotions. You know? I was so close to my dad's death. My dad died at home in his bed. You know? Beautiful death, I would say. Like, if you if you had a if you had to, like, write it out. You know? Like, if you had to choose it, like, like, you're you're I would choose to die at home in my bed in my sleep. You know? And just being that close to it, it was like seeing how he took it, seeing how he just, like, lived in those final days.
You know? Whether it I mean, it was rough, but, and he was struggling, but and it's so surreal to even think back. Like, even try to to describe it, it's just so surreal. But my dad took it like a champ. You know? My dad took it like it was just I don't wanna say he took it casually, but, like, he just like, it it there was peace. You know? There was peace in it. And I'm so grateful that there was peace. And I remember I would always text him during random times whenever I felt compelled, and I would just do my best to encourage him to to choose to feel peace, to choose to feel gratitude. And he told our family stories of him being at the hospital during checkups and stuff and getting MRIs of one moment he was getting an MRI, and he was brought to tears because of the feeling of gratitude, because of the doctors and because of us and because of everything going on. Like, it's like so I like, there is evidence that he actually felt God. And I feel like feeling gratitude and peace is feeling God. Like, that is the emotion of God.
So I feel like he he felt that. And, you know, I I know what that's like. I know what a good death can look like. And so I'm not afraid of what that might mean later or afterwards because I know what a good life looks like. You know? I'm in a very interesting point in my life. It's like, I just wanna go deeper. That's that that's sort of how I feel.
[01:09:38] Unknown:
It's important an important calling to to listen to, and a shallow life is is likely not one that's that's worth living. So it's good to be called into a deeper sense of being, a deeper sense of yourself, and Yeah. To explore that and see what comes with it is is certainly which path to take.
[01:09:53] Unknown:
You're staying on the surface. Right? You're on the you're on the tippity top level of you don't wanna go deep at all. There's absolutely nothing going on here.
[01:10:04] Unknown:
Absolutely
[01:10:06] Unknown:
nothing. I like to keep it that way. It's an empty empty head. It's like they zoom in like an inside out, and there's, like, no one there. Maybe a janitor. It's like, Homer Simpson when they showed the monkey. Yes. Spider pig. Spider pig. That's you all day. That's funny, dude. Well, Well, Case, this has been cool, dude. I think we've been talking for, like, over an hour. So is there anything else you wanna, like, share or anything? Like, what else is on your heart? What else is on like, what do you think needs to be spoken about right now as we're sending vibrations out to the earth?
[01:10:41] Unknown:
Really appreciate you taking the initiative to create this conversation. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to cocreate with you to listen and to be asked such great questions, and it's been awesome seeing you dive deeper in yourself and into your practice over the past year. You've gone in better shape. You've got more energetic, and I'm excited to see where it takes you over the coming years. Thanks again for having me on and Godspeed. Thank you, sir. I wanna be more shredded than you. That's my goal.
[01:11:10] Unknown:
Get even more lean. Awesome. Stoked to see it. Hell yeah, dude. Well, thank you. Thank you. Thanks. Alright. I'll wrap this up.
Whenever you wanna do anything great, the the greater the thing that you wanna do, the more fear that's gonna come to mind, that's gonna hold you back. There's a resistance in the war of art. And the more fear that you feel, the more resistance that you have to doing that thing, the the more you'll wanna lean in and kind of bring forth the hero within you to to conquer that and slay that dragon and bring that service to your community to bring people together. I sit down with Case Bradford, and we talk about raw milk movement meetups, which is like a decentralized
[00:00:26] Unknown:
exercise group that can happen anywhere in your community. We We talk about prayer, spirituality, why community is important. I hope you get a lot of value from this episode. And as always, America Plus is a value for value show. What that means is I'll never have any advertising. So if you're getting any value from this, please like, share, subscribe, follow me. And if you wanna support me financially, go to the links down below or in a modern podcast app. Thanks. You said you were gonna go. I was like, oh, shit. I think I might meet Case in real life. And, the day you met me, dude so we were up up at the up at the farm.
I was about half a bottle of wine into that first encounter. So your first impression, we might have been a little wild, but, regardless, I was grateful, and I am and I'm still grateful. So do you remember any of that? I'd it rings a bell. I that's what I would have guessed, and I have
[00:01:20] Unknown:
a tendency if I see someone running about raw milk and sharing the power of raw milk on the Internet, then I like to connect with them, especially if I see that they're located somewhere nearby. And then I usually invite them to the movement meetup group, which has really grown and evolved through the connection around raw milk. And Los Angeles is, like, the kind of the core nexus of of that group as it's grown. Because I know if you're into raw milk, then you're probably aligned with other values that that that I share around, like, holistic health and sovereignty. So those that's, like, a a keystone thing for me to connect with people is is around that because I'm very passionate about it. It's it's a really powerful
[00:01:57] Unknown:
part of our culture, and so I'm glad that we're able to connect around that and meet at Raw Farms, which is an amazing place. It was holy. It It was a holy experience. I was about and then a few hours later, I was, like, two bottles of wine in, and I'm, like, talking to the cows. And I'm, like, thanking I'm thanking the cows for their milk. Like, that's where I was, dude. That's really where I was. The prints ended. It really was, dude. The sunset there was so awesome. Yeah. It's funny. Like, I got into raw milk only because I was having, issues with almond milk. I was drinking almond milk for about seven years, and I wasn't even trying to be ideological about food. I was keto, but I was just trying to not have stomachaches.
And then I find some random videos about some some parents getting raw milk for their for their children and their children not having any, digestion issues after that. And then I chose to try it, and then I fall down this rabbit hole of raw milk. And then I find you, and, it's interesting because, like, I wasn't, like, seeking, like, I wasn't seeking to be a part of a group like like, the group that you've sort of, like, loosely created. But it's, like, at the same time, it's it's created such widen my horizons a bit more, like, what type of people I wanna surround myself with. Because I sort of grew up with people who, you know, just like I guess we can just call them normies. You know? They're just drinking the almond milk. They're they're doing the normal things with their with their life. But they're, like, you know, they're good people, and they're working hard.
But it's such a different vibe. I I call you guys the Santa Monica crew because, like, you know, just everyone is like I just happens to be in Santa Monica, and I'm not. But I find so much, like, hope in, like, a group like the movement meetup and just, like, the guys that we've, like, surrounded ourselves with because they are just it's a different type of mindset that I didn't think existed, and I wasn't seeking that.
[00:04:02] Unknown:
Were you? I was I was seeking it. I was seeking to cultivate and share it. So it's great to hear that it is having the intended effect on you where you realize, like, oh, there are other people out there like this because I was very lonely throughout my twenties, and and I was seeking other people like me. And, eventually, as I started to find other people, I thought, well, if I bring us all together and I'm able to then amplify that vibration or or that state of being or that mindset to to a greater level because as you connect and cultivate community, you're then able to become more than the sum of the parts. And that's the power of any congregation is that you're able to send a a greater sense of self into the into the broader Mhmm. You know, community through through that, through gathering and and through celebrating things that you
[00:04:48] Unknown:
value and support. Yeah. Did that happen during COVID? Like because COVID, like, radicalized me, dude. I was, like, so, like I was at the park every day during COVID. You know, before the movement meetups, I was just at the park. I wanted to be at the park. My my gym was closed down, and I got into working out with kettlebells and steel maces and the clubs. And I just I was just naturally I gravitated towards the park. Like, did that happen? Was it, like, a similar story with you during COVID?
[00:05:18] Unknown:
Yes. It was. Start training more outside and eventually really wanted to connect with other people. I don't remember exactly when it began. It was maybe '21 or '22, but COVID really liked the the lockdowns and the aftereffects of
[00:05:33] Unknown:
that really, like, lingered for years in in LA. I don't even know when it, like, technically ended. It's like COVID was three years for LA. Three years. Yeah. It was, like, a few months for some states because I have family in Arizona, and lockdowns were, like, three months maybe. Not even not even three months. Like, they were all open by May. So and LA was just forever, and that just really screwed everyone up. Exanity.
[00:05:58] Unknown:
Exanity on so many levels. So to be able to seek to bring people together, that was that was a primary objective that it took a while for my objective to sort of manifest into what it is now, which was the ultimate aim where it's this thing that's growing organically sort of outside of me. I could leave, which I did for earlier this year or a few months, and it was still happening on some level. And that was always the goal. So it's it's good to see that it got there. It took a long and I think if I were to start it somewhere new, it would happen a lot faster now that I have learned sort of how to get it going. But it's exciting to see it have success here from the kernel of the idea of, like, maybe this will work. And now it's it's spreading in in Miami.
Just yesterday, Miami had their first meetup, and there was, like, 50 people in that group chat, and eight people showed up. So I'm really excited to see it spread there and hoping that it spreads all over because it has been such a powerful thing.
[00:06:48] Unknown:
Yeah. Decentralized movement. That's also a good sign of, like, a good leader. Like, whenever, like, a leader starts something and then they leave, sometimes or so many times, the thing falls apart when they leave. But I think that's really interesting how there's this idea of a decentralized thing where, yes, one person starts it, one person initiates it, but then they can just walk away for whatever reason. Maybe they're just on vacation or something bigger, and then the thing still happens because people see the value in it. People see the value in the deeper idea. That's what I love about it, dude. Like, that's just it's so powerful because it's different from the gym. It's different from Orangetheory.
It's different from so many different types of fitness groups. Different from run clubs. You know? Like, it's radically different. And maybe it's, like, a bit niche because it's at the beach and stuff like that, and not everywhere has a beach. You know, more more areas have roads to run on than they have beaches to to move on. Yeah. But, it's still very interesting, and it's, like, a beautiful thing. And it's, like, I feel like we've, like, lined up with stuff, you know? Like, I'm not even trying to get political, but just, like, RFK Jr existing in the world and, like, him just being, like, a raw milk guy and him just, like, being a a health guy. Like, that's sort of brought in these types of ideas to the mainstream.
You know? And I think that's really interesting.
[00:08:09] Unknown:
Yeah. It is good because it's true, and it's nice to see things that are true rising to the top and into the collective consciousness because there's been so much illusion for so long that has been dominating the public consciousness. So it's nice to see things that are good and right and true begin to proliferate because that's how we make the world a better place ultimately. Yeah.
[00:08:30] Unknown:
How do we make the world a better place? Do people just need to make keep moving? Do we need more exercise? Do we need more, like, fitness programs?
[00:08:38] Unknown:
We definitely need more movement. There's a lot of stagnation that is holding people back. And I don't know if that necessarily needs to be fitness programs or No. Exercise per se. Those mean different things to different people. But any way you can get more movement into your life is, generally speaking, gonna be positive on your quality of life. Yeah. It's just so difficult because, like, out here in California,
[00:09:03] Unknown:
like, we're on the edge of western civilization. And, like, we have access to a beach, and we have, like, we have this, like, instinct to move. And then I might visit home in Arizona, and specifically now, just because it's summer, it's fucking one eighteen. You know? It's like, you're not gonna go outside. Even, like, us. Like, we're probably not gonna go outside at one eighteen and and try to do some jumps and stuff like that. Like, we're looking for an indoor environment. We're looking for air conditioning, and that usually just means gyms. And that usually means bodybuilding. And that usually means, like, very strict up and down square types of workouts. And I've just been trying to think about how to, like, break the mold.
And I still don't know how, but I feel like we just need more CrossFit. We need more, like and I'm not I'm not even saying CrossFit as, like, that brand, but, like, we need more cross across the aisle fitness situations. You know? Yeah. Because I see value in the bodybuilding, and I see value in, like, the jump squats at the same time. Yeah. You know? There's value in the bear crawl. So it's just like it I I don't know how to break this mold as, like, a culture.
[00:10:15] Unknown:
I just got back from a a week long training camp for a movement modality known as Bluticon, and it's a blend of yoga, martial arts, calisthenics. It's a practice created with the intention of how do you become the best possible athlete for your entire life. How do you master movement for as long as possible? And there's not much bodybuilding in that practice because bodybuilding is really more focused on aesthetics. It's it's not focused on function or really at all. Like, there's never gonna be a situation in life where you're lying on a bench and you have to, like, push weight directly up off you at a 90 degree angle, which is a bench press, which is, like, a primary part of bodybuilding that's just, like, that's never gonna happen. But you may need to jump. You may need to balance. You may need to kick someone in the head. You may need to punch someone in the face. And those are practical skills that you can practice every day, that will get you fit, that will be a part of your movement practice on a daily basis for life. And and those are the kind of things that I like to engage in my life, not just because, like, it might happen someday. You might need to know these things, but also because that gives meaning and purpose to the practice.
Going to the gym and doing an exercise simply to put more weight on the bar can be relatively meaningless. I've tried that, and I just, like, got bored by it pretty quickly. And then I found myself forcing myself to go, and then I was that's not a place where we wanna be where you're like, I have to do this because otherwise, like, I, you know, feel bad about myself or whatever. I'd much rather do something that gives me joy in the actual practice. It gives me meaning, gives me purpose, gives me fulfillment, and that that's that's an available option for us. Yeah.
[00:11:50] Unknown:
It's funny because, like, I I think of just, like, high school when it comes to, like, bodybuilding and, like, traditional exercises. My football coaches were, like I guess they're, like, sort of, like, cliche. Like, they treated it like it was, like, the military. And, you know, we're all going in there, and there's so much, like, competition and, like, testosterone when it comes to, like, traditional bodybuilding exercises and, like, you're doing this many sets. You're doing this many reps. You're doing this right now. Go. Go. Go. Yeah. And then, we we had, like, a cycle of, like, different days. Right? So, like, majority of the week, we would do, like, the bench and the squats, but then there were some days when we would do plyometrics.
And plyometrics, I just had so much more fun. You know, I enjoyed doing the footwork. I enjoyed just doing, like, a one legged hop on the bench inside of the, basketball court. I really enjoyed. And then we would, like, some days, we'd go into the wrestling room, and we had this, like, I forget what it was. It was, like, some monkey weave thing. Like, there'd be three of us and, like, one person would hop over. Like, it it would do, like, a push up hop over another and then you would weave each other with that push up hop. Yep. And I was like, that's this is so much more fun. Can we just do this every day? Yeah. And that's and that and and movement meetup brought me back to that, idea and, like, modality of, like, just having more fun with the exercise and actually, like and you're using your muscles. Yeah. Like, you can build muscle by doing a monkey hop.
By doing the little monkey weave. Definitely. And, like, it's it's very interesting how culture seems, like, stagnant or it seems, like, stiff. We gotta, like, open it up. You know? It's like the jewels with the fascia. Yeah. Like, the the the the culture fascia is stiff within a certain, like, idea of doing things, and we just gotta break that molt amount. I don't know how that works in places like Arizona or, like, Minnesota. Like, how do you do a movement meetup in the snow? You know? And it's, like, negative two. Like, it's it's very interesting. I feel like that's, like, a I don't wanna say a hurdle, but it is, like, something to, like people need to get creative if they if there's someone out there in an environment that's not by the beach, but they care about health, like, that needs to we gotta work through that. Like, I'm praying for that.
[00:14:03] Unknown:
I'd love to love to see that happen. It's there's definitely opportunities for movement in every environment. It may not be as pleasant as a Southern California beach day. Yeah. But I am excited, looking forward to the day where maybe I'm up north or I connect with someone up north who's willing to start that and maybe do long sort of farmers carries through the snow and be cold for thirty minutes, an hour, hour and a half. And then you go back inside and you're warm and you're so grateful for that warmth. Or if it's in Arizona, you get back inside the air conditioning, you're like, oh, you know, ultimately, it's not gonna kill you most likely in training in any depends, dude. Any American environment. You can I mean, yeah, there's some risk if you're, like, dehydrated and you're you're training in, you know, a a hot temperature and you're sweating a lot, but, like, I feel like it would take a pretty high degree of, like, lack of awareness to actually die? And or, like, you just are really pushing yourself. So, you know, it's easy to say from the comfort of a 75 degree Los Angeles a day, but, I know for a fact I grew up in New Hampshire where it was very cold and and hot in the summers where we would do stuff outside, and we'd survive and have a really fun time. Yeah. It it's it's oh, there's always opportunities to integrate play and nature into life and benefit from the vitality it springs from that environment. Mhmm. Oh, yeah. I mean, playing football in high school, like, the heat warning out there isn't until it's, like, 107.
[00:15:27] Unknown:
So it's it's one zero six, and we're we're in, like, full pads hitting each other. But that shit just sucks. And, I just think back to that. I'm like, if that if people have, like if there's, like, a traditional like, if people growing up, if if they go through that, they probably won't be as into going back outside when they're out of school, when they're out of the extracurricular activities, and it's one zero seven and they don't and, like, what's the point of working out when it's one zero seven? You know? Yeah. It's very interesting. Well, let's say it's not a 107 every day, and and some days may be better than others to
[00:16:03] Unknown:
enjoy training in nature for, like, a full immersion, but even going for walks outside and then coming back can be so life giving and and nourishing if you are stuck inside this on where you live. So there's always there's always something. I mean, there's always something you can do, and it's always gonna bring value in into your life. Yeah. Were you doing, like the way you work out, were you doing that before COVID? I was a little bit in in some ways, but I'm a little worried about that towel. Oh, shit.
[00:16:31] Unknown:
Okay. Okay.
[00:16:35] Unknown:
You could probably fold it up too. Yeah.
[00:16:38] Unknown:
Yeah. We it's an accent.
[00:16:42] Unknown:
It happens. We're on with it. We're not going with the flow. Yeah. I I was a little bit I was gym free at that point, but I didn't wasn't doing as much. I wasn't doing any handstands. I wasn't doing as much, like, explorative, playful movements that that I am now. I've I've, like, drifted more in that direction over time as I've learned and evolved in in my practice. But I hadn't gone to a gym for a few years at that point. Interesting. And I was like was that instinct, or was that, like, more, like, ideological? Like, you started hating the gym. It was just an instinct to wanna be outside in the sun. I didn't know about the benefits of sunshine and earthing and fresh air at that point. I just felt a intuition that I didn't wanna be inside this box when I had free time. I wanna be outside in this open air space with the sunshine on my skin, with the fresh air in my lungs, and with the earth beneath my feet. Yeah.
[00:17:34] Unknown:
I feel like gyms just need to expand as well. Like, gyms need to have more outdoor environments. So I've thought a lot about that. I I've had a lot of ideas of, like, how can you change the gym to be more more move more general movement based and more, like, nature based. And it's like we need more outdoor areas. We need more more shade. If it is hot, we need more, like, just we need to be more creative. I I I had this idea for, like, a family gym, family centered gym, where it's a trampoline park, which I'm not sure if you've been to a trampoline park before. No. Okay. Case. You need to, like, jump on a trampoline. Like, that if you want a real workout, dude, jump on trampolines with a bunch of six year olds.
Like, that's the real workout, dude, for two hours. Because you pay for, like, a two hour stint. Jump jump on a trampoline for two hours and see how tired you are afterwards. And then so, like, the trampoline park would be in the middle. And then on, like, the outer, shell, there'd be, like, you know, traditional gym stuff, and, like, the parents would be able to, like, see the kids jumping and stuff. And then, you know, you you'd have a pool, and then I would imagine, like, a little, like, outdoor area. There'd be, like, a track and field. Like, we need just more general track and field stuff within the gyms. Yeah. You know, I feel like that's, like, that's, like, a low hanging fruit. You know? Track and field is, like, it's in the Olympics, but it's not at the gyms.
I think that's weird.
[00:19:02] Unknown:
Yeah. I I know that part of the restriction or or the the box that a gym is within is is just gonna be the cost of of real estate, and there's not a lot of Mhmm. Commercial real estate where they're including these outside areas. Just like here's a here's a warehouse. Here's a, you know, a structure. You You can pay us around a month, and we'll let you do whatever you want with it. So, you know, a lot of gyms are are built in that way, but I know people that are making their own gyms, and it's a lot more cost effective to just do outside. I don't need to use some bars. I know some people who are shaping trees into workout gear so you can shape trees can be shaped, and they can be turned into pull up bars and and things that you can climb on in swing form. Trees in general are are amazing little gyms that you can climb on or hang on or do pull ups, entire calisthenics routines. And they provide shade, but not only shade, they're emitting phytoncides, which are well known to increase our immune system, elevate our mood, increase our energy, terpenes, negative ions. Trees are little health making machines, and and compare that to inside of a gym where you have none of that. Mhmm. You've actually got the opposite of that. You got stale air. You've got positive ions, which increase inflammation.
You've got all kinds of chemicals from people's perfumes, from cleaning supplies. You've got people farting. And you're, like, inhaling all that when you're in there. So you're inhaling all that. You've got high EMF. You've got the positive ions. It's it's a devitalizing environment. Yeah. I think it's a bad choice personally, but I know that for some reason, people for for some reasons, people need need to go in there to to do what they need to do, and and it can help a lot of people. It's just not for me, and I'd like to illuminate
[00:20:44] Unknown:
another way for people. Yeah. No. But I love that. And, like, for me personally, I have chosen the gym over the park on certain days because I might value like, I might wanna do a machine. You know? Sometimes, like, there's, like, some good squat machines and, like, there's some days when I just feel like I wanna squat heavyweight, but I don't wanna do, like, the traditional, like, bar my back. You know? They have, like, different you know, they got, like, the the thrust thing. They got, like, this, like, thrust machine that's, like, interesting. And I don't know. Like, something about me maybe it's just because of the way I grew up and the high school workouts sort of ingrained in me, like, the traditional bodybuilding exercises, and maybe that's why I do feel like I wanna do that sometimes.
But I also feel the thing that you're saying is, like, yeah, there's way too much inflammation. Like, the gyms create inflammation, and sometimes I don't feel good when I leave the gym. If I do feel good, it's probably because I'm just going to the gym for the sauna. You know, that's pretty much what I'm paying for my gym for, just the access to the sauna. I feel like that's, like, the number one thing for me in my life. I've been doing the sauna since, like, 2036, 2017, and that's always been my top tier. Like, I'm I'm I need the sauna. I need it. Even in Arizona, I was going to the sauna. And, you know, when it's one eighteen outside, but it's one eighty in inside the sauna, like, that that's a difference. And it trains you differently. And I definitely feel better when I go to the sauna specifically.
But when I go to the gym, I'm just at the gym, like, I feel you. Like, I I don't feel as high vibe. I don't feel high vibrations when I leave the gym.
[00:22:25] Unknown:
So maybe I just need to think about that more. Well, that's interesting. Right? You're saying it's too hot outside to work out, but then you're choosing to go into a place that's even hotter. Mhmm.
[00:22:35] Unknown:
Because I want it. I don't know why. I'm just a desert rat, dude. I'm a desert rat. Like, I like the heat, and I'm like a weird guy. Like, I I I feel like all my friends growing up would say that I'm that I'm a weird guy. But, like, I I don't wanna, like, work out in the hot sun, but I would work out or I would just sit in a hot room.
[00:22:54] Unknown:
Yeah. I mean, that that's a really interesting observation because you're essentially accomplishing the same goal if you were to train outside. It's just like a free sauna. There are some days in LA that will be hot. Like, it's a hot day in this part of LA is, like, 85, 90, and there's a bit of a breeze. But what I'll do is I'll put on couple pairs of sweatpants, sweatshirt, another sweatshirt, and a winter hat. I look like a crazy person going for a run, but it's I call it my sauna jog because I'm just, like, basically taking a sauna. But there's more movement involved because I'm, like, jogging at a slow pace, which I don't usually condone jogging. But in this situation, I've created my own little mobile sauna. And I don't have a gym membership, but sometimes I go to a sauna, like, you know, a sauna studio because I do love the social aspect of sitting and sweating and having conversations. It's an amazing state. I'm not shitting on saunas anyway. I'm just illuminating this, like Yeah. Interesting dialectic between, like, training outside, turning it into a free sauna. Yes. It's hot, but I'm also getting all the benefits of a sauna versus, like, going and seeing a sauna. Very different. Like, it's apples to oranges, but it it's interesting to talk about. And I I totally love saunas in the meditative state and the thoughts and the ideas and the way you feel afterward is, like, impossible to replicate. Yeah. But it is interesting to think about it from that perspective.
[00:24:08] Unknown:
Yeah. There is, like, spots popping up. Like, there is, like, some sauna place in Venice that has sauna and ice baths, and there's another place. I think it's in, like, Westwood or something like that, somewhere in Beverly Hills called Remedy. That's like, it they they have saunas, and they have ice baths, and they have, different massage things. They have some robot massager. For for a thousand dollars a month, you could have a robot massage you, which I think is interesting. Yeah. But there's, like, maybe things like that need to open up more that it's not traditional, but it does help you have, like, it does force you to to put yourself in a different state because that's what the sauna does. Different a different state of mental, a different state of your body, and, you're also being social. And it's not I don't think it causes inflammation. You know? If, like, a group of strangers went to the sauna and ice bath, I think that's different than strangers trying to lift weights and farting next to each other when they're trying to do some back exercises.
[00:25:12] Unknown:
Yeah. It's definitely something that needs to be more widespread. They're amazing. They're they're great places. And I think as more people tune in to this frequency, to this ideation around holistic health, to, like, wanting to live that life. So I see more of that. I think a lot of money is currently going towards, like, bars and fancy restaurants and or, like, sports like, look at the state sports stadiums. And the fact that these 20 year old kids are making millions of dollars to play with balls, that's because there's so much attention and money going to this act of, like, sitting and watching other people play with balls. Like Mhmm. That that's an insane thing to do in my in my perspective. If you love it, I'm all for it, but I I don't do that. And I don't I don't recommend that people do that because it's, I think, it's a waste of waste of time. You you could be improving your quality of life in a really real and and meaningful way by doing things like training out in nature, sitting in the sauna, engaging in movement. There are things that you can apply your energy and attention and money towards, and then you're also building a better world because you're getting more people to do that. You're, like, supporting that movement. You're adding you're contributing your energy
[00:26:18] Unknown:
and your money towards this towards this movement. That is really powerful and life changing movement. Yeah. I've gotten more border sports as time has moved on. Like, I'm not watching I haven't watched sports, like, actively in years. Like, sometimes I I I give myself guilt if I'm, like, missing the UFC fight, but then when I really just, like, sit back and just, like, take a breath, I'm like, I just don't give a shit. I give zero shits about the sport. I give zero fucks about anything going on within any of that world. And maybe that's just because of, like, my mentality. Maybe that's because of some sort of wider consciousness thing going on where, you know, the world's ending and I realized that or something. Like, I just don't care about the little game going on because I care about bigger things happening in my life and around me. Yeah.
I just yeah. I I feel you on that. I I just don't care about sports, and I feel like people I mean, football tickets are so expensive too. Basketball tickets are, like, a fucking luxury. And, like, you're just gonna go there. You you you pay for the luxury ticket, and then you pay for the luxury beer. It's a $20 beer. And then you you're trying to impress people somehow. Like, it's a weird social dynamic.
[00:27:29] Unknown:
There's this thing happening where we humanity used to play music, but now that's being outsourced to professionals. We used to play sports with each other. Now that's being outsourced to professionals. We used to, like, connect with each other and have sex with each other. And now even that's, like, being out, people are paying for it. They're like, oh, I'll pay someone else to, like, do that for me. And I'll just watch her like a beauty. That that's, like, all that's all insane. And I'm not saying Wow. Yeah. I didn't even think about that. That's yeah. Well, I'd rather pay for professionals to have sex. Yeah. All those things are all those things are crazy. And I'm not perfect in in all those regards. Like, I don't play any musical instruments. I don't sing and and dance as as much as I probably should. It would bring a lot of value to my life if I can get together with my friends, and we're all playing musical instruments. Like, I I turn on Spotify and listen to music. Mhmm. But it's something really interesting to think about if you are in that point where you're, like, paying for all these things. Like, how would you stop, like, two out of three of those? Those other two I mentioned, like, just quit those now, and your life will be dramatically better over the next coming years as you, like, stop those last two that I mentioned. Like, keep listening to music if you want. But if you cut that out too, great. Like, start playing music for you and your friends. I guarantee they'll be bringing some high vibes to wherever you go. If you're, like, really good at making music and playing it for your friends, that's an amazing service. Make your own little sex. Make your own love. Yeah. Make your own music. Yep.
Make your own food. That's very That's another one, food. Yeah. People are paying for other chefs to make food when it takes five minutes to to make food at home. Yeah. And it's a lot healthier. Yeah. You know, working at I I I was working at a restaurant for a long time for, like, a couple years,
[00:29:02] Unknown:
and I was already already, like, semi into cooking. I, like, I knew how to cook myself a steak, and I knew how to, like, I would I was already, like, generally cooking for myself. And, but then working at the restaurant, I just realized, like, how few people actually cook for themselves. Yeah. Everyone there would cook for themselves because we would all talk about, like, what did we make last night? What do we, like, oh, this is really good spot. How, like and then we talk about, like, if someone who's working at the restaurant goes to another restaurant or goes to a taco stand or whatever, they're, like, interested in how it's being made. You know? But, generally, in within, like, the general public, like, people are just buying it. Like, they're just buying the box. They're buying the box of food. They're just getting like, they don't care how it's prepared. They don't care what's even in it. They don't care what's gonna make it better. Because in the kitchen, they're like, oh, dude. You gotta put some lemon on this. No. To put lemon and lime, like, no. Blah blah. Like, you gotta do this. Like, you know, we got this whole there's a whole community around how to make the best food.
And that really opened my eyes to, like, wow. Like, cooking is a it's not just like a skill. Like, it's a value. And, like, giving that away to some sort of, company, some sort of, quote, unquote, professional. You know? It's like it's so strange. Because, like, maybe, like, your grandma might be a professional at making, like, whatever your grandma makes. You know? So it's like, you don't wanna make, for instance, like, in my family, we have these, like, cookies. We call them no bake cookies. It's just like oatmeal and chocolate. It's usually made, for Christmas. There's no way I'm making that. Grandma, you make that. And then my sister Lauren, like, Lauren, you make that. I'm not making this. I might need to learn it one day, but, like, you know, I want those people to make what I like. You know? So it's it that's a funny dynamic where we want some people to make the things that we love, but, generally, we need to make the things that we need.
You know? That's such an interesting observation.
[00:31:01] Unknown:
It's part of what makes those gatherings so special is that you gather with people you love, and they're cooking food. And they're either they're infusing love into the the food. Mhmm. There's this common idea. Oh, it's made in full of it. There's that's very real. And and that practice, that process of creating things for people you love, infusing your love into the meal, that makes it more nourishing. And you're able to gather on a table. Everyone says a prayer, and you're just your nervous system is regulated. You're laughing. You're making eye contact with people. You're sharing stories. You're talking about real things, and then you're enjoying, like, a a beautiful meal made with love. And and that's, like, resigned to only the holidays. That's crazy. That that should be happening real All the time. All the time. Yeah. All the time.
[00:31:43] Unknown:
It's hard too because, like, sometimes, like, life, jobs, and things like this, like, it doesn't allow that. You know? It's I don't think people are really rejecting that. I feel like they're busy and then they forget, which is another type of rejection, but it's like a sad type of rejection. It's like a like, damn. Like, some people are just forgetting to, like, invite people over. So some people are just forgetting, like, oh, yeah. We can, like like, here's one regret I have during COVID. I should have bought a grill and just started grilling food in my courtyard.
You know? Like, that was something that I thought about. Like, I thought about that consistently throughout lockdowns. Like, what if I just bought a grill and just started making food and, like, had the other people, like, bring, like, their bratwurst or whatever, and I never did because I was, like, afraid of something. I don't know. Afraid of I don't even know what I was afraid of. Just, like, afraid of that, like, reaching out. Like, I was I would open myself up, I guess. Like, I don't know. I felt vulnerable. I I guess I was afraid of the vulnerability. Yeah. And maybe I justified about, like, oh, the building doesn't allow grills or some bullshit. I don't even know the rule. Don't even know what's going on there.
But I allowed myself to not open up to people, and I always think about that because, you know, the majority of the people in my building, they were there during COVID, and they're still here. It's like, damn. I still don't know these guys. I still don't know in anyone's name. Like
[00:33:08] Unknown:
That is an important observation. I think fear is, like, always what holds us back from getting to where we wanna go. There's always that thought. Whenever you wanna do anything great, the the greater the thing that you wanna do, the more fear that's gonna come to mind, that's gonna hold you back. There's a resistance in the war of art. And the more fear that you feel, the more resistance that you have to doing that thing, the the more you'll wanna lean in and kind of bring forth the hero within you to to conquer that and slay that dragon and bring that service to your community, bring people together in this example around grilled meat and good food. And I'm sure this exact thing or something similar will manifest in your life going forward, or maybe it has recently. I know it does in in my life pretty consistently. And every time I want to get to that next level, there's always some vision I have of what I wanna do or what I wanna create that will ultimately be of service to other people. And there's always some fear around it. Like, who am I to do that? Here's some reasons why not to do that. The mind loves to keep us confined to what is comfortable, keep us in this comfort zone, but everything great, it lies without that. Right? Right outside that that comfort zone. So it's it's great to be aware of that so that next time it comes along, you can hopefully slay that dragon and get to the next level of being of service to the people around you because you never know what will come of that. Yeah.
[00:34:19] Unknown:
I wanna do that. You know, I've always had this idea of, like, having everyone that I knew the growing up, you know, friends and enemies, like, the girlfriends who hate me or the ex girlfriends who hate me now. Like, I want everyone in my backyard, and I would just wanna have a giant barbecue. You know? It's sort of like a dream of mine. Maybe it's, like, some some silly dream or just, like, you know, some, like, fantasy, but, like, I just I love the idea of having everyone together during a barbecue. You know?
I experienced something similar like that, last year after my dad died. We did a, celebration of life, and many people came over. And, it was at our house. Many people came over, and we had, we had, like, tacos and stuff. We had a lot of food and, just that sort of environment. Like, even though it was a sad experience, it was like, wow. Look at all the love here. Look at all the love in my backyard. Like, this is awesome. And then, you know, that party I call it a party because it was a party. That party went on to, like, three in the morning. And I was like, damn. Like, that's legend. That's legendary. Like, this awesome. Like, we're all and we were drinking. We're getting inflamed. We were I was drinking a lot back then, Case. Not anymore.
But the connection around food, the connection around just coming together in a certain environment and choosing that, you know, it's it's being forgotten for some reason. Like, it is, but it's not at the same time. Like, we gotta break through that. Maybe I maybe I just need to be the leader in that case. Like, if I'm, like if I see it, then I gotta, like, fill that need. You know? That's what I'm realizing right now.
[00:35:59] Unknown:
Everyone has that that opportunity to create community and host gatherings and and catalyze these things. And you're right. It is really important. And some of our I think most of our best memories are likely with other people. It's not gonna be like, oh, I love all these memories of me being alone
[00:36:17] Unknown:
and, like,
[00:36:18] Unknown:
you know, doing this stuff by myself. It's like maybe for some people who are, like, really into solo traveling or something might have peak experiences by yourself. But for the most part, all our favorite moments of life are when we're with each other and and we're filled with love. And maybe there's alcohol involved in that anti alcohol. There are some moments where, like, I think alcohol is is a good thing. It's it's part of our culture for a reason. And Mhmm. There there there are many ways to cultivate community and then enjoy gathering and good food, music, playing, dancing, having some alcohol or other substances that help get you out of, like, that sober state Yeah. Is is important and and necessary, and it's definitely an opportunity we all have. It's so easy. It's free.
Yeah.
[00:37:01] Unknown:
The party drugs should stay at the party. I feel like I used to smoke weed. I quit smoking weed last year. Now I just, like, I I'm not even seeking it, you know, and I'm thinking, like, the same thing about alcohol. Like, maybe alcohol and weed and certain things need to be, held on to or, reserved for that gathering because that sort of enhances it as well because I used to just, like, smoke alone. You know? And I could there's, like, zero positive memories of me smoking alone. Like, I don't know when I had a good experience. Like, I I really don't know how that helped me at all, But I can tell you, like, when I had a good time smoking with my cousins, when I had a good time smoking with my friends. You know? So that's very interesting to think about as well. And maybe I actually drinking with my friends as well. You know? That's you just create memories. You know? It's like, on the dark side, you might get, like, the hangover, and you put your friend on the roof, and he almost dies.
But on the positive side, it's like, yeah. Like, we're together here, and we're we're having a good time. Have you had that have you have you had an an experience like that where you and your friends were just, you know, just balls out to the wall, you and and you had a good time? Yeah. That was, like, all through all through college. That was last night. Yeah. Not not last night. No. In
[00:38:20] Unknown:
my early late teens, early twenties, I had a lot of that, and it was difficult to get a grip on it, kinda get out of control. So I had to put a stop to it after I think it was, New Year's when I was 22 or 23. I had, like, a woke up. I didn't know where I was. I had flashbacks of, like, wandering around these snow banks in New Hampshire, and, like, I could have died that night if I had not somehow found my way into somebody else's home. I could have frozen to death in a snowbank pretty easily, so I that's crazy. After that, I realized, like, okay. I'm gonna have could've stopped this. And I I don't go out. Like and it didn't I didn't actually successfully put a stop to it that day. When I moved out here when I was 25, ten years ago, I was still very depressed and having suicidal thoughts and alcohol. I had, like, one more experience on, like, Halloween sometime with my brother's friends, and they had a similar experience where it's, like, headway too much, too fast, and just, like, you know, essentially blacked out and and was in a terrible state the next day. And that's when I really truly put a stop to it was was after that because it was another sort of near death experience where I was just, like, knew that I could no longer do that. It was just like, I have to put my foot down. I'm on this rock bottom. I'm in this rock bottom place, and I have to use the rock bottom to push up and get myself into into better state of being and quality of life. So that's when I really got on a mission to learn as much as I could about how to live a good life and how to be healthy and how to elevate my vitality. And that sort of began a journey to get me to where I am today and where I continue to where I will continue to to go. But alcohol, I think it can be nice in small amounts on social occasions, but it's definitely abused by a lot of people, and maybe it's they get trapped in that.
[00:40:09] Unknown:
So you were depressed when you were younger, and that then you sort of, like, had to, like, build like, climb your way out of that. Is that that story? Yeah. I was definitely
[00:40:18] Unknown:
definitely had a lot of depression and anxiety when I was younger and then sort of, like, had ups and downs. And then, eventually, I sort of figured out how to be more buoyant. But that took took a long time. Took took a lot of learning and and experiencing to to get there. It's something that a ton of people struggle with, and they have no tools to deal with it. And it's really sad that the default option is just, like, take these pills. And then if you have side effects, take more pills. And Mhmm. A lot of people get stuck in that because it's it's certainly not a solution. Like, you're not depressed because you have a deficiency in pharmaceuticals.
[00:40:52] Unknown:
You're right about that. You're right about that. What's crazy, here's a here's a fun fact about about the SSRIs and all those pills for depression and anxiety. They say it's like they they don't test your levels of serotonin. They don't test that. Like, you don't get a test. It's just an observation. But then, like, they give you something that that changes your chemistry. They're not testing your chemistry before they give you those pills. Like, that's something that I found out, and it's like, that's even crazier to think about. Like, we're prescribing something that changes the body, but you're not actually measuring the body as to what it needs. It's sort of just like this, like, blind dart game. Like, alright. Let's try this amount. Let's try this one. Let's try this one. It's like and then you just gotta find the one that works, and it's like, this is not the way. Like, how can anyone think that this is the way?
Because there's a lot of money in it. Yeah. Yeah. You're right. I mean, you're totally right. I've never been on any sort of medication. Thank god. I feel like I've been I've been lucky from that. My parents were never into that. My parents never needed a lot of medication. My mom takes medication because she has, like, autoimmune stuff, and I'm like, you can get rid of your autoimmune so you do certain things, mom. And, you know, that's, like, her own journey, you know, but, never, like I was never brought up to, like, listen to the doctor. I feel like my mom I haven't had a vaccine since, like, 02/2004, and I'm I'm always been thankful for for my mom because of that. Like, thank you for not forcing me to get any stupid shot. You know? And I there's been times when I tell people that, like, I haven't had a vaccine since o four. They're like, what?
They think I'm, like, dead. Like, they they look at me like I'm ill, but they have all the issues. I have no medical issues. They have all the all the issues and but I'm the weird one. Ain't that weird?
[00:42:47] Unknown:
Yeah. It's how upside down our our culture is as one example. It's just the reliance on these pharmaceutical treatments Mhmm. That aren't necessarily the best long term and aren't even the best short term for for many of these conditions, but it's very convenient.
[00:43:05] Unknown:
Take this pill to heal you. Boil this milk to not kill you. Like, that's so crazy. When I figured out the raw milk thing, I was like, wait. So they're boiling it to kill the bacteria, but they're actually killing the healthy bacteria that actually helps you. Like, that was, like, a major flip for me. And then I started thinking about, like, all the other raw things that you can buy at the store. You know, not even talking about, like, health like, you can you you buy raw meat. You buy raw lettuce. You buy raw pasta. You buy raw everything. Everything at the store is raw, and then you cook it.
But the milk needs to be boiled before I buy it? That makes no sense. Is anyone buying pre boiled pasta for the for for the safety? Like, that's insane. And I try to explain this to people and they're like, Maybe. And it's like, that's still, like, a hurdle for getting through.
[00:43:59] Unknown:
And maybe I'm just like maybe I don't know how to talk about it correctly yet, but it's so weird how, like, milk is, like, the only thing that you need to boil for it to be safe. It'd be a sad world if you walk into the grocery store and all the meat was cooked well done and all the fruit was already just, like, sauteed and Yeah. Boiled, and it was like a lumpy, mushy mess. And the raw milk, definitely, the beneficial bacteria are more present in Mhmm. Its raw, true, authentic form and also the enzymes that help you digest it. I thought I was lactose intolerant Mhmm. Up until I discovered raw milk, and it healed my so called lactose intolerance. In reality, that was just
[00:44:35] Unknown:
my body's reaction to drinking overcooked milk. So okay. So that's interesting. So you if one day you, like, someone gave you a glass of milk and they didn't say it was pasteurized, but it was pasteurized,
[00:44:49] Unknown:
you would be able to digest that? Now I would be. Really? Because I have the enzymes and the beneficial bacteria in my digestive system, in my microbiome from drinking so much on dairy and eating raw cheese, but previously, I would not have been able to Same here. But I've also had experiences where I might buy the brand, Alexander Farms, which is vat pasteurized,
[00:45:12] Unknown:
which is a light pasteurization. I still and it's I I don't have immediate gut issues. It's like it's like when I'm taking a shit, then I'm feeling it. I'm like, wait. I'm like I'm like constipated for some reason. And I feel it and it's only I could I I know for a fact it's specific when I have that milk in my house. And so I still have some sort of sensitivity when it comes to some sort of pasteurization. And milk specifically too because I might have there's that ice cream brand, Bear ice cream for bears Yeah. And they do a light pasteurization, but I don't have any issues, with with that type of ice cream. I can do the light the vat pasteurized heavy cream. I don't have any issues with that mainly, but specifically with the milk. It's interesting. And so I don't know what that is. But when I drink raw milk, like, everything's everything's awesome. Everything's great. I feel great.
[00:46:03] Unknown:
Yeah. Looking at looking at poop and understanding the pooping process is an interesting way to understand health and certain tolerances.
[00:46:11] Unknown:
It's it's an immediate indicator of, like, how your system is is functioning. It's the only way to know that you're healthy. It's it's one way. It's I mean, it's I mean, it's one way, but it's I feel like it's the only way. Because, like, I'm actually been, like, extremely, like, like, I'm, like, conscious of, like, how I'm shitting. Yeah. Like, I'm, like, oh, man. I shouldn't have had that. Like and people make jokes about, like, the spicy food fucking you up, but it's, like, like, you know, like, I if I have too many cashews, like, I'm really fucked. Like, if I have you know what I mean? Like, if I have too many nuts, if I have too many, and also, like, if I have, like, too much, too much cream. Like, there's times when I have, like, too much heavy cream. Yep. If I because sometimes I might do, like, frozen berries and cream and, you know, and then I'm all of a sudden, like, it's like, fuck. I'm shitting a rock.
[00:46:58] Unknown:
It's true. Because there's no moisture. Yeah. If you go out of balance, your body will will let you know, and that's one way. That's really obvious. Yeah. That your body will will clue you in to, like, how things are are going within. You can just see it or feel it. Mhmm. And that that's a great indicator to, like, observe those observations that you that you shared. That's a great example. And there could be a lot of things going on with with the milk. Who knows? I know that there is certified regenerative of Alexander Family Farms, and and they're light pasteurized through the VAT pasteurization process. But there could be other things going on that that may be causing the digestive distress for whatever reason. Mhmm. We don't know everything about nutrition. There's a ton of open question marks. There's a ton of mystery. So it's a good learning process to just know, like, okay. This doesn't really agree with me for whatever reason, so I'll just drink other milk. And There needs to be, like, a holistic Brian Johnson.
[00:47:48] Unknown:
You know what I mean? Because, like, the only, like because, like, I I hate Brian Johnson. But, like, the only thing that he's, like, good for is actually, like, I really respect how he's measuring everything. I think that's a really valuable thing. And just, like, interesting as well, like, measuring your organs, measuring how things are affecting your organs and your skin and and and things like that. But But there needs to be that we need to measure how the holistic stuff is affecting our organs and affecting our our bodily functions.
I feel like there needs to be more measurement on that because there just isn't yet. You know? There might be some sort of there's, like, studies on how raw milk affects asthma with young kids, but that's, like, not enough. You know? Yeah. We need to actually, like is there a way to, like, see or, like, measure how our digestion is going that doesn't require us to wait to shit? Like, we need, like, a little, like, nanobot. We need, like, a little, like, camera going in there. Like, just looking at how everything's going. Well,
[00:48:46] Unknown:
I'd say the way to measure that is through the way that you feel. Mhmm. Now that feeling state, are you energetic? How's your mood? Like, mood isn't just some random thing. Yeah. That's a downstream part of your lifestyle, not just what you're eating Mhmm. What you're thinking, your environment, the way that you are engaging with other people. And there's a lot that gets messy, the scientific, atomistic, we're gonna measure this thing. And that really blinds you to a lot of what's going on in life because then you're missing everything that you're not measuring. Yeah. And if you take the super scientific approach to health, you're missing the other side of the coin, which is the artistic
[00:49:27] Unknown:
approach to health. And I would say The intrinsic, like, the instinctual.
[00:49:31] Unknown:
Exactly. Exactly. I mean, if you think about all the great works of art, do you think da Vinci was looking at his paintings and thinking to himself, like, I need to measure this? Mhmm. Or was he just painting? Yeah.
[00:49:42] Unknown:
I I definitely feel that. Because I've been feeling it's this weird dichotomy where, like, culture, like, modern society sort of led by science. But then it's like and because I've been, I I watch a lot of podcasts about, like, God and spirituality and things like this, and, there's some people in my life where I might mention something about the soul. And, they're like their response is like, I'm gonna have to see some studies on that, Cole, or, like, something like that. It's like, they need, like, a study to prove the existence of the soul. And I get, like, pissed off. I'm like, is there any, like, double blind, placebo on that good is good?
Like, do we how do we know that good is good? You know what I mean? Like, how do we know that you're like, have you, have have you doubled plot? Have you, have you measured your your instinct? How do we know your your instinct is good for your life? You know what I mean? It's like, if you really wanna be scientific, like, we then you're gonna have to study every single thing. How do you know your right foot is really good for walking? It's like, you know, it's like something some things are observational. Some things are based on experience. And then I'm also valuing science at the same time. Like, that's where I'm at right now. It's like, I'm so in line with the soul, and I'm, like, seeking more soul and instinct and art.
But then it's like, people only care if it's scientifically proven. It's like, what the fuck is this? What is this? I don't know.
[00:51:10] Unknown:
Well, not everyone thinks like that. A lot of people have made science their god, their religion. Mhmm. Collectively, as a culture, that's probably the dominant religion, and look how it's working out for us.
[00:51:22] Unknown:
It's not. It's not. But it's only good for measuring. Right? Like, the scientific method, it's, like, it it measures. It's there to measure things. And so if you can measure something that is a part of your body, like, if you can if if there's a way to measure the positive benefits of meditation, you know, like that, I would say that's a good science, quote, unquote, good science. You know, people have their studies that say that they show how praying regulates your nervous system and how praying over food can help, the nutrients in the food absorb into your body more because your though your body and the food are now aligned with each other, on a vibrational level.
But yet people don't even care about those studies because then they think those studies are woo woo. It's like somehow the science goes woo woo,
[00:52:14] Unknown:
which is still crazy. Yeah. I mean, the most important things in life cannot be measured. How do you measure Yeah. Love? How do you measure Yeah. The way it feels when you're laughing with your friends and all these things that, like like, wow. I'm so glad science is so valuable. We've proven that praying is is good. It's like, we've known that Yeah. For generations. It's like, wow. Science is so great. It's finally proven that. A thousand generations. Meditation is good. So, yeah, we we know that already. It's like, thanks, but we've figured this out. And there's really no place for science and health. I I don't think it's done any good anywhere. There there are some situations where maybe in medicine, it has it has done well and, like, oh, great. We figure out how to, like, fix your your leg from this infection so we don't have to amputate it anymore. We can give you we can give you the antibiotics. We can do surgery in, like, a really tactical skillful way now. We can do stem cells.
Machinery stem cells. There are there are some ways in medicine that has been tremendous innovation, but there's nothing new in the world of health that has been powerful and impactful from science. It's just, like, brought in what is old forth into the into the new consciousness. And maybe for some people, that was, like, revelatory. They're like, wow. Look at this study on meditation. I'm gonna start meditating now. It's gonna help me, but it's not, like, a new thing. It's it's Yeah. Science doesn't science doesn't create anything new. That's so interesting. Science doesn't create anything. It just, like, sees
[00:53:39] Unknown:
something. Whatever you wanna look at, it it it can show you. That's so that but spirituality is sort of like there's there's more creation within spirituality, I feel like.
[00:53:51] Unknown:
Yeah. Depending on how you how you define spirituality, I I see the process of creation as a connection with God and able to make something exist that hasn't existed before. AI will never be able to do that. Only only we can do that because we have a connection to to God, and we're able to tune in to that process through the act of creativity. Mhmm. And and that's where where new things come from. We're able to remix. We're able to reach out into the great beyond of unmanifested potential and make something happen that has never been done before and and, you don't do that through, like, observing what has already been done and, like, figuring out different measurements around it. You only do that through the creative process and tapping into the flow of of God and gently into the here and now. Yeah. The field.
[00:54:36] Unknown:
The field of consciousness. Yeah, man. I've been getting into I'm, like, on day five or six of, like, doing some new Joe Dispenza meditations, and something really clicked for me, on at, like, after the third time I did it. So so I've had a meditation practice for a little over a year already, and mainly to, like, help me it was always to, like, calm me down. Right? Especially during, during and after my dad died, I had, like, a spiritual unlock with the meditations. I was actually able to achieve a level of peace in my heart, and I was actually able to feel peace and gratitude.
And, but but lately, most recently, this past week, I had this realization of what like, as I move through my life and as I create my life, whatever I want to be created in my life, it's only going to come from a place of gratitude. And throughout the day, I might feel stress about money, about what I need to do, mainly money. You know? And it's like, the life that I want is only going only going to come from feeling gratitude all the time. Like, practicing feeling peace and gratitude for that creation coming forward, coming through. And the meditation helps get the ball rolling to create momentum for that.
And I realized that this past week, and I thought it was a really powerful thing for myself because I might have meditated for about, I don't know, fifteen minutes, under fifteen minutes. And I'm looking for a sense of peace. And, and I'm it's been an active practice of doing that. But then throughout the day, like, I lose it. And then I'm trying to do some other thing and, like, there might be something where there might be some days where I might have a good meditation, but then I lose it midday. And then at the end of the day, I'm looking for alcohol. And it's like, I'm looking for alcohol for peace.
I'm looking for some sort of I need it. And and then I'm trying trying to justify it. Like, why why do I need the alcohol? At least I'm trying to understand it. But this past week, I realized that, oh, wow. I'm getting the ball rolling. Like, there's momentum when it comes to beginning the meditation. And I can I'd it's a choice to keep that momentum going. And it's, like, the same thing with, like, health. Right? Because, like, the the workout lecture, you might get healthy, like, in the moment of the workout. But then that workout only brings you momentum to do more workouts, to give you energy for more workouts, and to give you clarity, to eat something healthy, or to give you curiosity.
Because if you're not working out, then you're probably less curious. And so I've just been thinking about these things, like, the the idea of, like, meditation and, like, creating, momentum for your spirituality. Like, this is, like, a big thing for me right now. What do you think about that?
[00:57:42] Unknown:
That's huge. That's a great deep insight to focus on the momentum of all these things. And as you're struggling and striving to build new habits, to create a new lifestyle, each little brick in the wall is, like, how you build the foundation of their your new self. And maybe it's a meditation practice. Maybe it's a training session. And then the ideal is, yeah, you're doing it on a regular basis. It's just a part of your life. It's who you are. It's this new identity. It's like, I'm case I'm a meditator. It's not like I'm I meditated today or I'm trying to meditate. I am the meditator. Right? I do this every day. It's because I love the act of being in this state of zen, and I love how it makes me feel. And I love the peace that exudes other people. And I love how it gives me more authority over my life to cultivate gratitude and to make better choices.
So building that momentum is very real. It's very powerful, and it's really the only way to get started on any any journey, whether it's a mindfulness practice or a training practice or a creative practice, just stacking those bricks every day is how you kinda become the person that you wanna become and and by integrating it in your life. You'll never change from just, like, doing something once. Yeah.
[00:58:51] Unknown:
And so because growing up, I I grew up Christian. Right? I grew up going to church. And, there's always this idea of, like, don't be, like, a Sunday Christian. And it's, like, there's this positive idea of, like, like Sunday church, going to church on Sunday is supposed to be like where you just connect with people and it it like it church is like a should be a very specific moment in your spiritual life and then you bring that forward throughout the week. And I always, like, aligned with that. Like, yeah. Like, I get that. But then with religion at large, it like, the that type of culture does not is not created.
And so I've sort of, like, fallen away from traditional Christianity. I don't really identify with being a Christian anymore, but the teachings from Jesus are incredibly real. And, there's so much overlap with teachings from Buddha. And there's so much more overlap with just the the world religions or just, like, the golden rule. You know? Treat others how you would wanna be treated. Like, there's so much more oval overlap with that and humanity. And I've just been, like, realizing, like, meditation brings me there in, like, a more better way, and that can help me connect with people in a deeper way like that. And I'm not sure if people who call themselves spiritual or religious or Christians, whatever, if they can actually say that they feel gratitude or they feel peace.
You know? There's these things that they say the religion say that they're saving you, but there's still so much chaos within people's hearts. And I don't know. I've just been on this journey of, like, trying to conjure up peace within myself. Has that been similar for you?
[01:00:48] Unknown:
Absolutely. Absolutely. And a woman asked me last week, she met me. She's like, how do you stay so zen? And it struck me because I was like, I haven't thought about that. And I guess it must be sensible, like, for, like, asked me. I'm like, I didn't realize I was exuding this, like, state of state of zen. You get all pissed off right away. What the fuck are you talking about, son? Yeah. So it it's funny it's funny to reflect on because I I did I definitely used to have a lot more chaos, and now I have more clarity. And it was through the practicing the art of cultivating serenity because a lot of times I was chasing happiness. But happiness comes from the Latin root term. Just like happen stands where it it's just like happens. You can't really Mhmm. Cultivate. You can't craft happiness. It just like happens. And then when it happens, you can enjoy it and then let it go. But if you keep chasing that, you're you're gonna be chasing the dragon. You're gonna be going after all sorts of the dopamine fixes, whether it's, like, online shopping or drugs or things that are probably only good in the short term, not so much in the long term. But you can cultivate serenity from within just like you're describing through meditation practice. For me, it's often through my movement practice. I'm able to cultivate a a state of serenity and acquiescence with the flow of life, the inevitable ups and downs. So I I think we can all find our our way there. There are many ways to the waterfall, but there is certainly something to be said for allowing yourself to accept the present moment as it is, being here and now, not thinking about the future, not thinking about the past, just being right here, right now, feeling your breath, expressing gratitude for the little things even though you may not be living the exact life that you wanna live. You've got a lot to be grateful if you're listening to this, if you're watching this. I guarantee that you are living a lot better than at least a billion people, at least. Yeah. There are at least a billion people who live on less than $1 per day. Yeah. And and they're living in some sort of, like, unimaginable hell realm compared to what we are enjoying, and that includes everyone who is listening and watching this. So Yeah. And then that's not you know, playing that comparison game is is pretty silly. Ultimately, like, oh, you're not you're not dying at a war in Gaza. It's like, okay. Okay. But, like, my life is still terrible.
Great. Like, you can build from that place. You can find that place of, okay. And from here, I'll take the next best step for me and my friends and my family, and that can be a difficult step sometimes. Mhmm. But from that place, you're gonna be a lot more capable of taking that step. I feel like the ego wants to compare suffering,
[01:03:14] Unknown:
and, like, that's, like, not good for culture. It's, like, no good. Like, they wanna compare status and suffering at the same time. Like, I might judge how much you have compared to me, and then I'm gonna judge how little I have compared to this other person. And some person might compare how oppressed they are compared to some other person. It's like, I feel like comparing is, like, a very ego trap.
[01:03:40] Unknown:
Comparison is the thief of joy. Yeah.
[01:03:43] Unknown:
Yeah. Did you grow up religious, or did you grow up with any sort of faith when you were younger? Completely agnostic. Really? Yeah. Your whole family?
[01:03:51] Unknown:
At least my immediate family. And I would say even, grandparents to some degree, my one my dad's parents, they would go to church. Mhmm. But they never push it on us. We would say grace around the Zoom table. And then my other parents, my my mom's family, they wouldn't go to church. So we were just like they never really talked about it. So it was a huge question for me as I started to become a man. I would explore different religions. I enjoyed reading the Bhagavad Gita and looking to Buddhist religion and Zen because I was fascinated by the art that they created. They made these giant statues of the Buddha for generations carved into a mountain sign. Like, what would cause people to do that? Like, father, son, grandfather, all carving away at this mountain to create an effigy of this symbol.
Like, why?
[01:04:39] Unknown:
They want to. They wanted to. I don't know. I couldn't answer that. That's very interesting. I didn't they did create it for thousands of years. I know I haven't gone too deep into Buddhism
[01:04:49] Unknown:
or or the what's the book called again? The Bhagavad Gita. Bhagavad Gita. Yeah. That's like the Bible of Buddhism. And Yeah. There's really there's things like this in every religion, beautiful medieval churches and those stained glass windows and the, the the Sistine Chapel. There there's beautiful art created and through every major religion and discipline. And I would say the reason why is because I felt such a a soulful fire through being connected with God or, you know, the primary teachings of of these texts, you know, through what is called a religion, and that's a power for them. Yeah. The Scientology building in Hollywood, it's so beautifully empty. It is marvelous.
[01:05:28] Unknown:
That's interesting, man. It's interesting that, like, you grow up agnostic, but then you're still interested in things. You know? Because, like, some scientific minded people might say to, like like a lot of, like, scientific minded people will fall away from the faith stuff because, like, they say that they know better or there's just no evidence for it. And, it's just interesting how you have an experience where I don't wanna say lukewarm, but you're definitely more open than not, and you're still curious enough to explore. Like, is that just proof of the soul wanting to connect to the bigger whole?
[01:06:07] Unknown:
It could be. It it could be seen as a as a reason for for being, like, free will and and having the soul is gonna be generally curious about, like, where what is all what is going on here? Like, what happens after
[01:06:21] Unknown:
we die, and, like, what's the point of it all? Those are natural questions, I think, to ask Mhmm. Especially if someone hasn't given you an answer from I feel like I know. You know? I'm in a place where, like, I feel like I know what happens. Like, I'm not even worried about that question anymore. Many people are, but I feel like just reincarnation is real. You know? Could be. I think it is. I think it's just, like, objective. You know? That's my opinion, but I think it is. Objectively,
[01:06:45] Unknown:
it's a mystery.
[01:06:46] Unknown:
Correct. We have no studies to prove it. Well, we have
[01:06:51] Unknown:
we have story. We do have some stories from people who died. Yeah.
[01:06:56] Unknown:
Yeah. Near death experience.
[01:06:57] Unknown:
Is that is that what you're saying? Near death experience. No. They didn't, like, fully die for a while, but they all said it was a, like, very loving experience, like, going home. Yeah. Felt a lot of bliss. Ram Dass says death is like taking off a tight shoe. So from all the evidence that we do have, it does seem like death is nothing to be afraid of.
[01:07:17] Unknown:
Yeah. I'm definitely, I don't wanna say I'm curious about it, but I'm, like, less afraid of it. I'm less, I'm I'm less worried about it, I guess. I'm still working through those emotions. You know? I was so close to my dad's death. My dad died at home in his bed. You know? Beautiful death, I would say. Like, if you if you had a if you had to, like, write it out. You know? Like, if you had to choose it, like, like, you're you're I would choose to die at home in my bed in my sleep. You know? And just being that close to it, it was like seeing how he took it, seeing how he just, like, lived in those final days.
You know? Whether it I mean, it was rough, but, and he was struggling, but and it's so surreal to even think back. Like, even try to to describe it, it's just so surreal. But my dad took it like a champ. You know? My dad took it like it was just I don't wanna say he took it casually, but, like, he just like, it it there was peace. You know? There was peace in it. And I'm so grateful that there was peace. And I remember I would always text him during random times whenever I felt compelled, and I would just do my best to encourage him to to choose to feel peace, to choose to feel gratitude. And he told our family stories of him being at the hospital during checkups and stuff and getting MRIs of one moment he was getting an MRI, and he was brought to tears because of the feeling of gratitude, because of the doctors and because of us and because of everything going on. Like, it's like so I like, there is evidence that he actually felt God. And I feel like feeling gratitude and peace is feeling God. Like, that is the emotion of God.
So I feel like he he felt that. And, you know, I I know what that's like. I know what a good death can look like. And so I'm not afraid of what that might mean later or afterwards because I know what a good life looks like. You know? I'm in a very interesting point in my life. It's like, I just wanna go deeper. That's that that's sort of how I feel.
[01:09:38] Unknown:
It's important an important calling to to listen to, and a shallow life is is likely not one that's that's worth living. So it's good to be called into a deeper sense of being, a deeper sense of yourself, and Yeah. To explore that and see what comes with it is is certainly which path to take.
[01:09:53] Unknown:
You're staying on the surface. Right? You're on the you're on the tippity top level of you don't wanna go deep at all. There's absolutely nothing going on here.
[01:10:04] Unknown:
Absolutely
[01:10:06] Unknown:
nothing. I like to keep it that way. It's an empty empty head. It's like they zoom in like an inside out, and there's, like, no one there. Maybe a janitor. It's like, Homer Simpson when they showed the monkey. Yes. Spider pig. Spider pig. That's you all day. That's funny, dude. Well, Well, Case, this has been cool, dude. I think we've been talking for, like, over an hour. So is there anything else you wanna, like, share or anything? Like, what else is on your heart? What else is on like, what do you think needs to be spoken about right now as we're sending vibrations out to the earth?
[01:10:41] Unknown:
Really appreciate you taking the initiative to create this conversation. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to cocreate with you to listen and to be asked such great questions, and it's been awesome seeing you dive deeper in yourself and into your practice over the past year. You've gone in better shape. You've got more energetic, and I'm excited to see where it takes you over the coming years. Thanks again for having me on and Godspeed. Thank you, sir. I wanna be more shredded than you. That's my goal.
[01:11:10] Unknown:
Get even more lean. Awesome. Stoked to see it. Hell yeah, dude. Well, thank you. Thank you. Thanks. Alright. I'll wrap this up.
Overcoming Fear and Embracing Community
The Raw Milk Movement and Community Building
COVID's Impact on Community and Fitness
Decentralized Fitness and Holistic Health
Innovative Gym Concepts and Outdoor Fitness
Rethinking Entertainment and Personal Fulfillment
The Power of Gathering and Overcoming Fear
Personal Journeys: Overcoming Depression and Alcohol
Holistic Health and the Limitations of Science
Meditation, Gratitude, and Spiritual Growth
Finding Peace and Purpose in Life
Exploring Faith and Spiritual Curiosity
