The Deep Coach

From Monkhood to the Real World | The Illusion of Transformation, Money, and Letting Go with Nithya Shanti

What if the journey of transformation isn’t a journey at all, but actually a distraction from what's really here? In this expansive conversation, Jonathan sits with Nithya Shanti to explore the tension between seeking and surrender, monkhood and worldly life, silence and expression. Nithya shares his path from childhood loss to monastic devotion, and the eventual unraveling of the very ideas that once shaped his spiritual identity. Together, they unpack the paradoxes of growth, the complexity of money and relationships, and why true wisdom may lie in loosening our concepts rather than refining them. IN THIS EPISODE: * 01:38 – Questioning the idea of transformation 03:08 – Childhood loss and the shaping of identity 05:22 – Meditation at 16 and the first seeds of awakening 08:06 – Leaving corporate life to become a monk 09:02 – Family resistance and inner certainty 11:05 – The beauty and simplicity of monastery life 13:32 – When the cracks began to appear 18:56 – Leaving monkhood behind 20:34 – Starting over and learning the value of pricing 22:58 – Translating spiritual wisdom into the corporate world 25:41 – Navigating money, relationships, and contradiction 32:09 – From seeking happiness to spreading happiness 35:36 – How his teachings have evolved 37:34 – Why naming creates separation 46:25 – Trusting the process, not your ideas of it 50:13 – Life as practice and building community 52:28 – Walking away from social media KEY TAKEAWAYS * Transformation may be less about change and more about dis-identification * The desire for enlightenment can itself become an obstacle * Money is deeply relational and reveals unconscious patterns * Contradiction is not a flaw—it’s part of being human * Life often supports us most when we loosen control * Presence isn’t something to achieve—it’s what remains when striving softens CONNECT WITH NITHYA * Facebook⁠: https://www.facebook.com/spreadinghappiness/  * YouTube⁠: https://www.youtube.com/nithyashanti * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nithyashanti/ Learn More About Our Work at the Center:  * Website: https://www.centerfortransformationalcoaching.com/ * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedeepcoach * Instagram: https://instagram.com/thedeepcoach ➡️ Download our Free Guide:  "How to Make a Living as a Transformational Coach" [https://web.centerfortransformationalcoaching.com/how-to-make-a-living-as-a-transformational-coach] 💡 Please subscribe to get updates on the latest episodes. Thank you for listening!

The Hidden Resistance to Our Full Potential

Why do we so often resist the very things we say we want most? In this solo episode, Jonathan explores the subtle and deeply human tendency to resist joy, love, abundance, and our own potential. Drawing from personal experience, transformational work, and the concept of the “upper limit problem,” this conversation dives into the unconscious ways we self-sabotage when life begins to feel too good. Jonathan reflects on healing, gratitude, embodiment, emotional capacity, and what it truly means to expand our ability to hold light — not just pain. This episode is an invitation to stop shrinking, stop dimming, and begin stepping more fully into the fullness of who you are. ⸻ ⏰ Timestamps * 00:00 Why We Resist Joy * 00:49 Upper Limit Self Sabotage * 03:18 Practices To Hold Light * 06:27 Embodied Love And Influence * 08:49 Step Fully Into Your Light Learn More About Our Work at the Center:  * Website: https://www.centerfortransformationalcoaching.com/ * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedeepcoach * Instagram: https://instagram.com/thedeepcoach ➡️ Download our Free Guide:  "How to Make a Living as a Transformational Coach" [https://web.centerfortransformationalcoaching.com/how-to-make-a-living-as-a-transformational-coach] 💡 Please subscribe to get updates on the latest episodes. Thank you for listening!

From Numb to Alive: The Real Path to Healing & Emotional Freedom with Anamargret Sanchez

What happens when you stop running from your pain, and finally turn toward it?  In this episode, transformational coach, ketamine facilitator, and longtime yoga teacher Anamargret Sanchez shares her deeply personal journey from loss and disconnection to embodiment, healing, and purpose.  What you’ll learn:  * Why emotional numbness blocks both pain and joy  * How yoga became a gateway to deeper healing  * What ketamine therapy actually does (and doesn’t do)  * How to move through grief instead of around it  * Why you’re not meant to do this work alone  ⸻  ⏱️ Timestamps  * 02:01 - Who Was Anamargret Before  * 03:45 - Origin Story and Loss  * 07:37 - Miami Move and Contraction  * 11:20 - Yoga and Healing Path  * 29:54 - Beyond Antidepressants  * 31:00 - Healing Outcomes Witnessed  * 32:09 - Holding Space & Self-Care  * 34:35 - Full Circle Yoga Reunion  * 37:15 - Retreat to Deep Coaching Dive  * 40:53 - Legion Park Yoga Community  * 43:47 - Miami’s Ripple Effect  * 45:37 - Purpose as Conduit  * 46:42 - Life “Through Me” Framework  * 49:23 - Welcoming Darkness  * 50:18 - Transformation Needs Support  ⸻  🔗 Connect with Anamargret  * Website: https://anamargret.com  * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anamargret/ Learn More About Our Work at the Center:  * Website: https://www.centerfortransformationalcoaching.com/ * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedeepcoach * Instagram: https://instagram.com/thedeepcoach ➡️ Download our Free Guide:  "How to Make a Living as a Transformational Coach" [https://web.centerfortransformationalcoaching.com/how-to-make-a-living-as-a-transformational-coach] 💡 Please subscribe to get updates on the latest episodes. Thank you for listening!

Why Success Alone Will Never Fulfill You with Patrick Boland

What happens when you do everything “right”… and still feel empty? In this episode of The Deep Coach Podcast, I sit down with Patrick Boland—executive coach, author of The Contemplative Leader, and former high-achiever who hit a breaking point early in life. At just 16, Patrick experienced a profound existential crisis. Despite excelling in academics, sports, and music, he found himself asking a deeper question: “What is it all for?” What followed was a journey through depression, spirituality, mentorship, and ultimately, a radical shift in how he relates to success, meaning, and leadership. 📝 Key Themes * The illusion of success as a path to fulfillment * Existential crisis as a gateway to transformation * Mentorship and inner healing * Letting go of control and walking the “pathless path” * Navigating uncertainty and liminal space * Contemplative leadership in a changing world * Fatherhood, legacy, and meaning ⸻ ⏰ Timestamps * 01:44 Teen Pressure and Emptiness * 03:17 Loss Sparks the Spiral * 04:49 Ecclesiastes Awakening * 06:23 Rejecting the Scripted Life * 08:32 Prayer and Inner Shift * 09:51 Mentors and the Enneagram * 14:45 Why Mentorship Matters * 18:31 Pilot Dream Shattered * 21:37 Sailing and Letting Go * 25:51 Richard Rohr Connection * 29:15 Credentials and Calling * 32:40 Lifes Work Quote * 33:17 Walking the Pathless Path * 35:15 Listening Beneath Fear * 36:56 Culture and Consciousness Stages * 41:59 Contemplative Leadership Explained * 52:39 Fatherhood and Facing the Future * 57:54 Doing Whats Yours to Do * 01:02:19 Go Through the Storm ⸻ 🔗 Connect with Patrick Boland * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-boland-9546048/ * Website: https://www.conexus.ie/ * Book: https://www.thecontemplativeleader.com/ ⸻  📖 Resources Mentioned * The Contemplative Leader – Patrick Boland * Everything Belongs – Richard Rohr * Ecclesiastes (Hebrew scriptures) Learn More About Our Work at the Center:  * Website: https://www.centerfortransformationalcoaching.com/ * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedeepcoach * Instagram: https://instagram.com/thedeepcoach ➡️ Download our Free Guide:  "How to Make a Living as a Transformational Coach" [https://web.centerfortransformationalcoaching.com/how-to-make-a-living-as-a-transformational-coach] 💡 Please subscribe to get updates on the latest episodes. Thank you for listening!

A Story of Success, Addiction, and Awakening with Chris Kalbfleisch

Many people believe success will bring fulfillment — the career, the money, the family, the recognition. For Chris Kalbfleisch, he achieved all of it. And then… everything collapsed. In just 11 months, Chris went from a high-performing hedge fund executive with a thriving life to sitting in a jail cell, facing prison time. In this deeply moving conversation, Chris shares: * The hidden pain beneath achievement * His descent into addiction and self-sabotage * The moment everything broke — and everything began * How surrender, spirituality, and deep inner work transformed his life * What it really means to find peace This is a story about awakening — not as a concept, but as a lived experience. If you’ve ever felt stuck, lost, or quietly disconnected despite external success… this conversation is for you. Below, you’ll find key moments from the episode to guide your listening: ⏰ TIMESTAMPS * 02:23 – Conditioned Success Mindset * 03:20 – Childhood Shame and Alcoholism * 07:30 – Achievement as Escape * 09:15 – Misdiagnosis and Proving Worth * 11:35 – Alcohol Creeps In * 13:40 – Finance Career and Outer Success * 15:40 – Inner Collapse and Self-Sabotage * 22:30 – 2019 Spiral to Jail * 27:12 – Facing the Judge Unafraid * 29:21 – AA, Surrender, and Spiritual Signs * 36:03 – First Kundalini Experience * 36:58 – The Teacher Training Leap * 37:49 – Aquarian Sadhana Practice * 39:55 – Two Paths, One Recovery * 41:18 – Court Sentence as Transformation * 44:55 – Amends and Family Distance * 48:05 – Healing the Mother Wound * 51:40 – Meeting Jacqueline Again * 54:38 – Stepfamily and Being Seen * 56:22 – Sharing His Story with Teens * 01:00:58 – Ego Traps in a New Career * 01:06:18 – Final Reflections on Surrender 🔗 CONNECT WITH CHRIS * 🌐 Website * 📘 Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/neon.chris.92] * 💼 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-kalbfleisch-9211351b4/] Learn More About Our Work at the Center:  * Website: https://www.centerfortransformationalcoaching.com/ * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedeepcoach * Instagram: https://instagram.com/thedeepcoach ➡️ Download our Free Guide:  "How to Make a Living as a Transformational Coach" [https://web.centerfortransformationalcoaching.com/how-to-make-a-living-as-a-transformational-coach] 💡 Please subscribe to get updates on the latest episodes. Thank you for listening!