Chris Grosso The Indie Spiritualist

Ep. 141 - Follow Your Bliss: Creativity and Community with Musical Innovator Joel Korte

Guitar innovator Joel Korte joins Chris to share how loss, creativity, and community shaped his journey, from founding Chase Bliss and redefining analog-digital sound to discovering freedom by following his bliss. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://beherenownetwork.com/bhnn-guest-podcast-ep-220-dopey-hope-cultivating-resilience-through-honesty-service-with-anne-lamott/betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self. [sc name="youtube"]nBfzpCv0ggg[/sc] In this episode, Chris and Joel have a heart-to-heart about: Joel’s profound experience of losing his brother to a drunk driving accident Living each moment with the inner knowing that it could be our last Joel’s guitar pedal and gear company, Chase Bliss Following your bliss and seeing doors open in front of you Mixing together analog technology with digital control in the guitar industry Parallels between the process of creating guitar pedals and the process of music creation Working through introversion and finding comfort in community Holding onto a positive outlook for the future “We’ve gotta get out of these echo chambers and see the humanity in one another. After you share space with someone and you’re reflecting on it, you feel this goodness that is indescribable about that connection and community amongst humans. We just need to be around other humans.” –Joel Korte About Joel Korte: Joel Korte is the founder of https://www.chasebliss.com/, one of the most creative, cutting-edge guitar gear companies. As a builder and innovator, Joel Korte is changing the way musicians shape sound from deep textured effects to the intersection of analog and digital creativity. More Be Here Now Network Podcasts: [div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"][div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-column is-layout-flow"]Lama Rod Owens covers the dharma of freedom, loving ourselves, ancestral work, and the power of meditation: https://beherenownetwork.com/bhnn-guest-podcast-ep-127-dedication-to-liberation-with-lama-rod-owens/ Through bearing witness, love & service, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee shares how we can collectively heal the crisis of disconnection & ecological devastation: https://beherenownetwork.com/llewellyn-vaughan-lee-bhnn-guest-podcast-ep-125-love-service/ [/div][div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-column is-layout-flow"]JoAnna Hardy shares a guided meditation all around the first foundation of mindfulness – mindfulness of the body: https://beherenownetwork.com/joanna-hardy-bhnn-guest-podcast-ep-126-first-foundation-guided-meditation/ Buddhist Master Thich Nhat Hanh explores how we can joyfully bring mindfulness into everyday activities like phone calls, driving, and walking: https://beherenownetwork.com/thich-nhat-hanh-bhnn-guest-podcast-ep-122-the-ojai-foundation-presents-under-the-teaching-tree/ [/div][/div] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Ep. 140 - Journey Into The Body With Somatic Singer Marisa Michelson

Somatic singer and teacher Marisa Michelson shares information on the powerful work of connecting to the body through song and uninhibited self-expression. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow [https://beherenownetwork.com/bhnn-guest-podcast-ep-220-dopey-hope-cultivating-resilience-through-honesty-service-with-anne-lamott/betterhelp.com/beherenow] and get on your way to being your best self. In this episode of The Indie Spiritualist, Chris and Marisa have a conversation about: * Vocal ‘de-armoring’: working with voice, the body, and the psyche to release blocks * Bringing somatic relationship and embodiment into the classical music world * How Marisa discovered that singing could bring her into transcendent bliss * Navigating information overload in our fast-paced, tech-driven age * A roadmap to reconnect with the body and relearn the language of direct experience * Letting spontaneity flow through the liberating practice of somatic singing * A jaw-focused practice for releasing tension and unlocking full expression * Trust and vulnerability to open up our bodies, hearts, and minds * Simple somatic practices to weave into day-to-day life About Marisa Michelson: In addition to being a sought-after somatic singing teacher, Marisa is an award-winning composer of music-theatre, experimental musicals, oratorios and choral works, and was the founding director of the psychedelic singing ensemble Constellation Chor | an immersion in voice, movement, and spirit. [http://www.constellationchor.com/] Marisa has written four full-length musicals, two of which were produced off-Broadway by Prospect Theater Company. Her most personal composition project to date was her Desire|Divinity Project, a three part music-theater piece exploring the connection between sexuality and spirituality through an exegesis of the Song of Songs and a musicalization of Sappho’s poetry fragments.  She currently travels around singing with the vocal quartet, Agrol Agra, [https://liberocanto.org/agrol-agra/] which performs Hungarian folk songs and Bartok arrangements of said folk songs. Marisa is beyond grateful to live and work and teach on acres of land in Upstate New York (Ancram/unceded Mohican land).  Marisa gives her gratitude to the trees, red-winged blackbirds, deer, hares, water and wind, dirt, bees, and non-human life for the profound support. Connect with Marisa on her website [https://www.marisamichelson.com]. “It’s been such a gift for me to work with processes, particular exercises, and practices that are developing my understanding of how energies are moving through my body, how muscles are moving in coordination with each other, and how emotions are coordinating with the physical body, the nervous system, the energy body. Getting to go deeper into this is like learning a language that can then allow us to have more and more clarity in our own direct experience.” – Marisa Michelson See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Ep. 139 - Meditation & Music with Craig Wedren

Musician Craig Wedren reflects on his rise to fame in the D.C. hardcore scene, blending together punk rock, spirituality, and healing.  In this episode, Chris and Craig converse about: * From punk rock roots to a spiritual path: how Craig’s musical journey shaped his creative and personal life * Craig’s first exposure to meditation in his 20s * The origins of music, sound, and vibration  * How music transcends language, culture, and generations to connect all people * Transcendental Meditation and inspirational tricksters  * Searching for deeper meaning and spirituality in modern, often soulless society * Craig’s improvisational practices: free writing & free-form guitar playing * Craig’s work creating original music for a therapeutic ketamine clinic called Kanopy  * Ketamine treatment for addiction recovery  * Craig’s rise to fame in the D.C. punk scene with his band Shudder to Think * The synergy between performer and audience  * How Craig’s cancer diagnosis brought him back down to earth and showed him what truly mattered “I found a lot of punk rockers or hardcore people are particularly drawn to eastern religions. A friend of a friend said once, ‘the search for something deeper in a world increasingly devoid of it’. It makes perfect sense that I am meeting people that later on get drawn to different paths, traditions, and teachings.” – Chris Grosso  About Craig Wedren: Craig Wedren first gained notice as the dynamic, multi-octave-wielding frontman of Shudder to Think [https://open.spotify.com/artist/3PP5Hnii2zI9Ufm7jFkers]– one of the first Washington, D.C. bands to make the transition from the revered Dischord punk label to the majors during the grunge era. Wedren has released a series of solo albums and related collaborative projects. At the same time, Wedren’s music has become an essential part of some of film and television’s most popular and lauded shows. In recent years, Wedren’s endlessly creative spirit has also seen him release Adult Desire 360--a VR app comprised of 360° panoramic music videos featuring songs from his album Adult Desire; share the limited edition hard-bound book My '90s, featuring photos he took on his Polaroid Spectra in the 1990s and early 2000s that documented his late nights and early mornings on the road with Shudder to Think and time with friends including Fugazi, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, members of The State and more; and Sabbath Sessions, his multi-episode podcast featuring musical meditations that represent his first explorations of ambient choral music, where Wedren’s technique of sampling and looping his famously elastic voice results in a unique kind of sound bath. Check out Craig’s [https://www.craigwedren.com/] website.  “In general, the playground of my work, the sandbox of it, is pretty regulating I would say. I’ve been programming playlists and now I am starting to write original music for some friends of mine who have a ketamine therapy clinic.” – Craig Wedren See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Ep. 138 - Punk Rock, Ego and the God Shaped Hole With Ray Cappo

Blending together hardcore punk and spirituality, Ray Cappo inspires listeners to deflate the ego and serve something bigger than themselves. This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow [https://www.betterhelp.com/beherenow] and get on your way to being your best self. This time on The Indie Spiritualist, Chris and Ray delve into: * The powerful intersection between hardcore punk and spirituality * Living on the fringes of society * How the hands of God can touch anybody, even in the most unexpected places * The beginning of Ray’s spiritual path and being inspired by Harley Flanagan of hardcore punk pioneers Cro-Mags * Shifting inward: moving beyond the senses and the mind into subtle awareness * From chaos to calm: being in Samadhi rather than emotional turmoil * Kirtan and serving something bigger than ourselves instead of being the center of attention * The presence of ego even in yogic and spiritual communities  * Finding oneness and connection with all beings, beyond outer labels * Letting go of idolizing people or things and reserving reverence for the divine * Considering how being in the spotlight can inflate the ego if one does not offer praise back to God and surrender * Recognizing rock bottom as a spiritual turning point and a hidden blessing "Nothing else will fit in that God shaped hole. If you make your spouse your God, or your dog your God, your house your God, that God is always going to let you down." –Ray Cappo About Ray Cappo: As a teen in the 80s, Ray Cappo founded the hardcore punk band Youth of Today, which championed the principles of clean living, vegetarianism, and self-control. After experiencing a spiritual awakening in India, he formed a new band, Shelter, devoted to spreading a message of hope through spiritual connection. Ray currently leads yoga retreats, trainings, and kirtans at his Supersoul Farm retreat center [https://www.raghunath.yoga/ssf]in Upstate New York, as well as annual pilgrimages to India. He is the co-founder and co-host of Wisdom of the Sages [https://www.wisdomofthesages.com/feed?post_login_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wisdomofthesages.com%2F], a daily yoga podcast that has been ranked #1 on Apple for podcasts about spirituality. Check out Ray’s recently released memoir, From Punk to Monk [https://www.raghunath.yoga/from-punk-to-monk-a-memoir]. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Ep. 137 - Being Held by Space with Lama Rod Owens

Teaching us to relax back into being held by spaciousness, Lama Rod Owens discusses the forces that help us remember real love, awakened freedom, and who we truly are.  In this episode of the Indie Spiritualist Podcast, Chris and Lama Rod explore: * The practice and embodiment of real love as revolutionary * Transcending violence and harm and the yearning for all to be free * Holding brokenheartedness with a lot of care and viewing it as a teaching  * Continued practice even as an awakened being  * Returning to a space of fluidity and openness * Riding the middle line between form and emptiness  * Cultivating a stronger relationship with Earth, even in an urban environment  * Mystical breakthroughs and navigating mental health through the lens of spirituality  * Getting distracted by euphoria / believing we are hyper-special instead of taking spiritual experiences as an opportunity to connect more deeply with humanity  * Meditative experiences that can be found in daily life and in our pre-existing hobbies * Allowing space for Western medicine when it is needed  * Untangling the notion that we have to like something or someone in order to love  * Returning agency back to community and the enduring spiritual traditions that will aid in our survival   This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp & Dharma Seed: Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow [https://www.betterhelp.com/beherenow] and get on your way to being your best self. Join Krishna Das, the most well-known voice of Bhakti chanting (Kirtan) in the West, and David Nichtern - a senior Buddhist teacher, founder of Dharma Moon, guitarist in Krishna Das’ band, and producer of several of his albums - for a warm and engaging conversation about these two paths, their shared roots, and how they intersect in contemporary spiritual practice. Learn more about this FREE online gathering - THE HEART & MIND OF PRACTICE: BUDDHISM & BHAKTI [https://www.dharmamoon.com/heart] About Lama Rod Owens: Lama Rod Owens is a Black Buddhist Southern Queen. An international influencer with a Master of Divinity degree in Buddhist Studies from Harvard Divinity School with a focus on the intersection of social change, identity, and spiritual practice. Author of Love and Rage: The Path of Liberation through Anger and co-author of Radical Dharma: Talking Race, Love and Liberation, his teachings center on freedom, self-expression, and radical self-care. Highly sought after for talks, retreats, and workshops, his mission is to show you how to heal and free yourself. A leading voice in a new generation of Buddhist teachers with over 11 years of experience, Lama Rod is highly respected among his peers and the communities that he serves. From these intersections, he creates a platform that’s very natural, engaging, and inclusive. Check out Lama Rod’s most recent publication, The New Saints [https://www.amazon.com/New-Saints-Broken-Spiritual-Warriors/dp/164963000X], and his podcast on the Be Here Now Network, The Spirit Underground [https://beherenownetwork.com/spring-washam-lama-rod-owens-spirit-underground-ep-12-liberation-rooted-in-love/]. For current offerings and programs, click here [https://www.lamarod.com/events]. “Is it taking you out of this moment, out of relationship with others around you? Are you having thoughts of being special and extraordinary? Is it helping you to be more human, or is it leading you towards this idealized state that seems to take you out of the messiness of humanity? I think that the real spiritual breakthrough brings us deeper into the experience of being human, of empathy." – Lama Rod Owens See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].