#9 – Connection Is My Medicine with Amer Ameen
What if connection was as essential as food and water?
In this heart-opening conversation, Brien sits down with Amer Ameen — a man who has spent 50 days in silent meditation, volunteered for five years on a suicide hotline, helped scale a crypto company to 35 countries, and lived in intentional communities from Burning Man to the mountains of British Columbia.
They explore the life-changing power of authentic human connection, the lessons Amer learned supporting people in crisis, and the transformative impact of rituals, presence, and chosen family. From the origins of West Nest to practical steps for building community in your own life, this episode is a reminder that we are meant to live — and thrive — together.
Tune in to discover:
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Why loneliness is at the root of so much suffering
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The difference between offering solutions and truly listening
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How rituals can deepen friendships and create lasting bonds
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Simple ways to bring more connection into your daily life
Where you can find Amer:
https://www.instagram.com/amer.experiences/ [https://www.instagram.com/amer.experiences/]
https://x.com/amer__ameen [https://x.com/amer__ameen]
https://amer.substack.com/ [https://amer.substack.com/]
https://soundcloud.com/brothers-ameen [https://soundcloud.com/brothers-ameen]
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https://www.qimovements.com/
https://imoveclinic.com/
https://neurokinetictherapy.com/
Timestamps:
00:00 – Cold open & episode setup
Brief overview of Amer, connection as “vital,” and the episode’s promise.
01:21 – Welcome to The Key Movements Podcast
On location in Cabbagetown; setting the scene and bringing Dre in.
01:42 – Dre’s affirmation
“Connection is my medicine…” — opening intention for the show.
02:13 – Why Amer for this topic
Brien tees up Amer’s background and why he embodies connection.
03:12 – Amer reacts to the intro
First banter and shared origin story; Castle Gar airport meet.
04:25 – Volunteering on a suicide hotline: the “why”
Amer’s friend’s bipolar diagnosis, time in the psych ward, and perspective shift.
07:16 – What the psych ward taught Amer
Mental health reality, empathy expansion, and life priorities re-aligned.
11:33 – Big active-listening lesson
Don’t offer solutions unless asked; helping people find their own answers.
13:39 – Layers of connection & self-connection
Curiosity, openness to experience, and traveling as catalysts.
16:23 – “Am I on the right path?”
Reflection practices: journaling, meditation, honest body check-ins.
18:01 – Wayfinding through experiences
Try things (monastery, Burning Man, hotline, crypto), then reflect.
20:34 – West Nest origin story
From COVID invitation to multi-month co-living: chosen family in the mountains.
27:15 – Brien & Dre’s first West Nest
House rituals, Monday meetings, and the shared-chef dinner flow.
28:39 – Food, cold plunges & early mornings
Playful competition in the kitchen; Brien all-in on the plunge.
29:35 – Ad: Aspire Performance Consulting
Mindset coaching spot.
30:25 – Why community lifts baseline happiness
Like-minded proximity vs. isolation; alignment matters.
32:35 – Biology, tribes, and immune benefits
Connection as health; loneliness as stress.
34:13 – First steps to more connection
“Warm, real connection” relieves pain; small starts matter.
35:13 – Hotline pattern: loneliness underneath
Across backgrounds, acute loneliness was the common thread.
37:07 – As essential as food or water
Why connection is survival-level for humans.
37:45 – Naming the modern isolation problem
Nuclear families, convenience tech, and default individualism.
40:44 – Relationships predict happiness
Long-running study takeaway; optimize for people, not just money.
42:10 – Practicals: live close if you can
Neighbors, open doors, spontaneous lunches/walks.
43:20 – Weekly rituals that remove planning friction
Thursday park hangs; “Round Table” monthly dinner with shared readings.
45:15 – Put connection on the calendar
Habits with friends; schedule the next one before you leave.
46:56 – Call people (don’t just text)
Five minutes on the phone > five minutes of logistics texts.
47:42 – Distant-friend rituals
Weekly standing calls; phone is lower-friction than video.
49:19 – Feeling supported unlocks authenticity
When held by others, you can be yourself—and everyone benefits.
50:11 – “Social health” as a pillar
Treat relationships like training/sunlight/nutrition.
50:47 – Make it easier for others to join
Be the inviter; design on-ramps for newcomers.
51:58 – Shout-out: Adam & the “fourth place” (Pluto)
A community space beyond home/work/gym; co-creation as culture.
56:20 – Ad: iMove Physiotherapy
Pain, root causes, and real progress.
57:22 – Vulnerability → connection (Brené Brown)
Mirroring, safety, and why depth beats time.
59:12 – Environments that deepen fast
Retreats/festivals/challenges vs. casual neighborly small talk.
1:00:49 – Choose presence-heavy experiences
Phones down; dinners → weekends → weeks together.
1:01:11 – Active listening recap (Amer’s tips)
Intention, body language, embrace silence, avoid unsolicited fixes.
1:02:10 – What “moving well” means to Amer
Snowboarding for life—high performance without pain.
1:03:38 – What “living well” means to Amer
Doing what you love, with people you love, all the time.
1:03:47 – Mission alignment & empowering question
“If you stopped guarding your heart, what becomes possible—and what will you do today?”
1:04:39 – Thanks & wrap
Gratitude, sign-off, credits.
