Unconventional Life – Podcast, Blog, Live Events

Author: Jules Schroeder

EP:174 Forest Bathing: How to Increase Vitality & Spark Creativity Through Nature, With founder of the Forest Bathing Club, Julia Plevin
Science has proven what you have intuitively known all along.

That there is a medicinal element to being out in nature.

This type of medicine can’t be replicated in a laboratory or made into pill form no matter how hard one tries.

You breathe in, You breathe out, an exchange as ancient as time.

You feel connected once your senses come alive and you remember who you are.

This week on the Unconventional Life show is Julia Plevin. She is an eco-spiritual guide, founder of the Forest Bathing Club and author of the book “The Healing Magic of Forest Bathing: Finding Calm, Creativity, and Connection in the Natural World”. Julia has a decade of guiding people into the forest to reconnect with their spirit and physically heal themselves. Julia shares what exactly forest bathing is and gives guidelines on how you can start your own forest bathing practice.

Shinrin-yoku aka Forest Bathing

Shinrin- Yoku is a Japanese phrase that means “taking in the forest atmosphere” or “forest bathing.” This term was coined in the ’80s when researchers discovered the plethora of positive effects from being out in nature.

The idea of forest bathing is simply being in nature and connecting with nature through your senses. Hearing the waves crash on the shore, the sweet scent of a flower, the prickly grass on your feet and the breeze through your hair. Shinrin-yoku is like a bridge. By opening our senses, it bridges the gap between us and the natural world.

As media use reaches new levels of intensity, this gap between us and the natural world is larger than ever. According to A Decade of Digital Dependency, it’s estimated that people check their phones on average every 12 minutes and spend 87% of their life indoors!

It’s clear that we stare at screens more than sunsets and drastically need to flip this equation!

Forest Bathing 101

Go outside, Let your intuition guide you to a quiet place outdoors. This might be under a tree, in a forest, in the direct sunlight or in a shady grove. Traditionally the forest is the preferred method but anywhere in nature is beneficial.

Give an offering. Humans take from the earth on a daily basis but how often does one give back? Some traditional methods are offering tobacco, corn kernels or flowers as an act of gratitude or appreciation. Or more actionable like offering your time during a beach or river clean up.

Ground down. Living in this digital age, we are exposed to very high levels of positive ions from the use of electronic devices. When these positive ions interact with our bodies they cause negative health effects. This is one time we don’t want positivity in our lives 😉

The term “Grounding” is used when you connect your feet or skin to the earth. Research indicates that “grounding the human body may be an essential element in the health equation along with sunshine, clean air and water, nutritious food, and physical activity.” So take off those shoes and walk on the earth to get your daily dose of negative ions in your body.

Release heavy emotions. “While in nature, pick up a leaf or stick and think of something that is causing you anxiety or stress, put those emotions into that object and then give it back to the earth.” Do you find yourself ever holding onto unnecessary emotions, keeping them bottled up inside which cause more stress in the long term? This practice allows the earth to compost what we no longer need to hold onto. When you connect with nature in this way “you are reminded that you are apart of something larger.”

Take deep breaths. The trees and plants release a natural essential oil called Phytoncides. When we breathe these essential oils in we increase our level of white blood cells which fight off tumors growth and other infected cells. Take time to breathe in the natural healing apothecary of the forest.

Appreciate the silence. One of the downsides of urban living is the constant noise. Silence is restorative and forests can have many healing sounds – the rustling of leaves, water running down a creek, the song of birds. Being in silence allows all the senses to come alive, this redirection of focus turns off the logical left brain and gives the creative right brain an opportunity land and flourish.

“These are all practices of being in right relations with the earth. So much of our anxiety and physical health issues comes from a disconnection from nature. This is a practice of healing ourselves by learning to connect to nature.”

“You didn’t come into this world.

You came out of it, like a wave from the ocean.

You are not a stranger here”

Alan Watts

Follow Julia on Instagram at@forestbathingclub or @juliaplevin

Head over to Forest Bathing Club to sign up for the newsletter and upcoming events
May 13, 2019
EP: 173 Preserving Psychedelic Wisdom with East Forest and Ram Dass

I remember the first time I saw a copy of Ram Dass’ book, “Be Here Now”. It was behind the sales counter at a vintage store waiting to be restocked on the shelf. Immidetly, I was drawn to the purple geometric cover with the word “remember” written in each of the four directions. I asked the teller if I could look at the book, it was as if I instinctively knew that the pages held valuable information and powerful impact.

Ram Dass is deeply spiritual but not religious, an ex-teacher at Harvard and an iconic figure in the psychedelic movement.

As I opened the book and started to flip through the pages I was transported into another universe. I felt this spark ignite and was deeply curious to further explore the unconventional wisdom on those pages. I knew that it was more than just a book, it was a manual for becoming a conscious being. I was grateful it landed in my hands because, being from a small town, nobody was teaching these types of topics.

This week on the Unconventional Life podcast is the musician Trevor Oswalt aka East Forest. His latest project has been collaborating with the legendary teacher Ram Dass to create a full-length album that highlights his new teachings while taking the listener into a deep, transformational experience.

Preservation of Knowledge

Ram Dass is 88 years old and has lived through significant historical events and change. It seems as if he has led two vastly different lives. He shapeshifted from Richard Alpert, a Psychologist teaching at Harvard to Ram Dass, meditating in India.

How did he transition from wearing a suit and tie to a long white robe? He took loads of Psychedelics.

Ram Dass attributes the use of psychedelics to have kick-started his spiritual quest and landed him at the feet of eastern mysticism. They allowed him to knock on the doors of consciousness and get a look inside and transmute this wisdom with the world.

Ram Dass, like many elders, have collected a treasure trove of knowledge and wisdom from their lifetimes that can guide us today and in the future. That is, if we do not let time slip away. It’s really important to create opportunities for the elderly to share their life stories with younger generations. Many times these stores are spoken from generation to generation but only rarely are they wrote down, recorded and shared with people outside of their immediate family.

So, In June of 2018, East Forest flew to Maui to interview and record Ram Dass. The recording could take 15-30 min for Ram Dass to fully answer one question, due to a recent stroke affecting his ability to produce speech. After capturing these words of wisdom he returned to his studio to compose the soundtrack. What he noticed was when he edited out the long pauses between thoughts, there was this beautiful poetic transmission of information and insight that Ram Dass shared.

With the use of technology and his musical ability, East Forest has created this bridge to “allow Ram Dass’s words to come alive again” despite the limitations from his stroke, his teachings can continue to be passed down in song form and preserved for future generations.

East Forest is redefining the way to share intergenerational knowledge with the world. He is enriching the lives of younger generations by opening up the door to spirituality without forcing Religion and giving Ram Dass a precious opportunity to relive his wild experiments and the vivid tapestry of his experiences.

The album will be slow released in 4 chapters throughout 2019. To listen to the released collaborative tracks or see upcoming live events and ceremonies hosted by East Forest go here.

To receive more insights from Ram Dass check out his website.

May 6, 2019
Ep: 172 The Mentality Makeover with the “Money Manifesting Queen” Amanda Frances

We are often told that one of the quickest ways to launch your business is through a course or a mastermind. We are constantly bombarded with sales pages and funnels that follow us while we browse online. You would assume that this model is the only way to success, since it’s so highly advertised, but there is another way.

This week on the Unconventional Life Show is the “Money Manifestation Queen”, Amanda Frances. Amanda is a self-made multimillionaire, digital course creator, Forbes contributor, podcaster, and spiritual business mentor.

Amanda shares how she made millions by breaking all the rules. She didn’t follow a rigid plan, instead, she got clear on what she wanted, aligned herself with the positive vibration of her beliefs and shared what truly ignites her soul with the world.

Tip #1: Everything revolves around your deeper desire

Be honest with yourself, and ask “what do you really want out of life?”. Your desire can range drastically, from something as tangible as wanting more money, to something more intangible like becoming more peaceful. Even if you don’t know how you are going to attain it, with persistence, you can achieve anything you desire.

Amanda tributes her success towards tapping into her core desires and doing what she truly wants rather than what conventional society has taught her to do.

“So I always ask the question, “what would you like to do if money were no object? How would you really enjoy spending your life?”

“If you say that getting the money is the most important thing, you will spend your life completely wasting your time. You’ll be doing things you don’t like doing in order to go on living, that is to go on doing things you don’t like doing, which is stupid. Better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing than a long life spent in a miserable way. And after all, if you do really like what you’re doing, it doesn’t matter what it is, you can eventually turn it- you could eventually become a master of it. It’s the only way to become a master of something, to be really with it. And then you’ll be able to get a good feel for whatever it is. So don’t worry too much.”

Once you allow your deeper desires to come to the surface is when the game really begins. This acknowledgment can be double-sided. On one hand, the desire is waiting to break free and is saying, “bring it on!”. On the other hand, we have the mind creating stories as to why you are not ready yet and many other limiting beliefs that pile up and block our path.

“You can’t unlearn it – Once you told yourself, oh shit, I actually want to be doing this with my life, you know, and you are responsible for it and you can’t unknow it”

Tip #2 How to identify and blow up limiting beliefs

The human brain is fascinating but it can also play tricks on you. There is a bundle of nerves in your brain stem called the Reticular Activating System. This system seeks information that validates your beliefs. It filters your world through the parameters that you set for yourself, and your beliefs shape those parameters.

If you don’t believe you can have it or you don’t feel that you are good enough, your brain will present to you situations that validate this thought. All without you knowing!

A way to identify if you are creating positive and healthy boundaries for yourself is simple. Any thought that doesn’t feel good or causes you to feel constricted simply isn’t true. Anything that feels exciting and expansive is true.

It’s your job to identify and tune into beliefs that feel good, are positive, and resonate deeply. If you practice vibrating at the frequency of that thought, you are presented with the people, opportunities, and information needed to achieve what we desire. Scientifically put, we are magical beings.

A positive belief that Amanda has around money is that “the more money she has the more good she can do on this earth.” She can support organizations, shop local and organic and employ people in a fair and equal way. She isn’t living in financial restriction and that opens her up to “a level of freedom where she can focus on things that are useful for the world rather than worrying about her income.”

“There are tons of roles and constructs around money in the physical plane, and she doesn’t choose to live in paradigms around money that don’t serve her. “She merges her unconscious thoughts into conscious thoughts and shapes her external outcome.

Tip # 3 Take pivots instead of leaps

So we’re now on a great track to really create positive change in our life. We’ve identified what we want, blown up any limiting beliefs and now ready to hop off the fence and take action.

Most people think that bigger is better, and while this is a great theory in some instances it might not work when you are starting to find your ground.

Amanda’s secret ingredient here is to get really good at pivoting. At first, it may not feel like you are moving anywhere but you are exploring all angles before taking a step. This reduces the chance of taking one big leap in a less than ideal direction.

When you learn to rework your mind and energy around your core desires, you set new laws and patterns in motion for you. Your relationship to your desires and any future business success takes spiritual maintenance, reflection, and clarity.

Other Free recommended resources from Amanda. Find her on Facebook, twitter, Instagram and tumbler @xoamandafrances

Spiritual Boss Lady Meditation & Money Mentality Makeover

April 29, 2019
Ep. 171 – 4 Ways to Become Comfortable with Taking Imperfect Action, with Hilary Jastram

There have definitely been moments that I have scrolled through a social media platform and had an overwhelming emotion of not feeling good enough. Recently, I have noticed a difference in the content that is being published. This new content is leaving me feeling inspired rather than questioning my worth.

There are a few key influencers that are highlighting their imperfections rather than posting a version of themselves that is polished and perfect. Their popularity is skyrocketing and they are getting more views the ever, but why? The raw, reactive and unplanned content is desirable because it is more relatable.

It’s 2019, people are craving more. We want to see your story of how failures actually led to your success, the number of attempts and ferocity it took to arrive where you are at today. We are so over a photo showing a photoshopped body and the view from your villa. We want to be taught something new, to see your humanness and vulnerability.

I know it may not be easy to share this vulnerable part of yourself with the world, but I can guarantee that the authentic version of you has value and should be shared with the world.

This week on the Unconventional Life Podcast is Hilary L. Jastram. Hilary shares her journey and insight around imperfect action. She gives us 4 techniques that can be used to expand our comfort zone and ditch the certainty and perfectionism that hold us back.

Hilary is the founder of Sick Biz, “An organization dedicated to providing support, resources, hacks, and hope to entrepreneurs affected by chronic illness, pain, disability, and sickness.” She is also the founder of J. Hill Marketing & Creative Services, an agency specializing in premier copywriting and book editing for Fortune 500 brands and the “one-percent,” superstar entrepreneurs. She is an author, editor at The Good Men Project, and contributor to Influencive, The Huffington Post and The Mighty, among other large-scale publications.

1.The law of motion

According to Newton’s Law of Motion, an object in motion will stay in motion. This directly applies to taking action. Inspiration is not a prerequisite to start, but rather something that will naturally occur once you start spinning your wheels. Inspiration flourishes through action, so stop overthinking and just start sharing your ideas with the world!

You are your worst critic and Hilary says that “the only person creating labels and boxes around you is yourself.” Someone who never buys a paint set because they “aren’t a painter” will never become one. Every “master” has once been a beginner. It always takes the first bold step to set yourself in motion towards your destiny. “We all have the same gifts, it’s just a matter of who is practicing them.”

So lets get painting!

2. We are never done learning and the best way to solidify what we have learned is to teach someone else.

The world is constantly turning, and the pace of change and development is accelerating exponentially. “ Learning is a huge goal that we can never let go of because the minute we say we are done learning we become very presumptuous”

The most noticeable area of advancement in our society is undoubtedly in the realm of technology. We now carry a connection to the world and an infinite supply of information in the palm of our hands at all times of the day, so why not use it to our advantage?

From what you’ve learned, share your experience, opinion, and voice, without a filter. You don’t need to be a professional to get your message across, nor have a professional set-up. Your phone is your link to the world and making a drastic impact. Feel empowered to use it as a tool to spread your message!

For example, someone could be inspired by your advocacy for the planet and join your #noplastic challenge only because they saw you talking about it in your feed. Even if you are not a big influencer with 100k followers, there is still a massive impact and butterfly effect created from you doing you!

“ we are multifaceted diamonds, all of us, and we get to be “experts” in different things in our lives”

3. There’s no such thing as a block, only self judgment.

When Hilary encounters some type of blockage or can’t express idea she interprets this as “sign from the universe to go inward, be calm and listen” This is a great reminder that you don’t have to be hustling at every moment in order to be successful. Listening and reflection are a part of the progression that leads to success. “You may think you are stuck, but you are right where you are meant to be. When you get up and running again you are more prepared for the next step.”

We all get creatively stuck at times, navigating our way through this maze is a part of the process. Another key to finding your way out of this maze is your mindset. It is unlikely that good ideas are going to come flooding to you when you’re telling yourself that you are not good enough. How you treat yourself when you are feeling frustrated will determine the overall outcome. If you allow yourself to be freely, authentically you, the emotions will pass and naturally new waves of inspiration will come. Give it time, sometimes it takes patience.

4. Build an environment where you are allowed to mess up.

Hillary reminds us that humans are addicted to certainty and perfection. This limits us from evolving into the unknown since we are pre-programmed to want to know the outcome and to avoid mistakes. This reduces our ability to take risks, creative leaps or to try on something out of character. “Throughout your process, remember, you are allowed to mess up.” Forgiveness for your “mistakes” should become an automatic response. You know when you have done your absolute best, so get in touch with that honest part of your being that forgives” yourself for being messy and imperfectly perfect.

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April 22, 2019
Ep.170 Embracing Extraordinary Discomfort and Surrendering to Something Greater than Yourself with Singer, Songwriter, Ayla Nereo

Let Go of How You Think Life Should Look

Ayla’s musical career has asked her to surrender her agenda countless times over. She consistently found herself trying to force something to happen, wanting her life to look a certain way instead of allowing life to surprise her in mysterious ways. Trying and working so hard while seeing a vision that was much bigger than the perception of her immediate reality created an immeasurable disconnect as she began her musical career. In Ayla’s case, the paradox of her journey was being simultaneously fearful yet desiring of being seen.

It can be easy to get caught up in the myriad of ways a certain career path should or could look. When you compare yourself to others, there’s a chance you might feel disappointed or discouraged when you’re beginning something new. Like Ayla, learning to let go of control will allow something better than you likely could have imagined. The brain can only perceive a set amount of possibilities and it is usually the ones just outside of immediate thinking that are wanting to make their way into your life. What if you danced with life instead of playing tug-of-war it?

Seek Out Your Fears

It required pushing through an extraordinary amount of fear for Ayla to get on stage and sing after being in a recording studio. She shares, “every step of the way all those things I could have just said I’m not going to perform, sing, do this…” but, for whatever reason, something continued to propel her through this discomfort. By facing her fears she learned how to shift her perspective and embrace new ways of being for her performances.

If you’re standing on the shores of your comfort zone looking out into the sea of your fears, there’s a strong likelihood that those treacherous waves look a whole lot bigger than they actually are. It’s all about riding the waves that come with trying out something new and learning how to sail smoothly. Perhaps it’s scary at first, but with commitment and practice the ride gets easier and you’ll learn to find your flow and fluidity.

Don’t Turn Back, Carry On

It wasn’t until Ayla started playing the loop pedal that she actually made money on tour. It was a big turning point in her life that asked her to make some sacrifices to rightfully claim her position as a full-time musician. Her sacrifices included living out of an extremely cheap, tiny room and scraping by for a bit. It was not an immediately glamorous lifestyle, but it freed up the energy to live her calling.

When faced with the choice of giving it all to our passion or say staying in a comfortable job, it can be extremely enticing to stay put and ignore the voice that begs you to listen. But, you were put on this planet for a very specific reason and by not following that voice you are doing a disservice to the gifts that only you were given. Wherever you find yourself envious or longing for something different, pay attention. Notice the patterns that consistently play out in your life and take note of the things that draw your attention. Life speaks volumes to those that are paying attention.

April 15, 2019