Author Info for Duncan Trussell Coming Soon

Also By Author

Being Authentic

Duncan Trussell is a writer, producer, and stand-up comedian who has appeared on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Funny or Die Presents: Drunk History, and Adventure Time. He hosts the podcast The Duncan Trussell Family Hour, in which he and guests discuss everything from contemporary comedy to chaos magick and spiritual inquiry. In this episode, Duncan and Tami Simon discussed how mindfulness practice can affect performance and the use of what Pema Chödrön calls “the pause.” They also spoke about Duncan’s experience as a cancer survivor and how it changed his outlook on life. Finally, Tami and Duncan talked about his understanding of the Earth as a living, evolving being—as well as humankind’s role in that evolution. (61 minutes)

You Might Also Enjoy

Mirabai Starr: Your Life Is Holy Ground

To the mystic, every moment is sacred—and every step is taken on holy ground. Mirabai Starr, the celebrated author, religious scholar, and “translator of the mystics,” has devoted herself to sharing the insights of beloved figures including Teresa of Avila, Saint John of the Cross, Hildegard of Bingen, and others. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Mirabai Starr about her new book, Ordinary Mysticism, and how we can each open ourselves to the direct experience of divine union—and become agents of change for our troubled world. 

Listen now to this inspiring discussion of: spiritual transmission and communicating mystical realization to others; the power of ritual; setting yourself up for “an encounter with the beloved”; the willingness not to know; collaborating with your muses; Natalie Goldberg’s writing practice methodology; a commitment to beauty; mystical seeing; four gateways to the sacred; freeing yourself from the brain’s default mode network; how meditation expands your capacity for awe; tending the seeds of wisdom; interspirituality; avoiding cultural appropriation; grief as a gateway to the sacred, and letting the darkness have its way; the dark night of the soul; the paradox of “surrendering and showing up”; and more.

Note: This episode originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.

Lee Holden: Go Slow. Enter Flow.

The counterintuitive approach to life that Lee Holden calls the Slow Method has an immediate power to decrease your stress levels, boost your energy, and improve your overall health and well-being in remarkable, seemingly miraculous ways. But why is it so hard for us to slow down, even when we understand intellectually how ineffective and miserable it is to live at warp speed? 

In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with the internationally celebrated Qi Gong master and author about his new book, Ready, Set, Slow. Give yourself “the gift of slow” and tune in for this illuminating conversation about: the link between slow and flow; becoming more receptive to the energy that’s all around you; a brief history of Qi Gong and tai chi; a simple awareness practice—“Where am I?”; the coherence of energy and mind that defines the flow state; prioritizing “bliss over busy”; active relaxation; shifting out of stress and into the open space of the heart; how compassion, gratitude, and appreciation help heal the nervous system; mindfulness and an embodied experience of the present moment; liberating ourselves from our conditioning around survival; accessing the inner treasures of your energy system; applying the Slow Method when enjoying a morning beverage, at mealtimes, and in other situations where we tend to be on autopilot; finding your personal motivation for slowing down; breathwork; slow relationships; the Microcosmic Orbit practice; and more.

Note: This episode originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.

Cortland Dahl, PhD: The Energizing Force of Compassion

Imagine how our world would change if all of our actions were rooted in love and compassion. Is that even possible? In this podcast, Tami Simon sits down with Dr. Cortland Dahl, the renowned Buddhist scholar, translator, scientist, researcher, and author of several books including his newest, A Meditator’s Guide to Buddhism, to discuss how compassion can become the energizing force that motivates you and inspires you each and every day.

Listen now for their insights on attuning to the intelligence of your heart; a neuroscientific approach to healing anxiety; the exciting research and new modalities emerging from the study of contemplative practice; how quickly we can begin to enjoy the profound benefits of meditation; the four pillars of a healthy mind: awareness, connection, insight, and purpose; appreciation and noticing the positive; living life in a meditative way; bringing your innate compassion up to the surface of conscious experience; doing the dishes as an act of love—how every action can become a gift; generosity, the inner richness that can never be exhausted; how empathy and compassion activate the brain’s “care network”; compassion in relationships; the universal longing for meaning and purpose; transformative pain, and why physical discomfort does not equal suffering; dealing with uncertainty; unlocking the insights of our emotions and finding the beauty in difficult experiences; a pith instruction: look at your mind; and more.

Note: This episode originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.

>