Jeff Castelaz: Music As a Weapon, Solace In Cycling, Building a Life of Service & Why It’s All About The Neighborhood

I'm terrified. I don't want to post this episode. But hiding in the dark never helped me. Neither repression nor denial ever helped anyone. In order to grow, we need to honestly confront our past. Understand it. Then own it. Because you can't save your ass if you're trying to save face. Today I shine a light on an episode of my past that still causes me shame. Because shame can't survive the light. I'm terrified. I feel fragile. I feel vulnerable. And that's why I must post this episode. Because I need to walk my talk. Because embracing vulnerability ultimately leads to strength. Because shame can't survive the light. I can't say I look forward to your thoughts on this one. But go ahead. Post your comments anyway. Peace + Plants, Rich

3 Sep 20151h 9min

I want to be happy. Everybody wants to be happy. So why is it so hard to just be happy? Many self-help gurus present happiness as a choice. The idea that happiness can be produced whenever we want, irrespective of circumstance. Simply learn to flick a certain mental switch and voila! It's an intoxicating idea. But is this axiom actually true? Meet Light Watkins. Friend, teacher and expert on mindfulness and meditation, Light proffers some interesting and perhaps somewhat controversial counterpoint perspectives on a question that deeply concerns all of us: how to best cultivate happiness? First, let's get the obvious out of the way. Beyond his beguiling good looks, Light Watkins is pretty much the coolest name ever. Right? On a more earnest note, I would characterize Light as a generous, highly accessible and contemplative entrepreneur of mindfulness — always convivial, impressively composed, and quick with a laugh. He has been operating in the meditation space for over 15 years and has been teaching Vedic Meditation since 2003. He's personally taught nearly 2,000 people to meditate, including bankers, artists, politicians, CEOs, care takers, educators, comedians, rock stars, students, and seekers of all kinds. He is the author of The Inner Gym: A 30-day Workout for Strengthening Happiness*, a frequent blogger, TEDx speaker and founder of The Shine Movement. A mashup of TED, Hotel Café & The Self-Realization Fellowship, The Shine is an all volunteer organization that hosts periodic gatherings that use music, film, philanthropy and storytelling to inspire people to do more, give more, and be more. We cover a lot of ground in this conversation, including: * a primer on Vedic Meditation * training consciousness like we train the body * the importance of consistency in daily routines * the distinction between knowledge & understanding * Skepticism of new-age gurus & practices * the image problem with meditation * de-excitation of the mind through mantra * the relationship between consciousness & restfulness * the impact of meditation on insomnia * the difference between biological and chronological time * meditation impact on the fight or flight response; and * strategies for strengthening happiness Light inspires me. I love this guy. After listening, I think you will too. I sincerely hope you enjoy our exchange. How do you cultivate happiness? I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below. Peace + Plants, Rich

31 Aug 20152h 8min

If you're a long-time listener of the podcast, then you’ve treated yourself to several of my conversations with today's guest. You know this guy well as my gravelly voiced, eminently talented, always charming yet generally disheveled, periodically homeless co-host — now back for a record 6th appearance on the RRP. Mishka Shubaly doesn’t care much for formalities. But if you need a resumé, his goes something like this: A self-professed povertarian, Mishka writes true stories about drink, drugs, disasters, desire, deception, and their aftermath. He began drinking at 13 and college at 15. At 22, he received the Dean's Fellowship from the Master's Writing Program at Columbia University. Upon receiving his expensive MFA, he promptly moved into a Toyota minivan to tour the country nonstop as a singer-songwriter, sharing the stage with artists like The Strokes, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Decemberists. At 32, Mishka got sober and shortly thereafter began publishing a string of bestselling Kindle Singles – short non-fiction novellas — through Amazon. His writing has been praised for its grit, humor, fearlessness, and heart. The Long Run*, his mini-memoir detailing his transformation from alcoholic drug abuser to sober ultra-runner is one of the best-selling Kindle Singles in Amazon history. Mishka's third solo album, Coward’s Path — the finest set of miserable and sad songs you might ever hear– will be released on October 2, 2015. His new book, I Swear I'll Make It Up To You: A Life on the Low Road* hits bookstores March 8, 2016. If you're new to this podcast, dig the Mishka vibe and want to hear more, check out RRP episodes 27,31,65,95 & 104. That's about 9 hours of Mishka to keep you busy. Enjoy! Rich

27 Aug 20152h

Imagine bivouacking in a portaledge — you and two other guys crammed into a small mountaineering tent pitched vertically and dangling on the side of a sheer Himalayan cliff 19,000 feet above solid ground with nothing but nothing below you. Then imagine staying put for 12 days straight to weather a ferocious storm, torrential winds and temperatures that dip into twenty below territory. That’s just one harrowing peek into the life of today’s guest, Conrad Anker – a man widely considered to be the most accomplished high altitude climber in the world and one of the most respected adventure athletes of all time. The team leader of The North Face climbing team as well as the subject of not one but several Outside Magazine cover profiles, Conrad is renown for specializing in not just the highest mountains but the most technically challenging ascents — conquering the trickiest peaks spread across the high Himalaya, Antarctica, Alaska and the big walls of Patagonia. Conrad has summited Everest 3 times, including a successful 2012 ascent without the aid of supplemental oxygen — a feat reserved for only the most elite mountaineers. In a 1999 Everest expedition, Conrad famously located the remains of George Mallory– the legendary British climber who disappeared in the midst of his historic 1924 attempt to be the first to summit the world's highest peak. Last seen about 800 vertical feet from the summit, speculation as to whether Mallory and his climbing partner Andrew Irvine had reached the summit before dying has been a subject of much dispute. But Conrad's discovery shed much light on the mystery of this and other pioneering climbs of early expeditions. On a personal level, in 1999 Conrad survived an avalanche in Tibet — a massive wall of snow and ice that tossed his body 100 feet, beat him up badly and took the life of his best friend and climbing companion Alex Lowe. Conrad would later marry Alex's widow Jennifer and raise his three sons, Max, Sam and Isaac. A few years ago I had the good fortune of meeting Conrad, including the privilege of hearing him share the story of his internationally celebrated 2011 attempt to summit a peak previously thought impossible – the Shark's Fin of Meru. Considered the most technically complicated and dangerous peak in the Himalayas, it's an astonishing tale. Now this expedition is the subject of a new documentary aptly named Meru, feted with the prestigious Audience Award at last winter's Sundance Film Festival. I had an opportunity to see the film and I can say first hand that it is extraordinary. Visceral. Harrowing. And terrifying as much as it is inspiring. “A meditation on life, death and everything in between” according to Newsweek, the film works as a true character study, winning mainstream hearts previously unfamiliar with the world of climbing. A redemptive deep look into the lives and complicated pasts of Conrad and his talented climbing teammates Jimmy Chin and Renan Ozturk (both responsible for not only scaling the peak but also capturing the entire experience on film),

24 Aug 20152h 11min

Julie and I are back with yet another installment of Ask Me Anything, a twist on my typical long-form interview format where Julie and I engage you — the listener — by addressing the topics and questions you want discussed. This week's AMA explores: * the employment of passion * engaging in process over results * reconciling spiritual detachment with the law of attraction * releasing old ideas & changing your story; and * self-acceptance: embracing dark and light Special thanks to Steven Simpson and Jeff Warrington for today's questions, as well as everyone who submitted inquiries — keep ‘em coming! The show concludes with My Man, written and performed by Julie — aka SriMati– accompanied by our sons Tyler & Trapper Piatt. I sincerely hope you enjoy the conversation. Peace + Plants, Rich

21 Aug 20151h 9min

I love talking to smart people. Today's guest is certainly that — and so much more. Contravening millennial stereotypes, Ryan Holiday is a prolific, rising literary talent. A maverick media strategist. Not to mention a philosopher of sorts — a guy with big ideas often at odds with the status quo. An autodidact, Ryan dropped out of college at nineteen to apprentice under acclaimed author Robert Greene, author of (among many other great books) The 48 Laws of Power*, later graduating to advise many New York Times bestselling authors like Tim Ferriss and RRP #154 alum Tucker Max, multiplatinum musicians like Linkin Park and startups like Casey Neistat's ( RRP 73 & RRP 144 ) recently launched social media platform Beme. By the time he was legally allowed to drink (21!) Ryan had already ascended to director of marketing duties at American Apparel, where his iconoclastic campaigns and tactics have been used as case studies by Twitter, YouTube, and Google and written about in places like AdAge, the New York Times, and Fast Company. Ryan is also the bestselling author of 3 books, including Trust Me I’m Lying* – a highly entertaining and admittedly disturbing first hand look at the machinations behind digital media's dark underbelly — and The Obstacle Is The Way* – a modern and practical reframing of stoicism, the ancient Roman philosophy originated by guys like Marcus Aurelius, Seneca and Epictetus, with a focus on functional applicability of stoic principles for turning modern day obstacles into opportunities and adversity to advantage. If you think philosophy is purely academic — a useless waste of time reserved for the arrogant intellectual elite — Ryan has a message for you: think again. I really love this book. I found it to be eminently practical. An incredibly insightful and utilitarian tool box for navigating crises, strengthening character and maximizing excellence in any situation, irrespective of circumstance. On RyanHoliday.net and places like Thought Catalog and Observer (where he is editor at large), Ryan writes frequently on a wide variety of business and marketing related subject matters. But it's his fresh and unique take on real life stuff that keeps me coming back. Enjoy! Rich

17 Aug 20151h 55min

Julie and I are back with yet another installment of Ask Me Anything, a twist on my typical long-form interview format where Julie and I engage you — the listener — by addressing the topics and questions you want discussed. This week's AMA explores: * releasing the need for permission to live your life * empowerment via “choosing yourself” * practicing creativity in all things * confronting your fear through action * removing fear-based stimuli from your life * managing criticism * overcoming judgment and resentment * combating addiction by prioritizing sobriety Special thanks to Farmer Diddly, Nathan & everyone who contributed to this week’s questions! The show concludes with Beloved, written and performed by Julie — aka SriMati– accompanied by our sons Tyler & Trapper Piatt. I sincerely hope you enjoy the conversation. Are you waiting for permission to chase a dream? Why? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. Peace + Plants, Rich

13 Aug 20151h 19min

I'm exploding with excitement about this week's hotly anticipated show. Today I sit down with James Lawrence — aka The Iron Cowboy — fresh on the heels of completing an absolutely unprecedented and mind-boggling 50 ironman-distance triathlons in 50 states in just 50 days. I honestly believe this is one of the greatest achievements in the history of (voluntary) human endurance. For the uninitiated, consider swimming 2.4 miles, pedaling your bike 112 miles and then running a marathon, 26.2 miles. After quickly eating and bathing, you enjoy anywhere from two to four hours of shut eye, usually in the back of a Subaru as it drives through the night to meet dawn in an adjoining state. Then you heave your weary bones up, eat, get dressed and do it all over again. Every single day. 50 days in row, across each and every one of the 50 states — including Hawaii and Alaska — without one single day off. Just think about that for a moment. Let it sink in. During James' initial appearance on the podcast (RRP 149) just prior to his 50/50/50 attempt, I went on record here and on various media outlets like Triathlete.com voicing my concern that James just might have aimed a bit too high. As someone who did 5 ironman-distance triathlons in a row on each of the 5 Hawaiian Islands, I happen to have a little experience in this arena. Admittedly my accomplishments now seem paltry (almost embarrassing) by comparison, the fact remains that I happen to be one of the few people on the planet who can truly understand, appreciate and deeply empathize with the abyss James would inevitably face, battle, endure and be forced to overcome in order to complete his extraordinary journey intact. I know what it's like to meet unforeseen obstacles that threaten to imperil the mission. I know what it's like to fall asleep on your bike. I know what it's like to have saddle sores so painful you can't sit down. I know what it's like to run through the night, hallucinating. And I know what it's like when that inevitable moment arises and you ask yourself: what am I doing to myself? But James and his entire family were all in from the get go. To underwrite the endeavor, they even sold their house and put all their earthly possessions in storage. So never for a second did I doubt his level of commitment. I knew he could complete 50 ironman-distance triathlons in 50 states. It was the 50 days part that bent my brain. Certainly he'll have to take at least one day off, right? Maybe two. In my mind, I predicted at least three intermittent rest days. James, you proved me wrong. You proved the world wrong. And I couldn’t be happier. Or more proud. It's not just that you did what you said you would do. It's the way you did it. It was your composure. It was you tremendous grace under fire. Your selflessness in service to a greater cause. All fueled by an attitude of gratitude. On a last minute whim, I decided to show up unannounced in Utah to surprise James, join him on his final marathon jaunt, and witness the conclusion first hand. An experience I will never forget, it was thrilling and emotional to be running just off his shoulder as he crossed his historic finish line, accomplished his goal, Enjoy! Rich

10 Aug 20152h 20min