Have you ever wondered what fascia actual is and how it can be used not only to heal the body but also to generate movement, power and connectivity? Well, your hosts didn't really either, well at least not until they started practicing the internal arts! In this episode Gimo and Dan speak with the lovely, wildly knowledgeable (on all things fascia), and highly skilled craniosacral bodyworker Audrey Rowan.

The topics covered include:

- The mechanics of craniosacral bodywork and where and how it relates to cultivation in the internal arts.

- The ultimate  healing power of purified attention and acceptance. 

- Listening with your hands.

- Appreciation, gratitude and curiosity as training methods for building attention. 

- How cultivation can precipitate a healing crisis

- The magical power of the Huang (the complex intelligent visco elastic piezoelectric fascial interstitial tissue system).  

And much more!

Please enjoy and don't be afraid to comment or come on over to Alchemy_on_the_Island on instagram for the latest updates. Audrey can also be found at Quantumfairytale on instagram.

Welcome back to Alchemy on the Island! After a brief hiatus Gimo and Dan found a tiny pocket of energy and motivation to get a flurry of recordings done at the end of their second year in Bali. They hope you missed them but aren't too offended if you entirely forgot that this podcast existed.

In this episode, with the expert help of Aidan Keeva, Dan and Gimo go deep into the exploration of Chinese Medicine and discover that it was actually created by cultivators! Aidan shares his personal healing journey through the internal arts and speaks on topics ranging from the clash of worldviews of the eastern arts and western materialism, the dangers of reducing Chinese medicine to fit the western medical system, and the importance of translating the wisdom Chinese Medicine has to offer to people of different systems of health and the human being. Aidan's unique perspective as both a cultivator of the internal arts and an experienced clinician of Chinese Medicine help illuminate some of the more esoteric, and dare we say "spiritual," underpinnings of Chinese Medicine, whilst locating its place in the far greater world of the Daoist path of cultivation.

For more information and resources mentioned in this episode from Aidan please visit www.AidanKeeva.com

Please enjoy the show!

For many, the idea of spiritual practice involves following your bliss, being true to your feelings, and trying to calm the mind. However, according to many of the sages and mystics throughout history this would be pretty far off the mark. Though these qualities may be helpful for your psychology at times, the requirements for true spiritual attainment have long involved quite a bit of rigor, determination, and discipline.

In this episode Laurence Katsaras helps us explore the idea of discipline in the spiritual arts, why it's so important, how to approach building it even if that at first feels intimidating, and how to skillfully apply it in all areas of your life. It may sound like a chore but somehow we managed to have a fun time talking about it! We hope this episode changes how you feel about discipline and enriches your life and practice with this incredibly important quality.

Sitting on the bed of Gimo’s room, Anastasia Frenkel, Dan and Gimo explore in depth the concept of “Qi”.

Generally translated as “life force”, qi is at the heart of what powers the internal arts. The word qi can also vary in meaning depending on the context, be this martial arts, Chinese medicine, philosophy or even daily conversation. Anastasia shares her extensive practical as well as intellectual understanding of qi from the perspective of neigong and the broader Daoist internal arts.

Sharing a bit of her personal experience, she explains why it is a good idea to accumulate as much qi as possible and how to do so (because yes, it turns out that qi is a substance that's worth accruing greedily), as well as describing the role qi plays as interface between the mind and the body.

It’s an intense talk, full of qi. We hope you enjoy it!

In this episode Gimo & Dan speak with the esteemed and gracious Leo Bierman about the heart of their practice in Bali, Nei Gong.

The powerful body based energetic path of Nei Gong contains many practices designed to open the body, purge pathogens, build Qi, and generally prepare the individual for deeper spiritual transformation. The work is at times both physically and mentally challenging and the benefits are deep and lasting.

If you want to explore this strange and potent practice from the perspective of three individuals who have devoted their lives (at least for now) to this path, or you just want to know what the hell would make several seemingly sane individuals pack up their lives and move across the world, then please check out the episode!

Structured Nei Gong Program listed in the episode: https://lotusneigong.com/structured-foundation-program/

What is a cultivator of the spiritual arts? We're glad you asked . . .

In the first episode of the show, Dan, Gimo and their guest Jackson Collings tackle the equally crucial and vast topic of spiritual cultivation, the core aim of their studies on the Island.

The conversation runs between high minded ideas and practical notions, punctuated by anecdotes from Jackson’s fascinating personal journey, including his accomplished teachers and snowboarding with kangaroos..

The topic of cultivation is dissected to various degrees of depth, touching upon the first steps to take in beginning cultivation; the benefits that can be gained from it; the levels of discipline required for the task; the debate on whether this is a natural or unnatural aim; the process leading from a “smooshed”, to unsmooshed and finally smooshed again sense of self; and more.

We would be very pleased if you joined the conversation through the comments, please feel free to share any kind of personal insight on the matter. 

And, as we are moving our first steps in the world of podcasting, we would also be most thankful for your suggestions on how to make this and even more incredibly splendid and unmissable show. Thank you!

Gimo & Dan

For further resources on topics covered in todays episode you can check out the Internal Arts Academy at https://damomitchell.com which is not affiliated with nor a sponsor of our show.

Article by Jackson referenced in the show:

https://www.jacksoncollings.com/writing/the-path-of-cultivation

Welcome to Alchemy on the Island! 

Meet your hosts, Dan and Gimo; learn a little bit about what makes them tic and listen as they attempt to convince you to come hang on the island with them by jangling sparkly previews of all the wonderful things in store on season one. Enjoy the show.