My new poetry collection Milkweed is available now. Find the digital copy here!

https://stan.store/Morintune/p/get-milkweed-now

We are surrounded by pressure. A constant pressure to post the right opinion, to protest the right issue, and to position ourselves on the right side of history. But in all that noise, are we actually helping, or just performing? 

This episode poses a challenging question: What if our outrage is serving our own egos more than the people we claim to care about?

In this raw and intimate check-in, host David Morin speaks with his dear friend Sarah, who is deep into her "Year to Live" journey. Together, they explore the uncomfortable truth that our most human instincts include destruction just as much as creation. As David states, "Genocide is our birthright as much as writing a  poem." 

This conversation is not a call for inaction, but a radical invitation to purify the source of our engagement. To move from performative outrage to integrated compassion. It’s a look at why the most effective activism might be the quiet, internal work of healing ourselves.

Follow David on Instagram: @mor.intune

Work with David 1:1 | www.voiceguide.crd.co

Follow Sarah on Instagram: @vijisarah_learningtolovewell

Content note: This conversation contains challenging perspectives on activism, politics, and human nature. It's designed as a contemplative space for those ready to question conventional approaches to social change.

In this episode you will learn:

• Why our online outrage may be serving our egos more than the people we claim to help.
• The challenging idea that destruction is just as much a part of our humanity as creation.
• How confronting your own mortality can be the key to dissolving "us vs. them" thinking.
• The difference between performative action and the deeper work of integrated compassion.
• Why true change begins with radical self-honesty, not pointing fingers at others.
• The concept of Earth's "war consciousness" and how polarity shapes our human experience.
• Why true healing is the most potent and sustainable form of activism.
• How to find peace by learning to hold opposing truths in the same hand.

Journal Reflections From This Episode:

These aren't questions to answer quickly. They're invitations to sit with over the coming days. Take what resonates and leave what doesn't.

• What parts of yourself do you see in people you oppose politically?
• How has proximity or distance to death influenced your political engagement?
• How much of your activism do you feel is influenced by your tribe?
• Do you feel like there are more effective ways of encouraging compassion in our community, digitally or in person?

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction: The Human Paradox
00:24 Ideologies and Entitlement
00:33 Forgiveness and Humanity
01:37 Radical Responsibility and Change
02:56 The Year to Live Journey
04:05 The Noise of Activism
05:00 A New Direction: Compassion and Humility
05:30 The Cycle of Outrage
05:52 The Power of Radical Honesty
06:23 The Conversation Begins
40:31 The Importance of Self-Healing
41:03 Embracing Uncomfortable Truths
41:19 Introducing 'Milkweed' Poetry Collection
43:03 The Cycle of Human Progress
46:53 Soul Contracts and Past Lives
56:05 The Role of Polarity in Life
01:00:42 Confronting Mortality
01:04:59 The Sacredness of Pleasure
01:12:11 Ancestral Connections and Plant Medicine
01:14:04 Final Reflections and Contemplations

This episode was originally published in a new podcast but decided to bring it back for Art 2 Heart Season 2. 

What happens when the theology you were raised inside begins to soften, and the person who taught it to you is willing to soften too?

Last year, I completed what was my own "Year to Live" exercise. At the top of that commitment was my relationship with my mom. She raised me and my siblings inside the Seventh-day Adventist church. Faith shaped everything—what to eat, what to fear, what to believe, what to bury.

And yet here we are…sitting on the kitchen table, reading The Third Jesus by Deepak Chopra together. No microphones. No plan. Just two former Adventists, opening a book neither of us could've touched when I was a kid.

In This Episode:

• The revelation: "I thought it was heartbreak... it was all the grief" - unpacking depression after Peace Corps service
• Why we sometimes prefer heartbreak to grief - the devil we know versus the one we don't
• Understanding emotions as "disguises" and what lies behind evil
• Finding profound love and Christ consciousness through prison work
• The vital practice of learning to "Protect Your Peace"
• Healing divides through nourishment - a mother's realization about seeing unmet needs
• Seeing the "God" or innocence beneath everyone's surface
• How focusing on the afterlife can rob us of the present moment
• Moving beyond duality - challenging "good vs. evil" thinking

Key Insights:

• Grief wears disguises - sometimes as heartbreak, anger, or busyness
• Christ consciousness is about seeing the divine in everyone, especially those society has rejected
• Moments of peace must be protected - a spiritual practice of creating boundaries
• The transition from religious dogma to spiritual understanding creates space for deeper connections
• Finding divinity not as something external, but as the essence within each person

This isn't a polished podcast. It's a prayer you overheard - a raw conversation about what opens between a mother and son when grief softens, and religion lets go.

Watch on YouTube

Connect with David:

• Newsletter: Passages and Perspectives
• Instagram: @mor.intune

What We Fear More Than Death 

This podcast was originally uploaded under a new podcast, but I ultimately decided to bring it back for Art 2 Heart Season 2. 

Most of us aren’t afraid of dying. We’re afraid of what death reflects back at us. Our regrets, our tenderness, our joy, and everything we’ve been avoiding.

In this episode, I share my story and the vision for this podcast. I talk about what it means to live with one year left, and how that question has shaped the way I show up now—as a poet, death doula, and someone who helps others reunite with their humanity.

What to expect in this episode:

• The origin story behind A Year to Live
• What this podcast will explore
• How my own year to live changed my life
• A reframing of what we’re actually afraid of
• An open invitation to begin your own journey

This podcast is here to help you return to what matters most.

—

Hosted by David Morin
Poet | Death Doula | Prison Facilitator
@mor.intune 

Darkness, Surrender, and the Poet Within with Sarah McCash

This episode was originally published under a new podcast, but I ultimately decided to bring it back to Art 2 Heart for season 2. 

In this episode, David Morin and Sarah McCash dive deep into David's life-changing experience of a darkness retreat four years ago. What began as a casual phone call between friends turned into a moving, unfiltered conversation that helped shape the very structure of this podcast.

As Sarah prepares for her own darkness retreat, she reached out to David to reflect on his experience. Together, they rehash his transformative journey of surrendering to darkness, embracing the unknown, and discovering the poet within.

This is not a polished studio interview. It's a real, spontaneous phone call full of raw, honest, and unexpected magic.

*A Note on the Title*
A Year to Live is inspired by the book of the same name by meditation teacher and author Stephen Levine. While this podcast is an independent project, the heart of this idea—that reuniting with your mortality can radically transform the way you live—finds its roots in his work. May this serve as a living continuation of that invitation.

Meet Sarah McCash
Sarah McCash is a Manhattan-based storyteller and death doula, obsessed with all things death, mortality, and soulful transitions. Her presence is equal parts deep feeler and curious seeker. As someone called to care for the dying, Sarah brings a refreshing enthusiasm to conversations about grief, fear, intuition, and awakening. She’s a member of David’s first A Year to Live cohort and has agreed to document parts of her journey through recorded conversations like this one.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Power of Surrender: Why facing the darkness and confronting our deepest fears can lead to profound personal transformation.
• Darkness Retreat Experience: What it's like to spend days alone in pitch-black darkness, and how it can awaken new parts of ourselves.
• Uncovering the Poet Within: How David realized he was a poet during the darkness retreat and the poetic journey that followed.
• Intuition and Spiritual Growth: The importance of listening to your intuition and how it leads us to the places and experiences we need most, even if we're not "ready" for them.
• The Sacredness of Darkness: How the darkness serves as an ancient teacher and a place of deep self-discovery.

Resources:
Join David's Cohort. If you're ready to explore your own mortality with a small group of other seekers like you, book a call with David here or send him a message on IG. https://calendly.com/morindavid9113/60min

 David on Instagram: @mor.intune

More from David Morin:

• Listen to his previous podcast: Art 2 Heart 
• Explore the mini-series on Spotify: Meet You There (co-created with a public media journalist)

Thank you for listening! If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and review. 

Episode Summary:

Join David Morin--former Peace Corps volunteer and sales professional turned death doula, poet, and prison rehabilitation facilitator--as he shares his transformative journey into guiding individuals toward clarity, purpose, and a deeper connection to life through the lens of mortality. 

In this episode, David introduces his upcoming program, A Year to Live, inspired by Stephen Levine’s groundbreaking work. Hear personal stories of discovery, healing, and service that illustrate the profound impact of living as if you only have one year left.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• What A Year to Live is and how it can transform your perspective on life.
• David's personal journey from sales to poetry, prison rehabilitation, and death doula work.
• How contemplating your mortality can help you embrace urgency and purpose.
• The power of reflecting on your "final chapter" to unlock your potential.
• Why this work matters—not just for you but for the world around you.

Highlights:

• David’s Journey: From corporate sales to writing over 1,000 poems, working with prisoners, and facilitating end-of-life guidance.
• Why Mortality as a Teacher: Learn how death can offer clarity, urgency, and healing.
• Insights from A Year to Live: Practical tools, meditations, and lessons drawn from David’s own experience with the program.
• The Value of Community: Why exploring mortality with a small, intimate group amplifies the experience.

Who This Episode Is For:

• Ambitious professionals feeling stuck or seeking a new path.
• Individuals curious about exploring mortality and its connection to living fully.
• Anyone looking to embrace life with greater meaning, urgency, and clarity.

Links and Resources Mentioned:

• Sign up for A Year to Live (starting February 5th): Schedule a chat with David
• Connect with David:
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
  • WhatsApp
• A Year to Live by Stephen Levine

Quotes from the Episode:

• “Mortality is the greatest teacher we’ll ever have, but it’s a class no one wants to take.”
• “By contemplating your final chapter, you unlock a deeper connection to the part of yourself that’s been lost.”
• “This isn’t about facing the end; it’s about embracing the urgency of now.”

In this episode of the Art2Heart podcast, I return after a year-long hiatus to share updates, reflections on the first season, and exciting new plans. I discuss overcoming initial insecurities about taking center stage and learning the importance of consistent, meaningful content. I provide insights into my transformative experiences volunteering with incarcerated individuals, which led to a fulfilling job with Defy Ventures. Additionally, I reveal my journey in becoming a death doula and the profound lessons learned about life, mortality, and self-discovery. The episode concludes with an announcement of a new offering—a year-long program inspired by Stephen Levine's book 'A Year to Live,' encouraging participants to live intentionally by embracing their mortality.

00:00 Welcome Back to Art 2 Heart

01:17 Reflecting on Season One

04:08 Life Update and New Beginnings

05:30 Volunteering and Finding Purpose

13:17 Becoming a Death Doula

17:05 A Year to Live: Embracing Mortality

23:16 Announcing a New Offering

25:20 Closing Thoughts and Future Plans

Subscribe to my newsletter here for new episodes and A Year to Live updates.
Follow Art 2 Heart on Instagram.
Add my personal account Instagram.
Podcast artwork by Holly Pelletier Clark

In this deeply moving episode, we hear from Chris Siders, an LA-based poet, music producer, and activist. Chris shares his experience about dealing with loss, grief, struggles with his health, and how these experiences have been the fuel to produce multiple albums in such a short amount of time. From his near-death experience and battles with mental health to losing so many close family members, including his father, Chris walks us through his grief-stricken, heart-opening journey that ultimately led him to discover the true nature of abundance in life. 

Through the content of his work, award-winning Los Angeles-based Poet, Music Producer, and Activist, Christopher Siders, encourages his audience members to think critically about social norms and how we subconsciously affect one another through our everyday behaviors. Within his own experiences as an activist, he is able to share his successes and failures and guide future activists at any institution, to make positive decisions for the community to flourish and teach students to become a better ally for movements or areas of interest. Siders professionally performed alongside poets such as Rudy Francisco, Shihan The Poet, Ebony Stewart, and has graced stages such as Dominican University, Seaside High School, Beyond Baroque, and many more.

Connect with Chris

Website: https://www.chrissiders.com/
Instagram: @thechrissiders
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Follow the Pod

Instagram: @art2heart.podcast

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Podcast artwork by Holly Pelletier Clark

Instagram: @themoonstorybook

Have you ever felt like you were an only in the room? Like no matter how many people you’re surrounded by, you feel like you can’t quite relate to anyone? 

It’s hard to put a specific word to what this feels like. Our guest today, Anika Aftab, has searched far and wide in many languages and cultures for the perfect word. She ultimately describes it as feeling like the only in the room. 

In fact, she feels soo deeply about this that she’s writing a book on it, called, you guessed it, The Only in the Room.

On the day this was recorded earlier this year, Anika interviewed me for her book and podcast, and we had so much fun that we decided to keep the conversation going and recorded this interview for my podcast on the same day. 

As life would have it, we’re releasing the episodes on the same day! So if you like this episode, make sure you check out her podcast called The Only in the Room to check out her episode interviewing me.

Anika is one of the realest people I know. 

She doesn’t pull her punches, she gets to the heart of what she’s trying to say right away, and she doesn’t mind being vulnerable about the lessons she’s learned along the way. She has a very excited and grounded perspective of the universe that is childlike yet mature, with wonder yet with clarity, with awe yet with OBVIously….at Anika’s core is a hyper awarness about the duality of what it means to be a human.

In this episode, she shares a powerful excerpt from her book about lonliness vs being alone that I know you’ll love. 

We talk about the moment she realized she was muting her own story, we talk about substance use and abuse and addictions.

We talk about the mental wrestling around synchronicities and signs from the universe.

We talk about angel numbers and all could mean, and we also talk about how they can could mean aboslutely nothing too.

Thanks so much for joining us today, and let’s dive in.



Listen to my interview with Anika

Listen on Spotify

Connect with Anika

Instagram: @theonlyintheroom
Instagram: @anikersss

LinkedIn:Anika Aftab

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Follow the Pod

Instagram: @art2heart.podcast

Website: art2heart.life

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Podcast artwork by Holly Pelletier Clark

Instagram: @themoonstorybook

Rachel Livinal is a recent graduate at Cal State Long Beach with a BA in Journalism. She just started her position as a higher education radio reporter for KVPR (Valley Public Radio) at the end of this month.

Rachel has also been a poet since she was 16, and she is 21 now. It started with sonnets, but quickly developed into this odd freeverse that consists of near rhymes and very loose patterns of rhyme. She grew up in a writing family and was deeply influenced by her grandpa, who still writes poetry today. She uses poetry to free her mind of anxiety and it also is how she works out the problems she can't understand in her head.

This interview was recorded in September 2022, when Rachel was starting her senior year at CSU Long Beach where she was studying and working to become an audio journalist. She had just wrapped up a one month series based on the Long Beach elderly community’s experience during COVID, called When Physical Canes Become Mental Chains. 

In this episode, you’ll hear Rachel mention that it would be a dream of hers to work for NPR one day. Since then, she absolutely did do a project for them!

• We talk about the impact that poetry and therapy have had had on Rachel’s reflection, healing, and personal transformation.
• We talk about Rachel’s experience living with her grandparents as her grandma was developing Alzeihmers
• We talk about her muse of monarch butterflies and how they’re linked to a teacher that passed away when she was young, and the unbelievable things that happened when she released Monarchs outside her classroom as a tribute.
• Rachel shares two poems in this episode, one is about her relationship to monarch butterflies and assimilating to living in Long Beach, and the other is a gut wrenching poem about the struggles of being a young renter desperate to keeping a home while being at the mercy of a landlord.

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Watch my interview with Rachel

https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChGKeEJFkNx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Rachel’s project with NPR Next Gen Radio

https://usc2023.nextgenradio.org/california-homelessness-veterans-mental-illness-ptsd-volunteering-long-beach/

Connect with Rachel

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachel.livinal/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachel.livinal

LinkedIn: Rachel Livinal

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Follow the Pod

Instagram: @art2heart.podcast

Website: art2heart.life

Podcast artwork by Holly Pelletier Clark

Instagram: @themoonstorybook

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Welcome to the Art 2 Heart podcast. My name is David Morin. I'm a former corporate sales guy turned poet. And this is where we explore how finding your voice can help your path and your purpose find you. Whether you're currently in a career transition or can't wait to be in one, we learn how leaning into creative expression can be the missing key to transforming your life and the life around you.  

This week we talked to Holly Pelletier from Massachusetts. She’s a storyteller, she’s a painter, she’s a poet, she’s an educator, she’s a mother,  she’s a graphic designer who created the logo and artwork for this podcast, but that is certainly not all. Holly is a badass. She’s a rare human who is a living ambassador of the earth. It could be argued that her greatest art is her devotion to Life with a capital life itself. I want to thank Holly for bringing her whole self to this conversation where we talk about: 

• Holly’s  intuitive approach to visual art and how it differs from writing. 
• Our high sensitivity and empathic natures
• the complexities of multicultural backgrounds 
• the impact of colonialism on the struggle to find a sense of identity 
• Holly’s passed down fragments of culture and how she finds comfort in diverse communities. 
• Holly shares a poem that beautifully explores the journey of finding her roots and identity through nature. 

Connect with Holly

Instagram: @themoonstorybook

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Enjoy the podcast?

Please subscribe and leave a review here!

Follow the Pod

Instagram: @art2heart.podcast

Website: art2heart.life

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Podcast artwork by Holly Pelletier 

Instagram: @themoonstorybook