Ba Vojdaan با وجدان

This episode features a deep dive into the multifaceted life of Abel James, best known for the Fat Burning Man Podcast. In this interview, Abel offers insights from his musical background, detailing how early influences shaped his passions and career path.

Discover how a tragic apartment fire redirected Abel's focus from music to health, leading him to become an influencer in the realm of health and fitness.

Abel also discusses his book 'The Musical Brain,' which explores the cognitive impacts of musical training, and offers a sneak peek into his latest work, 'Designer Babies Still Get Scabies.'

Tune in for a rich conversation about creativity, resilience, and the intersections between music, health, and personal development!

Episode highlights:

01:31 Abel's Musical Journey

06:35 The Musical Brain

11:15 Transition to Podcasting

15:25 Challenges and Realities of Podcasting

27:06 Designer Babies Still Get Scabies

32:14 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Resources mentioned:

Fat Burning Man Podcast

Designer Babies Still Get Scabies by Abel James

About the Guest:

My name is Abel, and a few years ago, I made some alarming discoveries. I learned that almost everything that I thought I knew about health, nutrition, and fitness was completely wrong.

After years of frustration, sickness, and increasing flab, I stopped listening to the “experts,” “gurus,” and even my doctors. I buried my nose in the research and experimented on myself like a lab rat until I found the truth. And man, it was a doozy.

It turns out that my “healthy” low-fat, low-cholesterol diet and “effective” running program recommended by magazines, TV shows, and my doctors, were actually causing me to be fat and sick.

Once I did the opposite of what my doctors told me, I dramatically improved my health – reversing hypertension, healing my malfunctioning thyroid, and effortlessly shedding 20 pounds in 40 days.

Skip ahead a few years, and now as host of the award-winning #1 Rated Fat-Burning Man Show, I help folks to improve their relationship with food, activity, and life by circumventing marketing myths, misinformation, and corporate scheming by eating real foods and engaging in effective, science-backed training to make you lean, healthy, and energetic.

But make no mistake: I’m no guru. I do not have all the answers. YOU are the expert on you. Through my podcast, books, and coaching, I am dedicated to helping others optimize their health and reach their ultimate potential by being their own guru.

After all, experts should help you build behaviors that would eventually put them out of a job.

But with the collective health of the country (and beyond) falling off a cliff, it is more important than ever the help reverse the obesity and health crisis. As such, I share the principles and system that enabled me to dramatically optimize my life with folks who want to shed unwanted...

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesdnewcomb.substack.com/subscribe

We welcome to the show Marc Mawhinney. Marc is the host of the Natural Born Coaches podcast, and has helped countless aspiring coaches in just about every conceivable niche build and sustain thriving coaching businesses.

I've often said that the greatest strength of my own craft of podcasting is also its greatest weakness, that being just about anyone can do it.

As you'll hear in this episode, the same can be said of coaching. Anyone can call themselves a coach, but actually finding a paid client, and then guiding them from Point A to Point B is a different matter entirely!

In this episode, Marc shares in detail:

• His email strategy and mindset needed for consistent daily emailing to a specific market.
• His thoughts on what defines a coach
• Overcoming credibility issues in the coaching industry
• The "3 Pillars Strategy" of marketing one's business
• Maintaining personal integrity in the highly superficial digital age

If you've thought about getting into the highly profitable coaching industry, but don't know where to begin, give this a listen and then check out Marc's offerings below!

Episode highlights:

00:07 Mark's Email Streak and Initial Challenges

02:17 Transition to Daily Emails

05:07 The Impact of Social Media and Authenticity

08:51 Coaching in the Digital Age

13:40 Exploring Niche Coaching Markets

18:44 The Three Pillar Strategy for Coaches

21:51 Conclusion and Contact Information

Resources mentioned:

Natural Born Coaches

The Coaching Jungle Facebook group

About the guest:

Marc Mawhinney is a lifelong entrepreneur who has been helping coaches get more clients (without paid ads) since 2014!

He’s the host of the “Natural Born Coaches” podcast, which has almost 900 episodes released, and the Tarzan of “The Coaching Jungle” Facebook group which has over 25,000 coaches in that community.

He's been a speaker at events like “Social Media Marketing World”, frequently makes media appearances, and has contributed for Entrepreneur.com.

You can learn more about Marc at www.NaturalBornCoaches.com!



You've been listening to Ba Vojdaan!, with James D. Newcomb.

For more information about James, and to subscribe to the podcast, visit https://jamesdnewcomb.com. There you'll find a trove of materials available for immediate download.

And be sure to follow James' travels and adventures on social media. All the info can be found at https://jamesdnewcomb.com.

Thank you for listening!

There's more to Iran and Persian culture than what you'll see on Fox News.

That's the main point of today's episode. My wife Sana shared with me a Facebook post that did a fairly deep dive - as deep as you can get with a Facebook post anyway - on some of the highlights of the Persian culture and history.

I asked Sana, who is Iranian, if she would record a podcast and share some of her experiences as an Iranian, and how she views the American culture from that lens.

As usual we stray from the path a bit with the conversation, but manage to stay true to our intent.

In this episode you'll hear about the progressive policies of Cyrus the Great, advancements in science, medicine, and mathematics, to the unique role of women in Persian society.

Once you've finished listening to this, you might second-guess your decisions to rely on mainstream news sources re: that part of the world!

Episode highlights:

00:39 Exploring Persian Culture and History

01:36 Ancient Iran's Contributions to Civilization

04:43 Persian Innovations and Influence

06:06 Gender Roles in Ancient Iran

07:15 Modern Reflections on Ancient Wisdom

09:55 Community vs. Individualism

17:00 Cultural Reflections and Personal Growth

18:21 Understanding American Historical Perspective

19:19 The Importance of Learning from History

22:26 Contrasting American and Persian Cultures

26:03 The Influence of Persian Culture in America

30:31 Encouragement to Explore Persian History

**This interview was originally published on the Brass Mastery podcast in May 2024.

We welcome to the podcast Marcus Reynolds, who with his Stratos Brass device has provided a beacon of hope for the thousands of brass players across the globe who struggle with embouchure issues.

Like many great triumphs in life, Marcus' journey to becoming a tireless promoter of safer and healthier brass playing began with a tragedy. A major lip injury completely derailed Marcus' successful playing career. In an instant his sole source of income and personal identity was gone.

In this episode, Marcus shares in-depth the painful - both physical and psychological - road to recovery, and how a mysterious "nocturnal hieroglyphic" ultimately became the inspiration for a device that is changing lives for the better. Indeed it is no exaggeration to say that Marcus' tireless efforts have even extended playing careers that once appeared to have reached their end.

Enjoy the episode!

Episode highlights:

-Belief in the mission compels a tireless promotion of the solution for the problem...01:55

-A catastrophic lip injury set Marcus through the extreme depths and heights of human emotion...03:50

-The psychological damage was just as profound as the physical...09:35

-A "nocturnal hieroglyphic" circa 2008 is ultimately the genesis of the Stratos Brass device....11:05

-You become a self-psychologist when your identity is taken away from you...18:10

-Clarifying the "upstream" and "downstream" of air flow...24:40

-Success stories from high-profile musicians who've worked with Marcus and his invention...27:30

-The basic physiology of what's going on with your body when you use the Stratos device...33:00

-How Marcus' personality and self-perception has changed after becoming a quasi-celebrity in the brass world...45:05

-"It's very possible that you've had a greater impact in light of that accident than you ever would have had you stayed perfectly healthy"... 54:50

-Plus whatever your discerning ears deem worthy of your time and interest...

Resources mentioned:

Stratos Brass

Brass Mastery podcast w/ Larry Meregillano

About the Guest:

"I am a brass instrument tutor of over 40 years experience in both the private and local government sectors. As well as general brass teaching, I also specialise in embouchure development and rescue for brass players. Building on my experience as a teacher and professional musician I am also the creator of the unique STRATOS Embouchure System. I am also an author of ‘Range without Resistance’. Stratos Encore Pro is an adaptable and adjustable embouchure system that can be fitted to virtually all brass instruments to help players adapt and improve their embouchure. I have also written a series of articles on the brass embouchure which have been published in Brass Band World, Brass Herald and British Trombone Society Magazine.

As a professional musician I have over 30 years experience of recording music and performing live, both as a lead trombonist and a solo artist. I also have many years experience in the role of musical director for several big bands and brass ensembles. I currently play a Rath R12 trombone which I co-developed with Michael Rath Trombones."

What you're about to hear in this episode is an in-depth conversation between myself and Brian O'Leary, host of the O'Leary Review podcast. Brian published this interview in early 2023, and gave me permission to publish on my own show!

In this episode, Brian and I discuss the significance of finding one's voice in the podcasting world, or any realm regarding content creation, and core principles of publishing, which remain surprisingly consistent even with radically changing publishing modalities.

We share insights into the impact of word-of-mouth advertising over traditional SEO strategies, our own journeys into podcasting, and the value of principled work.

We also touch upon my background in the military and conscientious objection, lessons learned working with influencers like Ben Greenfield, and the core idea that passion and integrity attract audiences.

Episode highlights:

01:20 Brian O'Leary's Journey and Podcasting Insights

02:45 The Essence of Publishing and SEO Challenges

05:55 The Power of Word of Mouth and Building a Brand

07:29 James Newcomb's Musical Background and Military Experience

08:44 Transitioning from Military to Podcasting

12:24 Launching the Ba Vojdaan Podcast

14:29 Monetizing Podcasts and Handling Feedback

27:17 James Newcomb's Podcasting Business and Success

Resources mentioned:

O'Leary Review podcast

You've been listening to Ba Vojdaan!, with James D. Newcomb.

For more information about James, and to subscribe to the podcast, visit https://jamesdnewcomb.com. There you'll find a trove of materials available for immediate download.

And be sure to follow James' travels and adventures on social media. All the info can be found at https://jamesdnewcomb.com.

Thank you for listening!

In this episode, James and Frederica share personal accounts of miraculous events in their lives. James recounts two near-death experiences while driving, attributing his survival to divine intervention. We're joined by special guest Sana Dorry, who shares her own miraculous story in Bangkok, narrowly avoiding a deadly bus accident, and describes her involvement with the Rohingya community.

The episode concludes with reflections on the nature of miracles and the importance of attracting people to the gospel through positive and uplifting stories.

Episode highlights:

00:17 James' Miraculous Journey from Missouri to Georgia

02:10 Another Driving Miracle: Washington to Minnesota

04:12 Sana's Miraculous Bus Incident in Bangkok

10:29 Sana's Experiences with Rohingya Refugees

13:32 Sana's Rescue of a Baby in Bangkok

17:42 Conclusion and Reflections on Miracles

You've been listening to Ba Vojdaan!, with James D. Newcomb.

For more information about James, and to subscribe to the podcast, visit https://jamesdnewcomb.com. There you'll find a trove of materials available for immediate download.

And be sure to follow James' travels and adventures on social media. All the info can be found at https://jamesdnewcomb.com.

Thank you for listening!

Continuing our series of episodes featuring Orthodox Christian scholar Frederica Matthewes-Green, we discuss the significance of the Greek word 'Energeia' and its translation, the impact of translation decisions on Christian faith, and the contrast between Eastern Orthodoxy and Western Christianity.

Frederica shares insights about divine energy, miracles, and the role of storytelling in modern faith. The conversation explores the historical and contemporary implications of biblical translation and the importance of recognizing divine presence in everyday life.

Episode highlights:

00:00 Introduction and Greetings

00:31 Podcast Background and Topic Introduction

01:51 Greek vs. Latin Translations of the Bible

05:39 The Concept of Energeia

07:06 Impact of Translation on Western Christianity

21:34 Personal Reflections and CRAVE Acronym

25:25 Miracles and Modern Faith

35:00 Storytelling and Evangelism

36:23 Cultural Reflections and Conclusion

Resources mentioned:

Two Views of the Cross: Orthodoxy and the West by Frederica Mathewes-Green

About the guest:

Frederica's website

"I write and speak on a wide range of topics. In recent years I’ve concentrated on ancient Christian spirituality and the Eastern Orthodox faith, but the hundreds of Posts and Essays on this site include movie reviews, humor, marriage and family, cultural issues, and more. Essays can be browsed by date or category, or you can use the search box at the right.

The most recent posts are below. Here’s where you’ll find my published Books.

I travel to Speaking Engagements all year round; you can contact Cynthia Damaskos of the Orthodox Speakers Bureau if you’d like to bring me to an event. This Calendar will let you know when I’m in your neighborhood.

Audio: Here’s where you’ll find many of my commentaries for National Public Radio (NPR), though others have been filed away under many different creative misspellings of my name. I have recorded a podcast for Ancient Faith Radio since 2007.

Video: For Beliefnet.com, I recorded brief videos on my conversion to Christ, the Christ of Sinai icon, the spiritual discipline of fasting, and 

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesdnewcomb.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, host James Newcomb engages in a deep theological discussion with Orthodox Christian scholar Frederica Mathewes-Green covering various aspects of Christian theology.

They delve into the differences between orthodox and Western Christian perspectives, particularly focusing on sin, forgiveness, and sacrifice.

Frederica turns the tables on the host, asking James about his personal journey from Presbyterianism to Reformed theology and ultimately to Orthodoxy.

James and Frederica also explore the stories and examples of saints, the interpretation of scriptures, and the contrasting images of the cross in Eastern and Western Christianity.

The discussion is anchored by Frederica's book, 'Two Views of the Cross,' which contrasts critical theological views of Orthodoxy and Western Christianity.

Episode highlights:

00:00 Introduction: The Irony of Theological Studies

01:02 Personal Journey: From Baptocostal to Reformed to Orthodox Christian

01:36 A Quest for Stability

03:14 The Reformation and Its Aftermath

05:07 The Refrigerator Hermeneutic: Picking and Choosing Scripture

07:07 John 6: The Challenge of Literal Interpretation

08:10 The Story of St. Photini (the woman at the well)

09:37 The Power of Stories in Faith

10:46 Two Views of the Cross: A Book Discussion

14:23 Orthodox vs. Western Christianity: Forgiveness and Sacrifice

18:28 The Nature of Sin: Disease vs. Infraction

24:03 The Harshness of Calvinism: A Tragic Misunderstanding

27:59 The Importance of Forgiveness in Orthodoxy

29:03 Conclusion: Reflecting on the Discussion

Book mentioned:

Two Views of the Cross: Orthodoxy and the West by Frederica Mathewes-Green

About the guest:

"I write and speak on a wide range of topics. In recent years I’ve concentrated on ancient Christian spirituality and the Eastern Orthodox faith, but the hundreds of Posts and Essays on this site include movie reviews, humor, marriage and family, cultural issues, and more. Essays can be browsed by date or category, or you can use the search box at the right.

I travel to Speaking Engagements all year round; you can contact Cynthia Damaskos of the Orthodox Speakers Bureau if you’d like to bring me to an event. This Calendar will let you know when I’m in your neighborhood.

You've been listening to Ba Vojdaan!, with James D. Newcomb.

For more information about James, and to subscribe to the podcast, visit https://jamesdnewcomb.com. There you'll find a trove of materials available for immediate download.

And be sure to follow James' travels and adventures on social media. All the info can be found at https://jamesdnewcomb.com.

Thank you for listening!

This episode, Part 2 in our series with Orthodox Christian scholar Frederica Mathewes-Green, discusses Augustine's concept of a 'god-shaped hole' in our hearts and explores the idea of 'energy' (energeia) in the New Testament.

Our conversation delves into the challenges of translating biblical texts from Greek to Latin and Hebrew, the historical context of these translations, and how different translations can impact theological understanding.

It also touches on the use of hyperbole and imagery in ancient Hebrew scripture and discusses why seminary students are required to learn Hebrew and Greek to gain a deeper understanding of the biblical worldview.

Episode highlights:

00:15 The God-Shaped Hole: Exploring Our Innate Desire for Worship

00:45 The Concept of 'Energia' in the New Testament

01:50 Translation Challenges: From Greek to Latin and Beyond

04:15 The Impact of Language on Biblical Interpretation

05:30 The Septuagint and the Evolution of the Hebrew Bible

07:50 Controversies in Biblical Translations

12:10 The Importance of Learning Biblical Languages

Resources mentioned:

Two Views of the Cross: Orthodoxy and the West by Frederica Mathewes-Green

Men and Marriage by George Gilder

About the guest:

Frederica's website

"I write and speak on a wide range of topics. In recent years I’ve concentrated on ancient Christian spirituality and the Eastern Orthodox faith, but the hundreds of Posts and Essays on this site include movie reviews, humor, marriage and family, cultural issues, and more. Essays can be browsed by date or category, or you can use the search box at the right.

The most recent posts are below. Here’s where you’ll find my published Books.

I travel to Speaking Engagements all year round; you can contact Cynthia Damaskos of the Orthodox Speakers Bureau if you’d like to bring me to an event. This Calendar will let you know when I’m in your neighborhood.

Audio: Here’s where you’ll find many of my commentaries for National Public Radio (NPR), though others have been filed away under many different creative misspellings of my name. I have recorded a podcast for Ancient Faith Radio since 2007.

Video: For Beliefnet.com, I recorded brief videos on my conversion to Christ, the Christ of Sinai icon, the spiritual discipline of fasting,...

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesdnewcomb.substack.com/subscribe

This is the first in a series of episodes featuring Orthodox Christian scholar Frederica Matthewes-Green.

Frederica has a number of resources available that have been very helpful for me in my inquiry into, and eventual baptism into the Orthodox Church. In fact, Frederica's book, Two Views of the Cross was very influential in my own introduction to the Orthodox Church, and the Orthodox views of Christianity.

The life of Jesus and his death, his atonement, very different ways of thinking between the Orthodox and say, Roman Catholic or the Protestant views of Jesus's suffering and how it translates to our joy and our joy. Eternal Salvation.

I think the initial agenda was to discuss her book Two Views of the Cross. And while we did get into the book eventually, we discussed quite a bit beforehand.

And to be honest, it all blended quite honestly and pleasantly.

I have one more interview that I did with Frederica that I'm going to publish shortly after I published this one, and that was more Overtly Orthodox. It was on the topic of Energeia, the Greek word that refers to divine energy.

To give a bit of background on this interview: I was brand new to Orthodoxy when we recorded this. I was trying to get a completely different podcast off the ground. This particular podcast wasn't even a glimmer in my eye. So you might hear references to a completely different podcast, as well as a URL mentioned that is not necessarily relevant to this particular podcast.

Nothing that is a game-changer, but I want to explain why you might hear some odd references to various things throughout.

So enjoy it!

In this discussion with Frederica, you'll discover:

-Frederica describes her spiritual journey as a young person...06:35

-Contrarian thinkers and actors often come from a place of deep-seated convictions and principles...10:30

-How Frederica discovered her relationship with Jesus, and in due time Orthodoxy...14:02

-"All of Western Christianity seems to have adopted the idea that the purpose of church is to comfort people"...19:18

-The need for strong (but not dominant) men has never been more pressing than in modern culture...27:09

-A shocking imbalance between how men and women are viewed in society...32:26

Resources mentioned:

Two Views of the Cross: Orthodoxy and the West by Frederica Mathewes-Green

Men and Marriage by George Gilder

About the guest, and how to connect:

Frederica's website

"I write and speak on a wide range of topics. In recent years I’ve concentrated on ancient Christian spirituality and the Eastern Orthodox faith, but the hundreds of Posts and Essays on this site include movie reviews, humor, marriage and family, cultural issues, and more. Essays can be browsed by date or category, or you can use the search box at the right.

The most recent posts are below. Here’s where you’ll find my published Books.

I travel to Speaking Engagements all year round; you can contact Cynthia Damaskos of the Orthodox Speakers Bureau if you’d like to bring me to an event. This 

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesdnewcomb.substack.com/subscribe