What makes a "quest" different from a "goal", or an "intention"? How can these concepts harmonize? How does having a lifelong (or at least: enduringly long-labored) quest fundamentally shape one's life and actions in a way that is essentially impossible without declaring that quest, and committing to it? How does a "quest" mindset fundamentally differ from setting rigid goals, and fretting over every momentary success or failure along the way? These questions and more, on today's episode.

What do we mean by "embodied practices?" How might that differ between practices with implicit spiritual dimensions, but varying practical uses? For example: in my own life, I very much get implicitly spiritual and philosophical rewards out of both yoga and martial arts, and their secondary uses as practices are very different. Likewise, the way the arts are passed down from teacher to student (and also: whether or not they can be "tested" by someone adversarially) are not at all the same. How does that knowledge influence my own practice of either / both practices? That and more, we explore, on this episode.

Focus is a basic requirement for anyone trying to expand their personal capabilities; certainly anyone on a "spiritual quest" has to carve out the ability to focus. But we have more distractions than ever, as well as demands that we "multitask" just to keep our heads above water. But the need to focus remains.

Welcome to the first episode of "Dharma Knights"! I give a rough description of why I'm bothering to talk about this stuff, and what it is I'm actually trying to say. I begin with a question: "what the hell does anyone even mean by 'spiritual warrior?' and go from there. I'll be unpacking this over the course of the entire podcast series, I'm sure. So stay tuned!