Matters of the mind may be more important to us now, than ever before. The number of new coronavirus cases is continuing to rise in many countries.  The United States - as well as dealing with political uncertainty - is reporting over 100,000 infections every day and England has just gone back into lockdown.  There are encouraging exceptions, like Australia, which, earlier this week, recorded its first day without local cases in almost five months. But our lives have been upended like never before, and as we continue to battle the virus, the pandemic brings into focus our overall health and wellbeing. 

“When there’s a huge event like Covid, it’s a forced pause for all of us,” says Giovanni Dienstmann, a Sydney-based meditation teacher and creator of the blog, Live and Dare.

Is it time to re-think the way we live our lives and contemplate the future?

"Perhaps start a different life, perhaps start to focus more on family, on personal growth, on health and longevity and on service."

In this episode, we explore the power of meditation to get us through these difficult days.  Giovanni also discusses his personal journey, from troubled child to a place of contentment - and his regimented lifestyle, encompassing meditation, work, exercise, one daily meal, stoicism and family.

Published: November 5, 2020 | Recorded: August 27, 2020

Visit the LLAMA podcast website for complete show notes, including a transcript of the conversation.

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In this interview we cover:

• Nurturing the mind as well as the body
• Mastering the aspects of our lives that we can control
• The impact of Covid 19 on the demand for meditation
• Giovanni’s story: from troubled child to a place of restfulness. 
• Almost becoming a monk at 19
• Is spirituality religious?
• Classifying meditation into different disciplines: Concentration, awareness, relaxation and standby mode
• Developing the muscle of concentration
• Shutting out the modern day distractions in life and developing self-discipline
• Giovanni’s constantly evolving and adapting daily schedule
• Practicing biphasic sleep - splitting sleep into to blocks per day
• The importance of routines in daily life
• Eating just one meal a day. 
• Starting the day with a cold shower followed by meditation 
• Embracing intermittent fasting for longevity and wellbeing
• Living by a stoic philosop

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The Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast, a HealthSpan Media LLC production, shares ideas but does not offer medical advice. If you have health concerns of any kind, or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should consult your doctor.