Dave began his career as a dog trainer with mentor Josh Moran, who Denis interviewed in Episode 3. Dave and Josh have a podcast, Philosophers and Madmen, which focuses on dog-training and world-renowned dog-trainers.

Dave and Denis talk loads about BJJ. As they explore Dave’s life journey from childhood it became clear that Dave’s path led not only to dog training, but human training. Eventually they arrive at Dave’s recent strides in self development, and their conversation turned to the role of psychedelics in becoming more whole.

Dave talked about Learned Irrelevance, a concept described in the book, Excel-Erated Learning.

Dave’s favorite poets are Pablo Neruda and E.E. Cummings, and he shared one of Rupi Kaur’s poems, which raises questions about what traits we ought to praise in one another.

Denis mentioned the book, The Secret Chief Revealed, about a psychotherapist who simply provides psychedelic experiences in a safe and supportive set and setting, then helps people integrate these extraordinary trips into one’s ordinary day-to-day living.

Denis recounts how he got into Brazilian Jiu Jitsu shortly after reading this Psychology Today article,

Earlier in the show…

Denis mentioned a book he’s reading, Entheogens and the Future of Religion. How this book, and the dozen or so similarly titled books he’s currently reading will affect his life in 2019 will be revealed in the next episode.

Also, Denis earned a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. It was once an impossible idea he dared not to believe. But sometimes the impossible is manifested as reality. Denis loves it whens that happens. He suspects that may be the very definition of a life worth living.