Unblocked Creators

Non‑duality is the absence of mentally fabricated boundaries.”
In this wide‑ranging conversation, creator and teacher Dan Goldfield unpacks what that means in real life; how freeing ourselves from constant interpretation dissolves suffering, and why you don’t need hours of meditation to find rest.

We cover Dan’s path from 20 years as a professional drummer/teacher to publishing hundreds of short teachings (Insight Timer, YouTube), and the non‑dual lineages that shaped him (Advaita Vedanta, Zen, Dzogchen, plus lessons from modern Theravada). Dan explains “non‑meditation” (dissolving the line between practice and life), how effort can become the problem, and practical ways to relate to pain, anxiety, and tension, including his experience with the Alexander Technique.

We also reconcile spirituality with business and the creator economy: service over self, authenticity, and empathy‑driven marketing. You’ll hear why “being of benefit” is both the spiritual path and the most sustainable growth strategy for modern creators.

Follow Dan Goldfield on X — @itsdangoldfield
Watch more from Dan on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsdangoldfield

Join us in person: Creator Economy Convention (Vancouver, BC • June 5–7, 2026) Founder tickets are $200 off for a limited time: http://thelivinginternet.com
Your ticket includes access to our Circle community and optional accountability groups, and access to the three-day long convention and three meals throughout the weekend.

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Energy, frequency, vibration: opening and setup
00:42 - Meet Dan Goldfield and the origin of his short teachings
04:45 - What is non‑duality? “Absence of mentally fabricated boundaries”
06:30 - The rain example: freedom from interpretation vs reactivity
08:44 - Lineages that shaped Dan: Advaita, Zen, Dzogchen (and modern Theravada)
09:45 - When effort backfires: “gladdening the mind” vs letting go
16:27 - What is non‑meditation? Dissolving the boundary between practice and life
22:21 - “I’m unhappy and in pain”—when to use supportive practices
24:37 - Alexander Technique: releasing self‑created tension and chronic pain
32:02 - Reconciling spirituality and money; creators, service, and authenticity
38:13 - From drums to Dharma business: courses, $10k launch, and focus
43:06 - “Being of benefit” as the test of enlightenment and the creator’s path
1:16:32 - How to find rest now: awareness, gaps in anxiety, and the cloud frame story
1:24:02 - Where to find Dan + Creator Economy Convention details and $200 off

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Paul Musso is a full time philosophy professor and solopreneur. After receiving his PhD in Philosophy from the University of Pennyslvania, he decided to begin pursuing a career teaching philosophy online. His main focus is teaching people how to build their own philosophy of life, which he calls a “micro-philosophy”. His work is primarily found on Substack, and he just released a free course on Stoicism as a way of life, titled Philosophy As The Art Of Living.

Get tickets to The Creator Economy Convention: https://www.thelivinginternet.com

Read Paul's Substack writings here: https://themicrophilosopher.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search

Register for Paul's Micro-Philosophy: Foundations, and build your own personal philosophy of life, by clicking here: https://stan.store/paulmussophilosophy/p/the-microphilosophy-foundations-course-access

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A Journey Through Poetry, Darkness, and Death Doula Work with David Morin.

Join us in an intimate and enlightening conversation with David Morin, a poet and death doula, as he explores his journey to discovering his poetic voice and understanding his role in guiding others through their final moments. David shares his transformative experiences at a darkness meditation retreat, the profound impact of poetry on his life, and the unique challenges and rewards of working with incarcerated individuals. This episode delves into themes of purpose, mortality, finding peace within ourselves, and freeing our true voices, offering a compelling perspective on living a fulfilling life.

00:00 Introduction and Greetings
00:31 Discovering Poetry
02:09 The Darkness Meditation Retreat
05:18 Becoming a Death Doula
10:05 A Year to Live Experiment
14:52 Reflections on Life and Death
26:06 The Essence of Poetry
31:32 Innovative Body Composting in Washington
33:42 Personal Reflections on Meditation
35:46 Rehabilitation and Poetry in Prisons
39:54 The Role of a Death Doula in Prison
50:33 Sharing a Poetic Journey
59:43 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Register for The Creative Wayfinder here: Initiate Your Life Purpose

David's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mor.intune/

Milkweed: David’s poetry book that he describes as a raw, soul-stirring, vision quest of reclaiming himself through poetry. Get the book at the following link, as well as his free resource, the Voice Reclamation Guide, a poetic workbook for helping you reclaim the voice that you buried to survive:
https://stan.store/Morintune

David’s podcast, Art 2 Heart, and other podcasts that David has been on can be found here:
https://linktr.ee/morintune?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=9ebf4978-f515-4e41-80ad-b462da2bcaa0

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Check out the Unblocked Carver newsletter here:

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In this episode with my mother, we discuss how to use art as a therapeutic outlet. Donna May shares personal stories about overcoming insecurities and finding inner peace through creative expression. Discover how to use your own artistic expression as a way to promote emotional wellbeing, and find spiritual awakening.

See more of her artwork at: http://www.DonnaMayPaints.ca

Register for The Creative Wayfinder here: https://stan.store/oakmoss/p/the-creative-wayfinder

Thank you for watching/listening. I'd love to hear about how it inspired by you if you feel inclined to leave a comment.

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In this episode, somatic therapist Logan Quinn explores how our deepest wounds can guide us to our greatest sources of creativity and healing. Logan shares his journey from traditional bodywork to a more holistic, story-driven approach, discussing the subtle connections between physical tension, trauma, and self-expression. We examine agency, the role of the body in psychological healing, and how personal challenges can inspire transformation. Practical somatic tools and mythic perspectives offer hope for anyone seeking a more authentic, embodied life.

Follow this link to find out more about The Creative Wayfinder Initiation, offered by Jesse James Carver: https://stan.store/oakmoss

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On this episode, Jesse interviews his childhood magic mentor, Gary Savard!

Gary has performed many thousands of magic shows, won award in kid show magic, comedy magic, stage magic, and more.
You can find Gary for hire at https://themagicguy.ca/

View the video version of this podcast on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/Rt-aLyED_Ac

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Check out the Unblocked Carver newsletter here:

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Meaning Making in a Machine World (& Meeting Dan Koe in the Desert)

In this deeply philosophical episode of Unblocked Creators, Jesse James Boyes explores the intersection of artificial intelligence and human creativity against the backdrop of his transformative journey through the Mojave Desert.

Jesse weaves together seemingly disparate threads—from ancient Chinese divination systems to modern computing fundamentals, from quantum physics to consciousness theory—to address a profound question: In a world where AGI might soon perform most tasks we currently call jobs, what makes human creativity uniquely valuable?

The episode traces the fascinating historical connections between the 3,000-year-old Yi Jing (I Ching) and Leibniz's development of binary mathematics that forms the foundation of all modern computing. Jesse unpacks complex philosophical thought experiments like John Searle's Chinese Room, examining whether machines can truly "think" or merely simulate intelligence.

Beyond the philosophical ponderings, Jesse shares his real-world desert adventure where serendipity led to meaningful connections, including a chance meeting with digital creator Dan Koe. Their mountain-top conversation about consciousness, creativity, and finding meaning in an increasingly automated world forms the emotional core of the episode.

Through vivid storytelling of sleeping in a tent beside Sagauro cacti, following coyote tracks to hidden vistas, and making art in the beating sunshine, Jesse makes a compelling case for human relevance that transcends automation anxiety: our capacity to create meaning through direct experience, to jump between layers of abstraction, and to share moments of profound connection.

This episode offers both intellectual depth and practical inspiration for creators wondering about their place in an AI-driven future.

About our sponsors:

Oakmoss - Jesse's handcrafted wood art celebrates the beauty of natural materials and human creativity. Each piece tells a unique story through intricate carving that no algorithm could replicate. Explore his work at http://www.oakmoss.ca

Evernia Design - The Internet for Humans: http://www.EverniaDesign.com

Unblocked Creators with Jesse James Boyes explores the intersection of creativity, technology, philosophy, and meaningful work. New episodes weekly. Guest episodes every other week.

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In Unblocked Creators episode 4, Jesse shares a personal journey of creating wood art for his mother through her cancer battle and a global pandemic.

This experience, fused with Eastern philosophy, reveals how suffering ('Dukkha') and creative blocks can become fuel for artistic breakthroughs and spiritual freedom.

Discover how to see obstacles not as barriers, but as "uncarved blocks" of potential, and transform them into doorways for new insights.

Oakmoss wooden wallets can be purchased here: https://stan.store/oakmoss

The Oakmoss website and gallery is here: https://www.oakmoss.ca/

Donna May Paints gallery: https://donnamaypaints.ca/

The Creative Wayfinder initiation: https://stan.store/oakmoss/p/the-creative-wayfinder

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Need a website designed? Here's a showcase of what I do: https://www.everniadesign.com/

Mention you found me through the podcast - I like to support creators, and if I want to work with someone, I'll charge them a lot less.

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Ty Martens and I sit down at Open Space Gallery in Abbotsford, BC. where his show "Aptera" is on display until June 6, 2025, to discuss his artistic process.

Check out Ty's work on Instagram at:

https://www.instagram.com/tymartensart/

Read his wild shenanigans here:

https://tymartens.substack.com/

Support the Unblocked Creators by purchasing an Oakmoss Hardwood Wallet:

https://stan.store/oakmoss

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Check out the Unblocked Carver newsletter here:

https://www.oakmoss.ca/unblockedcarver

Overcoming Artistic Struggles and Finding Creative Flow: A Conversation with Jack Hendsbee

Join us for a candid conversation with artist Jack Hendsbee as he delves into the challenges and triumphs of the art world. Jack discusses the importance of managing expectations, marketing, and the financial realities of being an artist. He shares his experiences with large-scale murals, the satisfaction of quick 'plein air' paintings, and how psychedelic experiences have inspired his unique use of color. This episode is a reminder to embrace the process of creation, overcome blockages, and find joy in artistic expression.

00:00 Introduction and Managing Expectations
07:25 Balancing Art and Practicality
07:44 Exploring Different Scales of Art
08:04 The Process of Creating Murals
08:58 Strategic Approaches to Painting
12:02 The Plein Air Painting Experience
12:28 Experimenting with Artistic Constraints
13:26 Collaborative Art Projects
15:29 The Challenge of Releasing Art
16:25 Painting on Carvings
21:03 Promoting Art and Personal Projects
21:50 Overcoming Creative Block
23:31 Gaming and Fish Talk
23:59 Gallery Show Preparation
24:43 Artistic Process and Color Theory
29:49 Psychedelic Inspirations
34:54 Mystical Experiences in Art
36:59 Encouragement for Aspiring Artists
40:45 The Future of Art and AI
42:29 Conclusion and Farewell

Oakmoss Hardwood Wallets can be purchased here:
https://stan.store/oakmoss

See more of my wood art here:
https://www.oakmoss.ca

And see more of Jack's paintings here:
https://www.instagram.com/jackhendsbee/
For custom paintings, email Jack at:
[email protected]

Support the show

Check out the Unblocked Carver newsletter here:

https://www.oakmoss.ca/unblockedcarver