The U.S. Surgeon General released an advisory in 2023, Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation. Dr. Vivek Murthy and his team highlight the need to rediscover meaningful social connection, to be in - and be in service to - a community.

Earlier this summer, we spent a serene weekend in South Texas with a group of dear friends - where we shared in community practice, meals, company, adventures, and connection on the banks of the Nueces River. Over our "friend retreat," we explored the importance of community and connection. We could all agree this felt urgent and needed - but we could also see all the challenges in building safe connections in the modern world.

So, where do we begin? How do we build a community that's safe, honored, and nourishing? That's the conversation Steven and Matthew invite you to join, in this latest episode of The Way To Go podcast.

We hope you enjoy!

When we hear the word "Yoga" - for most people who do not reside in certain parts of Asia - it conjures up a class, a teacher in a room of bodies, in workout gear, getting "fit" and/or "limber" using a series of poses, with a few foreign sounding words and some flirtation with the spiritual - usually at the end - before all present say "namaste" and go about their day. This understanding comes, largely, from the commercialization of Yoga in the United States as a fitness routine, which can now be found in gyms and studios across the globe.

This, however, is a limited view of what Yoga is. The physical asana (those same poses) are a part of a broader canvas - a rich system of health, wellness, wellbeing, and ultimately enlightenment - that has been in use and development for over 5,000 years. In this episode Steven Ross and Matthew Choate band together - and explore the incredible tapestry of Yoga through their personal experiences and academic explorations. Come learn about the living system of Yoga - and how it's influenced by each one of us who adopt and live into it.

Why do we suffer? Is one of the big questions we all end up asking ourselves at some stage in our lives. Often when the weight of what we, or a loved one, are bearing can feel all consuming and near impossible to carry any farther. How do we continue, and what, if anything, can we do to support ourselves and each other as we walk the more difficult paths on the journey of life?

In this episode of The Way To Go, we look at suffering from a variety of angles and try to tease out the valuable yet subtle lessons that can be the great rewards of traveling these more difficult paths. We also share resources, insights, and stories that can benefit those moving through or supporting others in their suffering. We also end the episode with a wonderful intuitive meditation practice led by Steven Ross!

We hope you enjoy.

Notes: Matthew would like to correct a quote he misattributed to Orson Welles, which actually came from William S. Burroughs:
"This is a war universe. War all the time. That is its nature. There may be other universes based on all sorts of other principles, but ours seems to be based on war and games."

The story of the golden buddha: https://www.lionsroar.com/the-golden-buddha-inside-you/

Steven's Book references from this episode:

Anita Moorjani - Dying To Be Me

Anita Moorjani - Sensitive is the New Strong

Annie Kagan - The Afterlife of Billy Fingers: How My Bad-Boy Brother Proved to Me There's Life After Death

In this episode of The Way To Go we explore the concept of the intuitive inner compass. A guiding force accessible to all human beings, that can assist us in finding our direction even when we feel tossed about in the storms of life.

The inner compass is a term we are using to describe a conscious force that can support us in living our lives in an aligned way with our purpose, calling, and dreams. In this conversation we discuss the intuitive nature of the compass, how it functions and manifests in our lives, and suggestions on how to engage with this compassionate force to help impact our lived experience. Steven ends this episode with a guided meditation practice to support the development of your personal way finder!

After a hiatus Steven Ross and Matthew Choate are back to reconnect as friends and seekers on the road to self liberation in mind, body, and spirit.

In this episode we discuss Steven's work as an intuitive medium - a skill he employs daily - and share some of the stories and insights Steven has gathered from his sessions. Exploring how these messages help many people move past blocks in their experience and rediscover purpose. Stay for the end of the episode and Steven performs a live reading with a wonderful message for us all!

We're excited to be back and hope you enjoy the episode.

Namaste

Steven Ross and Matthew Choate discuss their personal experiences as meditators - exploring techniques and experiences that have been beneficial to each of them.

In this episode Steven Ross and Matthew Choate address the final 6 limbs of yoga, as set out by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras. Going from the subtle art of breathing, to the exploration of Samadhi, oneness, and bliss.

Continuing our exploration of the eight limbs of yoga, in this episode Steven Ross and Matthew Choate grapple with the spiritual do's - the Niyamas - as set out by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras.