The Examined Life with Bram Levinson: Recent Episodes
Bram Levinson
There is always something to learn from the experience of being spiritually awake in today's world. For over a decade Bram Levinson has brought his unique form of spirituality, humour, purpose and teaching to students and listeners, and now he's sharing his thoughts and insights in The Examined Life with Bram Levinson Podcast. Tune in for some often lightweight and irreverent, and at other times deeply spiritual and significant podcasts that will inspire and provoke thought.
There is too much to say about my latest guest on the podcast. You may know her from The Traitors Canada or from Big Brother Célébrités or from her ever-growing social media presence. Tranna Wintour is a writer, performer, comedienne, actress, reality TV personality and Montreal royalty. Her sharp wit, humour and perspective contribute to what makes her so celebrated and are surely what will continue to propel her to even greater national and international stardom. I had the pleasure of sitting down with her for an hour-long chat and, as happens when in good company, the time flew by with lots of laughs and lots to contemplate. Enjoy our discussion for this latest installment of The Storyteller Series and visit https://www.trannawintour.com/ for all things Tranna.
I met Jen Millar in 2024 when I brought a group of yoga and meditation students to the retreat centre she and her husband, Stuart, own and operate on the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica and the rest, as they say, is history. Jen is a functional medicine nutritionist and health coach, and what she and Stu have created with Nereus Retreats in the jungle is inspiring and exactly what we need to find shared intention, connection and an opportunity to reset in these tumultuous times. Enjoy our conversation and for all things Jen and Nereus Retreats, visit https://nereusretreats.com/.
If you aren't familiar with Sam Demma, you should be. Sam is doing incredible things in the Keynote Speaking world, largely informed by his work in schools, auditoriums and arenas inspiring young adults (and older ones) to plug into higher-frequency vibrations. He has one book out (Empty Your Backpack), has another one (Be Someone's Taco) being released in just a few weeks, co-spearheads the Pickwaste initiative, and is just an all-around incredible person doing incredible things in an age when virtue-driven news pieces get drowned out by the sensational and outrageous. Sam is an inspiration to so many, myself included, and he will be to you as well after you listen to our interview.
For all things Sam, check out https://samdemma.com/keynote-speaker/.
As some of you know who follow me on social media, I crossed paths with photographer Robert Sturman a few weeks ago when I arrived in Costa Rica, and what a serendipitous crossing it was.
For those of you who don't know Robert or his work, you should. He is most commonly known for the photography he's done capturing images of prison inmates, war veterans and so many other people in their yoga/meditation/mindfulness practices. He's also an avid animal-rights activist and advocate, and he's just an all-around good guy. Give our chat a listen and enjoy the time we had together for this episode.
For more information on Robert and his incredible work, visit https://www.robertsturmanstudio.com/.
I wrote Storyteller to spark recognition and commonality in readers who were reading the stories I shared from my life in the book. In the spirit of doing just that, bringing us together through hearing other people's stories, the Storyteller Series for this podcast was born.
For our first episode, I am so, so happy to share the conversation I had with internationally renowned author Catherine Mckenzie. Catherine has written twenty books throughout her career, some of which may be familiar to listeners, such as Spin, Fractured, Arranged, and Hidden. Her next book, No One Was Supposed To Die At This Wedding will be released on May 13, and it was not only a pleasure to speak to her about her life and career, it was fantastic to reconnect with a childhood friend after so many years.
Enjoy this first interview in The Storyteller Series!
A short minisode recorded deep in the Costa Rican jungle from Nereus Retreats to kick off the new season of the podcast! Not only has Storyteller been released into the world, but a very special new season of the podcast titled The Storyteller Series is dropping in the coming weeks. Some fascinating guests are lined up to share their own tales in the spirit of storytelling, so make sure to subscribe to the podcast for this fourth season of the podcast kicking off soon!
The Italian Odyssey continues in full wonder and amazement...more travel, more friends (some new) and lots of serendipitous signs all around me. Enjoy and stay tuned for the final instalment from the land of carbs.
It all started with an invitation to officiate a wedding in Italy. With that wedding still days away, the past four days have been a whirlwind of all the things, culminating in an evening tonight that will go down in my memory as one of the greatest moments of my life. Enjoy, and I'm expecting your comments on my social media channels, so don't disappoint me :)))
How do a psychological modality for healing, Hindu scripture and mindfulness all intersect? The latest episode of the podcast brings together Internal Family Systems, the Upanishads and mindfulness to illuminate a path of healing that has played a huge role in my own healing and the wellness coaching I offer for clients.
Doesn't it just seem like life is getting more and more constraining? Like we're being barraged by destabilizing information from all sides, all the time? This episode speaks directly to how life seems to be these days and offers some laughs, some insight and some helpful hacks to navigate your way through.
On Tuesday, January 23, while onstage at Madison Square Garden, Madonna spoke about, and to, two nurses who had been on the frontlines during the HIV/AIDS epidemic in New York City in the 1980's and 1990's. Her words paid homage to these unsung heroes, and Valery Hughes and Ellen Matzer sat down with me for today's episode of the podcast to talk about their experiences, their bond and their shared history, among other things.
After heading to Costa Rica for a yoga, meditation and mindfulness retreat in the jungle that elicited zero emotions or feelings leading up to it, I found myself with my heart blown open in a land of enchantment and wonder. Enjoy the contents of my heart and my mind as I felt compelled to share them in the moment.
On my last full day in Paros, I got into the car and let intuition guide me to wherever I felt compelled to be on the island. I ended up in the mountains, no surprise there. Some thoughts at the tail end of an adventurous couple of months.
A stream of (pre-considered) consciousness that may just change the way you think about certain things. Enjoy!
A frank and in-depth conversation with Sarah Wilkinson, a woman who has spent the last couple of years redesigning her life and who has some valuable insight and wisdom to show for it.
As I take a day out of the sun, I can't help but reflecting on the past decade of offering the Paros wellness trip and gleaning some wisdom from it all. Enjoy!
Yoga philosophy tells us that attachment is an obstacle to finding truth, and mindfulness and meditation tell us that withdrawal of the person and the senses are essential, yet attachment theory tells us that every one of us will seek out someone to attach to and that that is not only ok, we are hardwired for it. To attach or not to attach, that is the question. How do we navigate conflicting messages when all we want is to make the most out of life? Give this episode a listen for my thoughts on the subjects.
Life had a major lesson in store for me over the last couple of months, and as I believe lessons are meant to be shared, let this one be a lesson that stays with us all. It all started back in 1988 with a Rolling Stone article that changed my life, and the rest...well give this episode a listen to find out the rest.
As has been the norm over the last few episodes, there has been an extended pause since this podcast has been updated. The sea change seems to be occurring, and I'm back, this time broadcasting from my other home away from home, England. Some musings and sharing to kick things back off, so enjoy.
What is it about beautiful geographical locations that resonates so much with us? And what can we do when, even in the most engaging moments, the mind wanders into the anxiety and rumination-inducing patterns? Welcome to The Woodpecker Rule, a daily mindfulness practice that is easy to use, available to us all, and is always helpful.
I am in Greece taking time and space for myself, and as I had hoped would happen (but could not have planned for), I woke up this morning with somewhat of an epiphany I felt compelled to share. Enjoy!
It's been nine months since the last episode, and I am back, this time recording live from Paros. Some thoughts, musings, epiphanies and observations I felt compelled to share, so enjoy!
I have been talking to students this week about channeling the energy of calm and well-being that they find in their personal meditation or yoga practice out into the world for this Holiday season. Then, tonight, I came across a social media post my younger brother posted that introduced me to an initiative that does just that. Check out The Kindness Calendar and please make it your mindfulness practice for this month. Special thanks to www.action for happiness.org for putting this out into the world!
Pandemica. Terror attacks. Election Day in the US. The fight for freedom and equality. We are living in a concentrated moment of life happening, and the tendency is to anesthetize from the discomfort it elicits in us. Don't. Here's why.
Happiness seems to be in short supply these days. All the more reason to talk about it, give some insight into it and dip into The Ashtavakra Gita to get some wisdom that will only steer us in the right direction, closer to happiness and closer to enjoying the ride. So enjoy the ride :)
I stepped out today into the greenery of Mont-Royal with musician Mike Daigle for some quality conversation about meditation, music, the artistic process and even tiny bit about anti-maskers. Enjoy!
I woke up this morning exhausted from my digestive system trying to deal with the massive Indian dinner I ate last night. That somehow inspired me to produce this latest episode :)))) Enjoy!
Many of my coaching clients over the past few months have been working to balance out all the doing with some down time, and it has not been easy. Every single one of us needs to give ourselves an opportunity to rest, to properly allow the nervous system to come closer to its default settings. So here's a relatively short offering that should be of help to many of you. Jump to 4m30s to dive into the meditation, or enjoy the short talk before.
We all have work to do, work that allows us to shed old habits and patterns that may be doing more harm than good, and I am no exception. In this episode, I reference a spiritual teaching that helps me keep myself accountable and in check when necessary. Enjoy!
In Yogic and Hindu studies we are taught that attachment is an obstacle to finding peace. And so what does the practice of non-attachment actually entail? Here are my thoughts about it all.
A short, eight-and-a-half minute, meditation to listen to with headphones and a smile. Words from A Year In The Light, all words and music written and produced by me. Enjoy :)
Just when you thought things couldn't get more volatile, they did. Riots, protests, marches, fists raised in solidarity in the air. There are lessons to be learned and battles to fight, and we all are being forced to participate. The revolution is being televised and here are my thoughts about it.
What started out as a potential episode for a new podcast project ended up being a frank, candid conversation with one of my closest friends, perfect for The Examined Life. Give it a listen for some real talk among real friends.
We learn in times of adversity, when life doesn't go the way we hoped it would. And the most important thing we can learn is our ability to practice magic, to transform what harms into what heals. Give this a listen to see what I mean.
A short contribution to the podcast introducing a new, meditative way of listening to my words, voice and expression. All content created by me, for you all. Enjoy.
I had a moment last week when I needed to get some inspiration, and I found it in the most ironic of places thanks to all of you who have shown me how my books were meant to be used. This episode is largely a tip of the hat and the heart to all of you who have traveled with me around the world. Have a listen...
Things are different. And many of us have found ourselves thrust into new ways of doing, new practices, new routines. Check out my thoughts about this new wave in time we are riding in the first episode of the second season of the podcast!
Some thoughts in the time of Covid-19 from the perspective of someone who has lived formative years in the presence of fear. With lots of swearing. And wisdom. And light. And swearing.
Sometimes shit going "wrong" is what it takes to wake us up to how we meet life's bumpier moments. In this unique moment of firsts that we are all experiencing, I wanted to share some thoughts that have arisen from the exchanges I've had over the last couple of weeks. Have a listen.
Coronavirus. Covid-19. Isolation. Distancing. Quarantine. Our vocabulary has changed. Life has changed. Drastically. These are my musings.
In this episode:
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my absence from podcasting explained
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some observations in this moment of growing panic
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perspective on fear
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why getting the shit scared out of you might just be the greatest awakening ever
I was reminded recently that every little thing that occurs potentially holds significance that will eventually make itself known given time and awareness. I was also reminded of how suffering can bring us together in indescribably beautiful ways. Give this a listen...
Suffering is one of life's great equalizers, no one is immune to it, and I felt compelled to record this episode after being on a call with a client who is going through chemotherapy treatments. Whether suffering is initiated by a negative belief or physical pain, we all need tools to respond wisely to it, so here you go!
This last day of the Yoga & Meditation City Break in Rome has been full of insight and revelations. From the second I woke up and checked my messages to the group's closing circle following our last class together, there have been lessons to contemplate. Here is one last episode from this beautiful city, from me to you all. Enjoy!
What is liminality? What are liminal spaces? Why should you even care? In this first episode of 2020, I explain it all. Enjoy, and Happy New Year!
My thoughts and musings as this cycle of 2019 comes to a close and leads us into a new decade, and a special dedication to a special woman. Happy, healthy New Year to you all!
I spent a week in Miami to not only getaway from Montreal's winter, but to see Madonna on her Madame X Tour. The lessons I have to share from the whole experience are waiting for you in this episode. Enjoy!
The Gunas, as taught in the Bhagavad Gita, are the three qualities of nature that are present within and all around us. What they are, how they work, why they can be obstacles to finding truth and how they apply to every one of us is discussed in this episode. Enjoy!
If we understood ourselves to be somewhere on a timeline in relation to our jobs, our relationships, our friendships and all other aspects of life, what we would change? Lots. Check out what I mean in this latest episode.
Dyan Soloman is the co-owner of Olive + Gourmando, Foxy, Il Po Di Piu, some of Montreal's top restaurants. She has also just released the long-awaited Olive + Gourmando cookbook, and I sat down with her to talk about that project, as well as the "mini-empire" that she oversees, an empire that is close to so many Montrealers' hearts.
Whether it's money, health, work, family or any other aspect of the human experience, there are "do's and dont's" imposed on us and we end up playing a game whose rules were established by others long ago. This episode is about doing the unthinkable, making new do's and dont's that will set you up to enjoy life instead of just trying to keep your head above water.
I have always fought against settling for anything that I felt was going to waste my time or was going to result in mediocrity. I'm now reading Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and I'm being reminded why that fight has been a blessing. Check it out in this latest episode!
Many of us know the depth of the bonds we have with our pets, our furry companions. In the past, I would write about one of my dogs once he or she had passed on, and so today I felt compelled to not only talk about the pups I've shared my life with, but to share what Willow has taught me, my dog who is very much alive, well and almost mythical. Check it out :)
Managing the business of life can often keep us blinded from seeing what makes this moment the moment we will look back on as golden. Stop whatever else you are doing and listen to this episode and you'll understand what I mean.
One of the most helpful tools in life is the ability to witness and observe life occurring as if you are watching a film play out. I practiced this over 48 hours and the result was hilarious (and worth telling you about). Have a listen and enjoy!
With so much going on in the world and in our lives, it's only normal that we try to respond to and resolve everything, right? This episode, delving a little bit deeper into the Bhagavad Gita, discusses why trying to take on everything is as good as taking on nothing at all. Enjoy!
Seane Corn is an internationally celebrated yoga teacher and speaker, co-founder of Off The Mat Into The World and the author of the new book Revolution of The Soul: Awaken To Love Through Raw Truth, Radical Healing, and Conscious Action. Check out this latest episode in which I talk to Seane about her book, her life and the world we live in.
There are so many subtle and insidious ways that we are conditioned to not pay attention to the skin we live in. Check out my thoughts on the matter in this latest episode!
Every one of us has a narrative, a story, about ourselves that we identify with and that we stick to, no matter what. This episode looks at the role this life script plays, not only in how we make our way through life, but in how we find meaning, purpose and freedom.
I have always had an aversion towards commonly accepted avenues or guidelines showing us how anything "should" be done, and the term "best practice" actually leaves me with (imaginary) hives. Why aren't we encouraged to rely and depend on ourselves and what we inherently know? Is it because we don't know we know it? Check it all out in this latest episode.
Doing spiritual work, seeking truth, should not be in opposition to being in perfect harmony with what is, even if what is presents itself as being problematic. There is much to object to in today's world, but that objection cannot supersede finding peace now. After all, there is just this. Check it all out in this latest episode, and let a word to the wise be sufficient - there are a lot of curse words in this one :)
I have always considered myself to be an emotional person, but not everyone does. What separates those who go by feel versus those who are more reasoning, logical thinkers? Check it out in this latest episode.
Our relationship to conflict defines how we react and/or respond to life's more challenging moments. This episode looks at how we can approach conflict, internal and external, to bring us closer to spiritual understanding and, ultimately, peace. Enjoy!
I figured it was time for me to share my experience with Yoga throughout my life, to talk about how it found me, what it has meant to me, and the love/hate relationship I've often had with it. So here you go...enjoy!
Why are we so fascinated by other people's lives? And why do we feel the need to talk about their successes and failures, and generally be all up in their business? Is it harmless fun or is there more to gossiping than we are aware of? Check it out in this latest episode.
What does it mean to feel powerful in your life? How are your limiting beliefs about yourself influencing how you live? And what does it take to not feel like you have to change or fix anything about yourself to be of worth and value? Check it all out in this latest episode.
I come to Paros every year, to nourish my soul and give it a place to land, as well as to hold the Yoga & Meditation Vacation. I'm leaving today, and these are the musings I felt compelled to share. Enjoy!
In Eastern scriptures, the word Sutra translates to thread, and the totality of the Sutras woven together form a fabric of wisdom to apply to daily life. Years ago, I wrote down some nuggets of wisdom and flippantly called them The Brama Sutras. Although I never published them, I still have them and have dedicated an episode to sharing them. Enjoy!
Comparison is a killer, and a teaching from the Bhagavad Gita explains why. Check it out in this latest episode.
What is your relationship to risk? Are you a risk-taker or risk-averse? And why? This latest episode looks at the relationship we have to risk and why it is so fundamental to finding what we seek from the experience of life.
I'm in Greece and I had some thoughts I wanted to share about what the experience of life could, and should, be. Check it all out in this latest episode.
Veering away from the lecture format of previous posts and closer to the rant format, this episode is going to make you laugh. I promise. And think. But mainly laugh. I just got my back waxed. And I have a lot to say about it. Enjoy.
Am I the only one who has gotten really annoyed by the expression, "You need to learn to love yourself before you can love someone else"? And what does learning to love oneself actually entail? How does one go about it? Listen to my take on it in this latest episode!
We are encouraged to set goals, to keep our eyes on the prize, to achieve the highest of heights as we attempt to manifest our dreams. What few people are discussing is why the goal itself, the fruit of our actions, actually carries far less importance than we give it. Including an essential teaching from Hinduism, this episode is the spiritual nudge in the right direction that every one of us needs to hear.
This episode deals with life, death, and the opportunity we each have to decide how we want to spend the time that we are, truly, blessed with. Morbid talk for some, truly inspirational for others, relevant to all.
How often does "I'm sorry" come up in your conversations, in the sentences that you speak? And why? Many of us include these two seemingly innocuous words when we speak to others, often unnecessarily. This episode takes a look at why that may be occuring, and why it matters.
The Bhagavad Gita, a Hindu epic commonly referred to as a text or scripture, has so much to teach us. Written thousands of years ago, many of its teachings and much of its wisdom has never been more needed than in today's tumultuous times. How can we productively meet chaos, intolerance, inequality and everything else we object to? Find out in this episode that draws its lesson from the Gita itself.
Why is spirituality so important to the quality of experience of life? Why does what you believe to be true end up being the most important factor in getting what you want out of this wild ride? Tune into this latest episode to find out.
Every single one of us has experienced moments in life that have left us shattered. Life has its highs and lows, and sometimes the lows can be so intense that we feel broken by them. How can we interpret these moments in ways that galvanize and inspire us instead of leaving us gasping for breath? Find out in this latest episode.
The third episode in the podcast deals with the illusion of control, what instigates the need to control and includes words from Bram's teacher Joan Ruvinsky read from an old email newsletter that changed Bram's outlook on life and control issues.
There are always lessons to be learned in this experience of life, especially when we act on what we think is going on, but which actually is not. Embarrassing? Sure. Regrettable? Never. Life's lessons only occur in the moments that are cringy enough to share, and here Bram shares a couple from his experience.
It's officially on! Bram's first podcast sets the tone for whatever is to come. Get ready for content that runs the gamut from deep-rooted wisdom and spirituality to interviews that are guaranteed to provoke laughter, thought and whatever else comes up. This is life presented as just that: life, in all its facets and contradictions. This episode, and this entire podcast, is about bringing honest, down-to-earth conversations into the podcast zeitgeist.