Awareness

As we close out 2024, we’re revisiting this powerful episode where Raj shares about his experience completing a 10-day silent meditation retreat. His insights on stillness and presence feel particularly relevant in today’s fast-paced, digitally connected world.

Key Takeaways:

• The critical distinction between “doing” and “being” – exploring how our modern lifestyle pushes us to fill every moment with activity, making it harder than ever to simply exist in stillness.
• The transformative power of confronting our inner world – how removing external distractions reveals the patterns, beliefs, and attachments that shape our daily experiences.
• The practice of expanding awareness – learning to step back from our thoughts and witness the mind’s activities from a place of compassionate observation.
• Embracing uncertainty and flow – moving beyond the need to control outcomes and finding peace in life’s natural unfolding, especially relevant in our increasingly unpredictable world.
• The power of perspective shifts – understanding how our mental frameworks shape our reality and why expanding our viewpoint is essential for personal growth.
• Finding strength in solitude – discovering the difference between being alone and feeling lonely, particularly meaningful in our hyper-connected digital age.
• The importance of integrating stillness practices into daily life – why making space for silence and reflection remains crucial for navigating the complexities of 2024 and beyond.

In a world that seems to move faster with each passing year, the courage to slow down and embrace stillness becomes increasingly valuable. Through Raj’s experience, we see how creating space for silence can lead to profound insights and a deeper connection with our authentic selves. His journey shows us that beneath the constant noise of modern life lies an opportunity to discover who we truly are.

Whether you’re considering your first meditation retreat or simply seeking ways to incorporate more mindful moments into your daily routine, this episode offers valuable insights for the journey inward. As we reflect on 2024, Raj’s experience reminds us that sometimes the greatest growth comes not from doing more, but from the simple act of being present with what is.

Tools/resources mentioned in this episode:

Vipassana meditation
Satsangs (spiritual discourses and Q&A)
Plant medicines/psychedelics
Journaling
Book recommendation: “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl

Connect with Raj:

Newsletter – Sign up here: https://www.rajjana.com/staygrounded/
Website: https://www.rajjana.com/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/raj_jana
iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/rs/podcast/stay-grounded-with-raj-jana/id1318038490
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/22Hrw6VWfnUSI45lw8LJBP
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@raj_jana

Legal Disclaimer: The information and opinions discussed in this podcast are for educational and entertainment purposes only. The host and guests are not medical or mental health professionals, and their advice should not be a substitute for seeking professional help. Any action taken based on the information presented is strictly at your own risk. The podcast host and their guests shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss, damage, or injury caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by information shared in this podcast. Consult your physician before making any changes to your mental health treatment or lifestyle.

 

In this thought-provoking discussion, Dan Russell chats with Raj Jana about the discomfort that often arises when we allow ourselves to sit with challenging emotions and triggers. They explore how we can build the “courage muscle” to lean into these difficult spaces on the path to growth and self-discovery.

By sharing vulnerable stories from their journeys, they expose how suppressed trauma, limiting beliefs, and unresolved pain can silently manifest in the body as symptoms like fatigue, skin issues, sexual dysfunction, and poor digestion. 

Our guest Dan Russell brings a deep experience in personal development and spiritual discovery to this conversation. As the founder of Hama, a personal growth community offering online and in-person programs focused on enlightenment, Dan has dedicated himself to researching techniques and tools for conscious living. After stepping back from a successful marketing career to embark on his own journey of self-inquiry, he now guides others looking to actualize the best version of themselves.

Key takeaways:

• Plant medicines and other modalities can bring unconscious beliefs and traumas to the surface, but the real work happens in how skillfully we integrate these lessons into our daily living.
• Sitting with discomfort and leaning into triggered emotional spaces with courage is essential for growth – this builds our “awareness muscle.”
• Realigning with our deepest principles helps us stay anchored in a state of grace, allowing external triggers to bounce off us.
• Cultivating proactive awareness through stillness practices allows us to pause and retain choice over our responses rather than blindly reacting.
• The journey of self-inquiry and consciously working on ourselves is a profound gift that serves our life purpose in each passing moment.

This insightful discussion reminds us that integrating our experiences and doing the ongoing work of “becoming” is what enables real and lasting transformation. If you found value in it, share it with a friend you feel might resonate!

 

Tools/ resources mentioned in this episode:

• Plant medicines (e.g. ayahuasca, hape/rapé)
• Meditation
• Journaling
• Monthly reflection on highs, lows, triggers, lessons
• Principle extraction and review
• Hypnotherapy
• Therapy/coaching
• Liber8 app: https://liber8.health/
• Biohacking devices
• Retreats
• Books:  The 4-Hour Workweek and Biology of Belief by Bruce Lipton

 

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction

4:00 – Raj’s story –

10:23 – Growing up religious

13:00 – Our beliefs about health

16:00 – Finding the root of your health problem

23:00 – Being an infinite soul on an endless timeline

26:30 – What is mindfulness?

33:00 – Garbage in garbage out –

41:00 – The skill of sitting in spaciousness

 

Connect with Dan:

Website: hamasocial.com

Connect with Raj:

Website: https://www.rajjana.com/

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/raj_jana

iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/rs/podcast/stay-grounded-with-raj-jana/id1318038490

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/22Hrw6VWfnUSI45lw8LJBP

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@raj_jana

Legal Disclaimer: The information and opinions discussed in this podcast are for educational and entertainment purposes only. The host and guests are not medical or mental health professionals, and their advice should not be a substitute for seeking professional help. Any action taken based on the information presented is strictly at your own risk. The podcast host and their guests shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss, damage, or injury caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by information shared in this podcast. Consult your physician before making any changes to your mental health treatment or lifestyle.

In this episode, Raj shares about his experience recently completing a 10-day silent meditation retreat. He discusses the profound lessons and insights he gained.

Key Takeaways:

• The difference between “doing” and “being” and how we often use activity and busyness to distract from simply being.
• How sitting in stillness and silence forced Raj to confront deeply rooted patterns, beliefs, fears and attachments.
• The value of “zooming out” – accessing higher states of consciousness and awareness to witness the egoic mind with compassion.
• Letting go of control and moving from a place of trying to “manifest” outcomes to one of allowing and trusting in the perfection of each moment.
• Shifting perspective – how our perceptions create our reality. WIDENING one’s lens is a spiritual practice.
• Aloneness versus loneliness. Learning to find nourishment in solitude.
• Why Raj feels integrating more slowing down and stillness will serve his life in 2024.

In a world that glorifies busyness and productivity, creating space for stillness often takes courage, but offers immense rewards. As Raj discovered, when we slow down and cut away external distractions, we open the doorway to greater presence, self-awareness, and alignment with our deeper truth. We come home to who we really are.

If you’re feeling the urge to explore more stillness and silence in your own life, whether for 10 minutes or 10 days, this episode offers much food for thought. Raj’s experience serves as inspiration to us all on the value of simply “being” amidst life’s perpetual motion. Tune into his hard-won insights – it just may change the way you see the world.

Tools/resources mentioned in this episode:

Vipassana meditation

Satsangs (spiritual discourses and Q&A)

Plant medicines/psychedelics

Journaling

Book recommendation: “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl

Connect with Raj:

Website: https://www.rajjana.com/

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/raj_jana

iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/rs/podcast/stay-grounded-with-raj-jana/id1318038490

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/22Hrw6VWfnUSI45lw8LJBP

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@raj_jana

Legal Disclaimer: The information and opinions discussed in this podcast are for educational and entertainment purposes only. The host and guests are not medical or mental health professionals, and their advice should not be a substitute for seeking professional help. Any action taken based on the information presented is strictly at your own risk. The podcast host and their guests shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss, damage, or injury caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by information shared in this podcast. Consult your physician before making any changes to your mental health treatment or lifestyle.

 

This week, Raj speaks with internationally renowned coach and speaker Philip McKernan about the courage required to face messy truths and let things die.

As founder of the One Last Talk movement and SoulSet philosophy, Philip has built an impressive career guiding entrepreneurs and leaders to uncover their gifts and live aligned impactful lives. His unique thinking challenges the status quo and brings refreshing dialogues around personal clarity and transition.

Philip’s decades of experience empowering teams like the Canadian Olympic squad and The Pentagon as well as individuals across 80 countries gives him deep insight into the human journey. From spearheading an orphanage in Peru to producing films exploring concepts like giving, Philip has walked his talk in awe-inspiring ways.

Show Highlights:

• Why avoiding truth takes more energy than facing it
• How Philip’s own relationship with “giftedness” has evolved
• The importance of letting go of things you love when it’s time
• Following intuition even when it sounds crazy
• Taking responsibility for the hurt in our lives

Philip challenges us to courageously peer within, embrace uncomfortable truths, and give birth to latent gifts ready for the world—are you prepared for that journey? By listening to this episode, you’ll feel stirred to live more fully from the power of your authentic being.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction

6:00 – The Truth Is A Sledgehammer 

11:00 – Fear of being seen 

17:40 – What does giftedness feel like? 

25:40 – The Beauty in falling away. 

38:00 – The truth of your authenticity 

43:30 – Following your intuitions 

51:00 – Getting in touch with Philip

 

Tools and resources mentioned in this episode:

One Last Talk by Philip McKernan

Connect with Philip:

Philip McKernan’s website

Connect with Raj:

Website

Instagram

iTunes

Spotify

YouTube

Legal Disclaimer: The information and opinions discussed in this podcast are for educational and entertainment purposes only. The host and guests are not medical or mental health professionals, and their advice should not be a substitute for seeking professional help. Any action taken based on the information presented is strictly at your own risk. The podcast host and their guests shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss, damage, or injury caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by information shared in this podcast. Consult your physician before making any changes to your health treatment or lifestyle.

You love my monthly reflections, where I share my honest, personal, and practical insights. Now, I am giving you a special gift: my yearly reflection process. This is how I review my past year and prepare for the next one. You’ll learn how to close this year with gratitude and intention, and how to create a vision for the new year that aligns with your true self. I will show you the steps and the rituals I use to make this process meaningful and effective. This is your chance to learn from my experience and apply my tools to your own life. Don’t miss this opportunity to reflect, grow, and transform.

When I think about my pace of growth, I’m so clear it’s because I’ve cultivated a lifestyle of awareness. This means I intentionally carve out time to reflect on the things that are happening in my life – and how I move through them. 

For me, hindsight is a 20/20 vision. Reflection reveals all the lessons and secrets life is teaching me. You can avoid repeating mistakes and integrate discoveries with more ease and grace by pulling them out. 

If you’re a regular listener of Stay Grounded, you’ll know I reflect monthly. I reflect on an annual basis too. It’s actually one of my most favorite things I do. 

And in this episode, I’m revealing my entire process- step by step. Check it out. 

Key topics covered:

• Why your annual reflection starts with a month-by-month overview.
• Why do we look for the highs and lows – not the wins and losses? 
• Annual reflection as a game of two halves. 
• Really learning from ‘mistakes’. 
• My closure ritual (and why it’s not for the end of the year alone). 
• My 7 reflection questions. 
• Finding your theme. 
• Crafting goals around the way I want to feel – instead of the things I want to attract. 
• And more…

BONUS! Here’s a list of the reflection questions I ask in the episode: 

1.  Who or what would you like to acknowledge?
2.  What would you like to acknowledge about yourself?
3.  What are you ready to let go of or forgive?
4.  What did you love most about 2018?
5.  What do you want more of / what do you want to do differently in 2019?
6.  What would need to happen for you to feel the complete closure of 2018?
7.  What’s next for you RIGHT NOW?

 

This reflection process is here for you to explore whenever you choose to take some self-awareness time for yourself. It’s perfect for closing out the year, but you can also use this sequence anytime you’re at an ending. I hope you enjoy it!

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction

0:28 – Raj Jana introduces yearly reflection episode

1:00 – Why Raj is recording this and value of yearly reflections

1:37 – Closing out a year or decade provides closure

2:04 – Step-by-step process for yearly reflection

2:27 – Review each month, capture emotional highs & lows

3:06 – Focus on emotional experience vs accomplishments

3:44 – Break out first and second halves of year

4:02 – Identify themes and patterns in each half

5:03 – Reflection helps you not repeat past mistakes

6:34 – Writing 7 key reflection questions

8:12 – Questions help honor and acknowledge the year

9:28 – 2021 one of Raj’s most difficult years

10:21 – Engage in a ritual to cement the closure

11:53 – Afterwards, envision and goal-set for new year

12:51 – Identify your 1-word theme to carry into new year

14:07 – Get clear on ideal emotional states in key life areas

15:15 – Connect to feelings first before tangible goals

16:31 – Example: tap into money feelings before financial goals

17:05 – Journal desires in each area after connecting to feelings

18:18 – Develops lifelong reflection & realignment skills

19:25 – At core, an act of self-love and honoring yourself

20:48 – This work makes all the difference amidst uncertainty

21:24 – Appreciates listeners prioritizing self-care

22:13 – Final sign-off

 

Connect with Raj:

Website: https://www.rajjana.com/

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/raj_jana

iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/rs/podcast/stay-grounded-with-raj-jana/id1318038490

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/22Hrw6VWfnUSI45lw8LJBP

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@raj_jana

 

Legal Disclaimer: The information and opinions discussed in this podcast are for educational and entertainment purposes only. The host and guests are not medical or mental health professionals, and their advice should not be a substitute for seeking professional help. Any action taken based on the information presented is strictly at your own risk. The podcast host and their guests shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss, damage, or injury caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by information shared in this podcast. Consult your physician before making any changes to your mental health treatment or lifestyle.

 

In this week’s special episode of Stay Grounded, we re-release the most popular and downloaded episode of 2023 with Oren Harris, one of the most heart-centered teachers and coaches I know.

In the weeks since its premiere, the interview with coach Oren Harris has continued gaining momentum and impacting lives. It seems the courage and truth-telling it awakens is profoundly needed in this historical moment.

In this special re-release episode, we go deep with Oren Harris on building courage, living authentically, and reaching our potential.

Oren Harris is a mastery coach whose mission is to help others actualize their fullest potential. He does this by showing people how to tap into their unique flow to experience the full expression of their soul’s gifts. He’s on a mission to help others embody a fearless way of living that is aligned with their divine legacy.

What I love most about Oren is how this man LIVES in his heart. He has an infectious energy that transcends the page; it’s palpable in every post he makes on social media. Seriously, you need him in your life.

Key Topics Discussed:

• What is divine union?
• How fear disrupts the natural state of synchronicity
• The release of resistance allows intimacy and vulnerability to fulfill us truly
• Cultivating courage within ourselves
• Recognizing specific moments of realization within our subconscious
• All fear is the fear of feeling
• Getting impulses from the infinite intelligence that comes through our hearts
• Disrupting the tension below the surface for growth

This episode is a powerful reminder to choose yourself and prioritize your relationship with you as you enter 2024. Tune in and get inspired by this amazing conversation with Oren Harris.

Connect with Oren:

Website

Instagram

Connect with Raj:

Website

Instagram

iTunes

Spotify

YouTube

Legal Disclaimer: The information and opinions discussed in this podcast are for educational and entertainment purposes only. The host and guests are not medical or mental health professionals, and their advice should not be a substitute for seeking professional help. Any action taken based on the information presented is strictly at your own risk. The podcast host and their guests shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss, damage, or injury caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by information shared in this podcast. Consult your physician before making any changes to your mental health treatment or lifestyle.