Welcome to Zen Commuter! Today, I’m joined by Leslie Draffin for a fascinating conversation about the intersection of plant medicine, spirituality, and women’s wellness. We’ll explore how microdosing mushrooms can support mental clarity, emotional balance, and even spiritual awakening. Leslie also shares insights on how understanding the menstrual cycle can be a powerful tool for self-awareness and personal growth. Whether you're curious about the benefits of microdosing or looking to deepen your connection with your body and mind, this episode offers valuable wisdom you won’t want to miss.

✅ Utilizing plant medicine to help women ease menstrual symptoms and connect to their power
✅ Overview of how microdosing works
✅ How meditation helps all people connect with what is true and resonant for them

Leslie Draffin is a women's somatic coach, psychedelic microdosing guide, breath & meditation teacher & menstrual cycle educator. She helps midlife women embrace their bodies, sex, and psychedelics so they can overcome the wound of unworthiness, get free from mental health challenges and build a life they're excited about. Leslie believes somatic practices like breathwork along with sacred Earth medicine have the power to bring us home to ourselves, awaken our authenticity and heal the trauma locked within our subconscious.

📌 Follow Leslie Drafffin:

• Activate your Inner Magic: free microdosing guide: https://lesliedraffin.myflodesk.com/microguide

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesliedraffin/

• Podcast - The Light Within: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-light-within/id1554915881

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Welcome to Zen Commuter and day five of Tricycle Week! Today, we’re exploring a challenge many meditators face—the uneasy relationship with the timer. Whether it’s impatience, restlessness, or the feeling that the minutes are stretching endlessly, the ticking clock can sometimes feel like an obstacle rather than a guide. But what if we could change our perspective and learn to sit with that discomfort? In this episode, we’ll discuss how to become more comfortable with the timer in meditation and what it reveals about our minds. Plus, we’ll feature a reading of I Think the Clock Is Broken by Christopher Rivas, offering insights into time, presence, and the art of letting go. Let’s learn to embrace the practice—one moment at a time.

• Persistent Time Anxiety During Meditation: Despite years of practice, Rivas often experiences a nagging suspicion that his meditation timer has malfunctioned, leading to an urge to check the clock. This recurring doubt underscores a common struggle with time perception during meditation. ​

• The Illusion of Control and Fear of Letting Go: Rivas identifies this anxiety as stemming from a deeper desire for control and a fear of uncertainty. He suggests that the discomfort with an indefinite meditation period reflects a broader discomfort with unpredictability in life.

• Societal Conditioning Linking Time to Productivity: He critiques societal norms that equate time with productivity, observing that this mindset can make stillness feel counterproductive. Rivas proposes that embracing meditation without strict time constraints can serve as an act of rebellion against this pervasive cultural narrative. ​

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Welcome to Zen Commuter and day four of Tricycle Week! Today, we’re diving into a topic that challenges the way we see productivity and rest—laziness. Is laziness a real obstacle, or is it simply a rejection of society’s constant push to always be moving? We’ll explore the three aspects of laziness and question whether what we call “being lazy” is actually an intentional choice to be rather than do. Plus, we’ll feature a reading from Working on Laziness by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, offering a deeper perspective on how mindfulness helps us navigate our relationship with effort and ease. Let’s reframe laziness and uncover what it really means to live with purpose.

✅ Definitions of the three types of laziness
✅ The understanding that laziness might be a response to societal expectations
✅ How to evaluate if laziness is real or imagined in your body.

Tricycle: The Buddhist Review

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Welcome to Zen Commuter and day three of Tricycle Week! Today, we’re tackling a challenge that tests even the most mindful among us—dealing with toxic people. Whether it’s a difficult coworker, a critical family member, or someone who constantly drains your energy, these interactions can leave us feeling powerless and frustrated. But here’s the truth: our inner peace doesn’t have to be at their mercy. In this episode, we’ll explore how mindfulness helps us safeguard our power, and respond with compassion instead of reaction. Let’s learn how to keep our calm—even in the presence of chaos.

✅ Origins and Expansion of Mindfulness Practices: The article traces the development of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) from its inception by Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979 to its widespread application in adult mental health.
✅ Introduction of Mindfulness in Educational Settings: It discusses the rationale behind implementing mindfulness programs in schools, aiming to address rising mental health issues among adolescents by teaching them mindfulness techniques.
✅ Evaluation of the MYRIAD Study's Findings: The article analyzes the outcomes of the MYRIAD trial, the largest study on adolescent mindfulness programs, which revealed unexpected results, including potential ineffectiveness and possible adverse effects for some students. ​

Tricycle: The Buddhist Review

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Thanks again for listening to the show! If it has helped you in any way, please share it using the social media buttons you see on the page.

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Welcome to Zen Commuter and day two of Tricycle Week! Today, we dive into an important question: Is meditation truly beneficial for young students? Across the country, schools have introduced mindfulness programs with the hope of improving focus, reducing stress, and fostering emotional well-being. But do these programs actually deliver on their promise? We’ll explore key research, including insights from Emma Varvaloucas’ article, Classroom Mindfulness Put to the Test, which examines the largest study to date on mindfulness in schools. Are these programs helping, or do they come with unintended consequences? Let’s uncover the science behind meditation in the classroom.

✅ Origins and Expansion of Mindfulness Practices: The article traces the development of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) from its inception by Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979 to its widespread application in adult mental health.
✅ Introduction of Mindfulness in Educational Settings: It discusses the rationale behind implementing mindfulness programs in schools, aiming to address rising mental health issues among adolescents by teaching them mindfulness techniques.
✅ Evaluation of the MYRIAD Study's Findings: The article analyzes the outcomes of the MYRIAD trial, the largest study on adolescent mindfulness programs, which revealed unexpected results, including potential ineffectiveness and possible adverse effects for some students. ​

Tricycle: The Buddhist Review

Schedule Time with Thom (Complimentary consultation)

Thanks again for listening to the show! If it has helped you in any way, please share it using the social media buttons you see on the page.

• Send me a message: speakpipe.com/zencommuter

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Welcome to Tricycle Week on Zen Commuter! I’m kicking things off with a reading from Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, featuring Thich Nhat Hanh’s insightful article, "Listening to Our Ancestors."

In this episode, we explore how connecting with our spiritual and familial lineage can bring wisdom, healing, and a deeper sense of peace. Tune in to reflect on the presence of those who came before us and how their guidance can shape our journey today.

✅ Three Practices to cultivate listening
✅ Using “The Bell” to help us become mindful
✅ Thoughts on embracing our “wounded child”

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Thanks again for listening to the show! If it has helped you in any way, please share it using the social media buttons you see on the page.

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What if the key to peak performance and lasting well-being was as simple as stillness? In this episode of Ze Commuter, I sit down with Richard Earney, a leading expert in fitness and movement, to explore how meditation enhances physical and mental well-being. Richard shares his insights on the mind-body connection, explaining how mindfulness isn’t just for relaxation—it’s a powerful tool for focus, recovery, and resilience. Whether you’re an athlete, a fitness enthusiast, or simply looking for more balance in life, this conversation will show you how meditation can elevate your overall well-being. Tune in and discover how a few moments of mindfulness can transform your energy, clarity, and performance.

✅ The difference between meditation and mindfulness
✅ Defining meditation to address consistency and “success at practicing”
✅ Why meditation is sometimes difficult to keep up with without physical proof of benefit

Richard Earney is the founder of MindStrong Wellbeing, a coaching platform dedicated to enhancing mental and physical resilience through mindfulness, movement, and personal development. With a background in fitness and wellness leadership, he empowers individuals to cultivate strength from within by integrating meditation and mindful practices into their daily lives.

📌 Follow Richard Earney:

• Instagram: Richard Earney

• Website: www.mindstrongwellbeing.com

Schedule Time with Thom (Complimentary consultation)

Thanks again for listening to the show! If it has helped you in any way, please share it using the social media buttons you see on the page.

• Send me a message: speakpipe.com/zencommuter

• Email: thom@zencommuter.com

• Instagram: @thom_walters

• Twitter: @thom_walters

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/zencommuter

• Donate: Support the Podcast!

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

What if the key to peak performance and lasting well-being was as simple as stillness? In this episode of Ze Commuter, I sit down with Richard Earney, a leading expert in fitness and movement, to explore how meditation enhances physical and mental well-being. Richard shares his insights on the mind-body connection, explaining how mindfulness isn’t just for relaxation—it’s a powerful tool for focus, recovery, and resilience. Whether you’re an athlete, a fitness enthusiast, or simply looking for more balance in life, this conversation will show you how meditation can elevate your overall well-being. Tune in and discover how a few moments of mindfulness can transform your energy, clarity, and performance.

✅ The difference between meditation and mindfulness
✅ Defining meditation to address consistency and “success at practicing”
✅ Why meditation is sometimes difficult to keep up with without physical proof of benefit

Richard Earney is the founder of MindStrong Wellbeing, a coaching platform dedicated to enhancing mental and physical resilience through mindfulness, movement, and personal development. With a background in fitness and wellness leadership, he empowers individuals to cultivate strength from within by integrating meditation and mindful practices into their daily lives.

📌 Follow Richard Earney:

• Instagram: Richard Earney

• Website: www.mindstrongwellbeing.com

Schedule Time with Thom (Complimentary consultation)

Thanks again for listening to the show! If it has helped you in any way, please share it using the social media buttons you see on the page.

• Send me a message: speakpipe.com/zencommuter

• Email: thom@zencommuter.com

• Instagram: @thom_walters

• Twitter: @thom_walters

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/zencommuter

• Donate: Support the Podcast!

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify