There’s no greater mythic mind in modern podcasting than Josh Schrei, the voice and vision behind The Emerald. If you, like me, are already a fan of his deeply poetic and perspective-shifting show, then you’ll understand why I’ve wanted to have him on Life is a Festival since the moment I heard his episode on festivals.

In this conversation, Josh and I explore the revival of myth in our modern moment. We talk about the ancient power of festivals, structure and fluidity of gender, the soul’s longing for meaning, and the complex challenges facing young men. We also touch on the pitfalls of self-importance and how myth can humble and reorient us. Finally, we explore the necessity of daily ritual, and how embodiment through practice keeps the sacred alive.

Josh Schrei is a mythteller, teacher, podcaster, and founder of The Emerald, a beloved show that brings together sweeping narratives, cinematic sound design, and interviews with renowned thinkers to reawaken the mythic imagination. A lifelong student of mythologies—particularly from the Indian subcontinent — Josh brings decades of study in yoga, meditation, wilderness rites, music, and the arts into his teaching. He also leads The Mythic Body, an immersive course designed to re-enliven the soul through story and practice.

Timestamps

• (05:03 The Power of Myth in Modern Times
• (23:44) The Role of Festivals in Human Culture
• (39:18) The Mythic Relationship to Gender
• (42:34) The Need for Young Men's Rituals
• (57:33) The Healing Journey and Plant Medicine
• (01:05:36) Daily Practices for Healing and Connection
• (01:10:23) The Importance of Relational Coherence

Links

• Joshua Michael Schrei | Creating The Emerald
• The Mythic Body: Home
• The Emerald | Podcast on Spotify
• Josh Schrei (@the_emerald_podcast)
• Festivals! Initiation and the Brilliance of Eternity

I recently revisited Iboga — the psychedelic root bark from Equatorial West Africa — six years after first experiencing it in a traditional Bwiti ceremony in Gabon. This time, I received Ibogaine treatment at Beond in Cancún. (Full disclosure: I produce their podcast, Ibogaine Uncovered.)

To my surprise, my mentor Benjamin also spends time at Beond, quietly supporting others through their Ibogaine journeys. After my own treatment—complete with a flood dose and a booster dose—the best way to share my experience felt like a conversation with Benjamin himself.

I also interviewed Tom, Beond’s CEO, for The Psychedelic Therapy Podcast — check that out for more details on the clinic and Ibogaine. As always, you’ll find links in the show notes. Now, please join me for my chat with my mentor, spiritual guide, and extraordinary role model, Benjamin.

Links

• Ibogaine Treatment Center in Cancun, Mexico | Beond
• The Yang Container | Benjamin
• To Escape the Tyranny of the Self | Benjamin
• The Psychedelic Therapy Podcast
• Ibogaine Uncovered | Podcast on Spotify

Timestamps

• 05:10 The Ibogaine Process and Its Benefits
• 09:18 Ibogaine and Traumatic Brain Injury
• 20:22 Reflections on Healing and Growth
• 29:57 The Beond Experience
• 30:43 My Ibogaine Journey
• 32:32 Post-Treatment Reflections
• 35:59 Connecting with Others
• 37:38 Understanding Addiction

In the aftermath of the 2024 election, as half the country celebrates and the other half mourns, Alex Ebert and I find ourselves doing what grown men often do to process complex emotions—we make a podcast about it. It's our fourth time using this particular hack for male friendship, but something feels different, more urgent this time. The exit polls reveal young men swinging dramatically rightward, and I can't help but see this through the lens of masculinity—specifically, the left's failure to provide an aspirational vision of what it means to be a man in these complicated times.

On today's show, we dive deep into why progressive spaces have become increasingly inhospitable to young men, who are drifting toward figures like Andrew Tate and Jordan Peterson while the left seems to have lost its grip on the masculine imagination. Alex shares his personal journey of integrating the feminine through meditation and inner work, while we examine everything from RFK Jr.'s campaign to Bernie's legacy to the archetypal pull of Elon Musk. We're using this modern ritual—two microphones and a quiet room—to explore the very crisis of connection that makes such spaces necessary in the first place.

Alexander Ebert makes his fourth appearance on Life is a Festival, bringing his unique perspective as an award-winning artist, composer, and philosophical troubadour. Known for fronting both Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and Ima Robot, Ebert has evolved into a penetrating cultural critic through his Bad Guru Substack. Having explored spiritual narcissism and psychedelic culture with us before, he's the perfect companion for examining these thorny questions of masculinity, power, and the possibility of healing our collective wounds.

Timestamps

• (09:00) — Toxic vs. aspirational masculinity
• (18:30) — Why the object-acquiring man lacks an integrated feminine
• (28:30) — Are Bowie and Prince integrated?
• (33:00) — The unhelpful narrative of “Boohoo white man”
• (44:00) — RFK and Bernie Bros
• (54:00) — Barack Obama and cool security
• (59:00) — The power of myth
• (1:10:00) — The allure of the unconflicted man

Links

• Bad Guru | Alex Ebert | Substack
• Bad Guru (@alex_ebert) • Instagram
• Life is a Festival: Dunking on the New Age is Boring Now
• Life is a Festival: A Love Letter to Earnestness
• Life is a Festival: Healing New Age Narcissism

On the eve of the U.S. presidential election, we’re exploring the theme of participation, a principle central to both Burning Man culture and our role as citizens. In this episode, I’m joined by Megan Miller, former Director of Communications for Burning Man, to talk about how civic responsibility and active engagement can help us navigate this complex cultural moment. I’ve also included a clip from a recent Substack article by one of my favorite thinkers, Jamie Wheal, to set the stage for our conversation.

On the show, Megan and I discuss the importance of civic responsibility and the role of local government, especially in a time of political polarization. We delve into her 2020 article, Reaching Across Party Lines, and examine how festivals like Burning Man can foster unity. We also touch on gender and the dynamics in the 2024 election, as well as the way forward after November.

Megan served as Burning Man’s Director of Communications from 2014 to 2021 and is a seasoned political strategist with experience in the U.S. Senate, political campaigns, environmental advocacy, and HIV/AIDS prevention. She brings her expertise in public engagement and strategic communications to today’s discussion, helping us think about participation beyond the election.

Timestamps

• (05:00) “The Curse of the Clever” by Jamie Wheal
• (15:00) Burning Man and Civic Responsibility
• (20:00) Megan’s Early Political Career
• (26:00) Cities and the Importance of Local Government
• (33:00) Navigating Political Polarization
• (41:00) The RFK Question in the Burning Man community
• (48:00) Gender and the 2024 Election
• (58:00) The Way Forward After the Election

Links

• Megan K. Miller (@millermegank)
• Megan K. Miller
• Reaching Across Party Lines with Participation and Civic Responsibility
• Jamie Wheal | Substack: Homegrown Humans Newsletter
• The Gender Election - The Daily

Atish last joined us four or five years ago for a powerful conversation about authenticity, anxiety, and life as an artist. Now, as he takes a break from touring to prioritize mental health, I knew it was time to have him back for an inspiring and candid conversation.

In this episode, Atish and I discuss the challenges of touring, redefining success as a DJ, and Atish’s unexpected desire for a “day job.” We explore the validation cycle between DJing and social media, the courage in vulnerability, and what it means to connect with the South Asian community as an artist. Together, we even do a little men’s work, unpacking the ideas of service, legacy, and giving back to one’s community.

As many of you know, Atish is a celebrated DJ, producer, and mentor—he even composed the opening music for this podcast! His unique blend of vulnerability and presence has always inspired me, and I’m honored to share our conversation with you.

Timeline

• (04:00) — Touring is stressful
• (09:00) — What it means to “make it” as a DJ
• (16:45) — Atish wants a day Job
• (22:45) — DJing is immediate validation
• (32:00) — Setting a vulnerable example on social media
• (43:30) — What does it mean to be a South Asian artist?
• (49:00) — Atish and I do mens work
• (55:00) — Serving the South Asian community

LINKS

• atish (@atishmusic) • Instagram photos and videos
• atish: DJ, Producer, Manjumasi, Mentor

How does Burning Man stay relevant for a new generation and beyond the Black Rock Desert?

The dust has settled from Burning Man, and the photo dumps have all been dumped but today we're diving into a deeper conversation about the relevance of the event itself. My guest, Will Chase was Burning Man’s Minister of Propaganda until 2016. He’s done more than most to bring the open-hearted play of Burning Man to the default world (ie make life like a festival).

In our conversation, we explore Burning Man as a pilgrimage, the magic of serendipity, and the lasting influence of Larry Harvey. Will shares personal stories and thoughtful insights as we explore the magic of Burning Man and what this community should focus on now.

Will Chase was a key figure in Burning Man from 2003 to 2016. He co-founded Fireside Storytelling in San Francisco and is the president of We Are From Dust, which places interactive art globally. He also hosts "Pants Optional" on Shady Pines Radio and co-founded Peak, an immersive experience design company.

Timestamps

• (11:30) Will Chase doesn’t like making things about himself
• (15:45) Larry Harvey had the right ego to crawl with worms
• (19:30) Getting to Burning Man is itself a rite of passage
• (26:30) In Search of Serendipity
• (30:30) No the magic hasn’t changed…
• (39:45) … but we are at a cultural inflection point
• (47:45) The Minister of Propaganda’s medicine is storytelling
• (52:30) Bringing Burning Man to the Grand Playa

Links:

• Will Chase
• Will Chase | Burning Man Journal
• We Are From Dust
• About Peak Immersive

Today's podcast is in two parts: First, my reflections (rant) on Burning Man 2024, and second, a repost of my appearance on the Burning Man Live Podcast from a few years ago.

During my solocast, I celebrate recent changes in Burning Man, read from a short section of my upcoming book about the concept of cool, and share part of Caveat Magister’s piece about Burning Man passing the torch to the regional network. Finally, I share some changes in the Life is a Festival podcast moving forward.

On the Burning Man Live Podcast, I discuss Burning Man’s place in festival culture, the meaning of transformation, exploring masculinity, and what—at the time—I believed lies ahead for the global festival community.

• Links
  Life is a Festival: Voices of the Renegade Burn
• Has Black Rock City's Torch Passed to the Regionals?
• Burning Man LIVE Podcast Series

Timestamps

• (02:00) - Burning Man isn’t cool anymore
• (23:00) - Burning Man Live Podcast
• (31:15) - Transformational Festivals and the meaning of transformation
• (36:30) - Masculine archetypes
• (46:00) - The Psychedelic Therapy Podcast
• (55:30) - What lies ahead for festival culture and Burning Man in particular

Today’s episode is an encore presentation of a show that aired live on Burning Man Information Radio (BMIR) in 2019 to get you all juiced up for this year’s dirt rave. It features a playful conversation about vulnerability, consent, the trickster, and instant manifestation with Jax, Wolverine, and David Block, the Human Experience.

Also, every year, I give a Harm Reduction talk at my camp. For the first fifteen minutes of this episode, I’m offering that information. Please check out more info about fentanyl adulteration, psychedelic peer support, and how to talk to cops at Burning Man in the links below.

If you need something to listen to on the ride, you can check out other Burning Man-related content from Life is a Festival here.

Have a great Burn! It’s better with you here!

Links

• Burning Man — Life is a Festival
• How to deal with cops at Burning Man (2023 update)
• Zendo Project - Psychedelic Peer Support
• ⁠New Fentanyl Test Strips⁠
• ⁠Learn How To Use NARCAN⁠
• A Brief History of Who Ruined Burning Man

Timestamps

• (06:00) Harm Reduction at Burning Man
• (15:30) Live from BMIR(
• 23:00) Vulnerable shares
• (30:50) Masculinity on Playa and performative vulnerability
• (37:00) Trickster and Play
• (43:00) Consent at Burning Man
• (50:50) Instant Manifestation