The Mike Mantell Podcast

MMP #22 Mentalism and The Séance with Jason Suran

Jason Suran is a New York based mentalist and performance artist. His unique blend of psychological illusions and immersive storytelling has led him to perform around the world from Haiti to Dubai and on various networks including NBC ESPN, and FOX. Originally from Chicago, Jason first moved east to attend New York University where his interest in non-traditional storytelling steered him towards magic and more specifically … the history and methods of modern psychics. His most recent theatrical project (The Other Side: A Psychological Séance) is an exploration of death, faith and the rise of spiritualism in 19th century America. In this episode we unpack what mentalism is, talk about persevering through low-points, and explore what happens after death. Find Jason’s work at www.jasonsuran.com Here’s his IG: https://www.instagram.com/jasonsuran/ Highlights:-Mentalism as a sub-genre of magic-Mentalism as ‘magic designed to simulate psychic phenomena’-The 4 components of mentalism-The origin and history of mentalism-How Jason decided to bring back Seances from the history of mentalism-Integrity in mentalism-The temptation for a mentalist to pretend to be magical-How to take a dishonest endeavor and extract an emotionally honest experience-Going all the way with his seance – simulating communicating with the dead-What emotions people experience during a seance-The experience of longing-Every ghost story starts with a love story’-When we love someone and then they die, what do we do with all that energy?-It doesn’t matter if ghosts are real, but why do we care if they are?-How Jason got interested in the seance aesthetic-How experiencing several deaths in a year shifted Jason’s seance -The unpredictability of grief-What DOES happen after death?-How meditation changed Jason’s life-Why mentalists are materialists-How Jason has dealt with self-doubt and impostor-syndrome on his artistic journey-‘You have to need it versus want it”-The importance of realizing you love practicing something-What would happen if a mentalist never turned it off-The reveal of Uri Geller-The two types of psychic performers-Does Jason ever wonder if he’s actually communicating with spirits?-Jason’s unwillingness to reveal his trick to me!-How Jason feels about people revealing mentalism on youtube-How Disneyland uses mystique-Art includes some degree of deception to get at human truth-When to take a leap of faith in belief-Gambling for entertainment, not for high stakes Here’s the video of Uri Geller we discuss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqCJDpNnHNI And the phony tai-chi master: http:// https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEDaCIDvj6I ENJOY!!! Much love

MMP #21 Partnership as a Vehicle for Transformation with Alexandra Stockwell

Alexandra Stockwell, MD is a Physician turned Relationship and Intimacy Expert who is known as The Relationship Catalyst. As a wife of 23 years and a mother of four, she believes the key to passion, fulfillment, intimacy and success in a couple’s relationship isn’t compromise–it’s being unwilling to compromise–because when both people feel free to be themselves, and know how to love and be loved for exactly who they are, the relationship is juicy, nourishing, and deeply satisfying. For over 20 years, she has shown men and women how to bring pleasure and purpose into all aspects of life–from the daily grind of running a household, to successfully growing a business, to creating ecstatic experiences in the bedroom!  Alexandra helps build connected and happy families through facilitating healing and transformation for couples. Check her out and subscribe to her newsletter at https://www.alexandrastockwell.com/ Find the 6 qualities of a conscious partnership that she mentions in our convo here: https://www.alexandrastockwell.com/6Q/ In this episode we talk about her spiritual journey, growth, the different types of relationship, and the most common cause to a dormant sex-life in partnership. Highlights-Creating emotional intimacy and sensual passion in a committed relationship-Alexandra’s spirituality has been private, and for her-Her upbringing, living with parents who lived unconventionally in pursuit of meaning-The fear that men witnessing childbirths would have heart-attacks-Alexandra sleeping over at her friend’s ashram in 9th grade-Why she’s kept her spirituality to herself-Her allergy to people losing themselves in community-Alexandra’s favorite personal-growth saying-Her focus is learning resonant, authentic connection-Using everything that arises in relationship to create more connection-How Alexandra found her way into intimacy work-How coaching let Alexandra draw on all of herself while still being professional-The lack of “conventional” lifestyles in the personal-growth world-What transformed Alexandra’s life was maintaining radiance while serving food to a grumpy kid-Alexandra’s 3 secrets for showing up radiant to all aspects of life-Her commitment to her husband’s personal growth and vice versa-The beauty of observing another human grow up and evolve-The balance between growth and fulfillment-What IS growth?-The 4 types of partnerships: toxic, termination, toleration, conscious-25% of couples with children fully intend to split once the children leave home-Relationships that are conflict-free and passion-free-What is a conscious partnership-Using whatever arises in relationship to create more connection-How conflict can lead to connection-The trap of relationship compromise-Sex as a microcosm to the rest of the relationship-Showing up unapologetically who they are in communication outside the bedroom is the best aphrodisiac-The importance of a win-win dynamic in a relationship Please enjoy the intellectual and heartellectual stimulation within.

MMP #20 The Wisdom of the Stars with Danielle Caners

Danielle Caners is the pilot of a magnificent space shuttle bringing you on a journey to the depths of the earth, far into the cosmos and back to the core of your being. Her art is the synthesis of an untameable thirst to learn, create, and grow. Her paintings are tapestries of visual codes that reward viewers with new discoveries every time they are revisited – each one embedded with ancestral wisdom, wonder of nature and practical observations of what it is to live a fulfilled life. As an artist, healer, teacher and wild woman, Danielle brings together her many gifts to guide us to self-actualization. Check her out here: https://artistherbalist.com/ https://www.instagram.com/artist.herbalist/ https://www.facebook.com/danielle.caners In this episode we talk about going through dark times, how to find inspiration, visualization practices, and Cosmologia – Danielle’s massive project of investigating the astrological frameworks across ancient cultures. Highlights from this episode: -How she uses her artwork to teach, heal, and bring out the best in others -Danielle identifies as a student of life, first and foremost! -How Life tends to lead Danielle, and not the other way around -How Danielle knows what her intuition is pointing her towards -How synchronicities fit into Danielle’s worldview -Life is one big synchronicity -How Danielle found herself pursuing a purpose-driven life -Loin-cloth life periods -The questions guiding Danielle’s life -The human experience is all about evolution -Stagnancy sucks! -Danielle’s retreat in her cabin -Danielle’s visualization practice -Using visualization to find inspiration -Inspiration boosting us to take risks -How Burning Man gives inspiration of what’s possible -Qualities that make Danielle a beast: relentlessness, impeccability with one’s word, love for intensity, doing the uncomfortable -High or lows can become peak experiences that use intensity to teach us about who we are -Cultivating relentlessness like training a muscle -Danielle’s journey into astrological symbols and ancient civilizations -Using astrological signs as archetypes -Danielle’s new announcement on a macroscopic mandala! -Common threads that run through different cultures’ astrological signs -How Danielle marries modern science and ancient magic into her worldview -Dispelling watered-down, cheeses astrology -Business as an extension of art -Danielle’s intention with her art -“Master the art of saying no, so you can create space to receive your hell yes” Please allow this hour-long string of symbolically-coded noises to enter through your earholes into your brain and be magically translated into insights in your mindscape.

MMP #19 The Journey Into Darkness with Tani Thole and Leslie Rogers

Tani Thole and Leslie Rogers have dedicated their lives to the study and exploration of the human psyche and its relationship with the non-material world, through spirituality, psychology, personal development, sexuality, and BDSM. They founded the Light Dark Institute out of a passion for sharing the ways that exploring our dark sides can radically awaken and liberate us from the old patterns that have held us back and kept us in judgement of ourselves and the world around us. Their work has been featured in publications and programs including The Atlantic and MTV, and their teachings are sought after nationally and internationally by those with a desire to awaken their ability to be a full “yes” to everything that is, no matter what it looks like. The Light Dark Institute is dedicated to expanding and enriching the range of human experience through helping people fall in love with the aspects of themselves and the world around them which they have previously disapproved of or rejected. They work with thought leaders, conscious communities, and anyone who has a burning desire to know themselves fully with nothing held back. Their work teaches people to engage the darker, unknown aspects of themselves and their world with play and curiosity, so that they can step into a life of living and loving with full power, full surrender, and deep fulfillment. In this episode we talk about their wild journey into partnership, Leslie’s dark awakening, Tani’s swearing off and eventual return to darkness, and the difference between conscious and unconscious expression of your darkness. Highlights-The story of how Tani and Leslie met-Tani’s quest for a 24/7 dominant partner-Leslie’s Dark Awakening-How they went from not knowing each other, to more than married in a night-Leslie’s practice of getting out of his shell was slow and gradual, but the Dark Lust night broke it all open-Leslie accessing a Dark God owning a Talisman (Tani), and seeing himself as fearless in this state-Them seeing their impact, creating a field of permission on their community-How Tani had always been drawn to the extremes of light and darkness in her life-Tani’s wondering how to balance her wholesome spirituality with dark-kinky-sexual-fantasies earlier in her life-Tani’s confusion earlier in her life about how to balance being an empowered woman with the desire to being humiliated by a man-How Tani didn’t resonate with the kink community, but used to try to bring kinkiness out of her partners-How Tani swore off kink, darkness, and sex for 3 years to exclusively pursue purity-How this path dried Tani out from the inside-How a single thought broke the darkness-blocking dam for Tani-Going so deep into fantasy, popping out into a deeper reality-Channeling creatures and finding new perspectives therein-From the perspective of his Creature, God does not exist-How Leslie’s creature wouldn’t allow Tani to be any smaller than he saw her to be-How Leslie’s coaching practice changed after the Darkness Awakening-Using kink not just for pleasure, but for transformation-Opening the dark places can be the fastest route to personal growth-Unpacking what darkness means-Distinguishing between lightwork and darkwork-“Everything is about sex. Except for sex, and that’s about power” – Oscar Wilde-Civilization is created by drawing the line between sexual and non-sexual-How Tani and Leslie’s archetypal dynamic has evolved over time into her coming into power and him into softness-When dark parts come up, instead of stopping, they lean into it-How to work through shame of expressing archetypes-When you feel shame, it’s some part of you shaming another part of you-Light work is taking responsibility for projection, darkwork is leaning into your projections-Going into our darkest places with consciousness and approval leads to deep care-Our darkness will come out no matter what. It’s just a matter of if we give permission or not-The map of dark archetypes I hope your listening experience is a WILD ride!

MMP #18 Hardcore Spiritual Dedication with Kara-Leah Grant

Kara-Leah is an internationally-renowned teacher, writer and retreat leader. Millions of people have been impacted by the articles, books and videos she has published over the last ten years. Her passion is liberation in this lifetime through an every day path of dissolving layers of the conditioned mind into deeper and deeper presence. Her work, through her teaching, writing and retreats, focuses on using the process of inquiry to reveal conditioned mind and so help people to drop down into beingness and presence. Kara-Leah is the founder of New Zealand’s most popular yoga website The Yoga Lunchbox and the creator of the Forty Day Process – a method to change or install habits into your daily life. Here’s her website, FB, and her most recent book, Sex, Drugs (and mostly) Yoga In this conversation we talk about her life journey since her first spiritual awakening, her relationship with ambition and personal growth, and the distinction between intimacy and romance. Conversational Highlights-Her history with partying and doing ecstasy in London-Her first spiritual awakening from a past life regression-How she started questioning societal norms at 11-The dangers of combining psychedelics with spiritual practice without knowing what you’re doing-Her going into psychosis-Her deep rebellious energy that moved her through hard times-Famous people who died around their Saturn Returns-The pressures of fame-The daily work to get back to ultimate truth-Her 1,000 day practice-Writing as a way to claim experiences and dissolve shame-The awareness that perceives is non local-How people are co-opting spiritual tools for consumer pursuits-Creative projects have their won dharma-Working with fantasy, presumption, and expectation in relationship-Intimacy and romance-Interacting with a person vs our projection of a person Books mentioned in this conversation:The Celestine ProphecyThe Play of Awakening Boom shockalocka! I hope this conversation lights a fire under your bum as it did to my own.