Disclaimer: Traver’s audio is choppy but this is a great conversation so bear with us. Just like with physical health, your meditation practices will only get stronger by pushing and challenging yourself. That’s what we discussed in this episode with Steve James, also known as the Guru Viking. In this episode, Steve and I discuss long-form meditations, his current meditation practices and how he transitioned from the music industry to meditation and consciousness practices. He discusses his thoughts on relationships, sexual intimacy and how people tend to use sex in the same way they use money. About Steve James: Steve James travels internationally teaching somatic practices, meditation, as well as leading explorations in contemplative, mystic, & relational realms. Known for his direct, grounded approach and his dedication to first-hand research he has extensive experience in elite athletic performance, contemplative and spiritual disciplines, the arts, extreme outdoor survival, and human behavior. What You’ll Hear: 6:23 What Steve is building right now 7:36 How Steve transitioned from the music industry to meditation and consciousness practices 11:16 The similarities in music and meditation 15:45 Why Steve practices longer form meditations 16:48 Steve’s current meditation practice 21:50 Why you have to challenge yourself during meditation 24:14 Challenges from intimacy and relationships 27:25 Why most people assume they should be in a relationship 28:24 Closing the gap between yourself and your partner 29:03 Why a lot of people compromise in relationships and regret it 32:44 Why people endure difficult relationships when they don’t actually want a relationship at all 34:12 How relationships aren’t always nice 36:01 Why not having a sexual partner won’t save you from the burden of being in a relationship 38:01 How the needs of the race aren’t always in line with the needs of an individual 39:30 How Steve feels about relationships 42:23 Why people are having less sex than ever 45:01 The problem with sex and how it can get old if you’ve had plenty of it 47:39 What’s causes our desires for other people 49:01 Why people often are just having sex out of habit 52:38 Judging the underlying assumptions of an endeavor like hooking up 54:21 How people use sex in the same way they use money Quotes: “Music is very similar to meditation. It's just a lot more quantifiable and a lot more limited in its scope.” “It’s very possible to get so into meditation that you forget the point of it.” “Music is not only for the aficionados and that’s similar to meditation in a sense.” “I like to meditate because I’m so curious about life. It’s happening with such vividness, such incredible wonder and beauty are available in the sensory experience in the experience of oneself.” “With meditation, you really start to perceive so very deeply.” “To imagine you’re going to commit to meditation is almost as foolish as marriage.” “Very often we don’t really see people.” “We assume a lot about our environment just to reduce our processing load.” “Coming face to face with what you actually want to do is terribly threatening because it probably means you're not going to do some of the things you’re doing.” “The needs of the group are not always the same as the individual.” “A lot of the reasons that drove people together no longer exist.” “Sex itself gets old if you’re having plenty of it.” “Sex itself with it’s associated risk factors isn’t worth it. Why not stay at home and play computer games?” “Very often we have sex out of habit.”

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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