NYC Ad Executive Goes on a Spiritual Journey to India

After quitting his high-paying advertising job, giving away all his belongings, moving out of his New York City apartment and buying a one-way ticket to India, he finally arrives in spiritual capital of the world.Hear what he finds, what he does, and how he got fleeced twice in two days.  See how everything he had been searching for miraculously presented itself to him. Learn the lessons that India taught him…

How Did You Come Back to the Normal Life After Your Long Traveling?

Q: Dear Todd, how did you manage to come back to the city and "normal" life after your extended traveling time? TODD ANSWERS: I would love to say some big wise thing like, “I recognized that all things must change.” While that is true, honestly after nine years of being in so many places and living out of a tiny suitcase, living in hostels and homestays, and constantly a wanderer,…

Why Do My Feelings Get Hurt So Easily?

This is one of the most important and common questions I receive. The more in touch we become with our inner peace, the more jarring the outside world can become. As we begin the journey inward, we can become even more sensitive than we already were. So what can we do to not be so sensitive? How can we take control of our own mental state and not have it…

Why is Chanting a Mantra Beneficial And a Form of Meditation?

With so many apps and gurus out there today, the number of types of meditations have exploded.  There are ancient ones and brand new untested ones. So how do we know which ones are the best, which ones are a waste of time, and which ones may even have negative effects?In this episode, I go into depth about the two most common types of meditation, mantra and breath meditation. Breath…

Can spirituality and desire to make more money go together?

Q: Dear Todd, can spirituality and desire to make more money go together? TODD ANSWERS: There is nothing wrong with wealth in and of itself. It’s only when we put profits above people, when attachment to wealth creates suffering, and when fear of loss disturbs our inner peace that wealth and the pursuit of wealth become problematic. We all want a comfortable life and people should be rewarded for their…

Can This Secretive Ashram Be the Best Spiritual Ashram in India?

This is the story of Todd's first experience in an ashram in India. Invited by his friend's family who has a house there, they got permission from the guru himself that I could come and stay there – something not usually done for outsiders. What Todd found was beyond his wildest imagination. At this ashram – supposedly the largest one in India – devoted followers, a beloved leader, and an…

How to Use Meditation for Self-Improvement

Meditation isn't just for chilling out. It is a powerful tool that trains our minds to be present, focused, aware, peaceful and joyful. It's not about the time we spend sitting down with our eyes closed in meditation. It's about how that time improves the rest of our lives. Gaining insights into ourselves and our own mind is one of the greatest ways meditation can improve our lives. The more…

Can Mindfulness Help in Saving Money? How?

Q: Dear Todd, how can mindfulness help in saving money?TODD ANSWERS: When we are fully present, we make smarter decisions because we are not off somewhere else.Saving money, investing money, and working towards some goal, all happen in the here and now.When we give this moment our full attention, we naturally create a better future. Like a squirrel who gathers nuts for the winter, we too know instinctually without thinking…

What to Do When Life Doesn’t Go As Planned

There are two things taking place when we feel like our life is not going the way we hoped or wanted it to. The first thing is expectations — those pesky things created by society, our loved ones, and our own biased assumptions about how life should be. The second thing is a feeling of stuckness — that dull feeling, which lacks newness and excitement, that stems from repetitive and monotonous…

Is Meditation Against Christianity?

As meditation has exploded in popularity, many people – especially Christians – have been wondering if it's ok to meditate or if it's a sin. People of many different faiths have wondered if meditating in the styles of Eastern traditions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, go against their own religion. In Christianity, the Bible says that anything not mentioned in the Bible is under the influence of Satan in an…