In this episode of the EZ Conversations Podcast, I welcome Mike Oppenheim, a writer, podcaster, and father of three. He shares insights on his multifaceted life, including his approach to spirituality. The discussion covers Mike’s background, including growing up with transcendental meditating parents, his journey through atheism and spirituality, and his experiences during significant life events such as 9/11 and his divorce. Mike also delves into the impact of social media, the importance of humility, and the balance between faith and skepticism. The conversation concludes with reflections on personal Growth, societal trends, and the potential to find meaning and purpose in challenging times.

Mike has written weekly fun essays called You Are Here since 2006. In 2021, Mike’s wife, Elana, brother Sam, and he started their metaphysics podcast, Coffin Talk.

Mike also makes music: Punchclock & Smirk. He writes novels: Dysfunction, Baby Doll (The Book, (2012), Too True to be Good (2017), The Apology (2021), and Ardor (2023) and makes videos: Squawk (2018), YouScience (2020), & Me-Search (2021).

Mike indexes books, runs a writing workshop, drinks coffee, and eats avocados. His favourite part of life is family, which includes his wife, son, and two daughters. And he loves dogs!

Check out Mike’s Substack: https://mikeyopp.substack.com/

Timestamps:

02:40 Introduction and Guest Background

03:52 Spirituality vs. Atheism

05:20 Personal Journey and Meditation

06:03 The Impact of 9/11

06:48 Defining Atheism and Spirituality

10:44 Divorce and Self-Reflection

13:52 Social Media and Empathy

19:55 Navigating Life with Spirituality

24:55 The Concept of Self and Duality

31:29 Therapy and Personal Growth

34:25 Reflecting on Failure and Perspective

34:56 The Illusion of Social Media Success

35:46 Parenting and Guiding Through Failure

37:19 The Power of Prayer and Meditation

37:43 Excitement for Neuralink Technology

40:33 The Role of Faith in Everyday Life

45:09 Navigating Public Scrutiny and Envy

48:16 Writing as a Legacy and Self-Expression

51:38 The Impact of COVID on Society and Personal Growth

54:25 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Sponsors of the Podcast:

• BetterHelp: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://betterhelp.com/ez10⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for 10% off your first month of therapy
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• Mint Mobile: ⁠https://trymintmobile.com/ez10⁠ for 15$ for an unlimited cell phone plan
• We Are Wild for 25% off your first order: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://zen.ai/EZ23⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Or find Furkhan’s Book, Pursuit of Self Love: 30 Uplifting Messages and Reflections. The Kindle version is available on Amazon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.amazon.ca/Pursuit-Self-Love-Uplifting-Messages-Reflections-ebook/dp/B0C4D1XYL1⁠⁠⁠

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Furkhan Dandia Therapist and Coach

I am a men's coach, therapist, group facilitator, podcaster and author. My journey began five years ago when I was going through a separation. I found myself alone and in a shame spiral that our culture and society covertly exert on people due to the perceived "failure" of a marriage. Unfortunately, I personalized that message which led me to fall deeper into a hole, causing me to surround myself with people that did not serve me and engage in substance abuse. While seeking therapy, I was not making the wholesale changes I needed.

As part of my experience with therapy, I realized that I am not alone in the challenges men my age experience (I separated at the age of 34/35). I realized I could be a voice for men like myself and offer support in this space. In the middle of the pandemic, I applied for a Master's degree in Psychology to become a therapist. This change was a significant shift for me as I worked in the corporate world as an engineer. Once I leaned into the space of supporting other men, I also started a podcast to normalize these difficult conversations and started a men's group a year later with the support of a friend.

I thought I was giving something back when I started the men's group. However, I quickly realized I was getting substantially more from the connections I built than I initially anticipated. It was also something I needed because I was going through another breakup.

At that point, I also realized that I had not taken the time to heal, and I was outsourcing my healing through romantic relationships, substances, material acquisitions and superficial relationships. I decided to step away from the outgoing lifestyle and started to focus on my healing which was another phase of evolution for me on my journey. Over the last year and a half, I have become mindful of the people I spend my time with. I have cleaned my lifestyle of substances, toxic environments and behaviours. I have focused on my sleep, my health and my knowledge. I have improved my spiritual relationship with myself, which was lacking the most over the past five years. This is the best I have felt.

As part of my solitude journey and to find myself again, I also released a book encapsulating my journey, which I hope to share with others. My book is titled: The Pursuit of Self-Love.