In this episode it was my sincere pleasure to be joined by Andy Puddicombe.  Andy is a former Buddhist monk and has a degree in circus arts but is best know as the co-founder, and voice, of the headspace meditation website and app.

Andy recently spoke at the Web Summit in Dublin, has contributed frequently to BBC radio and tv, and his TED talk: "All it takes is 10 mindful minutes" has over 4.5 million views.

I've been chasing Andy for some time and spoke to him on the phone from London.  He couldn't have been more helpful, sincere, generous, and informative.  Andy is a great ambassador for meditation and mindfulness and his decision to come down from the mountain and take it to the masses in his simple, direct, and unassuming style is something many are grateful for.

Below is a summary of some of the things we spoke about:

1. The series of tragedies Andy experienced in his late teens.
2. His decision to leave college and join a Buddhist monastery in Northern India.
3. The loneliness of monastic life.
4. Meditations ability to introduce us to ourselves.
5. The importance of teachers in the Buddhist tradition.
6. Andy's decision to swap the robes for civvies.
7. The thinking behind headspace the app.
8. The practical benefits of meditation in everyday life.

Enjoy the episode,

Dave.

To find out more, including links to stuff mentioned in the show please visit:

www.inspirelandpodcast.com

The episode where the gang, joined by special guest Dave O' Connor, discuss their attempts to learn a language in 30 days, their experience of a full moon night-swim (contains nudity), and how they got on in a sensory deprivation tank.  Enjoy.

In this episode I was joined by futurist Katie Aquino.  What's a futurist?  I'm glad you asked.  A futurist is someone who explores and predicts the possibilities and probabilities of the technological future.  Phew!  Futurists are like weather forecasters except tech is the weather.

Aquino, AKA Miss Metaverse, has a background in video production but describes her first introduction to futurists as akin to finding her tribe.  Since discovering her tribe Katie has no doubt increased its size through her irresistable combination of knowledge and enthusiasm.

Katie was one of my most fun guests to date and the interview could easily have been twice as long but I'll hopefully have her back at some stage in the future to cover some of the topics we didn't get around to discussing.

We spoke about loads in the interview, below are some of the headlines;

1. How to avoid drowning in the sea of new tech and information.
2. The future of health, beauty, ageing, and transhumanism.
3. Katie explains what The Internet Of Things is.
4. The potential of 3D printing.
5. The rationale behind setting up a colony on Mars.
6. Katie is a techno-optimist but isn't without concerns for the future.

For futher information, including episode notes and links to Katie's site, check out my blog at www.inspirelandpodcast.com.  

Thanks for listening,

Dave

In this episode I was joined by award winning female dating expert Hayley Quinn.  Hayley describes her teenage self as "...too shy, too fat, too poor, and too brainy."  The difficulties she faced in her formative years, including having disabled parents, inform Hayley's unique brand of non-predatory, empathetic, practical, and accessible dating advice.

Hayley studied English and Psychotherapy at UCL and it was during her time as a student that she was first introduced to the world of Pick-Up Artists (PUAs).  Hayley's college boyfriend messaged her from a Las Vegas PUA conference to inform her that the previous night he had taken part in an orgy!  Their relationship ended but Hayley's fascinating journey to a career in the dating industry began.

Other topics covered in the episode include;

1. Being a woman in a male dominated business.
2. The impact of porn on modern dating and relationships.
3. The disadvantages of getting too good at getting dates.
4. How technology has changed the way we meet each other.
5. Hayley tells us how to maintain intimacy in long-term relationships.
6. How to text people we are attracted to.

For full episode notes as well as links to Hayley's site and youtube channel check out inspirelandpodcast.com.

Enjoy the episode,

Dave