Xu, the Podcast about Emptiness
This is a musical meditation podcast, released as the Dao flows, exploring various ways we can empty our heart and mind and come in to a deeper presence with our lives while living in a busy world. Qigong teacher and musician Ryan Powell crafts a musical and spoken journey into the Dao of Emptiness. We will explore breathing and mindfulness techniques from the Qigong tradition and allow the energy of the moment flow like medicine to help us empty our over-full hearts and minds. Tune in, and let go . . .You can support the podcast by becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/XuPodcast
Episodes
25 episodes
Mystical Path, Ordinary Life
In this episode of Xu we explore the phrase "The Dao is not separate from daily life." Some think that an authentic spiritual path is something mystical and beyond this world, but the sages remind us that the greatest secret is that there...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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14:28
Mountain Body
In this episode of Xu, The Podcast about Emptiness Ryan explores the meaning behind chapter 26 of Laozi's Daodejing. What is the importance of heaviness and how can heaviness become the root of lightness? Take a journey into your Mo...
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Season 2
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Episode 15
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16:06
Golden Light Invocation
This sacred Daoist invocation / mantra can be played to harmonize your heart mind, cleanse the space around you and infuse your life energy with the auspicious Jin Guan (golden light). You can play this on repeat in your space to cleanse ...
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Season 2
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Episode 14
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11:32
Unity of Body and Spirit
Here we explore techniques to restore the unity of the Body and Spirit. Sometimes we get so far away from ourselves, from the present moment, from our body home. Taming the wandering mind and helping it find it's way back into the b...
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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18:36
Slow Down ~ Snail Medicine
In this episode of Xu, Ryan takes us on a journey into the benefits of slowing down and returning to a peaceful, present life rhythm. Like a snail moving through the woods, we can all benefit from slowing down our daily rhythms and taking...
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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16:04
10,000 Thoughts Become One
In this episode of Xu, Ryan takes us on an exploration of an old Daoist saying, "The 10,000 thoughts become One." Here you will learn a simple breath practice from the Emei Qigong tradition to help strengthen your mind, your spirit, and y...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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19:18
Just Be You, Real Human.
Today we take a musical journey into the Real Human within each of us. What does it mean to be truly authentic? What is covering up the great treasure, the real person, within each of us and how do we uncover it once again? Ry...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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9:38
A Good Traveler
How can we become a good traveler in our life? How can we travel without leaving deep ruts and tracks behind us as we go? Here, inspired by the Daodejing Chapter 27, Ryan explores what it means to be a good traveler on this Ea...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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13:41
Walk through the Woods
Come friend, and take a walk through the woods with me. In this episode of Xu, Ryan invites you on a musical stroll through the verdant woods in a musical, healing meditation with nature. May we remember the importance of nature; of...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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13:44
Inner Truth and Sincerity
In this episode of Xu, Ryan explores the power of a sincere heart to connect with the Dao. Through the practice of Virtue, we cleanse our inner world develop a deep connection to the ever present guidance of our Inner Truth.
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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14:54
Yin Yang
In this episode of Xu we explore the benefits of becoming aware of and contemplating the two fundamental phases of universal energy, Yin and Yang. Accompanied by gentle celtic harp and low whistle, Ryan guides a journey into the interrela...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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14:24
Dantian ~ Your Home Within the Body
After a summer break, Ryan is back with a new episode of the podcast! In this episode of Xu, The Podcast about Emptiness we explore the place within the body known as the lower Dantian. Dantian means "field of elixir" and is t...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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14:13
Cleanse your Heart Mirror
In this episode of Xu we explore the path of cleansing the Heart Mirror. How can we overcome patterns of self-destructive thought and judgment? Together we explore the gentle path of Nei Guan (Inner Observation) as a way to unravel ...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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22:21
Empty Your Trash
In this episode of Xu, The Podcast about Emptiness we explore the practice of daily cultivation as a means of emptying our inner garbage can. We all take in so much information, media and stimulus each day. Our inner vessel becomes ...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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18:26
Spiritual Lights
In this first episode of Season 2 of Xu, we explore the function of the eyes, or "Spiritual Lights" in our meditation / cultivation practice. Looking outward all day long will lead to exhaustion of our spiritual energy, or "Shen". L...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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18:44
Bardic Interlude ~ Two Irish Tales for Samhain
This is the first in the Bardic Interlude series of Xu, the Podcast about Emptiness, where Ryan dons his Storyteller cloak and cap and shares story from the old mythologies of the world. Accompanied by his celtic harp, Ryan first tell...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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16:54
Stability
In this episode of Xu, we explore the idea and practice of stability. How can we stabilize our body, our breath and our spirit? When the world seems full of chaos around us, the best path we can take is to look within and find ways ...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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14:58
The Three Treasures
The Daoist sages have always pointed us to the Three Treasures, the three best medicines within our body. In this episode we explore these precious treasures; Jing, Qi, Shen. How do we nourish these three layers of our life ener...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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20:32
The Patience Stone
In this episode of Xu, The Podcast about Emptiness we explore the medicine of Chapter 67 of the Daodejing by Laozi. The medicines of patience, simplicity and compassion are held here with a gentle acoustic guitar backing. Come learn...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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21:15
Metamorphosis w/ Niema Lightseed
For hundreds of years, few have had as much connection with Emptiness as our mystic poets. These souls grew their roots deep into the rich field of Xu and found a way to draw forth inspiration and healing for their communities in flowing ...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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17:05
The Returning Path
In this episode of Xu, The Podcast about Emptiness, we explore the practice of Returning. The old classics refer to Dao, the Path, as the Returning Way. Join Ryan on a meditative journey back to your home within the body. In o...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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18:57
The Secret Movement of Water
In this episode of Xu, we explore the power of humility and how the ocean is the greatest body of water because it is lower than all of the world's rivers and streams. We also explore the idea of "hidden virtue", or giving without needing...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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18:53
Compass Center
This episode of Xu, The Podcast about Emptiness explores our life in the center of the compass. Are we free to move in any direction within this compass? Come explore this musical transmission to learn how the Compass Center can hel...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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15:48