#751: Elizabeth Gilbert and Jack Kornfield

This episode is a two-for-one, and that’s because the podcast recently hit its 10-year anniversary and passed one billion downloads. To celebrate, I’ve curated some of the best of the best—some of my favorites—from more than 700 episodes over the last decade. I could not be more excited. The episode features segments from episode #430 "Elizabeth Gilbert’s Creative Path: Saying No, Trusting Your Intuition, Index Cards, Integrity Checks, Grief, Awe, and Much More" and episode #300 "Jack Kornfield — Finding Freedom, Love, and Joy in the Present." Please enjoy! Sponsors: AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: https://drinkag1.com/tim (1-year supply of Vitamin D (and 5 free AG1 travel packs) with your first subscription purchase.) Helix Sleep premium mattresses: https://helixsleep.com/tim (25–30% off all mattress orders and two free pillows) LMNT electrolyte supplement: https://drinklmnt.com/Tim (free LMNT sample pack with any drink mix purchase) Timestamps: [00:00] Start [05:36] Notes about this supercombo format. [06:38] Enter Elizabeth Gilbert. [07:04] Liz shares who Rayya Elias was and how she's remembered her in story at The Moth. [14:53] What kind of stories and storytellers make Liz break out in applause? [21:05] What has Liz learned from Martha Beck? [23:49] Staying true to one's inner compass and saying "No" without remorse. [27:03] The simple "No" via Byron Katie. [33:07] The wisdom of the body. [36:56] Enter Jack Kornfield. [37:24] Jack's connection with hang gliding and paragliding. [40:06] Jack's childhood, abusive father, and role as family peacemaker. [45:12] "If you're going to be angry, do it right." [47:48] Jack's transition from pre-med to Asian studies at Dartmouth. [49:28] From hippie to Buddhist monk. [50:57] Psychedelics' influence on Jack's spiritual path and current stance. [59:53] Meeting Stanislav Grof. [1:03:32] Finding and studying under Ajahn Chah. [1:05:59] Rookie monk training in Thailand and enduring suffering. [1:13:49] Long silence periods and out-of-body experiences. [1:16:37] Mystical experiences aren't always pleasant. [1:19:15] Tim's experience at Spirit Rock. [1:20:10] Challenges during training in Thailand and Burma. [1:24:47] "Hatred never ceases by hatred, but by love alone is healed..." [1:29:55] Advice for deep inner work with real-life responsibilities. [1:42:04] Compassion vs. empathy. [1:46:19] Technology's role in developing compassion. [1:47:26] Lovingkindness meditation for Westerners. [1:56:04] Attending the first White House Buddhist Leadership Conference. [1:57:59] The mission of CASEL. [1:59:18] Introducing mindfulness practice and love as a superpower. [2:10:11] Returning to self-discovery after derailment. [2:15:57] Apparent derailment as necessary communication. [2:19:17] Self-talk for managing inappropriate anger. [2:37:21] Returning to the US to study clinical psychology. [2:42:50] Using forgiveness to help veterans and at-risk youth. [2:45:30] Why community support beats community apathy. [2:49:23] Lack of significant initiation rituals in modern society. [2:53:10] Recommended book for newcomers to Jack's work. [2:57:48] Jack's billboard. [2:59:02] Parting thoughts. * For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast. For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsors Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday. For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts. Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books. Follow Tim: Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss  Instagram: instagram.com/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferriss Facebook: facebook.com/timferriss  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferriss Past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esth