#45: OLIWA "FM-3030" NEWELL | Lessons from a New Age-Adjacent Yoga Master

OLIWA NEWELL is an accomplished musician, yogi and earth dweller. He has performed in Kirtan ensembles for decades and has completed two 200 hour Yoga Teacher Trainings with the Shivakali Yoga School. Oliwa’s yogic practice is inspired by his optimistic yet concerned perception of the state of our world, and the beings by which it is inhabited. It is his hope that by learning to breathe, quieting the mind, bringing flexibility and strength to the body, and sharing a sense of connectedness we, as humans, may be empowered to realize solutions to the problems we face. And, that we may live a life of deep joy, wild wonder, and gentle understanding. In addition to Oliwa’s asana practice, his autodidacticism has guided him on a learning adventure through Eastern and Western philosophy, Vipassana Meditation, Non-Violent Communication, ballet/modern dance, natural sciences, psychology, civics, and art. If that’s not enough, he’s also an acclaimed producer, musician and DJ who has toured and worked with some of the world’s biggest, and smallest (but still amazing) musicians and bands.

This is a podcast full of questions. Here are a few of the big ones:

Is critical thinking not nice?
Why should you practice yoga?
What’s the difference between kind and nice and does it even matter?
Who was FM-2020?
Is it okay to stick up for reason in a world that shuns it?
How does one actively defend a nicer world without being called an asshole?
What the heck is New Age-adjacent?
Did the Heaven’s Gate cult succeed?

And lastly: Why are we embedding this here?