My guest this week focuses on the big questions of our existence: Who are we? Why are we here? And how can we experience fulfillment? Jonni Pollard describes his inspiring view of our true identity and purpose in his recent book, The Golden Sequence: A Manual for Reclaiming Our Humanity. I loved this book, and strongly recommend you get a copy. As we discussed, The Golden Sequence is not just inspiring, but is highly practical, offering a straightforward plan—the sequence—for remembering who we are, and living in line with our deepest nature. Click this link to find it on Amazon. (A percentage of sales through this affiliate link will be used to support the podcast, at no additional cost to you.) I greatly enjoyed this conversation, in which we covered many fascinating topics, including: The inherent divisiveness of our current political reality Conflict between the teaching of scriptures and the practices of some religious communities The human longing to belong The deep awareness that something in life is missing The problem of defining ourselves through disconnection from others The exacerbating effect of struggling against our discomfort The healing that's possible by moving through our pain Overcoming the propaganda of fear and other painful emotions Reconnecting with the powerful truth of who we are and why we’re here The fundamental sacredness of life The anxiety and pain that come with disconnection from our true nature Living in a way that honors each other and the sacredness of life Ignorance as the most powerful force in the universe What leads us to avoid meditation and other experiences of deep awareness The mismatch between our design and our current environment Fulfillment as an expression of our nature How to experience more grace in our lives Why our enthusiasm for our passions often flags when it's fueled only by self-gain Humor as a reminder of the lightness in life Finding our purpose through unfulfilled needs in the world Giving and receiving love as the fulfillment of human purpose The need for pragmatic tools to apply the principles of mindfulness A brief guided meditation that illustrates his approach to meditation training Jonni Pollard is best known for bringing meditation to the mainstream through his organization, 1 Giant Mind, and its Learn to Meditate smartphone app. As one of the top rated meditation apps, 1 Giant Mind has taught hundreds of thousands of people worldwide how to meditate for free. Jonni is recognized for leading mass meditations at some of the world’s biggest lifestyle events and festivals (Wanderlust, Lightning in a Bottle, The Big Quiet). He also teaches private meditation and personal development for entrepreneurs, CEOs, celebrities, political leaders, and wellness experts across yoga and meditation. Born and raised in Australia, Jonni has lived in Los Angeles and India, and now currently resides in New York City. Connect with Jonni on Facebook and Instagram (where you'll see that he clearly loves being a dad), and visit his website and 1 Giant Mind.