160: Fire and Clarity with Dr. Robert Svoboda
I’m thrilled to bring you another conversation with my mentor and friend, Dr. Robert Svoboda. He is the first Westerner to graduate from a college of Ayurveda and be licensed to practice Ayurveda in India. Both during and after his formal Ayurvedic training, he was tutored in Ayurveda, yoga, Jyotish, tantra, and other forms of classical Indian lore by his mentor, the Aghori Vimalananda. He has written over a dozen books and has served as an adjunct faculty member at The Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Bastyr University in Kenmore, Washington. You can find out more about his work and study online at drsvoboda.com and follow him on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know that I helped Dr. Svoboda build and run his online business, have taken many of his courses, and have learned much from him. He has joined the podcast many times for conversations about karma, money, Saturn, ancestors, his personal story, and more. Today’s topic is the element of fire and how fire is useful for us as business owners and living individuals as a form of transformation, clarity, working with our minds, digesting ideas, and being able to produce things. We will discuss why working with fire is important in the Vedic sciences and get Dr. Svoboda’s perspective as an Ayurvedic physician. Join us!Show Highlights:Fire has made us humans what we are today and provided many benefits for us.Fire, as one of the five elements, is vital and foremost in the Vedic sciences.The concept of Buta Agni in Ayurveda and matter being transformed into energyOur bodies as a “processing” organism and the Bhuta Agni as a digestive process in life and businessUnderstanding the digestion process, physically, mentally, and spirituallyClarity and the decision-making processTips from Dr. Svoboda for better mental digestion: “Be selective. Don’t ‘eat’ too much.”Making space for tapping into your dharma as your unique responsibilities in lifeUnderstanding prajna, “the wisdom of your organism,” in relation to alignment with the natural worldIntuition: “The small, squeaky voice that’s easy to ignore”Applying the principle of “reverse effort” in amplifying your intuitionResources:Connect with Dr. Robert Svoboda and follow his work: Website, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.Check out Dr. Svoboda’s past appearances on the podcast: Episode 13, Episode 57, Episode 105, and