Podcast: Life Zero - Adventures in Zen and Lifestyle Design

John Flowers

Ben Durbin

Laraley

Life Zero: Adventures in Zen and Lifestyle Design

Life Zero is a collection of thoughts about lifestyle design, technology, Apple products & just about everything else.) John Flowers, Ben Durbin and Laraley discuss the modern world and its relationship to the key concepts of Zen (and Buddhism). We try to balance the sometimes vague and complex ways of Buddhism with the reality of living as a productive member of a modern society. Much like other Buddhists, we believe it is important to look for guidelines in others and the world, which allow us to find joy and the path we should be on in our own lives.. Life Zero Rules 1. Only what you need 2. Eliminate baggage 3. Discard unused items 4. New in = Old out 5. Share discarded items 6. No debt 7. Travel more 8. Choose friends 9. Choose environment 10. Find your joy These rules, which are the result of about a year of heavy focus on LifeStyle Design, represent what we believe to be the most important ideas to be healthy, happy and live a rewarding life. Remember, "baggage" can be physical and emotional. It can be anything you hang onto in life, which causes you to not find your joy and dwell on the past or something unpleasant. Life Zero advocates a set of rules, which -- if followed -- can be achieved by anyone. There's no magic bullet, requiring unlimited wealth. Anyone can (and I believe, should) follow a basic set of guidelines that would allow him or her to find their own happiness.

Life Zero

Current Podcast Episodes – Always Free!

Episode 101: Anticipation

Anticipation; A brief conversation about going and the stuff you need for a trip like this.

Links for most everything can be found on the Personal Life Media site, under Life Zero.

more.

Episode 100: New, and perhaps, improved

A new introduction to Life Zero, where I begin to chronicle a long journey through different parts of the world, while practicing the Life Zero lifestyle and philosophy.

New episodes are shorter, more frequent and probably more focused.

more.

Episode 27: iMoney

In this episode, we discuss money.

Having too much, having too little, balancing work with happiness and spending what you make.

We talk about working too hard and finding creative ways to keep yourself within a fixed budget.

more.

Archived Episodes

Episode 26: An Empty Bag of Anxiety

Hosted by Ben Durbin

With special guests John Foster and Mark Christiansen

On this episode, we discuss the process of finding things you need, not by eliminating what you have, but by focusing on the things that make your life better. Owning more isn't a bad thing, if the things you own make sense. We discuss renting vs. buying.

We discuss podcasts, the news and information as it relates to your sanity and mental health. The news puts you on edge, there's an undercurrent of tension in our world and how you need unstructured time to just sit and think.

We ask;

Are talk shows bad for you?
Does the world talk too much?
Can we learn from the simplicity and elegance of the past?
How important is a comforter when podcasting?
Are Twitter and Facebook just noise that creates anxiety?

more.

Episode 25: Rules Three, Four and Five-ish

John Flowers, John Foster, Mark Christiansen and Paul Ward discuss the third, fourth and fifth rules of Life Zero:

#3: After 6 months, lose it

#4: Something new comes in, something old goes out

#5: Share

We talk about giving things away, sharing books, pay-it-forward, reusable technology, writing, the potentially failing book industry, Merlin Mann + 43Folders, sharing knowledge, finding your own way and even a little bit about baggage.

more.

Episode 24: Rules One and Two

In this episode of Life Zero, we revisit the Life Zero rules, starting with Rule One and Rule Two.

This is Part I of a Life Zero Rules discussion, with more parts to follow.

As usual, the discussion centers around the things we own and we talk at length about physical media, computers and technology, but also about racism and emotional baggage.

Guests include:

Mark Christiansen - www.christiansen.com

John Foster - www.johnpla.net

Paul Ward - twitter.com/dssstrkl

Rule #1 is "Only What You Need"

Rule #2 is "Eliminate Baggage"

more.

Episode 23: A Quiet Place

We continue our discussion on "Finding Quiet" and talk about a quiet place. Laraley likes to relax, John Foster loves the loud music and being in a bar. Ben Durbin is calm as a Hindi cow. This and a lot more on "A Quiet Place", Episode #23 more.

Episode 22: Finding Quiet

On this episode of Life Zero, we talk about "Finding Quiet" and Laraley has her own, always interesting, take on the subject. John Foster once again complains about Adobe and we discuss frustration, aggression and try not to fixate on Laraley's bunny. more.

Episode 21: Closer to Fine

Are we "Closer to Fine" ? Does Laraley really have a bunny from childhood? How can we find happiness? The discussion continues from Episode 20. more.

Episode 20: Obligation as Baggage

A discussion about baggage, following the theme of lifestyle design, where we discuss obligation and other forms of things people hang on to in life. John Foster and Laraley argue over what it means to "set boundaries" for other people and the things you do for them. more.

Episode 19: The Luxury of Horse - Part II

In this two-part series, we discuss the luxury of choice, horses and a lot more.

The guests on this show are: David Stripinis, Mark Christianson, Daisy Whitney and, of course, John Foster

Life Zero Challenge #2: Go an entire week without spending money on anything you can't consume. Don't buy anything for a week that isn't edible or can't be processed (used). No DVDs, computers, clothes or anything else that's static. more.

Episode 18: The Luxury of Horse - Part I

In this two-part series, we discuss the luxury of choice, horses and a lot more.

The guests on this show are: David Stripinis, Mark Christianson, Daisy Whitney and, of course, John Foster

Episode 17: For Love or Money - Part III

In this discussion, we have a huge panel and a three-part series. We talk about doing something for love, for money or for both.
Our panel includes: Mark Christiansen, John Foster, Liana Lehua and Kirsten Sanford

The Life Zero challenge #1: Travel (locally or otherwise) in the next 90 days and write about it, telling us of your adventure. Find a new place, a new restaurant, somewhere you've never been. more.

Episode 16: For Love or Money - Part II

Episode 15: For Love or Money - Part I

Episode 14: Russian Science Part II

Kirsten Sanford, also known as "Dr. Kiki", returns from one month in Russia, as a Science Teacher, and shares her perspective with the Life Zero team. This is a two-part series. more.

Episode 13: Russian Science Part 1

Kirsten Sanford, also known as "Dr. Kiki", returns from one month in Russia, as a Science Teacher, and shares her perspective with the Life Zero team. This is a two-part series. We also talk about Vitae Simplex, the Life-Zero-inspired lifestyle. more.

Episode 12: Inspiration Conversation

What inspires you? Special guest, John Foster more.

Episode 11: Build Your Own Future

How do you create the future you want? With special guest, John Foster. more.

Episode 10: Money is a River

How do we view money? This is a tough question and each of the hosts views the answer from a completely different perspective. Is money really like a river you can just dip into? We ask this and a lot more. more.

Episode 9: Peeves, Parea and Paramecium

The "pet peeves" episode everyone's talking about. The second half of this show was devoured by a large animal which didn't give us it's name. So, we complain but don't resolve the issues we discuss. Special guest, Charles A Rovira of MSBPodcast. more.

Episode 8: Rules Redux

In this episode, prompted by several comments from viewers and the internet, we discuss a modification of the Life Zero rules. more.

Episode 7: Hacking, Substitution and Procrastination

In this episode, we discuss hacking. We talk about substitution and transference. We dig into procrastination and why people do it. Special guest, internet security expert, Tom Stracener more.

Episode 6: Why want?

Why do we want something? What makes us desire or need to own some items and not others? What causes desire and want? Special guest, Liana Lehua from "Girls Gone Geek TV" more.

Episode 5: The Crystal Unicorn

In this episode we discuss emotion, the "crystal unicorn" of the real world. That mystical, mythical, un-findable thing we can't seem to touch, taste or smell. Emotion is complicated, fun and - most of all - interesting. more.

Episode 4: Technology

The Technology Episode, dedicated to all that technology in all our lives. With Special Guest, Maggie McFee ... The Tank Grrl. This episode is dedicated to technology, with special guest Maggie McFee more.

Episode 3: Homeless, Status and John Foster

This episode we talk about the homeless, food, gorilla suits, status as baggage, anonymousness and just about everything else. With special guests Kirsten Sanford (Dr. Kiki) and John Foster. more.

Episode 2: The Rules, Debt and Baggage

In this episode, we talk about debt, what it means to practice life meditation and getting rid of baggage in your life -- "plastic and paper." And of course, the love of all shoes And we ask, "Does this clutter make my butt look fat?" more.

Episode 1: What is Life Zero?

Life Zero is an idea and a lifestyle choice. It's the beginning of a discussion about Lifestyle Design which follows a modern Zen Buddhist perspective. There are rules of thumb which we discuss in this episode, along with some ideas more.

Personal Life Media

John Flowers

Ben Durbin

Laraley

Life Zero: Adventures in Zen and Lifestyle Design

Life Zero

Current Podcast Episodes – Always Free!

Episode 101: Anticipation

Episode 100: New, and perhaps, improved

Episode 27: iMoney

Archived Episodes

Episode 26: An Empty Bag of Anxiety

Episode 25: Rules Three, Four and Five-ish

Episode 24: Rules One and Two

Episode 23: A Quiet Place

Episode 22: Finding Quiet

Episode 21: Closer to Fine

Episode 20: Obligation as Baggage

Episode 19: The Luxury of Horse - Part II

Episode 18: The Luxury of Horse - Part I

Episode 17: For Love or Money - Part III

Episode 16: For Love or Money - Part II

Episode 15: For Love or Money - Part I

Episode 14: Russian Science Part II

Episode 13: Russian Science Part 1

Episode 12: Inspiration Conversation

Episode 11: Build Your Own Future

Episode 10: Money is a River

Episode 9: Peeves, Parea and Paramecium

Episode 8: Rules Redux

Episode 7: Hacking, Substitution and Procrastination

Episode 6: Why want?

Episode 5: The Crystal Unicorn

Episode 4: Technology

Episode 3: Homeless, Status and John Foster

Episode 2: The Rules, Debt and Baggage

Episode 1: What is Life Zero?

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