Kill the Buddha? In this episode I unpack the famous Zen koan to expose spiritual materialism, ego traps, and how to ground practice in real life—on the cushion, in traffic, and in hard conversations. We look at the subtle ways the ego turns spirituality into an identity, and the simple moves that bring you back: breath, honesty, humility, and beginner’s mind. Along the way: Chögyam Trungpa’s warning about “spiritual materialism,” Jesus and the I AM, Richard Rohr’s The Universal Christ, Ram ...
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Kill the Buddha? In this episode I unpack the famous Zen koan to expose spiritual materialism, ego traps, and how to ground practice in real life—on the cushion, in traffic, and in hard conversations. We look at the subtle ways the ego turns spirituality into an identity, and the simple moves that bring you back: breath, honesty, humility, and beginner’s mind. Along the way: Chögyam Trungpa’s warning about “spiritual materialism,” Jesus and the I AM, Richard Rohr’s The Universal Christ, Ram ...
Kill the Buddha? In this episode I unpack the famous Zen koan to expose spiritual materialism, ego traps, and how to ground practice in real life—on the cushion, in traffic, and in hard conversations. We look at the subtle ways the ego turns spirituality into an identity, and the simple moves that bring you back: breath, honesty, humility, and beginner’s mind. Along the way: Chögyam Trungpa’s warning about “spiritual materialism,” Jesus and the I AM, Richard Rohr’s The Universal Christ, Ram ...
Kate Mageau is a therapist, author, and toxic-relationship survivor who joins me to talk candidly about the mechanics of abuse, the long arc of healing, and what it takes to rebuild self-trust without losing tenderness or hope. Together we map the patterns that keep people stuck—gaslighting, shame spirals, trauma bonds, and the cycle of violence—and practice simple ways to move from analysis paralysis to clear decision-making. We focus on safety planning, overcoming hesitation, and mindfulnes...
Hesitation can feel holy—like you’re safeguarding a perfect outcome—but it often becomes a kind of living death. This episode wrestles with wobbling (that anxious, double-minded stall) and what it takes to move with trust anyway. From Einstein’s bicycle to the Matrix Oracle, from a boot-camp tower to a spouse’s one-line koan, momentum itself begins to clarify the road. Planning is wisdom; paralysis is not. Early-episode experiments, an AI-editing spiral, awkward first dates, a career crossroa...
One afternoon in California, Diane Buehler quietly buckled her four young children into the car and left home for good—fleeing ten years of domestic abuse. In this special episode (the first with a guest on Standing Nowhere), host Jacob sits down with his mother, Diane, to hear how she not only survived those violent years but went on to raise five kids alone with unshakeable faith. Picture Diane as a young mother standing over a crib in the dark, one gentle hand resting on her sleeping baby’...
Anger is a blazing fire—blinding, burning, all-consuming. Within its flames is a chance to wake up with mindfulness and compassion and see ourselves more clearly. Picture a moment of calm—fresh off a morning meditation—shattered when another driver cuts you off with your kids in the backseat. One heartbeat you're serene; the next, you're slamming the brakes and seeing red. Or imagine working 60-hour weeks delivering food, only to get a $1 tip that stings with injustice. In these everyday mome...
What happens when effort becomes a trap—when we mistake striving for strength, control for care? As one old hymn puts it: ‘Lay your deadly doing down—down at Jesus’ feet.’ From the exhaustion of gig work to the pressure of parenting, from trying to meditate “perfectly” to just trying to pay rent—this is a real-time reflection on burnout, surrender, and the strange freedom that comes when you loosen your grip. I talk about raising my son Trent, quitting habits, and missing him after he left ho...
“Live in the nowhere that you come from, even though you have an address here.” Rumi’s words echo through this gentle exploration of stillness amidst chaos. In a noisy sushi bar on a Friday night, Jacob quietly drafts an episode about silence — an irony that becomes an invitation into deeper presence. He shares how daily spiritual practice has become his lifeline. As a gig worker and father stretched thin by extreme hours, financial strain, and heartache, Jacob finds solace each morning in a ...
“The greatest teacher, failure is.” — Yoda 🕊️ (Just as a wise Master once said, failure can be our teacher.) In this soulful episode, Jacob turns the grind of everyday life into a spiritual lesson. Standing Nowhere Episode 8 finds our host delivering groceries in 115°F heat—underpaid and sweating—yet whispering “thank you” for the moment. It’s a true story of finding gratitude in the grind: an everyday DoorDash delivery becomes a practice of presence and stillness. Jacob embraces what is, dis...
Welcome to a journey beyond the music – Episode 7 of Standing Nowhere invites you into a deep spiritual reflection inspired by Avenged Sevenfold’s album Life Is But a Dream…. Host Jacob doesn’t just review the album; he dives into the human condition it illuminates. Track by track, he explores how life’s frantic “machine gun” pace can spur a search for meaning when the script starts to lose flavor. Even if you’ve never heard the album, you’ll find universal threads – from burnout and midlife ...
“Everything that has the nature to arise… has the nature to pass away.” — The Buddha In this deeply honest episode, Jacob shares the emotional aftermath of car trouble, financial pressure, and fatherhood as his son steps into adulthood. With humor, heartbreak, and wisdom drawn from Buddhism, the Bible, and beyond, he explores the theme of impermanence—how everything we cling to, from stability to identity to love itself, will one day dissolve like breath on a mirror. You’ll hear reflections f...
What if your life didn’t need to be fixed—but simply witnessed? In this episode, Jacob shares a vulnerable story about his car failing at the worst moment, old fears flaring up, and the strange stillness that followed. Through parenting, pressure, and frozen pizza, he explores how peace isn't something we create—it's something we notice when we stop fighting for control. You’ll hear reflections from Psalm 23, the Tao Te Ching, Star Wars, and a powerful teaching from the Buddha on breaking hab...
This episode was recorded in one take — unscripted, imperfect, and real — just like the mystical life it explores. Jacob dives into mysticism: what it is, why it arises, and how it appears across spiritual traditions. From the illusion of measurement to the poetic wisdom of mystics like Rumi, Kabir, and Meister Eckhart, this episode takes you on a winding but grounded journey through the conceptual filters that shape (and often limit) how we experience life. Drawing from personal stories, sac...
In this meditative and heartfelt episode, Jacob invites you into a simple but powerful experiment: to stop, breathe, and watch. What begins as a guided self-awareness practice unfolds into a deep exploration of identity, suffering, and spiritual clarity. You’ll discover why you are not your thoughts—or even your body—and how disidentifying from them can lead to the deepest kind of peace. Through reflections on prayer, mindfulness, Christian and Buddhist wisdom, and a raw story about financial...
In this vulnerable and poetic episode, host Jacob confronts the pressure and overthinking that followed the launch of Episode 1. He reflects on the fine line between belief and faith—revealing why they are not the same—and champions an “eyes-wide-open” kind of faith built on trust instead of certainty. Jacob also speaks candidly about hitting a wall of burnout and experiencing moments of despair, even fleeting thoughts of not existing. Through these struggles, he discovers a path to inner pea...
On my 42nd birthday, I finally hit record. This first episode is a raw, honest origin story: life in the gig economy, working 50–60 hours a week to keep the lights on, and the moment in my car when everything bottomed out—and opened up. From toxic “think your way rich” self-help to a simple, practical mindfulness that met me right where I was (hands on the wheel, breath in the chest), I share how paying attention turned grinding anxiety into a surprising, steady peace. You’ll hear: How financ...
Kill the Buddha? In this episode I unpack the famous Zen koan to expose spiritual materialism, ego traps, and how to ground practice in real life—on the cushion, in traffic, and in hard conversations. We look at the subtle ways the ego turns spirituality into an identity, and the simple moves that bring you back: breath, honesty, humility, and beginner’s mind. Along the way: Chögyam Trungpa’s warning about “spiritual materialism,” Jesus and the I AM, Richard Rohr’s The Universal Christ, Ram ...
