Pyramid Breathing with Johann Urb Is Your Path To Mind-Body Connection

[00:00:00] Ryan: Hello, welcome to the vacay podcast. They say every day is a vacay, especially when you're getting your breath work. Chris has been working on this a lot. I'm getting behind it. The little bit I've done, I like it blows my mind. Like literally, I think I'm like flying in the room and I'm excited for today's guests.

[00:00:24] Ryan: We have Johan Erb joining us. What's up brother.

[00:00:28] Johann: So good to be here, man. Feeling good. Thanks for having me. Yeah, man.

[00:00:31] Ryan: Breathwork master and the creator of the pyramid breath method. We're going to get into all that. It's been enlightening for me. I, it was probably two years ago, I think. That I had my like first breath work session, and I'll just be honest and Chris knows this about me And the honest part like all this airy fairy stuff you know like I grew up in South Carolina with parents who were just straight line and we're spiritual but not like Over the top.

[00:00:59] Ryan: And so I'm [00:01:00] like a black and white guy, like, you know, foes and all, like spirituality and like all these things. And it's like, I got to see it. I got to do it. But damn, just like 30 minutes of breathing the right way. And in these different patterns, it like opened up my whole dang mind. What the hell? Or why has this been hidden for so long?

[00:01:21] Johann: Indeed. Yeah, it's amazing. I think that a lot of the states that we can. But she was psychedelics or, you know, stuff like that. You realize that you actually have DMT inside of you. It's just how can we release it ourselves. And breath work is really an incredible tool for us to learn how to get into those ecstatic and super spiritual, expansive states with just our breath, just our intention.

[00:01:47] Johann: And it's life changing truly. Like you, you begin to remember that you're not this separate. thing with all your stories and narratives and fears and things. But you get to expand into this greater awareness and consciousness that we [00:02:00] truly are. And it's so incredibly relieving the feeling of, Oh, there's so much more to me than just the incessant self talk and all the thoughts and things.

[00:02:10] Johann: And I think. If everyone in the world was practicing breathwork, we'd have a lot less depression, a lot less use of drugs and medicines, a lot less suicides, a lot more connection and love. It really is almost like too simple. Yeah, it's true.

[00:02:28] Ryan: It is. It's so funny you've used the analogy, but it might be the freest, best drug on earth.

[00:02:34] Ryan: Oxygen. If you really get it the right places in the brain and the right patterns, it's, it really is euphoric in a way. It has that effect. That's blows my mind, but Johan, let's set the table for everybody and give everybody your background. I jumped right into it because I'm such a fan of Breathwork now.

[00:02:50] Ryan: I want to talk with you more about that after the show, but let's, let's give everybody a little bit of your background and, and set the table for what made you who you are. [00:03:00]

[00:03:01] Johann: Thanks, man. Yeah, I was born in a Soviet Union and which, as you can imagine, was a pretty depressing place, not a lot of fun. And then my mom and I moved to Finland when I was 10, life got even harder because I was the foreigner and to them, I was the enemy.

[00:03:15] Johann: Uh, even though it was Estonian, they were like, Oh, you're a Russian. And you're not, you're bad and moved from town to town. And so just dealt with a lot of bullying, a lot of difficulties. We were really poor and cuts to me being like in my 14, 15, 16, and just feeling really depressed and borderline suicidal.

[00:03:33] Johann: And so I started to just try to find any way to relieve that. That pain. And one of the ways that accidentally I found was like by closing my eyes at night, I would just go into my inner world. And then I started having these wild experiences. I got an out of body experience. I started to like travel in this inner world and then cut to, I read some, uh, Eastern philosophy, some books, and then also came to the States for the [00:04:00] first time when I was 16 to visit my dad.

[00:04:02] Johann: And the devil here does some mushrooms by myself on a mountaintop. As you can imagine, that was powerful and really. Remember that I was so much more than just my depressed stories and belief systems and difficulties and remembered there's so much more to me than that. And that was like one of the hugest sort of portals and gateways to my spiritual evolution, I would say.

[00:04:27] Johann: And then I got initiated into Kriya Yoga, which is a very old lineage of yoga and breath work and pranayama. That I was very devoted to for years and then, but I was still in a very sort of rigid path and I'd moved to the States when I was 17, moved to New York and then I went deep, deep into this lineage, like five hours a day of practice at one point and, but still was very rigid and by the book in my practice, very masculine.

[00:04:56] Johann: And at one point. In my thirties, was it late [00:05:00] thirties? I had this realization. I don't remember exactly how I got there, but I was relating to the divine and relating to all these practices as a sort of very masculine essence and to, it was relating to the divine as this divine as a dude, and then something in me, and I don't remember exactly what it was, but began to relate to the divine as a feminine force.

[00:05:21] Johann: And as soon as that happened. This practice that I now call the pyramid breath method started to like literally trickle and I felt like my crown just opened up and I started getting like sensations on the top of my crown. And then this my body began to like move and I let go of the rigidity of just being like a dude and and the sounds and these movements started to happen.

[00:05:47] Johann: And I really felt like I was guided. And then because I had people come and sit with me every day. and practice with me. And first they were like, yo, what the fuck are you doing? This is really weird. What is this? Very different from just [00:06:00] sitting and meditating quietly. And I was like, guys, just, I don't know, just do it with me and see what happens.

[00:06:05] Johann: And everybody started being like, yo, this is dope. What is this thing? And I was like, I don't know what's happening. And then over the years, really my wife and one of my dearest friends who was there almost every day, they really started encouraging me to start sharing it more. And then also found the name came through.

[00:06:23] Johann: And for me, basically having a lot of different lineages and really devoted a lot of time and effort and also like really grinding at it for years. I was like, Oh, like meditation was always hard for me. It was like, no, I'm going to do it anyway. I found this practice that It's actually super fun to do and you can do it in a short amount of time and it's not rigid and you get to fully express yourself, your rage, your anger, your sadness, whatever comes through and somatically release it, which means you shake, you scream, you laugh, you orgasm, whatever wants to come, you let it.[00:07:00]

[00:07:00] Johann: And, and for some folks, it's like really this deep, like first time, really acknowledging trauma and letting that go and tears come for other folks. It might be like super sensual and whatever it was to express in a moment is welcome. And so we create this sacred container for whatever is alive in you today.

[00:07:20] Johann: To come through without judging it, without wronging it, without making it bad or good, just allowing it and then also adding in our imagination in the way that when we release this energy from our body and from our mind and from the unconscious and instead of just trying to get rid of the stuff, we actually go, Oh, this is energy that's here for me instead of what's happening to me.

[00:07:41] Johann: It's here for me. So now why don't I take my creator sheet seat? And become a creator or creatrix and create with this energy a better version of myself and of my life. And as we know, the only thing that exists is right now. I call it the forever now. And [00:08:00] we know we think, Oh, maybe sometime in the future or I'll do something.

[00:08:03] Johann: No, right now is the moment. And so when we tap into the power of the moment, we release the stories and narratives that are disempowering. We get to them with our imagination and with this released energy, create actually a new version of ourselves that is fun, that is playful, that is active, that is inspired, that is gonna go and get it out in the world and literally so we can have our cake and eat it too, because why not?

[00:08:29] Johann: And so that's why I'm really passionate about this. And, and again, the thing is you can do this practice once you learn it in three minutes or five minutes or seven minutes, you don't need to go and be like, Oh, I need an hour to do this. No, you can just get it in and be done with it and feel a big state change.

[00:08:47] Johann: And I'm busy. You guys are busy. A lot of our audience is busy. So we don't have the, Oh, I'll go and have that peak experience. It's no, just three minutes, get your peak experience, change your state. Change your mind, [00:09:00] change your thoughts, and life looks completely different. Mm. Man.

[00:09:05] Ryan: Fuck yeah, dude. Yeah, dude.

[00:09:07] Ryan: I was like, we've had a couple guests recently where I'm like sitting here, I'm like, I'm not sure I'm breathing while he's talking because I'm like so enthralled in like what you're saying. That was beautiful, man. Yeah, truly.

[00:09:18] Chris: And I think what you said that I think is so important is this doesn't need to be some thing.

[00:09:24] Chris: Mm. Week long retreat you have to commit to and some big, it's no, it seemed, and we talked about this, Ryan, with just working out in the gym, maybe it's 15 minutes doing a light workout, but it's the consistency. And I think that's powerful for the audience. Cause it can be, I know for me, it's part of new explorer breathwork meditation.

[00:09:44] Chris: It was intimidating. It was scary. Cause you're like. Parties like that's fugazi, fairytale, like you said in the beginning, it's too simple. It's too simple for this to be the solution. So I think, for me, that's how I think about it. If I can [00:10:00] even do five, ten minutes sitting on my balcony meditating, some days that might be more effective than others.

[00:10:07] Chris: But, it starts to trickle, it starts to, you start to notice the little things. So I think, I love hearing that, man. Three minutes a day. Anyone can do three minutes.

[00:10:18] Johann: Yeah.

[00:10:18] Ryan: Yeah. Easy. And you know what's so powerful is, and it's a lot of what we like to shine light on this show, which is that we want to empower people that they can solve a lot of their own challenges with simple or, it shouldn't be alternative.

[00:10:36] Ryan: It should be the only alternative. But instead, we all have been conditioned to rely on More complicated things, pharmaceutical things, someone else solving it. And it doesn't mean that you don't need help. But it, it, you learn a practice like what you teach, John. And, but then we can heal or better ourselves.

[00:10:59] Ryan: We can [00:11:00] empower ourselves with these simple practices and things. We don't have to overcomplicate it to, in order to make it. Taking that, it takes the power away from you when you rely on others for every single thing, when you can do these things. I just think there's a lot of power in that.

[00:11:18] Johann: A thousand percent, brother.

[00:11:19] Johann: And I think that we're taught from a very young age that authority is outside of ourselves, right? It's external authority. And also that the solutions are outside of ourselves. And what we forget is everything actually happens from inside out. We are the ones that are constantly creating power. The narrative, whether something is good or bad, whether we are empowered or disempowered, we decide.

[00:11:42] Johann: And so when you reconnect with that part of yourself, that is the inner authority, that is spirit, that is soul, that is God, that is divine, whatever name one wants to give it. You remember and not just, Oh, I think I felt that. No, you remember cause you viscerally with your [00:12:00] whole being felt that power inside of you.

[00:12:04] Johann: And that doesn't mean that God isn't also out there and everywhere. And my question is, I was like, where is God not right? Or where's divine? Not everything is divine. It's, but we've forgotten that we too are divine. And so when we connect with that soul energy, that spirit energy inside of us, that primal energy inside of us is so incredibly empowering and healing because then we become sovereign and then our cup starts to overflow it.

[00:12:28] Johann: So the other people like, yo, what are you doing, man? Like. You seem good, or even when you don't feel good, you know that you're creating a story inside yourself right now, and you can also change it if you so choose. That doesn't mean that spiritually bypassed, not feeling good. No, it's, it's all part of life, right?

[00:12:45] Johann: Pain is part of life. Suffering is optional. The suffering comes out of the story that pain isn't part of life. And so when we change those narratives around, we get to accept what is and, but create a completely different narrative for it. [00:13:00] Because If there isn't any contraction and very difficult, any challenge, we would never ever change.

[00:13:06] Johann: We'd never grow. It's literally impossible. We would just be like chilling all the time, right? So we need the challenge and we need the contraction in order to expand. It's our narrative about it that we get to change because if we add in gratitude for the, for those difficult moments and then we can literally breathe into it, breathe with it.

[00:13:27] Johann: Right. And breath. I would say breath work, I like called breath play or breath pray is I find way, way easier and quicker way and more effective way. Hubert man has a great quote on this, which I think it says five minutes of breath work is literally way more effective than any like meditation that he's ever encountered and studied in like an immediate effect.

[00:13:50] Johann: So again, we don't have time. Trying to do like a 25 minute or an hour minute meditation when your mind is like freaking out is you gotta be a master, but with [00:14:00] breath, you can change your state internally, not just up here, but internally. So you don't have, you take the thoughts away and you can drop into the body.

[00:14:10] Johann: The body's always in the here. Now the mind is usually not, it's like in the past or in the future spinning around. But when you drop into the body, all of a sudden solutions appear. And it's like Chris said, it's almost like too simple. And because we've associated, oh, I can't buy this, a pill or a drink or a thing.

[00:14:30] Johann: It can't just be here. That's way too simple. But when we change that narrative, it is right here and I am the solution. And man, life just fully becomes way more fun to live.

[00:14:42] Ryan: That's interesting. Yeah. Amen. Like I'll say this. I have four boys, run multiple companies. Like days evaporate for me, like weeks evaporate, the, everything moves quick, but the only time the world slows down, if you [00:15:00] breathe the right way for a minute, it's the longest minute of your life.

[00:15:05] Ryan: It's like in a great way, everything slows down because you're intentional with how the breaths are. And I don't know what it is, but it becomes that minute seems longer. Like what you're saying, three or four minutes. When you said that, if I hadn't done a little bit of breath work, I'd probably have been like bullshit.

[00:15:22] Ryan: What can you do in three or four minutes? But having done, even just occasionally, like when I'm like, it's like I'm at a level 10 and just breathe for a minute. It's see, when you saw, when you have something intentionality behind that, it's longer than it seems. And I can totally see how it just doesn't, it wouldn't take that long to get a lot of benefit out of it.

[00:15:44] Johann: A thousand percent. Yeah. Is what's

[00:15:47] Ryan: your, uh, process for like working with people, Johanns? How do people get introduced to you and what's like some of the blueprint of what you do?

[00:15:56] Johann: Yeah. PureBreath. com is a great way to define me. [00:16:00] Easy to remember. I work with groups of people as well as individuals. My wife and I also work with couples.

[00:16:07] Johann: I'm a typical Eastern European guy, used to be like super shut down, very uncomfortable about intimacy, being vulnerable, expressing myself, the whole mask, like, I'm good. Somebody could throw a bottle at my head. I'd be like, I'm good. But on the inside, I'm like, Oh, that hurt. God damn it. And then I'm angry, whatever.

[00:16:25] Johann: But I just wouldn't know how to show it because I was so afraid of my rage. So my journey has been, how can I become the opposite of that? Where I'm fully expressed as a masculine man in a way that I'm not afraid of my darkness, but I'm not scared of myself and what I can do, but how can I harness all that energy for.

[00:16:46] Johann: Creative force and how can I help other men and other people to get over that barrier of having those dark spot or blind spots rather where we're too afraid to look at. And these are breathwork is one of the [00:17:00] modalities that's really great to experience ego and story and identity dissolution. So it's one of the pillars in what I teach and what we teach.

[00:17:11] Johann: I'm actually really excited because for the first time my wife and I are doing a men's. Container called North Star that starts in November where we have an online three month container just for men held by the masculine and feminine for the men to face their shadows and also learning how to channel your work with your sexual energy, your urges, and also how to master all of that in such a way that now you take this energy that you've even been like Too scared of, or you've just been so impulsive with it that has become damaging.

[00:17:45] Johann: And how can you harness that energy so that you, it becomes part of your purpose and become a trustable man with all that energy. So no matter what life throws at you, if, if you're a heterosexual male and 10 hot women walking by, you don't crash your [00:18:00] car, right? Or like you're, you don't lose your mind.

[00:18:03] Johann: Like especially those of you guys in Miami. Woo. So it's how can we learn to use this energy in a way that like feeds our spirit, feeds our soul, and then also that we create with it. And it's really, breath is a huge part of that. And I'm so passionate about it because I suffered so much and it boggles my mind that we don't teach this stuff in schools, right?

[00:18:30] Johann: That you don't learn about breath work. Like in first grade or in kindergarten, because I met kids who have learned it at that age. They're amazing. They're, it's just like totally different types of a person. When you, when you grow up with tools of communication, movement, how to express yourself, anything that comes up.

[00:18:51] Johann: And learn about money, learn about all the things that we're supposed to know in life, but nobody really teaches us when we're trying to figure that out and the stuff that you normally [00:19:00] learn in school that 99 percent you'll forget never use. I'm like, why are we spending time on that? So basically, if y'all want to work with me, work with my wife, reach out to us.

[00:19:11] Johann: We're so passionate about creating a new blueprint for all mankind that is Open source constantly evolving and that comes from changing the narratives that are rigid and stiff and limiting and taking on new narratives and creating them from inside out that are right for you, that you then get to play with and become a sovereign person.

[00:19:33] Johann: It was fully expressed in life. And I think for me, at least that's the best way to live. I don't have any hidden spots that I'm like not. Show into the world because, and if new ones arise, I'm so excited to share it because I know that within it, there is a nugget of gold for my own learning and also for the learning of other folks.

[00:19:56] Ryan: I love that. And, and Johan, just so you know, like I normally tee [00:20:00] that up at the end, but I wanted to do it in the middle here because I think it's important just, I think you expressed like how you work with people that kind of hear that all come together. And, but let me. Shift gears just a second here.

[00:20:14] Ryan: So, you're obviously empowering others. You're doing this breath work. You're working with your wife. You're doing all this. We love to talk about, like, wellness routines of different people. Could you talk maybe a little bit about, like, the rituals, the things, the supplements, the foods? Like, just talk about your overall wellness

[00:20:33] Johann: routine.

[00:20:35] Johann: Yeah, man, absolutely. I think it's so important to have a routine. Our brain. As you guys know, automates, right? Cause it's, there's so much information. So if we don't have a routine or ritual in place that we abide by, the world just runs us and again, it's like outside in influence versus inside out influence.

[00:20:54] Johann: And so I literally begin every single day before I open my eyes. And when I know that I'm awake, it [00:21:00] starts right there. I marry my psychology. with my physiology, right? Because most people, what do they do in the morning? They're like, Oh shit, to do a list or, Oh, I've got to take care of the kids. Or you're immediately like going or you're reacting to the newsfeed or what's happening in the world.

[00:21:15] Johann: And so your body is just like stress hormones because your mind is already doing something else. So the very first thing I do in the morning is I put my hands on my heart or my belly or another part of my body. And I put a smile on my face, which Tells my body that I am safe and I go, Oh, I love your heart.

[00:21:34] Johann: Thanks for always beating. You're amazing. I love you. I appreciate you're incredible. Even when I'm sleeping, you're working. Thank you. I love you. And those are the important words, right? Thank you. I love you. I pick another party part, body part, another body part. So if you notice, I'm not doing outside gratitude, right?

[00:21:50] Johann: I'm not like, Oh, I'm so grateful for the bed or my wife next to me or whatever else I'm focusing into my body because what it does is It [00:22:00] takes me into the present moment. Right here, right now. And after that... I get up, I go brush my teeth, I do the bathroom bit, and then I do, I have some yerba mate. My current thing is yerba mate in the morning just to give myself a little more of that green energy.

[00:22:19] Johann: And then my wife and I usually practice together. So we do about between 20 and 35 minutes of pyramid breath and creation meditation. Then every single day, and this is so crucial, my friends is we do a gratitude practice and usually we go for a walk. And our gratitude practice again is embodied. So I'm not just, Oh, I'm so grateful that the sun is out.

[00:22:42] Johann: I'm so grateful. No, I'm so grateful that the sun is out. Wow. I'm so grateful that this life is so amazing. I'm so grateful that my beautiful wife is next to me right now that we're so in love and we're even speaking things into existence that may not even happened yet. [00:23:00] And so we're co creating our future.

[00:23:02] Johann: At the same time. And so this that we're building this quantum bridge to the future by speaking gratitude because the body only knows what the brain tells it. So if my body goes, my God, life is incredible. What? Life is awesome. Wow. Then you are. I believe that it's a longer story, but I believe that this quantum bridge that we built literally creates our future.

[00:23:29] Johann: And a lot of it for most folks, because we have a five to one negativity bias as human beings, because we're like danger, where's the danger, where's the danger all the time, we're focusing on all the things that are wrong with the world, where the danger is. And so energy is flowing in that direction versus all the things that are right with the world.

[00:23:47] Johann: And that's part of my practice every single day. I also like to work out on most days, whether it's a walk or a short workout. I've been doing a lot of short. 15, 20, 25 minute workouts. I, because we moved [00:24:00] to Ibiza, I left all my kettlebells and things in LA. So I've been doing a lot of TRX stuff and band workouts and body weight workouts, sprints, stuff like that.

[00:24:08] Johann: I also try to get some stretching in because as we get older, you don't stretch, you're in pain. And, and then as far as supplements go, I'm really big on, and I have been for some time to utilize supplements that Help make my body create more testosterone because as we, we start as men, we start producing less and less.

[00:24:31] Johann: And so I use something called Maka. I use Tester Jack 200, uh, or other products that have long Jack in it. And I find that it just gives me more energy and I can definitely feel the difference in my sex life as well as my workouts, as well as in my focus. And that I'm also love this product called Green Vibrance, which is basically a green powder that has all the good stuff in it.

[00:24:56] Johann: I believe that all these supplements, as well as [00:25:00] breath work, as well as focusing on what I'm grateful for every single day, add into the mix of like why I almost never get sick. Even though we travel the world like crazy, our immune systems are really high. We prime ourselves for joy, for love, for health.

[00:25:16] Johann: By speaking it into being as well as with all the supplements and as well as eating really well And I would say another thing that is wonderful to do is I read a lot I love reading I love learning and I think that that's a major component as well as to keep your brain always evolving and Staying open for new different perspectives, right?

[00:25:38] Johann: So you don't ever I think one of the biggest things especially for men That we tend to do is we get to be in the knowing because it feels safer. Like I know how this works versus actually don't know how this works. But let me learn or let me be curious about it. And I used to be very much in the knowing in the past.

[00:25:56] Johann: And the moment I moved into being in discovery and being in [00:26:00] the learning, it's like the world fully opens up and everyone feels safe around you because you're no longer trying to be right all the time. But you rather than you're like, wow, tell me more about this. This is so fascinating. Even if it like rub something Deep inside of you're in a way that's uncomfortable when we can get curious about why we're uncomfortable, man.

[00:26:19] Johann: There's so much to learn. It's like forever and evermore and staying in the learning. So I would say that's that's my typical sort of a day stack of things that I do.

[00:26:30] Ryan: Damn. I

[00:26:31] Johann: mean, mine's really hurt. I try not to get a

[00:26:33] Ryan: comparison, but I'm feeling deficient in, uh, several areas I need to focus on. I definitely need to like learning Ryan.

[00:26:41] Ryan: I know I'm learning absorbing. I'm like, damn, I need to thank

[00:26:45] Johann: my heart more first thing in the morning. Try it out, man. It's, it really is. Again, it sounds too simple to be effective or like work, but it really works. And I forgot one aspect, which is I imagine As I put my hands in my body, [00:27:00] imagine that there's like golden love light flowing through my hands into my body.

[00:27:04] Johann: And again, what it's doing is marrying your sort of higher consciousness with your subconscious and unconscious and in a loving way. And so just calming for the nervous system first thing in the morning to do this last thing at night as well. And man, you fall asleep so good and your body's thank you for acknowledging, acknowledging me.

[00:27:22] Johann: I love you. It feels good to just. Thank you. It's a two way street. They communicate.

[00:27:29] Ryan: What's so fascinating is if anyone's listening or if anyone's ever gone, yeah, like any cynicalness with that, like what I think about because I'm usually the most cynical and I'm not right this moment, surprisingly, because you know why I'm sitting here going, I'm a big believer in mindset and.

[00:27:49] Ryan: Like self confidence and if I'm really confident or really happy about something, it seems to happen. If I'm down on it, like it, it seems to manifest itself in a lot of different ways that [00:28:00] of you, you become what you think in a lot. And so there's no different than the simplicity of what you're describing of man.

[00:28:10] Ryan: I can't get out of this bed if these legs don't work. I can't like your heart's not beating. And so why wouldn't that same? Mindset of confidence and thankfulness and gratitude. Why would it not relate to

[00:28:23] Johann: what you just said? We are the stories we tell ourselves. It is such a profound effect of us. And that's what our mindset really means.

[00:28:31] Johann: It's like whatever we believe ourself about ourselves to be true is true. And we often don't know that we can change those beliefs. Because no one's told us. And we picked up a lot of stuff as kids or someone. Growing up and wherever we did and culturally and so we try to fit in and so all these beliefs about ourselves and what we can and cannot do and how we should and should not be.

[00:28:55] Johann: And most of the time, a lot of them sadly are limiting beliefs. [00:29:00] And when we get to change that narrative, holy smokes, it just really opens up the world, the inner world and the possibilities we can achieve in life. They become completely different.

[00:29:13] Ryan: Now you got to at least talk about this. Yeah, go ahead, Chris.

[00:29:16] Ryan: Go ahead, Ryan. No, please.

[00:29:18] Chris: I was going to say, it's funny we're talking about this because I, this weekend at the pool was one of the first times I think I've talked to my, thanked my body. I don't know. And I don't know if it was from a book I've been reading, listening to guys like you, but it was one of those.

[00:29:31] Chris: Look around like no one's looking at me. Let me take this moment for myself But straight up I like I looking back on it like it was a positive thing There's especially after I got sober and got healthy. I had so many limiting beliefs I'd told myself for so long from the years of that. I obviously when I was drinking like a maniac I wasn't healthy And I had embodied that unhealthy belief [00:30:00] system and everything, how I felt about myself, how my body operated, what I was capable of physically.

[00:30:07] Chris: And even now I'm still breaking those barriers, like going to a gym class or yoga class that I might've never been to. And just seriously, even yoga is a perfect example or actually even better breathwork. The breathwork session I went to first one I've ever been to go with a buddy of mine. Neither one of us have done it.

[00:30:26] Chris: I'm like, can I do this? Am I going to pass out? All that fear, all these stories, I'm telling myself. And of course you go do it. And it was one of the best experiences of my life. And a year after that, it's, I think like a video game, like I'm getting turbo boosts after I feel a hundred times better, not just physically, but I, cause I just changed the narrative in my mind.

[00:30:48] Chris: Like I just now put a new story in my brain of, Oh shit, you don't have to believe that old shit you've been telling yourself anymore. Broke one of the lies you've been telling yourself for so long. You can do this. This is [00:31:00] good for you. Like this. It's insane.

[00:31:02] Johann: Yeah. It truly is. And I think I've certainly been there like a hundred times as well.

[00:31:08] Johann: And things that I had crazy stories made up, Oh, I'm not going to this dumb or blah, blah, blah. And then you have the experience. Holy smokes, man. That's totally, that was awesome. And to think about how many of us are doing that consciously or unconsciously all the time. And we don't go to that class or that new experience because we have a story made up about it.

[00:31:29] Johann: And then, and we're really just staying in that safe zone, in the knowing zone, right? The known, this is the known world that I'm comfortable here. And if we're not willing to push ourselves every now and then to try on those new things, I mean, take a friend, go with somebody so you're not alone, you know, if that's scary.

[00:31:46] Johann: And man, when we expand our awareness and our experience. It's just that whole new level and layer of experience opens up for us that is usually magnificent. [00:32:00] Yeah. Especially as men,

[00:32:02] Chris: where like, cause I think of the narrative sold to me as a young man, yoga's not fucking cool, right? It wasn't a manly thing.

[00:32:13] Chris: A lot of these spiritual practices. Typically, and at least when I was younger, I was like, nah, and now I'm on the other side and I'm trying to get my friends. I'm like, come on guys. Like the water is good over here, dude. Like just dip your toes in, break through that ego. Like just get out of that comfort zone.

[00:32:33] Chris: Like you don't need to let yourself be free a little bit, experience

[00:32:37] Johann: life. Man, it's so funny too. Cause I'm like my male clients and stuff, they're single. So I can't find any girls. I'm like, bro, go to a yoga class, literally. And you'll be like one dude to 25 beautiful in shape women that are flexible and also flexible in their minds.

[00:32:55] Johann: And it's just put yourself in the environment instead of just to go to your [00:33:00] regular bar and get drunk and you know, whatever, put yourself in the environment where. And like to what you said, brothers, I think for us men, not doing something that we're, we know that we're not yet good at is really confronting.

[00:33:14] Johann: Yeah. And that's one of the biggest hurdles to overcome is go towards that fear. Go towards let, let somebody once said, it's, it's really cool quote. I'm trying to remember it, but it was about like, let fear be your compass and listen mortal danger. Let fear be your compass pointing you in the direction you need to go.

[00:33:32] Johann: And like, why is it that a yoga class can seem so no way I'd rather play video games and hope for a different result by doing the video game, like, I really want to meet a girl or evolve myself, but no, I'm just going to be here doing this thing. It's like, I had

[00:33:49] Chris: a girlfriend. That was pushing me to go to some yoga and not even just yoga, some other fitness classes as well.

[00:33:55] Chris: And I'm like, I'm the only dude in here. I feel like I [00:34:00] look weak and she's like, yo, a man that's comfortable pushing his body and getting out of his comfort zone to women is hugely attractive. And I'm like. Call on my boys like, bro, you got to come to this yoga class, dude.

[00:34:15] Ryan: I don't know. You guys haven't seen me do downward dog.

[00:34:17] Ryan: I don't think it's the most attractive thing on earth. I'm 6'5 270. It ain't the most beautiful thing ever.

[00:34:26] Chris: Big tree fall hard, man.

[00:34:27] Ryan: Yes. Like, I'm like a pretzel in there, like, that can barely bend.

[00:34:32] Chris: Hey, we got defensive lineman doing yoga for the Dolphins, baby. I think you can handle it.

[00:34:37] Johann: Yeah. So

[00:34:38] Ryan: Johan, everybody's listening, going, damn, this guy's got it all figured out.

[00:34:42] Ryan: He's got the perfect routines. We gotta be, all right, what are the vices? Is it a chocolate bar? Is it Hershey kisses? What are the vices? Or is it, what, what, what do you do when you're just letting your hair down?

[00:34:54] Johann: For years it was sugar. And actually last year I completely kicked sugar. I went off sugar. [00:35:00] Two months completely, nothing sweet even, just no sweet tasting anything.

[00:35:04] Johann: Cause I, I was the guy that would get up like three in the morning and go take a leak, and then find myself in the kitchen, in the cookie jar, and then wake up crumbled on the pillow. And I realized at some point that I had dudes living in my belly who were controlling my brain, literally. And so in order to kill them off, I did two months of that, then went to Stevia for four months, and so I just had Stevia as the sweetener.

[00:35:25] Johann: It was completely... went off sugar that way, which I highly recommend friends because it radically changed my life. Sugar is no longer it. I would say that my advice is I love a good party every now and then. And I'm, I would say a very open minded person. So you could convince me to party with you as long as it's daytime and I'm in bed by two a.

[00:35:47] Johann: m. I'm down there. It's alcohol or something else. I think part of the practice. What I realized for myself is It can be really easy to slip all the way to the sort of [00:36:00] spiritual righteousness place where you're like not part of the world anymore in a way. And for me, it's I really want to stay in it. And I think a fun challenge actually for all the folks out there who partake in partying and medicines or whatever, alcohol, whatever you're doing.

[00:36:16] Johann: Can you still remain present? Can you? Even if you're intoxicated, let's say, can you still solve a puzzle? Can you still be present when somebody talks to you? Can you still remain in a sort of a spiritual open space and have awareness of all your faculties while other things are present? And that's, I think, is actually an incredible tantric.

[00:36:41] Johann: Even masterful practice. And so that's the practice I'm in. I would say that working out is advice in a way. Like if I need to change my state, I will definitely work out. I love me some good food. Oh my God. I love me some pasta, pizza. delicious fish meat, all the things. I'm now, because I don't do sugar [00:37:00] anymore.

[00:37:00] Johann: I tend to not overeat as much, but I could definitely finish a loaf of really good bread with butter. That's no problem for me. Really good beer. I could probably have one too many. And then be like, man, I could have stopped like a beer ago. My wife and I drink like the eight, nine percenters. Oh, yeah. We was just in London and we had like pints.

[00:37:23] Johann: And I was like, man, okay. Okay, I'm pushing myself. Presence game. So I don't, I would say I don't have a lot of vices anymore because I've made my life really fun. And the practices that I do and teach. are fun. And so I'm not, I'm not yearning, seeking for something fun outside of what I'm already doing. And it's working out really well for me.

[00:37:50] Ryan: Yep. That's the key. Make life what you want it to be. That way you don't have to escape .

[00:37:56] Johann: Yeah. Make it fun, you know? Make it fun. .

[00:37:59] Chris: [00:38:00] Yeah, for real,

[00:38:01] Ryan: brother, this has been awesome. Uh, I know we mentioned it in the middle of the episode, but let's let everybody know how to keep up with you. Reach out if they need or want to get involved with you.

[00:38:12] Ryan: What, what are those

[00:38:12] Johann: hot numbers on Instagram? I do a lot of DMing on Instagram and folks who wanna reach out at Irv Johan on Instagram, then Pyramid Breast. Dot com is my website and that has all the links to the, our upcoming men's container as well as our pre recorded courses. And as well as if you guys wanted to work with us privately and, or come to any of the live events that we are doing coming up.

[00:38:36] Johann: So it's, I would say the grams is honestly the easiest place to stay in touch with us and see what's upcoming. So I love connecting with people. I love sharing what has transformed my life. And I can tell you that I'm living it. I'm not just like a mouthpiece for it, but really I only teach and share what has worked for me.

[00:38:56] Johann: Much like Ryan, I'm like, I'm a cynic. I need to have the experience [00:39:00] and know that it's true before I teach it and share it. So just know that if you're all coming to us, you're getting good medicine. And I vouch for it and I'm proud of it. Awesome, man. Nice,

[00:39:11] Ryan: man. It's been really great. Really appreciate you coming on.

[00:39:14] Ryan: I can see us doing this again. If you're so gracious, I think you got a lot to

[00:39:18] Johann: impart. Chris, I'll see you in Miami. I'm Brian. If you're in Miami in December, maybe we'll get together. Yeah, let's do it for sure. I'd say hi to Jeremy, my homie, man.

[00:39:32] Chris: I'll link up when you're down here. We'll go do some cold plunge in a sauna, do some brass work. Have a good time, bro.

[00:39:39] Ryan: Hey guys, find us, the vacaypodcast. com search for the pyramid breath. You'll find all the highlight clips, the full episode and links to all of your stuff. For Chris Hansen in Miami, I'm Ryan Alford from G Vegas.

[00:39:54] Ryan: We'll see you next time on the AK podcast.[00:40:00]