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Published: Dec. 6, 2020, 12:48 p.m.

Check out this conversation between cohost of Your Essential Nature, David Michael Reed and I have as we explore his spiritual journey with you today!

David Michael Reed (D.Mike) is the owner/host/CEO of the edutainment platform Game Of Unity LLC, which provides a fun way to reimagine how we interact with humans in general, and a director for the non-profit organization The Briar Farm Family Foundation, which is focused on providing food and knowledge to the community.D.Mike is a freedom and authenticity of expression coach. He quickly realized the power of staying connected to your true nature, having to navigate several vastly different cultures within a short time frame.

Transcription by otter.ai

Brandon Handley 0:22
Hey there spiritual dope. Brandon Handley here and I am on today with David Michael Reed who likes to go by the mic. He's the owner hosts the CEO of the edutainment platform, a game of unity, which provides a fun way to reimagine how we interact with humans in general and a director for the nonprofit organization the Briar farm Family Foundation, which is focused on providing food and knowledge to the community. D Mike is a freedom and authenticity of expression coach, he quickly realized the power of staying connected to your true nature having to navigate several vastly different cultures within a short timeframe. Although he studied biochemistry at the University of Oklahoma, his interests have taken him to study much more broad realm of knowledge. He utilizes his various interests, formal education and personal experiences to formulate his principles of unity. From here on out, I'm gonna direct you to check out his YouTube show, which he is a member of your essential nature, and you can find him on Game of unity.com It's a mouthful D Mike, thanks for joining today. How you doing? I'm doing really great. Appreciate it. How you doing, Brian? Oh, man, I you know, look, I like I said earlier, it's just another day in Whoville, but but I'll tell you what I am. I'm going through a book that I go through it like once a year right now it's called Are you ready to succeed? d maiken. And I'm at the very beginning of its 10 week kind of books, and you're asking I'm just gonna go. But there's one thing in here, man that you know, I saw it again today. Like I've got like all these highlights in here from years ago, because that's part of the process of this book. The book asks you for a commitment like when you start right.

Unknown Speaker 0:02
You're listening to the spiritual dope podcast with your host, Brandon Handley, the spiritual dope podcast. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and on our website, the spiritual dojo. Ready, set, go.

Brandon Handley 2:00
And one of the lines in here man is that each day that you're not radiantly alive and brimming with shear is a day wasted every time. Yeah, I read that line. I'm in fact it man. I'm like, I'm like holy shit. What am I you know, it's just nosy in Whoville was it one where I was radiantly alive. And you know, so did I waste a day? I don't know. So since you asked, yeah. That's kind of where I'm at. So um, you know, I like to start these off with, we're vessels for creative energy, universal energy, God, God, whatever you feel like you need to call it right source energy. And there's somebody out there listen to this podcast today. Who does a message inside of you, right, that needs to you need to deliver through source to that person? What is that message?

D Mike 2:47
That's a great question. And I appreciate that, you know, I really feel like my medicine, I was just speaking about this recently. And I really feel like my medicine, what my personal message, what I've come down here to do is to is to be a bridge. And I know that whenever I was coming up, I felt like I had a lot of skills, I felt like I had a lot of resources, but I still wasn't connected to my power, I still wasn't able to create how I wanted to. And you know, I always felt like I was being kind of tapped on the shoulder by spirituality of by by something greater than me that was trying to connect me to my power in my authenticity. And I was going to shut it away, just because I think it was mostly because I had a lot to do with the way that I was brought up and the environment and my peers, and maybe the demographic that I that I chose to come into in this incarnation. But I never wanted to connect to that power. I never allowed myself to step into that because of just certain stereotypes and certain ways that people told me that I needed to behave. So I got really good at wearing a bunch of masks and figuring out how to get love by being a certain thing to different people. And and by and by not tapping into my true potential and my true authentic nature. And so what I've been able to do in the last few years since I've been on the self discovery and inward journey is really very technically take a look at all of these masks and realize how I can step into my authenticity and therefore find my my truth and my power. And I think that being in the circumstance that I am, where I was moving from, as you talked about earlier in the intro, thank you for that, by the way, living in such radically different cultures in such a short amount of time, I'm able to see this main kind of thread that moves through all of us. If you're in whenever I was in the streets of Compton or in you know, in a mansion and Johnson County in Kansas, there's still that one thread that I feel like unites us all and I think that's what I'm here to help do is to help us all to realize that unity and to realize our potential and our strength that's in our authenticity in our unity whenever

Brandon Handley 4:46
we come together so you know I love I love you got a couple couple things in here too. So you know as you're as you're coming down here, you said to be a bridge on you. It kind of prompts the the idea of like where are you Come down here from right is one question I would have. And then another question I would have is like, you know, I love how you said you chose kind of this place to travel through. Right? Why don't you talk a second about that, like, you know where it's coming from? Yeah.

D Mike 5:15
Yeah. And that's a that's a phenomenal question. And I think this is one of the most important questions that we can really ask whenever we're trying to find ourselves and to and to get on this path. And so the way that resonates with me the best, and the way that helps me to be the best person that I can, is to think about things in a way that first of all, we're all here doing the best that we can, and that we all have a similar mission whenever we get together, and we realize our similar goals. And so the way of looking at things that is the best for me to be the best and most effective human that I can be, is to believe that this is a this is a chosen time with everything that's going on right now. This is a chosen time for me to come down into this incarnation into this body at this time with the particular family and people that I have around me with the circumstances that are going on right now. Not only does it make the most sense that I chose this, because it makes sense with everything that's going on right now a lot of people are freaked out. And I'm kind of like, yep, this is exactly where I'm supposed to be right now, because of all the circumstances because of the demographics that I've come down in. And so and so where I came from, and I mean, I think that we all come from source, I mean, that that's really kind of what it is. And I think that that's what I'm talking about that energy that's moving through all of us, it's really our true nature, your essential nature, that's really it. I think that it's, it's the same for all of us, and we came down and we're in, we're wearing these suits, you know, we're in a brand new suit, I'm wearing the D Mike suit. And we're and we're able to have these different experiences and and see each other in these nuanced ways, while still maintaining that the true self like our true self, and our true nature is really the same. So that's why I'm saying that whatever I'm talking about where I came from, is just from, from our God, Goddess nature, that we are coming into these into these human forms to have a human experience. So you're saying that to God, nature, your essential nature source,

Brandon Handley 7:20
that's where you came from?

D Mike 7:21
Absolutely, absolutely. Awesome.

Brandon Handley 7:23
So the idea that you come from source i think is a little bit more approachable than godlike energy, right, even though, you know, it's the same thing. Right? Why do you think that is? Like, what's the hang up on God?

D Mike 7:37
That's a fantastic question. And yes, I think that there is you said it exactly right. I think that there is there's a hang up on God. And I know that for me, in particular, there's a whole thought form about this word, that is God and what it means. And I think that it's tied to a lot of our upbringings. I can say for me, myself, I was I've been brought up in the church, Southern Baptist, and there is a whole way of thinking about God and what that means. And it's been my experience that within the within the church, at least in my upbringing, there's been a lot of fear behind it. And it's a whole lot of control issues, it's a lot of things that are saying you need to behave this way you need to do this, or else the, um, the consequences are absolutely unthinkable. And I think that that kind of brings that's kind of brought in through our thoughts of whenever we think about God. And so even though a lot like in my upbringing were made in the form of God, even but, but still, to maybe include yourself as God, I know that there's a lot of fear behind that, and a lot of people's upbringing and a lot of, and it's it's blasphemous. And like, I'm, like I was saying, it's just the amount of fear because of the consequences are just so great that you don't even we don't even want to allow that kind of fuss and thinking to come in. So to be able to think of yourself as God, or to be able to think of it in a different way. I think that's one reason why there's so much as the hang up because of the fear and the consequences, the way that we were brought up. I like that

Brandon Handley 9:07
right. And I think the idea too, is that the were brought up to believe and think that we are separate from God, right? And then we also have to take a look at this desert, there's a big God, G, big G and a little G. Right? So the big God and a little God, and even then I think we have a challenge and trying to associate ourselves with God. Now if we look at the idea of in some cultures, they say God is love, right? So are you is it much easier for you to say I am loved then I am God.

D Mike 9:39
You know, that's kind of a difficult one there to make that kind of distinction to see which one resonates more to say I am God which another reason I think that people will kind of have a hang up about that is because that kind of puts you in the all powerful all knowing and people are like, I don't know everything, you know, I'm not all powerful. So so they want to separate themselves from that, but on that same token I know that there's a lot of times whenever I don't feel like I'm always loved. And you know, I think that that's one of the big reasons I was so excited to come on to this show in particular is because, you know, we're talking about like, Hey, this is spirituality. And sometimes it looks like this. And sometimes it looks like that. And, you know, coming from going back to my story, living in Compton, Los Angeles, and then living in Johnson County, Kansas. And I see this energy that people identify with and and so I think that me saying that I am love which one would want to be easier. I know that every day I'm feeling more compassionate. And I'm feeling more in low I'm letting my guard down a little bit more. All of the time. I'm becoming more authentic, which I think that is at our at our heart and our true nature. Is that that compassion and that love So yeah, yeah, I think that God is love and everything is a fit. You've heard the phrase, everything is love, or a call for love. So I think in that way, then yeah, I mean, I think that it's easier to say that I am low rather than I am this entity that is God. Yeah, look,

Brandon Handley 11:01
man, like sometimes I burn water, right? So like, don't you don't give me a god, don't give me God privileges. I'm just gonna mess it all up. Right. And the same token, I had a really good conversation with your co. co partner me this weekend, actually, one of the things that she brought up, and I thought it was really awesome, just as it relates to kind of God was that, you know, she grew up in the Catholic space, I'm sure you know much more about her than I do. I've spoken to her for about an hour, but she brought up the idea of having in Christianity, like an army of angels, having your back, I was like, when you can have that mentality. That's great. You know what I mean? And having you know, you, maybe you're maybe you can't identify holy with I am God, but if you can identify with having God's army, that's got your back. I mean, that's, that's, that gives you a different way to go out and about, right,

D Mike 11:51
we're sure, right? See how that would, that can provide a whole new perspective. For sure. And, and I think that that's, and then so we're getting into something here that I think is really important, especially coming from, from my perspective, and that's, and that's like the Unity the Unity principles. And so we're getting into getting into labels and things of that nature. And, and so like, you were saying, You and me, were talking about having a host of angels behind you that are that are protecting you and helping you cool, I think that's awesome, whatever makes you feel empowered, and and powerful and useful enable ability, you haven't having the ability to create, I think that's awesome, you know, some of my more more recent crowds that I've been hanging out, it's like about having angels, or having guardian angels, or, or any of the being, I mean, I've heard any, any of the representatives or we're even Tupac, you know, people talking about all kinds of spirits, leaders that they have. And, you know, I think that there's a lot of crossover, if we're talking about the angels in one religion might kind of convert and be this other entity in a different religion, but I really feel like it's just the energy behind it. And it's that feeling power to feeling supported. And so as far as any of the labels go, I think that, you know, my middle name is Michael. So maybe I'm calling on that Archangel Michael, you know, I've had several sessions where people tell me, oh, this, this angel, this person is there supporting you. And I think it's great to feel that to feel that I'm supported. But I try not to get caught up too much in the labels.

Brandon Handley 13:21
Now I'm with you. Hundred percent hundred percent, you know, reason why I kind of resonated with that thought process myself was thinking of the universe's benevolent right thinking that the universe, all things and like, like you said at the beginning, right, you are here at this specific time at this specific place, juncture, all these things for yourself to basically become right, you know, this, this, you're here for one purpose, right, you were sat down here, you were, you know, putting the toaster, whatever you're here for just like one reason, and it's gonna be a blip on like the map of like the universe and all this other stuff. But the timing isn't going to be so impeccable, that you're not going to have all the support that you need in order to move forward. Right, right. Like you're not here alone, you are here with source energy, right, which is a part of you, God soars. And so that's the idea. Right? I

D Mike 14:15
think so. And I think that that's really important to say that we're not here alone. And I think that part of the decision to come down here and to be born to specific parents in a certain body, I think all of that planning and putting in the people and some of the incidents that in some, some of the challenges that you're going to face whenever you come down here, I think that all of that is part of the planning of whenever we come down here and and and then also within that, just there's the challenges that are kind of laid out before as well. But also there's the helpers. Also, there's the the people who are going to be who are going to show up at exactly the right time. Also, there's the event that's just going to present itself to you and the tickets to it are just going to fall out of the sky and you're going to come in you're going to have an amazing experience that that exact perfect If it's going to push you forward, I also believe that that we that we have those factors that are pushing us forward as well. I think it's all part of it. It's all part of the planet.

Brandon Handley 15:09
Yeah. So coming out of Compton into the central United States of America, which is kind of it's kind of entertaining, like journey, I'm sure. Right. I've never been to different worlds, no doubt, right? Where do you feel like you kind of stepped into this awareness or acceptance of your power?

D Mike 15:26
That's a great question. And I think that that is sort of the underlying concept that's really gotten me to where I am now. And to a place where I'm formulating that the Unity principles and really integrating and living them. Like I said, I always felt like I was searching for my power, even though I felt like I had a lot of tools. And I was always tapped on the shoulder, like, I was always getting these little messages, I would always see my birthday and certain number of patterns that would kind of be kind of hinting at me. And I would always be like, you know, whatever, that's completely crazy. That's, there's no place for that in my life, I was just always shoved away. And I think it was up until about, I mean, it was probably 778 years ago, whenever I was in Compton. And I think it was just a dichotomy of my experience. I mean, I got to a point where, or whatever it was, I was at a point where I was like, you know, what, I know that I can do better than this, I know that I can, I can create, I know that people can do this, it was more of that, like, I know that people can do this, and I'm a person so so I know that I can I know that I can create. And and so it was the it was the contrast of looking around and seeing I mean, I was in the middle of Compton, war torn games, you know, seeing a hearse, the helicopters flying overhead every day. gunshots is just a regular thing. And so but whenever I was in this position, it was something it just pricked my heart, it was something that came in that I knew that there was something else different that was going on in the world, other than what I was feeling other than what I was seeing. And, and this this huge just waves of compassion, and just downloads of just empathy for the people that I was seeing around me for the rampant homelessness that was going on around me. And so whenever I would interact with the, with the those people, and I would see, I would feel this, this energy that was that was behind this, you know, you would think that it's just like this is just everybody's just distress. And nobody has any kind of, of power or any kind of hope or anything, but I felt the exact opposite. And so I think whenever I was able to feel this, this energy that when people were talking about it to like, I mean, I would talk to these homeless prostitutes that that were, you would just think that would have no place in spirituality or anything like this. And they're talking about this energy, this thing that's binding us together and this force and would come in, I don't quite know how to talk about it. You know, the same thing that I'm at this, at this point, I had found a teacher in a community here in Kansas, and they were talking about these same concepts. And so in here, I'm thinking I'm in these two completely different realms, physically and spiritually, but I'm feeling the same things. And I'm, and I'm seeing and I'm witnessing the same things. The this energy that is that's in both places, and I guess, got this idea about, about unity. And I and I saw how differently we approached strangers, because people that we don't know, and how differently we treated them from, from people who are familiar to us. But realizing that all of those people have the same attention, we all have the same grace, we all have the same things that drive us. And and I and I want it and I got the idea. If we could live in a world and live in a society where we treat everybody, like family, we treat everybody as love, which we all want to do. You know. And that's what I really believe. I think that we're all kind of even though we might live in fear at some points. I believe that we all want to live this way. And if we settle into that, and allow it to come in with the shift of consciousness that I think we're all feeling Rossing we're all talking about, then we can make those those small shifts that it's going to take so that we can see each other differently, and create a whole different way of relating to one another and create a whole new world. And we can do it really quickly.

Brandon Handley 19:10
And it's perfect, right? I mean, I agree who we want to, we want to love each other. We want a lot of the same things. We of course, I think we've been we've been taught that primarily, we want it for ourselves first, which is fine, so long as we want it for everybody else, right. And I think that it's when we realized that we want it just forever. We want it for everybody else I was more than we want it for ourselves, while at the same time giving it to yourself, like you've got it like I love the line. I don't know where to how I got it from but like you're the giver and the gift, right? Like so you're you know, so you got to get and you also have to give that to yourself in order to resonate it. Right. So I mean, whatever that looks like for you. So you've got to give yourself love so that you can love. All right. I love it. One of the things that you brought up in there one thing I was just gonna I was gonna make a little, not everybody wants You saw our families retreat, you know, it's tough, right? Some some family member, you're like, I'm not watching you like family, but a lot that goes, what what do you think is the fear? Right? What is that fear? That's that's keeping us from doing this like, Well, you know, what's that? Why aren't why aren't we doing this already?

D Mike 20:18
You know, and like I said, I think that this shift is, is going to be accompanied with this shift in consciousness that's coming in. And I think that the answer the question is, what is that shift in consciousness shifting us from? And I think that what's been instilled in us is competition, scarcity, lack. And whenever you believe in these kinds of things, then you start thinking, well, I've got to get for myself. And also, and also within that belief set and belief system is separation, right? Because like, you're saying, I need to get this for, I need to want it for me and not for yourself and not for this other person, nothing for that. So it's this idea of separation. And again, this goes back to our true or true nature and our true source, if we can get back to thinking of ourselves holistically like that, like we are one being expressed in different ways, but we're here to support one another, then then I think that we can shift away from this separation, which then breeds competition, scarcity, lack all of those things, because that's why we're not doing right now. Because we're, we're in this, we're in this, this bubble, this this place where we think that I'm different from you. So I need to get I need to get and there's a lack, there's, there's a lack of things there isn't there, we don't live in an abundant universe. You know, we act like we don't like one plant doesn't produce an infinite amount of plants, we've bought into this lie, that there is scarcity. And if you have, then I don't have. And so that's what I think is the most important thing about unity, is whenever we realize that we're not separate things, and it doesn't even it doesn't become a question of, well, I want this for me, and not you. It's just that we want abundance. And I think that, you know, we there is abundance, and whenever we can look at it that way and think of it that way and understand that that is what shoe that once he does create an entire infinite amount of resources, and not just not just one more, and then and then we're this, this universe is huge and ever expanding, right? We're never going to run out of stuff and we're not going to and we don't need to fight over this stuff. And, and so I think that one of the main principles that I'm integrating and trying to help spread is is that of, of unity, of that of collaboration over competition, I've seen what happens whenever we compete, and I'm seeing what happens whenever we come together. And and I think that's another aspect of what I'm here doing is I've whenever you take like the more different people are and you come together and realize their unity, the more profound the solutions and the creations that they make. And so the more courage that we can have to reach out to people who are different who look and think and that can feel differently than us the more authentically courageous we can be. And having forming these true connections and true bonds with people and realizing that we are just the separate organs of this trying to animate this this same benevolent body then then that's when the magic really starts happening. And I think that that's what's keeping us from from doing it already. Is that fear?

Brandon Handley 23:29
Perfect. I love I love the imagery too. Like it's funny you brought up Oregon's of kind of a divine body universal body, I was think about is more like a little blood vessels or little little blood cells. Either way, you know, we're where we are what makes up the body of this universe, right? Yeah, I love that you hit on the you know, this is an expanding universe. Let's for a second though, is the universe. Infinite? Yes or no?

D Mike 23:59
Well, if it's just a yes or no, just Yes or no? Um, then yes. Okay.

Brandon Handley 24:05
How does something that is infinite expand?

D Mike 24:08
So yeah, that's a great question.

Brandon Handley 24:10
And then just let's just couple it with these pieces. These are just pieces that I love to throw into the pie right? We are part of the universe the universe is expanding at an accelerated rate. Does that mean that we to therefore Ergo our consciousness is now expanding and an accelerated rate because we are part of the universe?

D Mike 24:28
I think that's exactly what honestly i think you know, and that I think, I think that's exactly what it is the universe is expanding and and i think that consciousness I really kind of feel like the the fundamental elements that makes up everything is consciousness. And I think that it's very, you know, getting into theoretical physics and whatnot. Every time we try and review the edge of the universe, it expands or, or something happens that we're not able to get past that and see what like what's quite past that boundary. And yeah, I think that's that's the universe that's that's us expanding, I think us our experiences here are creating that consciousness, which is the expansion of the universe. I mean, it makes it it's really difficult when you try to think of it in in spatial terms, we, you know, kind of finite three dimensional terms, something being infinite and expanding. But I think if we take it back to our true nature of spirit, and think about it as consciousness, and think about how we're expanding just by, you know, we're creating, we're making love, we're creating love, we're creating consciousness. And the more that we are, the more that we're able to focus, the more that we're able to, to have consciousness and be conscious of ourself, which is the universe, you know, as within, so without, so the more that we're able to focus on our own consciousness, then then that's creating consciousness, which makes more of the stuff that we are, you know, which makes more of the stuff that is. And so that's how something can be can be infinite and expanding. You know, whenever we think of things in terms, I mean, I'm a big math nerd. And so, you know, I love calculus and numbers and, and thinking about the concept of infinity and how something can approach infinity faster than another thing can approach infinity. So there's different ways of thinking about this. And we try and we try and put it into our finite minds with numbers and symbols and things but really, it's an it's an infinite mind, that that we're trying to access in order to think about something as big and as complicated and complex as consciousness and infinity expanded

Brandon Handley 26:33
a little bit. Thanks for thanks for that. I always, always just kind of enjoy thinking about it that way. And one of the reasons that that happens, right, you know, obviously, you know, you kind of make that connection with new or expanding our I think that we talked about you talked about like this shifting consciousness now that we're seeing, and, and how it's kind of almost like a tsunami, man, it's just kind of showing up in a big way. Right. Now, one of the things that I'll meditate on is getting to the edge of the universe and like kind of riding that wave of the like edge of the universe, right? And then of course, I'll be like, well, how can my mind even fathom like what infinite edges are, but hey, look, man, that's where we are. Right now we are riding on the edge of expansion. Right? So now so so I love how you kind of put it all together. And I'll throw one thing out there for you too, because of all the people fucking Tony Robbins. I saw him last year. And I saw him last year. And one of the things that he brought up, this wasn't like one of his things, but he just happened to be at some event put up brought up the idea of competition. And as you and I are discussing competition in this context, it's to compete for scarce resources, right, it's to compete for theoretically, scarce resources. Whereas, you know, he brought up the idea of competition being more in lines of just say, you know, you are great with what you're creating and your creation, and you're driving me to be greater, or, you know, trying, I'm trying to compete with you, in terms of bringing the best of each other out of that type of competition. I was like, Alright, Tony, you got me on that one that really just kind of, it helped me change my perception of cop, just the word competition, right? Instead of being triggered by them. Like I could see this in another way.

D Mike 28:17
For sure. And I'd love to speak on that. Because I mean, I'm the I'm the son of a baseball coach. Yeah, I was captain of the basketball team in high school. And I'm very, very competitive with my with my family members, whenever we're playing a board games and whatnot. I'm very upset that my little sister beats me every time and every game that we play, we play. And that's and that's and I love a competition, you know, and competing and getting better and having that resistance so that I can I can get better. Here's the thing. Whenever we're done playing board games, at the end of the at the end of it, we put the pieces back into the bucks, and we hug each other and we have dinner and a drink together.

Brandon Handley 28:57
Yeah, yeah, that's a that's a beautiful competition right there. Right. And that's, and that's a competitive spirit. I think that the words been buffed up over the years, right. Like, I mean, like a competitive spirit isn't one that wants to does living in fear. A competitive spirit is again, your essential nature is to be seen to shine to be the best of all that it can be if you cultivate it, if you if you allow for it to be, right. So that's just just my shtick. On the one time I saw Tony Robbins and he changed my life for a minute. At least at least Hey, look, you know, it's just the smallest trajectory, right? The Butterfly Effect all that stuff that just kind of really sets you off. The other thing you brought up to like in the very beginning here was just, you know, talking about wearing a bunch of masks, talk to me a little bit about like some of the masks you've worn some of the masks you've discarded, and maybe even some of the masks you still put on for sure.

D Mike 29:52
Yeah, no, this is a this is something that that's really integral to my growth within the last four Four or five years ago, especially, but yes, and as I was talking about earlier, I think that maybe just the demographic and the geographic area where I grew up, you know, being a being a black male. Growing up, especially in the times, whenever, you know, people weren't, people weren't talking about their feelings, and it wasn't okay to talk about it, any of that empathy and any of these kind of things. So and then, I mean, even so, then moving up to Compton. And when I was on the train out there meeting other people who told me, you have to act hard, you have to act this way, you know, in order to in order to receive love, I mean, that's essentially what it was, in order to, in order to be accepted, in order to receive love, you have to be a certain way. So but that wasn't me, I always felt like I was very into things that were that were maybe had a more softer kind of power to them, you know, I there was a whole other side of me that I was told that I was not able to access if I wanted to fit in. So I wanted to receive love. And so what I did is I got really good at wearing masks and putting on different airs and being a certain person in front of this person, and then a different person in front of that person. And, and I got really good at it, you know, I was able to, you know, I can make people laugh, I can be exciting. But there was still a whole side of myself, that I was pushing out of the way that was shoving down and I wasn't allowing myself to access because I was told, and I was allowed myself to believe that it was weak, and that it was unacceptable. And so whenever I allowed myself to rise, you know, I had that awakening that I was talking about. That's whenever I really felt like, I was like, Okay, now I can go in and I can just completely take an honest look and say, Who am I? How do I feel in this particular time in this particular incident, because I was trying to please everybody and realizing that I wasn't able to please anyone, you know what I mean? And, and I wasn't able to find my power because it wasn't authentic. And so whenever I finally started saying, Okay, you know what, I have to admit to myself that I'm wearing masks, this is not me, you know, just getting courageously authentic, like that and be like, I'm gonna do this. And if if people shy away from me, that's already happening, you know what I mean? I wasn't able to create the relationships and things that I've been bringing the people into my life that were supporting me. So it just, it got me to that point where I was like, You know what, I have nothing else to lose. So I'm gonna, I'm gonna examine this and realize, Hey, you know what, this is me, this is me, I, you know, I'm emotional. You know, I cry whenever I'm excited. You know, I, you know, do do these different things that might, I didn't think that were acceptable. And, and whenever I started looking at things like that, whenever so looking at myself that way, it's still the exact opposite of what I thought, I felt absolutely powerful. I felt like instead of having to remember who I was, and how to react in this certain way, I could just go inside and say, How do I feel at this time? And whenever I was able to access that authenticity, then it made me see, well, I normally would have reacted like that. Okay, cool. So there's a mask, and I'm able to see all of these different ways where I've contorted myself into being something different, and separated myself from from my power. And so as far as us tell us about some of the masks that I that I still continue to wear. And I think that it's there's a couple of things. First of all, it's always a process, there's always times whenever I'm going to see something else I'm like, and I feel it in my body. And like, that's not authentic. You know, I'll say something and I'm like, oh, wasn't courageous there. You know, I ran a program I wear I wear a mask doing that. And so and so I'm always able to get more authentic. But then the other thing is, you know, as long as I'm aware of the masks, then whenever then I can try them on, I can put them on sometime, you know, it's like, if I want it, I kind of feel like that's what we're doing. And when we're source just we're playing I'm playing out the mic right now. So and I can kind of do that in my real life, as long as I'm aware. Like, this isn't how I you know what I mean? This isn't much I'm just, I'm just playing here. I understand that I still have, I still have my anchor to my true self. But yeah, I still do. But I play with them sometimes. And and I think that it's to me, I think it's about the awareness of it. To me, it's about knowing who you are your true self, and not trying to deceive, you know, I don't do it and trying to deceive anyone and trying to deceive myself. And that's kind of what I'm saying is, whenever I put on these masks, I make it very obvious, like, Hey, I'm putting on this mask, and I'm just playing with it. And I make that very obvious to everyone involved. But having that awareness and having that ability to come back to my true self and my true power at any time. I think that that is that's where the true benefit of the journey happens.

Brandon Handley 34:26
The idea that it's being aware when you put those masks on or offer or change them out. I think that that's that's a great one. You said it a couple times too. So we'll hit on, you know, courageously authentic. I'll let you know this little tidbit for me the past month or two courage has been a big one in my vocabulary that's coming from the book, force first power where there is a map of consciousness on on there, everything below and it's done like in a logarithmic scale. You know what that means? I don't because I didn't get the calculus, but it's done in a lot of this done in a logarithmic scale. And it starts at zero, which is like, you know, and 20. And you know, up, there's like, grief, sorrow, anger, yada, yada, yada. 200 is 200 is courage. Okay? And then you've got hope and love and enlightenment all up here, right enlightenment 1000. So the idea is it 200, you know, you can go up or down at 200. The idea is, once you get to 200, once you are courageously authentic, right, once you once you take that courage in that moment, you empower yourself to step into what you believe is possible, by just being you that's where that's where the magic, that's where the shift happens. Right. So that's why I bring it up. And you know, how does that relate to, you know, what you're saying here as courageously authentic?

D Mike 35:56
Absolutely. You know, the same that that the treasure you seek lies, and in a cave that you that you feel to enter? And I think that, you know, I've heard it called the emotional tone scale, however you want to call it, but whenever you get to courage, I think, then that's when you start to see the benefits. So so it's like, you know, you're thinking, Well, how do I get there, like, I'm too, I'm too afraid to kind of to show my true self, I don't want to, I don't want to have it put up for scrutiny, I don't want to have to maybe fail at something with my true authentic self. So we stay small, and we stay, we don't enter the cave, but whatever we do, and we and we just are courageously ourselves, it's just a few seconds of courage, then you automatic thing, you start to see the benefit. And then I think that's why it takes off because you like because then you start to tie that action of being authentic to the benefit. And then whenever and then whenever that happens, I know for me, it was over without for that. Because I was like, oh, I'll have to do is get a little vulnerable for a quick second, realize that the outcome is not going to match up with the fear that's keeping me from doing it. And in fact, this is going to be something amazing, I wasn't sure I could attain on the other side, then then it just starts the ball rolling. And then it's like, okay, where else can I be authentic? Where else can I be vulnerable, what other side of myself, I've been keeping inside and not shiny out, you know, because because of fear. But now realizing that once I do that, then people are gonna start paying attention to me. I mean, that's whenever I started gaining attention, that's whenever I started getting to getting momentum is whenever I started accessing that courage, and whenever I said, you know what people might think of me in a certain way, but people already think of me in a certain way, when people are gonna expect certain things from me, or people are already expecting certain things for me. So you know what, I'm going to police myself, and I'm going to be completely authentic, and I'm going to behave in the way that I want to, and that would make me proud. And that resonates with me. And that's the thing is, whenever it's that, you know, Oscar Wilde says, Be yourself, everyone else is taken, you know, it's because you are the best at being yourself. And I'm not I'm not very good at being anybody else. I just try. I've tried to be all these other people. And I wasn't very good at it. But whenever I started being myself, then people started responding to me, like, Wow, look at this authentic being. And I started hearing on one of my favorite compliment that I get all the time is, you're such a bright light, you know, it's like you're such a bright light people come up from across, and all it is is they see me attached to my authenticity and being real. And I think that that gives permission to other people to do the same thing and to tie into your authentic, courageous authenticity. And I think that's where the power lies.

Brandon Handley 38:32
Would you call that one of your small shifts?

D Mike 38:35
Oh, absolutely.

Brandon Handley 38:37
That's what I mean. So in terms of, you know, you mentioned earlier, just kind of these small shifts right towards I think unity and whatnot. Sounds like you're saying, you know, courage and this being created justly authentic is a piece of it. What are what are like one or two of these other small shifts that have benefited you that you share with others?

D Mike 39:00
Yeah, so the Unity principles that I've got on my website, and they're all changing all the time and being added to and whatnot, but a lot of the small shifts, first of all, it's it's like we're talking about being courageously authentic. Another one is looking at everybody, like they're doing the best that they can, and seeing the god nature in everyone. I think that that is the reason that that is so important is because we're social beings, and we gain our power from being in groups and being able to to support one another. And as I've been talking about before, the more diverse or different the people that come together with these nuanced ideas, the more profound that the shift is. And so whenever I would look out at life and see everybody as you know, nobody, everybody's messed up, everybody's just out for themselves and nobody has any and all this then I cut myself off from so much benefit. And whenever I started looking at whenever I started looking at everybody is just extensions of myself of non judgement, that's kind of another spin off. That's a That's a huge one to not judging people. And so whenever you're realizing that you see the best in everybody gushing about people, instead of gossiping, gushing, not gossiping, I think is is a huge one. Because I mean, for one, and just being charismatic and asking for help, whenever you're gossiping about somebody, the person who hears you, they're gonna attribute those negative characteristics to you, even though you're saying that it's somebody else. So always gossiping about somebody about people and things, that also just puts you in this mindset of searching for negative and searching for for things that aren't going to be beneficial to you. So I think that it's all about your perspective. And whenever you look at people like they're doing the best that they can, even if you can't quite get there and thinking, but if you look at people as doing the best they can, and you look at them as bright, capable angels, you know, that are there to assist you and that you have something to share and assist them with, those are some of the those are some of the principles that that I can just implement immediately, and start to see magnificent, magnificent change just right off the bat. Love those. Remember, it's

Brandon Handley 41:03
funny, you bring that up, you know, seeing everybody that greatness, seeing the divinity and everybody has to remember coach in a bunch of like five or six year olds, and I was actually doing the assistant coaching and the guy who was coaching had been known for like 45 years, right? He was always Grandad. And I forget what I said, but he's like, there's something good. And each one was like, I don't know are you see? Yeah. But I was joking, kind of mostly, but not really just in that moment. But it was great to hear somebody of his age, right saying that of all these little kids. And I thought that that was pretty powerful. Because I was I was being a judgy, son of a bitch that day. And you bring up non judgement. For me. It was going through headspace, the headspace app, and how Andy right brings up how do you train your mind? And when you have some of these thoughts and your own thoughts, and you're judging your thoughts, right? He's like, Don't judge any of your thoughts as like, Ah, there is such a weight lifted when you're not even judging your own thoughts. And then you're like, Where else? Can I apply this non judgmental, blah, blah, blah, right? Because I can look out there somebody, I can start to think it but no judgment. Right. I mean, they're just they're doing and I think it came from also from Abe Lincoln, when somebody was talking to him about southerners. And he goes, you know, what, if it was me, I'd be doing the exact same thing that they're doing, right. And like, it's not a judgment thing. It's like, they just happen to be doing what they're doing, because they're doing it. And I'm not going to judge him on it. Like, I mean, that's not what I'm doing. Right. But I can't say that what I'm doing is any better than what they're doing anyways. Right? So I mean, you take judgment out of it.

D Mike 42:38
I think it's, it's expanded compassion, it's expanded empathy. You know, we make up these stories, we see somebody doing something, and we automatically make up a backstory, we know what happened while they were doing this. And that's why this is so stupid of them, like, how could they you know, and we think we know what they want, we think we know what the what the goal is, and all of this, and, and once we make up this thing, that that they should be behaving differently and better, and we know how that is, I think it's just a, it's a, it's a bigger step of empathy. And, you know, I'll try to make up, I'll try to make up so you know, I get cut off cut off in traffic, and I try to make a different story like, wow, you know, what, I'm sure that they have something huge going on right now. You know, like, they really needed to be in that spot. And I get it, you know, what I mean? And I just think whenever we're able to look at it, look at things like that. And I think it really expands on everything. Because I'll find myself I'll be I find myself like in the middle of the lane on the shoot, and I need to get in a suit. And I'm like, and I cut somebody off or something. Um, and you know, I'm sorry, but, you know, so I get it. And I think that I and just on that example, it's one of the greatest I made a post about I just made a post about this, but it was the greatest thing I saw that happen. I was driving and I thought, there's two cars in front of front of me, and one of them cut the other one off. And I was like, Oh, no, here we go. But you just saw that, okay, you know, I get it. And I was like, that's the consciousness shift that I'm talking about. Right now. We're starting to we're starting to show up differently. We're starting to not judge we're starting to have that expanded empathy and tell it we're telling a different story and realizing that we don't know where they come from. We don't know where they're going. We don't know what's going on with them right now. So whenever we see this action, whenever we see something that we'd normally judge, like you said, At first it pops up and you're like, you know, you get that that inkling that you want to just just tell them new one, but, but just whenever you can have that expanded empathy. I think that that's, that's, I mean, that's all it says that's that's what the shift in consciousness is helping us to do. Thinking of other others as ourselves and telling a different story.

Brandon Handley 44:32
Do you feel like this kind of this shift in your own consciousness to sleeping with spirituality has led you to a more fulfilling life at this point in time?

D Mike 44:43
infinitely? Yeah. in in in what, how I can, how I can speak that. I think that's the most important thing because what's all this for? You know, it's like, what was spirituality? Like? Why does it mean like, what are we doing and all of that? I think that That is the whole thing. And I've kind of touched on it before I felt powerless. And I and it was so frustrating, because I'm like, you know, I got social skills. And you know, I can I can, I can talk I've got, I can do all these things, I went to a good school and educated and, and all this wasn't Why can't I create what I want I want to create, I'm doing nothing, nothing is as I want it want it to be, and I'm not happy. And that's what it that's what it wasn't, I think getting to just rock bottom as far as that, just getting to where I just, I'm not happy and realizing it. And I will try anything. I mean, I asked my dad one time, I remember, after a long night. And I was like, you know, what is the point? You know, what's the point of all this? And he's like, Well, yeah, you know, you, you you're you go to school, and you get a job and you get married. And you have, and I was like, I don't want any of that. You know, I was like none, I don't want any of that at all. And so I was like, Well, you know what, I'm gonna find out what happens whenever you don't do all of that. What I'm saying, I'm gonna find out what happens whenever you do what you're not supposed to do. And so I started, I stopped just listening to myself and just doing because I didn't have anything to lose. And I just wasn't happy and started started behaving the way that I wanted to behave. And I started learning about the things that I wanted to learn. And I started allowing myself to listen to that, that beckoning that had always been kind of calling me. And so it led me on the inward journey, all of these things, these benevolent features that I placed in my life led me into this path. And I started realizing about unity, I started realizing about cooperation, I started realizing about empathy, and how and how we're also connected, and it opens up things to me. I mean, it really does. I'm not saying that's what it actually does, is, it makes me It gives me the self confidence and the self love, so that I can I can share that with the world. And I can call in the help Colin people who want to support me in my journey. And then through that those collaborations, it opens up a whole new world with a whole new set of resources, and a whole different mindset, and a whole new set of skills and power to be able to create precisely what I see in my head,

Brandon Handley 47:07
you got to see it there. First, you create yourself some serendipitous moments, right? When you step along that path that that you're describing there, right? When you say, hey, this world you're living in, that's cool, you can have that I'm gonna go down here and see what's over here. Right. And it's it is it is a path that think is less traveled, I don't know that it's so much less traveled as it's not talked about as much, right. And I think that one of the reasons for that is because you can't teach it per se, right? You can't teach somebody else what your personal experiences are. And so that that's where it becomes a challenge. But that being said, there's, there's certainly key Mark indicators, right of Oh, you're on that path of whatever. And you can tell that in the conversation and mannerisms and so on, like, okay, I kind of get where you're at, right in life period, like it's, and that's going to be in a conversation with somebody who's in a corporation, or just off the streets, like you were saying, I can talk to a prostitute who's all cracked up and like, we can have a conversation, she could share what's on her mind and be like, I could see where you are in your life. Right? There's, you know, there's different time space continuum continuums of life, right? Nothing is totally linear, whatever, all that jazz, give me a blurb, a little bit on your game of unity so that people kind of know where to go check that out and what's happened in there,

D Mike 48:33
for sure game of unity.com I think this platform, I think, is sort of the culmination of everything that I've wanted to create for myself and then to be able to share with everybody and it comes from whenever I was going through the process and having this having this awakening and looking for support going down the YouTube rabbit hole all of this and looking for people who are thinking that I wasn't insane if somebody told me I wasn't insane, and to show some kind of support and maybe some some knowledge. And so and so that's what this is, it's it's to hold your hand as you go through this process of awakening, and self actualization. It's and it's called game is unity because it's fun, it's supposed to be fun, I think that that's what we're here doing is we're here to create and to and to have fun and to and to relate to one another. And I think that's that's probably the main thing about game of unity because what it is once you join the game when you're in the game, then you know the council is going to be sending you different tasks and and different challenges and they're all aimed at helping us to relate to strangers and to one another and in a more beautiful way in a more empathic and a more courageously authentic way You know, there's challenges such as you know, before Corona Lottie was to go and, and high five, somebody who lives differently than you know, there's no things like that, that you know, my vision of the entire world is playing this game the entire world is courageously going out, trying to connect with people who think and look and act differently from them. You know, the entire world was going out and saying this Can I support? You know, how can I get support from you? And how can we come together to create something amazing, we have the entire or the majority of the world playing this game and relating to each other in this way, realizing, hey, I want to go to France, I don't have to, like make up a trip and see how I'm going to eat and whatever, we can just say, there's humans there. So I'm going to be taken care of all I need to do is get there. And even there's going to be humans along the way, they're going to help me get there. And I think that so the game of unity is to help us and push us in that direction. And to aid us with this aid of the the shifting consciousness. Now all of this together is going to help us to relate to one another, and amazing and new and profound way. And we're going to create bliss and heaven on earth.

Brandon Handley 50:39
Sounds like a game I should be playing. I love it, man. That's awesome. I love that you've created that. Right. And I think that I think that's one of the things that we talked about. When we first connected, right? Both of us kind of connect and creating the space for those who are like you said, Man, you're looking for support. When you enter this realm, you're looking for something this indicates that you're not crazy, right? And and and so, you know, how can so many people be feeling this way? And everybody be crazy, right? So that that doesn't make any sense. We're rational beings, we know that's not possible, right? Unless we're all drinking the same water, whatever. So but the deal is, is, you know, there's going to be different people there. Who can, you know, kind of catch you who can who can coach you into not, you know, hitting the walls, as you as you come come into this newfound space, right. So that's kind of what you created, you've gotten, you've done it with some joy, and some creativity. So thanks for creating that man. And then and look, it's needed. Oh, my god, did I need it right on, I was like, when when I came, you know, to my awakening, whatever you want to call, I was like, What is going on? And why do I feel so good and weird?

Unknown Speaker 51:52
For

Brandon Handley 51:55
you, like any like, well, it's and not gone. so crazy. But um, you know, so you look for some people to talk to. So you're setting yourself up to be, like you said earlier, you know that that beacon of light right for somebody to kind of come and come and hang out with and that's great. And you're also doing that over on your essential nature. You want to talk about that for a second?

D Mike 52:13
Yeah, I think that that's actually an amazing segue, because we're talking about this, this one energy that that we all kind of came, we all kind of came from. And then we're trying to find we're trying to find somebody who relates to us coming down to this plane, somebody who can tell us that we're not crazy. And so I think that that is the idea behind your essential nature that our podcast is that we do have, we were trying, we tried to be very diverse in our demographics, you know, we've got different races, different ages, different sexes. And so we all are kind of saying the same thing. We're all talking about this message of unity, we're talking about compassion, we're talking about this energy that permeates through all of us. But whenever we have a diverse, it's exactly what we're talking about already having diverse people coming together to create something amazing, but also, it provides several different paths in so I mean, there might be somebody who looks at me, a guy who just moved here from content, and whatnot, and I get that he doesn't, I don't quite resonate with them, but then they're gonna see they're gonna see Ben, who's a chiropractor. And, you know, he's got to, he probably relates to a different demographic. And so they'll hear his message and they're going to come in, but then there's going to be the people from Compton and all that, who I believe it who I'm talking about, we all have the same, the same energy moving through us. And they might like it, you know, me who you talk to isn't like, Oh, you know, it's kind of throw that away, and then look at me, but Okay, well, I do relate with him. And you know, vice versa, all of all of this. And that's why so we have these different expressions, that I mean, it's the same, it's the same message that we're trying to, we're trying to express it through these different mediums, and so that we have, so that we can have something for everybody, because we want to bring everybody into this place where once you get in, you're in and you realize none of these demographics matter, you know, we're all the same, we're all going through the same thing. So we're just gonna have these different attraction points, and whenever So, so we're calling up this world is like, hey, there's something for everybody. And then we want to draw you into this, this layer of support and beauty. And then once you're here, you'll just you'll have all the support of everyone, and you'll be able to see all the beauty of anyone and just pushes you further into that idea of unity.

Brandon Handley 54:21
Not for sure, for sure. I love that idea of different attraction points. Okay, you guys do a great job of bringing your diversity to it. Right. And you got lots of people represented there. And, you know, I think that one of the things that needs to be recognized, and I'm terrible at it, right, like, definitely, I'll judge somebody who's younger than me by significant amount. I think I gave me you know, a little less credit than then do we had a great conversation. I let her know, at the end. I was like, You know what, you You brought more than I expected, which was great, right? Like, I mean, so it was like, man, I got kids and they show me more spirituality sometimes. And I see anywhere else. I'm like, Oh my god, you know, and that's one of the things Things that we as parents try to do here is to not take that away from them. Right? How can we how can how can we keep that light that you've already gotten there? And the things that you and I are struggling with the all these masks and all these? How do I bring my authentic self everywhere? How do I keep my children authentic? throughout? Right? Create human beings that are authentic from day one, right? And let that stay. So because it's already there, right? It's, it's the idea is that, as you and I, you know, I don't even like the word evolve anymore, as you and I gain more awareness of who we already are. Right? It's our work. It's our awareness. It's expanding, not so much that we are expanding, right? Yeah, just let you know, man. Yeah, it's just a play on words like how do I make this work for me? And that's all it really boils down to, right. Like you talked about earlier, like, yeah, you can say love God, whatever the hell you got to say, to make yourself sleep at night, I get it. So one thing like to kind of hit on like, so the idea of spiritual dope is like, you know, you get that spiritual high, right, from, you know, whatever spiritual sense or thing that you do. Where do you get like your spiritual hit from?

D Mike 56:10
Yeah. Oh, man, that's a really great question. And so I think that that kind of ties into, you know, so so my phone would I fully call myself is d Mike, the young mystic. And so a reason that I call myself a mystic is because I don't follow one teacher or one set of principles solely, you know, I try and get a little bit of, you know, a little bit from this study a little bit from this from this study, and live from this practice. And so I would say that I get it from life, I get it from so many different places, but then I think it's always about taking it back inside and seeing what resonates, I get my, I get my, my spiritual hit from experiencing as much of life as I can. And that's people, places things, everything. And then whatever I read and take in from people, I immediately take it in, and I assess it, you know, courageously and authentically, what feels good to me. And whenever I'm listening to audio books, when I'm listening to podcasts, there's always something that will, that will stick with me something that will kind of resonate with me. And I'll always give myself the space to explore that, you know, write it down, make a note of it, however, and then explore it. And just through my, through my experiences, I think that's where I get that spiritual hit. It's whenever I manifest, I mean, in whenever you manifest something, so specifically, you hold something in your mind, and you go through the the manifestation processes, and then you don't even realize it, but then you just sort of become aware and you're like, Whoa, this is what I created in my head. You know, that's my spiritual hit, being able to help somebody whenever I'm sitting across from from someone, and you're able to just gently listen to them. And I'm in that space with them. And I'm looking out through with with four eyes now from their space, and I'm able to see something that they weren't, and I'm able to help them, help them have that light go off. You know, that's where I get my spiritual from helping people. You know, like I said, I cry whenever I get emotional, anytime that I see somebody helping somebody or, or seeing somebody going out of their way, in bringing that consciousness and that empathy into real life interacting with people. That's where I get my spiritual hit from, from life from people. And from my interaction with the world. Perfect, man, I

Brandon Handley 58:25
love it. I love it. You got your spiritual hit from life. And it's funny, because, you know, like, Ohio life was somebody I'd laugh at, like years ago. I'm like, Yeah, that makes sense. Now, that's, you're so right, you can't get on in life. So it's funny how life changes. So where and I appreciate you stopping on today. Thank you so much for being here. Where can people go find you?

D Mike 58:45
Yeah, for sure. So I'm keeping up to date with unity.com is where I store everything that I've got coming up that I'm doing, which is a lot here, especially towards the end of the year. There's so much being able to be on so many amazing podcasts like this. And then yeah, so game of unity calm, follow my blog there and join the game, then you'll be able to see everything that's that I've got coming up. Your essential nature is on all the podcasts and Spotify, YouTube, all those those mediums, so check us out. They're

Unknown Speaker 59:14
awesome.

Brandon Handley 59:16
Thanks again, like,

D Mike 59:17
hey, thanks. Appreciate it.

Unknown Speaker 59:24
Thanks for listening to the spiritual, spiritual Joe. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and on our website does spiritual joe.com

Transcribed by https://otter.ai