SSP 031: Music For The Soul With Dani Gutierrez

Foreign.

Welcome to the State Shifters podcast, guys. Welcome back to another episode of the State Shifters podcast. I'm super excited about this one, as always, because I've connected with another one of my soul brothers here in Toronto. His name is Danny Gutierrez. And Danny and I have really connected over the last couple of months as we shared a lot of similarities in our travels and the paths we've taken. So it was really great to now sit down and have a conversation with Danny where we could talk about and record some of the things we've been going through, some of the insights, the breakthroughs we've had along this journey, and we dive into a lot of really cool and important topics, I believe. And Danny shares a lot of the insights he's had along his journey as he really pushes forward into a creative space where he's creating these powerful music that has impacted me in a really deep and meaningful way, which is why I'm excited to bring him on here and share him with you guys. So in this podcast, we're going to be talking a lot around our personal growth journey and what we've discovered along the way, and also how we've raised and started to tune into higher levels of awareness. For me, this is like shifting our energy into different areas, and as men, we talk a little bit about the masculine, feminine energy and finding that sweet balance, and we share a lot of the creative inspiration that comes through and we've reached these aligned, peaceful states. Also talk about some of the routines, habits, and rituals that we've implemented along the way that help us stay at our best and living from a place of peace, purpose, and passion. So I'm excited to dive into this one. I hope you enjoyed the episode and as always, give some love, share it with a friend, and leave a rating on itunes if you feel called. Thank you, guys. Enjoy. Danny Gutierrez, my man. How are you?

I'm doing well, brother. How are you doing?

I'm excellent. It's been good to get you here, mate, and have an actual conversation because we, you know, we've only connected, like, two, three weeks ago.

Crazy how quickly it's come about, man.

Yeah, man. And the minute I connect with someone and I, you know, feel straight away like you sense when someone's on a similar path because it's like the connection automatically goes, like, beneath the surface, and it's like a soul connection, right? You feel it when you have a conversation with someone.

For sure.

That's how it felt with you. And already the conversation we've been having, I'm like, we Got to do a podcast. We gotta just capture some of this stuff and share it. So it's been great.

Yeah, man.

To come out here and do this. We actually live down the road from Danny, literally two blocks down.

Yeah, yeah.

So this is very convenient.

Of course.

How are you, man?

I'm doing well, brother. I'm doing very well. Just had a good little weekend in New York City, which was nice. I went to go see Deepak Chopra, which was super incredible, just to witness his energy. And he just launched his new book, Metahuman, so with my roommate, and we had an incredible time just vibing out with the city, getting the energy from there. And obviously, meeting Deepak himself was. Was. Was incredible. And the wisdom he kind of brings to a stage, you know, the presence he has is incredible. And you kind of get. You kind of get lost when he talks because you're like, man, I just want to apply this to life right away.

Right.

So it was amazing. And, yeah, doing well, brother. Just enjoying, you know, the fresher October air. And transitioning from summer to fall is always a time for introspection and reflection for most of us. So, yeah, man, it's good, right?

And for people who are like, probably tune into my podcast or coming across this video, this audio, like, and they want to know more about you and, like, this path that you're on, you're obviously just going out to New York to, you know, what, view Deepak Chopper. Like, how does one come about being on that journey? Like, particularly yourself, because you're a young. You're a young male. You're from Ottawa or Mexico originally.

Yeah.

Like, man, when did this path, like, begin?

Yeah, so I've been very lucky throughout my childhood to have a family that's very supportive of spirituality and all that stuff. So my mother and aunt have always been kind of pushing me on the path of. And I wouldn't say enlightenment, but sort of more so into, like, the meditation, self reflection. Ever since I was a little kid. I remember when I was, I don't know, seven, eight, I would come home from school, my mom would just, you know, instead of doing homework, we just meditate for a bit. And she'd be like, okay, calm down. You know, breathe in, breathe out. And kind of, you know, like, before you start, you know, stressing about work or whatever, you had to do, work back in the day was nothing. People had to color a book or something. She would just sit me down and, you know, let's just breathe together and just, you know, be aware of your thoughts. And I Was like, okay, this is cool, but, like, I want to go play soccer now. I want to go, you know, run with my kid, one of my friends. But just through that, I think kind of helped subconsciously, you know, land that. That presence in my mind just to kind of reflect and slow down. And it wasn't until, I think, after university, when I. When I went to Australia, I just kind of decided to take a leap of faith, go for a year and backpack Australia, that I started meeting people that were really on that same quest, you know, like, kind of finding themselves. And I think I was 21 at the point where I finished university and met these people, and they sort of introduced me more to the power of, you know, of. Now, certain books, like Eckhart Tolle, Robin Sharma was a big inspiration as well. You started to kind of start reading these books, and then, you know, naturally you're like, okay, you start becoming aware of your thoughts, your feelings. Then one book goes to another. Then you sort of start attracting those people right when you kind of change your vibration, your frequency. And it wasn't until the past recent trips I've done. I leave every winter. I go travel for a bit. So it wasn't until the South American journey, which was two years ago, that I really kind of started feeling more connection with. With, you know, inner self and meditation. And obviously, you start journaling every day, and that just kind of, you know, goes more and more into that. And. And, yeah, so it's been a. It's been a good path. And so naturally, Deepak came into. I don't know, I read one of his books, the seven Spiritual Laws of Success, maybe two years ago. Great book, man. Great book. And then, you know, you just start reading more about him, and you realize, like, this guy is just super connected, right? So, yeah, man. That's how it goes, dude.

That's why. Yeah, I definitely resonated with, like, your story. And again, this is why I love podcasting, because, like, it's such an awesome way to, like, literally sit down and have a conversation with someone. And now I'm getting to know you on a deeper, even more of a. Yeah. And that's where, like. Like, your path here is very similar to, like, what I did back home, which was, like, going out and traveling. I came out to Canada. You did Australia. It's like you then notice, like, firsthand who you kind of bring into your life as you start to begin down a specific journey, as you start to raise your vibe, raise your frequency, start to meditate and do specific practices. The people and the experiences that come into your life like radically shift. For me, I was like, it's incredible. I went from a corporate job, like, you know, studying finance and accounting and then realizing, okay, this isn't, this isn't the vibe that I want. Like I was around people who just didn't want into the same stuff. And that's where, you know, when I traveled and like, like just fully pulled the plug on this life that I had in Perth and came out here, I'm meeting people like you. Like, I'm working in meditation studios, I'm meeting all these other amazing people and it's like incredible. That's the power of like when you start to work on yourself, like the people that come into your life start to, you know, mirror back what you're putting out.

Exactly.

And like, it's dope for is why I love these conversations. Like you're a young male like me. Initially, when I first began this path, I struggled to come across other lads who were perhaps as far down in their, their own journey, their own journey of self discovery. So it's great to be able to have this conversation with you and like vibe this out because I want more men to be able to open up to like sort of this kind of way of living.

Yeah.

Where like, you know, go to yoga class or go do some meditation and like not feel that, you know, like resistance to it because it is, it sometimes can feel like very female dominated.

Yes, definitely.

But like, man, this is like we're going to touch on the stuff you're creating. But like, as men, like, I feel like we have a really big responsibility here to like impact future generations through like being brave and courageous and like talking about like.

Yeah.

And tapping into that, that feminine energy that we have inside of us.

Right.

I feel like we've grown up in a society that's been mostly just, you know, male energy dominated. And you know, the society has told us, you know, men have to be strong and you know, like, carry that the team and like no emotions, you can't cry, all that sort of stuff you see in the movies. We're kind of shifting now towards, you know, being able to discover that, or not discover, but really tap into that feminine energy that we have and that helps us become way more balanced.

Right.

I mean, when you connect to that, to that, you know, softer side of us, it really helps you then, you know, start your creativity senses. It really helps you kind of, you know, get in touch with your emotions and, and I feel like I don't want to, you know, talk about all males. But, like, a lot of us, we.

We.

We trying to mask our emotions sometimes, and we're just like, no, it's okay. We push it aside and that just, you know, ends up building residual, you know, pain over time. And it just kind of like weighs you down until at one point you just gotta all let it out.

Right.

Yeah.

I remember two weeks ago, we went to do this amazing San Pedro ceremony, which is kind of like a. It's a cactus, basically, that grows in Latin America for those who don't know. And it's guided by some shamans, and it really kind of helps you connect with. With nature. It's like. It's a plant medicine. And one of the females that was there after we had kind of, you know, done a whole meditation and we connect with the group, she remember. I remember her saying that she was so proud and so admiring of the men who had, you know, taken that feminine energy and really helped, you know, create a safe space for the woman around them to kind of, you know, flourish and, you know, be females and just naturally not have to have this guard up all the time. Right. We embrace our femininity. And I remember when she talked, she told us that I felt such a strong love in my heart because, yeah, we had been working on that. And for us to kind of create a space for the females to just, you know, be about and create and. And love, I think that's super important, you know, And. And, yeah, it's. It's. It's something that. It's not easy sometimes, and it's definitely, you know, work in progress. And I don't think it'll ever finish, but it's nice to. It's nice to connect with that. With that, you know, different side of us. And, you know, it's. It's a balance, right?

It totally is. Because at the same time, we as men, we can't all Too far onto the. The feminine side.

No.

Because we do have a responsibility to play as you like men to be the ones who hold the fort, man. Like, you know what I mean? We can't crumble under the. The pressures of our emotions around our female counterparts.

Right. Like, yeah.

But then at the same time, I am now finding this, like, balance where, like, it's sometimes it's okay to go and sit in a meditation practice and feel some of the emotional pain that we're feeling instead of going out and, you know, running from it, which is what a lot of men tend to do. We don't. We don't at the end of the day, I feel like it's just like facing and embracing.

Yeah, it's exactly.

Whatever, whatever it is we're feeling. Like the theme for me over like the past, since San Pedro actually.

Yeah.

Has been like, just be okay with what I'm feeling.

Yeah.

You know, if I'm feeling down, like a lot of the times, like I get this resistance to what I'm feeling because I'm like, I don't want to be feeling like I should be feeling this way or I've done the inner work. I should feel so true. Happy or joyful or creative.

Yeah.

And it's in those moments, it's the resistance to what I'm feeling, which is what's blocking the emotion from passing through me. So true. Yeah. As men, that's, that's sort of like the. I feel like women are naturally very good at, you know, feeling what they need to feel. They'll cry, they'll go to yoga class. They're more in tune with their emotions than what we are. So that was like the work as men to be like, okay, to embrace and to embrace whatever the fuck it is we're feeling.

Yeah.

I mean like you, you yourself, you work like in a pretty like high stress environment. You're like around people all the time as well. Do you ever catch yourself in moments where you're like, you're just down? Like sometimes you don't even put a finger on it. You're just like, I'm. Today I'm anxious and in the dumps. Definitely in those moments, like, what are your, like what are you doing?

Yeah, I mean, I think we all go through those, but even this morning I kind of woke up and I had such a big weekend in New York City and you kind of come back and you're like, okay, now what?

Like, yeah, I think this morning too.

Yeah. When you're just.

Yeah.

Struggling, struggling with motor, like struggling to get up.

Exactly.

Right.

And, and you know, I think when you hold such a high standard of what you want to accomplish, you just always want more and more and more and more. And so you're never really going to be satisfied until you actually just take a step back and realize, like, man, what I'm doing is, you know, having an impact on X amount of people and, and just keep on going. And you know, it's, it's, it's those moments.

Yeah.

Like, like you said, it's. I work in a high stress environment. I, I mean, I serve at a cocktail bar in Toronto and it's just constantly dealing with a lot of ego as well. We got a lot of, you know, higher end people with, with quite a bit of money and so they spend and they want to be seen spending and so having to deal with that as well. You want to, you know, make them feel comfortable, but you also don't want them to kind of like walk all over you and kind of just like, you know, be upended by their, their abundance or wellness. But so that, you know, every time I come home from the bar, I feel like I just have to, I have to meditate, I just have to go in a quiet zone. Because you're dealing with so much, so many people and requests and oh, like my drink is this or my food is that. And sometimes you're just serving, serving, serving, serving. All these times that you need to take that step, that moment for yourself.

Right?

You need to serve yourself. So I, I just implemented this, this new routine where the first like hour, I mean I've been doing this for the last three, four years now, but it's, it's honestly been, been the best thing. I took it from Robin Sharma. So it's basically the first 20 minutes of your day. You do like a meditation, you kind of slow down. Um, the next 20 minutes, this is as soon as you wake up, right? The next 20 minutes I spend just moving. I'll stretch, I'll do some sort of, you know, burpees, jumping jacks just to kind of like activate the blood, you know, get the, get the energy flowing. And then the next 20 minutes, just reflection. So I'll write down. And today I woke up, I was feeling nauseous, I was feeling anxiety. You know, I, I maybe had said something to, to a friend and it didn't sit well. And now I'm just, you know, putting whatever thought you have in your mind and putting it on paper kind of is like a. Yeah, it's almost like a metaphor of just releasing that physically or, sorry, that, that feeling into the physical world and then, and it's on paper and now it's out of your mind. You know what I mean? So definitely reflection and meditation has been a huge part. I know you're a, you're a big meditator yourself and it's awesome to see people, more people now doing it as a regular thing.

Right.

Like as truly a daily part of their practice.

Right.

Because we're especially living in a city like Toronto. It's a fast paced city. It's a fast paced. And every time I go away, I go back Home to Ottawa or I go somewhere else. And I'm sure you feel the same way when you. When you leave, you. You're like, wow. Like, you feel so. And it takes a while to decompress. And then you kind of get into the zone, and then as soon as you come back, it's just like, go, go, go again, you know, and straight back into it. Straight back into it, man. You know, so.

Nah, man. You really, like, again, like, having routines and rituals in place that allow you to slow down and reflect.

Yeah.

Is, like, especially important in Busy City, for sure. Because otherwise I've noticed what you. What can actually happen, which actually happened to me not too long ago. Like, I had. I had all these routines and rituals down. And if you're not careful. This is a lesson that I've learned sort of on this journey that I've been on, was if you're not careful, your routines and rituals can turn into coping mechanisms.

That's true.

And that's what fucking happened to me, man. I was so rigid in my routines. I was like, okay, I gotta get up this time. I gotta meditate. I gotta go work out. I gotta do my journaling. I gotta do my, like, stretch that. What actually happened was I got caught up in the idea of I needed to get this stuff done that I was missing. What was underneath that needed to be looked at. So I ended up getting caught up in the, like, grind mentality. It was like a spiritual grind.

Yeah.

And you almost put, like, pressure on that.

I had so much pressure on my task itself.

Yeah, that's. That's totally right.

And if I missed a meditation or I missed a workout or I ate something bad, I was so hard on myself.

So true.

I was like, it took him. It took a moment. And I found myself in a rush.

Wow.

I'm in a rush to get the next thing. I need to get to work. I need to create more this. Gotta post that. I gotta meet this person. I was like, wait a second. Like, I'm not even practicing what I'm preaching here. You know what I mean? I wasn't in the moment.

Yeah.

And I was like. That was where, like, San Pedro was when the San Pedro ceremony came in and really helped me slow down. And I had a session with a good friend of mine who's a coach who helped me slow down. And look at the part that was within me that was causing this rush mentality. The part within me that was seeking love, acceptance, approval, which in my head was like, get more money. Get more things done. Get More of this. When in reality, there was a small part of me that needed to be seen, love, and accepted, and the minute I gave it that I no longer needed to get more shit done out there.

Yeah.

There was no more rush. I was like, okay, I can slow down and, like, appreciate each step, because I'm not. I'm not thinking that my happiness is in some future event.

Yeah. Yeah.

So the theme of that was the practices can quickly turn into a coping mechanism.

Yes.

You're not fully aware of, like, what. What it is that you're feeling in the body and what it is that you think you need to get done to cover up a feeling of lack.

Yeah.

I mean, like, constantly checking in. If you feel like there's some future event or some thing in the future that's gonna give you more abundance than what you have now.

Mmm.

You're caught in the grind.

That's true.

So, like, a lot of it is that in Toronto, it's the corporate grind and everyone's fucking hustling, trying to attain more, get more step. And really, if they slow down and looked within, there's something within them that's asking to be seen. Maybe it's an inner child.

Yeah.

That.

Yeah.

Experienced some form of emotional trauma and its coping mechanism is to seek acceptance and love and validation out there.

Yeah.

When in reality you can only give it to yourself on the inside.

So true.

Sounds like a really big, like.

Yeah.

Perspective. Like it was a realization. It was an insight that I had. So it's like, so I love this fucking podcast, man. It's like, talk about this stuff.

Yeah.

With some of the one on one people I've been working with.

Yeah.

And the more you talk about, like, the insights and breakthroughs you have, the more I find it, like, you integrate it. Like you do the journaling. The journaling is great. And then the more you talk about it, it integrates. It's so true.

Yeah.

It's like a muscle.

Right.

The more you practice it.

Tell me, like, over the last week or two weeks or month, what are some things or like, insights or breakthroughs that you've had that maybe you want to talk about? Because when you talk about it again, it's like your mind's able to, like, process it and embody it.

Yeah, definitely.

Because it's just reminders, man. We know. We know this stuff.

Exactly.

We have to remind ourselves.

It's so true.

Yeah.

I love that you brought that up. Because just this past, this past week, not this one, but the one before I actually went to Niagara Falls. And I. And I did some mushrooms with a really good friend of mine, and this person is very well connected, and this has kind of been, you know, helping me on my path and vice versa. And she just gave me some really good advice, like, reminders that, you know, I. Like you said, we're so hard on ourselves. And I remember I just started crying and I was with her, and we were just talking about. She was like, man, I can't believe you're doing this and this. And, you know, you're inspiring so many people. And, like. But I didn't really feel that. I felt like I still had so much more work I had to do. And she's like, you need to stop being so hard on yourself. You know, you need to stop looking at what you don't have and really look at what you already have accomplished and who you've impacted and all the abundance that's come through you, through your impact, your impact on people. And it was just like, like, it clicked right away. And I was like, you're so right. Because my roommate and I were so, so hard on ourselves. Like, we're always. I know you are too, man. And it's. And it's that drive to, you know, be better, but at the same time, you really need to work on, you know, accepting that you are doing your best and. And you are more than enough for anybody, for everyone. Right? So one of the biggest breakthroughs are kind of like reminders is, yeah, like, we. We. Why are we so hard on ourselves? Like, at the end of the day, when everything's kind of gone, what. What are the moments that we're going to remember? Is it going to be us, you know, never feeling satisfied because we're always so hard on ourselves. And I could have done better or, you know, reflecting be like, you know, what? I have done, like, the best that I can, and, and what I've. What I've done has made such an impact. And that's. That's as much as I can do. And that's. That's. That's. That's love. That's amazing, right? So not being so hard on ourselves is. Is a crucial one because let's say you wake up, like, half an hour late and you're supposed to go to that, like, power class or gym class or whatever. Right away you start off on a back foot. You know, you're like, damn, I woke up late.

Like, now I gotta. I understand. Think I'm a loser.

Exactly.

I'm a degenerate. I missed my. Yeah. You know, that's what my, my dialogue says.

Exactly. And then, and then everything you, then your vibration is lower and then you attract lower, lower vibrational things during your day. And then it's just, it's a, it's a chain reaction.

Right.

Another one of the, the big breakthroughs too in the last year, I'd say like few months was we're always looking at things through, through a different lens, through like the human lens. You know, we have a specific kind of limitation that we, we have based on this body, right? Like we're experiencing life through this body and we have to accept that in some cases, right? Like you can't go and lift up a car physically. You can't, you know, jump off a 20 foot, 20 story ceiling and you know, live. But that is not our true essence, right? Like, so we put limitations based on our cognitive skills, emotional skills, and we kind of, you know, based on our upbringing as well. Like I didn't go to university, so I can't get this job or you know, I'm not a good musician, so I can't be a rock star. Something like whatever you would kind of put our limitations on. Yeah. And I just, you know, through some books and meditations you start realizing that that is just the essence of the human body that we're in. But it's not our true, true, true essence, right? Like who we are as, as souls, as spirits, as whatever you want to call it energies. It knows no boundaries, right? It knows no limitations. It can achieve whatever it wants to achieve as long as you kind of connect with that essence and you know, follow your actions with that, with that soul, with that energy, right? And so sometimes, you know, we say like we look at a time period, let's say like 1 month to 3 months or 6 month goal or 12 month goal and you put like goals, right? And you say like you set like realistic goals. But like what are realistic goals? You know what I mean? Like those are just goals that you've put a limitation on yourself, right? Like let's say you're making 60k a year and you want to make 80k by next year. It's like why don't you go aim for like I don't know, 250 or like, or why don't, why aren't we, why are we putting limits on ourselves based on our current situations? Because those limits are going to act as limitations. Like if you're only striving for that much, you're probably only that much, you know. And so for me, like I. I'm an inspiring producer and dj and I want to travel playing music, and I want to create festivals and stuff for wellness and music. But I'm looking at my like, you know, six month, 12 month goals and I'm putting limitations. I'm like, okay, I want to, you know, have a few gigs here. If you like, why don't I. Why am I not dreaming bigger? Why am I not, you know what I mean? Why am I placing this, like, limiting belief that, you know, I just started and I'm just getting into it, why can't I just like, skyrocket up to the top? You know what I mean?

Yeah.

Like, but that's for any person, you know, obviously you have to. You can't just be like, okay, I'm gonna go to Mars next year. Like, it's got to be like, you know, or maybe you can, I don't know. But that's another thing. It's like, why when I'm setting goals or when we're, when we want to, like, attract something, we still create like.

A limitation, you know, Constraints.

Right? Yeah.

Yeah.

I just, I find it so fascinating how it's like, okay, what wild. Write your wildest dream and people still like, put a, put a limitation on themselves, you know, and so that's when I'm kind of, you know, going through along with my roommate who wants to be, you know, an actor and a global ambassador for everything. It's like, why are we being asked to, you know, develop this, like, mindset or this mind frame of, you know, continuing and achieving what we want, but we're still putting a cap on, like, what we want to achieve?

Dude, there's a book. Have you heard of the book Magic of Thinking Big?

I've heard of it, but I haven't read it.

It's a good read.

Yeah.

Okay.

It's based off that.

Okay.

Talks about that. It's like how, like, just the simple act of thinking bigger is so powerful. You just know that, man. It's like, yeah. Why. Why do we think in these, like, limited confines, like, in terms of what we can create.

Yeah.

I want to like, go back to like, what you're trying to create because I'm, I'm really, I'm really like, excited by what's coming through you, man. Like what's emerging and then your, your art form in, in the form of your music and you know, the impact that that's gonna have on the world is like, it's super exciting. So maybe.

Thanks, man.

Dude. Share more around, like, how you Got into music and like, what it is that you're creating through your music.

Yeah, thanks, brother. I really appreciate it. I mean, yeah, I've been listening to, to electronic, like house music since I was a little kid. My older brothers would always put on the radio and I was, I don't know, five, six years old. So for me, house music and electronic has always been at the forefront of what I listen to. And it wasn't until a couple years ago, well, I had been DJing when I was a kid, like 15 to 23, like, just like at parties and you know, like, just doing it for like, fun, you know.

Yeah.

And I remember I would stay up late with my, with my homies and we would just like, we would start spinning at like, you know, 7:00pm and go all the way until like 9:00am like, it was just something that, you know, when you're in the moment, you get lost. It's just something you love. And we would always, like, picture ourselves in front of thousands of people and like, we knew our music, we know our stuff. So it wasn't until a couple years ago when I was in my travels that I was like, why don't I actually, you know, start putting this into action and like, start, you know, calling myself and actually thinking of myself as like a creator in terms of music and DJing and everything. So, um, just recently, this past year, I've started kind of branding that more as myself into the Toronto scene because I was more. So I did a lot of modeling and I was bartending. So that was kind of like the thing people knew me as. And I was like, no, if I want to start, you know, attracting this sort of new lifestyle, I have to now kind of like, put myself out there in a new kind of image. I guess I don't want to classify myself as anything because that limits myself, but, you know, kind of throwing it out there more that I'm, instead of being just like a bar, I'm now a producer and I'm now this.

Right.

And like, just putting that.

Yeah.

And so I started learning how to produce and like three, four months, I, I, I naturally, I think just because I've listened to so much music, it just kind of came naturally for me to just plug, you know, all the instruments in and just kind of make a rhythm. And I'm, I'm so, I'm more focused on, instead of just creating music that, you know, is just like something to move to, I want to have a message through each one of my songs. And that message is encompasses you know, human connection, you know, talking to the voices inside you, connecting with the energies around you through different sounds. I like to use a lot of organic instruments. Steel drum, the flute. I'm from Mexico, so for me, like, the flute and, like, the jungle sounds just resonate so much with me. And I feel like a lot of people get that same kind of energy. And so what I want to do is I want to kind of create music that. That goes beyond just listening and kind of touches that, like, that inner soul, that essence that we have.

You know what I mean?

And so that's one of the. One of the. The. The things I've been working on. Another thing I want to create is, you know, like, festivals or events where we can combine several elements along with music to kind of create a whole human experience. So things like meditation, I want to kind of start events around the world, and this is why I need to dream big. That, you know, focus on.

On.

On mindfulness through meditation, through movement, yoga, you know, different workshops. Obviously, they're gonna all gonna be outside, and the main part would be music. Right? So you kind of have that organic, like, deep house sound, and that's the kind of environment I want to. I want to be in. I want to be with people that want to work on themselves and connect with themselves and the other people through music, through, you know, movement and. And all that connection with nature. So it's been awesome because since I've been starting to, you know, label myself as that and attracting, I've met so many amazing people. Some of us were mutual friends and including yourself, man, who, you know, I would love to have you as one of my. The people that guide the meditations at the beginning of the ceremonies. Right. So. And I'm also looking to start a podcast, and it'll be about, you know, meditation at the first, you know, ten minutes of the. Of the mix, and then it'll slowly transition into, like, a deep house mix as well, but just kind of create things differently that kind of, you know, incorporate more mindfulness and music together, you know, so.

Dude. And for people who are listening, like, where can they go and access some of your music so they can get a taste of, like, this vibe that you're speaking? Yeah, I love it, man. It's just like. It's the type of music that, like you said, it brings the soul out, man. Yeah, it really just like, opens you up and allows you to really, like, slip into, like, a real. A real flow. Yeah, music is a flow, Right?

For sure.

Beginning and end. No, it was like, if there was. If music was a race, it would defeat the whole purpose.

Exactly.

It's just complete flow. And when you, like, sync up with, like, the flow of a journey that, like, a DJ like yourself is taking you on, it's like, becomes, like, transformational, man.

Yeah, brother.

Where can people, like, access your stuff?

Yeah, so I have several outlets. They can go to my SoundCloud. So it's SoundCloud. Danny Sounds. Yeah, D A N I Sounds. They can check out my Instagram. I post a lot of mixes as well on that, and I'm just waiting on a few more tracks to be finished. And I'll open up my Spotify because I want to kind of have. I want to have a good collection of tracks before I kind of start uploading on Spotify. But, yeah, SoundCloud is probably the only one right now. And Instagram, I kind of connect both of them. So that's. That's basically it, man. I'm. I'm working on a lot of things right now, so I just want to have a good basis of. Of foundational tracks that I can then post them on, on. On. On Spotify. So it's coming in the next little bit, man.

Yeah, yeah.

Should be good, man.

What's happening here? Yeah, and like, the art of creation, which is something that, like, we're all creators at the end of the day, I. I feel and I believe, but I've noticed creation comes through me and the times when I'm in a state of alignment. And for me, alignment, meaning everything is balanced. And, you know, that's one of the reasons why we do all these practices like meditation and yoga, and generally, it's like, it's. It's allowing us to process things that need to be processed internally to allow us to come back to this state of balance where we're connected, we're in the flow of life, and from that place, we're able to create freely.

Yes.

And I've really become attuned to the times where I'm in. I'm in flow, and I'm in the. In the times where I'm out of it and I'm not in alignment.

Yeah.

And I work. I really, truly believe, like, you can distill life down into a very. Into its simplest, simplest form, which is just to stay in alignment as much as you can. And when you're not in alignment, it's like, that's your work there. It is like, bang. If you're not in alignment, it's like the body telling you, slow down. There's something that needs to be looked at and processed.

Yeah.

Because you can't create from a place of stress.

No.

From a place of anxiety and definitely not fear and worry. So, like, as an artist, like, as a musician now, like, you must know when you're in these creative zones, this is where the best work comes in. For me, for anyone, like, whatever it is that you create with. Or maybe people haven't discovered their creative art yet, but I know it comes through when you're in alignment.

Definitely.

Maybe that's the first step.

That's true.

Because I used to be an accountant and there's no creativity there. So I had to rediscover something. How, like, what do you do to optimize the times? And you're in that creative zone? Music. Music wise. Because I feel like it'd be, you know.

Yeah.

It's kind of. It's not as if you can just.

Like, just kind of like start out, turn on your computer and just start.

Creating ritual around it.

Yeah.

I think. I think it all just kind of just depends on the workflow of the week or where you're feeling. And there's definitely been times where I'm like, all right, I'm gonna. I set a time to, you know, like 1 to 10pm I'm gonna spend nine hours just producing a new track. And I start and like five hours go by and I still haven't even, you know, done the kick or the bass. And I'm like, why am I not flowing right now? You know, like, why. And there's. Because I'm stressed about, you know, something back home or financial or whatever.

It.

I think really creating when you're. When you're doing. Whether in any sort of art, Right. Music, you know, actually art, painting, whatever. I think finding that. That time in that space to kind of connect with yourself, I think meditation and maybe some people flow with yoga as well. Some people like to, you know, go out and walk in nature, whatever. Like your flow. Your kind of flow creation process is. I think it's super important to. To set some time for you to kind of like, go in and find the inspiration from yourself, from that true, like, essence, communicating with it and then seeing, okay, how is this workflow gonna now come from my mind into the physical world?

Right.

So for me, it's definitely. I don't think I can create if I haven't done, like, my ritual kind of thing where I meditate. I will actually listen to a few of my favorite songs, my favorite artists before. And I want to like, pick up a few notes and sounds from them and kind of try to not recreate, but, like, have my own spin on that. You know what I mean? So for me, it's listening to other artists, you know? And I'll just, like, zone in for half an hour, and I'll, like, I'll choose. Okay, do I want to make it more spiritual, this track, or do I want to make it more clubby? And then from that kind of, like, filter, I'll then choose specific artists that have that sound, and then I'll listen to them as I'm meditating and, like, focus. I want to create, recreate that, like, that bell sound or that specific jungle sound or whatever it is. And then I'll start getting inspiration, and then I'll plug in my computer, and then that's when it's like, flow is coming through me.

You know what I mean?

I'll make sure I have no distractions, turn off my phone. I'll make sure I got my candles, my incense, like, everything's ready, and I'm in the zone. And then I'm just like, I can't wait to start creating the next track. You know what I mean?

It's so funny. I'm, like, joining the dots for. With my creation process, because mine is, like, when I post a piece of content on social media.

Yeah.

I will read, like, a spiritual book or something before I create. Like, for me, like, starts the momentum of, like, the creative process. And when I read something that, like, resonates with me, then I would like to, like, put my own spin on the message that I've taken from the book.

Yeah.

So I realized how important reading or, like, picking up or for you, it's listening to something to start to get you in that zone of, like, wanting to create.

Exactly.

It's the same. It's the same thing as I'm getting, like, starting to get the creative juices flowing for sure. And then once. Yeah, once it's starting to come through you, it's like, I feel like we all have access to it. And, like, it's like once we start to stimulate the creativity, it's like. I feel like it grows. It's like a muscle. Creativity is like a muscle. The more we tune into it and use it, that the more easier and, like, abundantly it, like, flows through us.

Definitely.

So, like, whatever it is that starts to trigger that, for. For me, it was like reading. Reading a book. For you, it's like listening to music that starts to light you up. It's like beginning that process.

Yeah, that's exactly it.

Yeah, I like, man, I like that. And then having a ritual with the, you know, setting up a space where you can really go in deep, I'm finding that is a challenge. Being in the city, it is having a space where you can, like, sit without your phone buzzing off, and it's just, like, going in.

It's crazy. We live in a time now where literally, if somebody doesn't text you back in five minutes, you're like, what the hell? What, are you ignoring me? Or like, it's insane, man. And some of the great books authors that we read, they're like, they. They mention you have to have a space where you're just by yourself. You just need to be secluded. And that's it. That's where you create because it's just your energy and that's it.

Right?

So that's why a lot of artists go in the woods for, like, months and just create music or, you know, paint or. You know what I mean?

100.

So, yeah, man. It's super important to do that.

Oh, yeah, yeah, that's for me. I remember back home in Australia, like, my. My most creative times, where it was just me at the beach watching a sunset, and, like, literally all my guidance in life up until I left was coming from that place. I found whenever I pulled the plug on, like, you know, whatever was going on in my normal life and just sit at a beach and watch a sunset. I connected with my intuition during those times when I received guidance on next steps. I actually think in the city, like, we're so distracted and busy that we're disconnected from, like, our intuition. It's actually always guiding us to the next step. We just. We can't hear it because there's so much, like, noise.

So much noise.

So, like, again, that's been another lesson that I've kind of taken over the last month, which is, like, slowing down again to allow things to process internally but also connect back with the intuitive guidance. Of course, it's always there, you know, like, there's a. There's just like, a feeling in the body. It's like a knowing. It's like, for me, my next. My next one is moving back home to Australia. Like, I'm in the process of, like, a big. A big new chapter beginning in my life. And now it's like, for a little while there, I wasn't sure. I was like, oh, do I want to stay? Like, when I want to book my flight? Like, I wasn't sure. Yeah, mine was, like, getting in the way now it's just like, I just have this knowing of, like, okay, this is the next step. I don't know, like, what's beyond that, but all I know is that this is the next step.

True, true.

And that's, like, one of the biggest lessons I'm taking from that. It's like, we don't need to know the hat. Like, what are we gonna do when we go here? What's the future? How are we gonna create that? Like, just know what the next step is.

Sure.

The body is telling us that all the time, man. Slowing down. Yeah. And having a space.

How do you. How do you go about doing that?

So for me. For me, Meditation. Yeah, it's been.

It.

Like, I just ramped up my meditation.

Yeah. Yeah.

How long do you go for?

Two hours a day.

Really?

Yeah.

Like, straight in the morning and then an hour in the evening. Because that's the. That's the time. That's the really sacred time.

Yeah.

And in the city, it's like, okay, I don't have the beach in the city. You know, there is nature here, but, like, it's still noisy out there, still distractions. So it's like, it doesn't compare to Australia. But I found the meditation time was like. It allowed me to slow down enough to start to hear. Hear the voice again.

Do you meditate in silence or do you have, like, a guide?

Yes, I was. I'll do like a vipassana practice, which is like, literally, silence. Close my eyes and just allowing things to process. A lot of it is mental noise for the last. The first little while. But as that starts to subside, you tune into the. A lot of the mental noise is coming from emotions that are in the body that need to be looked at and processed. So once you sit there for long enough, you're actually able to get past the mental noise, which is where most people stop.

Yeah.

They get discouraged because it's just their mind is too noisy. I'm not good at meditation, so they stop. Once you get past that, the real work begins. Because that's when you're down here moving and processing things in here. Once all that processes, then it's like silence and it's stillness and it's like guidance.

Yeah.

So for me, it was like, the longer you sit in that place, the more guidance you're going to receive. So when you go back out into your regular life, it's like you're so tuned into this. It's just like there's just like this feeling now. It's like annoying. Does that expand me, does that contract me? Like, and you just follow that. And it's not, it's not easy to stay in that place. But for me that's, that's the work. Yeah, that's where it's at. I want to try and stay there as much as I can.

Yeah.

In that flow state, what throws you out of it? I think the, the need to continue to, to, to create and like be, be busy. Like you know, in my meditation. I'll be okay. Well it's this time so I need to actually go train now and then after that I have to go start, you know, maybe looking at the next mix I want to upload something or I feel like it's just the need to always just be producing stuff, content. So for me it's like. But then it's, it's a, it's a, like a vicious spiral because you want to create more. But then when you're trying to create, you can't because you're not in flow, you haven't been inspired. So it's like, you know, you're trying to cut time on the meditation to then put more work. But then that work is actually not effective because you're not in tune with yourself. So then you're upset that you didn't put more time in the meditation and then, you know what I mean? So it's just like, yeah, it's. I think that's what throws me off the most. Especially if I wake up a bit late because I do have late nights at the bar. So I'll get home, let's say 3:34 sometimes. Right. So like naturally. I mean I also believe that you need to sleep as well. Like I have a lot of friends that are like, no, I only run out like three, four hours of sleep. I'm like, that's not, that's not good. Like you need sleep. Sleep is a long term medicine that will help us stay, you know, live longer and cognitively wise. It's amazing for the brain. So I need to get my sleep. So I wake up, you know, 10:30, 11, and that's like pretty late for a lot of people, right? But I need, that's just like so. But then I have my, my whole day is free, right? Like I don't go to work at 8 or 9am Like a lot of people do. So my whole day is then like from like 10 to let's say 5 until I work again. So yeah, it's, it's tough because I want to, you know, Cram all this, like, productivity. I want to go to the gym, I want to meditate, train, journal yoga, exercise, and then produce music or mix before I go to work at 5. It's like, it's such a lot of things to do at once. So I think that's what kind of throws me off sometimes is like doing all these things, you know, before going into work. But at the same time you have to, you have to realize that like, maybe sometimes you see to sacrifice a bit of time for. For things you want to pursue.

Right.

The thing is like that I like, I want to like pose this question to you because I call like the term leap of faith, the term where, you know, we know what we should be doing, you know, into our heart should be doing. But we still have to. Our mind justifies why we need to do other things, like why we need to go like work another job we don't want to be at or why we need to hang out with these people we don't hang out with. The mind creates these justifications, but in reality, the heart's always telling you what you should do.

Yeah.

I get the sense your next leap of faith is like going all in on like the creation process.

Definitely.

And thinking about like, what would it look like if you're doing this full time?

Yeah.

And I get the sense there's so many people out there in a very similar position. Like that was position I was in my corporate job. I was like, I just want to leave my job and be full time, you know, working with, you know, meditation or working with people who are on the same path as me. But my mind created all these justifications why I couldn't leave.

Yeah.

Getting good pay. I got good benefits here. What if my parents gonna judge me? All these reasons.

Yes, yes.

But my heart knew so many people I feel like are in that space. They have a side hustle, they have a passion project, but they're like, they're just there. You haven't gone all in yet.

Exactly.

Yeah.

What's, what's. Where are you at on that journey? And like, maybe you want to express like.

Yeah, definitely. I. I had actually thought of that last year before I went away for the whole winter. And I was like, when I come back, that's it. I'm not going to go back to the bar. And you know, just because it's such easy money, good money. And so I was like, no, that's it. I'm not going to work there. And then naturally I did. I ended up coming back. And so I was like, okay, that's it. If I'm going to say I'm going to do something, I have to actually take that leap of faith. So I'm at the stage now where I'm starting to really see the results of the work I've been putting in. But I know I can exponentially grow if I actually take all day, you know, all the time to do it.

Yeah.

So I'm at the stage now where I am trying to naturally integrate more time into the music. So I'm starting to take less shifts at work and focusing more time on. On music. And I will be. I'm leaving in the winter as well. I'm going to Tulum in Mexico City to fully, fully, fully, fully work on that. So I am just saving up a bit more money until Christmas. And then once that's over, I am. That's it. I'm fully charged transitioning into the music because that's just how it has to be, man. You know, So I want to go to the beach and just bring my instruments and just perform, produce all day, every day and just kind of really get into that flow. And I think from there, so much more. So many more opportunities are going to come about and you know what I mean? It's like once you let go of something that's taking up so much in space inside you, you can't attract more things because there's things that are.

You're carrying. Yeah. Even though the other thing might be an 8. 8 out of 10.

Yeah.

Once you let go of that, you step into whatever it is that brings you a 10 out of 10. It's like all new creative processes. It's crazy because you've let go of anything else.

Yeah.

That's not serving you to your highest.

Definitely, man.

Yeah.

Exciting.

Yeah, man. So it should be really exciting to kind of like, leave it and just kind of go for it and who knows who you all meet in. In Mexico and. Yeah, it's gonna be awesome, brother.

Yeah.

You're definitely gonna have to come visit me.

100. 100, man. And it's is not going to be the last time that we share some content or connect or, like, put stuff out into the world.

Yeah, definitely.

Before we wrap this up, I wanted, like, the. The idea that came through me with, you know, these podcasts that I'm doing when I started doing more of them is like, I want to jump on an Instagram live together before we release this or when we release it, so that we. Our communities can kind of overlap.

Yeah.

Because I really want people to be able to follow along with, like, amazing creators like you who are, like, coming up, we're on a similar journey. Creates a space for other people to step into their greatness.

Definitely.

Yeah.

This is it, man. I've really enjoyed, like, this conversation, brother.

Yeah, I know.

It's been amazing. Thank you for, for coming over, for having me and on this podcast, I mean, for me, it's, it's awesome to see people like myself that are on the same journey and, and, and since I, like, like you said, since we met, it's just been on this such high frequency and, and man, I, I, I admire what you're doing, and it's amazing to be part of that creative space where, you know, we're starting to just create what we want, right? And we, we literally saying, like, let's just create. Let's just create whatever it is, just put it out there, right? And that's it. Like, you just, that's one of the lessons, like, instead of having everything perfect and it has to be this way, it's just like, put it out there, you know, because the more you put it out, the more, like, the more you up it, the more you'll actually hit, hit it on the head, right? And then that's when you're gonna, you.

Grow the creative muscle, like, man.

Yeah.

Momentum.

Yeah. Yeah.

So other people benefit from, from seeing.

Yeah, that's like, I think that's the biggest impact is people are like, thank you for that. Thank you for this. Like, that was amazing.

Yeah.

You know, and then even though in our heads we might be like, ah, that wasn't the best.

Exactly.

Yeah.

No, for them it could be amazing, right? Or that we get feedback and then we make it better.

Right?

So, yeah, man, thank you so much, man.

Thank you.

You're a brother.

Yeah.

I can't wait for the next time, brother. Love you, man. Yeah, love you too, brother.

Soon.

Cheers, guys.

Thanks for joining me on this episode, Stay Shifted podcast. We've got plenty of more episodes to come, so please, if you haven't already subscribed on itunes, and if you want to dive into more of some of Danny's stuff, I'm going to link up his SoundCloud on the description in the itunes podcast section along with his social media stuff. And yeah, definitely, as always, if you feel called to reach out, if you want to connect or vibe out, some of the stuff we spoke about in this episode, definitely hit me up. That's eight shifters on Instagram. Or if you prefer to reach out via email. It's jordanate-shifters.com Take care, guys. Sa.