Ep 101: Modern Spirituality with Ben Decker
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Ep 101: Modern Spirituality with Ben Decker
Episode 101: Show Notes
So this week I'm speaking with author, speaker and meditation thought leader, Mr. Ben Decker. Ben grew up as a member of the Church of the Latter-day Saints. He also began meditating and traveling the world on spiritual pilgrimages and mission trips. And then he decided to enter the priesthood as a teenager. But a battle with addiction and depression caused him to change his mind and search for a different type of career. He ended up doing a 180 by going to Los Angeles and becoming a publicist.
And after rising up through the ranks and becoming one of Hollywood's biggest publicists, particularly for Playboy Bunnies, Ben had a dear friend died by suicide, and he felt somewhat complicit in his friend's unhappiness and depression.
So he decided to leave his prolific career in PR, and he went back to his roots by starting his own field of study, which he called collaborative religion.
Then Ben helped to open a religiously pluralistic spiritual center in Venice Beach California called Full Circle, which is where he and I first crossed paths because I rented that space to help host one of my inspirational variety shows that I was doing at the time called The Shine. And Ben went on to become a prolific teacher and author of books on meditation.
He's now written four books. Most recently publishing Modern Spirituality: A Guide To The Heart of Mindfulness Meditation, and The Art of Healing, which became a best seller. And he's also the host of the Modern Spirituality Podcast.
And as always, we dive deep into the backstory of how Ben came to be the author and teacher that he is today. And what's notable about almost all of my episodes was that there was always a moment where the guests decided to take a big leap of faith in the direction of what they identified at the time as their purpose. Sometimes, they were motivated by curiosity, other times they were motivated by pain. Ben's case was more of the latter.
So if you're on the fence about making a switch in your path to something that feels more aligned with where you currently are, I think you're going to find this episode very inspiring.
Key Points From This Episode:
An overview of Ben’s story.
Where Ben and I first met.
The religion that Ben’s family is deeply involved with, and how this formed the foundation of the spirituality that he now practices.
Traditions that were an integral part of Ben’s upbringing.
One of the key factors that drove Ben to seek a community outside of the church.
What Ben’s idea of success was when he was in school.
Trauma that Ben suffered as a young child, and the mental health issues he struggled with later in life partly as a result of this.
Different jobs that Ben held from the age of 12, and what did with the money he made.
What drew Ben to L.A.
Ben’s experience working in PR, and the world of sex, drugs, and rock and roll that he fell into during this time in his life.
The turning point in Ben’s life that led him to leave the entertainment industry.
Challenges that Ben faced when he fully immersed himself in spiritual service, study, and practice.
How Ben’s career as a spiritual consultant evolved.
Ben shares the story of how he came to author his first book, Practical Meditation for Beginners.
The controversy that Ben’s book caused.
Ben explains the concept of modern spirituality, which one of his books and his podcast are named after.
Comparative religion versus collaborative religion.
The transition point that Ben is currently at in his life.
Tweetables:
“The combination of all of that internalized pain from the trauma, plus being in a culture that did not have a long term path for me, made it feel like my life didn't matter and me growing old didn't matter, and me getting married and having a family and building a long term life didn't matter. I think that's where the suicidal ideation really came from.” — Ben Decker [0:23:25]
“I was starting to get a glimpse of spiritual maturity by having to go through actual hard things and I did not see a clear path. I didn't see light at the end of the tunnel. All I knew was that I was in a tunnel and that there was a way to walk. I just hoped I was walking in the right direction.” — Ben Decker [0:50:44]
“Before I knew it, I had taught thousands of people to meditate. Before I knew it, I was teaching celebrities to meditate, before I knew it, I was leading meditations for Elon Musk and for major executives and major corporations.” — Ben Decker [0:54:17]
“Modern Spirituality is about direct experience of one's own higher nature, and it's a de-emphasis on the rituals or the studies that get you there. It's a re-emphasis on the experience itself.” — Ben Decker [01:03:01]
“In order to have a global perspective, we have to have a deep respect for other cultures. So just as we have to have interracial respect, we have to have intercultural respect, and just we have to have intercultural respect, we have to have interfaith respect.” — Ben Decker [01:03:27]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
The Modern Spirituality Podcast