Duncan Trussell on: Being a Spiritual Omnivore, Whether Psychedelics Are a Bridge to the Divine, and How the Gates of Hell Are Locked From the Inside
This one gets weird. We talk about quantum expressions of the universe, Duncan’s interest in God, and how all of this relates to the creative process.
Duncan Trussell is an American actor and stand-up comic. And he doesn’t like being called a Buddhist comedian. It makes sense… that label unfairly pigeonholes him in two ways. First, because he’s a legit, successful, hilarious comedian, no matter what his spiritual leanings. Duncan has written and appeared in sketches for two seasons of Fuel TV's Stupidface, Showtime's La La Land, Comedy Central's Nick Swardson's Pretend Time, and both seasons of HBO's Funny or Die Presents. His television credits include MADtv and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
And when it comes to the spiritual stuff, he’s not just a Buddhist. This guy is spiritually omnivorous. And he knows his shit. He has practiced extensively. And on his podcast, The Duncan Trussell Family Hour, he interviews meditation teachers like Jack Kornfield and Sharon Salzberg. In fact, Netflix turned his pod into a cult favorite animated TV show, called The Midnight Gospel.
In this episode we talk about:
- Depression, anxiety, death, and Duncan’s interpretation of God
- How meditation helps him handle the insanity of Hollywood
- The Buddhist hell realms as psychological states
- Spirituality and psychedelics
- If having a contemplative practice can hurt our job, form of expression, or ambition
- Karmic and samsaric patterns – and enjoying your ego while you have one
- If we’re all capable of love
Related Episodes:
#603. Why Dwight from The Office (Rainn Wilson) Is Calling for a “Spiritual Revolution”
#489. Can You Really Conquer Hatred Through Love? | Father Gregory Boyle
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