Comedian & Podcaster, Jamie Kilstein joins Raghu to talk about honesty, vulnerability, f*cking up, atheism, suicide, psychedelics, and spirituality.
Jamie Kilstein is a comedian, writer, musician, fighter, and podcaster who hosts, A F*ckup’s Guide to Self-Help, where he talks culture, self-improvement, drugs, mental health, and being an outcast. He describes it as a magical journey of self-discovery, self-loathing, f*cking up, and learning from those f*ck ups. Jamie made his debut tv appearance on Conan and has been seen on MSNBC’s Up with Chris Hayes, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, Showtime, and BBC America. For more info visit JamieKilstein.com
Honesty & F*cking Up
Opening the podcast by being “that guest who quotes Ram Dass,” Jamie dives into how the incredible vulnerable honesty of Ram Dass left a deep impression on him, laying some of the groundwork for his current podcast, A F*ckup’s Guide to Self-Help, where he shares his humanity rawly and openly with the world. Agreeing that so much of our suffering comes from the stories we tell ourselves, Jamie and Raghu explore the difference between noticing one bad day, versus embodying a depressed self-belief.
“I think there’s certain things that can make you go from ‘I’m sad, I’m having a bad day,’ to ‘I’m depressed, I’m having a mental breakdown,’ and so much of that is the story we tell ourself.” – Jamie Kilstein
Learn to be strong enough to be vulnerable by applying honesty and loving kindness to our fears, on Ep. 87 of the Insight Hour
Atheism & Making the Turn (10:42)
Sharing his journey from growing up a teenager with a cosmic-spiritual longing, to becoming a snarky, ardent atheist around the time he started making major strides in his standup comedy career, Jamie offers a vulnerable story which marked a turning point inside of him to reignite his spiritual inquiry. After giving a roaring standup comedy routine at an atheism convention, he walked offstage full of adrenaline directly into a Trayvon Martin memorial which filled him with life-changing empathy and compassion.
“The moment the spirit of selflessness has begun to sparkle in the heart of a human, he or she shows in word or action, a nobility which no earthly power or wealth can give.” – Hazrat Inayat Khan
Explore “making the turn” with comedian and podcast guru, Duncan Trussell, on Ep. 297 of Mindrolling
Dark Night of the Soul (30:55)
Touching on the catalysts that pulled him to a conversation with Raghu, Jamie illuminates the dark shadows that 2020 cast upon him. From divorce, to moving, to another breakup, to issues with his mom’s health, and his cat passing away; Jamie was brought to the brink of either suicide or betterment, remarking, “I’m either going to end it, or come out of this a better version of myself.” This ‘dark night of the soul’ created the fertile soil for a life-changing mushroom trip leading him to Ram Dass’ teachings.
“There is a place that we can get to that we can see that transformation happens out of suffering.” – Raghu Markus
“If you’re kind and loving along the way, you can’t really f*cking go wrong.” – Jamie Kilstein
Listen to fellow comedian, Pete Holmes, talk with Raghu about Ram Dass, mushrooms, and honesty, on Ep. 363 of Mindrolling
Images via Jamie Kilstein