Advertise on podcast: Opening Presence with Aaron Robinson

Alex Lee Schwartz and Deagan Maki are the husband-and-wife co-founders of Blue River Breathwork, located just outside Asheville, NC. I first met Alex earlier this year at Heart of Men: Men’s Prayer for Peace, and a few months later I returned for the Liberate Your Life Force men’s cohort with Thomas and the crew. Before the next immersion on Black Mountain, I stayed with Alex and Deagan for a night—and that time together laid the groundwork for this conversation. In this episode, we dive into breathwork, grief, and what it means to live an examined life. As my own journey unfolds, it’s the blossoming of connections like these that make me feel grounded, seen, and aligned with my purpose. Doing the work the world needs isn’t easy—some might even say it isn’t a choice. Yet here we are, listening, learning, and growing together.

Patrick Merle Sellin is a heart-centered healing artist specializing in psychosomatic therapy,  psycho spiritual guidance, he is also a Certified Facilitator and Senior Trainer in Breathwave Conscious Connected Breathing community. In this conversation we discuss the evolutionary relationship of Man as GOD, the journey of remembering towards wholeness and the powerful  self healing path of Breathwave. If you enjoy this episode, make sure to share it with a friend…

Peter Roman is a Wellness Professional, social justice advocate and community builder based in New York City.  In this conversation you’ll find us basking in the afterglow of Sacred brotherhood forged in the fire of our 5 day immersive retreat  in Asheville, NC- Men’s Prayer for Peace. Peter shares  challenges of his East Harlem upbringing, the strength and beauty of allowing ourselves to be witnessed in our healing process and what it really means to be a man.   If you enjoy this episode, make sure to share it with a friend.  

Thomas Doochin is the founder and lead facilitator for the Heart of Men.  A council of Brothers restoring the conditions for men to unlearn the distortions of a broken masculine paradigm. In this conversation we explore healing the wounded masculine, harnessing sexual energy for creation, and we reflect upon our 5 day immersive retreat in the mountains of Asheville, NC - Men’s Prayer for Peace.  If you enjoy this episode, make sure to share it with a friend.

Ramel Wallace is the Heart and Soul of Building Community in America’s Finest City, he’s also an artist and the Host of Creative Mornings San Diego.  In this conversation we explore the impact of social media and taking responsibility for message,  the importance of self reflection and the challenges we face when navigating our vulnerabilities in community.  If you enjoy this episode, make sure to share it with a friend.

Integration is often overlooked in practice. We chase peak transcendent experience without giving space and grace to our need to ground and allow this new information to settle in the body. One of the ways that we can do this without being heavily outcome oriented is through the use of PLAY.

Take responsibility. It is in your hands to heal the mind, body and soul. There is no time to look outside of oneself for the answers. This is your reminder to seek the wisdom which is searching for you.

We often search outside ourselves for answers, believing that once we get what we want, we’ll finally feel complete. But this is the great illusion of our species. True freedom begins when we realize that external circumstances don’t have to dictate our inner world. When we take full responsibility for our lives, we reclaim our power, align with our true nature, and create our own reality. This podcast is my practice—deep contemplation, radical self-inquiry, and the pursuit of harmony within myself and the world around me. But this isn’t just my journey—it’s ours. What’s on your mind? What do you want to explore? This is a conversation, not a monologue. Wherever you are, I want to hear your voice.

Ryan Williams is a Spiritual Teacher, Breathwork Practitioner and One of my closest friends. In this conversation we discuss the ever unfolding wisdom of the body, disrupting the pattern of co-dependency, and finding refuge in the Sangha. If you enjoy this episode, make sure to share it with a friend.  

My Purpose and deepest lesson on this Earth is to SERVE others from an Empowered and Abundant State of BEING.

Hello Beautiful Listeners, I know that I've been up and down with posting new episodes. A lot has changed in my life and I am in the process of adapting into new ways of being. Establishing new rituals, routines and deeper devotion. Thank you for your patience. I look forward to sharing more about this process, for now just checking in with where I'm at today.

CJ Thomas is an artist and marketing coach who helps people find their authentic voice and communicate from a place of grounded sincerity.  In this conversation we discuss everyone’s favorite topic manifestation, we also give a healthy critique of polyamory and CJ takes over as host of the podcast and asks her own pressing questions. If you enjoy this episode, make sure to share it with a friend!

LaVonte Barnett is a master of movement and the Founder of Tae Logic Fitness In this conversation we discuss his fitness philosophy, Tae breaks down the challenges that the average person faces when adopting a healthiery lifestyle and how we can stay motivated with our commitments by tracking our progress.  If you enjoy this episode, make sure to share it with a friend.

Allie Lyon is an Abstract Artist, yoga and meditation guide. In this conversation we discuss the therapeutic process of creative expression, subconscious healing benefits of yoga Nidra and how her experience with chronic migraines has awakened the ability to transform her pain into beauty,. If you enjoy this episode, make sure to share it with a friend.

 Malcom Hoover is a community organizer, educator and co-founder of Black Futures Farm. In this conversation we discuss the nature of EMPIRE and its inherent destruction of people. We also dive into the inner workings of community, creating cooperative systems and the wisdom of watching plants grow.  If you enjoy this episode, make sure to share it with a friend