Paul Trammell
Author, Sailor, Podcaster
Dreams can't be caught unless they are chased, and eccentricity is but a symptom of brilliance.
I interview extraordinary people who forge their own path, make their own rules, and live outside the norms of society. Together, we can learn from each other. Remember, foolish people keep making the same mistakes, smart people learn from their mistakes and successes, and extraordinary people learn from the mistakes and successes of both themselves and of others. That is what Dream Chasers and Eccentrics is all about!
You can listen on Apple Podcasts here
or Spotify here
or go to Libsyn to search for a particular guest or episode here
You can support the show by subscribing at your preferred podcast outlet, leaving a rating or review, recommending the show on social media, or donating through Patreon or directly through PayPal.
You can also support the show by buying one of my books. Find them all here.
All books recommended on the show, and my own list of recommendations, can be found here.
If you like to read, sign up for my Substack and get a short story in your inbox on the first of every month, as well as occasional poetry and book reviews. It's free!
Ep. 128, Love, Truth, and Fulfillment, Eli Jaxon-Bear
A life long search for freedom took Eli Jaxon-Bear around the world and into many spiritual traditions from a Zen monastery in Japan to a Sufi circle in Marrakesh, among others. His search ended when he was drawn to India (1990) where he met his final teacher, Sri H.W.L Poonja, lovingly known as Papaji; a direct disciple of the renowned Indian Sage Ramana Maharshi.
Confirming Eli’s realization, his teacher sent him back into the world to share his unique psychological insights into the nature of egoic suffering in support of self-realization.
Eli infuses his teaching with his teacher’s living transmission of silence and peace. He presents a unique map of egoic identification as a vehicle for ruthless self-inquiry and final realization of true freedom. His life is dedicated to passing on the transmission of his teacher.
We talk about resisting the Vietnam war, going underground, living in a commune, growing marijuana, living in a shadow play, LSD, waking up and seeing the truth, psilocybin, facing his own death in an LSD trip, surrendering the ego, searching in India and finding a teacher, realization vs learning, theraputical use of psychadelics, meditation, hypnosis, seeking fulfillment, meeting an enlightened sufi, finding everything you really need, his books, and a lot more.
Ep. 127, A Ship Without Time
This week's episode is a short story by Paul Trammell, narrated by the author. A Ship Without Time is a short work of science fiction. If you like short stories, and would like to get a free one in your mailbox on the first of each month, sign up for Paul Trammell's Substack newsletter, for free (or donation) at paultrammell.substack.com.
Ep. 126, Mind-Body-Spirit Healing and Integration, Catia Batalha
Catia Batalha is a psychotherapist, spiritual teacher, author, and mystic, devoted to guiding souls on their journey of awakening, healing, and self-discovery. Moved by a deep reverence for the hidden wisdom that flows through all traditions, she has spent much of her life immersed in the holistic philosophies of the East and the psychological sciences of the West.
​
We talk about growing up in Portugal, discovering yoga, how our external realities reflect our internal realities, moving to New Zealand, traveling during Covid, elevating our frequencies, the importance of avoiding fear, yoga, tantra, changing our states of conscience, the deeper treasure of yoga, chakras, meditation, different meditation techniques, frequency, alcohol and how it lowers frequency, Vipasana, solitude, karma, and more. At the end, she performs a medicine song.
Ep. 125, UFO's, Libbie Grant, The Stars and their Light
Libbie Grant, who writes as Olivia Hawker, is a Washington-Post Best-selling author and a UFO enthusiast. She and I have both seen UFO's, and she wrote a historical fiction novel, "The Stars and their Light," about the Roswell incident in 1947.
We talk about UFO's, her book "The Stars and their Light," religion and how UFO sightings can affect our beliefs, biblical references to possible UFO's, the possibility of UFO's hiding in bodies of water, the Baltic Sea structure, my UFO sightings, other UFO sightings, Terrance McKenna, where here ideas come from, smoking weed, 3I/Atlas, and more.
Ep. 124, Danny Johnson, Stand-up Comedy
Danny Johnson’s hilarious, clean stand-up has entertained audiences in comedy clubs, corporate events, and churches nationwide for over 15 years. Danny's work as a stand-up comedian has been humbly compared to Jerry Seinfeld, Kevin James, and Jackie Gleason, blending his original material with his renowned facial expressions. Danny’s show is relatable, entertaining, and always evolving. Danny has starred in numerous TV commercials, Comedy Central’s Laugh Riots, Florida’s Funniest Comedian Top 10 Finalist, Winner-Carnival Cruise line Comedy Challenge, Finalist in Search for the One Christian Comedy contest, recently filmed his wildly popular Dry Bar Comedy Special (now available on Apple TV, Amazon, & Peacock), and has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Chris Rock, Damon Wayans, Bob Saget, Billy Gardell, Richard Lewis, Rickey Smiley, Norm McDonald and a variety of others.
We talk about becoming a professional comedian, what he enjoys about it, where jokes and routines come from, improvisation, hecklers, what makes a show go well, humor and what it all has in common, going on stage for the first time, what goes on backstage, drugs, drinking, sobriety, shows that don't work, mental health issues, social anxiety, auditioning, when things go wrong, and more.
Ep. 123, Author John David, The Bystander
John David is the author of the novel "The Bystander," which I read and loved. It's a thriller about a journalist who films an active-shooter incident and a "good samaritan" with a concealed weapon taking out the shooter. However, things are not what they seem.
We talk about writing fiction and nonfiction, writing about a real location, setting, the second amendment and concealed weapons, heros, his work in crisis management, school shootings, writing technique and routine, publishing, querying agents, plotting vs pantsing, art, books he reads, other authors, his other book, "How to Protect Your Reputation Online," his next book "The Pawn," and more.
Ep. 122, Author Libbie Grant, aka Olivia Hawker, The Ragged Edge of Night
Libbie Grant, who also write under the pan name Olivia Hawker, is a Washington Post best-selling author of historical fiction and literary fiction. I recently read her novel "The Ragged Edge of Night," which tells the story of a Franciscan Friar in Nazi Germany struggling to maintain his sense of morals and doing what he can to thwart the efforts of the Nazis. Libbie has written and published 46 books under various pen name and is one of my favorite modern authors.
We talk about the real-life story that inspired "The Ragged Edge of Night," the research that went into the book, how it relates to modern politics and the current rise of fascism in the USA, entering the dark side and how it leads to fascism, the value of being unpredictable, blind faith, religion, her book "The Prophet's Wife," Mormons, Joseph Smith, publishing, writing historical fiction, self-publishing vs traditional publishing, editing and marketing, her book about marketing writing "Gotta Read It," marketing tips for writers, Amazon and Facebook ads, how to generate word-of-mouth, how many days a week and hours a day she writes, short stories, artificial intelligence and how not to get replaced by it, and more.
Ep. 121, Intuitive Healing, Inna Segal
Inna Segal is a pioneer in the field of energy medicine and human consciousness. She is also the bestselling author of "The Secret Language of Your Body," which has been translated into 26 languages and has sold over a million copies worldwide.
We talk about her roots as a healer, clairvoyance, pain, anxiety, meditation, exercise, living consciously, intuitive healing, food choices, understanding what gets into our bodies, emotional wisdom and how to improve it, learning from other people's mistakes, narcissism, boundaries, her book "The Secret Language of Your Body," color, how there is always an opportunity to learn and grow, and more.
Ep. 120, Thom Barrett, Adventures and Insights: Finding Light in Uncertainty
Thom Barrett is an adventurer, cancer survivor, and the author of several books: "Living While Dying," "Chasing My Northern Lights." "Embracing the Cold," "The Strength of Surrender," and "Beyond the Blueprint." His stories of resilience, adventure, and self-discovery empower readers to navigate life’s adversities, cherish their experiences, and uncover the beauty in unexpected places.
We talk about ski mountaineering in the alps, hiking in Patagonia, hubris, accepting help, making friends while traveling, the value of being still in the wilderness, diving, places where people don't go, predecessor energy, preparing for death, kayaking in the arctic and antarctic, penguins, orcas, polar bears, Greenland, expedition cruises, embracing the cold, winter camping, nearly dying in an avalanche while helicopter skiing, dying on your own terms, and more.
Ep. 119, Lucid Dreams and Nightmares, Ian Wallace, Dreams and What they Mean
Ian Wallace is a dream psychologist who has also worked professionally as a North Sea oil-rig roughneck, mountain guide, session musician, fashion photographer, commercial pilot, military psychologist, relationship counsellor, child psychologist, celebrity psychologist and artificial intelligence inventor. His knowledge of dreams and his ability to articulate this is extraordinary.
We talk about dreams and what they mean, the conscious vs the subconscious, how dreams are the language of the unconscious, lucid dreams, how to deal with nightmares, how a bedroom should be set up to improve sleep, blue light, how alcohol affects sleep, the cycle of dreaming, how we create dreams, analogies between drams and waking life, characters in dreams, spirit, the liminal state, near death experiences, the meanings of various common dreams, recurring dreams, how our instinctive behavior affects our dreams, and more.
Ep. 118, WV Democrat Party Chair Mike Pushkin
Mike Pushkin is a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates and is the WV Democrat Party Chair. I've known Mike for a long time, and he is a good, honest man. He is also a musician, a former taxi driver, and a fellow sober person.
We talk about why elections matter, the top of the ticket vs the bottom of the ticket, substance-abuse issues, addiction and recovery, a day in the life of a delegate, representing the people, division of Americans, what we all have in common, the joy to be found in politics, driving a taxi, what one person can do to make a change in the world, SNAP, protests, the demolition of the White House's East Wing, social media, propaganda, white supremacist groups, communism, fascism, bombing boats in Venezuela, due process, keeping a standard of ethics in politics, coal mining, renewable energy, ICE, voter intimidation, authoritarian regimes and how the Trump administration is moving in this direction, the importance of everyone paying attention, empathy, music, and more.