Podcasts by Zen and the Martial Arts of Life
Zen and the Martial Arts of Life.
A podcast where a kung-fu warrior poet, a gentle giant computer geek, and a semi-feral artist sit down and discuss how we got through the week and plan on taking over the world.... later.
Further podcasts by Harrison O'Neill
Podcast on the topic Fitness
All episodes
Eggs and War: a throwback episode from 2023-10-31T10:29:53
Back to editing after almost a year...this is an older episode from last January. Enjoy :)
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The Holiday New Year Special! from 2022-12-29T12:27:56
We've made it through another year! In this episode, we talk about last year's events and the upcoming year, when one of us is going on quite an adventure! I actually edited this one to be listened...
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Darning Socks In The Apocalypse from 2022-12-06T20:25:35
In this episode, we discuss basic planning for an apocalypse and what we can do after to survive... like knowing basic things, like darning...
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The Oddly Quiet Springtime Podcast from 2022-09-04T10:14:50
In this episode the birds are making more noise than we were. Its a rather quiet podcast with not much to say this time, except that the quiet is making us feel uneasy...
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Triage in Charge from 2022-05-02T15:47:17
In this episode we mostly talk about what's going on in Ukraine, and how we have to view the world going crazy as Triage: What we can do, what we can't do, and what we can try to fix. James also ta...
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Season 3 Episode 1: Its the End of The World As We Know It, And We Feel Fine from 2022-03-19T08:17:59
In this episode we talk about Russia's invasion of Ukraine and how we do little things at home to cope with the craziness of the world. We also touch on death, gardening, and go bags. --- This ...
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New Year 2022... Nobody. Touch. Anything.... 😁 from 2022-02-06T20:06:54
In this episode we discuss what we will do for camping this year; the difference between Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age technology; and why Midieval blacksmiths were considered Saints.....so, ...
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We Are Certainly Certain That We're Not Certain, But We Are Resilient!...AKA The Christmas Episode🎄 from 2022-01-23T16:02:54
In this week's episode we talk of our plans for Christmas (yes, I am still catching up with the editing 😉) with the uncertainty of Omicron lockdown looming over us like the Ghost of Christmas Futu...
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We're Not Dead Yet!..... discuss..... from 2022-01-23T13:25:20
Catching up on editing, this episode is from December, when we were getting concerned about the Omicron variant and what was going to happen.... Or not.... We discuss how wearing masks has made us ...
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To want - not wanting, and to know - not knowing. from 2022-01-05T20:57:26
This episode we enjoy a low - tech outdoor fire while discussing high technology, Moore's Law, what purpose our lives will have if technology does too much for us, what happens if we ourselves beco...
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We're only scratching the surface of scratching the surface. from 2021-12-11T14:40:03
In this episode we discuss knowledge: how to accumulate it, how to use it, and how we'll never know anything. The center recording time was unclear, so apologies for the time jump halfway through. ...
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Every new beginning is another beginning's end... AKA The missing summer episode from 2021-11-09T20:30:03
Its the missing summer episode, where we talk about it being the last weekend of classes, wonder what's going to happen in Afghanistan, and talk about how it is easy to become overwhelmed with info...
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Now Robot Cats on Mars! from 2021-10-17T14:18:01
This week Karen talks about her new job at a high school and Harrison talks about his first week in university. We both find out that teenagers are the same as they've always been, and that's a goo...
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Prepping for life from 2021-10-03T20:56:33
In this episode we talk about preparing for the worst: like another pandemic or societal collapse, and preparing for the best: like Harrison's new college adventure. --- This episode is sponsor...
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Episode 11: Camping does not always go to plan.... from 2021-08-14T13:09:43
In this episode we recount the semi- disaster of a camping trip we had: what we learned, what we appreciated, and what we should do next time. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The ea...
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Are squirrels bad? Would Harrison make a good zombie? Is the glass half empty or half full? from 2021-07-08T16:41:52
Season 2 Episode 10: Lots of questions and deep thoughts about squirrels, zombies, bears, and human anatomy. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. Listen
Chicken Wings, Harrison's Birthday, Baby Birds, and Cats Being Cats. from 2021-07-02T16:51:54
Season 2 Episode 9: Where we discuss how nature can be cruel, educational failings, John Hughes Movies, The need for practical use of what you have learned in Kung Fu and languages, how to save bab...
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Civilization makes people Civil, and cats are required for Civilization. from 2021-06-07T11:29:41
Season 2, Episode 8 Starts off in our almost refurbished back garden gazebo with pondering on what exactly is evaporated milk and how it can help us make tea if the world falls apart.... We then ta...
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Episode 7: When One Door Closes, Another One Opens... Just Don't Let It Hit You On The Head. from 2021-05-20T13:31:23
In this episode: Karen is recovering from a concussion when a door fell on her head (yes, really). Harrison talks about his plans to take a new direction in his life and go to University, and James...
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Season2 Ep6: When is a stick just a stick and an octopus a computer? from 2021-04-23T21:59:04
In this episode we talk about stick fighting, and the balance of action and inaction. When is the tipping point in martial arts and in life? --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easi...
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Season 2 Episode 5: Making a new playbook by taking everything we CAN'T do out of the old playbook from 2021-04-17T20:29:06
In this episode we discuss how lockdown easing means we have to adjust to another new normal... Which means more finding out what we can't do than what we can.... How do we add stick fighting to th...
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The Rule of Six and Hoping for the Best, While Planning for the Worst from 2021-04-09T18:48
In this episode we wonder how we should be acting now that two of us have been vaccinated and lockdown is easing......Should we still be cautious or should we throw caution to the wind? --- Thi...
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Season 2 Ep 3: Trusting your instincts and the gift of fear from 2021-02-26T19:47:10
In this episode Harrison recounts an incident this past week where he encountered a person that set off his danger instincts and how he reacted to them. We then discuss how its a good idea to trust...
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Season 2 Episode 2: Lots of Science from 2021-02-08T17:08:41
We're very happy that the Covid vaccine is out and people we know are getting the jab, but we are very confused about how it all works. DNA is involved, but how? ...and what about teleportation, an...
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Season 2, Episode 1: Cooking, Covid, Courage, and Coping. from 2021-02-02T16:50:43
This first episode of our second Season finds us still in our garage, with poor Harrison sitting out on our driveway to keep within Social Distancing regulations.... We talk about cooking, how the ...
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Episode 20, Season 1. Hindsight is 20/20. from 2021-01-17T16:28:04
In this episode we look back on 2020 to see what went well and what didnt, and what it was like to have and recover from Covid. We adapted to this new way of life, but did we adapt enough? --- ...
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Episode 19. Natural Phobias and the pros and cons of being Human from 2021-01-12T22:28:42
This was our Thanksgiving episode.... Due to Covid and Christmas its a bit late.... But its got all the usual things you hear about in one of our podcasts.... Spiders, crocodiles, attacking and def...
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Episode 18: Requiem for a Field Mouse from 2020-11-19T19:18:28
In this podcast we celebrate being able to teach the Kung fu class on Zoom from our garage and adapting to yet another lockdown in England. James shares how shaken he was over having to kill a mort...
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Ep 17: Patience is key with Kung fu and cooking. from 2020-11-01T20:37:34
This episode Karen is making tunamelt sandwiches most of the time and Owen is our special guest. We talk about the second lockdown happening this week, how the Kung fu class went, and how one must ...
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Episode 16: Economy of motion in Nature and Kung fu from 2020-10-25T17:11:28
In this episode we review how our first indoor kung fu class since the first lockdown in March succeeded in following lockdown procedures so we can all continue learning Wing Chun Kung fu. But firs...
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Episode 15: Failure is a Necessity from 2020-10-02T13:33:12
In this episode we talk about everything, folks.... From fishing techniques to how disaster movies may predict the future to mutant zombie alien spiders on asteroids. We also talk about Kung fu, te...
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Ep14: The ABCs of Kung Fu from 2020-08-22T20:27:49
In this episode Harrison talks about how to simplify handling a potential attacker with simple ABC reminders, James talks about how Rugby is like Kung fu, and Karen learns that you should never cut...
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Ep 13. Strange food and new beginnings from 2020-08-03T20:07:59
We talk alot about strange food, and new beginnings, and lost opportunities. How food is part of new experiences, and part of survival in the city and if you happen to be lost in the wild. There's ...
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Ep 12: Outdoor training and spicy pizza in the rain from 2020-06-25T21:04:21
In this episode we discuss the first post lockdown training session in the park, a lot about the merits of slow training kung fu and muscle memory, why its never a good idea for Harrison to say he'...
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Ep 11: Now that we CAN meet again, how do we feel? from 2020-06-09T08:04:38
In this episode we discuss how wonderful it is to have a friend around for a barbecue, how its about time we told our friends that we love them without it feeling weird, how GPS is not very compati...
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Ep. 10: Baby steps, people :) from 2020-05-19T19:36:57
In this episode we try to figure out how James and Harrison can train in the park after their bike ride....until they find out they can't.... Why its probably not a good idea to let Harrison have t...
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Ep9: Cats flying to Mars and other things. from 2020-05-11T13:06:59
Seriously, this week's episode has everything: cats, spaceships, bootleg beer, bare knuckle fights..... And Kung fu.... Remember Kung fu?.. This is supposed to be a podcast about Kung fu....and Mar...
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Ep8: You want Zombies?... Cuz this is how you get Zombies... from 2020-04-29T15:16:44
This week's podcast we talk about how we are all abit tired of this Coronavirus ride and want to get off, please...How some news reports say they are rushing to create a vaccine, but we're thinking...
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Ep7: So everything has fallen apart and you're back to square one.... Welcome to humanity. from 2020-04-14T14:04:42
This week finds us with a month of isolation behind us and a month or two of the same to look forward to.... What do you do when all your plans have bit the dust and all you have is time? What does...
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Ep 6: We're in strange and interesting times.... from 2020-04-05T22:04:41
So, what do you do when you want to teach a kung fu class and you and all of your students have to stay at home?.... Get creative, that's what. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The e...
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Ep5: Wise men.... And Wise Spiders???? from 2020-03-18T08:56:24
This week's podcast has us discussing why wise men know nothing and foolish men know everything, with kung fu, Spiders, bears, string theory, and Socrates thrown in for good measure.... 😁 --- ...
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Ep. 4: Lots of questions.... and even more answers? from 2020-03-09T10:54:37
This week we have thankfully recovered from our colds enough to ponder the questions of when, where, and why you should practice martial arts, why so many martial artists are frustrated musicians, ...
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Ep. 3: Mama always told me there'd be weeks like these.... from 2020-02-29T19:34:24
This week sees two of us with a cold, one of us falling asleep mid-podcast, and the troubles of broken curtains and student attendance... Yet somehow universal compassion saves the day.... Kind of....
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Ep 2: Bread, Kung Fu, Rock Climbing, Chess... They're all connected somehow? from 2020-02-22T21:05:28
This week we talk about how thinking too much can be a bad idea, and how thinking nothing at all could be a good idea. Also why its a very good idea to get some whiteboard writing sheets for your w...
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Ep1- No, we're not Zen and the Argonauts... 😁 from 2020-02-16T18:24:49
The three Harrisons talk about this week's Kung Fu classes.... how it's possible to play guitar, play chess, and record a podcast simultaneously, and why we're Zen and the Martial Arts of Life, Not...
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