Jason Frahm

I’m sitting at a local tea shop, Zen Zoo enjoying my green boba tea as my cell phone rings. I glance down and notice it is Sacred Movement Yoga (the hottest yoga studio in town at the time) calling. An invisible knot leaps from my belly to my throat as i press the green key to answer.

“This is Jason”, I say.

“Hi, this is the Jenny at Sacred Movement. Saul just called and asked for you to sub his Sunday 10:30am class tomorrow. He has a last minute conflict. Can you come in?”, asks Jenny.

I had been diligently working towards this moment teaching small classes at tiny studios, in the Universal Studios’ gym and at the beach while assisting Saul from the beginning of Sacred Movement for well over the past year. My first chance to step up to the next level has come! My heart then jack-hammers through my rib cage so strongly my breath rapidly evaporates.

Anxiousness and excitement pulse through me as one.

“I can do this.”

“Awesome, it’s about time. If so-and-so can do it, so can I!”

“Oh my God, what if I blow it?”

“What should I teach?”

“Will anyone come?”

“How can I be remotely as good as this great asana teacher, Saul?”, I repeat inside.

The doubts and fears dance with such a sharp edge with my excitement and joy for this opportunity. I catch this and attempt to eliminate the fears through any conscious or unconscious means possible.

By Sunday morning 10 minutes before the doors to the Sun Room open, nothing has helped. I stand in a corner as the people pile in to take class. I scan each person as they step up to sign the board for class. I watch closely to discern the disappointment or indifference in each face as they notice that it is me subbing the class. I secretly yearn that someone will smile with excitement to have me teaching, yet expect the opposite.

From my seat, I didn’t see many truthful smiles as people said hello or patted me on the back with encouragement.

Mostly, I saw the minds of many calculating, “Should I stay or should I go? I like Jason… as Saul’s assistant, but for my yoga teacher?”

The sun room doors open. Many sweat-drenched students walk out smiling with satisfaction from their strenuous class.

I’m up! The 80+ people for Saul’s class rush in for their spot on the spiraling wood floor.

I hesitate outside the doors clamoring for some sort of grounding, faith and confidence in myself.

A screaming thought rushes in, “If you don’t pull it together right now Jason, you’re going to blow it and that’s it. You may never get the chance to teach here again!”

I scramble to deepen my breath, root my feet and discover some kind of trust in myself. It’s not working. SH**!

I stumble towards the door when I hear a voice from within, “What is your intention Jason?”

That’s it!

What is my intention is the key to this class. What am I intending to offer every divine being inside the Sun Room? What traits do I choose to live by in every moment in my life including this one right now?

I quickly remember and mumble what I call my Umbrella Intention, “I choose to be of service to myself and all beings for the highest spiritual good of all involved in all moments of life.”

I realize that my core intention is to be of service. Which then means this class is not about me and what I can get, it’s not about what others will think about me, nor how many people are in the room. Since this is the case, I must follow through and teach from this place… from the purity of service!

It was as though a huge knitting needle had just punctured the soaring hot air balloon of fear within me. The basket and failing balloon rapidly crashed to earth. A bit jostled, yet my breath returned and the anxiousness diminished. I was still a bit nervous and shaky from the flight of unending fear and the crash back to my reality and purpose of service. Yet now, I could breathe speak and teach with intention.

That class a decade plus ago still chimes quite clearly within me. It wasn’t a great class - many improvements and growth were sure to come in the years to follow. And yes, some people never returned to a class of mine after that day… and, some did.

Ultimately, none of this mattered. What matters then and now is the conscious intention I choose to bring into every class I teach (and every moment in life). As long as i remember and strive to live by the purity of my Umbrella Intention, all that unfolds in life is divinely there to support me in experiencing and being love, joy and peace… truly, remembering who I Am.

Too, I invite you before your next class, your next meeting, your next day to ask, “What are the three qualities in life I most admire in people and really would like to live and be myself?”

Once you have these, declare to strive to live these traits in each moment whether life or your state is up or down. See this Umbrella Intention as your north star. You continue to travel towards this star. Sometimes you fall off track, yet you use this north star to guide you back on track.

With this support, likely the nerves, doubts, imbalances hovering within you will recede to the background. In the foreground will be your Umbrella Intention and the TRUE YOU!

For spiritual life coaching los angeles or spiritual life coaching online, visit: http://www.jasoncfrahm.com/

We are on this amazing journey called life that offers us many twists & turns, highs & lows, laughs & sorrows that seemingly can't be avoided. What a gift it is to be in this body... and of course, sometimes it feels like a hellish challenge.

Six months into relationship with my beloved Veronica the muddy terrain began to surface. Veronica moved from the magical redwoods of Mendocino back to LA for me and was essentially starting over in her life. At this time, we began to live in a small tree house together. The house was delightfully  made for one, miserably made for two. On my own this tree house was cozy, private, secluded, rustic with charm and once Veronica moved in my meditative abode became a crushingly small closet without a door or mirror… A true challenge for both of us!

Our honeymoon was over and the underbelly of our relationship was exposed to the crud that was caked over the brightness of the love within and between us. If you’ve ever been in a 1 year + relationship, you know what I am writing of. Post honeymoon is a test no matter how you slice it. And then, just imagine facing this challenging cycle with your new partner in a closet day in and day out!

Upon our one year mark a blend of many tests and challenges along with moving into another home (a larger closet), I surpassed my boiling point. Veronica and I both were hitting our new discovered limits with each other and within ourselves. We were at the precipice of breakup or transformation.  Neither of us knew what would come first, yet both of us were hoping for the transformation. We knew something had to change and it was going to have to happen quickly.

Serendipitously, the day after we moved I already had a trip scheduled to immerse myself in the woods of Mt. Shasta. Veronica wisely chose to remain home to give us both some time and space to take an inventory of our oozing stuff and the goodness beneath that.

The morning of my trip, full of concern of the future, I slid out at the dew of the morning with a desire to remember the love and gratitude I had for the woman I saw spending the rest of my life with. Yet, when I left the house it was a sprint for breath, space and freedom.

The first 30 mins of the trip was a replay of all the tests and challenges that Veronica and I had gone through. The weight of all these burdens were becoming too great to carry. I doubted if we could make it through this.

An hour outside of LA I found myself listening to an uplifting song by Seal that begins with,  “I AM Who I AM, That is That.” 

As 10 minutes of positivity pulsed through my veins, I began to feel lighter with a glimmer of hope surfacing from the caverns within.

An hour and a half on the road the straight jacket of constriction in my lungs and heart relented. Like a hot air balloon, the love and compassion within gently lifted me above the righteousness, anger and fear I felt in the story of our relationship.

Soon after, what remained was a building determination to discover what my contribution was to the flailing partnership and what I could contribute to our transformation.

Over the next several days in Mt. Shasta, I enjoyed my simple routine of meditation and a walk on the mountain in the morning, a nature drive into breakfast, a stroll around town, a sit for tea and reading, a return to the local health-food store for groceries, the drive back up the mountain, a meander back over to my private campsite, time to be present amongst the pines, a bit more masticating a book and food and then an early turn-in.

To be free of the demands of work, to be free of the current friction with my beloved, to be free of my patterns at home and to be free of the influence of others I had the opportunity to transform without a lot of luggage or resistance. So much of what I needed was the spaciousness to remember who I truly am and how I choose to be with myself and my partner. Certainly, some changes were required upon my return, yet it became much easier to communicate and enact after a week of spaciousness.

I reflect today, with gratitude on the Divine support of that venture perfectly scheduled to Mt. Shasta. It certainly was one of the many moments of Grace that has been a natural thread of my journey with my beloved V. Of course the tests in love continue to emerge at times, yet now we have a roadmap on how to address these tests. And, one of the keys on that map for our love and joy to thrive is vacation! A true secret to thriving is scheduling these retreats sometimes in union and other times as a solo adventurer.

With intention, a vacation can become much more than a reprieve from our regular duties and obligations. It can be a profound reset and opportunity to transform some of the limiting ways we live and think in our daily lives.

Hence this is an olive branch for you to carve out that time for you either alone or with a partner. When’s the last time you consciously took time to immerse yourself in positivity and invited in the space to discover new ways of living that would improve your life?

If what you’ve read resonates, why not plan your next journey today?

And of course, you’re welcome to join me on one of my upcoming “Sacred-Elegant Adventures”  


PROVENCE, FRANCE  "The Unforgettable Journey"  ~ EUROPEAN LUXURY HIKING, CYCLING & YOGA RETREAT        May 3rd - 9th, 2015     Prices begin at $4995 
Luxurious Private Villa, Daily Massage, Private hikes off-the-beaten-path, Yoga, Cycling tour, Gourmet Vegetarian Meals, Local Cafes, Amazing Ambiance


MACHU PICCHU, PERU   "The Joyous Journey"  ~ LUXURY MACHU PICCHU & SACRED VALLEY HIKING & YOGA RETREAT   September 20th - 26th     Price: $4595+
Luxury Bed & Breakfast, Massage, Private Andean Hikes off the tourist path, Yoga, Gourmet Vegetarian Meals, Shamanic Ceremony 


SACRED VALLEY, PERU     "The Enlightened Journey"      MOUNTAIN TREK AND ANDEAN SHAMANIC TRAINING     September 27th - October 3rd        Price: $2,595+ 
Hiking, Camping, Meditation, Prayer bundles, Individual guidance & training, and Communion with healing herbs and shamanic techniques with one of my teachers and shamans of the high Andes (Altomisayocs)


OJAI, CALIFORNIA      "The Sacred Journey"      YOGA & SHAMANIC IMMERSION RETREAT     
November 12th - 15th, 2015      Prices begin at: $995
Yoga, meditation, Shamanic Ceremony and Training, Hiking, Massage, Afternoon Transformational Group Sessions, Gourmet Vegetarian Meals, Exclusive retreat center in stunning, natural setting

For more information in luxury meditation retreats, shamanic journeys, etc, kindly visit: http://www.jasoncfrahm.com/

Have you ever pondered the consequences of competition?  Why is it that it was so important to our parents that we win the game or contest?  In turn it has become so important for us to win the account or promotion at work.  And then, how important it becomes that our kids do the same thing… Win-Win-Win!

So, what are the repercussions of competition?  First, what could be perceived as the positive.   It does ignite a desire within us to better ourselves at the sport, contest, or job.  In order to win at whatever we’re competing at there takes a level of dedication, one-pointed-focus, persistence, transcendence (of the obstacles), hard work, and in many cases a desire to win or be the best at something.  These qualities in and of themselves can be used in a positive or negative manner depending on the intention behind the quality.

What credence do we place on the intentions behind how we play the game?  To some extent we do encourage a sense of fair play, sportsmanship, teamwork, and graciousness… nobody particularly cares for the sore looser or the obnoxious gloater.  At some level, there is an encouragement within competition to honor yourself and others.  And yet, we see this example displayed less and less these days.

What happens to us when we compete?  Most often the focus is placed on winning. Often we take this to the place of “winning at all costs”.  This attitude becomes, “You can kiss my a** if I win and certainly if I loose”  “I don’t care about you, I care about winning” And, this is fed vehemently in competition.  There is not a win-win, there is a winner and an looser.  So to speak, “winner takes all and losers go home to mama”.

When the focus becomes solely on winning, we have lost sight of what is most important… who we are being through the competition.  If we died in that next moment after our win, will we look back at how great we were for winning the game or would we be faced with the consequences of our actions that led us to winning?  (a side note: one way to assist in making decisions is contemplating how you would feel about your actions and decision if all was coming to an end the next day.  Would you feel good in your heart about your choice or would there be a knot in your belly?)


If you sit with the energy of competition, there are many traits that become almost inherent with competition: a sense of lack, separation, selfishness (all about me) & short sightedness.

The sense of lack comes in the form of not being enough.  There is only enough for one, the winner (yes, sometimes there is acknowledgement for 2nd and 3rd, but all the accolades, fame, and the greatest amount of money goes to the winner).  I was raised in a family encouraging me to win - I was awarded $5 for A in school, I was coached by my father in football and baseball, I was captain of several football teams, awarded MVP multiple times, and was a state champ wrestler in high school. 

Here’s the catch.  Our limbic part of the brain does not know the past from the present.  Hence, if the competitive one gets activated within me, the limbic brain remembers… Win-Win-Win (at all costs, so long as you don’t embarrass yourself or your parents). 

So, with whatever I am wanting in life like a successful career, anyone else who teaches yoga, meditation, or offers healing energy work automatically becomes a competitor. These competitors can even be perceived as an enemy from the limbic part of the brain (first step to shifting this is shining awareness onto this shadow piece.)  

To achieve the sense of consciousness, explore shamanic journeys, spiritual retreats services from Jason Frahm.

For more information on Spiritual Retreats and Meditation Retreats USA, please visit: http://www.jasoncfrahm.com

A few years ago on one of my trips to Peru I packed my schedule full with hosting a luxury retreat to Machu Picchu, then an intensive with the Andean shaman I regularly work with and finally a handful of days in the humid jungle where I have been helping a village become self-sustaining. I’ve pushed my edges many times slipping through mostly unscathed. Yet, this time I was in for a surprise.

The retreat I held went smoothly. The curveballs that inevitably come up on a retreat in Peru actually worked to our group’s advantage. It was as though the Universe conspired to assure a perfect retreat for myself and my clients… what a gift!

I continued with my bi-annual week with the Andean Shaman. It is assured to be intense, cleansing and expansive. This week was certainly no different. I was initiated into new rites of the lineage at the base of a very special glacier and was invited into deeper levels of healing work. I left the mountains rejuvenated, open and alive. Yet, I was unprepared for what was to come.

The third Sunday of my trip I landed in Pucallpa, Peru where the Sun blistered my skin as I traversed from that tarmac to the luggage carousel. Soon after, I was greeted by the elder medicine man and his grandson of the village I had come to see. We embraced and I noticed the hope and anticipation in the eyes of my jungle friends.

The words that seemed to be etched in the air, “Jason I hope you can see how much we need your help. Can you please help me with my work, my family, food, going to school…”

The list of needs from my native friends was long which became extensively longer once I reached the village four hours down river.

Most of us imagine the jungle plush with trees, plants and flowers sprinkled with birds, butterflies, monkeys and all kinds of insects. I always idealized the jungle as the perfect blend of sultry heat with pristine-lush nature.  Certainly there are all of these elements, yet they do not quite play out like our fantasies.

The sun is punishing, often over 100 degrees. The humidity uncomfortably sticks to your lungs, to your skin, to your clothes. The plush jungle has become patches of green alongside stark fields. It has lost its continuity due to much of the land being cut or burnt down for logging, corporate farming or oil mining.

The jungle community is filled with dilapidated grass huts, dirt roads and mango trees. The sweetness of the kids innocently chasing the the butterflies around the village is mired by the not so subtle stench of alcohol and untreated sewage. This is all complimented by crafty mosquitoes who devour your hands and ankles from dusk to dawn.

This fourth trip to the village was more difficult than ever for me. It seemed like all the aid I had offered the people was not helping. The were many people suffering or dying of malnutrition and other illnesses. People were hungry and tired of living so impoverished with little hope for change.

The heads of the community came to me with pages and pages of needs. The four days that I was in the village were dedicated to emergency tactics to assure their next year of survival. By the final day we budgeted and arranged how we were going to get seeds for the men to farm the coming season. The rest of the funds were allotted to sewing machines and materials for the women to make more handicraft to sell.

Hours before I was to leave I saw splinters of hope and appreciation from some of the community. The majority remained despondent and distrusting. This was disheartening for me to put in so much effort over several years to still be met with so much resistance and disdain. My heart hurt for these people. I felt the weight and burden of their eternal despair.

Then a wiry man stumbled over towards me and laid his daughter out in front of me. He repeatedly asked me to help her, to save her. She was dying and he needed my help. I laid my hands on his fragile child with love and tenderness. She was not responding. I knew she needed much more than what I could give to her that morning, yet I offered energy and guidance that could support in her recovery.

Soon after I was tapped on the shoulder and reminded that I must catch this next boat or I would miss my flight out. I exited the jungle with a turmoil of emotions. I was angry at the system for disregarding humanity. I was disappointed in how many people had given up in this village. I also felt helpless as if I was watching a ship being torn to shreds by the elements with no hope for repair, soon to be swallowed by the formidable sea.

As I returned home to Los Angles, I noticed that the customary strength, vitality and bounce in my step was not there. I felt tired, haggard and unbalanced. This too was reflected in the greetings I received from my beloved and other friends. The hugs and hellos were of concern and question.

What had happened? After some reflection, I realized that i took an energetic hit in the community in the jungle and it was showing up physically. I had low energy, bloodshot eyes and a deadness in my step.

But how did this happen, I asked? Most often my physical and energetic boundaries are vibrant and strong. And just off the heels of my work in the Andes, I imagined my Atomic Field (the invisible protective field that surrounds our body) was impenetrable. And of course, I was proven wrong again in this life.

At the time I didn’t have the answers, but more recently after sitting with the shamans and the Spirits they work with, I discovered more about how energy can pass between people and how much awareness is required to maintain our field.

As I’ve traced back to my time in the jungle I realize I opened up a door for the HOOCHA (dense energy) of the community to thread into me. This happened when I felt sadness for the jungle community and the little girl who was laid at my feet, pity for the alcoholic men and anger toward the system who so severely takes advantage of the weak.

In the midst of my emotions I began to create a story about my emotions that actually linked me into their field. In turn, my field began to assimilate to theirs without me being aware of it. This can be quite dangerous. Fortunately for me, I have a lot of support to address these issues. Though, this specific issue took me a few months to fully transmute and return to my regular bounce in my step.

Since this experience, I’ve recognized many times how I have unconsciously opened my field to another and attracted in some of their “stuff”. Sometimes, there are little to no symptoms to notice. Other times, I have taken on the same flu as the other person. Other times a friend may suddenly feel dizzy and off balanced (due to losing some of the hoocha they have become accustom to) and I pick up some sort of pain in the body or short-term illness at the same time.

So then the question is, how do we create a dynamic where we minimize these “hits”?

A few guiding points:

Be aware! When you are projecting your life story onto another ~ i.e. if  you have not addressed the wounds you carry from your relationship with your father, you may project the story you have with your father onto your boss, your lover or a friend to continue to play out the story that you never healed with your father.
Bring consciousness to when you are triggered by another person or an event that is unfolding. Are you intertwining yourself into the person or event? Are you linking into feelings of guilt, judgement, rage, pity etc. and replaying these feelings again and again. It is one thing to feel anger about something in the moment it occurs, but to replay it again and again creates a groove of problems for you.

Create clear physical and energetic boundaries with others and honor these boundaries.
Notice if  you are interacting with others when you are out of balance and off center.
Notice if you are trying to get something from someone else or manipulate them. You may get more than you bargain for.

The less time we spend in nature and/or in meditation, the less connected we are to our natural rhythm. When we are out of center, we are more prone to attracting negative energy into our field.
Be aware when you use prescription or recreational drugs, alcohol, etc. you weaken your atomic field which makes it easier for crud to stick to you.

The closer you are emotionally to a person, the more likely you will mirror their “stuff”.
Many yogis and saints are very cautious to touch others for they know that karma can easily pass through physical touch.

Consider taking a few moments to reset several times a day. Take a few conscious breaths, meditate for a minute or become present with a flower and drop all other preoccupations.

Clean your day off… leave your shoes at the door, take a shower, energetically clear with florida water (clearing water made of alcohol and herbs) and smudge with sage or palo santo (use the smoke of the clearing stick to clear your field).

Get your sleep and keep your immune system boosted!

This sharing is not to create paranoia in you. This is an invitation to become more aware of how you interact with others, how you may link into other’s stories and how you may take steps to move more consciously and cleanly. Many blessings to you and your life walk.

To reach out to Jason with specific questions or additional support regarding Luxury Retreats in Peru, Shaman Retreats in Peru, please visit: http://www.jasoncfrahm.com