In case you missed the Powerful Epiosde on remembering and becoming your Authentic self!

In this episode of the New Ashla Podcast, Michael and Justin dive deep into the transformative power of authenticity, what it really means, why it’s essential for healing, and how it impacts your mental health, relationships, and spiritual growth.

We explore how being true to yourself isn't just about "being real," but about reclaiming your truth after trauma, people-pleasing, and survival mode. You'll learn what authentic connections feel like, how to start practicing authenticity with yourself, and how to gently release the masks you've worn to be accepted. We close with a powerful self-connection exercise to help you come home to yourself. Whether you’re on a healing journey, navigating identity shifts, or just tired of performing this episode offers insight, support, and tools for walking your truth.

Get the book here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://a.co/d/4ADHZyA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/NewAshla⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/JustinVGates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TikTok:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@justinvgates?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/@KnightsofAwakening⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/@TemplumLumis⁠

#authenticity, #healing, #selfacceptance, #personalgrowth, #trauma #recovery, #innerchild, #shadowwork, #vulnerability, #emotionalhealth, #spiritualgrowth, #peoplepleasing, #selfinquiry, #mindfulness, #consciousrelationships

Takeaways

• Authenticity is crucial for connection and fulfillment.
• Many people are unaware of their inauthenticity.
• Courage is essential for expressing one's true self.
• Self-expression fosters deeper connections with others.
• Fear often hinders authenticity and self-acceptance.
• Authentic relationships allow for vulnerability and growth.
• The cost of inauthenticity can lead to mental health struggles.
• Generational shifts are changing perceptions of authenticity.
• Practicing self-compassion is vital in the journey to authenticity.
• Engaging in self-reflection helps uncover hidden truths.

Episode Guide

Why can someone questioning your beliefs feel like they’re questioning your worth? When being right becomes part of who you are, even an honest conversation can feel threatening.

Michael and Justin explore how to remain a student of life while holding your convictions. Through the Path of Ashla, personal stories, and some uncomfortable questions, they unpack defensiveness, echo chambers, and the difference between protecting truth and protecting an identity. You’ll leave with a practical way to examine a belief without making being wrong a verdict on your worth.

In this episode

• How beliefs become identity, and certainty starts feeling like safety.
• Justin’s axioms: “There is strength in acknowledging one’s ignorance” and “The student is the best teacher.”
• Discernment, cognitive dissonance, and listening beyond the delivery.
• Recognizing conversational triggers, pausing, and stepping away before discussion becomes combat.

Key takeaways

• You can hold strong values and still examine whether a belief is incomplete.
• Defensiveness can come from fear. Listening helps you understand what someone is protecting, including yourself.
• Being an eternal student means remaining willing to question, practice, and be corrected, whatever your experience or title.

Try this

Write down one strongly held belief. List three ways it might be incomplete or wrong. Sit with the list for a few minutes, then decide whether to keep, refine, or release the belief. Notice which parts activate your need to defend.

Affirmations

I can be wrong and still be whole.
My growth depends on my willingness to update.
Curiosity is stronger than certainty.
I hold my beliefs. My beliefs do not hold me.
The student in me is the freest part of me.

Journal prompts

• What belief did I inherit that I’ve never actually questioned?
• When was the last time I changed my mind about something that mattered? What did it cost me, and what did it give me?
• Where does discernment stop and defensiveness start in me? How would I know the difference in real time?

References mentioned

The Path of Ashla and Justin’s axioms; Socrates on the limits of knowledge; previous New Ashla conversations on mentorship and communication.

Keywords: eternal student, intellectual humility, questioning beliefs, discernment, defensiveness, cognitive dissonance, identity, curiosity, echo chambers, lifelong learning, spiritual growth, Path of Ashla

Connect: Michael Perry | Justin Gates

Follow: TikTok | New Ashla

Listen: The Eternal Student: Letting Go of Being Right

Episode Companion!

What if the future you fear is already shaping the life you are living now?

In The Expectation Trap: Are You Preparing for the Life You Fear?, we explore how fear based expectations quietly become rehearsals. You brace for rejection, betrayal, failure, loss, disappointment, or disaster, and without realizing it, those expectations begin influencing your perception, your choices, your relationships, and the way you move through the world.

This episode is not about pretending everything will work out perfectly or blaming people for painful things that happen to them. It is about recognizing the difference between reality and prediction, between intuition and fear, and between preparing wisely for life and unconsciously living as though the worst has already happened.

Through psychology, Florence Scovel Shinn’s teachings, and the spiritual philosophy of Ashla, we examine how the lesser self can confuse fear with foresight, how perception can shape experience, and how the Greater Self can bring us back to Truth, stillness, and grounded expectancy.

The goal is not to control the future.

It is to stop sacrificing the present to one that has not happened yet.

You do not need certainty about what is coming. You need the awareness, strength, and alignment to meet whatever actually arrives.

Keywords

The Expectation Trap, Are You Preparing for the Life You Fear, fear based expectations, negative expectations, fear of the future, expecting the worst, anxiety about the future, worst case thinking, anticipatory fear, self fulfilling prophecy, perception and reality, fear versus intuition, intuition versus anxiety, emotional forecasting, catastrophizing, limiting beliefs, subconscious expectations, future anxiety, hypervigilance, trauma patterns, self sabotage, spiritual growth, personal growth, self mastery, Greater Self, lesser self, the Force, Way of Ashla, New Ashla, Florence Scovel Shinn, manifestation, spiritual alignment, conscious living, mindset, resilience, uncertainty, trust, faith, grounded expectancy, emotional regulation, fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of betrayal, fear of loss, present moment awareness, letting go of control, right action, Sacred Ethos, Truth, Integrity, inner peace, spiritual awakening

In case you missed this powerful episode on how to Transform Fear Desire, and Passion Into Courage, Drive, and Purpose!

Inspired by the book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ "The Light Within: A Journey through the Axioms of Ashla." ⁠⁠In this episode of the New Ashla Podcast, Justin Gates and Michael Perry explore the profound impact of fear, desire, and passion on human behavior. They discuss how these emotions can multiply confusion, attachment, jealousy, and conflict when left unchecked. The conversation emphasizes the importance of mindfulness, self-awareness, and emotional regulation in transforming these powerful emotions into allies for personal growth and clarity. Through insightful anecdotes and practical strategies, the hosts guide listeners on a journey towards mastering their emotions and fostering harmonious relationships with themselves and others.

Get the book here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://a.co/d/4ADHZyA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/NewAshla⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/JustinVGates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TikTok:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@justinvgates?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/@KnightsofAwakening⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/@TemplumLumis⁠

#NewAshla, #JustinVGates, #MichaelPerry, #Ashla, #AxiomsofLight, #spiritualliving, #simplicity, #harmony, #meditation, #integrity, #authenticity, #nature, #introspection, #personalgrowth, #emotionalhealing, #fear, #desire, #passion, #emotionalregulation, #mindfulness, #selfawareness, #innerturmoil, #conflictresolution, #personalgrowth, #emotionalmastery

Takeaways

• Every conflict we face has a common root.
• Fear, desire, and unchecked passion multiply poor behavior.
• Mindfulness helps us observe emotions without judgment.
• Desire can chain and imprison us if left unchecked.
• Passion without purpose can lead to impulsivity.
• Jealousy is a sign of forgotten inner worth.
• Emotions are messengers that signal where we need balance.
• Self-awareness uncovers the roots behind our emotions.
• Emotional regulation transforms fear into courage.
• Purpose-driven passion is sustainable and fulfilling.

Episode Guide

You can read every book, save every podcast, take pages of notes, and still never become capable of doing the thing you understand.

At some point, information reaches its ceiling. Michael and Justin explore why mentorship matters at that threshold, and why proximity to someone actually doing the work can take you somewhere self-study cannot. A good mentor does more than give you answers. They watch you practice, challenge your blind spots, correct you when needed, and help you turn knowledge into something embodied.

They also unpack why staying in the student seat can feel so safe. Books cannot call you out. Podcasts cannot see where you are avoiding the work. Preparation can feel like progress while quietly protecting you from discomfort, failure, accountability, and being seen.

The goal is not to stop being a student. It is to become the kind of student who practices.

In this episode

• Why self-study eventually reaches a ceiling
• The difference between insight, integration, and embodiment
• How consuming information can masquerade as growth
• Why good mentorship creates independence rather than dependence
• What to look for in a mentor before trusting their guidance
• Why humility, curiosity, discipline, and practice matter more than sounding knowledgeable
• How students can reveal blind spots in their teachers too

Key takeaways

• Information can teach you what something means, but practice and feedback teach you how to do it.

• A good mentor should be able to see your work, question you, correct you, and help you become increasingly capable without them.

• Being a student is not something to outgrow. Curiosity, humility, and the willingness to admit “I don’t know” are part of developing wisdom.

• Constantly searching for the next book, method, tool, or insight can become a way of avoiding the discomfort required for actual growth.

Try this

Choose one skill or capability you genuinely want to develop right now.

Identify three people who are visibly doing that thing well. Choose one of them and reach out with a specific question about how they developed that skill.

You do not need to ask them to become your mentor. Start by getting closer to people already walking the path.

Affirmations

• I do not have to learn this alone.
• Information is where I begin, not where I stay.
• I move toward the people doing what I want to do.
• I let my work be seen and corrected.
• I stop preparing and start practicing.

Journal prompts

• What skill or capability have you been trying to grow through information alone?

• Who is visibly doing what you want to do, and what has kept you from reaching out?

• What would change in a year if you spent less time studying and more time practicing beside someone already there?

References mentioned

• K. Anders Ericsson and the study of deliberate practice
• The Monroe Institute and Gateway exercises
• Justin Gates’ Axioms of Light, including “The student is the best teacher” and “Ignorance is the doorway to wisdom”

Keywords

Keywords: mentorship, finding a mentor, personal growth, deliberate practice, self study, student mindset, skill development, accountability, embodiment, integration, learning through practice, personal development, discipline, New Ashla

Connect

Michael Perry: https://www.facebook.com/michael.perry.18400700/

Justin Gates: https://www.facebook.com/JustinVGates

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@justinvgates

New Ashla: https://newashla.com

Episode Guide

What if the life you have been working so hard to build is not actually yours?

In Are You Chasing the Wrong Life?, we explore the difference between a life shaped by calling, truth, values, and authentic self expression, and a life shaped by approval, comparison, fear, status, and inherited expectations.

Many people reach the career, income, relationship, lifestyle, or level of success they were taught to want, only to arrive and feel strangely empty. That emptiness does not always mean you need more. Sometimes it is a signal that you have been chasing goals that never truly belonged to you.

Through the lens of psychology, Florence Scovel Shinn’s idea of Divine Design, and the teachings of Ashla, we examine intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation, identity based goals, the Greater Self, Calling, service, and the Sacred Ethos of Love, Truth, Integrity, Connection, and Sanctity of Life.

The deeper question is not simply:

“What do I want?”

It is:

“Where did I learn to want it, and does the life I am building actually fit who I am becoming?”

This episode is an invitation to stop measuring your life by what looks successful from the outside and begin creating one that feels true, aligned, meaningful, and alive from within.

Keywords

Are You Chasing the Wrong Life, Divine Design, Ego Design, life purpose, finding your purpose, finding your calling, authentic self, authenticity, personal values, spiritual alignment, Greater Self, self expression, perfect self expression, Florence Scovel Shinn, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, identity based goals, self determination theory, purpose driven life, meaningful life, success and emptiness, achievement and happiness, spiritual purpose, spiritual growth, personal growth, self discovery, conscious living, life alignment, ego driven goals, inherited goals, social conditioning, comparison, self worth, approval seeking, authenticity and purpose, vocation, right vocation, service, calling, New Ashla, Way of Ashla, Sacred Ethos, Love, Truth, Integrity, Connection, Sanctity of Life, the Force, self mastery, aligned goals, finding meaning, living authentically, spiritual coaching

Keywords

In case you missed this powerful episode on the natural cycle and flow of the universe!

Inspired by the book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ "The Light Within: A Journey through the Axioms of Ashla." ⁠In this episode of the New Ashla Podcast, Justin Gates and Michael Perry delve into the Axioms of Light, exploring themes of spiritual living, simplicity, and the importance of living in harmony with nature. They discuss the significance of grounding oneself, the heart's role in meditation, and the necessity of integrity in relationships. The conversation emphasizes the journey of introspection, the cycles of life, and the transformative power of pain into purpose. Ultimately, they encourage listeners to embrace authenticity and live in accordance with the natural world.

Get the book here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://a.co/d/4ADHZyA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/NewAshla⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/JustinVGates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TikTok:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@justinvgates?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/@KnightsofAwakening⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/@TemplumLumis⁠

#NewAshla, #JustinVGates, #MichaelPerry, #Ashla, #AxiomsofLight, #spiritualliving, #simplicity, #harmony, #meditation, #integrity, #authenticity, #nature, #introspection, #personalgrowth, #emotionalhealing

Takeaways

• Peace is found in flowing with life, not fixing everything.
• Living close to the land fosters connection and grounding.
• Meditation should focus on descending into the heart.
• Integrity in relationships is crucial; your word is your bond.
• Radical honesty leads to deeper connections with others.
• Life is a cycle; embrace the ebb and flow.
• Pain can be a catalyst for personal growth.
• Introspection and stillness are essential for clarity.
• Living authentically aligns you with your true self.
• Nature teaches us to trust the cycles of life.

Episode companion

When life gets heavy, we're often told to push through, stay positive, or find the silver lining. But sometimes that just teaches us to ignore what we actually feel.

In this episode, Michael Perry and Justin Gates explore Inspiration Exposure: intentionally creating small, repeatable encounters with beauty, wonder, presence, and awe.

They unpack how stress, grief, responsibility, and constant productivity can make life feel smaller, why stimulation is not the same as inspiration, and how practices like music, nature, movement, stillness, and simple mindfulness can help us reconnect with life without pretending everything is okay.

In this episode

• Why toxic positivity can become another form of avoidance
• How prolonged stress narrows our experience of life
• The difference between stimulation and genuine inspiration
• Why constant productivity can disconnect us from presence
• How awe, gratitude, and mindfulness become daily practices
• Why small moments of beauty can build emotional resilience

Key takeaways

• Pain and beauty can exist at the same time.
• When life becomes only work, problems, and survival, that narrow experience can start feeling like the whole truth.
• Inspiration is different from stimulation. More content does not always mean more connection.
• Small, repeatable moments of presence can matter more than waiting for one dramatic breakthrough.
• Build your relationship with awe before crisis hits, so you have something familiar to return to when life gets hard.

Try this

If life feels stagnant, notice three small moments each day that move you, even slightly.

If you feel lost or depleted, write down three things you are genuinely grateful for each day.

If you are in crisis, reach for appropriate support first. Then try setting three alarms during the day. When one goes off, use it as a cue to return to the present moment and notice something stable, supportive, or good that exists right now.

Affirmations

• I give myself permission to seek beauty even when I'm in pain.
• I am not avoiding my grief, I am tending to myself inside it.
• My nervous system heals when I let myself be moved.
• I build resilience by turning to wonder, not by pushing harder.
• I am someone who tends to my inner environment with intention.

Journal prompts

1. When was the last time something genuinely stopped you? What did it feel like?

2. Where are you pushing through something instead of feeling it?

3. What would it mean to actively tend to your relationship with beauty?

Keywords

Inspiration exposure, microdosing awe, mindfulness, gratitude, emotional resilience, burnout, grief, finding joy again, toxic positivity, stress, self mastery, personal growth, New Ashla Podcast

Connect

Michael Perry: https://www.facebook.com/michael.perry.18400700/

Justin Gates: https://www.facebook.com/JustinVGates

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@justinvgates

New Ashla: https://newashla.com