The Uncovery

How to Overcome Anxiety with Spirituality | with Jason McGrice

November 11, 2020 Mahalia Jane Season 1 Episode 3
The Uncovery
How to Overcome Anxiety with Spirituality | with Jason McGrice
Show Notes Transcript

Imagine being so anxious that you felt every day you were going to have a heart attack. This was Jason's experience some years ago before he became a Reiki Master and Meditation Teacher. Now with over 4 million plays on Insight Timer, Jason has helped hundreds of individuals overcome fear and anxiety as a meditation and Reiki teacher.

In this episode, we discuss managing the ego in the spiritual world, how to find calm in the storm and ways we can all find mindfulness and joy. We also discuss:

  • Managing the path of the unknown when dealing with anxiety and fear
  • How to deal with anxiety and find healing through meditation and gratitude
  • Overcoming the corporate grind by creating a new routine
  • A deeper insight into Jason's personal journey and experiences

Jason McGrice was spiritually connected from a young age, it was Jason’s embodiment of spiritual practices and meditation that plucked him from the depths of anxiety and depression in his early 20’s. This healing process impacted him profoundly and formed the catalyst of his commitment to helping men and women heal their old wounds and reach for the best version of themselves by finding their truth within.

Don't forget to connect with Mahalia and join the journey on Instagram - www.instagram.com/mahaliajaneco

Looking for guidance? Book an Intuitive Reading (USE CODE: INTUTIVE30) https://www.mahaliajane.com/intuitive-readings

FREE MEDITATIONS HERE: https://www.mahaliajane.com/meditation

Please remember to FOLLOW, SUBSCRIBE and REVIEW on iTunes this podcast if you enjoyed this episode.

Connect with Jason McGrice Jason's Website

Mahalia  0:04  
Hi, welcome to The Uncovery podcast. I'm your host, Mahalia Jane.

Mahalia  0:15  
Every episode I take you on a journey, talking about life, well being and mental healing. The uncovering connects with different people from different places who share stories, of course, and enlightenment. It's my passion and privilege to be here guiding me with my own truth and experiences, because it is possible to live in a beautiful state. 

Mahalia  0:40  
On today's episode, we welcome Jason McGrath, who is a meditation teacher, and lightworker from my hometown, Adelaide, South Australia. Along the way, Jason has achieved some massive milestones working as a meditation teacher, one of them is he now has over 4 million plays on a meditation app called insight timer. But Jason hasn't always worked as a spiritual healer. He was once battling significant anxiety. And that's what led him to make significant changes to his overall well being. Not only is Jason a really fun person to chat to and interview, but he has a very authentic approach to spirituality. And that's something that I do admire, because we can all learn from that. So in today's episode, I hope that you gain some insight into his story and ways that you can apply spirituality to your everyday life without needing to become a spiritual guru. 

Mahalia  1:35  
Jason, thank you for taking the time to be here today. 

Jason  1:38  
My pleasure. Thank you so much for having me. It was nice to recieve your message to ask me to come. 

Mahalia  1:44  
That's nice. So you weren't expecting it? 

Jason  1:47  
I wasn't. I know, had no idea how to podcast. 

Mahalia  1:55  
Do you know what's amazing? You didn't actually check before you came on what this podcast was about. So you could be in for anything? 

Jason  2:03  
Yeah, but I know you. And I know what you're about. I know your essence. And I knew that you wouldn't be leading me astray. Yeah. When I get when I get offered things, I have a, I have a very instant response of intuition. And it's, it's like a switch. It's like a yes or no. And there was there was no noise.

Mahalia  2:24  
That's good. Because I think what we're going to be talking about today, well, I hope what we talked about today is in line with you and who you are. And your intuition was right. I'm not leading you down.

Mahalia  2:38  
Does your intuition ever say no. When people invite you to come on shows or to talk about? 

Jason  2:44  
Yeah, all the time? My intuition would probably say no more than more than Yes. Because, you know, in, in this sort of life I've created this, I get offered things all the time. You know, often things for, you know, sponsoring things on Instagram, and just like a random stuff. And like, a lot of that stuff just doesn't interest me. There's an alluring part of the, the, you know, the safe, safer Instagram and people like sending you things to you, for you to sponsor posts, I put a post on with their stuff, you know, there's an alluring piece of that, which is like the materialistic side. And then it's like, well, I just, if I ever do it, it has to be so damn in alignment of for what I'm doing. Otherwise, it's just, it's just, you can smell bullshit from a mile away. And yeah, I just don't want my page to smell like poopoo.

Mahalia  3:41  
Well, it doesn't. And the thing that I find most interesting about your Instagram talking about in Instagram, you actually have in your bio, heal the date shit lightly. Yes, it's a really, in a way, you're almost saying, Yeah, I don't want your bullshit, just by inviting them in. So I guess that that's attracting a certain type of person to join you on your journey and to follow you. But what does that actually mean? Yeah, you know, the deep shit latley What does that mean to you, Jason? So glad you asked.

Jason  4:17  
I actually got quite a few comments on on that. And I felt a little, you know, when I first put it out there, it just landed really nicely in my body. And I'm like, you know what, that just feels like me that feels so much like me. There's a bit of personality in there. A bit of my cheekiness which, which, you know, have and

Jason  4:35  
yeah, you know, I just see a lot of people in the self development game game or self help game.You know, the, they're really just efforting they're always grinding pushing with, with a lot of force against their internal issues or their external environment and what that's bringing into their internal world and there's a lot of people Push. And I just find people like efforting and struggling through their battles. And I am just a true believer in the fact that you do not have to push so damn hard and we can heal it heal things inside of us so lightly. And you know, for me that's that's sort of the, the the modalities of spiritual healing through Reiki through meditation. There's a lightness and an ease and grace that comes with all of those modalities. And yeah, I believe that you can, you can work through anything and with those, yeah, that's really beautifully put, especially in the industry, there are a lot of triangles and a lot of ego, especially when you think about the persona of what a spiritual healer looks like, you know, the tie dyed shirt, the shaved head, the crystal, Crystal around my neck, we first met, and I'm wearing one now, so.

Mahalia  5:59  
But you know what I mean, you don't have henna tattoo, you don't, it's not a trying, like you said, you're not pushing you just are and that makes it more inviting. So exactly, like you said, You're killing the shit lightly. It's not, it's not forced. But I actually called you about seven months ago, because I was going through some internal conflict about being in the music industry versus my mentoring and coaching that I was doing and how I was feeling extremely inspired. And he did say just be with the energy, just enjoy it. Which I did. And I have, the one thing that I said was I'm struggling so much with the ego that comes with music and comes with the music industry. And you actually reminded me that no matter where you go, even if it is into that healing and serving industry, like you do, being a light worker, that ego is going to be there, no matter what, and we're surrounded by it. But how do you manage that, especially in your industry, with people that might be driven by ego in such a delicate spiritual realm? 

Jason  7:12  
I mean, yeah, it's a it's a tricky, you know, ego is one of the biggest things on earth that we as humans get to get to work through and, you know, either identify, identify as a, as almost a, you know, a component of us, rather than be fully you know, just dictated to by the ego, and that, that crosses through every industry, it's, it's in, within our human nature. So, you know, and depending on what the industry is, obviously, say, music and that sort of entertainment industry there is, there is some big egos, and that's what, that's what fuels so much of it as well. And not to say that the raw essence of the, the, the singer isn't, isn't coming through in that space, but they're, and they aren't, it's not to say that they're not being genuine or authentic in their, in their display and their expression of self. But, you know, when you start to get into like, you know, really big time, people, you know, I mean, there's, there's just there is a go anywhere. Absolutely, yeah, we're just gonna paint a broad brushstroke, and you say, they're all egotistical because that's, that's, you know, that's not actually true, because there is such depth in so many beautiful artists as well. And, yeah, there's depth in everyone, it just depends on how they didn't fall. Yeah, I think what I've learned from focusing on that side for focusing on my own personal ego, is how much I don't need to paint the picture of what I am internally, and just trust myself enough to allow people to see who I really am just during a bending, rather than trying to organise photoshoots that look a certain way, or sing songs that say certain lyrics or communicate to people in a certain manner. I just had to really look inward and go, you know what, I don't need to put that out there. If it's within me, it will come through to the right people. And if it doesn't resonate with certain people who I am, then it's not meant to resonate with them, you know, spirituality is, is really like an embodiment of our, of our truth. And that's it and that's, that's, that's really all it is, is if you if you tap into that space, then you you know, there's a level of self awareness and awareness of the connection that we have with everything. And you know, that's in essence that spirituality Yeah, did that ever scare you? Did you ever feel a sense of fear because you were dedicating your being and your spirituality so much to something so different? Did that experience ever

Jason  10:00  
Like, when I really dive deep into it, it was more so from a base of fear, because I was going through so much anxiety. So, it was sort of like a rock and a hard place like, Do I go into this unknown, which, which is actually so deeply supportive and nurturing? Like, you know, I liken it to like a hug from the most nurturing mother figure. And, you know, do I either go into this unknown, which feels so deeply supportive? Or do I, you know, run away from and force and effort with the anxiety that I'm feeling every second of every single day? And for me, it wasn't, it wasn't really a hard decision. 

Mahalia  10:44  
Have you ever imagined what your life would have been? Like, if you hadn't gone that way? And you'd stayed in that anxiety and resistance? You're shaking your head haha

Jason  10:54  
I may not be here, I don't know, you know, you know, every second every single day, I thought I was gonna die of a heart attack. And it's for like, two or three years. Wow. And that's a long time to feel such a strong feeling. Yeah, you know, in the, in the initial, probably two years, I felt that quiet, prefer to hide profusely. But then, you know, it was it was tapering off as I was diving deep into, you know, rituals, and, you know, just mainly meditation and spiritual healing. Yeah, it's exciting to talk to you about this. And to hear this, because I've never actually had this type of discussion with you before. Yeah. But with you, because you are using such a hands on approach when it comes to Reiki and light work? Do you ever find that your own energy suffers, or you have days where you can't really offer your services? Because it's hard to manage your own energy? Yeah, look, if I'm, if I know when I'm not keeping up my practices,

Jason  12:03  
Or if I'm not being true to my practice of meditating twice today, and you know, just, you know, other little things within within my day, whether that be going to the gym, or going for a walk down the beach, you know, my, my regime, or spiritual regime, or like, you know, embodiment regime isn't, isn't the, you know, this long list of things, there's, there's just little life's pleasures that, I incorporate into that and just in like to enjoy throughout my day, and I know that, you know, I don't make them a thing, they are just what I do. So if I'm not doing those things, I get told really frickin quickly, by my, by my energy, and by, you know, the next person who comes to see me I like, my internal references, like, sometimes, that didn't go so well. But then instantly, I get reflected to me, like, it's not about me, because the person jumps off the table, and there's like, what the fuck just happened, like, you know, that, like it, like, I feel incredible, you know, all this stuff shifted, and I, you know, have an essence of that. But the voice and the, the, the gifts that come through, perhaps aren't as potent for me that day, I'm sort of searching for them a little bit more. So if that stuff is happening, it's a direct reflection of where I am at, in my personal life. Now what I'm doing for myself. So yeah, it's just, you know, there's a commitment to service here, too, there has to be a commitment to self, it's so good that you have that self awareness and that reflection, especially when you are in a healing capacity. 

Mahalia  13:43  
And I think that a lot of people could advance on having that self awareness and that reflection, and one thing for me personally, I was in a really intense, great energy yesterday. And then today, I was very worn out. And rather than going into self reflection of knowing what I needed to create space within myself, I resisted it and spent too much of my morning in front of a screen. So again, you've just reminded me, it's about checking him within yourself and knowing what those small little wins for your day are that makes you align with the energy that you need. I think that when I was working in the corporate world, and I don't know if he can agree when you were working, before you started healing and becoming a meditation teacher, there's very much like wellness is just doing mindfulness, exercise and eating well. And I think there's more to it than that. And those things are really important. But for me, personally, there's a deeper layer of healing and self awareness. 

Jason  14:50  
Those things are very important, but it's just going to the next perhaps the next level of the next depth. Because, you know, then there's other practices which really need to b embodied, such as meditation. 

Mahalia  15:05  
Yes, yeah, speaking of meditating, I did your moon connection meditation a few days ago. So it's amazing. Your morning ritual as well is amazing. One of your morning rituals has like 2.8 million streams on, which is pretty crazy thing. Did you ever think that you would get that?

Jason  15:26  
You know, yeah, I'd say, like I say that. But then really, in essence, like, when I created that specific album, to say, I know, I know, an insight time, it doesn't look like it's an album. That's all single tracks, but I did actually create an album. And when I created that, the intention in mind was I want, like, allow this to flow into the ears and the hearts of millions. Yeah. You know, literally just as many people, whoever needs it, whoever needs it, I want them to hear it, I want to feel it. And, you know, if I really tap back into that intention, then yes, sure, I did, you know, there's a, there was a level of belief for me, probably back then that maybe didn't feel like I was anywhere near deserve it or worthy of that, you know, it's a service thing. It is, yes, like, I want myself, like the level of my service and dedication, I like, I placed the intention to the universe that this touches everyone millions. And, you know, it just comes from a different a different space. So, you know, you can really breathe into that worthiness, and I've been doing a lot of that lately. And yeah, just really blowing out some old cobwebs, which, , the old cobwebs, I mean, that it's it's programming conditioning that's within me. But as, as, you know, I reached new levels within business, and within abundance, and that it, there's like a, you sort of get to a glass ceiling. And then and then you have to break through that again, and get to another one and break through that. And it's like a constant checking in and, for me breathing into that experience. So like, when we moved into this, this house here, back in November, like a really had to breathe into the experience of being worthy of being here, and living here. And when we bought a new car about a month ago, a new Jeep Wrangler, and had to breathe into the experience, and I still do, every time I sit in their car, I just do not take it for granted, I am grateful for the experience and for the the abundance that I keep just even the gratitude and the abundance opens up more channels for abundance, and receiving to come through. So I feel they can be that default within us that doesn't feel worthy, even with the hard work and the gratitude. It's almost like a default setting within us that doesn't feel worthy of the work or the energy we put into something, regardless of how long it took us to get there, or how long it didn't take. It can be a big conflict internally to know that you are worth what you have, especially when it's abundance. Absolutely. For myself, you know, I really feel I hear a lot of the echoes of perhaps my childhood and growing up and even still what I hear today from my my parents, and, you know, people like like that energy around me, who, you know, the the abundance mindset really isn't there. It's it's, it's from a different era where we, we had to work really, really hard to, to make $1. And you know, every dollar matters. 

Jason  18:44  
And not to say that's not the case these days. But, you know, for myself, I'm experiencing a very different model of business, where I'm not grinding for 40 hours a week, somewhere else, I work from home, and I record here and there and I speak to people during the week and like, you know, my, my experience is just so different. I'm writing I'm channelling and I'm working with people who come to my house to see me for healing, I'm not working 40 hours a week. That is for sure. I'm probably not even doing 20 hours a week, some weeks. I just tap in when I need to. And you know, it's it's it's this ease and grace that comes with that. And you know, that's what I've created. And it's not to say that that's the exact recipe of what I'm searching for. I'm still refining every every day I'm refining how I want to be working. And it's just keeping that self awareness through meditation absolutely helps your self awareness but yeah, self awareness on what's going on. how your body is where you're at where your energies are, and I just came through that and then try but we're not try but you know, breathe through those old paradigms. Yes. from others. Yeah, cuz you know

Jason  20:00  
But still, I still hear him every day, parents live in the street. My parents live in the street. So I, you know, I see them, I see them a few times. This is the street I grew up in, and it's just funny that landed in the house back here that came up and literally fell out of the sky for us. You know, I hear I hear these old paradigms quite often. And it's always stuff that I have to work through. And you know, there's a part of me, which just wants to like, almost school them, or like, coax them into better, better ways. And there's just, there's only so much you can do with your, with your parents. 

Mahalia  20:42  
There's such a close connection. And they just probably think, yeah, yeah, what would you know, like, I don't know what the energy is, quite yet. But yeah, it's habit as well, yes, comes down to that, what we know. And being familiar with it, I had this mindset that I had to work for someone else to then be able to afford the lifestyle that I wanted to live as a business owner and as, as a mentor, and as a coach with other people who are struggling within their business or career. And I realised, no, actually I've, there's a, there's a huge choice here, you can do it all. I think it's if you've got the recipe, right, and all the ingredients are right, and it's it's flowing and in alignment with what you're meant to do, you will have those weights where like you said, they're 20 hour weeks, I'm not even there's not this like hardcore 50 hour week lifestyle that you need to work. And a lot of people that struggle with that anxiety or unhappiness are generally working those really intense jobs feeling like that's what they have to do. Because that's how you make money in this world. And I always question maybe they haven't tapped into what it is that they want yet, or what it is that they're, they're here to do, like finding their purpose in life, because everyone's purpose is, is different. But then I meet the CEO, the CEOs that just love that really hard working like grinding lifestyle, and some of them do have quite a relaxed side. They're not all really like, full on people. But I definitely think there's more people working that really old school mindset of you need to work nine to 50 hours weeks to be able to, to just make itreally nice when you made other people that have realised he can have that other lifestyle. 

Jason  22:34  
Hmm, I was gonna say, when I, when I said 40 hours a week, that's not even really relatable, because, you know, men, most people are doing far more than that. And, yeah, you know, it's just, I don't think this is going to be a, like, completely forever pace. Like, I don't know, if I only want to just work 20 hours a week, like I see, like, I love what I do. So one or two or more. But, you know, I've got a three year old. And, you know, I love spending time with him. And, you know, I'm just, I'm just in a, in a chapter of my life where this is, this is perfect, so blessed to be able to do that. Yeah, definitely. Because, you know, when he was born, when he was born, I was working landscaping. Yeah, I was, I was I was running five meditation classes a week, are seeing clients, I was burning myself out. And, within the time from, you know, three, so when he was from when he was born to now like, you know, there's been some huge shifts. And, yeah, it hasn't been I can't not gonna say it's been easy, the more I choose what is, you know, my truth, and what is my sort of what I feel and see my purpose as when I choose those things and listen to my intuition, things get easier.

Mahalia  23:52  
So as someone who is not there, and is feeling quite a lot of strain and pressure and isn't able to give themselves time to tap into that or to feel that what's something that you would tell them what's a little piece of advice you'd give them? 

Jason  24:08  
Ok, let's say it's someone who's working 50 hours a week, and then they just didn't they're in the corporate grind that feeling like their soul is literally being sucked out from beneath them and they are on repeat like Groundhog Day. They're just getting up the doing thing they coming home the crushing having a glass of wine at night, like it's just like a repeat thing. You know, that is and the relationships are, you know, becoming slightly either toxic or you know, there's there's there's breakdowns of relationship because there's so much stress within the house. Two people working professional jobs doing something that perhaps, perhaps the gods are trading and the, the wife is in corporate, I mean, that was my, that was my experience. To say that that's happening. You know, it's just about starting to really play some self awareness upon like, instead of being on complete autopilot, it's just starting to choose some of the things that actually bring you joy. 

Jason  25:08  
Because a lot of the joy in those situations get stripped, stripped out of our life. So starting with just a couple of things in your day, which bring you joy, whatever that may be, go for a walk, listen to a podcast, like start infusing your day, with a few things that are a little bit more on the positive side, start to communicate with your, with your partner about perhaps some of the needs that you're needing to, you know, have throughout your week, because communication, especially with a partner is literally everything, especially when we're trying to start to make changes, otherwise, we don't communicate, we just start making these changes. They're gonna say, you know, what the fuck you doing? Like what is this and there's going to court causes a lot of internal, you know, tension from there, you know, just just having some of that positivity and positive programming that's starting to embed into your week, you just start to wake up, like, brighter, more energised and a little bit more inspired about life. And from that, there's a snowball, there's a snowball that starts to occur, you might, you might start thinking, hey, I want to go check out that new yoga student that just opened up around the corner, we'll go check out their meditation class once a week, like, you know, just some of these things can start to happen. And then you start to expand what is actually possible in your reality. And I'm not saying everyone has to go meditate, everyone has to go to yoga, go to a spiritual healing session. But shit, these things really help. These things really help a squashed spirit. And then from from there, you know, you start to, you start to see outside of that little box, and that window that you're sort of looking through each day, and and there's some extra, you know, inspired infusion that comes into your space, and then you start like yourself, you know, what else can I do? Oh, I really like I really like the idea of starting a podcast.

Mahalia  27:01  
I don't think that you can come to a decision of what you need, or coming to that realisation of what you really want, until you create that space. So I was trying to figure it all out. I could feel it internally. I'm an intuitive being I could feel it, it was there was a fire. And there was resistance for a very long time. But until I cleared the space, and allowed it allowed myself to find little practices, like you said, like finding those moments of joy and and what I needed, or making a huge shift and moving to another state to clear completely clear the space for myself wasn't until that happened that then I could really see it and feel it. And a lot of people who are wanting career changes or I don't know what I want to do, or I'm at this age, and I don't know what my purpose is. That's very much one. One thing that I suggest, start moving start shifting your energy moving to a different state. That wasn't the only reason.

Jason  27:59  
I moved to a place called Silicon Valley, which is an hour and a half south of Adelaide. I moved from you know, beachside suburb in Adelaide here where I am right now again, down to second Valley, which is a very tiny, like, I wouldn't even think that'd be 50 people there throughout sort of the winter the winter time. I knew for me that created huge amounts of space. And it's just like we were just sick of what was this constant Groundhog Day that we were both stuck in. And we just wanted to have an experience. That's what we wanted to do. You know, we bought a caravan we had all these plans to go travelling caravan was a piece of shit. I literally sold it yesterday. 

Mahalia  28:38  
Was that your 1969? 

Jason  28:56  
People are wanting wanting something more. They're wanting an experience they're wanting. You know, a caravan is very, very much an expression of freedom. Yeah, of like, you know, just living the life in the sunshine and just been Yeah. Go buy yourself a caravan. That's what you need.

Jason  29:16  
Just don't buy one all mouldy and falling apart like we did. So you you went down to second Valley. And that was when you went there you working that grant? We'll call it the groundhog last year prior to that outsourcing. That was intentional to go there to ship something. Oh, yeah. Yeah, it was absolutely the the whole thing. I mean, you can't move to a tiny country town without Yeah, having a monumental shift. Whether it feels good or bad. Like, you know, we went through, we went through waves of emotions down there. We sold about 70% of our gear. And yeah, it's just like, well, we was a real it was a real well, it was a real eye opening and you know, you move to a place like that.

Jason  30:00  
You don't have the family support that surrounds you, which which we had in Adelaide. So there was all these things that were sort of like surprises, which you could think about prior to being in the situation, but until you actually, like, have the full experience or embodiment of that, it's just like, ooh, have we done the right thing? But hey, we like there's so much that we loved. And there were things that we hated. And, or I didn't like hated, but just, you know, didn't enjoy so much.

Jason  30:32  
Drive to come in the city to do things as well, the drive would have been hard, I drove back to do that speaking, speaking gig with you.

Mahalia  30:42  
A couple of weeks later than I did a singing thing for you, you would have had to have driven back for that. That was pretty far out of Adelaide as well. 

Jason  30:50  
It was a it was definitely a thing to do it. Yeah. No matter if you pack up. No matter if you come back for one day or three weeks, you pretty much have to pack the same amount of stuff. So especially with the within a two year old toddler.

Mahalia  31:08  
Oh, wow. So you're in a good place. You are in a really good, like a really good spot. 

Jason  31:13  
Yeah.

Mahalia  31:13  
So one question that I've wanted to ask you for a while. What would you tell your younger self? If you could tell your younger self something? 

Jason  31:21  
Hmm. Just trust. Trust yourself and trust in your power, trusting your intuition. Yeah, and follow it, follow it. Go beyond what you feel is safe, and go into the unknown of yourself far faster and with more reverence, and it sounds simple, but it really isn't. Sometimes I need that the most. Just trust yourself.

Mahalia  31:50  
Well, on that note, thank you for trusting me today. And coming along without question, trusting your intuition. It's amazing. I love it. So thank you so much, Jason, for being here. 

Jason  31:59  
My pleasure. Thanks, Mahalia. 

Mahalia  32:01  
That concludes another episode of The uncovery podcast. I very much hope that you enjoyed today's episode as much as I loved chatting to Jason. And if you are still here with me, I hope you're gaining insight and learnings from these episodes. So if you know someone who may also enjoy this, please share it with them. Because sharing, reviewing and subscribing makes the world of difference to contributing to this podcast. Until we speak again. I hope there is goodness and kindness surrounding you. And that any problems or challenges that do arise you find strength within if you would like to connect with me, you can find me at Mahalia jane.com or via socials at mahaliajaneco