Ep 105: Habits of a Whole Heart with Arnie Herz and guest AJ Reisman P1 on hmTv

Episode 105 – Habits of a Whole Heart with Arnie Herz and Guest AJ Reisman (Part 1)
hmTv Original Podcast Series

In this powerful and reflective episode, host Arnie Herz welcomes friend and neighbor AJ Reisman to explore what it truly means to live with a whole heart. Against the backdrop of a tragic act of violence that claimed the lives of two young peacebuilders, Arnie and AJ open a heartfelt dialogue about grief, purpose, and the pursuit of meaning in our fractured world.

Together, they unpack the difference between fleeting pleasure and enduring joy, the spiritual science of interconnectedness, and the daily habits—like journaling, walking, and mindful presence—that ground us in gratitude and awareness. With thoughtful reflections on ancient wisdom, quantum physics, and the rhythms of nature, this episode offers a compelling invitation to live more intentionally and compassionately.

Listeners will walk away with a renewed sense of what really matters, and how simple practices can help us stay rooted in the sacredness of life—every single day.

Stay tuned for Part 2 as Arnie and AJ dive deeper into ancient philosophies, spiritual habits, and timeless tools for personal and collective wholeness.

Transcript

Episode 105 – Habits of a Whole Heart with Arnie Herz and Guest AJ Reisman (Part 1)
Aired on hmTv

Arnie Herz:
Hello, my name is Arnie Herz and welcome to this podcast titled Habits of a Whole Heart. I’m your host, and this is being aired on hmTv. Today, I’m very happy to have my dear friend and neighbor AJ Reisman as my guest.

AJ and I go on frequent walks together, and one thing I always say about him—our conversations are incredibly thoughtful and deep. AJ is very well-read and always poses phenomenal questions. He also writes a daily blog filled with tremendous clarity and wisdom—short posts that carry deep meaning for our everyday lives. On top of that, he’s the author of a children’s book called Build Higher.

AJ, thank you so much for joining me today.

AJ Reisman:
Thanks for having me, Arnie. I’m glad to be here.

Arnie Herz:
Before we dive in, I want to acknowledge something tragic that happened today. It’s May 22nd, 11:25 a.m. in New York, and we woke up to the heartbreaking news of the murder of two innocent souls outside an event in Washington, D.C., hosted by the American Jewish Committee. I’m very involved with AJC, and this event—part of the Young Diplomats Program—brought together diplomats from various consulates to discuss humanitarian aid into Gaza and fostering peace in the Middle East.

Ironically and tragically, a radicalized individual chose to take the lives of this young couple who were about to be engaged. Their lives were destroyed in an act of senseless violence.

Walking into the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center this morning here in Glen Cove, and seeing the ripple effect of hate—remnants of the ideology that led to the Holocaust—it’s painful to realize it’s still affecting us today. I’d like to dedicate this episode to the memory of Sarah Mgrim and Yuron Lashinski. May their names be a blessing. It’s upon us, the living, to bring more light into the world and work toward eradicating hate and intolerance.

AJ Reisman:
Thanks for saying that. I was heartbroken when I read the news last night. Coming here this morning, to a place dedicated to tolerance, and then learning this couple was shot while simply leaving an event—it really shook me. As Jews, there’s always that fear, however small, that it could happen to any of us or our loved ones.

But seeing those high school students learning about the Holocaust today—that gives me some hope. These two young people, Sarah and Yuron, were about to start a life together. They had purpose. Sarah was active against antisemitism since high school, and she cared deeply about peace, religion, and the environment. Her fiancé believed in the Abraham Accords and fostering regional cooperation through interfaith and intercultural understanding.

Arnie Herz:
They were beautiful souls doing meaningful work. What makes this even more tragic is the distorted belief that killing them was a holy act. That delusion—that violence is sacred—is not new. It’s as old as Cain and Abel. Much of history’s violence stems from this twisted idea that murder serves a greater good.

Look at Nazi Germany: millions of people were manipulated into believing genocide was righteous. That mindset still exists in different forms—right-wing, left-wing, religious extremism. And it’s all rooted in the illusion of separation—of “us” vs. “them.”

AJ Reisman:
Exactly. We have this primal inheritance of tribal warfare, but unlike animals, we have language, wisdom, and the capacity to grow beyond that instinct.

Arnie Herz:
That’s where Habits of a Whole Heart comes in. One of the core ideas is understanding we have two perspectives: the physical reality of “me and you,” and the spiritual reality that we’re deeply interconnected. Quantum physics even shows that, at the deepest level, we’re all energy waves—connected in one energetic field. What separates us is perception, not reality.

Spiritual development is about tapping into that infinite self—beyond time, beyond individuality. When we connect our higher self with our daily self, we become whole. Then we can connect with others from a place of love and oneness. That’s the heart of this podcast: exploring what wholeness means, how we fracture, and how we heal.

AJ Reisman:
That really resonates. Last night, I was at the Knicks playoff game with my wife and daughter—amazing energy, full of joy. But afterward, I wondered: is that joy real or manufactured by marketing? The lights, the music, the crowd—it’s all designed to trigger those dopamine hits. But joy should come from something deeper—like playing basketball in the backyard with your daughter.

Arnie Herz:
That’s the difference between pleasure and joy. Pleasure is fleeting, triggered by stimuli. Joy arises when we feel aligned and whole—when we’re in nature, with our family, connected to something greater.

We’re constantly being manipulated to chase superficial pleasures to avoid pain or emptiness. But the real work is to slow down, connect, reflect.

AJ Reisman:
And sometimes it takes loss or suffering to remind us what matters. There’s that saying: a healthy person wants a thousand things; a sick person wants just one—to get better. The same is true when we face death—it brings clarity.

Arnie Herz:
Yes. So the key becomes, how do we stay grounded in what matters—daily? How do we keep the sacredness of life front and center, without needing tragedy as a wake-up call?

AJ Reisman:
For me, part of it is journaling. My blog helps me notice things—small but meaningful. The habit of writing creates a mindset of observation and reflection. I find beauty in ordinary moments, and through writing, I start to see the world differently.

Arnie Herz:
Exactly. You’re cultivating a habit of noticing the good, the profound, the transformational. That’s a spiritual practice. You’re not just reacting to the world—you’re choosing how to see it. Even when we talked about the murders earlier, you focused on the victims’ values and how we can honor their legacy.

AJ Reisman:
That’s part of the tradition in ancient Rome, actually. When a victorious warrior returned, a servant would whisper “memento mori”—“remember, you will die.” It was a reminder to stay humble and grateful for life.

Arnie Herz:
Beautiful. Stoicism offers tremendous wisdom, as do many spiritual traditions. Death is our greatest teacher—it reminds us how to truly live.

We’re going to end here for today, but we’ll continue this conversation in part two, where we’ll explore more ancient tools and practices for living life with a whole heart. AJ, thank you for being here for this first episode.

AJ Reisman:
Thank you, Arnie. Looking forward to part two.

Arnie Herz:
To our listeners—thank you for joining us on Habits of a Whole Heart with my dear friend AJ Reisman. We’ll be back shortly with episode two, only on hmTv.