In this episode, Gary LeBlanc welcomes Freddie Gervasi, co-creator of Soul Expansion, to discuss his experiences with Vipassana meditation and the profound impact it had on his life. They explore Freddie's journey from a professional athlete to an entrepreneur and meditation practitioner, highlighting how silencing the noise in his life led him to find the answers he was seeking.

Chapters List

00:00 Introduction and Background
02:56 Discovering Breathwork and Meditation
07:18 Emotional Regulation and Burnout
24:16 Breakthroughs and Purging
27:49 The Importance of Stillness and Self-Compassion
30:40 Regrets and Personal Growth
36:10 Balancing Surrender and Action
44:46 Conscious Leisure and Intentional Living
50:43 Authentic Connections and Community

Detailed Insights

• Freddie’s Background: Freddie shares his journey from playing college hockey to entering the entrepreneurial world. He experienced highs and lows in various industries, including real estate and the non-psychoactive cannabis sector.


• Emotional Regulation: Freddie emphasizes the importance of emotional regulation, describing his struggles with suppressed anger and how it affected his relationships and overall mental health.


• Meditation and Breath Work: His exploration into meditation and breath work began as a personal practice, leading to significant personal breakthroughs and eventually to teaching and guiding others.


• Vipassana Meditation: Freddie provides an in-depth look at his 10-day Vipassana retreat, describing it as a "fast from the world." He shares the challenges, breakthroughs, and transformative experiences he encountered during the retreat.


• Integration of Practices: Post-Vipassana, Freddie integrated meditation and sound healing into his daily life and professional work, co-founding Soul Expansion with his partner Stella. They aim to merge healing modalities with entertainment to create unique, immersive experiences.

Sound Bites

• "I went through every single thought and experience in my life, realizing specific choices and finding peace with them."


• "The ultimate process for me was going into this experience at odds with myself and coming out best friends on the other side."


• "Vipassana was the toughest and most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my life."

Episode Metaphors

1. Fasting from the World: Comparing Vipassana meditation to fasting, where initial discomfort gives way to clarity and profound realizations.


2. Signal to Noise Ratio: Emphasizing how emotional and mental clarity requires reducing the noise in our lives to enhance the signal.


3. Building a Railroad Car: Vipassana as a big push to get started, but continuous effort (pumping) is needed to maintain progress.

Quiet the Noise Takeaways

• Embrace Stillness: Incorporate regular periods of silence and meditation into your routine to enhance emotional and mental clarity.


• Self-Compassion: Practice self-compassion by accepting past actions and focusing on growth rather than dwelling on regrets.


• Intentional Living: Engage in conscious leisure activities that align with your values and contribute to your well-being.

Quiet the Noise Nudge

Commit to a Daily Practice: Begin each day with a simple meditation or breath work session to center yourself and cultivate a sense of inner peace and awareness. Even five minutes can make a significant difference.