• S02E07 - This Article Blew My Mind (Can You Handle It?)
    Mar 15 2025

    The article I am reading aloud and commenting on, in this video - https://roccojarman.substack.com/p/this-is-not-a-substack-post--------------Some articles challenge your perspective—this one shatters it.Rocco Jarman’s "This is not a Substack post" isn’t just another opinion piece. It exposes what may be the most urgent crisis of our time: a society stuck in emotional and intellectual adolescence. Many people passively accept dysfunction, mistaking apathy or spiritual detachment for wisdom—often found in very wise spiritual traditions like Buddhism, Nonduality, or Advaita Vedanta. He argues that even such spiritual traditions are insufficient for addressing these modern issues we are collectively facing right now. Instead, he advocates for active participation and leadership from those willing to "step up as adults" in a society he views as dominated by less mature perspectives.In this video, I read aloud this game-changing article while adding my own commentary, breaking down key insights, and offering a higher perspective on why this message cannot and should not be ignored. If you think you're ready for this wake-up call, hit play.--------------Rocco Jarman is a philosopher, teacher, and visionary known for integrating ancient wisdom with modern insights. His diverse background spans over 25 years in corporate leadership, personal development, and social engineering, enriched by his personal journey through burnout and existential crisis. He has featured in various videos on this channel @ChetanNarangOfficial , most notably this playlist here - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGTAFgEsIneWgPFmGJK9IcJBRuWKlZ10b--------------Become a channel member to connect deeper with me:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN3I5tAhOu2gPMZ99peSjTg/joinCheck out all of my work on my website -https://chetannarang.org/If you have a question for me, ask me here - https://chetannarang.org/ask-a-human-not-an-ai/For one-on-one personal sessions for life coaching, counselling & philosophical mentorship with me -https://chetannarang.org/nondual-philosophical-counselling-mentorship/Subscribe to my channel here - https://www.youtube.com/c/TheUnlearningPlaygroundFind all my book recommendations here - https://chetannarang.org/book-recommendations/Connect with me, Chetan Narang, on Instagram here -https://www.instagram.com/nrng.chetan/Checkout The Unlearning Playground podcast here -https://chetannarang.org/the-unlearning-playground-by-chetan-narang/Sign up for The Unlearning Playground newsletter here - https://chetannarang.org/newsletter/#consciousness #spiritualteacher #higherconsciousness #mindsetshift #spiritualawakening #selfimprovement #personalgrowth

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    1 hr and 13 mins
  • S02E06 - Kolkata Doctor Case - How Can We Do Better As A Society? (2 Key Points)
    Aug 19 2024

    On Aug 9th, 2024, news about a heinous crime in Kolkata, West Bengal, India started to go viral across all social media platforms and news channels - a 31 year old doctor Moumita Debnath was found brutally raped and murdered at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The devastating news, enough to send chills down the spine of even the coldest person, has since then been doing the rounds all over India, with multiple protests and strikes being organised throughout the country demanding swift justice for the crime and stricter laws when it comes to women safety and protection. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) went on complete strike for 24 hours from August 17-18. With the CBI investigating the scene now and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also involved in the enquiries, let’s hope justice prevails. This extremely sad incident has raised several key questions in the minds of Indian people. Is there really a rape culture prevalent in India today? Is there a general lack of awareness amongst the general population with regards to women safety? Are we educating our population enough when it comes to topics such as sex education, consent, gender equality, etc. How can we solve this very real, very sad problem once and for all? In today’s episode, I throw my hat in the ring for such deep and profound questions. Specifically this one - What, if any, is the real solution to this problem? What I touch upon today is something that I find particularly missing from most debates and discussions happening around this topic at the moment. ==== Outline ==== (00:00) - Intro To The Kolkata Horror Incident (01:10) - What This Episode Is About (02:24) - Awareness - What Are We Missing In Our Outrage? (04:40) - The Missing Key (Self Awareness) (10:03) - When Will We Be Able To Say That This Problem Is Solved? (12:39) - Politics & Corruption Around The Case (14:05) - The Actual Solution To Corrupt Politics (19:15) - Key Action Items & Concluding Thoughts In genuine hopes that this reaches and resonates with a wide audience. Follow me for more such profound content that uplifts your level of self-awareness and consciousness. Until next time. Peace out.

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    22 mins
  • S02E05 - Can WE Fix Politics & Beyond? (A Summary of The Beyond Politics Series)
    Jul 26 2024

    Today's video is the last in The Beyond Politics Video Series on The Unlearning Playground by Chetan Narang & Rocco Jarman. Well, last in the first iteration (we hope!). This is my first standalone video in this series, and what I talk about is a summary of the entire series, key takeaways everyone can have from it and practical advices for everyone listening to actually make an impact in our society & in our shared future together. When Rocco & I brainstormed the idea of Beyond Politics, we could see that in the current situation of the global political atmosphere, in the USA or in India or in various other societies throughout the world, polarisation is increasingly becoming the norm. The ideological divide among people is deepening and this growing rift is not only impacting political discourse but also hindering our ability to address pressing societal issues effectively - issues for which even if we already have the necessary tools already, our political framings block us from cooperating and actually solving them. -------------- The entire series is available via this playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGTAFgEsIneXcoBEzsYfc0wNB5H0Rssot You may also watch short clips from the series here in this playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGTAFgEsIneWwqiZ_y8JgNUshNx0Jh3q8

    -------------- The key insights I share today (and what we discuss in the entire Beyond Politics Series) are applicable not just to the political climate in India or the United States of America, but is fundamental to the way we humans work and coordinate (or at least try to coordinate!) ==== Outline ==== (00:00) - Coming-Up Next (00:33) - A brief summary of Beyond Politics by Chetan Narang & Rocco Jarman (05:06) - A Personal Story (Polarisation in Our Everyday Life) (09:24) - Our Fears are the same (Recent Trends in Modern Politics) (11:40) - IF you want to be a part of the solution (17:09) - The Cone Example and Politics Today (20:37) - Key Point 1 - The Two Golden Rules (26:07) - Key Point 2 - Two Questions to Always Consider (27:50) - Key Point 3 - The Tim Urban Levels of Thinking Paradigm (29:37) - Key Point 4 - The Human Consciousness Pyramid (34:46) - Understanding the Current Human Condition & What lies AHEAD (37:47) - How to use Agile to Solve Politics (42:44) - Concluding Thoughts & Invitations -------------- The polarisation we see all around us is indeed a sad reality of modern life, and it's about time someone acts like the adult in the room and helps us get out of the mess we have created for ourselves - as a society and also as individuals. In sincere hopes that this lands and finds you in a state of open mind and open heart. Until next time. Peace out. #politics #politicstoday #socialchange #betterfuture #beyondpolitics #utopia #awakening #indianpolitics #uspolitics -------------- Become a channel member to connect deeper with me: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN3I5tAhOu2gPMZ99peSjTg/join Check out all of my work on my website - https://chetannarang.org/ If you have a question for me, ask me here - https://chetannarang.org/ask-a-human-not-an-ai/ For one-on-one personal sessions for life coaching, counselling & philosophical mentorship with me - https://chetannarang.org/nondual-philosophical-counselling-mentorship/ Subscribe to my channel here - https://www.youtube.com/c/TheUnlearningPlayground Find all my book recommendations here - https://chetannarang.org/book-recommendations/ Connect with me, Chetan Narang, on Instagram here - https://www.instagram.com/nrng.chetan/ Checkout The Unlearning Playground podcast here - https://chetannarang.org/the-unlearning-playground-by-chetan-narang/ Sign up for The Unlearning Playground newsletter here - https://chetannarang.org/newsletter/

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    44 mins
  • S02E04 - Do We Really Have Free Will? Exploring the Concept and What's Often Overlooked
    May 24 2024

    The question of whether we have free will is a longstanding and complex debate in philosophy, neuroscience, and psychology. The internet is full of amazingly detailed and intriguing content talking about this concept in much detail. In today's episode, I wanted to talk about two extremely crucial concepts that I think are often overlooked in most debates and discussions around this subject. Join me, Chetan Narang, as I dive deep into the concept of free will. I am sure that by the end of this episode of The Unlearning Playground Podcast, you would be well equipped to understand what is mostly missing in the various perspectives of this question from philosophy, neuroscience, psychology & theology. You will also be able to digest the classic debates between determinism, libertarian free will & compatibilism better. Whether you have or haven't listened to big names like Sam Harris, Andrew Huberman, Robert Sapolsky or Jordan Peterson, my hope is that you would find this episode to be the missing piece in the jigsaw puzzle of the ever evasive question - Is Free Will an illusion? As I uncover what is often missing in most debates and discussions about free will - whether among philosophers, scientists, or laypeople, you would see that we actually need to go beyond the surface arguments to explore the real nuance of this question.
    Let's meet in the playground then.

    Until next time. Peace out.


    #freewill #philosophy #neuroscience #psychology #theology #determinism #spiritualteacher #spiritualawakening -------------- All links that I touched upon in this episode: Sam Harris's book on Free Will - https://amzn.to/3KaiCtF My episode on The Purpose of Life - https://chetannarang.org/the-purpose-of-life/ -------------- ==== Outline ==== (00:00) - Intro to today's episode (00:58) - Intro to the concept of Free Will (02:20) - My PERSONAL experience with the question (04:01) - How this question is USUALLY addressed on the Internet (08:37) - What is MISSING from almost ALL videos on Free Will (20:24) - Self Awareness - The MISSING variable in the Free Will equation (30:16) - Summary & Concluding Thoughts --------------

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    35 mins
  • S02E03 - Grief, Healing and Moving On (Life after Death)
    May 7 2024

    Dealing with the loss of a loved one is a profound and personal journey. In today's heartfelt episode, the third one of season 2 of The Unlearning Playground Podcast by Chetan Narang, we discuss practical and emotional tips to help you process grief and navigate the complex emotions that follow. I feel that conversations around the topic of death are few & far compared to the emotional turmoil this event can cause in our lives, and hence this topic appears to me to be one of those non-negotiable ones that I should pick in this new series of podcast episodes. This is also an extremely personal episode for me, because I share some updates to my life that actually pushed me to sit in front of my mic with this subject, no matter how emotionally challenging. From understanding the stages of grief to finding ways to honor and remember your loved one, this guide is here to support you at your own pace. Whether you're seeking comfort, guidance, or simply a sense of connection, join me as I explore the path toward healing, acceptance and moving on. Remember, it's okay to grieve and it's okay to seek help. Let's take this step together. In sincere hopes that this lands. Until next time. Peace out.
    ==== Outline ==== (00:00) - How we usually think about Death - A Short Story (02:07) - Why talk about this at all? (06:10) - Mahabharata & Death (09:09) - A personal realisation around the death of a loved one (12:40) - Death & Shame (16:43) - Death & Fear (20:06) - The Grieving Process - How to heal from grief & loss (27:06) - Life after Death (The Purpose of Death) (35:07) - Concluding thoughts


    #death #grief #movingon #emotionalwellbeing #mentalhealth


    -------------- Check out all of my work on my website - https://chetannarang.org/ If you have a question for me, ask me here - https://chetannarang.org/ask-a-human-not-an-ai/ For one-on-one personal sessions for life coaching, counselling & philosophical mentorship with me - https://chetannarang.org/nondual-philosophical-counselling-mentorship/ Subscribe to my channel here - https://www.youtube.com/c/TheUnlearningPlayground Find all my book recommendations here - https://chetannarang.org/book-recommendations/ Connect with me, Chetan Narang, on Instagram here - https://www.instagram.com/nrng.chetan/ Checkout The Unlearning Playground podcast here - https://chetannarang.org/the-unlearning-playground-by-chetan-narang/ Sign up for The Unlearning Playground newsletter here - https://chetannarang.org/newsletter/ -------------- Credits for the beautiful soundtracks: Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/augustine/another-life

    License code: A4IITIDDH56OQH7H

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    37 mins
  • S02E02 - How to live a better life by being more childlike?
    Nov 16 2023

    A thought that every adult encounters ever so often is centred around the idea of how life was better when they were a kid, when they were more childlike. I think there are a lot of life lessons in this train of thought, and that is the epicentre of today's episode of The Unlearning Playground.

    Even The Bible reportedly says something to the tune of "No one enters the kingdom of God until he is childlike." Please note that the call is to be childlike, not childish. There is a world of difference between the two words, and I explore that too in this episode.

    I think that the various tips I give out here are central to living a good life as an adult, central to living your life to the fullest as a grown-up. The playfulness, spontaneity and flexibility of childhood is something that has captured the imagination of so many philosophers already - Alan Watts, Osho, Sadhguru, Jordan Peterson, Sandeep Maheshwari to name a few. So, here I am throwing my hat in the ring too on the same.

    I hope this episode lands, and leaves you with a better life.
    Until next time.
    Peace out.

    ==== Outline ====

    (00:00) - Intro
    (02:12) - Was life better as a kid?
    (10:14) - Being more spontaneous and expressive
    (22:36) - Being more playful
    (36:19) - Being more open and flexible
    (48:51) - Recap and concluding thoughts

    #lifelessons #selfimprovementpodcast #personalgrowth

    --------------

    Check out all of my work on my website -
    https://chetannarang.org/

    If you have a question for me, ask me here - https://chetannarang.org/ask-a-human-not-an-ai/

    For one-on-one personal sessions for life coaching, counselling & philosophical mentorship with me -
    https://chetannarang.org/nondual-philosophical-counselling-mentorship/

    Subscribe to my channel here - https://www.youtube.com/c/TheUnlearningPlayground

    Find all my book recommendations here - https://chetannarang.org/book-recommendations/

    Connect with me, Chetan Narang, on Instagram here -
    https://www.instagram.com/nrng.chetan/

    Checkout The Unlearning Playground podcast here -
    https://chetannarang.org/the-unlearning-playground-by-chetan-narang/

    Sign up for The Unlearning Playground newsletter here - https://chetannarang.org/newsletter/

    --------------

    Credits for the beautiful soundtracks:

    Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/augustine/another-life
    License code: A4IITIDDH56OQH7H

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    51 mins
  • S02E01 - What is the purpose of Life, and how to find yours?
    Sep 22 2023

    One of the most fundamental questions every person asks at some point in their lives is - “What is the purpose of life?”. Not surprisingly at all, this is also one question that most of us learn to suppress very early on in our lives.

    In this episode, the first of season two of the unlearning playground podcast, I dive into this question head on. I think that the modalities discussed here - of being & becoming, of life & Life, of priorities, of sacrifices and of our soul’s calling - are of utmost importance in truly grasping this ever-evasive question.

    It is ok to feel lost sometimes, it happens to everyone.
    It is ok to feel stuck sometimes, it happens to everyone.
    It is ok to not know what to do next sometimes, it happens to everyone.

    However, I have come to realise that we should not be ok with not doing anything about such feelings. Most of what needs to be done has more to do with the stance we approach them with.

    As you will find it in this episode, this is not a direct invitation to change WHAT you do, in the sense of quitting your job and following your “passion”. Although there is something to be said about that being absolutely necessary at times.

    Rather, this is an invitation firstly to change HOW you are going about your life - how you’re looking at your life, how you view your job, your relationships, your career, your purpose, your questions, your conversations and all the rest of Life.

    This is an absolutely vital episode in the grand scope of all of my work at the unlearning playground I would say.

    ==== Outline ====

    (00:00) - Introduction
    (02:50) - Why talk about this at all? The crisis of meaning today’s age
    (09:52) - The two modalities - being & becoming
    (10:51) - Being - life vs Life
    (23:59) - Becoming
    (31:28) - How to find your purpose?
    (48:38) - Priorities
    (56:18) - Sacrifices & your soul’s calling
    (1:01:19) - Concluding thoughts


    --------------

    Check out all of my work on my website -
    https://chetannarang.org/

    For one-on-one personal sessions for life coaching, counselling & philosophical mentorship with me -
    https://chetannarang.org/nondual-philosophical-counselling-mentorship/

    Subscribe to my channel here - https://www.youtube.com/c/TheUnlearningPlayground

    Find all my book recommendations here - https://chetannarang.org/book-recommendations/

    Connect with me, Chetan Narang, on Instagram here -
    https://www.instagram.com/nrng.chetan/

    Checkout The Unlearning Playground podcast here -
    https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGTAFgEsIneXtQ3H-HJqiGgJQX6HaRsj1
    https://chetannarang.org/the-unlearning-playground-by-chetan-narang/

    --------------

    Credits for the beautiful soundtracks:

    Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/augustine/another-life
    License code: A4IITIDDH56OQH7H
    "Reaching Out" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
    Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    #purposeoflife #lifelessons #selfimprovement #truespirituality

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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • 0042 - The end of season 1, and start of something better
    Sep 1 2023

    Endings are hard indeed. But if we keep ourselves stuck in the same old same old, we hold ourselves back to what might be.

    And therefore, like a snake must shed its old skin someday to allow a new layer to flourish, I end season 1 of The Unlearning Playground podcast today with this episode.

    I talk about 2 major updates about the content you can expect from The Unlearning Playground in the months to come, with the first major announcement being the launch of my new series of content - Ask a human, not an AI.

    Check out the "Ask a human, not an AI" homepage here - https://chetannarang.org/ask-a-human-not-an-ai/

    Also, I'm still collecting feedbacks for all my content thus far, so share your opinions with me here - https://chetannarang.org/feedback/
    P.S. You can be anonymous with the form too.

    That's about it.
    Super psyched about the new season.
    Until next time.
    Peace out.

    --------------

    Check out all of my work on my website -
    https://chetannarang.org/

    For one-on-one personal sessions for life coaching, counselling & philosophical mentorship with me -
    https://chetannarang.org/nondual-philosophical-counselling-mentorship/

    Subscribe to my channel here - https://www.youtube.com/c/TheUnlearningPlayground

    Connect with me, Chetan Narang, on Instagram here -
    https://www.instagram.com/nrng.chetan/

    Checkout The Unlearning Playground podcast here -
    https://chetannarang.org/the-unlearning-playground-by-chetan-narang/

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    5 mins