S1E7: Jonathan Yudis

I love talking to mystics. They are a group of people that see the world in a way that is, in my view, helpful.

They tend to be overwhelmingly optimistic. They speak with an open heart and they tend to be very kind.

Now contrast that with the rest of the human population.

You can see how I have come to think we need more mystics. I need more mystics in my own life!

One of my favorite mystics is my friend Jonathan Yudis, a filmmaker, real estate broker and a legend of Camp Mystic at Burning Man, the annual “experimental” art festival that takes place in the desert outside of Black Rock City, Nevada. The festival is legendary for its costumes, it’s jaw-dropping art installations and what Jonathan calls “the world’s greatest electronic music scene.” The weekend that it takes place, Burning Man is the third largest city in Nevada, with over 80,000 “burners” merging on the site, adopting their burner pseudonyms and allowing themselves to indulge in open expressions of joy, creativity and whatever else they feel needs attention.

I met Jonathan like I’ve met many friends on the island: my son Noah is the same class as Ellie, Jon and Victoria’s daughter. Our conversations from moment one were both intellectually stimulating and spiritually challenging. And when I heard from another friend about Jonathan’s Burning Man royalty status, I immediately knew I had to have him on the podcast.

Enjoy the episode!