Episode 08: Dr. Mike Spino—Esalen Sports Center, Mind-Body Connection & Writing Poetry
In this episode I speak to mindful running coach and author, Dr. Mike Spino about his childhood escape from the Mob and using running as a way to start a new path, his work with the Esalen Institute, and developing the mind-body connection for performance. Dr. Spino is also an accomplished writer, sharing the power of writing poetry and the process of writing a book, notably his work Beyond Jogging: The Innerspaces of Running, and finally how a recent heart attack changed his relationship with mortality, and how nurturing his inner world is still challenged by being a father.
“More and more from the underground, it was coming out that yes, sport can be a yoga, sport can be a place where you work to find yourself.”
SHOW NOTES
• 3:30 Scholarship to Syracuse University for running
• 4:45 Training with Mihály Iglói
• 6:10 Esalen Institute Sports Center in early 1970s
• 7:36 Working with Percy Cerutty, runner as an artist
• 9:05 Writing Running as a Spiritual Experience
• 13:35 Max Vallot and Michael Murphy interview
• 16:20 Percy Cerutty’s book Success in Mind & Sport
• 20:41 PHD in Event Rehearsal, impact on students
• 25:32 Coaching styles and navigating parents
• 29:26 Power of visualization on the body and mind
• 33:15 Research process for PHD in France
• 40:05 Inspiring group at Esalen in early 70s
• 42:50 Balance between mental and physical for personal growth
• 58:30 When the teacher is ready, the student will appear
• 59:25 Challenges of being a father
• 103:01 Growing up in Mafia family, father passed when 4 years old
• 110:15 Staying inspired and connected
• 113:10 Sharing information in collaboration and reaching people
• 115:30 The power and feeling in writing poetry
Dr. Mike Spino published a new online program on Udemy, called Mindful Running: Becoming Happy and Healthy, with the aim to teach how meditative running will unite your body and soul and can improve performance and happiness.