Your Thursday Three Things for June 5, 2025
The Spirit We've Suppressed
Brought to you by Jon Macaskill of Frogman Mindfulness and Will Schneider — together we are Men Talking Mindfulness
We used to be a country where adventure, challenge, and collective mission defined us.
There was purpose in our movements.
Direction in our days.
And belief in something bigger than ourselves.
Somewhere along the way, we traded that shared spirit for distraction, division, and isolation.
📱 Doomscrolling replaced doing.
📢 Outrage replaced outreach.
💤 And comfort… replaced courage.
This week, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it would mean to bring the American spirit back … not the flashy, flag-waving kind. The grounded, gritty kind. The one that builds schools, shows up for neighbors, and leaves things better than we found them.
We had the honor of sitting down with former Congressman Tim Ryan, author of A Mindful Nation (now called Healing America: How a Simple Practice Can Help Us Recapture the American Spirit) , to talk about exactly this: the crisis of masculinity, the erosion of purpose, and how we rebuild something better from the inside out.
He shared stories about war veterans, working-class towns, education systems, and the emotional strength it takes to be gentle. Not weak. Gentle. Grounded. Present.
We didn’t all agree on everything … but that’s not the point. The point is we talked. We wrestled with the truth. And we explored the idea that maybe... just maybe… the soul of this country starts with the soul of each one of us.
You can check out that full conversation here → https://podfollow.com/mentalkingmindfulness
🎯 Your Three Things
1. 🛠 A Book to Help Rebuild the American Spirit
“Healing America” by Tim Ryan
Don’t let the author’s political title scare you off. This book is a practical, bipartisan look at how mindfulness can heal our schools, our soldiers, our communities … and ourselves. It’s not about left or right. It’s about rooted.
2. 📽 A Must-Watch Film on Masculinity
“The Mask You Live In” (Netflix or YouTube… trailer here)
This powerful documentary explores how boys are taught to disconnect from their emotions, and how that disconnection plays out in adulthood. It’s a challenging watch… and a necessary one.
3. 👨👧 A Powerful Program for Parents
The Centering Parenting model
Mentioned by Tim in our interview, this small-group model teaches parents how to raise emotionally healthy kids from the start. Based in community, guided by professionals, and rooted in science … it’s a game-changer for families in high-stress environments.
Let’s stop waiting for a hero and start becoming the helpers.
Let’s raise our sons and daughters to be gentle and strong.
And let’s remember that the country we want to live in… starts with how we live today.
🔥 Here's to doing the inner work that creates outer impact.
Until next week,
Jon + Will
Men Talking Mindfulness
P.S. We’ve never been about quick fixes.
From the beginning, Men Talking Mindfulness has been about doing the work… having the real conversations… building a life that’s grounded, resilient, and true to who you are.
We’ve talked openly about breathwork, meditation, mental health, masculinity, vulnerability, grief, and growth. We’ve shared the messy, beautiful, challenging parts of being human… and we’ve heard from so many of you who are walking your own path toward becoming a happier, healthier version of yourself.
That’s what we care about: giving people real tools to feel better, think clearer, and live more fully.
So when we came across Neurish, it wasn’t a business opportunity. It was a values alignment.
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We tried it. We liked it. We felt the difference. And more importantly… we trusted the mission behind it.
So we teamed up.
This isn’t about selling drinks… it’s about expanding our toolkit. Mindfulness, breath, movement, community… and now, Neurish. One more piece to support you in the work you’re already doing.
If you’re curious to try it, we have a link:
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No pressure. No push. Just something we believe in—and wanted to share with you.
Because this mission we’re on? It’s real.
And we’re just getting started.