Episode 9: "Dropping Stones, Finding Paths" with Steve Hershberger
Guest: Steve Hershberger – Serial entrepreneur, writer at The Chosen Path Substack, and founder of Amplify Flow (amplifyflow.co), whose four near-death experiences reshaped his journey from victimhood to purpose. A decades-long friend of Smoke from their dot-com days.
Setting: Smoke in Sedona’s radiant calm, Steve beaming in from his space—old pals syncing up for a soul-deep chat.
Smoke welcomes Steve with brotherly warmth, their entrepreneurial roots setting the stage for a raw exploration of transformation. Steve, a veteran of the dot-com boom like Smoke, unpacks his shift from chasing material wins to embracing a higher calling, catalyzed by four brushes with death—most vividly a hit-and-run truck crash that flatlined him for two minutes. That NDE, guided by a mysterious figure (Black Horse or Dark Horse), gifted him a cosmic map of consciousness, from tar-like victimhood to buoyant joy. Together, they riff on shedding ego’s burdens—Smoke’s “emotional hairballs,” Steve’s “stones”—to reveal the innate light within. Gratitude emerges as their anchor, a practice Steve hones via Substack and Smoke lives through this podcast, amplifying positive energy in a noisy world. Check out Steve’s reflections at
The Chosen Path and his work at
amplifyflow.co.
Learnings
- Drop the Stones: Steve’s NDE vision—releasing burdens into a stream—echoes Smoke’s trauma-clearing process. Let go of what weighs you down; peace lies on the other side.
- Gratitude as Fuel: Both tout gratitude as the vibe that lifts you—Steve’s daily stance, Smoke’s gateway to clarity. Start small, watch it grow.
- Listen, Don’t Judge: Smoke’s shift to active listening—seeking essence over rebuttal—pairs with Steve’s openness to synchronicity. Drop judgment, unlock insight.
- Stack the Journey: Smoke adapts Scott Adams’ talent stack to spirituality—layer practices (meditation, reading, reflection) until an avalanche of awareness hits.
Universal Truths
- Consciousness is Innate: Steve’s map and Smoke’s tar metaphor agree—what’s divine isn’t found; it’s uncovered by chipping away ego’s clutter, à la Michelangelo’s David.
- Energy Amplifyies: Higher states (love, joy) dwarf lower ones (fear, shame) in power—Steve’s radio station analogy aligns with Smoke’s log-10 scale. One uplifted soul shifts the field.
- Trauma’s Scale is Relative: Smoke’s EMDR insight and Steve’s 148 strangers reveal—big or small, perceived pain sticks until released. It’s not the event, it’s the holding.
- Time Hides Progress: Steve’s season-shift take and Smoke’s snowflake avalanche affirm—growth’s subtle until it’s undeniable. Trust the process.
Examples
- Truck NDE: Steve’s hit-and-run—broken neck, back, skull—brought a meadow vision and a choice from Black Horse. Dropping stones fast-tracked his recovery, defying medical odds.
- Nepal Prayer: Smoke’s electric jolt at Buddha’s birthplace, asking for peace, mirrors Steve’s dream-led pivot—both sought help, got cosmic downloads.
- Coffee Shop Wake-Up: A stranger’s plea—“If I’m worth it, don’t stop writing”—reignited Steve’s Substack, proving small acts ripple, like Smoke’s podcast intent.
- Gravel Race Grit: Steve’s 156-mile Unbound prep, shedding victimhood, set him up to survive the crash—Smoke ties it to his own shedding of tar via plant medicine.
Smoke Trail Threads
Episode 9 builds on Episode 7’s forgiveness (Luke’s enemies, Smoke’s past) with Steve’s stone-dropping release, and Episode 8’s presence (Liv’s human medicine) via their shared listening evolution. Smoke’s Nepal epiphany (Ep. 8) and Luke’s star-gazing (Ep. 7) echo in Steve’s NDE meadow, reinforcing serendipity’s pull. Sedona’s vibe hums again, grounding tools like gratitude and awareness—core to Smoke’s mission of lighting paths for seekers.
Episode 9