#9 – Connection Is My Medicine with Amer Ameen

What if connection was as essential as food and water?

In this heart-opening conversation, Brien sits down with Amer Ameen — a man who has spent 50 days in silent meditation, volunteered for five years on a suicide hotline, helped scale a crypto company to 35 countries, and lived in intentional communities from Burning Man to the mountains of British Columbia.

They explore the life-changing power of authentic human connection, the lessons Amer learned supporting people in crisis, and the transformative impact of rituals, presence, and chosen family. From the origins of West Nest to practical steps for building community in your own life, this episode is a reminder that we are meant to live — and thrive — together.

Tune in to discover:

• Why loneliness is at the root of so much suffering

• The difference between offering solutions and truly listening

• How rituals can deepen friendships and create lasting bonds

• Simple ways to bring more connection into your daily life

Where you can find Amer:

https://www.instagram.com/amer.experiences/

https://x.com/amer__ameen

https://amer.substack.com/

https://soundcloud.com/brothers-ameen

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https://www.qimovements.com/

https://imoveclinic.com/

https://neurokinetictherapy.com/

Timestamps:

00:00 – Cold open & episode setup Brief overview of Amer, connection as “vital,” and the episode’s promise.

01:21 – Welcome to The Key Movements Podcast On location in Cabbagetown; setting the scene and bringing Dre in.

01:42 – Dre’s affirmation “Connection is my medicine…” — opening intention for the show.

02:13 – Why Amer for this topic Brien tees up Amer’s background and why he embodies connection.

03:12 – Amer reacts to the intro First banter and shared origin story; Castle Gar airport meet.

04:25 – Volunteering on a suicide hotline: the “why” Amer’s friend’s bipolar diagnosis, time in the psych ward, and perspective shift.

07:16 – What the psych ward taught Amer Mental health reality, empathy expansion, and life priorities re-aligned.

11:33 – Big active-listening lesson Don’t offer solutions unless asked; helping people find their own answers.

13:39 – Layers of connection & self-connection Curiosity, openness to experience, and traveling as catalysts.

16:23 – “Am I on the right path?” Reflection practices: journaling, meditation, honest body check-ins.

18:01 – Wayfinding through experiences Try things (monastery, Burning Man, hotline, crypto), then reflect.

20:34 – West Nest origin story From COVID invitation to multi-month co-living: chosen family in the mountains.

27:15 – Brien & Dre’s first West Nest House rituals, Monday meetings, and the shared-chef dinner flow.

28:39 – Food, cold plunges & early mornings Playful competition in the kitchen; Brien all-in on the plunge.

29:35 – Ad: Aspire Performance Consulting Mindset coaching spot.

30:25 – Why community lifts baseline happiness Like-minded proximity vs. isolation; alignment matters.

32:35 – Biology, tribes, and immune benefits Connection as health; loneliness as stress.

34:13 – First steps to more connection “Warm, real connection” relieves pain; small starts matter.

35:13 – Hotline pattern: loneliness underneath Across backgrounds, acute loneliness was the common thread.

37:07 – As essential as food or water Why connection is survival-level for humans.

37:45 – Naming the modern isolation problem Nuclear families, convenience tech, and default individualism.

40:44 – Relationships predict happiness Long-running study takeaway; optimize for people, not just money.

42:10 – Practicals: live close if you can Neighbors, open doors, spontaneous lunches/walks.

43:20 – Weekly rituals that remove planning friction Thursday park hangs; “Round Table” monthly dinner with shared readin