Walking As Medicine: Craig Mod’s 300-Miles On Foot, Japan's Philosophy Of Enough, & The Profound Power Of Undistracted Presence

The Rich Roll Podcast

Rich Roll

Health & Fitness, Education, Self-improvement, Society & Culture

4.8 • 12.9K Ratings

🗓️ 2 June 2025

⏱️ 173 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Craig Mod is an artist, author, and photographer who has lived in Japan for 25 years, chronicling the country through thousands of miles of recent solo walks. We explore walking as inner cartography—a practice that transforms attention into meaning. We discuss Craig's journey from his best friend's murder in Connecticut to finding home in Tokyo, the ineffable Japanese concept of "yōyū," reconciling adoption trauma through movement, and how 300-mile walks without digital distraction became his path to healing. His story takes a stunning turn when these walks ultimately lead him back to meet his birth mother at 42. Craig transforms heavy into light. And this conversation reveals how. Enjoy! Show notes + MORE Watch on YouTube Newsletter Sign-Up On: High-performance shoes & apparel crafted for comfort and style 👉on.com/richroll Bon Charge: Get 15% OFF all my favorite wellness products w/ code RICHROLL 👉 boncharge.com Bragg: Get 20% OFF your first order with code RICHROLL👉 Bragg.com AG1: Get a FREE bottle of Vitamin D3+K2 AND 5 free AG1 Travel Packs 👉drinkAG1.com/richroll Airbnb: Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much 👉airbnb.com/host Squarespace: Use the code RichRoll to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain 👉Squarespace.com/RichRoll Check out all of the amazing discounts from our Sponsors 👉 richroll.com/sponsors Find out more about Voicing Change Media at voicingchange.media and follow us @voicingchange

Transcript

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0:00.0	Movement is so much more than just exercise or training or motion even.
0:07.0	Movement is a language.
0:08.0	It's a way of connecting body, mind, and environment.
0:12.0	Movement as a way of being.
0:14.0	A way of being that brings me close to myself, closer to other people, and to what matters most in life. And for me, what we wear in that pursuit plays a crucial role.
0:24.8	And that's what I appreciate about on.
0:27.1	They engineer apparel that supports and elevates the practice of movement itself.
0:31.8	From running shorts with built-in support to technical teams that cool you down right where it matters.
0:38.3	This is apparel born from precision and tested by elite athletes, but made for anyone
0:43.1	committed to the path.
0:44.7	I've been with On since 2023, and I'm still just so impressed by how they continue to elevate
0:49.8	and innovate in the name of purpose, not Flash.
0:53.5	Head to On.com slash Richroll to explore gear that supports you every step of the way.
1:00.6	We're brought to you today by Bond Charged.
1:03.3	Now, it's fair to say that I have subjected my skin to a lifetime of harsh treatment,
1:08.2	thousands of hours and overly chlorinated indoor pools, extensive sun exposure,
1:13.7	and pretty much almost no concern for skin care. And I would say it wasn't until I was about in
1:18.8	my mid-50s that I started doing what I should have done all along, which is taking care of my
1:23.9	body's largest organ. This shift marked a fascination with the science of skin
1:29.0	rejuvenation and in turn led me to the incredible product line from Bon Charge, most notably
1:34.4	their red light face mask. There's so much cool science behind red light therapy and numerous
1:40.3	red light products and brands are available, but what drew me to Bon Charge was their approach to specific wavelengths.
	...

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