The Joe Rogan Experience

RZA on Joe Rogan: How Qigong Clears Mental Noise Before Noon

RZA frames qigong, Eight Pieces of Brocade, and cold plunges as will-training: mood and mental clarity are the real goal, not physical fitness.

JRJoe RoganhostRZRZAguest

Apr 28, 2026·2h 51m·Watch on YouTube ↗

📖 CHAPTERS

1. 1

   Reconnecting in Austin: shared designer, old studio memories, and staying centered

   Joe and RZA open by comparing notes on Austin spaces, including the same designer behind Flying Guillotine and The Mothership. RZA immediately pivots into a deeper check-in about maintaining health and “chi” as life gets busier and more successful.

2. 2

   Daily training as mental hygiene: exercise, qi/chi, and anxiety in modern life

   They unpack exercise as both physical maintenance and psychological regulation. RZA connects Shaolin/qigong ideas to blood flow and energy, while Joe emphasizes movement as a basic human requirement tied to mental health.

3. 3

   Cold exposure and willpower: ice baths, cold showers, and the mind game

   Joe describes cold plunging as a daily discipline that trains willpower and boosts mood for hours. RZA shares his strong aversion to cold and a past science-style experiment involving a Tibetan lama—plus the competitive instinct that got him back into the ice.

4. 4

   Martial arts beyond fighting: focus, consciousness, and training the will

   They explore martial arts as a path to concentration, self-realization, and expanded capability. RZA emphasizes esoteric “planes of energy” and willpower, while Joe echoes the idea that martial arts develop human potential.

5. 5

   Tai Chi, qigong, and “unblocking” practices (Eight Pieces of Brocade)

   RZA shares specific Tai Chi/qigong study, including the “eight pieces of brocade” and a sensory practice involving tapping the back of the head while covering the ears. Joe reflects on how disciplined movement clears the mind and why these practices persist across centuries.

6. 6

   Street fights vs rulesets: survival ethics, brutality, and avoiding violence

   The conversation turns to the difference between sport combat and real violence, where rules vanish and moral barriers become relevant. They discuss eye gouging, groin attacks, and the psychological threshold of doing permanent harm—then agree the best option is often to run.

7. 7

   Turning anger into art: Wu-Tang era intensity and the film’s core metaphor

   RZA talks about channeling anger into music and later into filmmaking. He explains how One Spoon of Chocolate uses the “one spoon” idea as wisdom that redirects a character’s trajectory—plus nods to ODB through the lead character’s name, Unique.

8. 8

   Old-timer wisdom, addiction, and the opioid disaster (Sacklers, prescriptions, Narcan)

   A personal story about a heroin user pushing ‘knowledge’ leads into America’s opioid crisis and pharmaceutical incentives. Joe details the Sackler-driven marketing of opioids and shares how easily doctors prescribe them—even for minor procedures.

9. 9

   Medical corruption and grief: chemo-for-profit scandal and the cost of incentives

   Joe recounts a case of an oncologist giving chemotherapy to people who didn’t have cancer for profit. RZA reacts emotionally, referencing the recent loss of his brother to cancer, and they discuss how money can warp institutions meant to heal.

10. 10

    Modern slavery in the Congo: cobalt mining, conflict minerals, and the lyric that predicted it

    RZA links colonial rubber atrocities (King Leopold) to modern resource extraction, then Joe shows cobalt-mining footage from the Congo. They connect this hidden labor to smartphones, batteries, and tech culture—then pull up RZA’s lyrics that already reference Congo minerals and the rubber tree.

11. 11

    Promoting ‘One Spoon of Chocolate’: real-world organ harvesting, audiences, and RZA’s filmography

    They return to the film’s premise and how its darkest elements mirror reality (organ trafficking). RZA shares varied audience reactions across cities, a Dave Chappelle compliment about ‘bars,’ and outlines his directing path from Iron Fists to Cut Throat City to this new release.

12. 12

    Music rabbit hole: Isley Brothers, 90s hip-hop, Brand New Heavies, and Kool G Rap influence

    They trade music recommendations and talk about how creative focus can make you miss whole genres while grinding. Joe praises Kool G Rap’s influence; RZA reflects on collaboration as a life milestone—turning idols into peers.

13. 13

    Weed, tools, and self-regulation: why RZA quit, Snoop/Joey Diaz tolerance, legality debates

    RZA explains he stopped smoking regularly because it doesn’t fit his public life—he either goes silent or starts doing kung fu. Joe frames cannabis as a tool that can be misused, then pivots into federal legality, scheduling, and comparisons with alcohol and obesity.

14. 14

    Food, vegan protein, and ‘real vs processed’: pumpkin seeds, eggs, and unexpected chickens

    RZA outlines his vegan diet and protein sources, highlighting pumpkin seeds, legumes, and tofu. Joe challenges processed faux foods, discusses backyard eggs as ‘karma-free,’ and shares the surprising reality that chickens are avid carnivores (mouse video included).

15. 15

    Cars, self-driving tech, Shazam culture, and AI search vs Google curation

    RZA explains he stopped driving after repeated near-accidents in China. They compare Waymo/Tesla self-driving, then shift to how Shazam and better search tools change music discovery and knowledge access, criticizing sponsored/curated results in traditional search.

16. 16

    Cinema’s future: theatrical windows, 35mm nostalgia, Sphere/Cosm immersion, and AI as ‘assisted’ intelligence

    RZA argues for longer theatrical runs and describes screening One Spoon of Chocolate on 35mm, tying the premiere date to a pivotal acquittal that ‘rebirthed’ him as RZA. They explore new exhibition tech (Sphere, Cosm, ScreenX, Vision Pro concepts), then end on AI as a tool and the ‘real vs artificial’ debate via lab diamonds and replica luxury watches.