A Conversation with Spiritual Gangster Founder

Ian Lopatin

Longtime members of our community may know Ian Lopatin as the founder of Spiritual Gangster. From yoga teacher and entrepreneur to author, Ian’s journey has always been rooted in exploring what it means to live with greater intention, gratitude, and connection.

With the publication of his first book, The Way of the Spiritual Gangster, we caught up with Ian to talk about the inspiration behind the book, the ideas that have stayed with him through the years, and what “the way of the Spiritual Gangster” means to him today.

The Way of the Spiritual Gangster

Spiritual Gangster: What inspired you to write The Way of the Spiritual Gangster, and why did this feel like the right moment to put these ideas into a book?

Ian: The initial inspiration for the book came from my desire to pass along the wisdom and teachings I had gained to my children. I wanted to weave these lessons into a narrative that I could share with them, as well as with close friends and loved ones. The writing process spanned nearly seven years, evolving continuously alongside my own personal growth. It was ultimately following a six-week journey in India alongside my gurus that everything clicked, aligning perfectly with a period of deep personal integration and clarity.

SG: Gratitude, interconnectedness, and abundance are central themes in the book—and ideas that have also been woven into Spiritual Gangster from the beginning. What practices do you lean on to reinforce these themes in your life?

Ian: The foundational practice is recognizing your current state of being. Living in a stressful or suffering state marked by fear, anxiety, and a feeling of lack means any choices made will only magnify that stress and suffering. Conversely, the beautiful state is defined by grace, ease, and effortless flow, creating a space where miracles and serendipity occur. In this state, life naturally feels like it is "Of Course," whereas the stressful state leaves you feeling entirely off course.

We have always believed in an abundant universe and from our days building yoga studios, Spiritual Gangster started off from the beginning as a movement disguised as a clothing company. The movement was all around being grateful, sharing positivity, spreading light. Our original tagline was "Raise Your Vibration." We've always believed in energy and frequency and that everything is frequency.

Over the past 30 years, I've come to deeply understand these concepts and learned to both share and live them. The practice I rely on most today is my morning meditation, and I'd love to share it with you. Join us live every morning: Monday–Friday at 6:00 a.m. and weekends at 8:30 a.m., Arizona time. Simply register for free on our website and start your day meditating with us.

"You get to experience life from the beautiful state and live present, in joy and fully aligned."

The Beautiful State

SG: If readers take away one idea or practice from the book and bring it into their everyday lives, what do you hope it will be?

Ian: If there is a single core lesson to embrace from this book, it is that you experience life from one of two states:

The Stressful State: Defined by fear, anxiety, and stress. In this frame of mind, life feels disconnected or off track, and you feel like your life is off course.

The Beautiful State: Marked by grace, ease, and natural flow. When you are aligned here, life unfolds smoothly, allowing miracles, synchronicity, and serendipity to manifest without effort. Your life is Of Course.

Recognizing that there is no third state. No middle ground exists, you cannot be in two different states at the same . The key is you develop the awareness to identify your current state and then knowing how to shift your state empowers you to be free of stress. You get to experience life from the beautiful state and live present, in joy and fully aligned.