“True healing doesn’t come from fighting disease—it comes from remembering who you are. When you align your mind, body, and spirit, the impossible becomes I’m Possible.”
— Nate “Anāez” Zeleznick
From surviving relentless childhood bullying to reversing a life-threatening brain tumor, Nate “Anāez” Zeleznick’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Once a small-town boy who faced despair and isolation, he has since become a world-renowned teacher of energy arts, consciousness, and holistic healing. As the first Westerner granted permission to train in the Royal Indonesian Energy Art of Merpati Putih (White Dove system), Nate has spent decades studying the intersection of science and spirituality—bridging ancient wisdom with modern technology to help people unlock their innate potential. His story is not just about transformation—it’s about remembering the power that already exists within each of us.
In this inspiring conversation, Nate sits down with interviewer Stacey Chillemi to discuss how his near-death experiences, spiritual awakenings, and battle with a brain tumor gave rise to the groundbreaking ASCEND Method and Ascended Living program—a framework designed to help individuals heal, thrive, and awaken to their highest state of being. From decoding the body through biohacking to reprogramming the mind through breathwork and energy alignment, Nate reveals how self-awareness and intention can transform pain into purpose. His message is clear and empowering: you are the miracle you’ve been waiting for.
Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory?
I grew up a highly sensitive kid in a small Utah town—someone who felt energy deeply and perceived nuances others missed. That sensitivity made me different, and being different drew relentless bullying for years. By age twelve, despair felt louder than hope; I found myself on my father’s office floor with a loaded rifle, one millimeter from ending everything. Then a tidal wave of love—for my parents, for life—broke through. I put the rifle away. That same night I had my first out-of-body experience. Floating above my body, I felt a freedom and peace that reframed reality. It opened a lifelong quest to understand what is real, why we’re here, and how we’re meant to live.
What did that first out-of-body experience teach you about life and reality?
It revealed that reality is far larger than our five senses. From that vantage point, pain fell away and presence expanded. I realized consciousness isn’t confined to the body; the body is a vessel for consciousness. That single experience ignited decades of exploration—meditation, energy arts, and disciplined inquiry into the nature of existence and purpose.
Your identity has evolved—from Nathan to Nate, and now to Anāez. What does that evolution signify?
Each name marks a death and rebirth—shedding trauma, integrating lessons, and stepping into service. After a profound shamanic initiation under the African plant Iboga, the name “Anāez” came through with unmistakable clarity. It symbolizes version 7.0 of my life: a commitment to live and lead from truth, reverence, and courage.
How did you become the first Westerner granted permission to train in the Royal Indonesian Energy Arts?
Destiny arrived on a VHS tape—an Indonesian documentary showing masters performing extraordinary feats and teaching the blind to “see” without eyes. The next day, I watched a blind woman nearly get hit by a car, and something inside said: find these people and help. Through dial-up sleuthing I located Merpati Putih (“White Dove”), a 500-year-old royal lineage traditionally closed to non-Indonesians. When the royal heirs witnessed my intention to serve, they broke precedent and invited me to train.
What was the training like inside that lineage?
Brutal and beautiful. My instructor—a former Indonesian Special Forces trainer—didn’t want to teach a Westerner and set out to make me quit. The breathwork and meditation were rigorous, the energetic conditioning relentless. My brother joined me, and together we endured an accelerated regimen. A year later, the royal heirs came to Utah, tested us personally, and inaugurated our school—the first Merpati Putih branch outside Indonesia. The experience forged resilience, humility, and an unshakeable devotion to service.
How did those years evolve into your current path of healing and human potential?
Over two decades our academy grew into one of America’s largest for martial arts and meditation. The pandemic reset everything and clarified my calling: bring ancient mastery into modern life in a way anyone can access. That became the Integrated Ascension Method (I AM)—a synthesis of consciousness, energy, and evidence-informed tools to help people heal and awaken.
Earlier this year you were diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. How did that transform your work and worldview?
In March of 2025 I lost all body sensation. Imaging revealed a tumor on my brainstem—the very center that governs breathing. It was a cosmic test: would I live what I teach? I shifted instantly from fear to meaning—How is this for me?—and committed to a full-spectrum holistic protocol, including groundbreaking stem cell treatments pioneered by a master biochemist. Within five weeks in between treatments, imaging showed 50%+ reduction in size. The diagnosis became my greatest teacher and living proof that the body, given the right inputs, tends toward healing.
What specific pillars helped produce that outcome?
Three pillars: (1) Nutrition—an anti-inflammatory, metabolically intelligent plan that helped me lose ~90 pounds of fat within 5 months while adding lean muscle; (2) Frequency medicine—notably PPT VSEL, a patented, non-invasive approach that supports cellular repair, and numerous other frequency and energy modalities; (3) Integrated practice—daily breathwork, meditation, mindset hygiene, and energy alignment. I treat my body like sacred technology and measured progress frequently.
What is the ASCEND Method?
ASCEND stands for Awareness, Source through Breath, Center Point Reset, Eat to Thrive, New Frequency Technologies, and Decode Your Body. It’s a practical, spiritually grounded framework. We regulate the nervous system, harness breath as the engine of energy and change, realign the body’s electromagnetic “poles,” fuel with clean nutrition, cultivate and direct energy, and—crucially—use data to understand what’s happening inside so we can intervene wisely.
“Decode Your Body” is the D in ASCEND. What does decoding actually involve?
Decoding is informed curiosity. We use modern diagnostics—comprehensive bloodwork and hormone panels, gut microbiome analysis (e.g., stool testing), parasite and mycotoxin screens, targeted DNA insights, and Body Code® sessions—to map the internal terrain. With that map, we choose the right interventions: breath protocols, frequency medicine, red/infrared light, cold/heat therapy, vibroacoustic and binaural entrainment, brainwave training, precise nutrition, and much more. Know thyself—then act.
For someone new to “biohacking,” where should they begin?
Start simple: run labs (CBC, CMP, CRP, A1C, lipids), add sex-specific hormone panels, then gut and parasite testing. Pair data with foundational practices—nasal diaphragmatic breathing, whole-food nutrition, daily sunlight, intentional sleep, gentle cold/heat exposure, and 10–20 minutes of binaural-assisted stillness. Curiosity over fear. Progress over perfection.
How do you integrate science and spirituality without diluting either?
Science observes creation; spirituality experiences it. When they collaborate, human potential expands. I rely on data to guide interventions and reverence to guide intention. Evidence tells us what is happening; consciousness work reminds us who is happening.
How did the diagnosis reshape your daily mindset?
It edited my life down to essentials: love, service, presence, and discipline. I wake with urgency and peace, ask, “How can I serve?” and make choices that honor vitality. The tumor reframed time—not as scarcity, but as a sacred invitation to live fully now.
What would you say to someone facing a frightening diagnosis today?
You are not your diagnosis. Statistics describe crowds, not destinies. Anchor your state first—breathe, ground, choose meaning—then build an informed plan. Ask for help. Measure. Iterate. Remember: You are the miracle you’ve been waiting for.
If someone is healthy but wants to optimize, what one practice delivers outsized returns?
Conscious nasal breathing with full, low belly expansion and complete, unhurried exhalation. Done consistently, it down-regulates stress, balances CO₂/O₂, improves HRV, and primes every system—from hormones to cognition.
What is the most profound lesson your journey keeps teaching?
We’re never victims—only students. Life isn’t happening to us but for us. Even the hardest moments are coded with invitations to grow, love, and remember who we truly are.
What keeps you grounded as you do this work publicly?
Gratitude. Every sunrise, every breath, every person I get to serve is a reminder to lead with humility and love. Gratitude turns adversity into fuel and success into stewardship.
What final message would you like to leave with readers who are ready to take the next step?
Your body is your only home while you’re here—treat it with reverence. Feed it clean inputs: nourishing food, kind thoughts, coherent breath, restorative sleep, aligned energy. Don’t wait for a crisis to awaken. Begin today, gently and consistently. If you would like support, my Ascended Living team and I are here for you.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Find me on all major platforms as Nate Zeleznick or Anaez Zeleznick. Visit https://ascended.living to connect directly and see all that I offer, including free resources; SMS or email the word ASCEND and I’ll gift you a free starter guide with practical steps you can use today. If you or someone you love is facing a serious health challenge, you can also book a one-on-one discovery call on that site—we’ll see how we can support your next, best chapter.
Thank you so much for this thoughtful conversation and for holding such a compassionate space.
Thank you for the meaningful questions and the chance to serve your readers—I’m grateful.
