Podcast 300: Energy Healing for Beginners with Ann Marie Chiasson

Ann Marie ChiassonIt was a pleasure interviewing Dr. Ann Marie Chiasson recently about her new Sounds True program entitled “Energy Healing for Beginners“.   I thoroughly enjoyed about my interview with Ann Marie and was especially touched by the sincere way that she approaches “energy healing”. You can intuit from the beginning of our interview that she is authentic and really passionate about her work.

Her course which consists of 5 CD’s, DVD, 25 reference cards and a 107 page workbook is designed to teach you how to use movement, awareness, breath, and your hands to sense and shift energy in your body for specific results.  Ann Marie presents practices based on energy techniques that she learned from healers and teachers of energy medicine over the last eighteen years, and from a deeply personal exploration of her body as a patient, healer, and physician.

Energy medicine as Ann Marie describes in the workbook is based on the concept that ” in addition to a system of physical and chemical processes, the human being is made up of a complex system of energy.”  This underlying energy field, also called the subtle body, is housed within the physical body and extends beyond it.  She uses the analogy of a garden, where the health of the soil effect how a plant grows and flowers.  If the soil is nutrient depleted, the plant grows poorly.  Likewise, if the energy body is not balanced and the energy does not flow or move in it natural state the physical body is affected and can begin to function improperly.
Ann Marie provides the reader, listener and viewer of her program with wonderful instructions on how to learn and practice energy work on their own.  Her series of CD’s, DVD, and instructional workbook are a wonderful way to start down a path and explore techniques to heal and support harmony and balance in your body.  During our interview together she explored and tested with me a couple of techniques that I was not aware of–they were amazing in moving my blocked energy.

I highly recommend that you listen too, read and practice with Ann Marie and her new series ” Energy Healing for Beginners.  Enjoy my interview with a wonderful healer and beautiful soul, Dr. Ann Marie Chiasson.

If you would like more information on Dr. Chiasson just click here to be directed to her website.

Podcast 297: One-Minute Mindfulness with Donald Altman

Donald AltmanIn my interview with author Donald Altman about his new book entitled “One Minute Mindfulness” we speak about the benefits of being more mindful in our everyday life.  As we discuss mindfulness does not have to be one more “to-do” item.  It can become effortless and part of your everyday practices, the key is to become aware of our actions.

In Donald’s new book he provides the reader with 50 simple ways to find peace, clarity and new possibilities in a stressed-out world.  He offers a empowering perspective and how you think and act in the upcoming minute, and the next, determines nothing less than your experience of life.

His book is part guidebook and part workbook for making the present moment count.  Each chapter contains an exercise for building awareness and centering attention.  The awareness exercises are meant to help you touch this moment–which can be harder than it seems, but well worth the effort.  In this podcast Donald speak about the costs of not being present as well as the tremendous benefits to our personal and professional lives for practicing mindfulness.   I really enjoyed the one minute exercise that the author lead me through in shifting my perspective.  During our interview he asked me to just look out the window and focus on the trees and nature.  I have to admit that when I did this exercise I felt more calm and at ease and more connected to nature—pure peace.

We all have so many opportunities during our daily lives to be more mindful.  From our eating practices, to how we greet and say goodbye to someone-all of these are opportunities to be more present in the moment.   What I love about “One Minute Mindfulness” is that the chapters are short, followed by some very thoughtful exercises and reflection.  Let’s face it, mindfulness at it core is about slowing down enough to enjoy this very moment.  Not living in the past or the future, but appreciating what we have in this very moment.  The revelation to all of us will be an amazing connection to our oneness, and a much deeper spiritual experience.
I hope you enjoy this great interview with author Donald Altman on the “One Minute Mindfulness“.  If you would like more information about the author just click here to be directed to his website.  Enjoy my interview, and practice mindfulness while listening.

Podcast 292: True Belonging with Jeffrey Brantley

 

Jeffrey-Brantley-M.D.-color-headshot-175x261I sincerely appreciate Dr. Jeff Brantley and the work that he is doing at Duke University as the director of mindfulness-based stress reduction in the Integrative Medicine department.  His new book co-authored with Wendy Millstine entitled ” True Belongings” is a simple read and a wonderful reminder of the practices we can implement into our daily lives to overcome loneliness and connect with others.

Have you ever wondered what keeps you from connecting more authentically and deeply in each moment–with yourself, with another or with the flow of your life?  Are you ever curious about the obstacles blocking you from from experiences of deep joy and unwavering contentment and belonging?

Who among us has not been affected by one or more of these challenges in our lives?  The experiences of loss and vulnerability that we all share is yet another way in which we humans are more alike than we are different.  As human beings we are part of the whole, called by us “Universe”, a part limited in time and space.  We experience, thoughts and feeling as something separate from the rest–a kind of optical delusion of consciousness.

What Jeff and Windy bring forth in “True Belongings” is how mindfulness can help us in becoming more connected not only to one another, but at a soul level to who and what we are longing to express to the world.  Mindfulness is a core human capacity, and it refers to noticing or knowing what is happening in each moment. Mindfulness is the awareness of your thoughts–mindfulness does not identify with any thoughts or feelings but is aware of them.

In this book the authors assist you in shifting your perspective and frame of reference that you are holding in any given moment.  Learning to release the personality’s grip on any narrow perspectivel on any subject-setting down and relaxing the view dictated by the rigidly held opinion of the ego-mind–immediately open each of us to a much vaster and more mysterious universe of possibilities and meanings, alive in each moment.

 

This book is filled with wonderful practices that when cultivated will bring you into a closer relationship with yourself and other.  I recommend reading and learning what truly will help one transform the loneliness and isolation feeling into happiness and belonging.  I hope you enjoy this great interview with Dr. Jeffrey Brantley.  If you would like more information about Dr. Brantley please click here to be directed to his website.

Podcast 287: Fight the Good Fight with Ben Newman

Ben NewmanIf you have a sympathetic bone in your body, then you will appreciate my interview with author Ben Newman about his new book entitled “Fight The Good Fight-A Mothers Legacy Lives On“.  His book is a tribute to his mother who died eleven days prior to Ben’s eighth birthday.   It is also about the lessons and wisdom that a mother imparts upon her sons during some very challenging years that lead up to her death as she fought a rare disease called primary amyloidosis.

Ben’s mother Janet Fisher Newman kept a journal of her personal journey  and suffering knowing she only had a short time left with her sons.  Though the journal was a personal record kept during his mother’s medical ordeal and not a memoir written to be read by Ben or his brother, it was surprisingly full of wisdom . In my interview with Ben we discuss his mothers journal and the passages that had such a significant impact on his life, and now on the lives of so many who have read “Fight the Good Fight“.

Ben starts each chapter of “Fight the Good Fight” with a paragraph out of his mothers journal then proceeds to discuss his personal life journey, insights and wisdom learned from this experience.  As Ben states ” I believe that everything we take on in life, both personally and professionally, is influenced by an unconscious internal timing.  Though we many not be aware of doing so, we instinctively scan issues that come into our realm according to our readiness to take them on. We unconsciously sense whether we have the discipline to deal with a proposed challenge, or the emotional depth to face the intense feelings it may arouse.  We might intuitively know there is a huge opportunity before us, but we may not yet have the wisdom to understand it and take it on. ”

Fight the Good Fight is a book that will not only take you on a journey, but it will encourage you to observe what  personally needs more in-depth consideration, contemplation and potentially change for the better.  Ben has very thought provoking questions at the end of each chapter designed to garner the attention of the reader.  If one would take the time to review, ponder and answer these questions I believe their life would be altered positively.
If you would like to learn more about “The Ben Newman Companies” and the workshops and seminars that Ben facilitates around the country please visit Ben’s website by clicking here.  I hope you enjoy my interview with author Ben Newman.

Podcast 286: My Joy in the Morning: Rising from the Ashes with Terrence White

Terrence WhiteI first meet Terrence White while he was working in a branch of the Chase Bank in Vista, CA where I do my business banking.  What I found exceptional about Terrence was his obvious outgoing and helpful attitude.  He sincerely wanted to help the customers solve their problems, and for many of us we know how hard it is to find this kind of service today.

Once I started speaking with Terrence I found out that he had a passion to helping people at a level of spiritual counseling and he was in the middle of writing his first book.  He asked me if I would interview him  which lead to this podcast  many months later for he had not completed “My Joy In the Morning: Rising From the Ashes“.

You will certainly experience the passion that Terrence experienced for helping people spiritually when you listen to our podcast together.  Terrence states ” Life presents the greatest benefits as a result of our struggles, pain, tears and fears.  That’s what it is all about.  In his book “My Joy In the Morning: Rising From the Ashes“Terrence quotes verses from the Bible then tells true stories that are compelling and  provide the reader with incredible insight and wisdom about how they can transmute their fears, worries, doubts and concerns.

My Joy In the Morning  started as a result of the daily messages that Terrence was sending to his students via email and text to inspire and get them thinking about and being grateful for all the good in their lives. He compiled the daily messages and story he accumulate  into this book for everyone to experience and learn from.

Terrence has thousands of faithful supporters across the country that receive his morning messages.  If you have interest in receiving his daily morning messages please click here and sign up for his emails.  Our you can learn more about Terrence by clicking here to be directed to his Facebook Page.
I hope you enjoy this podcast with a wonderful young man.

Podcast 284: Get Out of Your Mind & Into Your Life with Steven C. Hayes

Steven C. HayesI was recently introduced to the concept of “Third Wave Psychology” by my good friend and author Will Marre.  As a result of my inquisitiveness I was directed to author/professor Steven C. Hayes who wrote the book ” Get Out of Your Mind & Into Your Life“.   His book highlights the process entitled “Acceptance and Commitment Therapy” and was  profiled in an article published in Time Magazine in 2006.

If you are like me and had never heard of the “Acceptance and Commitment Therapy” them I encourage you to listen to this very interesting interview with Steven C. Hayes.  What you will learn is that this new process has been very successful in treating depression, transforming emotional pain, freeing yourself from negative thinking and self-judgement and a myriad of other psychological challenges.

The practice of “ACT” Therapy is about moving from suffering to full engagement with life.   People suffer.  It’s not just that they have pain–suffering is much more that that.  Human beings struggle with the forms of psychological pain the have: their difficult emotions and thoughts, their unpleasant memories, and their unwanted urges and sensations. They think about them, worry about them, resent them, anticipate and dread them.

At the same time, human beings demonstrate enormous courage, deep compassion, and remarkable ability to move ahead even with the most difficult personal histories.  Knowing they can be hurt, humans sill love other. Knowing they will die, humans still care about the future.  Facing the draw of meaninglessness, humans still embrace ideals.  At times, humans are fully alive, present and committed.

I really appreciate the analogy that Steven uses in our interview and in the book about quicksand.  Our own lives can be like quicksand, struggling to get out emotional worries, fears, traumatic and painful stories. The more we attempt to remove ourselves through the struggle the deeper we become engaged.  Exactly when will the quicksand of traumatic memory completely vanish? At what moment will the painful quicksand of the past criticism from parents or peers disappear?

If
you want to learn more about this wonderful therapy and how you can release yourself from your emotional bonds, then listen to my interview with Steven C. Hayes and click here to be directed to the website to learn more about the “Acceptance and Commitment” therapy.

Podcast 283: The 9 Intense Experiences with Brian Vaszily

Brian VaszilyI had a wonderful interview with author Brian Vaszily about his new book entitled ” The 9 Intense Experiences“.   Brian has a very interesting personal story of struggle and adversity, and this story allows him to convey the meaning behind the “The 9 Intense Experiences” so authentically.

Brian asks the question-” If you could abandon your fears, stresses and frustrations and finally achieve the happiness and success you know you are meant to, would you take the next steps to do so.?” This is a very powerful question, and one that deserves some deep consideration and thought, for many the next steps are what we find so challenging to determine.

The 9 Intense Experiences guides the reader into doing what Brian refers to as some very unorthodox exercises, such as host a dinner party where no utensils are allowed and serve spaghetti, talk to dead people, hug a tree and tell it a secret. These exercises are designed to get you to grow and transform, while they may seem uncomfortable at first it will get you out of old patterns so that you can receive the transformative power of the experiences.

Brian believes that the biggest issue facing the world today is a growing sense of individual insignificance and disconnect from self-awareness, true purpose, empathy, joy and wonder.  Despite endless opportunities for “Intense Experiences”, people are instead settling for success-sabotaging, health depleting, and happiness numbing pattern of mediocre to toxic experiences.  The 9 Intense Experiences is uniquely rich in providing highly transformative actions that you can take right now, using what’s around you every single day , to change your life rapidly.
I hope that you enjoy this great podcast with author Brian Vaszily.  If you would like more information about Brian and his coaching programs please visit his website by clicking here.

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