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.

Podcast 281: Inside-Out Healing with Dr. Richard Moss

Richard MossThis is my second interview with Dr. Richard Moss about his new book entitled “Inside-Out Healing“.  At it’s essence Richard has written a book that is about creating awareness of our presence moment, and in so doing we access all that we need to heal from the Inside-Out.

As Richard states” All suffering, even physical suffering, has a mental component.  Inside-out healing is about learning to free yourself of that mental component: the emotional unhappiness created by your own thinking.  It is about learning how to live in the Now, where egoic thinking is witnessed and gives way to awareness.  In other words, it’s about wisdom.  Inside-out healing is for everyone because it’s ultimately about your relationship to yourself moment by moment.

If suffering is the problem and that suffering primarily comes from your thinking, then you are not going to relieve your pain or solve other problems if you remain at your current level of thinking.  It doesn’t matter that you decide to think positively; you will keep swinging like a pendulum to the negative thoughts sooner or later.  The issue is not what you think is wrong with you to someone else; you are going to have to shift levels, to move from thinking to awareness of your thinking.  This is the fundamental relationship: the relationship of your aware self to your own thoughts, emotions and feelings.

“Presence is the greatest power any of us have”.  As we learn to relax into the present moment, body and soul respond.  We spontaneously tap into our own intuitive wisdom and gain insight that can resolve even old and seemingly intractable emotional wounds.

I encourage you to listen to this great interview with Dr. Richard Moss the author of ” Inside-Out Healing“, you will learn how to access and become aware of the present moment—the most valuable tool you will need to heal and become whole.
If you would like more information about Dr. Richard Moss, and his courses and video content please click here to be directed to his website.  Enjoy the podcast.

Podcast 279: Expand this Moment with John Selby

 

John SelbyJohn Selby is quite a prolific author and a fascinating man.  John has just returned to the mainland having been in Hawaii for the last 10 years spending time in silence and seclusion.  John is the author of many books, but this new book entitled “Expand This Moment” is very special to him.

When John was a graduate student, the well-known meditation expert Alan Watts challenged him to study the world’s meditation traditions from the inside, to identify their common underlying psychological processes, to formulate an approach to meditation based on these commonalities, and to then teach this universal process.  Forty years later, the birth of “Expand This Moment“.

As a result of a personal breakdown that lead to an amazing breakthrough John was gifted with the technique for meditation that we will share with you in this podcast.  This technique consist of 12 focus phrases which are designed to bring greater levels of awareness in the moment.  It does not take lots of time, and it is quite effective–as a matter of fact John leads us through the process during my interview.

During John’s breakdown and awakening, these focus phrases rose spontaneously into his mind.  They are broken down into Phases. Phase I-Zen Awakening.  1. I choose to enjoy this moment 2. I feel the air flowing in and out of my nose. 3. I also feel the moments in my chest and belly as I breathe. 4. I am aware of my whole body at once, here in this present moment.  Phase II- Emotional Healing. 5. I am ready to experience the feelings in my heart. 6. I let go of all my stress and worries, and feel peaceful inside. 7. I accept everyone I know, just as they are. 8. I honor and love myself just as I am.  Phase III-Insight Mode. 9. I am open to receive. 10. I feel connected with you Source. 11. I’am here to serve, to love, to prosper, and to enjoy myself. 12. I am ready to act with courage and integrity.

If you are looking for a simple and effective practice which does not takes lots of time, then I highly recommend John’ s 12 Focus Phrases.  I experienced the meditation while doing this podcast and they really did center me, bring awareness to my surrounds and bring me present.  What more could you want from a mindfulness meditation.
If you would like more information about author John Selby, please click here to be directed to his website.  It really is loaded with video, audio and reference material that you will find useful in your meditation practice.

Podcast 276: The Four Purposes of Life with Dan Millman

 

Dan Millman I first interviewed Dan Millman over three years ago when I started Inside Personal Growth.  As a matter of fact when my son Sean and I were in the Bay area we had the opportunity to meet Dan, and it was quite a treat.

His new book entitled ” The Four Purposes of Life” sets out to help the reader find meaning and direction in our ever changing world.   Dan states in the introduction ” With the pace of life accelerating, in a world of change, it’s not easy to maintain our balance and sense of direction.  Yet we strive to do so, because a sense of direction, toward a meaningful goal, may be a better part of happiness.

The Four Purposes Of Life  as Dan state are–learning life’s lessons, finding your career and calling, discovering your life path, and attending to this arising moment.  We are reminded that “lessons repeat themselves until we learn them.  If we don’t learn the easier lessons, they get harder. We learn and grow through challenges, and every adversity has hidden gifts.  Now if you believe this bit of advice that Dan is doling out is just a little to simple, I highly recommend that you read and take note of “life’s lessons” they are truly one of the areas where you can propel you life forward in a positive way if you are “learning daily from the lessons”

Dan make a distinction in the book between our career and our calling.  I like this, because our career is not our calling.  His distinction reminds us that our calling refers to a personal interest, attraction, inclination, drive or passion that is usually of higher order.  It isn’t  just something you want to do, but rather something you need to do, something that captures your imagination, touches you deeply and absorbs you, whether or not you can explain why.

So if you are seeking more clarity about your purpose and passion in life, then Dan Millman’s new book ” The Four Purposes of Life” is for you.  He has done an excellent job of guiding the reader understanding of the four purposes of life.  Also I highly recommend that you visit his website and enter you birthdate into the  “Life Purpose Caculator“.  Please look at the results, they were quite revealing for me and probably will be for you as well.
Enjoy my interview with a wonderful author and teacher, Dan Millman.

Podcast 273: No Ordinary Time with Jan Phillips

Jan PhillipsI love how author Jan Phillips writes, she is articulate and always has something inspirational to say.  Her new book entitled “No Ordinary Time-The Rise of Spiritual Intelligence and Evolutionary Creativity“.  Is about awakening and honoring the creator within all of us. It is a calling to stop, listen and take the necessary time to reconnect with a higher spiritual power that exist and is in service to us all.

These are “No Ordinary Times”  as Jan states. We are are witnessing and participating in an evolutionary leap unlike anything in our history.  There is evidence in the human family of an upward shift in consciousness, and maturing spirituality, a connectedness that grows more intimate and global by the day.  And that uplift is countered by the dissolution of myths that no longer serve us and demise of institutions that have under-pinned our culture since the beginning of history.

This book is a call to mindfulness, a reminder that evolutionary action begins with stillness, that visionary ideas arise from spiritual practice.  It is a book for people conscious in their power and ready to co-create new sacraments and ceremonies to celebrate the Divine dwelling within us.

The books form is based on the medieval “Book of Hours” and is designed to get the reader to read, reflect and make a deep spiritual connection to the higher power.  There are stories, poems and contemplative questions to ponder as one journeys through the text.  This truly is a book that will wake you up, and start you thinking about your patterns and thinking that have gotten where you are, as well as help you rise above your current beliefs and test new ground for conscious evolution.
I hope you enjoy my interview with author and thought leader Jan Phillips.  Her new book “No Ordinary Times” is a wonderful read and hopefully a book that will help you to see your life in a whole new light.  If you would like to learn more about author Jan Phillips please click here to be directed to her website.

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