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 282: Get Happy Today with Evelyn Brooks

Evelyn BrooksCan one really have complete happiness and bliss in their life almost all of the time.?  Well according to author Evelyn Brook it is possible.  I interview Evelyn about her new book entitled “Get Happy Today“.  In our interview together we discuss the characteristics of what makes a person happy.

Happiness is not a matter of chance but rather a deliberate decision combined with the right action taken every day.  It is truly an inside job, and something that can be cultivated-I love this quote from Evelyn’s book by Abraham Lincoln “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Isn’t that the truth!!

One truly great bit of advice that is so important, is letting go of desired results.  When you already have your mind set on a specific outcome, you are living in the future.  And if you are dissatisfied with the present, you probably spend a lot of energy telling yourself things such as, “I can’t bear this! I cannot stand another minute of this!”

If you want paradise on Earth, then decide to have an attitude of happiness-it’s an inside job.

Clarify your purposes in life and avoid feeling discouraged by seeming failures.  These are lessons for you to learn.

Deal with your stress overload so it doesn’t bog you down.

Let go of your desired outcomes and the results you are hoping for.  Eliminate wishful thinking. Concentrate on doing the necessary work in front of you to the best of your ability.

Focus on today and this moment in time. Leave the past alone, and stop worrying about the future.  You’ll be able to handle your life much more easily when you are mentally grounded in the present.

If you are seeking happiness, and would like to clarify your intentions about having a life filled with bliss and happiness then choose happiness over worry, doubt, fear and frustration.
I hope you enjoy this great interview with author Evelyn Brooks, and please visit her Facebook page 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 277: All Together Now with Gail Voisin

Gail VoisinIt was a pleasure speaking with author Gail Voisin about her new book entitled ” All Together Now – Vision, Leadership and Wellness“.  I can’t remember exactly how Gail and I met, but we have been speaking about the birth of her new book over the last year, and I am proud to bring you this wonderful podcast with Gail.

As Gail states “Achieving outstanding personal and organizational success in our busy, competitive, chaotic world requires a unique, leading-edge set of skills for the twenty-first century executive and leaders.  It is critical to have the knowledge and ability to align the three key areas of vision, leadership and wellness to measure and sustain high performance levels.  In my interview with Gail, we speak about her ” All Together Now Advantage Model“.  It is designed to guide the busy executive in defining both their personal and organizational vision, leadership and wellness goals.   It is truly an integrated approach to creating a balanced lifestyle.  For most corporate executives, every day is a constant challenge to balance the many facets of life – career, family, friends and personal goals.

Gail states that balancing our lives does not have to be a daily struggle.  When you understand the importance of integrating your personal and organization vision, leadership and wellness, you will have the foundation to achieve extraordinary success in your personal and work life.   Personal vision is the anchor, and I could not agree more with Gail.  When you have developed your personal vision and can articulate it easily, it becomes that anchor that keeps you on track for what matter most.  Personal vision is a special and unique combination of desire and talent that is exclusive only to you.

You know the old saying that your health is your wealth.  Well this is so true, and Gail devotes a section of the book to wellness and the benefits from staying healthy– psychologically, physically, and emotionally. This plays a big role in our overall health.

Gail defines wellness as maintaining a healthy mind and body that can consistently sustain the energy reserves you need to meet exceptional circumstances beyond your control, both in business and family life.  Wellness and the focus on it is certainly in the headlines of our newspapers, and it is such an important aspect in being able to perform on and off the job with excess energy and enthusiasm.  Gail provides wonderful advice and direction for the busy executive who might feel they have neglected this very important part of their life.
“All Together Now” is a wonderful read for anyone who is seeking balance and harmony in their life.  I highly recommend reading this book if you are on the fast track and want to take a few minutes to step back and reevaluate what is important.

Enjoy this great interview with author Gail Voisin, and if you want more information about Gail please click here to be directed to her website.

Podcast 265: Fried- Why You Burn Out and How to Revive with Joan Borysenko

 

Joan BorysenkoI know that many people go through times in their lives when they feel Fried, and burned out.  This is certainly not an uncommon feeling, especially when things have veered off course.  In my interview with author Joan Borysenko  about her new book entitled “Fried-Why You Burn Out and How to Revive“,  we discuss the challenges associated with these feelings and what one can do to revive.

As Joan states “Fried” may seem like an innocuous enough word since so many of us use it these days to describe our frenzied, speed-oriented, exhausted state of mind. But innocuous it is not.  Feeling fried is an alarm that life has veered off course.  It’s shorthand for losing our way individually and culturally in a world spinning so fast that it feels like we’re about to be launched into outer space.

In our interview together we discuss the work of author and psychologist Herbert Freudenberger who first popularized the condition in his book “Burnout: The Hight Cost of High Achievement“.  As Joan discribes in her book, and atributes to the work of Freudenberger ” Falling short of your ideal in a way–perceiving a gap between what you think is require of you and the reality of what you can produce can be disheartening to the point where your entire sense of self crumbles.

Joan certainly know the challenges of burn out herself, having gone through it several times and reverting to using antidepressants to combat the overwhelming feeling of depression. She soon learned that the use of drugs to treat the condition was only temporary and was not a permanent solution to the things she needed to change in her life to sustain a life of balance and harmony.   As Joan states knowing what to limit in your life and what to seek more of isn’t always easy to figure out, let alone implement.
Joan also reveals that burnout can have its roots in childhood, and the seeds germinate many years later and can be carried into adulthood.  They grow in emotional soil polluted by helplessness that was deeply rooted in the nervous system during childhood.  Given the right conditions–a bad economy, a mismatch of values at work, frequent rejection, and abusive or loveless relationship, those seeds of burnout and depression often germinate many years later.

If you are interested in learning more about burn out and want to know more about how to cope with it, then I highly recommend that you read Joan’s new book “Fried-Why You Burn Out and How to Revive“.  You can learn more about Joan’s book and become involved in her community of Facebook followers sharing their experiences by clicking here to be directed to her Facebook page.

Enjoy this great interview with a wonderful author and friend.

Podcast 253: How to Thrive in Changing Times with Sandra Ingerman

Sandra IngermanThis is my second interview with Sandra Ingerman, and during this podcast we will speak about her book entitled “How to Thrive in Changing Times“.  We have all experienced challenges in our life at one point or another, and Sandra provides some simple tools to create true health, wealth, peace and joy.  This is certainly something we call all use a dose of as we bring in this New Year.

I know that everyone has heard this before, and Sandra makes a point to remind us.  One has to do with how our thoughts and words create the world we live in, and the other has to do with what we now know through science about how we can change our thought patterns.

As we navigate through 2011  I don’t think that their could be anything more important that re-framing how we speak to ourselves and to others.  Sandra is right on with her wisdom and advice in that this simple behavior shapes our world.  Just set your intentions to be more positive, and to give  yourself more self-love.   In most spiritual practices there is the teaching of as above, so below; as within, so without.  What we see in our outer world is merely a reflection of our inner state of consciousness.

Sandra asks the question in her book “How to Thrive in Changing Times”, “Are we holding on to the vision that we would like to see for our descendants and ourselves?  I would encourage you to ask this questions as you enter this New Year.   As we take a deep look inside, and do the spiritual work to transform ourselves and the world around us, we must work from the inside out states Sandra.  Too many of us only focus on the outer world. When we only focus on what is happening in the outer world, we start to feel like we are on a roller coster ride.  This yo-yoing can go on and on unless we come to the realization that our happiness, peace and joy and wealth lie within.

 

Sandra has a simple diagram in her book which is great.  New thoughts–New Behaviors–New Outcomes–New Thoughts.  So my recommendation as you enter this New Year is to listen to this great podcast with Sandra Ingerman as well as read this simple but wise book “How to Thrive in Changing Times.  If you would like more information about Sandra please click here to be directed to her website.  Enjoy your New Year, and set your intentions to re-frame your self-talk, and how you speak to others.

Podcast 250: Wisdom Films-Alchemy for the Soul, and The Beauty of Being with Gary Malkin

Gary MalkinI have had the honor of knowing Gary Malkin for a number of years.   I was originally introduced to his beautiful work through my son Sean.  Eight years ago when my son was diagnosed with Leukemia, Christmas morning under our tree was an amazing gift from Sean.

The gift was music to the spoken word, produced by Gary Malkin entitled “Graceful Passages“.  If you are not familiar with this particular CD series, I can not speak enough about the moving, touching and transformational work that Gary created. It will touch your soul like nothing else, I listened to these passages over and over again and again until they were etched in my being.

In my interview with Gary for this podcast we speak about his new Wisdom Films creation “Alchemy for the Soul and Beauty of Being“.  What Gary has created utilizing much of his work from Graceful Passages is a magnificent work of artistry and cinematography for you listening and viewing experience…and an amazing experience.

We all live in a very fast paced world, filled with constant change and lots of challenges.  I personally know that I like to take a break from what seems like a non stop lifestyle and practice my morning meditation.  It is this practice that ground me and prepares me for my day.

If you would like to experience a calming, peaceful, pleasant experience then I recommend that you play one of the passages from “Alchemy for the Soul or “The Beauty of Being“, as Gary states it is “inner-taniment” The films provide a unique opportunity to cultivate the “witness within”-that quiet inner-knowing-which can help us to experience equanimity in the midst of any storm. This state, know as “The Relaxation Response”, enhances your overall health while strengthening your capacity for compassion and inner peace.  When you’ve cultivated these qualities, you become a part of the fabric of the world’s solutions, rather than its problems.  This ‘witness within’ experience-over time-can help you, as Gandhi once said ” to become the change you wish to see in the world”.
If you want to treat yourself to a wonderfully calming, peaceful and transformational experience then get a copy of the two (2) set DVD from Wisdom Films.  If you would like more information about the product the Wisdom Films offers, please click here to be directed to their website.  Please enjoy this wonderful interview with a very compassionate artist and author…Gary Malkin.

Categories