Today, Sam speaks with Yogi, Deep Breather, & Naropa Alumni Eric Kierney! Join us as we talk about showing up in life fully, experiencing challenges, and growing beyond limiting beliefs. Graduating from the Yoga Studies Program at Naropa University | Serving five years in the Coast Guard | Navigating COVID authentically | Experiencing tension between him and his family due to polarizing viewpoints around COVID | Being a Fishery Observer for NOAH (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) | Finding Yoga as a physical and spiritual practice | Taking the leap to pursue happiness | Developing deep connection and a healing relationship with the Ocean | Pursuing an education in Rolfing | Discovering the power if ice baths | Sitting with discomfort and confrontation | Realizing that any life practice comes back to the breath | Discovering how the breath helps peel back layers | Becoming confident and shifting limiting beliefs | Radical acceptance | Finding his voice |
Thank you for your sharing your journey with us all, Eric!
Dani Mae - Breathguidance.com IG: @breathguidance Breathercommunity.com
Today, Sam speaks with Yogi, Deep Breather, & Naropa Alumni Eric Kierney! Join us as we talk about showing up in life fully, experiencing challenges, and growing beyond limiting beliefs. Graduating from the Yoga Studies Program at Naropa University | Serving five years in the Coast Guard | Navigating COVID authentically | Experiencing tension between him and his family due to polarizing viewpoints around COVID | Being a Fishery Observer for NOAH (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) | Finding Yoga as a physical and spiritual practice | Taking the leap to pursue happiness | Developing deep connection and a healing relationship with the Ocean | Pursuing an education in Rolfing | Discovering the power if ice baths | Sitting with discomfort and confrontation | Realizing that any life practice comes back to the breath | Discovering how the breath helps peel back layers | Becoming confident and shifting limiting beliefs | Radical acceptance | Finding his voice |
Thank you for your sharing your journey with us all, Eric!
Dani Mae - Breathguidance.com IG: @breathguidance Breathercommunity.com
Today, Sam talks about his research into the effects of storytelling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The impact of the shared collective trauma on our mental health & well-being | Re-entry, and Resiliency | Polarization in relationships, communities, and more | Stress, Fear, and Distrust | Inability to put ourselves into each other's shoes | Isolation | Connection | Hope | Resilience | Being touched by other people's stories | Empathy & Compassion | An invitation to share our stories | Sharing and listening from a place of loving-kindness | Making meaning our of our experiences | Tapping into Resilience |
Thank you all so much for listening!
Today, Sam talks about his research into the effects of storytelling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The impact of the shared collective trauma on our mental health & well-being | Re-entry, and Resiliency | Polarization in relationships, communities, and more | Stress, Fear, and Distrust | Inability to put ourselves into each other's shoes | Isolation | Connection | Hope | Resilience | Being touched by other people's stories | Empathy & Compassion | An invitation to share our stories | Sharing and listening from a place of loving-kindness | Making meaning our of our experiences | Tapping into Resilience |
Thank you all so much for listening!
Today, Sam speaks with the Magical Elhoim Leafar!
Join us as we talk about growing up gay in Venezuela, the experience of discrimination, and the healing journey.
Feeling overwhelmed by the state of the World | Writing a new book during COVID | Growing up gay in a homophobic & misogynistic culture | Coming out the day before graduating High School | Being Bullied | Living under expectations that were never his to fulfill | Barely escaping being raped | "Hitting a point where I realized I don't really have a life; I was living for them" | Moving to New York with his partner | Experiencing PTSD when in proximity to soldiers | Identifying triggers and communicating about them with those who are closest to him | Finding a chosen family | Having an Auntie who imparted her magical/spiritual practices to him | Studying tarot, spell casting, and becoming his mother's assistant as a boy | Stepping into magic work wholeheartedly | Writing nine books about his work | His 9th book, Manifestation Magic, to be released July 2021 | "The world belongs to people who really believe in other people." |
Thank you, Elhoim, for your heartfelt share, courage, and wisdom!
Website: elhoimleafar.com
IG: elhoimleafar
Today, Sam speaks with the Magical Elhoim Leafar!
Join us as we talk about growing up gay in Venezuela, the experience of discrimination, and the healing journey.
Feeling overwhelmed by the state of the World | Writing a new book during COVID | Growing up gay in a homophobic & misogynistic culture | Coming out the day before graduating High School | Being Bullied | Living under expectations that were never his to fulfill | Barely escaping being raped | "Hitting a point where I realized I don't really have a life; I was living for them" | Moving to New York with his partner | Experiencing PTSD when in proximity to soldiers | Identifying triggers and communicating about them with those who are closest to him | Finding a chosen family | Having an Auntie who imparted her magical/spiritual practices to him | Studying tarot, spell casting, and becoming his mother's assistant as a boy | Stepping into magic work wholeheartedly | Writing nine books about his work | His 9th book, Manifestation Magic, to be released July 2021 | "The world belongs to people who really believe in other people." |
Thank you, Elhoim, for your heartfelt share, courage, and wisdom!
Website: elhoimleafar.com
IG: elhoimleafar
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Maya Barak.
Maya is a mom, Biometric Hand Analysis professional, attachment parenting advocate, and certified massage therapist focused on somato-emotional healing, implementing attachment bodywork.
Homeschooling her two kids during COVID | Putting her business plans on hold to take care of her family | Surrendering to “what is” | Receiving a Hand Analysis session changed her life | Finding out that our genetic “gifts” can be seen in the hands | "It is a proven tool for self-improvement as it uncovers early experiences and learned behaviors that make life a frustrating struggle." | "The Biometric Hand Analysis helped me realize why I was acting, reacting, avoiding, and doing things a certain way. It helped me understand the "why" behind the "what." | Turning to Attachment Bodywork after hand analysis to deepen her healing and understanding | "Where it hurts most is where we need to work" | Discovering what she wanted through self-intimacy, | Finding her calling to help others in the process of her own journey| Making space for the entirety of our emotions | Showing children that we have a rainbow of emotions | Giving ourselves and others permission to feel hurt, angry, and be overwhelmed at times | Breaking the chain of avoiding "negative" emotions | Teaching children to ask questions | "I want my kids to know that everyone is equal and to see them through their heart" | "Be curious, to ask, and to question, dig deep, surround ourselves by people who love you and support us."
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and experience, Maya!
Maya's Websites:
www.HandsAnalysis.com
www.MayaBarakBodyWork.com
www.KoalaMoms.com
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Maya Barak.
Maya is a mom, Biometric Hand Analysis professional, attachment parenting advocate, and certified massage therapist focused on somato-emotional healing, implementing attachment bodywork.
Homeschooling her two kids during COVID | Putting her business plans on hold to take care of her family | Surrendering to “what is” | Receiving a Hand Analysis session changed her life | Finding out that our genetic “gifts” can be seen in the hands | "It is a proven tool for self-improvement as it uncovers early experiences and learned behaviors that make life a frustrating struggle." | "The Biometric Hand Analysis helped me realize why I was acting, reacting, avoiding, and doing things a certain way. It helped me understand the "why" behind the "what." | Turning to Attachment Bodywork after hand analysis to deepen her healing and understanding | "Where it hurts most is where we need to work" | Discovering what she wanted through self-intimacy, | Finding her calling to help others in the process of her own journey| Making space for the entirety of our emotions | Showing children that we have a rainbow of emotions | Giving ourselves and others permission to feel hurt, angry, and be overwhelmed at times | Breaking the chain of avoiding "negative" emotions | Teaching children to ask questions | "I want my kids to know that everyone is equal and to see them through their heart" | "Be curious, to ask, and to question, dig deep, surround ourselves by people who love you and support us."
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and experience, Maya!
Maya's Websites:
www.HandsAnalysis.com
www.MayaBarakBodyWork.com
www.KoalaMoms.com
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Rebecca.
Join us as we talk to Rebecca about the various practices that have helped her come into presence, some of her struggles, and the work she is doing in the world.
Being a massage therapist, a Kundalini yoga & meditation instructor, and a barber | Reflecting on “what I need” in her daily sitting practice | Finding pure acceptance of life through meditation | Experiencing depression and overcoming substance abuse | Cultivating awareness through various disciplines | "Breath creates movement, and movement creates breath" | "We struggle so much with death because we struggle with really living life" | Seeing the beauty that surrounds us | "As long as we are in the human body, there is duality" | Being appreciative for the emotions that flow through us | Ayurvedic practices and the five elements | Consciously using the word love | Constantly evolving and taking new shape | "Everything that surrounds us is inviting us to grow." |
So grateful to have the opportunity to have such a heartfelt conversation with you, Rebbeca. Thank you 💙
Recca's Website: Mocushi.com
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Rebecca.
Join us as we talk to Rebecca about the various practices that have helped her come into presence, some of her struggles, and the work she is doing in the world.
Being a massage therapist, a Kundalini yoga & meditation instructor, and a barber | Reflecting on “what I need” in her daily sitting practice | Finding pure acceptance of life through meditation | Experiencing depression and overcoming substance abuse | Cultivating awareness through various disciplines | "Breath creates movement, and movement creates breath" | "We struggle so much with death because we struggle with really living life" | Seeing the beauty that surrounds us | "As long as we are in the human body, there is duality" | Being appreciative for the emotions that flow through us | Ayurvedic practices and the five elements | Consciously using the word love | Constantly evolving and taking new shape | "Everything that surrounds us is inviting us to grow." |
So grateful to have the opportunity to have such a heartfelt conversation with you, Rebbeca. Thank you 💙
Recca's Website: Mocushi.com
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Ty.
Join us as we talk to Ty about his life experience, growing up as a black man in a country that oppressed him and ancestors, and his work in himself and with others to heal.
Experiencing emotional complexity this year | After hearing the presidential election results saying to himself, "I can take a breath" | Feeling a glimmer of hope for the next administration in the White House | Living in a world where irrational prejudice is in the "ether" constantly | Asking himself, "How can people not find a way to kindness?" | Paradox of feeling compassionate towards others while simultaneously reporting an experience of "terror." | "There is nothing in him that is not in you, you cannot move from othering, you can only move by healing the part of them that lives in me" | "We are here to heal Western civilization." (Malidoma Somé) | Working in prison with inmates about healing and experiencing their wounding through their stories | "The healing is hearing where other people are coming from." | Experiencing the enthusiasm from which the younger generation is stepping into being their authentic selves. | "A better argument doesn't mean others are wrong; it means you've been able to bully them into believing your perspective is strong." | Feeling the importance of multigenerational gatherings at this time | His great grandmother Cora Lena Odom said, "No one is better than you, and you are better than no one!" |
I have so much love and appreciation for you, Ty!
Email: Ty@Creativetyes.com
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Ty.
Join us as we talk to Ty about his life experience, growing up as a black man in a country that oppressed him and ancestors, and his work in himself and with others to heal.
Experiencing emotional complexity this year | After hearing the presidential election results saying to himself, "I can take a breath" | Feeling a glimmer of hope for the next administration in the White House | Living in a world where irrational prejudice is in the "ether" constantly | Asking himself, "How can people not find a way to kindness?" | Paradox of feeling compassionate towards others while simultaneously reporting an experience of "terror." | "There is nothing in him that is not in you, you cannot move from othering, you can only move by healing the part of them that lives in me" | "We are here to heal Western civilization." (Malidoma Somé) | Working in prison with inmates about healing and experiencing their wounding through their stories | "The healing is hearing where other people are coming from." | Experiencing the enthusiasm from which the younger generation is stepping into being their authentic selves. | "A better argument doesn't mean others are wrong; it means you've been able to bully them into believing your perspective is strong." | Feeling the importance of multigenerational gatherings at this time | His great grandmother Cora Lena Odom said, "No one is better than you, and you are better than no one!" |
I have so much love and appreciation for you, Ty!
Email: Ty@Creativetyes.com
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Sara S'Jegers.
Join us as we talk to Sara about her art, nomadic life, and life experience during a pandemic.
Adventurer, beautifier, body/mind/soul worker, magician, wonderer/wanderer, child, woman, and a fool. | Maintaining a physical exercise practice | Living a nomadic life | Getting stuck in paradise | Basking in the beauty of Mallorca while sheltering-in-place | Berniecrat, Idealist, and Social justice activist | Slowing down and appreciating nature | Nature as an inspiration for art | Embodied activism | Cyanotypes as a medium | Living in synchronicity | Finding touch as a healing modality | Spreading art into the world |
Thank you so much, Sara!
Website: https://www.sarasjegers.com/ Watch Sara's Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqk-5-9EbF8&feature=youtu.be
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Sara S'Jegers.
Join us as we talk to Sara about her art, nomadic life, and life experience during a pandemic.
Adventurer, beautifier, body/mind/soul worker, magician, wonderer/wanderer, child, woman, and a fool. | Maintaining a physical exercise practice | Living a nomadic life | Getting stuck in paradise | Basking in the beauty of Mallorca while sheltering-in-place | Berniecrat, Idealist, and Social justice activist | Slowing down and appreciating nature | Nature as an inspiration for art | Embodied activism | Cyanotypes as a medium | Living in synchronicity | Finding touch as a healing modality | Spreading art into the world |
Thank you so much, Sara!
Website: https://www.sarasjegers.com/ Watch Sara's Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqk-5-9EbF8&feature=youtu.be
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Jasmine Horan.
Join us as we talk to Jasmine about her new book, starting a publishing company, and raising awareness for social & environmental justice:
Author of Gazebo Learning Project: A Legacy of Experiential and Experimental Early Childhood Education at Esalen | Growing up in the counterculture of Big Sur | Gazebo school as an experimental/experiential learning project in the mid-'70s | Breaking the mold of the public schooling system | How Esalen culture contributed to a new educational philosophy for children | Empowering children to be the expert in their experience | Being a Gazebo student, a Gazebo teacher, and a parent of a Gazebo child | "The Power of Play: Brain-body = mind-body" | Dance & movement as intelligence | Mind-body practices create new neurological pathways | Acknowledging her privileged upbringing | Empowering children to be more authentic | "Coming to each moment as my authentic self is a practice" | Raising a bi-racial daughter of African decent | Appreciating the embodied/somatic aspect of looking at racial justice | Empowering her daughter and helping her along this journey of self-love |
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom, Jasmine!
Go to www.silverpeakpress.com to buy your copy of The Gazebo Learning Project: A Legacy of Experiential & Experimental Early Childhood Education at Esalen
Email: jasmine@silverpeakpress.com
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Jasmine Horan.
Join us as we talk to Jasmine about her new book, starting a publishing company, and raising awareness for social & environmental justice:
Author of Gazebo Learning Project: A Legacy of Experiential and Experimental Early Childhood Education at Esalen | Growing up in the counterculture of Big Sur | Gazebo school as an experimental/experiential learning project in the mid-'70s | Breaking the mold of the public schooling system | How Esalen culture contributed to a new educational philosophy for children | Empowering children to be the expert in their experience | Being a Gazebo student, a Gazebo teacher, and a parent of a Gazebo child | "The Power of Play: Brain-body = mind-body" | Dance & movement as intelligence | Mind-body practices create new neurological pathways | Acknowledging her privileged upbringing | Empowering children to be more authentic | "Coming to each moment as my authentic self is a practice" | Raising a bi-racial daughter of African decent | Appreciating the embodied/somatic aspect of looking at racial justice | Empowering her daughter and helping her along this journey of self-love |
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom, Jasmine!
Go to www.silverpeakpress.com to buy your copy of The Gazebo Learning Project: A Legacy of Experiential & Experimental Early Childhood Education at Esalen
Email: jasmine@silverpeakpress.com
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Johna Goldenflame.
Join us as we talk to Johna about her dedication to her work, the power of EFT, and her hopes for a better world:
"The essence of my work is to facilitate self-growth through healing the pain of the past" | Studying healing arts and esoteric wisdom since childhood | EFT as the backbone of Johna's practice | Using EFT to bring an emotional state of equilibrium | Understanding how the body processes stress | "Some emotions are life-affirming and others inhibit our expressions of life." | Returning to a state of natural life force that wants to express itself | Accessing the ability to discharge negative emotions | Feeling inspired and stable during this time | "One foot in our reactionary, primal selves and one foot in our future" | Always connected to where we're going and seeing the transformation that is happening | The pain and breakdown we experience is necessary to get through this step in our evolution | Learning how to move through emotions fluidly | Being in acceptance of our discomfort | Being able to anchor into belief | We as humans need positive reflections from others. | "Anyone can decide to be powerful." | Looking inward to find the teacher and the wisdom in one's self | The personal and collective call to greatness | Holding space and being loving | Bringing enthusiasm to what’s happening | "We’re all in this together."
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom, Johna!
Johna's Contact: https://www.visionarypowerhouse.life/
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Johna Goldenflame.
Join us as we talk to Johna about her dedication to her work, the power of EFT, and her hopes for a better world:
"The essence of my work is to facilitate self-growth through healing the pain of the past" | Studying healing arts and esoteric wisdom since childhood | EFT as the backbone of Johna's practice | Using EFT to bring an emotional state of equilibrium | Understanding how the body processes stress | "Some emotions are life-affirming and others inhibit our expressions of life." | Returning to a state of natural life force that wants to express itself | Accessing the ability to discharge negative emotions | Feeling inspired and stable during this time | "One foot in our reactionary, primal selves and one foot in our future" | Always connected to where we're going and seeing the transformation that is happening | The pain and breakdown we experience is necessary to get through this step in our evolution | Learning how to move through emotions fluidly | Being in acceptance of our discomfort | Being able to anchor into belief | We as humans need positive reflections from others. | "Anyone can decide to be powerful." | Looking inward to find the teacher and the wisdom in one's self | The personal and collective call to greatness | Holding space and being loving | Bringing enthusiasm to what’s happening | "We’re all in this together."
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom, Johna!
Johna's Contact: https://www.visionarypowerhouse.life/
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Chong-hao Fu.
Join us as we talk to Chong-hao about his work, personal experiences during this time, and the hopes he has for a better world:
A national thought leader on teacher leadership and professional learning | Taking care of his mother as she underwent treatment for cancer | Living in a multi-generational household | How an attempt at suicide as a teenager led to his vocational calling in education | Reconnecting with his mom as adult | "So much of life involves healing yourself." | Actively working to undo the deep patterns in my life | Creating a way for teachers to feel whole to increase their capacities to help students | The impact of isolation on kids | Discussing mortality with family | Individuating himself within traditional Chinese culture| Interpersonal connections during this time | Finding little moments in the day to tune into the senses and be filled by gratitude | Working towards a new dominant narrative and socialization & collaboration of community | "You will be more you than you will ever realize in this moment" |
Thank you so much for sharing, Chong-hao!
Chong-hao's Contact: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chong-hao-fu-a2566758/
Leading Educators: https://leadingeducators.org/
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Chong-hao Fu.
Join us as we talk to Chong-hao about his work, personal experiences during this time, and the hopes he has for a better world:
A national thought leader on teacher leadership and professional learning | Taking care of his mother as she underwent treatment for cancer | Living in a multi-generational household | How an attempt at suicide as a teenager led to his vocational calling in education | Reconnecting with his mom as adult | "So much of life involves healing yourself." | Actively working to undo the deep patterns in my life | Creating a way for teachers to feel whole to increase their capacities to help students | The impact of isolation on kids | Discussing mortality with family | Individuating himself within traditional Chinese culture| Interpersonal connections during this time | Finding little moments in the day to tune into the senses and be filled by gratitude | Working towards a new dominant narrative and socialization & collaboration of community | "You will be more you than you will ever realize in this moment" |
Thank you so much for sharing, Chong-hao!
Chong-hao's Contact: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chong-hao-fu-a2566758/
Leading Educators: https://leadingeducators.org/
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Joseph Meador.
Join us as we talk to Joseph about some powerful ways to center ourselves and come back into the present moment:
There's no performance in the present moment; "it just is." | Conversation takes 100 percent of mindful activity on both sides. | I can observe or witness my thoughts, but I am not my thoughts. | I am, therefore, I can think. | Anxiety is a product of thinking about the future while depression is the product of thinking about the past. | When one comes to a realization that, "I am not the mind and I am not the body," renunciation is possible. | Learning to be patient, loving, and gentle with oneself is the first place to start for a healthier ego structure. | Learning to breathe | In Ayurveda there are 6 senses, the sixth being the mind. | In yoga, turn off the monkey mind chatter by reorienting with breath. | With practice we can exercise control over our minds and thought processes; the key is watching the breath. | Learning to live from the authenticity inside the heart. | In one's suffering, tremendous love and compassion can emerge. | "It is what it is," in this moment. |
Thank you so much, Joseph!
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Joseph Meador.
Join us as we talk to Joseph about some powerful ways to center ourselves and come back into the present moment:
There's no performance in the present moment; "it just is." | Conversation takes 100 percent of mindful activity on both sides. | I can observe or witness my thoughts, but I am not my thoughts. | I am, therefore, I can think. | Anxiety is a product of thinking about the future while depression is the product of thinking about the past. | When one comes to a realization that, "I am not the mind and I am not the body," renunciation is possible. | Learning to be patient, loving, and gentle with oneself is the first place to start for a healthier ego structure. | Learning to breathe | In Ayurveda there are 6 senses, the sixth being the mind. | In yoga, turn off the monkey mind chatter by reorienting with breath. | With practice we can exercise control over our minds and thought processes; the key is watching the breath. | Learning to live from the authenticity inside the heart. | In one's suffering, tremendous love and compassion can emerge. | "It is what it is," in this moment. |
Thank you so much, Joseph!
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Jude Harmon.
Join us as we talk about Jude's experience of COVID-19 and how it has impacted him on multiple levels :
“Saint Jude. Not, ‘Hey Jude.’ But please don’t hold me to it…” | Missing in-person gatherings with his community | Experiencing pandemic fatigue | Feeling despair & hopeful simultaneously | Attuned to the meta-level, structural changes in society | There is no substitute for real human contact. | Ministering to people virtually through their last rites as they die | Praying for community members | Holding weekly services online | Participating in a finger labyrinth walk and meditation | Negotiating boundaries in a relationship during this time | Writing a book on marriage equality through the lens of his theological & biblical perspectives throughout history | The importance of marriage for all | Marriage: a moment for people to be joyfully vulnerable in front of everybody while being lovingly held in their vulnerability | There is no replacement for the embodied experience | Finding my way into becoming a priest | Seeking justice in a wider community and coming together to lift everybody up |
Thank you so much, Jude!
Jude's Contact: https://www.facebook.com/judeaaronharmon
Resources: https://gracecathedral.org/ & https://www.veriditas.org/
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Jude Harmon.
Join us as we talk about Jude's experience of COVID-19 and how it has impacted him on multiple levels :
“Saint Jude. Not, ‘Hey Jude.’ But please don’t hold me to it…” | Missing in-person gatherings with his community | Experiencing pandemic fatigue | Feeling despair & hopeful simultaneously | Attuned to the meta-level, structural changes in society | There is no substitute for real human contact. | Ministering to people virtually through their last rites as they die | Praying for community members | Holding weekly services online | Participating in a finger labyrinth walk and meditation | Negotiating boundaries in a relationship during this time | Writing a book on marriage equality through the lens of his theological & biblical perspectives throughout history | The importance of marriage for all | Marriage: a moment for people to be joyfully vulnerable in front of everybody while being lovingly held in their vulnerability | There is no replacement for the embodied experience | Finding my way into becoming a priest | Seeking justice in a wider community and coming together to lift everybody up |
Thank you so much, Jude!
Jude's Contact: https://www.facebook.com/judeaaronharmon
Resources: https://gracecathedral.org/ & https://www.veriditas.org/
Today, Sam speaks with his friend David Robinson.
Join us as we talk about David's experience of COVID-19 and how it has impacted him on multiple levels :
David is an educator, activist, and bird-lover! | Falling in love with Modern Dance | Being bullied for being a sissy | Being aware that, "I’m not doing all that I can, yet I’m doing a lot more than a lot of people I know." | Depression, anxious, being semi crazed |Coming back to the present moment | Song lyrics: Wade in the water, because it’s really going to be troubled water | Birdwatching & activism: “Auk the vote” | Staying practical and taking collective action | Involvement in Act Up | Learning to laugh, have joy, and be sexy in addition to being loud in activism | Recognizing there is so much more that I can do once joining a movement | It’s ok to be gay; it’s a strength and gift to the world | Grief & rage 2-3 years into Act Up | Experiencing the community more powerfully than I ever have in my life as hard as it was | Discovering birdwatching as a spiritual practice | "Act first and the feelings will follow." |
Thank you for sharing, David!
David's Instagram: Dvdrobinson
Today, Sam speaks with his friend David Robinson.
Join us as we talk about David's experience of COVID-19 and how it has impacted him on multiple levels :
David is an educator, activist, and bird-lover! | Falling in love with Modern Dance | Being bullied for being a sissy | Being aware that, "I’m not doing all that I can, yet I’m doing a lot more than a lot of people I know." | Depression, anxious, being semi crazed |Coming back to the present moment | Song lyrics: Wade in the water, because it’s really going to be troubled water | Birdwatching & activism: “Auk the vote” | Staying practical and taking collective action | Involvement in Act Up | Learning to laugh, have joy, and be sexy in addition to being loud in activism | Recognizing there is so much more that I can do once joining a movement | It’s ok to be gay; it’s a strength and gift to the world | Grief & rage 2-3 years into Act Up | Experiencing the community more powerfully than I ever have in my life as hard as it was | Discovering birdwatching as a spiritual practice | "Act first and the feelings will follow." |
Thank you for sharing, David!
David's Instagram: Dvdrobinson
Today, Sam speaks with Caity Reilly, a devotee to the wild feminine call to healing & awakening.
Join us as we talk about Caity's experience during the pandemic.
Caity is a "human committed to being in [her] heart in integrity." | Creating safety and connection with/through honesty | Being in the descent of the Heroine's journey | Seeking the deepest level of integrity | Experiencing safety and privilege during the pandemic | "The great pause" as a gift | Creatively channeling writing during this time | “Loves Embrace," a co-created field committed to honesty | Facing aloneness as an experience of profundity | The paradox of aloneness and connection | "Being human is all about love" | Recognizing the depth of longing, aloneness, and connectedness | Studying under Loren Roche and his teachings of the Radiance Sutras | Sutra #26: The One Who Is at Play Everywhere says | Naming what I’m doing is the quickest way to come into connection | Recognizing that I have a choice about how I meet challenging experiences |
Thank you for sharing with humility & grace, Caity!
More about Caity: serpentandrose.com
Today, Sam speaks with Caity Reilly, a devotee to the wild feminine call to healing & awakening.
Join us as we talk about Caity's experience during the pandemic.
Caity is a "human committed to being in [her] heart in integrity." | Creating safety and connection with/through honesty | Being in the descent of the Heroine's journey | Seeking the deepest level of integrity | Experiencing safety and privilege during the pandemic | "The great pause" as a gift | Creatively channeling writing during this time | “Loves Embrace," a co-created field committed to honesty | Facing aloneness as an experience of profundity | The paradox of aloneness and connection | "Being human is all about love" | Recognizing the depth of longing, aloneness, and connectedness | Studying under Loren Roche and his teachings of the Radiance Sutras | Sutra #26: The One Who Is at Play Everywhere says | Naming what I’m doing is the quickest way to come into connection | Recognizing that I have a choice about how I meet challenging experiences |
Thank you for sharing with humility & grace, Caity!
More about Caity: serpentandrose.com
Today, Sam speaks with his dear friend Ophir Haberer.
Join us as we talk about Ophir's experience of living during the time of COVID-19 :
Self-publishing a poetry book, The Essence Underneath | Living and thriving in an intentional-living community | Unlearning + deconditioning beliefs around masculinity | Facilitating men's groups | Inviting men to be vulnerable in safe spaces | Sharing the womb & life with a twin brother | "The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference." (Elie Weisel) | Channeling | Listening to all emotions and exploring them | Weaving together different truths | Dismantling practices and rediscovering them | Rejecting formative beliefs in order to rediscover his own true voice | “My inner voice has been my greatest teacher” | Listening to all the different parts that comprise me | The descent has been one of the biggest learning experiences | Having an emotional experience during sexual growth | Integrating into an understanding of all parts of ourselves |
Thank you for sharing from your heart, brother!
Ophir's recent article: https://www.jta.org/2020/07/10/lifestyle/at-virtual-retreat-men-embrace-vulnerability-and-reckon-with-patriarchy
Ophirhaberer@gmail.com
Today, Sam speaks with his dear friend Ophir Haberer.
Join us as we talk about Ophir's experience of living during the time of COVID-19 :
Self-publishing a poetry book, The Essence Underneath | Living and thriving in an intentional-living community | Unlearning + deconditioning beliefs around masculinity | Facilitating men's groups | Inviting men to be vulnerable in safe spaces | Sharing the womb & life with a twin brother | "The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference." (Elie Weisel) | Channeling | Listening to all emotions and exploring them | Weaving together different truths | Dismantling practices and rediscovering them | Rejecting formative beliefs in order to rediscover his own true voice | “My inner voice has been my greatest teacher” | Listening to all the different parts that comprise me | The descent has been one of the biggest learning experiences | Having an emotional experience during sexual growth | Integrating into an understanding of all parts of ourselves |
Thank you for sharing from your heart, brother!
Ophir's recent article: https://www.jta.org/2020/07/10/lifestyle/at-virtual-retreat-men-embrace-vulnerability-and-reckon-with-patriarchy
Ophirhaberer@gmail.com
Today, Sam shares some of his processes around self-inquiry during this week's episode.
Facing uncertainty | Lacking a sense of safety & security | Peeling back the emotional layers | Longing for a deeper connection to myself | Developing a practice of coming into presence | Missing communication through touch | Guiding people through self-massage | Inviting others into self-inquiry | Recalling my initial response to COVID | Being put in touch with my mortality | Experiencing grief around the loss of my brother | Gradually feeling the severity of the pandemic | Navigating life-changing experiences | The great pause during this time | Waking up to the injustice, inhumanity, and fear of others | Collective experience of mortality | Embracing our shadows | Tracking the continuum of awareness |
Thank you all so much for listening!
Today, Sam shares some of his processes around self-inquiry during this week's episode.
Facing uncertainty | Lacking a sense of safety & security | Peeling back the emotional layers | Longing for a deeper connection to myself | Developing a practice of coming into presence | Missing communication through touch | Guiding people through self-massage | Inviting others into self-inquiry | Recalling my initial response to COVID | Being put in touch with my mortality | Experiencing grief around the loss of my brother | Gradually feeling the severity of the pandemic | Navigating life-changing experiences | The great pause during this time | Waking up to the injustice, inhumanity, and fear of others | Collective experience of mortality | Embracing our shadows | Tracking the continuum of awareness |
Thank you all so much for listening!
Today, Sam speaks with one of his closest friends, Chase.
Join us as we talk about Chase's experience during COVID-19 & social/civil justice movements:
Feeling trapped at home during COVID | Jogging as an outlet to get alone time and reset | The murder of George Floyd + COVID bringing light in the darkness | Being bi-racial having a white mom & black dad | Bringing DEI into the workplace | Experiencing rage around the murder of George Floyd | Using humor as a means to fit it | Identifying as black from junior high onwards | Being called the "N" word by peers & adults | Being run off the road by a truck while walking home from school | Identifying how the world sees you | Being assaulted as a toddler because he of his blackness | The complexity of racism | "You can’t necessarily change the past; you only have the future to make things better. " | Human=not perfect | Being mirrors for each other |
Thank you so much for sharing so vulnerably, Chase, I love you!
Today, Sam speaks with one of his closest friends, Chase.
Join us as we talk about Chase's experience during COVID-19 & social/civil justice movements:
Feeling trapped at home during COVID | Jogging as an outlet to get alone time and reset | The murder of George Floyd + COVID bringing light in the darkness | Being bi-racial having a white mom & black dad | Bringing DEI into the workplace | Experiencing rage around the murder of George Floyd | Using humor as a means to fit it | Identifying as black from junior high onwards | Being called the "N" word by peers & adults | Being run off the road by a truck while walking home from school | Identifying how the world sees you | Being assaulted as a toddler because he of his blackness | The complexity of racism | "You can’t necessarily change the past; you only have the future to make things better. " | Human=not perfect | Being mirrors for each other |
Thank you so much for sharing so vulnerably, Chase, I love you!
Today, Sam speaks with one of his teachers from Esalen, Ellen Watson.
Join us as we talk about Ellen's experience during COVID-19 & social/civil justice movements :
Teaching in Bali when COVID emerged | Coming home to the US and preparing for the worst | Shifting her work to online platforms | Stepping into Transpersonal facilitating | Studying under Stanislav Grof | Transpersonal healing while suffering from a personal emergency | Being part of a renaissance since the 80's | Political activism | Being quieted as a child | Experiencing educational freedom at Esalen | Through breathwork, having regained permission to make sound | Dancing with the shadow | Growing up in the South as a white woman | Global racism | The ability to create a future that is good for all is in our hands | Finding a way to solve human conflict other than war |
Thank you, Ellen, for sharing your experiences with us all.
More info. on Ellen: https://www.movingventures.org/
Free Racialized Trauma Course: https://culturalsomaticsuniversity.thinkific.com/courses/cultural-somatics-free-5-session-ecourse
Today, Sam speaks with one of his teachers from Esalen, Ellen Watson.
Join us as we talk about Ellen's experience during COVID-19 & social/civil justice movements :
Teaching in Bali when COVID emerged | Coming home to the US and preparing for the worst | Shifting her work to online platforms | Stepping into Transpersonal facilitating | Studying under Stanislav Grof | Transpersonal healing while suffering from a personal emergency | Being part of a renaissance since the 80's | Political activism | Being quieted as a child | Experiencing educational freedom at Esalen | Through breathwork, having regained permission to make sound | Dancing with the shadow | Growing up in the South as a white woman | Global racism | The ability to create a future that is good for all is in our hands | Finding a way to solve human conflict other than war |
Thank you, Ellen, for sharing your experiences with us all.
More info. on Ellen: https://www.movingventures.org/
Free Racialized Trauma Course: https://culturalsomaticsuniversity.thinkific.com/courses/cultural-somatics-free-5-session-ecourse
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Diane Taylor.
Join us as we talk about Diane's experience of the recent death of her mother and life during COVID-19:
Losing her mother to cancer & dementia | Taking care of her mother throughout the process of her death | Mother/daughter intimacy that evolved from the overall experience | Humor & gratitude are healing | The healing gift of caring for her passing mother | Finding deeper compassion for her complex relationship with her mother | Seeing people from new perspectives | Longing for a more integrated relationship with her mom | “There’s a gift in all of it that I do see.” | Sharing her mother's last breaths with her siblings | Grief as a private internal process | Part of love is being able to receive it and take it in. |
Thank you for sharing such an intimate story with all of us, Diane, I love you!
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Diane Taylor.
Join us as we talk about Diane's experience of the recent death of her mother and life during COVID-19:
Losing her mother to cancer & dementia | Taking care of her mother throughout the process of her death | Mother/daughter intimacy that evolved from the overall experience | Humor & gratitude are healing | The healing gift of caring for her passing mother | Finding deeper compassion for her complex relationship with her mother | Seeing people from new perspectives | Longing for a more integrated relationship with her mom | “There’s a gift in all of it that I do see.” | Sharing her mother's last breaths with her siblings | Grief as a private internal process | Part of love is being able to receive it and take it in. |
Thank you for sharing such an intimate story with all of us, Diane, I love you!
Today, Sam has a heartfelt conversation with Dr. Joel A. Brown.
Join us as we talk about Joel's experience of the recent murder of George Floyd, Black Lives Matter Movement, and COVID-19 :
Diversity & Inclusion | Being raised in Milwaukee and growing up in Minneapolis | Being African, Indigenous, and LGBTQ | Teaching Empathy & EQ (Emotional Intelligence) | Black Resilience | Being the minority & being minoritized | I belong, I am just as beautiful, I am deserving | Getting past these illusions of separation so we can all see what it is we all have to bring into the world | We are all connected | Continuing to listen to my heart and my spirit | You can’t resolve what you don’t acknowledge, you have to go through to get beyond | The biggest gift you can give people is to share or receive their story | "Despite everything that has happened, it is still a good day to be Black" |
Thank you for sharing your wisdom & experiences with us, Joel!
Joel's website & recent articles:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/do-you-really-want-help-joel-a-brown-ed-d-he-him-his-/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/blackitis-case-black-self-care-joel-a-brown-ed-d-he-him-his-/
Today, Sam has a heartfelt conversation with Dr. Joel A. Brown.
Join us as we talk about Joel's experience of the recent murder of George Floyd, Black Lives Matter Movement, and COVID-19 :
Diversity & Inclusion | Being raised in Milwaukee and growing up in Minneapolis | Being African, Indigenous, and LGBTQ | Teaching Empathy & EQ (Emotional Intelligence) | Black Resilience | Being the minority & being minoritized | I belong, I am just as beautiful, I am deserving | Getting past these illusions of separation so we can all see what it is we all have to bring into the world | We are all connected | Continuing to listen to my heart and my spirit | You can’t resolve what you don’t acknowledge, you have to go through to get beyond | The biggest gift you can give people is to share or receive their story | "Despite everything that has happened, it is still a good day to be Black" |
Thank you for sharing your wisdom & experiences with us, Joel!
Joel's website & recent articles:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/do-you-really-want-help-joel-a-brown-ed-d-he-him-his-/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/blackitis-case-black-self-care-joel-a-brown-ed-d-he-him-his-/
Today I speak with my friend Sam Stern, the creator of Voices of Esalen Podcast.
Join us as we talk about Sam's experience of raising a family during COVID-19:
Feeling extremely lucky | Retreating to the microcosm of his family | Missing his extended network & parents | Having a wife experience health complications during pregnancy | Being in the present and appreciating what’s going on | Falling in love at Esalen | Creating Voices of Esalen Podcast | Supporting peoples mental health during this time | Making more concentric rings of positivity | Tapping into compassion & heart |
Thank you for sharing your experiences, Sam!
Today I speak with my friend Sam Stern, the creator of Voices of Esalen Podcast.
Join us as we talk about Sam's experience of raising a family during COVID-19:
Feeling extremely lucky | Retreating to the microcosm of his family | Missing his extended network & parents | Having a wife experience health complications during pregnancy | Being in the present and appreciating what’s going on | Falling in love at Esalen | Creating Voices of Esalen Podcast | Supporting peoples mental health during this time | Making more concentric rings of positivity | Tapping into compassion & heart |
Thank you for sharing your experiences, Sam!
Today, Sam has a heartfelt and vulnerable conversation with his friend Ryan.
Join us as we talk about Ryan's experience of being an Expat in Zurich during COVID-19:
Assimilating to a new country | Living thousands of miles away from family during a world pandemic | Overwhelming sadness & concern | Survivor's guilt | Experiencing Xenophobia | Losing friends to COVID | George Floyd's murder | Systemic racism & inhumanity | Inequality throughout society | Acknowledging privilege and taking corrective action |
Thank you for opening up about your process and sharing your vulnerability with us, Ryan!
Today, Sam has a heartfelt and vulnerable conversation with his friend Ryan.
Join us as we talk about Ryan's experience of being an Expat in Zurich during COVID-19:
Assimilating to a new country | Living thousands of miles away from family during a world pandemic | Overwhelming sadness & concern | Survivor's guilt | Experiencing Xenophobia | Losing friends to COVID | George Floyd's murder | Systemic racism & inhumanity | Inequality throughout society | Acknowledging privilege and taking corrective action |
Thank you for opening up about your process and sharing your vulnerability with us, Ryan!
Today, Sam speaks with Amy Baldwin, the co-creator of Shameless Sex Podcast.
Join us as we talk about Amy's experience during COVID-19:
Collective trauma | Everything is amplified during this time | Welcoming in the aloneness | Tapping into deeper layers of sadness & grief | Feeling through the discomfort | Healing through wild ecstatic experiences | Gratitude | Navigating a new relationship | "This too shall pass" | Shameless Sex Podcast |
Thank you for sharing your wisdom, knowledge, and experiences with us Amy!
Today, Sam speaks with Amy Baldwin, the co-creator of Shameless Sex Podcast.
Join us as we talk about Amy's experience during COVID-19:
Collective trauma | Everything is amplified during this time | Welcoming in the aloneness | Tapping into deeper layers of sadness & grief | Feeling through the discomfort | Healing through wild ecstatic experiences | Gratitude | Navigating a new relationship | "This too shall pass" | Shameless Sex Podcast |
Thank you for sharing your wisdom, knowledge, and experiences with us Amy!
Today, Sam speaks with his beloved friend Whitney Bell.
Join us as we talk about Whitney's experience around COVID-19:
Sheltering in place at Esalen | Losing her job and community | Being in survival mode | Developing skills of emotional resilience | Teaching others a self-massage practice | Cultivating presence & awareness | Watching her belief systems shift | Trusting the process | Being with her sister who has cancer | Showing up with others in their full experience |
Thank you for sharing your experiences with us, I love you, Whitney!
Today, Sam speaks with his beloved friend Whitney Bell.
Join us as we talk about Whitney's experience around COVID-19:
Sheltering in place at Esalen | Losing her job and community | Being in survival mode | Developing skills of emotional resilience | Teaching others a self-massage practice | Cultivating presence & awareness | Watching her belief systems shift | Trusting the process | Being with her sister who has cancer | Showing up with others in their full experience |
Thank you for sharing your experiences with us, I love you, Whitney!
Today, Sam speaks with his friend and fellow Esalen colleague Robert Nizza.
Join us as we talk about Robert's experience around moving to Italy right before the coronavirus pandemic hit:
Packing his life into 3 bags | Falling in love with a Sicilian woman | Adapting to a new culture during a pandemic | Moving in with a lover for the first time | Physical, emotional, and energetic challenges | Humans impact on the environment | Frailty of human life | Heightened vitality through the eyes of his girlfriend | Feeling powerless during an Earth crisis | Coming back to kindness in himself |
Thank you for your vulnerable share, Robert!
Today, Sam speaks with his friend and fellow Esalen colleague Robert Nizza.
Join us as we talk about Robert's experience around moving to Italy right before the coronavirus pandemic hit:
Packing his life into 3 bags | Falling in love with a Sicilian woman | Adapting to a new culture during a pandemic | Moving in with a lover for the first time | Physical, emotional, and energetic challenges | Humans impact on the environment | Frailty of human life | Heightened vitality through the eyes of his girlfriend | Feeling powerless during an Earth crisis | Coming back to kindness in himself |
Thank you for your vulnerable share, Robert!
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Stephen Meier as we celebrate Earth Day.
Join us as we talk about Stephen's experience around life during the coronavirus pandemic:
Daily Qi Gong practice | Community service for the Elderly | Beauty in nature & people | Finding mutual connection and sharing with others | #enjoywhatisbeautiful + Photo Meditation | Gratitude Practice | Revisiting memories of inspiration through visualizing them | Being present with loved ones when they pass away | "Pay attention to the Earth and what's happening" |
Thank you, Stephen, for sharing your positive perspective on life through these challenging times!
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Stephen Meier as we celebrate Earth Day.
Join us as we talk about Stephen's experience around life during the coronavirus pandemic:
Daily Qi Gong practice | Community service for the Elderly | Beauty in nature & people | Finding mutual connection and sharing with others | #enjoywhatisbeautiful + Photo Meditation | Gratitude Practice | Revisiting memories of inspiration through visualizing them | Being present with loved ones when they pass away | "Pay attention to the Earth and what's happening" |
Thank you, Stephen, for sharing your positive perspective on life through these challenging times!
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Lainey Love.
Join us as we talk about Lainey's experience of being a charge nurse during the coronavirus pandemic:
Working on the frontlines | Adapting at work without all the necessary protection | Losing coworkers to COVID-19 | Having a mother (a retired nurse) going back to work | Staying grounded through self-care practices | Reminding us all that this is a marathon | Finding compassion and empathy for ourselves and others |
Thank you so much for your heartfelt share, Lainey!
Today, Sam speaks with his friend Lainey Love.
Join us as we talk about Lainey's experience of being a charge nurse during the coronavirus pandemic:
Working on the frontlines | Adapting at work without all the necessary protection | Losing coworkers to COVID-19 | Having a mother (a retired nurse) going back to work | Staying grounded through self-care practices | Reminding us all that this is a marathon | Finding compassion and empathy for ourselves and others |
Thank you so much for your heartfelt share, Lainey!
Today, Sam speaks with his dear friend Elena Gilli.
Join us as we talk about Elena's personal experience around COVID-19 in Italy and so much more:
Isolation | Taking care of her elderly mother | Resilience through adapting | Staying connected to family, friends, & loved ones | Playing music on her balcony daily | Using her voice to support a collective healing process | Music + Vibrations + Singing as GIFTS | Her non-profit Tactus, supporting kids through this Pandemic |
Thank you so much for sharing, Elena!
Today, Sam speaks with his dear friend Elena Gilli.
Join us as we talk about Elena's personal experience around COVID-19 in Italy and so much more:
Isolation | Taking care of her elderly mother | Resilience through adapting | Staying connected to family, friends, & loved ones | Playing music on her balcony daily | Using her voice to support a collective healing process | Music + Vibrations + Singing as GIFTS | Her non-profit Tactus, supporting kids through this Pandemic |
Thank you so much for sharing, Elena!
Today, Sam speaks with the inspiring Jingni Wang.
Join us as we talk about Jingni's personal experience around COVID-19 in China:
Getting sick | Raising two children during a World Pandemic | Training at the Esalen Institute | Navigating Quarantine in China | Teaching Self Massage Online | Comparative Suffering | Resilience and how this experience has revealed the importance to "Trust Myself" as she put it.
This is an intimate & fruitful conversation that I am honored to share.
Thank you, Jingni!
Today, Sam speaks with the inspiring Jingni Wang.
Join us as we talk about Jingni's personal experience around COVID-19 in China:
Getting sick | Raising two children during a World Pandemic | Training at the Esalen Institute | Navigating Quarantine in China | Teaching Self Massage Online | Comparative Suffering | Resilience and how this experience has revealed the importance to "Trust Myself" as she put it.
This is an intimate & fruitful conversation that I am honored to share.
Thank you, Jingni!
