For Life on Purpose Episode #65, my guest is award-winning author Linda Johnsen, a long-time student of religious philosophy. Linda holds degrees in Eastern and Western Psychology, and has post-graduate training in theology and Sanskrit. She is the award-winning author of eight books on spirituality including Daughters of the Goddess: The Women Saints of India, and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Hinduism.
Linda joined me for an enlightening chat about her new book Lost Masters: Rediscovering The Mysticism of the Ancient Greek Philosophers, in which she offers a fascinating opportunity to reacquaint ourselves with the ancient Greek masters, revealing a side of Western philosophy that has been almost completely ignored by traditional academia.
"Ashrams in Europe twenty-five hundred years ago? Greek philosophers studying in India? Meditation classes in ancient Rome? It sounds unbelievable, but it’s historically true. Alexander the Great had an Indian guru. Pythagoras encouraged their students to meditate. Apollonius, the most famous Western sage of the first century c.e., visited both India and Egypt."
About Linda Johnsen: I'm a writer who shuttles back and forth between two universes: the modern Western world and India! I've published over 200 articles on topics related to yoga and Hindu spirituality in many magazines including Yoga Plus, Yoga International, Yoga Journal, Himalayan Path, The Mountain Astrologer, and Light of Consciousness.
I'm also author of eight books so farincluding Daughters of the Goddess: The Women Saints of India, and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Hinduism.
My essays have appeared in a half dozen anthologies including The Divine Mosaic, Uncoiling the Snake, Science of Breath, Shree Maa: The Story of a Saint, Hindu Astrology Lessons, Yoga Abenteuer Meditation (in German), and In the Footsteps of the Goddess.
I've lectured throughout the U.S. on Goddess spirituality, yoga, Hinduism, and Vedic Astrology. I've suffered through numerous radio and cable TV interviews. I have a Master's degree in Eastern Studies.
For four years I was Manager of the Center for Holistic Medicine in Glenview, Illinois. Later I served as Administrator of the Program in Eastern Studies, in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. This was a fully accredited Master’s degree program which focused on the many facets of the yoga tradition: hatha yoga postures, stress reduction and breathing exercises, diet, physiology, ethics, philosophy, Sanskrit studies, meditation and research.
These days I'm still writing, teaching, and introducing people to their Vedic horoscope. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area where my husband, Johnathan Brown, shares my passion for the Vedic tradition.
To learn more about Linda and her work, visit: http://thousandsuns.users.sonic.net/.
For Life on Purpose Episode #64, my guest is Zen priest and teacher Richard Diedrichs, whose work presents basic Buddhist teachings that keep you on the wholesome path of self-realization toward a happy life.
Richard joined me for an inspiring chat about his new book Living in Blue Sky Mind: Basic Buddhist Teachings for a Happy Life, in which he offers simple lessons, anecdotes of personal transformation, and reflective questions to guide us along Buddha’s enlightened way.
We also discussed the opportunity to learn, grow, and practice these principles when host Greg mistakenly lost the audio file of the original interview that was taped and had to admit his mistake and request a second interview.
Says Richard about the book: “Living in Blue Sky Mind began as short talks that I gave to children, parents, and grandparents at Daifukuji Zen Buddhist temple in Kona, Hawaii. (For the youngest among us in the family gatherings, I read a children's picture book.) To further spread the Dharma, I had the idea of publishing the talks in a blog that I called, "I Can See Clearly Now."
By the time I published about a hundred talks as posts, the blog had amassed nearly twelve thousand views. Like myself, I think people are searching for ways in which they can think, say, and do things that bring caring and wisdom into their lives and into the lives of everyone around them. We all want to be happy!”
About: We live with minds as open and spacious as the deep blue sky. Living in Blue Sky Mind presents basic Buddhist teachings that keep us on the wholesome path of self-realization and oriented toward a happy life. Zen priest and teacher, Richard Gentei Diedrichs, offers simple lessons, anecdotes of personal transformation, and reflective questions to guide us along Buddha’s enlightened way.
Richard Gentei Diedrichs grew up in Los Angeles. He edited travel and health magazines in Seattle, worked as an editor at the schools of Engineering and Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley, and then taught in public elementary schools in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The author of four books, Richard was fully ordained a Zen priest in 1990 by Genki Takabayashi Roshi. Currently, he is a Dharma teacher at Daifukuji Zen Temple in Hawaii.
To learn more about Richard and his work, visit: https://richardgenteidiedrichs.wordpress.com/ or https://livinginblueskymind.com/.
For Life on Purpose Episode #63, my guest is author, actor, teacher, and creativity/productivity specialist Samantha Bennett, who has counseled thousands of artists in all disciplines on their way to success.
Sam is the creator of The Organized Artist Company – a multi-six figure business she has built by hand, from scratch. Her previous book, the bestselling “Get It Done: From Procrastination to Creative Genius in 15 Minutes a Day” received rave reviews, including Seth Godin, who called it, "An instant classic."
Sam joined me for a high-energy chat about her new book Start Right Where You Are: How Little Changes Can Make a Big Difference for Overwhelmed Procrastinators, Frustrated Overachievers, and Recovering Perfectionists (New World Library), which is based on the premise that small shifts in the right direction can yield big results in the realization of our creative dreams.
Start Right Where You Are offers 66 small, doable changes that will help readers:
• Complete projects that are dear to their hearts
• Change their relationship with their bodies and improve their physical health
• Transform their relationships with people who are important to them
• Get their work out in the world
“When you decide that you want something and you move toward it physically, emotionally, or spiritually, then your movement opens up new pathways by which things can appear in your life. Even a very small step can cause a radical change in your relationship to the thing you want. Even a small shift in perspective can allow you to see new opportunities.”
About: Originally from Chicago, Samantha Bennett is an author, actor, teacher and creativity/productivity specialist who has counseled thousands of artists in all disciplines on their way to success. She is the creator of The Organized Artist Company – a multi-six figure business she has built by hand, from scratch.
Her bestselling book, “Get It Done: From Procrastination to Creative Genius in 15 Minutes a Day” (New World Library) has received rave reviews, including from than the great Seth Godin, who called it, "An instant classic."
She is an an email marketing and small business automation expert and was named the 2010 Ultimate Marketer Finalist by Infusionsoft, and she is an Infusionsoft Certified Consultant, Reseller and Partner.
Sam has self-published four books: “By The Way, You Look Really Great Today,” "An Artist Talks to God," “365 Reasons To Write” and "Less Crazy, More Money: 52 Secrets to Running a Serene, Profitable Business."
Her latest book is the critically- acclaimed, "Start Right Where You Are: How Little Changes Can Make a Big Difference for Overwhelmed Procrastinators, Frustrated Overachievers and Recovering Perfectionists" - the book that emerged from this workshop.
Still a working actor (Modern Family, Drew Carey Show, Strong Medicine) Samantha has also written several plays, including, “Kiss The Monster,” “Miss Millicent’s Fall Recital” and “In A Booth At Chasen’s.” As an alumni of The Second City in Chicago, ComedySportz LA, The Open Fist Theatre Company and LA TheatreWorks, Samantha is known for her quick wit and warm heart.
Her 12 years as a professional Personal Branding Specialist with Sam Christensen Studios has given her an uncanny ability to help people recognize and capitalize on their own brilliance.
Sam abides in a quiet little beach town outside of Los Angeles, where she hangs out with the dolphins and the seals, living the life of her dreams.
To learn more about Sam and her work, visit: http://www.startrightwhereyouare.com/.
For Life on Purpose Episode #62, my guest is Thomas Sterner, the founder and CEO of The Practicing Mind Institute. As a successful entrepreneur, he is considered an expert in Present Moment Functioning or PMF. He is a popular and in-demand speaker who works with high-performance individuals including, athletes, industry groups and individuals, helping them to operate effectively within high-stress situations so that they can break through to new levels of mastery.
As an expert Present Moment Functioning Coach, Tom has brought clarity to thousands regarding how they can accomplish more with less effort, in the least amount of time and with greatly reduced stress. Top media outlets such as NPR, Fox News, and Forbes have sought his advice.
Tom joined me for an inspirational chat about his new book Fully Engaged: Using the Practicing Mind in Daily Life (New World Library) in which he expands on the concepts from his previous book The Practicing Mind by helping readers apply them to daily life. He shows readers how simple shifts in perspective — such as learning to center their attention on the process of what they are doing instead of what they are trying to achieve; using goals as rudders instead of reminders of what is left to be done; and learning to work without judgment about the process — can completely transform the experience of going through each day.
“To be fully engaged in an activity means to be present in this moment with whatever you are doing. It also means to be completely content in that experience. There is no anxiousness about or sense of longing for the future, and there is no regret about the past.”
About: Thomas M. Sterner is the author of Fully Engaged and The Practicing Mind. He is accomplished as a musician, composer, and technician in various fields of music; as a recording and audio engineer; and in athletic pursuits from archery to golf. He speaks around the world on developing focus and discipline and lives in Wilmington, Delaware. Visit him online at http://www.practicingmind.com.
Thomas M. Sterner is the founder and CEO of The Practicing Mind Institute. As a successful entrepreneur, he is considered an expert in Present Moment Functioning or PMF tm. He is a popular and in-demand speaker who works with high-performance individuals including, athletes, industry groups and individuals, helping them to operate effectively within high-stress situations so that they can break through to new levels of mastery.
As an expert Present Moment Functioning Coach, Thomas has brought clarity to thousands regarding how they can accomplish more with less effort, in the least amount of time and with greatly reduced stress. Top media outlets such as NPR, Fox News, and Forbes have sought his advice. He is the author of the best seller The Practicing Mind (New World Library 2012).
Prior to founding The Practicing Mind Institute he served as the Chief Concert Piano Technician for a major performing arts center preparing instruments for the most demanding performances. During his 25 year tenure as a high-level technician, he personally worked for industry giants such as Van Cliburn, Pavarotti, Andre Watts, Ray Charles, Fleetwood Mac, Bonnie Raitt, Tony Bennett, Wynton Marsalis and many more. An accomplished musician and composer he has also worked in the visual arts and as a recording studio engineer.
In his down time, Tom is an accomplished musician, private pilot, an avid sailor and proficient golfer. He lives in Wilmington Delaware and enjoys spending time with his two daughters and in his recording studio.
To learn more about Tom and his work, visit: http://tomsterner.com/.
For Life on Purpose Episode #61, my guest is speaker, professional coach and mentor, trained licensed therapist and tenured associate professor of counseling Dr. Tiffany Stewart.
Dr. Tiffany joined me for an inspirational chat about her L.E.A.P. Success System and how it helps others shift their mindset and create the lives they want. We also discussed her own life story — how she went from being a single parent who had been fired from four jobs in two years with very little money ("failing at life") to building a successful business and life lived on her own terms in just a few short years.
“Failure is a part of the process. You can ALWAYS recover from it. And the transformation that I have been through in a few short years is not because I am a lucky person. You do not need lady luck on your side to create the life you want. I went from literally losing everything I had to creating the life I want.”
About: Dr. Tiffany is national speaker, professional coach and mentor, trained licensed therapist and tenured associate professor of counseling. She works with individuals teaching step-by-step how to actually create the very life they want and desire.
Dr. Tiffany is a trained licensed therapist with years of training in the counseling profession and as a tenured associate professor of counseling. Soon after entering the world of academia, Dr. Tiffany recognized it fostered an environment of constant criticism, people telling you what you could not do and how good you were not. She then made it her mission to do the opposite by empowering people, helping realize their gifts and showing them how to obtain them.
Through working with a mentor and learning the best methods to use, Dr. Tiffany created a formula to teach others who feed into the belief of not being good enough or not knowing the next steps to take to create a life they love.
Her passion is to help individuals who may be stuck in some area of life, tap into their power and give themselves permission to step into their purpose and create the create life they want to live. She is the creator of the L.E.A.P. Success System.
To learn more about Dr. Tiffany and her work, visit: http://www.tiffanystewartphd.com/.
For Life on Purpose Episode #60, my guest is certified life coach, mindfulness meditation teacher, author, and blogger Ora Nadrich.
Ora joined me for a great chat about her new book, Says Who? How One Simple Question Can Change the Way You Think Forever, how her own life story — including her sister's nervous breakdown when Ora was 14 years old influenced her work, and the Says Who? Method she developed.
In the book, she vividly illustrates and breaks down her simple yet highly effective method, based on the principle that while we all face obstacles and negative thoughts in our lives, it is not enough to simply examine and be aware of them — we must question and challenge them in order to bring about true change.
“We think 60,000–70,000 thoughts a day, and sadly, it’s the negative ones we tend to hear the loudest. But using a set of daily, simple questions, we can stop them the instant they pop up to sabotage us. It’s as simple a practice as brushing your teeth.”
About: Ora Nadrich is a certified Life Coach, and Mindfulness Meditation teacher. She is a frequent blogger for the Huffington Post on Mindfulness, and leads workshops on “Living a Mindful Life.”
Ora was an actress and screenwriter, where she worked in film, episodic television, and commercials for more than a decade, which she feels provided her vast experience in exploring motivation and the process of self-discovery. During that time, she simultaneously embarked on a two-decade psychological and spiritual journey towards self-awareness and transformation.
Ora retired from acting, and devoted her time to studying the workings of the mind. On her psychological and spiritual journey she explored Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and a multi-year, intensive study of various disciplines and techniques, including the Technology of Change with Robert Lorenz, and extensive Jungian analysis.
She studied Kabbalah and Buddhism, and met some of the finest spiritual teachers and leaders like, Gurumayi of Siddha Yoga, Sonam Kazi, the Dalai Lama’s interpreter, and, ultimately, His Holiness himself, the Dalai Lama. Her exploration of self-realization continues today.
Ora lives with her husband, Jeff, and two sons, Jake and Benjamin in Los Angeles.
To learn more about Ora and her work, visit: http://www.oranadrich.com/.
For Life on Purpose Episode #59, my guest is serial entrepreneur, growth strategist, and award-winning author Jonathan Fields.
Jonathan joined me for a fantastic chat about his new book, How To Live a Good Life, Soulful Stories, Surprising Science, and Practical Wisdom, in which he steps out from under the entrepreneurship umbrella and into the realm of the subject that truly fuels him, a broader exploration of human potential. The book is a practical and provocative modern-day manual for the pursuit of a life well lived.
We also talked about human potential; the incident at age 17 that planted the seeds for his work with the Good Life Project; the art of a great interview; vulnerability; Elizabeth Gilbert's "secret"; Camp GLP; the concept of the three buckets; teaching that thing we each need to learn most; how 9-11 motivated him to live life NOW; and MUCH more!
“If I'm asking people to be open to ideas, I need to model that same state myself.”
About: A dad, husband, serial entrepreneur, growth strategist and award-winning author, Jonathan Fields inspires possibility.
He currently runs mission-driven media and education venture, Good Life Project®, where he and his team lead a global community in the quest to live more meaningful, connected and vital lives. They produce a top-rated podcast and video-series with millions of listens and views in more than 150 countries, where Jonathan regularly shares conversations with the world’s leading voices, like Sir Ken Robinson, Elizabeth Gilbert, Milton Glaser, Brene Brown, Grethcen Rubin and hundreds more.
Along the way, Jonathan has built a number of community-driven ventures or, as he calls them, Businesses of Belonging™, taught everything from yoga and mindfulness to entrepreneurship, branding and innovation to thousands. Along with his world-class faculty, he now offers a growing catalog of events, trainings and courses that range from mission-driven entrepreneurship to building innovative cultures and living good lives. He begins with cracking open the often long-closed window to possibility, then offers strategies and tools for action and progress.
Jonathan is regularly featured in the media, including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, FastCompany, Inc., Entrepreneur, USA Today, Real Simple, HOW, O Magazine, Self, Outside, Slate, Vogue, Elle, Allure, SELF, Yoga Journal, CNBC, Fox News, Today Show, PBS Nightly Business Report and thousands of other places that sound cool, but don’t impress his daughter all that much.
He also speaks globally for organizations and events of all sizes, from keynoting private meetings for clients like Paypal, GE, Novartis and twitter to taking the stage at mega-events like SXSW, World Domination Summit and many others.
When not building ventures, writing and producing, he can be found dancing around his living room with his wife and daughter, writing in the third person and listening to “real music.” #AirSupply. #KissFanClub.
To learn more about Jonathan and his work, visit: http://www.jonathanfields.com/.
For Life on Purpose Episode #58, my guest is artist, executive coach, author, actor and filmmaker Aaron Anastasi.
Aaron joined me for an inspirational chat about his new book, The Voice of Your Dreams, a practical guide about silencing the voices of limitation that may be impeding your progress and living a life full of greater possibility.
We also talked about his own unique life journey (surfer, singer, theological student, actor, and more!), overcoming fear, the "Rackets" that can limit us in life and how to shift those, "the Work" of Byron Katie, and MUCH more!
“All fear comes from contemplating the future. Action eradicates fear, as does shifting the focus from self to the end user—those being served by you.”
About: Aaron Anastasi is a Southern California native who graduated with a master’s degree from Princeton Theological Seminary, where he studied philosophy, psychology, and theology.
He’s also a serial entrepreneur with online businesses such as Superior Songwriting Method, Signing Success, and the internationally recognized, Superior Singing Method, an online singing lesson program that grosses seven-figures annually.
Aaron has the #1 singing/life lesson channel on YouTube and has over 11.5 million organic views and over 130 thousand subscribers total on his three channels.
Having a love for adventure, he was a pro snowboarder in Vail, Colorado, scaled Glacier Lake mountains in Bolivia, and cut pathways through the jungles of Contagem, Brazil.
Along with being a Los Angeles based actor and filmmaker, Aaron is also a prominent success coach for clients in industry-leading roles, ranging from film directors to marine biologists to TEDx speakers.
His new book, The Voice of Your Dreams, was released in April 2016, and reached Amazon's top 100 best sellers within the first week of release.
To learn more about Aaron and his work, visit: https://thevoiceofyourdreams.com/home-a.
For Life on Purpose Episode #57, my guest is author and psychotherapist Susan Anderson, who has devoted more than 30 years of clinical experience and research to working with the victims of abandonment trauma, grief, and loss and teaches people around the world how to overcome abandonment and its aftermath of self-sabotaging patterns.
Susan joined me for a powerful chat about her new book, The Abandonment Recovery Workbook: Guidance through the Five Stages of Healing from Abandonment, Heartbreak, and Loss, as well as how her own life journey paved the way for her most powerful work, and MUCH more!
“Learning the steps to take after surviving a great loss is a hopeful process. You discover your ability to benefit from the experience rather than be diminished by it,” says Anderson. “Many of you are going through heartbreak, getting separated or divorced, or feel isolated and alone. Many of you are grieving over someone close to you who has died. Some seek recovery from childhood wounds that impinge on the quality of your current life. But our journey will take us beyond the specifics of your loss, all the way to the underlying source of the fear and despair —abandonment — the crux of the human condition.”
About: Susan Anderson is a psychotherapist who has devoted over 30 years of clinical experience and research to working with the victims of abandonment trauma, grief, and loss. Author of Taming your Outer Child: Overcoming your Self Defeating Patterns; Journey from Abandonment to Healing; Black Swan: Twelve Lessons of Abandonment Recovery; and The Abandonment Recovery Workbook, she is founder of the Abandonment Recovery movement, a worldwide program of techniques and support groups that help people heal their abandonment wounds past and present, overcome their self-defeating “Outer Child” patterns, and find greater life and love.
Through extensive clinical research, group work, and scientific study, she has developed a treatment protocol specific to overcoming the impact of abandonment trauma in adults and children. Her five universal stages of abandonment recovery (Shattering, Withdrawal, Internalizing, Rage, and Lifting) are based upon scientific findings related to the psychobiology of separation and attachment. Through her books and public appearances, she shares her own experiences with abandonment, grief, and recovery, speaking passionately from personal and professional experience.
In addition to her national tours to promote abandonment recovery, she continues in private practice in Manhattan and Long Island.
To learn more about Susan and her work, visit: http://www.abandonment.net/.
This week on Life on Purpose, we celebrate a momentous occasion: my five-year podcast anniversary — during which time I've produced 56 LoP episodes and nearly 200 hour-long conversations overall!
To help commemorate my journey, I'm joined by the man whose work and community inspired me to start my first podcast (Radio Enso) back in the summer of 2011: author and world-changer Chris Guillebeau.
Chris joined me for a wide-ranging, inspirational, and personal conversation centered around his work and philosophy ("There's more than one way to live your life."); making deliberate and intentional choices in your life; asking, "How can I use my power for good?"; the changes and challenges he's faced since our previous conversation in 2012 including the loss of his brother; the annual gathering of world-changers and "non-conformists" that he hosts each summer in Portland (WDS); his new book Born for This: How to Find the Work You Were Meant to Do; and MUCH more!
About: Chris Guillebeau is a New York Times bestselling author and modern-day explorer. During a lifetime of self-employment that included a four-year commitment as a volunteer executive in West Africa, he visited every country in the world (193 in total) before his 35th birthday. Since then he has modeled the proven definition of an entrepreneur: “Someone who will work 24 hours a day for themselves to avoid working one hour a day for someone else.”
His first book, The Art of Non-Conformity, was translated into more than twenty languages. His second book, The $100 Startup, was a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller, selling more than 300,000 copies worldwide. That was followed by The Happiness of Pursuit — published in September 2014 and also a New York Times bestseller.
And in his latest book Born for This: How to Find the Work You Were Meant to Do, he's created a practical guide for how to find the perfect job — whether within a traditional company or business, or by striking out on your own.
Plus every summer in Portland, Oregon, Chris hosts the World Domination Summit, a gathering of creative, remarkable people with thousands in attendance. He's also the founder of Pioneer Nation, Unconventional Guides, the Travel Hacking Cartel, and numerous other projects.
To learn more about Chris and his work, visit: http://chrisguillebeau.com/.
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For Life on Purpose Episode #55, a special "Soul Series" interview, my guest is preeminent theologian and bestselling author Matthew Fox, a popularizer of Western mysticism.
Matthew joined me for an enlightening chat about his new book A WAY TO GOD: Thomas Merton's Creation Spirituality Journey, the Cosmic Christ, the divine feminine, eco-justice, and MUCH more!
“A WAY TO GOD is a powerful book about Merton’s pioneering work in deep ecumenism and interfaith; about his essential teachings on mixing contemplation and action; and about how the vision of thirteenth century mystic Meister Eckhart profoundly influenced both Merton and Creation Spirituality, which Fox has long espoused and written about.”
“Merton was above all a man of prayer, a thinker who challenged the certitudes of his time and opened new horizons for souls and for the church. He was also a man of dialogue, a promoter of peace between peoples and religions.” —Pope Francis
About: Matthew Fox is a preeminent scholar and popularizer of Western mysticism, who became an Episcopal priest after being expelled from the Catholic Dominican Order by Cardinal Ratzinger, who later became Pope Benedict.
He holds a doctorate in spirituality from the Institut Catholique de Paris and has authored 32 books on spirituality and contemporary culture that have been translated into 60 languages.
He's devoted 45 years to developing and teaching the tradition of Creation Spirituality and in doing so has reinvented forms of education and worship. His work is inclusive of today’s science and world spiritual traditions and has awakened millions to the much neglected earth-based mystical tradition of the West.
He has helped to rediscover Hildegard of Bingen, Meister Eckhart, and Thomas Aquinas. Among his books are Original Blessing, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ, The Reinvention of Work, A Spirituality Named Compassion and Meister Eckhart: A Mystic-Warrior for Our Times.
In his latest book A WAY TO GOD: Thomas Merton's Creation Spirituality Journey, he reimmersed himself in Merton’s journals, poetry, and religious writings, finding that Merton’s marriage of mysticism and prophecy, contemplation and action closely paralleled that of Meister Eckhart, the thirteenth-century mystic who inspired Fox’s own Creation Spirituality.
To learn more about Matthew and his work, visit: http://www.matthewfox.org.
For Life on Purpose Episode #54, my guest is author, speaker, blogger, coach, and social entrepreneur Arvind Devalia.
Arvind joined me for a great chat about about making an impact in the world, increasing your own ripple effect, getting clarity on what your life is about, asking for help, and MUCH more!
“I am committed to opening you to the possibility of discovering your deepest purpose, living a fully expressed life filled with peace, love, well-being, courage and integrity.”
About: Arvind Devalia is an author, speaker, blogger, coach, and social entrepreneur who extols the virtues of a life of contribution by making a positive and powerful impact on the world.
His Amazon best-selling book “Get the Life you Love & Live It” is the complete self help manual for your life with anecdotes and examples from his own life.
And he has been interviewed and quoted in The Mail, The Daily Express and various mainstream magazines in the UK, USA, India and other countries around the world.
To learn more about Arvind and his work, visit: http://www.arvinddevalia.com/.
For Life on Purpose Episode #53, my guest is internationally renowned teacher, speaker, and coach Zen Cryar DeBrücke.
Zen joined me for a fascinating conversation about her new book Your Inner GPS: Follow Your Internal Guidance to Optimal Health, Happiness, and Satisfaction, what that is, and how to use it.
“You were born with a factory-installed guidance system. It is like the GPS in a car. This system is called your Internal Guidance System, or IGS,” writes Zen. “The guidance it gives you has many different purposes. The most important one is to get you from one end of your life to the other with as much joy, ease, and fulfillment as possible.”
We began the interview with a short interactive exercise that listeners can use to better understand what we're talking about. We also discuss the concepts of opening, closing, and some simple, straightforward techniques for accessing this powerful source of inner wisdom on a daily basis.
About: Zen Cryar DeBrücke is an internationally renowned teacher, speaker, and coach whose programs have helped people all over the world transform their personal and business lives for the better.
As a Master intuitive coach and stress expert, she teaches about the physical sensations in your body that are called anxiety, worry and fear. She uncovered their relationship to one's thoughts and how to manage them for optimal health and happiness.
Zen is a member of the Transformational Leadership Council with experts such as Marianne Williamson and Jack Canfield, who said "Zen Cryar DeBrücke us a master who takes us by the hand and shows us that we all have deep wisdom within.”
In her brand new book Your Inner GPS: Follow Your Internal Guidance to Optimal Health, Happiness, and Satisfaction (New World Library), she says that each of us is born with access to a powerful tool called an Internal Guidance System (IGS). Not unlike the GPS system that is built into cars, its purpose is to guide us through our lives by letting us know whether our thoughts and actions are moving us closer to, or further away from, the things we most want to create in our lives.
To learn more about Zen and her work, visit: http://zeninamoment.com/.
For Life on Purpose Episode #52, my guest is author, yoga teacher, mental strength coach, former pro-skater, and entrepreneur Cara Bradley.
Cara joined me for an inspirational conversation about her new book On the Verge: Wake Up, Show Up, and Shine and what it means to be "On the Verge": to show up in THIS exact moment and meet our potential to shine in all aspects of our lives. She empowers listeners to live from that place through practices and strategies designed to shift them out of their heads and fully into the present moment.
“When you show up in this moment — when you are 100 percent engaged right here and right now — you arrive in a space where you are fully aware,” says Cara. “In this space, beyond your busy mind, you glimpse your naturally occurring state of being awake and fully alive. In this natural state your mind is clear, your body bright, and your heart open.”
We also discuss the life-changing epiphany she had at her final college track race and how the question she asked then has shaped her life and work since.
About: Cara Bradley is an author, yoga teacher, mental strength coach, former pro-skater for Team Rollerblade® and entrepreneur having devoted more than three decades to movement disciplines and personal transformation. She is the founder of Verge Yoga in Philadelphia and the cofounder of a non-profit Mindfulness Through Movement, providing full year mindfulness programs to more than a dozen schools in urban Philadelphia. She is the host of a podcast series for Women for One called Real Women, Courageous Wisdom. Her upcoming book, On The Verge: Wake Up, Show Up, and Shine (New World Library) will be available in April 2016.
Cara reaches a nationwide audience through her Verge On-Demand Classes, workshops and retreats, and talks on human potential and presents at national conferences, corporations and universities.
Known as a mental strength coach to athletes, she has been training teams and elite athletes, including professional athletes, for over ten years with her unique Fierce Focus Mental Strength Training Program. Teams include Villanova Football, Lacrosse, Soccer and Basketball, Penn State Basketball, University of Pennsylvania Soccer, St. Joseph’s Soccer and Field Hockey, and the USYSA Olympic Development Program.
Cara competed as a figure skater and turned professional at the age of fifteen when she began teaching. As a pro skater for Team Rollerblade, a performance group for Rollerblade Inc., she performed shows in the U.S., Asia, and Europe. She created and starred in SkateFit: The Complete In-Line Skating Workout (ABA Productions, 1994) and co-authored In-Line Skate New England: The Complete Guide to 101 Tours (Countryman Press, 2003) with Cindy Copeland Lewis and Tom Lewis.
She graduated Magna Cum Laude from New York University, B.S. International Business and Economics and has started a dozen successful businesses including Blade Skatewear and Camp Rollerblade. She is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and is an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher ERYT with Yoga Alliance.
To learn more about Cara and her work, visit: http://www.carabradley.net/.
For Life on Purpose Episode #51, my guest is bestselling novelist and "striving yogi" Karan Bajaj. Born and raised in the Indian Himalayas, Karan now lives in Brooklyn, New York. Via his website and thriving online community, he shares his attempts to live a Yogic life in the heart of the material world.
Karan joined me for a great conversation about his new book The Yoga of Max's Discontent, which was published by Random House on May 3rd 2016. The book, called "The greatest adventure of our Generation" by The Daily Telegraph was inspired by his one year sabbatical traveling from Europe to India by road and learning yoga and meditation in the Himalayas.
"Growing up in the Indian Himalayas, I saw a steady stream of professionals — doctors, engineers, lawyers — leave their careers and live in ashrams and caves near my village. I never fully understood their motives. But 20 years later, I had the same strong urge to spend an extended time in silence and find a deep center of stillness within me after my mother’s untimely death from cancer."
About: Karan Bajaj is a bestselling novelist and striving yogi. Born and raised in India, he has trained as a Hatha Yoga teacher in the Sivananda ashram in South India and learned meditation in the Himalayas. He is the author of the novels Johnny Gone Down and Keep off the Grass, both of which were No. 1 bestsellers in India.
His first worldwide novel, The Yoga of Max's Discontent, was published by Random House on May 3rd 2016. The book, called "The greatest adventure of our Generation" by The Daily Telegraph was inspired by his one year sabbatical traveling from Europe to India by road and learning yoga and meditation in the Himalayas.
He's has also worked in senior executive roles at companies like Procter & Gamble and the Boston Consulting Group and was named among Ad Age's "Top 40 Under 40 executives" in the US.
About The Yoga of Max's Discontent: A violent encounter on the streets of Manhattan forces Wall Street banker Maximus Pzoras to confront questions about suffering and mortality that have dogged him since his mother’s death. His search for a mentor takes him to the farthest reaches of India, where he encounters a mysterious night market, almost freezes to death on a hike up the Himalayas and finally, finds himself in an ashram in a small drought stricken village in South India where strange things begin to happen to him.
But are Yogis who walk on water, do impossible poses, and live agelessly for 200 years the stuff of fiction or fact? Can a flesh and blood man ever truly achieve nirvana? Max struggles to overcome his rational skepticism and the pull of family tugging him back home. In a final bid for answers, he embarks on dangerous solitary meditation in a freezing Himalayan cave. Will Max penetrate the truth of human suffering, or is enlightenment just a new age illusion?
To learn more about Karan and his work, visit: http://www.karanbajaj.com/.
For Life on Purpose Episode #50, my guest is psychotherapist, award-winning writer, former Buddhist monk, and teacher Donald Altman.
Donald joined me for a excellent conversation about his new book Clearing Emotional Clutter: Mindfulness Practices for Letting Go of What’s Blocking Your Fulfillment and Transformation (New World Library). In the book, he offers readers easy-to-use daily practices designed to dissolve emotional clutter, whether it is old emotional wreckage from their childhood or new emotional clutter that they take on every day.
“The purpose of Clearing Emotional Clutter is to help you heal and move on from pains, insults, traumas, toxic stressors, and emotional clutter from the past and the present — without blaming, shaming, or punishing yourself,” says Altman. “I like to think of it as a mindful lifestyle reboot — a way of clearing out the old, habitual methods of living and thinking that keep us stuck in emotional clutter to the point that we can’t imagine a way out.”
About: Donald Altman is a prolific writer and expert on mindful eating whose career spans more than twenty-five years. He's authored several pioneering books on mindfulness, beginning with his 1998 Art of the Inner Meal. His book The Mindfulness Toolbox is the winner of two 2015 Ben Franklin National Gold Awards,
Another book, The Mindfulness Code, was named as "One of the Best Spiritual Books of 2010." He has also authored Living Kindness, Meal by Meal, The Joy Compass, and a personal guide to developing a mindfulness pratice, A Course in Mindfulness.
In addition to his books, he was a staff writer for an EMMY-Award winning children's television show (The Magic Door, CBS Chicago), he won an American Medical Writer's Association Award, he co-created the first interactive comic strip on America Online, and has had articles appear in New Age Journal, The Los Angeles Times, and Independent Business Magazine, among others.
Donald is also a practicing psychotherapist and former Buddhist monk who teaches in the neurobiology program at Portland State University.
To learn more about Donald and his work, visit: http://www.mindfulpractices.com/.
For Life on Purpose Episode #49, my guest is writer, author, yoga teacher, and traveler Dave Ursillo, who returns for a fourth conversation on my shows. Dave was Guest #1 on my very first podcast (Radio Enso) back in 2011 and his wisdom, tools, and life experience always make for an excellent chat!
Throughout the various threads of his work, he helps creatives, self-starters and everyday yogis use their words to live the stories they want to be telling.
Dave joined me for a great conversation about conscious life evolution, creativity, the freedom of NOT knowing, what he's learned from teaching yoga, habit change, cultivating the right container for personal and creative growth, the notion of "service", the importance of tribe, karma vs. dharma, and much more!
About: Dave Ursillo is a teacher of writing, yoga and self-expression. He helps self-starters use their words, stories and voices to create healing within and share love in our world. In his former life, Dave was an aspiring presidential speechwriter and sought a path of leadership after 9/11/2001 to become a part of positive change in our world. He abandoned his career in 2009 to dedicate his life to his writing, through which he knew he could lead by example.
Today, as a teacher, workshop leader and founder of an online writers' group, The Literati Writers (LiteratiWriters.com), Dave teaches conscientious creatives, self-starters and everyday-yogis how to cultivate their gifts, speak their truth and embody their deepest values. He has brought his teachings to hundreds of thousands of readers and across three continents, and has been seen on CBS News Sunday Morning, Psychology Today, Zen Habits, Inc.com and the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. He lives in Rhode Island.
To learn more about Dave and his work, visit: https://www.daveursillo.com/.
For Life on Purpose Episode #48, my guest is Zen teacher and author Brad Warner, who is also a punk bassist, filmmaker, Japanese-monster-movie marketer, and popular blogger.
Brad joined me for a great conversation about his new book Don’t Be a Jerk: And Other Practical Advice from Dōgen, Japan’s Greatest Zen Master (New World Library), in which he paraphrases Dōgen’s work for modern times in his trademark style that readers have come to know and love, bringing his wisdom on topics like feminism, reincarnation, and the debate between science and religion to the forefront.
We also discuss Dōgen's great work The Shōbōgenzō, Brad's life story, a brief history of Zen, and philosophical topics such as the notions of "no self", "not knowing", and the question of why we need to practice, if as the Buddha says, "We are all perfect just as we are."
About: Brad Warner is an ordained Zen teacher and author of the books There Is No God And He Is Always With You (2013), Sex Sin and Zen (2010), Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate (2009), Sit Down and Shut Up (2007) and Hardcore Zen (2004).
He’s also a writer for the Suicide Girls website, bass player for the hardcore punk rock group 0DFx (aka Zero Defex), star of the movies “Shoplifting From American Apparel” and “Zombie Bounty Hunter M.D.,” director of the film “Cleveland’s Screaming!” and former vice president of the US branch of the company founded by the man who created Godzilla.
Born in Hamilton, Ohio in 1964, in 1972, Brad’s family relocated to Nairobi, Kenya. When he returned three years later, nothing about rural Ohio seemed quite the same anymore. In 1982, Brad joined 0DFx (Zero Defex), famous for an eighteen-second burst of noise titled “Drop the A-Bomb On Me.” 0DFx recently reunited and has a new CD out.
While still playing hardcore punk, Brad became involved in Zen Buddhism. The realistic, no BS philosophy reminded him of the attitude the punks took towards music. He made it to Japan in 1993 where he began studying the philosophy with an iconoclastic rebel Zen Master named Gudo Nishijima. After a few years, Nishijima decided to make Brad his successor as a teacher of Zen.
To learn more about Brad and his work, visit: http://hardcorezen.info/.
For Life on Purpose Episode #47, my guests are Leah Hynes and Naz Murphie, the Founders of RYPL – Rock Your Purpose Live. They joined me for an inspired conversation about the crucial importance of community for support and guidance as well as connecting with like-minded people as we each find our life purpose and then work to turn our goals into action.
We also discuss each of their life stories, as they've taken the sometime difficult lessons learned creating a life on their own terms and now apply those lessons to helping others do that same.
About: Leah Hynes and Naz Murphie are the Founders of RYPL – Rock Your Purpose Live- a community of more than 10,000 people all around the world crazy enough to believe we can change the world! They both did all the ‘right’ things that others said would make them happy, yet each realized there was something BIG missing.
So in 2012, they joined forces to make a real difference. And now "Whether you are just starting out on your journey to find what positive impact you want to have on the world or you already know and are interested in having your dream put into action, these driven ladies know how to get you there."
To learn more about Leah & Naz and their work, visit: http://rypl.rocks/.
For Life on Purpose Episode #46, my guest is is certified relationship coach, author, blogger, and speaker Kira Asatryan, an expert on loneliness, which she believes is a problem of epidemic proportions in our modern times. In her new book, Stop Being Lonely: Three Simple Steps to Developing Close Friendships and Deep Relationships (just published on New World Library), she says it’s not a lack of people in our lives, it is a lack of feeling that speaks to the heart of this new loneliness.
But there is good news — YOU have the power to create closeness with any willing partner. Closeness is the foundation of all happy and long-lasting relationships, whether romantic, platonic, familial, or business, she writes.
About Kira Asatryan: I'm a certified relationship coach, author, blogger, loneliness expert, and speaker. I love to speak publicly on the topic of loneliness, as it's a problem of epidemic proportions in our modern times. I maintain a private coaching practice in San Francisco where I help business partners, couples, and individuals develop closeness - the antidote to loneliness - in their relationships.
I have a unique passion for those who feel lonely in this world. I understand the unique challenges that lonely people face because I face them as well. I've struggled with loneliness my whole life and have come to find that there are many others out there like me.
We are the people who, despite excellent intentions, find it hard to get to know people and find it hard to believe that anyone cares about us. If you relate to this, I can assure you you're not alone.
I've spent my coaching career researching, pondering, and reflecting upon what specifically makes relationships feel good or bad. The results of my efforts can be found in my book, my articles, my talks, and I believe they will help you immensely.
You can stop being lonely. You've already taken the first step.
To learn more about Kira and her work, visit: http://www.kiraasatryan.com/.
For Life on Purpose Episode #45, my guest is Dan Millman, a former world champion athlete, university coach, martial arts instructor, and college professor whose seventeen books, including Way of the Peaceful Warrior, have inspired and informed millions of readers in 29 languages worldwide and truly changed lives.
Dan joins me for an inspiring and in-depth chat about his latest book, THE FOUR PURPOSES OF LIFE- Finding Meaning and Direction in a Changing World, his own unique life journey, his classic Way of the Peaceful Warrior, what it MEANS to be a Peaceful Warrior, and much more!
About: Dan Millman is a former world champion athlete, university coach, martial arts instructor, and college professor. After an intensive, twenty-year spiritual quest, Dan's teaching found its form as the Peaceful Warrior's Way, expressed fully in his books and lectures. His work continues to evolve over time, to meet the needs of a changing world.
bs seventeen books, including Way of the Peaceful Warrior, have inspired and informed millions of readers in 29 languages worldwide. The feature film, "Peaceful Warrior," starring Nick Nolte, was adapted from Dan's first book, based upon incidents from his life.
His latest book, the paperback edition of his book THE FOUR PURPOSES OF LIFE- Finding Meaning and Direction in a Changing World was recently published by New World Library. Deepak Chopra says it offers "concise and practical guidance for living a meaningful life with a clear sense of purpose, while Marianne Williamson noted "Once again, Dan Millman provides us with keys to a well-lived life."
Much of Dan's time is devoted to writing and speaking. His keynotes, seminars, and workshops span the generations to influence men and women from all walks of life, including leaders in the fields of health, psychology, education, business, politics, sports, entertainment, and the arts.
Dan and his wife Joy live in Brooklyn, New York. They have three grown daughters and two grandsons so far.
To learn more about Dan and his work, visit: http://www.peacefulwarrior.com/.
For Life on Purpose Episode #44, my guest is internationally recognized stress-management expert, author, and teacher davidji. He's a former COO, apprentice to Deepak Chopra, and the decade-long dean of Chopra Center University plus he's been named one of the top 100 trailblazers in yoga & ayurveda by Spirituality & Health Magazine.
davidji joins me for a fantastic chat about his latest book, the Amazon #1 Bestseller destressifying- The Real-World Guide to Personal Empowerment, Lasting Fulfillment, and Peace of Mind and real-world tools for achieving that, as well as meditation (we do the first ever in-show 16-second meditation!), the latest discoveries of frontier science, his own unique life journey, and much more!
About: davidji is a former COO, apprentice to Deepak Chopra and the decade-long dean of Chopra Center University AND he's been named one of the top 100 trailblazers in yoga & ayurveda by Spirituality & Health Magazine. He's an internationally recognized stress-management expert, corporate trainer, meditation teacher, and Nautilus Book Award-winning author.
He is credited with creating the 21-day meditation process, which spawned hundreds of 21-day meditation experiences & challenges around the world. Often referred to as the Velvet Voice of Stillness, he can be heard on more than 500 guided meditations, available on iTunes, Amazon, HayHouse, GooglePlay, Spotify, Pandora, SoundCloud, Insight Timer & on his own website.
His latest book, the Amazon #1 Bestseller, destressifying- The Real-World Guide to Personal Empowerment, Lasting Fulfillment, and Peace of Mind, is a bleeding edge, new stress-management book for mainstream America. Published last August on Hay House, the book shares the secrets and techniques he has used in training the global business community, US military, Dutch Special Forces, and Law Enforcement throughout the U.S..
destressifying is the first mainstream book to reveal both sides of stress, its damaging emotional aspects and its powerful healing properties. Drawing on decades of the author's experience working with individuals in extreme, high-pressure situations — including business leaders, world-class athletes, members of the military, and those in crisis — destressifying teaches the practical steps we all can take to effectively navigate life to a place beyond stress, and handle any type of stress that life throws at you.
To learn more, visit: http://davidji.com/.
For Life on Purpose Episode #43, my guest is activist, leadership coach, and wild woman Lea Ann Mallett. Lea Ann has spent nearly 30 years as an activist with a focus on environmental and social justice issues, including sitting a tree for three days in an ancient forest in British Columbia to protest clearcut logging there and fifteen years as a nonprofit leader. She's since embarked on life as a midlife mom, having two children in her early 40s.
Over time, she came to realize that ALL of us are changing the world, every day, through "The Beauty and Power of Small Actions." Her philosophy is that "every interaction we have with another person, the planet, and the other beings is an opportunity to change the world for the better."
About Lea Ann Mallett: I have always been convinced that what we do each day in the world changes the world.
From my years as an activist, sitting in an ancient cedar tree for three days to bring international attention to the clearcutting of old growth forests to leading activist blockades in the forests of northern Canada, to my work with street involved youth and my years as a nonprofit leader, I KNOW I have made a difference and I have seen so many people make a difference too.
I have been an intrepid world traveller, heading off to Kenya and Tanzania on my own to go on safari, backpacking across Central America, exploring the street markets of Beijing and roaming through Canada and the U.S. during months-long road trips in my old car with my belongings in the back seat.
I have been a successful activist, collaborating with other environmental leaders in creating thousands of hectares of new protected parks in Ontario, delivering HIV/AIDS education when the crisis was in its earliest stages, changing policies on the federal, provincial and local levels and raising international media awareness on key environmental and social justice issues.
I have successfully led two nonprofit charities, quadrupling the budget of the most recent organization I led and exponentially increasing its reach and impact.
What I also know is that it is easy to lose track of that creative edge, that feeling of having an incredible purpose, being exactly where you are supposed to be. The grind of daily life, the pressures of leading an organization, the wonderful, crazy challenges of being a parent - we can end up on auto-pilot, not creating our greatest impact or living our lives as fully as is possible. I found myself feeling disconnected from my purpose, my creativity and my purpose after taking on the double challenge of becoming a midlife mom and becoming an entrepreneur.
I went on a quest to find the best sources of inspiration, creativity, passion and energy to fuel my life, my activism and my business. I studied with world famous coaches, visionary thinkers and successful entrepreneurs to understand their magic so I could meld it with my own.
I am more powerful and create more impact in my life now than I ever have! My personal experiences with powerful coaching and my studies revealed that the limitations that I put on myself are choices and I can choose differently.
The more you become YOU, the more comfortable you become with who you are and tap into your unique talents and passions, the happier and more fulfilled you will be, AND the more impact you will make in your family, your community and your world.
To learn more about Lea Ann, visit: http://www.leaannmallett.com/.
For Life on Purpose Episode #42, author, speaker, and teacher Gregg Krech, one of the leading authorities on Japanese Psychology in North America returns to the show.
Gregg joins me for a very timely and inspirational conversation about New Year's Resolutions and why they often don't work; using dreams as a motivator instead; identifying your purpose vs. using feelings to guide your life; taking action as a way of figuring things out; the urgency of 30,000 — the amount of days the average person has in their lives; the Japanese psychology of Naikan; and much more!
About: Gregg Krech is an author, speaker, teacher, and one of the leading authorities on Japanese Psychology in North America. He's also the founding Director of the TohDoh Institute, an educational center for purposeful living, based in Vermont.
Gregg is the author of the award-winning book: Naikan: Gratitude, Grace & the Japanese Art of Self-Reflection, which has been translated into five languages, and he's the editor of Thirty Thousand Days: A Journal for Purposeful Living. His work has been featured in a wide range of publications including THE SUN magazine, Utne Reader, Fitness, Counseling Today, Cosmopolitan, and Experience Life.
His most recent book, The Art of Taking Action: Lessons from Japanese Psychology brings an eastern perspective to the issue of purpose is currently an Amazon best-seller in the Zen category. It offers an empowering approach to meeting our own personal goals, but also focuses on the impact on our actions (and inactions) on the world..
To learn more about Gregg and his work, visit: http://www.artoftakingaction.com or http://www.todoinstitute.org.