Authentic Living

Spiritual abuse is abuse of the human spirit—the place in human consciousness where we can most easily access the Divine, in whatever form we see the Divine. Spirituality is not a belief. It is not a thought. It is not a behavior or a group of behaviors. Spirituality is an experience. Typically, it is an experience of the Divine, or of a higher consciousness. The simple fact is that people are being robbed of such an experience when they are taught what and how to think, what to believe and what truth is and isn’t. Particularly, when people are taught that there is only one right religion, they are being secluded in an environment in which the possibility of having a spiritual experience is limited to that one religion. There are several other ways in which a person might be spiritually abused. If you are a religious or spiritual person, if you lead people in any kind of spiritual capacity, this show is for you.

Are you one of the many people who provide soul care to other humans? Thomas Moore, bestselling author of “Care of the Soul,” comes again to the Authentic Living Show to discuss his latest book “Soul Therapy: The Art and Craft of Caring Conversations” in which he guides caregivers to therapy of the soul. He once taught us how to care for our own souls and now he teaches how we may care for the souls of others. The category of soul caregivers includes all who provide care for others including all manner of mental health therapists and ministers, spiritual directors, and even friends and family. We often know how to advise—usually based on our own personal experience—which means that we tell others what we think they should do. But how do we reach and bring a soul to care for itself? Don’t miss this profound conversation.

Today we are talking to Dr. Don St. John, author of the book “Healing the Wounds of Childhood,” as this is one of the most important of all of the subjects we could discuss. Very often it is these wounds that keep us trapped, even as we are striving to get past them in some kind of way. How do we grow into our full potential while these wounds remain yet unhealed? How do we increase our ability to receive and absorb love, enjoy more life-giving love connections, deal more effectively with stress and improve our resilience and health all while expanding our sense of who we are? These questions and more will be answered during today’s show. Don’t miss it.

What is the difference between spiritual guidance and spiritual abuse? Certainly, most of us would deny that when we offer spiritual guidance we might also be spiritually abusing. But it is most important that we understand the distinction if we are to serve others in any spiritual capacity. Typically, we think of abuse only in terms of its physical, emotional or sexual forms. But what is beginning, over time and experience, to be exposed is a kind of abuse of the spirit, that creates a great divide between the soul of a person and his or her identity. This show is going to clearly differentiate spiritual guidance from spiritual abuse. If you are in any kind of spiritual leadership capacity, this show is for you.

Most of us have been taught that guilt is a good thing. A guilty conscience keeps us in line—according to that teaching. Guilt drives us to “do the right thing,” or so we’ve been taught. But what if the human heart has enough passion and compassion to motivate correct action without the use of guilt? What if guilt has been put in place because we don’t trust the authentic Self to direct us? What if guilt is the lie, and the heart of the authentic Self is the truth? What if we’ve been so busy being “good” that we haven’t put any energy into being real? If those things were true, wouldn’t we need to rethink our responses to guilt? For too many guilt the primary decision maker, so that it ultimately runs their lives. If you are one of those, or if guilt has a strong hold on you—this show is for you. Don’t miss it.

Philip Goldberg is our guest today, here to talk about his latest book, “Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times: Powerful Tools to Cultivate Calm, Clarity, and Courage.” Over the past 3 years we have experienced unbelievable chaos and internal conflict, anxiety and depression. Not only are we still dealing with climate change and economic issues but we are not yet finished with the pandemic. These are potentially transformative times, but we are still in the chaos stage of such change. Goldberg’s intervention is to offer us the “sanctuary of the self” and to teach us how to access it. Be here for it—you won’t want to miss it.

We are living in very uncertain times. It is very difficult in these circumstances for we cannot seem to establish a routine that can be assumed to be “normal.” Everyone is talking about what it would be like to “return to normal.” And yet we continue to face uncertainty. But is it possible that uncertainty is one of spirituality’s best tools to facilitate our growth? Is it possible that living in uncertainty forces us to have to turn to something else on which to rely? What is that something else? Where will we find it? And what exactly will it give us? We’re going to answer those questions during today’s show. Don’t miss it.

Currently many people are seeking a spiritual practice that offers real results, such as, personal transformation and life change. Today we are talking to Greg Marcus, PhD, practitioner and coach of American Mussar. His book 'The Spiritual Practice of Good Actions: Finding Balance Through the Soul Traits of Mussar' will be the topic of our discussion as he leads us to understand some of the specific practices that are meant to bring everyday life into alignment with spiritual values. Mussar is a thousand-year-old Jewish practice of spiritual growth based on mindful living. Don't miss this excellent example of the implementation of spiritual practice.

What do we do with the enormous suffering created by such things as deadly illness and trauma? They say, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. But when the miracles come, what is it that happens within us, around us, about us? What is it that transforms us? Mark Nepo is coming back to the Authentic Living show to discuss his book, Inside the Miracle, in which he reveals his own miraculous recovery from cancer and all of the profound insights that came with it during, right after and in the years since. Mark is the bestselling author of The Book of Awakening, a poet, philosopher and spiritual teacher who has published 16 books, and 11 audio projects. This interview is going to be moving, profoundly insightful and it will offer powerful guidance to those suffering right now. Don’t miss it.

Is there really a knight on a white horse, who will come to save us? Doesn't love mean she can read my mind? Isn't sex the solution to every problem in our relationship? These and other like myths are going to be discussed today on this show in which we will learn the exact parameters of a REAL relationship. Don't miss it.