Authentic Living

Back in 1968 a movie called "Yours Mine and Ours" convinced us of the warmth, love and inspiration of a blended family consisting of the two parents, played by Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda, and the 8 North children and the 10 Beardsley children. The movie was remade in 2005 with Rene Russo and Dennis Quaid. But Tom North was one of those children, and his book, True North, exposes the truth of the real family dynamics. His is a story of inspiration, survival and hope, in which the 8 North children, adopted by their step-father, became the Beardsley family. But it wasn't one big happy family as has been depicted in the movies. The stepfather's violence and abuse created a life of intimidation confusion, turmoil, fear and depression for all of the North children. This fact was revealed years later, as Tom traveling his own journey of survival, self-discovery and healing, led his other family members to therapy. If you are trying to reclaim your authenticity, this show is for you.

From John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton, and Mark Sanford, to Anthony Weiner, we can clearly see that power is, indeed, as Henry Kissinger informed us, the ultimate aphrodisiac. And Frans de Waal's book, Chimpanzee Politics tells us that it's not much different in the Chimpanzee world. Not only are women attracted to powerful men in politics, but men are attracted to the power of politics and think that sex is just part of the package. Unfortunately, when we want to read about what women in power will do with sex, all we can find are articles that tell us about the power of a woman's sexuality. But either way, power is the operative word. Last week we opened the door to a longer discussion on what happens when we give our power over to another and tell ourselves that they have all the power. We are going to explore that idea more this time, with more on the steamy power of power. What are you getting and giving from/to power? What is your greatest power? Don't miss this one

Today we are so fortunate to have Paramahansa Jagadish, world renowned master healer, teacher and spiritual leader who guides people in discovering their own Stewardship of the Soul. With more than four and a half decades of deep and concentrated spiritual practice rooted in Eastern Yogic, Tibetan Buddhist and Hawaiian traditions, he brings together both an Eastern and Western perspective. American born, he was only the second Westerner of the Rasik tradition to be granted the title of Lineage Holder. Today, he is going to be talking with us his book, The Prayer Project in particular. In his healing work and training programs, Paramahansa Jagadish draws on all of the mystic traditions including Christianity, Toltec Shamanism, and Brazilian Spiritual Healing, as well as Eastern Yogic, Tibetan Buddhist and Hawaiian. Prayer is so much more than just talking. Don't miss this chance to learn about the true power of prayer and how we can use it to change the world.

With so much information floating around out there in the spiritual world about how to manifest abundance and, in the secular world about how to attain your goals, it's difficult to consider such concepts as staying in the moment. Michael Brown, our guest today, helps us bridge the gaps. Author of two books we'll be talking about today, "The Presence Process" and "Alchemy of the Heart," as well as a DVD entitled "Awakening to Innocence / Inner Sense," Michael can teach us all how to both release the imprinting of our childhood and begin to experience the now of authenticity. In Michael's own words "The Presence Process is not about changing who or what we are. This is impossible. Instead, it is about releasing our attachment to our manufactured identity so that we may gently return to an awareness of our authentic Presence." Who are you, really? Come listen to Michael and explore the inner terrain of yourself.

There are many ways of flying. Attempting to transcend life by flying through life without ever living—by using drugs and alcohol as a replacement for dealing with emotions, is one of the most obvious examples. Sticking our heads in the sand and pretending that difficult challenges are not really happening, is another. Bargaining with the difficulties of living with IF I…THEN they'll or THEN this will happen, is yet another. But transcendence is not the same as avoidance. And today we are going to learn the fine art of learning to fly. Don't miss it.

We have to have the dark to enjoy the light. This is what we say. But most of us don't stop to ask why? Why do we need the dark to enjoy the light? Why do we need evil to prove good? Why do we need to suffer in order to know joy? Who said? These ideas are all products of a trance state in which we have all lived for centuries. They are products of the duality trance state. But if one of the benefits of evil is that it proves goodness, is it really evil? And if darkness proves the light, is it really darkness? Contrasts in a picture highlight the edges of objects—is that what we are looking for—something to highlight the ends of one thing and the beginning of another? Why do we need this? Today we are going to spend some time right in the middle of the conflicting contrasts that make up the weave and woof of our lives. Come find out what is true and false about the battle between good and evil.

We welcome Dr. E back again to the Authentic Living show this week for the fourth time, this time to talk about her latest book, "Untie the Strong Woman." For many years, Dr. E has been sending a message to the world that the feminine aspect of humanity is powerful, beautiful and essential. The depth of her understanding of the feminine aspect of human (both male and female ) consciousness has facilitated an increased global awareness of the essentiality of the conscious expression of this power. And that is exactly what we'll be talking about on this show. Author of the bestselling "Women Who Run With the Wolves" Dr. Estés has also been conducting online events at Soundstrue.com on specific topics relevant The Dangerous Old Woman, topics on which previous interviews have here on Authentic Living have been conducted. This week we are going to learn how to untie the feminine. Don't miss it.

The heart is hungry and longs to be fed. When it has been forced through a negative, hostile, or abusive upbringing, to live in a state of perpetual starvation, it will eat tree bark, crickets or dirt. Many, far too many of us, are living in relationships feed us thusly. The very best we get in these relationships is crumbs under the table—which we treat as a King's feast. We will hang on to the memory of those crumbs as if they were breath itself. We stay in those relationships because of those crumbs and because we have no idea that it is actually possible to have something better. And if we happen to be single and starving, we will often jump into any relationship at all just to tell ourselves that we are no longer hungry. All the while we are still starving. Today we are going to talk about how to get out of this terrible cycle. How to get into an authentic relationship with self and a significant other. Don't miss it.

Today we are very fortunate to get an opportunity to talk to bestselling author Andrew Solomon, writer and lecturer on psychology, politics, and the arts and winner of the National Book Award for The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression. He is an activist in LGBT rights, mental health, and the arts. His latest NY Times bestselling book, and the subject of our interview today, entitled Far from the Tree: Parents, Children and the Search for Identity, is also the winner of several awards, including being chosen at among the NY Times Ten Best Books of 2012. It has been called "A bold and unambiguous call to redefine how we view difference… A stunning work of scholarship and compassion (Carmela Ciuraru, USA Today) distinguished similarly by many other notables for its exceptional profundity, compassion and insight. Today we are going to take an intimate look at this entire concept of loving differentness. Don't miss this unique opportunity to gain insight into the power of love.

What does it mean to develop one's own authentic spirituality? How does one do that? Does one have to ditch all religious rituals and practices? Does one have to ditch religion in general? What are the consequences of developing one's own authentic spirituality? And most importantly, how does on develop an authentic spirituality? These are the questions that will be answered on today's Authentic Living episode—and more. In order to really connect with spirituality—it has to be a real connection. We are going to learn all of the how's and why's of creating an authentic spirituality. Don't miss this one.