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Nearly a century ago, a thriving Black-owned beach resort was stolen from the Bruce family through racist policies, eminent domain, and the terror of the Ku Klux Klan . Today, in a historic act of reparations, the land has been returned to the family—the first time in American history that the government has given property back to a Black family . On this episode, Chief Duane "Yellow Feather" Shepard of the Pokanoket Nation joins us to share the powerful journey of reclaiming Bruce's Beach.
In this episode of Matters of the Heart & Soul, we sit down with Chief Duane "Yellow Feather" Shepard, a cousin of the Bruce family and a clan chief of the Pocasset Wampanoag Tribe of the Pokanoket Nation . He recounts the inspiring and painful story of how his ancestors, Willa and Charles Bruce, purchased the land in 1912 and built a resort that became a refuge for Black families during the Jim Crow era—featuring a restaurant, dance hall, and changing tents . Despite facing cross burnings, tire slashings, and 24/7 threats, the Bruces refused to leave until the city seized the land under the guise of building a park, paying them just $14,500 for property now worth an estimated $75 million . Chief Shepard shares how a community of activists, lawmakers, and descendants fought for decades to right this wrong, leading to the historic 2022 land transfer . This is a conversation about resilience, justice, generational wealth, and what it truly means to reclaim what was stolen. Tune in for a powerful and moving episode that will touch your soul.

Have you been feeling distant, disconnected, or like the fire you once had has gone cold? These are often signs of spiritual disconnection—a subtle drift that can leave you feeling empty, purposeless, and even questioning everything you once believed. Discover the common signs of spiritual disconnection and how to recognize them before they take root.
In this episode of Matters of the Heart & Soul, host Janie Charlot explores the often-overlooked signs that indicate a growing distance between you and your spiritual center. Spiritual disconnection can manifest in many ways: a deep sense of inner emptiness, feeling disconnected or abandoned by a higher power, a loss of interest in previously meaningful spiritual practices, persistent doubt, hopelessness, and a sense of purposelessness [citation:10][citation:12]. You might find yourself going through the motions of your spiritual life, but the passion is gone—a "spiritual sluggishness" that can be difficult to name [citation:12]. Janie addresses common triggers including religious doubt, excessive self-examination, fixation on past sins, and the ordinary stressors of everyday life that can erode our spiritual connection over time [citation:5]. Drawing on her own journey of spiritual awakening and her work as a transformational coach, Janie explains how the ego—built on social and cultural programming—can keep us "asleep to our true mission and purpose" [citation:6]. Spiritual disconnection isn't a sign of failure; it's often the precursor to a deeper awakening. Join us as we explore how to recognize the signs, understand the causes, and find your way back to connection.

No one is coming to save us. Real change has to come from within, and the only path forward is to do the work ourselves. In this episode, Janie Charlot and Russell Bruce break down why personal transformation, accountability, and spiritual alignment are the true keys to building a life of purpose, freedom, and love.
In this episode of Matters of the Heart & Soul, hosts Janie Charlot and Russell Bruce explore the radical truth that we cannot wait for external forces—whether it's a partner, a system, or a divine intervention—to fix our lives. Drawing from their work on their co-authored book "Capacity to Love: An Awakening to Unconditional Love" [citation:7][citation:9], they discuss how the responsibility for healing, growth, and alignment rests within each of us. They also delve into how systemic issues, such as the state of black male literacy where only 12% are proficient in reading by 8th grade, require active engagement and self-empowerment [citation:3]. As one listener put it, "the only true rescue is the one we give ourselves." [citation:6]. Tune in for a candid conversation about taking ownership of your life and becoming the architect of your own transformation.

Fear is a heavy vibration and a low frequency. In contrast, peace, calmness, love and harmony are light vibrations with a high frequency . Discover the forces that can lower your vibration and practical ways to raise your energy so you can live a life aligned with your highest self.
In this episode of Matters of the Heart & Soul, host Janie Charlot explores the unseen forces that affect your personal vibration—from the food you eat and the words you speak to the emotions you carry and the environments you inhabit. Learn how guilt, shame, anger, and fear can lower your frequency , creating feelings of disconnection, fatigue, and limitation . Discover how raising your vibration through practices like gratitude, meditation, sound healing, and intentional alignment with your heart can help you attract positive experiences and live in greater harmony . This is a powerful conversation for anyone ready to stop living in lack and start stepping into the frequency of their highest potential.

There is a vast interplay between our body, soul, and spirit. It is to our advantage to understand it! Discover how these three dimensions of your being interact and why bringing them into alignment is the key to living a life of wholeness, purpose, and peace.
In this episode of Matters of the Heart & Soul, host Janie Charlot explores the intricate relationship between the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of our existence. Through a reading from the book Divine Alignment: Let the Magick Begin, Janie guides listeners through the profound understanding that we are not just physical beings having a spiritual experience—we are spiritual beings navigating a physical world. She explains how the interplay of body, soul, and spirit impacts our health, our relationships, and our ability to connect with our higher purpose. By understanding these interconnected dimensions, we can address the root causes of imbalance, heal old wounds, and step into a more aligned and authentic version of ourselves. Tune in for a transformative conversation about the power of alignment and the journey toward true wholeness.

Did you know that the heart generates the strongest electromagnetic field in the human body—one that can be detected several feet away and interacts with the brain in ways science is only beginning to understand? Discover how the heart's electromagnetic field influences emotions, empathy, and human connection, and what this means for healing and personal transformation.
In this episode of Matters of the Heart & Soul, host Janie Charlot explores the science and spirituality behind the heart's electromagnetic field (HEMF). Recent research confirms that the heart emits the most powerful magnetic signal of any organ, capable of modulating brain function and influencing neural oscillations [citation:3][citation:5]. Studies suggest this field plays a key role in heart-brain axis dynamics, emotional states, and even interpersonal interactions, with emerging evidence linking the HEMF to empathy and human connection [citation:6][citation:11]. Join us as we bridge the gap between science and spirituality, uncovering how understanding the heart's electromagnetic field can help us reconnect our hearts with our minds and unlock new pathways for healing and alignment.

Racism is a form of both visible and invisible violence, a system that operates not just through overt acts of hate, but through the air we breathe and the structures we navigate daily. Join us as we confront the invisible violence of America's systematic racism—a force that has shaped the nation from its founding and continues to permeate every aspect of life.
In this powerful episode of Matters of the Heart & Soul, host Janie Charlot examines racism as a "shackle" on minority communities, exploring how it persists from "cradle to grave" through deeply embedded systems of inequality. We break down the concept of "symbolic violence"—the process of "othering" that ascribes inferiority and superiority—and how this invisible force justifies structural, psychological, and physical violence. Racism produces inter-generationally transmitted trauma that can persist for decades and even centuries after the original trauma, far beyond what talk therapy alone can address. We explore how systemic racism manifests in the criminal justice system, where racial bias exists at every stage from arrest to sentencing, and in environmental racism where nearly 80% of the nation's municipal solid waste incinerators are built in Black and Latino communities, leading to higher rates of cancer and other diseases. This is a conversation about the invisible wounds that are never recorded as part of crime statistics, the self-hatred that can drive people to self-harm, and the resilient resistance against dehumanization that has defined the Black experience in America. Join us for a candid and necessary conversation about the violence that is not always visible, but is felt every single day.

The words we speak are not just sounds—they are blueprints that program the subconscious mind and create the reality we experience. Discover how the simple phrase "I AM" shapes your beliefs and how understanding the subconscious mind is the key to unlocking true personal transformation.
In this episode of Matters of the Heart & Soul, host Janie Charlot explores the power of the subconscious mind and its role in shaping our lives. She explains how the words we speak and the thoughts we hold are not just fleeting expressions—they are direct programming that shapes our beliefs, our perceptions, and ultimately our reality [citation:10]. Drawing from ancient Hermetic principles and the Law of Mentalism, this episode reveals that our thoughts have the power to create our reality [citation:6]. Janie challenges us to become aware of the unconscious programming we've inherited, which often sabotages our potential, and empowers us to use the power of our words and thoughts to rewrite that programming [citation:10]. This is a profound conversation for anyone ready to stop being a passive observer of their life and start actively co-creating a reality aligned with their deepest truth.

Surrendering is usually the first step when responding to a soul mission. And despite the threat to our egoic mind, surrender is truly the path to real freedom! Surrender is not about giving up, its about giving in to a Higher Intelligence and divine flow that the egoic mind could never fathom.

In this episode of Matters of the Heart & Soul, host Janie Charlot explores the transformative power of surrender as the essential first step in answering a soul mission. Drawing from her personal journey of spiritual awakening, Janie challenges the common misconception that surrender is a sign of weakness—revealing instead that it is the ultimate act of trust and strength. She guides listeners through understanding how letting go of egoic control and yielding to a Higher Intelligence opens the door to authentic freedom, alignment, and the unfolding of one's true purpose. This is a profound conversation about the courage to release the need for control and embrace the divine flow that leads to a life of peace, love, and authenticity.

What if the true history of the 13 American colonies was far more diverse than we were ever taught? Historians and researchers, including author Lee Cummings, have presented a compelling case that the Stuart kings who chartered the first English colonies—including King James VI of Scotland and I of England—may have been of African or Moorish descent, with contemporary accounts describing them as "swarthy" or "black" in complexion.

In this powerful episode of Matters of the Heart & Soul, Russell Bruce explores the controversial historical research suggesting the 13 British colonies were founded by Black Scottish kings, including King James VI and I, King Charles I, King Charles II, King James II, and King George II. The evidence cited includes the testimony of former British secret service agent John Macky, who gave "black descriptions" of the princes, nobles, dukes, and kings of England, as well as a ship's manifest describing Jacobites as "brown, black, swarthy, and ruddy" people. The research also draws on the writings of Thomas Jefferson, Professor Boyd Dawkins, and Benjamin Franklin. This is a conversation that challenges traditional historical narratives and invites us to reconsider the racial identity of some of history's most powerful monarchs—and their connection to the founding of America.