Enlighten: Uplift & Inspire

Asking for signs from the spiritual realm is pretty automatic for me. Sometimes I ask the heavens, God, Mother/Father Source Energy, Divine Love, the angels, my spirit guides, or the spirits of my relatives and friends who have passed. Regardless of who I ask, I have a deep trust that the spirit world wants to be in communication with me, with us, and is happy to cooperate. I sense that the spiritual realm delights in our connection, eagerly awaits our openness and receptivity, so therefore joyfully offers us tangible signs to support us, reassure us, surprise us and comfort us. Our role is to simply ask. Feathers are a sign from my mother who died 7 1/2 years ago. As I was communing with my mom on what would have been her 93rd birthday, these beautiful feathers appeared. I invite you ask for signs in order to open the doors of communication with the spirit world. May you delight in the joy, comfort and synchronicity that these spiritual signs provide. Check out the links below for Cynthia Bardwell's and Margaret Dulaney's episodes. Enjoy the podcast! Links: IG: @listenwell Link for Margaret's episode Link for Cynthia's episode

On this week's episode I encourage us to continue to soar in the midst of the mundane. I read Alessandra Biaggi's letter to her supporters after losing in this week's NY Democratic Primary. Whatever spiritual practices Biaggi uses to rise above the ugly assaults, the frustration and disappointment, she continues to impress me. What challenges or barriers have you faced this week? How have you learned from them? How have you risen above them? What spiritual practices are you utilizing or wanting to cultivate to help you remain centered, grounded, able to see the panoramic view, spread your wings and soar? May we find ways to continue to soar in the midst of the mundane. Enjoy the podcast! Links: IG: @biaggi4ny www.alessandrabiaggi.com

On this week's episode I invite us to soar in the midst of the mundane. Daily stressors, challenges and difficult circumstances can easily de-rail us and throw us off our center. Let the image of this exquisite soaring bird remind us to be in the physical world, while also being able to step back and rise above. May you cultivate spiritual practices that center you and remind you of your true nature. May you trust that you can rise above the challenges, the ugliness and spread your wings to get the aerial view. May you find ways to soar in the midst of the mundane. Enjoy the podcast! Links: IG: @journeytothepeakpose IG: @shawnaemerick IG: @heff_patrick IG: @biaggi4ny www.alessandrabiaggi.com

On this week's episode, I acknowledge the stories we tell ourselves. You know those narratives we create that can be so convincing, we actually believe it wholeheartedly. Well, I have to laugh at myself for the narrative I recently created. I'm calling this one "Big Fish!" Think of all the narratives we create in our minds, assumptions we make, stories we tell ourselves that then stir up emotions, that then direct our behavior. Note to self: check in with the story! Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it helpful? Does it generate angst or inner peace? It certainly takes mindfulness and intention and discipline to catch ourselves when we've created a dramatic narrative, to hold ourselves accountable to the stories we tell ourselves. May this silly story be a reminder to be present to what is, with acceptance, to invest in positive, playful possibilities. Here's to being patient with uncertainty, to not needing to know all the details. Enjoy the podcast!

On this week's episode I talk about random acts of kindness, the unexpected acts that don't take much effort but reap sweet rewards. Thoughtfulness and kindness can simultaneously surprise us and nourish us. It is both in the giving and receiving of random acts of kindness that we tap into a better version of ourselves. We pop our bubbles of cynicism, despair, bitterness, alienation when we extend kindness to others, or others extend kindness to us.

It's easier to be kind to the people we know and care about, therefore I marvel at the kindness of strangers. I share a story when six strangers offered multiple layers of kindness that held me, comforted me, supported me when I was vulnerable. These 6 strangers, felt more like my earth angels and I was blown away. May you let in the random acts of kindness surrounding you. May you notice the earth angels who show up in your life. May you be inspired to offer random acts of kindness to others. May we tap into better versions of ourselves as we give and receive random acts of kindness more frequently. Enjoy the podcast!

On this week's episode, I share a simple ritual that I've added to my daily meditation practice. After sitting in silence on the top of Hook Mountain, I stand and facing the morning sun, I do 3 half sun salutations: the first honoring my body, the second honoring my mind and the third honoring my spirit/soul. These simple physical gestures, are coordinated with deep inhales and exhales. The graceful movement of expanding, contracting, stretching, releasing, bowing in reverence, standing in strength focus me. So simple, yet charged with imagery and metaphors. I then end by gently resting my hands in prayer position, first to my forehead, then my lips and finally at my heart, as I say: "Mother/Father/Source Energy, Infuse my thoughts, my words and all my interactions with your Divine love and light." Closing my morning ritual with these sun salutations nourishes my body, mind and spirit and centers me. May you find the rituals, the gestures, the words that express the depth of your heart. May you nurture and care for your body, your mind and your Spirit in ways that resonate for you. Sending love and light to each of you. Enjoy the podcast! Links: enlighten.nyc/SpiritualPractices Episode #181 Earth Blessing Episode #184 Healing Energy Episode #203 Phowa Meditation

On this week's episode, I reflect on the profound images, emotions and precious memories from our incredible 3-week African adventure. From Johannesburg and Capetown we learned of the history and culture of South Africa, both the heartache and the hope, as this country reverberates from the impact of apartheid. We then spent 2 weeks immersed in the land, in the magnificent creatures and in the gracious people of Botswana. What strikes me most about our time in Botswana, was my experience of being humbled everyday. Humbled in so many ways. Humbled by being in the animals territory, where we respectfully witnessed zebras, hippos, elephants, giraffe, antelopes, water buffalo, lions, leopards, wildebeest, warthogs, baboons, hyenas, jackals, and monkeys, all in their natural environment. Humbled by surprise, daily wonders, and awe. Humbled by the birds, that sang to us, soared for us and wowed us. Humbled by the expansive African sunrises and sunsets. Humbled because we practiced how to be present, be quiet, be patient, be still. Humbled by the stripping away of expectations and agendas, grateful to be a gracious guest in each game preserve and national park. Humbled to be a visitor in the wild animals' land, to watch them roam, sleep, play, roar, saunter and stalk. May I bring that African humility to my daily life here at home. Enjoy the podcast! Links: www.uthandosa.org www.southerndestinations.com IG: SouthernDestinations

I am re-releasing my 2018 conversation with Anna Msowoya Keys, to highlight Anna and the incredible work she continues to do through Maloto, the non-profit, community based program to feed, educate and empower the children and women of Malawi, Africa. The community of Mzuzu, in particular, was devastated by the AIDS epidemic in the early 2000s, when Anna was first compelled to respond to the hunger of orphaned children. I volunteered with Maloto for 2 weeks in 2013 with 4 friends and we experienced, first-hand Anna's powerful dedication and the widespread positive impact she has made. All the incredible people Anna has gathered to support her keeps expanding, so more and more lives are enriched. I was delighted to recently bump into Anna and her husband, John Keys just after Maloto's annual NYC Gala last month, which inspired me to once again shine light on her important, meaningful work. I marvel at all the ways Maloto continues to develop and grow. In fact, my cousin, Josh Finn, who was also a guest on my podcast, and the master artisan who has designed and built exquisite furniture all over our home, is in Malawi now, overseeing the woodworking vocational program he started for the teens and young adults. Here's to honoring Anna and her dream team! Check out the links below for Maloto's website and Josh's project. Enjoy the podcast! Links: www.maloto.org www.joshfinn.com Josh Finn's Trade School in Malawi Woodworking tools for Mzuzu Academy

I'm enjoying re-releasing episodes from 2018, our first year of the podcast, particularly with people who, 4 1/2 years later, are warranting attention and recognition. Today, I am shining some more light on Margaret Balitsaris (professionally known as Margaret Dulaney) because her new book, "Spend Some Love: And Other Tips on Incarnation" has just been released this summer. Yippee! Even if you heard this conversation when it first came out, I invite you to listen again, to be reminded of Margaret's insights and inspiration. You'll get a sense of this wise, open-hearted human who finds synchronicity in everyday occurrences, humor in life's journey and divinity all around us. Please tune into her monthly "Listen Well" podcast to hear readings of her open-faith essays, with an emphasis on hope, progress and the inevitable awakening of our souls. And then do yourself a favor and read any or all of her soul-nourishing books. Check out the links below to her three books, which all can be ordered through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and bookshop.org. Enjoy the podcast! Links: Listen Well, A Spoken Word Website Spend Some Love "To Hear the Forest Sing" "Parables of Sunlight" IG: Margaret Dulaney Facebook: Listen Well

My guest today is Cynthia Bardwell, a dear friend I met over 30 years ago. Cynthia had a successful career as a buyer in the fashion industry and, after her 3 sons were all school age, switched careers and became an elementary school teacher and later a principal. And although we drifted apart for 20 years, I am delighted to have her back in my life. Cynthia has invited me into her current journey of accepting and facing the insidious spread of cancer throughout her body. Cynthia sees she has a choice everyday on how to view her circumstances. Her honesty, vulnerability, gratitude, laughter, and humility are refreshing. It is a joy to be in Cynthia's presence; I am moved and deeply appreciative for all that Cynthia is teaching me about living with intention and integrity, while gracing the dying process with gratitude and dignity. Check out the links below for the books we discussed. Enjoy the podcast! Links: "Beginners Guide to the End" by BJ Miller & Shoshana Berger "To Bless the Space Between Us" by John O'Donohoe "The Threshold Between Loss and Revelation" by Frances Weller "The Beauty That Still Remains" by Steve Leder "The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying" by Sogyal Rinpoche