Enlighten: Uplift & Inspire

My guest to today is Jay Nachowitz. Jay began his career as a professional trumpet player, then integrated his business skills as an entertainment agent and later became a financial manager. Jay's passion for music and his genuine respect for musicians has allowed him to be both a music manager and financial manager, sometimes both for the same people. Jay has always earned his own income and has been driven by integrity and being a help to others, in a variety of ways. We discussed his positive attitude even in the face of adversity, and what it took for him to get out of his own way, to achieve something on his bucket list. Check out the show notes for links to Jay's website and his album Modern Retro. Enjoy the podcast! Links: Jay's website Modern Retro on Bandcamp

On this week's episode, I highlight what love does. Whether we pay attention with love, interact with love or infuse love into ourselves, into our plants, pets, people or the planet, love makes a positive impact. Using the simple examples of plants, I marvel at what love does to my relationship to these sentient beings. What love does!! Love reminds us that we have more love in us than we realize. Love stretches and expands our hearts. Love stimulates the giving and receiving partnership. Love generates more love. What love does is nourish us, heal us and helps us grow. May we all pour more love into our world and watch it blossom and transform us! Enjoy the podcast!

On this week's episode, I share my experience of being present to two friends in hospice. Being present slows me down, drops me into a quieting center that allows me to align with the Divine. It is a deep honor to be invited into the dying process. I take that invitation very seriously and am grateful for the richness and blessings that unfold. I share two of the meditations that I say silently and aloud when gently massaging the feet of each of my friends. May we all allow ourselves to be a conduit of light, compassion, comfort and love. May we all know the power of being present. Enjoy the podcast!

My guest today is Lynda Baldauf, co-founder of the Swedish dishcloth Three Bluebirds. With mindfulness, humility and an open heart, Lynda and her Finland-born husband Lasse, started their company in 2013. Their Eco-friendly cleaning cloth replaces paper towels, rags and sponges, absorbs 20 times its weight and lasts 6-9 months. The cloth is made in the US with sustainable wood pulp, certified organic cotton and water-based inks so they are 100% compost-able with zero waste. You never know what a chance meeting will offer. I'm grateful that the stars aligned for me to meet Lynda in a crowded NYC holiday market; it was a gift to be in her kind presence and resonate with her positive energy. In addition to being inspired by Lynda's conscientious dish cloth, I was inspired by Lynda, as I learned about her life, her choices, her adventures and the grace and integrity infused in all she has experienced. I was delighted to meet this lovely woman, as well as incorporate a tangible product like Three Bluebirds Swedish dishcloth. Check out the Show Notes for a link to her website and join me in doing our part to protect and care for our planet. Enjoy the podcast! Links: www.threebluebirds.com

On this week's episode, I share a simple story that reminds us how much kindness matters. There is a powerful ripple effect in one small act of kindness. Genuine kindness aligns us with our true nature. It feels good to be both the giver and receiver of kindness. May this episode remind you that even in the midst of our chaotic current events, the simple act of kindness can move us to tears, water our souls, and help us be more fully present to what truly matters. Enjoy the podcast!

On this week's episode, we celebrate our 400th episode. I acknowledge the key role as producer that my husband Paul plays. I am so grateful for all he does to help me develop, support and sustain this podcast dream of mine. I also celebrate the growing grassroots movement that rallied over 8 million people to show up for No Kings 3 Protest on March 28th.

I share some of the lyrics sung in the singing resistance groups all across the land. The words capture what shores me up in these troubling times. As we celebrate 400 episodes, may we all find small and large ways to stand in solidarity with neighbors, friends, strangers… to lead with love, nurture compassion, protect each other, rise up, march for freedom, sing resistance and fight for justice. Enjoy the podcast!

My guest today is Sheri Reuveni-Ulrich. Sheri had been a speech therapist for nearly 25 years with special needs individuals, primarily on the autism spectrum. She also had a love for baking and often incorporated baking as an experiential activity for her students. Her "ah ha" moment occurred when she stepped back from the kitchen and witnessed her non-verbal students humming, laughing and finding their voices, while baking cookies. That ignited her desire to create a bakery, where she could provide meaningful employment to individuals on the spectrum. Rising Above Bakery, started in Sheri's home, is now a hidden gem in Nyack and Sheri hopes to expand to locations in Bergen County, NJ. Become a customer, a volunteer or open an account to supply their delicious, high quality, baked goods in your deli, grocery, restaurant or coffee shop. Sheri is also demonstrating that individuals on the spectrum can be reliable, engaged employers. Help the bakers, Sheri and their dreams rise above their challenges. Check out the Show Notes for links to Rising Above Bakery and Sheri's email. She is looking for supporters in variety of ways. Enjoy then podcast! Links: www.risingabovebakery.org IG: risingabovebakery FB: Rising Above Bakery Email Sheri

On this week's episode, I explain the importance of Saturday March 28th's No Kings 3 Protest. Research says that if 3.5% of the population actively participate in sustained peaceful protest, the people can topple an authoritarian regime. And we have an authoritarian regime that desperately needs to be toppled! 3.5% of our country's population would be 12 million people. Let's show up and peacefully take to the streets and encourage everyone we know to come be a part of the 12 million people, gathering in solidarity to unite, resist, and restore our democracy. Check out the Show Notes for links to NoKings.org to find an event near you as well as links to Robert Reich's IG clip that I transcribed and key grassroots groups Indivisible, HandsOff, MoveOn, Womens March and 50501, all helping to organize our inspiring resistance movement. Enjoy the podcast! Links: No Kings 3 Website IG: @rbreich indivisible.org/ indivisiblerockland.org/ www.handsoffnyc.com front.moveon.org/ www.fiftyfifty.one/ womensmarch.com/

On this week's episode, I build on the poem I shared last week titled Because by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer. The poem is about opening our hearts, even when the world around us temps us to close it or protect ourselves from all the anguish and pain. The poem encourages us to make love matter even when it is easy to fall into despair. I've let that poem seep into me and it inspired me to look up more pieces on heart centering and tenderness. May we sit at the altar of our heart. May we breathe deeply, listen compassionately. May we embrace the tenderness that tunes us into our truth, the tenderness that frees us, the tenderness that blesses our aliveness. Check out the show notes for links to Wendy Heckert's Heart Space: A Meditation Poem as well as Mark Nepo's short essay This Tenderness. Enjoy the podcast! Links: Heart Space by Wendy Heckert This Tenderness by Mark Nepo

I share a deeply inspiring poem on this week's episode. My niece shared the poem with me and her great-uncle shared it with her and he claims that the poem so beautifully captures his beloved wife who died last year. So this poem is charged with loving hands, open hearts and wisdom from this world and beyond. May we take love seriously. May we give love wildly. May we be gentle with our insufficiency. May we stay open in the face of indifference, anger, cruelty and fear. May we love as if love matters, as if the world depends on it. Enjoy the podcast! Links: Meet Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer