Enlighten: Uplift & Inspire

My guest today is Laura Pensiero, actor, compassionate teacher, dedicated healer and business owner. Laura incorporates Reiki and Breathwork in private healing sessions as well as develops curriculum for workshops and long-term courses. I was lucky enough to experience, firsthand one of Laura’s Breathwork workshops and immediately invited her to be my podcast guest. After graduating from NYU’s Tish School for Acting, Laura moved out to LA to pursue her dream to be an actress. Laura looks back on her 7 years in LA, admitting that she didn’t have the tools at that time to live a healthy life while pursuing her acting career.  She acknowledges that she lost her way, gave up on her passion until she returned to NYC and had her first Reiki session. In one profound session, she felt her cells reorganize themselves and actually see herself again! Reiki awakened her path of healing and inspired her to create her new business “Reiki for Actors”. She also got certified in an emotional release modality called Breathwork as well as certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, determined to cleanse and heal her body, mind and spirit. Laura has been dating my nephew Matt Carr, Jr. and within a week of recording this conversation, Matt proposed to her, so I am delighted to announce that Laura will be part of my family!! I couldn’t be happier for these two warm, loving humans!! You can experience Laura’s bright energy and loving guidance at her next workshops offered at Maha Rose Healing Center and Heal Haus, both in Brooklyn. Check out the links below for details. Enjoy the podcast! Links: Reiki For Actors Maha Rose Center For Healing: 11/16/18 Workshop - Breathwork for Recovery 11/30/18 Workshop - Breathwork to Invite Love Heal Haus: 11/11/18 Workshop - Breathwork to Invite Love Maggie Flanigan Studio Anthony Meindl Happy Cooking Hospitality

My guest today is Shira Turkl-Rubin. Shira is a yoga and AntiGravity® teacher, business owner and entrepreneur. A year and a half ago Shira manifested a long held dream and opened her own boutique yoga studio in Nyack, NY, called Soul Flyte. Her knowledge of yoga, fitness, digestive health, body awareness, meditation and nutrition led her to create Soul Flyte, hire like-minded instructors from various backgrounds and provide the community with a refreshing, exciting fitness approach. Shira has personally  rehabilitated her neck and her belly with the AntiGravity® technique. Shira has experienced major relief for her ulcerative colitis by tipping herself upside down - without the pressure on her neck of a headstand and was motivated to teach others how to help themselves. Soul Flyte was founded on the belief that working out & finding your zen can & should be fun. I leave my Soul Flyte classes feeling taller, stronger, happier, relaxed and energized. They also offer classes for kids, so check out the show notes for links to Soul Flyte and all their wonderful classes and workshops. Shira is an E-RYT 200 and 500 hour certified yoga instructor with specialties in AntiGravity®, restorative, kids, digestive yoga, vinyasa and hatha. Enjoy the podcast! Links: www.soulflyte.com Instagram Twitter Facebook

My guest today is Larry Saltzman. Larry is an accomplished guitarist, who has created a viable career as a well respected musician, doing something he loves. Larry is also my husband’s doppelgänger, so I like to think of him as my brother-in-law! Larry believes that the gig of life requires the same ingredients needed for being a successful musician: say yes, show up, be a really good citizen! Larry has recorded or performed with Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, Andy Snitzer, Chris Botti, Bette Midler and many more, along with playing in the pit of 9 Broadway shows. Larry humbly shares his journey of grief having lost his beloved wife, Carolyn to cancer a year and half ago. Even though, his instinct is to weather grief by himself not wanting to burden others, Larry has learned to err on the side of sharing. He is an enigma in the social media world, with no presence on Facebook, Instagram or twitter. Even as I searched ahead of this recording to see if he had a website, I found instead numerous dentists named Larry Saltzman! So, no this Larry doesn’t have a dental day job and you won’t find him on social media, but you can hear him live at 2 upcoming shows. Come hear fabulous music and support a great cause! Enjoy the podcast. Click on links for more info & tickets: The Mar -Tays, Tuesday October 23rd, 8:00pm The Cutting Room, 44 E. 32 Street, NYC Blue Wave Music Fundraiser for Swing Left, Monday October 29th, 7-9pm The Bitter End, 147 Bleecker Street, NYC

My guest today is Addison Frei, a darn good ping pong player and tennis player... oh and yes a gifted pianist, composer, and music producer. Enrolled in Julliard’s Post Graduate Ensemble, Addison has traveled internationally as a Jazz Ambassador for Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Dave Brubeck, and Benny Goodman. Addison’s family members are scientists and mathematicians, which inspires him to celebrate intellectual progress in society. What Addison relishes about his free-lance musician path is that there is nothing mundane about it. He is continually learning all kinds of music for different situations every day, every week, every month! Addison appreciates the inter-generational, international, inter-genre aspects of being a musician. He honors musicians who act as elders and mentors, who keep oral tradition alive and thriving - it’s a legacy he’s proud to participate in. Addison reflects on the artist role in society, daring to be at the forefront of social justice causes - noting jazz in the 50s, protest songs of the 60s. I am impressed with Addison’s individual and collective investment in being a conscientious musician who cares deeply about current events. Addison's band will be playing at National Sawdust in Brooklyn on November 10th at 9pm. Come here this gifted musician and inspiring human in his element! Enjoy the podcast! Links: AddisonFrei.com YouTube Videos: Addison Frei Trio - No Defense (Album EPK) Addison Frei - Future Speak 3 Records: Intentions (2014) Transit (2016) No Defense (2018) Future Speak (2017) Amp Trio  Tahira Clayton

My guest today is Donna Cribari, former nun, current musician, music educator and composer. I've known Donna since I was a child. She was a part of a vibrant circle of nuns, priests, ex-nuns and ex-priests that influenced my understanding that one could honor spirituality even when one needed to challenge the institution of religion. In the late 60‘s Donna had been a member of the religious order of the Sacred Heart of Mary, in simpler terms, a Marymount nun. She was involved in the progressive changes within the Catholic Church that led to Vatican II. As Donna says “ we thought we were going to change the world, unfortunately the institutional church did not come along with our vision.” She shares what drew her to becoming a nun and what led to her decision to leave the order. She was proud that the nuns she lived with were harborers of Daniel Barrigan, and she is grateful that the nuns put her in the path of music. It was Bob Fox, a Catholic priest, living and working in Spanish Harlem, that connected Donna to my family. She describes who Bob was and the grassroots, inner city organization he created, called ‘Full Circle”.   Donna taught music at Marymount College for 35 years! She has been involved with the Arts Council of Westchester and taught or composed music for colleges, semi-professionals and regional theaters. For decades, Donna has kept a ‘day job‘ at Human Development Services of Westchester in Port Chester, NY. She laughs that her day job supports her music habit!  No surprise that Donna’s day job is another form of serving humanity; her organization provides case management and residential care for adults recovering from psychiatric illnesses. What pleasure to shine light on this grounded, loving, inspiring woman. Donna, “For all that has been THANKS, for all that will be YES!” Enjoy the podcast! Links: "Talkin' About America" with Donna Cribari, her sister Camille and Lou DelBianco Lou Del Bianco (web site) Lou Del Bianco (FB) Art of English An Immigrant’s Contribution to Mount Rushmore Is Recognized, 75 Years Later  (NY Times) Camille Linen (FB)