As we start off 2025, I'd like to take a moment today to acknowledge our 7 year milestone and reflect on this past year. We launched the podcast in January 2018, so here's to completing 7 years of Enlighten! January 2025 marks the beginning of our 8th year of the podcast. Wow!

In 2024, I continued to cultivate my intimacy with nature, and took great pleasure in the everyday miracles that surround us. I delight in subtle and blatant glimmers of resilience, growth and transformation both individually and collectively. Thank you, 2024 for another year of inspiring guests, personal reflections and stories. May we all practice restoring humanity, dignity, compassion, and justice. Blessings for a healing, engaged, empowering year. May you be safe and healthy, and join me in searching for the mysterious, wondrous ways the Universe is conspiring to help us evolve, help us to live more authentically, more joyfully. Blessings for the courage, grace and wisdom needed for 2025. Enjoy the podcast!

Even though I initially thought I would skip an episode this week, I changed my mind and wanted to share two simple rituals from previous guests Shawna Emerick and Laura Pensiero. May these rituals help us take a moment to pause, reflect and envision what we want to manifest for the New Year. May we set intentions that help us live more fully, more authentically and more joyfully. May we manifest 2025 to be a creative, connected, easeful, and prosperous year. Check out the show notes for links to Shawna and Laura's websites, they both offer such wonderful soul-nourishing gifts. Happy New Year! Enjoy the podcast! Links: Shawna's Website Laura's Website

The chaos of our political landscape, the stressors of the holidays and tensions in our relationships can convince us that all is not well. In this week’s episode I share a personal struggle I’ve had with someone in my life and how de-railed I felt by fear and frustration. I asked for help and my spirit guides provided gems of wisdom that realigned me with understanding, acceptance and surrender. Louise Hay’s affirmation is a transformative mantra for me “All is well. Everything is working out for my highest good. And out of this situation, this so called problem, only good will come. And I am safe.”  This truth put a smile on my face and expanded my heart in a profound way. May we be humbled to ask for help when fear, hurt and struggle take over. May we reset the swirl of pain and remember that shifting our thoughts, shifts our vibration. May we trust that all is truly well so we can show up to whatever we face with clarity, calm and empowerment. I'll be back in 2 weeks with another episode. Happy holidays! Enjoy the podcast! Links: IG: Mel Robbins

On this week's episode, I honor the legendary poet, author, educator, activist, Nikki Giovanni who died this past week on December 9th at the age of 81. Her rich biography, prolific work that includes writings, essays, conversations, poetry, children's books, records, tapes, CDs and film, as well as her awards, honors and multiple honorary degrees is expansive and impressive. Thank you Nikki, for all that you embodied and modeled. Thank you for shining your truth through decades of our collective darkness. Thank you for caring about children and the quality of books they read. Thank you for your wisdom, grace and compassion and finding what binds us even in the face of tragedy. Rest in peace, rest in power and may we continue to be enlightened, uplifted and inspired by you. Check out the show notes for links to Nikki's website, NY Times obituary and Wikipedia page. Enjoy the podcast! Links: Nikki's Website NY Times Obituary Wikipedia

On this week's episode, I acknowledge the spark of light that is ignited at this time of year. As the sun is setting by 4:30pm, shortening our days and expanding our nights, the tradition of lighting up our homes, is a wonderful reminder to honor the light in the midst of darkness. May we be a spark of light. May we connect with your own community, honor silence, light a candle, and feel the energetic hands of our sacred circle of humanity, join together to breath a new vision forward. May our vision spark a new kind of light. Check out the show notes to learn about the global ritual that Beth Livingston, has been facilitating for 20 years that honors our collective dive into the darkness of winter. Enjoy the podcast! Links: Beth Owls Daughter

On this week's episode I re-release my conversation form April 19, 2021 with my beloved Aunt Hilly. This spectacular human, Hilary Carr Jones just died on Friday November 15th, so I wanted her voice and spirit honored. Before my conversation with her starts, I share the mystical connection I felt with Aunt Hil as she was transitioning from the physical realm into the spiritual realm, as the Super Full Moon was rising. May you open your heart and mind to how Source is calling you into the mystical, magical moments of your life. Grateful for the gathering in Camden, Maine this past weekend with a service on Sunday November 24th, to celebrate the life and light and radiating love of Hilary Carr Jones. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti Links: Hilary Carr Jones obit Super Full Moon

I am thrilled to feature Clyde and Gracie Lawrence as my guests today. This gifted, brother and sister team, enriched by their 6 talented musician friends make up the electrifying soul-pop band "Lawrence". Their music is phenomenal, the synergy and creativity of their band is a blast to witness and they are kind, thoughtful human beings living the challenging life of artists with integrity, humility and grace. When I saw Lawrence the band perform to a sold out Radio City Music Hall show in September, I was blown away by the music, the production, the pure fun everyone was having on that stage and moved to tears by their dedicated fans of all ages and backgrounds. Clyde and Gracie have created something unique and refreshing, I want all my listeners to experience their magic. It wasn't until we ended the conversation that I realized I forgot to ask the one question I use to wrap up all my podcast conversations: "What inspires you?" But hopefully you'll learn what their answer might have been by how they approach life, cultivate a family and community with their band, crew and fans, have the courage to call out the unfairness in the music industry, and infuse integrity in everything they do. Check out the links below to their website to see their tour schedule (catch the remaining shows of their Family Business tour), how to stream their incredible music, and buy some merch. Also follow the link for their fascinating You Tube docuseries, which offers an authentic behind the scenes look at their Hotel TV tour. Follow the band and Clyde and Gracie's IG accounts to tap into the magic. Enjoy the podcast! Links: Lawrence the Band: Website IG: Band IG: Clyde IG: Gracie Lawrence on The Tonight Show YouTube Channel YouTube Docuseries

On this week's episode, as I process the devastating election results, I know we are to hold onto love. In addition to the trauma, disappointment, sadness and fear, there is love. Surround yourself with loving, kindred souls. Let yourself be held in love and hold others in love. I know we are all trying to make sense of this, figure out how to navigate a way forward. As a country, we must wrestle with how deeply ingrained racism and misogyny is. We are in for more darkness and now more than ever, we need to be present and connected with love. Be gentle with yourself, take time to rest and regroup. We need each other, we need to shore up our circles of support. Hold onto love. Hold each other in love. I am holding you, my listeners in love. Enjoy the podcast!

On this week's episode, with the election tomorrow, I invite you to see your vote as a prayer, a prayer reflecting the depths of your heart. It is important to stay grounded in an atmosphere of fear. May you release the grip fear has on you. May your heart be aligned with trust, with compassion, with a connection to all the caring people, working for equity, justice and peace. Remember that your spiritual heart belongs to a collective spiritual heart. There are so many caring people bringing comfort and healing to others, to their communities and wanting to make this world a better place. Tap into that energy of our collective love. Let your vote be a prayer to protect our imperfect democracy, a prayer to protect the most vulnerable, a prayer to heal the divides, a prayer for our earth and all living beings. Check out the show notes for links to Tara Brach's website where you'll find her newsletter, courses and guided meditations. I've also included a link she shared for additional resources and organizations. Enjoy the podcast! Links: Tara Brach Mind Our Democracy

On this week's episode I acknowledge the heightened sense of fear, anxiety and worry, with 8 days before the Presidential Election. I share wisdom from the spiritual teacher, Tara Brach that our despairing feelings are a reflection of our small Self, which is limited, isolated, and consumed with divisiveness and the illusion of separateness. Our small Self forgets who we are. For when we remember who we are, our true nature, we understand our interdependence and deep connection to each other. We tap into a pure sense of belonging, awaken to our oneness and align our actions with our heart. My sister-in-law Abby demonstrates, in a moving letter, what it looks like to align her heart with action. What is your heart aligned action? May we awaken to our True Nature. May we think, act and live from compassion. May we align our action with our open heart. And while we are at it, may we create a joyful blue wave! Enjoy the podcast! Links: Tara Brach IG: Abby Carr