Fill To Capacity (Where Heart, Grit and Irreverent Humor Collide)

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In this thought-provoking episode, Rabbi Avi Olitzky explores complexities and detrimental effects of toxic work environments and offers invaluable insights for fostering a more balanced work life. With expert analysis, he discerns signs of workplace toxicity, and provides guidance in navigating the blurred boundaries of digital connectivity to cultivate a positive and fulfilling professional environment.

Tune in to find inspiration and transform your approach to achieving work-life harmony.

Rabbi Avi Olitzky is an author, speaker and former senior rabbi of Beth El Synagogue in St. Louis Park, MN. He is president of the Olitzky Consulting Group, a firm that provides strategic planning, leadership development and organizational change to nonprofit groups, foundations, churches, and synagogues.

QUOTES

Rabbi Olitzky:   “It's less the characteristics of a toxic workplace and more how do you recognize toxicity.”

Rabbi Olitzky:  “...so many of us that have virtual meetings...even when we are in the office.  Sometimes those meetings take place in our homes. Sometimes those meetings take place in our cars...those meetings even take place outside in the parking lot of our kids' sports game. And that’s okay. But it also means there is no longer an on off switch to work time and family time."

Rabbi Olitzky:  “But in terms of maximizing the potential of your family, what does it mean to work for the company? What does it mean to offer an exceptional employee experience...to provide room for growth and a clear strategy for development and upgrading skills? There's so many different elements to make a safe and positive and retention excellent workplace.”

LINKS

Olitzky Consulting Group

A simple fix for a toxic work environment, Avi S. Olitzky, MINNPOST, August 17, 2022

‘You’re the Problem’: When They Spoke Up About Misconduct, They Were Offered Mental Health Services, Alisha Haridasani Gupta and Ruchika Tulshyan, New York Times July 28, 20218 Signs of a Toxic Work Environment, Cleveland Clinic healthessentials, January12, 2022 

Today's episode is brought to you by the Joan of Arc Scroll Medal, a beautiful brass alloy medal, designed by award-winning artist, Pat Benincasa. This uniquely shaped medal is ideal for holiday or as a special occasion gift!    Visit www.patbenincasa-art.com

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In this episode, Benincasa creatively explores the mystique of prayer beads and personal mantras for transformative meditation and moments of tranquility.

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH3Kf7Dztek

Sacred Currency: My Artistic Approach to Prayer Beads

By Pat Benincasa

© 2023  Pat Benincasa  All Rights Reserved

"I was always curious about prayer beads, how they span across different cultures and religions and become a guide for focused meditation. So, I purchased sandalwood prayer beads. I like the look, feel and smell of them.  I researched prayer bead rituals, with all of their chants and Oms. The idea is to select a chant to say when placing each bead between finger and thumb.

I tried to stay within the confines of a single chant. But let’s face it, I ‘m ADD and it’s hard for me to stay within the confines of any one thing!  As days passed, the routine grew stale and disconnected, outside of myself.

I thought a lot about the purpose of prayer beads. Being raised Catholic, I know a little something about  beads- Rosary beads, to be exact. The beautiful flow of Hail Mary’s to the Our Father, then back to the Hail Mary’s carries a rhythmic solace. It creates a mystical alchemy that blends words, tactility, spirit, and repetition that pulls one out of themselves toward a profound connection with the Divine.

I wanted that fluidity with my new beads and craved the possibility of a similar experience. In the meantime, having them in my pocket or on my wrist , they become a portable meditation - a tangible reminder of tranquility. 

Now, I am an artist,  an admirer of the senses. I love what you can see, smell, hear and touch! Or maybe it’s my Mediterranean DNA, steeped in reverence for the physical world.

I decided to approach my prayer beads as I would any artistic endeavor, with trust in the idea and willingness to follow wherever it goes. In my work that meant working in glass, sheet metal, varnish stains, or whatever material suits the concept!

Yet, my prayer beads demanded a different kind of creativity, one that spoke directly to my heart.  Instead of one mantra, I write a “mantra” that I need to hear and say it for as long as I need to.  The mantras change as I change, and I love how a phrase or thought fragment provides spiritual currency to receive and give. Even if I don't quite understand the meaning of the phrase, like a work of art, I follow its trail to see where it goes. Here are some of my mantras:

“Fortify my spirit in the truth of who I am.”

“Make space for me in the quiet.”

“Blur the edge of my here and there.”

“In every breath gratitude”

If you were to make your own mantras: What do you need to hear? They don't have to make sense for anyone but you.

For me, the beauty of creating a mantra is that it infuses my prayer beads with deeper meaning.  They become a conduit of transformation and with each recitation, the beads feel re-purposed, resonating with the shifting currents of my daily life. Infused with the energy of my intentions, struggles & hopes, they become cherished companions on my spiritual path.

With prayer beads in hand, I find the sacred dance between the tangible and the intangible, the ordinary and the divine.  They are a gentle reminder to live in the moment with grace and gratitude."

Please Note: The views expressed by our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the podcaster.

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In this gripping episode in Chicago history, Ted and Barb Wachholz unravel the haunting story of the Eastland Disaster. They share their personal connection to the event and shed light on its profound generational impact. Discover the heart wrenching details of that fateful day, the 844 lives lost and the resilience of survivors. Delve into the lasting legacy of this maritime tragedy through the work of the Eastland Disaster Historical Society.

Don't miss this captivating exploration of the Eastland Disaster, where history comes alive and the past echoes through the present.

Ted and Barb Wachholz are co-founders of the Eastland Disaster Historical Society in Chicago.

QUOTES

TED:  “...That was one of the things that we decided early on when we organized, was that if we were gonna be successful, we had to tell the history through the eyes and voices of those that actually experienced it."

BARB: “...we've also talked about how the times have changed so much where if that tragedy happened today... There are support groups, there are psychologists to talk to. They didn't have that back then. People would either talk amongst themselves within their family... or friends, but again, for those who were told, we're not gonna talk about this. That had to be absolutely horrible. I can only imagine that ripple effect of that trauma.”

TED: “Their voices were taken away from them.  Their stories were taken away from them. But, you know... it's important to have a legacy. And if we can help preserve and share that legacy of those thousands of people, then there's value there.

LINKS

Eastland Disaster Historical Society

George W. Hilton, “Eastland: Legacy of the Titanic”

Engineer Shows Why the Eastland Was Unsafe,  Chicago Tribune

(Reggie Bowles) Charles Reginald Elias Bowles- Unsung Hero of the Eastland Disaster 1915

New documentary brings to life Chicago’s deadliest day 104 years later,  ABC 7, Eyewitness News

Natalie Zett, “Flower in the River: A Family tale, finally told”

Website: Flower in the River

Natalie Zett, Flower in the River Podcast

Eastland: A New Musical at the Looking Glass Theatre

Today's episode is brought to you by the Joan of Arc Scroll Medal, a beautiful brass alloy medal, designed by award-winning artist, Pat Benincasa. This uniquely shaped medal is ideal for holiday or as a special occasion gift!    Visit www.patbenincasa-art.com
For international listeners the medal is available on Etsy.

Please Note: The views expressed by our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the podcaster.

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In this episode, Pat Benincasa shares powerful life lessons on resilience and determination as a daughter of immigrants.  Growing up, she navigated two very different  worlds of customs, languages and traditions and found  valuable insights and a profound sense of belonging.

Pat Benincasa is a visual artist, art educator and podcaster whose work has  received national and international attention. She has received  National Percent for Art and General Services Administration (GSA) Art In Architecture Commissions and project documentation is  archived at the Minnesota Historical Society. Benincasa received her MFA and MA from Wayne State University in Detroit and received her K-12 Art Licensure from St. Catherine University. 

Thank you Natalie Zett, audio engineer!

QUOTES

PAT:  "Looking back with an emotional distance of many years, I  have to say, there was something magical about living in 2 worlds."

PAT:  “How is it that the older we get opens a portal to our debris strewn past? And this portal becomes a willing vantage point of our earliest memories: Part casualty clearing station, part daytime comedy, or behavioral blueprint- maybe all of these?”

Growing up, she navigated two very different worlds of customs, languages and traditions and found  valuable insights and a profound sense of belonging.

Pat Benincasa is a visual artist, art educator and podcaster whose work has  received national and international attention. She has received  National Percent for Art and General Services Administration (GSA) Art In Architecture Commissions and project documentation is  archived at the Minnesota Historical Society. Benincasa received her MFA and MA from Wayne State University in Detroit and received her K-12 Art Licensure from St. Catherine University. 

LINKS

www.patbenincasa-art.com

Please Note: The views expressed by our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the podcaster.

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In this episode Kathy Greiner gives eye-opening insights to what it means to age in place or have wheelchair mobility to ensure that families and individuals can live independently and safely in their homes.

Kathy Greiner is Executive Director of Rebuilding Together Minnesota. Since 1997 this  nonprofit serves low-income homeowners who are seniors, individuals living with disabilities, families with children and veterans and their families in need, as well as nonprofit facilities in need of repairs.

QUOTES

Kathy:  “..the homeowners have essentially become trapped in their home because ...they can't navigate the steps out the back door and they just don't know what to do. So they...become home bound. And ... the team goes out and builds a ramp and they see the homeowner use that to go out of their house for the first time in three years... it's really emotional for everybody. “

Kathy:  “Our first concern is to make sure a family is safe and healthy in that home...Because as some research has actually shown... your home is one of those major determinants of your health.”

Kathy:  “...for our volunteers, it really does bring home the idea that there are conditions here ... that we need to help our neighbors...You walk into someone's home and you see what's going on, you just have a different appreciation for how people have to survive.”

LINKS

Rebuilding Together Minnesota

SPNN Forum: Rebuilding Together Minnesota

Rebuilding Together started as “Christmas in April in Midland Texas in 1973 by Bobby Trimble and a group of friends.

St. Catherine University, St. Paul, Minnesota Occupational Therapy Assistant Associate Degree Program

St. Catherine University, St. Paul, Minnesota- Doctor of Occupational Therapy  

Metropolitan Center for Independent Living 

Today's episode is brought to you by the Joan of Arc Scroll Medal, a beautiful brass alloy medal, designed by award-winning artist, Pat Benincasa. This uniquely shaped medal is ideal for holiday or as a special occasion gift!    Visit www.patbenincasa-art.com

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FTC in-btwns are quick  insights at the intersection of art and life! 

In this episode:  When breaking free counts. 

Please Note: The views expressed by our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the podcaster.

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In this episode, Peter Mui challenges the unsustainable practice of accepting non-repairable items, “junk by design,”  from appliances to smart phones that quickly end up in landfills. Do we accept purchase without ownership? What is our relationship to consumption?

Peter Mui, MIT graduate IS  founder and organizer of the Fixit Clinic -a “pop-up” community repair workshop where people bring their broken things to disassemble and hopefully repair with the assistance of a volunteer Fixit Coach.  Fixit Clinics are all over the US, and there are Zoom Fixit Clinics plus the Global Fixers Discord Server open 24/7!

QUOTES:

PETER: “So...the initial quality seems great to the customer, but ...within a year or a year and a half... basically, the thing is junk. So I'm calling that” junk by design.”

PETER: “...There was a time when you used to be able to get repairs for common household appliances...and they just disappeared.... I just couldn't stand the waste, I couldn't stand the idea of the product churn and the idea that this stuff was going to a landfill and it was basically sound.”

PETER: “Imagine a future where everything that we...consume;  it's designed, built, serviced, and maintained in a local service area using locally available tools, materials, processes and services.”

LINKS:

Fixit Clinic

Joining Zoom Fixit Clinics or the Global Fixers Discord Server

Celebrating Repair at Fixit Clinic  

Fixing the World With Peter Mui of Fixit Clinic

RE:WIRED GREEN 2022: Peter Mui on the Right-to-Repair Movement

Learn  About Right To Repair 

Fixit Clinics pair critical thinking and hands-on engineering- Peter Mui ’82, MIT Technology Review, by Alice Waugh, June 27, 2018

Today's episode is brought to you by the Joan of Arc Scroll Medal, a beautiful brass alloy medal, designed by award-winning artist, Pat Benincasa. This uniquely shaped medal is ideal for holiday or as a special occasion gift!    Visit www.patbenincasa-art.com

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FTC in-btwns are quick  insights at the intersection of art and life!

In this episode:  For or against ourself, we choose.

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In this riveting episode, Jim Harold, who since 2005, has had guests discuss all manner of unexplained phenomena in his Paranormal Podcast.  He shares  anecdotes, insights and experiences of things known and unknown.  At the heart of his inquisitive explorations is his comment:  “We don't know we know something until we discover it.”

Jim Harold’s podcasts have over 60 million downloads and he has produced over 2,600 episodes and authored 5 books.

QUOTES

JIM:  “And I believe almost everybody, even the most hardcore skeptic, has a one-time story of something they couldn't make sense of.”

JIM:  “...there's one thing... I've learned, and I'm utterly convinced of this one thing. The nature of reality and the nature of our existence is so much more than we give it credit for. It's so much deeper. There's so much more going on. There's so much that is here, but we don't see through our senses.”

JIM:  “...if you start getting into this stuff, it can really kind of ...mentally upend you from your paradigm. You see the world in a whole different way and realize, wow, we, we really don't have it figured out, do we?”

LINKS:

Jim Harold Media Shows 

Jim Harold Plus

Jim Harold Books 

Dr. Michael Schermer at Skeptic.com 

Retrocausality

Retrocausality: How backwards-in-time effects could explain quantum weirdness,  Feb 10, 2023 ResearchOutcom.com  

Rosemary Ellen Guiley

Rosemary Ellen Guiley Books

Today's episode is brought to you by the Joan of Arc Scroll Medal, a beautiful brass alloy medal, designed by award-winning artist, Pat Benincasa. This uniquely shaped medal is ideal for holiday or as a special occasion gift!    Visit www.patbenincasa-art.com

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FTC in-btwns are quick (under 5 min) insights at the intersection of art and life! Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WQMa63zSyM&t=13s

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