Life on Purpose

Life on Purpose returns with Episode #89, the fourth chat in a series I'm calling Seeing The Light In Uncertain Times. My guest for this episode is creative alchemist Diana Rowan, the founder of the Bright Way Guild, a virtual learning environment dedicated to transforming and inspiring a global community of creatives.

Taped in April 2020 as people around the world were dealing with the ramifications and massive uncertainty with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Diana joined me for an inspiring conversation on the importance of creativity in uncertain times. We also discussed her brand new book The Bright Way: Five Steps to Freeing the Creative Within (just published by New World Library), in which she guides readers on every step, giving the tools needed to create a life full of happiness, inspiration, and purpose. "When we become anxious or afraid, it's usually because we feel a lack of connection — with ourselves and with our communities. The antidote to fear is creativity. As fear fades, love takes center stage, and we become ourselves once more." About Diana: Diana Rowan is a creative alchemist and founder of the Bright Way Guild, a virtual learning environment dedicated to transforming and inspiring a global community of creatives. From her youngest years, the classical inquiry "What makes a good life?" has driven Diana, and sharing her hard-won dis- coveries with others is her mission. Having recovered from a soul-crushing case of stage fright and other challenges, Diana believes that by shining light on the darkness we fear, we can all become courageous purveyors of Bright Knowledge and live the good life. Diana was born in Dublin, Ireland, to college-student parents, setting the stage for a lifetime of lively learning and seeking. Soon thereafter, her father became a diplomat for the Irish government, taking his family all over the world in a cosmopolitan pilgrimage. Respect for arts and cultures has always been second nature in Diana's family, along with a deep streak of mysticism, as embodied by her astrologer mother. This unusual combination of intellectual seeking, cultural bridging, mystical opening, and artistic engagement is the hallmark of Diana's life, whether that be in composing music, teaching, writing, or choosing a wine. Diana holds an MM in classical piano performance and a PhD in music theory. ###

Life on Purpose returns with Episode #88, the third of several informal chats in a series I'm calling Seeing The Light In Uncertain Times. My guest for this episode is spiritual teacher, entrepreneur, author, and coach Eric Klein of Wisdom Heart and Dharma Consulting, who returns to the show for the fourth time in the past decade. Taped in April 2020 as people around the world were dealing with the ramifications and massive uncertainty with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Eric joined me for a wisdom-filled conversation on facing our fears and living free in uncertain times.

We discussed various ways you can do that and stay connected to your deepest purpose via wisdom from a 2,500 year-old Indian text, the Bhagavad Gita, that Eric says is a guidebook for our times. We also talked about concepts like integration and wholeness; dharma and your customized path; how to untangle your life from the illusions/tenuous nature of conditioning; letting go of what no longer serves us; the importance of practices (even starting today); how to build the capacity for/cultivate more wakefulness and loving awareness; seeing the openings/doorways; tools for dealing with these times, and so much more! About Eric: Eric Klein is a spiritual teacher, entrepreneur, author, and coach. For the past three decades, he has been a leading voice in the movement to bring greater spirit, mindfulness, and meaning to the workplace through his writing, training, and speaking through his company Dharma Consulting. He's worked with over 30,000 leaders from a wide variety of settings: Fortune 500 companies, healthcare, governmental and non-profit organizations as well as mid-size companies. Eric is also the author of the bestselling books Awakening Corporate Soul: Four Paths to Unleash the Power of People at Work, To Do or Not To Do: How Successful Leaders Make Better Decisions based on research and experiences with more than 200 companies, and You are the Leader You've Been Waiting For which won a 2008 Nautilus Award as a world changing book in the conscious leadership/business category. His new course is called Face Fear – Live Free: A 40-Day Experience of the Bhagavad Gita, based on the teachings of one of the world's most precious texts of spiritual wisdom. It answers the question: How can you stay connected to your deepest purpose & wisdom – even in difficult and uncertain times? ###

Life on Purpose returns with Episode #87, the second of several informal chats in a new series I'm calling Seeing The Light In Uncertain Times.

My guest for this episode is entrepreneur, speaker, and eternal optimist Elizabeth Shaw, author of The Optimist's Manifestoand CEO of Davine.

Taped in March 2020 as people around the world were dealing with the ramifications and massive uncertainty with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Elizabeth joined me for a great conversation on Seeing The Light In Uncertain Times.

We discussed maintaining or cultivating optimism in challenging situations; optimism as a superpower; the importance of honoring where we're at right now; being open to possibility; obstacles as opportunities; building your uncertainty muscle; and our own beliefs and faith.

About Elizabeth:

Elizabeth Shaw is an eternal optimist, entrepreneur, and speaker. She founded Davine Inc., a strategic consulting firm dedicated to using individual and organizational experiences, events, and engagement to build a world of optimism.

Elizabeth inspires everyone around her to believe in the best for themselves, in each other, and in the unlimited possibilities of the world. She divides her time between Boston and California, but also considers Bologna, Italy and Paris home.

Elizabeth believes that life is best lived with your head in the clouds and your feet on the ground. Optimism is her superpower.

After a two-year hiatus, Life on Purpose returns with Episode #86, the first of several informal chats in a new series I'm calling Seeing The Light In Uncertain Times.

My guest for this episode is Shelli L Duarte (Shell Luna Love), a creative and catalyst who brings heart-centered wisdom to all of her work and endeavors. Taped in March 2020 as people around the world were dealing with the ramifications and massive uncertainty with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Shelli joined me for a heart-centered conversation on Seeing The Light In Uncertain Times. We discussed keeping an open heart while still having our moments of fear and stepping into our sovereign unity at this time when the world needs each of us to embrace our gifts. About Shelli: Shelli L. (Duarte), aka Shell Luna Love, believes in magic and mystery and all the in-between spaces. She suggests we all are 'magicians' when we go about finding our own inner essence and start unravelling our own riddles and stories through unconditional love and compassion. Creating, in whatever form, is magical and mysterious, and chock-full of love, joy, and beauty. She uses both the practical and mystical to be her most creative 'alive' self. "We are creators whether we are purposefully tending to this aspect or not. No matter if we are artists, parents, spouses, accountants, or engineers, etc., we are always creating. It's our inherent design and we have a responsibility to engage it." One part of her work in the world is to spark and catalyze others to access their own heart-full self-leadership to allow an embodied life design. She has a passion and mission to bring tools of inspiration through joy, beauty, and experience. Some of her favourite avenues of experiencing, exploring, and serving in the world are through conversation, image, poetry, writing, and wayfinding with those who want to create and design their most heart-full lives. Her love to inspire and guide people to their edge of self-empowered leadership is a path to the expanded love, joy, and beauty she wishes to see in the world. Shell Luna came into this world as a 'seer' and a seeker. She has known herself as a creative being always, just as she sees all others. She sees and seeks beauty, truth, love, mystery, and possibility in the world through inner self-exploration and outer world explorations. She is proud to call herself a 'Jill-of-many-trades' in this lifetime, but her soul essence is an illuminary-mystic-dream weaving-designer, an 'engineer', an agent of change, wanting to bring healing ideas and tools to hearts, minds, bodies, and spirits. ###

For Life on Purpose Episode #85, my guest is world-class facilitator and transformation specialist Oren Harris. Described as "a being who is living as Infinite Self within a finite world", Oren is a real life demonstration of the saying, "be in the world, but not of it", and is capable of showing up in a vast number of ways to best serve those he is inspired to work with.

He joined me for an inspiring and in-depth conversation on all things related to Flow. We also discussed consciousness, trust, resonance, surrender, perspective, detachment, limitless living, and Oren's own life story/journey.

"Flow is often times perceived as something that is only accessible to spiritual masters, or during 'peak experiences'. This paints a picture of flow as something impractical, reserved for select individuals, select moments, or select areas of life."

On the contrary, flow is highly practical, accessible to everyone, and applicable to all areas of life."

About Oren Harris:

It's difficult, if not impossible, to put a finger on exactly who Oren Harris is. A being who is living as Infinite Self within a finite world, Oren is a real life demonstration of the saying, "be in the world, but not of it", and is capable of showing up in a vast number of ways to best serve those he is inspired to work with. There are a couple of things you can put your finger on, however. Oren is a world-class facilitator & transformation specialist, and his clients always reach their next level through working with him. Always.

No matter how far along an individual is in their personal or spiritual development, and no matter how large and impactful their expression has become, Oren has the special ability to clearly see the next level of their infinite potential that is available to them, and is able to masterfully guide them into embodying their next level of potential over and over again. Because of this, those who work with Oren usually become clients for life, as they realize the immeasurable value of having a being by their side who can see, speak to, and draw out all of who they really are every time they connect with him.

Oren's ultimate "superhero" ability is something that comes naturally to him… so naturally, in fact, that he doesn't even notice it most of the time, but its impact is very real and frequently life-changing for those who happen to experience it.

His presence activates people. Time and time again, individuals who cross paths with Oren, even if for a brief moment, report back that after their encounter with him, their expansion accelerated and significant shifts almost immediately started taking place in their lives.

Such is the power and consequence of being beheld with Unconditional Love, a rare and priceless gift that Oren has tapped into, consistently embodies, and shares with the world everywhere he goes.

Regardless of where you are on your respective path, if you're an individual who is fired up about and wholeheartedly committed to fully engaging life and giving it all that you've got, then Oren is inspired to connect with, and potentially work with you.

What is Flow?

• Flow is a peak state of consciousness where you feel your best and perform your best .
• Flow is a state of being in which you are in alignment with your true self and the universe.
• You spontaneously act in the most intelligent and life supporting way.
• Life becomes more effortless and charming.

When you are in Flow:

• You perform at your absolute best and beyond
• You are consistently in the right place at the right time
• Time disappears and you are fully present
• Your intentions manifest effortlessly
• "Miracles" happen more regularly
• You have access to an infinite well of intelligence that surpasses
• your own understanding
• Your levels of efficiency and productivity soar
• Your true self is awakened
• Your intuition is off the charts
• Your creativity becomes unlimited
• Synchronicity (magical coincidences) are frequent
• Your individualized sense of "self" disappears and you feel connected to all of life

For Life on Purpose Episode #84, my guest is internet entrepreneur, coach, traveler, and financial freedom enthusiast Tal Gur. He joined me for a great and in-depth conversation on his new book "The Art of Fully Living-1 Man. 10 Years. 100 Life Goals."

Shortly after turning 30, Tal himself these following questions: "Imagine knowing you had only 10 years to live - Would you change your life? How?"

Inspired by a late-night conversation with friends, and disillusioned with the trappings of "making it", he then drafted a list of 100 goals to achieve in a decade.

Through relentless focus, he traded his daily grind for a life of his own daring design as a location-independent entrepreneur and coach.

He tackled financial, physical, and spiritual dreams one by one: mastering English in pulsing Melbourne, completing Ironman New Zealand, creating financial independence, surfing at the world's most sought-after beaches, and rebuilding a Peruvian family's flood-ravaged home, among other adventures.

"What makes a life fully lived? Comfort? Conventional success? For me, it's all about the thrill and satisfaction that come from a continuous quest for adventure and self-discovery."

About Tal:

My story has been written from many perspectives and been enriched by the people and places I've encountered along the way.

After leaving school, aged 21, I embarked on a long motorcycle trip in Australia & immediately fell in love with this remote, vast and spectacular corner of the world. I went back to my home country to pursue a bachelor's degree but the memory of that epic trip never left me.

In 2003, after several years working in the high-tech world and feeling there was something missing, I decided to change direction and follow a lifelong dream of mine: living and studying in Australia.

In late 2005, being inspired from the sheer enjoyment that came from pursuing my Australian dream, I made a conscious decision to pursue every big dream I have ever had. I started a long life goals list and gave myself 10 years to be completely finished with this project.

After a few blissful years in Melbourne, Australia, I sold everything I had, packed a small backpack, and left on a one way ticket to Nepal. This trip turned to be a fateful encounter, eventually leading me to leave my stable job, become an online entrepreneur, and travel and live abroad in various countries for more than than 6 years.

Ever since I remember myself I was intrigued with the endless possibilities of self-expression. I simply see life as a playground to express our deepest desires and experiment with the perceived limits of the physical world.

Looking at my life, I have come to realize that my life is not just one linear continuous journey but more as a recollection of different journeys and experiences.

I've learnt that it is definitely not all about the destination, but more about the journey. And the greater the challenge, the more satisfying it is.

Since my move to Australia, being inspired from the satisfaction and sense of achievement that came from pursing my Australian dream, I found myself constantly seeking new challenges, overextending myself in all aspects of life, ultimately resulting in very happy and fulfilling journeys.

To learn more about Tal, visit: https://fullylived.com/.

NOTE FROM GREG: This episode is a very special and emotional one for me. I'm re-publishing a chat I had back in October 2014 with my friend Dr. Alice Bandy, which was the final episode of my first podcast Radio Enso. At the time of this taping, I had just met Alice about a month before, but she's since become a good friend and teacher to me. I'm re-publishing our chat now because Alice was recently diagnosed with stage four breast cancer. The cancer has spread to her bones and she's had a series of radiation treatments and surgeries to keep the cancer from moving to other parts of her body. She is also receiving very strong hormone and chemo therapies that are built for her specific type of cancer. All of this has incapacitated her and she is working to regain her ability to walk. She requires round-the-clock care, the cost of which is very high. Alice's income is derived from working with students, clients and organizations, which she is unable to do at this time. To help, some friends have set up a GoFundMe page at www.gofundme.com/AliceBandy. I'm asking all of my listeners, to please consider making a donation to help with Alice's care through this challenging but important time in her battle. If anyone has a shot to beat this, she does! And through it all, her teaching and wisdom continue to inspire and change lives. So I'd love for you to take a listen. For Life on Purpose Episode #83, my guest is author, teacher and spiritual guide Dr. Alice Bandy, the Spiritual Director of The Heart of Teaching, a nonprofit educational organization. Alice joined me to talk about her book The Wisdom of Money: Listening to the Spiritual Message of your Finances, her online self-study course Consciousness of Wealth, and much more! "The Wisdom of Money is my book which walks the reader through a very intensive process of releasing old experiences, pains and resentments so that the natural flow of prosperity and well being can flow into their life. These exercise are based upon my counseling practice. I use them here for money issues, but they work equally well in relationship and health issues." About Alice: Dr. Alice Bandy is the Spiritual Director of The Heart of Teaching, a nonprofit educational organization. She has been leading transformative spiritual classes for adults since 1996. Alice has taught at many universities and is a favorite instructor at the Holmes Institute School of Consciousness studies. In 2012, Holmes Institute granted her an honorary doctorate for her achievements in authoring, teaching and disseminating powerful spiritual courses throughout the United States. She lives in Encinitas, California. Her book, The Wisdom of Money: Listening to the Spiritual Message of your Finances was published in 2013. "The Wisdom of Money is my book which walks the reader through a very intensive process of releasing old experiences, pains and resentments so that the natural flow of prosperity and well being can flow into their life. These exercise are based upon my counseling practice. I use them here for money issues, but they work equally well in relationship and health issues." To learn more about the GoFundMe campaign for Alice or to donate, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/AliceBandy.

For Life on Purpose Episode #82, my guest is author, speaker, and workshop leader Scott Stabile. He joined me for a fantastic conversation on his new book, Big Love: The Power of Living with a Wide-Open Heart, which answers the question, "What happens when you fully commit yourself to love?"

Endless good, he insists who found that out by overcoming plenty of bad. His parents were murdered when he was fourteen. Nine years later, his brother died of a heroin overdose. Soon after that, Scott joined a cult that dominated his life for thirteen years before he summoned the courage to walk away.

In Big Love, his insightful and refreshingly honest collection of personal essays, Scott relates these profound experiences as well as everyday struggles and triumphs in ways that are universally applicable, uplifting, and laugh-out-loud funny. Whether silencing shame, rebounding after failure, or moving forward despite fears, Scott shares hard-won insights that consistently return readers to love, both of themselves and others.

"I'd like this book to remind you that you are not alone, not by a long shot. We are all imperfect; we all have busy, fearful minds; and we all struggle. Every single one of us, every single day. I'd like the book to emphasize that you are as worthy of love as anyone who has ever lived, and that nothing you do could ever make you any less worthy. Or more worthy, for that matter."

About Scott:

About fifteen years ago, a friend asked me what I wanted to do with my life. I told him I wanted to spread as much love as possible. My answer's still the same.

I know life isn't always a party. It's often hard, sometimes brutal. My parents were shot to death when I was fourteen. My brother OD'd on heroin nine years later. I grew up around a lot of addiction, dysfunction and tragedy. And with too much shame over the fact that I was gay. I hid my pain, and I hid my truth. Not anymore.

We all have our stories. We all have our pain. I've come to believe the only way to have a chance at healing our wounds is to be honest about them. Brave and willing enough to face them. The healing part may be out of our hands, but the brave and honest part is certainly within our power. And it changes everything.

For me, love supports it all. ALL OF IT. Love is the base note for everything good—compassion, forgiveness, kindness, authenticity—and choices made from love can only serve ourselves and our world positively. Love's got the power.

I've been fortunate enough to publish some books and write a movie and be a part of a supportive and wonderful social media community also committed to looking at their lives honestly and through the all-forgiving lens of love.

I've finally started doing what I want to be doing with my life—as I told my friend, spreading as much love as possible. Any which way I can do it.

I hope you'll join me.

To learn more about Scott and his work, visit: http://www.scottstabile.com/.

For Life on Purpose Episode #81, my guest is Christopher Plowman, CEO of Insight Timer, the most popular meditation Timer in the world. Home to more than 3 million meditators, Insight Timer is rated as the top free meditation app on the Android and iOS stores.

Christopher joined me for insightful conversation on Insight Timer, the challenges of maintaining his own meditation practice, the value of community to meditation, The Maharishi Effect, his past ventures in the start-up world and how Insight Timer is different, and the crucial importance of keeping the app free for everyone with no monthly subscriptions or lockdowns.

"How do you build a profitable company when you're committed to a free product which costs millions of dollars a year to run?"

NOTE FROM GREG: I've personally been using Insight Timer nearly every day since early 2014; it's easily my favorite and most valuable app, which is why I was excited to have this conversation with Christopher!

About Insight Timer:

The Timer: Every day our community logs more than 50,000 hours of meditation.

7,461 free Guided Meditations: Every day our community spends more than 6,000 hours listening to guided meditations.

1,609 of the world's best meditation teachers: Every day our community connects with 1609 meditation teachers in 25 languages.

4,937 Groups: 3,000,000 meditators discussing topics from humour and compassion to spirituality and support.

3 million meditators: Every day we welcome more than 2,500 meditators to our community.

To learn more about Insight Timer, visit: https://insighttimer.com/.

For Life on Purpose Episode #80, my guest is Suzanne Scurlock-Durana, one of the world's leading authorities on conscious awareness and its transformational impact on the healing process. For over 30 years, she has been empowering people to experience joy in each moment without burning out. The practical tools and skills she teaches have helped people all over the world improve every aspect of their lives, from their health and well-being to their relationships, their careers, their creativity, even the growth of their businesses.

Suzanne joined me for an excellent conversation on her latest book Reclaiming Your Body: Healing from Trauma and Awakening to Your Body's Wisdom, in which she provides the tools and guidance necessary to reconnect with our body's inner guidance system of sensation, imagery, and inner knowing.

"While the English language frequently refers to what our bodies know — 'gut feelings,' hearts 'reaching out' to others, etc. — many of us have learned to ignore, deny, or even mistrust our body's inherent wisdom. Even worse, a lot of people don't like their bodies very much at all. As a result, we often cut ourselves off from one of our greatest allies."

About: Suzanne Scurlock-Durana is the author of Reclaiming Your Body: Healing From Trauma and Awakening to Your Body's Wisdom and Full Body Presence: Learning to Listen to Your Body's Wisdom.

As one of the world's leading authorities on conscious awareness and its transformational impact on the healing process, she has been empowering people for over 30 years to experience joy in each moment without burning out. The practical tools and skills she teaches have helped people all over the world improve every aspect of their lives, from their health and well-being to their relationships, their careers, their creativity, even the growth of their businesses.

After decades perfecting her methods, Suzanne created the comprehensive Healing From the Core training curriculum in 1994. Today it includes a robust selection of international workshops, webinars, speaking engagements and audio programs. You can visit her online at http://www.healingfromthecore.com.

To learn more about Suzanne's work, visit: http://healingfromthecore.com/.