Light in a Spoon

There are people that show up in our lives and become our teachers just by the way they live in the world. Scott Sowle is one of those people.

Not that long ago Scott was just in off the streets of Seattle. Homeless and deep into the darkness of addition. Drugs and alcohol had him about as far down the scale as one can go.

Scott entered a recovery program at Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission and Found his way to sobriety, both from substance abuse and the emotional upheaval caused by years of active addiction.

I met Scott on Mt Rainier helping support The 2016 Climb Out of Homelessness climbing team, then affiliated with the Tacoma Rescue Mission. Scott had some time in recovery and had volunteered, as I had to Porter (Sherpa) gear up to Camp Muir for the team that would summit the following day. Please Listen to our conversation with Mark Urisino in our Episode 8.

Today Scott is co-leading Team Mission, affiliated with Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission. Team Mission trains a group of UGM residents to run half and full Marathon’s. You’ll often find Scott and the team doing group runs on one of the mountains in the Cascades just east of Seattle.

By the time this airs, Scott himself will have competed in the Lord Hill 50K (that’s 31 miles for non-ultra runners).

Please consider supporting Scott and Team Mission through Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission. Click here and support someone who is “running” “climbing” and working their way out of the suffocating darkness of addiction.

As always Join us. Be a Poet; pour light into a spoon and lift it to nourish many, many, many parched holy mouths.

Be the Light, Pour your light,

Greg

Sometimes we are not powerful enough to live the life we were intended to live. Find the power, be the power and live a life filled with joy and purpose. Live Wild!

Husband, Father & Oh yeah

Michael Nardi is one of those rare men on the planet that has been captured by by Spirit to live an authentic life of devotion, playful delight and OPEN-hearted love. It is pretty cool that Michael is a YOUNG man full of energy and could choose to do anything in the world and be an amazing success.

He has chosen a path of devotion and mastery of love, life and himself. In that realm the word successful has no meaning. The words student/sage, mastery/humility mark the measure of progress. In that realm Michael is life times beyond the few years he has be making trips around the sun.

Michael, is author of “Open” Mantra Meditation for Personal Healing & Self-Mastery. He and his wife Ashley share a studio in Ashland, OR where they teach and support students in the art of movement, therapeutic physical healing, mantra meditation and the mastery of being “OPEN”.

I met Michael and his family during a retreat in the ancient city of Teotihuacan, MX. Michael was co-leading an 8 day retreat with don Jose Ruiz. Each day we sat in sessions of mantra meditation and learned chanting mantras to deepen our meditation practice. We then made guided walks into different parts of the ancient city of Theotihuacan and learned much of the ancient wisdom that guided the Aztec and Tottec peoples for generations.

Michael and don Jose Ruiz, son of Miguel Ruiz of the Four Agreements fame and author in his own right have become brothers from different mothers. Actually they are brothers of ultimately the same mother; our beautiful mother earth.

Michael attributes the beginning of his journey of awakening to reading the Four Agreements and becoming ‘a student’ of don Miguel. I’m sure Michael has also grown from writings and teachings of don Miguel, don Jose, and don Miguel Jr. In addition to “The Four Agreements, A few tittles within the Ruiz family published works; “The Fifth Agreement”, “The Mastery of Love”, “Self Mastery”, “My Friend The Rattle Snake”….

Michael, thank you for living a life of service and contribution. You my brother are making an impact in the world as you teach us, encourage us and show us how to “OPEN”.

By the way, any time you and Ashley would like a grandpa kinda guy to care for your two incredible kids in Teo, let me know.

So, my friends, be awakened and discover the courage to become a ‘poet’ and pour your light into a spoon and with out thought, lift it to nourish someone’s beautiful parched holy mouth.

Mad Love,

Greg

Welcome to the first episode of A Spoon Full Of Light series. This series will feature shorter topic based episodes every Friday morning. Please subscribe to our channel on YouTube, iTunes or catch us on Facebook or Twitter @lightinaspoon.

Mark Urisino

This week’s guest is one of the most interesting people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. Mark Urisino has summited tallest mountain on each continent with the exception of Mt Everest, and that he has been to base camp supporting an expedition..

Those adventures along with being a very successful business man would be enough. But his story only begins there. Mark also walks in the world with an enormous compassion for what one of the ancient ‘masters’ referred to “as the least of these”. In fact what that master said was “if you give a cup of water, in my name to the least of these, you do to me.” Mark is pouring cups of water for many many people who are considered “the least of these”; the homeless.

Mark has been a significant financial donor to many causes, but his heart and much of his attention has been directed to help the homeless and those suffering from addiction by supporting Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission.

Mark has taken it a step further by co-founding ‘Recovery Beyond Paradigm’ that provides support to those seeking services from the Mission. Within Recovery Beyond Paradigm are ‘Blankets of Hope’, which provides handmade blankets to women and children entering the family section of the Mission, and ‘Climbing Out of Homelessness’ which selects a number of ‘residents’ within the Mission’s recovery program and trains them to climb Mt Rainier.

We cover the events that lead to Mark becoming a guest of the podcast but for me it was nothing short of woo-woo.

The success of Climbing Out of Homelessness and Recovery Beyond Paradigm drew the attention of two New York City film makers who produced a documentary called “A New High”.

In 2016 I had the incredible privilege to join the climbing team as a ‘sherpa’ and carried gear up to Camp Muir the day before that year’s summit attempt.

As you listen to Mark’s powerful story please consider donating money AND time. These ‘guys’ are the REAL DEAL.

Mark, thank you for sharing your story, and your heart with us. Thank you for reminding ALL of us “The goal isn’t about the Summit, It is about the feeling of community and the journey along side our brothers and sisters”.

Mark is a true poet, in that he pours light into a spoon everyday and lifts it to nourish MANY beautiful parch holy mouths. He nourished mine.

Remember keep pouring your light….

Greg, Light In A Spoon

Wes is not only an extraordinary man, he is one of my best friends. His life is one of love and service to his family AND the homelesss of Seattle.

My introduction to Wes came in December of 2006. He and Renee were guest at a party my girlfriend, Jami and I were hosting to view the Christmas Ships as they made their way into Meydenbauer Bay in Bellevue WA.

Jami had let me know Wes had run multiple marathons and had qualified for Boston twice.

As anyone who runs as an endurance athlete knows, as endorphins kick in, inhibitions drop away and even 2 ‘dudes’ can begin to ‘go deep’. We did and our friendship has endured many of life’s more difficult moments. AND we have had remarkable hours together in support of one another as ‘brothers’.

Wes serves as a member of the Search & Rescue team for the Union Gospel Mission in Seattle. At least one night a week, and I mean night he is with his team distributing blankets, socks, hot coffee and an opportunity for anyone who chooses to get off the streets, to find shelter.

Wes is also the husband of Renee Meyers. As you may recall, Renee was my guest for Episode 3. If you haven’t listened to her incredible story, love and wisdom do it…do it NOW. Wes is the other half of a journey in life that is not for the faint of heart. As Renee embraces her cancer with the intention of transforming our relationship, as human beings with it, Wes walks byRenee’s side in love and support. As I said this season and this way of being in the world as Individuals and as a committed loving couple is NOT for the faint of heart.

Wes, I honor you and love you deeply my friend and brother!

“Pour your Light”

Greg

My guest for this episode is a man that carries and lives the rare combination of a tender generous heart and a powerful resolve to make a difference in the world. My guest is Jeff Leeland. Oh, and I must mention Jeff played for the Washington Huskies as an all star defensive back, and won a Rose Bowl, defeating the University of Michigan. Jeff, I still love ya even though I have bled Maize & Blue from the time I knew what a football was.

Out of the suffering, dealing with the trauma of a young son diagnosed with cancer and no means of paying the medical bills, Sparrow Clubs was born. The amazing part of the genesis of Sparrow Clubs is it wasn’t Jeff that ignited the fire that became Sparrow. It was a young man, Dameon, a student of Jeff’s at the Junior High at which he taught that brought all the money he had in his entire world, in quarters, to school to give to Mr. Leland. His mother had come with him and they met with the principal to assure it was appropriate for _________________ to offer this gift.

You also get to walk along side and sit with Jeff and I as Jeff shares the story of another miracle – also birthed from heart ache, heartbreak and a near death experience – that has this beautiful man living powerfully in the world in service to so many.

Jeff has written a couple of books “One Small Sparrow” and “A Thousand Small Sparrows”.

Find Jeff on Facebook, Instagram & amazon.com.

Also, PLEASE consider supporting the work of Sparrow Clubs @ www.sparrowclubs.org .

Jeff, I want to thank YOU for taking time to sit with me. Thank you for being open, vulnerable and honest. Thank you for transforming, with the help of God and your community, your life so that many many others will encounter the love and support they need. You are one of my inspirations Jeff. I think we need to find a reason to do this AGAIN; what do you say brother?

Love,

Greg

I met Jay in June of 1994; my first day playing as a street musician in Pike Place Market. I broke a string 10 minutes into my first set. Shit!!! It took only a moment and a long haired dude stepped up and asked, “What string did you break brother”? Ok who would have thought to bring extra strings? Well every other busker down there had several sets. But Jay was the guy that stepped out of the cue and offered this rookie help.

That began a friendship that has lasted the test of multiple moves, a couple of dramatic relationship endings…ok transitioning. Jay’s family became frequent guests at the Mead house and we at theirs.

Jay is a singer/songwriter, poet (pouring light into a spoon and lifting it to nourish someone’s beautiful parched holy mouth often) and an amazing producer. In fact I was listening to the contemporary Singer/Songwriter channel on Apple Radio earlier this week and one of emerging artist he has produced rolled up on the playlist. Her name is Emilia Glaser and is on her way to becoming a huge contribution to the singer/songwriter community. Look for her stuff.

When we met he was writing and performing. He and a cool dude by the name of Tom Kennedy were a duo called ‘BananaFish”. They played Pike Place Market almost everyday and toured playing gigs all over the country.

Since then, while he still performs his career has been one of being a prolific writer for TV & movies. No doubt if you have a favorite series you’ve probably heard Jay’s songs stirring your soul as the drama ramps up on the screen.

Jay is a man who lives an authentic life without compromise…or very little of it. In addition to his music career he is a powerful ‘coach’ and insightful, fearless speaker-of-truth. I along with MANY have been gifted by the wisdom and huge heart Jay carries into the world. The brother love’s well.

You can find Jay at , Jay Pinto on Facebook, @jaypinto on Instagram.

Jay, Thank you brother for being a gift to my life and to the world.

Jay Pinto – Pike’s Place Markt

Tyffany is an extraordinary woman and her story is among to most creative and unique I’ve had the privilege of uncovering and sharing. She is a highly accomplished attorney, a mystic, a cou-rageous warrior of love and truth. She left “everything” familiar and followed the guiding voice of intuition.

That “voice” led Tiffany to live in her truck for extended periods of time…more than once. She even became despairing of life itself…more than once. Yet she still remained faithful to what she felt was a powerful call. Life wasn’t the glorious ‘yellow brick road’to fame and wealth. No like may masters it led her into a wilderness. But in that wilderness, asis often the case, the woman who entered died an existential death and the woman who emerged has brought with her a life and a message of powerful transformation.

Today Tyffany is returning to the law to represent what Jesus would call “the least of these” (my contribution). She is also the author of several books “Tap Into Transformation” co-authored with Sandra Kimler, “Tap That”, “taptap: Tracy’s hair…God made it special”, “Spiritual ‘girl love’poems” and “tap that too!: Healing the Death Trauma”

This episode is another special one for me. Renee Meyers is a dear friend who has risen to a level of courage, surrender, wisdom and love that has been rare in my experience of life…until now. While Renee is not cool being identified in relationship to the cancer she lives with.What is tru-ly evident as we unpack her this season of her journey, is the power and beauty with which she lives life. She is chronicling the love, wisdom and joy of life that comes from cultivating ‘love’ with any and everything that comes to us. Her writing is poetic, soulful, and profoundly intimate and vulnerable. Renee lives an authentic life of the ‘mastery of love’ and I am truly honored to share her story (or at least a part of it) with you. Oh yes, the poetry, creativity and wisdom of this ex-traor-dinary woman can be found at her website, www.reneemeyers.com/blog

Subscribe and be truly in-spired. I asked Renee to share significant ‘reads’ that have awak-ened, inspired and encouraged her along the recent way:

“IAm The Word”

“The Book of Love And Creation”

“The Book of Knowing and Worth”

“The Book of Mastery”

“Whatever Arises Love That”

“The Christ Blueprint”