Mindful Impact with Justin Francisco

Nicole DeBraal has a professional background in corporate communications but, after a series of highly stressful life events, she made the conscious decision to quit her job and try to bring more mindfulness into her life. Nicole has recently completed the Davidji Meditation Teacher Training at Breathe Yoga in Rochester and is looking forward to starting her new career as a meditation coach.

In this episode, you'll hear from Nicole DeBraal on,

[13.56] Her approach to healing. She shares her strategies for coping with grief and talks about how yoga, therapy and the support of her son have helped her to heal.

[20.29] The transformative effects of meditation. Nicole reveals how starting a regular meditation practice has made it easier for her to put things in perspective and deal with crises in a more logical and mindful manner.

[41.03]The importance of humor. Nicole gives some personal examples of the role that humor can play in alleviating stress and relieving tension in an emotionally fraught situation.

[48.57] Being present. Justin and Nicole discuss the power of being fully present in the moment and focusing on the here and now rather than thinking about the past or worrying about the future.

[53.46] Finding inner peace. Nicole tells Justin how she has recently learned to stop obsessing about her actions and cultivate a calmer and more accepting mindset.

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Samara Zelniker is a leadership coach, yoga teacher, inspirational speaker, and the creator of Mindfulness Matters. She provides personal and executive coaching services to individuals and organizations and helps her clients to achieve more focus, fulfillment, and clarity in their personal and professional lives.

In this episode, you'll hear from Samara Zelniker on:

[03.48] Creating a positive mindset. She describes how letting go of limiting beliefs and shifting rigid ways of thinking can enable you to achieve your goals and radically change your life.

[07.25] Living an authentic life. Samara highlights the importance of having the confidence to follow your own path and resist the pressure to conform to other people's perception of success.

[20.12] The benefits of gratitude. Samara explains that cultivating a gratitude practice can alter the neurochemistry of your brain and increase your appreciation of the good things in your life.

[21.38] Emotional fitness. Justin and Samara talk about using mindfulness and meditation techniques to focus more fully on the present and stop fixating on the past or worrying about the future.

[28.43] Following her intuition. Samara describes the chain of events that led to her personal transformation and recommends paying attention to the signs the universe sends to guide you in the right direction.

Links from Episode:

Samara's Website: www.mindfulnessmatters.ca

Samara's Instagram: @mindfulnessmatters

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Susan Weis-Bohlen is an Ayurvedic consultant, Vedic counselor, meditation teacher and author of the Ayurveda Beginner's Guide. She is the founder of Breathe Ayurveda and the owner of Susan's Kitchen, a vegetarian and Ayurvedic cooking school in Reisterstown, Maryland.

In this episode, you'll hear from Susan on,

[05.58] The principles and practices of Ayurveda. She sets out the fundamentals of the ancient Indian healing system which uses diet, herbal medicine, meditation, yoga, aromatherapy, and astrology to balance the mind and body.

[07.10] The five elements and the three doshas. Susan explains how the elements of space, air, water, fire, and earth which make up the universe are also found within our bodies, and correspond to the doshas, the Ayurvedic mind-body types.

[13.01] Living with the elements. In order to live in accordance with Ayurvedic principles, Susan recommends paying attention to the rhythms of nature and adjusting our diet and lifestyle according to the seasons.

[26.31] The Ayurvedic diet. Susan reveals how she helps her clients to achieve better health by adjusting their diets to balance the six Ayurvedic tastes of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent.

[34.47] Dry brushing and Abhyanga massage. Justin and Susan discuss the health benefits of dry brushing and Susan describes Abhyanga, an Ayurvedic warm oil massage which helps to release toxins and protect the microbiome of the skin.

Links from Episode:

Susan's Website: www.breatheayurveda.com

Susan's Books:

• Ayurveda Beginner's Guide: Essential Ayurvedic Principles and Practices to Balance and Heal Naturally
• Seasonal Self-Care Rituals: Eat, Breathe, Move, and Sleep Better―According to Your Dosha

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I discuss the powerhouse lineup of guests I have for the next several weeks. I talk about meditation studies and finally, creating a space in your home to meditate.

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Erin Lucas is a meditation and mindfulness practitioner who turned her back on a successful corporate career to pursue her own path and explore the healing power of mindfulness.

In this episode, you'll hear from Erin Lucas on,

[12.41] Mindfulness-based stress reduction. Justin and Erin discuss the benefits of the mindfulness-based stress reduction program and explore how meditation and mindfulness can help to alleviate anxiety and provide practical strategies for coping with stress in our everyday lives.

[15.58] Finding an anchor. Erin explains how focusing on the breath or on a specific sound, such as birdsong, can help to relieve tension and bring the mind back to the present moment.

[19.08] Her strategy for avoiding overwhelm. She reveals how she has learned to concentrate on one task at a time in order to prevent feelings of panic and anxiety when faced with a daunting project or a heavy workload.

[24.40] The pathway through fear. Erin recommends following the advice of spiritual guide and author, Eckhart Tolle, who teaches how to handle fear by dropping from the head space into the heart space and letting go of the spiraling thoughts in the mind.

[41.14] Non-violent communication. Erin sets out the five steps to non-violent communication and highlights the importance of listening to and understanding the other person's point of view.

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Sarah Rose Eisenbud is a licensed professional counselor and integrative narrative therapist who helps people heal, grow, and thrive by encouraging them to explore and adjust the stories they tell about their lives. She is also a committed meditator and a wilderness enthusiast.

In this episode, you'll hear from Sarah Rose Eisenbud on,

[12.09] Lucid dreaming. She shares some tips for developing a lucid dreaming practice and explains how it helps her to get in touch with her subconscious and develop a more engaged relationship with the present moment.

[23.26] Mindful eating. Sarah believes that we will intuitively start to make healthier food choices and adopt a diet that nurtures our physical and mental wellbeing if we give our bodies a break from sugar, caffeine, and complex carbs.

[36.24] Unearned privilege. Justin and Sarah discuss the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement and talk about the importance of being aware of white privilege. They both agree that now is the time to listen and learn from those who have experienced racial injustice.

[39.58] Inclusivity and diversity. Sarah brings up the lack of diversity in the mindfulness community and considers how it could be made more inclusive and welcoming for people of color.

[47.39] Mental health diagnosis. Sarah talks about the dangers of people being defined by their problems. She prefers to take a collaborative approach to diagnosis and trusts her clients to be the experts on their own mental health.

Links from Episode:

Sarah's Website: www.denvernarrativetherapy.com

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Dawson Church is the author of several award-winning health books. He is also an expert in natural medicine and holistic healing modalities, a respected researcher, and a specialist in EcoMeditation and EFT, the Emotional Freedom Technique.

In this episode, you'll hear from Dawson Church on,

[4.21] Flow states. Dawson discusses how flow states and feelings of elevated mood and transcendence can be accessed through the processes of meditation and acupressure.

[6.45] Dawson's EFT tapping techniques. He explains how fingertip tapping on specific acupuncture points can help release emotional trauma and restore a sense of balance and harmony to the body.

[16.52] His EcoMeditation method. Dawson's easy to follow, seven-step meditation method combines acupressure with breathing techniques and visualizations to enable even novice meditators to achieve heightened states of consciousness.

[29.48] Raising consciousness. Dawson recommends letting go of the part of the mind that is concerned with the self and everyday life, and merging, through the practice of meditation, with the all-encompassing love and wisdom of unity consciousness.

[44.01] The Bliss Brain. Dawson's upcoming book examines how certain joy-inducing chemicals, including anandamide, dopamine, and serotonin, are produced during the process of meditation. He explains that a significant and beneficial change in brain chemistry can occur after just eight weeks of regular practice.

Links from Website:

Dawson's Website: www.dawsonchurch.com

EFT Universe Website: www.eftuniverse.com

7-day Immunity Booster Course: eftuniverse.securechkout.com/immunity-booster-program

Bliss Brain Book: www.amazon.com/Bliss-Brain-Neuroscience-Remodeling-Resilience

The Genie in Your Genes: www.amazon.co.uk/Genie-Your-Genes-Dawson-Church

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Ben Lakoff is a start-up business consultant with a background in corporate finance, investment, and banking. He has traveled extensively and worked in South America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

In this episode, you'll hear from Ben Lakoff on:

[21.30] His nonprofit work. Ben describes his involvement with Charity Makeover, an organization that helps increase the impact of small, cash-strapped charities.

[26.44] Adjusting to change. He shares how the global Covid pandemic and the recent loss of his salaried job have forced him to relocate and radically rethink his life.

[29.59] Finding a way forward. Ben reveals how he regards his current situation as an opportunity to reflect and spend some time doing the things he loves before resuming his professional life.

[36.26] Diet and exercise. Justin and Ben discuss fasting, the low-carb Keto diet, the health benefits of MCT oil, and finding the time to work out.

[54.54] His life as a digital nomad. After years spent traveling and working in far-flung locations, Ben admits he finally feels ready to embrace a more settled existence.

Links from Episode:

Ben's Website: www.benlakoff.com

Ben's Instagram: @benlakoff

Charity Makeover Website: www.charitymakeover.org

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Jason McGrice is a meditation teacher, spiritual healer, and Reiki master. His powerful meditations are popular with millions of people around the world and are available on his website and on the meditation app, Insight Timer.

In this episode, you'll hear from Jason McGrice on,

[2.50] The importance of self-care. Jason describes a period in his life when he felt physically and emotionally depleted and explains how reconnecting with nature and paying attention to his mental and spiritual wellbeing helped him to recover and continue being of service to others.

[9.04] Meditation and fatherhood. Justin and Jason discuss how meditation has helped them to cope with the pressures of parenthood and become better, more patient fathers.

[14.22] Lightening the load. The pair reflect on how developing a regular meditation practice has enabled them to find solace in their inner selves and reduce their need to alleviate stress through alcohol.

[22.00] Reiki. Jason sets out the principles of Reiki and clarifies how practitioners channel energy from the universal life source in order to clear emotional and spiritual blockages and rebalance the energy in the body.

[27.13] Healing the inner child. Jason explains how spiritual healing techniques can help us to overcome past conditioning and release deeply stored trauma.

Links from Episode:

Jason's Website: www.jasonmcgrice.com

Jason's Instagram: @jasonmcgrice

Jason's Meditations on Insight Timer: www.insighttimer.com/jasonmcgrice

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Cyndi Weis is the founder of Breathe Yoga, a wellness business with yoga studios in several locations in Upstate New York. Breathe Yoga provides a unique wellness experience and, in addition to yoga classes, Breathe's clients can enjoy nutritious and delicious food and drinks in its on-site bakeries and juice bars. As a fitness expert, Cyndi's goal is to get more people practicing yoga and enjoying the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

In this episode, you'll hear from Cyndi Weis on:

Her Introduction to yoga. Cyndi explains how taking up yoga at a young age helped her to lose weight and feel comfortable in her body. She continued her practice as an adult and felt inspired to set up her own studio after participating in an immersive yoga retreat in Mexico.The benefits of meditation. Justin and Cyndi discuss the impact of meditation on mental and physical wellbeing. As someone who finds it hard to slow down, Cyndi explains that she considers meditation an essential tool for managing stress and reveals how it helped her to overcome a debilitating illness.Pivoting her business. Cyndi describes how the lockdown has taken Breathe Yoga in a whole new direction through the launch of its virtual platform which provides online yoga and meditation classes.

Links from Episode:

Breathe Yoga Website: https://www.breatheyoga.com/

Breathe Yoga Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/breatheyoga

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