Raising Yourself Up

Have you ever wondered what a real psychic medium reading sounds like—and more importantly, if their predictions actually come true?

In this special edition of Raising Yourself Up, host Ben Povlow pulls back the curtain to share something deeply personal: the raw, live audio recording of his very first psychic medium reading. Recorded on January 4, 2018, in the spiritual camp of Cassadaga, Florida, this session with medium Joe completely altered the trajectory of Ben’s life.

Before he had ever written a single book, the medium tapped into Ben’s hidden intuition, connected with his crossed-over loved ones, and accurately predicted his future path as an author and teacher.

After sharing the 35-minute live reading, Ben returns with modern-day commentary—nearly nine years later—to reflect on how those predictions became his reality. He breaks down the importance of daily meditation, overcoming the fear of starting, and how embracing his spiritual calling eventually led to publishing multiple books and launching a coaching community for aspiring writers.

What You'll Hear in This Episode:

• The Live Recording: Listen in as the medium connects with Ben’s family, uncovers a Viking past life, and discusses his turbulent youth. Joe identifies his strong intuition, and Ben's natural writing abilities.
• Finding Your Purpose: How a single spiritual encounter can reveal your hidden gifts—and the challenge of actually stepping into them.
• The Power of Meditation: Why turning off the noise and developing a daily meditation practice is the ultimate key to unlocking your intuition.
• Overcoming the "Waiting Game": Ben shares his biggest regret of spending years learning about writing instead of just doing it, and how you can avoid the same trap.
• Signs from Spirit: A look back at the breadcrumbs, signs, and earlier life opportunities that hinted at Ben's true calling long before he was ready to accept it.

(Note: You can read more about this specific reading, Ben's DNA story, and his second medium reading in Chapter 6 of his book, You Must Be Present to Win.

Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• Free Book & Audiobook: Listen to or read Ben's first book, Self-Help for At-Risk Teens, completely free here: https://benpovlow.com/free-audiobook-and-ebook
• Join the Free Writing Community: Ready to tell your story? Join Ben inside his free Skool community, The Self-Publishing Coach, at  https://www.skool.com/self-publishing-coach-7612/about
• Official Website: Explore Ben's books, coaching, and resources at benpovlow.com.

Don't forget to subscribe to Raising Yourself Up so you never miss a new episode. If this story resonated with you, please share it with a friend who might be searching for their own life's purpose!

Thanks for listening.

With Love,

Ben Povlow

Host Ben Povlow recently released a new book titled, You Must Be Present to Win: A Guide to Spiritual Awakening and Personal Growth. It's available in eBook, paperback, and hardcover on Amazon and other online retailers. 

Click HERE to view the book details. 

Support the show

Thank you for tuning in. I hope you can take my shared knowledge and experience and apply it to your life. Please visit my new website for podcast episodes, all of my books, and resources. You can connect with me through the contact page. 

With love,
Ben Povlow
www.BenPovlow.com

Are you sitting on a finished manuscript or a book idea that you’ve been waiting to share with the world? In this episode of Raising Yourself Up, host, author, and self-publishing coach Ben Povlow breaks down his exact blueprint for writing, formatting, and self-publishing books on Amazon KDP using AI tools like Google Gemini.

After publishing four books in four months—including his memoir Waking Up in Handcuffs and his new parable GOD: The Middleman—Ben shares how any aspiring writer can go from an idea in their head to a physical paperback in their hand in just a few weeks.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• AI-Assisted Co-Creation: How to use AI prompts as a collaborative writing partner for fiction and non-fiction without losing your unique voice.
• The Self-Publishing Roadmap: Understanding book metadata, ISBNs, barcodes, front/back matter, and keyword optimization to make your book search-friendly.
• Cover Design & Formatting Simplified: Step-by-step workflows using tools like Atticus, Canva, and KDP tools to build eBook and wraparound paperback covers.
• Global & Audiobook Distribution: Expanding your reach beyond Amazon to bookstores, libraries, Findaway Voices, and Spotify for Authors.
• The Self-Publishing Coach Skool Community: How to get free access to Ben’s eBook The AI-Assisted Self-Publishing Playbook, join live office hours, and explore Done-With-You and Done-For-You publishing services.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

• Free Skool Community: Join Skool.com and search for Self-Publishing Coach to access free guides and connect with Ben Povlow.
• Official Website: Explore Ben's books and coaching services at benpovlow.com.

Host Ben Povlow recently released a new book titled, You Must Be Present to Win: A Guide to Spiritual Awakening and Personal Growth. It's available in eBook, paperback, and hardcover on Amazon and other online retailers. 

Click HERE to view the book details. 

Support the show

Thank you for tuning in. I hope you can take my shared knowledge and experience and apply it to your life. Please visit my new website for podcast episodes, all of my books, and resources. You can connect with me through the contact page. 

With love,
Ben Povlow
www.BenPovlow.com

In this special edition episode of Raising Yourself Up, host Ben Povlow leads a powerful guided meditation designed specifically for automatic writing, channeling, and creative expression. 

There's a link to a shorter video version of this meditation at the bottom of this description.

Whether you are an author struggling with writer's block, a songwriter, a poet, or someone looking to heal through journaling, this session walks you through shutting off the critical ego mind and allowing words to flow effortlessly from your higher self onto the page.

Ben guides you into a relaxed state, encircles your writing space in a protective golden bubble, and prompts you to open your eyes and let your pen glide without judgment, editing, or overthinking. Learn how to tap into your right-brain creativity, connect with your ideal reader, and transmute past pain and experiences into powerful, authentic words.

In This Guided Meditation, You Will:

• Quiet the Inner Critic: Learn how to separate creative flow from editing mode so you can overcome perfectionism and procrastination.
• Establish a Protected Space: Encircle your mind and environment in a golden bubble of protection to tune out outside distractions.
• Tap Into Automatic Writing: Practice channeling messages directly from your crown chakra, higher self, and spiritual source through your hands and onto the paper.
• Connect with Your Reader: Visualize the exact person you are writing for and evoke deep, authentic emotional energy in your work.
• Heal Through Writing: Transmute old wounds, trauma, and emotions into medicine for both yourself and your future audience.

How to Use This Session: Grab a pen and a notebook (or sit at your keyboard with auto-correct turned off), find a comfortable seat, and hit play whenever you are ready to begin a writing session, outline a new book chapter, or write in the quiet hours of the night.

For a shorter version of this meditation, check out my video. Thank you.

https://www.loom.com/share/a7b385e3c8b148e88d47e27c61c296eb

Host Ben Povlow recently released a new book titled, You Must Be Present to Win: A Guide to Spiritual Awakening and Personal Growth. It's available in eBook, paperback, and hardcover on Amazon and other online retailers. 

Click HERE to view the book details. 

Support the show

Thank you for tuning in. I hope you can take my shared knowledge and experience and apply it to your life. Please visit my new website for podcast episodes, all of my books, and resources. You can connect with me through the contact page. 

With love,
Ben Povlow
www.BenPovlow.com

Life is messy, but the mess doesn’t define you. Keep reading to find out how to turn your life around…

Self-Help for At-Risk Teens was written from the perspective of someone who has been there. Through his words, the hard lessons he learned from watching his life spiral out of control, and with a no-nonsense approach, you will learn how to overcome the odds and live the life you were always meant to live.

Follow my story as I navigate a life that began under unfortunate circumstances and continued down that rocky road until I didn’t know who I was or why I did what I did. A stint in a juvenile program didn’t help me change my ways. Instead, I found solace in all the wrong places while doing all the wrong things.

My story is the story of so many young people in the world. Although the names and places may be different, the poor decision-making skills, negativity, self-hatred, loathing, and everything that followed are universal to those who don’t yet know how to channel their pain. Thankfully, after narrowly escaping the worst possible outcome, I found my way out of the hopelessness and despair.

In this self-help guide, I share what helped me in the hopes it will help you as you heal and grow.
Inside, you’ll discover:

• What’s putting you at risk
• How anger affects you
• How to adapt to your living situation
• The dangers of drugs and alcohol
• Self-development strategies
• And more!

If you’re ready to see lasting changes and live the life of your dreams, this book is the perfect tool to help you get there.

Support the show

Thank you for tuning in. I hope you can take my shared knowledge and experience and apply it to your life. Please visit my new website for podcast episodes, all of my books, and resources. You can connect with me through the contact page. 

With love,
Ben Povlow
www.BenPovlow.com

In this episode, Ben reads Chapter 3: "Breaking Patterns, Building Faith, and Your Why." From his new book, You Must Be Present to Win: A Guide to Spiritual Awakening and Personal Growth. 

Discover how quieting daily distractions, embracing silence, and going within can unlock your true intuition and purpose. Ben shares personal insights on stepping out of your comfort zone, overcoming fear and doubt through blind faith, and tapping into a powerful "why" to drive lasting life transformation.

Key Topics Covered in This Episode:

• Quieting the Noise: How daily meditation and eliminating background noise open the door to empowering thoughts and spiritual growth.
• The 3 Steps to Goal Attainment: Visualizing the outcome, eliminating doubt, and embodying the feeling of success.
• Building Blind Faith: Why your logical mind can be your worst enemy and how to navigate uncertainty with trust in a higher power.
• Finding Your "Why": Why a purpose larger than yourself—and rooted in service to others—is essential for pushing through difficult times.
• Actionable Steps: Simple journaling and brainstorming exercises to discover your primary motivators and keep them front and center.

Resources & Links:

• Get You Must Be Present to Win in eBook, paperback, and hardcover on Amazon and major online retailers.
• Download the Special Spiritual eBook Bundle for $2.22 at BenPovlow.com.

Host Ben Povlow recently released a new book titled, You Must Be Present to Win: A Guide to Spiritual Awakening and Personal Growth. It's available in eBook, paperback, and hardcover on Amazon and other online retailers. 

Click HERE to view the book details. 

Support the show

Thank you for tuning in. I hope you can take my shared knowledge and experience and apply it to your life. Please visit my new website for podcast episodes, all of my books, and resources. You can connect with me through the contact page. 

With love,
Ben Povlow
www.BenPovlow.com

In this episode of Raising Yourself Up, host Ben Povlow breaks down Chapter 2 of his book, You Must Be Present to Win: A Guide to Spiritual Awakening and Personal Growth. Ben explores the essential connection between physical health, mental focus, and spiritual development, sharing practical advice on how taking care of your physical body elevates your spiritual energy.

Plus, Ben announces the launch of his newly redesigned official website at BenPovlow.com, featuring a consolidated hub for books, podcasts, writing resources, and an exclusive eBook bundle offer!

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The Vessel & Spirit Connection: Why physical health, a clean diet, and exercise are vital prerequisites for receiving intuitive guidance and staying connected to source energy.
• Guarding Your Mental Portal: How to protect your mind from daily news, social media toxicity, and negative influences by shifting focus toward creative desires.
• Manifestation & Thought Discipline: How your current physical reality stems from past thoughts—and how present gratitude shifts your mindset from lack to abundance.
• Meditation & Yoga Practices: Simple steps to begin a quiet meditation practice and how yoga unites physical strength with inner clarity.
• 3 Action Steps for Growth: Daily action steps for meditation, movement, and dietary upgrades you can start immediately.

Key Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Welcome & Major Announcement: The New benpovlow.com Web Launch
• 03:15 – Special $2.22 Spiritual Awakening eBook Bundle Offer
• 05:00 – Reading Chapter 2: Mind, Body, and Spiritual Discipline
• 12:30 – 3 Practical Action Steps from Chapter 2
• 14:45 – Deep Dive: Why Physical Health Directly Impacts Your Spiritual Journey

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Visit the official website: BenPovlow.com
• Grab the Spiritual Awakening eBook Bundle (You Must Be Present to Win & Waking Up in Handcuffs) for $2.22
• Explore recommended writing, self-publishing, and podcasting tools on the new Resources page

Connect & Subscribe: If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review, subscribe to Raising Yourself Up, and send your feedback directly through the contact form at benpovlow.com!

Host Ben Povlow recently released a new book titled, You Must Be Present to Win: A Guide to Spiritual Awakening and Personal Growth. It's available in eBook, paperback, and hardcover on Amazon and other online retailers. 

Click HERE to view the book details. 

Support the show

Thank you for tuning in. I hope you can take my shared knowledge and experience and apply it to your life. Please visit my new website for podcast episodes, all of my books, and resources. You can connect with me through the contact page. 

With love,
Ben Povlow
www.BenPovlow.com

In this episode of Raising Yourself Up, host Ben Povlow reads Chapter 1 of his book, You Must Be Present to Win: A Guide to Spiritual Awakening and Personal Growth. Then he breaks down the key ideas.

Discover how to stop resisting life’s natural flow, surrender to personal growth, and uncover your true life's purpose. Ben shares his personal transformation from an at-risk youth navigating extreme adversity to finding spiritual awareness, self-help, and living a life of service.

Learn how your greatest struggles, core wounds, and life challenges hold the key to your unique purpose. Plus, explore practical frameworks for self-discovery—including Human Design, Gene Keys, and internal guidance systems—to help you eliminate self-doubt, trust the process, and step into your calling.

Key Topics Covered in This Episode:

• Flow vs. Resistance: How surrendering to the river of life reduces suffering and opens the door to spiritual transformation.
• Overcoming Doubts & Imposter Syndrome: Why you don't need to feel qualified to take the first step toward your calling.
• Finding Purpose Through Struggle: How to extract wisdom from past hardship and turn your deepest wounds into medicine for others.
• Self-Discovery Frameworks: An introduction to using Human Design, Gene Keys, and natal charts for personal blueprint alignment.
• Actionable Next Steps: Practical reflection questions to help you quiet the noise, connect with your intuition, and move forward with confidence.

Connect & Explore:

• Book: You Must Be Present to Win: A Guide to Spiritual Awakening and Personal Growth by Ben Povlow
• First Book: Self-Help for At-Risk Teens by Ben Povlow
• Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who is on their journey of self-discovery!

Click on the title to learn more about You Must Be Present to Win: A Guide to Spiritual Awakening and Personal Growth.

Host Ben Povlow recently released a new book titled, You Must Be Present to Win: A Guide to Spiritual Awakening and Personal Growth. It's available in eBook, paperback, and hardcover on Amazon and other online retailers. 

Click HERE to view the book details. 

Support the show

Thank you for tuning in. I hope you can take my shared knowledge and experience and apply it to your life. Please visit my new website for podcast episodes, all of my books, and resources. You can connect with me through the contact page. 

With love,
Ben Povlow
www.BenPovlow.com

In this episode of Raising Yourself Up, host Ben Povlow makes a major announcement about his upcoming spiritual memoir and self-help guide, Waking Up in Handcuffs: Drugs. Alcohol. Trouble. Repeat.

Ben shares the candid story of how this raw project first materialized during a meditation four years ago amid his "Dark Night of the Soul," and how a recent meditation brought a sudden clarity on how to complete it. Merging original voice recordings with present-day reflections and insights from Human Design and the Gene Keys, Ben explores the reality of navigating core wounds, substance abuse, and personal transformation. He also provides updates on his publishing schedule, his podcast roadmap going forward, and his commitment to radical transparency on the path to healing.

Key Takeaways:

• New Book Announcement: An inside look at the origin, structure, and upcoming release of Waking Up in Handcuffs.
• Embracing Core Wounds: How childhood trauma and life struggles connect to addiction, and how facing your truth transforms your life’s purpose.
• Navigating the Dark Night: Reflections on St. John of the Cross, the "passive night," and staying open to divine guidance during periods of isolation and change.
• Podcast Roadmap: What to expect from upcoming episodes, including a chapter-by-chapter deep dive into You Must Be Present to Win.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and follow Ben’s Amazon Author Page to receive alerts for upcoming book releases!

Host Ben Povlow recently released a new book titled, You Must Be Present to Win: A Guide to Spiritual Awakening and Personal Growth. It's available in eBook, paperback, and hardcover on Amazon and other online retailers. 

Click HERE to view the book details. 

Support the show

Thank you for tuning in. I hope you can take my shared knowledge and experience and apply it to your life. Please visit my new website for podcast episodes, all of my books, and resources. You can connect with me through the contact page. 

With love,
Ben Povlow
www.BenPovlow.com

In this episode, author and certified life coach Ben Povlow introduces his newly released book, You Must Be Present to Win, and sets the stage for a series of deep-dive podcast episodes based on its content. The episode centers on the concept of presence, spiritual growth, finding your true purpose, and learning to listen to your inner guidance.

Key Takeaways

• The Concept of Presence & Quiet Mind: Povlow explains that "presence" involves slowing down and stepping away from modern distractions like social media, TV, and phones. By cultivating quiet time, you create space to notice synchronicities, recurring ideas, and intuitive "God winks" or whispers guiding you toward your life's purpose.
• Meditation & Breathwork: Meditation is presented as a vital tool for direct communion with your creator or source. Start small—5 to 10 minutes a day—and use breathwork as a focal point to quiet racing thoughts and stay grounded in the present.
• The "Human Pendulum" Technique: Povlow introduces a physical intuition exercise called the human pendulum: standing relaxed and asking direct questions out loud to tune into your body's subtle directional leans (typically leaning forward for "yes" and backward for "no").
• Mindset & Manifestation: Your thoughts and spoken words shape your reality. Povlow advises focusing exclusively on what you do want rather than dwelling on negative outcomes, and limiting exposure to outside negativity to ease anxiety.
• Mind, Body, & Spiritual Discipline: True personal growth requires taking care of yourself through proper diet, exercise, and reducing harmful habits (like excessive alcohol or drugs). Taking care of your physical body directly influences your mental and emotional state.
• Looking Ahead: This introductory discussion lays the groundwork for the next dozen podcast episodes, which will break down specific chapters of the book, beginning with Chapter 1: "Flow, Resistance, and the Call to Purpose."

Host Ben Povlow recently released a new book titled, You Must Be Present to Win: A Guide to Spiritual Awakening and Personal Growth. It's available in eBook, paperback, and hardcover on Amazon and other online retailers. 

Click HERE to view the book details. 

Support the show

Thank you for tuning in. I hope you can take my shared knowledge and experience and apply it to your life. Please visit my new website for podcast episodes, all of my books, and resources. You can connect with me through the contact page. 

With love,
Ben Povlow
www.BenPovlow.com

A candle, a blank page, and a promise to go first—that’s how this chapter begins. Author Ben Podcast shares the unpolished reality of writing a spiritual self-help book by hand at dawn, then reading those raw pages aloud to transform them into a living draft. No edits, no hiding, just a simple ritual that trades perfection for momentum and turns a notebook into a book titled, “Punched By An Angel.”

Ben walks through the full process—meditation with chakra stones, automatic writing, recording, transcription, and light cleanup—so you can see how ideas move from thought to the pages of a manuscript. Along the way, Ben talks about the creative reset that happens when you limit toxic inputs and curate a cleaner media diet. He explains why stepping away from social feeds brought him back to books, focus, and steadier emotions, and how protecting your attention is the most practical form of spiritual hygiene.

From there, Ben gets practical about the body as a vessel: flexibility, hydration, healthy food, and rest as non-negotiables for clear thinking and durable creativity. Ben discusses the shift from brute strength to softness and why feeling well expands your reach. Learn how to turn choices into visible results—plus simple tools like gratitude and affirmations to redirect the mind when it drifts toward fear or scarcity. 

If you’re a creative or a spiritual seeker who’s been stuck, consider this a permission slip: start before you feel ready, choose better inputs, and let practice carry you. 

Subscribe to this show to be notified of new episodes as they are released. Please share this episode with someone who needs a nudge to begin.

What’s one input you’ll change today?

Host Ben Povlow recently released a new book titled, You Must Be Present to Win: A Guide to Spiritual Awakening and Personal Growth. It's available in eBook, paperback, and hardcover on Amazon and other online retailers. 

Click HERE to view the book details. 

Support the show

Thank you for tuning in. I hope you can take my shared knowledge and experience and apply it to your life. Please visit my new website for podcast episodes, all of my books, and resources. You can connect with me through the contact page. 

With love,
Ben Povlow
www.BenPovlow.com