the Alt-Normal

On episode 10, we fearlessly bridge the worlds of spirituality and activism with the one and only, Nadine McNeil of Universal Empress. Her mission as a yoga teacher, speaker, wisdom mentor and humanitarian is to ignite infinite possibility in people around the world and share yoga with diverse underserved communities. She is the founder of the BadAsana Series ©: Yoga with Weights and long-time teacher at the Yoga Barn, the largest yoga and wellness facility in South East Asia. Prior to her deep dive into yoga in 2008, Nadine travelled the world in service of the UN, UNICEF, Global Volunteer Network and Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for nearly two decades. These and other experiences rooted Nadine’s continued devotion to activism. Additionally, her globally expanding Women’s Circles are rooted in her mantra: when one of us suffers we all suffer. Yet when one of us heals, we all heal.

This conversation was igniting on all levels, bridging the medicine of activism and spirituality into one potent conversation. Contrary to the perception that Yoga is all love, light and OM, Nadine shines a light on what’s typically overlooked — that for real change (and real movements) to happen, we must access our anger and injustice, the “most potent emotional frequencies in Dharma.” By reaching for the lessons within our fire and rage, we can then ignite transformation in the direction of justice, move beyond the “danger of the single story,” and collectively challenge the “impoverished imaginations” of our times.

With the Old World crumbling, humanity needs a new story that includes all voices and identities -- leaning gracefully into the complexity of who we are, not simply what’s perceived as “normal” or comfortable to face this existential crisis. Inspired by the work of Reverend Kyodo Williams, the author of “Radical Dharma,” we cover wide ranging topics that centers spirituality as a force for activism, helping us show up in the world in our true Dharma and extraordinary differences.

We travel landscapes far and wide, including:

• As a woman who is “Jamaican by birth, Universal by outlook,” how Nadine claims her identity as one that was significantly shaped by a lifetime after leaving Jamaica at age 16.

• What is actually dangerous about “the single story” and how she brings this concept alive in her own engagement with diversity.

• After spending 22 years with the UN in emergency response and humanitarian stints, what broke the camel's back and inspired her on the path of Yoga.

• What role can (and should) Yoga play in current COVID times of systems collapse, racial injustice explosion, and the collective sentiment of rage and violence worldwide.

• Unpacking the “Democratization of Yoga,” what she describes as the removal of the illusion of elitism attached to the practice in modern times.

• In response to Kyodo Williams’ TEDx talk where she famously declares, “I don’t want your love, I want your justice for the people of different ethnicities, cultures and countries,” what Nadine feels is the role of love in a time of violence (and whether Yoga requires that we love everyone).

• How we can compassionately and gracefully transform violence into something of value for ourselves and community.

• How to navigate the scarcity mindset as a person on the spiritual path who shows up in contribution, yet not always manifesting their highest financial abundance.

• How Nadine transformed dwindling interest in online Yoga (on both sides) during COVID-times into abundance and “keen intuitive and observation skills to discern how [she] could best serve others.”

• How culture needs to shift right now to break through our impoverished imaginations and hold more space for difference and diversity.

Follow Nadine at https://www.universalempress.com

Produced by Resonance™ https://www.digseedgrow.com

On episode 9, we had the delightful pleasure to be in convo with Melanie Midegs, a Psychosomatic Therapist and Teacher of Chakra Philosophy for Business and the Modern World. Armed with the psychosomatic tool of Face Reading, she teaches people how to harmonize their inner Masculine and Feminine energies and step more boldly into their zone of genius. For the last 6 years, she’s lived in Bali while running workshops around the world from places such as Gandhi’s house in Johannesburg South Africa, Lululemon in Singapore and most recently in Fiji with Elizabeth Gilbert at a women’s empowerment retreat.

The words “chakra” and “business” are not typically strung together, so we were jazzed that Melanie found a way to bridge and bring the worlds of spirituality and Western business mindsets to companies, multi-million dollar entrepreneurs and everyone else in between. How she married Eastern and Western so organically is a topic we explore and find ourselves wonderfully curious about.

In this uplifting and visionary conversation, you can expect to journey through past, present and future of all things chakra, masculine and feminine, including:

• From working with the Australian government on a change management project to leaving bureaucracy and corporate altogether, what were Melanie’s biggest frustrations about the modern state of business

• How psychosomatic therapy meets chakra philosophy for the modern business world (and why unlike Joe Dispenza, she claims the Sanskrit word ‘chakra’ versus ‘energy’ despite the triggers it can provoke for the less spiritually inclined humans).

• Her run down of the ancient chakra system dating thousands of years back to Yoga and Tantric tradition, and how she sees the seven major energy centers corresponding to the seven major areas of any modern day business.

• Having travelled down to South Africa to teach successful business people about the methodology in Gandhi’s very own house, the impact she had on newbies to the world of chakras.

• The experience of bringing chakra philosophy training to Lululemon, and how they emerged from this unique methodology (ie: a nose has so much to do with personal identity, leadership style and how to bring product into the world)

• The magic of the Face Split Analysis, a psychosomatic tool that cuts through to what your zone of genius is, and what may be holding you back from living out your dreams and purpose -- what she’s learned after reading 600 faces!

• What this tool reveals about the masculine and feminine energies, and how to bring them into balance

• Her personal practices for balancing the masculine and feminine energies within herself (and why you’ll never listen to a love song the same ever again, in the best of ways!)

• Why global organizations need to be dismantled in order for culture to collectively shift into greater balance, reclaim the much needed feminine, and center on the long overdue formula for today: humanity + sustainability = economy

Follow Melanie at https://www.seedtosoul.com.au/

Produced by Resonance™

On episode 8, we get deep with Melvin Hart, a Neuromuscular Therapist, Shamanic Medicine Practitioner, Intuitive Coach, Healer and Spiritual Nomad who has worked with hundreds of people from around the world and participated in 100+ plant medicine ceremonies, helping his clients integrate their experiences into everyday life through his platform, the Evolutionists.

As an Indian-Black man raised Hindu in New York, he has never checked any conventional boxes. In fact, at age 18, he found himself unjustly locked behind bars for the next 8 years (“his grandfather was a senator; his family grew up in law enforcement. So I kind of got the wrong end of the deal.” - NYPost). According to the ACLU, 1 out of 3 Black boys born today can expect to go to prison in his lifetime, as compared to 1 out of every 6 Latino boys and 1 out of 17 white boys. While his formative years were influenced by an institutionally racist criminal justice system and years of “seeing the worst side of humanity,” he prevailed against all the odds to come out not simply alive, but incredibly resilient, in service, and powerful beyond measure.

In this poignant conversation, we travel all the lifetimes Mel lived and wisdom collected along the way, covering a wide ranging conversation that includes:

• What it was like to be indicted unjustly at the ripe age of 18 and actually experiencing “the worst side of humanity”

• His transition from prison to the real world, and how he picked himself up by his bootstraps despite the staggering reality that former inmates face each year (650,000 men and women nationwide in the US return from prison to their communities, and face nearly 50,000 federal, state, and local legal restrictions that make it difficult to reintegrate back into society)

• While he evolved a successful career merely 5 years following prison, Mel gave it all up to heed his greater calling for ayahuasca in the jungles of Peru — what he saw and how it changed the game forever

• How plant medicine is not the silver bullet, but rather the amplifier of who you already are and who you want to be

• The kind of world he envisions as a Shamanic Practitioner and his reaction to George Floyd’s wrongful murder and the traumas confronting humanity today -- “you can ignore reality, but you can’t ignore the consequences of you ignoring reality”

• Mel’s personal spiritual practice that combines his diverse background, accountability structures, and multidisciplinary approach to healing

On episode 7, we go deep with Bobbi Aqua, an elder with 45 years of experience in Chinese and Functional Medicine. While originally from the Hamptons of New York, she has been based in Bali the last 17 years and is best known for setting up a holistic and acupuncture clinic in Bumi Sehat, which provides free health services in response to the growing economic disparity of the underserved local communities in Bali. Arguably one of the original pioneers of foreigners who came to Bali, she arrived right before the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004 hit. This natural disaster was believed to be the deadliest tsunami in history, killing more than 230,000 people across 14 countries including Bali.

In a time when elder wisdom is fading fast from culture (thanks to technology and globalization), we had the pleasure of tuning into nearly eight decades of knowledge, experience and wisdom. As a true pioneer in the field of healing, Bobbi shines a light on the importance of cultivating spirituality for long-lasting health, which is more relevant now than ever before with the second wave of COVID on the horizon. At 78, she is still sharp as a tack and we’re honored to be with her. On this episode, we cover:

• What it was like growing up as a trust fund baby and hippie during the Vietnam War

• Her pursuit of ambition in an era when a women were expected to achieve an “M.R.S. degree”

• Studying Chinese Medicine at the height of the AIDS crisis in 1989, when this 3000-year old practice had finally taken hold as a licensed form of medicine in the late 70s/early 80s

• The core differences between Chinese Medicine and Functional Medicine, and why she identifies as a “spiritual midwife” above all else

• Demystifying the “virome” and reframe our relationship to it much like what Zach Bush M.D. says, “If we shift direction quickly, we can become co-creative partners with this nature to prevent our own extinction and to bring forth the richest biodiversity and vitality that this planet has ever seen.”

• What preventative health can look like from a blended Chinese Medicine and Functional Medicine background

• The connection between our higher consciousness and immune system through the lens of psychoneuroimmunology (the science of how consciousness shapes the brain’s control of the immune system) and why this connection is so challenging for Western doctors and patients to accept

• Bobbi’s vision for a future healthcare as we navigate through a global health collapse and planetary crisis of our air, water and soil systems

On episode 6, we sit down with the legendary Swaady Martin, one of Africa’s most recognized young leaders, influencers and tastemakers. She’s a multi-awarded serial entrepreneur most notably of YSWARA (a socially-conscious gourmet tea company contributing to the reversal of the African commodity trap) and a changemaker-activist who has founded Tounche Global Consciousness Summit (events that have brought consciousness transformation to 2000 diverse individuals worldwide), a Racial Reconciliation Circle in honor of James Patterson (her father and former Black Panther Party Leader of Brooklyn), and THE LOVINGKINDNESS BOMA (a collection of children’s books to cultivate greater love, kindness and compassion within the family). Formerly a GE executive of 10 years, she pursued her own hero’s journey that has evolved over continents and projects at the intersection of inner growth activism, conscious entrepreneurialism, and her great love for Africa. Among her many honorable accolades, she’s been named on Oprah Winfrey’s “O Power List” for Africa in 2014.

In this dynamic conversation, we cover her life’s journey in these core explorations:

• What it was like to grow up as the daughter of a Black Panther Party Leader in Brooklyn, and how early life exposure to activism influenced her worldview later on as an “inner world activist”

• Her love for her corporate days as a former GE executive, stemming from her lifelong dream of becoming a businesswoman as early as 6 years old

• Making the transition from corporate to conscious (and serial) entpreprenur of YSWARA and how this business brought her love of African culture, values and ancestral wisdom to the forefront of business storytelling

• The impact YSWARA had on the local African communities and plantations she’s worked with, which is more relevant than ever today in what Harvard deems as “the age of corporate social justice”

• How diversity is missing from the healing + consciousness communities worldwide, and why Tounche Global Consciousness Summit emerged to meet that gap with new voices, perspectives and cultures

• The critical work of running a weekly James Patterson Racial Reconciliation Circle (named in honor of her father’s role as Black Panther Party Leader) in light of George Floyd’s murder and the explosion of racial injustice worldwide

• The inspirations and intentions behind writing a collection of children’s books that places diverse girls at the forefront of storytelling

• Her love letter to Bali and how this oasis of beauty and biodiversity has supported her during these COVID crisis times

We’re graced by Zeina Yazbek, a dreamer and achiever of Lebanese descent. After a decade in TV production (including MTV), talent management and business consultancy, she dreamed herself into a new life as an internationally published author, Shamanic Breathwork facilitator, Shamanic Astrology counselor, meditation teacher and founder of Dream a New World, a soon-to-be launched platform on dreams and imagination (and essentially her own life).

Having grown up in Lebanon during Civil War, Zeina’s worldview, perspective and tools for surrender help us make sense of the deeper tragedy behind the recent explosion in Beirut and overall “nuclear weapon of fear” that stems from trauma, crisis and systems collapse. Currently in Lebanon, unemployment among people under 35 runs at 37%, while two Prime Ministers have stepped down in just one year. Her work as a transformational guide led her to start a support group for Lebanese expats, to bring solidarity to children of war who still have family in Lebanon. “Trauma is the same from the outside, but the story of personal tragedy is very different.” Her work as a dreamer and achiever brings fresh and relevant insights into the unique circumstances of 2020.

Other topics we cover in this episode include:

• Her experience of growing up in Lebanon during the Civil War of 1975-1990

• Making a transition from the TV production, talent management and business consultancy world into “creatorship.”

• How to understand “dreaming” in the sleeping and waking worlds as a way to “Dream a New World” into being

• Pulling the curtain back on Breathwork to inspire everyone (including your grandma!) on tapping into this magical and much needed mind-body practice

• The importance of surrender in navigating these uncertain times & how Bali has been her personal “motherland”

On episode 4, we are honored to welcome Ibu Sari, the founder of PKP Community Center — an NGO dedicated to empowering Balinese villages, providing a safe space and thriving home to champion emotional and financial support for vulnerable women and their families. Driven by a mission to build women by building the entire community, PKP runs diverse programming and social enterprises to lift up marginalized Balinese members of society.

A staggering statistic indicates that 80% of divorced women in PKP Community Center left marriages that inflicted financial struggle, mental and physical abuse. 20% of the divorced women suffered other causes.

In this conversation, we explore Ibu Sari’s experience of being separated from her daughter for 12 years following an incredibly traumatic divorce. This is the story for most (if not all) women in Bali. It is very difficult for women to be accepted back into their communities and rebuild a life afterwards, which was the driving catalyst for her life’s work.

Other topics we explore in this deeply moving talk:

• How her traumatic experience inspired her to start PKP Community Center

• Why most Balinese are not equipped with the tools to enter a healthy, happy and sustainable marriage

• How to reconcile the traditional Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Karana (harmony with self, community & planet) with the painful inequality resulting from divorce culture

• Her philosophy of “head” versus “neck” in looking at the role women play in relationship to men

• The significance of “LAF” (Look, Ask & Feel) and how this tool empowers women to grow into their highest potential and leadership in the community

• The program(s) within PKP that support the greatest breakthroughs for those seeking a better life and future forward

• How she believes Balinese culture will need to shift to support divorced women who have taken the courageous step of claiming their independence and happiness

• The sage wisdom she would give to her 20-year old self now

• What she is most grateful to Bali for during these COVID times

On episode 3, we’re joined by the fabulous Bandana Tewari, a lifestyle journalist, sustainability activist & TEDx speaker originally from India and now based in Bali. So real talk — how did a former editor at large of Vogue India end up on the island of Gods?

We cover this and much more in this vastly rich conversation about her transition from a world of luxury and fashion shows to an advocate for sustainability, mindful consumption and slow fashion. In a world where $460B in value is thrown away from clothes only worn between 7-10 years, the fashion industry and its consumers all can (and must) do better.

In this conversation, we explore:
• 5000 fashion shows and 13 years later, what she saw as the biggest challenge facing fashion worldwide

• Pearls of wisdom gleaned from her TEDx talk in 2019, “What Gandhi Can Teach Us About Slow Fashion,” and how these principles apply during 2020 COVID times

• Her personal philosophy and practical advice when it comes to shopping as a slow consumer in the age of COVID-19

• How to transition from a fast fashion mindset to one that is slower, less wasteful, and ultimately more mindful

• What it means to be a sustainability activist in 2020

• The role VR technology can play in fashion to inject much needed empathy in the supply chain and transform the uglier aspects of the industry

• The ways in which culture needs to shift to support a sustainable mindset in fashion and beyond, embracing authentic representation as a critical stepping stone

• How Bali has helped her do the important work of building activism within herself, the community and planet at large

Azizi Birkeland is a conscious (and serial) entrepreneur on a mission to redefine “home” in all that she does, from the inner self to the outer realms of homeschooling and building intentional community as a life-learning family. She’s the founder of Tiny Green Chef and Stone Soup Family Pop Up.

In this moment when schools have closed in 100+ countries and 1 billion students are now learning at home, the concept of “home” comes into existential question. This episode covers a wide-ranging feast of topics that include:

• Practicing sovereignty as a commitment to self-accountability vs. reaching a “happily ever after” destination

• How to claim your sovereignty as a parent through the tools of developing home in all its facets — homeschooling, home making through intentional community, and the inner development of “home”

• Why home education starts with parents doing the work of re-educating themselves first

• The difference between outsourcing your power vs. claiming sovereignty in the realm of education, nourishment, healthy debate and conscious dialogue

• The inspirations and opportunities behind Tiny Green Chef, a plant based nutritional cooking program for kids to become discerning eaters and better fuel their body, mind and spirit as future stewards of a New Earth

• The challenges and possibilities facing life-learning families who move and design new lives abroad (and how this catalyzed Stone Soup Family Pop Up, a worldschoolers social network)

• Exploration of “Old World Paradigm” vs. “New World Paradigm” in the cultivation of the sovereign or true self

• The importance of centering into the question “If the old life was so great, what was urging yourself to leave in the first place?”

• The secret to prioritizing yourself and why Bali is the greatest teacher of devotion and ritual

Originally from Java, and a resident of Bali for 10+ years, Ida Rahayu is a teacher at the internationally acclaimed Green School Bali and founder of an incredible program called Seed to Table, teaching both expat and Balinese kids critical life skills to live more harmoniously with themselves and the planet.

In this debut episode, we cover wide-ranging topics:

What makes Green School unique from other forms of schooling, as a student-driven learning center

How our source of waste and disease stems from disconnection to the foods we eat and overall lack in food education

The importance of considering the impact of our food choices on our health and planet

How the Green School served as a critical stepping stone to launching Seed to Table

How Seed to Table supports students in cultivating compassion for our Earth’s stewards and gardeners, through its four pillars: waste management, gardening, cooking and composting

Small simple to go beyond recycling for managing our world’s waste (especially in Bali where recycling doesn’t even exist)

The necessity of bringing food education into everyday schooling for kids, especially during this crisis