The Aware Show

Although it may seem like science is completely separate from faith, they both play a very important role in our understanding. They are not opposed and can exist together as both strive to find the truth. It's just a matter of looking at the topic from different angles, according to our guest today, Dr. Gary Simonds, a retired neurosurgeon who's treated tens of thousands of patients. Today he talks about burnout in the healthcare system, especially during and after Covid. He stresses the importance of keeping a positive attitude and focusing on resilience. Dr. Simonds suggests practicing gratitude and asks us to think of 3 things we are grateful for throughout the day. He explains how our brains actually have a different chemical reaction when looking for the positive. He suggests considering uplifting material or realizing something as simple as a smile. Sometimes we need to force ourselves to look for the positive. As a neurosurgeon, doctors typically look for the worst-case scenario, so they can plan in advance if something goes wrong. He talks about consciously directing thoughts toward possibilities and solutions. Dr. Simonds, as an expert neurosurgeon, also discusses how to deliver difficult news, while managing expectations. He's had to do it so many times, with many patients and families. He explains how it's all about trust -- a delicate walk between honesty and compassion with empathy. An expert on burnout and trauma, Dr. Simonds is the Founding Chief of Neurosurgery at the Carilion Clinic, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (retired) and the author of three non-fiction books. "Death's Pale Flag" is his first novel and his latest book. This is Part 1 of the interview. Info: GaryRSimonds.com.

Are you tired of feeling so much tension and stress? Lisa continues the conversation today with Dr Shannon South, who is now known as the Joy Doctor. Dr. South has developed a way to overcome difficulties. We can handle these extremes, even though there may be suffering and pain. Dr. South has been working with people experiencing trauma for more than 25 years and today she talks about her method. She discusses what trauma is and how we can learn to respond from our Higher Selves. Fear is completely able to heal. Fear does not need to run our nervous and response system. Our whole being can come together as we can retrain our brains. We can map into a state of calmness through peace and love. It's a different energetic template. Our systems can be updated according to Dr. South. Dr. South talks about her book, "The Power of Your Inner Counselor" which discusses how we can heal the cells in our bodies. We can evolve into our Higher Nature by getting out of survival. We must align with and embody our Higher Selves. We can evolve into more peace, love, and trust. Meditation, and taking that pause, can help tremendously. We can choose to become more empowered by listening to our Inner Counselor. We have so much more potential than we realize. We can all get to a state of balance and find inner expansion and freedom. As we shine and evolve, we can make a difference and help more people. This is Part 2 of the interview. Info: theinnercounselor.com

Are you familiar with the power of positive affirmations? Do you believe that your mind plays a role in healing? Today's guest fully believes in the power of the mind and what an incredible honor it is to have on the show mega-bestselling author of "You Can Heal Your Life" Louise Hay. She is also the founder of the world's largest self-help publishing company, Hay House. Today she's talking with Lisa about the movie "You Can Heal Your Life" which contains hours of footage and plenty of positive affirmations that you, too, can use to heal your life. Louise discusses her journey with cancer and how she took a positive approach to turn toward optimal health. She made the decision that she would heal her life. She brought together people who were all able to help including nutritionists, teachers, and others. After six months, the medical community declared her cancer-free. Her diet and affirmations were so important, but most importantly Louise says she learned to forgive. After a very challenging childhood filled with abuse, she knew she was carrying resentment and knew she needed to release it. She looked into the childhoods of her parents and realized they both came from very difficult places and passed along what they learned. This was the key to forgiving them both. She talks about affirmations which heal including, "All is well"; "Only good will come of this"; "Everything is working out for my highest good"; and "I am safe." This is Part 1 of the conversation, and we air this in her honor on what would have been her 99th birthday. Louise Hay made her transition on Aug 31, 2017, at the age of 90. Info: HayHouse.com and LouiseHay.com.

With all the crises on the planet, war, conflict, climate change, and so much more, does it seem like things are becoming tougher, even more extreme? Yet, according to our guest today, Dr Shannon South, who is now known as the Joy Doctor, there's a way to overcome these difficulties. We can handle these extremes, even though there may be suffering and pain. Dr. South has been working with people experiencing trauma for more than 25 years. She discusses the severe anxiety disorder she had when she was younger. Medicine helped her get through it, but she knew there was more to life than medication. She saw a meditation teacher who taught her a way to calm her mind. She chose to wean herself off of her medicine on her own and an energetic peace came over her. She had no more panic attacks ever again. Dr. South learned a specific process of connection, a divinity that we can call upon in times of need. We all can access this connection and divine wisdom. This guidance is designed to help us all. She discusses her Inner Counselor Process and how to have a divine experience, without the extreme circumstance or trauma. The "conflict of opposites" creates something new. We can expand into a new way of being, because of these opposites. A third way is possible through her method. It involves talking with our Higher Selves and getting in touch with areas of pain and trauma. There are many different names for this energy -- this is your higher nature, your angelic self, your creative self. Trauma splits us off from our loving, wiser nature. It makes us susceptible to black-and-white thinking. If we can trust that we can heal, we can move through the trauma and evolve through it. We can understand ourselves more deeply. Dr. South explains how to access our Higher Self easily, by calling in support from those who passed on, those who love us. We can include angels, spiritual guides, teachers, and healers. They can all help and assist. We have the resources to heal. It's embodied in our Higher Nature. Info: theinnercounselor.com

Today's guest, world-renowned primatologist and environmentalist Dr. Jane Goodall discusses our relationship with the animal kingdom. We are all connected. We are harming the planet, and therefore if affects the animals. Dr. Goodall discusses her extensive study of primatology and specifically her work with chimpanzees. In her vast travels, she talks about how there were more than 1 million chimpanzees, and now we have less than 200,000, some of which have little chance of survival as they are spread far apart. She is also the founder of "Roots and Shoots," a non-profit organization which encourages children in more than 70 countries to study wildlife. Roots and Shoots focuses on teaching young people the importance of taking care of our planet. She invited students from countries who were at war to speak at the UN in honor of International Peace Day. Dr. Goodall is a UN Messenger of Peace. In July 1960, at the age of 26, Dr. Goodall traveled from England to what is today Tanzania and bravely entered the little-known world of wild chimpanzees. Her unyielding patience and characteristic optimism won the trust of these initially shy creatures. She managed to open a window into their sometimes strange and often familiar-seeming lives. Dr. Goodall later earned a PhD in ethology, the study of animal behavior, from the University of Cambridge, with her thesis detailing the first five years of study at the Gombe reserve. In 1977, she founded the Jane Goodall Institute with Genevieve di San Faustino. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in 25 cities around the world, the organization aims to improve the treatment and understanding of primates through public education and legal representation. Today, her work revolves around inspiring action on behalf of endangered species, particularly chimpanzees, and encouraging people to do their part to make the world a better place for people, animals, and the environment we all share. Info: www.janegoodall.org and www.rootsandshoots.org This interview was originally broadcast in late Sept 2006 and talks about a worldwide event happening to raise awareness of peace and the environment. We air this today in honor of Dr. Jane Goodall, who passed away Oct 1.

Today's interview is Part 2 of a discussion of an impossibly difficult topic – losing a child to suicide. September marks National Suicide Prevention Month, and Lisa continues the conversation today with Betsy Thibaut Stephenson who discusses the many layers of moving forward after losing a child. She shares how her 21-year-old son Charlie called her just 11 weeks before he took his own life. There were no warning signs prior to that. Betsy shares her story and feedback she is receiving about her honesty. She talks about her son's death to make it easier for others to talk about this subject, including the immense grief and painful guilt. She has received messages from younger people who want to heal, even in the midst of difficulties and struggle. She is asking people to treat depression as an illness. It is powerful and has many different parts. She does not get mad at her son but gets very angry at the illness for the affect it has on so many. Betsy reminds us that it's fine to not be happy all the time. If you are not feeling good, she asks us to talk to someone, whether it's a parent, friend, teacher, coach, or a professional. Reach out and know that help is available. Trust helps with healing and recovery. She openly talks about going to therapy and how depression is so powerful. It can override our basic, innate power to survive. You cannot reason with a mental illness. She asks us to take it very seriously. Betsy is a veteran crisis communications expert based in Washington, DC. Rather than being consumed by grief, Betsy chose to meet it head-on, emerging with a mission to spark more honest conversations around mental health, grief, and loss. Her new memoir, "Blackbird: A Mother's Reflections on Grief, Loss, and Life After Suicide" is a brutally honest and beautifully written account of how she continues living—and loving—after the worst kind of loss. It's a story meant to help others feel less alone. Info: www.blackbirdbetsy.com This is Part 2 of the interview. If you or a loved one is experiencing thoughts of suicide, self-harm, or crisis, pls CALL OR TEXT 988. You will be able to talk confidentially, for free, with a trained crisis counselor, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We've all heard the expression, "Ignorance is bliss," but what if the truth was just the opposite? Professor Robert Thurman, the preeminent scholar and interpreter of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy for the modern world, believes that "Wisdom is Bliss" and in fact, that's the name of his latest book. Professor Thurman is a very close friend of HH Dalai Lama and today he discusses deep ideas about mindfulness and presence and leads us on a joyful exploration into the nature of reality through Buddha's threefold curriculum of "super-education." He invites us to shift our attention of suffering to know we are part of the bigger flow of life. He asks us to manage our mind and thoughts through meditation, awareness, and compassion. He believes by cultivating intuition, and coming from a perspective of neutrality, we can all attain a more peaceful state.

Thurman is Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University as well as Co-Founder and President of Tibet House US in service of HH Dalai Lama and the people of Tibet. He is a leading worldwide lecturer on Tibetan Buddhism, passionate activist for the plight of the Tibetan people, and skilled translator of Buddhist texts. Info: tibethouse.us.

Today's interview is a discussion of an impossibly difficult topic – losing a child to suicide. September marks National Suicide Prevention Month, and our guest is Betsy Thibaut Stephenson who discusses the many layers of moving forward after you lose a child. She shares how her 21-year-old son Charlie called her just 11 weeks before he took his own life. There were no warning signs prior to that. She recognized he was in distress during that phone call. Betsy immediately got on a plane and flew to Texas where he was living as a college student, ready to start his senior year. She stayed with him for a week. He admitted that he found a therapist and told no one else. He was trying to handle things alone. After Betsy left, Charlie came home several times. He was in college, working, exercising, hanging out with friends, and always with people. He promised that he was doing fine. Then, late one night, he took his life. She had seen him just 3 weeks prior. His demeanor was good. He visited with friends and former teachers during that trip home. There were no additional warning signs. Since Charlie's death, Betsy realized that she had underestimated how anxiety-filled his life may have been. She learned that when you are a teenager and into your early 20s, your brain is still not fully formed. Your brain cannot yet see all of the consequences of your actions. Betsy talked about suffering with depression off and on for many years. She openly talks about going to therapy and how depression is so powerful. It can override our basic, innate power to survive. She asks us to take it very seriously. Betsy is a veteran crisis communications expert based in Washington, DC. Rather than being consumed by grief, Betsy chose to meet it head-on, emerging with a mission to spark more honest conversations around mental health, grief, and loss. Her new memoir, "Blackbird: A Mother's Reflections on Grief, Loss, and Life After Suicide" is a brutally honest and beautifully written account of how she continues living—and loving—after the worst kind of loss. It's a story meant to help others feel less alone. Info: www.blackbirdbetsy.com This is Part 1 of the interview. If you or a loved one is experiencing thoughts of suicide, self-harm, or crisis, pls CALL OR TEXT 988. You will be able to talk confidentially, for free, with a trained crisis counselor, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

How can we find peace and happiness during these times of such conflict? Do you often ask yourself questions like "Who am I?" or "Why am I here?" Today's guest is spiritual teacher and author Gangaji who discusses her book "The Diamond in Your Pocket – Discover Your True Radiance." Gangaji talks about how we are naturally conditioned to look outside of ourselves for food and shelter, so we continue to look there for answers. Eventually we discover that we cannot find peace and fulfillment outside and we need to turn inward. We seek and acquire knowledge, but some things can only be found inside. We can stop looking outside for the next book, the next teacher, the next escape. It's so simple, yet revolutionary. Inside there's potential for great creativity. She explains that it's no longer "seeking" but "discovering." It's impossible to find lasting happiness outside. All pleasure fades, but lasting fulfillment can be found inside. Growing up in Mississippi, with the given birthname Toni Roberson, she felt something was missing in her life. She shares the story of finding her spiritual teacher Papaji. She is a very Western woman and never thought she would seek out a guru. She reached a point in her life where she realized she needed a teacher. She prayed and intended for one, then found herself in India six months later. Papaji was very welcoming. She recognized that this was the answer to her prayer. She found grace and radiance in his teachings. He suggested that she stop seeking and look inside for the truth. She was fearful to stop, as she thought she may lose what she had gained. She didn't know what the outcome would be. He taught her to stop following the mind. If a thought arises, let it go. For a moment, turn your attention away from what you want. As she eventually did, she was overwhelmed with love and peace. She found peace and fulfillment exists already. She experienced stillness and it was scary at first. She learned to "see what is" and we discover "what's already here." It's our beingness. It's consciousness. Gangaji teaches the willingness to learn that we are all connected. Destructive global events are tragic yet offer a way for us to discover the limitlessness of our own hearts. She also discusses the work she does within the prison environment, teaching people to learn to experience peace. We can all support one another. If we are willing to care, we can learn greater levels of love. Info: Gangaji.org.