Candice Alexander was voted South West Louisiana's best artist and has a 5,000 SF studio in downtown Lake Charles, Louisiana.   She is known for her Fleur de Lis, mixed media arts, and metal castings and has made custom pieces for Keith Urban and the 2020 Mardis Gras celebration in Washington D.C. to name a few.   You can find her work here: www.candicealexander.com or subscribe to her text notifications list by texting Candice in the subject to 313131.    After getting hit with 3 back to back hurricanes (Laura, Delta, and Zeta) she has been putting life back together and doing what she does best which is create art.  She created a piece called "HOPE" in the midst of the clean up, then "FAITH" in a fishing shack destroyed by Hurricane Zeta.   Join us for a really inspiring story about listening to your intuition, doing the right thing, and getting up when life knocks you down.

Master Kambiz Naficy was born in Iran.  His father was a diplomat and moved the family to Washington D.C. when he was 8.  He learned English and was introduced to western culture.  After a successful academic career obtaining 3 masters degrees: a Harvard sponsored MBA, a Masters from Columbia in International Studies and a Masters in Fine Art (Poetry) he went on to a successful career as an International Banker on Wall Street.   

From an early age, he had been interested in philosophy and poetry, but his social circles had different values.  He was born into an aristocratic family.   He decided to leave his career on Wall Street and seek the song of his heart.  He went deep into the study meditation.  For 15 years he studied in India under all the Grand Masters of Meditation and Yoga.   He was initiated into the 1800 year old science of Kriya Yoga by Swami Hariharananda who comes from the ineage of Babaji and Pramahansa Yogananda (Autobiography of a Yogi).  

He studied the ancient spiritual texts called the Vendantas and found parallels between modern day quantum physics and ancient knowledge.  He has since devoted his life to helping people heal, cleanse and purify the human psyche and soul through perfect integration of ancient yoga, modern psychology and the theories of quantum physics.   Join us for an uplifting conversation!  

Liliana Hernandez was a single mom who raised two sons while attending college and then pursuing a masters degree.  She has risen from a life of struggle on public assistance to purchasing her second dream home and created a thriving personal coaching practice while being the Director of a Mental Health non profit.   She also facilitates group sessions.   One thing she has mastered is doing the personal "work" and during our conversation shares so many nuggets of wisdom.  

She also embarked on a huge weight loss journey a couple years ago (listen to our conversation in season one to learn more).   We met during our Life Coaching certification program in San Diego and have been great friends every since.  Our interview will be well worth your time.  I hope you join us for the conversation!

My yoga teacher Meluska Bonnette (Melissa) has been on an incredible journey of transformation.  She found out she was pregnant the day she decided she was going to end her relationship.    She had a very high risk pregnancy, forcing her to let go of her yoga practice and weight training.  All her stress outlets went out the window.  She decided to stay with the father because of the baby.

After a short 20 weeks her son was born and she held him for an hour before his precious life slipped away.  The person she has become working through the grief is so inspiring.  One day at a time she has found her way out of the darkness and into the light and is an incredible example for anyone who is struggling with grief and loss, or just having a hard time in life in general.  I hope you enjoy this interview which is full of wise words from my beautiful friend Melissa Bonnette.  Her tools for dealing with grief are shared here as well as other words of wisdom.

This interview was from 2018 with Rhianna Mays.  Although it was a couple years ago, the message seemed so relevant to our current times.  Working a corporate job, Rhianna kept hearing the words Run, Jump, Trust.  It was an inner knowing that she needed to leave her corporate job.  As a single mom of 2 young twins (4 yrs. old at the time), she kept ignoring the call.  She was literally white knuckling it every day in her job to stay glued to her chair at her desk and not bolt out of there.  The message became more persistent, until she couldn't ignore it any more.  She asked for a sign and got one in a powerful way.   She is an inutuitive, healer and so much more.  You can learn more about her work here:  https://rhiannamays.com/

As we wind down 2020, which was such an unexpected year for us all, I felt this message was still so timely.   We are all being asked to run, jump and trust in our lives and I hope listening to this interview will inspire you to do so!!!  Please feel free to share this podcast with anyone you think might benefit from the message.

Mychal Mitchell is an incredible artist.  She makes gorgeous handcrafted leather journals, photo books and more in her workshop in Austin, Texas.  She was slated to attend a graduate program in Architectural Design but her trip to Europe changed her destiny.    What I love about my conversations with my guests is all the unbelievable stories that come through.  In Mychal's case she had an intense level of Hazing as a fishing hand on a Fishing Boat in Dutch Harbor.  It was a true test of character and grit to endure the daily abuse and ride out her time on the boat.  

Sometimes luck and circumstance change the entire trajectory of your life and it's not until you look back do you marvel at the magic of it all.  Sit back and relax as we share Mychal's journey and if you haven't yet, check out her website at www.IonaHandCraftedBooks.com  her books are soft as butter and the architectural details on the front are amazing.  The craftsmanship is unbelievable!

To watch the video version of the podcast check out my youtube channel here:   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCDX-BxYVubb2iHaxYUU9aQ

Dr. Lulu Shimek is located in Asheville, North Carolina.   She has had an interesting life as a baker, a yoga instructor,  great organic and holistic cook, as well as massage therapist and now Naturopathic Physician.  Her resume is long and impressive and her interest in Herbal Medicine has led her to create all kinds of organic remedies and tinctures.   She is the director of the Medicinal Gardens at Veterans Healing Farm and has her own private practice.  They offer weekend retreats for veterans at their farm to help them heal.  At these retreats they learn about herbs and the power of natural medicine and mindfulness.  They even create their own medicinal tinctures while there.  Learn more here:  www.veteranshealingfarm.org  

Dr. Lulu has partnered with my last guest Adora Winquist to formulate energy infused essential oil products.  Their latest line is appropriately named Viral Warrior.  They are co-writing a book due out this coming Spring 2021.   You can learn more about Dr. Lulu and her work here: www.doclulu.com

Learn more about my work and sign up for my monthly newsletter here: www.alinealifecoaching.com

Adora Winquist from a young age has been creating scents and herbal remedies.  She is the Owner of Zenergy Medicinals which you find online: 

www.zenergymedicinals.com or here:  www.AdoraWinquist.com 

Adora blends quantum energy with her herbal and essential oils line.  She has partnered with Dr. Lulu Shimek (look for her upcoming interview on the podcast) to create a new line of healing remedies.  They both partner in supporting a full medicinal garden and providing retreat weekends for veterans with PTSD allowing them to come and create their own medicinal remedies from the garden and heal.    In our interview we talk about her upcoming book she is co authoring with Dr. Lulu Shimek and the other exciting thins she is creating in her groundbreaking work.   

Create this awesome herbal tea for upper respiratory colds:  Gather Hysop, Thyme, Licorice Root, Eucalyptus, Ginger Root and seep into a tea

I love how the story unfolds and the divine spark within us finds its fullest expression when we align with our truths and ourselves authentically and powerfully.   What I loved most about our conversation is talking about quantum 5D energy and the healing that comes with tapping into our inner being and drawing inspiration down from these higher dimensional energies.   

To learn more about my work visit: www.alinealifecoaching.com and sign up for my monthly newsletter for a little bit of sunshine and inspiration!  If you enjoy the podcast I'd love to hear from you!  Know someone with an inspirational story?  You can email me at [email protected]

Wayne Zespy felt like a zebra in a pack of horses.  His step dad was very abusive and from a young age he felt like he was never good enough.   He was never good enough, while he younger brother Russ could do no wrong.   The message from his mother was "you just need to learn how to behave."  His religion reinforced the message that he was a bad person responsible for all the suffering in the family.    Drugs made him feel "right" again, like he belonged.  They made him feel normal.  They saved his life until they stopped working for him.   Wayne left home at the age of 17 to join the Army.  He dropped LSD during basic training and took amphetamines during boot camp.  The upside, he was second in his battalion!   Once he took so much LSD (enough for 16 people to get very high) he saw the beginning of creation, Armageddon, and the devil and his demons fighting God and the angels for his soul.    He was strapped to a gurney and met with a straight jacket at the hospital.  From the age of 15-30 his drug of choice was "more".   If a little was good, more was better.   

The worst drug he used that caused the most heartache was alcohol.   He overdosed 9 times.   He was in a coma for 10 days from an attempt at suicide.   Wayne was extremely violent and got into many fights.  He was homeless.     After a stint in jail he was sent to a 2x4 program.   Two weeks in treatment and 4 weeks of outpatient.   He has been clean ever since.  He went to so many AA meetings and if not at AA he was with a sponsor having coffee working the 12 steps.  6 months into his sobriety he lost his brother and then 2 months later his mother.  He was completely alone.  

At his lowest he looked in the mirror, tears streaming down his face and saw his best friend looking back at him.  He told him he loved him and would never desert him.  He woke up the next morning and said what would I do for my best friend?  From that moment on, he poured love into himself and began to heal.    Today he has a thriving business as a life coach, hiking guide, and also counsels people helping them to find their spiritual path and return to their natural state.  He teaches meditation and facilitates ceremonies, retreats, and workshops on recovery and spirituality.   You can reach him by email: [email protected] or phone 520-825-6613.

Liliana Hernandez was a young single mom of 2 by the age of 20.  While on welfare, food stamps and government assistance, she put herself through college, completing her masters degree and becoming a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.   She struggled financially with two young sons but through hard work and determination raised them on a single income and worked her way up, becoming the Associate Clinical Director of a non profit agency, Adjunct Professor at a local University providing courses in community mental health, and does group supervision for The Latino Family Therapy group where she is an alumni.  She also purchased her dream home during this time.  She also battled with weight loss and faced the challenge head on losing 105 lbs!  In our conversation she shares many nuggets of wisdom, but the key is to really love ourselves.  

Liliana became a Certified Life Coach in 2017 (where I met her) and feels her life mission is to eradicate abuse in her lifetime.  She wants all children to live in a nurturing, loving, kind and caring safe environment.   Imagine helping mother's heal their pain before bringing children into the world.  Imagine, a family living free of worry that someone might hurt or kill themselves.  Imagine stopping the cycle of multi-generation abuse.  Just imagine the power of an educated female.... the ripple effect on generations!   She is changing lives every day by living her passion and purpose!