Universally Seeking

Guest Melissa Monte shares some of her difficult life experiences with us today – but more importantly, the lessons she’s gained in facing her past and continuing to commit to being “awake”, doing the deep personal work that requires.

We dive into complex topics with humor and clarity – identifying ways in which we tend to numb out our own pain, practices in trusting and allowing, and how we can find immense empowerment through taking responsibility for our actions and our lives.

Fate as we know it sometimes lies beyond our means of understanding, and surfaces at just the right moment in our lives.

 

Soon after I had the vision to create this podcast, I came in contact with Greg Davis, in a series of serendipitous events. His story was so compelling and deeply touching, I knew I needed to interview him. This conversation was my first-ever interview. Last November, I spoke candidly with Greg about loss, love, faith, and purpose. We talk about struggle, surrender and the dance with each of those lessons along his path, and how he followed the “god winks” that eventually led him to achieve his dream of becoming a National Geographic Photographer and Filmmaker. This conversation is one of my favorites to date because it’s just that - a conversation. Greg is incredibly forthcoming and relatable and we dive into some deep waters; laughs, tears and wisdom that will inevitably leave you feeling connected to all that is.

 

Greg’s most recent project took him to India where he attended the world’s largest spiritual pilgrimage, India’s Kumbh Mela. For millennia, every twelfth year, millions of devoted pilgrims have gathered at the confluence of the three holiest rivers. It was from this journey, that this twenty-four piece photographic exhibition and two short films were born – most recently, one called The Man from Mathura.

 

Greg’s fate currently lies in the blue and green hands of a Black Hmong Villager from the northern highlands of Vietnam.

 

http://www.gregdavisphotography.com (http://www.gregdavisphotography.com)

http://themanfrommathura.com (http://themanfrommathura.com)

https://wellawareworld.org (https://wellawareworld.org)

Featuring Brodie Welch, a Licensed Acupuncturist, board-certified herbalist, Chinese Medicine expert, holistic health coach, and self-care strategist. She’s the founder of Life in Balance Acupuncture in Corvallis, Oregon, where she has been treating patients since 2003.

She has helped thousands of clients improve their digestion, sleep, and mood; dial in a regular

bodymind practice, and step into the next version of themselves.

She’s also the creator and host of A Healthy Curiosity: the podcast, which explores what it takes to be well in a busy world.

 

In this episode, Brodie and I discuss practical applications of Chinese Medicine to find optimal balance, function & vitality in our daily lives, including:

- Self-care practices using TCM as a framework for well-being: Qi gong, acupressure, herbal remedies and the use of essential oils.

- How we can apply the yin/yang theory, understanding of the Elements, and the horary (hawr-uh-ree) cycle

- Why intention is everything when it comes to self-care

- Diet through the Chinese Medicine Lens: how, what and when to eat to maximize efficiency, minimize toll on the body, and, to stimulate mental clarity

 

Brodie’s website: http://brodiewelch.com (http://brodiewelch.com)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrodiewelchLAC (https://www.facebook.com/BrodiewelchLAC)

 

Brodie’s Podcast, A Healthy Curiosity

www.brodiewelch.com/podcast (http://www.brodiewelch.com/podcast)

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/a-healthy-curiosity/id1133292360# (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/a-healthy-curiosity/id1133292360#)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ahealthycuriosity (https://www.facebook.com/ahealthycuriosity)

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ahcuriosity (https://twitter.com/ahcuriosity)

For three decades, Caroline Miller has been a pioneer with her groundbreaking work in the areas of goal setting, grit, happiness and success. She is recognized as one of the world’s leading positive psychology experts on this research and how it can be applied to one’s life for maximum transformation and growth. Caroline blends personal experience, real life examples and cutting-edge research in positive psychology, to come up with practical applications that create fresh awareness of how to cultivate change.

She is a best-selling author of six books, including a Creating Your Best Life, the first mass market self-help book on the science of happiness and how it intersects with the science of accomplishing goals.

 

Her work has been featured in hundreds of worldwide media outlets, including BBC World News, The New York Times, The Washington Post, NBC, NPR and CNN.

 

In this episode, Caroline and I talk about:

- The risk of seeking happiness from extrinsic achievements, and how true happiness and success can be born out of failure.

- Why hope is key to a healthy mindset, and how to inspire hope in others

- The influence of language

- The difference between authentic grit and 3 types of “bad” grit

- How to identify and cultivate your passions

 

I hope that you enjoy this interview, and it offers you inspiration to find or pursue your passion…and then, give it away.

 

 

Meet somebody’s eyes today. Maybe, a stranger’s. Let yourself feel connected, letting any pretense fall away.

As Caroline says, We can’t keep what we don’t give away – what can you offer to someone else?

 

And, if you, like I was just last September,

Emily Hooks is an author, public speaker, and founder of the Forgiveness Academy™. She says she lived the first thirty-three years of life just managing the pain of her past, seeing her life as a tragic series of events. Until, 15 years ago, destitute and suffering from addiction, she had a moment of awakening.

She didn’t earn a Ph.D. or study human behavior for decades to get to where she is today. She forgave. Everything in her life transformed when she chose to move through the pain she carried, let go of her limiting beliefs of who she was, and began to see the world with love, compassion and empathy. Most importantly, she now shares this deeply personal and transformative work as a forgiveness coach.

As expected, this conversation dives deep. Emily and I cover several aspects on forgiveness, such as:

 

- What is forgiveness? And, is it a moral obligation?

- Why indifference is an indicator that you have some work to do.

- Steps to begin a forgiveness process, including the power of ritual

- The physiological, emotional and spiritual benefits of true forgiveness.

Contemporary artist and activist Nelson Guda reflects and shares his life experience as a former scholar of fine art and physics, architecture and biology. Nelson’s work carries intrigue and inspiration, blurring the boundary between art and life. He believes that life is like a canvas, and that actions are the purest form of art. Nelson’s work has taken him from isolated wilderness to international conflict zones where he explores what it means to be human in a complex world. We talk about stepping outside comfort zones, filling up our gratitude tanks, and the intersection of creativity and emotions like empathy and compassion.

Denise Deniger offers practical wisdom learned from her own experience of "going hard" in her life and career, and how she overcame both physical and emotional burnout. She introduces practical breath practices and tools for you to find more ease, clarity and connection in a matter of moments. We talk about how a consistent yoga or meditation practice can create more space inside, but also how we can find a “sense of sacred” in every shape and activity we move through.

About Denise:

Through her own life and practice, Denise has developed a robust toolbelt of skills and practice. Her 20+ years of study spans a wide range of modalities, from Western anatomical models to Eastern esoteric practices. She is certified in multiple yoga asana methods and is a graduate of the Asian Classics Institute’s Advanced Buddhist Studies Course, focused on Tibetan Buddhism, meditation and yoga.

What to expect on the Universally Seeking Podcast - Launching March 13th

What to expect on the Universally Seeking Podcast - Launching March 13th