Here we explore what the Internal Family Systems [IFS] model encompasses and how healing our own inner world can create ripples of compassion that extend from ourselves to our communities. Schwartz encourages people to listen to these parts with spaciousness and personal curiosity so as to ultimately live a more balanced life. Richard C. Schwartz, Ph.D. is the creator of the therapeutic model known as Internal Family Systems [IFS] and founder of the IFS Institute which offers training for professionals and the general public. Formerly an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois at Chicago and later at Northwestern University, he is currently on the faculty of Harvard Medical School. He is the author of many books including No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma, and Restoring Wholeness with The Internal Family Systems Model (Sounds True 2021)Interview Date: 1/26/2024   Tags: Richard C. Schwartz, Hakomi, inner critic, attachment theory, shame, Personal Transformation, Psychology

Here Williams shares that the size of the action isn’t the point. What matters is taking regular action. Small actions have a cumulative effect that is disproportionate to the individual effort they require. Together these millions of incremental steps lead to a tipping point. Indeed, over and over history has shown this to be true. Omkari L. Williams has devoted her life to change-making. She leads activism workshops and trainings and is the host of the podcast Stepping into Truth, where she interviews activists from all walks of life. She is the author of Micro Activism: How You Can Make a Difference in the World (without a Bullhorn): Small Actions Equal Big Results. (Storey publishing 2023)Interview Date: 12/15/2023   Tags: Omkari L Williams, collaboration, March on Washington, William McDonough, Personal Transformation, Social Change/Politics, Community

The podcast delves into the importance of asking thought-provoking questions and the transformative power they hold. It discusses the inevitability of robots surpassing humans, the concept of rankism, and the need to befriend robots. Topics range from quantum physics to Elon Musk's views on AI, urging a shift towards collaboration and interconnectedness in society.

Skillful leadership is needed in all aspects of our everyday lives even if we’re not employed full-time. These skills can be applied in our households and the many other groups in which we participate. We all need to be lifelong learners in developing strong and effective leadership and problem-solving skills as we continue to engage with others. Marguerite Callaway is the founder and CEO of the Callaway Leadership Institute, an international leadership development and strategy company whose mission is to help current and aspiring leaders reach their full potential.  She is the author of The Energetics of Business: A Practical Guide for Bringing Your Business to Life (Lincoln Park Productions 2006)Interview Date: 12/20/2023.   Tags: Marguerite Callaway, leadership, authenticity, extraversion, introversion, extrovert, introvert, delegation, delegate, fixed mindset, growth mindset, Rick Hanson, neuroplasticity, mirror neurons, empathy, emotional intelligence, sympathy, constructive conflict, quick fixes, deep listening. Personal Transformation, Psychology, Business

Leider and Shapiro suggest there is a difference between growing old and merely getting old. They write: “We’re not denying time advances, but we are advocating to reimagine old age and the earlier we begin, the better.” Join Leider and Shapiro as they guide us in aging into the fullness of life.  Richard J. Leider is the founder of Inventure -The Purpose Company, whose mission is to help people “unlock the power of purpose.” He is the author of many books including: The Power of Purpose: Find Meaning, Live Longer, Better (Berrett-Koehler Publishing 2016). David A Shapiro is a philosopher, educator, and tenured philosophy professor at Cascadia College in Seattle.  Leider and Shapiro are the co-authors of many books considered classics in the personal growth field. They include: Repacking Your Bags and The Power of Purpose (Mjf Books 1996) and Who Do You Want to Be When You Grow Old? The Path of Purposeful Aging. (Berrett-Koehler Publishing 2021)Interview Date: 12/8/2023    Tags: Richard Leider, David Shapiro, Viktor Frankl, aging, eldership, eldering, Hersch Wilson, storytelling, legacy, purpose, Richard Bolles, poet Jack Gilbert, life purpose, Personal Transformation, Psychology, Aging

In our deep desire to be of help, Sofer provides clarity in how to increase our resilience and engage more effectively with the infinite complexities of the 21st century. He sheds light on how such qualities as integrity, concentration, gratitude, and generosity lead us to become more skillful in positive activism in the world. Oren Jay Sofer teaches meditation, mindfulness, and nonviolent communication in secular and Buddhist contexts. He received his degree in comparative religion from Columbia University and is a Certified Trainer of Nonviolent Communication as well as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner for the healing of trauma. He serves as a member of the Teachers Council of the Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Northern California. He is the author of Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication (Shambala Publications 2018) and Your Heart Was Made for This: Contemplative Practice for Meeting a World in Crisis with Courage, Integrity & Love (Shambala Publications 2023)Interview Date: 10/24/2023       Tags: Oren Jay Sofer, inner life, aspiration, nonviolent communication, mindfulness, resilient, resilience, privilege, entitlement, empathy, isolation, rescuing hug, Martin Luther King Jr, Harry Dunn, curiosity, resolve, self-discipline, willpower, willingness, attention, Howard Thurman, Buddhism, Personal Transformation, Social Change/Politics

As a stage IV cancer survivor, Nelson knows living with gratefulness is more than just another task to perform, it’s an orientation to life. She counsels us to avoid getting caught in the hamster wheel of life, forgetting again and again that the present moment is truly all we have, and it’s both precious and fleeting. It adds to the stamina we need for our journey. Kristi Nelson is an ambassador for the nonprofit organization Grateful Living which is founded by the internationally beloved “Grandfather of Gratitude, and former guest of New Dimensions, Brother David Steindl-Rast. From 2014 to 2022 Nelson served as its Executive Director. Kristi Nelson has spent more than 30 years in nonprofit leadership, development, and consulting, working at the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, and the Soul of Money Institute. Nelson is a stage IV cancer survivor. She is the author of Wake up Grateful: The Practice of Taking Nothing for Granted. (Storey Publishing 2020)Interview Date: 1/31/2024  Tags: Kristi Nelson, grateful, gratitude, gratefulness, Brother David Steindl-Rast, poignancy, poignant, not knowing, curiosity, Personal Transformation, Psychology

The Egyptian Goddess Sekhmet is known as “She Who Comes in Times of Chaos.” She transforms fear and rage into alchemical gold. Whether this is actual or metaphorical, Scully teaches us how to tap into these healing energies and spin them into creative solutions that benefit yourself, your community, and the planet. Nicki Scully has been teaching shamanic arts and Egyptian mysteries since 1983 and is the founder of Shamanic Journeys, Ltd., which specializes in spiritual tours to sacred sites in Egypt. She has written many books including Power Animal Meditations, Alchemical Healing (Bear & Company 2001), Shamanic Mysteries of Egypt (co-author Linda Star Wolf) (Bear & Company 2008), Planetary Healing: Spirit Medicine for Global Transformation (co-author, her husband Mark Hallert)(Bear & Company 2011) and Sekhmet: Transformation in the Belly of the Goddess (Bear & Company 2017)Tags: Nicki Scully, Sekhmet, Egyptian Mythology, Thoth, Ma’at, alchemical healing, neturu, gratitude, divine intervention, Isis, Akashic records, Sphinx, Mythology, Shamanism, Spirituality, Personal Transformation

Depth hypnosis and the “Coming to Peace” process provide a pathway for healing conflict and coming to a place of reconciliation and wholeness. This process can involve one’s personal inner conflicts as well as the larger dynamics of family systems. Gucciardi says, “The truth is that the symptom is the tip of the iceberg . . .The symptom becomes the path to healing in depth hypnosis.”Tags: Isa Gucciardi, depth hypnosis, Huichol Indians, Bedouins, deep listening, Iroquois Confederacy, ho’oponopono process, inner wisdom, inner guidance, unconscious motivations, circle work, duality, polarization, forgiveness, Ubuntu, Psychology, Shamanism, Spirituality, Buddhism

Here we explore how we can abide in equanimity with the displays of hatred and polarization in these most challenging times. There is one person who models for us the highest form of radical peace, His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In this dialogue we explore how we too may embody peace and nonviolence as we find peacewithin ourselves and with the world. Tags: Robert Thurman, despair, happiness, suffering, love, strong force, Kundan, nonviolence, Tibet, genocide, China, Jesus, Matthew Fox, ethics, karma, generosity, Bucky Fuller, elections, voting, Buddhism, Spirituality, Peace/Nonviolence, Religion, Social Change, Politics