Spiritually Hungry

When was the last time you felt awe or wonder? Having a deep connection to the Creator means pausing daily to truly pay attention to what’s happening around you. This has become increasingly difficult with the distractions of our modern world. In this episode of Spiritually Hungry we talk about how to nurture a mindful sense of awareness.“The only way to pray incorrectly is to do it mindlessly.” – Monica Berg“How to Pray with Our Eyes Open” by Tish Harrison (NYT Article)https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/16/opinion/spring-nature-christianity.html A Short Guide to a Happy Life by Anna Quindlen

Did you know that children are born naturally spiritual beings? Children who are allowed to be curious and cultivate their spirituality are more likely to thrive. If fostering a spiritual practice has not been a priority for you in your parenting, it’s not too late! This week on Spiritually Hungry, we discuss the importance of supporting the spiritual growth of our children. We invite you to join us for an important conversation about parenting and raising spiritual kids.“What motivates the guidance we offer our children? Is it about us or is it about them? It’s never too late to instill in them that everything they need to know exists within themselves. But they have to be able to find that.” – Monica BergFurther Readings:The Spiritual Child by Lisa Miller

It’s human nature to try to control things. Some of us, in fact, try to control everything! We spend so much time trying to control our thoughts, what people think of us, and each potential outcome around every possible corner. Of course, the truth is we can't control everything, which creates more anxiety and leads to more stress. In this episode of the Spiritually Hungry podcast, Monica and Michael explore how letting go can make you unstoppable in the pursuit of your desires. It's a great paradox. The more we surrender to the moment, the more we can be present, make space for what we truly want and show up for every area of our lives as our true authentic selves.“Letting go doesn’t mean giving up your autonomy. It means surrendering to the process and the outcome. Everything is about what you learn along the way.” – Monica Berg

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by feelings of anxiety or depression? What if we told you the key to ridding yourself of these emotions resides within you? It’s true—we are imminently capable of changing our thoughts. In this episode of Spiritually Hungry, we’ll explain exactly what we mean and share ideas about how you can change how you experience life by shifting your perspective and finding more clarity.“If you start to change the lens through which you view your experience of life, your experience will actually change.” – Monica Berg

When a friend is in crisis, how do you show up? Every situation is different. And while you can’t fix someone, you can show up for them in a powerful, life-altering way. In this episode of Spiritually Hungry, we talk about the act of holding space for friends in need. How do we know when to step in? And how do we show love? We invite you to listen in on this important conversation.“If you are a person who holds yourself back, the one thing you will be left with is regret.”– Monica BergFurther Readings:How Do You Serve a Friend in Despair? by David Brookshttps://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/09/opinion/despair-friendship-suicide.html

Do you still have questions about reincarnation? We know you do because we received more emails about episodes 124 and 126 than about any other episode we’ve ever recorded. This week on Spiritually Hungry, we sit down to answer your biggest questions about reincarnation and what it means for you and this life you’re living right now.“One of the most fundamental truths about any attainment of wisdom is that you understand how little you do understand. The more you study, the more wisdom you gain, the more vast you realize the truth is.” – Michael Berg

Have you ever met a stranger and felt instantly comfortable in their company? Or have you ever experienced a deep familiarity with someone you are just getting to know? You may have met them before. Kabbalah teaches that our souls connect and reconnect over lifetimes, and therefore, the people you encounter are part of your higher purpose. We invite you to join us as we continue our conversation about reincarnation in this episode of Spiritually Hungry.“The secret of reincarnation is to make practical and visceral the connectedness of all the souls we come in contact with every day.” – Michael Berg

Have you ever felt like the challenges you experience in life are meaningless? According to Kabbalah, every single bump in the road is there to help us evolve into something more than we are today. We invite you to join us for this live-recorded episode of Spiritually Hungry as we discuss the purpose of darkness in life.“You have the ability to say, this isn’t just a terrible thing I’m going through—there’s a purpose to this. And not only is there a purpose to this, but this is actually the purpose of life.” - Michael BergFurther Readings:Far From the Tree, by Andrew Solomon

Does life ever feel so surprising that it doesn’t seem to make any sense? We know the feeling. Nothing in life is entirely random. There are many lifetimes at play. In part 1 of this 2-part episode of Spiritually Hungry, we get into the nitty gritty of reincarnation and discuss how to go beyond simply being a “good person" so we can clear the debts of the past.“Our soul’s purpose in this world is to get back to 100% of who we actually are. The spiritual work we do as we endeavor to become a better person is what makes us greater. We keep coming back until we become 100% of ourselves.” – Michael Berg

What happens after that dramatic kiss in the rain? A romantic commitment is not the end of a love story. It’s just the beginning. In honor of Valentine’s Day, we are excited to bring you this episode of Spiritually Hungry, all about the evolution of love after a couple drives off into the sunset.“This internal work is never complete, it is ever-evolving, and our relationships are intended to be as well. Individuals evolve individually so they can evolve together.” – Monica BergFurther Readings:The Art of Loving by Erich FrommOutliers: The Story of Success, by Malcolm Gladwell