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The Light Watkins Show

Latest episodes

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Jul 26, 2023 • 1h 36min

165: Light is interviewed by Rosario Dawson, Adriene Mishler, Steven Pressfield, and more, about Travel Light & Spiritual Minimalism

For today's episode, listeners are getting some more great insight into Light's new book, Travel Light. The format here is a punchy compilation of conversations from Instagram Live with a bunch of amazing personalities and people from Light's network and past podcast guests. So if you want to hear Light getting asked some powerful questions by a few of the best minds and souls out there, you have come to the right place! Featured here are Africa Brooke, Robert Brix Glover from Brix Fitness, Simona Von Woikowsky, who is the illustrator of Travel Light, Adriene Mishler from Yoga with Adriene, Jesse Israel, Bozama Saint John, Leon Logothetis, Tara Stiles from Strala Yoga, Steven Pressfield, Rosario Dawson, Will Cole, and Light's editor, Diana Ventimiglia! The clips cover topics such as the inspiration for the book, its most fundamental concepts, the genesis of its ideas, the format and writing process, listening to the heart voice, and much more too. Tune in to hear it all!Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!
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Jul 19, 2023 • 1h 2min

164: Light Watkins Solo Episode: My Journey to Travel Light and Why It's Important to Trust and Cultivate Your Heart Voice

Spiritual minimalism is a concept that our very own Light Watkins has led his life by and is exceptionally helpful in finding your true self and achieving happiness and success. Welcome to the seventh solo episode with Light. Today we are delving into his new book, Travel Light: Spiritual Minimalism to Live a More Fulfilled Life, and reminding you of the seven principles of spiritual minimalism. Tuning in, you’ll hear all about the book, the themes throughout all of his books, the process of getting a book deal, how he leveraged relationships with podcast hosts as a marketing strategy and much more! Light reminds us what spiritual minimalism is before sharing its seven principles and how he came up with them by embracing curiosity. Often, people who follow their hearts are belittled and, in this episode, our host explains why the heart plays an important role in decision making and he shares his interesting take on imposter syndrome as a positive thing. We even learn about his podcasting journey. Lastly, we get special insight into how to preorder Travel Light and how to enter an amazing competition to win some of the items Light has carried with him throughout his spiritually minimalistic journey. To hear all this and be inspired to find your own way without comparing yourself to others, press play now!Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!
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Jul 12, 2023 • 1h 14min

163: The Magic of Surrender Author Kute Blackson on the Power of Deep Inner Listening in Order to Find the Courage to Let Go

We all have an inner truth that every so often nudges us into directions, whether we are aware of it, or not. We may find, however, that we do not necessarily often listen to or follow those inner nudgings, but as we dive into the story from today’s episode, we see how powerful it can be to trust life and see where it takes you. In our conversation today, we welcome back Kute Blackson. Kute is a transformational teacher, a sought-after inspirational speaker, and the bestselling author of two books, The Magic of Surrender and You Are The One. Born in Ghana, he had a multicultural upbringing as the child of a Japanese mother and a Ghanaian father. At the age of 18, Kute left everything he knew behind and followed an inner nudging that sparked a cascade of events leading him to become a spiritual legend. As you tune in to this episode of the Light Watkins Show, you’ll join us on a journey as we talk about the anatomy of a leap of faith, how to follow your heart and inner nudgings, and practical steps and advice about how to start listening to your deeper inner truth and ultimately discover your purpose. Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!
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Jul 5, 2023 • 1h 21min

162: Former Gymnast Shona Vertue Exposes the Misconceptions About Exercise and Says Fitness Should Be More Playful

Today, we are joined by Shona Vertue, creator of The Vertue Method and trainer of the stars, to share her holistic fitness journey. We discover how she chose life over gymnastics just as the Olympics entered her purview, and where that life took her. She opens up about how a patronizing counseling experience at a young age sparked her interest in psychology and shares a transformative "cult" encounter that introduced her to the profundity of the Eastern path. The Vertue Method aims to challenge limiting beliefs and help people optimize their overall health through flexibility, strength, fitness, mental health, and mindfulness. Shona shares the genesis story of the method, emphasizing the significance of holistic living and sharing insights into her principles of nutrition. Shona has succeeded in living her life in alignment with her authentic self while meeting her practical needs by creating a thriving business and engaged online community. Tune in to learn more about her journey and discover how you, too, can gain traction online, embrace a holistic approach to your well-being, and unlock your true potential.  Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!
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Jun 28, 2023 • 1h 27min

161: Dissect Creator Cole Cuchna Used the Art of Long-form Musical Analysis to Give Us a Peek Behind the Music of Artists Like Kanye and Kendrick Lamar

What does it take to shift your path and find success in doing what truly lights you up on the inside? We are joined today by an amazing individual whose journey and dedication to pursuing meaningful work is something to be inspired by. Cole Cuchna is the host of Dissect, an incredibly well-received podcast aimed at countering our scrolling culture. A serialized music podcast where he examines a single album every season but doesn’t merely discuss the musical arrangements of the songs in these albums, but talks about the history, the culture, the philosophy, and the storytelling done by the musicians as well as the impact of the times in which those songs were created. In our conversation with Cole today, we hear about his childhood and significant moments that impacted his path through life, his thoughts on the hard-work ideology taught to him by his parents, and what eventually led him to leave his band and the touring lifestyle. He shares how he faked his way into his music program, the debate that ensued post-graduation, and the story behind falling in love with coffee. We then dive into the birth of Dissect, and he walks us through his process of gathering insights and interpretations for each song on the album. Cole’s story is relatable, and his journey is proof that you don’t have to choose between following your passion and paying the bills. To hear why he believes Beethoven and the likes stood the test of time, don’t miss out on this great episode. Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!
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Jun 21, 2023 • 1h 26min

160: Ava DuVernay Switched Careers in Her 30’s, Became an Award-Winning Film Director, and Started a Distribution Collective to Help Others Do the Same (Replay)

In this episode of The Light Watkins Show, we are re-airing the captivating interview with renowned film director Ava DuVernay. Known for her groundbreaking work in movies like "Selma" and "13th," as well as the hit TV series "Queen Sugar," Ava has become a force in the industry. Host Light Watkins takes us through Ava's inspiring journey, from her upbringing in South Central Los Angeles to her career in PR and her eventual leap of faith into directing and storytelling.Ava shares how she overcame challenges, downsizing her life and making sacrifices to pursue her passion for filmmaking. Despite picking up a camera later in life, Ava's dedication to telling diverse and important stories shines through. She discusses the creation of her nonprofit organization, Array, which focuses on distributing films by people of color and women.With numerous awards and nominations under her belt, Ava's message is clear: it's never too late to pursue your dreams. She emphasizes the importance of using your voice and platform to uplift others, a mission she has embraced throughout her career. Join Light Watkins as he delves into the remarkable life and work of one of today's most influential creative voices, Ava DuVernay.Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!
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Jun 14, 2023 • 54min

159: Marianne Williamson on Her 2024 Presidential Run and Why We Need More Love in Politics

In 2022, Marianne Williamson relinquished her bid to become the next president of the United States of America. There years later and this prolific author (affectionately known as Oprah’s advisor) is back at it again, this time in an attempt to don the nation’s presidential crown at the end of 2024. Marianne believes that the political status quo will not disrupt itself, so it’s up to spiritual candidates like her to bring about healthy, systemic change for all. Marianne joins Light on the show today to discuss how A Course in Miracles changed her life, the ins and outs of her decision to get into politics, why she believes that systemic change for the better is still possible, and how her current presidential race differs from the previous one. We explore the intrinsic link between spirituality and politics and how spiritual seekers can support their representatives, and end with a deep examination of the bipolar consciousness of America. Marianne is one of Light’s real-world inspirations and after you hear this enlightening conversation, she’s bound to climb up your list of motivational superstars! Enjoy.   Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!
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Jun 7, 2023 • 1h 22min

158: Martinus Evans on Body Positivity and Building a Thriving Community for Slow AF Runners

We are so happy to welcome back Martinus Evans, Founder of the Slow AF Run Club. Since our last conversation, Martinus' amazing journey and inspiring story have kept unfolding and progressing, and in today's episode, we speak about his new book, his online community, his different business avenues, and his perspectives on success right now. Martinus has always been about taking things to the next level, and that is probably why running is such a strong and apt metaphor for his life. We get into his thoughts on “going through the fire,” reliance on self, making the right sacrifices, and also how he schedules his time; all of which listeners will find highly actionable and motivating. Martinus unpacks his framework of values, goals, and habits, and how the synergy of these three components can truly drive you forward. If you want to catch it all from the one and only Martinus Evans, be sure to join us for this essential episode! Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!
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May 31, 2023 • 1h 14min

157: Light Watkins Solo Episode: My Thoughts on Relationships and the Principles of Spiritual Minimalism

Spiritual minimalism can be simply explained as minimalism from the inside out. It is seven basic principles that serve as a guideline toward doing more with less in an effort to live a more fulfilling life. Today, in Light’s 6th solo episode, he breaks down the seven principles of spiritual minimalism and how they can be used as a framework for understanding relationships. After introducing his upcoming book, Travel Light, our host explains the joys of flâneuring, why “relationships” is an ever-relevant topic, and why the illusion of separation can be a source of confusion in how you relate to relationships. Then, we explore the essence of minimalism before Light clarifies how each of the seven principles of spiritual minimalism can help you foster meaningful relationships. Ultimately, practicing stillness and cultivating your heart voice (the first principle) will activate all the other principles, as you begin to take action in nurturing the learning opportunities that come with every relationship while being deliberate to be present in every moment. And remember to pre-order your copy of Travel Light to stand a chance to win one of Light’s personal-item giveaways — each with its own unique and memorable backstory! Thanks for tuning in. Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!
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May 24, 2023 • 55min

156: Donald V. Watkins (Part 2) on His Impactful Legal Work Behind Bars and How He Empowered His Fellow Inmates to Pursue Fair Justice

Welcome back to the Light Watkins Show as we bring you the second half of Light’s chat with his father, attorney Donald V. Watkins. The conversation resumes with Donald explaining how going to prison as a Black man in the 1960s was as good as attaining a Ph.D. While in prison, Donald found himself rubbing shoulders with many innocent men who were mostly there as a result of poor legal representation. He took it upon himself to be their voice in the darkness and he describes the tactics that he used to free 47 of his fellow inmates, as well as the intricacies of why the criminal justice system in America is failing. We learn how the prison staff received Donald’s charity toward the other inmates, why he never stopped writing and publishing articles, how his legal acumen saved his life, and the best and worst moments of his time in incarceration. Our guest then shares some very useful tips for how to find and properly vet a lawyer that you want to work with, before detailing how he would change the criminal justice system and why his plan to own an NFL team is not as audacious as it seems when you consider his tenacity for working hard to get what he wants! Finally, after two remarkable, informative, and emotional podcast episodes, the sensational Donald V. Watkins offers some important advice for green-eared lawyers who are looking to make their mark on the world. Tune in for all this and more!Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

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