The Spiritual Perspective

Sharon Salzberg is a New York Times best-selling author and teacher of Buddhist meditation. The foundations of her teachings haven’t come from countless hours of practice and mastery, but rather from a life of suffering. Although difficult, Sharon’s childhood molded her to become one of the most influential meditative teachers in the United States and western world. As today’s guest, Sharon walks us through her journey, touching on her traumatic upbringing, journey into meditation, and life as a teacher. First off, Sharon tells us about her daily meditation routine. She then walks us through her childhood in more detail and describes the loss of her mother, her relationship with her estranged father, and the effect her immigrant grandparents had on her.Later, listeners will hear about the transitional period Sharon went through in college and about how she discovered philosophy and meditation. As we find out more, Sharon talks about her travels to India, as she shares various anecdotes about her teachers and experiences. Upon her return to the United States, Sharon embarked on a mission to create a center in Barre. She talks about the challenges she faced as well as what life was like discovering Western ways of living in a brand new community. Toward the end of the episode, Sharon tells us about her books, how the pandemic has impacted her teaching, and how she has adapted to a rapidly evolving world. To find out more about Mindfulness, Meditation, and Metta, be sure to tune in today.Key Points From This Episode:Introducing today’s guest, Sharon Salzberg.Sharon describes her meditation practices.Hear about Sharon’s childhood in more detail.Sharon details the night her life changed when her mother was rushed to the hospital.We ask Sharon about her spiritual and religious foundations as a child.The journey Sharon took to become a teacher. How choosing a philosophy course in college would ultimately change Sharon’s life.Sharon tells us about her teacher and mentor, Trungpa Rinpoche.Hear about Sharon’s experiences in India.What Metta is and how it works.Sharon’s experiences opening her center in Barre.What the history of meditation waves can teach us about where meditation is going.How Sharon stays relevant as an influential meditation teacher.Principles mentioned in Sharon’s book, Real Change.How Sharon sees links between Thai sex trafficking and poor farming conditions.Why Sharon believes Thai violence is linked to a public health problem.Ways meditation can help you get good at life.Sharon tells us about her interactions with Buddhist teacher U Pandita.Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

‘When we're talking about diversity, it's not a box to check. It is a reality that should be deeply felt and held and valued by all of us.’ This is a quote by Ava DuVernay that rings true in many ways throughout our conversation with today’s guest, Natalie Paterson. Natalie is a spoken word artist, educator, and activist and in today’s show, we talk to her about her relationship with poetry and how she is using it as a tool to build a more transparent, vulnerable, and equitable world. We begin with the story of Natalie’s childhood, where she remembers moving from Kokomo, Indiana to LA with her mother after her father fell into addiction. Natalie talks about having an early interest in the dynamics between people and shares how the effacement around her mother and father’s relationship gave her a tendency to want to get to the bottom of things and state them as they are. From there, we get into Natalie’s experiences at school and college, years where she discovered the magic of poetry, began obsessively writing poems of her own, and also got involved in activism against racism. Natalie goes onto describe the live poetry events she began attending, communities she became apart of, and her first, terrifying experiences of performing live. We then hear about the early career Natalie began to build for herself, first as a slam poet, and then later as a teacher and activist. In today's conversation, we also take a deep dive into Natalie’s process, hearing the philosophy about how she sees herself as an artist as well as the goals behind her work. In addition, we explore issues of combatting racism and other violent societal norms, and how Natalie has done this at various stages in her life, including through her mural initiative, A Love Language Project, which was responsible for painting the above Ava DuVernay quote on a vegan cafe in Los Angeles. Tune in today!Key Points From This Episode:A recording of two poems exploring dating and body positivity by Natalie.The story of why Natalie’s mom left her father and moved from Kokomo to LA.How her parents’ dynamic and growing up with no father affected Natalie.The habit of directness Natalie developed as a result of her childhood experiences.Why Natalie’s childhood wasn’t that fun and she was more interested in people than toys.Natalie’s childhood perceptions about people, adulthood, marriage, and her future self.How Natalie experienced being Black and used her identity as a light-skinned Black person in high school.The experiences Natalie had of hearing poetry that made her fall in love with it.How Natalie regularly visited Da Poetry Lounge and began working on her own poems.Natalie’s memory of how terrified she was when she read her first poem on stage.Struggling with what it means to be a true poet and some of Natalie’s idols at the time.How Natalie took a year off college to pursue poetry and joined the LA Slam Team.How Natalie fell into teaching after experiencing the dishonest sides of the poetry scene.Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Keith Mitchell has lived a rich and varied life as a successful linebacker for the New Orleans Saints in the NFL, a construction mogul, and lately, a Yoga and nutritional teacher.  In this episode, Keith walks us through it all and talks to us about his darkest times as well as the moments that gave him hope. We kick off the show by hearing more about Keith’s childhood and his unshakable desire to become a professional American football player. He details his turbulent journey to the top and touches on why his mindset was his biggest asset in getting there. He goes on to share anecdotes about his childhood and family life, elaborating on relationships with his mother and father.  After hearing about his sheltered upbringing, Keith talks about how football changes through high school, college, and professional realms and the ways he adapted to each. Following this, we hear from Keith about the on field accident that changed his life forever.  What followed was a total mindset change and a new mission in life. He transformed himself and began focusing on breathing and Yoga to heal his emotional and physical state. In the latter half of the show, Keith tells us about life after sport and the new purpose he found in his non-profit foundation. He mentions life in construction, the sobering and inspiring experiences he had on Skid Row, and the lessons he learned from Dr. Sebi.  As the show draws to a close, we ask Keith to tell us more about his book and what he hopes his readers and listeners will get from it. To hear more from Keith on his career, personal life, and mission in life, be sure to join us today!  Key Points From This Episode:Introducing former NFL player, Keith Mitchel.Keith tells us about his childhood.Why Keith was attracted to playing football.Keith describes his family life growing up.The lengths Keith went through to play football.What it takes to be a good linebacker.Mindset as a factor that separates good players from great players.Why Keith chose to play for Texas A&M.How football changed between high school and college.Why, after eight years in the pros, Keith wasn’t drafted. Differences between playing for fun, for sport, and for a livelihood. Keith talks about how he adapted to life after achieving his dream.Hear about the day Keith sustained his life-changing injury.Keith’s relationship with injury before his spinal cord injury. The nurse who introduced Keith to breathing correctly.How breathing can improve your health.The impacts that Yoga had on Keith’s body.Keith talks about life after sport.How meeting kids on Skid Row changed Keith’s philosophy as a Yoga teacher.How Keith defines success.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Keith MitchellKeith Mitchell on TwitterKeith Mitchell on FacebookKeith Mitchell on InstagramKeith Mitchell on YouTubeNew Orleans SaintsLight It Up FoundationMindfulness PlaybookDallas CowboysMarvin Lewis coachSend us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

If you are at a crossroads in your life, between sticking with the conventional path and taking a leap of faith in the direction of your passion, you're going to get a lot of inspiration from hearing today’s guest tell her story in her own words. Author and comedian, Sarah Cooper’s viral TikTok Trump impersonations have led to a Netflix show called Everything’s Fine, which is a comedic commentary on the state of America during “The Trump Years.” After working in corporate America, Sarah was eager to follow her passion and become a stand-up comedian, but it took a real leap of faith for her to go into comedy full time. When Trump was elected president, she began openly voicing her opinion about him on Twitter, so much so that the former-president blocked her in 2017. Eventually, each time Trump would do a news briefing, the media eagerly awaited Sarah's TikTok impressions; the floodgates opened, and she was offered a ton of exciting opportunities, from getting an agent to filming her recent Netflix comedy special. In this episode, Sarah shares a bit about her backstory and connects the dots between her upbringing and her now global fame. She talks about her persistent feelings of never quite belonging, not being Black or white “enough,” and how she overcame having low self-confidence. You’ll also find out how a date with Light’s brother inspired Sarah to take the stage, how her viral article inspired her to take a leap of faith, and how TikTok reignited her dreams of becoming famous. All this and more, including what her definition of success is now and what advice she would give 19-year-old Sarah, so make sure to tune in today!Key Points From This Episode:Hear a bit about Sarah’s background, born in Jamaica and raised in the US.Find out a bit about her family dynamic, between her, her parents, and her three siblings.Sarah explains that her favorite activity as a child was make-believe.How racism was viewed in Sarah’s family and the benefits of pretending it doesn’t exist.Sarah talks about her love for singing, dancing, acting, and Shakespeare.Why Sarah felt that she didn’t belong anywhere; she wasn’t white or Black “enough”.From the University of Maryland to Georgia Tech: what Sarah learned during her years in college.Sarah’s first time on stage in Atlanta and how it was inspired by a date with Light’s brother.Why stand-up comedy was a better fit for Sarah than acting; she liked making people laugh!How Sarah tried to fit in with corporate America and began taking notes while she was working at Google in New York.Find out about Sarah’s path to meditation and how her and Light crossed paths in 2012.Sarah’s viral article, ’10 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings’, and how it inspired her to take a leap of faith.How Sarah dealt with negative reviews after she published her book and became well-known.What Sarah said on Twitter that made Donald Trump block her in 2017.At 40, Sarah started doubting herself and the work she had put into her stand-up career, but then she discovered TikTok.Hear about the day that Sarah decided to do her first Trump impression on TikTok.Sarah tells the story of how she made her first viral TikTok about Trump’s bleach comments.The pressure to create that Sarah started feeling after the first few successful videos.Building an audience out of people connected through their hate for Trump by creating a Netflix special out of her impressions.How Sarah stayed true to her instincts while working with a big player like Netflix.The essence of Sarah’s stories is understanding that there is no one, right way to dealSend us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Here is another story behind that of a change-maker who was hungry, creative, and innovative in his younger years. One day realizing that he was living on autopilot as he was nearing his late 30s, early 40s. It all came to a head when he found himself hiding in alleyways in Santa Monica, California, smoking cigarettes while wearing a green gardening glove so that his wife wouldn’t find out. His name is Antonio Neves, writer, prolific speaker, and executive coach. While Antonio’s story isn’t tragic or overly-dramatic, it is a relatable one for many of us, especially those of us in our 30s, 40s, and 50s, who have everything together on paper but, under the surface, we’re falling apart. This was Antonio’s experience leading to him writing the book, Stop Living on Autopilot: Take Responsibility for Your Life and Rediscover a Bolder, Happier You, which is exactly what he eventually decided to do. He didn’t employ a hack or some overnight miracle fix; he implemented several tools, including asking better, more honest questions, asking himself how he was showing up in his marriage, his career, and his relationship with his kids. With that, he started repairing a lot of the other broken areas of his life, such as his diet and his relationship with alcohol, his exercise routine, his lack of commitment, his contribution to society, and so much more. In this episode, you’ll hear from Antonio about some of the experiences he had and the important lessons he has learned along the way. What stands out about this conversation is how applicable it is to each and every one of us, starting right now! Even if there are only one or two takeaways from this interview that resonate with you, they will be ideas that you can implement immediately. Make sure to tune in today to find out more about the thieves of ambition versus the allies of glory and the importance of accountability, recommitting every day, and doing the work when no one is watching.Key Points From This Episode:Find out why Antonio’s favorite activity as a child was anything to do with sports.Antonio reflects on the confidence and structure that he got from doing sport.Hear about Antonio’s upbringing and family dynamic, which he describes as often unstable.Dealing with physical and emotional abandonment as a teenager and being an introvert.If Antonio’s upbringing taught him anything, it was awareness and resourcefulness.One of the philosophies that he learned from his father: “You always take care of family."Antonio explains how he avoided getting into fights using words and humor.How Antonio came to learn about race and his family’s uniquely mixed heritage.Getting into university, becoming part of the track team, and realizing he was never going to compete at the Olympics.A conversation that Antonio had with his coach and what it taught him about hard work.The importance of spending time with your allies of glory, not the thieves of ambition.How an internship with Kraft Foods opened Antonio to possibility and gave him confidence.What a sales job with at Winn-Dixie taught Antonio about effective communication.Taking a risk, quitting his sales job, and moving to LA to pursue his dreams of being on TV.Hear about his journey from acting in commercials to landing a gig on Nickelodeon.When Antonio’s contract wasn’t renewed, he was heartbroken: his identity was tied into being seen on TV every day.Antonio had a decision to make: Stay on the grind in LA or graduate school in New York.The time in Antonio’s life when it seemed he had it all together on paper, but he had started playing not to lose instSend us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

When the word “genocide” comes to mind, one might think these heinous acts occurred deep in history. Yet they’ve occurred as recently as 1994, when 800,000 innocent Tutsi Rwandans were attacked by their fellow countrymen. Today, we speak to Consolee Nishimwe about her experience surviving the Rwandan Genocide and how her life as a survivor. We open the show by learning about the history between the Hutu and Tutsi social classes and find out how Belgian colonial powers turned these two groups against one another. Consolee then expands on this, describing her childhood as a “privileged” Tutsi, and how shame was cast down on her for this status. She touches on her living conditions, and colors a vile picture of the genocide, talking about how machetes became a symbolic weapon of choice and ways Rwandan radio encouraged the ruthless murder of Tutsi people. In the latter half of the show, listeners will find out about how Rwanda slowly returned to a state of normalcy. Although a different path to what she’d imagined as a child, Consolee now uses her story as a tool to help others. She talks about how she uses it to inspire survivors to come out and tell their story. To hear more about Consolee and her incredible story of struggle, survival, and ultimately triumph, be sure to join us for this very special episode.Key Points From This Episode:Introducing Consolee Nishimwe, a genocide survivor and today’s guest.Consolee tells us about her simple childhood and the fun she’d create for herselfWe learn about the two previously competing ethnic groups in Rwanda. How Belgium incited tensions and divide between these two groups.Being aware of her status as a Tutsi as a child.Ways that Tutsis were treated since 1959. How Consolee’s family status was well-known in her village.How Consolee felt as a young Tutsi.RTLM Hit Radio and its place in society.Why the machete became the weapon of choice during the genocide.Consolee talks about how everything changed in her village the day the genocide began.Hear about Cnsolee’s experiences of day-to-day survival.Despite being part of a Christian family, how Consolee received the most help from a Muslim friend.Consolee’s experiences with sexual assault.We take stock of what happened in the first 100 days of the genocide.How Rwanda returned to a state of normalcy after the genocide.Consolee describes her mental wellbeing, post-genocide.What interactions were like with Hutus once the genocide was over.Consolee’s genocide experiences as a tool to help others.We hear Consolee’s thoughts on the current American political divide.How Consolee stays so hopeful and how she defines success.How Consolee would approach a survivor.Console answers the question: How does a survivor know that they’ve healed?Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Consolee NishimweConsolee Nishimwe on TwitterConsolee Nishimwe on InstagramTested to the Limit: A Genocide Survivor's Story of Pain, Resilience, and Hope on AmazonRalph Waldo EmersonSend us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Today’s guest is somebody who inspires a lot of people with his words. His name is Adam Schmalholz, but you may be more familiar with his stage name, IN-Q, which stands for IN-Question. IN-Q is a National Poetry Slam champion, award-winning poet, multi-platinum songwriter, recent first-time author, and one of the most electric spoken word performers on the scene. In this episode, you’ll discover that his backstory is equally as fascinating as his poems. Listening to this conversation, you’ll find out how he first discovered his gift for poetry in school and how he went on to develop and refine his unique style. You’ll hear about the lean years, when IN-Q had no way of making money as a spoken word poet, when he had to pay for food with pocket change and work odd jobs to survive. You’ll also learn that, after putting in well over 10,000 hours in writing and performing, IN-Q finally had the opportunity to perform for people like Quincy Jones, Hillary Clinton, and even President Barack Obama. He went on to win awards, get featured on Def Poetry Jam and Oprah's Super Soul 100 List. His spoken word videos have received nearly 100 million views and he has sold out as the largest one-man poetry show in Los Angeles history. Like most changemakers, IN-Q’s backstory was not linear. All of the ups and the downs played a crucial role in navigating him along his path, and that is what makes his story so compelling – it’s something that we can all relate to. Tune in today to find out more about IN-Q’s incredible journey.Key Points From This Episode:• IN-Q’s favorite toy as a child was a G.I. Joe Snake Eyes action figure, perhaps because mystery makes history.• IN-Q talks about what it was like for him, not having his father around while he grew up.• His natural attraction to subjects that dealt with storytelling in school – like English.• When IN-Q was first introduced to hip-hop and the impact it had on him.• From Will Smith to Run DMC and A Tribe Called Quest – how IN-Q’s taste in hip-hop evolved.• Practicing his freestyle, learning to focus his energy, and the mentor he had at a young age.• What IN-Q’s idea of success was at that age and what he saw himself becoming.• The problem with setting high expectations for yourself and manipulating your truth in order to achieve them.• Freestyle versus written material and the incredible number of poems IN-Q has memorized.• IN-Q’s first rap name, and how he became known as IN-Q thanks to his curious nature.• Hear the story of when IN-Q met his father for the first time – Spoiler alert: It didn’t go well!• How IN-Q was first introduced to Da Poetry Lounge and ended up staying for 14 years.• The differences between music and spoken word poetry and what that shift was like for him.• How IN-Q funded his dreams during the lean years and the obsession that drove him.• Where IN-Q’s philosophical perspective on life came from – that he couldn’t control life, only go along for the ride.• Learn about the incredible support IN-Q received from his community in the early days.• IN-Q talks about his relationship with actor and poet, Omari Hardwick, and how Def Poetry Jam changed (or didn’t change) his life.• What IN-Q has learned from performing for and connecting with strangers versus those who are already familiar with his work.• The importance of setting clear boundaries and asking others to respect them.• When IN-Q says he is still finding his voice, it means that he is ever-evolving and learning.• Where the commentary starts and the poem begins – and why the story is key.• Find out how IN-Q cSend us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Today we are back with another story behind the story of a change-maker who is an absolute podcast role model. In this episode we welcome Rich Roll, a champion swimmer turned alcoholic, turned lawyer who ended up having a few run-ins with the law himself. Rich’s incredible story about hitting rock-bottom and clawing his way back to sobriety is one that has inspired many along the way. After going through the recovery process, Rich began putting the pieces of his life back together only to realize that he was out of shape and burning the candle at both ends — essentially hitting rock-bottom physically. So, in his 40’s, Rich dusted off his training trucks and started swimming again, switched to a plant-based diet, and used this combination to gain back his health. This led him down a path towards doing ultra-endurance races and being in the best shape of his life! Rich then when ton to write about how he overcame all of these rock-bottom moments in his #1 bestselling book, Finding Ultra, which led to the launch of his wildly popular and inspirational Rich Roll podcast. During our conversation with Rich, we are going to explore how he went from being a bestselling author to starting his super successful podcast, which was not as linear of a process as you might think. Rich discovered that even with a bestselling book under his belt, the speaking gigs and other paid opportunities that you’d expect with all that success simply were not happening! This resulted in Rich hitting rock-bottom again, financially, which got so bad that his house was in foreclosure, his cars were repossessed, and the city even repossessed his garbage cans. It was at that time that Rich stepped out and launched his podcast in his friend’s barn, while flat broke, but still full of hope and inspiration. So whether you are thinking about getting sober, quitting your day job, starting a plant-based diet, writing a book, or even getting into the best shape of your life, don’t miss out on this episode!Key Points From This Episode:Reflecting on Rich’s favorite activities during his childhood.How Rich was impacted by his grandfather’s legacy later in life. Rich’s journey into swimming and his determination to get to the top.The work ethic that drove Rich; where did he get the motivation?How Rich decided to cold-call a swimming coach to get recruited.The Bruce Kimball backflip story: Rich’s introduction to alcohol.Rich’s slip into the dangerous life of drinking and driving.Two lucky breaks that changed the trajectory of Rich’s life.What ultimately pushed Rich over the edge and got him motivated to find sobriety.The shock Rich had when he found out how far down the path of alcoholism he was.Rich’s epiphany: pivoting his career away from being a lawyer.A health scare and existential crisis that Rich was faced with at age 40.The first step Rich took towards his health journey: a week-long fast.What is an Ultraman race and what does it include?Why Rich sees the Ultraman as a spiritual odyssey; something that will transform your life.How the opportunity to write his book came about and the financial implications.The role that podcasts played in Rich’s journey towards health.Importance of being vulnerable in order to be impactful when telling your story.How the podcasting landscape has changed over the last few years.Rich’s tendency to go all-in on his choices and mute out the rest of the world.Why it is important to remember that, no matter what, nobody is you.The most recommended interviews to listen to on Rich’s podcast.Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

One of the biggest obstacles our society faced in 2020 is mental health, with a surge in cases around the world. So for this episode, we’re going back through stories that are specific to navigating mental health.The objective is to give you tools and inspiration for dealing with the darker forces that can haunt all of us at different times and in different ways, whether external or in the case of mental health, internal. The stories in this episode cover the spectrum of mental health, from anxiety to loneliness, to depression, as well as the various solutions the guests have used, such as therapy, meditation, volunteering, and adopting a bigger life purpose.There are six clips, 7 to 10 minutes long each, with various guests such Emma Mainoo of Surviving Sundays, Ben Nemtin, who helped to start The Buried Life, and Bronnie Ware who’ll remember from the 5 Regrets of the Dying episode. There’s a clip from Ajay Relan, from Hashtag Lunchbag, talking about his experience with volunteering. And there’s a clip from Jesse Israel, who founded the mass meditation movement called The Big Quiet. And Leon Logothetis of The Kindness Diaries fame talking about his before moment when he suffered meltdowns.I hope you enjoy this episode. And if you’re a long-time listener of the podcast, you’ll remember hearing some of these stories. But listening to them all in one episode, will be incredibly helpful, especially if you’re navigating through a difficult time personally. Or maybe if you know someone who is and you’re not quite sure what to say or do. Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

When he hears the word ‘changemaker’, we imagine someone’s who’s predestined to take on some special role in following their inner calling. What Light has found through having dozens of these conversations is that changemakers are often just like us. Today’s guest is Steven Reed, a childhood friend of Light’s and someone who, back in 2019, became the 57th mayor of their hometown of Montgomery, Alabama. What's significant about that is that Mayor Reed was the first Black mayor in a town that was, for a brief period of time, the official capital of the confederacy. It was also the place where Dr. King launched the Montgomery Bus Boycott in the 1950s, the place where Rosa Parks was arrested 65 years ago for her participation, and the home of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, where Dr. King began his career as a minister and an activist. Montgomery has a very rich history and, for that reason, Mayor Reed's election made international headlines. In today's episode, listeners hear about Steven’s unlikely journey of leaving Montgomery for business pursuits, trying to do the traditional thing by becoming a financial analyst, his failures as an entrepreneur, and why he decided to become the change he wanted to see by running for office – first as a probate judge, even though he did not have a law degree, and then later as a mayor. Find out why most people think they cannot run for public office and how, believe it or not, you are more qualified than you think. This fascinating conversation might inspire you to get more involved in local politics and become the change you want to see in your area of the world, so make sure to tune in today!Key Points From This Episode:Steven reflects on his favorite toy as a child, and why he enjoyed it.The history of the Reed family in Montgomery, Alabama, and their political ties to the city.How much of this history of activism was casually shared with Steven as he was growing up.Steven’s love for football and his dream of becoming a player or coach when he got older.What it was like growing up in the cradle fo the confederacy in such a politically aware family.His decision to follow in his brother’s footsteps and attend Morehouse College in Atlanta.One of the tenets Steven learned at Morehouse: Not only push yourself to be your best, but push the community and culture beyond that.How he defined success at that point in his life – to bring his mindset to corporate America.Choosing business over political science thanks to his generation of opportunities.A work ethic philosophy he inherited from his dad – “Ain't nobody going to build you a temple and make you high priest.”Steven shares his main takeaways from his three years as a financial analyst.Realizing he wasn’t as numbers-driven as others and leaving for management consulting.How Steven came to learn real-world entrepreneurial experience in a non-traditional way.Steven talks candidly about some of his entrepreneurial failures and discouragements.What Steven’s dad taught him about removing ego and pride from business ventures.Learn about Steven’s first foray into lobbying and the reasons he chose to get into it.The 2008 speech Barack Obama gave that changed the way Steven viewed public service.Who Steven has around to support and guide him in his decisions and his role in that group.The combination of inspiration and frustration that led him to take the risk of running for probate judge in Montgomery.Steven explains how people mistake mediocrity for excellence when it comes to politicians.Why Steven believes he was elected as probate judge – given Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!