Gerald Harris, Father, Hoffman Board Chair emeritus, and Energy Economist is our guest today. Gerald shares his journey from growing up in rural south Georgia to his life today with his sons in Northern California. He shares his Hoffman Journey of transformation. Listen to the end for Gerald’s powerful reflections on forgiveness and transformation. Born and raised in Hapeville, Georgia until he was six years old, Gerald talks about what it was like to grow up in a village of extended family. His family was poor but he didn’t know it. At the age of six, he and his mother moved to Chicago for work. Suddenly, it was just Gerald and his mother. Gerald shares how he suffered abuse from his single mother. The Process helped him take his mother down off of the pedestal he’d learned to put her on as a child so he could squarely look at what had really happened in his childhood. He was able to see the patterns he adopted from her and release them through the Process. By completing the Hoffman Process, Gerald was able to heal the pain of his childhood so that this past pain would not affect his sons. Generational healing releases generational patterns and the painful emotions they cause. When patterns are released, our own lives and our children’s lives can hold more Light and Love. Gerald’s world at the Process made it possible for his sons’ lives to be freer of generational patterning. One of the other places the Process supported Gerald through transformation was in his sense of spirituality. As a child, he grew up Christian. Prior to doing the Process, Gerald was reading Buddhist thought and other kinds of thought as well. After the Process, Gerald came to understand that spirituality is not about any particular religion. He found it is about love, forgiveness, kindness, compassion, and justice. The Process supported Gerald in discovering a heart-centered way of communicating that he uses in all his relationships, both personal and professional. More about Gerald Harris: Gerald Harris is president of the Quantum Planning Group (QPG), which he founded in 2009. His company specializes in assisting businesses and non-profit organizations in strategic and business planning using the tools of scenario analysis. He works extensively with companies in the energy sector, particularly gas and electricity. Gerald received his BA in economics from Morehouse College, where he graduated as a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and an MBA in finance and business economics from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. Gerald’s first book, The Art of Quantum Planning, Seven Ideas from Quantum Physics for Breakthroughs in Creativity, Innovation, and Leadership, was published by Berrett Koehler Publishing in August 2009. Gerald joined the Board of the Hoffman Institute in 2007, after completing the Process in December 2002. From mid-year 2012 until April 2022 Gerald served as Board Chair, working cooperatively with the entire leadership team. He now serves on the Hoffman Institute Advisory Council. Gerald also serves on the Board of Governors of the Commonwealth Club of California. He leads the Technology and Society member-led forum where he produces programs for the Club. He is the father of two adult sons. More is available at his website: www.artofquantumplanning.com. As mentioned in this episode: Download The Quadrinity Process paper Gerald mentions: A Path to Personal Freedom and Love. Projection: “The process of displacing one’s feelings onto a different person, animal, or object.” – Psychology Today The Great Migration: “The Great Migration was one of the largest movements of people in United States history. Approximately six million Black people moved from the American South to Northern, Midwestern, and Western states roughly from the 1910s until the 1970s. The driving force behind the mass movement was to escape racial violence, pursue economic and educational opportunities, and obtain freedom from the oppression of Jim Crow. – National Archives Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Morehouse College The Right Road Choice: “The path we take when we are in patterns is the Left Road – the habitual ways of being that we learned in childhood. We don’t do things from choice, we do them because of “that’s the way I’ve always done it” thinking. This is not free will choice; it is the path of least resistance, of familiarity. The Right Road is your new way of being – acting out of awareness, action, and will. This is the path of curiosity, responsibility, openness, and adventure. It is the path of choice: how you will live, and how you will act in your life in the face of adversity. You, not your childhood programming, are taking responsibility for your life.” Shawn McAndrew, Hoffman Blog    

This conversation with Ryan Miles and Drew is not to be missed. Ryan is vulnerable, raw, and so deeply grounded within himself as he shares his experience before, during, and after graduating from the Hoffman Process. Ryan tells us the big pain point that brought him to the Process – the inability to feel empathy for others, including family and friends. He felt very alone, didn’t know why he felt so alone, and had no idea what was causing him to feel that way. He wanted to care about people and didn’t know how to. When you listen to Ryan talk about his experience post-Process, you can sense the immense transformation that took place during his seven days at our California Hoffman Retreat Center in Petaluma. During his Process, Ryan did indeed come to understand why he could not find empathy for others; he felt no empathy, or love, for himself. Ryan considered himself selfish, but he discovered something ironic about this belief. He says he now sees that selfishness is that “your self-view is so small that all you can see is yourself.” By day two of the Process, he realized that his whole idea of love had been backward for most of his life. Ryan realized that Love is indeed a birthright. He found that love is waiting for us within. All we need to do is come home to that Love. More about Ryan Miles: Ryan was raised on a dairy farm near the small town of Weippe in northern Idaho. His parents, Grant and Sharon, ran the dairy as second-generation owners. Ryan was the youngest of four boys. He grew up in an environment of a strong work ethic and a conservative Christian belief system through the Wesleyan church. After graduating high school in 1996, Ryan moved away from home and into the world at large, which was the custom of his family. Thus began his adventure of survival and personal development. In 1999, Ryan married his life companion Elissa. In 2010 they had a son Cash followed by a daughter Sunny in 2013. Ryan started a business in the European Auto Repair world called Peak Euro in 2007. Today, they have 12 employees and are experiencing strong growth. However, the pursuit of perfectionism and financial success didn’t lead to attaining Joy and Inner Peace. Ryan began to think there had to be more to life. The world of auto repair led Ryan to Hoffman through industry coaching and other personal development workshops. One such workshop was the Hoffman Process. At the Process, Ryan did the life-changing work that can be done in just one week. Ryan’s favorite authors include Eckhart Tolle, Anthony de Mello, Richard Rohr, Michael Singer, and Paulo Coelho. As mentioned in this episode: Eckhart Tolle    

This episode with Felipe Jain, M.D. is so full of amazing things, that it’s hard to describe all you’ll hear. Felipe did the Hoffman Process when he was twenty-five. He was in his third year as a medical student at Harvard Medical School. He was driven and ambitious, but found relationships a challenge for him. One of the wonderful moments Felipe remembers from his Process is when his emotional self finally got to speak up for himself and stand up to his intellect. He shares how amazing it was to experience the magic of this child within himself – a wonderful, beautiful, and fun child. Now, many years later, Felipe is a Psychiatrist, a Researcher, a Neuroscientist, and a Professor at Harvard Medical School. As you’ll hear in this episode, Felipe, through the Process, found and continues to develop a beautiful balance between all four aspects of his Quadrinity. He also has been able to use aspects of his Process experience as well as some of what he learned there in his work as a Psychiatrist. One magical part of this episode is how Felipe describes his experience of Being. A meditator for over thirty years (he started at age 13 or 14), he has deepened his relationship with people and nature by coming to know how to shift perspectives and learn to truly take in what another is experiencing. Felipe describes the evolution of Being and the nature of Being through metaphor and physics. You’ve got to listen to and feel what he shares. Be sure to take time to discover more about Felipe’s work and the resources he’s made available to us all. More About Dr. Felipe Jain, M.D.: Originally from San Rafael, CA, Dr. Felipe Jain, M.D., is the Director of Healthy Aging Studies at the Depression Clinical Research Program of the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. His research group aims to develop new guided imagery and mindfulness tools for people caring for loved ones with chronic illnesses. Additionally, his lab studies objective brain connectivity, stress hormones, and other biological markers of psychotherapy treatment. This research is funded by competitive grants from the National Institutes of Health and private foundations. Dr. Jain also treats patients – predominantly with treatment-resistant depression – in private practice. He is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Felipe teaches medical students tools for resilience and serves on the MD Advisory Board of the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology. He also supervises psychiatry trainees in the number-one ranked Massachusetts General Hospital-McLean psychiatry residency program. Dr. Jain’s most recent endeavors include studying smartphone delivery of psychotherapy, researching brain activity occasioned by psychedelics, writing a book on guided imagery and mindfulness, and creating a startup based on his mobile application platform development. When not working, he enjoys meditating, crafting poetry, reading sci-fi, playing tennis with his two children (ages 7 and 9), hiking in the Middlesex Fells, and laughing for no reason on his back porch. Dr. Jain is also a Hoffman Institute Foundation Board Member. We are grateful for his willingness to share his expertise, experience, and love to further Hoffman’s goal of bringing peace to the world one person at a time. Find out more about Dr. Jain here. As mentioned in this episode: 14 Billion years: the age of the Universe Quark: “A quark (/kwɔːrk, kwɑːrk/) is a type of elementary particle and a fundamental constituent of matter.” Wikipedia Lao Tzu (or Laozi): 6th-century BC ancient Chinese philosopher and writer Lao Tzu, is believed to be the author of the Tao Te Ching. He is also “the founder of philosophical Taoism and a deity in religious Taoism and traditional Chinese religions.” Wikipedia The Tao Te Ching: “The Tao Te Ching, along with the Zhuangzi, is a fundamental text for both philosophical and religious Taoism.” Wikipedia FernHillCenter.org: Free resources that Felipe mentions in this episode. Fernhill Center is “dedicated to freely spreading practices that bring greater joy, compassion, and connection.”    

Photo by Bradford Rogne Photography We begin season five with Scott “Scooter” Braun. You might know him as Scooter Braun, one of the most prolific entrepreneurs and innovators in entertainment, music, tech, and beyond. Yet, during the Hoffman Process, Scooter reclaimed himself as Scott, the young boy he once was and the person he has always been.  Scooter shares that both sides of his familial line experienced great trauma and struggles. He was aware enough to know that his life as a child was good. Through the Process, he came to realize that he felt guilt for having struggles because his paled in comparison to those his parents and grandparents experienced. Through the Process, Scott was able to heal the pain of his past, understanding that we all face human trauma and challenges. Sharing about his upbringing, his loving parents, and what he learned through his Process, Scott cogently shines a light on the Path to Personal Freedom and Love. One beautiful thing Scott offers to us in this episode is the understanding that once we do the deep healing work of childhood, we can then step forward to discover who we really are, now, in the present day. From this present moment, we can continue to reclaim more and more of who we truly are. Scott recommends the Process to many of those he knows. When people remark about how much he has changed and want to know how this happened, he suggests they attend. More about Scooter Braun: Scooter Braun is one of the most prolific entrepreneurs and innovators in entertainment, music, tech, and beyond. Braun is the Founder and Chairman of Ithaca Holdings LLC., now a part of the HYBE America portfolio, a wholly owned subsidiary of HYBE, a South Korean entertainment lifestyle platform company. Braun is CEO and board member of HYBE. Ithaca Holdings LLC. is a fully integrated holding company, which invests in some of the largest management, media, and rights companies in the industry. Ithaca Holdings LLC has built an elite portfolio of acquisitions and partnerships including Big Machine Label Group, Mythos Studios, unscripted content studio GoodStory Entertainment and Atlas Publishing, among others. chine Label Group, Mythos Studios, unscripted content studio GoodStory Entertainment, and Atlas Publishing, among others. In addition, Braun is co-founder and partner of TQ Ventures, a leading investment firm focused on early-stage and growth-stage companies. Braun is also the Founder of SB Projects, a diversified entertainment, and media company with ventures at the intersection of music, film, technology, brands, culture, and social good. In addition to managing a robust roster of some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, J Balvin, Idina Menzel, Ashley Graham, and Tori Kelly, SB Projects has grown its film and television division to include a prolific slate of projects including the FX Network’s most-watched comedy series “Dave,” YouTube’s record-breaking docuseries “Justin Bieber: Seasons,” CBS’s “Scorpion,” Ariana Grande feature documentary “Excuse Me, I Love You” with Netflix, “Never Say Never,” which remains the highest grossing music documentary in domestic box-office history and most recently, YouTube’s critically acclaimed four-part docuseries “Demi Lovato: Dancing With The Devil.”  The company also has a multitude of projects in active development. As mentioned in the episode: The Holocaust: Scott’s paternal grandparents survived the Holocaust. His grandmother survived Auschwitz while his grandfather survived Dachau. Cheshta Buckley: Cheshta is a Hoffman teacher and coach. Find out more about Cheshta here. Liza Ingrasci: Liza is CEO and President of the Hoffman Institute Foundation. She hosts a free, 45-minute live weekly Intro Call for those who want to know more about the Process. Rashi: “Rashi’s surname, Yitzhaki, derives from his father’s name, Yitzhak. The acronym “Rashi” stands for Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaki, but is sometimes fancifully expanded as Rabban Shel YIsrael which means the “Rabbi of Israel”, or as Rabbenu SheYichyeh (Our Rabbi, may he live).” Wikipedia Stoic Philosophy (or Stoicism): Stoicism flourished throughout the Roman and Greek world until the 3rd century AD, and among its adherents was Emperor Marcus Aurelius. – Wikipedia More about Marcus Aurelius: Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (the book Scott mentions) “Amor Fati.” (Latin for love of one’s fate.) “The suffering and the joy you must love the same because everything is for you.” From the Tao Te Ching: “What is a good man but a bad man’s teacher? What is a bad man but a good man’s job?” “Rejection is God’s protection:” Sometimes the moment that hurts deeply we find out later was a moment that was made for us. Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael Singer  

We complete season four with this lively conversation between Drew and beloved Hoffman teacher and coach, Marissa Ingrasci. Marissa grew up in a Hoffman home. Her parents, Raz and Liza Ingrasci, founded the Hoffman Institute. Marissa shares a sweet memory of when she was first taught about the Light and the capacity we have to claim our own agency and connection to the Light. Fifteen years ago, Marissa came to the Process feeling lost and disconnected from herself. At the end of her Process, she felt happy and bursting with love for her parents in a way she didn’t know she could. Through the Process, Marissa connected to herself and the Light in a deeper way. Marissa shares some deep wisdom about how to live a Right Road life with compassion for self and others, as well as equanimity and joy. In living on the Right Road, we still have challenges. Days will be hard, but with access to Process tools and an integrated Quadrinity, we can meet any challenge with love. Marissa touches on the dramatic creative change and growth the Hoffman Institute went through when Covid hit in March 2020. She was teaching the last Process before everything shut down for Covid. Marissa shares how it was clear that the students in that Process were going to be released into a very different world than the one they left behind when they entered the Process. What might it mean to be ready to do the Process, or in Marissa’s words, “step into the mystery?” It might not mean what you think. Take a listen to hear more about what readiness looks like, especially in these times of great change. We’ll be back with season five in August! More About Marissa Ingrasci: Marissa Ingrasci is a Hoffman Process teacher and coach. She manages the Marketing department at Hoffman and is a Faculty Manager. Marissa holds a BA from Emerson College and received her coaching training through the ICF-approved, Academy of Leadership Coaching & NLP. She is also a certified NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming) coach. As Mentioned in This Episode: Matt Brannagan: Matt is Vice-President and Director of Faculty at Hoffman Institute Foundation. Discover more about Matt in his Hoffman podcast episode, Communities of Meaning. Left Road/Right Road: Marissa shares a unique way she often works with the Left Road/Right Road practice. Hoffman Essentials: A live, virtual 2-Day Hoffman Essentials program. Hoffman teachers will guide you in an insightful and interactive intensive. Through experiential activities, individual assignments, engaging discussions, and connection with a community of learners, you will have the experience of bringing more love and aliveness to yourself and your life while increasing your awareness of, and ability to dismantle, the barriers that stand in the way of living your best life. The experiences and learnings from this program are designed to provide useful tools and practices that you can carry with you for a lifetime.(Please note: This course is for people who have not participated in the Hoffman Process.) Instagram Lives: Each day, we host two Instagram lives. Join our virtual community Quad-Check at 8:00 am PT on Instagram. A Quad Check is a practice to support you in integrating and honoring all four parts of your Quadrinity: Spiritual Self, Intellect, Emotional Self, and your Body. Come be a part of our daily Appreciation and Gratitude practice at 6:00 pm PT on Instagram. You’ll find the Appreciation and Gratitude practice to be a beautiful way to reflect on your day. This practice will support your Spiritual Self’s natural desire to appreciate and give thanks for all that life brings you. Quote on change mentioned by Drew: “Change happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change.”― Tony Robbins  

Alana Hadid – designer, business owner, and social media influencer – completed the Hoffman Process in the Fall of 2021. Listen in as she shares her experience during the Process as well as her life after the Process with Hoffman teacher and coach, Liz Severin. People decide to do the Process when they are serious about making changes in their lives. For Alana, it was wanting to do the ‘self-work’ that would bring about healthier romantic relationships in her life. She’d been in a relationship that didn’t feel healthy and knew that the change she was seeking had to happen within her. Listen in to see how doing this deeply transformational work within and for herself is improving how she relates to everyone. As a designer, Alana found that doing the Process helped strengthen her creative capacity. As a result, Alana now hears her creative ideas more clearly with less negative inner talk. Toward the end of her Process, Alana had a creative idea spark in her. She pursued it and as a result, she has designed clothing merchandise in partnership with the Hoffman Institute. When you come to do the Process or the Q2 weekend intensive, you’ll be able to purchase these bright and colorful tee shirts, sweatshirts, and sweatpants. Toward the end of the conversation, on a really lovely note, Alana speaks about her mother attending the Process. In preparation for her mother’s own Process, Alana helped guide her mother through her pre-Process work. Truly knowing that “everyone is guilty and no one is to blame” transforms families and transforms our world.  The healing that happens in families due to doing the Process is truly foundational familial healing. More About Alana Hadid From a young age, Alana loved fashion and wore and constructed crazy and unique clothes. After studying political science in college, she moved to Los Angeles where she had many jobs, including a T-shirt line, Better Bacon, and running her father’s art gallery. In 2013, Alana began styling and personal shopping and found her true passion in design. She came up with the idea for La Detresse after an interesting dream and a difficult client fitting. Alana works as a designer and co-owner of her label, La Detresse. In addition, she’s on the board of Shroomboom as well as a consultant for multiple businesses. A social media influencer, Alana has been featured as a designer, influencer, and contributor in Vogue Japan, Grazia, Who What Wear, WWD, Angelina Magazine, and W Magazine. Head over to Instagram to discover more about Alana and La Detresse. As Mentioned in This Episode: Hoffman Process Retreat Center, Petaluma CA Narnia (the Hoffman Process Retreat Site): If you listen closely, you’ll notice that Alana refers to our new retreat site as Narnia. It is a beautiful and magical place. Liza Ingrasci and Hoffman Live Weekly Intro Calls: Alana shares that she had wonderfully productive calls with Liza Ingrasci, President and CEO of the Hoffman Institute Foundation. At the time, Alana was unaware she was speaking with the CEO. Liza holds free live weekly intro calls to learn more about the Process. Find out more here. Ways to keep the Process alive: Physical Expression: Physical Expression is used in the Process as part of the Cycle of Transformation. Expression is a necessary part of disconnecting from Negative Love patterns in order to heal the pain of the past. There are many ways to physically express the patterns in order to disconnect from them. Quad Check: The Quad Check is a practice to support you in checking in with all four parts of your Quadrinity: Spiritual Self, Intellect, Emotional Self, and your Body. To practice Quad Checks with others, join our virtual Quad-Check at 8:00 am PT on Instagram. Visualization: A practice used often during the Process, you’ll find audio recordings of various visualizations for download here. Recycling: Recycling is a powerful tool that’s part of the Cycle of Transformation. Once you’ve identified, expressed, and traced a negative pattern, recycling transmutes it into a new way of being. This new way is in alignment with your Spiritual Self.

There’s so much goodness in this conversation with Brian Buckley, Executive Director of The Southwest Native-American Foundation. From varied points of view, Brian focuses on the fullness of what it means to be human. From the practical to the sublime, he takes us along as he recounts his life story. As he talks about his life path and the wisdom he’s gained as a result of reflection and contemplation, it’s easy to sense the depth and vastness of Brian’s heart. Consistent throughout this conversation is the sense that Brian was deeply impacted by his Irish immigrant roots. His grandparents emigrated to the United States. Raised in an Irish enclave in a Boston neighborhood, Brian shares his childhood experience of being in a clan of children of Irish immigrants. This theme recurs again when Brian shares a poem by Seamus Heaney. Brian had an opportunity to experience Buddhism and meditation when overseas as a volunteer for the Peace Corps. He speaks about the contrast in his experience between Buddhism and Irish Catholicism. The Hoffman Process helped Brian discover the depth of his emotional self and the impact of his Irish-rooted emotional patterns. Brian speaks about both the spiritual and practical aspects of the Process. He shares about the nature of his Spiritual Self and also speaks about the practical nature of the gifts of the Hoffman Process. He came home with learning skills for day-to-day that he can bring to the dinner table, both literally and metaphorically. MORE ABOUT BRIAN BUCKLEY: Brian, the son of Cathy and Paul Buckley, was born in West Roxbury, MA. As a young child, he witnessed Boston tear itself apart over issues of race and equality. These themes would inform much of his later life. After attending the Roxbury Latin School and graduating from Harvard College with a degree in psychology, Brian began teaching social studies at Franklin K.Lane High School in Brooklyn. Following his time teaching, Brian served in the United States Peace Corps in Udon Thani, Thailand.  Upon returning to the States, he instructed at Harvard University as a Teaching Fellow for Dr. Robert Coles’ course, The Literature of Social Reflection. Brian received the Derek Bok Award for Excellence in Teaching. He received an Ed.M from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and an M.A. in English from the University of Massachusetts. Poetry informs much of his inner landscape. Brian continues to teach as an elementary school special education teacher at a public Montessori school. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Brian founded the Barbara Henry Courage in Teaching Award to honor the work of Barbara Henry. Barbara was the only teacher to report to work to welcome and teach Ruby Bridges. Ruby, a six-year-old first-grade student of African-American descent, was the only child to come to school on the first day of de-segregation in 1960 New Orleans. Fulfilling a Personal Call: Brian served as a high school teacher and United States Peace Corps Fellow on the Navajo Nation. At the end of this time, he founded the Southwest Native-American Foundation (SWNAF). The Foundation assists students of the tribes of the Southwest in gaining greater access to higher education. As Executive Director of SWNAF, Brian, along with the SWNAF Board and Donors, has assisted in the matriculation of 500 students to college and graduate school. Learn more about The Southwest Native American Foundation here, and on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. As Mentioned in This Episode: Ruby Bridges and Barbara Henry: Read more about Ruby Bridges at RubyBridges.Foundation. Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day: Discover more about Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day. United States Peace Corp: The Peace Corps was started by President John F. Kennedy in the early sixties. The Peace Corps the opportunity to serve others through immersion in a community abroad. Working side by side with local leaders, they work on the most pressing challenges of these times Volunteers are sent to one of 88 countries. Bruce Springsteen’s autobiography, Born to Run. The poem Brian shares with us: Watch Brian read the poem, A Kite for Michael and Christopher by Seamus Heaney, here. The book Drew mentions: Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make us Whole, by Susan Cain.  

Beloved Hoffman Process teacher and coach, Max Gaenslen, holds this question as the focus for his life and life’s work: “What is the difference between people who really connect to that divine spark within them and find fertile soil for that seed to grow in the world – and people who don’t?” The question first came to him in 2004 while riding on a Greyhound bus. Once it hit him, he immediately knew he needed to live this question. Today, the common thread running through all that Max does is the belief that the Light exists in everything and that we all have innate genius and gifts. In conversation with Sharon, Max explores what lights him up – human potential and the journey of awakening into the body. He shares a multitude of viewpoints from which to look at the process of spiritual awakening and emphasizes awakening our body and heart. You will hear Max’s infectious love of his life’s work. One of Max’s other joys is drumming. At the age of eleven, Max first heard the drum solo in All the World’s a Stage, by Rush. It was then that he decided he wanted to become a drummer. More About Max Gaenslen: Along with being a Hoffman teacher and coach, Max Gaenslen is a Senior teacher and trainer of George Leonard and Michael Murphy’s Integral Transformative Practice and George Leonard’s Leonard Energy Training. He is the Coordinator of Esalen Institute’s Center for Theory & Research. Max is also a California state-certified “Education Specialist.”   Max is also a drummer and percussionist.   After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in creativity and entrepreneurship, Max began his career in business consulting. Max did the Hoffman Process in 2005, then shifted his career direction to focus on transformative education and workshops for adults, and working extensively with adolescents in a therapeutic context. He worked for thirteen years in San Mateo County’s Therapeutic Day School program and has taught workshops and programs for such organizations as Esalen Institute, ITP-International, Greenheart Transforms, and The Institute of Noetic Sciences. As Mentioned in This Episode: The Future of the Body: Explorations Into the Further Evolution of Human Nature, by Michael Murphy. Quotes Max shares: “The winds of grace are always blowing, but you have to raise the sail.” — Ramakrishna “The flesh, itself, is waking up.” — Michael Murphy Transcendence (“Up and out”): When we transcend, we move up and out of the body. Embodiment (“Down and in”): Moving down into the body and deeper into its interior. Drumming as a way to bash! Max talks about drumming as a way to bash negative patterns. Bashing is one told to use during Expression, how we let go of our patterns. We exercise our free will – choose to step out of a pattern, and take action using our Voice, Body, and Intention.  

April McDaniel, Founder of woman-owned and minority-led, Crown + Conquer, came to the Process to do the deep work she knew she was ready for. In this conversation with Drew, April speaks candidly about needing to be honest with herself. She touches on this many times. What brought April to the Process? April shares that she saw she had a pattern of being cold when relating with others. She felt closed off and wanted to do something that would help to open her up again. Being ‘cold’ with others is often a pattern learned in childhood that helps us feel safe and secure. In the Process, April learned a lot about trauma and witnessed how each everyone has work to do to heal. As a result of her work there, the Process helped her find empathy for herself and for others. April chose to be more vulnerable at work as a way to integrate her Process experience. She shares that showing vulnerability, especially in the Black community, is viewed as weak. April showed her strength by being vulnerable and says it was well-received. More About April McDaniel: April McDaniel is the owner and founder of Crown + Conquer, a trailblazing agency partner to global brands with a current client roster that includes Spotify, Amazon Studios, and Google. Woman-owned and minority-led, Crown + Conquer has quickly and quietly made a name for itself, scaling rapidly in just five short years to 32 employees plus numerous freelancers. April’s team at Crown + Conquer is unapologetically authentic. They push brands outside their comfort zone, connecting brand truths with human truths to bring them to life and forge real connections with consumers. April began her career at Strategic Group. While there, she worked directly for Jason Strauss and Noah Tepperberg as they built the company into one of the most powerful brands in hospitality. With an innate ability to find the through-line that resonates with audiences, April drove event strategy for clients including Nike, Coca Cola, and Sprite; executed pioneering brand collaborations including Hennessy Artistry and Heineken Red Star; and played a key role in the grand openings of Las Vegas Tao, Tao Beach, LAVO, and Marquee Nightclub & Day Club at the Cosmopolitan. Subsequently, she led the nationwide expansion of Game Seven as Director of Operations. April also served as point person for influencer and experiential strategy on the Beats by Dre account. April is fiercely private and passionate about giving back. Recently, she launched the Chase the Crown Business Summit. Through the summit, small businesses and innovative brands have the opportunity to win seed money and gain unparalleled exposure. April lives in Southern California with her two sons. She earned her BA from Temple University. Find out more about April on Instagram. Learn more about Crown and Conquer here and on Instagram. Hoffman Process Terminology: Awareness Hell: In awareness hell, we know we are aware of our patterns and the things we do we wish we didn’t do, but we are still unable to change. We understand but feel stuck in this place of hell even though our awareness keeps expanding.  To get out of awareness hell, our work to grow and transform must include three additional steps for change to take place. These three steps are Expression, Compassion, and New Ways of Being. All four make up the Cycle of Transformation. As Mentioned in This Episode: Trauma: In the Process, you learn about trauma as you do the work to heal the pain of the past. If you’d like to hear more, listen to this in-depth podcast episode with Cynthia Merchant on Trauma and the Process of Healing. Cynthia was a Hoffman teacher for twenty years.    

Coach and consultant, Natalie Vanderpump, is our guest today. Natalie’s process of getting to the Process was a journey in and of itself. She registered in February of 2020 for the May Process, which was postponed after the outbreak of COVID-19. Determined to begin her work, Natalie signed up for the first Hoffman Essentials virtual course. When the Hoffman Institute resumed offering the Process in person the following September, Natalie was there to begin the Process. Life had other plans as our beloved retreat site, White Sulphur Springs burned and Natalie’s group was evacuated. She had to return home to wait, again. Natalie completed her Process in person as part of the first graduating class at Hoffman’s new retreat site in Petaluma. What kept Natalie so motivated? When she completed the initial homework early that Spring, she felt a jolt to her Being. Through the months of waiting, Natalie had a heightened awareness of her patterns and how they had affected her life up to that point. Once she arrived in Petaluma, she was truly ready to do the deeply impactful work of healing the pain of her past. Natalie came to the Process because she felt like she’d done everything she was ‘supposed to do’ to be happy, but she wasn’t. For twenty-five years, she’d been on a journey to find a place of peace in herself that she knew was possible but didn’t know how to find on her own. Doing the Process helped support Natalie in finding the peace she was looking for, as well as much more. More About Natalie Vanderpump: Natalie was born in the West Indies on the island of Jamaica. As a child she lived in many places, finally settling in Miami, Florida for college. After seventeen years, a failed marriage, two engineering degrees, and an MBA, she moved to the Pacific Northwest with her son. In addition to her corporate career in Fortune 100 companies, Natalie has a passion for supporting people in organizing their time, finances, and physical space. Today, Natalie is a Holistic Wellness Coach and a KonMari-certified organizational consultant. As a coach and consultant, she helps people manage the stuff that impacts our ability to thrive. This includes what we put in our bodies, allow into our hearts and minds, and accumulate in our homes. Everyone’s path to wellness has twists and turns. Natalie loves helping others progress on their unique journey while continuing on her own. You can learn more about Natalie and her work here. Follow Natalie on Instagram and LinkedIn. As Mentioned in This Episode Hoffman Essentials 2-Day Virtual program: Through experiential activities, individual assignments, engaging discussions, and connection with a community of learners, you will have the experience of bringing more love and aliveness to yourself and your life while increasing your awareness of, and ability to dismantle, the barriers that stand in the way of living your best life. Practices & Tools: Quad Check: Join our virtual Quad-Check at 8:00 am PT on Instagram. The Quad Check is a practice to support you in checking in with all four parts of your Quadrinity: Spiritual Self, Intellect, Emotional Self, and your Body. Appreciation & Gratitude: Join our virtual Appreciation & Gratitude practice at 6:00 pm PT on Instagram. The Appreciation and Gratitude practice supports you in dropping into your heart. From here, you can see and realize what you are truly grateful for and what you appreciate in and about your life. This practice deepens your connection to your body and your Spiritual Self. Recycling Recycling is a powerful tool that’s part of the Cycle of Transformation. It’s used to recycle a negative pattern that you’ve identified, traced, and disconnected from and into a new way of being. This new way is in alignment with your Spiritual Self. Vicious Cycle A collection of negative patterns that keep you in a cycle of negativity. They work in a cyclical manner and feed upon themselves. They are profoundly negative to your life and relationships.