Enlighten: Uplift & Inspire

I took a break last week and didn't post an episode. You may not have noticed, and that's okay. I know how busy life can be, how full many of our lives are and how hard it is to keep up with all that is in front of us. What I did notice was a different energy within myself when taking a break last week. I was kinder, gentler to myself. How lovely! An old energy that I am letting go of is the judgm...

My guest today is Kate Holby. Kate, together with her sister, Sara, and the appreciated support of their parents, started a small business 12 years ago, called Ajiri Tea Company . The Swahili translation of the word "Ajiri" means 'to employ' and that is exactly what the Holby sisters have done. Ajiri sources tea from small-scale farms in Western Kenya and employs 60 women in the Kenyan region to h...

My guest today is Cheryl Seeley. Cheryl is an Early Childhood Educator, Director of an After-School Arts Program and a trained Doula. It's remarkably touching to hear about the countless children and families over the past 20 years, that she has advocated for and wrapped in her loving embrace. I admired Cheryl's courage to step out of her comfort zone and speak up about two terrifying racial assau...

My guest today is Patty Forbes. In addition to being an exceptional psychotherapist, Patty is a dear friend who graciously invited me into the dying process when her beloved husband, Wayne Pedzwater, was struggling with stomach cancer 16 years ago. Wayne was a gifted, respected bass player, incredibly inspiring human being, who taught all of us who knew him, so much about living life fully, and at...

Two weeks after our 20-inch snow storm, the snow has been walked on, patted down, rained on, thawed and frozen over once again. My snowy path has transformed into an icy, crunchy, crusty, frozen path. Thank goodness for a pair of crampons a friend gave me about a month ago. It reminds me of putting on an old pair of galoshes, those rubber overshoes to protect our feet from rain. My new crampons ha...

Today we enter Week Three of Black History Month. I am moved by all the tributes on television and social media to Black artists, activists, trailblazers and truthsayers. May these tributes be infused in us, not just this month, but throughout the year, throughout our lives. Let us stay aware and awake to the courage and sacrifices made, as we all do our part to contribute to cultivating true raci...

This is the second week of Black History Month and I am entering Week Two of my reading and journaling of "Me and White Supremacy" . We had nearly two feet of snow this past week and I found my snow walks in the woods to be a helpful place to process some of the thoughts that surfaced for me. I ventured out last Monday after 12 hours of snowfall. Oh how inviting! The snow was magical, quiet, a per...

Since launching this podcast in January 2018, it has been important for me to represent people of color throughout the year. In addition, I have ensured that during Black History month, the entire month of February, featured black guests. This year I thought it would be appropriate to focus on the responsibility white people have in dismantling white supremacy, which is the root of racism. I perso...

Not sure if you are still feeling the afterglow from the Day of Inauguration on Wednesday, January 20th, when Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were sworn in as President and Vice President of the United States, but I certainly am! I can easily access how moved I felt, how inspired, nourished and invigorated I was by the colors, vibrancy, decency, respect and refreshing HOPE that infused the ceremony an...

Last week I provided the link to hear my friend, Margaret Dulaney's story "The Age of Atrocity" , where she encourages us to let goodness, kindness, honor and love shine, even in the midst of atrocity.  Well, my guest today is someone who embodies such an enlightened perspective. On the day that domestic terrorists stormed the U. S. Capitol, a dear friend of today's guest lost their home and every...

In my meditations this week, the two words that have comforted me, held me and inspired me are truth and hope. Not just as words or concepts, but as felt experiences. This past week has been an intense one, to say the least! We've had to process the trauma of the appalling insurrection of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday January 6th. As painful as it is to face the harsh reality of white supremacy in...

As we step into the New Year, it is common for us to take a moment to reflect on this past year. I wanted to start off the year, and the beginning of our fourth year of the podcast, by thanking my guests from 2020. In the year 2020, we had a total of 28 guests; 13 guests came to my home office to record our conversation, and 15 guests were recorded via Zoom. This past year, I shared 21 stories or...

My guest today is Louis Cato. Louis is beyond talented; he is a multi-instrumentalist, singer and producer. In fact, the time we set aside to record this conversation was cut short because he had last minute television recording demands. Louis was gracious enough to squeeze in 20 minutes to talk with me, amidst his extremely busy schedule and I am so grateful he did. Louis is a member of Jon Batis...

My guest today is Gail Hovey. Gail is an inspiring author, editor, and activist who I recently met when she was invited to my book group. We had just read her newly published memoir: "She Said God Blessed Us: A Life Marked by Childhood Sexual Abuse in the Church" and we were thrilled to get to know the author. What a beautifully written memoir that sheds light on a largely invisible issue of sexua...

In today's episode I pay tribute to Alvin Ailey's iconic masterpiece "Revelations", celebrating its 60th anniversary. I reminisce about the 50 years this dance has been in my life: as an audience member since I was 12, a teen dancer that learned excerpts of the choreography, a passionate facilitator to introduce "Revelations" to newbies, an enthusiast who delighted in sharing these performances wi...

We are launching a fundraiser this week for MADE Transitional Services . Tarik Greene and Toney Earl, Jr. co-founded MADE, a grassroots organization to address the needs of formerly incarcerated people. MADE stands for Making A Difference Everyday. Please join us in making a difference for an easily forgotten, marginalized group of people. Our bass playing daughter, her drummer husband and a circl...

Most of us can agree that 2020 has been a very difficult year. I am finally feeling some positive energy within reach, thanks to the election win of Biden/Harris. Where were you when you learned that Biden/Harris had finally been declared President and Vice-President of the United States? What feelings surfaced for you? I bet you have a story to tell. So many stories have been shared formally and...

We recorded this podcast just yesterday and did what was necessary to release it within 24 hours because our guest has 2 exciting projects that are happening this week and we wanted to get the word out to everyone as soon as possible. One workshop takes place this coming Sunday November 22nd, the first in a series, called "Manifest Monthly" of monthly yoga workshops to deepen your physical practic...

The Monday before election day, a friend had posted this quote:   "Shout out to anyone doing their part to spread love and raise the vibration of the planet. I know this lingo can sound a little weird to some people, but seriously, if you're out here uplifting people and spreading love, I appreciate you so damn much." Well, I'm out here trying to uplift people and spreading love as I know most of...

Love is in the air, do you feel it?!? I do and if you pay attention, you will see it, hear it, and feel it, too! Love is in the air; love is all around us! There's an outpouring of love: in lawn signs, in mindsets, in the kindness from strangers, in celebrations of anniversaries, birthdays, in protestors, in a record turn out of determined voters, in joyful dancers, in community volunteers and in...

My guest today is Kristin Richardson Jordan, also known, simply as her initials: KRJ. Kristin is a teacher, poet, social justice activist and spiritual warrior, who is currently running for New York City Council in District 9, Central Harlem. She is in no manner a typical politician, in fact KRJ's refreshing platform is radical love! She explains that love is the base for meaningful change, for ac...

This week I share a short, simple exercise called the "Compassion Beads". The premise is that compassion is part of our DNA and can be nourished and cultivated with intention and mindfulness. Biologically, compassion decreases levels of stress, boosts our immune system and helps us feel calm. Using a simple alphabetical mnemonic device, which provides a memory tool, the compassion beads, start wit...

In the midst of more racial atrocities, pandemic chaos, political head-spinning, urgent climate concerns, and violent acts of domestic terrorism, I know we are all doing the best we can to get through our days. Hopefully we are focusing on what sustains our souls, as I've mentioned in the past 3 episodes. Getting through the day, includes simple tasks, routines, chores, as well as little and big d...

I heard wonderful feedback about the last 2 episodes from listeners who really enjoyed hearing shorter, personal stories. Thank you! So today will be another offering from me. Whoa, what a week we just weathered!! From Trump's disgraceful, abusive behavior during the first presidential debate to learning this past Friday that he and Melania tested positive for the Covid-19. Like many of us, I walk...

This week I build on last week's theme of focusing on what sustains our soul by sharing a recent magical moment that I am calling "Swan-Delight". When we pause, pay attention and share these soul sustaining moments, it helps to absorb more fully, their deeper meaning. Just as there is a universal law of gravity, there is a universal law that what we focus on increases. Most of us are conditioned t...