What Really Matters: Everyday Spirituality

In this episode I share why it's important to be aware of your own spirituality whether you believe in God or not. You can work on your spiritual growth and the expansion of your consciousness even if you don't or can't believe in a deity. In fact it's essential that we each do this work now in order to become our best and highest selves. This episode includes: Why we each need to be aware of our...

In this episode I discuss the 5th lesson the ego needs to learn: You are going to die . This is the most difficult concept for the ego to master because death is ego's greatest fear. I'll share why learning this lesson is essential before true spiritual growth can occur and how to continually work on this concept. Confronting the mortality of the physical body is an ongoing, life-long practice! Th...

In this episode we discuss the 4th lesson the ego needs to learn , which is " You are not in control ." This is one of the greatest challenges for the ego since its primary desire is to achieve control over as much of life as possible. But that's why this is one of the most important steps toward spiritual growth - helping your ego surrender to higher wisdom and consciousness. This episode include...

In this episode I talk about the 3rd lesson the ego needs to learn, which is "Your life is not about you." This is a challenging lesson for us to hear but an important one. The ego needs to learn that life has a higher and greater purpose than just this human existence. This episode includes: We are part of the greater purpose but we don't create or control that purpose.   We may not even und...

Today we're looking at the 2nd lesson the ego needs to learn (see the previous episode for lesson #1): You're not that important. This is a challenging truth for the ego to face but essential if we want to truly grow spiritually. This episode includes: Western civilization is functioning at an individualistic ego-driven level of consciousness right now. How most of our current problems on the plan...

In this episode I share the first of a series of "lessons" the ego needs to learn in order to become a better ally for our higher consciousness and for our day-to-day lives. "Life is hard" is not something the ego likes to look at but that realization is the very beginning of all of our spiritual growth. This episode includes: The ego divides everything into "good" and "bad" and places blame on ot...

In this episode I share some excerpts from my book The Journey from Ego to Soul and talk about why we need to recognize the ego when it controls our behavior instead of our higher consciousness. This episode includes: A description of the ego's common behaviors. How to recognize times when your ego is in control. Understanding that the wounds your ego hides will always have an effect on how you se...

Today I'll discuss how to experience something new in our relationships rather than replaying old history again and again in our interactions. This discussion includes: How the brain's negativity bias has caused us to store old memories of pain and woundedness regarding our relationships (the " box of resentments "). How our confirmation bias also prevents us from recognizing growth and change in...

I'm recording this episode on 8/8/21 which is the "Lionsgate Portal" - a time of creativity, healing, and a shift toward new "agreements" for our lives. I'll share why this particular moment in time has been very powerful for me and how my own consciousness is shifting right now. Here are some of the topics inspired by an email I received from spiritual teacher Matt Kahn : Why right now it's impor...

In this episode let's talk about what it takes to be a leader for those around you when you are going through a challenging time (like the COVID pandemic we are experiencing right now.) We are all leaders in some way whether or not we hold administrative or managerial positions. Here are some skills to help us ride the waves of crisis like a surfer rather than be tossed about in the tumult: Be ada...

In this episode we dive into the challenging subject of self-forgiveness , why it's important and how to do it! This is a project I'm currently working on that I plan to continue for the rest of my life. This episode includes: The definition of self-forgiveness. Studies on forgiveness that show it takes a process over time to complete. Why self-love and self-forgiveness go hand-in-hand. The "Pilla...

In this episode I talk about grace , which is an essential element of any dance. Learn how the many different of meanings of grace apply to both life and death and discover a daily practice that can help us prepare for the end of life with ease and dignity. This episode includes: The many definitions of “grace”. That grace is always given freely, not earned or deserved. How grace “finds us” during...

In this episode I talk about rhythm , which is an essential element of any dance. Learn how the rhythm of nature and the universe includes both stillness and motion, waiting and movement, and how we can find peace and hope by surrendering to this rhythm as it unfolds in the moment. This episode includes: Why it’s important that rhythm contains both stillness and movement, whether in dance, music,...

This is part 2 of the series on the intertwining of life and death in a perfect dance that spirals throughout eternity. This episode covers: Why we cannot live fully (and in balance) if we ignore death. How the medical system perpetuates the separation of death from life. How being mindful of death helps us let go of attachments and live with equanimity. Practices for bringing death awareness into...

This begins a 4-part series I call "The Dance of Life and Death." You'll learn where the title comes from when you listen! This episode includes: Rainer Maria Rilke’s letters to the bereaved. Why death and life are locked in an inseparable dance. How we learn slowly about death through life’s experiences. How to cope with the unique timing of life’s events when it doesn’t fit our hopes and expecta...

In this episode we'll look at why self-love is important and why it's so hard to do. I share poems by Alex Elle, Rupi Kaur and Nikita Gill plus a story of a self-love workshop gone wrong that turned out to be the perfect thing. Here are some suggestions from Buddha's Brain by Rick Hanson for working toward healing of our self-judgment, wounds, and shame: Recognize the pain and shame when it arises...

This episode tells the story of the mysterious and miraculous lotus blossom and how it grows up from the mud to blossom in the sunshine every day. The lotus is a perfect symbol for our own spiritual journey and why we must embrace the darkness and explore it for opportunities to heal our old wounds and transform our lives. The poems The Well of Grief and Self Portrait by David Whyte are featured i...

It's challenging when we feel despair or depression hovering around us and we don't really know why it's there. But, like Rumi's poem The Guest House , it's important to welcome in even the feelings we don't like and wish would leave us alone. So today I'm recommitting to accepting my own despair and letting it in the door. I'll stop rejecting this down time, allow it to be present, and receive wh...

In this episode I share a simple model for how spiritual growth occurs based on the work of Fr. Richard Rohr: Order, Disorder, Reorder. We'll talk about each of these 3 stages and how to navigate them with a focus on finding a "thread" that carries you through each time of life, loving the life you have, and learning to cherish change and impermanence.

For the very first episode of this podcast I introduce you to the 7 lessons I learned from my hospice patients and wrote about in my books: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Soul.   We'll be diving into each of these lessons in upcoming episodes but this is a brief overview to get you started. These lessons are the foundation of all the spiritual work I've been d...

In this episode I discuss how our greatest tragedies can ultimately lead us to growth through the gift of grace. This is the lesson of Suffering, the first of the 7 lessons I learned from my hospice patients.  This episode includes: How my father’s suicide changed the trajectory of my life. Why the remedy for pain is found “inside the pain” as Rumi wrote. There is no “other side” of the tunne...

In this episode I share how love can transform and heal our lives even during our last days. This episode includes: The story of my “Love Project”. The importance of love for those at the end of life. How forgiveness makes room for even greater love. The many ways love can break our hearts. Why we need to remain open to love even after we have been hurt. The “violin metaphor” and why we should all...

Learn the importance of forgiveness for moving forward in society, personal life, and spiritual growth. This episode includes: Why there is so much outrage in our society today. Why we need to remember our interconnectedness and interdependence in order to solve the problems we are facing, How hospice patients focus on forgiveness as they face the end of life, How forgiveness benefits health, rela...

Learn how to make the most of the present moment and give the gift of presence to those you love. This episode includes: Presence is an essential skill for working with dying patients. Many dying patients seem to have a new-found ability to focus on the present and appreciate each moment. According to Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hahn presence is the ability to align body, mind, spirit, emotions in a...

Learn how to find more clarity about your life’s purpose and why it’s not just about choosing the right career path. This episode includes: The difference between “inner” and “outer” purpose. Why it’s important to recognize that there is a larger reason for our existence. Why we must change ourselves before we try to change the world. Steps to discovering your inner purpose: Awaken to the fact tha...