The One You Feed - Learn Good Habits To Increase Mindfulness And Happiness And Decrease Anxiety And Depression

A native of South Dakota, Robert Sessions earned a B.A. from Drake University and a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Michigan.  Before focusing on photography, for more than four decades he taught at Kirkwood Community College, Grinnell College, Luther College, and the University of Minnesota in Duluth.As a photographer he works frequently with his wife, travel writer Lori Erickson. Together they produce Spiritual Travels, a website describing holy sites around the world, and Holy Rover, a blog hosted by Patheos, the world’s largest website on religion and spirituality. His photos also appear regularly in publications that include the Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Gazette and Group Tour Magazine. He is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers.In addition, Sessions is the author of Becoming Real: Authenticity in an Age of Distractions and co-author of Working In America: A Humanities Reader.  He has also published several dozen articles on environmental philosophy, the philosophy of work, ethics, and

This week we talk to Rick Heller about secular meditationRick Heller is the author of the new book, Secular Meditation: 32 Practices for Cultivating Inner Peace, Compassion, and Joy — A Guide from the Humanist Community at Harvard.Rick leads weekly meditations at the Humanist Community at Harvard.Rick received a master’s degree in journalism from Boston University. He also holds a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from MITIn This Interview, Rick Heller and I Discuss:The One You Feed parableHis new book, Secular Meditation: 32 practices for cultivating inner peace, compassion & Joy (A guide from the Humanist Community at Harvard)How in the brain, two negatives do not equal a positiveWhat a "Humanist" isA secular view of meditation & mindfulnessOther types of meditation other than breath focused meditationHow there's no such thing as an inherently negative stimulusWhat face meditation isHow the muscles in your f

This week we talk to Rebecca Newberger Goldstein about the relevance of philosophy in today's worldRebecca Newberger Goldstein is an American philosopher who is also a novelist and public intellectual. She is the author of ten books, many of which cross the divide between fiction and non-fiction. She holds a Ph.D. from Princeton.Her latest book is called Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away, an exploration of the historical roots and contemporary relevance of philosophy. In the book Plato is brought to life in the 21st century and demonstrates the relevance of philosophy by arguing with contemporary figures such as a software engineer at Google headquarters, a right-wing talk show host, an affective neuroscientist, and others.Goldstein is a MacArthur Fellow, has won the National Jewish Book Award, and numerous other honors. In September of 2015  she was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Obama in a ceremony at the White House. In This Interview, Rebecca Newberger Goldstein and

This week we talk to Tara Mohr about playing bigTara Mohr is an expert on women’s leadership and well-being. She helps women play bigger in sharing their voices and bringing forward their ideas in work and in life. Tara is the author of Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create, and Lead, named a best book of the year by Apple’s iBooks and now in paperback. In the book, she shares her pioneering model for making the journey from playing small–being held back by fear and self-doubt–to playing big, taking bold action to pursue what you see as your callings.Tara is the creator of the Playing Big leadership program for women, which now has more than 1,000 graduates from around the world, and creator of the global Playing Big Facilitators Training for coaches, therapists, leadership development professionals and other practitioners supporting women in their personal and professional growth. A Coaches Training Institute-certified coach with an MBA from Stanford University and an undergrad

Real change is possible but it takes time- Keep Trying! JK Rowling was broke and depressed and her book had been rejected by 12 different publishers. This was right before Harry Potter was finally accepted and hit the big time. It took me three different attempts to finally achieve sobriety. Gone with the wind was rejected 38 times. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance was rejected 121 times Edison famously tried 1000 different approaches before getting the light bulb right. We often cite these examples as encouragement to keep trying at things like business or success. What if we applied the same principles and tenacity to our internal development? What if we kept trying at emotional and mental change? We have to do this stuff over and over again, change takes time. There are no easy answers or shortcuts to a life worth living.Our sponsor this week is FractureVisit Fracture and use the promo code “wolf” to get 10% off!!    The Tale of Two WolvesA grandfather is talking with his grandson and he says ther

This week we talk to Dr. Gabor Mate´ about addictionGet a free download of Eric's key quotes and ideas from Dr. Mate's work. A renowned speaker, and bestselling author, Dr. Gabor Maté is highly sought after for his expertise on a range of topics including addiction, stress and childhood development.For twelve years Dr. Maté worked in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside with patients challenged by hard-core drug addiction, mental illness and HIV, including at Vancouver’s Supervised Injection Site.As an author, Dr. Maté has written several bestselling books including the award-winning In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction; When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress; and Scattered Minds: A New Look at the Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder, and co-authored Hold on to Your Kids. His works have been published internationally in twenty languages.Dr. Maté is the co-founder of Compassion for Addiction, a new non-profit that focusses on addiction. He is also an advisor of Drugs

Make Better Decisions using Solomon's ParadoxKing Solomon was said to be wiser than anyone in Egypt.What we don't hear, is that while Solomon was great at giving advice to others, he was notoriously bad at dealing with his own life issues, ultimately bringing ruin upon the kingdom.If look closely at ourselves, we’ll see that we all have this same flaw. This behavior is so common  it has been given a name — “The Solomon Paradox”.Igor Grossman's research that founds the basis for this mini episode.   Our sponsor this week is FractureVisit Fracture and use the promo code “wolf” to get 10% off!!  The Tale of Two WolvesA grandfather is talking with his grandson and he says there are two wolves inside of us which are always at war with each other. One of them is a good wolf which represents things like kindness, bravery and love. The other is a bad wolf, which represents things like greed, hatred and fear.The grandson stops and thinks about it for a second then he looks up at his grandfather and says, “Grandfather,

This week we talk to Barry Mangione about how there are no easy answersBarry Mangione is an author, musician, podcaster, life coach, and pediatric physical therapist.Barry was once a struggling alcoholic suffering from depression, failed relationships, and bankruptcy. He even came close to suicide, but he now enjoys a life filled with creativity, service to others, and abundant possibilities.In his Self-Help Rockstar Show podcast, he features music, interviews, and his own brand of self-help advice in order to raise self-awareness and to inspire people to go out and live their best lives every day.In his self-help book No Easy Answers: A Book of Life-Changing Questions, Barry shares his personal success story with readers so that they, too, can achieve personal transformation.Barry is also currently in the studio recording an album of rock songs to carry his message of hope and healing to music lovers everywhere.Barry lives in New York with his wife and their family, who are all firm believers in the paleo di

This week we talk to Mark Nepo about the mysteries of lifeMark Nepo is a poet, philosopher and cancer survivor who has taught in the fields of poetry, health, and spirituality for forty years. A New York Times #1 bestselling author, he has published numerous books and audio projects. Mark has appeared with Oprah Winfrey on her Super Soul Sunday program on OWN TV, and has also been interviewed by Robin Roberts on Good Morning America.His book The Book of Awakening is considered a modern spiritual classic. His latest book is called Inside the Miracle: Enduring Suffering, Approaching WholenessOur Sponsor this Week is Spirituality and Health Magazine. Click here for your free trial issue and special offer. In This Interview Mark Nepo and I Discuss...The One You Feed parableThinking of things as life affirming or life draining versus good and badHow none of us really understands the mystery of lifeHow controlling and counting cuts off our access to the present momentResisting inflating or deflating ourselvesThe re

This week we talk to Mirabai Starr about grief and healingMirabai Starr writes, speaks and leads retreats on the inter-spiritual teachings of the mystics.Known for her revolutionary translations of John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, and Julian of Norwich, Mirabai renders mystical masterpieces accessible, beautiful, and relevant to a contemporary circle of seekers. Her commentaries on the interconnected wisdom of all traditions are lyrical and evocative.Mirabai builds bridges not only between religious traditions, but also between contemplative life and compassionate service, between cultivating an inner relationship with the Beloved and expressing that intimacy in community, between the transformational power of loss and longing for the sacred.Her latest book is called Caravan of No Despair Our Sponsor this Week is MeetMindfulVisit MeetMindful and get a free trialIn This Interview, Mirabai Starr and I Discuss:The One You Feed parableWalking the landscape of loss in a genuine wayLearning to be present even wh

This week we talk to Chris Grosso about Everything MindOnly the third repeat guest on the The One You Feed, Chris Grosso is a public speaker, writer, and author of Indie Spiritualist: A No Bullshit Exploration of Spirituality and Everything Mind: What I’ve Learned About Hard Knocks, Spiritual Awakening and the Mind-Blowing Truth of it All.He writes for ORIGIN Magazine, Huffington Post, and Mantra Yoga + Health Magazine, and has spoken and performed at Wanderlust Festival, Celebrate Your Life, Yoga Journal Conference, Sedona World Wisdom Days, Kripalu, and more.He is a member of the advisory board for Drugs over Dinner and hosts The Indie Spiritualist Podcast on The Mindpod Network. Our Sponsor this Week is Wisdom Publications. Click here to explore their offerings In This Interview Chris Grosso and I Discuss...The One You Feed parableWelcoming Mara inHow there is no end point in lifeHis new bookHow spirit surrounds us in all aspects of lifeHow spirituality includes the dark sides of ourselvesFinding spiritual

The Second Arrow “The Buddha once asked a student, “If a person is struck by an arrow, is it painful?” The student replied, “It is."The Buddha then asked, "If the person is struck by a second arrow, is that even more painful?” The student replied again, “It is.” The Buddha then explained, “In life, we cannot always control the first arrow. However, the second arrow is our reaction to the first. The second arrow is optional.”Eric describes the parable of the Second Arrow and how it to makes things worse.Our Sponsor this Week is Spirituality and Health Magazine. Click here for your free trial issue and special offer.  The Tale of Two WolvesA grandfather is talking with his grandson and he says there are two wolves inside of us which are always at war with each other. One of them is a good wolf which represents things like kindness, bravery and love. The other is a bad wolf, which represents things like greed, hatred and fear.The grandson stops and thinks about it for a second then he looks up at his grandfather

This week we talk to Rainn Wilson about the courage to be hopefulRainn Wilson is best known for his Emmy-nominated role as Dwight Schrute on NBC’s The Office. Wilson also voiced the alien villain Gallaxhar in Monsters vs. Aliens (2009) and starred in the police procedural BackstromToday he’s equally well-known for his millions of Twitter followers and the philosophy website he founded, SoulPancake, which creates media about life's big questions. and wrote a New York Times bestselling book of the same name.He just released a memoir called The Bassoon King: My Life in Art, Faith, and Idiocy. Our Sponsor this Week is Spirituality and Health Magazine. Click here for your free trial issue and special offer. In This Interview Rainn Wilson and I Discuss...The One You Feed parableHis new book The Bassoon KingHow spirituality got a bad nameHow spirituality is everything that we don't have in common with the monkeysHow happiness is not an if then propositionThe difference between happiness and joyThe balance between am

This week we talk to Manoush Zomorodi about remaining human in a digital ageThis interview was recorded live in the WNYC studios in New York city, home of other popular podcasts like RadioLab, The New Yorker Radio Hour and Freakonomics.Manoush Zomorodi is the host and managing editor of Note to Self, “the tech show about being human,” from WNYC Studios.Every week on her podcast, Manoush searches for answers to life’s digital quandaries, through experiments and conversations with listeners and experts. Topics include information overload, digital clutter, sexting “scandals," and the eavesdropping capabilities of our gadgets.Manoush’s goal, as the New York Times wrote, is to “embrace the ridiculousness” of modern life, even when that means downloading dozens of apps to fight the feeling of digital overload.  She often speaks on creativity in the digital age, kids and technology, and non-fiction storytelling.Manoush has won numerous awards including 4 from the New York Press Club. In 2014, the Alliance for Women

This week we talk to Belinda Gore about The EnneagramThis episode was recorded outdoors, live before an audienceBelinda Gore is a psychologist, coach and experienced seminar leader who is skilled in supporting high-level learning and personal development.  She holds a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology, from The Ohio State University. Using the Enneagram system along with thirty years’ experience in facilitating change, she helps leaders identify their natural talents and deliver results by engaging the best in themselves and their organizations.She founded The Enneagram Institute of Central Ohio, is the former president of The Cuyamungue Institute, a non-profit organization with international membership, and is a founder and former managing partner of Wilbridge Consultation Center, a multidisciplinary group using a holistic approach in working with individuals and groups. Our Sponsor this Week is FractureVisit Fracture and use the promo code “wolf” to get 10% off!! In This Interview, Beli

This week we talk to Toni Bernhard about not getting what we wantToni Bernhard was a law professor at the University of California—Davis when she became very ill. Since then she had dealt with, and helped teach the world about how to deal with chronic conditions.She is the author of How to Be Sick: A Buddhist-Inspired Guide for the Chronically Ill and their Caregivers. Her second book is titled How to Wake Up: A Buddhist-Inspired Guide to Navigating Joy and Sorrow. Her latest book is How to Live Well with Chronic Pain and Illness.  Our Sponsor this Week is FractureVisit Fracture and use the promo code “wolf” to get 10% off!!In This Interview, Toni and I DiscussThe One You Feed parableHow we are forming our personality as we goThe malleability of the mindOur inability to be nice ourselvesHow it feels good to be nice, kind and compassionateHer journey through illnessLearning to handle not getting our wayHow hard dealing with chronic illness isHow most of our suffering comes from our reaction to events, not the

This week we talk to John Lee DumasJohn Lee Dumas is the Founder and Host of EntrepreneurOnFire, awarded 'Best of iTunes 2013'. John interviews today's most inspiring and successful Entrepreneurs 7-days a week and has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Success, INC, & TIME Magazine.John also founded the #1 Podcasting community in the world; Podcasters' Paradise; a community where over 1500 Podcasters learn how to create, grow, and monetize their podcast in a supportive environment. He just completed the book The Freedom Journal. It is designed to help you create and complete a major goal in 100 days. Our Sponsor this Week is Casper MatressesVisit casper.com/feed and use the promo code “feed” to get $50 off!! In This Interview, John and I Discuss Accomplishing Your GoalsThe One You Feed parableControlling our outlook  on lifeBeing grateful for todayThe three things he does when he feels downThe value of exercise and fresh airSurrounding ourselves with positive peopleThe legacy of Scott DinsmoreJohn's t

This week we talk to Megan Feldman Bettencourt about forgivenessMegan Feldman Bettencourt is an award-winning writer and journalist. She has reported from many countries, and her journalism has appeared in publications including The San Francisco Chronicle, Psychology Today, Salon, The Daily Beast, Glamour, Newsday and many others. Megan is the author of the internationally-acclaimed book, TRIUMPH OF THE HEART: FORGIVENESS IN AN UNFORGIVING WORLD, which explores forgiveness through science, stories and memoir. She holds a master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Our Sponsor this Week is Thrive Market! Wholesome Products. Wholesale Prices.In This Interview, Megan and I Discuss...The One You Feed parableDrinking poison and expecting your enemy to dieThe story that got her interested in researching forgivenessHer definition of forgiveness- giving up resentmentHow forgiveness is not about enabling someone to avoid accountabilityHow Forgiveness and justice are not mutually exclus

Interested in behavior change? Please help us out by taking our short 3 question survey and receive a free guide: The 5 Biggest Behavior Change Mistakes  This week we talk to Kristin Neff about self compassionKristin Neff is a self-compassion researcher, author, and Associate Professor at the University of Texas at Austin. She got her Ph.D. at the University of California at Berkeley in 1997 in the field of moral development.While doing her post-doctoral work she decided to conduct research on self-compassion – a central construct in Buddhist psychology and one that had not yet been examined empirically.In addition to her pioneering research into self-compassion, she has developed an 8-week program to teach self-compassion skills. The program, co-created with her colleague Chris Germer, affiliated with Harvard Medical School, is called Mindful Self-Compassion. Her book, Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself was recently released in paperback.She and her family were recently featured in t

Please help us out by taking our short 3 question survey and receive a free guide: The 5 Biggest Behavior Change Mistakes  This week we talk to Monk Yunrou about modern TaoismTaoist Monk Yunrou in as author, activist, and tai chi master, Yunrou (formerly known as Arthur Rosenfeld) has a lifelong relationship with Taoism. A 35-year master of Taoist arts, he was born in America and ordained a monk, by official leave, at the Pure Yang Temple in Guangzhou, China. Combining his overarching spiritual focus with a Yale literary education, the pursuit of natural history at the University of California and Cornell, he is an authority on the cultural, social, and spiritual dimensions of Eastern thinking for the Western world.Yunrou contributes to such publications as Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Parade, and has been profiled and cited in Newsweek, and other national magazines. His blog on The Huffington Post is frequently cited by other websites, including The Wall Street Journal, Fox Business News, and Reuters. He has appe