Uplift Your Life: Nourishment Of The Spirit

The Gorilla, KoKo, was taught sign language by Dr. Penny Patterson, an animal psychologist and eventually had over 1000 words in her vocabulary. When Robin Williams died, she mourned him, because he was her friend. KoKo also knew Mr. Fred Rogers. This month PBS aired a special program, Mr. Rogers: It's You I Like, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. One of the most powerful segments, was Fred Rogers interacting with and communicating with KoKo. She wanted to sit on his lap, but Dr. Patterson told her that she would crush him. So Fred hugged KoKo and at one point they were totally wrapped around each other. Of the 900 shows Fred Rogers did, the one with KoKo was among his favorites. At the end of their visit, KoKo signed to Fred, I love you. It was clear that Fred was thoroughly enjoying himself. He told his audience: She really has feelings for people and things.” Please join us Thursday to learn about the wisdom, compassion and souls of animals.

Where was Julie Simon when I was struggling with using food for comfort? The wisdom of the time, just made me feel worse. I was ashamed of my desire to eat when I was sad, frustrated, lonely, stressed or had other feelings that I didn't know how to manage. I was lucky to find my way to healthy eating and self-nurturing. Now, brain research, mindfulness and a fuller understanding of child development and human nature are kinder to emotional eaters and actually provide a road map of how to heal. If we don't receive consistent emotional nurturing in early childhood, we can develop difficulty controlling our impulses and look for comfort outside of ourselves in food or other substances. The good news is that we can actually learn how to manage our emotions, thoughts and behaviors, nurture ourselves, attract other nurturing people into our lives and nurture others better. Please join us Thursday to discover how to stop using food for comfort and to start loving yourself.

We have about 60,000 thoughts a day, and 80% of them are negative. Even worse, 90% of our thoughts about ourselves are negative. We worry 1 to 8 hours a day, and most heart attacks occur Sunday night due to worry about work. Yet only 8% of what we worry about actually happens. Negative thoughts limit our lives and eat up our time, energy, health and self-esteem. They are the root cause of everything from daily fears and anxieties to panic attacks, debilitating fear, and free floating anxiety. We must discover new ways of thinking, feeling and letting go of grief, fear and painful emotions and focus on gratitude, love, hope and silver linings. Our very lives depend on it. Peace is within the vibration of love. As we connect more with the positive thoughts and energies available to all of us, we can create peace in our minds and hearts. In doing so, we spread that vibration to others, creating peace in the world. Please join us Thursday to learn how to see your world in a better light.

Money has been the domain of men. My father gave my mother an allowance, and she had to ask permission for anything additional. This is often still the case today. Money is about self-empowerment. My guest focuses on helping women understand their beliefs and attitudes about money, achieve a harmonious relationship with money, and develop a deep sense of abundance, thereby creating enduring wealth from within. At a deep soul level this book is really about a rite of passage — an awakening for women to take action to reclaim their feminine connection to money as a source of empowerment, love, wealth, fulfillment, and success,” writes Meriflor. “The phrase feminine connection to money points to an understanding that there is a natural connection between women, generosity, and leveraging money to help others. And when women reclaim and embrace their feminine connection to money, the results can be remarkable.” Please join us Thursday to become empowered in your relationship to money.

Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and other metabolic diseases are not determined by our genes. They are the result of an unhealthy diet, stress, lack of exercise and other life-style choices. In other words, people are causing their own health problems. Medications and procedures treat the symptoms, but they do not treat the root cause and they do not prevent or reverse disease. Dr. Vij has read the extensive research in this area and put together a simple 8 week program that provides the tools needed to prevent and reverse diabetes and other metabolic diseases. These are the key lifestyle ingredients: eating enough of the right foods and avoiding harmful ones for excellent nutrition and hormone balance; exercising regularly with joy and abandon; managing stress, being emotionally resilient and getting quality sleep; and having loving supportive social relationships and purpose in life. Please join us Thursday to learn how to improve your health and longevity.

Camelot was the first play I ever saw. I still remember the magic of that experience. It led to a life-long fascination with King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, The Knights of the Round Table and, of course, Merlin. This interest even carried into the next generation with my oldest daughter's love of the Arthurian legend. When I opened the email with Inner Traditions' latest publications, I was delighted to discover that these people and places were actually real. It was a bit like a childhood fantasy coming to life. If part or all of the Legend of King Arthur is real, then maybe other fanciful beliefs that we think are myths, are actually real. It opens one's imagination to possibilities, even the possibility of miracles that are not so much miracles as they are every day occurrences--depending on your belief system. Please join us Thursday for a fascinating journey into the discovery of King Arthur as an authentic British King, Camelot as a real place and Excalibur as a real sword.

In our rush to reach our goals, achieve success and advance civilization, we have lost some of what is essential to the well-being of ourselves, our culture and our planet. We have forgotten about the power of rest, retreat and following our natural cycles. 30 hour work weeks are catching on in Europe because they increase productivity, and 2 hours of silence a day helps repair the brain, increase IQ, promote peace and calm, improve the immune system and increase longevity. We can learn a lot from these ideas and from practices in ancient cultures that help eliminate anger, depression, insomnia, anxiety and fatigue. Rediscovering alone time helps clear suppressed emotions awaken our innate creativity and sensitivity, reconnect with the rhythms of our body and nature, and restore harmony between men and women and balance between the divine feminine and masculine. Please join us Thursday to learn how to use natural cycles to recharge your life.

If the well is dry, you have nothing to give. The wisdom inherent in this simple sentence helped me leave unhealthy relationships that were draining my energy, destroying my joy and keeping me from being of service in a positive way. My guest, Jodee Prouse, understands this concept. She helps women embody their strength, transcend family trauma, and disengage from codependency with family members. Her mission is to help women recognize that love is the reason not to engage, that taking care of oneself first is not a betrayal or selfish. Making the hardest choices may seem to be cruel, but, in fact, is healthier for everyone. Jodee spent more than 30 years trying to protect a brother ultimately lost in alcoholism, giving so much it affected her emotional well-being, nearly cost her marriage, and risked endangering her children’s mental health. Please join us Thursday to learn the path to breaking free from codependency, dysfunctional family patterns, and family trauma and drama.

True creativity comes from the still small voice within, the deepest part of your authentic self, your soul. As you release the fear and come from a place of love, creativity is revealed, unblocked and allowed. It flows forth with ease and expresses your individual uniqueness. It is not taught. In fact, the belief that there is a right and wrong way to be creative, leads to judgment and fear, which crushes creativity. Consequently, creativity is a deep wound for most of us despite the truth that we are all creative. As we let go of the fears, we discover life-changing truths about ourselves, including self-acceptance, validation and gratitude. Facing the blank page in your creativity helps you face the blank page in your life with courage, strength and ease. The creative process is also a problem-solving resource that will help you grow personally and professionally. Please join us Thursday to learn how to give up trying to control the process and to become curious and free.

Technology and outmoded ideas of leadership have driven a wedge between people. It's faster to text than to have a real conversation with someone, and it's easier to give a directive than to ask people for their ideas. Faster and easier is not better. Somewhere along the way, people forgot about the importance of building relationships and connecting deeply with each other. Connection is not just good for business, it's good for humanity. When people care about each other, they bring a stronger level of commitment to their work. It fuels initiative, passion and compassion. Michael Gelb has identified seven relationship-building skills that include: cultivating humility as the source of strength and confidence, spreading positive energy to bring out the best in everyone, and eliminating destructive patterns like judging, blaming and complaining. Please join us Thursday to learn how to connect, communicate and develop meaningful relationships at work and at home.

Zohara wrote: And humbly I wish to thank most of all the White Spirit Animal prophets and their species for taking me into their confidence and trusting me to tell their story in a way that they wanted it told. All of you have changed my life in ways no human could. To Bear, Lion, Elephant, Wolf, and Buffalo may you thrive in the decades to come as humanity awakens to its purpose as stewards and companion kin of yours. May we all together become peace on earth. The beauty, truth and simplicity of her words stopped me. My eyes had trouble leaving the page. I wanted to sit with her and take in more deeply her love of the animals she had come to know. Cross species communication is a fact, not science fiction. The White Spirit Animals want us to heal ourselves and restore balance to the Earth. It is time we listen. Please join us Thursday to learn more of what they have to tell us and even how you can communicate directly with them.

Truth is the keynote for 2018, which is an 11/2 year. This 11/2 vibration is an enormous universal energy that will have a profound impact on each individual and on our planet. The saying: the truth will set you free, has never been more accurate. We must let ourselves see and know the truth in every aspect of our lives and act on it. It's essential that we examine everything, from which foods, clothes and music we really like to whether we’re in the right city, job and relationship. The false self must drop away and make room for our true self to emerge. We will question old beliefs, see things differently, and even discern which politicians are telling the truth and what our own beliefs are about religion, healing and spirituality. 11/2 is a very powerful vibration and a gateway to our limitless higher self. The time is right for us to be true to ourselves and walk our authentic path. Please join us Thursday for our annual discussion on what the numbers tell us about the year 2018.

Happy New Year! I wish you joy, peace, happiness, good health, prosperity, love and dreams come true. Regardless of what is happening in the world, you are in charge of how you think about it. Peace on earth begins with peace in your own heart and mind. We are all being called upon now to release the fears in our mind and turn them into hope, compassion and empathy. As a recent show guest said, anxiety is fear about the future. If we concentrate on the present moment, we can breathe in peace and find the silver linings. Our circumstances are not the cause of our happiness. How we think about them is what determines our happiness. We can always find gratitude and happiness by looking at how we are growing and gaining new wisdom or knowledge. When we focus on what's wrong, that's all we see. When we focus on the growth and learning, we see and feel all the good in our lives. Please join us Thursday for Psychic Dawon Washington's annual predictions, which is always a listener favorite.

The holidays are supposed to be a time of good cheer, happiness and celebration. Most of us had a false belief that everyone else was having a great time and we were the only ones who were miserable. That myth blew up last year when arguments and cruel words were spoken across the dinner table. Some family members are still not speaking to each other and others learned that their grandparents were not the kind, gentle people they thought they were. The truth is, every family has its challenges: the crazy aunt, the alcoholic uncle, the controlling father, the manipulative mother, the sharp-tongued cousin and so on. People suffer through whatever it is because they feel they have to. Well, what if you could actually change the family dynamics or at least find a way to not get caught up in the pain and finally enjoy your holidays? Please join us Thursday to learn how you can work with your healthy ancestors to heal your family line.

Families, schools, peers and societal beliefs mold children into becoming who they think they need to be in order to receive love and acceptance. By taking on this false self, they disconnect from their natural self with all of its innate gifts and authentic ways of being in the world. The adult winds up succeeding at living someone else's life, or put another way, they fail at living their own life. No matter how much success they garner, they never feel satisfied or fulfilled because they just keep feeding the false self. This leads to ongoing problems that show up as depression, anxiety, stress, anger, unhappiness and disease. Most people never realize the origin of their difficulties and try to deal with their physical, emotional and psychological symptoms as individual problems rather than as a systemic one. When the underlying cause is diagnosed correctly, the system can be healed. Please join us Thursday to learn how to shed the false self and become who you truly are.

Vipassana Meditation focuses on the breath to help you achieve freedom. Jason Gregory writes: Vipassana is a flawless method for digging into the unconscious material within our mind to give us a glimpse of our true nature. The only problem with this method of fasting the mind is what to do with it when we come out of seclusion and return to the world. American mythologist Joseph Campbell called this “bringing back the boon,” referring to anybody who chooses to break away from fear to embark on the “hero’s living in the world. You are to bring this treasure of understanding back and integrate it in a rational life. Please join us Thursday to learn more.journey” and then return to the world to share what they have learned. Campbell explains: The whole idea is that you’ve got to bring out again that which you went to recover, the unrealized, unutilized potential in yourself. The whole point of this journey is the reintroduction of this potential into the world; that is to say, to you

Chakras are real. They are energetic wheels of light that can be gateways to freeing us from our past, hearing our inner self and achieving higher levels of consciousness. Like the cells inside our body, our naked eye cannot see the energy centers that exist along our spine and at the top of our head. Nevertheless, they are there. My guests will tell you about the seven main chakras, which are at the front of the spine and at the top of the head. They will help you discover and enhance the positive qualities of each center, transform the challenging aspects and learn how they affect each other. As a previous show guest, psychologist Dr. Stanley Krippner, PhD, wrote: Awakening the Chakras can provide a roadmap for navigating life's journey...and rouse the inner spirit of those who accept their invitation. Ram Das called it “a must-read for every spiritual seeker.” Please join us Thursday to learn how to use your chakras to hear your inner self.

Contrary to popular belief, circumstances do not determine your happiness. The words you choose when thinking or talking about those circumstances is what determines your happiness. Regardless of your situation, you can always choose to be positive or negative. A few years ago, I decided it was time to stop hurting myself with my negative thoughts and words. I began focusing on the positive and finding the silver linings in every situation. I now appreciate the blessings of gratitude, seeing things in new ways, personal growth, increased strength, more compassion and empathy, new wisdom and/or knowledge. This approach transforms every experience into a positive one. Life isn't about living without challenges. How we meet those challenges and how we think about them determine the quality of our lives. Making the choice to take control of your thoughts is the beginning of an ongoing process. Please join us Thursday to learn how to harness the power of your words to transform your life.

Growing up in a home without animals was normal in my original family. We diverged from that pattern when I was allowed to have turtles and gold fish, which I remember cherishing, despite the fact that the goldfish didn't last long. It was a major event when my mother finally agreed to have a parakeet. We all adored Tippy. When he got out of the house, the loss was too much for my mother. That was my last pet until I married, and rescue cats became part of my life. I only fell in love with dogs when my adult children adopted them. As I observed how gentle, patient and loving they were with their little human siblings, I gradually fell in love with them. I even learned how to avoid getting run over when they would enthusiastically greet me at the door. One of the saddest visits was watching one of them say his good-byes to the extended family at the end of his terminal illness. Please join us Thursday when my guests will share how to build a loving, trusting relationship with your dog.

Do you feel stuck? Do you find yourself in repetitive situations? Does it seem like you should be doing something bigger with your life but you can’t seem to figure out how to get there? When we find ourselves in the same types of situations or relationships that we can’t break free from, it's time to release old imprints and energy. It’s time to raise our vibrational frequencies, align with our soul paths, and attract everything that is good, true and positive for us. Shamans and healers have known how to do this for centuries. Releasing negative energy and bringing in positive energy may sound strange but our bodies do it automatically every time we exhale and inhale. Anysia Kiel will help us learn how to consciously clear negative energy and heal ourselves in a peaceful way. As we discover our inner healer, we discover our own power, embrace love, live our life purpose and align with our soul. Please join us Thursday for this exciting program.