Uplift Your Life: Nourishment Of The Spirit

My friend Gay was my earthly guide to all things spiritual, including our many past lives together. So it wasn't surprising that she introduced me to James Van Praagh by putting Talking to Heaven into my hands when my mother passed away. His book changed my life, opening doors in my mind that I am still exploring. Although my book shelf has gone through several rounds of down-sizing, his book remains in a place of honor. When Voice America invited me to host my own radio show, it was a given that James would be on my wish list of dream guests. That was a little over two years ago. Last week, a cricket was in my home for the first time in many years. I knew that its’ presence was significant. Crickets are a sign of good luck and the rewards of staying true to our intuition and beliefs. Within days I got a request to have James on my show. The power of trusting my soul's path has been profound. Please join us Thursday for the sheer joy of hearing James Van Praagh share his wisdom.

The word abandonment conjures up images of a mother leaving her baby on the church steps. In actuality, it means that and much more. All of us experience feelings of abandonment, loss and heartbreak from big loss, like sudden death or an unexpected divorce to small losses that chip away at our heart, bit by bit. The losses that we usually minimize or brush away include not being recognized for our successes, being excluded from a party or being ignored when we see a good friend out with someone else. If we do pay attention to these kinds of slights, people often say we're too sensitive. Because most of us do not want to feel the pain of abandonment, loss or disappointment, we often skip over it or bury it. These unhealthy responses usually result in rage, numbness or depression. Acknowledging that the pain is real and needs to be addressed, sets us on a journey that allows us to feel and heal. Please join us Thursday to learn how to resolve abandonment and overcome self-sabotage.

Stress is not the problem. Whether we react or choose to respond to stress is the key to solving the problem. There is no denying that stress is high and actually increasing in the USA and throughout the world. What is surprising is that a recent survey found that 53 Percent of Americans do not get support from their doctors to manage their stress yet about 70 Percent of doctor visits are stress-related. On top of this, we know that stress hormones cause long-term health problems like a lowered immune system, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, depression and anxiety. Just like stress is not the problem, medication is not the answer. We must get to the root of the problem and solve it. Otherwise, the damage to our bodies is still happening under the surface on a continuous basis. What's amazing is that we can actually solve the stress problem with empathy, eliminating the negative stories that we tell ourselves and other empowering tools. Please join us Thursday to learn how to de-stress.

Disappointment can rule our life, drain our energy and keep us stuck in destructive emotions like: bitterness, anger, regret, blame, shame, guilt. Alternatively, we can ask questions like: What am I learning? How am I growing? What doors opened when that one closed? We have a choice. We can let our emotions overwhelm us or we can take charge of our life. Some of us have learned to rush past disappointment with platitudes like, Life Happens. Maybe you are in acceptance or maybe you're burying feelings you don't want to acknowledge. If it's the latter, that pain will continue to hurt you until you face it. I have learned to use my disappointments to heal, grow and change my life. Whether it was leaving a marriage, jobs, friendships, volunteer positions or organizations, when I asked meaningful questions and allowed myself to look deeply within, I was able to let go of the past and live in the joyful present. Please join us Thursday to learn how you, too, can transform your life.

Does it sound ridiculous to you that not everyone wants to live? It may be a bit challenging to entertain the possibility that not all of us believe we are worthy of life and that others can't find a good reason to continue living. You've probably heard people say, 'Well, we can't live forever. Disease is just a way for us to leave the earth plane.' But do you remember learning that elderly Native Americans would just know when it was their time to die and would peacefully go off into the wilderness? They knew how to move from this plane to the heavenly plane. In current times, we believe that we need disease in order to die. The will to live, however, is often so strong that it overpowers a terminal diagnosis. Can the opposite be true as well? Can someone unconsciously choose a terminal illness to end their life because continuing to live is just too hard and they don't want to overtly commit suicide? Please join us Thursday to learn how finding a reason to live may just save your life.

My father was a rageaholic. I grew up terrorized, never knowing when the fits of anger would come or what would trigger them. It was like walking in a mine field. My mother would say: at least he doesn't keep it inside, so he won't have a heart attack. He did, however, develop congestive heart failure. We now know that anger, whether explosive or repressed, contributes to heart disease, substance abuse, bulimia, diabetes, car accidents and, as we've seen too often lately, the killing of innocent people. Obviously, the toll on others is huge. Whether you're the recipient of the anger or a witness, it can result in long term psychological and physical problems. People can, however, turn destructive anger into healthy anger or righteous indignation and use it to achieve their goals, stand up for themselves, act on behalf of others, work for justice and a better world and even develop their own inner strength and resilience. Please join us Thursday to learn how to transform your anger.

As I was contemplating this topic, a bird flew against my window frantically flapping its wings as if it were trying to get inside, or maybe, trying to tell me something. This is not unusual for me. Birds often throw themselves at my window. Sometimes they even perch on the window sill, staring into my eyes. We know birds communicate with each other; so why not with us, too? In my paintings, which are all abstract expressionist, animals often form themselves out of the paint that I put on my canvas. I do not intentionally create them, but realistic representations of lions, elephants, birds, horses, fish, etc. appear on a regular basis. Are they communicating through me or to me? Einstein said: Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world. Please join us Thursday when Tamarack Song will help us rediscover our imagination, our natural ability to communicate with animals and plants

Love means never having to say you're sorry. At least that's what the 1970 book and film, Love Story, would have you believe. This myth and numerous others destroy our attempts to have a successful marriage. These false beliefs get stuck in our minds and keep us from seeing the truth. We pick up these myths from society and our own experiences at home and in our friend's homes. If we didn't have good role models, then how could we possibly expect to develop healthy patterns when we marry? In our confusion, sometimes longevity becomes the measure of success even if you have to drug yourself to avoid divorce. Marriage counseling has a frighteningly low success rate, which makes people wonder if there is any real help out there. Maybe it takes a couple who have been successful in developing their own relationship during 44 years of marriage to offer sound advice for the rest of us. Please join us Thursday to hear the truth about how to create the relationship of your dreams.

Argentine Tango is a profoundly spiritual dance, a walking meditation. It creates the opportunity to grow in trust, connection and love. The first time I saw tango danced, I was totally captivated. I could not believe that two bodies could move so in sync with each other. It was as if they were one. I knew I had to learn that dance. That night was the beginning of a new life for me. I didn’t know it then, but everything was about to change. Something had shifted inside of me, and I was embarking on a path that would lead to my re-connection with my soul and the development of relationships that would teach me how to have true intimacy. It helped me choose to leave all the abusive relationships that were rampant in my life. At the same time that it helped me realize what I didn't want or deserve, it helped me develop the skills to create what I did want in my life. Please join us Thursday to hear about my journey to trusting as I read from the draft of my book, Tango: The Dance of Life.

Most of us believe that the key to health lies in the little bottles that our doctors prescribe for everything from a cold to life threatening illness. We have so overwhelmed our bodies with legal drugs that our immune systems have lost the ability to fully function--and the drugs often create more problems than they solve. In the last years of my aunt's life, she was so sick that the doctors stopped all medications and put her in hospice. When she got better, they realized that the numerous drugs they had prescribed were actually hurting her. She lived for a number of years after that episode. There are many things that we can all do to improve our health that are as simple as drinking an ounce of cherry juice to sleep better or eating dark chocolate to suppress your appetite. It's rare to find an M.D. who is more interested in holistic approaches to health than in prescribing pills. Please join us Thursday to learn from him how you can activate your body's natural healing powers.

I must admit that I was skeptical when I received an inquiry from Peter about being on my radio show. Spirituality is a big topic and not one that everyone can talk about with accuracy. To have both a good conceptual and experiential grasp of Spirituality is unusual. Although it’s fashionable to talk about Spirituality, few people have a deep understanding of it. To my delight, Peter is one of those few. The first page of his book won me over and I continued to be impressed as I read more. Then I discovered that we were neighbors, so to speak. Although our timing was slightly off, he lived in Windsor, Ontario and I lived in Detroit, Michigan with only a body of water separating us. We both enjoyed visiting the others' city for good entertainment. I like that kind of synchronicity. It affirms that the connection is real. Peter takes complex ideas and shares them in a clear and understandable way. Please join us Thursday to learn what spirituality really is and how you can pursue it.

Do you remember the excitement of opening a Cracker Jack Box and finding your special gift hidden inside? That was the same feeling I had when I opened the email asking me if I wanted to have Matthew Fox on my radio show. I'm very grateful to have so many of the people on my show who helped formulate who I am, what I believe and how I live my life. I still remember the feeling of holding Matthew Fox's books in my hands with my yellow highlighter at the ready to ensure that I absorbed everything I needed. He was my mentor, my teacher, my guide even though we had not met. Now, as I read again about Creation Spirituality, I understand what an amazing teacher he truly is. You can see the ideas I learned from him reflected in every show through my writings, silver lining stories, upcoming seminars, my guests, their ideas and our conversations. What a blessing to welcome Matthew Fox to my show. Please join us Thursday for a rare treat as he discusses A Way To God.

Dick Van Dyke was in Mexico 4 years ago relaxing on a raft when he fell asleep and woke up to discover he had drifted far from shore. Before he could panic, a dolphin appeared in the open water and pushed him to safety. As if this weren't enough, the dolphin took him to the exact spot where he had started. If you're skeptical, be assured there are thousands of similar stories. Dolphins are more than playful, beautiful animals. They know when people are in trouble and will even risk their own lives to save them. We are constantly discovering new information about dolphins, what they know, what they can do and how to communicate with them. They are wonderful healers who can cure autism, depression, brain damage due to strokes and cancer in humans. They can even heal their own wounds from a severe shark bite in a matter of days. Scientists are researching how we can use the properties in their skin to heal human wounds. Please join us Thursday to learn more about these intelligent beings.

Based on a Hawaiian shamanic ritual, the healing practice of Ho'oponopono helps you clear your consciousness of negative memories, unconscious fears and dysfunctional programming. The result is self-forgiveness, peace and love. The process is deceptively simple. As with all true healing, you begin by recognizing your own role in creating the events in your life. Then you use the mantra of Ho'oponopono: I’m sorry, Forgive me, Thank you, I love you. Repeated several times over a dedicated interval, the negativity is replaced with inner peace, love and harmony. Quantum physics and epigenetics help us understand how Ho'oponopono works: thoughts and consciousness can affect your DNA, the realization of your goals and even the behavior of those around you. Your negative thought patterns and memories unconsciously guide your life and draw more negativity to you. Please join us Thursday and learn how this simple Hawaiian Practice of forgiveness and healing can help you change your life.

Stress is the 6th largest cause of death in the U.S. 75-95% of all disease is due to stress. Just imagine what the constant stress of abuse does to a child's developing body. The abuse could be emotional, physical, mental or sexual toward the child, a sibling or a parent. Because the diagnosis is often years after the childhood abuse, it has taken researchers a long time to discover the connection. Here are some of the diseases that have been specifically tied to childhood abuse: chronic pain, diabetes, eating disorders, autoimmune diseases, diverticulitis, heart disease, cancer, depression and sleep disorders. Knowing that an individual's condition is the result of childhood abuse increases the potential for cure with additional avenues of treatment. For instance, if you have diabetes, changing your diet or taking insulin is necessary but not sufficient. Please join us Thursday to learn the 4 additional ways to treat the health problems created from childhood abuse.

I went through most of my life experiencing a lump in my throat. It always scared me, but I didn't know how to stop it. Other people experience a rock or knot or churning sensation in their solar plexus that can last for days or even years. Still others feel pressure or tightening and constriction in their chest. You may have experienced more than one of these sensations at different times. It is your body trying to tell you that something is not right, but most of us don't know what the sensations are trying to say. Zen DeBrucke has spent years paying attention to this IGS, Internal Guidance System. She understands what each of these three areas and sensations is trying to tell you. Even more importantly, she can teach you how to listen carefully to your IGS in order to avoid these uncomfortable feelings and make choices to enhance the quality of your life. We are all born with this IGS, but we were not given an instruction manual. Please join us Thursday to learn how to use your IGS

Have you heard people say that we need to shift from a mode of Human Doings to Human Beings? In other words, we need to do less and be more. But how do you do that? We live in a world where we have to get things accomplished. Food has to be bought and prepared, someone has to work to pay the bills, etc. It feels like an unattainable fantasy. Cara Bradley in her book, On The Verge, takes the mystery out of it. She has developed some very specific ways that you can focus on being. Often we try to make things more complicated than is necessary. I once heard Wayne Dyer explain how simple it is to fit meditation into your day. He said, when you're driving, you have to stop your vehicle at a red light several times during the course of the trip. He used those moments to meditate, to connect within. Easy and powerful. Please join us Thursday when Cara will provide you with some very simple and specific ways to experience life fully with more energy, enthusiasm, clarity and confidence.

We often hear the expression: We're spiritual beings having a human experience. But what does that really mean? What exactly is a spiritual being, and how do we connect with that part of ourselves that is connected to all that is? And does that mean that we have to give up worldly pleasures? I believe that the key is marrying our spiritual and human aspects so that we are one within ourselves. We do not have to choose between spirituality and the material world. We can choose both. Our basic spiritual nature, according to Wayne Dyer, is: creative, kind, loving, beautiful, receptive, expansive and abundant. I don't know about you, but I'm on board. Sounds to me like a good way to live life and a recipe for getting what would allow us to feel good while we're here on this place we call earth. As we go through major changes, living from these values will help all of us remain in a positive zone. Please join us Thursday to learn how to stay connected to this beautiful part of ourselves.

We all know the power of voice. Some voices are so beautiful that they can transport us, uplift our moods or bring us to tears. But voice is even more than we think it is. AT&T said that BioAcoustics is the medicine of the future. BioAcoustics Voice Spectral Analysis is a new process that can detect hidden or underlying stresses in the body that are expressed as disease. It can identify toxins, pathogens and nutritional supplements that are too low or too high. Vocal print can even be used to match the most compatible treatment remedy to each client. The introduction of the proper low frequency sound to the body, indicated through voice analysis, has been shown to control: pain, body temperature, heart rhythm, and blood pressure. It has also been shown to regenerate body tissue, and alleviate the symptoms of many diseases; in some cases, even those considered to be incurable by Western medicine. Please join us Thursday to learn more about this amazing healing process from its founder.

The concept of Spring Cleaning gives us an opportunity to throw out and give away the things that we don't want or need any more. In addition, the spiritual wisdom inherent in Feng Shui tells us to get rid of the old in order to make room for the new. It's all about objects being a metaphor for positive change in our lives. Rarely, however, do we hear people talking about getting rid of the thoughts and emotions that clutter our hearts and minds and actually cause damage to our DNA and cells. It isn't a matter of either/or. We need to get rid of the physical objects that clutter our homes as well as the thoughts and emotions that clutter our being. By paying attention to all of it, we can truly clear a space for the new. Some people believe that once a thought is in your head, it's there forever. This is just not true. Please join us Thursday to learn how to remove harmful thoughts and emotions that prevent your fulfillment, peace, good health, balance, clarity and happiness.