Dr Mark Ryall is a retired economics teacher, a competitive Canadian triathlete, and author of speculative fiction novel “Age-Decoded”. Mark wrote his “Age Decoded” because of “the many advancements in CRISPR genetic engineering. The book’s central question is: What could possibly go wrong with the advent of genetic engineering? The story itself focuses on genomicist Dr. Frieda Sengmeuller, who uses CRISPR to finally stop human aging. But the government secretly uses her methods in other psychological ways, jeopardizing freedom and democracy.” Mark says that: “[he] feels this topic so important, given the impending tsunami of genetic engineering technology. A novel like mine enables readers to really imagine and feel the effects on humanity.”
In this episode, Mark and I discuss some of the potential implications of genetic engineering; both the positive/beneficial side to this emerging technology as well as the potential negatives/dangers that may also arise.
Dr Mark P Ryall
Dr Mark Ryall is a retired economics teacher, a competitive Canadian triathlete, and author of speculative fiction novel “Age-Decoded”.
Terry Tucker, among many things, is an author, motivational speaker, former police officer, former SWAT hostage negotiator, and a cancer warrior. Over the course of his life, Terry has worked and succeeded in many areas of life and across multiple vocations. Terry played Division I NCAA college basketball, worked in the corporate world (in marketing, administration, and customer service), became a Cincinnati police officer at the age of 37, worked as a security consultant, basketball coach, and recently as a motivational speaker after having been diagnosed and treated for cancer for the past 9 years.
In this episode, Terry and I discuss how and why he wrote the book, what it was like for him to become a police officer and SWAT hostage negotiator at the age of 37, how he dealt with his brutal cancer treatment, and what it all means for him now.
Throughout his professional life, Terry has found himself having to relearn and remaster new skills and attitudes for dealing with the unique demands and challenges of each career. Throughout all of this, though, Terry has found that excellence in any field of endeavour is possible if one has the right mindset, support system, and willingness to learn. From this, he has recently written a book called Sustainable Excellence, Ten Principles to Leading Your Uncommon and Extraordinary Life where he outlines his findings to help people achieve greatness in their lives.
Terry Tucker
In many ways, I believe I am just like any of the billions of people existing on this planet.
I have reinvented myself frequently over my professional career. After I graduated from college at The Citadel (where I played NCAA Division I basketball), I was employed in the Marketing Department at the corporate headquarters of Wendy’s International in Dublin, Ohio. From there, I worked in hospital administration for Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. After getting married and moving to California for my wife’s job, I became the Customer Service Manager for an academic publishing company in Santa Barbara. After our daughter was born and we moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, I became a police officer with the Cincinnati Police Department, where I was a SWAT Hostage Negotiator. Following a family relocation to Texas, I started a school security consulting business and coached high school girls basketball in Houston. Each time I took on a new job, I had to develop new skills and faced different challenges. There was always a significant learning curve with every new position.
But my greatest challenge began in early 2012 when I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Acral Lentiginous Melanoma, which presented on the bottom of my foot. By the time the melanoma was detected, it had metastasized to a lymph node in my groin. Because my cancer is so rare (only about 6,500 people are diagnosed with this form of malignancy in the U.S. each year), I was treated at the world-renowned MD Anderson Cancer Center. I had two surgeries to remove the tumors, and after I healed, I was put on a weekly injection of the drug, Interferon, to help keep the disease from coming back.
I took those weekly injections for four years and seven months before the Interferon became so toxic to my body that I ended up in the Intensive Care Unit with a fever of 108 degrees. Fortunately, expert medical care saved my life.
The Interferon gave me severe flu-like symptoms for two to three days after each injection. I lost fifty pounds during my therapy, was constantly nauseous, fatigued, and chilled, my ability to taste food significantly diminished, and my body constantly ached. This misery went on for over 1,660 days!
One thing I learned during all my pain and suffering is that you have two choices. You can succumb to the debilitating discomfort and misery, or you can learn to embrace it and use it to make you a stronger and better human being. I chose the latter.
There were times I felt so poorly and was in so much agony that I prayed to die. Each day was a struggle to use my mind to override my body’s apathy and distress.
I realize pain and discomfort can beat you to your knees and keep you there if you let it. But I also came to appreciate that I could use my hurting and anguish to make me stronger and more resolute.
I was no better at dealing with pain and discomfort than the next person. But every day, I found a way to survive, with the knowledge that I would need to do it again the following morning.
I recently wrote a book, entitled Sustainable Excellence, Ten Principles to Leading Your Uncommon and Extraordinary Life, to help people find and live their uncommon and extraordinary life. The ten principles outlined in the book will provide the bedrock necessary to form the foundation of unshakable beliefs and dedicated behaviors to reinforce your attitude, no matter how much pain you must endure or how many obstacles you must overcome. My hope is that people who read the book will lead a life of significance, as well as a life of success.
I understand what it is like to fight for your life and one thing I’ve learned is that as long as you don’t quit, you can never be defeated.
Ben Winter is an actor, improv master, coach, and a best-selling author of several non-fiction books on living a better life. His latest book, “What to Expect When Having Expectations”, is about understanding where your expectations come from, what drives them, why you aren’t always aware of them, how to come to peace after being upset by an expectation going unmet, and increasing communication with yourself and others. Ben and I discuss several of these topics in this episode as we explore the world of expectations and why they can make us so unhappy. Ben shares with us how we can use the anger and upset of having unmet expectations to find peace and live a happier life.
Ben Winter
Ben certainly hasn’t been idle in life. A couple of years out of college and he started doing things and going places he never would have expected. From traveling to personal growth to marriage and child to divorce and parenthood to entrepreneurialism and inspiring others. Ben has flown an airplane on his own and has been scuba diving in the Galapagos. He has seen the animals of Tanzania and has traveled all over Europe with a 6-month-old child in tow. He has performed improv for over a decade, acted in several plays, and even a movie. He has owned several businesses.
His biggest passion is exploring the mind. In all of his personal growth work, the one constant was that it all stems from the mind. Between personal growth and improv, he found this weird realm called expectations. And while most people would shy away from such a thing, he decided to tackle it head-on. Along his journey, he decided that “the only reason anyone gets upset is because an expectation hasn’t been met.” And begin teaching that in his Success Improv business.
From there, he noticed that there has to be a way to use that upset feeling to fix the situation. And he created the amazing “How to stop being upset” flow chart.
From there it was a simple step of taking everything that he has explored on the subject and put it in a book called, “What to Expect when Having Expectations.”
Dr. Stephanie Ryan, Ph.D. is a chemist, a boy mom, and a social media influencer who enjoys using her background to create superior educational products and content. Although an academic at heart, Dr. Stephanie is passionate about learning through play. Stephanie and I discuss why teaching kids about science is so important, and how parents and teachers can make it fun and exciting. Science and mathematics are two of the most important subjects for kids to learn as it equips them with a curiosity for understanding and exploring the world, and teaches a methodology for critical thinking – an essential life skill. Unlike the traditional textbook-based rote-learning studies, Stephanie suggests using a more interactive and practical way of teaching. Doing science experiments with your children, and allowing them to ask questions and explore how and why things work the way they do can encourage a passion for discovery and a willingness to learn. So much of our everyday activities involve some aspect of science and can be used to demonstrate the fun-side of science. Whether it’s cooking, building, gaming, or cleaning, there is always a place to include and teach children.
Dr. Stephanie Ryan
Dr. Stephanie Ryan, Ph.D. is a chemist, a boy mom, and a social media influencer who enjoys using her background to create superior educational products and content. Although an academic at heart, Dr. Stephanie is passionate about learning through play. She can be found helping young kids explore the fascinating world around them. Over the years, Dr. Stephanie has taught science to all age groups, both in and out of the classroom, helping toddlers learn about their world and college students define theirs. She is an active member of the chemistry education community and is currently a committee member of the International Activities Committee for the Division of Chemical Education.
Ryan Education Consulting delivers research-based educational products for both the K-16 and corporate settings. Ryan Education Consulting utilizes learning theory and content expertise to develop content that will stick with people (students or employees) and/or truly assess what they understand.
In this episode, Tyler and I discuss how people approach public speaking, the difficulties we contend with, and how to become confident in yourself and your speaking. We talk about how Tyler coaches people into learning to speak with confidence, communicate effectively with other people, and how to win over an audience. We also discuss how our perceptions and expectations of ourselves and others contribute to how we feel about ourselves. Whether it’s going in expecting the worst or going in and expecting the best, your perception can begin to shape your reality. Being present and working in the moment also has a huge role to play in connecting with an audience – being able to take in and work with your audience’s energy is also a hugely important process. Finally, we get into how stories are made and told in different ways for different purposes – and how one should go about learning to tell their stories for maximum effect.
Sean “Tyler” Foley
Sean Tyler Foley is an accomplished film and stage performer and has been acting in film and television since he was 6 years old after his father passed away suddenly in a motor vehicle accident. With his distinct and direct style, Tyler is emerging as one of North America’s sought-after leaders in the field of public speaking for personal and professional development.
Tyler has appeared in productions including Freddy Vs Jason, Door to Door, Carrie, and the musical Ragtime. Tyler is passionate about helping others confidently take the stage and impact an audience with their stories. He is currently the Managing Director of Total Buy In and author of the #1 best-selling book The Power to Speak Naked.
Tyler is a father, husband, son, and performer, in that order. Some days he feels like he has dabbled in every industry on the planet, from oil and gas, to aviation, to film and television, but that diverse experience is what has made him so versatile!
Regardless of the industry or the titles he has held, what they all had in common was promoting and encouraging people to be heard and understood. The skills and resources he has garnered along the way have enabled him to become an entertaining professional speaker and a knowledgeable trainer, who inspires others to reach for their dreams.
Christian De La Huerta is an Author, TedX Speaker, and Personal Transformation Coach. In this episode, Christian and I delve into his work on helping people become their own hero. All too often we feel afraid, dejected, powerless, depressed, and anxious in life; however, inside each of us is a power to transform how we live in the world – the power to be our own hero. The power of a hero is not an egoic sense of power (i.e. power over others or power over the world); rather, true heroic power is soul power – the power to be in control of your mind and emotions such that you determine whether you let other people or situations determine how you feel about yourself and the world.
To be a hero in this sense takes tremendous courage. It can be very difficult for us to face our inner demons and accept them in the process of transformation. However, this strength comes from a place of peace and love, not from a place of fear and dominance. It is not that we need to seek to destroy parts of ourselves, or to reject who we are; rather, it is a process of accepting the conditioning of our lives up until this point (and see it clearly for what it is) so that we can become aware enough to start making changes. The hero lives a life of personal freedom; a life of empowerment, meaning, peace, and purpose.
Welcome to
Christian De La Huerta
Christian De La Huerta is an Author, TedX Speaker, and Personal Transformation Coach. With 30 years of experience, Christian de la Huerta is a sought-after spiritual teacher, personal transformation coach and leading voice in the breathwork community. He has traveled the world offering inspiring and transformational retreats combining psychological and spiritual teachings with lasting and life-changing effects. An award-winning, critically acclaimed author, he has spoken at numerous universities and conferences and on the TedX stage. His new book, Awakening the Soul of Power, was described by multiple Grammy Award–winner Gloria Estefan as “a balm for the soul of anyone searching for truth and answers to life’s difficult questions.”
Awakening the Soul of Power, the first book in the Calling All Heroes series, rethinks what heroism means in the 21st century and reveals practical tools to help you embark on a journey to personal freedom. If you long for healthier relationships and a life filled with meaning and purpose, this book holds the keys to unlocking the secrets of personal empowerment and unleashing your inner hero.
Dawna Campbell is a professional speaker, international healer, and best seller author, sharing her techniques. In this episode, Dawna and I discuss how our thoughts and emotions influence and create the life we experience. Dawna shares her personal story of discovering how powerful thoughts are, and how we can utilize thoughts to create better lives for ourselves – a life of happiness, prosperity, and love. Our relationship with our thoughts plays a major role in determining how we perceive various situations in our lives. For example, the way we have learned to think about money and finances sets us up to create that version of reality. If we want to change how our reality is, we must become aware of our conditioned thoughts and emotions about the situation. Then we can begin to heal ourselves and create new realities.
Dawna Campbell
Known as the Mind Whisperer, Dawna combines her past knowledge, wisdom, and experience to assist you in creating and restoring a life of happiness, prosperity, and love. Dawna has over 25 years combined years of professional experience. As a former Financial Advisor, her book, Financially Fit, is a #1 Amazon International Best Seller bringing together the world of money and the energy body, and the souls essence. She is a professional speaker sharing her techniques during interactive workshops and maintains an international private practice. Dawna has shared the stage with Lisa Nichols, Dr. Joe Vitale, Sharon Lechter, and Kevin Harrington. Her personal Heart Centered Healing philosophy is to create a world that is a better place for all to live.
“We are vibrational beings, producing an energy field of waves. These wave patterns are encoded with our life experiences and emotions through our brain wave patterns. These wave patterns send out signals to the universe, and return to us, the very thoughts, feelings, and emotions that we are having. As a Mind Whisperer®, I start with your conscious thought, and guide you to find the thought behind the thought, behind the thought…. back to the original thought through your emotions, and change the feeling associated with the thought to create a different experience.
Thought Form Energy Healing® is a life changing method that brings about instantaneous change by releasing the emotional heavy thought forms that were recorded in the subconscious and blocked in the body, and replace the thought form with a new emotional experience to a life of happiness, prosperity, and love for you.
Here are some examples of how Thought Form Energy Healing® might assist you:
– Health: Increasing your overall wellness, dis-creating sickness and illness
– Wealth: Creating an abundant mindset, manifesting, and increasing prosperity
– Relationships: Attracting more love in your life, soulmates, family, community
– Spiritual: Aligning with your life purpose, path, and direction in life
– Emotional: Releasing trauma and abuse, self-worth, knowing that you matter”
Eleanor Tweddell is a coach, mentor, consultant, creator and entrepreneur focused on reinvention. As the age-old wisdom declares: when one door closes, a world of possibility awaits. Eleanor teaches people how to embrace and navigate major changes in life – whether it’s losing your job, significant financial changes, or difficult relationships. She focuses on providing a warm, non-judgmental space for people to work through their challenges, and re-align themselves with what they truly want, and what life has to offer. After going through several major challenges in her life, Eleanor discovered that although big changes are often very difficult, unpleasant, and stressful, they also present an amazing opportunity for creation of something new. Whether its reviving an old passion project, working on a dream, or simply getting out of negative situations, change allows for the possibility of renewed hope.
Sometimes we just need a safe space to unravel, ramble, be free, without judgment. So that we can recharge, reset and move forward with gusto!
Eleanor Tweddell
Change is a scary thing. It can come with thoughts and feelings of uncertainty, pain, and a sense of loss. However, just like the caterpillar goes through a major transformation to metamorphose into a butterfly, so too do we experience major transformations of our existence as we know it. The crucial point, however, is that change can be amazing. Change has the potential to create a new amazing life – a life of freedom, fulfillment, and joy. We need only allow ourselves to go through the changes (with all the ups and downs) to truly see how amazing the change is. To navigate change successfully, we must treat ourselves nonjudgmentally, with kindness and love.
Eleanor Tweddell
Eleanor Tweddell is a coach, mentor, consultant, creator and entrepreneur focused on reinvention.
Why Losing Your Job Could Be The Best Thing That Ever Happened To You
“Four years ago I got made redundant. It wasn’t the best time of my life. But I wondered if it was time to step away from corporate life and explore the ‘outside’ world. I started writing a blog. I started an online retail store. I joined up to lots of courses and programmes. I had no idea what I was doing! But I got curious, stayed open to new ideas and took opportunities that came along. The blog became a community, which became a business, which became a book, the book is here. This book will take you through the shock of redundancy, the feeling of being stuck, slowing down to get clarity, becoming unstuck and thriving in your next chapter, your next door. It shares my story, other people’s stories, all the tricks and guidance that helped me. It’s honest, it’s optimistic, it might even make you laugh!”
What to do when your children leave the nest? Amanda Paradine is the head coach for Another Door, her daughters are leaving home to go to University. Life changes encompass more than just work. In this episode some practical advice and some shared wisdom and just how to plan for the day that your children have left and how you can reinvent your life as a parent. Another Door: Find out about Enrolment onto the Five Steps to Thrive an online course: an email prompt once a day for 5 weeks, and 32 modules encouraging you from shock to thriving: https://www.anotherdoor.co.uk More about Amanda Paradine: https://www.amandaparadine.com
David Paris is a seven time acrobatic dance champion and an America’s Got Talent finalist. He is the author of A COVID Story which documents his 30 days in medical coma and 88 days in the hospital. In this episode, David shares his remarkable story of spiritual transformation that took place as he came face-to-face with death after contracting COVID in 2020. We discuss some of his deeply impactful dreams and experiences that he had while in a medically-induced coma, his remarkably difficult recovery journey, and how facing death has changed his life for the better. David has made a tremendous recovery since then, and although he still is facing some physical difficulties, he is wonderfully optimistic and is sharing his story to inspire others. David’s story offers a unique insight into the human psyche and how our minds interpret and are affected by life-threatening circumstances. David recounts numerous dreams wherein he was faced with using all of his strength to fight for his life – to do whatever it took to survive.
“I could not control having a deadly reaction to COVID-19. However, I could control what it meant to me. It was terrifying, but it was also an opportunity for rebirth and reassessment. I learned to appreciate the extraordinary work of my medical community. I learned to love my family and friends. And I learned to love myself for who I am and not who I think I need to be.”
– David Paris
David Paris
David Paris is a seven time acrobatic dance champion and an America’s Got Talent finalist. He is the author of A COVID Story which documents his 30 days in medical coma and 88 days in the hospital. He is also the author of Laughable Legends Vol. I & II and The Middle School Election series. He is the director of Social Emotional Learning at M.S. 88 in Brooklyn, NY and is a trainer in NVC/Non-Violent Communication. Paris has taught and performed in twenty-six countries and created thirteen instructional videos.
A COVID STORY is an introspective memoir of an induced medical coma, a unique recovery process, and an amazing community that supported a patient’s second chance at life.
This book offers support for survivors, insights for their caregivers, hope for those currently infected and their families; as well as persuasive evidence for those untouched by COVID’s deadly embrace.
Evonne Marzouk has spent her career in pursuit of inspiring others, making a difference, and bringing Jewish wisdom into the world. In this episode, Evonne and I go deep into discussing Jewish mysticism. Following the theme of Growing Into Your Gifts in Evonne’s novel “The Prophetess”, we discuss how wisdom teachings have impacted our lives – both from a pragmatic and mystical perspective. The teachings of Judaism have been around for thousands of years, and have provided countless people with insight into life’s most difficult questions. There is an amazing connection between ourselves and the divine, and coming into ‘contact’ with the divine can have profound positive transformations on your life.
Connecting with faith (emunah) and experiencing the light of consciousness can provide a deep sense of connectedness and peace to the turbulent lives we live. One of the main ways people connect with God is through meditation – a practice that is generally thought to be exclusive to Eastern wisdom traditions, but is actually also a fundamental part of Jewish mystical teachings. Taking the time to consciously experience life, nature, ourselves, and divinity is both the means and outcome of mediation. There is so much wisdom available in the world – we need only allow ourselves the opportunity to find and connect with it at a deep level, and the majesty of the universe will begin to reveal itself.
Evonne Marzouk
Evonne Marzouk has spent her career in pursuit of inspiring others, making a difference, and bringing Jewish wisdom into the world. She grew up in Philadelphia and began writing and publishing poems and stories as a young child. Evonne attended the Johns Hopkins University and received a B.A. from the Writing Seminars program, with a minor in Religious Studies. Evonne founded and is the former director of Canfei Nesharim (recently merged with GrowTorah), an organization that teaches Jewish wisdom about protecting the environment.
Evonne began work for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1999 and has played key roles in work on the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation, the Minamata Convention on Mercury, and the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint. Throughout all these activities, publishing a novel has been one of Evonne’s lifelong dreams. She is incredibly grateful, and sometimes amazed, that the moment has finally arrived.
Exploring modern adolescent anxieties and ancient mystical teachings, The Prophetess is a story about faith and sacrifice, promises kept through generations, and how, through the support of others, we can grow bigger than we ever believed we could be.
Keith Fraser is the founder and pioneer of Cojones, the cheeky yet profound code for living successfully and authentically. In this episode, Keith Fraser and I discuss how having courage to speak your truth, embracing your authenticity, and living unapologetically can create a life of success. Central to Keith’s No. 1 Bestseller book Cojones: Grow a Pair For Success!, is the notion that we must wholly embrace our lives for it is ours alone to live. We needn’t spend time worrying what other people think or how they may judge us; rather, we should endeavour to live life with a fearless freedom. To grow a pair is to: “be fearless, be bold enough to stand out, and be audacious enough to grasp whatever it is YOU decide YOU want” (Keith Fraser).
Keith Fraser
Keith Fraser is the founder and pioneer of Cojones, the cheeky yet profound code for living successfully and authentically. He is also a Master Practitioner of NLP and an exponent of Transactional Analysis (TA) furthering his deep understanding of the art of persuasion and what makes people tick. Keith has a wealth of experience in business, sales, and property investing, as well as entertaining and inspiring audiences internationally with his mix of straight-talking theories and hilarious anecdotes. Keith is the host of Cojones TV and has interviewed Arsene Wenger, Ross Kemp, Sarah Willingham and Alastair Campbell amongst others.
Live Authentically, Fearlessly, and Unapologetically
Keith Fraser is a man who refuses to tread on eggshells or fall into line – nor should you.
Pragmatic, straight-talking, forthright and real, this book provides a set of fresh ideas that are immediately applicable and ready to use. Keith’s pioneering Cojones Code is the stand-out blueprint to live by for genuine authenticity and success. Applying a unique mix of psychology including Transactional Analysis and NLP alongside his very own Cojones Ten Commandments.
This book will inspire you to:
– Be fearless
– Be bold enough to stand out
– Be audacious enough to grasp whatever it is YOU decide YOU want
After reading this, you will embrace the fact that your life is indeed yours and no one else’s to dictate how you live it.
Heed this book’s message, and you will GROW A PAIR!!
Brian Russell (Ph.D.) is an award winning professor of biblical studies and a transformational coach for pastors and spiritually-minded professionals. His personal mission is to seek out, study, and embody the deepest truths about God so that he can share them compellingly, lovingly, and transformationally with others. In this episode, Dr. Brain Russell (Author, Professor of Biblical Studies, Spiritual Growth Coach) and I discuss some of the amazing insights and teachings from his upcoming book, Centering Prayer: How Sitting Quietly In God’s Presence Can Change Your Life (available Sept. 2021). The heart of The Centering Prayer is to sit quietly, focus attention on a particular word, and ultimately connect with life/reality beyond thought. Through a meditation practice, one is able to connect deeply with God – the transcendent source and essence of life itself. To sit in God’s presence is to sit in connection with Being – to experience the majesty of the present moment. All too often we get lost in our thoughts and judgements about ourselves, other people, and the world around us. However, thought is not the be-all and end-all of life – far from it, in fact. Everyone can learn to disidentify their thoughts from their true self and, in doing so, discover the true meaning of Love and God. Although this process of discovery can be challenging and uncomfortable at times, if you embrace it and practice it regularly, you will find that all areas of your life will transform and become empowered.
Dr Brian Russell
Brian Russell (Ph.D.) is an award winning professor of biblical studies and a transformational coach for pastors and spiritually-minded professionals. His personal mission is to seek out, study, and embody the deepest truths about God so that he can share them compellingly, lovingly, and transformationally with others. He is the author of Invitation: A Bible Study to Begin With (Seedbed 2014), (re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World (Cascade 2015); and the forthcoming Centering Prayer: How Sitting Quietly in God’s Presence Can Change Your Life. He is also host of the Deep Dive Spirituality Conversations podcast.
“A new, but ancient, way to pray can turn your life around. Discover how to experience God’s love at your core, freeing you to love others, and even yourself.
When biblical scholar and coach Brian Russell discovered centering prayer at a difficult crossroad in his life, he had no idea how his life would change. “Sensing God’s love for me has been so transformational that it almost feels as though I’ve experienced conversion all over again,” he writes. He became calmer, less anxious, less reactive, freed of past wounds, and a better listener in the presence of others.
Centering prayer, also known as the prayer of silence, helps you quiet your mind from the constant thoughts and impulses, and frees your true self to experience more of God’s love in the very core of your being.
This inviting guide gives you practical tools to make centering prayer a consistent habit in your life, gives the history and theological foundation for the practice, and helps identify and overcome common obstacles. Beginners, as well as seasoned practitioners, will gain inspiration, rich insight, and practical knowledge of a contemplative prayer practice that can open you up to deep experiences of inner peace.” – Amazon
Dr Brian’s Podcast: The Deep Dive Spirituality Conversations Podcast
In this week’s episode, Beth Fisher takes us on a deep dive into issues of identity. Our conversation finds its roots in her outstanding book Remorseless: Learning to Lose Labels, Expectations, and Assumptions Without Losing Yourself.
Beth Fisher is a motivational speaker and life coach and holds two master's degrees in theology. An avid marathoner, she and her family live in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Buy Beth’s Books:
Remorseless: Learning to Lose Labels, Expectations, and Assumptions Without Losing Yourself https://amzn.to/3n41p9p
Remorseless Workshop: A Journey to Losing Labels, Expectations, and Assumptions–And Finding Yourself https://amzn.to/3jbmDkr
Books Recommended by Beth:
Geisler/Turek, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist https://amzn.to/2YXlPIR
Barbara Brown Taylor, Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others https://amzn.to/3DL5GVV
Richard Rohr, The Wisdom Pattern: Order, Chaos, Reorder https://amzn.to/2YTu217
Connect with Beth Fisher: http://www.bethfisher.com
Twitter @bethfish_author
Instagram @bethfisher_author
Connect with Brian Russell: Information about Brian’s latest book Centering Prayer: Sitting Quietly in God’s Presence Can Change Your Life http://www.centeringprayerbook.com
or order: https://amzn.to/3pDpN2E .
For group discounts, contact Sr. Estelle at Paracletepress.com
Twitter: @briandrussell
Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife
Coaching for Pastors: http://www.deepdivespirituality.com
Business and Life Coaching: http://www.brianrussellphd.com
Brian Russell’s Book on the Missional Interpretation of Scripture: (Re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World https://amzn.to/3qln258
Links to Amazon are affiliate links. Dr. Russell receives a small payment if you order resources through these links. There is no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the podcast through your purchases. Please tell your friends about the Deep Dive Spirituality Pod/Videocast. It's also available on Spotify, Podbean, and iTunes.
Tony Russo is a journalist, non-fiction author, and podcaster. In this episode, Tony and I discuss his latest book, Dragged Into The Light: Truthers, reptilians, Super Soldiers, and Death in an Online Cult. Being a human being is a strange experience where one is often looking for answers to the seemingly inexplicable oddities, challenges, and questions of life. For many, answers to life’s most difficult challenge can be found in religion, science and/or philosophy. For others, answers given by a leader who claims to know the secrets and truths of life are very enticing. But, are these beliefs based on truth? Are our beliefs about what is true that different from the conspiracy theory truths? What appeals to a person to believe that we are governed by lizard-alien overlords trying to affect a new world order? Does Orgone have special powers? Are conspiracy theories that far-fetched from reality? What is Truth? These are some of the questions we delve into in this episode. Ultimately, Tony argues that Truth is something valuable sought after by most, but if the so-called ‘truth’ is used as a commodity, it can cause major problems, ruin lives, and even lead to death.
Tony Russo
Pencil-sharpening enthusiast, journalist, non-fictionist, author of “Dragged Into the Light: Truthers, Reptilians, Super Soldiers, and Death in an Online Cult.”
Tony coveted the chance to tell a story like Dragged Into the Light, which brings together questions about history, religion, politics, and popular culture and investigates how they played out in these real-life circumstances when two realities collide. Sherry Shriner, her cult, and the insidious and violent nature of the conspiracy theory culture showed him that while truth may have inherent value, as a commodity it’s pretty much worthless.
When Internet conspiracy theorist Sherry Shriner told one of her long-time followers, Steven Mineo, that his new girlfriend Barbara Rogers was a deadly reptilian agent, Steven broke with Shriner’s cult. Two months later, he was dead from a gunshot wound to the head, and Barbara had been charged with his murder. Shriner claimed credit for a true prophecy. But the truth was darker.
Journalist Tony Russo’s investigation of Mineo’s death, along with the earlier suicide of another cult member, led him inside an exotic new form of religion, where true believers assemble in internet chat rooms to stave off the demonic hordes of Lucifer, the New World Order, cell phone towers and reptilian shape-shifters.
In this episode, Nate and I discuss his most recent book on the life-changing Daoist meditation known as The Standing Meditation. For millennia, people have searched for methods and techniques to reduce suffering, master their mind, and find meaning and support in life. One of the ancient wisdom traditions, known as Daoism, offers a unique perspective on life and its connectedness to the source of life – the Dao (the Way). The standing meditation is a fundamental Daoist practice that has been used to find alignment, harmony, and energetic balance. It is a simple but profound exercise that unifies in experience the body, life energy, and mind. From this place of oneness, one can connect with life itself and reap the benefits of living a life in alignment with self, with nature, and with the universe. Starting with 1 minute of practice a day is enough to start the magical transformation of your life.
Nate Rifkin
When Nate Rifkin began his journey, he hated himself. He was suicidal and drank alcohol every morning. He dropped out of college, went broke, bankrupt, and even worked on street corners waving around a sign.
However, Nate learned a little-known spiritual discipline that helped him transform his thoughts, emotions, and financial life. This practice from the Daoist mystical tradition even helped him find love. Today, Nate is sharing his journey and is the author of the book The Standing Meditation.
Wajid has lived an interesting and varied life in many fields of endeavor. From a technical background as a Field Service Engineer, to stand up comedian with over twenty years as a union actor doing voice over, narration, commercials as well as TV and movie roles. He also encompasses over forty years experience in the field of metaphysics, healing, spirituality and new age concepts. In this episode, Wajid and I discuss his latest book, a #1 bestseller on Amazon, The Struggle For World Sanity. Wajid outlines his personal journey that led him to the feet of his own Yogi Master, Dr. George King. Through the guidance, teaching and experiences with his spiritual teacher, along with his own unique mystical experiences including that of an amazing spiritual contact he experienced with a UFO out in the wilderness, Wajid shows you the way out of the current chaos enveloping the world at the dawn of a new era of peace and enlightenment for all who will remain on Planet Earth after the great change which has now started. Here are universal truths revealed to many for the first time that will inspire you and help you raise your vibrations even higher so that you can be of greater service to every life stream that needs healing and upliftment in these troubled times. A call to action, if heeded, that will put you in a very favorable karmic position in the future.
Websites Mentioned:
The Aetherius Society. The Aetherius Society is an international spiritual organization dedicated to spreading, and acting upon, the teachings of advanced extraterrestrial intelligences. http://www.aetherius.org/
The Twelve Blessings. Change the world with spiritual energy – raise your consciousness with The Twelve Blessings! This is one of the greatest spiritual practices ever given to Earth and can be practiced by anyone. https://12blessings.org/
Wajid Hassan
From Pakistan to England and then settling in America, Wajid has lived an interesting and varied life in many fields of endeavor. From a technical background as a Field Service Engineer, to stand up comedian with over twenty years as a union actor doing voice over, narration, commercials as well as TV and movie roles. He also encompasses over forty years experience in the field of metaphysics, healing, spirituality and new age concepts. An avid hiker, he managed to climb to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in 2006 Africa’s highest mountain in Tanzania.
He is a humanitarian and environmentalist always looking for ways to improve life for people along with a deep love for our Planet and all the plants and animals who reside upon Her back.
As a qualified Speaker, Healer and Teacher he can demonstrate how to reignite the spiritual flame within us and send it outwards to all, improving not only our own personal lives but those of every lifestream that live on our beautiful world. Something he outlines in detail in his #1 bestseller on Amazon, “The Struggle for World Sanity” which will inspire and uplift those who read it.
Larry Linton (B.A., LL.B., C.S) was progressing steadily through his career as a corporate immigration lawyer when, at the age of 49, he was confronted with a life altering event that changed his life forever. In this episode, Larry and I discuss his journey of living with Parkinson’s Disease over the last 10 years. We discuss some of the physical, cognitive, and emotional aspects that being diagnosed and living with Parkison’s has had on his and his family’s life. Larry’s journey has had a profound transformation on how he lives his life. Running, drumming, and meditation are just a few of the things that have had an incredibly positive and healing effect on his life. Larry’s battle exemplifies the fact that through facing life’s challenges head on and with a positive attitude, it is possible to find meaning and happiness in life. Larry now works with people who are affected by Parkinson’s and is a speaker, author, and group facilitator.
Larry Linton (B.A., LL.B., C.S) was progressing steadily through his career as a corporate immigration lawyer when, at the age of 49, he was confronted with a life altering event that changed his life forever. In his first book, SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED: Living with Parkinson’s Disease, Larry shares with us how he managed to change his focus and to enjoy living a life that is more fulfilling, rewarding and meaningful after his diagnosis. His book provides inspiration and advice to others who’ve been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. If you or someone you love is fighting the biggest battle of their lives this inspirational and informative book will transform your life.
SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED: Living with Parkinson’s Disease is the story of a reluctant hero navigating the trauma of a life-altering diagnosis.
After going through a long-term, debilitating stage of grief, Linton emerges to find life worth living and enjoying again.
Read how simple changes Linton made to his daily life have improved his physical and mental health, his happiness, his life, and the lives of his family members, who stood bravely by as he waged his battle.
Despite the seriousness of the subject, Linton shares inspiring stories and important information about Parkinson’s Disease in a surprisingly entertaining and engaging manner.
In this NewYorkTimes bestseller, internationally renowned Japanese scientist Masaru Emoto shows how the influence of our thoughts, words and feelings on molecules of water can positively impact the earth and our personal health.
Simon & Schuster
This book has the potential to profoundly transform your world view. Using high-speed photography, Dr. Masaru Emoto discovered that crystals formed in frozen water reveal changes when specific, concentrated thoughts are directed toward them. He found that water from clear springs and water that has been exposed to loving words shows brilliant, complex, and colorful snowflake patterns. In contrast, polluted water, or water exposed to negative thoughts, forms incomplete, asymmetrical patterns with dull colors. The implications of this research create a new awareness of how we can positively impact the earth and our personal health.
