#123 Part 2: The True Nature of Man with Dr. Tony Cicoria

in , , , ,

Dr. Tony Cicoria is a part time board certified Orthopedic Surgeon in Maine, former Chief of Orthopedics at Chenango Memorial Hospital, Norwich, New York, and Clinical Assistant Professor of Orthopedics at SUNY Upstate Medical School in Syracuse. He received his BS in Biology from The Citadel and is a graduate of the Medical University of South Carolina (MD, PhD) and the University of Virginia Orthopedic Surgery Residency.

Dr. Cicoria had the unfortunate (or fortunate) luck of being struck by lightning in 1994 while speaking on a public telephone during a family reunion near Albany, NY. As a result of the lightning, Dr. Cicoria had a near death and out of body experience (NDE, OBE) and became a sudden savant for classical piano music and composition. Because of his unusual introduction to the world of music, Dr. Cicoria has been featured in various magazines and was featured in Dr. Oliver Sacks’ book “Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain”. Tony has given numerous recitals featuring music that he has composed, and has appeared in various television presentations around the world. He published his first works on a CD entitled “Notes From an Accidental Pianist” through CDBaby.com, and is currently working on a book about his experience called “On the Other Side of Life”

Dr. Tony Cicoria is back to share more of the wisdom he has gained since his NDE 28 years ago about consciousness and the meaning of life.

“The music from the dream went through a lot of trouble to get here, the least you can do is write it.”
— Dr. Oliver Sacks, as told to Dr. Tony Cicoria
“I truly felt like I had tuned into a frequency and the music was downloaded into my head.”
— Dr. Tony Cicoria

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And while you’re there, please leave me a Rating and Review

We do care what you think! What would YOU like to hear on the Interviews with Innocence Podcast? Click HERE to send us your thoughts.

Would you like to be featured as a guest on the Interviews with Innocence Podcast? Contact Us, and tell us a few words about yourself!     

RESOURCES:

CONNECT WITH MARLA:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://www.interviewswithinnocence.com

Have you had a spiritual experience? Do you have a story that a young child has shared with you?  Please contact Marla and share your story.

Thank you!

#122 The Greatest Hoax of All: The True Nature of Man with Dr. Tony Cicoria

in , , , ,

Dr. Tony Cicoria is a part time board certified Orthopedic Surgeon in Maine, former Chief of Orthopedics at Chenango Memorial Hospital, Norwich, New York, and Clinical Assistant Professor of Orthopedics at SUNY Upstate Medical School in Syracuse. He received his BS in Biology from The Citadel and is a graduate of the Medical University of South Carolina (MD, PhD) and the University of Virginia Orthopedic Surgery Residency.

Dr. Cicoria had the unfortunate (or fortunate) luck of being struck by lightning in 1994 while speaking on a public telephone during a family reunion near Albany, NY. As a result of the lightning, Dr. Cicoria had a near death and out of body experience (NDE, OBE) and became a sudden savant for classical piano music and composition. Because of his unusual introduction to the world of music, Dr. Cicoria has been featured in various magazines and was featured in Dr. Oliver Sacks’ book “Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain”. Tony has given numerous recitals featuring music that he has composed, and has appeared in various television presentations around the world. He published his first works on a CD entitled “Notes From an Accidental Pianist” through CDBaby.com, and is currently working on a book about his experience called “On the Other Side of Life”

In this episode, Dr. Cicoria shares with us his talk that he gave at the IAND’s International Conference. His research and experiences help us to discover the aspects of human spiritual history that have in many ways remained hidden from us.

“The music from the dream went through a lot of trouble to get here, the least you can do is write it.”
— Dr. Oliver Sacks, as told to Dr. Tony Cicoria
“I truly felt like I had tuned into a frequency and the music was downloaded into my head.”
— Dr. Tony Cicoria

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And while you’re there, please leave me a Rating and Review

We do care what you think! What would YOU like to hear on the Interviews with Innocence Podcast? Click HERE to send us your thoughts.

Would you like to be featured as a guest on the Interviews with Innocence Podcast? Contact Us, and tell us a few words about yourself!     

RESOURCES:

CONNECT WITH MARLA:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://www.interviewswithinnocence.com

Have you had a spiritual experience? Do you have a story that a young child has shared with you?  Please contact Marla and share your story.

Thank you!

#30 Lightning Strikes and a Musician is Born with Dr. Tony Cicoria

in , , , ,
Tony Blog.png

Dr. Tony Cicoria is a part time board certified Orthopedic Surgeon in Maine, former Chief of Orthopedics at Chenango Memorial Hospital, Norwich, New York, and Clinical Assistant Professor of Orthopedics at SUNY Upstate Medical School in Syracuse. He received his BS in Biology from The Citadel and is a graduate of the Medical University of South Carolina (MD, PhD) and the University of Virginia Orthopedic Surgery Residency.

Dr. Cicoria had the unfortunate (or fortunate) luck of being struck by lightning in 1994 while speaking on a public telephone during a family reunion near Albany, NY. As a result of the lightning, Dr. Cicoria had a near death and out of body experience (NDE, OBE) and became a sudden savant for classical piano music and composition. Because of his unusual introduction to the world of music, Dr. Cicoria has been featured in various magazines and was featured in Dr. Oliver Sacks’ book “Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain”. Tony has given numerous recitals featuring music that he has composed, and has appeared in various television presentations around the world. He published his first works on a CD entitled “Notes From an Accidental Pianist” through CDBaby.com, and is currently working on a book about his experience called “On the Other Side of Life”

In this follow-up to the previous interview, Dr. Cicoria describes the sudden emergence of musical gifts that become available to him following his near death experience resulting from being struck by lightning.

“The music from the dream went through a lot of trouble to get here, the least you can do is write it.”
— Dr. Oliver Sacks, as told to Dr. Tony Cicoria
“I truly felt like I had tuned into a frequency and the music was downloaded into my head.”
— Dr. Tony Cicoria

NOTES

  • After being struck by lightning and a vivid near death experience, Dr. Tony Cicoria developed an insatiable craving for classical piano music, something that had previously held no interest for him.

  • He describes a powerful dream in which he was performing music in a concert hall. Upon awakening, the music continued to play in his head for a long time.

  • Urgently searching for a way to play his music, he took music lessons from a Julliard-trained teacher and attended an adult music camp, “Sonata” in Vermont.

  • In 2006 he was introduced to Dr. Oliver Sacks, a British neurologist who wrote “Awakenings”. Dr. Sacks strongly encouraged Tony to find a way to write the music, which he ultimately was able to do.

  • After Dr. Sacks published an article in the New Yorker, there was a lot of interest in Tony’s unusual story.

  • Tony describes the experience of playing his music in concert and the effect that it had on a number of members of the audience.

  • He explains how, on multiple occasions, emotional triggers would result in music “downloading” into his head.

  • Tony underwent a personal transformation after his NDE, becoming more empathetic and with a new approach to life.

  • He comments about how small children can still see the other side, and feels that it is important to recognize and validate what children are seeing.

  • During his near death experience his conscious self never wavered, even while he was dead, leaving him firmly convinced of the fact that his spirit would live on forever.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And while you’re there, please leave me a Rating and Review

We do care what you think! What would YOU like to hear on the Interviews with Innocence Podcast? Click HERE to send us your thoughts.

Would you like to be featured as a guest on the Interviews with Innocence Podcast? Contact Us, and tell us a few words about yourself!     

RESOURCES:

CONNECT WITH MARLA:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://www.interviewswithinnocence.com

Have you had a spiritual experience? Do you have a story that a young child has shared with you?  Please contact Marla and share your story.

Thank you!

#29 A Visit to the Other Side with Dr. Tony Cicoria

in , , ,
Tony Blog.png

Dr. Tony Cicoria is a part time board certified Orthopedic Surgeon in Maine, former Chief of Orthopedics at Chenango Memorial Hospital, Norwich, New York, and Clinical Assistant Professor of Orthopedics at SUNY Upstate Medical School in Syracuse. He received his BS in Biology from The Citadel and is a graduate of the Medical University of South Carolina (MD, PhD) and the University of Virginia Orthopedic Surgery Residency.

Dr. Cicoria had the unfortunate (or fortunate) luck of being struck by lightning in 1994 while speaking on a public telephone during a family reunion near Albany, NY. As a result of the lightning, Dr. Cicoria had a near death and out of body experience (NDE, OBE) and became a sudden savant for classical piano music and composition. Because of his unusual introduction to the world of music, Dr. Cicoria has been featured in various magazines and was featured in Dr. Oliver Sacks’ book “Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain”. Tony has given numerous recitals featuring music that he has composed, and has appeared in various television presentations around the world. He published his first works on a CD entitled “Notes From an Accidental Pianist” through CDBaby.com, and is currently working on a book about his experience called “On the Other Side of Life”

In this riveting interview, Tony describes the life altering experience of being struck by lightening and spending time on the “other side”, where he briefly but vividly enters a spiritual realm and gains a profound understanding about the meaning of our existence.

“I felt like I fell into a river of pure positive energy.”
— Tony Cicoria
“I came to the realization that this was the greatest thing that could ever happen to somebody.”
— Tony Cicoria
“I became much less religious and much more spiritual.”
— Tony Cicoria

NOTES

  • Tony describes his experience of being struck by lightning in 1994 while attending an outdoor barbecue with friends and family.

  • He had an odd sensation of moving forward while being forced backwards from the impact of the lightning.

  • As he felt himself leave his earthly body, he had a sense of being swept up in a current of blue light and pure positive energy.

  • The energy he experienced radiated with pure peace and love.

  • When he sensed that he was returning to his body, he strongly resisted, wanting instead to remain in this blissful state.

  • His Catholic Faith was turned upside down by this spiritual experience.

  • He realized that our souls go through a continual evolution as we come back repeatedly, growing spiritually each time.

  • His NDE profoundly changed the way he looks at the world, and what he has found to be important.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And while you’re there, please leave me a Rating and Review

We do care what you think! What would YOU like to hear on the Interviews with Innocence Podcast? Click HERE to send us your thoughts.

Would you like to be featured as a guest on the Interviews with Innocence Podcast? Contact Us, and tell us a few words about yourself!     

RESOURCES:

CONNECT WITH MARLA:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://www.interviewswithinnocence.com

Have you had a spiritual experience? Do you have a story that a young child has shared with you?  Please contact Marla and share your story.

Thank you!

#27 "Houdini Kids", Unconditional Love, and the Healing of the Planet with Lesley Lupo

in , , , , ,
Lesley Blog.png

Lesley Joan Lupo was born in Chicago and attended college in Albuquerque, NM, graduating with a B.A. in Psychology and a B.F.A. in Studio Art. She is a world traveler and has crossed paths with many inspirational teachers, including Native American Medicine people, a West African Shaman, and a Wiccan High Priestess.

For nearly ten years Lesley was the Vice-President of Operations at Tanque Verde Guest Ranch. After nearly being killed by a stampede of horses, she experienced a profound near-death experience (NDE) resulting in her inspiring and poignant book, Remember, Every Breath is Precious .

For the last 22 years, she has been a highly-sought after Intuitive Therapist at the Canyon Ranch Resort in Arizona, serving for 3 years as the Spiritual Programs Coordinator. Lesley is also a certified NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) therapist and a Reiki Master, with a client base that includes Hollywood celebrities, politicians, royalty, and business leaders from all over the world. Through her private company, Light the Path, she works one-on-one with clients to support their spiritual healing and transformation. Lesley also teaches workshops on improving relationships, and is a guest lecturer at the University of Arizona. She enjoys creating mosaics and jewelry, meditation, bee keeping, and organic gardening. She happily practices “detachment” (win or lose) by watching her favorite Chicago sports teams. She resides in Tucson AZ.  Click HERE to read Lesley’s complete biography.

In this interview, Lesley talks about the different kinds of children who come back to the earthly realm as spiritual guides and/or as conduits for positive change, enlightenment and forgiveness, with an emphasis on what she calls “Houdini Kids”.

“Houdini Kids heal the planet by absorbing and transmuting the negativity they encounter into love and forgiveness.”
— Lesley Lupo on "Blindfolded Bodhisattvas"
“When Spirit needs us to focus on God... then Spirit is going to keep giving us a crisis... to find that light within us.”
— Lesley Lupo

NOTES

  • Leslie describes the Buddhist concept of the Bodhisattva, an enlightened old soul returning to earth and born into a spiritual family, with the purpose of serving as a spiritual guide.

  • She explains in detail what “Blindfolded Bodhisattvas” or “Houdini Kids” are, and how they differ from Bodhisattvas, in that they are on their own in finding their spiritual center as they strive to break the cycle of hatred and prejudice.

  • Indigo Kids are another version of Bodhisattvas, who come into our world and “hit the ground running” in their mission to accelerate change that is more widespread.

  • Lesley elaborates on the role that crisis plays in bringing us closer to God, and how once we are drawn to God we will no longer need crisis.

  • She offers some advice on how to mentor children who are selfless and need to be taught to include themselves in their decisions.

  • She describes a fascinating session she had with an astrologer, who was able to see her death on the date of her NDE.

  • Lesley recommends visiting her WEBSITE which includes much more detail about all of these topics that she touches upon in this interview.

  • Click the image below to find out more about Lesley’s Book, which chronicles her near-death experience and fascinating visit “Upstairs”.

 
 

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And while you’re there, please leave me a Rating and Review

We do care what you think! What would YOU like to hear on the Interviews with Innocence Podcast? Click HERE to send us your thoughts.

Would you like to be featured as a guest on the Interviews with Innocence Podcast? Contact Us, and tell us a few words about yourself!     

RESOURCES:

CONNECT WITH MARLA:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://www.interviewswithinnocence.com

Have you had a spiritual experience? Do you have a story that a young child has shared with you?  Please contact Marla and share your story.

Thank you!

#26 Transformation and Personal Growth After a Near-Death Experience with Lesley Lupo

in , , ,
Lesley Blog.png

Lesley Joan Lupo was born in Chicago and attended college in Albuquerque, NM, graduating with a B.A. in Psychology and a B.F.A. in Studio Art. She is a world traveler and has crossed paths with many inspirational teachers, including Native American Medicine people, a West African Shaman, and a Wiccan High Priestess.

For nearly ten years Lesley was the Vice-President of Operations at Tanque Verde Guest Ranch. After nearly being killed by a stampede of horses, she experienced a profound near-death experience (NDE) resulting in her inspiring and poignant book, Remember, Every Breath is Precious .

For the last 22 years, she has been a highly-sought after Intuitive Therapist at the Canyon Ranch Resort in Arizona, serving for 3 years as the Spiritual Programs Coordinator. Lesley is also a certified NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) therapist and a Reiki Master, with a client base that includes Hollywood celebrities, politicians, royalty, and business leaders from all over the world. Through her private company, Light the Path, she works one-on-one with clients to support their spiritual healing and transformation. Lesley also teaches workshops on improving relationships, and is a guest lecturer at the University of Arizona. She enjoys creating mosaics and jewelry, meditation, bee keeping, and organic gardening. She happily practices “detachment” (win or lose) by watching her favorite Chicago sports teams. She resides in Tucson AZ.  Click HERE to read Lesley’s complete biography.

In this extraordinary interview, Lesley describes her NDE in fascinating detail, and then describes how her journey has transformed the way she see’s herself and her role in the universe.

“I think every human being, in their cellular memory. remembers heaven and that’s why we have such a longing to go back home again.”
— Lesley Lupo
“Everything sparkles so much up there... everything has that irridescence...””
— Lesley Lupo
“Learning is as joyous upstairs as vacation time is down here.”
— Lesley Lupo
“I had to come back and reevaluate my consciousness towards perfection... if we were perfect there would be nothing left to learn.”
— Lesley Lupo

NOTES

  • Lesley had an extraordinary near-death experience after being trampled by a stampede of horses, which she describes in exquisite detail.

  • She was welcomed with overwhelming love by spiritual beings who were familiar to her from her childhood; she referred to these beings as her “soul group”.

  • Lesley refers to the place where she went in her NDE as “upstairs”, and described the sense of longing she still has for this place, a place where everything “made sense”.

  • Her descriptions are filled with words such as “light-filled”, “incandescent”, and “sparkling”.

  • She had the sense of there being infinite “realms” that souls could navigate between, each one offering different “lessons”, similar in a way to being in school.

  • In her NDE, she was offered not only a choice of whether to stay or whether to return, but also whether or not she wanted to remember the details of her NDE.

  • She chose to remember, knowing that she would experience a sense of isolation because few would understand what had happened to her.

  • She explained the differences between old souls and younger souls, and the concept of reincarnation, as well as the many opportunities for growth and learning.

  • Lesley describes the sense that everything is growing… on earth, in the universe and in heaven, and that heaven continues to grow as souls evolve.

  • Lesley’s experience gave her great insight about how to live with integrity, always learning, with an aim towards being the best person one can be.

  • Click the image below to find out more about Lesley’s Book:

 
 

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And while you’re there, please leave me a Rating and Review

We do care what you think! What would YOU like to hear on the Interviews with Innocence Podcast? Click HERE to send us your thoughts.

Would you like to be featured as a guest on the Interviews with Innocence Podcast? Contact Us, and tell us a few words about yourself!     

RESOURCES:

CONNECT WITH MARLA:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://www.interviewswithinnocence.com

Have you had a spiritual experience? Do you have a story that a young child has shared with you?  Please contact Marla and share your story.

Thank you!

#23 A Spiritual Warrior's Journey with Reverend Bill McDonald

in , ,

Army Vietnam veteran Reverend Bill McDonald is a multiple NDEr and STEr, minister, chaplain, Yoga Meditation Teacher, PTSD consultant, an award-winning poet, international motivational speaker, artist, film adviser, veteran advocate and scuba instructor. As a Vietnam veteran, Bill was awarded the distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart medal, fourteen air medals, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, among others. He founded The Spiritual Warrior Ministries which provides free chaplain services for the military community across the USA. Reverend Bill has been involved with a dozen films and documentaries and is author of his autobiography, A Spiritual Warrior’s Journey. His other books include Alchemy of a Warrior’s Heart, Purple Hearts, Sacred Eye and Warrior - A Spiritual Odyssey.

“Imagine a million mothers loving you.”
— Reverend Bill McDonald, on his first NDE
“They’re gonna find ways, they’re gonna find solutions, they’re not giving up.”
— Reverend Bill Mcdonald, on the younger generation
“Love is the greatest weapon of all.”
— Reverend Bill McDonald

NOTES

  • Reverend Bill McDonald described his first near-death experience as an 8 year old child, when he was hospitalized with multiple serious illnesses. Most notable were the sensations of light, of feeling recharged and of being filled with great love.

  • That first NDE gave him a glimpse into his future and provided great comfort even in times of extreme peril.

  • He describes his interest in numbers and astrology and how those concepts played into his life story.

  • Reverend Bill detailed a potentially harrowing and destructive experience in Vietnam which was averted due to his powerful sense of intuition.

  • He believes the current generation of young people, which he describes as having more light in them, offer us great hope for the future.

  • He talks about how every one of us is important, using a jigsaw puzzle as an analogy - “everybody has to be there to make the whole… everybody has a purpose".

  • Our purpose is love, and we are here to love and to serve.

  • Reverend Bill has written multiple books and is currently working on a collection of stories.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And while you’re there, please leave me a Rating and Review

We do care what you think! What would YOU like to hear on the Interviews with Innocence Podcast? Click HERE to send us your thoughts.

Would you like to be featured as a guest on the Interviews with Innocence Podcast? Contact Us, and tell us a few words about yourself!     

RESOURCES:

Reverend Bill McDonald’s Books:

CONNECT WITH MARLA:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://www.interviewswithinnocence.com

Have you had a spiritual experience? Do you have a story that a young child has shared with you?  Please contact Marla and share your story.

Thank you!

#15 Helping Others Embrace Their Spiritual Gifts with Jane Thompson

in , , , , ,

Jane Thompson had a profound near-death experience in 2008 which changed her life dramatically.  Initially she struggled to integrate the aftereffects of her near-death experience, but after overcoming these challenges, she knew it was an important part of her life's path to compassionately help others to embrace their own spiritual gifts and sensitivities. Jane's focus is now on helping and healing others, serving as an intuitive healer, psychic medium and spiritual gifts coach for adults and children around the world, many who struggle with the unique challenges associated with their spiritual gifts.

Jane T Blog.png
“These kids are really tuned into their intuition and they can provide some amazing insights... they’ll come up with things that’ll blow your mind.”
— Jane Thompson, on Spiritually Gifted Children
“The mind-quieting practice is so important for adults and kids.”
— Jane Thompson

NOTES:

  • In Jane’s practice she helps adults navigate coping with newly acquired spiritual gifts, and guides the parents/caregivers of spiritually gifted children.

  • Traits in these children vary, but can include the ability to see the spirit world or predict future events. High sensitivity to the emotions and energies of those around them is typical.

  • Jane’s NDE and newly acquired spiritual gifts was overwhelming and resulted in two years of reclusive behavior. Research on NDEs taught Jane that she was not alone in her struggles, and set her on a path to work with others to cope with and embrace their gifts.

  • As an energy healer, Jane encourages the release of negative (low vibrational) energy which causes blockages, while mixing it with the higher vibrational energy and light found in the spirit world.

  • Jane cites an example of a young boy who was observing a man in his room. She worked with his parents to empower the boy to tell the man to go away, thus empowering the boy and opening up lines of trust and communication between the parents and child.

  • To create a high vibrational environment, sage and rosewater are important ingredients, but intention is key.

  • Advice for parents/caregivers:

    • Let them know they are not alone; there are many others like them.

    • Normalize these qualities. Their sensitivities are not the whole of who they are.

    • Love these children through their struggles so they are not afraid.

    • Approach them with a sense of curiosity.

    • Encourage stories, pictures, dolls, role-playing as a forum for expression.

  • Adults can learn from the incredible intuition and insights these children provide.

  • By working with spiritually gifted children, adults can learn to tap into their own spiritual gifts, which can have an opening-up effect on families.

  • Check out Jane’s website, www.safehandshealing.com, which offers more information about her practice, including an Inner Child Healing Meditation and two video teachings.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And while you’re there, please leave me a Rating and Review

We do care what you think! What would YOU like to hear on the Interviews with Innocence Podcast? Click HERE to send us your thoughts.

Would you like to be featured as a guest on the Interviews with Innocence Podcast? Contact Us, and tell us a few words about yourself!     

RESOURCES:

CONNECT WITH MARLA:

Have you had a spiritual experience? Do you have a story that a young child has shared with you?  Please contact Marla and share your story.

Thank you!