#104 Chaplain, Four-Time Cancer Survivor and Near-Death Experiencer David Maginley Shares His Wisdom

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Rev. David Maginley is an interfaith spiritual counselor at the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and award-winning author of Beyond Surviving: Cancer and Your Spiritual Journey. He is featured in the documentaries Here Right Now, and When You Die. David has also survived cancer four times, which resulted in a profound near-death experience and explorations in the connection of body, mind and spirit. He knows cancer from both sides of the hospital bed, and this life from both sides of the veil.

In today’s beautiful episode, David and I discuss his journey being diagnosed with cancer multiple times and the profound ways in which his near death experience impacted him and the greatest lessons in life he has learned along the way.

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#103 A True Story from Ethiopia about a Dream and Saving a Child’s Life with Helen Wolday

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Helen Wolday is an earth angel, in my opinion. I learned about Helen through my brother-in-law, Dr. Rick Hodes, who has worked in Ethiopia for 40 years. One evening while Rick was visiting the states, he told me the beautiful story of Helen and a dream she had. A dream that she could not let go of to save a child's life. This is a true story of love, compassion, spirit, perseverance, and belief.

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#102 Bringing through Beautiful Messages from Another Dimension with Kevin Lewis

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From my earliest of childhood memories, I have had the ability to communicate with spirit. My mediumship, psychic, and healing abilities have continued to unveil with each day and experience. My deepest intention is to help others, an intention that is so deep rooted I consider it my calling. Considered an natural born empath and healer, I rely on and trust that spirit will always provide you with what is needed most. Whether it’s a message from a loved one, psychic guidance, or deep healing, my unwavering integrity and commitment to spirit and my clients, will leave you impacted by their love.

In today’s episode, Kevin and I discuss the beautiful messages he receives from other dimensions as a healing medium.

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#101 Loved Ones Share with Us the Beauty of the Afterlife with Rebecca Austill-Clausen and William Stillman

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Psychic William Stillman is the internationally known, award-winning author of the Autism and the God Connection book trilogy that explores aspects of spiritual giftedness in many people with autism. These books encompass Autism and the God Connection, The Soul of Autism (translated in three languages to date), and The Autism Prophecies. His other books of the paranormal genre include The Secret Language of Spirit: Understanding Spirit Communication in Our Everyday Lives,  Conversations with Dogs: A Psychic Reveals What Our Canine Companions Have to Say (And How You Can Talk to Them Too!), and Under Spiritual Siege: How Ghosts and Demons Affect Us and How to Combat Them, about spiritual warfare and how negative spiritual entities affect those of us who are susceptible. 

Since 2004, Bill has worked professionally as a psychic and spiritual counselor. His accuracy in discerning the truth and making predictions that come to fruition has been acclaimed by his clients as truly extraordinary, and ranks at 90-98% accurate. He specializes in identifying clients' gifts and talents as well as aiding discarnate spirits (ghosts) to transition to the Heavenly realm. And he has investigated hauntings on behalf of the Pennsylvania Paranormal Association. Bill has also relieved others of the physical symptoms of pain and discomfort with prayer and laying on of hands. He has been consulted on missing person and unsolved homicide cases.

Rebecca Austill-Clausen is an Occupational Therapist, Reiki Master Teacher, award-winning author, and inspirational speaker. She had no psychic or spiritual experience when she discovered her ability to communicate with her deceased brother. Becky struggled with how her spiritual awakening could mesh with the practical everyday world. 

After 20 years of spiritual exploration, Becky sold her large rehabilitation practice and her book Change Maker, How My Brother’s Death Woke Up My Life was published. Change Maker has received five national book awards. 

Becky teaches empowering After-Death Communication workshops and Reiki trainings worldwide. She provides individual coaching for those wishing to communicate with their deceased loved ones.

In today’s episode, William, Rebecca and I discuss the the big picture meaning of life and why we are here.

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#100 Does the Brain Create Consciousness? With Mark Gober

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Mark Gober is an international speaker and author of An End to Upside Down Thinking (2018), which was awarded the IPPY best science book of 2019. He is also the author of An End to Upside Down Living (2020) and host of the podcast Where Is My Mind? (2019). Additionally, he serves on the Board of the Institute of Noetic Sciences and the School of Wholeness and Enlightenment. Gober’s background is in business as a Partner at Sherpa Technology Group in Silicon Valley and previously as an investment banking analyst in New York. He graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University, where he wrote his award-winning thesis on Daniel Kahneman’s Nobel Prize–winning “Prospect Theory” and was elected a captain of Princeton’s Division I Tennis Team.

In today’s episode, Mark Gober and I discuss his views on science, its relation to human consciousness, and how we perceive reality.

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#99 The Conscious Mamas Movement with Kate Smith

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Kate Smith is a Certified Yoga Instructor for children and adults. She's worked with children and in alternative health for over ten years and is the creator of Conscious Mamas Movement- an online platform that provides resources fo mothers and children to live present, healthy, and connective lives. She creates playful and digestible tools to help mothers and children process their emotions communicate their needs, and regulate their nervous systems.

In this episode, Kate Smith and I discuss her work with children related to helping them build their emotional literacy toolbox and how we as adults can benefit from this wisdom as well. 

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#98 Lynn K Russell Discovers Hidden Messages about the World, Life and the Paths We All Travel through Her NDE Research

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Lynn has over sixty-five years of studying various religions and spiritual philosophies. She researched near-death experiences for Dr. Jeffery Long, of NDERF. After studying 2500 cases, Lynn became fascinated with the profound underlying spiritual knowledge brought back. The second edition of her book, The Wonder of You: What the Near-Death Experiences Tells You About Yourself, is about that knowledge and your reality. Her interest in science has helped to add profound understandings of the link between science and spirituality.

In this episode Lynn and I discuss the wisdom that results from near death experience.

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#97 So, Why Are We Here? With Renowned Medium Suzanne Giesemann

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Suzanne Giesemann is messenger of hope—a mystic, metaphysical teacher, and medium who shares The Awakened Way – a path to knowing Who you are and why you’re here. Whether in her books, her classes and workshops, her weekly radio show, or her one-on-one sessions, Suzanne provides stunning evidence of life after death. She is a former U.S. Navy Commander who served as a commanding officer and as aide to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Suzanne’s gift of communication with those on the other side has been recognized as highly credible by noted afterlife researchers. She brings messages of hope, healing, and love that go straight to the heart.

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#96 Part 2 Helping Our Newest Generation Navigate Their Unique Challenges and Gifts with Kathryn Brewer

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Kathryn Brewer is a Mentor, Speaker and Author who works with coaches, therapists, teachers and other conscious leaders on the evolutionary path to catapult their influence, effectiveness and satisfaction in work and life.  She combines decades of experience as a Marriage and Family Therapist and School Psychologist with cutting-edge training and a life-long connection to intuitive knowing.  Due to her personal story growing up as a highly-gifted and psychic child who struggled to fit in, Kathryn is especially passionate about working with mentors of children and youth to help them navigate the unique challenges and gifts of our newest generation.

Kathryn was an initiating member of the CATCH Grant Team for preschools and child care centers in Santa Barbara County, California, in which she modeled in the classroom responses and techniques to teach emotional skills and compassionately shift behavior of children while building their self-esteem and joy.  She designed a Kindergarten entry screening that children found to be fun and gave a glimpse of them as a whole being, not just their skill levels.  Understanding the crucial role of the first five years in child development, she utilized play therapy and energetic techniques to help young children blossom.  Through her skills as an empath, she knew what children felt without the necessity of them finding words to explain.  Her children’s book, “My Awwwsome Story” touches the deepest inner knowing within young children and takes them on a journey that makes real for them their connection to all that exists and validates their urge to make the world a better place.

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#95 Helping Our Newest Generation Navigate Their Unique Challenges and Gifts with Kathryn Brewer

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Kathryn Brewer is a Mentor, Speaker and Author who works with coaches, therapists, teachers and other conscious leaders on the evolutionary path to catapult their influence, effectiveness and satisfaction in work and life.  She combines decades of experience as a Marriage and Family Therapist and School Psychologist with cutting-edge training and a life-long connection to intuitive knowing.  Due to her personal story growing up as a highly-gifted and psychic child who struggled to fit in, Kathryn is especially passionate about working with mentors of children and youth to help them navigate the unique challenges and gifts of our newest generation.

Kathryn was an initiating member of the CATCH Grant Team for preschools and child care centers in Santa Barbara County, California, in which she modeled in the classroom responses and techniques to teach emotional skills and compassionately shift behavior of children while building their self-esteem and joy.  She designed a Kindergarten entry screening that children found to be fun and gave a glimpse of them as a whole being, not just their skill levels.  Understanding the crucial role of the first five years in child development, she utilized play therapy and energetic techniques to help young children blossom.  Through her skills as an empath, she knew what children felt without the necessity of them finding words to explain.  Her children’s book, “My Awwwsome Story” touches the deepest inner knowing within young children and takes them on a journey that makes real for them their connection to all that exists and validates their urge to make the world a better place.

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

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Thank you!

#94 Who Are These New Kids Coming into This World and What Can They Teach Us with PMH Atwater

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Dr. P.M.H. Atwater, is an international authority on near- death experiences. A survivor of 3 near-death episodes herself, she has completed 44 years of research on the subject, and has written 18 books, including her most recent book, “The Forever Angels: Near Death Experiences in Childhood and Their Lifelong Impact”. In her quest for knowledge she has interviewed nearly 5000 people, including young children who have had such experiences, and adults who have lived their lives after NDEs. Her immersion in the topic has led her to the firm belief that the near-death experience is not an anomaly, but part of a consciousness transformation or “brain shift”. In the 80s, PMH turned from this path briefly to find out why regular children, everyday children, seemed to manifest the same or similar aftereffects of a near- death experience. This project opened her eyes to something quite remarkable, the human race evolving. The children of today, most of them are quite different from any other generation in US history. In this interview, you will learn about how the coming new world will be tailored specifically for the new kids, who will lead the way in the Great Shift from old world to new.

“A vast majority (of NDEers) never lose their sense of home.”

”They really are different because their brains formed differently.”

”They’re bringing that knowledge and openness with them.”
— P.M.H. Atwater, on early NDEers

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#37 Plant Medicine and the Path to Healing and Wholeness With Dr. Jeff McNairy

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Dr. Jeff McNairy is the Chief Medical Officer at Rythmia Life Advancement Center in Costa Rica. He has a doctorate in Psychology and a masters degree in Public Health from UCLA. Dr. McNairy has been working in the health care field for 25 years in a variety of medical environments and has seen the struggle individuals have when actually trying to heal. He has found that the current Western system of heath care is deficient in healing the population as it is more concerned with managing symptoms and using external sources for “change.” Through Dr. McNairy’s intense experience with the most desperate patient populations (those suffering from addiction, acute mental health issues and trauma), he has seen that the only real healing can come from within.

In this fascinating interview, Dr. McNairy shares the journey that led him to his current position as Chief Medical Officer at Rythmia, a medically licensed wellness retreat facility in Costa Rica which specializes in a number of breakthrough modalities for life transformation, including yoga, breathwork and medically supervised plant medicine. His explanation of how plant medicine works in the brain to help heal past wounds and traumas is riveting.

“We believe that all cause of unease is related to being unplugged from the true self, whether that’s anxiety, depression, addiction, all kinds of mental health issues... also illnesses, auto immune disorders... a big part of it is not being united with the actual, true self.”
— Dr. Jeff McNairy
“The soul contract that you have with yourself in your life is with this “little you”; it’s the authentic you... it represents who you really are...”
— Dr. Jeff McNairy

NOTES

  • Dr. Jeff McNairy explains how his early interests in medical anthropology, ethno-botany and indigenous cultures led him to pursue multiple degrees and clinical experiences in order to arrive where he is today.

  • Jeff describes the process in which young children “split” or dissociate from their true selves, which can ultimately result in addiction and a multitude of illnesses and pathologies.

  • Jeff’s describes the amazing transformation of one of his more challenging patients, leading Jeff to explore the use of plant medicine by indigenous cultures and ultimately establish Rythmia in Costa Rica.

  • He explains how Ayahuasca (a form of plant medicine) works in the brain in order to enable people to reconnect with their authentic selves and heal themselves. He uses his own experience to illustrate.

  • Jeff and Marla emphasize how Ayahuasca is not for everyone and should only be administered under medical supervision.

  • Jeff offers insights on a number of topics… the wisdom of young children, the amazing gifts that autistic children possess, and the crucial role that empathy plays in changing the world.

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Thank you!

#32 The Forever Angels - Children and the Near Death-Experience With PMH Atwater

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Dr. P.M.H. Atwater, L.H.D. is an international authority on near death experiences. A survivor of 3 near-death episodes herself, she has completed over 44 years of research on the subject, and has written 18 books, including her most recent book, “The Forever Angels: Near Death Experiences in Childhood and Their Lifelong Impact”. In her quest for knowledge she has interviewed over 5000 people, including young children who have had such experiences, and older adults who have lived their lives after NDEs. Her immersion in the topic has led her to the firm belief that the near-death experience is not an anomaly, but part of a consciousness transformation or “brain shift”.

In this interview, you will learn about the many ways that people who have experienced NDEs, particularly the very young, experience the world differently than the rest of us. Dr. Atwater’s enthusiasm for her subject knows no bounds!

“A vast majority (of NDEers) never lose their sense of home.”

”They really are different because their brains formed differently.”

”They’re bringing that knowledge and openness with them.”
— P.M.H. Atwater, on early NDEers

NOTES:

  • Dr. Atwater describes the in-depth research she has done on people experiencing NDEs.

  • Her most recent book is “The Forever Angels: Near Death Experiences in Childhood and Their Lifelong Impact”.

  • Children process near-death experiences much differently than adults do. Without a sense of what life was like prior to an NDE, they have no sense of “before”.

  • She describes some of the challenges these children have as they try to compensate for their experience, including trouble bonding with family, fitting in at school and with friends.

  • An early NDE is like a “jump-start” to the brain, and to the sensory system.

  • PMH provides fascinating statistics about the IQs of many NDEers.

  • Sadly, many NDEers experience suicidal ideation as they long to “go back”, in spite of outward appearances of success.

  • P.M.H. suggests ways for early NDEers to reinforce and validate their experiences, including the use of visualization, and by “writing their book”.

  • P.M.H. talked about IANDS (International Association for Near Death Experiences) and the incredible work they are doing as a global community to provide access to information about NDEs.

  • Marla announced the upcoming IANDS live online conference taking place of August 14 to August 16. PMS Atwater will be speaking at the conference on Augest 15th from 10AM to 11AM PST. Click HERE for a link to the conference website.

  • There is much more information regarding NDEs and more on Dr. Atwater’s website, including links to her books as well as a free monthly newsletter.

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

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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

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Thank you!

#25 Helping Young Children Navigate Emotions with Sue Groner

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As an experienced mother, Sue Groner knows how stressful and overwhelming parenting can be at times. She founded The Parenting Mentor to provide an ally for parents in their quest to raise confident and resilient children. Sue is the author of Parenting: 101 Ways to Rock Your World. Simple Strategies for Parenting with Sanity and Joy and is a certified Positive Discipline parent educator. Sue is also the creator of the CLEARR™ method of parenting, developed through years of trial (and her fair share of errors!) with her own family. CLEARR™ adheres to the belief that parenting strategies should be grounded in six important pillars: Communication, Love, Empathy, Awareness, Rules, and Respect. This has become the cornerstone of her practice as The Parenting Mentor. A graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a former advertising executive, Sue resides in New York City and Bedford, NY with her husband, two children (when they are not away at school) and their rescue dog. She is available for private, group, and virtual mentorship sessions nationwide for individuals as well as corporations. In this lively interview, Marla and Sue discuss creative strategies for families with children to find opportunities for personal growth while sheltering in place.

“We all can handle one random act of kindness a day.”
— Sue Groner, on modeling kindness for children
“It really does make a different for your mindset.”
— Sue Groner, on practicing gratitude

NOTES

  • When talking to children about difficult subjects, it’s important to know what your child is capable of dealing with. Age-related rules do not always apply.

  • Though the maternal instinct is to “fix” a child’s negative emotions, doing this can deny the child an opportunity to build emotional resilience.

  • Sue explains the importance of validating a child’s negative emotions and the potential consequence of not doing so.

  • She illustrates ways that we can model how we, as adults, deal with our own negative emotions.

  • Other fun tools include the use of expressive “faces” to help a child express how he is feeling.

  • Sue suggests parents use this time to relax their own expectations about what they want to accomplish in order to lighten their own anxiety. Also an opportunity for children to lower their anxiety due to fewer activities and expectations.

  • Sue describes how families can use “jars” for activities they will be able to do later (once the pandemic is over), and activities they can do now.

  • This time is perfect for helping children take on new responsibilities and learn life skills. She uses the “team” metaphor for a way to put a positive spin on household contributions.

  • This is also a time to work with children to explore their senses of taste, smell, etc., all which are mindfulness activities. Sue has some fun suggestions for cooking projects to do as a family.

  • A daily ritual that embraces gratitude is a wonderful family tradition.

  • Click the image below to find out more about Sue’s Book: Parenting: 101 Ways to Rock Your World:

 
 

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

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Thank you!

#24 Energy Fields Around Our Very Young With Geoffrey Leigh

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Dr. Geoffrey Leigh, PhD. is an author, professor and researcher with over 30 years in academia, conducting and publishing dozens of research articles, presenting many papers at national and international conferences, and teaching classes and community programs. His undergraduate and graduate studies provided him with a diverse approach to human development and family interaction processes, which lay the foundation for developing Noussentrism. During his time at the University of Nevada Reno, he and Jean Metzker developed research into children’s energy fields and later the energy fields of parent and adolescent interactions.

After retiring, Geoffrey moved to Napa, California where he taught graduate classes part-time in the Counseling Program at St. Mary’s College, allowing him to present some of his ideas in his book to graduate students. After publishing Rekindling Our Cosmic Spark in the spring of 2017, Geoffrey now spends his time writing fiction, working in real estate, conducting workshops and spiritual coaching sessions, and enjoying his family and life among the vineyards of Napa Valley.

Click HERE to read Geoffrey’s full bio.

In this heartfelt interview Geoffrey emphasizes the importance of helping children stay connected to their cosmic spark, and how in doing so we can become less focused on the external world and instead reconnect with our own core essence and heart wisdom.

“At our core I think we all have a spark of the divine.”
— Geoffrey Leigh
“We get so focused on the physical form that we lose track of what’s happening with our energetics.”
— Geoffrey Leigh
“Presence is the most valuable gift we can give children.”
— Geoffrey Leigh
“Children bring a connection to a greater consciousness and remind us of what we have lost track of.”
— Geoffrey Leigh

NOTES

  • Geoffrey describes the concept of Noussentrism, which is defined as “the basic nature and expression of our purest emanation of the universe, the spark of cosmic consciousness”.

  • When we get too focused on the three-dimensional world we lose track of our cosmic spark.

  • He talks about energy rings and how children, who live so much in the present, create them.

  • Geoffrey explains how we can change our own energy fields; meditation is one very effective way to do it.

  • Children arrive with certain skills and abilities that we aren’t aware of, and we need to be open to this possibility.

  • He describes how he approaches children - by first reaching out to them energetically; children are more comfortable with energetic connections.

  • It is important to listen to who children really are, and to encourage that energetic connection as they grow older.

  • He discussed gratitude and the great importance of modeling it for children.

  • Learning to apologize for times one is not in one’s heart is a wonderful way to resolve conflict.

  • Indigenous cultures that are peaceful and most connected to the earth do best at honoring the connection to children.

  • Connecting with nature is another way to hear things we otherwise would not hear.

  • Geoffrey describes what he would say to his five year old self.

  • To listen to Geoffrey’s Heart Opening Meditation, click HERE to download an audio file. Or, click HERE for the written version of the meditation.

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:

  • 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!

 

#16 How Indigenous Cultures Can Teach Us About Spirituality and Children with Bruce Alderman

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Bruce Alderman, MA is affiliate faculty in the College of Psychology at John F. Kennedy University. In 2005 he received his master’s degree from JFKU in Integral Psychology, with an emphasis on Transpersonal Counseling Psychology.  Prior to working at JFKU, he worked and studied abroad for several years in Asia, including teaching courses in creative writing and inquiry at a Krishnamurti school in India. His current areas of interest include Integral Theory and practice, transpersonal psychology, integral postmetaphysical spirituality, among others. In this enlightening podcast, Mr. Alderman shares his insights on listening to, talking with, and honoring children, based on what he has learned from his travels, his spiritual teachers, and from raising his own son.

“You are enough. Trust in life.”
— Bruce Alderman's advice to his 5 year old self
“...Meeting them where they are at, meeting them with more questions and not necessarily with answers, but trusting them to look together with you to something deeper.”
— Bruce Alderman, on talking to children

NOTES

  • Bruce recently launched a YouTube channel that includes conversations with friends and colleagues in the field of Integral Spirituality. Integral Theory is psychologist Ken Wilber’s philosophy, which integrates multiple psychological, scientific, religious and spiritual practices into one cohesive model.

  • While teaching in South Korea, Bruce was deeply saddened by the soul-crushing effect that expectations and pressure to succeed had on children and young people of all ages.

  • In contrast, in Indonesian cultures, particularly Bali and Java, children are spontaneously alive, creative and kind to each other. Children are considered sacred and are cuddled, loved, included in art, music and culture.

  • In Indonesia, both the light and the dark are honored in ceremonies and other aspects of culture.

  • Bruce’s impetus to become a teacher was largely due to the spiritual teacher Krishnamurti, who stressed the importance of interacting with children in a way to prevent them from becoming overly conditioned by society… not “shut down into narrow boxes.”

  • “I to I” is the practice of sitting with someone unconditionally with no expectations, also called “disidentification” because one lets go of the fragments of themselves that they hold on to to survive.

  • Dream Yoga is a Tibetan practice of using visualization as we fall asleep in order to remain lucid in our dreams. In so doing, problem solving, creativity and adventure become more accessible.

  • Words of wisdom:

    • Trust the capacity of children beyond what we expect. Listen. Allow them to express their ideas. Our culture tends to infantilize children.

    • Children have an incompleteness that needs the shaping of the world, but they possess an openness and capacity for communing with the world that we tend to shut down.

    • As adults it is important to try to reclaim our childlike qualities. Although it won’t be the same as it was, it can reconnect us with aspects of our potential.

  • Click HERE to read the full text of the William Wordsworth poem, Trailing Clouds of Glory.

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:

Do you have a spiritual story or an experience that you have experienced or 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

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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.

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“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!

#13 Children and the Near Death-Experience With PMH Atwater

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Dr. P.M.H. Atwater, L.H.D. is an international authority on near death experiences. A survivor of 3 near-death episodes herself, she has completed over 38 years of research on the subject, and has written 18 books, including her most recent book, “The Forever Angels: Near Death Experiences in Childhood and Their Lifelong Impact”. In her quest for knowledge she has interviewed over 5000 people, including young children who have had such experiences, and older adults who have lived their lives after NDEs. Her immersion in the topic has led her to the firm belief that the near-death experience is not an anomaly, but part of a consciousness transformation or “brain shift”. In this interview, you will learn about how children describe their glimpses of the divine and the many ways their lives are affected as they move forward.

 
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Dr. Atwater’s exuberance is infectious, and her passion for her subject knows no bounds!

“Our souls make certain we remember who we are so we can always make our way back to the lifestream.

God’s breath is what keeps the universe alive.”
— P.M.H. Atwater, Quoting Children

NOTES:

  • Children process near-death experiences much differently than adults do. They typically see a series of three very different lights, and there is always a “father figure” of some sort, as well as animals and birds.

  • When talking to young children after an NDE it is crucial to get down on their level and never have your eyes be above theirs, so that they don’t talk to please the adult.

  • Children find it challenging to be back in “real life” when others don’t understand. There is a longing to return to the light.

  • The near-death experience suggests that there is not an afterlife, but an ongoing life stream.

  • A devastating tornado in Missouri resulted in many children experiencing a phenomena of “butterfly people” who saved them from being caught in the tornado. Could these be angels?

  • Very important to let these children (of NDEs) talk and express themselves; prayer, rituals, centerpieces and alters are encouraged.

  • Accept children on their level and realize the truth in what they say. Respect, honor and don’t judge; allow a child to be a child.

  • Biggest lesson for Dr. Atwater: She is at ease wherever she goes, even in scary places, and has strong trust in her inner guidance.

  • There is much more information on Dr. Atwater’s website, including links to her books as well as a free monthly newsletter.

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:

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

Thank you!

#12 Using Quietness to Create a Sacred Space with Lacy Borgo

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Lacy Finn Borgo teaches and provides spiritual direction for the Renovaré Institute and is the the DMin (Doctor of Ministry) in Spiritual Direction at Fuller Theological Seminary and at Portland Seminary. Lacy provides spiritual direction for adults and children through Good Dirt Ministries and provides spiritual direction for children at Haven House, a transitional facility for the homeless. Listen to the story of Lacy’s spiritual journey, from her early years in west Texas, to the inner city schools of New York, and then to a simpler life in Colorado where she continued to expand her ministry and her work with young children. This remarkable woman recognizes the immensity of the divine gift that we share when we can sit with children and quietly listen without expectations or judgement. Tune in for another awakening episode of Interviews with Innocence!

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TIME STAMPS

  • 0:47 Meet Lacy Finn Borgo

  • 1:47 The start of the spiritual journey

  • 4:46 Lacy’s early education and direction

  • 5:30 The story of Christopher, a young New York inner city child

  • 8:45 The gift of “listening another person to life”, and being fully present

  • 11:05 You don’t always need words to understand, one’s presence can be enough

  • 11:50 The move to Colorado, and the gift of time and space

  • 15:50 Getting in touch with one’s childhood self - an exercise to try

  • 17:00 Describing “soul pings”, or “pings of the Divine”

  • 18:45   Talking to children about prayer

  • 21:30    How the dimensions of the self become integrated during different life stages

  • 22:30    Lacy’s work at Haven House, a homeless transitional facility

  • 24:00 Getting rid of the “shoulds” when listening to children.            

  • 24:25 B.O.W - Body, Openess and Awareness - how to listen to children

  • 26:15 Introducing the new book

  • 29:55   Holy leisure - using quietness to create a sacred space

  • 30:45   More about Lacy’s book

  • 31:40   Lacy’s greatest lesson from children - being open to mystery, wonder, awe and beauty

  • 32:40 Rewiring the brain by daydreaming and looking at clouds

  • 35:14   Final thoughts about the wisdom of children

 
“I knew I wasn’t alone, and I had a sense that I was loved.”
— Lacy Borgo, at 5 Years Old
“A spiritual direction is really a practice of accompanying another as they become awake to the divine.”
— Lacy Borgo
“We’re really moving in a spiral, into the heart and the divine.”
— Lacy Borgo

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 Hughes of Interviews With Innocence:

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

Thank you!