Things Worth Considering: Recent Episodes
Gord Riddell, RP with Co-Host Alexia Georgousis, ND
This is a show about connections. Connections to your self, your spirit, your feelings and your story. One of the most powerful healing tools we have is our connections. Connect to your intuition and explore your AHA moments. Discover how we get in our own way and how we can overcome obstacles to move on. How we think, what we think, what we believe, and our attitudes define how we experience our life. The fascinating idea that we shape our reality to what we believe it should be, in our minds. How we connect to our families, our aging family members and slowly we become caregivers, not caretakers. Embracing the reality of aging, not into senior citizens but living the archetypal Elder, the Wise One. Living the Spiritual idea of being of service but not being someone’s servant. As we explore the many roads of the human journey with our guests, we will connect to each other by embracing many of the mysteries of life and there we arrive at things worth considering.
On January 3, 2019 – the first episode of Things Worth Considering premiered. A talk show looking at Connections in our lives and to our self. Just over a year on-air, a new respiratory virus, Covid-19, was declared a world-wide pandemic. Thus began 2 years of mask wearing, lock-downs, work from home and social distancing. The irony would be that the various methods of containing the spread of Covid-19 are all ways that we connect. The masks obliterated the lower part of faces, and we didn’t know if someone was smiling or scowling. So we learned to smile with our eyes. Lockdown in our homes and not allowed to socialize with anyone with whom we did not live, we watched our connections diminish. Some technically astute individuals found ways to stay in touch and even host cocktail party’s via Zoom. Clever and maintaining some contact, even if digitally, it would have to suffice, but it was not the same as face to face. Connections were changing to digital and if it is in person, the touching of our forearms would have to compensate for handshakes and hugs while masked. In spite of Covid-19 and with the help of Zoom, we have interviewed amazing people from all walks of life who helped us to connect to our self in spite of physical distancing from each other. Connecting to our passions, visions and dreams, we explored the possibilities of living our life differently. We have aired 147 hours of original programming during the last 3 years and 13 weeks. The time has come for Things Worth Considering to take a time out. This is our final show until the future invites a return. Our library of 147 episodes will be available at transformationalarts.ca soon. Join us for our farewell show Thursday at 8 PM eastern/5 pm Pacific.
How often have you been told to let it go? Or how many times have you told others they need to let go and move on. We humans do not let things go easily. Our natural tendency to attach to people, places and things makes letting go seem counter-intuitive. Yet it is our attachments that cause so much pain and suffering in our life. Buddhism’s Noble Truths states so clearly that our human suffering is in direct proportion to our attachment and the value we place on those attachments. In this episode, Alexia and Gord discuss ideas around letting go, how we can move on and the positive outcomes that can be associated to letting go: if only we understood what that really means! Join us tonight – LIVE at 8pm Eastern/5 PM Pacific.
Have you wondered what is involved with Shamanism? If you went to a Shamanic Practitioner, what do you imagine would take place? While Shamanism is an ancient healing tradition and is a way of life, it is also gaining greater recognition in the Western world. The word shamanism can be used to describe the ancient spiritual practices of many cultures, worldwide. It is a way to connect with nature and all of creation. One could view shamanism as the universal spiritual wisdom inherent to all indigenous tribes. As all ancient spiritual practices are rooted in nature, shamanism is the method by which we as human beings can strengthen that natural connection. Shamanic practices tap into the power Mother Earth has to offer and the healing powers of the Spiritual Beings in our parallel world. The ancient teachings are derived from the simple truths of nature. It is not only concerned with the health of the individual, body, mind and spirit but also with the health of the entire community. This includes all people, plants, animals, and all of life. Daily spiritual practice allows for the continued growth of both body and soul. The goal is to create internal and external harmony with all creation. Learning to approach and connect with sacred places is an intrinsic part of shamanism. By honouring natural wonders such as rivers, lakes, mountains, and caves, we reawaken and invigorate the energy of the land. Ceremonies to honour the spirits of nature and the Spirits of the next world, help to promote harmony and balance. The path of shamanism never ends. It is believed that so long as these ceremonies continue, the world will go on. Join us Thursday at 8 PM as we explore Shamanism and how it might benefit our Life in mind, body and Spirit.
Do you believe in astrology? It is 1,000’s of years old and exists in most cultures worldwide. It is likely the oldest symbolic language we humans have. Astrology reflects the social realities of the times in which it is practiced. It morphs with culture. The language of archetypes and mythic reality which astrology is all about allows us to make meaning out of our experience, and this is done with a kind of grace. Astrology is not a tool for hard-line predictions but rather it is one to use for navigating whatever comes our way. In this particular year of pandemic and pandemonium, that 2020 has turned out to be, astrology has been most helpful. Astrology has never been more eloquent in allowing me to see the road we are on than it has been in 2020. Although I am horrified, the same as all of us, by things which are happening, on account of astrology I am not surprised. To be honest, I saw it coming. On account of that I have a sense of where it’s going which is helpful.
Over the last 2 years we have been moved from one crisis to another, seemingly more anxiety producing than the one before. Staying connected, and not to the television, becomes more difficult. This episode Alexia and Gord discuss what is going on in our world from a spiritual perspective and how to continue to walk through our global events. Join us at 8 PM eastern.
Over the last 2 years we have been moved from one crisis to another, seemingly more anxiety producing than the one before. Staying connected, and not to the television, becomes more difficult. This episode Alexia and Gord discuss what is going on in our world from a spiritual perspective and how to continue to walk through our global events. Join us at 8 PM eastern.
After 2 full years of pandemic unpredictability, we are now subjected to watching insanity exerting itself onto the planet. The energies of control, ownership, wealth and entitlement are destroying millions of people. Perhaps not through out right death but through trauma and fear. Every empathic individual on the planet is feeling the unsettling vibration being created by the Russian invasion of the Ukraine. Tonight’s guests, both mediums, will be discussing how we can protect our self from the energies that are disturbing so many people. How can we stay grounded and centered in order to stay functioning and healthy? What role spirit can play in our lives when it feels like we are losing our way? My guests are 2 excellent mediums who amongst many talents teach empathic individuals how to harness their energy and connect to the world of Spirit. This episode is Live at 8 pm eastern/ 5 pm Pacific. Hope you can join us.
Have you ever considered being hypnotized or are you considering it in the near future? If so, then tonight’s episode will give you some sound information to help you make that decision. Hypnosis is actually very old, ‘Hypno’ is from the Greek word ‘to sleep’, and it has had a number of different names, with the current name being derived from neuro-hypnosis, so named by Scottish Physician James Braid in 1841. If we go back a hundred years before Dr. Braid, we meet Franz Mesmer, a physician who discovered and worked with the ideas of energy and magnets, his work being named ‘animal magnetism’. Now Two Hundred years later, Hypnotism is used for a great many problems from anxiety, nervousness to depression and substance abuse. Contrary to a popular misconception, that hypnosis is a form of unconsciousness resembling sleep, research proves that when in hypnotic trance people are fully awake with focused attention and a corresponding decrease in their peripheral awareness. There is an increased response to suggestions. It is regulated through Hypnosis Guilds which not only certify practitioners but provide on-going education and research. Join us Thursday Feb 24 at 8 PM on Voice America, it will be a hypnotically mesmerizing interview.
Have you wondered what is involved with Shamanism? If you went to a Shamanic Practitioner, what do you imagine would take place? While Shamanism is an ancient healing tradition and is a way of life, it is also gaining greater recognition in the Western world. The word shamanism can be used to describe the ancient spiritual practices of many cultures, worldwide. It is a way to connect with nature and all of creation. One could view shamanism as the universal spiritual wisdom inherent to all indigenous tribes. As all ancient spiritual practices are rooted in nature, shamanism is the method by which we as human beings can strengthen that natural connection. Shamanic practices tap into the power Mother Earth has to offer and the healing powers of the Spiritual Beings in our parallel world. The ancient teachings are derived from the simple truths of nature. It is not only concerned with the health of the individual, body, mind and spirit but also with the health of the entire community. This includes all people, plants, animals, and all of life. Daily spiritual practice allows for the continued growth of both body and soul. The goal is to create internal and external harmony with all creation. Learning to approach and connect with sacred places is an intrinsic part of shamanism. By honouring natural wonders such as rivers, lakes, mountains, and caves, we reawaken and invigorate the energy of the land. Ceremonies to honour the spirits of nature and the Spirits of the next world, help to promote harmony and balance. The path of shamanism never ends. It is believed that so long as these ceremonies continue, the world will go on. Join us Thursday at 8 PM as we explore Shamanism and how it might benefit our Life in mind, body and Spirit.
Have you wondered what is involved with Shamanism? If you went to a Shamanic Practitioner, what do you imagine would take place? While Shamanism is an ancient healing tradition and is a way of life, it is also gaining greater recognition in the Western world. The word shamanism can be used to describe the ancient spiritual practices of many cultures, worldwide. It is a way to connect with nature and all of creation. One could view shamanism as the universal spiritual wisdom inherent to all indigenous tribes. As all ancient spiritual practices are rooted in nature, shamanism is the method by which we as human beings can strengthen that natural connection. Shamanic practices tap into the power Mother Earth has to offer and the healing powers of the Spiritual Beings in our parallel world. The ancient teachings are derived from the simple truths of nature. It is not only concerned with the health of the individual, body, mind and spirit but also with the health of the entire community. This includes all people, plants, animals, and all of life. Daily spiritual practice allows for the continued growth of both body and soul. The goal is to create internal and external harmony with all creation. Learning to approach and connect with sacred places is an intrinsic part of shamanism. By honouring natural wonders such as rivers, lakes, mountains, and caves, we reawaken and invigorate the energy of the land. Ceremonies to honour the spirits of nature and the Spirits of the next world, help to promote harmony and balance. The path of shamanism never ends. It is believed that so long as these ceremonies continue, the world will go on. Join us Thursday at 8 PM as we explore Shamanism and how it might benefit our Life in mind, body and Spirit.
In case you missed this episode- we are proud to present an encore of an amazingly talented soul who will leave you smiling and singing the rest of your day.Have you ever spent time reflecting on how you got to where you are today? What longing, yearning desire, probably unnamed, has been driving you forward? The connections along the way, the detours and dead-end streets, yet here you are, ready and waiting to blast into life. This is an interview with a remarkable woman, who has done the reflecting and connecting the dots and has blasted into her Life doing exactly what she wants and the empowerment she experiences. Her connection to her own soul, uncovered step-by-step, connects us to her authentic self. This is about a creative journey of singing, musicals, high fashion, art, advertising and numerology. And this is about a dynamic woman who is soulfully led to serve others, to extend her hand helping others reach their own life’s journey and blast them into why they are here in the first place. You don’t want to miss our guest, who is making a couple of very generous offers to our listeners, but you have to be listening to the show to be able to benefit and she will be honouring us with a song. Join us Thursday February 10 at 8 pm eastern and 5 pm Pacific here on Things Worth Considering.
February is Black History month and while it is a celebration of the history of Black people, it is a chance to look forward to a future of accomplishments and recognition of Black and BIPOC persons fully integrated into society. Tonight our returning guest, Jennifer Drummond, talks with Gord about Black History Month and how culture is such an important factor in integration. We take a look at the hopes and aspirations that this North American month-long event inspires.
This is a repeat of last week’s live show as Alexia Georgousis steps down as the co-host of Things Worth Considering. She has been with me for the last 2 years. This was our topic of conversation.Have you noticed that as situations in life become more harried, indecisive, even scary, we stop doing the good things we may have been doing for our self. We will sleep less, eat more junk food , spend less time exercising and gradually watch our mental state become less clear, if we even notice. In this episode Alexia and Gord are discussing the necessity of strengthening our Spiritual connections. What practises, while they may not be able to turn the situation around, does allow us to continue to take care of our self? Find out how they help us to respond to issues so that we may be able to move through them, without losing our connections. Listen in Thursday at 8 PM
Have you noticed that as situations in life become more harried, indecisive, even scary, we stop doing the good things we may have been doing for our self. We will sleep less, eat more junk food , spend less time exercising and gradually watch our mental state become less clear, if we even notice. In this episode Alexia and Gord are discussing the necessity of strengthening our Spiritual connections. What practises, while they may not be able to turn the situation around, does allow us to continue to take care of our self? Find out how they help us to respond to issues so that we may be able to move through them, without losing our connections. Join us Thursday at 8 PM we will be LIVE!
Maria Galle joins Gord Riddell in discussing the role of Ritual in our lives and their importance. Although we tend to think of rituals as being tied to religion that is not always the case. Religions understood the role of rituals on the human psyche and many centuries ago adapted and created them as a binding belief and behaviour amongst its adherents. Rituals in our modern life are substantially less in number than in years gone by. Weddings and funerals are the 2 most dominate ones that stand out for us all, but rituals are much more numerous in our lives than we may imagine. This episode we will discuss the power of ritual, and why ritual is important for us. Does ritual create connections both internally and externally? How to tell the difference between habitual behaviours versus rituals. What is the difference between a ceremony and a ritual? How to create personalized rituals that are significant to you. Join us Thursday at 8 PM as we discuss Ritual Connections.
Our first episode of 2022, Linda Kuschnir and Gord Riddell ask what we may have learned throughout the last two years. There has been lots of talk about fear and the dramas we have all ensued, but can we identify what we are learning, or have learned? It is said from so many places that this is a spiritual crisis that the planet entered into. Most of us have seen and heard the reactions to the changes, inconsistencies and political involvement however, if this is an intended spiritual crisis, how are we responding to the pandemic? Where are we going with what we may have learned? Some things we are considering, are, mob mentality, how fear is very divisive, how fear separates us from our intuition, our ability to listen and our ability to come from the heart. Our egos definition of our mortality and our existence. Even so far as what does it mean to be human? Ultimately, how do we reconnect to the parts of our self that still cower in fear, but we must bring back the connection we so desperately need to move forward. We are Live to air this Thursday January 6th at 8 pm. Join us for Things Worth Considering.
Modern medicine as we know it today is about 200 years old. Some medical traditions like Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine date back 3,000 and 4,000 years. Medicine and science are not stand-alone entities, as some may portray, but are intricately connected to our religions and spirituality. As modern medicine was in its fledgling years, many people are unaware that the 1800’s experienced a very active spiritual renaissance. A number of religions were founded, many of which, in today’s world are not mainstream religions, but most held strong beliefs around health, medical practices and rituals. As medicine has grown so too has the influence of religions and their conflicts beliefs and technology. The upcoming US Supreme Court challenge of the 1973 Roe vs Wade decision giving women the right to choose to have an abortion, is a perfect example of the influence of religion in medicine. While science informs and defines medical practices, it is religion which defines the practitioner as caring, serving humanity, selfless, even sacred. Bio-ethics is concerned with human life and well-being and grapples with beliefs and theories around such areas as doctor-assisted suicide and family planning, while they seek to honour the many faith traditions of the patients, the medical practitioners’ beliefs and the myriad of religions found in our cities. Join us at 8 pm for this stimulating episode of where medicine and religion intersect, and they are Things Worth Considering.
Modern medicine as we know it today is about 200 years old. Some medical traditions like Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine date back 3,000 and 4,000 years. Medicine and science are not stand-alone entities, as some may portray, but are intricately connected to our religions and spirituality. As modern medicine was in its fledgling years, many people are unaware that the 1800’s experienced a very active spiritual renaissance. A number of religions were founded, many of which, in today’s world are not mainstream religions, but most held strong beliefs around health, medical practices and rituals. As medicine has grown so too has the influence of religions and their conflicts beliefs and technology. The upcoming US Supreme Court challenge of the 1973 Roe vs Wade decision giving women the right to choose to have an abortion, is a perfect example of the influence of religion in medicine. While science informs and defines medical practices, it is religion which defines the practitioner as caring, serving humanity, selfless, even sacred. Bio-ethics is concerned with human life and well-being and grapples with beliefs and theories around such areas as doctor-assisted suicide and family planning, while they seek to honour the many faith traditions of the patients, the medical practitioners’ beliefs and the myriad of religions found in our cities. Join us at 8 pm for this stimulating episode of where medicine and religion intersect, and they are Things Worth Considering.
Mysticism holds a fascination worldwide. Every major religion has a tradition of mystical experiences and individuals who are ultimately viewed as Mystics in their own right. However the institutionalization of the great religions has controlled just how much information would flow out regarding mysticism. Christianity before 1,500 CE. , in other words before the Reformation, was an immensely powerful institution. One cannot study European history without studying the Church which is the history of Europe. Yet hidden amongst the politics and the power struggles to control is a history of mystical tradition that in many ways is secretive. Yet it can boast a long-held mystical tradition, men and women who experience deeply personal encounters with the “Living Presence” of their God. However, such experiences have not always garnered positive responses. The heavily structured and patriarchal Church holds such personal mystical encounters suspect. Still, the wisdom gained through Christian mystical experience persists as offering valuable insights for the spiritual journey. This episode will look at the Christian mystical experience and relate it to the psychological and spiritual development of everyday men and women. Does the wisdom of the Christian mystical tradition have anything to teach us about ourselves? Join us Thursday at 8 PM for insights into the mystical traditions worth considering.
Last time in Part 1 of our series on bullying we talked about childhood bullying. The four different types of bullying: emotional, physical, relational and cyberbullying. The devastating effects it can have on children from low self-esteem, not sleeping or eating, failing grades, substance abuse and even suicide. Tonight’s episode is about adult bullying. We discuss the personality types who target others but not without a group of other people surrounding them and asserting the power of the bully. Why would people allow bullying of others but what draws them into this toxic group of people? There is a fine line between bullying and abuse. Many adults who are bullied as adults were bullied as children, and often the opposite can be true that the adult bully was a childhood bully. How can they allow themselves to be bullied again? What has been discovered is the bullied person drops back into being that young child, feeling and experiencing exactly as they did when they were age 8. 10 or 12 years old and suffering through bullying. But so to does the bully regress back to when they bullied as a child with all the feelings of inadequacy, powerlessness and attempting to feel in control. Join us on Thursday December 10 at 8 pm as we discuss adults who bully.
Bullying is defined as mean, hurtful behaviour that occurs repeatedly in a relationship with a perceived imbalance of power or strength. It takes many forms — name calling, beating up, relationships, and internet. Although schools are doing more to deal with bullying, parents are still the key to empowering kids to prevent and stop it. Bullying is not just one kid to another. It can be a parent to child, or a teacher or coach. Verbal bullying, using cruel spoken words, ongoing name-calling, threatening, and making disrespectful comments about someone's attributes (appearance, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, etc.). Physical bullying includes aggressive physical intimidation, with repeated hitting, kicking, tripping, blocking, pushing, and touching in unwanted and inappropriate ways. Relational bullying, can include exclusionary tactics, by deliberately preventing someone from joining or being part of a group, whether it's at a lunch table, game, sport, or social activity. Cyberbullying, the new kid on the block, using the internet to harangue someone by spreading mean words, lies, and false rumours through e-mails, text messages, and social media posts. Sexist, racist, and homophobic messages create a hostile atmosphere, even when not directly targeting your child. All forms of bullying are destructive and hurt a child deeply. A child bullied can develop anxiety, depression, begin to do poorly at school, substance abuse and even suicide. It is something we all need to be aware of and stop.
Disagreement, tension, stress, and conflict are part of all relationships and communities. There’s no magic pill to make it go away. But, we don’t have to suffer so much. There are ways to get through disagreement, dignity intact. It’s possible to respectfully hear each other across deep divides. The people around us may have all kinds of different beliefs, ideas, and cultural practices but, as primates, we share the same underlying needs. Non-Violent Communication (NVC) is a way to bridge the gaps through assertive honesty and compassionate listening. Marshall Rosenberg, the founder of NVC, was inspired by Gandhi, influenced by Eric Fromm and worked with Carl Rogers, while developing break through communications around segregation and racism. NVC strengthens independence AND interdependence: it increases our ability to stand up for ourselves without hurting others, AND care for our interconnected world without harming ourselves.
ACT 1- Imagine going along in your life and being quite sure that all is well. You live in the belief your long-term marriage is ,well, long-term. Three talented children you adore, and a very lengthy career which encompasses the very things you love, in two of the most well-known food companies, developing delicious recipes in their test kitchens. Then it hit – the pain. Excruciating pain which was not treatable, and relief was next to nonexistent. Your world was turning upside down. Culminating in a near death/ out of body experience which sees you emerge with strong mediumship abilities, with an intuitive sense so very connected to this world and the next. ACT 2 – What do you do with all this? First, our guest worked intensively in a 5 seminar and cured herself of the disorder causing all the pain. She discovers how powerful our minds are in creating all levels of our reality. She discovered in her massive out of body experience that life goes on, it does not end at a place we on the physical earth call, death. Today she is divorced, is deeply connected to her children and grandchildren, and has moved from the Midwest to the Pacific Northwest coast surrounded by Nature. She is a singer, a composer and an exceptional medium including past-lives. Join us Thursday November 18 at 8 pm as we introduce you to an extraordinary woman and how she learned to move forward when the universe totally changed her direction.
The 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour, the Great War came to an end through the signing of the Armistice Agreement. On this day each year throughout the Commonwealth, we stop and remember those that lost their lives through the aggression of nations or power-hungry men looking to expand their country, resources and personal fortunes. In America, the same date is observed but with a different name, it is called Veterans Day. On November 8th, we commemorate our Canadian Indigenous Veterans. It is with sadness and gratitude we remember the men and women willing to fight in far off lands for the freedoms we enjoy today and will tomorrow. A great many families have been touched by the wars. Although the November 11 date was specific to World War 1, it has been expanded to included World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnamese War, Iran Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. The November 11 date is of interest as 11: 11 holds much mystical meanings. The choosing of that date and time had to have been for reasons we are not privy too, but it is doubtful that this date was used because there was an opening in someone’s calendar! The number 11 is a master number in numerology. It signifies new beginnings and new energies. It can signal angelic communications, or a spirit presence. But many see it as an indicator of an increasingly powerful ‘call to consciousness’ that is occurring all over the planet. The depth of the 11:11 connection would appear to be synchronized to our level of awareness and understanding of how fundamental the connection that exists between the physical and spiritual worlds. There are many interpretations of the 11:11 phenomenon but all agree that it is always a positive outcome whatever the interpretation.
Have you noticed when you connect with someone and things like trust kick in, you experience another part of yourself. A part that is more open, more curious, perhaps softer. When we connect with others, who we enjoy, we enter into a flow, a here and now experience. Our defences gradually lessen, there is a back and forth in our communication. Our internal editor begins to relax as we begin to show-up and be seen. Be seen for who we are, and how we experience our life as opposed to our guarded self who shows only what we want you to see and experience about our self. This flow idea scares the hell out of people and yet most of us have already had someone at some point in our lives with whom we flowed. Join us on Thursday at 8 pm for our Free Association episode and experience what the flow may be like.
October 31st – We had it cancelled last year, but this year, it leads us to ask where did this evening of Halloween begin? We must admit it is a very strange event, quite apart from anything else we see on our calendars of holidays and celebrations. From a celebration of Celtic lore that celebrated the harvest until the Catholic Church got involved, with at least two Popes adding new dimensions to the evening and the days that followed. The inclusion of the saints and those that had passed on heightened the supernatural element. From Mexico’s Day of the Dead to Canada’s and America’s Halloween, although influenced by the Church, it remains a very secular celebration of spirits, ghosts and goblins, oh and Candy! The Celts calendar was divided into 2 seasons, the light season and the dark season and this is the start of the dark season. It is also the time that they say the veil between the living world and the next world is at its thinnest. Communication between the 2 worlds is strongest at this time of the year. That notion and the human’s love of being frightened blends nicely to create today’s scenario of the darkness, with the unseen world pushing up to a thin veil and with scared humans dressed up in all sorts of imaginative disguises to fool the spirits, you have the makings of a magically terrifying evening called Halloween. You have to love us humans, imaginations vaster than the sky above. Join us on Thursday at 8 PM as we have fun with the many facets of the up coming evening.
Have you ever spent time reflecting on how you got to where you are today? What longing, yearning desire, probably unnamed, has been driving you forward? The connections along the way, the detours and dead-end streets, yet here you are, ready and waiting to blast into life. This is an interview with a remarkable woman, who has done the reflecting and connecting the dots and has blasted into her Life doing exactly what she wants and the empowerment she experiences. Her connection to her own soul, uncovered step-by-step, connects us to her authentic self. This is about a creative journey of singing, musicals, high fashion, art, advertising and numerology. And this is about a dynamic woman who is soulfully led to serve others, to extend her hand helping others reach their own life’s journey and blast them into why they are here in the first place. You don’t want to miss our guest, who is making a couple of very generous offers to our listeners, but you have to be listening to the show to be able to benefit and she will be honouring us with a song. Join us Thursday October 21 at 8 pm eastern and 5 pm Pacific here on Things Worth Considering Live on Voice America.
Have you ever spent time reflecting on how you got to where you are today? What longing, yearning desire, probably unnamed, has been driving you forward? The connections along the way, the detours and dead-end streets, yet here you are, ready and waiting to blast into life. This is an interview with a remarkable woman, who has done the reflecting and connecting the dots and has blasted into her Life doing exactly what she wants and the empowerment she experiences. Her connection to her own soul, uncovered step-by-step, connects us to her authentic self. This is about a creative journey of singing, musicals, high fashion, art, advertising and numerology. And this is about a dynamic woman who is soulfully led to serve others, to extend her hand helping others reach their own life’s journey and blast them into why they are here in the first place. You don’t want to miss our guest, who is making a couple of very generous offers to our listeners, but you have to be listening to the show to be able to benefit and she will be honouring us with a song. Join us Thursday October 21 at 8 pm eastern and 5 pm Pacific here on Things Worth Considering Live on Voice America.
“This individual, this someone called Nanabush was the one that named the things as he travelled. There are many legends talking about the trees and shrubs and the places where these things would grow. The creator was the provider for everything that was growing on the land………. This legend does not end, only the people will forget what the legend is.” From interview with elder Abogooshish and elder translators of the Algonquins of Barriere Lake done in 2018 In the 17th century, European explorers and traders discovered Algonquins as a well-established society that controlled the Ottawa River. In fact, “If other people wanted to use the river, we have historical reports where Algonquin people used to charge a toll at Morrison Island for other people to use our territory. There was a vast trade network in this area for many thousands of years, a trade network between our nations. We had an economy long before the arrival of the Europeans. Algonquin Anishinaabe emerge from a rich historical legacy deep within the Ottawa River water-shed. A job mapping early canoe routes lead to an offer to come work with the Algonquins. Thus began a journey bringing together, through research, the legends and legacies of the Algonquin people. Living on a 425-acre wilderness property, a researcher of wolves and a passion for 22 huskies and a dog-sledding business, the legend continues. Join us Thursday October 14 Live at 8 PM, as we explore a fascinating life of wolves, dog-sledding and legends of the Algonquin Indigenous Peoples.
As Canada prepares for another Thanksgiving Day celebration, and good old Covid-19 continues to wreak havoc world-wide, again Public Health is telling us it is best to curtail large family gatherings in our homes, for the second year in a row. Unless we live together in the same residence, of course. While Thanksgiving has always been one of the must attend annual family gatherings, the pandemic has given some people reprieve from the must attend annual dinner and weekend and are discovering alternate ways to observe Thanksgiving. Since it was a must attend for most families, whether we wanted to or not, we showed up and watched ourselves regress into the same family dynamics we were ensconced in at age 15. This episode looks at ways to shift the dramas played out in families at holiday time. We will also, finally shed some light on the age old question, why is Canadian Thanksgiving almost 7 weeks ahead of American Thanksgiving? Tying into Thanksgiving, what does it mean to be grateful. The research tells us that discovering gratitude may just be the biggest mental health gift we can receive. Join us Thursday October 7 at 8 PM Eastern/5 PM Pacific and prepare yourself for Thanksgiving.
Rhythm. That singular word says so much and has so many meanings. The rhythm of Life, of the beating Heart, the rhythm of Nature and of the Cosmos. The rhythm in musical compositions, the songs we all know. The one that gets the feet to tap and the hands to clap. We all have our own rhythm and when we lose that rhythm, we lose our connection to our self and then to others. Drumming is an almost magical way to bring ourselves back to re-establishing our rhythm. A group in a drumming circle captures the participants and the onlookers as the improvisational rhythm builds in the circle, each drummer contributing to their own rhythm and then something magical happens, this improvisational group, each drumming away, fall into a synchronized rhythm. The entire group of drummers are all match up into a group rhythm that is mesmerizing to observe and even more profound for the drummers. Drumming is used as a casual improvisational get together, through into therapeutic sessions and in corporate coaching and team building. Our soul has a rhythm and much of our dis-ease occurs when the soul’s rhythm is overpowered by our mind’s driving force, and we lose the synchronistic movement that the group of drummers achieve when they immerse themselves in the rhythm they develop. Connecting to ourselves is finding and connecting to our own rhythm, the rhythm of our soul and drumming is one sure way to get us back on track and the exuberance and joy that comes from being the rhythm.
At no time in the history of Humanity have we been more connected. Just over a hundred years ago, the telephone was invented. It was in 1927, the first transatlantic overseas call was made. Now, we can call anywhere in world but that’s old technology. Today we can call, text, video call, zoom conference with multiple people (as in hundreds) all at the same time. The click of a button and we are talking and seeing anyone from anywhere on our planet. In spite of these technological achievements, loneliness has reached epic proportions worldwide. Alone and lonely are very different things, one, alone, is a choice and can be glorious. Loneliness, however, is a perceptual feeling that experiences a lack of connections, or more specifically, quality relationships. The rise of loneliness was well researched long before Covid-19 debuted, which has only exacerbated our loneliness through isolation and physical distance. It has reached such levels that the UK. in 2017, appointed an elected member of parliament to be the Minister of Loneliness, sounds very Orwellian but it is just that dangerous. Loneliness can cause high blood pressure, cardiac disorders, hormonal imbalances as the stress hormone, cortisol, continually floods the body. Depression and anxiety, both result from and contribute to, loneliness. It is complex. Our behaviours to deal with loneliness include overeating, increased alcohol and substance use, sleep disorders, all of which leads to early death from a number of causes including suicide. Loneliness is as dangerous to our health as obesity or smoking a pack of cigarettes a day! Surprisingly the most affected group by age is not the elderly, it is the millennial and Z-generation groups and then we go to the elderly as the next largest group. The worst element to loneliness and trying to get people to reach out is the stigma it carries. There is an enormous amount of shame in admitting that we are lonely. Join us as we discuss the complex experience of loneliness and also ways we can deal with it.
Every human has a story, we also all have a narrative we tell ourselves and others. Few people take a hard look at that narrative, fewer yet, look at the meanings of those events that occur across our lifespan. Tonight's episode questions what outcomes we can expect to have if we take the time to go through with this kind of examination or are we constantly keeping our self in pain by always looking back and examining what has happened. Imagine a young girl diagnosed with epilepsy, eventually taking the maximum number of drugs to control her seizures Then, as a teenager diving into a shallow quarry and literally hitting rock bottom. In that moment of impact, her spirit leaves her body and she finds herself in front of spiritual judges asking if she was ready to stay in the non-physical or is there something that draws her to return to a broken body. She said, ‘No, I want to go back’. When she returns to her body, she discovers she is a quadriplegic. Thus, the journey begins with surgeries, a Halo brace and neurosurgery for epilepsy. Today she is no longer a quadriplegic nor prone to seizures. Remarkably this story only begins when our guest walks out the door. The questioning and reflection bring remarkable insights which today she shares in her soon to be released book. Join us as we journey with our guest through a journey of hope, healing and the establishment of a career encouraging others to face their own narratives.
Are we in a catch-22 with mental health and spiritual awakening? On the one hand we are finally seeing mental health moved out of the darkness and being recognized for its crucial role in our overall wellness but on the other hand, people talk of the Covid-19 pandemic as being a global spiritual awakening. Why is it a catch-22? Both mental disorders and spiritual awakening can share similar symptoms and experiences but if treated the wrong way can alter the outcome. A Spiritual Emergency and the Dark Night of the Soul may not always be part of spiritual awakening. Both however can include depression, dissociative experiences, feeling disconnected and psychosis. Experiences that many people may wish to go to a therapist for or it may be suggested that they go to their health care provider. If the health care provider prescribes medication, which given the conditions above would seem like a good choice, the spiritual emergency has now been moved to a psychiatric emergency. The medication will help alleviate the symptoms and the person may start to feel more ‘normal’. However, In a spiritual emergency the awakening process has been halted, at least temporarily. We have seen a tragic increase in opioid related deaths recently. Untreated spiritual emergencies can lead to substance abuse and suicidality. Today’s practitioners must become familiar with not just mental illnesses and disorders but also spiritual disorders. If we are bringing mental illness out of the darkness and include with the body, then the spirit must also be moved from the back of the line to be integrated with mind, body and spirit. The spirit requires us to act as a midwife or a psychopomp, allowing it to successfully transition through its journey of awakening. Wednesday September 1st at 7 pm at 3300 Yonge St Suite 302 Gord will be presenting a 3-hour mini-workshop on Spiritual Awakening. Covering Dark Night of the Soul, Spiritual Emergencies, Awakening and Spiritual Bypass. Discover the signs and symptoms of each and differentiate mental disorders from spiritual disorders. How can we best assist in guiding others and ourselves through a Spiritual Awakening when the road is not clear and ofttimes bumpy. This workshop is for anyone wanting to understand their own journey and for practitioners to understand the role they can play guiding clients through their spiritual journey. Masks are Mandatory. Pre-Registration required. https://www.transformationalarts.ca/product/11-spiritual-awakening-the-myths-and-the-realities/
This story starts on the Madawaska River, this river, as with many, flows out of Algonquin Park, wild in its natural state and after 240 km it joins the Ottawa River. Algonquin Park is the headwaters to many rivers as it is the highest point of land in Ontario. For 50 years now, this river and this forest have been our guest's home . The Algonquin and Anishinabek people have lived here for millennia. They now hold the responsibility to ensure it will continue to thrive for future generations. This watershed is their home, their work, their community and their playground. They teach how to work with the river, you cannot fight the currents, you need to work with it, learn how to place your boat to harness the energy for the water to do the work for you – it’s a gravity sport; thus equal for men & women, using the water - being one with the RIVER. The river is such a metaphor for life, we can learn to enter into the rapids and let the rapids and gravity move us along doing the work, or we just jump in and start paddling without regard for the flow of the current or the rapid’s force until slowly the energy we are expending exhausts us. It’s about letting the flow move you along. This is your ZEN or HAPPY moment. You find your zone, when paddling a river as there’s no space for other thoughts to enter your mind. The river is exhilarating, revitalizing and can provide a healthy distraction from our busy lives. Bringing more people into the RIVER World, our guest hopes to inspire, deepen and build people’s care and love for our environment. Let’s delve into it live, Thursday September 2nd at 8 PM ET/ 5 PM PT.
Are we in a catch-22 with mental health and spiritual awakening? On the one hand we are finally seeing mental health moved out of the darkness and being recognized for its crucial role in our overall wellness but on the other hand, people talk of the Covid-19 pandemic as being a global spiritual awakening. Why is it a catch-22? Both mental disorders and spiritual awakening can share similar symptoms and experiences but if treated the wrong way can alter the outcome. A Spiritual Emergency and the Dark Night of the Soul may not always be part of spiritual awakening. Both however can include depression, dissociative experiences, feeling disconnected and psychosis. Experiences that many people may wish to go to a therapist for or it may be suggested that they go to their health care provider. If the health care provider prescribes medication, which given the conditions above would seem like a good choice, the spiritual emergency has now been moved to a psychiatric emergency. The medication will help alleviate the symptoms and the person may start to feel more ‘normal’. However, In a spiritual emergency the awakening process has been halted, at least temporarily. We have seen a tragic increase in opioid related deaths recently. Untreated spiritual emergencies can lead to substance abuse and suicidality. Today’s practitioners must become familiar with not just mental illnesses and disorders but also spiritual disorders. If we are bringing mental illness out of the darkness and include with the body, then the spirit must also be moved from the back of the line to be integrated with mind, body and spirit. The spirit requires us to act as a midwife or a psychopomp, allowing it to successfully transition through its journey of awakening. Wednesday September 1st at 7 pm at 3300 Yonge St Suite 302 Gord will be presenting a 3-hour mini-workshop on Spiritual Awakening. Covering Dark Night of the Soul, Spiritual Emergencies, Awakening and Spiritual Bypass. Discover the signs and symptoms of each and differentiate mental disorders from spiritual disorders. How can we best assist in guiding others and ourselves through a Spiritual Awakening when the road is not clear and ofttimes bumpy. This workshop is for anyone wanting to understand their own journey and for practitioners to understand the role they can play guiding clients through their spiritual journey. Masks are Mandatory. Pre-Registration required. https://www.transformationalarts.ca/product/11-spiritual-awakening-the-myths-and-the-realities/
From ancient times to the present, mystics, scholars and authors have been pondering and writing about how we co-create our reality with the Universe. This episode explores the ins and outs of moving our self to reach our highest potential. In general, the closer you are to who you really are, your TRUE SELF, the better you feel. At the top of the spectrum you feel happiness, freedom, joy etc. At the other end you feel completely powerless depressed, unworthy, and afraid. Our beliefs, our emotions and our habits all work together to form our perception of the world. Neuroscience has taught us that there are so many possibilities to perceive differently from everyone around us. Those differences in perception are what allow us to think, and act from our own unique experience and it is the uniqueness of those possibilities that open the door for each person to bring to life their own creation from their own perception. This is the point of Magic! Join Pauline, Gord and Alexia on Things Worth Considering. Pauline will be presenting a workshop LIVE in person at Transformational Arts College at 3300 Yonge Street Toronto. Wednesday August 25 at 7 PM Pre-registration is necessary . copy and paste link: https://www.transformationalarts.ca/product/10-manifesting-magic/
It is powerful enough to move the world’s oceans, creating waves not just by a few inches but by many feet. As humans are approximately 70 % water, how can we not be affected it by its phases? We are of course talking about the moon, La Bella Luna. Mythical, mystical, and majestic! Our guest will take us on a journey of discovery as we explore the power, the myths and the magic of the moon. Can working in tune with the moon change your life for the better? Can using lunar cycles be a tool as your “cosmic planner”? Are certain times or phases better to get the best results like when setting your intentions, or when to forgive and release. Join with our guest in this episode which is dedicated to La Bella Luna and see what’s possible for you in 2021!
Defined in ancient Greek as the “guides of souls”, psychopomps have traditionally bridged the physical and non-physical worlds. Stemming from a similar root, psychology can be defined as the “study of the soul”, serving to bridge conscious and unconscious awareness. In an age marked by increased anxiety, depression, addiction, mental illness, and suicide, there is no doubt we need a little help moving through these important moments of great transition. Throughout much of history, such escorts have been of great comfort to the dying and to the retrieval of lost souls. Today’s pressures have contributed to many people losing their way along their path. The Psychopomps today may not be just spiritual and archetypal entities but are our Psychotherapists, Spiritual counsellors, hospice workers, death doulas and shamans. Psychopomps are generally: adept at guiding others through transformative experiences including death. They are compassionate, nonjudgmental, and friendly and are arbiters of change for individuals and our cultures. Join us as we learn more about the mystical yet practical world of psychopomps this Thursday at 8 pm. Tiffany will be offering a 3 hour workshop on Wednesday August 11 at 7 PM LIVE IN-PERSON at Transformational Arts College. Pre-registration is required and can be done on-line: https://www.transformationalarts.ca/summer-series-2021/ Covid-19 restrictions mandatory with masks and physical distancing.
Racism, spirituality and the chakras; three things that you don't see together very often. Surprisingly, they can actually work together very well. Tonight, we will talk about the structures, language and phrases used to describe racism and how they tend to confuse, scare and sometimes create denial of racism. We will be talking about how racism actually affects everyone's chakra system and how spirituality can help us to become a conscious anti-racist. By understanding how spiritually, racism affects us all, not just BIPOC individuals, perhaps we too will be motivated to combat systemic racism. Our guest is well known for creating safe, non-judgmental spaces to allow for such discussions to happen while embracing openness and humour. Jennifer will be facilitating a workshop on Wednesday August 4, 2021, at 7 PM. An interactive session where you will have the opportunity to work in depth with the structures, language and phrases used in racism, working with the Chakras and our spirituality. Join us for Jennifer's radio interview July 29 and her workshop August 4th. Register for workshop: https://www.transformationalarts.ca/summer-series-2021/
In our everyday life , we are constantly dealing with relationships. They can be romantic, with co-workers, family, friends, the cashier at the grocery store and most importantly the relationship that we have with our self. In most cases we allow old patterns, mainly unconscious ones, to dictate how we show up in these relationships. We will explore these patterns and what role we play in attracting the same type of people. We will look at the role that trust plays in our relationships. We will examine the different stages of relationships and will discover how we can make any and all relationships more conscious and soulful,
Maria will be facilitating a workshop on Wednesday July 28, 2021, at 7 PM for an interactive session where you will learn and practice skills that will enhance your relationships. Register on-line Register for workshop: https://www.transformationalarts.ca/summer-series-2021/
How Intuitive do you consider yourself? Do you wonder sometimes why the phone rings and it’s a friend who you were just thinking about? Do you realize that sometimes when you think of an idea, and act on it, your world improves tremendously! Do you think it is fate or could it be that we are getting help from loved ones who have passed on, guardian angels, and other Angelic messengers and spirits? How do we trust the information we may be receiving? Am I actually receiving information or is it my own thoughts – learning to discern the source of messages received. Open your self to live a richer and fuller life by exploring new possibilities . Find out what is your soul's purpose in life! We are all intuitive. Maybe all we have to do is train ourselves to listen and pay attention! We can all communicate with Spirit if we learn to listen. Karen and Dianne will be facilitating a workshop on Wednesday July 21, 2021, at 7 PM for an interactive session where you will learn and practice skills that will enhance your intuition and connection to your own abilities. Demonstration of messages from spirit will be given at the end of the session. We welcome you to join us for their radio interview July 15 and their workshop July 21. Register for workshop: https://www.transformationalarts.ca/summer-series-2021/
Its casual name is ‘Tapping’ and its formal name is Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). In short, by Tapping on specific acupressure points a profoundly relaxing effect is produced and when you pair this with focusing your attention and exploring thoughts and beliefs, it can help shift anxiety, stress, fear, depression and limiting thought patterns. EFT is an evidence-based modality and is recognized by the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario as such. Extensive research into EFT is proving it to be an important resource for shifting the psychological and physiological indicators of common mental health issues. As studies reported, anxiety levels decreased, so too did the levels of cortisol, a measurable stress hormone, in the participants. Blood Pressure, respiratory rates, heart rhythms and pulse all showed marked improvements. Of further interest, a definitive diagnosis of a pathology is not necessary in order for the benefits of EFT to become measurable and the perceived relief by the participants noted. Listen in as we are taken into the core methods of Tapping. Our guest will be doing a small exercise with us so that we can have an experience of tapping into the thoughts and feelings that are beneath a physical or emotional discomfort and be able to feel some shift towards freedom. EFT is exciting because of the recognition of the interdependence of our body and our mind. Such as TRE last week, these modalities are very holistic and perhaps point us toward a future that all aspects of our self must be worked on together in order to achieve optimal health.
Have you ever wondered why people shake or develop tremors after a traumatic event? Whether we are involved in say, an accident or we observe a bad accident we will possibly develop the shakes. Even receiving bad news over the phone or in an email can have the same effect. In other words we don’t have to see it, or physically experience it because even hearing traumatic news can activate this mechanism. Trauma researchers have identified that shaking is our bodies natural way of assisting us to get through the trauma by calming and quieting our nervous system and our brain. By keeping everything moving in such a way that we can get back to what our baseline or our normal is. However the benefit of shaking is often interrupted or cutoff from finishing its task. The trauma then becomes stored in our bodies and can cause problems later on. Dr. David Berceli, developed techniques to work with our natural vibrations, it is called TRE®. It can release emotions ranging from mild upset to severe anxiety whether caused by work stress, excessive worry, conflict in relationships, physical stresses or traumas from accidents. Typically, it does not require “revisiting the story”. (i.e.: talking about the trauma) TRE® is a great self-regulation tool. In tension and trauma old parts of the brain get stuck in defence strategies of 'fight-or-flight' or 'freeze'. TRE® is a safe and easy way of releasing tension. Join us in our discussion with our guest and discover a very useful technique to help quell some of the stress we are all experiencing.
This weekend brings to a close Pride Week in the major North American cities. It is both a celebration of rights attained, and a political event of rights denied for the 2SLGBTQI+ communities. Regardless of how you may personally identify for both gender and orientation, Pride can serve to help us take a look at the repression of sexuality and gender expression by our societies. The male and female stereotypes with their associated character traits become moulds which people try to fit themselves into, even when they just don’t fit. The repression of such basic human elements as gender identification and who we are allowed to love leads to untold suffering, mental anguish and can lead to mental disorders. Whether you are hetero-normative, gay, cis-binary, non-binary or just confused, we want to encourage everyone to follow their own heart in a healthy and self-affirming way. We want Pride to remind everyone that who we are at our most fundamental core, deserves to be expressed and celebrated and those who would even consider taking those rights away from anyone or forcing people into repression should be charged with crimes against humanity. Humanity is social, seeks to connect with others and themselves, and sexual expression is a profound way humans achieve such connections, consensually. Join Gord and Alexia Live on Thursday at 8 pm ET in a celebratory and possibly political discussion on why Pride is still important and very relevant.
Are you aware that some of the world’s oldest religions, from Hinduism and Buddhism to the esoteric Mystery schools, inform much of what we can call 21st century Spirituality? Brought to awareness originally by Madame Blavatsky, the founder of Theosophy and later by the extensive writings of Alice A. Bailey, the Seven Rays are the fundamental energies that organize and maintain all that exists on the planet. Given this concept, all things are comprised of the Seven Rays, which give way to sub-rays, since each ray is also comprised of the full 7 Rays. We see that magical 7 manifested in many ways, 7 musical notes in a scale, 7 days of the week, 7 colours in the visible spectrum (including the rainbow), and the seven major chakras. Theses energies can be seen as stemming from Universal White Light and represent different characteristics and qualities of the Divine or Source. As universal energies, the Rays, are available to us all and by understanding them can help us understand ourselves and the world as a whole. Similar to how having knowledge about astrology, archetypes and chakras can help us on our human journey. Exploring each of the Seven Rays and their influences, we can gain insight into our unique strengths and limitations and become more empowered as we evolve our consciousness. Join us for a fascinating episode about the 7 Rays of Power.
Have you experienced what is sometimes called, a spiritual visitation - the perception that something or someone is attempting to communicate with you from beyond the normal physical world? There are those who claim to have seen apparitions of an otherworldly nature, while others have perceived clear and distinct voices that seem to come from nowhere in particular. While such encounters in waking life can be perplexing enough, these can also powerfully arise within dream states, particularly among those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. How do we make sense of such experiences? Might a spiritual visitation have truly occurred? And how do our beliefs about such things colour our interpretation of the event? On this Episode, we will look at the more common experiences qualified as spiritual visitations”-from the visible apparition to those who hear voices; from dreams playing host to visitors from beyond the grave to deathbed encounters with otherworldly beings. While meandering through the mysterious world of spiritual visitations, our guest will offer strategies that will allow us to better discern the nature of what has occurred. He will present ideas for anyone who believe they have experienced a spiritual visitation in order to better appreciate the significance of the event. We are encouraged to challenge our beliefs that inhibit our ability to accept our experience and to access the deeper wisdom of the spiritual visitation.
Have you ever found yourself getting close to a goal, they called you in for the interview and with anticipation increasing, you realize you forget to submit a required document? The job went to someone else. Or you are out on a date, it has been a while and you gradually have steered the conversation to your talking most of the evening about your ex-partner and your break-up. You wanted to explain your side of the story and that you are a good guy. Your date very politely at the end of the date asks that you not contact them anymore. You knew as your story was tripping out of your mouth that this is not something to do on a first date or any date actually. Both of these examples show someone self-sabotaging. What they want for the future is hijacked by behaviours that obstruct their movement towards their goals. Many times it is subconscious. Every time something good is taking off for you or you are about to finalize a project, you blow it up. Why do we do this? Not just once but consistently. Join us as we explore a common and very self-defeating behaviour of self-sabotage. How we can become aware of our beliefs around deserving and how we can stop the behaviours of self-sabotage.
We have been talking about the changes people have made while in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Changing jobs, leaving the city and moving to the small towns and rural areas. Work from home has opened up a lot of eyes to the possibilities of life changes that may be possible. This episode we are talking to someone who decided to use the lock down time and pursue a passion of hers and move towards turning her studies into a career. The time gave her the freedom to study via workshops, a well known practitioner and the very circumstances we are all living through provided the lived experience of feeling and seeing what the planets are showing us we are experiencing. Learning to read the energy that is shown in astrological charts can teach us where we have been, where we are and where we are going to. We look forward to perhaps being given some insight as to where are we going from here?
As we approach the eventual stabilization of the Covid-19 Pandemic, we dare not say the end, we all are being presented with possibilities that many, if not most people, may not be considering. For the majority, we have, perhaps this only one-time in our lifetime opportunity to completely change our life. For many, if they had a job or were able to stay employed during the pandemic, off-site at home office became the norm. Is this your new normal? Experts are predicting that when the restrictions to movement and being indoors ends, there will be a large number of resignations, especially those who don’t want to return to an in-office situation. Or those who have come to realize they really don’t like their jobs or chosen professions. We wonder if we had done a survey prior to the pandemic, and this survey listed all the things that were constants in your life and all the things you say you miss in your life while under these stay-at-home orders, how many of the items on your list do you even like? In our rush to return to the way things were, what are we rushing back to? Could it be people, places and things we don’t even like? Familiarity is a very powerful incentive to stick to what we know. We know how to do the familiar, and without the awkwardness or discomfort caused by being outside our comfort zone. Trying to discover our new normal is not about returning to pre-pandemic times. There is an incredible once in a lifetime opportunity coming our way, what are you going to do? Join us as we look in a forward direction, navigating towards a new normal. Thursday at 8 pm EST/ 5 PM Pacific . Live!
What is a new normal? What will it look like? Is our imposed lock down a new normal? It may be new but not normal. Plodding along we appear to be inching our way to the downward slope of the Covid-19 pandemic. Many are still in some sort of lock down and we are all in anticipation, that just maybe we will be able to burst out of our imposed isolation and live life differently than the last year and a half. The reference to a new normal has crept into our language but what is a this new normal that threatens to emerge. After the pandemic, what will be our new normal. We might want to consider some possibilities as the time may be approaching to put the new plans into effect. Many are waiting to get back to the way things were, do the things they did pre-pandemic. Even things they didn’t like, they want to get back to. People are craving familiarity. People want to connect/need to connect. The isolation, the no touching and staying 6 feet apart while wearing a mask, are the absolute antithesis of every humans’ needs. They have contributed to mental health problems. People with social anxiety pre-pandemic, have been comfortable in their isolation but the anxiety has actually gotten worse. When the time comes and the doors open, many will feel very socially awkward, going to work, to social events will feel crippling. Then there is our new fear of others, will they infect us, can I still be infected? The distrust that has been fed by fear of infection and our mask wearing will make socializing something to avoid. Join us Thursday at 8 pm for Part 1 for finding a new normal!
We all know that shopping for food, especially fresh produce, at our local supermarkets does not yield us with the highest quality edibles. In most instances the food has been shipped to us from the far corners of the planet but from the moment they were picked their nutritional value begins to decline. Now imagine that our planetary food supply was to somehow be jeopardized, and the things we normally buy become scarcer. How could that happen? There are many reasons like politics, economics, plant infestations, public health decrees due to threats to our own plants. It is not an out of this world sci-fi horror story. Food and drug shortages are very real and infinitely possible. Now look out at the field across the street or over a couple of blocks, imagine if we were educated enough to realize that much of what is growing underfoot may actually be edible. Not only are these plants edible but they are the basis for important healing medicines and remedies. Wild edibles are very nutrient rich, more so than the local grocer. Our guest for this episode is a specialist in wild edibles. Tune in and discover what you thought were useless weeds are in fact rich plant life that could feed us in an emergency.
Two weeks ago, Jennifer Drummond was on the show and after one session of Racial Therapy, we asked her if we could go on to session #2 of therapy. More than happy to help us keep this very important subject out there and being discussed. We all like to believe we are not racist, but it is so very difficult to escape what we heard and saw while growing up. Our language, our humour, our unconscious sense of privilege are all markers of how racism surfaces without awareness. This edition goes a step beyond having someone teach how our racism is there and we need to do something about it. We are looking at how racism cuts off our connections to others personally and in our communities. On top of connecting to others, how racism impacts our spiritual life. What our guest invites us to do is move above racism awareness and become anti-racist advocates. Prepared to stand up for all people when others tell inappropriate jokes or may use language that points at racial groups, members of the LGBTQ+ community and women. Are you ready to join us for a second session of some racial therapy?
Imagine discovering a significant but previously unknown connection between geometry and harmonics. Where geometric shapes and forms provide the information needed to build numerically perfect major chords, the most melodic form of music. By extrapolation, this groundbreaking research offers a certain type of proof that our geometric universe is a symphonic system functioning in literal harmony with itself. It also takes us back to a moment in time when an elegant “Base-60” math system (which we still use today to measure time and space) and the world’s first written language were born. We are introduced to a monumental moment in human history—one that, though it challenges logic, also happens to involve a helping nudge from extraterrestrial visitors. This research has been called the closest thing yet to smoking-gun proof that humanity has indeed been contacted by extraterrestrials in the past. Many researchers have touched on certain individual aspects of this, but so far no one has put more clues together to support this “Alien-Assistance” theory. Is this information new? No it is not. It has been laying dormant in our geometry, in our system of keeping time, in the way we measure our world, and in certain symbols we find all around us but have lost the connection to their true meaning.
As much as most of us are so over it, the Covid-19 Pandemic has been instrumental in bringing to the surface issues in our world that would best have been dealt with a couple hundred years ago. The treatment of the senior most members of our society living in long term care facilities, make up almost two-thirds of the deaths in Canada. Arising with our treatment of the aged, is a mounting awareness of systemic racism throughout all levels of government, corporations, housing and education. Black Lives Matter rose to prominence during the pandemic but were making inroads a couple of years before. BIPOC individuals are statistically at a higher risk of becoming sicker and dying from the Covid-19 Virus, yet one year after the pandemic was declared the government has finally decided to mount vaccination campaigns in neighbourhoods where higher at-risk people live. We all like to believe we are not racist, but it is so very difficult to escape what we heard and saw while growing up. Our language, our humour, our unconscious sense of privilege are all markers of how racism surfaces without awareness. This edition goes a step beyond having someone teach how our racism is there and we need to do something about it. What our guest invites us to do is move above racism awareness and become anti-racist. Prepared to stand up for all people when others tell inappropriate jokes or may use language that points at racial groups, members of the LGBTQ+ community and women. Are you ready to join us for some racial therapy?
Eating well and eating properly can be an exercise in futility at times. We have all read the articles, maybe taken a course or two and learned what is good for us, and what foods to eat to get the good stuff. Problem: Lots of the foods suggested by the experts, in order for us to be at optimal physical health, we may not like. Not all people like the same foods and definitely not all food suggested by nutritionists is likeable. Many dietitians and nutritionists are very knowledgeable but often will give each client almost the same diets and food suggestions. However food plays more of a role than just being our fuel supply to keep going. Fortunately among those who are generalists are the Holistic Nutritionists . Holistic Nutrition looks at the whole person, body, mind, emotions and spirit. It sees each person as a unique individual with different wants, needs, desires and goals. We are all individuals and any care given should be as unique as we are. What if everyone didn’t take nutrition so seriously. Healthy food, healthy living does not have to be daunting and overwhelming, it does not have to be expensive and unattainable. Much of what we can do to create healthy habits is within ourselves. Small steps. Empowered steps bring us to our happiest and healthiest selves. Let go! Have fun! Be curious! As adults we forget to laugh, explore and enjoy. It is time to take nutrition outside the box. Food feeds us true, but our soul nourishes us.
No one has ever disagreed, there are no studies that contradict the fact that humans are hard wired to connect. Hard wired to connect to each other, but also our pets, like cats and dogs and horses. A child begins to cry when the mother leaves the room and stops upon her return. If we are Hard Wired to connect then why do so many people have such difficulties in forming and maintaining satisfying relationships. Not just marriage but even friendships and with co-workers. Growing up we may have been part of a family that taught us our job was to take care of the rest of the family, or maybe feelings were not allowed, or only certain ones were allowed. We learned that what we needed or wanted, held no value to the family and we suppressed those things. Being good often meant doing something for someone else and then the praise flowed easily. Most painful of all, a parent who left us through divorce or death and the hole it left in us is not fill-able by anyone because we can’t trust that they will not leave us also. Attachment styles can help us to see how and why we connect to others and why the connections we make may be faulty. Our attractions often bring to us the very people that re-enforce the attachment style we would best be working on healing. Insecure, avoidant, dependent are a few of the words that describe a frustrating but changeable style of entering and exiting relationships. Join us for this episode and discover that there are possibilities to connect in more satisfying and less scary ways.
Throughout our journey, our minds have been instilled with ideas of finding the right teacher, guru, rabbi or priest who knew the answers to all of our questions. As we gained knowledge, perhaps we became such a teacher. An endless cycling of archetypal learning, looking outward toward the horizon for an answer to a yet unspoken question. Can we risk stopping that outward gaze? Will we put the same trust invested in others as our guides into something other than another human? Could we put such pressure on our self to journey inwards, prepared to listen and be with the rhythms arising from within. Stepping past our own human ego to wander into a forest, surrendering to the message the trees and plants emit, allowing the natural world to guide us to know who we are. At the centre, our beating heart transmits the evolving wisdom to all, including our self, leading us deeper and deeper into the forest of learning. As you move through the sounds and silence of such ancient teachers, the small flowers along the path seem to bow as you pass by, as if in acknowledgement of your own divinity. Allowing our heart to lead us into the flow of life gives us the gift of simple experience, the embodiment of our learning and the opening of passages towards transformation.
We all ponder, some even struggle, for just an inkling, of what could possibly be our purpose? What if it isn’t a straight line to such awareness? Sometimes we travel along only to find a detour that takes us to one place and circles us back around to rejoin from our point of detour. Sounds confusing? Possibly, but who said it would be a straight-line? Meet Maylynn Quan, born in Trinidad and Tobago, and now Canadian-based, as she zigzags her way, throughout Europe and north Africa, to a photography workshop, sponsored by the OCAD University, being held in San Miguel De Allende, Mexico. Today with her camera as her tool, she has discovered how to empower individuals because beauty and strength truly emanates from within. “I learned that we all have a purpose in life and that once we discover that purpose – we must drive it with our passion.” Her zigzag brings her back to her purpose as she uses her camera to connect people. Connecting people is just one of her passions and it took her on a journey to where she is now. Maylynn is the founder and director of an organization called Kids Canada; kids helping kids. They focus on breaking down negative stereotypes of poverty and entitlement and empower kids through cultural exchanges of music, art and technology. Working closely with her own two children and with children and youth from both Canada and Uganda, at the moment, she definitely blurs the lines between the worlds of work and play, passion and purpose.
ENCORE - If you have had the honour of being a visitor to Hawaii, you will know the word Aloha as a simple greeting on the Islands. But Aloha is much, much more than a greeting. It is a spiritual force of love that is the essence of our connection , that honours each other and the earth. Lei'ohu Ryder and her partner Maydeen ‘lao live by the Aloha Spirit , travelling throughout the world, reaching out to be of service to others. Their non-profit – Aloha in Action. centred on the island of Maui. has built schools in Kenya, provided scholarships in India and provide education funds in their home of Hawaii. As singer/songwriters they use music, dance, and ritual to reach out celebrating marriages, funeral ceremonies, and creating group healing events. As wisdom-keepers of the ancients they celebrate the indigenous soul of every person of every culture. Having just released their album ‘The Sacredness of all’ they will be singing for us this evening sharing the spirit of Aloha.
Do you become irate when people treat you badly, or they show you little respect? Furious when someone says they will do something for you and then never a word is said about it or they disappear. They’ll meet you at a certain time and place, and then you are left standing, pacing, waiting for them to show up? Surely the paradox is not lost, if people treated us this way, we would banish most to another planet, but this is how we actually treat our self and then some. The hardest thing we can learn is to treat our self the way we expect others to treat us. Self-care is confusing, the more stressed people become the more self-destructive their behaviour. It doesn’t matter how much we may have studied all there is about stress and self-care, our first reaction is toward self-harming behaviour. There is a saying about living in a body trying to survive and the mind wanting to die. Join us for a discussion about self-care because we deserve better than what we are doing.
How do we create connections with people? The Covid – 19 pandemic is the antithesis of connections. Social isolation and distancing has turned friendships, even those close by, into long distance relationships. Maybe more specifically we have become the ‘Zoom’ people. From Boomers to Zoomers. For many it has been very difficult to be cut-off from social exposure to our friends. It is demanding of us to explore new ways of being in touch and feeling connected. Our friendships are important, in fact they are crucial to our mental health. Sometimes friendships last for a few days or a few years and others last for a lifetime. This episode looks at a friendship that has lasted for 50 years, it started in high school, they’re not ex’s, and has survived distance, illness, the death of our parents and the birth of her children. It is a conversation that started 50 years ago, is interrupted at times, only to pick up where it left off and the conversation continues...
Here is something completely new this evening, it is Open Mic Night. A different approach that allows you the listener, to call us and ask questions, give us your observation, or something you are curious about. You bring up the subject and Alexia and Gord will be happy to get into a discussion about the subject you present. Spirituality, Health Care, Mental Health, Covid-19 Pandemic, Sexuality, Relationships, the list is endless. Call the show toll free from anywhere in North America 1-888-346-9141 or International callers – 001-480-553-5760. You can also send us an e-mail to - info@spiritgrows.ca – make sure you send the email no later than 7:30 pm EST or 4:30 pm PST in order for us to get it before we go on the air.
This is the audience’s show, so get involved, it will be live, most any subject and please be polite and respectful!
Do you feel like you are hitting a wall with your business and your own growth has stagnated? Many small business owners find it hard to break their own glass ceiling, which limits their growth. There are many factors that can be explored and that may come in the way of your growth. Our guest is a business professional but also embraces spirituality as the base from which a business grows. Applying both analysis and critical thinking they will identify the limiting beliefs that block your business and yourself from pushing through the glass ceiling. Our guest is a practitioner of Vipasana, allowing him to scan the areas of limitation and like a dashboard for many programs, he helps to establish a spiritual business dashboard for his clients to see what they are working with in their personal and business growth. As the founder of ScaleUp42, our guest utilizes his business and spiritual training to take his clients to the next level of awareness, growth and profits.
From edibles to medicinal, mushrooms have been an important part of the Human diet for millennia, globally. The medical science communities, whether traditional or alternative, have a lot more interest in them than just as a dietary adjunct. Large research projects are being done in 2 key areas, one is in the cancer field and the other is in mental health. Interestingly, there is already a large amount of data about mushrooms and mental health, but studies were interrupted by the war on drugs. The 1950’s and 60’s counter-culture used psychedelic and hallucinogenic substances and were studied for the effects. Today’s resumption of research in mental health and is proving to be promising as a treatment for depression and anxiety. In cancer research, targeted treatment, non-harmful for healthy tissues, is highly desired and mushrooms hold vast compound reservoirs of potential innovational drugs. Our guest is an expert in mushrooms from growing to prescribing.
This episode is Gord's 100th show as Host of Things Worth Considering. More than 30,000 people tuned into the show in 2020, and some asked who Gord is? Tonight Alexia will be interviewing Gord about his journey. In 1988, Gord co-founded the Transformational Arts College of Spiritual and Holistic Training. Thirty-three years later it is the largest school in Canada, dedicated to spiritual education inclusive of anyone’s religious background. Even before opening the College, he was fascinated by the spiritual elements of this world. As a highly empathic young man-told he was ‘too sensitive and to toughen up’- he was always helping others. Fortunately, he had a grandmother who was a medium, a Spiritualist Pastor, who took him under her wing and helped him develop his own awareness. He is a storyteller with an irreverent sense of humour and still has a rebellious streak. When asked why against the odds, he started the school back in 1988, he replies “because they said I couldn’t.
As a young boy you are living in the poorest section of Detroit before your parents surrendered you to the foster care system, you are nine years old. What can you trust when your world flips upside down overnight? In another part of the world, a young woman endures the death of her mother and her step-father’s imprisonment. She too will enter the foster parent system. She then escapes a highly abusive relationship. Promising her foster parents not to get involved in dating for awhile, she is off to College. As both enter college, they meet and in spite of all the other students, it is only each other that stand out to the other. This is the true story of Alexis Black and Justin Black and what they had to learn to be able to stay in their relationship. Old learned behaviours from their pasts started to play out in their relationship. Old unconscious patterns threatened all hope for a shared future. This is how two foster kids beat the odds and discovered healing, happiness, and love.
Our brains are often flooded with ideas which could become very viable businesses or a new modality to help others. Most of our ideas come in, we get a momentary little spark of excitement and then we carry on as usual. Now what might happen if we shared it, if we got other people involved, whose energy added to the idea and built on it? Enter Revaz & Mariam Mekvabishvili , a brother and a sister, who had a shared idea, they shared it with their family and elicited their support. Many people take their ideas and hide them away becoming very protectionist. This approach dead ends many a project and many amazing ideas are lost because there is no energy to build upon. Synchronistic energy is powerful. Our guest will talk about the growth of their business to include many people all working with synchronistic intention. A meeting place, a learning place, a sharing place, a dynamic business model taking us to the next level of human development.
Imagine being a 16 year old and your Father suddenly dies from a massive heart attack . A tough experience for any teenager, however, one year later, your Father’s Spirit not only appears to you but also comes with a powerful life-altering message. This is the story of our guest, Shawn Leonard, an internationally acclaimed evidential medium. His father told him, We all have a purpose and one day you will help people understand their lives and bridge the gap between the physical world and the Spirit World. In the three decades since the visit of his Father’s Spirit, Shawn has worked to finely hone his ability as a Spirit Talker/Medium and his connection to the Spirit World. His gift allows him to help people all over the world as he communicates with departed loved ones, spirits and guides. The insights the Spirit World shares with us help us to better understand our journey here on earth and can provide healing for many people struggling with grief.
After a year that started with the promises that come with a new decade and a new year, we progressed into a global pandemic and as we end the year we are in a lock down situation. That about sums up 2020. Can’t say we saw that one coming. As the year earned the repeatedly spoken title of ‘unprecedented’, no one knew where this was going, what were we supposed to do, we are now working from home, so is my spouse, suddenly so are the kids and we are all there, at home 24 /7!! Having survived thus far, it is time to bid 2020 adieu and welcome in 2021. Join Alexia and Gord as we let go of 2020. Since it is time for resolutions, some helpful hints to succeed and why we usually don’t follow through with our resolutions. We will be live, call in, say hi! I suspect for most of us given regulations, this is as much a party as we are going to see this year but fun !
Christmas in 2020 is going to be quite different for many people this year. Under a lockdown by public health, many of us will be spending the holiday without our families physical presence and under the stressful presence of Covid-19. However different doesn’t have to bad or something to dread. Let your magical child help you embrace this experience. Rather than channeling the Spirit of Scrooge with a humdrum attitude, let that magical child get Christmas underway. Whether it is discovering the almost macabre history of its beginnings in ancient Rome (sorry, but Jesus was added in later) to the role of Coca-Cola in painting Santa red! Make Christmas magical for yourself. Yes, Christmas can oft-times feel like something or someone is missing, a sort of melancholy can be present. This evening we will be doing a visualization/ meditation to invite those we are missing to our Christmas celebration. Have a candle ready! And we will be live streaming this show. Join us!
As the child grew older, its caretakers and teachers pointed and said, that is theirs and this is ours. The child only saw a wooden fence that separated theirs and ours, confused because it all looked the same. As time went on, the pointing now included, this is us and that is them. Again the child, confused, saw them were just like us! We all know this story, we have/are living this story, as more fences, more us and less of them, infiltrated our brain, filling with the fences implanted by the caretakers who themselves learned the same rules. Walk in a line, stay on the sidewalk, colour inside the lines, each rule disconnecting the child’s awe and curiosity from the magical relationship they had with the plants, trees and animals that nourished the child’s soul. As an adult, we struggle to reclaim the magic around us. Laughing at the many ‘you can’t’, to become I do. Ours is a journey of re-connection to the magic around us, are you ready to reclaim the magic in your life?
Canada - The True North strong and free! We pride our self on the freedoms we have, definite bragging rights when compared with our southern neighbour . However, some things like Health care, we may not have the freedom you imagine. When you see your medical doctor, are all treatment possibilities presented? No, because anything not within the realm of medical surgery or standard pharmacology, is rarely accepted. If during your Dr.’s visit you said you wanted to incorporate Homeopathy, and not just prescribed drugs, you would be met with silence. In Europe, most doctors give you Homeopathy or Herbal products as a treatment choice. Our guest today Daniel Dereser, is President and CEO of Boiron, Canada, and will be talking about the world of Homeopathy and his passionate fight to have Homeopathy kept in the public's mind as a viable treatment option. You could say he is a freedom fighter, ensuring we have the right to choose our own approach to health care.
ENCORE - If you have had the honour of being a visitor to Hawaii, you will know the word Aloha as a simple greeting on the Islands. But Aloha is much, much more than a greeting. It is a spiritual force of love that is the essence of our connection , that honours each other and the earth. Lei'ohu Ryder and her partner Maydeen ‘lao live by the Aloha Spirit , travelling throughout the world, reaching out to be of service to others. Their non-profit – Aloha in Action. centred on the island of Maui. has built schools in Kenya, provided scholarships in India and provide education funds in their home of Hawaii. As singer/songwriters they use music, dance, and ritual to reach out celebrating marriages, funeral ceremonies, and creating group healing events. As wisdom-keepers of the ancients they celebrate the indigenous soul of every person of every culture. Having just released their album ‘The Sacredness of all’ they will be singing for us this evening sharing the spirit of Aloha.
We live in our heads, distracted by its chattering and divided from our deepest intelligence. The source of our modern distress is that we have put a tiny, fragmented portion of our intelligence in charge of our lives – and that portion of our thinking obsesses all day long over problems it can never solve. We have placed the ability to reason on a pedestal without appreciating its severe limitations. Reason offers to control the world around you, but it never can. Nor can it bring into your life what most deeply blesses it. You cannot reason your way into a state of balance, or into a loving relationship. You cannot reason your way into being present. The body processes a billion times more information that we can be conscious of. Uniting with that intelligence is what enables you to be present. It's what enables you to remain in a state of flow and empowers you to land in the body and thrive in the present.
Red Sky is Canada's leading company of world Indigenous performance in dance, theatre and music. This multi-award-winning company was founded by tonight’s guest, Artistic Director Sandra Laronde in 2000. Internationally renowned for its artistry and innovation, Red Sky has garnered an international reputation for collaborating on landmark projects with some of the most prestigious artists and companies from around the globe. Since its inception, it has captured and ignited the imagination of people from nine countries on four continents. Red Sky highlights the promise and potential of what is possible within contemporary Indigenous performance. Tonight we meet the woman with an inspired vision that has manifested worldwide. A vision that intertwines the arts from dance, theatre to visual art, with culture-keepers and storytellers, in order to see the connections of First Nations, European arrivals, and newcomers.
Emotion, negative or positive, tends to embed events in our memory. November 11 is Remembrance Day in Canada and the UK. It is Veterans’ Day in America. Initially remembering the men and women who fought, and died, in the First World War. An armistice was signed at the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month. For some people, the day is highly significant and for others, it serves to remind people of the freedoms we enjoy today. It has expanded to include all personnel of all wars. We draw upon memories in this act of Remembrance, of things we never experienced but we seem to know and understand. Memory is strange function of our brain and is heavily influenced by our emotions. Our memories are most vivid when a strong emotion is attached to an event. The rituals of Remembrance Day from the uniforms to the music combine for us to retrieve an emotional memory, even if we had no direct experience of war. Make them laugh or make them cry-if you want to make your mark.
Qi-Gong is a millennia-old system of co-ordinated body-posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used for the purposes of health, spirituality, and martial-arts training. With roots in Chinese medicine, philosophy, and martial arts, Qi-Gong is traditionally viewed by the Chinese and throughout Asia as a practice to cultivate and balance ‘qi energy’ - life force. While the Chinese government has restrictions on Chi Gong, it is embraced globally by millions of people for its life changing practises. Master Teresa’s new art of healing, the Pureland Qi Gong®, is a cutting edge Chi Gong practice. This method of healing is based on raising consciousness to expand awareness, as it accelerates healing through the integration of the physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual states. Chi Gong has been refined for well over 5000 years to stabilize mood, improve sleep, reduce fatigue, and re-energize the body thus promoting self-healing, disease prevention, increases alertness.
Disagreement, tension, stress, and conflict are part of all relationships and communities. There’s no magic pill to make it go away. But, we don’t have to suffer so much. There are ways to get through disagreement, dignity intact. It’s possible to respectfully hear each other across deep divides. The people around us may have all kinds of different beliefs, ideas, and cultural practices but, as primates, we share the same underlying needs. Non-Violent Communication (NVC) is a way to bridge the gaps through assertive honesty and compassionate listening. Marshall Rosenberg, the founder of NVC, was inspired by Gandhi, influenced by Eric Fromm and worked with Carl Rogers, while developing break through communications around segregation and racism. NVC strengthens independence AND interdependence: it increases our ability to stand up for ourselves without hurting others, AND care for our interconnected world without harming ourselves.
What if every time you communicated with others, both personally and professionally, it was coming from a place of authenticity. A place of connection to yourself and the other person. What if you could stay aware of what you are feeling, even if uncomfortable, and continue to stay with your connection to the other person. This is what is called Authentic Relating, but only a part of it. Knowing what you think of and how you may treat your inner child, at age 6, age 10, and the 14-year-old? Authentic Relating includes all of our parts even those we learned to hide or we don’t yet know about. It moves us to know who we are, the skills and talents that have laid unknown to our self and to others. Authenticity in relationships pave a pathway toward the richness of our private and work lives. It is the full welcoming of our own darkness — and that of others and of the world — that fosters the integration of darkness with light to help us become whole and fully actualized human beings.
Have you ever had your world side-swiped by the consequence of doing something you believed would keep you at the top of your game? Our guests - award-winning international dance soloists, Mary Louise Albert and Rebecca Margolick. Starting her training as a young girl she rose to be a world-class soloist. M-L retired to become Artistic Executive Director of one of Vancouver’s top Theatres, and she is poised to return to the stage in 2021. Mary-Louise joins us to discuss issues facing women in the dance world. The exacting standards dancers are forced to adhere to and the devastating effects of disordered eating and body dysmorphia. With Dance Trainers, minimal public performance costumes and always the mirrors, a focus is constantly upon the body. An unforgiving public and dance elite who foster unnatural expectations on body size and shape. She shares her journey, wisdom, and Mother's instinct in guiding her own award-winning daughter Rebecca through Dance at N.Y.U., unscathed.
Thanksgiving. Hum, Are you feeling thankful? 2020 is requiring us to dig deep. Some people don’t feel very thankful or blessed or want to acknowledge Thanksgiving at all. I understand it. Covid-19 Pandemic, actually most pandemics, take the shine off the silverware. We stand to gain the most when we are challenged by the good around us. Throughout history the harvest has always been celebrated and thanks given to the universal powers that cause the sun to shine and rain to fall. We humans have sunny days and rainy weeks, but we pretend its not true. Well most of the time. Some strive to thrive by putting a little bounce into their step. They stand up, and see, smell, and hear the creation we are a part of. We can reach up to stand tall, walk with a rhythm in our step and call it, attitude. Gratitude with attitude can overcome any obstacle. Head held high, a smile to the sky and you have started to live Thanksgiving!. Gratitude moves through us and it can move the world.
As Covid-19 continues wrecking havoc, another possibly lethal pandemic is silently growing, substance abuse. The Public Health protocols for controlling the Covid -19 virus from spreading also create conditions that unknowingly bolster substance abuse. Isolation, loneliness, stress, fear, boredom, job losses creating financial uncertainty, all contribute to addictive behaviours. Excessive drinking can be common during stressful times, but excessive can become abuse and then an addiction. Opioids were a problem before the Pandemic , overdoses have doubled over the last 7 months resulting in an increased mortality rate. Suicide, always a risk with substance abuse, has become another tragedy in our pandemic experience. Whether it is chemicals including alcohol, internet gambling or online shopping they all lead to adverse experiences. Gord and Alexia both have extensive addictions experience and will share ways to take care of yourself and others during this time.
Do you believe in astrology? It is 1,000’s of years old and exists in most cultures worldwide. It is likely the oldest symbolic language we humans have. Astrology reflects the social realities of the times in which it is practiced. It morphs with culture. The language of archetypes and mythic reality which astrology is all about allows us to make meaning out of our experience, and this is done with a kind of grace. Astrology is not a tool for hard-line predictions but rather it is one to use for navigating whatever comes our way. In this particular year of pandemic and pandemonium, that 2020 has turned out to be, astrology has been most helpful. Astrology has never been more eloquent in allowing me to see the road we are on than it has been in 2020. Although I am horrified, the same as all of us, by things which are happening, on account of astrology I am not surprised. To be honest, I saw it coming. On account of that I have a sense of where it’s going which is helpful.
Do you believe in astrology? It is 1,000’s of years old and exists in most cultures worldwide. It is likely the oldest symbolic language we humans have. Astrology reflects the social realities of the times in which it is practiced. It morphs with culture. The language of archetypes and mythic reality which astrology is all about allows us to make meaning out of our experience, and this is done with a kind of grace. Astrology is not a tool for hard-line predictions but rather it is one to use for navigating whatever comes our way. In this particular year of pandemic and pandemonium, that 2020 has turned out to be, astrology has been most helpful. Astrology has never been more eloquent in allowing me to see the road we are on than it has been in 2020. Although I am horrified, the same as all of us, by things which are happening, on account of astrology I am not surprised. To be honest, I saw it coming. On account of that I have a sense of where it’s going which is helpful.
ENCORE BROADCAST. We live in our heads, distracted by its chattering and divided from our deepest intelligence. The source of our modern distress is that we have put a tiny, fragmented portion of our intelligence in charge of our lives – and that portion of our thinking obsesses all day long over problems it can never solve. We have placed the ability to reason on a pedestal without appreciating its severe limitations. Reason offers to control the world around you, but it never can. Nor can it bring into your life what most deeply blesses it. You cannot reason your way into a state of balance, or into a loving relationship. You cannot reason your way into being present. The body processes a billion times more information that we can be conscious of. Uniting with that intelligence is what enables you to be present. It's what enables you to remain in a state of flow and empowers you to land in the body and thrive in the present.
Do you experience muscle and joint pain? Perhaps loss of strength and body stiffness? Our guest may help shed light on what your body is experiencing and help you move past the discomfort your body is causing. Throughout our life we will experience various forms of trauma. The death of a loved one, the loss of a job or having an unexpected diagnosis given to us, all can be traumatizing for some. We may believe that the trauma and feelings we have experienced is held in our brain, in our emotional memory. What we now know is trauma is held in our bodies. When we experience that moment of trauma, a part of our energy locks or freezes in us. Over time the actual memory may fade but the trauma in our body doesn’t fade. It has taken up space that will continuously impact our body but with the use of movement, the body can release and re-balance itself. Getting to know your body can shift pain, loosen muscles, free you of fear all because you started moving. Worth Considering!
On Sept. 3, 2020 we are LIVE and invite you to phone-in Toll-Free at 1-888-346-9141. Are you feeling burned out from living under the confines of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Would you know what burned-out might feel like for you? Our returning guest, stress-specialist and author of 'From Stress To Bliss' Martez Schembri-Diskey will be discussing the dangers of not knowing when burnout is zapping us of our energies, physically, emotionally and spiritually. She identifies a state of 'burnout auto-pilot'. Emerging studies of the effect of the pandemic are presenting issues very much associated with working from our homes. The blurring boundaries of work and home life, the blurred boundaries of managers assuming we are sitting here with laptops on the ready. One study showed that employees are working as much as 2 hours extra per day. Family demands only compound these stressors. Learn your markers, a first aid toolbox and mini-practices to continue riding out Covid-19.
This is a live show with the show's Host Gord Riddell being interviewed by Co-host Alexia Georgousis as Gord presents views about men. From the 'Fire in the Belly era of the 1980's through the return to Stoicism at the turn of the century to 2020 and the confusion many men above the age of 40, give or take 20 years, are encountering. The changing roles some males have made run head long into the staunchly held definitions of what a man is and what masculinity looks like. Men above the age of 50 are one of the highest at risk groups for suicide. Men not knowing what role they are to play as men, they hear the socialized messages of childhood play in their head telling them to 'man up' and 'real men don't cry.' Will the re-emerging women's movement take men on their journey to finally allow changes to all those who seek an equalization of the genders? Join us as we explore this very complex and often frustrating entity called men. Now everyone back to their man cave!
Have you ever observed yourself repeating the same behaviours, thoughts or feelings in your relationships? What about similar issues or patterns? How about your parents, brothers and sisters, is your family prone to repeating similar patterns? Then you will definitely find our guest, Maria Galle, a source of fascinating information about how karma may influence our families throughout the generations. Whether it is in a romantic relationship or relationships with family, friends, or coworkers, we do repeat the same patterns. Consider what if we may have inherited these characteristics from our ancestors but do not realize how they continue to affect our lives today. Join us for this evening's discussion about ancestral karma and its possible effect on our current relationships, how to break ancestral patterns and to heal the karma.
All human relationships are built upon our ability to communicate, and good communication relies on 3 things. Our ability to hear, our ability to see and our ability to understand, all are crucial to our ability to communicate with others and almost everyone is terrible at it. We have two major senses, hearing and sight, ears and eyes, and then we have the sorter/ interpreter of incoming messages, our brain. As a prelude to Gord’s mini-workshop via Zoom on August 19th, this episode is about listening, listening with our ears, and listening with our eyes and listening with our hearts. We will discuss what it means to hold space. How to stop the critical voice that judges mercilessly. Discover what stops us from being able to listen. Join us tonight, call in your questions and you could discover a key to having better jobs, more friends and deeper love in your life. It all starts with Listening.
We will be LIVE - call in at 888-346-9141. Free call. How often are you actually aware of your innermost thoughts? Are your thoughts really your thoughts? Can a preoccupation with your mind chatter create the Reality you are experiencing? We can learn to think beyond our brain’s survival mechanism in daily, as well as in challenging times. It is possible to become more aware of our unconscious thoughts, feelings, and our habits. By exploring our inner unknown with curiosity and an open mind, a whole world of possibilities emerge. Join our discussion with Deb Maybury as we look at breaking free of our limitations by knowing ourselves at a deeper and more profound level. Our interview is an intelligent warm-up for the 3 hour virtual training course Deb is offering on Wed. Aug.12th at 7 PM ET. Tickets: 416.484-0454 ext 23 or 25 or lindak@transformationalarts.com Listen in to Deb and you'll hear why you want to attend her training course. Create your thoughts - create your reality!
We will be Live and your calls are welcome. Do you often feel bombarded by the amount of “information” that comes to you in social environments? What about work environments? Do you find it difficult to distinguish between your own experiences and those of others around you? A day in the life of an Empath can be quite… challenging! Empaths can experience mood swings, physical and mental symptoms as they absorb energies from others and from the environment they find themselves in. But you are not alone. Tonight's episode will look at some of the kinds of experiences typical for Empaths, and to assist you in better understanding your experiences. Sabastian Glass will offer practical tips and tools to help you manage your empathic experiences so that they will no longer be as overwhelming. Listen in because we have Things you might want to Consider.
We are live with our guests Karen J. Moore and Barbara Allin. Call us Toll-Free at 888-346-9141. Tonight we are talking about mediumship,and communicating with the Spirit World. Communication with spirit is sacred, as is providing the person receiving a reading that it is an intuitive soul-based reading. Both have great potential to help put us on the path to healing emotionally, increase our understanding of our soul’s needs or open our mind to new possibilities.Karen and Barbara are educators, assisting others to discover and cultivate their intuitive and mediumship abilities. On July 29 Karen and Barbara will be presenting an on-line workshop about developing our own communication skills with Spirit. You will learn to give a message in this class. To Register for their evening send a message to tac@transformationalarts.com - fee $40. tax incl. or on-line www.transformationalarts.com. Listen in! These 2 women have lots to teach us about our own connection to spirit.
We are live and interactive as of this broadcast. Having gone through near-death experiences, more and more credible individuals are revealing what they experienced. What are their experiences saying to us about the afterlife? This episode will explore some of the latest revelations and evidence for a world beyond death indicating some kind of continuity of consciousness. What are the possibilities? How do these near-death experiences relate to consciousness in this life? Is it possible to prepare for a transition to an ideal afterlife? How does our understanding of “the other side” lead to being able to live a more meaningful life now? One of life's biggest mysteries. death is not viewed as miraculous but as a sorrowful event unlike birth, equally as mysterious yet joyful. As we get more information of a life beyond our physical reality, could it be a catalyst for how we live with each other today? Remember call us!! Now!
Procrastination is the avoidance of doing a task that needs to be accomplished by a certain deadline. It is the intentional delay or even habitual delay of starting or finishing a task even though it might have negative consequences. We delay everyday chores, putting off important tasks such as going to a medical appointment, submitting a job report, a school project, or having a stressful conversation with our workers or our spouse. It has a negative effect on our productivity. It is associated with depression, low self-esteem, guilt and inadequacy. But, sometimes it is wise if knowing something will change and the activity doesn't have to be duplicated. The pleasure principle may be responsible for our delay; we avoid negative emotions by delaying stressful tasks. Some see it as a coping mechanism for anxiety. Now don't put off listening to this episode.
Are you curious about Natural Health and wellness modalities? What underlies the approach of Homeopathy and Bach Flower Remedies? This episode is informative and understandable in how the Law of Similars, micro-dosing and our innate ability to heal all come together to re-align our Vital Energy Force. Energetic medicine is subtle yet very powerful. Homeopathy and Bach flowers both are relational to the Earth and Consciousness/Spirituality- Holistic health. It is also inexpensive, gentle yet very effective medicine. Did you know the British Royal Family are adherents of homeopathy in their daily lives? Bach Flower remedies does not adhere to the Law of Similars but while highly diluted, can catalyze the resolution of deep emotional imbalances. As a prelude to her presentation on July 8 via Zoom.com, Co-host Alexia invites us to explore our own Vital Force and its realignment. To sign up for her 3 hour presentation send a request to tac@transformationalarts.com. cost $40 CDN.
Life is tough right now for a lot of people. Some people are afraid for their health, others have lost jobs, finances are looking precarious for some. There are those who have kept their jobs but must work from home. That means home with the spouse, the children, maybe a couple of pets and you are working amongst the demands, noise and general chaos. The self-talk I am hearing is reflective of the outside, noise and criticism. I am not getting things done. Productivity is way down I sleep to much, I eat too much, You are not working out ad infinitum. The critical voices in our head are having a field beating us down. We have found ourselves in a global health crisis, a world economic set of unknowns, we cannot control our little world and we are beating ourselves up? Be Human, its okay to be scared, and angry, expect your self in these times to be human, and above all else please, be gentle with yourself.
In the movie Network (1976) – actor Peter Finch's character bellows- ‘I’m mad as Hell and I am not going to take it anymore”. Anger is a very powerful experience - it affects every system in our body, to say nothing of the impact it has on our psyches. Anger is not considered a primary emotion. Ideally anger is a response to a threat, real or imagined. Problem is people have learned to live in an angry state.They are always ready to take on the world, any fight will do. Anger makes us feel powerful. It is a great mask that covers our weakest feelings all the while convincing others and our self how strong we are. The first thing it covers is our fear. In order to not feel or show fear, we display anger. Anger is very much about control. People who have felt small,or insignificant, will do big anger. When someone calls us names, shames or humiliates, it is now toxic. Learn not to accept toxic anger in your life. Toxic people rarely become non-toxic. time to move on!
In Part 2 of Parenting in a Pandemic, we look at things that are important ways of establishing connection with your children but also them connecting with you. Parenting is not easy but add a pandemic, unable to leave the house, work from home, in close contact with your spouse 24 hours a day, the children need your attention, and you are stressed to the max. What can you do with your children? This isn't about activities per se, it is about being given an extraordinary gift of time to spend with your children and discover who you both are. Creating a safe space for them, being authentic and real, holding space for your child, a space without judgment, or you should have or expectations. Give your child the chance to see who you are by your presence, your acceptance and openness. We have a gift from this Pandemic, one you will not have again in your lifetime, this gift of time because before we know it, they will be grown and off to start the cycle all over again with their kids
There is no harder job, and the one with the least training and we the least experience. Being housed with our children during the pandemic poses lots of problems but also lots od chances to discover who your children are, what kind of people they will grow to become. This episode looks at how we parent, what we learned about parenting from our parents. What kind of parent are you? Authoritarian, Permissive, Uninvolved or Authoritative - each of these 4 styles of parenting are uniquely different and create a different experience for children born into these styles. How do children learn to connect and interact with the world through the eyes of these parenting styles. In her book All Joy and No Fun Jennifer senior wrote: Children learn from the world through doing, touching and experiencing; adults on the other hand, tend to take in the world through their heads - reading books, watching TV swiping touch screens, Is there a place for parent and child to meet?
It was 200 years ago this month, May 1820 that Florence Nightingale was born. She went on to be the pillar of today's modern medicine. She developed a style of nursing that would see schools in North America and Europe teaching the Nightingale nursing approach. But the biggest breakthrough came when she cleaned up the patients' environment as well as bathing them regularly. She observed that simple hygiene saw patients get better and the mortality rate dropped down, way down. She was the original - GO WASH YOUR HANDS! This one woman had an enormous impact on modern medicine. As this was international nurses day and we are in the middle of a pandemic, What better way to say Thank you! to all the nurses on the front line of this pandemic than to salute one of the most influential nurses who helped define modern medicine and modern patient care. With gratitude for your commitment, courage and compassion
Let me ask you, ‘How are you holding up during this pandemic?’ How do you think you might answer that question? A lot of people have very pat answers. How are you? I'm fine, or I'm holding up in view of everything; I'm OK. Seems there's a lot of feelings that have been incredibly repressed and that somehow or other we've determined that it's not OK to admit that we are bothered or are upset about what is going on. Now we've done this on another show about “ The unspoken message that seems to be emerging is, whether you have feelings or not about this pandemic. Specifically negative reactions. As long as we are ‘fine’ , hopeful and upbeat we are in line with status quo. After all we are in this together!!! The message, since we are all in this together, then we must fall in and give the “the party line” The message we are all in this together, takes away our right to our own feelings. When we emerge from the lock down a lot of feelings will surface., like anger, sadness. Ready?
Are you noticing a lot of people are getting cranky and out right angry over a lot of minor things? Stress makes us cranky. People may say things attempting to hook us into their anger. Or they will do passive-aggressive – the silent treatment to people. the first thing we need to do is cut our self some slack and acknowledge we have every right to be angry? We were going along, things were on course, when this Covid-19 arrives and pulls the rug out from under us. Many have lost their jobs, mortgage payments or rent cheques are shaky, our finances are now uncertain. STRESS makes people irritable and cranky. Housebound with the family! Your spouse and children are getting under your skin. Anger can make us very self-centred. And re-enforces our being a victim. ‘Look what is happening to me.’ How do you think your spouse and your children are feeling? How do you think your spouse might feel with you always at home? Anger is normal but let's remember we are all in this together.
How are you doing with having so little control in your life? We spend most of our life trying to be in control, the illusion of control. We get people to believe that being in control is the most important thing there is. People will cajole, manipulate, scold and shame others in their bid for control. Some will even hurt others to keep things just as they are. Then along comes Covid-19, a little virus with a mission, it is taking over control. Our lives have changed, half the world is house bound, the economy shut down and the vast number of deaths, over half being our elders, pushing us to realize we have to accept and we have to change. Many still cling to the idea that we will wake up one day and go back to the way we were, they are going to have a difficult time. We will all be changed and move forward to a new way, that's what humans do. We hope we all have the wisdom to know the difference of what we can and cannot change and what has to change!
Have you ever felt at times your feelings and thoughts are those of yourself when you were 10 or 12 years old? Encountering a scary situation you may feel like that awkward child who is uncertain on which way to go? Our private world holds a number of voices and feelings which move through our bodies and thoughts with each situation we encounter. Often it is our childhood feelings and voice that predominates our uncertainty and indecisiveness. Yet almost hidden away, is our adult voice, clear and willing to drive the bus, its soothing voice entices our child to get out of the drivers seat and allows the adult to take over. Fully relieved, as any child is, when they feel protected and taken care of. Our brain draws upon memory of similar feelings to know how to act. This pandemic, unknown, uncertain with no memory, recalls then times when we did feel this way and our child feelings of scared are felt by us. Explore with us the power of your adult voice and give the kid a break.
A few decades ago when someone was diagnosed with cancer, people as they shared the news would lower their voice and whisper the word cancer. as though it was dirty and contagious. Fast forward a couple of decades and HIV/AIDS would become a widely stigmatized illness, forcing those with the disease into marginalized existences including, poverty, medical and housing crises. Paralleling but dating back centuries, Mental health has always had an attached stigma. Those with Mental illnesses or disorders face a lived in silence to avoid facing the stigma carried by society's attitudes. The massive uphill battle fought by HIV and Mental Health advocates and activists are making a difference in shifting our awareness to let go of our attitudes but it is not easy. Marginalization is still a reality for patients and all that it entails. Now with Covid-19 we face adding one more illness to our list of Their problem, not mine. This episode challenges that we are missing the point.
Here was something that we didn't consider, a positive side-effect of the Covid-19 pandemic. While country after country was shut down, her citizens quarantined, a silence began to descend upon the earth, and the earth sighed in relief. Measurable by satellite, nitrrous dioxide, caused by cars, trucks, diesel trains, was decreasing, a seismograph was picking up surface earth movements that normally would not be read as the noise on the earth stopped the waves from travelling to the machines. Studies on Right Whales in the north Atlantic and Humpback Whales on their journey up to Alaska are showing marked decreases in stress hormones Cortisol and Adrenalin, which interfere with their ability to reproduce. Even the oceans are quieting down with the cruise and shipping vessels tied up in their home ports. While the earth is being given a break we humans may not be doing as well confined to our homes we are feeling restless and nervous, We look at the earth and the reactions we are having.
Lots of talk about the pandemic we are living in as the force that has changed how we live day to day. Each time we go through a life altering event we are forced at least temporarily, to establish a new way of living. Our life shifts for any number of reasons and we move into, easily or not, a new normal. We adapt, no matter how difficult it may be, to the new conditions we find our self in. Most humans are very resilient when forced to accommodate new experiences but always with an eye to wanting to get back to the old normal .If we keep heading back to the old normal, then what have we learned? Can the Covid - 19 pandemic teach us anything or is it just another bullet to escape from, metaphorically speaking? If we are going through something so extreme that no one alive has ever encountered, then we need to ask if the old normal is really something we want to rush back to. Listen in to this episode as Gord and Alexia grapple with the learning of Covid -19.
Unknown, confusing, outcome is uncertain. These words are too familiar to us all. We have all been in positions, at times in our life, when we didn’t know our direction, or know the outcome of situations. This time as Covid-19 makes its way around the world, it isn’t just us, individually, this time it is a collective experience. We are all experiencing uncertainty and not knowing where this virus experience is leading. Adding to our discomfort, someone taught us that it is not okay to not know. We are expected to know the answer to questions about our self, our direction, and even know the outcomes to our endeavours, when we are far from completion. People do not want to know what we are feeling, certainly not in business or even most of our friends, they want to know what we think. Adding insult to injury, our situation is one we have never encountered, physically distant from each other, isolating and not knowing where this is going. Be gentle with yourself and kind to each other.
When we think of the Law of Attraction we think of physical items we attract like cars, houses, jobs, we may think of love and that perfect mate, but the Law of Attraction is much more complex. We attract where our energy goes. What if COVID -19 is the physical creation of we human's stress, anxiety, inner hormonal levels like cortisol and frustration. A human creation bubbling up from our collective shadows. Is the earth trying to let us know enough is enough, as we have pillaged her of beauty, starved and robbed her of resources. An increasing number of her plants, flowers, birds and possible medicines have become extinct, never to return. This is what we need to consider, the pandemic is like nothing most of us have ever encountered, ever. It is not random. If it is not random then what should we be learning. Listen in to this show, because one thing people are realizing is, if human's do not change, this pandemic is a small slap, and bigger is coming. Take care and be kind!
This episode revolves around 2 major subjects that both Gord and Alexia are very passionate about., spirituality and health. We humans are multi-dimensional, we have our mental, emotional, physical, spiritual and then there is our astral and etheric bodies. Understanding the interconnection of our many dimensions can help us to utilize all of our parts in our quest for health and wellness. Many think of health as an absence of disease therefore all is well. However our multi-dimensional elements need attention even when they are not causing pain. By including the spiritual (not religious) element into our daily lives we have the opportunity to experience such things as being fully present in the here and now, greater feelings of joy, curiosity, and our creativity springs into action. What we have to gain by discovering and connecting to our spirituality is almost beyond words. Spirituality is a felt-sense not a mental experience, hence we live it not talk about it. Join us!
Today's demand on our lives can have serious consequences when we push past our bodies, minds and even spiritual resources. Often, without warning, or at least warnings we paid heed to, we become ill. Overshooting our natural reserves and depleting our emergency resources, our ability to go on with our daily lives can be next to impossible. Facing fatigue, depression, aches and pains, irritability and a lack of motivation, we soldier on, not wanting to admit to ourselves and certainly not to others, that we are becoming ill or burnt out. Martez Schembri, author of the book, From Stress to Bliss, returns to discuss with Gord, the dangers of burnout but importantly what we can do to help our self through such a period in our life. Despite today's demands, burnout does not have to be an option, it just requires us to be aware and to be honest with our self and others that saying 'enough' is not a failure. Join Gord and Martez for this informative and very current subject.
From childhood onward, we are subjected to multiple influences that seek to tell us who we are, how we are supposed to be, act, think. Slowly we disconnect from who we are trying without success to be what other people want us to be. We may begin to experience a disconnect between our body, emotions and spirit. If someone hurt us physically or sexually, the trauma disconnects us in powerful ways. We may withdraw socially, shut down our ability to feel, we become silent. The good news is we can learn to reconnect. Studies in the area of Human connections have identified a very simplistic practise that benefits us enormously, walking barefoot on the earth for a few minutes each day has big benefits on all levels. This practice - called earthing - can also be called grounding. A simple first step in reconnecting to our self and the benefits derived from being in our body and getting out of our head.
We have heard that opposites attract, the law of Attraction, now consider the law of similars and a return of health? How does taking an infinitesimal amount of a substance, which if the same were taken in a larger quantity, would cause the same physical symptoms you are experiencing now. Yet a refined nano-dose can alleviate the symptoms and helping us to return to a healthy state? Homeopathy is a whole person system of evaluating the body, mind and Spirit but not just for physical symptoms but what we believe about being sick, what we perceive is health and how we live within our lifestyle. Could this be the basis of future energy medicine, where the law of similars is a viable alternative to pharmacology in health care? Considering Homeopathy!
With the growing acceptance of energy healing, under such names as Reiki, Therapeutic Touch, Laying on of Hands, come a number of beliefs that may not serve the healer nor a client. What happens when your client gets worse than when they arrived, this can be true with energy healing and with psychotherapy? Do Healers/Practitioners belief they are the actual Healers of people? In which case what responsibility do they hold when a client doesn’t improve? Does Healing equal a cure? Can death be an option in the healing process? Do we go into a healing state holding the belief that this will make them well or do we hold an intention that the energy work is directed only for the highest and the best for the client and directed by the client on many levels? Tune in and listen to ideas about healing that are well worth considering.
With the growing acceptance of energy healing, under such names as Reiki, Therapeutic Touch, Laying on of Hands, come a number of beliefs that may not serve the healer nor a client. What happens when your client gets worse than when they arrived, this can be true with energy healing and with psychotherapy? Do Healers/Practitioners belief they are the actual Healers of people? In which case what responsibility do they hold when a client doesn’t improve? Does Healing equal a cure? Can death be an option in the healing process? Do we go into a healing state holding the belief that this will make them well or do we hold an intention that the energy work is directed only for the highest and the best for the client and directed by the client on many levels? Tune in and listen to ideas about healing that are well worth considering.
Do you have a loved one that needs end of life care? Are you a caregiver looking for more support? What does palliative care mean and how does one access more services like hospice or respite? How can our society engage in more openness around the topic of death? How are body, mind and spirit addressed when one has a terminal or life limiting illness? What is the role of the caregiver or substitute decision maker and when does their role start? Often our loved ones may or may not want to talk about their illness, what they are facing, choices for how they want to live and die and those conversations are difficult ones to have but important. How can we start the conversation and fulfill their wishes? There is a tendency to pull away from people when they are ill or from a friend after their spouse/partner has died. How can we continue to support people in their time of need? How do we embrace this great mystery?
ENCORE PRESENTATION - What is it like to leave your career, not be quite so available for your children and spouse and return to school full-time to purse your dreams. My guests, Cathy Eu and Stefanie Miljas, 2 dynamic and brave women, talk about all the things they went through to get back to school full-time. Now it is the Moms turn to be the student, with assignment deadlines, tests and exams. Through humourous stories and learning about their backgrounds (which are quite different), the influence of the own multi-cultural families past and how it was their inner voice that lead them, with or without the seal of approval from all levels of the family and social networks to make the leap. Today, as graduates, they are building careers as Psychotherapists, and Spiritual Directors. Tune in to the next episode of Things Worth Considering as we applaud Women Doing It for Themselves!
Ever wondered what Holistic means when it comes to your health? What about Acute care like for an accident vs. Holistic approach for chronic aches and pains? My guest, Amanda , who is a practitioner and an instructor will sort out some of our questions as to what health care provider should we go to and when? Is this an either/or situation? The language such as alternative makes it sound like it is one or the other but the word complementary helps us to realize it can all work together. Your spiritual practise helps your body and mind stay healthy, your exercising and diet help your mind and spirit to be in balance with your body. We are also talking about the need for practitioners and our aging population. The Canadian Government predicts that there will be a shortage of practitioners throughout the decade. The Holistic Approach to health includes your body, mind and spirit and not just the absence of disease, it is about you connecting to your self and others.
What happens when we get used to pain and discomfort and as we disconnect from our self? We get used to the aches and pains they become our new norm. Even as we become more stressed, we keep establishing new norms until finally we have to see a doctor and find the stress has caused cardiac problems or stomach ulcers or even cancer. 90% of all visits to family doctors are for stress related illnesses. In other words they are lifestyle problems. Martez brings the knowledge that in order to heal, the 3 pillars of healing must be engaged, the body, the mind and the spirit. Martez comes from a place of personal experience, having been in a catastrophic car accident in which she had most of the right side of her body broken, she suffered through and rose above the experience to discover a career in health care and a deeply rooted spirituality. Join Martez and I as she has some very important things worth considering.
What is it like to leave your career, not be quite so available for your children and spouse and return to school full-time to purse your dreams. My guests, Cathy Eu and Stefanie Miljas, 2 dynamic and brave women, talk about all the things they went through to get back to school full-time. Now it is the Moms turn to be the student, with assignment deadlines, tests and exams. Through humourous stories and learning about their backgrounds (which are quite different), the influence of the own multi-cultural families past and how it was their inner voice that lead them, with or without the seal of approval from all levels of the family and social networks to make the leap. Today, as graduates, they are building careers as Psychotherapists, and Spiritual Directors. Tune in to the next episode of Things Worth Considering as we applaud Women Doing It for Themselves!
It is about 44 hours since the clock struck midnight, the end of a decade and of course, the year 2019, Going forward into 2020, how many resolutions did you make? In the last 44 hours, assuming you made them on the stroke of midnight, how many did you break so far? Were you able to keep your resolve? Tune in to this episode to get some pointers about why we make resolutions, why most fail and how you can be successful in achieving positive outcomes for your resolutions. You will definitely feel better about yourself when you steer your resolutions to success. As this episode was recorded a few weeks ago and therefore make no mention in the recording, this is the last recording that Jan Hill and I will be making together. Jan has decided for personal reasons to leave the show. With sadness I thank Jan for her presence and the fun time we had making the show. I will continue with Things Worth Considering.
Events in our life can go against everything we knew or believed to be true, our anger ensued. Someone did or said something that outraged you and it keeps replaying in your mind. Unable to get rid of the angry thoughts, we develop a grudge. The grudge can grow and consume us. We think of ways to retaliate, to seek revenge. It is now our identity, the victim. ‘Do you know what they did to me?’ as we tell our tale of woe again. People may begin to distance themselves as our disposition becomes toxic from the anger surging in us. This level of distress is too big from a single event. Many times, from our childhood onward this sense of victimization has been experienced. The wrong person may even be targeted by your anger. Time to consider, forgiveness. It doesn’t mean you approve or accept their behaviour. You don’t have to become friends again or even talk to them. Forgiveness is a gift to our self. It says I am not carrying this around anymore.
Did you think the story of Christmas was just about the birth of Jesus in the middle east in a manager with Shepherds watching their sheep and star gazing with 3 Wise Men showing up at the manger with gifts? No that is only a starting point. Looking back from Christmas today it is an evolving story spanning 2000 years. It moves from the middle east to the Roman Empire where following Jesus teachings was against the law. That is until Emperor Constantine's wife became a christian and Yes, it was now the state religion and his wife gets to live. The very clever modelling of Christmas after a barbaric roman holiday which ended in someone's death to turning it around so it ended with Jesus birth. Bingo, we have converts and Christmas day is officially December 25th. It didn't matter when Jesus was really born. Bring in the Christmas tree from Germany. Amalgamate Father Christmas, St. Nick, and Santa Claus then have Coca-Cola paint him red and you have Christmas today. Oh, Credit Card!
The Holidays! It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, said Dickens and I am sure he meant my family. My magical child running around in my head filling every thought with magical outcomes, tires squeal, reality check please. Some family bring out our best and some our worst. When the entire family is together we go back to what we know, the same games, same arguments, same names. We all fall back into the same roles we have always played out .Have you ever gone to your family for the holidays, leaving home you are say 30 years of age, driving to the old neighbourhood, now your old street, you feel 16, when pulling into the driveway, you are 12. Home at last, age 10, sitting on the sofa. What is happening? Join us for this episode as we look at ways to stay in our biological age and interact as adults. Boundaries Please. What a novel idea!
If our hearing is intact we have the ability to hear voices, music and of course, noise. But there is a difference between hearing and actually listening. How many times have you ever had someone say,Are you listening to me or You are not listening to what I am saying Listening is a skill, one we should be taught early on in life but usually that is not the case. Much of our disagreements stem from hearing what someone said, filtering it through our perceptions and responding according to what we think we heard. Listening is the intention act of wanting to understand another person's viewpoint or experience, genuinely understand. It requires first that we stop talking. This episode gives some skills to help you listen better. If we were made in the Creator's image, there is a good reason we have 2 ears and only one mouth, perhaps we should learn to use them proportionately. Join Jan and Gord for this weeks Episode of Things Worth Considering Are you listening to me?
Do you ever feel that people take more than give? Do you feel guilty or bad about yourself when you have to say NO? The idea of boundaries is difficult because you experience relationships as all or nothing. These are but a few of the many ways co-dependency can affect us on a personal and a professional level. It is most often experienced in our interactions with others which can leave us exhausted, confused about what we may be feeling, and lack awareness of our own needs. Asking for our own needs to be met is a concept that may not exist for many co-dependants. The good news is all the behaviours we have learned that do not serve us can be unlearned and replaced with behaviours and beliefs that support a stronger sense of our self, our needs and how we want to manifest our best in a healthier way than the past experiences we have known. Join us for this episode and discover some possibilities to enhance your life.
Most people's ultimate goal in life is to be happy. Seems simple enough. Happiness is something we can choose to have but we can also choose not to. One way we separate our self from being happy is we place so many conditions on when we can be happy. I will be happy when I get the new car, or when I get married. We keep pushing our happiness further into the future. We also keep changing the goals - as we get the new car just before our wedding, we change the happiness factor and now the goal is when you, perhaps land that ideal job. So there you are sitting in your new car with your new spouse and it's time to take a look at being happy, now! Happiness is embracing all that we have and are, right now. Happiness will never arrive so long as you focus on what you don't have!! Join us as happiness awaits in this moment.
Have you ever had this horrible feeling that you are a fraud and you are going to be found out about very soon? People will soon discover that you don’t know what you say you know. Have you ever heard of the Imposter Syndrome? It is very common. Imposter syndrome (also known as imposter phenomenon, impostorism,or fraud syndrome) is a psychological pattern in which an individual doubts their accomplishments and has a persistent internalized fear of being exposed as a fraud. People with imposter syndrome are convinced that they don’t deserve their success. It occurs in men and women equally. Despite evidence of their competence, those experiencing this phenomenon remain convinced that they are frauds. Individuals with impostorism attribute their success to luck,or of deceiving others that they are more intelligent than they perceive themselves to be. It is a psychological phenomenon in which people are unable to internalize their accomplishments.” Join us we are looking for imposters!
Do you like horror movies? Haunted Houses? Are you fascinated by stories of werewolves, vampires and aliens? This is our Halloween episode and what better time to look at what fear is, its purpose and manifestation. What motivates some people to find ways that leave them terrified, exhilarated and looking for their next fear-inducing activity? We will look at the difference between those that love to get scared and those that have taken fear further getting an adrenaline charge each time they glide off the side of a cliff or jump out of an airplane. While being scared is one thing, why do people love to be scared? The English speaking world takes part on the evening before All Saints Day: when the veil between the living and the dead is very thin and you can communicate it is said, with your ancestors. From angel costumes, spiritual celebrations, door to door trick or treating, and on to the macabre, this is the day when fear entices so many to take part. Join us on Halloween.
We all think about making changes in our life, we plan it, we talk to other people, maybe we even commit publicly to things we are sure we will do … and then we never do them! Do you WANT to change? Today we share some useful ideas that researchers have discovered about the stages of change. Yes, there are actual stages we all go through to move to actual change. We look at the stages and even provide you with what the resistance behaviours and feelings are so you can perhaps identify which stage you are at. Research evidence suggests that individuals following these stages achieve higher degrees of success in change. Things from the 1st stage, called the Pre-Contemplation Stage, when someone suggests you quit smoking, resistance can include denial, shame about smoking, blame smoking etc.. Ready for change? Not at #1. Next at stage 2 is Contemplation-look for the right time, magical thinking. And that is just the beginning! Join us for Things Worth Considering and stages of change.
iRest Yoga Nidra is a modernized form of an ancient practice of healing and relaxation from the tradition of yoga and is now an evidence-based form of mind-body training which promotes deep healing, health and well-being. iRest Yoga Nidra is the result of many years of observation, research and hands-on development by Dr. Richard Miller and associates. Research trends indicate that iRest effectively alleviates PTSD, insomnia, anxiety, chronic pain, depression and chemical dependency. IRI trained teachers have successfully delivered the iRest Protocol to active duty military and combat veterans, chronic pain sufferers, the homeless, the incarcerated, health care givers and other special interest groups. Andrew is working with combining iRest Nidra Yoga with elements of the Internal Family Systems - IFS. Think of the component parts of your biological family, now imagine that those same components form an internal family system. Powerful healing can take place with this combination.
Do you remember one of the very first words you were taught or you taught your children, not Mom or Dad? It was probably please and thank you. Whenever you were given something - you also heard 'can you say Thank-you?' Today we prepare for Canadian Thanksgiving in October and the American Thanksgiving in November. This is no longer about manners , it is thanking the Universal Consciousness and the Earth for giving to us so abundantly as we see the harvest filling our tables. We still need to be asked I guess, 'Are you going to say thank-you?' We take much for granted so don't think of saying thanks or we are focused on how we can get what we don't have. We are not even present to experience gratitude - that felt sense when we embrace all that we already have. here, today. The Attitude of Gratitude fills your sentient body and opens a space for you to attract even more of the good stuff. Join us as we give you attitude with gratitude and Things Worth Considering. Happy Thanksgiving!
Following up on our previous show - It's your Fault! This episode looks at taking responsibility for our thoughts, our feelings and our behaviour. If we stop implicating and blaming others, what happens then? Importantly, how do we do stop blaming and start owning and taking responsibility for our self. We have all encountered people who blame who they are and their circumstances in life on their parents, the whole family, their education, their exes and who ever else gets caught in the crossbow of blame. Here is something we need to know - as long as we blame others, then we are powerless to change anything. The person, people or event that we blame is the place that holds all the power. Being an adult is not easy, it means responsibilities , and it means owning our story, our real story and not the lies we deceive our self with. This is worth considering, moving into being a Grown-up takes work and awareness but not doing it leaves us as an angry and unhealthy Groan-up.
Let’s talk about blaming. You know, people whose first response to a problem is to point to the people on the other side of the room. There is a trend in politics, without naming names in both the United States and in Canada, politicians immediately blame others. Without ever accepting that they may be or were the cause of the problem and it doesn’t matter what the problem was, big or small, ‘not me’ is spoken first and then names follow quickly. Why do people blame? What is the need to throw someone under the bus? Blame and Shame not only rhyme, but they support one another. New study results suggest when we see someone else ditching responsibility for mistakes, we are more likely to do the same in our lives. The motivator: protecting our self-image. Blaming, as it is being modelled by leaders and public figures contributes to bullying – picking on someone for their faults or being different: they are targeted, blamed and bullied. Children die from bullying often by suicide.
Previously we took a look at situations when events forced us into unplanned life changes. In this episode we want to explore how to plan for necessary changes. Rather than change being such an upsetting experience we will give you ideas that will give you more control over the events, have more choices and be actively involved and not a victim to our life events. These ideas are worth considering making life’s inevitable twists and turns easier to navigate. With the inevitability of change, we want you to have a plan that is easy to kick into action, an attitude of empowerment and a knowing that you will survive and this too shall pass. How do we know you can come through almost any event? There is an underlying technique to life that is so overlooked, it feels like a secret. We want you to learn this simple to understand but difficult to consistently do approach and it Is usable in all areas of life. Wondering what it is? Tune in Thursday because this is worth considering.
If you are like many of us, you may ponder what happens when we die? What is the afterlife like? What will it be like for me? More and more, credible individuals are revealing what they have gone through in their near death experiences. What are their experiences saying about the afterlife? There is an emerging realization in scientific community that the physical brain does not create consciousness and that consciousness is eternal. There is a scientific model that the brain serves as a reducing valve or filter that limits our consciousness. There is mounting evidence for a world beyonf death indicating some kind of continuity of consciousness. If this is true can it be possible for us to prepare for our transition to an ideal afterlife? Can this knowledge of rhe other side lead to a more meaningful life today? Tune in as Linda gives us a lot worth considering!
When you hear the word - Stress, do you roll your eyes or pipe in That's me? In spite of years of research and evidence-based assertions as to the detrimental effects of stress most people turn a deaf ear and carry on with their until their body sends out signals that something is wrong. It is known that 70 to 90% of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress related illnesses. Physical, mental, emotional and spiritual are all possible targets of the stressors we encounter. Not all stress is bad as good stress propels us on to achieve our best but the bad stress can be fatal. We also know that stress is very individual. What one person experiences as stressful another person can swim right through it. Which leads us to an important place. Stress is all about perception. If I think something is stressful then it will be stressful. All told, our attitude, filters and what we learned stresses us out. Join us for a de-stressing chat on the next Things Worth Considering.
This episode delves into everything you ever wanted to know about humour. From our own experience we KNOW that humour is affected by lots of things like: culture, maturity, education, intelligence and social context. When people share a joke, a kind of bonding happens. This can work well when teaching, where a good laugh facilitates cognitive functioning and may build an alliance between the teacher and the class members. Laughing produces endorphins which make information travel faster through the brain.There are many benefits to humour including enhanced creativity, promotes connectivity – duchenne smile creates added neural connectivity and immunity boost, even if you are faking it. Laughter is a response to frustration and anxiety and it lowers blood pressure, reduces hormones, raises t cells, and it releases endorphins. Here's a final thought. If the number 2 pencil is so popular, why is it still number 2? Just kidding! Join Gord and Jan for an amusing look at humour.
If you are like many of us, you may ponder what happens when we die? What is the afterlife like? What will it be like for me? More and more, credible individuals are revealing what they have gone through in their near death experiences. What are their experiences saying about the afterlife? There is an emerging realization in scientific community that the physical brain does not create consciousness and that consciousness is eternal. There is a scientific model that the brain serves as a reducing valve or filter that limits our consciousness. There is mounting evidence for a world beyonf death indicating some kind of continuity of consciousness. If this is true can it be possible for us to prepare for our transition to an ideal afterlife? Can this knowledge of rhe other side lead to a more meaningful life today? Tune in as Linda gives us a lot worth considering!
From ancient times to the present, mystics, scholars and authors have been pondering and writing about how we co-create our reality with the Universe. This episode explores the ins and outs of moving our self to reach our highest potential. In general, the closer you are to who you really are, your TRUE SELF, the better you feel. At the top of the spectrum you feel happiness, freedom, joy etc. At the other end you feel completely powerless depressed, unworthy, and afraid. Our beliefs, our emotions and our habits all work together to form our perception of the world. Neuroscience has taught us the that there are so many possibilities to perceive differently from everyone around us. Those differences in perception is what allows us to think, and act from our own unique experience and it is the uniqueness of those possibilities that open the door for each person to bring to life their own creation from their own perception. Join Pauline, Gord and Jan on Things worth Discovering.
This episode follows up on our Episode called - Medium - Medium Well. People are not only fascinated in the idea of communicating with Spirit and of course wanting to be communicated with, but there are many who wish to become mediums. This episode looks at what is required to unfold our abilities, to raise our vibrational rate in order to be able to communicate with our loved ones and others who are no longer in the physical. it isn't always easy because our ideas of what we think it should be like, often trip us up and we lose that opportunity connect. However, committing time to sit in development classes, being non-judgmental of the way individual talents present themselves, being grateful for the experiences we do have and learning to build on those previous times, all factor in to our development as mediums. Finding a good mentor, someone who you can be guided by, to learn to reach your own spirit teachers and to develop trust in the process. Join us as we explore mediumship.
How do you incorporate sound into your life? Have you ever considered the effects various sounds have on us. Research has shown that certain sounds when played gently have very healing effects on our body, mind and Soul. Sound is Vibration – waves – that affect our body, not just something we hear. 4 Principles of Sound as Healing that I focus on – Frequency, Resonance, Entrainment & Intention. When we look at the research on energy vibrations, sound is perceived in the fairly low auditory range whereas colour vibrations – the visible spectrum – is in a higher range.
‘Sound’s immediate effect is on the physical body, since sound vibrates mass; whereas colour’s effect is on the astral/emotional body.’ (Kay Gardiner)
Join Sarah as she introduces to the audience along with Gord and Jan some interesting sounds using the ocean drum, the Tibetan crystal bowls and bells into discovering how sound can tune you into Life. Lots more things for you to consider.
In our everyday life, we are always in relationships. They can be romantic, with co-workers, family, friends the cashier at the grocery store and most importantly, the relationship to our self. In most cases we allow mostly old old and unconscious patterns to dictate how we showp in our relationships. This episode wil take a look at how these patterns play out for us in the dynamics of our relationships and why we keep attracting the same people. What role does trusting ourselves and trusting other people? Ever wondered what the different stages of a relationship are. And importantly how can we make our relationships more conscious and soulful. There are many things here well worth considering!
For thousands of years humans have sought to connect with the Divine energy of the Universe. Every country across our planet has a history of rituals, beliefs and tools that helped each to connect with the Divine. While connection is what these diverse cultures have in common, it is their Oracular forms that shift and change as you travel around the globe. Today's episode has us climb on board a mystical balloon as we set out to travel the globe and view the important tools used in various locales globally. Our guest, Tiffany Lazic, is our tour leader as we discover tools from the Tarot, the Runes to lesser known like the tossing of bones. Today's episode is a warm up for Tiffany's Mini - workshop at the Transformational Arts College in Toronto on Wednesday July 24, at 7 pm for only $40 with HST included. Join us now as around the World with Oracles promises to give you Things Worth Considering..
Today we welcome Ronn Young, Certified Traumatologist and President and CEO of the Havening Institute and Michelle Desroches, Registered Psychotherapist and on Faculty at Transformational Arts,and is one of the very few people certified by the Havening Institute. Think of creating a safe haven and that is exactly what havening is all about. It has to do with trauma and the devastating effects it can have on our brain and our life. Backed by science more so neuroscience, trauma derails the body’s ability to function: it altars the brains ability to address reality. Understanding the mind body connection, trauma impacts not simply behaviour but the way we do life. When traumatic things happen, a hyper-gamma wave is produced. The wave holds all the feelings and sensations causing us to re-enact the trauma withe the help of the Amygdala. Havening has found a way to interrupt the wave and the impact of our limbic system. Want to know more? lLsten here on Things Worth Considering.
When was the last time you felt stuck? Unable to make a decision? It may be even simple decisions like what to eat for dinner to life altering decisions like leaving a job, moving to another city or even a country or to leaving our partner with whom we live with. Feeling stuck can be a very painful place to be but it is actually masking something else, for under the pain of our feeling stuck lies other pain which we are trying not to face by being stuck on making other decisions, the perfect diversion. Making decisions, especially big decisions, forces our issues and unhealed parts to come to the surface. From time to time we all feel stuck, or indecisive but then there are times , and they can be for a long time, that we can feel immobilized. Something no one should have to suffer through. This episode looks at some ideas to help move through being stuck but it is your choice. Something worth considering!!
Do you believe that a part of us lives on after the death of the physical body? Do you believe in the spiritual afterlife? Do you believe some people have the ability to communicate beyond the veil we call death? Mediumship is defined as someone who has contact with the Spirit world and it is their connection to Spirit that brings us messages from those we love who have gone on before us. The psychic is able to tune into other people’s energy, read it and make predictions about what is happening or may happen in future. Psychics are not necessarily mediums but mediums are always psychics. We all have these abilities , however some people are more capable as a result of both nature and nurture. There are many people today that have this talent but keep it hush hush. There is a stigma attached to being a medium and history hasn't bode well to come out about their abilities. Whether this idea entices or terrifies, evidence is mounting as to a spiritual world interacting with ours.
Have you ever known something before it happened? Have you ever met someone and just knew they were trouble? or had this intense attraction to them? Gut feelings, hunches, a feeling and we enter the world of intuition. A very studied field but little agreement and even fewer answers. Some argue it is a probability based on previous knowledge. We do know it is like an early warning radar and when activated, it kicks our fear response into play. Our body fills with adrenaline and we enter the fight /flight mechanism of survival. Many people are living so stressed out that they live in a flight or flight state. How can intuition even function when one of its end results is already fully activated. But it is smarter than our stress reactions and somehow from mothers to corporate executives intuition still supplies us with instant knowing that we can't even explain in the moment. It seems to by-pass the analytical brain and uses our feelings to inform us. Now that's Worth Considering.
In Part 1, we discovered that the Onion People are us, humans. The name is derived from a psych model of all the parts we humans contend with in our lives. This onion model puts our true self right in the middle and as we age through all the ups and downs of growing up, we develop layers. One layer is for our defences, another for our sub-personalities and another still for our addictions. Growing up becomes an exercise in fragmentation and building walls. One part of us is in this layer and another hidden in this layer. Maybe it isn't just a breaking apart and separation from who we really are but an interesting defence system that keeps our less desirable parts put away out of sight. Who is making that judgment? Enter shame, the builder of our walls. Society's judge of all things - especially outside the norm. Whirling from trying to please so many things, our inner child becomes caught in this web of shame while locked behind this wall of protection. Help us tear down these walls.
The rise of the Onion people is not a cooking show nor a science fiction tale of onions taking over our planet. No, this episode looks at a model of the human psyche and multi-layered mind that is constantly engaged and energetically influencing all we experience in our life. Our subconscious, receptacle of all memories and ruler of dreams and bodily functions yet cannot tell the difference between fact or fantasy. it is outside the time/space continuum of Einstein's world, a Higher Self or Spirit that is also outside of the earth's time frame. We know of the brain but what of the mind? Where does it exist? As of yet it has never been identified. In the middle we dwell, in a time /space ruled world protected by layer upon layer of energy like an onion and in the centre, our true Self. Our layers hold our wounds and our healing, our disowned parts and our intuitive creativity, defences and empathy, all are things worth considering.
Our last episode looked at the process of Spiritual Awakening but compared to today's topic, awakening is not that difficult. It is staying awake that is the hardest part. Since our brain loves habitual behaviours, it is not co-operating very much to assist us with these new behaviours, attitudes and thoughts. In fact, it is acting like it is being take for a ride and it is bent on maintaining the status quo. No new things! After what may have been a peak experience and as we settle into the new energies. we are slowly lulled back into old ways. The things we wanted to change just became a normal part of what we have always known. It takes a lot of work to convince our brain that we seriously want to create change but until it is convinced, we will struggle with old ways and the new. Only to discover we have slowly gone back to sleep. Tune in to this episode as we look at what we are up against but also what we can do about staying awake, and that is worth considering.
This episode takes us far past the common experience of having to wake up because a technology device is set to ensure we wake up and dash off to our jobs - on-time. Today's episode moves us into the awakening of our spirit and the many stories and myths throughout the world's spiritual traditions. A spiritual awakening will be different for everyone but there are some commonalities that help us identify that we may be experiencing a spiritual awakening and not just another bad day. The role of a catalyst, the shift in perception and changes in behaviours and attitudes show us what we can expect. What feelings and emotions are common and the 5 traps of awakening that suggest your ego woke up but your spirit, not quite yet. By taking away the myths we want to give you ideas to make this journey a bit easier for you and everyone around you. Join us for this episode of Things Worth Considering because there is much to consider.
Do you have Spiritual Practices or do you practice being Spiritual? This episode will take you through ideas and the importance of having daily Spiritual Practises. It is well documented the benefits to our mental health, our physical and spiritual well-being by having a daily practice. Join us in exploring possible things to incorporate gently into your lifestyle without feeling you have to pack up everything all today and move into a spiritual community half way around the planet. That is always a choice, but just not one that we are suggesting today. Spiritual Practices- finding what is right for you and how to incorporate them without feeling overwhelmed. It is worth considering the connection you can develop on so many levels - both inside and outside
What does Spiritual but Not Religious mean? It is the latest catchphrase that many use to describe their spirituality. What about you, are you spiritual or are you religious? The foundation of all religion is spiritual but little religion is found in the spiritual. This episode looks for the answers in religion and spirituality. Is this a natural evolution of religion? We know how to do religion but how are we expected to do Spirituality? Join us for this episode exploring questions, finding answers to discover Things Worth Considering!
In spite of warnings not to judge a book by its cover, we all judge books by their cover, or more precisely, each other. From early on, we learn what is considered acceptable and attractive and we learned to measure our self up to our culture's standard. Believing we are not tall enough, not slim enough, not feminine enough, not masculine enough, not pretty enough can have devastating effects on our ability to step into and enjoy the live we would otherwise choose to develop. We may socially isolate and spend, more and more time alone. In isolation we may develop eating disorders, become angry and anxious. Negative self-talk leading to negative self-regard and risk taking behaviours. We may be deceptive on social media sites posting inaccurate self descriptions or even other peoples' photos. We share ways to rid our self of toxic body shame embracing all of our parts, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Tension is inevitable - anxiety is NOT What makes you tense? At what point does the tension cross over and become anxiety? We all share certain common stressors like money, work, relationships including marriage, divorce, uneven sex drive, and time - like money, just not enough of it! Child raising, emotional overload, and the newest entry to the world of stressors - technology. Understand how our brain hijacks our reactions and hence, our perceptions to all events in our life. The habituation of fear, just what our brain loves, repetitive behaviours. Strategies to stay cool when all around you is heating up. Since things will continue to heat up given our current world situations, then there can never be enough strategies at our disposal to carry on and stay cool. These are definitely things worth considering!
When you hear the word - Stress, do you roll your eyes or pipe in That's me? In spite of years of research and evidence-based assertions as to the detrimental effects of stress most people turn a deaf ear and carry on with their until their body sends out signals that something is wrong. It is known that 70 to 90% of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress related illnesses. Physical, mental, emotional and spiritual are all possible targets of the stressors we encounter. Not all stress is bad as good stress propels us on to achieve our best but the bad stress can be fatal. We also know that stress is very individual. What one person experiences as stressful another person can swim right through it. Which leads us to an important place. Stress is all about perception. If I think something is stressful then it will be stressful. All told, our attitude, filters and what we learned stresses us out. Join us for a de-stressing chat on the next Things Worth Considering.
Do you start to feel uncomfortable, perhaps break out in a sweat when someone stands to close to you? Ever noticed how you instinctively find a way to step back and create space from that person who is standing to close? If you have, then you have some experience with boundaries. That imaginary distance we have around us establishes where i stop and you begin. The invisible line marking our space is quite variable for each person and there are those who have utter disregard for other peoples' space, no matter how much you squirm trying to pull back from their intrusion. Boundaries are how we teach people what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour for us. There are people who have rigid boundaries around, like meeting times can only be on these days, between this time and that time. The ideal however, is learning to have flexibility, to find common ground while both parties are honoured in a win-win situation. Boundaries - so much more than the white picket fence around the yard!
We all have them, most of us hate them and virtually none of us know how to navigate through them successfully. We refer to disagreements or arguments with our spouses, loved ones and even co-workers. Disagreements that can quickly spin out of control and hurt feelings or destroyed relationships ensue. We will give you tried and true approaches to how to behave and what not to say when you find yourself in such a situation. What not to say like calling someone inappropriate and hurtful names, making unsubstantiated accusations or digging up the past. Talking to everyone else about your problem except the person who needs to hear this. Getting people to voice an opinion about your problem and try to get them to join your 'I am Right' Alliance. More of these ideas will be revealed in this episode of Things Worth Considering. Getting to Yes isn't nearly as difficult as we are lead to believe.
The myths of romantic love inform us how women need to be rescued, forever the helpless victim and saved by none other than a heroic muscular man. In books, movies and fantasies this scenario ties us to gender biases and heteronormative stories. Yet historically and in parts of today's world, marriage has little to do with romance but arranged to acquire wealth, title and prestige. Any wonder we have difficulties with relationships and the expectations placed on what ideally is a spiritual connection but fraught with secular aspirations. As we are always in relationships of different kinds, we look at qualities like trust, respect and acceptance. We ponder the mystery of attraction. Who we are attracted to? Why often the same type. Using the Hendrick's Imago work, we see it starts with our parents and the unmet needs of our childhood. Still we attempt to meet those needs from similar people as our parents. Fascinating and disturbing! Join us on our journey to connect.
There is a kind of caretaking that is very different than child rearing. This is caretaking of others who are aging with us: a spouse, a parent, a friend, or a sibling. They may be experiencing a slow loss of independence, or a rapid decline resulting from health issues. Caregiving wasn’t considered important,it was another aspect of women’s family life. When middle class women en masse moved into the paid work force in the 50s and 60s, feminists recognized that women had 2 jobs – as a paid worker at their job AND as a caretaker at home.DOUBLE WORK-one paid, one is not. The expectations of a higher standard of living AND more women working means that grown daughters/and mothers of younger children are STRESSED out by the unlimited expectations, role conflict, and increased demands for better caretaking skills.The entire family is affected, Feelings of overwhelm, anger, resentment become pervasive. Join us for this episode about taking care of you with 7 Tips to Care for Aging Parents.
AGING – we think we know what it is precisely because we all do it. But sociologists and psychologists think of it a bit differently than who we usually think of it. This story is the new story of aging.Emerging in the early 1900s with the rise of developmental psychology, suddenly people started thinking of life in terms of stages. The end of WW2, the economy flourished and people lived longer, a new old age emerged.The extended families saw older people working, providing for their families even if only in the home. The nuclear family saw older people left on their own, and the wealthy were encouraged to ‘retire’. Retirement is new-made possible by longevity and wealth, today it is seen as a normal stage of aging. 10,000 people retire each day in America, Something that we will all do. or is it? Aging is a process. Age is a number and aging is an experience. Many factors determine how we age, and research shows there are ways age 60 can be the new age 40.
We all experience Consciousness every day, yet our culture is primarily focused on the Physical: material wealth, science & technology. Consciousness can be difficult to understand, because it is NOT physical, so we can’t see, hear, or touch it. Our culture is focused on the physical because it is easier to understand since we can see, hear, and touch it. Modern Physics reveals that Physical Reality is actually: Multi-Layered, Paradoxical, Mysterious, extends beyond our 5 senses, and extends beyond what we call “common sense”. The 7 Principles of the Affluent Soul are: Expand awareness, Identify as Multi-layered Consciousness, Feel Soul through the Heart, Empower through Choice, Express Authenticity, Appreciate with Gratitude and Love in Harmony. The 7 Principles of the Affluent Soul is an instruction manual for conducting efficient experiments that allows the reader to determine for themselves whether their own experiments provide useful benefits to their own lives.
Do you want to manifest your best possible life and highest potential? Abundance is a natural state for us to be in and is part of our divine right. We live surrounded by abundance but somehow does this bountiful world seem to elude your experience? From ancient times to the present, mystics, scholars and authors have been pondering and writing about how we co-create our reality with the Universe. The scientific discipline of quantum physics has shown that reality is malleable and that we shape our life with our mindset. Many best sellers have been based on the principles and the law of attraction. However, they did not incorporate how you could be blocking yourself from realizing this very abundance and therefore not receiving your desires. How do you release your blocks to having everything you desire in this lifetime? These ideas are definitely “things worth considering”
Previously we took a look at situations when events forced us into unplanned life changes. In this episode we want to explore how to plan for necessary changes. Rather than change being such an upsetting experience we will give you ideas that will give you more control over the events, have more choices and be actively involved and not a victim to our life events. These ideas are worth considering making life’s inevitable twists and turns easier to navigate. With the inevitability of change, we want you to have a plan that is easy to kick into action, an attitude of empowerment and a knowing that you will survive and this too shall pass. How do we know you can come through almost any event? There is an underlying technique to life that is so overlooked, it feels like a secret. We want you to learn this simple to understand but difficult to consistently do approach and it Is usable in all areas of life. Wondering what it is? Tune in Thursday because this is worth considering.
HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED YOUR LIFE SEEMINGLY BLOW UP AS YOU STOOD THERE WONDERING WHAT JUST HAPPENED? YOU THOUGHT YOUR LIFE WAS GOING ALONG SO WELL, NO MAJOR TWISTS OR TURNS. YOU HAD EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL, ALL YOUR DUCKS IN A ROW SO TO SPEAK, WHEN LIFE TURNED INTO A TRAIN WRECK. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. MOST PEOPLE HAVE CHANGE THRUST UPON THEM WITH NO CLUE THAT THE UNIVERSE HAD PLANS DIFFERENT FROM THEIR OWN. OVER TIME WE ARE LULLED INTO A MAKE-BELIEVE PLACE WHERE ALL IS WELL. THE STATUS QUO MAINTAINED BY OUR HABITUAL BRAIN’S TOOLS OF PROCRASTINATION, FANTASY, FALSE BELIEFS AND A DEFINITE DISLIKE FOR CHANGE. MOST PEOPLE DO NOT LIKE CHANGE, PERIOD. WE ARE INVESTED IN KEEPING THINGS JUST THE WAY THEY ARE BUT LURKING JUST BEYOND OUR AWARENESS IS THE HUMAN SPIRIT. OUR SPIRIT IS ON THIS PLANET FOR ONE REASON, TO GROW AND THAT MEANS CHANGING. EVERYTHING AROUND US GROWS, EVEN THE UNIVERSE IS CHANGING. WHAT CAN WE DO TO NOT BE BOWLED OVER BY SUDDEN CHANGE? TUNE IN TO FIND OUT SOME IDEAS!
We all tell lies to our self. Have you ever convinced yourself to buy something knowing you can't afford it? Have you ever done something as your thoughts are telling you not to? Noticed how you felt? When we do one thing and at the same time know we should not, it makes us very uncomfortable on our insides. This experience is called cognizant dissonance. The stress we feel when have 2 ideas or beliefs that oppose each other. Try making a decision? Or doing one thing and saying the opposite, very stressful! How is it we can lie to our self-one more dessert and start the diet in the morning, which we won't. This week we will be discussing the lies we tell our self and others about our bodies, finances, love and relationships, the damage lies do and how to stop lying. Do you have a story to tell about lies in your life, and what was the outcome? write us at info@spiritgrows.ca If we read your letter on air you will receive 3 one hour long Coaching sessions with one of our graduates.
Do you ever start off with a great idea only to have a barrage of negativity take over your thoughts and derail you? Do you chat with someone only to walk away and berate yourself for what you said? Our negative thoughts can be debilitating and paralyzing. At times we can go into a loop, going over and over the same negative dialogue. This episode looks at why we so negative at times, where does this Inner Critic come from including the neuroscience of why we are naturally negative thinkers. We will give you easy to use possibilities to lower the volume of that Critical voice and ways to move from beating yourself up, to finding life enhancing techniques that keep the smile on your face. Send any questions you have about this or other episodes to www.spiritgrows.ca, there are free coaching sessions up for grabs from the Transformational Arts College graduates.
The best defined plans can suddenly go sideways and horribly wrong. This episode of 'Things Worth Considering' looks at the fact things can and do go wrong. How we handle the unexpected can teach us about our strengths and our weaknesses. How do you handle these glitches? Do you handle them just like your parents do? Is it bad planning? Or is the Universe telling us something? We are here to guide you through the why's and how's so everyone goes through them intact. E-mail us of a time you met obstacles in your life, how you dealt with the situation and what did you learn from it. If we read your letter on the air during this broadcast you will receive 3 private sessions FREE with a Life Coach graduate of Transformational Arts College and you choose anything you would like to explore in your life in confidence, to clarify or even change it. You have to write us to receive this gift though. Your full name will not be used on the air. E-mail us at info@spiritgrows.ca
Have you ever had a problem but no solution? You thought about it, gathered the information to solve it, and still no solution? Frustrated, you walk away from your problem all together, maybe there is no solution. Most people when faced with problems resort to Historic Problem-Solving, repeating what we have always done before. But a couple of days later, you wake up, hit the shower, and not really thinking when suddenly the solution to your problem is there, in detail. You feel exhilarated, you have the answer. This is a Eureka moment, an Aha experience. We all have them, but we don’t seem to be able to request them on command. Why, not? Gord and Jan have some tried and true techniques to do to find solutions to problems. Answers can come to us easily without the stress we create when solutions are not forthcoming. The Aha experience is mysterious and yet magical that no one really knows how this experience happens.