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Goldberg urges us to look for spiritual practices that fit our personal needs, predilections and circumstances. He advocates bringing the best of ourselves to our life and work by combining our outer work in the world with our inner work of spiritual development. He also encourages us to develop a spiritual routine yet remain flexible. Philip Goldberg has been studying the world's spiritual traditions for more than 50 years. He's a workshop leader, spiritual counselor and meditation teacher, and an ordained interfaith minister. He also co-hosts the Spirit Matters Podcasts. He leads American Veda tours and blogs regularly on Elephant Journal and Spirituality & Health. He is the author of many books, including American Veda: From Emerson and the Beatles to Yoga and Meditation How Indian Spirituality Changed the West. (Harmony 2013), The Life of Yogananda: The Story of the Yogi Who Became the First Modern Guru (Hay House, 2nd Edition 2020) and Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times: Powerful Tools to Cultivate Calm, Clarity, and Courage (Hay House 2020) Interview Date: 8/10/2020  Tags: Philip Goldberg, spiritual bypassing, spiritual activism, Thomas Merton, John Lewis, Paramahansa Yogananda, Mahatma Gandhi, mindfulness, Huston Smith, Bhagavad Gita, Jill Bolte Taylor, mantra, TM, Transcendental Meditation, Meditation, Personal Transformation, Spirituality

The Art of Noticing: A Mindfulness Practice for Everyday Life with Willow Older and Deborah Huber A closed museum led two friends to an unplanned discovery: pausing to notice ordinary moments, then quickly writing and sketching them, builds mindfulness, creativity, and connection. The co-founders of "Today I Noticed" describe how this simple daily practice eases stress, deepens empathy, and reveals the extraordinary hidden inside everyday life. Willow Older is an award-winning writer who runs her own editorial services business. Raised in the South Island on New Zealand, Willow is a self-taught artist and determined knitter. Deborah Huber has spent most of her career in the high-tech industry in a variety of creative and management roles. She writes children’s books and dreams of taking a daily swim in the chilly San Francisco Bay. They are the cofounders of Today I Noticed, a creative mindfulness practice based on the power of paying attention. They lead Today I Noticed workshops for organizations of all sizes and share their observations about everyday life on Instagram @today.I.noticed. They are co-authors of Today I Noticed: The Little Book of Mindfulness That Will Change the Way You See the World. (Blue Star Press 2023) Interview Date: 8/12/2026       Tags: Willow Older, Deborah Huber, noticing, presence, mindfulness, creative journaling, paying attention, gratitude, empathy, stress relief, self-expression, Art & Creativity, Personal Transformation

The Gratitude Adjustment with Becca Anderson Becca Anderson shares how gratitude became her life's practice, from a childhood on a West Virginia farm to a career built after she refused to look away from injustice. Here she explores morning intentions, affirmations, random acts of kindness, journaling, and vision boards as tools for resilience and transformation. Becca Anderson is an American writer, teacher, and gardener based in the San Francisco Bay Area, best known for inspirational books celebrating gratitude, women’s lives, and spiritual wisdom. She comes from a long line of preachers and teachers from Ohio and Kentucky. The teacher side of her family led her to become a women’s studies scholar. She credits her spiritual practice with helping her recover from cancer and wants to share this with anyone who is facing difficulty in their life. Her books include: The Book of Awesome Women: Boundary Breakers, Freedom Fighters, Sheroes and Female First (Mango Publishing Group 2017) Every Day Thankful: 365 Blessings, Graces and Gratitudes (TMA Press 2017) Badass Affirmations: The Wit and Wisdom of Wild Women (Mango Publishing Group 2018) I Can Do Anything: Positive Affirmations, Inspirational Thoughts and Motivational Words Card Deck (Mango Publishing Group 2021) Badass Gratitude: Affirmations for Slaying Your Way to Contentment (Andrew McMeel Publishing 2025) Interview Date: 7/11/2026.      Tags: Becca Anderson, gratitude, affirmations, spiritual wisdom, morning intentions, random acts of kindness, journaling, vision board, resilience, self-nurturing, consciousness development, deep listening, soul place, manifesting success, badass gratitude, Personal Transformation, Spirituality, Women's Studies

The Neuroscience of Soul with Helen Lavretsky, MD, MS UCLA neuroscientist Dr. Helen Lavretsky shares how a Kundalini Yoga awakening led her to teach "soul listening" meditation. She explores soul, ego, and spirit; heart-brain coherence; grounding; trauma release via EFT/EMDR; and AI's role in mental health, inviting us to become conscious creators of our own reality. Helen Lavretsky, MD, MS is a medically trained integrative and geriatric psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and professor of psychiatry at UCLA. She directs clinical and research programs in integrative mental health and serves as a director of research for the UCLA Integrative Medicine Collaborative.She is the author of Living From the Soul: The Neuroscience of Spiritual Awakening (Park Street Press 2026) Interview Date: 7/17/2026     Tags:  Helen Lavretsky, integrative psychiatry, neuroscience, spiritual awakening, soul listening, Kundalini yoga, mind-body therapies, heart-brain connection, self-regulation, trauma healing, EFT, EMDR, consciousness, intuition, grounding, AI in mental health, digital natives, nature therapy, Health & Healing, Personal Transformation, psychology, Science

The medical choices we have regarding our health are multitudinous. Three main choices are Western, Eastern, Natural medicine. So how do we wade through the variety of options and how might they work together? Elson Haas, MD is dedicated to empowering each of us with the knowledge and resources we need to make the best choices for our health.Elson Haas, M.D. is an integrative medicine practitioner with more than four decades of experience. He’s the Founder and Director of Haas Health Online and the Preventative Medical Center of Marin (PMCM). He is the author of: Staying Healthy with the Seasons (Celestial Arts 2003), Staying Healthy Shopper’s Guide (Celestial Arts, 1999), The False Fat Diet: The Revolutionary 21-Day Program for Losing the Weight You Think Is Fat (Ballantine, 2000), The Detox Diet, Third Edition: The Definitive Guide for Lifelong Vitality with Recipes, Menus and Detox Plans (Ten Speed Press 2012) and Staying Healthy with Nutrition: The Complete Guide to Diet and Nutritional Medicine (revised) (Celestial Arts 2006) and Staying Healthy with NEW Medicine: Integrating Natural, Eastern and Western Approaches for Optimal Health (Elson Haas 2016). Tags: Elson Haas, prescription drugs, exercise, Natural Medicine, Eastern Medicine, Western Medicine, insulin, thyroid, hormones, surgery, pain, Ken Pelletier, epigenetics, sleep, nutrition, regular exercise, managing stress, quality sleep, healthy attitude, Mediterranean diet, detoxification, genetic disorders, immune disorders, germs, inflammation, macrobiotics, vegan diets, vegetarian diet, Health & Healing

In this program Graham shows us that it is possible to train our brains, our bodies, and our hearts to access our intuitive wisdom which helps us get through the tough times and become more conscious in the process. This training is supported by research scientists who have found that combining mindfulness and neuroscience, including neuroplasticity, can lead us to more resilience and well-being. She describes the five intelligences of the body and mind.Linda Graham is the author of Bouncing Back: Rewiring Your Brain for Maximum Resilience and Well-Being (New World Library 2013) and Resilience: Powerful Practices for Bouncing Back from Disappointment, Difficulty, and Even Disaster (New World Library 2018) Tags: Linda Graham, resilience, resilient, response flexibility, neuroplasticity, prefrontal cortex, brain science, somatic intelligence, shame, Natalie Rogers, mindfulness, mindful self-compassion, compassion, Barbara Frederickson, negative emotions, imagination, trust, safety, oxytocin, Shelly E. Taylor, Diana Fosha, tend and befriend, Mark Coleman, gratitude practice, journaling, overwhelmed, attention, Science, Personal Transformation, Self Help, relationship

Our smartphones offer extraordinary benefits, yet many of us sense they have become more than useful tools. Psychotherapist Shannon Algeo explores how attachment theory sheds new light on our relationship with technology and offers compassionate practices for reclaiming our attention, creativity, and human connection. Shannon Algeo is an American and Irish writer, psychotherapist, researcher, poet, and Yoga Nidra teacher based in California. Shannon is on the faculty of the Esalen Institute and the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, where he leads digital liberation workshops and offline retreats that help participants reclaim their attention, creativity, and relationships in an increasingly digitized world. Named one of Wanderlust's "35 Under 35 in Wellness to Watch," Shannon has spoken at the United Nations and the Museum of Contemporary Art. His work integrates attachment theory, neuroscience, mindfulness, poetry, and depth psychology to help people cultivate greater presence, resilience, and authentic human connection in the digital age. He is the author of: Trust Your Truth: Heal Self-Doubt, Awaken to Your Soul’s Purpose, and Live Your Badass Life ( New Harbinger Publications 2021)The Power in Your Hands: Liberate Yourself from Attachment to Technology (Broadleaf   Books, 2026) Interview Date: 6/5/2026    Tags: Shannon Algeo, technology addiction, smartphone addiction, attachment theory, digital wellbeing, digital liberation, attention, creativity, neuroscience, relationships, secure attachment, parenting, nature, mindfulness, social media, presence, inner child, Mary Main, Dr. Daniel Siegel, Anne Lamott, Mark Coleman, David J. Wallin, Paul Hewson, Mary Oliver, Nikki Myers, Marianne Williamson, Seane Corn, Victor Ochen, John Bowlby, Psychology, Personal Transformation, Technology, Relationships, Parenting, Community

Ancient Celtic wisdom-keeper and scientist Diana Beresford-Kroeger reveals how forests regulate climate, oceans, oxygen, and human health. She shares a simple global “bioplan” of tree planting to help heal our warming planet. Diana Beresford-Kroeger, Ph.D. is an Irish-born botanist, medical biochemist, and author who bridges cutting-edge science with ancient Celtic wisdom about trees and forests. Orphaned in Ireland and taught by her elders in the Brehon and Druidic traditions, she has become a globally recognized voice for the protection of the world’s forests and an early visionary on climate change. Through her scientific work and her “Bioplan” for replanting the global forest, Dr. Beresford-Kroeger invites ordinary people to enter into a renewed, reciprocal relationship with trees as vital allies in healing the planet. Her Beresford-Kroeger’s books and films include: Arboretum America (University of Michigan 2003) The Global Forest: Forty Ways Trees Can Save Us (Penguin Books 2011) The Sweetness of a Simple Life (Random House 2015) To Speak for the Trees (Random House Canada 2019) Our Green Heart: The Soul and Science of Forests (Random House Canada 2024) Her Documentary film: Call of the Forest: The Forgotten Wisdom of Trees Interview Date: 6/19/2026     Tags: Diana Beresford-Kroeger, Patrice (Rocky) Donoghue, Sunday’s Well, forest restoration, tree planting, climate change, Irish Penal Laws, Celtic wisdom, bioplan, oxygen production, fulvic acid, algae, Pimachiowin Aki UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bloodvein River, serotonin, glucose, redwoods, sequoias, ancient knowledge, biodiversity, photosynthesis, cancer prevention, environmental sustainability, global forest, silence of the forest, Mother Tree, ancestral knowledge, ocean-forest connection, Ecology/Environment/Nature, Indigenous Wisdom, Science

Thanks to cell phones, photography is now the great democratic medium, one of the most important means of communication of the 21st century. This is a new order, in which images are made, seen, and shared immediately and globally without curation or censoring by editors or governments. We can participate in shaping the reality of this order. David Ulrich is a college level professor and co-director of the Pacific New Media Foundation in Honolulu, Hawaii. His photographs have been exhibited internationally in more than 75 one-person and group exhibitions. He is the author of: The Widening Stream: The Seven Stages of Creativity (Beyond Words 2001) and Zen Camera: Creative Awakening With a Daily Practice in Photography (Watson-Guptill 2018) Tags: David Ulrich, empathy, Paul Strand, movie Harold and Maude, universal love, cell phone camera, visual pollution, Annie Leibovitz, photographing Barack Obama, Zen, Walt Whitman, imagination, Arts & Creativity, Spirituality, Philosophy, Meditation

Mark Nepo invites us to rediscover language as a doorway to the sacred. Tracing words to their roots, he reveals how language shapes awareness, connection, and healing. Through story and insight, he reframes courage, genius, and kinship, showing how words can restore our humanity and make every conversation a spiritual practice. Mark Nepo is a poet and philosopher and a most eloquent spiritual teacher. In 2015, he was given a Life-Achievement Award by AgeNation and in 2016 was named by Watkins: Mind Body Spirit as one of the Most Spiritually Influential Living People. He was part of Oprah Winfrey’s The Life You Want Tour in 2014 and has appeared several times with Oprah on her Super Soul Sunday program on OWN TV. As a cancer survivor, Mark devotes his writing and teaching to the journey of inner transformation and the life of relationship.He is the author of many audio learning projects and over 20 books Interview Date: 5/22/2026     Tags: Mark Nepo, courage, Joan Borysenko, all my relations, Aladin’s lamp, wholehearted, trust, yugen, intuition, acequia, Personal Transformation, Relationship/Partnership, Spirituality

In this conversation Flowers explores the deep human-dog bond, showing how dogs’ emotional behavior often reflects their human companions. We are connected through a shared energetic field. Beyond the love they shower on us, they give us the gift of getting off our couches and out into the wider world, making us better physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  JJ Flowers is a screenwriter, playwright, and a lifelong yogi who teaches pranayama and Metta meditation, also known as the Loving Kindness meditation. She identifies as an experienced metaphysician, psychic medium, and animal communicator. She is the author of numerous books including Juan Pablo and the Butterflies (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers 2017) and The Spiritual Dog: Emissary of Unconditional Love and Healing (Findhorn Press 2026) Interview Date: 5/6/2026.    Tags: JJ Flowers, Metta Meditation, Loving Kindness meditation, aggression in dogs, chakra system, grief, therapy dogs, Bill Phillips , evidentiary medium, Jane Roberts, Seth Speaks, Paul Selig, channeling, Melchizedek, pranayama yoga, breathing exercises, neurotic dogs, love and angelic realms, dogs can smell cancer, Animals, Relationship, Spirituality

This dialogue is filled with practical wisdom to support us in growing calmness and well-being so we may be more effective and resilient in our lives. Hanson assures us that the core of our being is “calm strength.” It is the background of who we are; it is a fundamental quality, the “wallpaper of our mind.” Tags: MP3, Rick Hanson, resilience, resilient, neuropsychology, resistance, persistence, developmental psychology, calmness, calm, Foundations of Well-Being, desire, neuroscience, brain, motivation, liking something, wanting something, brain science, motivational brain circuit, dopamine, neurochemicals, empathy, mirror neurons, empathic, generosity, Forrest Hanson, Health & Healing, Psychology, Science, Personal Transformation, Self Help

In the midst of our present polarization and alienation from one another, Patten exhorts us to understand that “we are in this lifeboat together and the fiercest thing we can do is to say, I’m living in a new republic of the heart. I’m a revolutionary. You are not going to separate yourself from me. I refuse to be in separation from you.” Tags: Terry Patten, York Center Community Co-op, Church of the Brethren, Adi Da Samraj, Integral Institute, despair, climate change, overshoot, activism, neurocardiology, Candace Pert, human intelligence systems, evolutionary emergence, empathy, fear, anger, tipping point, new tribalism, interdependence, David Bohm, Bohmian dialogue, shared inquiry, imaginal cells, epistemic humility, Psychology, Peace/Nonviolence,Social Change/Politics

DeSilver describes how writing from the body rather than the head is a visceral experience that connects us with our intuition. He says, “Everybody is a creative person. It’s a matter of where you have been putting your attention.” This conversation is filled with encouragement that will help you on your road to being a better writer. Tags: Albert Flynn DeSilver, silent retreat, Natalie Goldberg, Writing Down the Bones, Beryl Markham, Carl Sandberg, poetry, imagination, intuition, Robert Bly, Walt Whitman, devotion, discipline, Ann Waldman, Vow to Poetry, free writing, photography, talent, courage, dictionary, Writing, Self Help, Art & Creativity, Meditation, community, personal transformation

Buddhist teacher Namgyel points out that “everything leans.”She frames this statement with the reminder, “[W]e live in a world where ‘it all depends’ and everything is influencing everything else. We might think we know something at one moment but everything is always interrupting and influencing and so it’s always changing. Life, as we know it, is very dynamic.” Elizabeth Mattis Namgyel is a Buddhist teacher and teaches throughout the U.S. and Europe. She’s the wife of Tibetan Buddhist master Dzigar Kongtrul and has studied and practiced in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition since 1985. After many years of solitary retreat, Dzigar Rinpoche appointed Elizabeth as Retreat Master at Longchen Jigme Samten Ling, retreat center in southern Colorado. Her books include It's Up to You: The Practice of Self-Reflection on the Buddhist Path (editor) (Shambhala 2006), Light Comes Through: Buddhist Teachings on Awakening to Our Natural Intelligence (editor) (Shambhala 2009), The Power of an Open Question: The Buddha's Path to Freedom (Shambhala 2010) and The Logic of Faith: A Buddhist Approach to Finding Certainty Beyond Belief and Doubt (Shambhala 2018) Tags: Elizabeth Mattis Namgyel, faith, faithing, logic, grace, suffering, spiritual comparisons, the church, dogma, Sam Harris, Thomas Merton, spiritual doubts, joy, wakefulness, Joanna Macy, Chernobyl, Mother Teresa, disciples, awe, everything leans, the Buddha, awakening, Dave Chappelle, atom, reify, karma, evolution, Buddhism, Spirituality, Philosophy, Personal Transformation