Authentic Living

We are so excited this week to have Marianne Williamson on the Authentic Living Show to talk to us about her latest NY Times Bestseller, A Course in Weight Loss: 21 Spiritual Lessons for Surrendering Your Weight Forever. Most of us already know several of Marianne’s other books, including The Age of Miracles, Everyday Grace, A Woman's Worth, Illuminata, Healing the Soul of America and The Gift of Change, for as Time Magazine puts it, Yoga, the Cabala and Marianne Williamson have been taken up by those seeking a relationship with God that is not strictly tethered to Christianity. We also know that thousands of books have been published on weight loss. But none of these books can offer the permanent plan offered in A Course in Weight Loss. Nor do they offer the powerful lessons in transformational surrender that this book clarifies so well. This could be a life-changing discussion today—don’t let yourself miss it!

In 1995 and 1996 The Celestine Prophecy was the #1 American book in the world, and the #1 international bestseller of 1996. This phenomenal novel spent over 3 years on the New York Times best sellers list. The book’s author James Redfield continued the story with the sequels The Tenth Insight: Holding the Vision and The Secret of Shambhala: In Search of the Eleventh Insight. And now the long-awaited book, The Twelfth Insight: The Hour of Decision, has arrived on the book shelves. And James Redfield is going to be here to tell us about his own journey in writing this book as well as the rare truths that it unfolds for us. You might even say that James Redfield is one of the world’s most important catalysts for change in world vision—so we are very excited to have him on the show this week to help us all toward that Twelfth Insight. Don’t miss it.

It’s one thing to have a vision. It’s another to manifest that vision. Our guest this week is Corinne McLaughlin, co-author of The Practical Visionary, Spiritual Politics (Foreword by the Dalai Lama), and Builders of the Dawn. She comes to increase our consciousness about bringing vision to earth consciousness—into the practical, even the mundane. Corinne is co-founder of The Center for Visionary Leadership in California and North Carolina. She directed a national task force for President Clinton’s Council on Sustainable Development and is a Fellow of The World Business Academy and the Findhorn Foundation. She is also a co-founder of Sirius Community, a spiritual/environmental center in Massachusetts, and taught politics at American University, and she offers trainings in visionary leadership and spiritual development around the U.S. and Europe. Don’t miss this powerful experience!

Dr. Marilyn Schlitz is the President and CEO of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, IONS, which is also the current sponsor of the Authentic Living show, who through her work as a clinical research scientist, medical anthropologist, writer, speaker, and thought leader has pioneered clinical and field-based research in the area of human transformation, consciousness studies, worldview literacy and cultural healing for more than three decades. She is also Senior Scientist at the Research Institute, California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, CA. Dr. Schlitz has published hundreds of articles and several books on consciousness studies. She is a visionary leader and an engaging speaker and today we are going to be talking to her about how expanding consciousness transforms daily living. This is a unique opportunity to hear from one of the world’s leaders on consciousness. Don’t miss it!

‘Tis the season of love again, listeners, and if you are single, this show is for you. It’s time to re-visit all of your dreams for finding that special soulmate. Arielle Ford, our guest for today, helped launch the careers of such giants as Deepak Chopra and Neale Donald Walsch, to name a few, and handled publicity for Wayne Dyer, Gary Zukav, Marianne Williamson, and other notables, eleven of whom became #1 on the N.Y. Times Bestseller list. But until the age of 44, she was a self-described “failure” in the area of romantic relationships. Yet she did meet and marry her soulmate and has written the book “The Soulmate Secret” to answer your questions about how you can do the same. The book describes a series of processes that must be felt on a cellular level to create the outcome you desire. It is a practical guide that includes prayers and techniques to help clear out emotional baggage from the past and make room for true love to manifest. Don’t miss it!

According to Dr. Shefahli Tsabary, conscious parenting means turning the traditional notion of parenting on its head. She believes that conscious parenting shifts the epicenter of the parent-child relationship away from the traditional parent-to-child “know it all” approach, to a mutual parent-with-child relationship in which the parent learns alongside the child. With this model, instead of being merely the receiver of the parents’ psychological and spiritual legacy, children function as ushers of the parent’s transformational development. In the traditional model, while parents are trying to lead and mold their children they are also unwittingly passing on an inheritance of psychological pain and emotional shallowness. But with Tsabary’s model children serve as mirrors of the parent’s forgotten self, so that both parent and child help each other to be more authentic. You do not want to miss this enlightening and empowering discussion on conscious parenting.

One of the most important aspects of personal responsibility is that which we take by exploring our emotional reactions and responses. And one of the most important aspects of that exploration is confronting our emotional illusions. Betsy Otter Thompson, author of several other books, has written an emotional biography in which she challenges herself and her readers to consider various aspects of personal illusion. This experiential workbook, called “Walking Through Illusion” uses characters from Jesus’ life to demonstrate that walk and then offers specific exercises to challenge the reader. Today we’ll be talking about that book as it relates to your personal journey, your own emotional biography. For, as she tells us, we don’t take our beliefs (which could be our illusions) with us, just the love we found within them. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to increase your personal awareness.

Though it has been maligned over centuries of thought as either “flesh,” the source of all evil, idiot, unnecessary or just objective biology—the body is actually the physical organ of the soul. There is no division between matter and soul—though we have lived entire lifetimes, have planned our politics, our religions and our families around the notion that there is. The body is a wonderful instrument of synchronicity, which constantly informs us of the soul’s intentions—IF we are listening. And even when we don’t listen, the soul still has the capacity to speak through the body—through illness. We are being given constant guidance and love through the interwoven, interactive and holistic messaging system of the body/soul. Don’t miss this opportunity to complete the circle of peace in your own life.

We’ve been handed so much information about relationship. Generations ago we were taught that we should accept whatever is presented—which amounted to accepting the unacceptable and tolerating the intolerable in many cases. Now we are being told to just “not put up with it.” Laura Munson has a different story—one that is not meant to fit for everyone—but definitely a transformative journey based totally on a crisis in her primary relationship and a decision to transcend suffering. It is a story of empowerment and learning to walk the walk of inner peace. Laura has been writing for 20 years, having published articles in magazines and written several novels. Interestingly enough, it was only when she wrote about her personal journey that she was able to publish her first and bestselling book: “This is Not the Story You Think It Is.” Hers is a story about relationship that you really don’t want to miss.

According to Daniel Clark, we are sometimes gifted with an invitation “to see beyond the limits of our own religious ideologies and beliefs—to see God, the world and people like we’ve never seen them before.” And that is what we are going to be doing this week as we peer over the edge of the cliff of the end of 2010 into 2011. Dan’s very popular book “Life After Religion” is subtitled “Freedom from Beliefs that Cripple the Mind and Kill the Spirit.” He tells us that we have an inner guidance system, something he calls a “God given GPS navigating system,” which we need to learn how to turn on. Dan grew up in an abusive environment but one that was also steeped in religion. Eventually, through his own existential crisis, he found his greater meaning beyond religion. This is a tough topic, but we are going to dare it today. We are going to be asking some of life’s most profound questions, to enhance the outset of your New Year with some answers all your own. Don’t miss it.

Sometimes what’s going on just has the capacity to deflate us, doesn’t it? We lose our inspiration to just keep on keeping on. Well, today we are going to be talking to Dr. Jonathan Ellerby, coming back to the show for a second time today to teach us how to be inspired or re-inspired. This is not your crack-of-dawn rise and shine speech; nor is it your rah-rah motivational sales pitch. No, this is real inspiration. Inspiration that comes from the inside out. As he describes it, it is a “no-pill prescription to end high stress, low energy and bad habits.” Jonathan Ellerby has traveled the world to study with the masters of more than 40 different spiritual traditions, and has worked as a healer, teacher and consultant to both groups and individuals. He is the author of the book, and the subject of our discussion to today, “Inspiration Deficit Disorder,” and several others. So, if you are feeling less than inspired—don’t you dare miss this show.

Sara Wiseman returns to the Authentic Living Show this week to talk to us about raising the psychic child. In this day and age where intuition is becoming more and more of the norm, the intuition of our children can be warmly and supportively received, rather than, as it was in the past, shunned and dismissed. Sara’s latest book, “Your Psychic Child” teaches parents and others how to do just that. We can learn how to mirror and support the intuitive life of all children and to assist and receive the special reflections of the child who seems to know more about that under-world than we. If you know or have a child—don’t miss this show.

Consciousness. The “Law of Attraction.” Clearing blocks. Shadow work. These are the terms we hear. But what do they really mean? Is consciousness the same as “getting rid of ego?” Does the law of attraction mean that we should always master our thoughts and our words? Does clearing blocks mean that we are to purify ourselves? Does shadow work mean that we clean out the shadow of all of its “negative energy?” What, after all, is “negative energy?” This show is going to challenge everything you thought you knew about raising your consciousness. It is going to ask that you look at things that you’ve believed for perhaps all of your life. And with a bit of consideration, it may just bring you to peace. Don’t you dare miss this one.

Staying present is one of the hardest things we must learn to do if we are to integrate body, mind and soul. As David Ord, our guest for today puts it, “A lot of us have moments when we are present, but we can’t sustain it throughout our workday and time with our family. We either drift into thought or we become emotionally reactive to something that upsets us.” Sustaining that presence is what Michael Brown’s book The Presence Process is all about. And David is coming today to talk to us about that process, since Michael cannot be here. David is Michael’s editor as the Editorial Director of Namaste Publishing Company and an author in his own right. Both from his own work and from the work of editing Michael’s work, he can speak very clearly to the process of integration that occurs as a result of this presence process. If you have difficulty staying present—tune in—you’ll be glad you did.

What does it mean to forgive? Does it mean that we absolve? That we allow them to “get away with it?” If you are thinking in these terms, then you are not yet ready to forgive. Forgiveness is a process. And it really has nothing to do with the person you are forgiving—unless you are forgiving yourself. In fact, we don’t even start out that process aiming toward forgiveness. Typically, we start it off in pain. Nanice Ellis comes back to the Authentic Living Show again this year, on the day before Thanksgiving, to talk with us about that process and its power to transform. Nanice is the author of seven books, and is a Master NLP Practitioner and Coach, whose wisdom comes from a deep well of experience. If you are worried about your family dinner tomorrow—tune into this show. You’ll be glad you did.

Dr. Christiane Northrup is recognized both nationally and internationally as the veritable guru of women’s health. A visionary pioneer who recognizes the connection between mind, body and spirit, she has brought that connection to the world of medicine in a way that no one else has yet been able to do. She is an OB/GYN physician and author of two New York Times bestselling books, “Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom” and “The Wisdom of Menopause.” Her third book, “Mother-Daughter Wisdom,” was a 2005 Quill Award nominee and voted Amazon’s #1 book of the year in both parenting and mind-body health in 2005. She has hosted seven highly successful television specials and her own radio show, and has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, the Today Show, NBC Nightly News, The View, and several other prominent shows. We are honored to get the opportunity to talk with her today about her newly revised edition of “Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing.”

The word “power” is fraught with all kind of connotation, including “control,” “manipulation,” “abuse,” “bullying” and yes, even the word “help.” But these are all externalized views of that word. From an internal perspective power can be seen as the attainment of an authentic stand with and for your Self. Fear, on the other hand, is the foundation from which most of us live our daily lives—whether we admit it or not. Not so long ago many of us were touting the word “fearless,” and claiming our rights to climb the tallest mountain and kayak the fiercest river. But fearlessness is not the same as power, when power is attained internally. In fact, from the internal perspective fear is a springboard for power. This week we are going to be talking all about power, and not just personal power, but something that could more accurately be described as transpersonal power. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about your own power.

We’ve heard it again and again recently, teen suicides based on bullying, particularly the bullying of someone who is or is perceived to be gay. And then we heard Joel Burns, openly gay City Councilman from Ft. Worth, Texas, in his passionate and tearful plea to gay and lesbian teens to hold on to life—don’t let bullies drive you to suicide—because it’s going to get better. Why are these children bullied? Because we don’t know yet how to receive and accept differentness. This week, we are going to be talking with someone who has struggled with and overcome issues of differentness through his own coming out process—the first openly gay member of the American Psychological Association, and the author of the book “Loving Someone Gay,” now in its 5th Edition. Don Clark has much to say to us about this acceptance process—one that is going to be essential to our culture if we are to survive. So, don’t miss this one.

Though much of what we hear and see in media tells us differently, the only way to live a meaningful life is to live in poignant touch with the soul. Thomas Moore, our guest for today, is an expert on the soul. With 3 videos, 10 audio recordings and 18 books, including his original bestseller, “Care of the Soul,” and others such as “Dark Night of the Soul,” and “The Original Self,” Thomas Moore has enchanted us all. While he does not paint a pretty picture of happy-ever-after proportions, he urges us to consider the depth of existence, to be faithful to our original and unvarnished Selves, to love deeply and with care for the soul. In his latest book, “Care of the Soul in Medicine” he teaches both healthcare workers and patients to participate in matters of the soul as a part of the co-creative endeavor of healing and helping. If you are or know someone in the field of medicine or receiving medical care, this show is for you. Come listen to Thomas and glimpse again your own soul.

When do we say enough is enough? In this day in which our economic crisis seems to be swallowing huge chucks of what we have previously valued, we are ramping up our schedules and our stress levels trying to get back to how it used to be. And in the process we are forgetting all about our earlier plans to pursue happiness and peace. Wayne Muller, bestselling author of Sabbath, as well as three other books: Legacy of the Heart; How, Then, Shall We Live?; and Learning to Pray, is going to challenge us with the question: What if we already have enough? His latest book, A Life of Being, Having and Doing Enough is the topic of our conversation this week and presents that very same challenge. At some point, rest, retreat and reflection become the answer. At some point we have to say, Enough already! Is today your day?