Enlighten: Uplift & Inspire

After seeing last week’s episode summary that acknowledged the strange timing of women’s reproductive health being threatened on the same week we celebrate Mother’s Day, a friend shared Heather Cox Richardson’s newsletter written on the eve of Mother’s Day. I felt compelled to share the history of the original Mothers’ Day and Julia Ward Howe’s conviction that women must make their voices heard.   May we all continue to promote women’s right to have a say in American government. May we honor Howe’s strong belief that women, as mothers, have a special role to perform in the world. May the mothers of mankind have the courage to interfere in the madness. May I, and all mothers, continue to teach our children charity, mercy, and patience. May I and all mothers, be too tender of those of another country to allow our children to be trained to injure people from another country. May Mama Bears throughout the world be inspired by Julia Ward Howe’s devotion to creating the next great development in human history, a l

On this week’s episode, I admit that my Mama Bear instincts have been ignited. That maternal instinct of wanting to protect my cubs from any threat of danger. Whether the threat of danger concerns my own adult children, concerns women if the Supreme Court Justices overturn Roe v. Wade, or the threat impacts all marginalized people. It’s striking that this assault on women, their bodies and their choices regarding reproductive health, occurs the same week as Mother’s Day. May we truly honor mothers. My Mama Bear feels outraged, yet learning patience, trust and a focus on love. I share excerpts of Annie Lamott’s Ted Talk, highlighting that need to refrain from rescuing others, to look within for serenity and peace of mind. Lamott describes radical self care as quantum. For years, I’ve been teaching the Mama Bear in me to refrain from fixing, saving and rescuing. My Mama Bear is learning to pause even in the threat of danger. I am working on trusting that we as a country will find our own way. May we all pract

My guest today is Jim Buehler. Jim, who claims that he is just a “regular guy” recently returned from a 10 day trip helping Ukrainian refugees cross the border into Poland. Jim’s open-heart surgery a year ago metaphysically opened his heart to care deeply about the Ukrainian refugees, enough so to feel compelled to take action. Jim and his college roommate, friend of 50 years, Lorne Adrian, helped the incoming, weary Ukrainian women, children and elderly find warmth, food, shelter, and safe passage to wherever their new upended lives would take them. Networking with local contacts, Jim and Lorne efficiently and effectively transported families from border crossings to refugee centers and train stations. They bought urgently requested supplies, in particular 5 large generators for bombed out buildings and hospitals. Check out the show notes for links to the organizations that Jim trusts, as well as some articles written about his heart-driven experience. Enjoy the podcast! Links: Folkowisko Foundation Ko

On this week’s episode, I share my joy and gratitude for last week’s Earth Day, while reminding us to care for our magnificent planet everyday. From sunrises, illuminating moon light, budding and blooming Spring flowers and trees, to the melodic chorus of birdsong, and a special encounter with a deer, nature is full of wonder. I don’t tire of my surroundings. Each day I walk the Hook Mountain trail. Each day I say some version of a gratitude Mother Earth prayer and I marvel at how the same path, the same prayer can nourish me so deeply. I am truly at peace in nature, and feel she is my daily teacher. Every day, over and over and over again, I hear nature’s wisdom, am comforted by her metaphors and soothed by her healing energy. Certainly honor our planet and give special gratitude for the abundance of Mother Earth, on Earth Day and everyday. Let the gratitude flow freely. We can build that intimate partnership, all year long with nature. She needs our attention, care and advocacy. And believe me what the

On this week’s episode, I reminisce on the vision of Bob Fox, a radical Catholic priest, who was instrumental in shaping the roots of my early faith. Ignited by my brother Dan, who organized a family Zoom last week, with my siblings and our almost 92 year old Dad, we discussed the impact Bob Fox, our close family friend, had on our lives. Bob’s legacy of love, creativity, compassion and courage certainly left a lasting impact on each of us. In the 1960s Bob Fox created 2 innovative, inclusive projects: Summer in the City and Thing in the Spring, bringing together artists, musicians, dancers, people of different races, ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds to re-vitalize some of New York’s burnt out inner city neighborhoods. I gave it a different twist this year and although we didn’t organize a collective clean-up, nor do we celebrate Easter religiously, I knew I wanted to gather with my adult children and their partners to share a meal and delight in the vibrancy of Spring. So in honor of Bob, I calle

My guest today is Anne Macksoud. Anne is an educator, documentary filmmaker and by my accounts, an inspiring activist. My Aunt Hilly (Hilary Carr Jones), who was thrilled to recently reconnect with her high school friend, Anne, after 62 years, knew I would also feel a kindred spirit connection with Anne and her meaningful work. Saddened by the suffering they saw around them, Anne and her business partner, John Ankele created a film production company in 1985 called ‘Old Dog Documentaries’, which is still thriving. “Their films are about the subtleties of the human experience and the complexities of our collective challenges.” Woven through education and activism, Anne and John’s  documentaries cover social justice, climate change, spirituality and aging.   Check out the show notes to find links to Anne’s website, films, and trailers. I am confident you too, will resonate with Anne’s vitality, humility, wisdom and her compassionate, courageous heart so clearly infused in all her films.  Enjoy the podcast! L

One of the first flowers of Spring is the crocus. I get so excited when I spot the first one of the season. Amazing how these small, delicate white (sometimes purple) flowers can bring me so much joy at the promise of Spring. With all the colorful splashes of crocuses around me and inspired by a poem by Jo Sorley called “Crocus-Minded”, I’ve been reflecting on what it means to be crocus-minded. Being crocus-minded is a sweet reminder to be courageous, take a stand, address issues that need to be addressed. The poem reminds me to respond pro-actively, to persevere, and take necessary risks. May we find the courage to be crocus-minded, to stick our neck out, care enough to think through and work through hard ground. May we believe in the new life and hope of Spring and have the courage to address the wrongs, injustices and inequities, trusting that we can say what needs to be said. May we dare to be crocus-minded in big and small ways. Happy Spring! Enjoy the podcast!

On this week’s episode I explain the phowa meditation, typically done at the bedside of a dying person. In these past 15 years, I have said the phowa for loved ones as they were dying, I’ve  said it for myself everyday as part of my spiritual practice and I have said the phowa meditation numerous times from a distance, for my mom, for friends, for friends’ family members, for people in the dying process, for people soon after they have died, to help their peaceful transition. For some reason, in the past 2 weeks, the phowa meditation was in high demand. In addition to saying it for people in Ukraine who are witnessing and experiencing horrific deaths, people close to me are requesting the meditation for loved ones who are dying or struggling to let go, or who have recently died. So I felt drawn to share it with you, my listeners. Say it for yourself, say it for your loved ones, say it for your loved ones that have already died, say it for the refugees, the marginalized, the oppressed and most vulnerable. Ma

On this week’s episode, my guest Bob Levy, entrepreneur and consultant, takes time to reflect and envision a new chapter in his life. How do we actually make the golden years golden? Crediting his mother, Bob has had the courage to embrace change throughout his life, be it change in careers, relationships, homes and communities. Averse to the finality in the word retirement, Bob prefers the words re-imagining and re-engaging for this new chapter. He is eager to take his life and work experiences, his skills and passions and find a fun, satisfying way to give back.   Bob’s non-traditional approach to life, his intellectual curiosity, meaningful connections with his wife, sons and grandchildren, and his search for new ways to contribute to important causes, may inspire you to contemplate your own legacy.  Check out the show notes for links to Bob’s email and website. Enjoy the podcast! Links: Bob's Web Site Bob's Email NYT: Trump Place Sign Comes Down

On this week’s episode, as nature transitions from winter to spring, I share some wonder and wisdom I discovered in watching the natural world thaw. When I paused and paid attention to the sights and sounds of snow and ice melting, I was inspired to look at what needs to soften within me. There are certainly concepts, emotions and behaviors that need to melt in our world. How can we transform our internal fog into mist and mystery, hope and healing?     May we be guided by nature’s lead to melt anger and blame, dissolve disconnection and cutting ourselves off, soften our overwhelm. Engaged spirituality during times of suffering invites us to thaw, melt, soften that which is rigid in our hearts. Thaw duality, thaw harsh judgement, thaw perceptions of enemies, thaw closed mindedness, thaw hatred, thaw war. Melt into compassion, forgiveness, and healing as we align with a vision of love and transformative possibility. Enjoy the podcast! Links: YouTube: Ukrainian girl singing “Let It Go” in bomb shelter IG: A

Today marks the 200th episode of our podcast! We launched our podcast in January 2018, just over 4 years ago. Looking back over these 4 years, I am deeply grateful for this podcast, all my guest and all my listeners. It began as my heart’s desire to shine light on everyday people who inspire me. We’ve had a wide range of guests: musicians, social justice activists, artists, yoga teachers, educators, actors, dancers, writers, photographers, filmmakers, researchers, students, formerly incarcerated people, politicians, entrepreneurs and humanitarians. These 150 guests had a quality, a life story, or an experience that inspired me. Be it creativity, courage, humor, overcoming adversity, learning spiritual lessons from difficult challenges, perseverance, resilience, gratitude, grace and humility. Thank you for celebrating our 200th episode with me! May each episode moving forward enrich your journey of living a little more mindfully, a little more authentically, a little more joyfully. Honored to partner

On this week’s episode, we look at cluttered drawers, how they become dumping grounds for random odds and ends and how they call us to action! Every once in a while, our cluttered drawers need our attention, need us to empty, sort and organize. Not always easy to acknowledge, but important to address.   I think of a cluttered drawer as metaphor for life. How much personal clutter do we ignore, let build up until it shouts at us to attend it? How much collective clutter do we dismiss, in hopes it will go away… if we simply forget about it? As we end the month of February, “Black History Month”, “Black Futures Month”, how much racism clutter remains in our personal and collective drawers? How can we individually and as a country, steeped in systemic racism, unpack our clutter, sort through the items we prefer to ignore, minimize or pretend don’t exist? Hoping this inspires you to take the time to empty out your cluttered drawers, physically and metaphysically, personally and collectively. May we have a

On this week’s episode, I share some wisdom I learned from Yin Yoga that can easily be applied off the yoga mat. The philosophical foundation of Yin Yoga is to practice having awareness of what is, with acceptance. That so resonates with all of life. Awareness of what is with acceptance, in my body, in my mental state, my emotional state, would only enrich my spiritual state of being. Three principals of Yin Yoga are: 1. Meet your edge; 2. Stay in stillness; and 3. Hold it for time. So in a Yin Yoga class, we get into a posture, meet the edge of discomfort (not pain), stay in that posture in stillness and hold it for time. We can stay in a posture for  3-7 minutes. In Yin Yoga, we are targeting the Yin tissues of the body: the fascia, joints and ligaments. In Yin Yoga we move slowly, gently, staying present to what is, with acceptance. Yin invites us to let go of any doing, to yield, to receive. We all have both sides, both Yin and Yang. In our fast paced world of productivity, competition, and over-doing,

On this week’s episode, I explore my desire to acknowledge, honor and celebrate Black History Month in a meaningful way. An inspiring article from Shaun King’s newsletter “The North Star”, written by Kendi, a student at NYU, introduced me to a new term “Black Futures Month” which integrates past, present and a hopeful future. May we, as Kendi states: “reflect on the tumultuous journey of Black people in America and the community’s triumphs against all odds.” Let’s celebrate and support today’s activists, authors, and freedom fighters, while embracing a Black Futures Month that highlights progress, active activism and an investment into a better Black future, that only ensures a healthier future for all of us. I am also excited about a future that reflects what white people have examined themselves, their guilt, their silence, their courage and vulnerability. What am I doing as a privileged white woman to combat racism, change the world and become a good ancestor? What are you doing? May this month: “Black H

On this week’s episode I honor the Vietnamese Buddhist monk, peace activist, author and spiritual leader, Thich Nhat Hanh, who recently died at age 95. He was the embodiment of his inspiring values: engaged Buddhism, peace activism and mindful living. My own meditation and spiritual practices have been enriched by this gentle, wise soul for 4 decades. Since his death, I’ve immersed myself in reading more about Thich Nhat Hanh’s extraordinary life. What a tremendous supply we can access of videos, audios and articles along with over 100 published books written by Thich Nhat Hanh that include his memoirs, journals, children’s books and poetry. I read aloud an article posted on Fellowship of Reconciliation's (FOR) online magazine that illuminated for me a comprehensive, broad stroke of Thich Nhat Hanh’s life. May you also fill your senses, thoughts and hearts with the inspiring wisdom and compassion of Thich Nhat Hanh, for I believe he was and will continue to be one of the most influential spiritual leaders t

On this week’s episode I reflect on the legacy of Sidney Poitier and Martin Luther King, Jr. The gifted actor, director and activist, Sidney Poitier died on January 6th, 2022. The following week we honored MLK Day, a hard-fought national holiday to pay tribute to the leader of the Civil Rights Movement. Both these men had such a significant impact on me, from early childhood, through my formative years in the 60s and 70s. These 2 incredible men of courage and leadership each found their unique way to access their gifts, live in integrity, and challenge the humiliating, oppressive ways Black people in the United States are treated. Both these men were articulate, dignified and implemented mindful ways to reach into the heart and conscience of Americans, particularly white Americans. It is no surprise that they knew each other, supported each other and had a great respect for one another. The motto of MLK Day is “Remember, Celebrate, Act” and “A Day On, Not a Day Off!” Let’s do what we can throughout the ye

On this week’s episode I explore some of the ripple effects of Covid-19. Seems like everyone has been directly or indirectly impacted by the recent Covid surge! The virus has spread exponentially. And whether you’ve had the virus or someone in your close circle has had it, most of us have been up close and personal with Covid. With our personal Covid stories, the ripple effect of Covid continues. I humbly acknowledge the devastating loss and grief that Covid has created for hundreds of thousands of people. Covid, like life, entails both devastation, heartache and loss alongside gratitude, heart connection and blessings. And as I sit with the ripple effects I have experienced with Covid, my soul is nourished by the tender gifts, the heart openings, the ah-ha moments of what came into focus for me.   My big epiphany is that the most important ripple effect of Covid has been LOVE. LOVE for ourselves, LOVE for one another, LOVE for those hurting, struggling, suffering, forgiving, grieving, helping, supporting.

Last week, for the first episode of 2022, I shared my personal experience with Covid. On this week’s episode, I reflect on this past year, thanking my guests from 2021 and acknowledging that 2022 marks the beginning of our 5th year of the podcast. In the year 2021, we had a total of 19 guests, plus 2 tributes to dear friends, previous guests who died this year: re-releasing my conversations with Peter Fish and Tony Falco. We recorded 12 of our 19 guests via Zoom, with only 7 being able to be here in person. This past year, I shared 24 stories or guided meditations. I told personal stories, reflected on “whiteness”, communed with angels, and deepened my reverence for mystics and mystery. I became more curious to actively learn more about the Native people of where I live - the Lenni Lenape people. I dropped into more intimacy with nature and welcomed the everyday miracles that surround us. I hope that my guests and stories this past year have helped to uplift and inspire you along your journey. Thank you, 2

I typically begin the new year by reflecting on the past year and expressing gratitude for all my podcast guests. Instead however, on this week’s episode I’m going to bring Covid up close and personal, because in fact, Covid has been up close and personal for me this past week. My husband Paul and I had scratchy throats on the day after Christmas that quickly developed into all the Covid symptoms: sore throat, cough, chills, congestion, low-grade fever, headaches, and sure enough 3 days later we both tested positive for Covid. As our symptoms intensified in the middle of the week, I was brought to tears a few times by the thoughtfulness and kindness of others. My tears would flow each time a friend went out of their way to leave, on our door step, a test kit, a bag of groceries, Chinese herbs and cough syrup. I was challenged to receive the love, take it in, absorb it and let the power of love be as medicinal as the Chinese herbs were. Covid, up close and personal, reminded me of what it feels to tap into w

My guest today is Alison Heller. Alison is a lawyer who left her law practice to become a writer.  Alison has published 3 books, and her most recent novel “The Neighbor’s Secret” just came out this year. We discuss her book, her writing practice, what it took for her to leave her 14-year NYC law career, and how we treat ourselves in the process of writing, working and living. I am just as fascinated with the relevant themes she weaves into her novel, as I am with Alison as a person. Alison’s gracious, honest, open, curious exuberance will inspire you to read her books, too. Check out the Show Notes for links to Alison’s website, Instagram & Twitter, along with links to the comedian Gary Gulman, and Jon Kabat-Zinn, the author we reference. Enjoy the podcast! Links: Alison's Web Site Alison/IG Alison/Twitter Gary Gulman/IG “Wherever You Go, There You Are” by Jon Kabat-Zinn Video clip of State Abbreviations - Gary Gulman The Great Depresh - HBO Madeleine L’Engle