Imagine you’re an average person who enjoys animals and the world around you. Imagine you’ve never had the inkling to write anything, let alone a book. Then, imagine one day you hear a clear, distinct voice say, “The book is ready”.
What would your next action be? Would you sit down and write, and what would you write? Imagine you receive dictation by way of emotions, visions, and pictures in your mind from a herd of horses. Imagine the horses provide you with an understanding of the world you never had before.
Helen Brennand, our guest today had a similar experience to the one I’m describing. She never dreamt she would write anything, but she heard a voice, and although she resisted for a time, the book is now published and titled Belief.
A dialogue with the horses she cared for needed to be “let out” Helen explains.
“It was a phenomenal time. The learning opened a new world to me. I felt blissful in a time of grief. They invited me to move out of my comfort zone into a new life.”
Helen Brennand
Helen was experiencing stream-consciousness writing. It was instantaneously flowing from one thing to another. She wrote a couple pages a day. It was very healing and cathartic to her.
“It was like I was being set free.”
Helen Brennand
Helen was present with animals her whole life. She had rescued them, or helped them, when needed. She supported charities and took in a few horses who needed a home.
As Helen spent time observing the animals and using hands-on healing work, they began to communicate with her, offering understanding.
Helen herself lost a child and was just getting through each day. The horses took her into a deeper journey of love and understanding, which nurtured her, embraced her, and helped her see the joy within her grief.
“The horses carried me in a way that not even a close friend could have done. I surrendered to everything. They grabbed me, and I’m glad they did.”
Helen Brennand
Every level of communication came through the horses in a methodical, clear way. The order of information “blew her away”. She was amazed that animals were able to get her on the right track.
“I had to see myself as a worthy human being that had a role and place in this creation. When you receive unconditional love energetically from another being, there is no way to deny this real experience.”
Helen Brennand
“When we tie ourselves or others down, we restrict our potential,” Donna, the horse said to Helen.
I’m envious of Helen’s great connection to her horses and other animals. You’ll enjoy reading her book, Belief. Perhaps there is a book ready for you to write, and perhaps Helen’s experience will lead you to know it’s possible when you listen, love, and live with complete freedom to create.
A song has been written to raise money for the horses being affected by the wildfires in Australia. This is a link to listen to the song yourself:
“You’re walking down the sidewalk and pass a stranger coming the other way; you’re aware of each other but there’s no connection, no interaction or engagement. Further down the sidewalk you encounter an old friend; you’re both so happy to connect and there is a mutual exchange of words, emotions, and energy between you two; there’s a wonderful energetic vibe that flows, and you both find yourselves nourished and uplifted by this vibration even as you go your separate ways down the sidewalk.”
Mary McNerney
Our guest this week, Mary McNerney draws a parallel between our current perspective of earth, and where that relationship needs to go.
Mary’s book gives amazingly simple exercises to shift into that new relationship and to learn to attune to Earth’s voice and vibration.
Mary grew up on a farm in Ohio. She was always aware of the Earth and our need for it. She went to college and law school, and was busy in her career.
One day she was home on a beautiful day. She asked herself, “what should I do today?”
Profoundly and distinctly she heard the words, “Take dictation from the Earth”
“It was the voice of our planet earth communicating with me.”
Mary McNerney
Mary didn’t know what action to take until 6 months later she heard the same instruction, “Take dictation from the earth.”
After hearing a voice the second time, Mary sat down and began to write what clearly came to her mind. A stream of dictation came quickly, making it hard for her to keep up. A group of angelic beings were also providing wise words in conjunction with the Earth.
“It was clear they were dictating a book to me. This dictation from our planet earth and the angelic beings.”
Mary McNerney
Mary doesn’t believe she has special powers. She has learned how to “allow” the dictation to come.
“We all have this innate ability. We’ve simply gotten away from our intuitive frequency. This book gives us the wisdom, guides and tools to awaken our ability to talk with the Earth.”
Mary McNerney
What does the Earth have to say?
“What I really want to convey to you is what I am about now, because that will help you and human consciousness understand more completely what your role is in conjunction with mine. We are a ‘togetherness,’ which is something that humankind has missed to comprehend, failed to understand, for quite some time, for eons. Now in this time, it is the time for humanity, and what the human consciousness represents, to awaken to the ‘togetherness of what we, you and I, truly are. We are one soul. We are one consciousness traveling together.”
Mother Earth
What do angelic beings (WE) have to say?
“Now, we will ask you to similarly connect with your own heart, your own inner beingness. There too you will find not only your own rhythms but also your connection to the entire world, the entire life stream around you. This is the divinity that flows to you and through you—the same divinity, which is the current flowing through your Earth. As you link to the divine within you, you simultaneously link to the current and feeling and pulse of your Mother Earth. One is not separated from the other.”
WE
Our interview with Mary was astounding. Her book offers exercises for each of us to practice and become perfected in our ability to communicate with, and draw strength from, our Mother Earth.
Mary provides simple exercises dictated to her from Mother Earth and WE – the angelic hosts.
“The purpose of these exercises is to demonstrate for us our connection on a physical, bodily level, connecting first to our body and then to our Earth’s body, one and the same. As simple as the exercise may seem, the importance cannot be lost. As you tune your vibration first to yourself and then to Her, you build and strengthen the vibrational force field vibrating through you, the both that is one.”
On Tuesday’s Life Mastery Radio show we spotlighted 4 individuals doing amazing work for our communities, youth, and individuals through a nonprofit. Each has a unique story and compelling reason to connect their experiences and talents with people who need help.
Cseeszka Borjigin
Cseeszka Borjigin (known as Chay) was told by a doctor in 2015, “your organs are shutting down. We can do surgery with a 50% chance you’ll survive, and if you do, this will happen to you again. You’ve got about 3 months to live.”
Chay refused the surgery, went home and prayed, “Lord, I sure hope you have a plan B because plan A isn’t going to work for me.”
Chay was bedridden for two years. In that dark place of fear, frustration, and anger, The Cultivating Wellness Center was born in an idea.
Today, Chay
is well, and sees patients in her home and over the phone. Her patients can’t
afford traditional medicine, and Chay never charges them. Sometimes she pays
for their supplements out of her own pocket.
Chay is looking for real estate to build The Cultivating Wellness Center as a nonprofit to serve the medically under-served and heal them whole body, soul, and spirit. You can call Chay at 720-662-1511
Please consider donating to Chay’s cause.
Brian Hanson of THE BISON FOUNDATION
Brian Hanson was living a life of adventure. He was the lead singer in a band called ALMOST, president of a manufacturing company at the age of 24, pioneered the concept of home theater, started one of Chicago’s first internet service providers, became an RN at 57 working with patients who’d suffered traumatic brain injury; and then he became a patient with traumatic brain injury following an untimely death…twice.
Brian now works with The Bison Foundation:BrainInjurySupport: Operational and Neurological. Their mission is to: enrich the day-to-day lives of the brain injured with strategies to improve the possibility of their recovery.
Brian became emotional a few times during our interview as he voiced gratitude for programs such as BISON that have helped him to heal, and offered support during the process.
Like Chay, Brian is seeking donations to build a facility to
treat those persons with brain injuries. Brian is also seeking an agent to support
his personal goal of professional speaker.
Kym Coan has championed several successful companies over the past 30 years. She brings her previous corporate communications experience as an advertising/public relations executive to serve and empower future entrepreneurs. Her passion is helping startups execute a powerful launch.
With her husband Boaz, Kym has begun Rebound Financial Resources, a nonprofit whose mission is to empower individuals with knowledge, resources and services to establish, restore, and secure a better financial future.
“Learn, recoup, and rebuild your finances. We sit down with people and help them create a plan of success.”
Kym Coan
Rebound Financial Resources provides the Fostering Financial Freedom program for youth, which serves all children, and even those who’ve aged out of foster care.
Kym offered a gift to all our listeners today to help you understand the FICO system: an ebook titled FICO Decoded. To get this helpful resource, simply email info@reboundfinancialresources.org and in the subject line place: “Send me the book”
Please consider donating to Kym’s cause.
Action Verb, Connector, and Muse, JO Welch was another guest on our show. She is multi-talented in her own right, and she also supports Brian in his mission at The Bison Foundation.
Jo belongs to a large network of followers, and many of them are deaf. She performed a great service to our non-hearing listeners as she signed for them throughout the show.
JO also introduced a nonprofit close to her heart, which was begun by her teenage child: the Mystic River Theater Company. The founders of MRTC want to form a theater group that will be inclusive and bridge the gap across miles and identities.
The Mystic River Theater Company is founded on principles that theater should be accessible and accepting of all. They’re looking for a location in Massachusetts so the love of theater can be shared with an audience of all backgrounds. They are ambitiously hoping to produce a musical the summer of 2020.
If you can help them find a venue or offer other support, please look them up at: The Mystic River Theater
You can explore all the resourceful help JO Welch offers her clients at www.AskJO.org
Please consider donating to JO’s causes.
Todd Cudaback and Jackie Bailey (co-hosts of Life Mastery Radio)
I enjoyed being part of this amazing show spotlighting nonprofit organizations doing good for our youth, individuals and communities. If you’d consider looking at one more up-and-coming nonprofit I’d appreciate it.
I’m Jackie Bailey. For many years I’ve been teaching children, youth, and adults how to find their core beliefs; and to discover the experiences that taught them those beliefs. I’ve seen the empowering outcome when a child can barely look me in the eye on the first day of class, to several weeks later telling an inspiring personal story about a value they hold dear.
My goal is to help all persons SPEAK with power; FEED others in word and deed, and to LEAD with positive influence.
It’s not enough any longer to educate only the youth in my own community; I want to give children worldwide the same opportunity. Thus, I’m starting a nonprofit organization called THE SPEAK FEED LEAD PROJECT.
I hope to enter schools and neighborhoods around the globe teaching children how to tap into the POWER of VOICE; the POWER of SERVICE; and the POWER of LEADERSHIP.
Todd serves on my board of directors, and we’d appreciate your support by way of donations of money, goods, or services.
“We are all affected by First Responders, whether we know it or not. They have the drive and passion to make a difference in our communities every day. Their lives should be fulfilling, instead they’re losing their lives.”
Captain Dan Willis
Imagine a day at work, when every person you encounter lies to you. Imagine they run from you, or call you names like “pig”. Imagine those people who do approach you are confrontational and violent.
As your day goes on, you encounter someone recently deceased…. a child…. the victim of a fatal traffic accident or medical emergency. Imagine your goal is to make life better for people, but no one respects you, thanks you, or gives you compassionate support.
How would you feel after just one day of such emotional trauma?
Our guest this past Tuesday was Captain Dan Willis, a retired La Mesa California police officer. His days…. every day for 26 years…were filled with emotional trauma investigating the most heinous aspects of life:
Crimes of violence
Homicide
Child Molestation
Serial Killers
SWAT Team Standoffs
“You become a victim of the profession. The job not only affects you, but your colleagues, and community. Suicide is the number one cause of death for First Responders. It accounts for more than all other deaths combined. Half the people who start their careers as First Responders never finish.”
Captain Dan Willis
Emotional trauma for First Responders may result in:
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Isolation
Depression
Anxiety
Sleep disorders
Detached emotions
Uncaring behavior
Lack of connection in relationships
Over reaction to normal events
Anger and irritation
“Any one of these symptoms is a red flag. If you notice a change in the personality of a loved one – take notice.”
His literary work contains more than 40 wellness strategies for anyone dealing with any trauma, and we ALL experience trauma multiple times during our life.
Captain Dan’s methods should be part of OUR everyday healing.
“We should build resilience, and experience constant wellness. Bulletproof your inner spirit so you won’t be crippled by trauma.”
Captain Dan Willis
Healing from his own PTSD, Captain Dan explained his treatment included EMDR: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.
Since PTSD is an injury to the brain, you can recover from it. In fact, it only took one miracle treatment with EMDR for Captain Dan to be able to remember all the trauma he’d experienced and not go into the deep, dark thoughts he would before the treatment.
I learned so much about PTSD, and how trauma injures the brain. Captain Dan is educating First Responders and the rest of us about very important aspects of healing.
You think YOU have bad days?
PORTLAND, MAINE — April 9, 2019 — A flag is presented to Hilary Campbell, wife of Maine State Police Detective Ben Campbell, following Campbell’s funeral service at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland.
“When we kiss our spouse goodbye to go to work each day, we think to ourselves, ‘I hope I get to see you again.‘”
Captain Dan Willis
The next time you have opportunity to interact with a First Responder, please express your appreciation. Consider the sacrifice they make for you every day.
“Think about how precious life is. The way to experience the most, and be fulfilled is to be loving, caring and compassionate. Have a purpose beyond yourself. Take meaningful action for others and be helpful.”
I thought I knew what natural laws were – I use them every day; but Brian added a “whole” new perspective to Natural Laws, discussing three of them during our show.
Natural Laws
are:
Omnipresent
Persistent
Non-judgmental
Based on our choices, Natural Laws create wholeness, bigness, and the life we want to live.
Brian used a subject we’re all familiar with to explain Natural Laws:
“Gravity is everywhere (omnipresent), persistent (it doesn’t turn off during the night), and is non-judgmental (gravity doesn’t care whether you’re ignorant of its force or are an expert of it’s force.”
Brian Trzaskos
Neither ignorance nor intelligence will save you from falling if you were to step off a three-story building. The outcome would be the same.
“Gravity can either build bones or break bones. Lifting weights makes our bones thicker; conversely our bones may be broken jumping out of a tree. It’s not gravity’s fault that the outcome is what it is. We choose how we use gravity, and gravity doesn’t care either way.”
Brian Trzaskos
Brian covered the first three Natural Laws:
THE LAW OF ENERGY
THE LAW OF PERPETUAL TRANSMUTATION OF ENERGY (PETO)
THE LAW OF POLARITY
Everything
is energy: our bodies, the chair we sit in, and the tree the chair is made
from. THE LAW OF ENERGY demands that all Energy always moves toward more life.
According to THE LAW OF PERPETUAL TRANSMUTATION energy moves form a non-form to a form, to a non-form again. It’s always moving toward more life,
“Take an acorn. There is no full-grown oak tree inside an acorn. Eventually it will be. Energy of life feeds the acorn and it grows into a tree. When the tree dies, it deteriorates into a non-form. Yet other acorns from that dying tree create new life. That’s PETO.”
Depending on how we choose to align with the laws, we will either create abundance or chaos in our own lives.
If we align with poverty, we will create more poverty; if we align with disease, we will create more disease. THE LAW OF ENERGY will create more life in whatever we use our energy to align with.
The LAW OF POLARITY states everything in nature is created as a whole. Nothing is created in parts. Everything has it’s opposite. But we are only able to perceive fractions, and not the whole.
We must accept the whole and not just the part of every situation and condition. For instance, faith and fear are both a belief in the unseen. We have a choice. Which one will we believe in?
Our purpose here is to see more of the whole. When we can accomplish that, the healthier we will be, and the more joy we will feel.
To sum up the way these three laws work together, Brian said:
“Focus on what you want more of (THE LAW OF ENERGY). You’ll see things appear, disappear, and reappear in each choice you make (THE LAW OF PERPETUAL TRANSMUTATION OF ENERGY). Know there is always two sides to every situation. The sooner we accept that, we can sooner see the whole of the meaning of everything.”
I highly encourage you to attend a Science of Influence Workshop with Brian and Ani whenever and wherever you can.
The contributors to the book trusted in a higher power to lead them toward powerful change. No matter how tragic each story may be, each story ends in the discovery of light.
“Dare to go within and meet your inner self.”
Kathleen O’Keefe Kanavos
Patricia is the founder of Sacred Stories Media. A traumatic life event caused her to move through an emotional journey to publish a book. She then opened up the opportunity for others to share their stories through publishing their book.
“It’s in our stories we connect, where we teach, and learn.”
Rev. Patricia Cagganello
Kathleen is accredited in Psychopathology and Special Education, and the author of three books, two prior to Chaos to Clarity. An interesting fact is that Chaos to Clarity was released on the very day of our interview.
“Bernie shares for the first time a poem in this book about the death of his wife.”
Kathleen O’Keefe Kanavos
One day Patricia and Kathleen were talking about their own stories, and recognized the element of change they shared, and in which we all share. They decided to simply invite people to share with them their stories of change. They had no idea what was going to happen.
“Spirit moved through it, and the stories that came just blew us out of the water. Stories from men and women around the world.”
Rev. Patricia Cagganello
“Many of the stories would make us cry, and then make us laugh.”
Kathleen O’Keefe Kanavos
The vulnerability shows up in the stories found in the book, and all the stories in the book have a similar theme:
“During their deepest, darkest hours, the writers each found a way to reach down and pull somebody up.”
Kathleen O’Keefe Kanavos
“The world is full of incredible people, but we are swimming in chaos. Most people can use support and connection. Our stories are universal.”
Kathleen O’Keefe Kanavos
“The experience is the emotion, and the emotion is the gift.”
Rev. Patricia Cagganello
By reading Patricia’s and Kathleen’s book you will receive hope, and the knowledge that you’re not alone. Your life experiences are similar to others, and create a butterfly effect that we all feel. Let go of the fear and shame you’re feeling in order to change.
“There is a way through.”
Rev. Patricia Cagganello
“Part of chaos theory is that when a butterfly flaps its’ wings it can be felt all around the world. Since the world is going through chaos right now, we’re all feeling lost and alone.”
Kathleen O’Keefe Kanavos
Patricia and Kathleen’s book can be the wind beneath someone’s “butterfly” wings and carry them through their current challenge.
Do you believe what you want most is right in front of you, and you’re just not seeing it? Our recent guest, James Purpura asked Todd and I this question. How would you answer it?
“Picture in your mind a man. This man wants more than anything to be loved. He wants to be in a relationship, but he has abysmal self-esteem; a terrible self-image. One day this man walks into a store. The woman behind the counter starts flirting with him. Is he likely to recognize the flirtatious behavior?”
James Purpura
Probably not
What you feel on the inside is what’s reflected on the outside. Perception is about seeing opportunity right in front of you….or not.
“If this guy can have the thing he wants most in the world standing right in front of him and misses the opportunity to get it; could this be happening to you?”
James Purpura
The principle of perception is this: If you don’t have what you want already, then this scenario is likely happening to you every single day.
Low self-esteem (a belief on the inside) keeps this man from seeing the opportunity to have exactly what he wants, and he fails to react in a successful way (a projected behavior on the outside)
James Purpura experienced life’s extremes. Drug addiction, solitary confinement in jail, and self-introspection. Like many of us, he reached a point in life where personal change was necessary, or self-destruction was imminent.
“By the time I got to Kindergarten, it became apparent I had pretty severe learning disabilities. The first day of special ed class the teacher brought me to the front of the room.
“Only retarded, stupid kids go to special ed.” The teacher said.
I was shocked and embarrassed. As I walked out of the room the entire class called me stupid.”
James Purpura
James hoped this was a one-time occurrence. Nope. Every single day the teacher called him up in front of the class, called him stupid, and had his classmates repeat the same.
From that point forward, James felt like a victim in life.
“Things were happening TO me, not BECAUSE of me.”
One day while in solitary confinement incarceration, James made a list of people whom he felt had harmed him. He would try to offer forgiveness to those on his list.
“The only common denominator between all the people on this list and the situations that involved me, was ME. What if I somehow created all of this?”
James considered his discovery more deeply, even recognizing that a person could not create SOME of his/her life. Either he was the creator ALL of his experiences, or not.
“If I was the creator of my experiences, that meant I could create something new, different, and magical in its place.
If I wasn’t the creator of my experience than it meant the world really was a crappy place, and I probably don’t want to be here anymore.”
Instead of offering forgiveness to the people on his list, James offered gratitude to them for giving him choices.
Since then, James has been on a mission to figure out how we can all go about creating our experiences. It became about what he chose to believe about himself based on the abuse he’d suffered.
“If your life is not what you wanted it to be, it’s not because you did anything wrong, it’s because you made the only choice you could with the information available to you.
There’s nothing wrong with YOU, it’s only an information problem. We get our information through perception.”
“Whatever you’re trying to create in your life: money, happiness, well-being it’s all about perception. Creating money is about shifting your perception of the outside world. Creating well-being is about shifting your perception of the inside world.”
James and his wife, Steph have written a book, and produced a movie (of the same title) for anyone who wants more. Perception: Seeing is Not Believing is available now.
You have the opportunity and the availability to change your interpretation of self and the world around you; shifting what you feel and believe on the inside, and create a magical life for yourself.
Imagine you’re walking down main street lined with many store fronts. Imagine the stores are selling negative thoughts, and you can see them in the windows. Imagine you go into each store on main street and buy a negative thought. You make the thoughts your own. You end up with a collection of negative thoughts.
“Those negative thoughts are a symptom of depression. Depression generates negative thoughts. Negative thoughts generate more depression.”
Stuart Eisendrath, MD
As a Psychiatrist, Stuart Eisendrath, MD is always treating depression. It is the number 1 psychiatric disorder in the world. On any given day 300 million people are suffering with symptoms of depression.
Twenty-five years ago Dr. Eisendrath learned about mindfulness. It was useful to him personally, and he began to practice a more mindfulness-based lifestyle.
In the late 1990’s Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) was introduced as a new way to treat depression. Dr. Eisendrath hopped on that train and brought it to his medical practice.
With mindfulness you walk down the same street used in the previous example and see the same stores offering their negative thoughts for sale. Imagine not going into the store to purchase those thoughts. Imagine you walk right past those inviting store fronts because you see they’re just thoughts, and they have little to no value for you.
YOU ARE FREE!
“We are popcorn poppers of thoughts, but THOUGHTS ARE NOT FACTS.”
Stuart Eisendrath, MD
If you’re depressed, you’re having depressive thoughts. If you believe those thoughts, it’s natural to get depressed.
MBCT helps a person step back from those negative thoughts such as:
“I’m no good.”
“I’m a failure.”
“I’ll never be as successful as…“
Don’t carry on a public relations campaign about yourself throughout the day. Don’t buy in to the negative thoughts.
A diagnosis of depression is made if a person has five or more of the following symptoms lasting two weeks or longer.
Loss of appetite or excessive appetite
Loss of weight
Sleep disturbances: a decrease in restful sleep, or an increase in sleepiness
Depressed mood
Suicidal thoughts
Loss of energy
Inability to enjoy once enjoyable activities
“Some people have genetic makeup that makes them more susceptible to stress-produced depression. And some people have a genetic makeup that makes them more resilient to stress, and less likely to experience depression. But given enough stress almost anyone can develop depression.”
Stuart Eisendrath, MD
Depression
and anxiety are disorders of time.
—–A person with depression focuses on the past and feels as if they have experienced a loss. (loss of loved one, loss of a job, loss of financial status)
“Whether it’s actually occurred or not, the depressed person will feel a sense of loss.”
—–A person with anxiety focuses on the future and feels as though some loss is going to take place, that a disaster is going to happen, that they’re going to have a catastrophe.
“Depression is focused on the past; and anxiety is focused on the future.”
Mindfulness helps a person focus on the PRESENT.
“The Mindfulness training isn’t smoke and mirrors. It changes the way your brain functions.”
Some of Dr. Eisendrath’s clients who’ve had depression for 7 years have been able to make major changes in just 8 weeks of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT).
Depressed persons often participate in self-criticism. Mindfulness helps those same people to change the way they think, and consequently the actions they take.
“It’s like looking into a glass of water muddied with dirt. You can’t see clearly. But if you wait, with mindfulness, for the dirt to settle, you’ll have greater clarity.“
The next time you’re downtown, shop only the stores selling positive thoughts.
In his book, Bring Him Home – A Twin Flame Love Story, Miguel Dean defines the divine dance of the Sacred Masculine and Feminine. A dance he calls balance, union, and honorable.
“The Sacred Masculine is a man who has brought significant union to his divine masculine and feminine within.”
Miguel Dean
“The Sacred Feminine is a woman who has brought significant union to her divine feminine and masculine within.”
Miguel Dean
When he was just 7 months old, Miguel’s mother died of cancer. He describes this event as the beginning of his enlightenment. However, his mother’s death created physical and emotional trauma for Miguel, despite his lack of memory regarding it.
Baby Miguel lived with his auntie for a while. Upon the marriage of his father to another woman, Miguel returned home. His father and step-mother had a child together, and Miguel was pushed aside. His stepmother became cruel and abusive.
“Before I was five years old, I’d lost my mother three times.”
Missing the Feminine in his life was felt strongly by Miguel. He lived in a fight or flight mode most of the time. This unhappy start resulted in low self-esteem, and low self-worth for Miguel as a young adult.
“I slipped into a shadowy world of drugs, crime and violence, living on the road for about seven years.”
It was the birth of his son while living on the road that became the catalyst for a change in Miguel. He decided to dig deep and seek counseling. He learned the life he was living then was connected to his past, and the experiences he’d had as a child.
“My search was about finding a way to go home; and learning to find love inside myself.”
Miguel believes nothing happens by chance. His life was exactly orchestrated to give him everything he needed. He spent many years of his life looking for a mother replacement (as many men do). It didn’t work. Instead, his search led Miguel to find connection with the Feminine inside.
“I had to learn to be the mother of myself. I was seeking female relationships because I feared being alone. There was attraction to women, but just as much, I didn’t want to be with myself.”
Just as Miguel was finding peace with being alone, a beautiful woman entered his life. She had been hearing voices about Miguel telling her to “bring him home”. The title of his book alludes to her inspiration.
The beautiful woman in Miguel’s life helped him heal the “mother-wounds” he’d carried for so long. He helped her heal “father-wounds” she’d been carrying. Together they helped create a whole from the pieces. An integration of the Masculine and Feminine.
“The problem with the world is that we draw the circle of the family too small.”
Mother Teresa of Calcutta
I encourage you to read Miguel’s book. You’ll gain insight into ways to integrate more powerfully the Masculine and Feminine in your own soul. You can find balance, union, and honor just as Miguel has found.
Do as Mother Teresa suggests, and widen the circle of your family. Bring him (or her) home.
“My husband, Bill completed suicide about seven years ago. He was going through major depression, and traumatic life changes. There were warning signs of risk factors right in front of me; I didn’t recognize them. Instead of relating to him and sitting down and saying, ‘Bill I’m here for you, we’re going to work on this together…’ I was more fixated on trying to get my old husband back.”
Lack of drive to get out of bed, take a shower, or go to work
Constant talk of not wanting “to be here”
Belief that showing emotion was a sign of weakness
Despite being a body-builder, running a successful business, and working with Kristi in the business, Bill could not shake his depression; and it’s very likely other people weren’t tuned in to his symptoms because he didn’t fit the stereotype.
“Depression and mental illness does not discriminate. There is no stereotype.”
Kristi Hagstad
A genetic link may have played a role in Bill’s depression, since two of his grandparents had also attempted suicide. Even at 54-years old Bill had bought into the stigma of mental illness, and it proved his downfall.
Bill ran in front of an oncoming train. A train, which he knew his father was travelling on to come see him. Bill had carefully planned the execution of his own death for weeks.
Bill had been in a deep, dark, depressive place. He probably didn’t want to die as much as he wanted the emotional pain to end. He could see no other way to do so.
Kristi decided she could fall into a deep, dark depressive state herself following Bill’s death; or she could use her pain to help other people overcome the stigma of mental health and suicide.
We all must know the warning signs and rick factors
We must treat mental health issues with the same urgency and importance as physical health issues.
Youth suicide is skyrocketing.
Youth today live in a social media shell, where “likes” and comments build self-esteem; yet comparison of themselves to others is part of the stigma.
Cyber-bullying may never stop for our youth, and there is no escape once it starts.
“Depression is not a choice, it’s an illness, and it needs to be treated as such.”
Kristi Hugstad
People who know this will feel confident and secure to ask for help. It’s important for us to not minimize the illness or symptoms. Open the line of communication so people can tell us when they need help. Abolish the stigma.
Symptoms of depression:
Sadness or feelings of being down do not go away after weeks – especially when life events are going well
Change in activity – they stop taking part in extracurricular activities they once enjoyed
They don’t have initiative to eat, bathe, or care for themselves
When you’re feeling dark and depressed, Kristi has these words of advice:
Make yourself do something you don’t want to do
Get outside
Get sunlight
Exercise
Eat a healthy meal
Get adequate sleep
These activities may help you retrain your brain
Find time to talk with your teens.
Don’t be judgmental: “What’s wrong with you?”
Sincerely share your concern: “Julie, I’ve noticed you’ve been quiet lately. Is everything okay?”
Be patient if they don’t want to open up at that moment: “Whenever you want to talk, I’ll be available. I love you.”
Don’t minimize they way they’re feeling: “Your sister can handle this problem, why is it so hard for you?”
Depression and mental illness are diseases. Understanding that will bring hope for something better than the dark place you’re now in. Reach out and ask for help.
Twenty three kids are heard from in the pages of The Parenting Owner's Manual! This is an updated version than in 2023 because more youth stepped up to the role of author wanting to be heard!
Watch my short video inside for more information about how to get this book, what's in it, and how you can be part of the launch!
Email from The Speak Feed Lead Project 23 kids featured - even those in Tanzania, Africa! Dear {First Name} Twenty three kids are heard from in the pages of The Parenting Owner's Manual! This is an up
Twenty three kids are heard from in the pages of The Parenting Owner's Manual! This is an updated version than in 2023 because more youth stepped up to the role of author wanting to be heard!
Watch my short video inside for more information about how to get this book, what's in it, and how you can be part of the launch!
Email from The Speak Feed Lead Project 23 kids featured - even those in Tanzania, Africa! Dear {First Name} Twenty three kids are heard from in the pages of The Parenting Owner's Manual! This is an up
Twenty three kids are heard from in the pages of The Parenting Owner's Manual! This is an updated version than in 2023 because more youth stepped up to the role of author wanting to be heard!
Watch my short video inside for more information about how to get this book, what's in it, and how you can be part of the launch!
Email from The Speak Feed Lead Project 23 kids featured - even those in Tanzania, Africa! Dear {First Name} Twenty three kids are heard from in the pages of The Parenting Owner's Manual! This is an up
Twenty three kids are heard from in the pages of The Parenting Owner's Manual! This is an updated version than in 2023 because more youth stepped up to the role of author wanting to be heard!
Watch my short video inside for more information about how to get this book, what's in it, and how you can be part of the launch!
Email from The Speak Feed Lead Project 23 kids featured - even those in Tanzania, Africa! Dear {First Name} Twenty three kids are heard from in the pages of The Parenting Owner's Manual! This is an up
Join us tomorrow at 11:30 am PST for Gaurangi Gupta's inspiring talk at TED Next! At just 14, Gaurangi has transformed the lives of countless children through her nonprofit, Youth4Us. Her journey exemplifies resilience and creativity, offering valuable insights on overcoming challenges. Let's support our young leaders as they take the stage! #youthleadership#TEDx#empowerment#creativity#inspiration
Email from The Speak Feed Lead Project 14-year old business owner gives TEDx talk Dear {First Name} It makes me so happy when youth in our programs receive opportunities to speak on prestigious stages
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