Life, Death & The Space Between with Dr. Amy Robbins

Latest Episodes:

Master Your Intuition with Laura Day Jul 02, 2023

Show notes

Do you struggle with understanding what intuition is and how to use it?

Today we talk with New York Times bestselling author and intuitive for A-list stars and corporate executives, Laura Day. She has taught thousands of people and companies how to master their intuition in practical and verifiable ways.

Listen in to hear what intuition is, how to master your intuition, the relationship between intuition and psychology, and how to use your intuition and mindfulness to create the life you want.

Topics We Discuss:

[2:29] Intuition is nonlocal perception, an extension of our senses. Everyone has access to it. It is useful, accurate, and actionable. Our thoughts are based on our habitual beliefs. Your intuition speaks at the same “level” as your thoughts and feelings, but we’ve been taught to ignore it. We must have an ego to channel our intuition into action.

[14:53] Intuition vs being empathic. Empaths often lack boundaries and act as energy vampires. The most intuitive people have strong boundaries and are balanced. Empathy is an emotional state and highly emotional states and intuition can’t coexist.

[17:18] Mediumship is not empathy, it is perceiving something by becoming it. Empaths often are mediums who aren’t able to get back to themselves and their mindfulness. Mindfulness is not a meditation, it is conscious awareness of where you’re at and how you feel. Your power is in the present moment. The most spiritual thing you can do is know yourself.

[24:09] Intuition and psychology. Your pathology can be your potential, but you can’t see yourself as a victim. Intuition can you tell you what will happen and what to do, but therapy and psychological healing are needed to access it yourself and act upon intuition. Intuition doesn’t care how you feel.

[29:30] Contracts. We need to let others go through certain things in their own time and process. If there is a pattern you’re struggling with, ask yourself where you first picked that up. You have to take the lessons from your experiences to dissolve contracts.

[35:48] Changing outcomes. Most people don’t hear what they can’t emotionally process in a reading. It’s not good to know information if it won’t help you function. We all have a right to our mistakes, and changing “bad” outcomes is not always actually beneficial for our personal development.

[41:22] Embodiment is the next step after mindfulness. It is allowing yourself to experience a reality that is possible, but not quite yet present. Manifestation is the action that goes into making the possibilities that you embody your reality. Becoming the person you need to be to have what you want is hard work. It’s an active choice.

[52:48] Validating intuition. Document your intuitive hits and notice how they happen and where your biases are. Check in with your intellect and emotions when it comes to decision-making. Ask for another way if it’s something you know you should do but just can’t.

[59:52] The first step to tapping in. You’re always tapped in, but you need to be clear about what you’re asking for and working towards. Dreams are tricky to identify what is intuitive or psychological processing. Sleepwork can be helpful, which is different. Where is your awareness when you wake up?

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SUPPORT DR. AMY ROBBINS:

If you’re enjoying the podcast and finding value in guest interviews, ghost stories, and the content I share, please consider supporting the show by becoming a Patreon member for as little as $5 a month at Patreon.com/DrAmyRobbins

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FOLLOW LAURA DAY:

Find Laura and the programs she offers on her website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Life, Death and the Space Between is brought to you by:

Dr. Amy Robbins | Host, Executive Producer

PJ Duke | Executive Producer

Extrassaus.com | Audio & Video Editing | YouTube

Mara Stallins | Outreach & Social Media Strategy

Claire | Claireperk.com | Podcast Cover Design

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keeping Psychedelics Sacred - Rachel Harris Ph.D Jun 25, 2023

Show notes

Are you in favor of medicalizing psychedelics? Or does the divergence from sacred traditions bother you?

Today we talk with Rachel Harris, Ph.D, a psychologist of over 40 years who has spent time meeting with women in the psychedelic underground doing the work to keep psychedelics sacred, some of who have been practicing for as long as Rachel has been a psychologist.

Listen in to learn more about the pros and cons of medicalized psychedelic research, the sacred practices being left out of therapeutic psychedelic use, psychedelics for death and dying, and more!

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FOLLOW RACHEL HARRIS:

Find out more about Rachel and her books on her website.

Rachel’s book, “Swimming in the Sacred: Wisdom from the Psychedelic Underground” is available on Amazon. (affiliate)

Life, Death and the Space Between is brought to you by:

Dr. Amy Robbins | Host, Executive Producer

PJ Duke | Executive Producer

Extrassaus | Audio & Video Editing

Mara Stallins | Outreach & Social Media Strategy

Claire | Claireperk.com | Podcast Cover Design

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kyan - A Ghost Story Jun 23, 2023

Show notes

Kyan was a 12-year-old piano prodigy. He taught himself how to play classical music in just a few months, and had even started composing music. The day after he passed, his family began receiving signs from him, including an unfinished composition called "Corvus Raven Heart." Now, his music lives on through others. Listen in to hear this beautiful story about a brilliant boy.

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SUPPORT DR. AMY ROBBINS:

As a member, you’ll get more say in the content we cover and exclusive access to behind-the-scenes goodness!

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LISTEN TO KYAN’S SONG

See videos of him playing and hear renditions of his song: https://www.youtube.com/@kyanpennellsofficialchanne2645

DO YOU HAVE A GHOST STORY?

Ghost Stories are a way for listeners to tell their amazing stories. If you have a great story to tell, a relationship you have with your loved one who has passed, or another mystical experience please reach out: Team@DrAmyRobbins.com. Tell me your story so we can feature it on the show.

Life, Death and the Space Between is brought to you by:

Dr. Amy Robbins | Host, Executive Producer

PJ Duke | Executive Producer

Max Bugrov | Extrassaus | Audio & Video Editing

Mara Stallins | Outreach & Social Media Strategy

Claire | Claireperk.com | Podcast Cover Design

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Power of Play with Shirin Etessam Jun 15, 2023

Show notes

When was the last time you took time out of your day to play?

Today we talk with Shirin Etessam, an entrepreneur, seasoned media executive, and transformational speaker who recognized the power of play in a world full of rigid structures, schedules, and expectations.

Listen in to hear how this high-level corporate employee and entrepreneur turned to spirituality, the power of play for your mind, spirit, and body, and the importance of play for children and adults.

Topics We Discuss:

[1:50] Shirin’s jump into spirituality. The end of a 22 year relationship made her realize that she felt empty inside despite having all of the material measures of success.

[5:06] Half-assed spirituality. Going to a retreat once a year, going to a yoga class, or wearing particular jewelry isn’t going to bring about the lasting, integrated changes that a daily spiritual practice does. Practicing only when it’s convenient is a form of spiritual bypassing.

[10:50] Redefining spirituality. Separating soul work and connecting with spirit. We have to do internal work to reconnect with our essence so we can follow our internal guidance. Play is an important part of this process.

[17:34] Shirin’s process. It took her 6 years from the end of her relationship to drastically change her life and get to a spiritually healthy place. She lacked direction and didn’t really know where to look. Customizing one’s spiritual process and practice is important.

[19:34] All about play. The most important thing is allowing ourselves the space to play. Shirin details some of the different play personality types as defined by Stuart Brown. Any activity that we do simply for the joy of doing it is play. It rewires our brains.

[25:19] Play for children vs adults. Playing is a skill, and the school system does a poor job at supporting kids in creative, unstructured play. Because of this, kids grow up to become adults that don’t know how to play. The more adults who play, the more acceptable it will become.

[29:33] How Shirin plays. She dances a lot and used to do random disco time for one of her teams to shift their energy when stressed. She says you have to figure out your personality type and incorporating that into your day.

[31:55] Adult playmates. Having friends to play with always helps. Shirin has a friend that she will sometimes talk through imaginary scenarios with or who isn’t afraid to dance like a maniac at a party with her.

[34:13] Play with your kids. Playing with your own children as an adult can help you unlock that side of yourself. Connecting to your children in that way is also great bonding time.

[35:32] Play & executive functioning. Young children learn and develop through play, and especially getting to play on their own terms. They learn things like assigning roles, working in a team, navigating conflict, and so much more. Many parents are unintentionally robbing their children of this freedom.

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SUPPORT DR. AMY ROBBINS:

As a member you’ll get more say in the content we cover and exclusive access to behind-the-scenes goodness!

Stay Connected with Dr. Amy Robbins:

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FOLLOW SHIRIN ETESSAM:

Find Shirin and the programs she offers on her website, Instagram, Facebook, and Tiktok.

Shirin’s book, “Free to Be: A Six Week Guide to Reclaiming Your Soul” is available on Amazon. (affiliate)

Life, Death and the Space Between is brought to you by:

Dr. Amy Robbins | Host, Executive Producer

PJ Duke | Executive Producer

Max Bugrov | Extrassaus | Audio & Video Editing

Mara Stallins | Outreach & Social Media Strategy

Claire | Claireperk.com | Podcast Cover Design

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Live Your Life with Amanda Kloots Jun 08, 2023

Show notes

How well can you keep your spirits up in the face of hardship?

Today we talk with Amanda Kloots, a ray of sunshine, former Broadway Dancer and Radio City Rockette, fitness instructor, and author who encourages people to live their lives to the fullest.

Amanda’s late husband, Nick, died in 2020 from Covid and co-infections. Listen in to hear all about his death and legacy, as well as how she stayed positive in the face of death, and parenting after loss.

Topics We Discuss:

[2:30] Amanda’s grief and loss experience losing her husband. He got sick during the pandemic and then caught hospital infections that ultimately took over him 95 days later.

[5:39] How Amanda’s positivity kept her going even when doctors told her on multiple occasions that her husband was going to die in an hour.

[10:14] The power of love. Amanda would sing, dance, and encourage her husband whenever she was able to see him and she could tell it boosted his spirits.

[12:54] Nick’s legacy. His story caught the world’s attention because he fought for so long to make sure Amanda and their son Elvis would be okay. Amanda and Elvis were able to move into a new home. She and Nick’s mom became very close, and Nick died a rock star like he always wanted to be.

[15:52] Amanda’s family support. Her siblings, especially her brother, really stepped up to help her and take care of her and Elvis after Nick died. It impacted their familial relationships deeply.

[19:10] Signs, synchronicities, Biblical ties, and beliefs. Milestones of his illness coincided with Biblical days like Easter weekend. Nick’s energy swept over Elvis on a few occasions. Amanda talks to him and dreams about him. Mediums have described Nick’s energy field to Amanda and it’s been the same as what she’s seen.

[27:02] Parenting a toddler who lost a parent. Amanda tries to keep Nick present in their lives by talking about him with Elvis. Her new children’s book is a great tool to talk to kids about death and loss. She is sure that Elvis dreams about Nick and encourages others to go to sleep intending to see their loved one.

[32:29] Amanda’s grief journey. Losing a spouse is a lifelong journey, especially when you are left to parent a child you once shared. Her philosophy has become to just do and go for things because you never know what could happen.

[34:39] Nick’s song “Live Your Life”. Amanda helped him write the lyrics because he couldn’t figure it out on his own. It took on a whole new meaning after he died.

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SUPPORT DR. AMY ROBBINS:

As a member you’ll get more say in the content we cover and exclusive access to behind-the-scenes goodness!

Stay Connected with Dr. Amy Robbins:

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FOLLOW AMANDA KLOOTS:

Find Amanda and the programs she offers on her website or on Instagram.

Life, Death and the Space Between is brought to you by:

Dr. Amy Robbins | Host, Executive Producer

PJ Duke | Executive Producer

Max Bugrov | Extrassaus | Audio & Video Editing

Mara Stallins | Outreach & Social Media Strategy

Claire | Claireperk.com | Podcast Cover Design

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finding the Words with Colin Campbell Jun 01, 2023

Show notes

Has anyone in your life ever experienced a big loss? What did you say to them? Did you struggle to find the right words? Did you give them the space to speak about their loved one?

Did you just give up and distance yourself from them?

Today we talk with Colin Campbell, a writer and director for theater and film whose short film was nominated for an Academy Award. Colin and his wife Gail have experienced the deepest form of loss – the death of their children, Ruby and Hart. His new book, “Finding the Words”, explores his grief journey after their tragic deaths.

Listen in to hear their story, how to even start coping with this kind of loss, the importance of community and rituals in grief, and why it’s so important to find the words to keep speaking about those who have passed.

Topics We Discuss:

[1:45] Amy’s experience with Colin’s work. Colin’s book brought her to tears in an airport despite her background working with grief. Many of us are afraid of pain and avoid it, although it is sometimes mixed with joy.

[5:09] Colin’s late children, Ruby and Hart. They were kind, magnetic children - the lives of the party. Hart was a clown as Colin calls him and often embodied different “characters” when joking with his friends. Ruby was an artist, book lover, and advocate for others.

[11:20] What happened to Ruby and Hart? Colin and his family were hit by a drunk and high driver going 40 over the speed limit, and the children passed in the back seat. He and his wife were devastated with grief.

[13:12] The process of grief. Colin worked with grief groups, his rabbi, and his community to embrace the grief and push through the loss. Taking action from his grief kept him going, sitting in the sadness was overwhelming. He tries to stay connected with the kids.

[16:00] First step to dealing with losing your children. Dealing with denial is an early step, if not the first to healing. It’s incredibly difficult to accept the fact that your children are really gone.

[19:00] Colin leaned on his wife’s Jewish traditions for grief and loss support. The community support was critical to his process.

[22:27] What happens after the rituals end? Jewish culture says to commemorate the end, so Colin and his wife, Gail, had a ceremony with family and friends. This is a practice they continue to lean on.

[25:12] Navigating holidays after loss. Holidays are a reminder of the loss and can be challenging. Colin has found that leaning into the pain and honoring your loved ones helped.

[26:43] Grief and marriage. Some couples isolate from each other and struggle after losing children; however, the rate of divorce is lower in couples who have experienced loss than the national average. Colin and Gail actively grieved together and found support in each other.

[29:21] Pain, suffering, despair and moving through. Pain is the inescapable feeling of hurt that comes from loss. It needs to be felt. Suffering is the unhealthy expression of pain. Guilt and regret lead to suffering. Despair is overwhelming hopelessness - if you are suicidal you need to seek help. Rituals, community, talking about the dead and the pain, and taking action to connect with life and others are ways through.

[36:53] Educating others. Colin and Gail wrote letters to the people around them to help them understand how to support them. It can feel awkward and takes a lot of courage. People appreciated being told what to say and do to help. Acknowledging the loss helps those grieving feel less alone.

[43:47] What to say to people who are grieving. “There are no words” isn’t an accurate statement about loss. Ruby and Hart’s friends’ words were impactful because they were simply expressions of love and loss. “Comforting words” often minimize the pain. Giving people space to tell stories about the dead is the greatest gift you can give them.

[47:55] Colin’s afterlife beliefs. He’s seen the kids in his dreams. He believes they live on inside of him and Gail. He sometimes thinks they might be sending him signs, but he warns against relying on signs too much. The afterlife can sometimes be used as a way to avoid feeling the hurt now because of a hope of reuniting later.

[52:40] Colin’s experience fostering. It was originally Ruby’s idea. Their foster daughter eventually decided she didn’t want to be part of the family because she was afraid of being close with Colin and Gail. They are now fostering to adopt two siblings, a boy and a girl. It’s a tough road because foster children have lived a life of trauma and loss.

[59:32] Colin’s book. “Finding the Words” is a great resource for those who are grieving. Amy shares a quote from the book.

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SUPPORT DR. AMY ROBBINS:

As a member you’ll get more say in the content we cover and exclusive access to behind-the-scenes goodness!

Stay Connected with Dr. Amy Robbins:

FOLLOW COLIN CAMPBELL:

Find Colin and the programs he offers on his website or on Instagram.

Colin’s book, “Finding the Words” is available on Amazon (affiliate).

Life, Death and the Space Between is brought to you by:

Dr. Amy Robbins | Host, Executive Producer

PJ Duke | Executive Producer

Max Bugrov | Extrassaus | Audio & Video Editing

Mara Stallins | Outreach & Social Media Strategy

Claire | Claireperk.com | Podcast Cover Design

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cellular Healing with Patti Conklin May 25, 2023

Show notes

Did you know that your body stores emotions, down to the cellular level? Would you believe it if I told you there was someone who could see the particles that make up your body and facilitate cellular healing with this sight?

Today we talk with Patti Conklin, a vibrational mediator, teacher, lecturer, radio personality, host of the show Healing Within: An Adventure Inside on Binge Networks, and an author.

Patti approaches healing with an integrative lens and spiritual awareness to facilitate incredible outcomes with her clients. Her mission is to help people “become insubstantial without transitioning”.

Listen to the episode for more about what that means, what her energetic gifts are like, and how she uses them to conduct cellular healing sessions.

Topics We Discuss:

[3:28] Patti explains her gifts. She was born with a rare way of seeing. It’s similar to the way a TV looks when it goes out. She sees one-dimensionally, has no depth perception, and sees particles. She can see the judgments in someone that create disease and their behavioral problems, and manipulate their body’s particles.

[6:44] Does Patti release the emotions for the client, or does the client release them? After another visitation at 28 where she was taught to heal with colors, she healed her two forms of Lupus and eventually developed her cellular cleansing method. Patti manipulates a client’s cells and absorbs their energetic junk.

[11:02] What does the soul want to experience? Sometimes a terminally-ill person is really supposed to be at the end of their life. Patti can help them arrive at death without fear. Sometimes she sees that doctors are wrong and meets with the patient and their doctor to help them move forward.

[12:13] Patti uses an integrative lens- she looks at medical tests and scans with her work, but everything goes back to the emotions stored in your body. We choose emotions and can release them. The emotions in our bodies can be from our time in utero, past lives, or our current lives. You don’t need to know where they come from.

[16:30] What happens when someone goes to Patti. Usually, someone is given a diagnosis (or label). She looks at what emotions are prevalent in someone’s life and body. Even if a person lies about what happened, Patti can see the memory of what happened in your body, sometimes as if from a movie. Everyone gets homework. She puts a responsibility on her clients to heal themselves.

[24:47] Patti’s success rates. She has a 96%(!) healing rate. Clients still pass, and if they do it’s part of their soul’s journey. She can see if a soul is ready to leave or not, but nothing would stop her from helping someone. Her gifts can help the client and their families emotionally even at the end of life.

[28:20] “Becoming insubstantial without transitioning.” How do we get past our judgments and into unconditional love without dying? Patti helps with physical health problems, emotional issues, and even possessions.

[29:05] Patti’s experience helping with an exorcism. She defines demons as dark energies attempting to balance out light energies.

[33:38] Patti’s daughter-in-law is a pharmacist. Coming from such a heavy Western clinical background, she has a difficult time understanding what Patti does.

[36:34] Colorworks. Tones and colors hold active frequencies. Patti has a person feel into their experience and asks what color their body needs to heal. They tell her and then she helps them push the energy through their body. We use a lot of tools like tarot, supplements, etc. that we don’t really need.

[41:05] Patti’s children and grandchildren. One son is very similar to her, another is a seer. Her adopted son even has some of her gifts too. Her grandchildren all have aspects of her gifts too. Her children saw who she was and took over the areas she didn’t do well - cooking and cleaning. They still support her work.

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SUPPORT DR. AMY ROBBINS:

As a member you’ll get more say in the content we cover and exclusive access to behind-the-scenes goodness!

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FOLLOW PATTI CONKLIN:

Find Patti and the programs she offers on her website.

You can also follow her on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.

Patti’s book, “God Within” is available on Amazon. (affiliate)

Life, Death and the Space Between is brought to you by:

Dr. Amy Robbins | Host, Executive Producer

PJ Duke | Executive Producer

Andrej | Podcastize | Audio & Video Editing

Mara Stallins | Outreach & Social Media Strategy

Claire | Claireperk.com | Podcast Cover Design

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tragedy Transforms - a Ghost Story May 22, 2023

Show notes

EPISODE SUMMARY:

A new mother loses her own mother and experiences a slew of synchronicities and dreams reminding us all that our loved ones never really leave us.

Listen in to hear this beautiful story, the signs present, and the message that the storyteller walked away with.

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SUPPORT DR. AMY ROBBINS:

As a member you’ll get more say in the content we cover and exclusive access to behind-the-scenes goodness!

Stay Connected with Dr. Amy Robbins:

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DO YOU HAVE A GHOST STORY?

Life, Death and the Space Between is brought to you by:

Dr. Amy Robbins | Host, Executive Producer

PJ Duke | Executive Producer

Andrej | Podcastize | Audio & Video Editing

Mara Stallins | Outreach & Social Media Strategy

Claire | Claireperk.com | Podcast Cover Design

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Havening for Trauma with Hilary Russo May 18, 2023

Show notes

“You cannot find the calm in the chaos, you have to remove the chaos in order to find the calm.” - Hilary Russo

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SUPPORT DR. AMY ROBBINS:

As a member you’ll get more say in the content we cover and exclusive access to behind-the-scenes goodness!

Stay Connected with Dr. Amy Robbins:

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EPISODE SUMMARY:

Does trauma healing seem too scary and painful for you? What if I told you there was a way to make the process more enjoyable?

Today we talk with Hilary Russo, one of only 700 certified Havening practitioners worldwide. She’s also certified in Hypnotherapy and Integrative Nutrition and is an award-winning multimedia host/journalist focusing on health and wellness. You can find Hilary at the mic hosting the successful podcast, HIListically Speaking.

Hilary studied directly under the founding doctors of Havening, who have called her a “pioneer” in the field. Trauma informed and educated, Hilary has been nationally recognized as a leader and public figure for her work in holistic health.

Listen in to hear all about Hilary’s journey from journalism to wellness, how she stumbled upon Havening, and all about what Havening is.

Topics We Discuss:

[3:58] Hilary’s jump from journalism to wellness. She left the newsroom after 9/11 and became an Integrative Nutrition Certified Health Coach. She then learned about Havening. Her first experience with a session, which was during a live training seminar, touched on her father’s death and changed her life.

[10:58] How does Havening work? The key component is the “Havening Touch”, a gentle touch that can be self-applied or used by a practitioner while talking through a traumatic event. It rewires your brain and leaves you feeling lighter. It can also make you feel like you’re “looking” for that heaviness and trauma.

[15:00] Havening helps you process traumatic events. The touch used provides comfort and a pleasant distraction, and puts your brain into a delta wave state so that memories can be rewired.

[19:22] The role of touch in the process. Touch provides a sense of calm, and combined with the change in thought processes due to the pleasure of the experience is where the magic for processing and change happens.

[22:06] If someone feels uncomfortable being touched by another person due to abuse or another traumatic experience, they can start this process by trying 3 different methods of touching their own bodies - hands, arms, or face. These are the most effective, but someone can even use a “non-havening touch” on themselves if those won’t work.

[27:27] Hilary does a short Havening session with Amy. They also discuss the differences between EFT/tapping and Havening. You can use the tools discussed to regulate yourself anytime and anywhere - for anxiety, performance, fear of flying, etc.

[39:25] Find the tool that works for you. Hilary’s signature program, “HUG it Out”, incorporates elements of Havening.

FOLLOW HILARY RUSSO:

Find Hilary and the programs she offers on her website or on Instagram.

You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Check out the HIListically Speaking Podcast here: http://hilisticallyspeaking.com/

Life, Death and the Space Between is brought to you by:

Dr. Amy Robbins | Host, Executive Producer

PJ Duke | Executive Producer

Andrej | Podcastize | Audio & Video Editing

Mara Stallins | Outreach & Social Media Strategy

Claire | Claireperk.com | Podcast Cover Design

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meditation in Nature with Mark Coleman May 11, 2023

Show notes

“Life is growing and aging and dying.” – Mark Coleman

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SUPPORT DR. AMY ROBBINS:

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EPISODE SUMMARY:

When was the last time you stopped to smell the roses? Aside from smelling nice, taking time to regularly slow down and notice the natural world around you could change your life…

Today we talk with Mark Coleman, a meditation teacher and founder of Awake in the Wild - an organization dedicated to sharing the transformative power of meditation in nature.

His new book, “A Field Guide to Nature Meditation” provides a step-by-step framework for developing a nature meditation practice over the course of a year. Mark is a devoted student of Buddhist and mindfulness teachings and combines that background with his love of nature and the magic it possesses to help people create a truly transformational practice.

Listen in to learn more about connecting with Mother Earth and how being in relationship with her can help you find peace, become comfortable with death, and heal.

Topics We Discuss:

[4:23] Nature calls us into presence and observation more easily than meditating in a dark room. Immersing our 5 senses in nature seems counterintuitive, but slowing down into joy, presence, and ease is the crux of mindfulness.

[8:07] Build yourself up to stay outside longer, especially when it’s cold. The sensory experience of nature is pleasurable for us and pleasure brings us into the present. Admiring the beauty of simplicities like the sunset creates a sense of unity among people.

[13:39] How Mark helps people connect. He calls on people to fully arrive with their minds wherever they physically are. Movement or “meandering” and just having people get lost in the landscape they’re at. There are a myriad of different ways to connect with and deepen your sensitivity to nature

[19:09] Nature is healing in its own right, but just bringing yourself into the present moment brings so much healing and change. Letting our problems and stressors fade to the background of our mind for even brief periods of time induces physiological changes.

[22:23] Nature not only exemplifies but is the cycles of life and death. It helps to normalize death. Reconnecting with nature reminds us that dying is part of the natural order, and that often death helps to feed new life.

[31:10] The more time we spend in nature, the more we appreciate it and want to protect it. When we have a relationship with the earth, we recognize how harming the planet harms ourselves. Opening our hearts to caring more about the planet also means we have to grieve what’s been done.

[38:28] Finding the balance between preservation and industrialization. Mark believes we have to focus on the good things millions of people are doing all over the world to help the environment. Take action if you are feeling anxious or hopeless and get involved with others to make a difference, even in a small way.

[44:59] Meditating on nature without being outdoors. Mark teaches a “window meditation” in his book to help you connect to the natural world even if you’re in an office on a high rise.

[49:41] The audio version of Mark’s book contains guided meditations for you to follow along with. Go to a park, out in your garden, or out on a hike and listen in.

FOLLOW MARK COLEMAN:

Learn more about Mark and his courses and listen to his free meditations at his website.

Learn about the retreats and training he offers at this website.

Connect with him on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Mark’s book, “A Field Guide to Nature Meditation” is available on Amazon. (affiliate)

Life, Death and the Space Between is brought to you by:

Dr. Amy Robbins | Host, Executive Producer

PJ Duke | Executive Producer

Andrej | Podcastize | Audio & Video Editing

Mara Stallins | Outreach & Social Media Strategy

Claire | Claireperk.com | Podcast Cover Design

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.