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

Latest Episodes:

Life in 20 Lessons with Chris Meyer May 28, 2021

Show notes

“Do epic shit every day.” – Chris Meyer

Chris Meyer is a lawyer, filmmaker, funeral home owner and author of a new book, "Life in 20 Lessons: What a Funeral Guy Discovered about Life, from Death" is like "This is my Life" meets "Tuesdays with Morrie." Meyer spent 14 years in the funeral business assisting grieving families and in one case, the soon to be departed, in planning funerals. It was a life chapter he never intended to write, but he feels grateful for, given the impact the career detour had on him personally.

In this beautifully lighthearted conversation we talk about:

After being a lawyer, filmmaker, how the unusual “funeral guy” career came to pass – how the motivation for the career shift sprung from the birth of his son
Job description of mortician, funeral director, funeral home owner…
Funeral considerations - burial vs cremation, death certificates, embalming, preparation for visitation
Intensity of dealing with families after a death – when emotions are high, and personalities are charged
Psychological impacts of literally living and breathing death day after day, and how necessary it became to dissociate
The difficulty compartmentalizing when a child had died
After thousands of funerals, the most memorable eulogies were lives well lived - people with simple lives, who relished the smaller moments, lived in the present, lived with empathy and compassion for their elders, had great connections with family and friends
A few of his lessons learned: make a few great friends, enjoy food, stop worrying about money, DEST - do epic shit today

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Buy “Life in 20 Lessons, What a Funeral Guy Discovered about Life, from Death” wherever books are sold

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Reclaiming Ritual Healing with Ji Hyang Padma May 24, 2021

Show notes

“Hopefully we don’t believe everything we think.” – Ji Hyang Padma

Ji Hyang Padma has combined an academic career with her vocation as a spiritual teacher. Ji Hyang served as Director of Spirituality & Education as well as a Buddhist chaplain at Wellesley College for fourteen years. Additionally, she has served as a meditation teacher at Harvard University, Boston University, Babson College, Esalen Institute and Omega Institute. Ji Hyang Padma currently serves as a chaplain at the University of California at San Francisco.

Ji Hyang Padma is the author of the new book “Field of Blessings” (www.mantra-books.com April 1st 2021). “Field of Blessings” is a turning point, a revitalization of the healing arts in Western culture.

Our conversation covers these fascinating topics:

The premise of her book is
- to reclaim some of the nourishing resources forgotten as Buddhism crossed from the Eastern to the Western world,
- to reclaim the power of ritual healing and reconnect with the roots of mind-body medicine

What healing looks like through the Buddhist lens - the mutuality and interconnected between consciousness and the body - or interaction between the limbic system and the brain

How we use food, technology, and overwork to medicate the dis-ease in the body

Mind-body practices that can help us reset the balance between the mind and body. For example, the practice of receiving the blessing of wellbeing can renew the body, and in turn can be used to echo those blessings out to the world

Somatic re-experiencing work (reference Peter Levine) to heal trauma and PTSD in the body

Personal healing and collective, societal healing are interdependent

All of us are one body on the earth
our sense of wholeness and our well-being depends on compassion, kindness and insight toward others; this enters into the collective field and brings about healing
One universal element is relational empathy: relationship heals
Healing the individual is healing the world

Attachment Theory - The way we have experienced early life relationships affects our relationship to our physical body and all our close relationships (intimate and otherwise). When our early relationships are essentially trustworthy the limbic system and prefrontal cortex have a healthy connection. If our early relationships were dismissive/avoidant, then the information is blocked, body centered awareness does not develop well. Disconnection leads to dysregulation leads to dis-ease.

Ritual is embodied narrative, and our way of making meaning, including: visualization, music dance, rhythm, poetry (reference Daniel Siegal relational neurology, interpersonal neurobiology)

Chogas or rituals
- Setting intention
- Mindfulness
- Creating space
- Therapeutic attunement
- Evoking sacred power
- Changing awareness
- Reconnection with the natural world and community

Five elements in healing
- Earth – groundedness, centeredness
- Water – emotions, confidence
- Air - clear mind
- Fire - action, assertion
- Space

FOLLOW JI HYANG PADMA

MountainPath.org

“Field of Blessings” is available on Amazon, Kindle, Barnes and Noble and wherever books are sold www.mantra-books.com

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Bathed in Blessings with Pierre Pradervand May 20, 2021

Show notes

“Bless those who curse you.” --- Pierre Pradervand

BIO

A true world citizen, Pierre Pradervand has laboured a great deal of his life for social justice, living in or visiting 40 countries on every continent. From his Geneva home, Pierre is now active as a writer, speaker and workshop facilitator, helping people to live simpler, yet richer, more contented lives. His workshops provide personal development tools that empower attendees to strengthen their internal anchors and advance on their spiritual path. Pierre is also an independent celebrant for weddings, burials and other events.

His books include, “365 Blessings to Heal Yourself and the World”, “The Gentle Art of Blessing”, and “Messages of Life from Death Row”.

Today we hold a conversation from my living room in Chicago to his home in Switzerland. Our topics:

How his journey began with the sentiment, “Bless those who curse you.”
What blessing looks like: sending focused heart energy, sending love
Instantaneous healings resulting from his practice of blessing from the heart
How asking for help with deep sincerity can dissolve anger and other unpleasant emotions
The kingdom of g/d is that place within us, the place of infinite abundance, unlimited peace and constant joy
How integrity is the foundation stone of any life
How being truthful to yourself, of your deepest desires, leads to your spiritual path
Obstacles to living in one’s integrity include medieval concepts concocted by male theologians
Differences between blessing, prayer, and a gratitude practice

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What Is Beyond Us? with Fred Matser May 13, 2021

Show notes

“Individuality is a hallucination on consciousness.”

-- Fred Matser

Fred Matser is the founder and chairman of the Fred Foundation and a leading Dutch humanitarian. He has been active in social and ecological transformation and is the founder or co-founder of a wide range of charitable foundations that span the fields of health, environment, nature conservation, peace and global transformation. The principles underlying these foundations are based on inspiring co-creativity, self-sufficiency, empowerment, inspiration and harmony. Fred is the author of “Beyond Us”, released February 1st, 2021.

A link to the documentary “Beyond” based on this incredible book follows: https://www.beyondmedocumentary.org/en/watch-film-en/

Today we talk about ideas in “Beyond Us”:

Differences between the thinking mind and human consciousness
Infinite consciousness as the whole
How to differentiate thought and intuition
Intuition as an internal navigator
His definition of “functional comparison” and how can it help us
How humans are much like cells in a human body. Cells will eventually die to keep the human alive. Humans will eventually die to keep humanity alive.
How we get “clogged up” in terms of our intuition – and how letting go clears us
Anything that keeps us away from unconditional love is fear
The essence of fear is resistance
Shifting from a materialistic/dualistic world view (not our reality) into a idealism/nondualism (our reality)

FOLLOW FRED MATSER

FredFoundation.org

www.iff-books.com

https://www.beyondmedocumentary.org/en/watch-film-en/

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Will I See You In Heaven? A Ghost Story May 10, 2021

Show notes

Life, Death and the Space Between podcast listener shares her story of a unique friendship developed in hospice, and an unmistakable sign when her friend crossed.

Ghost Stories is a way for listeners to tell their amazing stories of the metaphysical. If you have a great story to tell, something similar to this, contact you have had with your loved one who has passed, or any other mystical experience please reach out and let me know. Tell me your story and so we can feature it on the show.

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Mental Illness and Spirituality with Sylvia True May 06, 2021

Show notes

“Above all, be curious.” -- Sylvia True

Sylvia True was born in England to parents who were refugees from Germany. She moved to the US when she was five. Growing up with parents from different cultures, a mother who was a Swiss champion figure skater, and a father who was a theoretical nuclear physicist gave her varied and unique perspectives.

During her summer breaks, Sylvia likes to travel to the Amazon and do research in the rainforest. She has raised two daughters, who are both pursuing their passions.

Presently, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two very spoiled dogs, where she is a high school chemistry teacher.

Her book “Where Madness Lies” is available from Top Hat books and from wherever books are sold.

Today we talk about how…

The book is essentially her grandmother’s story
Her family’s legacy of mental illness let to suffering under Nazi Germany
Intergenerational trauma and secrecy in her family because mental illness was connected with Nazi murder
Children in a household sense unspoken fear, shame and secrecy
Sylvia’s own mental illness created openness in her family
Sylvia’s fascination and experience with the paranormal was integrated into the storyline of her book
Ambiguity between mental health and the paranormal blurs the two
Her paternal grandfather was Anne Frank’s family doctor

FOLLOW SYLVIA TRUE

SylviaTrue.com

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Finding Zen with Christopher Keevil Apr 29, 2021

Show notes

“The point of Zen is not to completely stop all thinking. But it is to bring oneself through discipline to a very still space so that one builds capacity to be present in any moment.” --- Christopher Keevil

Christopher Keevil is an ordained Zen priest and senior dharma teacher in the Single Flower Sangha. He has been practicing Zen since 1991 and teaching since 1998 in the lineage of his teacher, Zen Master Bo Mun (George Bowman), who is a dharma heir of the Korean Zen Master Seung Sahn.

Christopher is also the Managing Director and founder of Wellspring Consulting, a national firm that helps non-profit leaders develop strategy for the future in areas such as education, health, social justice, and the environment. Previously he was a Partner at The Boston Consulting Group, an international management consultancy. Earlier he worked as a carpenter and house builder, and as a musician and dance caller in the Irish and New England folk traditions.

“Finding Zen in the Ordinary”, his new book, offers honest and thought-provoking spiritual insights drawn from daily-life experiences. The book includes forty-eight brief stories, prose poems, dialogues between Zen student and teacher, and reflections on moments of spiritual awakening.

In today’s lively exchange, we talk about:

- What is Zen? How is it different from other forms of Buddhism?

- How being present in the moment with someone is similar to psychotherapy

- Difficulty of sitting in meditation in the Zen tradition, and how collaboration with friends can give context, rhythm and relationship to a meditation practice

- Approaches that maintain focus during meditation

- Even the most practiced meditators minds jump during meditation

- The universal human experience of not-enough-mind

- The paradox of seeking but with non-attachment to an outcome

- Why are we here?

- What it feels like to truly be in the present moment

FOLLOW CHRISTOPHER KEEVIL

FindingZenInTheOrdinary.com (use contact page)

https://www.johnhuntpublishing.com/mantra-books/authors/christopher-keevil

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Finding Awakening with Dr. Christiane Michelberger Apr 23, 2021

Show notes

Christiane Michelberger, is a retired physician, psychoanalyst, and past spiritual seeker who currently mentors seekers in their quest to awaken.

Over ten thousand hours of meditation and 40 years of studying Buddhist scriptures didn’t stop her from having debilitating fear when she found out she had breast cancer.

She wasn’t able to cope and questioned whether everything she had done up until that point was a complete lie. She discovered a book that led her to ask one simple question. That one question led to a true awakening. She realized she had been spiritually sleepwalking. She had replaced one illusion for another. But this was only the first step.

In her book “Finding Awakening” she shares her no-nonsense journey beyond the self to peace and freedom. Her mission is to put an end to all suffering.

Today Dr. Michelberger shares her unique perspective and her personal experience progressing through the steps to full awakening.

FOLLOW DR. CHRISTIANE MICHELBERGER

https://findingawakening.com

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A Live Akashic Reading with Carol Obley Apr 19, 2021

Show notes

Today I welcome back Carole J. Obley, the author of Embracing the Ties That Bind, I'm Still with You and Soul to Soul Connections. She has communicated with souls who have crossed into the spirit world through thousands of private and group sessions. She has earned a reputation in her geographical area as the real deal among psychic mediums. She travels nationally to speak and teach workshops as well as maintaining a practice in mediumship based near Pittsburgh, PA. Her newest book Wisdom from the Spirit World: Life Teachings on Love, Forgiveness, Purpose and Finding Peace is out now.

Check out previous Life, Death and the Space Between Episode #169 "Dive into Akashic Record with Carole Obley" to learn about the akashic record.

Today Carol gives me a mini akashic record reading. Some highlights:

- Significant past lives as a female, how the times frustrated me, and how I felt powerless because of my gender

- Where my impatience comes from

- Mountains of positive Karma I have accumulated (YAY!)

- How our life paths are not set in stone

FOLLOW CAROLE OBLEY https://www.soulvisions.net/ https://www.facebook.com/soulmedium WAITLIST FOR COURSE https://dramyrobbins.kartra.com/page/waitlist FOLLOW DR. AMY ROBBINS www.dramyrobbins.com http://www.instagram.com/dramyrobbins dramyrobbins@gmail.com ldsbquestions@gmail.com

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Dive into Akashic Records with Carole Obley Apr 15, 2021

Show notes

“I meditate. I drink green tea, I sage, I practice yoga and I still want to punch people out sometimes.”

Today I welcome back Carole J. Obley, the author of Embracing the Ties That Bind, I'm Still with You and Soul to Soul Connections. She has communicated with souls who have crossed into the spirit world through thousands of private and group sessions. She has earned a reputation in her geographical area as the real deal among psychic mediums. She travels nationally to speak and teach workshops as well as maintaining a practice in mediumship based near Pittsburgh, PA. Her newest book Wisdom from the Spirit World: Life Teachings on Love, Forgiveness, Purpose and Finding Peace is out now.

Today we dig into the concept of akashic records:

Contrast a psychic reading with medium vs. an akashic record reading
A soul’s akashic record as energy, cumulative over lifetimes and permanently attached, and stored in our unconscious
Karmic lessons and personal responsibility
How in our life review, we see how our choices and behaviors helped us grow (or not) and impacted other souls
How the magic of bringing akashic records into conscious awareness can allow spiritual wounds to heal
Collective akashic records exist for the whole of humanity

FOLLOW CAROLE J. OBLEY

http://www.soulvisions.net

https://www.facebook.com/carole.obley

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