Igniting the Spark

What can mountaineering teach us about deep wisdom and reconnection to our hearts? Tune into this warm and wonderful conversation with alpinist and award-winning author, Michael Schauch. Michael is someone who lives to explore the depths of nature and the human spirit and share the beauty of connection he discovers along the way. For fifteen years Michael has been a mentor and supporter of Tibetan Buddhist youth in Kathmandu, Nepal, and many young members of his community in Canada. He holds an MBA from Queens University and is a member of the Explorers Club.Our conversation explores:  Reconnecting with nature as an antidote to modern isolation and how it's accessible for anyone, not just monks or mountaineers. Storytelling and human connection and how the stories we tell about ourselves both divide and unite us. Inner peace as a strategy, not a platitude. How non-attachment de-escalates conflict, from family arguments to global polarization What mountaineering teaches about ego, Lessons on fear, control, and letting go from high-altitude climbing. And there’s so much more. Learn more at https://www.michaelschauch.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when two powerhouse media innovators—who have spent decades creating stories and experiences for some of the biggest names in television—turn their attention toward life’s deepest questions? You get Seeking Center. This week on Igniting the Spark, I’m joined by Robyn Miller Brecker and Karen Loenser, the visionary women behind Seeking Center, for a conversation about curiosity, consciousness, intuition, and what becomes possible when we begin seeking beyond the surface of our lives. For 20 years, Robyn worked alongside Oprah Winfrey, collaborating with some of the world’s most influential thought leaders to create programming that impacted millions. Before that, she helped launch Noggin and worked at Nickelodeon, always at the intersection of storytelling, innovation, and human connection. Karen is an award-winning television producer and digital platform innovator whose career has included shaping content and strategy for major media companies including Discovery and AT&T, most recently helping launch Discovery+. Together, they’ve taken decades of experience in media, storytelling, and bringing people together and poured it into something deeply meaningful: Seeking Center, a place for curious souls to explore the big questions, discover new possibilities, and connect with wisdom that can change the way we experience our lives. We talk about their own journeys, what led them from mainstream media into this deeper exploration, and the extraordinary teachers, ideas, and experiences they’ve encountered along the way.If you’ve ever felt there is more to this life than what we can see on the surface, this conversation is for you. Come seek with us. Learn more at https://www.theseekingcenter.com/. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get ready for a powerhouse conversation about how to navigate the rough waters of menopause with calm, grace, and ease. Today my guest is Nic Monteforte, a former national executive, qualified Vedic Meditation teacher, and high-performance coach with over 30 years in leadership and human performance. She is the creator of the Stress Debt Economy, the Infinite Capacity Formula, and the Menopause Stress Amplifier, frameworks that help high achievers understand where their energy, clarity, and edge are going, and reclaim up to 70% of lost potential. Nic built her career coaching executives, entrepreneurs, and leaders through burnout, financial collapse, and the kind of pressure that looks like drive right up until it stops working. She has lived it herself. After her own collapse and a long history of hormone-related illness, she rebuilt on a foundation of physiological calm, then moved through perimenopause and menopause without losing her edge, and now teaches other women to do the same. Learn more at https://www.nicmonteforte.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How would your life be different if you knew that you were always connected to a powerful support system that is always available for you at any moment? This week is the return of my dear friend, the amazing and inspiring, Suzanne Giesemann. Suzanne is a spiritual leader, best-selling author, and award-winning documentarian recognized on Watkins’ list of the 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People. Others on the list include Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama. In 2024, she was awarded the prestigious Humanity’s Team Spiritual Leadership Award, which has only been given 11 times since 2006. Past recipients of this award include Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela (posthumously). A former Navy Commander with a master’s degree in National Security Affairs, Suzanne served as a commanding officer and aide to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. She now guides people to live consciously connected and divinely guided lives through her teachings, workshops, and retreats. Suzanne has authored 17 best-selling books, including The Awakened Way and Wolf’s Message, the latter of which inspired her 2025 documentary produced in partnership with filmmaker Jim Spruell (more info available here). She has also created seven best-selling Hemi-Sync recordings and shares her insights with millions through her YouTube channel, the Daily Way inspirational messages, and the Awakened Way app. Her memoir, Messages of Hope, was adapted into an award-winning documentary available on Amazon Prime and YouTube. She serves as faculty with The Shift Network and Humanity’s Team and is a member of the Evolutionary Leaders Circle, a group of thought leaders from diverse disciplines that supports a global shift in consciousness. Learn more at https://suzannegiesemann.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest this week is the effervescent Alisha Das and we do a deep dive into understanding angels and how they are not just something written about and experienced thousands of years ago, but that they are with us and around us in every moment. Alisha Das is an angel communicator, speaker, ordained minister, andspiritual teacher known for her ability to perceive and articulate the Angelic Language, helping people reconnect with their divine lineage and higher purpose. With more than 30 years of experience, she has led 500+ seminars worldwide and hosts Angels & Masters on SparkTV and the Live Your Love podcast. Her background as an actress, DJ, and dancer continues to shape her creative approach to communication and teaching. We also talk about her new book Your Angelic Ancestry, which invites readers into a journey of self-discovery, where spiritual identity, purpose, and higher guidance come into focus. Find out more about Alisha at: https://alishadas.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices