The Aware Show

Happy Thanksgiving! We are deeply grateful to all of our listeners and sincerely appreciate your time! Lisa continues her interview today with Dr. Michael Beckwith, founder of the Agape Spiritual Center. He discusses his "Life Visioning" process, a spiritual technology he developed for conscious evolution, authentic living, and living your life purpose. He invites us to get still, quiet the mind, and find our own answers from deep inside our inner wisdom.  He is widely recognized for his teachings on the science of inner transformation and unity, and today he further shares ways to experience inner peace and bring awakened awareness into our everyday lives. Reverend Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith is the founder and spiritual director of Agape International Spiritual Center in Los Angeles, California. He is a featured teacher in the film and book "The Secret." In the '70s, he began an inward journey into the teachings of East and West, and today he teaches universal truth principles found in the New Thought-Ancient Wisdom tradition of spirituality. Gifted with a vision of a trans-denominational spiritual community, he speaks to a congregation of tens of thousands of people weekly online and at Agape. Info: agapelive.com.  

Today Dr. Michael Beckwith, founder of the Agape Spiritual Center, shares his wisdom and insight and invites us to contemplate the act of questioning. He asks us to consider the impact our thoughts have directly on our lives and how we can draw from a deep, creative well from within. All of the answers we seek can be found within and he talks about accessing these realms. Reverend Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith is the founder and spiritual director of Agape International Spiritual Center in Los Angeles, California. He is a featured teacher in the film and book "The Secret." In the '70s, he began an inward journey into the teachings of East and West, and today he teaches universal truth principles found in the New Thought-Ancient Wisdom tradition of spirituality. Gifted with a vision of a trans-denominational spiritual community, he speaks to a congregation of tens of thousands of people weekly online and at Agape. This is Part 1 of the interview. Info: agapelive.com.

Do you long for something deeper in your life? Are you innately drawn toward spirituality and curious about what you may find? Do you think we as humans are naturally wired to search for deeper meaning in our lives? Whether it be a walk in the woods, or through mediation or prayer, our guest today, Dr. Lisa Miller, believes that we are naturally able to tap into a heightened awareness of the world around us. We are able to cultivate circuits in our brains which help us to become more spiritually aware. By developing this awareness, we can begin to free ourselves from depression, anxiety, loss of creativity, and so much more. We can consider things from a more awakened, more elevated perspective. Dr. Miller believes when we feel depressed, this is an alert asking us for deeper spiritual exploration.    Dr. Miller is a professor in the Clinical Psychology Program at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she founded the Spirituality Mind Body Institute, the first Ivy League graduate program and research institute in spirituality and psychology. She has been with the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical School for more than a decade.    Dr. Miller is the NYT bestselling author of "The Spiritual Child" and her latest book is "The Awakened Brain." She is the Editor of the Oxford University Press Handbook of Psychology and Spirituality, Founding Co-Editor-in-Chief of the APA journal "Spirituality in Clinical Practice," an elected Fellow of The American Psychological Association (APA) and the two-time President of the APA Society for Psychology and Spirituality. A graduate of Yale University and University of Pennsylvania, she earned her doctorate under the founder of positive psychology, Martin Seligman, and she has served as Principal Investigator on multiple grant-funded research studies. Info: LisaMillerPhD.com.  

Do you often have strange dreams? Would you like to learn more about what your dreams are trying to tell you? Today's guest is dream expert and coach Kelly Sullivan Walden. She talks about her latest book, "Dreamifesting" and how it's possible and incredibly practical to try to remember our dreams. Kelly shares how she feels like a practical mystic and talks about how we can learn to bring dreams into our waking lives. Even snippets can offer insights. As we wake up, we tend to remember those dreams. All night long we are dreaming. It is very important for our brains to function properly. Even if we don't know what the dream means, by doing just a small bit of recall, it can help us unlock answers. Kelly also discusses nightmares and how they can hold a key to our understanding. She shares her recurring nightmare of being chased by wolves and as she worked with these dreams, she realized the gifts they offered her. She also discusses Image Rehearsal Therapy, which involves thinking about the nightmare and planning a different ending, a way you would like it to be. This method is being researched at Harvard and being used to help with PTSD. Kelly talks about the meaning behind "Dreamifesting" and how it is a way of harnessing the power of dreaming to manifest. She talks about meditation and shares details of how to use this process so you can create the life you desire! This is Part 1 of the interview. Info: Dreamifesting.com and KellySullivanWalden.com

 Where does inspiration come from? Are you looking for guidance? How can you be more in touch with your intuition? It's not from the intellect. It's about the power of intuition and imagination. Today's guest is Michael Tamura, Master Teacher, Visionary, Spiritual Healer, Clairvoyant, and Pioneer in the field of psychic development. Michael and Lisa talk about the importance of a meditation practice to get in touch with your intuition. He talks about how we communicate with one another, especially spirit to spirit, and how heartfelt exchange is an offering. He further talks about his prediction that the youth will lead the way, especially through the next millennium. Although they may be young physically, they are "older souls" who have an advanced understanding of spirit. With the media and technology available, they will offer new perspective and insight to further advance human understanding and compassion. He further describes "super psychics" who are naturally gifted with powerful healing abilities. His award-winning book, "You Are The Answer," helps guide people to true destiny and life purpose. Info: MichaelTamura.com

 Would you like to learn to utilize your psychic skills? Did you know it's easy for children to develop these abilities? Our guest today, Hakim Isler, is a combat veteran and military expert in PsiOps. He is the creator of the Psi Games Event and will discuss its role in unlocking human potential. Hakim is a survivalist as well an expert in consciousness. He talks about the importance of play and how he uses it in the Psi Games. Hakim talks about how we can stay open to ideas and use our psychic knowledge. He invites us to push the limits and develop our abilities. Through the Psi Games, he founded a competition that involves remote viewing as well. He talks about training with many of the original remote viewers. We can learn to break through the boundaries. Hakim believes it's the next level of human evolution. This can all become normal. We have so much information including 150-200 years of research into this phenomenon. Universities such as Princeton, Rice, Duke, the University of Virginia, and others have been studying these methods for many decades. He also discusses his work with the Monroe Institute. Hakim believes we need to make the idea of psychic abilities fun and available to the masses. Hakim was on the TV show "Naked and Afraid" where he was sent to the Himalayan mountains and needed to survive for 21 days with no food, no water, no shelter. He talks more about what he learned through those lessons, including the power of love.  Hakim invites us to explore a world of unlimited possibilities available to us all. This is Part 2 of the interview. Info: Psigamesinternational.com and Hakim-Isler.com.

Do you ask yourself questions such as "Who am I?" "What's my purpose?" "What is God?" Our guest today, JD Messinger, received answers to these questions and more when he had a spontaneous awakening-type experience. He explains how he sees and hears things that most people do not, yet everyone can learn to do this. During an NDE experience after he broke his neck, he went through the tunnel of Light and came back with spiritual gifts. Prior to this, JD was the former CEO of Ernst & Young Consulting (Singapore), one of 37 distinguished graduates from the US Naval Academy, a former fireman, nuclear submarine officer, and former radio and television show creator, producer, and host. In the world of business, he helped supervise the Valdez Oil spill cleanup and is an advisor to Fortune 100 clients and governments on five continents. After his experience, which he says, "was no accident," he began having prophetic visions and insights. Over the course of eleven days, he conversed with a "mysterious friend" in what became the book, "11 Days in May: The Conversation That Will Change Your Life." Today he offers wisdom that he learned including the importance of focusing on the positive. He says do not give energy to what you do not want. Surround yourself with people who support your beliefs. Be with people who are trying to promote awareness. He also talks about looking for signs, noting synchronicities, and seeing the magic in life every day. Info: TheMessingerInstitute.com.

Would you like to hone your psychic skills? Are you familiar with the idea of remote viewing and how the military uses it? Our guest today, Hakim Isler, is a combat veteran and military expert in PsiOps. He is the creator of the Psi Games Event and will discuss its role in unlocking human potential. Hakim is a survivalist and explains how the human hierarchy of needs relates to the chakras. We are all part of the whole. In this interview, Hakim discusses consciousness and how we relate to the world. This leads to other states of awareness. He talks about spiritual living and the importance of breathwork. Hakim is involved in an extensive yoga program and talks about balance and various breathing techniques. He shares about three different types of breathing, all of which affect our energy, whether it's to feel more energized, to slow down and relax, or to simply be in balance. Hakim was on the TV show "Naked and Afraid" where he was sent to the Himalayan mountains and needed to survive for 21 days with no food, no water, no shelter. He shares what he learned during that time. Hakim realized that what really matters is who you are and who you love. He tries to remind people that we are unlimited beings. We must try to hold on to what matters – and love is the most important aspect. The biggest tools we have are our breath and our love. We are all connected. Hakim further discusses the practice of remote viewing which was originally designed by the military to access information from a different place and time. Essentially the veterans in this secret program were considered "psychic spies." Hakim explains how remote viewing helps us realize we are more than our physical bodies. We are expanded beings as a collective. The true awareness of who we are is about connection as a whole. He also talks about the extensive work he is doing to teach everyone, especially children, how to access our innate psychic abilities. Hakim believes it's the next level of our evolution. He invites us to step into the full spectrum of who we are by learning and experiencing these unlimited possibilities. This is Part 1 of the interview. Info: Psigamesinternational.com and Hakim-Isler.com.

Happy Halloween!  And what better topic to talk about on Halloween than paranormal phenomena?!  Lisa's guest today is author and parapsychologist Michael Lewis. Today he shares with us some of his own first-hand experiences and encounters with the paranormal and ghostly realms. After encountering several near-death experiences from a normally fatal heart condition, Michael found new proof for previous conclusions and broadened his paranormal horizons. He also talks about working with angels. Info: https://www.michaellewistherapist.co.uk.

We know science can only explain certain facts, so how important is faith when it comes to healing? These concepts can exist together. Lisa continues the interview today with our guest, Dr. Gary Simonds, a retired neurosurgeon who's treated tens of thousands of patients. Today he talks about burnout in the healthcare system, especially during and after Covid. He explains how we are all constantly depositing or withdrawing energy from our energy bank. When we are not replenishing, we can get burnt out. We may feel like we are not contributing. Dr. Simonds has worked with world experts researching physician burnout and our healthcare system. He suggests how stillness and meditation are very beneficial to everyone. Dr. Simonds also describes what the brain actually looks like, its blood supply, and its need for constant oxygen. He talks about how social isolation impairs brain function. It is so important to seek out community. He further discusses the importance of sleep and rest for a healthy brain, and how mindfulness can provide a sense of balance as it can change the brain alignment. He stresses the importance of keeping a positive attitude and focusing on resilience. Dr. Simonds suggests practicing gratitude and asks us to think of 3 things we are grateful for throughout the day. He explains how our brains actually have a different chemical reaction when looking for the positive. He suggests considering uplifting material or realizing something as simple as a smile. Sometimes we need to force ourselves to look for the positive. As a neurosurgeon, doctors typically look for the worst-case scenario, so they can plan in advance if something goes wrong. He talks about consciously directing thoughts toward possibilities and solutions. Dr. Simonds, as an expert neurosurgeon, also discusses how to deliver difficult news, while managing expectations.  He's had to do it so many times, with many patients and families. He explains how it's all about trust -- a delicate walk between honesty and compassion with empathy.  An expert on burnout and trauma, Dr. Simonds is the Founding Chief of Neurosurgery at the Carilion Clinic, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (retired) and the author of three non-fiction books. "Death's Pale Flag" is his first novel and his latest book. This is Part 2 of the interview. Info: GaryRSimonds.com.  

 October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month and today Lisa talks with Dr. John West about his important book on breast health entitled "Prevent, Survive, Thrive: Every Woman's Guide to Optimal Breast Care." Dr. West talks about general care guidelines, common breast problems, controversies in breast care, best prevention measures, as well as what to do if you or a friend is diagnosed with breast cancer. He is a leading advocate for early detection and a pioneer in the development of a comprehensive breast cancer treatment practice.  Info: BreastLink.com

Although it may seem like science is completely separate from faith, they both play a very important role in our understanding. They are not opposed and can exist together as both strive to find the truth. It's just a matter of looking at the topic from different angles, according to our guest today, Dr. Gary Simonds, a retired neurosurgeon who's treated tens of thousands of patients. Today he talks about burnout in the healthcare system, especially during and after Covid. He stresses the importance of keeping a positive attitude and focusing on resilience. Dr. Simonds suggests practicing gratitude and asks us to think of 3 things we are grateful for throughout the day. He explains how our brains actually have a different chemical reaction when looking for the positive. He suggests considering uplifting material or realizing something as simple as a smile. Sometimes we need to force ourselves to look for the positive. As a neurosurgeon, doctors typically look for the worst-case scenario, so they can plan in advance if something goes wrong. He talks about consciously directing thoughts toward possibilities and solutions.  Dr. Simonds, as an expert neurosurgeon, also discusses how to deliver difficult news, while managing expectations.  He's had to do it so many times, with many patients and families. He explains how it's all about trust -- a delicate walk between honesty and compassion with empathy.  An expert on burnout and trauma, Dr. Simonds is the Founding Chief of Neurosurgery at the Carilion Clinic, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (retired) and the author of three non-fiction books. "Death's Pale Flag" is his first novel and his latest book. This is Part 1 of the interview. Info: GaryRSimonds.com.  

Can healing affirmations actually work? Absolutely! And Louise Hay, author of the international mega-bestseller "You Can Heal Your Life," will share more of her wisdom as Lisa continues the conversation today. Louise is a metaphysical lecturer and teacher with more than 50 million books sold worldwide. For more than 30 years, she has helped people throughout the world discover and implement the full potential of their own creative powers for personal growth and self-healing. She has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and many other TV and radio programs both in the U.S. and abroad. She is also the founder of Hay House Publishing, specializing in personal growth and development media. Today she talks about positive affirmations toward money, healing, self-worth, and so much more. She believes that more people than ever are searching for answers and ways they can take control of their lives and their thinking. Positive affirmations work! This is Part 2 of the conversation. Info: HayHouse.com and LouiseHay.com. 

Are you tired of feeling so much tension and stress?  Lisa continues the conversation today with Dr Shannon South, who is now known as the Joy Doctor. Dr. South has developed a way to overcome difficulties. We can handle these extremes, even though there may be suffering and pain. Dr. South has been working with people experiencing trauma for more than 25 years and today she talks about her method.   She discusses what trauma is and how we can learn to respond from our Higher Selves. Fear is completely able to heal. Fear does not need to run our nervous and response system. Our whole being can come together as we can retrain our brains. We can map into a state of calmness through peace and love. It's a different energetic template. Our systems can be updated according to Dr. South.   Dr. South talks about her book, "The Power of Your Inner Counselor" which discusses how we can heal the cells in our bodies. We can evolve into our Higher Nature by getting out of survival. We must align with and embody our Higher Selves. We can evolve into more peace, love, and trust. Meditation, and taking that pause, can help tremendously. We can choose to become more empowered by listening to our Inner Counselor. We have so much more potential than we realize. We can all get to a state of balance and find inner expansion and freedom. As we shine and evolve, we can make a difference and help more people. This is Part 2 of the interview.   Info: theinnercounselor.com

Are you familiar with the power of positive affirmations? Do you believe that your mind plays a role in healing? Today's guest fully believes in the power of the mind and what an incredible honor it is to have on the show mega-bestselling author of "You Can Heal Your Life" Louise Hay. She is also the founder of the world's largest self-help publishing company, Hay House.  Today she's talking with Lisa about the movie "You Can Heal Your Life" which contains hours of footage and plenty of positive affirmations that you, too, can use to heal your life.    Louise discusses her journey with cancer and how she took a positive approach to turn toward optimal health. She made the decision that she would heal her life. She brought together people who were all able to help including nutritionists, teachers, and others. After six months, the medical community declared her cancer-free. Her diet and affirmations were so important, but most importantly Louise says she learned to forgive. After a very challenging childhood filled with abuse, she knew she was carrying resentment and knew she needed to release it. She looked into the childhoods of her parents and realized they both came from very difficult places and passed along what they learned. This was the key to forgiving them both. She talks about affirmations which heal including, "All is well"; "Only good will come of this"; "Everything is working out for my highest good";  and "I am safe." This is Part 1 of the conversation, and we air this in her honor on what would have been her 99th birthday. Louise Hay made her transition on Aug 31, 2017, at the age of 90. Info: HayHouse.com and LouiseHay.com. 

 With all the crises on the planet, war, conflict, climate change, and so much more, does it seem like things are becoming tougher, even more extreme? Yet, according to our guest today, Dr Shannon South, who is now known as the Joy Doctor, there's a way to overcome these difficulties. We can handle these extremes, even though there may be suffering and pain. Dr. South has been working with people experiencing trauma for more than 25 years.   She discusses the severe anxiety disorder she had when she was younger. Medicine helped her get through it, but she knew there was more to life than medication. She saw a meditation teacher who taught her a way to calm her mind. She chose to wean herself off of her medicine on her own and an energetic peace came over her. She had no more panic attacks ever again. Dr. South learned a specific process of connection, a divinity that we can call upon in times of need. We all can access this connection and divine wisdom. This guidance is designed to help us all.   She discusses her Inner Counselor Process and how to have a divine experience, without the extreme circumstance or trauma. The "conflict of opposites" creates something new. We can expand into a new way of being, because of these opposites. A third way is possible through her method. It involves talking with our Higher Selves and getting in touch with areas of pain and trauma. There are many different names for this energy -- this is your higher nature, your angelic self, your creative self.   Trauma splits us off from our loving, wiser nature. It makes us susceptible to black-and-white thinking. If we can trust that we can heal, we can move through the trauma and evolve through it. We can understand ourselves more deeply.   Dr. South explains how to access our Higher Self easily, by calling in support from those who passed on, those who love us. We can include angels, spiritual guides, teachers, and healers. They can all help and assist. We have the resources to heal. It's embodied in our Higher Nature.   Info: theinnercounselor.com

Today's guest, world-renowned primatologist and environmentalist Dr. Jane Goodall discusses our relationship with the animal kingdom. We are all connected. We are harming the planet, and therefore if affects the animals. Dr. Goodall discusses her extensive study of primatology and specifically her work with chimpanzees. In her vast travels, she talks about how there were more than 1 million chimpanzees, and now we have less than 200,000, some of which have little chance of survival as they are spread far apart.  She is also the founder of "Roots and Shoots," a non-profit organization which encourages children in more than 70 countries to study wildlife. Roots and Shoots focuses on teaching young people the importance of taking care of our planet. She invited students from countries who were at war to speak at the UN in honor of International Peace Day. Dr. Goodall is a UN Messenger of Peace. In July 1960, at the age of 26, Dr. Goodall traveled from England to what is today Tanzania and bravely entered the little-known world of wild chimpanzees. Her unyielding patience and characteristic optimism won the trust of these initially shy creatures. She managed to open a window into their sometimes strange and often familiar-seeming lives.  Dr. Goodall later earned a PhD in ethology, the study of animal behavior, from the University of Cambridge, with her thesis detailing the first five years of study at the Gombe reserve. In 1977, she founded the Jane Goodall Institute with Genevieve di San Faustino. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in 25 cities around the world, the organization aims to improve the treatment and understanding of primates through public education and legal representation. Today, her work revolves around inspiring action on behalf of endangered species, particularly chimpanzees, and encouraging people to do their part to make the world a better place for people, animals, and the environment we all share. Info: www.janegoodall.org and www.rootsandshoots.org This interview was originally broadcast in late Sept 2006 and talks about a worldwide event happening to raise awareness of peace and the environment. We air this today in honor of Dr. Jane Goodall, who passed away Oct 1.

Today's interview is Part 2 of a discussion of an impossibly difficult topic – losing a child to suicide. September marks National Suicide Prevention Month, and Lisa continues the conversation today with Betsy Thibaut Stephenson who discusses the many layers of moving forward after losing a child. She shares how her 21-year-old son Charlie called her just 11 weeks before he took his own life. There were no warning signs prior to that. Betsy shares her story and feedback she is receiving about her honesty. She talks about her son's death to make it easier for others to talk about this subject, including the immense grief and painful guilt. She has received messages from younger people who want to heal, even in the midst of difficulties and struggle. She is asking people to treat depression as an illness. It is powerful and has many different parts. She does not get mad at her son but gets very angry at the illness for the affect it has on so many. Betsy reminds us that it's fine to not be happy all the time. If you are not feeling good, she asks us to talk to someone, whether it's a parent, friend, teacher, coach, or a professional. Reach out and know that help is available. Trust helps with healing and recovery. She openly talks about going to therapy and how depression is so powerful. It can override our basic, innate power to survive. You cannot reason with a mental illness. She asks us to take it very seriously. Betsy is a veteran crisis communications expert based in Washington, DC. Rather than being consumed by grief, Betsy chose to meet it head-on, emerging with a mission to spark more honest conversations around mental health, grief, and loss.  Her new memoir, "Blackbird: A Mother's Reflections on Grief, Loss, and Life After Suicide" is a brutally honest and beautifully written account of how she continues living—and loving—after the worst kind of loss. It's a story meant to help others feel less alone.  Info: www.blackbirdbetsy.com This is Part 2 of the interview. If you or a loved one is experiencing thoughts of suicide, self-harm, or crisis, pls CALL OR TEXT 988. You will be able to talk confidentially, for free, with a trained crisis counselor, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We've all heard the expression, "Ignorance is bliss," but what if the truth was just the opposite? Professor Robert Thurman, the preeminent scholar and interpreter of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy for the modern world, believes that "Wisdom is Bliss" and in fact, that's the name of his latest book. Professor Thurman is a very close friend of HH Dalai Lama and today he discusses deep ideas about mindfulness and presence and  leads us on a joyful exploration into the nature of reality through Buddha's threefold curriculum of "super-education." He invites us to shift our attention of suffering to know we are part of the bigger flow of life. He asks us to manage our mind and thoughts through meditation, awareness,  and compassion. He believes by cultivating intuition, and coming from a perspective of neutrality, we can all attain a more peaceful state.  Thurman is Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University as well as Co-Founder and President of Tibet House US in service of HH Dalai Lama and the people of Tibet. He is a leading worldwide lecturer on Tibetan Buddhism, passionate activist for the plight of the Tibetan people,  and skilled translator of Buddhist texts. Info: tibethouse.us.  

Today's interview is a discussion of an impossibly difficult topic – losing a child to suicide. September marks National Suicide Prevention Month, and our guest is Betsy Thibaut Stephenson who discusses the many layers of moving forward after you lose a child. She shares how her 21-year-old son Charlie called her just 11 weeks before he took his own life. There were no warning signs prior to that. She recognized he was in distress during that phone call. Betsy immediately got on a plane and flew to Texas where he was living as a college student, ready to start his senior year. She stayed with him for a week. He admitted that he found a therapist and told no one else. He was trying to handle things alone. After Betsy left, Charlie came home several times. He was in college, working, exercising, hanging out with friends, and always with people. He promised that he was doing fine. Then, late one night, he took his life. She had seen him just 3 weeks prior. His demeanor was good. He visited with friends and former teachers during that trip home. There were no additional warning signs. Since Charlie's death, Betsy realized that she had underestimated how anxiety-filled his life may have been. She learned that when you are a teenager and into your early 20s, your brain is still not fully formed. Your brain cannot yet see all of the consequences of your actions. Betsy talked about suffering with depression off and on for many years. She openly talks about going to therapy and how depression is so powerful. It can override our basic, innate power to survive. She asks us to take it very seriously. Betsy is a veteran crisis communications expert based in Washington, DC. Rather than being consumed by grief, Betsy chose to meet it head-on, emerging with a mission to spark more honest conversations around mental health, grief, and loss.  Her new memoir, "Blackbird: A Mother's Reflections on Grief, Loss, and Life After Suicide" is a brutally honest and beautifully written account of how she continues living—and loving—after the worst kind of loss. It's a story meant to help others feel less alone.  Info: www.blackbirdbetsy.com This is Part 1 of the interview. If you or a loved one is experiencing thoughts of suicide, self-harm, or crisis, pls CALL OR TEXT 988. You will be able to talk confidentially, for free, with a trained crisis counselor, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.