The Gris Alves’ Podcast Tales of Recovery

BETSY POLATIN is a movement specialist with four decades of experience in body-mind education and performance training. She has worked with many performing artists in theater, film, and music, including such luminaries as Rashida Jones, Ginnifer Goodwin, Andre Gregory, and John Denver.   As a highly respected senior Alexander Technique educator, she pioneered a four-year Alexander curriculum for the acting conservatory program at Boston University’s College of Fine Arts, where she is a master lecturer.   A certified Breathing Coordination instructor and a Somatic Experiencing practitioner, she holds a BA in dance and an MFA in theater education. She continues to teach her work extensively, working with Trauma Healing specialist like Dr. Gabor Mate and Peter Levine among others.    Betsy has written several books including The Actor's Secret, Macrobiotics in Motion and her latest (my favorite) HUMANUAL, A Manual for Being Human. I am so excited to have her brilliant wisdom and compassion on the show today.  Please get your cup of tea ready and listen in.    May this time together with Betsy bring you insight, softness and possibilities for healing and EXPANDING your capacity to breathe easier and land embodied so Spirit may have more space to play.    You can find Betsy on her webpage www.betsypolatin.com and on IG @betsypolatin

It is possible to posses the potential for higher consciousness and still turn your back on it, it is the easiest thing in the world to remain ignorant of yourself as a Cosmic Being.    Here's how you do it:  Think the same as everyone else.  Follow old habits and conditioning.  Accept society's collective beliefs. Conform in order to remain "safe". Cling to your story as your identity. Protect your self image.  Look our for # 1.   From Deepak Chopra's book Quantum Body.    The quote I mention in this episode:  "Remember how long you've been putting this off, how many extenssions the gods gave you, and you didn't use them.  At some point you have to recognize what world it is that you belong to; what power rules it and from what source you spring; that there is a limit to the time assigned you, and if you don't use it to free yourself it will be goine and will never return."   Thank you for listening and sharing this podcast**   Join the Mindfulness Magic Master Class at www.grisalves.com/events      

Phileena Nikole (formerly Phileena Heurtz)  is our guest on this episode of the Tales of Recovery Podcast.  I am forever grateful for Phileena, who is also an author, teacher, spiritual director, retreat guide and trauma informed yoga instructor. She has been INSTRUMENTAL in my unraveling from religious beliefs and with the utmost compassion I have ever encountered.  I met her many many years ago when some dear friends of mine recommended her as a spiritual director.  I had read her first book and reached out for what turned out to be a year of incredible transformation and liberation of my heart.  As we chat about here on the podcast,  Phileena helped me move from the prison of religious belief systems to the REMEMBERING of who I am and coming into contact with my inner intuition, and a she calls it, "my Inner Knowing".  Phileena shares with us her own unraveling with religion, through contemplative practices and a somatic approach as she explains how the body has a way of alerting us when something is just not working out.   Our conversation includes talking about what it is to have a teaching/learning experience vs a lived reality and how listening to your body is key in this journey of Spirituality.  You can find Phileena on IG as @phileena and on her webpage www.phileena.com Phileena’s discerning guidance has been featured by Center for Action and Contemplation’s Conspire, Sojourner’s Summit, Q Ideas, The Work of the People, Catalyst, Immerse, Darkwood Brew and more. She is also the author of Pilgrimage of a Soul, a provocative theological narrative set along the Camino de Santiago, and Mindful Silence, a vulnerable exploration of the Christian contemplative tradition.     She does live up in the mountains of New Mexico, so we had a tiny bit of technical issues but I edited it the best I could and I appreciate your patience with this because this recording is just TOO good to be true :)    Grab your cup of tea and listen in ~ May this podcast be helpful on your journey to your True Self.    With much Love,  Gris  

Por si te perdiste el LIVE in Instagram, aqui te lo comparto. 

Hoy nos acompaña Carina Luz Valladolid para platicar de la idea del "Proposito de Vida" que tanto nos venden, a comparación a la realidad que vamos descubriendo como seres en momentos de crisis, (crecimiento) y despertar.  Agarren su cafecito, te y las invitamos a esta conversación de risas y netas hoy en Recuperando la Vida. Gracias por escuchar y compartir.  Aqui les dejo el dicho que nos compartió Carina:  Si estás aquí con la iluminación como meta, no puedes estar aquí. Físicamente puede parecer que estás aquí, pero no puedes estar conmigo: la meta está en el futuro, yo estoy aquí, y la mente que está orientada a metas Es probable que sea en el futuro, nunca nos encontraremos, sé que estás aquí para obtener algo, es por eso que te lo estás perdiendo, estoy aquí para perseguirte y que abandones la idea de lograr cualquier cosa. Si abandonas esta mente orientada a objetivos, estarás iluminado. La iluminación no es una búsqueda, es una realización, no es una meta, es la naturaleza misma de la vida misma.

After an unexpected finding of an aggressive brain tumor, my 88 year old father was told he had a few months or less to live.  Here is the story of our experience together, a last family trip to Cabo to visit his best friend since high school, the intense and beautiful goodbyes, and the gratitude that being prepared for and so close to death can bring. www.fivewishes.org 

On this episode of the Tales of Recovery podcast, I sit down with Marcela and Carina Valladolid to have a conversation about the profound responsibility, power and magic of healing modalities such as psychedelics, breath-work, and meditation.  Join our conversation as we share not just some of our own mind-bending, heart opening experiences, but also the crucial aspect of aftercare and the transformative work that follows.  From integrating profound insights to navigating challenging emotions,  the mysterious re-wiring that happens in the brain that allows our conscious and subconscious desires (like quitting drinking alcohol among others) to manifest.   In this hour we barely touched the tip of the iceberg, so listen in and we will continue to bring more of these important conversations and information your way.  Our hope is that this podcast may be beneficial to your healing journey~ Here are the links we spoke about on the show:  101 Guide to Psilocybin    https://tr.ee/UmmxXBvGja Link to the advanced directive and end of life form  https://www.fivewishes.org/ Podcast de Yannina Thomassiny de Sabiduria Psicodelica con la Senadora Alejandra Lagunes y el movimiento en Mexico para la legalización del uso terapéutico de la psilocibina en Mexico. https://open.spotify.com/episode/7r6K9ME8ySWIp3FWjJNt4E?si=_QtsnDAsS5-f2Ev0yUUsXg    

My friend and soul sister Michelle Meeks, a woman that has had an incredible impact on my life for the past 18 years, is my guest on the Tales of Recovery this week.  Michelle and I met a long time ago at Eastlake Church and I have been lucky to have her as a friend, guide and support all through out the arduous journey of religious deconstruction until finally heading out the door of the xitian religion and its restrictive belief systems.  Michelle later coached me in both in her live detox and nutrition and wellness program that was BEYOND any body based healing I had ever done.  Besides feeling physically amazing,  I learned to love myself and my body like I never had before.  She oozes love and is one of my biggest gifts in this journey of self love, liberation  and re-discovery. We have grown in a friendship of remembering our magic, witchey woo woo fun and continued healing through psychedelics and ongoing evolution.   May you be inspired by the possibility of change, freedom and EXPANSION in this life of love that is a GIFT as you listen in on our conversation.  You can follow Michelle on IG @revolve.fit   Her next liver detox group starts this weekend, reach out to her if you want to join the wellness fun :)     

Aquí la historia de la muerte y el acompañamiento de mi papá, Don Luis Vilchis, en los últimos días de su vida.  Acompañado por sus hijos, nietos , familia y todos los amig@s que tanto lo querían.    Gracias por escuchar y por SU acompañamiento~   Gris

When you are in trauma school, and doing the work of all childhood experiences... you think all is good until: The shit hits the fan.  My dad and his diagnosis, the ice plunge dissociation and coming back to the body with compassion. Tales of Recovery, with Gris Alves    

Podcasts en el carro, una serie de pláticas en lo que voy viajando para aprovechar el tiempo.

Podcasts in the car series~ A talk on Psychedelics, their Power and my experience with them.   I am recording this while driving to LA... please be ware of a few traffic sounds. I felt the urgency to send it out asap, if you have comments regarding the car recordings please let me know. Gris@grisalveswellness.com   Please Enjoy and Share!

I had the pleasure to sit with my friend Adrian Lozano, Plant Medicine Facilitator and Integration Coach. It has been an intense ride, with lots of personal growth and expansion which he tells us about.  His journey with depression, anxiety and drinking were met by these Sacred Plants, and community, who know what we need to see, heal and integrate.    Many years later, and on the other side, we also chat about this current psychedelic movement and the power of the underground community here in San Diego vs the capitalist trip sitter/coach/psych assisted therapists licensing schools taking advantage of the ride and licensing folk that have no experience in the Sacred Medicines World.   In other words,,,, bet your sitter, plant medicine facilitator, psychedelic assisted therapist WELL people!    Take a listen to our conversation and please share, like and rate the Tales of Recovery Podcast!  Send me all your questions and always know that I  appreciate you so much.    You can find Adrian on IG @lozano.flows and on his webpage www.lozanoflows.com

Por que te niegas inmediatamente a ciertos remedios alternativos? Hace cuanto que investigaste las mentiras de la colonización, del gobierno, de la religion que esta diseñada para desconectarte con tu cuerpo?  En este episodio el tema es como nao se suele a cuestionar cuando algún medico alopata te receta ribotril, ativan, antidepresivos etc pero si te mencionan marijuana o psilocibina de inmediato tu reacción puede soler ser de, "ESO,YO NUNCA!"  Una invitación a ver en que tantos aspectos abrir un poco la mente le llega al corazón y a conectar mas con el cuerpo que es en realidad de donde viene toda la sanación. Recuerda que TU eres la medicina.   Las Plantas de Poder, las medicinas ancestrales de las tierra, los psicodelicos son (si les permites) nuestr@s ayudantes....   Aqui les dejo algunos documentales con buena información   https://www.netflix.com/title/80229847   https://www.dosedmovie.com/  

This week on the Tales of Recovery Podcast I speak with wellness entrepreneur Sara Szunyogh, founder of Vital Life Inc.  We have a frank conversation about the realities of being an entrepreneur, the courage it takes to leave the 9-5pm lifestyle and the necessity of community. We navigate the struggles & adventures while committing to a life of freedom, meaning and wisdom seeking.      Please connect with Sara for her wellbeing services at info@vital-lifeinc.com And follow on Instagram @vitallifeinc and her personal page @spicygypsy 

This week on the Tales of Recovery podcast, Marcela Valladolid joins us once again to talk about mental health, how it is tied to physical health and social/cultural programing. We talk about anxiety, and some of the tools and steps she has taken to help her get back to balance.   As working Mom's we know that this is not an easy task, may this conversation help anyone out there not feel alone in this human experience. The struggle is real, let's take the bull by the horns and do this together.  And remember that always always, you can ask for help.    As mentioned in the podcast, here is Marcela's Instagram stories unedited list of tips to help with anxiety: 1. Quit caffeine. Again.  2. Exercise EVERY DAY. (Sauna too. I know this is a luxury. I know this. It's also my reality and part of this list.) 3. Nutrient dense food. No gluten. Low sugar. 4. Put phone down and grab a book and read at least 60 minutes a day.  5. Don't consume any media that's not aesthetically pleasing. I'm dead serious Like just look at pretty food and pretty kitchens until you're good.  6. Speak to your people. I called Philp and he was away and he came home because this isn't a regular occurrence.  7. Sound healing or Yoga Nidra or NSDR or any meditation that works for you. Any of these DAILY. 8. Contact with nature. I hug my Oak Tree more often than I'd care to admit.  **Plus the two big ones and the SOBER BONUS super quote* PROPER HYDRATION. Adding electrolytes to my daily water intake was a game changer.  SLEEP. SLEEP. GOOD F'N SLEEP is the most important part of this puzzle.  *Lastly, which you might find annoying, I cannot for the life of me understand how anyone with any of these issues drinks alcohol. Actually, I do. I have more of a problem defending it or promoting it as a way to de-stress. That is NOT cool.  5 years sober in September. Go have a glass of water and go to sleep.     Thank you Marcela for your open heart, your work and raw honest sharing.  Sober is the most gangster living.  We appreciate you doing the work and sharing it away.    www.casamarcela.com IG @chefmarcela 

We begin in June again, four Mondays where we will gather in circle (online so open to ALL) at 6:30PM for practicing and embodiment of your power.  Each Monday we will break down different teachings that all really belong together but we have forgotten how to make sense off.   Our Mind/Heart/Body disconnection, Trauma, Ancestral Healing and Pleasure.  Healing is a Collective Shared Responsibility, let's group up and do this! This is a sliding scale offering and you can register at www.grisalves.com/events If you need a scholarship let me know. 

Paulina Navarrete Psicologa, Mentora Espiritual.  Psicóloga de Profesión, Madre por Amor y Mentora de Conciencia.   SIganla en Instagram @paulinanavarreteg www.paulinanavarrete.com 

We either repeat or repair, and how we connect to our bodies is key. 

Ryan Lee LAC is this week's guest on the podcast. He has been an incredible source of support and healing for me in my journey and continues to help me stay grounded and balanced in my work with earth based healing arts and plant medicine.  Listen in for some great info on the body, how it functions energetically, how acupuncture woks, where it comes from and some fun personal stories of REcovery! As an avid CrossFitter, yoga practitioner, and fitness enthusiast, Ryan knows what its like to feel inhibited by pain and injury.  He is passionate about helping his clients recover and prevent injury so they can do what they love. Ryan is a CA State Board Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist and Holistic Health Practitioner.  He has over 16 years of experience and is dedicated to helping his clients overcome obstacles of the body and mind so they can reach their ultimate health and fitness goals.