A powerful interview with yoga’s rock star, Krishna Das.  Join CJ as she talks to Grammy-nominated artist, Krishna Das, about why we are here on earth, love, death, the power of chanting, and an experience that completely changed Krishna Das’s life. 

Part 1: Krishna Das has been on a spiritual path most of his adult Life.  He shares his current thoughts on why we are here?? And the meaning of life? Part 2: What is Love and what escapes us? Part 3: Why chanting helps alleviate darkness and suffering?

Part 4:  What does Krishna Das think about death? Part 5:  Is figuring out who YOU are self-indulgent? Part 6:  How Krishna Das was able to let go of his desires, and finally be free to play his music from a totally different place.  

About our Guest

Layering traditional Hindu kirtan with instantly accessible melodies and modern instrumentation, Krishna Das has been called yoga’s “rock star.” With a remarkably soulful voice that touches the deepest chord in even the most casual listener, Krishna Das – known to friends, family, and fans as simply KD – has taken the call-and-response chanting out of yoga centers and into concert halls, becoming a worldwide icon and the best-selling chant artist of all time, with over 300,000 records sold. His album ‘Live Ananda’ (released January 2012) was nominated for a Grammy in the Best New Age album category. KD spent the late ’60’s traveling across the country as a student of Ram Dass, and in August 1970, he finally made the journey to India, which led him to Ram Dass’ own beloved guru, Neem Karoli Baba, known to most as Maharaj-ji. Given the name Krishna Das, KD began to chant as part of following the path of Bhakti yoga – the yoga of devotion. After two and a half years with Maharaj-ji, returned to USA – alas, six months after his return, word came that Maharaj-ji had died. He took solace in music, finding peace and strength in both his Bhakti yoga practice as well as in such heroes as Ray Charles, Van Morrison, Steely Dan, and Bruce Springsteen (whom he laughingly calls “the Bodhisattva of New Jersey”). KD also co-founded Triloka Records, a California-based label specializing in world music, releasing such artists as Jai Uttal, sarod virtuoso Ali Akbar Khan, and legendary jazz musician/composer Jackie McLean. In 1994, KD started leading chant at Jivamukti Yoga Center, NYC, with an ever-growing audience of yoga students that has led him to chant with people all around the world. In February 2013, Krishna Das performed at the Grammy awards in Los Angeles, CA streamed online to millions of viewers. The award-winning film ‘One Track Heart: The Story of Krishna Das’ has been in over 100 US cities, over 10 countries worldwide and is available on DVD everywhere. With the release of his 14th album, Kirtan Wallah—one who sings kirtan, KD offers a westward-leaning album, fully embracing his American roots in rock and country and yet embodying the spirit of deeply devotional Indian chants – the heart of this latest album is still in the Names that he’s singing. “The chanting just hits you and you want to be a part of it,” KD promises. “That’s the point of this whole thing. That’s what cuts through all the ‘stuff’. You get lit up. You don’t have to know what it means.”

More Information on KD’s catalog is below:  In 1990, Krishna Das founded Karuna/Triloka Records, a leading distributor of world music recordings. His debut album, One Track Heart, released in 1996, focuses on updated chants from the ancient tradition of Bhakti Yoga. His second album, Pilgrim Heart, released in 1998, features a guest appearance by Sting, who sings on the tune, “Mountain Hare Krishna,” and plays bass on “Ring Song.” Krishna Das released the double CD Live on Earth…For a Limited Time Only in early 2000, and followed it with Pilgrim of the Heart (Sounds True), a recording of many of Krishna Das’ stories about his experiences with Maharaj-ji and, later, in America (re-released in 2008 as a three-CD set). 2001’s Breath of the Heart was produced by Rick Rubin and features a kirtan choir of fifty people (including Beastie Boy Mike D) and ten top eastern and western musicians and was followed in 2003 by another Rick Rubin production, Door of Faith, a departure from Krishna Das’ signature call-and-response-style chant that is, instead, a deeply moving collection of solo prayers. Greatest Hits of the Kali Yuga, released in 2004, is a compilation of old favorites and new chants accompanied by a DVD, One Life at a Time, featuring clips of live kirtan and interviews with Krishna Das and friends. Krishna Das’ next CD, All One, is a dynamic 70-minute recording of the Hare Krishna mantra in Krishna Das’ own unique style – that moves from a contemplative style, reminiscent of the hills of India, to a rocking South African ‘township’ finale. This was followed by Flow of Grace – Chanting the Hanuman Chalisa in 2006, in CD/book form, offering the reader/listener some background on Hanuman in different traditions, photos, translations, and a variety of melodies in which he sings this 4-verse traditional hymn from India. Next came 2007’s Gathering in the Light, a collaboration between Krishna Das and composer/overtone singer Baird Hersey and Prana, utilizing only voice and percussion to create new arrangements of seven of Krishna Das’ most beloved chants. Krishna Das’ CD release, Heart Full of Soul (two-CD set; fall 2008) is a vibrant live recording that immerses the listener in the joyous experience of an evening of devotional chant with Krishna Das, from beginning to end. Chants of the Lifetime (February 2010), includes 230 pages of KD’s stories of his youth, his time with his Guru, and his experiences on the Path – written in his own words, with photos, and a CD especially designed for the reader/listener to develop her own chanting practice. Heart as Wide as World (March 2010), his first studio album release in a few years, reveals the merging of KD’s youth in the American rock’n’roll world with his spiritual roots in the Indian tradition. We find new tracks of original English songs flowing into chants from the east, beautifully accompanied by western and eastern instrumentation. Live Ananda (January 2012), nominated for a Grammy in the Best New Age album category is the first-time release of live recordings of classic Krishna Das favorites drawn from his early studio recordings. These tracks capture the depth and spirit of the group of chanters on a 3 -day retreat in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains. Krishna Das accompanied by tabla, khol mridanga, bass, violin, flute, and cymbals, blends the musical and spiritual tradition of the east with the voice of the west to create this rendition of call-and-response chanting that lead us into Ananda – Happiness and our true state of Being. One Track Heart – The Story of Krishna Das (Dec 2012), a film that chronicles KD’s chanting path premiered and was winner of best documentary at the Maui Film Festival Dec 2012. The film is distributed by Zeitgeist Films and has been screened in over 100 US cities, over 10 countries, and is available on DVD around the world. Kirtan Wallah (April 2014) – With the release of his 14th album, Kirtan Wallah—one who sings kirtan, KD offers a westward-leaning album, fully embracing his American roots in rock and country and yet embodying the spirit and practice of of deeply devotional Indian chants. 

Do you want to feel more alive? Do you want to awaken your spiritual identity? Astral projection is one way for you to experience a deeper connection to your life energy, and life itself. Join CJ as she talks to William Buhlman about his 40 years of experience with astral travelling as we discuss topics in his book, “Adventures Beyond the Body”. We’ll cover what astral travelling is, unravel some myths about astral travelling, and talk about how to start if you want to go on your own adventure. 

Blog Post by William Bulhman

Today millions of people are discovering the exciting techniques used to achieve out-of-body exploration. The variety of methods available is diverse. Throughout history, practically every religious group and mystic order has developed a system or method to explore beyond the limits of matter. To complicate this situation, many methods have been shrouded in mystery for thousands of years. For example, the Tibetan Book of the Dead provides preparation and guidance for an ancient out-of-body method. This technique was incorporated into lengthy religious ceremonies which were performed over a period of days. Many ancient techniques have remained hidden for centuries, gems of wisdom covered by the trappings of religious ritual.

To simplify this confusing and often misunderstood body of information, the following out-of-body techniques are divided into five categories; Visualization, Dream Conversion, Affirmations, Hypnosis, and Sound. The following methods have proven to be extremely effective and easy to learn.

The visualization techniques are presented first because of their ease and popularity. Many people have discovered that the visualization techniques are a natural way to initiate their first out-of-body experience. After you select a technique, repeat it daily for at least thirty days. Your commitment, desire, and effort will determine the results you experience.

Always remember, the best way to approach out-of-body exploration is to maintain a playful attitude. Have fun with the techniques and enjoy the results.

Basics of Out-of-body Exploration

1. We are a spiritual (nonphysical energy) being temporarily using a biological body (vehicle) for experience and expression.
2. Since the physical body is a temporary vehicle, it is only natural for us to be able to separate from it and experience our nonphysical self.
3. Out-of-body experiences are the normal shift or transfer of awareness from our physical body to one of our higher frequency energy vehicles.
4. We are simultaneously using and controlling multiple energy (frequency) bodies. Each of these energy vehicles exist at a distinctly different density and vibrational frequency. Ideally, all of our energy vehicles work in harmony to assist in our personal development.
5. Each individual vehicle of consciousness is necessary to perceive within its unique frequency of the universe. To experience matter, we must have a vehicle of matter. To consciously perceive and experience the higher (less dense) vibratory dimensions, we must consciously be using the appropriate energy vehicle.
6. We are the creative source of our reality and our experience. We create our individual reality by the way we focus and manage our personal thought energy. This principle applies to all energy levels of the universe. What we experience has been influenced, arranged and manifested by our conscious and subconscious thoughts.

Selecting Your Technique

One of the most important decisions you face in out-of-body exploration is the selection of the technique on which to focus. In general, if you can visualize well, then concentrate on the visualization techniques. Select the technique which is most comfortable for you and stick with it.

If you have difficulty visualizing, then concentrate on the affirmation techniques. Keep in mind, the target technique has proven effective for many people who have claimed poor visualization skills. I believe this is due to the physical “walk-through” which can be repeated until the internal imagery begins to appear. Many people find it easier to visualize an object or location in their home than anywhere else.

Don’t underestimate your abilities, when you are open-minded to new experiences and perceptions, they will occur. On many occasions during my workshops, people have told me that they can’t visualize at all. I have found that when people verbally request the ability and begin to practice with an open mind, they experience a rapid enhancement of their natural abilities. When choosing your techniques, remember to be both flexible and patient.

Visualization Techniques

One of the easiest and most effective methods to experience out-of-body exploration is to use your creative visualization ability. Each of us possesses the natural ability to picture an object or place in our mind. We do it every day in a thousand different ways. Most of us have little difficulty imagining our favorite vacation place, automobile, home, or person. Using our visualization ability is easy once you recognize how natural it is.

To give you a feeling of just how easy visualization can be, try the following.

For a few moments, close your eyes and begin to picture your favorite vacation spot. Select a place you have visited and know well. Just relax and begin to visualize this vacation area as clearly as possible. Begin to picture the trees, buildings, people – all the small details associated with your vacation. Become involved in the scene as much as possible and vividly see and hear all the sensations associated with your favorite vacation. You can add people, colors, and sounds as you see fit.

Now take this scene one step farther and picture yourself entering your favorite vacation paradise. Clearly see and feel yourself within a specific physical location. Imagine all the colors, sounds and sensations associated with the location. Begin to interact with the people and environment you see. As much as possible use all of your senses and become immersed in the sounds, sights, and sensations of your vacation. Take your time and enjoy the experience.

Visualization techniques are easy and enjoyable when you relax and select a pleasurable place, person, or object as the focus of your attention. Whatever you select as the focus of your attention should be an actual physical object or location. The key to all out-of-body visualization methods is to become completely involved in the imagined physical environment. The more focused your attention, the more success you will experience.

OBE TOOLS

“Your imagination is your preview of life’s coming attractions.”
– Albert Einstein

One of the most powerful tools we possess in out-of-body exploration is our natural ability to creatively use our imagination. When used properly, our imagination can help us to achieve any goal or desire we focus on. This is graphically displayed all around us. When we look at our physical possessions, we discover an amazing thing. Everything we possess, our car, furniture, home, stereo, TV, even our relationships were once imagined in our mind. For example, when you see a house being built, just think of all the many imaginations that were busy creating the structure. First, a person begins to imagine a new home for themselves, then they share their ideas with others. Next an architect is called upon to put the imagined idea on paper. Then a builder imagines the construction of the home. Slowly, the collaboration of several imaginations and thoughts come together to form an idea, a plan, a structure and, finally, a physical home. Of course, we take this for granted; we only see the physical results of these busy thoughts around us. However, when we explore the nonphysical interior of the universe an amazing thing occurs. We begin to recognize that our imagination and thoughts have a dramatic impact upon the finer energy frequencies of the inner dimensions. We begin to understand that our imagination is a powerful creative force that shapes the unseen energy around us. When out-of-body, our thoughts and imagination are forming our immediate energy environment with incredible speed and precision. In a very real sense our thoughts are building the unseen energy substructure of our external physical existence.

While living in the physical world we see only a tiny fraction of reality. We observe only the dense results of our thoughts and deeds. The pure power of our imagination and thoughts is often not recognized as we focus upon daily survival and the acquisition of physical objects. For many people, the time span between the imagined idea and the physical results is often a long hard road. They seldom see nor understand that they have formed the subtle energy molds and structures that have eventually manifested within their physical environment.

Whether we realize it or not, our imagination is molding the subtle energy around us. With every thought we are building our future. This is why creative visualization and positive thinking work so effectively. The greater the focus of our imagination, the faster the results we experience.

I cannot emphasize enough how important this creative process is to our existence. This is not some hypothetical belief or theory but an absolute observable energy reaction that is constantly occurring around us. We can personally verify this for ourselves by practicing the techniques presented in this book. This creative energy reaction is constantly at work shaping the subtle energy around us. For example, an accurate psychic reading is nothing more than the psychic being sensitive and aware of the unseen energy forms around another person. This process is not some strange or mystical event as some believe but a simple recognition of the subtle energy forms close to a person. In fact, the entire subject of extrasensory perception is actually the natural process of people being sensitive to nonphysical thought energy and forms. As we evolve, our recognition of this energy reaction becomes more important. Our innate ability to structure our energy environment and our life carries us beyond the animal instincts into new realms of personal creativity and responsibility. The end result is that each of us becomes the creative artist of our life. Each focused thought and mental image becomes the creative mold of our personal reality. At this point we can begin to consciously visualize and build the reality we wish to experience by the thought forms we hold and visualize in our mind. Instead of being the powerless result of our environment, we begin to take charge of our life and our destiny. Finally, we come to recognize that our ability to create is limited only by our ability to imagine.

One of the advantages of the visualization method is the variety of possibilities it generates, there are no limitations, so feel free to develop and use your own. Generally, whatever holds your interest and attention away from your physical body can be effective. For many people visualizing their favorite friend, lover, or physical location as they fall to sleep can produce impressive results. For example, I know a house painter who induces out-of-body experiences by visualizing himself climbing a ladder. He states the key is to picture himself at a specific physical location as he drifts off to sleep. In as much detail as possible he actually feels the hand-over-hand of climbing up a ladder to the roof. He feels the grip and texture of the ladder with his hands and can even feel the ladder slightly shake with each step. This, like all visualizations, is most effective when you surround yourself in the sensations and sounds associated with the activity.

Another good visualization is to imagine yourself as a balloon being filled with helium. As vividly as possible, feel yourself becoming lighter and lighter as you float up to the ceiling. Intensify the sensation of rising upward as you drift off to sleep.

Visualization Made Easy

One approach to out-of-body exploration is to focus and maintain your complete attention outside your physical body as you fall to sleep. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is to focus your complete attention upon a person, place, or object located some distance from you. This can be a loved one from which you are separated, your favorite vacation spot, or a gift that holds some special meaning for you. Whatever you select should be an actual physical object you know, not an imaginary place or person. Select the object or place that is easiest to visualize and holds the most interest for you.

For many, visualizing a loved one that you are separated from is effective. Just picture the person that you wish to be with as vividly as possible. It helps to be emotionally involved, so select a person you would love to be with. Choose someone you know, not a fantasy relationship. Become completely absorbed in their presence and actually feel yourself with this person. If you like, role play some kind of interaction to keep you involved.

Continue your visualization of this person for as long as possible as you allow your physical body to completely relax and fall to sleep. It’s important to maintain a detailed picture of this person and your interaction as you go to sleep. As you doze off, attempt to boost your emotional and visual connection with this person as much as possible.

This method is an excellent bedtime visualization. Keep in mind, the more emotionally involved you are, the more effective this technique is. Have fun with it and let your imagination go wild.

To get full article start  at Target Technique at: http://www.astralinfo.org/astral-projection-methods/

About our Guest

Books: Adventures in the Afterlife (NEW !!), Adventures Beyond the Body, The Secret of the Soul

The author’s forty years of extensive personal out-of-body explorations give him a unique and thought provoking insight into this subject. His first book, Adventures beyond the Body chronicles his personal journey of self-discovery through out-of-body travel, and provides the reader with the preparation and techniques that can be used for their own adventure.

He has conducted an international out-of-body experience survey that includes over 16,000 participants from forty-two countries. The provocative results of this survey are presented in his book, The Secret of the Soul. This cutting edge book explores the unique opportunities for personal growth and profound spiritual awakenings that are reported during out-of-body experiences.

His newly published book is titled, Adventures in the Afterlife. William was inspired to explore the afterlife a result of his confrontation with mortality following a cancer diagnosis in 2011. His lucid dreams and out of body experiences during his treatment and recovery provided mind bending visions that were so illuminating that he felt compelled to journal his experience. Insights that are provided in this book will assist the reader to navigate the many thought responsive environments in the afterlife.

Over the past two decades William has developed an effective system to experience safe, self initiated out-of-body adventures. He conducts an in-depth workshop with the Monroe Institute titled, Out-of-Body Exploration Intensive. This unique workshop provides the steps, intention and techniques designed for controlled out-of-body exploration. Each participant will experience a comprehensive array of proven OBE methods including the target technique, inner motion, visualization, chakra and energy body activation. In addition, hypnotic, shamanic and early morning methods will be practiced.

As a certified hypnotherapist, William incorporates various methods in his workshops to explore the profound nature of out-of-body experiences and the benefits of accelerated personal development. Through lectures, workshops and his books the author teaches the preparation and techniques of astral projection and spiritual exploration.

The author brings a refreshing look to how we can use out-of-body experiences to explore our spiritual identity and enhance our intellectual and physical lives. William is best known for his ability to teach people how to have profound spiritual adventures through the use of out-of-body experiences. In addition, he has developed an extensive series of audio and video programs that are designed to expand awareness and assist in the exploration of consciousness. William has appeared on numerous television and radio shows worldwide. William’s books are currently available in ten languages.

#Astral Projection, out of body experiences, William Buhlman, astral projecting, astralinfo.org, astral projection, outer body experience, astral project, astral projections, astral travel, astral traveling, how to have an out of body experience, astral projection techniques, astral projection experiences, lucid dreaming, dream control, yoga nidra

- See more at: http://www.fireitupwithcj.com/35-astral-project-william-buhlman/#sthash.1aGe8BqT.dpuf

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE? (JAMES VAN PRAAGH)

This is THE show for anyone who ever wondered where they go after they die, who goes where within the Spirit World, and how to prepare for an easy transition to the next life.  Join CJ as James Van Praagh shares his experiences of communicating with the Spirit World for the past 30 years as a medium and reveals findings from his newest book “Adventures of the Soul” on what happens when you die.

TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE? – JAMES VAN PRAAGH

 

Transcript Edited and condensed

 Q:What happens when we die? 

A: At the end of our lives we look at our lives in a life review and we see all those influences that we gave to that overall matrix of everyone. We see how we influenced the world, positive or negative.

 

Q: Tell us about your Near Death Experience.

A: With my near death experience, I saw a ribbon that was attached at the crown of the head to what seemed like a tapestry or matrix.  And I remember that every thought was transferred to a color in that ribbon. Happy thoughts were light colors like pastels.  Angry negative thoughts had more muted and darker colors. I had this realization that when I get to the end of my life, I can look back at that tapestry and see how I influenced it, did I make it more beautiful or not. There was a multi-awareness that we are responsible for everything that we do and that we’ve done.

 

Q: What happens during your life review, if you were a nasty person during most of your life? 

A: Most religions teach about karma and energy.  What I often say is that we are ALL God.  To me, God is the creator, which means we are the creator.  We are part of the big force of creation and that we are constantly creating with our thoughts, and our thoughts are things, so our thought is energy. So at the end of your life, you see how you used that energy. It’s not those great grandiose gestures, like giving money to a foundation that count.  Instead, it’s the things you do like opening the door for somebody, smiling at somebody, or honoring somebody.

 

Q: Is there a heaven or hell? 

A: Yes, but it’s not religious. It’s not like a hell with fire and brimstones, and a heaven with harps and angels. It’s based on what you created in this life. If you led a decent life and you did the best you could with what you had, or at least you attempted to, that will determine your experience in the Spirit World. If you attempted to bring love and compassion, then you’ve done your job.

 

Q: This whole thing makes me worried.

A: It’s good that people have a sense of the life review.  It’s to realize that what I give out, I get back, and that what I give out, I’ll see that again when I pass over. It forces us to stop and rethink what we do and how we respond and treat other people.  It begins the process of mindfulness. We can become mindful of our thoughts and realize that our thoughts create energy.

 

Q: I’m not good and loving every moment of the day, how does this register in the final analysis? 

A:None of us are perfect, but you have awareness and that counts a lot.  We can change. We can take the time to become more mindful, aware, and compassionate. We have that choice and have free will to do that. We can go and help someone across the street or let them suffer on their own.  We have that ability to choose every day.  Life is a series of choices and that’s really what we are down here to learn about — choices, and all choices are either based upon love or fear.

 

Q: Do we continue evolving in the Spirit World?

A: You bet we can. But you can also stay in a certain belief system for as long as you choose to. If you don’t want to grow, you won’t grow.

 

Q: Can we travel within all the realms within the Spirit World?

A: You go to the level based on your thoughts and deeds, and we exist on many levels. You get to higher levels through the energy of love. There are many regions within the Astral plane and you can take tours.  My mother came through and she said that she went to the lower astral world and she said it was a shame because people are not aware there and they are living in little hovels or houses. People don’t love each other. There are different realms. It’s like here in many ways where you can go down an alleyways or into a mansion.

 

Q: What happens once I leave my body? What form will I take? 

A: You are light. You identify more with a light being than a physical being when in the Spirit World.  We have this rule in the 3D world that we gotta be in a box and that we are limited.  We are not in the Spirit world, it’s the opposite, we are limitless.

 

Q: What are ghosts? How are they related to the bardo?

A: Many religions have that there is a place that is purgatory or the bardo. I do believe there is an adjustment period after you die, no doubt about it. I think that every individual has a different experience. For instance, there may be one person that goes directly to the light without passing GO. And another person whose mindset is so connected to family and unfinished business that they stay close to the earth atmosphere in order to influence.  You can call these Spirits ghosts.

 

JAMES VAN PRAAGH- MEDIUM, NY TIMES BEST SELLING AUTHOR

 

James Van Praagh is considered a spiritual pioneer and one of the worlds’s most celebrated and respected spiritual teachers working today.  He has brought a mind-full awareness to the subject of “communication with the dead” into the public psyche for the past thirty years.  Mr. Van Praagh is known as a “survival evidence medium,” meaning that he provides evidential proof of life after death via detailed messages from the spiritual realms.

 

His work has brought spiritual insights to millions with his numerous guest appearances on such shows as Oprah, Dr. Phil, Larry King Live, 20/20, The View, The Today Show, Chelsea Lately, Beyond Belief, Biography, Coast to Coast, 48 Hours,and a multitude of others.  He is also the number one New York Times best-selling author of Talking To Heaven, Reaching To Heaven, Healing Grief, Heaven and Earth,Looking Beyond, Meditations, Ghosts Among Us, Unfinished Business, How to Heal a Grieving Heart and his soon to be released Adventures of the Soul. 

In 2002 he hosted his own television show, Beyond with James Van Praagh and went on to produce one of the most watched mini-series in CBS network history; Living with the Dead, starring Ted Danson,  portraying James in a biography of his life. He also developed and produced The Dead Will Tell, starring Eva Longoria as well as the hugely successful Friday night series, Ghost Whisperer starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. Currently, James can be seen on the web hosting Gaiam TV’s live streaming show Spirit Talk, which has quickly become one of the network’s most viewed original shows.  Weekly he can also be heard around the world on his weekly radio show Talking To Spirit, on the Hay House Radio Network.

Mixing his compassion and sense of humor together with his skilled teaching abilities, James is sought out by students around the world for his tutelage.  He has been a faculty fixture for the past fourteen years at the prestigious Omega Institute for Wellness in Rhinebeck, New York. He also travels around the world leading conferences and workshops on self-development and intuition.  He is also a regular contributor to the Huffington Post.

During his career, his reputation and profession have seen him work with International Heads of State, religious world leaders and known entertainment celebrities such as Cher, Goldie Hawn, Shirley Maclaine, Ellen DeGeneres, Joan Rivers, Katie Couric, Loretta Lynn, Chelsea Handler, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Wesley Snipes, and many more. He is famous for bringing through evidential details from many famous deceased personalities like Marilyn Monroe, Slim Pickins, Rock Hudson, Frank Sinatra, Roy Orbison, Lucille Ball, Andrew Carnegie, Liberace, Princess Diana, Michael Jackson, Johnny Carson, Ghandi, Edgar Cayce, Benjamin Franklin and even Abraham Lincoln. This proves the standard and the versatility of his abilities.

Through his work, Van Praagh shares his life experiences and insights so that others will benefit in opening up their hearts and gain a connection with their own spiritual self.  “The books, live stream events, seminars, classes, web site, social media outlets and television projects are ways to share my abilities and the message that we all are eternal spirits and the love we create on this earth is what we take with us when it is time to venture back home to the Spirit world.”

- See more at: http://www.fireitupwithcj.com/what-happens-when-you-die/#sthash.hmM8BFvz.dpuf

What if no particular religion speaks to you, or if all religions have some relevance for you (pluralism)?   How could you honor and embrace the merits of following a religion, but have the freedom to pursue your own spirituality by yourself?  Join CJ Liu as she interviews Thomas Moore-spiritual writer and NY Times best-selling author of the spiritual classic “Care of the Soul” about his newest book,  A Religion of One’s Own: A Guide to Creating a Personal Spirituality in a Secular World.”

Blog Post By Our Guest:

- See more at: http://www.fireitupwithcj.com/pluralism-a-religion-ones-thomas-moore/#sthash.8ksiiFwJ.dpuf

Ultimately, aren’t we all just looking for happiness?  It may be expressed as peace, contentment, or a sense of love.  Sadly, our brain that is a velcro for the BAD works against us.  How can retrain our brain to be happy?  Join CJ as she talks to NY Times best-selling author, Dr. Rick Hanson, about his book “Hardwiring Happiness” to learn how to train your brain to more contentment, calm, and confidence.

Show Highlights:

• Segment 1: How does our experiences shape our brain?  What are the 3 operating systems in the brain and what is it looking for? What is the HEAL method?
• Segment 2:  A real-life scenario- How to turn around an awful day to a happy experience?
• Segment 3: Listener questions

Blog post by our guest

by Rick Hanson at http://www.rickhanson.net/

Down deep, do you feel at ease?
The Practice:
Pet the lizard.
Why?

I’ve always liked lizards.

Growing up in the outskirts of Los Angeles, I played in the foothills near our home. Sometimes I’d catch a lizard and stroke its belly, so it would relax in my hands, seeming to feel at ease.

In my early 20′s, I found a lizard one chilly morning in the mountains. It was torpid and still in the cold and let me pick it up. Concerned that it might be freezing to death, I placed it on the shoulder of my turtleneck, where it clung and occasionally moved about for the rest of the day. There was a kind of wordless communication between us, in which the lizard seemed to feel I wouldn’t hurt it, and I felt it wouldn’t scratch or bite me. After a few hours, I hardly knew it was there, and sometime in the afternoon it left without me realizing it.

Now, years later, as I’ve learned more about how the brain evolved, my odd affinity for lizards has started making sense to me. To simplify a complex journey beginning about 600 million years ago, your brain has developed in three basic stages:

• Reptile – Brainstem, focused on avoiding harm
• Mammal – Limbic system, focused on approaching rewards
• Primate – Cortex, focused on attaching to “us”

Of course, the brain is highly integrated, so these three key functions – avoiding, approaching, and attaching – are accomplished by all parts of the brain working together. Nonetheless, each function is particularly served by the region of the brain that first evolved to handle it. This fact has significant implications.

For example, in terms of avoiding harm, the brainstem and the structures just on top of it are fast and relatively rigid. Neuroplasticity – the capacity of the brain to learn from experience by changing its structure – increases as you move up both the evolutionary ladder and the layered structures of the brain.

Consequently, if you want to help yourself feel less concerned, uneasy, nervous, anxious, or traumatized – feelings and reactions that are highly affected by “reptilian,” brainstem-related processes – then you need many, many repetitions of feeling safe, protected, and at ease to leave lasting traces in the brainstem and limbic system structures that produce the first emotion, the most primal one of all: fear.

Or to put it a little differently, your inner iguana needs a LOT of petting!

How?

To begin with, I’ve found it helps me to appreciate how scared that little lizard inside each one us is. Lizards – and early mammals, emerging about 200 million years ago – that were not continually uneasy and vigilant would fail the first test of life in the wild: eat lunch – don’t be lunch – today.

So be aware of the ongoing background trickle of anxiety in your mind, the subtle guarding and bracing with people and events as you move through your day. Then, again and again, try to relax some, remind yourself that you are actually alright right now, and send soothing and calming down into the most ancient layers of your mind.

Also soothe your own body. Most of the signals coming into the brain originate inside the body, not from out there in the world. Therefore, as your body settles down, that sends feedback up into your brain that all is well – or at least not too bad. Take a deep breath and feel each part of it, noticing that you are basically OK, and letting go of tension and anxiety as you exhale; repeat as you like. Shift your posture – even right now as you read this – to a more comfortable position. As you do activities such as eating, walking, using the bathroom, or going to bed, keep bringing awareness to the fact that you are safe, that necessary things are getting done just fine, that you are alive and well.

Throughout, keep taking in the good of these many moments of petting your inner lizard. Register the experience in your body of a softening, calming, and opening; savor it; stay with it for 10-20-30 seconds in a row so that it can transfer to implicit memory. (For more on how to take in the good and defeat the innate negativity bias of the brain – whose unfortunate default setting is to be Velcro for negative experiences but Teflon for positive ones – go to this link.)

Some have likened the mind/brain to a kind of committee. Frankly, I think it’s more like a jungle! We can’t get rid of the critters in there – they’re hardwired into the brain – but we can tame and guide them. Then, as the bumper sticker says, they wag more and bark less.

Or relax, like a lizard at ease in the sun.

About our Guest

Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a neuropsychologist and New York Times best-selling author. His books include Hardwiring Happiness,Buddha’s Brain, Just One Thing, and Mother Nurture. Founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, and on the Advisory Board of theGreater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, he’s been an invited speaker at Oxford, Stanford, and Harvard, and taught in meditation centers worldwide. He has several audio programs and his free Just One Thing newsletter has over 100,000 subscribers.

#hardwiring happiness, happiness, how the brain works,rick hanson phd, dr rick hanson,buddha brain, rick hanson,neuroscience of happiness, buddha books,how to train your brain, rick hanson just one thing,rick hanson meditation,dr rick hanson

- See more at: http://www.fireitupwithcj.com/hardwiring-happiness/#sthash.r1OOo9uA.dpuf

Learn about shapeshifting from prominent expert and Shamanism teacher, Llyn Roberts. What is it?  Why do it? How to do it? Join CJ as she interviews Llyn Roberts about her book “Shapeshifting into Higher Consciousness”. 

What is Shapeshifting?

Shapeshifting is a technique of changing from one energetic state to another. It’s based on the belief that everything is made of energy and that we are all connected to each other through this force.

Most of us have been introduced to shapeshifting through fantasy movies like Twilight, where hunky Jacob shapeshifts from a human into a werewolf.  Despite these modern day takes on shapeshifting, it is a spiritual technique that shows up in many ancient forms of Shamanism.

Although the fantastical idea of shapeshifting into an animal may be more exciting, the truth is we actually shapeshift every day. Think of the last sporting event you went to. Most likely, your energy shapeshifted the moment you entered the stadium. For me, it was the local Seattle Sounders soccer game. The confetti flying in the air mixed with the loud clapping and cheering noises encircled me and before I knew it, my energetic state shifted to match the excitement of the audience. That is basic shapeshifting.

The easiest way to understand it is by comparing it to the basic scientific process of changing from one state to another.  For example, water shapeshifts into ice, liquid, and steam.

Recently, I read Llyn Robert’s book called Shapeshifting into Higher Consciousness

Here are some excerpts from her book that beautifully defines shapeshifting:

 “Shapeshifting is about changing from one state to another.  It is innate to us all and the calling card of nature and life.

We, and the world within which we live, are ever-changing and evolving.  When we take the time to really see and immerse ourselves in the natural world around us – the winds, tress, animals, stones, skies- we discover that everything is constantly moving.

The air can transform from an oppressive stillness on a hot summer’s night into a gentle breeze…and then again it can morph into a powerful hurricane.  Human beings also continuously morph from one state to another.  Our body changes dramatically through the course of a lifetime from birth to death.

Whether changing weather patterns, shifting moods, or mutable physical afflictions- it is easy to see that we and everything in our world are quite fluid.”

Why do people want to shapeshift?

The answer depends on who you are talking to.

If you talked to a Shaman, who is the healer in many indigenous communities, shapeshifting is a powerful spiritual practice.  Shamans travel to other worlds and realms to obtain wisdom, power, and energy to assist change in this world.  The mission of the Shamans is to maintain balance between people, spirit, and nature.  Shamans use their abilities for the benefit of others and for positive change within their communities. Unlike the many Evangelists we see on late night television that use healing as a power trip, Shamans are not doing the work for an ego trip, personal gain or for profit.

There are other groups (e.g.- merge with an arch enemy and get them into a car accident) that use shapeshifting as a means of gaining power over others. The intention is to use shapeshifting to control others, cause harm to others or for personal gain.

When I interviewed Llyn Roberts, a teacher in Shamanism, she described this behavior as sorcery and believes that those who use sorcery find that the negative energy comes back to hurt them. I heard something similar during a class on “core shamanism” with Michael Harner, the founder of The Foundation for Shamanic Studies. In the class, the teachers believe that anyone who misuses these techniques loses their powers.

What do you experience when you shapeshift?  What are the benefits?

Over the last year, I’ve taken a few classes from The Foundation for Shamanic Studies.  The very first class involves finding your spirit animal, which is an animal that brings you personal power. The class encourages participants to create an ongoing relationship with your spirit animal that you can shapeshift with it. Similar to the spiritual connection depicted in the movie Avatar. The inhabitants  merge their spiritual energy with nature and the connection allow both parties to experience the power of the other.  One of the main characters Neytiri, played by Zoe Saldana, exemplified the concept of shapeshifting when she demonstrated how to spiritually connect with the dragon to gain it’s loyalty.

One of my spirit animals is a crow, in the past I have allowed our energies to unite and by doing this, both the crow and myself experience the benefit of merging. The crow encounters a humanistic view of the world whereas I experience the world from a crow’s point of view. The first thing I noticed when merging was the difference in my visual perception- instead of my eyes focusing on just two feet in front of me, I found myself broadening my visual horizon. My eyes wanted to scan around and focus on getting a larger, more panoramic view of my surroundings.  Everything became more intense, even the ripples in the water were sharper.

Whether it was real or not, who knows, but it certainly felt real. Plus, I was able to see life around me from a different perspective.

You may question what actually happens during the merging process? I wondered this myself and my sense is that all life forms have a spiritual and energetic vibration that is capable of uniting with others through energy. My energy merged with the energy of a crow’s archetype.  In this intermingling of energy, each being gets  the opportunity to gain the life wisdom that each has collected over many years. Oddly, this merging gave me a sense of wholeness and a closer connection to life around us.

Can humans really transform into animals like you see in the movies?

A number of sensationalists seem to think so. I was a bit skeptical, but wanted to keep an open mind.  So, I asked Llyn Roberts, a prominent teacher of healing and Shamanism, if she’s ever seen someone actually change into an animal, like a snake or wolf.  Hear her thoughts on YouTube (http://youtu.be/F2208mZ6gAw?t=19m46s).

Llyn has spent her whole life studying, observing, and leading trips to visit Shamans in several regions including Central America and Asia. During these encounters she has seen shapeshifting into animal, plants, or elements of nature.

In terms of animal shapeshifting, Llyn has not witnessed with her eyes an actual transformation of a Shaman turning into an animal. What she did observe, however, was just as interesting. The Bird people in the High Andes and in the Asian Steps would wear a feathered headdress or large feathered wings on their backs. The feathered articles represent the spirit animals of the Shamans. The people would wear this while the Shamans performed their healing.

While never seeing animal transformations, Llyn has seen non-ordinary things happen, like balls of light in the sky where Shamans shift into balls of light. http://www.allthingshealing.com/Shamanism/Time-Space-and-Dreaming/8799#.VHZ12mTF9-Y and http://www.olympicmountainearthwisdomcircle.org/shaman_from_the_stars_by_llyn_roberts.php.

I, too, have seen something similar in a class I took with James Van Praagh, a reputable spiritual medium. James called these spirit beings that showed up as balls of light “orbs”.  During this class, we turned the lights down low and everyone started taking pictures with their phones. I saw nothing. However, I was shocked when I looked at the photos taken. It showed big orbs and some had faces within them. It was freaky….but super cool. Aside from the unorthodox effect of what was seen, it still somehow makes sense. If we are energy forms, then we should be able to shift energetically into balls of light.

How would you describe the healing environment during a visit with a Shaman?

Llyn Roberts described a healing ritual that she took part in. She emphasized how healing in these cultures are very different than our Western understanding of healing at the doctor’s office. To begin with, healing takes place in a village, as opposed to some private room in a clinic with soft music playing. The setting is most likely at someone’s house with grazing animals nearby and people bustling around. Plus, there are other villagers watching you. The power of community is a healing force within itself and this idea of communal healing is something that the inhabitants of these villages believe in. In addition, the healing energy is environmental, which means anyone in the vicinity will get the same healing benefits as the client being healed.

How would you describe what it felt like to get a healing from a Shaman?

Llyn Roberts describes her healing ceremony with a Shaman, where “shapeshifting tools” like water, plants, and stones were applied directly to her nude body. These tools are the elements that are bringing balance and harmony during the healing. In a Shamanic healing practice, it is the fire, water, stones and spirits that are doing the work. The Shaman’s role is to engage the heart and mind and to bring their spirit helpers to facilitate the healing.

During the ceremony, Llyn felt that she got “her out of her head” and was able to quickly connect with her body.  She described being fully immersed by the elements and further explained, “When you end the process, you have merged with the elements from the process. It opens your heart. It opens your senses.  You feel like you have come home”.

How would you describe a healing setting during a visit with a Shaman?

Llyn Roberts describes a healing ritual that she took part of in a village. She emphasized how healing in these cultures are very different than our Western understanding of healing at a doctors.  First of all, the clients is not in a private closed room with soft music playing.  It’s more likely that you are in someone’s house with grazing animals nearby and people bustling around.  Plus, there are other villagers watching you.  The community attends because the power of community is a healing force in itself.  In addition, the healing energy is environmental, which means anyone in the vicinity will get the same benefits as the client who is being healed.

Llyn leads groups of people to these ceremonies She described being a witness to healing miracles from people with life-threatening illnesses such as cancer to those that are unable to have children or have other extreme forms of imbalance in their lives. Each of her guests encountered a different experience that allowed them to experience themselves in fresh ways with a renewed sense of balance.

What is it like being a practitioner in a fire practice?

Llyn Roberts describes her fire healing practice.

 “First, you are opening and breathing deep within the earth and with the earth. The Shapeshifter or Shaman serves as  a conduit for energy, which means that they are always shapeshifting and merging with the energy. It’s not the Shaman or the shapeshifter or their ego that is doing the healing during this practice. Instead, the power is coming from the earth. Once connected, you are breathing in the sacred energies. For the Shaman’s in Ecuador, it is their sacred water and volcanoes that they are working with. Then you open your heart to merge with the fire – the living spirit to which the Shaman develops a real relationship with. If you aren’t in the right relationship with the fire you can get burned.”

When Llyn performs these ceremonies, she places alcohol in her mouth and literally breathes fire onto her clients.  Hear the description of her practice.

How to Shapeshift?

If you want to learn more about Shapeshifting, I recommend Llyn’s book “ Shapeshifting into Higher Consciousness”.

Interested in trying shapeshifting now? Click here to experience shapeshifting(http://youtu.be/F2208mZ6gAw?t=24m).

Here are a few steps to follow:

• Close your eyes. And take a few deep cleansing breaths.
• Think of a dilemma – something that you are having an issue with or that bothers you (e.g.- pesticide use in environment)
• Tune into your emotion and label them. Are you angery, disappointed, outraged, or do you feel sad hopeless or confused?
• Let go of the negative thoughts.
• Take a few more deep cleansing breaths.
• Go back to your childhood memories. Think of something in nature that you had affinity with.  It could be a tree or a flower, a stuffed animal or a childhood pet.
• Think about this being from nature and allow your senses to emerge. Try to see, feel, touch, smell and hear it as if it’s right in front of you. Become aware of the subtle qualities – the gentleness, unique colors or graceful presence).
• You will begin to shapeshift and take on the form of your chosen nature being. The merging will fit like a glove. There are 2 ways to merge.
  1. Imagine the tree, flower, animal or whichever is your chosen nature being, is just a few feet in front of you. Enter the nature being as if you could walk right into that tree, flower, animal, etc. and take on its form.
  2. Imagine that your body is morphing into the full form of that being. For example, if you were morphing into the tree, you would morph into it’s branches, trunk, and roots.
• Sense what it feels like when your body takes this form.
• Continue to feel and then bring into your awareness the dilemma in #2.
• Looking through the consciousness of this nature being. Look through the eyes of the nature’s being and see how your perception changes. How would this being see your problem from its perspective? Look at the issue through all sides and see it through that nature being’s perception.
• Let the focus on that dilemma dissolve. Relax and come back to merging with that nature being and its form.
• Now, make the transition back into your form. Morph back into your own body and consciousness.
• Step back from the form and come back to the present.
• Take a few deep, cleansing breaths as you transform back to your full self.

  About Llyn Roberts -Award-winning Author, Teacher of Healing and Shamanism

 Llyn Roberts, MA – aka “Cedar” – is a prominent teacher of healing and shamanism. An award-winning author, her newest book,Speaking with Nature: Awakening to the Deep Wisdom of the Earth, is coauthored with Sandra Ingerman. She also wrote Shapeshifting into Higher Consciousness (IPPY Award); Shamanic Reiki (Roberts & Levy), and The Good Remembering.

Llyn’s work incorporates her experience as a psychotherapist, training with diverse indigenous cultures, study in Tibetan Buddhism, and Western body-mind transformational approaches. She teaches shamanic methods that can be applied to everyday life in order to turn crisis and fear into opportunities, and which heal us, and our relationship with the Earth. Her emphasis is: spiritual ecology, deep feminine wisdom. Her work opens us to an expanded paradigm of well being that is essential to our own and the planet’s health as our world is rapidly redefined.

She holds a master’s degree in Tibetan Buddhist and Western Psychology from Naropa University (1985). She was a student of the late, Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche and is an initiate of shamanic circles in Latin America and in Siberia. She has facilitated indigenous book projects and led sacred journeys for twenty years to indigenous shamanic peoples living in remote regions of the Amazon basin, the Asian steppes, high Andes, the lands of the ancient Maya, and to indigenous groups in rural West China.

She has taught at highly regarded educational institutions including the Omega Institute, Omega’s Women’s Leadership Center, Esalen, Hollyhock, Rowe Conference Center, Kripalu, the Prophet’s Conference, Bioneers, Evergreen State College, the Eagle Condor Foundation. She was consultant to the University of Massachusetts Sustainability Initiative in Dartmouth and to Earth Train, a Panama-based non-profit organization engaged in reforestation and educational programs, and indigenous cultural preservation. She serves as adjunct faculty for Union Graduate School and The Graduate Institute. She was a psychotherapist for the acclaimed Buddhist-inspired therapeutic community, Maitri Psychological Services, akaWindhorse.

Her work is featured in numerous tele-seminars and in books, pod cast and radio interviews and magazine articles.

Llyn is former director of the non-profit organization, Dream Change, founded by NY Times best selling author, John Perkins, with whom she co-facilitated of Earth-honoring transformational programs for seventeen years. She is the founder and president of the Olympic Mountain EarthWisdom Circle, “OMEC”, a worldwide community of people dedicated to promoting a sacred and responsible relationship with the Earth (www.eomec.org).

Roberts translates ancient techniques into modern-day practices to help us transform personal imbalances, open to our higher purpose, deepen our relationship to spirit and nature, and reclaim our power to make a positive difference in the world.

- See more at: http://www.fireitupwithcj.com/how-to-shapeshift/#sthash.5qEQgOnU.dpuf

Get ready for the birds and bee talk with your teen. Are you dreading the sex,drugs, and STD’s talk with your teen?  What kind of conversation would you have to have with your son/daughter to convince him to wear a rubber? Get expert advice on how to have a great productive conversation with your child.

Show Highlights:

Learn how your everyday your actions and behaviors teach your sex, friends and partners.

What are the top 3 conversations you should be having with your teen about sex? Looking for some guidance on what kind of rules you should be setting with  your teen about sex and natural consequences when they don’t meet your expectation?

Want to hear Julie role model how to talk to your child about a difficult topic (e.g.- getting her teen to wear a condom)? Listen in to hear how experts talk to children.

About Our Authors:

Julie Metzger and Robert Lehman have decades of experience with the adolescent and pre-adolescent mindset. They created and now teach the popular “Growing Up” program at Seattle Children’s Hospital and the “Heart to Heart” program out of Stanford’s Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. 

Robert Lehman, MD, has devoted his professional career to adolescent health care. As a physician, his practice has focused on teenagers in many different clinical situations, including schools, homeless clinics and public health facilities.  He is also a passionate advocate for youth on the local and national level and has been on the University of Washington faculty since 1989. In 1990, he began working with Julie Metzger on the “Growing Up” series.

Julie Metzger, R.N. and M.N., is a pediatric nurse, writer and educator. She developed her popular “Heart to Heart, For Girls Only” program in 1989, and has taught the class to thousands of mother-daughter teams in Seattle, Palo Alto and the Puget Sound region. She is a co-designer and instructor of several other classes aimed at fostering child-parent communication in adolescence.

Get inspired to look and feel radiant, healthy, and beautiful. Dr. Christiane Northrup, M.D., board-certified OB/GYN and New York Times best-selling author, shares women’s health tips on how to make growing older an experience you can look forward to. Find out how menopause can be a rebirth and how to make it a time of creativity, sensuality, and fun. Get the principles of ageless living and shift your perceptions about getting.

Know the power of PLEASURE

Oftentimes, we get so wrapped up in our daily lives that we forget to revel in life’s simple pleasures.

Dr. Christiane Northrup finds the enjoyment of life to be of great importance. In her latest book, “Goddess Never Age”, Dr. Northrup devotes an entire chapter called “Know The Power of Pleasure” to express just how important joy is to our health and overall well-being.

So, what’s the best thing about pleasure? It costs nothing! And, it practically takes no time to fully plunge into all the wonder and mysteries in life. But first we must shift our awareness to what Dr. Northrup calls the divine force of the universe. Embracing these experiences is critical for the enjoyment of life. Here are some of my favorite passages from this chapter:

“Our brains are wired to allow us to connect with life force and experience rejuvenating pleasure for ourselves. We have forgotten the importance of pleasure and we need to remember how to experience it regularly- as a daily part of life” (p26)

“Create more (pleasure) and you make it easier for your body to create more. Pleasure leads to more pleasure. Life renews itself, while anger, fear, and grief suck the life out of you. To be ageless, healthy goddess, you must learn to cultivate your ability to experience emotions such as joy and compassion, and release grief and resentment, and allow yourself to feel righteous anger when appropriate” (p28).

We each have an innate understanding of how significant pleasure is. Yet, we often reject it out of guilt or shame because of how we perceive cultural messages about work ethic. Dr. Northrup asks us to refute these cultural messages. Is it really in the best interest of our bodies and minds to be in a constant state of deprivation, frugality, and morality?  She asks us to question whether endlessly giving, selflessly serving and never caring about ourselves a healthy path to our overall well being.

“Don’t hold back from pleasure. Be direct rather than apologetic or coy. Know and ask for what you enjoy, want, and deserve. Don’t settle for what you think should be “enough” to satisfy you (p31)

Menopause and BEING AGELESS

Once we turn 50, the number most of us associate with aging, it becomes easier to buy into the notion of deterioration. We dry up, shrivel up, and lose life energy. So, how can we remain vibrant, exciting, and full of life?  Dr. Northrup asks that we shift our own perceptions about aging and instead adopt an ageless attitude.

“Every woman is an ageless goddess, an expression of the sacred feminine physical form”. (pxi)

“As they (women), enter menopause, the transition into menopause typically lasts for 6 to 12 years, many women realize they’re no longer willing to put their dreams on hold and live according to what everyone else wants. Maybe you have a strong feeling you should switch careers, move to a new place, and a relationship, or explore your sexuality in a new way. Pay attention to that yearning. Your creative juices are flowing! Life force is coming through you. The new life you give birth to must include your own…

What you are changing into is a powerful, luscious, fertile ageless goddess you were meant to be- an expression of the divine, feminine life force unencumbered by cultural expectations that keep you small, overly cautious, and afraid to upset anybody.  You are in the process of discovering your ageless, goddess self, and she has many ways to express her creativity and experience the pleasures in life, from feeling good in her body and rediscovering her sexuality to beginning a new relationship, project, or way of living…”. (pxiii)

“Age is just a number, and agelessness means not buying into the idea that a number determines everything from your state of health to your attractiveness or your value.  You can be younger at 60 than you were at 30 because you have changed your attitude and your lifestyle. To be ageless is to defy the rules of what it supposedly means to be this age or that age. It is, quite simple, to never grow “old”- to never feel as if the best days are behind you and it’s all downhill from her “. (px)

What are you afraid to change in your life because you think you might be shamed for making a mistake? Is the desire to be seen as perfect keeping you from expressing yourself? You have to take risks to be adventurous. Repressing the need to grow, and try something new is disastrous for health and well-being. Remember, creativity is the life force.  Cut it off, and you cut yourself off from the source of everything. p129. 

Video Highlights 

• 1:13 What does it mean to move through time versus space? Dr. Northrup suggests that in order for us to be an ageless Goddess, we have to stop thinking about age.
• 2:32 What is happening during menopause? How can we rise to full Goddesshood and take up space, as we should during menopause, versus being small by yielding to the cultural veil?
• 3:07 What happens during our 50’s when women stop menstruating? During this period, women retain their sacred blood and stop leaking energy.
• 4:01 What happens to our body when we hit 50? By the time we reach 50 our “aging” lifestyle starts to manifest itself from our sedentary lifestyle.
• 6:00 What should we say when someone asks us our age? Christiane shares a beautiful passage from her Facebook group.
• 9:07 How do you get to a place where you become an ageless portal? How can we be in the world and not be of the world? Christiane says we must shift our disempowering perceptions, thoughts, and beliefs.
• 10:26 What does space consciousness mean? It’s being present and in the moment where time and space expand; where a 3-hour conversation feels like 10 minutes.
• 12:05 A powerful story of how our thoughts and beliefs can affect our health.
• 13:21 What is happening to our bodies as we age? Should we fight the aging process? Christiane talks about accepting aging. She shares a famous study by Ellen Lager on aging and how our beliefs are critical for keeping us young.
• 43:16 Christiane talks about getting over her fears with finances at the age of 50? The ideas she presents are a reminder that we should never allow our fears to limit us and that we can always learn new things.
• 45:33 Christiane touches on how our viewpoints can age us and how hanging around young people is important to maintain our own youth.

Resources:

https://youtu.be/4XNoU5xpvGI

Sex Life: Being sexy and sensual

In our quest to compete in a male-oriented world, it’s easy for many of us to lose our femininity and sexuality.  At the start of the interview, Christiane and I discussed how we were both trained to be men in a woman’s body for the sake of our respective professional fields, medicine and hi-tech. Over the last few months, I’ve been figuring out what I lost during my drive to “success”.  As I investigated my own beliefs, I discovered a conflict between being sexy and smart. Could I be both? Sadly, in my mind these concepts were an either/or proposition. It wasn’t possible to be “BOTH”. I also started questioning if my judgments from childhood associated sexy as bad or naughty, or as some frivolous tactic that bad girls used because they felt their bodies had more influence than their own intellect.

In “Goddesses Never Age”, there is a whole chapter entitled “Goddesses are Sexy and Sensual”. Christiane aptly describes that we are wired for sensual pleasure from the start.

 “As long as we’re in physical bodies, we are sexual creatures-whether or not we ever end up taking off our clothes with another person. In the absence of undue shame, we’re drawn to sexuality as naturally as bees to flowers. Flowers are simply sex organs that plants use to attract the bees that pollinate them and keep them fertile, but they’re so much more than that. They’re part of the joy and beauty of life on planet Earth. Women’s sexuality doesn’t exist solely for procreation. WE don’t stop being deliciously alluring just because pregnancy is no longer possible” p 150.

While these ideas were enticing to me, the question then became how far down the stiletto heels and red lipstick continuum would I go?  I liked the advice that Christiane offers about what sexy means:

 “The aim is not to be like the lost young women on the HBO series Girls, who have sex often but are disassociated from their own pleas and wisdom. Nor should you aim to use sex to manipulate other people, because your Aphrodite power is not a commodity to be exchanged. Using sex that way wouldn’t be wise or ethical. It’s like the power of fire; you can cook with it or you can burn down your village, so use it responsibly”.  p151

In the end, I’m still on this journey of exploration, but this time my eyes are wide open. I’ve found that for me, being a woman means embracing the soft and vulnerable, engrossing my senses and my intuition, allowing myself to navigate in curves versus straight lines, and to ground myself in the deep wisdom and strength we have as women to create a safe loving place for the people we cherish, including ourselves. This is what it means to be a woman. Interestingly enough, since I’ve begun the journey to embrace my feminine aspects I’ve inevitably attracted more male energy. So, the mere act of embracing womanhood is, sexy.

Here are some quotes from “Goddesses Never Age” to get you fired up!

“Women wrestle with how to be sensual, strong, feminine, and confident in their bodies and their self-expression. We judge ourselves relentlessly about our weight, our breast size, our thighs, our hair. Our self-judgments and shame turn off the life force within us”p155

“A fulfilling sex life begins first with your thoughts and beliefs. As you start to feel sexier, you soon become more attractive on the outside. Both men and women know that women who are turned on and in touch with their own desire for pleasure are sexy. There is no more powerful aphrodisiac than a woman who feels irresistible and relishes it.”  p154.

“Sexuality is power. It’s our connection to the creative life force. When you connect with your Aphrodite energy, you remember that you’re worthy of receiving what you desire. You surrender to sexual and other pleasures without fear of displeasing anyone, and you enjoy a bounty of sexual delight that can include multiple orgasms.  To embody Aphrodite’s is to be a diva in the original sense of the word, unapologetic about your longing and cravings and unchecked in your pleasurable pursuits. That’s hard for many of us to imagine, because we’ve been taught not to take too much, not to laugh too loudly, and not to be too aggressive in getting what we want. P157

THE SEAT OF YOUR CREATIVE POWERS: Our souls come into our bodies through our hips at the back of our pelvic bowl, where the sacrum-or “sacred” bone- is located.  This is the place in our body that is called the “spirit door”.  It’s the entryway into the “birthing field”, the place where energy becomes form. Your pelvis and genitals are your sacred center, the area in the body where you access the energy to create everything- whether it’s a book, a relationship, or a baby. When we listen to the call of our pelvic energy to live with greater creativity, take more risks, feel more pleasure, and not be afraid of what others might say or think, we are honoring the creative female force within us.” P106.

Taken from Laura Bushnells’ book, “Life Magic”, Dr. Northrup suggests trying out this wonderful practice as a way to get you started on your journey:

As you are walking, imagine that a very sexy woman is pressed up against your left side- the side of your body that represents receiving and femininity. Now, breath is that woman and her energy. Imagine drawing in her sensuality and sexuality, and increasing your life force within each breath as it is channeled directly from the Divine through her into you. Do this for 2-5 minutes a day for 21 days.  ” p158

Video Highlights

• 3:43 What herbs can help with vaginal dryness? Puerarai Mirifica is an herb that Dr. Northrup sells to help alleviate symptoms of menopause and restore their youthful vitality. (http://a-ma-ta.com/index.php/menopause-relief/pueraria-mirifica-plus-capsules-35)
• 18:12 How can we embrace our feminine energy? When we embrace our creativity, sensuality, receptivity, and lusciousness, we increase our polarity towards feminine energy. As a result, we attract more male energy.
• 20:06 How do women that embrace sexuality deal with attracting more male energy? If you are embodied in integrity and own both your male and female side, then you will not attract low vibrational energy. If you fully embrace your inner queen, you will only attract Kings.
• 21:33 What does it look like when we “own” our masculine power? Dr. Northrup talks about how she developed her masculine side as a surgeon. Hear her delineation about hieros gamos (more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hieros_gamos)
• 23:41 Find out what sign/house your female (Venus) and male (Mars) signs are in. Inner male is your Mars sign and inner female is your Venus sign. The inside job is creating an inner marriage of the two. Often we are looking for men that have that Mars-like energy until we are integrated ourselves. The goal is to have a playful relationship with our Mars and Venus. It’s not about controlling each side, but playing with them.
• 28:09 Link to Dr. Nothrups’s favorite book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Game-Life-How-Play/dp/1603865632 and http://www.amazon.com/Outrageous-Openness-Letting-Divine-Take-ebook/dp/B00J0YT4W2

Resources:

http://www.drnorthrup.com/sexuality-in-menopause/

http://a-ma-ta.com/index.php/menopause-relief/pueraria-mirifica-plus-capsules-35

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKQRiQ7UuFk

Family Life: Letting Go of martrydom

Many 50 somethings are facing the sandwich generation; they are caring for their own children as well as their aging parents. Alternatively, there are Millennials or Generation Y children that have returned to the nest. During my conversation with Dr. Northrup, she shares a personal experience of her ageless mother and daughter moving back home. One of my major takeaways from our chat and from a chapter in her book “Goddesses Love without Losing Themselves” was the importance of self-care and letting go.

As my children approach their late teens, the challenge is shifting gears and treating them as the emerging adults that they are becoming. I’m being confronted with the task of releasing control and giving them the independence they need. My journey has resulted in looking at my own reticence in letting go, which I’ve associated with the idea of losing my identity as a mother and the impending thought of being emancipated when my kids take off for college. The beautiful discovery from my own identity crises was realizing that part of it was manufactured. Yes, our roles and responsibilities change but we will always be a mother.

The part that is real is that my identity can change. In fact, it can expand into something bigger and greater as a result of my new gained freedom. As I enter this new juncture I enter a place of both joyful anticipation and fear.  Perhaps, when you feel fear you can find inspiration for launching into a future full of self-discovery and adventure. Maybe you’ll  find the courage to move forward. Here’s one of my favorite quotes from Christiane’s book “Goddesses Never Age”:

“The number one relationship that determines the quality of all the others in your life and sets the tone for them is the one you have with yourself. Are you willing to learn to love yourself enough to discover your depth, own your beauty, and articulate your deepest desires? Or are you going to neglect the work of mining your inner treasures while waiting for someone else to sweep into your life and rescue you from your loneliness, your yearning, and your despair? Each of us is confronted with this choice every day. Only when we have the courage to love ourselves as the divine, ageless goddess we are do we have a real shot at creating heaven on earth with someone else”. P190

“You must learn to complete yourself. You have to see yourself as irresistible and set a high price on your head” p191

“By having a great relationship with yourself, by loving yourself fully, you are serving the world. You’re inspiring others to truly appreciate themselves by modeling what it looks like to appreciate yourself without conceit. To truly love yourself you have to get to know who you are instead of repressing all the parts of yourself that you might have been shamed for in the past. P 193

“…we move into the phase of our lives in which our mothering is no longer required in the same way it was when our children were younger-or our relationships, businesses, or creative projects were just beginning- we have to figure out what to do with the milk of our kindness that is our gift to the world. To support ourselves…. we need new outlets for our nurturance. “p91”

You’re never too old to take risks and do what makes you feel alive. Whether you love horses, dance, gardening, fitness, or travel, it’s clear that they all contribute to agelessness and make others feel attracted to you”. P194

“At some point in our lives, perhaps when we’re finished with up-close-and-personal mothering, we need to access and channel our creative energy in ways that give us pleasuring and inspiration – writing a book or poetry, learning how to paint, or learning how to dance. The creative urge can also express itself in coming up with new ideas, new business models, or new ways of working with technology. The possibilities are endless. The older we get the more direct access we have to our creative energy flow.” p 107

But when you’re an adult with a mother who hasn’t figured out how to make herself happy, it’s counterproductive to allow yourself to get drained by her and keep her happy at your own expense. The same goes for a daughter who isn’t happy by the time she reaches adulthood. It’s not a mother’s job to sacrifice herself for the good of her children either.

Video Highlights                                                                                       

• 31:06 What happens when both parties are retired? Men move into their heart and women move into their low heart. Women have to let go of the wheel and that power mentality. You don’t get to control your husband or vice-versa.
• 32:56 Northrup shares family stories about her mom and explains how her mother inspired her to be the woman she is today.
• 38:58 How has your own role as a mother and caretaker evolved? Dr. Northrup shares some tips about self-care when we are bogged down with taking care of both of our parents and our children? She explains how important it is to see our children’s capabilities and how Millennials need our support because of economic shifts. She states that old ideas of children leaving the nest don’t necessary apply.

Christiane Northrup, MD- Ob/Gyn, visionary pioneer, and women’s health expert

Christiane Northrup, M.D., board-certified ob/gyn, former Assistant Clinical Professor of ObGyn at Maine Medical Center, is a visionary pioneer and the foremost authority on everything that can go right with the female body! Dr. Northrup is a leading proponent of medicine that acknowledges the unity of mind, body, emotions, and spirit; internationally known for her empowering approach to women’s health and wellness, she teaches women how to thrive at every stage of life. Dr. Northrup stays in touch with her large community worldwide through her Internet radio showFlourish!, Facebook, Twitter, her monthly e-letter, and her Web site, www.drnorthrup.co - 

What if changing your thoughts could change your destiny?  Total transformation is possible, but it first starts in your mind.  CJ talks to Dr. Joe Dispenza, one of the researchers in the award-winning film What the BLEEP Do We Know? !, about his new book “Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself” and his upcoming Seattle Event “Getting Your Shift Together”. - See more at: http://www.fireitupwithcj.com/total-transformation-joe-dispenza/#sthash.u0aBKpxj.dpuf

SHOW SUMMARY

Segment 1: How can you track transformation scientifically?: Dr. Joe shares the transformations he’s witnessed during his workshop and how he is tracking these changes scientifically.  Learn the types of brain changes scientists have been able to track before and after attending Dr. Joe’s  workshop. 

Segment 2: Total Transformation: Dr. Joe shares the miraculous health changes that have most astounded him over the last 12 mos.

Segment 3: Be the Creator of Your Own Reality:  What are 3 key ingredients to making real change? What does neuroscience  have to do with any of this?

Segment 4: Manifestation: How is this work akin to manifestation?   What are some common mistakes or misunderstandings people have when trying to manifest their dreams?

Other Shows Like This: Richard Bandler (Founder of NLP): http://fireitupwithcj.com/626-the-creator-of-neuro-linguistic-programming-richard-bandler/ - See more at: http://www.fireitupwithcj.com/total-transformation-joe-dispenza/#sthash.u0aBKpxj.dpuf

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Joe Dispenza, D.C., studied biochemistry at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J. He also holds a BS degree with an emphasis in Neuroscience. Dr. Dispenza also received his Doctor of Chiropractic Degree at Life University in Atlanta, Georgia, graduating magna cum laude.

Dr. Dispenza’s postgraduate training and continuing education has been in neurology; neuroscience; brain function and chemistry; cellular biology; memory formation; and aging and longevity. He is an invited member of Who’s Who in America, an honorary member of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners, the recipient of a Clinical Proficiency Citation for clinical excellence in doctor-patient relationships from Life University, and a member of Pi Tau Delta – the International Chiropractic Honor Society.

Over the past decade, Dr. Dispenza has lectured in 26 different countries on six continents educating people about the role and function of the human brain. He has taught thousands of people how to re-program their thinking through scientifically proven neuro-physiologic principles. As a result, this information has taught many individuals to reach their specific goals and visions by eliminating self-destructive habits. His approach, taught in a very simple method, creates a bridge between true human potential and the latest scientific theories of neuroplasticity. He explains how thinking in new ways, as well as changing beliefs, can literally rewire one’s brain. The premise of his work is founded in his total conviction that every person on this planet has within them, the latent potential of greatness and true unlimited abilities.

– See more at: http://www.drjoedispenza.com/joedispenza/ctab/RiVCRSVFNQ==/about#sthash.Nmera7WS.dpuf

- See more at: http://www.fireitupwithcj.com/total-transformation-joe-dispenza/#sthash.u0aBKpxj.dpuf

What if changing your thoughts could change your destiny?  Total transformation is possible, but it first starts in your mind.  CJ talks to Dr. Joe Dispenza, one of the researchers in the award-winning film What the BLEEP Do We Know? !, about his new book “Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself” and his upcoming Seattle Event “Getting Your Shift Together”. - See more at: http://www.fireitupwithcj.com/total-transformation-joe-dispenza/#sthash.u0aBKpxj.dpuf