The Unplug Podcast: Activated Living for Truth Seekers and Critical Thinkers in a Collapsing World

This week, I dive into a powerful conversation with CODE Model coach and Nia Dance Instructor, Nancy Hanlon about the cultural brainwashing of scarcity and how we must reclaim our bodies and our authentic Selves to discover true and lasting abundance.

“Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.” —Kahlil Gibran Many of us know the expression, love at first sight. Whether we experience it with a partner, a friend, an animal, even a natural location, we feel it…we know it. But what about love at second sight? How many of us discount someone, someplace, or something because we refuse to take a closer look? It’s no secret that we live in an intolerant, judgmental culture. My belief is that most judgment and intolerance stems from a severed relationship with oneself. Underneath the hard shell of intolerance is a truckload of self loathing. We all need to feel worthy: to be heard, to be seen, and to be loved. When these basic soul needs are unmet, we feel unsafe. When we feel unsafe, we often lash out. Self-sabotage, hurtful words, damaging behaviors, and mindless actions towards others are typical manifestations of unmet soul needs. Our culture preys on this and seduces us with meaningless ways to fill the void. “Buy X and you will become Y”, we’re told. We consume. We conform. We give ourselves away. A quick hit of externally sourced self worth…only to feel more worthless in the end. But what if we’ve always been Y, and X is just a distraction from our greatness? You see, Y is very simple: be everything that you’re meant to be. Stop searching outside, claim yourself and shine. End of story. Episode #84 is a powerful conversation with David Roach and Marlena Blavin, the co-creators of Love at Second Sight, an empowering story-based experiential school program that transforms attitudes about appearance, and encourages students to accept themselves and others. Love at Second Sight inspires tolerance, kindness, and compassion. It also empowers self-worth. David Roche was born with a severe facial disfigurement. On the left side of his face is an extensive cavernous hemangioma, a benign tumor consisting of blood vessels. As a child, he underwent many facial surgeries and heavy radiation therapy which left radiation burns on his temple and eyelid. As David says, “Having a facial difference has taught me a valuable life lesson because I was forced to find my inner beauty. My passion is to share my experiences and inspire people, especially kids, to appreciate what is unique in themselves and others.” David clearly shows us that beauty is an inside job. Marlena Blavin is David’s wife. Marlena’s first reaction to David’s appearance was revulsion, but there was something much deeper that inspired their eventual relationship: something well beyond the physical appearance that culturally, we get so hung up on. Marlena’s story is one of following her heart by connecting to David’s inner light. It’s a story of a dramatic perceptual shift…a story of love at second sight. Marlena and David, through the power of their stories, are radically changing perceptions for thousands of children and adults throughout Canada and the US. This dynamic and passionate duo empowers participants of all ages to love themselves…exactly as they are. This week, we dive into a powerful discussion about: * How our differences are our gifts. * How true beauty runs so much deeper than our physical body. * Confidence: Know it, grow it, and show it. * The importance of safety for self-worth. * How all social justice movements are connected. * How the more we talk about important issues and bring them out of the shadows, the more they disappear. * How perceptual shifts go well beyond our five senses. * What is soul safety? * How we all have a place where fear and shame reside. Dealing with that place keeps the predators away. * The beauty of passion! David and Marlena show us that every one of us is beautiful and that we all matter. They show us that true beauty has little to do with what we see in the mirr...

“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.” —John Milton Life is a series of one-time only moments never to be replicated. Small signs, synchronicities, and pivotal experiences are often the bread crumbs that show us the way — our way. How many of us disregard these moments as…nothing? How many of us rationalize our way into the same old, same old? Don’t rock the boat. Follow the rules. Stay the course. What if we shifted our gaze however? What if we took heed of the inner cues that are always tugging on our hearts? What if by paying attention and following the signs, our purpose would become more clear? While sitting in a college economics class, 19-year old Jake Ducey followed a sign. Unhappy with a classroom conversation about the Federal Reserve, he asked a simple, yet challenging question. It was shut down…silenced. A louder sign. Get out. Now. That’s exactly what he did. In that moment, Jake realized that the American Dream of happiness, success, and fulfillment would not be his path. He left behind a collegiate basketball scholarship, dropped out of school, and set out on a worldwide adventure. Inspired by the movie, Into the Wild, he documented his journey and released his first book titled, Into the Wind. Without a publisher or any significant budget, Jake managed to self-promote his book to Amazon’s top 300. Considering Amazon’s vast database, this is no small feat. Spring-boarding off the success of Into the Wind, Jake was invited to speak on the TEDx stage. He’s since built a loyal on-line following. Jake also piqued the interest and subsequent mentorship of superstar Chicken Soup for the Soul author, Jack Canfield. At 23, Jake has since become the youngest author to score a motivational book publishing deal at a major publishing house with his most recent book, The Purpose Principles. One of the most beautiful parts of Jake’s story is what he considers his greatest accomplishment. With some of the money he’s since earned with his books, he’s helped build an orphanage in Guatemala. Not only does Jake follow his heart, he acts from it. After watching Jake’s TEDx talk, I was hooked. I knew that I had to have him on the show. He’s wise beyond his years and has an infinite plethora of wisdom to share. This week, we explore topics such as: • Paying attention to the signs that lead us to purpose. • Asking questions rather than regurgitating information. • Internal alignment vs. external conditioning. • Saying yes to yourself. • How it’s better to appear strange to others than to be a stranger to yourself. • The power of curiosity. • Seizing pivotal moments. • What is happiness? • The simplicity of life in a complex world. • Showing up as a leader in our lives…and in the world. • The things we fear the most are often the things that will set us free. • The freedom of forgiveness. • The foundation of social justice is spirituality. • The link between purpose and activism. • How fear can either paralyze us or make us stronger. • Purpose is not what you do, it’s how you show up in the world. As Jack Canfield said to Jake, “Jake considers me his mentor – a role I relish, but just as important, I consider Jake an inspiration in my life.” I can honestly say that I feel exactly the same way. Enjoy this week’s powerful conversation with Jake Ducey. Note: I feel it fair to mention that the audio for today’s conversation is a bit spotty. Jake and I tried to make Skype work, but it was funky that day, so we opted for his cell phone. I did my best to clean up the audio and it’s definitely better. My unsolicited invitation is to stay with it. Once your ears attune to the audio, you’ll be blown away by what he has to say.

“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.” —John Milton We live in a culture that has set us up for addiction. From iPhones, alcohol, drugs, shopping, television, Youtube, and Facebook, to fossil fuels, techno-gadgets, gambling, exercise, and pharmaceuticals. The opportunities for self-distraction (aka addiction) are endless. In a domesticated culture that has lost its instinctive ability to properly care for itself, perhaps one of the most damaging addictions is the one that impacts us every time we sit down to eat. Our “food” system has become more of a burdened beast than a liberated source of wellness. Our dysfunctional, highly engineered culture ensures our domesticated compliance – and we perpetuate it with every choice, action…and bite that we take. Why is that? As author and psychologist Mary Pipher states, “We have paleolithic arousal systems, neolithic brains, medieval institutions, and 21st Century technology.” (Note: I’m getting a lot of mileage out of this quote lately. It says it all!). Between our troglodyte brains and our 21st Century culture, the deck is really stacked against us. But what if there’s more to it? What if some of us are just more susceptible to addiction – especially with food? Susan Peirce Thompson knows a thing or two about addiction. At the young age of 14, she developed an intimate relationship with drugs. Six years later, she found her way out. But in doing so, she found her way in to another form of addiction — this time with food. Unable to control her cravings, she packed on the pounds as she binged her way to obesity. As a woman with a Ph.D in Brain and Cognitive Sciences, one would think that she’d have it all together. Sadly, that’s not the case. Our labels may define our outer world, but they often neglect our inner world. Such was the case in Susan’s life. On the outside, everything appeared great. On the inside, a battle raged on. Weight gain, depression, therapy, and large doses of antidepressants led to an eventual threshold where she reclaimed herself. In the process, she discovered a method that helped her deal with her addiction once and for all. Over the years, she’s refined this method and is now empowering others to heal the food addict within. This week’s conversation delves deep into Susan’s story of personal transformation as well as her personal and professional research on the psychology of addiction. Highlights of our conversation include: • The threshold of change. • Moments of grace. • Transcendent moments and how they must be seized in the moment. • What is the susceptibility scale? • How refined foods are engineered for addiction. • How the brain demands what it needs — whether we like it or not. • How consciousness is generated by individual parts of the brain in relation to their activities. • Food addiction and its relation to the brain. • How our society is set up for addiction. • The willpower gap. • The psychology behind food cravings. • The passion behind Bright Line Eating. Susan shares her story of struggle with authentic transparency (and a generous dose of good humor), and I’m thrilled to now share our compelling conversation. SHOW NOTES: • Susan’s main website. • Happy, Thin and Free website. • Bright Line Eating Boot Camp website. • Ellyn Satter Institute website. Are you inspired by this podcast? If so,

Gene Baur is a man who exemplifies radical compassion. He’s a compelling reminder of who we all can be should we choose to live from the depths of compassion in our hearts. Gene is the president and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary. He’s also a best-selling author, activist, environmentalist, humanitarian, and a talented runner and Ironman triathlete to boot.

Charlotte packs a lot of wisdom in her youth and I’m honored to bring this moving conversation to you this week. It’s young people like Charlotte who give me so much hope for the millennial generation – embracing their calling and living their truth.

A few years back, I had a powerful awakening that forever changed my life. It was catalyzed by a tragic death, an Ironman triathlon, a dark night of the soul, and a glimmer of light that led me on a deeply personal journey of self exploration. It was a pivotal time in my life that led me to the discovery of more of I was meant to be. As I progressed along the path of healing, I took an unexpected detour that led me to question who I was becoming. As I morphed and expanded, I fed my mind with an endless supply of personal growth, self-development and spiritual books that initially seemed to help me become…”better”. As I pressed on with my voracious reading binge however, I started feeling confused. Why was it so hard to remain in a perpetual state of positivity? Why could I not tame my inner fire? Why did I feel so ashamed with my judgements? Why were the coveted states of bliss and joy so evasive? The more confused I felt, the more confined I felt. The more confined I felt, the more frustrated I became. I was struggling to fit into the spiritual and growth models that so many ascended “gurus” have written about. Eventually, I reached a threshold where I felt a deeply uncomfortable misalignment with my authentic self. I needed to return to the real me. On pure impulse one morning, I packed up my books (boxes and boxes of them) and donated them to the local library. In the process, I liberated myself and accepted me…for me. Warts and all. In that moment, I stopped judging myself for not being the perfect specimen of spiritual evolution. I realized that the journey of self evolution has no finish line. It’s organic, non linear, and profoundly personal. I also noticed that I wasn’t alone in my misaligned perception of spirituality. I found myself irritated with the many people who so deftly spoke the spiritual lingo, but who lacked congruence with their behaviors and actions. I wondered what it was all about…and how did I fall prey to it? I discovered the answer in two words – spiritual bypassing – an eloquent way of avoiding who we authentically are. A subtle, yet pervasive mindset that infiltrates consciousness in ways that lead to the avoidance of the painful and “socially unacceptable” parts of who we are. Spiritual bypassing gives us the illusion that we are more whole than we actually are. No wonder I didn’t feel authentic. I was trying to be something that I’m not. I realized that it’s ok to not be all love and light all of the time. It’s just not realistic. Anyone who claims to be so is a liar (or on heavy drugs). For crying out loud, even the Dalai Llama gets pissed off! The key though, is how we cope with our feelings; emotional literacy. This led me on a deeper exploration into the psychic fabric of spiritual bypassing. And this is how I discovered the work of this week’s Unplug podcast guest. Robert Masters is the author of Spiritual Bypassing: When Spirituality Disconnects Us from What Really Matters. He’s also an integral psychotherapist, relationship expert, trainer of healing professionals, and author of many other profoundly transformative books. His work blends the psychological and emotional with the spiritual. When I read his book, Spiritual Bypassing, it all made sense. I felt a greater sense of liberation. I felt a deeper connection to my true self…including all of my unpleasant bits. When I completed the book, I knew that I had to reach out to Robert for this show. I was excited to share his message of pure authenticity – permission to be who we truly are. Here’s the deal, if you can talk the spiritual talk, but the spiritual walk still fills you with pain, there’s a strong likelihood that you’re spiritually bypassing. Don’t worry though, there’s a way out…and that’s in. This week,

One of the most powerful acts of paradigm-shifting rebellion is to think for ourselves. For thousands of years, oppressive cultural systems (religion, education, media, family, politics, economy, and culture) have held the collective hostage to smallness. Designed to ensure a compliant method of thought, these antiquated systems have succeeded in nothing more than destroying the soul. The cumulative effects of this separation-based consciousness have not been pretty. On a personal level, abnormal ailments such as: obesity, anxiety, depression, addiction, selfishness, low self-worth, narcissism, greed, judgement, and fear plague our consciousness. On a collective level, we witness the ongoing lunacy of: climate change, war, rape, misogyny, sexism, racism, speciesism, dying oceans, over-consumption, environmental destruction, and the gluttonous destruction of billions of animals to feed nothing more than a deeply rooted cultural addiction. The low level of patriarchal consciousness that has trapped us in separation (competition, fear, consumption, conformity, judgement, and indifference) for far too long, is growing weary however. As dissatisfaction with personal and global circumstances awakens the hearts of people around the globe, patriarchal consciousness is losing its grip on the human psyche. Within every one of us lies a dormant seed of awakening; an expression of infinite, expansive potential. What will it take to awaken the giant from within? The answer lies in one powerful word. Courage. The embodied union of head and heart with action. As author Brené Brown says that, “Courage is a heart word. The root of the word courage is cor – the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest forms, the word courage meant “To speak one’s mind by telling all one’s heart.” Over time, this definition has changed, and today, we typically associate courage with heroic and brave deeds. But in my opinion, this definition fails to recognize the inner strength and level of commitment required for us to actually speak honestly and openly about who we are and about our experiences — good and bad. Speaking from our hearts is what I think of as “ordinary courage.” Courage is the unwavering passion that drives us towards the voice of our heart. It is the willingness to take action towards a greater purpose despite uncertainty, risk, pain, and fear. It is the compulsion to persevere in the face of adversity. It is speaking out and taking a stand for what is life-affirming, true and right. Courage is the power of spirit animating flesh for the creation of a better you, and a better world. Enter Roz Savage, author, speaker, life-coach, adventurer, and earth warrior. Roz is best known as the first woman to row solo three oceans: the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian. While confined to a 23-foot rowboat, she’s rowed 15,000 miles, spent over 500 days of her life at sea, and taken more than 5 millions oar strokes. She capsized three times in a 24-hour period, faced death by dehydration, encountered endless sea life, and was graced by the breathtaking beauty of untarnished sunrises, sunsets, and star-filled skies. She’s spoken on the TEDx stage and has written two powerful books about her experiences, “Rowing the Atlantic”, and “Stop Drifting, Start Rowing”. Roz is a self-admitted “evolution junkie” on an endless quest for expansion and redefinition. With her ocean rowing days now behind her, Roz’ latest incarnation is that of life coach. With the recent completion of an intense program of study, along with her plethora of wisdom, life-experience, and courage, she now guides others towards their hopes, dreams, and greater potential. Who better to speak to courage than one who lives it herself? Roz shared her journey from unhappy, materialistic management consultant to passionate environmental advocate and o...

We’re born to the world as pure potential – expansive, innocent, untarnished. A blank slate; ready to learn what it means to be human. Without the awareness to fend for ourselves, the next several years are shaped by an external world of hand-me-down belief systems based on the notions of conformity, consumption, compliance, judgment, fear, and indifference. We’re adulterated by beliefs that isolate us from all that matters. We’re taught to run with the pack, think like the herd, conform to cultural expectations, consume like there’s no tomorrow, and believe everything we’re told by those who perpetuate the status quo. It’s been said that the indoctrination process is complete by the tender age of five. The unexamined belief systems of a culture in a trance so deeply installed that we become nothing more than the by-products of a consumptive machine. This is the cultural mindset that we’ve collectively normalized. This is status quo. Status quo is a ruthless predator that destroys our souls. The blind acceptance of what we know in our hearts to be untrue has caused wanton violence, global oppression, rampant greed, rapacious consumption, runaway climate change, dying oceans, and widespread unhappiness. As we move through life conditioned by parents, teachers, authority figures, religion, media, politics, and culture, our essence is squelched, fragmented, and compartmentalized. We’re taught to hear but not listen; speak but not act; think but not feel. We’re taught to conform, consume, comply. We label, we fear, we judge…we separate. In a culture with deeply rooted systems that are hell bent on squashing our potential, our greatest life challenge is returning to who we authentically are. But what if the return to wholeness is easy saying, “no more”? What if, by standing firmly in our truth, we’ve already returned home? We’re inculcated to believe that life is complex; that we must search for, and create complicated solutions for simple problems. This ensures our demise as we spin around in circles aimlessly searching outside of ourselves for what is desperate to emerge from within. But what if by connecting to our bodies, feeling what is real, telling ourselves the truth, and the simple act of breathing, we’ve made the quantum leap of consciousness that leads us on the path to wholeness? This week I speak with Naomi Irons and Nancy Hanlon, two powerful women who are passionate about awakening the giant from within each and every one of us. They are both Certified WEL-Systems® CODE Model Coaches™ with a hunger for ongoing expansion. This week’s conversation is intimate, authentic, wise, and raw. We go deep. Highlights of this week’s conversation include: • What is wholeness? • The systems that remove us from wholeness. • How religion removes us from our sacredness. • The organic state of slow that comes from authenticity. • How higher order conversations change our lives. • How culture has separated us from our deep inner truth. • Redefining body intelligence. • Integrating thought and body. • How reclaiming the body is essential to wholeness. • How asking bigger questions leads to a bigger life. • How fear keeps a collective in check. • The importance of trust and safety for returning to wholeness. • How the awakening of sacredness awakens the depth of our caring. • The importance of like-minded community in an altered world. We are already whole. We need not search anymore. Instead, we need to stop long enough to be found.

The sedentary cultural mindset of today is hurting us – physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Collectively, we spend more time on our heinies than we do on our feet. In our cars, at our desks, in front of the computer, and the tv. We sit from sunup until sundown. We sleep, we wake up…and we sit all over again. Sleep, eat, sit, repeat. “More than one-half of an average person’s day is spent being sedentary — sitting, watching television or working at a computer,” says Dr. David Alter, senior scientist at the University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto. According to a recent study by Dr. Alter, people who sit too much have an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer and shorter life spans. The bottom line? Humans were meant to move. It’s really that simple. Not only does movement help us feel better physically, it enhances self-esteem and self-awareness, it reduces anxiety and depression, it enhances the mind-body connection (which tunes us into intuition), and it facilitates learning on a deeper, more experiential level. The body is intimately involved in our emotions, inspiration, intuitive hits, and our inner truth. Despite what we’ve been taught by culture, mind and body are not separate. The body is our true brain. Movement instigates a higher level of critical thought. Think about it. When you contrast sedentary thought processes with those that arrive when you’re out hiking, dancing, running, kayaking, or whatever feeds your soul, how do they compare? Often our greatest inspiration, creativity, and problem-solving occurs through movement. Movement connects head with heart; body with soul. This week I speak with a man who is passionate about movement. By breaking down paradigms that trap us in limiting beliefs, Ryan Grant empowers us to move. Ryan is a former professional triathlete, competitive runner (who runs a sub 30 minute 10K), adventure racer, and ultra expedition runner. He’s also the co-owner (with his sister, Cassandra) of SoleFit Inc., an Ottawa, Ontario based business that is passionate about inspiring activity – whether it’s through high-level sport, or just getting out for daily walks. Ryan recently completed a 21 day epic adventure running across the Patagonia desert in support of the Impossible2Possible Foundation. Along with Impossible2Possible founder, Ray Zahab and Stephano Gregoretti, the trio set out to inspire, educate, and empower the global community of youth to reach beyond their perceived limits. By using adventure to inspire interactive learning about remote parts of the world, other cultures, and also to show that there are no limits to what we can do when we set our minds to something, hearts and minds are opened, and positive change happens. Ryan is a gifted athlete with a massive heart. Do not let his athletic prowess intimidate however. Ryan’s accomplishments are not for show. They’re for the simple reason that he just loves to move. This is what he inspires in all of us. It makes no difference if it’s lawn bowling, walking the dog, running, or triathlon. Ryan is passionate about inspiring a culture that reclaims its birthright to move. This week’s conversation explores so many great topics including: • The importance of movement. • What would it be like if age didn’t matter? • The stigma of age. • Leveraging our passions for health and wellness. • How willpower is finite, but passion burns indefinitely. • The difference between health and performance. • Learning to listen to body wisdom. • Why we strive to fill every moment with “busy”. • How mindful practices such as meditation and grounding bring us more into balance. • Saying yes to the adventure of life. Ryan’s ultimate message for everyone is this: move, don’t accept status quo,

According to the American Heritage dictionary, boundaries are defined as an “indicated border or limit.” When we think of personal boundaries, we often reference the imaginary borders that indicate where we begin and another person ends. When our boundaries are solid, we’re rooted in our authentic Selves. When our boundaries are healthy, we have well developed identities that are distinct from others – the way it should be. We’re no longer dependant on the beliefs, opinions and judgements of others to define our personal worth. Without healthy boundaries, we find ourselves enmeshed in the emotional lives of others. Yuck! But there’s so much more to boundaries than meets the eye. The word “boundary” implies something that exists outside of ourselves. True boundaries aren’t defined externally however. They exist within. If we take this even further, they’re not really “boundaries at all; they’re the voice of our intuition, or authentic self. When we experience a boundary violation, it’s because we’ve derailed from our inner truth. Our culture conditions us to dishonor ourselves. As a result, we’re overworked, exhausted, frustrated, anxious, depressed, resentful, and, in many cases, abused. By not honoring our internal truths, we not only compromise ourselves, we separate from the essence of who we authentically are. As we set clear boundaries based on what lives within, we discover a clearer sense of our spiritual presence in the world. We’re also keenly aware of boundary violations. When we’re plugged in to our authentic self, our inner strength carries us through life and boundary creation is no longer a necessity This week’s conversation is a powerful exploration of boundaries…and so much more. This week I speak with the force of nature known as Louise LeBrun. Louise is gifted in her ability to demolish old paradigms with her simple, yet profound wisdom. This week, we explore: • What is a boundary? • Who we are influences what we know. • Paying attention to our inner cues. • How we often violate ourselves when we don’t honor our truth. • Awakening to internal referencing (and how this will change the world). • How we become adept at silencing the screams inside ourselves so that we only hear the commands of the external world. • When we live externally references lives, we are less likely to have solid boundaries. • When someone ignores a boundary, that is their response (and it requires no more engagement). • Permission to change your mind! • Be yourself and tell the truth – the secret to an authentic life! • What is a nomimalization? • How our lives are intended to be fluid. Louise LeBrun consistently alters my world in ways that create expansion. I’m confident that this week’s conversation will do the same for you. SHOW NOTES: • WEL-Systems website. • New Paradigm – New World! Louise’s game-changing multi-media e-book on iTunes. Get it! • Sea Sick: The Global Ocean in Crisis by Alanna Mitchell. Are you inspired by this podcast? If so, here’s how you can fan the flame for the message: 1. Support the show! Support the paradigm-altering Unplug movement on Patreon. Every little bit makes a difference! 2. Subscribe & Review the Show on iTunes: Here’s a simple 5-step process t...

Can you imagine a world where human beings evolved beyond meat? I certainly can. And so can this week’s Unplug podcast guest. Ethan Brown is the founder and CEO of the paradigm altering company, Beyond Meat. Ethan’s vision for a better world is inspired by the calling in his heart to render the meat industry obsolete. How? By creating something better. Something more delicious, more health giving, and entirely cruelty free. Beyond Meat is changing the face of food at a time in our planetary history where radical transformation is our only option. Unless you live with your head in the drought-created sand dunes, or flood inspired mud pits of the world, you know what I mean. Outside Magazine journalist, Rowan Jacobsen writes in an article about Beyond Meat, “I dumped meat a few weeks ago, and it was not an easy breakup. Some of my most treasured moments have involved a deck, a beer, and a cheeseburger. But the more I learned, the more I understood that the relationship wasn’t good for either of us. I knew that with every burger I consumed, I was helping to suck America’s rivers dry, munching on a fecal casserole seasoned liberally with E. coli, passively condoning an orgy of torture that would make Hannibal Lecter blanch, and accelerating global warming as surely as if I’d plowed my Hummer into a solar installation. We all needed to kick the meat habit, starting with me.” Climate change is altering the face of the world and it’s waking us up to a new reality. It ain’t pretty. As Naomi Klein writes in the cover sleeve of her recent book, This Changes Everything, “Climate change is a civilizational wake-up call, a powerful message delivered in the language of fires, floods, storms, and droughts. Confronting it is no longer about changing the light bulbs. It’s about changing the world – before the world changes so drastically that no one is safe. Either we leap – or we sink.” This week, we leap…far into a new reality. The only hurdle – the biggest hurdle – the human mind. But Ethan has it covered. His products are so innovative – and delicious – that even the toughest meat eater cocks his head in disbelief. Beyond Meat’s blend of soy and pea protein isolates, fiber, and a few other ingredients has more protein than beef. More omegas than salmon. Ample calcium, vitamin B, and antioxidants. In their southern California headquarters, the scientists at Beyond Meat have created plant-protein-based meat alternatives that deliver the texture, taste, and juiciness of animal flesh without the cruelty and environmental degradation. It’s a win for all involved – the animals, the planet, and humanity. Beyond Meat has the backing of big guns like Bill Gates and Twitter co-founder, Biz Stone. That alone, speaks volumes. In this week’s conversation, Ethan and I speak about: • Following your calling (and how it never leaves). • The number one inefficiency with meat creation, is the animal itself. • Aligning the parts within ourselves to live more consciously an congruently with truth. • The changing face of food in desperate times. • The power of transparency. • The biggest obstacle to change is cultural conditioning. • How culture conditions us to shut down our internal truth. • Changing the world through food. Sometimes it’s necessary to live a bad situation to its fullest before we’re ready to step into transformation. Our altered climate is no longer a future worry. It’s here now. We’ve remorselessly consumed everything good, true, and beautiful and the results speak for themselves. It’s ugly. We all know it’s going to take a miracle to turn things around on this planet. But we can never let our current reality define our future reality. Our minds doubt that things will ever be much different from what we see and know.

The past several decades have seen rapid transformation in many areas of modern life. From the internet to social media to crowdfunding, nearly every sector in the western world uses new technologies to innovate, create, and communicate in ways that were previously unimaginable. The merits and drawbacks are arguable, but the accelerated momentum is undeniable. There is one sector, however, that remains virtually unchanged. Created in the mid-nineteenth century, the factory-model of education prevails to this day. Conformity, compliance and competition supplant creativity, curiosity, and collaboration. It is a stark reminder of an antiquated model designed to perpetuate the hypnotic trance that defines the consumptive paradigm of separation. With its rigid bell schedules and age-based grade levels, the factory-model of education was designed to produce assembly line workers for repetitive tasks without the need for problem solving, analysis, creativity, or critical thought. By monotonously teaching the same curriculum at the same pace year after year, compliant thought is ensured. The Dalai Lama recently said that, “Education is in crisis the world over. There is unprecedented literacy, yet this universal education does not seem to have fostered goodness, but only mental restlessness and discontent instead.” With few opportunities for engaging conversations and creative problem solving, students are unable to make important connections that lead them to self discovery, goodness, and truth. Critical thought is one of the greatest assets in a conscious, awakening mind. In a cultural paradigm that promotes sameness, critical thought challenges the status quo and inspires authentic expression, compassion, creativity, and truth. It is in our biological nature to think, yet much of our thinking is externally sourced. The blind acceptance of the status quo ensures mindless choices, behaviours, and actions that perpetuate the consumptive patterns responsible for alarming planetary destruction. A mental realm devoid of critical thought is judgmental, uninformed, biased, and outright distorted. When we deaden critical thought, we deaden wisdom. When we deaden creativity, we deaden the soul. When we run on knowledge alone, we destroy the earth. Author Thomas Berry states that, “Most of the destruction of the planet is being accomplished by people with PhDs.” Mahatma Gandhi’s greatest fear for his country after its freedom was realized was, “The cold hearts of the educated citizens.” What is critical thought? The basic definition implies the ability to make one’s own decisions along with the willingness to continually challenge one’s own thinking. It also implies the non-acceptance of beliefs, opinions, facts, and statements as valid without first considering a more expansive worldview directed by internal truth. Critical thought is self-directed, self-monitored, and self-corrective. It inspires, enlightens, and empowers. Critical thinking unites head with heart. The cultivation of critical thought inspires compassion. Compassion elevates consciousness. Compassion in action transforms the world. Enter unschooling, an innovative educational philosophy that eliminates the institutionalized, “one size fits all” approach of the factory model of education. Peter Gray, psychology professor at Boston College and author of Free To Learn, states that “children come into this world burning to learn, equipped with the curiosity, playfulness, and sociability to direct their own education. Yet we have squelched such instincts in a school model originally developed to indoctrinate, not to promote intellectual growth.” Unschooling accommodates a child’s natural passion for learning by nurturing curiosity, creativity, and critical thought. In a world where self-confidence has reached all-time lows, unschooling fosters self-expression, self-esteem,

Dr. Radhika Rajagopal (Radica Raj) is a woman with a hunger for expansion. Inspired by the words of veterinarian/author James Herriot, Radica knew at an early age that she’d discovered her calling. Growing up in India, her passion for helping animals led her to study veterinary medicine in Canada where she graduated with the traditional Western knowledge typically found in the veterinary clinics of today. After practicing for a few years, she found herself disillusioned with the routine procedures and lack of challenges found in a typical general practice. She shook things up by embarking on a career transition that led her into veterinary emergency medicine and critical care. With the ongoing challenges and continual adrenalin rush, she was inspired to start her own emergency facility while living in the bustling metropolis of Toronto. As the owner of two clinics (a general practice and the critical care clinic), she was pushed to work long hours and night shifts to accommodate the steady flow of animals in need. While this transition provided the challenges she craved, she became increasingly frustrated with the limitations of Western medicine to provide quality of life solutions for terminally ill patients and animals suffering from osteo-arthritis and paralysis. Frustration often precedes growth and it was this frustration that led Radica on yet another journey into the expansive world of holistic medicine. Radica’s life changed when she said yes to this path. She connected to the healer within and embraced the fullness of her calling. She’s since completed her post-graduate diploma in Veterinary Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine with the Chi Institute in Florida. This fueled her hunger for more and she continues to expand her healing repertoire. She now offers chiropractic, prolotherapy, and platelet rich plasma therapy…and I suspect that there will be more to come. More importantly however, Radica leads with her heart. Her kindness and compassion are a breath of fresh air in a commoditized profession that often chooses profit over prevention. Radica cares. When I’m in her presence, I feel safe. But the bigger testament to her gift for healing is the ease displayed by the animals in her care. The love in her heart is palpable by all. There’s nothing more inspiring than being in the presence of someone who truly loves what they do – someone who is fulfilling a calling rather than just doing d job. This is Dr Radica Raj, integrative veterinarian, healer, and passionate lover of all life. This week we discuss: • The importance of creating safety for healthy relationships – regardless of species. • The multi-sensory art of integrative medicine. • The power of example to facilitate change. • The exciting possibilities of prolotherapy and platelet rich plasma therapy for tissue repair. • What are stem cells and why stem cell therapy is so exciting. • How health care should be about prevention, support, and facilitating the body’s natural healing mechanisms. • The body’s innate capacity to heal itself. • A frank discussion about the danger of vaccines and how they suppress the body’s innate intelligence. • The importance of a natural diet for optimal health. • Balancing diagnostics with intuition. • Navigating burnout and knowing when to slow down. • The power of belief to heal. Dr. Radica Raj is creating a paradigm shift in veterinary medicine, not through exclusion, but by opening herself to the endless possibilities for healing body, mind, and soul. Enjoy this inspirational show. SHOW NOTES: • Phoenix Rising Veterinary Care website. • Marlene Smith, “Life Lessons Learned f...

As a critical thinking, soul-expressed status quo crusher, I see the world through a more expansive lens; the lens of the heart. Where society sees one thing, I see many others. I believe in accountability, which means that I’m willing to say things that many are unwilling to hear. It’s often easier to remain a victim to circumstances than it is to own it. But that’s a cop out from life and I refuse to accept anything less than the admission that we can all be and do so much better. The purpose of this post is to redefine mental illness/depression and tell it like it is. Depression is the mind’s response to a short-circuit from the soul; a cry from the heart to wake up! Depression is a psychosomatic response to a closed heart and the subsequent separation from who we authentically are. In a world where humanity has strayed so far from its core essence, it’s not surprising that depression, anxiety, and addiction are commonplace. The paradigm that we call “reality” is not set up for life, truth, presence, authenticity, integrity, compassion, and love. This world is not designed to nurture the essence of who we are. As a result, our inner disconnect manifests mental ailments such as depression and anxiety. These afflictions may be considered “normal”, but normal is not natural. In the past 10 years, the use of anti-depressants has doubled. The farther we stray from the truth of who we are, the greater the likelihood of experiencing depression (herein called, spiritual disconnect). We live in a spiritually vacant paradigm and the repercussions are ugly. The more we conform to a culture gone sideways, the greater the likelihood of spiritual disconnect. The more we believe the dysfunctional thought loops in our heads, the greater the likelihood of spiritual disconnect. The more unworthy we believe we are, the greater the likelihood of spiritual disconnect. The more time we spend spinning our wheels “doing”, the greater the likelihood of spiritual disconnect. The more time we spend in fear, the greater the likelihood of spiritual disconnect. The less time we spend honoring our souls, the greater the likelihood of spiritual disconnect. Spiritual disconnect is a powerful invitation to turn inward and rediscover the truth of who we are. I believe that we are all born connected and whole. But we’re taught to disconnect and separate. When life brings us pain and discomfort, we don’t know how to cope. Heartbreak happens. Death happens. Money struggles happen. Stress happens. Life happens. It can often feel impossible to remain present and connected when life presents us with so much pain. Sometimes it’s easier to just check out, but this comes at great expense. We are not our pain, yet so many of us identify with just that…unconscious victims to our own emotional immaturity. On a deep spiritual level we all know that we are so much more than who we’ve been conditioned to be. We all know that we’re meant to live more, give more, be more, and love more. But in a world where we don’t feel safe expressing who we authentically are, many of us separate from our true selves in order to shield our hearts from the judgement we so deeply fear. This separation leads to a loss of direction, vitality, meaning, purpose, identity, compassion, and love. Culturally, we’ve normalized unhappiness by medicating it rather than owning it. We’re not taught to be emotionally mature beings. We’re taught to judge, label, and suppress our emotions while attaching to the fictitious stories we create in our heads. We’re taught to think and not feel – a dangerous recipe for depression/spiritual disconnect. When we ignore our emotions, we ignore our souls. A quote by George Brown in the book, The Noonday Demon says it all, “Depression is a response to past loss, and anxiety is a response to future loss.” Depression and anxiety are the soul’s direct responses to an u...