Inspired Evolution with Amrit Sandhu 🙏🏻

Our guest for this week is Kate Cheung, a Kundalini yoga practitioner and teacher.For over 20 years, Kate has been practicing yoga. But when she discovered Kundalini yoga, she found new levels of stillness and a fresh way of connecting with the soul. She has been sharing her knowledge and teachings about Kundalini Yoga and meditation across the US, Europe, and Africa. Kate currently operates under a brand name Courage and Bliss.Kate has a background in corporate managerial roles with most of her work based around innovations in terms of project management. That all happened before she left the hectic city lifestyle to embark on a continuous transformational journey. Among her many career accomplishments, she considers her ability to build and lead high-performing and diverse teams where they feel valued and have had a sense of achievement and fun as something she is most proud of.She offers tailored private classes, group workshops and Skype sessions from Melbourne where she takes pleasure in the transformation her students experience.Connect with Kate:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kate.cheung01Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-cheung-0787a14/Email: courageandblissinfo@gmail.comFacebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/courageandblisscollectif/Kate’s Story of Inspired Evolution“I was always doing yoga and I loved it.” - Kate CheungKate was involved with yoga long before she ever went into teaching and even before she discovered Kundalini Yoga in the first place. She shares about her experiences of living a hectic city life but recognizes that she was always drawn to activities such as hiking and cycling around nature with friends where she could either connect with others or connect with herself. She discovered Kundalini Yoga and decided to give it a chance.“What I did not expect was that sense of stillness.” - Kate CheungFrom then on, Kate attended a teacher training course in New Mexico where she could focus on exploring the practice further and dive deep into the subject of Kundalini Yoga. Becoming a teacher was not really the focal point and she discovered her love for teaching much later in her practices. She also recognizes the journey of the individual as the most important aspect of the process and emphasizes that the teacher is only there to lend a helping hand and gently guide the student.“I’m just a facilitator, it’s about your experience.” - Kate CheungKundalini Yoga“Kundalini Yoga has been around for thousands of years… Kundalini Yoga means Yoga of Awareness.” - Kate CheungKundalini Yoga is a type of Yoga which focuses on “the awakening of Kundalini energy through a regular practice of mantra, tantra, yantra, yoga or meditation.” Its main goal is to raise awareness of the body and prepare it for the rising of the Kundalini energy.In the podcast, Kate explains the basics of Kundalini Yoga as well as the essential goals of the practice which primarily have to do with achieving a connection with the self, with the soul. She contrasts it to the more intensely physical Yoga which is commonly practiced in the West while describing it is a transformative experience.“I love the stillness. I love the meditative aspect.” - Kate CheungWe’re all aware of the fact that we need to relax and live in the present but the question of how we can achieve this is usually outside of our grasp. Kate recognizes Kundalini Yoga as simply one of the methods of reconnecting with our subconscious. She also vividly recalls and retells her first experience with Kundalini Yoga where she first took part in the meditation and deep relaxation aspect.“In my first class, I sensed that stillness and it was really beautiful.” - Kate CheungThe accent is on the stillness. The accent is on achieving oneness because it is from that integration where the energy can be unleashed.Transforming from the Darkness to the Light“There’s darkness… but there’s light too.” - Kate CheungThrough an open and honest analysis of her own subjective, self-reflective journey, Kate describes the relationship between the good and the bad which is present in all of us. The first step is knowing your weaknesses as well as your strength in order to be able to create both representative and a holistic image of the self.The philosophy of Kundalini Yoga is based on the notion that we can change our thoughts, our feelings, our connections, and our patterns. Essentially, we have the power to “bring ourselves to ecstasy as we’re transformed from darkness to light.”Kate’s Message of Inspired EvolutionYou will inevitably sense the authenticity of Kate’s humbleness while we are discussing very deep, philosophical topics. She is very honest and kind in sharing the insights from her very own experience of connecting with the self and her transformational journey.The conversation has a very soothing and friendly tone, as we discuss intimate topics of trying to understand ourselves better while making a deeper, more meaningful connection. Kate was led to the discover Kundalini Yoga as she was very open to new experiences and allowed herself to be guided by her instincts. Since she’s had such success with its practices of meditation and deep relaxation, her message is all about inspiring others to discover the things that will hopefully make significant, valuable additions to their life. That’s why she invites us to:“Be curious and connect with flow.” - Kate CheungSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is Stephen Jenkinson, a culture activist, teacher, author, ceremonialist and founder of the Orphan Wisdom School.Stephen’s educational background includes masters degrees in Theology and Social Work. He is renowned for his work regarding grief and dying all over North America. Years of working with people who are either dying or experiencing the loss of a loved one have given him profound insight into how we perceive, interpret and deal with death. Throughout his career, he was performing roles such as programme director in a major Canadian hospital and assistant professor in a prominent Canadian medical school. He has also worked as a consultant to palliative care and hospice organizations and educator and advocate in the helping professions.Stephen founded Orphan Wisdom School back in 2010, a teaching house and a learning house for the skills of deep living and making human culture. The name “orphan” describes people whose culture has been built upon mass migration, but as Stephen puts it “not knowing where you are from is not the same thing as being from nowhere”. The philosophy of Orphan Wisdom School is rooted in “knowing history, being claimed by ancestry and working for a time we may not see”.He was also the subject of the feature-length documentary film titled “Griefwalker” released in 2008. In the film, you get to experience and witness not only Stephen’s work and teachings of palliative care but his thoughts on culture, community, and the need for elders. He has produced a 10 part series called “The Haiku Sessions” which are created based on his live recorded teachings.Stephen has authored two books. In 2015, he published “Die Wise: A Manifesto for Sanity and Soul” which works as a guide for dying well by learning the right skills through the process of living well. His latest book is called “Come of Age: The Case for Elderhood in a Time of Trouble”. It was released in 2018 and in it, Stephen makes the case for birthing “a new generation of elders, one poised and willing to be true stewards of the planet and its species”.For the next several weeks, Stephen will be touring Australia and New Zealand with his latest book. You can expect events such as author reading and reportage, all day talks and festival appearances. Check out the dates of his tour here!Connect with Stephen:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orphanwisdom/Website: https://orphanwisdom.com/Stephen’s Journey of Inspired Evolution“Anyone who speaks with authority about one’s own life has been reading the wrong mail.” - Stephen JenkinsonStephen plays an active role in something that he likes to call “the death trade”. To give a better explanation of what he means by that, he takes us back to a moment in his life when it all began. He was approached with an offer and the idea behind it was that Stephen would organize a support group for men who were having trouble coping with losing important people in their lives.“I would take the little job which was to do a six-week group for these guys and I didn’t have any idea what I was going to do.” - Stephen JenkinsonEven though he wasn’t a “corporate guy”, he decided not to pass on an opportunity to help others in their time of need. But he was faced with a new conundrum. It became pretty clear to him that men aren’t that open to participating in emotional support groups that were exclusively for men. Most people would either give up in a situation like this, or try to change the conditions of their role, but Stephen actually saw potential in this particular challenge. He knew that even though he would have to face some drawbacks and that people would be reluctant to join his group, he also knew that all of these men were sharing the same situation and had several characteristics that would allow them to bond.“That’s the group it’s going to be. A men’s group for men who don’t want to be in a group for men.” - Stephen JenkinsonStephen managed to persuade and form a group that had around 7 or 8 members in the beginning. After a few sessions, it became apparent to Stephen that the main topic they should devote their time to in their discussions is anger. Because even though anger is a perfectly natural response, it has been completely rejected by Western society. He noticed that the members of his group were very reliant on their anger but were also very ashamed for feeling and responding in such a way to the situation they’re in.“They were so good at anger, basically, to cover something that they had very little practice at and that was the art and the skillfulness of being sad.” - Stephen JenkinsonThe shift in the topic actually resulted in the group being dubbed as “Sad School” but the value of these meetings is reflected in the fact that the six-week group ended up lasting around 18 months. It was there that Stephen had found his calling and discovered a new sense of purpose.What Does It Mean to Be an Elder?The variety and scale of topics discussed in this podcast surpass the limits of our humble show notes. But let’s focus on Stephen’s understanding of the roles elders play or at least should play in our society. A lot of other concepts in Stephen’s teachings can be connected to this theme. He goes on to explain the meaning behind the phrase “respect your elders” and essentially analyses the implications of different ways of comprehending this message. He believes the formula has a sort of a “two-part interpretation” and that in our society only one is present.“The part that never appears, that nobody talks about… is, you respect your elders in part because they have carried themselves in a respectable way.” - Stephen JenkinsonOne of the most profound aspects of his teaching regarding the topic of elders is that Stephen understands it is a role to be earned. It’s not a simple consequence of having lived a certain number of years, you should have also behaved and represented yourself in a manner that will incite the respect of younger generations. It should also be pointed out that “respect” in this context is a complex term that also holds within itself the idea of “seeking guidance”. We dive very deep into the very core of the topic in our conversation.Stephen’s Message of Inspired EvolutionTalking to Stephen feels like talking to a profound-quote machine, but you immediately understand that the description would make no sense because of the fact his sincere humanity takes over you in an instant. I’ve been a fan of his work for quite some time and making this podcast was an amazing experience and a true privilege. I hope you’ll discover much of the same things that drew me to him in the first place when you listen to our conversation. Finally, I could probably take any of his innumerable messages he has crafted with such verbal excellence that there’s no hiding the fact he is a true artist as well. I’ve decided to go with one that resonates with the heart of our show and I’m sincerely hoping it will inspire an evolution within all:“What limit really is, is the opportunity for your style finally to appear.” - Stephen Jenkinson Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is Psyman OChen, a nomadic traveler and adventurer who has traveled 47 000 km in 3 years, mostly by hitchhiking.Back in 2013, Psyman embarked on a journey seemingly without a cause nor an endpoint. His experience started as a response to the anxiety he felt when he realized he had to make an important decision about how he wanted to live his life. He was aware that he only had one go at this wild game and the road seemed to call out to him, presenting a perfect solution. Even though his anxieties and fears were only substituted with new ones coming from questions like “Where am I going to sleep tonight?” or “What am I going to eat tomorrow?”, he pressed on.Psyman became accustomed to the conditions as he found that connecting with people in new settings allowed him to release all the tension he would normally feel in these unusual circumstances. Throughout his 3 year journey, he’s traveled across Asia, Africa, and Australia, playing his guitar, making art installations, meeting new friends and earning nicknames along the way such as Hamlet, Moses, Noah, Jesus, Guitar Jesus, Robinson Crusoe, Chuck Norris, Funny Man and many more. He traveled more than 47 000 km encountering all kinds of situations, some of which you can read about on his blog called The Nomadic Diaries. He is currently working on a book as well as preparing a documentary.Connect with Psyman:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simon.o.chenYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7G20d67A_Htj2plbDABB7A vWebsite: https://thenomadicdiaries.wordpress.com/Psyman’s Story of Inspired Evolution“I went on a walkabout 5 years ago.” - Psyman OChenBefore his epic journey across three continents that would change the course of his life, Psyman was working in hospitality. His experience in this field is not one he remembers fondly as he was pushed by his employer to the point of having to quit and try his luck elsewhere. As things usually go in life, periods of difficulty are also opportunities to reflect and search within ourselves for what’s really important to us in life. And through self-reflection, Psyman realized that his aspirations were never aimed at achieving financial wealth. After a period of intense pondering, the answer simply came to him and he knew what he had to do.“I need to hit the road. I need to travel, I need to see the world. I need to step outside of society and observe it.” - Psyman OChenHe sought to spread the message of helping the environment but needed to figure out a way to travel the world without money. Using the principles of barter economy and hitchhiking he managed to cross a staggering 47 000 km, starting with Melbourne and finishing his journey in Israel.The Benefits of Crossing Borders on the Road“When you fly, it’s quite a shock when you go to a new land because all airports are built the same. It’s just a shopping center with busses with wings.” - Psyman OChenPsyman highlights the difference between entering a new country by land and by plain, via an airport. He describes the phenomenon of cultural shock you feel when you experience a social setting that is vastly different from what you’re used to by simply going through the exit doors at the airport. He argues that a much better way to travel is to change the process of your surroundings was done gradually. Your mind will have the time to adjust to subtle differences and you wouldn’t feel like your brain is bombarded with all this new information that you have to process like listening to a new language you don’t understand yet for example.“Whereas you travel by land, you gradually enter cultures because every culture is quite similar from the one you left to the one you’re entering.” - Psyman OChenShowing Hospitality Towards Foreigners“People will go out of their way to help out a foreigner to show to them: ‘Hey, we’re not like we’re portrayed in the news.’, but then why don’t they do that to their neighbor?” - Psyman OChenOn his travels, Psyman has visited numerous countries across three continents and has discovered friends and was blessed with hospitality everywhere he went. He was very touched by the fact that people were so giving and kind to a man they’ve only just met, but a question always came to his mind as a reaction to this unexpected kindness. Why are people reluctant to treat their neighbors the same way? It is a pattern that he spotted in most countries, even though it might sound counter-intuitive at first. He also talks about how this gregarious experiences across the world changed his perception and his behavior in mundane situations when he came home to Australia.Psyman’s Message of Inspired EvolutionAside from being a great conversation about the amazing experiences of traveling across three continents and exploring different cultures, this podcast also presents valuable insight for all those who are bothered and looking for a way of overcoming difficult times, personal crises and dealing with anxiety. Surely, one who has been on the road for three years, without a roof over his head, never knowing where his next meal will come from knows a thing or two about overcoming personal fears? During his time at sea, Psymen has encountered much adversity and insecurity but his simple solution was to always seek and find solace in three simple words:“Everything will pass.” - Psyman OChenSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is David O’Brien, fitness manager, and co-founder of 5th Element Wellness.David approaches the question of achieving fitness and health with a goal of combining knowledge and perfecting his own personal theory. He prefers to take into account various standpoints seemingly opposite or different and figure out a way how to connect them into a system that utilizes the benefits of each method. But building on this holistic approach further, he understands the fact that not every solution fits perfectly with every person. He recognizes individual differences in terms of health and fitness based on unique needs and requirements.He co-founded 5th Element Wellness with the idea of providing a holistic approach to health and fitness. His company is a world-class health club, which provides all the knowledge and tools to achieve great results and optimal wellness. This is David’s second time on our show! In our previous episode, we talked all about the 5 elements of wellness. We also discussed David O’Brien’s habits, hacks, philosophies, and tools that have formed the threads of his success, happiness, health, and wealth. Check out the full episode here!Connect with David:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.obrien.106902LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-o-brien-38350176/Website: https://www.5ew.com.au/Building Strength“Strength is like the seed. So you want to plant the seed… watch it grow, and let all the other fundamental things build around it.” - David O’BrienOut of the 5 elements of wellness, David places building strength to the very core of any approach involved with improving your well-being. He goes into details of why we need to focus on developing muscle fiber and how it affects other aspects of our performance and health. David also reflects on the connection between strength and movement, explaining in much detail how we can apply an exercise plan based on complex movements in order to get the most out of our workouts.Detoxification and Gut Health“Detoxification starts in the gut and it finishes in the gut.” - David O’BrienDavid debunks the classical understanding that focuses all of the responsibility of the detoxification process on the liver. He introduces to us the importance of gut lining and the role it plays as part of our immune system. He uses a lovely waterfall analogy to explain the process of digestion and all of the elements that play their part in determining our level of gut health. It’s quite intuitive that nutrition has an enormous impact on our gut health. But David reflects also on stress management and how that can also be of great importance in this segment of achieving wellness. At this point in the podcast, you get to witness what the holistic approach to health is all about. We move the narrative to the psychological and explore the connection between emotions and the subsequent effect they have on the gut lining. Listen to the full podcast to find out which 4 key emotions play a role in protecting your immune system!Is Stress Necessarily Bad?“What I need to listen and to understand as well… I mean I’ve gone through this period myself, is where we sort of demonize stress.” - David O’BrienThere’s a tendency in our society, whether we’re talking about our work or private life, that we need to avoid stress at all cost. David defines this as the “demonization of stress”, arguing that, in fact, stress plays a very important role in our development. Using the analogy of a seesaw, he explains how our organism goes through these periodical changes in terms of needs, and he suggests that at times we’re going to have to be eating more, and at other times we should be eating less. As usual, David goes into meticulous details to provide scientific arguments and explanations for his claims, and we talk a lot about hormone production, physiological effects of fasting, and the connection between resilience and stress. Bottom line is that stress can have a positive influence on our health and our development, but it needs to come in specific shapes and forms. The scientific term for this type of stress is eustress.“It’s all about repair and recover so that, when we face that stress response again… your stress resilience is better.” - David O’BrienBlue Zone Analysis: In Pursuit of Longevity“Last year we actually did our first retreat to a Blue Zone area and we actually went to Sardinia where they have some of the highest longevity statistics in the world.” - David O’BrienBlue Zones are parts of the world where the average life expectancy is much higher than in other areas. Dan Buettner has identified five blue zones which are: Okinawa (Japan)Sardinia (Italy)Nicoya (Costa Rica)Icaria (Greece) Areas populated by the Seventh-day Adventists in Loma Linda, CaliforniaDavid intends to study these areas in order to discover patterns and try to incorporate them in his personal, ever-expanding theory of health and fitness. In this section of the podcast, he goes on to present the characteristics of diets in some of these areas, particularly in Sardinia and Okinawa.David’s Message of Inspired EvolutionThis has been one of the most information-packed podcasts we’ve done and David has provided us with amazing details about nutrition, physiology and he’s shared the intricacies of processes necessary for achieving wellness and optimal health. Throughout the podcast, he blesses us with an array of inspired messages we can take with us into our everyday lives and use as a stepping stone to explore the potentials of our health even further. It’s really difficult to settle for just one but if we had to, we should probably go with eliminating prejudices and cognitive biases related to food and its consumption. It is true that what we put into our bodies is of the highest importance, but building a culture of fearing food will hardly do anyone any good and will definitely have a negative effect on the development of the generations to come. That is why David’s message of inspired evolution is:“The demonization of food needs to stop.” - David O’BrienSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is Steve Cotter, a renowned personal trainer, and founder of the International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation.Steve has been a part of the fitness industry for over 30 years. He perfected his knowledge and skills about strengthening and physical conditioning of the human body through the practice of many different disciplines including martial arts, qigong, mobility, flexibility, and Kettlebell training. He founded the International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation with a goal of promoting Kettlebell training on a global scale, but also to provide the support for people interested in developing the skills necessary for accelerating a fitness-oriented business. Steve is determined to teach and share his unique story with a goal of promoting health, happiness, and longevity through fitness.Aside from being a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Steve has made his mark as an athlete in several fields. One of his impressive recognitions is a bronze medal at 1996 World Kuoshu Games in Taiwan and he has held the title of the US Full Contact Champion twice. He also captained the first ever USA Team to compete in World Championships of Girevoy Sport. As a personal trainer, he is well-known for working with elite athletes, professional football teams, Navy SEALs, and members of the U.S. Marine Corps.Steve is one of the most renowned Kettlebell promoters in the world. He wrote a book called “Kettlebell Training”, a guide for using the Kettlebell for improving your strength, stamina, coordination, and overall fitness. It offers 95 exercises accompanied by step-by-step instructions on how to perform them correctly and getting the most out of each exercise. In 2011, he released a DVD-series titled Extreme Kettlebell Workout which demonstrates over 100 techniques and 10 workouts, covering topics such as muscle building, core development, and cardio.Connect with Steve:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stevecotter.ikff.1Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevecotterikff/?hl=enTwitter: https://twitter.com/SteveCotterIKFF?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5EauthorWebsite: http://ikff.netSteve’s Story of Inspired Evolution“I’m an artist, I’m a movement artist. By trade, my foundation is in the martial arts and essentially, the study of the martial, which is the warfare is so that we don’t have to fight.” - Steve CotterSteve was brought up in the physical culture and got involved with martial arts at the young age of 12. He then taught martial art professionally in his youth, but in his late twenties realized that it was time to look for a different career path and a new challenge. Through everyday training, he has built up a strong foundation for a shift towards the fitness side of things. He went on to get a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from the San Diego State University and moved in the direction of personal training.Around the early 2000s, Steve became one of the early adopters of Kettlebell training, which opened up an entirely new world for him. The practice of using Kettlebells was several hundred years old at the time but Steve saw an opportunity to promote it all over the world, not just in the US.“What I’ve evolved to understand is that everything is mental.” - Steve CotterThroughout his career, Steve has continuously developed a closer understanding of the mental side of fitness and how it related to overall health. Although recognizing the essential part the body plays in exercise, he became vastly more interested in the role of the mind. He describes the body as the “vehicle” that we need to take care of but also points out that having a fit body doesn’t necessarily guarantee a healthy life.“What I observed is that in many cases, a person can be fit but not be healthy. They can show certain external parameters of fitness but internally they may be miserable because of certain lifestyle habits or largely because of beliefs.” - Steve CotterSteve went on to develop the concept of health-happiness, recognizing it as our highest potential with an end goal of becoming more present and mindful.The Power of Breathing and Controlling the Breath“Most fundamental of all - everybody breathes. So the first technique and the last technique is breathing.” - Steve CotterSteve provides us with his own interpretation of the mind-body-and-spirit trinity, molding it into something that could be closer to our experience which is mind, body, and breath. He goes on to explain how the body is something we recognize as very tactile, the mind is understood through the concept of consciousness but he introduces breath as the connection between the two. By harmonizing the breath with the movement we are given with an opportunity for integrating the body and the mind.“The breath is the connection between the mind and the body.” - Steve CotterThe Role Vitality Plays in Liberating Consciousness“Within the vital is the ‘I’… and it’s ‘IT’ and it’s ‘ALL’.” - Steve CotterWe’ve discussed the connection between vitality and liberating consciousness at length and in order to get the complete interpretation of the topic you should definitely check out the podcast. We also go deep into the transferable nature of energy and how meditation contributes to the purposefulness of our movement which is one of the ways for becoming more energetic. It is clear that our modern lifestyle is very dynamic on the level of the mind but for most of us, not so much in regards to the physical. Steve acknowledges that exercise is a relatively modern invention with the purpose of restoring the offset in the balance we’re experiencing due to the way our lives are organized today.“Vitality is fundamental to the engine of our existence, our being. Without vitality, there is not the drive to create.” - Steve CotterSteve’s Message of Inspired EvolutionSteve’s work is a testament to what can be achieved with dedication, understanding your values and having an approach of life-long learning. His diverse educational background has provided him with a broad perspective and in his teachings, we are given exclusive glimpses into his unique worldview throughout the conversation. Steve has made a name for himself helping others achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle, but the beauty of his story lies in the fact that his work resonates with his passion every step of the way. Having that in mind, it’s no surprise his message of inspired evolution while very direct is also pleasantly simple:“Follow your passion.” - Steve CotterSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is Zenith Virago, an educator, facilitator, consultant, speaker, author, marriage celebrant, and Deathwalker.Zenith has been working as a Deathwalker for the past 25 years, meaning that she has provided emotional support as well as legal and practical assistance to the families in her community who have either suffered or were about to suffer a tragic loss. She uses a somatic approach to consult the members of her community and educate them on the subject of death and dying. She believes that all of us have the capacity to comprehend and deal with death and her work is built around that notion of reconnecting with those secluded parts of our soul. Zenith has also co-founded the Natural Death Care Centre, an incorporated association and a registered Charity, founded around the belief of living well, dying well and experiencing loss well.Zenith has co-authored a book titled “The Intimacy of Death and Dying”, a book full of practical strategies and heartfelt advice on dealing in situations concerning death. From understanding personal grief to providing support for others in their time of need to approaches in educating children about the concept of death.In 2015, a documentary was made about Zenith titled “Zen & the Art of Dying”. It follows her story and reveals insight into her dealings as a Deathwalker of the town Byron Bay, Australia. The movie provides a great opportunity for reexamining the way we live, love and die while encouraging us to take a more active role in all three.Connect with Zenith:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zenith.viragoLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zenith-virago-22b62a96/?locale=de_DEWebsite: https://www.zenithvirago.com/Zenith’s Story of Inspired Evolution“Death is a natural and sacred part of our lives.” - Zenith ViragoZenith has a professional background of working in law, more precisely as a paralegal. She lives in Byron Bay, which is a coastal town in the southeastern Australian state of New South Wales. It is there where she became a marriage and death celebrant and she has performed the services and the role of a Deathwalker for the past 25 years. A Deathwalker is a person who provides assistance and support to those who are dealing with death either through the passing of a loved one or who are expecting to die themselves.“I come and I offer them whatever I can in experience.” - Zenith ViragoAs a community, with Zenith’s help, the people of Byron Bay have managed to create their own culture around the process of dying. They are well acquainted with the legalities and their rights which makes them empowered when it comes to dealing with death. Each year they organize a festival called “The Day of the Dead” in celebration of life, death, love and with a goal of providing comfort and closure to those who have lost an important person in their lives.“My currency is kindness. So I’m trading in kindness every day, all day and the rewards, internally and externally, and in ways that I never even know, in a ripple out effect are boundless.” - Zenith ViragoZenith describes how and why she became a death celebrant. She had lost a dear friend and her death was very unexpected. She proceeds to explain the whole process including the preparation of the body to be buried, all the way through the actual burial ceremony. Zenith points out that all of the steps you go through in terms of preparing the body of a loved one to be laid to rest has a sort of a therapeutic effect on everyone involved.“We reclaimed that death process with her and it really changed the way we experienced her loss. So we were sad and we were shocked but we felt empowered because we’ve given her the sort of ceremony that she would’ve wanted and that we needed.” - Zenith ViragoThe Death Equation“Each death has an equation… It depends on who that person is and how they die... who you are, and your relationship to them, and your experience of death so far.” - Zenith ViragoDeath of a loved one leaves a mark. It affects our lives from that moment on. What that person or creature meant to us will be the first part of the equation that will determine the outcome of that effect. How they died is another. It’s not the same if we lose someone in an instant, unexpectedly, or due to a long illness, when we got a chance to live with the expectation of losing them. Finally, our understanding and relationship the death will mold everything together. How we perceive death, what we think happens, will shape the way we receive the information that someone has died and how long will it take for us to accept it. It is exactly this last part of the equation that we can directly work with in a way that allows us to adapt and better deal with the loss we’ve experienced.Zenith’s Message of Inspired EvolutionDeath is a taboo subject for most of us because it bears a lot of uncertainty, it’s connected to the concept of loss and it inevitably evokes anxiety and fear. Zenith’s story shows that there is an alternative. Closing ourselves off for something that is a natural part of the journey each and every one of us is on would be limiting and there is a lot we stand to lose if we don’t open ourselves up. This conversation will hopefully serve as an introduction to the process of getting familiar with death and reclaiming the process while overcoming at least some of our fears. We need to consider all aspects of life, not just the ones that come easily to us. Zenith reminds us that it is our obligation to do so:“You owe it to people, loved ones, and even people you don’t know, and the planet… everything… to live not just as fully as you can, but as well as you can, in cooperation with others.” - Zenith ViragoSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is Pana Barbounis, a chocolatier, entrepreneur, and founder of Pana Organic.Pana has always been extremely passionate about food. He’s acquired over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry. But, in 2011, with a base in Melbourne, Australia, he started his very own brand of raw, vegan, organic, Fairtrade and certified as kosher and halal chocolate called Pana Chocolate. Today his chocolate is being sold worldwide and they’re also offering other organic products like dairy-free ice-cream. Pana Chocolate is cooperating with some of the worlds biggest brands such as Virgin Airlines and their chocolate is also available in large venues such as the Etihad sports stadium in Melbourne.Pana Organic is a highly environmentally aware company and is also involved with a lot of tree planting charities. To this day, Pana’s organization has planted over 60 000 trees, raising the bar each year.Pana has also published a book of recipes called “Pana Chocolate, the Recipes” which is a collection of 70 recipes for vegans and healthy-aware sweet tooths. It teaches you how to make some of the most amazing desserts, from cakes and dishes for kid’s parties to traditional raw chocolate recipes that will take your breath away. It also features the story of the Pana Chocolate company and how they managed to reach a global following making a product that avoids all preservatives, dairy, gluten, soy, refined sugar yet still tastes incredible!Connect with Pana:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pana.barbounisWebsite: https://pana-organic.com/Pana’s Story of Inspired Evolution“Even though I’ve been successful, essentially, in some people’s eyes, from a financial [point of view], I felt unfulfilled in a lot of ways and I always felt like I was just doing things for the sake of it.” - Pana BarbounisPana Chocolate wasn’t built in a day. Even though he was always fascinated by food and he was working with it for quite some time, Pana realized that he was to some extent not living the life he was supposed to. His story is another proof that success is what we make of it, and that each person has their own definition they need to live their life by. It is only then when we truly get a chance to shine.So, Pana took a couple of years of sabbatical, and in that time the world kept leaving little signs along the road for him which teased what’s yet to come. He was introduced to raw chocolate by a friend and having seen the movie Chocolat, he was already in the mood for getting involved with making one of the most popular treats. He visited the UK and trained for some time in Belgium with some traditional chocolate makers, but upon returning to Melbourne, locked himself in a room for 6 months and experimented with different recipes on a daily basis.His very first batch of chocolate had a lot of similar qualities of the Pana Chocolates you can buy in different stores and venues across the world today. It was handmade, raw, hand wrapped with hidden messages of love inside it. But thankfully, he no longer has to distribute them himself on a Vespa!“I wanted that experience, I wanted those touchpoints from the moment you touch the cardboard.” - Pana BarbounisSearching for a Deeper Meaning in Your Work“Money isn’t everything. It can bring some happiness but it doesn’t make happiness.” - Pana BarbounisPana wasn’t always motivated by his intrinsic values. He had to go through a phase of trying to make your ends meet striving for financial security like most of us. At some points in his career, it felt like he was too focused on the wrong things. He mentions that if you’re placing too much attention on competition and what everybody else thinks, it’s pretty easy to get into an unhealthy mindset and neglect the things that are most important to you.Around the same time he discovered his true passion, he started developing a new kind of relationship with money. His company values reflect these same ideas, where the most important thing is creating a quality product which comes from a place of love, while also being environmentally conscious. It’s all about being able to make mistakes and learn from them and nurture good relationships in a team.“As long as things don’t become too corporate-y, I’m still here to help.” - Pana BarbounisPana’s Message of Inspired EvolutionPana’s professional journey is also a very spiritual one and demonstrates what we as humans are able to achieve when our work comes from a place of love. He took the time to figure out what he wanted to do in life and from that soul-searching adventure came a brand new one. To this day, Pana is continuously reinventing himself while being guided by the same core values that led to him creating his life’s work. His words of inspiration for us dive deep into the fundamentals of the creative process:“Stay true to yourself… Believe in yourself and believe in your own intuition of what you’re creating.” - Pana BarbounisSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is Dr. Espen Hjalmby, a wellness educator, business strategist, speaker, ‘conscious business’ consultant and an official Australia’s Ninja Warrior.Dr. Espen comes from Norway, but he has moved to Australia in order to pursue his academic career. Over the years he’s acquired degrees in degrees in DipPhysEd for Teaching, HIVE, BApp Sci and MClinChiro RMIT. In 2009, he became a fully qualified Doctor of Chiropractic. His journey then led to him on the path of co-founding Bonfire Health Group, which is now the largest hot yoga and well-being studios in Australasia and is helping over 5000 people each week. Having worked with over 10 000 patients, he decided to retire from clinical practice in 2015. From then on his career focused on speaking, researching and teaching the science, art, and philosophy of wellness, longevity, detox, weight loss, muscle and fitness, personal power and personal development, mindset, spirituality as well as the powerful principles of business and wealth mastery. He is using his personal as well as academic experience to help people who wish to take their business and finance to a whole new level. Dr. Espen’s website is offering a range of programs and products for improving your business and health, as well as personal, group and VIP coaching sessions.In 2006 he suffered from very serious injuries which he managed to come back from through what can only be demonstrated the sheer power of human will. After a long and demanding period of rehabilitation, he was able to bring his body from the brink of doom to a state of such physical wellness. All of his endeavors reached new heights with him becoming an official Australian Ninja Warrior. You can watch his incredible run here!Connect with Dr. Espen:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drespenhjalmby/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-espen-hjalmby-356aab37/ Website: https://www.drespen.com Dr. Espen’s Story of Inspired EvolutionEspen’s heartbreaking origin story begins far in the snowy parts of Norway and starts to take an unpredictable turn somewhere around the age of 8. One night, Espen woke up to found his brother passed away in his bed. Two years later, he welcomed a sister into the family, yet she was also preparing for a difficult journey of her own as she was born with a disability. In years to come, he and his family have been dealing with an incredible amount of adversity.“When we experience hardship, it’s very easy to blame, it’s very easy to not see how it’s happening for us as a part of our spiritual contract, as I believe.” - Dr. Espen HjalmbyIt’s hard to imagine how in the whole scenario, knowing what we know now, that his struggles weren't even close to dimming down. In his youth, he’s used alcohol and drugs as a way of coping and in 2006 he found himself as a student in Melbourne, Australia. One day, on his way to work, he lost control of his bike as he slid into some gravel on the side of the road. He was thrown into the air and he ended up fracturing his both legs and breaking his pelvis.Espen was taken to a hospital where he had metal pins and rods placed into his body in a doctor’s attempt to put him back together. Sadly, he caught a multiresistant bacterial infection as a result of poor sanitation conditions of the hospital at the time. He was put on a range of very strong antibiotics which caused his healthy gut bacteria levels to go down rapidly, and he ended up losing 15kg in just 3 months.“When you are in the deepest pit of the pain of your life, in that essence your purpose is revealed.” - Dr. Espen Hjalmby Haunted by a threat of losing his right leg due to infection, Espen realized that his salvation was up to him and no one else. He ripped out the IV from his arm and from then on embarked on a personal healing journey. He drew strength from his 12 years of experience as a wellness trainer and nutritionist. Relying heavily on organic nutrition and superfoods, meditation, essential nutrient supplementation, detox, prayer, mindset, and my daily exercise regime, all while falling in and out of consciousness. After an excruciating 3-week period, Espen managed to beat the infection all on his own, true dedication and will, and the techniques he used became a foundation for his some of many programs he is offering to the world today.‘Unlearning’: Rejecting the Conditioned and Limiting Beliefs“It’s not so much what we have to learn it’s what we have to unlearn.” - Dr. Espen HjalmbyA huge part of Dr. Espen’s personal journey is being able to ‘unlearn’ what you’ve previously been conditioned to believe it is so. The whole portion of knowing when to take another path was crucial for his rehabilitation process. If he weren’t able to take destiny into his own two hands, who knows what would have happened with his infection, his body, and his life in the end. He points out that 95% of what we have already said to ourselves today, we’re likely to repeat the next day. The essence of transformation is actually making a conscious decision for changing a portion of this 95% each day, bit by bit. The end result is living a life without conditioned and limiting beliefs. Dr. Espen highlights the role of a coach in the process of ridding ourselves from limiting beliefs. A coach will have an unbiased perspective which will inevitably allow them to contribute to your journey with precise information that might be needed at a single moment, challenging your current state while providing support for shifting towards a new one.“If you don’t have a coach you will not be able to see it clearly, and if you can’t see it clearly, you’ll keep recreating those patterns over and over again.” - Dr. Espen HjalmbyDr. Epsen’s Message of Inspired Evolution“When there’s a challenge, know that you’ve attracted this as a spiritual being, that this is a part of your soul contract, that you’ve asked for this. And step up and take responsibility and change the question from ‘Why is this happening to me?’ to ‘How might this be happening for me?’ and you transform in an instant. That is the end of suffering.” - Dr. Espen HjalmbyExploring and learning from the hero’s journeys of amazing individuals is something that we get to experience weekly on our podcast. Still, Dr. Espen’s journey is uniquely mesmerizing and harrowing at the same time. Both aspects of his story are intertwined in a majestic artwork that we call life and all we can do as art lovers, is to try and find meaning for improving our own lives first so that maybe we can one day help others as well. Dr. Espen has learned how to help himself and he has managed to rebuild himself both spiritually and physically in a way in the style of a real-life 6 million dollar man. He has reached deep into himself to find strength, courage, and guidance and he is urging all of us to do the very same:“You have the truth inside you. You have the vision inside you. Find your truth, live your truth, love your truth and everything will open.” - Dr. Espen HjalmbySupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is Bianca de Reus, an animal communicator, soul coach, spiritual activist, speaker, author, shambala and reiki master.Bianca helps and teaches animal lovers how to make deep, meaningful connections with animals by tuning into animal language. In 2012, she created the ‘Connecting Soul Beings Institute’ in order to teach people how to bring themselves onto the same frequency with animals, and create a deep, intuitive understanding of each other. The main goal of her teachings is contributing to a world where both animals and humans experience love, harmony, and joy together.Bianca is also an author and she released a book in 2018 titled “Hello? Can You Hear Me?”. It’s an amazing explorative journey of animal language, connection, relationships, and spiritual abilities. The book provides insight into her own personal journey of tapping into the energetic world and connecting with animals on an entirely different level. It teaches the approach and the techniques while inspiring you to take action and establish a deep connection with their animal companions.She is based in Sydney, Australia and runs her business with a vegan, ethical philosophy. She lives with her wife, son and two very cute and cuddly dogs. ​Connect with Bianca:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BiancadeReusInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bianca.dereus/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/biancadereusWebsite: http://www.connectingsoulbeings.com/Bianca’s Story of Inspired EvolutionBianca’s professional background is in corporate finance, but in 2011 she experienced a life-changing moment when she encountered a snake during a bush walk. While on a lunch break with a friend, a voice popped into her head saying: “Hello! Can you hear me?”, a moment that will inspire a book of the same name 7 years later. A conversation went on in her mind, where the snake let her know of her presence, but didn’t want to show itself because it would scare her friend. The snake went on to say: “You need to go out into the world, and do your job.”Bianca was flabbergasted by the whole experience but when she asked her friend if she was afraid of snakes, her petrified reaction was confirmation enough and what had happened will determine the course of her professional and personal journey. From that moment, she went on to explore her gift and learn more about communicating and making a deeper connection with animals.“I think the easiest way to explain it is to compare it with tuning into a radio station.” - Bianca de ReusShe learned how to tune into their frequencies and how to open herself up, but more importantly, how to close herself off and not get overwhelmed by messages since animals are all around us at all times.Bianca is looking to pass on her gift and teach animal lovers and service providers how to connect with their animals on a much deeper, more fulfilling level.Connecting with Yourself Before Connecting with OthersIn her teachings, Bianca starts the journey by providing the tools for getting in touch with yourself before being able to open your true self for others. She achieves that through meditation and through shifting the focus from our understanding of ourselves as human beings to realizing ourselves as soul beings. The process manifests and results in calmness and feelings of unconditional love. Bianca goes on to explain that this state is the precondition for being able to connect with animals and understand their language.“People can receive the information in different ways… How you learn best is also most likely, how you most likely will receive the information that the animal is telling you, or sharing with you.” - Bianca de ReusBianca combines this heightened sense of vibration with reiki, which enables her to experience and explore the relationship with animals further.Dealing with Scepticism“It’s all good. It’s all OK. Everybody has different levels of experience and beliefs and values, and I’m not here to judge that. All I can do is share what I know, keep serving in the way that I do and those people will come along.” - Bianca de ReusBianca has encountered a certain amount of skepticism when encountering people on her mission to serve and educate. Her approach in those situations doesn’t stray from her message of love and understanding towards building a world of connectedness and mutual joy. She believes it is all a matter of witnessing and being exposed to a specific moment which will open up a world of deeper functioning and allow those who hold a skeptic view to experience something new and different. She describes an interaction during one of her sessions with a person who seemed closed off to the insights and knowledge she was offering. Nevertheless, by guiding him through a particular exercise, she was able to broaden his perspective, open him to a new world of possibilities and the interaction even resulted in him buying her book!“People come on their journey when they are ready. People will come to the realization that connecting to your own heart is one of the best things that you can do to yourself.” - Bianca de ReusBianca’s Message of Inspired EvolutionBianca’s teachings about the importance of connecting with yourself are mesmerizing. Meditation and connecting with your heart are a stepping stone into a world of possibilities and opportunities and we need to understand the value of opening ourselves up for these types of experiences. She leaves us with an inspiring message, urging us to focus on what’s truly important in life:“Stay connected to yourself. Honor yourself… Be the beautiful, amazing being that you are… And just shine!” - Bianca de ReusSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is Adam Roa, an internationally touring spoken word artist, motivational speaker, personal development coach, and conscious filmmaker.Adam’s educational background is a Magna Cum Laude marketing degree from Arizona State University. In 2015, he started a coaching business in the face of adversity. Having no steady income, he left the place he’d been calling home for 7 years and decided to travel the world because his intuition told him to do so. Along came amazing experiences including a 10-day silent meditation retreat in India, building clean-water wells in Tanzania and volunteering at a refugee camp in Greece. Even though he was traveling all over the world, he managed to build a successful business based on transmitting frequency to others who need support in taking a leap of faith and empowering them to become the infinite creators they are.In 2016, while traveling in Bali, he had an idea about creating a podcast. He is currently hosting ‘The Deep Dive Podcast’ with a goal of providing an authentic glimpse into the minds of today’s thought leaders and game changers. Adam is hoping to provide his listeners with an understanding that success and happiness are not about what you think, but how you think.In 2018, he started producing his own YouTube show titled ‘The Art of Choosing Love’. It revolves around his explorational journey he embarked on with his friends (who are also helping him produce the show), after him and his girlfriend, Azrya Cohen, decided to consciously uncouple after 10 years of a loving relationship. He is on a quest to experience the world, create conscious content and achieve his dreams while living life to the fullest and having fun.Connect with Adam:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adam.roa.1Twitter: https://twitter.com/adam_roaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/adam.roa/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoyY9JIaE0Uf08RfjGG0KowWebsite: https://www.adamroa.com/Adam’s Journey of Inspired Evolution“I went through what I refer to as a ‘hollowing-out period’.” - Adam RoaSometime around 5 years ago, it all seemed like it was falling apart for Adam. He was undergoing a complete financial restructuring and trying to start his own business, but as if that weren’t stressful enough, he was involved in a major car accident which left him needing hip surgery with a side of intense migraines. The point where it all cracked was one week after the accident when he saw that his parked rental car had been totaled in a hit and run.In the face of newfound adversity, Adam had to accept that he didn’t have things figured out as much as he’d previously thought. He proceeded to resolve his grueling situation through a series of steps including seeking help and taking action.One of the actions he took was experimenting with Ayahuasca, an entheogenic brew used in traditional spiritual medicine in ceremonies among the indigenous peoples of the Amazon. The visual experience he had during the ritual became his awakening moment. It is a point at which everything shifted, which led him to accept and explore different areas of knowledge he previously found funny or didn’t take seriously. He became a believer because he had an experience which serves him as proof of a higher power and the interconnectedness of our universe.“I have this classically conditioned evidence that my spiritual beliefs are actually effective at creating the life I want to lead.” - Adam RoaScience and Spirituality“The reasons why people are drawn to my message is because I like to play in both realms and understand how it works because I think they’re the same thing.” - Adam RoaLiving through his very own awakening moment has opened up an entirely new world of wisdom and knowledge for Adam. But that doesn’t mean he has left his past beliefs behind, but rather that he discovered something that enriches them and is complementary to what he has known before.“We’re experiencing reality and science and spirituality and the esoteric, they’re actually just languages explaining reality. They’re just explaining it differently.” - Adam RoaHe is diving deep into new topics each day, with his intuition leading the way. By connecting the scientific with the spiritual, he is taking the best out of both worlds and in result gaining a broader perspective with a rich system of interconnected constructs. It has allowed him to take things into his own hands and empowered him to become a creator of his own reality.“At the end of the day, the reality we create is going to be based on what we believe to be true.” - Adam RoaNeed for a New Approach to Education: Living Your Dream“Now you’re seeing this rise of entrepreneurial endeavors and startups and crypto and all these technologies that are supporting entrepreneurs and what we haven’t seen is a massive shift in the way that we’re educating.” - Adam RoaAdam explores the concept of societal conditioning, to the point where our creative nature is being pushed back through educational systems put in place just so it would benefit the traditional understanding of work and economy. What has been happening in the past years and is being exhibited through the rise in small business ownership and personal brand development is that finally, people are becoming more and more empowered to live a life where they get to do fulfilling work while experiencing that they are making a significant impact. Adam points out that “the educational system was designed to fit into the corporate world” but there is an evergrowing need for stepping away from that mindset and inspire the future generations to dream. We’re dreamers by nature but we also have the power to live them.“I don’t believe that you’re given a dream that you can’t accomplish. The fact that you’re even having it means that the possibility exists for you to create it.” - Adam RoaAdam’s Message of Inspired Evolution“There’s enough people telling people, and the age of the guru on the mountain top - I just don’t buy into it anymore.” - Adam RoaAdam owes the unpredictability of his journey to his intuition, but the personal growth and the transformation he’s going through is a direct consequence of him having the courage to open himself up for new experiences and take actions which are destined to take him closer to achieving his dreams. His message of inspired evolution is truly a message of love and his parting words are underlying what we need to imprint into our subconscious in order to set a foundation for achieving true happiness in life:“You are seen. You are heard. You are loved.” - Adam RoaSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.