S2E15 - Spiritual Wellness with special guest Anna Gatmon
Apr 15, 2021
Join Christine & guest co-host JoVantreis Tolliver as they talk about Spiritual Wellness and welcome special guest Dr. Anna Gatmon from the Expansive Community.
This week's resources and references:
Living a Spiritual Life in a Material World: 4 Keys to Fulfillment and Balance
THE IMPERFECT SHOW NOTES
To help make this podcast more accessible to those who are hearing
impaired or those who like to read rather than listen to podcasts,
we’d love to offer polished show notes. However, Women Connected in
Wisdom is still a startup with limited resources. So we’re not
there yet.
What we can offer now is these imperfect show notes via the
Otter.ai service. The transcription is far from perfect. But
hopefully it’s close enough - even with the errors - to give those
who aren’t able or inclined to learn from audio interviews a way to
participate.
Women Connected in Wisdom Podcast 4/14/2021 Anna Gatmon
Speakers:
Christine Gautreaux, JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy,” Anna Gatmon,
P.hd.
Christine Gautreaux 0:14
Hello, hello Hello my friend. Hello my friend greetings
are in for a treat today. Um, today I am joined by a guest co host, Joe vantrease Russell, Dr. Joe vz, who was our actually our first guest for our first official podcast on women connected in wisdom. And I am so excited that you are here today, Joe, though Am I oh my gosh, what an honor and to be sitting in for my amazing sister with the amazing women connected in wisdom I'm
missing and call in our friend Shannon's name today. She is well for our listeners, she is just taking today to celebrate her sweethearts, birthday. And with the events of the world and how black men are currently in danger in our country. She's like, I'm not taking a moment to miss celebrating his birthday. So we want to give a special shout out.
Shout out to Pharaoh and Happy Happy birthday. And I hope y'all are having a blast. Whatever adventure y'all are on today. So
JoVantreis Russell "Dr. JoVeezy" 1:38
And let me just say happy birthday Pharaoh because, um, he is a
really good homie of mine. And it's like really amazing to just see
their relationship blossom and just their connection and
everything. I just feel honored to be a part of the journey.
Introduce them, right? Yes.
History, that's awesome. So you get the credit? Yes, let me just say I think I might, I'm not gonna speak too soon. But I might have a little gifting in that area, because this is the second couple in two years that I've hooked up. And the relationship is blossom like Tasha and Rubin. Shout out to them. They're married, and they met at one of my events.
Christine Gautreaux 2:30
I love that you call that up. Oh, that is awesome. Yeah. All right,
let's do intro so we're official for those of us that are listening
for the first time or live. I am Christine Gautreaux, a white
social justice advocate and international speaker, coach and
published author who helps you upgrade yourself in community
care.
JoVantreis Russell "Dr. JoVeezy" 2:55
My name is Joe ventry is Russell aka Dr. Joe vz. I am God
sweetheart. I am a wife. I'm a mother and artists, and community
engagement advocate.
Christine Gautreaux 3:07
Together we are women connected in wisdom podcast, a podcast
grounded in the eight dimensions of wellness. And we love it when
people join us and we have our special guest today we have a
special co host for weekly intentional conversations about how to
be wise in business relationships and wellness. So
I am so delighted to be together today. For those of you all for our listeners that don't know, um, Joe vantrease and I have been friends now, three or four years. I think it's four years, right? We met at Gwinnett. County, one on one and it community engagement program and became fast friends and we're like we need to do some work in the world together. And we created I had been doing manifesting. I've been doing mastermind groups for a while and I was like Joe, would you do this with me? And she was like Absolutely. So we have a Monday manifesting mastermind that has been going now for over two years. Yeah, yeah, three years. You are the one that introduced me to shaman. So
Anna Gatmon 12:24
for your, for your community. Um, what is your definition of
spiritual wellness, so beyond the fact that it's really hard to
have one definition, but let me go to the highest level.
Spirituality is this being aware and experiencing the sacredness of
our life, the sacredness, the divinity and the sacredness of life.
So when you talk about meaning and purpose, it's we're elevating
the work we do or the hobbies we have, or the volunteer we do to
bring meaning to it, we're expanding that and we're making it more
sacred. So it's sacredness and everything that we do.
And we do live in a sacred, wondrous universe. And when we expand our consciousness to that, we begin to perceive the sacredness, wow, we, we we get direct flow, energy flow from the universe vitality. And that's why spiritual wellness is so important, whether its meaning and purpose in your life, whether it's kindness to other human beings, whatever it is, right? Whether it's meditation, massage, you know, on all the levels, physical material, spiritual, emotional, social, whenever you expand into the sacredness, you are in, you are in direct flow with more vital energy. And you're in the spiritual realm, in the sacred, spiritual realm. So that's my short, long I clinician, when you were saying that what bubbled up for me is a picture of my friend, Joe vantrease, when she was nine months pregnant, and she was playing the drums and she put this picture, was it a picture was a video Joe, like, it was a little bit of both. I think I had a picture in a clip.
It was magical and like, because you, you're just meeting Joe today, but she is an incredible drummer. And it's one of her and when you were saying that definition, and I was thinking about the sacred that is what popped up to me Joe is that picture of you with Ezra in your belly and you drumming and like sharing your gifts? On on more levels? One in that moment? Yeah. Yeah. By the time in life.
So I do have an exercise at the end. So So give me time for it just so people can have that but I want to share something that happened.
Cuz we had like a pre session just to get to know each other before and to see how it works. And I made a self deprecating comment, which I regretted the whole week. But I learned a really important lesson and I want to share it because it speaks to, to spiritual wellness, but to where we are in the world. And I realize how important representation is. Because in that meeting, we were to African American women and to European American women, okay.
Unknown Speaker 1:35
Joe, we should introduce ourselves.
Unknown Speaker 1:57
History.
Unknown Speaker 2:22
That's right. Thank you, Matt
Unknown Speaker 2:24
at your LP release.
Unknown Speaker 4:23
this circle just comes around and around. It is delightful.
Unknown Speaker 4:28
I love it. I love it. It's been such a such a pleasure and honor.
Just even being in the space and sharing love through every season
of life. You've got to have your girls. And this is a good way.
It's quite a powerful tribe, I must say.
Unknown Speaker 4:44
Well, and our newest member is your baby estra who is now six
months old, right?
Unknown Speaker 4:52
Yes.
Unknown Speaker 4:53
Yo, let me tell you every Monday she's on the call and she brings
wisdom And she talks to us and she lets her voice be heard she has
since she was a teeny tiny baby. I mean, she's only six months old
now. But still, from the moment she could make sounds, she lets us
hear her voice and it is so delightful. Well, how is your week? My
friend? How's it going? You are coming to us from Jackson,
Mississippi today, right?
Unknown Speaker 5:21
Yes, I am reporting live from Jackson, Mississippi. This is
actually my hometown. I was born raised and educated. And I
actually went to Jackson State University here too. And this was
sort of an impromptu trip, you know what I mean? We didn't plan or
expect to come under these circumstances. But this is life. This is
you know, this is a part of life, but my grandmother is actually in
the hospital, she's sick. And you know, just to be transparent. Um,
she is battling with pancreatic cancer right now we firmed like,
two days ago, actually. And so we are in the process. This is stage
one, however, we do want to move quickly. So we're just listening
to her being in tune with what she wants. With her.
Unknown Speaker 6:12
Oh, you cut out for a second chance, though, for her,
Unknown Speaker 6:15
um,
Unknown Speaker 6:17
caretaker for her. And so this is, this is quite the journey.
But
Unknown Speaker 6:26
I'm so glad that you could go home and be with her and be in that
role. We are losing your audio a little bit. So I'm going to wait
till you come back. And while we're waiting for you to come back, I
am going to give the definition of spiritual wellness and what we
are talking about is that, Oh, there you are. I lost you for a
minute. So the definition of spiritual wellness that we are talking
about today and we're going to expand on with our awesome guest is
spiritual wellness allows us to be in tune with our spiritual
selves. This realm of wellness lets us find meaning in life events
and define our individual purpose. It can be defined through
various factors including religious faith, values, ethics and
morals regardless of whether you believe in a particular religious
faith, there is always something to be learned about how you see
yourself in the world. And why is this important? We've talked
about at times on women connecting the wisdom podcast, but
spiritual wellness not only allows you to seek meaning and purpose
in human existence, but it also allows you to appreciate your life
experiences for what they are. When you find meaning in your life
experiences, you will be able to develop a harmony with your inner
self and outside world in much simpler terms. It it grants you
balance, it is the thing that helps you to to live a meaningful
life.
Unknown Speaker 7:58
Yeah, you made it back. Yes. Sorry about that.
Unknown Speaker 8:03
That's what happens when you're a road warrior and taking care of
family.
Unknown Speaker 8:11
So glad to be back. I don't know what happened. But I'm, I'm
back.
Unknown Speaker 8:15
worries, no worries. I was just given the definition of spiritual
wellness that we're playing with today. And before we introduce our
guests, and you know, your living it, being in Jackson taking care
of family going home, I need to give a shout out to my friends,
Monique Davis and Jackson and Wendy Shanna fell two artists
activist, to a my two of my people from alternate routes who I
adore. And so anytime I think Jackson, I think Joe vantrease,
Mooney, and indie like those. And I think it's a great place to
start between here in Texas, because that's when I go home. Like
it's a great place to stop and say hey, so, yeah,
Unknown Speaker 9:00
yes, yes.
Unknown Speaker 9:01
I'm sorry for the reason that you had to go home, but I'm glad you
get to be there with her.
Unknown Speaker 9:07
I am too. And that definition really resonates with me so deeply.
Because I'm being in a spiritual journey. And it's all about really
surrendering what you believe to be right at a certain time and
Lord knows, like, I have had to digest this lesson so many times.
But when I surrender is it's truly when you really have peace about
everything that's going on because there's so many uncontrollables
but one thing you do have control over is being able to surrender
and have peace and so that's really where I am spiritually. So that
definition is like Whoo. Oh my gosh, it's like a plate soulful for
me.
Unknown Speaker 9:49
Right? Um, I love how they talk about it brings balance. And I know
for me like when I lead with my spiritual practices, when I started
My day, you know, outside and I love. I've said it on the podcast
before and folks that know me like my favorite place to start the
day is in my Labyrinth, singing my prayers. And when I start and I
get out of habit sometimes because of weather or schedules or
things like that, but it's such a difference when I start my day
that way, like it helps me to be imbalanced with my overall
wellness. So I can't wait to bring on our guest and see what she
has to say about this topic. Are you ready, Joe?
Unknown Speaker 10:33
I am so ready.
Unknown Speaker 10:36
It is a friend of mine. So what I always say about this when we
bring on friends is I always read their official bio, so I don't
completely muck it up. Because you know, when you infringe on
somebody for years, you can say all kinds of things about him, but
you may get it wrong. Her official bio, and that way our listeners
know the truth. Here we go. Anna Gottman, PhD is a visionary
educator and spiritual innovator. She comes from an eclectic
background that spans the US Israel, Sweden and France. Her rich
life experience includes careers as a fashion model, founder of an
alternative elementary school counselor, speaker and author. She is
the creator of the expansive community, a membership for
changemakers who are committed to creating spiritual material
abundance in all areas of their life. And in the lives of the
people they live, work and play with. Anna holds a doctorate degree
in transformative learning from the California Institute of
integral studies and lives with her family in Sonoma County in
California. And I am so excited to welcome to the podcast today. My
friend and colleague, Anna Gottman,
Unknown Speaker 11:54
the miracles of technology, I appear I disappear. Hello, thanks for
having me on your show. I'm so excited to be here. At this time, at
this time in the history of the US also what we're going through
and talking about spiritual wellness.
Unknown Speaker 12:11
Right.
Unknown Speaker 12:13
Anna, for you, I know you heard the definition, which we've talked
about before comes from an academic setting, which I know you're in
your background, but you expand
Unknown Speaker 15:30
And I could feel the course was different, it was different than if
I'm just with white people. And so I made it self deprecating
comments in a white women doing some self care, you know, I regret
doing anything self deprecating. This is not what it's about. But
the meaning and, and the question of what spiritual wellness is
changes, when there's representation that's different than just my
own kind, and whatever my own kind is whiteness in this
conversation. And so my question is, I do have an exercise, which
I'd like to do, which is an individual self, you know, to tap into
spiritual wellness, but I want to ask, have a conversation, what
the spiritual wellness look like, with what we're going through?
It's like, it's a different I, I have different answers for for
myself, when I think of this young, innocent man, who's gone and
seeing his parents, it's just it's devastating spiritual wellness
looks different around that. So I'm curious to hear what it means.
Like When, when, when anybody sits at the table, I mean, that's
expansive, too, right? Everybody gets a sacred space at the table,
versus I'm sitting just with white people, and we're thinking about
self care, it becomes very personal. But the rest of the world is
left out of the conversation.
Unknown Speaker 17:04
You know, what comes up? For me, um, as you're speaking, thank you
for saying that, because it's such a great question to kind of
facilitate a conversation around unity, because that's the word
that comes up for me is what does unity look like? And in this
country, you know, I can speak, you know, for my experience, as a
black woman, I have at times felt unequipped and lacking balance in
some in some ways, and also feeling like, I'm playing catch up, so
to speak, and I'm, my, not my knowledge, but but more so
opportunity. And it's not, it's not like I'm trying to say, Hey,
you know, more people have opportunities than I do, or things like
that. But it's, it's, it's reality. Um, when I, my tank is not as
full as the next person, then they're more likely to receive the
opportunity than than I am, or even something as simple as, you
know, your reputation, not reputation, but your experience and your
historical experience with dealing with police officers. If I've
had a terrible track record with police officers, and the treatment
that I received, it will be hard for me to even receive a gift when
a police officer is actually trying to is actually being a stand up
human being and a person is genuinely trying to show me kindness,
you know, I might miss out on that opportunity. because
historically, I have been not, it's not been a good, good
experience. So I think about that, in terms of being spiritually
lacking, or, or having my spiritual tank not be full. And, and, you
know, it comes to the point where you have to be even taught how to
receive a gift, especially in the divine in the spiritual, you have
to be taught and not you know, personally, I have things where I,
I'm definitely getting that lesson of knowing how to receive, but
when you come from an area where it's hasn't been, or hasn't been
so, so freely given spiritual nourishment. It's hard to even
recognize, you know what I mean?
Unknown Speaker 19:15
Yeah, of course. I mean, yeah, it's like you. I mean, even, you
know, the law of attraction. I mean, they all talk about it, right?
If you're not prepared, if you knew, you're not going to see when
it's coming your way. And if you're wounded, if you've been abused,
you don't see kindness, because you're always suspecting right. And
so here, it's systemically, you're part of this and so yeah, it
totally makes sense. And I think the thing that's important for me
here is the difference between personal spiritual wellness and
collective spiritual wellness. That's what I fell in the session.
We had it was so powerful. It was like, wow, this is a different
conversation. Right?
Unknown Speaker 20:07
Well, and that's why we started this podcast. And because we were
having some of these conversations that are manifesting Monday, it
seems like we need to be talking about this with the whole world.
Yeah, we are a group of diverse women that comes together and
bring, we bring our different life experiences, different gender,
we're different generations, different races, different faiths, in
this group that meet, and we're really lucky in the place that we
live, we're in one of the most diverse counties, not only in
Georgia, but in the country, and in Gwinnett County. And so we
really started talking about unity. And we talked about the wisdom
that every single one of us brings in it doesn't, you know, we're
from different educational backgrounds, we're from different play.
You know, it's, it's just that piece is fascinating. And I wanted
to share with y'all today, I was on a zoom call with a brand new
contact. She was a colleague that was put in touch with me. And she
is an incredible activist and artist in Virginia, African American
woman. And we were having a conversation. And I want to share this,
because I think it's valuable, especially for our white listeners.
And we just were talking about resources, we were talking about
ways we could collaborate we were talking about. And she shared
with me that with what's going on in our country right now, she had
several white friends reach out to her and say, I'm basically
wanting her to teach them, like how do we deal with this, and she's
like, Yo, I'm in pain, I am in physical pain right now. I'm not in
a place to do that with you. And so, you know, it's one of the
things I know is a white social justice advocate as white people,
we want to talk to other white people. And, and not not dip into
our friends of color, self care, and their wellness in times of
crisis, that because it can be detrimental to their wellness. And
the other thing that she shared with me towards the end of the
call, which was so powerful, what she said to me, Christine, she
said, You, she said I was so excited to meet with you, when I saw
the work you did in the world, I could tell we do a lot of the same
work. And she said, but in the back of my mind, I thought, Oh, it's
another white woman who's going to ask to be connected to the black
community. And she said, You didn't ask me for a thing. You just
offered resources, and said, What can we create together? And she
said, I don't think I've ever had a white woman do that before. And
it was a powerful moment and a reminder and a call, especially with
our sisters of color to, for us to be mindful of that. Like, what
are we asking of each other? You know, what are we asking of each
other? into especially I think in times of crisis, then yeah,
that's
Unknown Speaker 23:16
Yeah. So I, I want to bring that the spiritual is often so devoid
of race or, or ethnicity, right? But it's not devoid of religion,
you know, you're Christian or Jewish or you're a Muslim, but it's
devoid of, of, of, of ethnicity, right, and race. And so a very
well known statement, for example, is unity within diversity.
Right. And again, it brings us to sacredness, we are different on
the diversity level, the richness is the diversity. But the Unity
comes in the sacredness. That's where the unity is. It's not about
being unified. And it's not about being completely different. It's
like there's diversity is on the material plane, what we bring the
gifts that we bring in on the sacred level on the spiritual level.
That's where we share unity. And so I'm saying this because it's
important to expand our definition of all these very well known
spiritual statements. Okay? If you believe in unity within
diversity, will Can you expand your definition of unity and your
definition of diversity? If practicing loving kindness is something
that you practice, can you expand that beyond and deal with the
edge of where it feels like I can go so far, these people, if it's
age, or it's disability, or its skin color, whatever it is for you,
we all have Have an edge where we're uncomfortable, where we go,
Oh, well, this is new to me, this is unfamiliar, stay there and
explore there. Because in that energy, if you don't do it, there is
pent up energy that is depleting you and depleting us as humanity.
But if you stay on that edge, and you say, Can I expand loving
kindness, to the unfamiliar to the unknown to stuff that I was
taught as a child in school, from where I come from, wherever you
have it, you start to open the energy, when that open, when that
energy is released, you are going to feel revitalized, regenerated,
I mean, you're just going to because suddenly, you are not in fear,
you are in love, and you've expanded your felt sense of sacred
loving kindness. So that is a really important action to do today,
in these times, right?
Unknown Speaker 25:59
Absolutely. This, oh my gosh, this is so amazing. Um, because what
I'm thinking about, because you mentioned expression of gifts, and
I think about in this country, there are so many gifts that are
left being under appreciated because of our value system and and a
value system, honestly, that shouldn't exist, because who are we to
put value on what gifts matter? And what gifts do not matter? And
so that feels like to me, I mean, you know, some folks believing,
you know, in afterlife, but I believe that it's getting closer to
heaven on earth, seeing everybody be in their full expression and
and be received with compassion and grace. Yeah. And you know, even
in this season of life that I'm in now, just like, our family is
coming together, we're recognizing what each one of us brings to
the table. And the is it easy? No, because all of us have our own
conditioning and value system. But bringing it to an example for
this country. Everybody's had a whole entire different upbringing.
You know, even beyond races, even beyond color, and ethnicity, we
have just had total different backgrounds and upbringing. So our
value system comes from how we were raised, but it has to shift and
become flexible in order to adapt to this space that you talked
about. Because, you know, how else will we have the flexibility to
express ourselves to the fullest degree and, and receive that
compassion and grace? To do so? Yeah,
Unknown Speaker 27:35
I love that. And it. So I love the fact that what you're talking
about on that edge, too, is a place of vulnerability. You know, one
of my teachers, Bernie brown talks about vulnerability, being the
birthplace of creativity and really all that's amazing. And I think
about when you when you say that about it being sacred. So you
know, vulnerability is the birthplace of sacredness, like you
talked about Joe vantrease. About about surrender, right. And then
I wanted to lift up and roses comment in in Facebook, she said,
that is a really good description and are open to the uncomfortable
and unknown.
Unknown Speaker 28:20
Hey, and rose, I know her
Unknown Speaker 28:21
right.
Unknown Speaker 28:25
to join us today and are listening live.
Unknown Speaker 28:28
Yeah. So can I just share so that people have something you know,
because we're talking and people are enriched by us, but I want
people to also have something they can do. We're all we're depleted
and exhausted. And if we have spiritual resources and tools, then
we know how to to create, you know, the flow, but when we don't,
then we're just depleted because it's exhausting.
Unknown Speaker 28:52
Right? Yes, please share.
Unknown Speaker 28:55
So I created this exercise, you might know a similar kind of
exercise, but I created it out of a place where I was told many
times you live in a bubble, because because I live in it in a
conscious community. And and I, I have a utopian view of the world.
That's what I'm here to show what's possible. what's possible to
how can we live in this wondrous world? planet wonders, humanity,
ingenuity, I mean, there's so much creativity and beauty and wonder
on our planet, and how can we live like this? And I'm often told
you live in a bubble. And I found an answer for it. And I created
the exercise in the answer that I say I don't live in a bubble. I
live in an in a field that I create for myself. And I expand that
field so that when I interact with people, they get a whiff of that
field that I create. It's not a closed bubble that's unrealistic or
utopian. It is an energy field is a field of intelligence of
consciousness that I create. And you are welcome to join into the
field. And I am. So this is the exercise that I create based on it.
And you can pick any quality that you want to do that you want to
work with, let's say you want to have more inner peace, or you want
to experience more joy, or you want to have loving kindness or
anything, it can really be creativity, whatever you want to. And
basically you imagine, you know, this bubble, but it's more like
it's a translucent kind of a field. And you can make it as you
know, just whatever, just a bit bigger than yourself, however you
are comfortable in it kind of it's flowing. So when you move, it
moves with you, this, this field moves with you. And so what you
want is to fill that field with, let's say, loving kindness, okay?
Let's do that. And so you just imagine yourself experiencing loving
kindness, you can always pick a time where you experience loving
kindness towards yourself, or when you express it, or you saw a
child or you saw a pet, or you saw a movie, and you experienced
loving kindness. And you just feel this, you imagine you fill
yourself with loving kindness. And again, you could do inner peace,
if that's better for you. And you just feel this and you can decide
what color is it, it's translucent, so it protects you. But it also
anyone who walks into your field, suddenly is in the field of
loving kindness, or in the field of caring for your brothers and
sisters, or inner peace. And you walk around in the world so that
when you go to the store, imagine yourself wobbling like this with
this field of loving kindness, it's going to change your
interactions with people, it's going to change your field because
now it's not like you're being attacked, maybe, or violated or just
aggressed by the news, you have this field that's protecting you,
that's maybe a meter or whatever a meter is like a yard or
something around you. And anyone who comes into your field gets to
enjoy that and experience that. And that's how we change the world.
One of the ways by creating a field and inviting people into it and
protecting ourselves with this field and, and sharing that with the
world. So that's an exercise that's going to fill you with vitality
with tranquility, it will leave the world a bit outside because you
have the field and you get to design your experience. And you get
to design the field that you want to live in and that you want to
create. So I hope it's helpful for people. I mean, I didn't do the
full meditation, I more explained it. But you know, we don't have
time for that. I think so.
Unknown Speaker 33:08
I love that, Anna, thank you. I have when you were doing that I had
this image, I have this picture, I'll have to I'll have to go back
and find it. It's on Facebook somewhere. But there was a you know,
it was when the when the apps first came out where you could do
photo apps, and you could put filters over. And I have a picture of
me in a bubble. It's it's this translucent bubble. And so it was
easy for me to visualize because I have a picture of it. And I love
that like and and I did have to giggle at the wobbling around.
Unknown Speaker 33:44
I literally close my eyes. And I just want to say the color of my
bubble is pink. Because I envisioned a heart shaped bubble. I mean,
as you can see, I'm really into pink now anyway, but you know, pink
has been a coat color. And even Um, I don't know if I have my stone
now. But I also have a stone that's pink, that symbolizes
compassion and compassion for yourself and healing. And there's a
couple other definitions of it too. But it's a theme for me, you
know, pink sort of symbolizes loving yourself as well as others in
that bubble. I feel. You know, you mentioned someone answering. I
love that because that means that any space you walk into, you
know, you're transforming that space to vibrate in that same wave
of love that you're vibrating. I love that. Oh my gosh, like that
is amazing.
Unknown Speaker 34:42
Joe vantrease that's how I know that you walk in the world. Like
you have a new visualization with it, my friend. That's how you
walk in the world from the moment I've met you, right. So we're
adding we're adding the pink bubble but you already got this
Unknown Speaker 35:00
Thank you, my friend. Well, no.
Unknown Speaker 35:03
I mean, I think there's a lot of peace, as you said is that anyone
who enters that field gets to so it's not like you're trying to be
in here. It's like, you experiment. And that's, that's social
activism that's being an activist for for a better world,
right.
Unknown Speaker 35:21
I love it. social activism for love.
Unknown Speaker 35:27
Right? I love this. I think, since the last time we met, it was the
golden rule day, it was the international Golden Rule day about,
you know, treat each other as you want to be treated. It was it
that is the golden rule that's in every major religion. And I think
about that, when we when we talk about this about spiritual
wellness, and how do we treat ourselves? How do we treat each
other? You know, what kind of a world do we want to create?
Unknown Speaker 36:02
You know, it's interesting, that's saying, because I know what it
means. But actually, what happens is what the reality is because
there's so much self hatred, so much self hatred, that we end that
quote, we give our neighbors colors have different wavelengths. So
what does they say here? So it totally makes sense to me with the
colorful bubbles around us. Mine is happy, Sunny yellow right now.
But you, you know, it's like, love thy neighbor like yourself, and
we so don't love ourselves. We still don't love ourselves that how
can we love our neighbor? That's it.
Unknown Speaker 36:47
That's it.
Unknown Speaker 36:49
I think you're right on. And that we got to start with that self
care and self love and self healing and expand it. So I even like
that with your visualization. Right? You're starting with your
bubble, and you're expanding it, you're bringing it out? Yeah.
Yeah. Powerful.
Unknown Speaker 37:06
That's a great, that's a great description of loving yourself
first. Because you do like this. That's perfect, Christine, how you
put it. It's your bubble, and you're expanding it. And that's a
perfect visualization for loving yourself first and expanding that
love. Because we can't give from an empty cup, we have to give from
overflow. So our bubble is literally overflowing, to be able to be
light of your way
Unknown Speaker 37:33
to describe it. I love that so well. foot, exactly. So the bubble,
the more you're an overflow. Otherwise, you're just trying to have
some inner peace right here. And it's really hard because you feel
that you're kind of attacked and assaulted all day, right by the
news and people and events. But if you make yourself bigger, and if
you believe in this, your aura is bigger anyway. But you know, it
becomes an interconnected world also write rather than a separate
world of individuality, which harbors fear because we're all alone
in this huge universe. And we're scared and we need to defend
ourselves when it's us, against them and then against us. Whereas
if you're a feel that's walking around, it's interdependent. It's
interconnected. Suddenly, we're in a field of I'm not alone.
There's love and being loved and being cared for I care for others,
please enter my field. Suddenly, we're in a consciousness of love
and interconnection and not in the consciousness of fear and
separation. And it's a consciousness of ference and separation,
that that creates the violence, right, that the racism and the
violence so we can all be activists, what what, but by creating a
field,
Unknown Speaker 38:49
where those words, and I think about the beloved community from Dr.
Martin, Martin Luther King, Jr. Because you know, Joe vantrease,
and I live in Atlanta. So, you know, we're all we're talking about
the beloved community, and it doesn't mean that it's always, always
perfect or always peaceful, like, but that we are interconnected,
and that we are loving each other. Yeah. And I think that is really
needed. Yeah, crucial.
Unknown Speaker 39:20
Yeah. So, I mean, the thing of if I can say, I know, I don't know
if we're supposed to end or not, but I teach a class called the
psychology of power, privilege and culture. And I also in my
graduate school, when I was 30 years old, 35. That was a long time
ago. We did a lot of, of, of racial work within the cohort. And so
also in the class that that I'm facilitating now, and it is so
interesting, how many times white students feel that at the bottom
of it all. They feel worthless, they feel they have nothing to
offer. They don't have community they don't have. So they don't
have an immense feeling to so whatever we're talking about men,
women, or we're talking white, black, it's like, at the bottom of
it all. It's like a feeling like there's nothing there. And so if
we keep if we keep the power of the status quo, going to project
that out. But if we're going to change the power structure, then I
have to face that I feel empty inside I because I don't belong to
any group. I'm just white Christian. Okay, so Christian, maybe, I
mean, not me, but I'm saying like white Christians, because that's
the most dominant or predominant one. But and white people don't
feel like they're part of a group. So they don't feel that they
belong, and they envy, the belonging. It's so interesting to see
that how much self hatred there is, even here, it's hard to be
compassion for it when you're on the receiving end of the abuse and
the systemic racism. But it's also so fascinating to see it again
and again and again.
Unknown Speaker 41:11
But you know, that goes back to the value system again, like, you
know, your expectations of what you what you expect, well, your
expectations of reward, and how you're operating in life, like if
I'm operating in my purpose, and my purpose is to raise my child.
And but the world around me sees that that is not the value, you
know, to raise my child and I might have insecurities if I'm not
all the way secure, and that this is my purpose and what I should
be doing so you know, it, I guess I'm speaking to, you know, when
you do not belong to a group, there's a less chance for you to be
affirmed that your purpose matters. Yeah. And, and, and that is
that is that is the reason that community is so essential. Because
you could you could be walking in insecure path, you know,
operating on your insecurities, as opposed to walking in what your
purpose is, and being secure in that.
Unknown Speaker 42:07
Right? Yeah. I also think about when you talk about the self
hatred, especially for white people right now, I think about rasma
mannequins work, my grandmother hate my grandmother's hands, and
how he talks about racialized trauma is not just an people of
colors, bodies, it's also in white people's bodies, that it's been
patched in generationally. And until we look at it, and do
forgiveness work, and really look at some of this stuff. That is
where some of that roots of self hatred and self loathing is, is
because some of us are born with it. And so that's that piece of
really looking at owning who we are, what land we're connected to,
who our people and if we can't be with our like, then creating the
group that that we do resonate with and that and then fill in our
buckets up. So y'all, this has been a really, really powerful
conversation
Unknown Speaker 43:09
deep, really deep. transcends it. Definitely. Oh,
Unknown Speaker 43:14
Anna, before we let you go, I realized in your bio, you didn't give
us the name of your book. So I would love to know the name of your
book and where they can find it.
Unknown Speaker 43:26
Okay, so my book is called Living a spiritual life in the material
world, fortune, fulfillment and balance. And my whole all of my
expensive teachings, which I've developed much further and working
on my second book since this book, but it's all about spiritual
material unity, and spiritual material balance. And you can get it
on Amazon. That's another conversation for another podcast.
Unknown Speaker 43:57
a whole nother
Unknown Speaker 43:59
conversation.
Unknown Speaker 44:02
You can find it on my website which is on a gap mn.talk.com a
double in a g@mon.com and you'll find my book there there's a book
page you can get a free bonus of a workbook to accompany when you
read the book when you purchase it. So that's
Unknown Speaker 44:21
it, and we'll make sure and we put it in the show notes but you had
said so generously that you wanted to offer our listeners a special
special gifts if you want to tell our listeners about that. And I
will also put a link to that in our show notes.
Unknown Speaker 44:36
So that is that is a 30 minute complimentary, oyc complimentary
call. Where we will talk about where you're at where you want to
be, what you're dealing with and see if working together is
something that is the right thing for you. If I can support you in
it. in any way, but the 30 minutes is the 30 minutes and we get to
talk communicate and see what what can benefit you.
Unknown Speaker 45:09
I love that. And will you tell one last thing I keep saying I'm
gonna let you go. But one
Unknown Speaker 45:13
last thing, I joined this, so I'm happy to stay.
Unknown Speaker 45:18
tell folks about your mighty network community,
Unknown Speaker 45:21
huh.
Unknown Speaker 45:22
So my mighty networks community is really slow to grow really,
really slow to grow, I have to own that. So, but I'm working on it.
So that's the expansive community, expansive community. And that is
really a place for us together to practice being in this expansive
state, in different areas of our life around our purpose and
calling around manifesting around relationships around self care,
and developing our intuition, which is also about expanding into
larger field of information. So it's all it's practicing, being
expansive, and getting the guidance needed to live more whole life.
So as a result of that, and so. Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 46:14
Show Notes. Go ahead. Joe.
Unknown Speaker 46:15
Do we have time for one last question? It's kind of Okay, so my
question is, you know, I'm all about call to actions. So, as we
wrap up, this was a very deep, powerful conversation. What is first
thing is, what is your favorite daily spiritual practice, something
that you cannot go without doing every day, even if it's not at the
same time? And the second part is, what is one actionable item that
someone who is very, maybe very fearful of entering they they're,
they're feeling convicted to go ahead and make take some action,
but they're feeling fearful, that they're not equipped? What is
something that they can act on immediately to him to walk into a
space that they don't typically walk in, but they know they need to
in order to open up their social portal?
Unknown Speaker 47:10
Well, I'll answer the first one. The second one, first is the
exercise that this field that you create is a great tool. Because
if you're uncomfortable about anything, and you create these field
with joy, or security, or comfort, I mean, really any word that you
want to, and then you expand it a bit to this translucent bubble,
you walk into the situation from an expanded state, and more
spacious state, your heart is more spacious, you feel more safe,
you feel more secure. And you will, as a result, you will have
thoughts that are different, more spacious, more loving, you'll
have more creative solutions. So the results that you'll get will
be different. So this is really expanding into any quality that you
want to is the way to go. And then listen attentively to what the
universe tells you. What What does it feel like to be in this
expansive state? That is, that is the the, I think, a really good
exercise. That's a generic one, you get to fill in the quality you
want to, and you bring it into any situation. So that's the second
one. And what's my favorite? practice? I mean, there's so many
times in the day that I, I mean, I look for the sacredness and
things. And so, you know, I mean, we might not have time for this,
but my iPhone is sacred. And I did a TEDx talk about that, because,
you know, it's, it's this material icon, but it has ingenuity, it
has efficiency, it has connection, it has community, it has
transformation, it has health, it has all these potentials. How can
it just be a material icon when it has all these beautiful
qualities that can transform our world and transform our life. So
I, what I do is I look, you know, I'll eat my lunch, and I'm eating
with a fork. And I'll say there's wisdom in this fork. So I just
expand my perspective, because a fork is created in a very specific
way that allows you to pick something up as spoon is enough. So
there's wisdom in there. It's not just a material thing. So I look
for the sacredness for the spiritual quality hidden in our material
world and I do it you know, walking, driving, whatever I do, and
that it gives me resource because if I suddenly see wisdom, in in
in my fork or my spoon, which may seem like such a trivial thing,
suddenly I'm connected to wisdom, in the middle of my day and in
the middle of my lunch, so You can always tap into these spiritual
resources.
Unknown Speaker 50:05
I love that. Thanks so much for coming and talking to us today.
It's
Unknown Speaker 50:10
such a pleasure and so rich and so wonderful. And I really hope
your listeners take in, there's so much to, for us to expand the
definition of spiritual wellness and spirit and spiritual well
being.
Unknown Speaker 50:23
And feeling we will have you back especially when she has done and
keep this conversation going. Because I think there's more to talk
about. And we'll make sure our listeners know how to find you. So
they can check out all your awesome resources. And we are just so
grateful to know you and to be connected to you.
Unknown Speaker 50:43
Thanks for having me on. And thanks for the learnings that I got.
But by preparing for this, it's been wonderful. Really,
Unknown Speaker 50:50
we're so glad. Well, thanks.
Unknown Speaker 50:52
It's been a pleasure to meet you. Nice to see you hear Christine in
this context.
Unknown Speaker 50:59
Wow, my friend.
Unknown Speaker 51:01
That was that that is powerful, a lot to unpack.
Unknown Speaker 51:07
Right? That's more than a 45 minute conversation, we're gonna be
talking about this one for a little bit.
Unknown Speaker 51:14
Oh, I feel like, yeah, this is a conversation that honestly, in
some form can be had every day, you know, speaking about the
dimensions of wellness, it, you know, the spiritual part of it, it
exists in all of them. So, you know, that's, that's, that's how I
feel. So
Unknown Speaker 51:35
what was something that stuck out to you from the conversation?
Unknown Speaker 51:39
Um, oh, my goodness, what immediately, um, what sticks out for me,
is the concept of, of knowing of loving yourself and knowing how
important that is, in order to expand that. And the example that
she used was so sobering. And I feel like it can be sobering for
anyone, the any, any person of any ethnicity or background, the
example she used when speaking about the college students, who felt
that they didn't belong to a group, and they totally devalue their
contribution as a human being. And, and that being like, a really
strong form of self hate. That's a really intense example. But it's
sobering because, you know, if you feel a way about yourself, that
is not valued. It's really, really difficult to recognize and
identify values and other people. And if our if a huge percentage
of our population thinks that way. Oh, my gosh, right. You thought
I mean, that's scary.
Unknown Speaker 52:37
Right? That has to be a shift. It also hurts my heart when she's
teaching in college. And these are the young ones, you know, I
know, like, and that's, yeah, and it's I know, I've had clients
that have felt that way and done a lot of work in community where I
know it to be true. And it's, it is, you know, people want to be
loved and connected. Right. And, and Maslow's hierarchy of law,
they want to survive. Yeah. Right. So then we bring into all the
dimensions of what's going on in our country, but that love and
collect connection and belonging, right.
Unknown Speaker 53:16
Mm hmm.
Unknown Speaker 53:18
And yeah, it was really powerful for me that the talking about and
I know we talk about this often in our Monday groups and on the
podcast, but the talking about, you know, refilling our buckets and
loving ourselves so we can make a difference in the world. And
that, that it's not selfish, that it's, it's vital. Yeah, we do
that. of our time. So before we go, I want to give a shout out to
our sponsor, shallow glow. Shallow glow is a company founder
founded by Shannon Mitchell, and it is an organic shea butter
company that uses I can't do it as well as she does, because you
know, it's her baby. But y'all is the best shea butter, oil and
just some yummy self care products
Unknown Speaker 54:16
is that yes, I'm
Unknown Speaker 54:18
good about because they keep they've kept me hydrated all winter
long. And as a guard. I use it every time I come in from the
outside and my hands have looked better than they've looked in
years. So that's my product endorsement. What do you say about
Halo?
Unknown Speaker 54:36
Listen, I was just you know, I was just thinking I use the miss the
lemongrass mist on my face every night. After I use a diffuser when
I take them take a bath. So if you're ever looking for, in other
words, some items to put in your self care kit, say Logo Items
would be the perfect items to include in that kit. Because when I
tell you that it's a whole regimen at night for me, I take a bath.
I use my diffuser oils. I put on my shake sailo glow mist on my
face, I give myself a facial massage. Like I'm telling you like
this. If you're looking for an extra step that's even more
practical to start to self care and make the change. Start with
it.
Unknown Speaker 55:22
Right? We can actually we can find the sacred in Shayla Glo talking
about spiritual wellness weekend for sure, find the sacred in this
because it is some of our favorites. But we will be back next week
Live at Five on Facebook and YouTube. You can find our recordings
of all our podcasts on all the major podcasts. we'd love it if you
go to Apple podcasts and give us a like and subscribe or any of the
major podcast platforms. And my friend Joe vantrease. Thank you so
much for being here today. And I know that it was big shoes to fill
with Shannon being out this week. And we're gonna say it like we
say it every week. You want to take it you want to take the are out
here.
Unknown Speaker 56:11
Be well be wise and be whole and we'll see you next week.
Unknown Speaker 56:18
Thanks for you.
Unknown Speaker 56:19
Thank you
Transcribed by https://otter.ai