Media : Maestro Conference

Maestro Conference is a new website and technology for on-line conference calls and workshops. I just found out they declared July to be "maestro month" which means they are offering free seminars in areas of business, spirituality, health and societal change. The line-up looks great. I'm sad that I missed Brian Johnson from Philosopher's Notes, but there are still some great leaders and topics for the rest of the month.

All you have to do is look at the schedule and register yourself to call in and, if you choose, to actively participate in the workshop for free!

You can find out more here.

Science and Spirituality in the Media

I'm noticing a trend - high profile media coverage of the growing awareness of, or curiosity about, the mind-body connection, alternative healing or "energetics."

- Time Magazine dedicated a February issue to "Mind & Body." The lead article is called "The Biology of Belief" and begins:

Most folks probably couldn't locate their parietal lobe with a map and a compass. For the record, it's at the top of your head — aft of the frontal lobe, fore of the occipital lobe, north of the temporal lobe. What makes the parietal lobe special is not where it lives but what it does — particularly concerning matters of faith.

read the rest of the article here


- This image is from a 5 part NPR series called "Is this your brain on God?"

- And the new film "The Living Matrix - The Science of Healing" is a documentary featuring "a wide range of scientists, researchers, psychologists and holistic practitioners to show some of the latest healing methods and how and why energy medicine works."

I have a copy of "The Living Matrix" at home and will be watching it soon, so if anyone locally is interested in joining, let me know!

Potential goes Prime Time

If the only thing you know about Tony Robbins is the firewalk or that he was in the movie "Shallow Hal," that is about to change. He will soon be the star of a new NBC reality show called Breakthrough. I consider this great news.

Robbins, known as a "peak performance strategist," helps people, through his books and workshops, find and harness the potential within them and create successful happy lives. The firewalk takes place during every "Unleash the Power Within" weekend event when participants walk in their bare feet across burning coals and, while I have not done this myself, I know very practical, successful, left-brain types who have. The idea is to move past fear and "shift your core beliefs about what's possible." Apparently once you've walked across fire without burning your feet you starting considering what more you are capable of accomplishing.

The TV show "will follow Robbins as he takes participants and helps them face personal challenges. The pilot, for example, focused on someone who was a lifelong stutterer -- and who, by the end of the episode, was speaking in front of a public audience"

This new show is evidence that a growing number of people are thinking, silently or aloud, "there must be more than this." Despite all of the progress, technology, intelligence and opportunity available, so many people still are not fulfilled or happy. The work of Tony Robbins promotes looking for answers in the only place you'll find them - inside your self.

Watch this recent video from ABC news where Tony talks about how to not only handle, but use difficult economic circumstances to your advantage. It's hard not to feel motivated by his bold and provocative statements such as "Sometimes your worst day can be your best day if it produces a change."

How to Cope in a Recession

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Defending Gwyneth

This week's front page of the New York Times "SundayStyles" section headline reads "Martha, Oprah...Gwyneth?" The article highlights Gwyneth Paltrow's recent projects which include a cookbook, opening a gym in TriBeCa with her trainer Tracy Anderson, and GOOP.com, her new lifestyle website I've mentioned here before. All of this, of course, is in addition to her role as an actor and style icon. Her "foray into the arena of lifestyle guru-dom" has garnered much criticism in the media and the writer, Bob Morris, questions why.

The general criticism is that Gwyneth has "Marie Antoinette-like tone-deafness to the times" meaning much of the fashion or travel featured on GOOP is well out of the price range of her average reader. That's a predictable criticism of a problem that will be easy for Gwyneth and GOOP to address. And I think the critics have missed the point. My experience so far is that GOOP intends to promote a mindful, holistic lifestyle. They encourage readers to take responsibility for themselves (including what they can and cannot afford), live a purposeful life, show some style and make home cooked meals in the process. Most of the depth on the site comes not from Gwyneth, but from the experts who respond to her questions such as the recent "how to BE with one's children." The insights shared - "we must see our children for who they are without constantly projecting our own needs and wishes onto them... we must spend time with them, listen to them and most of all, HEAR them" - are not groundbreaking, but they are thoughtful reminders.

GOOP is no doubt coming from a spiritual perspective. That tone is set on the home page with the tag line "Nourish the Inner Aspect," which this article claims "positions it deeply in the New Age realm" - and this is the statement I disagree with most of all. It's like saying Coldplay's music is deeply positioned in the psychadelic rock movement of the 60's. Evolved from? - yes. Inspired by? - sure, but it is 40 years later and the scene has changed. GOOP does not look, feel or sound like the New Age to me. I believe Gwyneth is onto something. She's tapping into what many people are not willing to acknowledge yet - that the interest in our spiritual dimension is no longer on the fringe. It is becoming mainstream, it shows up in popular culture more and more and it can look modern and stylish. In fact, what she's doing with GOOP is in many ways what I'm trying to do with this site. But with all of her money and influence she's able to do it much better and faster than me. Just kidding. Go GOOP, I'm a fan.

you can read the article here

Starting tomorrow, Monday January 5th, Oprah kicks off a week of new shows called the "Best Life" series. I think it is admirable for her to begin the year with a holistic focus on wellness. The series has received a lot of press because Oprah is openly discussing her recent weight gain and Monday's show is called "Your Weight", but I am especially interested in Wednesday. One of the guests on Wednesday's show is Elizabeth Lesser who founded the Omega Institute and wrote "The Seekers Guide" which is one of the best books of its kind I have read. She is a star in my world and I adore her from afar. I am excited to hear what she has to say.

Here is the schedule if you want to tune in:

MONDAY JANUARY 5: YOUR WEIGHT with Bob Greene

TUESDAY JANUARY 6: YOUR HEALTH with Dr. Oz

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 7: YOUR SPIRITUALITY with Elizabeth Lesser, the Rev. Ed Bacon and the Michael Bernard Beckwith

THURSDAY JANUARY 8: YOUR MONEY with Suze Orman

FRIDAY JANUARY 9: YOUR SEX LIFE with Dr. Laura Berman