In this episode of Cloud 9 Online’s MediMindful Moment Podcast, co-hosts Judith Dreyer, Jeff Nelder, and Henry Edinger interview Lynne Hartwell, the Founder of L’Unique Realm. Lynne shares the benefits of several energetic healing techniques, including sound vibrational therapy, crystals, gemstones, and natural essences.
Episode Highlights:
Lynne shares her background. (00:53)
Lynne leads the mindful moment exercise. (2:36)
From Lynne’s perspective, what do people need to focus on in terms of their mindfulness? (5:51)
Lynne mentions something significant about uncertainty. (6:03)
Lynne shares several energetic healing techniques including sound vibrational therapy (7:43)
Lynne mentions the benefits of using crystals and gemstones for healing. (10:01)
What are a few gemstones that Lynne recommends using? (12:15)
Is it more effective to be in physical contact with the stones? (17:18)
Lynne shares how essences work with our bodies. (26:23)
Lynne explains the best way to transition between essences for a different vibe. (40:26)
Key Quotes:
“When we elevate our energy levels, when we allow ourselves to collect and calm ourselves and allow ourselves to rebalance, we’re better able to move forward and to face those challenges and to move forward past those challenges.” – Lynne Hartwell
“Everybody listens to music, except for those that have some hearing impairments, they can still feel the vibrations and the vibrations are felt within the body, which is a therapeutic effect in itself.” – Lynne Hartwell
“When you allow yourself to take the moment and allow this chemical, this plant into your body, it is not only working on you on the nervous system level, it is also slowing down your circulatory system, which then allows the promotion the release of certain chemicals that are beneficial for your body.” – Lynne Hartwell
In this episode of Cloud 9 Online’s MediMindful Moment Podcast, co-hosts Judith Dreyer, Jeff Nelder, and Henry Edinger interview Dr. Romie Mushtaq, MD, ABIHM, Chief Wellness Officer at Evolution Hospitality, and the Founder of BrainSHIFT Protocol. Dr. Romie talks about utilizing mindfulness in the workplace and how the MediMind App has been helpful in training employees in the workforce.
Episode Highlights:
Judith introduces Dr. Romie Mushtaq. (00:38)
Romie shares that she’s a traditionally trained neurologist and found her path to mindfulness 10 years ago when her stress manifested as an illness and she had life-saving surgery. (1:08)
Romie mentions that she’s the founder of the BrainSHIFT Protocol, and mindfulness is a core part of what they do for corporations and global associations. (1:51)
Romie leads the mindful moment exercise. (3:35)
Romie shares that skills such as emotional intelligence, being mindful, and emotional regulation were considered soft skills in the workplace. (8:51)
Romie mentions that the definition of mindfulness in her workplace wellness programs is seen as a brain training program. (9:32)
Romie mentions that you can’t manage your business situation until you train your brain, on how to manage it. (11:38)
Romie explains what the stress success cycle is all about. (13:59)
Romie shares that clinical data shows that it takes four to six weeks for the positive changes to start happening, and change in the structure and the function of the brain. (15:57)
Romie mentions that you can change the way your brain cells are functioning by meditating every day. (16:07)
Romie shares that guided meditations are helpful, and the MediMind App has a variety of meditations. (16:51)
Romie shares that leadership and adaptation are the two aspects that she learned from being a chief wellness officer. (19:28)
Romie mentions that bringing in an app is helpful as a tool, but it takes leaders to help implement that. (21:40)
Romie explains the 21-day study that they do at Evolution Hospitality. (22:14)
Romie thinks that what mindfulness has taught us is self-awareness. (28:06)
Romie mentions that they have a group of 55 technology executives that are finishing up her brain shift protocol, and they use the MediMind app and are doing well. (31:37)
Key Quotes:
“I went on a journey around the world to learn about mindfulness and integrative medicine. I came back, became certified and now I’m a woman on a mission to transform the brain and mental health in the workplace.” – Dr. Romie Mushtaq
“Soft skills are actually essential for leaders and for a workforce to feel engaged, happy, and productive in the workplace. And mindfulness is a core component to creating a happy workplace.” – Dr. Romie Mushtaq
“Mindfulness is that brain training, to say, Hey, I don’t want my brain to be hijacked by stress and negativity. I want to be able to be focused, and now be able to control my emotions. And that’s why mindfulness is so important in the workplace.” – Dr. Romie Mushtaq
“When we meditate, something that’s known as the relaxation responses elicited in that airport traffic control center and within about five minutes, boom! That stress response is turned off, your airport traffic control center of the brain is no longer hijacked.” – Dr. Romie Mushtaq
In this episode of Cloud 9 Online’s MediMindful Moment Podcast, co-hosts Judith Dreyer, Jeff Nelder, and Henry Edinger interview Steve Wilson, Psychologist, the Founder and President of World Laughter Tour. Steve is also known as ‘The Joyologist’ and ‘The Cheerman of the Bored’. He discusses what humor and laughter hold for human beings, and shares his program called The Prescription For Good Hearted Living.
Episode Highlights:
Judith introduces Steve Wilson. (00:39)
Steve mentions that he’s a formally trained psychologist and he has retired from the private practice of psychotherapy. (1:24)
Steve shares a story that happened 40 years ago when he attended a workshop in Chicago. (1:44)
Steve mentions that he was called by the universe to change his life and his practice to focus on what humor and laughter hold for human beings. (2:27)
Steve shares that it’s been 20 years since he established the World Laughter Tour. It’s a curriculum to teach people how to create therapeutic laughter and to switch those wrongheaded attitudes and ideas. (3:49)
Steve shares that 7,000 people have taken his course. They want to learn and utilize those tools for the benefit of their own health and happiness and to share it with other people. (6:17)
Steve shares the difference between laughter and humor is that laughter is a physical act that human beings do. On the contrary, humor acts as a shock absorber and keeps you from being jolted. (8:58)
Steve mentions one of the aspects that he tried to get across to people is respect for individual differences. Human beings are different and it doesn’t mean they are wrong or bad. (12:58)
Steve mentions that once you have a moment to be mindful of your sense of humor, one of the prescriptions that he will issue is to take five minutes a day for humor. (13:26)
Steve shares that his program is called The Prescription For Good Hearted Living, and it consists of 6 practices that you can do to prevent the hardening of attitudes. (18:25)
Steve mentions that the Wednesdays for gratitude is the centerpiece of the program. (23:15)
Steve explains that a great sense of humor is a crucial ability to identify the absurdity in adversity. (40:39)
Steve shares the difference between laughing with somebody and laughing at somebody. (42:03)
Steve explains that it’s significant that we must not lose hope. We should always hope that we can recover, hope that we can repair the world, and hope that we can repair ourselves. (45:40)
Key Quotes:
“Your sense of humor is something you develop, but the ability to laugh is inborn. Did you know that people who are born blind and deaf, laugh? We don’t learn to laugh by watching other people or hearing other people, we have a natural way when the circumstances are right.” – Steve Wilson
“As soon as you get into that humor and that laugh, and respond to it instantly, your brain chemistry changes and sends a signal that every system in your body to turn on to health, and it does it almost instantly. It will keep the healthy aspects of your muscular system to act healthy when you have a true mirthful laugh.” – Steve Wilson
“Use this poem as you go through life. Let this always be your goal. Keep your eye upon the doughnut, not upon the hole. Look at what you have not what’s not there. Gratitude turns out to be the antidote for self-pity and despair. How can you have that so strongly, if you’re grateful for things that you have in your life and what is going on?” – Steve Wilson
“The modern science of laughter is about compassion. That when we have because, to have a great sense of humor, I think one must have a great sensitivity about humor.” – Steve Wilson
In this episode of Cloud 9 Online’s MediMindful Moment Podcast, co-hosts Judith Dreyer, Jeff Nelder, and Henry Edinger interview David Nichtern, a senior Buddhist teacher, meditation guide, musician, four-time Emmy winner, two-time Grammy nominee, and the founder of Dharma Moon and 5 Points Records. David talks about the three dimensions of life being fully integrated, what we can learn from Buddhist practices during this time, and how to utilize mindfulness as a tool in our state of mind.
Episode Highlights:
Judith introduces David Nichtern. (00:39)
David thinks that his most significant aspect is being eclectic. (1:36)
David mentions that if you go to a pure view of the phenomenon, everything is unprecedented. (16:20)
David shares that from a Buddhist point of view, it’s a great time to practice. Because what was always true is now obvious. (16:35)
David shares that mindfulness is the best tool for our state of mind, and it enables us to perceive grounded information and the truth of the situation. (18:51)
David mentions that impermanence is considered to be one of three vital descriptions of life as it is. (21:41)
David mentions that there are three marks of existence, and only one is impermanence. (24:10)
David feels that the contemplative element is significant at this moment. (26:51)
David shares that Sister Pema Chödrön is an excellent meditation teacher and she has a book entitled Start Where You Are. (29:24)
David thinks that everyone needs some time to play, and creative solutions come out of a sense of less tension, more openness, more sense of play. (32:53)
David mentions that in some very advanced Buddhist traditions, they say that noticing, recognizing, and remembering is the main practice. (38:02)
Key Quotes:
“Expressing yourself creatively and relating skillfully to everyday life and livelihood and things like that have equal weight. So, you can see as you travel through different communities that sometimes, one is weighted more than the other significantly.” – David Nichtern
“Impermanence just simply means that there’s a fundamental dimension of reality in which that’s just simply true. The condition part of reality it’s simply true, you can observe it if it’s given as a contemplation to us, everybody should just think about it for five minutes.” – David Nichtern
“As a meditator, just start where you are, you sat down, you took your seat in the middle of a thunderstorm, in the middle of chaos, in the middle of a prison camp, if that’s where you are, just tune in to your body, speech, mind, and work with it from there.” – David Nichtern
“Everybody in the entertainment industry knows you’re only as good as your last movie, and that’s true of meditators. There’s no accumulation pot for your experience, it’s fresh every time, and people who are going to tune their mind to that freshness, then there’s a certain kind of sense of creativity and facing adversity.” – David Nichtern
In this episode of Cloud 9 Online’s MediMindful Moment podcast, co-hosts Judith Dreyer, Jeff Nelder, and Henry Edinger interview Leesa Sklover, Ph.D., LPC, MA-CMT, CRC, IKYTA, C-IAYT, ACA, the Director of Sklover Love Life Productions. Leesa talks about integrating the use of meditation, music, and creative therapies and the significance of vibration in words and music.
Episode Highlights:
Judith introduces Dr. Leesa Sklover. (00:40)
Leesa shares that she started her career as a musician and a professional singer-songwriter. (1:16)
Leesa mentions that most of what she’s doing incorporates the use of meditation, music, and healing through all of the creative therapies. (1:26)
Leesa leads the mindful moment exercise. (4:10)
Leesa shares that her music genre is country pop-rock. (9:41)
Leesa shares that the majority part of our brain is musical rather than verbal, and from her perspective, meditating using sound is the key. (10:05)
What would Leesa suggest to someone that’s new to meditation? (11:37)
Leesa shares that she usually gives people a certain kind of meditation, for every session that she does for psychotherapy. (11:44)
Leesa mentions that vibration is a huge element in creating your own mantra. (12:54)
Leesa thinks that mindfulness is grounding, and meditation or other types of integrated therapies helps you to open yourself. (13:30)
How can people carry exercises with them throughout the day, so they can practice mindfulness? (19:40)
Leesa thinks that meditation is an opportunity to think through what’s bothering you, and to process it, and to figure out what you should do about it. (25:00)
From a music therapy perspective, Leesa thinks that everything is about the archetype of the heartbeat. Therefore, the whole world is set to the tempo. (25:13)
Leesa mentions her podcast series entitled, See Me As I Am. (29:13)
Key Quotes:
“Just think of the idea that at this moment in time, we need to bless ourselves, and bless every single person and being that we see.” – Leesa Sklover
“Imagine yourself just singing this in your mind anywhere you are, anywhere you go. Imagine sending that circle to yourself and to those you care about, and to the things in nature that you care about. Just connecting those anchor cords everywhere you go and slowly feel your feet on the floor, feel yourself in the room, and slowly open your eyes.” – Leesa Sklover
“Making sure you have the dusk and dawn ritual in your life and making sure that you keep that mindfulness allows people to slow down, and some people who are having a really difficult time, they’ve had to learn how to be mindful.” – Leesa Sklover
“Think about those words, remember, remind. I’m reminding myself like Humpty Dumpty fell, you had to build them back up, you have to remind yourself all the time to bring yourself back into the moment that you’re in.” – Leesa Sklover
“Slow yourself down and really breathe too and receive from what’s around you, and use mantra and chant as part of your mindfulness practice.” – Leesa Sklover
In this episode of Cloud 9 Online’s MediMindful Moment Podcast, co-hosts Judith Dreyer, Jeff Nelder, and Henry Edinger interview Lois Grasso-Barrett Holistic Health Coach, Public Speaker, Founder, and Director at OxyGenesis Institute. Lois talks about the ability to focus on our breathing and becoming mindful of our breath. She also shares her knowledge and expertise in understanding the different types of breathing exercises.
Episode Highlights:
Judith introduces Lois Grasso-Barrett. (0:40)
Lois shares her background. (1:08)
Lois shares that she teaches people how to use their breathing, to become present, to own themselves, and we can use the breathing to own and take responsibility for our feelings. (3:58)
Lois leads the mindful moment exercise. (5:47)
Henry mentions that as the world’s coming back together again a little bit, even with masks on, being compassionate is more vital. (10:21)
Lois thinks that all our hearts want is more compassion. (10:35)
Lois mentions that laughter is one of her favorite breathing exercises. (11:25)
Lois shares that she’s done a lot of laughter yoga, bringing a group of people together and laughing for no reason, we come up with silly little games and silly little exercises to play. (11:35)
Lois shares that when you’re laughing, you’re in the moment where you’re present and enjoying yourself. (13:08)
Henry mentions that they have a meditation on MediMind called laughter meditation. (14:28)
Lois mentions that yawning is also a breathing exercise and contagious, as well. (15:40)
Lois mentions that crying is also a breathing exercise and contagious, as well. (16:28)
How does Lois stay mindful, or coach people to be mindful when it’s not laughter? (17:06)
Lois shares that when we do deep breathing, it leads us out of the fight or flight mode, where our nervous system is when we are angry, afraid, or anxious. (18:16)
How do mindfulness programs in school work? (21:36)
Lois shares that by tapping on acupuncture points, it calms down the amygdala, which is the fear center of the brain. (22:40)
Lois shares her fantasy and goal (25:39)
What’s Lois’ vision for her mindfulness programs? (26:17)
Judith shares that we have to learn how to accept uncertainty and the techniques to help children come into a sense of peace, within themselves at the moment. (28:488)
Judith mentions that we’re learning scientifically that by focusing on our breath, we change our whole biochemistry, and people don’t realize that those three to six breaths, could help our immune system to stay strong. (29:18)
Lois shares a brain hack. (29:45)
Lois shares that there are different purposes for different breathing exercises, and everybody needs to become aware of and focused on our breathing. (32:23)
Lois mentions that all we need is to master our breathing. (34:35)
Key Quotes:
“The number one way to claim ourselves on all these levels is to claim our breathing and learn how to breathe fully, which is not just a conscious learning thing, it’s a process whereby we have to reclaim our feelings, or our willingness and our ability to cry.” – Lois Grasso-Barrett
“Laughter is ultimately a breathing exercise and gets us breathing big. It has all the benefits of breathing, and it’s a beautiful thing not to mention, it kicks into gear all those happy hormones in our brain and makes us feel blessed.” – Lois Grasso-Barrett
“I want to make sure people who are listening to this understand that when they’re feeling anger, or fear or anxiety or any of the unpleasant emotions, what it usually means is that they have been breathing shallowly, and those emotions can exacerbate shallow breathing.” – Lois Grasso-Barrett
Judith Dreyer, MS, BSN, Writer, Speaker, and Workshop Presenter, Master Gardener.
