Illuminating Interviews Archives

Interview with David Christopher, Author of “The Holy Universe”, a 2014 Nautilus Book Award Winner

December 15, 2014/in Illuminating Interviews/by Wendy Sue

David Christopher is an award-winning author and teacher of the “New Story,” a story that integrates the science of the 20th and 21st centuries with a spiritual sensibility toward the creation of the Universe. He became intrigued with this story over 15 years ago. But as he dove deeper into this new worldview, he felt something was missing. He missed the poetry. He missed the lyricism of the liturgy and the scriptures. He wanted more. He wanted a story that also felt like the story given to him in his youth. This led him to write The Holy Universe: A New Story of Creation for the Heart, Soul and Spirit. I am honored to call David my friend, and The Holy Universe is one of my favorite modern spiritual classics. David is gifted with the ability to express deep complicated subjects—such as the creation of the Universe—in prose and poetry, so that we, the readers, become captivated as a participant, not as the usual third perspective reader. My favorite part is the conversations between the Sage and the Seeker, which allows us to enter into a Divine relationship that is free and clear of judgment and ego. It’s about how to be a part of the ONE, the Web of Life as an extension of what David calls “Planetary Mind.”

OK, enough of an introduction, let’s bring David in to the conversation!

Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me and my readers, David! Please share with us, as a brand new Author, what has it been like for you to publish such a profound New Story of Creation, as well as winning the Nautilus Award and being called ‘a Kahlil Gibran for the 21st century’ in one of your reviews?

It’s been a wonderful affirmation of this work, and I say “this work,” versus “my work,” because it feels like the work somehow came through me. Yes, I am the author, but, saying “my work” would be like not giving credit to whatever mysterious process brought this work through me.

At any rate, it’s nice to have one’s efforts acknowledged, but even more than that is the fact that this story is being acknowledge by outside judges and reviewers, and this acknowledgement supports the real effort, which is about bringing a new story for this time to help us get through the ecological, social justice and spiritual crises that we face. We really do need a new story as to who we are in the Universe, if we are going to survive and thrive through this transformation that we are currently facing.

This recognition is also an affirmation of what I’ve been receiving from readers. I’ve had readers say amazing and wonderful things like, “I really am enjoying the way your narration navigates the ancient and the modern worldview and the story of creation.” It’s truly heartening to know that there are people out there who are hungry for this message and who find this particular take on our Creation Story a useful guide to help them through these crises. Knowing that there are such passionate people out there really helps someone like me keep going in bringing the best I can out to the world.

Congratulations on such a masterpiece, David! From your many speaking engagements and book store signings, can you please share with us what has been the most predominant “AHA” moment for your readers? If it is too challenging to choose only one, then share two.

There are two things that really stand out.

The first one I’m afraid I can’t talk about here, as it would be a “spoiler” of sorts. It’s one of a couple of surprises in the book. However, I do offer a free chapter for download, called “The Gospel of the Universe,” which reveals this little surprise about the Sage, so if you’re readers are interested, they can go to http://theholyuniverse.com/downloads-available/.

The second one is how deeply people respond to hearing a Genesis story—that is, a story of humanity’s creation—that is science-based, yet told in a metaphorical and poetic way that really resonates with people’s souls. I find that people who call themselves “spiritual but not religious” often lack a coherent story that goes beyond the scientific facts of the Universe. The new story that came through me captures the same mysterious essence that our ancient scriptures capture, an essence that we need, that poetic and metaphorical essence, because we literally cannot survive on facts alone. And when I say literally, I mean literally: the fact that we do not have a collective coherent story that is harmonious with the ways of the Web of Life has led us to the brink of ecological and social collapse.

You say this book is geared for the “spiritual but not religious” folks. Yet, one of the things I enjoy so much about your book is the neutrality of it, the flow of Unity as the web of life. So have you been surprised to find so-called religious people enjoying The Holy Universe?

The main “religious” folks who have been interested in this book have been from the so-called “new thought” churches, such as Unitarian Universalists and Unity churches, some United Church of Christ congregations, the Centers for Spiritual Living, as well as liberal Catholic Sisters. Thomas Berry, by the way, was a Catholic priest whose work I drew heavily on as well as other theologians, scientists and thinkers. There are also a lot of Catholic sisters who are very interested in the new story, and who have expressed their enthusiasm for my book.

As far as more mainstream religious folks go, I was very surprised at one point when I was presenting to a college anthropology class, and one of the students raised her hand and said, “I became a Christian last fall.” My immediate response was, “Uh oh. Here it comes.” But then she said something like, “I found this book very useful to help me understand how God used Evolution to create the world.” I certainly didn’t expect that response.

There’s a related surprise to this question. One of the lessons I learned is that environmental and social justice activists, to a large degree, have tended to shun any kind of religious references, or anything that smacks of spirituality. This doesn’t pertain to all activists, of course, but there does indeed tend to be an aversion to things spiritual in activists communities.

What I’ve found is that this book is really resonant with “spiritual but not religious” people who also have some sort of activist bent, whether it is ecological or social justice realms. I sometimes joke and say to people, “This book is for spiritual but not religious folks who also compost” – or who work in restorative justice programs, or the many ecological and social justice efforts that are out there. This book is for people who are hungry for that cosmic story but who also want to bring that story down to Earth in their work, in what the Sage in this book calls, “The Great Transformation.”

If I may quote you, David:

“That all creatures of the Web of Life

Shall be bound to one another,

Each depending upon others

For the creation of sustenance.”

This theme of unity, of collaboration, of One-ness, is so vital at this unprecedented time of mass chaos and tragedies. As you write this so eloquently, do you also believe it to be true, or is it more of a hope?

It is a fact of the web of life. All creatures are indeed deeply interdependent on one another. Our Modern Mind—which is a term that the Sage uses—has been ignoring this, and while it has taken a few thousand years for us to feel the result of this worldview, we are now able to clearly see the consequences of what happens when you go against the lessons of the Web of Life.

That doesn’t mean that there isn’t competition within this interdependence; that doesn’t mean that there isn’t suffering. But deeply embedded in the Web of Life is a deep sense of cooperation, a deep sense of give and take. When a lion is hunting a gazelle, she doesn’t take the entire herd. She only takes what she needs.

As a contrast, Modern Mind looks at the lions, herds of gazelles, oceans, mountains, forests, prairies—all the bounty of the Web of Life, and then objectifies them by calling them “resources,” which means they only have worth if they are immediately useful to human beings. Otherwise we call them things like wastelands or pests. We don’t realize how all creatures are vital parts of the Web of Life.

A big part of your IMMENSE vision is to bring people together through The Holy Universe, so that there is community support and activism as a result of resonating with the Planetary Mind. Please share with our readers how they can participate in one of these book clubs or through social media?

I offer a “call-in book club” for The Holy Universe every six weeks or so, and it’s a chance for our readers to converse and dialogue with me and one another. We dive deeper into the writings and ideas in the book, dialogue about them amongst one another, and have a chance to ask questions that participants have about the book.

Our next call is scheduled for January 14th, 2015. Readers who are interested can learn more about signing up at my website at http://theholyuniverse.com/call-in-book-club/.

I have communities on Facebook and Twitter, where you can keep up with me, as well as enjoy excerpts and quotes from the book. And I’m available for speaking engagements at churches and living room readings; people can also visit my website to find out more about that.

I also have some appearances happening in the Spring. I’ll be doing a reading on Friday, March 13, 2015 for the “Live My Best Life” Speaker Series at the Agape International Spiritual Center in Culver City down in the Los Angeles area, and I’ll also be doing a longer workshop at the Sophia Center at Holy Names College in Oakland in April. I have other events in the works, so if your readers are interested, they can sign up for notifications about them through my website.

When I get the time, I also would love to start offering longer call-in seminars for people who want to dive deeper into how this evolutionary story means to you as you make your way through the Great Transformation.

Thank you so much for your time, David. It’s truly been an honor. In conclusion, what would you like to people come away with after reading your book or participating in one of your programs?

The main thing I want people to know, whether they read my book or hear me speak, is to remember what we as Modern Mind have forgotten, and that is this: we belong here. I belong here. You belong here. Anyone reading this blog belongs here on Earth. You are not fallen, like some religious stories have told us. You are not flawed like more modern stories have told us. Yes, you may have issues and wounds, but fundamentally there is nothing wrong with you. You are an expression of the cosmic creative drive of the Infinite. The Universe took 13.8 billion years to create you, and I mean that literally. In one sense, it’s fantastic and wonderful, in another sense it is scientific truth: You belong here.

You also have a responsibility. We are learning that there are deep, sometimes irreversible consequences to our actions. Yes, each of us belongs here, but we also have a responsibility to Earth, to humanity, and it is vital that you take responsibility in finding out what your work is in the world, to discover that unique contribution you have to make that engages your passion in a way that is of deep service to addressing the crises of our time.

If you want to read The Holy Universe or gift this amazing book to a friend for the Holidays, just click here:

http://theholyuniverse.com/buy-the-book/

David loves to support local bookstores (they can order the book if it’s not in stock), or you can buy the book directly through The Holy Universe website or, of course, you can always order it through Amazon.

Awe-Inspiring Interview with Pranic Breatharians, Camila & Akahi

August 1, 2014/1 Comment/in Illuminating Interviews/by Wendy Sue

My client, Peter-Arthur Straubinger, is the director of a documentary film called, “In The Beginning There Was Light”, which debates the phenomenon of breatharianism, or “living on light”, which comprises of human beings who can allegedly survive without food and fluid, over weeks, years and even decades! We are celebrating the new English version release DVD in Peter’s voice, with Spanish subtitles available today, just click here and open your mind!

One of my favorite parts of the film is its bipartisan nature, as the film educates the viewer of what may be possible outside of our scientific understanding, yet it never tries to convince or push us to believe in breatharianism, or anything at all. It is an expose’ documentary, and personally, it has opened up my mind and intrigue to new levels.

In this context then, I’d like to introduce two well-known breatharians and extraordinary individuals, Camila and Akahi, who feed their body and soul with PRANA through their breath, freeing themselves from the condition of their mind, and reaching a Divine place of pure potential.

Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me and to openly discuss your breatharian lifestyle with our readers.

Let me start with you, Camila, who is pregnant with her second child and who has already delivered a healthy baby while living a breatharian lifestyle, surprising all the doctors.

Hello Camila! Such a joy to meet you. Please share with us briefly about how your first pregnancy went as a breatharian, and a bit about your second pregnancy now. How is that going?

Great, I will, thank you.

During my first pregnancy I, continued drinking only fruit juices and herbal teas. I didn’t feel the need or desire to eat solid foods and during the entire nine months, I only ate 5 times, all of which were in social situations where the experience catered to a beautiful exploration of the flavors.

My blood tests during all three trimesters were impeccable, showing balance and purity. Iron levels remained stable and at the average level for even women who are not pregnant, never presenting signs of anemia or sugar imbalances and regular pregnancy check-ups with the midwife and OBGYN confirmed the above average growth of a very healthy baby boy.

And it has continued like this, as even now, I do enjoy the flavors of juices and occasionally food if I feel the desire to do so. Like we mentioned before, this is about freedom, not limiting ourselves.

That is totally AMAZING! Some people think if you have some juice or a few meals here and there, then that means that you are not a true “breatharian”. Yet, as we know, things are not always black and white, and I truly appreciate your description of the ‘beautiful exploration of the flavors’, of enjoying your few meals a year because food is a pleasure!

Absolutely, that is so true.

To return to your question about my current pregnancy, it has been different from our first because each being comes with unique gifts and lessons for us as parents, so there are specific things that we are learning through this particular pregnancy, whereas during our first the lessons and insights were others.

From the very beginning there was a strong female presence, which brought me even deeper into my own femininity. With our son, he brought a very balanced energy.

Physically, there have been different sensations this time, feeling symptoms of pregnancy which are “common”, whereas with our son the experience was very asymptomatic. I feel this is due to different factors, but mostly to the fact that we are two women, sharing the same body and creating the same hormones, which amplifies certain sensations.

Is your son looking forward to the arrival of his sister?

Oh yes! This pregnancy is particularly special because we are sharing it with our beautiful son, who is so joyful to be a big brother, so loving and caring towards me and this precious life growing within. His presence brings such wisdom and the relationship between these siblings is so clearly established, like that they already know each other and are reencountering now in this family that is expanding in love.

Our capacity to experience the love and this unique sensation is infinitely expanding, really feeling an ecstatic sensation between us all….there is no limit to the amount of love we are able to experience and radiate, which within the family is a beautiful blessing.

Yes, it is a divine blessing to have unlimited love within the family. I am so grateful to you both for sharing the light, the breath, and the wisdom with me & our readers.

**News Update** I just got word that Camila recently gave birth to their second child, Anaya. Here is a picture of Camila with her children:

Let me now ask you, Akahi, what is your definition of “breatharian”?

The term breatharian is through us being redefined, as so many possibilities have expressed themselves through us in this time, showing us that the Pranic Consciousness is truly the state of infinite possibilities, in which there exist no limitations, only possibilities and opportunities.

Breatharianism has always been used as a word to describe a “food free lifestyle”, and the Pranic Consciousness undoubtedly gives us the opportunity to remember this within ourselves, among other infinite possibilities.

How fascinating, to go beyond a ‘food free lifestyle’ to a Pranic Consciousness! Will you please define what you mean by Pranic Consciousness, then?

The Pranic Consciousness, which is the exploration of the Prana – Life Source, Chi, God Presence, and its manifestations in and all around us, opens us to a Space of Infinite Possibilities, in which the non-necessity is a natural side effect among so many other possibilities to explore.

When you say ‘non-necessity, you are referring to food, right? Wow, that is definitely a paradigm shift!

Yes, it is. It is a freeing of self from the conditioning of the mind.

Through our own process of exploration, we have experienced many different steps along the way. In the beginning the Breatharian state was what brought us to this broader understanding of limitlessness. As we began to explore this state of non-necessity, distinct insights revealed that there were deep manifestations of a higher intelligence communicating through us, in many ways.

This led us to explore the Breath and its presence within our lives, showing us that we could easily be without food, whereas within the air exists something special that doesn’t allow the physical body to be without its presence for very long.

This is a fascinating awareness, as all humans have access to air, whether they are rich or poor. It’s like an equalizer of sorts.

Yes, it is true! All of this occurred as a result of the synchronization with the Conscious Breath and Universal Intelligence that is naturally accessible for all beings.

Along with this understanding, new capacities were explored, like the ability to attract sensations and information through the air, such as emotional states of peace and joy, as well as a sense of satisfaction within all aspects of life.

These sensations stabilized into permanent states of being, self-sustaining breath by breath, and through this recalibration into our true nature we witnessed rejuvenation on a physical, mental and emotional level.

Let’s break this down for our readers, Akahi. Please explain what you mean by a rejuvenation on all of these levels?

Sure. Physically, we are exploring a state of perfect health. For Camila, this includes a balancing of the reproductive system and healing of menstrual pain, and all of this resulting in physical immortality.

On a mental level, we are rewriting our cellular information, such as memory reprogramming, which emotionally creates perfect balance to receive and respond to life in an easy and harmonious way, understanding and assimilating the life experiences.

The physical body and soul also respond to this new information by expressing their best states. Through this video link, you can explore a practical tool to utilize the conscious breath for your overall wellbeing: http://youtu.be/2jmzF4nTwXs

Thank you for this video link, Akahi, and your remarkable work. I will definitely check it out!

Since you’ve expanded the definition of breatharianism, how would you define it now, with your understanding and experience?

It’s a process toward reaching the Pranic Consciousness ~ breathing into oneness. Breatharianism is infinite, and there is so much to be said for living from this state. It brings about different levels of understanding for each being, revealing to us our talents, our strengths, our uniqueness, synchronizing us with this Intelligence that experience by experience grounds us deeper into our center.

Life is infinite, and there is so much to continue exploring.

It is also the awareness that there is a lot of time, and that we are exactly where we need to be, experiencing with the exact wisdom that we should have in this moment to continue learning and integrating new states of being.

No need for time management here! Sounds like a magnificent way to truly go with the flow…

Thanks again for sharing your wisdom and amazing experience with us. Truly captivating!

Before we close, please share with our readers your POV on Peter’s Film, “In The Beginning There Was Light“:

“The Light documentary is an eye opening film showing the possibilities of our human potential. It shows us the diverse ways people are exploring their capacities and inspiring those around them to do the same. The film inspires consciousness and a desire to think and act outside the box, revealing to us new opportunities to be the best of ourselves” ~ Camila Castillo

“A remarkable film that reveals to us the the magnificent and extraordinary human potential and the infinite possibilities we can access.” ~ Akahi

For more information about this extraordinary couple and their Pranic Breatharianism Consciousness work, please visit their site at:
http://akahmi.com/

Interview with Dean Radin, Chief Scientist at the INSTITUTE OF NOETIC SCIENCES (IONS)

April 29, 2014/2 Comments/in Illuminating Interviews/by Wendy Sue

I am honored and pleased to introduce Dean Radin, PhD, Chief Scientist at the INSTITUTE OF NOETIC SCIENCES (IONS). Are you familiar with Dean and his astonishing work?

If not, here’s a little more information on this brilliant man. Before joining the research staff at IONS in 2001, he held appointments at AT&T Bell Labs, Princeton University, University of Edinburgh, and SRI International. He is author or co-author of over 200 technical and popular articles, a dozen book chapters, and three books including the award-winning The Conscious Universe (HarperOne, 1997), Entangled Minds (Simon & Schuster, 2006), and the recent 2014 Silver Nautilus Book Award winner, SUPERNORMAL (Random House, 2013).

Another fascinating fact about Dean ~ he was born on February 29^th, a Leap Year baby!

Welcome Dean Radin! It is a great honor to be with you here today, and for you to be kind enough to speak to us about your impressions of “In The Beginning There Was Light” documentary about breatharianism or “living on light”, which deals with human beings who allegedly can survive without food and fluid, over weeks, years and even decades, directed by Peter-Arthur Straubinger.

First I would like to congratulate you on your newest book, “Supernormal”, with a forward by Deepak Chopra! In your book, you find evidence and validity for the claims of mysticism, miracles and the supernatural. With this in mind, what context would you place breatharianism in? In other words, would you say it is mystical, miraculous, supernatural, supernormal or a hoax?

I’m pleased to say that Supernormal just won a 2014 Silver Nautilus Book Award. This will be posted on the Nautilus website on or about May 1.

I would place breatharianism into the category of marvelous or supernormal. That means natural but extraordinary, as opposed to miraculous or supernatural, which imply a divine origin. Some of the claims of breatharianism are almost certainly hoaxes or involve delusion. But if it is a genuine phenomenon, then it would significantly challenge most of what we know about nutrition, which is good reason to be very cautious, but it’s also a good reason to study it rigorously.

Congratulations, Dean! That is fantastic news about “Supernormal”!

You and Peter share a great passion in common ~ both of you are looking to open up the minds of the masses, so that there will be an understanding that there is MUCH more to our world, and our conscious existence, than science can prove. In your fascinating book, “The Conscious Universe”, which has recently been published in Chinese (another HUGE Congrats there!), you describe two stages of belief when it comes to the acceptance of new ideas. You state that In Stage 1, skeptics confidently proclaim that the idea is impossible because it violates the Laws of Science. In Stage 2, skeptics reluctantly concede that the idea is possible, but it is not very interesting and the claimed effects are extremely weak.

With that analogy, Dean, do you believe that viewers of “In The Beginning, There Was Light” have the potential to possibly catapult from Stage 1 to the Stage 2 category (or beyond), that by watching this non-partisan well-researched film, many may be open to the reality that a human body can live on light or prana alone?!

Sure. There are still many unknowns when it comes to these strange phenomena, but we must first be open to the possibility that they are real before we being to study them. Otherwise the results of an investigation would be a foregone conclusion.

While skepticism is an important attitude to maintain when studying the unknown, it must be balanced by an equal amount of openness. Peter’s film is a great way to introduce a topic that many may regard as impossible. But for those with imagination and a willingness to challenge their prior beliefs, it may also stimulate serious investigation. And I’m all in favor of that.

Yes you are, Dean! And we love you for that.

I am most fascinated by your new Collective Consciousness app, especially how it has the ability to focus on an individual consciousness level (Me Screen), and a global consciousness level (Collective Screen), very impressive! Will this app help transition those Stage 1 people to move into Stage 2, with technical proof in their hands, or is this app designed for those already in Stage 2 and beyond?

This app is being developed by Adam Curry.

I am involved in helping to get it funded, and I may also assist in some of the data analysis on large-scale events. It is designed as a tool that anyone can use — skeptics and non-skeptics alike.

Thanks again for your time and sharing with us. We greatly appreciate you and all you do, Dean!

And to conclude our interview here, please find Dean’s review of “In The Beginning There Was Light” film:

“Thriving without eating? Living on no food at all? It sounds ridiculous. It flies in the face of everything we know about nutrition and biochemistry. Nevertheless, there are intriguing historical cases and people today who still claim it is possible. “Light” is a pioneering and provocative film on the controversial claims of ‘breatharians.” Recommended for anyone interested in the far reaches of human potential, this film will inspire some, perplex others, and infuriate the rest — but you will not be bored.”

And that is an understatement! Check out the film for yourself, and post here what you think! We would really appreciate your impressions…

Interview with the director of the LIGHT documentary, Peter-Arthur Straubinger

November 22, 2013/1 Comment/in Illuminating Interviews/by Wendy Sue Noah

I am honored to introduce my client and good friend, Peter-Arthur Straubinger, the director of “In the Beginning There Was Light”, or for simplicity’s sake, the Light documentary, a mind expansive film, or as IMDB.com declared, “Mindblowing!” about “breatharianism.”

What is that, exactly? Let me give you a brief synopsis.

Breatharianism or “living on light” deals with human beings who allegedly can survive without food and fluid, over weeks, years and even decades.

As incredible as it may seem, the Light documentary provides certified reports of personal experiences, interviews and scientifically documented laboratory experiments as evidence that there are people living today who do not need food either to live or to sustain their metabolism. They live on “light” alone. Depending on the tradition this “light” may be called PRANA, CHI or ORGON.

Hello Peter! Thank you for joining us today. Please share with us what inspired you to make this extensive documentary film about Breatharianism?”

Actually, “In the Beginning, There Was Light” is about breatharianism only on the surface, as a kind of dramatic arc for telling about a deeper truth behind our visible reality – the “light of life”. So, what it is truly about is the investigation and questioning of this materialistic worldview, which rules our society – that it’s only real if you can prove it, touch it, measure it.

I could have made this film with the same message about telepathy, faith healing, remote viewing or the wonder of life itself…

The reason why breatharianism became my chosen golden thread and message was due to a visit with a meditation teacher who I was told lived only on water and ‘light’.

I got to know him quite well, and he told me that he had not eaten for over a year, that he only drank water. I’d heard stories about this phenomenon before but did not really believe it. But meeting a person face to face had a much stronger impact!

He sounded very credible, but I asked myself, if this phenomenon really exists, why isn’t it taken seriously by scientific institutions? Why aren’t dozens of universities doing research on this?”

Now that is an excellent question! How much is going on that is NOT being studied due to scientists and others stating, matter-of-factly, “That’s impossible”!

“Yes, exactly! So this tension was the reason why I’ve been doing my own research for nearly five years. Through this, I discovered a lot of good arguments by classical medicine as to why this should not work, how people starve every day and others died trying to live as breatharians.

However, there are many records about this phenomenon in all cultures, throughout all times, and of course my Austrian friend who was living and breathing proof (pun intended ;).

I decided to seek first-hand information about this fascinating phenomenon and started my five-year journey, travelling around the world to China, India, Russia, the U.S., and many other countries. And I discovered some incredible knowledge, from ancient Eastern wisdom to the findings of modern physics…”

Please share with us how the showing of the Light documentary in at the Cinema Noesis Film Festival inspired you to take the time & investment to bring this controversial movie to the United States, with English narration?

When I participated in the Cinema Noesis Film Festival, organized by the Institute of Noetic Sciences, I was completely overwhelmed by the reactions of the crowd there. The people loved the film and asked why it was not available in the states….

That was my inspiration! And I am proud to say that it is now available to rent or own, or you can just check out the trailer through Vimeo streaming.

Although the Light documentary was a big Box Office hit in cinemas through out Europe, especially in the German speaking countries, the U.S. distributor did not do any significant promotions, so almost no one knew about the film here.

Due to the reactions of the audience at the film festival, including yours, Wendy, I was definitely motivated to produce a new version of the film with English narration and some minor changes to bring it up to date. And here we are today!

By the way, the English narration is spoken by me. Though my English has an Austrian accent, many people gave me the advice to stick with my voice, like how it is in the original German version. This works out well because “Light” is actually my journey around the world, finding the truth behind breatharianism. Therefore, the text is written in the first person, and it just made sense that it is spoken by me ~ perhaps, it adds even more authenticity….

Yes, Peter, I believe I was one of your supporters to translate the film in your own voice, and yes, it most definitely adds to the authenticity! So, what are your plans to spread the Light in the U.S. market?

Well, since I do not have the money for a big promotional campaign, I hope the word of mouth will help to spread the message of the film, which is, by the way, not to promote breatharianism but to open up minds for the possibilities of such.

As I mentioned earlier, “Light” is now available via Vimeo on demand, which can be easily spread via social media. We also have an affiliate program through Distrify, where an Opinion Leader or a Group can offer the film to their supporters and receive 25% of the income. Not bad for spreading the Light, huh?! 😉

Wow, Peter, this affiliate offering is truly a wonderful opportunity for the Light documentary and really, for any independent film, don’t you think?

Yes! In my opinion, Distrify is a wonderful new instrument for sharing a film through social media, as well as a way to give back to the people who put so much work and love in their blogs and Facebook pages.

I sincerely hope many open-minded bloggers, webmasters and Facebook users will take this chance to see & share “The Light”, and to join us on Facebook and Twitter!

Since indie films like these are produced with deep passion to share deep messages, my follow-up question to Peter was, “How does the theme of your film affect your real life?”

I understood that mainstream science and the teachings I learned in school about nature are only a part of truth. They derive only from (materialistic) belief systems and it is necessary to question them because what made sense a few hundred years ago is now destroying our world and is a burden to creating an open, loving, and cooperative society….”

UPDATE: Peter, share with our readers what exciting happenings and milestones has happened for you and the Light film since we first interviewed together?

I am very happy that we could finally publish a DVD for the english speaking and found a few enthusiastic viewers with it. Last summer, I also made a promotional tour through California where I could give a talk in front of a wonderful crowd at the Pranic Festival in San Francisco. We just launched a new website and lightdocumentary blog. The next project will be a fully dubbed version and so I hope even more people will find their way to the “Light”.

Thank you so much for your time, your work and your incredible dedication here. And thank you for your very valid point that we all should take to heart: time to open our minds, to open our hearts, to go beyond what is dished out to us as “the truth.”

Intimate Interview with Robert Strock, Founder of Humanistic Spirituality

August 5, 2013/in Illuminating Interviews/by Wendy Sue Noah

Allow me to introduce one of my very first “Social Media with a Conscience” clients, Robert Strock, Founder of Humanistic Spirituality, Licensed Marriage Family Therapist, Minister, and President of The Global Bridge Foundation . It is truly an honor to work with such a deep, loving, spiritual teacher and real down-to-earth human being.

What really blew me away was when I was interviewing for this Social Media position with Robert. There I was, Ms. Marketeer, discussing the many ways we could offer a value proposition to generate revenue, and Robert politely informed me that making a profit is not his goal.

What is his goal, then, you ask incredulously?! Good question…

Robert’s sincere heart-felt goal is to inspire purposeful living and compassion for our human condition by offering us contemplative practices for self-transformation, available for free on the Humanistic Spirituality web site, where you will find a plethora of Guided Meditations, audio downloads, readings, and more.

And lucky me! I get to step off the “make a profit” treadmill for a few hours each work day, and share this Divine content and guidance to the masses through social media!

Please make yourself comfortable, and join me for an intimate interview with Robert.

Robert, will you share with our readers how your spiritual path inspired you to form Humanistic Spirituality?

When I was a psychology major in college, I had a recurring dream that I forgot to take my final exams, until the last minute. In the dream, I’d rush into the classroom and stare at the teacher, who looked depressed and more like a caricature than a human being. I’d say to myself, “This person is supposed to teach me how to live a fulfilling life???”

I’d walk out of the classroom laughing at the absurdity of it all and never took the exam in the dream. Then I would wake up. Our supposed mentor had not found her own source of love, inspiration and tenderness. How could she inspire that in her students?

My psychology studies like my dream, felt limited, since they only partially guided me toward my heart and soul. When it came to a fundamentally healthy individual, most of the field of psychology seemed to develop only half of our human potential. That which helps us with personal insight and communication, grounds us in seeing own ego more clarity. It also supports deeper intimacy.

And still, I asked myself over and over, “What other ways are there to find greater happiness and fulfillment?”

It was leaving me half empty.

I had a similar experience in my personal therapy. It was helpful in supporting certain aspects of my growth, but I kept feeling like there was so much more. When I was lucky enough to find a counselor with an open heart and substantial life experience, I felt inspired. But most of the time, I still felt hungry. Was it possible to find fulfillment, or was I living in a dream world?

My longing to find satisfaction motivated me, over a four-decade span, to conduct experiments with human and spiritual potential. When I began the search, I was heartened that these new approaches addressed the central questions that psychology seemed to consider secondary:

How do I connect to a higher power and potential?
What does it mean to be truly compassionate? Is a lasting peace possible?
What can I learn from studying the great masters like Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, Mohammed and a host of others?

I experimented with a variety of approaches that valued the interconnectedness of life, our relationship to death, and the fulfillment of the human soul. It was a relief to finally address a calling I’d always felt deep inside!

Sounds like we are getting closer to the creation of Humanistic Spirituality, yes?

Yes! However, most of these approaches seemed to minimize the importance of appreciating our humanness. If afraid, we were encouraged to have faith or understanding. If we had doubt, we were encouraged to surrender to a higher power.

In theory, these approaches acknowledged the importance of the human experience, but in a limited way. They espoused that once you had “developed, evolved, and found faith,” you had arrived at peace, lightness, equanimity, understanding and compassion.

I was concerned that most teachers didn’t give rich personal examples of the challenges they faced in their own lives. After all, I thought, we are all human beings, even if we walk a path of faith. Why don’t these religious and spiritual teachers expose their humanness by showing us how they fail and how they integrate their healing practices into daily life?

Instead, so many have unwittingly taught their students or followers to idealize the teacher and suppress their suffering.

Thankfully, there have been exceptions. A standout example is Pema Chodron, a highly respected Buddhist nun and teacher, who is clear in valuing the human experience by exposing her own humanness in her talks. At the same time, she teaches the values of heart, compassion, silence, and meditation.

When we are not concerned with bridging the human and the divine, we may tend to focus solely on the ego and our feelings, or put all of our attention on our soul and spirit.

Either way, we are leaving out the other crucial part of ourselves. I understood this inherently as I attempted to help my clients balance whichever tendency was dominant. I would ask someone who was suffering, “How can you take care of yourself?” This would release their fixation on their feelings.

They would choose a method that they felt would best support them. For example, if they had embraced meditation, they might meditate, pray or do some other contemplative practice. If they lived in a more mainstream world, they might choose a more practical approach. In both cases, they were shifting the focus from suffering to asking for relief.

Consistent with movement towards balance, as I saw clients or friends that were spiritual teachers, ministers, and devoted practitioners of certain approaches, I would typically ask them about their greatest challenges and difficult feelings that they were still dealing with.

My instinctive desire to find balance led me to develop an approach I call “Bridging the Human and the Divine” or “Holding of Opposites.” This involves holding our personal, human feelings, just as they are, while we also dedicate ourselves to a chosen practice to support our spirit.

As the Beatles sang, “Whisper words of wisdom—Let It Be.” If we judge ourselves, we are encouraged to be in touch with another side of ourselves that is aware of it and leaves it alone. If we are sad, we do not interfere.

We stay content to simply see things as they are, as we hold two states at the same time.

In closing, can you provide us with a common example of holding these two states at the same time?

Sure, a common example may be: I’m angry with my lover. And, I want to open my heart, not act out, and also discover my needs, which is a prayer and contemplation practice.

Which also happens to be the topic of our most recent blog, “Prayer for Love Relationships“.

Thank you, dear Robert, for you and for your generous heart. I greatly appreciate you sharing your spiritual journey here with us, which helps to give us more of an understanding of Humanistic Spirituality’s roots.

Namaste.

Interview with director of ‘Occupy Love’, Velcrow Ripper

July 5, 2013/in Illuminating Interviews/by Wendy Sue Noah

Indie films are usually created by visionaries who also play director. They use the powerful mass medium of film to explore and expand our ideals and our mind and, at times, to help create a new paradigm of reality.

Velcrow Ripper is just that kind of visionary director. He has started a movement, a revolution if you will, with his new indie film release, Occupy Love, which we are proud to have as the closing feature in our exhilarating film fest, Cinema Noēsis: IONS 2013 Film Event

I had the honor of interviewing Velcrow and am truly inspired by him and his mission, which he states with deep passion: “We want to help transform the world. More than a film, Occupy Love is a meme, a self-replicating understanding that Love is at the core of our movements for change.”

With that in mind, I asked Velcrow, “What inspired you to make this activist film about a global awakening that takes viewers deep inside the ‘revolutions of the heart?’”

Occupy Love is part of the “Fierce Love Trilogy” – three films that take the pulse of the planet from the year 2000 to the year 2012.

The first was Scared Sacred, my journey to the ground zero’s of the world, searching for hope in the face of crisis. The second was Fierce Light: When Spirit Meets Action, about stories of spiritual activism all over the world in the spirit of Gandhi or Martin Luther King. The final film in the trilogy is Occupy Love, which asks the question: How could the crisis on the planet become a love story?

Did I hear that right, a global crisis becoming a love story?! How embracing, how extraordinary…

I believe we are in a crucial, epic, evolutionary time in human history, and our role at Fierce Love Films is to help reflect and to be a catalyst of the emergence of a new paradigm ~ to inspire the movements of our times to come from a place of depth and love.

Are we ready to reach that deep place of love and to share it with others, with our community, with our planet, all while amidst a crisis? Love is the only healing force, and we all possess it. The time to share it is NOW.

To get a bit more personal, I asked Velcrow, “How does the theme of your film affect your real life?”

As I delve deeper and deeper into the dimensions of true universal love, I find myself increasingly living from that place. My partner and co-producer in the film, Nova Ami, said that when I began shooting Occupy Love, I was “Mr. Love,” and now I’ve become “Dr. Love”!

Only time will tell if I have truly earned the degree, but I’ve certainly been transformed, utterly, by my complete immersion in love and from being a first-hand witness and participant in the history-making hotspots of the world.

The key is to continue living love and evolving love.

“Thank you, Velcrow, for your powerful message and encompassing heart. But what are the challenges of making independent ‘message’ movies like yours?”

The challenge is to be in sync with the evolutionary zeitgeist [the general intellectual, moral, and cultural climate of an era], so that when your film comes out, it’s part of the leading wave of transformation. Things are changing fast, and feature documentaries can take years to create, so being in sync takes foresight and connection.

Funding, of course, is always a challenge. Cutting through the cynicism, despair, and nihilism that Western culture promotes can be a challenge.

I can only imagine the huge challenges that face indie film directors in raising funds AND getting a message out that is out-of-the-box, transformative, and promotes true change instead of the usual fear and cynicism that exudes from the media at large today.

“So, Velcrow, once the movie is funded and ready for release, is it getting easier (more awareness) or more difficult (more competition) to attract eyeballs?”

I have been doing this work for decades now, and I would say getting the word out on a global scale has never been easier, thanks to the power of social media. We are interconnected in a way that was never possible before, and our networks are expanding day by day.

The currency of today is authenticity, and the more corporate approach lacks this. People on social media can intuit whether you are coming from the heart or not. So for us, it’s a great time to be making conscious cinema.

I find this description of social media to be irresistible ~ ‘the currency as authenticity.’

“There has been a lot of change, as you detailed above, with marketing and getting the word out there, but have the distribution models been evolving as well?”

We are now looking at bottom-up, decentralized distribution, which cuts through the top-down models of traditional distributors, the gatekeepers of the past.

We do a hybrid of conventional distribution (television, online venues like iTunes, Amazon, Netflix, etc.) and unconventional, leading-edge techniques such as the revolutionary online distributor Yekra. It created a strategy for the movie Thrive which operates through a decentralized affiliate system that encourages an entire community to take part in the online distribution process.

We’ve also created our own community screening model, which makes it very easy for people all over the world to host screenings of the film.

Impressive! The hybrid distribution makes good sense, though the community screening model seems quite revolutionary for its ability to develop real community around your theme and goal of worldwide LOVE.

“With high expectations of wanting to change the world, how are your other expectations (e.g., financial, educational, distribution) being met?”

Our Facebook page often has close to one million individual views a week, and 5.6 millions friends of fans. The film has had hundreds of screenings around the world and is spreading like wildfire. Most of these screenings are self organized – people are coming to us to set them up.

Our reach has been incredibly global. There have been screenings in Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Greece, Liberia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Ireland, Italy, Macedonia, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Spain, Scotland, Sweden, South Africa, Turkey, the U.S., and others!

This crowd-sourced, social media-driven approach to distribution is consistent with the theme of the film, which was partially funded through the crowd-funding platforms IndieGoGo and Kickstarter.

The largest community screening to date took place in Porto Allegre, Brazil, on April 11, attracting over 1,500 attendees. The fact that we had dozens of screenings in Brazil, Turkey and Bulgaria, all of which are now in the midst of popular uprisings, is significant.

The film and the meme Occupy Love are playing a part in inspiring these movements to come from a place of non-violence, creativity, and love. It’s incredible to feel like we are part of history unfolding…

Yes, it’s most definitely incredible, Velcrow!

“So what’s your next film?”

It will focus on the pillars of the new paradigm – what it will look like to reinvent every level of society from a new-paradigm perspective – and be co-created by the three of us here at Fierce Love Films, Nova Ami, Ian MacKenzie, and me along with our larger team and our community at large. We plan to crowdsource and collaborate on the process of deciding just what exactly these core new paradigm approaches are, from justice, to ecology, to economy, to social organization…

We’re very excited about continuing to help evolve the global zeitgeist at this historical time of chaos, transformation, and transition.

We thank you, Velcrow, from the bottom of our hearts to the top of our soul for you, your work, your vision, and your amazing service to our planet at this time of crisis and need.

Meet fascinating indie film directors’ from the Cinema Noēsis Film Festival

June 28, 2013/in Illuminating Interviews/by Wendy Sue Noah

Like transformative indie films? Me, too! I’ve always enjoyed any medium or conversation that takes me out of the box and into the limitless realm of possibility. So as you can imagine, it has been an honor to be the social media arm behind the up-coming Cinema Noēsis: IONS (Institute of Noetic Sciences) 2013 Film Event

The movie lineup is guaranteed to open your mind and expand your consciousness to new levels of understanding and appreciating the mysteries of life.

What really hit me in my work here, though, is the strong passion and commitment driving the directors of these provocative, inspirational movies. So I picked the brains of a few of these remarkable people to introduce you to the great minds behind the films. But first I want to present the man who created this unique event for us, Festival Director (and former editor of Shift magazine) Matthew Gilbert.

“Matthew,” I asked, “why do you have such a deep passion for indie movies”?

“First of all, I love the originality of them and their focus on people and topics and issues that don’t get much coverage anywhere else. I get especially excited when they address subjects that are close to my heart and my spirit, for example, ecological wisdom, frontier science, human potential, and spiritual transformation.

(Now I fully understand why Matthew chose the films, as they all contain at least one of these examples.)

“I easily surrender to good storytelling on the screen,” he continued, “to being swallowed up by the images and the dialogue and the tensions and those unexpected moments when something happens that takes me ‘out of the box’ of my conditioned thinking.

“Indie filmmakers take risks. They go places that most of us will never see, and what they bring back has changed my world.”

Like to take risks and go to places you’ve never been before? There are still a few tickets left, just waiting for you to click here…

Are you titillated yet? Great! It just gets better. Please allow me to introduce Peter-Arthur Straubinger, the director of In the Beginning There Was Light, a film about “breatharianism.” What is that, exactly? I’ll let Peter explain.

“What inspired you to make this film about Breatharianism?”

“Actually, In the Beginning, There Was Light only touches upon the surface of ‘breatharianism.’ It was really about questioning the materialistic worldview that it’s only real if you can prove it or see it. I could have made this film with the same message about telepathy, faith healing, or homeopathy.

“The reason why breatharianism became my chosen golden thread and message was due to a visit with a meditation teacher who I was told lived only on water and ‘light.‘

“I got to know him quite well, and he told me that he had not eaten for over a year, that he only drank water. I’d heard stories about this phenomenon before but did not really believe it. But meeting a person face to face had a much stronger impact!

“He sounded very credible, but I asked myself, if this phenomenon really exists, why isn’t it taken seriously by scientific institutions? Why aren’t dozens of universities doing research on this?”

Now that is an excellent question, don’t you think? How much is going on that is NOT being studied due to scientists and others stating, matter-of-factly, “That’s impossible”!

“So this tension was the reason why I’ve been doing my own research for nearly five years. Through this, I discovered a lot of good arguments by classical medicine as to why this should not work, how people starve every day and others died trying to live as breatharians.

“However, there are many records about this phenomenon in all cultures, throughout all times, and of course my Austrian friend who was living and breathing proof (pun intended ;).

“I decided to seek first-hand information about this fascinating phenomenon and started my five-year journey, travelling around the world to China, India, Russia, the U.S., and many other countries. And I discovered some incredible knowledge, from ancient Eastern wisdom to the findings of modern physics…”

You’ve got to come see the movie and meet Peter in person to find out for yourself, just click here!

Since indie films are produced with deep passion to share deep messages, my follow-up question to Peter was, “How does the theme of your film affect your real life?”

“I understood that mainstream science and the teachings I learned in school about nature are only a part of truth. They derive only from (materialistic) belief systems and it is necessary to question them because what made sense a few hundred years ago is now destroying our world and is a burden to creating an open, loving, and cooperative society….”

Anyone want to join me here in, like, Wow! Well said and a valid point we all should take to heart: Time to open our minds, to open our hearts, to go beyond what is dished out to us as “the truth.”

A picture of Peter & I at the film festival

Which leads to my interview with Victor Goss, the pioneering founder of Starving Film Students and director of Apocalypse, According To Doris, the only fiction movie on the Cinema Noesis program.

“Victor, what inspired you to make this film?”

“I started out with a vague sense of writing about a woman with limited education and cultural support who had involuntary psychic experiences. I wanted to investigate what her psychic life experiences might be like, such as where they came from, what they meant, and if they had any potential value to humans.

“And I wanted to stage this discussion because I wanted to hear what others thought about it.”

Oh, yes, you’ve got to love indie movies, always striving to make a point to discuss, digest, or contemplate in some fashion.

“But also, I had an axe to grind. I wanted to dip my toe into the water of mysterious events ignored by the powers that be and the mainstream media, which has let us down by falling prey to monopolistic corporate motivations and by its subtle, constant need to create an agitation and a reactionary, fearful state in their audiences.

Audience = the mainstream population who choose to live in this reactionary, fearful place and the media that chooses themes to keep audiences in this deplorable state. “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” Especially now…

“I wanted to peel back questions about this “Apocalypse” meme that swept the New Age world. I wanted to talk about the fallacies of all religion, for that matter. I kept wondering when we were going to talk about the TEN ELEPHANTS in the room we are not supposed to see.

Is he referring to the TEN PURPLE ELEPHANTS in the room? I don’t see them, do you?!

“But additionally, in the realm of science, I wanted to ask questions about our physical world that belies what we are taught about reality. I wanted us to ask, ’What are psychic events? Is human consciousness on the cusp of awakening? Is there a direct form of obtaining knowledge?’

“However, in a simple sentence to explain my motive for making this film, I always must remember the words of the prolific and famous French director, Claude Chabrol, who said, “A woman is subject matter enough.”

I must agree with that quote! “Victor, please share with our readers how the theme of your film affects your real life?”

“Oddly enough, after living in Los Angeles most of my life, I suddenly looked around and realized I had moved to Ojai, to a street and house that looks remarkably the same as the one Doris lives in in the movie! Turns out that my next door neighbor is a famous channel, and we have become the best of friends!

“On a personal level, although there was nothing autobiographical about Apocalypse, According To Doris, I constantly find myself repeating lines Doris said in the movie without realizing it. It’s always good for a self-deprecating laugh, because the words usually fit the situation. Maybe I’m becoming Doris, but I haven’t bought any Victoria’s Secret underwear yet…”

I bet his wife is happy about that… 😉

Come join us, not only to be thoroughly entertained by the movies Festival Director Matthew Gilbert hand-selected for consciously expansive entertainment but to share the company of those interviewed above and many other fans and innovators in this magical world of transformative filmmaking!

There are a few spaces left at the Cinema Noēsis: IONS 2013 Film Event ~ see you there!