SOULSPEAK WITH ANTHONY ANDERSON

"I would resent people and think they would be living very unconsciously. I had a very judgmental state of mind for quite a while. Eventually I came out of that and I started to realize that permaculture, gardening, wild food and eating healthy was the answer to all of that. It wasn't about protesting or being angry at things. It was about creating a better world first for yourself and your loved ones and then for the community at large. It was more about putting your energy into positive stuff, and that was really exciting for me." 

Anthony Anderson, originally of Rawmodel.com, found himself becoming a fashion model in 2003, and while working for companies like Loreal, Macy's, Target, and Paul Mitchell, he developed a deep passion for green living and nutrition. As he dove deeper into the holistic lifestyle, he discovered the joys of gardening and realized that it just may be the panacea that could heal humanity and planet Earth. Hoping to help inspire others to start creating these paradise gardens as well. He created www.GrowParadise.com to spread awareness about green living and growing their own food...literally, paradise creation. I am leaning towards the same dreams and goals so it's truly an honor to feature Anthony today on Soulspeak. 

WHO IS ANTHONY ANDERSON? 

He is a 32 year old American guy who was originally from the state of Minnesota. It's a very quiet area where I'm from. Very nice people.  It's a nice life up there. It's definitely shaped me. I am a more kind and easygoing person because of growing up there. I finished my University in 2003 and after that I pursued modeling work. I always had the potential to do it and I did it a little during my university time. Doing it on the side in Minneapolis. I was studying to do financial consulting or selling mutual funds. I had a business marketing degree. I really didn't know what I was doing with my life. I thought I maybe knew who I was but my goals were a little bit skewed because of me wanting to make my family happy and just do well as far as what success meant. I was leading the white collar path. 

I really wanted to make money in the corporate world, and I started to get in this modeling stuff a little bit. Because of that I started reading a lot of books. I read a book by Henry David Thoreau called "Walden" . It's an old book in the late 1840's. A story of a young man who spent some time out in the forest. He built himself a cabin. He journaled often and I felt he really came into some good conclusions about living life simply, living life with a sense of adventure and excitement, but keepin things simple. Not bogging ourselves down with all these modern trappings that can just totally distract us and keep us off of our goals. This was a big book for me. 

For the first time in my life I had no television, I had no real job. I was just doing castings in Europe. I was reading books and I was journaling and meeting new friends from other parts of the world. It was like this huge awakening for me to get out of the United States and to start reading these books.

What happened at first was that some of these information was a little difficult to accept at first. The environmental things. A lot of it was very depressing. I became sort of angry. I would resent people and think they would be living very unconsciously. I had a very judgmental state of mind for quite a while. Eventually I came out of that and I started to realize that permaculture, gardening, wild food and eating healthy was the answer to all of that. It wasn't about protesting or being angry at things. It was about creating a better world first for yourself and your loved ones and then for the community at large. It was more about putting your energy into positive stuff, and that was really exciting for me. 

Another thing that happened with this modeling stuff was that I began to eat much more healthy because I wanted to do well and I wanted to be successful and make more money. I had a college degree and I felt like if I was gonna do it I need to be serious. I took it very seriously with the diet and the exercise. Because of that I ended up getting into raw veganism for about 5 years. I took it very strictly very early on. I was doing green juice and salads and fruit. Very very low fat. For a while I felt really good but I was also very unbalanced where I would crash maybe once a month and it kinda led to a small eating disorder. I had these images in my mind of what was a perfect diet but I would still succumb to cravings because I was an emotional eater, and I was missing people in my life. I felt alone because of my strange diet at that time. Looking at it from today I see that it was good because I had a lot of time to myself. To study and learn and teach myself stuff from the internet and I was learning Spanish, learning about permaculture, gardening and raw food and nutrition. It was this really excellent time for me to grow as an individual. I was in a long distance relationship at that time so I was still able to be with someone but I was also able to go on my path and take that further. 

I wanted to create these landscapes. I wanted to take flat fields and create ponds and hills and just make it totally beautiful. Fill it with fruit trees and nut trees and make little eco villages. Let people live there and just experience the divine through nature. Create babies and just have beautiful lives. I think that's really what we could be doing. 

WHO ARE YOUR GREATEST MENTORS?

I could probably list five. I would say the man Sepp Holzer.  He's an Austrian farmer and he's creating these landscapes and traveling and showing people how to do it. 

There's a man named Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and he is the host of the show called "River Cottage" in the UK. You can find this show on Youtube. It's a cooking show but it's also a gardening, green lifestyle show. He just makes it so fun and approachable. He is just so smart and so witty. I love him so much. I have so much respect for him. His approach is so accessible and so fun.  They go out and pick berries and make jelly or beverage out of it. It's just like hanging out. It's fun. It's not heavy into the Science. It's just all very light, and exactly what people need to be doing. He's also a hero.

Daniel Vitalis is a huge hero of mine. His re-wilding stuff and his approach with water greatly changed my life. And he can get a lot of flack from some people for maybe his diet choices or whatever people would say but I really have a lot of respect for him. I feel that the stuff that he talks about is very pertinent to this day and age. If people were to take some of his ideas into practice, even just a couple like the barefoot stuff or the spring water, it would really change a lot of lives. Daniel Vitalis is a genius. He speaks so well and lives very authentically. I really appreciate him. 

I would feel bad not to mention some people...

Jeff Lawton is another one. He is a big permaculturist. 

There's just a lo of very cool permacultuists out there who are just kicking butt. I guess my heroes are the group of people that are just doing this paradise stuff. They're doing the permaculture. They're on Facebook. We're becoming like an orchestra of voices. 

Of course there's Jake and Patricia, I love how they love to be in the garden together and make fermented foods together. It's like they're best friends but they 're totally attracted to each other. That's what I want everyone to have. I was very impressed. They're my heroes. 

The list is endless. It's like a team of this big positive army of people that are just doing this lifestyle and making it so fun and they're not being nerdy or preachy about it. It's like "Yeah this is what we do, this is what we eat" I love it. I am super optimistic about where things are going. People are waking up really fast about the food. People who go by nature , they're going for the quality and because they want quality food they want to start gardening. and it's just spreading so fast. Once these ideas are absorbed into someone it's really hard to go back. And once you hear these ideas like paradise creation , growing your own and basically 'abundance', total abundance -- it's really hard to ignore that. It's really up to us to keep singing that song with big smiles on our faces and everything will keep working out.

More farmers markets than ever. Go to the health food store and there's so many cool things to check out. All these major companies are switching to organic because they know that people want that. It's a beautiful thing. 

We have to take action. We have to build these ideas in our heart and in our mind. We really have to be serious and start physially creating this.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST GRATEFUL FOR?

What I'm super grateful for is that I started my garden in 2008 and I started planting all my trees 5 years ago. Now when I go in there the trees are really nice and big. I was really serious about it and in a way, concerned about the future so I acted. I planted everything and made it happen. It was a lot of hard work at first but now I really get to enjoy it. I really thank my former self for having the motivation to  just go for it.

ANY REGRETS?

I think it would be trying to force people to start eating better and taking care of themselves and I wasn't respecting their opinion in other matters because they had not yet figured out their diets yet. I think I missed out on a lot of beautiful experiences with people. I was just very judgmental. I'm really moving past that. There are probably still some remnants of that where I wished people would maybe open up to the more positive stuff and get out of the negative thinking. That will all happen naturally but I really have let go of a lot in the past 5 years. A lot of that came from my diet changing. Where I was so dogmatic and so judgmental about people who weren't vegan and now here I was eating grass fed beef, deer liver and all these different animal products. They were very beneficial for me and I felt like I had really been a jerk to people and was isolating myself in this strange bubble. Because of that I didn't have friends outside of that bubble. No one wanted to eat around people like me that were raw vegan. Not it's about letting that go and just being friends with everyone, and being more flexible with my diet even , not to the point that I know I'm eating stuff that's bad. But maybe going out and having some french fries, I would want it cooked in peanut oil or palm oil instead of soy bean oil. In France, they use a lot of sunflower oil and sunflowers are okay but it's a high Omega 6 fatty acid ratio. It's not like coconut or palm. Those things are better and  much more stable. It's a little more expensive to make them so you don't see them a lot, but you can make them at home. In Paris I was doing a lot of French fries actually like organic french fries with sunflower oil. My diet has changed a little. In the past I never would have done that. Now I do that. I'm staying just as thin wthout as much exercise because I'm not binging later on. I'm not on this crazy roller coaster of snacking and snacking. It was a bad situation but probably since 2010 it's been okay.

I also regret once doing self sabotage.

WHAT IS LOVE? 

Love... I've experienced all different kinds.Even just this feeling of total connection. Sitting in the forest. Stuff like that where your heart just wants to explode and you love everything. You're walking through and you hear the insects and see the stars and you feel that pulse of the universe. So then there's that and there's also this self-love which has to really come first. That stuff started to come to me maybe when I was 25 or 26. Even with the raw food, it was kinda helping. It was cleaning myself out. I was getting to learn who I was  and respect myself more and really just love myself. And I think once you love yourself and know that you're an awesome angelic person then your cup is full and you can then start to have constructive relationships, whether it's romantic or business. There's got to be self love, because if a person loves himself   there can still be hurt , but maybe it's not the same. If someone is eating poorly and treating themselves poorly you'll see a lot of hurt coming from them. There's that and there's also this romantic partner love , that deep partnership. I think it's probably the most beautiful thing. When you find that person and you just feel intoxicated or something and you feel your head vibrating. You're thinking about all these things that you never thought before. You want to create life with them, and create a beautiful space. You feel like you're best friends but you're also so much deeper than that. Maybe that's like a crystallized version that we spend with another person or partner. Maybe more people than that but I do believe there are those very special souls out there that are meant to meet again. I believe in reincarnation. I don't really believe in death. I believe we leave the body when we feel like it and it's time to move on to a new adventure. Go for the spirit realm. To come back and have more fun on planet earth and learn more lessons. I see it all as chapters. One life would be a chapter. Not the whole book so it makes me see a more broader picture and it makes me look a little more deeper in relationships. I'm starting to wonder, have we met in the past? All these things... Is there a deeper connection involved? Obviously there always is. 

People always meet for a reason. This world is so magical. There's a lot of incredible things happening that don't really get noticed, but there is a lot. It's all about tuning in to that magic and keeping a smile on your face and loving yourself. It's that angelic feeling . It's just like giving that love to people and whether you direct a lot of it on one person or you just spread it around or you're just super nice to everybody or both. Just living that paradise lifestyle from the inside out. Cultivating that love and just letting it shine. Not being scared of being hurt. Where you can love someone unconditionally and for some reason they might not return that love but you still love them, you still care about them and you're happy that you know the truth. You're happy that you can move on because now you have clarity.


YOUR NEXT STEPS
I am looking to do a lot more talks and talking in Washington DC this weekend . I'm gonna be doing a lot more classes and projects. If anyone wants to do a project I'm always happy to come and buy ten trees. Plant them and film it and make a fun video on Youtube. I'm really just going for that now. No more regrets definitely. Moving on full speed really happy with how everything is going. Now we're just crystallizing. Everything is clear, clarified, sharpened. We know exactly what we want, and we just start creating that.

ONE MESSAGE TO ALL

You are responsible. This is your reality. Your creation. And you have to realize that you are God and you have to create that self realization

For more on Anthony visit his

  WEBSITE

  FACEBOOK PAGE

YOUTUBE CHANNEL

SOULSPEAK WITH RALPH SMART

"Love is pure freedom."

RALPH SMART

I was introduced to his work recently when a friend posted a video of him. I was instantly drawn to the energy. So much love, and clarity! It was exactly what I needed at the moment. 

Ralph smart a.k.a 'kemetprince' on YouTube is a Psychologist, Author, Counselor, Alchemist, Researcher, Radio Host, Musician, Graphic Designer, Cinematographer and Infinite Being. He connects to us all by showcasing documentaries and weekly videos unlocking the true human potential and being a limitless being.

Ralph has just published his new book Feel Alive a book covering all of his hot topics in his videos—tapping into our unlimited potential and feeling alive in every moment of life. It is an honor and a dream alike to feature Ralph today.

Who is Ralph Smart?
Ralph Smart is my matrix name, I transcend my name, I am an infinite being.

What ignited the video creation, and what inspired you to inspire others?
I created videos because of a great awakening. I love connecting with kindred spirits, i have always wanted to share with others.

What have you learned about yourself lately?
I learnt you can never stop learning.

And what have you unlearned?
I unlearned to judge people.

When you were a child, what were your dreams and aspirations? 
I always wanted to help people heal as a child.

Right now, what are your dreams and aspirations?
I am living the dream right now, I am free in spirit, mind and body.

You are face to face with your 8 year old self, what one piece of advice would you give you?
I would tell myself not to worry.

What is LOVE?
Love is pure freedom.

Your next steps.
The next step is to live in the moment and enjoy it.

Any regrets?
No regrets.

Your one message to the world.
One message, open your heart.

To find out more about Ralph visit his 

Website: http://infinitewaters.net 

Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/kemetprince1

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/ralph.smart

View more Soulspeak Interviews:

http://junocristi.blogspot.com/p/interviews.html

You Are Free To Change Now

I have a story to tell, and it's not a perfect story but I have the freedom to change the way things are told. To end and begin chapters. To turn the seemingly nightmarish and frightening events into wild adventures that rouse my spirit. To turn drama into comedy in a blink of an eye. To turn noise into music. Or chaos into harmony. Everyday and always. I talk to myself and I say: "You are free to change right now"... Such insanity keeps me sane.

SOULSPEAK WITH KAREN BENKE (Author, Poet, and Creative Coach)

"Dream big.  Know that you are fine just the way you are.  Be your own best friend and surround yourself with people who make you feel good about yourself and bring out your higher nature.  Keep that magic spark inside alive all your live-long days.  Rest when you're tired.  Play." 

KAREN BENKE

Mill Valley, California

She is the author of "RIP THE PAGE: Adventures in Creative Writing" (such a lovely book to open a child's world of creativity within! Yes I own a copy... Thank you Karen) and the new book "LEAP WRITE IN : Adventures in Creative Writing to Stretch & Surprise Your One-of-a-Kind Mind"

Karen is a poet in the California schools and Creative Writing guide for kids and kids at heart. She received her M.A. in Writing from the University of San Francisco where she studied with poet Jane Hirshfield, and her B.A. in English/Creative Writing from California State University, Chico.  Her poems have been published in anthologies and literary magazines, including Ploughshares, Poetry East, Rockhurst Review, Clackamas Literary Review, Heartlodge, Pilgrimage, Poetry Daily and elsewhere. A recipient of a few awards, grants from The Marin Arts Council, and residencies and fellowships from Hedgebrook and Djerassi Resident Artists Program, she lives north of the Golden Gate Bridge with her husband, nine year-old son, and a cat named Clive.  It is an honor to share her energy and light with all today. 

WHO IS KAREN BENKE? WHERE ARE YOU NOW ON YOUR JOURNEY?
I'm a poet and creativity coach who loves working with children and tapping the child within to play on the page.

I'm also the author of three books:  SISTER (Confux Press, 2004) a poem sequence about the growing up years of two girls and the grief experienced after their father's death; RIP THE PAGE! Adventures in Creative Writing (Shambhala, 2010) is for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grader who wants to forget about the punctuation police and play with words and images with tried and true writing prompts, dares, and double dares; and LEAP WRITE IN! Adventures in Creative Writing to Stretch & Surprise Your One-of-a-Kind Mind (Shambhala, 2013) is for the tween & teen Earthling--and adults--who want to invite their jittery mind into quiet slips of time and get inspired by what can happen when you pick up a pen.  Now on my journey, I'm working with a lot of creative types who need creative nudges to start or finish a writing or life project.  I'm also bringing my creativity play shops and poems-on-the spot table to book fairs, community events, schools...

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

People who are passionate about what they're doing, especially when involving some form of art or the encouragement of others. Community events with a "linking arms" approach inspires me.  My son and husband inspire me when we're working on a project together.  Gatherings that benefit the greater good inspire me. Bridging creative writing and community service very much excites me right now.  Being in nature always quiets me which leads to being inspired.

WHO ARE YOUR MENTORS / GREATEST TEACHERS?
My maternal grandmother was a teacher for how to be generous and loving in the face of great adversity and tragedy.  A writing friend named Joan Kip was a teacher of all matters of the heart for me.

My son is a teacher for how to stay in the moment and just go with the flow.  My husband is a teacher for how to never give up on what you love and care about.  My writing mentors are the Buddhist and poet Jane Hirshfield and my colleague in the Poets in the Schools program and fellow author, Prartho Sereno.  I also consider His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama a great teacher as well as all the people who are advocates for children everywhere.

DID YOU EVER SEE YOURSELF DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW, BACK WHEN YOU WERE STILL A CHILD?

I did.  My mother liked to shop at flea markets and one weekend she brought home 10 old school desks and 10 matching wooden chairs that I set up in one of the downstairs rooms--we lived in a rambling house.  Then I invited over all the kids in the neighborhood and set up a chalk board and gave them writing assignments.  I now prefer to write at a big table or on the floor or in secret hiding places. Sitting under a tree or outside is another favorite. I lead experimental writing workshops at a local bookstore called Book Passage and at my house.  Writing one on one is also something I enjoy. I'm also an avid editor of my and other people's writing, but I try not to move into this role too soon as it thwarts the creator.

WHAT PLACES DO YOU DREAM OF VISITING?  

I dream of re-visiting favorite vacation spots with my family: Ashland, Oregon; Honakaa, Hawaii; Todi, Italy; Oxford, England; Guadelupe...and also visiting new places like Australia and Thailand and Costa Rica...places I've never laid eyes on or felt the earth under my feet (yet).

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM YOURSELF LATELY?

I've learned that I must be careful with the intentions I set and that sometimes doing nothing and staying still with my unease and restlessness is the best course of action.  I've learned that the best way to make friends with my mind is to drop it into my heart...Each moment is brand new, holding pure potential for anything.  I've also learned how sometimes after great upheaval or a huge loss, much more about this precious and fleeting life can and will be deeply appreciated.

WHAT HAVE YOU UNLEARNED?

Holding grudges.  Oh, and trying to keep the past alive.  Focusing on the present is where it's at.  That and finishing a few of the picture books I've started.  One of which my agent has been encouraging me to pursue.  In one of my favorite new new books, STEAL LIKE AN ARTIST by Austin Kleon, he says "Art is subtraction."  This is soooo true, especially of writing.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST GRATEFUL FOR?
My incarnation.  My family.  My heart.

WHAT IS LOVE FOR YOU?

Being fully present with whatever is in front of me.  This and holding gratitude for everything. I read a bumper sticker the other day as I was waiting for a light:  "Love Gods You."  That summed it up for me.  Love is a noun and a verb, you know.

WHAT'S NEXT? DREAMS, ASPIRATIONS...

I want to spend as much time with my son and husband as I can, since we are no longer living together.  I want to finish that picture book and promote LEAP! and not take anything about being on this planet at this time for granted.  I want to also continue my gratitude practice and cherish each day.  My creativity coaching business is an aspiration that I'd like to have grow, since inspiring and encouraging people is something that gives me great joy. Seeing my book-children be born, used, and enjoyed has been a dream come true.

YOUR MESSAGE TO CHILDREN OF THE WORLD.

Dream big.  Know that you are fine just the way you are.  Be your own best friend and surround yourself with people who make you feel good about yourself and bring out your higher nature.  Keep that magic spark inside alive all your live-long days.  Rest when you're tired.  Play.  

For more on Karen Benke visit

www.karenbenke.com

http://facebook.com/RipThePage

NEVER SEEN MYSELF IN A PLACE LIKE THIS : HEALING THE MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT

I woke up today thinking that I've never seen myself in a place like this, where I am faced with the challenge to heal all aspects of me. Mind, body and heart. I'm going through a really huge overhaul and I feel it in every fiber of my being. I often wonder if I called for this, for the trials and all these painful experiences to happen so the healing can begin. I was oblivious of it most my life. I know that when I became more aware of the truth of certain things that governed my life, a part of me just felt the urge to change. My interests are changing. My priorities are changing. My perception of happiness and abundance, fear and suffering --- they are changing too. And I thought I was done changing! 

I am being tested on so many levels, but the voice that usually complains about these things has weakened. I feel the constant desire to surrender. The force of nature has taken over me and I hear a new voice in me that says "change as rapidly as my life changes" hoping that when I allow nature to take its course, I grow. 

It really is one of a kind, this moment right now... I wanted to see change in the world and life said "Okay, change yourself first, then maybe you will find what you are seeking."

WHEN THE ROOTS ARE STRONG, TREES CAN DANCE IN THE STORM

Don't give up on yourself just because people have given up on you. Instead, give up on the belief that your life depends on what others say or feel about you. Trust your heart to help you connect with those who accept and embrace you for all that you are and allow you to live an authentic truthful life. Still, don't depend on these connections just so you can make the right decision and do whatever it is that you need to do in order to thrive in this world. Never underestimate your inner guidance. If you cannot find it in your heart to listen to this guidance, it makes no sense to seek it in others. 

You are a tree that stands on its own roots. Not on the roots of others. They can only show you how to stand. You have the power to hold yourself together so be strong, for when the roots are strong, trees can dance in the storm.

NEW PATH (A Poem)

My desires have taken a new path

I wish to travel 

The world

To be aroused by new visions

New landscapes 

New smiles 

New scent of air 

To touch new hearts

To kiss every ground with my feet

To embrace 

Life

In all its forms

To make love with the earth 

With my breath

9:17 AM

Photo Source

WINTER'S END (A Poem)

After the storm

After the long

And harsh

Winter of my mind

I stand in stillness

I wonder 

If the worst is over

Suddenly my thoughts

Are silenced

I breath out remnants 

Of this deluge within

I breathe in life

A new season of life

Is here

I wish to find a place in me

Where I can run

Fearlessly

Like a child lost in a meadow

Enchanted forest

Endless hills

I yearn to feel the breeze

Or the dewy grass 

Beneath my bare and naked skin

To lay down and gaze at the heavens

So I can make love with the skies

I yearn to join

In this dance of Creation

My soul is growing

("Winter's End", 2/16/13

9:32 am)

How You Value Yourself Will Determine How Others Will Value You

You don't need anyone's approval or opinion to tell you how special you are. You know yourself more than anyone else. You know your worth so hold yourself with utmost respect and love and confidence and never let yourself go. It doesn't start with others. It starts with you. How you value yourself will soon determine how others will value you.

Art by Karen Noles

SOULSPEAK WITH DANIELE PISERCHIA (Teacher, Photographer, World Traveler)

 "Do not feel ashamed of your beauty, do not hide it, do not cover your light , show your real self, do not feel the need to imitate others. Be your true self, bring your message to the world, illuminate it and experience once again this amazing Life on Earth."

I am a huge fan of his photography. So much soul, they tell a story. He was born in Central Italy, a teacher for children, a world traveler  Daniele shares his life journey and learning from his travels to his near death experience and gives us a glimpse of this moment of rebirth. I am honored to share this interview with you today. 

Who is Daniel Piserchia ? Where is he now on his journey? 

Daniele was born in the countryside of central Italy, lovely place he had chosen. With the challenges and growing process through adolescence he left home eventually in his early twenties to discover more about the world. He lived in England for several years, where he studied and then lived and worked. There he discovered how great it was to be a teacher for children as he felt he understood them. Communication was easier, problems were solved without much struggle. After several years, once near to his 30s, Daniele headed back home, in the beautiful Italian countryside. Time seemed to have stopped, nothing was moving to his eyes, however things were getting ready for a sudden turn… after a couple of years dealing and understanding difficult relationships with people in general, and noticing changes in him, adjusting to events, Daniele got fed up. He gave up fighting and he entered that dark long tunnel of sadness and self destructing behavior, not the usual self destructing, I believe it was more about giving up the will to live, he couldn’t see any reasons for living, even though deep inside he knew that there were many, he asked the sky to show him a sign…

There were many signs, but he didn’t want to acknowledge them, he just became a blind observer of the many signs happening around him.

But one day, the much awaited moment arrived (not that he knew), he lost consciousness whilst working and then later back home he experienced death, or as many say he had a near-death experience. 

I was in a lot of pain, a pain I could not take anymore, and fell in my bathroom, I couldn’t make a sound and fell… It all went dark, the pain disappeared, I couldn’t feel anything, there was nothing, and I was nothing and everything at the same time. After a non definite time I realized I could see, but not through my eyes, I was in the bathroom, and felt “Oh I’m ok” but there was more..

Passing from sadness and  pain to joy and perfection was strange, not that I could interpret it, the mind was not there, but it did later. 

The feeling of being weightless was amazing, but overlooking from above at the body on the floor reminded me of the pain Daniele encountered in this life… The vision of 360 degrees didn’t leave much to the imagination, it was I , my soul, the spark of light,  I was conscious, I was living but was not in that weak body lying on the floor.

After a while, information arrived , not as a voice, but as a sort of feeling, a choice was given to me: “ You’ve been waiting for this, everything is perfect as it is, you can choose either to stay or to go”, I kind of wanted to peak and see what was beyond this life, but the answer was “If you peak you leave but if you want to stay… there’s so much more that you can do”

I don’t recall choosing but  later it all went dark again, and suddenly all that pain came back, my body was cold and small, shaking and trembling, I went through many different emotions that day, fear of dying again and all sorts, I guess the ego and my mind were having a great time painting several scenarios for me to be scared of, I just went to sleep and spent the next months absorbing the experience and it took 4 years to appreciate it, interpret it correctly without fear and now I’m so grateful for the experience. The next day after that experience I felt I was more present and more keen to get back on the right path, clean up my body, my mind and grow, I became extremely thirsty for knowledge and truths.

I realized I’m a spark of golden light in a human body, with all of its emotions thoughts and typical things you would experience in a human body. However neither my mind with its thoughts nor my body with its pains are ME, they’re mine but they’re not really my real self.

Now, whilst working and travelling, I’m learning and taking each experience or  encounter as a gift, a chance that is given to me so that I can grow and bring more light to this body, to this soul, to the wold. Teaching is still part of my service, I deeply enjoy working with children and teenagers but I also enjoy working with adults very much. These past years I also started to work on my personal health as I believed strictly linked to our peacefulness, I found out a discipline called Sundao, which I regularly practice each day, it balances our parts, heals the body and lets the breath flow so that we can live in balance. Furthermore I found out that my strange guided movements and talks are part of something which many call channeling, therefore I deepened myself in this new experience…  but that’s another long story. The important thing is this: if we just get rid of thought patterns, limitations we imposed on ourselves, trust the Universe, give up control on our lives and walk with courage and humbleness towards the light we’ll discover we’re infinite beings, with no boundaries and with infinite power of manifestation. 

I absolutely love your photos there is depth, and magic in each. What inspires you to capture such amazing moments?

When I walk and I’m fully present, when I feel love & gratitude for what’s around me there’s like a call from nature “Hey… Take a photo now” Whilst I enjoy the scene and feel gratitude for the gift of such beauty I take photographs…

I always wanted , even in the past, to bring people to explore beautiful places of this wonderful planet but in the past I ended up quite often on my own in such amazing places, surrounded by magic and nurturing energy, and I thought I needed to share what I was feeling and experiencing capturing those moments with my camera. 

Who are your mentors, your greatest teachers?

My mentors, my greatest teachers are all the people I have met in this life as well as the experiences I swam through, some of which very hard but so rewarding. Each person gave me a gift, a teaching, a challenge to get through, and I thank them all. 

Did you ever see yourself doing what you’re doing now, back when you were still a child?

If I did I would have been so much happier,  I always wanted to believe in magic and always felt there was so much more in this life, I could always feel it even though everybody around felt the opposite way.

You're a world traveler. What other places do you dream of visiting?

So many places called me, but I do feel a strong connection with South and Central America as well as for many eastern countries, but I’d like to go to Egypt, Mexico-Yucatan, Chile, Argentina, Tibet, Norway… too many perhaps?

What have you learned from yourself lately?

I am learning to let go the control on my life, there is a dream I keep having, I’m driving up a mountain, and I’m looking from the windows at the stunning landscape suddenly I realize that I’m sitting at the back seat, there’s no driver and I’m scared the car will go somewhere unsafe, I try to drive the car from the back seat but.. it’s hard… I have to give up, it’s not up to me to drive this car, I only have to enjoy the ride, this wonderful journey.

What have you unlearned?

Once I learned it then I had to unlearn to be strict and disciplined with myself. I have unlearned to depend on what other people think of me . I have unlearned to see things from a single perspective. I have unlearned to always say yes. I have unlearned to make plans. I have unlearned everything which didn’t support my growth.

What are you most grateful for?

I am most grateful for the darkest moments that I lived through,  for they have changed my life, they showed me the way. I am most grateful for the connection with my guides and the love and support they show me. 

What for you is Love? 

Love is accepting anybody or anything just as it is, without judgment or polarization.

Love is when we trust the Universe when we let go the need to control things.

Love is the source which gives us the breath of life.

Love is our Higher self, our guides, our light. Love is the Sun shining and brightening our days. Love is our galaxy full of life and of amazing colours and lights. Love is the energy we spread on our world when we are in peace with ourselves. Love is the smile our children use to brighten our days. Love is a hug we give to comfort others. Love is the light that shines inside each one of us.

What's next? Dreams and aspirations.

Teaching is part of my life, and I believe there’s a lot more teaching ahead.  I live & learn, experience and then I teach. I practice and teach an Eastern discipline call Sundao here in Italy, it teaches us to listen to our body and it brings our focus back on our breath, we are writing down a program also for children and I would like to bring this into the schools. My dream is to live in the mountains and travel a lot. 

Your one message to the children of the world.

Do not feel ashamed of your beauty, do not hide it, do not cover your light, show your real self, do not feel the need to imitate others. Be your true self, bring your message to the world, illuminate it and experience once again this amazing Life on Earth.

All photos by Daniele Piserchia 

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All articles written within the period of Oct 2011 through present.  ©  2013, All Rights Reserved 

WHEN LIFE TAKES A SUDDEN DETOUR, LOOK AT LIFE WITH THE EYES OF A CHILD

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Sometimes when we think we got it all figured out, and everything is just the way we wanted it to be life will take a sudden turn and erase every trace of the familiar and secure to us, and we realize we're lost once again. When this happens it's best to look at life with the eyes of a child. To be filled with wonder and amazement for what's new and what's there to come, because only our inner child can find joy in fleeting moments, create one new world after another, and be fearless of the change.