The Spiritual Forum
Welcome to The Spiritual Forum, a space curated by Rev Carol Saunders for extraordinary conversations that explore the realms of spiritual living. Join us weekly for heart-to-heart dialogues with captivating individuals, delving into themes like love, faith, awakening, forgiveness, healing, spiritual practices, and divine encounters. These transformative narratives aim to inspire, fostering a deep connection to the profound experiences that shape our lives. Rev Carol’s guests include authors, filmmakers, experts, and everyday individuals who authentically share their journeys toward wholeness. These discussions transcend the ordinary, offering insights into navigating the complexities of our current world with authenticity and grace.
Episodes
![Living with Cancer with Brian Holley - EP 269](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog17822964/spiritual_forum_podcastinsta_banner_gm5zx2_300x300.jpg)
4 days ago
4 days ago
Join Rev. Carol and guest, Brian Holley, author of "What My Doctors Didn't Tell Me About Cancer," as they explore alternative and integrative approaches to traditional allopathic medicine. Brian shares his spiritual and medical journey, starting with a profound spiritual experience at the age of nine and moving through his kidney cancer diagnosis in 2009. Discover how he began integrating his understanding of body, mind, and spirit, and how listening to his body transformed his life. Brian opens up about the significant changes he made in his mindset, diet, and support system, and reveals how he uncovered the roots of lifelong anxiety. Believing that everything in the universe is for us and has a loving presence, he emphasizes the importance of acceptance rather than rejection of whatever life brings our way.
Bio - Born in England at the beginning of WWII as bombs began dropping on London, Brian Holley eventually discovered that he had been carrying whirlpools of trauma, the source of lifelong underlying anxiety. Through acupuncture and kinesiology, he was able to enter more fully into the peace, love and joy which he had pursued since childhood. In his twenties he became a fervent fundamentalist evangelical Christian. When he heard an interview with Joseph Campbell, his view of the Bible and religion changed, and he began studying eastern religion and also philosophy. Eventually he found Quakerism and became acquainted with an eclectic gathering of Buddhists, Sufis, Christians, and a Muslim. Feeling the need to release himself from the confines of Quakerism, he now doesn't wear any labels, and calls himself a 'spiritual tramp and religious has-been'. Brian has been living with cancer for 15 years and is the author of What My Doctors Didn't Tell Me About Cancer.
Brian's book : https://www.amazon.com/What-Doctors-Didnt-About-Cancer/dp/1803416246
#spiritualhealing #acceptance #dietforhealth #CancerSurvivor #HolisticHealing #IntegrativeMedicine #SpiritualJourney #MindBodySpirit #CancerAwareness #AlternativeMedicine #HealingJourney #MentalHealth #OvercomingCancer #HealthAndWellness
![The Journey Begins Within with SAVI - EP 268](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog17822964/spiritual_forum_podcastinsta_banner_bcjpvu_300x300.jpg)
Tuesday Jul 16, 2024
The Journey Begins Within with SAVI - EP 268
Tuesday Jul 16, 2024
Tuesday Jul 16, 2024
Join Rev. Carol and special guest SAVI, an engineer, businessman and spiritual explorer/author, for an insightful discussion on consciousness, spiritual awakening and transformation. In this episode, SAVI shares his fascinating life story, which is full of personal trials, synchronicities, and transcendent encounters with the Divine -- all which he repeatedly resisted. While not ascribing to any religion but accepting of all, his life is a testimony that there is a reality that is much greater than we know. His message is one of unconditional love, self discovery and awakening to our divine truth as total potentiality. SAVI also shares how he used logic to discover the natural diet for humans, which cleanses toxins, reconnects us to nature, and expands awareness. Don't miss this engaging conversation that promises to illuminate the path of anyone seeking a deeper connection with the divine.
16:53 are lightworkers being called right now?
21:44 Do religions serve people?
24:45 Does our relationship to reality matter?
26:30 Becoming a choiceless observer
29:30 A new socio-economic paradigm
31:57 Our consciousness forms reality
33:31 Seeking outside the self versus within
36:27 The natural diet of humans and spiritual elevation
50:17 The whole point of the journey is not knowing
53:45 Fear is our greatest ally
Bio - An Unconventional Truth Seeker SAVI is a spiritual explorer and author of "The Journey Begins Within," where he chronicles his profound adventures through the realms of consciousness and the metaphysical. A dreamer by choice, SAVI has lived an extraordinary life marked by an unwavering quest for the ultimate truth. His path, defined by integrity, high ideals, and a stubborn refusal to conform to societal expectations, has led him through enlightening discoveries and humbling dead ends. His experiences, ranging from personal trials to encounters with the Divine, are shared to guide others toward their spiritual awakening. SAVI's life story is a testament to the belief that we are more than the sum of our experiences; the memories we leave on the paths of others genuinely define us. His work invites readers to embark on their journey of self-discovery, encouraging them to seek a deeper connection with the universe and the spirit within.
SAVI's book : The Journey Begins Within is an act of unconditional love for humanity channeled through a 40 day juice fast it wrote itself during April 2024. The objectives of the book and the YouTube channel are to educate humanity on their own blind spots as it relates to the Truth of what and who we are and what we came to experience.
#SpiritualAwakening #DivineConnection #SelfDiscovery #JourneyWithin #TrustTheDivine #SurrenderToManifestation #SpiritualGrowth #naturaldiet #seektruth #truthseeker #DivineWithin #holyencounter #godisreal
![Intimacy with the Divine with Marijke McCandless - EP 267](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog17822964/spiritual_forum_podcastinsta_banner_n72r3x_300x300.jpg)
Tuesday Jul 09, 2024
Intimacy with the Divine with Marijke McCandless - EP 267
Tuesday Jul 09, 2024
Tuesday Jul 09, 2024
Join Rev. Carol and her guest, Marijke McCandless, an award-winning writer, mindfulness coach, and playfulness instigator, as they dive into an intimate exploration of presence, vulnerability, and spiritual connection. Marijke shares her transformative journey through relationship healing, personal trauma, and spiritual awakening, leading to the creation of her latest book, "Naked in the Now, Juicy Practices for Getting Present." They discuss the profound impact of rapt attention in relationships, the metaphor of human intimacy in spiritual practice, and practical exercises to deepen one's connection with the divine. This engaging conversation promises to inspire and challenge listeners to shed their inhibitions and embrace the present moment with open hearts and minds.
Bio - Marijke McCandless is an award-winning writer, mindfulness coach, and playfulness instigator who helps people shed their inhibitions and skinny dip in the present moment. Her latest book is Naked in the Now: Juicy Practices for Getting Present.
Marijke's book, "Naked in the Now: Juicy Practices for Getting Present," is a unique and playful guide for anyone feeling disconnected from their vitality (i.e. the Divine) and uninspired to make a change. Short, fresh practices arouse your curiosity, help you change your mindset, teach you about the power of vulnerability and authenticity and put you in touch with the Divine--right now.
Marijke's website: https://marijkemccandless.com
#mindfulness #spiritualawakening #healing #spiritualgrowth #transformation #personaltrauma #divineconnection #relationshiphealing #nakedinthenow #vulnerability #beingvulnerable #authenticconnection #presence
![Woke: Awakening Our Intuition with Madhava Setty - EP 266](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog17822964/spiritual_forum_podcastinsta_banner_3rcqjc_300x300.jpg)
Tuesday Jul 02, 2024
Woke: Awakening Our Intuition with Madhava Setty - EP 266
Tuesday Jul 02, 2024
Tuesday Jul 02, 2024
Dr. Madhava Setty, a remarkable fusion of electrical engineering and medical expertise, embarked on a transformative odyssey. His journey began in the defense industry, designing tactical simulation programs for armies. But a pivotal moment occurred during an Arctic expedition, where he witnessed the pristine beauty of ice flows and pondered humanity’s impact on the environment. This awakening led him to switch careers, leaving behind warfare-related work to pursue medicine.
As an anesthesiologist, Dr. Setty's experiences in the operating room challenged conventional wisdom as he grappled with profound questions, such as "What does it mean to be awake?" and "Does awareness require a functioning body, or does it arise on its own?" Near-death experiences, where patients recount events during clinical death, defy our understanding of consciousness. Reincarnation cases, meticulously documented by researchers like Ian Stevenson, reveal children recalling past lives with astonishing detail. If we accepted the possibility of reincarnation, wouldn't it shape our behaviors today?
Dr. Setty’s exploration bridges the inner and outer worlds as he delves into the challenges facing our world today and the many unquestioned assumptions we live with. He invites us to use our intuition to clear our biases, so we can discover what is true beyond the many narratives we blindly accept. He encourages us to keep a curious mind, and he provides important tips on how to discern when experts are reliable or not. All key parts of our spiritual awakening!
Woke: An Anesthesiogists View book: https://www.amazon.com/Woke-Anesthesiologists-View-Madhava-Setty/dp/1098331540
Website: https://www.madhavasettymd.com/
Bio: Dr. Madhava Setty is an only child of parents that immigrated to the United States from South India in 1965. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from M.I.T. (‘88) and worked in the Aerospace and Defense Industries for six years. In the spring of 1992 he participated in a research expedition to the polar ice cap funded by the Office of Naval Research. That experience at the “top of the world” completely changed his life as he was no longer willing to participate in any effort that wasn’t directed to the alleviation of suffering on this planet. He received his medical education at Baylor College of Medicine (‘98) and training in Anesthesiology at The University of Pennsylvania (‘02). He became a Diplomate of the American Board of Anesthesiology in 2003 and has been in clinical practice since 2002. Closely observing thousands of patients under anesthesia, he was astounded to realize that our understanding of who we are as conscious beings is based on assumptions that can easily be overturned if we are willing to examine them openly. It turns out that unchallenged assumptions underpin our understanding of much of the world outside of the Operating Room as well. It is a matter of how closely we are willing to look.
Dr. Setty's book : "WOKE: An Anesthesiologist's View" is a book he wrote in 2020 which he believes will prove to be an important primer in the days and years to come.
#consciousness #neardeathexperience #woke #intuition #spiritualawakening #forgiveness #compassion #transformation #awareness #biases #criticalthinking #curiosity #discovertruth #questioneverything
![Active Hope with Chris Johnstone - EP 265](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog17822964/spiritual_forum_podcastinsta_banner_9d6dbf_300x300.jpg)
Tuesday Jun 25, 2024
Active Hope with Chris Johnstone - EP 265
Tuesday Jun 25, 2024
Tuesday Jun 25, 2024
In our journey through life, we all encounter challenges, crises, and often a sense of hopelessness, both on a personal and global scale. But what if we could transform our perspective and actively engage with the world to create a better future? In this episode, Chris Johnstone, co-author with Joanna May of the book, Active Hope, shares his wisdom on how we can move from our perceived sense of powerlessness - no matter the size of the problem - to active participation in positive change. Active hope is not just about wishful thinking; it’s about acknowledging the stark reality we face, choosing what we deeply hope for, and taking action toward the outcome we desire. Big things happen through small steps and we have the power to change ourselves and the world! Listen and be inspired to let hope be active through you.
Bio : Chris Johnstone is co-author, with Joanna Macy, of Active Hope – how to face the mess we’re in with unexpected resilience and creative power, a book now published in eighteen languages. He is also one of the UK’s leading resilience trainers, with four decades’ of experience teaching in this field. After a first degree combining medicine and psychology, he trained as a medical doctor and then worked for many years in the mental health field teaching resilience skills. He has pioneered the role of resilience training in mental health promotion, coaching practice, workplaces, and over the last twelve years in online education. He’s worked closely with Joanna Macy in developing Active Hope as a psycho-spiritual approach to transformational resilience in response to concerns about the world. His online courses for resilience and active hope reach thousands of people, with participants in over sixty countries. For info see https://collegeofwellbeing.com and https://activehope.training
Chris Johnstone's book : Active Hope book, revised edition, came out in 2022. Details at https://www.activehope.info
#resilience #transformation #hope #inspiration #spirituality #awakening #positivity #mentalhealth #interconnectedness #fosteringhope #betterfuture #overcomingchallenges #creativepower #activehope
![Evolving to Homo Ahimsa with Judy Carman - EP 264](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog17822964/spiritual_forum_podcastinsta_banner_5p8nnp_300x300.jpg)
Tuesday Jun 18, 2024
Evolving to Homo Ahimsa with Judy Carman - EP 264
Tuesday Jun 18, 2024
Tuesday Jun 18, 2024
What is the true nature of human beings? Judy Carman, author of Peace to All Beings and Homo Ahimsa: Who We Really Are and How We Are Going to Change the World holds a steadfast belief in humanity’s inherent nature as Love, rather than the dominant and violent species we have chosen to be. During this conversation, we explore the intersection of spirituality and universal compassion, highlighting Judy’s pivotal moments of awakening and her inspiring journey from a sensitive child in post-WW2 times to a spiritual seeker, activist and influential author. As friends and kindred spirits, Judy and Carol reflect on their shared paths from spiritual skepticism to spiritual surrender, and discuss the planetary awakening that will enable us to solve the massive worldwide challenges created by Homo Sapiens, and step into a bright future for everyone.
Judy will be leading a workshop on Homo Ahimsa at this year’s [thspiritualforum.org/retreat]Whole Planet Spirituality Forum and Retreat at Unity Village, October 20-30, 2024. Ahimsa, the Sanskrit word for non-harm, is the highest expression of selfless service; it is the confronting of violence with love; it is universal, divine unconditional love for all beings. Can we ascend out of our Homo Sapiens nature and awaken to our true hearts as Homo Ahimsa? We will explore the joyful steps we can take to create “A World That Works for All,” including ourselves.
Link to the retreat: thespiritualforum.org/retreat
Bio - Judy McCoy Carman, M.A., earth, peace, and animal activist, is the author of Peace to All Beings: Veggie Soup for the Chicken’s Soul and the new book, Homo Ahimsa: Who we Really are and how we're going to save the world. She is also co-author of The Missing Peace: The Hidden Power of our Kinship with Animals. In addition to animal rescue work, some current projects include the Animals' Peace Prayer Flag project; Vegan Spirituality interviews; and co-founding the Circle of Compassion, Prayer Circle for Animals Facebook and the Interfaith Vegan Coalition. She appears in the film, “A Prayer for Compassion,” and received the Henry Spira Grassroots Animal Activist Award in 2014. Her website is www.peacetoallbeings.com .
#AnimalActivism #PeaceToAllBeings #Ahimsa #UniversalCompassion #SpiritualAwakening #DivineLove #NonViolence #SpiritualJourney #CollectiveHealing #CompassionateWorld #EnlighteningExchange #SpiritualSeeker #evolvingconsciousness #spiritualsurrender #compassionforall
![You Are a Frequency with Debbie Sellwood - EP 263](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog17822964/spiritual_forum_podcastinsta_banner_9mhuaz_300x300.jpg)
Tuesday Jun 11, 2024
You Are a Frequency with Debbie Sellwood - EP 263
Tuesday Jun 11, 2024
Tuesday Jun 11, 2024
In this episode, we delve into the world of spiritual healing with our guest, Debbie Sellwood, a seasoned practitioner who has dedicated over two decades to exploring the natural avenues of healing. We discuss what causes illness, the importance of awakening to our emotional and mental bodies, and the transformation of our current allopathic medical model to one that considers the subtle anatomy and the whole person. This episode is a treasure trove of wisdom for anyone seeking to understand the intricate connection between our energetic and physical selves.
Bio : After a career in IT, Debbie has worked with energy for over 20 years. She is an advanced practitioner with the British Flower and Vibrational Essences Association. This modality recognises that humans comprise of a complex spectrum of electromagnetic energy frequencies which are related to our emotions and thinking. When vibrational essences are taken, out of balance emotions or negative thoughts are transmuted resulting in bringing equilibrium to the human condition. For most of her adult life she has been interested in natural ways of healing and using the force of consciousness as a tool for empowerment, emotionally, mentally and in a health sense. For over 25 years she has been a professional Astrologer. She is passionate about helping people understand who they really are so they can become their true authentic selves and make decisions that are in their best interests. She is the author of ‘You are a Frequency’ - How personal vibration influences health, wellbeing and development and ‘Centaury for Virgo, Rock Rose for Pisces’ - A guide to selecting flower essences by astrological sign. Both books are available on Amazon www.debbiesellwood.com
#healing #frequency #astrology #selfdiscovery #consciousness #holistichealth #spirituality #empowerment #mindbodysoul #spiritualawakening #spiritualgrowth #healingjourney #transformation #spiritualhealing #futureofmedicine
![Raging Fire of Love: What I Learned from Jesus, the Jews and the Prophet - EP 262](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog17822964/spiritual_forum_podcastinsta_banner_4jtjsq_300x300.jpg)
Tuesday Jun 04, 2024
Tuesday Jun 04, 2024
In this episode we delve into the common core of the Abrahamic religions - love. But not any kind of love. Author and professor Kelly James Clark walks us through the ways Judaism, Christianity and Islam each call people to express a raging fire of love -- a love that is intentional, passionate and inclusive. Dr. Clark, once a staunch fundamentalist, recounts his unexpected journey into the world of interfaith dialogue and bridge building, sparked by encounters that challenged his preconceived notions and led him to a profound respect for diverse spiritual paths. We uncover the power of curiosity and the virtue of humility as we release our fears and open our hearts to the value of every human’s quest for truth. Dr. Clark’s most recent book, Raging Fire of Love: What I Learned from Jesus, the Jews and the Prophet, was endorsed by the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmund Tutu.
Bio : Kelly James Clark, Ph.D. (University of Notre Dame), is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Ibn Haldun University in Istanbul. Kelly has held previous positions at Grand Valley State University, Calvin University and Gordon College and visiting appointments at Oxford University, the University of St. Andrews, Peking University, and the University of Notre Dame. He is the author, editor, or co-author of more than Thirty books including Raging Fire of Love: what I’ve learned from Jesus, the Jews, and the Prophet, Strangers, Neighbors, Friends: Muslim-Christian-Jewish Reflections on Compassion and Peace, and Abraham's Children: Liberty and Tolerance in an Age of Religious Conflict, Religion. He writes broadly and speaks widely on compassion, tolerance and peace.
Kelly James Clarks' book - "Raging Fire of Love"
#spirituality #religion #philosopher #transformation #love #prophet #jews #muslim #christianity #compassion #tolerance #peace #actoflove #interfaith #openmindedness #wisdom #harmony #journey
![Image](https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/8f96tk/podbean_About_US671f26f9-e265-9ca2-dee8-892f880dd8d8.jpg)
Rev Carol Saunders
Experienced Minister, Spiritual Leader, Speaker, Blogger and Podcast Host, with a demonstrated history working in spiritual organizations. Skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Public Speaking, Dialogue Facilitation, Spiritual Coaching, Writing, Pastoral Counseling, Premarital/Marriage coaching, Sacred Ceremonies and Conflict Resolution. Strong media and communication professional in the spiritual awakening business. For more information, Visit the about Rev Carol Saunders in the menu above