Podcasts about love is the power

Do you ever notice living with the thought, “There's something better than this”? Something better than here, better than now, better than what I'm living… It can become like a white noise machine – on in the background until we forget what silence feels like or that it's even running at all. In this episode, we explore that silence in the form of being without this thought. And there are some pretty beautiful findings in the experience. One way we notice reacting when we believe there's something better than what we're living, is we see mistakes everywhere. We blame our past selves for actions that we believe resulted in us being in a place we don't want to be in now. But who would we be – even for a moment – without these concepts. How might we see our lives?

This week's inquiry begins by noticing all the movements of life. Relationships, jobs, houses, cars, kids, wellbeing … everyday stuff. Do you experience any resistance just hearing that list? If you do, we invite you to follow along with an inquiry on the likely cause of that stress: believing the thought, “I have to keep it all going.” Is it true? Can you absolutely know that it's true? Does this thought bring peace or stress into your life? If it's stressful, it might be worth a second look.

This week's episode holds space for one of the main fears that can come up when we're experimenting with inquiry and getting free: the fear of being insensitive. As Tom points out, deep down nobody wants to be insensitive to the suffering that goes on in this world. And when we reach states of openness and freedom ourselves, sometimes the fear that shows up is hurting other people by not joining them in their misery. Through a vulnerable health-related share and an exploration into the possibility that everything – everything – works out in the best way possible, that sparks the conversation about how sensitivity fits into the equation of personal liberation, we invite you to join in on The Work.

Do you notice within yourself a tendency to approach life from a place of resistance? Resistance to what you don't want to experience, resistance to what appears to oppose you, or resistance in its other form: effort. Often we hold tightly to resistance as if it's the only thing between us and utter disaster. Or just living an experience we don't like. But could it be that our resistance is the only thing between us and relaxation? And that the only thing effort truly brings into our lives is stress? As Katie says, don't believe it. Find out for yourself. Follow along in this week's episode exploring our habit of resistance.

“If I receive, I owe something in return.” This thought is drilled into us from the very beginning with the teaching of “pleases” and “thank yous,” but is it true? It can be so easy to slip into the current of belief in this thought, because that's the way the world seems to work. But might it work differently if we didn't believe that receiving and owing go hand-in-hand? And more importantly, what is it like on a personal level believing that it's true that we can't receive without owing something in return? Could it be that nature doesn't live by rules of owing and earning? Have any of us ever actually earned the incredible abundance of the sun? Or the devotion of the chair that holds us up? Maybe those are clues to the nature of life, and therefore the nature of us.

Byron Katie does not want people's approval. She has no interest in manipulating people out of the way they see her. She wants them to think the way they think. According to Katie, that's love. In this episode, Tom guides a meditation around noticing wanting approval. Noticing what it's like living in the world of holding tightly to that desire, and noticing what it's like being free of it. Could it be that it doesn't matter what anyone is thinking about me? We invite you to follow along in this inquiry with situations in your own life where you notice attachment to being approved of.

Often we can experience the fear that if we follow our heart's desire, we will end up hurting people we love, or causing disasters, or being reckless, or any number of miserable outcomes. This week's brave share is an inquiry into that fear. What if the people in your life already see you as reckless and irresponsible? What if you think you might be showing up that way too? In the world of obligation, permission and justification, it becomes impossible to see with clarity. If you've been there (or are there now) we invite you to follow along and undo some of that confusion, and come into an experience of total freedom.

How does love fit into your life? Are you aware of your love or being loved? Love is fundamental to human existence; expressing love and feeling loved are key to a healthy and productive life. In reality, love is essential but is often forgotten. This episode explores how one small word—love—encompasses a vast spectrum of human experiences. While English limits us to a single term, ancient Greeks and Romans recognized nine distinct types of love that shape our relationships, creativity, and sense of self. Join us as we unpack these nine "colors" of love: from passionate Eros to playful Ludus, from the selfless Agape to the practical Pragma. Learn how these different expressions of love influence your daily life, your relationships, and your personal development. Through a simple yet powerful exercise called "The Love List," you'll discover which types of love dominate your life and which might be missing. This exploration isn't just theoretical—it's a pathway to deeper self-understanding and more meaningful connections with others. Whether you're reflecting on romantic relationships, family bonds, creative pursuits, or your relationship with yourself, this episode offers a framework to understand and express love in all its beautiful complexity. Hey there! Ever wondered how love fits into the grand scheme of your life? Join me, Paul Harvey, your midlife coach, in this bite-sized episode of the Life Passion and Business Shortcast where we dive into the essence of love. We all know love is fundamental to human existence, right? Yet, we often brush past it in our daily grind without giving it the spotlight it deserves. In this engaging episode, I explore how we can weave love into every aspect of our lives, from trivial things like our favorite foods to deeper connections we share with our families and friends. I invite you to make a 'love list'—an enlightening exercise that helps you map out the different kinds of love you experience. Have you ever thought about how your love for pizza differs from the love you feel for your partner? Or how does time spent with an old school friend evoke philia love? Together, we uncover the different faces of love as viewed through the lens of ancient Greek and Latin words—like Eros for passionate love, Philia for deep friendship, and Agape for unconditional love. It's all about recognizing these varying degrees in the everyday actions and relationships that fill our lives with meaning. We also tackle the importance of self-love, Philautia, emphasizing how acknowledging and embracing who we are can empower us to climb higher and weather the storms of life. This exploration isn't just about understanding; it's also about feeling and expressing love, which, as you'll see, is a true game-changer in your personal development journey. So, whether you wish to find more passion, build deeper relationships, or simply understand yourself better, this episode might just be the nudge you need. Don't forget to share it with a friend or leave a comment—let's spread the love and remind everyone that love truly is the better option! When you have completed your love list, mark it up as directed. Here are the different forms of love to remind you. Eros: Romantic Love, the Greek god of love, the Cupid cherub Philia: Affectionate love. This is the love between friends Agape: Unconditional; it is the love of sacrifice. Storge: Family love; it is how we feel about our parents and children Mania: Fixation and obsession are also forms of love. Ludus:  Play Pragma:  Pracicality. Meraki:  The Art of Creation. Philautia:  Self Love. For more information, check out the links below, and if you found this useful, consider buying me a coffee below.       Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life's big questions through weekly interviews with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying inquisitive and passionate about life, with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer.     The Five Questions eBook: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/the-five-questions Focus Coaching: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/focus-coaching/ Support The Podcast:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion Midlife Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/midlife-challenge/                        

Do you ever have a situation show up in your life that feels less than ideal and think, “I didn't sign up for this”? A partnership isn't like the beautiful image we thought it would be, a child gets sick, a job isn't what you hoped for, difficult communication arises. Or just this being human thing doesn't feel like a choice you made freely. All the challenges feel like way too much. It's impossible to rise to any occasion. It's impossible to be really happy. Welcome to the world of the thought – “I didn't sign up for this” – that this week's episode takes a long hard look at. We invite you to follow along with whatever situation brings this belief up for you, and find out who you are without it. Could it possibly be true that we have signed up for everything we've ever experienced?

In this inquiry on the thought, “who/what I am is not beautiful,” Tom says that when we discover our beauty it changes our relationship with everything. What's it like in the world of seeing ourselves as unbeautiful creatures? How do we show up? How do we treat ourselves? These are the questions that arise in this beautiful inquiry, along with their profound answers. Could it be time to allow ourselves to consciously experience being beautiful?

This week's episode looks at some words from awakened masters on the vanity of the Universe, of the God/Creator/Consciousness that uses existence to experience itself. It also looks at some of our reactions to those words. A common response to the idea that there is no separation, or as Katie puts it, that there is only One, can be a fear of loneliness. As if there only being One means it's a cold, lonely existence. Hand-in-hand with that fear can be a fear of not being enough, that sense of inadequacy that seems often so integral to the human experience. Could it be that we are the Oneness expressing and enjoying itself? And could it be that the experience of that aloneness isn't a lonely one after all?

Tom likes to say there's two main religions on this planet: “There's right and wrong,” and “If you get it wrong it's serious.” This week's episode focuses on the first of those commonly held beliefs and – through The Work – questions it. When we enter question 3 and look at how we react, what happens when we believe the thought, we're done looking at whether it's true or not. We are purely experiencing the effect of believing that it is true. So even if this thought has been drilled into you by parents/school/society/what have you, you have the freedom to look at your own experience and notice through the natural intelligence that shows up within us in inquiry what truly helps you show up the way you'd like to in life. Does the religion of right and wrong support you? If yes, you're free to keep it. If it hurts in any way, you're free to question it and follow along in this popcorn-style inquiry.

If you've been on a spiritual path or a journey of personal freedom of some kind, you might have come across the question of separation. Are we separate? From each other? From anything? From all that is? You might have also experienced the fear of “waking up” and having all individuality, all sense of self dissolve. What we noticed in this inquiry was that type of fear being one reason we hold onto believing in ourselves as separate from the rest of life. But maybe it isn't like that. As Tom often asks: Are you? Meaning are you aware? In this episode we invite you to come into your own experience of you and find out for yourself what's true about this notion of separation.

Have you ever believed the thought, “I have to earn my keep”? This week Tom guides a beautiful and bountiful inquiry into that thought, and all the ways we use it to keep ourselves from the natural abundance and beauty of life. It was so easy to begin believing as children that we are not worthy of all good things. But what kind of life do we create when we take that concept for truth? Could it be that life sees us differently? As Tom points out: the sun is free, the trees are free, the air is free… nature is always reflecting the abundant and beautiful nature of reality and who we are. In this group meditation we aim to reconnect with that awareness.

There's a lot going on in the world. Again. For many of us, the political landscape is where we get our work. Watching things that feel very far out of our control happen in ways we think they shouldn't is infuriating. Take political “leaders” contributions to climate change or as an example. It can be incredibly difficult and terrifying to watch, as is bravely brought up in this week's episode. One amongst many deep insights Tom shares in this time is that we reap what we sow, and if there's fear behind a tree-planting project (e.g.) then we're not planting trees; we're planting fear. This is why self-inquiry is one of the greatest acts of social activism we can take: it takes care of the fear within us and cleans up our emotional world, a change reflected instantly in the world at large. If you're feeling powerless, devastated, or downright outraged, this episode is for you. We hear you, and we invite you to follow along with your own work for social change.

This week we're looking at the tendency to identify with “The Efforter” as it relates to practical daily life. Unsurprisingly, identifying as The One Who Has To Make It All Happen can be a not-so-fun experience when we're being pushed from our comfort zone by life's twists and turns, especially when they're to do with a job/work situation that affects our day-to-day experience. Tom walks us through an insightful share-turned-group-inquiry in this episode that leads to some powerful awareness and freedom when we're willing to see the truth.

This week's episode took a turn from an exploration about money to the concept, “I need a reason to…” (fill in the blank). It took that turn for no apparent reason, although we think it did make for a pretty sweet episode. Tune in now to inquire into the assumption that everything we do needs a good reason behind it. A good reason to have the goals we have, a good reason to follow through on them, a good reason to say no, a good reason to say yes… Is any of that true? (You get to ask YOU.)

This week's episode centers around the feeling many of us experience as the worst possible fate: getting in trouble. Have you ever, as a kid or a grown-up, experienced someone being upset with you? Can you find the drop in the pit of your stomach when you believe that their anger means you've gotten ‘in trouble?' Some people's response to this thought is to yell back, some run away at the first chance, while others go numb and end up feeling like they abandoned themselves. Can you relate to these? What other reactions do you notice to the thought? And what might you notice if you didn't believe it? Pick a moment where you feel like you got in trouble and follow along in this real-world situation inquiry.

Welcome back and happy new year! This week we're looking at the ups and downs (mostly downs) of believing the thought “I could lose support.” This might be something you'll relate to if your holidays consisted of either: A) relaxation and a sense of permission to just be that you now feel slipping away as the world spins back into its usual belief in “the grind” or B) a rushed, overwhelming time of feeling like everyone's enjoyment depended on you. Both experiences can be the results of believing it's true that you could lose support, so together let's dp the work and find out if you ever truly can.

This week we're looking at the concept of “me time.” The coveted, elusive space that exists just for us, without obligations, roles, and responsibilities weighing us down. But could it be that “me time” is actually just a thought? A thought that, when we believe it, gives us a strong sense of being misused, undervalued, underappreciated and overworked? As Tom points out, it's a world of poverty we live in when we believe we have to carve out and protect our personal time. What if it's all my time? Would that make it easier to give an honest “Yes” and “No” to invitations? We invite you to follow along in this inquiry if it's an honest yes for you.

This week's episode is exploring the two halves of holding on. Specifically, holding onto opposing what we would not like to experience in life, and also holding onto what we would. What kind of creation do we live in when that's the belief we're operating from? Life becomes a tug-of-war of grasping and clutching at what we want, and resisting everything we want to avoid. Enjoy this week's group meditation as we notice what it's like to live these thoughts, and what possibilities lie beyond them.

This week Tom posed the question, “Can you absolutely know it's true that you are undeserving of a happy, wonderful life?” In the ensuing meditation, he also points out the possibility that our current individual lives and their events (whether we happen to be enjoying them or not) are exactly within our comfort zone, which is dictated by our sense of worthiness. It's when the vast majority of people believed the Earth is flat. It didn't make it true, but it did make the entire world feel limited and scary. It did make those who believed it live as if it were true. Perhaps we do the same thing when we think we know what we're worthy of – we give ourselves false limitations. Do you notice this in your own life? Follow along as we inquire into the concept of worthiness.

Love Is The Power listeners, join us this week for a powerful inquiry of a fearful mind. Tom guides a brave, beautiful share through The Work on the thought, “I can't trust life with the outcome of this situation.” If you can relate to ever feeling afraid (of loss of time, money, agency, freedom, or anything else), this week's episode is for you!

This week we're looking at the thought, “I have to survive.” To the mind, this is a concept that would be unthinkable to question. Of course we have to survive! But we're meeting that seeming certainty with an “Is it true?” As Katie says, everything is questionable. Even things that feel so obvious, like needing to stay alive. How do you react? What happens when you believe that?

In this short but sweet part II from last week's episode, the “our true nature is not beautiful” inquiry is expanding to hold, “I am not beautiful.” In a world obsessed with physical beauty, this thought is so painful for those of us who believe it. Enjoy this precious, brave exploration of that concept, and find out if it's really true.

This week's episode is an inquiry into the nature of humans. Is it true that who we are, deep down, is not beautiful? Even ugly? Do you notice a part of you that has that sneaking suspicion? Join us as we look at people, in all their ways of being, and see for yourself the true nature of humanity.

This week's episode is a hilariously relatable vignette of how we can sometimes be in such a great place, letting go off all sorts of large-scale problems in the world, feeling very accomplished in our practice of meditation or inquiry or whatever peace-creating habit is our favorite…and then it all comes crashing down because of one tiny thing that isn't how we want it to be. A chip in a chair that's not supposed to be there, for example. How do you react when you believe the thought, “I have to hold on to how wrong this is”? Whatever the ‘this' may be. Listen in on the inquiry and follow along with your own version of the chipped chair for some pretty amazing insights.

Can anyone relate to being afraid of being selfish? Accidentally hurting someone because you dared to explore what genuinely feels good to you? In this week's episode, we look at the world of the concept, “What's good for me will be bad for someone else,” that comes from a deeper belief in a win-lose world. (As in, if someone's winning, or experiencing something good for them, someone else must be losing and experiencing something that's bad for them.) What might happen if we give ourselves full permission to explore what feels good to us? Could it be just as good for the rest of the universe?

This week's episode is a continuation of the conversation that started last week about needing other people to show up differently. As Tom points out, when we make something wrong, we automatically go to work on it, whatever it is. When other people show up a certain way that we declare “wrong,” we work on it by arguing with them (even internally). But we also declare things we notice about ourselves wrong. And we work on them too. We even declare our thinking that someone else has wronged us… um, wrong. Could it be that life is not actually about what Tom refers to as one of the “main religions” of the world – right and wrong?

Is there someone in your life you notice unlovingness towards? This week's episode is an open-minded conversation and mediation on the experience of withholding love from the people we feel need to be different for the sake of our happiness. What's it like being dependent on what someone else does or doesn't do? As Tom puts it, everyone on the planet is fighting a righteous war. Everyone is on the side of right, as in all actions feel justified to the doer in some way. Could this be true? If it is, might the intelligent response be an openness to the world exactly as it is?

This week's episode takes a look at the stories we have about stories. Sometimes, in its precious eagerness to ‘get it right' the mind jumps ahead and asks, “Isn't the turnaround just another story?” And sometimes we believe that and become obsessed with what Byron Katie calls pretending ourselves beyond our own evolution. We assume that we should be constantly living in the blissed-out, meditative, formless perfection that we so often get to experience in question four of The Work. But in this episode we explore that idea and its accompanying implication, “Life is a race.”

This week's episode is an inquiry into the thought, “I need to keep myself alive.” Something that's easy to believe, and something we react to in small and large ways. From obsessively feeding the body to attempting to protect ourselves from emotions like disappointment or fear (ironically by living in constant pre-emptive fear), we're unearthing what the life experience is like when we assume keeping ourselves alive is just part of the job description in this life. This entrenched belief can come from a fear of not existing, and cause us to hold on for dear life to a “who I am,” but could it be that it's enough to just notice ~that~ we are? And where might that experience lead?

This week we're exploring the thought, “I could do or be Me wrong.” What happens when we believe this? Does it give rise to self-condemnation, worry, and defence? A sense of having to constantly prove that I'm not doing ‘me' wrong? It could be that this belief is a major player in a lot of scary stories we tell about ourselves. And what is it like without this thought? What do you notice as you follow along?

In this week's episode, we revisit a group inquiry into the thought, “I can waste…[fill in the blank].” It's a popular belief held by most of us in one way or another. We believe we can waste time, energy, money, food, resources and a litany of other things, but as Tom puts it: what if the nature of the Universe is limitless? Meaning “wasting” could be a non-issue. Sound like a fantasy? Let's find out.

This week Tom leads a simple yet powerful exploration: What are some of the stressful stories you tell about yourself? “I'm not good enough.” “I don't fit in.” “I'm just an anxious person.” “I'm too much, too intense.” And why not open it up to life? “Life is too difficult.” “Life is out to get me.” “Life is short (and therefore I can get it wrong).” How can we believe these stories without experiencing ourselves as limited and defective, and life as cruel and punishing? As Tom puts it, “Notice how perfectly you live whatever you're believing.” What kind of world might we experience if we're open to new ways of seeing ourselves and life?

Have you ever noticed living in a perpetual state of “no”? Pushing against what we don't want, declaring we never want this, that or the other to happen… Sometimes we hang onto this belief out of fear that if we let go, everything we aren't interested in experiencing will rush into our lives right away. This week, we're having a good look at our To-Not-Do lists and seeing if we really need them to run our lives. And because open means open, we also look at the idea of certain desires or goals being “unspiritual” and the idea that we must get to a place of perfect peace about all life circumstances in order to make a change. Could it be that there are no limitations whatsoever in reality?

In an exploration of what Tom calls “feeling the burn” – the sensation of embarrassment at a memory that disrupts our self-importance – what comes up is a beautiful inquiry into the treasured story “I am a loser.” While there is so much pain and self-condemnation in believing that, there is also a significant payout of never having to compete. Join in from wherever you are on the popcorn-style inquiry that ensues as we free ourselves of the notion that life is a competition.

How do you react when you believe that you have to hold onto something—anything? Does it bring peace or stress into your life? In this episode, we're exploring the mind's tendency to want to hold onto things. We're looking at what we think we're holding onto (a happy life, health, harmony, joy) versus what we really hold onto (fear, scarcity, anxiousness) with this belief. We hold onto this holding on in relation to the future, but when does that future actually arrive? When do we stop forgoing peace now in favor of an imaginary peaceful ‘someday'? Might it be that when we allow the letting go, we allow ourselves to open to the flow of a magical, limitless universe? Let's find out.

This week we're looking at not just accepting reality exactly as it is, but welcoming it wholeheartedly. A common argument of the mind against this peaceful way of being is “But if I love everything as it is, I won't ever be motivated to make a change!” This is especially convincing when looking at the wider scope of the world and all its events. Dive into this meditation on the sense of dependence on anything external (the government, the body, success, relationships, food, approval, etc) for our sense of safety and wellbeing. We have lots of data from experimenting with resistance. What's welcoming like?

In the world of gaining and losing, one of the main things we hold tightly to is the health of the physical body. We believe it's something we can lose if we have it, or something we can strive for if we don't. Either way, this belief creates an intense experience of fear and not-okayness. One of the sub-questions in The Work is “What physical sensations arise when you believe that thought?” In this week's exploration of what Tom calls “The Myth of Death,” we're exploring the possibility that health might have nothing to do with the physical body, and everything to do with what we think. 

Come with us into an exploration of the world of opposites. Tom guides an inquiry on what it's like believing in the dualities that present themselves as real guiding stars (unacceptable-acceptable, success-failure, fair-unfair, competent-incompetent). These concepts hold hands and skip together through our experience, often without our realizing they are concepts. This week, we're having a good look at various opposites and seeing who we might be without them.

CJ shares some thoughts on creating in the state of love. If we create with money in mind, we limit ourselves to the physical plane and work from a place of lack. We create with spirit most successfully when we keep our eyes and hearts in a place of love and make decisions from that place.Enjoy this 5-minute message and share it with your friends. For more information, visit www.spiritualartisttoday.com.

This week we're looking into the taken-for-reality story of separation. It's a concept most of us have readily accepted as just the way it is, but what might it look like from the perspective of the Don't-Know Mind? Does the story of separation as we believe it create peace or stress in our experience? Are we even allowed to question something that seems so obviously true? It just might be that we are, and it just might be that without this story we get to experience the love and harmony we're looking for. 

Last week we explored the illusory past and experimented with being free of identifying with it. In this part II, we're questioning the fear response that, according to Tom, often shows up when we get close to the truth of who we are. In this episode, fear comes up around needing permission to live the way we'd like to live. Could it be that, in reality, we don't need anyone's permission? We notice that with this thought we experience varying shades of misery, limitation and resentment. We notice without it there's openness and peace. Tom asks, “Could that be enough information?” When we're our own permission slip, we get to decide for ourselves.

What is life like from the vantage point of the past? When we hold onto and identify with the past images we call memories, we unknowingly lose touch with reality here, now. This week's episode is an experiment with freeing ourselves from the illusion of a past, and it's a profound one. We are fearlessly looking at the nature of memories, stories, thoughts, images and feelings and asking: Is that me?

This week we're exploring the desire for, and the fear of, allowing what is. On the one hand, we want to be peaceful, open human beings. On the other, we are afraid of what will happen if we truly relax and let go of the need to be disturbed as a path to creating change. We hold onto our unhappiness to prove our goodness. Many of us learned to hold the suspicion that we are secretly uncaring, insensitive beings, and we resist allowing ourselves to relax and be at peace out of fear that we'll find out for sure that's who we are. In this episode, we meet that resistance with Tom's favorite response: “I'm open, let's see if that's true.”

Ep. description: We can all find within us where we believe something shouldn't have happened. Someone shouldn't have gotten sick, someone shouldn't have treated us the way they did, the list goes on… This week's inquiry takes a look at what happens to our life experience when we take for absolute fact the belief that something shouldn't have happened, and explores the peaceful empowerment that shows up without this story. It might be that it's not only enough, but one of the most powerful acts of peace to end the inner war with reality, here and now. We wonder, can freedom be that simple? The invitation here is to follow along and find out.

In this week's episode we are invited to give ourselves, every person, and the entire world the freedom to be as we and they are. We invite you to follow along and use examples from your own life as you hear the group participants share and explore their own stressful concepts related to this invitation. ‘The Work' as meditation is a living practice — all that is needed is an open mind and a willingness to discover what is true for yourself.

In this week's episode we are invited to question the story: “I am separate from everyone and everything else.” We invite you to follow along and use examples from your own life as you hear the group participants share and explore their own stressful concepts related to this belief. ‘The Work' as meditation is a living practice — all that is needed is an open mind and a willingness to discover what is true for yourself.

This week's episode focuses on the story: “If I receive something, I have to give something back.” We invite you to follow along and use examples from your own life as you hear the group participants share and explore their own stressful concepts and stories. ‘The Work' as meditation is a living practice — all that is needed is an open mind and a willingness to discover for yourself what is true.