November 12, 2024 • 46 mins
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Amidst the chaos of today's political and media landscape, can we find common ground that transcends our differences? Join me, Giana Girrusso, as I share my personal insights on how we can harness our shared values for societal progress. By weaving spirituality into our daily lives, we explore how to engage in tough, respectful conversations that pave the way for constructive change. Through my own experiences of evolving perspectives, I emphasize the need to remain open to new information and ideas, fostering a Renaissance of art, connection, and empathy in our communities.
As we navigate this mass awakening towards a more conscious society, personal growth and self-care become essential tools for transformation. I share my journey of dealing with stress and anxiety, underscoring how practices like yoga and reaching out for support can illuminate our inner light, ultimately inspiring others and making lasting changes. Reflecting on the stark contrast between new and old media, we discuss the societal shift towards truth and analysis, and the importance of embracing all emotions without judgment. Lean on supportive communities and tools, as it's okay to seek help in facing both personal and collective challenges.
Balancing self-care with social change is a critical endeavor, particularly for millennials straddling the pre- and post-technology worlds. By setting boundaries with social media, engaging in joyful activities like baking and book clubs, and finding grounding practices through platforms like "Meditate to Elevate," we can reconnect with ourselves and others. I urge listeners to embrace discomfort in conversations and perform selfless acts, seizing opportunities to volunteer and spread kindness as the seasons change. Through meditation and meaningful dialogue, find peace amidst the chaos and continue progressing on your journey of personal and spiritual development.
Click here to join Meditate to Elevate and start your meditation practice today!
Nearly Enlightened Podcast
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome back to the Nearly Enlightened Podcast.
I am your host, gianna Girusso,and today I am my own guest, so
there's no one on today.
I took last week off and Ithought it was time for a solo
episode, since the last time Idid a solo episode was like
April and we've had a lot ofamazing guests on, and the
(00:24):
Nearly Enlightened podcast isreally shaping up to be beyond
my wildest dreams.
I think it's so incredible thatwe have a library at this point
of amazing episodes that arebasically resources.
They're conversations withpeople who are out there
changing the world and and I'mso excited about that.
(00:46):
So last week I really wanted totake last week off just to
observe the week that it was.
It brought up a lot of emotions, it was very charged, the media
was going crazy and there was alot of overwhelm and just like
(01:10):
these nagging negative feelings,and, of course, I have a hot
take on all of this.
I personally am really excitedin the direction that America is
going.
It doesn't matter who you votedfor or what your political
views are.
I think that we're starting tosee a tangible shift in
(01:35):
conversations and in what theAmerican people want, and I
think it's really important toremember.
That's my hot take.
I think it's really importantto remember that we're all more
alike than we are different.
So we watched mainstream mediapit us against each other and
really do the divide and conquerthing.
(01:56):
This is not new news to anyone.
This is something that's beengoing on for a very long time in
mainstream media and I thinkit's time, as the American
people, we demand better.
I think that it's time that wetake a look at bipartisan news
and we are just looking at thefacts.
(02:18):
Opinion has no place in thatrealm.
We just need the facts, and Ithink that, at the core, it
doesn't matter what side of thepolitical spectrum you're on.
We all really want similarthings.
I think it doesn't matter ifyou're right or left or in
(02:40):
between.
We can all agree that we wantpeace.
We want prosperity forourselves and for our family and
for our loved ones.
We want access to realhealthcare, science-based
healthcare.
We want good education for ourfuture generations, and I think
(03:00):
this is an important one,because it doesn't matter if you
have children or not, but theeducation of future generations
is so important because thosegenerations are going to be the
generations that take over whenwe're old and not able to be
kind of in the mix.
And if they're not educated,then that has a ripple effect
(03:23):
down on society.
And if they're not educated,then that has a ripple effect
down on society.
So I think it's time toremember that we all are more
alike than we are different.
So it's important to kind of askyourself the tough questions
like why does this time feel sodivisive and heavy if really at
our core we all want suchsimilar things?
Really at our core we all wantsuch similar things?
(03:46):
So I think that the politicalsphere it people say that
political sphere andspirituality, religion, they
have no place intertwined withone another.
But I vehemently disagree.
Um, I think that the shiftforward we are going to see
spirituality fused in everyaspect of life, as it should be,
(04:08):
and maybe that's a hot take too.
But if you're going within, ifyou are doing that deep inner
work that radiates out and we'regoing to see that change.
I think right now we're seeingthe systems and structures that
no longer work for the wholestart to crumble and not just
crumble.
But now people are waking upand being like, oh, I get it,
(04:30):
this really is not working.
So I think it's important forthose of us that do get it, that
have been on this train, thathave been doing the work, it's
time for us to start reallystepping forward in having the
conversations that are going tobuild the new structures and
systems that do work foreveryone.
(04:51):
And I think that one of thethings that we have shied away
from in the last, however manyyears, is having difficult
conversations, difficult,respectful conversations with
one another that help to be orhelp to shape that change.
So if we're all agreeing allthe time or if we're all
tiptoeing around each other'striggers, we're not having those
(05:15):
tough conversations that reallyresult in progress, and I think
we've seen that stagnation playout.
So I think it's time to starthaving these difficult
conversations, to respectfullyhave these conversations.
So, if you notice everyone thatcomes on this podcast, I don't
always totally agree witheverything that they're doing or
(05:38):
saying, but we have reallyrespectful, open conversations,
really respectful, openconversations.
And you know I'm a Gemini sunsign and Gemini sun signs we
kind of get a bad reputationbecause we're known as, like the
, the Zodiac flip-floppers, butfor me, when I've, when I've
come to a more grounded place, II'm comfortable with changing
(06:08):
my mind when given newinformation that makes me shift
my perspective.
So I'm not always changing mymind with given new information,
sometimes it stays the same,but I am open to to shifting
what I.
What I say isn't Bible andthat's been my kind of back and
forth with the podcast is nowthe podcast is going on like
three or four years old, so someof those earlier episodes, like
(06:30):
I don't totally even agree withwhat I was saying, and some of
them, is there good informationthere?
Are they good?
Healthy conversations?
Absolutely.
But being on this path, myperspective has maybe shifted in
certain ways and evolved and Ithink that's a really healthy
attitude and way of being.
(06:53):
I think it's important toanalyze things or reanalyze
things when presented with newinformation, and I think that's
where we're at.
We are truly in a renaissance.
So this is the time to createart, to write, to connect, to
practice non-judgment, to havethese tough conversations in
(07:16):
respectful ways, because this istruly how progress is made and
how we're going to push theneedle forward in creating a
better society, a healthiersociety.
You know, I am really excitedthat RFK is getting a cabinet
seat and we're talking aboutthings like the science behind
(07:37):
seed oils.
Is not true.
It went from being a machineoil lubricant to being a heart
healthy oil.
How did that happen?
So we're really seeing therestructuring of health and
capitalism and I truly could notbe more excited.
So we're coming off the 1111portal yesterday.
So a great time to kind ofreevaluate and set forth what we
(08:08):
want to see from the future,and I think that I personally
think this is a very excitingtime.
I'm stoked, I am so excitedthat we are talking about health
in a way that we haven't before, and it's sad that the
mainstream media is justlabeling RFK as like a
conspiracy kook, because thereis facts, there is science
(08:32):
against the dangers of fluoride.
It's not what we thought it was.
So it's time to reanalyze, lookat these things that we have
just accepted as the status quo,and it's time to put the people
back in the government.
I, for one, am so excited.
I think that this is a massawakening for so many people,
(08:58):
and people are searching,they're looking for the answers
and I've said it on the podcasta million times it is time to go
within.
When you stoke that light fromwithin, it just shines out and
you give permission to otherpeople to do the same, and I
think that we are seeing thathappen at such a rapid rate I
(09:22):
can't say it enough, I'm so, I'm.
I can't say it enough, I'm soexcited.
I think that this is the timeto, it's the Renaissance, right.
So it's time to go within to,to work on yourself and, in turn
, let that be what moves all ofyour relationships, moves all of
(09:43):
your relationships.
We're coming back to choosingjoy and self-care, and that
looks a little bit different foreveryone, but it's time to
nurture ourselves and nurturethis rebirth of this new society
that we're honestly at the dawnof.
(10:06):
So I think that it's time tomove away from the negative, the
fear mongering.
I think that what we saw happenin this last election, it was
really new media versus oldmedia and the way that old media
has positioned itself as fearand lies and exaggerations and,
(10:32):
truthfully, misinformation.
I think that we all chose newmedia.
The bipartisan, take a hardlook, analyze.
I think that that we chose thatas a people and and that's
really excited that is atelltale sign of a true shift.
That's that's happening.
(10:52):
So we're seeing the crumblingof what no longer works and
we're moving towards um, we'removing towards a better world.
I know that sounds so surfaceand superficial, but I think
that we're really going to startto see those changes in
education, in healthcare and ingovernment.
(11:15):
Excuse me, I'm so excited Ican't even talk.
So I think some actionable stepsto step forward is to really
focus on your own inner peace,and this, you know, it always
comes back to yoga.
So yoga is the science ofwellbeing and in the practice of
(11:36):
yoga we learn to deal withstress, go through stressful,
uncomfortable situations in away that our body can handle it
better.
So in yoga we put ourselvesintentionally in these stressful
situations.
So I say this all the time inmy yoga classes the heat in yoga
(11:59):
has nothing to do with yourmuscles, it has nothing to do
with tissues.
It has everything to do withmaking you uncomfortable.
It's designed to bring you tothose deep dark places of your
brain.
It's meant to make you feellike you're going to die.
It's meant to bring you on thislike journey, to, to spark kind
(12:22):
of that inner dialogue so thatyou can practice coming back to
center.
So when your mind goes to thosedeep dark places, the practice
of yoga itself is designed totake you there, so you can
practice controlling your mindin a controlled setting.
So when we're continuouslybringing ourselves to this
uncomfortable place, we'resweating, it's hot, we're moving
(12:45):
our muscles, we're holdingposes, we're building strength.
When we bring ourselves tothose uncomfortable places, we
train our mind to stay in centerand it's not always perfect,
right.
Sometimes we go to those deep,dark places and we need to
practice coming back.
But when we do thisrepetitively, we are literally
(13:07):
rewiring our brain to betterhandle stressful situations.
So last week I'll talk aboutthis personally.
Last week was a lot justcollectively, and then some
things that I had going on in myown personal life and let me
tell you I spiraled Monday.
Last Monday was a hard day forme.
(13:30):
I emergency SOS Danielle Venusrising Um that's.
She's been on the podcast acouple of times, she's a shaman
and I was like I need a session,I need help, I need to calm the
fuck down and I just need someassistance.
And I think that wholeexperience as a whole is
(13:53):
important, because in the past Iwould have just spiraled by
myself, I would have made itworse and I would have beaten
myself up for the spiral ingeneral.
But last week was a hugeopportunity and it was a huge
shift in how I handle things.
So I didn't spiral by myself.
(14:15):
I didn't allow myself to spiralfor long.
It was like maybe an hour ortwo, and then I reached out for
help.
I, I, I took action.
I went to Danielle, I did whatI needed to do to ground myself
and to come back to a place ofcenter, but I allowed myself to
(14:36):
feel those feelings.
I cried, I felt uncomfortable.
I allowed myself to sit withthe anxiety without shoving it
down or like pushing it away orusing substances to.
I mean, I did smoke weed, butum, and that was, that was kind
of after the fact Um, but Ireally allowed myself to fully
(14:59):
feel the scope of what I wasfeeling, both personally and
collectively, and, um, it reallyhelped me to feel better,
quicker.
And that's not alwaysnecessarily the answer, right,
because we're not meant to feellike amazing good 100% of the
time, like we are humans havinga human experience and we're
(15:21):
meant to feel the full range ofhuman emotions, and those aren't
always positive.
So I really allowed myself tosit with that, without judging
myself, without beating myselfup, and that wasn't how I always
handled situations like this.
So I was really in this placewhere I knew that I, I knew that
(15:44):
there was a shift happeningboth collectively and personally
.
So that was just a little bitabout my experience last week.
Like we're all going to make it.
We're all going to make itthrough, it's going to be okay.
But we just have to lean on thepeople and the tools to help
(16:04):
bring us to that better place.
And that's okay to ask for helpin a healthy way and I'm
personally really proud ofmyself for that because, like I
said in the past, I wouldn'thave asked for help.
I would have kind of justspiraled by myself and made it a
hundred times worse and so Ireally hope that this gives you
permission to kind of dig in andfind what works for you.
(16:28):
It's going to be different foreveryone.
I share um on my website, on mysocial medias, on this podcast,
the tools that work for me.
But let this be your permissionto go find the tools that work
for you and maybe it's a littlebit different.
Maybe it's mountain climbing,maybe it's paintballing, like I
don't know.
Just find what works for you.
(16:52):
Maybe it's an Epsom salt bathat the end of the night or an
Epsom salt foot soak, like justlean into the practices that
work for you and allow yourselfto explore, like when, when
you're finding those tools thatare that are going to work for
you.
Like you may not find it rightaway, like you, you know, maybe
it's.
You try yoga, but maybe yoga isnot for you, and I don't truly
(17:16):
believe that.
I believe, if you give it time,yoga is for everyone.
But just as an example, likeyou're, maybe you mountain bike
right and maybe that's not foryou.
Maybe you need something alittle bit more restful.
Maybe you need a stretch classor just a moment to lay on the
floor and do some self-care,like rollout techniques, roll
(17:40):
out on some tennis balls or usea Theragun, like whatever it is
for you.
Just start to explore thosetools and the more you allow
yourself to be open and explorethe tools that work for you.
Just start to explore thosetools and the more you allow
yourself to be open and explorethe tools that work for you, the
easier it comes to you.
You'll find those things right,and maybe it's just like
(18:00):
painting pottery, maybe it'sfinding a new hobby, maybe it's
cooking a new recipe, likewhatever it is.
Just go out there and becurious without judgment, and I
know that that in itself is apractice like we've all been
conditioned to judge ourselvespretty harshly.
We're usually all our ownhardest critics.
I know I'm speaking fromexperience there, but let the
(18:23):
practice be like.
Meditation has been so importantand powerful to me because it
allows us to be the observer ofour body and mind and I say this
all the time when I'm guidingmeditations is to observe your
thoughts, observe your bodysensations, without assigning
any attachment or emotion ormeaning, so without judgment.
(18:46):
Maybe you have a naggingshoulder injury.
So every time you sit down tomeditate, that shoulder injury
just speaks to you.
It just like kind of acts up.
It's achy, like whatever.
It is like.
Allow yourself to observe thatwithout judgment or whatever
thoughts arise.
Like I tell my students, it'slike you're lying on your back,
(19:07):
you're watching the sky, you'rewatching the big, fluffy, real
clouds roll by.
It's the same way whenobserving your thoughts.
It's like your thought is thatfluffy cloud, so just noticing
it and watching it move out ofview.
It's the same thing with ourthoughts.
We're just allowing the thoughtto come up.
(19:27):
We're not assigning anyattachment or emotion or meaning
to that thought.
We're just like looking at thethought with the observer's eye
and letting it go.
And the more we practice thesetools, the easier it becomes to
do and every day is going to bedifferent.
Right, it's like a rollercoaster ride, but it's the
practice that really roots usand grounds us there.
(19:48):
And I think it's so importantto find those tools, to find
those practices that work andreally hold onto them, make them
a part of your daily life.
And we all have the time.
We are lying to ourselves whenwe say that we don't have the
time.
We do.
Check your screen time.
(20:09):
My screen time is a couplehours a day, like if I can
scroll through my phone for acouple hours a day, I can
certainly carve out time forfive minutes of meditation, and
I'm saying that for myself andI'm saying that as a reminder to
you if you think you don't havetime.
Check your screen time, checkwhere you're prioritizing, where
(20:30):
you're giving your time to like.
Time is the most preciousresource that we have.
So let's stop kidding ourselves.
We all have 24 hours in a day,maybe less than that, cause we
sleep for, hopefully, eighthours.
Um, but use your dayintentionally.
But use your day intentionallybecause what's on the other end
(20:52):
of that phone?
It's not real.
It's not real and it's used bythe mainstream as a tool to
manipulate and fear monger.
And, just like you know I thinkI've said this on the podcast
before like you know, wedemonize AI, but AI can be a
(21:12):
really amazing resource for asmall business.
So it's all in the intention ofhow you use something.
So if you're using your phoneto doom scroll, to be programmed
excuse me, be programmed bycertain ideologies or thought
(21:36):
processes, then we're not usingit intentionally.
You know I curated my.
You know everyone was like, oh,last Tuesday, stay off.
Last Tuesday and Wednesday,stay off your phone, stay off
the internet.
Like what?
Yeah, that's great, but like,have you curated your algorithm
so that you're not seeing thebullshit things?
(21:59):
Like I actually had two reallygreat days, so after Monday
being like really tumultuous andjust feeling all these things,
letting that go and coming backto a place of center, I felt so
awesome and grounded and excitedon Tuesday and Wednesday, and
not because of who won, notbecause of anything like that,
(22:21):
but I, because it was a hugeopportunity to go a little bit
deeper.
I really curated my algorithm.
So I'm not seeing those, thosefear mongering posts, I'm not
seeing the division and I meansometimes it slips in, but not
letting yourself succumb to that, and knowing, knowing when to
(22:44):
take a break, because it's it'shealthy to take social media
breaks.
You know, if you're amillennial, we're like the last
generation that we really were.
Our childhood really becamebefore the technology boom.
So we have, we're like in thesetwo worlds, like we can survive
without it, but we really seethe tools and the benefits for
(23:08):
it.
You know, if it wasn't fortechnology, like I wouldn't have
this platform, I wouldn't bedoing what I'm doing.
So it's a, it's a healthy danceand a healthy balance and, um,
I think that goes for for all oflife like, have that healthy
balance, take the social mediabreaks when you need to.
(23:28):
I'm not saying to you know,there's so much division.
I was saddened to see like, oh,if you voted for this person, I
can't be your friend anymore.
And in the 2020 election I Ilost, um, one of my best
(23:50):
friendsances and views and someof my views on where America
should be headed, and thatperson took that as division, as
hate towards themselves.
And it wasn't that at all, um,and I think it's really sad that
(24:11):
people are are losing friendsbecause we can't have
differences of opinions and thisgoes back to having those tough
conversations.
We can have different views anddifferent opinions and we can
still love and respect oneanother and we can still be in
each other's lives.
Like, just because myviewpoints might be different
than yours and yours might bedifferent than mine, it doesn't
(24:33):
mean you have to fight about it.
You know, maybe we have healthy, nonjudgmental, calm, loving
conversations about it, becausethat's how progress comes about,
that's how we come together incompromise out.
(24:53):
That's how we come together incompromise, that's how we create
these new systems that work foreveryone.
By having these toughconversations.
And I think there's a lot ofpeople that are coming to power
right now that are willing tolook at this, willing to have
these tough conversations, andwe're ready to shift America
into the true superpower that itshould be.
You know it's time that weupleveled our education.
(25:14):
We went from being first inmath and science in the 40s, 50s
and 60s Now we are like deadlast, like we owe our children
better than this, like I youknow, elon Musk talks about it a
little bit like where are allthe inventors and the innovators
(25:35):
?
Like it is time to put thosepeople at the forefront, like
it's time for new inventions andnew ways of thinking.
So I'm really excited and Ithink the work starts with the
self, like the more you findthese tools that you can um, you
(25:56):
can focus on building a healthyrelationship with yourself,
that just reverberates out andand you start to become become
the light that's going to sparkthis change.
So if you're having a tough timedealing with the last week or
just like the uncertainty ofwhat's to come, some tools that
(26:22):
I have for you are to be take totake mindful or to be mindful
in your media consumption, so noone to take breaks know when to
set boundaries.
So one thing for me it's likemy phone goes off around 1030.
I put it on airplane modewhatever happens, from like 1030
(26:44):
PM to like 9 AM when I put itback on, like it can wait.
Like 9am when I put it back on,like it can wait.
So I set that hard boundary formyself.
Like my phone is on airplanemode at night when I'm like
getting ready to rest, um, sothat would be my suggestions
(27:04):
around that.
And then I would say, if you'rehaving a tough time with the
last week or so, do what bringsyou joy, gratitude journal,
spend time in nature.
Nature is truly healing, it'sgrounding.
It will bring you back toperspective.
(27:24):
Spend time with the trees.
Spend time with your feet inthe ocean, even if it's super
cold.
Allow yourself that experiencewith the trees.
Spend time with your feet inthe ocean, even if it's super
cold, like.
Allow yourself that experience.
Engage in hobbies that upliftyou, or find hobbies that uplift
you, like.
I think that technology hastaken over so many facets of our
(27:46):
lives that people have lost theart of the hobby, and this is
something that I've been workingon, I've been coming to.
Many of you know that I am likea sourdough queen, so I love to
bake.
That is my outlet when I needto just bring some joy into my
(28:07):
life, when I need to just likeunplug, when I need to just like
unplug, when I need to justlike not think and be in that
flow state, I'll always likewhip up something good.
The other hobby that I love andthat brings me so much joy is I
belong to a book club and wemeet every four to six weeks,
(28:29):
and not only has that like uppedmy, my reading game, so I'm
reading way more books than I,than I used to.
I used to only really readbooks that had to do with yoga
and healing and self-help.
So it was like really serious,heavy stuff all the time.
But this book club allowed meto tap into.
I mean, we read every genre butlike fiction and just like
(28:55):
exercise, that imaginationmuscle, and I get to get
together with a wonderful groupof women every four to six weeks
who we wouldn't normally like,our paths might not have
normally crossed.
We're all connected through oneperson who was my cousin, who
she started the book club almosttwo years ago.
(29:18):
So this book club has beengoing on for almost two years
and it's so amazing to justbring these women together who
have different views, havedifferent experiences, come from
different walks of life.
Some are single, some aremarried, some are mothers, some
are childless.
We are so different but we cometogether for this book club and
(29:42):
it's always such an amazingconnection.
We just met this past Saturdayand it was exactly what my soul
needed.
We literally sat there for likefive and a half hours just
enjoying each other's companyeating, chatting, talking about
the book, talking about lifethings and having that
connection is absolutelyinvaluable.
(30:03):
So if you're looking forconnection, start a book club,
join a book club, soul Sanctuary, justine Harrington.
She's been on here before inthe past, soul Sanctuary, her
business.
They have a book club thatmeets, I believe, monthly.
So if you don't know anyone ordon't have people who you think
(30:25):
would join your book club, goout and find one there.
It's really just like such anamazing experience to like be
collective, read something thatyou might not normally have read
.
It really broadens yourhorizons and it has been such an
(30:46):
integral part of my healing thelast like year and a half, um,
to just meet and have that space.
It's.
It's been truly um somethingthat I am eternally grateful for
.
It's literally helped propel meforward through the heart the
hardest year of my life.
(31:06):
Um, something as simple as asgoing to a book club and you and
sometimes I don't finish thebook, sometimes I hate the book,
sometimes I love the book butjust allowing yourself to show
up in that space and be incommunity and connection,
there's really nothing likehaving that.
So if you don't have that, goout and find it, make it happen.
(31:29):
God helps those who helpthemselves.
So if you're sitting and, likeI'm manifesting, I'm waiting,
like you will be waiting for therest of your life, you have to
put it to action.
You have to show the universe,show God that that you're
willing to make those steps andeverything comes in flow.
Make those steps and everythingcomes in flow.
(31:54):
So if I can encourage anythingtoday, in this episode, it's to
prioritize self-care and to leaninto the practices that help
you become the best versions ofyourself, regardless of any
external circumstance, becauseno one can take these tools away
from you, no one can takeeducation away from you.
So when you're investing inyourself, whether it be through
monetary means or by time, it'sinvaluable.
(32:18):
You are you, you're doing thework.
You're doing the hard work thatmost people don't even have the
courage to show up for.
Another thing that I wanted totalk about in regard to this
whole situation in regards tothe political sphere, the social
sphere, what's going on?
(32:38):
This is a little bit of a hottake, but no political figure is
going to save you.
No political figure is going toshift the whole landscape as we
know it.
It's about holding these peopleaccountable and getting
(32:58):
involved, so finding that innerpeace, finding the tools that
work for you.
They reverberate out and theygive permission to people to do
the same, and I think that weneed to look at this not just on
the whole, but in ourgovernment and our political
(33:19):
sphere, as well as holding theseelected officials, holding them
accountable.
So the things that werepromised like let's make sure
that they come to fruition,because something that we talk
about authenticity and integrityand I think that these are
(33:52):
things that we have let go fromour political space and it's
time that we bring them back.
It's time we bring backintegrity and authenticity and
we do what we say we're going todo.
We're people of our word andthat all of this work starts
with the self.
So what we're looking for inourself is like what we see
(34:18):
mirrored out in society.
So if we are practicing thiswork, if we are doing this work
and we're just going to see itmirrored back to us, and it just
this movement just grows andgrows and grows until we, you
know, we're creating the worldthat we want to see.
We're being the change that wewant to see.
(34:38):
So it really starts from within, and no one can take that power
from you, no one can give youthat power.
That power is part of yourbirthright, it is part of who
you are.
So take ownership of that.
(35:01):
You have the power to shapeyour internal world through
conscious choice and practice.
So what are you choosing today,right now, tomorrow?
Let that be your guide.
So I think this brings me to mywork.
(35:27):
So, as many of you know, yes,I'm this podcast host and I
bring a slew of amazingpractitioners to you, but I
really started this work wayback in I would say I started in
2011, 2012 of really goingwithin and finding the tools
(35:49):
that worked for me, and then,once I became solid in those
tools, I was like I have toteach this, I have to learn how
to teach this, I have to be ateacher of this work, and so I
became a yoga teacher and withthat, I have over 900 hours of
yoga teacher training experiencealmost a decade of teaching
experience.
(36:10):
I've been in this world for alittle bit now and I'm really
starting to take the steps tobring my work to the masses.
So I teach a lot of in-personclasses here in Rhode Island and
, while that's amazing and thatreally fills me up and I love
interacting with people face toface I have students all around
(36:35):
the country and hopefully allaround the world, and so I want
to create tangible tools thatcan be accessed from anywhere.
So something I've been talkingabout for a little bit is I have
a online guided meditationportal called Meditate to
Elevate, and it is a supportiveresource to help you find
(36:58):
grounding, inner peace, thatmental resilience.
This is for everyone.
This is for the people who saythey can't meditate, they can't
do yoga.
This is for everyone.
This is for the people who saythey can't meditate, they can't
do yoga.
This is for you.
There are meditations in thereas short as three minutes long.
We all have three minutes.
So meditate to elevate is aonline guided meditation portal.
(37:21):
It's 1299 a month.
It's super affordable, and inthere there's more than 35
guided meditations and it'sconstantly growing.
I myself guide some of themeditations.
There's also other teachers inthere as well, and this is a
portal that's just growing.
So I know that there's appslike the Calm app and like
(37:43):
whatever else, and those aregreat resources too and like
whatever else, and those aregreat resources too.
But if you want something that'sa little bit more personal,
that is just a small, humblebusiness that its intention is
to really reshape the world thatwe live in, then this portal is
(38:04):
for you.
It's for people who don't havethe time or say that they can't.
It's for the naysayers.
It is really just like anamazing resource.
There are meditations as shortas three minutes long, as long
as 30 minutes long.
There's something for everyone.
There's heart-based meditations, there are, I'm just like,
(38:28):
clearing your mind meditations.
There's bedtime meditations, um, and it's constantly growing.
So, um, I'm open to suggestions.
There's also, um, starting nextmonth, there will be a live
meditation every single month.
The recording will also go upon there.
So it's just a growing resourceof guided meditations.
(38:50):
So I hope that if you'researching, you're looking, you
don't know what's next like.
You'll consider checking it out.
And if you want a little sample, just reach out to me at info
at nearly enlightenedcom, or youcan reach out on one of my
social medias I am Gianna Rosaor at nearly enlightened, reach
out, um, and I will be happy togift you a guided meditation so
(39:13):
you can just sample it, see, um,what it's all about, see if
it's for you.
So don't be afraid to takethose, those steps forward, um,
because when we become stagnant,that's when the spiral, the
fear, um, all those yuckyfeelings kind of creep through.
So take some actionable steps,like find a daily grounding
(39:37):
practice, whatever that meansfor you.
Maybe it's a brief meditation,maybe it's a breathing exercise,
maybe it's a walk in nature,maybe it's putting your feet in
the grass, maybe it's takingyour dog for a walk, like
whatever it is, find that dailygrounding practice that works
for you.
Maybe it's starting yourmorning off slow, with an
herbal're at how you're feelingon both ends.
(39:57):
Whatever that daily groundingpractices, find it and schedule
it in if you have to Make it anon-negotiable part of your day.
(40:18):
Remember to have respectfulconversations.
So, even if somebody has adifferent point of view, if
their views are vastly different, if their experiences are
vastly different, haverespectful conversations with
people that have differentviewpoints than persuading,
(40:44):
because when we're trying to,when we're listening to respond
versus just listening, we'relistening with that persuasive
thought oh, they said this, thisis what I'm going to tell them
after.
But really listen and analyze,digest and then come up with
(41:05):
your response and notice like,maybe that respectful
interaction, maybe it shiftedyour viewpoint a bit.
And and allow that to be like,allow yourself to have
respectful conversations withpeople who might have different
viewpoints, because I think thatthe magic that we're looking
for is in that space.
It's in that space ofuncomfortability.
(41:29):
I don't know if that's a word.
Discomfort, having thoseuncomfortable conversations
really is where change sparks,it's where progress happens,
it's where innovation happens,it's where compromise is born,
and I think that that is abeautiful skill to have is to be
(41:50):
able to be a listener and tohave a respectful differing
point of view.
So just allow yourself to to toexperience that.
(42:11):
Um, I know it can be challenging.
I myself, like when I getfrustrated or I feel like
someone isn't truly hearing me,like I have that Italian anger
that that comes through veryquickly.
Um, italian anger that comesthrough very quickly, and that
(42:32):
is part of my practice, is totake a breath, take a moment to
rein that in.
That's okay to be spicysometimes, but be respectful
that on the other end of yourinternet conversations, your
interactions out in the world,there's another human being on
the other end of that.
So it's important to rememberthat we're all just doing the
(42:53):
best we can.
And, lastly, I would encourageyou to find things that bring
you joy, that spark joy,encourage, um, I encourage a
commitment to do something thatbrings you joy every day, even
if it's something really, reallysmall, and maybe that's paying
(43:17):
it forward.
Like if a wise teacher oncetold me, like when you're stuck
in these patterns of negativityof like these deep, dark, awful
feelings, like if you dosomething for someone else
selflessly, without expectinganything in return, there's no
better way to shift your energy.
So, if you're looking forsomething joyful, this is the
(43:38):
time of year that charities arelooking for volunteers.
It's getting colder, so peoplewho find themselves without
shelter, without housing, likeyour magic is needed.
So do something for someoneelse.
(43:58):
If you don't know what bringsyou joy, or if you don't have,
you know, the monetary means topick up a new hobby, like I
don't know fly fishing, if youdon't have money to drop on,
like equipment for things, like,just do something nice for
somebody else, like something sosmall can really give so much
(44:25):
fulfillment.
So I think that this is a goodplace to wrap up.
I think that or I hope thatthis is your reminder find peace
(44:45):
amidst chaos, and sometimesthat is as simple as making a
choice.
And I invite you to explore,meditate, to elevate as a tool
to deepen your practice of innerpeace, of controlling the mind.
There's only one direction tomove on this journey of personal
(45:09):
growth and spiritualdevelopment and that's forward.
So we can't let last week pullus back or make us bitter or
spark hatred for the other halfof America that might've chosen
different, america that mighthave chosen different.
But this is a place to cometogether and find common ground,
(45:31):
to find the peace within and tofind the similarities in people
who might have differentviewpoints, because we are all
more alike than we are different.
So I will leave you with thattoday Do what brings you peace.
(45:51):
Pay it forward.
Do something nice for someoneelse.
So thank you for listening tome ramble.
I'm sorry I said um and likeprobably like 6 million times.
I know that can be verychallenging to listen to.
If you liked this episode,please like, subscribe, share.
Share it with someone you love.
Share it with somebody whomight need to hear this message
Um.
(46:11):
Share it with somebody whomight need meditate to elevate.
I hope to see you all in thatportal.
There's a community there oflike-minded people who are
taking action to be the changethat they wish to see in the
world, and I hope to see youthere.
I'll talk to you next time.
Thanks for being here.
Welcome back to the Nearly Enlightened Podcast.
I am your host, gianna Girusso,and today I am my own guest, so
there's no one on today.
I took last week off and Ithought it was time for a solo
episode, since the last time Idid a solo episode was like
April and we've had a lot ofamazing guests on, and the
(00:24):
Nearly Enlightened podcast isreally shaping up to be beyond
my wildest dreams.
I think it's so incredible thatwe have a library at this point
of amazing episodes that arebasically resources.
They're conversations withpeople who are out there
changing the world and and I'mso excited about that.
(00:46):
So last week I really wanted totake last week off just to
observe the week that it was.
It brought up a lot of emotions, it was very charged, the media
was going crazy and there was alot of overwhelm and just like
(01:10):
these nagging negative feelings,and, of course, I have a hot
take on all of this.
I personally am really excitedin the direction that America is
going.
It doesn't matter who you votedfor or what your political
views are.
I think that we're starting tosee a tangible shift in
(01:35):
conversations and in what theAmerican people want, and I
think it's really important toremember.
That's my hot take.
I think it's really importantto remember that we're all more
alike than we are different.
So we watched mainstream mediapit us against each other and
really do the divide and conquerthing.
(01:56):
This is not new news to anyone.
This is something that's beengoing on for a very long time in
mainstream media and I thinkit's time, as the American
people, we demand better.
I think that it's time that wetake a look at bipartisan news
and we are just looking at thefacts.
(02:18):
Opinion has no place in thatrealm.
We just need the facts, and Ithink that, at the core, it
doesn't matter what side of thepolitical spectrum you're on.
We all really want similarthings.
I think it doesn't matter ifyou're right or left or in
(02:40):
between.
We can all agree that we wantpeace.
We want prosperity forourselves and for our family and
for our loved ones.
We want access to realhealthcare, science-based
healthcare.
We want good education for ourfuture generations, and I think
(03:00):
this is an important one,because it doesn't matter if you
have children or not, but theeducation of future generations
is so important because thosegenerations are going to be the
generations that take over whenwe're old and not able to be
kind of in the mix.
And if they're not educated,then that has a ripple effect
(03:23):
down on society.
And if they're not educated,then that has a ripple effect
down on society.
So I think it's time toremember that we all are more
alike than we are different.
So it's important to kind of askyourself the tough questions
like why does this time feel sodivisive and heavy if really at
our core we all want suchsimilar things?
Really at our core we all wantsuch similar things?
(03:46):
So I think that the politicalsphere it people say that
political sphere andspirituality, religion, they
have no place intertwined withone another.
But I vehemently disagree.
Um, I think that the shiftforward we are going to see
spirituality fused in everyaspect of life, as it should be,
(04:08):
and maybe that's a hot take too.
But if you're going within, ifyou are doing that deep inner
work that radiates out and we'regoing to see that change.
I think right now we're seeingthe systems and structures that
no longer work for the wholestart to crumble and not just
crumble.
But now people are waking upand being like, oh, I get it,
(04:30):
this really is not working.
So I think it's important forthose of us that do get it, that
have been on this train, thathave been doing the work, it's
time for us to start reallystepping forward in having the
conversations that are going tobuild the new structures and
systems that do work foreveryone.
(04:51):
And I think that one of thethings that we have shied away
from in the last, however manyyears, is having difficult
conversations, difficult,respectful conversations with
one another that help to be orhelp to shape that change.
So if we're all agreeing allthe time or if we're all
tiptoeing around each other'striggers, we're not having those
(05:15):
tough conversations that reallyresult in progress, and I think
we've seen that stagnation playout.
So I think it's time to starthaving these difficult
conversations, to respectfullyhave these conversations.
So, if you notice everyone thatcomes on this podcast, I don't
always totally agree witheverything that they're doing or
(05:38):
saying, but we have reallyrespectful, open conversations,
really respectful, openconversations.
And you know I'm a Gemini sunsign and Gemini sun signs we
kind of get a bad reputationbecause we're known as, like the
, the Zodiac flip-floppers, butfor me, when I've, when I've
come to a more grounded place, II'm comfortable with changing
(06:08):
my mind when given newinformation that makes me shift
my perspective.
So I'm not always changing mymind with given new information,
sometimes it stays the same,but I am open to to shifting
what I.
What I say isn't Bible andthat's been my kind of back and
forth with the podcast is nowthe podcast is going on like
three or four years old, so someof those earlier episodes, like
(06:30):
I don't totally even agree withwhat I was saying, and some of
them, is there good informationthere?
Are they good?
Healthy conversations?
Absolutely.
But being on this path, myperspective has maybe shifted in
certain ways and evolved and Ithink that's a really healthy
attitude and way of being.
(06:53):
I think it's important toanalyze things or reanalyze
things when presented with newinformation, and I think that's
where we're at.
We are truly in a renaissance.
So this is the time to createart, to write, to connect, to
practice non-judgment, to havethese tough conversations in
(07:16):
respectful ways, because this istruly how progress is made and
how we're going to push theneedle forward in creating a
better society, a healthiersociety.
You know, I am really excitedthat RFK is getting a cabinet
seat and we're talking aboutthings like the science behind
(07:37):
seed oils.
Is not true.
It went from being a machineoil lubricant to being a heart
healthy oil.
How did that happen?
So we're really seeing therestructuring of health and
capitalism and I truly could notbe more excited.
So we're coming off the 1111portal yesterday.
So a great time to kind ofreevaluate and set forth what we
(08:08):
want to see from the future,and I think that I personally
think this is a very excitingtime.
I'm stoked, I am so excitedthat we are talking about health
in a way that we haven't before, and it's sad that the
mainstream media is justlabeling RFK as like a
conspiracy kook, because thereis facts, there is science
(08:32):
against the dangers of fluoride.
It's not what we thought it was.
So it's time to reanalyze, lookat these things that we have
just accepted as the status quo,and it's time to put the people
back in the government.
I, for one, am so excited.
I think that this is a massawakening for so many people,
(08:58):
and people are searching,they're looking for the answers
and I've said it on the podcasta million times it is time to go
within.
When you stoke that light fromwithin, it just shines out and
you give permission to otherpeople to do the same, and I
think that we are seeing thathappen at such a rapid rate I
(09:22):
can't say it enough, I'm so, I'm.
I can't say it enough, I'm soexcited.
I think that this is the timeto, it's the Renaissance, right.
So it's time to go within to,to work on yourself and, in turn
, let that be what moves all ofyour relationships, moves all of
(09:43):
your relationships.
We're coming back to choosingjoy and self-care, and that
looks a little bit different foreveryone, but it's time to
nurture ourselves and nurturethis rebirth of this new society
that we're honestly at the dawnof.
(10:06):
So I think that it's time tomove away from the negative, the
fear mongering.
I think that what we saw happenin this last election, it was
really new media versus oldmedia and the way that old media
has positioned itself as fearand lies and exaggerations and,
(10:32):
truthfully, misinformation.
I think that we all chose newmedia.
The bipartisan, take a hardlook, analyze.
I think that that we chose thatas a people and and that's
really excited that is atelltale sign of a true shift.
That's that's happening.
(10:52):
So we're seeing the crumblingof what no longer works and
we're moving towards um, we'removing towards a better world.
I know that sounds so surfaceand superficial, but I think
that we're really going to startto see those changes in
education, in healthcare and ingovernment.
(11:15):
Excuse me, I'm so excited Ican't even talk.
So I think some actionable stepsto step forward is to really
focus on your own inner peace,and this, you know, it always
comes back to yoga.
So yoga is the science ofwellbeing and in the practice of
(11:36):
yoga we learn to deal withstress, go through stressful,
uncomfortable situations in away that our body can handle it
better.
So in yoga we put ourselvesintentionally in these stressful
situations.
So I say this all the time inmy yoga classes the heat in yoga
(11:59):
has nothing to do with yourmuscles, it has nothing to do
with tissues.
It has everything to do withmaking you uncomfortable.
It's designed to bring you tothose deep dark places of your
brain.
It's meant to make you feellike you're going to die.
It's meant to bring you on thislike journey, to, to spark kind
(12:22):
of that inner dialogue so thatyou can practice coming back to
center.
So when your mind goes to thosedeep dark places, the practice
of yoga itself is designed totake you there, so you can
practice controlling your mindin a controlled setting.
So when we're continuouslybringing ourselves to this
uncomfortable place, we'resweating, it's hot, we're moving
(12:45):
our muscles, we're holdingposes, we're building strength.
When we bring ourselves tothose uncomfortable places, we
train our mind to stay in centerand it's not always perfect,
right.
Sometimes we go to those deep,dark places and we need to
practice coming back.
But when we do thisrepetitively, we are literally
(13:07):
rewiring our brain to betterhandle stressful situations.
So last week I'll talk aboutthis personally.
Last week was a lot justcollectively, and then some
things that I had going on in myown personal life and let me
tell you I spiraled Monday.
Last Monday was a hard day forme.
(13:30):
I emergency SOS Danielle Venusrising Um that's.
She's been on the podcast acouple of times, she's a shaman
and I was like I need a session,I need help, I need to calm the
fuck down and I just need someassistance.
And I think that wholeexperience as a whole is
(13:53):
important, because in the past Iwould have just spiraled by
myself, I would have made itworse and I would have beaten
myself up for the spiral ingeneral.
But last week was a hugeopportunity and it was a huge
shift in how I handle things.
So I didn't spiral by myself.
(14:15):
I didn't allow myself to spiralfor long.
It was like maybe an hour ortwo, and then I reached out for
help.
I, I, I took action.
I went to Danielle, I did whatI needed to do to ground myself
and to come back to a place ofcenter, but I allowed myself to
(14:36):
feel those feelings.
I cried, I felt uncomfortable.
I allowed myself to sit withthe anxiety without shoving it
down or like pushing it away orusing substances to.
I mean, I did smoke weed, butum, and that was, that was kind
of after the fact Um, but Ireally allowed myself to fully
(14:59):
feel the scope of what I wasfeeling, both personally and
collectively, and, um, it reallyhelped me to feel better,
quicker.
And that's not alwaysnecessarily the answer, right,
because we're not meant to feellike amazing good 100% of the
time, like we are humans havinga human experience and we're
(15:21):
meant to feel the full range ofhuman emotions, and those aren't
always positive.
So I really allowed myself tosit with that, without judging
myself, without beating myselfup, and that wasn't how I always
handled situations like this.
So I was really in this placewhere I knew that I, I knew that
(15:44):
there was a shift happeningboth collectively and personally
.
So that was just a little bitabout my experience last week.
Like we're all going to make it.
We're all going to make itthrough, it's going to be okay.
But we just have to lean on thepeople and the tools to help
(16:04):
bring us to that better place.
And that's okay to ask for helpin a healthy way and I'm
personally really proud ofmyself for that because, like I
said in the past, I wouldn'thave asked for help.
I would have kind of justspiraled by myself and made it a
hundred times worse and so Ireally hope that this gives you
permission to kind of dig in andfind what works for you.
(16:28):
It's going to be different foreveryone.
I share um on my website, on mysocial medias, on this podcast,
the tools that work for me.
But let this be your permissionto go find the tools that work
for you and maybe it's a littlebit different.
Maybe it's mountain climbing,maybe it's paintballing, like I
don't know.
Just find what works for you.
(16:52):
Maybe it's an Epsom salt bathat the end of the night or an
Epsom salt foot soak, like justlean into the practices that
work for you and allow yourselfto explore, like when, when
you're finding those tools thatare that are going to work for
you.
Like you may not find it rightaway, like you, you know, maybe
it's.
You try yoga, but maybe yoga isnot for you, and I don't truly
(17:16):
believe that.
I believe, if you give it time,yoga is for everyone.
But just as an example, likeyou're, maybe you mountain bike
right and maybe that's not foryou.
Maybe you need something alittle bit more restful.
Maybe you need a stretch classor just a moment to lay on the
floor and do some self-care,like rollout techniques, roll
(17:40):
out on some tennis balls or usea Theragun, like whatever it is
for you.
Just start to explore thosetools and the more you allow
yourself to be open and explorethe tools that work for you.
Just start to explore thosetools and the more you allow
yourself to be open and explorethe tools that work for you, the
easier it comes to you.
You'll find those things right,and maybe it's just like
(18:00):
painting pottery, maybe it'sfinding a new hobby, maybe it's
cooking a new recipe, likewhatever it is.
Just go out there and becurious without judgment, and I
know that that in itself is apractice like we've all been
conditioned to judge ourselvespretty harshly.
We're usually all our ownhardest critics.
I know I'm speaking fromexperience there, but let the
(18:23):
practice be like.
Meditation has been so importantand powerful to me because it
allows us to be the observer ofour body and mind and I say this
all the time when I'm guidingmeditations is to observe your
thoughts, observe your bodysensations, without assigning
any attachment or emotion ormeaning, so without judgment.
(18:46):
Maybe you have a naggingshoulder injury.
So every time you sit down tomeditate, that shoulder injury
just speaks to you.
It just like kind of acts up.
It's achy, like whatever.
It is like.
Allow yourself to observe thatwithout judgment or whatever
thoughts arise.
Like I tell my students, it'slike you're lying on your back,
(19:07):
you're watching the sky, you'rewatching the big, fluffy, real
clouds roll by.
It's the same way whenobserving your thoughts.
It's like your thought is thatfluffy cloud, so just noticing
it and watching it move out ofview.
It's the same thing with ourthoughts.
We're just allowing the thoughtto come up.
(19:27):
We're not assigning anyattachment or emotion or meaning
to that thought.
We're just like looking at thethought with the observer's eye
and letting it go.
And the more we practice thesetools, the easier it becomes to
do and every day is going to bedifferent.
Right, it's like a rollercoaster ride, but it's the
practice that really roots usand grounds us there.
(19:48):
And I think it's so importantto find those tools, to find
those practices that work andreally hold onto them, make them
a part of your daily life.
And we all have the time.
We are lying to ourselves whenwe say that we don't have the
time.
We do.
Check your screen time.
(20:09):
My screen time is a couplehours a day, like if I can
scroll through my phone for acouple hours a day, I can
certainly carve out time forfive minutes of meditation, and
I'm saying that for myself andI'm saying that as a reminder to
you if you think you don't havetime.
Check your screen time, checkwhere you're prioritizing, where
(20:30):
you're giving your time to like.
Time is the most preciousresource that we have.
So let's stop kidding ourselves.
We all have 24 hours in a day,maybe less than that, cause we
sleep for, hopefully, eighthours.
Um, but use your dayintentionally.
But use your day intentionallybecause what's on the other end
(20:52):
of that phone?
It's not real.
It's not real and it's used bythe mainstream as a tool to
manipulate and fear monger.
And, just like you know I thinkI've said this on the podcast
before like you know, wedemonize AI, but AI can be a
(21:12):
really amazing resource for asmall business.
So it's all in the intention ofhow you use something.
So if you're using your phoneto doom scroll, to be programmed
excuse me, be programmed bycertain ideologies or thought
(21:36):
processes, then we're not usingit intentionally.
You know I curated my.
You know everyone was like, oh,last Tuesday, stay off.
Last Tuesday and Wednesday,stay off your phone, stay off
the internet.
Like what?
Yeah, that's great, but like,have you curated your algorithm
so that you're not seeing thebullshit things?
(21:59):
Like I actually had two reallygreat days, so after Monday
being like really tumultuous andjust feeling all these things,
letting that go and coming backto a place of center, I felt so
awesome and grounded and excitedon Tuesday and Wednesday, and
not because of who won, notbecause of anything like that,
(22:21):
but I, because it was a hugeopportunity to go a little bit
deeper.
I really curated my algorithm.
So I'm not seeing those, thosefear mongering posts, I'm not
seeing the division and I meansometimes it slips in, but not
letting yourself succumb to that, and knowing, knowing when to
(22:44):
take a break, because it's it'shealthy to take social media
breaks.
You know, if you're amillennial, we're like the last
generation that we really were.
Our childhood really becamebefore the technology boom.
So we have, we're like in thesetwo worlds, like we can survive
without it, but we really seethe tools and the benefits for
(23:08):
it.
You know, if it wasn't fortechnology, like I wouldn't have
this platform, I wouldn't bedoing what I'm doing.
So it's a, it's a healthy danceand a healthy balance and, um,
I think that goes for for all oflife like, have that healthy
balance, take the social mediabreaks when you need to.
(23:28):
I'm not saying to you know,there's so much division.
I was saddened to see like, oh,if you voted for this person, I
can't be your friend anymore.
And in the 2020 election I Ilost, um, one of my best
(23:50):
friendsances and views and someof my views on where America
should be headed, and thatperson took that as division, as
hate towards themselves.
And it wasn't that at all, um,and I think it's really sad that
(24:11):
people are are losing friendsbecause we can't have
differences of opinions and thisgoes back to having those tough
conversations.
We can have different views anddifferent opinions and we can
still love and respect oneanother and we can still be in
each other's lives.
Like, just because myviewpoints might be different
than yours and yours might bedifferent than mine, it doesn't
(24:33):
mean you have to fight about it.
You know, maybe we have healthy, nonjudgmental, calm, loving
conversations about it, becausethat's how progress comes about,
that's how we come together incompromise out.
(24:53):
That's how we come together incompromise, that's how we create
these new systems that work foreveryone.
By having these toughconversations.
And I think there's a lot ofpeople that are coming to power
right now that are willing tolook at this, willing to have
these tough conversations, andwe're ready to shift America
into the true superpower that itshould be.
You know it's time that weupleveled our education.
(25:14):
We went from being first inmath and science in the 40s, 50s
and 60s Now we are like deadlast, like we owe our children
better than this, like I youknow, elon Musk talks about it a
little bit like where are allthe inventors and the innovators
(25:35):
?
Like it is time to put thosepeople at the forefront, like
it's time for new inventions andnew ways of thinking.
So I'm really excited and Ithink the work starts with the
self, like the more you findthese tools that you can um, you
(25:56):
can focus on building a healthyrelationship with yourself,
that just reverberates out andand you start to become become
the light that's going to sparkthis change.
So if you're having a tough timedealing with the last week or
just like the uncertainty ofwhat's to come, some tools that
(26:22):
I have for you are to be take totake mindful or to be mindful
in your media consumption, so noone to take breaks know when to
set boundaries.
So one thing for me it's likemy phone goes off around 1030.
I put it on airplane modewhatever happens, from like 1030
(26:44):
PM to like 9 AM when I put itback on, like it can wait.
Like 9am when I put it back on,like it can wait.
So I set that hard boundary formyself.
Like my phone is on airplanemode at night when I'm like
getting ready to rest, um, sothat would be my suggestions
(27:04):
around that.
And then I would say, if you'rehaving a tough time with the
last week or so, do what bringsyou joy, gratitude journal,
spend time in nature.
Nature is truly healing, it'sgrounding.
It will bring you back toperspective.
(27:24):
Spend time with the trees.
Spend time with your feet inthe ocean, even if it's super
cold.
Allow yourself that experiencewith the trees.
Spend time with your feet inthe ocean, even if it's super
cold, like.
Allow yourself that experience.
Engage in hobbies that upliftyou, or find hobbies that uplift
you, like.
I think that technology hastaken over so many facets of our
(27:46):
lives that people have lost theart of the hobby, and this is
something that I've been workingon, I've been coming to.
Many of you know that I am likea sourdough queen, so I love to
bake.
That is my outlet when I needto just bring some joy into my
(28:07):
life, when I need to just likeunplug, when I need to just like
unplug, when I need to justlike not think and be in that
flow state, I'll always likewhip up something good.
The other hobby that I love andthat brings me so much joy is I
belong to a book club and wemeet every four to six weeks,
(28:29):
and not only has that like uppedmy, my reading game, so I'm
reading way more books than I,than I used to.
I used to only really readbooks that had to do with yoga
and healing and self-help.
So it was like really serious,heavy stuff all the time.
But this book club allowed meto tap into.
I mean, we read every genre butlike fiction and just like
(28:55):
exercise, that imaginationmuscle, and I get to get
together with a wonderful groupof women every four to six weeks
who we wouldn't normally like,our paths might not have
normally crossed.
We're all connected through oneperson who was my cousin, who
she started the book club almosttwo years ago.
(29:18):
So this book club has beengoing on for almost two years
and it's so amazing to justbring these women together who
have different views, havedifferent experiences, come from
different walks of life.
Some are single, some aremarried, some are mothers, some
are childless.
We are so different but we cometogether for this book club and
(29:42):
it's always such an amazingconnection.
We just met this past Saturdayand it was exactly what my soul
needed.
We literally sat there for likefive and a half hours just
enjoying each other's companyeating, chatting, talking about
the book, talking about lifethings and having that
connection is absolutelyinvaluable.
(30:03):
So if you're looking forconnection, start a book club,
join a book club, soul Sanctuary, justine Harrington.
She's been on here before inthe past, soul Sanctuary, her
business.
They have a book club thatmeets, I believe, monthly.
So if you don't know anyone ordon't have people who you think
(30:25):
would join your book club, goout and find one there.
It's really just like such anamazing experience to like be
collective, read something thatyou might not normally have read
.
It really broadens yourhorizons and it has been such an
(30:46):
integral part of my healing thelast like year and a half, um,
to just meet and have that space.
It's.
It's been truly um somethingthat I am eternally grateful for
.
It's literally helped propel meforward through the heart the
hardest year of my life.
(31:06):
Um, something as simple as asgoing to a book club and you and
sometimes I don't finish thebook, sometimes I hate the book,
sometimes I love the book butjust allowing yourself to show
up in that space and be incommunity and connection,
there's really nothing likehaving that.
So if you don't have that, goout and find it, make it happen.
(31:29):
God helps those who helpthemselves.
So if you're sitting and, likeI'm manifesting, I'm waiting,
like you will be waiting for therest of your life, you have to
put it to action.
You have to show the universe,show God that that you're
willing to make those steps andeverything comes in flow.
Make those steps and everythingcomes in flow.
(31:54):
So if I can encourage anythingtoday, in this episode, it's to
prioritize self-care and to leaninto the practices that help
you become the best versions ofyourself, regardless of any
external circumstance, becauseno one can take these tools away
from you, no one can takeeducation away from you.
So when you're investing inyourself, whether it be through
monetary means or by time, it'sinvaluable.
(32:18):
You are you, you're doing thework.
You're doing the hard work thatmost people don't even have the
courage to show up for.
Another thing that I wanted totalk about in regard to this
whole situation in regards tothe political sphere, the social
sphere, what's going on?
(32:38):
This is a little bit of a hottake, but no political figure is
going to save you.
No political figure is going toshift the whole landscape as we
know it.
It's about holding these peopleaccountable and getting
(32:58):
involved, so finding that innerpeace, finding the tools that
work for you.
They reverberate out and theygive permission to people to do
the same, and I think that weneed to look at this not just on
the whole, but in ourgovernment and our political
(33:19):
sphere, as well as holding theseelected officials, holding them
accountable.
So the things that werepromised like let's make sure
that they come to fruition,because something that we talk
about authenticity and integrityand I think that these are
(33:52):
things that we have let go fromour political space and it's
time that we bring them back.
It's time we bring backintegrity and authenticity and
we do what we say we're going todo.
We're people of our word andthat all of this work starts
with the self.
So what we're looking for inourself is like what we see
(34:18):
mirrored out in society.
So if we are practicing thiswork, if we are doing this work
and we're just going to see itmirrored back to us, and it just
this movement just grows andgrows and grows until we, you
know, we're creating the worldthat we want to see.
We're being the change that wewant to see.
(34:38):
So it really starts from within, and no one can take that power
from you, no one can give youthat power.
That power is part of yourbirthright, it is part of who
you are.
So take ownership of that.
(35:01):
You have the power to shapeyour internal world through
conscious choice and practice.
So what are you choosing today,right now, tomorrow?
Let that be your guide.
So I think this brings me to mywork.
(35:27):
So, as many of you know, yes,I'm this podcast host and I
bring a slew of amazingpractitioners to you, but I
really started this work wayback in I would say I started in
2011, 2012 of really goingwithin and finding the tools
(35:49):
that worked for me, and then,once I became solid in those
tools, I was like I have toteach this, I have to learn how
to teach this, I have to be ateacher of this work, and so I
became a yoga teacher and withthat, I have over 900 hours of
yoga teacher training experiencealmost a decade of teaching
experience.
(36:10):
I've been in this world for alittle bit now and I'm really
starting to take the steps tobring my work to the masses.
So I teach a lot of in-personclasses here in Rhode Island and
, while that's amazing and thatreally fills me up and I love
interacting with people face toface I have students all around
(36:35):
the country and hopefully allaround the world, and so I want
to create tangible tools thatcan be accessed from anywhere.
So something I've been talkingabout for a little bit is I have
a online guided meditationportal called Meditate to
Elevate, and it is a supportiveresource to help you find
(36:58):
grounding, inner peace, thatmental resilience.
This is for everyone.
This is for the people who saythey can't meditate, they can't
do yoga.
This is for everyone.
This is for the people who saythey can't meditate, they can't
do yoga.
This is for you.
There are meditations in thereas short as three minutes long.
We all have three minutes.
So meditate to elevate is aonline guided meditation portal.
(37:21):
It's 1299 a month.
It's super affordable, and inthere there's more than 35
guided meditations and it'sconstantly growing.
I myself guide some of themeditations.
There's also other teachers inthere as well, and this is a
portal that's just growing.
So I know that there's appslike the Calm app and like
(37:43):
whatever else, and those aregreat resources too and like
whatever else, and those aregreat resources too.
But if you want something that'sa little bit more personal,
that is just a small, humblebusiness that its intention is
to really reshape the world thatwe live in, then this portal is
(38:04):
for you.
It's for people who don't havethe time or say that they can't.
It's for the naysayers.
It is really just like anamazing resource.
There are meditations as shortas three minutes long, as long
as 30 minutes long.
There's something for everyone.
There's heart-based meditations, there are, I'm just like,
(38:28):
clearing your mind meditations.
There's bedtime meditations, um, and it's constantly growing.
So, um, I'm open to suggestions.
There's also, um, starting nextmonth, there will be a live
meditation every single month.
The recording will also go upon there.
So it's just a growing resourceof guided meditations.
(38:50):
So I hope that if you'researching, you're looking, you
don't know what's next like.
You'll consider checking it out.
And if you want a little sample, just reach out to me at info
at nearly enlightenedcom, or youcan reach out on one of my
social medias I am Gianna Rosaor at nearly enlightened, reach
out, um, and I will be happy togift you a guided meditation so
(39:13):
you can just sample it, see, um,what it's all about, see if
it's for you.
So don't be afraid to takethose, those steps forward, um,
because when we become stagnant,that's when the spiral, the
fear, um, all those yuckyfeelings kind of creep through.
So take some actionable steps,like find a daily grounding
(39:37):
practice, whatever that meansfor you.
Maybe it's a brief meditation,maybe it's a breathing exercise,
maybe it's a walk in nature,maybe it's putting your feet in
the grass, maybe it's takingyour dog for a walk, like
whatever it is, find that dailygrounding practice that works
for you.
Maybe it's starting yourmorning off slow, with an
herbal're at how you're feelingon both ends.
(39:57):
Whatever that daily groundingpractices, find it and schedule
it in if you have to Make it anon-negotiable part of your day.
(40:18):
Remember to have respectfulconversations.
So, even if somebody has adifferent point of view, if
their views are vastly different, if their experiences are
vastly different, haverespectful conversations with
people that have differentviewpoints than persuading,
(40:44):
because when we're trying to,when we're listening to respond
versus just listening, we'relistening with that persuasive
thought oh, they said this, thisis what I'm going to tell them
after.
But really listen and analyze,digest and then come up with
(41:05):
your response and notice like,maybe that respectful
interaction, maybe it shiftedyour viewpoint a bit.
And and allow that to be like,allow yourself to have
respectful conversations withpeople who might have different
viewpoints, because I think thatthe magic that we're looking
for is in that space.
It's in that space ofuncomfortability.
(41:29):
I don't know if that's a word.
Discomfort, having thoseuncomfortable conversations
really is where change sparks,it's where progress happens,
it's where innovation happens,it's where compromise is born,
and I think that that is abeautiful skill to have is to be
(41:50):
able to be a listener and tohave a respectful differing
point of view.
So just allow yourself to to toexperience that.
(42:11):
Um, I know it can be challenging.
I myself, like when I getfrustrated or I feel like
someone isn't truly hearing me,like I have that Italian anger
that that comes through veryquickly.
Um, italian anger that comesthrough very quickly, and that
(42:32):
is part of my practice, is totake a breath, take a moment to
rein that in.
That's okay to be spicysometimes, but be respectful
that on the other end of yourinternet conversations, your
interactions out in the world,there's another human being on
the other end of that.
So it's important to rememberthat we're all just doing the
(42:53):
best we can.
And, lastly, I would encourageyou to find things that bring
you joy, that spark joy,encourage, um, I encourage a
commitment to do something thatbrings you joy every day, even
if it's something really, reallysmall, and maybe that's paying
(43:17):
it forward.
Like if a wise teacher oncetold me, like when you're stuck
in these patterns of negativityof like these deep, dark, awful
feelings, like if you dosomething for someone else
selflessly, without expectinganything in return, there's no
better way to shift your energy.
So, if you're looking forsomething joyful, this is the
(43:38):
time of year that charities arelooking for volunteers.
It's getting colder, so peoplewho find themselves without
shelter, without housing, likeyour magic is needed.
So do something for someoneelse.
(43:58):
If you don't know what bringsyou joy, or if you don't have,
you know, the monetary means topick up a new hobby, like I
don't know fly fishing, if youdon't have money to drop on,
like equipment for things, like,just do something nice for
somebody else, like something sosmall can really give so much
(44:25):
fulfillment.
So I think that this is a goodplace to wrap up.
I think that or I hope thatthis is your reminder find peace
(44:45):
amidst chaos, and sometimesthat is as simple as making a
choice.
And I invite you to explore,meditate, to elevate as a tool
to deepen your practice of innerpeace, of controlling the mind.
There's only one direction tomove on this journey of personal
(45:09):
growth and spiritualdevelopment and that's forward.
So we can't let last week pullus back or make us bitter or
spark hatred for the other halfof America that might've chosen
different, america that mighthave chosen different.
But this is a place to cometogether and find common ground,
(45:31):
to find the peace within and tofind the similarities in people
who might have differentviewpoints, because we are all
more alike than we are different.
So I will leave you with thattoday Do what brings you peace.
(45:51):
Pay it forward.
Do something nice for someoneelse.
So thank you for listening tome ramble.
I'm sorry I said um and likeprobably like 6 million times.
I know that can be verychallenging to listen to.
If you liked this episode,please like, subscribe, share.
Share it with someone you love.
Share it with somebody whomight need to hear this message
Um.
(46:11):
Share it with somebody whomight need meditate to elevate.
I hope to see you all in thatportal.
There's a community there oflike-minded people who are
taking action to be the changethat they wish to see in the
world, and I hope to see youthere.
I'll talk to you next time.
Thanks for being here.
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