October 14, 2025 • 39 mins
Imagine flipping a switch in your body that tells your brain, “You’re safe.” That’s what a few minutes of intentional breath can do, and it’s the doorway we walk through with meditation guide and author Kara Goodwin. We talk about real stress, real loss, and the very human habit of living braced for the next blow — then we map the simple moves that shift you from fight-or-flight to a steadier baseline you can feel.
Kara opens up about a cascade of family crises that pushed her to seek help, first in a secular way and then in a way that quietly reintroduced the sacred. She didn’t start as a mystic; she started as someone with a loud mind. The breakthrough came with method: posture you can repeat, breath you can trust, and a short sequence that teaches your nervous system safety on demand. We unpack the science, too: how the limbic system’s alarm gives way to the prefrontal cortex’s clarity; why even eight weeks of short sessions can rewire habits of reactivity; and how clinicians leverage meditation for anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and chronic pain. Along the way, we touch immunity, sleep, memory, and the subtle gifts of noticing more meaning in ordinary days.
If you’ve tried to “quiet your mind” and felt like you were doing it wrong, this conversation offers a kinder map. Start with one minute. Sit upright, breathe low and slow, lengthen your exhale, and return when you drift. We close with concrete
Magnesium Cream
LIFEWAVE
Boost your body’s innate powers and live better and younger with LifeWave phototherapy products!
Ready Hour & My Patriot Supply
Best price on US-based preparedness and long-term storable food. Shop now with my affiliate link.
The Health Ranger Store
The best price on US-based lab-tested supplements and superfoods. Shop now with my affiliate link.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
DISCLAIMER: The information is not medical advice and should not be treated as such. Always consult your physician or healthcare professional before pursuing any health-related procedure or activity.
Hi friends, welcome to the new normal, Big Life Podcast! We bring you natural news and stories about nature that we hope will inspire you to get outside and adventure, along with a step-by-step plan to help you practice what you’ve learned and create your own new normal and live the biggest life you can dream. I’m your host, Antoinette Lee, the Wellness Warrior.
Shop RootedIn Magnesium Cream Affiliate Link
Sign up for our newsletter for more health tips and natural health news.
Find us on X-Formerly Twitter @NNBLBlog and Instagram @NNBLPodcast
Email us at Antoinette@NNBL.Blog
Website https://nnbl.blog/new-normal-big-llfe-blog/
Thanks for listening & Live Strong, Explore Boldly, Be Ready!
We'd be grateful if you shared this podcast with someone who needs it.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:01):
New Nama Big Lie.
SPEAKER_01 (00:05):
Imagine a tool so simple it requires only your
breath, yet powerful enough toreshape your brain's response to
life's chaos.
In today's fast-paced world,therapists increasingly
recommend meditation as apowerful tool to combat stress
and mental health challenges.
One researcher calls meditationelite cognitive draining.
(00:27):
Therapists champion meditationas a transformative tool to ease
stress and mental healthchallenges.
Backed by research, it reducesanxiety, lifts mood, and
alleviates pain.
For those facing depression,post-traumatic stress, or
chronic pain, meditation rewiresthe brain for resilience.
It fits everyone.
Busy professionals, finding calmveterans and law enforcement
(00:51):
agents healing trauma or seniorsseeking peace.
Today, I'm joined by expert KaraGoodwin to share how to start or
elevate your meditation practicewhile maintaining your religious
beliefs.
Learn how minutes daily cantransform lives with real
stories and data, and how youcan begin your meditation
practice today.
(01:12):
Hi, friends, welcome to the NewNormal Big Life Podcast.
We bring you natural news andstories about nature that we
hope will inspire you to getoutside and adventure, along
with the step-by-step plan tohelp you practice what you've
learned and create your own newnormal and live the biggest life
you can dream.
I'm your host, Antoinette Lee,the Wellness Warrior.
Let's dive in to today'stransformational topic with Kara
(01:36):
Goodwin.
Kara Goodwin is the host of theSoul Elevation podcast, where
she explores ascension,spiritual awakening, energy
healing, extraterrestrialconnections, and consciousness.
As a skilled energy healer andmeditation guide, Kara empowers
others to deepen their spiritualconnection through
transformative practices.
(01:56):
Her debut book, Your AuthenticAwakening, a Guide to Everyday
Spiritual Living, provides aroadmap to embracing a
spiritually awakened andauthentic life.
Through her work, Kara inspiresothers to elevate their souls
and align with their highestpotential.
SPEAKER_00 (02:13):
Hi, Kara.
Welcome to New Normal Big Life.
Hi, Antoinette.
Thank you so much for having me.
I'm so excited to be here withyou.
SPEAKER_01 (02:20):
I'm excited for this discussion.
Can you start off by telling uswhat is your journey, your
personal journey intomeditation?
And why did you focus yourexpertise in this area?
SPEAKER_00 (02:31):
You know, it really all started with trauma.
And a lot of people's journeysthrough transformation happen
because their reality crumblesin front of them.
And that's what happened for me.
So several years ago, oh comingup to 10 years ago now, I all in
one, in basically half a year,in about seven months, I had a
(02:56):
series of tragedies happen,starting with the death of my
sister-in-law.
She took her life, which wasshocking.
She had two young kids and wasabout to get married.
And it was, and she was one ofmy best friends.
Three weeks later, our dog died.
A few weeks after that, mystepdad was declining and he
(03:17):
ended up having spinal stenosisand needed to have surgery on
his brain stem, which is always,there's always a big question
mark with that.
Like, how are you going to comeout the other side of that?
Luckily, he is doing well.
But he was deteriorating reallyrapidly.
Then my mother-in-law was hit bya motorbike as she crossed the
street.
So she was in the hospital for along time, recovering from that.
(03:40):
Then my stepmom was in, ended upin the ICU with heart failure
and had a heart transplant.
So it was a humongous amount ofstress.
And all of this time, myhusband, my kids, and I were
living abroad.
So we weren't with either of ourfamilies.
My husband's family is in inEngland, my family's in the US,
(04:02):
and we were living in Italy.
So it wasn't even easy to kindof connect with our families
because we had lives that weregoing, and you know, it was hard
to drop everything every timethe new thing showed up.
You know, every one of thosethings we would have loved to
devote months of support toeverybody to help and, you know,
(04:24):
for ourselves as well.
And it was just one thing afteranother.
And through that, I really, youknow, I was to be honest, I was
kind of coasting through thisMediterranean life that I was
living.
And, you know, it wasn't alwayseasy, but I was really enjoying
life there.
And when this started to happen,I just lost my footing.
(04:47):
And I needed something because Iwas just not, I felt so much.
It really I noticed I wasfeeling fear anytime my phone
rang.
Because these days people textor they send a WhatsApp message
and or they send an email.
And when my phone rang, it was100% of the time devastating
(05:11):
news.
And so, and it got to the pointwhere I was like, oh my God, my
dad's calling me.
What is this?
I don't even want to answer it.
And then I'd tell myself, no,it's it can't be, can't be more
bad news, you know.
And so I answer it bravely.
And then I'm given more terriblenews, you know.
And so it was really like, whatis happening here?
And so I remember taking my kidsto school.
(05:36):
We would walk to school becausewe lived in the city, and I
walked back.
And at this point, I really waskind of agnostic.
I didn't necessarily I think itwas that I it wasn't that I
didn't believe in God, but Ididn't feel seen by God.
I didn't feel that I was livinga life that warranted any sort
(05:59):
of attention from God or that Iwas worthy of asking for
anything from God.
But I still believed enough tohave a conversation in my head
as I was walking back fromschool saying, God, I don't even
know if you know who I am, butI, you know, there is just a lot
(06:21):
going on.
And I know there's a lot ofsuffering in this world, and
this is nothing compared to whatsome people are going through,
but it's a lot for me.
And I just need some guidance.
And I had always felt drawn, I'dfelt intrigued by meditation.
So it was one of those thingswhere I'd see a news article,
(06:42):
for example, and it wouldmention meditation, and I'd be
like, that meditation, there issomething to it.
But I would get inspired to tryit and I would, I wouldn't
really feel anything magicalabout it.
And I didn't really feel it,just made me notice that my
thoughts were racing.
And I'm like, well, I can haveracing thoughts and get the
(07:03):
dishes done and have racingthoughts and watch TV or you
know, whatever it is.
But I'm like, I am not feelingthis stillness that people talk
about.
I'm not getting this inspirationthat people are talking about.
But I really, because I'd beenso like intrigued by it, I, in
this conversation that I washaving with God inside my head,
(07:25):
I was like, if there's somethingto this meditation that will
help me through this time, helpme find a resource for it and
make it in English.
Because I actually had triedmeditation locally there in
Italy, but it was in Italian andit was too much for me to try to
keep up with it.
And so I was like, I need it, Ineed guidance in my mother
(07:47):
tongue and like lead me and showme.
And then I let that go.
And again, I wasn't in thisplace where God was a big part
of my life.
So it was really in looking backthat I can see how quickly
things started showing up forme, how quickly conversations
(08:08):
would mysteriously lead me tolike, oh, I want to watch that
documentary that would lead meto the book, that would lead me
to the teacher, that would leadme to what started as a very
secular practice for myself,where I was not wanting to get
into a spiritual connection.
And then over time, I wasexperiencing like light behind
(08:32):
my closed eyes.
I was feeling this warmthdescend from above.
And I was weeping because I waslike something, I don't know how
to explain that.
And I really felt that there wassome divine connection
happening.
And then you go back to also theworthiness aspect to it, where
it was like I still was carryingthis, like, yeah, I think some
(08:56):
people do have a connection withGod, but I've not been living
that way.
And I I haven't, I don't deserveit.
You know, if that is a thing, Idon't deserve it.
And then here I am experiencingsomething I can't explain.
And that was just that in and ofitself was so touching.
So that's my story.
SPEAKER_01 (09:19):
You know, that touches on so many things.
One of the things that came tome is that the old uh philosophy
of when the student is ready,the teacher and teachers appear
in many different forms.
But also just hearing you say orquestioning whether or not you
(09:39):
were even worthy to ask God forhelp or and guidance.
I I wonder how many people don'tmove forward like you did, but
they stay stuck in perhaps I'mnot worthy.
SPEAKER_00 (09:53):
I love that.
You know, I heard a philosopherat one point talking about the
moon, like kind of relating Godto the moon.
And he was telling this story,it was probably allegorical, but
you know, of looking up at thenight sky and and and equating
(10:14):
it to God, thinking that thatmoon is there for anybody to
look at at any time, but so manypeople don't.
So many people don't, it'sthere, it's always there, and
only some people notice it, andonly some people look at it.
But does it still exist?
(10:34):
Is it still there, available forpeople to look at and connect to
at any given point in time?
Anyone can look up at the nightsky and look at one in in wonder
at the moon, and that is God,you know, it's it's he, he, she,
(10:56):
it is always there.
It's always there and it's ineverything, and it's in
everyone, and that connection isavailable at any point, no
matter where we are in our lifejourney, no matter the choices
that we've made up to thatpoint.
It wants us to see it, it wantsus to connect, and it's waiting
(11:20):
patiently.
And we are worthy just by beinghere, just by reaching out, we
are worthy.
You know, one of my teachers atone point had a philosophy that
your, you know, let's call itlike your guardian angel or
Jesus or whoever, like your yourguidance, that that divine
(11:43):
guidance that is living withinyou.
If you just give 25%, they'regonna meet you the rest of the
way.
You know, it's not like you haveto do overextend yourself in
order to make that connection.
They're wanting that connection,but they need to be invited in.
And you can do that at any atany time.
(12:04):
The moon's right there for youto look at at any time.
SPEAKER_01 (12:08):
In addition to the spiritual nature of meditation,
clinicians like therapistschampion meditation for its
therapeutic benefits.
SPEAKER_00 (12:19):
Why is that?
Yeah, there is some fascinatingresearch on meditation.
And it's this the way that itaffects our nervous system.
And there are many elements, atleast to the way that I practice
meditation.
You know, it took me a while.
Like I mentioned, I wasn'tfeeling that I was getting
(12:39):
anything out of my practiceuntil I actually consulted with
a teacher.
And I was like, tell me how tomeditate.
And they told me how to positionmyself, how to start my
meditation, how to breathe, whatthe rhythm is, you know, gave me
kind of a formula to follow sothat I wasn't just sitting there
(13:01):
trying not to not to think.
And one of the importantelements of that practice is the
breath, because the breath isconnecting us, giving us the
ability to kind of hack into ournervous system.
And our nervous system is veryclosely aligned with the types
of thoughts that we're thinkingand the tension that we're
(13:25):
holding in our body, thoselooping, cycling thoughts, the
feelings of unworthiness, all ofthose more oppressive, denser,
kind of heavier aspects of usand the tension, all of that is
connected to an overactivenervous system.
And Antoinette, I'm sure you'refamiliar with fight or flight
(13:48):
and how that affects the nervoussystem and how fight or flight
works within our modern life.
But in case there are people whohaven't learned about that yet,
our our fight or flight is ohwell, we have two ways that our
our nervous system works.
(14:09):
One is the parasympatheticnervous system, and one is the
sympathetic nervous system.
And the sympathetic nervoussystem is that fight or flight.
And it's meant, we it's builtinto us as a protective mega
mechanism.
It is when we're in thesympathetic nervous system,
we're ready for action.
We literally, our body is readyto either fight or to run away
(14:33):
or to freeze.
And that has physiologicaleffects because it's like our
all the energy is going out toour limbs.
It's going out of our organs.
So if you think about how muchsupport your organs need to
function and to regenerate theircells and to replenish
themselves, it's taking theenergy away from that.
(14:56):
It's taking resources away fromthe digestion, from your, your,
all of the organs, like I said,and delivering it to your
senses, to your arms and yourlegs so that you can.
So it's like, okay, all hands ondeck, we've got to get away from
this.
We're in danger.
That's really helpful when youreally are in danger.
(15:19):
So, you know, the way that we'veevolved, we were being chased by
predators.
You know, we had to, ourancestors had to get away.
And that was part of thesurvival.
The fact that we are here in thephysical is because our
ancestors did get away fromdanger when they needed to.
Now, in today's living, we areliving in that stress-induced
(15:43):
state, that sympathetic nervoussystem, because our minds are
telling us we're in danger,because of the constantly
looping thoughts.
And it's work danger, it'ssocial danger, but it's not
actual physical danger.
So, for one thing, we're notrunning it off.
We're not like, you know, how aduck, if you ever watch ducks
(16:04):
fight, they, you know, squawk ateach other and they have their
altercation, and then they shakeand they literally shake it off,
and then they're fine.
And my dog does this too.
I have an overprotective dog,and she will just get worked up,
and I have to like manage heruntil she shakes herself off,
(16:25):
and then she's fine.
And I know that I can relax too.
But we don't really do that.
So this tension just builds up,and then we have all the
stimulation from our modernworld, from our jobs, from our
families, from our just we're insurvival mode.
And it just builds up and buildsup, and we're never shaking it
(16:46):
off.
And so we're constantly in thesympathetic nervous system.
And remember, that means thatall of our resources are going
towards survival and our organsand those, you know, they're
we're not having thatreplenishment happening within
the body.
So the opposite of thesympathetic nervous system is
the parasympathetic nervoussystem.
(17:07):
And that is where everything'sokay.
And physiologically, our bodycan replenish itself.
So those resources draw from thelimbs and the senses.
And this happens, you know, whenwe get a good night's sleep and
when we are rested.
It's kind of happening behindthe scenes when we allow
ourselves to be in thatparasympathetic state.
(17:30):
That's closely tied to thebreath, but it's also closely
tied to the mind and ourthoughts.
And so meditation works at manydifferent levels and layers to
give yourself that break and toallow that replenishment to
happen.
SPEAKER_01 (17:48):
So many people don't know how to do that.
So that's something that wedefinitely need to talk about
today.
Yes, absolutely.
World events are constantlyteaching everyone some very
painful lessons.
Without warning, everything wetake for granted can suddenly
fail.
And if you're not prepared inadvance, you really don't have a
chance.
The fact is, the modern worldruns on a just-in-time supply
(18:11):
schedule.
Even the biggest grocery storescan carry only enough food for a
few days' worth of normalshopping.
So when disaster strikes andchaos ensues at your local
stores, the odds are simplyagainst you.
If you don't have emergency foodand gear stockpiled in advance,
you will probably suffer.
My partner Ready Hour is here tohelp you ahead of time.
(18:34):
Ready Hour has a long history ofproviding calorie-rich,
reliable, and deliciousnourishment for life's
unexpected situations.
And critical emergency gear,too.
They're part of a family ofcompanies that have served
millions of people like you fordecades.
My family and I use Ready Hourproducts for camping,
mountaineering, and disasterpreparedness for five years now.
(18:56):
They're not just reliable,they're also your affordable
option too.
Long-term survival foodshouldn't break the bank.
That's why they have great salesand payment options for you.
It's your bridge to safety andsurvival when things just aren't
normal anymore.
So make your next decision, yoursmartest decision.
Be ready for tomorrow.
Today.
(19:17):
Trust Ready Hour.
Ready to shop?
Use my affiliate link in theshow description.
Before we cover the next topicin this episode, I want to
introduce you to the AdventureSports Lifestyle with what I
call a micro story about anadventure that I've had.
The Adventure Sports Lifestyleand my deep connection to nature
is essential to my good health.
(19:38):
So here's the story.
There are eating fish, trophyfish, bait fish, and releasing
fish.
I talk about fishing to manypeople all the time, and it's
interesting to get theirperspectives on catching and
releasing fish versus keepingthem.
What I'm learning is many peoplewho grew up without a lot of
money and often didn't have muchfood tend to become the kind of
(19:59):
anglers who keep everything theycatch.
I can understand this mentalitybecause for them, catching fish
means survival.
Unfortunately, even when thosepeople have plenty of food in
the future, they find it hard tobreak the mentality of keeping
everything they catch.
I rarely keep the fish I catchbecause the challenge is if
everyone in your area keepseverything they catch, fish
(20:22):
populations will quickly dwindleand soon no one will catch
anything.
I saw this happen in threenorthern Colorado lakes where I
used to fish.
Catching a trophy fish to somemeans mounting it and putting on
their wall to show friends andfamily.
However, I have a differentperspective on trophy fish.
I like to photograph and releasethem back into the water.
(20:44):
Nowadays, there are a lot ofoptions for creating a replica
of your trophy fish, whichsupports local artists and
craftsmen while allowing thosegood genes in the fish to live
on.
Then there are some fish thatmake good bait fish, and you may
want to keep one occasionally tocut up and use as bait.
However, 99% of the time I catchon the list the fish.
(21:09):
And there is no right way tohandle your fish.
I simply wanted to share thedifferent perspectives so that
you can make informed decisionsabout what to do as a new or
experienced angler.
I hope this inspires you to getoutside and adventure alone with
friends or the people you lovemost.
Now, back to the show wherewe're talking with Kara Goodwin
(21:30):
to talk about meditation's keybenefits.
Kara, what are the key benefitsof meditation?
SPEAKER_00 (21:36):
There are so many benefits.
Again, that goes back to thatlevels and layers that we talked
about just a moment ago, wherewe've got those benefits of
being able to calm ourselves.
So many people are living in astate where they don't feel
calmness at all during theirday.
So just having that feeling thateverything is okay.
(22:02):
In this moment, everything isokay.
And it may mean that there are alot of things that still have to
be organized, and there are alot of things that still have to
work themselves out, but it'sthis ability to come back to
this moment and let ourselves bein this moment to be okay, not
constantly searching for what'sundone, what still has to
(22:24):
happen, and so forth.
So we have that nervous systemaspect that we already talked
about.
There are also some interestingthings about memory retention,
being able to remember thingsmore easily.
I personally, I've beenmeditating, as I mentioned, for
coming up to a decade now.
My immunity has skyrocketed.
(22:47):
I am so much more protected fromcolds, sinus infections,
respiratory illnesses.
I used to have multiple times ayear I was dealing with sinus
infections, respiratoryinfections, and they took
forever to leave.
I would have to sleep in anotherroom because I didn't want to
wake my husband up with mycoughing in the middle of the
(23:08):
night.
It's always one of those thatit's worse when you're lying
down.
And I'd wake myself up, I'd wakemy husband up.
And I very rarely become sick,have colds.
And that's huge to just feelthat.
I know that wellness is such, Imean, you're you're looking at
wellness from body, mind, andsoul, but there is something
(23:30):
very mysterious about having alifetime of respiratory, you
know, being very vulnerable inthe lungs and then being very
robust and being like, oh mygosh, I made it all the way
through.
And I never had a cold thisyear.
So, you know, even things likedream recall, my dream recall
(23:52):
started to increase.
And really the, you know,another thing that I notice
about your your podcast and yourlisteners is again, it's that
wholeness.
It's looking at so manydifferent parts of the, you
know, you've got like, what'sthe importance of magnesium?
And what is the importance oflike your your um social media
(24:15):
intake and the toxicity and evenwhat you're posting on social
media and things like that?
All of that, it's it's likethese veils start to lift
because we're getting morealigned, body, mind, and soul.
Like exactly all those piecesthat you're bringing with every
episode from an individualperspective.
(24:35):
It's like this, it's like, youknow, synchronicities start to
happen where information thatyou need to know is delivered
right when it just drops in,like right when you need it,
without you having to go andsearch for it.
And it's like, I didn't evenknow this was a thing.
(24:56):
And now I'm hearing about it inall these different places.
All of these things reallystarted to increase a lot as
well with meditation practice.
So that's that's just some, butthere is really fascinating in
research and insights about thephysiological effects and the
the more esoteric effects andthe deepening connection of, you
(25:18):
know, that's been one of thebig, big ones for me is the
deepening connection withinmyself, within my connection
with God, my worthiness, myconfidence, my and seeing myself
beyond the physical andunderstanding that there's
really more going on behind thescenes.
SPEAKER_01 (25:40):
In my first few years out after the military, a
therapist, in addition torecommending journaling, she
recommended meditation.
And I really struggled withmeditation.
I couldn't quiet my brain longenough to get into the zone of
meditation and feel itsbenefits.
(26:01):
The other challenge was that Ihad a brain injury, so
remembering anything short-termwas very difficult.
But so many people in thetherapeutic community talk about
the benefits of meditation onand treating anxiety,
depression, post-traumaticstress, and chronic pain.
(26:24):
Can you talk a little bit aboutthat?
SPEAKER_00 (26:26):
It is well, first of all, what you talk about with
the struggles that you've hadwith meditation are so common.
And a lot of people stop whenthey try it and they feel like
they're not getting anywherewith it.
And that's one of the hardthings is that we've it feels
like it's such a naturalpractice that we should just be
(26:49):
able to do it.
We're just sitting there andwe're not thinking.
So there's no, you know, thatshould be something that we can
all do, right?
And it is something that we canall do, but it does take
training.
So it's just like anyable-bodied person could learn
to play the piano.
And the keys are right there andthey're the same for everybody.
(27:11):
But it does take training to beable to learn how to do it in a
harmonic way.
And meditation is the same waywhere you you need to be patient
with it.
We need to be patient withourselves.
And again, going back to that,having a method, that was really
important for me.
(27:32):
So doing more than just sittingthere and not thinking, but
saying, okay, I this is stepone, this is step two.
And the other piece to it is,you know, I was so eager when I
first started that I wanted togo for, you know, the longer the
better.
But when we're starting out,it's actually the shorter, you
(27:54):
know, the the short bursts areactually going to be a lot
better.
So if we can do it for oneminute even, and just sit there
and watch our breath, just leteither breathe deeply down into
the belly, feeling the belly,just really tuning in for one
minute, feel that belly expandout with a deep inhale, a long,
slow inhale, and exhale it backin with the exhale and just
(28:18):
watch the breath for one minuteand let that be the only point
of focus.
And if your mind wanders, whichby the way, it's going to,
because you have a lifetime ofmultitasking, being rewarded for
multitasking, of the mind justpinging around and you just go
with it.
So it takes dedication, it takesthat.
(28:40):
Oh, I just hopped on the thoughttrain and I didn't even realize
I did it.
Let me come back to watching mybreath for a minute.
And do that several times andthen up it to a minute and a
half or two minutes and let itslowly build.
And then you can have thosekinds of that's a lot easier
than trying to, you know, followyour thoughts.
(29:02):
What ends up happening is it itbecomes very frustrating to say,
like, ooh, this is great.
So I'm gonna do it for a longtime, and all you realize you're
doing is sitting there and thethoughts are pinging around.
But in terms of the depressionand why it is in the trauma,
again, there is some amazingresearch, and that is that's why
(29:25):
the that gets so recommended byso many clinicians, because
there really is a lot ofbenefit.
There's research that shows thatwith only eight weeks of
meditation practice for I thinkit was like 12 minutes a day,
(29:45):
the neurons start making newconnections.
And so with the brain, we havethe prefrontal cortex, we have
the kind of the more forwardpart of the brain right behind
the brow bone.
And then we have the lowermiddle part of the brain, which
is the limbic system.
That lower middle part is thatmore animalistic, the older part
(30:09):
of the brain from anevolutionary standpoint.
And as our human brain began toevolve, the newer parts are kind
of the outermost parts.
You know, the brain, like newstuff that got added was the
outer more parts of it.
And so that front part is likethe newest part from an
evolutionary standpoint.
(30:31):
That's where we come out ofsurvival.
That's where we have the moreunified, everything is okay.
We're all on the same team.
The altruism, the creativity,the joy.
When we're feeling those states,it's the front of the brain.
It's the prefrontal cortex, theprefrontal lobes that are active
(30:54):
if you're watching a brain on anMRI.
When we're in the anger, thedefensiveness, we're shut down,
we're afraid.
That's the limbic system.
That's that older animalsurvival part.
They can't, it's very simple,simplifying this a lot, but they
can't really be active at thesame time.
At any given point, one or theother can be active.
(31:18):
So with meditation, we'redeliberately activating that
prefrontal cortex, which quietsthe limbic system.
As we do that, more and morethere's a cumulative effect.
And you start to habitualizeyour brain that, oh, this is
where I get my activity from.
When, you know, I live my lifefrom the prefrontal cortex.
(31:42):
So we're less and less goinginto that survival mode, that
limbic system, which changes ourwhole life experience.
SPEAKER_01 (31:51):
If someone is new to meditation, they might have
questions like, where should Imeditate?
What time of day?
What should I wear?
Should I sit, stand, lie down,and should I be in a comfy
chair, a hard surface?
Any advice for someone brand newto meditation to just get
started doing it today?
SPEAKER_00 (32:10):
Yes, I love this question.
And, you know, there areguidelines that make it easier,
you know, having comfy clotheson.
You it really you can meditatein a chair.
Some people do prefer to sit.
I go, I actually have a 21-daycourse that goes into detail
with all of this.
But but just from a highlightsperspective, I find that it is
(32:34):
much wiser to be seated uprightthan to be than to lie down.
And the reason for that is thatyou have a whole lifetime of
habituating yourself to when Ilie down, I go to sleep.
So it's really difficult,especially in the beginning, if
you want to meditate and you liedown, because it's really hard
not to fall asleep, especiallybecause you're deliberately
(32:57):
relaxing yourself.
But comfy clothes are helpful.
If you want to sit in an uprightchair, you can do so.
But it's really helpful to havea nice straight spine, whether
you're seated on the floor or onthe chair.
The time of day, it's reallyhelpful to do that before you
get your day going.
So to go as much from directsleep into your meditation
(33:21):
before you've checked youremail, before you've looked at
the news if you're doing that,before you've really interacted
with anybody, because you'remuch fresher state, you know,
you're a clean slate.
And so you don't have thatbuildup that happens really
quickly the more we start tokind of engage with the outer
world.
And because the sleep has kindof you've entered that state
(33:46):
that helps you to discharge alot of that until you choose to
bring that back into the nextday.
So early is better also if youdo it before you eat your
breakfast.
That helps because everything isenergy.
And so your body is energy.
And when you meditate on anempty stomach, you just have
(34:08):
more resources that aren't goingtoward your digestion.
Once you bring that food in,then your body, some of your
energy reserves start going intodigesting that food, which just
it just logically gives you lessenergy to direct toward your
meditation.
So, and also by the time you'reeating, you're engaging more
(34:29):
with the world.
So, first thing in the morningand right before you go to
sleep, if you can, that'sanother great time.
That's a transitory time whereour consciousness is naturally
shifting into a more relaxedstate, and it can help you go
into sleep easier.
SPEAKER_01 (34:43):
I feel like I, even though I meditate on a regular
basis, I feel like I've learneda lot today.
Thank you so much for that.
What else do you want to leavelisteners with?
SPEAKER_00 (34:54):
I think what comes up for me is that just going
back to that worthiness partwhere we all have complicated
pasts.
Every single person has baggage,and every single person is
worthy of a connection that goesbeyond the physical, a
connection with themselves, withtheir spirit, with God, with
(35:18):
their, you know, with whateverdivinity ring brings true for
them.
And it's right there for us.
It's everywhere.
And we, again, just that 25%,just reaching out, 25%, and
knowing that there's anotherpart to you, there's a hidden
aspect of you that is wantingthat connection to be made and
(35:43):
has the power to help meet youmore than halfway.
I love that so much.
Thank you, Kara, for being here,a new normal big life today.
SPEAKER_01 (35:52):
Thank you for hosting me.
It's been such a beautifulblessing.
Listeners, you can find Kara'sbook, Your Authentic Awakening,
a Guide to Everyday SpiritualLiving, in a in the link in the
show description.
And I'll also place a link forKara's 21-day journey so that
you can start your meditationpractice or level up your game.
(36:15):
Until next time, friends, I'mAntoinette Lee, your wellness
warrior here at the New NormalBig Life Podcast.
I hope one day to see you on theriver in the backcountry or in
the horse barn living your bestlife.
Struggling with health problemsor seeking natural health
solutions, don't miss our latestpodcast episodes, exclusive blog
posts, and free ebooks packedwith life-changing wellness
(36:37):
tips.
Join our newsletter at nnbl.blogto unlock this bonus content and
start living your best lifetoday.
Magnesium, an unsung hero, fuelsover 300 bodily reactions from
heart health to stress relief.
Magnesium expert Natalie Girado,founder of Rooted In, found
(36:57):
freedom from anxiety, insomnia,and pain through topical
magnesium.
It transformed my life, shesays, inspiring her mission to
share this mineral's power.
Cardiologist Dr.
Jack Wolfson calls magnesiumessential for heart health,
helping regulate rhythms, bloodsugar, and reduce inflammation.
Up to 80% of people may bedeficient facing issues like
(37:20):
depression, migraines, insomnia,or muscle cramps.
For women over 40, magnesiumeases menopause symptoms, boosts
energy, and supports bones.
Choosing the correct type ofmagnesium matters.
Real stories, Natalie's in mind,highlight its impact.
After interviewing magnesiumexpert Natalie Durado, I became
(37:41):
a customer.
I was already a magnesium fan,having been told by two
cardiologists to take magnesiumfor a minor heart arrhythmia.
Natalie explains it best in theMagnesium the Mineral
Transforming Lives episode ofNew Normal Big Life, number four
in Alternative Health on ApplePodcast.
Listen wherever you get yourpodcasts.
Fast forward after theinterview, I bought the Rooted
(38:02):
Inn bundle for sleep,tranquility, and pain relief.
As a spine injury survivor withseveral other health challenges,
I'm in constant pain.
However, I don't take any painmedication.
Rooted in is now one more sourcethat nature provided to give our
bodies what it needs when itneeds it.
You can find magnesium innatural bodies of water like
(38:23):
lakes and rivers and in soil.
But modern farming practiceshave stripped magnesium out of
the soil and our food.
That's why today, Rooted Innsrest, relief, and tranquility
are part of our afternoon andnightly sleep routine.
My guy who did two tours kickingindoors in a rock with the
Marines now has no troublefalling asleep.
I no longer have to takemelatonin before bedtime to fall
(38:46):
asleep.
So after I became a customer andsaw how well these products
work, I applied to become anaffiliate.
New Nama Big Lie.
SPEAKER_01 (00:05):
Imagine a tool so simple it requires only your
breath, yet powerful enough toreshape your brain's response to
life's chaos.
In today's fast-paced world,therapists increasingly
recommend meditation as apowerful tool to combat stress
and mental health challenges.
One researcher calls meditationelite cognitive draining.
(00:27):
Therapists champion meditationas a transformative tool to ease
stress and mental healthchallenges.
Backed by research, it reducesanxiety, lifts mood, and
alleviates pain.
For those facing depression,post-traumatic stress, or
chronic pain, meditation rewiresthe brain for resilience.
It fits everyone.
Busy professionals, finding calmveterans and law enforcement
(00:51):
agents healing trauma or seniorsseeking peace.
Today, I'm joined by expert KaraGoodwin to share how to start or
elevate your meditation practicewhile maintaining your religious
beliefs.
Learn how minutes daily cantransform lives with real
stories and data, and how youcan begin your meditation
practice today.
(01:12):
Hi, friends, welcome to the NewNormal Big Life Podcast.
We bring you natural news andstories about nature that we
hope will inspire you to getoutside and adventure, along
with the step-by-step plan tohelp you practice what you've
learned and create your own newnormal and live the biggest life
you can dream.
I'm your host, Antoinette Lee,the Wellness Warrior.
Let's dive in to today'stransformational topic with Kara
(01:36):
Goodwin.
Kara Goodwin is the host of theSoul Elevation podcast, where
she explores ascension,spiritual awakening, energy
healing, extraterrestrialconnections, and consciousness.
As a skilled energy healer andmeditation guide, Kara empowers
others to deepen their spiritualconnection through
transformative practices.
(01:56):
Her debut book, Your AuthenticAwakening, a Guide to Everyday
Spiritual Living, provides aroadmap to embracing a
spiritually awakened andauthentic life.
Through her work, Kara inspiresothers to elevate their souls
and align with their highestpotential.
SPEAKER_00 (02:13):
Hi, Kara.
Welcome to New Normal Big Life.
Hi, Antoinette.
Thank you so much for having me.
I'm so excited to be here withyou.
SPEAKER_01 (02:20):
I'm excited for this discussion.
Can you start off by telling uswhat is your journey, your
personal journey intomeditation?
And why did you focus yourexpertise in this area?
SPEAKER_00 (02:31):
You know, it really all started with trauma.
And a lot of people's journeysthrough transformation happen
because their reality crumblesin front of them.
And that's what happened for me.
So several years ago, oh comingup to 10 years ago now, I all in
one, in basically half a year,in about seven months, I had a
(02:56):
series of tragedies happen,starting with the death of my
sister-in-law.
She took her life, which wasshocking.
She had two young kids and wasabout to get married.
And it was, and she was one ofmy best friends.
Three weeks later, our dog died.
A few weeks after that, mystepdad was declining and he
(03:17):
ended up having spinal stenosisand needed to have surgery on
his brain stem, which is always,there's always a big question
mark with that.
Like, how are you going to comeout the other side of that?
Luckily, he is doing well.
But he was deteriorating reallyrapidly.
Then my mother-in-law was hit bya motorbike as she crossed the
street.
So she was in the hospital for along time, recovering from that.
(03:40):
Then my stepmom was in, ended upin the ICU with heart failure
and had a heart transplant.
So it was a humongous amount ofstress.
And all of this time, myhusband, my kids, and I were
living abroad.
So we weren't with either of ourfamilies.
My husband's family is in inEngland, my family's in the US,
(04:02):
and we were living in Italy.
So it wasn't even easy to kindof connect with our families
because we had lives that weregoing, and you know, it was hard
to drop everything every timethe new thing showed up.
You know, every one of thosethings we would have loved to
devote months of support toeverybody to help and, you know,
(04:24):
for ourselves as well.
And it was just one thing afteranother.
And through that, I really, youknow, I was to be honest, I was
kind of coasting through thisMediterranean life that I was
living.
And, you know, it wasn't alwayseasy, but I was really enjoying
life there.
And when this started to happen,I just lost my footing.
(04:47):
And I needed something because Iwas just not, I felt so much.
It really I noticed I wasfeeling fear anytime my phone
rang.
Because these days people textor they send a WhatsApp message
and or they send an email.
And when my phone rang, it was100% of the time devastating
(05:11):
news.
And so, and it got to the pointwhere I was like, oh my God, my
dad's calling me.
What is this?
I don't even want to answer it.
And then I'd tell myself, no,it's it can't be, can't be more
bad news, you know.
And so I answer it bravely.
And then I'm given more terriblenews, you know.
And so it was really like, whatis happening here?
And so I remember taking my kidsto school.
(05:36):
We would walk to school becausewe lived in the city, and I
walked back.
And at this point, I really waskind of agnostic.
I didn't necessarily I think itwas that I it wasn't that I
didn't believe in God, but Ididn't feel seen by God.
I didn't feel that I was livinga life that warranted any sort
(05:59):
of attention from God or that Iwas worthy of asking for
anything from God.
But I still believed enough tohave a conversation in my head
as I was walking back fromschool saying, God, I don't even
know if you know who I am, butI, you know, there is just a lot
(06:21):
going on.
And I know there's a lot ofsuffering in this world, and
this is nothing compared to whatsome people are going through,
but it's a lot for me.
And I just need some guidance.
And I had always felt drawn, I'dfelt intrigued by meditation.
So it was one of those thingswhere I'd see a news article,
(06:42):
for example, and it wouldmention meditation, and I'd be
like, that meditation, there issomething to it.
But I would get inspired to tryit and I would, I wouldn't
really feel anything magicalabout it.
And I didn't really feel it,just made me notice that my
thoughts were racing.
And I'm like, well, I can haveracing thoughts and get the
(07:03):
dishes done and have racingthoughts and watch TV or you
know, whatever it is.
But I'm like, I am not feelingthis stillness that people talk
about.
I'm not getting this inspirationthat people are talking about.
But I really, because I'd beenso like intrigued by it, I, in
this conversation that I washaving with God inside my head,
(07:25):
I was like, if there's somethingto this meditation that will
help me through this time, helpme find a resource for it and
make it in English.
Because I actually had triedmeditation locally there in
Italy, but it was in Italian andit was too much for me to try to
keep up with it.
And so I was like, I need it, Ineed guidance in my mother
(07:47):
tongue and like lead me and showme.
And then I let that go.
And again, I wasn't in thisplace where God was a big part
of my life.
So it was really in looking backthat I can see how quickly
things started showing up forme, how quickly conversations
(08:08):
would mysteriously lead me tolike, oh, I want to watch that
documentary that would lead meto the book, that would lead me
to the teacher, that would leadme to what started as a very
secular practice for myself,where I was not wanting to get
into a spiritual connection.
And then over time, I wasexperiencing like light behind
(08:32):
my closed eyes.
I was feeling this warmthdescend from above.
And I was weeping because I waslike something, I don't know how
to explain that.
And I really felt that there wassome divine connection
happening.
And then you go back to also theworthiness aspect to it, where
it was like I still was carryingthis, like, yeah, I think some
(08:56):
people do have a connection withGod, but I've not been living
that way.
And I I haven't, I don't deserveit.
You know, if that is a thing, Idon't deserve it.
And then here I am experiencingsomething I can't explain.
And that was just that in and ofitself was so touching.
So that's my story.
SPEAKER_01 (09:19):
You know, that touches on so many things.
One of the things that came tome is that the old uh philosophy
of when the student is ready,the teacher and teachers appear
in many different forms.
But also just hearing you say orquestioning whether or not you
(09:39):
were even worthy to ask God forhelp or and guidance.
I I wonder how many people don'tmove forward like you did, but
they stay stuck in perhaps I'mnot worthy.
SPEAKER_00 (09:53):
I love that.
You know, I heard a philosopherat one point talking about the
moon, like kind of relating Godto the moon.
And he was telling this story,it was probably allegorical, but
you know, of looking up at thenight sky and and and equating
(10:14):
it to God, thinking that thatmoon is there for anybody to
look at at any time, but so manypeople don't.
So many people don't, it'sthere, it's always there, and
only some people notice it, andonly some people look at it.
But does it still exist?
(10:34):
Is it still there, available forpeople to look at and connect to
at any given point in time?
Anyone can look up at the nightsky and look at one in in wonder
at the moon, and that is God,you know, it's it's he, he, she,
(10:56):
it is always there.
It's always there and it's ineverything, and it's in
everyone, and that connection isavailable at any point, no
matter where we are in our lifejourney, no matter the choices
that we've made up to thatpoint.
It wants us to see it, it wantsus to connect, and it's waiting
(11:20):
patiently.
And we are worthy just by beinghere, just by reaching out, we
are worthy.
You know, one of my teachers atone point had a philosophy that
your, you know, let's call itlike your guardian angel or
Jesus or whoever, like your yourguidance, that that divine
(11:43):
guidance that is living withinyou.
If you just give 25%, they'regonna meet you the rest of the
way.
You know, it's not like you haveto do overextend yourself in
order to make that connection.
They're wanting that connection,but they need to be invited in.
And you can do that at any atany time.
(12:04):
The moon's right there for youto look at at any time.
SPEAKER_01 (12:08):
In addition to the spiritual nature of meditation,
clinicians like therapistschampion meditation for its
therapeutic benefits.
SPEAKER_00 (12:19):
Why is that?
Yeah, there is some fascinatingresearch on meditation.
And it's this the way that itaffects our nervous system.
And there are many elements, atleast to the way that I practice
meditation.
You know, it took me a while.
Like I mentioned, I wasn'tfeeling that I was getting
(12:39):
anything out of my practiceuntil I actually consulted with
a teacher.
And I was like, tell me how tomeditate.
And they told me how to positionmyself, how to start my
meditation, how to breathe, whatthe rhythm is, you know, gave me
kind of a formula to follow sothat I wasn't just sitting there
(13:01):
trying not to not to think.
And one of the importantelements of that practice is the
breath, because the breath isconnecting us, giving us the
ability to kind of hack into ournervous system.
And our nervous system is veryclosely aligned with the types
of thoughts that we're thinkingand the tension that we're
(13:25):
holding in our body, thoselooping, cycling thoughts, the
feelings of unworthiness, all ofthose more oppressive, denser,
kind of heavier aspects of usand the tension, all of that is
connected to an overactivenervous system.
And Antoinette, I'm sure you'refamiliar with fight or flight
(13:48):
and how that affects the nervoussystem and how fight or flight
works within our modern life.
But in case there are people whohaven't learned about that yet,
our our fight or flight is ohwell, we have two ways that our
our nervous system works.
(14:09):
One is the parasympatheticnervous system, and one is the
sympathetic nervous system.
And the sympathetic nervoussystem is that fight or flight.
And it's meant, we it's builtinto us as a protective mega
mechanism.
It is when we're in thesympathetic nervous system,
we're ready for action.
We literally, our body is readyto either fight or to run away
(14:33):
or to freeze.
And that has physiologicaleffects because it's like our
all the energy is going out toour limbs.
It's going out of our organs.
So if you think about how muchsupport your organs need to
function and to regenerate theircells and to replenish
themselves, it's taking theenergy away from that.
(14:56):
It's taking resources away fromthe digestion, from your, your,
all of the organs, like I said,and delivering it to your
senses, to your arms and yourlegs so that you can.
So it's like, okay, all hands ondeck, we've got to get away from
this.
We're in danger.
That's really helpful when youreally are in danger.
(15:19):
So, you know, the way that we'veevolved, we were being chased by
predators.
You know, we had to, ourancestors had to get away.
And that was part of thesurvival.
The fact that we are here in thephysical is because our
ancestors did get away fromdanger when they needed to.
Now, in today's living, we areliving in that stress-induced
(15:43):
state, that sympathetic nervoussystem, because our minds are
telling us we're in danger,because of the constantly
looping thoughts.
And it's work danger, it'ssocial danger, but it's not
actual physical danger.
So, for one thing, we're notrunning it off.
We're not like, you know, how aduck, if you ever watch ducks
(16:04):
fight, they, you know, squawk ateach other and they have their
altercation, and then they shakeand they literally shake it off,
and then they're fine.
And my dog does this too.
I have an overprotective dog,and she will just get worked up,
and I have to like manage heruntil she shakes herself off,
(16:25):
and then she's fine.
And I know that I can relax too.
But we don't really do that.
So this tension just builds up,and then we have all the
stimulation from our modernworld, from our jobs, from our
families, from our just we're insurvival mode.
And it just builds up and buildsup, and we're never shaking it
(16:46):
off.
And so we're constantly in thesympathetic nervous system.
And remember, that means thatall of our resources are going
towards survival and our organsand those, you know, they're
we're not having thatreplenishment happening within
the body.
So the opposite of thesympathetic nervous system is
the parasympathetic nervoussystem.
(17:07):
And that is where everything'sokay.
And physiologically, our bodycan replenish itself.
So those resources draw from thelimbs and the senses.
And this happens, you know, whenwe get a good night's sleep and
when we are rested.
It's kind of happening behindthe scenes when we allow
ourselves to be in thatparasympathetic state.
(17:30):
That's closely tied to thebreath, but it's also closely
tied to the mind and ourthoughts.
And so meditation works at manydifferent levels and layers to
give yourself that break and toallow that replenishment to
happen.
SPEAKER_01 (17:48):
So many people don't know how to do that.
So that's something that wedefinitely need to talk about
today.
Yes, absolutely.
World events are constantlyteaching everyone some very
painful lessons.
Without warning, everything wetake for granted can suddenly
fail.
And if you're not prepared inadvance, you really don't have a
chance.
The fact is, the modern worldruns on a just-in-time supply
(18:11):
schedule.
Even the biggest grocery storescan carry only enough food for a
few days' worth of normalshopping.
So when disaster strikes andchaos ensues at your local
stores, the odds are simplyagainst you.
If you don't have emergency foodand gear stockpiled in advance,
you will probably suffer.
My partner Ready Hour is here tohelp you ahead of time.
(18:34):
Ready Hour has a long history ofproviding calorie-rich,
reliable, and deliciousnourishment for life's
unexpected situations.
And critical emergency gear,too.
They're part of a family ofcompanies that have served
millions of people like you fordecades.
My family and I use Ready Hourproducts for camping,
mountaineering, and disasterpreparedness for five years now.
(18:56):
They're not just reliable,they're also your affordable
option too.
Long-term survival foodshouldn't break the bank.
That's why they have great salesand payment options for you.
It's your bridge to safety andsurvival when things just aren't
normal anymore.
So make your next decision, yoursmartest decision.
Be ready for tomorrow.
Today.
(19:17):
Trust Ready Hour.
Ready to shop?
Use my affiliate link in theshow description.
Before we cover the next topicin this episode, I want to
introduce you to the AdventureSports Lifestyle with what I
call a micro story about anadventure that I've had.
The Adventure Sports Lifestyleand my deep connection to nature
is essential to my good health.
(19:38):
So here's the story.
There are eating fish, trophyfish, bait fish, and releasing
fish.
I talk about fishing to manypeople all the time, and it's
interesting to get theirperspectives on catching and
releasing fish versus keepingthem.
What I'm learning is many peoplewho grew up without a lot of
money and often didn't have muchfood tend to become the kind of
(19:59):
anglers who keep everything theycatch.
I can understand this mentalitybecause for them, catching fish
means survival.
Unfortunately, even when thosepeople have plenty of food in
the future, they find it hard tobreak the mentality of keeping
everything they catch.
I rarely keep the fish I catchbecause the challenge is if
everyone in your area keepseverything they catch, fish
(20:22):
populations will quickly dwindleand soon no one will catch
anything.
I saw this happen in threenorthern Colorado lakes where I
used to fish.
Catching a trophy fish to somemeans mounting it and putting on
their wall to show friends andfamily.
However, I have a differentperspective on trophy fish.
I like to photograph and releasethem back into the water.
(20:44):
Nowadays, there are a lot ofoptions for creating a replica
of your trophy fish, whichsupports local artists and
craftsmen while allowing thosegood genes in the fish to live
on.
Then there are some fish thatmake good bait fish, and you may
want to keep one occasionally tocut up and use as bait.
However, 99% of the time I catchon the list the fish.
(21:09):
And there is no right way tohandle your fish.
I simply wanted to share thedifferent perspectives so that
you can make informed decisionsabout what to do as a new or
experienced angler.
I hope this inspires you to getoutside and adventure alone with
friends or the people you lovemost.
Now, back to the show wherewe're talking with Kara Goodwin
(21:30):
to talk about meditation's keybenefits.
Kara, what are the key benefitsof meditation?
SPEAKER_00 (21:36):
There are so many benefits.
Again, that goes back to thatlevels and layers that we talked
about just a moment ago, wherewe've got those benefits of
being able to calm ourselves.
So many people are living in astate where they don't feel
calmness at all during theirday.
So just having that feeling thateverything is okay.
(22:02):
In this moment, everything isokay.
And it may mean that there are alot of things that still have to
be organized, and there are alot of things that still have to
work themselves out, but it'sthis ability to come back to
this moment and let ourselves bein this moment to be okay, not
constantly searching for what'sundone, what still has to
(22:24):
happen, and so forth.
So we have that nervous systemaspect that we already talked
about.
There are also some interestingthings about memory retention,
being able to remember thingsmore easily.
I personally, I've beenmeditating, as I mentioned, for
coming up to a decade now.
My immunity has skyrocketed.
(22:47):
I am so much more protected fromcolds, sinus infections,
respiratory illnesses.
I used to have multiple times ayear I was dealing with sinus
infections, respiratoryinfections, and they took
forever to leave.
I would have to sleep in anotherroom because I didn't want to
wake my husband up with mycoughing in the middle of the
(23:08):
night.
It's always one of those thatit's worse when you're lying
down.
And I'd wake myself up, I'd wakemy husband up.
And I very rarely become sick,have colds.
And that's huge to just feelthat.
I know that wellness is such, Imean, you're you're looking at
wellness from body, mind, andsoul, but there is something
(23:30):
very mysterious about having alifetime of respiratory, you
know, being very vulnerable inthe lungs and then being very
robust and being like, oh mygosh, I made it all the way
through.
And I never had a cold thisyear.
So, you know, even things likedream recall, my dream recall
(23:52):
started to increase.
And really the, you know,another thing that I notice
about your your podcast and yourlisteners is again, it's that
wholeness.
It's looking at so manydifferent parts of the, you
know, you've got like, what'sthe importance of magnesium?
And what is the importance oflike your your um social media
(24:15):
intake and the toxicity and evenwhat you're posting on social
media and things like that?
All of that, it's it's likethese veils start to lift
because we're getting morealigned, body, mind, and soul.
Like exactly all those piecesthat you're bringing with every
episode from an individualperspective.
(24:35):
It's like this, it's like, youknow, synchronicities start to
happen where information thatyou need to know is delivered
right when it just drops in,like right when you need it,
without you having to go andsearch for it.
And it's like, I didn't evenknow this was a thing.
(24:56):
And now I'm hearing about it inall these different places.
All of these things reallystarted to increase a lot as
well with meditation practice.
So that's that's just some, butthere is really fascinating in
research and insights about thephysiological effects and the
the more esoteric effects andthe deepening connection of, you
(25:18):
know, that's been one of thebig, big ones for me is the
deepening connection withinmyself, within my connection
with God, my worthiness, myconfidence, my and seeing myself
beyond the physical andunderstanding that there's
really more going on behind thescenes.
SPEAKER_01 (25:40):
In my first few years out after the military, a
therapist, in addition torecommending journaling, she
recommended meditation.
And I really struggled withmeditation.
I couldn't quiet my brain longenough to get into the zone of
meditation and feel itsbenefits.
(26:01):
The other challenge was that Ihad a brain injury, so
remembering anything short-termwas very difficult.
But so many people in thetherapeutic community talk about
the benefits of meditation onand treating anxiety,
depression, post-traumaticstress, and chronic pain.
(26:24):
Can you talk a little bit aboutthat?
SPEAKER_00 (26:26):
It is well, first of all, what you talk about with
the struggles that you've hadwith meditation are so common.
And a lot of people stop whenthey try it and they feel like
they're not getting anywherewith it.
And that's one of the hardthings is that we've it feels
like it's such a naturalpractice that we should just be
(26:49):
able to do it.
We're just sitting there andwe're not thinking.
So there's no, you know, thatshould be something that we can
all do, right?
And it is something that we canall do, but it does take
training.
So it's just like anyable-bodied person could learn
to play the piano.
And the keys are right there andthey're the same for everybody.
(27:11):
But it does take training to beable to learn how to do it in a
harmonic way.
And meditation is the same waywhere you you need to be patient
with it.
We need to be patient withourselves.
And again, going back to that,having a method, that was really
important for me.
(27:32):
So doing more than just sittingthere and not thinking, but
saying, okay, I this is stepone, this is step two.
And the other piece to it is,you know, I was so eager when I
first started that I wanted togo for, you know, the longer the
better.
But when we're starting out,it's actually the shorter, you
(27:54):
know, the the short bursts areactually going to be a lot
better.
So if we can do it for oneminute even, and just sit there
and watch our breath, just leteither breathe deeply down into
the belly, feeling the belly,just really tuning in for one
minute, feel that belly expandout with a deep inhale, a long,
slow inhale, and exhale it backin with the exhale and just
(28:18):
watch the breath for one minuteand let that be the only point
of focus.
And if your mind wanders, whichby the way, it's going to,
because you have a lifetime ofmultitasking, being rewarded for
multitasking, of the mind justpinging around and you just go
with it.
So it takes dedication, it takesthat.
(28:40):
Oh, I just hopped on the thoughttrain and I didn't even realize
I did it.
Let me come back to watching mybreath for a minute.
And do that several times andthen up it to a minute and a
half or two minutes and let itslowly build.
And then you can have thosekinds of that's a lot easier
than trying to, you know, followyour thoughts.
(29:02):
What ends up happening is it itbecomes very frustrating to say,
like, ooh, this is great.
So I'm gonna do it for a longtime, and all you realize you're
doing is sitting there and thethoughts are pinging around.
But in terms of the depressionand why it is in the trauma,
again, there is some amazingresearch, and that is that's why
(29:25):
the that gets so recommended byso many clinicians, because
there really is a lot ofbenefit.
There's research that shows thatwith only eight weeks of
meditation practice for I thinkit was like 12 minutes a day,
(29:45):
the neurons start making newconnections.
And so with the brain, we havethe prefrontal cortex, we have
the kind of the more forwardpart of the brain right behind
the brow bone.
And then we have the lowermiddle part of the brain, which
is the limbic system.
That lower middle part is thatmore animalistic, the older part
(30:09):
of the brain from anevolutionary standpoint.
And as our human brain began toevolve, the newer parts are kind
of the outermost parts.
You know, the brain, like newstuff that got added was the
outer more parts of it.
And so that front part is likethe newest part from an
evolutionary standpoint.
(30:31):
That's where we come out ofsurvival.
That's where we have the moreunified, everything is okay.
We're all on the same team.
The altruism, the creativity,the joy.
When we're feeling those states,it's the front of the brain.
It's the prefrontal cortex, theprefrontal lobes that are active
(30:54):
if you're watching a brain on anMRI.
When we're in the anger, thedefensiveness, we're shut down,
we're afraid.
That's the limbic system.
That's that older animalsurvival part.
They can't, it's very simple,simplifying this a lot, but they
can't really be active at thesame time.
At any given point, one or theother can be active.
(31:18):
So with meditation, we'redeliberately activating that
prefrontal cortex, which quietsthe limbic system.
As we do that, more and morethere's a cumulative effect.
And you start to habitualizeyour brain that, oh, this is
where I get my activity from.
When, you know, I live my lifefrom the prefrontal cortex.
(31:42):
So we're less and less goinginto that survival mode, that
limbic system, which changes ourwhole life experience.
SPEAKER_01 (31:51):
If someone is new to meditation, they might have
questions like, where should Imeditate?
What time of day?
What should I wear?
Should I sit, stand, lie down,and should I be in a comfy
chair, a hard surface?
Any advice for someone brand newto meditation to just get
started doing it today?
SPEAKER_00 (32:10):
Yes, I love this question.
And, you know, there areguidelines that make it easier,
you know, having comfy clotheson.
You it really you can meditatein a chair.
Some people do prefer to sit.
I go, I actually have a 21-daycourse that goes into detail
with all of this.
But but just from a highlightsperspective, I find that it is
(32:34):
much wiser to be seated uprightthan to be than to lie down.
And the reason for that is thatyou have a whole lifetime of
habituating yourself to when Ilie down, I go to sleep.
So it's really difficult,especially in the beginning, if
you want to meditate and you liedown, because it's really hard
not to fall asleep, especiallybecause you're deliberately
(32:57):
relaxing yourself.
But comfy clothes are helpful.
If you want to sit in an uprightchair, you can do so.
But it's really helpful to havea nice straight spine, whether
you're seated on the floor or onthe chair.
The time of day, it's reallyhelpful to do that before you
get your day going.
So to go as much from directsleep into your meditation
(33:21):
before you've checked youremail, before you've looked at
the news if you're doing that,before you've really interacted
with anybody, because you'remuch fresher state, you know,
you're a clean slate.
And so you don't have thatbuildup that happens really
quickly the more we start tokind of engage with the outer
world.
And because the sleep has kindof you've entered that state
(33:46):
that helps you to discharge alot of that until you choose to
bring that back into the nextday.
So early is better also if youdo it before you eat your
breakfast.
That helps because everything isenergy.
And so your body is energy.
And when you meditate on anempty stomach, you just have
(34:08):
more resources that aren't goingtoward your digestion.
Once you bring that food in,then your body, some of your
energy reserves start going intodigesting that food, which just
it just logically gives you lessenergy to direct toward your
meditation.
So, and also by the time you'reeating, you're engaging more
(34:29):
with the world.
So, first thing in the morningand right before you go to
sleep, if you can, that'sanother great time.
That's a transitory time whereour consciousness is naturally
shifting into a more relaxedstate, and it can help you go
into sleep easier.
SPEAKER_01 (34:43):
I feel like I, even though I meditate on a regular
basis, I feel like I've learneda lot today.
Thank you so much for that.
What else do you want to leavelisteners with?
SPEAKER_00 (34:54):
I think what comes up for me is that just going
back to that worthiness partwhere we all have complicated
pasts.
Every single person has baggage,and every single person is
worthy of a connection that goesbeyond the physical, a
connection with themselves, withtheir spirit, with God, with
(35:18):
their, you know, with whateverdivinity ring brings true for
them.
And it's right there for us.
It's everywhere.
And we, again, just that 25%,just reaching out, 25%, and
knowing that there's anotherpart to you, there's a hidden
aspect of you that is wantingthat connection to be made and
(35:43):
has the power to help meet youmore than halfway.
I love that so much.
Thank you, Kara, for being here,a new normal big life today.
SPEAKER_01 (35:52):
Thank you for hosting me.
It's been such a beautifulblessing.
Listeners, you can find Kara'sbook, Your Authentic Awakening,
a Guide to Everyday SpiritualLiving, in a in the link in the
show description.
And I'll also place a link forKara's 21-day journey so that
you can start your meditationpractice or level up your game.
(36:15):
Until next time, friends, I'mAntoinette Lee, your wellness
warrior here at the New NormalBig Life Podcast.
I hope one day to see you on theriver in the backcountry or in
the horse barn living your bestlife.
Struggling with health problemsor seeking natural health
solutions, don't miss our latestpodcast episodes, exclusive blog
posts, and free ebooks packedwith life-changing wellness
(36:37):
tips.
Join our newsletter at nnbl.blogto unlock this bonus content and
start living your best lifetoday.
Magnesium, an unsung hero, fuelsover 300 bodily reactions from
heart health to stress relief.
Magnesium expert Natalie Girado,founder of Rooted In, found
(36:57):
freedom from anxiety, insomnia,and pain through topical
magnesium.
It transformed my life, shesays, inspiring her mission to
share this mineral's power.
Cardiologist Dr.
Jack Wolfson calls magnesiumessential for heart health,
helping regulate rhythms, bloodsugar, and reduce inflammation.
Up to 80% of people may bedeficient facing issues like
(37:20):
depression, migraines, insomnia,or muscle cramps.
For women over 40, magnesiumeases menopause symptoms, boosts
energy, and supports bones.
Choosing the correct type ofmagnesium matters.
Real stories, Natalie's in mind,highlight its impact.
After interviewing magnesiumexpert Natalie Durado, I became
(37:41):
a customer.
I was already a magnesium fan,having been told by two
cardiologists to take magnesiumfor a minor heart arrhythmia.
Natalie explains it best in theMagnesium the Mineral
Transforming Lives episode ofNew Normal Big Life, number four
in Alternative Health on ApplePodcast.
Listen wherever you get yourpodcasts.
Fast forward after theinterview, I bought the Rooted
(38:02):
Inn bundle for sleep,tranquility, and pain relief.
As a spine injury survivor withseveral other health challenges,
I'm in constant pain.
However, I don't take any painmedication.
Rooted in is now one more sourcethat nature provided to give our
bodies what it needs when itneeds it.
You can find magnesium innatural bodies of water like
(38:23):
lakes and rivers and in soil.
But modern farming practiceshave stripped magnesium out of
the soil and our food.
That's why today, Rooted Innsrest, relief, and tranquility
are part of our afternoon andnightly sleep routine.
My guy who did two tours kickingindoors in a rock with the
Marines now has no troublefalling asleep.
I no longer have to takemelatonin before bedtime to fall
(38:46):
asleep.
So after I became a customer andsaw how well these products
work, I applied to become anaffiliate.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.