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I took a pause from the A Free Spirit Life podcast to dedicate more time to my painting, enjoy winter break with my family, and to kickstart the return to the Mindful Mama Movement podcast.  I am so happy to be back to this podcast today! In today's episode, I explore the importance of living in rhythm and in flow with your authentic nature. I talk about how energy is so important and invaluable in how we experience our daily lives. As a holistic life coach, I have guided hundreds of women going through small and big life transitions and one thing we all have in common is we want to be seen and appreciated for who we are - even in the midst of the mess. We as humans don't particularly love change, and we tend to stay comfortable with how things are, even when we aren't happy, because the unknown feels scary. It takes a lot of courage to choose to change.  Let me say that again...  It takes a lot of courage to choose to change. A free spirit is someone who questions the way things have always been. It's someone who follows curiosity and wonder.  It's someone who is remembering what's important in life and it's someone dedicated to reconnecting with their own inner magic.  A free spirit is someone on a quest to feel safe being who they truly are so they can share their authentic gifts with the world. The messages we receive from our culture is on how to be a "good girl," how to "please others" at the expense of our needs, how to fit in and how to live totally out of alignment from our true self. If there is a longing inside you that knows there's a different way to live, that's your intuition nudging you.  You are ready to walk through transition and change with courage. This episode will encourage and support you to do just that and more.   Enjoy the show! Resources mentioned in this episode: Shannon's Holistic Life Coaching + Human Design Readings The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron Thanks for listening.  I see you...

In this episode, we're exploring the sweet spot between setting intentional goals and creating a vision for your future dreams and learning how to surrender and let go of control. I'm also introducing my new course, The Peaceful Planning Program. How would you like to tap into your intuitive wisdom, unlock your potential and have bountiful opportunities flow into your life? It's completely possible when your authentic energy is aligned with clear intentions. In Peaceful Planning, you'll identify what's blocking your prosperity, get crazy clear about your values and vision, and create a peaceful plan that opens up new possibilities and brings your dreams to life. You are a dream maker. Somewhere along our life's path, we learn how to suppress, hide or even fear our own magic. You have dreams you're ready to discover and uncover. You want to bust through limiting fears and get clear about your life's direction. Celebrate and embrace your magic as you move towards your dreams. Visioning Your Path When you feel happy, joyful and grateful in your life, you know you're pointed in the right direction. You'll feel empowered, excited and wildly alive as you move towards your dreams in a focused, intentional way, while letting go and surrendering to the limitless possibilities on your unique path. The Power of Ritual An impactful practice in feeling focused and realizing your dreams is through daily ritual. Rituals ground you, keep you centered and connect you to your intuitive, inner wisdom. In this program, you'll create simple, sacred, daily rituals that will help you stay balanced and recharged so you can consistently and mindfully move towards your dreams.   We'll explore this and more in today's episode. Three Journal Questions to Explore as you Make Space for Your Dreams: Put your pen to paper and without overthink, see what comes from your heart: What does your heart long for?  What do you yearn for? If you. had all the time, energy and resources, what would you want to focus on? If you fully invested in what you yearn for and what you want to focus on, how would your life change? To learn more about my new course, visit The Peaceful Planning Program!  Thanks for listening.  Keep believing in your dreams!

We wear a lot of hats and hold up many plates and the day-to-day juggle is real.  When we are faced with so much on our work and home life plates, we can easily miss the everyday joyful moments in life because we are simply overwhelmed and depleted.   In this episode, we'll eplore the 5 energy types in Human Design and learn how to feel more attuned with our true nature.  I'll teach you how to find your energy type and why learning more about your personal chart is so life-changing. I've had years of experience as a spiritual teacher and life coach, and since integrating Human Design into my intuitive practice, I have guided hundreds of women as they navigate change and break free of limitations with greater direction, clarity, peace and authenticity.  So many women - just like you and me - are struggling to regain some sense of "normalcy" as we move through these unsettling times.  We are awakening to the fact that we don't have to live like everyone else, and in fact, when we discover more about our true self, we see we're all unique puzzle pieces. Human Design helps you embrace and celebrate your differences, while shining a light on your authentic strengths and gifts.   We all can see how fast life is moving and changing. Let's break the cycle of living on autopilot and rather than draining our energy, learn how to connect deeply to our intuition so we can say "yes" to the right things, and say "no" to what's holding us back and depleting our precious energy. After taking a deep dive into the 5 energy types, I'll share my love notes to each of you.  My hope is that you feel seen, heard and validated.  I want you to remember how amazing and beautiful your messy and imperfect life really is.  Knowing more about your Human Design will help you celebrate your authentic self and see your unique place in this world. When we learn how to connect with each other in a more empathetic and genuine way, our relationships feel more in sync. And when life feels in sync, we experience true harmony - as though we're flowing with the current. Human Design is a way to step into the current and to flow with life in a more ease-filled and energized way.   Enjoy the show! If you're interested in learning more about my coaching and deep dive Human Design readings, visit HERE. You can look up your free Human Design body graph here. Thanks for listening! Shannon

I'm back after a long break from the podcast.  My dad passed away very suddenly 6 months ago and I've taken some time away to get quiet, to rest and to grieve.  In this episode I'm exploring what it feels like to show up in life, even when it doesn't go the way we think it "should." The world is a noisy place and works hard to pull us away from our truest nature.  There is no right path, only the path that is right for you. Are you listening to your heart and soul?  What are you longing for?  Where's your path taking you?  Do you trust it? Let's explore that and more together in this episode. Thanks for listening.  I'm happy to be back with you. With love, Shannon

In today's episode, I'm sharing an amazing conversation with entrepreneur, spiritual guide and coach, Tiffany Baker. Tiffany recently learned that she's a Projector in Human Design. In this show, we explore how and why learning about her projector nature has been so rewarding, empowering and freeing. I love how Tiffany describes that experimenting with life as a Projector with Splenic Authority has helped her understand her true nature in a way she never understood before.  She now knows why she needs more rest than others, and she's creating a family life and business that allows her to rest and work when she feels like it, rather than hustling and burning out like she did in the past.   Tiffany is honest and genuine in her sharing about learning to trust her intuition, even when it means changing her mind, setting new boundaries or disappointing others.  She's a true testament to what it means to live more in alignment with your natural energy type and more connected to your authentic self. If you are new to human design and want to learn more about the 5 different energy types, listen to Episode 47: What is Human Design & What's Your Energy Type? To learn more about @revtiffanybaker or visit her website here. To learn more about my new Energize Your Life sessions, visit here. To learn more about Deep Dive Human Design Readings, visit here. Thanks for listening and enjoy the show.

In this episode we'll explore how important it is to practice living more in alignment with your true self.   Learning your human design energy type gives you the language to explain what you've always known about yourself.  The parts of your personality that make you feel different tend to hold the information about your true gifts.   If you get stuck looking outside of yourself for the answers, that's a sign you're living out of tune with your intuition.  If you have limiting beliefs that make you think you should be like everyone else, you end up living your life feeling like you don't have enough, that you don't do enough and that you aren't enough.   It's time to break free and be who you're meant to be. You are designed to shine.  Learn more about your true design and check out my new Energize Your Life sessions! Thanks for listening.

Hello friends! I'm back with a short episode checking-in this summer as we are slowly emerging after a year of the pandemic.  I've received so many emails and messages about how you all are exploring life after what once felt "normal," and how you're learning to embrace the reset that is helping you return more to your authentic self. One of the gifts of the upheaval, unknowns, discomfort and changes from the past year is that so many of us are learning what it feels like to live more in alignment with our true nature.  And it seems like we like it here!  What about the shifts from this past year have resonated with you? What about it do you want to carry with you moving forward?  What awakened in you during this time of deep transition? During this time of change, I've rediscovered my love of watercolor and created a new course, Inspired Flow, where I integrate energy healing with intuitive creative, art journaling.  It's all about using the playful modality of watercolor to spark creativity, raise your vibration, get you in-tune with your energy centers and connect to your intuition, so that you can experience more ease, balance, alignment, joy and playfulness in your life.   It's not about painting a beautiful piece of art (although it is quite beautiful when you express yourself intuitively), but it's about learning how to be in the moment.  It's about learning how to listen to your heart and discovering what your soul wants to express.  Intuitive creating in this way helps you notice how you feel, without your restless mind getting in the way.  It's a powerful healing, self-discovery journey. Shoot me a DM on Instagram and tell me: What are you feeling creatively inspired by?  How are you taking care of yourself during this life-altering time? What does your heart need most in this moment? In honor of the change and the summer solstice, I'm offering a summer special.  For the next 10 coaching clients, if you sign-up for a Human Design reading or a personal life coaching session, you'll receive one free week of Voxer coaching support!  VISIT HERE to learn more. I also announce my Fall, 2021 retreat in this episode. Happy Summer and thanks for listening. Warmly, Shannon www.afreespiritlife.com  

In today's episode, we'll explore energy, connecting to your intuition (through your human design energy type) and the gentle hands-on healing modality, Reiki. We've been born with an inner wisdom.  It is your intuition - your teacher and guide.  Your intuition is nudging you subtly in life, sometimes really loudly - hitting you on the head, to get you to listen.  It's our job to learn how to pay attention to it, and find the courage to follow where it's leading.   We've been taught that our mind is really the place to make decisions from.  We end up getting stuck, fixing problems and mulling over solutions in our head.  The mind is a great place to generate ideas and process information, but to make decisions that are in tune with our authentic self, that's when the mind can get in the way.   Maybe you get headaches from over-thinking, worrying, or ruminating about the past.  It can feel like a mental game of ping-pong - bouncing back and forth from past regrets to future worries.  We find ourselves stuck in our heads, while missing the present moment. Today I'm talking about how to get in tune and in touch with your intuition, and how to become your own guide and energy healer through the Reiki. I am now teaching Reiki online!  You can take Reiki with a group or as a self-study program, and get a personal Reiki Level One attunement with me.  Visit HERE to learn more! I'm also offering a free course, Energize Your Life with Human Design, where you can learn more about your energy type. Thanks for listening. Be well and keep taking good care of YOU. www.afreespiritlife.com

In today’s show, I am so excited to share this lovely conversation with Theta Healer and Business Coach, Amelia Critchlow. Amelia is the creator of Soul Space Healers.  She’s an intuitive healer and experienced coach who has a deep passion for helping you break free of the mental, emotional and energetic blocks that keep you from seeing how powerful you are. Amelia shares how the modality of Theta Healing® can clear the body of the self-sabotaging beliefs that keep you from living your most authentic and prosperous life. She believes true abundance is your birthright. Amelia leads her signature program, Passion to Profit, where she guides service based teachers, healers and heart-centered solopreneurs how to make a profitable business doing what they love so they can share their gifts with the world.  Amelia has a gift of merging practical business strategies with the intuitive healing modality of Theta Healing® to make lasting, impactful changes to your business and to your life. This is a beautiful episode full of enthusiasm, inspiration and wisdom. We encourage you to look at your own life.  What page in your life’s story did you turn to today?  This is a new moment – a fresh, clean slate.  You have an opportunity to pause, to learn something new, to think a new thought and to dream a new version of your dream – and it starts right now. Enjoy the show! Visit Amelia’s website, Soul Space Healers, to learn more about her Passion to Profit Online Program and her 1:1 Theta Healing® Sessions.  You can follow her on Instagram here.  Make sure to join her free, private Facebook group here. Thank you for listening and thank you for being you.

I'm so excited to share this beautiful conversation with you today.   My guest is Amy Zoe Schonhoff. Amy is a mindfulness and meditation teacher and the founder of Mindfulness in the Heartland. She is a qualified teacher of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and a trained Mindful Schools Educator for grades K-12. Amy has had a lifelong fascination with the human condition, especially how we meet life's challenges and foster personal resilience. Having had a personal mindfulness practice for over 25 years, she has found the practices and principles of mindfulness to be the most instructive and transformative approach to embracing this experience of "being human." Amy is certain of one thing, we cannot genuinely experience the joy of life without also accepting its moments of sorrow; because they are two faces of the same coin. Fundamentally, we are all naturally creative, resourceful and house the answers to our innermost needs and desires. The practices and teachings of mindfulness can bring us home to this truth, time and time again. It is Amy's intention to inspire you to walk through life with a sense of reverence—fully honoring your moment-to-moment experience, to bravely lean into life’s challenges—relinquishing attachments to what “should be” for the sake of what is, and ultimately, to live more joyfully—with compassion and kindness for yourself and others. You can learn more about Amy at Mindfulness in the Heartland. Here is information about her free mindfulness workshop in January, 2021. As we explore in this conversation today, mindfulness is as practice.  We have many opportunities in our beautiful, messy lives to practice mindfulness.  Amy talks about the quality of our attention and that having an open, compassionate and friendly attitude are the qualities we can practice infusing into the moment and how they are so critical in how we experience the present moment. We talk about how to practice mindfulness in our daily lives, when healing from trauma, in family life, in the chaos from this past year and how to set heart-based intentions for the New Year.   This is a rich, full, in depth exploration of practicing mindfulness in the middle of daily life.  Let's dive right in! To join my A Free Spirit Life private community on Facebook, visit here. To learn more about my upcoming self-discovery / energy healing online course, The Power of Being You, visit here. Thanks so much for listening. Enjoy the show!

I'm happy you are here listening during this tender time in your life and in the world.  I'm glad our paths have crossed.  I see you. I feel you.  I hear you!   If you're like me, maybe you're feeling a little run down, tired, drained...  This has been a trying year, that is for sure.  We are all being faced with the fact that - everything is temporary.  The one thing that is for sure is - everything changes.  We are especially learning that lesson this year! In today's show, I want to invite you to pay attention to how you feel.  Are you listening to what you need?  Are you allowing yourself to rest, to renew, to find stillness and to slow down?  I'll also share more details about my New Year online self-discovery and energy healing course - The Power of Being You - that starts January 7th, 2021.  (Registration is now open!) Thank you for listening and thank you for being you.  Keep taking good care of your heart and soul during this time. Visit here to learn more about my new course. Visit here to join our private group on Facebook! With love, Shannon  

Today's show is all about mindful parenting and the powerful modality of Human Design.  I'll explore how Human Design has helped me on my quest to practice mindful parenting and how it can help you. If you have children, grandchildren or simply love children :), you'll love this episode.  I'll share in detail the 5 energy types in Human Design and how this info can be used as a parenting tool to help raise authentic, resilient, confident, connected and empowered kids. Now, more than ever, we are ready for this.  I've spent many years guiding women back to their authentic selves (as I've stumbled and fumbled along the way, too).  As we've moved through life and experienced challenges and pressures from the past, most of us have been pulled further away from who we naturally are.  We've learned through the years to doubt ourselves and judge what makes us unique as personality flaws, rather than embracing and celebrating what makes us different. When you learn about Human Design, you are reminded what you know deep down inside yourself, of who you truly were before you were conditioned to be someone else. Rather than raising kids who will have to spend years rediscovering and reconnecting to their authentic selves in their adult years, let's raise our children to be aligned and in-tune with their inner power, beauty and wisdom - starting today. You know that magic and presence you see in young children and how they walk through life uninhibited, creative, fearless and full of wonder?  That's when they are living in the flow of their true essence.  They don't get consumed by self-doubt, question their uniqueness and think there's something wrong with them.  They simply enjoy being who they are. Think about how you were at that precious young age when you still believed in magic.  When you believed in things unseen.  Human Design helps you return to that place where you believe, see and connect with the unlimited possibilities, magic and flow that comes from simply being who you really and truly are. Mindful parenting using Human Design gives us the practice to heal and return to our true selves while raising authentic children.  When you know your children's energy type, you will awaken to new ways that you can honor how they're naturally designed to be, so they experience greater health, sleep, creativity and overall well-being.  That's what this show is all about today.  Enjoy! To learn more about design, listen to Podcast Episode 47:  What's Human Design & What's Your Energy Type? To look up your free Human Design body graph, visit here. To book a 1:1 Human Design Chart Reading or to purchase gift certificates, visit here. GIVEAWAY: If you leave a review of this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or wherever you listen to podcasts, email me and let me know.  As a thank you for the month of November, 2020, you'll be entered into a drawing for one free Human Design chart reading! Thanks for listening and thanks for being you.

I'm so happy you are joining me for this episode.  In today's show, I'm going to share my favorite sleep rituals - ways to help you sleep more peacefully. I am feeling, sensing and deeply wanting to give you a moment of peace today.  If you are listening to this live, you know in the US we are in the midst of the 2020 election.  This year is a year we'll always remember.  It's the beginning of a new shift in our lives and in the collective.  With massive shift comes massive uncertainty, which can be very uncomfortable, unsettling and even painful at times.  Sometimes, the only way to move through change is to breathe through it and take it moment-by-moment, day-by-day. If you're feeling stressed, burned out or just plain tired of 2020, I want to offer you a little reprieve today. Many of us have a real struggle when it comes to sleep.  Maybe you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or deal with trauma or anxiety that keeps you awake at night.  It's hard for many of us to find peace in sleep. I'm sharing my 5 favorite sleep ritual tips, as well as a guided meditation for peaceful sleep. For more free guided meditations, visit Shannon Kinney-Düh on Insight Timer. Here's episode 47 if you'd like to learn more about Human Design. I would love for you to join me for my upcoming workshop, What's Your Energy Type? Join our private A Free Spirit Life group on Facebook!  I'd love to connect with you there. Thanks for leaving your reviews on iTunes or Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.  Thank you so much for listening.

What does "finding who you are" or "being your true self" really mean? Do you know how to be yourself?  Do you know who you really are? In today's episode, I will share more about the powerful self-discovery tool of Human Design.  What is Human Design and how can learning your energy type (and learn about the rest of your chart) help you move beyond burnout and live more in alignment with abundance, joy and peace? The reason I love Human Design so much is it helps you decipher and affirms what you know deep down inside yourself - about what it means to be who you are.   When we come into the world we are connected to source and our natural way of being.  But soon after taking our first breath we start to collect the baggage and conditioning that weighs us down and takes us further away from our truth and authenticity.  We learn that in order to fit in and feel a sense of "belonging" we have to look outside of ourselves and try to be like everyone else.   Living a life that is out of alignment with our true selves eventually becomes overwhelming, exhausting and leads to burnout!  It's time to discover who you really are and what you're here to do. Human Design and learning your energy type can support you on your path of self-discovery and healing as you gain the courage to be your true self.  We need you to feel energized, authentic and free, so you can be who you're meant to be and share your gifts with the world.  I'm so excited to share it with you! Visit here to join my upcoming workshop, What's your energy type? Visit here to sign-up for a 1:1 Human Design reading! Visit www.afreespiritlife.com for the show notes and to learn more about my Human Design workshops. Thanks for listening!

Welcome to Season Three of the A Free Spirit Life Podcast!  A Free Spirit Life - the podcast where you discover who you truly are and how to find the courage, clarity and direction to be THAT in the world. Now, more than ever before, we are being called to let go of the conditioning, thoughts, habits and patterns that no longer serve a purpose in our lives and in the world.  You know, that old "stuff" that prevents us from being our most authentic selves - so that we can return to what matters most in life, remember our inner beauty, reconnect to our inner power, self-compassion and soul's purpose.  It's time to feel happier, healthier and experience the true abundance life can offer while we are here living it! When you feel in alignment with who you truly are, you feel more energized, in love and enthusiastic about your life.  That makes you want to share your energy and gifts with us!  And we need your energy and gifts in this world, beautiful you. When you are authentic - you are free.  In today's show, episode 46, I'm returning from a very long break.  It's 2020 - need I say more?  Talk about learning how to let go and adapt!  Today, I share with you a brief overview of what I've been up to.  In particular, I'll introduce you to the powerful, life-altering modality that has brought immense change to my own life - Human Design. Human Design is a powerful tool that is a synthesis of eastern and western astrology, the chakra system, Kabbalah tree of life and the I-Ching, merged together with what we are learning about quantum physics.  It teaches you your energy blueprint and shows you a map of how to live more in alignment with your energy type and design.  I'll share many more details about Human Design in future episodes. Join us on Facebook - A Free Spirit Life community. Thanks for listening.

In this final podcast episode for 2019, I share my desire to find stillness this time of year.  There is a season for outward activity, as well as a time to come inside and experience more quiet and solitude. This episode will bring inspiration to your life as you may be experience deep change and transformation.  Living a free spirit life is about being authentic.  It's about staying connected to your intuition.   It's really hard to listen to the messages of your heart when you are in a constant state of busy.  I find it challenging to grasp what my heart is saying when my mind is constantly running, when my fingers are constantly scrolling, and when I'm tending to the needs of everyone else without making my own needs a priority. I see you.   I know you sometimes feel alone.  I know that you are going through change right now and that it can feel scary.  I know you may feel like resisting it.  I know you may feel open to it.  I know you feel like you you're going back and forth between the past way of being, and the change you are so ready for.  I know some days you feel really good and some days you get knocked down and not sure how you'll get back up.  I know how unsettling change can be. I hope these words speak to you today.  Whatever change you are feeling, honor it.  Wherever you are in this moment, embrace it. What do you need most? Where is your heart guiding you to go? Visit A Free Spirit Life to  learn more about my 1:1 Live Awakened Reiki Sessions and 2020 retreats. Be well and listening to your heart!  

In today's show you'll meet Reiki Master, Speaker and Teacher, Micara Link. Micara teaches intuition workshops, Reiki trainings and hosts retreats. Micara has a wealth of knowledge about the world of intuition and Reiki healing energy.  We talk about how to determine when your head is making the decisions and when your heart is leading the way. We dive more deeply into how to connect to your inner voice - the whispers of your soul. Our intuition is a teacher and is here to help guide you in life. In this beautiful conversation with Micara, we explore how to listen to your intuition, how to trust where it's leading you and how to find the courage to follow it.  We also share our love of Reiki and talk about how this form of energy work is deeply relaxing and healing for your mind, body and spirit. Enjoy the show. To learn more about Micara visit her site, www.micaralink.com. You can learn more about my Reiki sessions here. Thanks for listening!

In today's show, I am honored to bring back an interview from my Mindful Mama Movement podcast archives with one of my favorite authors, Katrina Kenison. Katrina is a mother of two young men and has been writing about motherhood for over 20 years. I especially love that Katrina is authentic, honest, vulnerable, and shares her real life in such a beautiful way. Her words have the power to make you feel as if you’re living her life right beside her. In this episode, we specifically talk with Katrina about her experiences writing about her life as a mother (and what her family really thinks about it), She shares her tips for writing a memoir of your own, how the ordinary moments are truly the greatest gifts, her self-care practices and how to choose love over fear.   To learn more about Katrina and her books, visit www.katrinakenison.com. Thanks for listening!

In today's show, I share where my spiritual journey has taken me now.   I recently returned from hosting another powerful retreat for a beautiful group of brave women. I say brave, because it certainly takes courage to go on retreat. For 3 nights we step outside the "norm" of our every day life to enjoy rest, relaxation and some tender loving care. Most of the time the women come not knowing anyone, yet shortly after retreat begins we all feel as if we've been friends for life. And every time I go on retreat I learn something new about myself. Listen to the show to hear more about that. This show will inspire you to pay attention to where you need boost some confidence in your life. Do you have a new dream unfolding or are you being guided outside your comfort zone but feel nervous about it?  Remember your power lives within you.  Enjoy the show! Introducing: Intuitive Awakening Sessions I like to think of these sessions as the bridge that will help you cross to a place with more peace, meaning, clarity and the understanding about the path you're on and the direction you want to go moving forward. In these sessions, we will work to clear the mental, physical, emotional and energetic blocks that are no longer supporting you in life. These are old negative thoughts, doubts, fears and trepidations that are keeping you feeling tired, stuck or lost. It's time you enjoy more energy, and the joy that comes from living a balanced, connected and authentic life. These sessions can be done virtually through Skype or locally in person. Think of it as life coaching, guided meditation, Reiki, affirmation card reading - all in one session! Sessions are 90 minutes in length. Life Coaching: We will spend the first 30 minutes sharing and talking about the blocks you are currently feeling in your life. This is the life coaching portion of the session. Reiki: We will begin the Reiki session with a personalized guided meditation for the first 10 minutes. This deep relaxation will lead into the 45 minute Reiki energy healing portion of the session. (Click here to learn more about Reiki distance healing.) Tarot / Closing: We will wrap up our session with an affirmation Tarot card reading. Think of Tarot cards as simply a symbolic picture that affirms what you already know intuitively. They offer powerful reminders of what our intuition is already telling us. Visit www.afreespiritlife.com and click on "work with me" to learn more.

In today's show, I'm bringing back one of my favorite interviews I did for the Mindful Mama Movement podcast.  Karen Maezen Miller is a wife, mother, author and Zen Buddhist priest at the Hazy Moon Zen Center in Los Angeles, California. Maezen has written three books and several anthologies about spirituality in everyday life. She leads retreats around the country and we feel blessed that she's with us today to share her valuable insights on motherhood and life from a Zen Buddhist perspective. Maezen became a mother at 42 years old and prefers to call the transition into motherhood more of a cotastrophe and she explains why in this episode. Maezen shares how important it is to be very clear about your life, and what is actually happening, at each moment in time. Without doing so, she feels you can never truly be open to the answers life provides, understand the energy you project onto those around you, or be able to handle situations that don't go your way without becoming depressed. Maezen uses this philosophy when parenting her own child, and admits that it's easier said than done, in order to not make herself the center of her daughter's life. Maezen also uses her expertise to offer tips for those looking to start meditating. Maezen's ability to step into herself and take full responsibility for her thoughts and feelings are an inspiration. I adore Maezen and know you will as well. Some quotes from the show: "Your life brings to you exactly what you don't want, because you need it. You need to be able to learn and grow... As many parents realize, our children are their teachers."   "Understand that your power lies in that moment of response and reaction. That's where your power and responsibility lies."   "We hear so much talk about living in the moment, so I'm going to bring it back to this... We really have to be so clear where that moment is. It's always right where you are. Although in our mind we think so much is happening at once, but actually not that much is happening at once.   If we slow down our thinking we will see more clearly that there is a flow to things. And the things we might be hyperventilating about right now, we can probably give them more time and more information will appear. Especially these decisions that have to do with our children's lives. I think we are so smart and have so much information but we have all made, and certainly I have, a critical error in placing ourselves at the center of our children's lives, instead of our children at the center of their lives. Thanks so much for listening. Warmly, Shannon   www.afreespiritlife.com