Dropping In with Omega Institute

Anxiety has been rising steadily for more than a decade in all populations, says mindfulness teacher Jennifer Cohen Harper. We see more and more kids struggling with it, she says, due in part to pandemic school closures/reopening, as well as the economic uncertainties so many have faced. Listen to Jenn's anecdotes about her own experience as a parent, how it's wise to make friends with anxiety instead of pushing it away, and how caregivers with anxiety can actually be the greatest support to kids. This episode is part of Season 4 of Omega’s award-winning podcast, Dropping In. Join us for intimate conversations with some of Omega's trailblazing spiritual teachers, thought leaders, and social visionaries, to explore the many ways to awaken the best in the human spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone has the right to heal, says Devi Brown, whose role as a well-being educator recently expanded to include leading diversity and inclusion at Chopra Global. In conversation with Omega digital media director Cali Alpert, Devi discusses how we experience trauma individually and culturally, her commitment to finding patches of joy within the challenges, and why the journey of self-study and self-discovery is so critical. Devi identifies ways to better serve the collective, through free and accessible well-being programs to support individuals, our community, and our planet. Ultimately, she says, all of us are here to remember who we really are, and to make peace with the discomfort of current times. This episode is part of Season 4 of Omega’s award-winning podcast, Dropping In. Join us for intimate conversations with some of Omega's trailblazing spiritual teachers, thought leaders, and social visionaries, to explore the many ways to awaken the best in the human spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In conversation with Omega digital media director Cali Alpert, Pádraig Ó Tuama explores the shared sources of prayers and poetry, the multiple interpretations of language and how it changes over time, and how he likes to explore scáth —which means both shadow and shelter in Irish. Pádraig opens up about his upbringing and its challenges, and how children are yearning to look at things of serious meaning, such as life and death. He says when he felt alone as a child, poetry created a space for him to have conversations with himself on the page. Ultimately, where great art and writing comes from, he says, is a mystery. Don't miss Pádraig's reading of his poem, "Let the Waters Swarm with a Swarm of Human Beings." This episode is part of Season 4 of Omega’s award-winning podcast, Dropping In. Join us for intimate conversations with some of Omega's trailblazing spiritual teachers, thought leaders, and social visionaries, to explore the many ways to awaken the best in the human spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More Americans are turning to psychics than therapists these days, says renowned British psychic Lisa Williams. Because of that, she’s looking to raise the ethical and professional standards in an industry that is providing so much hope. Among the 101 messages Lisa delivered during the pandemic: We are in a time of change and now is the time to stand up for what you want. Listen to Lisa’s stories about how she is using her intuitive abilities in new ways to give families final messages when loved ones are transitioning to death. And hear about her path of pursuing a master’s degree in psychology and neuroscience to study how intuition works through the limbic system. Lisa's parting message in this conversation with Omega digital media director Cali Alpert, is that as acceptance of mediumship grows, there is much more work to be done by mediums in the world. This episode is part of Season 4 of Omega’s award-winning podcast, Dropping In. Join us for intimate conversations with some of Omega's trailblazing spiritual teachers, thought leaders, and social visionaries, to explore the many ways to awaken the best in the human spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Dan Millman was teaching a martial arts course at Oberlin College, he coined the phrase that now graces the cover of his spiritual classic, The Way of the Peaceful Warrior. In teaching the class and writing the book, Dan drew on leaders like Mahatma Ghandi and Martin Luther King Jr., well-known people who had a peaceful heart but, at times, needed to show a warrior spirit. Since then, he has come to see everyone as peaceful warriors in training, because we’re all seeking that sense of equanimity amidst the chaos. Dan talks with Omega digital media director Cali Alpert about the wisdom of his mentors, why he knew he needed to become a teacher, and some of the key lessons he's taught. This episode is part of Season 4 of Omega’s award-winning podcast, Dropping In. Join us for intimate conversations with some of Omega's trailblazing spiritual teachers, thought leaders, and social visionaries, to explore the many ways to awaken the best in the human spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In conversation with Tracee Stanley, Dropping In host Cali Alpert asks, “Why has it become a badge of honor in our society to be tired?” Tracee says we can trace that belief back to the Industrial Age, when the dominant culture began to say, "If you’re not productive, you’re not valuable as a human being." Instead of carrying the trope of doing more, acquiring more, and being available 24 hours a day, Tracee is looking to celebrate the rituals of rest, sacred dreaming, and self-care. When we rest, we connect with our inner wisdom, she says, and we begin to listen to the whispers of our soul. This episode is part of Season 4 of Omega's award-winning podcast, Dropping In. Join us for intimate conversations with some of Omega's trailblazing spiritual teachers, thought leaders, and social visionaries, to explore the many ways to awaken the best in the human spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the heels of the arduous and rewarding process of writing a book together, Gabor and Daniel talk with Cali Alpert, Omega's digital media director, about the only relationship where one partner is completely responsible for the other. “No relationship starts off so entirely unequal, moves toward equality, then back toward dependence, all the while demanding mutual respect,” Gabor says. Also, Daniel adds, there’s really no blueprint for how it’s supposed to be. Sharing snippets from their own sometimes thorny relationship, the men discuss how, as adults, we have to negotiate unresolved hurts, misunderstandings, and issues that can come in the way of our natural connection. Daniel reflects on how we all can get comfortable in “stuck” habits. Perhaps instead we can begin to wonder, he says, how else could this relationship be? This episode is part of Season 4 of Omega’s award-winning podcast, Dropping In. Join us for intimate conversations with some of Omega's trailblazing spiritual teachers, thought leaders, and social visionaries, to explore the many ways to awaken the best in the human spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In conversation with Omega digital media director Cali Alpert, Xiye Bastida shares her view of climate justice and how it is different from environmentalism, her deep sense of gratitude for Mother Nature, and the meaning of reciprocity across Indigenous cultures worldwide. As she carries the wisdom of a new generation with her, she emphasizes connection—how we need to connect with our elders, and learn from our history, instead of blaming ancestors for the injustices and the extractive practices that have developed. Though we are living through a complex crisis, the best thing we can do is to connect with nature, so that we are committed to fiercely protect this treasure. This episode is part of Season 4 of Omega's award-winning podcast, Dropping In. Join us for intimate conversations with some of Omega's trailblazing spiritual teachers, thought leaders, and social visionaries, to explore the many ways to awaken the best in the human spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We create beliefs at such a young age, says hypnotherapist Marisa Peer. Those beliefs become part of our identity, and they often impact our entire life, even affecting our physical reality. When Marisa invented the five steps of Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT®), it was based on her knowledge that the mind does what it believes you want, based on the words you use. That’s why, she says, if you think better words, you have better outcomes. In conversation with Omega digital media director Cali Alpert, Marisa shares how our mind tries to recreate what it knows and go toward what is familiar, but we can change that story. Human beings are wired to change, she says. This episode is part of Season 4 of Omega's award-winning podcast, Dropping In. Join us for intimate conversations with some of Omega's trailblazing spiritual teachers, thought leaders, and social visionaries, to explore the many ways to awaken the best in the human spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kate Tellers and Theresa S. Thames share how the art of storytelling has animated their lives, and the lives of The Moth audiences from all walks of life, on this episode of Dropping In. They discuss how to become a great storyteller, the importance of listening, and how to build community through storytelling. The trio talks about how storytelling has the power to bring people together—even in divisive times—to find a place of commonality in the human experience. Don’t miss the big reveal about Theresa and Kate’s most memorable moments with The Moth. This episode is part of Season 4 of Omega's award-winning podcast, Dropping In. Join us for intimate conversations with some of Omega's trailblazing spiritual teachers, thought leaders, and social visionaries to explore the many ways to awaken the best in the human spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lasting peace and happiness is all everyone really wants, says spiritual teacher Rupert Spira in conversation with Omega digital media director Cali Alpert. But, how do we miss accessing it, when peace is available to us at our core? Rupert describes his work in nonduality as an exploration into the nature of awareness. As we draw attention to that within ourselves which is ever-present, which never changes, we realize that peace and happiness are the nature of our being. This episode is part of Season 4 of Omega's award-winning podcast, Dropping In. Join us for intimate conversations with some of Omega's trailblazing spiritual teachers, thought leaders, and social visionaries, to explore the many ways to awaken the best in the human spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

College students, and the adults who nurture them, face unique challenges: the anxiety of daily deadlines, social media overload, finances, loneliness, diet and health. In his conversation with Omega digital media director Cali Alpert, Dr. Eric Loucks shares a mindfulness-based method to connect with your body, mind, and spirit; to become healthier and happier; and to live the life of your dreams. Establish a healthy career path in college and embark on a mindfulness journey with the tools to navigate life. Trust your innate wisdom, says Eric, and create the scaffolding that's a safe, courageous place to explore life and all its lessons. This is a bonus episode of Omega's award-winning podcast, Dropping In. Join us for intimate conversations with some of Omega's trailblazing spiritual teachers, thought leaders, and social visionaries, to explore the many ways to awaken the best in the human spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cultivate a sixth sense, accept an invitation to the unknown, and open your heart to the magic of life. In this conversation with Omega digital media director Cali Alpert, qigong master Mingtong Gu talks about the ancient method that changed his life, and how we can learn to co-exist with every aspect of ourselves—the joy, the pain, the courage, the fear. Energy enhances all aspects of our lives, including our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. He says, qigong goes beyond a leap of faith into the unknown—it can awaken a deeper sense of intuition that connects the body and the mind. This episode is part of Season 3 of Omega's award-winning podcast, Dropping In. Join us for intimate conversations with some of Omega's trailblazing spiritual teachers, thought leaders, and social visionaries, to explore the many ways to awaken the best in the human spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In her conversation with Omega digital media director Cali Alpert, Dr. Andrea Pennington talks about drama and trauma in life, and how we come to manage them. But bouncing back, she says, goes beyond a return to baseline normal—it’s about being able to thrive. Empowering ourselves to slow down, be still and take time out for play are powerful tools that can bolster self-love and provide nourishment for the mind and body. This episode is part of Season 3 of Omega's award-winning podcast, Dropping In. Join us for intimate conversations with some of Omega's trailblazing spiritual teachers, thought leaders, and social visionaries, to explore the many ways to awaken the best in the human spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, author of The Reluctant Healer David Elliott explains how breathwork helps to get people out of their head and into their heart. In his conversation with Omega digital media director Cali Alpert, he unpacks the physiology—how the breath practice causes more oxygen to travel through the bloodstream to the brain, creating enough energy (and electricity) to trigger the hypothalamus, and release endorphins to ductless glands such as the pineal, thymus, and adrenals. David talks about his own journey with healing, as an actor in Los Angeles who was encouraged to embrace his clairaudience. Ultimately, he says, the healer is neutrally holding space like a spiritual midwife, and the breathwork is the tool that opens the door to a spiritual experience. This episode is part of Season 3 of Omega’s award-winning podcast, Dropping In. Join us for intimate conversations with some of Omega’s trailblazing spiritual teachers, thought leaders, and social visionaries, to explore the many ways to awaken the best in the human spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leslie Salmon Jones says that Afro Flow Yoga was spontaneously born out of her deep healing journey—including a trip through West African slave dungeons—with her partner in life and work, Jeffrey Jones. In her conversation with Omega digital media director Cali Alpert, Leslie details how her ancestors’ legacy of trauma impacted her body and her mission, how we are always in motion just like bodies of water and the planets, and how to pay attention to our bodies and attend to them with care when experiencing loss or grief. This episode is part of Season 3 of Omega’s award-winning podcast, Dropping In. Join us for intimate conversations with some of Omega’s trailblazing spiritual teachers, thought leaders, and social visionaries, to explore the many ways to awaken the best in the human spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen as Scott Shute, author of The Full Body Yes, talks with Omega digital media director Cali Alpert about the history of work and how it impacts our conditioning, the human desire to become the best version of ourselves, and how we might shape our work to be more aligned with what we love. Scott shares a personal story about how he developed mindfulness and compassion programs as an executive at LinkedIn, starting with a calling he had from a young age to change work from the inside out. If companies can get compassionate leadership right, Scott says, they will be an inspiration to the world, leading more employees to find the “full body yes.” This episode is part of Season 3 of Omega’s award-winning podcast, Dropping In. Join us for intimate conversations with some of Omega’s trailblazing spiritual teachers, thought leaders, and social visionaries, to explore the many ways to awaken the best in the human spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donna Holland Barnes, a certified grief recovery specialist, life coach, and author of The Truth About Suicide, shares a personal experience about suicide and how it impacted her life, shifting her focus to helping others. In her conversation with Omega digital media director Cali Alpert, Donna discusses grief and suicide, and how eschewing a prescription pad for a healthful lifestyle and the support of others can bolster mental health. With a rise in suicides today—especially among young people—Donna talks about the importance of coping mechanisms and safe havens for dialogue in school curricula, and how truly listening is key to restoring hope. This episode is part of Season 3 of Omega's award-winning podcast, Dropping In. Join us for intimate conversations with some of Omega's trailblazing spiritual teachers, thought leaders, and social visionaries, to explore the many ways to awaken the best in the human spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a conversation with Omega digital media director Cali Alpert, Matt Kahn, an empathic healer and best-selling author of Whatever Arises, Love That, shares how love takes many shapes and forms throughout life. Matt gets to the heart of the matter by offering the support people need to love themselves the way they would desire others to love them. He says there is no time in our lives when we are unworthy of love. This episode is part of Season 3 of Omega's award-winning podcast, Dropping In. Join Cali Alpert as she sits down with the great thinkers, creative talent, and social visionaries who teach at Omega Institute, to explore the many ways to awaken the best in the human spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coauthor of Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics Jeff Warren speaks from his own experience with ADD, when he says that a more fun, accessible approach to meditation is urgently needed today. In his conversation with Omega Digital Media Director Cali Alpert, Jeff reveals why he thinks meditation is one of the most radical acts, how we can tailor a practice to fit our individual needs, and how we learn best in community. This episode is part of Season 3 of Omega's award-winning podcast, Dropping In. Join Cali Alpert as she sits down with the great thinkers, creative talent, and social visionaries who teach at Omega Institute, to explore the many ways to awaken the best in the human spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices