According to their web site: “Each of us views the world, and who we are in it, based in large part on the messages we receive from the media. These, in turn, inform many of our actions (and inactions) in the world. New messages, new perceptions of ourselves, of the world, and of life, will inspire us to the new behaviors now needed to head humanity in a new direction, one that honors life, love, and peace sufficiently to create a sustainable existence on planet Earth.”

The boy finds a key in his father’s (played by Tom Hanks) closet and sets off an adventure to try to find out what that key literally and figuratively unlocks to see if his father was trying to leave him any final message.

One message that really struck me as I watched the movie was how important it is to be compassionate and forgiving of ourselves during tragedy. The 10-year old boy spends the whole movie questioning whether he could have done more for his father. This reminded me of how we, similar to the boy, often carry unnecessary guilt by questioning whether we could have done more to prevent or improve circumstances in our life that are out of our control. By the end of the movie, the boy has learned to be compassionate towards himself and let go of his guilt. This inspired me to let go of my need to question whether I should do more in certain situations in my life.

The other message that really impressed me was to be open to the goodness of humanity and kindness in others. The 10-year boy embarks on a dangerous journey walking across New York City on foot to meet with other people who might be able to tell him what the key unlocks. He puts his trust in the goodness of others that they might be able to help him. In return, we witness the kindness, compassion and goodness that complete strangers are capable of extending. This reminded me of one of my favorite quotes by Dr. David Hawkins:

“Simple kindness to one’s self and all that lives is the most powerful transformational force of all. It produces no backlash, has no downside, and never leads to loss or despair. It increases one’s own true power without exacting any toll. But to reach maximum power such kindness can permit no exceptions, nor can it be practiced
with the expectation of some selfish reward. And its effect is as far reaching as it is subtle”

“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” shows us the incredible power that is available to us when we practice extending love to our self and others and also practice receiving other people’s love.

As a successful stockbroker Don hit the wall, so at mid life he began a psycho-spiritual quest that led to becoming a psychotherapist. He trekked the Himalayas, studied ancient scriptures and spent hours in spiritual practices under the guidance of his teacher in India…

I recently had a chance to interview Don about his journey and new book, Princes & Ogres: Integration of Psyche and Soul. You can listen to our entire interview by clicking the play button or read a portion of the transcript of our conversation which is copied below….

Matthew Welsh (MW): How did you come up with the title of your book, Princes and Ogres?

Don Mordasini (DM): I took the title from a Joseph Campbell myth “Prince Five Weapons.” A young prince (very pride-full) enters a deep forest and encounters an enormous beastly ogre. He is nearly vanquished in battle using weapons of his ego. As he faces death he calls upon deep wisdom and masters the ogre which then becomes his aide in guiding others through the forest.

MW: Your writing is very reader friendly since you intersperse personal examples with ancient stories. Is this why you decided to share your wisdom through ancient heroes and heroines?

DM: …the book is reader friendly because I use case histories of those I work with as well as stories about myself that make the book more than a catalogue of interesting wisdom stories. I like to show that we are heroes when we stand into the face of job loss, relationship breakdown and the trials that come our way. Most of the stories are from ancient sources to show that man has been in heroic battle against the projection of the ego since ancient times.

MW: Can you give me a sample of a brief wisdom story, the imbedded psychological theme and how someone actually applied it to their lives so listeners can get an idea of your book and its practical application.

DM: Yes, “The Snake That Wouldn’t Hiss” will give you an example of how we can benefit from wisdom stories and show how practical they are today.

One day a holy man wandered into a village. Following a brief rest and light meal a group of villagers sat around him eager to hear his wise stories and receive his blessings. The next day as he was ready to depart, the villagers advised him not to leave by a certain road because there was a vicious snake on that road that would bite him.  Ignoring their pleas he followed the dangerous path out of the village. Before long a hugh snake appeared and asked the holy man for some spiritual advice. Feeling sorry for the snake he gave his blessing and a bit of sound spiritual wisdom then continued on his way.

Sometime later following the saint’s advice the snake allowed the bravest of the children to touch and play gently with it. Children being children – became emboldened and starting playing rough with the gentle snake. The snake put up with this behavior because it wanted to be ‘holy’. Eventually the children began to abuse the snake hurling it around and stomping on it. Eventually the snake was left by the roadside for dead.

Many years passed and the holy man returned to the village. As he approached he heard a faint voice crying out for help. He failed to recognize the snake in its battered condition. He asked the snake what happened and the snake recounted the years of punishment it endured because it was advised not to bite anyone less it might jeopardize the welfare of its soul. It told the wise man it just wanted to be a simple spiritual snake.

The holy man was puzzled by the snake’s answer and shook his head. Then he replied, “You didn’t have to bite and hurt the children but you certainly could have hissed”.

The psychological message I write in Princes and Ogres is that we must develop boundaries to protect ourselves because we live in a material world and we must take responsibility for our own protection. We cannot pray and ask God to take care of the things we have resources to take care of our selves.

In Princes and Ogres… I point out that our ego protects us in many ways and we are required to draw boundaries, set limits, speak up and assert to get our needs met so life doesn’t walk over us.

I then tell the story of Naomi, a gifted psychic who failed to ask for payment for her services and often took calls late at night when she was exhausted to please her clients. She thought that being ‘spiritual’ people would understand her needs. She was dead wrong. After several meetings it was clear she was afraid to assert. Like our saintly snake, I told her that she needed to take care of herself. This simply meant setting limits with her clients that infringed on her privacy and asking for payment at the time of her readings. I stayed in touch with Naomi and occasionally would ask her, “Did you hiss.” She laughed and said that she put up a sign asking for payment at the end of each visit and set a work schedule she abided to.

MW: You abandoned your career as a stockbroker to pursue a life with more meaning. Have you been successful?

DM: There are two measures of success – material and spiritual. At the material level I have been supported and guided by mentors and received the grace to help others as a therapist and that has made my work materially rewarding.

At the spiritual level I have been rewarded beyond my dreams because my earlier belief in the sacred has been a most profound experience of the inner sanctum. In other words God or what we might call God has been a Consciousness that is as real for me as talking with you now.

MW: Knowing the challenges of holding a demanding job, while parenting and partnering during good and bad times, what do you feel is the best way to deal with today’s crippling economy?

DM: I have learned through my experience and the experience of others that every challenge has the seeds of personal growth and spiritual awakening. I actually believe trials are opportunities to accelerate or actually supercharge our individual growth. Moreover challenges are an invitation to go within and find the source and purpose of our existence.

MW: If there was just one message you could impart to readers what would it be?

DM: Don’t get stuck in ogre mind that knows nothing of other states of consciousness. Go deep within. The peace you sometimes feel – the love you experience – the compassion and connection to others you sometimes feel are finite experiences that emanate from a source of infinite peace – love – brotherhood and light that form the substratum of your being. The finite cannot create the infinite. The infinite creates the finite. You are one hundred percent a material being and one hundred percent a spiritual being.

Princes & Ogres: Integration of Psyche and Soul is available at http://donmordasini.com/. That web site also contains a free download of a sample chapter from the book along with many other useful articles and resources on practical ways to integrate your spirituality into your psychological, professional and personal lives.

Frustrated by religious turmoil and fanaticism he posits the age-old question, “What is God?” to religious leaders, zealots, spiritual luminaries, humanitarians, fundamentalists, and ordinary people, along with celebrities including: Hugh Jackman, Seal, Ringo Starr, Sir Bob Geldof, David Copperfield, John F. Demartini; all who share their unique perspectives and understandings of God. Peter’s journey to question a diverse group of humanity takes him around the globe from the 9th ward of New Orleans to the Guatemalan Jungle; from the Himalayan region of Ladakh to the Australian Outback.

Controversial, hopeful and heartwarming, in Oh My God, Rodger questions why we often blindly believe and explains, “I was fed up with the ‘My God is greater than your God’ syndrome…I made this film because I believe we all have a responsibility to live our lives with tolerance and understanding of our fellow man…If only we could open our hearts for tolerance and peace which is what every religion preaches, then we might have a chance. If I can touch one heart with this film, then I have succeeded.”

I had the chance to interview Peter about his film. He told me about his filmmaking journey, including some difficulties he initially encountered that almost caused him to give up. Additionally, Peter shared with me some encounters that put his life in danger while he was making the film, including an interview with extremist Muslims in Kashmir. Peter said that what the film doesn’t show is that he had the protection of commandos armed with submachine guns behind him during his interview with militants.

You can listen to our entire interview by clicking the button below. If you would like to watch Oh My God, it is available for purchase on DVD on Amazon if you Click Here.

In our interview, Jeff shares how he was able to follow his calling to write in spite of facing intense economic, spiritual and personal obstacles. He also gives advice on how you can follow your calling even if you have practical concerns such as not being able to make enough money. Throughout our conversation, Jeff reveals some of the lessons he learned along the way and goes into great detail about the inner work he did throughout his journey.

For more information on Soulshaping and Jeff Brown, you can visit http://www.soulshaping.com/ or press the play button below to listen to our interview. You can purchase Soulshaping on Amazon by Clicking Here

According to Big Miracle Movie’s website:

Inspired by the true story that captured the hearts of people across the world, the rescue adventure Big Miracle tells the amazing tale of a small town news reporter (John Krasinski) and an animal-loving volunteer (Drew Barrymore) who are joined by rival world superpowers to save a family of majestic gray whales trapped by rapidly forming ice in the Arctic Circle.

Local newsman Adam Carlson (Krasinski) can’t wait to escape the northern tip of Alaska for a bigger market. But just when the story of his career breaks, the world comes chasing it, too. With an oil tycoon, heads of state and hungry journalists descending upon the frigid outpost, the one who worries Adam the most is Rachel Kramer (Barrymore). Not only is she an outspoken environmentalist, she’s also his ex-girlfriend.

With time running out, Rachel and Adam must rally an unlikely coalition of Inuit natives, oil companies and Russian and American military to set aside their differences and free the whales. As the world’s attention turns to the top of the globe, saving these endangered animals becomes a shared cause for nations entrenched against one another and leads to a momentary thaw in the Cold War.

Big Miracle opens in theaters on February 3

David writes, “It is time to evolve beyond the macho jerk ideal, all spine and no heart…It is also time to evolve beyond the sensitive and caring wimp ideal, all heart and no spine.” The Way of the Superior Man presents the ultimate challenge — and reward — for today’s man: to discover the “unity of heart and spine” through the full expression of consciousness and love in the infinite openness of the present moment. Or as Ken Wilber puts it, “Finally, a guide for the noncastrated male. This book will offend and infuriate some, inspire and test others, but challenge virtually everybody.”

With straightforward advice, David Deida writes about the importance of living our true purpose in life. Often by using blunt examples, David also shows that the cost of not living our true purpose is a loss of strength, freedom and integrity which hurts our relationships, career and sex life. However, when we are pursuing our mission in life, we are filled with a sense of direction that results in a type of freedom, fulfillment and personal strength that helps us master the challenges of women, work and sexual desire.

The Way of the Superior Man is available on Amazon if you Click Here

Rick Bognar is the author of “Wrestling with Consciousness,” a book contrasting and comparing the inside world of pro wrestling that he spent 10 years in to a spiritual awakening that he has been experiencing for the last 10 years. I had the pleasure of interviewing Rick about his experience as a professional wrestler, insights on how we can live a more meaningful and compassionate life style, and what prompted him to seek out a deeper spiritual path. You can listen to our entire 15 minute conversation by pressing the play button and also read some highlights from our interview below.

For more information on Rick and his book “Wrestling with Consciousness,”please visit his web site at http://www.razorricktitan.com

Matt: What is your book about?

Rick: An uplifting autobiographical story of a pro-wrestler forced to leave behind the only life I knew and adapt to “normal” life after the “Game”. This was achieved through the practice of Buddhism and other spiritual practice. Follow me on a liberating journey of compassion, finding self-love and love for others after walking a deep dark path. Much of my story is based on the emotional suffering as an athlete and entertainer and how I achieved a graceful transition after the fame and fortune had disappeared.

Matt: What is the message of your book?

Rick: How we, as humans, can move away from the dark side of life and spot the light at the end of the tunnel while still in despair. I suggest tools to use, which have assisted me with my mental strength and resolve as I attempted to climb my own “Inner Mountain™.” These tools will help my readers let go of old habits and thought patterns then rewire those thoughts through focusing on aspirations of who and how they want to be, setting very personal goals and working happily towards them.

Matt: What was it like being a professional wrestler who was also interested in spirituality?

Rick: At the time of wrestling, I blocked it. I felt that life could and should be different but my current life situation and environment at that time would not allow for it. I had to “play the role” in order to be a success. I let my family down and in turn myself by pushing to be a tough, uncaring stereotype. It was considered a sign of weakness to be caring and compassionate in the industry. I learned to be passive aggressive and not show my feelings, never opening up and never trusting anyone. I engulfed myself in solitude.

I had sensed there was a higher path and felt a gut pull toward reaching for deeper meaning but the competitive, superficial environment I was immersed in sidetracked me. I always had a natural gravitation towards compassion and peace in life but at this point, it was just a feeling I had not put into practice yet.

Matt: Did you find it difficult to move from a life of ego, aggression and being ‘things’ and task oriented to one of egolessness, compassion and deeper-meaning oriented as a professional wrestler?  How were you able to do that?

Rick: Yes, it was a slow process. Coming from a way of life where my value as a human being was judged by how physically powerful, aggressive and dominating I was, how many fans I drew or how much I made for others. I became an Automatron. I also became a nervous wreck. I knew I was only as good as my last match and this was my value as a human being. “What have you done for me lately?” made me strive to be bigger, better and more innovative than other competitors in the spotlight. I became very, very proud of being a top guy. A lot of Ego went along with that. I would look at myself at one point at 29 years of age and say “Is this really all there is to life? There’s got to be more.” Suddenly, my mind opened up to the possibility of the opposite. If all of this Ego stroking was making me miserable, then wouldn’t the opposite make me happy? It was something I knew but didn’t know why. I did not yet know how to practice it due to the mental gripping of “I am so important” and “People treat me like a King.” This was my daily thought routine which would steer me away from dropping Ego.

Compassion came when I realized how such a huge sense of self-inflated importance hurt others as well as myself. Currently, I know a millionaire who is deluded of the same affliction. Without money, without muscles, without being on TV would you or others think you were so important? No. No one would listen to you unless you cared about others.

During my last year of wrestling, I learned to get past myself and show interest in others. I read philosophy by Plato and The Book of Buddha afterwards and made it a practice to be interested in and show empathy toward others. This is hard to do when I was in the spotlight. It was always all about me. Not others. Age and maturity have helped progress the journey! I have also learned that getting angry is just a self-centred weapon of control. Most times it only hurts the person serving up the poison. We harbour anger within. It poisons only us. Others do not feel it. If we lash out, we time-release a toxin that eats us alive. We wallow in it for a long time. Guilt, self blame and regret follows. Damage control and endless apologies are the external side.

Matt:  How do you balance letting go of aggression, ego and being ‘things and task oriented’ with still following your passions and trying to achieve your goals, especially as a professional wrestler?

Rick: It is very hard to get a sense of letting go, while being pressured by the promoters and the fans to always out do myself. Both of these people fully expect a new improved caliber of workmanship each time I would perform. Being involved in Professional wrestling is an extremely tense and intense lifestyle. I did not have much time to relax because I was always “On” and when I did, I could not relax. I came to the conclusion “I need to get out of this business to be who I want to be.” I have seen my Yogachariya friend get pushed for quotas before and noticed how peacefully, step by step he handled these situations. I have learned how to step back but still take action in a detached manner which seems to work.

Passion is good, but anything to excess becomes unhealthy. One could become a workaholic or a sex addict for example. If passionately in love or passionately angry both are just one step across a very thin line. They are the opposite but yet so close.

Matt: How were you able to let go of your aggression and ego and still maintain the focus needed to be a professional wrestler?

Rick: It was very hard to stop wrestling and get out of that toxic environment. For every step forward, it became two steps backward.

Matt: What sparked you to try to find a more spiritual path or deeper meaning in life?

Rick: I had a deep yearning to escape the emotional suffering of loneliness, my fragile Ego and my strong ignorance. Buddhism had the right answers to my questions at the time. I felt I was on the right path and continued on it.

Matt: What advice do you have for other people who are aggressive, but would like to live a more compassionate life style?

Rick: First, practice awareness. Be aware of your inappropriate or hurtful anger. Be honest with yourself. This can be hard. Old patterns are hard to change. Pay attention to your gut. If it feels bad, it usually is bad.

Find the antidote. Try to turn negativity into something positive whether it be about a person or situation. For example, take a traffic jam. Instead of being angry and upset think of it as possibly saving you $160 on a speeding ticket!

Search, study, learn and practice. If you want to learn math, study math. If you want to learn compassion, study Jesus, Buddha, Mother Theresa, and the Dalai Lama.

Matt: How can we maintain our spiritual practice while in environments that don’t lend to keeping our emotional fitness?

Rick: My teacher had taught me years ago that spiritual practice isn’t going into a cave in the mountains, becoming a Hermit and meditating for the rest of our life until we reach enlightenment.

Spiritual Practice is using the tools we’ve learned in challenging life situations with our children, family and jobs to maintain a sense of compassion and love no matter what the exterior circumstances are. That is what it is all about. Bringing our meditation and lessons with us and maintaining our integrity wherever we go.

I was challenged recently to start training an old wrestling student again as a favour. I found myself then getting caught up in old patterns. Ego and aggression stepped in a bit and I had to step into being the ‘Observer’ and practice discrimination with myself. “Is this who I want to be, or how I want to represent myself now?” I asked myself. The answer was a resounding “No!” and I went in next time as the ‘Witness’ to myself and came out in the same state of mind after the training that I had went in with!I even used that state *during* teaching! It made for a much deeper experience in class.