Q.1. What is Bodies of Consequence about and why did you write it?

‘Bodies of Consequence’ is a unique story that describes what happens to us when we pass on to the next realm. It explores our ‘evolution’ in the hereafter – as a consequence of the actions we took in life – told through the interwoven paths of three generations of a family.

I believe that each reader’s interpretation of the book will be very different. It will be flavoured by the depth and form of their religious and spiritual beliefs. It may even challenge one’s belief in the hereafter … who knows. Ultimately, it is a book about consequences of our actions on earth that go beyond the deeds themselves – and impact on people and situations that may never have been considered.

The story has its origin as a short story. One I had written a couple of years ago. About twelve months ago, I kept having these ‘inner promptings’ to write more. It was my inner-voice telling me that there was much more to do … so I listened … and I wrote. It was an irresistible force. It was a story that just had to be told … if you know what I mean?

Q.2. Two of the main characters were in the military. How did you get interested in writing about the military and Veterans and how did it influence the story?

Whilst the principle characters in Bodies of Consequence are in the military, my intention was not to write a book about war and death. My intention was to write a story about life. For me, the war settings in this novel are a metaphor for ‘everyday’ life. The actions we take, the choices we make, the effect (known or otherwise) of what we do to others … how we make them feel as a consequence of our actions. The book also confronts the necessity of ‘facing our own inner demons’.

I have used the military characters because they highlight the extremities of life under duress … the taking of another’s life, the devastating impact of war on families, the atrocities of war, etc.

But, for me, the characters could have been an accountant, stockbroker, or a plumber – but I guess that would not have been quite as dramatic.

Q.3. You chose to write this novel, where did the inspiration for the characters and the story come from?

You know, Matt, this is my fifth published book and my usual modus operandi is, before commencing, to map out and plan the structure and characters so that I know where the story is heading. The amazing thing was, in this case, I had no idea.

When I sat down to plot and plan and do my ‘mind-map’. Nothing came – I had a blank page before me. It was like, ‘Okay, you want me to write this book, but what do you want me to write?’.

What transpired after that was I just sat, not really knowing what or whom I was going to write about. I just let it ‘evolve’. If I tried to look too far ahead into the story’s development I couldn’t see anything. Each time I just sat and allowed the story to evolve in its own way. It was quite a wonderful journey in the unfolding … I really never knew what I was going to write before I actually did it. In many ways, I believe the story to be divinely inspired. I would often finish a chapter or a segment and go, “Oh, my God, where did that come from?”.

Having said that, I did take initial inspiration from a movie. It was a movie about an actual war veteran – a sniper who was a hero to his nation. What impacted me about the movie was the Veterans’ willingness to, at all costs, protect his buddies and to take actions that he believed were the ‘right thing to do’. It portrayed how he was willing to stridently ‘face his maker’ for the consequences of his actions. In other words, he was willing to take the actions of a sniper in the belief that what he did was right. In many ways, this movie gave me the inspiration to write a story about heaven and what happens after we pass on to the next realm.

Q. 4. Bodies of Consequence focuses on life-after-death experiences. What exactly does that mean? And, what do you think happens to us after we die and what influenced your beliefs?

Do you remember, on page 106, Matthew Cooper experiences dolorous pain when he confronts ‘the disfigured man’? The man he shot and caused so much pain after he ‘missed’ … he did not kill him, rather, the man survived in pain.

This example underlines one of the two foundational premises that support the book. The first is, “We are all one”. This arises from the tenet, “What you sow, so shall you reap”. What we cause to effect in others, so shall we experience … this is because I believe, we are all one in spirit. In other words, we must face/confront and be accountable to the consequences of our actions … in life as it is in heaven … how else can we evolve into love? … to realize who we really are. This is eternal life’s greatest paradox, ‘love returning unto itself’.

The other important descriptor of heaven in the book is that ‘there is ‘no escape, no obfuscation’ … in eternal life’s review, there is no hiding. We must face the consequences of all our actions.

I firmly believe that when we die, we undergo a ‘life review’. That is to say, we experience all that we did to others. Do you remember in the book I use the analogy of being inside a kaleidoscope and that really important events shine brightly and become ‘irresistible’? This signifies that these particular ‘experiences’ are ones crucial to our evolution … our evolvement in love.

My life has been blessed with having contact with a number of ‘spiritual masters’. My system of beliefs has formed as a consequence of my many interactions and readings of these great beings. In the book, I talk much about ‘the music’ – this, for me, is the ‘Hand of God’ – we are never absent the music, only awareness of its presence.

Q.5. What evidence or support do you have for your beliefs about life-after- death?

With ‘Bodies of Consequence’ I am not trying to convince or convert anybody to my system of beliefs. I merely portray them through the medium of story. It is not a book based on ‘evidence’. The wonder of this story is that it has many levels. It combines the literal with the allegorical, but it also delves into the depths of the metaphysical and mystical where the reader can feel and deeply experience their own truth.

Q.6. What did you learn about yourself as you wrote the book?

The interesting thing that has transpired since writing the book is that my own beliefs have become deeper, more enhanced. It is as if the colours have become more vivid, more alive than they ever were. It has brought a unique focus on each individual moment – everything is important, nothing insignificant.

The other really interesting thing the book has done for me is that I now have no fear – no fear of what lies behind the veil (of death). I am alive to the consequences of a life well lived and an awareness that each moment (on earth) is a precious jewel.

Q.7. What are you hoping others will learn or take away from your book?

The words and stories in ‘Bodies of Consequence’ are from a source I can only assume works in our favour – to help us in some way or other. To prepare us for the consequences of the actions we have taken in this life we have chosen. Deep within my being, I know this to be so.

If readers of the book seek to change for the better their lives and the circumstances of the people who cross their path, then, so much the better. If enough people do the same then the world becomes a preferred place and the individual has fulfilled their divine purpose, both in the here and the hereafter. Let the small ripple of love become a tsunami – after all, we often do not know the consequences of our actions.

Q.8. Anything else?

I have also written ‘Bodies of Consequence’ into a feature-film screenplay. But only God-knows if it will be produced into film. We shall see what the divine unfolds.

Stephen Chong M.Ed. 14 February 2019

Marc Lesser is a CEO, Zen teacher, author, and leads trainings and talks worldwide. He has led mindfulness and emotional intelligence programs at many of the world’s leading businesses and organizations including Google, SAP, Genentech, and Kaiser. He is currently CEO of ZBA Associates, a company providing mindfulness-based leadership trainings and creating community by supporting ongoing groups. Previously, he served as CEO and co-founder of the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute, whose core programs he helped develop within Google. Marc was a resident of the San Francisco Zen Center for 10 years and former director of Tassajara, Zen Mountain Center. He currently leads Mill Valley Zen, a weekly meditation group. Marc has an MBA degree from New York University. More information at MarcLesser.net.

  **I don’t love my work and I feel stuck. What practice is going to help me with this? 

 If you don’t love your work and feel stuck, you are not alone. A 2015 Gallup poll found that less than a third of all U.S. workers feel engaged in their work. Even those who absolutely love their work, don’t always love their work and feel stuck at times. A core mindfulness practice is to pay attention to what is – to your thoughts and feelings and the quality of your time at work and in all parts of your life. Noticing what is, without criticizing and judging is an excellent place to start. Experiment with paying attention to what isn’t working as well as envisioning what actions might you take to move toward enjoying and appreciating your work, even a little bit more.

**There is a lack of trust in my workplace. What might I do?

 Lack of trust is easy. I sometimes say that if you are not building trust you are building cynicism. We humans by nature are cautious and doubting creatures. Creating trust in your workplace means that people need to care about one another, to admit mistakes, and be vulnerable. I suggest starting with you – what can you do to trust yourself and trust others more?

**What is the essence of mindful leadership and how will it help me to manage change and the stress and pressures of my daily work? (continued)

 One way to describe the essence of mindful leadership is through the Seven Practices I describe in my book. Any one of them can shift the way you work – to manage change and stress, and help you be a more aware, creative, and compassionate leader. What are these practices: Love the work; Do the work; Don’t be an expert; Connect to your pain; Connect to the pain of others; Depend on others; and, Keep making it simpler. Pick one and practice it each day.

 **I’m unable to turn off my work when I get home. It’s wrecking my family life. What do you suggest?

 One practice for finding more calm in the midst of activity is to be more aware of how you use your energy at work. In between periods of focus and intensity, take a few minutes to stop and rest, to notice your breath and body. Then at the end of the day, take a few minutes to stop, relax, and breathe. Be conscious about letting go of your work and shift your focus toward taking care of yourself and being with your family.

**I want to have a meditation practice but don’t have time. What do you suggest? 

 Start with a daily practice that you can do, even if it is three breaths a day. Once you have established that practice, explore a meditation practice of five minutes a day. Another strategy is to sit with others, once a week, for 20 – 30 minutes.

**What do Google and Zen monasteries have in common when it comes to leadership?

 They represent different facets of mindful leadership. Google represents precision and scale. Zen represents presence and creativity. At the center, of course, is that work at Google or in a Zen monastery is all about people – people wanting to produce the best results possible, to develop each other, and to help others.

**Where did these seven practices originate?

These seven practices were first taught by Zen teacher Norman Fischer. I was CEO of the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute and invited Norman to address a group of Google employees who were being trained as mindfulness teachers. These practices were Norman’s instructions for principles and practices for teaching mindfulness. I adopted them for practices for becoming a more mindful leader and practices for living a more engaged and creative life.

**Why does Google embrace mindfulness and mindful leadership?

Google understands the importance of cultivating high performing leaders and high performing teams. They made tremendous effort to study what supports great leaders and great teams and found that mindfulness practices are a central factor in supporting both.

**What is a practice? Is it the same as a habit?

A practice is a combination of an intention, an aspiration, and an action. It is something that you do as a way of cultivating useful, positive traits. A practice can also be described as the way you live your life. It may contain a habit but is usually broader and deeper.

**What has been your biggest success in bringing mindful leadership into organizations?

One success has been with Google where many thousands of employees have been trained in mindfulness. There is a good deal of data to support the positive impact of these trainings in cultivating wellbeing as well as business results.

**What has been your biggest failure? And what did you learn from it? 

Ah, so many failures!  Hard to say which is my biggest. I love the quote by Michael Jordan, perhaps the world’s greatest basketball player ever who said that he fails, over and over again, and that is why he succeeds.

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Seven Practices of a Mindful Leader:
Lessons from Google and a Zen Monastery Kitchen, By Marc Lesser
Foreword by Daniel J. Siegel, MD
Category: Self-help / Business
Pub. Date: February 12, 2019
Price: $16.95 / Trade Paper
Pages: 224
ISBN: 978-1-60868-519-6
Published by New World Library
Distributed by Publishers Group West

What is SoulStroller about and why did you write it?

SoulStroller is a story of finding voice in a culture that historically silences women, it’s an excursion around the world, and a personal exploration of spirituality and ancestry. When I began writing this book, I thought the overarching story was about my travels—Paris, Egypt, Ireland, Bali—and the beauty and wonder of those places. I was going to share with readers the places I’d traveled and introduce them to the world through my eyes. Then I began to notice there was no way my inner journey was going to stay out of the narrative. My story of writing about journeys became its own adventure.

Writing has always been a clarifying process for me and most often I write for myself in the quiet moments of the morning. As this book evolved, however, I shared pieces of the story with others and noticed the many ways my fears, struggles, and joys intersected and resonated with readers. It became important to share with a broader audience, so I pitched the manuscript to my publisher and here we are.

You work with people to help them be more authentic. What does it mean to you to be authentic and what are some practical examples or ways to become more authentic?

Much of the time in ordinary life, we enter our days with thoughts clouded by what we think we should be doing or worrying about how others may judge us rather than how we can serve the greater good. We live in fear rather than opening our hearts to love. We keep our deepest selves hidden behind have-to’s and shoulds. As I’ve learned to discern my own rhythm, I’ve been able to shed the shoulds and bring a better self to the world. I believe this is my authentic self—the person who listens deeply, practices compassion, and gets clear on what my internal voice and higher power are inviting me to do in any given moment.

One of the most practical examples and easiest ways to be more authentic is to begin observing your own thoughts and behaviors. Be your own witness. Pause and pay attention before you answer a question or automatically jump into a situation. e.g. A friend calls and asks you for a favor. It’s okay to say, “Can I get back to you?”  Then take a moment and discern how you truly want to respond. Yes? No? Maybe? Get quiet and listen for your answer without all of the should or have-to noise. What do you want to say? No judgment here. That’s your authentic voice. By practicing this deep listening and taking incremental steps, we each move into our own authenticity moment by moment.

When are sometimes in your life when you have been inauthentic and when are sometimes in your life when you have been your most authentic self?

I grew up being inauthentic. Saying yes when I wanted to say no. Following other people’s dictums instead of my own. Dressing for others. Being the good girl at times I longed to be a rebel. Becoming an accountant when I was drawn to psychology and sociology.

One of the most authentic things I did was go back to graduate school in my late forties even though it made no logical sense. A more recent time while at a book presentation, I realized my feet were killing me, so I stopped for a moment, pulled off my shoes, and invited my audience to do the same. Sometimes my most authentic self looks like staying in my pajamas all day and reading a great book or watching Netflix. That can be a big statement in a culture that says I should be out pounding the pavement and making a mark in the world. My invitation is for individuals to define and discover what authenticity means for them, because it looks different for everyone.

“SoulStroller” is the (r)evolution of a woman too timid to speak her mind, redefining her own rules, and showing us it’s never too late to live your best life. What advice would you have for someone who would like to speak their mind more, but is afraid of standing out or what other people might think?

Can I simply invite them to read the book? {laughing} I’m not much of an advice giver, but I found my way by practicing deep listening to myself. Speaking up in small ways and stretching into bigger ones. Falling down and getting back up. My redefining began when I realized the old paradigms were not working for me. I needed someone to help me unravel which stories were society’s and which ones were my own, so I found a therapist.

My mother told a story that said, “Kayce’s our shy girl. She doesn’t talk much.” What I discovered is that I had been limited by this tale as well as others I heard growing up about women and their roles. The key to reclamation is becoming aware that you want or need it. Take one single step, like naming your desire. Find a mentor. Listen throughout the day for what resonates or makes your heart sing. Pay attention to the places you feel oppressed and make note of what lifts you up. Follow the signs. Don’t be afraid to fail. Step by step, practice stating what you need. Life is defined by those moments when we’re able to speak through that lump in our throat and feel it dissolve to warm our heart.

Anything else you’d like to share?

I’d love to express my gratitude for the opportunity to share my story with Spiritual Media Blog, as well as this brief excerpt from SoulStroller: experiencing the weight, whispers, and wings of the world.

It’s never too late to make a new ending. When people say to me things like, “I could never” or “I’m too old” or the myriad of other thoughts that get in the way of change, I ask: “Are you still breathing . . . even a little bit?” If the answer is yes, then isn’t there room for one more yes, and perhaps another and another?

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Kayce Stevens Hughlett is a tender, a healer, and an artist of being alive who believes in everyday magic and that complex issues often call for simple practices and author of “SoulStroller.” She holds a Masters in Counseling Psychology from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology and she is a Certified Martha Beck Life Coach. Her novel, “Blue,” won the Chanti Award for best women’s fiction in 2015. Kayce began her working life as an accountant for a multi-national firm and transitioned to the healing arts when life’s harsh circumstances sent her searching for answers on a less-linear path. She is the co-creator of SoulStrolling® ~ a movement for mindfulness in motion. Raised in the heartland of Oklahoma, she now resides in Seattle, Washington with her family and muse, Aslan the Cat. Learn more at http://www.liveittogiveit.me/or connect with her via twitter @KayceHughlett.

Your new book, “The Riddle of the Sphinx” seems to have everything– adventure, a heartbreaking and obsessive love affair, suspense, psychological drama and a journey toward self-discovery. How would you characterize your book? What genre or genres would you place it in?

You can read this book on three different levels. First, on the level of plot, it’s about a young man who desperately tries to escape Revolutionary Iran, a young scholar whose career and life are derailed by a tragic love affair and a middle aged lawyer at the pinnacle of a successful career at a top law firm who finds himself dissatisfied with and disconnected from what others may consider a perfect life. You can read the novel just for that and hopefully enjoy the storyline. On another level it is about the political and social history of the Iranian Revolution, its unfolding through the eyes of one family and their aftermath in exile. While there are countless books on the political forces that caused the Iranian Revolution, there are few that tell the story from such a personal perspective and even fewer that tell the story of Iranian exiles. For this reason alone, the Riddle of the Sphinx is worthy of a read.

But the novel can be read on a third level, perhaps the most fascinating and that is a philosophical and spiritual angle, which as the epigraphs at the front of each part signal, follow the noble truths of Buddhism. The Buddha answered the question “Who am I” by starting with a negative, “who am I not” and so the protagonist in the Riddle of the Sphinx, when confronted with this primordial question of identity, begins to strip away the false selves which are mental projections that he had confused for reality, as had Oedipus in Sophocles’ play “Oedipus Rex” from which the novel derives its title.

As for the genre, I would say it’s literary fiction and while I would never presume to compare myself with someone like Albert Camus, his novel “La Peste” (“The Plage”) is similar in that it can be read and enjoyed on three levels—the plot, the social/political history of fascism/Nazism and the third level that explores evil from a philosophical and existential perspective.

What inspired you to write the book?

About six years ago, I started to learn about Buddhism and its teachings on meditation, mindfulness, wisdom and compassion. As I deepened my studies as well as my sitting practice, it began to occur to me that there was a whole dimension of my life that I had been completely unaware of until that point. Carl Jung said “Who looks out dreams; who looks in inside awakes”. I started to look inside and wake up—which for me has been a very gradual process. But then I realized that these teachings– that insight and wisdom come from looking in rather than grasping and groping outside—are not just part of Eastern philosophy. They have been written about in Western literature, beginning with the Greeks and all the way up to modern times with writers such as Marcel Proust, who I studied a great deal as a Comparative Literature major at Princeton. How could I have missed this for half my life? So I went back to these works that I loved and I read them as if with new eyes and this inspired me to write this novel.

What experiences, in your background, did you pull up to write this new work of fiction?

I drew on the places that I had been to and knew well – Teheran before the revolution for example; my family was quite close with the Royal Court and growing up there, not only did I draw on my own experiences but also my parents would tell me stories that have stayed with me. And then of course the revolution and its aftermath and although I wasn’t in Iran during and after the revolution I knew a number of people who were and I spoke with them at length about their experiences. The second part of the book takes place in the 1980s in Princeton, which I went to and know well but also at well known spots such as the Wimbledon tennis finals or the Bain Douche night club in Paris, all of which I’ve been to. The prologue and the last part of the book take place in New York, at a major law firm, as well as venues on the Upper East side, the Hamptons and a well known private school. Again I have personal experience with all of these places, which helped me write the story.

What was your early life like and how does it compare to your life now?

My early life was in Iran before the revolution and then at boarding school in England. On the surface of course it’s a very different life. Life under an absolute monarchy isn’t the same as in a democracy. But you know something, the U.S. today is starting to resemble that world that was swept away by a revolution. Rule by a small elite who control the levers of power, whether it’s the executive branch, the legislative branch or the media. There are parallels and definitely some lessons to be heeded. I’m not saying that the U.S. today is facing a revolution but if we continue down the same road without making key changes to improve the lot of the vast majority of people, there could be trouble ahead. And it can come very quickly. If you read my book, you see how swiftly the revolution took off and how it took the ruling elites in Iran by surprise.

You want to honor women working to create peace in today’s turbulent world. Does your book help to do that?

I believe it does by allowing greater bridges and understanding between Muslim, Christian, and Jewish women, highlighting our similarities rather than differences in terms of the stories we tell of our religious ancestors.

Your book has recipes, illustrations, poetry, and dreams. Why was it important to convey Islam through these various methods?

More important than conveying Islam was the stories from what I call the Caravan of Women. I wanted to include all aspects of our lives as women, in our shared stories of life and death, pregnancy, birth, abandonment. Recipes bring us into our ancient tradition of wisdom through stories, cooking, and shared meals.

 Do you believe your research can help dispel some of the misconceptions about a religion followed by more than 2 billion people?

Yes! That is one of the reasons I wrote the book and did the research, especially considering that the Islamic faith is reflected in a life of compassion and mercy towards fellow humans. Throughout history, Islamic women have lived their lives in expression of this foundational tenet of the faith.

How does your work give a voice to those who have been marginalized or ignored?

The focus on the women’s stories highlights the importance of women. An important example is the story of Khadija, wife of Prophet Muhammad, who is often considered the first Muslim. She was powerful, and what today we would call a CEO…She is a person of great ethics, and morality, a philanthropist within her community, as well as an incredible business woman—before she meets Muhammad. When women realize that they have a prominent place within the founding of the religion, it breaks the hypnotic overlay that women are second-class citizens.

Since you grew up in a more progressive, western culture in the U.S., how did you become attracted to Sufism?

It’s a path that includes embodied spirituality and active prayer, which is very attractive to me as a dancer. I’m someone who longs to worship with body, heart and soul, not just with the mind.

Why did you transition from Catholicism to Sufism?

It didn’t feel like a transition at all, only a deepening into the embodiment of the sacred.

Why did you decide to turn your involvement in spirituality into a livelihood?

This has been an organic process. I never chose it as a livelihood. It continues to be revealed and unfold in ways that surprise me. This is my passion, and I feel so grateful to be engaged in this work.

Why did you become a whirling dervish and what does it signify in Sufism?

One of our methods of prayer in the Mevlevi Order is whirling, or turning. As early as the 13^thcentury, a group of students began following Sufi mystic Rumi into this practice. The turning challenges us on every level: the physical, the mental and spiritual. It gives me great joy.

Has your experience as a mother of five helped you to be a better spiritual midwife?

One hopes that that is true. Certainly all our experiences enriches our ability to be present, which is what spiritual midwifery is all about, whether midwifing a physical birth, or offering assistance during the dying process, or at any point in between. Anything that gives us more masterful tools is of great value.

You teach workshops and lead retreats around the world. How can your teachings help people in their everyday lives?

The teachings of gratitude, forgiveness, a deeper listening to the inner voice of guidance, and courage are of great value at this moment in time. Discovering more what it is to be human, stretching our capacity for wisdom, kindness, and generosity, will only enhance our ability to live together in harmony.

If there was only one message you could convey to readers, what would it be?

Love yourself, treasure, honor, and forgive yourself. Celebrate life; find your wings; be free.

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A whirling dervish, Mariam “turns,” which is a deeply spiritual practice in Sufism. It represents an entrance through a doorway to a more meaningful spirituality that can pull people together and embrace our common humanity.

The author of Woman As Divine: Tales of the Goddess, Mariam has given workshops in Brazil, Germany, Ireland, Russia, Tunisia, Australia, and across the U.S. She is the Executive Director of The SoulWork Foundation, which encompasses Embodied Spirituality (the connection of spirit, body and sexuality), and the marriage of psychology and spirituality.

A former director of the Theater of Healing, Mariam is a senior teacher for Sufi Ruhaniat International and a leader in the Dances of Universal Peace. A mother of five children, Mariam considers herself a spiritual midwife. She lives in Marin County, California.