Author Archives: Bradley

SOMETHING EVEN BETTER

I can feel everything and survive. What I thought would kill me, didn’t. Every time I said to myself: I can’t take this anymore — I was wrong. The truth was that I could and did take it all — and I kept surviving. Surviving again and again made me less afraid of myself, of other people, of life. I learned that I’d never be free from pain but I could be free from the fear of pain, and that was enough.

Glennon Doyle, Untamed

My BeLoveds,

I would like to offer a GREAT BIG VIRTUAL HUG & tell you that I LOVE YOU, not because of anything you’ve done or not done, but to honor the inherent worth, dignity & respect I believe should be afforded us ALL as human beings.  I know for many this is a HARD TIME!  I offer these thoughts with Love – may they help.

First, remember to regularly practice BREATHING DEEPLY.  This can have a calming impact on our system and is ALWAYS a good practice to cultivate deeper patterns/habits so we’re more likely to do so naturally & automatically – even when we’re not thinking about it.

It is important & absolutely OK to feel our feelings – ALL OF THEM – sadness, grief, anger, etc.  It’s also important to ensure our safety while doing so and not cause harm to ourselves or other others.  Conversations, journaling, nature time, exercise, art, dancing, making music, crying, laughing, crumbling paper or leaves, breaking twigs, pounding pillows, are but a few of the safe outlets for expression.  The grieving process is not necessarily linear, and we may move back & forth through waves of emotions, but I assure you as we stay with it, our emotions will change, evolve and eventually pass.  REACH OUT to those you Love & let them know it and ask for support – family/friends/spiritual communities, or even professional assistance if needed, etc.

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WHERE THE MIND IS WITHOUT FEAR

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

Rabindranath Tagore

Special Thanks to Bob Roth, Director of the David Lynch Foundation, for sharing.

SAVING WALDENS WORLD FILM

I am VERY PROUD to share my friend Jim Merkel’s award winning documentary SAVING WALDEN’S WORLD. It features societies that accomplished many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals decades ahead of 2030 targets, including greatly reducing poverty & enhancing gender equality by, among other things – UPLIFTING & EMPOWERING WOMEN!!!  I’m honored that 2 of my original songs are included in the film’s soundtrack. You can find more, including where it’s showing at http://savingwaldensworld.org/.

For those nearby a special screening with several of the filmmakers on hand, will be held in New York City Monday, September 23 @ 7:00 pm at DCTV’s Firehouse Cinema at 87 Lafayette Street, NYC with a post screening party till 10 PM. Tickets are limited so secure your tickets here.

MAKE THE TIME TO SEE & BE….

“Nobody sees a flower – really – it is so small – we haven’t time – and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time.”

Georgia O’Keefe

There’s a field of being, a larger truth that’s simply beyond words and ultimately unknowable in its’ entirety.  Life is profound, mysterious and precious.  In our most challenging times, it can be helpful to remember that which is timeless, eternal, Sacred – like the vastness of the cosmos, the Magic of stars, and this Miraculous Living Earth.

On the Spiritual path, we must work to nurture the essence of our true nature – our own inner children, through practices like play, laughter and a healthy sense of humor – especially in difficult times.  Russian activist Alexei Navalny was a true master at this, heroically maintaining his sense of humor despite the unimaginable conditions of his imprisonment.  While we know it’s healthy to acknowledge our pain, allow space to grieve & process, and seek support, it is also important to maintain perspective.  This, in and of itself, can be healing & transformative.  As difficult as some of our challenges are, we’re certainly not the 1st generation to go through things.  Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl suggests:

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

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COME TO EARTH ALIVE 2024

Dearest Ones,

These are EXTRAORDINARY TIMES to be sure! Something I’ve been working on these past years is learning how to discover GRACE in the face of challenges, and I know many of us are challenged, especially as we grow older.  We’ve been through a pandemic, are exhausted by Ukraine & Gaza, and are preparing for another huge election in these strange years of unimaginable political division.  We’re adjusting to technologies impacts & intrusions and witnessing climate change manifest right before our eyes.  It’s a lot for ANYONE to take in.

Augst 23-25, 2024 we’ll gather on Sacred Land to create a truly special & magical space to BE with one another. Drawing upon Earth for support, inspiration and guidance, we’ll create a safe and nurturing environment to help us connect with deeper aspects of our Beingness.  We’ll build a unique container that empowers us in slowing down, savoring the richness of Life’s precious moments, and supports us in sharing more authentic, vulnerable and open-hearted connections with others.  Together we’ll work to transform, heal, grow and create a Beloved community for all who are united by an unrelenting stand for the kind of healthier, more Peaceful & Loving world we all know is possible.  I hope you’ll join us in this Blessed endeavor.  We need each other now more than ever, and this is truly an important year to be grounded and in a good and in a healthy and strong place.

If you know someone who could benefit from this kind of loving community & the healing & transformational work we do, we encourage you to invite THEM.  We’re committed to making this work available to all who wish to participate.

The Earth Alive Team

JOIN US FOR EARTH ALIVE RETREAT AUGUST 2023

Earth Alive 2023

Dearest Ones,

I LOVE YOU!  What I mean is that as a human being, I honor the inherent worth & dignity I feel should be afforded EVERYONE!  I hope that you are well and finding your way in these extraordinary times.  If you are challenged or concerned about our world, please know that you are not alone.  I wish for you compassion, grace and the support you need to navigate your unique life circumstances.

To that end, I want to offer you an opportunity to connect with a Loving community of people in a truly special and Sacred way.  People who are also concerned about our rapidly changing world, striving to be kind, conscious, and live lives of integrity that also honor our precious Earth.  Together we work to utilize the power of Earth and each other to create a safe, supportive and nurturing environment to support us in touching deeper aspects of our Being.  The power of Earth to nurture & heal are profound & powerful and have long been recognized by indigenous cultures and our ancestors for thousands of years.  We offer this retreat as a refuge, a place of healing, and an opportunity to ground and re-center.

Great saints & sages say that the whole world is connected and we are all ultimately one, so when we heal & transform, the world heals & transforms, ourselves & all whose lives we touch.  From participating in this work for decades, I have found that when we come together in a sincere & Sacred fashion, we access something truly special that is distinct from when we are alone.  The healing & transformation is nothing less than magical.  People leave feeling better, more calm, open-hearted and often having learned something new about themselves or the world.

When those around us are challenged, it’s even more important that WE remain balanced & rooted so as not to be blown off our paths and be better equipped to help others.  In this time of screens, technology & A.I., I believe it is essential for us to ground & reconnect as often as we can.   Unlike industrial medicine, Earth time & connecting with others offers a powerful healing alternative without side effects.  We ESPECIALLY hear about these impacts on young people, with increases in stress, anxiety and depression. If you know someone who could benefit from this kind of community and work, we encourage you to invite THEM or share this information. We are committed to making this work available to all who wish to participate.

All information on the gathering including registration can be found RIGHT HERE.

In the meantime, we send you our deepest Love & Blessings

Brad & The Earth Alive 2023 Team

JOIN US FOR EARTH ALIVE 8/26-28/2022

Dearest Ones,

To be sure, these are EXTRAORDINARY times we are now living in – politically, socially, economically, environmentally and we’re still working our way through a pandemic and it’s many impacts.  I have encouraged my coaching clients to exercise extra compassion in recognizing that we are all being stretched more than usual.  We hear about these impacts on so many, particularly young people, with increases in stress, anxiety and depression.  I’ve said that when those around us are challenged, it’s even more important that WE remain balanced & rooted so as not to be blown off our paths and be better equipped to help others.

To that end, I want to invite you to join a special community of people who are working to use the power of Earth and each other create a safe, supportive and nurturing environment to help us touch the deepest aspects of our Being.  The power of Earth to nurture & heal are profound & powerful and have long been recognized by indigenous cultures and our ancestors for thousands of years.  In these difficult times, I believe it is essential for us to return & reconnect as often as we can.  When done in sincere & Sacred fashion, the healing & transformation is nothing less than magical.  In this age of technology & industrial medicine, I believe Earth & time with others offers powerful healing alternatives (without side effects).  Participating in this work for years, I have seen people leave feeling better, more calm, open-hearted and often having learned something new about themselves or our world.

All information on the gathering including registration can be found RIGHT HERE.  If you know someone who could benefit from this kind of community and work we encourage you to invite THEM. We are committed to making this work available to all who wish to participate.

We send our Love & Blessings in the Meantime.

Brad & the Earth Alive Team

PEACE IN UKRAINE

Fellow Humans,

Ukrainian children in folk dress

I send my deepest, most heartfelt Prayers & Blessings for Peace in Ukraine.  I am heartbroken by these acts of unnecessary brutality, especially on the heals’ of the fellowship and unity displayed by nations at the Olympics mere days ago.  To initiate such unjust war after all that our world has been through these past years with this devastating global pandemic, shows just how lost Vladimir Putin has become from the highest ideals of Peace, Love & the Oneness of our human family, that saints and sages of every tradition have talked about for centuries.

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COME TO EARTH ALIVE 2022

I hope you are well as can be expected and finding your way in these extraordinary times. I want to invite you to join a special community of people who are working to create a safe, supportive and nurturing environment to help us touch the deepest aspects of our Being. From doing this work for over 3 decades, I can attest to the magical quality of this gathering. People leave feeling better, more hopeful, calm, open and often having learned something new about themselves or our world. Read more

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