Podcast

It was nice to be invited back by Radio Plus on their Health & Wellbeing show, hosted by the inspirational Christine Charles. We discuss:

– What could your lockdown ROI be?
– The benefits of confronting your loneliness  
– The beauty of angst-free moments of silence in friendships 
– How Mindfulness helps us respond to stress rather than react 
– Various wellbeing tools to boost your resilience in this pivotal time and beyond!

The Loving Kindness Meditation is one of the core mindfulness practices in the MBSR programme, created by Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn, who brought mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) into the mainstream of medicine and society.

This meditation calls our attention specifically to encouraging the growth of compassion, both for ourselves, others and the world at large.

It is especially helpful to those who may have a harsh inner critic or low self-esteem.

We are setting an intention to nurture the quality of loving kindness that already exists within us, while being with whatever is present in the senses, thought, or emotions, without judgement.

Another helpful meditation on your Mindfulness journey.

A few notes:

It can be helpful to choose a pet or person whom you admire for being kind or loving in general should you have considerable difficulty in bringing to mind a person who has loved or supported you.

It’s advisable to choose “the person with whom you have difficulty,” before the meditation and to ensure the difficulty is minor, as other issues might require therapy before engaging in the healing process.

Although this meditation is very beneficial therapeutically and for people in general, it’s not recommended to listen to this recording if you are in a state of acute depression.

Please, DO NOT listen to any of this recording whilst driving or operating machinery, or when you need full attention on something else. If you feel uncomfortable with closing your eyes, you can lower your gaze or alternatively pick a spot on the wall, on which to maintain your focused attention. If you feel uncomfortable in any way during the meditation it is advisable to stop the practice and consider trying again another time.

Just like my other Mindfulness Meditations, this recording has no background music. The purpose of this practice is not to “escape” to some imaginary world, but to learn how to bring your awareness back to the present moment.

The repeating set of phrases in this recording are some of many possible phrases that can be used. If any part of the approach or of the four central phrases do not suit you, feel free to make any changes that make it more friendly or appealing to you.

This recording is my rendition of Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn’s powerful and popular Mountain Meditation. Jon Kabat-Zinn brought mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) into the mainstream of medicine and society. The purpose of this meditation practice is to help you become grounded by accessing your stability and inner strength. The mountain visualisation along with the ever-changing weather conditions it withstands, is helpful as an external form of mindfulness and is particularly suitable for people who are going through a challenging time, internal and/or external, and want to feel more balanced and centred.

Just like my other Mindfulness Meditations recordings, the Mountain Meditation has no background music. The purpose of this practice is not to “escape” to some imaginary world, but to learn how to bring your awareness back to the present moment, and this time the mountain is the vehicle. Another helpful meditation on your Mindfulness journey.

It can be helpful to choose the mountain you’re going to focus on during the meditation in advance to avoid unnecessary distraction. Please ensure you have no negative associations relating to mountains.

Please, DO NOT listen to any of this recording whilst driving or operating machinery, or when you need full attention on something else. If you feel uncomfortable with closing your eyes, you can lower your gaze or alternatively pick a spot on the wall, on which to maintain your focused attention. If you feel uncomfortable in any way during the meditation it is advisable to stop the practice and consider trying again another time.

The Body Scan meditation is another great way to practice “taking the needle off the autopilot mind.”

Contrary to popular belief, this meditation is not (just) about scanning for ailments/sensations in our body. Like the Mindfulness of Breath meditation, it’s about shifting from Doing/Thinking mode to Being mode. In the same way we used our breath to help us anchor the present moment, the Body Scan uses the body as a roadmap to constantly guide our mind back to the now.

Neuroscience tells us that helpful new neural pathways in our brain are formed every time we notice our attention drifts away and then gently (and non-judgementally!) bring it back to the body part (or breath) we are exploring.

Research suggests that this mindfulness practice has many mental and physical benefits, including reducing stress, increasing focus, decreasing aches and pains (by changing our relationship with them), and improving sleep.

Just like my recording of “Mindfulness of Breath” meditation, the Body Scan meditation has no background music. The purpose of this practice is not to “escape” to some imaginary world, but to learn how to bring your awareness back to the present moment, and your body is the vehicle. Continued practice will help to slow down the incessant stream of thoughts and create some breathing space between you and those thoughts.

Another helpful meditation on your Mindfulness journey.

Please, DO NOT listen to any of this recording whilst driving or operating machinery, or when you need full attention on something else. If you feel uncomfortable with closing your eyes for the body scan, you can lower your gaze or alternatively pick a spot on the wall, on which to maintain your focused attention. If you feel uncomfortable in any way during the body scan it is advisable to stop the practice and consider trying again another time.

To me, the Mindfulness of Breath meditation is the cornerstone of all meditation. Although short and simple, keeping your awareness on the breath is not always easy and requires practice. It’s about constantly bringing your mind back to the present moment via the breath, which takes the needle off the ‘autopilot mind’, so to speak. This helps with cultivating calm and relief from overthinking. Start your Mindfulness journey with this short meditation and enhance the quality of your life and wellbeing.

Please, DO NOT listen to any of this recording whilst driving or operating machinery, or when you need full attention on something else.

When he failed his medical exam for the British Army, Sam Moinet’s world fell apart. The upset, shame and confusion were almost too much to bare for him. However, Sam found a way to turn his failure into fuel. He discovered the power of coaching and vouched to help other youngsters overcome their struggles and anxieties. Student Breakthrough was born. Today, Sam is an accomplished Speaker and Life Coach for students, and he joins me for a raw chat about his journey, his mission and why we should never suppress but always EXPRESS what’s on the inside!

Our self-worth is a key to abundance on many different levels… And yet, for many people it seems to be such a fragile thing.

Or is it?

I believe that, on a spiritual level, our self-worth is not fragile. Why not take a moment to relax with this new, short meditation that can help you restore your self-worth and lift your mental wellbeing. 

Disclaimer: Do not listen to this recording whilst driving or operating machinery. This meditation is created with the intention to provide helpful spiritual guidance only. It does not constitute professional psychological help. If you are in danger or require specialist help, the services of a competent professional should be sought. The information contained within the recording is not a substitute for professional advice such as that given by a medical doctor, psychiatrist, or counsellor. Under no circumstances can you hold Christoph Spiessens liable for any actions that you take as a result of listening to any content in this recording. 

The pressure is on! Ecological grief, terrorism, political and social disruption, climate change, war… Sensitives are taking on a lot of extra heavy energy in addition to their own personal and professional challenges.

Join me for another insightful and transformative podcast with my fellow spiritual mentor and award-winning author, Melody R Green.

Key content:

1) The impact of shock on the 75% of us that’s NOT physical

2) A special Attunement channeled by Melody to assist with trauma healing

3) Our top tips and tools for self-care

A conversation not to be missed if you are a sensitive person looking for non-conventional support tools or if you are further along your spiritual journey and looking for that extra reassurance!

The Attunement starts at 35:48

Melody R Green can be contacted at: melodyandtheangels@gmail.com and all major social media channels

Christoph Spiessens can be contacted at: connect@christophspiessens.com and all major social media channels

Links to first aid resources discussed:

Bach Rescue Remedy: http://www.bachflower.com – follow instructions on label

Australian Bush Flower Remedies: http://ausflowers.com.au – follow instructions on label

Colour Therapy: White pomander, Deep Red Pomander, B.26 – Etheric Rescue – Humpty Dumpty Equilibrium Bottle: http://www.aura-soma-world.com

If you enjoy our podcast, why not share the link or leave us a rating and review on your favourite podcast platform. Thank you!

Disclaimer: This podcast episode is created with the intention to provide helpful spiritual guidance only. It does not constitute professional psychological help. If you are in danger or require specialist help, the services of a competent professional should be sought. The information contained within the podcast is not a substitute for professional advice such as that given by a medical doctor, psychiatrist, or counsellor. Under no circumstances can you hold Christoph Spiessens or Melody R Green liable for any actions that you take as a result of listening to any content in this podcast.

Are you sensitive to the energy of others, places and events? You might not be half as “anxious” as you think you are (or were told you are!) and could be a natural-born Empath. Understanding the difference is life changing. Learning how to work with your empathic gifts and function effectively is a process you can learn that hones your gifts and allows you joy when navigating appropriately. And wouldn’t that be a great place to be? Join Author & Soul Coach Melody R Green and me for a soul-soothing conversation, filled with tools for managing empathic social anxiety whilst still enjoying everything this magical season has to offer! 

What happens when two coaches have an unexpected day off? They record an impromptu podcast about midlife mastery! Check out my conversation with friend and colleague Simon Thomas. A raw, empowering chat about the challenges of midlife and the many opportunities it brings – if only we choose to notice them! Simon facilitates transformational character development workshops using the unique Heartstyles philosophy to help organisations and individuals to do their best work and live their best life. You can connect with him via LinkedIn.

After watching her Glasgow TEDx talk, “Unbroken – Speaking the Unspeakable,” I knew I had to reach out to Madeleine Black and invite her on my podcast. We both share a history of sexual abuse and, on our own terms, have found effective ways to heal and transcend our pasts. Ever since the overnight success of Madeleine’s article on forgiveness, which was published on The Forgiveness Project website in 2014, she has been sharing her remarkable story with audiences everywhere. Her debut memoir, “Unbroken: One Woman’s Journey to Rebuild a Life Shattered by Violence,” empowers people to speak up about traumatic events that stop them from living life to the full. In this episode, I chat with story-healer Madeleine about why she chose to forgive the two men who gang-raped her when she was just 13 years old and how going public with her message shattered all shame – for good.

Join me for a healthy conversation with qualified Nutrition Advisor and Coach Coral Sirett from Zest-Health.com. In this episode we discuss mindful eating, how highly empathic wellbeing professionals can keep their own energy levels up without overloading on snacks, plant-based eating vs veganism as a lifestyle, and how small changes to our diet can significantly reduce brain fog and boost general health. Coral’s approach to helping people improve their eating habits is educational, non-judgemental and results-oriented. Don’t miss this nourishing episode!

In this soul-soothing episode, I chat with Melody R. Green, author of the new book, “A Tipsy Man Goes Naked – Love Tales and Recipes.” This remarkable work is a fusion of love, life and food. Across time and cultures, part fiction and non-fiction, part autobiographical and part character based. It’s a seamless, educational combination of poetry, short stories, culinary recipes and recipes for a more delicious life. However, Melody is not just on the show to share how a dodgy advertisement in a local newspaper marked the start of a successful writing journey 20 years ago… She is also a professional Career Counsellor, Soul Coach and Angel Intuitive. With the extraordinary encouragement from the Angelic Realm, Melody empowers her clients to become truly alive to their spirit and in this episode she generously extends that support to our listeners. If you are someone who works in the motivational/healing/leadership space and want to ensure that your own cup stays full in order to serve others more effectively and without being adversely impacted by energy, this recording is for you! Melody’s powerful, new spiritual (and complementary!) resource called, “World Attunement Days” is particularly helpful for Empaths who may have taken on excess amounts of grief or who want to transcend their feelings of loneliness. (All info: https://melodyrgreenauthor.wordpress.com)Make yourself a nice brew and get comfortable for a truly healing listening experience. 

In this celebratory 20th edition of my podcast, I talk with Seb Wichmann who is a Learning & Development Expert, Master NLP Practitioner and accredited Business Coach. In 2014 Seb won the “SuperCoach” Award but his journey has not always been straightforward! We have a chat about his burnout when he was just 25 and how a car crash in Australia triggered a pivotal awakening experience and became the inspiration for his book, “Instant Silence.” Seb also shares why creating room for freeflow, even within tight corporate coaching structures, always improves performance, and why understanding “How Hot You Are” is his key technique for restoring balance and calm for his consulting clients!

I first met Lee Ali, Founder of award-winning marketing agency ExpoStars, when he invited me to deliver a talk on Mindfulness in Business at one of his popular Masterclasses. In this candid episode, Lee talks about how he grew ExpoStars from a bedroom start-up into a thriving business that helps exhibitors to proactively engage more attendees and achieve measurable success at trade shows. This journey was not without a great deal of learning opportunities for Lee and his team. We discuss the benefits of steady progress vs overnight success, the importance of empowering self-talk during times of adversity, how spirituality became the solid foundation on which Lee rebuilt his life after his father’s passing, and the pivotal role of mindfulness at exhibitions. Enjoy!

“Our wounds are probably not our fault, but our healing is definitely our responsibility.” With this pivotal statement Ben Bidwell, aka “The Naked Professor,” and I kick off a powerful episode on emotional freedom. Our conversation is particularly helpful to fellow motivators such as coaches, therapists and public speakers. We discuss why awareness is always the first stage of change, living safe vs living feeling alive, dropping our masks and living in tune with our emotions, why inner peace is the new success, and why you don’t need to present the perfect life in order to help others. Join us for a relaxed yet empowering chat and discover the benefits of living in emotional freedom!

I chat with coach Kevin Young about “the middle way” for fellow wellbeing professionals. By choosing the middle way, you can have a happier, more joyful and more multi-dimensional life. In this spiritually-rich episode we discuss striking a balance between compassion for others and oneself, selfcare vs laziness, the power of our senses to relax and restore our energy levels, being vs doing, and adding our own measure of love to help make this world a better place.

In this deep and content rich episode, I talk with Dr. Meenaa Mahaajjan, acclaimed spiritual counsellor and speaker, and founder of Siddhi, a not-for-profit organisation “Powered by Humanity.” She is the recipient of many awards, including the Confluence Award of Excellence in Spirituality and Social Service from the British Parliament, the Rotary International Excellence Award, and the Make in India Award for Spirituality in the Corporate World. In this podcast, we discuss many topics, such as: Imposter syndrome, jealousy, forgiveness, the link between quantum physics, spirituality and being Human, what the communion of trillions of cells in our body can teach us about our physical and emotional health, as well as how practical spirituality improves productivity, team collaboration and success in the workplace. Grab a notepad, sit back and enjoy!

Life Purpose -and the confusion around it- is a frequently recurring topic during coaching sessions and workshops. Do we have to find this holy grail to call our lives successful? Or is there more to it? Is there more to life? Here’s a short but powerful message about purpose: The difference between the purpose of life and your life purpose. (5 minutes)

A 10-minute spiritual meditation to bring back inspiration, energy and clarity.

Daniel Bruce Levin: Visionary, mentor, speaker, and author of the paradigm-challenging new book, “The Mosaic.” Daniel walked away from an opportunity to run a business that was a household name in America to find happiness and inner peace. His life has been a combination of massive victories and incredible defeats. One day away from being ordained a Rabbi in Jerusalem, Israel, he left and went to live for 10 years as a monk in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Daniel practiced and taught meditation and yoga for over a decade. He has run a restaurant, owned and ran a clothing company, a branding company, and a coaching business. He became the Director of Business Development at world-leading personal development publishing company Hay House and helped grow it from $3,000,000 to $100,000,000. He had thought he lived life purposefully, but it wasn’t until he wrote The Mosaic that his purpose found him. In this podcast, I talk with Daniel about The Mosaic and how we can benefit from it in life and business. Enjoy!

In July 2019, cyclist, fundraiser and founder of the Recycle Yourself campaign Ryan Anderton will take on the mammoth challenge of cycling from Nordkapp in Norway to Tarifa, the southernmost point of Spain. A 4200-mile journey through 12 countries in 20 days, to raise money for mental health awareness for men and also for his Lee Fancourt Mental Health Fund. Lee holds the world record for this particular tour, but passed away from suicide in January 2018. I talk with Ryan about all things mental health, including suicide prevention, Andy’s Man Club, and of course the benefits of cycling as a wellbeing tool. If you want to support Ryan -and his admirable cause- this podcast is a great way to learn more. #RyanRidesAcrossEurope #Andysmanclub #itsoktotalk

In this episode, I chat with author, trainer and coach Pete Mosley about self-promotion for “quiet souls,” such as shy people, creatives and introverts. Pete has been helping people find their confidence for many years and his book, “The Art of Shouting Quietly” has been sold in more than 30 countries. These are just some of the topics we discuss: The role your values play in promoting yourself and connecting effectively with colleagues and clients, how to raise your profile and create meaningful relationships with value-laden stories, and befriending your fears to overcome shyness. And… what does The Tour de France have to do with managing your nerves ahead of a public talk?! Enjoy!

We might be living in an era of mental health awareness (thank goodness), but one topic that’s a huge anxiety inducer and yet rarely talked about is sexual orientation. If you are considering “coming out” (I don’t resonate with that expression, btw), or you know someone who is, you may find this 5-minute meditation helpful. It’s time to live your truth. Available on all podcast platforms.

Stuck? Trying too hard? Can’t see the forest for the trees? I have recorded a 5-minute motivational message to help you release self-imposed pressure and receive more energy, inspiration and encouragement as a result.

I have a deep, beautiful and nourishing conversation with coach Laura Beckingham from Space With-In about “capacity building” for our clients but also for ourselves.

How aligned is your everyday life with who you are at the core of your being? Are you longing for a change but unsure of how to take the first step? Is the anxiety and other emotional discomfort of living an inauthentic life getting too much? Enjoy a calming yet empowering recording aimed to inspire you to give yourself permission to make lasting changes in your life.

Life can be overwhelming, especially when you often support those around you. And yet YOU are your number one priority… A difficult concept for spiritually-minded people to remember. I recorded this guided meditation to help you refill your own cup. Prioritise yourself more and you’ll be a better source of strength for others.

Want to try a new way to enhance the mental wellbeing of your team? I have recorded a special, complementary meditation for you. Give your team huddle a makeover with a different kind of motivational support. Use this short mindfulness meditation to relax and inspire so they can deliver their best synergetic teamwork. 10 minutes, no previous experience required, just an open mind and a quiet meeting room.

I have recorded this meditation to help you get a positive perspective on your life. A short, relaxing yet motivational reminder of the totality of your journey and its purpose.

How can we make a difference to others when we are fighting our own demons? By making a choice to step up and step out! In this episode I talk with record-breaking endurance adventurer Alex Staniforth. At just 23 years old he has already inspired thousands of people with his achievements including taking part in 2 infamous Everest expeditions, winning the Pride of Britain Regional Fundraiser Award, and becoming the fastest person ever to climb all 100 UK county tops in 72 days raising over £25,000 for mental health charity Young Minds UK. His journey has not been easy and continues to challenge him. However, in this podcast Alex shares how we can be a source of inspiration to others while climbing our own Everest. A practical mental health conversation with a difference!

Owning and transcending our “brilliance blockers,” exploring how we can become more than just knowledge experts, making sense of our facilitator identity changes, the spiritual aspects of facilitation including self-protective energy management and space clearing, and why ski lifts are a great place for transformational conversations! You don’t want to miss this expansive self-care episode with my guest Kirsty Lewis, Founder of the School of Facilitation. Enjoy!

Has resilience become a buzzword? Or can we learn to use it as a competitive advantage? In this candid podcast episode I talk with Resilience & Talent Coach Anthony Taylor. We also discuss the power of small incremental changes in our lifestyle to create better holistic wellbeing, how to be kinder to ourselves, keeping the fun in our work as motivators, and how to build an authentic reputation as leaders in our fields without giving into temptation to follow trends that aren’t congruent with our message, values and skillset.

How can you step up and step out in a saturated market without loosing your authenticity? Today I talk with Executive Communications Coach Monique Russell about showing up authentically on and off stage. We discuss self-leadership as a lifestyle, establishing a true connection to your work and helpful ways to boost your confidence as a communicator.

It may not be the norm for Irish men to talk about emotions but today’s podcast guest, accounting exam coach James Perry, does it beautifully and effectively. In this episode we talk about his mental health keynotes in schools, struggling with his belief systems, necessary spiritual self-care for wellness professionals, how to stop people pleasing, what traveling the world has taught him, and much more!

In this podcast episode, which is available in audio and video formats, I talk with Dr. Natalia Wiechowski, Personal Branding Strategist and award-winning international Keynote Speaker who radically changed her life and career after a self-imposed sabbatical to follow her passion: Teaching people how to market themselves.

We talk about the power of showing up authentically in today’s digital world, why self-work is essential, how to deal with challenges such as imposter syndrome and stage fright, what it really takes to make New Year’s resolutions work, and so much more! (The video podcast is available on YouTube.)

I had the unique opportunity to enjoy a special conversation with Childhood Trauma Consultant Zebedee Franklin. He helps men free themselves from pain, shame, guilt, and anger carried from their childhood memories of sexual abuse. In this important episode we discuss how, through being aligned with our own authenticity and soul purpose, we all have the capacity to heal ourselves and own our recovery. As a survivor of sexual abuse myself, this episode holds a special place in my heart.

“Everyone, however experienced, can benefit from coaching and emotional skill development.” Wise words from today’s podcast guest, Elite Performance Coach & Performance Psychologist, Stuart Holliday.

He has his own consultancy – Focused Mind Coaching and works as the Asics UK in-house psychologist, as well as a coach at Sanctus who partner with businesses in the workplace to create an open environment where mental health is supported and people can bring their full self to work. He has private sporting clients and conducts endurance research alongside Prof. Andy Lane & Dan Robinson at the University of Wolverhampton.

Prior to running Focused Mind Coaching, Stuart spent 4 years working for Professor Steve Peters at Chimp Management supporting Olympic and Paralympic squads, the England Netball Team and Liverpool FC. Stuart believes in applying his Olympic experience and standards to wellbeing and performance in order to make minds healthier and fitter.

In this candid episode, I talk with Stuart about how he manages his own emotions as a practitioner, as a psychologist, and running his own business in order to be able to operate at his best for the service of his clients. We also discuss the role of spirituality in a psychologist’s world, his view on what motivation really means, and much more. Don’t miss this one!

In this episode I talk with counsellor Natalie Rossiter, and you are in for a real treat. Coming to counselling is a sign of self-respect and courage, but does that also apply to fellow therapists, coaches and other wellbeing professionals? What are the tell-tale signs that it’s time to seek help? How effective is Mindfulness for us? And can we play with the boundaries of conventional therapy? Let’s find out!

In this episode I chat with Spiritual Mentor and Photographer Edward Pike, author of the meditative book, “I AM – Awaken Your Nature.” We discuss how to meet our blocks (such as blame, fear, self-judgement) to experience more flow. A beautiful conversation about awakening our real Self and experience true freedom.

I talk to coach Enrico Massani who lost his successful consultancy, house, and partner during a particularly challenging chapter of his life. In this episode, Enrico shares with his how he turned his life around and launched a thriving global coaching practice.