author. speaker. motivator.
Affectionately known as "America's #1 Success Coach," Jack Canfield is the originator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and a leading authority in the areas of self-esteem, achievement motivation, and peak performance. [www.jackcanfield.com]
political powerhouse. media mogul. author.
Arianna Huffington is the co-founder and Editor in Chief of the Huffington Post and the author of twelve books. [www.huffingtonpost.com]
author. speaker. linchpin.
Seth Godin is a prominent author, blogger and speaker. [www.squidoo.com/linchpin]
yogi. philanthropist. dynamic teacher.
Krishna Kaur is the founder of YOGA for Youth, a program that takes yoga, meditation, and stimulating discussions on the philosophy of yoga to urban youth. [www.yogaforyouth.org]
producer. philanthropist. tv legend.
Norman Lear has enjoyed a long career in television and film. He is also a political and social activist and philanthropist. [www.normanlear.com]
race car driver. activist. carbon free girl.
Leilani Münter is a professional race car driver and an environmental activist who uses her voice in the number one spectator sport in America as a catalyst for change. [www.leilanimunter.com]
Freedom Fighter. Philanthropist. Game Changer.
By going undercover to meet slaves and slaveholders, Kevin Bales exposed modern slavery's penetration into the global economy. He co-founded Free the Slaves, which has helped to liberate thousands of slaves. [www.freetheslaves.net]
mom. big dreamer. lady in red.
Sophie Chiche, lifebyme.com founder and curator, enjoys asking deep questions and living a life of meaning. Today she's launching Shape House, an urban sweat lodge, a place to melt away fears and fat. [www.shapehousela.com]
Writer. Entrepreneur. Daily Lover.
Entrepreneur and writer Mastin Kipp founded TheDailyLove.com, which merges pop culture with inspiration, and co-founded The Love Yourself Company, an apparel company that has started a global self-esteem movement. [www.TheDailyLove.com]
singer. musician. crier.
Liz Phair is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. [www.lizphair.com]
archbishop. author. peaceful leader.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu is Chairman of The Elders, a group of world leaders who address some of the world's most pressing problems. He works energetically for human-rights and in his ministry. [www.tutu.org]
author. ceo. humanitarian.
Zainab Salbi is the founder and CEO of Women for Women International, a group dedicated to helping women survivors of war rebuild their lives. [www.womenforwomen.org]
speaker. psychotherapist. life embracer.
Despite his physical challenges, Sean Stephenson has taken a stand for a quality of life that has inspired millions of people around the world. He's a professional speaker, psychotherapist, and author. [www.timetostand.com]
yogi. meditator. teacher.
Kia Miller teaches Yoga at Yoga Works in Los Angeles, leads teacher trainings, and runs retreats and workshops on meditation, chakras, pranayam, and mantras, and other practices. [www.kiamiller.com]
creator. writer. idea geek.
Simon Mainwaring is an ex-Nike/Wieden creative, former Worldwide Creative Director at Motorola/Ogilvy, branding/advertising writer, author/speaker/blogger, Australian, idea geek. [www.simonmainwaring.com]
Strategist. Writer. Life Coach.
Shannon Bindler is a style editor, life coach, and the co-founder of Get Up Girl, an empowerment company that inspires women to shine. [www.getupgirl.com]
Designer. Art Director. Passionate Creator.
Grammy-nominated art director/designer/photographer Mathieu Bitton has designed over 450 CDs and movie posters. He's a renowned collector of and authority on black films and their soundtracks. [www.candytangerine.com]
Agent. Producer. Photography Enthusiast.
Opus Reps founder and agent-producer Jorge Perez travels the world producing photo shoots with great photographers and celebrities. He's also very involved with Meals on Wheels in Los Angeles. www.opusreps.com
heart
Agapi Stassinopoulos
author. speaker. goddess.
Author and speaker Agapi Stassinopoulos lectures and conducts seminars worldwide, empowering men and women to become more connected to their individual gifts. [www.thesevengoddesses.com]
The most meaningful thing for me is engaging my heart. The engaged heart activates a soulfulness, an aliveness, a purpose. As I look for meaning in my life, I look to my heart, in everything I do. My mother used to say, “If you wash the dishes and are present, you are in your heart.” If I’m not engaged with my heart, I’m segmented and don’t feel aligned or connected. Engaging my heart in everything I do awakens love … for everything. And if love is awakened, joy awakens. So when my heart is engaged, I feel fulfilled and happy.
The heart is always there, but we restrict it. We put conditions on it. The ego comes in with an agenda and says, “I want to achieve this. I want to have this,” and then we start to add conditions. “If that man will love me, I will feel complete.” But that’s a misdirection. A heart is complete on its own. It only needs our attention to activate the love there. Judgments and conditions and agendas block the heart. When I share my heart with others and with myself, there’s a ripple effect that awakens and strengthens our life force and connects us with Source.
How do I stay in that place? If I feel that my heart is blocked, I’ll ask myself questions, like What do I need to forgive in myself? What do I need to do to be more tender and nurturing with myself? What kind of support do I need to ask for? I become like a scientist with myself. I experiment. I discover what brings me love and joy. Sometimes it’s talking with someone I love and hearing their voice. Sometimes it’s listening to music, or writing, or reading, or sharing my intimate thoughts. The heart does things for its own satisfaction. Other than that, it doesn’t have an agenda. It’s unconditional. So wherever I am, I bring love forward in an unconditional way, experimenting and discovering.
We are not one-tone people. We are always changing and shifting, and a direct connection with the heart is always going to make us feel more alive and connected, no matter where we are or what we’re doing. Try it. Engage in a conversation with your heart.
– Agapi Stassinopoulos
Explore More Meaning
-
feminine spiritualist. storyteller. illuminator.
Chameli Ardaugh is a speaker, author, practitioner, teacher, and leading pioneer of feminine awakening and empowerment. She founded The Awakening Women Institute. [www.awakeningwomen.com]
-
brothers. entrepreneurs. healthy philanthropists.
Brothers Jeff and Jason Baietto founded Complete Balance, an online community of individuals dedicated to improving their own health and the health of the planet. [www.completebalance.com]
-
near-death survivor. critic silencer. natural spirit.
Anita Moorjani is the bestselling author of Dying to be Me, the moving, true story of her near-death experience at the end stage of cancer. [www.anitamoorjani.com]
-
entrepreneur. coach. congruency connoisseur.
Scott Dinsmore is an entrepreneur and coach who helps people discover passion and purpose through his coaching company, Live Your Legend, and his investment partnership, Cumbre Capital Partners. [http://liveyourlegend.net]
-
yoga teacher. humanitarian. voice for social change.
Seane Corn is an internationally celebrated yoga teacher and humanitarian, the National Yoga Ambassador for YouthAIDS, and cofounder of Off The Mat, Into the World, a leadership-training program. [www.seanecorn.com]
-
shona tribe member. rooted achiever. happiness chooser.
Moleen Madziva was raised in Zimbabwe, in the village community of Macheke. Having witnessed her community sink further into poverty, she founded the Macheke Sustainability Project. She is studying for a PhD in Sustainability Education. [www.machekeproject.org]
-
yogi. truth pursuer. no bs'er.
Claudia Azula Altucher is an ardent student and teacher of yoga, meditation, and philosophy. She has travelled the world in search of truth only to realize that it can only be found within. [www.claudiayoga.com]
-
writer. magician. recovery embracer.
Philip Isles is a writer of middle grade children's novels and teaches children magic, Lego, and video game design. He is a member of the Magic Castle and moonlights as a close-up magician. [www.philipisles.com]
- More
Comments