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. TED-talker. no-bullsh**er.
Sophie Chiche, founder of lifebyme.com, is the single mom of an amazing 16-year-old, Leah, and wicked step-mom of 22-year-old, Sarah. They all live in LA. You can find them boxing, cooking, collaging, hosting brunches, laughing their head off or bickering over who’s washing and who’s drying the dishes.
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
immediacy
Tami Simon
publisher. meditator. connecter.
Tami Simon is founder and publisher of Sounds True, an independent multimedia publishing company whose mission is to inspire, support, and serve personal transformation and spiritual awakening. www.soundstrue.com
I find meaning in heartful connection with people and in growing as a person – having insights that open me and allow me to be more connected with people. Over time, I’ve become more available, less defended, less armored, dropping old ropes tied around my heart and releasing them. This freeing of my heart has allowed me to become more intimate, relating to people in a feeling way.
The ability to fully connect with another person was something I’d always longed for and which I only recently feel like I’ve been starting to live. At some point, I began to be aware of various defenses and so I started meditating from a more embodied perspective. And I saw how that resulted in greater intimacy in my life.
I’ve been working with the phrase embodied immediacy as a way to return to a sense of aliveness, fullness, and meaning. Immediacy is about being fully with what’s happening versus distracted by thoughts about what else could be or might be. If I’m not in a state of embodied immediacy, my gut tends to clench and my feet tend to curl up, like little animals.
I’ve noticed that when I’m irritated or in meetings where we’re solving problems and I’m getting feedback, it’s easy to enter a defensive state. When I see that state arising, if I soften my belly, drop my shoulders, plant my feet flat on the floor, and breathe calmly through the bottoms of my feet. It really helps. When I relax my feet intentionally, I become more spacious and can hold that space so that I’m helpful and the meeting continues to unfold in a way that’s grounded.
I have a very, very packed calendar. I go in to the SoundsTrue office at 9 a.m. and have back-to-back meetings until 5 or 5:30. Even 30 minutes for lunch is typed into my calendar. So we’ve ritualized starting each meeting with a minute of silence. I find this tremendously helpful because I always know I’ll at least have that chance to reset myself, to soften and uncurl.
When I realize I’m feeling stressed out or unfulfilled, embodied immediacy is my way back. Those two words put me back in touch with a feeling of being animated from the inside, of inhabiting myself … and finding a heartful connection.
- Tami Simon
Explore More Meaning
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surfer. fashion designer. marine life crusader.
Lisa Burke is a surfer, marine life activist, and fashion designer who founded the swimwear line Lisa Blue. Lisa Blue donates 25% of its net profits to helping protect whales and dolphins. www.lisablue.com.au
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fitness expert. health advocate. icon.
Using his unique wit, passion, and enthusiasm, Richard Simmons, the nation’s most revered fitness expert, continues his crusade to encourage people to take control of their fitness destiny. www.richardsimmons.com
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love-faller. gift finder. receiver.
Ellen Contente is an entrepreneur and a lover of many things. Through her training and coaching company, Heart-Centered Programs, she helps people live from a heart-centered place. www.heartcenteredprograms.com
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motivational speaker. coach. video star.
Life coach and motivational speaker Kute Blackson assists people in living life’s wild free-fall. He dares you to pick up the instrument that is your heart and play it fully. www.kuteblackson.com
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body-mind integration pioneer. relationship expert. mover and shaker.
Bestselling author Kathlyn Hendricks, Ph.D., A.D.T.R., has been a pioneer in the field of body-mind integration and body-centered relationship transformation for nearly forty years. www.hendricks.com
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author. speaker. inner gamer.
Tim Gallwey is the author of The Inner Game series of books. His teachings, built on a foundation of Zen thinking and humanistic psychology, heighten learning, performance, and enjoyment. www.theinnergame.com
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professional life shifter. intuitive advisor. authenticity aligner.
Creator of the Life-Shift series, Bridget Pilloud works with people all over the world to help them enact positive change in their personal and professional lives. www.bridgetpilloud.com
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director. supporter. kindness power plug.
Bill Cumming is Director of The Boothby Institute. He supports individuals, children, and teachers in schools; prisoners; and YMCA and corporate staff in discovering the power of loving-kindness. www.theboothbyinstitute.org
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