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
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
-
loving sister. compassionate nurse. hopeful survivor.
Nicole Krugh is a devoted wife, mother, sister and nurse. She is the founder of a not for profit organization raising awareness on teenage depression and suicide. [www.taylordonnadio.com]
-
present daddy. balanced businessman. noise reducer.
Tyler Merrick grew up in a family pet food business based in Texas. He now lives in California with his wife and 3 daughters where he owns Project 7, a social enterprise brand of consumer products. [www.project7.com]
-
promotional writer. personal supergirl. secret weapon.
Alexandra Franzen is a promotional writer and pro-active pimp who wrangles communications for pro-bloggers and helps entrepreneurs expand their empires--without the hassle of cloning. [www.alexandrafranzen.com]
-
agent. brand builder. in-tune daddy.
Todd Shemarya is the owner and CEO of Todd Shemarya Artists Inc, a boutique talent agency specializing in celebrity endorsements and lifestyle brand building. [www.shemarya.com]
-
dedicated practitioner. experiencer. woman.
Michaela Boehm is a counselor and teacher. She's currently the only counselor personally trained and authorized by David Deida, who she began co-teaching with in 2007, focusing on women's empowerment. [www.michaelaboehm.com]
-
speaker. author. parental philosopher.
Mike Riera, PhD, speaks and writes on the topic of understanding teenagers and children. [www.mikeriera.com]
-
belly dancer. nature lover. authenticity excavator.
Author Jacqui Lalita travels the world teaching and performing the ancient art of belly dancing. The moon, plants, and furry creatures of our world have been her greatest teachers. [www.danceofthedivine.org]
-
hotelier. author. inner seer.
Bestselling author Chip Conley is the founder and executive chairman of Joie de Vivre, America's second largest boutique hotel company. He writes about his company's techniques and transformational leadership practices. [www.chipconley.com]
- More
Comments