Best of The Aware Show with James Van Praagh: Contact Your Spirit Guides – Part 1

Did you know that your Spirit Guides are always trying to contact you? Would you like to tune into the flow of Higher Wisdom? Today's guest is James Van Praagh, the internationally renowned author of such books as Talking to Heaven, Reaching to Heaven, Healing Grief, Heaven and Earth, Looking Beyond, Meditations, Ghosts Among Us, Unfinished Business, and Growing Up In Heaven. James is the executive producer of the TV show The Ghost Whisperer. He is considered a pioneer in the mediumship movement throughout the world and has been recognized as one of the most accurate spiritual mediums working today. His messages have brought solace, peace, and spiritual insights, changing millions of people's view of both life and death. Today he shares how to have a conscious relationship with your guides. He details the process in his book Wisdom from Your Spirit Guides: A Handbook to Contact Your Soul's Greatest Teachers. James talks about how we have a team in spirit, always willing to help us.  He describes various phases of the death process and what happens in the spirit world. Because of unfinished business, some humans stay closer to this realm, rather than going on to the Other Side. James has received many awards for dedicating himself to changing the consciousness of the planet. Info: www.vanpraagh.com

 It's October, so Happy Halloween Season!  And what better topic to talk about during this time of year than paranormal phenomena?!  Lisa's guest today is author and parapsychologist Michael Lewis. Today he shares with us some of his own first-hand experiences and encounters with the paranormal and ghostly realms. After encountering several near-death experiences from a normally fatal heart condition, Michael found new proof for previous conclusions and broadened his paranormal horizons. He also talks about working with angels. Info: https://www.michaellewistherapist.co.uk.

Do you know how powerful your thoughts are? According to today's guest, John Paul "J.P." DeJoria, what you think and what you say happens. Lisa continues the conversation today with this iconic businessperson who cofounded two enormously successful American brands, John Paul Mitchell Systems and Patron Tequila. He will talk about his latest book, "Success Unshared is Failure." John Paul started with very humble beginnings, yet he always believed that anything was possible. Raised by a single mother who was an immigrant, he learned that working hard and always being in integrity was a key to success. He also talks about how the universe listens. The universe gives you exactly what you want. He suggests that we can tell ourselves that we are lucky. Do this every day. Believe in the power of thought and goodness. Life is filled with experiences that are never failures, always educational. You cannot change the past, but you can move forward. The power of thought can change everything. John Paul also talks about "Global SKU," which is a way to sell things you may no longer need. There are always possibilities available. Think about ways to move forward. He also talks about the importance of always being kind and not gossiping. Even when people are not nice to you, he advises still being kind. Lisa also talks about forgiveness and how that helps you. It all starts with self-forgiveness. If you have regret and resentment, it can affect your health. We can learn our lessons and move forward. John Paul shares about his charity events and volunteering, including his "JP's Peace, Love, and Happiness Project." When he sold Patron several years ago, the first thing he did was write a check for $50 million to give back. He was homeless twice in Los Angeles, so he donates to causes and organizations which help with people experiencing homelessness. He also discusses the importance of compassion. Kindness works. It helps you to be happier. He talks about his success and business experience including how to be a more loving manager. John Paul also shares about his meeting with Muammar al-Qaddafi, and getting hostages released. He did this with his skills of communication and kindness. You must be your own person and listen to your heart. Don't be polarized by others. Be yourself. Speak from your heart. He assures us it will all work out. This is Part 2 of the interview.

  One in eight women may be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month and today Lisa talks with Dr. John West about his important book on breast health entitled "Prevent, Survive, Thrive: Every Woman's Guide to Optimal Breast Care." Dr. West talks about general care guidelines, common breast problems, controversies in breast care, best prevention measures, as well as what to do if you or a friend is diagnosed with breast cancer. He is a leading advocate for early detection and a pioneer in the development of a comprehensive breast cancer treatment practice.  Info: BreastLink.com

Do you need a little inspiration to see what's possible? Are you an entrepreneur thinking about your next steps? No matter your current situation, and even if you feel like you are in a gap and not sure of the way out, today's show may help to shift your perspective. Our guest today is iconic businessperson John Paul "J.P." DeJoria who cofounded two enormously successful American brands, John Paul Mitchell Systems and Patron Tequila, and was recently named one of the greatest self-made living Americans by Forbes alongside Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, and others. Today he will talk about his latest book, "Success Unshared is Failure." He shares his story of being homeless and then becoming extremely successful. He always believed that anything was possible.   Raised by an immigrant single Mom, and a deadbeat Dad who left when he was a toddler, Jon Paul was happy and although he and his brother lived with his Mom in a tiny one-bedroom apartment, he had no idea that they were considered poor. He shares his story of working from a very young age. His Mom never let them know that they were living in poverty. He ended up living in foster care because his mother fell ill. He was a young entrepreneur, selling handmade goods as a child and working on a paper route. He talks about loving having a job and about learning to share, although they didn't have much. He then eventually joined the Navy and is a veteran of the Vietnam War.  After the Navy, he worked at various businesses as a salesperson. When he came upon hard times with one of his businesses and was too proud to let his Mom know what was happening, he ended up homeless, living in his car.   To Joh Paul, "Success is what you do when no one is looking." He talks about integrity and also how to handle rejection. He was always very optimistic and tried various jobs. He also shares about working with companies who used animal testing, and eventually getting fired, although he was an extremely good salesperson. He was always against animal testing, and it cost him his job. He stood in integrity.   John Paul talks about fate and how his experiences each built upon one another to lead to his success. He started Paul Mitchell hair care with just a few hundred dollars. He reminds us that if you experience layoffs or getting fired, etc, you should always have faith that it will work out. He believes that every experience is educational and really part of our success. He reminds us to always share to make the world a better place, no matter what we have. And if you are extremely successful financially, it is your responsibility to share the wealth. This is Part 1 of the interview. 

Can you heal your life with your thoughts? Can healing affirmations actually work? Absolutely! And Louise Hay, author of the international mega-bestseller "You Can Heal Your Life," will share more of her wisdom as Lisa continues the conversation today. Louise is a metaphysical lecturer and teacher with more than 50 million books sold worldwide. For more than 30 years, she has helped people throughout the world discover and implement the full potential of their own creative powers for personal growth and self-healing. She has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and many other TV and radio programs both in the U.S. and abroad. She is also the founder of Hay House Publishing, specializing in personal growth and development media. Today she talks about positive affirmations toward money, healing, self-worth, and so much more. She believes that more people than ever are searching for answers and ways they can take control of their lives and their thinking. Positive affirmations work! This is Part 2 of the conversation.   We air this interview in honor of Louise Hay, on what would have been her 100th birthday today. Info: HayHouse.com and LouiseHay.com. 

 Would like to have less stress in your life? Do you know how to become more peaceful, even in these very trying times? Lisa continues the conversation today with author, adventurer, and serial entrepreneur Pat Croce. Pat is a former NBA business owner and used his enthusiasm and drive to take the losing team of the Philadelphia '76ers and turn them into a winning championship team. Pat's most recent book is "Enjoy Your SELF Now! 66 Scared Shifts to Instantly Awaken the Peaceful Presence within You." It's about the Divine Self, which has no boundaries and no sense of unease.   Pat talks about reading an article by travel writer Pico Iyer which changed his life. He learned that he could meditate and calm his mind. He learned he needed to change himself first. He learned to become aware of his "Divine Self." It's not about thinking, he says. It's about relaxing and letting your mind rest. He suggests listening to the space between. This brings you to stillness. It's not about controlling the mind. It's about taking a pause and watching your thoughts. Be an observer.   Pat also talks about his recent trip when he climbed Mount Everest, all while his body battled cancer. He went by himself and hired sherpas. It was very dangerous and he succeeded even though he was taking chemo pills every 12 hours. It was his dream. It was a challenging trek, with dangerous and freezing weather. He shares a story of aiming to see the sunset from a particular peak and how close he was to falling off of a cliff, due to the ice fog. He reminds us that no matter what is going on with your body, you can still have dreams and goals. We can all learn to be happy. He also talks about his online offering, the Meditation Hill Sangha, which is a gathering of spiritual seek­ers who meet every Sunday from all over the United States via Zoom to recognize and celebrate their true nature of an innately peaceful, unconditionally joyful, limitless Self. It's free and open to all. This is Part 2 of the interview. Info: patcroce.com

 Do you know that you can change your life by your thoughts? Are you familiar with the power of positive affirmations? Do you believe that your mind plays a role in healing? Today's guest fully believes in the power of the mind and what an incredible honor it is to have on the show mega-bestselling author of "You Can Heal Your Life" Louise Hay. She is also the founder of the world's largest self-help publishing company, Hay House.  Today she's talking with Lisa about the movie "You Can Heal Your Life" which contains hours of footage and plenty of positive affirmations that you, too, can use to heal your life.    Louise discusses her journey with cancer and how she took a positive approach to turn toward optimal health. She made the decision that she would heal her life. She brought together people who were all able to help including nutritionists, teachers, and others. After six months, the medical community declared her cancer-free. Her diet and affirmations were so important, but most importantly Louise says she learned to forgive. After a very challenging childhood filled with abuse, she knew she was carrying resentment and knew she needed to release it. She looked into the childhoods of her parents and realized they both came from very difficult places and passed along what they learned. This was the key to forgiving them both. She talks about affirmations which heal including, "All is well"; "Only good will come of this"; "Everything is working out for my highest good";  and "I am safe." This is Part 1 of the interview.   We air this in her honor on what would have been her 100th birthday next week. Louise Hay made her transition on Aug 30, 2017, at the age of 90. Info: HayHouse.com and LouiseHay.com. 

Do you feel stressed too often? Would you like more peace in your life? Author, adventurer, and serial entrepreneur Pat Croce shares his story with us today. Pat is the former president of the Philadelphia '76ers and founder of Meditation Hill Sangha. Pat's most recent book is "Enjoy Your SELF Now! 66 Scared Shifts to Instantly Awaken the Peaceful Presence within You." It's about the Divine Self, which has no boundaries and no sense of unease. Pat discusses how he began as a physical therapist and athletic trainer and merged the two disciplines. He enhanced the concept of sports medicine. He started with one clinic and built up to 40. This was based on courage and curiosity. He did this by living by the motto, "Follow Your Enthusiasm!" Pat talks about working in professional sports and using his sports medicine background to work with the Philadelphia '76ers. At this time, the basketball team was the worst in the league. With persistence and determination,  Pat was eventually able to buy the sports team. He took it from a losing team to going to the championship. It started with a joyful intention. He focused his motivation on the intention. He discusses passion and enthusiasm. Grace has helped him his whole life. He talks about the challenges of hurdles and how to reframe problems. Pat believes in solutions. This is a sacred shift that we can all do. We can all transform our perspectives. Pat talks about what to do when someone triggers you and how to come to a place of love and peace. He shares many tips on how we can all change and transform, so we can be more empathetic and calm, starting with ourselves first. This is Part 1 of the interview. Info: patcroce.com

 Did you know that the American healthcare system is dealing with more mental health issues than ever before? What is the root of the uprising in anxiety and mood disorders? And why are more young people, children and teenagers, receiving this diagnosis? What can we do as a society to help understand? Today's guest, Susan Swick, MD, MPH is the Executive Director of Ohana, the integrated program for child and adolescent mental and behavioral health and healing at Montage Health, and the Vice President and Chief Mental Health Officer at Montage Health. She began her career at Rikers Island, studying the mental health needs of the incarcerated, which led her to studying younger patients, specifically the field of child psychiatry and how these children can be helped at an earlier age. How much is environmental and how much is the neurology of the brain? There is a rise in mental health issues in children. Childhood, from a brain perspective, ends closer to age 25. Skills like socialization, communication, and bonding are still forming until approximately this age. We develop skills prior to this age which can affect our mental health for the rest of our lives. But, there's good news and treatment is available! It can be corrected using a type of supportive mental health technique using skill-building so children learn to manage anxiety – it's like a type of mental health "tutoring" so they can manage something new and challenging, even if frightening. It is possible to build skills toward stronger health and mental fitness.   Dr. Swick also talks about social media and how children become addicted to being online with a dopamine hit, especially in teenagers. Many compare themselves to others and eating disorders may start here. The reward part of the brain also does not mature until approximately age 26.   Over a distinguished 20-year career as a clinical psychiatrist and educator, Dr. Swick has helped transform how American healthcare systems meet the escalating demand for pediatric and adolescent mental and behavioral healthcare treatment and services. A graduate of Columbia University Medical School, she previously served as Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Newton Wellesley Hospital and as an instructor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital.    In addition to her clinical expertise, Dr. Swick is an advocate for the importance of mental fitness and has developed nationally recognized neuroscience strategies to help young people build and maintain a state of emotional health and positive self-awareness throughout their lives. Info: https://www.montagehealth.org/care-treatment/mental-behavioral/ohana/