Show notes –
Join Christine & guest co-host JoVantreis Tolliver as they talk about Spiritual Wellness and welcome special guest Dr. Anna Gatmon from the Expansive Community.
This week’s resources and references:
Living a Spiritual Life in a Material World: 4 Keys to Fulfillment and Balance
Show Transcript –
NOTE: While it’s not perfect, we offer this transcription by Otter.ai for those who are hearing impaired or who don’t find listening to a podcast enjoyable or possible.
Christine Gautreaux 0:08
Let’s do this.
Shannon M. 0:08
Okay ladies, welcome to our podcast. I am Shannon Mitchell, a black female millennial entrepreneur, the founder of shallow glow, a handmade shea butter company. I am a champion for your self care, business care and intentional wellness.
Christine Gautreaux 0:25
And I am Christine Gautreaux, a white social justice advocate, an international speaker, coach and published author who helps you upgrade yourself in community care.
Shannon M. 0:35
Yes. And together we are women connected in wisdom, a podcast grounded in the eight dimensions of wellness. Welcome, welcome to our show.
Christine Gautreaux 0:43
Y’all are in for a treat today. And today I am joined by a guest co host, Joe vantrease. Russell, Dr. Joe vz, who was our actually our first guest for our first official podcast on women connected in wisdom. And I am so excited that you are here today, Joe.
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 1:05
So am I oh my gosh, what an honor. And to be sitting in from my amazing sister with the amazing women connected and wisdom I’m
Christine Gautreaux 1:19
missing and call in our friend Shannon’s name today. She is well for our listeners, she is just taking today to celebrate her sweethearts birthday. With the events of the world and how black men are currently in danger in our country. She’s like, I’m not taking a moment to miss celebrating his birthday. So we want to give a special shout out. Shout out to Pharaoh and Happy Happy Birthday. And I hope y’all are having a blast. Whatever adventure y’all are on today. So this So Joe, we should introduce ourselves.
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 1:59
And let me just say Happy Birthday Pharaoh because, um, he is a really good homie of mine. And it’s like really amazing to just see their relationship blossom and just their connection and everything. I just feel honored to be a part of their journey.
Christine Gautreaux 2:13
Introduce them, right? Yes. History, that’s all. You get the credit?
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 2:25
Yes, let me just say I think I might, I’m not gonna speak too soon. But I might have a little gifting in that area, because this is the second couple in two years that I’ve hooked up. And the relationship is blossom like Tasha and Rubin shout out to them. They’re married and they met at one of my events in
Christine Gautreaux 2:43
fact, right Thank you, Matt. ABSHER LP release. I love that you call that up. Oh, that is awesome. Yeah. All right, let’s do intro so we’re official for those of us that are listening for the first time are live. I am Christine Gautreaux, a white social justice advocate and international speaker, coach and published author who helps you upgrade yourself in community care.
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 3:16
My name is Joe Vintry is Russell aka dr. Joe VZ. I am guide sweetheart. I am a wife. I’m a mother and artists and community engagement advocates.
Christine Gautreaux 3:28
Together we are women connected in wisdom podcast, a podcast grounded in the eight dimensions of wellness. And we love it when people join us and we have our special guests today we have a special co host for weekly intentional conversations about how to be wise in business relationships and wellness. So I am so delighted to be together today. For those of you all of our listeners that don’t know, I’m Joe vantrease and I have been friends now, three or four years.
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 4:04
I think it’s four years, right?
Christine Gautreaux 4:06
We met at Gwinnett County, one on one and it Community Engagement Program and became fast friends and we’re like we need to do some work in the world together. And we created I had been doing manifesting I’ve been doing mastermind groups for a while and I was like Joe would you do this with me? And she was like Absolutely. So we have a Monday manifesting mastermind that has been going now for over two years. Yeah,
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 4:38
yeah three years.
Christine Gautreaux 4:39
You are the one that introduced me to Shannon. So this circle just comes around and around. It is delightful.
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 4:48
I love it. I love it. It’s been such a such a pleasure and honor. Just even being in the space and sharing love through every season of life. You gotta have your girls and This is a good way. It’s quite a powerful trial, I must say.
Christine Gautreaux 5:05
Well, and our newest member is your baby Ezra, who is now six months old, right? Yes. Yo, let me tell you every Monday, she’s on the call. And she brings wisdom. And she talks to us. And she lets her voice be heard she has since she was a teeny tiny baby. I mean, she’s only six months old now. But still, from the moment she could make sounds, she lets us hear her voice. And it is so delightful. Well, how was your week? My friend? How’s it going? You are coming to us from Jackson, Mississippi today, right?
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 5:41
Yes, I am reporting live from Jackson, Mississippi. This is actually my hometown. I was born raised and educated. And I actually went to Jackson State University here too. And this was sort of an impromptu trip, you know what I mean? We didn’t plan or expect to come under these circumstances. But this is life. This is, you know, this is a part of life. But my grandmother’s actually, in the hospital, she’s sick. And you know, just to be transparent. Um, she is battling with pancreatic cancer right now, we just earned, like, two days ago, actually. And so we are in the process of it’s in stage one. However, we do want to move quickly. So we’re just listening to her being in tune with what she wants with her.
Christine Gautreaux 6:33
Oh, you cut out for a second chance for her.
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 6:35
caretaker for her. And so this is, this is quite the journey. But
Christine Gautreaux 6:47
I’m so glad that you could go home and be with her and be in that role. We are losing your audio a little bit. So I’m going to wait till you come back. And while we’re waiting for you to come back, I am going to give the definition of spiritual wellness and what we are talking about today. Oh, there you are. I lost you for a minute. So the definition of spiritual wellness that we are talking about today and are going to expand on with our awesome guest his spiritual wellness allows us to be in tune with our spiritual selves. This realm of wellness lets us find meaning in life events and define our individual purpose. It can be defined through various factors including religious faith, values, ethics and morals. Regardless of whether you believe in a particular religious faith, there is always something to be learned about how you see yourself in the world. And why is this important? We’ve talked about at times on women connecting the wisdom podcast, but spiritual wellness not only allows you to seek meaning and purpose in human existence, but it also allows you to appreciate your life experiences for what they are. When you find meaning in your life experiences you’ll be able to develop a harmony with your inner self and outside world in much simpler terms. It it grants you balance, it is the thing that helps you to to live a meaningful life. Yeah, you make it back. Yes. That’s what happens when you’re a road warrior and taking care of family.
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 8:31
Oh, so glad to be back. I don’t know what happened. But I’m, I’m back.
Christine Gautreaux 8:36
No worries. I was just given the definition of spiritual wellness that we’re playing with today. And before we introduce our guest and just you know, you’re living it, being in Jackson taking care of family going home, I need to give a shout out to my friends. Monique Davis in Jackson in windy Shanna fell two artists activist, two of my two of my people from alternate routes who I adore, and so anytime I think Jackson, I think Joe vantrease, Monique and Wendy, like those. And I think it’s a great place to start between here in Texas, because that’s when I go home. Like it’s a great place to stop and say hey, so yeah,
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 9:20
yes, yes.
Christine Gautreaux 9:22
I’m sorry for the reason that you had to go home, but I’m glad you get to be there with her.
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 9:27
I am too. And that definition really resonates with me so deeply. Because being in a spiritual journey, and it’s all about really surrendering what you believe to be right at a certain time and Lord knows, like, I have had to digest this lesson so many times. But when I surrender is it’s truly when you really have peace about everything that’s going on because there’s so many uncontrollables but one thing you do have control over is being able to surrender and have peace and so that’s really really where I am spiritually, so that definition is like, whoo, oh my gosh, it’s like a plate soul food for me.
Christine Gautreaux 10:09
Right. Um, I love how they talk about it brings balance. And I know for me, like when I lead with my spiritual practices when I start my day, you know, outside and I love. I’ve said it on the podcast before and folks that know me like, my favorite place to start the day is in my labyrinth, singing my prayers. And when I start, and I get out of habit, sometimes because of weather or schedules or things like that, but it’s such a difference when I start my day that way, like it helps me to be in balance with my overall wellness. So I can’t wait to bring on our guest and see what she has to say about this topic. Are you ready to
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 10:54
I am so ready.
Christine Gautreaux 10:57
It is a friend of mine. So what I always say about this, when we bring on friends is I always read their official bio, so I don’t completely muck it up. Because you know, when you infringe on somebody for years, you can say all kinds of things about him, but you may get it wrong. Her official bio, and that way our listeners know the truth. Here we go. Anna Godman PhD is a visionary, educator and spiritual innovator. She comes from an eclectic background that spans the US Israel, Sweden and France. Her rich life experience includes careers as a fashion model, founder of an alternative elementary school counselor, speaker and author. She is the creator of the expansive community, a membership for changemakers who are committed to creating spiritual material abundance in all areas of their life. And in the lives of the people they live, work and play with. Anna holds a doctorate degree in transformative learning from the California Institute of integral studies, and lives with her family in Sonoma County in California. And I am so excited to welcome to the podcast today my friend and colleague Anna Godman, the miracles
Anna Gatmon 12:15
of technology, I appear I disappear. Hello, for having me on your show. I’m so excited to be here, at this time, at this time in the history of the US also what we’re going through and talking about spiritual wellness. Right.
Christine Gautreaux 12:34
Emma for you, I know you heard the definition which we’ve talked about, or comes from an academic setting, which I know you have in your background, but you expand for your community. What is your definition of spiritual wellness?
Anna Gatmon 12:50
So beyond the fact that it’s really hard to have one definition, but let me go to the highest level? Spirituality is this being aware and experiencing the sacredness of our life, the sacredness, the divinity and the sacredness of life. So when you talk about meaning and purpose, it’s we’re elevating the work we do or the hobbies we have, or the volunteer we do to bring meaning to it, we’re expanding that and we’re making it more sacred. So it’s sacredness and everything that we do. And we do live in a sacred, wondrous universe. And when we expand our consciousness to that, we begin to perceive the sacredness, wow, we get direct flow, energy flow from the universe vitality. And that’s why spiritual wellness is so important, whether it’s meaning and purpose in your life, whether it’s kindness to other human beings, whatever it is, right? Whether it’s meditation, massage, you know, on all the levels, physical material, spiritual, emotional, social, whenever you expand into the sacredness, you are in, you are in direct flow with more vital energy. And you’re in the spiritual realm, in the sacred spiritual realm. So that’s my short, long
Christine Gautreaux 14:19
i clinician, when you were saying that what bubbled up for me is a picture of my friend Joe vantrease, when she was nine months pregnant, and she was playing the drums and she put this picture, was it a picture was a video Joe, like,
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 14:35
it was a little bit of both. I think I had a picture and a clip.
Christine Gautreaux 14:40
It was magical and like because you had you’re just meeting Joe today, but she is an incredible drummer, and it’s one of our and when you were saying that definition, and I was thinking about the sacred, that is what popped up to me Joe is that picture of you with Ezra in your belly? And you drumming and like sharing your gifts on on more levels than one in that moment. Yeah. Yeah,
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 15:09
quite a time in life.
Anna Gatmon 15:13
So, I do have an exercise at the end, so so give me time for it just so people can have that. But I want to share something that happened, because we had like a pre session just to get to know each other before and to see how it works. And I made a self deprecating comment, which I regretted the whole week. But I learned a really important lesson and I want to share it because it speaks to, to spiritual wellness, but to where we are in the world. And I realized how important representation is. Because in that meeting, we were two African American women and two European American women. Okay. And I could feel the force was different, it was different than if I’m just with white people. And so I created self deprecating comments in a white women doing some self care, you know, I regret doing anything self deprecating. This is not what it’s about. But the meaning in the question of what spiritual wellness is changes, when there’s representation that’s different than just my own kind, and whatever my own kind is whiteness in this conversation. And so my question is, I do have an exercise, which I’d like to do, which is an individual self, you know, to tap into spiritual wellness, but I want to ask, have a conversation, what the spiritual wellness look like, with what we’re going through? It’s like, it’s, I, I have different answers for myself. When I think of this young, innocent man, who’s gone and seeing his parents, it’s just it’s devastating spiritual wellness looks different around that. So I’m curious to hear what it means. Like when, when, when everybody sits at the table, I mean, that’s expansive, too, right? Everybody gets a sacred space at the table, versus I’m sitting just with white people. And we’re thinking about self care and becomes very personal. But the rest of the world is left out of the conversation.
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 17:24
You know, what comes up for me, as you’re speaking, thank you for saying that, because it’s such a great question to kind of facilitate a conversation around unity, because that’s the word that comes up for me is what does unity look like? And in this country, you know, I can speak, you know, for my experience, as a black woman, I have at times felt unequipped and lacking balance in some in some ways, and also feeling like, I’m playing catch up, so to speak, in my, not my knowledge, but but more so opportunity. And it’s not, it’s not like I’m trying to say, hey, you know, more people have opportunities than I do, or things like that. But it’s, it’s, it’s reality. Um, when I, my tank is not as cool as the next person, then they’re more likely to receive the opportunity than than I am, or even something as simple as, you know, your reputation, not reputation, but your experience and your historical experience with dealing with police officers. If I’ve had a terrible track record with police officers in the treatment that I’ve received, it will be hard for me to even receive a gift when a police officer is actually trying to is actually being a stand up human being and a person that’s genuinely trying to show me kindness, you know, I might miss out on that opportunity. Because of historically, I have been not, it’s not been a good, good experience. So I think about that, in terms of being spiritually lacking, or, or having my spiritual tank not be full. And, and, you know, it comes to the point where you have to be even taught how to receive a gift, especially in the divine in the spiritual, you have to be taught and not you know, personally, I have things where I, I’m definitely getting that lesson of knowing how to receive, but when you come from an area where it’s hasn’t been, or hasn’t been so, so freely given spiritual nourishment. Yeah, it’s hard to even recognize, you know what I mean? Yeah, of course.
Anna Gatmon 19:37
I mean, yeah, it’s like you. I mean, even, you know, the law of attraction. They all talk about it, right? If you’re not prepared, if you knew, you’re not going to see when it’s coming your way and if you’re wounded, if you’ve been abused, you don’t see kindness because you’re always suspecting right and so here, it’s just chemically, you’re part of this. So yeah, it totally makes sense. And I think the thing that’s important for me here is the difference between personal spiritual wellness and collective spiritual wellness. That’s what I fell. In the session that we had, it was so powerful. It was like, wow, this is a different conversation.
Christine Gautreaux 20:27
Right? Well, that’s why we started this podcast standard, because we were having some of these conversations that are manifesting Monday and shins like we need to be talking about this with the whole world. We are a group of diverse women that comes together and bring we bring our different life experiences, different gender, we’re different generations, different races, different faiths, in this group that meet, and we’re really lucky in the place that we live, we’re in one of the most diverse counties, not only in Georgia, but in in the country, and in Gwinnett County. And so we really started talking about unity. And we talked about a wisdom that every single one of us brings in it doesn’t, you know, we’re from different educational backgrounds, we’re from different play. You know, it’s, it’s just that piece is fascinating. And I wanted to share with y’all today, I was on a zoom call with a brand new contact. She was a colleague that was put in touch with me. And she is an incredible activist and artist in Virginia, African American woman. And we were having a conversation. And I want to share this because I think it’s valuable, especially for our white listeners. And we just were talking about resources, we were talking about ways we could collaborate we were talking about. And she shared with me that with what’s going on in our country right now, she had several white friends reach out to her and say, I’m basically wanting her to teach them, like how do we deal with this, and she’s like, Yo, I’m in pain. I am in physical pain right now. I’m not in a place to do that with you. And so, you know, it’s one of the things I know, as a white social justice advocate as white people, we want to talk to other white people. And, and not not dip into our friends of color, self care, and their wellness in times of crisis, that because it can be detrimental to their wellness. And the other thing that she shared with me towards the end of the call, which was so powerful, what she said to me, Christine, she said, You, she said I was so excited to meet with you, when I saw the work you did in the world, I could tell we do a lot of the same work. And she said, but in the back of my mind, I thought, Oh, it’s another white woman who’s going to ask to be connected to the black community. And she said, You didn’t ask me for a thing. You just offered resources, and said, What can we create together? And she said, I don’t think I’ve ever had a white woman do that before. And it was a powerful moment and a reminder and a call, especially with our sisters of color to, for us to be mindful of that. Like what are we asking of each other? You know, what are we asking of each other? Into especially I think in times of crisis, then yeah, that’s
Anna Gatmon 23:36
yeah. So I want to bring the the spiritual is often so devoid of race or, or ethnicity, right? It’s not devoid of religion, you know, you’re Christian or Jewish or you’re a Muslim, but it’s devoid of, of, of ethnicity, right, and race. And so a very well known statement, for example, is unity within diversity. Right? And again, it brings us to sacredness, we are different on the diversity level, the richness is the diversity. But the Unity comes in the sacredness. That’s where the unity is. It’s not about being unified. And it’s not about being completely different. It’s like there’s diversity is on the material plane, what we bring the gifts that we bring in on the sacred level on the spiritual level. That’s where we share unity. And so I’m saying this because it’s important to expand our definition of all these very well known spiritual statements. Okay. If you believe in unity within diversity, well, can you expand your definition of unity and your definition of diversity? If practicing Loving Kindness is something that you practice, can you expand that beyond and deal with the edge of where it feels like, I can go so far, these people, if it’s age, or it’s disability, or it’s skin color, whatever it is for you, we all have an edge where we’re uncomfortable, where we go, oh, well, this is new to me, this is unfamiliar, stay there and explore there. Because in that energy, if you don’t do it, there is pent up energy that is depleting you, and depleting us as humanity. But if you stay on that edge, and you say, can I expand loving kindness, to the unfamiliar to the unknown to stuff that I was taught as a child in school, from where I come from, wherever you have it, you start to open the energy, when that open, when that energy is released, you’re going to feel revitalized, regenerated, I mean, you’re just going to because suddenly, you are not in fear, you are in love, and you’ve expanded your felt sense of sacred loving kindness. So that is a really important action to do today, in these times, right?
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 26:19
Absolutely. This, oh, my gosh, this is so amazing. Because what I’m thinking about, because you mentioned expression of gifts, and I think about in this country, there are so many gifts that are left being under appreciated because of our value system and and a value system, honestly, that shouldn’t exist, because who are we to put value on what gifts matter? And what gifts do not matter? And so that feels like to me, I mean, you know, some folks believe in you know, in afterlife, but I believe that is getting closer to Heaven on Earth, seeing everybody be in their full expression and and be received with compassion and grace. Yeah. And you know, even in this season of life that I’m in now, just like, our family is coming together, we’re recognizing what each one of us brings to the table. And the is it easy? No, because all of us have our own conditioning and value system. But bringing it to an example for this country. Everybody’s had a whole entire different upbringing. You know, even beyond races, even beyond color, and ethnicity, we have just had total different backgrounds and upbringing. So our value system comes from how we were raised, but it has to shift and become flexible in order to adapt to this space that you talk about. Because, you know, how else will we have the flexibility to express ourselves to the fullest degree and, and receive that compassion and grace? To do so?
Christine Gautreaux 27:55
Yeah, I love that. And so I love the fact that what you’re talking about on that edge to is a place of vulnerability. You know, one of my teachers Brene Brown talks about vulnerability, being the birthplace of creativity and really all that’s amazing. And I think about when you when you say that about it being sacred. So you know, vulnerability is the birthplace of sacredness, like you talked about Joe vantrease. About about surrender, right. And then I wanted to lift up in a Rosa’s comment in in Facebook, she said, that is a really good description, and I open to the uncomfortable and unknown.
Anna Gatmon 28:40
Hey, and rose, I know her right.
Christine Gautreaux 28:45
To join us today and are listening live.
Anna Gatmon 28:48
Yeah. So can I just share so that people have something you know, because we’re talking and people are enriched by us, but I want people to also have something they can do? Yeah, absolutely. We’re all we’re depleted and exhausted. And if we have spiritual resources and tools, then we know how to to create, you know, the flow, but when we don’t, then we’re just depleted because it’s exhausting.
Christine Gautreaux 29:13
Right? Yes, please share.
Anna Gatmon 29:15
So I created this exercise, you might know a similar kind of exercise, but I created it out of a place where I was told many times you live in a bubble because because I live in it in a conscious community. And and I I have a utopian view of the world. That’s what I’m here to show what’s possible. What’s possible to how can we live in this wondrous world? Planet wondrous humanity ingenuity, I mean, there’s so much creativity and beauty and wonder on our planet, and how can we live like this? And I’m often told you live in a bubble. And I found an answer for it and I created the exercise in the end answer that I say I don’t live in a bubble. I live in a in a field that I create for myself. And I expand that field so that when I interact with people, they get a whiff of that field that I create. It’s not a closed bubble that’s unrealistic or utopian. It is an energy field is a field of intelligence of consciousness that I create. And you are welcome to join into the field. And I and so this is the exercise that I create based on it. And you can pick any quality that you want to do that you want to work with, let’s say you want to have more inner peace, or you want to experience more joy, or you want to have loving kindness or anything, it can really be creativity, whatever you want to. And basically you imagine, you know, this bubble, but it’s more like it’s a translucent kind of a field. And you can make it as you know, just whatever, just a bit bigger than yourself, however you are comfortable in it kind of it’s flowing. So when you move, it moves with you, this, this field moves with you. And so what you want is to fill that field with, let’s say, loving kindness, okay? Let’s do that. And so you just imagine yourself experiencing loving kindness, you can always pick a time where you experience loving kindness towards yourself, or when you expressed it, or you saw a child or you saw a pet, or you saw a movie, and you experienced loving kindness. And you just feel this, you imagine you fill yourself with loving kindness. And again, you could do inner peace, if that’s better for you. And you just fill this and you can decide what color is it, it’s translucent, so it protects you. But it also anyone who walks into your field, suddenly is in the field of loving kindness, or in the field of caring for your brothers and sisters, or inner peace. And you walk around in the world so that when you go to the store, imagine yourself wobbling like this with this field of loving kindness, it’s going to change your interactions with people, it’s going to change your field because now it’s not like you’re being attacked, maybe, or violated or just aggressive by the news, you have this field that’s protecting you, that’s maybe a meter or whatever a meter is like a yard or something around you. And anyone who comes into your field, gets to enjoy that and experience it. And that’s how we changed the world. One of the ways by creating a field and inviting people into it and protecting ourselves with this field and, and sharing that with the world. So that’s an exercise that’s going to fill you with Vitality with tranquility, it will leave the world a bit outside because you have the field and you get to design your experience. And you get to design the field that you want to live in, and that you want to create. I hope it’s helpful for people. I mean, I didn’t do the full meditation, I more explained it. But you know, we don’t have time for that. I think so.
Christine Gautreaux 33:29
I love that, Anna, thank you. I have when you were doing that I had this image, I have this picture, I’ll have to I’ll have to go back and find it. It’s on Facebook somewhere. But there was a you know, it was when the when the apps first came out where you could do photo apps, and you could put filters over. And I have a picture of me in a bubble. It’s it’s this translation bubble. And so it was easy for me to visualize because I have a picture of it. And I love that like and I did have to giggle at the wobbling around.
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 34:05
I literally close my eyes and I just want to say the color of my bubble is pink. Because I envision a heart shaped bubble. I mean, as you can see, I’m really into pink now anyway, but you know, pink has been a cup of color and even I don’t know if I have my stone now but I have also have a stone that’s pink, that symbolizes compassion and compassion for self and healing. And there’s a couple other definitions of it too, but it’s a theme for me, you know, pink sort of symbolizes loving yourself as well as others in that bubble. I feel you know, you mentioned someone answering I love that because that means that any space you walk into, you know, you’re transforming that space to vibrate in that same wave of love that you’re vibrating. I love that Oh my gosh, like that is amazing.
Christine Gautreaux 35:03
Yo, vantrease that’s how I know that you walk in the world. Like you have a new visualization with it, my friend, that’s how you walk in the world from the moment I’ve met you, right? So we’re adding, we’re adding the pink puzzle, but you already got this.
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 35:21
Thank you, my friend. Well, no.
Anna Gatmon 35:23
I mean, I think that a piece, as you said, is that anyone who enters that field gets to so it’s not like you’re trying to be in here. It’s like, you’ve expanded and that’s, that’s social activism. That’s being an activist for for for a better world. Right.
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 35:42
I love it. social activism for love.
Christine Gautreaux 35:48
Right? I love this, I think, um, since the last time we met, it was the golden rule day, it was the international Golden Rule day about you know, treat each other as you want to be treated. It was it that is the golden rule that’s in every major religion. And I think about that, when we when we talk about this about spiritual wellness, and how do we treat ourselves? How do we treat each other? You know, what kind of a world do we want to create?
Anna Gatmon 36:22
You know, it’s interesting, that’s saying, because I know what it means. But actually, what happens is what the reality is because there’s so much self hatred, so much self hatred, that we end that quote, We give our neighbors colors have different wavelengths. So what does they say here? So it totally makes sense to me with a colorful bubbles around us. Mine is happy, sunny yellow right now. Okay. But you, you know, it’s like, love thy neighbor like yourself, and we so don’t love ourselves. We still don’t love ourselves that how can we love our neighbor?
Unknown Speaker 37:07
That’s it. That’s it.
Christine Gautreaux 37:09
I think you’re right on. And that we got to start with that self care and self love and self healing and expand it. So even like that with your visualization, right? You’re starting with your bubble, and you’re expanding it, you’re bringing it out? Yeah. Yeah. Powerful.
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 37:27
That’s a great, that’s a great description of loving yourself first. Because you do this. That’s perfect, Christine, how you put it, it’s your bubble, and you’re expanding it. And that’s a perfect visualization for loving yourself first and expanding that love. Because we can’t get from an empty cup, we have to get from overflow. So our bubble is literally overflowing, to be able to be like, have
Anna Gatmon 37:53
a way to describe it. I love that. So well foot, exactly. The bubble, the more you’re an overflow. Otherwise, you’re just trying to have some inner peace right here. And it’s really hard because you feel that you’re kind of attacked and assaulted all day, right by the news and people and events. But if you make yourself bigger, and if you believe in this, your aura is bigger anyway. But you know, it becomes an interconnected world also, right? Rather than a separate world of individuality, which harbors fear because we’re all alone in this huge universe, and we’re scared and we need to defend ourselves when it’s us, against them, and then against us. Whereas if you’re a field that’s walking around, it’s interdependent. It’s interconnected. Suddenly, we’re in a field of I’m not alone. There’s love and being loved and being cared for I care for others, please enter my field. Suddenly, we’re in a consciousness of love and interconnection and nothing to consciousness of fear and separation. And it’s a consciousness of fear, and in separation, that that creates the violence, right, the racism and the violence. So we can all be activists, what, what but by creating a field with
Christine Gautreaux 39:10
words, and I think about the beloved community from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Because you know, Joe vantrease, and I live in Atlanta. So, you know, we’re always we’re talking about the beloved community, and it doesn’t mean that it’s always, always perfect or always peaceful, like, but that we are interconnected, and that we are loving each other. And I think that is really needed. Crucial. Yeah. So,
Anna Gatmon 39:42
I mean, the thing of if I can say, I know, I don’t know if we’re supposed to end or not, but I teach a class called the psychology of power, privilege and culture, and also in my graduate school, when I was 30 years old. 35 That was a long time ago, we did a lot of, of, of racial work within the cohort. And so also in the class that that I’m facilitating now. And it is so interesting how many times white students feel that at the bottom of it all, they feel worthless, they feel they have nothing to offer, they don’t have immunity, they don’t have so they don’t have an end, men feel it too. So whatever, we’re talking about men, women, or we’re talking white, black, it’s like, at the bottom of it all. It’s like a feeling like there’s nothing there. And so if we keep, if we keep the power of the status quo going, I can project that out. But if we’re going to change a power structure, then I have faith that I feel empty inside, because I don’t belong to any group. I’m just white Christian. Okay, so Christian, maybe, I mean, not me, but I’m saying like why Christians, because at the most dominant or predominant one, but and white people don’t feel that they’re part of a group. So they don’t feel that they belong, and they envy, the belonging. It’s so interesting to see that how much self hatred there is, even here, it’s hard to be compassion for it when you’re on the receiving end of the abuse and the systemic racism. But it’s also so fascinating to see it again and again and again.
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 41:31
But you know, that goes back to the value system again, like, you know, your expectations of what you what you expect, well, your expectations of reward, and how you’re operating in life, like if I’m operating in my purpose, and my purpose is to raise my child. And but the world around me sees that that is not value, you know, to raise my child and I might have insecurities if I’m not all the way secure, and that this is my purpose and what I should be doing so you know, it, I guess I’m speaking to, you know, when you do not belong to a group, there’s a less chance for you to be affirmed that your purpose matters. Yeah. And, and that is that is, that is the reason that community is so essential. Because you could you could be walking in insecure path, you know, operating on your insecurities as opposed to walking in what your purposes and being secure in debt.
Christine Gautreaux 42:28
Right. Yeah. I also think about when you talk about the self hatred, especially for white people right now, um, I think about Rasma mannequins work, my grandmother hate my grandmother’s hands, and how he talks about racialized trauma is not just in people of colors, bodies, it’s also in white people’s bodies that has been patched it in generationally. And until we look at it, and do forgiveness work, and really look at some of this stuff, that that is where some of that roots of self hatred and self loathing is, is because some of us were born with it. And so that’s that piece of really looking and owning who we are, what land we’re connected to, who our people, and if we can’t be with our art, like then creating the group that that we do resonate with, and that and then fill in our buckets up. So y’all, this has been a really, really powerful conversation.
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 43:30
Deep, really deep. It transcends it definitely. Oh,
Christine Gautreaux 43:35
Anna, before we let you go, I realized in your bio, you didn’t give us the name of your book. So I would love to know the name of your book and where they can find it.
Anna Gatmon 43:47
Okay, so my book is called Living a spiritual life in the material world for fulfillment and balance. And my whole all of my expansive teachings, which I’ve developed much further and working on my second book since this book, but it’s all about spiritual material unity, and spiritual material balance. And you can get it on Amazon. That’s another conversation for another podcast.
Christine Gautreaux 44:18
A whole nother
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 44:19
conversation.
Anna Gatmon 44:22
You can find it on my website, which is Ana Gatlin Doc talk.com, a double in a GA T mo n.com. And you’ll find my book there, there’s a book page you can get a free bonus of a workbook to accompany when you read the book when you purchase it. So that’s
Christine Gautreaux 44:42
it, and we’ll make sure and we put it in the show notes but you had said so generously that you wanted to offer our listeners a special, special gift if you want to tell our listeners about that. And I will also put a link to that in our show notes.
Anna Gatmon 44:56
So that is that is a 30 minute call. supplementary I see, complimentary call. Where we will talk about where you’re at where you want to be, what you’re dealing with, and see if working together is something that is the right thing for you, if I can support you in any way, but the 30 minutes is the 30 minutes, and we get to talk, communicate and see what what can benefit you. I love
Christine Gautreaux 45:30
that. And will you tell one last thing I keep saying I’m gonna let you go. But one last thing,
Anna Gatmon 45:35
I want to join this. So I’m happy to stay. Tell folks
Christine Gautreaux 45:39
about your mighty network community.
Anna Gatmon 45:42
So my mighty networks community is really slow to grow really, really slow to grow. I have to own that. So, but I’m working on it. So that’s the expansive community, expansive community. And that is really a place for us together to practice being in this expansive state, in different areas of our life around our purpose and calling around manifesting around relationships around self care, and developing our intuition, which is also about expanding into larger field of information. So it’s all it’s practicing, being expansive. And getting the guidance needed to live more whole lives as a result of that. And so yeah.
Christine Gautreaux 46:35
Show Notes. Go ahead. Joe.
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 46:36
Do we have time for one last question? It’s kind of okay, so my question is, you know, I’m all about call to actions. So, as we wrap up, this was a very deep, powerful conversation. What is first thing is, what is your favorite daily spiritual practice, something that you cannot go without doing every day, even if it’s not at the same time? And the second part is, what is one actionable item that someone who is very, maybe very fearful of answering they they’re they’re feeling convicted to go ahead and make take some action, but they’re feeling fearful, that they’re not equipped? What is something that they can act on immediately to him to walk into a space that they don’t typically walk in? But they know they need to, in order to open up their portal? Yeah.
Anna Gatmon 47:31
Well, I’ll answer the first one. The second one, first I the exercise, this field that you create, is a great tool. Because if you’re uncomfortable about anything, and you create these fields with joy, or security, or comfort, I mean, really any word that you want to, and then you expand it a bit to this translucent bubble, you walk into the situation from an expanded state, and more spacious state, your heart is more spacious, you feel more safe, you feel more secure. And you will, as a result, you will have thoughts that are different, more spacious, more loving, you’ll have more creative solutions. So the results that you’ll get will be different. So this is really expanding into any quality that you want to is the way to to go. And then listen attentively to what the universe tells you. What what does it feel like to be in this expansive state? That is, that is the the, I think, a really good exercise. That’s a generic one, you get to fill in the quality you want to, and you bring it into any situation. So that’s this second one. And what’s my favorite practice? I mean, there’s so many times in the day that I mean, I look for the sacredness in things. And so, you know, I mean, we might not have time for this, but my iPhone is sacred. And I did a TEDx talk about that, because, you know, it’s, it’s this material icon, but it has ingenuity, it has efficiency, it has connection, it has community, it has transformation, it has health, it has all these potentials. How can it just be a material icon when it has all these beautiful qualities that can transform our world and transform our life? So I, what I do is I look, you know, I’ll eat my lunch, and I’m eating with a fork. And I’ll say there is wisdom in this fork. So I just expand my perspective, because a fork is created in a very specific way that allows you to pick something up as spoon is enough. So there’s wisdom in there. It’s not just a material thing. So I look for the sacredness for the spiritual quality hidden in our material world and I do it you know, Walking, driving, whatever I do, and that it gives me resource because if I suddenly see wisdom, in in, in my fork or my spoon, which may seem like such a trivial thing, suddenly, I’m connected to wisdom, in the middle of my day and in the middle of my lunch, so you can always tap into these spiritual resources.
Christine Gautreaux 50:26
I love that. And thanks so much for coming and talking to us today. It’s
Anna Gatmon 50:30
such a pleasure and so rich and so wonderful. And I really hope your listeners take in, there’s so much too, for us to expand the definition of spiritual wellness and spirit and spiritual well being.
Christine Gautreaux 50:43
And I have a feeling we will have you back, especially when Shannon’s on and keep this conversation going. Because I think there’s more to talk about, and we’ll make sure our listeners know how to find you. So they can check out all your awesome resources. And we’re just so grateful to know you and to be connected to you.
Anna Gatmon 51:03
Thanks for having me on. And thanks for the learnings that I got. But by preparing for this, it’s been wonderful. Really,
Christine Gautreaux 51:10
we are so glad well, thanks.
Anna Gatmon 51:13
Meet you. See you here, Christine, in this context.
Christine Gautreaux 51:20
Wow, my friend,
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 51:22
that was that that is powerful, a lot to unpack.
Christine Gautreaux 51:28
Right, that’s more than a 45 minute conversation, we’re gonna be talking about this for a little bit to come.
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 51:34
Oh, I feel like, Yeah, this is a conversation that honestly, in some form can be had every day, you know, speaking about the dimensions of wellness, it, you know, the spiritual part of it, it exists in all of them. So, you know, that’s, that’s, that’s how I feel. So
Christine Gautreaux 51:56
what was something that stuck out to you from the conversation?
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 52:00
Um, oh, my goodness, what immediately, um, what sticks out for me, is the concept of knowing of loving yourself and knowing how important that is, in order to expand that. And the example that she used was so sobering. And I feel like it can be sobering for anyone, the any, any person of any ethnicity or background, the example she used when speaking about the college students, who felt that they didn’t belong to a group, and they totally devalue their contribution as a human being. And, and that being like, a really strong form of self hate. That’s a really intense example. But it’s sobering because, you know, if you feel a way about yourself, that is not valued. It’s really, really difficult to recognize and identify values and other people. And if, if a huge percentage of our population thinks that way, oh, my gosh, right. He’s not I mean, that’s scary. Right? That has to be a shift.
Christine Gautreaux 53:00
It also hurts my heart when she’s teaching in college. And these are the young ones, you know, I know, like, and that’s, yeah, and it’s I know, I’ve had clients that have felt that way and done a lot of work in community where I know it to be true. And it’s, it is, you know, people want to be loved and connected. Right. And and Maslow’s hierarchy of law they want to survive. Yeah, right. So then we bring in all the dimensions of what’s going on in our country, but that love and collect connection and belonging right and yeah, it was really powerful for me that the talking about and I know we talk about this often in our Monday groups and on the podcast, but the talking about you know, refilling our buckets and loving ourselves so we can make a difference in the world and that that it’s not selfish, that it’s it’s vital that we do that. of our time. So before we go, I want to give a shout out to our sponsor shallow glow. I’m Shayla glow is a company founded founded by Shannon Mitchell. And it is an organic shea butter company that uses I can’t do it as well as she does because you know, it’s her baby. But y’all is the best shea butter, oil and just some yummy self care products is that good about because they keep they’ve kept me hydrated all winter long. And as a gardener, I use it every time I come in from the outside and my hands have looked better than they’ve looked in years. So that’s my product endorsement. What do you say about Halo?
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 54:56
Listen, I was just you know, I was just thinking I you The mist, the lemongrass mist on my face every night after I use a diffuser when I take the take a bath. So if you’re ever looking for, in other words, some items to put in your self care kit, say low blow items will be the perfect items to include in that kit. Because when I tell you that it’s a whole regimen at night for me, I take a bath. I use my diffuser oils. I put on my shake, shallow glow mist on my face, I give myself a facial massage, like I’m telling you like this, if you’re looking for an extra step that’s even more practical to start to self care and make the change. Start with it.
Christine Gautreaux 55:43
Right, we can actually we can find the sacred and shallow glow talking about spiritual wellness. We can for sure find the sacred in this because it is some of our favorites. But we will be back next week Live at Five on Facebook and YouTube. You can find our recordings of all our podcast on all the major podcast we’d love it if you go to Apple podcast and give us a like and subscribe or any of the major podcast platforms. And my friend Joe vantrease. Thank you so much for being here today. And I know that it was big shoes to fill with Shannon being out this week and we’re gonna say it like we say it every week be well
JoVantreis Russell “Dr. JoVeezy” 56:29
be wise.
Christine Gautreaux 56:32
Next week, thanks. Thank you
Unknown Speaker 56:39
Thanks for listening. This has been the women connected and wisdom podcast on-air live on Wednesdays at 5 pm. Eastern via Facebook and YouTube. Be sure to like share and subscribe be part of the conversation and get connected at women connected in wisdom.com.
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