#138 Dr. John Bash: The Healing Power of Suffering
Release Date: 01/23/2020
The Next Chapter with Charlie
Show Notes Well, it’s my first day back from 3 weeks in Portugal. I am rested and ready to go. Today’s show is sort of a last-minute idea because we feared I would be hampered by jetlag, but that is not the case. I am so happy to say that my dear friend, Rand Sperry was available to have a discussion on a subject very dear to both of us—basically it’s all about how to optimize “old age” before you reach “Old, old age.” Haha In the 2020’s we have an entirely different concept of old age than we did 50 years ago. 50 years ago, 60 was considered old. Today that is not the...
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Show Notes Hey Paul. We are so fortunate today to have as a guest my “reluctant to do podcasts” wife. After more than 200 episodes she has come on the show with me only one time—and that was from Italy, probably 3 or 4 years ago. Today is special. We haven’t seen each other in more than 10 days and have probably talked on the phone only three times… because she and her friends have been sooo busy. Pam and I have different ideas of the ideal vacation. Although I do like some activity and sightseeing, I must have time to rest and do nothing. Pam’s idea of rest only comes with...
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Show Notes Hey Paul. Today, instead of sitting with you in studio, right now I am sitting on my sofa in my apartment in Lisbon, Portugal. I was out today roaming the town and finding myself surrounded by throngs of tourists. Man, I have a distaste for crowds. And I do have a bit of frustration with tourists that expect nationals to behave in ways that suit their personal desires. Life is different in a foreign country and, truthfully, that is precisely what makes a foreign country so attractive—it is “foreign.” This is a different kind of trip for me. I am spending more time in my...
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Show Notes My special guest today, Dr. Andrew Hahn has just released a new book, titled “The One Hour Miracle.” And I must tell you… as skeptical as I am about such seemingly… shall we say, “far-reaching” proclamations, Andy has pioneered a process called Life-Centered Therapy that just might get you there. You will soon discover that Andy is one of the smartest guests we’ve ever had on the show… maybe that’s why he’s a Harvard grad. Andy Hahn got my attention when he told me that “our life’s work is about the revelation of who we really are.” So, without any...
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Show Notes Today is a dramatic departure from the normal format of our podcast. That because today my, friend Cara Stewart, will host the show as she interviews me as a guest on my own podcast. Initially, I invited Cara to be a guest on the show but after she and I discussed possible topics she came up with the question, “Hey, Charlie. Has anyone ever interviewed you on your show? To which my response was, “Well, not really.” After just a few moments of thought, I said, “Let’s give it shot.” So here we are. Fortunately, Cara Steward in an excellent host: she is a former...
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Show Notes My guest today, Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino, is the founder of The Best Ever You Network. What a business name… The Best Ever You Network. I love it!’ As she tells us in the interview, Elizabeth founded her company in 2008 and began her podcasts in 2010. I kind of view her as a bit of a pioneer in the field of understanding how self-improvement methodologies can result in in genuinely changed lives. Elizabeth is determined to produce actual results that make a real difference in the lives of the thousands of people she regularly influences. Elizabeth will challenge the way...
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Show Notes I think most all working adults have experienced (or are experiencing) the sluggish malaise of a burn out. These are the times when our joy of life just feels stalled and all that remains is stress and anxiety. I, myself, am just emerging from that nearly paralyzing state of burn out. For that reason, I am so much looking forward to our conversation today with one of my very favorite podcast guests: Lindsay Davis. Lindsay is a business and life coach for high performers. She “lives” in the success arena and fully understands one of the greatest issues facing high...
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Show Notes This week on his blog, Sabbath Moment, Terry Hershey has been writing about the restorative power of brokenness. Terry writes this: “In embracing our wounds, they become sacred wounds, because grace is alive and well in brokenness. It’s paradigm shift time. Time to move from a project-management view of life, to a “wade-in” view of life. Life, in its brokenness, is not to be contained, explained, or fixed.” I really like the idea of moving on from a project-management view of life. It is so much better to view life as an exciting and unpredictable adventure, as...
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Show Notes Our talk today is a most important discussion about how we can better “orient” our lives. Let me explain. For decades, I have believed in the idea that we all possess some sort of built-in internal gyroscope to align our daily lives with our personal values. As you well know, the technical function of a gyroscope is to detect the deviation of an object from its desired orientation. Isn’t that true for us as well? I truly believe that we have (or need) a personal internal gyroscope. Well, our guest today, Zen Cryar DeBrucke, has devoted more than 30 years to exploring...
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Show Notes Today we have on our show a favorite guest, master storyteller, Linda Olson. Linda has a brand-new book that demonstrates how to use the discipline of storytelling to, as stated in the subtitle, Empower Your Hope When Going Through Tough Times. As I was chatting with Linda earlier this week, I came to the realization that there is a huge difference between your “stories” and your “STORY.” In our previous podcasts with Linda we talked primarily about developing tools necessary to tell your life “stories” in a lucid, yet concise manner. We will continue that a bit in...
info_outlineShow Notes
Paul, today’s subject is not a light one. In fact, it may be one of the most troubling subjects I have discussed on the show after more than 130 episodes. Today is about very deep human pain and suffering, AND the potential learnings that can result, if one chooses to take that path.
Although we may love learning about life and our deepest inner selves… the path there is often most unpleasant.
David Whyte alludes to the power of suffering when he writes, “Suffering is as inescapable and inevitable as breathing…” If suffering is inescapable and inevitable, it might be asking us… to see suffering as our constant and instructive companion…” “Suffering asks us not to look for an alternative path, because there is no alternative path.”
Now… none of this eludes the pain and despair of suffering. It is not something to anticipate with glee. It sucks. Yet if suffering is inescapable, we are asked not only to expect it and learn from it, but also to actually embrace it as our unwanted “instructive companion.”
My very special guest today, Dr. John Bash, is most accustomed to suffering as well as the deep learning that comes from it. As a successful minister and church planter, In John’s resume I read… “John’s heart for leaders is a natural outgrowth of a life spent watching God turn pain and tragedy into comfort and healing.
His planting churches spread from East Coast to West with one church in Chicago; John’s unlikely story was always highlighted by what he calls “Two Sides”. John Writes, “Often it is in the secret vulnerable pain and embarrassment behind our stories that we find the deeper truth - grace is more than a concept.” John’s story has given him a passion for those affected by abuse, addictions, tragedy, and pain.
So, let’s bring on John and benefit enormously from his life and teachings.”
For more with Charlie Hedges please visit www.thenextchapter.life