James O’Connor – Page 8 – Podcasting Your Global Career

DE246 Oliver Sean, “Highlight Reel” Talent, Business, Focus, = Joy & Success!

Oliver Sean, “Highlight Reel” Talent, Business, Focus, = Joy & Success! - dHarmic Evolution Podcast

Biography:

MTV Europe Music Awards Nominee (Best Worldwide Act) & Vh1 Top 10 artist Oliver Sean’s music can best be described as ‘Feel Good Acoustic Rock with Soul’. The Singer/Songwriter thrived in the Goa, Dubai and the UK cultures as they acted as the backdrop to his youth, and the inspiration for his music.

His discography with W.O.A. Entertainment began in 1999 with his single ‘There She Is Again’. Oliver Sean’s media clippings have formed a career of their own.

Since his career was launched in his teens, Oliver’s press clippings exceed several hundred features, snippets, and reviews in significant print and broadcast mediums. His brand of music is known for its pop influence with contemporary undertones. His debut album was nominated for ‘International Album of the Year’ by AVMax in 2003/04 along with albums by John Mayer, Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue and Third Eye Blind.

Oliver Sean’s eclectic global music style is the trademark for his brand and is as exotic as his Portuguese Goan Lineage. A self-taught musician, Oliver plays guitar, bass, keyboards, and drums. However, it is his distinctive percussive guitar and powerfully seductive voice, which is his footprint on the music industry. His track record of being a hit songwriter is just one of his many assets defining him as a pillar in the music community. Oliver Sean is a member of the Recording Academy and a Voting Member for the prestigious Grammy Awards.

As a Record Producer and Filmmaker, Oliver Sean has composed music for the French Government (Massif Region Tourism Campaign) & Goa Government (Republic Day Parade). He has also composed the soundtrack as a music director for a Bollywood Feature Film and the title track for a Regional Goan Feature Film. The singer-songwriter is actively producing music for films and artists around the world and is a successful filmmaker with several music videos that he has Directed and Produced, regularly featured on Vh1 & MTV and also hosts his own nationally distributed radio show The WOAFM99 Radio Show.

Oliver Sean and his International Band are actively touring and performing worldwide and the Singer-Songwriter has recently launched his 4th studio album ‘Devil in Blue Jeans’

“I think every artist should be in a cover band for a while, to help you hone in on your skills, it really worked for me”
– Oliver Sean

Welcome back to the dHarmic evolution podcast. This month, we’ll be having a re-run of some of the top podcasts that I feel would be an injustice to air once. Our first re-run is my interview with music artist, Oliver Sean is a London based Portuguese singer/songwriter from Goa, India.

He performs a unique genre of music which is known for its pop influence with contemporary undertones. Sean has recently featured as MTV Europe Music Awards Nominee (Best Worldwide Act) & VH1 Top 10.

Growing up, Sean had different music and artists that influenced him, from blues, rock music, 80s pop to punk and pop bands. His passion and practice of music began at an early age in Goa, but it wasn’t until when he moved to London that he get his first break.
At only 19 years of age, Sean packed his bag and guitar, got a plane ticket to London and started doing different gigs in pubs and clubs. He would eventually land a Showcasetv gig on Skytv UK which later on snowballed his way into more affluent performances, such as one with MTV as a VH1.

His love for business, marketing, and management have seen Sean become a self-producing artist and overseeing the producing of several music videos, films, and soundtracks. Sean also hosts his own show The WOAFM99 Radio Show.

Sean’s company works closely with Viacom, VH1, MTV and independent artists. Because Sean’s Record label organizes a lot of major tours, a lot of the independent artists love to tag along and make music videos. At first, Sean only used to be in front of the camera, you know, just giving his tips and ideas, his passion and dedication for it grew and before he knew it, he was a full-time producer for the music videos. This role, later on, grew to direct music videos as well, and later on cinematography.

Timestamps
[08:53] Listen to come for me by Oliver Sean
[12:05] Sean’s idols growing up
[14:00] Sean’s studio and performance experiences
[18:35] Listen to Walk up and Kiss you by Oliver Sean
[24:18] The production process
[30:12] Listen to Devil in Blue Jeans by Oliver Sean
[34:12] Sean’s production gear
[36:58] Leveraging the power of social media
[39:20] Listen to New York
[44:09] Transitioning to filmmaking

Follow Oliver:

Website
www.oliversean.com

Facebook
@oliverseanband

Twitter
@oliversean

Instagram
@oliversean

Youtube
@oliversean

Soundcloud
www.soundcloud.com/woarecords/sets/devil-in-blue-jeans

Spotify
www.open.spotify.com/artist/3qpDQHNmRS4Mhc2bYMRFYi?si=-XF_AP9lQ_SczKPBy8KTVA

Thanks for joining us, and be sure to connect with us on social media!

Check out our YouTube channel!

Join our community on
dHarmic Evolution Community Facebook Group

Oliver Sean

DE245 Thanksgiving, can we include more than the usual this year?

Thanksgiving, can we include more than the usual this year? - dHarmic Evolution Podcast

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Today’s show is all about thanksgiving, how we should spend it, and how we can all make a difference in someone’s experience that will have a long-lasting impact?

[01:28] The history of Thanksgiving

[8:22] My encouragement on how you can spend your Thanksgiving.

[8:45] My inspiration for spending Thanksgiving this year. Tony Robbin’s story.

[23:13] Listen to Here to Share and Care

[3:36] Top places to spend Thanksgiving.

1. The Sagamore Resort, Adirondacks, New York. Holding court for over a century on picturesque Lake George in the Adirondacks, the 133-year old Sagamore Resort offers guests a Donald Ross-designed 18-hole golf course, hiking, tennis, and spa (as well as fishing and swimming during the summers). You better be prim and proper for this extravaganza!

2. Congress Hall, Cape May, New Jersey. America’s oldest seaside resort (opened in 1816 and celebrating its 200th anniversary this year) It offers seasonal activities like gingerbread house building and hosts a special Thanksgiving buffet, as well as a sit-down meal, at its Blue Pig Tavern.

3. For the next one, we head out West, Park City Utah, Montage, Deer Valley. They offer a slew of family-focused events over Thanksgiving weekend. You can take part in flag football on the grand lawn, learn archery at the resort’s annual turkey-themed turkey shoot lesson, enjoy a Thanksgiving buffet at the Apex restaurant, and cap it off with a family photo overlooking the Wasatch Mountains. To celebrate the lead-up to Christmas, offerings include cookie decorating classes, holiday mug decorating, gingerbread house unveiling and their fifth Annual Christmas tree lighting on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

…………………………………………..

But what about the ones who don’t have the means to go to places like these? The ones who are stuck in soup kitchens or the lost who sleep in airports, subways, streets, and prisons.

Perhaps this Thanksgiving you should open your depression fighter’s manual and go-to strategy no. 3, and get out there and help somebody!

[9:52] Feeding America

Robbins has now partnered up with Feeding America. A nationwide food network of banks that aims to eliminate food insecurity by helping people or communities that don’t have enough food.

Statistics:

According to US-DA, there are more than 37 million people who struggle with hunger. These are really shocking statistics considering we’re one of the richest countries in the world.

Food insecurity numbers in different states

California – 5,401,00 (114,00 homeless)

New York – 2,67200 (80,000 homeless)

Minnesota – 568,000 (8300 homeless)

N. Dakota – 60,000 (1,300 homeless)

New Mexico – 358,00 (2700 homeless)

Illinois – 1,700,000 (13,000 homeless)

New Jersey – 1,000,00 (11,600 homeless)

These numbers are all crazy! I mean what happened to us?

If we can change the dynamics of holidays a little bit, to include those that aren’t as lucky as we are, then this will result in happier and more meaningful holidays for all of us.

[18:26] Professor Scott Geller.

Scott’s story

We had a really interesting chat with Alumni Professor Scott Geller, way back in episode DE168. We talked about a lot of things, the shootings at Virginia tech, what the students thought about it, and psychology.

After getting to know him and his brand which actively cares for people, my friend Archbishop Christine Mercy Johnson and I wrote a song for Scott’s brand (The Actively Caring for people brand). It just reminded me of Thanksgiving and how we should be caring for people, not just during the holidays, but all the time.

If you haven’t had the chance to check out my depression fighter’s manual, you can download it from my Facebook page, please send it to someone you love.

Depression Fighters Manual

Resources:

Depression Fighters Manual

Archbishop Dr Christine Mercy Johnson FB Page

www.feedingamerica.org

www.tonyrobbins.com

Thanks for joining us, and be sure to connect with us on social media!

Check out our YouTube channel!

Join our community on
dHarmic Evolution Community Facebook Group

Thanksgiving

DE244 Michael Cupo teaches us that “It`s Monday only in your mind”

Michael Cupo teaches us that “It`s Monday only in your mind” - dHarmic Evolution Podcast

Michael was born in the Ironbound section of Newark NJ in 1958. Born of Italian descent, and one of six children. He graduated from East Side High School in 1976. After high school, he mainly worked in his father’s restaurant until he sold it in 1986. Although he was part of a very close and loving family, he seemed to always feel like something was amiss inside. His mother and father afforded him every opportunity to get ahead in life, but he always seemed to make the wrong decision. This continued to happen until June of 1987, which is when it seemed like his life went in a completely different direction. To Michael, it seemed that way because although his life got better on the material plane, he still did not have a sense of completeness within.
Quotes from Michael

[03:35] The reason why a person gets addicted to anything, is because the inward tells you to reach out for something. You need something to fill your void.

[10:45] We’re all addicts, we just use different things. Society only addresses the ones that are devastating.

[11:18] If you can’t just be with yourself, without needing to reach for something, that’s the question. Why?

[12:02] You become distracted by the distractions that distract you.

[14:17] The thought is energy. It comes into your head, and what you do with it from there determines your life.

[16:20] The labels that we apply to things, destroy us. They keep us entrapped in our suffering. That’s what the conditioned mind is.

[24:33] It’s your own conditioning that limits you. Your own mind tells you to do something, and the same mind, questions why it was done.

[28:36] The more that you can spend your life in the present moment, the more at peace you’re going to be.

[33:25] The older you get, the more conditioning you have, and the more of a puppet you become, and society is the puppeteer.

[36:00] Your body is always in the present moment, your mind is all over the place. When you develop your body as an anchor, you put yourself in harmony with life, with universal energy.
Timestamps.

[14:58] How Michael embarked on his book writing.

[18:13] Michael’s experience and lessons learned while promoting his book.

[21:24] Michael’s experience with a fan
Do you live a life that you’ve always wanted and you’re still not happy? Are you not getting the most out of your life? Then it’s time for you to look within and find out why. Joining us in the studio today is the author of It’s Monday Only in your Mind, Michael Cupo.

[01:56] The story behind the book, It’s Monday Only in your Mind.
Michael had addiction problems when he was young. He was, however, able to conquer his addictions when he was 28; got a job, got married, and even started a family. It was 13 years later though, that the real change happened. Although Michael’s life was going on just fine, Perfect job, perfect family, perfect life. He couldn’t help but think of how he was going to be there for his kids. This act of unselfishness is what caused the chain reaction leading to Michael’s deep reflections and thoughts about his life.

[8:07] Conquering his alcohol and drug addiction.
Describing it as one of the most pivotal moments of his life, Michael’s eldest brother died as a result of addiction. At the time, Michael was only 26 and knee-deep in drug and alcohol addiction. The death of their eldest son broke Michael’s parents, who gave Michael the ultimatum of either straightening up or getting out. This began Michael’s 2-year process of quitting his addictions.

[23:32] The conditioned mind.
What Michael presents, is the next step in the evolutionary process. When you don’t need to reach for anything and you’re o.k with who you are, just the way you are, just as it is. You’re not looking to change what’s happening in the present moment.
It’s your own conditioning that limits you. Your own mind tells you to do something, and the same mind, questions why it was done. Once you’re able to start looking at yourself and understanding that it’s you, that it’s your own mind that’s the enemy, it’s when you start to understand the conditioned mind and you no longer blame the world.

[32:30] The rat race
The beginning stages of why humanity has developed the way it has is because, from the moment you’re born, you’re given a name. It’s your attachment to that name that the problem begins. You spend the rest of your life identifying the name with jobs, marital status, social status, likes, dislikes, this, and that, and in the process, you fail to understand. You miss the process. You fail to understand what humanity’s existence is all about.
As your attachments increase every day, you lose your true essence, you lose who you truly are in the process. And you start looking more outside yourself for the answers.
It’s nobody’s fault, of course, it just how humanity and society have designed itself.

Website:
www.mondayinyourmind.com

WordPress blog:
www.michaelcupo40.wordpress.com

Facebook Group:
@itsmondayinyourmind

Pinterest:
@michaelcupo40

Twitter:
@MichaelCupo1

Amazon

Thanks for joining us, and be sure to connect with us on social media!

Check out our YouTube channel!

Join our community on
dHarmic Evolution Community Facebook Group

Michael Cupo

DE243 “Amanie Illfated” she is fearless, confident, determined and talented!

“Amanie Illfated” she is fearless, confident, determined and talented! - dHarmic Evolution Podcast

Quotes from Amanie
[4:05] People love to see things as beautiful and leave it at that, but don’t really know what’s going on inside.
[14:24] No matter what happens so long as you’re passionate, So long as you have faith in God, So long as you believe it’s the right thing, it will happen.

Timestamps
[4:54] The inspiration behind the song You Will Never Know.
[6:06] Listen to “you will never know”
[15:20] Find out more about the South Sudanese Culture
[17:50] Listen to “everything”
[21:50] Amanie’s production process
[24:23] Amanie’s amazing production crew
[26:48] Amanie’s Favourite part in music production
[29:00] Performances
[32:10] Listen to” Peacemaker”
[35:48] The inspiration towards writing Peacemaker
[44:15] Sneak peek to Amanie’s next album.
[46:30] Listen to “The Hills”
[56:53] Listen to “Eritrean Eyes”

Joining us in the studio for a second time is South-Sudanese born, and Toronto based, singer/songwriter Amanie Illfated. Amanie immigrated alongside her family from South Sudan to Saskatchewan in 1992 as refugees from the war-torn nation. At only the tender age of 16, she left her family to pursue her music career dream.

[3:39] Find out more about Amanie’s new album.
It all started off as a simple metaphor. When people look at the planet Saturn, all they see is this beautiful planet with an amazing shape and wonderful rings around it, but deep inside, if you really look at what Saturn is made of, it’s all toxic. There’s a lot of turmoil and storms going on inside it. People love to see things as beautiful and leave it at that, but don’t really know what’s going on inside. So, all the songs in her album represent a different aspect of turmoil inside, but it’s done in a beautiful way.

[10:35] Following her dreams
At only a young and tender age of 16, Amanie decided to leave home to follow her musical career dream.
Asked how she got her stunning confidence and self-belief Amanie says she has three individuals that she looks up to. The first is her father, the sheer determination and courage that he had to take them from a war-torn South-Sudan nation all the way to Canada is nothing short of inspirational. With him, there always seemed to be a solution to every problem he faced.
The other person is her uncle, a former South-Sudanese soldier who died in 2016. He approached all issues in life armed with nothing but confidence and faith in God. Her aunt, who also moved to Canada 13 years ago, with four kids on her own is her other source of inspiration. Somehow, she always figured out how to make ends meet, all by herself. Even though she didn’t have anything, she always seemed to pull everything together. This is where Amanie got a lot of her confidence from, that no matter what happens, so long as you’re passionate, so long as you have faith in God, so long as you believe it’s the right thing to do, it will happen.

[38:33] Amanie’s favorite things to do.
Some of the top things Amanie enjoys doing is attending festivals, cooking, running, yoga. Yoga is one of Amanie’s top things to do, as it helps her calm and clears her mind. As an artist, with everything going on, the emails, the preparations, the performances etc, yoga is her way to escape it all and find a bit of bliss. 1 – 2 hours of yoga.

*Listen to Amanie’s first visit to our show in the episode DE68

Follow Amanie:

Facebook
@Amanieillfated
Twitter
@AmanieIllfated
Instagram
@Amanieillfated
YouTube
Amanie Illfated

Thanks for joining us, and be sure to connect with us on social media!

Check out our YouTube channel!

Join our community on
dHarmic Evolution Community Facebook Group

Amanie / Illfated

DE242 Kate Magdalena, inviting us all to a Larger Dance!

Kate Magdalena, inviting us all to a Larger Dance! - dHarmic Evolution Podcast

Today’s guest on the dHarmic evolution podcast is an emerging, independent singer/songwriter, from the San Francisco bay area. She calls her genre Timely Americana (She’s inspired to write for the particular time that we live in).

Her songs address issues such as; preservation of the natural world, homelessness, the political landscape, friendship and loss, and love of country.

So, without further ado, strap up your seat belts, cause we’re taking a ride with Kate Magdalena.

Timestamps

[5:10] Listen to A Larger Dance by Kate Magdalena.
[9:55] Is the West a better place for artists to develop?
[1:54] Kate gets into her recently released a full album.
[21:31] Listen to Take me to the church by Kate
[25:12] The story behind Take me to church
[26:51] A bit of spiritual talk
[31:05] Listen to New Earth by Kate Magdalena
[34:55] A little inside tips on how to record with a better voice
[40:11] Kate’s ritual
[46:49] Listen to Kate’s Streets of Anytown
[52:10] Kate’s experience writing and filming the Streets of Anytown

[2:27] Kate’s new album

Kate explains the inspiration and background of some of the songs that she’s written.

Included in her album are a couple of songs about saving the earth;
One is called New Earth. A fantasy, visionary song about the kingdom of God, how the earth should be like it was in the beginning, and how it will be restored.
The second is Long Live the Woods. A poetry inspired by Gerald Manly Hopkins, an English Christian poet from the 90s who wrote beautiful love poetry to God.

[12:50] Kate’s journey towards her Music Career

Never really considering herself an artist for the better part of her life, Kate’s focus was mostly in her studies and the world as she grew up.

She spent her twenties in pursuit of spirituality and working various publication jobs for corporations. Eventually, she ended up being a teacher, a career she very much enjoyed due to her love for children.

Despite her love for singing and music, Kate had no idea how to approach the music industry. And especially without the internet at the time, it all seemed pretty impossible. In the end, she had no option but to keep singing just as a hobby. But it all kept coming back.

Kate found herself gravitating towards poetry (a niche she actually has a graduate degree in) and she began setting some of it towards music. Despite working with a couple of bands in the early 2000s, she felt that she didn’t have enough knowledge on the music career as a whole, and this motivated her to go back to school and study music.

Afterwards, she spent the next 6 years of teaching music. Later on, she went to Seminary after having a conversion experience in 2009.
It wasn’t, however, until 2010, when everything globally was just crazy, is when Kate began to write. 2 years later she had written her full album.

[17:15] Kate’s View on Songwriting

Despite taking a songwriting course and dropping it. Kate has never really studied songwriting. In her opinion, it’s a creative process of going within and allowing the spirit to move. She also believes that it’s a God-given talent, and gives total credit to God for the gift.
Kate’s creativity and passion for writing began with poetry. With time though, Kate’s love for writing poetry slowly fade away, it lost meaning to her and she slowly found herself transitioning to songwriting.

[18:17] Kate’s icons while growing up

To begin with, Kate’s opinion on music is that the voice is literally formed through the ear. It’s formed through listening to the music.
As a child, some of the great musicians that inspired her to sing the way she does, include; Julie Andrews, Mary Travers, Joni Mitchell, and Barbara Streisand.

Quotes:

[1:00:21] We’re living in biblical times, we need to keep our eyes open to see what is occurring, but we should not be afraid.
[17:27] Songwriting is a God-given creative talent that involves going within and allowing the spirit to move

Follow Kate:
*Sign up to her email list to get free download for her new song, New Earth and also be a part of Kate’s family.

Website
www.katemagdalena.com
Facebook
@katemagdalenamusic
Instagram
@kate_magdalena
Twitter
@KateMagdalen
Itunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/kate-magdalena/1245277903

Thanks for joining us, and be sure to connect with us on social media!

Check out our YouTube channel!

Join our community on
dHarmic Evolution Community Facebook Group

Kate Magdalena

DE241 Carmen Silvestro teaches us about “Piecing your Heart back together”

Carmen Silvestro teaches us about “Piecing your Heart back together” - dHarmic Evolution Podcast

Today on the dHarmic Evolution podcast, we’ll be discussing the rampant and ever-growing problem that’s divorce.

My guest is a certified life coach, and author who helps men and women get through the many obstacles in their lives, her passion is to help people take back control of their lives after a breakup or divorce.

So, ladies and gentlemen, joining us on the show today is my dear friend and author of the book “Piecing Your Heart Back Together”, Carmen Silvestro.

Timestamps

[10:15] The healing process

[16:38] First client for Carmen

[18:58] Favourite kind of clients and subjects for Carmen

[25:10] The joy of helping a client!

[27:16] Yoga Journey

[31:08] Carmen’s hope for her book’s effect

[36:44] A present from Carmen to you, dear listener

[37:40] Carmen’s Parting advice to you

[3:03] Carmen’s life experience and journey towards her destiny

When it rains, it pours. That was the situation in Carmen’s life 12 years ago. She had just lost her little brother, who had succumbed to his addiction when she also found out that her husband, the love of her life, best friend and partner for 17 years was contemplating leaving her for another woman. That’s the day her world collapsed.

After weeks of drowning in her thoughts, tears and emotions, Carmen was a total wreck! Barely able to see due to her swollen eyes, she walked up to the bathroom mirror, and for the first time, really looked at herself.

Carmen was shocked to see the person staring back at her. She didn’t recognize who that person was. It was in that moment while still staring at the reflection of her frail and broken body, that Carmen knew she had to make a choice. She could either keep walking the path she was on, wounded, broken, hopeless, and constantly feeling sorry for herself, or she could get up and fight, and in the process, learn whatever lesson life was trying to teach her through these experiences.

Needless to say, she picked the latter. She decided to be strong and fight. In the process, she admits she’s backslid a couple of times, made a lot of mistakes and always learned from them. Healing isn’t linear, Carmen had her ups and downs in the process, but she always got back up.

She attributes part of her healing success to the amazing support she received from friends and family who were always there for her.

[12:35] Changing Career Paths

After the divorce with her first husband and the heartbreak afterwards, Carmen found herself gravitating towards individuals who were going through an experience similar to hers. She was more than happy to be a lighthouse and guide them to safe harbour to the best of her abilities.

Later on, Carmen was lucky enough to remarry and was blessed with a baby boy. She quit her job to focus on raising her son, and when he was old enough to go to school, it was time for Carmen to find a job. A couple of interviews later, Carmen had secured herself a really great offer to work at a local company.

But, something didn’t feel right. She had this terrible feeling in her stomach, until it finally clicked to her, she was meant to be a servant, a heart servant. And there was no way she was going back to the corporate world.

After having her ‘’ahuh’’ moment, Carmen totally submerged herself in the field. She started taking classes and reading tons of books; divorce books, self-help books, books about heartbreak etc.

[19:58] How does one piece their heart back together?

Take the time. Take the time and go through your grief, go through your emotions, don’t try to run away.

And, as difficult as it is to understand it at the moment, there’s always a silver lining in such situations. It is an opportunity for you to reinvent yourself, an opportunity to rewrite your whole life. Peel layers off yourself and get to know more about who you are, and that, that is priceless.

[33:38] Carmen’s thoughts on Divorce

A lot of people don’t take the time to know themselves, and they go into relationships, just hoping that it will work out, but then again, they end up finding themselves in a marriage with someone that they don’t really mesh well with. And how could they? When they don’t even know who they really are.

And then there’s the others. They go into relationship’s for all the wrong reasons. Some have the fairy tale idea in their heads, that it’s all going to be like in the movies, that it’s all going to be perfect. And when it’s not, they just want to bolt.

Quotes

[6:48] There’s a lesson behind everything, everyone we meet is for a purpose

[20:14] And, as difficult as it is to understand it at the moment, there’s always a silver lining in such situations (heartbreak, divorce, failure, depression etc). It is an opportunity for you to reinvent yourself, an opportunity to rewrite your whole life. Peel layers off yourself and get to know more about who you are, and that, that is priceless.

[27:18] Yoga is meditation for your body

Follow Carmen:

carmen@myselftruly.com

www.myselftruly.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmen-silvestro-763003a/

https://www.facebook.com/carmenshannon

Thanks for joining us, and be sure to connect with us on social media!

Check out our YouTube channel!

Join our community on
dHarmic Evolution Community Facebook Group

Carmen Silvestro

DE240‌ ‌“Why‌ ‌would‌ ‌anyone‌ ‌go‌ ‌to‌ ‌prison‌ ‌to‌ ‌play‌ ‌music”‌

“Why‌ ‌would‌ ‌anyone‌ ‌go‌ ‌to‌ ‌prison‌ ‌to‌ ‌play‌ ‌music”‌- dHarmic Evolution Podcast

[11:15] Lunch with my super agent and friend, Eugene Foley

[12:15] A not so good experience at a hotel in Meherrin

[25:10] The life changing Prison experience that Larry went through

[30:52] Listen to the song that started the James O’Connor Agency “Connected”

Early morning of October 14th, Columbus Day. That’s when I left Nashville headed to Virginia to start off my prison ministry.

My first stop was Pamunkey Regional Jail.

The check in time at the prison is 12.00 noon, so this gave me enough time to get myself ready for everything.

[2:35] Preparation for the show

There was a lot of nervous energy when I was preparing myself for the show. To begin with, the whole prison environment takes a bit of time to adapt to, so many steel doors, tiny rooms and new faces. My guitar even ended up falling off the hand truck in the load in process.

The guys were in a room, something like a lunch room. Rectangular shaped with seats everywhere, and they were all staring at me while I was setting my equipment up. It goes without saying that this only made the setup time very intense, and I could feel the swear rolling down my back. But I kept cool throughout the whole process, no one could tell what a bundle of nerves I was.

[5:40] Performance at the Men’s Section

I started off with a couple of songs, and then started to work in some of the stories.

The stories were all revolving around the setlist material that I chose. This included some of the inspirational and Christian songs that I’ve written. I was telling the stories in between the songs. This played a role in helping them understand the experience of what the songs are all about.

The entire performance was generally great. There were a few challenges of course, such as one inmate who kept talking to his friend while I was performing, but at the end of it all, I had earned not just their undivided attention, but respect as well.

I ended the show with a bit of interaction with the guys, while I passed out some Dharmic Evolution Podcast business cards. I promised to keep them entertained when they get out, and are back out on the open highway.

[8:42] Performance at the Ladies’ Section

‘’Where are the ladies?’’, Said I.

You can imagine my surprise when Jeff, the prison assistant told me that they were in another room. So, this meant that I had to pull down everything I had set up, and move it to where I’d be instructed, and then set it all up again. (where are my roadies when I need them!)

It took a while, but I broke the Ice with the ladies and everything was flowing in no time.

I did the whole performance sequence all over again, and it felt really great because I’m certain that my message did reach out and touch them.

After the performance, it was time for me to say my goodbyes and call this visit a success.

[15:20] Jail 2: Meherrin River Regional Jail

I headed south towards my second destination for the journey which was Meherrin River Regional Jail.

My first observation of the place was how strict they are. On arrival, I met this tough lady who wanted to inspect every single thing that I had with me, bags, cables, boxes, key etc, lock up my phone, keys, etc.

So, I went outside and reassessed the items that I had with me, and only took those that I essentially needed, and placed them on a cart. Afterwards, I was shown my way to the performance platform by the Major, who was in charge of the facility.

This stage was slightly bigger than the first performance platform at Pamunkey regional jail. And, because everything at the prison has to be done in its allocated time, I quickly set up my gear. The only alarming thing about this gig though, was that I had to do four sets, back to back. I hadn’t sung four sets in a while. And given the fact that I was a solo, and not as young as I used to be, I knew this was going to be an uphill task.

I had a bit of a similar experience like I did in the first tour. While I was performing, some guy was busy engaging his pals in a conversation. I didn’t let it get to me though, I ignored it and kept performing.

At the end of it, the whole crowd was jazzed up! Everyone in the backrow was bopping and dancing in their chairs, clapping their hands and singing the chorus. And once again, I had them!

When the performance was over, some of them came to me, shaking my hand and thanking me for the experience.

Personally, it meant the whole world to me that I had some kind of impact no matter how small or how great.

So wrapping up this experience, I would say that on a whole, it really could not have been a better kickoff for this new extension to my artistry, the JKO prison ministry has been baptized and is alive and well.

Thanks for your support!

James~

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music

DE239 Matt O’Ree and Bruce Springsteen team up on Matt’s Song Black Boots!

Matt O’Ree and Bruce Springsteen team up on Matt’s Song Black Boots! - dHarmic Evolution Podcast

We’re in my home state of New Jersey today, and joining us is Matt O’Ree, a legendary Rock and Roll artist. You better strap up your seat belts ladies and gents, cause it’s going to be a Rocky ride.

Timestamps
[2:55] Matt narrates his experience performing at The Stone Pony (The Stone Pony, located in Ocean Township, New Jersey is home to many legendary Rock n Roll artist’s)
[9:15] Listen to Matt’s Black Boots with Bruce Springsteen
[19:55] Listen to My Everything
[27:55] Find out what Matt and the band are currently up to
[30:38] Listen to Life
[35:07] Story behind the song Life
[37:14] Matt’s Songwriting process
[39:39] Matt’s favorite guitars
[45:27] Leveraging the Power of Social Media
[47:08] Listen to It’s gonna be alright

[5:00] Matt explains the journey towards bringing his album to fruition.The album has been a working progress for quite a number of years. It all started in 2008 when Matt had just finished his last CD, and a producer he had earlier met, John Leaders of the Lake House Music, invited him to record in his studio.
Whilst recording at the studio, Matt had to push one of his sessions to cater for Hubert, and that is how their partnership and friendship began. A man he describes as being the best gentleman he has ever met. It didn’t take too long for them to become close friends and associates after Hubert took up Matt’s offer on playing one of his songs.

[13:55] How Matt met Bruce Springsteen
While he was teaching guitar lessons in one of his student’s home Matt met Bruce’s 13-year-old kid.
Eventually, he would end up teaching Bruce’s kid guitar lessons as well after winning the guitar center contest.
The two knocked it off not so long after, with Matt even sharing his BlackBoots C.D with Bruce’s kid. As fate would have it, Bruce’s son played the song to his dad who really loved it as well. Matt requested Bruce if he’d love to work together on the song, Bruce said yes, and Matt was, well he was over the moon.

[23:40] The writing of My everything
It’s amazing how the bonds of friendships play such vital and important roles in our lives and destiny. Matt met fellow singer and songwriter David Brian through an old student and friend of his. And as Matt’s open and go-getter personality would have it, he hit it off with David and not long after the two were writing and singing together.
From the first note they played together, Matt and David felt the chemistry that was between them in their music, this would be the genesis to a lifelong friendship and partnership between the two of them. Two years down the line, Matt and David wrote the hit song, My Everything.

[43:43] Matt’s Heroes whilst he was growing up
The first person that ever spoke to Matt’s heart was Jimi Hendrix. Seeing him perform was a great inspiration to him becoming an artist.
Jimmy Page and Led Zeppelin band are top in Matt’s band and icons that he emulates to date.

Quotes

[15:50] Couldn’t you spread that good love out a little bit? It all comes in one truckload. All the shitty days you’ve had in your life, and it all comes to this. Christmas, New year, Hanukkah, everything at once!

[40:00] You’ve got to shift between guitars, to know which one you really like, because not all of them are the same.

[52:18] Sometimes you’ve got to throw the rule book out the window. Learn all the craft you can, but follow your heart more than anything.

Follow Matt O’Ree Band:

The Matt O’Ree Band Website:
www.mattoree.com

The Matt O’Ree Band on Facebook:
@MattOReeBand

The Matt O’Ree Band on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/user/MOBontv

The Matt O’Ree Band on Twitter:
@MattOreeBand

The Matt O’Ree Band on Instagram:
@mattoreeband

Bruce Springsteen O’Ree

DE238 Akshay Nanavati, the Marine that teaches how to turn fear into triumph!

Akshay Nanavati, the Marine that teaches how to turn fear into triumph! - dHarmic Evolution Podcast

[13.15] Death of a fellow Marine
[13:58] The war experience in Iraq
[18:40] Find out how Akshay learned to adapt to the war environment
[19:03] The positivity and power of journaling
[21:56] Introduction to “Fearvana”
[33:18] Akshay’s mentor, and how he fought through PTSD
[43:19] Find out how you can learn more about Fearvana and support Akshay! Today at the dharmic evolution, we take a ride with former US marine veteran, author and speaker, Akshay Nanavati.

Early childhood [2:37]

Born in Bombay India, Akshay moved to the USA at a tender age of 13 years, this is after spending his 8 years in India, and 5 in Singapore.

2 years after joining the US, Akshay adopted a lifestyle of drugs and alcohol, a choice he says was partly due to his lack of self-identity and purpose. A life describes as characterized by depression and sadness. He would cut his own arm and even burn himself.

Joining the army [8:12]

2 years down the line after spending his ripe teenage years drowned in drugs and alcohol, and losing 2 of his friends. Akshay’s life would take a total flip after watching the movie Black Hawk Down.

This would prove to be the most pivotal moment of his life, the movie he says, inspired him so much that he went on to read book after book about the military and life in combat. And just like that, Akshay found himself cured of his drug-addicted life, a life he describes as being meaningless and selfish.

Now that he knew what purpose he wanted to serve in life, nothing was going to stop him at the time, despite the many illnesses that dragged him down while enlisting, Akshay was focused and determined to join the military.

School and training [9.40]

Bootcamp training took a toll on Akshay because he wasn’t very physically fit. But he describes the entire boot camp process as more of a mental process rather than a physical one. With his mind focused on what he wanted to achieve, Akshay was able to not only succeed in the boot camp training but also graduate as an honor student in the Infantry school.

Growing up with parents who provided everything for him, Akshay never had to struggle for a thing, but now, for the first time in his life, struggle and suffering became the order of the day. He began to experience joy and value in the process. He began to accept and learn the bliss and comfort associated with suffering.

[24:15] life after the war

Not quite sure what he wanted to do after the war, Akshay decided to first finish his undergraduate degree in Texas.

Life after the war was a complete struggle to find meaning and purpose, to a point he kept volunteering to go back to war.

In the end, Akshay ended up going to journalism school, where he was bound to meet his wife, get married, and settle down with a corporate job. But it all felt meaningless and not really what he was bound to do. Inevitably, he ended up quitting his job.

After the whole school and corporate job experience, Akshay went on an expedition in the Himalayas, as a way of running away from his demons and problems.

It was after the expedition that Akshay came back to America and started building his company from the ground up. His unfaced demons, however, began sprouting, and he yet again turned to the bottle to seek solace. The drinking got worse with every passing day, it was all these problems, coupled with marital issues with his wife that Akshay decided to seek therapy where he was diagnosed with PTSD.

At that time, nothing seemed right and he had totally hit rock bottom. Alcohol was his daily routine and see that this pattern wasn’t going to change anytime soon, Akshay was filled with thoughts of walking over to the kitchen, picking up a knife an ending his own life.

He couldn’t believe the suicidal thoughts he was having, and that was the wake-up call he needed to turn his life around.

As a way to fill the emptiness he felt, Akshay started getting training for different careers. This led him to take a keen interest in neuroscience, spirituality, religion, and psychology, he kept on studying, book after book, and this would eventually lead him to discover Fearvana.

As a way to fill the emptiness he felt, Akshay started getting training for different careers. This led him to take a keen interest in neuroscience, spirituality, religion, and psychology, he kept on studying, book after book, and this would eventually lead him to discover Fearvana.

QUOTES

[8:38] It’s during the times of war that you experience the spectrum and intensity of the human experience at its most extreme. You see the most awful things happen in war, the atrocities of human evil. But you also see humanity at its finest, People sacrificing their lives for fellow human beings

[18:49] Even when you’re in a war, even when you’re in an environment you cannot control, you always have the freedom to control your attitude. You could be in hell on earth, but you always have the freedom to choose your own perspective.

[21:07] As Jesus says in the Bible, there’s no greater sacrifice that man can do than by laying down his life for his friends.

[21:38] By recording the present, you craft what’s coming up in your life

[23:16] I invite you to never stop chasing fear, or you will spend your whole life running from it. If you are ready to take on that battle between the part of you that wants to quit and the part that wants to fight, you will enter the doorway to your next awakening, at that moment you will experience the bliss of Fearvana.

Website:
www.fearvana.com

Facebook:
@AkshayNanavatiFan

Instagram:
@fearvana

Twitter:
@fearvanalife

You can buy the book here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1630476056/

Check out our YouTube channel!

Join our community on
dHarmic Evolution Community Facebook Group

Follow our Podcast

www.dharmicevolution.com

Check out our YouTube channel!

Join our community on
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Akshay Nanavati

DE237 “How do we get people to believe?” Archbishop Christine Mercy Johnson explains on the dHarmic Evolution

“How do we get people to believe?” Archbishop Christine Mercy Johnson explains on the dHarmic Evolution

Interview Highlights:

[3:00] Archbishop Dr. Christine Mercy Johnson gives a background of her faith and the path she took to be an Anglican Archbishop with the Worldwide Anglican Church

[8:18] Her Grace explains the history and culture of the church

[10:40] Her Grace gives her opinion and thoughts of other churches

[12:00] Find out why women make the best religious leaders

[20:35] Our job and purpose in life

[31:54] Archbishop Dr. Johnson’s experience at the gates of heaven

[36:42] What was God’s plan with the creation of Social Media?

[37:33] God’s promise to Her Grace Joining us today in the studio on her 54th Birthday, is British American, the Most Reverend Dr. Christine Mercy Johnson. Her Grace made history this year by becoming the first matriarch and Co-Presiding Bishop of the Worldwide Anglican church alongside His Grace, the Most Reverend Christopher Lwanga Tusubira from Uganda, Africa.

Her Grace was ordained a couple of female priests and deacons in Colombia, and as the church’s spiritual mother, she leads her ministry with loving-kindness, great passion for working with orphans, the elderly, hospice and grief counseling, and utilizes her television, radio and social media platform to highlight social causes.

Describing herself as a very structured, disciplined and self-controlled woman who was raised in British Aristocracy, her Grace was educated in the traditions and customs of the Anglican church. She has always had a very close relationship with God and has utilized her seminary training and walk to passionately teach others about Him.

How do we get people to believe?

Christine’s Answer as a priest.

Spending quality time with the Lord. We all have the Holy Spirit residing within us, and by taking our time to speak, listen and connect with Him through prayer, worship, and reading the bible, we will strengthen our faith and belief in Him.

You really get close to the lord when you get yourself out of the way and start taking care of others with compassion and kindness. When you reach out to the homeless, the poor, the dying, the sick, the afraid, etc. you allow the Christ consciousness and love to move through you. It is then that you can feel the presence of the Lord.

Being grateful to the Lord every morning when you wake up and ask Him to help you to be a blessing to others is an essential way to feel closer to God. It propels you towards a day of service and success and opens your heart to see the need in others.

Her Grace’s answer to service is do everything authentically from your heart:

’’How do I know that our Lord Jesus Christ is real?’’

In 1989, when I was 24 years old, I was happy and physically healthy, with a one-year-old child. I never thought of getting a flu injection, because I figured, in my utter arrogance that I was so fit that I could not get sick. One morning I awoke, and that theory changed as the hours passed by. I became critically ill and hospitalized with bacterial septicemia meningitis. By 7 pm that night, my fight with the illness was lost. I remember getting out of my body and trying to get the people’s attention, and as I struggled with this, I saw a light, an angel light.

I asked the angel if I was dead, and he replied to me:

’’No, it is not possible for a human being to die, you live forever here, (Pointing up) or you live forever there, (pointing down) but you do not die.’’

Death is the ultimate amputation, but not the end, because your body is still there. As the driver of the car gets out, so a soul leaves the body.

Quotes:

[18:38] My job as a priest is to take you to the cross. For it is at the cross of Calvary that we find our hope, joy, salvation and where we find our resurrection power

[21:41] A stranger is a family member that I still haven’t met

[27:37] You really get close to the lord when you put yourself out of the way and start taking care of others

[40:47] God is our Father, and He is extremely real. And when you’re here on earth, you have two choices, to either be with Him or not. You can’t make that decision when you die, and since none of us know when we’re going to die, it is the most important decision to make in our life.

Did you know?

· The Worldwide Anglican Church has branches in India, Africa, the West Indies, Europe, South America, and the USA. Joining with the Anglican Churches around the world It has thousands of churches and millions of followers.

· Its culture and practices are similar to those of the catholic church

Follow Archbishop Christine Mercy Johnson:

Web
https://worldwideanglicanchurch.org/

YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkjjYf-tpHNHzg41aEaXLAg?view_as=subscriber

Facebook
https://facebook.com/Worldwide-Anglican-Church-884503854978443/

Twitter
https://twitter.com/TheWorldwideAn1

LinkedIn
http://linkedin.com/in/theworldwideanglicanchurch

Check out our YouTube channel!

Join our community on
dHarmic Evolution Community Facebook Group

Follow our Podcast

www.dharmicevolution.com

Check out our YouTube channel!

Join our community on
dHarmic Evolution Community Facebook Group