After weeks of evaluating various kinds of dysfunctions related to compulsive thinking and the identification with the mind, we begin exploring the one thing that will allow us to move deeply into the now moment -letting go of the concept of time.  Identification with the mind is intrinsically connected to either the past or the future.  When we can let go of the illusion of time, we discover the space between thoughts and are invited to be completely present in the now moment. 

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Continuing our discussion on enlightenment, we take some time this week to understand the emotional pain body and how to free ourselves from its compulsive, controlling reactions.  Understanding your triggers and learning how to dis-identify with the pain body is essential to enlightenment and will help free you from identification with the mind.

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In this episode, you will learn about Jason Antone's experience as a gay man in the classical crossover genre, the message of Antone's song "Inside My Heart" and Antone's perspective on why he believes it is important to be authentic in his art.  Your voice matters in this world and this episode is a good reminder to stand in your authenticity, speak from your own unique perspective and know that someone is in need of hearing what you say specifically the way you say it.  Powerful stuff.  Powerful self-confidence.  Click here to watch the new video for Antone's song "Inside My Heart". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xdm0cRlyTHM

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All of us find ourselves in a perpetual loop of negative thinking sometimes.  Knowing how to create distance between you and a pattern of negative thinking will allow you to toss out those limiting beliefs, assert spiritual principle in their stead and start creating a different quality of life.  Today I discuss a few ways to make that happen.  Become a member of the LK Crew at levikreis.com/join - being a member helps the ongoing creation of the podcast, music and theatre projects.  

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This week I am joined by one of my long time friends writer/director Del Shores who offers a unique perspective as a perpetual lover of immensely talented actors who often had their own journey towards sobriety.  A very necessary episode for those of you who love an addict or alcoholic and want to know more about how to love them without enabling them.  Watch video of this episode at yt.com/imagineparadise  

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If you know my story of sobriety, you know that Leslie Jordan was one of the first fellow southerners I met when moving to Los Angeles and had a key influence on me getting sober.  Join Leslie and I as we reflect on our stories of sobriety and how it has elevated everything in our life including our careers.  We also spend a bit of the conversation talking about our craft and ways he's influenced my own take on acting.  Head over to youtube.com/imagineparadise to subscribe and see video of this episode.

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Recovering addicts here in San Francisco will tell you first hand there is a direct correlation between homelessness and substance abuse.   Local ex-homeless/ex-addicts will attest that 8 out of every 10 people on the street are struggling with addiction.  Over 75% of unsheltered have a drug or alcohol addiction and a similar number have a severe mental health disorder. So why are we constantly marketed the idea that this is primarily a poverty problem and housing is the solution?  You can build all the housing in the world and get homeless off the street so you don’t have to look at us, but if we are struggling with drug addiction and mental illness, we're just housed dealing with drug addiction and mental illness.  In 2020, the death rate among San Francisco homeless doubled.  They condone this behavior and even help promote it with harm reduction policies that blur the line between harm reduction and drug promotion.  Caroline Shores Thrush is back and we’re giving you a recovering addict’s perspective on the “compassionate” policies she witnessed while working in the non-profit sector with transitional housing here in San Francisco.  

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My guest, Caroline Shores Thrush, shares her dynamic story about discovering her need for sobriety at twenty years old and learning the power of self love, service to others and finding her own spiritual solution.  Don't forget to subscribe to this podcast and head over to youtube.com/imagineparadise for videos of each episode.

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We become who we spend most of our time with.  It's important that those who make up our inner circle are living out the same high vibration lifestyle that we expect of ourselves.  Surrounding yourself with disciplined, positive, motivated individuals only supports your own efforts to be the same. Today's episode welcomes back the spiritual doula Anjie Hosley to discuss the important of quality friendships and how to attract them, cultivate them and be supported and empowered by them.  

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Matt Gilhooly takes a moment away from The Life Shift Podcast to talk with me about his story, the importance of your story and how we are all on a journey to transmute pain into power.  We cover a few topics here with some great ah ha moments to enjoy. This episode will leave you inspired and hopefully make you more certain of your own ability to make good of broken things.

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Focused on the liberating nature of letting your guard down and just being yourself, Anyway You Wanna was a song written for our LGBTQ+ youth to inspire and encourage them to know self-love on the deepest possible level.  But the message of valuing who we are is not just for the young, for many of us still carry deep wounds that linger still from a long arduous journey of coming out.  This episode not only tells the backstory of how the song came to be, but seeks to move us from pain into power.  

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With the last few episodes focusing on freedom from compulsive thinking and identification with the mind, I turn my gaze towards the body-mind connection.  All of us need to learn how to create more space between ourselves and the emotions that we so strongly identify with.  In this episode, you will learn how to become the observer of your emotions rather than becoming your emotions.  I also talk about how to connect with emotions that seem hard to reach.   Join me as I break down principles from the book The Power Of Now and strive to make them easily understandable and immediately applicable.  

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If you want to know how to optimize the quality of your romantic relationships and come to the table fully equipped to build something meaningful and fulfilling, there are three key non-romantic relationships you might want to get in order.  The Spiritual Doula Anjie Hosley is back with some real life applications that will get you maximum results in your relationship endeavors.  

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We cannot attract that which we are not a vibrational equivalent to.  Therefore, in order to attract love and manifest the relationship of your dreams, we must do the work to become a vibrational match to the kind of love we desire.   Today's episode and conversation is inspired by the lyrics of Timeless (We Are) from the album Imagine Paradise available on all streaming platforms.  Don't forget to subscribe to youtube.com/imagineparadise for daily inspiration and motivation.  

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As so many of my interviews this season, this is another fascinating true story of a phoenix rising from the ashes of addiction and making a new life for himself.  This is Steve on how he found sobriety, beat cancer and found a purpose for life.  We also have a great conversation about the transformative power of surrender.  Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and visit youtube.com/imagineparadise for daily motivational/spiritual content.

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Scott L reminds us of the power of community and how isolation is death for those of us struggling with addiction and alcohol.  A great conversation of what life was like before addiction and what life is like in sobriety.  

Remember to subscribe to this podcast and visit youtube.com/imagineparadise for daily motivational/spiritual content.

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Dale G takes you on a remarkable journey of what life was like before sobriety and what life is like now.  If you need to be reminded of your ability to overcome addiction and build a new life for yourself that is happy, joyous and free, do not miss this episode.

Remember to subscribe to this podcast and visit youtube.com/imagineparadise for daily motivational/spiritual content.

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It's the final episode of Season 2 and we have a bit of light discussion around my song Lonely Sunday Morning from my debut album One Of the Ones.   If there is any sort of offering this episode gives is just to encourage you to savor every experience you have in life - it makes us who we are.

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This episode is a great review of the four stages of spiritual awareness that I've referenced in previous podcasts.  I use my song Man Outta Me to transport me back to a time in my life where the journey from victim to victor was new and unfamiliar to me.  This conversation will remind you of your spiritual identity and the power that is inherently within you as a Divine expression of Infinite Potentiality.  

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Forgiveness is not easy to come by sometimes, but nine times outta ten we are the ones that are still suffering - not them.  We are the only ones hurting by holding on to it.  Sometimes all the universe needs to hear is that little whisper from us that says "I am willing".  Just asking the universe to show us what we need to let go of - to show us who we need to become in order to forgive - it sets things in motion.  In this episode, I discuss the experience that informed my song Left Over and encourage all of us to lay claim to our own personal freedom through the power of forgiveness.  

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Did you know that those of us who are prone to addiction are a special little breed with a natural inclination towards spiritual transcendence?  The problem is that we are seeking that transcendental experience through false substitutes.  When we realize that spirituality is the door to that transcendence, something clicks for us and we find a profound power.  If we daily invest in a spiritual solution, life can be a daily high that only Spirit can provide.  In this episode, I use my song Love In Another Light from my debut album One Of The Ones to tell my own journey from addiction to recovery.

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Emotions are our internal guidance system.  They are to be observed and evaluated, but not necessarily absorbed as our identity.  Becoming the observer of our emotions creates a healthy distance between feeling and "being" that feeling.  "I am angry" vs "I have anger" is notably different vibration.  Instead of identifying with every rush of emotion we have, it is possible to become the thoughtful observer of our feelings and follow them down to the fundamental belief that is supporting that feeling.  In this episode, discussion is inspired by my song I Should Go from my debut album One Of The Ones.  

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Many spiritual gurus say that the identification with the mind is the greatest obstacle to our enlightenment, but what the crap does it mean?  In this episode, I help us pull this concept out of the self-help books and into a tangible understanding of when we are using the mind and when the mind is using us.  Continuing our conversation from previous episodes, we learn this nuance so that we may be free from compulsive thinking, move into the space between thought and discover what communing with our own Divine Beingness feels like.  

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We all gotta stumble before we're standing tall.  It's part of the learning process.  If recent failures have you feeling hopeless and loosing perspective,  be reminded that you have the power to transform any experience and there is nothing to be alarmed about.  You are lacking nothing.  In this episode, I do a deep dive into my song Standing Tall from the EP Bad Habit and review the four stages of spiritual awareness.

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Are you exhausted by how much weight we as a society put on virtually everything these days?  There is a real joy in holding things lightly, staying loose and allowing circumstances to go where they will with the inner assurance that the universe always has your back.  In this episode, I discuss how liberating it was to let go of my overly serious attitude around music and give myself permission to simply experience laughter through my song Tell Me Twice from my EP Bad Habit.

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You heard Rev. Denise say it last season..."The context of our life creates the content of our life." Once we take a closer look at the old paradigms that give us the same disappointing experiences over and over, we are  free to create new paradigms that will create better circumstances.  In this episode I use my song Three Words as an example of how I wrote down all the old paradigms I had around relationships and created a list of new beliefs that actually worked to my benefit.  This concept applies to anything we desire to create - counter old life-denying beliefs with new life-affirming beliefs, work with them and watch them create new experiences in time.  

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Something about surrendering to a higher power in the face of our most intense challenges causes synchronicity to meet us right where we are.  Countless times I have seen something beyond me carry me through moments I thought I would surely fail.  In this episode, I riff a bit about my song Bad Habit and explore the power in the simple act of surrender.

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If you know what you were called to do, it makes no difference if the people around you get it.  Let it confuse them.  Let them judge you.  Stand in your truth and stop waiting for others to give you permission to use your anointing!  Allow every obstacle to re-invent you.  Your anointing has come fully equipped to find its path.  Trust and believe in your inner compass.  I wrap up this month's focus on my album The Gospel According To Levi with a deep dive into my song Say It Out Loud.  

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Continuing with our featured conversations around songs from my album The Gospel According To Levi, I give the backstory on what became one of my most triggering songs for religious communities, Bittersweet Salvation.  The lesson for us is to never stop being a seeker.  Never stop questioning, reading and reaching beyond what is comfortable.  If our thirst for spiritual wisdom never ventures beyond what is familiar to us, chances are there is so much more to discover.  Best quote - if anyone is using fear to sell you a spiritual narrative, tell'm to get to steppin'. 

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For decades, monotheistic religions have managed to use their holy books as a reason to drive up the body count of nonbelievers.  As a matter of fact, you will be hard pressed to find many examples of religion-inspired violence and bigotry before monotheistic religions  came to power.  From the twin towers, to slavery, to condemning interracial marriage, to withholding black men from positions in the priesthood, to women's suffrage, to same sex marriage and so much more, the common thread is men using "sacred" passages from their holy books to justify their violence and bigotry.  The song In The Name Of God features a myriad of transgressions justified by "righteous anger".

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I never like to present a problem without a solution and for my album The Gospel According To Levi, there were plenty of problems articulated.  However, the song Futurelove was a shift in the tone of that controversial album.  And in this episode, it is the catalyst for a conversation around learning to talk to others who may share a completely different world view than the one we value.  There is a willingness to come together in this lyric  - and I hope our passion for a world of unity inspires us to do the work that such a selfless and humble mission requires.  

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When I first wrote my song We're Okay, featured on the album The Gospel According To Levi, it was an attempt to reunite my mother and I after coming out to her.  This podcast goes back to the moment when I became willing to build a bridge between myself and those who couldn't have more different views.  Being committed to love is easy when we are isolated by like-minded individuals.  It's only when we reach across the great divide that we truly discover what it means to be humble and empathetic.  Our desire for true Unity will eventually require us to know what it's like to walk in someone else's shoes.  

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The first responsibility you have to your dreams is to ensure that you are not enveloping them with a vibration of lack, a belief in not enough-ness, or an egoic desperation.  The work begins by affirming your spiritual identity and knowing the spiritual principles that govern this opulent, infinite universe.  But this episode really gets good when I start exploring the profound work of neuroscientist Dr. Joe Dispenza and his book Breaking The Habit Of Being Yourself.  These scientific concepts will make tangible the possibility of becoming the person you dream of, but haven’t yet actualized.  Really good concepts all inspired by the song Neverland from my album Broadway At The Keys.  

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Most of our society suffers from an addiction to compulsive thinking.  The mind is always reevaluating the past or strategizing for the future -a constant loop of conflict/solution - but very seldom are we ever in the present moment. Identification with the mind is the single greatest obstruction to our enlightenment.  So what is identification with the mind and how do we found our way out?  I want you to know that you can be free from the enslavement of the mind.  It is not some distant, woo woo goal that only a spiritual guru can attain.  Let's start a conversation on how you can free yourself from compulsive thinking and discover the bliss of beingness.

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We have the power to create our own individualized experience of the world based on how intentional (or unintentional) we are with the quantum laws of the universe.  As a matter of fact, the things that trouble us the most will never enter our matrix if we are not a vibrational match to them.  We will always find what we're looking for - it's quantum law.  The universe only knows one word - yes.  And in response to your thoughts, your feelings, your beliefs, the universe will faithfully send back to you the experiences that are a perfect vibrational match.

This week, I riff on the message found in the song In My Own Lifetime from my album Broadway At The Keys  and explore what possibilities exist in this conversation.  I also talk about our broader contribution to the world.  When we understand that every solution is first and foremost a spiritual solution, we start to operate from a place of Divine identity, informed by universal spiritual principles rather than a limited secular viewpoint.  This transforms the way we go about making change in the world and inspires ideas that are more elevating than destructive, more loving than not. 

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When shame and guilt infect areas of our life, it can encourage self-destructive choices, depression, anxiety, and worse.  Bringing every part of ourselves into the light of love is not only healing personally, but can be of service to others as well.  In this episode, we look at the lyrics of Living In The Shadows from my album Broadway At The Keys and shine the light into all the dark spaces.

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Whatever dream has found its way to your soul, it is your responsibility to envelop it with the vibration of infinite possibility.  So often we hold so tightly to our dreams that we operate from a vibration of lack and not enough-ness.  And at times, our ego can become attached to a particular outcome and become resentful when things do not out-picture as we imagined.  In this episode, we dive in to the lyrics of Corner Of The Sky from my album Broadway At The Keys and create a sacred space where dreams can grow and thrive.  

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Tanya Tucker may have had it right when she sang "If It Don't Come Easy, Better Let It Go".  The universe loves grace and ease and Taking Back My Boogie from my album Imagine Paradise celebrates that moment when you decide to retire the old habit of looking for complicated relationships.  

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Life is more graceful and easy when we point our boat downstream.  So Much Better from my album Imagine Paradise was written with the sole intention of reminding you that the universe desires to work in your favor.  When we let go of micromanaging and allow this Divine Intelligence to do Its thing, things work out.  And it feels so good to let go.

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You give so much of yourself to everyone else that you are constantly depleted and often resentful.  Boundaries were crossed so long ago that to even think about giving yourself what you need is illogical and a waste of time.  If this is you, then a look into the meaning of my song Deeper Love from my album Imagine Paradise may motivate you to be more mindful of your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health.  And most importantly, to start taking little actions in the right direction. 

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Reframing regret and seeing purpose in our past mistakes are essential to moving forward.  For me, the key to unlocking this ability was forgiving the one who matters most - me.  There is a fire in you that no past can put out and nothing can stop you from reclaiming your life.  On this episode, we dive into the lyric of Let It Go from my album Imagine Paradise and discuss what it takes to turn a past of self-loathing and self sabotage to surrender and self-forgiveness.  

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So many of us have allowed our past religious wounds to keep us from reclaiming our spiritual health.  Finding my way out of cynicism and blame - discovering forgiveness and real peace - allowed me to redefine God in a way that invites me to engage daily with my spirit.  The message behind my song Stained Glass Window is not only one of unity in diversity, but also a declaration that no past can take away your spiritual joy.  For YOU are embraced by the light of It's Love.

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The life you desire, the world doesn’t give it to you and the world can’t take it away!  You are the Metaphysical Master of your life experience regardless of what a spiritually desolate society is collectively creating around you.  After all, you are a microcosm of the Macrocosm - a little God - lacking in nothing!  On this episode, I dive into the meaning behind my song No Apologies from the album Where I Belong and come out with pure conviction about creating our own freedom in the face of hate.   Remember, darkness is not a spiritual entity.  Only Light, only goodness, is a spiritual entity and all that doesn't reflect this light is merely the absence of light.  The darkness can never withstand the light.  Be the light. 

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Have you noticed that whatever group, community, or professional world you live in that the collective body has created a set of limitations everyone arbitrarily bows down to?  This episode is for you rebels, determined to make your own rules and trust your own vision.  It's time to stop giving credibility to these collective agreements of limitation.  My song Ain't Nobody from the album Where I Belong is the perfect backstory and message to encourage you to keep believing in the importance of your contribution to this world...at any age.  

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There is one spiritual discipline that is often considered the gateway to lasting enlightenment.  Through this, we can be free from the enslavement of the overactive mind and cultivate a life of Oneness.  In the last episode, I started our conversation about spirituality by asking you what is it and why does it matter.  I don't think it matters if it is not tangibly and measurably improving your life.  I like talking about this first step towards enlightenment because it tangibly creates little moments of heaven throughout the day and if incorporated into your daily life, will inevitably shift your consciousness.   

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Who are you in the midst of dire circumstances?  What belief do you have that allows you to move from despair to hope?  The lyrics of one of my most loved singles, Gonna Be Alright, will help you remember that in the dead of night there is always a shining light.  Not only that, our pressure points are always a pathway to greater personal power.  We just have to train ourselves to see the inherent opportunity in trying times.

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When your vision is sharp and you can feel every detail of the future you within your body, synchronicity lifts the veil and reveals that which you desire to manifest.  It cannot help but do so.  That is the magnetic power of your vibration.  This week, I dive into my song Not Afraid  from the album Where I Belong.  This message is all about learning to work the law of attraction with maximum intention.  And seeing results!  

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When relationships get difficult, most of us become consumed with how we are hurting without understanding the essential need to develop the skill of empathy.  And no, being an empath is not necessarily synonymous with having consciously developed the skill of empathy towards people who think differently from you.  In this episode, I go behind the lyric of Worlds Apart (duet with Jason Antone) and look at a few key "empathetic listening skills" you can start practicing today with your partner.  That, and a great conversation about simple humility.  If you are two broken hearts making good of broken things, this is a great episode for you.  

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When sexual shame isn't dealt with, it can manifest in our physical body as any number of diseases.  Many of us have developed deep shame around our genitals because of abusive relationships, religious wounds, authority figures, or societies condemnation of alternative lifestyles.  Inspired by my song Summer Rain, I see what Louise Hay says about the physical conditions that can result from years of sexual shame and I invite you to reclaim your sexual innocence.  Furthermore, I also discuss how sex energy can super-charge your manifesting ability when combined with meditation and the law of attraction.   Truly, this profound gift from God is unlimited in its ability to enrich our lives when we let go of the past.  

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