In this Beyond story, we revisit one of our earlier conversations with master healer Artie Wu to help us bring to life the liminal stage in our personal transformation pattern. I know this stage well, and I was able to recognize when I was in it, and how I created a vision board to let my soul guide my next big move in life. I'm sharing instructions on how to make yours and that exact vision board on the https://bellystory.com/s3e7 (website). Recognizing the threshold isn't a new idea. I've selected a poem that may connect to your soul from ancient Persian mystic, Rumi. We read poems dedicated to our listeners instead of advertising shills. Our stories are personal, designed for you to hear pieces of your own true nature reveal itself in every story. Wisdom for our Soul, Courage for your Journey. In Belly, we share our extraordinary life stories of personal transformation to let you know that you're not alone in yours and to inspire you to embrace every ounce of it. And Beyond stories helps us see the big picture, comprehending the patterns coming up. SHOULDER UP WITH US - 100% Advertising Free Your podcast is a safe and judgement free space. It's free of advertising and outside influence -- 100% listener powered. We dedicate a poem to folks in our community shouldering up with us. Consider a $5 donation at https://www.bellystory.com/support/ (BellyStory.com/support). Thank you for listening. I hope you're able to hear something meaningful. Warmly, David All Creator, Storyteller, Producer CO-CREATE OUR PODCAST To submit your extraordinary personal life story or to sign-up for new episode emails visit: https://www.bellystory.com/ (BellyStory.com)

Belly of the Beast Life Stories

Beyond: Welcome the Liminal and Rumi

In this very personal Beyond story, I wanted to share why it's so important to me that this podcast is not for sale. Why it matters that you, dear listeners and neighbors of the world, have a safe, judgement free space to listen, and notice what comes up. To do that, I take you back through my own pattern of storytelling; how I learned to tell stories by listening deeply to others tell theirs. Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh shares that listening to others, with compassion and without offering advice or actions, is itself a healing instrument that the world needs now. Our stories are personal, designed for you to hear pieces of your own true nature reveal itself in every story. Wisdom for our Soul, Courage for your Journey. In Belly, we share our extraordinary life stories of personal transformation to let you know that you're not alone in yours and to inspire you to embrace every ounce of it. And Beyond stories helps us see the big picture, comprehending the patterns coming up. ENABLE OUR MISSION - 100% Advertising Free Your podcast is a safe and judgement free space. It's free of advertising and outside influence -- 100% listener supported. It's not on the market, it's not for sale. A podcast where you can listen and hear what's coming up. We dedicate a poem to folks in our community shouldering up with us. Crossing the line, letting us know that we're heard with a $5 donation at https://www.bellystory.com/support/ (BellyStory.com/support). Thank you for listening. I hope you're able to hear something meaningful. Warmly, David All Creator, Storyteller, Producer CO-CREATE OUR PODCAST To submit your extraordinary personal life story, to sign-up for new episode email updates, to contact us or support our mission with a donation, visit: https://www.bellystory.com/ (BellyStory.com)

Beyond: The Gift of Listening and Thich Nhat Hanh

In this special New Year's Beyond story, David All looks deeper into the meaning of that sweet, familiar song, Auld Lang Syne, a poem attributed to Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns. Before you turn the page and burn the book on 2020, turn around and remember the 'Good old days' and all those days in between. Wisdom for our Soul, Courage for your Journey. In Belly, we share our extraordinary life stories of personal transformation to illustrate the nature of personal transformation. Beyond helps us go beyond personal stories to comprehend the overall pattern of transformation. ENABLE OUR MISSION Your podcast is a sacred space and judgment free zone. It's free of advertising and outside influence -- 100% listener supported. A podcast where you can feel safe to listen and know that you're not alone. Transformation is scary, but not a single butterfly has ever attempted to climb back into the cocoon. To keep us advertising free and support our mission to heal, inspire and shape lives with extraordinary personal life stories, chip-in $5 a month at https://www.bellystory.com/support/ (BellyStory.com/support). Thank you for listening. Warmly, David All Creator, Storyteller, Producer CO-CREATE OUR PODCAST To submit your story, sign-up for new episode emails, contact us or support our mission with a donation, visit: https://www.bellystory.com/ (BellyStory.com) Support this podcast

Beyond: Remember Auld Lang Syne and Robert Burns

Corey Cepeda's transformation to become a better man didn't happen overnight, but that journey did begin one night in a jail cell long ago. That night, on his knees on the coldest concrete floor in an intimate jail cell, he committed to ending his rough lifestyle, a typical example in the pattern of fatherlessness led him there. In the darkness of that oubliette, his soul noticed the light - his decision to forge checks meant that he would miss his first daughter's baptism. A kenshō moment where he glimpsed his true nature and like a seed that can't be unplanted, would change him forever. He grabbed the Bible, dropped to his knees, and started his process of transformation by surrendering. And asking for forgiveness from a higher power. Corey's determination and commitment to changing his life is an inspiring story of personal realization, clear awareness, and what it really takes to climb up a better man.   OUR STORY Hey there, welcome to Season 3 of https://www.BellyStory.com/s3e3 (Belly of the Beast Life Stories with David All).  This third season of life is a rare collection of stories of men that grew up without a biological father around. It's helping me comprehend my own life story of fatherlessness, and showing folks that it's a pattern worth breaking to be a better man. At some point during this season, I'll share my own belly story, but until then, good men like Corey are standing for all of us to share their story, to inspire us and give us courage to reveal our own true nature. That's the purpose of this podcast as I comprehend it today: Wisdom for our Soul -- Courage for your Journey. This is your podcast for extraordinary personal life stories. Each story illustrates the nature of personal transformation. A change that forced us down into the dark, gooey stage of life where we found our purpose and climbed up a new person. ENABLE OUR MISSION Your podcast is a sacred space and judgment free zone. It's free of advertising and outside influence -- 100% listener supported. A podcast where you can feel safe to listen and know that you're not alone. Transformation is scary, but not a single butterfly has ever attempted to climb back into the cocoon. To keep us advertising free and support our mission to heal, inspire and shape lives with extraordinary personal life stories, chip-in $5 a month at https://www.bellystory.com/support/ (BellyStory.com/support). Thank you for listening. Warmly, David All Creator, Storyteller, Producer   CO-CREATE OUR PODCAST To submit your story, sign-up for new episode emails, contact us or support our mission with a donation, visit: https://www.bellystory.com (BellyStory.com) Support this podcast

Becoming a Better Man with Corey Cepeda

Season 3, Episode 3: Fatherlessness: The Consequences of Forging Checks Led to a Personal Life Transformation. Corey Cepeda's transformation to become a better man didn't happen overnight, but that journey did begin one night in a jail cell long ago. That night, on his knees on the coldest concrete floor in an intimate jail cell, he committed to ending his rough lifestyle, a typical example in the pattern of fatherlessness led him there. In the darkness of that oubliette, his soul noticed the light - his decision to forge checks meant that he would miss his first daughter's baptism. A kenshō moment where he glimpsed his true nature and like a seed that can't be unplanted, would change him forever. He grabbed the Bible, dropped to his knees, and started his process of transformation by surrendering. And asking for forgiveness from a higher power. Corey's determination and commitment to changing his life is an inspiring story of personal realization, clear awareness, and what it really takes to climb up a better man.   CONNECT DEEPER WITH OUR STORY For episode notes, a transcript, quotables, and to connect and learn more about our guest, visit: https://www.bellystory.com/s3e3 (BellyStory.com/s3e3)   OUR STORY Hey there, welcome to Season 3 of https://www.BellyStory.com/s3e3 (Belly of the Beast Life Stories with David All).  This third season of life is a rare collection of stories of men that grew up without a biological father around. It's helping me comprehend my own life story of fatherlessness, and showing folks that it's a pattern worth breaking to be a better man. At some point during this season, I'll share my own belly story, but until then, good men like Corey are standing for all of us to share their story, to inspire us and give us courage to reveal our own true nature. That's the purpose of this podcast as I comprehend it today: Wisdom for our Soul -- Courage for your Journey. This is your podcast for extraordinary personal life stories. Each story illustrates the nature of personal transformation. A change that forced us down into the dark, gooey stage of life where we found our purpose and climbed up a new person.   ENABLE OUR MISSION Your podcast is a sacred space and judgment free zone. It's free of advertising and outside influence -- 100% listener supported. A podcast where you can feel safe to listen and know that you're not alone. Transformation is scary, but not a single butterfly has ever attempted to climb back into the cocoon. To keep us advertising free and support our mission to heal, inspire and shape lives with extraordinary personal life stories, chip-in $5 a month at BellyStory.com/support. Thank you for listening. Warmly, David All Creator, Storyteller, Producer   CO-CREATE OUR PODCAST To submit your story, sign-up for new episode emails, contact us or support our mission with a donation, visit: BellyStory.com

Season 3, Episode 3: Fatherlessness: The Consequences of Forging Checks Led to a Personal Life Transformation. Corey Cepeda's transformation to become a better man didn't happen overnight, but that journey did begin one night in a jail cell long ago. That night, on his knees on the coldest concrete floor in an intimate jail cell, he committed to ending his rough lifestyle, a typical example in the pattern of fatherlessness led him there. In the darkness of that oubliette, his soul noticed the light - his decision to forge checks meant that he would miss his first daughter's baptism. A kenshō moment where he glimpsed his true nature and like a seed that can't be unplanted, would change him forever. He grabbed the Bible, dropped to his knees, and started his process of transformation by surrendering. And asking for forgiveness from a higher power. Corey's determination and commitment to changing his life is an inspiring story of personal realization, clear awareness, and what it really takes to climb up a better man.   CONNECT DEEPER WITH OUR STORY For episode notes, a transcript, quotables, and to connect and learn more about our guest, visit: BellyStory.com/s3e3   OUR STORY Hey there, welcome to Season 3 of Belly of the Beast Life Stories with David All.  This third season of life is a rare collection of stories of men that grew up without a biological father around. It's helping me comprehend my own life story of fatherlessness, and showing folks that it's a pattern worth breaking to be a better man. At some point during this season, I'll share my own belly story, but until then, good men like Corey are standing for all of us to share their story, to inspire us and give us courage to reveal our own true nature. That's the purpose of this podcast as I comprehend it today: Wisdom for our Soul -- Courage for your Journey. This is your podcast for extraordinary personal life stories. Each story illustrates the nature of personal transformation. A change that forced us down into the dark, gooey stage of life where we found our purpose and climbed up a new person.   ENABLE OUR MISSION Your podcast is a sacred space and judgment free zone. It's free of advertising and outside influence -- 100% listener supported. A podcast where you can feel safe to listen and know that you're not alone. Transformation is scary, but not a single butterfly has ever attempted to climb back into the cocoon. To keep us advertising free and support our mission to heal, inspire and shape lives with extraordinary personal life stories, chip-in $5 a month at BellyStory.com/support. Thank you for listening. Warmly, David All Creator, Storyteller, Producer   CO-CREATE OUR PODCAST To submit your story, sign-up for new episode emails, contact us or support our mission with a donation, visit: BellyStory.com

At first glance, you might wonder why Christian Long, a man with multiple fathers, would be featured in a series on fatherlessness. Good question. It’s true that Christian has a biological father, but he was out of the picture before Christian was three years old and only emerged again when Christian was 25. Christian also had three stepfathers (and three different last names.) Thanks to his wife, he has a father-in-law… So there is no shortage of fathers in his life. What’s missing, though, was a dad – a safe, constant male figure in his life. The story of Christian’s father-void is still not over. At age 50, he’s still processing how his experience of fatherlessness has affected his temperament, his fears, and his relationships – especially his relationship with his own children. As he reflects, a deep, raw honesty emerges. It’s real. It’s is a place of acceptance. And it’s hopeful. OUR STORY Hey there, welcome to Season 3 of Belly of the Beast Life Stories. I’m David All. It’s another season of life here at the podcast. This third season is a very rare collection of stories by men who share the golden thread of growing up with an absent biological father and broke the pattern to be a good man. I’ll be sharing my own Belly story later this season. And let me tell you that a year ago, when we launched this show, I didn’t realize this was my Belly story. Wisdom for our Soul -- Courage for your Journey. Extraordinary life stories illustrate the nature of personal transformation. A change that forced us down into the dark, gooey stage of life where we found our purpose and climbed up a new person. Our podcast has a purpose — a mission to heal, inspire and shape lives with extraordinary life stories. Stand with us — Visit BellyStory.com to share your story, listen and subscribe, sign-up for episode updates and chip-in, and enable our mission.   EPISODE SUMMARY Part I - Christian reflects on having multiple fathers -- stepfathers and a biological father –- yet he had a dad-void. - Christian’s childhood memories of his biological father are so few, whatever in-person memories exist happened at or before the age of two. - Christian’s first stepfather insisted on adopting him. Years later, Christian realized the adoption was not based on love for him as a child; it was nothing more than a negotiation, a poker move of sorts. - Once a year, Christian visited his paternal grandparents, and once while he was there, he spoke with his father on the phone, though at the time, he didn’t know who he was. - Anger, often suppressed or masquerading as sarcasm, has been a constant companion of Christian’s. - The threat of violence from his stepfather left Christian on edge, scared, and looking for outlets away from home. - Christian describes a difficult time in his marriage when he moved out for a couple of months and how the responsibility he felt as a father helped pull him back home. Part II - Christian shares why he believes his children are what held his marriage together through a rocky time. - Christian reflects on the lines of a poem he wrote for his daughter, Berkeley. - Christian articulates why feeling love is so difficult. - Christian describes the work of healing from being fatherless. - Christian describes his online community of men who choose to be honest and vulnerable with one another. Part III - In some ways, Christina feels like he’s just beginning -- just beginning to discover himself, to feel. It’s never too late to start. QUOTABLES “The first thing that Christian said to me about his story was that it might not be a good fit for this season, because he still feels the deep wound of fatherlessness.” “The idea of thinking of who was my dad in an intimate, emotional, close way is a moving target for me.” “I was in a constant state of discomfort and also trying to protect my mother but doing it through sarcasm or one-liners.” “While I didn't take that violence out on people I cared about, that violence becomes passive but just as detrimental in other ways.” “My kids were my salvation. When I wasn't sure about me and I wasn't sure about my career, my skills, I wasn't sure about my marriage, whether I was lovable or could love in return, my kids, even at a young age, were my salvation.” “if there hadn't been kids, I don't think there would have been a way back. I don't think, for my wife, I would have been enough to bring back, and I don't think I would have felt there was a place to go back to.” “What I felt deep, deep, deep is that those kids were the way back, that my wife and I, our relationship was possible because those kids would bring us back together as a family.” “It was like I didn't know how to exist until they arrived.” “I have spent a lot of my life assuming and feeling that the people that I was meant to love or I was meant to feel their love were going to disappear.” “I look at the kids and I'm still in awe that my daughter really deeply loves me. And I'm still super intimidated and feel a pain, like a breaking, when my son doesn't need his dad.” “That just to be in a space where good human beings will talk deeply about what guides them and what they're challenged by... It's also just a helluva lot less lonely. You're not stuck in your lane. So I keep showing up. I keep welcoming them back.” “This is the moment. The past story doesn't have to be the next story.” “Identity, I think it's out in front of me. It's time to go lay claim. It's time to feel good. It's time to say this is the life that was meant to happen.”   LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR GUEST - Founder / Host of the "Oh, Sh*t" Sessions: a virtual gathering of 'good men' from around the world who come together each month to explore the "Oh, Sh*t" moments in their life -- now and in the past -- as well as to define the ways they are seeking to make a purposeful impact in their future. Interested to learn more / participate? Reach out directly via: longchristian@gmail.com - TEDx Indianapolis talk -- "Wonder, By Design": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R68Yhd--RY - We Are Unusual talk -- "Creating the Conditions for Wonder": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsA6LZpoJ3w - The WONDER Project (work) website: https://www.wonderproject.org/ - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianadamslong/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christianlong/ BE A PART OF OUR STORY - Enable Our Mission: BellyStory.com - Submit a Story: BellyStory.com - Listen for Free: BellyStory.com - Post a Review: BellyStory.com - @inourbelly on Instagram - @davidall on Instagram Email us: Belly@mountethos.com   This podcast is produced by MOUNT ETHOS: An All Purpose Storytelling Studio for the World's Finest Come on up and take a look: MountEthos.com

Gifted this Moment to Begin with Christian Long

As with so many children in the world today, Leonardo Lightbourne (L.T. Bourne) grew up with an absent father. Watching from the window as his father drove away left L.T. feeling confused and heartbroken. As he grew, he became a people-pleaser, trying to win the favor of others so that they wouldn’t abandon him. This led to a lack of boundaries and some bad decisions.  Thankfully, L.T.’s best friend’s father served as a mentor and a positive influence in his life. Without his encouragement and guidance, L.T. is doubtful that he would be where he is today.  Upon completing university, he struggled to find employment...for months. He felt like a failure. During this low point of his life, L.T. began journaling, realized that he was suffering from parental abandonment issues, and he determined to work through them. From there, his book, It’s Not a Man’s World: How I conquered the Sins of My Father, was born. L.T.’s journey is full of lessons about boundaries, surrender, forgiveness, and empowerment. His story is a message of hope, of embracing your life right where you are, and of taking responsibility for your own narrative, no matter how rocky your start may have been.  → OUR STORY Hey there, welcome to Season 3 of Belly of the Beast Life Stories. I’m David All.  It’s another season of life here at the podcast. This third season is a very rare collection of stories by men who share the golden thread of growing up with an absent biological father and broke the pattern to be a good man. I’ll be sharing my own Belly story later this season. And let me tell you that a year ago, when we launched this show, I didn’t realize this was my Belly story.   Wisdom for our Soul -- Courage for your Journey. Extraordinary life stories illustrate the nature of personal transformation. A change that forced us down into the dark, gooey stage of life where we found our purpose and climbed up a new person.  Our podcast has a purpose — a mission to heal, inspire and shape lives with extraordinary life stories. Stand with us — Visit BellyStory.com to share your story, listen and subscribe, sign-up for episode updates and chip-in, and enable our mission.   → EPISODE SUMMARY Part I - L.T. remembers the day his father left. He was just a child. There was an argument with his grandmother; his mother was crying; and then his father drove away as L.T. watched from the window. - He knew his father was only 10 minutes away, yet he never came to visit.  - L.T. felt like he must have done something wrong. This led to him developing a people-pleasing personality. - Watching family sitcoms on TV showed L.T. that he was missing something in his life, that something was lacking in his family structure. - Father’s Day was especially difficult. Having to go to church and witness the celebration of happy father-child relationships was like pouring salt in a wound. - His own birthday was difficult to celebrate too. He felt like his birth must have been a mistake. Why should he celebrate his parents’ mistake? - Thankfully, L.T.’s best friend had an intact family, and his friend’s father became a mentor and father-figure to L.T.. He nurtured and encouraged L.T.. He even let him sit in on some lectures he gave his own son. - After university, it would be months before L.T. would land a job. He felt like a failure.    Part II - During that time of unemployment, L.T. started journaling. Through his writings, he recognized he had parental rejection issues he needed to work through. The book idea was born. - Writing his story helped L.T. drop the people-pleasing. Telling his story “gave me back my power as a man.” - Wisdom comes through pain. And telling our stories liberates us from the pain.  - When L.T. was able to surrender to the present moment, he was able to let go of the past. - L.T. realized that holding onto resentment was an act of insanity. - Forgiving his father allowed him to live a free, happier life.  - We don’t get a manual on how to do life, and we’re going to make mistakes. We’re going to hurt people as we’re trying to figure things out. We need to forgive one another so that we can all keep moving forward in our development.   Part III -When others hurt you, it’s not because of something you’ve done but because of something they’re going through. - No matter what your background, whether you had an involved father or not, you can control the narrative of your life. - L.T. now embraces his journey and recognizes that his rough start just makes victory that much sweeter.   → QUOTABLES “I had the fear of if I love somebody, then they're going to up and leave the minute I make a mistake or the minute I do something.” “Mentorship is a phenomenal thing. It has reaped so many benefits in my life...If that figure wasn't there, I don't think I would be in this position I am today...I definitely would have fallen victim to the environment that I was in.”   “Because I didn't feel worthy of love, I always felt like I needed to win people's love in my life. So I would always be the person you call, and I'm always there. I'm always available. I always want to go above and beyond for you because I didn't feel worthy… People would interpret this as being someone who is dedicated, who is committed, who is hardworking, but deep down, that wasn't who I was. I was suppressing my insecurities of feeling not worthy.”   “The darkest period brought about my greatest blessing in that I was able to journal, and from my journal, I was able to develop the idea of writing a book about growing up without a father. So that period brought about one of my greatest blessings and gave me a story that is relatable to a lot of people globally. So even though it's one of my darkest periods, it brought about my greatest blessing.”   “Writing a book gave me a voice of speaking and not worrying about what other people thought of me. I was able to be vulnerable. I was able to express myself in a way that I've never expressed myself before. And that destroyed the whole people-pleasing mindset and attitude… I'm not doing things to be accepted anymore. I'm telling my story because I want to be liberated. I want to live a life of not holding on to pain and regret. That moment of telling my story gave me back my power as a man.”   “There is no greater power than being completely at one with who you are. There is no greater power than that. And I have that now.”   “It just seemed like an act of insanity to be angry at my father's decision. That has already been made. But what am I going to do now about it?”   “Forgiving my father and learning how to develop a strong perception of why he left allowed me to live a free, happier life. It allowed me to love him for him and not his actions because I was able to see his actions as a product of the way he was raised and his environment as opposed to the person that he was.”   “People never hurt you because of what you do. They hurt you because of what they are going through.”   “An individual who has fully accepted himself, who has fully loved himself will never hurt you. They will always love you because they have come to peace with who they are.”    “When they show you hurt, show them love. Show them what they're missing in their lives so that one day that would gain some insight or they will have a revelation, or they will gain some introspection.”   “Respond to hurt and hate with love, and you will always win in the end.”   “Are you going to rise up and be victorious? Or are you going to fall down and play the victim? It's your choice — victor or victim. It's entirely in your hand.”   “I know now that to whom much is given, much is required, and that the strongest soldiers usually get the hardest battles and the hardest fight. And so I embrace that knowing that God has given me a strength that is far beyond the average human being, to carry emotional trauma and overcome emotional trauma and now be a beacon of wisdom to others.”   → LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR GUEST - It’s Not a Man’s World: How I Conquered the Sins of My Father by L.T. Bourne (get it on Amazon) - Website and blog: https://www.ltbourne.com/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamltbourne - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamltbourne - Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/iamltbourne - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamltbourne   → BE A PART OF OUR STORY - Enable Our Mission: BellyStory.com - Submit a Story: BellyStory.com - Listen for Free: BellyStory.com - Post a Review: BellyStory.com - @inourbelly on Instagram - @davidall on Instagram Email us: Belly@mountethos.com Produced by MOUNT ETHOS: One of the World’s First ALL PURPOSE Storytelling Studios

The Quest for Purpose with L.T. Bourne

In this fourth episode of Beyond, David All tells us Joe Biden’s personal story of choosing the role and responsibility of fatherhood over all else, including his own ambitions in his career of public service.   Various examples from Joe's personal life story show a pattern of responsible fathering passed down from one generation to the next.   This is a portrait of fatherfullness, a glimpse into the rare pattern that we need more of in the world today to reverse the trend of fatherlessness.   ABOUT THIS PODCAST Wisdom for our Soul -- Courage for your Journey. In Belly, we share our extraordinary life stories of personal transformation to illustrate the nature of personal transformation. Beyond helps us go beyond personal stories to comprehend the overall pattern of transformation.   Stay tuned for Season 3 of Belly where we’re sharing real stories of men growing up with an absent biological father and the impact this has on their life.   Fatherlessness, the antithesis of fatherfullness, is the golden thread marking a childhood of grief, anger, and missteps, it’s a difficult pattern to break out of. But for David and these other men, we see a transformation from the adult boy to the man. A climb up from being born in the hole is the overall pattern of each of these stories. These are extraordinary stories you need to hear.   Visit BellyStory.com to listen, sign-up for new episode notifications and enable our mission.

Beyond Ep.4: Joe Biden, A Portrait of Fatherfullness

Welcome to our third season of Belly of the Beast Life Stories.   Growing up with an absent biological father has a particular impact on men.   In Fatherlessness, I’ll tell you stories of men that share this experience.    A golden thread marking a childhood of grief, anger, and missteps; a difficult pattern to break out of. But for these men, a transformation from the adult boy to the man.   Their climb up from being born in the hole — that’s the overall pattern of each of these stories.   If you have a story to share, text me at (360) 968-6867 or email, david@inourbelly.com.   LISTENER COMMUNITY RESOURCES Text your name and email address to (360) 968-6867 for episode updates and exclusive content  Write a fair review about this show: https://bit.ly/bellyapple Our website: https://inourbelly.com David’s personal email: david@inourbelly.com Social Media (we’re open to help in these areas if you’d like to volunteer): Instagram.com/inourbelly  Twitter.com/inourbelly Linkedin.com/company/belly-of-the-beast-life-stories Facebook.com/inourbelly   GROWTH STORYTELLING ALLSTAY GROUP: David works with businesses and organizations to tell their stories in moments that matter to grow their business https://allstaygroup.com 

Season 3: Fatherlessness, Stories of Men

Like rivers and streams filled with fragments of gold, there are nuggets of wisdom in the stories we hear.    Beyond is wisdom distilled to pure gold; simply listen and glimpse in to your own life journey.   Our advisor Artie Wu dives into his personal transformation to become a a master healer to more than 120,000 folks around the world. In one of the clearest examples I've heard, Artie describes what 'healing' is, why it helps folks live a fuller life, and his vision for a healed world.   Want to hear all our episodes first? Using your phone, listeners in the U.S. can text us at (360) 968-6867 with your name and email address.    EPISODE SUMMARY – Artie shares his “own phases as a caterpillar” and his transformation journey to find his bliss as a healer – Artie answers an important question: what is healing? – Artie talks about the mask that society gives girls of being “good girls” and boys of being “strong and competent” (and getting a pass on being “good”) – We stuff parts of who we are down into the Belly – and healing is the act of going down to recover that lost part of you   – Artie connects how most will refuse the “call” to recover this part of who they are and then life magically “puts them through the tumble cycle” to reconcile with that part of them in the belly – Pain from a traumatic experience, like getting hit hard on the football field and crying has a secondary and deeper wound when the boy is in the car getting screamed at by his dad for crying and that “boys don’t cry” – Boys have learned to cut off their ability to express emotion – Artie shares his 7-day healing program as a way to learn the tools to go back and recover these missing parts of you on your own  – What is “following your bliss” and why it’s so crucial for you right now – Artie ends our story with this beautiful quote, “But when you know the meaning of pain you’re going through, almost anything is bearable,” reminding you that you too are a butterfly and your bliss is calling you — but it still requires going into the cocoon phase of life   QUOTABLES “You know, I’ve went through my own phases of being a caterpillar. Jumping through the hoops of going to the right schools and doing sort of industry work and professional stuff that would be acceptable to the expectations that I had coding in my own mind and heart.”   “So the quick view of how I think about healing is that within every single one of us as we go through life. There will be parts of us that are valid, genuine card carrying parts of who we actually are as people just as we’re born. That we will feel are unacceptable to the world around us. And that’s an issue. An extreme if I’m in a society where being, say, divorced or homosexual or whatever will cost me my life because I could be executed under the law of that country, then if this is part of me that is like my sexual orientation or my religious affiliation could cause me to die or be killed, then that’s a part of me if I want to survive that, I have to stuff down.”   “And where you’ve stuffed that part of you is down in the belly, down in the deepest level of Guantanamo prison. And it can be argued that – healing is basically the act of going down into the lowest levels of the prison to recover that lost part of yourself.”   “And so there’s a sort of mysterious connection between healing as this whole natural process, this spontaneous process, if you will, of going into the belly of the beast that we all experience. I don’t believe there’s any master sort of torturer triggering all these things — it happens from our biology; Like a bird builds a nest and it’s beautiful.”   “And the whole healing process that I teach that I take people through is this journey of like, OK, so let’s figure out what it was? Where is it now? And how do we recover it back? Actually, teach this 7-day healing program where in 7 days. Oh, we don’t do the full recovery, But we teach you all the tools in that seven day workshop for you to do the recovery on your own.”   “And by day three (of the 7-day healing program), they find the missing part of them. They’re having this conversation with it and they’ve already started the recovery process.”   “That is where that road leads you is to finding and following your bliss. The thing you love to do natively even before you were born for no good reason. But when you follow it, you know it makes you happy. It unlocks all this power in you. It also, in hindsight, ends up being like you realized the meaning of purpose in your life. The reason why you’re on the planet in the first place. And as a happy byproduct, it rains down blessing on the life of the world around you.”   “A caterpillar, armies of caterpillars are just like hanging out on the tree leaves and they see butterflies fly by and they’re like, what the hell is that? And someone’s like and some butterfly stops , Picasso stops. Where are you? Oh, that’s fine for Picasso, but not for me. But that’s fine for Jonah, but not for me. It’s fine for Chip Conley, but not for me. Chip looks at you like, don’t you get it? You are me.”   “But when you know the meaning of pain you’re going through, almost anything is bearable.”     GUEST RESOURCES Artie Wu’s healing center: http://bit.ly/presidelife Facebook community: http://bit.ly/PresideFB On Instagram: http://bit.ly/artieIG   LISTENER COMMUNITY RESOURCES Text your name and email address to (360) 968-6867 for episode updates and exclusive content  Write a fair review about this show: https://bit.ly/bellyapple Our website: https://inourbelly.com David’s personal email: david@inourbelly.com Social Media (we’re open to help in these areas if you’d like to volunteer): Instagram.com/inourbelly  Twitter.com/inourbelly Linkedin.com/company/belly-of-the-beast-life-stories Facebook.com/inourbelly   GROWTH STORYTELLING ALLSTAY GROUP: David works with businesses and organizations to tell their stories in moments that matter to grow their business https://allstaygroup.com 

Beyond Ep.3: Finding Your Bliss with Artie Wu

Like rivers and streams filled with fragments of gold, there are nuggets of wisdom in the stories we hear.    Beyond the Belly is wisdom distilled from our stories to pure gold; simply listen and glimpse in to your own life journey.   This episode with our advisor and master healer, Artie Wu, reveals the overall pattern of transformation — the secret recipe of each personal Belly story. Once you hear the pattern - you’ll see it coming up in our podcast and with those around you.   Want to get exclusive episode updates and content?   Using your phone, listeners in the U.S. can text us at (360) 968-6867 with your name and email address to get new episode updates and receive exclusive access to episode content on our website.   Here’s an example of how to text us your information: David All david@inourbelly.com     EPISODE SUMMARY – The first stage of transformation is ‘forced change’ which is the event which triggers the process of transformation – We use Dr. Julian Gold’s diagnosis of cancer (Season 1) where he was diagnosed and days later was in the hospital for treatment – Artie notes that a health event is one category of forced change that “truly cannot be stuffed down anymore” – In the actual forced event itself — and in your own forced change in your life — understand the overall meaning in the event itself – Artie discusses allegory versus symbol; rise above why it’s happening and understand that it is happening and how will you respond to it – From forced change, the caterpillar goes into the cocoon stage, and we use an excerpt from Chip Conley’s story(Season 1) to illustrate the “dark, gooey stage” of life – Jobi Manson’s story(Season 1) is used to illustrate the role of surrender in the process – necessary as the final stage before climbing up into being a butterfly – Holocaust survivor Martha Sternbach’s story(Season 1) of erupting as a butterfly 50 years after the Holocaust ended is our example of emergence – Artie answers David's question “Will everyone become a butterfly?”   QUOTABLES “The question that’s more interesting and relevant to me and ultimately helpful in my experience is what is the overall meaning of this event [forced change that leads to transformation]?”   “The true transformative surrender is always forced. It always feels forced. If you willingly do it and try to maintain control, it’s not quite the real thing.”   “So when that transformation happens… Your narrative about your self changes. And then you, in your essence, also change.”   “I think the answer is the natural pattern is that yes, yes. You know, everyone is a caterpillar does go down to cocoon phase and does come up the butterfly. The process can be aborted, can be forced back backward even or like completely stalemated and halted. Because there are other forces within you that will say this entire shape is invalid. I reject this entire shape. I demand that I be a caterpillar and a damn good looking one driving a nice car for the rest of my life with no change whatsoever. All I want is no change. And those forces in a person can be very powerful as well to the point where they abort any cocooning that happens.“     GUEST RESOURCES Artie Wu’s healing center: http://bit.ly/presidelife Facebook community: http://bit.ly/PresideFB On Instagram: http://bit.ly/artieIG   LISTENER COMMUNITY RESOURCES Text your name and email address to (360) 968-6867 for episode updates and exclusive content  Write a fair review about this show: https://bit.ly/bellyapple Our website: https://inourbelly.com David’s personal email: david@inourbelly.com Social Media (we’re open to help in these areas if you’d like to volunteer): Instagram.com/inourbelly  Twitter.com/inourbelly Linkedin.com/company/belly-of-the-beast-life-stories Facebook.com/inourbelly   GROWTH STORYTELLING StoryGPS by David All to connect to your personal narrative: https://davidall.com ALLSTAY Group: Growth storytelling for business and organizations: https://allstaygroup.com 

Beyond Ep.2: The pattern of transformation with Artie Wu

If Belly is a story for your soul, then Beyond is wisdom for your spirit.   Like rivers and streams filled with fragments of gold, there are nuggets of wisdom in the stories we hear. Beyond is that wisdom distilled to pure gold; simply listen and you'll put it into action in your life journey.   This inaugural episode unearths the origin story of Belly with our advisor, Artie Wu of Preside Life (http://bit.ly/presidelife).   EPISODE SUMMARY Artie Wu describes the origin of Belly of the Beast Life Stories from his perspective as a longtime friend and advisor to David All The meaning behind the term, “Belly of the Beast” Discussing the overall pattern of transformation using the metaphor of a caterpillar, down into her cocoon, and climbing up a butterfly Biblical story of Jonah and the Whale Modern examples of the Belly story pattern include Star Wars and The Matrix (films) The difference between grief and depression and why accepting the meaning of your pain matters   QUOTABLES “Belly of the Beast really is an allusion to some call it ‘hero’s journey.’ Some call it sort of transformations people go through over the course of their life cycles. And there are many ways to describe that.”   “There’s a natural shape of the transformation process in a person’s life in a phase they go through in nature. And, you know, one metaphor that comes up a lot is that of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly.”   “And I don’t know if you’ve ever watched a video of a butterfly coming out of cocoon, it doesn’t look like fun. It comes out. It’s slimy, it’s struggling. Sometimes a wing breaks. And it needs to sit there totally vulnerable for some period of time for its wings to dry out before it can even fly away. It’s very precarious, dangerous, terrifying process.”   “And we always put our attention on the rainbows and unicorns aspect of being this butterfly.”   “It wasn’t a metaphor that the caterpillar died, the caterpillar did die because it is gone.”   “In the Bible story, [Belly of the Beast is] an allusion to Jonah and the whale.”   “And one day, Jonah is standing on the shore. And this whale, this leviathan, comes up from the depths and swallows him. And so he’s in the Belly of the Beast. But then the whale dives down underwater. Right. And the idea here is that when Jonah is down literally in the Belly of the Beast, he undergoes transformation. He’s like, well, I’m gonna die anyway here. I don’t know what happened. Everything I was afraid of losing — I’ve basically already lost.”   “And metaphorically speaking, at some point along your journey, a whale comes up and just literally takes you down. And the idea here from classical times is that You know, you get the call, and if you refuse the call, something will come up, grab you and drag you down anyway.”   “And what’s beautiful about hearing people’s individual stories from Martha Sternbach (Season 1, Ep.1)  to like everyone else is that even though we all have a fingerprint, each fingerprint is unique. And to hear that, you know, the incredible stories that you’ve brought out in this first season, it helps us see the shape of our own fingerprint.”   “In classic Star Wars, the belly of the beast is the trash compactor in the belly of the Death Star. In The Matrix, for instance, the belly of the beast is when Neo actually physically dies and then comes back completely transformed, knowing he has his powers.”   “Like for instance, when we talk about the difference between grief and depression. Grief is when you’ve had a loss and you actively, willingly sit with it and just sit with the pain of a loss and you don’t run away from the pain. You actively go down into the belly of the beast. You go down into grief, you go down into your cocoon phase. Depression is where you say, no, no, run away. Get away. Get away. Numb it with alcohol, numb it with drugs, with sex or whatever. And you keep running from this pain you know is coming. And eventually a hand comes up, grabs you and drags you down anyway. That’s the difference.” GUEST RESOURCES Artie Wu’s healing center: http://bit.ly/presidelife Facebook community: http://bit.ly/PresideFB On Instagram: http://bit.ly/artieIG   LISTENER COMMUNITY RESOURCES Write a fair review about this show: https://bit.ly/bellyapple Our website: https://inourbelly.com David’s personal email: david@inourbelly.com Submit your story to the show: https://bit.ly/bellypre Social Media (we’re open to help in these areas if you’d like to volunteer): Instagram.com/inourbelly  Twitter.com/inourbelly Linkedin.com/company/belly-of-the-beast-life-stories Facebook.com/inourbelly   GROWTH STORYTELLING ALLSTAY Group: Growth storytelling for business and organizations: https://allstaygroup.com 

Origin Story of Belly of the Beast Life Stories with Artie Wu

This informational bonus episode covers a few key adjustments we're making: 1. Originally our theme for Season 3 focused on exploring the transformations in personal stories of folks that have faced the criminal justice system. With COVID, it's not safe to take this issue on the way we envision, so we're shifting. 2. The new theme for Season 3 will be a collection of personal stories by men. We'll explore the grieving and transformation in manhood by men that grew up fatherless. 3. If you have a "Fatherless" story you're willing to share with our community, reach out. (david@inourbelly.com) 4. We are merging 'Beyond the Belly' into this podcast, offering one stronger podcast with two distinct, but related streams of content. We'll re-release Beyond Episodes 1-3 in case you missed them. Thanks for listening. Warmly, David All p.s. And thank you all for rating and writing a fair review of this podcast on Apple iTunes. It helps other folks discover the stories. (bitly.com/bellyapple)

Calibrating Our Story

In our season 2 finale episode, Ashley Wayne shares her story of facing down her fear of being blind and becoming a mother. And now, she has two blind children and a newborn.   Full transcript available: https://inourbelly.com/season-2/ashley-wayne   Belly of the Beast Life Stories is a firsthand retelling of real life transformations, an oral history podcast by David All.   Season 2: For Love of My Child are true stories of a parent’s transformation when faced with acute challenges, chronic ills, and early endings of their child or children.   Give us soul juice: Subscribe, rate and write a fair review about this podcast so other heroes can find it, too. And please consider sharing this story with one person that it will inspire or better understand their life experience.   STORYTELLING FROM DAVID ALL + Life Stories Workshops: “What’s your story?” Can be an uncomfortable question. Life Stories Workshops by David All help folks thread the dots of their life story to gain clarity and mastery of their story. Watch a video and learn more at DavidAll.com   + Beyond the Belly: A new podcast connecting the dots and threading the patterns in Belly of the Beast Life Stories   EPISODE SUMMARY   Part I The gift of sight was always seen as a luxury to Ashley up until this moment She’s days from going to get her daughter in Bulgaria, the international adoption nearly realized In these early moment, a blind woman confronts being a blind mama to her blind daughter Ashley was blind at birth, two detached retinas, not even a perception of light The darkness hadn’t slowed her down, but the simple everyday tasks of changing diapers or taking her to a friend’s house to play seemed insurmountable “It was scary; when you’re suddenly put in charge of another human being it’s very sobering" Parenting brought her to her knees, Ashley had to realize it was OK to ask for help   Part II Ashley had spent a lifetime being independent, and thriving, as a blind person But the realities of being a mother changed her perception She shifted her mindset Day by day, Ashley was successful at doing the little things and life started to return to normal Normal enough to begin (and finish) the process of adopting their blind son, who had Cerebral Palsy Faith is everything to Ashley, and she elaborates on this fundamental aspect of her life A Grand Canyon experience through a blind families eyes Blind people don’t have superpowers like exceptional hearing Ashley has to be extremely present to experience special moments with her family 4-weeks ago, Ashley birthed her first biological son, that appears to be fully sighted Ashley still yearns to see, especially the little things like seeing what her infant is looking at and being fascinated by   Part III Ashley shares advice to her younger self just as she’s about to take on motherhood She writes a lot about the distancing she and her family experience being blind (see articles in the guest resources section) and urges folks just to treat them normal   QUOTABLES "It was a very emotional time. I remember as it got closer, feeling this immense weight and wondering, am I really going to be able to take care of her? I had done a lot of things as a blind person that I think many people would imagine would be pretty difficult.  But parenting felt like it was going to be this much more insane and immense task. And I really didn't know if I could do it, but we had obviously committed and were going to adopt her."   "And I didn't need sight, and I could get along just fine without it, and almost to the detrimental extreme of that end, you know, believing that sight wasn't necessary, and I was an amazing blind person who could do anything [Laughter]. I didn't need anyone's help, especially help from those the sighted people.  I think parenting really did bring me to my knees, figuratively and literally sometimes, just the realization that sight is a gift, and it would be not just nice to have, but would be preferred in a lot of cases when it comes to parenting, and that it was OK to admit that."   "You know, every little task, like I kind of dreaded every diaper change, like, am I going to get her clean enough?"   "You realize that things weren't quite as intense or frightening as I had originally thought. It doesn't mean that I still didn't need help or things weren't frustrating at points. But it began to feel less and less alien and yeah, just a bit more normal."   Regarding faith… “It’s everything. It's what I hope to... We hope and strive for, to teach our children that there is a God. And it's, we can know him through Christ."   "I've always had to rely more on my hearing. And just to dispel a myth, because I always have to take any opportunity to mention this, you know, blind people don't have super hearing."   Advice to a younger Ashley… "You will figure it out. Yeah, you'll make some mistakes, but nothing so horrible that neither you or her will be scarred for life. You will figure it out together and all the things will get done."   GUEST RESOURCES + Ashley’s Facebook: A Blind View   Here are a few of Ashley’s articles: + A blind mother’s courageous journey of parenting two blind children (profile piece) + Learning what it means to be a blind mother + I’m a blind mom raising blind kids, here’s what I’d like you to know   SHOW RESOURCES + Submit your story - Now curating Season 3: The Forgiven, stories bringing to life the transformational trial of the criminal justice system  + Belly of the Beast Life Stories website + @inourbelly on Instagram + @inourbelly on Twitter + /inourbelly Facebook Community + Beyond the Belly is David's new podcast connecting the dots and threading the patterns in Belly of the Beast Life Stories   + LIFE STORIES WORKSHOPS “What’s your story?” It’s my favorite question to ask, but is it your favorite question to answer? It will be. Life Stories Workshops by David All help folks thread the dots of their life story to gain clarity and mastery of their story. Watch a video and learn more at DavidAll.com.   DAVID’S WEEKLY  INSIGHTS, INSPIRATION & HEALING RESOURCES + “There has to be an openness which allows the unseen to become visible, the eternal to become immediate, and the transformation to become possible.” Michael Meade, Living Myth Podcast   + Belly Advisor and Master Healer, Artie Wu, is offering Live Sacred Space Sessions as a support resource of safe sacred space and emotional comfort during the pandemic crisis. They are 100% online and free and open to all. In case you missed David’s conversations with Artie, check out Beyond the Belly episodes 1-3.

Blind Leading the Blind with Ashley Wayne

Getting knocked down in life was a new beginning. Our guests tell their healing and inspiring story. Hosted by David All.

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Belly of the Beast Life Stories

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