Living What Matters | Mark Nepo

#201 Today, my incredible guest is Mark Nepo. Mark is a poet and a best-selling author and during our conversation today, we talk about his journey of surviving cancer and what it taught him. We discuss the meaning of leading a heart-centred life, its positive effects, and how exactly one can go about trusting their heart. How can we be truly authentic? How can we live in the present during difficult times? What does it mean to stop chasing outside recognition? If you are going through hardship right now and have asked yourself any of these questions, then this episode is for you. "For anyone who's going through something challenging right now, trust your heart, your heart, our heart, is our greatest teacher." About Mark: With over a million copies sold, Mark Nepo has moved and inspired readers and seekers all over the world with his #1 New York Times bestseller The Book of Awakening. His work is widely accessible and used by many and his books have been translated into more than twenty languages.  A bestselling author, he has published twenty-two books and recorded fifteen audio projects.  In 2015, he was given a Life-Achievement Award by AgeNation.  In 2016, he was named by Watkins: Mind Body Spirit as one of the 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People and was also chosen as one of OWN's SuperSoul 100, a group of inspired leaders using their gifts and voices to elevate humanity.  And In 2017 Mark became a regular columnist for Spirituality & Health Magazine. Recent work includes The Book of Soul (St. Martin's Essentials, 2020); Drinking from the River of Light (Sounds True, 2019), a Nautilus Book Award Winner; More Together Than Alone (Atria, 2018) cited by Spirituality & Practice as one of the Best Spiritual Books of 2018; Things That Join the Sea and the Sky (Sounds True, 2017), a Nautilus Book Award Winner; The Way Under the Way: The Place of True Meeting (Sounds True, 2016), a Nautilus Book Award Winner; The One Life We're Given (Atria) cited by Spirituality & Practice as one of the Best Spiritual Books of 2016, Inside the Miracle (Sounds True) selected by Spirituality & Health Magazine as one of the top ten best books of 2015; The Endless Practice (Atria) cited by Spirituality & Practice as one of the Best Spiritual Books of 2014; and Seven Thousand Ways to Listen (Atria), which won the 2012 Books for a Better Life Award. Mark's Website: marknepo.com live.marknepo.com Key points with time stamp: 00:40 "Living a making:" learning to participate in oneness 02:36 What do we mean when we talk about souls and spirits? 07:30 The role of painful experiences in living a heart-centered life 09:27 How to keep positive during tough times 13:26 How can we begin to trust our hearts? 18:17 The five stages of grief during the COVID-19 Pandemic 22:56 Chasing outside recognition vs. living in the moment 28:44 Practices for living in the present 34:33 Choosing to be 100% authentic despite potential pain 37:59 How to dive into Mark's books 39:40 Mark's hope for our future in 2022 43:19 "No one is living your life but you…" Mentioned in this episode: Elisabeth Kubler Ross Oprah Winfrey The Book of Awakening, 2000. A book by Mark 7000 Ways to Listen, 2012. A book by Mark Finding inner courage, 2011. A book by Mark Surviving Storms: Finding the Strength to Meet Adversity, Mark's upcoming book About me: My Instagram: www.instagram.com/guyhlawrence/?hl=en My website: www.guylawrence.com.au www.liveinflow.co