Mountain Mantras: Wellness and Life Lessons

Sharkie Zartman, former All-American volleyball athlete and champion competitor with degrees in kinesiology and instructional technology asks you to take on aging as a sport!

In this episode, we talk with “glow getter” Sunlighten CEO Connie Zack. She shines through the interview as we discuss the touching genesis story of Sunlighten (her brother’s healing journey from mercury poisoning), the unique healing aspects of infrared light, and the incorporation of sound healing into the Sunlighten sauna system.

We have four powerful mantras from the show.

Mantra #1: Healing can be fun and comfortable

Mantra #2: Healing can be effortless

Mantra #3: Healing can be accessible to all - IF we can be creative

Mantra #4: Surround yourself with people that fill up your bucket

More about Connie Zack Connie Zack started Sunlighten in a basement in 2002. Along with her husband Aaron, they have grown the business dramatically over the last 16 years. Today, from its Overland Park Kansas headquarters, Sunlighten develops, designs, and retails infrared light therapies. The company's unique patented Far Infrared technology, and more recently 3 in 1 Infrared light therapies, are globally transforming wellness. Sunlighten headquarters is also home to Sunlight Day Spa, a premium customer-centric spa experience with focus on holistic healing. Connie is a St. Louis MO native, and received her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Indiana University and also studied Italian and French. Connie has always had a passion for communication and does not believe language should be a barrier. Connie and Aaron reside in Leawood KS with their two boys, Hudson and Aiden.

LINKS

Information about Sunlighten saunas:

https://www.sunlighten.com/?leadsource=MakeEverythingFun&utm_source=MakeEverythingFun&utm_medium=Partner&utm_campaign=MakeEverythingFun

Sound healing book:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1570629552/

Next human book (Connie’s brother’s book):

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1634438566/

Krisstina Wise Episode:

https://makeeverythingfun.com/radio/e097-krisstina-wise/

Mary Shores Episode:

https://makeeverythingfun.com/radio/e092-mary-shores/

Lisa Williams Episode: https://makeeverythingfun.com/radio/e087-lisa-rudy-williams/

More about the healing power of sweating: https://makeeverythingfun.com/sweat-tips-for-surviving-covid/

I woke up this morning “on the wrong side of the bed.” (It’s likely the divorce I’m going through).

Sometimes I turn to music to help me process the emotions I’m feeling. The word “emotion” comes from “emote,” which is about being in motion. I believe that feelings are meant to be felt, to be processed, which creates movement and allows them to move in and through our system.

What I want to avoid is getting feelings stuck. Or repressing what is meant to be felt.

Since I’m on an inner journey to uncover repressed emotions and better understand myself, I’ll use whatever tools I find helpful.

Even if that means singing off-tune (loudly) in public. Are your ears ready?

In the spiritual growth world, we talk about the Negative words that are to be avoided. We say, “Don’t focus on what you DON’T want.” (Focus on what you DO want).

However, I believe that it is important to understand and feel the entire spectrum of emotions, from “bad” to good, to be able to appreciate the difference.

I mention a kids’ book about a little girl who loves pink, but after her world turns to ALL PINK ALL THE TIME, she stops appreciating pink the way she used to. It is an analogy for how we can’t expect to be happy all the time, or “happy” just doesn’t feel the same.

For today’s show, I drive the mantras based on No, Never, and Not but also songs with messages. I look forward to your comments!

Midwest Mantra #1: Say “No” to a World that Makes You Sad. Musical inspiration: Pop Life (Prince). It sounds like Prince is asking us to say no to: -poverty -lack of generosity -not appreciating each other -jealousy -hierarchy -fake appearances -lack of access to healthcare and education -addiction -thirst -being boring

Midwest Mantra #2: Never Be Out of Love.

Musical inspiration: All Out of Love (Air Supply).

I spoke in episode 123 about creating good boundaries to help you manage the amount of pain you can handle in a single day, week, month, or year (or lifetime).

Sometimes, per Bob Newhart’s sketch on SNL, we need to just “Stop it!”

Midwest Mantra #3: Not so much talking. Menos palabras?

Musical inspiration: Poor Unfortunate Souls (From Disney’s The Little Mermaid). Bonus inspiration: Whip it (Devo)

What I believe we need is heartfelt listening and clear communication about our needs.

Can we do that?

Shall we sing more?

Would you like to comment? What are YOUR needs (and do you communicate them?).

Thanks for listening. Kathryn

PS. I was enjoying Hint water during the recording. I highly recommend Kara Goldin’s book, Undaunted.

I had no idea that I’d break into tears during this podcast, but I did. The topic is love, after all. And my heart is broken BIG TIME.

I am reviewing these notes on the morning of surgery to fix a deviated septum from middle school when my nose was severely broken. My mom had looked at me with my Marsha-Brady-episode-where-her-nose-blew-up-to-3x-times-the-size-and-black-and-blue-eyes (that rhymes) and said, “You’re fine.” So today, I don’t breathe as well as would be optimal. I believe this is part of my loss of health story. I’m finally getting it fixed.

It has been a HORRIBLE road to get to this morning. I drive around the streets of Evanston, recognizing the places where I was there for my husband when he needed surgery. When I dropped my life to “serve” him. Now that my “service” doesn’t “serve” him, where is he?

I’ve been a less-than-optimal-version-of-myself. I’m so sorry, to everyone, who has had to see any part of this journey. Per my ideas on apologies, I plan to make sure that I do better. I’m on my way now to my dad’s house to give him a hug. I was not my best self when I saw him last.

My mom also has been offering help, and I hope to take her up on some help during my convalescence.

In today’s episode, I call on Shakira to help me, again. She has been one of my important spiritual guides in my life. I LOVE SHAKIRA. (Me encanta!).Sometimes it can put your own problems in perspective when you hear about those of others. Shakira has been through an insane year. My broken heart goes out to hers.

Let’s start with this song by Shakira, Monotonía

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5y6xLpRwx4

OMG that is me! I put my heart on a sleeve, and it got stepped on big time. Thrown on the street, broken. I have felt empty and lying on the floor like Shakira is shown.

Then we go to Don’t You Worry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me19SUmWu2s

I know it’s possible to cry all day and night until you fall asleep sitting up, but eventually, it DOES stop. Your dogs or cats might be soaking wet with your tears and really pent up with energy because you haven’t left the house (and are really worrying the neighbors with whatever can come through the walls), but it does eventually stop. At least for that day.

Then you might find yourself crying the next day again, and it may also come in waves when you least expect it. But I have to say to myself, “everything’s gonna be okay.” Gracias Shakira.

Then we move to Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRpeEdMmmQ0

“When you fall get up, eh eh.”

And I will start to meet my OWN NEEDs.

After all, what we need or want from others, we must be able to give to ourselves. Connection with others plays a role in everyone's lives in different ways for different reasons. It is difficult to sustain connections with others when we struggle to connect and meet our needs within ourselves. So...

I will see myself

I will hear myself

I will understand myself

I will fairly judge myself.

Maybe I need to take up dance lessons so that I can move like Shakira. RRRRR. And get back to my work at Nurture to help communities in need.

Mantras from the show:#1: Get to know love; we don’t understand it in our culture#2: Move past “conditional” vs. “unconditional” love and consider compassionate love.#3: Understand the many types of love the Greeks appreciated: Eros, Philia, Ludus, Agape, Pragma, Philatia. I realize that I hardly get into the types on my podcast, so just read about it here.Your homework, if you choose to accept: go help someone in need!

If you are a woman, tune in to what might be happening to other women (or the feminine side of a man) today.

There seems to be strong energy around conflict and the change of an old model that involved subjugating women. (Yep, I just wrote that– ask me about the times I’ve seen gross men pat waitresses’ asses and be total assholes. I’ve been on the wrong side of that equation, ME TOO).

See the paradigm for change from episode 124.

Two questions if you’re brave enough to consider change:- Can women and men start to do LESS of being the Perpetrator and Victim?

A...