WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:06.280 What if justice wasn't just about systems, but about the soul. 2 00:00:07.160 --> 00:00:12.240 Welcome to the Spiritual Justice Show with me, Eric s Lee. 3 00:00:12.560 --> 00:00:13.919 You've heard me say it before. 4 00:00:14.679 --> 00:00:18.199 For too long we thought restorative justice alone could save us. 5 00:00:18.920 --> 00:00:22.719 But repairing harm without changing systems doesn't end the cycle. 6 00:00:23.640 --> 00:00:27.480 Social justice fights for equity, but without spirit, the work 7 00:00:27.519 --> 00:00:33.280 becomes a grind. Transformative justice seeks culture change, but without compassion, 8 00:00:33.640 --> 00:00:38.840 it struggles to hold. Spiritual justice completes the circle. It 9 00:00:38.920 --> 00:00:42.840 heals the heart while changing the system. It restores dignity 10 00:00:43.000 --> 00:00:49.159 while shifting culture. It brings spirit back into justice. Each week, 11 00:00:49.359 --> 00:00:53.399 I'll bring together leaders, healers, and change makers to explore 12 00:00:53.439 --> 00:00:59.000 a new vision of justice, restorative, transformative, and deeply spiritual. 13 00:01:00.280 --> 00:01:05.439 Like you, spiritual justice warriors who choose courage, compassion, and 14 00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:07.159 creativity in action. 15 00:01:13.719 --> 00:01:15.519 Hey, everybody, Welcome to the show. 16 00:01:16.040 --> 00:01:21.120 I am excited and nervous about today's show because I am. 17 00:01:21.040 --> 00:01:22.359 Today's special guest. 18 00:01:22.920 --> 00:01:26.959 You know, we've had about twenty episodes now and we've 19 00:01:27.000 --> 00:01:29.680 either had a guest or had a conversation with me 20 00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:33.640 and doctor Pat who's just been marvelous throughout this whole process. 21 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:36.719 But now's the time for me to just sit and 22 00:01:36.760 --> 00:01:40.239 have a conversation with you all and answer some of 23 00:01:40.239 --> 00:01:44.640 the questions that I've been receiving this in this process 24 00:01:44.799 --> 00:01:47.840 and on this path of the Spiritual Justice Show and 25 00:01:47.879 --> 00:01:51.280 now the Spiritual Justice Foundation, which at the end I'll 26 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:54.040 have some very very exciting news about the Spiritual Justice 27 00:01:54.040 --> 00:01:58.439 Foundation as well. So first, you know, I normally build 28 00:01:58.519 --> 00:02:01.280 up the guests, so I'm going to build myself up today. 29 00:02:01.519 --> 00:02:07.280 For those of you don't know, I'm Eric Estley, executive 30 00:02:07.319 --> 00:02:10.719 director of Full Circle Restorative Justice. I am a former 31 00:02:10.759 --> 00:02:14.199 business owner, I'm an author of three books, and my 32 00:02:14.360 --> 00:02:18.360 favorite thing my entire life has been my role as 33 00:02:18.560 --> 00:02:19.159 a dad. 34 00:02:20.199 --> 00:02:22.919 But that has shifted over the last couple of years. 35 00:02:23.800 --> 00:02:27.360 And many of you who our grandparents will understand why, 36 00:02:27.400 --> 00:02:31.840 because now I'm a granddad of two beautiful little girls 37 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:34.360 and with a third on the way. And so my 38 00:02:34.520 --> 00:02:39.680 favorite thing right now is I'm gonna say dad slash granddad. 39 00:02:40.520 --> 00:02:42.120 And that's that's what drives me. 40 00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:46.439 It drives to work seeing those those beautiful little souls 41 00:02:46.680 --> 00:02:50.960 and and just it's They're just a representation of every 42 00:02:51.039 --> 00:02:56.120 young person that we aim to try and help and 43 00:02:56.319 --> 00:03:00.520 uplift and support so that they can live lives that 44 00:03:00.759 --> 00:03:06.080 are as transformative and transcendent and beautiful and rewarding and 45 00:03:06.120 --> 00:03:10.159 purpose purpose field as my own. UH. And that's what 46 00:03:10.400 --> 00:03:13.360 we have been about, UH in the work we do 47 00:03:13.479 --> 00:03:17.319 at Full Circle Restorative Justice. That is what we are 48 00:03:17.319 --> 00:03:19.759 about in the work that we do here on the 49 00:03:19.759 --> 00:03:23.479 Spiritual Justice Show, highlighting individuals who are doing the good 50 00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:27.759 work of uplifting young people. And so that today would 51 00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:32.199 be me, And so let me jump in to the 52 00:03:32.280 --> 00:03:35.759 first question that I get, and I get a lot, 53 00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:43.639 and that is Eric, what do you mean when you 54 00:03:43.719 --> 00:03:48.520 say spiritual justice? Because it is a term that not 55 00:03:48.599 --> 00:03:53.800 too many people are familiar with. It's kind of a new, 56 00:03:54.120 --> 00:03:58.919 a new phenomenon and putting those two words together. But 57 00:03:59.080 --> 00:04:02.599 to me, it's just that we have acknowledged that those 58 00:04:02.599 --> 00:04:07.840 two words belong together and they do naturally go together 59 00:04:08.159 --> 00:04:10.159 and how we want to live life. And so when 60 00:04:10.199 --> 00:04:13.639 I say spiritual justice, I have to think back to 61 00:04:14.680 --> 00:04:19.480 my own journey and you know, the tightrope rope that 62 00:04:19.519 --> 00:04:22.600 I have to walk in this work that I do 63 00:04:22.839 --> 00:04:26.439 around restorative justice and the work that I've done in 64 00:04:26.480 --> 00:04:31.040 the past coaching individuals to overcome obstacles and overcome oppressive 65 00:04:31.079 --> 00:04:34.399 systems and all of that, because you know that fine 66 00:04:34.439 --> 00:04:37.839 line is and let me back up for a minute. 67 00:04:37.959 --> 00:04:39.519 You know, I was talking to a young lady at 68 00:04:39.560 --> 00:04:44.399 the Restorative Justice conference that I attended a couple of 69 00:04:44.439 --> 00:04:49.279 weeks ago in New Orleans. And Andrea wrote a book 70 00:04:49.720 --> 00:04:52.079 that is, you know, based on the right use of 71 00:04:52.199 --> 00:04:57.680 power and using power for good, using powerful relationship. And 72 00:04:57.879 --> 00:05:00.199 what she started talking to me about in this the 73 00:05:00.240 --> 00:05:03.279 concept that I had become familiar with about a year 74 00:05:03.319 --> 00:05:06.800 ago through my daughter, and that is just the layers 75 00:05:06.920 --> 00:05:12.360 of power and the and the different ways power shows 76 00:05:12.439 --> 00:05:15.879 up in our in our in our lives personally and societally. 77 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:20.800 And so, you know, there's personal power, which is you know, 78 00:05:21.000 --> 00:05:24.720 us coming into our own and being able to have 79 00:05:24.839 --> 00:05:29.000 influence and change and direct our own courses and impose 80 00:05:29.079 --> 00:05:30.439 our will to do. 81 00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:31.639 The things that we want to do. 82 00:05:32.519 --> 00:05:37.040 And then there is role power that gets assigned to 83 00:05:37.160 --> 00:05:40.319 us when we have a certain job or position. And 84 00:05:40.360 --> 00:05:44.959 then there's status power that comes with you know, resources 85 00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:47.720 and money and those type of things. And then there's 86 00:05:47.800 --> 00:05:51.959 collective power, which is you know, a group of individuals, 87 00:05:52.079 --> 00:05:56.160 you know, movements are formed with collective power. And then 88 00:05:56.160 --> 00:05:59.000 there's systemic power, which are the power structure that are 89 00:05:59.000 --> 00:06:04.360 in place that many of us are working to either overcome, 90 00:06:04.839 --> 00:06:08.959 show people how to overcome them, or dismantle them altogether. 91 00:06:09.079 --> 00:06:13.279 Because there's these systems, these systems of power, the systemic 92 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:19.720 power can be oppressive and destructive to people's lives and 93 00:06:19.800 --> 00:06:20.800 do a lot of harm. 94 00:06:21.639 --> 00:06:22.360 And then. 95 00:06:23.839 --> 00:06:29.120 There's the power that I became first familiar with, not 96 00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:33.360 versy familiar with, but as I began to explore and 97 00:06:33.399 --> 00:06:36.160 become more first on what I was up against and 98 00:06:36.199 --> 00:06:38.360 how I was developing and how I was growing. 99 00:06:39.000 --> 00:06:40.720 And that is universal power. 100 00:06:41.600 --> 00:06:47.079 And that is that that that spiritual nature that pervades 101 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:50.800 all of it. I mean universal power is that that 102 00:06:51.160 --> 00:06:54.639 thing that originates us. It's the creative power that had 103 00:06:54.800 --> 00:06:57.279 created us in the first place. It's the power that 104 00:06:57.399 --> 00:06:59.759 creates the sun and the stars and the universe and 105 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:03.680 all of those things. And once we get in touch 106 00:07:03.800 --> 00:07:11.040 with that universal power, then what can stop us? What 107 00:07:11.759 --> 00:07:16.439 can we not overcome when we become aligned with our 108 00:07:16.480 --> 00:07:21.120 spiritual nature, our universal power, and that is something that 109 00:07:21.199 --> 00:07:25.759 is available to all of us. And so when I 110 00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:28.040 became familiar with how to term. 111 00:07:27.959 --> 00:07:31.199 Those things and those layers of power, it. 112 00:07:31.240 --> 00:07:34.920 Became clearer to me, something that I had always been 113 00:07:35.000 --> 00:07:38.399 working on and something that I had been you know, 114 00:07:38.800 --> 00:07:42.879 in conversations with and sometimes debates with people about. And 115 00:07:42.959 --> 00:07:46.959 that is, you know, and I talk to people about 116 00:07:46.959 --> 00:07:51.319 when I first got into the restorative justice movement and 117 00:07:51.399 --> 00:07:54.560 my daughter recruited me, and I go back, you know, 118 00:07:54.920 --> 00:08:01.160 years with discussions with my oldest Erica, and she is 119 00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:07.839 a social justice warrior herself, and you know, her attitude 120 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:11.199 was burned the system down, tear it down, tear it down, 121 00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:12.120 tear down, tear down. 122 00:08:12.680 --> 00:08:13.639 And as a. 123 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:17.600 Coach, my approach was more, you know less, strengthen an 124 00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:21.720 individual so that we don't have to necessarily tear that 125 00:08:21.759 --> 00:08:25.759 system down. That we create individuals who are strong enough 126 00:08:26.279 --> 00:08:31.959 and foundationally rooted in their personal power where they can 127 00:08:32.039 --> 00:08:38.600 overcome whatever systemic power is in place. But it doesn't 128 00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:42.759 have to be either or. And as I learned and 129 00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:46.879 grow and achieved success and wrote books and opened restaurants 130 00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:51.720 and had businesses and was reaching down to help other people, 131 00:08:53.799 --> 00:08:59.080 you know, I really felt like once we become aligned 132 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:07.159 with our spiritual nature and the origins of our creation 133 00:09:08.440 --> 00:09:13.879 and are in tune in alignment, that will there is 134 00:09:14.000 --> 00:09:17.879 nothing There is no system. There is no person that 135 00:09:17.919 --> 00:09:18.840 can stop us. 136 00:09:19.600 --> 00:09:24.080 And so you know that that that that. 137 00:09:23.720 --> 00:09:27.080 Brought me to, you know, an interesting place when I 138 00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:30.720 started doing restorative work, because then I saw an opportunity 139 00:09:30.799 --> 00:09:36.639 to do that, but in the context of that, began 140 00:09:36.759 --> 00:09:41.360 to transform a system so that that system was more 141 00:09:41.440 --> 00:09:46.000 nurturing and supporting and helped individuals reached that level of 142 00:09:46.120 --> 00:09:50.360 spiritual alignment and that that spiritual power or that universal power. 143 00:09:50.960 --> 00:09:56.879 And that's kind of the space where spiritual justice lives, 144 00:09:57.639 --> 00:10:05.240 that space in helping individuals understand the power that is 145 00:10:05.320 --> 00:10:11.840 inherent within them, while we at the same time are actively, 146 00:10:12.840 --> 00:10:18.960 intentionally and consciously working to transform our system so that 147 00:10:19.320 --> 00:10:23.360 it does support that type of growth for every person, 148 00:10:23.600 --> 00:10:26.240 regardless of where they come from, what they look like, 149 00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:32.080 what race they are of, what challenges they encounter, what 150 00:10:32.200 --> 00:10:36.720 trauma or toxicity is in their environment that could possibly 151 00:10:36.759 --> 00:10:40.200 be deterring them from reaching the highest level of what 152 00:10:40.279 --> 00:10:44.399 they want to achieve or can achieve. And so when 153 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:47.960 we talk about spiritual justice, we talk about that as 154 00:10:48.039 --> 00:10:53.399 kind of the foundational principle that first of all, within us, 155 00:10:54.120 --> 00:10:58.879 we are all blessed with the capability for our own 156 00:10:58.960 --> 00:11:02.639 great selves and greatness is divined by us. It's not 157 00:11:03.000 --> 00:11:08.759 externally dictated by somebody else to judge us what greatness means. 158 00:11:08.799 --> 00:11:13.559 And we know our greatness when we are aligned with 159 00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:17.279 purpose and meaning and we are doing things that make 160 00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:20.120 us come alive, and a lot of times that means 161 00:11:20.799 --> 00:11:24.759 we're in service and helping other people. And that brings 162 00:11:24.840 --> 00:11:28.000 me to the other piece about spiritual justice that came 163 00:11:28.080 --> 00:11:30.480 up a long time ago. And it's like many of us, 164 00:11:30.879 --> 00:11:33.200 our spiritual seekers, on a spiritual path. 165 00:11:34.039 --> 00:11:35.000 And on that. 166 00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:39.120 Path, you know, we meditate, and we we go within, 167 00:11:39.559 --> 00:11:43.240 and we go on silence retreats, and we find teachers 168 00:11:44.039 --> 00:11:47.000 and like minded individuals who are on the path itself. 169 00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:52.440 And sometimes that becomes its own cycle and its own 170 00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:55.559 hamster wild where we can never get there because we're 171 00:11:55.559 --> 00:12:02.440 always seeking. And what I realized in the level of 172 00:12:02.519 --> 00:12:05.639 work for me and the self work for me, was 173 00:12:05.720 --> 00:12:10.399 that the next step was actually being there for the 174 00:12:10.440 --> 00:12:14.679 next generation, being a mentor, reaching out and being of service. 175 00:12:15.480 --> 00:12:18.879 And that was the final piece that put the two 176 00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:23.759 pieces together and made everything charged to the point where 177 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:25.799 I feel joy. 178 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:27.879 Doing the work. 179 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:33.159 I feel joy having conversations, I have joy for facilitating 180 00:12:33.159 --> 00:12:36.279 a process. I have joy just sitting in my computer 181 00:12:36.399 --> 00:12:40.960 sometime making sure that the organization can go by filling 182 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:44.120 out a grand application or talking to a funder or 183 00:12:44.159 --> 00:12:48.080 talking to a community supporter, so that they understand how 184 00:12:48.120 --> 00:12:51.480 important and how meaningful this work is and how it 185 00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:57.440 does uplift other people, specifically young people. So that last 186 00:12:57.480 --> 00:13:01.360 piece has really been the focus the push for the 187 00:13:01.399 --> 00:13:06.240 Spiritual Jokes, the Spiritual Justice Show, and the Spiritual Justice Foundation. 188 00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:10.600 And I want to make sure that you know there's 189 00:13:10.600 --> 00:13:14.000 an understanding for that, and and hey, there's there's times 190 00:13:14.039 --> 00:13:18.159 and we'll we'll open up other spaces to deepen that conversation. 191 00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:21.399 We'll we'll open up spaces for you to interact with 192 00:13:21.480 --> 00:13:25.639 me to have conversations about what you can do to 193 00:13:25.720 --> 00:13:30.879 deepen your practice, to deepen your alignment with your spirituality, 194 00:13:31.240 --> 00:13:37.679 and step into the fulfillment of what spiritual justice actually means. 195 00:13:39.440 --> 00:13:42.960 So that I'll wrap up that and we'll we'll go 196 00:13:43.080 --> 00:13:47.720 to the next question that I get. And I get 197 00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:51.159 this question a lot, and I get it a lot 198 00:13:51.240 --> 00:13:55.480 from people who know me. They see where I am, 199 00:13:55.600 --> 00:13:58.080 they see the work that I'm doing, but they also 200 00:13:58.159 --> 00:14:00.519 know a little bit of my history and where I 201 00:14:00.600 --> 00:14:04.679 come from, and you know the question, I'll read it. 202 00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:05.120 Eric. 203 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:14.039 You've You've overcome addiction, bankruptcy, cancer, and many setbacks. Looking back, 204 00:14:14.399 --> 00:14:20.960 what have those experiences taught you about living a meaningful life? 205 00:14:21.159 --> 00:14:25.840 That is a great question, because you know, looking back, 206 00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:29.240 and it's and it's funny because sitting sitting here where 207 00:14:29.240 --> 00:14:34.159 I'm at, I'm living a life or my dream here 208 00:14:34.240 --> 00:14:38.320 in front of this camera, uh, you know, with Emily 209 00:14:38.360 --> 00:14:40.559 over there producing the show and making sure that it 210 00:14:40.600 --> 00:14:43.799 all comes out. And and that is a dream come 211 00:14:43.879 --> 00:14:46.440 true for me. So in this moment, I am just 212 00:14:47.320 --> 00:14:51.120 living my best life. And it you know, not to 213 00:14:51.159 --> 00:14:53.919 say that those things don't matter or they're behind me, 214 00:14:54.039 --> 00:14:57.200 because I sit with them and they visit me all 215 00:14:57.240 --> 00:15:00.200 the time, and memories or in sharing with other people people, 216 00:15:00.519 --> 00:15:02.840 or just in what I have to deal with physically. 217 00:15:04.159 --> 00:15:09.480 But this moment is the most important thing. And as 218 00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:15.600 much as we can become present, that is what it 219 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:19.440 is taught me, first of all, you know. And there's 220 00:15:19.440 --> 00:15:20.759 a lot of things, and I don't want to turn 221 00:15:20.799 --> 00:15:24.240 this into a promotion about any of my books, but 222 00:15:24.720 --> 00:15:27.360 I will talk about twenty nine degrees how to live 223 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:30.159 a life of inner piece, joy and purpose regardless of 224 00:15:30.200 --> 00:15:35.480 Circumstances and it's available on Amazon. And you know in 225 00:15:35.559 --> 00:15:40.519 that book, it was my first self help book. And 226 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:44.879 there's others coming, but those of you are familiar with 227 00:15:45.399 --> 00:15:50.759 the twenty nine degrees principles, it's in my experience and 228 00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:54.039 looking back at all of those things. And I talk 229 00:15:54.120 --> 00:15:57.759 about this in twenty nine Degrees when I look back 230 00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:01.559 at my life and it's like, let me phrase it 231 00:16:01.639 --> 00:16:04.000 like this. It's like, you know, how many of you 232 00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:10.000 out there have experienced something and you phrase it as 233 00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:13.759 oh my god, that was messed up or that was 234 00:16:13.879 --> 00:16:15.600 terrible or whatever way. 235 00:16:16.120 --> 00:16:18.080 Some tragedy hits you, and that's how. 236 00:16:17.919 --> 00:16:22.000 You respond to it, and you know, you go on 237 00:16:22.039 --> 00:16:25.399 in your life, you overcome that obstacle, and then six 238 00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:29.519 months later you're doing something completely different. You got a 239 00:16:29.559 --> 00:16:31.320 new job, or you met a new person who you 240 00:16:31.320 --> 00:16:33.559 fell in love with, or you end up on a 241 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:35.919 trip of a lifetime going around the world, or something 242 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:40.759 happened then that one thing happened or the place you 243 00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:45.039 are in your life was facilitated because of that messed 244 00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:48.919 up thing that had happened six months ago. And then 245 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:52.639 you go, oh, well, that was the best thing that 246 00:16:52.679 --> 00:16:55.919 could have happened in the moment, and I look back 247 00:16:55.960 --> 00:16:58.720 at my life, and this is what twenty nine degrees 248 00:16:58.799 --> 00:17:02.279 is based on. Get back in my life, and one 249 00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:06.759 hundred percent of the instances that at the time I 250 00:17:06.839 --> 00:17:13.880 thought were setbacks or disasters or pain or miseraby or 251 00:17:13.960 --> 00:17:19.000 miserable turned out to be the biggest blessing in my 252 00:17:19.119 --> 00:17:20.759 life percent of the time. 253 00:17:21.079 --> 00:17:21.400 And so. 254 00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:26.519 Knowing that, why don't I, in this moment when I 255 00:17:26.680 --> 00:17:30.839 encounter these things try to close that gap so that 256 00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:34.440 I'm not looking back saying that was a big blessing, 257 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:41.920 but going Okay, this seems messed up right now, But 258 00:17:42.079 --> 00:17:45.480 I know, based on my history and experience that this 259 00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:46.400 is a blessing. 260 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:48.400 I just don't know how right now. 261 00:17:48.920 --> 00:17:52.200 And that brings us to, you know, the exercise and 262 00:17:52.240 --> 00:17:54.920 being able to look at a circumstances, sit in and go, 263 00:17:55.319 --> 00:17:57.680 I don't know what this means, and we and when 264 00:17:57.680 --> 00:18:02.839 we can come to that level of neutrality, we really 265 00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:09.240 can find peace in this present moment more readily because 266 00:18:09.240 --> 00:18:11.799 we're not judging things as good or bad. 267 00:18:11.880 --> 00:18:13.200 We're saying, I don't know. 268 00:18:13.799 --> 00:18:16.039 And the other piece is those of you who are 269 00:18:16.039 --> 00:18:22.599 religious or spiritual know the concept of faith or trust, 270 00:18:22.839 --> 00:18:25.400 which is very very important in that and when you 271 00:18:25.559 --> 00:18:29.599 trust that the universe or your God is a loving 272 00:18:29.640 --> 00:18:33.240 one and has your best interests at hand, then you 273 00:18:33.359 --> 00:18:38.400 understand why those blessings occurred and why you deserve them, 274 00:18:38.839 --> 00:18:42.240 and that you also understand that this opportunity that sits 275 00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:45.440 in front of you that looks like a challenge, is 276 00:18:45.640 --> 00:18:50.720 also a great opportunity for you to go deeper into 277 00:18:50.759 --> 00:18:55.880 your faith or into your trust. And that's one of 278 00:18:55.920 --> 00:19:00.960 the big lessons that I have learned earned going through 279 00:19:01.079 --> 00:19:03.799 all of those things. And the question ask about addiction 280 00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:08.400 and bankruptcy and cancer and any other setbacks. 281 00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:10.640 The other thing is like, and I want. 282 00:19:10.519 --> 00:19:13.440 To talk about cancer a little bit more specifically, because 283 00:19:14.200 --> 00:19:18.599 you know, I had the cancer diagnosis last last year. 284 00:19:18.680 --> 00:19:22.720 It was it was January of twenty five, and I 285 00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:26.799 sat in the hospital in the doctor's office and I 286 00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:32.519 got the I got the diagnosis, and you know, it 287 00:19:32.599 --> 00:19:36.000 hit me, but my wife Trudy was there too, and 288 00:19:36.119 --> 00:19:38.839 it hit her harder. And it's just like, I laugh 289 00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:41.480 and I tell people about this story, and it's like 290 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:44.359 I'm sitting there, I just got the cancer diagnosis, and 291 00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:45.279 I look over at. 292 00:19:45.160 --> 00:19:48.559 Trudy and she is balling. She's like it hit her 293 00:19:49.400 --> 00:19:51.400 harder than me, and I'm like leaning over, Oh. 294 00:19:51.359 --> 00:19:54.000 Baby, it's gonna be okay, it's gonna be all right. 295 00:19:54.039 --> 00:19:55.160 You're gonna be okay. 296 00:19:55.319 --> 00:19:59.079 Like I'm good selling her, but I'm the one with cancer, 297 00:19:59.160 --> 00:20:01.640 right was just like, it's just the difference of us. 298 00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:03.720 It's like, you know, different level of faith, you mean, 299 00:20:03.799 --> 00:20:06.599 something different. You know, we come to terms with things 300 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:08.640 in different ways. 301 00:20:09.079 --> 00:20:10.720 But then it did hit me. 302 00:20:10.759 --> 00:20:12.680 It was it was really a serious thing, and it 303 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:16.240 was it was it was I don't know what the 304 00:20:16.319 --> 00:20:20.359 right word is. It was almost a traumatic emotionally taken 305 00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:24.359 on that Okay, I don't know what this means, but 306 00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:29.920 it could mean that my life is coming to an end. 307 00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:33.680 And you know, even if it wasn't coming to an 308 00:20:33.799 --> 00:20:37.039 end and I could overcome it, just being diagnosed with 309 00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:43.200 cancer was a big wake up call and reminder. 310 00:20:43.240 --> 00:20:45.799 Of our mortality. 311 00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:49.680 It was a reminder that, yeah, Eric, you do have 312 00:20:49.720 --> 00:20:53.680 a shelf life and you're getting closer to it, and 313 00:20:53.720 --> 00:20:56.480 you know, you could have a week, you could have 314 00:20:56.559 --> 00:20:58.440 two months, you could have six months, you could have 315 00:20:58.480 --> 00:21:01.960 twenty years, but you do have a shelf life here 316 00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:09.480 in this incarnation and what's important to you, And that 317 00:21:09.599 --> 00:21:13.200 was the biggest message. It was, Oh, it was it 318 00:21:13.240 --> 00:21:20.400 was family, it was connection, It was doing work that 319 00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:29.319 is meaningful and of service and uplifting to others. And again, 320 00:21:29.599 --> 00:21:34.119 I look back at my cancer diagnosis as the biggest 321 00:21:34.200 --> 00:21:37.680 blessing that could have happened to me in my life. 322 00:21:37.680 --> 00:21:40.839 At the time, you know, thank goodness, I was already 323 00:21:40.880 --> 00:21:45.680 doing the work that I wanted to be doing. Spiritual 324 00:21:45.839 --> 00:21:51.400 Justice Show was on the horizon, but it came up 325 00:21:52.920 --> 00:21:55.240 and it was the perfect thing, because this is a 326 00:21:55.319 --> 00:21:58.480 dream come true for me to be able to share 327 00:21:58.640 --> 00:22:01.720 ideas and bring people on or doing great work and 328 00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:05.759 do all of these wonderful things on this this venue, 329 00:22:06.319 --> 00:22:10.599 with with this, with this exposure, and so you know, 330 00:22:10.839 --> 00:22:14.599 the work pieces there and then just lean into and 331 00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:16.920 I had the conversation with every member of my family 332 00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:18.240 is like all. 333 00:22:18.039 --> 00:22:23.680 This means is we got to connect more. In this year. 334 00:22:23.720 --> 00:22:26.839 It's like, you know, I'm sixty, I'll be sixty five 335 00:22:26.839 --> 00:22:27.400 in two weeks. 336 00:22:27.440 --> 00:22:31.720 My brother's in his seventies, and it's like I buckled 337 00:22:31.720 --> 00:22:34.640 down and you know, went and visited him while he 338 00:22:34.720 --> 00:22:39.039 was dealing with some some medical things and spent five 339 00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:42.319 five weeks in Detroit to connect with family, and I 340 00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:44.880 connect with my kids, and I connect with grandkids and 341 00:22:44.920 --> 00:22:48.839 my friends and more unintentional about that. So that is 342 00:22:48.880 --> 00:22:52.519 the big, big, big takeaway for all of that. So 343 00:22:52.799 --> 00:22:56.599 my message through all of you is, you know, please 344 00:22:56.720 --> 00:23:02.240 don't wait for something like that to make the decision 345 00:23:02.920 --> 00:23:08.079 to sit down and write down what is most important 346 00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:11.839 to you in your life and do that. It's like, 347 00:23:12.039 --> 00:23:15.359 I'm sitting here, you know, I picked this up. This 348 00:23:15.440 --> 00:23:19.920 sits on my desk, and it's something that came to me, 349 00:23:20.319 --> 00:23:24.240 you know, twenty years ago, and it's a little metal 350 00:23:24.359 --> 00:23:28.119 bar and engraved in it is what would you attempt 351 00:23:28.200 --> 00:23:33.440 to do if you knew you could not fail? 352 00:23:33.640 --> 00:23:36.000 And you know, the other phrase that. 353 00:23:35.960 --> 00:23:39.400 Really inspires me is and somebody asked me this about 354 00:23:39.440 --> 00:23:42.000 twenty years as well, it's like, if you had six 355 00:23:42.039 --> 00:23:46.039 months to live, what would you be doing and would 356 00:23:46.079 --> 00:23:49.960 you be doing the thing that you're doing now? And 357 00:23:50.039 --> 00:23:57.799 for me, blessedly, it's an emphatic yes in most of 358 00:23:57.839 --> 00:23:59.599 the things that I spent my time with in my 359 00:23:59.720 --> 00:24:03.359 life right now. So those were the biggest lessons with 360 00:24:03.559 --> 00:24:05.759 overcoming those those obstacles. 361 00:24:05.799 --> 00:24:09.440 It's just you know, lean into life. 362 00:24:10.079 --> 00:24:14.599 Lean into your heart, find out what what is something 363 00:24:14.640 --> 00:24:17.839 that is bigger than you, that that gives you purpose 364 00:24:17.920 --> 00:24:23.880 and meaning. Do that and really really connect and love 365 00:24:23.920 --> 00:24:28.920 on everybody that's in your life and make sure that 366 00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:33.559 they know how you feel about them. So we're coming 367 00:24:33.640 --> 00:24:38.079 up on a break here we are. I was worried 368 00:24:38.079 --> 00:24:41.200 about what's I going to be able to spuild, spend 369 00:24:41.240 --> 00:24:43.200 time and talk to you. I love to talk. I 370 00:24:43.240 --> 00:24:46.880 love sharing ideas. So we're moving right along. We're going 371 00:24:46.920 --> 00:24:48.640 to take time for a break. If you need to 372 00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:51.000 get a hold of me, you can contact me at 373 00:24:51.200 --> 00:24:54.680 Eric dot Lee at full Circle RJ dot org. You 374 00:24:54.720 --> 00:25:01.880 can visit Full Circle Restorative Justice the on the webpage 375 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:08.400 at www dot full Circle RJ dot org, or you 376 00:25:08.400 --> 00:25:12.119 can visit us at the Spiritual Justice Show on Facebook. 377 00:25:12.759 --> 00:25:35.920 See you on the other side. 378 00:25:44.839 --> 00:25:46.960 Hi everyone, I'm Doctor Pat. I'm the host of the 379 00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:50.200 Doctor Pat Show, and I am the creator of the 380 00:25:50.200 --> 00:25:52.920 Transformation Network. Doing what we do in the world of 381 00:25:53.000 --> 00:25:58.599 positive radio, informed educative positive media. Independent radio hosts and 382 00:25:58.680 --> 00:26:04.079 independent networks have been the face of positive messaging over 383 00:26:04.119 --> 00:26:07.720 the past decade. So all of us here have decided 384 00:26:08.079 --> 00:26:12.119 we're going to put together an independent network that is 385 00:26:12.160 --> 00:26:16.400 going to enable people to bring their positive message of hope, 386 00:26:16.720 --> 00:26:22.079 inspiration and conscious action to the forefront. Help us create 387 00:26:22.119 --> 00:26:27.039 a future of amazing, uplifting stories that can be told 388 00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:29.319 so we can tell our children and they can tell 389 00:26:29.359 --> 00:26:32.880 their children of what hope and conscious action is all about. 390 00:26:34.440 --> 00:26:36.160 I want to thank you all for tuning us in 391 00:26:36.240 --> 00:26:44.000 turning us on on Transformation talkRADIO dot com. 392 00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:47.559 Tune in to the Flourished Frequency Show with me Beth 393 00:26:47.640 --> 00:26:51.400 Larsen every third Thursday at eleven am Pacific time on 394 00:26:51.519 --> 00:26:56.039 Transformation Talk Radio. Get ready to activate and amplify the 395 00:26:56.039 --> 00:26:57.680 frequencies of success. 396 00:26:58.039 --> 00:26:58.680 Do you want to. 397 00:27:11.799 --> 00:27:15.519 Welcome back to the Spiritual Justice Show where inner peace 398 00:27:15.799 --> 00:27:20.359 meets collective purpose. We're having a conversation with me. I 399 00:27:20.400 --> 00:27:25.279 am just sharing ideas today and connecting with you, answering 400 00:27:25.319 --> 00:27:28.599 some questions that have been asked of me along the 401 00:27:28.640 --> 00:27:32.599