Standing there about to make the introduction, I held the wireless microphone in my hand and looked up at my angels above in the balcony; Michael Burns, Owner of Colorado Audio Visual & Design, and Trevor, Michael’s right hand man. Taking a deep breath I imprinted the image of the event in its entirety, lest I never forget; CAV, the panel, the sponsors, the guests …. the light filtering into the Chapel. I had been going hard until that moment – meditating, shutting down the disruptive monkey chatter, trusting my intuition, staying in the flow. This was the culmination of eight events presented in eight months, from March to October. How was I still standing?
I started speaking. Comfortably. Me. Someone who has passed out at least twice that I can remember from speaking in public. The first time was in 3rd grade. As I introduced our sponsors the evening fall sun bathed the stained glass windows of the Chapel in a golden glow of warmth.
Aspen Local Spiritual Leaders
Last week we wrapped up our summer Aspen Connect season at the Aspen Chapel with spiritual impact with four of our valley’s spiritual leaders; Rabbi Itzhak Vardy of Neshama Center Aspen; Yogarupa Rod Stryker, and Aspen Chapel Minister Nicholas Vesey. The event was moderated by Lead with Love Founder Gina Gurascio Murdock. Gina’s Lead With Love event was to be held the following week, October 25-28th.
To end with impact was not my intention when I built up the bravado to contact Rod Stryker and invite him in to the conversation. What was actually happening in my mind was wheels spinning. What led me to calling Rod was a need for answers. I was feeling lost. For the past two years I have been following a path which led me to Rod Stryker’s Enlightened Life Class, and now to this conversation that was happening at the Chapel. That class helped me to stay with my meditation practice and to make goals and commit to them. From that commitment Aspen Real Life grew to over 30K monthly followers. But what direction was I to go in now with all the success from these Aspen Connect events? I needed to envision the future if I was to manifest it, but I couldn’t clearly see what was before me. I knew that with a little spiritual guidance I could realign and get there, and so I invited Rod, Itzhak and Nicholas to converse and answer my questions.
Rabbi Itzhak Vardy of Neshama Center Aspen was invited in as he was the one solely responsible for my husband and I deciding to have at least one Bar Mitzvah in our family (other than my own). Connecting with our oldest son Brevitt right away, he somehow engaged him in a crash course into Judaism. At this time, all of our lives went on hold, including Itzhak’s. I needed/wanted to give back to Rabbi Itzhak, and to share his words of wisdom on spirituality to our community
Kabbalah And The Inner Spirit: According to Kabbalistic thought, the human soul consists of three parts: Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshama. The first component of the soul, nefesh, is present in every person from birth. The nefesh is the fount of the physical and psychological aspects of the human nature. The ruach and the neshama are not inborn and can only be attained through the intentions and actions of the individual. Kabbalistic thought holds that these two elements of the soul come into full flower only in people who have spiritual enlightenment.
Nicholas Vesey, Minister of the Aspen Chapel was also there in the conversation. Nicholas is an ordained minister in the Church of England where he served as a priest in Kent and in Norfolk. He has studied many of the ‘Wisdom Traditions’, and is as much at home with the Tao Te Ching or the Upanishads as he is with the 4 Gospels.
The Aspen Chapel just won the Aspen Times Local’s Choice Award for non-profit of the year. Aspen Chapel has a multitude of programs including but not limited to: Speaker Programs, Developing Consciousness, Meditation & Yoga, and programs for youth, teens and families.
Aspen Chapel Minister Nicholas Vesey: Because Spirituality is primarily concerned with the human spirit, and whether or not you want to include anything in that about the divine, you all know that the human spirit is affecting your business whether you like it or not. If there is a lack of spirit around the place, you soon know it, and if there is an abundance of spirit, well you see it on the bottom line.
Photos by Luke Dahlgren Photography
The conversation was moderated by Gina Murdock, Founder of Lead with Love. 1% of donations from our event went to Lead with Love. To purchase tickets click here [Use code REAlLOVE and get $100 of your ticket]. Click on this link for the Lead with Love Local’s Lounge Free & Open to the Public.
Gina and Jerry Murdock started the Murdock Mind, Body and Spirit Series at the Aspen Institute in the support of the Institute’s commitment to nurturing the ‘whole’ individual by bringing a range of experts, innovators, and leaders to Aspen to discuss their research and share the latest revelations about the link between mindfulness, physical activity, and emotional well-being.
How to Stay Spiritual in Business Video Presented by Colorado Audio Visual & Design
Aspen Business Connect Events
Aspen Business Connect events are presented for the soul purpose of positively impacting our community. With each event the panel has fallen together serendipitously, beginning at The Marble Bar Aspen with Chef Barclay Dodge of Bosq Aspen as one of the featured speakers, and the relationships continue after each event. Barclay just threw a very special party for our sponsors at his restaurant, Bosq Aspen. Every bite was its own celebration, all set in the coziest of environments as the yellow Aspen leaves blew off the trees in the chilly air outside. Thank you so very much Barclay for allowing us to celebrate our sponsors… and congratulations to you and Molly.
Through these events, the message that is loud and clear is that the individuals in our valley have a strong desire to connect deeper to our community. We are all just a few degrees away from connecting, and we at Aspen Real Life are doing what we can to close the gap through these events, as well as by providing affordable opportunities to share voices and stories on Aspen Real Life.
The testimonials from our past events tell a great story on the collaborations being made at the Aspen Connect events, and here are a few other examples; Sponsor Mike Eaton of Coldwell Banker Mason Morse has connected with over five businesses and they are working together to help one another; Many guests of our “Women Empowering Women” event reached out to Susan O’Bryan of OSC Law & Mediation after she spoke of her time at Alpine Legal Services, and of her new firm offering divorce mediation services; Olivia Daane, Founder of LivAspenArt Gallery, and Brian Harris of Aspen Travel Advisors reconnected at our Aspen Connect business event at Grey Lady Aspen, which led to Olivia’s Callicore Sensor Butterfly to be printed onto cashmere scarves. Brian owns a luxury fashion brand, Aimai Cashmere, that has developed a finishing process not available in the U.S. Full color, edge-to-edge digital printing on 100% natural cashmere. All products are hand spun and hand woven in Kathmandu, Nepal and have been featured in celebrity fashion shows at MBNY (Lincoln Center and Madison Square Garden), LA fashion weeks, and Aspen Cares. Follow @aimaicashmere and @aspentraveladvisors, and @livlikeadream and @livaspenart on social media. To inquire about Olivia’s scarves email [email protected].
Aspen Connect Sponsors
Save the date for our next event scheduled for January 17th event to be held at The Caribou Club with a pending theme of, “Explorative Travel Amongst Indigenous People”. Janie Joseland-Bennett and her daughter Eleanor have been invited to participate in the conversation. Janie and Eleanor are in Australia right now gathering content for a podcast on the Aboriginal people of whom Janie grew up with on her ranch in The Bush. Eleanor is a “Women and Environment Content Curator” and Producer for SiriusXM. Other speakers and the moderator for this event are in the works and still to be determined.
Email Client Liaison Michelle Bryan to become a sponsor of these events. Marketing begins November 1st. Email: [email protected].
Aspen Connect Speakers: Rod Stryker, founder of ParaYoga® and the author of The Four Desires: Creating a Life of Purpose, Happiness, Prosperity, and Freedom; Executive Director of Lead with Love, Gina Murdock; Aspen Chapel Minister Nicholas Vesey; Neshama Center Aspen Rabbit Itzhak Vardy; Chef C. Barclay Dodge, Chef/Owner of Bosq; Chef Susie Jiminez; Woody Tasch, Founder of Slow Money, Author and Visionary; Brook Levan, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Sustainable Settings, Jerome Osentowski, Founder and Director of CRMPI (Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute), and Eden Vardy, Executive Director & Co-Founder of Aspen Tree and The Farm Collective; Susan Brady, Founder of 2Forks Club; John Ward, ANB Mountain Region President, GlenX Executive Director, Mike Lowe, and Founder, Altai Chuluun; Michele Cardamone of Michele Cardamone Photography; Sue O’Bryan, Interim Executive Director of Alpine Legal Services and Partner at OSCLM; and Gina D’Orazio Stryker, Founder of organic, non-GMO Gina Cucina Soups.
Aspen Connect venues: Marble Bar Aspen, St. Regis Aspen, Grey Lady Aspen, Aspen Kitchen and Aspen Chapel. Sponsorship celebration party at Bosq Aspen.
