You can listen to this May 11 inteview by Women's Voices' Kristin Suratt by clicking here.
This is one of my favorite interviews to date due to the amount Kristin managed to squeeze into one hour! Topics covered:
1. Synchronicities that lead me to write If I Only Had a Brain Injury, including Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon.”
2. What it felt like to go from Type A multi-tasker to single-focused (if that) brain injury survivor.
3. How I became a Medical Intuitive.
4. Agnosia and hypersensitivity after trauma.
5. The value of Chopin for brain waves.
6. Information on a raw food diet for healing, plus how and why I made the switch.
7. A sneak preview of my new novel, Schizandra and the Gates of Mu. Please note that the publishing information has changed since the recording of this podcast. The book is now available through International Renaissance Press and can be found in both bookstores and online. It will also soon be available through Shazzie.
8. Myth and healing.
Kristin’s a fabulous interviewer with a knack for incorporating just the right musical interludes and questions. Many, many thanks both to Kristin and also to Dhrumil Purohit for helping me convert this into MP3. Enjoy!
If you’d like to link to this podcast, the link is: http://files.welikeitraw.com/audio/laura-bruno-kzyx.mp3
www.internationalrenaissancecoaching.com
www.lazyrawfoodist.com
www.ifionlyhadabraininjury.com
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Upcoming Events and Classes with Laura Bruno
Laura Bruno is an Intuitive Life Coach, Medical Intuitive, Reiki Master Teacher and author of the award-winning “If I Only Had a Brain Injury” and “The Lazy Raw Foodist’s Guide,” recommended by Steve Pavlina as the best raw food book for beginners. Residents and visitors to Northern California have several opportunities to meet Laura at talks, book signings and workshops this Spring:
Free Talks
Monday, March 9, 2009, 7:30-8:30 p.m. at Cafe Gratitude in Healdsburg, California.
“The Strangest and Most Common Things Seen by a Medical Intuitive.”
Laura’s talk is part of the ongoing Monday Night Live! series. Come early to order some terrific tasting raw vegan or vegan vittles. Cafe Gratitude consistently wins “best of ” awards, and it’s certainly one of Laura’s favorites. This evening’s talk will be tailored to the audience, so bring your curiosity and questions.
Friday, April 3, 2009, Petaluma Raw Food Potluck, Azure Apartments Clubhouse, Petaluma, CA. 7:00-9:00 ((Food before the talk; please bring a raw vegan dish large enough to serve 10 people; for more details, click here.)
“Awakening to Synchronicity, Signs and Intuition”
This will probably be Laura’s last talk at the Petaluma Raw Food Potluck. In her October 2008 talk at this packed venue, many people asked for exercises and techniques to increase their own awareness. Tonight’s talk will build upon those questions and include much more information about the increased synchronicities and clarity so many people experience on a raw diet and/or spiritual path.
Upcoming Reiki Certification Classes
Tuesday, March 3 OR Saturday, March 21, 2009, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Accelerated Reiki 1 and 2 Certification Class.
Please click here for details.
Free Talks
Monday, March 9, 2009, 7:30-8:30 p.m. at Cafe Gratitude in Healdsburg, California.
“The Strangest and Most Common Things Seen by a Medical Intuitive.”
Laura’s talk is part of the ongoing Monday Night Live! series. Come early to order some terrific tasting raw vegan or vegan vittles. Cafe Gratitude consistently wins “best of ” awards, and it’s certainly one of Laura’s favorites. This evening’s talk will be tailored to the audience, so bring your curiosity and questions.
Friday, April 3, 2009, Petaluma Raw Food Potluck, Azure Apartments Clubhouse, Petaluma, CA. 7:00-9:00 ((Food before the talk; please bring a raw vegan dish large enough to serve 10 people; for more details, click here.)
“Awakening to Synchronicity, Signs and Intuition”
This will probably be Laura’s last talk at the Petaluma Raw Food Potluck. In her October 2008 talk at this packed venue, many people asked for exercises and techniques to increase their own awareness. Tonight’s talk will build upon those questions and include much more information about the increased synchronicities and clarity so many people experience on a raw diet and/or spiritual path.
Upcoming Reiki Certification Classes
Tuesday, March 3 OR Saturday, March 21, 2009, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Accelerated Reiki 1 and 2 Certification Class.
Please click here for details.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Brain Injury and Natural Healing Novel Entered into Amazon's Breakthrough Novel Award Contest 2009
If you liked "If I Only Had a Brain Injury," "The Wizard of Oz," "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" or "The Celestine Prophecy," you will also like "Schizandra and the Gates of Mu," a fantasy novel with crossover appeal for young adults and older readers.
I got the idea for this book while treating with and working for an herbalist and natural healer in Seattle, Washington. At the time, I could only write for about 5 - 20 minutes per day. Two non-fiction books and dozens of articles later, I've finally finished my first fiction project! Anyone who's ever had a mysterious illness, injury, near death experience, or who enjoys Sedona, natural medicine, flying, synchronicities, animal communication, or ancient cultures will find a lively companion in this book.
My other blog explains some of the synchronicities that inspired my entry in Amazon's 2009 ABNA Contest: http://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2009/02/03/synchronicity-seattle-schizandra-and-amazons-2009-breakthrough-novel-award-contest/.
Best wishes to everyone who entered the contest, and if you're in the midst of a lengthy recovery process, just know I'm rooting for you. Miracles really do happen! Every single day ...
I got the idea for this book while treating with and working for an herbalist and natural healer in Seattle, Washington. At the time, I could only write for about 5 - 20 minutes per day. Two non-fiction books and dozens of articles later, I've finally finished my first fiction project! Anyone who's ever had a mysterious illness, injury, near death experience, or who enjoys Sedona, natural medicine, flying, synchronicities, animal communication, or ancient cultures will find a lively companion in this book.
My other blog explains some of the synchronicities that inspired my entry in Amazon's 2009 ABNA Contest: http://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2009/02/03/synchronicity-seattle-schizandra-and-amazons-2009-breakthrough-novel-award-contest/.
Best wishes to everyone who entered the contest, and if you're in the midst of a lengthy recovery process, just know I'm rooting for you. Miracles really do happen! Every single day ...
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Maximize Your Brain Function: Laura Bruno Speaking Event
I just posted an hour-long talk on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/LauraPBruno. When I can figure out how and if I can download that much material to this blog, I will embed at least some of the files here. For now, though, you can watch the whole talk or individual segments on my YouTube Channel.
“Maximize Your Brain Function” covers my devastating 1998 brain injury and highlights of my recovery, how I became a professional Medical Intuitive, meditation, visual therapy, raw foods, natural ways to help heal mental illness, awakening your intuition, and finding ways to use both sides of your brain. This talk, presented to over 60 audience members at the Petaluma Raw Food Potluck on October 3, 2008, also includes an extensive question and answer session with lots of audience participation. I hope you enjoy it, and many thanks to my Canadian friend Kaz for getting this talk YouTube ready!
Blessings,
Laura
www.internationalrenaissancecoaching.com
www.ifionlyhadabraininjury.com
www.lazyrawfoodist.com
http://laurabruno.wordpress.com
“Maximize Your Brain Function” covers my devastating 1998 brain injury and highlights of my recovery, how I became a professional Medical Intuitive, meditation, visual therapy, raw foods, natural ways to help heal mental illness, awakening your intuition, and finding ways to use both sides of your brain. This talk, presented to over 60 audience members at the Petaluma Raw Food Potluck on October 3, 2008, also includes an extensive question and answer session with lots of audience participation. I hope you enjoy it, and many thanks to my Canadian friend Kaz for getting this talk YouTube ready!
Blessings,
Laura
www.internationalrenaissancecoaching.com
www.ifionlyhadabraininjury.com
www.lazyrawfoodist.com
http://laurabruno.wordpress.com
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Travel Article Published on WLIR
Although not technically related to brain injury, CFS or Fibromyalgia, I have personally known quite a few people who healed themselves of symptoms by turning to a raw food diet. My travel article profiles Living Light on California's Mendocino Coast.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
The Mary Poppins Principle: Why We Need Fun
Millions of us grew up loving Mary Poppins. That straight-laced nanny who was "practically perfect in every way" certainly had a way of injecting fun into people's lives! From going to the bank to connecting new friends to the cartoon derby, Mary Poppins embodies the concepts of freedom through discipline and discipline through fun. When coaching extremely driven clients who want both success and spiritual growth (now!), I often "prescribe" what I call "The Mary Poppins Principle." Here's how it works:
"A Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Medicine Go Down"
Have you ever tried to go through an entire day without having any fun at all? Ever go to work and purposely refuse to crack a smile? "No, not purposely," you might say, "But sometimes my work really isn't any fun at all." For some reason, when people receive money, they can sometimes justify a lack of fun, but it still doesn't make them love their jobs, and it doesn't make them any more successful.
Think of Mr. Banks (the father), for example. He goes to the bank every single day and comes home an unhappy, irritable man--but he makes a decent living. He never laughs until he tells the joke his son told him about "the man with a wooden leg named Smith." ("What's the name of his other leg?") For the first time ever, Mr. Banks has fun at work, and he thinks he's fired--because what can work and fun possibly have in common? He feels liberated to leave his job behind, even though he no longer sees any means for financial security. He commits to fun. And what happens? He receives a promotion precisely because of his joke, which made the crotchety old boss die laughing--the happiest anyone had ever seen him. A spoonful of sugar--a little fun--makes every task more palatable, just like it makes castor oil taste good for the Banks children.
It also makes the work of personal growth much easier to swallow. People so often associate things like meditation, spirituality and following their path with hard work. Work hard, play hard, right? Nope, work hard, work even more! No wonder they find their lives a bit lackluster. Who wants to work all week at a job they know does not align with their greater purpose only to spend their weekend pondering how much effort and dour soul searching the path to purpose will eventually require? Who really wants to deprive themselves of all the frivolities of life so they can receive an imaginary diploma from Enlightened University?
I encourage everyone to add a spoonful of sugar to every unpleasant or boring aspect of life, but especially to spiritual pursuits. When we associate something with fun, we tend to engage in it more often. We also release control, a fact that helps us break through prior limitations. When we stop taking ourselves and our lives so seriously--when we inject some fun into the journey--our eyes twinkle, and so does our mind. Creative juices start flowing, and surprising solutions reveal themselves like uncontrollable giggles. Punch lines become strokes of genius. Mr. Banks spreads laughter, and the laughter performs its own work. People around him start living from a place of love and gratitude.
"The More I Laugh (ha ha ha ha), the More I Fill with Glee"
Ever hear of Laughter Yoga? Hey, this is some seriously good stuff. People join together and instead of holding pretzel poses or sweating out toxins at 104 degrees, they laugh! Over 6000 Laughter Yoga clubs exist now in 60 countries. Participants find the unconventional practice offers boons like greater relaxation, feelings of oneness with the universe, unconditional compassion, spontaneous moments of joy. People bond while chuckling together, even when they can't explain what's so funny.
Good for the soul, good for the body: scientists already know laughter speeds recovery from illness and injury. It feeds the blood with rich supplies of oxygen, and healthy cells thrive in a high oxygen environment. Laughter lowers high blood pressure, creates painkilling endorphins and massages our internal glands and organs just like traditional yoga poses. It also reduces stress, which lowers the cortisol that leads to fat tummies. Belly laughs also provide a great abdominal workout. Wanna lose that gut and awaken your heart chakra? Have six guffaws and call me in the morning.
"Good Luck Will Rub Off When I Shake 'ands with You"
Ah, Bert, Mary Poppins' chimney sweeping friend! He spends his days "in the ashes and smoke" but "in this 'ole wide world, there's no happier bloke." Bert goes into the darkness every single day. He clears out ashes, gets covered in soot, but he still manages to attract friends like the magical Mary Poppins. He also works a day job and yet finds time for creative pursuits like chalk drawings and dancing. Because he sees himself as lucky, Bert becomes so, and his artwork takes on a life of its own. He feels so happy that he wants to share his luck, and in doing so, he gets showered with even more blessings and love.
The jovial chimney sweep also teaches us something about timing. In that phenomenal rooftop choreography, we see Bert and the other sweeps making fantastic leaps of faith, twirling through the air, walking on impossibly narrow and high walls, and always landing safely. They move through the air and around each other with ease and grace, and why does it all work? Timing. Fun with discipline. By approaching life as a dance, even unglamorous activities and slow periods become dynamic expressions of Spirit. If you don't believe in the power of dance to create unity, Google "Dancing with the Universe" and watch the video. When we dance, our hearts open and we share joy, luck, and love with everyone around us. Then more of those things start spinning towards us in the complex jig of synchronicity. Timing matters, and we can learn to trust where and how we step at any given moment.
"Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"
Who cares what it sounds like? And who cares if it's a real word? It became one because people started using it. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is a nonsense word that describes exactly how it feels: fantastic! Mary Poppins uses it to express her effortless win at the cartoon derby. Mr. Banks uses it when he feels the freedom to walk away from a dead-end job. The children sing it while they march around the house.
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious teaches us about Essence--the deepest and most playful part of our being. When we initially let our true selves show, some people react. At first, Mr. Banks can't stand having his son James and servants sing that "silly word." He orders everyone around him to stop the nonsense. Something about the word itself grates on his nerves, highlighting the difference between his enculturated life vs. the more authentic lives of those around him. Mr. Banks tries to bury his feelings, and in so doing allows the word to plant its potent seed. With the right combination of stress, loss of control, laughter and freedom, that seed begins to sprout until Mr. Banks grows into ... himself! He becomes the lighthearted child AND the successful businessman; the doting father and husband AND the powerful provider. Mr. Banks becomes the most beautiful and lively version of himself. Once he does, Mary Poppins can move on to another family because Mr. Banks and all the lives he touches will begin to feel Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. ... And so it goes ...
So honor your most ridiculous thoughts, words and dreams. Insist on fun with discipline. Dance like no one's looking. Let yourself feel lucky. Laugh! Follow the Mary Poppins Principle, and let your weirdness shine. Your soul and the world will thank you.
Laura Bruno is a Life Coach, Medical Intuitive and Reiki Master Teacher who believes in making life transitions fun. In addition to private coaching and intuitive sessions, she teaches Conscious Eating 101, Intuition workshops and Reiki Certification classes around the country and in the San Francisco area. For more information on classes, transitional coaching, animal communication, and letting your gifts shine through your career, please see: www.internationalrenaissancecoaching.com or call 775-750-9140.
Laura also wrote the book, "If I Only Had a Brain Injury," which explores The Wizard of Oz as a model for healing from so-called medical mysteries, available at www.ifionlyhadabraininjury.com, Amazon and other online retailers.
"A Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Medicine Go Down"
Have you ever tried to go through an entire day without having any fun at all? Ever go to work and purposely refuse to crack a smile? "No, not purposely," you might say, "But sometimes my work really isn't any fun at all." For some reason, when people receive money, they can sometimes justify a lack of fun, but it still doesn't make them love their jobs, and it doesn't make them any more successful.
Think of Mr. Banks (the father), for example. He goes to the bank every single day and comes home an unhappy, irritable man--but he makes a decent living. He never laughs until he tells the joke his son told him about "the man with a wooden leg named Smith." ("What's the name of his other leg?") For the first time ever, Mr. Banks has fun at work, and he thinks he's fired--because what can work and fun possibly have in common? He feels liberated to leave his job behind, even though he no longer sees any means for financial security. He commits to fun. And what happens? He receives a promotion precisely because of his joke, which made the crotchety old boss die laughing--the happiest anyone had ever seen him. A spoonful of sugar--a little fun--makes every task more palatable, just like it makes castor oil taste good for the Banks children.
It also makes the work of personal growth much easier to swallow. People so often associate things like meditation, spirituality and following their path with hard work. Work hard, play hard, right? Nope, work hard, work even more! No wonder they find their lives a bit lackluster. Who wants to work all week at a job they know does not align with their greater purpose only to spend their weekend pondering how much effort and dour soul searching the path to purpose will eventually require? Who really wants to deprive themselves of all the frivolities of life so they can receive an imaginary diploma from Enlightened University?
I encourage everyone to add a spoonful of sugar to every unpleasant or boring aspect of life, but especially to spiritual pursuits. When we associate something with fun, we tend to engage in it more often. We also release control, a fact that helps us break through prior limitations. When we stop taking ourselves and our lives so seriously--when we inject some fun into the journey--our eyes twinkle, and so does our mind. Creative juices start flowing, and surprising solutions reveal themselves like uncontrollable giggles. Punch lines become strokes of genius. Mr. Banks spreads laughter, and the laughter performs its own work. People around him start living from a place of love and gratitude.
"The More I Laugh (ha ha ha ha), the More I Fill with Glee"
Ever hear of Laughter Yoga? Hey, this is some seriously good stuff. People join together and instead of holding pretzel poses or sweating out toxins at 104 degrees, they laugh! Over 6000 Laughter Yoga clubs exist now in 60 countries. Participants find the unconventional practice offers boons like greater relaxation, feelings of oneness with the universe, unconditional compassion, spontaneous moments of joy. People bond while chuckling together, even when they can't explain what's so funny.
Good for the soul, good for the body: scientists already know laughter speeds recovery from illness and injury. It feeds the blood with rich supplies of oxygen, and healthy cells thrive in a high oxygen environment. Laughter lowers high blood pressure, creates painkilling endorphins and massages our internal glands and organs just like traditional yoga poses. It also reduces stress, which lowers the cortisol that leads to fat tummies. Belly laughs also provide a great abdominal workout. Wanna lose that gut and awaken your heart chakra? Have six guffaws and call me in the morning.
"Good Luck Will Rub Off When I Shake 'ands with You"
Ah, Bert, Mary Poppins' chimney sweeping friend! He spends his days "in the ashes and smoke" but "in this 'ole wide world, there's no happier bloke." Bert goes into the darkness every single day. He clears out ashes, gets covered in soot, but he still manages to attract friends like the magical Mary Poppins. He also works a day job and yet finds time for creative pursuits like chalk drawings and dancing. Because he sees himself as lucky, Bert becomes so, and his artwork takes on a life of its own. He feels so happy that he wants to share his luck, and in doing so, he gets showered with even more blessings and love.
The jovial chimney sweep also teaches us something about timing. In that phenomenal rooftop choreography, we see Bert and the other sweeps making fantastic leaps of faith, twirling through the air, walking on impossibly narrow and high walls, and always landing safely. They move through the air and around each other with ease and grace, and why does it all work? Timing. Fun with discipline. By approaching life as a dance, even unglamorous activities and slow periods become dynamic expressions of Spirit. If you don't believe in the power of dance to create unity, Google "Dancing with the Universe" and watch the video. When we dance, our hearts open and we share joy, luck, and love with everyone around us. Then more of those things start spinning towards us in the complex jig of synchronicity. Timing matters, and we can learn to trust where and how we step at any given moment.
"Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"
Who cares what it sounds like? And who cares if it's a real word? It became one because people started using it. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is a nonsense word that describes exactly how it feels: fantastic! Mary Poppins uses it to express her effortless win at the cartoon derby. Mr. Banks uses it when he feels the freedom to walk away from a dead-end job. The children sing it while they march around the house.
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious teaches us about Essence--the deepest and most playful part of our being. When we initially let our true selves show, some people react. At first, Mr. Banks can't stand having his son James and servants sing that "silly word." He orders everyone around him to stop the nonsense. Something about the word itself grates on his nerves, highlighting the difference between his enculturated life vs. the more authentic lives of those around him. Mr. Banks tries to bury his feelings, and in so doing allows the word to plant its potent seed. With the right combination of stress, loss of control, laughter and freedom, that seed begins to sprout until Mr. Banks grows into ... himself! He becomes the lighthearted child AND the successful businessman; the doting father and husband AND the powerful provider. Mr. Banks becomes the most beautiful and lively version of himself. Once he does, Mary Poppins can move on to another family because Mr. Banks and all the lives he touches will begin to feel Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. ... And so it goes ...
So honor your most ridiculous thoughts, words and dreams. Insist on fun with discipline. Dance like no one's looking. Let yourself feel lucky. Laugh! Follow the Mary Poppins Principle, and let your weirdness shine. Your soul and the world will thank you.
Laura Bruno is a Life Coach, Medical Intuitive and Reiki Master Teacher who believes in making life transitions fun. In addition to private coaching and intuitive sessions, she teaches Conscious Eating 101, Intuition workshops and Reiki Certification classes around the country and in the San Francisco area. For more information on classes, transitional coaching, animal communication, and letting your gifts shine through your career, please see: www.internationalrenaissancecoaching.com or call 775-750-9140.
Laura also wrote the book, "If I Only Had a Brain Injury," which explores The Wizard of Oz as a model for healing from so-called medical mysteries, available at www.ifionlyhadabraininjury.com, Amazon and other online retailers.
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