Episodes
Beyond: Welcome the Liminal and Rumi
March 1, 2021
In this Beyond story, we revisit one of our earlier conversations with master healer Artie Wu to help us bring to life the liminal stage in our personal transformation pattern. I know this stage well, and I was able to recognize when I was in it, and how I created a vision board to let my soul guid…
Beyond: The Gift of Listening and Thich Nhat Hanh
Jan. 30, 2021
In this very personal Beyond story, I wanted to share why it's so important to me that this podcast is not for sale. Why it matters that you, dear listeners and neighbors of the world, have a safe, judgement free space to listen, and notice what comes up. To do that, I take you back through my own …
Beyond: Remember Auld Lang Syne and Robert Burns
Dec. 28, 2020
In this special New Year's Beyond story, David All looks deeper into the meaning of that sweet, familiar song, Auld Lang Syne , a poem attributed to Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns. Before you turn the page and burn the book on 2020, turn around and remember the 'Good old days' and all those…
Becoming a Better Man with Corey Cepeda
Nov. 23, 2020
Corey Cepeda's transformation to become a better man didn't happen overnight, but that journey did begin one night in a jail cell long ago. That night, on his knees on the coldest concrete floor in an intimate jail cell, he committed to ending his rough lifestyle, a typical example in the pattern o…
Gifted this Moment to Begin with Christian Long
Nov. 11, 2020
At first glance, you might wonder why Christian Long, a man with multiple fathers, would be featured in a series on fatherlessness. Good question. It’s true that Christian has a biological father, but he was out of the picture before Christian was three years old and only emerged again when Christi…
The Quest for Purpose with L.T. Bourne
Oct. 29, 2020
As with so many children in the world today, Leonardo Lightbourne (L.T. Bourne) grew up with an absent father. Watching from the window as his father drove away left L.T. feeling confused and heartbroken. As he grew, he became a people-pleaser, trying to win the favor of others so that they wouldn’…
Beyond: Fatherfullness and Joe Biden
Oct. 24, 2020
In this Beyond story, David All brings to life the concept of fatherfullness by telling Joe Biden’s personal story of choosing the role and responsibility of fatherhood over all else, including his own ambitions in his career of public service. Wisdom for our Soul, Courage for your Journey. In Bell…
Fatherlessness, Stories of Men
Sept. 29, 2020
Welcome to our third season of Belly of the Beast Life Stories. Growing up with an absent biological father has a particular impact on men. In Fatherlessness, I’ll tell you stories of men that share this experience. A golden thread marking a childhood of grief, anger, and missteps; a difficult patt…
Show Update: Calibrating Our Story
Aug. 25, 2020
This informational bonus episode covers a few key adjustments we're making: 1. Originally our theme for Season 3 focused on exploring the transformations in personal stories of folks that have faced the criminal justice system. With COVID, it's not safe to take this issue on the way we envision, so…
Blind Mother Raises Blind Children with Ashley Wayne
May 26, 2020
Ashley Wayne shares her story of facing down her fear of being blind and becoming a mother. And now, she has two blind children and a newborn. EPISODE SUMMARY Part I The gift of sight was always seen as a luxury to Ashley up until this moment She’s days from going to get her daughter in Bulgaria, t…
The Responsibility of Fatherhood with Mathew Passy
May 19, 2020
Mathew Passy’s 4-month old daughter was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis, a rare but treatable disease, bringing immediacy to the role and responsibility of fatherhood. EPISODE SUMMARY Part I •The story opens with Mathew and his wife taking their 4-month old daughter, Hailey, into the hospital w…
Facing Miscarriage with Lorna Rose
May 12, 2020
Lorna Rose was three-months pregnant when a routine blood test revealed a genetic disorder in her unborn child which carried a high risk of miscarriage at any point in the pregnancy. The daily grieving led to finding her voice as a poet and writer. EPISODE SUMMARY Part I As an older mother, Lorna h…
Down Syndrome, Autism and Peace with Kip Morse
May 5, 2020
Kip Morse's first daughter, Allison, was diagnosed with Down syndrome at birth and later, autism. Tremendous behavioral issues forced him into being the family's peacekeeper. Now he's finally finding peace as his daughter realizes her purpose. To me, Kip has been a mentor and the leading example of…
Two Children with Rare Diseases with Rachel Poysky
April 28, 2020
Rachel Poysky shares her Belly story of raising two children with rare diseases. Her greatest fears about the health of her son, Joel, were affirmed when she pulled into the driveway and her husband was waiting for her with news. Her husband, Dr. James Poysky, delivered the grave news that their so…
Three Children with Special Needs with Laura Hernandez
April 21, 2020
Now a mama to 10 kiddos, Laura Hernandez faced and met the overwhelming challenges when her family added three adopted children that would all eventually be diagnosed with intellectual delay (mental retardation) and fetal alcohol syndrome. After consulting friends and books and still not having the…
Being A Mother with Sharon Eisenhauer
April 14, 2020
Sharon Eisenhauer had to heal the wound of her relationship with her own mother before she could break out of the mold of motherhood to find joy in her relationship with her adopted daughter. Sharon and her wife adopted their daughter and divorced a few years later. The relationship between Sharon …
Two Children Murdered with Charlotte Austin-Jordan
April 7, 2020
The day after Mother’s Day in 1988, Charlotte's only daughter, Ja’Mee, was murdered at the age of 13 in a case of mistaken identity by five gang members. Then again in 1996, Charlotte’s 25 year-old son Corey was also killed by gang members who thought his blue work uniform represented a rival gang’…
Season 2: For Love of My Child
March 24, 2020
Each Belly of the Beast Life Story illustrates the nature of transformation through the story of a real person. Season 2 is curated by the theme - For Love of My Child. All stories are by parents who have faced and overcome the unimaginable for the unconditional love of their child. We are still ga…