ALAN BUSTEED

Alan Busteed is a violinist who has been a concertmaster and soloist for film scores recorded in Los Angeles. He is a violist who has performed with the San Diego, Fort Worth, and Santa Barbara Symphonies. He has served as staff pianist for opera workshop at the University of Texas Arlington and done free lance vocal accompanying at Loyola Marymount University. He coaches string players and singers at East Los Angeles Performing Arts Magnet High School.

CALEB ROBBINS

Caleb Robbins is a 16 year-old who lives life passionately and all-in on whatever he is doing! His homeschooling life allows him to pursue his love for foreign languages, natural medicine, story-writing, animation, reading (up to a 1000 pages a day!) and music. Since his youth, he’s had a special gift for percussion and singing. As a baritone vocalist, he gets to use that loud ‘outside’ voice he always had as a child for the beautiful songs he expresses with his rich tone. While Caleb deeply appreciates all styles of music from Jazz to Rock to  Opera, he told his family when he was 12, “I was born for Swing.”  Caleb lives in Southern California with his mom and dad (who are also professional musicians and authors) and his younger brother, Seth, who harmonizes with him and accompanies him on the piano.

Paul Richardson gained his Architecture qualifications in London, England, where he studied natural building, eco-architecture, and holistic Architecture. He studied briefly under Malaysian Architect Ken Yeang (Bio Climatic Skyscraper), and other reputable Green Architects/natural builders, Sarah Wigglesworth and Jeremy Till, where he came to further develop his understanding of the principles and workings of sustainable design and natural architecture.

In his final Thesis, Paul focussed on a Holistic approach to Sustainable Architecture, bringing together the unseen elements of the world, the sacred in architecture, and combined with natural materials and renewable sources.

After Graduating Post Grad in Architecture, Paul left the UK, and began his working life as an Architect, in the Northeast of America. Here he found himself struggling to honour his path, and found himself in the regular work world, having to support a growing family, and no way to bring to life his studies in Green Architecture and natural building, in any meaningful way.

Working mostly on residential construction projects, ranging from Post and Beam small dwellings, Eco friendly flat pack homes, all the way to multi-million, dollar mansions and beach homes.

After leaving the US in 2011, Paul worked overseas in Asia and Caucus region, delivering projects for some of the wealthiest families in the world. Which included the design, implementation and management of 5 star hotels, Resorts, and VVIP residences and Penthouses.

Although the money was there, and life was relatively easy, Paul became more and more disenchanted with the world of construction, and started to think that Architecture was not his path at all. He experimented with his other passion, music, in the hopes that he may be able to make a difference here, and share his message, but after 2 years of hard work, with several music groups, Paul realized that this was just a distraction, and at the end of 2015, hit a major juncture on his journey.

It was the beginning of 2016, on his 40th birthday when Paul decided it was time to make some drastic changes, and dedicated himself to daily practice of meditation, and self-reflection, to see if he could find peace at least with his present path, and do much needed healing work.

Meditation was helping, but it was in September 2017, after realizing again that he needed to get on his true path, that Paul was called to go to Peru, to the Amazon Rainforest, to spend time there with the medicine men (Shamans).

From there everything changed, and on returning back to Kazakhstan, where he was Project Managing the fitout of 6 star, Hotel, he started receiving details and downloads and found himself with a deep sense of renewed purpose. The creativity and inspiration that had been drummed out of him through the corporate work world, was now back with force (unlike ever before), and Paul became determined not to let this go to waste, and fall back into the comfortable trap of corporate work.

By the end of October 2017, Paul abruptly left his position, after receiving guidance to go to the United States to view a large parcel of land in New Mexico, where he had visions of building a community there, but not only a community, but a living school, that would be an educational and inspiring platform to educate and teach the tools of self-reliance, natural building, permaculture, etc, and facilitate a shift to sovereign community domains.

He founded the concept of Haven Earth, a company that he felt he needed to bring to life to be able to offer some platform to assist with the transition into a community centric model of living, a self-reliant life.

In February 2018, at a workshop on Natural building in South Africa, Paul had a chance to share his vision and designs, and found great reception, especially from the host of the workshop, Alosha Lynov, and few other’s (Engineers and visionaries), who felt a strong connection between their own visions, and what Paul brought to the table, and together they were drawn to work together to make this dream a reality.

From there, Paul and Alosha partnered up, and were invited to be part of a government conference in Moscow, Russia in May 2018, to brainstorm and develop the concept of sustainable cities of the future. Sharing the stage with the likes, as ‘Venus Project’, where they are still working with the main group in Moscow to develop pilot projects outside the capital city, as part of research into creating large sustainable town and city projects somewhere down the road.

Alongside Alosha, and a growing team, Haven Earth Center (partner Bioveda Academy), began to implement small model projects in South Africa and Turkey, and larger, creatively self-reliant community projects in both the United States and Russia. 

Paul’s driving force, is to create a platform, that can facilitate the co-creation of sovereign, creatively self-reliant communities globally, that would connect and share knowledge and tools via workshops, online forums, etc, to get the information out to the general public.

He feels it is the lack of viable visions in the public consciousness, that are limiting our progress toward this goal, and by fearlessly sharing and living his truth and walking his path, and actively developing the vision, with the team, that will inspire many other’s to see there is another way, and that these ways are not so hard to reach, if we make the choice to move in that direction, and away from our failing dominant system.

NATHAN EDMONDSON

Nathan Edmondson, a native of Augusta Georgia, has worked in politics, with the military and intelligence communities, and written comic books and screenplays.  He is currently penning the PRODIGAL TV pilot for Gold Standard Media. His comic credits include OLYMPUS, THE LIGHT, WHO IS JAKE ELLIS?, WHERE IS JAKE ELLIS?, THE ACTIVITY, DANCER, THE DREAM MERCHANT and GENESIS at Image Comics.  He also wrote ULTIMATE IRON MAN, BLACK WIDOW, THE PUNISHER and RED WOLF for Marvel Comics, as well as GRIFTER for DC Comics and SPLINTER CELL: ECHOES for Ubisoft.  His Eisner-nominated book WHO IS JAKE ELLIS? is soon to be a major motion picture from 20th Century Fox, and THE ACTIVITY film comes soon from Paramount Pictures. NPR has listed his work among the “Top 6 Comics to Draw You In” and USA Today and CNN are among those who have listed him in their Top 10 lists.

MARK BARANOV

Mark Baranov joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s first violin section in the 1978/79 season.

Baranov was trained in the Soviet Union at the Gnessin Music Academy in Moscow, where he earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree. He served as co-concertmaster of the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra under Gennady Rozhdestvensky, appearing as soloist on many occasions and touring with the ensemble in Eastern and Western Europe and Japan, as well as throughout the USSR. Baranov also performed as a leader of the orchestra’s chamber ensemble, Nonette. He was also a member of the Moscow Radio String Quartet. With these ensembles he toured throughout Europe participating in many important festivals and gave USSR premieres of works by such composers as Schoenberg, Messiaen, Denisov, and Schnittke, and made several recordings on the Melodiya label.

After coming to the United Sates in 1978, he became very active in the Southland’s musical community. In 1983 he founded the critically acclaimed chamber ensemble Trio West with Philharmonic cellist Barry Gold and Baranov’s wife, pianist Lina Targonsky. The ensemble has performed frequently throughout Southern California, including the Philharmonic’s Chamber Music Society series, as well as aboard the Queen Elizabeth II. In 1992 Trio West was invited to perform in Germany at the Festival Bahnhof Rolandseck near Bonn.

Baranov has also appeared as a soloist with the Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl and at the Music Center. He has been a visiting professor of violin at Biola University and UCLA. He frequently gives master classes throughout the USA and judges many violin competitions.

CHRIS VOSS

Today’s show is a conversation on Meditation for Daily #Stress. A new way of #meditation that doesn't requires effort nor #breath #exercise.  My guest is Michel Pascal is a transformational and spiritual multi-talented artist, meditation teacher, singer, composer, photographer, film director, and author dedicated to supporting underserved populations - including LA’s hardened population of parolees. An author of 20 books on spirituality, including "Meditation for Daily Stress, 10 practices for immediate well-being," a book that describes all his new approach of Meditation. He is the director of the We are never alone film, one of the solutions of the Never Alone movement for Suicide prevention and Mental Health. As a singer Pascal has performed his “Medicine Voice” concerts several times at Carnegie Hall in NYC. This year he will perform the Christmas concert 2021. He has been singing with famous musicians like Myron McKinley, music Director of Earth, Wind and Fire, Verdine White Co-Founder of Earth, Wind and Fire, Paul Pesco, Mark Ledford (vocalist of Pat Metheny Group), and many more.

Mary Rodwell is a professional counsellor, hypnotherapist, ufologist researcher and metaphysician. Mary is the founder and Principal of ACERN (Australian Close Encounter Resource Network) and is recognised Internationally, as one of Australia's leading researchers in the UFO and Contact phenomenon. She is the Vice-President of Star Kids Project Ltd and an Advisory Committee member of Exopolitics.

She has lectured in the USA, Canada, Hawaii, UK and New Zealand and appears regularly in national and international media news programs such as the Australian documentary OZ Files, the BBC television program, Paranormal Files(UK) and Discovery Channel Animal X. She has also participated in a University debate forum on this phenomenon, in 2006 at Oxford University, UK.

Mary's research shows while many "Star Children" sometimes called "Indigo's" have telepathic abilities, and are spiritually awakened and describe seeing "Beings of Light" (angels or light beings), the main difference is that "Star Children" have recollections of encounters with extraterrestrial beings and of being taken aboard extraterrestrial spaceships. Mary's research also explores the evidence from scientific, medical, psychological, and historical perspective to support what she believes is a genetic engineering program, which is part of an upgrading of homo sapiens, and creating a paradigm shift in human consciousness, which these children demonstrate.

ACERN - Australian Close Encounter Research Network

Following is a brief history of the Perth-based UFO Abductee/Contactee Support Group , which was formed in late 1996.  Its evolution has sparked interest not only from its participants, but also from organizations Australia-wide, the media and from overseas.

In 1996, a group of Western Australian UFO researchers decided to form a support group for those people who have had 'encounter' experiences.  In ufology terms, these are called 'Close Encounters of the Fourth Kind' and simply refer to anyone who believes he or she has had some contact or interaction with extraterrestrial life forms.

At this time, they had in mind at least one facilitator for the group.  This was Elizabeth Robinson, a professional therapist/counsellor, trained in group work, who had had her own abduction/encounter experiences.  When Mary Rodwell heard about the proposed support group, she contacted the UFO researchers and explained to them that she had already considered forming a support group for the growing number of such clients she was seeing in her counselling practice.  Mary informed them of her qualifications and background and a meeting was arranged where Mary learnt that they had already formed an advisory committee which included a psychiatrist to ensure that a professional support group was formed.  This was totally in line with Mary's view because, as she had spent ten years in the counselling field, having trained in the UK and had experience in group work, she understood the need to create a credible, professional support network.

It was arranged for Elizabeth and Mary to meet in December 1996, with the hope that they would work together.  The goals were to provide a professional and supportive resource for all those abductees/contactees who needed it.  This support group would offer total confidentiality, with the understanding that they would honour the clients’ experiences and support them emotionally and psychologically.

As both Mary and Elizabeth were keen to begin, they advertised the Abductee/Contactee Support Group in NOVA, Western Australia’s Holistic Journal in March 1997 and the following month. They obtained further publicity for the group by having two articles published in the May 1997 issue of NOVA.  These were 'Counselling the Abductee', written by Mary and a 'A Secret Life Awakened', written by Elizabeth which was about her own encounter experiences.

Mary and Elizabeth also had enquiries from people who were interested in the phenomenon and wanted to attend the group out of curiosity.  It was important to explain to them that this was a therapeutic support group that was only for abductee/encounter experiencers, where group privacy and confidentiality were paramount.

Time and time again, with small variations, they were the typical abductee/contactees pattern.  One young woman in her twenties, who was severely traumatised by her experiences, said it took tremendous courage for her to attend the meeting.  She said afterwards how pleased she was that she had found the courage to come. "I had always dreamed of something like this, but never believed it would happen."  This statement epitomised how valuable a support group is and confirms the need to continue with it.

It was clear that the needs of the group were not just about isolation and past experiences, but also for therapeutic support for on-going experiences.  There is a desire by many abductees/contactees to try and make sense of this enigma, a desire to understand it and its meaning in their lives.  This includes support for the paradigm shifts that many of them have to make.

One of the main stumbling blocks to any new venture is money.  Mary and Elizabeth had no financial resources, so the support group has had to fund itself.  There was no money for advertising.  Some of the abductees/contactees said they would do their own publicity for the group, via word-of-mouth, but they had to find other ways to inform those people in isolation where they could find help.  They did have some assistance with this from the local UFO researchers, who referred clients to them

They also had support of some periodicals from complementary fields that kindly advertised their Support Group free of charge.  These were Astrally Yours and The Healing Circle.  Although this advertising was very welcome, it did not inform the wider community.  Soon it meant that they had to go public via media outlets such as magazines, newspapers, radio and television.  To do this was hugely confronting for both Mary and Elizabeth.  They were both professional people who had credibility in the conventional therapeutic world.  They could not predict what the consequences would be both professionally, or personally.  For Elizabeth, there was the added dimension of exposing herself as an abductee/contactee.

Both Mary and Elizabeth knew that with the media, much of the material would be sensationalised and put out of context.  In fact, this did happen in several popular women's magazines who told their version of the story -often in lurid colour and with prose that resembled a horror script!  With resignation Mary and Elizabeth finally subscribed to the saying: "All publicity is good publicity!"

Mary suspects they will struggle for credibility for some time.  "It goes with the controversial nature of this phenomenon.  Media exposure, no matter how lurid, can still reach those who are looking for help.  For the open-minded in the community, it may just start them thinking.  The close-minded, however will probably remain so.  Even if a spaceship landed on their front lawn, they would probably want to deny it was there."

To date, the Support Group's exposure had been quite successful and has reached many of those in isolation with this experience.  One letter received from a gentleman in his forties said: "Thank you so much for what you are doing, at last I now know I'm not mad!"

It was important to access more information from the professional therapeutic world and it was discovered that the USA had the most to offer in this respect.  Mary contacted the PEER (Program for Extraordinary Experience Research) organisation president, Dr John Mack, who is a psychiatrist and the author of Abduction.  This organisation invites professional therapists to share their information through newsletters and workshops.

The second resource was the Academy of Clinical Close Encounter Therapists (ACCET) in Sacramento, California, a professional organization whose members are psychiatrists, psychologists, doctors and those in the therapeutic field who are working with abductees/contactees.  ACCET run workshops worldwide.  Mary became a clinician member of ACCET in 1997 and from their list of members has access to other therapists.  It was with interest that to date, Mary counted one hundred and five members.  Only recently, a gentleman from Hobart, Tasmania, was referred to her through ACCET.  This proves that building contacts and networking is so important.

Moreover, as a result of the media publicity and amount of advertising that had been done, Mary and Elizabeth started to receive an increasing number of telephone calls from local psychologists, therapists, counsellors and others in the healing fields.  So, in the latter part of 1997, they were invited to meet with Mary and Elizabeth to share in their understanding of the phenomena and to inform them of what they were doing. Mary and Elizabeth were delighted and heartened by their support and enthusiasm during the meeting and as a consequence, formed the Australian Close Encounter Resource Network  (ACERN).

It was under the banner of  ACERN  that Mary and Elizabeth attended the Australian International UFO Symposium, in Brisbane in October 1997.  Before their departure, they had three main aims, which were: to advertise  ACERN,  to network with other support groups and professional therapists and to gather the latest information.  They were able to achieve much of the above and were delighted when one of the symposium speakers, Cecilia Dean, not only showed support and interest in their organization, but also advertised and spoke about it at the symposium and took the information back to America.

The trip had been extremely worthwhile and it had been very special for  ACERN to meet so many well- informed individuals and be able to resource them for information.  They also attended the Budd Hopkins' workshop for therapists and experiencers.  Through this exchange, they received further validation that they were on the right track.

As the Abductee/Contactee Support Group celebrated its first anniversary in April 1998, over seventy individuals with abduction/contact experiences had contacted  ACERN,  as well as local and overseas therapists, researchers and UFO groups.  The group continues to prosper, with many of the initial members saying how they now feel more confident and less isolated.  Some have been courageous enough to go public.  It has been an amazing group journey.  The ages range from fourteen years to sixty, with more females than males.  Some of the members support other family members who are experiencers, but do not attend the group.  For some, it is their children who are having the experience.   ACERN  has heard from a broad section of society, including housewives, schoolchildren, farmers, labourers, university students, teachers and psychologists.  The experience has also touched the Aboriginal, European and Asian cultures.

Most of those attending the group have on-going experiences.  Meetings are held monthly and have a set agenda.  Minutes are recorded for all meetings and then the members are invited to share any new experiences.  Techniques or strategies are discussed and they share whatever is helpful, including their intuitive understanding of the experience.  Resource material is discussed, including books and videos.  If they need one-to-one support, they ask either at the meeting or later by phone.  Apart from verbal discussion, strategies for integration such as drawing, meditation and written expression are encouraged.  A 'buddy system' has been introduced and for the members, who wish to participate, it has been very helpful.

ACERN continues to explore opportunities to advertise, as their priority is to reach the  many abductees/contactees out there which they believe may be having difficulty coping.  It is important to say that of the many people who are having encounter experiences who have contacted  ACERN, slightly less than a third are traumatised.  Many people cope with this experience quite well and some say that it has been a very special experience, which has transformed their lives.  They really believe it has opened them to a 'greater multi-dimensional reality'!

Awakening: How Et Contact Can Transform Your Life: How Extraterrestrial Contact Can Transform Your Life by Mary Rodwell