Content Note: This episode includes a brief first-person account of physical and sexual assault. Listener discretion is advised. This episode is about Radical Acceptance and Radical — and I mean radical — Self Love. Acceptance of uncharacteristic looks. Acceptance of our race. Acceptance of real physical pain. Acceptance of aging. But ultimately, it is about accepting the shadow all the way through — every part and every way it can show up, from childhood through the crone. Radical Acceptance without flinching. Mandy Ingber has lived her entire life finding treasures in the trash. She has lived this work like no one I have met yet. “When you push away the shadow, you get rid of your own power.” So she has done the opposite. Nothing gets cut out, nothing gets pushed down or away — everything is there to be experienced in this life. To have transformation, you have to have the difficulty — it doesn’t feel good, and that’s why we don’t want to be in it. But that’s the doorway. Like the yoga she’s taught to celebs like Jennifer Aniston and Kate Hudson, we dig deep to make it through the pose to find the true gold in the challenges of life. Key Takeaways: Pouring yourself into what’s labeled a “negative.” Because of Mandy’s looks, she was cast early as a villain—asked to embody exaggerated shadow parts by playing those roles.Being cast as your shadow. Moving toward the scary parts of yourself in a conscious, safe way. For Mandy, this meant facing deep fear connected to her father by eventually becoming that fear herself when cast as a villain.Our relationship to appearance. Being “cast” by the world based on how we look can be debilitating—or it can become a portal into radical acceptance, especially when our appearance is intertwined with race.Nose jobs and fixing the outside. Changing our exterior doesn’t resolve the complexity of what we feel inside or how we accept ourselves. The old self doesn’t disappear—it waits in the shadow to be transformed into treasure.Our looks as a proxy for conditioning we don’t talk about nearly enough.Insecurity as a doorway. How feeling insecure can open us to experiencing life more fully and honestly as human beings—without fear.Going through physical pain to find freedom. We find joy, resilience and more when we can lean into the entirety of our experience.Jiminy Cricket and wishing upon a star as consciousness and focused attention If you’re ready to start reclaiming the parts of yourself you’ve pushed aside, head to https://bravedirections.myflodesk.com/5daystotruth to sign up for ”Five Days to Truth”—a free guided meditation series to help you begin that process with clarity and care. It’s a powerful companion to this work, and Cari’s gift to you. About the Guest: Mandy Ingber is a Los Angeles based New York Times best selling author, wellness expert, and astrologer who has spent more than 30 years guiding clients to understand their life’s purpose through their birth charts and embodiment practices. She is the creator of the YOGALOSOPHY method and the author of Yogalosophy: 28 Days to the Ultimate Mind Body Makeover and Yogalosophy for Inner Strength: 12 Weeks to Heal Your Heart and Embrace Joy. Her work has earned awards from Los Angeles Magazine and LA Weekly, and she has been featured in major publications including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, People, and The Oprah Magazine, with television appearances on Good Morning America and the TODAY show. Her private client list has included Jennifer Aniston, Kate Beckinsale, Helen Hunt, and Brooke Shields. In addition to her wellness work, Mandy is deeply committed to supporting people through life’s transitions. She is a certified Death Doula who guides individuals and families through advance medical directives, living trusts, and final wishes, and she serves as a minister for both end of life celebrations and weddings. She is also a sought after speaker and spokesperson for wellness brands, serves on the advisory committee for the Cancer Prevention Clinic at Providence Saint John’s Health Center, and brings a unique creative background from her earlier career on Broadway, television, and film. https://mandyingber.com/ https://www.instagram.com/mandyingber About Cari: Cari Jacobs-Crovetto is an executive and leadership coach and the founder of Brave Directions, where she works with senior leaders and C-suite executives to strengthen interpersonal and team relationships, navigate conflict skillfully, and deepen self-awareness, influence, and confidence. Before becoming a coach, Cari spent three decades in marketing and product leadership roles across Fortune 100 companies, media networks, consulting firms, and venture-backed startups. In 2019, she was named one of Forbes’ Top 50 Chief Marketing Officers. Cari brings together decades of operating experience with more than 45 years of Buddhist meditation study and practice, integrating deep inner work with practical leadership development. She facilitates the renowned Interpersonal Dynamics (“Touchy Feely”) course at Stanford Graduate School of Business where she also coaches grad school students, leads meditation classes and leadership workshops, and hosts the podcast Finding Treasures in the Trash. Her mantra: Fierce Heart — where compassion meets bold, badass leadership. https://www.bravedirections.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/carisf/ https://www.instagram.com/cari_bravedirections/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! 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