AHA Podcast

Ali Andrus
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Mental Health

The AHA Podcast is a space for the seekers, the grievers, the awakening — and anyone who has ever felt that there has to be more to this life than what we've been told. Hosted by Ali Andrus, this podcast was born from the most profound loss imaginable and the unexpected journey of healing, awakening, and transformation that followed. AHA stands for Awaken, Heal, Align — and that's exactly what we're here to do together. Each episode, Ali sits down with healers, near-death experiencers, mediums, scientists, and beautiful souls who have walked through the fire and come out the other side with wisdom to share. We talk about grief without filters, spirituality without dogma, and the kind of aha moments that quietly change everything. Because your loved ones aren't gone. Because you can't do life wrong. And because the little things — a note slipped under a door, a stranger smiling in the snow, a light that turns on at just the right moment — are often the most profound things of all. If you're ready to awaken, heal, and align — you're in the right place. 💙

  1. 2d ago

    What My Daughter Taught Me About Love | Grief, Oneness & the Ripple Effect (ep 21)

    What if the smallest act of kindness matters more than we’ll ever know? And what if we could experience the way we make other people feel? In this personal solo episode of AHA: Awaken • Heal • Align, I share what my daughter McKel taught me about making people feel individually and unconditionally loved—and how those lessons continue to shape my life after her passing. From her handwritten notes and spontaneous dancing to a moment of unexpected connection in a grocery store during the depths of my grief, this is a reflection on the love we give, the pain we cannot always see, and the ripples we leave behind. I also explore the hope I’ve found in near-death experience stories, the life reviews some people describe, and my belief that we are unique expressions of something shared—like waves belonging to the same ocean. We’ll reflect on: • McKel’s beautiful, funny, deeply personal ways of showing love • How grief has changed the way I see other people • Life reviews and experiencing our actions from another person’s perspective • The idea that separation is an illusion • Making oneness a practice through everyday kindness—and including ourselves in that compassion My hope is that McKel’s love keeps reaching people through the way I live and the stories I share. If you could experience your next interaction from the other person’s perspective, what feeling would you want to leave them with? I’d love to hear your thoughts—or a story about a small kindness that reached you when you needed it. With love, Ali Andrus AHA Podcast | Awaken • Heal • Align Get to know McKel and the love she shared through her memorial page: https://my.gather.app/remember/mckel-yarger Explore AHA: https://ahapodcast.net Subscribe or follow for more conversations about grief, spiritual awakening, and the love that connects us.

  2. Oct 28

    After Her Daughter Died: Finding Connection & Joy Again | Debbie Jorde, Part 2 (ep 20)

    How do you keep living after losing your child—and can joy return while the grief is still there? In part two of my conversation with Debbie Jorde, author of Eight Fingers and Eight Toes, we talk about her daughter Heather’s final days, the tenderness of saying goodbye, and learning to live alongside grief one minute at a time. Debbie shares how she honored Heather’s wishes, what it meant to have her son Logan beside them, and why having time to say goodbye mattered so deeply. She also describes the signs, synchronicities, and spiritual experiences that have helped her feel connected to Heather since her passing. As two mothers who deeply miss our daughters, we reflect on the comfort of connection, the importance of sharing our stories, and the possibility of finding moments of joy without leaving our love—or our grief—behind. In this conversation: • Honoring a loved one’s wishes at the end of life • Heather’s peaceful passing and the time that followed • What helped Debbie through the hardest days of grief • Signs and experiences Debbie associates with Heather • Grieving alongside Logan and strengthening their relationship • Heather’s enduring message: “Choose love” • Finding meaning, connection, and joy again You’re welcome to begin here, even if you haven’t watched Part 1. A gentle note: This episode includes an intimate discussion of a daughter’s death, end-of-life care, and caring for her body afterward. Please listen at your own pace. CONNECT WITH DEBBIE YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@debbiejorde Website: https://debbiejorde.com Book — Eight Fingers and Eight Toes: https://a.co/d/0hrMvIJo Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbiejorde/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debbie.jorde/ HEATHER & LOGAN Heather’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherRMadsen Logan’s art: https://www.loganmadsenfineart.com/ Documentary — Logan’s Syndrome: https://www.loganmadsenfineart.com/documentary-logans-syndrome Eight Fingers and Eight Toes Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eightfingersandeighttoes SUBSCRIBE TO AHA PODCAST https://www.youtube.com/@aha-awakenhealalign 💙 Explore AHA Podcast: https://ahapodcast.net Watch episodes, share your own story of connection or near-death experience (NDE), suggest a guest, or invite Ali to speak on your podcast. If something in this conversation resonated with you, you’re welcome to share it in the comments. Your story matters here. Awaken • Heal • Align #Grief #ChildLoss #AHAPodcast

  3. Oct 23

    Learning to Accept the Life You Never Expected | Debbie Jorde (Part 1) (ep 19)

    What happens when the life you planned becomes a life you never could have imagined? And how do you find love, meaning, and moments of joy within it? In Part 1 of this conversation, I sit down with Debbie Jorde, author of Eight Fingers and Eight Toes and mother to Heather and Logan, who were both born with a rare genetic condition called Miller syndrome. Debbie shares the moments many parents might be afraid to say out loud—the shock, the fear, and the uncertainty—and the love that grew as she came to know her children. We talk about the nurse whose kindness helped her take that first step, the extraordinary people Heather and Logan became, and the lessons they taught her about compassion, courage, and truly listening. Her story also takes us through divorce, losing and rebuilding faith, finding support in recovery, and the groundbreaking genetic research that brought her family long-awaited answers. When Debbie later received her own diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, something beautiful happened: the daughter she had spent her life caring for became a source of comfort and guidance for her. What I love about Debbie is that she makes room for all of it. Finding joy doesn’t mean we never struggle. Feeling connected spiritually doesn’t mean we have every answer. And sometimes, surrender begins when we stop fighting long enough to listen. In this episode: • Raising two children with Miller syndrome • Moving through shock and learning self-compassion • Listening with love instead of trying to fix everything • Navigating divorce and rebuilding a spiritual life • Finding answers through whole-genome sequencing • Receiving support from the child you’ve always cared for • Living with MS, allowing rest, and practicing surrender In Part 2, we’ll explore Heather’s final chapter, Debbie’s experiences of connection after her passing, and what Heather’s words “choose love” mean to her now. 💙 CONNECT WITH DEBBIE YouTube: youtube.com/@debbiejorde Website: debbiejorde.com Instagram: instagram.com/debbie.jorde Facebook: facebook.com/debbiejorde EIGHT FINGERS AND EIGHT TOES Debbie’s book on Amazon: a.co/d/0hrMvIJo Book Facebook page: ttps://www.facebook.com/eightfingersandeighttoes/ EXPLORE LOGAN’S WORK Logan Madsen Fine Art: loganmadsenfineart.com Logan’s Syndrome documentary: loganmadsenfineart.com/documentary-logans-syndrome HEATHER’S FACEBOOK PAGE facebook.com/HeatherRMadsen JOIN THE AHA COMMUNITY Subscribe for conversations about grief, spiritual awakening, consciousness, and finding meaning through life’s hardest experiences: youtube.com/@aha-awakenhealalign What part of Debbie’s story stayed with you? I’d love to hear in the comments. Let’s Awaken, Heal, and Align together. 💙 #AHAPodcast #AwakenHealAlign #DebbieJorde

  4. Oct 8

    Kamara's Soul Knew “There’s Something Else I’m Supposed to Do” (ep 18)

    What if our souls knew all along? In this tender conversation, Erika Blair shares the light of her daughter Kamara, whose name means “God knows best,” and the signs that showed her everything unfolded in divine order. 💙🌙 Erika Blair joins me on the AHA Podcast as she approaches the one-year angelversary of her daughter Kamara. She walks us through Kamara’s vibrant life, from her love of nature, music, and travel to her service work and full-ride scholarship at Claflin University, and the remarkable synchronicities surrounding her transition: a soul connection with her friend Savion, who passed just four weeks before her; an unexpected trip to Nigeria to see family one last time; and a childhood memory book that appeared the same day Kamara visited her little brother. We also share some jaw-dropping parallels between our daughters, including moon signs and a shared Interstellar connection, and talk about how grief can awaken us to what truly matters. Erika shares how she’s turning pain into purpose through Sunflower Mamas, a heart-centered community for mothers who have lost a child. If you’re a parent walking this path, you are not alone. 🌻 Connect with Sunflower Mamas: Sunflower Mamas Timestamps 00:00 Welcome and the meaning of Kamara’s name 01:39 Meet Kamara: princess, athlete, artist 09:12 A mysterious soul connection with Savion 10:41 Kamara’s urgent trip back to Nigeria 15:40 The day of the accident 27:49 “Her soul knew” and graduating Earth School 29:44 Savion’s passing four weeks earlier 33:36 The playlist and the force field screenshot 35:50 Moon and Interstellar synchronicities 43:10 The memory book that appeared on the dresser 48:36 Kamara visits her little brother 52:36 Why Erika started Sunflower Mamas 57:05 Erika’s biggest aha moment 1:00:12 “Are we going to join in the joyful work?” #AHAPodcast #AwakenHealAlign #WalkingEachOtherHome #GriefJourney #SignsFromHeaven #SunflowerMamas #ChildLoss #SpiritualAwakening #AfterlifeSigns

  5. Oct 7

    She Died 3 Times and Came Back With This Message | Lei Mohr NDE (ep 17)

    Three near-death experiences. One shared-death experience. Zero fear. 💙🌙 Lei Mohr has stood at the threshold of death more than once. Each time she came back with a deeper purpose. In this episode, we talk about: ✨ The voice that asked, "Do you want to come now?" ✨ Being told "You have done what you came here to do," and why she's still here ✨ A visit from Ram Dass days after he crossed over ✨ Forgiving her mother and the soul contract behind their story ✨ Feeling her mother's freedom and bliss as she passed ✨ Why our human idea of love is only a glimpse of the real thing This conversation is a reminder that our loved ones are free, that love continues, and that there is nothing to fear. 📖 Lei's book There Was No Fear and her other titles are available on Amazon under Lei Mohr. 📧 Connect with Lei: handletheshift@gmail.com #AHAPodcast #AwakenHealAlign #WalkingEachOtherHome #NearDeathExperience #NDE #SharedDeathExperience #AfterlifeStories #GriefHealing #SpiritualAwakening #RamDass #SoulContracts

  6. Aug 20

    What If You Could? Anniston Riekstins on Soul Contracts, Fear & Coming Home to Yourself (ep 16)

    There's a version of you that's been waiting — patiently, quietly — underneath everything you thought you had to be. Anniston Riekstins helps women find her. In this episode, Anniston (master numerologist, author, and soul contract expert) shares how she went from silencing herself to belong, to becoming a woman who reads the sacred blueprint hidden in people's names and birthdates. We talk about the wounds we carry from childhood, why grief is a doorway rather than a detour, and how the very thing you were most afraid of might be the thing you're here to do. This one held so much for me. If you've ever wondered whether you're behind in life, whether your detours meant something — this conversation is your reminder that you are exactly on time. 🌙 Connect with Anniston: https://www.annistonriekstins.com/ Insta: @annistonblairriekstins Facebook: Anniston Blair Riekstins #AHAPodcast #AwakenHealAlign #WalkingEachOtherHome #unlockgold #soulpurpose

  7. Aug 12

    The Hollywood Movie Producer Who Talks to His Wife on the Other Side | Stephen Simon ♡ (ep 15)

    Stephen Simon spent his career in Hollywood making films that entertained millions — Somewhere in Time, What Dreams May Come, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. He didn't know his art was preparing him for his own life, with an epic love story that transcends death. In this episode, Stephen shares the extraordinary true story of meeting his wife Lauren across a crowded theater in Portland — a moment they both instantly recognized as fate — and the devastating loss of her in 2018. He opens up about the grief that brought him to his knees, and the moment 37 days later when he heard her voice, not with his ears but with his heart, guiding him to a song that changed everything. We talk about the book he co-wrote with Lauren from beyond the veil, the community of people quietly living this same experience, and why he believes the wall between this world and the next is thinning for all of us. Stephen also reflects on what it means to hold both faith and doubt at once, and why "certainty is the enemy of tolerance." This conversation is for anyone who has ever felt a sign from someone they've lost — and wondered if they were imagining it. You're not. 💙 Purchase Stephen's book, What Dreams Have Come on Amazon: https://a.co/d/00puOsg7 Visit Stephen's website at: https://www.ablepages.com/whatdreamshavecome Love after Life Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/19cFdyThDx/ #AHAPodcast #AwakenHealAlign #WalkingEachOtherHome #SignsFromAbove #GriefJourney #LifeAfterLoss #LLM

  8. Aug 7

    Blake the Stigma: A Mother's Fight to Talk About Suicide | Desiree Darago (ep 14)

    On this episode of AHA Podcast, I sit down with Desiree Darago, whose 18-year-old son Blake — a football star known for his "full contact" energy and his big, generous heart — died by suicide in 2024. Desiree opens up about the mother's intuition that told her something was wrong before she got the call, the last ordinary afternoon she spent with Blake, and the school that refused to let his classmates grieve openly. She shares how that silence became the spark for Blake the Stigma, the foundation she built to break the taboo around suicide and mental health — from awareness events to a grief support group she started because she needed one herself. We talk about surviving the unthinkable, the hawks that show up when she needs Blake most, and why talking about the ones we've lost is one of the most healing things we can do. 💙 Learn more or support Blake the Stigma at blakethestigma.com Connect with Des: Instagram: @desireekaren46 Facebook: Desiree Pauley TikTok: JustDez @desireekaren81 #AHAPodcast #AwakenHealAlign #WalkingEachOtherHome #blakethestigma #LLM

See All (21)

About

The AHA Podcast is a space for the seekers, the grievers, the awakening — and anyone who has ever felt that there has to be more to this life than what we've been told. Hosted by Ali Andrus, this podcast was born from the most profound loss imaginable and the unexpected journey of healing, awakening, and transformation that followed. AHA stands for Awaken, Heal, Align — and that's exactly what we're here to do together. Each episode, Ali sits down with healers, near-death experiencers, mediums, scientists, and beautiful souls who have walked through the fire and come out the other side with wisdom to share. We talk about grief without filters, spirituality without dogma, and the kind of aha moments that quietly change everything. Because your loved ones aren't gone. Because you can't do life wrong. And because the little things — a note slipped under a door, a stranger smiling in the snow, a light that turns on at just the right moment — are often the most profound things of all. If you're ready to awaken, heal, and align — you're in the right place. 💙

Information

  • Creator
    Ali Andrus
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Ali Andrus
  • Show Website
    AHA Podcast