We had the good fortune of connecting with Paula Jane Newman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Paula Jane, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
“Life is 1% event and 99% my reaction”. I love this quote. It came out of my mouth during a podcast, and ever since I find that it has a deeper and deeper resonance, each time I see, hear, or say it. Life will happen. We are here having a Human Experience, which means we will experience grief, financial ups and downs, sickness, romantic challenges to name a few, but how I respond to those events in my psyche is up to me. My psyche shapes how I navigate life moving forward from that moment. The present changes the future, not the past. If I choose at any moment to continue living with resentment, lack of forgiveness or trauma from my past, then it will become my future, whether the event was my fault or not. If I choose to take actions to transmute that emotional scar then I am no longer subject to its restraints, can learn the underlying lesson and move forward living my true authentic spiritual path, not one in bondage to another. Although the process may not be immediate (many childhood scars run deep into the psyche), they begin to lift out of my consciousness simply by taking that psychological action. True Freedom within the mind is expanding beyond the victim mentality consciousness.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am the founder of Aware Meditation Inc, a non profit bringing meditation as a stress reduction technique, co founder of Rise Up Comedy – hosting clean(ish) comedy for a cause, motivational speaker and a performer/comic. Luckily, I have blended them together which brings me much joy.

The boldness and freedom of fusing all aspects of my talents, personality, and even flaws focused into one endeavour for the global betterment of humanity in a healthful practice is thrilling and sets the business apart. Many businesses are successful financially but the cost to the individual workers from a well-being POV is devastating. There is a reason for the great resignation now happening after COVID lockdowns! Financial obsession leaves only an imprint of physical status, rather than that of the Soul. Many millionaires remain in financial poverty consciousness even though they have money. Working on a project that fills one up from the inside diminishes financial fear. Approximately, 20 years ago working in an office doing filing and computer work I was hurt with a repetitive stress injury. This affected my whole upper body, my neck, and the ability to even function menial tasks like brushing my teeth. My physiology responded in a way that my whole life completely changed. A long-term romantic relationship ended abruptly, my artistic goals seemed to be going down the tubes and I foresaw no immediate means of how to support myself as I was unable to work due to consistent physical pain. As a result, I was forced to look within and uncover what I am beyond my body, what can I do to survive financially without my soul being compromised and knowing that my body is finite? Having gone through this huge dark path, I reassessed what I wanted in a relationship, my values in life and it set me on a very different path altogether. During that time, I put on hold my creative and artistic expression because physically it was too hard to even get out of bed or dress myself and energy wise, I was exceptionally depleted. I was informed that I was to live on long term pain medication indefinitely and would only ever be able to work 45 minutes per day. I investigated meditation to deal with living in chronic pain and it opened a world not only for me to deal with the fatigue (of being in physical pain), but a practice that shifts my nervous system to the relaxation state. This with other inner work led to my shift in consciousness and global perspective. I view everyone and everything differently. It required that I absolutely take responsibility for my part only and begin to live in a victim free mentality. Then, I based much of my life on attempting to see how I could help others through a meditation practice that changed my life. However, I was decompartmentalizing myself. Creative individuals and performers cannot switch off being creative. It is inside one’s Soul. Western society does not respect the place of the artist or the creative type as much as an accountant or a plumber for example but to expect the creative to switch off their calling from within the soul it is very dangerous. It is not healthy to decompartmentalize one’s life to function. It is juxtaposed naturally to one’s own path. There are many individuals who are living lives wishing they could take that risk for another career but in fear of financial needs. If we begin to infuse all of who we are it allows the Soul to be heard and causes much reduction in anxiety and depression, which if not addressed can lead to reliance upon medication, or addictions. I shifted the meditation teaching to a nonprofit to help individuals like myself who were of lower income and in underrepresented groups in the wellness community to give them options beyond pills. As soon as the nonprofit came through, Covid swept the globe, and it became even more imperative to offer this help. Seemingly without effort, individuals who were part of a creative endeavor I had put to rest sprung up wanting to help and before we knew I it a creative element Rise Up Comedy (Cleanish Comedy Brand), became infused with bringing our awareness and fundraising community events with laughter and joy. Meditation and Comedy. We are moving forward with touring the globe to not only bring meditation but also lift artists via a community event to support underrepresented groups in wellness

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would hope that we could make it a nature walking park extravaganza. That would of course involve the Rocky Mountains. Then we would head towards Denver and the eclectic culture that is there – we’d take it as it comes, hopefully the Red Rocks Amphitheatre would be in season and we’d catch some fun events. Then head to the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs with dinner and Entertainment like 3E comedy Club in Colorado Springs.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Soul Tribe at Aware Meditation Inc. for their support of the non profit and myself.

Website: https://www.paulajanewman.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulajanenewman

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/awaremeditation

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/paulajanenewman

Facebook: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aware.meditation/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/aware-meditation-sherman-oaks?utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/awaremeditation

Other: Google Reviews: https://g.page/r/CdoC4TyCHW_WEAo

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