The Pilgrimage

Long time, no post. It's been a jam packed year so far - and ALL GOOD.  I've worked as an extra on two films (with more expected), and last month alone I was in three different training programs, the highlight of which was Brendon Burchard's Experts Academy. Next month I start a 10-month Positive Psychology course that I'm very excited about.
But all of that pales in comparison to what I've got going on this weekend and how it relates to last fall when I was feeling suicidal. Boils down to one word... Metallica.

If you are in New England, join me at my full day energy workshop July 21 - "Mastering Your Personal Power." Have a great summer!

Holotropic Breathwork Round 6: The Joyous Millipede

Yesterday I took part in my sixth Holotropic Breathwork experience and it was the most fun-filled one yet. My prior experiences have ranged from traumatic roller coaster rides of emotion with lots and lots of tears to extremely blissful meditations free of any visuals or sensations.

In fact, my prior session in September 2011 was so uneventful I was in no rush to breathe again. Luckily, I've turned Lori onto this and she wanted to do it again. This weekend was her fourth time and the third time we were partners. In Holotropic Breathwork each breather is teamed up with a sitter for a breathing session, then roles are switched for the next session so each person does both roles before the day is done.

Lori went first and seemed to have a very happy and content experience. Her hands flowed and danced about while she had a big beaming smile on her face for almost the entire first hour. Then she went into a long period of stillness and quiet only to have a more visible experience singing and sliding about on her mat for another twenty minutes before being quite and still again until the music stopped after 2 1/2 hours.

This round for me was the first time I truly had no expectations. I had already had life changing experiences and experiences that felt like glorified naps, whatever was going to show up today - I was cool with it. I was rewarded with a very cool and joyous ride. It was the most flat out fun I've ever had in breathwork. There wasn't a single tear shed.

The music is a huge component of breathwork and the soundtrack was full of great tribal drumming and the most vocalization I'd encountered. None of it was in English, but I was converting some of it into messages that fueled my experience.

I don't really recall the music starting. There was a point I felt like I'd just landed on the mat, noticed the music was cranking and I thought I better get my breath cranking because I have no idea how long I've zoned out for. I started my deep, non-stop breathing and the music had all sorts of singing in some language, I'll guess Hindi, that started creating the most amazing scene. It was a combination of Muppet sort of folks, dozens of Plush Larry's, and the Star Wars cantina band. Characters were all sorts of shapes and sizes, a few blue puffy guys were even playing the cello. I was smiling so much, filled with such joy and entertainment I was laughing out loud as I lay on the mat with my eyes closed. This "show" went on for a while and it felt like the most fun I could ever have inside my head - or where ever this was happening. At times all the Plush Larry's created a chorus and were singing to the music playing in the room.

At one point I realized I was a millipede and I was racing through the jungle trying to get to the source of the music before the song stopped. It was a very tribal sounding piece of music with some singing and I wanted to find the people and join in on the fun. On the mat I was moving my feet, legs and shoulders a lot - in fact Lori later told me I was moving my mat and lots of the stuff around me, but my arms weren't used. Which makes perfect sense since I was a millipede. As the tempo of the music sped up I moved faster and faster, yet my millipede self never felt panicked. He was so digging the music, full of joy, he/I just hoped to find the party before they stopped. At one point I burst out laughing again because I saw an old blue VW bus and Hurley from Lost was driving. He yelled out an encouraging, "Dude!" to me and was gone.

The music changed to another track but it was close enough in theme to keep my millipede-self going and I came upon a fire where a bunch of natives were dancing and celebrating. I tried to stand up and join in. I wanted to dance with them. But millipedes can't stand up. I kept trying and falling down. But there was no sense of frustration. There was never a time when I was going to give up. Trying was fun. It made me think about learning to walk - that kids just keep trying and the trying is fun. During the time I'm shifting, squirming and shimming up and down my mat and I was going into a bridge pose trying to get my millipede self standing up. It was an insane amount of fun.

My mandala March 10, 2012

Next thing I recall was that my legs turned to roots and I became one with the earth. I started having a bit of ayahuasca flashbacks and swear that old taste was in my mouth as I became a plant and then the earth. So I was the entire planet for a while, knowing, realizing and feeling that all the creatures and people I had seen were me. They were part of me and created by me all at the same time. Then some metamorphosis happened I shot up into the sky as pure energy and spent something between 20 minutes and a millennia soaring through the cosmos and floating amongst the stars.

Pretty, pretty cool.

Live Workshop: Energy Tools To Rock Your Life!

I happily announce my premiere workshop, “Energy Tools To Rock Your Life” on Thursday April 5, 2012 at Heaven on Earth in Pembroke Ma.
To register online CLICK HERE

Do you ever feel scattered, disconnected or scared to take the next step in your life?
Imagine being centered, focused and excited about your journey.

Do you ever feel disempowered, not heard or maybe even invisible to the world?
Imagine reclaiming your personal power, decreasing struggle and creating your life instead of reacting to it.
See yourself living a life free of doubts, fears and limitations.

As Oprah said in her farewell show:
“You are responsible for the energy that you create for yourself, and you’re responsible for the energy that you bring to others….All life is energy and we are transmitting it at every moment. We are all beaming little signals like radio frequencies, and the world is responding in kind.”

Energy work is much better experienced than explained and this evening will be all about experiences. You will experience your own energy. You will learn tools that you can use on a daily basis to better your life; such as how to get yourself present in any moment, to feel more grounded, to tap into the joy of life. You will learn how to reclaim your own power and better create boundaries so you will no longer feel like some people suck the life out of you. There will also be laser coaching for a brave volunteer or two, discussion about other modalities such as EFT and Ho’oponopono and plenty of Q&A.

Come out and play!

April 5, 2012 Energy Tools to Rock Your Life 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Andy Grant Heaven On Earth Pembroke, Ma $45 (for 1) $40 (2 or more)
Register Online CLICK HERE

10 Years with The Patriots at Gillette Stadium

My seat of 10 years at Gillette Stadium

Back in August of 2000 we signed a 10 year contract for four Club Seats in the under-construction new home of the Patriots, which after first being named CMGI Field, became known as Gillette Stadium. As I pass the time waiting for Super Bowl 46 tonight, I've been reminiscing.

Our journey with the Patriots began with tickets to the AFC Divisional Playoff game on January 19, 2002. The final game at the old Foxboro Stadium. The game which came to be known as The Snow Bowl (or the Tuck Rule game for Raider's fans) and started the legends of Tom Brady, Bill Belichik and Adam Vinatieri. Lori passed on going so I got to bring three of my best friends. Lori never passed on another game.

Lori says goodbye to her seat.

Our final game was the AFC Championship game between the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens on January 22, 2012. I really let all the details soak in since I knew it was our last game. Loved the "Go Pats" written on the belly of the transport plane that did the flyover during the National Anthem. The anthem was performed by Steven Tyler who then sat in owner Robert Kraft's suite, which was just over our head, and the big screen cameras found him every time an Aerosmith song was played during the game. He would get up and shimmy and sing along with the whole crowd - very fun.  Another treat was the honorary captains - four of my favorite Patriots; Tedy Brushci, Drew Bledsoe, Troy Brown and Ty Law. They too all were in the owners box and anytime they stood up the crowd went nuts and the old familiar cheers of "DREEEEEEW" or "BRUUUUUUUSHCI" would erupt. I loved every time the Minutemen fired the muskets (took me a few years before that stopped making me jump, and I always enjoyed noticing opponents get freaked out by the guns). Also noticed how they started using more pyro for field goals once it became apparent how the game was going to unfold.

We brought Larry The Lizard so he could enjoy his seat one more time and took pictures throughout the stadium. The Patriots have won every game he's ever attended.

The reason my family of two bought four club seats was because that was the only way to guarantee Super Bowl tickets if the Patriots ever made it to the big game. So before the new stadium was even open we were able to go to Super Bowl 36 - the most amazing sports event I've ever attended. We went just hoping for a competitive game, we left with the foundation of a football dynasty. I still get chills watching any clip from that game. I thought it was a once in a lifetime experience.

Then we went to Super Bowl 38, this time as VIPs with the team. We were guests at the Patriot's victory party following the game. AMAZING! Robert and Myra Kraft walked right by me with the Lombardi Trophy. We mingled with Willie McGinest, ( Willie's family sat a few rows in front of us at all the home games) Jarvis Green, Ty Law (he owned the two seats next to me for his last couple years with Pats), Matt Light... Lori got to meet her favorite player, Ted Johnson. Aerosmith and Kid Rock played live. And I'll never forget listening to Rodney Harrison telling the story of breaking his arm in the game but not being able to get off the field and having to make another play.

I had a bad feeling in the undefeated season of 2007 and sold my tix to Super Bowl 42, very glad I did. I sold them to a friend who was a Giants fan, so I could at least feel happy for someone after the game. I feel so gross when forced to see clips from that game, but the Giants earned it. That David Tyree catch that I can't watch was awe inspiring.

Celebrating another AFC Championship, 2012

I am so grateful to the entire Patriots organization, the NFL (even when they threatened to sue me in 2006 for images on this very website), to Cisco stock for making it financially possible, the fans who sat around me, especially my boy Chuck Smith and his family who bought the four seats behind me and shared many games and two Super Bowl trips with us, to our friends and family we brought to games, to all those who bought tickets from me (I really like you, LOL), to the players families we got to know in the Club, for eight (I think) home playoff games, five Super Bowl appearances, seeing three championship banners raised, two live Super Bowl experiences, one undefeated regular season, and one totally sick Halloween/Anniversary party.... "WOW!" is all I can say.

Still hard to believe. Ten years of Patriots games and they went to the Super Bowl five of those years. Stunning! Beyond all expectations. These are the good old days. How can it get any better than this?

Everyone's Human

Time for me to come clean about why I haven't made a video in three months. I've learned that I don't have to be perfect in order to help, teach and serve others. I'm human just like you. I'll always have doubts and insecurities to face because the only constant in life is change. I'm not a fraud because I still may struggle at times. In fact, I'd be a huge fraud if I claimed to never struggle.

I was so resistant to doing this video that the technology seems to have felt it too. Forgive the slight sync issues with the audio/video. I think the essence comes across regardless.

Wishing you a fantastic new year!