Born in a small town in Arizona, Michael Shapiro was a highly sensitive and inquisitive child. When he was just three years old, his biological father mentioned the word God and he became fascinated, peppering his elder with big questions and contemplating the nature of spirit. His sensitivity placed him outside the norm of what was expected of young boys but also attuned him to the needs and feelings of others, establishing the foundation for the life of service he would eventually embrace. He became consumed by the world of skateboarding, competing professionally and mentoring young people who often also found respite from troubling circumstances on the halfpipes. He left a ten-year teaching career to help establish the Swappow PLUS Foundation which, via skateboarding, works to provide opportunities and abilities to foster children in Arizona.

What I found most compelling in our conversation was how Michael, by following the call of his heart, stepped onto the path of continuous miracles.

Michael is Executive Director of the Swappow PLUS Foundation which gives Arizona foster kids opportunities and abilities to thrive through skateboarding. As an avid skateboarder and coach for over thirty years, Michael founded and directed the Prescott YMCA skate park, taught team level gymnastics, and worked as a skate camp counselor. He was a public elementary school teacher for more than a decade, integrating both skateboarding and life skills into the school curriculum. He lives with his wife Robin, son Simeon, and dog Scout in Phoenix, Arizona.

http://www.swappowplus.org

Michael mentioned the following writers:

Henri Nouwen – (January 24, 1932 – September 21, 1996) was a Dutch Catholic priest, professor, writer and theologian. His interests were rooted primarily in psychology, pastoral ministry, spirituality, social justice and community. (Wikipedia)

Frederick Buechner - “Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery it is. In the boredom and pain of it, no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.” From Now and Then: A Memoir of Vocation – Intimate Reflections on Faith, Seminary, Ministry, and Writing.

And course, his favorite song, Jesus Christ Superstar can be found here LINK

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Early on, Michelle Dunk became a perfectionist to manage what she calls her self-manufactured pressures and fears. When her father went into recovery when she was sixteen, he shared a perspective that became the key to her spiritual expansion and her eventual return to a biblical understanding of God. The perfectionism, however, didn’t just evaporate. It would prove to be her biggest challenge in many aspects of her life from partnership to parenting.

One of my favorite gems from this conversation was this: The story we tell ourselves about our regrets is that things should have, could have been different when the truth is that the past was never a problem. It was the experience you needed to get you to where you are now.

Michelle is a visionary entrepreneur, motivational speaker, author, and coach. She has worked with countless teens and adults, helping to transform the lives of each client in alignment with their unique God-given goals, dreams, and potential. She continues two decades of work balancing motherhood with an active commitment to motivation, healing, and mentoring through her non-profit work, entrepreneurial pursuits, and coaching.

https://www.visionarymentoringgroup.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-dunk-1b686319a

https://www.instagram.com/visionarymentor/

https://www.facebook.com/visionarymentor

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Brian grew up an Army brat, living around the world and in the U.S. until he was 13. His peripatetic childhood included a year in the late 60s attending a segregated school in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, a hasty exit from east Berlin just prior to the building of the wall, and a passage in Buenos Aires when the recently unexiled Juan Peron threatened to kill every American in Argentina.

He has hung aluminum siding in Fairbanks, Alaska, washed dishes in the Sierras, guided white water rafting trips, bartended, worked as a paralegal, flew planes in the Navy, and spent three years in South America as a Peace Corps volunteer.

His resume also boasts a forty-year career in education as a teacher, school administrator, and now, for the non-profit Daraja Academy which offers a tuition-free boarding school education to the poorest young women in Kenya.

Brian has been a seeker throughout his life, and as he passed through middle age, the seeking turned inward, away from the outward explorations of his youth. This led to a deep study of shamanism, after which he realized he’d been having shamanic experiences his entire life--from potent dreams with animal guides to altered interludes in nature. He is now preparing to enter into another period of shamanic education and practice, ever-curious about where it will take him.

During our talk, Brian talked about how impactful and uncommon it was to feel seen as a young man, his life of service, and the thread of cynicism that’s leading him into deeper inquiry.

Brian’s path into shamanism has been through The Foundation of Shamanic Studies. LINK

He also mentioned a word I’d never heard before. This is a somewhat rare and exciting event for me! If you’re curious, you can find out more about mishigas here: LINK

Brian also mentioned a couple of books in our time together:

The World’s Religions by Huston Smith LINK

Quiet: The power of introverts in a world that can’t stop talking by Susan Cain LINK

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