Celebrity Spotlight: Raphael Cushnir

Raphael Cushnir, a popular contributor to O, The Oprah Magazine, has been a teacher, activist, screenwriter, and film director. His own heart was rekindled after a period of profound grief. His first book, Unconditional Bliss: Finding Happiness in the Face of Hardship, was twice nominated as Best Personal Growth title of the year and introduced Raphael's unique process for deepening presence and healing called Living the Questions. His second book, Setting Your Heart on Fire: Seven Invitations to Liberate Your Life, is used as a teaching tool in churches and spiritual centers nationwide. His latest book is How Now: 100 Ways to Celebrate the Present Moment.

1. Tell us about a time when you were in fear about your creative career journey and you didn't think it would go anywhere...

In 1993 I wrote, directed and produced my first film. It was well received, and set me up to be a new "A list" filmmaker. And then nothing happened. Nothing. I couldn't even get a job on a cartoon. This was a great and painful mystery. It filled me with confusion and doubt. I felt terrified that my offerings to the world weren't to be accepted or appreciated, and that there something fatally flawed with me, even though I couldn't see it.

2. Tell us about a time when you were feeling confident about your creative career journey and you absolutely knew you were going to be okay....

In 1999, I had about 6 months of savings before needing to get a "day job." I thought about what I'd most want to do with my gifts and time if I were to be dead at the end of that time. That led me to write my first book, sharing the main principles and practices from my experience of spiritual grace and opening. I didn't know where that would lead, having never written a book before, but the whole thing just felt right no matter what the outcome would be. I wrote the book from a place of surrender, with no attention to marketing but a keen eye on making everything accessible to everyone, especially to the "me" that existed before my profound healing. A year later the book was published and along with it came an entirely new career path.

3. How did you discover your passion?

I am constantly discovering my passion anew. Whenever I'm fully awake and alive, it's there. It looked different at 8, and 16, and 27, and 42. If I don't feel connected to my passion, which is my natural Spirit-connected state, I know that somehow I've shut down. Then my one and only job is to open back up and heal whatever caused the shutdown in the first place. When I do that, the passion always returns.

For more information about Raphael please see: www.livingthequestions.org; www.heartonfire.org; www.hownow100.com; www.innermanagement.biz.

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