Episodes

Mary continues her thoughtful journey of engaging the unfolding story of destruction that is all around us in these times. Is kindness to others, and occasionally marching in the street enough? We don’t know, because we are in the middle of a very long story, which for avid readers is the best kind. Mary finds hope in a truism from the tradition of storytelling – “everything turns out OK in the end,” and she draws on her personal experience of living through a sad and fraught story for decades, ...

Sometimes the best remedies in life are the simple ones: you can take time to be with a favorite old friend, and take delight in your pets or the wildlife near you. Step out of your head and drop into your heart, as you seek the nourishing company of a special person who has inspiring qualities. Cuddle up with a pet or breathe in a bit of Nature’s wild freedom with the sight of some wildlife in your environment. Need to de-stress and seek a re-set? Enjoy this easy bit of encouragement from Mary ...

Mary leads us in a thoughtful reverie about the place that the experience of a catastrophe has in our life and growth. From personal catastrophes like a bad accident or a debilitating illness or the sudden death of a friend – to collective experiences like fires, floods, terrorist attacks and riots, the nature of catastrophe is to come upon us suddenly, unexpectedly. Despite its traumatizing effects, it has the power to open us up to a larger sense of life and how we belong to it. From a large-s...

At the time of the Inauguration, Mary invites you to join her in continuing to process her deep worries about the nation, and to find the way forward. What is the medicine for this, she asks, and how do I wake up to a good and hopeful day? The answer: A renewed commitment to powerfully living her values, and affirming community with the many people who are deepening their commitment to amplify what is good, every day. She shares a beautiful short prayer from the Waldorf schools, (9:24) and tells...

Mary emerges from some winter snoozes and from her election disappointment, to a fresh burst of energy available to participate fully in … what? Something. Cozy up and spend a little time together as she entertains a poignant life question: “what do I belong to, now?” She also shares a few essential thoughts from Eckhart Tolle, and writer Annie Dillard. Enjoy!

Mary invites us to join her in her enthusiasm for more rest and quiet than usual, at Winter Solstice. Enjoy her musings about the importance of taking charge of our time for rest and for personal pleasures during the busy holiday season. Brain science supports the importance of silence! Mary reads a poem she wrote for her introvert husband, “Monastery,” and a lovely poem by E.E. Cummings, “now i lay, with everywhere around me.”

Mary continues to share her thoughts about going beyond her disappointment about the American election. Once again, she renews herself with her pathway of Unconditional Love and Forgiveness, and shares some comforting nuggets of wisdom from a soulful level, about the wish to do something, sometimes, when nothing can be done. It’s a timeless message of peace during our times of great worry and stress. This podcast is short and sweet, and we hope it blesses you.

Mary returns to her podcast with a warmhearted flourish after a period of fallow silence, to address the need of re-weaving a sense of “we” in American society in these post-election times. It’s simple. Be ready to see the good, say the good, foster the good in the lives of those we meet, no matter what side of politics they walk in. Stand strong in the light of dispassion towards the world’s troubles. For those who are weary and worried in spirit, let’s remember the simple power of homemade sou...

Mary Hayes Grieco is back with you again, in this new solo era of The Rise and Thrive Podcast. Today Mary reads two essays from her perennial book, The New Kitchen Mystic: “Loss” and “Getting Up Again.” These pieces are like vitamins or a soothing balm for your resilient heart, because the experience of loss is something that visits our lives time and again. Please pass this podcast on to someone you know, who’s in the middle of such a time – they will find that Mary’s voice, her philosophy, and...

This is a story that Mary tells from her recent experience with opening her heart to a homeless woman. Choke-up Alert! This is a sweet and sad story – enter in with your own brave and kind heart.

Hey, we’re back! Well, um, we mean – Mary’s back, flying solo this season because Erin is busy in her new leadership role at MPR News. Say hello to Mary Hayes Grieco again as she invites you into the next season of thoughtfulness, kitchen mystic philosophy, and delicious storytelling. Mary explains that although her desire to speak publicly has been on a sabbatical during a year of epic losses – “I’ve got nothing to say!” – she’s back into sharing from her journey with the peace of knowing that...

We continue exploring the explosive new growth in modern psychology, as Mary jams with Darla McEnroe, a busy therapist. Darla employs a number of new growth technologies with people in her busy practice. After 25 years of showing up to healing human pain in her daily work, Darla remains fresh and curious and enthused about it and she has much experience to share! We discuss some of the tools she uses to heal trauma: EMDR and HMR, and The Eight Steps of Forgiveness. Darla also shares how she take...

In this episode, Mary and Erin discuss the ways that we re-set our attitude in the long weird times we’re in. Take comfort from some of the best ideas from Eckhart Tolle’s work, A New Earth, which explains to us what higher consciousness really is, and how our own energy and attitudes improve our life situation and the human collective all around us. Be a “higher frequency holder” – for yourself and for all of us! Enjoy revisiting this episode from late 2021.

During the height of the pandemic, Erin and Mary both had uncomfortable encounters with “people who are not doing that well.” Friends, family, strangers – how do you handle it when someone nearby you explodes with irrationality because of the built-up pressure of our weird times? Hear some tips for instant forgiveness and the attitude re-set that a masterful person can practice. Enjoy this revisit episode fall of 2021.

The pandemic is waning… rising…changing? We don’t know anymore, but we do know that with all the pandemic debris still around, and with world situations quite chaotic and worrisome, times are weird and people are not at their best in this present uncertainty. How do we walk through this scary life classroom with the grace of a master? Here’s a show we did in the fall of 2021 that is still 100% relevant. Join Erin and Mary as companions as they support each other to be masterful with the aid of ...

What is true freedom? As Mary and Erin tell it, the healing experience of forgiveness delivers the promise of freedom because freedom is an inside job. You become free, as you dissolve the heavy weight of a bad old story, and something sparkly enters you instead. In the moment of forgiveness, your own soul pours in and empowers you to walk forward with a lighter step. Inner freedom is becoming unencumbered by guilt, shame, sorrow, disappointments, injustices, or false notions of who you are, en...

Since the pandemic and the upsets of 2020, the word “trauma” has found a foothold in many conversations, and we see today that mental health issues abound all around us. Many people are seeking therapy for the first time, and psychologists are more than busy these days. How is the modern field of psychology best addressing our trauma issues, large and small? Today, Mary and Erin explore this question with licensed psychologist Sharon Stein McNamara, Ed.D., who is also president-elect of the Min...

Erin and Mary are joined this week by Julie, a dedicated forgiveness student who swiftly transformed her misery about the surprise revelation that her husband had been having an affair for a full year. In the process, she realized there were important things about her husband’s personality and failures as a partner that moved her solidly into divorcing him and creating a new and better life without him as her mate. Join us and be inspired by Julie’s courage and her remarkable ability to swiftly...

Did you wake up in hell this morning, or did you wake up in your beautiful life? Or somewhere in between? Mary and Erin reflect on the most valuable takeaways from the recent My Beautiful Life class, and muse on the power we have to choose our attitude and the challenge of living through disruptions and transitions. Time for some healing and a fresh start in your life? Join Mary Hayes Grieco at The Wonderful Forgiveness Weekend, in-person, in St. Paul, MN, June 10-12, 2022. Learn more and regi...

Are you ready to give Mary’s 8-Step method for forgiveness a try? First, listen to this episode where Mary shares tips on preparing to do the steps. And how to care for yourself afterward. You got this! Relief is on the way! (This is another revisit of a previous conversation).

In this new episode, Mary leads listeners through a brief review of her Self-Forgiveness method. The guided exercise begins at TC: 18:45. Pause and re-start the recording as needed. Relief is on the way! Learn more about Mary’s method on her website at: www.forgivenesstraining.com Or read Mary’s book: Unconditional Forgiveness: A Simple and Proven Method to Forgive Everyone and Everything, by Mary Hayes Grieco.

In this new episode, Mary Hayes Grieco gives a brief review of her 8-steps to freedom. The guided exercise begins at TC: 17:00. Pause and re-start the recording as needed. You got this! Learn more about Mary’s method on her website at: www.forgivenesstraining.com Or read Mary’s book: Unconditional Forgiveness: A Simple and Proven Method to Forgive Everyone and Everything, by Mary Hayes Grieco.

Mary and Erin discuss how forgiveness is refreshing and healing, and by doing it, you can feel better and brighter, by accessing Spirit’s healing energy. Mary explains how in steps 6, 7, and 8 of her forgiveness method, you can experience a spiritual cleansing, a reset in your life, that brings peace and feels terrific. We are revisiting this critical conversation to bring Mary’s forgiveness method home!

Step Five is a key ingredient of Mary’s recipe for healing. In this episode, Mary and Erin go deep on what it means to “open up to life again” and how to do it. Mary explains how this turning point helps us connect with the goodness of life. And she explains how to draw on your higher power to get the healing you need. This revisited conversation is packed with insights and wisdom.