Steve Hasenberg MA. MFT. shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Steve , it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? Are you walking a path—or wandering?
I’m walking a path that has been central for me since I was about 19. In fact, I’m not sure what my life would be like now without my daily commitment to spirituality, meditation and yoga. I began practicing yoga when I was at New York University, and that lead me to reading, The Autobiography of a Yogi. Yogananda’s book opened my eyes and heart to a very different world. It was world populated by God, presence and an unabashed love and kindness toward others and the world. My spiritual journey took me to studying Buddhism at Naropa Institute in the late 70’s, and then after becoming a spiritual psychotherapist, to the Shaman Don Miguel Ruiz who took me to Teotihuacan, Mexico, where I had the experience of meeting Jesus Christ in the Temple of the Jaguar.
Today, I have a spiritual psychology practice, teach online courses in spirituality, shadow work, and meditation,, and have a 17-part You Tube series entitled, Secrets of the Universe, and a radio show titled, One Soul Radio, on Spotify and Apple podcasts.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Following the information I gave above, in 2017, I had suffered from a very virulent form of Epstein Barr virus for 3 years that left me with debilitating brain fog and an inability to continue my psychology practice. Toward the end of that period, my dear friend Linda Jacobson, who was a professional artist and teacher at Otis College, suggested that I come to her studio and start painting. I was very reluctant to do so but after 6 months of hounding me, I relented, and art became one of the ladders that helped me to climb out of my illness. I paint many times a week now and it has brought me great joy and fulfillment.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
My childhood was fraught with conflict, verbal abuse and dysfunction. My sister Diana had childhood schizophrenia at the age of 12. Even though may dad was a very successful businessman, an original Mad Man who worked on Madison Ave. in the 60’s, at home he was often enraged and physically abusive. I always knew that he didn’t like me but at the end of his life, he told me that he hated me from the moment that I was born because I had taken the only love that he ever had away from him, my mother! To say that I was devastated would be an understatement. He apologized that day but his statement was crushing and I carry it in my heart to this day. Because of the turbulent climate that grew up in, I never felt valuable, confident or worthy to be loved. Through years of therapy and more years of meditation and mindfulness, I’ve made it the other shore. In fact, I’ve never felt better about myself than I do today.
When you were sad or scared as a child, what helped?
My mom was always there for me. Even at a young age, we spoke for hours about life, philosophy, art and relationships. She saved me from the experience with my dad, and was always loving, compassionate and encouraging. She was warm and he was cold, she had compassion and he was angry, I never understood why she stayed with him, but that was the 50’s and 60’s for women!
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
One of my mentors was Robert Bly, one of Americas great poets. I had the privilege of spending a great deal of time with him through his poetry workshops and then when he became the head of the mens movement in American in the 80’s and 90’s. Robert was witty, supremely articulate, and his insight about people and the world was searing. He was an idealist, and held the deepest vision for humanity and the pristine beauty of nature and the creatures who populated it. His gorgeous poetry attests to his vision.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
This happened to me twice. Six months before the Palisades fire, my wife, Cynthia, died from colon cancer. Our seven month ordeal, beginning with a 5 hour surgery at St. Johns in December of 2023, was one of profound uncertainty and challenged us to our core. Through months of exhaustion, unexpected miracles, and the deepest love, we traveled together, hand in hand, facing death and life, with a radical openness and a united heart. We practiced conscious dying and became more vulnerable, courageous and loving than we had ever been. This experience was quickly followed by the tragic fire that enveloped the Palisades and Altadena. I lost my home to toxic smoke, all of my possessions. my community, and yet even with all of that loss and turmoil, something precious remained. My heart had grown stronger, my conviction and idealism grew deeper, and my connection with my higher self became a day to day reality. I realized that we really don’t need as much as we think. We surround ourselves with all of the ‘seeming necessities’ of contemporary life, but in the end, all we have ever needed is a more direct relationship with the stillness, beauty, love and joy which is at the core of our own Being.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Stevehasenberg.com
- Instagram: @stevehasenberg
- Linkedin: Steve Hasenberg
- Facebook: Steve Hasenberg
- Youtube: Secrets of the Universe, a 17 part video series.
- Soundcloud: One Soul Radio
Image Credits
These are all my paintings and a flyer for my recent online spiritual course. Steve Hasenberg
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
