Being authentic means acknowledging and accepting our beliefs, experiences, and feelings. In Episode 15 of Authentic with Marlowe Lenard, Marlowe speaks with Michael McAdams, an author and spiritual seeker, about how to cultivate spirituality.

Michael has a rich spiritual background rooted in the Pentecostal faith, which boasts a strict, literal interpretation of the Bible. As a child, despite his family's famous teachers and preachers, Michael would often question what he was reading in the Bible and how literal the descriptions of heaven and hell might be. Michael’s religious upbringing is starkly different from Marlowe’s; she was not traditionally baptized, and often confused her family members when she participated in communion.

Self-awareness is crucial in the quest for authenticity, especially when questioning or seeking organized religion and spirituality. People must understand that they have the free will to accept or reject guidance from the spiritual realm, and we won’t know whether you were “correct” until you crossover. This autonomy allows us to connect with their intuition, guidance from spirit teachers, or personal experiences.

In Episode 15 of Authentic with Marlowe Lenard, Marlowe shares how she has awakened and started writing, while in a semi-conscious state, to be surprised by what sentences were legible the next day. Michael shares how his mother would receive messages from her spirit guides, angels, or spiritual teachers with messages to share with the world.

Michael collected and co-authored a book with his late mother, Wilma Jean Jones, to share the insights and affirmations received from Wilma’s spiritual teachers. The book, An Angel Told Me So, reinforces the notion that we are not alone and we often have multiple spirit teachers that we can learn from.

By recognizing that spirituality can exist independently from religion, you will open yourself to a broader understanding of existence. Everyone has a purpose, and we don’t have to handle life alone; our spiritual teachers have been nudging and trying to get our attention. Sit down, be still. It’s safe here.

This episode is produced by Skip The Boring Stuff, a podcast strategy company for business owners and creatives.