To raise your vibration, Dr. Paul Meckes says, start by unplugging from the news and social media and by changing how you live day to day. In this conversation with Jeremy Van Wert, he talks about his book The Great Awakening, a spiritual retreat at Mount Shasta, and everyday habits such as time in nature, morning mantras and forgiveness.
ᛉKey takeaways
- Dr. Meckes suggests taking a few hours or a full day away from screens, telling people you are unreachable unless there is a real emergency.
- Jeremy argues that raising your consciousness is about lifestyle: how you treat your body, your music, your company and the time you give to prayer or meditation.
- Dr. Meckes recommends time in nature, from a hike to standing barefoot on wet grass in the morning, as a way to reconnect.
- If your work makes you unhappy, Dr. Meckes advises asking what you enjoy and building toward it creatively, without quitting right away.
- Both men point to empathy and forgiveness, and to the words you use on yourself, as daily practices that change your mental state.
ᛃ Moments in this one
ᚠWhy unplugging from the news can help you reconnect with spirit
Jeremy opens by saying that the people he works with, and what he sees on the news and social media, suggest a culture that has swapped spirituality for taking sides. He describes political loyalty replacing God as the measure of what people think is moral. Dr. Meckes agrees that the world has become far too materialistic.
Dr. Meckes believes the media turns events into storylines that stir up hatred and division. His answer is to step away, turn off the news and the internet, go out into nature and go back within. He calls constant news a drug.
Jeremy asks listeners to look for a sense of morality that sits beyond left versus right. In his view, defining yourself by a side never leads to feeling content or meaningful, and it creates conflict with others and inside yourself. If you want people to talk with about this, the Mindful Mutiny community offers real conversation and live Fireside Chats.
ᚢWhat is The Great Awakening? Dr. Meckes on his new book
Dr. Meckes wrote The Great Awakening: Rediscovering the Truth of Who You Are in a Disconnected World. He says it was published in the summer of this year, after about 15 years of gathering material, and is available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback.
He describes the book as nine chapters that help readers recognize the tools he believes everyone already carries, starting with the idea that the body is both a vessel and an instrument that can be tuned. He says it draws on meditation, sound and light technologies and teachings from ancient texts, simplified for a beginner and meant as a reminder for people who already practice.
ᚦSmartphones, technology and why we are easier to trigger
Dr. Meckes believes technology is one reason people feel more separated and more vulnerable. Constant screen time, he says, makes emotions much easier to trigger, and he describes a generation that has grown up disconnected and short-fused. He adds that older generations are picking up the same habits.
He admits that disconnecting takes discipline. His suggestion is practical: put the phone down for four hours, eight hours or a whole day, tell everyone you are walking away and go outside.
Jeremy adds that many of his clients have ADHD, and that a steady stream of alarming news can create a sense of constant panic in brains that are already easily distracted. If that sounds familiar, Jeremy offers individual therapy and ADHD coaching for high achievers.
ᚨChrist consciousness and spirituality beyond church
Dr. Meckes was baptized Roman Catholic and went to Sunday school, but says he eventually felt that not every detail from the pulpit clicked for him. What stayed with him was who Christ was and what he taught: love yourself, accept yourself and accept others, because in his view we are all connected. He sums up the golden rule as treating everyone the way you want to be treated.
In Dr. Meckes' understanding, Christ consciousness means recognizing that we are part of the divine and have free will. He also describes ayahuasca retreats, ascended masters and spirit guides. These are his personal views, not claims this post can verify, and plant medicines may be illegal where you live.
ᚱHow to raise your vibration through everyday choices
Jeremy lists what he thinks matters if you want to upgrade your consciousness: how you treat your body, a consistent exercise routine, prayer or meditation time, the music you listen to, what you allow into your mind and the people you let into your life. He sees spirit as something you weave into daily life, not only a morning or evening ritual.
He suggests experiments such as giving up a crutch word or TikTok for a day, which shows how often you reach for something out of habit. Dr. Meckes agrees and recalls his father telling him that you become the company you keep. He says he now avoids horror films, and urges people to get sunlight, garden or take up an outdoor sport.
For Dr. Meckes, raising your vibration means lifting your spirit and bringing in light, and he says it fluctuates like a roller coaster. If you want more conversations like this one, Jeremy sends them out in his free newsletter.
ᚲMount Shasta: a shamanic retreat and a moment of release
Dr. Meckes describes a trip to Mount Shasta, this past summer, that had long been on his bucket list. He says it was a shamanic retreat of about five days that included ayahuasca and a ceremony at the top of the mountain, where the group offered things they wanted to release. He believes Mount Shasta is the heart chakra of the planet.
On the last day, at Panther Meadows, he says he felt a massive download and the energy of Christ consciousness step in. He cried with joy and describes a sense of his eternal soul returning home.
His advice is to start with the book and then find the next mountain, whether that is a nearby hike or a longer trip. Jeremy adds that he tells people to put their feet on the grass.
ᚷUnhappy at work and finding community offline
Dr. Meckes says that when people ask him for a spiritual and mental health prescription, they often turn out to be unhappy at work. His first question is what they like to do. He believes the divine gives hints, and he encourages people to look outside the box, try freelance work or build a creative path, without quitting right away. His other advice is to get involved locally, through clubs or Toastmasters, rather than chase likes.
If you are weighing a bigger change, a private 30-minute conversation with Jeremy is a way to talk it through.
ᚹMorning mantras, forgiveness and treating others with love
Dr. Meckes suggests taking an extra minute before getting out of bed to say a mantra, such as I am the light, I am the love, I love this day. He also believes words carry power, so he warns against saying I can't or I won't about yourself.
He closes on empathy and forgiveness. Dr. Meckes says everyone is a reflection of yourself, so when someone cuts you off or gives you a hard look, he tries to brush it off and remember they may be sad. In his view, loving yourself and treating others with love helps your mental state.
Dr. Meckes shares his personal beliefs and experiences, including spiritual and plant medicine experiences. Psychedelics and plant medicines may be illegal where you live and are not right for everyone. Nothing here is a recommendation to use any substance or a substitute for professional care.
ᚨ Questions people ask
What does it mean to raise your vibration?
Dr. Meckes describes it as lifting your spirit and bringing in light, and says that is what Christ taught. He believes it fluctuates and that the people, media and habits around you can lift or lower it.
How can you raise your vibration in daily life?
Jeremy points to lifestyle: regular exercise, prayer or meditation, the music you choose, the company you keep and how you treat your body. Dr. Meckes adds sunlight, time outdoors and a morning mantra.
Why does unplugging from the news matter?
Dr. Meckes believes constant news and screens make people easier to trigger and more disconnected. Jeremy says that for people with ADHD, it can create a sense of constant panic. Both suggest stepping away for a few hours or a full day.
What is The Great Awakening by Paul Meckes about?
He describes it as a nine-chapter guide to rediscovering who you are in a disconnected world. It covers learning to reconnect through meditation and other techniques, and it was about 15 years in the making.