“Taking A Sip” is the video chat series of Earth And Cup, Inc. During Taking A Sip, people from all fields sit down and discuss every life. Topics discussed are: what movement modalities do they use; how are they making the world a better place; what does their everyday life look like; what do they do to ground themselves; and how do they empty and fill their “cups.” Subscribe to the Earth And Cup Inc. Youtube channel (search Earthandcup.com on YouTube) to receive the notifications when Taking A Sip is uploaded.
TAKING A SIP – EPISODE #14 / SHAYE MOLENDYKE
Shaye is a yoga instructor for both Mike and Tracy. Mike and Shaye chat about the military, trauma-informed yoga, therapeutic narrative and life balance; plus the Lightening Round. Shaye Molendyke is a Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT 900-hour), Trauma-informed E-RYT-500, and Continuing Education Provider (YACEP. Shaye has been teaching yoga since 2003 and practicing since 1998 with more than 5,000 teaching hours. Recently, Shaye discovered the power of therapeutic narrative and loves to combine stories with the latest discoveries in quantum physics, neuroscience and epigenetics to empower yoga teachers to better articulate how yoga works to ease suffering and to bring more people to the banquet table of healing that yoga practices offer. In addition to her client work and group teaching, Shaye is both the Corporate Education Director and Creator/Director of the Warriors and Warriors Kids Certificate of Enhanced Qualification 140-hour and 100-hour Programs at YogaFit Worldwide®. These curricula are trauma-informed yoga protocols designed to help and empower anyone struggling with PTSD or with unresolved physical and emotional trauma to include yoga teachers, mental health workers, educators, veterans, their families, first responders and those who help and support them. In addition, within YogaFit Worldwide®, Shaye serves as a Senior Master Trainer and as a mentor and faculty member of its Healthcare Yoga Therapy Program. Shaye is a 28-year Air Force veteran, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. She earned her Master’s in Counseling from the University of Maryland in 2003 while she was in the military and spent a year working directly with veterans returning from the Iraq war on the in-patient psychiatric ward at Landstuhl base Germany. In 2012, she combined her military and counseling experience with her love of yoga in creating the trauma-sensitive yoga programs she is in charge of today at YogaFit Worldwide®. Shaye remains committed and passionate about bridging the related fields of somatic based psychotherapies and trauma-informed yoga and recently completed the HearthMath® Clinical Certification for Stress, Anxiety, and Self-Regulation providing clients with tools to use Heart Rate Variability monitoring for daily stress management.
For more information on YogaFit or the Warrior program: https://www.yogafit.com/
To view Episode #14 with Shaye Molendyke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C69QKXfMcmM&t=2s
TAKING A SIP – EPISODE #13 / RICHARD RIESBECK
Richard is a member of a former congregation of Mike. Richard L. Riesbeck was appointed in 1982 by family stockholders as President and Chief Executive Officer of Riesbeck Food Markets, Inc., a privately-owned retail firm with 1,400 employees operating 17 supermarkets in Ohio and West Virginia. He is a graduate of Mountain State College, Wheeling Jesuit University and Muskingum University. He holds baccalaureate and graduate degrees in accounting, leadership and organizational development and a post-graduate certificate from Cornell University. Riesbeck was elected in 1984 as a Director of United Bancorp, Inc., a publicly-traded NASDAQ company based in Martins Ferry, Ohio where he serves as designated Lead Director. He is a Member of Executive, Audit and Compensation Committees and in 2014, he was named Chairman of United Bancorp, Inc. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and he serves as board member and Independent Operator Committee and Investment Committee member of Food Marketing Institute, an international trade association of food wholesalers and retailers. Mr. Riesbeck’s past board services include 15 years as a board member and committee chair at Wheeling Hospital and as a board member and chair of Wheeling Jesuit University. He is also an adjunct faculty member of West Liberty University in Wheeling, West Virginia. Three children and five grandchildren complete the family circle. He resides on Seneca Lake Ohio with his wife, Michelle. Mike and Richard talk about the grocery business during COVID, running a family business, how faith integrates with work, teaching, and then the lightening round.
To view Episode #13 with Richard Riesbeck: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnCB8NmLU0k
For more information on Riesbeck Foods: https://www.riesbeckfoods.com/
TAKING A SIP – EPISODE #12 / JILL ROWLAND
Jill is a pastor whose home congregation is Emanuel Lutheran in Marion, Ohio where Mike currently serves. The Rev. Dr. Jill Rowland has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Education from Arizona State University; a Master of Divinity Degree with Honors from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary; and a Doctor of Divinity Degree in Congregational Mission and Leadership from Luther Seminary. She is a Board Certified Chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC), and a Certified Educator with the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE). Jill was an English Teacher at Agua Fria High School in Avondale, AZ. She was ordained with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in 1994. She was the first woman Associate Pastor at Tanque Verde Lutheran Church in Tucson, AZ. Jill has also served as Pastor at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Beaverton, OR; was the first woman lead pastor at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Hood River, OR; the Mission Developer for Soul Cafe’ in Hood River, OR; Clinical Chaplain and ACOE Supervisory Student with Providence Health & Services in Hood River, OR. Jill currently serves as the Director of Spiritual Care and Supervisor of Clinical Pastoral Education at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland, OR. Jill and Mike chat about teaching, becoming a pastor, moving into chaplaincy, being a dog person, watching a solar eclipse, throwing hymnals in church and then the Lightning Round.
To view the Episode #12 with Jill Rowland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Moaxl3iKV0Q
For more information on CPE at Legacy Emanuel: https://www.legacyhealth.org/For-Health-Professionals/education-for-health-professionals/clinical-pastoral-education/what-is-cpe
TAKING A SIP – EPISODE #11 / TRACY PRYOR
For the one-year anniversary of “Taking A Sip” and the 11th anniversary of Earth And Cup, Mike interviewed Tracy. Mike chatted with Tracy about Yoga, Yoga Therapy, athletics, travel, being a Moravian, choral singing, Irish Step Dance, and then some lightening round questions.
To view Episode #11 with Tracy Pryor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqIWXXTKHKw
For more information on YogaFit: https://www.yogafit.com/
For more information on the Moravian Church: https://www.moravian.org/
For more information on Tracy’s congregation: https://redeemermoravian.org/
For more information on Sweet Adelines: https://sweetadelines.com/
For more information on Irish Step Dance: http://columbuscelticdancers.com/
TAKING A SIP – EPISODE #10 / DAN JONES
Dan Jones is one of Mike’s tai chi guides. Dan Jones, from Jacksonville Beach, FL, has over 52 years experience as a martial arts practitioner, with over 40yrs of Tai Chi Chuan, Qigong and Won Chuen Temple Boxing and 13 years of combined experience in boxing, Japanese Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Wing Chun Kung Fu and Shorin Ryu Karate. He is also a certified Medical Qigong Practitioner. Dan is a retired police officer and security professional with over 33 years combined experience in law enforcement, hostage negotiations, personal protection and security management. Master Trainer (retired) with the Tai Chi for Health Institute, Dan is also a trained Healing Foods Culinary Instructor, Food and Wellness Educator and Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner. He is currently the Tai Chi Research Consultant for Johns Hopkins Medical Center. Dan is the founder and sole proprietor of Moving Stillness Healing Arts LLC, which specializes in Tai Chi Moving Mindfulness Meditation and Resilience Training (TCMMMRT) for PTSD. He also specializes in Tai Chi Silk Reeling Therapy for Healing and Maintaining Healthy Fascia Connective Tissue for Pain Management. His training business has a three-phase approach to healing: TCMMMRT, food and wellness education, and health coaching services for support and motivation.
Sifu Jones has developed numerous Tai Chi forms and programs including: – TCMMMRT – Longevity Health Programs (Shoulder Rehabilitation with Therapeutic Tai Chi; Healing Fascia Connective Tissue; Pain Management; Therapeutic Tai Chi Foundational Joint Health and Fall Prevention), – Moving Stillness Tai Chi Fan Forms: – Spiraling Earth Dragon Fan Form, Spiraling – Water Dragon Tai Chi Fan Form – Cane Assisted Tai Chi Program – Beginning Tai Chi Cane Program – Heaven and Earth Tai Chi Cane Program – Co-developed Living with the Principles an annual four-day professional development retreat for personal growth in the practice of Tai Chi – Advanced Tai Chi Depth Principles – Silk Reeling Program Mike and Dan chat about living in Florida, Tai Chi, Tai Chi Fan, Silk Reeling, Holistic Nutrition, Law Enforcement, and other things.
To view Episode #10 with Dan Jones: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGxZKef7R4Q&t=205s
For Moving Still Healing Arts: https://www.movingstillnesshealingarts.com/
For Tai Chi for Health and Wellness: https://taichihealthandwellness.com/instructors-2/
TAKING A SIP – EPISODE #9 / MAUREEN MILLER
Maureen Miller is one of Mike’s tai chi guides. She is from Florida, and has 30+ years experience practicing, teaching, and writing about Tai Chi and, more recently, Forest and Nature Therapy. While learning Tai Chi in her workplace, (under the Master Quyen Tran – founder of the Tai Chi Institute in Washington, D.C.) she realized that it was not just an exercise, but a way of life. Maureen’s 30 years of “real jobs” in computer technology, conferences services, teaching (both in person and at a distance) have provided a strong background for her goal of showing others this way of life through classes, workshops, and the Learning With the Principles Retreat. Maureen is a Master Trainer (retired) with the Tai Chi for Health Institute and an ANFT certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide. Her love of writing led to her collaboration with Dr. Paul Lam to produce his revised book Teaching Tai Chi Effectively. Maureen has degrees and experience in speech pathology, education, and technology-based distributed learning. Mike and Maureen talk about: Nature and Forest Therapy, Tai Chi, being an educator, writing books, being an educator, traveling the world, Rat Lung Disease, and much more!
To view Episode #9 with Maureen Miller: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QK6bVU_yWE&t=792s
For Camden Tai Chi: https://camdentaichi.com/
For Tai Chi Health and Wellness: https://taichihealthandwellness.com/
For the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy: https://www.natureandforesttherapy.ea…
For Tai Chi for Health Institute: https://taichiforhealthinstitute.org/
For “Teaching Effectively” book: https://us.taichiproductions.com/book…
For “Year of the Rat” book” https://www.amazon.com/YEAR-RAT-Decep…
TAKING A SIP – EPISODE #8 / BETTY SCANLON
Betty Scanlon is a TCHI Master Trainer that Mike works with. Betty was brought up on a dairy farm in central New York. She is the third of six kids. She joined the military to get off of night shift. Betty has lived a lot of places, but now lives in Florida. Betty has been practicing tai chi since 2004. She has been a Master Trainer with the Tai Chi for Health Institute since 2013. Betty believes tai chi is addictive! And she has never met a tai chi style or form that she didn’t like. Mike and Betty chat about: fancy socks, growing up in Upstate NY, being a nurse, being in the military, tai chi, fall prevention, overcoming surgery, and fun facts about Betty.
To view Episode #8 with Betty Scanlon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plG61JxJu7A&t=37s
Tai Chi for Heath Institute: https://taichiforhealthinstitute.org/instructors/instructor/?instructor_id=1429
Tai Chi for Better Health: https://www.taichiforbetterhealth.com/
TAKING A SIP – EPISODE #7 / STEPHANIE SEMADENI
Mike has been working with Stephanie in her wellness program for the last couple years. Mike and Stephanie talk about growing up in the metro NYC area; school; nursing; being a mom and wife; wellness; resiliency; and bonus questions.
To view Episode #7 with Stephanie Semadeni: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qVQd1oyfu0
TAKING A SIP – EPISODE #6 / MEARL THOMPSON
Mearl is one of Mike’s Tai Chi instructors. Mike and Mearl talk about living the RV life; owning a coffee house; living in Denver; Martial Arts; Tai Chi; playing the drums; and enjoying a good nap!
MEARL THOMPSON BIO: EDUCATION Associate Degree Business Administration / Red Rocks Community College Graduate Household and Corporate Executive Management / Starkey International Institute TEACHING, PRESENTING & PUBLISHING EXPERIENCE Head Instructor Kung Fu San Soo School / St.Louis, MO Owner / Master Instructor Ancient Harmony Tai Chi Chuan School / Denver, CO Tai Chi for Health Institute Master Trainer Tai Chi for Arthritis Instructor Denver Health Organization Instructor for Women Recovering from Substance Abuse Denver Library Fresh City Life Tai Chi Instructor Published Article Denver Guide To Senior Living Published Articles for Denver Arthritis Foundation Newsletter PRESENTATIONS, CLASSES & WORKSHOPS Porter Hospital Oncology Dept. / Tai Chi for Fall Prevention Rocky Mtn. Arthritis Foundation / Introduction to Tai Chi for Arthritis Celebration Metaphysical Fair / Tai Chi Demonstrations Denver Metropolitan University Dept. of Holistic Health / Tai Chi & Qigong Classes Tai Chi and Push Hands Workshops PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS, CERTIFICATES &AWARDS Tai Chi for Health Institute / Certified Instructor & Master Trainer Third Degree Black Belt / Kung Fu San Soo Guru / Pukulan Penjak Silat Serak Certified Household Manager / Executive Assistant Outstanding Judge Award / National Kung Fu Tournament COMPLEMENTARY EXPERIENCE Forty Years Training and Teaching Tai Chi and Qigong Twenty Six Years Event Planner and Road Show Manger / ECA Wellness Program Coordinator / ECA Owner / Manager Muddy Waters Coffee House / Denver
To view Episode #6 with Mearl Thompson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78Z__kLmm5A
TAKING A SIP – EPISODE #5 / ERIKA HAMDEN
Mike and Erika talk about growing up in NJ in the ’80’s, molding young minds as a university professor, becoming a pilot, how gravity and hydrogen are everything, redefining success and failure, how yoga defies gravity, and Pennsylvania Dutch desserts. Dr. Erika Hamden is a professor of astrophysics at the University of Arizona. She specializes in building telescopes that go into space and the stratosphere, and developing technology to make telescopes better. Erika is a leader in the field of space astrophysics, and has developed programs to teach early career scientists how to develop their own space missions. She is the deputy principal investigator of Aspera, a NASA orbiting telescope in development. She is a former chef, a TED Fellow, a AAAS If/then Ambassador, an aspiring astronaut, and is working on her pilots license. You may follow Erika on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
To view Episode #5 with Erika Hamden: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YTmgr5ARoM
Erika’s University of Arizona: https://www.as.arizona.edu/people/faculty/erika-hamden
Tedx TALK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H40tJp_Za4&t=1s
FireBALL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YbdtI_BLpU&t=0s
TED: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVOJA8qI7oo&t=0s
IF/THEN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwrXpCzJu5A&t=0s
TAKING A SIP – EPISODE #4 / KELLY GARDNER
Kelly was born and raised in Memphis, TN and she is proud to continue her family legacy of working to grow the good in and beyond her local community. She earned her B.S. degree at The University of Memphis and her M.Ed. at the University of West Georgia. Kelly is a Licensed mental health therapist turned Life Coach as well as a Certified Yoga Therapist and a Senior Master Trainer for YogaFit Worldwide. She has found that we all need support in our journeys, and that we can overcome many of our challenges in life by partnering with a community and/or a coach to help with our healing journey. Kelly works to guide others into their radiance by bringing her extensive clinical experience in the realm of healing trauma together with habit change, psychology and mindset, the ancient science Ayurveda, yoga techniques to support the nervous system, the impact of living in a patriarchal culture, and the timely and powerful work and research of Dr. Brené Brown. Kelly works to show up as a guide for others to learn how to make strides toward the life they really want to live. She deeply believes that no one was born to live a life lacking meaning and it’s her dharma to help others help themselves.
Kelly’s business website is https://yourradiantsoul.com/
To view Episode #4 click on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xY-kh92hzrw
TAKING A SIP – EPISODE #3 / AMBER MIKESELL
Amber is a long-time friend of Mike. Amber had both Mike and Tracy on separate episodes of her podcast “The Heart Leader Podcast”. In this episode of “Taking A Sip”, Mike and Amber chat about the weather, yoga, life transformation, Heart Math, global coherence, drama, and much more. Amber is a leader in the field of human transformation, receiving international recognition as a Master Life & Health Coach. Along with her private practice, she is the founder of Suivera, a nonprofit multi-faith organization whose mission is to create a global movement of love. As a coach and educator, Amber has traveled the world and supported over one million individuals and organizations in more than 80 countries. Her education includes in-depth studies in world religion, world cultures and social science. She holds multiple certifications in health and wellness including Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, multiple forms of Meditation, Kinesiology, Traditional Vedic Yoga, Holistic Nutrition, Plant-Based Nutrition, and many more. She has a Bachelors in Organizational and Interpersonal Communication and a Masters in Quantum Sciences. Suivera can be found at https://www.suivera.org/ The Heart Leader Podcast can be found at https://www.suivera.org/podcast.
To view Episode #3 click on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_4SKiD6ToU&t=1s
TAKING A SIP – EPISODE #2 / RICK BALDWIN
Rick Baldwin is a former actor, stand-up comic and is a three-time winner of SPJ’s Golden Press Card Award of Excellence for Editorial Cartoons. He is currently the owner of The rek Gallery in Tucker, GA as well as a fine artist and illustrator with the Rick Baldwin Studio. He has been co-host of the Life In A Kilt Podcast and This Epic Disaster and currently host the solo podcast Apocaleptic. Rick says, “I’ve spent over half a century exploring the spiritual life. I was born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, and spent my youth in a fairly conservative, Southern Baptist, Christian environment. Most of my early spiritual interests involved the writings of the Christian mystics: the Desert Fathers, Thomas Merton, and Meister Eckhart. Other teachers who greatly influenced me were Anthony deMello, Eknath Easwaran, Thich Nhat Hanh, Matthew Fox, and Charles and Myrtle Fillmore. It wasn’t until I discovered a book by Joel S. Goldsmith that my real spiritual experience began. The next major step in my spiritual journey came in the early 2000s when I came across the work of Eckhart Tolle. It was through Eckhart’s teachings, and upon the foundation I had built in my Goldsmith study, that I finally had a major breakthrough in my practice of meditation. Eckhart and the works of Rupert Spira, gave me a very clear path into nondual understanding. While my own history and background was in Christianity, I no longer have much use for labels or organizations in spiritual experience. I am a full-time artist, and operate a gallery outside of Atlanta. My podcast Apocaleptic began in 2022 and episodes are released twice a week. I can frequently be seen at the local dog park with my wife watching our dogs experience life off of the couch.” Rick was the inspiration for Mike to do his “Kilted 50 For Charity” year of wearing a kilt everyday. Rick is one of the inspirations for this “Taking A Sip” video chat! You can find Rick at: https://www.rickbaldwin.com/ https://www.rickbaldwinstudio.com/ https://rek.gallery/about/ https://scottywallace.com/ https://www.apocaleptic.com/
To View EPISODE #2 click this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJB8CkFG6Kg
TAKING A SIP – EPISODE #1 / JAN HANSEN
Jan Hansen is Mike’s original karate sensei (teacher). Jan holds a 4th degree Black Belt in Shorin-Ryu Karate, as well as a 2nd degree Black Belt in Kobudo (ancient Okinawan weapons). She also studies tai chi and qigong. Jan is a foster / adoptive parent.
To view Episode #1, click this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMXecBu-BJw&t=1688s
TAKING A SIP – INTRODUCTION
Earth And Cup, Inc is starting a new venture called, “Taking A Sip ….. With Earth And Cup. This will be a series of video chats with people about daily life.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtZCkbWGSGk&list=PLtQa8lw2JH1lkgqtHdCiBTzvpRTWUknEg&index=1
