S7e9: Junior (Elbert) Smith – I Am Love

Attorney, Junior (Elbert) Smith, generously shares his journey to, and at, the Hoffman Process. In doing so, he gives us a view into how patterns and trauma affect how we see ourselves and how we journey through the world. Content Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of trauma. Please use your discretion. Junior shares his life story beginning with his parents' journey to a better life taking them from Mississippi to Compton, California. With great fondness, he shares his memories of those early years growing up in Compton. These times were filled with connectedness, community, and joy. In the '70s, though, things changed in his hometown. There was more discord and violence in his community and he began to take in that trauma. He responded by going more into his schoolwork and joining the ROTC, eventually, years later, graduating from law school. Through the process of sharing his stories, Junior weaves his way to coming to Hoffman. He then takes us to the heart of his time at the Hoffman Process when, in a profound moment, "Spirit was able to enter into him."  After doing deep, hard work to release the patterns and trauma, he found joy and radiant light. And, as he says, he felt love, real love, for the first time. Junior articulates this profoundly intimate moment of opening to his Spiritual Self in such a way that you can feel the depth of his transformation.  We hope you enjoy this beautiful conversation with Junior and Drew. Discover more about Junior (Elbert) Smith: Elbert Smith, better known as Junior, was born and raised in Hub City, Compton, California.  Junior cultivated grit, resilience, and the dream of a better life while growing up in Compton. His lifelong spiritual journey inward led him to the Hoffman Process, where he was able to heal his intergenerational trauma and reclaim his life and joy.  Junior is a licensed attorney and serves as a senior advisor for a technology company in Southern California. He enjoys caring for his three cats (POTUS 44, Kenya, and Pelusa), reading poetry, learning to play the electric guitar, and his newfound appreciation for nature.  Follow Junior on Instagram. As mentioned in this episode: The South, Mississippi, in the 1950's •   Jim Crow •   Ku Klux Klan •   Slavery •   Racism Compton, California, aka Hub City: •   Compton is known as the “Hub City” because of its position as almost the exact geographical center of Los Angeles County. •   Changes in Compton during the '70s Colorism: •   The brown paper bag test White Supremacy A Near-Life Experience: "We’ve all heard of near-death experiences, but what is a near-life experience? I would define it as a life characterized by distraction, disconnection, and dissatisfaction. It’s a life that doesn’t feel fully lived; a life that we are not completely engaged in and present with; a life that leaves us feeling that something is missing, despite how relentlessly busy we are." Chris Kresser. Read more...  JROTC - Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps "JROTC offers valuable lessons in leadership, character-building, and citizenship." read more... Tony Robbins •   Firewalk Funnel Cake Vania, Coach, and Jeremiah, Therapist The murder of George Floyd Ron Settles Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Janelle Martin, Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT, | EMDR •   Reiki •   EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Philando Castile Modern Elder Academy (MEA) •   Listen to Chip Conley on the Hoffman Podcast

Om Podcasten

Love’s everyday radius is an inspiring collection of conversations with graduates of the Hoffman Process and those impacted by their ripple of change. Our aim is to highlight how the Process enhances reciprocity, gratitude, and responsibility toward the whole. The Hoffman Process is about more than individuals healing themselves. When you change yourself from within, your actions change and you become an integral part of the healing of the world through your own “everyday radius.” Podcast hosts: Drew Horning, Sharon Mor, Liz Severin | Sound engineer: Walt Hubis | Executive Producer: Julie Daley | Podcast Music: Radius of Spirit by Walt Hubis. The Hoffman Quadrinity Process®, founded by Bob Hoffman in 1967 is a week-long residential and personal growth retreat that helps participants identify negative behaviors, moods, and ways of thinking that developed unconsciously and were conditioned in childhood. The Hoffman Process will help you become conscious of and disconnected from negative patterns of thought and behaviors on an emotional, intellectual, physical, and spiritual level in order to make significant positive changes in your life. You will learn to remove habitual ways of thinking and behaving, align with your authentic self, and respond to situations in your life from a place of conscious choice. The Hoffman Institute Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to transformative adult education, spiritual growth, and the personal dimensions of leadership. We serve a diverse population from all walks of life, including business professionals, stay-at-home parents, therapists, students, tradespeople, and those seeking clarity in all aspects of their lives.