Natalie interviews personal development gurus and inspiring people from all over the globe on her super popular online show!
Join The Inspiration Community
& Receive a FREE copy of
MANIFESTING WITH THE MASTERS
Claim Your FREE Copy Of Manifesting With The Masters!
An inspiring 5-part video series featuring 5 of the world’s top Law of Attraction gurus!
You'll also periodically receive emails with inspirationals message, videos, interesting offers and cool freebies.
Final Inspiration Show episode!
Brandee Lynn - The Healing Powers of Ayahuasca
Stewart Emery - Who's In Your Room
Sharon McRill - How to Transition Like a Winner
Dr. Joan Rosenberg - 90 Seconds to a Life You Love
The Power of Eight - Lynne McTaggart
Pauline Nguyen - How to Become a Spiritual Entrepreneur
Tom Cronin - Meditation Benefits You Didn't Know About
Spryte Loriano - Awakening Giants: Your Favorite TV Show
Karen Noe - Wayne Dyer's Message About Grief and Struggle
Cynthia James - Take Care of #1 - YOU!
Arjuna Ardagh - How to Make an Impact in the World
Martin Rutte - How to Experience Heaven on Earth
Ajit Nawalkha - Have Success Without Working Harder!
Tim Shields - Don't Let Your Fears Get in the Way of Your Dreams
RaShawn Renee - Boost Your Self-Esteem
Allison Maslan - How to Successfully Grow Your Business
Mark Gober - An End to Upside Down Thinking
Brett Anderson - How to Get into a Flow State
Adam Markel - How to Find the Clarity to Change
Jim Self - How to Find the Real You
Sandra Biskind - How to Raise Your Vibration
Patty Aubery - How to Become an Outrageously Successful You
Christy Whitman - How to Find The Secret to Success
Radha Agrawal - How to Find and Make Deeper Connections
Denise Mange - How to Communicate With Your Pet
Brian C. Wilson - How to Integrate Science and Spirituality
Akshay Nanavati - How to Turn Fear Into a Positive Force
Bill Bennett - How to Find and Follow Your Intuition
Nikki Jade - How to Connect to Your Mind-Body Power
Sarah Anne Shockley - How to Cope With Chronic Pain
Jeremiah Burgess - Help Build a Sustainable School
Regina Lon - The Power of Sacred Geometry
Tristan Truscott - How to Heal With Qigong
Yvonne Tally - How to Break Up With Busy
Michelle Fondin - How to Use Chakra Healing
Julie Simon -How to Overcome Emotional Eating
Meriflor Toneatto - How to Change Your Relationship With Money
Kristine Carlson - How to Move Through Grief
Dawson Church - The Secret Behind Epigenetics
Jonathan Robinson - How to Listen During Conflict
Sara Wiseman - How to Connect to the Universe
Marilyn Suttle - How to Enhance Your Creativity
Brad and Kasey Wallis - How to Master Your Higher Consciousness
JJ Virgin - How to Become a Warrior Mom
Herb Freed - How to Recognize Your Soulmate
Dawn Harris - How to Heal Your Emotional Wounds
Corrine Zupko - From Anxiety to Love
Martin Rutte - Heaven on Earth
Sandra Mendelson - We Walk Beside You
Kelly McGrath Martinsen - A Year of Inspired Living
Richard Gordon - The Secret Nature of Matter
Geneen Roth - This Messy Magnificent Life
Carl Studna - The Evolution of Loving
Arielle Ford - Discovering the Light Within
Derek Rydall - The Abundance Project
Charles Langley - Unforeseen Forces: Healing Secrets of a Lost Navajo Tribe
Sidney Reeves - Surviving Against the Odds (Part Two)
Sidney Reeves - Surviving Against the Odds (Part One)
Troy Amdahl & Dave Braun - Finding Balance in an Unbalanced World
Joe Nunziata - How to Stop Chasing and Start Living
Spring Washam - How to Move Through Grief
Chef Lance Roll - Bone broth: Healing Magic Elixir
Natalie Ledwell - 2017 Special Christmas Edition
Doug Noll - How to Turn Anger into Peace in 90 Seconds
The Better Brain Solution - Dr. Steven Masley
Mind Gourmet is Food for Thought - Nina Kaiser
Becoming Supernatural - Dr. Joe Dispenza
The Power of Qigong - Master Teresa Yeung
Connecting With Your Sexual Soulmate - Susan Bratton
What Is The Meaning Of Life? - Gregg Braden
The Power Of Music - Craig Young
How To Trust Your Intuition - Terri Christine
How To Live With No Regrets - Christine Hassler
How To Deal With Grief - Robert Clancy
The Power of Eight - Lynne McTaggart
The Great Mother Bible - Mare Cromewell
The Benefits of Past Life Regression Therapy - Amy Weiss
The 4 Sacred Gifts - Anita Sanchez
How To Land A Book Deal - Zhena Muzyka
5 Steps To Becoming Your Own Health Hero - Dr. Nanda Parthi
Overcoming Your Difficult Family - Dr. Eric Maisel
Love is The Power - Robert O. Williams
How To Be a Champion of Change - Frankie Picasso
Akashic Knowing - Lisa Barnett
Beyond Food - Tomas Reyes
Patricia Gachagan - Born Together
Dr Shawne Duperon - Project Forgive
Michel Pascal - Meditation For Daily Stress
Jennie Lee - How To Use Yoga Therapy For Healing
Wendie Colter - How to Use Medical Intuition For Healing
Live Your Happy - Maria Felipe
How to Discover Your Sacred Wealth Code - Prema Lee Gurreri
Morry Zelcovitch - What is Brainwave Entrainment?
Keith Mitchell - Yoga and Mindfulness as Tools for Healing
Cedric Bertelli - TIPI: The French Antidote To Fear
The Worry Free Mind - Carol Kershaw, EdD & Bill Wade, PhD
Spirituality For Men - Mike Marschhausen
Digene Farrar - Healing From Trauma and Abuse
Maria Flores Letelier - How To Ask For What You Want
Acharya Shunya - How To Heal and Lose Weight With Ayurveda
Jayne Gardner - What is Divine Intelligence?
Holly Parker - If We’re Together, Why Do I Feel So Alone?
Deirdre Hade & William Arntz - Can Science and Spirituality Co-exist?
Natalia Levey - How To Master Your Food Cravings
Jill Lublin - The Gift of Kindness
Dr. Peta Stapleton & Kate Helder- How To Get Rid Of Anxiety Using EFT
Dawa Tarchin Phillips - How To Use Mindfulness To Erase Negative Habits
Neel Raman - How to Awaken the Leader in You
Eva and Olga Karpman
Ken Stone - How to Experience Your Divine Within
Pete Bissonette - Breakfast Tea & Bourbon
Sandra Biskind - How to Upgrade Your Frequency
Lisa Loving Dalton - Falling For The Stars
Dr. John McGrail - What is Synthesis Effect?
Bob Doyle - Does the LOA Really Work?
Teresa St. Frances - How to Communicate With Your Teenager
James Van Praagh - The Power Of Love
Emma Mildon - The Search Of Your Soul
Sherianna Boyle - Mantras Made Easy
Rico Racosky - Just 2 Choices
Ann Barham - Past Life Regression: The Truth Demystified
Pat Duckworth - Discover Your Greatest Purpose At Any Stage Of Your Life
Cynthia James - How To Make Time For Yourself Without Being Selfish
Elisabeth Dale - How To Buy A Bra That Fits
Craig Babic - How To Pay Off Student Debt In A Holistic Way
Koby Ben - Modern Day Millionaire
Dr. Marilyn Joyce - How To Live Your Life To The Fullest
Mridu Parikh - How To Organize Your Life
Robert Clancy - How To Live And Lead With Kindness
Keryl Pesce - The Secret To Happiness
Laura Lane - Hope And Happiness For Cancer Kids
Kevin Hancock - How To Find Spiritual Fulfillment
Tom O'Bryan - Is Gluten Bad For You?
Mare Cromwell - 1000 Goddesses Gathering
Melita Ray - How To Remain Positive During Chaos
Vasavi Kumar - How To Transition Through Big Life Changes
Dr. Sharon Livingston - How To Survive A Friendship Breakup
Naomi Katz - How To Prevent Teenage Depression
Courtney Amundson - Does Pain Serve A Purpose?
Yol Swan - Are You An Indigo?
Alicia Diaz - How To Dissolve Emotional Blocks
Lynne Cockrum-Murphy - How To Leave Suffering Behind
Dr. Toni Luisa Rivera - How To Listen To Your Body's Wisdom
Valerie Sheppard - 4 Steps To Finding Happiness
Bruce Cryer - How To Keep Your Inspiration Alive
Arjuna Ardagh - Can Men Be Spiritual And Masculine?
Marilyn Suttle - How To Turn A Difficult Customer Into A Raving Fan
RC Henningsen - The REAL Secret To Manifesting Dreams
Zen DeBrucke - How To Tap Into Your Inner Guidance System
SARK - 6 Powerful Habits To Experience More Love
Dr. Edwige Bingue - Guide To Spiritual Awakening
Barry Goldstein - Can Music Heal?
Christine Hassler - How To Overcome Dissapointment In Life
Tony Wilson - How To Not Lose Your Hope
Jonathan Robinson - 5 Components Of True Happiness
Natalie Ledwell - The Reason Why You Can't Manifest Successfully
Carol Tuttle - 4 Types Of Energy Profiling You Need To Know
Tom Bird - Write/Right From God
Warren Davies - The Unbreakable Farmer
Aleya Dao - 7 Steps To Connect With Your Inner Self
Jack Canfield - How To Quite Drinking In 30 Days
Marni Battista - The Do's And Dont's Of Online Dating
Dr Lise Janelle - Your Mission In Life Revealed!
Megan Duma - How To Manifest A Dream Birth
Vicki Sandler - How To Raise Your Vibration In 90 Seconds
Lisa Nichols - The Secret To Abundance
Terri Levine - Discover Your Talents In 5 Steps
Scott Coady - How To Become A Modern Day Leader
JJ Virgin - How to Lose Weight And Feel Great
Arielle Ford - How To Make Your Mate Your Soulmate
Jasmina Agrillo Scherr
Michaela Haas PhD
Marilyn Short
Dr. Michelle Nielsen
Robyn Openshaw
Carol Tuttle
Jennifer Powers
Jude Weber
Teresa de Grosbois
Kim Schneiderman
Ariyana, a Star Child
Clayton Ainger
Susan Stiffelman
Steve Taylor
Kelly Johnson
Dr. Galen Loven
How to use meditation at work - Alka Dhillon
Anita Sanchez
Minna Yoo
Louise Armstrong
Thomas Bähler
Asher Fox
Lucinda Cross
Barnet Bain
Micheline Nader
Mira Kelley
Helen Woo
Dr. Bill Dorfman
Dr. Paul Drouin
Bob Proctor
Brian Ridgway
Zlata Petrak
Lloyd Burnett
Anil Gupta
Karen Russo
Natalie Ledwell
Corey Poirier
Miriam Knight
Karl Gruber
Judy van Niekerk
Michele Rosenthal
Joanne Henig
Andrea Cox
Patti Handy
HeatherAsh Amara
Rico Caveglia
David Christopher
Pete Winiarski
Clarissa Burt
Jim Proser
Brandy Faith Weld
Deirdre Maguire
Julie Kleinhans
Dr. Jo Anne White
Kenneth Krell
Patricia Petersen
Temple Hayes
Jana Beeman
Bonita Lehman
Valerie Sheppard
Barb Schmidt
Allyson Chavez
Derek Rydall
Wake Up! TV:
A new talk show with a conscious twist
Dr Joe Rubino
Elizabeth Lombardo
Natalie Jayne
Dave Asprey
Cristiana Dragomir
Christine Hassler
John Seeley
Jeff Carreira
Andy Shaw
Meshell Zwicker
Kit Summers
Sharon Klinger
Heather Smith
Paramahansa Jagadish
Mary Morrissey
Tom Cronin
Miriam Schafer
Tiamo
Judy O'Beirn
Mark Waldman
Sue Stone
Renee Mollan Masters
Fiona Fine
Arjuna
Joe Vitale
Dr Joe Dispenza
Bertrand Dory
Christy Whitman
Damian Reid
V. Lynn Hawkins
Graham Dragon
Treyce Montoya
Remy Chausse
Brent Hunter
Anik Singal
Kaya
Risaria Langley
Ken Elliott
Regina Cates
Dr Amelia Kemp
Jeff Gignac
Micaela Passeri
Ron Prasad
Julie Renee Doering
Marni Batista
Tom North
Nathalie Chantal
Paula D'Andrea
How to turn any adversity into opportunities
David Trybus
Janice Davies
Tina Dietz
John Edwards
Dianne Bischoff
Liana Chaouli
Kathi Burns
Sunny Dawn Johnston - Angels
Raven Blair Davis
Terri and Robert LIVE
Divora Stern
Bennie Mayberry
Patricia Cori - The Emissary
Shonte Taylor LIVE
Jonathon Robinson - Find Happiness Now
Importance of Education in Women's Lives
Suzanne McQueen - Decoding the Woman's Cycle
How to use the Law of Attraction - Live
Aileen McCabe - Inner Peace Diet
Jim Alvino LIVE
Jeanie Cisco-Meth
Sheevaun Moran LIVE
Twenty Twenty
Panache Desai LIVE
Nicholas Steele - Unbreakable
The Power of Body Language
David Howitt - Heed Your Call
The Inspiration Show: Ha, I Laugh In The Face Of Cancer
Jewels Johnson - LOA Event
Hale Dwoskin
Morry Zelcovich
Robyn Benson
Tracey Trottenberg - Own, Honor, Unleash
Orna and Matthew Walters - Love on Purpose Revolution
Christa O'Leary
Anne Perry - Business Heroine
Dr. Jenny Ellis- 5 Women 5 Transformations Part 2
Dr. Jenny Ellis- 5 Women 5 Transformations
Dianne Collins - Do You QuantumThink?
Dr. Elsbeth Meuth and Freddy Zental Weaver - Creating Lasting Fulfillment
How To Cash In On Your Dreams - Noah Solomon
Dr Michael Cotton
Dr Cynthia Thaik Your Vibrant Heart
Overcoming Challenges - Katrina Starzhynskaya
Mark Bowness - Join A New Year's Revolution
Marci Shimoff - Your Year of Miracles
Janice Davies - Say YES to a Positive Attitude
Successful Kids Revolution - Julie Kleinhans
What is your What? - Steve Olsher
Karen Russo - Grow yourself AND your wealth
Red carpet premier of 'Stickability'
Special End of The Year Show!
Gary Malkin - Wisdom of the World
Krystalya Marie - Holistic approach to cold and flu
Laura Rubinstein - Feminine Essence
Sujata Vadlamudy - Attitude Orange
Sarah Blaine - Dance with the Devil
Gina Hussar - 30 Seconds To Peace
Team Toby
Glynda-Lee Hoffmann - The Genesis Code
Lynn Rose - Life-Changing Legacy
David Eby - Finding Happiness
Susan Guddat - Manifesting Mamas
Vrunda Dave - Savvy Business for Women
Raymond Aaron - Create Wealth Doing What You Love
LAUNCH! your success with Scott Duffy
Christopher Tims - Dreams Fulfilled
A Passionate Healthy Life
Tap into the power of YOU!
Inner Hottie Sexy Body
Marry Your Passion
Dreaming Heaven
Living the High Life without the Champagne
Trees of Transformation
Pilgrim Mother
Against All Odds Part 2
Milton's Secret
Transform Your Health
Stickability
Dare To Dream
Against All Odds
The Gift of Infidelity
Dr Katherine T Kelly
Ronna Prince - Sacred Journey of the Heart
Tinh
The Secret to Puppy Love
How to use hypnotherapy to overcome bad habits
Senior Cinema Circle
Business The New Way
Sexy Boss
Manifestation Success
Malcolm Allen BBB Conference
Your Life Now
5 Steps To Align With Your Purpose
Empowered Spirit
Tonya Hofmann - Speaking for Success
Nothing Short Of Joy
Jill Douka
Skinny Genes
Surviving Grief
Unstoppable Self
The Happiness Factor
Conversations For Your Soul
Esther Nicholson - Soul Recovery
Soloman Speaks - The Reconnection
LOA Summit
Maximize Mind Movies Matrix
Dr. Joe Dispenza explains the Law of Attraction in a scientific way
Joanna Ashley - Healing4Bodies
Be Part of Scientific History
Edie Weinstein - Befriending your shadow
LOA expert, Christy Whitman revealshHow to use the 7 universal laws
Moving Through Grief
Hidden Treasures
Bringing Women Together Worldwide
Never In Your Wildest Dreams
Healing With The Masters
Mark Porteous - Personal Transformation
Mind Over Medicine
The WE Paradigm
Terry Tillman
Lynne Sheridan
Modern Day Mastery
Is The LOA Working Against You?
Super Saturday Spirit Sale
Crystal Ki Healing
Kevin Thompson
Freeman Michaels
Keidi Keating - The Light Project
Ivan Misner
Sara Lahey - Love-N-Aid
Amy Scott Grant KidCentered.com
7 Step Formula To Effectively Apply The Law Of Attraction
The Real Mind Movies Story
Adoley Odunton Wellness Revolution
Eric Brown - Mindful Moon
Sonia Ricotti - Unsinkable
Inspiration from Kenya
Magnetic Charisma Cris Van Cleemput
Genetic Energetics Larry Michel
Roberts Rules Made Simple
Science of Stillness
Heal Your Health Kerry Douglas
Julian Kalmar 10 Million Clicks for Peace
Vasavi Kumar Keepin' It Real
Brave Heart Women Resonate
Bewell Buzz
Rick Luck
Welcome to your life
Melanie Nicolas Wealth Tips for Kids
Special Christmas Show
What's Really happening Dec 21st
Celestine
Kacper and Josh Silent Furnace
Passion vs Purpose
Special 'Gratitude Week' Edition: Gratitude Journals
Don't Worry About What Other people Think
Dogs are Gifts from God
Brain Change Therapy
Orrin Husdon Inspiring Kids Through Chess
Rich German
Mike Dooley
Jason Freeman
Betty Iams
101 Powerful Affirmations
The Science of Affirmations
Global Health Summit
Jonny Andrews The Kindle Revolution
An Empowered Woman
Corey Glazier U Without Borders
Dr Huesan Tran - The Meridian of God
Dr Huesan Tran - Pebbles in the Pond
Soul Contracts Danielle MacKinnon
Seriously! The Movie
Inspiring Stories Sam Riggio
Overcoming Adversity
Gabrielle Knowing your Archetypes
Conscious Wealth Marguerita Vorobioff
Empowering Women
Discover your Passion Janet Bray Attwood
FEEL The Book - Michelle Bersell
Survivor Gillian Larson
5 Secret Tips to Being Extraordinary
6 Habits to A Long, Happy Life
DD Watkins
Eliminating Doubt
Dawson Church EFT Explained
Kindness The Movie
Jinny Throup - Inspirational Stories
The Power of Masterminds
Shanda Sumpter - Heart Core Woman
Never Wake Up On the Wrong Side of the Bed Again
Aline Boundy
Stacey Canfield Soul Sitter
The Benefits of Hypnosis
Jack Canfield
Shawn Stevenson
Nikkea Devida Getting Unstuck
Tristan and Sabrina
Viki Winterton
Marcia Tabram Phillips
Inspiring Women Michelle Patterson
Larry Crane Where Has The Happiness Gone?
How to use the Law of Emergence to activate your own calling
Jake Ducey
Fantastic Frank
The Storm Before The Calm
Passion Peeps - Jill Lublin
Passion Peeps - Shawn Shewchuk
Inspirational Stories - Jim Oliver
Passion Peeps - DC Cordova
Finding Joe The Movie
Passion Peeps - Gabriel Nossovitch
Neale Donald Walsch and Karin Volo
Passion Peeps - Dr. Ray Blanchard
Don Jose Ruiz
Passion Peeps - Ted McGrath
Brendon Burchard - The Charge
Cracking The Man Code
Sharon Babineau Maddie's Story
Passion Peeps - Lisa Kalmin
Passion Peeps - Joe Vitale
Parenting without Power Struggles - Susan Stiffleman
Inspirational Success Stories - Mark Romero
Passion Peeps - Mat Boggs
Don Jose Ruiz - 5th Agreement
Passion Peeps - Scott Coady
Power of Intention
Passion Peeps - Barnet Bain
Your Special Visualization Mind Movie
The Yin and Yang of Life
Passion Peeps - Mary Morrissey
Inspirational Success Stories - Dr.Bob Uslander
Passion Peeps - Dwayne Klassen
2012 - What will happen?
Passion Peeps - Esperanza Universal
Inspirational Kids - Xanthe and Quinn
Passion Peeps - Lanny and Deena Morton
Passion Peeps - Jen Bailey
Inspirational Success Stories - Glen Ledwell
Inspirational Success Stories - Vanessa Hamilton
Passion Peeps - Cory Glazier
How to overcome fear and defeat it for good
Passion Peeps - Renee Airya
This or Something Better
Passion Peeps - Jim Bunch
The Four Agreements
Passion Peeps - Mari Smith
Inspirational Kids - Julia Weber
Passion Peeps - Loral Langmeier
How to Create an Abundant Vibration
Passion Peeps - Mercedes Maidana
A Mind Movie for Your Pets!
Dealing with Negative People
Passion Peeps - Gay and Katie Hendricks
What is your New Years Resolution?
Passion Peeps - Chris Attwood
Health Tips part 2
Passion Peeps - Tiamo
Win the Race of Life
Passion Peeps - Christine Arylo
Health Tips part 1
Passion Peeps - John Assaraf
Stickability Nik Halik
Passion Peeps - Bob Proctor
Discover the Gift
How Do I Know I'm Making The Right Decision?
Passion Peeps - Eldridge DuFauchard
Passion Peeps - Karin Volo
Passion Peeps - Drew Canole
Q & A
Passion Peeps - Bob Doyle
Never, Ever Give Up
Spirit Junkie Book Review
Passion Peeps - Amy Ahlers
Answer to 7 Secrets Questions
You Don't Need to Know How
Big Fat Lies Book Review
Passion Peeps - Gabrielle Bernstein
Dressing for Success part 2
Passion Peeps - Max Simon
Dressing for Success part 1
What is the Reticular Activating System?
Passion Peeps - Zhena Mukyka
Implementing Your Daily Routine
Will Smith on the Law of Attraction
Your Daily Success Routine
Passion Peeps - Peggy McColl
Mike Dooley Wisdom
Passion Peeps - Mark Black
Your Perception is Your Reality
The Power of Thought
Passion Peeps - Marcia Wieder
Meditation
Eliminating a Limiting Belief?
Passion Peeps - Paul Hoffman
What is a Limiting Belief?
Martin Cooper Takeaways
Passion Peeps - Greg S Reid
Passion Peeps - Sean Stephenson
Identifying your Passion
What are your Core Values?
Passion Peeps - Marci Shimoff
Q & A from Europe
Are You in Your Happy Place? pt 2
Are You in Your Happy Place
Passion Peeps - Gary Vaynerchuk
Creating a Mind Movie in minutes
Welcome to the Inspiration Show
EPISODE TRANSCRIPTION
NL: Hi everyone! My name is Natalie Ledwell and this is the Inspiration Show. Today on the show I have a special guest, author of a new book called “Bashert” and I’m sure that he will be going into explaining what that actually means. It is a beautiful novel but definitely steeped or more like psychological, spiritual you know social themes around love which I think we can all do a lot more of these days. But before I introduce my special guest I just want to remind you that if you are watching this show live on Facebook or on our YouTube channel afterwards, don’t forget that after the show is over if you click the link below this video you can take my 30-second quiz and we can figure out what’s holding you back from success. So please let me introduce my special guest Herb Freed. How are you, Herb?
HF: I’m very well. Thank you. It's a pleasure to be talking to you, Natalie.
NL: Yes, a pleasure to talk to you as well. You were like the director of like 15 feature films, you’re a former Rabbi. You’ve had quite the life experience. So what we might do is talk a little bit about your life story and what was the inspiration behind writing the book, “Bashert.”
HF: All wonderful questions. First of all I did start out as a conservative Rabbi but I was, I studied at Jewish Theological Seminary in New York and after I was ordained I preached and taught and was a good rabbi for three years but that’s not what I liked and I began, I studied dance, I studied acting, I did I was able to discover that I was not a good actor but I was a pretty good director and then, I did three shows at the Maidman Playhouse in New York. And what from there started to study film came out to Los Angeles and I've made, you're right, I've made over 15 feature films and about 200 television commercials and discovered that that's where I, where my soul is. I love theatre, I love music, I love art. And so it was the perfect place for me. And when my wife was ill and passed away some six years ago and that’s when I began to actually sit down and write. And I found writing a wonderful way to communicate with myself, with the cosmos and particularly with the people I loved, those who are still around and who isn't. So this book “Bashert” is my first novel and it's a Yiddish word Bashert, if I can hold up this book that's the title and if you can see it well, you know it's it's a Yiddish word which means preordained, meant to be and of course it talks about lovers, it talks about preordained love. It means finding your soulmate and that’s what the story was about in the glory and the triumph and the beauty of finding that one person that you were made for. And in fact there’s a that the title pretty much comes from something called the Kabbalah, which is a study in Jewish mysticism written about 500 years ago and there is a belief that true love and true lovers are conceived at the same time in the same cell and when God divides that single cell and the two are born and raised, it is their mission in life to find one another and when they do they will find true love. And that’s really what the story is about.
NL: Right. And where was the inspiration you got for writing this story?
HF: Well, you know Marion my wife, Marion Sega,l was a wonderful writer and she said something that really sticks with me and that is that all fiction is a biography and all of the biography is fiction because you write what you're possessed to write about and you could only write about what you know. So this the two lead characters in my book is a male a man whom we call Dan who was a rabbi, left the rabbinate, became a filmmaker and then met this glorious woman who was a film editor and writer and they lived this glorious life. They’ve made films all over the world which we did and that’s what I write about. We’ve made films in Paris, in Jamaica, in Cancun, in Israel all over the world. It’s a glorious life and making films I don’t know you know I’m with people if you or your work is agony and ecstasy. And that's our most wonderful experience. So that gave me the background for the story from for the story that I write. And there’s the question that arises in the book like this is what happens when one of the souls, one of the mates dies? I mean how do you then reconcile your life and so forth. And interestingly enough the very first review that came out of the San Francisco, I'm sorry, San Diego, and the title of the review which was a lovely review was, you know, "Can Love Transcend Death" and that's a major element in the story and so the people who've read it I've been happy to say that I've been in over 35 cities in the past year, it came out exactly one year ago on Valentine's Day, and so I've been able to talk about the film and I'm sorry about that, whoa I let something slip there, I mean the book, and hopefully will become a film but I have the joy of talking to really lovely people like yourself and could just talk about the things that are important to me.
NL: So what you’re talking about here is not the schmaltzy Hollywood style love story where you know, you’re talking about lifetime love, you’re talking about love you know what’s that all.
HF: That’s very astute of you to point that out because that’s precisely what I was I was intended to avoid. I didn’t want any schmaltzy stuff. I wanted this to be a story about the kind, about love, when two mature people find each other and they create a life together that’s that beyond anything they have together and it’s not flying around in the air, it’s very real and there is also dealing with the illness and what do you do when one partner is suffering enormously and there’s that the pathos that you want to help but you’re limited in what you can do and it that brings out certain something in you that you didn’t know you had. And that’s what love, true love, can do, brings out in you, it develops you to a point where you never could have been otherwise.
NL: Yes. So I’m assuming that you feel like you had Bashert with Marion.
HF: I have to say that it was. Now the truth in advertising, the fact is that I was married before. I was married for 20 years with my first wife who was a great actress, was on Fiddler on the Roof and West Side Story, a wonderful actress Anne Marisse and she passed away after we were married for 20 years and that was difficult and we had a wonderful togetherness, but I have to admit that we were not Bashert. It was a, we were great friends, were great pals, we enjoyed a life together but it wasn't, it didn't have that other element, and it's when Marion and I met, our eyes met, in fact it was right here in Los Angeles at the Zanuck Theatre on the 20th Century Fox lot and it was at a book screening, book reading, and I got up and said something that I heard and spoken about that particular book and afterwards she came over to me and said did you say this and I said yes I did and all the time she was staring at me, I looked into her eyes I couldn’t speak. I knew is that thunderbolt. It happens, it truly happens and it happened to me and I was in my 40’s at that time and so it was that unbelievable mystical thing that happens. That is so enriching, so powerful.
NL: Yeah because you know there is a lot of and you know and I am one of these people in mid to late 40s, single after being married or being you know, in a relationship for 20 years and then now looking for love, that I find that because I’m a different person than I was in my 20s, and because our priorities are different, I think that I find that I can recognize you know, love or a partner in a completely different way than I did before. So do you think you have to be a certain age to experience Bashert?
HF: Well, what you just said is really very touching and it goes straight to my heart because that’s, that is how I lived my life and I do believe, and now more than ever because we do live, people, we live longer and we live healthy, most of us are healthier and we’re more interested in theater and drama in life and walking in the park and having someone to hold your hand and to talk to and will understand what’s going on in your head and your heart and in your life and this mutual and you’re always there for one another and that does happen when you’re in your later years. By later, I mean now you look at anybody who’s working because that’s what the today’s forty is. But I think that’s a very astute point and in fact the readers of “Bashert” so far and people I spoken to you know I had a really lovely book signing in Pasadena and then I had one not far in San Diego and we did table television there too and I would say 90% of the people in the audience were in their 40s and 50s or beyond. There were a couple of young people but not too many and I think when you’re older you have more patience than young and greater understanding and just more to draw on in your life. So I think that’s a very valid point that you make.
NL: Yeah. Now I know that you are a former rabbi, do you have, and we talked about, we touched on Kabbalah earlier, so is there more, like, religious turns in the book as well, like people are learning from that as well?
HF: Well I think I would have to say that the book is not religious but it is spiritual. It’s spiritual in that it extends beyond Judaism, Catholicism, and Protestantism. It deals with what we all want as a species, that we all feel and there are elements of the spirit, there are elements of life as we know it, they all blend together and there are certain elements that are just life elements and feelings and thoughts that I think we share as humans. So I have spoken in a couple of synagogues, the creative art synagogues here in Los Angeles and several others and I find very like-minded people.
NL: Yes. Absolutely. And what I love about this book is that it is, or it is, a love story for older people like, you know, middle-aged people, it doesn't necessarily like this the young love. So what's the message that you want readers to take away from reading the book?
HF: I want them to find something in their lives that I touch that they almost either didn’t have or didn’t know they have or didn’t want to know they had. Something that awakens a desire to get more out of life, to live more fully, to find more love in your life and to find a way to make this life that we lead, this temporary excursion that we have on earth, full of as much giving, as much joy, as much exhilaration as we can possibly engender.
NL: I agree. Now I know that, I mean it's a fantastic story. Obviously, you've had an adventurous life, but what I have noticed is that your female characters seem to be very empowered, you know, they seem to be very strong characters. Are you surrounded by strong women in your life? Did you draw off someone that you knew?
HF: I am a product of the women in my life. I must admit that I’m a feminist. I do believe that the instruction that the guidance I received and the encouragement that I’ve received from women surpasses not necessarily in depth but in tone. I’m able to listen and I believe that the women tell you the truth in a different way. If I’m involved in some project and I show it to a man or a woman, to people. The man will be very logical and he’ll tell me what he thinks about it. I don’t feel it. You know it doesn’t strike me as something that like I can honestly say I believe I could see, I can feel and so women in my life and certainly in my books and in my novels and in my movies you know there’s one very lovely movie that came to mind that I did with if I remember May Britt who’s a Swedish actress, Aldo Ray, and some others and it was a wonderful film I made some years ago. It was a psychological drama they called it Haunts but it's very much of a thriller, a psychological thriller. But working with her and watching the way she comes to the set and others set put me on a kind of a road to how best to deal and how to understand and to grow from my experience with women whom I respect.
NL: Yes. I’m so excited to spread the word about this amazing novel. Like I said, it’s an inspiration to all of us who are in the second chapter of our life and looking for love and it gives us an idea of what’s possible for us. When we know what’s possible and we can hold that vision, it makes it easier for us to create that ourselves. So I wanna thank you so much for your work and thank you for joining me today. Now if people want to reach out to you, if they want to get their hands on the book where can we send them to do that?
HF: Well they can do in several ways. One is to go to Amazon and just look up Bashert. B-A-S-H-E-R-T Bashert. This is what the book looks like I think I have shown it. That's a good way or you can go to my website which is herbfreed.com H-E-R-B-F-R-E-E-D dot com and it can tell you a lot about the book and but even more about some of the people who've read it and who were deeply affected by it, I would love to share that.
NL: Thanks. Well thank you again, Herb, it's been a pleasure chatting with you today.
HF: Well thank you so much, Natalie, it's a joy to be talking to you.
NL: Wonderful. Now, guys, I encourage you guys to share this video. Please help us spread the word. You can do that by clicking the Facebook and the Twitter share buttons on this page, now don’t forget we have a banner to the side or a link underneath so you can go straight through to Herb’s website. And once the show is over don’t forget to click that link so we can get you to take our 30-second quiz so we can figure out what’s holding you back from success. So until next time, remember to live large, choose courageously and love without limits. Thanks, guys, we’ll see you soon.
HF: That was lovely.