Self-Help! by Merle Wilkening | 3rd June, 2022 | Playground

Every day, spiritual coach Laura Malina Seiler inspires tens of thousands of people. Her podcast has been downloaded 33 million times.

Toward the end of February, you spontaneously announced a Global Peace Meditation, which 16,000 people participated in live on YouTube. What was the most powerful thing about it?

That so many people were focusing their attention simultaneously on creating a space for peace. I find it fascinating how the worst crises can bring out the best in humanity. A crisis always also contains moments of hope and possibilities for change.

What’s the best way to deal with negative feelings in difficult times?

Resilience. The ability and the knowledge of how to rely on ourselves when the going gets tough. Being able to trust that things will get better again. Life is full of ups and downs. We need to realize the extent to which our thoughts influence our feelings. But we have a choice of where to go in our heads.

You and your family live in Berlin, but spend several months in Maui each year. What can we learn from the Hawaiian attitude toward life?

There’s a special life force in the islands, where aloha – love and affection – really flourishes. People treat each other and the earth with a lot of respect. In the Hawaiian philosophy, some words are particularly important. ­Ohana stands for family and community and conveys that we can only be strong if we stick together. Pono means doing the right thing – intuitively knowing the difference between right and wrong.

How can each of us contribute to making the world a happier place?

By being happy and fulfilled ourselves, and thinking positive thoughts. We can each ask ourselves: How can I perform a good deed today? It doesn’t matter how small.

Where are you the happiest?

Wherever I am with my two children.