The latest podcast episode, which is part of our Black history month celebrations, is an interview with empowerment coach and author, Kass Thomas. In the interview, Kass shares key elements of her Access Consciousness® tools that empower us all to connect more effectively when we communicate.
Key learning points:
In this fascinating interview, which has MANY take aways. Here are three learning points.
1. We should listen to our bodies: how we feel in certain situations because this is our sixth sense.
2. Be aware of other people’s moods and the way they present themselves. So many people block this intuition and empathy.
3. We pick up the emotions of others; this is very powerful when we are communicating with them.
Download the Transcript here:
the Superstar Communicator Podcast
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Read the Transcript here.
Kass Thomas: accessing your conscious power
SPEAKERS
Kass Thomas, Susan Heaton-Wright
Susan Heaton-Wright 00:00
Welcome to the superstar communicator podcast. My name is Susan Heaton-Wright, a leading impact speaking and communications expert. My aim is to show you how to make an impact. So you will be heard, listened to, and respected for career success. Listen weekly to the podcast and go to our website, www.superstar.communicator.com . Hello, everybody, this is Susan Heaton-Wright. From superstar communicator. Do you know this podcast is about communication, whether it’s verbal or nonverbal. And I’m really really intrigued by my guest today, who is Kass Thomas, who’s an empowerment coach and certificated facilitator worldwide. She works using the Access Consciousness tools and has written a book dancing with riches. Now what is really interesting is that quite a lot of the work that I do is systemized or I use my neuro science background. But I think it’s fair to say that Kass uses intuition and the energy from that. So I hope you enjoy this. Kass was really, really keen to be part of the Black History Month that we are celebrating and recognizing in the United Kingdom in October. So sit back, enjoy. So welcome cast, thank you very much for sending your book dancing with riches. You have such a background treasure of different cultures influences, how has this made an impact in your work?
Kass Thomas 02:03
In my work, it actually gives me thank you for the welcome, first of all, pleasure to be here. You know, we started talking so it’s like the continuation of the engagement. And in my work field, the really global approach to people to communicating to different languages, different cultures, is always like a curiosity for me. How is it that they live? Their lives? How is it that they see the world? Yeah, what is that? You know, there’s so much that we have in common. So what is the difference? And you know, in always inviting people to acknowledge that it difference is actually a gift. It’s not a wrongness, you know, it’s not something that’s wrong. Yeah.
Susan Heaton-Wright 02:50
But you have had a locational journey, really, haven’t you? Because you started in Boston. Tell us a little bit about living in Boston, because a lot of the listeners here are from the United Kingdom.
Kass Thomas 03:07
Yes, well, New England is Boston, Massachusetts, right. And it’s, you know, the, one of the first development places in the US and the United States, and it’s really a lovely town. And I didn’t know, Susan, until I moved to Italy, actually how small Boston was, I didn’t know that there were less than a million people there. Because it’s such a huge, you know, environment, you know what I mean, but the population is actually quite small. So, living in Boston, growing up in Boston was great, I didn’t grew up anywhere else. And you know, and although I did visit Oklahoma a couple of times, but really, it’s a place with a large number of universities, right? So there’s an and very casual dress, you know, the University people, they’re always in jeans, etc. So education was really, for me, one of the priorities in growing up, and especially thanks to my dad, who, you know, had to give us a GED, which is a after you if you don’t finish high school, you have to, you know, if you want to go to university, you have to do a test. So my dad was really, you know, quite insistent, you absolutely not only have to finish high school, you have to go to university. And so everyone thought I would go to university in Boston, but because of really my desire to explore the world a bit more. I thought that staying in Boston would be a little small for me. And I chose to go to university in New York, which you know, 10 million people
Susan Heaton-Wright 04:57
Gosh yes! What a contrast. And now you live in Italy and you’re you’re presumably bilingual?
Kass Thomas 05:08
Yes, I’m actually try or trilingual you know I, when I was in the eighth grade and when I was eight years old in the third grade in Boston, there was a teacher from Ireland who was there, and she would write on the board in French. Good morning. Today is Monday. Bonjour, bonjour aujourd’hui c’est lundi. And when I was eight years old, Susan, I said, at the end of that year, one day, I’m going to move to Paris. And yeah, so I did Yeah. and choosing the university New York University NYU, allowed me to do my junior year abroad, in Paris and, and you know, travel around Europe. And it was really it as it always is continuous in evolution of exploring different languages, different cultures, and I moved to Spain before going back to New York to finish university. I moved to Spain for two months and learned Spanish, and you know, at 21 you can learn quite Yeah. When I moved back to New York, I was fluent in Spanish and French. And my Dad was quite happy.
Susan Heaton-Wright 06:25
Sorry, I’ve got a terrible cough. No way to carry on
Kass Thomas 06:30
your body communicating something to you. Yeah. Okay.
Susan Heaton-Wright 06:38
Carry on.
Kass Thomas 06:38
No, no, absolutely. And, and I do a lot of, you know, our bodies, it’s so funny, we were talking about my first book, and about the seven steps to flawless communication. And the second step is talk to your body. So there’s so much communication that we receive, actually from our bodies, and a lot of times we interpret it and define it as a cough or a cold or a pain, you know, and it’s always our bodies communicating some kind of reaction to us, you know what I mean?
Susan Heaton-Wright 07:21
It’s because I’ve got a flu virus at the moment.
Kass Thomas 07:25
But also are you someone that’s interested in languages?
Susan Heaton-Wright 07:28
Yes. Yeah, I am. It’s interesting, because I worked really hard at languages, but they didn’t come easily to me. And as an adult, I realize that processing when I can talk it, and I can get good accent, but processing when other people speak to me in the language is what I find difficult.
Kass Thomas 07:53
Right? So I mean, that’s when what was the Is that true? And maybe the body when I was talking about languages? Yeah, in that moment, yeah. It didn’t cough before then. So what is the body communicate? Maybe you have more ease with languages, then you’re willing to acknowledge that like.
Susan Heaton-Wright 08:13
oh, I’ve got less ease. And you know, I went on to be an opera singer wearing Of course, we have to sing in different languages, or know what we’re talking about. So I had to work jolly hard at that to remember the
Kass Thomas 08:27
Absolutely I love it. Vincerò, Vincerò!
Susan Heaton-Wright 08:35
Brilliant – but this is about you, this isn’t about me. I think it’s really interesting that you’re talking about how we are aware of our bodies. And very much central in my opinion to your book, is the idea of being in the moment and being aware when that little voice is going off that could be misguiding you.
Kass Thomas 08:59
Absolutely, absolutely. And you know, we talked about the five senses, you know that we have the hearing the see sight, the smells, the taste the touch, right? And that Sixth sense right? Is that what just what you were saying I love the way you said it and communicated it to live the body in the way the body is communicating. So is that intuition that gut feeling? You don’t I mean, so how much is that sixth sense, something that actually connects us all, you know, indication when communicating with people and choosing which words to use which language to use, how quickly to speak, how slowly to speak. If you allow your body actually to give you you know, if it’s coughing, or if it’s feeling pain, or if it’s feeling really relaxed, and that’s probably the exact way to communicate with someone.
Susan Heaton-Wright 09:53
And you talk about intuition, now I am a firm believer for me listening to that to intuition, that little voice, but one thing I always worry about is that maybe there’s some unconscious bias going on.
Kass Thomas 10:12
Absolutely. And you know what you can use and I use these tools in his book, I talked about how people can have more communication with other people dancing with the riches of their lives, right? And questions, you could just ask yourself, so the question, so truth? Is this my intuition? Or is this some kind of point of view or judgment that I have that’s giving this voice inside and see which one of those responses warms? Your heart expands your you know, what I mean, your chest makes you smile, you know, truth? Is this my intuition? If you feel relaxed and breathe deeply, and say and feel happy when you say that, then that’s the truth. That is your intuition. Is this my intuition if a frown comes on your head, and you start coughing, maybe or you start drowning? Probably it’s not your intuition. And that is a way to communicate with your, your sixth sense, your intuition, your gut feeling. Yeah,
Susan Heaton-Wright 11:16
that’s, that’s a brilliant tip. Because sometimes we can jump in there. And it’s almost putting everything into the conscious, the present so that you can make an informed decision.
Kass Thomas 11:31
Absolutely. And you know, what other tips that I’d love to share, is that we have a capacity to pick up on what other people are thinking, yes. Right. You know that, right? So in asking this question, Is this mine, you know, I’m thinking I’ve got, you know, a lot of, you know, thoughts going on in my head, I’m really, you know, feeling a little down and just ask, wait a minute. Truth is this mine. And if you start laughing, or smiling, or you feel like you’re like, Oh, that’s just my communication capacity to pick up on what other people are feeling, okay? So you don’t have to solve it. And this is something that is really important, because a lot of times, we feel like, oh, maybe we need to go into a, you know, session of some kind. Or maybe we need to take some medicine, or maybe we need to do something. But perhaps it’s just your communication capacity to pick up on what someone is feeling? Or someone is thinking at that moment. And how can you utilize it, if you’re willing to recognize that as a capacity, you know, we say in access that 98% of your thoughts, feelings, and emotions are not yours, they’re actually you picking up on someone else’s? So when we’re talking about communicating with other people, how can you utilize that capacity to communicate with more ease with people?
Susan Heaton-Wright 13:00
It makes complete sense. And we are so influenced by others, aren’t we?
Kass Thomas 13:06
Yes and instead of necessarily being influenced by others, how can we be in communication with others and see things from their perspective? Yes, a lot of times, somebody might say something to you, that feels like a judgment, you know, oh, no, you’re wrong. Oh, we might go into reaction. But if we stop for a moment and say, let me look exactly. Take a deep breath, and exactly very good. Take a deep breath in and say, okay, so where are they functioning from? You’re wrong. I’m not a nice person. That might be what they’re saying, you know what I mean? So if you’ve, instead of going into reaction, what I’m wrong. It’s like, well, I see that you are a nice person. And so you start an engagement with someone and a communication with someone. And that can open up many doors of possibilities and opportunities that if you go into reaction and aren’t connecting with your instinct, your inner riches, then you really limit what you can create in the future.
Susan Heaton-Wright 14:13
And you talk about being first is doing, I would say, from from what you have just spoken about this as an example.
Kass Thomas 14:23
Absolutely, absolutely. A lot of times, you know, a lot of times isn’t people don’t want to access their awareness. They don’t want information, really. Because once you get information, you think you have to do something. Oh, my goodness, they’re feeling sick. I have to do something. So a lot of times we just really put up these barriers in these walls and block people out and block information out because we don’t feel like we don’t have time. We don’t have you know, to do something. But what if you actually didn’t have to do anything? What if you just be normal? Where have someone is already the greatest gift you could be, you know, being aware that someone’s ill? Or being aware that someone’s sad, or being aware that someone is in panic mode? How much can your lack of resistance to them actually give them more comfort and more ease? Yeah. It’s so interesting
Susan Heaton-Wright 15:21
by being in the moment being there for them, rather than that little voice going off.
Kass Thomas 15:27
Absolutely, absolutely. Yeah.
Susan Heaton-Wright 15:29
Now you talk about three doors. Can you explain that this is in the book, it’s easier for you to explain it, than me trying to understand it.
Kass Thomas 15:42
Thank you so much for, for reading the book, first of all, and also for remembering that. You know, when we have an awareness, just like we’re talking about when we have something comes into our vision, our light our where we recognize something in someone, or we recognize something going on in our lives, or with our bodies, whatever in a relationship. A lot of times door number one, right? We say, oh, my goodness, maybe that’s me that did that. Oh, my goodness, why haven’t I ever recognized that before? Oh, no, I must have been stupid. Oh, no, and it’s going down the rabbit hole, you know, it’s been making you wrong, you leave the present moment to go into the past. And look at all the times, you were not able to be as present in that presence that you are at the moment, right? So you, oh, my goodness, why didn’t I recognize that before? And then you go away? That’s where you didn’t recognize it before door? Number one, I call it door number two is wow, isn’t that interesting? And then you keep going, and you forget it or no longer don’t engage with it at all, or? And door number three is saying, Wow, that is interesting. I wonder what else is possible? Now? And just with that one question, you open up door number three, and you see millions of different doors that perhaps you’ve never seen before. You know, and I have so many I mean, I know we have a short thing. It’s so many examples.
Susan Heaton-Wright 17:15
Oh, please share an example. I’m sure listeners would love to hear an example. Well,
Kass Thomas 17:21
sometimes, you know, if we are functioning from a judgment, either of ourselves or someone else, or a fixed point of view, we actually don’t see all the things that are possible for us, you know, or all the things that are going on. I mean, once I mean, we know we will be playing this during Black History Month, right in, in the UK. So I can give two examples. So one, two, okay. So one example is, once I was I went back to Boston, and I was with a dear friend of mine, there and we were in a, in a cafe, we were in line at a little cafe restaurant, you know, and you’re talking, you know, just I was so happy to see her and we’re talking and we’re talking and we’re the first ones in line waiting. And the woman you know, the hostess calls the people from behind us to go and seek them first, you know? And I said, Oh, I’m so sorry to that woman. You know, I’m so sorry. We were talking We’re here. We’re ready. She said, Oh, okay. Sorry. I didn’t want to interrupt you. And she accompanied us to the seats, you know, to our seat. And my girlfriend said to me, you know, you are just incredible. Because Boston is known for has was known for I’m not sure but it’s out racism, you know? And she said, I totally didn’t think she wasn’t seeing us because we were talking I thought she was seeing the guys behind us. You know, because they weren’t the same color that we were and she said and the way that you are you know with Oh, oh, what else is possible with this door three, you know, is is just something incredible. And you change totally the way our our lunches because now I see it from a different perspective. So it’s really an invitation for people to see things from a different perspective if you think that because you’re in a place and they don’t understand your language. Then when you speak you know what I mean? They’re resisting you or they don’t like you know, blonde so they don’t like black people don’t like blue people. You know, however, if you’re being in presence, yeah. And we’re going to approach things in a different way. That’s that’s quite different. A girlfriend of mine from Nashville. We met at my house here in Rome, but a girlfriend of mine from Nashville. She’s an amazing singer, too. She was in India. And there was she was in India and she was in a hotel and there was a an attack from Pakistan. They killed all the people that were sitting in their restaurant there. And she was shocked. And she couldn’t figure out how to get out. And somebody came out of a door that she didn’t even see. You know, because she thought, Okay, I’m gonna die. So once we have Okay, why did I even come here? Why did you know? So going down that door number one rabbit hole, or being in shock and not willing to be present, and the door open from the kitchen that she didn’t even ever see that door that it even existed. And she was able to escape and now she’s got a gorgeous body. She’s here and you know, she’s back in the States. But what is it that doesn’t allow us to see things from a different perspective. And though that’s a bit in the, in the book, what I invite people to it’s a how to book really. How to change your perspective, so that you can really open up your world to have different, different possibilities. And I just, I love, I love life. And I love to invite people to connect with their being their inner self, so that they know that you belong here. We all belong here. This is Planet Earth, we’re home. And so anyone you meet, even if you don’t speak the language they speak, even if you look different, even if you’re different cultures, but you’re all in the same place. And that’s my invitation to people. And you know, the last chapter is about living life with a purpose, or living life purposefully. Yeah.
Susan Heaton-Wright 21:45
Brilliant. I’ve got a couple more questions: you say about the power of truth. And again, I can interpret it, but I’d much rather get your, your word for this.
Kass Thomas 22:01
Absolutely. Well, you know, truth is something that is without thoughts, without judgments, without expectations, without projections. Without separation, without rejection without exclusion, without any of that truth is the, you know, the universal, the stars, the moon, the sky, God, Allah Buddha, the angels, you know, it’s it’s just the the pure essence of what is true, and that what people decide is truth is different for everyone, when they are interpreting that through the filters of their mind, a bit like you were talking about with the language. So if you say, when you ask a question, truth, do you really want to be here with me? Even if you just think it, you have excluded, nothing, you have included everything. And what you hear really is communicated to you in such a pure way that you know if it’s the truth, or you know, if it’s an invention or a lie, you know, so just a tip for people, when you ask a question to someone asked first, even in your mind, truth? Will you marry me? Or will you and I have this job Did you call me you know, whatever, and play with it, because it actually is about exercising that muscle of really being able to see and live your life from a very different perspective. And that’s what I like to invite people to and it’s awesome, not only in relationships, but also in business, also with money. You know, true if I Is this the job that will create more in my life truth, you know, and your instinct, your intuition will get activated. So funny a guy, it’s here in Rome from France. He’s an amazing business manager at it in the National Bank. And he came to do sessions with me, I do private sessions because they said to him, You are a great manager, you’re you structure you plan, and you execute it. But you don’t seem to have any connection with your intuition. Like, especially in times of change in this period of, you know, the pandemic, you know, they’re the adaptability to whatever the atmosphere is that you’re in the circumstances that are going on. If you’re willing to really connect with you, and follow your intuition, then you can create success no matter what’s going on in your relationships in your communication with yourself. Your business and in your bank account.
Susan Heaton-Wright 25:03
And bank account, I think is a big one for many people, isn’t it?
Kass Thomas 25:07
Yes. So funny. I did get a, you know, I told you I have the seven steps to flawless communication, my first book, A teachers program, and I did an intro with a guy from Argentina. He’s a teacher as well. And we did the topic of the intro, seven special flows communication with your bank account. It was hysterical, Susan, I just I didn’t I said he chose the topic. And I was like, okay, but there’s so much communication is really the essence of every part of our lives. So how is it that you’re communicating with your bank account? Just because it might be in a negative? You don’t I mean, at a negative? Are you saying oh, well, I don’t have any money. Is that true? And are you willing to actually convert the negative to positive and and expand that even more? Yeah.
Susan Heaton-Wright 25:58
So before we finish, one of the things, I always ask my guests for our three top tips. Now this really based on our conversation would be related to intuition, and listening to your inner voice and to be able to access opportunities.
Kass Thomas 26:22
Absolutely. And we’ve been sharing them with it’s, I would love to just say, Listen to your heart. Okay, put your hand on your heart. Don’t forget to breathe. And ask yourself, what is going to create more for me today? Who am I today? And what is it that will create more for me today and see what shows up in your world, start your day. That’s tip number one, start your day, your morning, connecting with your body. Communicating with your body, a lot of times we have to jump up and go to the loo right. But you can take 10 seconds to just move your wrists, twirl them around, move your ankles, right, take your knees, move them to the right in your bed and move your head to the left, taking 10 seconds to connect with you in the morning. No matter how much you have to do will completely change your day will completely change the approach that you have to your day communicating first with you in your body. And then beginning your day. And please write us write Susan, write me, let us know if you try to and it takes just a few seconds. The other thing is a lot of times people have the other tip I’d like to give is a lot of times people have really problems, you know, something might be going on physically with the your body, something might be going on physically with someone in your family that might be leaving, transforming dying, something might be going on with your job, if we’re totally focused, so focused on the quote unquote problem at the moment, right, then we cannot see some of the different opportunities that are available to us to resolve that or to choose something completely different, you know. And so what I love to invite people to do is to go up with your mind, like 3000 kilometers up in the air and look down at the situation and see if that problem is something that is going to stop your life, or it’s something that is just in passing and it too will move on. When I first moved to came to Rome for the first time and stood near the Colosseum. I said how can people everything that the problem going on in their life today will not pass when you’re standing in front of something that’s over 2000 years. It’s been here and it’s still here, you know. So that is the third tip. And the second tip and the third tip is really recognize that you are never alone. You admit you may want to be but you are never alone. There are so many people on this planet, but there are also so many elements on this planet. There are trees that are alive, right especially when they’ve got leaves on them, you know. There are birds, there are animals, there are children. There are so many people and things that are available for for you to not ever feel alone. And please, if you love someone, if you care about someone, don’t hesitate to tell them, send them a note. Because it’s important for people to know that they’re not alone as well, and that they’re appreciated. And you might think it’s obvious, you know, people say that to me all the time all I know, you know, this cast, but, and I’m like, you know what? It might be a moment where I’m not remembering it. So please don’t hesitate. Yeah. And that’s an invitation for other people also, to acknowledge you. So that you know that the people have your back. The world has your back, and the planet has your back. Yeah.
Susan Heaton-Wright 30:43
That is a really, really good thing to remember. So listeners, I hope that you will reach out to somebody and make their day. Because we don’t know, unless you say.
Kass Thomas 31:00
Absolutely, absolutely.
Susan Heaton-Wright 31:03
So before we finish, I have got your book here, I hope you can see it, dancing with riches. Can you say a little bit about what it’s about for the, for the listeners? And how they could order a copy?
Kass Thomas 31:19
Absolutely. The, you know, what are the riches, a lot of times people think riches are just about money. Right. And it’s a how to book in the various areas of our lives, our relationship with ourselves, our relationship with our body, and our relationship with others, our partners and family, our relationship with money, our relationship with business, right? It’s really sharing the many experiences in my life, and all of those areas and how I lived them, and how I sometimes might have thought that I was making the wrong choice, but how utilizing the tools of access, you can find the right choice for you. And the tools of access are so easy, it’s not the answer. It’s the question, you are the answer. So that’s what the book is about. And people are really grateful for the book because of so many experiences relation to a lot. And, and so, it does show people how to, in a very easy way, recognize what the riches in their life are, what the wealth in their life is, you know, and the various pillars of our life, the various spokes on the wheel that we call life, are addressed in the book and how you can really utilize those tools to strengthen those spokes in the wheel so that you can continue on your journey called life with ease and joy and glory.
Susan Heaton-Wright 32:57
Brilliant Now, I know that you can get it from all online booksellers. And what I will do is to make sure that I put a link there with the notes for this particular podcast. Absolutely.
Kass Thomas 33:13
Schiffer publishing, and they also have a distributor in the UK so you can get it on amazon.co.uk Yeah, also
Susan Heaton-Wright 33:22
brilliant. And how can people contact you? If they want to have a chat with you?
Kass Thomas 33:29
Absolutely. Well, I actually offered 15 minute pre sessions for people interested in those spokes of the wheel in their life, and they can find that on www.thenumberthreesteps.us and, and of course on www.KassThomas.com or on www.dancingwithriches.us .
Susan Heaton-Wright 33:50
I will make sure that I include all of those in the the notes for this particular episode.
Kass Thomas 33:56
I’m so grateful. And it was such a pleasure. And I’m so glad that your body is happy. Oh,
Susan Heaton-Wright 34:03
thank you so much for your time, Kass I have really, really been enriched by our conversation, and you with the riches of your salutely Thank you very much.
Kass Thomas 34:16
Thank you, grazie.
Susan Heaton-Wright 34:19
Well, I hope you enjoyed that interview. Isn’t Kass a wonderful interviewee, so much content there. And remember, there is a transcript. And we do a summary of some of the main learning points. Also, all of her information on how you can contact her and to purchase the book are in those notes. One more thing before we go. Every month, I deliver a complimentary lunch and learn about something related to communication. So as we speak, I’m preparing our how To say no with impact, and previous months we’ve talked about public speaking, or how you can show credibility. If you would like to be kept informed of the topics. And to register for them. Please go to www.superstarcommunicator.com/webinar-interest , and I look forward to seeing you there. So until next time, this is Susan from superstar communicator. Thanks for listening. You have been listening to the superstar communicator podcast. Don’t forget to subscribe and review the podcast on iTunes and on apps. Please contact us if you want to discuss any topic would suggest a topic for us to include or a guest who could come on to the podcast go to www.superstarcommunicator.com
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