Charel Morris Of Stone Circle Productions On How They Integrate Mindfulness And Spiritual Practices Into Their Work Culture
Listen to the Wisdom in Resistance and Challenges. When team members express concerns or resistance, there’s often valuable wisdom there that shouldn’t be dismissed. I’ve learned that what appears as negativity frequently contains important truth that needs acknowledgment. Rather than pushing back or trying to immediately “fix” the problem, skillful leaders create safe spaces where these perspectives can be shared without judgment. This practice transforms potential division into collective intelligence and prevents the buildup of resentment.
As a part of our series about leaders who integrate mindfulness and spiritual practices into their work culture, I had the pleasure of interviewing Charel Morris.
Charel Morris is a visionary event producer, spiritual practitioner, and former audio engineer who bridges creative technology and mindful connection through her diverse projects and community initiatives. After working in Hollywood’s film and television industry, she founded Stone Circle Productions and brought Maker Faire to New Mexico, establishing a nonprofit that celebrated creative expression for seven years. Her unique background combines shamanic practice with technical expertise, making her a passionate advocate for creative liberation and spiritual growth in both business and personal realms.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you please share your “backstory” with us?
I was born in Hollywood, CA as my dad worked writing comedy and music. As an only child of older parents, I was very comfortable around adults from a very young age, and that continued throughout my life. We lived in Phoenix, AZ for a while where my dad had a late-night radio show with his live band on the air. During the day, I would be with him as my mom was teaching. Those days were often spent in the studio rehearsing with the band or recording. Not surprisingly, my first real job was as an audio engineer for an awesome composer, Joseph Byrd, and then for UCLA Film School. Looking back, I followed in my father’s footsteps in many ways.
My favorite story that he told me was when I was about 3 or so in Arizona. He had a breakfast meeting with some gentlemen at a restaurant when a nicely dressed gentleman came in and started getting everyone’s attention so he could talk. It quieted down and he began speaking, but not too long into his talk, I apparently crawled up on our table and belted out “You Are My Sunshine” — and there was no stopping me as I knew all the verses! It was my first political statement, as Barry Goldwater — starting his first move to be elected had to stop talking and give the little blonde girl the floor. He eventually left the restaurant, his speech cut short by my impromptu performance.”
What role did mindfulness or spiritual practice play in your life growing up? Do you have a funny or touching story about that?
I’ve reviewed your additional details for the spirituality question. These additions provide more depth and a powerful example of your mother standing up against racism. Here’s how I’d integrate them into your response:
“My parents were both from Texas and strict church families from the Bible Belt. They weren’t interested in continuing that approach but were open to the more progressive spiritual teachings that were becoming popular in Los Angeles. As I came along, church was presented as a choice. When I asked questions about my friends going to church, they were totally open to my interests, and we had meaningful conversations whenever I wanted.
Before I was out of high school — and around the time the Beatles, who I loved, were in India — my parents suggested that all three of us sign up for a meditation class based on the work of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. We attended together, and when we completed it, there was a ceremony — I think it was my first ceremonial experience other than my grandfather’s funeral. I was with my mom and dad, each of us holding a piece of fruit and a flower to give to our teacher. The image that stays in my mind is of my dad, who had briefly played professional football, and always big at 6 foot 3 inches, being noticeably and deeply moved during this ceremony. We never shared the Mantra that was given to each of us from that day forward.
I was raised to be open to God and taught that the ways others worshipped were to be respected. When we visited family in Texas, I went to church three times a week. I found it interesting, but it didn’t fit me personally.
And yet in some cases my mom would step in. I had been attending a weekly evening gathering with a friend at the church she went to. After several weeks, one of the adults there said since I was enjoying this so much, maybe they should come and chat with my parents about me joining the church. It seemed fine to me, so that was arranged. On that day, my mom and I were at home when a gentleman arrived with a flip chart. The second chart he presented caused a serious problem in the presentation. It was about Cain and Abel, claiming that with Cain killing Abel, all Black people came from Cain. My mom immediately stopped his welcome and asked him to leave. He suggested that maybe she should be speaking to my dad instead — things got hotter then, and he left. I don’t recall going to those gatherings anymore…and I knew exactly why!”
This integrated version maintains your voice while incorporating the important additional details about your father’s physical presence and your mother’s principled stand against racism being taught under the guise of religion.
How do your mindfulness or spiritual practices affect your business and personal life today?
“I really connected to my spiritual practice while working in film and TV. I was in a union of 2,000+ men and only 4 women. The work was hard and wonderful. Being one of very few women in my area was usually not an issue for me.
I discovered an interesting local show out of San Diego that caught my attention and lifted me after 5 or 6 days of 12 to 16-hour shifts. It was a church show with a unique woman minister, Terry Cole-Whitaker. Not sure why, but every Sunday she made my life and energy lift, and I felt really part of the world.
One weekend, I drove to San Diego to watch them record 4 services. I noticed the sound wasn’t that good, so I asked someone in charge about the crew. They told me they used a local crew but suggested I leave my card. I didn’t have one, but I had typed up a list of what I’d worked on and handed it to him as I started to walk away. He responded with, ‘Wow, you do this for a living!’ They hired me on the spot.
After that, I would go down one weekend a month to make sure her voice was heard clearly and powerfully. My life shifted — I was working on TV shows about the world of police and crime, and once a month I was immersed in the positive, loving presence of the infinite creator. I loved it.
I started to study to become a practitioner — think Louise Hay — and learned how to heal with prayer and my words. That opened the door, and I found my path, which has been very wide and wondrous. For me, my foundation is Ernest Holmes and his work on Science of Mind, but I grew up as a Shaman too.
During that time, AIDS broke out, and the church I had joined became the one church in the LA area that hospitals welcomed to visit people and families dealing with AIDS. They knew we weren’t there to sell our church or way of connecting to God, but rather just to serve the person in front of us. The combination of Science of Mind and shamanic practices became a powerful force in my life.”
Do you find that you are more successful or less successful because of your integration of spiritual and mindful practices? Can you share an example or story about that with us?
“At this point in my life, I feel like I have integrated my spiritual and shamanic energy or presence into every part of my life. As a human, I can fall off the path or stumble a bit, and even if I forget the presence of the infinite, the infinite never forgets me. I may get a reminder to get up and keep moving forward. And I know to trust the unknown. In my business, this awareness of what is moving within and around me makes my days smoother and way more fun. But I am not perfect — there have been times when I was a mess, and there will likely be more such times.
Let me share a story of how my shamanic energies had a powerful effect on a business breakthrough. My largest event was continuing to grow, which was positive, but this growth meant moving to larger hotel and conference properties. With that came a new contract with changes that didn’t seem significant but could become frustrating for many of our ongoing attendees. As we’re a tight community, I didn’t want people to feel frustrated, so I sought a change as these new contracts were coming up.
I flew in to discuss the new contracts, brought up my request, and was told they would consult their attorneys. During the following weeks, I received a note that they couldn’t make the change — with no reason provided. When I asked why, I was told it would be a ‘big problem’ for the registration department. Since I regularly communicate with our registration person, I called to check. She investigated and reported back that there was no problem — it was literally just flipping one switch to change a date. In a few months I flew in to handle other aspects of making a major conference and I asked again, I still received a ‘No.’
We finally scheduled a final’ Prep’ meeting. I was determined to make this work but also prepared to let go and let the universe guide me. As my Southwest flight reached 30,000 feet that morning, I sensed the presence of my primary power animal — the first of my seven spirit animals. Surprise, my beautiful, powerful Jaguar was flying to Las Vegas with me. After landing, we met our driver, and the jaguar seemed right at home in the back seat of our silver limo. At the hotel, we went directly to the meeting to wait for the international head of sales. When he entered, his demeanor was immediately different — jumpy and unsettled, which was uncharacteristic for him. He spoke rapidly about how busy things were, mentioned another meeting, and asked about my room and lunch preferences without pausing for breath. When he finally asked what I wanted, I simply handed him my requests. He glanced at them and said, ‘Yes, we will make all these changes.’ Then he left the room after asking his assistant to arrange my room keys and weekend plans.
Sitting there alone, I reviewed what had just happened: we all have power animals, though most don’t know they exist. His power animal, upon entering the room, had sensed my jaguar’s presence and recognized my power animal was much higher the survival list than he was. His spirit animal had immediately gone into ‘Fight or Flight’ mode — and fighting clearly wasn’t the right choice.
The jaguar’s presence had shifted the room’s energy completely. With my openness to the Universe, the projected outcome had turned upside down. It was remarkable to witness how quickly the universe stepped in to create a new ending to this meeting. The impact was dramatic — our community immediately began making reservations for the next year. We increased our room block at these properties by over 300%, significantly boosting my client’s bottom line. The hotels also discovered that shifting that date for some of their other clients might be advantageous for everyone.”
What would you say is the foundational principle for one to “lead a good life”? Can you share a story that illustrates that?
The foundational principle that guides my life and that I believe leads to a truly good life is balance — a deep, intentional balance with work, loved ones, self-care, and our relationship with the earth and all beings who share it with us. This isn’t just about time management; it’s about energy exchange and honoring the interconnectedness of all aspects of our existence.
As I entered my 40s, I was exhausted working in film and TV — long hours and physically demanding work. I was healthy and I truly loved my work, but there was a significant challenge in my life. I would have two great weeks followed by two weeks that felt like living in a nightmare — everything upside down and filled with pain. This pattern had been ongoing since I was about 14. Yes, this was a situation that can affect women. Not all women experience it the same way, as I discovered growing up. My mom took me to a doctor during high school, and he assured me, “during your time you might feel emotional, or it may hurt… but it would never be both.” I think I asked this doctor when he had his last period. And we left his office.
About 15 years later, I was still living with this monthly cycle — exhausted by having only two good weeks and then two weeks that were horrible, when I would yell and curse at people I loved. Yeah, I was great fun to be around. I had just started studying shamans and their worldview. While reading a book, I came across a passage where a shaman woman was asked why, during their moon time, women in her culture separated themselves from the community. She explained that it was because during this time, women had much more energy — powerful energy — and they had important work to do. It was the time when they created their world. “We welcome our strongest energy; we don’t push it away,” she said. I read that section over and over.
I contemplated this idea: what if this was indeed the time of my strongest energy, and I’d been wrong to push it away? I realized what had been so difficult for me was trying to resist what was natural, what was creative — the very energy through which humans are created.
One week before my cycle was due to begin, I set up my living room with art supplies and creative tools. As the time came, I consciously welcomed it. I painted, danced, and celebrated through drawing. The results were remarkable — it became the best week of that month, and the following week was even better. I stopped fighting something normal and instead welcomed that “storm” of energy. I never had a horrible week again.
For me, this was about accepting the balance I was born with — not trying to force nature into a pattern that denied my body’s wisdom. It was about honoring the balance we are all born into, each in our own way. This experience fundamentally changed how I approach every aspect of life, teaching me that resistance to our natural rhythms creates suffering, while flowing with them — finding the balance — creates harmony and opens doors to unexpected creativity and joy.
Can you share a story about one of the most impactful moments in your spiritual/mindful life?
Early in my spiritual path I became interested and read a lot about Mary Magdalene and discovered that she was a major part of that time and the life and teachings of Jesus. As I learned more I also discovered she had spent time in France. And for several hundred years she was said to be in a cave up on a mountain in the south of France at La Sainte-Baume.
I had a conference coming into Amsterdam that spring so I made plans to arrive early to finish details with the hotel in Amsterdam and I took the train into Paris as I have 2 weeks before I needed to return to open the conference.
The week in Paris — my first time in France — was so wonderful and on Friday I went to a small town, Chartres to see the labyrinth created to honor the goddess many hundred years before the Catholic church decided to put a church on top of the labyrinth. I was going to Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres. Which I realized was devoted to Mother Mary . So first point of the spiritual part of going to France was I had become somewhat anger about Mother mary being the only woman spoken of or acknowledge by the church. Now that is a bit over stated but I was young and very pro Mary Magdalene. And yes Mary was a name given to women who had some spiritual knowledge so anyway…I wasn’t a Mother Mary fan.
As I walk through it astounding cathedral I found an area that was fenced off as it had a Relic from Mother Mary it a famous relic called the Sancta Camisa, believed by some to be the tunic worn by the Virgin Mary during the birth of Jesus and yes I was a bit mad but I sat down to be present in this sacred space. And I heard a women’s voice. “I am here and I am not the only Mary. I am Mary and I bring all the Marys to be honored here. “ And with that I was crying, and all my anger and judgement was gone. The Goddess was and is all the Goddesses. And that continued as the Goddess in all her ways had been trampled out.
A few days later I was in Aux Provençaux and preparing to go to the cave that next day. But today in the magical old town area in Aux Provençaux I was standing in from the the cathedral of Mary Madeleine.
At this point in my life I was very overweight and not sure about climbing up to the cave on step dug out in maybe the 900AD period. I have spent time with my power animal the Jaguar and a sacred partner and both were very strong in my opinion. In our meditations I asked if they could become my legs to get up to the cave. And they agreed and we practiced a bit. But as a friend and I got to the edge of the forest, and I saw the mountain I wonder. A shaman student who lived in the South of France had wonderfully offer to go with me and so we started walking on a beautiful Early spring day.
I felt great walking in this young forest with the sun gently coming through the leaves. My legs were strong and everything was so positive as we round a corner as our path came closer to the mountain and I could almost see the tiny steps that had been cut up that side of the mountain. The description of this cave was “The cave is nestled in a cliff face on a mountainside, “ and that is what I saw and in that minute my legs went back to just being my legs.
I called out to my ‘support team’ and they were there. And they informed me I did not need them to go further. I wondered what my next step was on out path or actually in our path was a large stone so we lite some sage to clear the energy and we each climbed up and sat on the boulder. Facing in opposite direction we went each went into our own inner journey.
Sometime later as I heard the lives speaking as the wind danced through them I opened my eyes and in front of me was Mary Magdalene and her voice seemed to go directly into my heart. She told me there was no reason for me to go to her Cave — as today was Spring Equinox and she was going to walk on the land and see the flowers and besides the church had taken the cave to honor the church not her or the earth. So she had left. With that she left and a large group of Golden Eagles flew overhead. Now I don’t know if Golden Eagles exist in France but it was the name of the circle that I did healing with a number of shamans. It is the journey and experience that often comes to mind when I think something might be too hard or frustrating. And I realize that in my life, my spirit and my heart I am never alone and I will always find the right guidance.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
I think this is the hardest question you’ve asked. I’ve been so fortunate to meet individuals I already admired or people who taught me and shared their wisdom with me. Looking back, I realize that each time I was about to shift or doubt my path, someone would appear in a surprising way or, as they say, “out of nowhere” — or sometimes from the pages of a book.
But I believe the major shift in my life happened with my mother as she was dying. I had driven down from Santa Monica to her hospital. My dad was pacing outside her room and wasn’t in any emotional space to go back in. I entered her room; the nurse was there, showing great care for both my mother and me. It was close to the end — I sat by her as her breathing shifted. I don’t think I fully understood what that shift meant at the time, but shortly afterward, I realized she was gone.
I had seen her the day before and we had talked at length. It was the day before Thanksgiving, and she had pointed out that traffic would be bad so I should stay home, assuring me she would see me over the weekend. She was feeling good then.
The hospital called me the next day and suggested I should come down as she had taken a turn. They said she wasn’t in pain but was likely close to passing. So I drove down, and I don’t remember if there was traffic or not. But I knew things were serious when I saw my dad in the hallway. I hugged him and went into her room. Within a few minutes, she saw me, and I knew she recognized who I was. I held her hand and talked to her as she left this earth. And I kept holding her hand.
The loving nurse moved around the bed turning off machines that had been making noise. She looked over at me and said something. I didn’t really hear it. So I looked at her and she repeated, “Do you want to help me remove the lines that are in her body?” In my mind I screamed NO!
But then I looked up at her and said, “YES!” And I began to gently and lovingly remove lines and tubes that were held into my mother’s body with needles and such. As I continued, I felt my mother’s love and energy moving into me. I started understanding that this was her last gift to me.
In the days and weeks that followed, I found myself reflecting on that final act of care for my mother. What had initially felt overwhelming became, in retrospect, a sacred moment of transition — not just for her, but for me. There was something in the gentle, intentional way I had helped her body be free of those artificial connections that seemed to unlock something within me. I began to understand that what I had experienced wasn’t just grief, but a profound form of healing presence. The nurse had invited me into that space not just as a daughter saying goodbye, but as someone capable of bringing comfort and dignity to life’s most vulnerable moments. This realization settled in me slowly, like a seed taking root. It wasn’t long after that when I realized that many of my friends, whose parents were a decade or more younger than mine, would someday be in the place I had been, and I could help them through those moments or years. I was still working full-time in film and TV — thinking about becoming a producer — and yet this gift I had been given started to grow in my thoughts and my heart. It took me weeks or maybe months before I began to truly understand her gift and why she had left it to me.
Soon enough, I found myself on a beach in Malibu learning about the power of words in healing prayer. I went to this gathering on a Saturday because Malibu beach was nice, and having heard about Healing Prayer during Terry Cole-Whittaker’s Church, I wanted to learn to be able to do this for myself. That’s how I looked at it initially — “for me.”
As the Saturday gathering was ending, the minister teaching us asked if anyone was willing to do prayers after church for those requesting them. Before I knew it, my arm was flying up to the sky and waving at her. The next day, I experienced the power of healing and being with someone whom I helped. That is why my gratitude goes to my mother and her gift, which brought me to where I am today and to all the amazing people I’ve met along the way.
Can you share 3 or 4 pieces of advice about how leaders can create a very “healthy and uplifting” work culture?
Throughout my journey as both a spiritual practitioner and leader, I’ve discovered that creating a truly uplifting work environment requires attention to both seen and unseen elements. Here are four essential practices I believe make the difference:
1. Honor the Whole Person, Not Just the Worker
The most vibrant workplaces recognize that each person brings their complete self to work — their joys, challenges, talents, and intuition. Create space for people to share what matters to them beyond their job descriptions. This might mean starting meetings with a moment of genuine check-in, celebrating personal milestones, or simply acknowledging that everyone has seasons of greater and lesser productivity. When leaders demonstrate that they see the humanity in each team member, people respond with deeper engagement and authenticity.
2. Create Rituals That Build Community and Presence Just as I’ve experienced in spiritual practice, workplace rituals can ground people and create meaningful connections. These don’t need to be elaborate — they might be as simple as beginning important meetings with a moment of silence, gathering for monthly team lunches, or creating a space where achievements are publicly acknowledged. The key is consistency and intentionality. These touchpoints become anchors that remind everyone they’re part of something larger than their individual tasks. Oh and you don’t have to call it a ritual!
3. Listen to the Wisdom in Resistance and Challenges
When team members express concerns or resistance, there’s often valuable wisdom there that shouldn’t be dismissed. I’ve learned that what appears as negativity frequently contains important truth that needs acknowledgment. Rather than pushing back or trying to immediately “fix” the problem, skillful leaders create safe spaces where these perspectives can be shared without judgment. This practice transforms potential division into collective intelligence and prevents the buildup of resentment.
4. Cultivate Balance Between Structure and Flow
Just as in nature, healthy systems require both structure and flexibility. Too much rigidity crushes creativity and adaptability; too little creates chaos and burnout. Leaders who balance clear expectations and processes with room for organic development and individual expression create environments where people can thrive. This might mean establishing core hours while offering flexibility around them, or setting clear outcomes while leaving the path to achievement more open. When people feel both held and free, their best work naturally emerges.
In my experience, these practices aren’t just “nice to have” — they fundamentally change how energy moves through an organization. When leaders attend to these elements, work becomes more than a transaction; it becomes a space for growth, contribution, and genuine community.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-) When you feel stuck with something about your business or life for that matter, what would you suggest?
Trust your inner instincts. The voice within you may be your best guide when facing challenges or uncertainty in business and life. If you’ve spent a year studying how to set up a business and creating detailed plans, take equal time to evaluate those plans through the lens of your inner wisdom. Numbers and strategies matter, but so does that gut feeling about whether something truly aligns with your values and vision.
This process takes time and practice. Start by paying attention to how you feel about an issue, problem, or new possibility. You might follow conventional wisdom to address the situation, but afterward, reflect on what your intuition was telling you. Would following that inner guidance have been foolish, or might it have opened a door to something more profitable or fulfilling?
Don’t dismiss the power of collaboration. Often, the people already on your team have insights and perspectives that, when combined with yours, can lead to astounding breakthroughs. Create space for these collaborative conversations where intuition and expertise can merge. A word of caution: don’t immediately jump into the deep end the first time you feel that inner voice suggesting bold action. Build trust with your intuition gradually. Start with smaller decisions, note the outcomes, and learn to distinguish between fear-based reactions and genuine intuitive guidance. As your confidence grows, you’ll develop a powerful balance between analytical thinking and inner knowing.
How can people follow you and find out more about you?
https://www.cosmicquantumshaman.com/calendar
https://www.cosmicquantumshaman.com/home
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
