James Bene On Spiritual Leadership And Transforming One Life At A Time
Our readers love to read stories of entrepreneurs creating a difference in the world. Please tell us about yourself and the incredible work you have been doing.
My name is James Bene and I am an intuitive healer, mentor, and teacher as well as the owner of Bene Mudra Wellness living in LA. I have dedicated much of my life to the art of spirituality and guiding others on their own spiritual paths. I felt very called this kind of work at an early age and although much of my life path (in my mind) at the time was devoted to music and the arts, I couldn’t help but listen to the call I was receiving. As a kid, I had a knack for understanding universal law, religion and connecting to my intuition. I had many supernatural (I guess I would call it that lol) experiences which opened and attuned me to the “other side” of things. Sounds scary and to be frank, it certainly was for a 5-year-old to go through something like that. But I powered on and figured this all had to make sense one day. It did! I accepted these gifts, honed my skills, studied, became a certified reiki master and spiritual mentor along with working through my own traumas. Eventually, I was ready to assist others. My business was born in New Jersey and NYC. I worked there for years until I moved to LA 5 years ago. I started out small, seeing clients for healing and intuitive sessions in my apartment, but it immediately turned into something bigger. I am an entrepreneur at heart so my apartment became a make-shift wellness center. I offered training, classes, and mini-retreats where I partnered with other local yoga teachers and healers. My partner and I ended up renovating half of our apartment (which was huge for New York standards) and dedicated it as a workshop space. We called it Esoteria. It was a wild ride having people we never met climb up the two flights in our building for classes. People loved it. It was cozy, fun, and intimate, yet the work we were doing was deep and life-changing! My career also included being the wellness director of a yoga and wellness center as well as working for Elizabeth Arden as the coordinator of wellness.
You are a popular Bi-coastal Lightworker who worked with over 1000 clients. What sort of client queries do you deal with?
Individuals who seek my services are those who are looking to change using spirituality and alternative healing as a tool to do so. I believe that every problem is a spiritual one so I work with people who suffer depression, anxiety, trauma, those looking to transition, and those who are in a place of stagnation (grief, loss, etc) and wish for divine and intuitive guidance. I am a channel and a medium so I connect to the spiritual realms to bring guided messages through intuitive readings but I also work with people on an energetic level to help them remove the blocks that are holding them back from realizing their greatest good. My clients have ranged from housewives to CEOs to celebrities. The human condition is the same across the board. We are all seeking love and validation. I help people find that within themselves. If my own journey has taught me anything it can be found within a single mantra, Om Mane Padme Hum… “the jewel is found within.”
You own an institute named Bene Mudra Wellness. What services do you offer for people? Is it an online platform? Please elaborate.
Today, I have seen well over a thousand clients across the country and globally spanning from all walks of life. My divine purpose perhaps is to modernize spiritual thought and become a pioneer in making it as mainstream as possible. Because of this I needed to create something that was global, so I moved my business and my services online (covid helped in making that decision) and what was born was an all-inclusive modern spiritual wellness boutique platform catering to those who wish to expand into higher consciousness. We offer weekly classes (some free) workshops, B2B wellness programs, individual wellness services, and more! We can provide psychic readings to past life sessions, healing workshops, astrology, yoga, meditation sessions, life coaching, and programs on an array of spiritual concepts. You name it, think of it as a modern and more hip Hay House! We also have a school of reiki where we offer level 1–3 certification training. I have hired some amazing teachers and practitioners and created a solid tribe of like-minded healers. Spirituality can be stuffy and it is my goal to take it to a new and exciting place, accessible and easily understood by all. The younger generation has a fresh take on the universe and I love to incorporate that into the teachings and services we offer. I also make classes affordable and offer on-demand free classes and a weekly podcast, The Bene Mudra Podcast available on all streaming platforms. We are constantly expanding and growing content. The sky is limiting so I want to expand beyond that even.
People across the globe are suffering from the Covid pandemic. How can Spiritualism help people in reducing their suffering?
Mental health awareness and acceptance are vital! The stigma that surrounds those suffering from mental illness needs to be changed and re-examined. The body, mind, and spirit are one. If one is comprised it affects the whole! Everyone suffers from mental health problems at one point or another, but many are afraid or embarrassed to speak up because we were taught socially to believe that having these issues shows human weakness. I believe the covid crisis opened the eyes of our nation to the need for mental health education because the weaknesses of the world got revealed. People now see the importance of mental health practices and are looking more now than ever to heal, learn, grow and become better inside and out. While other businesses suffered, mental health care exploded. Spiritualism and new thought, to me, is another way of getting someone to the place they need to go in order to self-realize, heal, and let go. It utilizes many, if not all, of the same therapeutic interventions as psychotherapy does it is just taught in a spiritually-minded way. Spiritual healing involves the belief in a higher power to assist in recovery. Mindfulness helps with finding those lost in the anguish of thought by using simple methods to move the mind into the present moment rather than in the regrets of the past or worry of the future. There are so many modalities to choose from but those suffering from mental imbalances due to covid should seek professional help whether it is spiritual or not. Mediation is an easy practice to learn right from home. I would start with 10 minutes a day, twice a day. This is the first great step in balancing the mind, body, and spirit.
As a lightworker, what is your biggest strength?
One of my biggest strengths is my courage of conviction. When I set my mind to something I won’t back down no matter what people say. I have lived a life of being bullied for who I was. I was made to feel like I was nothing growing up at school by my peers bc I was different. I suffered trauma and because of it was riddled with fear. I have realized that these monsters I have dealt with in my life taught me to never back down, to fight for what I believe is true, no matter how hard it feels, and to help those who are being abused by teaching them how to rise up! Once you defeat a monster, the rest go down easy!
What suggestions would you give to those lightworkers who are going through their initial stages of spiritual awakening during trying times?
Spiritual awakening is not all it’s cracked up to be. Some see this as flying through the air on a unicorn in some other dimension spewing out affirmations and inspirational messages onto the world below….wrong! So wrong! Awakening may be the toughest thing one does. These past 4 years forced many to awaken to the truth and it wasn’t pretty. We had to march, riot, fight, quarantine, and deal with deep-seated bigotry and hate. These are all factors in the process of awakening. You must go through the dark in order to find the light. My advice to those awakening is — don’t be afraid of the dark! It is ok not to be ok and it is not helpful to use spiritual bypassing to pretend otherwise. There may just be a unicorn to jump on but you need to battle a few demons first before you get there. Study, read, take classes, meditate, and self-study the hell out of yourself and at the same time love every down as much as the up! This is why you are here on earth. It will get better!
Where can our readers find your work?
Readers can go to www.benemudra.com to find everything they need to! My Instagram is @benemudra and there you will find links to everything I and Bene Mudra offers! I am also a musician and recording artist. I am working on my first ep to be released this summer but you may hear some music at www.soundcloud.com/jamesbene
