Listeners will come to understand the work of the charity, Meaningful World. Led by Dr. Ani Kalayjian, the founder and President of this world-wide humanitarian effort, Meaningful World provides compassionate trauma counseling as well as practical support to people in approximately 40 countries who are survivors of war, genocide, political unrest/conflict and abysmal poverty.
Dr. Ani Kalayjian will share the story of the amazing work she is doing through her humanitarian missions to Armenia, Haiti and Nigeria to name a few...
She and her team of interns and volunteers travel to approximately 40 countries. Recently, Meaningfulworld provided doors to women who were being raped during the night. Literally, doors were installed on their simple homes to keep the predators at bay.
MeaningfulWorld also asks for donations to help with feeding and schooling of young children who live in poverty; for sponsoring a year of education; for purchasing sewing machines for girls in orphanages in Haiti; for managing a suicide hotline in Armenia.
Through instruction, this not-for-profit teaches people how to work through and overcome the trauma inflicted upon them by authorities. Instead of being victims they transform into survivors.
Music: https://meditationmusiclibrary.com/ The tune is "My Relaxing Piano."
Linda Marsanico opens the episode by introducing her book, The A Train to Sedona, a memoir chronicling her spiritual journey, and offers listeners a free resource for high-vibration living. She welcomes Dr. Ani Kalayjian, a globally recognized psychotherapist, trauma specialist, and humanitarian, whose work spans genocide prevention, integrative healing, and human rights advocacy at the UN. Dr. Kalayjian shares her powerful personal story of overcoming generational, collective, and personal trauma, highlighting the transformative role of education, nonviolent resistance, and spirituality in healing and global humanitarian efforts.
Dr. Ani Kalayjian shares how her understanding of spirituality evolved from her Armenian Christian roots, through deep personal exploration of multiple faiths, to a transformative awakening inspired by Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning. She describes the dangers of holding onto anger and resentment, particularly in the face of historical and ongoing injustices, and how finding deeper purpose allows for healing and meaningful action in the world. Her spiritual transformation led her to create Meaningful World, a humanitarian organization dedicated to fostering healing, peace, and purpose across the globe, reinforcing that true fulfillment comes from nurturing the human spirit rather than material accumulation.
Dr. Ani Kalayjian’s Aha! moment came when Viktor Frankl challenged her to stop waiting for external validation of past traumas and instead take responsibility for healing and transformation. This realization led her to establish Meaningful World, an organization dedicated to helping individuals and communities process trauma, practice forgiveness, and reclaim their power without remaining trapped in resentment. She emphasizes that true forgiveness is not about condoning harm but about releasing emotional burdens, setting boundaries, and fostering inner peace—key elements in personal and collective healing.
Dr. Ani Kalayjian shares her continued efforts to integrate psychological healing and conflict resolution into global governance, emphasizing the need for spiritual awareness in political decision-making. She highlights the importance of self-healing and forgiveness, explaining that true transformation begins when we stop waiting for external validation and take responsibility for our own inner peace. The episode closes with Dr. Kalayjian’s heartfelt poem, Let Love Transform You, reminding listeners that love, compassion, and mindfulness are the keys to lasting healing and global harmony.
00:00:50.210 --> 00:00:51.780 Linda Marsanico: Hello, everyone!
00:00:51.900 --> 00:00:54.750 Linda Marsanico: Welcome to the A. Train to Sedona.
00:00:55.400 --> 00:01:03.369 Linda Marsanico: The A train to Sedona is also the name of a book. I wrote a memoir, where I share my spiritual journey.
00:01:03.680 --> 00:01:11.659 Linda Marsanico: I wrote the book to have my voice be heard, and also in the hope that my journey would inspire yours.
00:01:12.220 --> 00:01:16.100 Linda Marsanico: You can purchase a signed copy at
00:01:16.370 --> 00:01:20.060 Linda Marsanico: lindamarsenego.com on. Buy the book page.
00:01:20.800 --> 00:01:31.009 Linda Marsanico: You can also get a regular copy at retail stores and bookstores now on Amazon. You can read the 1st 7 pages for free.
00:01:32.200 --> 00:01:37.900 Linda Marsanico: Let's remember that in New York City the A. Train is an express train.
00:01:38.230 --> 00:01:40.100 Linda Marsanico: So hop on board.
00:01:41.930 --> 00:01:43.939 Linda Marsanico: I have a free gift for you.
00:01:44.470 --> 00:01:53.830 Linda Marsanico: the cheat sheet for high vibration, living a series of 7 exercises that help you so much in today's very
00:01:54.330 --> 00:01:55.830 Linda Marsanico: what can I say?
00:01:55.980 --> 00:01:57.450 Linda Marsanico: Troubled world?
00:01:57.660 --> 00:02:08.430 Linda Marsanico: There is a regular meditation or walking meditation, and also an exercise to bring down the violet light over your body, to heal and protect.
00:02:09.639 --> 00:02:13.959 Linda Marsanico: You can download a copy of that on my website at Linda.
00:02:17.930 --> 00:02:22.589 Linda Marsanico: Today. My guest is Dr. Ani Khalejan.
00:02:25.080 --> 00:02:30.410 Linda Marsanico: Dr. Ani Khallasian is on the faculty of Columbia University.
00:02:30.590 --> 00:02:45.990 Linda Marsanico: and for meaningful world she is a multicultural and multilingual psychotherapist, genocide, prevention, scholar, international humanitarian, outreach administrator, integrative healer.
00:02:46.100 --> 00:02:48.680 Linda Marsanico: United Nations Representative.
00:02:49.390 --> 00:02:55.700 Linda Marsanico: She is the founder and President of the Association for trauma outreach and prevention.
00:02:56.640 --> 00:03:04.190 Linda Marsanico: She was awarded the lifetime achievement award in 2024 from the American Psychological Association.
00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:12.640 Linda Marsanico: She was outstanding psychologist of the year in the American Psychological Association. In the year 2,016,
00:03:13.270 --> 00:03:20.269 Linda Marsanico: she was awarded a humanitarian award from the University of Missouri, Columbia, in 2,014.
00:03:20.910 --> 00:03:25.989 Linda Marsanico: In 2,010 she got an honorary human rights award.
00:03:27.070 --> 00:03:33.679 Linda Marsanico: She received an honorary Doctor of Science Degree from Long Island University in 2,001.
00:03:34.160 --> 00:03:43.370 Linda Marsanico: Dr. Kallasian is a pioneering clinical researcher, humanitarian, outreach administrator, community organizer
00:03:43.580 --> 00:03:50.299 Linda Marsanico: and psychoecological facilitator around the Globe and at the UN.
00:03:51.570 --> 00:04:02.679 Linda Marsanico: She has 100 published articles, 6 books, 50 films over 100 publications on global Humanitarian relief.
00:04:03.650 --> 00:04:11.590 Linda Marsanico: Dr. Collation has led volunteer humanitarian missions. In 49 countries
00:04:12.060 --> 00:04:17.999 Linda Marsanico: there have been 116 missions in 8 regions of the world.
00:04:18.769 --> 00:04:21.820 Linda Marsanico: in 26 States in the United States.
00:04:22.330 --> 00:04:27.320 Linda Marsanico: I am so honored to have you on my show. Dr. Collation.
00:04:28.390 --> 00:04:33.640 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Thank you. Thank you so much, Linda. This is an amazing platform.
00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:53.920 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: May it be express or local. However, people need whatever speed people need to progress and transform. I really appreciate this spiritual, psychological, and wonderful platform
00:04:53.920 --> 00:05:14.629 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: to share the journey that I have been going through and still transforming with each humanitarian relief work with each experience, with our interns, at meaningful world, with our United Nations affiliation and the programs.
00:05:14.670 --> 00:05:18.549 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: It's a, it's a learning in progress.
00:05:19.140 --> 00:05:25.410 Linda Marsanico: This is wonderful. We're always learning. And I had. My 1st question for you is.
00:05:25.550 --> 00:05:32.550 Linda Marsanico: when you think of yourself as a young person and adolescence. What from that time brings you
00:05:32.700 --> 00:05:37.160 Linda Marsanico: in your development to where you are now, in this distinguished place.
00:05:37.980 --> 00:05:59.599 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: It's a very important question, and and a very fundamental question that you're asking, because that's where adolescence is, where we form our identity. And we make sense of the senseless, if you may, of the world, and with all its challenges.
00:05:59.720 --> 00:06:15.469 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and growing up my adolescence, I spent half in Syria and the other half here in the United States of America. So, growing up in Syria.
00:06:15.550 --> 00:06:26.879 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: I was totally confused. It didn't make sense to me because I was going through collective trauma of the war with Israel, constant wars.
00:06:26.880 --> 00:06:49.889 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and Linda. It's not like the wars here where America is in war in many countries, but we don't feel it. We don't experience it firsthand. In Syria. It was an everyday struggle, running to sub basements, negotiating with mice
00:06:50.240 --> 00:07:05.400 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and having our windows shatter, because the planes will fly so low that with the vibration we have to change our glass so many times, put plastic
00:07:05.690 --> 00:07:17.859 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: with the starch and blue color painted. I think they thought that starch and blue color would make it look like nobody living there, or something. I'm not even sure.
00:07:18.410 --> 00:07:38.880 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: But all that collective trauma, and then the individual trauma of being between 2 brothers, 3 years younger, 3 years older, and having a totally different set of rules, they would be able to run around, ride a bicycle. I was
00:07:38.990 --> 00:07:50.870 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: prohibited from getting outside the house because I had also generational trauma of the Ottoman Turkish genocide of the Armenians, where
00:07:50.890 --> 00:08:12.239 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: my father was a survivor. My mother was a child survivor, so they were still scared. Fear was permeating, and they many times I came home even before adolescence. I was 7 or 8 school age, and I see them crying or flipping through the news
00:08:12.300 --> 00:08:22.179 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: paper, trying to find old relatives that they have no idea where they are. Are they dead, or have they moved? Because
00:08:22.270 --> 00:08:42.170 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: with the genocide 2 million were killed, but the rest were distributed like wherever they could go, basically missionaries wherever they could give them passports or visas, or whatever permission to travel. United States, Argentina, France, Brazil.
00:08:42.559 --> 00:08:45.580 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Netherlands, all over the world.
00:08:45.970 --> 00:09:08.630 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and when I asked what was going on, because I could feel I was sensing all their sadness and and inquiry and wonderment, they would brush me off and say, Go, do your homework. Everything is okay. But I did feel that everything was not okay, and I would ask who died because it was
00:09:09.280 --> 00:09:17.219 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: for me that sad, and when they didn't explain what happened, because they said
00:09:17.220 --> 00:09:46.870 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: they were protecting me from the horrors, what experience, but at the same time they could have told me something so that I don't suffer continuously. I remember going to the outhouse and crying my eyes out, and I didn't want to show it to them, because I knew they were already sad. I didn't want to worry them. They didn't want me to worry. So it was like both of us trying to protect ourselves in vain.
00:09:46.870 --> 00:09:47.270 Linda Marsanico: No.
00:09:47.270 --> 00:10:14.300 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: So there was the generational individual trauma, and then collective trauma of the war. It was all just too much, and I would say to my mother at age 8. I remember this is not right. This is not right. Why is my brother on the bicycle? And I'm not allowed to ride a bicycle. Of course, when I came to United States I started riding motorcycle.
00:10:15.385 --> 00:10:16.250 Linda Marsanico: That's.
00:10:16.250 --> 00:10:26.120 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: My compensation. I said, Okay, you're going to limit my, I'm gonna go all the way to the motorcycle, forget the bicycle.
00:10:26.690 --> 00:10:27.260 Linda Marsanico: Oh!
00:10:27.260 --> 00:10:37.969 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: And when I came to United States at 15 years of age, in an affluent high school in North Jersey.
00:10:38.210 --> 00:10:46.890 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: I was discriminated right and left, they would ask me, Where are you from? And I would say, Syria, oh, get away! You're a terrorist.
00:10:46.890 --> 00:11:11.829 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: but I'm not Syrian. I'm Armenian, you know even today, like Syria, is going through war, and Americans think that they're all Muslim. Not that it means that you have to, you know, not care about Muslims, but they would. Even Congressmen would saying things like, Oh, we don't want any Muslims come as any Syrians, any Muslims coming through.
00:11:11.830 --> 00:11:14.799 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: But Syrians can be anything
00:11:15.350 --> 00:11:23.389 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Jewish, Muslim, any religion? So the ignorance that I found initially when I came here
00:11:23.550 --> 00:11:41.770 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: they had no idea they would ask me questions. Oh, did you. Do you ride the camel? Do you have cars like? Of course we have cars, you know they have cars in Syria. And then, when I said, I'm Armenian. They were like, what's that? They had no clue.
00:11:41.770 --> 00:11:42.380 Linda Marsanico: Yes.
00:11:42.380 --> 00:11:51.990 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: And when I explained well, Armenia is part of the Soviet Union, because at that time in the mid seventies
00:11:52.490 --> 00:12:02.090 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: it was still part of the Soviet Union, and when the Soviet Union collapsed, Armenia became independence. In 1992.
00:12:02.310 --> 00:12:02.840 Linda Marsanico: Yeah.
00:12:02.840 --> 00:12:08.440 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: All they knew, I said, it's part of the Soviet Union. Oh, stay away! You're a Communist.
00:12:08.900 --> 00:12:09.350 Linda Marsanico: Oh!
00:12:09.350 --> 00:12:24.399 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: I couldn't win for anything I couldn't get through. And you know, one thing that really, really still makes me really uncomfortable is that they wouldn't even let me use the bathroom.
00:12:24.970 --> 00:12:26.310 Linda Marsanico: Oh, here!
00:12:26.310 --> 00:12:32.590 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: And they said, in order for me to use the bathroom, I had to start smoking cigarettes.
00:12:32.730 --> 00:12:59.380 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: so I was pretending just to go through, but you know, when I got their respect is when my brother, younger brother, the one who could ride the bicycle he went used power and violence. He put one of the kids, who was, you know, kind of putting him down. He put his head in the locker, close the door, and became the king.
00:12:59.380 --> 00:13:09.660 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and then I was respected because I was the King's. You know the big guy who is strong and and uses violence. I was his brother.
00:13:09.860 --> 00:13:29.829 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and that's when I started getting respect. So that really didn't make sense for me as an adolescent that said, What kind of world is this? It's just like the enemies I was running from in Syria. They're also here in an affluent, rich
00:13:30.630 --> 00:13:31.790 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: high school.
00:13:32.280 --> 00:13:44.520 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: So all those discriminations, firsthand, individual, collective, generational traumas really shaped my.
00:13:46.270 --> 00:13:46.670 Linda Marsanico: Cheers.
00:13:47.140 --> 00:14:11.299 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Commit to human rights. That's why we are so active at the United Nations. We have at least 4 or 5 programs that are affiliated with the UN. We have our parallel program to the commission of status of women on March 13, th and I hope you can all come and join us. So we want to go through and educate people
00:14:11.300 --> 00:14:27.350 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: that this United Nations Human Rights Declaration was written in 1945. But nobody knows about it, Linda. We go through 50 countries and we educate them, because that's how you're going to be able to stand up
00:14:27.350 --> 00:14:32.360 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: like Martin Luther King said peaceful resistance.
00:14:32.360 --> 00:14:32.860 Linda Marsanico: Yes.
00:14:32.860 --> 00:15:00.120 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: So what your rights are, you can stand up. You don't need to fight or put people's head in a locker closet and really go down to using violence, drones, and all this to kill each other. You can talk assertively, using the laws that we have international laws, human rights, declarations, genocide prevention.
00:15:00.270 --> 00:15:19.149 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Oh, I mean United Nations has so many Linda beautiful documents, and all in 5 languages all the time to educate people. So people don't know. And that's what we do in every country that we go to.
00:15:19.150 --> 00:15:26.740 Linda Marsanico: And so I want to hear so much more about this. We do need to take a break when we come back.
00:15:26.900 --> 00:15:31.579 Linda Marsanico: Ani, I'd like to ask you about the role of spirituality in your life.
00:15:32.380 --> 00:15:34.590 Linda Marsanico: But for now we're going to take a break.
00:15:35.810 --> 00:15:43.610 Linda Marsanico: and we'll be back to talk about the role of spirituality, and many, many more exciting things about the work of meaningful world. In this.
00:17:33.550 --> 00:17:41.500 Linda Marsanico: Hello, everyone! Welcome back to the A. Train to Sedona with my guest, Dr. Ani Khalijian
00:17:42.440 --> 00:17:46.869 Linda Marsanico: Ani. Would you tell us about the role of spirituality in your life.
00:17:50.270 --> 00:17:54.089 Linda Marsanico: I need to mute. Unmute yourself. Let's see if you're unmuted.
00:17:54.250 --> 00:17:55.180 Linda Marsanico: Yes.
00:17:55.180 --> 00:18:02.220 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: That seems to be a very important question that has
00:18:04.650 --> 00:18:17.830 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: kind of evolved through stages. When I was born. Armenians are the 1st Christian nation to accept Christianity since 3 0, 1 a d.
00:18:18.130 --> 00:18:18.610 Linda Marsanico: Hmm.
00:18:18.610 --> 00:18:28.989 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: And Christianity was also the reason that we were Ottoman. Turkish genocide took place.
00:18:29.030 --> 00:18:53.379 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: because, after Armenia accepted as a country as a nation, accepted Christianity. Then, 500 years later, the countries around Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan. They all started one by one to accept Islam.
00:18:53.520 --> 00:19:10.000 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: the Muslim religion, and the when Ottoman Empire was losing its control, and they want their goal was to expand to Russia, to all around all the way to Siberia and the Balkans.
00:19:10.450 --> 00:19:25.490 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Balkan countries when they were unable to do that, and they started retrieving. They thought that Christianity and Armenians, being Christian, is the source, and they need to
00:19:25.980 --> 00:19:34.570 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: annihilate all Armenians, to be able to maintain some source of control and power.
00:19:34.840 --> 00:19:35.500 Linda Marsanico: Hmm.
00:19:35.740 --> 00:19:44.130 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: So they, a handful of Armenians who did convert to Islam were saved.
00:19:44.550 --> 00:19:55.580 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: or they married by force. The girls they picked the most beautiful Armenian girls to marry the older 40, 50 year old
00:19:55.890 --> 00:19:57.840 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Muslim
00:19:58.320 --> 00:20:09.930 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: leaders in Ottoman Empire. Those were spared, but others who did not convert and let go of their faith
00:20:10.100 --> 00:20:13.089 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and spirituality. They were killed.
00:20:13.480 --> 00:20:14.140 Linda Marsanico: Hmm.
00:20:14.140 --> 00:20:17.430 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: So that is the route of
00:20:19.080 --> 00:20:21.809 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Yes, it's not spirituality.
00:20:22.340 --> 00:20:28.909 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: After I came here to America I started exploring other religions
00:20:28.970 --> 00:20:41.139 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and other forms of expressions of spirituality. So, in order to do that, of course, I had studied Islam and read the Quran in Syria
00:20:41.140 --> 00:21:06.399 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and the Bible in Armenian and English, and then I read about Buddhism. I studied in the University, Hinduism, Jainism, Caroline, Miss. And then I was still suffering with anger, and that anger against the enemy. You know those who
00:21:06.400 --> 00:21:29.799 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: the Ottoman Empire, the Israeli Government, who has caused us so much pain and suffering, and still today they are causing suffering because they are supporting Azerbaijan, who's who just conducted ethnic cleansing right before in
00:21:29.800 --> 00:21:52.100 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: October of 2023, and they just threw they started bombing our villages, and threw 120,000 Armenians out of their ancestral homes. Over 350 years they've been there churches, Linda, cathedrals, museums. They're just
00:21:52.230 --> 00:21:55.710 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: just blowing them up.
00:21:56.350 --> 00:22:08.989 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: And who's helping Turkey and Israel is helping Azerbaijan to do this? And what is America doing? Nothing because Azerbaijan has fuel
00:22:09.080 --> 00:22:34.149 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and mobile Exxon. Some of them are invested in Azerbaijan because of power, greed, and money. So these things have really over the years. Looking at the relationship between religion, spirituality, politics has really taken me to a very
00:22:34.610 --> 00:22:53.359 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: uncomfortable place, where I was filled with that anger was hurting me, of course, and of course, others, too. I had a lot of digestive issues, and then I went and studied with Victor Franco.
00:22:53.960 --> 00:22:55.759 Linda Marsanico: Oh! How wonderful!
00:22:55.760 --> 00:23:02.459 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: And his book man, search for meaning guys really is transformative.
00:23:02.580 --> 00:23:12.180 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Yes, he's not known as a spiritual person, but he even going through surviving Auschwitz.
00:23:12.760 --> 00:23:40.849 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: He has always come out with helping people find deeper meaning in their experience, so that they don't hold on those grudges and anger, and and then retaliate. Linda. You know how many countries in Africa, Kenya, Congo, Sierra Leone, Rwanda. They're all tribal tribal wars.
00:23:40.850 --> 00:24:09.840 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: you know. One tribe kind of gets power and obliterate, tries to kill everybody in the other tribe, and then 1015 years go by. But there's no healing or forgiveness. And then the other tribe starts because the anger and retaliation is being nurtured over the years. So we're going to show them we're going to show them. And then they explode, and the other tribe now kills this one. And it.
00:24:09.970 --> 00:24:28.469 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: This is what we're experiencing all around the world. Now in Congo, currently, like over 5 million have been killed. Do we talk about it? Nobody in America even talks about it. We, we ask people in our support groups, workshops. Nobody has heard it.
00:24:28.660 --> 00:24:46.500 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and that's what's going on. We have people who are joining us on support group from Uganda who are Congolese. They they fled, and they don't know where their family is, because they have no communication, telephone or otherwise mobiles nothing
00:24:46.980 --> 00:24:59.390 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: so. But in order to transform that Victor Frankl was instrumental in my transformation, and that's why our organization is called meaningful. World
00:25:01.270 --> 00:25:19.419 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: found out that when people don't have a deeper, positive meaning in their life, they make their life miserable. It's like a slow suicide and homicide because they pull others down with them.
00:25:20.190 --> 00:25:39.650 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: So I, the 1st thing, he said when he we had just finished our research on the survivors of Ottoman, Turkish genocide, who were 75, 80 years old, and and they were so prospering, so well and doing so well.
00:25:39.790 --> 00:26:07.319 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: But as soon as we discuss the denial of genocide, because it's a billion dollar campaign that Turkish government takes on each year to deny genocide. That's a whole separate lecture or program, because I have like 20 examples to give you, including the ones at the United Nations.
00:26:07.320 --> 00:26:20.572 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Right? 4 years ago, when we were in person we have been. Now since Covid, we have been online basically program on March 13 will be in person, though. So
00:26:21.590 --> 00:26:43.650 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: it has been enormous to to see how people, even when they have all the comfort of the world, if you don't have a sense purpose, deeper meaning if your meaning is not big house, big.
00:26:44.000 --> 00:27:01.129 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: strong, taking on the lands of everybody else like I'm hearing about Gaza and taking on neighbors, lands, and taking on other people's belongings. And
00:27:01.130 --> 00:27:14.389 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and all this comes from because they don't have a deeper spiritual meaning in life. So they think they by gathering more things.
00:27:14.900 --> 00:27:23.120 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: more land, more cars, more houses, more things that they're going to feel more secure.
00:27:23.120 --> 00:27:46.650 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: But it's not because we have seen over and over, and I can give you a quick example, Linda. We had an intern from Long Island, from the Hamptons, which is, as you know, a very affluent society, and our intern in high school, she said she went through 19 funerals of her classmates.
00:27:46.650 --> 00:27:47.670 Linda Marsanico: Hmm.
00:27:48.160 --> 00:28:07.099 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Overdose suicide, crashing their brand new corvettes into trees, etc. Because their parents are involved in their work and not interested in the children. There is no deeper sense. They went.
00:28:07.240 --> 00:28:15.540 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: There's a little discomfort. They give them another car. They give them a computer. They give them things.
00:28:15.540 --> 00:28:15.950 Linda Marsanico: Yeah.
00:28:15.950 --> 00:28:20.659 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: The generations start thinking that gathering things is
00:28:20.980 --> 00:28:39.690 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: really the meaning in life. But, as Victor Franco says, when your meaning is connected to a person or a thing that is not really going to sustain you, because we have seen in 40 seconds
00:28:39.860 --> 00:28:48.639 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: in an earthquake or a hurricane, or a fire all your 1 million and a half worth house.
00:28:48.970 --> 00:28:50.920 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Everything is done.
00:28:50.920 --> 00:28:51.510 Linda Marsanico: Yes.
00:28:51.760 --> 00:29:08.770 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Quick example. One lady in Northridge, when we went to Northridge, California, after the 1994 earthquake, she said that every earthquake she has been replacing her
00:29:10.098 --> 00:29:16.019 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: her collection of blue cobalt china or something.
00:29:16.660 --> 00:29:20.649 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Finally, she realized, working with us
00:29:20.920 --> 00:29:26.719 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: that she hasn't even used those those china.
00:29:26.720 --> 00:29:27.580 Linda Marsanico: Yes.
00:29:27.760 --> 00:29:36.920 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: All her life, and it has caused her more pain and suffering, trying to keep them protect them.
00:29:37.460 --> 00:29:42.679 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Collect them, etc. And then she had that Aha! Moment!
00:29:42.970 --> 00:29:45.829 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: That's not what life is.
00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:52.040 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: I'm going to go and help other people now with this new
00:29:52.350 --> 00:29:57.920 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: found realization and insight that it's not the china.
00:29:58.180 --> 00:30:01.949 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: It's about the human spirit that absolutely.
00:30:01.950 --> 00:30:05.640 Linda Marsanico: Absolutely absolutely go ahead. Please finish.
00:30:05.740 --> 00:30:30.259 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: To be nurtured. And that's what Viktor Frankl helped me to be on the right track of a spiritual awakening and transformation and slowly build. I built this organization and then helping the 50 countries and 26 states, etc. All on voluntary basis.
00:30:30.260 --> 00:30:50.839 Linda Marsanico: Well, I want to hear much more about that. We need to take a break, and I want to come back, Ani, to hear why you started the organization. You've talked a lot about it, but I want to hear specifically what was your moment of starting, meaningful world. Let's take a break now, and we'll be back with some exciting conversation.
00:30:51.610 --> 00:30:52.195 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Yes.
00:32:30.170 --> 00:32:33.239 Linda Marsanico: Welcome back to the A. Train to Sedona.
00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:47.239 Linda Marsanico: We're continuing with my guest, Dr. Ani Khalijian, and I want to know what was the Aha! Moment! What was the spark that had you start? Meaningful world?
00:32:47.470 --> 00:32:49.770 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Very good question.
00:32:49.900 --> 00:33:17.610 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: although all those experiences I shared contributed to its development, because I really my top priority was to help people to not go through what I went through until I met Victor Frankl. I wanted to help and guide and expedite their transformation, their Aha moment, their insights.
00:33:17.650 --> 00:33:42.530 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: And but the point was when we did the research with over close to 100 survivors of the Ottoman Turkish genocide. When we asked them the last question about the denial and how that makes them feel. They went into an outrage that really shocked us all because
00:33:42.530 --> 00:33:49.980 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: we were about 5, 6 different mental health practitioners that we each
00:33:49.980 --> 00:34:14.489 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: interviewed, and we would meet every night after the interview. We would be crying because it was heart wrenching to hear their experiences of the genocide and going through the desert for 6 months until they got to Aleppo, Syria. And I mean the details is just heart
00:34:14.489 --> 00:34:24.759 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: wrenching. That's another program. But what really? I asked. It was haunting us there
00:34:24.850 --> 00:34:31.710 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: that they're 75, 80, you know the last stage of development. They need to have their
00:34:32.251 --> 00:34:58.810 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: negative emotions. Resolved, they need to be in a peaceful place, where they are kind of reminiscing the good old days, and etc. And I was really I needed to help them to shift, because that's that. Anger is not a good way to go to transition, to die with that kind of
00:34:59.250 --> 00:35:14.410 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: anger and resentment. And I approached Victor Frankl about that, and he he was like very easy in his Viennese accent. Well, you have to help them forgive.
00:35:14.660 --> 00:35:15.930 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and I was like.
00:35:16.843 --> 00:35:30.920 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Victor Franco, Dr. Franco, how do you forgive when everyone is denying? At that time United States had not even validated. It was just during
00:35:31.380 --> 00:35:59.319 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: yeah. 3 years ago, 4 years ago it was accepted in the Us. And only 38 countries out of 200 that validate and accept it. So I said, how do you forgive something that no one is believing, and Turkey is spending so much money to campaigning to deny it? And he was very, very fast, he said.
00:35:59.930 --> 00:36:02.050 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: How long you plan to wait?
00:36:03.160 --> 00:36:03.859 Linda Marsanico: Oh!
00:36:04.560 --> 00:36:07.560 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: That was my Aha moment. I was like.
00:36:08.420 --> 00:36:11.739 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: you know, we're doing this all wrong.
00:36:12.210 --> 00:36:40.160 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: We're waiting for the perpetrator to come and acknowledge in our history there has not been any perpetrator who has come and acknowledged. Okay holocaust, because all the international community got together and forced Germany to take responsibility, and they start paying reparations, and they move them all to Palestine. Of course, that's another
00:36:40.840 --> 00:36:43.689 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: program. We're not going to go into that.
00:36:44.420 --> 00:37:00.489 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: But in terms of the Ottoman Empire. There was nothing discussed. It's not in our books. It's not studied in America like it is like holocaust is studied. So
00:37:01.430 --> 00:37:25.249 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: I said, that's it. We don't need to wait. We have to create groups to validate one another and move on. And that's when I started the thinking about this situation when I had a couple clients who whose wife got
00:37:25.410 --> 00:37:30.410 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: sexually transmitted disease, of course, from the husband.
00:37:31.230 --> 00:37:37.549 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and they had agreed that they would be, they would have an open marriage.
00:37:37.830 --> 00:38:02.170 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: But they had 3, 4 conditions, and the husband did not go along with the conditions. It wasn't safe, and she was sick, and she was insisting to me in the session saying that well, it's his responsibility. He caused it. He has to do something about it. But I'm saying, you have the infection, you have to take the antibiotic.
00:38:02.330 --> 00:38:06.619 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: you have to heal yourself and learn how to protect yourself.
00:38:07.910 --> 00:38:10.929 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: And then you can engage
00:38:11.120 --> 00:38:19.980 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: with your husband through therapy to find out what is this rebellion, or what what is it that's going on.
00:38:20.230 --> 00:38:31.079 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and then after that, I always give to my clients and students or the workshops that I do is that when you are, when you are
00:38:32.740 --> 00:38:37.660 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: bitten by a poisonous snake.
00:38:38.750 --> 00:38:59.800 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Your 1st responsibility is to ensure to squeeze that poison out of your system. You don't run after the snake trying to find out why the snake bit you, and what's going on in their life and their situation? Then you'll die. By that time.
00:39:00.200 --> 00:39:01.429 Linda Marsanico: Yes, indeed!
00:39:01.430 --> 00:39:26.540 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: The 1st responsibility we have to take on responsibility for our self healing and transformation. We cannot continue blaming our parents, our ancestors. Yes, I have generational trauma. Am I going to sit and blame my ancestors? They went through genocide. Of course it wasn't their doing.
00:39:26.540 --> 00:39:52.089 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and even if it was, people evolve. They're not going to do the same thing hopefully today if they had caused you any harm. And that's where we started working and researching on forgiveness, and we wrote a book on Forgiveness. But our book on Forgiveness is more academic, based on research, and it goes from Rwanda.
00:39:52.290 --> 00:40:17.780 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: the genocide, how they started Kachacha groups for forgiveness. They sat down together, the community and they went through 1st expression of feelings, then validation, and then reparation is very important. So what is the Reparation Community Service? Maybe depending on how
00:40:17.780 --> 00:40:25.290 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: big your wrongdoing is, then the it's comparable. The reparation would be.
00:40:25.290 --> 00:40:25.750 Linda Marsanico: Yes.
00:40:25.750 --> 00:40:26.289 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: So to them.
00:40:26.920 --> 00:40:52.789 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: But there is another book on Forgiveness that is elementary before our book that I use at the Columbia University. I would recommend Robin Casserjian book Forgiveness, a bold choice for a peaceful heart, because this one is like very basic written for everyday person.
00:40:52.790 --> 00:40:53.340 Linda Marsanico: Hmm.
00:40:53.340 --> 00:41:04.160 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Goes through chapters, forgiving parents, forgiving partners, forgiving siblings for giving yourself.
00:41:04.310 --> 00:41:04.970 Linda Marsanico: Yes.
00:41:04.970 --> 00:41:09.120 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Is very important to do for everyone.
00:41:09.120 --> 00:41:10.420 Linda Marsanico: For all of us, because.
00:41:10.420 --> 00:41:10.990 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: We'll love us.
00:41:10.990 --> 00:41:14.920 Linda Marsanico: Honey. When we don't forgive, we hold it against ourselves exactly.
00:41:14.920 --> 00:41:21.080 Linda Marsanico: emotionally, and we need to work it through and let it go as soon as we can.
00:41:21.080 --> 00:41:40.860 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Exactly because you are unconsciously tied up with the perpetrator. Yes, you don't want that because you're carrying another negative person with you all the time, and there is no freedom for you and for them. So
00:41:41.180 --> 00:42:06.639 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: now the most important thing we have to remember with forgiveness is protecting ourselves. It doesn't mean you stay in that marriage where your husband is going around, not following the rules and regulations you set forward, and having sex with everybody, and and you know, without being open, transparent about it. So
00:42:06.780 --> 00:42:11.600 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: the most important thing, after forgiving is protecting yourself.
00:42:12.440 --> 00:42:14.209 Linda Marsanico: I think that's important. Yeah.
00:42:14.210 --> 00:42:42.519 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Evaluating relationships, because I have a lot of also couples with domestic violence, they say. Well, he said, he brought flowers, and he said, he's remorseful. But 3 months later she's telling me the same story, and I said, Listen, I understand. It's a good thing to forgive, but if this is a pattern. You have to protect yourself because your children are looking at this
00:42:42.670 --> 00:43:02.949 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: as a role model, and that's a very negative and unnecessary burden you are transmitting to your children. You have to set limits, have clear boundaries, and be able to heal yourself
00:43:03.443 --> 00:43:13.150 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and let go of that. So that was the Aha! Moment with Victor Franco when he said, How long you plan to wait? It was like
00:43:13.150 --> 00:43:17.080 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: a provocative statement, short and sweet.
00:43:17.080 --> 00:43:17.850 Linda Marsanico: Boom.
00:43:18.620 --> 00:43:20.780 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: And it was boom! Exactly.
00:43:20.780 --> 00:43:21.350 Linda Marsanico: Yeah.
00:43:21.350 --> 00:43:40.600 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: And from there, one after the other, we wrote the book on Forgiveness. We gather all collective, countrywide, individual forgiveness, countrywide intergroup, etc. And
00:43:41.010 --> 00:44:08.330 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: the 1st time that was used for Peace Building. That was part of American Psychological Associations Peace Division. But they don't use that. When you, for example, we have the United Nations Council on Human Rights. We were called 2 years ago to come as leaders for civil society. Do we have to take a break now.
00:44:08.330 --> 00:44:12.160 Linda Marsanico: We have about just about 30 seconds. So continue.
00:44:12.723 --> 00:44:13.850 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Afterwards. Yes.
00:44:13.850 --> 00:44:38.319 Linda Marsanico: So I I we will take a break, and when we come back we'll continue with that. And then I'm wondering, Ani, you are in 50 countries. How do you gain entrance into the country? Do you reach out to them? Do they reach out to you? I want to hear all about that. But now let's take our commercial break so that we can return to these very intriguing details.
00:44:38.320 --> 00:44:40.669 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Great great. I like that.
00:46:14.790 --> 00:46:18.970 Linda Marsanico: Hello, everyone! Welcome back to the A. Train to Sedona.
00:46:20.280 --> 00:46:27.909 Linda Marsanico: My guest is Dr. Ani Khalasian, and I practically stopped her in mid-sentence, so I would like to have you continue.
00:46:28.010 --> 00:46:31.550 Linda Marsanico: and we're going to have some very interesting dialogue.
00:46:32.050 --> 00:46:33.510 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Please continue on.
00:46:33.510 --> 00:46:58.959 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: We were talking about forgiveness, and how our, although our book was the 1st in Peace Building series at the Apa. But it is, I see, that it's not really used in political, important decisions. So we were invited to the United Nations to meet with the chair of the Human Rights Council.
00:46:59.020 --> 00:47:14.809 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and I asked him 2 questions. We had just come back from Armenia, where I just mentioned earlier. 120,000 Armenians were thrown out. There was ethnic cleansing by Azerbaijan's government.
00:47:14.810 --> 00:47:32.389 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and so the 1st question was, I haven't seen anything. Any report from the Human Rights Council which they usually do reports. So I said, I haven't seen any. If you can guide me to the proper place. And second, I said.
00:47:33.560 --> 00:47:49.420 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: we have peacebuilding programs. We have forgiveness for peace building. We have mediation for peace. We have conflict transformation programs. We have
00:47:49.570 --> 00:48:01.820 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: divisions in American Psychological Association, International Society for Traumatic stress, etc. I said, how many of those players stakeholders
00:48:02.290 --> 00:48:08.540 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: are on the table with you when you're making these decisions?
00:48:08.940 --> 00:48:19.829 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: And you know, Linda, to my disappointment, this man talked for at least 5 or 8 or 10 min.
00:48:20.160 --> 00:48:24.180 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and not responding to my question.
00:48:24.590 --> 00:48:36.679 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: I turned to the our intern. Who does international relations? A student at international relations and political science, and I said.
00:48:36.820 --> 00:48:43.349 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Is that me? Or he did? The chair did not respond to my questions.
00:48:43.480 --> 00:49:01.869 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: He had a smirk on his face, he said, this is the political response, where they have a lot of almost like a word word salad. All kinds of really high, you know, big words put together
00:49:02.190 --> 00:49:08.560 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: just to appear that they are doing something and nothing.
00:49:09.010 --> 00:49:14.080 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: It was extremely disappointing because we invest so much
00:49:15.027 --> 00:49:40.340 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: the Ngo civil society invest so much in peace building programs, empowerment and conflict, transformation, conflict, resolution, mediation. You name it. And I'm part of many of these organizations. But when it comes to government. They don't really integrate this, this
00:49:40.420 --> 00:49:45.919 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: jewel of people and information and methods
00:49:46.060 --> 00:50:05.979 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: to embracing conflicts instead of attacking. You know, we after 9 11 went into attack mode we, after Gaza incident, went into attack mode. That's it. Seems like we keep using the old fashioned.
00:50:07.000 --> 00:50:29.939 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: outdated methods of dealing with conflict. I mean, we have all this communication, therapeutic communication, and all this methods. And what a waste if your governments are not using it! What are we doing here? How can we bridge the gap
00:50:29.940 --> 00:50:59.930 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: between governments and academic programs where they are amazing programs, not just academic, even in civil society groups? Ngos, you know, Linda, that we are not allowed in every meeting we have to submit as a civil society a week before, 3 months before, a month before, etc. Every block they can put
00:51:00.030 --> 00:51:05.929 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: for civil society not to engage with the governments. They will do it.
00:51:06.620 --> 00:51:14.049 Linda Marsanico: Why do you think the Government is so slow to embrace social scientific methods of conflict, resolution.
00:51:16.620 --> 00:51:22.390 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: That's a million dollar question, Linda. And we have been
00:51:23.130 --> 00:51:33.940 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: actively working at the UN as civil society with meaningful world since 1989, 26. Wait.
00:51:34.900 --> 00:51:39.880 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Yeah, 30, 36, 36 years.
00:51:40.890 --> 00:51:44.000 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Yes, there is a slight improvement.
00:51:44.240 --> 00:51:56.310 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: I can't say there's no improvement very small, and we have to fight every step of the way for those kind of small improvements.
00:51:56.310 --> 00:51:56.720 Linda Marsanico: Hmm.
00:51:56.720 --> 00:51:58.910 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Or there was no
00:51:59.150 --> 00:52:07.779 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: mental health or psychology at all. And all these beautiful documents that's prepared by the UN.
00:52:07.960 --> 00:52:14.350 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: And in 1994, we, we meaningful world.
00:52:14.780 --> 00:52:18.910 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: organized the very 1st Mental Health Conference.
00:52:19.690 --> 00:52:44.470 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: And from that Mental Health Conference we were able to address some of the disasters and invite other civil society and mental health organizations. So they started adding mental health before health was only maternal. Health, like women don't do anything else but our machines for bringing children.
00:52:44.510 --> 00:52:52.969 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: There was nothing about mental health. So in 94, they started adding, after our all day conference they started adding mental health.
00:52:53.070 --> 00:53:04.540 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and then in 2,010, then we started. Now, when you add a new word or term, it gets bracketed, put in brackets.
00:53:05.730 --> 00:53:23.449 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: 200 countries have to deliberate, have meetings meetings and meetings and meetings. If they all agree majority, then the bracket gets dropped and it's accepted adopted within the document.
00:53:23.450 --> 00:53:23.849 Linda Marsanico: I see.
00:53:23.850 --> 00:53:33.970 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: And this is really taking so long, so much time. But now psychology is, in fact.
00:53:34.080 --> 00:53:40.010 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: it's not really in the documents, but psychology. There's a psychology coalition
00:53:40.586 --> 00:54:05.350 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: and there are 18 civil society organizations, including meaningful world, a top meaningful world, and Apa and Istss, and few others who are part of this coalition, and we're we have one day on April 24, th where we have a psychology day at the UN.
00:54:06.360 --> 00:54:24.709 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: But still governments never show. We invite all the governments, and we have to beg. Take them for lunch, take them for coffee, do everything we can. We still hardly get one ambassador. If we are lucky, Linda.
00:54:25.100 --> 00:54:28.300 Linda Marsanico: It's a good thing. It's a good thing, only that you're patient.
00:54:28.300 --> 00:54:41.840 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Yeah, yeah, many. You're right, Linda. You know how many of my colleagues said, aren't you tired? You've been at that over 30 years, and for this much improvement. And
00:54:42.310 --> 00:54:58.650 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: well, what is the choice, Linda? If we don't do anything, then we don't get this much either. So we're in just persisting patiently, just a little bit at a time, a little bit at a time, hoping that that
00:54:58.650 --> 00:55:21.450 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: transition and the bridge will be set together, because when we 1st started I invited the Apa leaders were in New York. I invited them to the UN. To a meeting and then to the delegates dining room, and I told the Major, D. The psychologists are here. He turns around and he says to his staff.
00:55:21.450 --> 00:55:35.299 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: the psychics are here. The psychics are here, I said, no, there is a difference. These are psychologists. It's it's a science, it's not psychic. That's a different field.
00:55:35.300 --> 00:55:35.930 Linda Marsanico: Yes.
00:55:35.930 --> 00:55:39.909 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: So from that day there is improvement. Linda.
00:55:39.910 --> 00:55:41.701 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: I'm I'm glad to hear.
00:55:42.250 --> 00:55:57.339 Linda Marsanico: But you know what I'm thinking, Ani, you mentioned that you wanted to recite your poem that love transforms, and I want you to have enough time, because we're going to be cut off at the other end. I could see we could talk and talk and talk. You have so much to share with us.
00:55:57.550 --> 00:56:01.530 Linda Marsanico: but I am in. I am in
00:56:01.980 --> 00:56:06.209 Linda Marsanico: pressed by your patience. It's certainly a virtue.
00:56:06.210 --> 00:56:32.410 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: I just quickly want to say that we, the way we transform, is through the 7 step, integrative healing model. And you can learn all about that in. Forget me not, which goes through step by step, and each chapter has questions, leading questions, and if you do respond to the questions you will have your own biography.
00:56:32.410 --> 00:56:41.280 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: So that's I just wanted to mention that. Also mention our website, meaningfulworld.com. People can
00:56:41.410 --> 00:56:50.100 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: visit and see the books, and also our published research articles are there in Pdf. That you can download.
00:56:50.100 --> 00:56:53.899 Linda Marsanico: And I just want to say quickly that you have asked for donations.
00:56:53.900 --> 00:56:54.710 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Yes.
00:56:54.710 --> 00:57:14.830 Linda Marsanico: And you have asked. I'll just say a few of them sponsoring a child in Puerto Rico, Haiti, Africa, or Armenia, $750 for a full year of school books, uniform and transportation, sewing machines for girls in orphanages in Haiti, 3, 25 per machine, $325 per.
00:57:14.830 --> 00:57:38.700 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Right. So we have 1 min. I don't know if I can. Well, I'll start and we'll end wherever we are. So let love transform you. Let the flames of love help you, focus on all that is essential and true. Let love illuminate you, and pave your road with passion. Let love, take you away, at the same time centering you
00:57:38.770 --> 00:58:02.950 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: to choose the good in spite of evil. Let love help you, concentrate always on the present, letting go of the past as well as the unknown future. Let love fill your heart, opening your heart and letting it blossom like a little budding flower. Let love help you mature to a full automatic growth.
00:58:03.250 --> 00:58:07.379 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Love is the most essential feeling. Let it fill your heart.
00:58:07.570 --> 00:58:15.300 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: your mind, your body, and so love is the most noble deed. Let it work endlessly through you.
00:58:15.890 --> 00:58:17.800 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: We have time to continue.
00:58:17.800 --> 00:58:18.969 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Go on for a bit more.
00:58:18.970 --> 00:58:31.300 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Love is passion and compassion, love is patience and forgiveness. Love is inspiration and awareness. Love is this eternal mindfulness.
00:58:31.580 --> 00:58:43.200 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Let love penetrate the depths of your soul, purifying you within and all around, cleansing the negative past, paving your current path.
00:58:43.430 --> 00:58:46.499 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: shaping your uncertain future.
00:58:46.640 --> 00:59:01.189 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Let love be your guide, your loving watchdog, your sight. When you're blinded, your voice, when you're silenced. Let love be with you forever, forever and ever to eternity.
00:59:01.540 --> 00:59:14.329 Linda Marsanico: Thank you so much, Dr. Ani Khalation. Thank you so much for being my guest. Just say where people can find you. Now, this is all in the show. Notes, everybody. But what's the website for meaningful world?
00:59:14.330 --> 00:59:16.379 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Meaningful world.com.
00:59:16.550 --> 00:59:28.499 Linda Marsanico: Lovely, and I want to say listeners. Next time I have as my guest Samantha Kaowa. She does wonderful things with marriage and couple counseling tune in. We'll see you then.
00:59:28.990 --> 00:59:30.550 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Alright, one.
00:59:30.550 --> 00:59:31.730 Linda Marsanico: But bye, for now.
00:59:31.870 --> 00:59:32.700 Dr. Ani Kalayjian - ATOP MeaningfulWorld: Thank you so much.
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