I asked Tom to write about a wake-up call that prompted him to prioritize his own well-being.Tom teaches a deep, transcending style meditation using primordial sounds or mantras known as Vedic Meditation.
Tom Cronin discovered meditation in the early stages of his finance career, when the anxiety and chaos he was experiencing hit a crisis point. Meditation completely transformed his world, both personally and professionally. He has an unwavering commitment to reduce stress and chaos in people’s lives, cultivating peace and calm, and shared abundance across the globe.
Carolina Rodriguez Hernandez: Can you describe to us a childhood experience, which influenced your business career, especially your relation with mediation?
Tom Cronin: I grew up on a farm in a catholic home. We went to mass each week, said grace before each meal and during lent we would do the rosary each night. (a sequence of prayers) This all helped me develop a strong sense of God and spirit. In my 20s I turned my back on all of that and dived into the world of drugs and drinking like most 20 somethings. However it was when I suffered depression and anxiety that I turned to meditation and reconnected with God and spirit again.
CRH : Could you give us an insight into the creative process behind the The Portal?
TC: Ok, well this was a 7 year journey so there are a few steps involved. Firstly start with your vision. Map it out and think about the impact you want to create. Then you need to raise capital through grants, investors or self funding to bring you vision to life. Then you need a team of experienced film makers and writers to collaborate with. Then once your film and book is completed you need to think creatively to bring your project to the world.
CRH: What do you recommend as a first step to take action and get involved?
TC: You need to have a clear vision of what you want to create and a very clear WHY. The why will become your fuel to keep you going.
We are love in our subtlest form
Tom Cronin
CRH : Which is the most important lesson of your life?
TC: We are love in our subtlest form.
CRH: What’s your morning routine?
TC: Stretch, journal, meditate then large glass of warm lemon water.
CRH: How do you incorporate music into your day?
I used to listen to a lot of music however I mainly only listen to it when I am driving, but then I still prefer silence a lot of the time.
CRH: What are the microsteps you use for a healthier life?
TC: Weekly yoga classes, sauna, gym, supplements, eating well, daily meditation, speeding quality time with family, time in nature.
CRH :How do you prioritize when you have an overwhelming amount to do?
TC: I write lists and schedule my day. Compartmentalising is essential to avoid overwhelm.
CRH: What motivates you to achieve your goals?
My investors! And my own yearning to see less suffering in the world.
CRH: What do you do for self-care?
TC: To maintain a healthy mind and body I try to get to the gym 3 times a week, yoga class 2-3 times a week, a sauna 2-3 times a week and I meditate every day. I also do daily journalling, evening gratitude, and I take a blend of multi vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements from Vitamin B’s and C, ashwaghanda, echinacea, turmeric and astralagus
CRH: What are your holiday traditions?
TC: I love going away with my family and we have a few regular destinations that we tend to spend time at, like Byron Bay and Hyams Beach. Most of these holidays are spent doing bush walks, lazing on the beach, reading and watching movies.
CRH: What causes you stress, and how do you cope with that stress?
TC: After 25 years of meditating daily my mind likes to float around in the cosmos, so when it comes to worldly logistics of finances, spread sheets, marketing and managing businesses I tend to get challenged a bit. My meditation helps this but can also contribute to this. I have to learn to be in this world also so this is a mindful process that I engage in daily.
CRH : Who are your top three living thought leaders?
TC: Adyashanti, Daniel Schmachtenberger, Sir David Attenborough. (Of course there are so many more like Greta Thundberg, Elon Musk and the Dalai Lama, however these were the first three that came to mind.
CRH: How would you like to be remembered?
TC: For being kind and loving.
CRH: What is your message to entrepreneurs who struggle to launch their ideas?
TC: Being an entrepreneur is hard work. I was pulled into the glamour of it when I read Tim Ferriss book A Four Hour Work Week. It was a defining book for me after 20 years in finance. However after 7 years as an entrepreneur I´ve yet to achieve a 4 hour work week and I’m not sure Tim Ferriss has either
Being an entrepreneur is hard work
Tom Cronin
You have to be committed, you have to be disciplined, you have to have passion for what you are doing. I’d recommend having good mentors, and a good team around you to support you. Know that there will be many hurdles along the way and they are there to leap over. One last thing is to not get distracted by too many glamorous ideas. Stay focussed and try not to dilute your attention into to many projects. Keep it simple.
CRH: Would you describe yourself as a spiritual person? If so can you share with us one of your more profound spiritual experiences?
TC: We are all spiritual people, only some ‘realise’ this and some have yet to realise it. Some people spontaneously realise they are body, emotion, mind, and spirit, and some realise this through spiritual practices like plant based medicine, meditation qi gong and yoga. Through deep meditation I have become aware of a non-changing blissful divine experience that pervades my physical, mental and emotional experience, and one could describe as spiritual.
CRH: What advice can you share with the world on the importance of empowering others to reach one’s full potential? How do you empower others in your daily life?
TC: Usually pain and suffering is a mechanism to nudge us to realise our fullest potential. So if we are really struggling with life then this is the impetus to grow and evolve. This shift can come in so many ways. There is a lot of emphasise these days on realising your fullest potential by being on the world stage and having lots of followers. However some of the greatest people I know don’t have web sites or social media accounts and quietly do good things in the world. Our greatest gift to the world firstly is being healthy and happy. As Martin Luther King once said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”You have a healthy relationship with Jacqui Fifer? How is she as a person, not as a filmmaker? Jacqui is a big thinker, she doesn’t like to be moulded by the the status quo of society. She sees things in a very different way, and likes to dive deep in her contemplations of who she is and the world she lives in. She loves nature and animals and is intent on making the world a better place.
CRH: Was there a particular human exchange you can describe which inspired you towards taking charitable action regarding the causes you love?
TC: When I was young, I was an altar boy in our Catholic Church. Each week I would serve at mass and one of my tasks was to collect the poor box at the back of the church after each service. Every single week, without fail, there would be a handful of coins and one $10 note. All of the altar boys would be in awe of this $10 note and on the way home from mass I shared this with my family of 7 that were all crammed into our Holden Kingswood. That night when my mother was saying good night to me she said quietly, “Do you know who puts that $10 note in the poor box?” I looked up at her and shrugged. “It is your father.” My parents were always contributing to the local community in many ways. They instilled in me a sense of responsibility that we have to support those around us. I feel it is part of the foundation that I built my life on.
CRH: What is the single most inspiring video you have seen addressing today’s biggest challenges, which include: climate change, food security, poverty reduction, and quality of life for all?
TC: The Portal movie 🙂
CRH: Which philosopher has inspired you throughout your career? Why?
TC: Jesus, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and Neale Donald Walsch
CRH: What is your greatest hope for the future?
TC: That as a species we liberate ourselves from old programs built on a ‘me’ culture with win-lose dynamics, and we phase shift into a much more unified experience, not just amongst humans but with the Earth itself. We need to realise that this ball of dust in the Universe is our home, and she is a living being that deserves the utmost respect. We need her, yet she doesn’t need us.
CRH: What is next for Tom Cronin?
TC: My vision is to refocus my attention back to coaching, speaking, teaching meditation and hosting retreats. I am enthusiastic about getting some land in Australia to regenerate and help the local habitat thrive.
CRH: What does meditation mean in the 21st Century?
TC: Meditation will play a very important role in the 21st century. It is the tool that unites us, it helps free ourselves from the bondage of the past programming and opens our minds up to our remarkable potential.
CRH: Is an enlightened planet possible?
TC: Its not only possible, it’s essential for our survival.
Studies show an estimated 40 million adults in the U.S. suffer from some form of anxiety, and 1 in 14 people are affected globally. Meditation improves our ability to manage anxiety. The more we practice, the greater our mental resilience.
Research from Dr Bruce Lipton of Stanford University proves that up to 90% of all sickness is caused by stress. Meditation is scientifically proven to help alleviate stress after just eight weeks of regular practice. And it’s 100% natural!
Improved Sleep #thesleeprevolution
Healthy sleep has more to do with the quality of rest, than the number of hours. Meditation helps calm the mind, so we can rest the body. Better sleep reduces stress, and improves mental clarity and memory, as well as better eating habits. https://www.tomcronin.com
“By helping us keep the world in perspective, sleep gives us a chance to refocus on the essence of who we are. And in that place of connection, it is easier for the fears and concerns of the world to drop away.”
Arianna Huffington