Jean Trebek
By Dina Morrone
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Jean Currivan-Trebek, Reiki Master, professional Sound Healer, Religious Science practitioner, humanitarian, Co-Editor of Insidewink, animal lover, mother, and wife of the most loved and respected game show host ever, the late Alex Trebek.
The Eden Magazine is thrilled to have this New York native, featured in the magazine this month.
You are a native New Yorker. What brought you to Southern California?
I came out to Los Angeles from Long Island to attend Pepperdine University in 1982. So now, I consider myself having two homes!
As a child, what did you aspire to be?
To be honest, I did not have any great aspirations to have a certain career. Going to school, being with my friends, and helping out around my home was pretty much what occupied my mind and time. I would add, however, that the idea of being a doctor popped into my mind every now and then because I enjoyed science, health & wellness topics, and helping people feel better.
You had a career in Real Estate. How and what made you decide to switch professional paths and pursue a career as a Healer and Religious Practitioner?
I have always felt connected to spirituality and my faith. My brother, Chris, passed away in a car accident when I was young, which instilled the deep question of “where did he go?” In the late ’80s, I was involved in real estate when I met Alex. After he and I got married, I became pregnant very quickly. At the same time, I decided to open a flower shop with one of my best friends, Janet. This freed me up from the 9-5 job I had
in real estate, which was a blessing. Janet and I were able to create our own schedules, which allowed me more time to spend with my baby son, Matthew. All through this period, I was participating in and learning about all different religions and spiritual paths.
Janet and I owned and operated our flower shop for 18 years. After it was sold, I pursued my long-held interest in spirituality. More specifically, metaphysics. At 40 years of age, I was fortunate to find a spiritual center called Science of Mind (Religious Science- New Thought) that deeply resonated with my heart and mind. I found my spiritual home and eagerly enrolled in all the classes to become a Professional Religious Science Practitioner.
For those unfamiliar with Religious Science (Science of Mind), what is the most positive and beautiful takeaway, you want people to know.
Religious Science is such a benevolent, inclusive, and empowering religion. It offered me a new way of understanding my relationship to life. The Science of Mind (SOM) belief system points to the idea that we are all uniquely perfect and whole aspects of the Divine. It poses that while we are completely united with our Creator (which I call God), we also have our own “thinking minds” that we need to navigate.
One of the sayings from SOM is, “change your thinking, change your life.” Rather than moving through my life believing a whole bunch of limiting and false thoughts (which I have definitely done!), I take the time to question those thoughts and notice whether they are really true. What am I actually thinking about, what am I telling myself, and really, what am I believing? Thought is creative. So, it’s imperative that if I want to experience more good in my life, I can start with what I’m thinking about and what I am really believing. The other takeaway I’d like to share here is that – With God/Love, All Things Are Possible.
Would you please tell our readers the benefits of Sound Healing?
I’m someone that’s always been sensitive to sounds. For instance, someone’s voice has the power to uplift me, or listening to some music has the potential to motivate perhaps or calm me. In any case, if I’m feeling out of sorts, I like to listen to some non-verbal music or a crystal singing bowl.
Sound therapy is an ancient healing practice that is natural, subtle, and powerful. Sound has the ability to bring the body/mind back into harmony. It assists the brain waves to achieve profound states of relaxation, thereby restoring the vibratory frequencies, which allows for healing.
Who is the one person that continues to inspire you spiritually?
Oh, I can’t pick just one. It’s like asking me what my favorite flower is. There are so many wonderful people that inspire me spiritually. The list is long. But I always find solace and wisdom in the words of William Linville, Anita Moorjani, Matt Kahn, and Adyashanti. Those people are just a few beings who I tune into regularly to remind me of my true divine reality.
You founded the wellness site, Insidewink. What moved you to create this site?
Insidewink was created out of the desire to produce a documentary film about forgiveness. My partners and I interviewed an array of incredible visionaries and spiritual leaders about the topic of forgiveness. The problem was that we couldn’t figure out how to take all the interviews and make an interesting film. So, we decided to create a website and infuse it now and then with some of the inspiring segments we obtained from our interviews. The website morphed quickly into a sort of an online magazine with a myriad of topics that promote kindness, inspiration, and creativity. One of the co-founders, executive editor, and dearest friend to me is Alison Martin. She is the real engine behind the website. She’s one of the most beautiful blessings in my life – a true friend, inspiration, and exceptional person. Oh, and she can make me laugh like no one else.
Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission is a charity that is very dear to you and your family. Please tell us the vision and goal of this charity?
Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission is a non-profit organization that Alex and I really admire and support. Here’s their mission statement taken from –www.hopeofthevalley.org
“Our mission is to prevent, reduce and eliminate poverty, hunger, and homelessness. We do this by offering immediate assistance and long-term solutions. We are a faith-based independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that does not discriminate based on gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, or lack thereof. Our services are grounded in a deep respect for the dignity inherent in each human being”.
The founders and facilitators, Laurie & Ken Craft, are amazing people. They are the personification of “love in action.” I’m so grateful to know them and support the ongoing endeavor of preventing homelessness in the city that Alex and I appreciate so much.
Is there a famous speech or book you read that has had a profound impact on you?
There have been quite a number of great speeches and books that I’ve heard/read over the course of my life that have touched my heart. Conversations with God, by Neale Donald Walsch, was the first book that started the awakening process within my being. Here’s a quote that I love from this book, “The purpose of life is to create your Self anew, in the next grandest version of the greatest vision ever you held about Who You Are. It is to announce and become, express and fulfill, experience and know your true Self.”
I remember the first time I read that passage, I was in awe of it, and it still resonates for me to this very day. I want to share one more powerful quote from a book called, A Course In Miracles, “Love holds no grievances.” To me, that quote is so wonderful! It reminds me that the truth of my being, which is Love, cannot hold on to blame, shame or regrets. Love forgives all. Set yourself free. Let it go.
To you, Alex Trebek was your beloved husband and father of your children but did you know just how much of an icon he was to the rest of the world?
Not really. Alex was my dear husband and my most beloved friend. Like most long-term relationships, we had our ups and downs, but the truth of it was that we were very close and experienced a lot of life together. It was important to Alex to keep his personal life separate from his professional life, unless it was “needed,”… i.e., attending an award show or something like that. For the most part, Alex and I enjoyed staying at home. When we did go out, it was perhaps for a quick dinner or movie every now and then, so it wasn’t like we were always out in public for me to really notice his popularity.
I knew the show was very successful and that people really liked him—a lot. I started realizing just how much he was adored by people from all walks of life when he made his public announcement that he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. We received cartons of mail every day filled with get-well cards, etc., at our home address, and I knew that the studio was receiving so much more. It was astonishing!
In looking back, the fact that I did not identify Alex as an “icon” was a gift. We were equal partners in a marriage, and we had our own personal growth issues to deal with just like any ordinary couple. It would have been really weird for both Alex and myself if I thought of him as some celebrity. He could just be himself at home, and that was it.
Grief is a valley of ebbs and flows, highs and lows. How do you stay positive and present even during the most challenging and emotional times?
I’m reminded of what Queen Elizabeth ll said when Prince Phillip recently passed away. She said, “Grief is the price you pay for having loved.” It’s true. There are moments of my day that I miss Alex so much, and I just have to allow myself those times. Sometimes I feel as if he’s been on a long vacation, and then there are other times that the reality of the absence of his presence is really palatable. I find that being with my family and friends or doing something creative and new is really helpful.
What does a day in the life of Jean Trebek look like?
Oh, it’s fascinating! ;-). Coffee first! Then it gets busy. I have a lot to do in terms of overseeing the Family Foundation, taking meetings, my activities on various boards, and generating content for Insidewink.
One thing I try to hold onto is to start my day with ten minutes of inspirational reading and sitting quietly. Sometimes I listen to a guided meditation. Other times I like just being with myself. I use the early morning time to set the intention for my day. It’s a practice I learned from a book called, A Course In Miracles, and I love it.
I surrender my concerns and decisions over to a Presence that truly Knows All (God), rather than me operating from the smallest aspect of my Self which has its own perceptions and judgments. Allowing this presence to orchestrate my activities really helps me keep it all together. It’s amazing how most of my days are filled with peace. And I will add, Peace of Mind is priceless.
Then I’ll check my emails (I have a lot of those), I try to exercise (usually by walking my love-beam dog, Luna), and get on with what’s presented before me.
List three things you must do every day and would encourage others to do.
1. Gratitude! I usually wake up in the morning and say, “thank you for this day” Ideally, it helps to bookend my day with three things for which I’m grateful and writing them down. Having an attitude of gratitude enables me to live with an open heart. This does not mean I will always “like” what’s going on, but it keeps me out of resistance, which is always futile. Along with feeling gratitude, if there is any person
or situation that is upsetting or concerning my mind,
I send it love. Love heals all, and so I hold that person or situation in my mind, surround it with loving thoughts, and let the Universe take care of it. Thoughts of worry or anger cannot coincide with thoughts of gratitude.
2. Go outside! I find that if I can walk or move outside, it clears my mind. And I look up. It may sound odd, but when I look down at the ground, I usually think about the same old thoughts or analyze some situation. I feel stuck. But when I remember to look up and out, my mind feels freer, more expanded, and I’m not so focused on my personal Self or my problems. That open awareness is like tapping into your higher Self, and, for me, that is where great ideas come from. If nothing else, just the amazing sense of awe for life itself is revealed and experienced.
3. Sit in stillness and ask for guidance! I take five to ten minutes, close my eyes, slowly breathe and ask for guidance, clarity, or wisdom. Putting concerns “out there” helps me relax and not feel responsible for everything and everyone.
What is the most difficult thing about being in the spotlight?
I don’t feel like I’m in the spotlight. When I went out with Alex, I knew how much his fans meant to him, so it was relaxed, and we were always respected.
What’s the best thing about being a mother?
I really, really love being a mom. I felt so lucky to have my children, Matthew & Emily. Right now, the best thing about being a mom is getting to know and be with my children. They are my very dearest friends. I love talking, watching TV, and traveling with them. Just hanging out together is a great joy.
After all these years living on the West Coast, would you say you are still very much an East Coast woman?
I appreciate both Coasts, but New York will always be a bit extra special. I grew up on Long Island, and my mom, sister, and son live in New York, so it’s fun to go back a few times a year and enjoy the seasons and the towns that are unique and special to me.
Special Thank you to:
Jean Trebek
Andean Dream
Ute Ville, Photography
Edward Hokopian, Hair & Makeup
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