044 | Living in Alignment with Your Womb with Maga J. Ayala

 
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What I learned from Maga in this episode was truly transformative. I had just gone through a week on my moon cycle, trying to push myself to get clear on a schedule for the next month of business promotions, but literally all I wanted to do was stay in bed. It was so hard for me to feel motivated and get clear on what was coming. I kept wondering why I wasn't able to "get my act together." 

Then magically, a few days after my moon time, a surge of energy rushed through me and I was more productive than ever. Suddenly I had the mental clarity to take steps forward and was able to make a clear schedule for the following month. 

It wasn't until I talked to Maga that I realized this was all related to where I was in my cycle. Learning the archetypes for each phase of a woman's menstrual cycle was so enlightening to my path as an in-tune Priestess and Business woman. I now saw a way I could use these two aspects of myself to support each other.

What a relief it was - To realize there are times of the month where I just need to let myself go totally inwards and be a hermit, and times of the month that will be completely aligned for me to have the mental clarity to see into the future and take action.  I had heard this kind of wisdom before, but something about how Maga shared it really "clicked" for me. 

I think this wisdom of becoming more in tune with your womb and cycles is a true gift to every woman. I hope you enjoy the episode!

“The awareness of the cycle builds a sense of self trust. You know that no matter what is going on around you, you have this intimate understanding of what your inner landscape is doing so you can lead from a place of authenticity.”

In this episode we discussed:

  • Maga's recent journey of conscious uncoupling and her decision to cut off her hair
  • Living in alignment with your womb and menstrual cycle
  • The different archetypes for each phase of your cycle as a woman 
  • The Spiritual qualities of a woman's menstruation and practical strategies to plan a workflow around your cycle.
  • Feminine embodiment
  • How vulnerability plays a part in emergent leadership
  • The role of desire in a woman's self-actualization

Special Gift from Maga: 

Receive your very own cycle tracking chart right here. 

Stay in touch with Maga:


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Maga is a divine feminine leadership coach that activates highly-sensitive women to come alive in their desire, lead with confidence, and remember how to live in alignment with their menstrual cycles in order to birth their creative businesses into the world. As a sound and energy practitioner, Maga also magically weaves her voice work and energy healing into the women's circles she facilitates that guide women to reconnect to their bodies, voices and their unique feminine spirituality. She believes that all women are Radiant and strives to support them to shine in all she does.

 

043 | Plant Spirits, Starseeds & Priestess Studies with Erin Rivera Merriman

 
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One of the things I loved most about sitting down to talk with Erin was when we touched on the topic of comparing ourselves to other women. I think one of the deepest wounds that can really be a challenge when stepping into true sisterhood and community is when we get stuck comparing ourselves to other people. It brings us right into the question of wondering, is there really enough for everyone?

How can we be so similar to each other, carry a similar mission and still be special and unique? These are just some of the questions we explored in this week's episode.

We also discussed our shared journeys of navigating chronic pain and how that relates to being an empath, Erin's definitions of a "starseed" and "priestess" and which plant spirits will guide you into a deeper embodied experience of abundance.

 "Are people healed? Are people hearing the cosmic song? Are people vibrant and thriving in their bodies? Are people moving joyfully, dancing through their day to the grocery store? No! The job is not done and we need more people on the team!"

The universe would not give so many people the same mission unless it was a mission that was so big it couldn't be done by just one person...

In this episode we discussed:

  • Erin's journey with fibromyalgia and isolation to finding her place in connection with the land, plant spirits and community
  • When surrender is the most powerful tool
  • Ancestral ties & cycles of the inner Feminine and Masculine
  • The medicine of connecting with sacred land
  • Healing in community
  • Comparison & the limiting unspoken agreements between women 
  • Plants as Spirit Guides and which plants will support you to have an embodied experience of abundance
  • The gifts of Kava
  • Erin's definition of "Starseed" & "Priestess"
  • How to have spiritual devotion AND a family

Stay in touch with Erin:


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Yaya Erin Rivera Merriman is a Plant Spirit Medicine Practitioner, Ritualist, Goddess Scholar, Mother and Artist. Best known as the director of Active Culture Family, Erin walks a path of community stewardship and service to Gaia through her rolls as lead facilitator of the Medicine Mandala Green Magic Apprenticeship program, and as Priestess of Bridge Temple, a remote off-grid mystery school, healing sanctuary, culture farm, and library of earth magic located on sacred land in the Cleveland National Forest of San Diego, CA

 

042 | The Heroine's Journey of Becoming Enough with Amanda Johnson

 
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When Amanda Johnson and I found each other we saw so many parallels in our journeys - writing and publishing our first books, running a crowdfunding campaign to do so, taking steps to be more visible and share our stories and the journey of remembering we are truly worthy of our dreams… 

If you’ve ever felt inspired to write a book, are ready to release the judgments of your own inner critic, or follow your true heart’s desires, this conversation is for you.

In this episode we discussed:

  • Amanda’s experience of writing and birthing a book

  • Her journey of “becoming enough” and what “enough” means to her

  • The role of desire in our lives

  • The inner critic ~ how to speak with her to gain the wisdom she is here to give

  • The Heroine’s Journey and how we often “reject the call” before following our heart’s desires

  • Leaving a marriage after choosing to trust and listen to her inner voice

  • The grace and flow of life takes on when you start listening to your intuition

  • How Amanda and I handle comparison with other women in the realm of entrepreneurship and social media 

  • The books Amanda plans on writing next! 

Stay in touch with Amanda:

  • Amanda’s website: www.amandajohnson.tv

  • @beingamandaj (social media handle for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram)


Amanda Johnson has one mission: to inspire recovering perfectionists and over-thinkers turn their critic into their ally so they can reveal their wholeness within and go from “never enough” to “always okay.”

Amanda is an author, teacher, and radio show host with more than 10 years of experience performing, educating, facilitating, and consulting. Her passion for inspiring others—be it a 2nd-grader or a CEO—and ability to connect with those she interacts with are unleashed by her wit, charm, and eloquence, making her message resonate deeply with her audience—to reveal your wholeness within and go from “never enough” to “always okay.”

She shares her message in writings, videos, group training programs, and her weekly Being Inspired radio show so people can recognize their wholeness and start being good with being them.

You can learn more and receive some free goodies when you sign up on her website. She can also be found on social media @beingamandaj.

 

041 | The Inner Work of Decluttering & Home Design with Maggie Minor

 
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“The objects we have in our house are incredibly emotionally charged. The things we buy to numb ourselves or fit in, they can make us feel stagnant or obligated and we bring that energy into our home.” 

One of my secret loves is home decoration. Last summer I went through a huge purge after reading The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. It brought me such a sense of peace in my home that I actually had the women in my program The Sovereign Circle go through the exercise too!  

It was a joy to sit down with Maggie Minor of Maggie Minor Designs in the latest RWL podcast episode to discuss the deeper emotional layers that are involved in the decluttering process.

She shares how we need to address the void that comes when decluttering and invites us to ask, “How do we avoid just filling it up again with stuff?” Maggie shares her experiences of sitting with the discomfort of growing, evolving and letting go of the need to fill the void with more stuff to create space for greater joy and inner and outer alignment.

She also shares about her recent big leap moving across the country, listening to her body’s wisdom, and the time she spent in the Peace Corps. I hope you enjoy the show! 

“Our homes are a three-dimensional vision board. So if we design our space to be in alignment with what we want, we are gonna get their quicker. It’s going to create flow in our lives.”

In this episode we discussed:

  • How joining the Peace Corps and living in Bulgaria informed Maggie’s life today
  • Life transitions and taking a leap ~ listening to inner guidance to move across the country 
  • An exercise to connect with your inner knowing about making a a hard decision 
  • The emotional cleanse that comes with decluttering your life
  • Resolving emotions and stories we carry with forgiveness work 
  • Curating your space to increase focus and a positive mindset
  • How home decor can improve your mood and the areas of your house to focus on first 
  • Her book about being a humanitarian worker 
  • Sharing a space with someone else and how to navigate designing the home together 

“You always know the right answer…If we align ourselves with our bodies, and let the fear leave our bodies, the answers will appear. They are not always the answers we want, but they are always the right answers.”

Links in this episode:


Maggie Minor believes that what we surround ourselves with has a profound affect on our subconscious and that by simply making a few changes in our home décor we can uplift ourselves and open up our mind to new possibilities. She is the founder of Maggie Minor Designs, a resource for room designs and artwork that provides bold women with the resources to homes and offices that inspire them.

In her former life, Maggie spent almost 15 years traveling the world…as a graduate student in Australia, a student and backpacker in Europe, a Peace Corps volunteer in Bulgaria and a humanitarian worker working in Asia and Africa. Her memoir, Adventures of a Curious Sculptor, recounts her long journey from adventurer to artist….and her appreciation for all of the beauty that surrounds us.

 

040 | Spiritual Shift, Waking Up & Fierce Love with Sabrina Riccio

 
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It was such a blessing to sit down with Sabrina Riccio in this week's RWL podcast episode. Sabrina laid down truth bomb after truth bomb, telling it like it is with authenticity and fierce love. If you are feeling the call to "wake up" and release the blocks that have been holding you back from standing in your full, radiant truth, this episode is for you. 

"If you don't honor yourself, people aren't going to honor you. Standing your ground is about honoring what you are truly feeling. That takes courage - to dive in and see what you're really feeling. A lot of people don't do that. A lot of people are scared of feeling." 

In this episode we discussed:

  • Sabrina's story of getting struck by lightning + the spiritual shift that happened afterwards
  • Her story of watching the eclipse in Oregon this past summer
  • The rise of the feminine, the goddess, the creatrix of all life + the power of Mary Magdalene
  • The importance of self-care, slowing down and honoring our feelings 
  • Honoring the journey + trusting the process, embracing all facets of the human experience
  • The spiritual experience of buying her first home in Joshua Tree
  • Fostering a relationship with spirit 
  • Letting go of "being a warrior" and becoming a vessel of light
  • Her three year sabbatical of healing: visiting John of God, reading A Course in Miracles, becoming a coach and Kundalini yoga teacher
  • Her dreams of writing a book

"The struggle isn't real. You have the choice with your actions. Are you actually doing things that bring you joy? Are you actually doing things that make you feel whole? Are you actually living your dreams? or Are you working towards achieving them?"

Connect with Sabrina: 

Check out her latest e-course, Stay Woke


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Sabrina Riccio (Shiv Inder Kaur) is the internationally known Soulistic Alchemist and Spirit Guide behind Shamanessa Goddessa. Catalyzing and anchoring a conscious paradigm shift, Sabrina's work empowers souls to reclaim their power by being real, being authentic, and embracing vulnerability. Sabrina believes we anchor the Sacred Reunion of the Divine Masculine & Divine Feminine within by learning to honor and transmute our shadows through the practice of unconditional self-love and through radical forgiveness.

As an Aquarian Priestess, she has held workshops at some of the world’s greatest festivals including Burning Man, Bhakti Fest, and Desert Hearts. Her passion for Kundalini Yoga, Spirit Medicine, Psychedelics, and self-study has allowed her to support those who are on the path of living and creating a balanced, conscious life.

As a soulistic alchemist, Sabrina works with plant medicines, Kundalini mantra, and reiki infused luna love and light to support sacred spaces with her Shamanic Dream apothecary line to help you live in ceremony. She is the host of the Sovereign Goddess Podcast helping medicine women and goddesspreneurs build their queendom with grace. Sabrina also offers ecourses and Kundalini Yoga Meditation experiences to help people cultivate a daily practice.

 

039 | Resilience, Radiance, & Recovery with Elena Brower

 
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"Integrity matters. If you are in integrity, timing will be on your side."

It was an honor to sit down with renowned author and yoga teacher Elena Brower in the latest Rising Women Leaders podcast episode. We spoke of her journey: discovering yoga, becoming a teacher, finding her voice and more recently letting go of addiction, stepping into her power as a wellness advocate and team leader for doTERRA and the beauty that comes when you step into your highest alignment.  We spoke of the power when a woman steps into wealth and abundance, how to honor our grief and pain, and what to let go of to deepen our personal practices.

There is in an elegance and grace to everything Elena creates... Be sure to check out her new journal, Practice You as well as her other offerings listed below.

In this episode we discussed:

  • Discovering the path of yoga 
  • Finding your voice as a teacher
  • Being a mom and how that relates to spiritual growth and practice 
  • Elena's journey with addiction, sobriety and recovery
  • Her thoughts on stepping into wealth "...how absolutely perfect it is to be financially independent as a woman, and how important it is to be that example for many many thousands if not millions of other women, so I'm okay with that..."
  • Her love of essential oils
  • Elena's favorite morning rituals
  • The rise of the feminine & awakening of our collective consciousness
  • Her new journal, "Practice You"
  • Healing from the loss of her mother and thoughts on moving through grief and pain 
  • The importance of the early morning hours for personal practice

Connect with Elena: 


Elena Brower is a renowned author, yoga teacher and speaker. Influenced by several yoga traditions including Parayoga and Katonah Yoga, she is recognized internationally for her expertise in combining physical alignment and the art of attention. Since 1998, Elena has been offering these practices as a vehicle for approaching our world with realistic reverence and gratitude. She is the author of Art of Attention, a yoga workbook that has been translated into six languages and the creator of Teach.yoga, a virtual home for yoga teachers worldwide. Her new book, Practice You, will be out in September 2017 from Sounds True.

Elena is also an executive producer of On Meditation: Documenting the Inner Journey, a film that intimately explores meditation experiences, and has contributed to the Huffington Post, MindBodyGreen, and Yoga Journal. Experience Elena's filmed practices on YogaGl, and her Audio Meditations on elenabrower.com/meditation.

 

038 | Relationships, New Motherhood & The Role of the Priestess with Katie Burke

 
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Just days ago this amazing woman, Katie Burke gave birth to her second child. I was lucky to sit down with Katie in early September when she was 32 weeks pregnant to hear about her role as a Priestess, the birth of her first child, and navigating marriage, a business, and family all while being on a personal growth journey of ascension and awakening.

Sitting down to talk with Katie felt like reuniting with an old friend. I decided to share the video of our conversation today as well so you can get a behind-the-scenes look into our intimate conversation.

In this episode we discussed:

  • The magic of conceiving and giving birth to her first child
  • What it means (to Katie) to be a Priestess
  • Moving through fear and doubt around claiming the role of the Priestess
  • Mary Magdalene, Isis and the guides that came to Katie during her awakening 
  • How to navigate your personal growth while being in a marriage
  • Tips on making it through hard times in a relationship while being on an awakening path together
  • How to connect with your guides and open your own channels of communication with divine guidance and intuition
  • What's to come in Katie's business 

Stay in touch with Katie:


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Formally a digital marketing guru and graduate student of strategic communication, Katie Burke began her Divine Feminine Awakening and remembering when she conceived her daughter. This journey of self-healing and radical self-worth led to the Modern Priestess Movement and her own self-actualization.

Katie administers the Feminine expression of Christ Consciousness coming from the spiritual traditions of Mary Magdalene, and the Ancient Egyptian Teachings of Isis & Hathor.  She currently is pregnant with her second child and enjoying the summer with her daughter and leading bi-monthly meditations with her partner, Ben Burke. 

 

037 | Kundalini Yoga & The Magic of Motherhood with Myrah Peñaloza

 
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"As mothers, we are the baseline frequency of the nation. I strongly believe that everything that is conceived of on planet Earth is because of the mother."

I'm so grateful to introduce you today to Myrah Peñaloza, clothing designer, mother, and Kundalini yoga teacher.  I first discovered Myrah on instagram @myrahpenaloza and quickly fell in love with the intention, beauty and authenticity of her posts. 

I followed along on the journey of her pregnancy and excitedly read her birth story after her daughter Soleil was born. 

Myrah reminds us of the power we have to create change in the world as women and mothers and I'm excited to share her wisdom with you all today. 

"Becoming a mother showed me what a BIG responsibility we have on planet Earth."

In the episode we discuss:

  • How Myrah found kundalini yoga and how it changed her life
  • The importance of personal practice as a yoga teacher
  • What Myrah learned from her teacher Gurumukh
  • The biggest lesson Myrah has learned from becoming a mother
  • Balancing having a biz and a new baby
  • How she navigated post-partum depression
  • What women’s circles have brought to her life
  • What's coming in her new line of  Kundalini yoga gowns

Stay in touch with Myrah:

Websites:

Social:


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Myrah recently followed her heart from California to Canada. She is a Clothing designer, Kundalini Yoga lover & educator, she is obsessed with banana pancakes, sharing tea, her 7 month old (on the 20th) daughter Soleil & women's circles. Myrah is the co-founder of  Edmonton, AB based BLOOM Festival which is celebrating its 5th Annual production October 5th-8th. Her Kundalini Yoga inspired clothing line has been adorned by woman across the entire globe. She has also founded a women’s circle network that is in 5 different countries called La Luna Social. Myrah has been teaching Kundalini Yoga for close to 10 years and has taken over 900hrs of Yoga Teacher Training. She has led retreats around the world and is currently planning a retreat in Spain called The Bloom Retreat in February 2017. Her mission is to create space, opportunities and experiences to empower woman. 

 

036 | Self-Worth, Money & Your Inner Psychic with Anastasia Holland

 
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After three years of making very little money in her business as a psychic,  Anastasia Holland got serious about learning business strategy and putting herself out there. 

She had an idea: to have conscious conversations with women about their relationship to money. She was genuinely curious about how these women she admired got to where they were. How did they make it all work?

 So she launched her  first summit, "Worthy" and within a few weeks her business catapulted. 

The clients started coming in more than ever before. She announced a mentorship program and watched her income skyrocket. 

But it wasn't all easy. There were upper limits to navigate, and burnout to recover from.  

I'm so grateful to share Anastasia's wisdom with you all today:

"My whole perspective of life has changed because as I gained success financially in my career and I finally had this total freedom that I craved for so long,  I realized that I didn't feel that different.

That has catapulted me into finding out what really gives me joy. What really gives me peace. What really gives me freedom. And love and connection.

I think if I didn't have that success I would always be chasing and never be able to face the part of myself that was still in a lot of pain and had all these desires other than money and career."

In this episode we discussed:

  • How Anastasia first discovered her psychic abilities (and how you can too)
  • Anastasia's story of selling everything she owned to start fresh and up-level her life and business
  • Doing business your own way and finding balance with feminine flow in business (aka avoiding burnout)
  • Anastasia's story of leading her first summit, Worthy. How it catapulted her business, brought her to new upper limits and what she learned about herself and how  she wants to do business along the way
  • Beyond money and success, what Anastasia learned brought her  true joy
  • The throat chakra - how Anastasia has honored her voice
  • Anastasia's growth edge and how she is showing up to face her fears
  • The self-worth demon Anastasia still works with and how she keeps showing up despite her fears

More links: 

Enjoy the episode :) 

With love, 
Meredith


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Anastasia Holland is a Psychic Strategist, Business Mentor, Writer And Self Worth Warrior For women. Through her 1:1 psychic sessions, mentorship programs, and workshops she reminds her clients of the work they are meant to do in the world and help them do it in a way that is strategic, effective, and most aligned based off of their unique blue print, purpose, desires, and path. She believes that self-compassion is magic, that we don’t need to be fixed, but instead nurtured, encouraged, and let loose. Her work is committed to reminding you of your power and that you can absolutely do business and life in whatever way you choose. 

To book a session with her, or find out more about her work head to her website www.anastasiaholland.com

 

035 | Feeling Our Feelings with Erin Telford

 
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Two weeks ago my community in Sonoma County was shaken awake in the middle of the night by unexpected wildfires raging through the city and countryside.

In the days afterwards, there was an immense amount of grief, fear and shock in the field. For days I was sitting on the edge of my seat wondering if I would need to evacuate.  (Luckily I didn't need to, we have had to just be careful about the air quality, which has significantly improved this week).

I watched as this powerfulevent invited people to  deeply listento the land and the call of their own heart. I saw people around me stepping into their truth, alignment and gifts like never before. I saw people  coming together in love and support of one another. I felt the love and support of this community in a new way. 

Over the past two weeks I have been reflecting on the   powerful metaphor of life, death and rebirth. I have been asking  myself:

What do I wish to burn away right now? and

What in my life would I hold on to? 

It has been incredibly clarifying on what is truly important to me. (And surprisingly there was a lot I saw I could let go of) 

with this powerful time of destruction & rebirth, there are a lot of emotions to be felt.

In the midst of all the events happening in our world, again and againwhat I keep coming back to for healing is feeling our feelings. Letting the grief, the anger, the fear come to the surface to be loved. 

And that's what today's episode on the Rising Women Leaders podcast is all about.

It wasa joy to sit down with another sensitive soul and kindred spirit Erin Telford to speak about healing our hearts, honoring our emotions and listening to our "soul whispers."  I hope you enjoy it. 

"Healing is not about calming down. It’s not about blunting your feelings. It’s about moving the lifetime of pain energy out of the body. "

In this episode we discussed:

  • What ignited Erin's healing journey
  • The experience of her first breathwork ceremony 
  • Listening to her soul whispers and her decision to leave NYC
  • An inside peek of the book she is ready to birth!
  • Healing the heart ~ Erin's experiences with heartbreak and her thoughts on healing the heart when letting go of someone you love
  • What Erin attributes to her success as a spiritual business woman

"When you know your value is not negotiable by outside situations, you're pretty solid."

Links in this episode:

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Erin Telford is a certified Breathwork teacher, acupuncturist, Reiki Master, and herbalist.  Her mission is to guide people to look within, open their hearts and heal their relationship with themselves.  She holds safe, sacred space for change through therapeutic conversation and lifestyle counseling.  She is fiercely committed to doing her own personal work because she knows that she can only take her clients as deep and as far as she is willing to go.  Her one on one sessions and workshops empower her clients to connect to their intuition so that they can find the answers they are looking for.  She has been featured in Shape Magazine, Nylon, NY Magazine, Well + Good, The Numinous and in Refinery 29 as one of “6 Women Who Are Redefining Wellness in New York City.”

 

034 | Cultivate Inner Radiance with Cait Scudder

 
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Have you ever met one of those people you instantly feel so calm and centered in their presence? That's how I felt talking to Cait. She is a vibrant soul who followed her heart leaving "the grind" behind in New England to embody inner radiance in Bali, Indonesia. 

You'll feel yourself transported to Bali as you listen to this episode - you'll even hear the roosters crowing outside with the sun rise!

"There's a difference between angular commitment and a just as powerful force of fierce devotion. I see fierce devotion as the fuel for courage." 

In this episode we discussed:

  • Trusting in the divine flow 
  • The courage it takes to own and embody our gifts, to live our light out loud 
  • How to handle the muck (not being afraid of it, learning to befriend and expand self-love massively during these times) 
  • Taking the leapand  being okay with not-knowing 
  • Radiance and what it means to live aligned, in truth and on fire 

Learn about Cait's Radiance Rising Retreat Coming up in Bali inMarch 2018 


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Cait Scudder, MAT, RYT-500, is a lit-up transformation catalyst that empowers women to uncover, embrace and embody the most dazzling version of themselves. She is a radiant living coach, writer, speaker, and yoga & meditation teacher living in Bali, and is also founder of the Radiant Living School. Cait holds programs, workshops, and retreats around the globe for soul-centered women on a mission to shine. Connect with her at caitscudder.com and learn more about her Radiant Living School program here.

 

033 | The Magic of Cacao with Sena Shakti Shellenberger

 
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On August 29th I’ll be joining together with friends Sena Shellenberger and Denell Nawrocki to lead a women’s circle and cacao ceremony in honor of the release of my book, Just Be: A Search for Self-Love in India. 

A few weeks ago I had the honor of sitting down with Sena to talk about her journey of leaving her job in Silicon Valley, traveling for 8 months to rediscover her freedom and relocating to Sonoma County where she shares the magic of cacao in ceremonies and online courses.

In this episode we talk about:

  • How sena found cacao and the cosmic experience of her first ceremony in Mexico
  • Listening to our Intuition - how Sena gathered up the courage to leave her job at Google to follow her heart on an 8-month journey in Peru and Costa Rica before starting her own business where she now shares the magic of cacao with others
  • How important our dreams are and how they can guide us
  • What it really means to surrender to our divinely guided messages
  • Sensuality practices to tap into the feminine
  • Sena’s online course: Open Your Heart with Cacao

Sena and I have an event coming up on Tuesday August 29th details are right here.

Other links mentioned in this episode:

And be sure to follow Sena on instagram here and buy ceremonial cacao here. (Use coupon code tesorasacredcacao for 10% off!)


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Sena is a carrier of cacao medicine, ceremonialist and people empowerer. She builds deeper pathways to self-acceptance, self-worth and self-love through ceremony, sound, yoga, meditation, plant medicine and coaching. She’s here to support our shift into heart-centered living.

After working 5 years in Silicon Valley, she spent eight months finding inner freedom in the jungles of Peru + Costa Rica. She is passionate about creating safe, nurturing spaces to share her wisdom and support our collective healing. Recently following her heart to Sonoma County, CA Sena leads women’s circles, cacao ceremonies, international retreats. She recently launched an online cacao course. 

 

032 | Mindful Men Series: Money & Mindfulness with Spencer Sherman

 

Lately I’ve been reflecting on what it means to have “enough.” 

Last month I was lucky to sit down with a founding partner of Abacus Wealth Partners, an investment company that focuses on making the world a better place, Spencer Sherman.

I found it really interesting when he shared, “Giving and saving are two ways to tell your body and mind, ‘I have enough.’” 

Mindfulness and meditation have greatly helped me shift my relationship to money.  

I remember even just a few years ago when I had accumulated a large amount of savings, yet my mindset was solely focused on what I didn’t have. Because of that, I didn’t take a moment to reflect on everything around me. Instead I kept pushing myself. 

Now, I do my best to remind myself of what I have, with gratitude. A mantra I use often is, “I have everything I need, and I welcome so much more.”  (Thanks to Gabrielle Bernstein for that one)

Shifting my mindset around money and focusing more on generosity than on scarcity has helped me let go of the need to grasp on to the next prospective client, the bigger house, or next new item for my wardrobe.

And I have to say, it’s been so relaxing to take that pressure off. 

The funny thing is, the more I soften and rest into the trust that I have everything I need, I feel like so much more abundance is coming to me.

I’ve consciously been letting go of the grasping, the feeling of “getting the short end of the stick” and really honoring where I am at and what I have. 

It’s not an easy practice, I know, and sometimes I still get stuck in the mindset of “I don’t have enough.” So that’s why I’m excited to share with you my latest podcast episode all about Money and Mindfulness with Spencer Sherman. 

“The less attached I have been, the more ease I have found with money, the more it comes to me.” ~ Spencer Sherman

A few months ago it became clear to me that I’d like create a “Mindful Men Series”  to honor the perspective of the divine masculine and share the voices of men I see around me honoring their gifts and purpose while giving back to the world. 

After listening to the episode, I’d love to hear, what does enough look like for you? How do you cultivate a feeling of enough?  Let me know in the comments over on instagram. 

I’m also excited to share that this Fall Spencer and I are collaborating in an 8-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program locally in Sebastopol.

Save the date September 5, 6:30 - 9 pm at The dhyana Center for a free orientation to learn about the program.

In this episode we discuss: 

  • Discovering your true net worth 
  • The best day/worst day of Spencer’s life 
  • The missing piece one of his clients discovered to living a joyful life after having “made it” in the financial world
  • Meditation and how that has affected Spencer’s relationship to money and how he relates to clients in his business
  • The first step to take to bringing more awareness to your finances 
  • Abacus’ approach to wealth management and sustainable investing 
  • Our upcoming course, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (Save the date for Sept. 5 for a free orientation)
  • Spencer's book, The Cure for Money Madness

I hope you enjoy today’s show. It may be just what you need to earn more money, start saving and giving, or maybe to just cultivate more peace of mind.

With love,
Meredith

P.S. Join me this coming Wednesday August 9th for my next webinar, The Art of Feminine Abundance where I’ll be sharing more about my insights on wealth, joy and abundance. Click here to sign up.

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Spencer Sherman is a financial expert, public speaker, teacher and author. Spencer has taught classes and spoken to audiences across the U.S., including at Esalen and Kripalu. He has practiced meditation since 1983 and is a qualified teacher of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). He is a founding partner of Abacus Wealth Partners, an investment company that focuses on making the world a better place. Spencer and his wife Janine live in Sebastopol, CA with their 2 children.

 

031 | Cultivating Spirit Flow with Mari Sierra

 

I love when I see a woman merge her love of design with spirituality in her business. Today I'd like to introduce you to one of these women, Mari Sierra. 

I first met Mari at Erica Jago's yoga retreat in Yosemite. Mari led us through a Five Rhythms dance practice as well as a workshop to connect to our five senses. At the time, she was newly married and spent much of her time working with start up companies in San Francisco. 

Flash forward a couple years, and Mari has now led several of her own retreats around the world, moved back where she grew up in Mexico, left a partnership that was no longer serving her or her husband and has studied for several months at a dance intensive in Berlin. 

What changed? How did she make a leap to follow her heart, even when she knew it may take her to unknown and unexpected places?

In this episode Mari shares:

  • Her story of leaving her marriage and business to follow her heart and become a nomad
  • Her experience of dance and how she uses it to cultivate a deeper state of spirit flow
  • The intention behind La Mar, her yoga retreat created with Erica Jago
  • Second and third chakra studies - How to tap into your sensuality, creativity and will power
  • Archetypes and the future female - how we can use female archetypes to learn more about ourselves
  • How she overcomes her fears
  • Rituals and practices to connect to self, sensuality, and the earth
  • The upcoming LA MAR yoga retreat in Sayulita, Mexico!

Links in this episode:

Mari Sierra is a curious explorer of the mind-body connection and our collective evolution. She designs learning experiences for groups around the world, to explore the depths of the creative mind through yoga, meditation, dance, ritual, mysticism and self-expression. Her passion is to inspire people to inquire within, to open sensitivity to the subtle energy body, with nature elements and the principle of interconnectedness. Originally from Mexico city, she experimented with a myriad of dance schools, shamanic and yogic practices, then moved to San Francisco to work in design and social innovation, where she facilitates creative sessions with technology companies, coaches, and visionary leaders to find the song of their hearts and realign their work with higher intentions. 

 

030 | Open Your Voice with Songs from Singing Alive Kauai

 

This month I took myself on a trip to Kauai to attend a gathering called Singing Alive Kauai.  I felt the call to go after spending days with my grandmother in the hospital as she was passing. I found song to be such a soothing and sacred way to connect with her during that difficult time and I wanted to immerse myself in an environment of song in the weeks after she passed.

On one afternoon I experienced a surreal moment when the women gathered to all sing together.  After anchoring and opening the space, our facilitator invited any woman to teach a song to us. The first woman to stand up called in a sister in spirit - hundreds of miles away - one of my dearest friends for the past four years, Mackenzie Myers.

She then led us in call and response to sing one of Mackenzies songs, a song I have heard my friend sing many times. In that moment my skin was covered with goosebumps and tears streamed down my face because of what a powerful song it is. I was thinking about my friend, who only a few years ago was holding fear around stepping up to share her voice.

In that moment her song was reaching the ears and voices of fifty or sixty women, and it truly unified us together and opened our hearts. 

It is moments like these that remind me why it is so important for women to face their fears and share their gifts, especially their voice. 

The song that my friend Mackenzie had written was pure medicine for all the women in our circle. I felt so proud of her for facing her fears and sharing her voice so her songs could spread and be experienced by more and more people.

In today's podcast episode I share Mackenzie's song from our women's circle as well as three more powerful songs for you to sing along to.

My hope is they create a safe and nurturing space for YOU to open up and share your voice.

With love, 
Meredith

P.S. Check out the full song "Remember" by Faye Adinda (the I love and accept myself song in this episode) right here.

 

029 | God, Love, Sobriety & Finding Your Voice with Adriana Rizzolo

 

Have you ever gone on a trip to come back feeling like everything in your life just feels messy? I just came back from a trip to Kauai last week where I got to see dear friend Adriana Rizzolo, the featured guest on our podcast today.

Even though my inbox has been full, and I am bursting with so many creative ideas that it's hard to know where to start, I'm learning to love the mess. To love everything that's arising. To be okay with everything just as it is.

And this is something I love about Adriana - she carries herself with so much love and respect, no matter what the circumstances. 

In the episode Adriana shares about some pretty difficult hardships she's faced, including her story of healing from addiction and what happened when she lost everything she owned when her car was stolen.

So today, i invite you to breathe a little deeper, trust in the unfolding and love yourself (and your life exactly as it is) even if it sometimes all feels like a big mess...

In this episode you'll learn:

  • Adriana's story of addiction and sobriety and what role yoga and meditation played in her healing journey
  • How losing all her belongings and having her car stolen ended up as a divine intervention
  • Tips Adriana has for women who are finding their voice 
  • The role kirtan and chanting has played in her life
  • Adriana's thoughts on facing fears and stepping into a more loving and courageous life

“Often what I find underneath my fear is a genuine desire, and that’s okay.” 

With love, 
Meredith


Adriana is an intuitive healer, yoga and meditation teacher, kirtan and voice guide, spiritual mentor, reiki master, hair stylist, writer and creative wild woman. Her passion is in helping others connect to the wild sacredness of their bodies, tender hearts, pelvic wisdom, authentic voices, and to their immense healing power of love. She helps others find their unique fire and build a strong connection to Spirit. She supports specifically in healing addiction and anxiety. She has studies extensively in India and with David Harshada Wagner and Living Meditation. She loves to nurture community, intimacy and connection to Spirit in a fun, powerful and practical way. Adriana trains individuals and leads sacred circles in New York City , Los Angeles and everywhere online. To find out more visit www.adrianarizzolo.com or on instagram @artofloving

 

028 | Luna Love on the Muse, Creative Entrepreneurship & Inner Marriage

 

Some of you may remember Luna Love from an episode where she interviewed me for her show - The Ladies Who Lead Podcast - where I shared my 4 Keys to Feminine Leadership. 

I invited Luna on RWL to share about creative entrepreneurship, how she uses the muse to go for her dreams and about the process of inner marriage - how she came into wholeness and attracted a loving partnership in her life.

One of the things I admire about this woman is her ability to accomplish so much, WHILE  nurturing a feminine way of being and living - one of the values I hold so dear in my own business. In this episode she shares some of her secrets to "getting it all done" while creating space for what matters most.

“Our capacity to receive as women is really not about other people giving us things but about our willingness to receive our unlimited potential and through the receptivity of that greatness lies the energy to create more and be of greater service…”
~ Luna Love

In this episode Luna shares about:

  • The “I can” vs. “I can’t” voice and how she came to be a women’s leadership mentor
  • How to decipher and tune into intuition
  • Tips on how we can find our purpose
  • Creativity and the muse - what it is and how to use it to go after your dreams
  • Luna’s secret to “getting it all done!”
  • Inner marriage, personal responsibility and the list you need to write if you want to call in and attract a loving partnership
  • The relationship tool Luna uses to use to cut through illusion and deepen connection
  • Luna’s take on when it’s time to “feel the fear and do it anyway” and how to go about it

Enjoy!

Love, 
Meredith

Luna is a Women’s Leadership Mentor, assisting those called to be change-makers in the world, in achieving clear vision for their lives by providing supportive, life-promoting experiences, practical tools and spiritual wisdom to align one’s divine essence, authentic expression and life-purpose. She creates transformative experiences for her clients through the power of self-awareness and self-love.

Luna facilitates online courses, group coaching, workshops, immersion programs and retreats to support her clients in devoting themselves to themselves, and serving the world from that place. Additionally she works as a counselor at a leading holistic drug and alcohol rehabilitation center and writes for numerous online publications. Most of all Luna is devoted to walking her path in the beauty way.

 

027 | Medicine For Your Spirit with Vyana Ma

 

Today we are lucky to receive a transmission from Vyana Ma on the Rising Women Leaders Podcast. Vyana is another soul sister I first met through the world of instagram where we soon connected, met in person, and I learned of her work as an energy medicine teacher, devotee, musician and activist. 

I sat down to speak with her a couple months ago for the podcast when she had just come back from a bhakti yoga immersion in Mexico and was making a plan to travel to Standing Rock.  

I re-listened to this episode on my birthday in the bathtub and as soon as I heard her soothing voice, I knew there was no where else I would rather be. Her words brought me right back to my truth, reminding me of the power of being, loving and giving to ourselves in order to give back as teachers and healers, and the profound impact forgiveness can have on our lives. 

Re-listening to her story of healing from childhood abuse to become such a compassionate and strong woman leader helps me remember what I know in the core of my being - that really, anything is possible. 

"Humility and gratitude give us the freedom to experience the divinity that we are."

"...And if we always return to these principles of being and humbling ourselves and being grateful for what we have we will never be lost, no matter how confusing or painful it may feel. When we come back to humility and gratitude we will always find our way." ~Vyana Ma

In this episode you’ll learn about:

  • When to listen to the inner call - letting go of what “makes sense” to the rational mind in order to follow the heart
  • Vyana’s travels through Mexico and beyond
  • Her story of finding balance between giving and receiving as a healer and teacher
  • Her sadhana practice and experience with the Gayatri Mantra 
  • How she moves through resistance to spiritual practice 
  • Vyana’s story of awakening, rising above and healing childhood abuse to heal herself and others
  • Vyana's story of sharing her voice as a singer and teacher
  • Her experience of opening the portal to become a mother 
  • How we can open to forgiveness and the difference between 'letting go' and 'letting live'

Links in this episode:


Vyana Ma is a woman who lives on the earth and breathes the air. 

She is also an international energy medicine teacher & speaker based out of Ojai, Ca. She blends her journey through childhood sexual & physical abuse, addiction, and self abuse with trainings in Eastern & Western healing modalities. Using these tools, Vyana guides her clients & students through the shadowed and disempowered aspects of themselves to reach a place of trust and truth.

 

026 | Announcing a New Title for My Book + A Bonus Reading

 
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I wanted to share an update on what's happening with the book I wrote of my travels in India! After raising over ten thousand dollars in the Kickstarter campaign last Fall to publish it, I got right to work with my publishing team.  

Right now the manuscript is being copyedited, the official release date is August 22, 2017 and Kickstarter supporters should receive their early copy in July. 

After much contemplation, research, and discussion with my publishing team and kickstarter supporters, I have decided to change the title of my book from Synchronicity to Just Be: A Search for Self-love in India.

After my publisher approached me with the suggestion to find a title that was more direct, short, and to the point…something that would immediately speak to what the reader would be able to take away from reading this book, I began to tune into the total stillness and wisdom of my heart and asked the universe to send me a sign. (To hear the full story and hear the introduction of the book, listen to today's podcast episode)

When I was asked to "look at where my attachments lay" and make a decision that was best for the book I laughed to myself, because literally the last sentence I had written in my book was, "If I was able to release my attachments to the outcome, I knew everything would fall into place…"

Soon after, I found myself recording a podcast interview with Achintya Devi, an amazing woman in the world of women's spirituality and empowerment, and we began having technical difficulties - getting disconnected, coming on the line but using different links, about 15 - 20 minutes passed while we were just trying to begin the interview…

Frustrated, I found myself saying a new mantra over and over in my mind without realizing it, "Just be. Just be. Just be." Within a moment Achintya came on the line, and we recorded a powerful interview to close out the year.

Just Be happened to be one of the titles I was considering for the book, and in that moment, I knew this was the sign I was asking for.

Very little will actually change in the content of the book - I still share of synchronistic events and happenstance, but I’m seeing how synchronicity fits in as a natural side-effect when we tap into a space of “just being…”, releasing our attachments, and allowing the events of the universe to unfold magically around us…

I am feeling ever-more resonant with this new title and direction. After reading through the book last week, I saw how present the theme of “just being” is shared throughout. It just took having an outside perspective to point this out to me.

I believe the message of just being is so relevant and needed at this time - in a world so focused on achieving and doing…

This belief was affirmed to me a couple weeks ago when I received an email from one of my readers, Clare. She wrote in response to a newsletter I sent about letting go of goals and action plans for this year, and rather asking how we can bring more love, gentleness and service to every moment:

“When your email came in, I was initially afraid to open it, I was afraid that I was going to see yet another mention about New Year resolutions which would in turn make me feel shitty about the lack of my own. I had already seen plenty, and I was just about done feeling bad.

I opened your email, and it was the comforting hug that I needed, to remind me of that whisper in my heart that told me to spend more time nurturing myself, taking better care of myself.

After your email, I continued having similar signs pop up everywhere -- telling me that it's ok not to have everything figured out, and it's ok to take it slow. To JUST BE.”

I've been thinking more about what I want for the woman I wrote this book for…and I truly want her to experience what it is to just be...

...To fully accept herself as she is… And from that place of presence, self-love and acceptance… to follow her dreams and experience deep connection and synchronicity… but from a place of truly tuning in, and first finding stillness and silence, and listening to her heart.

After all of this I went into a 10-day silent meditation retreat, where I watched the busy-ness of my mind and found myself coming back again and again to this new mantra, "Just Be" and knew I was being guided to change the title.

My wish is for you to have an open heart and mind, and see how this mantra, “just be,” may come to play in your life…

This whole experience has really shown me the power of releasing my attachments. And how very often when we release those attachments, we end up with a solution that is even more in alignment. Who knew the process of publishing a book full with spiritual lessons would be so full of…spiritual lessons…? :)

What’s the latest update with the book now? We are putting final touches on a whole new cover - something that encompasses the magic and colors of India and the theme and message of just being…so stay tuned.

I’m so grateful for all of you. Thank you all for bearing witness to this journey. I hope you enjoy today's show.

With love, 

 Meredith

P.S. Congratulations to "Ksenia" and "Jokerofthenines" for winning the New Year Giveaway! I loved reading all of your podcast reviews and am so grateful for the time you took to share your stories. "Ksenia" and "Jokerofthenines" can email [email protected] to schedule your free coaching session. If you'd still like to write a review for Rising Women Leaders please do so here.

 

025 | Astrology, Asteroids & Feminine Archetypes with Rebecca Farrar

 

"For me, astrology is about enchantment...When I am looking at someone's birth chart, I am looking at their soul's patterning. I am looking at the moment they were born and the heavens froze, and this special moment becomes someone's soul process." ~Rebecca

If you are a sensitive being like me you are probably feeling all the energies around what's happening in the news, the world and our country.

At one time or another, you've also probably turned to astrology to learn more about how what's happening in the stars reflects upon what's happening in the world, and within ourselves.

I'm happy to introduce you to Rebecca Farrar today, an astrologer who I recently interviewed for the Rising Women Leaders podcast.

In one of Rebecca's recent posts, she shared about how Uranus began a year long dance with Jupiter at the end of 2016 which will offer some astrological insight into this coming year.

"The themes of Jupiter revolve around philosophy, morality, travel, celebration, or success. In its more shadow expression it leans towards excessiveness, over-consumption, self-involvement, and hyper-morality. In relationship to Uranus it can invoke a revolutionary spirit against things that may not seem moral or non-humanitarian. (I think we have all felt this energy building since the 2016 U.S. election.)"

Today's episode will take you into the world of astrology, asteroids and feminine archetypes and how you can use them  to gain deeper insight into yourself and the world.

"Astrology tells me about their evolution as a soul, it tells me about where their challenges are, what their relational patterns are, how they can self-soothe with their emotions, how they can take care of themselves better. It gives a sense of enchantment with the self, letting you understand you are a part of this huge cosmic thing and you have an important role to play..."

There is a very specific reason you are here. Consciousness is shifting so quickly at this time and you are needed...

In this episode you'll discover:

  • What is the sun, moon and rising sign and what do they mean about yourself?
  • The magic and mystery of the witch and priestess feminine archetypes 
  • Embracing our weird & wild ways
  • How feminine archetypes show up in astrology 
  • How Rebecca uses the asteroids in her birth chart readings and how it affects our charts 
  • What to look out for in 2017 and how astrology is affecting the times we are in - calling us into social justice and revolution
  • How Rebecca uses ritual in her life to honor different times of the year and phases of the moon
  • Rebecca's journey with self-worth, facing fears, leaving a  full-time job and allowing herself to claim authority in her field and in her life

To learn more about Rebecca's birth chart readings, astro-locality readings, and to join her email list with tips and rituals for the full and new moon, visit her website, wildwitchwest.com. 


Rebecca M. Farrar, M.A. is an astro-priestess, wild woman, writer, and lover who lives in San Francisco (or Man Franpsycho as she likes to call it). She provides astrological guidance with a down-to-Earth approach utilizing her studies on the evolution of consciousness and psychology. Before coming out of the "broom" closet, she worked for more than a decade in PR and marketing and had brief forays as TV reporter, speed dating hostess, spokesmodel, yoga instructor, and world traveler. In 2013, she completed her M.A. In Philosophy at the California Institute of Integral Studies. Her thesis, titled “Stargazing: Re-enchantment Through Language,” combines philology, consciousness studies, and enchantment with the stars. (Warning: She will talk your ear off if you ask about it.) When not staring at her transits she can be found "force" cuddling her cat, posting on Instagram, or curled up with a good book. Read more on her site: www.wildwitchwest.com


Want to win a free 75-minute coaching session with our host?

Rising Women Leaders is running a New Year Giveaway between now and February 11, 2017 for a free 75-minute online coaching session with our host, Meredith Rom.

In this video call we will take the space to reflect on what you want to cultivate for the new year, how you want to show up to take care of yourself, your spiritual practice, and your service and contribution to the world.

Meredith will also answer any questions you have about starting or growing your business, branding, leading workshops, podcasting, finding your voice, or crafting and sharing your story.

To enter, write us a review on iTunes!

  • Follow  this link
  • Click the blue button on the side bar that says, "View in iTunes"
  • Click "Subscribe" under the Podcast Image then Click "Ratings and Reviews"
  • Click "Write a Review" where you can choose your rating, write your review and click "Submit"(you may be asked to login with your Apple ID)

You can also search for "Rising Women Leaders" in iTunes on your desktop or on the Podcast app on your iPhone to write a review.  

Positive reviews on iTunes will support our community to grow, thrive and reach the women who are seeking the powerful wisdom shared by the ladies featured on this show.

The winner will be announced on the podcast just after February 11! Thank you for participating, Good luck!!