It's our 250th episode and a milestone deserves meaning, so we invited mystical comedian and author Justin L. Shaw to help us rethink trauma recovery with curiosity, humour, and a grounded spiritual toolkit. Justin’s story moves from an affection‑starved childhood to addiction, jail cells, and the grind of “just functioning,” then pivots into a profound awakening he calls a bliss attack—an experience that reframed reality as a persistent illusion and taught him how to plug into source on purp...
When the Halloween nights draw in, we look for light—on our porches, in our memories, and in the people who raised us or perhaps didn't. This conversation steps into Samhain, the Celtic end of summer and midpoint between equinox and solstice. Bonfires, pumpkins and daily moments of gratitude for our ancestors. The heart of the episode is emotional validation—how to listen without agreeing, how to reflect feelings with simple, caring language, and how to reduce defensiveness so real dialogue ...
The nights are a little darker, and your mind a touch louder—perfect conditions to meet your truth with calm focus. We step into Scorpio season with a gentle, practical path: ground the body, quiet the noise, and let clarity surface through simple daily rituals that actually fit a full life. By the end, you’ll have a toolkit for honest self-inquiry without overwhelm: a journaling habit you’ll keep, an evening routine that protects your rest, and a visualisation that turns inner noise into qu...
A simple walk through Kew Gardens became a doorway to wonder. Wandering past Victorian glasshouses and autumn leaves, I stumbled into a rare moment of stillness: a young deer foraging in the quiet. That encounter wasn’t just beautiful—it reshaped how one can think about courage, grace, and the way the unexpected can interrupt a tired routine and hand us back our attention. That poise inspired a guided meditation that carries you into a moonlit forest: crystalline trees, a humming river, sil...
Forget balancing acts—the more we try to separate “work” from “life,” the more exhausted we feel. We sit down with Heather Stewart—former corporate finance executive turned yoga teacher, coach, and host of Illuminate Your Worth—to explore a bolder approach: integrate everything so your health, relationships, work, money, and spirit pull in the same direction. Heather shares the moment that reshaped her lens and birthed her Thriving Life Method and a simple truth: resilience is built before th...
The wind was fierce, branches snapped, and yet the trees offered a lesson: let go with dignity and trust the season. That image sparked a conversation about grace—not as niceness or passive compliance, but as elegant strength and a workable alternative to judgment, outrage, and control. We share why grace is the heartbeat of the soul, how anxiety hijacks our best intentions, and what it looks like to “show, don’t tell” your values when the world is loud. We talk about the difference between ...
Have you ever considered that your anxiety isn't trying to hurt you, but actually trying to save you? This perspective-shifting conversation with author and pastor Cody Deese challenges everything we've been taught about anxiety and offers a revolutionary approach to healing. Cody shares his remarkable 40-year journey with debilitating anxiety that began in childhood. From unexplained retching episodes at football games to panic attacks during everyday conversations, his condition remained m...
When tiredness hits – not the everyday kind, but the bone-deep exhaustion that occasionally visits – it's often a message worth listening to. I share my recent experience of honouring these signals instead of pushing through them. There's profound wisdom in distinguishing between procrastination and genuine self-care, between "should do" and "need to be." This isn't about abandoning responsibilities, but approaching them with greater attunement to our authentic needs. Nature offers us the p...
The paradox of modern life is that we've never been more connected yet never felt more disconnected. This profound tension sits at the heart of our latest episode, "To Be or Not To Be," where we explore how reclaiming the lost art of simply being might be our most revolutionary act. Have you noticed how the world seems to be contracting rather than expanding? From political systems that appear misaligned with public welfare to the tangible decline in biodiversity (remember when country drive...
What does it mean to maintain the sovereignty of your soul in an increasingly digital world? Celebrating five years of the Awakened Conscious Conversations podcast, this episode delves into the complex relationship between modern pressures, technological advancement, and our authentic selves. Many of us feel crushed beneath societal expectations to achieve specific milestones by certain ages. When life doesn't unfold according to plan, we're left feeling like failures. Financial strains only...
Remember the last time you were supposed to be relaxing but couldn't shake that nagging feeling you should be doing something "productive" instead? That's exactly what this bite-sized episode tackles – our complicated relationship with true rest in a world obsessed with achievement. Drawing from personal experience, I share how I once couldn't fully enjoy beautiful vacations because I was mentally trapped in what I "should" be accomplishing. Whether sitting on an Italian beach feeling guilty...
What if the clutter in your home is actually blocking the flow of energy in your life? Welcome back to the podcast after a brief hiatus due to illness, as I share my personal philosophy on creating a more peaceful living environment through mindful decluttering. Contrary to being just about tidying up, this episode reveals how letting go of physical possessions we no longer need creates space for positive energy, clarity, and spiritual wellbeing. Drawing from both practical experience and sp...
What do rock legends like Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra, and Mick Jagger have in common with your journey toward self-fulfillment? Find out more with this week's special guest Dr. Glenn Berger, who draws powerful life lessons from his extraordinary career path spanning from recording studio engineer to psychotherapist. Berger's transformational story begins at age 17, working alongside music icons. Despite the glamour, the "sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll" lifestyle eventually led to pe...
Have you ever achieved something you thought you wanted, only to feel strangely empty? This profound conversation with CBT therapist Ludovica Colella uncovers the hidden cost of living by other people's rules and the liberating journey toward authentic self-expression. Ludovica shares her personal awakening after realizing her impressive achievements as a therapist in London weren't bringing the fulfillment she expected. The breakthrough came when she recognised she was living according to a...
What if the wounds that have caused you the most suffering actually contain the intelligence needed for your deepest healing? In this soul-stirring conversation, spiritual author Michael Stone invites us to radically reimagine trauma not as brokenness to overcome, but as sacred adaptation carrying wisdom needed for our evolution. Drawing from his extraordinary life journey – born between atomic bombs to parents traumatized at Pearl Harbor, discovering his mother's suicide as a toddler, and e...
Journey into the forgotten world of silicon, an essential macronutrient that might be the missing key to optimal health and vitality. Clinical herbalist Bonnie D'Arcangelo guides us through a fascinating exploration of this overlooked element and its profound impact on our bodies. Bonnie shares her remarkable personal journey from the fashion industry to living in a log cabin without running water, where she forged her deep connection with nature and healing practices. This spiritual awakeni...
We're living through unprecedented technological acceleration, where AI threatens jobs, privacy vanishes, and digital distractions fragment our attention. Yet amid this shifting terrain, our internal compass remains our most reliable guide—if we know how to calibrate it. Drawing from decades of practice, I share my personal approach to maintaining centered awareness in chaotic times. While quick morning routines have their place, the transformative power comes from being a bit more. Many re...
Have you ever noticed how a simple scent can instantly transport you back to a specific moment in your past? That's because the part of our brain that processes smell is directly linked with memory centers – making aromatherapy not just pleasant, but potentially transformative. As we celebrate five years of Awakened Conscious Conversations, today's episode explores the often-overlooked power of scent as a pathway to healing and nurturing ourselves. I share personal discoveries about how simp...
Nature offers wisdom on how to live with balance if we open ourselves to its lessons. This episode explores seasonal transitions, moon cycles, and our relationship with Mother Earth as pathways to personal growth and connection. • Finding metaphors for balanced living in nature, like robins who are friendly yet maintain boundaries • Embracing the gifts of each season whether entering summer's abundance or winter's restorative slowness • Using the new moon in Gemini as an opportunity to see f...
What would Jesus ask us today if he returned to a world divided by hatred, judgment, and religious dogma? Regina B. Cates, author of "The Real Conversation Jesus Wants Us to Have: A Call to Bravery, Peace, and Love," joins the Gentle Yoga Warrior to explore this profound question through her personal journey from religious persecution to spiritual awakening. Regina shares her experience growing up gay in a fundamentalist Christian environment in the American South during the 1960s—a backgrou...