Pemaculture Podcast

In this conversation, Whitney talks a lot about Waldorf Education, Rudolf Steiner, the stages of childhood, about his rich life experiences, and gives some incredible book recommendations. Make sure to head on over to the show notes page at pemaculture.com/podcast to check out all of his very thoughtful and helpful recommendations and to find out where and how to connect with Whitney. I hope you find this chat as hopeful and enlightening as I did. Thanks for listening!

Mindshare segments are 10-30 minute downloads on one topic where I have invited experts in their field to share their wisdom and experience with us. They will come sporadically as I meet more fascinating people with exceptional things to share. Season 1 of The Pemaculture Podcast is over and Season 2 should start up again sometime in the spring but I have this juicy little nugget to publish so HERE YOU GO.  Happy New Moon in Libra. Today's new moon is about bringing balance back to your life. Two great ways of doing that are grounding and finding you center. And what a better way to do this than to listen to Trinity Devi talk about sound and hearing her play her divine gong? In these 13 minutes, Tati talks about many aspects of sound. Since the whole universe is sound and vibration, you will love this fascinating download. And her soft, soothing voice will make you ready for a nap, so beware if you are driving and listening! Make sure to visit www.pemaculture.com/podcast to find out more about Trinity and past guests. Thanks for listening!

I am really thrilled to bring you today’s guest. I met Daniel Vitalis almost a decade ago here in Miami. John and I were fortunate enough to have him in our place for a day, sharing his experiences with us and then go foraging with him at a fruit and spice park. See, Daniel had recently transitioned out of veganism and so had we and we felt like we were fumbling around in the dark and he really gave us a lot of insight into his journey which we were able to draw from for ours. Since then Daniel has been really busy… he’s been speaking and doing workshops all over the states and the world and he opened up his company called Surthrival which has a roster of wild and meta foods that are really unique and special and actually do what they claim to do… imagine that! Now he has an excellent podcast called Rewild yourself and he’s a huge proponent and kind of the most prominent face in the rewilding movement which aims to bridge the gap between nature and technology and create a new path for a thriving evolutionary development. His podcast is full of incredible information including interviews and personal experiences with topics such as transcending domestication, sexual empowerment, foraging, even an ecological mortician and a lyme disease expert which goes to shows the breadth of his interests, his deep desire to spread really valuable information, and what a true renaissance man Daniel is. He is the coolest, we absolutely love him and know you will too if you don’t already do!  Head on over to www.pemaculture.com/podcast to learn more about Daniel and browse through my website for past guests and more! Thanks for listening!

I first met Eugene at a beach cleanup on South Beach and he was talking some serious spiritual talk and I thought “now this is an interesting cat.” And then I got to know him and I tell you- he is QUITE an interesting cat. He is a Naam Yoga teacher, a yoga instructor, a life coach, a beautiful singer, an amazing father, and many other surprises he has in his bag of tricks once you get to know him. If you are in the Miami area I highly recommend you seek out one of his new or full moon meditations or workshops because you will go home better than you got there- the man knows how to move energy. He’s so much fun, you’ll love Eugene! Make sure you visit www.pemaculture.com/podcast after the podcast to find out more about today’s guest and check out their personal recommendations. Enjoy the conversation and thank you for listening! <3

Today on the podcast is my partner, John Schott. John and I met about 9 years ago when I was covered in hives. After seeing two of the leading allergists in the city who told me I wasn't allergic to anything, my community recommended I go see John, the "health and wellness wizard". Not only did my hives go away in a day, but I had connected with a very strong, loving, and authentic person who soon became my partner. John is always ten steps ahead of what's relevant to what we need to be healthy and happy and focuses on nature-based solutions in these realms. He is also a very intuitive iridologist. And- hooray for me!- he is a great healthy food chef.  Make sure you visit www.pemaculture.com/podcast after the podcast to find out more about today’s guest and check out their personal recommendations. Thanks so much for listening and enjoy the conversation!

Happy Full Thunder Moon in Capricorn!   Who remembers Browns and Co. on Lincoln Road? They had a yoga studio upstairs called The Yoga Room and that's where I met today's podcast guest, Ash Ruiz. He was performing with his band Here II Here and their beautiful lyrics and touching performance made me a fan for life! Ash is a spiritual teacher, life coach, shunyata therapist, author, vocal coach, singer/songwriter, actor, and amazing human being on this big ball we call Earth. You will love Ash's insights and you'll feel his beautiful heart when you hear him speak.   For those of you who don't speak Spanish, there's some words in this podcast that we throw around because we're both from Miami and its culture and uniqueness is deeply embedded in our beings. We don't mean to exclude anyone from the conversation, we were just having so much fun! Miami people: he was a former member of the boy band Menudo. Squeeee!!! :D   Make sure to visit www.pemaculture.com/podcast after the episode to see more of Ash's videos and to see where to get in contact with Ash should you fall in love with him (like everyone does) and want to contact him for coaching or just to say hello!   EnJOY and thanks so much for listening!   <3

Shannon Ledford is excited about life and she wants to share it with the world! Which is why she has her awesome podcast "Honor the Feminine"- to share it with everyone and to honor the feminine through all walks of life. Talking to Shannon is so fun because her passion and excitement for what she's doing and her joy for life are so wonderfully contagious! I found Shannon while doing some priestess work together with Lisa Lister and we loved each other immediately.  Please make sure you check out all of her work on her website at www.honorthefeminine.com and see what she's up to and connect with her! She is a goddess evolving and is deep in play and invites you to do the same. Make sure you visit www.pemaculture.com/podcast after the podcast to find out more about Shannon on the show notes page and where you can connect with her!   Enjoy the conversation and thank you for listening! <3

So young and vibrant, Sabrina Famellos is a FORCE. She started her company, Anzula Luxury Fibers with $4 and has grown into having one of the best and most revered yarns in the world. She has created jobs in her town where jobs are scarce, she works every day doing something she loves, she does it with so much perseverance and grace, and she does this all with a high level of sustainability around her business practices. Sabrina is a great example of creating a business around doing what you love! So, I am so happy to introduce you all to her and her company, although if you're in the knitting world you are surely familiar with Anzula fibers. Her luxury yarn is delicious to work with. We talk about knitting, entrepreneurship, self-care, self-love, and how she came up with that awesome name for her company. Enjoy the episode and thanks so much for listening! Note: Sorry for the echo in this episode. I could only record Sabrina in one spot on the day we chatted and there was no sound buffers in there. Just turn up the volume a bit and you'll be able to enjoy the episode in all it's glory :)  

Today on the New Moon in Gemini, I am talking to Holly Grigg-Spall, writer, birth control truther, and author of the book “Sweetening the Pill or How We Got Hooked on Hormonal Birth Control.” We talk about the harmful effects of hormonal birth control, taboos, pheromones, the patriarchy, and feminism. The information that Holly has gathered throughout her personal and professional life is remarkable; she has so much to teach about birth control and countless other women's issues. Holly's book "Sweetening the Pill" got the attention of Abby Epstein and Ricki Lake and she is currently in collaboration with them to release a new documentary about hormonal birth control which will hopefully be out by the end of the year. Can't wait for that! I'm so excited for you all to listen to this and to pick up her book. It is so brilliantly written and informative. Even if you are a proponent of hormonal birth control, the book will enlighten and offer a lot of food for thought way beyond anecdotal evidence. Remember to go to www.pemaculture.com and visit the show notes page to find out more about Holly and see her book and other recommendations. Enjoy the episode and thanks so much for listening!

Today on the Full Moon in Scorpio I am sharing with you you an awesome conversation with Abby Clark. We talk about movement, about being women, and about a new meditative hobby she's diving into. Abby has spent over a decade in the fitness industry who discovered her deeper purpose for fitness through natural movement. She is now a MovNat Team Instructor who teaches certifications and workshops in the U.S. Abby lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband, son and fur baby, Kona.  If you are into movement, I highly recommend following her on Instagram because her feed really invited you into her life in a special way... it's very uplifting and inspiring and full of great movement tips, workouts, and sweet reminders of how to feed your sacred feminine.

Today I'm chatting with Marisa Bello. We're talking about caring for our bodies and getting them away from chemically loaded products. Marisa also presents some awesome natural remedies to common ailments that are really effective and easy to get your hands on. Marisa is the founder of a delicious product line (literally delicious b/c it is so clean it is actually edible) called Bello Body Skincare which you can find online at www.bellobodyskincare.com. Please check that out, thanks for checking us out, and enjoy the conversation!

My guest today is Jodi Handrahan. Jodi is a life coach and a Naam yoga therapist who I met seven years ago here in Miami. I immediately was so drawn to her buoyancy and to her ability to connect. Her life changing Naam yoga classes are like no other and her coaching is so heart-filled and inspirational. In this conversation today we talk about choosing love and she tells us a very interesting story about the mind from an experience she had at a brain training course in Victoria, British Columbia. I hope you enjoy this conversation and thank you for listening. 

I loved recording this interview because it was done in the warmth and coziness of a Waldorf 1st grade classroom. Desiree is really passionate about what she does- it really comes through when she talks about children and this kind of education. And her children ADORE her and I believe that is what makes a great and effective educator. Talking to her made me excited for the future of the children at Waldorf schools, because they are in the company of and under the guidance of Waldorf educators like Desiree and the excellent staff at the Waldorf schools I've visited around the country. They are authentic, intelligent, and loving people. In our conversation, she talks about how she came to teach Waldorf education, her journey with it so far, and about the history and benefits of this kind of education. Make sure to visit the show notes page at www.pemaculture.com/category/podcast for bio and recommendations and more information on Desiree. Thanks for listening!

My guest today is the brilliant Mitzi Uehara Carter. Mitzi has a BA from Duke University in Cultural Anthropology and an MA and PhD in Anthropology from University of California at Berkeley. She has published on mixed race in Okinawa and the United States, militarization, ethnographic methodology, and Blackness in Japan. She currently teaches Anthropology and East Asian Studies at FIU in Miami. She occasionally blogs about mixed race Okinawans on gritsandsushi.com. Mitzi offers consulting services for non-profit organizations, community organizations, research institutes, or freelance projects as a cultural insights strategist. Finally, she also writes memoirs, life stories, or family biographies with a trained anthropological lens and research methodology with her soon-to-be-publicly-launched company called Cultural Storyscapes. Enjoy the conversation and thank you for listening! <3

I am very happy to bring you today’s guest, Audrey Bloom. Audrey is a major powerhouse in our community here in Miami, from her highly effective, therapeutic counseling work to her work as Reverend at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Miami and her pivotal influence on the women in this community through her seasonal women’s circles. She is a kind and loving soul who oozes authenticity and has a very subtle and soft yet pulsating power about her. In today’s conversation we talk about the importance of sitting in circles. I will tell you from my personal experience from sitting in her circles and in other women’s circles that it can deeply impact your life in many ways and benefit you greatly, I highly recommend it and Audrey will explain why. Thank you for listening!

My guest today is Laura Lee Johnson. She is a graphic designer turned very successful plus-size model and serves as a reminder to all of us to follow our dreams, no matter the fear or risk involved! This magnificent woman bravely stepped into the shoes of being her own role-model and is now being that for many of her followers and fans. She is hilarious, vivacious, electric, and so inspirational. I'm certain you will love listening to her boisterous voice talk about her passions and dreams and how she turned one opportunity into a whole new career. After the show, go check out the show notes at www.pemaculture.com/category/podcast and please check out Laura's work at www.lauraleej.com   Thanks for your listenership!

My guest today is Dr. Jennifer Nardozzi, who I came to discover through a dear friend and wonderful therapist in the Miami community. I really wanted to chat with her because her work focuses on conscious eating and body image issues which are prevalent here in Miami and in the lives of many women all over the world. I was also lucky enough to have some time with a friendly and generous client of hers who gave us a testimonial of Dr. Jen's work at the end of the podcast. Make sure you visit www.pemaculture.com/category/podcast after the podcast to find out more about Dr. Jen and where you can follow her work or contact her regarding her workshops or her practice. Thanks so much for listening!

My guest today is Jessica Peill-Meininghaus, also lovingly known as "The Gnome Woman" for the beautifully detailed felted gnomes she's known for making. She is a fantastic artist, mother, and author of the book "The Gnome Project- One Woman's Wild and Woolly Adventure" which is available at local and online bookstores. Her book is how I came to know her- I not only read it twice but I had to write her and tell her how much I appreciated her. After that first conversation, I realized I had met a very creative and kind soul and am excited to share her and her with with all of you! Make sure you visit www.pemaculture.com/category/podcast after the podcast to find out more about Jessica and where you can follow her and purchase her book or her original and beautifully handmade felt work. Thanks so much for listening!

I met Gina as she fluttered about the city of Miami Beach spreading her magic while hanging out with some yogi friends. I finally got to spend some real time with her when she invited me to a woman's circle she led in her space one night. Shortly after, I got some body work with her and after these encounters with her I knew I had met somebody very special. Gina is so intensely creative, powerful, real, kind, honest, and loving. She stands for so much a lot of which is for the expansion of women's lives and for the caring and healing of Mother Earth. If you ever get to meet Gina one day, consider yourself blessed and lucky! Enjoy the conversation and thank you for listening! <3

From the moment I met Luisa Mesa, I knew she was a special woman in the world. She embodies the word "cool" and is a fascinating person to strike up a conversation with as you'll hear in our conversation. Later in life, when we met again and I saw her art I was blown away by the depth and beauty of it. I'd love for every one of you to experience her art at some point. It is truly meditative and stunning and leaves you with a feeling of calm and inspiration long after you have experienced it. Enjoy and thank you for listening <3