A whole generation knows Rachael Coopes as the vivacious, engaging Play School host. Their parents may remember her as an actor in shows like McLeod’s Daughters, All Saints, and her work as a celebrated playwright. But for the spiritually inclined, Rachael is best known as a yogi and an author, writing books that distill complex spiritual teachings into relatable, modern wisdom - including Find Your Strength and The Art of Forgiveness. Rachael credits her years of spiritual practice with preparing her for the role of her life: raising her young son as a single mother. It wasn’t the life she once imagined for herself - but it’s a path she has grown to embrace with grace and surrender.

In this episode of My Spiritual Side Rachael shares:

* Why drinking coffee, and small daily rituals, can be a spiritual practice

* The power of yoga to shift our state and what inspired her to become a yogi

* Why we can all meditate, even if we think we can’t.

* The formative week she spent with her grandfather as a teenager which opened her world

* The psychiatrist who prescribed spiritual books instead of medication - and changed the course of her life

* How she made peace with becoming a single parent, and the spiritual tools that helped her embrace

* How an injury reframed a dream trip to Paris with her son, and revealed a deeper lesson

* The art, and science-backed benefits, of forgiveness

* Why learning to forgive herself has been the most profound practice of all

Key Mantras: “Let go and let God” - Pade Pade: step-by-step - Swaha: I offer it up to something sacred - What would love do?

Rachael’s books: The Art of Forgiveness, Find Your Strength, Paris for Beginners

Books Rachael mentions: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, Buddhism Without Beliefs by Stephen Batchelor, When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron

More Information about Rachael: Head to her website or Instagram.

You can get involved with My Spiritual Side online

Follow the podcast on: Instagram, Facebook. Find out more about The Spiritual Book Club here.

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Acclaimed Australian actress Susie Porter contemplated giving up acting when she reconnected with her spiritual side and decided to trust the universe.

After realising that seeking external validation was a trap that was keeping her stuck, Susie began turning inward, practicing surrender and allowing her life - and career - to unfold.

With a celebrated career spanning more than 30 years across theatre, film and television, her credits include Two Hands (1999), Better Than Sex (2000), Puberty Blues (2012-2014), Wentworth (2103-2021), The Artful Dodger (2023,2025), Apple Cider Vinegar (2025), The Travellers (2025).

Today, Susie’s motivation for success comes from a much deeper, more authentic place.

In this episode she shares:

* The spiritual practice that starts her day

* How giving up alcohol made her a better actor

* How The Artist’s Way inspired her creativity

* Learning to overcome her desire for external validation

* The career ‘desert’ that became a time for healing and growth

* How she has learnt to surrender and ‘trust the universe’

* Her tips for cultivating presence

Books / resources Susie mentions:

Abraham Hicks daily emails

Gabby Bernstein

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

The Hero’s Journey: Joseph Campbell

Key Quotes

“When you rely on external validation, they shift and move all the time, so you're stuck. It’s a trap. That’s been a very long lesson that I've learned”.

“I remember having these prayers to the universe saying, if I'm not meant to be an actor, show me. Maybe there's something better for me. Maybe there’s something better for my higher self that I’ll actually be happy [with] and I'm pushing against it”.

“I just always say universe, show me the truth of who I am”.

“If things aren’t working and you’re pushing, pushing, sometimes it’s best to have a little surrender prayer to the universe, like ‘Help me’.”

More Information

Follow Susie on Instagram

You can get involved with the podcast online

Follow the podcast on:

Instagram, Facebook

Find out more about The Spiritual Book Club here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tara Rae Moss has been to some dark places. A chronic eight year physical illness brought her to the brink of despair and led to what she describes as ‘overwhelming suffering’ from which she could see no way out. What she didn’t realise at the time was that this was her wakeup call - a catalyst to find the light, evolve and ultimately become a healer herself.

After a self described profound metamorphosis, the author of 15 bestselling books, former model and fearless activist is now embracing a whole new chapter of her life.

Tara Rae Moss is now a healer, and a seidkona (a modern-day Norse witch — yes, really), and a Rune reader, sharing the practices and modalities that have transformed her own life.

In this episode of My Spiritual Side she shares:

* How deep suffering and chronic physical pain became her greatest teachers

* What inspired her to become a spiritual healer

* Why reading the Runes - and crafting her own from tree branches - felt like an ancestral calling

* The potential we all have to transform our lives

* Single motherhood as a conduit for personal growth

* Returning to her birth name as a step in reclaiming her authentic self

* Her belief in the afterlife and how the spirit of her late mother continues to guide her

Key Quotes

“I think all of us have the capacity to change. I don't think we necessarily give ourselves credit for how much there is inside of us, how much we can change, how much the world can change and how much we can adapt”.

“It does seem to be part of the human condition that we will sometimes be confronted with massive amounts of grief or pain.. You can either descend to the underworld and never come back, or you can look for the light, look for the gift. And that's a choice as you keep making”.

“My belief is very much that there's more that is after this life. I don't claim to know precisely what it is, but our loved ones never really leave us. And I know that now”.

Books / resources Tara Rae mentions:

The Fictional Woman by Tara Moss

Wild Soul Runes: Reawakening the Ancestral Feminine by Lara Vesta

More Information

Websites: https://www.tararaemoss.com/

https://thespiritofhealing.ca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taramossauthor/?hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/thespiritofhealing/?hl=en

You can get involved with My Spiritual Side online

Follow the podcast on:

Instagram, Facebook

Find out more about The Spiritual Book Club here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing My Spiritual Side, a podcast where journalist and author Jacinta Tynan speaks with inspiring people about their spiritual awakenings, insights and the practices that have transformed their lives.

From breakdowns to breakthroughs and the moments that changed everything, as well as the simple steps you can take to elevate your own life.

If you’re seeking more awareness, purpose or connection, these enlightening conversations might just change your life.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.