“That is how stories work. They touch us to believe that if we stay within what truly matters to us and to the people we care about, then step- by- step we are moving towards who we are actually meant to be.” ~ Dr. Jean Sinoda Bolen she/her

Embodied awareness interconnected with the wisdom of the Earth can provide hope, inspiration, and creative solutions for the next chapter within our greater story of the Earth.

In the final episode of the Root Awareness podcast series, I share the most powerful dream of my life and finally re-membering who I am while coming back home to body, Earth, Spirit, and Soul.

I’ve learned that when one chooses to go inward and travel the path of healing and awakening, the imagination can become alive again, and individual and collective life force can then root into the body as one spreads their creative branches out into a world in desperate need of new possibilities.

I also have the honor of unpacking my life-altering dream with master Jungian Analyst and activist Dr. Jean Shioda Bolen. Jean is the author of 13 books in over 100 translations including Goddesses in Every Woman, Like a Tree, and Close to the Bone. Her books are used as college and university texts in gender studies, women’s psychology, mythology, spirituality, east-west philosophy, and psychology courses.

In this interview, Jean and I explore together the importance of remaining in “awe” of our dreams, our stories, and Earth in order to keep close to the heart what truly matters during these challenging times.

As we move deeper into conversation, Jean shares a personal story of her own ecological awakening to the interconnectedness of all of life and her perspective on the importance of staying connected and in relationship with ancestors and spirits that have passed to the other side.

Jean’s wisdom is the ancient language of the Grandmother Tree, spreading both soulful and spiritual knowledge to present and future generations, not to be forgotten.

Each episode ends with a Root Awareness meditation.

Connect with Dr. Jean Shioda Bolen:

https://www.jeanbolen.com/

https://www.instagram.com/jeanshinodabolen/

Connect with me:

www.rootawareness.com

https://www.instagram.com/root_awareness/

https://www.ahrigolden.com/

“Whatever it is that you are here to do, do that. There is no more time to pretend. We are in threshold times. Now is your time.” ~ Avery Kalapa

Through my own healing journey and peeling back the layers of inner and outer conditioning, I now am asking the deeper and uncomfortable questions of who I am beyond any duality. In Chapter 11, Embodiment Beyond the Binary, I share my own gender story and how my understanding of gender intersects with my ecological self.

You will also hear me in conversation with Avery Kalapa (they,them). Avery is a white, queer, non-binary, trans teacher committed to justice. They teach yoga in the rigorous, adaptive, somatically precise method of the Iyengar lineage through an anti-oppression framework that uplifts inner healing towards collective liberation.

Avery believes everyone, especially folks who have been left out of or turned off by mainstream yoga spaces, should have access to the revitalizing nourishment of deeply informed, classical yoga without having to code switch or assimilate. Their offerings center queer and trans folks, outsiders, allies, change makers, and people who care.

Avery has personally inspired me to stay curious and open about my own gender identity as well as embodying the freedom and aliveness that can accompany authenticity beyond shame or walls. In this conversation, we discuss how alignment with our own unique life force and inner truth often happens organically outside in nature, but can also occur with inner discipline and community support on our yoga mats.

Each episode ends with a Root Awareness meditation.

Links:

Avery Kalapa, they/them

https://yogawithavery.com/

https://www.instagram.com/yoga_with_avery/

Follow me:

www.rootawareness.com

https://www.instagram.com/root_awareness/

https://www.ahrigolden.com/

This podcast was co-created with award winning media midwife Ahri Golden. www.ahrigolden.com

“Despite all the challenges and the climate grief you may be experiencing, stay true to who you are and remember where you come from, and keep moving forward as best as you can.” ~ Colleen Cooley

Individual and ecological grief are two separate streams flowing into the same interconnected waters.

In Chapter 10, The River Runs Through Us, I share a time of deep connection with the beautiful landscape of the Green River in the Southwest, as well as the first time as an adult I allowed my tears to flow in the presence of another human without any substance or medicine.

The episode then gently moves into my conversation with Colleen Cooley.
Colleen grew up wandering the washes, mesas, and sandstones in Shą́ą́ʼtóhí, a small community located on the Navajo Nation in northeast Arizona. She is from the communities of Shonto and Blue Gap, Arizona and this is how she identifies herself as a Diné (Navajo) woman.

Colleen is passionate about the protection and conservation of the diverse landscapes, cultures, and waters that she is surrounded by because it is part of who she is and where she comes from. It is instilled in the stories, teachings, and clans that have been passed down to her.

In addition, she is an advocate and raft guide on the San Juan River and Green River, a facilitator, Indigenous Consultant, an educator, and trail runner. The short film “Water Flows Together” is a film highlighting Colleen’s life story as a River Guide and Diné woman while raising awareness to the challenges that many in her culture face as far as not having easy access to drinkable water.

Colleen offers necessary perspective and ancient wisdom on the sacredness of water, and her own journey home back to sense of belonging and herself when connecting with wild rivers. She also shares her hope for Earth through telling stories of guiding young people on the River, and calls us all to action to connect and protect the Earth’s waters.

Links:

Colleen Cooley

https://colleencooley.com/

https://www.instagram.com/ccoolio2/

https://colleencooley.com/media/films/

Follow me:

www.rootawareness.com

https://www.instagram.com/root_awareness/

This podcast was co-created with award winning media midwife Ahri Golden. www.ahrigolden.com