Awaken your power.

The Integration of Sexuality, Soma, Soul, and Service

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 12:00:00 -0500

Awaken Your Power — The Integration of Sexuality, Soma, Soul, and Service

(with Dr. Elizabeth Willis)

In this episode of Awaken Your Power, host Keri Mangis is joined by Dr. Elizabeth Willis, visionary educator, author, and Director of the Institute of New Paradigm Intimacy, for a rich and expansive conversation about embodiment, power, and what it truly means to return to wholeness.

Elizabeth introduces a deeply integrative framework—Sexuality, Soma, Soul, and Service—and invites us to reconsider where power actually lives. Not as dominance or control, but as presence, sensation, and the capacity to feel.

At the heart of the conversation is Eros, which Elizabeth reframes not as sex alone, but as life force itself: the vitality that awakens the cells, animates the body, and reconnects us to our aliveness. Sexuality, she explains, is one doorway to Eros—but not the only one. When approached somatically and consciously, it becomes a portal for healing, creativity, and spiritual intelligence.

Keri and Elizabeth explore how modern culture has fractured our experience—separating body from soul, spirituality from sexuality, and service from self—often beginning in childhood. Drawing on her 25+ years in Montessori education, Elizabeth describes how children arrive deeply connected to soul and sensation, only to slowly crystallize into identities built for performance and compliance. What we often call a “midlife crisis,” she suggests, is more accurately an initiatory return to the soul—one our culture rarely names or supports.

The conversation moves fluidly between personal healing and collective transformation, addressing shame, trauma, religious conditioning, and porn-based scripts that shape our relationship to sexuality. Elizabeth speaks candidly about how sexuality has been used as a tool for power-over—and how slowing down, attuning to the nervous system, and listening to sensation opens the door to entirely new choices.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

Eros as life force, not performance or pathology
The soma as the sensate body—and sensation as a language beneath thought and emotion
Why sacred sexuality is more about nervous system attunement than sexual technique
Sexuality as a healing portal and a catalyst for psychological and spiritual growth
The difference between self-pleasure and masturbation, and why new pleasure pathways matter
How embodied boundaries arise from sensation rather than mental rules
Questioning libido myths—especially around menopause
Teaching and caregiving as spiritual service rather than burnout
How individual healing ripples outward into families, institutions, and culture

Elizabeth also shares how her work in sacred sexuality unexpectedly converged with her life as an educator, leading to her forthcoming book, The Initiated Teacher: Reawakening the Soul of the Montessori Educator in the New Paradigm. The book offers a next-level vision of teacher wellness—one that frames teaching as a path of initiation, transformation, and service, rather than endurance.

The episode closes with a clear throughline: what we exile into the shadows—especially sexuality—will continue to distort power until it is met with awareness, education, and compassion. Integration is not optional; it is the work of our time.

About Dr. Elizabeth Willis

Dr. Elizabeth Willis is a visionary educator, author and director of the Institute of New Paradigm Intimacy, a global school devoted to embodied leadership, sacred sexuality, and the reclamation of Aeros as life force with over 25 years in Montessori education and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction.

Elizabeth Bridges the worlds of spirituality, somatics, and education to help people return to wholeness through the body.

Through her work. Elizabeth invites others to remember that power is not dominance, but presence.

Her forthcoming book, The Initiated Teacher: Reawakening the Soul of the Montessori Educator in the New Paradigm, explores the integration of Sexuality, Soma, Soul, and Service as a pathway to wholeness—for educators and for anyone called to meaningful service.

Connect with Elizabeth

newparadigmintimacy.com
https://www.instagram.com/newparadigmintimacy
Signature offering: 9-month Somatic Sex Coaching Certification (now enrolling; next cohort begins in January)

Presence, Power, and Belonging to Ourselves

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 12:00:00 -0500

Awaken Your Power — Presence, Power, and Belonging to Ourselves (with Mellara Gold)

In this episode of Awaken Your Power, host Keri Mangis sits down with Mellara Gold, a longtime meditation and mindful yoga teacher whose work centers on awareness, self-compassion, and embodied presence in a complex and often overwhelming world.

Their conversation opens with a question many spiritual practitioners quietly wrestle with: how do we remain rooted in love and light without turning away from real suffering, injustice, and cultural upheaval? Keri and Mellara explore the delicate balance between spiritual practice and honest engagement with the world—without bypassing, numbing, or pretending.

Mellara shares her personal origin story: a debilitating spinal injury at seventeen that led her, reluctantly, into yoga. What began as physical rehabilitation became a profound awakening. Through breath and movement, she discovered not just relief from pain, but a way of being with herself—perhaps for the first time. Awareness, she explains, is not something she chose; it was something life demanded.

From there, the conversation unfolds into a rich exploration of:

Awareness as a daily, embodied practice rather than a spiritual concept
Self-compassion as the gateway to dignity and sovereignty
The ways women are conditioned to abandon themselves in order to belong
Belonging to oneself as a prerequisite for healthy community
Rejection as redirection, not failure
The cultural addiction to external validation and how mindfulness interrupts it
Ritual as presence rather than performance
Solitude, hermiting, and silence as essential—not indulgent
The generational ripple effects of inner work and healing

Mellara speaks candidly about the necessity of solitude and learning to say no—not as withdrawal, but as responsibility to one’s own consciousness. She reframes ordinary tasks like washing dishes or folding laundry as devotional acts when done with presence, reminding us that transformation does not stay contained; it moves outward through families, relationships, and communities.

The episode closes with a simple but powerful reminder: presence is power. To offer yourself even a moment of undivided attention is to come home to your wholeness.

This episode is especially resonant for anyone navigating midlife, burnout, identity shifts, spiritual fatigue, or the quiet realization that pushing through no longer works.

About Mellara Gold
Mellara Gold has taught meditation and mindful yoga for over two decades. She is the author of A Life Worth Living: A Journey of Self-Discovery Through Mindfulness Yoga and Living in Awareness: Deepening Our Daily Lives Through Prayer, Ritual, and Meditation. A former actress trained at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, Mellara is also a regular contributor to OM Yoga & Lifestyle Magazine, Elephant Journal, and other spiritual publications.

You can find Mellara at mellara.com and on Instagram @mellaragold

Email here at info@mellara.com

Mental Illness? Or a Spiritual Emergency?

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 12:00:00 -0500

In this powerful and paradigm-shifting episode of Awaken Your Power, Keri speaks with Sean Blackwell, author of Bipolar Awakenings and creator of the Bipolar Awakenings project. Sean’s work courageously challenges the dominant psychiatric narrative, offering a radically different lens on bipolar disorder, psychosis, and what many might call “mental illness.”

Drawing from his own dramatic hospitalization in 1996, nearly 20 years of research, and extensive work with clients around the world, Sean explores the intersection of spiritual awakening, trauma, and non-ordinary states of consciousness. He argues that what is often labeled as pathology may in fact be a spiritual emergency—a potent, disorienting, but potentially transformative process arising from the body’s own intelligence.

Together, Keri and Sean dive into the risks of over-pathologizing, the cultural discomfort with breakdowns, the somatic nature of Kundalini energy, and how integrating these states requires nuance, courage, and a complete overhaul of how we hold human experience.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in mental health, trauma healing, spirituality, or challenging the status quo around what it means to “wake up.”

In This Episode We Explore:

Sean’s unexpected hospitalization following a powerful Kundalini awakening
Why he believes his episode was a breakthrough, not a breakdown
How the psychiatric system oversimplifies complex spiritual processes
Why the “chemical imbalance” narrative lacks scientific support
The difference between spiritual emergency and mental illness
How trauma, intergenerational wounds, and somatic blockages fuel bipolar symptoms
The role of Kundalini as a force for psychological reorganization
Dangers and benefits of meditation retreats and intense spiritual practices
Why our culture silences truth-telling during non-ordinary states
Sean’s innovative use of surrogate breathwork in healing sessions
The evolutionary potential in embracing—not suppressing—these experiences
Why the world doesn’t need “normal” people, but natural people
What real healing demands: courage, expression, and deep self-inquiry

Key Quotes

“What psychiatry calls mania or psychosis may actually be a spiritual emergency—a powerful awakening that’s too much to integrate all at once.”
“The chemical imbalance story simply isn’t supported by science.”
“Breakdowns are breakthroughs trying to happen.”
“Normalcy is what got us into this cultural mess. The world needs more natural people.”
“In non-ordinary states, people often speak truths their families have avoided for decades.”

About Sean Blackwell

Sean Blackwell is the author of Bipolar Awakenings: The Quest to Heal Bipolar Disorder and creator of the Bipolar Awakenings YouTube channel. For nearly two decades, he has studied the somatic, energetic, and spiritual dimensions of bipolar disorder and psychosis. Through private retreats and breathwork-based healing processes, Sean supports individuals navigating extreme states and spiritual crises. His work blends transpersonal psychology, trauma healing, and a deep respect for the body’s innate intelligence.

Learn more at: bipolarawakenings.com

Resources Mentioned

Sean’s books, training programs, and videos: bipolarawakenings.com
Sean’s YouTube channel: “Bipolar Awakenings”
Holotropic Breathwork (Stanislav Grof)
Keri’s website: kerimangis.com

Connect with Keri

For more conversations that challenge the status quo and awaken deeper self-authority, subscribe to Awaken Your Power on your favorite podcast platform.
Find more writing, courses, and resources at kerimangis.com.

Claiming Your Voice and Your Space

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 12:00:00 -0500

In this episode of Awaken Your Power, Keri is joined by Karen Laos—speaker, coach, confidence cultivator, and host of the Ignite Your Confidence podcast. Karen has spent 25 years as a trusted C-suite advisor and keynote speaker for companies like Google, Starbucks, and NASA, and is the author of Trust Your Own Voice.

Keri and Karen dive into what it really takes for women to speak up, negotiate clearly, and take up space—at work, in relationships, and on the stage. Karen shares candid stories from her upbringing in a frugal, traditional home and how mixed messages about “being seen” shaped her early relationship with her voice and self-worth.

They explore cultural myths around negotiation, scarcity, gender roles, and “imposter syndrome,” while offering practical tools to help women ask for what they want without apology and step into a deeper, more grounded confidence.

In This Episode, We Explore:

Karen’s origin story: flea markets with her dad, learning to “never pay full price,” and the early messages she absorbed about speaking up
The painful gap between being valued for what you produce vs. being loved simply for who you are
How cultural myths (like “a good negotiation means everyone’s a little unhappy”) keep us in scarcity and zero-sum thinking
Why women tend to over-qualify themselves before applying or asking—and what we can learn from how men apply “underqualified”
The power of clear, direct asks vs. passive, softened language
- “If you’re interested…” vs. “Would you like to…”
How to negotiate in a way that creates win–win outcomes, not winners and losers
The subtle ways women still police other women who take up more space, speak boldly, or break traditional norms
Gender conditioning and invisible early messages (like “girl sandwiches” vs. “boy sandwiches”)
Why discomfort is necessary for growth—and how to get curious instead of judgmental when we feel triggered by another woman’s boldness
Imposter syndrome as a sign of growth, not proof you don’t belong
Why we need both warmth and assertiveness, and how women are held to a different standard than men
The idea of a “celebration portfolio” to collect evidence of your strengths and accomplishments
Karen’s mission to reach 10 million women and help them turn self-doubt into self-confidence

Key Concepts & Practices

1. Celebration Portfolio
Create two lists:

Your accomplishments (things you’ve done, created, achieved)
Your character strengths (who you are—your attitude, presence, and values)

Return to this when doubt creeps in to remind yourself you do belong where you are.

2. 5 & 5 Exercise
Ask five people you trust to share five positive qualities they see in you. Look for themes and strengths you may take for granted because they feel “just like you.”

3. Clear, Direct Asking
Replace:

“If you’re interested…”
“If you’d like to…”

With:

“Would you like to…”
“Are you available to…”
“Here’s a time that works for me—does it work for you?”

4. Borrowing Your Future Self
When you’re scared to ask or step forward, ask:

“What would the woman I’m becoming do here?”

Then make the decision she would make.

About Karen Laos

Karen Laos is a speaker, confidence cultivator, and communication expert who helps women speak up, negotiate clearly, and own their power in every conversation—from the boardroom to the kitchen table. With 25 years as a trusted advisor and keynote speaker for companies like Google, Starbucks, and NASA, she has coached countless leaders to become more influential and effective.

Karen is the author of Trust Your Own Voice, host of the Ignite Your Confidence Podcast, and is on a mission to help 10 million women transform self-doubt into self-confidence.

Connect with Karen

Karen Laos

Keynote Speaker

Communication Expert & Confidence Cultivator

Website: https://www.karenlaos.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenlaosofficial

Facebook: Ignite Your Confidence with Karen Laos: https://www.facebook.com/groups/karenlaosconsulting

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenlaos/

Episodes also available on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEwQoTGdJX5eME0ccBKiKng/videos

My book “Trust Your Own Voice”:

https://karenlaos.com/book/

Connect with Keri

For more conversations that challenge the status quo and invite deeper personal power, subscribe to Awaken Your Power on your favorite podcast platform.

Find more of Keri’s writing, talks, and offerings at kerimangis.com.

The Feminine Path to Power, Healing, and Community

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 12:00:00 -0500

In this episode of Awaken Your Power, Keri talks with Maureen Spielman—spiritual psychology coach and host of the Mystical Sisterhood podcast—about what it really means to live from unity consciousness in a world that feels more divided than ever.

They explore how our inner work ripples out into the collective, why women and the reclaimed feminine are so central to this time on the planet, and how creativity, community, and liminal “in-between” spaces become initiations into a more awake life.

Maureen also shares candidly about her own cancer journey as a turning point that stripped away old personas and unprocessed resentment, inviting a deeper level of honesty, self-compassion, and spiritual growth. Together, she and Keri challenge the shiny, “love and light” version of awakening and talk about the real cost—and real gifts—of saying yes to a path of consciousness.

In This Episode, We Explore:

What unity consciousness actually is and how it contrasts with dualistic “right/wrong, winner/loser” thinking
Why we can see both deep cultural division and an unprecedented rising of light and collaboration at the same time
How our inner work on shame, guilt, anger, and self-judgment creates harmony in our relationships and the wider collective
The idea of the microcosm and macrocosm: how each of us is a small version of what’s happening in the whole
Why women and the reclaimed feminine are so central right now—sisterhood, mentoring, eldership, and cyclical wisdom
Moving from competition and scarcity to collaboration and “there’s room for all of us”
Creativity as a feminine, mystical force—how everything from cooking to conversation can become alchemy
Liminal spaces: the uncomfortable “in-between” times when one life is over and the next hasn’t formed yet
Learning to stay with discomfort (the “mosquito on the nose” in yin yoga, the bugs on the yoga mat) instead of constantly seeking comfort
The real cost of awakening: illness, loss, breakdown, and the crumbling of identities we thought we needed
Why Maureen wouldn’t go back to who she was before cancer and deep inner work
Sovereignty and power: how we’ve been conditioned to give our power away—and how to start calling it back
The difference between being “normal” and being truly natural, in your own voice and rhythm

Key Themes & Takeaways

Awakening isn’t tidy or glamorous. It’s more often about being stripped down, cracked open, and invited to unlearn who you thought you had to be.
Inner and outer are mirrors. As we heal our inner critic, judgment, or resentment, our relationships and communities shift, too.
The feminine is rising. Not as domination over the masculine, but as a rebalancing: community over hierarchy, cycles over straight lines, mentorship over lone-wolf heroics.
Creativity is everyday magic. True magic is changing how we see the world—and helping others see differently, too.
Your power is yours to reclaim. Notice where you hand your authority to experts, influencers, or systems, and gently call that power back to your own inner knowing.

About Maureen Spielman

Maureen Spielman is a spiritual psychology coach and the founder/host of the Mystical Sisterhood podcast. Her work centers on unity consciousness, sisterhood, and helping women cultivate a more harmonious relationship with self so they can show up more fully in all areas of life. Drawing on her background in conscious parenting and her own initiatory experiences with illness and loss, Maureen supports women in reclaiming their inner mystic, their creative power, and their place in community.

Connect with Maureen

https://www.maureenspielman.com/

https://www.threads.com/@maureenspielman

Connect with Keri

For more conversations that challenge the status quo and invite deep, soul-level transformation, subscribe to Awaken Your Power wherever you listen to podcasts.

Find more of Keri’s work at www.kerimangis.com

Yoga as Self-Inquiry

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 12:00:00 -0500

Episode Description

In this conversation, Keri sits down with yoga teacher and clinical social worker Karen DeBaun, owner of Yoga Moodra, to explore yoga as a practice for living—not just another form of exercise. They talk about midlife beginnings, healing from trauma, and how yoga can become a framework for pausing, reflecting, and living more consciously in chaotic times.

Karen shares why discomfort and anxiety are often the doorway to real change, how curiosity keeps us from hardening into certainty as we age, and why she sees herself as an “ambassador of love and peace” in a culture that rewards speed, productivity, and numbness. This is an invitation to step off autopilot and into a more deliberate, awake way of being.

In This Episode, We Explore:

Yoga in midlife and beyond
- How starting yoga in her 40s shaped Karen’s teaching
- Why so many of her students have stayed with her long-term
- What it’s like to come to yoga without being a “bendy 25-year-old”
Yoga as a practice for the mind, not just the body
- The line that hooked her: gaining flexibility in the mind
- How yoga supported her emotional and physical recovery after a serious motorcycle accident
- Why she believes yoga is “a practice for living,” not just fitness
Capitalism co-opting yoga
- Hot yoga, power yoga, and speed as the dominant narrative
- What we lose when yoga becomes just another workout
- Reclaiming yoga as “a sacred practice of remembering who you are”
Pause as quiet rebellion
- How yoga classes are built around intentional pause and integration
- Why rest, reflection, and stillness are almost nonexistent in our culture
- Why even one hour a week of true pause can begin to change a life
Habits, autopilot, and conscious living
- The difference between helpful routines and unconscious habits
- Why Karen and Carrie are more interested in undoing habits than just trading old ones for new
- How habits can become “brain shortcuts” that keep us from actually being present
From reactivity to response
- How yoga has helped Karen become less reactive and more deliberate
- The ripple effects of one person becoming calmer, clearer, and more rooted in their values
- How this inner work quietly shapes our culture and communities
Yoga, activism, and being an “ambassador of love and peace”
- Different roles people can play: activists, supporters, question-askers, rabble-rousers
- Karen’s personal mantra: “Ambassador of love and peace”
- Expanding the idea of activism beyond protests and picket signs to how we move through the world every day
Discomfort as a catalyst for transformation
- Why anxiety and discomfort are often what finally move us to change
- Karen’s own leap into yoga teacher training in her 40s (and imposter syndrome all along the way)
- How to reframe discomfort as information and invitation, not failure
Why it’s so hard to try new things
From Karen’s article “5 Reasons Why It’s Hard to Try New Things”:
- Our built-in negativity bias and brain’s obsession with safety
- Our love of the comfortable and predictable
- Social fears: not wanting to look awkward or out of place
- Misinformation and assumptions about what something (like yoga) will be
- A deep lack of faith in ourselves and our ability to handle the unknown
Curiosity and unlearning
- Curiosity as a spiritual practice and a way to soften certainty
- How assumptions flatten other people into two dimensions
- The courage it takes to unlearn beliefs and patterns that “got us this far”
- Beginner’s mind on and off the mat
Tiny glimmers of enlightenment
- Rethinking enlightenment as fleeting moments of connection, wonder, and alignment
- Why Karen doesn’t chase permanent bliss states but treasures brief openings
- How pausing long enough to notice “little moments of magic” may be the most accessible form of awakening for modern life
Creativity as spiritual practice
- Karen’s ongoing relationship with The Artist’s Way (Julia Cameron)
- How creativity is less about making “art” and more about how you live your life
- Carrie’s love for Big Magic (Elizabeth Gilbert) as a companion text
- Vulnerability, imperfection, and why our human “clumsiness” is often what connects us most
A gentle invitation to try yoga
- For those curious but hesitant: why you’re allowed to dabble
- The value of trying something simply to expand your experience, even if you decide it’s not for you
- How online gentle yoga can be a low-pressure, accessible starting point—no fancy clothes or commute required

About My Guest

Karen DeBaun is the owner of Yoga Moodra, where she teaches online gentle yoga to adults in midlife and beyond. With 18 years of experience as a yoga instructor and 30 years as a clinical social worker, Karen blends yoga, mental health, and holistic wellness to help students reduce stress, build strength, and cultivate a deeper connection between mind and body.

Her classes emphasize accessibility, compassion, and curiosity, making yoga feel like a practice for real life rather than performance. Karen is also a speaker on anxiety, stress, burnout, and finding calm in uncertain times, and is the author of an upcoming daily reflections book, See You on the Mat: Reflections for Presence and Peace.

Resources & Links Mentioned

Karen’s website & classes:
Yoga Moodra – gentle online yoga for midlife and beyond
https://www.yoga-moodra.com/contact.html
Free class for podcast listeners
Karen offers one free gentle yoga class for Awaken Your Power listeners.
(Check her site or contact page for the “First Yoga Class Free” link.)
Article:
5 Reasons Why It’s Hard to Try New Things – downloadable/free resource from Karen (via her website).
Books mentioned:
- Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way
- Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
Teacher referenced:
- Andrew Harvey – writer and teacher on sacred activism
- Caroline Myss – for the “skyscraper of awareness” metaphor
  
  Karen DeBaun is the owner of Yoga Moodra, teaching online gentle yoga to adults in mid-life and beyond. Karen helps adult yoga students reduce stress, build strength, and enhance their overall wellbeing by offering a compassionate space where students can explore and deepen their connection to mind and body. With 18 years of experience as a yoga instructor and 30 years as a clinical social worker, Karen blends yoga practice and holistic wellness to provide a supportive online yoga environment where all students feel welcome and successful. In addition to teaching yoga, Karen is a speaker and presents on topics such as anxiety, stress and burnout, and finding calm in times of uncertainty. Karen is also the author of a soon-to-be published daily reflections book titled: See You On The Mat: Reflections for Presence and Peace.

Menopause: Women's Third Rite of Passage

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 12:00:00 -0500

Episode Summary

In this episode of Awaken Your Power, Keri talks with Maree Lipschitz—speaker, facilitator, writer, and lifelong spiritual seeker—about the radical cultural power of female rites of passage. Drawing from decades of work with girls and women at puberty, motherhood, and menopause, Marie shares how ceremony and ritual can transform these transitions from private struggles into publicly honored initiations.

Together, Keri and Maree explore how reclaiming these rites of passage doesn’t just support individual women—it quietly undermines patriarchal, capitalist norms and invites an entirely different model of wisdom, leadership, and community.

In This Episode, We Explore:

How Marie went from industrial chemist studying oxytocin to a facilitator of deeply embodied female rites of passage.
Why menarche, motherhood, and menopause are spiritual rites—not just biological events.
What Maree learned when no one honored her own transition into motherhood, and how that sparked her work designing ceremonies for new mothers.
Examples of rites of passage from Indigenous and traditional cultures (from four-day dances to 40 days of post-birth seclusion) and what our modern world has lost by abandoning them.
Why post-menopausal women have historically been the wisdom-keepers—and how longer lifespans are creating an unprecedented wave of potential elder leadership.
How patriarchy harms both women and men, by over-valuing masculine forms of power and shutting down emotion, intuition, and vulnerability.
The quiet but radical difference between “helping women succeed in the current system” vs. using ritual to question and reshape the system itself.
The idea that all rites of passage are embodied and why public witnessing, truth-telling, and blessing are essential parts of any initiation.
Practical, everyday ways to reclaim ceremony:
- Marking first periods, first heartbreaks, significant birthdays, and other turning points.
- Simple rituals you can create at home for yourself or loved ones.
How denying rites of passage pushes teens (and adults) to self-initiate through risk-taking, numbing, or self-destructive choices.
What it means to move from “midlife crisis” to midlife transformation, with ritual as a container.
Maree's reframing of the Triple Goddess:
- Maiden → Menarche and emerging sexuality
- Mother → Nurturer (whether or not you have biological children)
- Menopause → The Alchemist, with Crone/Elder emerging more fully around 70+
The deep stigma and falsehoods we must unlearn about menopause, including the belief that women lose their value once fertility ends.
Why Maree encourages women to track their cycles (and perimenopausal symptoms) as an act of power and a practical tool when seeking support.
A simple, beautiful story of how she honored her last period with candles, a bath, and a love letter to her body.

Key Takeaways

If culture doesn’t provide initiation, we will seek it anyway—often through risky, unconscious, or harmful paths.
Ceremony doesn’t have to be elaborate. Simple + sincere + witnessed can be life-changing.
We are living in a rare moment in history where large numbers of post-menopausal women have the health, resources, and desire to lead.
Bringing sacredness to the mundane—a birthday, a breakup, a final period—can reshape how we see ourselves and each other.
Tracking your cycle and symptoms is not just “data”; it’s a way of claiming your authority over your own body and story.

About Maree Lipschitz

Maree Lipschitz is a speaker, facilitator, and writer specializing in female rites of passage. A former industrial chemist, she spent a decade working in corporate and tertiary education before becoming a mother in 1995—an experience that radically altered her path.

For the past 20+ years, Maree has facilitated:

Puberty workshops for pre-teen girls and their mothers
Rites-of-passage programs for teenage girls
Menopause and perimenopause workshops for women

Her work centers on menarche, motherhood, and menopause as profound spiritual initiations. Marie is currently writing her book, Menarche, Motherhood and Menopause: A Woman’s Journey Through Life, weaving memoir, archetypal psychology, and decades of facilitation experience.

Connect with Maree

Website & newsletter: https://www.mareelipschitz.com/
Sign up for updates on her upcoming book and offerings via her website.

https://www.facebook.com/maree.lipschitz/
https://www.instagram.com/mareelipschitz/

Awakening into Sovereignty

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 12:00:00 -0500

Awakening Into Sovereignty

with Aaron Scott

In this episode, Keri Mangis is joined by author and systems-thinker Aaron Scott for a far-reaching conversation about what it means to awaken inside a world built on inherited myths, conditioning, and collective illusions.

Drawing from his background in philosophy and nearly two decades on Wall Street, Aaron offers a rare lens into how our identities are shaped—and misshaped—by the structures we grow up within. Together, they explore the process of shedding those layers and reclaiming a deeper, more grounded truth.

This episode moves through:

The “synthetic construct” we mistake for reality
How childhood conditioning forms identity and disconnects us from our core
Disillusionment as a doorway, not a failure
The illusion of separation and why it fuels division
Conspiracy thinking as a ready-made story that replaces imagination
Interconnection as both comfort and responsibility
The myth of scarcity—not just of resources, but of time, meaning, and belonging
What it means to live from authenticity instead of external validation
Sovereignty as a daily practice of truth, agency, and conscious choice

Aaron also shares the personal breaking point that pushed him to question the life he had built—and the moment he chose inner truth over external expectations.

The conversation closes with a grounded, accessible definition of sovereignty:
A return to the truth within, a reclamation of selfhood, and a shift in how we move through the world.

If you’ve been sensing that the old stories no longer fit—or that something deeper is calling you back to yourself—this episode meets you right where you are.

https://www.theaaronscott.com

https://www.amazon.com/BEFORE-WE-FORGET-Collective-Awakening/dp/1969372230

Inner Alchemy for a Fractured World

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 12:00:00 -0500

Awaken Your Power — Episode: From Block to Powerful (with Cheryl Stelte)

Episode Overview

In this deeply insightful conversation, Cheryl Stelte

joins Keri to explore what it means to move from block to powerful. A spiritual coach, master healer, and author of From Block to Powerful: The Spiritual Guide to Unlocking Inner Clarity and Authentic Power, Cheryl helps women uncover how trauma, conditioning, and subconscious beliefs shape our lives—and how true transformation requires healing beneath the surface.

Together, Keri and Cheryl dive into the energetic connection between personal healing and collective evolution, why midlife “success but misalignment” is a spiritual initiation, and how shadow work helps us reclaim authentic power. This conversation is for anyone ready to stop fixing themselves and start listening to what their “blocks” are trying to reveal.

Guest

Cheryl Stelte — Spiritual coach, master healer, and author of From Block to Powerful: The Spiritual Guide to Unlocking Inner Clarity and Authentic Power. For over 30 years, she has guided women through trauma, reinvention, and spiritual awakening with a unique approach that views blocks as sacred signals rather than flaws.

🌐 Website: starofdivinelight.com
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steltecheryl/
💼 LinkedIn: Cheryl Stelte

Key Takeaways

Blocks are sacred signals. Every emotional or energetic “stuck point” is an invitation to deeper awareness, not a flaw to fix.
Healing ripples outward. Personal transformation (microcosm) influences collective evolution (macrocosm); when one person heals, the field shifts for everyone.
We are all connected. Separation is an illusion—each act of compassion, forgiveness, or courage uplifts the collective vibration.
Shadow work is essential. Real transformation means feeling repressed emotions, not bypassing them with mindset tricks or quick fixes.
Success without fulfillment = misalignment. When achievements stop bringing joy, it’s a call to realign with your soul’s deeper truth.
Discernment over judgment. Spiritual maturity means holding compassion for others’ paths while clearly choosing what aligns with your own.
You are far more powerful than you realize. Everything you need to awaken authentic power is already within your subconscious and your soul’s design.

Memorable Lines

“Blaming will never get you to who you truly are.”
“Our wounds are not problems to solve; they are portals to higher truth.”
“The extreme codependent will always attract the extreme narcissist—until healing occurs.”
“Separation is an illusion. When you judge another, you are judging yourself.”
“You can’t mindset your way out of trauma. You must feel your way through it.”

Episode Highlights

The origin of feeling “unwanted” and how early wounding shapes adult patterns
The cultural programming that keeps us small—and how spirituality reclaims power
Understanding the microcosm and macrocosm of healing: how personal work heals the world
The illusion of separation and why compassion is revolutionary
Shadow work explained: what it is, why it matters, and how it transforms at the energetic level
Moving beyond “mindset” into the subconscious and emotional body
The meaning of “midlife success but misalignment” and why it’s a sacred initiation
Why discernment—not judgment—is the foundation of authentic power
Practical steps for uncovering subconscious beliefs and repressed emotion

Mentioned in This Episode

From Block to Powerful — Cheryl’s latest book
The Prayer of St. Francis (referenced as a model of spiritual action)
Quotes from Thích Nhất Hạnh, Sufi mysticism, and Buddhist teachings on compassion and attachment
Discussion of trauma imprinting in the subconscious and nervous system

Connect with Cheryl

🌐 Website: starofdivinelight.com
🎧 Free Resources: Three Meditations for Subconscious Healing — learn how to access the subconscious and create safety in the root chakra
💫 Offerings:

Personal Chakra Readings
Business Chakra Readings (for women in leadership and healing professions)
9-Month Deep Healing Program

Connect with Keri

🌐 Website: kerimangis.com
📩 Subscribe: for new episodes, writing, and resources on transformation, rites of passage, and awakening authentic power.

Support the Show

If this episode resonated, please subscribe, rate, and share with a friend ready to awaken their power and do the deep inner work that heals the collective.

Awaken Your Gifts

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 12:00:00 -0500

In this conversation, writing coach and author Amy Hallberg joins Keri to explore how we awaken power by claiming our gifts—especially in times of upheaval. They trace Amy’s journey from “upholder” to norm-breaker, the humbling wisdom of being an exchange student in West Germany, and why language is only an approximation of lived experience. Together they unpack ritual, grief, and everyday action in the wake of community tragedy, and reframe “purpose” from a rigid noun to a living verb. If you’re navigating liminal spaces—midlife shifts, identity transitions, creative blocks—this episode offers practical ways to honor what’s breaking down while making something truer take root.

Guest

Amy Hallberg — author, writing coach, and founder of Courageous Wordsmith, guiding real-life writers from inklings to finished work through 1:1 and group programs.
Website: amyhallberg.com • Programs: Courageous Wordsmith

Key takeaways

Your gifts are your power. Start naming—out loud—the thing you do with ease (the thing others notice). Claim it, then practice it.
Purpose is a verb. Who you are being (quality + action) matters more than a tidy title or identity.
Language ≠ life. Words are translations of experience; let stories emerge before you edit them into shape.
Allow → Compose → Revise. Amy’s creative flow favors permissive drafting over “shitty first draft” self-talk or premature perfection.
Ritual holds crisis. In collective grief, pair prayer/meaning with movement/action (“pray—and move your feet”).
Small things, great love. Capacity builds through tiny, repeated acts (in writing, caregiving, citizenship).
You won’t “go back.” After liminal thresholds, the task is integration—not returning to who you were.

Memorable lines

“Your gifts are your power.”
“Words are signifiers—approximations of what we live.”
“Purpose works better as a verb than a title.”

Lightly structured outline

Meeting the rebel-upholder: growing up gifted, sensitive, and not quite fitting
Germany at 17: unlearning perfection & finding value beyond grades
Language, symbols, and telling the truth on the page
Drafting without armor: the Allow → Compose → Revise method
Ritual, grief, and community response after tragedy
Purpose vs. meaning: claim the verb, not the label
Closing practice: say it in the mirror—“I am a writer / creator / healer”—until your nervous system believes you

Mentioned

Prayer of St. Francis (“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace…”)
Quote often attributed to Mother Teresa: “We can do no great things; only small things with great love.”

Try this (listener prompt)

Write down one gift you’ve been minimizing. Say it out loud three times today. Then take one tiny action that expresses it.

Connect with Amy

Website: amyhallberg.com
Coaching & community: Courageous Wordsmith

Connect with Keri

Site: kerimangis.com

Support the show

Subscribe, rate, and share with a friend who’s ready to challenge the status quo and step into their gifts.

The Alchemy of Menopause

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 12:00:00 -0500

Episode summary

Menopause advocate and life strategist Zapheria Bell joins Keri to reframe midlife as a profound alchemical journey. Drawing on her “Five Passages of Menopause,”

Zapheria bridges science and soul—neuroscience-informed tools, emotional clearing, and what she calls psych-architecture—to help women move from cracking and burning to pause, remembering, and rising. This is a compassionate, practical conversation about nervous system regulation, corporate culture, HRT without shame, and honoring the sacred fire that remakes us. Guest Zapheria Bell is the founder of the Institute of Inner Mastery, creator of

The Five Passages of Menopause, and a consultant for menopause-inclusive workplaces. Her work blends evidence-based approaches with deep embodiment and spiritual wisdom to help women 40+ “build the F**K-Yes life.” Key takeaways Menopause as alchemy: It’s not a problem to fix; it’s a process that burns away false identities so the truest self can emerge. The Five Passages of Menopause

The Cracking — faint fissures in health, cycles, beliefs, and relationships signal change has begun.

The Burning — heat, rage, and inflammation surface; what’s untrue combusts so truth remains.

The Pause — a void/death phase that can feel terrifying; disciplined rest enables nervous-system repair.

The Remembering — quiet reconnection to who you’ve always been (no “purpose pressure” required).

The Rising — embodied wisdom and inner leadership; fewer Fs to give, more alignment to live.

Science + soul can co-exist: Translating “energetic” concepts into accessible language invites broader understanding—especially in corporate settings. Nervous system regulation: Health isn’t the absence of stress; it’s the capacity to move from activation back to rest. No shame in support: Choices about HRT and symptom relief are individual; quality of life and brain/bone health matter. Corporate inclusion: Simple flexibility (later starts, longer lunches, quiet days) helps retain top women leaders. Creation beyond motherhood: Women are constant creators—of friendships, work, art, businesses, and ideas.

Memorable moments

“If we try to avoid menopause, we miss the fire that forges our deepest truth."

“I can go live in a mystery school forever, but the work is to bring the wisdom back to the real world.”

“Regulation isn’t never getting stressed—it’s being able to return to calm.”

“You don’t have to carry the world to raise its consciousness. Be fully you.”

“Walk through the fire. On the other side, you’re handed the gift of yourself.”

Chapters

00:00 Welcome + why alchemy resonates

05:12 Bridging woo and research: speaking multiple languages

12:40 From corporate burnout to spiritual immersion—and back again

20:55 The Five Passages: Cracking → Burning → Pause → Remembering → Rising

38:10 Regulating the nervous system in a dysregulated world

47:25 Menopause at work: inclusive policies and practical flexibility

55:18 Rethinking “purpose” and letting a quieter self lead

1:04:30 Birthing life in all forms: babies, businesses, ideas

1:10:00 Closing reflections + gratitude Resources mentioned Institute of Inner Mastery — Zapheria hub for methods, programs, and workplace consulting

The Five Passages of Menopause framework (overview + guide) On nervous system regulation: breath work, pausing rituals, tech boundaries, and somatic practices WEBSITE: https://www.zapheriabell.com

EMAIL: zapheria@zapheriabell.com

Follow Zapheria Bell:

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/zapheriabell

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/zapheriabell

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@zapheriabellofficial

Asking the Why, Bringing the How

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 11:00:00 -0500

Episode Summary In this season finale, host Keri Mangis reflects on the powerful conversations from Season 3 of Awaken Your Power. Throughlines emerge from her five incredible guests: the courage to question the status quo, to keep asking why, and to follow not just the mind but the heart and soul. Drawing inspiration from her own TEDx experience, Keri shows how truth and wisdom often come not from certainty but from curiosity, humility, and a willingness to unlearn. With references to cultural norms, the Truman Show, midlife transformation, and the parable of the blind men and the elephant, this episode invites us all to soften into deeper questions that can awaken our power. What You’ll Hear in This Episode 🌱 Season 3 themes: why questioning norms is vital for growth and authenticity. 🍷 Challenging cultural habits around alcohol, menopause, apologies, and relationships. 🎭 The Truman Show as a metaphor for breaking free from “normal.” 🔥 How crises—personal or societal—can become opportunities for rebirth. 💡 Why aligning with your true self brings resilience, creativity, and sovereignty. 🐘 The parable of the blind men and the elephant as an image for humility and perspective. 💖 A reminder that each of us holds unique gifts, and society needs us to step forward and share them. Key Quotes “It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” — J. Krishnamurti “Not a single one of us has been put on this planet to play it small.” — Keri Mangis Looking Ahead ✨ Season 4 launches in December 2025 with nine incredible guests already booked. Stay tuned for powerful new conversations to help you awaken your power even more deeply. 🔗 Connect with Keri: Website: kerimangis.com Instagram: @kerimangis Newsletter: Subscribe on the website for updates

All of the Truth

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 11:00:00 -0500

Jen Veralle — event experience strategist; founder of Spark Track and Mindful Drinking Movement; co-founder of Sauna & Sobriety; TEDx speaker (“Why We Should Rethink Drinking Culture”); eleven years alcohol-free and an advocate for inclusive, alcohol-optional social spaces. Episode snapshot After two decades of alcohol misuse and a corporate burnout at forty, Jen rebuilt her life and work—then went public with her story.

In this conversation we unpack how to move from stigma to choice, why “sober not somber” matters, and how the “messy middle” (the liminal space between breakdown and rebirth) becomes a catalyst for a truer self.

From secrecy to sovereignty: Jen’s path to eleven years alcohol-free and the moment she chose to “let go out loud.” Sober not somber: Designing events and workplaces where alcohol is optional and nonalcoholic choices are visible, elevated, and normalized. Taste, truth, and habit: The “acquired taste” myth; how stepping away can reset your palate—and your perspective. Mindful drinking for the middle: Options beyond all-or-nothing; making choices that fit health, context, and values.

The messy middle: Reflection vs. “just pause”; how real transformation requires time in the in-between. Identity in motion: Name changes, reinventing purpose, and living “all of the truth.” Practical advocacy: What any of us can do—at restaurants, work events, and in our circles—to create alcohol-inclusive culture. Highlights “Ideas aren’t precious—share them and watch them find their collaborators.” “If an idea wants to be born and you won’t carry it, it moves on.” “Reflection is the engine of change; pausing is just the doorway.” “Make the nonalcoholic option obvious, celebrated, and in real glassware.” “The antidote to our fractured times isn’t out there—it’s us.”

Timestamps (approx.) 00:00 — Welcome and why breaking stigma is the show’s heartbeat 04:30 — Creativity, collaboration, and nonattachment to ideas 11:40 — Jen’s sober story and the first public share 20:10 — Rethinking drinking culture (and that bookstore-bar slide) 28:00 — Mindful drinking for the “middle” 35:45 — Hosting better: menus, servers, and culture shifts 44:30 — The messy middle: reflection as a practice 55:00 — Identity, “all of the truth,” and next chapters 1:03:00 — Coaching, Sauna & Sobriety, and how to connect

Connect with Jen Mindful Drinking Movement (advocacy, consulting, experiences) Sauna & Sobriety (alcohol-free community sessions) Coaching: Life + addiction/recovery coaching for the sober-curious and change-ready

Connect with Keri Substack: The Power Source Podcast: Awaken Your Power — follow, rate, and review to help others find the show IG / LinkedIn:

@kerimangis

If this episode resonated, please follow, rate, and review the podcast, and share it with a friend who’s exploring mindful drinking or moving through their own messy middle.

Referenced links: CreativeMornings profile (September 2024 talk): https://creativemornings.com/individuals/jenveralle

TEDx Talk — “Why We Should Rethink Drinking Culture”

SheBang - The Power of the (Meno) Pause

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 11:00:00 -0500

🎙️ Episode Title:
Not Your Mama’s Menopause: Redefining Midlife with Shebang

🗓️ Episode Summary:
In this powerful, candid, and laugh-out-loud episode of Awaken Your Power, I'm joined by Lori and Doty—founders of Shebang, the bold and unapologetic voice redefining the midlife experience for women. What started as a friendship forged over a tearful porch conversation blossomed into a movement built on honesty, humor, and the deep knowing that menopause is not a crisis—it's a sacred rite of passage.

Together, we unpack the silence around perimenopause and menopause, share the pivotal moments that sparked Shebang, and explore how women can reclaim their identity, agency, and power in midlife and beyond.

We also discuss:

The shame and misinformation around hormone health—and how to advocate for yourself in the doctor’s office
The emotional and spiritual transformation hidden inside the physical symptoms
How midlife reinvention is not only possible, it’s potent—and often more joyful than you imagined
The importance of giving yourself permission to pause, pivot, and power up
Why this conversation needs to include men, too

Lori and Doty are funny, fierce, and full of wisdom—and they don’t hold back. If you’ve ever felt like you were going through it alone, this episode will make you feel deeply seen and supported.

✨ Favorite Quote:
“Loving yourself isn’t selfish—it’s foundational.”

🎁 Mentioned in This Episode:

Shebang’s subscription box for midlife women: Permission to Pause, Pivot, Power Up
The idea of celebrating menopause with ritual and ceremony
The lack of menopause training among doctors (only ~2,500 certified in the U.S.)
The role of synthetic hormones and why informed choices matter
The connection between menopause and reinvention, sovereignty, and spiritual awakening
Article(s) on not talking about periods.
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/period-talk-needs-to-stop-period/#comments-container
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/02/can-we-please-stop-talking-about-periods/?ICID=continue_without_subscribing_reg_first#comment

🔗 Resources & Links:

Follow Shebang on Instagram: @Shebang
Subscribe to their monthly box: Shebang Subscription Box
Read the article mentioned about public discussion of periods: [Link will be added here]
Learn more about Keri’s TED Talk on menopause as a rite of passage: kerimangis.com/tedx

💌 Connect with the Guests:
Lori and Doty are open-hearted, no-nonsense women who love hearing from listeners. DM them on Instagram or reach out through their website to share your story or ask questions—they’re building a movement, and you’re invited.

—

🌀 Awaken Your Power is a space for those ready to disrupt the status quo and reclaim their voice. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if this episode spoke to you!

Galina Singer - Disrupting Relationship, Reclaiming the Self

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 11:00:00 -0500

Guest: Galina Singer | Coach, Writer, Soulful Disruptor
https://galinasinger.com/ | IG: @galinasinger

🌟 Episode Summary

In this bold and deeply honest conversation, Keri welcomes coach and writer Galina Singer to explore what it really means to live beyond the status quo. Together, they examine the quiet (and not-so-quiet) ways women disrupt inherited roles—especially around marriage, motherhood, aging, identity, and the body.

From redefining partnership and parenting to navigating menopause and political despair, Galina speaks to the power of self-responsibility, embodied sovereignty, and the courage it takes to become “nobody” in order to become fully yourself.

This is a must-listen for anyone questioning long-held roles, longing for wholeness, or feeling the call to live with deeper truth and integrity.

🔑 Topics We Explore:

Why living in alignment can feel disruptive—even dangerous
Galina’s journey into truth-telling within long-term relationships
What sovereignty really means (hint: it’s with your body, not over it)
Reimagining marriage, conflict, and the myth of the “doting wife”
Navigating menopause as a sacred rite of passage
The body as messenger: hot flashes, skin symptoms, and suppressed anger
Redefining identity: playing with costumes instead of clinging to roles
Political division, spiritual resilience, and the power of curiosity
The healing force of conversation—and why listening is radical

🧭 Timestamp Highlights:

00:00 – Welcome + why this season of Awaken Your Power goes deeper
03:40 – Galina's against-the-grain choices and personal sovereignty
11:25 – Redefining marriage from codependency to conscious connection
21:45 – Is it selfish to speak your truth? Or sacred?
31:00 – When disagreement feels like rejection: families, politics, and fear
39:05 – Identity, aging, and putting down our “straightjacketed” roles
50:12 – Menopause, clarity, and returning to yourself
1:05:00 – The dance between sovereignty and self-responsibility
1:12:40 – Listening across divides and why hope lives in conversation

🧘 Resources Mentioned:

Dr. Christiane Northrup on menopause
Darrell Davis’ work with the Ku Klux Klan
Keri’s book: Embodying Soul
Galina's program: True to Me, Open to You (Fall 2025)

🔗 Connect with Gina Singer:

🌐 Website: https://galinasinger.com/
💌 Newsletter: sign up on her homepage
📸 Instagram: @galinasinger

💥 Let’s Keep the Conversation Going:

If this episode sparked something in you, share it with a friend, tag us on Instagram, or leave a review. Your voice helps awaken others.
→ Subscribe to Awaken Your Power wherever you listen.
→ Join the newsletter at Kerimangis.com
→ Follow Keri on Instagram: @kerimangis

Kristi Hemmer - Reclaiming Moxie: How Women Shrink—and How to Stop

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 11:00:00 -0500

🎙️ Episode Title:
Reclaiming Moxie: How Women Shrink—and How to Stop

🪷 Episode Summary:
In this empowering and insightful episode, Keri sits down with social entrepreneur, educator, and unapologetic change-maker Kristi Hemmer. Together, they explore what it means for women and girls to “shrink”—in classrooms, boardrooms, conversations, and everyday culture—and how to reclaim your voice, space, and inner fire. From redefining the word “sorry” to honoring the power of liminal spaces, this episode offers a vibrant reminder that your moxie isn’t something you outgrow—it’s something you grow into.

👤 About Kristi Hemmer:
Kristi Hemmer is the founder of the Academy for Women’s Empowerment (AWE) and author of Quit Being So Good. A former educator who left her six-figure job to backpack the world, Kristi now teaches unapologetic leadership to women and girls across the globe. Her mission is to disrupt outdated systems of power by helping people reclaim their voice, agency, and moxie.

✨ Topics We Explore:

The everyday ways girls and women “shrink” (and how to notice it)
Why saying “sorry” often means something different for women
The cultural pressure to be “nice” vs. the power of being kind
How voice inflection, laughter, and body language shape our presence
What it means to take up space energetically and emotionally
The freedom (and power) of liminal spaces and identity shifts
Reframing patriarchy, dismantling myths, and choosing solidarity
What “moxie” really means—and how to light torches for others
Creating safe spaces where women gather, lead, and rise

🔗 Links + Resources Mentioned:

Kristi Hemmer’s Website
Quit Being So Good by Kristi Hemmer
Montana Power Camp Info (check availability or join the waitlist)
Keri’s upcoming TEDx Talk (details coming soon)
Learn more about the Awaken Your Power podcast and community: [Your Link Here]

🙏 Call to Action:
If this episode inspired you, share it with a woman who needs to remember how powerful she truly is.
💌 Subscribe to Awaken Your Power and never miss an episode.

Anna Dannfelt - Menopause Is Not a Disease, it's a Transformation

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 11:00:00 -0500

🎙️ Episode Title:
Menopause Is Not a Disease—It’s a Rite of Passage

🪷 Episode Summary:
In this fierce and freeing conversation, Keri is joined by veteran aromatherapist, coach, and wise woman Anna Denfeld to reclaim menopause as the sacred transformation it truly is. Together they dismantle toxic cultural narratives that treat menopause as a disease or a decline and instead frame it as a chrysalis moment—a profound shift into power, clarity, and elderhood. This episode is a call to arms (and hearts) for any woman who's tired of shrinking and ready to rise.

👤 About Anna Denfeld:
With over 35 years of experience as an aromatherapist, coach, and women's guide, Anna Denfeld is passionate about helping women reclaim their bodies, power, and truth. Post-menopause herself, Anna works with women to shift the narrative around aging—from fear and shame to strength and sovereignty. Her work weaves body wisdom, spiritual insight, and cultural critique into a grounded and liberating approach to transformation.

✨ Topics We Explore:

Why menopause is not the end, but the beginning of your Second Spring
The cultural programming that teaches women to disappear after 50
What the caterpillar and chrysalis can teach us about this life phase
Why shame is the most powerful tool used to control women
The myth of menopause as a “disease” (and who benefits from that narrative)
How to embrace aging without pathologizing it
The invisible labor of enduring and the toll it takes on our bodies
What it means to move from adulthood into true elderhood
Creating a society where postmenopausal women are leaders, not liabilities

🔗 Resources + Mentions:

Anna Dannfelt Facebook:
Book reference: Feminine Forever by Robert Wilson (and why it needs to be retired forever)
Related episode: The Power of Liminal Spaces with Keri

🌱 Call to Action:
If this episode resonated with you, share it with a woman in your life who deserves to feel powerful in her body—at every age.
💌 Subscribe to Awaken Your Power to keep these vital conversations going.

What Power Really Means (and What It Doesn’t)

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 11:00:00 -0500

Welcome to the season 3 of Awaken Your Power. In a world that rewards fitting in and staying small, what does it really mean to step into your power? In this solo opening, I dig into the myths and misunderstandings about power that keep so many of us from living fully. Is power the same as control? Does it always corrupt? Is it just for a chosen few? Together, we’ll explore a very different kind of power—one rooted in agency, awareness, and alignment with our deepest values. This episode is both personal and cultural: it’s about reclaiming your own voice, and it’s about what happens when more of us rise up and bring that voice into the world. What You’ll Learn in This Episode Why control and power are not the same thing—and how mistaking them keeps us small. The damaging cultural myths about power (like “power corrupts” and “it’s a zero-sum game”). How “fitting in” differs from true belonging, and why that difference matters for your authenticity. Why humility has been weaponized against women—and how to step beyond it. The kind of power that nurtures wisdom, resilience, and alignment, both in your life and in our world. Links & Resources Learn more about me and my work: www.kerimangis.com Connect on Instagram: @keri.mangis If this episode resonated, please share it with someone who’s ready to challenge the status quo. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. If you found value in this one, leave a review—it helps others find the show. And remember: awakening your power isn’t about control. It’s about agency, alignment, and stepping into the fullness of who you already are.

The Power of the Liminal Spaces

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 18:20:00 -0500

Episode Title: The Power of Liminal Spaces

Host: Keri Mangis

Main Topics:

Understanding Liminal Spaces:
- [05:00] Definition and emotional resonance of being "in between" states, the challenge and beauty of transitions.
Cultural Context and Historical Insight:
- [12:30] Discusses how different cultures and ancient rites incorporate the understanding of these transitional phases.
Transformation in Personal and Collective Spheres:
- [20:45] Reflects on the pandemic as a collective liminal space and the need for real transformation rather than superficial changes.
Navigating Liminal Spaces:
- [31:10] Offers practical advice on dealing with uncertainty and the potential within liminal spaces, emphasizing the importance of acceptance and reflection.

Conclusion:

[40:00] Keri wraps up by connecting her personal experiences with broader societal implications, underscoring the power and potential of embracing liminal spaces.

Embodying Soul Audiobook...

Wed, 27 Jul 2022 19:06:20 -0500

Dear Power Source subscribers,

It has been a long, busy, hot summer so far! My newsletter has surely fallen down on the list of priorities!

However, I have remained busy. I’ve been writing articles for Spirituality & Health Magazine, which you can check out here.

I’m also writing two columns for The Edge Magazine, one on personal transformation, and the other on simple tips and tricks. Please check those out as well!

Finally, I spent June and July recording my audiobook for Embodying Soul: A Return to Wholeness!!

I recorded it myself, in my little cupboard under the stairs, and now it is going to a professional mixer to make it sound as good as possible.

As you may remember, my book was officially published in 2020, so it has been two years since I’ve really dug into it at this level. Reading it word for word after this long was quite an adventure, and, as you might imagine, I found plenty of things I would change! But, eh, that is the life of a writer! I also had a couple of other realizations along the journey as well, and it is those realizations I share in the introductory audio attached.

The final Audiobook will be available in late August/early September. I can’t wait to have it out in the world, and as Power Source subscribers, you’ll be the first to know!

Of course, you may also purchase a print or ebook copy of the book on my website (signed!) or on Amazon! If you’d like to support our independent bookstores, my book is available in several around Minnesota and North Dakota. My website contains that information as well.

Get full access to The Power Source at kerimangisauthor.substack.com/subscribe

🎧Audio Guided Tonglen

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 17:30:41 -0500

We are living in a time of immense confusion, pain, and disconnect. When there are horrors in every direction, it overwhelms us, and can cause us to feel like there’s nothing we can do. It can lull us into numbness.

Hopelessness is a dangerous emotion. It’s very easy to get caught in a cycle of cynicism, fear, and bitterness. Yet, we are called to pull ourselves out of those cycles. We are called to greater things.

“The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions, but nothing changed in my life except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage were born.”

Malala Yousafzai

Seeing all the pain in the world also has a tendency to make us ignore or dismiss our own pain. It’s hard, for instance, to focus on healing the pain of a lost relationship when so many overseas are losing their lives or their families.

Yet, the one thing that connects us all as human beings is our pain. It is through our pain, and the emotions they create, that we can connect and heal.

In this audio, I share the ancient practice of Tonglen—a Tibetan word that means “to give and receive.” It is a powerful practice that should be practiced with care, deep intention, and self-love.

I invite you to this practice, with all your pains, and all your emotions. I invite you to connect in a time of division, and feel in a time in which so many are choosing numbness.

You are stronger than you know. You can, one pain at a time, help to heal the world.

Get full access to The Power Source at kerimangisauthor.substack.com/subscribe

Daily Evening Meditation

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 19:18:05 -0500

Dear Power Source Subscribers:

You didn’t think I’d give you a morning meditation without also offering an evening meditation, did you? 🙃

Bookend your days with these two guided meditations, and notice the shifts in your mindset, well-being, and even productivity.

Namaste,

Keri

Get full access to The Power Source at kerimangisauthor.substack.com/subscribe

Daily Morning Meditation

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 21:50:35 -0500

Of all the good habits you can put into place, taking just a few moments in the morning to get grounded and set your intentions can make all the difference between a day where you always feel a step behind and a day when you feel unstoppable.

This AM meditation is just 11 minutes. I encourage you to bookmark this email and get into the routine of playing it each morning. (For paid Substack members, this meditation will be available on your VIP page for easy access.)

Happy morning!

Get full access to The Power Source at kerimangisauthor.substack.com/subscribe

The Three Stages of Personal Transformation

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 22:15:17 -0500

An overview of the three primary stages of alchemical transformation.

How to Practice Metta (Loving-Kindness)

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 16:38:42 -0500

In times of uncertainty, the most important thing we can do for ourselves is be kind.

In this brief 10 minute audio, I offer three Metta phrases to help you find peace, safety, acceptance, and compassion in a shifting, changing world.

Take some time to listen, and then start practicing repeating these phrases as you move through your days.

Namaste,

Get full access to The Power Source at kerimangisauthor.substack.com/subscribe

Developing Resilience in Times of Adversity

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 16:37:48 -0500

Dear Power Source subscribers:

Here’s an audio post for you this week on resiliency. I especially had all of you stoic Midwesterners in mind, ;) but also, anyone who has a tendency to push through instead of flow with adversity.

I talk about the differences between perseverance, endurance, and resilience, as well as offer several ways to boost your natural resiliency so you can face whatever is to come with more grace, compassion, self-love, and wisdom.

Stay tuned for more audios to come!

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The Power of Ignoring Every Belief You’ve Ever Believed – S2 01

Wed, 29 Jul 2020 17:01:35 -0500

"What if we begin at the beginning? If begin with "maybe nothing I've ever been told is true," then the possibility is that we can start to deconstruct some of the ladder of belief that we've been attached to, We can start freeing ourselves up to explore other places and opportunities and ideas and creativity we can slowly start to return, at least in our mind, to that child, we once were, that has that open curiosity and imagination and wonder about this world.

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Seeking Cultural Change Through Individual Change

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 18:51:08 -0500

"And if we've learned anything, we have learned that there is no warrior coming to save us. That real life is not like the movies. There is no one person that is assigned to save the world and let the rest of us just go on living our life. It's here, it's now, change is upon us."

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The Five Necessary Ingredients to Cultivating Wisdom

Tue, 26 May 2020 14:28:38 -0500

We're not here to rest. We're here to grow wiser, we're here to ask ourselves the hard questions. We're here to look at our dark sides and our shadow sides, and our blind spots. Those are the keys to developing even greater wisdom, and then sharing that with others—not through our words necessarily, but through our very being, through our very presence. This is wisdom. This is the journey and it is motivated from the soul.

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Why NOW is the Best Time to Wake Up

Wed, 13 May 2020 22:00:04 -0500

wake up

Waking up is not just about us. It's not just about an individual. Waking up might be a an individual journey, but the result of our waking in our own lives is a gift to the collective society and it guides the energy for where society moves next.

If you would like to actively participate in the direction that society moves, then we must wake up, we must be mindful for that will encourage more people to wake up more people to be mindful in their lives, which will encourage better, more mindful choices for all of society."

.40 - It's time to maybe start thinking about maybe how we can take advantage of this period of time in a way that we haven't quite yet.

2:00 - Why Now is the Best Time to Wake Up - Introduction

"We are here as souls in order to wake up. It's interesting to think that we are asleep. I know that that sounds weird. Of course, we're awake. Of course, we're moving through our days. Of course, we know our name and we know the date but there's a difference between simply going through our lives on autopilot and kind of just one foot in front of the other "the next right thing" as I call it, and actively choosing each moment of each day as a fresh new experience.

4:00 - Not fitting in

"And yet most of us start to settle into what society has decided what is culturally accepted. And the more we do that, the more we're just going to fit in to the crowd, the less likely we will be living our true soul path. Because I promise you this—somebody who is living their lives aligned with their souls. Someone who is awake and conscious and mindful, isn't going to fit in. They're going to stand out in some quirky ways. They're going to have something about them, that maybe you just can't put your finger on, but they just don't necessarily do what you expect or say, what, what you what you might want them to."

6:16 - Authentic Life

"It's so unusual to encounter somebody who is willing to be authentic to to express how they really feel without sort of, well now I'm at work and this is the persona I wear. And now I'm with my family and this is the persona I wear. These personas are what I call "skin:s are exhausting. They fatigue every single system of our body. And most importantly, I suppose they they hide our souls, they cover up our souls, they muffle our souls.

So if we're waking up, part of that process means to be living authentically, to be true to our emotions and how we're feeling, to speak truth, to be an embodiment of our truth, and to not let social norms and expectations always trump that."

8:04 - Waking up Looks Like...

"So this is what waking up looks like. It's about authentic presentation of ourselves, authentic acceptance of our emotions, a kind of wholeness in our being a connection of body, mind and soul that all comes together to to be in this life that expresses and experiences each moment as original as fresh and ripe for opportunity. This is really hard to do in normal life because life is moving so fast. And it's just one thing after the next after the next meeting, upon meeting after conference call, and then the rush hour drive home and then, you know, making dinner getting the kids ready. It's just this merry go round of busyness."

9:00 - First Reason Why - We are all slowing down

"And so this is the first reason that right now is the best time to wake up to move on this path of saying, I'm alive. And I have emotions and I have thoughts and they might not always point in the same direction as everybody else is facing. It's a good time, because when things slow down, we can observe more closely. It's really hard—if you picture a merry go round—to spot the faces that are going around and around. But as it starts to slow down, you can start to recognize some of the different faces. Imagine that these faces are your emotions, your feelings, your thoughts, the parts of you that are just moving through life so quickly a smile frown a sadness, an anger,

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Practicing Mindfulness for Transformation & Self-Understanding

Wed, 06 May 2020 21:05:56 -0500

"My mindfulness is largely a practice of curiosity. It's a practice of wonderment and wondering about this process of being human about the interconnectedness between all of us, and how certain people come into our lives and why they do and how this or that person triggers us. Isn't that interesting?"

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The Power of Discomfort: Lowering Resistance to Transformation

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 18:52:41 -0500

"Discomfort allows us to move inward, to reflect, to consider to contemplate, so that we can change and we can adjust and grow through that discomfort."

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We Won’t Break: Building Emotional Resiliency & Equanimity

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 15:21:33 -0500

Part of a journey to wholeness, part of a journey to awakening power, is to expand our emotional experience so that we become fuller, more whole human beings. That's what my work is all about. That's what this podcast is all about. And I dare to say that that is what this time is asking us to do.

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Investing in Creativity & Curiosity During Times of Crisis

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 14:45:05 -0500

I'm so glad to be able to do this podcast right now. It means so much to be able to chew through some of these difficult things that are going around in our head as we all deal with the effects of the Coronavirus.

If you are an artist or creative or a visionary or a leader in any capacity right now, I think today's episode will be especially valuable for you. Andrea and I talked about how important it is to stay connected to our creativity and our curiosity and our hope for a new world as we continue to stay present compassionate and empathetic during this period of time.

And if you know somebody who's creative and is in this space of making art for the world, and perhaps especially if they're struggling with that right now, definitely share this episode with them.

1:00: Introduction to Andrea's Podcast: Our Story Speaks

4:00: Value of our work - Importance of continuing your art, podcasts, book, and other creative pursuits during Coronavirus creativity

9:12: "It is not the time for any of us to stop moving in the direction of growth, progress, passions and purpose."

10:55: Collective Consciousness - how it affects all of us

12:50: New Normals - Our resilient souls

"Life doesn't happen to you, it happens for you," Byron Katie

14:00: How to show up for/in discomfort

14:54: Spiritual Opportunity

15:00: Mother Earth

15:45: Ayurvedic approach/philosophy

17:30: The Lifestyle we've been "sold"

19:00: How to be in discomfort - Yin Yoga

20:20: Modeling for children

21:00: Our interconnectedness/reaching out to each other

25:10: Empathy/Compassion

Tonglen Meditation Practice

29:00: Women's roles in leading with love and courage

- power, empowerment, thoughtfulness, creativity

31:30: A new world - staying in a place of curiosity

32:00: What are these feelings and where are they coming from?

33:15: Courage and Fear in our circles

34:40: Time for wholeness

35:10: Clarissa Pinkola Estes message on coronavirus

36:15: Tips to stay in the space of hopefulness and curiosity

42:00 Importance of writing down these stories

Andrea is the creator and host of Our Story Speaks, a podcast platform for women to share the ideas, experiences and stories that connect us all. Andrea has a background in social work, a passion around women's issues and a belief that meaningful connection with other women is the way we heal our traumas and create great things. Andrea lives in Oregon with her two small sons.

Here are my links/contact information:

Our Story Speaks Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/our-story-speaks/id1478819794?uo=4

FB & IG -@ourstoryspeaks

ourstoryspeaks2019@gmail.com

ourstoryspeaks.com (coming soon!)

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When Growth Looks More Like Unravelling: Navigating COVID-19

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 14:54:43 -0500

Think of this period of time as a form of revelation, as a form of truth now coming to the surface because it can't be hidden under business. It can't be hidden under power. And we can't hide. Our true selves are going to come to the surface.

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Our Stories: Find the Healing; Share the Value

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 14:11:32 -0500

It's really important to go write right now. It' doesn't matter what shape it takes in the end. You have a thought, write it down, save it for yourself. And you can come back to it later. And maybe the only point of that thought was that it comforted you right now. And maybe it's something more, and it's not your business right now. Your job is just to be present with what is.

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Who Am I Really: Discussion on Identity + Yoga Nidra

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 19:30:53 -0500

This podcast is divided into 2 parts—the first 15 minutes are devoted to a discussion on identity. Starting at about the 15 minute mark, I transition into a 30-minute Yoga Nidra —a long, guided meditation through the Koshas—the "sheaths" or "layers" of the body.

I wanted to do this episode today, outside of my normal rhythm, as something I can do to help during the Coronavirus and stay-at-home, social distancing measures we're implementing and following. As hard as this period of time is for so many, it can actually be a good time to explore some answers to the Big Questions: Who am I, and Why am I Here?

Enjoy.

Keri

Hello and welcome to a special episode of Awaken Your Power. This one is going to land in between my usual rotation of every other Tuesday. It is in response to the corona virus and the social distancing that we're all practicing right now. And it's going to be divided into two sections. The first section is going to be a discussion on identity and purpose and meaning and who are we, and we're gonna take a deep dive into what it means to wear an identity. I often use the term skins as a metaphor for identity. And the second half of the episode I will be guiding you through a Yoga Nidra, which is yoga sleep, essentially a deep relaxation that you can expect to last anywhere from 20 minutes to 30 minutes.

And we're going to go through the Koshas or the coverings or she's of the body. This is going to go hand in hand with our discussion of identity because the idea of this particular meditation practice or Yoga Nidra is to, one by one, remove the coverings that hide our soul in this world.

So I would invite you now as we start to talk about identity and move into this first section of the podcast, to also take this time to set up a space where you will be able to lie down in silence and preferably in darkness as well with as little disruption from any of the senses as possible. So for this particular meditation practice, we don't want any sense or any lights on.

We want to kind of remove all of the input, so that we can go deep into our own body, mind, and then we'll go even deeper and deeper into that. So again, maybe make a space with some blankets and pillows, make sure that you'll be warm and comfortable and undisturbed.

I will put in the show notes on my website, the minute that that starts so that you know, if you want to jump directly to that later, or do that multiple times, I would definitely recommend that.

But first, I want to talk about this opportunity that we have right now to explore the questions Who am I? And Why Am I Here? for with a little bit more depth. This is a topic that is always near and dear to my heart. It was definitely a major theme of my book Embodying Soul: A Return to Wholeness.

I see skins or really identities and labels and personality, characteristics and our titles I call them all skins as coverings of our soul as ways that can depending on how we use them, either bring us a little bit closer to ourselves and our soul or keep us from that. That kind of relationship.

I want to start with this quote by Emily McDowell. It says, "Finding yourself is not really how it works. You aren't a $10 bill in last winter's coat pocket. You are also not lost. Your true self is right there, buried underneath cultural conditioning, other people's opinions, and inaccurate conclusions you drew as a kid that became your beliefs about who you are. Finding yourself is actually returning to yourself an unlearning an excavation of remembering who you were before the world got its hands on you."

When I think about being a kid when I go back there. And again, when I wrote about this period of time in my life, I remember a sense of freedom and play. I think the human journey is really about coming into this human body, and then taking on labels playing roles playing the game. And as children a little bit closer to our soul, we remember that so we would play games,

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Awaken Your Magic: Heal Yourself, Align with Your Values, and Change the Culture.

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 13:09:50 -0500

Introduction

2:08

About Emily's Book - Damsel No More: The Secret to Slaying Your Anxiety and Loving Again After an Abusive Relationship.

4:45 Healing Through Writing - Gaining Perspective & Forgiveness

7:39 - Why Healing Doesn't have to be Painful

10:12 - Life Stories as Goldmines

11:08 - Discussing Anxiety vs. PTSD

13:05 Differentiating Anxiety from General Fear

17:15 - How Emotions are Like Candy!

18:38 Emotional Management for Kids and Adults

22:11 - Need to Belong

23:36 - Gaslighting, Narcissism, and Cultural Zit Popping

26:30 - Purpose of Finding your Magic, Especially in Times like ours

27:33 - Working with the Collective Consciousness

29:02 - Live Your Purpose

29:42 - Importance of Telling/Sharing Our Stories (Especially the small ones!)

36:57 - No We Aren't All Empaths

41:08 - Empaths vs Introverts

ABOUT THE GUEST - EMILY DAVIS

Natural intuitive, bestselling author, and metaphysical coach Emily Davis began accessing her spiritual gifts as a child. Over the years all the fear and yuck of modern day life got in the way of that magic and, after leaving an abusive relationship, she set out on a quest to recapture her spirit! Now, Emily specializes in helping people discover their purpose in life through unblocking their intuitive gifts and learning to use them without fear. It is her mission to make magic part of everyday ordinary life. Emily and her family, including her many furry muses, adventure from Lake Tahoe, California where she also co-hosts her metaphysical comedy podcast Perceptionists Anonymous!
Website and Social Links
https://www.facebook.com/groups/masteryourmagic/
https://www.damselnomore.com/
https://www.instagram.com/likerofwords/

Podcast Links! (Perceptionists Anonymous)
https://open.spotify.com/show/4cs6JIcnTkS3tWUWxnYYs4
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perceptionists-anonymous/id1481128773?uo=4
https://www.instagram.com/perceptionistsanonymous/

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The Power of Living & Sharing Truth

Mon, 02 Mar 2020 18:33:06 -0500

Authenticity is a willingness to pursue your interests, your values, what makes you happy, and then also a willingness to speak your truth and express your needs without apologizing for it.

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Navigating A Dark Night of the Soul

Tue, 18 Feb 2020 22:36:24 -0500

You did not choose this life for it to be easy. You did not choose this life to escape or get by on habit and routine. You wanted to come here to change, to evolve, to grow, and to learn. And sometimes just because of the nature of life, things get backed up. We've been on autopilot for way too long. And so all of this change and all of this transformation that was coming to us is sort of bottle jammed, and we must now move it out. This is sometimes what causes a Dark Night of the Soul as well, when we've spent too many years not paying attention, not doing our healing work, not integrating the lessons into our lives.

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Honesty, Authenticity & the Willingness to Keep Going – 10

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 14:14:06 -0500

In this episode, Dyanne Kelley and I talk about what it takes to keep moving on a journey toward greater truth and authenticity. We agreed that it begins with deciding that we are worth saving. We also discuss the value of women's stories, the emotional challenges such as guilt and shame, and discuss what it means to ask ourselves the question, Who Am I, Really?

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Finding Strength in Self-Love & Sovereignty – 09

Tue, 21 Jan 2020 14:31:25 -0500

In this episode, I chat with my friend and founder of Mxe, Heather Corndorf. Here's just a snippet of what she had to say:

"Heather: Right and that these are all the the core values are, these are internal words at MXE, and it's our vision. So, on the surface, it looks like we're, you know, moving around and dancing, laughing which we are, but the whole purpose I see this vision that these people that coming in, they are going to love themselves unconditionally. They're going to have compassion, respect, and then they're going to be able to have the same for the people on the street that they don't know. And their family and friends, and then that's going to just move like wildfire. So, I think that when we see people fighting, when we see racism, when we see leaders saying and doing things that make your jaw drop there is a little bit of pain, there's a lot of pain. And I think that a lot of that has to do with the lack of self love.

When you are in pain, you want other people to be in pain. It's just, it's contagious. You actually want people to be in more pain than you. And I think the same happens with self love."

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The Power of Intuition: Family, Friends, Food & Work – 08

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 15:07:36 -0500

There's all kinds of information out there, but then there's also this incredible power we all have just innately, and that's our intuition.

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Regenerating Power Through Silence and Solitude – 07

Tue, 24 Dec 2019 06:00:02 -0500

A lot of what this podcast is talking about so far is power as it relates to our place in the world—our courage to stand up for things, our ability to influence, lead and persuade, our strength as we move out into the world with our voice and our sense of personal authority.

But there is another angle to this kind of power that we are trying to awaken. And that's the power of sovereignty. That power of being in oneself in solitude, in aloneness, and being okay with that. That too, is a kind of power.

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The Power of Reflection and Hindsight – 06

Tue, 10 Dec 2019 12:00:45 -0500

Personal growth was not only for childhood. We are all walking around, wounded in some way. For this planet to heal, and for us humans to continue to evolve, we must begin ourselves. If we don't fully recognize our human stories for what they have to teach us, hoping instead, that by ignoring them they will go away, we will never actually be free

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Growing Power Through Ownership and Healing-Ep 05

Tue, 26 Nov 2019 14:00:04 -0500

Growing our power is a process of deepening our knowledge of ourselves and this world and our place within it.

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Removing the Obstacles to our Personal Power-Ep 04

Thu, 07 Nov 2019 20:25:41 -0500

But now I've learned the importance of empowering myself. When it comes from within, it's a completely different kind of power. It is not a contingent or conditional power. It simply is a part who we are.

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Anger’s Fire: How to Receive and Digest the Message-Ep 03

Tue, 29 Oct 2019 13:08:57 -0500

Anger's Fire

"Anyone can become angry, that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, and to the right degree, and at the right time, and for the right purpose and in the right way that is not within everyone's power. And it's not easy." Aristotle anger
Anger is a challenging emotion because it is fire and fire is hard to manage.

But when used appropriately, it can create a fire that brings light and illumination into the world. It can bring clarity, it can allow for digest of old ideas and beliefs. It can clear away falsehoods and masks and lies so that we can see the truth beneath all of that. Anger has an important role in this human life. And for us to continually try to pretend that we don't have it, or on the other hand, succumb to it so completely, that we become the actual embodiment of anger. Now, having kidnapped anger, this messenger rather than having allowed it to come and do its job, and then leave.

We get angry about things because they matter to us at some level. And unless we allow anger it's full right to exist in a mature and thoughtful way. We're never going to get the message and will continue to replay it again and again.

Everything takes energy, and we need fire. We need the illumination that sometimes only anger can provide. And the more we cultivate a relationship with anger, the more readily his messages are understood and taken in and accepted, the less he'll will have to visit. The more we will tame this dragon of ours, and he will be at our service. Without it actually causing pain to ourselves or others, we will be able to act upon the underlying message.

We will be able to see what only fire allowed us to see.

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How to Slip the Grip of Reputation-Ep 02

Tue, 15 Oct 2019 20:49:14 -0500

Figure out what it is that truly will make you happy from inside and stop chasing after reputation and status, which are as transitory as a media cycle, as impermanent as a snakeskin.

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Resisting the Pull and Power of the Status Quo-Ep 01

Tue, 01 Oct 2019 14:11:19 -0500

Resisting the Pull and Power of the Status Quo

The status quo is a force of power that keeps a society stuck. But, to best challenge the societal status quo, we must first challenge our own.

Why is it that as we grow up, we become incurious? As we move from childhood to adulthood, we slowly lose that sense of pushing back, questioning authority, or challenging norms and rules. What's even worse than that? Becoming rigorous defenders of the status quo, bound and determined to prevent anyone with a new idea and a new thought, and a different way of doing things to gain a foothold.

We all know that the status quo keeps us stuck. It keeps us from our own growth. Therefore, it is important for us as human beings, if we want to remain awake and aware, if we want to come into our own power, that we challenge the power of the status quo. For it truly is a power. It is a force of energy backed by decades, generations, maybe even a millennia of custom, tradition, and belief.

For our personal and collective growth, we need to create a society in which we look for the friction and we look for the rub and we embrace the discomfort. It is in the process of taking something down that we build something better in its place.

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Awaken your Power Podcast Preview

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 20:02:08 -0500

We did not come into this body to be quiet or safe. We did not choose to be alive in this time and place to be sidelined, victimized, or used. We did not choose to call this endangered planet home only to be ignorant, dismissive, complicit, or bought and paid for in its demise. No soul takes a leap of faith into a human body, and then decides that silencing itself is the best way to spend a handful of decades.

We did not come here to be a silent witness, a mere bystander, an enabler, or an apologist for the ugliest aspects of our society. We are here to move the needle of justice definitively forward, not just watch it hopelessly wobble. In the words of Andrew Harvey, we are here to “transform this whole planet and all of its institutions, all of its arts, all of its sciences, into burning mirrors of love and justice.” Well, then, what are we waiting for—signs or data showing us that climate change is an existential crisis? Events and lives lost that prove that racism and white supremacy movements have not gone away but are, in fact, empowered and rising? Another mass shooting?

We did not come here with a plan to shelve our own personal power. We did not think to our soulful selves how we couldn’t wait to come down into a body and then acquiesce to someone else’s agenda at the expense of our own health, well-being, or principles. I understand—no one wants to be a sour-puss, naysayer, whiner, the lone dissenter. No one likes the kid who raises her hand in class while everyone else is ready to go to lunch (guilty as charged). It’s natural that we all want to belong. But if we put on a team shirt that violates or muffles the call of our soul, we aren’t doing the world any favors.

If something is true, then let’s state unequivocally that it is true. If it looks like a truth and walks like a truth, it probably is a truth. But if it is false and masquerading as a truth? If it is hurtful and abusive and telling us that it is the new normal and we ought to get used to it? Then it is up to us to find the courage to stimulate, kindle, evoke and unyoke. The world is counting on us to live up to a higher standard of truth. If we do this, the stories people tell in the future might not be about long-ago battles between good and evil. The stories they tell might be about those of us who woke up to our power when we needed to the most.

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