Nearly Enlightened
It's Just a Human Thing with Justine Harrington
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What if meditation was more about observing your thoughts than trying to clear your mind? Join us in a captivating conversation with bestselling author and wellness mentor Justine Harrington as she unpacks the profound insights from her book, "Homecoming: A Journey to the Heart." Justine shares her personal journey with meditation and debunks common misconceptions, emphasizing the power of becoming an observer of your own thoughts. Together, we explore how understanding and managing these thoughts can be a key to self-awareness and personal growth.
Discover the magic of building communities that foster empathetic connections with Justine's creation, Soul Sanctuary. This episode takes you through the heartfelt journey from the inception of this community to its realization as a haven for like-minded business owners and entrepreneurs. We'll discuss the transformative power of in-person interactions post-pandemic, and how manifesting a vision can lead to the creation of meaningful, real-world spaces that drive personal and professional growth.
We also delve into the intertwined paths of personal development and entrepreneurship. Experience how running a business can mirror your own journey of healing and growth, reflecting both your blocks and opportunities. As I share my evolution from a healing journey to establishing a successful wellness space, you'll gain insights into the importance of strong business foundations, self-care, and resilience. Celebrate the vibrant communities and unique offerings at Soul Sanctuary and Sage and Flame, and be inspired by practical advice and personal stories that emphasize the significance of connection and personal well-being.
Connect with Justine:
https://www.soulsanctuaryri.com/
We want to hear from you! Send us a text message.
What if meditation was more about observing your thoughts than trying to clear your mind? Join us in a captivating conversation with bestselling author and wellness mentor Justine Harrington as she unpacks the profound insights from her book, "Homecoming: A Journey to the Heart." Justine shares her personal journey with meditation and debunks common misconceptions, emphasizing the power of becoming an observer of your own thoughts. Together, we explore how understanding and managing these thoughts can be a key to self-awareness and personal growth.
Discover the magic of building communities that foster empathetic connections with Justine's creation, Soul Sanctuary. This episode takes you through the heartfelt journey from the inception of this community to its realization as a haven for like-minded business owners and entrepreneurs. We'll discuss the transformative power of in-person interactions post-pandemic, and how manifesting a vision can lead to the creation of meaningful, real-world spaces that drive personal and professional growth.
We also delve into the intertwined paths of personal development and entrepreneurship. Experience how running a business can mirror your own journey of healing and growth, reflecting both your blocks and opportunities. As I share my evolution from a healing journey to establishing a successful wellness space, you'll gain insights into the importance of strong business foundations, self-care, and resilience. Celebrate the vibrant communities and unique offerings at Soul Sanctuary and Sage and Flame, and be inspired by practical advice and personal stories that emphasize the significance of connection and personal well-being.
Connect with Justine:
https://www.soulsanctuaryri.com/
Hello everyone, this is the Nearly Enlightened Podcast. I am your host, Gianna Giarusso, and today I am joined by the lovely Justine Harrington. She is a bestselling author, a brick-and-mortar mentor and the owner of Soul Sanctuary and Sage and Flame in Coventry, Rhode Island. Her signature DreamSpace mentorship program helps aspiring business owners to open the wellness space of their dreams without breaking the bank. Hi, Justine, Welcome.
Speaker 2:Hi, gianna, I'm so excited to be here today.
Speaker 1:I know. So a little bit about Justine. We actually were connected through Jamie Gray, who was on a couple episodes ago, and I say this all the time, like most of the amazing people that come on this podcast. I met everyone through her pretty much, and Justina is no exception. But I wanted to. I wanted to tell you a little story about your book, so her book Homecoming A Journey to the Heart.
Speaker 1:I actually use that book in my like when I usually do this like a couple of times a year a workshop on meditation, and you wrote a beautiful passage in there and I use it. I use the excerpt every single meditation workshop I host and you talk about meditation being like. I love this, because you talk about meditation not being about clearing the mind, and I say this all the time to my students it's not about clearing the mind and you describe it as like watching a train passing by and like you're not gonna ever get rid of the train, but you just have to be able to like kind of watch it with the observer's eye, and I use that passage in every single meditation workshop that makes me so happy.
Speaker 2:I'm not going to lie, like sometimes I go back and read things from homecoming and I'm like, oh my God, I wrote that like that's like really good. But yeah, I love that you use that. That makes me so happy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love that passage on meditation. It just makes it so accessible, because everyone does think it's about clearing your mind and, like I tell people all the time, if you tried to clear your mind, if your mind was actually clear, you'd be dead.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, not what we're going for at all.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's not going to happen on this plane. It's about just like being the observer and watching, and and just like just watching, just that's it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that was such a mental hurdle for me when I first like started exploring meditation and like got into that and started my spiritual practices.
Speaker 2:Um, and I think that that's so common for like beginners to have this notion or idea of meditation of being like I need to have no thoughts and be in this completely blissed out state and if I'm not doing that, I'm, you know, doing it wrong or why even bother if I can't reach that state, and that's like such a human thing to do, to like set the bar so freaking high that it's not attainable and then be like, well, I'm not even gonna try because I can't do this thing. That's actually impossible. Um, so, yeah, I actually I think I learned that analogy from a beginner's meditation course. I think it was the app 10% Happier that I used at first and the guy was like I'm forgetting the gentleman's name, but he just had such a calm, soothing voice and he explained that meditation is not about this ideal blissful state where there's no thinking. It's about becoming the observer of our own mind and just like acknowledging the thoughts and kind of seeing those thought patterns and spirals and like acknowledging when you fall down into a thought spiral.
Speaker 2:And I was like, oh, I can do that, like that seems doable, it seems attainable. And that was kind of like my entry point into meditation and I learned a lot about myself through meditation. I mean continue to also, but definitely in the beginning like a lot about how my mind operated and worked and yeah, those like negative thought spirals and like patterns that we fall into so easily that before I would just get like literally it was like a tidal wave and I would get swept away in it. And once I started observing I'm like, oh wait, first of all, this isn't fact. Like whatever's in my mind is not fact and I have control, I can stop it, I can be the observer, I can distance myself from it. And so, like that was really powerful in the beginning of my own healing journey, journey to self discovery, justvery just becoming more self-aware, like really powerful Cause, I think for a large part of my life, like I thought that everything my brain was like that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think that's so relatable and that's like part of my work too. It's like the work that I've done I've talked about it in past episodes with break method and the self-study, and yeah, it's like a huge part of meditation is learning that, like, you're not your mind, you're not your thoughts and you can control them. It just takes a little bit of practice.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2:And like the more I dove into it and realize, like you know how we are wired as humans, like our mind is actually our mind is fear based.
Speaker 2:So, like a majority of our thoughts are fear-based and are kind of those like it can be easy to like get swept up in those doomsday scenarios and those what-ifs, like those highly hypothetical, not at all realistic what-ifs that the mind loves to, like that game it loves to play.
Speaker 2:And, yeah, I realized, like I was like kind of living in this like jail of my mind of just being afraid of everything and in this like jail of my mind of just being afraid of everything and, um, just like allowing those fear-based thoughts to really kind of like dictate my behavior, untangle that, and realize like, oh, all these fears I have are super normal, first of all, like totally normal, it's just a human thing and they're not fact and I have control over them. Like I feel like that's when my world started to open up and I started to, yeah, just like not be stuck in that, in that, like I just am like picturing like the jail cell of your brain, like not being stuck in that place, of being totally ruled by these, these fearful thoughts and like thought spirals, and that's really when things in my world, like and my life started to, started to shift and change.
Speaker 1:Yes, and the last couple of years you've really accomplished like quite a lot. Do you attribute some of that success to that work?
Speaker 2:Oh, 100%, yeah. Yeah, I feel like with meditation, like that was kind of like the entry point. I feel like meditation and Reiki I tell everyone Reiki is like the gateway drug, like it's like the gateway to energy healing and healing in general. But I would say meditation and Reiki were, like definitely the entry points into deeper levels of healing for myself and just becoming more self-aware and the catalyst of so much change in my life. Like it's. Actually, when I think back on the past couple of years, it's kind of crazy how much has changed. Like and I say this all the time like what has changed in my reality, in my life, is just a reflection of what's changed within myself. Like it was the you know, the limiting beliefs and the limitations I was putting in myself that kept me in certain patterns and my life looking like a certain way.
Speaker 1:And when I started to untangle all of those and kind of heal those where, where those beliefs were coming from, those past wounds, that's when, like, things really started to change and it really is wild, like, how quickly it can change yeah, I mean, I think we like virtually met in like 2020, because I think we were Jamie's like first, um kind of like students of her soulpreneur world and um like since then, yeah, you the book came out and then you launched not one but two brick and mortar spaces. Like that is so crazy. Um so, talking about that, like explain for people who might not be from Rhode Island, what is soul sanctuary?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so soul sanctuary is a healing collective and gathering space. Um, it is essentially a collective of holistic health and wellness practitioners who all work out of one space. We have, I believe, 15, maybe 16 practitioners who work out of the space, so everything from traditional talk therapy to a shamanic healer, to a mindset and mood coach, a medium Reiki, a holistic spray tan, esthetician, massage, reflexology I'm sure I'm missing things too, but we have a lot of different modalities and services that we offer. Then we host classes as well, so classes and workshops, so it's really kind of that one. My intention with it was to both build a community with service providers and also to be that kind of one-stop shop for lack of a better word for people who are interested in personal development, um healing, growth and um spiritual self-care, and I think it's like, like with healing anyone anyone who's kind of in this world knows like there's no one thing, there's no one modality, there's no one um, there's no one solution or fix or or anything so it's not one size fits all at all
Speaker 2:no, never. And like, what you need today is gonna be very different than what you need in a month or in six months or in a year. Like, as you evolve, your needs evolve. So, like I said in the beginning, like, for me, reiki and meditation kind of like the gateway into a lot of different modalities that I explored, a lot of different and deeper layers of healing that we offer or, you know, have a right, like the service provider that you're seeing can recommend somebody else if you want to continue your growth or exploration. So just really that place where, like you can build a trusted network of wellness professionals. And, like, for me, I really just wanted a place where, like I could connect with other people who are like-minded, like-hearted, like soul people, like as business owners and entrepreneurs. I feel like it feels like it can. It can feel very isolating. Like you know, I'm running this business by myself.
Speaker 2:I'm in this by myself and like I very much don't believe that's how it needs to be or how it is. So I really want to like build that community for me of, like the people that are doing the same things that I'm doing and have the same goals that I have and have the same values. So, yeah, I wanted to start with the practitioner community and then obviously have that ripple effect with the larger community and the clients that we serve. So that's Soul Sanctuary in a nutshell.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's such an amazing place. If you're not in Rhode Island, you can still check it out online. A lot of the practitioners do virtual, which is pretty cool, and yeah, I mean I've had Alyssa on, I've had Danielle on, so two people that are part of the collective and Amy, like so many people, are connected through Jamie and then Soul Sanctuary. So it's it's really, it's been fun.
Speaker 2:Yeah, a lot of the Soul Sanctuary people also came from Jamie Gray. So she's just, she has that connector energy.
Speaker 1:I feel like I know she really does. She really does. So what was part of like the driving force for creating this community?
Speaker 2:So I would say it started kind of with what I what I was just saying, where, like I was craving a sense of community. I don't think that like this wasn't necessarily intentional, but like when I I opened Soul Sanctuary in 2022. So I signed the lease in the summer of 2022, we opened in September and like that was obviously the kind of the time that people were like reemerging into the world fully and like getting back to in-person gatherings. I feel like we kind of like forgot how to do like in-person things for a while. Like everything turned to virtual and Zoom and like people just stuck with that. And I'm a fan of virtual things, you know, for some things, things, but like you just also can't beat that in person connection.
Speaker 2:And I read a statistic the other day that I'm not gonna say exactly right, but it's something like people are like 85% happier when they have healthy relationships in their life. And I really just wanted, like that's what I was craving. I like craving like a depth of relationship. That I think it's just a little more. Not, it's certainly not impossible to cultivate deep relationships virtually or online or on online communities, but I just think that there's something to be said about in person and that's what I was craving. I was just really craving being around people who had similar values and goals and visions, and I just wanted that in-person connection and I was like, well, this is basically what I based everything in my business on. I'm like, well, if I want it, I bet other people want it too. And it was just like literally the perfect time where I feel like the world like was realizing how much we need that in-person connection and like a lot of people were craving that and like really wanting to get back to that, and I just feel like we're we're better together.
Speaker 2:Like my own healing journey very, very much this is why I wrote my book homecoming like very much was possible because of other people, because of the stories that I've heard from other people, because of other people sharing their experiences, because of being witnessed by other people in my own experiences like I just think that sort of empathetic connection is literally life-changing and that is how we heal like we heal within ourselves, but we also heal together. Like having someone who can hold space for you and be an empathetic witness like is such an integral part of the healing journey, and so that's what I wanted to create with Soul Sanctuary. That's why I wanted to create, continue to create for myself and create for other people. Is that that space where you can just show up, you can be seen, you can have people like see you in whatever your experience is in the moment, be empathetic witnesses?
Speaker 2:Um, I just think that there's such power in groups and connection and community. So that is that's what I wanted to foster a soul sanctuary. Um, yeah, and I, it's like crazy thinking about my vision in the beginning and then like what it is now, cause it's it's one thing to like envision it and then to be in it Like it's. It's just one of those wild things where it's like, oh, like I'm now I'm living in what used to be a vision which is like kind of mind boggling and crazy and like the best way.
Speaker 1:But yes, when you're, when you're like in those first stages of of working on manifesting something and it's it's literally just just a, a thought, a frequency, um, like maybe some scribbles on paper, and then to be in it and see it come to fruition and be kind of like looking back and being like wow, like I think this is a time to celebrate yourself, like you've accomplished so much in the last four years, it's like pretty incredible and I can relate to that like wanting to create a community and even though my community is largely online, we we do kind of get caught up in connection from the internet versus like that in-person connection and like, even though we're connected via the internet, it's not not that it's not real, but it lacks, there's, there's something lacking there.
Speaker 1:It's it's different in person and I can see that getting back to teaching yoga. Regularly, I'm teaching now like nine or ten classes a week and just being in that space in person is just my energy is even different. It just I show up different. It's um, just like chatting with people, getting to know them and seeing them before and after class, versus like, okay, meeting over and yeah yeah, there's yeah at the end of like a zoom call, there's like this, like okay, like it's like instant disconnect yeah, yeah, and like I'd like to hold space for like a little reception, a little more connection.
Speaker 1:So my classes are always those classes where people are hanging out 30 minutes after class like we're chatting, we're catching up. People are hanging out 30 minutes after class like we're chatting, we're catching up. People are telling me what their day is going to be like and the classes that they're going to next and what they thought of my classes from last week or whatever, and I think we've all 2020, made us realize like we've taken those little moments for granted and now having them back, it's like it's very fulfilling that's the only word that keeps coming to mind.
Speaker 2:It's very fulfilling, yeah and it really is like like in those little moments of connection they like that I mean that's. I feel like that's such like an integral part of like being human, like there's like those deep, meaningful, like moments of connection too, where you're like you can be vulnerable, you can be seen, but like also just those little little little micro moments, those little like everyday moments that we might just kind of skip over. I feel like that is such an integral part of like how, what we need as people and like how we feel, like how we feel connected as people. Yeah, I, before I opened Soul Sanctuary, I worked fully remotely, like even before 2020, I was always remote and the whole like it's just makes like my day so much different and like my energy so much different to like have, like have people and like have an office that I go to with people that I genuinely love to be around and like enjoy chit-chatting with and like can just, you know, talk about like all the like, all the strange, bizarre things that not like you can't, might not necessarily be able to talk to like everyday people about.
Speaker 2:Like I have I literally cultivated a space where, like I have my people right there and so that's um, yeah, it's. It's really a very different um, yeah, it's a different energy, a different feeling to like have have that in-person, instant access to people that I was definitely missing. Working remotely Like I worked remotely for seven years oh wow, that's a long time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I like never had that in person office environment, so naturally when I was ready to transition to that, I had to make it be the exact, ideal, perfect in-person office environment for myself.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure. And what was that kind of? What was that jump like from going working remote to writing the book, to then being like, okay, I think I want to open up a space.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you were talking before about the kind of like the manifestation process and it was really. People ask me all the time like where did the idea for Soul Sanctuary came from? And my honest answer is like I don't really know. Like it wasn't like this like dream I had since I was young. It wasn't like, wasn't even this dream I had like for a very long time. But when I so like Homecoming was about the book is about like the beginning of my healing journey, like I said, and just like becoming more self-aware, being more in touch with my emotions, um healing a lot of my past wounds, and like through that process, um, I obviously got to know myself in a deeper, more meaningful way and like I got to know who I really was and I and I very much credit that work to kind of opening up my um I I was gonna say my eyes, but it's probably more more accurate my soul to what I actually really wanted. And that's when I had this vision for like, uh, an in-person community space based around like personal development and spiritual growth essentially, and I was like, oh yeah, that's that sounds like really, really fucking cool. Like I think I'll do that one day, like it was like obviously, like I'm not going to do that now, like I had a career that I enjoyed, I was building my coaching business, and I was like that sounds like something I'm going to do once. I like check all the other boxes in life and then like, feel, quote, unquote, ready to do that and like, literally within a month, it went from like that's my one day thing to like no, I think I need to do this now.
Speaker 2:And it really was an energetic thing, like I just started to feel like I could feel the energy of the space start to come in and it was really the energy of the community. I think and this is what I very much believe Anyone who has any idea, whether it's for a physical space or a business or a hobby, whatever these ideas hold their own energy Soul Sanctuary already existed on some level, on some plane and had its own energy. It already existed and when I started to open myself up to it, I essentially was starting to like, like, embody this energy and bring it down into earth, bring it down to this reality. And the more that I did that like, just the more inevitable it started to feel like I could feel the energy of it starts coming. I could feel the energy of the community and once I could start to feel that like, I could also feel how much I wanted that and like how much that like there was like a. It started to feel like there was like a hole in my in myself, in my life, that like this, this is what was going to fill the hole.
Speaker 2:So it was like the more I kind of like open myself up to and embody that energy, the more I could feel like the lack of it in this physical reality and it just like really accelerated the timeline from like this is like my one day like retirement thing that I'll do, you know, after X, y and Z, to like oh no, like this, I feel like this needs to happen now, feel like this needs to happen now, um, and so like from when I first started to have the idea to when I first started to look for spaces there's probably only a couple months, um, and it really just like I very much credit it to like me being open, like my, my channels are open to it and I was open to receiving this energy and the vision for this and just like continuing to connect with it.
Speaker 2:I really just feel like I started to like bring it down into this reality and once, once that happens, like once that started, like there was no, like for me there was no going back. I'm the type of person that, like once I know, like once I have a vision, or like once I know something needs to happen, like I'm gonna do it.
Speaker 1:I can relate to that. I'm like a jump into the deep end kind of girl, like we're not dipping our toes in where we're gonna dive right in.
Speaker 2:Yes, absolutely so. Yeah, that was, um, that was like kind of how, how it all started and then from there just like moved very quickly. And I really do think a big reason of that is because I was, you know, I was open to it and I started to connect to the energy and bring it down. And yeah, like I said, like once it was here, I was like I'm not going anywhere, like we're doing this.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's being in that flow state too and just aligning and, like you said, it became like an embodiment for you. And once you get aligned and you get into that flow state, things just start clicking into place and it's almost like out of your, it's like bigger than you, right, it's like when it's aligned and it's meant to be, all these things start falling into place. You almost look around and like, is this too good to be true? Like what? How is this happening, like this? But when you really do the inner work and embody, I just think it, it comes much more naturally. You're not fighting against it, you're like going with it yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:and then like once you're, once you're in the flow, like you, you can be in it so much like there's no stopping it, like it's like picture the flow of a river, like that current's going and you're in it, you're in it.
Speaker 1:Yes, and in the last four years, like, I think you've, um, you've followed that flow like quite beautifully. Like you said, you wrote the book and then you were doing some coaching and mentoring on that. But now your coaching has evolved. So, like, what has that journey been like for you? Like, how have you allowed yourself to be like not like no, I'm doing this homecoming thing and we're not pivoting from this Like, how have you allowed yourself to like expand with it? And now, um, like, your most recent things that you're working on are coaching other people who want to open up physical spaces. So, like, how did you, how did you kind of go with that journey and not be like so attached to that first thing that it's like you let it hold back all the other stuff? So I think, a lot of people get caught up there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah for sure, and I and what I have realized in business and in life in general, but definitely like in business, is it's a very, it's a fine line between knowing how long to stick with something but also knowing when to pivot, because I feel like like I have fallen into both of these kind of categories where I wouldn't say it was something long enough and I would just be like I'm going to try this and this and this and this and this and try to do too many different things, which I think, from a business perspective, can be confusing to probably to yourself, but also to the people you're here to serve. And so you wanna give something a chance, you wanna really allow yourself to go deep with something. But also, like, knowing when to pivot is is vital, and so I've just always, like with my, with my pivots, I feel like they've always just come really naturally, and what I coach on is always always has been since I published Homecoming to Now it's always a reflection of where I am in my journey and like, like as coaches and guides and mentors, like we can only lead people to the places that we've been. So it's it's typically been like what has been most present in my reality and my life and like what I'm working through is typically the thing that I am supporting other people with.
Speaker 2:So, like when it was Homecoming, like I was very deep in was homecoming, like I was very deep in my healing journey, I was very deep in um you know, the untangling of old beliefs, reassessing old stories, like going back and healing past women's inner child work all of that's like that was what was alive in me. That was why I felt like so capable and excited to support other people with and as like I've evolved, like I mean, we're always, we're always healing, we're always growing. There's always opportunities for that self reflection and growth. So it's not to say that that that's not a part of who I am anymore, but like it's not, as it's not as deep as it was or I should say it's not as deep as often as it was, Like when I was like first in my healing journey, like that was it.
Speaker 1:It was very consuming to me at that time it's like a lot of people, a lot of people who have been there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like I, that was that was it. Like I was like, holy fuck, how did I not know I had all this shit going on? Um, and to like, since I've kind of I feel like I've grown a lot from that place and like, yes, business especially. I always say like business is, if you're an entrepreneur, especially in this industry like this is a growth portal for us. Like business is just one big mirror for our own locks and beliefs and mindsets and things that we can shift and opportunities for growth. Like business will bring that to the forefront.
Speaker 2:So I'm constantly, constantly looking at myself as far as, like, how am I blocking things? Where can I grow? Where can I shift? But it's just it's, it's not like, it's not all consuming, it's no longer like a piece of my identity, like it was and so like, as I've grown, I have learned so much, so much in the past year and a half owning a brick and mortar wellness space and there's some things that I did, I think, really well in the beginning. There's some things that I totally I made huge mistakes, and so I am at this point now in my business where, like, I have kind of I've dug myself out of a hole, or I climbed out of a hole that I dug previously in my business and like I feel like I'm on really solid ground. I've built a really solid foundation. I have built a lot of systems and processes that support my business and so where I am right now it's like I want.
Speaker 2:First of all, I think that healing spaces are so important in this world because we need those opportunities for connection. We need these opportunities to connect with ourselves, other people's like these healing spaces and communities I really think is part of how we start to have that ripple effect and make real change in the world. And it's scary, it's a risk and I don't want other people to make the mistakes that I made. So, like where I am right now, my coaching business is very much a representation of I've done some really hard work within myself and within my business and I want to support other people in lessening the learning curve and bridging the gap so that they can essentially like where I'm at a year and a half in my business, like I want people to be there on day one so that they can have a really solid, solid foundation so they can grow, so these communities can thrive and give people a place to come and heal and connect and grow.
Speaker 2:Um, so I just am always really open to like what's alive in me at the moment. Um, really open to like what's alive in me at the moment. Um, and I've always I just think I've always really allowed myself to follow that path and I think it's important to like have some consistency and pieces of your business but, like you always want your business to be a representation especially if you're coaching and and guiding and being a mentor to people, like you want your business to be a representation of what's alive in you and what's what you feel most capable and confident in in guiding people through. And that's going to change, that's going to evolve as you evolve and, like you just kind of have to be open to it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's very powerful. There's like a couple of things that you really spoke on that, um, that touched me. And and first I want to like to commend you on, instead of being in a space of seeing other people that want to open up wellness spaces as competition, you're embracing it and you want to see more of that pop up and I think that collaboration is what's going to set different people apart and I talk about this on the podcast a lot being very discerning about who you work with and, I think, be discerning of those people who only see other healers, other practitioners as competition versus like wanting to collaborate, because the more we collaborate, the more these spaces pop up like, the more opportunity there is to get people in the door to do this deep work.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely, like there can never be too many healers, there can never be too many healing spaces and like, as we know, like, like, like I said in the beginning, like everyone needs something different at different points in time, at different points of time, like within themselves and in their life, and and everybody who is either a service provider or a healer or a healing space, like they all carry a different energy, a different vibration, a different community, like they fulfill different needs for people. So like we can literally never have too many of these people or places. I very much believe that we we need to. We need way more, in my opinion, than what we have currently.
Speaker 2:So yeah, and I can support others to like, yeah, to be successful so that these communities and these spaces can thrive and the people within them like and the service providers within them like, so they can thrive and they can create businesses doing what they love and they can help more people like. It's just such a profound ripple effect that we so desperately need yeah absolutely.
Speaker 1:So going back to kind of the beginning, like what was the thing that sparked the healing and personal growth journey for you? Oh, I know now we're gonna get deep. Oh, no, no, we're gonna get deep.
Speaker 2:I'm feeling I haven't like told this story in a while. So the company that I used to work for, um was it was a startup company. So by the time I left I was like there was like over 100 employees and as far as like employees still with the company, I was number three. So like I started when it was a very small company and it works in operations so like making the systems and processes for a very quickly growing company. So I learned a ton. But we had a very, very small, intimate team when I first started and we were really focused on like the people that I worked with were so fucking cool and like highly intelligent and like so emotionally intelligent and at the time I was, I was, I was intelligent but not emotionally intelligent. So like I was like in awe of all these people that I worked with and they were very like open about like let's talk about our goals, let's talk about our obstacles. Let's talk about our goals, let's talk about our obstacles. Let's talk about like what's keeping us stuck. Like we would literally have kind of like group therapy sessions together at we did like quarterly retreats and we would engage in like really deep, vulnerable conversations around like where people were, what their goals were, what we're standing in their way, which was like an environment that I just had never been in before and never really been exposed to in that way. And so the the kind of like name of the exercise, if you will, where we like we had these deep conversations, was called strengths and obstacles. So when it was my turn to be in like the hot seat for strengths and obstacles, I was like so scared and so nervous. I was like, oh my god, I don't, I don't, I don't think I'm ready for this. Like everyone's gonna. So nervous. I was like, oh my God, I don't, I don't, I don't think I'm ready for this. Like everyone's going to be looking at me and like talking, like talking about me and like I have to like share my deep feelings.
Speaker 2:And the one of the co-owners was the person who like led this exercise, like he always, like he like went at people, like, like with the utmost love and like for the best intentions. But he was very direct and very blunt and very like I'm going to tell you exactly what I see and like how it is. And when it was my turn, like he didn't really do that at all, like he was very soft, very gentle and I was like I was like grateful for it. But afterwards I was talking to one of my co-workers and I said, yeah, it was really weird. Like Tucker didn't really like go at me like in the same way that he he does for other people.
Speaker 2:And, um, my coworker who I worked very closely with, who I respected so much, said to me well, you know, you have really high walls up, like it's like you don't really let people in. So he didn't want to push you too hard and I thought I was like I'm sorry, what I have, wait, what I have walls up, like I don't let people in, like it was just the first time that anyone reflected that back to me. Um, and so, like it's one of those things that like obviously we can't see ourselves clearly and like if, if I was, I had high walls up for, uh, my entire life, probably since I was a teenager. Then I I didn't know until someone pointed it out to me and when he said that I was like, well, I don't like that, like that kind of like sounds like a problem to me, like I want to be seen, I want to be vulnerable like I want. I was very scared of these things also, but like deep down, like when he said that I was like wait, but like I, I want these deeper connections with people. So that was kind of the first time that I realized I had walled up and I was emotionally guarded and I didn't let people in and part of that was like I wasn't in touch with my own emotion, like I had walled up with myself which I hadn't realized, um, and I was emotional, like I wasn't in touch with my own emotions. So that was kind of the eye opening experience where I was like okay, I think that I want to explore this. I want to see where these walls come from, what these walls are like, see how I can be more open and like let people in and make deeper connections with people.
Speaker 2:So I started therapy, like literally that was at a work retreat. I got home, I looked for therapists, I started therapy immediately and like therapy was kind of you know, another gateway, like the first, the first time I ever had the space to even like explore myself, talk about myself, start to question some of the behaviors that I had and how I was showing up in relationships. So that was like that was the beginning and then it all really just kind of yeah, it's just, it was a it was a layered process, as healing is, and that was that was the beginning. That was the first layer and through therapy I realized, you know, that some of my actions and behaviors were keeping me from what I wanted, and we dug into where those came from and somewhere in this process I got back to writing, which I had always loved.
Speaker 2:Writing like writing was always my outlet growing up and then I went to school for writing, which probably is that in retrospect, like I'm sure some people can go to school for writing, which probably is that in retrospect, like I'm sure some people can go to school for what they love and like still love it. That was not my experience and it really it really kind of like killed writing for me, like making it like an academic thing, and it felt competitive and like your writing is critiqued and judged and like it just kind of took away the essence of what it was for me. So at point in this process I got back to writing like solely for myself, um, essentially as a therapeutic tool to see myself more clearly, and I would write about my past and my past experiences, like through lines of what was my actual experience, um, what was like, what was I feeling in this moment? And that was an extremely healing experience. Um, and I learned I've healed a lot, a lot through writing.
Speaker 2:I wrote like 30,000 words of pure, just kind of like word vomit that I don't even know where it is in the in the world of I don't know the internet and computers anymore. I haven't looked at it, no, no one will ever see it, but that was like that was more therapeutic than than therapy for me. And then from there that word document went into the ether and will never be looked at again. But then I started homecoming because I I had healed so much. At that point I was like I know that I changed a lot as a person, but like what did I actually do? So homecoming was kind of my my way to start to figure it out. Like I said, like I'm a systems and processes person, so I was like like what was my healing process? Like let's see if I can like kind of like like create, create some sort of process around this or some sort of way that other people can kind of explore these things for themselves.
Speaker 1:Yes, because Homecoming isn't really just a book. It's a guidebook, it's a journal. You have lots of exercises in there, and that's why I really loved it. It's not like, oh, I'm going to read this chapter and then like that's it. It's like you read this chapter and then there's an exercise to kind of like solidify that practice, and I really loved that about your book.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, that was my my operations geek side, coming out with the like making it a workbook where people could kind of explore those things within themselves.
Speaker 2:But, yeah, I also wanted to be sharing my experience because I believe I mentioned this before like a lot of um, I feel like a lot of doors to my own healing open because of other people sharing their experiences, and I think that's again just like how we operate as humans is like that's why stories are so powerful. Like we, we can see ourselves within the stories of others. Um and like stories can like hold huge emotional power. So like other people sharing their experiences and their stories like opened up things within myself that I hadn't either been willing to look at or known to look at. Um, and that was really, really powerful for me. So I also wanted to like incorporate my own story into homecoming too and have it be like hopefully, potentially, you can open up doors for other people to see themselves more clearly, and then those those exercises to like dig in and and actually explore themselves in that way and kind of like organize.
Speaker 1:Like when you're going through this healing process especially if you're new to it, like it can feel very messy and you kind of like feel very scattered and like you have all of these things coming up that you've been pushing down for like years and decades and then all of a sudden it's just like coming to the surface. So I really think it's a great way to like kind of organize that, or organize the feelings and just like the things that come up, um, and kind of help make sense of it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because I feel like like you were saying about being an entrepreneur, can be very isolating. I think when you're in the beginning stages of the healing journey, that can feel very isolating as well.
Speaker 2:Oh, a hundred percent, which I, which I feel like that's why, like other people, other people's stories and experiences can resonate so much, because it's like when you're in that, when you're in that space, you feel so alone, like you feel like I must be the only person that feels this way and like that's, and that's like it's an all consuming, overwhelming emotional experience of like this this must just be me and then to hear stories and experience other people that might look a little different but like at the core it's like it's the same feeling, the same things that we're working through. I think is so powerful to like know that we're not alone in our really, even if something is really big and really overwhelming and feels like it's too much, like you know those those big healing emotions, like it can, it can feel like you're in it on your own, you're in it by yourself and in reality we're not so like. I think that that is such a yeah, it's like a life vest when you're like yeah, you're like drowning in it.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, especially like now, even in creating this like physical space and having all of these different practitioners like you said, like you're going to need different tools at different times and and knowing that and being okay with that and just having those resources available, like it can be a very like life raft moment. And I know, like through my own healing journey, that's been my experience of like, okay, I'm not the only person that's ever gone through this and like I'm not the worst person in the world. And like sometimes the biggest piece is that self forgiveness. And I think that having other people who have done this work is a healthy reminder of like, oh no, we've been through something too. And like you will forgive yourself, you will move past this. It's like that's a great reminder to have, because when you're, when you're in the thick of it and your feelings are messy the just like the emotions, the things that are coming up are messy it can feel like, oh, I might not ever get out of this.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it really feels that way, that way like and I think a lot of the feelings that we do repress and then have what comes up in our, in our healing journey is a lot of those like the emotions I feel all-consuming, like fear and shame and grief, like when you're in it, it literally it feels, it feels never, it feels it feels never ending.
Speaker 2:Like it literally I've had.
Speaker 2:I remember my like when I was like deep in it, deep in my healing journey, and having feelings come up where I'm like this is where I fucking died Like this is it. This emotion is going to kill me. And then you ride the wave and you come on the other side and like I think that this is where, like you can build such resilience, because you realize like, oh, that thing that I was really convinced was going to kill me didn't at all and, if anything, I am. I am now a wiser, stronger, like more resilient, more in touch with myself person because of it. And so I think that that's like such a huge part of the healing journey is not just like processing through these old things, but like realizing that these things that we literally like, a lot of the stuff that we repress the experiences and the emotions. We repress we do it because it feels like it's too much, it feels like we can't handle it. Then when we prove to ourselves like that, oh no, we can handle it, Then like anything's possible.
Speaker 1:Yes, absolutely. And going through it. Like you know you're never I talk about this a lot, especially in the last couple of episodes but like it doesn't matter how long you're on the spiritual healing journey for, or like how enlightened you are, how you know, whatever pedestal you want to put yourself up on, like you're not exempt from these human feelings, no matter where you are in your spiritual journey. So having these tools when things do like shit does hit the fan, like it makes it so much more comforting to be like, okay, this sucks right now and I'm going to be swimming in these feelings, but we're going to get through. We're going to get through to the other side. There is another side. Like it doesn't feel as um, like you're going to die. You're like, okay, I know I'm not going to die from this feeling, but it's uncomfortable and we're going to sit in this discomfort and you know, we'll see what this brings about.
Speaker 1:On on the other side, and I think that's a really you know, I I talk about this too like um, healing is just like gathering these different tools and putting it in your toolbox for when you need it the next time or, like you know, it could be daily, like whatever it is like where you're going to use these tools over and over again or you're going to use that tool to find something that works better.
Speaker 1:And I think being open to that process makes it easier because, you know, I kind of got to that place where it's like, oh, I've done all this healing work, I've like cleared all of these past emotional things, but this last year really put me in like, oh, you don't have one dark night of the soul, like sometimes it's more frequent. Like it's gonna happen. Like it doesn't matter how much you meditate, doesn't matter how much breath work you do, how much yoga you do, how much therapy you do, how much shamanic healing you do, like shit's gonna hit the fan. Like that's part of this human journey, like remembering that we are a spirit having a human experience. It's part of the human experience a hundred percent.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we can't, we can't get away from it. My like new favorite line that I find myself saying all the time is like it's just such a human thing, Like there's just so many like human things like that. We that we all do that. Like you know, we're we're hardwired for survival, not necessarily for happiness or to thrive, so like, at the end of the day, that hardwiring is very present and will try to take over and it's just such a human thing. So now I just kind of like find myself laughing at it, Like, oh, like this little self-sabotage spiral I just went down, I'm like, oh, it's just a human thing, Like, but like I have the awareness now that I can see when it's happening and stop it and dig into, like why it's happening in the first place and like what's the real cause of this. Like I have the tools now to dig into it doesn't mean it's not going to happen, right, and it doesn't mean that it's not uncomfortable.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, it's still uncomfortable as fuck, yes, yeah, and that's the other thing I am constantly reminding myself is like, especially if, like, we're pushing, if you're pushing yourself, if you want to get to a new place, if you want things to shift in your life, it's going to require getting that discomfort, because anything new is uncomfortable and it doesn't mean that it's wrong, it doesn't mean it's not aligned, it doesn't mean anything other than it's new. It's new and so, like, when I feel that discomfort coming up especially if it's like me pushing my boundaries and like doing new things and getting out of my comfort zone, which is ultimately how we change like I just am always reminding myself like this is this is this is the process, like this is how you change. Like you have to be willing to sit with the discomfort of doing something new in order to change, or sit with the discomfort of exploring something within yourself that needs to shift, that needs to change in order to make that happen, but like, yeah, you never reach a place where that's not part of the process.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:And that that realization in itself is is huge, because it goes back to those brain patterns.
Speaker 1:Like your brain primitively wants to keep you safe and when you're creating something new or stepping into something new, your brain's going to try and stop you, even if it's good for you. And I think that's where a lot of people get lost or kind of sidetracked or they start to veer down a different path and it becomes even more tumultuous because now the universe, god, whatever you want to call it is trying to steer you back, but your brain is fighting it with everything it's got because your brain wants to keep you quote unquote safe. But it's like rewiring those patterns takes time and practice and patience, and like knowing that it's going to be a little bit uncomfy and your brain's going to want you to revert back to that old way, but like reminding yourself okay, that old way wasn't necessarily working either. So like here we are in the thick of this work. So what are some of the tools that you're using right now to support you Because being an entrepreneur that takes a lot of time, effort and what are some of your non-negotiables?
Speaker 2:So my non-negotiables and this has not always been the case, especially with opening a physical space. I've learned a lot about what I need as a as a human, in order to to feel good. Um, it's very yeah, especially doing something big and doing something new.
Speaker 1:Like I was very all consumed at first and holding space for not just you, but like a whole team of practitioners yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:It was very intense at first, which, like I said, like we get you know entrepreneurs, this is our growth portal. This is that we sign up for this is what our soul signed up for.
Speaker 2:Um. So what I have learned through all this is like my non-negotiables, I, I need alone time. Like I am an introvert, like I am a human design, I'm a reflector. Like I am a human design, I'm a reflector. Like I need alone time. And, uh, I was not prioritizing that in the beginning of soul sanctuary and I got very burnt out very quickly and like that's not good for me, that's not good for my business, that's not good for the, that's not good for anybody.
Speaker 2:Um, so I prioritize my alone time and like guard that I'm. Like even with my husband I have to be like I love you, I I don't want to see you today. Like I need my alone time and like I felt really guilty about that at first, because it's like, oh, when I'm not working, like I should be spending time with my friends or my husband. Like I felt really guilty and I had to come to this place of realization of like no, I need to first and foremost honor myself so then I can show up in those relationships Like as my whole self and from a place of feeling like really solid and grounded and not depleted. So number one thing is carving out that time Like I literally have it scheduled into my Google calendar my me time. I love that.
Speaker 1:I yeah, oh, I had cause. Then you can't fake yourself into like not taking it.
Speaker 2:Nope, nope, it's on, it's on there. I have everything scheduled into my Google calendar, like my outside time my me time like everything.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's, that's my masculine energy coming out, coming out strong. So, yeah, prioritizing and like being accepting of the fact that I need that alone time and prioritizing it. And I do work with a business coach, which I've always worked with a business coach. Like when I first started working with Jamie Gray, like you said, I think we were her like kind of first ones. I didn't even have a business yet but I was like I know I'm here to do something. I have no idea what it is like, but I need help figuring it out. So I've always worked with a business coach but that will always be a number one priority and I always work with soulful business coaches as well. That, like you know, inner work is a big part of what we talk about, like getting those reflections from somebody else. So it's not just like business strategy and support, it's also like you as a human within the context of your business. So that is very helpful to me just to have that, to have that kind of unbiased opinion and perspective on myself as an individual, as an entrepreneur, as a business owner and my business and journaling always. I will always be.
Speaker 2:Um, I I've actually been more into voice noting, like voice memoing myself lately than journaling, which is funny, um, but that's like kind of my, my form of journaling right now now, but just having that outlet where I can like release and let go and explore and like. There's always things that come up when I give myself that space, so like and this is why I love writing so much and this is why I wrote a workbook where people have prompts to explore themselves is because I think it's a really it's a way to kind of bypass your ego and like your everyday mind and tap into that subconscious a little bit and like, tap into those subconscious layers. And whenever I give myself the space to journal, especially if I'm feeling stuck around something, especially if, like, a pattern's coming up, like I typically find a little golden nugget in there and like an aha moment. It's like journaling or, um, voice my way myself, I'll just record and talk kind of there and like an aha moment. So like journaling or voice my way myself, I'll just record and talk, kind of thing and just like let it flow.
Speaker 1:So those are my Do you ever go back and listen?
Speaker 2:Not, no, not really. So it's just to get it out. Yeah, just to get it out. Yeah, I feel like it's kind of like my vomit draft, like I'm like I'm just gonna get it out and it's gonna be there and I'll get something from it, but like don't need to go back.
Speaker 1:I might, I might adopt that yeah, it's a good one.
Speaker 2:I feel like it's a very similar vibe to journaling, but a little more efficient, which I like efficiency same.
Speaker 1:Uh, alyssa was laughing at me the other day because I was like, oh, she sent me, um, like a, it was like an hour 15 minute video. And I was like, oh, but there is no way to speed up the audio. And she was like, what is wrong with you? And I was like, well, once you get used to that, like I can get the same information in half the time. Like that's what I want, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love to listen to audio books on at least one and a half speed.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, same. I listened to all my podcasts. This is crazy, but on two, two times speed and it's insane. But your brain gets used to it and you you can still comprehend. So it's efficiency.
Speaker 2:I feel like it almost forces you to pay more attention, because like I can like zone out really easily, yeah, when I'm listening to something. So I feel like that almost like forces your attention a little more.
Speaker 1:So it really does. The first couple of times you do it, it's like it's the same thing as like a growth experience. It's like, oh, this is weird, I don't know if I like this. And growth experience it's like, oh, this is weird, like I don't know if I like this. And then, three podcasts later, you're like, oh no, I need to listen to it. Like this, yep, yep, there's no going back. Yeah, it could be dangerous. Um, because now I was like I'm sorry, Alyssa, I can't.
Speaker 2:I can't listen to this, Like it's too slow. I need to it up.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I get that. Um, if somebody wants to work with you, what are your current offers?
Speaker 2:So, as I mentioned before, I am providing mentorship for people who want to open a physical wellness space, so it could be a health and wellness healing collective, like Soul Sanctuary. It could be a yoga studio, a retreat center, like it could be something that you, you know, envisioned all on your own. That's a unique offering. So I have my dream space starter program, which is essentially for people who are at the very beginning, perhaps people who know that this is a one day thing but don't quite feel ready yet. One of the biggest mistakes that I made when I started Soul Sanctuary was not doing the upfront planning, which is like doing making a comprehensive business plan, creating your startup budget, doing the financial projections, like I was very much like, like you said, like I jump right in and I was like I'll figure it out as I go and that is not the way to open a business, especially not a physical, brick and mortar business.
Speaker 1:Um it's really really important. I feel like healers and spiritual people. They can be very much like the, the processes, and kind of like nitty-gritty stuff, that kind of like not the strong suit, if you will.
Speaker 2:Yeah yeah, yeah, because we just want to do the thing, yeah.
Speaker 1:We have this big vision and we just want to work with the people and have that impact, but like we don't think about the, the masculine part of of the energy that comes with running a business.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, a hundred percent, especially when it's a brick and mortar business and there's overhead and more expenses than you know. Like an online business, like it's just really important to know exactly what you're getting into and to be focused on, like be revenue focused from the beginning, which is another thing. Like I was like oh, the money will come, and it's like no, like you have to create the ways for the money to come. And like you have to have goals that you are striving to hit so that you can pay your expenses as a brick and mortar business. So these are things that, um, I did not do up front and I know from a hard way. It's very, very important. So, like creating a startup budget like I was just kind of like I'm just gonna like keep throwing money at things and no real plan and it gets very you can dig the hole really fast that way. So creating the startup budget, financial projections and a comprehensive business plan is the most important first step, and so my starter program supports people with doing exactly that. I share all of my numbers for monthly expenses and all of my upfront investment costs the startup costs for my business, so you can see real numbers and apply what is relevant to your business, you can actually create a budget based on reality and not just kind of like having to spend hours and hours and hours researching and guessing. That was part of my block in the beginning because I was like I feel like I'm just gonna be guessing. I just wasn't confident in my financial skills at that point so that's why I was like, yeah, I'll just skip that part and figure it out.
Speaker 2:Um, so yeah, my starter program helps people with those three main uh pieces, which is the startup budget, the financial projections and the business planning.
Speaker 2:So it's a four-week program. It's we move quickly and we get a lot done and a lot of really important stuff done in a short amount of time. So I really encourage people like, even if this is your one day vision or a goal, like it's never too early to start with this planning piece and it is the most important piece. And once you start with it and once you see the reality of it and once you start to kind of get gain that momentum, like things can move very quickly, like very quickly. So I start with that. I offer additional support for later parts of the process as well, as far as like supporting with building some of the system processes that I built for Soul Sanctuary, as far as like the rental agreements and like how to set up a collective space and the classes and all of that. But if anyone is in the beginning phases, like the starter program is basically to help you go from I'm a little confused and overwhelmed and don't know where to start to like I'm ready to do this.
Speaker 1:That's amazing. I'm looking forward to seeing more spaces pop up.
Speaker 2:Me too. Yes, I know I like, I can. I have a vision already of like my office one day and it's gonna have all pictures of all the spaces that I've supported to help and like.
Speaker 1:Oh, oh, that's so pretty, that's like special. I could like see it in my mind too. I know, I know, I can't wait. Um what does soul sanctuary have going on? Is there like? How can people find things there? Um, just plug all your, all your social media, all of the, all the things where we can find all the things I know. I have a lot of things.
Speaker 1:I know you really do. You really do. I mean it's amazing. I mean you run like now. It's like pretty much. You have four instagrams that you it's, yes, it's too many. Let me tell you well, you do a great job of making it look very easy. Thank, you.
Speaker 2:It's my systems and processes that I've built that help it to be very easy. Yeah, so Soul Sanctuary we always have a ton of classes going on. I really try to put out like fun, unique, different classes that you might not necessarily find other places. We do have a membership program at Soul Sanctuary as well which gives you access to all of our community classes every month. So some examples of those are we do a new moon circle, a full moon circle, a book club, we have a coloring night. So lots of, lots of different types of classes included in that. It's a very community focused program as well. We have a lot of amazing women in the mentorship, in the mentorship, in the membership Close.
Speaker 1:And that's a great way. If somebody is looking for this community or they don't really quite know where to start, that's like a great place.
Speaker 2:It's a great resource and if you're just looking to meet like minded people, yeah, yeah, and I, the reason I created it too is like for people who want to prioritize their, their self-care, because, of course, you know, as humans, like we all want to prioritize our self-care, but like, do we actually do it? So, opting into a membership where, like, you get all these classes every month, I feel like there's a little more incentive of like, all right, I signed up for this thing, I'm doing it Like I'm going to these classes, versus just kind of like signing up when you, you know, when the mood strikes, and I think that sometimes it can be a little more challenging to fit things in our schedule. But, like, the membership is for people who are like no, I'm prioritizing my self-care, I'm doing the thing.
Speaker 1:Like I'm going to find other people who are doing it?
Speaker 2:Yes, um, yeah, and so it's a great way to meet other people who are on the same journey and have the same goals and priorities. Um, our, our book club is actually like one of the the most popular classes, because people get to like, you get to come and you get to talk and you get to connect about, um, you know deeper, more meaningful things, like we're doing a money mindset book this month, but I think last month we did the alchemist. Um, oh, the one of my favorite.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was like that was one of my gateways yeah, somebody gave me that book and was like hey, I think like you should read this book. And now I've read it like three times. I've bought probably like six copies, and every time I buy one it's like you give it to someone because you're like, oh, you need to read this book yeah, I think that my copy of the book is from someone else who gave it to me.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, a hundred percent, it's like a rite of passage, yeah, yeah. So people love coming and like talking about, like, whatever, whatever kind of like spiritual personal development themes are in the book that that we read that month. Like, people love it, um, because there's that community element, there's the growth element, there's the like getting to hear different perspectives. So that's one of our definitely one of our more popular favorite classes. Um, yeah, so our membership program is a great time. You get access to a lot of really amazing classes. You get to experience a lot of different teachers and people who work at a school sanctuary, which we have a lot of very talented, very knowledgeable, amazing service providers. So you get to experience a lot of different modalities and perspectives and teachers and we have a great way.
Speaker 1:It's a great way to find those tools, like because you know therapy might work for some person. Someone, and you know somebody recommends therapy to you. But then you know, you go to a couple sessions and you're like, oh, I don't know if this is for me, but then you might find breath work or like reiki or whatever it is, insert your modality and that might just be a better fit. So, like, be willing to try and explore and experiment because, like, a lot of this is just experimenting, yeah, yeah, to try and to give it a chance. And you know, I tell people all the time who aren't open to yoga. It's like, well, go to three classes from three different teachers before you make your mind up, because you might you never know what you're gonna find.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love that, yeah, and like there's so many different types of yoga and it's, yeah, different based on who is teaching it, and like I feel like there's so many layers to yoga too. Like it's it's not just a physical thing, it's also a like, it's a mind body thing, like, yeah, mind body spirit, like you, really there's, there's layers to it yep for sure.
Speaker 2:I feel like yoga was another one of my gateways also. Just fun, fun story I the very first yoga class I ever went to was a restorative yoga class where, like you literally just lay there and I was like I was like this is yoga, this is freaking great.
Speaker 2:And like I only went to restorative yoga for like two months and then the yoga studio that I was going to I was like, okay, let me try some other classes. I went to like a flow class and I was like whoa, what we're not laying down the whole time. What is this? Oh, that's funny. I, I got into it. I was like to love all the classes.
Speaker 1:I was like the opposite. Uh, the first time I went to yoga it was like so, out of my wheelhouse and, uh, somebody was like you got to try. And I ended up in this like really hot, sweaty advanced class, like stuck in the front of the classroom because, of course, we're getting there like right as it started. We didn't my one with my best friend and we didn't know at the time. Like we're like what is, what is this? We think it's like a fitness class. So we go there, there we get our asses totally handed to us. We were like what the fuck was that? But then later I found like these other types of yoga, like the restorative yoga, nidra, where it's like, oh, this is, this is much different, it's it's much more vast. There is like one type of yoga isn't for everybody, but there is a type of yoga for everybody.
Speaker 2:That makes sense. Yeah, yeah, A hundred percent. Yeah, we do. We have a yoga nidra class monthly at Soul Sanctuary. That's definitely one of my favorites. I have a hard time like shutting my brain off within Soul Sanctuary. So yoga the yoga nidra meditation that we do monthly is like one of the few classes where I can actually go in and like like turn my brain off, like feel totally relaxed, feel totally like kind of like within, immersed in the experience. So like that is. That is really saying something right there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and yoga nidra is definitely like one of those must try experiences, like you got to just go and try it out.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yes, must try experiences like you got to just go and and try it out. Yeah, yes, if it can help me relax and turn my brain down in the context of my business, it's yeah, that. That is.
Speaker 1:That's saying something for sure oh, I feel like I've gotten sidetracked, but, um, yeah, we will link in the show notes anywhere to find Justine. There's, uh, the Soul Sanctuary, page Sage and Flame, which I think that's what you were getting to next, if you want to talk a little bit about that, yeah, so Sage and Flame is our retail shop at Soul Sanctuary.
Speaker 2:It's a spiritual boutique, so a spiritual store with a modern twist. So we have kind of the spiritual tools lots of sage, palo santo crystals, sprays, all that good stuff but also like really cute shirts and jewelry and, um, we have lots of things that say fuck on it, but in a really pretty way. So we got we definitely got a vibe going on. Um, we're still kind of tweaking what our summer hours are going to be, so we should have those out soon. But we also have a website at sage and flamestore and we have our instagram page as well, where we highlight a lot of our products. You can always find us there as well.
Speaker 1:Yes, because I have listeners from all over the country, so I'm sure people are going to want to check it out. There's also you do some virtual classes too, is that? Is that right?
Speaker 2:We do, yeah, yeah, we have a couple of virtual classes each month. We do an akashic healing experience every month, um, which is the with kelly. Yeah, so the woman who does that is in germany, so by nature of location, that is a virtual experience. Amazing, um, kelly is such a such a wonderful human and like amazing practitioner. I just love her classes so much.
Speaker 1:Our energy is that one consistently yeah.
Speaker 2:So calming and grounding. Yep, as soon as I hear her voice, I'm like yeah, I thought I was just like, yeah, a sigh of relief.
Speaker 1:You just know you're being held in a space where you can really surrender and feel safe and relaxed. And yeah, she's got to come on. I hope she's listening. She does listen every once in a while.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, another Jamie Gray, yes, connection right there. So the moral of the story is thank you, jamie Gray, we love you and appreciate you. Yeah, exactly. So, yeah, we do that virtual class every month and then we usually have other virtual pop ups as well. So we not our primary offering, but we definitely do have virtual offerings as well, and a lot of our practitioners offer virtual services as well. Yes, I know Danielle is on the show. She offers, uh, virtual healings which are just as powerful as in-person healings.
Speaker 1:Highly recommend um checking her out because, yeah, that's if you want to kind of go deep with the energetic healing yep yeah she, when I was ready, when I and this was only like a couple months ago, like maybe April now I reached out to her and I was like, girl, I need your help. Yep, I'm ready to move through some things. This last year has been tough and she's ready she's ready.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, you know, you know when you're ready?
Speaker 1:yep, yeah, I had a an in-person healing with her and then I was also like, okay, now you got to cut my hair.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, the energetic haircut.
Speaker 1:Yes, it's a little different than a regular haircut. Yeah, oh yeah.
Speaker 2:I saw you at the hair salon, yeah.
Speaker 1:Actually it's funny after we jump off.
Speaker 2:I'm going to.
Speaker 1:I have like my whole month of May that I've logged. So we're gonna work on that and get that up. And she's in there, nice yeah. So moral of the story is, if you're looking for any kind of healing community virtual or likewise, soul sanctuary they got you, we got you. Is there anything else you'd like to add before we wrap it up?
Speaker 2:No, I think we covered a lot of things today. I know we really did. Thank you, and almost an hour and a half. Thank you for hosting me?
Speaker 1:Yeah, of course. Thank you for coming on. It's been my pleasure. I love to share all of these amazing people that Jamie Gray has connected me with, because Nearly Enlightened was born out of a need to share holistic practitioners that are really doing the work for themselves and then they're also in service and bringing it to other people, because you will find people who are talking the talk but they ain't walking the walk, and every person that's come on this podcast, I can confidently say that they do the work for themselves first and then they show up to serve others, and those are the people that I want to work with. Those are the people that I want my loved ones to work with, and so I love giving everyone who I feel aligned with a platform like that.
Speaker 2:Yeah Well, we appreciate it too, so thank you.
Speaker 1:Yes, of course. Thank you for coming on and everyone, thank you for listening. This has been just like such an amazing episode. If you're still with us, thanks for being here. Feel free to like, subscribe, share with your friends and I will see you on the next time.