1 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:14,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Therapy for Black Girls Podcast, a weekly 2 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: conversation about mental health, personal development, and all the small 3 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: decisions we can make to become the best possible versions 4 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:26,480 Speaker 1: of ourselves. I'm your host, doctor Joy hard and Bradford, 5 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: a licensed psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information or 6 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:35,480 Speaker 1: to find a therapist in your area, visit our website 7 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com. While I hope you 8 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 1: love listening to and learning from the podcast, it is 9 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 1: not meant to be a substitute for a relationship with 10 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 1: a licensed mental health professional. You may already know this, 11 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:00,160 Speaker 1: but we are huge book fans here at There Free 12 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: for Black Girls, and we have another page turning edition 13 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:07,680 Speaker 1: to add to your bookshelf. Grab your reading glasses, find 14 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 1: somewhere cozy, and get into this week's TVG library Pick 15 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:16,319 Speaker 1: The Luminousself by Tracy Stanley. We'll be back with the 16 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:23,040 Speaker 1: conversation with Tracy after the break. The reviews for Sisterhood 17 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 1: Heels are rolling in and I simply cannot stop smiling 18 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 1: at the Hot Girl Books on Instagram shared finish reading 19 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 1: this warm hug of a book last night, and while 20 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: it made me want to hug my sister Friend So Bad. 21 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 1: Sisterhood Heels is a beautiful guide on how we as 22 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:42,839 Speaker 1: black women can use our community and friends to aid 23 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:45,840 Speaker 1: in our healing process. Thank you so much for the 24 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 1: beautiful review. Have you grabbed your copy yet? Get one 25 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 1: for yourself and a friend at sisterhoodheels dot com. Tracy 26 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 1: is a post lineage teacher and founder of Empowered Life Circle, 27 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 1: a sacred community and portal of practices, rituals, and tantric teachings. 28 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:12,080 Speaker 1: In The Luminous Self, Tracy provides a guide to self 29 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:17,919 Speaker 1: remembrance with practices, meditations, and self inquiry questions inspired by 30 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:21,639 Speaker 1: yoga and tantra to help you connect with your inner wisdom, 31 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: remember your wholeness, and live with clarity and compassion. To 32 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:30,080 Speaker 1: unpack the lessons shared in the book, I'm joined by Tracy, 33 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 1: who shares what it means to show up as your 34 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:36,799 Speaker 1: luminous self, the importance of rest, and why our self 35 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:39,639 Speaker 1: care practices should evolve with the ebbs and flows of 36 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: our lives. If something resonates with you while enjoying our conversation, 37 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:47,360 Speaker 1: please share it with us on social media using the 38 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 1: hashtag TBG in session or join us in the Sister Circles. 39 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:55,360 Speaker 1: To talk more about the episode, you can join us 40 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: at community dot therapy for Blackgirls dot com. Here's our conversation. 41 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for joining me today, Tracy. 42 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 2: Oh, thank you, doctor Joy. It's such an honor to 43 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 2: be here with you. Oh. 44 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 1: I'm so excited for us to chat today. So you 45 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:17,359 Speaker 1: have a beautiful book coming out called The Luminous Self. 46 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 1: Can you tell us about the title and how the 47 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 1: luminous self is different from other versions of ourselves? 48 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:28,679 Speaker 2: Hmm, that's a good question. So the Luminous Self refers 49 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:33,639 Speaker 2: to this idea in Yogic philosophy, and this is an 50 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 2: idea that spans across many indigenous cultures and other wisdom traditions, 51 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 2: that there is a part of us that is luminous, 52 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 2: There is a part of us that is eternal, and 53 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 2: that this place is located in the cave of our hearts, 54 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 2: and that this space is and this light is something 55 00:03:56,040 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 2: that is beyond all conditioning, it is beyond all sorrow, 56 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 2: and that part of our practice is to be able 57 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 2: to be in the space where we taste that. And 58 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 2: so the lumin it self refers to that self, the 59 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:18,160 Speaker 2: true self, the one that's inside of us, not the 60 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:22,839 Speaker 2: one that we're constantly searching for with all the external things. 61 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: So I feel like we're probably going to get into 62 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 1: this later. Can you start to tell me how do 63 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 1: we access this? What does it look like to kind 64 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: of strip away all these other messages that we hear 65 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 1: and like everything else that you're talking about is not 66 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:36,359 Speaker 1: actually our lumin isself. 67 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:41,040 Speaker 2: I love that you use the words strip away, because 68 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:44,359 Speaker 2: that's exactly what it is. It really is a process 69 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 2: of inquiry beginning with the question who am i? And 70 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 2: who am I? As a question that has been asked eternally, 71 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 2: and people have moved into a space of being more 72 00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:00,800 Speaker 2: enlightened by asking that question. But those people were living 73 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 2: at a different time. They were living hundreds of years 74 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:07,039 Speaker 2: ago when life was much simpler, and I think for 75 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 2: us we sometimes have to start with the question of 76 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 2: who am I not? And then when we start to 77 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 2: ask the question who am I not? We get to 78 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 2: look at all of the labels and all of the 79 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:24,160 Speaker 2: definitions that have been placed upon us and decide what 80 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 2: is it that we want to reclaim, and the idea 81 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:29,960 Speaker 2: of who am I not? Or who am I? I 82 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 2: feel like starts to become just a little bit more 83 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 2: subtle and a little bit more refined and simple and 84 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 2: spacious the more we continue to ask that question. 85 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:45,359 Speaker 1: So tell me how you want people to interact with 86 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:46,560 Speaker 1: the book that you've written. 87 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:50,279 Speaker 2: Oh, I would love for them to interact much in 88 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:54,559 Speaker 2: the way that people interacted with my first book, Radiant Rest. 89 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 2: Is that we want to be able to cultivate a relationship. 90 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:03,680 Speaker 2: I think that we have so many voices and so 91 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 2: many protocols and so many systems it's hard to kind 92 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 2: of know where to go. And this book is really 93 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:17,359 Speaker 2: a set of practices that are held together by my 94 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 2: own personal story, so that it gives a little bit 95 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 2: of context into how these practices can help to reveal 96 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 2: and strip away all of the messages that we've received, 97 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:32,560 Speaker 2: all the stories that we've believed that are not true, 98 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:36,039 Speaker 2: and how we can step more into our remembered wholeness 99 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:40,359 Speaker 2: and our remembered wellness. So what I would love for 100 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 2: people to do is sit with the book and it 101 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 2: comes with six downloadable practices, and to just lay back, 102 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 2: do the practices, write about it. Some of the practices 103 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 2: have suggested amounts of time that you should consistently do 104 00:06:57,160 --> 00:07:00,680 Speaker 2: the practice because that's stripping away that you talked about 105 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 2: a lot of times. It's not a one and done. 106 00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 2: It's not like, oh, you're gonna do this meditation and 107 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:08,720 Speaker 2: tomorrow you're gonna feel better in five seconds. It's literally, 108 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 2: let me do this meditation and commit and devote myself 109 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 2: to doing this practice of self devotion for forty days 110 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:20,520 Speaker 2: and see how each day there's a little bit of 111 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 2: stripping away and it's an ebb and flow. Right, It's 112 00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 2: one day we're gonna feel fantastic, the next day we 113 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:29,200 Speaker 2: might feel a little stuck. But if we keep going, 114 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 2: these practices are cumulative. So my hope is that people 115 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 2: use this as a guide, know that it's not a protocol. 116 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 2: Know that every practice in the book is not right 117 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 2: for everyone. So I give that kind of idea for 118 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:46,000 Speaker 2: people to just sit with what feels right for them, 119 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 2: and if they happen to be working with a therapist, 120 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:52,960 Speaker 2: that a lot of what gets mined from this information 121 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 2: of self inquiry is great for you to bring back 122 00:07:57,080 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 2: to your therapist to say, oh, look what I am 123 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 2: covered here that I might not have known before, and 124 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:06,440 Speaker 2: it becomes even more powerful. 125 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 1: So what healing do you feel like took place for 126 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 1: you in writing this book, and how was the process 127 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 1: different from writing your first book. 128 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 2: Oh, that's a great question. So the first book, radiant rest, 129 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 2: I wrote it from a place of rest. And what 130 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 2: I would say is that I didn't write the book. 131 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 2: I received the book. So it wasn't a doing in writing, 132 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:36,640 Speaker 2: It was a receiving. And what I would say about 133 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:39,199 Speaker 2: this book is that it was written from a place 134 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:43,560 Speaker 2: of remembrance. I had to go back and remember some 135 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 2: of the painful experiences that I've experienced in my life. 136 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 2: Let's say the first really profound experience is an experience 137 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:59,439 Speaker 2: of bullying and having egg smashed in my hair when 138 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 2: I was really young. And to really illuminate, how did 139 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:09,480 Speaker 2: that experience shape who I became for the next fifteen 140 00:09:09,559 --> 00:09:13,680 Speaker 2: years and what was the moment that I realized, Oh, 141 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 2: that experience shaped how I moved through the world, how 142 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 2: I carry myself, how I trust people, how I don't 143 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:27,239 Speaker 2: trust people, And how did the practices that I received 144 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 2: through the practices of yoga and meditation helped me to 145 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 2: unwind the conditioning to the point where I realized that 146 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:41,200 Speaker 2: was something that was informing me out of a place 147 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:44,880 Speaker 2: of pain. And yes, there were gifts that came from that, 148 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 2: and they were also things that I needed to lay 149 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:50,280 Speaker 2: to rest and to really have the power to lay 150 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 2: those to rest. So I think the remembering that I 151 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 2: experienced in the writing of this second book was also 152 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 2: a healing because I got to see how far have 153 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:06,200 Speaker 2: I come, What are the things that I remembered, and 154 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 2: what are the things that I might have forgotten that 155 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 2: are also important for me to continue to remember so 156 00:10:12,040 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 2: I can continue my healing path. 157 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:17,200 Speaker 1: So going back to the theme of kind of stripping away, 158 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:20,760 Speaker 1: So you begin practicing in yoga in two thousand and one, 159 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 1: and you left your career as a Hollywood film producer 160 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:26,760 Speaker 1: to dedicate your life to this work. So what questions 161 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:29,840 Speaker 1: do you remember asking yourself when you were embracing this 162 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 1: transition in your life. 163 00:10:32,040 --> 00:10:34,559 Speaker 2: Yes, I mean what I would say is I was 164 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:39,400 Speaker 2: very fortunate because I started yoga when I became a producer, 165 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 2: when I started in Hollywood, I was on my path 166 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:46,680 Speaker 2: to yoga. And the more successful my career became, the 167 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 2: deeper my spiritual practice became. And it felt like these 168 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 2: two things were kind of in opposition to one another, 169 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 2: because what I was noticing is that there was all 170 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:07,080 Speaker 2: of this spiritual abundance my life. And what I noticed was, Oh, 171 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:12,200 Speaker 2: there's all of this kind of immense wealth, right, that's 172 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:16,600 Speaker 2: happening in the film business, but there's spiritual bankruptcy. And 173 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 2: so why is it that we want to cultivate this 174 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 2: wealth but we don't have any inner wealth. There's so 175 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 2: much inner poverty happening. And so I opened a yoga studio, 176 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:33,560 Speaker 2: and I created a space so that people could come 177 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 2: and pay donation for classes. And what I started to 178 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 2: see was my contentment, my joy, my feeling of being 179 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 2: of purpose, of being of service was much more connected 180 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 2: when I was in the yoga studio than when I 181 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 2: was on the film set. And then I tried to 182 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:59,559 Speaker 2: merge the two. I tried to bring in some things, 183 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:02,200 Speaker 2: and I was able to do that in a few 184 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:06,480 Speaker 2: films because working with people like Forrest Whittaker, it was 185 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 2: very easy to say, Okay, we're hiring people based on energy, 186 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:13,560 Speaker 2: we're not kind to have any drama. So there was 187 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:16,319 Speaker 2: a spiritual element to that, but that was very few 188 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:19,920 Speaker 2: and far between when I could have those kinds of 189 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:23,400 Speaker 2: conversations with other producers, and then you have to think 190 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:27,360 Speaker 2: about the financing that a lot of times in film financing, 191 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:30,320 Speaker 2: you think here's where the money is coming from, and 192 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:33,360 Speaker 2: then somewhere along the line there's one of the financiers 193 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:36,520 Speaker 2: who's gotten the money from somewhere else that is maybe 194 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:40,200 Speaker 2: not in alignment with who you are. So for me, 195 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:44,440 Speaker 2: it was a kind of moment of realizing that I 196 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 2: wanted more of my life to be about my spiritual 197 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:53,120 Speaker 2: path and less of my life being around people that 198 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 2: were not in alignment with my values, and the films 199 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:00,760 Speaker 2: that I was making I wanted to also be in 200 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:02,239 Speaker 2: alignment with my values. 201 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:06,440 Speaker 1: So you describe yourself as a post lineage yoga teacher, 202 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:08,440 Speaker 1: Can you tell me what that means and tell me 203 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 1: more about like your style as a yoga teacher. 204 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 2: Yes, so post lineage really means that the foundation of 205 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 2: the things I teach come from the lineage that I 206 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:24,960 Speaker 2: was trained in, and that's a very long lineage of 207 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:29,880 Speaker 2: five thousand years of teachings and transmissions. But it's also 208 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 2: can be a system of practices that can feel very 209 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:39,960 Speaker 2: rigid because there's not a lot of spaciousness for other things. 210 00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:42,480 Speaker 2: It's like, oh, this is the right way to do something, 211 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 2: and if you do it any other way, it's not correct. 212 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:49,440 Speaker 2: It doesn't take in a lot of times. I'm not 213 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:51,800 Speaker 2: saying this about every tradition, but a lot of times 214 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:55,840 Speaker 2: it doesn't take in the health of the collectives, the 215 00:13:55,920 --> 00:14:00,640 Speaker 2: person who doesn't have a practice of twenty years, but 216 00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:03,480 Speaker 2: someone who's coming in new. And one of the things 217 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:06,400 Speaker 2: that happened for me was I was in a meditation 218 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:11,880 Speaker 2: and at some point the instruction was to visualize a 219 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 2: lineage holder at your heart. I was like, well, where 220 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 2: are my ancestors in this process? Because my lineage is 221 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:25,800 Speaker 2: also my ancestors And that was something that in the 222 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:29,440 Speaker 2: particular lineage that I was studying, was never really brought in. 223 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 2: So I started to study ancestral healing, and I started 224 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 2: to study some of Maladonmosomes practices and saboonfe some and 225 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:47,480 Speaker 2: so it was like, okay, there's more here. I have 226 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 2: a relationship with nature, and I recognize that nature is 227 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:54,640 Speaker 2: a healing force, and that anytime that I bring a 228 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 2: group of people, like right now we're in Costa Rica 229 00:14:57,880 --> 00:15:01,520 Speaker 2: on this rest retreat, and anytime that I bring people 230 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:04,520 Speaker 2: to rest in nature or to practice in nature and 231 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 2: deep nature, the healing is so quick. The layers and 232 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 2: the peeling away come so much more quickly, and so 233 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:18,280 Speaker 2: it's like, why wouldn't I want to bring all of 234 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:21,200 Speaker 2: these things into my teaching. And so when I say 235 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 2: post lineage is like, you might not look and see 236 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:29,920 Speaker 2: some of these things in the books necessarily, but their 237 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:32,800 Speaker 2: practices that I've done and things that I have done 238 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 2: that I know are embodied within me that I can share, 239 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:40,400 Speaker 2: and so I feel like my teaching this allows me 240 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 2: to have a more responsive style of teaching, which is 241 00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 2: also a post lineage way of teaching, is that you 242 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:50,680 Speaker 2: respond to what and who is in the room and 243 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:53,960 Speaker 2: the conditions that are present not just in the space, 244 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:57,320 Speaker 2: but also in the world to inform your teaching. It's 245 00:15:57,360 --> 00:16:00,640 Speaker 2: not just like here's the direction and this is the 246 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 2: only way that you can teach. And the term post 247 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:08,880 Speaker 2: lineage actually was coined by someone named THEO. Wildcraft, and 248 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:12,680 Speaker 2: they wrote their dissertation which is now a book based 249 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 2: on this idea of post lineage tention. 250 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:33,800 Speaker 1: More from our conversation after the break. So, I'm curious, 251 00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 1: why do you think when you bring groups to nature 252 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:39,960 Speaker 1: to kind of participating these kind of rest retreats, why 253 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:41,640 Speaker 1: does the healing happen much quicker? 254 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:46,280 Speaker 2: Well, first I think the distractions go away. And when 255 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 2: the distractions go away or are lessened, we start to 256 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:54,080 Speaker 2: see our resistance to spaciousness. So this is the comment 257 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:58,200 Speaker 2: that has been coming up for this retreat. On day 258 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 2: two I was hearing from the participants. I didn't realize 259 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:05,800 Speaker 2: that I had a resistance to spaciousness. And so then 260 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:08,200 Speaker 2: we get to go deeper to say, well, what is that. 261 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:11,879 Speaker 2: Let's go into the inquiry what is that resistance? And 262 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:16,199 Speaker 2: then we get to oh, this resistance is fear. And 263 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:18,640 Speaker 2: what is the fear. The fear is not being enough, 264 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:24,080 Speaker 2: and the fear is if I'm not doing constantly, then 265 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:29,679 Speaker 2: I'm not valuable, I'm not worthy. And so being in nature, 266 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:32,439 Speaker 2: I feel like is a reflection because we start to 267 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:36,880 Speaker 2: see the reflection of ourselves. In nature, we realize that 268 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 2: we are the earth, and the earth is us. And 269 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:42,680 Speaker 2: when we look out at a beautiful space that has 270 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:48,719 Speaker 2: beautiful birds and waterfalls and mountains and beautiful sunrises, and 271 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 2: we look externally at that and say, oh, that's beautiful. 272 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:56,920 Speaker 2: When you spend time in nature with the right inquiries, 273 00:17:57,680 --> 00:18:00,679 Speaker 2: you get to say, oh, that's beautiful, but that is me. 274 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:08,320 Speaker 2: Where's the sunrise? And me, where's the moon? And me, 275 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:11,879 Speaker 2: where's the fire in me? And you get to reclaim 276 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:16,280 Speaker 2: all those things as you and it just creates a 277 00:18:16,359 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 2: different perspective and a different understanding. 278 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:22,360 Speaker 1: That sounds like such a beautiful practice. It's a beautiful 279 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:24,800 Speaker 1: thing to be able to participate in. I'm excited for 280 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 1: you and for them. 281 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:28,800 Speaker 2: I'm more excited for them, but I'm also excited for 282 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:32,919 Speaker 2: me because it's beautiful to see. It's almost like people's 283 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:38,240 Speaker 2: faces change. They come in with the body being tight 284 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:40,960 Speaker 2: and maybe the face being tight, and then by day 285 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:45,560 Speaker 2: three you just feel insensus softening and people talking about 286 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:47,200 Speaker 2: feeling like I feel whole. 287 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:51,879 Speaker 1: You know something else I'm curious about, Tracy, what is 288 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:57,399 Speaker 1: the then reintegration process back into your busy life, Like 289 00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:00,400 Speaker 1: I leave this peaceful oasis and. 290 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:02,800 Speaker 2: Now I gotta go back to work. I literally just 291 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:05,639 Speaker 2: had this conversation this morning with someone and she's like, 292 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:09,919 Speaker 2: I feel amazing. Well, what's going to happen? And so 293 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:14,840 Speaker 2: this is where our practice really starts, because it's I 294 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:19,240 Speaker 2: would say that in any right of passage, there's a 295 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:23,000 Speaker 2: couple of things that happen. Is that one, you separate 296 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:28,040 Speaker 2: yourself from the community. You separate yourself from the daily 297 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:31,639 Speaker 2: habitual things that you do every day in your normal life. 298 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:34,760 Speaker 2: And when you separate yourself, like say, get on a 299 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:37,760 Speaker 2: plane to go to a retreat, then you're in this 300 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:44,119 Speaker 2: space of liminality, especially if you are resting. Everything that 301 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:46,399 Speaker 2: I do has a foundation of rest. So in this 302 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:49,399 Speaker 2: space of rest, we are in that liminal space and 303 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:52,400 Speaker 2: the in between and the unknown, and there's so much 304 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:55,879 Speaker 2: creativity and beauty that can come from that. But the 305 00:19:55,960 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 2: right of passage is not complete until you return that 306 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:05,760 Speaker 2: to your community and you return back renewed. So I 307 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:10,119 Speaker 2: think the work is really being in awareness of how 308 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 2: easy it is to fall back into those unhelpful patterns, 309 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:19,240 Speaker 2: how easy it is to fall back into negative thought constructs. 310 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:23,360 Speaker 2: And so if we can become aware of, okay, well 311 00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:25,919 Speaker 2: now that I'm not on retreat, and we can just 312 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:28,440 Speaker 2: do this now, even if you haven't been on a retreat. 313 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:31,320 Speaker 2: It's just make a list of all the ways you 314 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:34,840 Speaker 2: waste time, of all the ways that you dim your life, 315 00:20:35,359 --> 00:20:39,720 Speaker 2: of all the ways that you distract yourself, and then 316 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:43,120 Speaker 2: begin to say, okay, there's three things maybe on this 317 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 2: list that I'm willing to release so that I can 318 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:51,720 Speaker 2: devote time to myself and I can create more spaciousness 319 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:55,200 Speaker 2: in my life. And when you create that space, then 320 00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:59,439 Speaker 2: you can bring in practices that you know help and 321 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 2: support you. And I think that starts to become a 322 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:07,400 Speaker 2: weaving that happens where our life can become a ritual 323 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:11,800 Speaker 2: as opposed to a constant doing, and then we can 324 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:16,040 Speaker 2: start to hopefully be aware of when those negative thoughts 325 00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 2: start to creep in. How do you go from I 326 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 2: feel whole when I'm on retreat and jumping in a waterfall, 327 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:26,520 Speaker 2: to oh, I need to keep my voice quiet. And 328 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:30,080 Speaker 2: I think that's where the beauty of therapy can really 329 00:21:30,119 --> 00:21:34,080 Speaker 2: be helpful, is that when you have an expansive experience 330 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:38,119 Speaker 2: and you feel yourself contracting, the therapist can help you 331 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:42,840 Speaker 2: to really create ways in your life that can be supportive. 332 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:45,959 Speaker 2: And I think having someone to talk to on a 333 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:50,920 Speaker 2: weekly or a monthly basis is paramount to our health. 334 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:54,520 Speaker 1: So you've talked about risks several times today already. You 335 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:56,840 Speaker 1: know the first book is called Radiant Risk, and you 336 00:21:56,920 --> 00:22:00,800 Speaker 1: pose this question of what if you embraced risk your birthright? 337 00:22:01,080 --> 00:22:04,359 Speaker 1: So how does tapping into your to our birthrights impact 338 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:06,520 Speaker 1: our ability to connect to our luminis self. 339 00:22:08,119 --> 00:22:12,160 Speaker 2: You know, our luminous self is a place within us 340 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:15,880 Speaker 2: also that is always at rest and always at ease. 341 00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:21,560 Speaker 2: And that's why I also included yoga nidra practices in 342 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:28,719 Speaker 2: the Luminous celts because being able to soften and remember 343 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:35,159 Speaker 2: that place, I feel gives us more permission to practice 344 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 2: intentional rest because it's like we get to taste that 345 00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:41,320 Speaker 2: part of ourselves that's always at ease. I mean, that 346 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:44,440 Speaker 2: was my experience. And the first yoga nadri ever did 347 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:49,359 Speaker 2: twenty one years ago is or twenty two years ago now, 348 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:55,439 Speaker 2: it was, Oh, something is being revealed to me. And 349 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:59,840 Speaker 2: what's being revealed is that there's a place within me 350 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:03,240 Speaker 2: that is always at rest and at ease. And this 351 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:08,119 Speaker 2: is not something I need to grab for on the outside, 352 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:12,520 Speaker 2: which is everything you think, It's already here and I 353 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:14,120 Speaker 2: just have to be still. 354 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:16,439 Speaker 1: In your work, you talk about like the ebbs and 355 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 1: flows of our self care practices and really allowing our 356 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:22,600 Speaker 1: practices to evolve with where life finds us at any point. 357 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:24,639 Speaker 1: So I want you to talk more about why that 358 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:27,159 Speaker 1: needs to change. But I am also curious to hear 359 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:30,879 Speaker 1: how your practices have changed and how you're instructing people 360 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:34,119 Speaker 1: differently in this place in the pandemic, right, because I 361 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:35,920 Speaker 1: think you know, when you think about like having to 362 00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:38,040 Speaker 1: respond to what's happening in the world, that has been 363 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:41,280 Speaker 1: a huge world event for us. So could you talk 364 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:42,479 Speaker 1: about both of those things. 365 00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:45,439 Speaker 2: Yes. So I like to think about these ebbs and 366 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:53,359 Speaker 2: flows as honoring our season of life, honoring the season 367 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 2: that we're in. And first of all, we have to 368 00:23:55,359 --> 00:23:57,879 Speaker 2: know the season that we're in. And I think that 369 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:01,399 Speaker 2: because we're in this kind of well culture that really 370 00:24:01,480 --> 00:24:05,760 Speaker 2: wants to sell us anti aging products and wants to 371 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:09,520 Speaker 2: sell us products to make us have a certain body type, 372 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:13,080 Speaker 2: that it's really easy to get caught up in the 373 00:24:13,119 --> 00:24:16,400 Speaker 2: denial of the season of the life that we're in. 374 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:20,359 Speaker 2: So for me personally, the season of life that I'm 375 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:26,440 Speaker 2: in is postmenopausal. And when I was going into perimenopause, 376 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:30,440 Speaker 2: I remember feeling like not thinking about it as a 377 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:34,560 Speaker 2: season that's natural, right, it was the first thought was 378 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:38,240 Speaker 2: like oh no, right, And it's like, well, wait a second, 379 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:43,000 Speaker 2: let me acknowledge that not only is this a powerful 380 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:47,200 Speaker 2: season for me to experience as a woman, but this 381 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:50,760 Speaker 2: is me moving into my elderhood. This is me moving 382 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:54,560 Speaker 2: into my deep wisdom? Why would I want to reject 383 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:59,919 Speaker 2: this right? And then with that, maybe there's going to 384 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:04,240 Speaker 2: this season of extra weight on the body, And maybe 385 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:07,439 Speaker 2: that just means that I need a bigger vessel to 386 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:11,480 Speaker 2: be able to contain everything that is the wisdom from 387 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:14,359 Speaker 2: all the lifetimes that are coming right now, to be 388 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:18,520 Speaker 2: able to hold space for my community, whatever that might be. 389 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:23,600 Speaker 2: So I think the seasons of just the general seasons 390 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:28,760 Speaker 2: can help us to begin to attune a little bit 391 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:33,639 Speaker 2: like honoring. Okay, it's wintertime. It's time for us to 392 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:37,240 Speaker 2: go fallow. If you look outside, depending on where you live, 393 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:41,240 Speaker 2: if you look outside most of the time, there's some 394 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:43,920 Speaker 2: sort of change, and maybe the leaves have dropped off, 395 00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:46,479 Speaker 2: and maybe it looks like the trees are dead, but 396 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:50,440 Speaker 2: the trees are hibernating, the animals are hibernating. How can 397 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:53,760 Speaker 2: I model that for myself and own that as opposed 398 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:59,240 Speaker 2: to being in some sort of colonized system that basically 399 00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:05,880 Speaker 2: says you only get to rest on Thanksgiving and then 400 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:07,720 Speaker 2: the next day you better be back to work, and 401 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:10,320 Speaker 2: on January first, you better be back and ready to 402 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:14,919 Speaker 2: It's like, this isn't the way nature is and we 403 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:19,119 Speaker 2: need to replicate more of nature rather than listening to 404 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:22,919 Speaker 2: these outside things. So the ebb and flow will happen 405 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:26,920 Speaker 2: where there may be the ebb of Okay, I need 406 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:29,200 Speaker 2: to go into deep breasts. I need to go into 407 00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:32,720 Speaker 2: a rest cave from November to January, and I need 408 00:26:32,760 --> 00:26:35,320 Speaker 2: to honor that. And I need to have sacred boundaries 409 00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:37,919 Speaker 2: to let the people who are coming into town and 410 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:40,399 Speaker 2: want to get together and want to do this, to 411 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:42,960 Speaker 2: know that this is what's happening. You want to come 412 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:46,359 Speaker 2: over and rest with me, then let's do that. And 413 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 2: then when spring is coming for me, this is like 414 00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:54,439 Speaker 2: coming to Costa Rica in this springtime and feeling the 415 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:58,080 Speaker 2: warmth and getting to play and to dream and to 416 00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:02,040 Speaker 2: allow this kind of inspiration small time. So I think 417 00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:03,960 Speaker 2: that we all have a season of life, and we 418 00:27:04,040 --> 00:27:07,439 Speaker 2: have a season of time that we're in, and the 419 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:13,080 Speaker 2: season that the pandemic has brought upon us, I really 420 00:27:13,119 --> 00:27:16,760 Speaker 2: feel like is just to talk about it, I guess 421 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:20,399 Speaker 2: in an esoteric way. First is that it has brought 422 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:24,240 Speaker 2: us into the liminal. It has brought us into the unknown. 423 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:28,080 Speaker 2: And I think that in our Western culture, we are 424 00:27:28,119 --> 00:27:32,760 Speaker 2: addicted to having to know, and so if we can 425 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:36,360 Speaker 2: be in that liminal space and rest because I think 426 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 2: about the lockdown as a global practice. We were asked 427 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:45,600 Speaker 2: to do a global practice, and we were also asked 428 00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:49,880 Speaker 2: to support our community. We were also asked to practice 429 00:27:50,119 --> 00:27:55,560 Speaker 2: community care. We were also asked to not be individualistic, 430 00:27:56,280 --> 00:28:00,439 Speaker 2: and some of us failed and some of us learned. 431 00:28:00,840 --> 00:28:04,840 Speaker 2: And to me, it was the learning space. And what 432 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:09,479 Speaker 2: I feel because what I see reflected in groups is 433 00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:13,199 Speaker 2: that those who were doing their work of listening, of 434 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:17,520 Speaker 2: being in community, they are more well than they might 435 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:22,440 Speaker 2: have been before the pandemic. And some of us who 436 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:28,600 Speaker 2: for whatever reason didn't do anything during that time, I 437 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:33,119 Speaker 2: feel like it's becoming very clear that there's real work 438 00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:33,840 Speaker 2: to be done. 439 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:36,399 Speaker 1: And what do you think that work looks like? Because 440 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:39,000 Speaker 1: in some ways it feels like if people didn't get 441 00:28:39,040 --> 00:28:41,960 Speaker 1: to whatever it was like in this period of slowing down, 442 00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:44,960 Speaker 1: now there is all this continued pressure to put yourself 443 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:46,680 Speaker 1: back out there and like go back into the office 444 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:48,840 Speaker 1: and like do all of these things. What kinds of 445 00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:51,000 Speaker 1: things do people need to do to create that space 446 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:52,600 Speaker 1: to do maybe some of the work they didn't have 447 00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:54,880 Speaker 1: the opportunity to do in the pandemic. 448 00:28:55,960 --> 00:28:59,120 Speaker 2: Well, for sure, they have to rest. Because one of 449 00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:02,120 Speaker 2: the things that I know last year when I went 450 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:07,720 Speaker 2: back to teaching some retreats live, was the level of 451 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:12,400 Speaker 2: deep bone exhaustion and the level of greets. It was 452 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:19,240 Speaker 2: so real and so potent, and it was pervasive across 453 00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 2: the board. It didn't matter who you were, the level 454 00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 2: of exhaustion was there. And what I realized in one 455 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:29,560 Speaker 2: of the retreats, and this goes back to your question 456 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:34,760 Speaker 2: about how do I teach and the season is I 457 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:37,440 Speaker 2: had a Yoga Nidra retreat that I was teaching and 458 00:29:37,480 --> 00:29:39,520 Speaker 2: we were going to be practicing yoga Nidra and the 459 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:44,640 Speaker 2: first practice, everybody laid down and I was like, oh, 460 00:29:45,520 --> 00:29:49,200 Speaker 2: I can feel the level of exhaustion, the level of sadness, 461 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 2: despair and grief. And I was like, I'm not teaching 462 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:58,160 Speaker 2: any Yoga nindra. These people need to sleep, not even rest, 463 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:01,360 Speaker 2: because rest and sleep are different. These people need to 464 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:04,720 Speaker 2: sleep and all I'm going to be doing is holding 465 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:08,239 Speaker 2: and protecting space for them to sleep and not have 466 00:30:08,360 --> 00:30:12,600 Speaker 2: shame about sleeping, because that was the medicine that was needed. 467 00:30:13,440 --> 00:30:26,000 Speaker 1: More from our conversation after the break, what is the 468 00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:27,640 Speaker 1: difference between rest and sleep? 469 00:30:28,280 --> 00:30:30,520 Speaker 2: Well, I think the easiest way to think about it 470 00:30:30,560 --> 00:30:34,160 Speaker 2: is that if you don't sleep for let's say a 471 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:38,640 Speaker 2: week and a half maybe more, you probably won't live 472 00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:42,960 Speaker 2: very long, right Your systems will start shutting down. It 473 00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:46,760 Speaker 2: is a biological need. But I think we all know 474 00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:52,240 Speaker 2: people who have gone decades without resting, so there's a difference. 475 00:30:52,280 --> 00:30:56,600 Speaker 2: I think that sleep allows you to feel rested, but 476 00:30:56,720 --> 00:31:01,000 Speaker 2: intentional rest is different than in that way. 477 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:04,360 Speaker 1: So when I hear you talk Tracy about the lumine itself, 478 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:08,520 Speaker 1: it brings to mind conversations around intuition and like, how 479 00:31:08,520 --> 00:31:12,200 Speaker 1: do people know something is intuition versus anxiety? Or how 480 00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:14,760 Speaker 1: do we really get into a practice of listening to 481 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:15,840 Speaker 1: our inner voice? 482 00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:20,480 Speaker 2: So, like anything, I think it's practice. And I'm a 483 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:24,640 Speaker 2: big fan of free writing and journaling, and I think 484 00:31:24,680 --> 00:31:28,320 Speaker 2: that the questions that I would ask myself today if 485 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:31,760 Speaker 2: I was interested in developing and creating a relationship with 486 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:34,160 Speaker 2: my intuition, would be when was the last time that 487 00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:38,000 Speaker 2: I had intuition that I had a strong intuition? And 488 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:42,040 Speaker 2: did I listen to that intuition? Why or why not? 489 00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:45,280 Speaker 2: And then what was the outcome? And then I would 490 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:48,920 Speaker 2: go back in time to the time before that I 491 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:51,640 Speaker 2: felt I had a strong intuition, and I would just 492 00:31:51,720 --> 00:31:54,160 Speaker 2: continue to go back as far as I could go 493 00:31:54,240 --> 00:31:58,080 Speaker 2: back in my memory writing this down. What was the outcome? 494 00:31:58,360 --> 00:32:01,240 Speaker 2: Did I listen? Why didn't I listen? And just start 495 00:32:01,320 --> 00:32:05,800 Speaker 2: to be able to create a story around what is 496 00:32:05,920 --> 00:32:09,719 Speaker 2: my relationship with intuition? And if I haven't listened to 497 00:32:09,720 --> 00:32:12,000 Speaker 2: my intuition? Because I think we've all been in that 498 00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:16,520 Speaker 2: spot where you knew something was off and for whatever 499 00:32:16,600 --> 00:32:20,040 Speaker 2: reason you decided not to listen and then something happened 500 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:23,560 Speaker 2: and you're like, I knew this, Da da da da right, 501 00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:28,560 Speaker 2: So any kind of and this really is also a 502 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:33,680 Speaker 2: decolonization practice because oppressors don't want us to listen to 503 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:37,520 Speaker 2: our intuition because that's where the knowing is. So how 504 00:32:37,560 --> 00:32:41,480 Speaker 2: can you then turn this around to say, I'm going 505 00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:45,840 Speaker 2: to create a practice where for three days, maybe you'd 506 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:48,240 Speaker 2: start this on a Friday and you ended on a Sunday. 507 00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:51,320 Speaker 2: For three days, I'm going to do nothing but listen 508 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:54,360 Speaker 2: to my intuition and I'm going to notice where is 509 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:57,400 Speaker 2: it guiding me? And I'm maybe even going to notice 510 00:32:57,440 --> 00:32:59,600 Speaker 2: what does it feel like in my body when I 511 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:04,000 Speaker 2: actually feel that inner voice, What does it feel like 512 00:33:05,040 --> 00:33:08,480 Speaker 2: when I get a hard no? And that to me 513 00:33:08,680 --> 00:33:12,120 Speaker 2: is how you begin to cultivate the relationship. But it 514 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:16,360 Speaker 2: is a practice, and again it needs to be done consistently. 515 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:19,840 Speaker 1: I love that our community typically loves good journal prompt 516 00:33:19,920 --> 00:33:22,040 Speaker 1: so I am sure that's one people are going to 517 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:24,560 Speaker 1: be eager to exercise. So thank you for offering that 518 00:33:24,600 --> 00:33:27,440 Speaker 1: to us. So I would also love it if you 519 00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:30,920 Speaker 1: would offer us a five minute or so guided meditation 520 00:33:31,120 --> 00:33:33,080 Speaker 1: to help us get a little closer to answering that 521 00:33:33,120 --> 00:33:35,480 Speaker 1: first question you asked about. Who am I. 522 00:33:36,920 --> 00:33:41,080 Speaker 2: Yes, of course. So what I would first offer is 523 00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:45,840 Speaker 2: to come into a comfortable shape, whatever that is for you. 524 00:33:45,920 --> 00:33:48,920 Speaker 2: That could be resting back in your chair, could be 525 00:33:49,040 --> 00:33:53,400 Speaker 2: lying on the floor side, lying in your bed. And 526 00:33:53,440 --> 00:33:56,240 Speaker 2: if it feels okay for you to close your eyes 527 00:33:57,040 --> 00:33:59,800 Speaker 2: or to soften your gaze, go ahead and do that. 528 00:34:02,800 --> 00:34:07,320 Speaker 2: And first, just take a moment to feel into the 529 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:16,400 Speaker 2: space that your body is occupying. Notice the space your 530 00:34:16,440 --> 00:34:19,640 Speaker 2: body is occupying from the top of your head to 531 00:34:20,080 --> 00:34:26,320 Speaker 2: the soles of your feet, and perhaps you slowly scan 532 00:34:26,760 --> 00:34:30,160 Speaker 2: from top of head to soles of feet and just 533 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:36,919 Speaker 2: notice whatever it is that you notice, without making any 534 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:44,399 Speaker 2: judgments or trying to change anything, just being impure acceptance 535 00:34:44,880 --> 00:34:54,720 Speaker 2: and witnessing. And you notice the space that your body 536 00:34:54,800 --> 00:34:58,440 Speaker 2: is occupying. You may also notice that the body is breathing. 537 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:04,840 Speaker 2: And as you notice the body breathing, you may also 538 00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:07,359 Speaker 2: notice that there is nothing that you need to do 539 00:35:08,160 --> 00:35:17,760 Speaker 2: or earn to receive this breath. So instead of thinking 540 00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:22,239 Speaker 2: about taking a breath, feel as though the breath is 541 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:26,200 Speaker 2: coming to you as a gift, a gift that you 542 00:35:26,200 --> 00:35:36,920 Speaker 2: are worthy of receiving. And then feel the body release 543 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:42,680 Speaker 2: the axhal and feel the next breath come to you 544 00:35:44,160 --> 00:35:50,200 Speaker 2: and follow that flow of the broth. Notice the pause 545 00:35:50,360 --> 00:35:56,440 Speaker 2: between the inhale and the axhale, and feel the release 546 00:35:56,560 --> 00:36:04,160 Speaker 2: of the broth. Notice pause between the exhale and the inhale, 547 00:36:07,239 --> 00:36:10,760 Speaker 2: and just follow the breath for three more breaths. Please 548 00:36:25,360 --> 00:36:30,520 Speaker 2: notice the body is breathing, that the navel rises and falls, 549 00:36:32,360 --> 00:36:35,839 Speaker 2: and so just be aware of the naval rising as 550 00:36:35,880 --> 00:36:40,360 Speaker 2: you receive breath and the navel falling as you release breath. 551 00:36:43,600 --> 00:36:48,360 Speaker 2: Notice how the chest becomes more and more still, and 552 00:36:48,440 --> 00:36:53,640 Speaker 2: that all of the breath is moving in the belly. 553 00:36:54,320 --> 00:36:59,160 Speaker 2: Three more breaths as you watch naval rise and naval fall. 554 00:37:22,840 --> 00:37:26,239 Speaker 2: And then slowly just begin to notice the space and 555 00:37:26,360 --> 00:37:30,600 Speaker 2: the forehead and feel as though that space is softening. 556 00:37:34,239 --> 00:37:37,120 Speaker 2: And as that space softens, just feel as though the 557 00:37:37,200 --> 00:37:42,360 Speaker 2: mind is also softening, and that any wrinkles in the 558 00:37:42,440 --> 00:37:48,880 Speaker 2: mind are being smoothed away. Notice the softening and the 559 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:54,080 Speaker 2: eyes and the eyebrows, and the cheeks, and the chin 560 00:37:56,160 --> 00:38:03,480 Speaker 2: and the throats, the shoulders, and in the heart center. 561 00:38:05,280 --> 00:38:08,040 Speaker 2: Now just let your awareness rest in the heart center 562 00:38:08,160 --> 00:38:10,560 Speaker 2: and feel the breath moving in and out from the 563 00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:34,880 Speaker 2: heart three times. And as you allow your awareness to 564 00:38:34,920 --> 00:38:38,080 Speaker 2: move deeper into the heart, just remember who you are. 565 00:38:38,520 --> 00:38:42,400 Speaker 2: Ask yourself the question who am I? Who am I not? 566 00:38:43,719 --> 00:38:48,600 Speaker 2: Who am I? Who am I not? Who am I? 567 00:38:49,600 --> 00:38:56,719 Speaker 2: Who am I not? And then spond a minute or 568 00:38:56,719 --> 00:39:00,719 Speaker 2: two in your journal just writing the am serves over 569 00:39:00,800 --> 00:39:03,279 Speaker 2: and over, who am I? Who am I not? Who 570 00:39:03,320 --> 00:39:09,160 Speaker 2: am I? Who am I? Thank you so. 571 00:39:09,120 --> 00:39:12,840 Speaker 1: Much, Thank you, Tracy. I think our audience will definitely 572 00:39:12,880 --> 00:39:15,799 Speaker 1: appreciate that exercise as one that they can visit and 573 00:39:15,840 --> 00:39:19,279 Speaker 1: revisit as often as they need to. As you said so, 574 00:39:19,320 --> 00:39:21,759 Speaker 1: in addition to being an author and a teacher, you're 575 00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:24,440 Speaker 1: also the founder of the Empowered Life Circle can you 576 00:39:24,480 --> 00:39:26,319 Speaker 1: tell us a little bit about what this is and 577 00:39:26,320 --> 00:39:27,799 Speaker 1: who this community is made for. 578 00:39:28,200 --> 00:39:31,720 Speaker 2: This community is made for anyone who wants to be 579 00:39:31,920 --> 00:39:37,319 Speaker 2: in practice of rest, deep inquiry and knowing who they 580 00:39:37,320 --> 00:39:41,719 Speaker 2: truly are. Empowered Life Circle is a space where we 581 00:39:41,840 --> 00:39:46,480 Speaker 2: hold free events. So the next big free event will 582 00:39:46,520 --> 00:39:50,080 Speaker 2: be the book Club for the Limited Self, where we 583 00:39:50,120 --> 00:39:52,279 Speaker 2: on meet for four or five weeks and we'll go 584 00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:55,640 Speaker 2: through the practices together and I'll be offering some of 585 00:39:55,640 --> 00:39:58,680 Speaker 2: the practices that are not recorded in the book. But 586 00:39:58,880 --> 00:40:02,840 Speaker 2: it's really for people full to gather and to learn. 587 00:40:03,480 --> 00:40:06,600 Speaker 2: And then there is a membership part of the Empowered 588 00:40:06,640 --> 00:40:11,480 Speaker 2: Life Circle, but the Empowered Life Circle as a container 589 00:40:11,760 --> 00:40:15,520 Speaker 2: is a place for people to gather, learn and be supported. 590 00:40:15,960 --> 00:40:18,759 Speaker 1: Perfect And where can we find more information about that? 591 00:40:19,239 --> 00:40:21,319 Speaker 1: Where can we keep up with you? And where can 592 00:40:21,360 --> 00:40:23,200 Speaker 1: we grab our copy of the book? 593 00:40:24,160 --> 00:40:26,359 Speaker 2: You can grab your copy of the book at your 594 00:40:26,400 --> 00:40:30,839 Speaker 2: favorite independent bookstore, or you can go to the Shambala website. 595 00:40:30,960 --> 00:40:33,360 Speaker 2: Starting in June, they will have it on the website 596 00:40:33,400 --> 00:40:35,839 Speaker 2: with a coupon code, so you might want to wait 597 00:40:35,840 --> 00:40:39,720 Speaker 2: to June to look at it. And you can find 598 00:40:39,760 --> 00:40:44,920 Speaker 2: me on my website at Tracy Yoga dot com. Tracy 599 00:40:44,920 --> 00:40:48,960 Speaker 2: spelled with two e's, and you can also find me 600 00:40:49,080 --> 00:40:54,960 Speaker 2: on Instagram Tracy Underscore, Stanley sta and ALII and Beautiful. 601 00:40:55,000 --> 00:40:56,600 Speaker 1: We'll be short to include all of that in the 602 00:40:56,640 --> 00:40:58,839 Speaker 1: show notes. Thank you so much for spending some time 603 00:40:58,880 --> 00:41:00,680 Speaker 1: with us today, Tracy appreciate it. 604 00:41:01,320 --> 00:41:04,040 Speaker 2: Thank you so much, doctor Joy. It's been an honor. 605 00:41:06,920 --> 00:41:09,279 Speaker 1: I'm so glad Tracy could join us today to chat 606 00:41:09,320 --> 00:41:12,520 Speaker 1: about The Luminous Self. To learn more about her work, 607 00:41:12,800 --> 00:41:15,480 Speaker 1: or to grab your copy of the book, visit the 608 00:41:15,520 --> 00:41:18,719 Speaker 1: show notes at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com, Slash the 609 00:41:18,800 --> 00:41:22,000 Speaker 1: Luminous Self, and don't forget to text two of your 610 00:41:22,000 --> 00:41:25,360 Speaker 1: girls right now and encourage them to check out the episode. 611 00:41:26,520 --> 00:41:29,200 Speaker 1: If you're looking for a therapist in your area, check 612 00:41:29,200 --> 00:41:32,319 Speaker 1: out our therapist directory at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com 613 00:41:32,360 --> 00:41:35,640 Speaker 1: slash directory. And if you want to continue digging into 614 00:41:35,640 --> 00:41:38,320 Speaker 1: this topic or just be in community with other sisters, 615 00:41:38,800 --> 00:41:40,880 Speaker 1: come on over and join us in the Sister Circle. 616 00:41:41,440 --> 00:41:43,800 Speaker 1: It's our cozy corner of the Internet designed just for 617 00:41:43,880 --> 00:41:47,160 Speaker 1: black women. You can join us at community dot Therapy 618 00:41:47,200 --> 00:41:52,200 Speaker 1: for Blackgirls dot com. This episode was produced by Frida Lucas, 619 00:41:52,239 --> 00:41:56,960 Speaker 1: Elise Ellis and Zaria Taylor. Editing was done by Dennison Bradford. 620 00:41:57,280 --> 00:41:59,680 Speaker 1: Thank y'all so much for joining me for another TBG 621 00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:03,520 Speaker 1: Live very pick. We'll be back with another conversation next week. 622 00:42:03,719 --> 00:42:12,120 Speaker 1: Take good care. What's The reviews for Sisterhood Heels are 623 00:42:12,239 --> 00:42:16,040 Speaker 1: rolling in and I simply cannot stop smiling at the 624 00:42:16,160 --> 00:42:20,000 Speaker 1: Hot Girl books on Instagram shared finish reading this warm 625 00:42:20,080 --> 00:42:22,640 Speaker 1: hug of a book last night and while it made 626 00:42:22,680 --> 00:42:26,040 Speaker 1: me want a hug my sister friend so bad. Sisterhood 627 00:42:26,040 --> 00:42:28,520 Speaker 1: Heels is a beautiful guide on how we as black 628 00:42:28,560 --> 00:42:31,480 Speaker 1: women can use our community and friends to aid in 629 00:42:31,520 --> 00:42:35,320 Speaker 1: our healing process. Thank you so much for the beautiful review. 630 00:42:36,120 --> 00:42:39,360 Speaker 1: Have you grabbed your copy yet? Get one for yourself 631 00:42:39,400 --> 00:42:42,359 Speaker 1: and a friend at Sisterhoodheels dot com