This podcast came out of a newsletter I was writing in January, that was getting so long that I thought it was going to turn into a book! So I stopped and recorded a private mini podcast instead. I uploaded it to SoundCloud and left it like that. But the response I got was so strong that I felt to release it here too. Here was how the newsletter began:

'At the beginning of December Josh and I were out for a meal together. It came after a couple of weeks of us not getting on well at all. We sat across from one another at the table and I said to him how unhappy I was. He said he felt the same. It was very calm and rational. And then we asked each other if we even really wanted to stay together. It was in asking the question out loud that we both knew it was not what we wanted, but it was so sad to have asked the question at all.

People often remark on how happy Josh and I seem. We are very much in love and committed to one another, so a lot of what is perceived from the outside is based on our reality. Our relationship however has always been one of constant growth. We hadn't known one another long when I became pregnant with Caleb; Josh by no means felt ready, and in fact he wouldn't mind me saying that he had always felt pretty sure that he didn't ever want to be a father. This was our first challenge as a couple.'

And this is where I stopped...find the rest of the story inside this episode.

For the first time in the Sounds of the Rising podcast, I sit in conversation with a man: my husband, Josh.

I asked Josh if he would come onto the podcast, as I couldn't think of anyone better to discuss the subject of Surrender in intimate relationships with, than the person I have been doing the work with myself.

It is a complex topic, with many facets, all of which I have been working on alone, with other women, or directly with Josh. Whichever way I have been doing the work though, the outcomes have all had an impact on my relationship with Josh, and have brought us to the place where we are today.

From disagreements about non-organic apples to now dancing side-by-side, fuelled by cacao, hearts open, connected deeply: my friendship with Mairi has been a magical ride. I am so overjoyed to share this episode with you. Mairi is someone you will meet once, and never forget, and for good reason. Not many women are as committed to, and as excited about, their own growth as Mairi Taylor, and with each step of her own journey, comes a deepened passion + drive to take other women along with her, empowering each of them to claim the life they were meant to live as she goes. If you don't yet have Mairi in your world, you do now, and it is my honour to bring her to you. I hope you enjoy listening to this conversation, as much as I enjoyed having it.

Lucy’s story is so interesting to me. For a long time I have been interested in foraging, for coming up to 20 years now, but I have not until recently actually thrown myself into truly learning how to find food in the wild. The last two years ignited a fire in me to be more self-sufficient, and returning to the Earth; remembering from the depths of me, Her abundance, then came with an urgency. Lucy’s story started as one of necessity, but much longer before mine, and with a much deeper need, but this need grew to be a passion, which has now resulted in her creating a beautiful business, founded on community of women. I so enjoyed my conversation with Lucy, and cannot wait to meet her in person on one of her foraging workshops later this year. I hope you enjoy her coming into your world too. Enjoy.

I met Andrea in a totally round the houses way, via a friend (Mairi), who lives 100 miles away from us both; Andrea + I didn't know it but we live 5 minutes away from one another. In the experience I have had of Andrea over the last year or so, I have marvelled at her ability to create community for women; it really feels she has come to the time in her life, matched with her natural gift to hold space, where she is ripe to play a key role in many women's personal healing experience. Andrea offers THE most beautiful gift through her cacao ceremonies coupled with the INCREDIBLE Spirit Dance. I had the opportunity to experience her in this space in the summer of 2020, and I was changed. We discuss this gift she brings to the world in this episode, as well as delving into her unique story, and also going into an interesting conversation about the beauty of the ultimate rite of passage: death. I hope you enjoy hearing Andrea's episode. Thank you for being here with us both, and all of the women who enter into this space.

Today I share a short voice memo from my heart around Remembrance. The Remembrance that will, and is, bringing us back to ourselves, and healing humanity. The Remembrance of the Feminine. The Remembrance of our connection to Mother Earth.

I first came to know of Dina in 2021 through her work with the UK Medical Freedom Alliance (a very important organisation, given the times, consisting of doctors and various other health care professionals, which I have linked up below). It was my friend Friday who introduced me to Dina, and I was immediately impressed by her knowledge, conviction and strength of character. These last two years have presented me with the opportunity to connect with many women who have truly risen to the calling to fight for a better way for humanity. These connections have enriched my life in ways I didn’t know I was missing, and I will always be grateful that the madness has given me so much in terms of community, and in turn, personal growth. I felt sure I would enjoy wherever my conversation with Dina took us, and I was right; I hope you gain from it too.

Jo is truly passionate about her work with women, and with food, with her desire for excellence of service in her work, creating community, leading with kindness, and showing up with love, being the benchmarks of success for her. If you know Jo, you know her definition of success has more than been met over the years, and I feel sure will be for years to come. Enjoy this conversation, and welcome to The Sounds of the Rising in 2022.

A short episode from this week, as we lead from the Winter Solstice to the Holidays.

Calea is the most beautiful soul. She is a woman who was born to coach women to be well in their bodies through connection to nature + through relearning their self-worth. She is Canadian born + bred, but found her home in Scotland, on meeting her husband Kevin. Together they make the beautiful partnership, with their three children; truly living the life they advocate through their work. I so enjoyed this conversation with Calea.

Lou came into my life at a time I desperately needed her. I was so full-on in my business, and had been for years, that I had not been able to come up for air, and I so longed for someone who could support me to fulfil the future dreams I had for my work. I was so busy running on the treadmill of the day to day needs of my business, I had not been able to create the structure and systems I knew I needed, and I therefore was certainly not in the place where I could take on anything new. Lou came to me as an assistant, something she no longer does for anyone else I believe, but has become an indispensable ‘partner’ for me in my business, without whom I would not have achieved what I have over the last year; oftentimes she has taken on the role of a coach during one of our calls, when I am feeling frantic - in short I am very grateful to have her in my life.

I have known Adele for over five years now, and I have witnessed her conviction and drive to support women with understanding their menstrual cycle and empowering them with the knowledge of how to live a life in balance, not burnout. I have always revered Adele’s ability to draw women to her, through collaboration with other women + her powerful energetic force. She builds community like barely any other woman I know.