Awakening Aphrodite

Are you ready to embody the sacred, self-sufficient and pleasure-filled warrior goddess that is your divine Feminine nature? This episode is all about developing a conscious relationship with your emotional body, grounding in your innate feminine power and reconnecting with the alchemical wisdom of your yoni and womb-space. I was recently introduced to my guest in this episode, the beautiful Emily Abbott, and I have since had the honor of working with her privately to experience the magic of her work firsthand. Emily is a former two-time collegiate basketball national champion and elite CrossFit athlete. She now passionately guides women back to the wisdom of their divine Feminine as a holistic pelvic therapist and student in the process of earning her doctorate in acupuncture. Her mission is to build the bridges between the divine masculine and the divine feminine energies on the journey of self-actualization; a vital process to upgrade the way we live, love and lead in the world. In this episode, you’ll hear Emily’s personal story of learning to embody her divine feminine through a dark night of the soul that involved a challenging career transition, a trauma-bonded relationship and an abortion that emotionally disconnected her from her womb and feeling-body. In witnessing and fulfilling her own need for presence and healing, Emily realized her life’s calling to explore pleasure and develop a loving relationship with her yoni and sacred feminine self. She regards the pelvic bowl as an alchemical portal to full feminine embodiment and talks about how developing a relationship with your yoni can support the manifestation of your wildest dreams in this life. Magical things happen when you step into your divine Feminine, and Emily is a true living example of that! You can find Emily Abbot at her website or follow her on Instagram at @emily.ann.abbott. Visit the link in her bio to learn more about her one-on-one holistic pelvic healing sessions and amazing upcoming events! If you enjoy learning about sacred sexuality and divine femininity, Awakening Aphrodite is the right show for you! Please check out Episode 42, Episode 50 and Episode 67 for similar content. I know you’re just going to LOVE this honest, candid and beautiful discussion with Emily Abbott– and if you do, please leave a review to support my show! **WARNING: ADULT LANGUAGE 00:06:58 Amy & Emily’s Meeting 00:10:04 Emily’s Traditional Upbringing 00:15:09 Awakening Into The Feminine 00:21:50 The Somatic Disconnection Of Our Time 00:26:34 The Wisdom Of The Pelvic Bowl 00:31:25 Emily’s Advice For Learning To Trust Your Body 00:35:03 The Farcity Of Society’s “Weight Loss” Messages 00:40:33 Regard For The Divine Masculine And Feminine 00:43:24 Exiting The Victim Mentality 00:46:27 The Full-Body Yes And No 00:50:48 How Self Love Manifested Emily’s Soul Partner 01:01:25 Learning To Receive And Develop In Partnership 01:06:39 The Feminine-Masculine Dynamic In Relationships 01:11:16 Developing A Relationship With Your Yoni And Sacred Feminine 01:16:30 Emma’s Unique Holistic Women's Health Offerings 01:23:07 How To Find Emma Subscribing and sharing your kind thoughts & feedback in a review on iTunes is the ultimate way to support Amy and help Awakening Aphrodite in everyone...so thank you in advance!:) You can find all things Amy at: ⁠⁠amyfournier.com⁠⁠⁠ Jump on Amy's ⁠⁠email list⁠ ⁠where she shares her personal stuff and her newest health and wellness tips and favorite products, classes, course and events updates. For special discounts on Amy's favorite products, visit her ⁠⁠⁠estore⁠⁠⁠. We appreciate and encourage you to reach out and interact with us by leaving a comment, following and sharing the episodes at ⁠⁠@FitAmyTV⁠⁠ on IG and ⁠Amy Fournier ⁠on FB and remember, you can also watch the episodes on YouTube at ⁠⁠Awakening Aphrodite Podcast/FitAmyTV⁠⁠!

Greetings and welcome to my very special 100th episode! Whew!!! I absolutely LOVE bringing this show to you... it is my heart-project, and I’m beyond grateful that you’re here with me. The mission of Awakening Aphrodite is to inspire YOU to live a fit and healthy life in mind, body and spirit as well as harmonize your masculine and feminine energies, tap into your intuition, your true source of power and awaken your authentic self. And what could be a more appropriate way to celebrate my 100th episode than to feature the one and only Mr. Paul Chek? Paul Chek is a world-renowned expert in the fields of corrective and high-performance exercise kinesiology, stress management and holistic wellness. For over thirty years, Paul’s unique, integrated approach to treatment and education has changed the lives of many of his clients, his students and their clients. By treating the body as a whole system and finding the root cause of a problem, Paul has been successful where traditional approaches have consistently failed. Paul is the founder of the CHEK (Corrective Holistic Exercise Kinesiology) Institute, based in California, USA and the P~P~S Success Mastery Coaching Program. He is a prolific author of books, articles and blog posts and the host of the popular podcast Living 4D with Paul Chek. You can find his offerings at chekinstitute.com or visit his popular YouTube channel for 750 + free educational videos. Paul was instrumental in the start of my personal health and fitness career. From the moment we met, we both had an instant soul-recognition and Paul's work and teachings fully launched me into the holistic world of health nearly three decades ago. We remained friends and professional colleagues and about three years ago I also hired him as my personal coach and mentor. As my good friend, soul-family and one of the most influential healing forces in my life, Paul has successfully supported me through some of my biggest challenges and integrate ALL of who I am.  We cover a rich, wide range of topics on this show: Paul's advice for connecting with your soul and intention, the MENS principle, the importance of having a dream, how to become more than average, Jung's four functions of consciousness, art therapy, my personal myth, Paul's definitions of soul, spirit and mind… and SO much more. Please enjoy and celebrate ONE HUNDRED with me by leaving a review or sharing this show with someone who you think will love it! TIME STAMPS 00:11:33 Celebrating 3 Years Of Mentorship With Paul 00:14:23 Six Degrees Of Separation 00:18:27 Navigating Linear Time 00:25:28 Learning From The Pain Teacher 00:32:19 Your Unconscious Programming 00:36:34 How To Recognize Your Soul’s Voice 00:41:50 Improve By 1% Each Day 00:44:38 Jung’s Four Functions Of Consciousness 00:48:30 Functions 1 & 2: The Judgment Functions 00:51:57 Functions 3 & 4: The Perceptual Functions 01:02:08 Developing The Soul Relationship 01:07:08 The Domination Of Patriarchal Beliefs 01:18:22 The Physiological Law Of Facilitation 01:21:53 How Anxiety Changes Your Cognition 01:29:05 Paul's Definition Of “Soul” 01:40:06 Nurture Yourself With Art 01:47:06 What Is Awakening Aphrodite To You? 01:53:27 What’s Your Dream, Paul Chek? 01:57:06 Paul's Offerings And Projects 02:03:10 Paul's How To Move, Eat And Be Healthy! Subscribing and sharing your kind thoughts & feedback in a review on iTunes is the ultimate way to support Amy and help Awakening Aphrodite in everyone...so thank you in advance!:) ⁠⁠amyfournier.com⁠⁠⁠ Jump on Amys ⁠⁠email list⁠ for her personal stuff and the newest health and wellness tips, favorite products, classes, course and events updates. Get special discounts on Amy's favorite products at her ⁠⁠⁠estore⁠⁠⁠. We love hearing from you so feel free to leave a comment, follow and share the episodes at ⁠⁠@FitAmyTV⁠⁠ on IG and ⁠Amy Fournier ⁠on FB and with your friends! *Remember, you can also watch all of the episodes on YouTube at ⁠⁠Awakening Aphrodite Podcast/FitAmyTV⁠⁠!

“I’ll get started on that project soon, but not NOW!” “Things will be better when I’ve reached that health goal, but not NOW!” “My dream life will begin when I find my dream partner/house/career, but not NOW!” Destination addiction is something we’ve all experienced at one point or another. It’s a concept sold to us daily by our own society: you need “that THING” to feel fulfilled, accomplished and happy. That relationship! That house! That outfit! That money in your bank account! That training program! That body weight! That career! That vacation! ...and so we urgently rush through each moment, holding chronic tension in our bodies as we work or distract our lives away in dogged pursuit of an imagined future event, identity or accomplishment. Listen: the grass is green where you are NOW. The present moment is widely overlooked in our daily lives– despite the fact that each moment is your life. Does each day consist of rushing from place to place, inhaling your food as quickly as possible and squishing your entire life into a tiny schedule to save time? You’re probably a victim of destination addiction! The term “destination addiction” was coined by motivational speaker and bestselling author Dr. Robert Holden in his fantastic book titled “Success Intelligence.” In this solo episode, you’ll hear about some of the key ideas in this book and my takeaways and reflections on the idea of destination addiction: What are the symptoms of destination addiction? How is this idea embedded in the English language? Is it possible to enjoy a transformational journey or process, despite the pain of growth and change? How can I cultivate inner stillness with my busy schedule? How you do anything is how you do everything, and life is not about what you achieve, but who you BECOME in the process. We are in Life School! Enjoy each precious moment, my friend. TIME STAMPS 00:01:32 Dr. Robert Holden: Author Of Success Intelligence 00:05:06 Statistics And Facts Of Destination Addiction 00:11:17 What Is Destination Addiction? 00:15:43 If Life Were Only About Endings 00:20:04 Symptoms Of Destination Addiction 00:26:45 Grace: The Spirit Of Success Intelligence 00:30:09 The Reciprocal Nature Of Life 00:37:42 The Value Of Patience 00:43:57 “Godspeed” 00:48:04 The Wisdom Of Moving Slowly 00:55:05 Cultivating Inner Stillness Please subscribe, review and share this episode with someone you love! You can find Amy at amyfournier.com and watch this episode on Awakening Aphrodite Podcast/FitAmyTV!

Do you eat healthy? Do you take the time and expense to prepare your meals and buy organic and "natural" foods? Well how do you KNOW you're actually getting what you think you're getting and are consuming food the way nature intended? If eating natural and being healthy is important to you, you don't want to miss this one! In this episode we talk about the current reality of the way we humans produce, consume and interact with our food and nature AND I share my favorite all natural *skin serum that I use every day!! My guest, Jared Pickard, is a founder of the Be Here Farm + Nature, a family owned mountaintop homestead set on 300 acres in Saint Helena, CA where he and his wife Velisa have restored a formerly logged and ecologically desolate landscape into a vibrant, healthy ecosystem featuring a wildly diverse farm that is home to over 350 varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers. Inspired by the abundance of the farm and land, the couple has developed a very unique collection of biodynamic self care offerings. Originally, all of this was done in preparation for the opening of a world class hospitality experience, designed to bring overnight guests onto the land for leisure and transformation…BUT all of this changed in September of 2020 when the Napa/Sonoma region was hit with devastating wildfires, including the Be Here Farm property.  From Wall Street to regenerative farming and from an advanced dream-plan to something abruptly new, Jared Pickard has walked through life’s trials of fire and comes to this show with an amazing perspective on the human journey. He shares groundbreaking information on what the “organic” label actually (doesn’t) mean, and provides easy, practical tips for really understanding the quality of food you put into your body. We also talk about my FAVORITE skincare product, Be Here Farm’s *Summer Solstice Serum. Jared has created the cleanest, most potent self care offerings imaginable– and in this episode you’ll learn about the wildcrafted ingredients, solar processing and careful packaging that make his creations so magical. And GUESS WHAT? As an Awakening Aphrodite listener, you receive a special discount and open invitation to contact Jared about the Be Here Farm’s offerings: For those interested they can head to sunpotion.com to try out our Summer Solstice Serum (which we talk about, I use every day and I show on the video!) and get a ten percent discount just for Awakening Aphrodite listeners with code “amylove” (all lower case)! You can follow Jared and Be Here Farm + Nature on Instagram @beherefarm or email love@beherefarm.com directly for product information, a complimentary (for customers) video consultation and guided facial relaxation at your interest! TIME STAMPS 00:16:09 The Be Here Farm + Nature Transition 00:22:14 What Is The Dream? 00:30:25 What “Organic” Labels Really Mean 00:45:32 The Origin Of Chemical Fertilizers 00:49:20 Is “Organic” Always Better? 00:52:26 Jared’s Tips For Knowing Your Food 00:56:47 Is Buying “Organic” Worth The Extra Money? 01:02:01 Can I Just Wash Off The Pesticides? 01:09:32 Paul Chek’s “I, We, All” Concept 01:14:57 Amy’s Summer Solstice Serum Testimony 01:23:55 The Creation Process Of Be Here Now Products 01:28:25 Behind The Logo 01:32:57 Jared’s Offer For Awakening Aphrodite Listeners 01:37:25 Miracles And The Moon’s Perspective FIND AMY AT amyfournier.com and watch this episode on Awakening Aphrodite Podcast/FitAmyTV!

Having my friend Allison Pelot back on Awakening Aphrodite is simply a dream come true. This time, Allison comes to us as the author of her first book, Finally Thriving: Your Guide to Empowered Wellness, a gift she manifested for the world to share her voice, teachings and vast wisdom as a healer, coach and energy worker. One of the many reasons I respect Allison so much is because she practices what she preaches: everything she shares stems from her own authentic experience. She has the most beautiful energy that invokes a calm, grounded feeling in me– something I’m curious to know if you'll feel through this episode too! Allison was initially featured on Awakening Aphrodite’s popular Episode 62, which I think you’ll love if you enjoy this conversation. I also made an appearance on her wonderful podcast, Integrate Yourself, in which I share my own healing journey and passion for tapping into the soul’s desires and harmonizing the divine masculine and feminine dynamics within us all. We are like-minded sisters in many ways, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have her back here for another holistic conversation. Allison’s new book is a main topic of this episode: her creative process, how writing allowed her to resolve and release deeper traumas, and how removing the stigmas and expectations of authoring a book alchemized the famously challenging process into a pure, joyful experience. Imagine if everyone’s work came from a place of joy rather than obligation! What a refreshing, transformative perspective. We also discuss: The process of healing the inner child Vocal tuning and the incredible powers of voice Holotropic breathwork and Allison’s out-of-body-experience Sound healing Mental fitness The holistic idea that spiritual understanding and development can only truly occur when our body is nourished, strong and healthy You will be happy to know that Finally Thriving is now widely available for purchase– AND it comes with a complementary online program that supports your individualized, practical application of Allison’s key concepts and teachings. Please enjoy this dynamic conversation and leave a review to let me know what you took away from this episode! TIME STAMPS 00:12:17 Allison’s Writing Journey 00:16:59 Liberation Through Collaboration 00:26:51 Inner Child Healing Work 00:30:05 What Goes On Behind The Scenes? 00:31:52 Sound Healing And Vocal Toning 00:43:21 Dr. Christine Page 00:47:58 Allison’s Holotropic Breathwork Journey 00:53:21 “We Get To Heal Ourselves At Any Point In Time…” 00:56:22 Plant Medicine Versus Breathwork Journeys 00:57:38 Death And Consciousness Transfer 01:04:38 Finally Thriving: The Sequence Of Topics 01:09:32 Mind-Body Connection 01:15:14 The 5th Dimension Transition 01:19:01 Allison’s Website, Offerings And Book FIND AMY AT amyfournier.com and watch this episode on Awakening Aphrodite Podcast/FitAmyTV!

Do you wish you could communicate with animals? Do you ever wonder if your pet knows more than they let on? Are you ready to open your mind and your heart to the infinite love that is waiting for you to unconditionally honor and accept yourself? This week, I am honored to bring you Amelia Kinkade, a worldwide celebrity in the field of animal communication. I initially encountered Amelia on GaiaTV and have since studied her work, read her international bestseller, "Straight Out Of The Horse's Mouth: How To Talk To Animals And Get Answers," and participated in her online program, The Language Of Miracles Institute. Amelia has been featured in hundreds of newspapers and magazines (including the New York Times, The Chicago Tribune and ABC News amongst other worldwide news stations!) and has appeared on programs such as The View, The Other Half, The Ellen Degeneres Show, Extra, The BBC News and numerous broadcasts in the US, Europe, and Australia. A BBC documentary was created around her work with the elephants in the Kruger National Park and a BBC children’s programming tour was created for her youngest most open-minded fans. Amelia’s true passion is leading her annual Sacred Harmony Safaris in Africa, and assisting organizations who rescue tigers, elephants, cheetah, penguins, Great White sharks, lions, and rhinos and trouble-shooting problems worldwide for tigers, primates, Asian elephants and countless breeds of exotic as well as domestic animals. She worked with the household cavalry of Queen Elizabeth II to “whisper” with the hunting horses of Prince Charles and played a key role in the success of hooved Olympic Gold and Silver medalists. She is the founder of Amelia’s Arcangel Society, a nonprofit organization that supports the education of children in rural Africa with the aims of reducing the poaching and endangerment of rapidly disappearing wildlife. In this episode, you can look forward to hearing Amelia’s thoughts on the following topics: Healing the human-animal relationship The true source of our joy The dangers of overriding our instincts Christ(ess) consciousness Sisterhood The cyclical nature of the feminine Using the physical body to access the divine Her encounter with a black mamba (a THRILLING story) How to nourish yourself and understand animal messages I hope this episode sparks your inspiration to connect with all the wise creatures that share this precious planet with us. To support Amelia's mission, learn more or become involved in animal communication, please visit www.ameliakinkade.com. TIME STAMPS 00:10:05 Amelia’s Message For You 00:15:31 Examining The Human-Animal Relationship 00:20:26 A Call To Access Our Inner Light 00:27:26 Amy’s Three Key Takeaways 00:35:27 Childhood Patterns 00:37:27 Intuition Is About Listening 00:44:23 The Gift Of Fear By Gavin de Becker 00:47:57 The Intuition Of Men 00:50:31 Amelia’s Black Mamba Encounter 01:01:41 The Universal Right Of Sovereignty 01:03:30 Amelia’s Tips For Self Nourishment 01:09:01 Amelia’s Safari And Anti-Poaching Campaign 01:11:10 Webinars And Online Offerings HOW TO FIND AMY INSTAGRAM: @FitAmyTV YOUTUBE: Awakening Aphrodite Podcast/FitAmyTV FACEBOOK: Amy Fournier

Hello everyone! Welcome back to Awakening Aphrodite for another insightful & fascinating episode with my beloved repeat guest, Fatima-Zahra! Fatima-Zahra is a holistic astrologer with a unique perspective on the zodiac that includes ancient symbolism, archetypes and a deep understanding of the divine polarities. If you haven’t heard our last episode together and you resonate with this conversation, please check out Episode 85, the Power and Significance of Esoteric Symbols, Sacred Geometry and Biogeometry. Did you know that the planets and stars each represent one side of the great Masculine-Feminine duality? That’s right… the signs within your personal zodiac are considered to be either “male” or “female,” a dynamic that may affect you in ways you’ve never considered before! In this episode, Fatima-Zahra explains how the duality concept is not necessarily sexual or gender-based. I too believe that everything and everyone holds aspects of both masculine and feminine archetypes, and that it is up to us to have the wisdom and discretion to know when to access those different energies within us all. Fatima-Zahra and I talk at length about the symbolism and significance of the sun and moon as they represent the dualities within us all. The moon is a reflective, intuitive force that astrologically symbolizes our authenticity, creativity and divine feminine. This is why, according to Fatima-Zahra, we should not overly identify with our sun sign, despite what mainstream zodiac culture would have you believe. Fatima-Zahra also speaks about Black Moon Lilith, an astrological aspect that I’ve personally never heard of! She explains how this ancient, powerful and dark feminine force plays out in the astrological plane, influencing the side of ourselves that many prefer to keep hidden. Here's the truth: ALL of who you are uniquely makes you YOU, and we must learn to accept and holistically incorporate our shadow to lead a balanced, authentic and joyful life. And how about men? What do men need to know about the role of the moon in their life? We talk about the importance of self care, safety and acceptance for men, and Fatims-Zahra shares some astrologically-informed advice on supporting the moon-side of the men in your life. Ultimately, there’s more that unites us than divides us, and nowadays it is more clear than EVER that we must all tap into our divine feminine to restore balance, support each other and inspire authenticity by unapologetically living in our truth. TIME STAMPS 00:09:47 Beginning Of Interview 00:11:48 The Divine Feminine And Masculine In Astrology 00:22:33 The Significance Of Your Moon Sign 00:25:20 Abiding By The Lunar Cycle 00:27:02 See Episode 88 00:31:19 The Feminine-Masculine Dynamic Of Your Zodiac 00:38:14 Fatima’s Thoughts On Having A Sun And Moon In Each Polarity 00:43:36 “Your Feet, Your Heart And Your Spear Aligned…” 00:47:22 The Black Moon Lilith 00:57:53 Illuminating Our Shadow 01:02:24 Linking Archetypes To Astrology 01:06:22 Men And Their Moon Sign 01:13:36 Safety And Intimacy 01:18:18 Closing Words 01:26:51 Healing Self Judgment 01:31:52 Where To Find Fatima Zahra I highly recommend Fatima’s Youtube channel and services as a holistic astrologer!  HOW TO FIND AMY INSTAGRAM: @FitAmyTV YOUTUBE: Awakening Aphrodite Podcast/FitAmyTV FACEBOOK: Amy Fournier

Have you ever really clicked with someone in your life and immediately felt comfortable and grounded, almost as if you’d known them for a long time? If you can relate to that, consider yourself to be truly blessed– because, as we discuss in this episode, life is ALL about relationships. My guest, Ryan Sprague, is one of those people for me. We haven’t known each other for long... In fact, this is the first time we’ve really sat down and had a one-to-one conversation. Ryan Sprague is an expert on cannabis and its holistic and medical uses, and this episode will take you to a wide variety of fascinating and complex topics. Ryan is so full of deep ideas and interesting perspectives that I already have him booked for another episode for you!  Ryan’s mission in life is helping his fellow brothers and sisters become empowered in their experience of being alive through men’s coaching, plant medicine integration coaching and retreat experiences. Ryan is the founder and co-owner of Highly Optimized, which also has a podcast that he hosts in addition to his other show, This One Time On Psychedelics. I highly encourage you to check out Ryan’s programs and podcasts– he is truly a wealth of information.  Some of the topics we discuss in this episode include decision-making fatigue, core values, what it means to live a balanced and healthy life (hint: it does NOT involve strict dieting or removing things that make you happy), the difference between happiness and pleasure, and most importantly: why it is critical to be clear on your “WHY” for doing anything. We also spend some time talking about plant medicines and how to use them to enhance our self awareness for healing, as opposed to relying on them as a means for escape or numbing to the emotions our bodies must process. Lastly, we talk about the importance of using our imagination in the modern world as adults and our responsibility to acknowledge and listen to that inspired child-mind that lies within us all. You’re just going to LOVE this show, and I can’t wait to bring Ryan back to you next week! Please leave a review to let me know what you think of Awakening Aphrodite! TIME STAMPS 00:07:51 Our East Coast Origins And Other Commonalities 00:11:18 Seasonal Affective Disorder 00:13:39 Decision Making Fatigue 00:18:39 The Idea Of Balance 00:21:54 What’s The Deal With Self-Soothing? 00:25:50 The Wisdom Of Weekly Abstinence 00:30:59 The Minimum Effective Dose 00:33:21 Becoming Aware Of Cannabis Dependency 00:37:09 Ryan’s Three-Step Process To Ensure Your Conscious Use Of Plant Medicines 00:43:29 How To Avoid Using A Substance As Your Catalyst 00:46:43 How Belief Systems Shape Your Experience Of Reality 00:49:11 The Simple Step For Making Your Everyday Decisions Conscious 00:51:02 Joe Dispenza 00:52:27 Its All About Relationships 00:55:33 How To Find Ryan: - Instagram: @therealryansprague and @highly.optimized - Facebook: “The Ceremony Circle” HOW TO FIND AMY INSTAGRAM: @FitAmyTV YOUTUBE: Awakening Aphrodite Podcast/FitAmyTV FACEBOOK: Amy Fournier

No matter who you are, what you believe or how you identify, chances are that your human experience consists of phases, changes and transitions. Whether you choose to share these stories or hold your experiences closely shrouded in secret, the all-consuming (and at times downright intense) nature of these inevitable life transitions unites women, men and children alike. In the past, important phases of life were culturally acknowledged and supported by traditions, rituals and generational wisdom. To the detriment of our health and collective sense of pleasure and fulfillment, many transitions have come to be ignored or even dreaded in our modern time. Women’s physical rites of passage in particular, also known as the blood mysteries: birth, menarche, first sexual experiences, pregnancy (including the gestation of new ideas and ventures) and menopause have been shamed, suppressed and controlled in recent generations. My amazing guest, Susan Willson, is a Yale-educated Certified Nurse Midwife with 45 years of experience guiding and healing women on their rites of passage. She’s spent the last two decades working exclusively with women through their menopausal transitions. Her new book, Making Sense of Menopause, gives readers the foundation to reframe their concept of menopause from a culturally dreaded “ending” to a transformative, potent phase brimming with the power to fully embody the authentic self. In this fascinating and empowering episode, Susan and I unpack some of the more complex ideas presented in the book and Susan shares life-changing tips on how to prepare for a smooth transition into menopause, how to cast off internalized shame and how (and why!) to prioritize pleasure in your life.  We talk about the role of epigenetics in our experience of menopause, the Grandmother Hypothesis, and the key role that wise women have played in the evolution of human cognition and culture. Susan tells us about the effects of generational trauma, stress and shame on DNA in the womb, and how your lifestyle NOW will predict your health and happiness not only later in life but for many future generations to come. The REALITY is this: menopause is a time to self-actualize, own your power, not apologize for your wants, needs or desires, not to silence your voice but to live your TRUTH and blossom your gift to the world. Tune into my episode with Dr. Nathan Riley (see here) for more information and tips on women's health and holistic wellbeing! And if you feel empowered or inspired by this episode, please SHARE! I would also love to hear your thoughts in a review :) 00:09:59 Susan’s Thoughts On Writing Making Sense Of Menopause 00:13:56 Our Lost Rites Of Passage 00:15:14 What It Means To Be A Woman In Our Culture 00:23:00 Addressing The Cultural Expectations Of Menopause 00:31:05 How Stress Affects The Menopausal Experience 00:36:03 How Pleasure Can Change Your Life 00:46:15 The Grandmother Hypothesis 00:53:14 There’s More That Unites Us Than Divides Us 00:53:26 Join My Free Online Women’s Circle 01:02:42 Sex Education 01:07:03 The Wisdom Of Being Your Authentic Self 01:12:41 See Episode 80 with Dr. Mario Martinez 01:17:14 Find Susan at makingsenseofmenopause.com to join her ongoing conversation! HOW TO FIND AMY INSTAGRAM: @FitAmyTV YOUTUBE: Awakening Aphrodite Podcast/FitAmyTV FACEBOOK: Amy Fournier

If you’re interested in the heroine’s journey, the prevalence of the Goddess and matriarchal societies throughout human evolution or harmonizing your own internal masculine and feminine energies, this episode is for you! In today’s introspective solocast, I draw on a major theme of this show: Reawakening the goddess in YOU to bring healing, spiritual connection and empowerment to all life on our endangered planet. This show exists to promote the ideal of holism as an alternative to the imbalanced and struggling system within which we live. It is a fact that our modern society emerged from a blueprint drawn up by the patriarchy that excludes the archetypal Feminine within us all– symbolized by the intuitive, the spiritual and the cyclical, regenerative nature of life. In valuing competition and exploitation above all else, humans have dissociated from the feminine half of the balanced duality of which all is born. Denying the Feminine within us has generated a cascade of worldwide issues: from the normalization of chronic stress (and the multitude of mental and physical health issues directly caused as a result) to the devastating effects of the undeniably anthropogenic seventh mass extinction. I named this show Awakening Aphrodite because I, like many, was heavily inundated into living imbalanced in the masculine polarity of myself. I begin this episode by sharing my personal experience with burnout, trauma and shutting down my Feminine, referring to The Heroine's Journey: Woman's Quest For Wholeness by Maureen Murdock, As Above So Below by Ronald S. Miller and Dr. Jean Shinoda Bolen’s research for the mythology, anthropology and facts on the oppression and need for the Feminine in all aspects of life. I tell the ancient Greek tale of Persephone and relate her journey to the Jungian subconscious and the human need to acknowledge sacred rites of passage. I also discuss the rise and fall of egalitarian societies, the idea of “God” as a woman, and the symbolism of the feminine-masculine dynamic as it relates to ideas, career, creation and rediscovering the heart-connection that joins us all. Please enjoy, subscribe and I'd love to hear your thoughts in a review or comment! TIME STAMPS 00:03:31 See Episode 74 With “The Body Keeps The Score” By Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk 00:07:44 The Heroine's Journey: Woman's Quest For Wholeness By Maureen Murdock 00:09:03 As Above So Below: Paths To Spiritual Renewal In Daily Life By Ronald S. Miller 00:12:02 See Episode 90 With Nicole Duvaney 00:13:43 Persephone’s Journey Through The Worlds 00:15:31 Upcoming Episode With Susan Wilson Scheduled For May 3rd! 00:24:14 See Episode 83 With Jean Shinoda Bolen 00:33:45 When God Was A Woman 00:40:34 The Wiccan Movement And Goddess Symbolism 00:43:51 Changing Of The Gods: Feminism And The End Of Traditional Religions By Naomi Goldenberg 00:48:29 Men Need The Goddess Too! 00:55:00 Prehistoric Egalitarian Societies 01:00:39 The “Dominator” Mentality 01:01:16 Closing Thoughts & Inspirations HOW TO FIND AMY INSTAGRAM: @FitAmyTV YOUTUBE: Awakening Aphrodite Podcast/FitAmyTV FACEBOOK: Amy Fournier JOIN MY FREE ONLINE WOMEN'S CIRCLE!