Cracked Open

Please enjoy practicing this cleansing breath and rain-making visualisation to bring relief to the bushfires and clean up efforts that are being made in many parts of the world, following catastrophic bush fires. Sign up to Patreon and the first $5 from each of the first 100 subscribers will be donated to a selection of organisations assisting in fighting the bush fires, rescuing and rehoming animals and possibly rehabilitation efforts. The first $3 from the next 100 patrons will also go to the same organisations.

Our second No Legal Alternative episode once again explores how it is possible to live a cracked open, honest, and emotionally free life, even if you've been a lawyer.  It covers everything from identity shifts when you become a parent, to working mom guilt, how to involve new dads in workplace parent groups, encouraging openness with men, self-care rituals, and how adding a second baby to your family can feel like going from baby number 1 to baby number 85 when you're a working parent. This was a fantastic conversation with lawyer and business owner Lori Mihalich-Levin of Mindful Return. Subscribe to the Cracked Open Patreon Page for some upcoming extras for patrons only, and visit Lori's business page to connect with her on social media.

Welcome to the No Legal Alternative segment where I present you fascinating alternative careers when you have a law degree. We started by interviewing Brisbane Financial Planner Ben Brett, former lawyer and co-founder (with wife Cara) of Bounce Financial - helping clients align their investments with their values and achieve their financial dreams. 

The Hummingbird Breath is a go-to during moments of overwhelm, and when you are having trouble sorting out your own thoughts, needing to find your own 'inner voice' again. Try it for just one minute next time you're facing overwhelm and see if it helps! You'll want to be hands free with no earphones on when you try it as you have hands over your ears. 

This is the second Mindful Minutes exercise, a short body scan to introduce you to the idea of witnessing and observing the sensations in your body as they arise. For this guided practice it is best to be lying down or seated very comfortably if possible, and not to be distracted while listening. I hope you enjoy this practice, and incorporate this and other Mindful Minutes into your daily life.

The benefits of breathing fully are best experienced because we all KNOW there is lots of research around the importance of breathing; but reading that won't stick with you until you feel how much changes for your own life when you actually consciously breathe. Breathing fully nourishes the body, mind and spirit and you CAN always stop and notice how yours is flowing. Is it reaching the belly? Is it distressed in any way? Is it affected because you're tired? Run down? Anxious? This Mindful Minute is a short exercise to get you analysing and in touch with your own breath so that you can be dealing with STEP 1 to healing, before deciding what to do next about any health concern you have whatsoever.  

Part of the Cracked Open podcast will be exercises in mindfulness. These go for either 1, 5 or 10 minutes and have all benefited me living with many different situations and challenges, from anxiety to severe arthritis in both hips, ADHD and more. This episode will set up the scene for our mindfulness practice together and give you the pointers you need on how to begin,

Episode 1 discusses our need to be wanted, how easy it is to be on purpose, and how we can all learn to say 'stop the world I want to get off' when we need to. And we neeeeeeed to right now.

Cracked Open - the podcast for expanded minds, hearts and spirits. In Episode 0 your host Kalianna Dean runs through the background and aim of the Cracked Open Podcast. Dealing with anxiety and trying to thrive in the modern world, analysing current news and events and fielding your questions as a near qualified counsellor will all be happening in future episodes.  Connect with the Cracked Open Podcast on facebook: kaliannadean.com https://www.facebook.com/KaliannaGrace/