Live From Suckville

"The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself."-Henry MillerThe human mind is a marvelous thing, in essence a little mini-computer capable of the greatest and worst ideas on earth. And thus, it holds the greatest key to making our worlds either marvelous or terrible, tragic or heroic. In other words, no matter what is going on, you have  the power to see life as a never-ending rat race or as a place of magical, wondrous and infinite possibilities. What will you choose?Come with me as we explore the latter, learning very simple but powerful ways to introduce more magic, peace and stillness into this mad, hectic world.LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: The 4-week Wild Wisdom: Awakening Your Magic and Intuition course is currently closed but will run again in the fall. Sign up for the waitlist Join the free Moonletter, and receive a beautiful, hand-crafted protection spell, along with updates, announcements and more! SOCIAL:@sylva_florence @magicmedicineandmayhem www.sylvaflorence.comwww.magicmedicineandmayhem.comMMM FB page

Why do I take you with me on these walks in Tuscany? Is it just because I like to walk? Yes. Is it because walking in Tuscany ain't half bad? Well, yes. But there are other, deeper and more important reasons for this that definitely involve you, your wellbeing and even the wellbeing of the whole planet. Curious? I'll explain everything in this episode. Of course, we'll also be immersed in the sights and sounds of a Tuscany perched on the cusp of spring. You'll have your five minutes or so of peace and tranquility as well--that lovely monthly opportunity to put yourself in the forest alongside me, listening to the bird chattering about the coming of spring. Are you ready to come for a walk with me? LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: The FREE 4-week Wild Wisdom: Awakening Your Magic and Intuition course is currently closed. To join the waitlist and hear about the next time the course is available, go here:Sign up for the waitlist Join the free Crescent Moonletter, and receive a beautiful, hand-crafted protection spell, along with updates, announcements and more! SOCIAL:@sylva_florence @magicmedicineandmayhem www.sylvaflorence.comwww.magicmedicineandmayhem.comMMM FB page

One day you're partying with your friends, and the next day you're in the emergency room--and that's just the start of the wacky journey you are still on now. No, unfortunately this isn't a hypothetical situation... This is what happened to me about three weeks ago, and I'm going to explain everything to you in this episode. You'll also hear what else I have been up to (besides this epic healing journey) and why this podcast is going to go down to 2 times a week for the time being. As always, I'm also transforming my story into an opportunity to motivate you to make your life and the life of those around you better. So tune in to get caught up and to be inspired!LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Join the FREE 4-week Wild Wisdom:Awakening Your Magic and Intuition course! Doors are open and the journey begins March 3rd: https://courses.sylvaflorence.com/wild-wisdom-course Join the free Crescent Moonletter, and receive a beautiful, hand-crafted protection spell, along with updates, announcements and more! SOCIAL:@sylva_florence @magicmedicineandmayhem www.sylvaflorence.comwww.magicmedicineandmayhem.comMMM FB page

The first episode of this year is all about renewal and magic: from Italy's beloved Christmas Witch (La Befana) to the enchantment of the great outdoors--even in winter! Join me as we take a bewitching journey through the historic and modern celebrations and traditions surrounding La Befana and learn why it is that my 2025 work year started on January 7th. Afterwards, we'll head out together into the wilds immerse ourselves in a rainy January day in my beloved Tuscany. As always, there will be a pause in the middle of the episode so you can simple relax, or close your eyes and imagine that you're right along side me in the rain-soaked olive groves.ANNOUNCEMENTS:Join me this January for two inspiring online writing groups:1. Transformative Writing on Thursday, January 16th from 7 to 8,15 p.m. CET (same time as Rome). RSVP here.Pay as you can here (suggested $15-$25/€15-€25).2. Tarot-Inspired Writing on Thursday, January 23rd from 7 to 8,15 p.m. CET (same time as Rome).RSVP here: Pay as you can here (suggested $15-$25/€15-€25).LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Join the free Crescent Moonletter, and receive a beautiful, hand-crafted protection spell, along with updates, announcements and more! SOCIAL:@sylva_florence @magicmedicineandmayhem www.sylvaflorence.com...

The year 2024 is about to blow out of here, like the last of the fall leaves in a gust of icy wind. Join me for one last walk in the Tuscan hills before we say goodbye to this year--but this time, we're not in the hills above where I live. We're somewhere completely new and different! This time, I'm exploring right along with you as I take in the sights, sounds, smells and feel of the forest on the side of a mountain outside of Reggello, Tuscany. This will be the last episode of 2024, after which I will be resting and reposing like the forest in winter until early January. Blessings and warm wishes for whatever the end of this year and the beginning of the next brings your way!ANNOUNCEMENTS:Join me in January for a brand new set of online writing workshops designed to connect you with nature, help you find the magic in what seems ordinary and challenge the way you see your life and the world. LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Join the free Crescent Moonletter, and receive a beautiful, hand-crafted protection spell, along with updates, announcements and more! SOCIAL:@sylva_florence @magicmedicineandmayhem www.sylvaflorence.comwww.magicmedicineandmayhem.comMMM FB page

As a child, I believed 100 percent that mermaids roamed the oceans, unicorns thundered through the forests and fairies hid behind trees just a second before we saw them. Thankfully, adulthood never convinced me to leave behind the belief that if I looked at things just so, something magical might happen. Throughout years of transforming and adapting to new workplaces, living spaces, roommates and cultures, two elements intertwined through it all: magic and writing. Writing has always been my way of ruminating on and making sense of everything; magic is what connects me to something deeper and more mysterious. Something that could be scary, or just miraculous.The same number would appear everywhere, and then finally it would be the address of my new apartment. A name would come to me in a dream, and months later that person would be the one who would help me with my never-ending work permit problems in Italy. I would ask the universe for a collaborator and I would find her in a conversation on Instagram.This magical collaborator is Catarina Esteves. As I am, she is a witch, healer and expat who traded her native Portugal for England. If you're a regular listener, you may recognize Catarina's name or voice, as I interviewed her in episode 39 about her journey from the corporate world to teaching yoga and being a witch. If you haven't tuned in already, be prepared to be inspired!This time, I'm joining Catarina for an intimate conversation about our expat experiences. We'll talk about the dreams that prompted us to move abroad, the challenges we faced and the reality checks that shook our foundations. Join us for the last interview of 2024, a window into our respective--and dare I say magical--journeys of transformation.⟢Connect With Sylva:Instagram:⁠@sylva_florence⁠⁠@magicmedicineandmayhem⁠Website:⁠Transform with me: https://sylvaflorence.com/Get more Magic: https://magicmedicineandmayhem.com/---⟢ Connect with Catarina:⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⟢ Heal with me:⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bio.site/catarinaesteves.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⟢ Learn more about my witchy community:⁠⁠⁠⁠https://pages.thecoven.community/the-coven-community⁠⁠⁠⁠⟢ Get a FREE month off The Cauldron with the code LGO ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://pages.thecoven.community/the-cauldron⁠⁠⁠⁠ANNOUNCEMENTS:Join me this December for two online writing experiences designed to help you see life in a fresh, new way. 1. Thursday, December 12th from 7-8,15 pm CET: Transformative Writing RSVP: https://calendar.app.google/DfkZfESVKoqTPcyWA 2. Thursday, December 19th from 7-8,15 pm CET: Tarot-Inspired Writing RSVP: https://calendar.app.google/adAZkHTW7b3HT5Ek6 These groups are pay what you can with a suggested donation of €11-€22 ($10-20). Pay: https://sylvaflorence.kit.com/products/appreciation-fund LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Join the free Crescent Moonletter, and receive a beautiful, hand-crafted protection spell, along with updates, announcements and more! SOCIAL:@sylva_florence @magicmedicineandmayhem www.sylvaflorence.comwww.magicmedicineandmayhem.comMMM FB page

No man is an island. No witch, either. And that's what my guest today--fellow witch, yoga teacher and MUCH more--Caterina Esteves, are here to talk about. Well, not only--we'll touch on what it means to be truly authentic, the self-sabotaging behaviors that keep us from that end, what blocked Catarina for so long, and how she both overcame crippling anxiety and societal pressures.Whether you are on your own journey of self-discovery and actualization, if you're wondering how to start it, or if you've gotten stuck along the way, this one's for you! Listening to Catarina's tales of switching careers, swapping countries and stepping into own her power as a woman and a witch, you'll no doubt be inspired to walk your own path towards authenticity.We'll also talk about dismantling our limiting beliefs, re-remembering our original soul agreements and and forming community--as Catarina and I have. Keep an open mind in regards to how it all could happen... After all, our rich and delightful collaboration sprang from a magical conversation on Instagram!This convo is, therefore, also a blessed reminder that magic is everywhere, even if modernity says otherwise. Catarina and I are here to remind you that not only is the world more enchanting than you've been taught to believe, but so are you!You can find Caterina on Instagram at @thecoven.community and @catarinaesteves.co and find more about her services here.Keep updated on future writing events and episodes by signing up for the free Crescent Newsletter--and receive a welcome gift!ANNOUNCEMENTS:Join me in December for brand new writing groups, including Transformative Writing and much more! Sign up for the free Crescent Newsletter to be kept in the loop.LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:When you join the free Crescent Moonletter, you will receive a beautiful, hand-crafted protection spell. You'll also receive updates, event announcements, freebies and much more! SOCIAL:@sylva_florence @magicmedicineandmayhem www.sylvaflorence.comwww.magicmedicineandmayhem.comMMM FB page

November is kind of a sad month, isn't it? Yet--even as the days shorten and the temperatures drop--it doesn't have to be so melancholy. For ancient Celtic people and the Ireland of yore, the month of November is the start of the Celtic new year, which began on October 31st. The Celts called it Samhain (pronounced Sah-win).  The Celtic day also began at sundown instead of at sunrise. So, Samhain commenced at twilight on October 31st. Picture it in your mind: as the last sun of the year slipped beneath the horizon, the old year was seen to die. At the same time, out of the darkness, a new year was born.  Celts celebrated with feasting, dancing, fortune telling and divination by reading apple skins and hazelnuts (representing wisdom in Celtic culture). And of course, fires. Large bonfires sprung up everywhere only to be doused at midnight, plunging the Celtic world into darkness.   The fires were then re-lit from a great ceremonial bonfire at Tlaghtgha in County Meath. The High King's fire at Tara was lit first and then, in a sort of domino effect, the blazes moved out across the country until every hearth glowed anew. These fires were lit for warmth and to ward off the evil spirits residing in the darkness. Perhaps they were also a beacon of hope in the pre-electricity darkness and a symbol of the eventual return of the light.  Let's focus on this last bit. As we are plunged into the darkness of winter, we are also that much closer to spring. Out in nature, as you walk with me in Tuscany, the leaves are falling, the frost has arrived, and nature is preparing itself for the inevitable. For Celts, November's full moon was the Seed Fall Moon, honoring the moment in which seeds drifted from dying plants to the humid ground. The moment in which the earth received them and embraced them, keeping them safe until spring.  So as you walk in nature with me today, take time to reflect on what should lie sallow, and what should burst forth with new life come spring. ANNOUNCEMENTS:Join me in December for brand new writing groups, including Transformative Writing and much more! Sign up for the free Crescent Newsletter to be kept in the loop.LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Join the free Crescent Moonletter to receive a beautiful, hand-crafted protection spell. You'll also receive updates, event announcements, freebies and much more! SOCIAL:@sylva_florence @magicmedicineandmayhem www.sylvaflorence.comwww.magicmedicineandmayhem.comMMM FB page

The day of the election was a week ago now, but the repercussions will be felt for some time. As Trump's supporters continue to celebrate, those of us that were hoping for a fresh new take on America that would have included a colored woman president grieve and wonder how to move forward. Speaking with others who voted for Kamala, I sense the despair, the angst, the "What now??" If we were shocked and perplexed the first time, this time we are even more so. It's easy to sink into despair, or even to just give up. I don't blame you if you're thinking, what's the point?Yet, I would also implore you not to give up, for it really is always darkest before the dawn. Your light and kindness is more needed than ever in these turbulent times--and I've got a few ideas on what we CAN do. What YOU can do, each and every day.Join me for the latest episode, where we'll dive into an ancient grieving practice called "telling the bees." From the Celtic roots of this tradition and its particularities to my own personal message to the bees themselves, this episode is all about not giving into despair in turbulent times. Instead, we touch on how you can stand up for goodness in the big and little acts of daily life to sow seeds of positive change.Take part in a necessary conversation on how to start your own personal  revolution of peace and compassion. We'll also hear a poignant and utterly timely message on this exact topic written by Vietnamese peace activist and prolific author Thich Nhat Hanh back in 2012.ANNOUNCEMENTS:Join me on Friday, November 22nd for Transformative WritingOnline (Google Meet) from 7 to 8,15 p.m. CETThis online experience is for you if:

Black cats, witches dancing around a bonfire under a full moon, the dark, misty forest, mysterious caves guarded by Jack-o-lanterns, ghosts--this extra special episode has all the spooky stuff this season demands! But not only... Start in ordinary reality and embark on a wondrous journey--or, as the Celts and my ancestors say, an Imramma. You can learn more about the concept and history of Imramma, and my personal connection to them, ​in episode #35​. As you explore, you'll not only be immersed in a hauntingly magical setting, but you'll have the chance to meet a beloved ancestor. You can speak with them, ask their name and receive a unique and helpful gift which you can "bring back" to your normal life. Come along on this extraordinary journey inspired by the Egyptian goddess Bastet and Black Cat (whom you'll learn more about at the end of the episode). Note: This episode is best enjoyed in a quiet place with a journal and a pen in hand. Happy journeying and a blessed Halloween or Samhain to you all.ANNOUNCEMENTS:LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Join the free Crescent Moonletter to receive a beautiful, hand-crafted protection spell. You'll also receive updates, event announcements, freebies and much more! SOCIAL:@sylva_florence @magicmedicineandmayhem www.sylvaflorence.comwww.magicmedicineandmayhem.comMMM FB page

When I take my clients back to their roots, I mean two things: I mean, some of my ancestors came from Ireland, England, Wales, Germany and France–where did yours come from? Let's learn about them, and from them. And then let's go even deeper and see if we can pick up where some of those ancestors left off. It's the start of a journey both of remembering and of choosing a new, sustainable and compassionate way of living our current lives.This journey is what the Celtic people would call imram (im-rum). In Gaelic, it translates to “wonder voyage.” This week on the podcast, I'm going to introduce you more deeply to the concept of imramma, as well as:-What Shamanism is, where it came from and how it got lost-Why we need it back again in our modern world-How it all directly pertains to YOU (and your ancestors)-What I have discovered about my own ancestry and what it's teaching me-What the new and ongoing series I'm calling Imramma will entail and why you're going to want to explore these fantastical worlds P.S. There will be a very SPECIAL EPISODE on October, 31st (aka Halloween). I'll tell you in this episode why I decided to move up the next one so it would come out on this wonderfully spooky day.Links mentioned in this episode:https://www.ijpr.org/show/as-it-was/2016-03-02/irish-fleeing-famine-settle-in-lake-county-orehttps://www.thisiskatemurphy.com/post/what-is-an-imrama-or-imramhttps://www.celticmysteryschool.com/full-moon-imramma/https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/you-know-youre-irish-when-20-tell-tale-signs-that-you-truly-belong-to-the-emerald-isle/40181283.html https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12110-016-9260-0https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/10/who-are-the-1-the-answer-might-surprise-you/ Three Raven's College: Introduction to Therapeutic Shamanism"By Oak, Ash and Thorn" (DJ Conway, p.81-91).ANNOUNCEMENTS:LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Join the free Crescent Moonletter to receive a beautiful, hand-crafted protection spell. You'll also receive updates, event announcements, freebies and much more! SOCIAL:@sylva_florence @magicmedicineandmayhem www.sylvaflorence.comwww.magicmedicineandmayhem.comMMM FB page

Join me for a new, immersive kind of walk in the Tuscan hills above where I live. This time, it's YOU having a wander in the foggy Tuscan hills. Feel the mist on your skin. Hear the rain as it falls on your umbrella. Gaze upon the olive trees laden with fruit. Feel that you are really and truly in Tuscany, having a stroll in the autumn weather.In this episode, you'll also learn why I've decided to tweak this episode from the more narrative third person to the immersive second person. Together, we'll take a journey that blurs the line between real and fantasy. Along the way, we'll discover how a simple but powerful change in perspective can change just about everything--even your everyday reality.ANNOUNCEMENTS:Stay tuned for November events and announcements.LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Join the free Crescent Moonletter to receive a beautiful, hand-crafted protection spell. You'll also receive updates, event announcements, freebies and much more! SOCIAL:@sylva_florence @magicmedicineandmayhem www.sylvaflorence.comwww.magicmedicineandmayhem.comMMM FB page

Perhaps you feel at home where you were born--or perhaps you never have. Maybe you've finally found a place to put down roots, after ages of wandering... Or it could be that you're still on the move, seeking that place whose heart calls to yours. It could also be that home is exactly where you are, and you're happy to follow the call of the road wherever it leads you.In any case, finding one's home is a very natural act--and not only for humans.  All of us, at some point, will have the need and desire to establish a nest, be it temporary or permanent. But what is it that suddenly or eventually makes a place just feel yours? What is it that calls you to stay, or pulls you to leave?Come with me on a thought-provoking wander down the trail that leads to home. Along the way, we'll meander through the Tuscan territory that finally inspired me to put down roots, unearthing the historic truths under modern-day traditions. We'll also discover what it was that finally charmed me into staying put. Our journey together ends with a magical and meditative stroll towards whatever home means to you--or might mean someday.ANNOUNCEMENTS:Stay tuned for November events and announcements.LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Join the free Crescent Moonletter to receive a beautiful, hand-crafted protection spell. You'll also receive updates, event announcements, freebies and much more! SOCIAL:@sylva_florence @magicmedicineandmayhem www.sylvaflorence.comwww.magicmedicineandmayhem.comMMM FB page

As the darkness of Halloween/Samhain and winter approaches, as the light wanes and the shadows lengthen, many of us feel a tug on our hearts. Perhaps it's more than the bittersweetness of summer's exit, but a deep and primordial call to go within. The dark journey to the Underworlds undertaken by Inanna or Persephone, the descending into the depths to shine a light on what's there and to ultimately return to the light. Changed. Evolved. Whole.My guest this week, Katharina Löwenherz, is no stranger to the mysteries of the darkness. We discuss how losing her mother at a tender age was a moment of heartrending loss--and darkness--that sparked a lifelong journey of profound transformation and evolution. Join us to bear witness to an extraordinary tale that dances between reality and magic, and is ultimately the path that each of us walks in our own ways: growing up, facing our fears and striving to become the most authentic versions of ourselves.ANNOUNCEMENTS:Stay tuned for November events and announcements.LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Join the free Crescent Moonletter to receive a beautiful, hand-crafted protection spell. You'll also receive updates, event announcements, freebies and much more! SOCIAL:@sylva_florence @magicmedicineandmayhem www.sylvaflorence.comwww.magicmedicineandmayhem.comMMM FB page

Perhaps you feel at home where you were born--or perhaps you never have. Maybe you've finally found a place to put down roots, after ages of wandering... Or it could be that you're still on the move, seeking that place whose heart calls to yours. It could also be that home is exactly where you are, and you're happy to follow the call of the road wherever it leads you.In any case, finding one's home is a very natural act--and not only for humans.  All of us, at some point, will have the need and desire to establish a nest, be it temporary or permanent. But what is it that suddenly or eventually makes a place just feel yours? What is it that calls you to stay, or pulls you to leave?Come with me on a thought-provoking wander down the trail that leads to home. Along the way, we'll meander through the Tuscan territory that finally inspired me to put down roots, unearthing the historic truths under modern-day traditions. We'll also discover what it was that finally charmed me into staying put. Our journey together ends with a magical and meditative stroll towards whatever home means to you--or might mean someday.ANNOUNCEMENTS:**Coming soon: The Magic, Medicine and Mayhem MonthlyPaid subscribers will receive:-4 Sunday Witchuals (short but sweet rituals/spells/Tarot spreads)-Reflections on the nature-based monthly theme-A handcrafted guided meditation-Podcast reminders, updates, printable fill-in-the-blank moon affirmationsLINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Join the free Crescent Moonletter SOCIAL:@sylva_florence @magicmedicineandmayhem www.sylvaflorence.comwww.magicmedicineandmayhem.comMMM FB page

All around you, the seasons are changing--can you feel them? Can you see them? Hear them? Out in the olive groves, fields and oak forests above my house, all you need to do is go for a stroll in order to immerse yourself in the transition. Are you ready to come for a walk with me?Also in this episode: strange and wondrous guest appearances by Horse, Old Tuscan Man and Fig. You're not going to want to miss this one!ANNOUNCEMENTS:**Coming soon: The Magic, Medicine and Mayhem MonthlyPaid subscribers will receive:-4 Sunday Witchuals (short but sweet rituals/spells/Tarot spreads)-Reflections on the nature-based monthly theme-A handcrafted guided meditation-Podcast reminders, updates, printable fill-in-the-blank moon affirmationsLINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Join the free Crescent Moonletter SOCIAL:@sylva_florence @magicmedicineandmayhem www.sylvaflorence.comwww.magicmedicineandmayhem.comMMM FB page

“In the summer, the days were long, stretching into each other. Out of school, everything was on pause and yet happening at the same time, this collection of weeks when anything was possible.” (Sarah Dessen, "Along for the Ride")Come outside with me and let's savor this collection of weeks when anything is possible. Let yourself be engulfed in the sensations of summer: the sights, the sounds, the sultry breezes. As always, you'll have a chance to completely immerse yourself in our natural surroundings during a nature break, when the earth itself becomes the protagonist. Together, we'll witness what's going on outside in the height of summer. Are you ready to take a walk with me?ANNOUNCEMENTS:**Coming in October: The Magic, Medicine and Mayhem MonthlyPaid subscribers will receive:-4 Sunday Witchuals (short but sweet rituals/spells/Tarot spreads)-Reflections for nature-based monthly theme-A handcrafted guided meditation-Podcast reminders, updates, printable fill-in-the-blank moon affirmationsLINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Join the Crescent Moonletter SOCIAL:@sylva_florence @magicmedicineandmayhem www.sylvaflorence.comwww.magicmedicineandmayhem.comMMM FB page

Do something every day that scares you," said Eleanor Roosevelt (hopefully listening to me talk isn't one of them). In this episode, I'll update you on the things that are making my heart race--both in Magic, Medicine and Mayhem and in my personal life. After all, they've both been entwined since my broken hip was what spurred me to create a podcast in the first place.Join me for a chance to savor the sweetness of summer, take a peek into the future, and get encouraged to try new, bold things.ANNOUNCEMENTS:**Coming in October: The Magic, Medicine and Mayhem MonthlyPaid subscribers will receive:-4 Sunday Witchuals (short but sweet rituals/spells/Tarot spreads)-Reflections for nature-based monthly theme-A handcrafted guided meditation-Podcast reminders, updates, printable fill-in-the-blank moon affirmationsLINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Join the Crescent Moonletter SOCIAL:@sylva_florence @magicmedicineandmayhem www.sylvaflorence.comwww.magicmedicineandmayhem.comMMM FB page

Last week on the podcast, I mentioned that the frog has become something of a mascot for the LGBTQIA+ community–even though, scientifically speaking, only 2 species of frogs have ever been recorded as displaying homosexual behavior. So, why frogs then? Well, thanks to the internet–and the weird places that it sometimes takes us. Tune in to this week's Sylvology 101 (whether you're part of the LGBTQIA+ community or not), where we study nature, learn from its wisdom and apply it to our busy, modern lives. Specifically, this week we will be taught by the Italian Tree Frog. At the end of this episode, you might never look at these little amphibians the same way again! You'll also have the chance to personally connect with nature with a new feature I'm rolling out in this very episode. ANNOUNCEMENTS:**Coming in September: The Magic, Medicine and Mayhem MonthlyPaid subscribers will receive:-4 Sunday Witchuals (short but sweet rituals/spells/Tarot spreads)-Reflections for nature-based monthly theme-A handcrafted guided meditation-Podcast reminders, updates, printable fill-in-the-blank moon affirmationsLINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Join the Crescent Moonletter SOCIAL:@sylva_florence @magicmedicineandmayhem www.sylvaflorence.comwww.magicmedicineandmayhem.comMMM FB page

Welcome to the new and improved podcast (formerly known as Live From Suckville). In this episode I'll share the vision and reasons behind the evolution of this podcast and tell you more about me, your host Sylva Florence. You'll also hear what is blooming after this period of silence (aka silent transformation) and find out what exciting things are coming up this fall. Plus, I'll tell you what to expect each week on Magic, Medicine and Mayhem and give you a sneak peek at an exciting new monthly feature called Sylvology 101.This month's Sylvology 101 is also in honor of pride month! What a wonderful chance each year to be curious, celebrate diversity and practice being inclusive (and then bring that spirit into the rest of the year!).Listen on: Apple iTunes, Soundcloud, SpotifyClick here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1916966.rssANNOUNCEMENTS:**RSVP now for the June Group Healing Session!(Monday, 24 June at 7:30 pm CEST)**Coming in September: The Magic, Medicine and Mayhem MonthlyPaid subscribers will receive:-4 Sunday Witchuals (short but sweet rituals/spells/Tarot spreads)-Reflections for nature-based monthly theme-A handcrafted guided meditation-Podcast reminders, updates, printable fill-in-the-blank moon affirmationsLINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Join the Crescent Moonletter SOCIAL:@sylva_florence @magicmedicineandmayhem www.sylvaflorence.comwww.magicmedicineandmayhem.comMMM FB page

Did you know that you can start (or continue) the path to healing your trauma just by listening to this episode? My guest this week, Justin Sunseri, will tell you that whatever is blocking you comes down to biology and inherent mechanisms which exist in each of us to help us survive.But what neither of us wants is for you to just survive. We want you to thrive! So join us for this fascinating conversation chock full of both practical and inspirational advice, covering everything from gazelles to Polyvagal ladders. Don't miss this one!Justin Sunseri is a psychotherapist and trauma-recovery coach from California. He is the creator of the Polyvagal Trauma Relief System, the author of Trauma & the Polyvagal Paradigm and is currently finishing up a book. Justin is a husband, Father of two and a Seinfeld nerd. He can be found at  https://www.justinlmft.com/ and on Instagram as @justinlmft.Sylva Florence is a writer, podcaster and professional healer specialized in Reiki and Shamanism. When Sylva broke her hip cycling in 2022, she wanted to transform her accident into something good and the podcast was born. Her experience holding space for others to speak about overcoming trauma and adversity led her into the field of healing. Sylva now offers private sessions as well as online and in-person events, workshops, retreats and guided group sessions. Sylva also rode her bike alone across America (just before moving permanently to Italy) and wrote a book about it. She is currently searching for a deserving editor. To support Sylva and stay updated on upcoming events, sign up for the newsletter at https://www.theswitchpath.com or find Sylva on Instagram as @s_witchpath (professional healer) and @livefromsuckville (podcast).For any show notes related to this episode, visit https://livefromsuckville.godaddysites.com/.

Are you ready to say yes to life? Are you ready to surrender to it? Did you know that these two concepts are also one and the same?If surrendering sounds like giving up, if it's difficult for you or if you're not even sure where to begin, this episode is for you! Join in to listen to stories of and lessons from moments of utter surrender from my own life. Then we'll embark on a guided meditation together designed to help you take the first important step to saying yes to both life and healing.

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A conversation I had at a pizzeria last week got me really fired up... And thus a new episode was born! Yes, I am here to rant against the patriarchy this week--but not only. Other than my own recent and not-so-recent experiences, you'll hear from other women about the trials and tribulations they have come up against, and the powerful lessons that came out of them. You're not going to want to miss this timely and moving discussion on what it really means to be authentic and equal--and what we can do to help others feel the same.

How do we cope when all of a sudden life throughs us a curveball that no one saw coming, and it stirs up all of our trauma? What happens when there is, therefore, no way to avoid our triggers? Join me for part one of a conversation that is as encouraging and affirming as it is vulnerable and real. It's the kind that gets you thinking about how you show up in the world and why. And it might just inspire you, like it did my guest Katie MacDonald, to begin transforming your hurts into your healing medicine.Katie works at a treatment center for people experiencing addiction and has a private counseling practice. She can be found at www.katiemacdonaldcounselling.ca.

The forest: A place we desire to return to, but at the same time, we're afraid to do so. A place where green shoots climb up through the duff: a simultaneous host of both life and death. A place to be navigated with reverence and trembling.  Our inner forest, the home and root of our inner nature, must be traversed with this same reverence and fear. It, too, has become foreign to us: a place we wish to return to, a place of great wisdom, but a place where the shadows hold things that we fear.Come with me on an immersive journey to reconnect with the inner and outer forest, to collectively heal and rediscover the richness we have forgotten about.

Imagine one evening your life takes a rather scary u-turn, and your safety becomes the most important thing that exists. My guest this week, using the pseudonym Charlotte Grey to protect her identity, knows exactly how this feels. Join me as she recounts her story of survival--but not only. It's also a tale of rebuilding and reinventing. Of stepping into one's self worth. Of finally embracing the most important relationship in our lives: that which we have with ourselves. Warning: For those who might find the topic triggering, this episode contains stories of domestic abuse.If you or someone you know is in an abusive situation, contact the Assaulted Women's Helpline, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year at +1 416.364.4144or toll-free at 1.888.364.1210. The Helpline offers free, confidential, and anonymous support in 200+ languages.

What if I told you that the key to your healing is in your suffering? Yes, all those crappy experiences (and visits to Suckville) aren't just misfortunes, random difficulties or horrible traumas. They are the very way that you become  whole, healed and the most authentic version of yourself. Join me for an introductory episode to get you started on your healing path.

We all know that breaking up is hard to do... But what if our endings don't always have to leave huge scars? Is there a way to ensure that no matter how things end, we can walk away with love? My guest this week, Becky Prokova, is here to tell us that the answer is yes. Join us to discover new ways to honor your endings in this empowering and hopeful chat about conscious uncoupling.

Be yourself. Love yourself. It's not always easy, is it? Especially if you're someone who is "different" than the others around you. Because of the way you are, the way you aren't, or because of who you love. Join us for an inspirational, Pride-themed coming out story that will have you laughing, tearing up, and (hopefully) feeling inspired to be more of who YOU are. 

Need healing? Why not take your vintage sailboat across the Atlantic? That's what came to mind for veteran Thorfin Skullcrusher. Back from Afghanistan and diagnosed with PTSD, up until then his life had been all about being a warrior. The boat adventure changed all that, and set him on a completely new course (pun intended). Join us for this extraordinary tale of courage, adventure, and the latent but potent power we all have to heal ourselves.

You're never prepared for the moment that muddy water starts filling up your apartment, are you? Nobody imagined the water would have come into the historic center of Faenza, Italy. Nobody imagined that in other places in our town, the water would rise to 5 meters (15 feet). Still, it happened--and this is our tale. Listen in as I tell my own tale of the fateful night on 16 May, with help from others who also lived through it.

Every crisis is an opportunity, according to Chiara Dal Borgo. She's a professional dancer, but not only: she is also an incredible, strong women. A converter of so-called failures into growth, injuries into self-awareness, and life into a curious and creative dance. Chiara told me during our interview that dance has taught her so much about life. It's only fitting then that during this interview, she teaches us how to dance through the twists and turns of our own lives. Join us for this candid and inspiring talk that might just leave you looking for your own pair of dancing shoes.

Like Alanis Morissette sang in her famous song, Ironic, "Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you..." She was right, in that it sometimes takes us everywhere but where we thought we'd go. Alanis also sang, however, "Life has a funny way of helping you out." And she's correct about this as well. It might be bittersweet, it might not always be easy, and it might just take place in Vietnam--but when we surrender to life, we are able to see that it's also helping us to become who we need to be. Join me and my guest today, Mark Martin, as he tells us his riveting tale of what happened to him at the tender age of 19, and how it made him the marvelous human that he is today.

As humans, we live with paradoxes all the time, right? The world seems at once a horrible place filled with war and famine, and a lovely place full of beautiful natural spaces and warm-hearted people. We, too, are paradoxes... Maybe we are the types that devour both multi-colored donuts AND organic, free range, antibiotic-free chicken. Our families can also be paradoxes full of loving people who are messed up by big problems like addiction. My Uncle Shawn was one of these wonderful, complicated humans. He was also the father of my darling cousin, Brittni Smith Staufer, who joins us this week to discuss her big paradox: how the painful loss of losing him ultimately brought positive changes into her life.

The kids, the errands, cooking and cleaning, your job, your studies and exams, car troubles, bills, somebody's birthday you forgot... It's just too much! Sound familiar? Tune into the latest episode in which my amazing guests give us inspiring and practical ways not to lose our freaking minds in the daily grind. Warning: this episode might make you feel better and/or more in control of your sanity.

What do frogs and my family have in common? Until recently, not too much. Join me and a very special guest today to talk creatures that ribbit, nasal passages, salt, how cool my brother and dad are and much more. But first, an important update in the life of your host!

When life throws you lemons, make lemonade. But when life throws you lemons in Ghana...? Only my guest this week, James Damman, has the answers for that. In his time there working for the Peace Corps, he experienced just about everything, from being convinced he might really die to finding humor and sweetness in the most unexpected of places. Join me for a fascinating discussion on life and culture in Ghana, acceptance of life's uncertainties, and an unexpected event here in Italy caught live during our interview!

In about 24 hours, Michele Camorani's life changed completely. My guest this week endured a year+ of very scary and unexpected trials, yet he came out the other end as a better person. Join us today for a good dose of reality AND a really good laugh. If you haven't learned WAY too much about Michele by the end of this episode, you've been listening with the sound off! Warning: This episode might make you realize just what's important in your life, too.

Every ending can be a new beginning -- no matter what kind of an ending it is. Join me and my guest, Betta Sazzini, for a heartwarming and honest talk about the beautiful things that can grow from even the most unexpected of tragedies. Warning: This episode might leave you feeling like you want to hug everyone. Covid or no Covid.

When things get real--or real bad--it's tempting to slide right into a big ol' pool of negativity and/or bitterness. However, my guest today, Amanda Mayes, shows us that no matter how crappy things get, we always have a choice on perspective, how move forward, and what to do with our beautiful scars. Warning: this episode might leave you feeling grateful.

This week, join me and my guest, Tiffany Glenn, a strong and brave woman who has been through a lot. Together, we confront important and timely issues regarding power, pain, labeling, and so much more. Warning: This episode contains references to rape and sexual violence. Other warning: It still might just leave you feeling quite hopeful.

What do cold water and freedom from addiction have in common? A lot more than you'd think, actually. Join me and my guest, Julie Shanks, for an interesting and liberating discussion on these topics and much more. Warning: this episode might leave you feeling mighty curious.

Have you ever lost someone or something important? Jacob Shannon has a lot to say on the matter, after something big and starting happened just before the start of the pandemic. Listen in on this wise interview about loss, grief, and the good things that might just come later.

Ever been through something difficult? Think you might someday? Then this is the podcast for you. Tune in for a show that brings you healing, hope, and a sense of community for when shit hits the fan. Welcome to Suckville!#hope #community #advice #difficultsituations