Spiritual Sexual Shamanic Podcast

Do you ever feel like you're being held back in life by events and circumstances that are out of your control? Maybe you find yourself in uncomfortable, even terrible, circumstances thinking to yourself: how did I even get here? And, how do I get out? These are questions that arrived powerfully in the life of Carolyn Elliot, transformational guide and author of the book, Existential Kink. We won't give too much away, but as she explains in this episode, she was really in a bind. And then, almost by accident, she had the realisation that ‘having is evidence of wanting.' Elliot had to come to terms with the idea that some part of her had wanted to be in the difficult, unpleasant situation she was in. Maybe not on the surface, but deeper down. Her journey was then about being able to unravel what she has come to call her ‘existential kink,' which she defines as a desire for something that others might think too edgy, or outright bad. It's ‘existential' because the kink is about life, not just sexy stuff. For her, the key is to bring consciousness to what we enjoy in even the ‘bad' parts of our lives. This can help release their hold over us. Stay tuned all the way to the end of this lively and fascinating conversation to be guided through the existential kink practice that Elliot details in her runaway classic book of the same name! To learn more about Carolyn, please visit her website and join her email list: https://carolynlovewell.com/ If you love this episode, share it with your friends! And if it want to follow ISTA on social media, you can find us @ista.community on all good platforms. 

In this, his third episode with the Spiritual, Sexual, Shamanic Podcast, ISTA Lead Facilitator and member of ISTA's governing council, Raffaello Manacorda, speaks about shamanic leadership. What is shamanic leadership? Raffa explains that it's an essential component of taking responsibility within groups of people. Instead of competing for powerful positions within organizations and then ruling through domination and manipulation, he says, what we can do is understand the role of the leader as similar to that of the shaman. A shamanic leader has the capacity to sense and respond to the subtle energy moving within a group, and to make decisions based on a felt sense of what needs to occur. This, Raffa says, is only possible when those called into leadership are able to bring the power in their own bodies along for the ride. Shamanic leadership is also based on a fundamentally different leadership culture than many of us are used to. Raffa paints the picture of a ‘cloud' roving over a group of people, a cloud which will stop above the head of the person who is being called into leadership and strike them with shamanic lightning. An investment of great power indeed, and often only for a temporary period of time...If you're a practitioner, facilitator, or entrepreneur who's leading a group of people (or sees a future in it), this is especially for you. Join us for this deep and enlightening conversation, where Simon and Raffa explore the benefits and inevitable dangers of this kind of leadership.If you love this episode, please rate it and share it with others who need to hear it! And if you want to learn more about ISTA, visit our website: ista.life Or follow us on social media: @ista.community

ISTA Facilitator Nimai Sun Ra grew up without a father. As a result, he has felt, perhaps more urgently than most, the need to become his own father figure. To provide himself stability, guidance, and the strength that a biological father might often provide. In recent years, he has been on a journey of extending that experience of fatherhood from himself to his own two young sons. As he tells us in this conversation with Usha, the journey of fatherhood has been the best, most important, thing he has ever done. Every initiation he has been through in his life, he says, has been a preparation for the initiation of fatherhood. And it has been an initiation, with wonderful new realisations mixed in with unavoidable difficulties. In this episode Nimai talks about how his relationship with his beloved, the mother of his children, shifted dramatically, how he could not get through it without the support of other, older brothers, and how he had to deal with failure. And he reflects deeply on the spiritual journey of fatherhood, on how important a role it is to be able to play in the world, whether it is with your own children, other's, or in a more symbolic way. Nimai also covers: Navigating fatherhood and open relatingThe value of focussing on fatherhood without distractionHow becoming a father can shifts romantic relationshipsThe importance of community when kids come alongThe role of your inner parentDistortions in the role of the fatherHow the father is often the one called on to set boundariesIf you loved this episode, share it with your friends!You can learn more about ISTA at www.ista.lifeAnd via our social media channels: @ista.community

Growing up in rural Austria, ISTA facilitator Ashisha Arpana's favorite toy was her imagination. She gleefully played with it, eventually turning what happened in her mind's eye into a career in film and media. The imagination, she tells us in this deep and exploratory episode, is one of the most important keys for us in letting go of the old, disempowering stories we tell ourselves and getting back into currency with life as it moves through us. Ashisha explains that we can spark our imagination—our vision of an amazing, vibrant present—through mythology. This is not just a collection of stories from ancient cultures, but living, breathing codes for tapping into the source of our inner worlds. It is where the pulse of life comes from. And there are some simple things we can do to allow this source of our inner life to pour through us into the world, allowing us to shape-shift and, ultimately, choose how our future will go.Simon and Ashisha also discuss:how we often out-source our imagination to Hollywoodhow myths are always evolving. They're not for copywriting!coming back to the child-like sense of wonder in each of usour bodies as instruments of the soulwhat a soul is and how to communicate with itcollective dreaming and shaping culture from therethe imagination of the heart in the Sufi traditionhow to reclaim your own story, step-by-step, without judgementIf you love this episode, why not leave a review and share it with your friends!And if you want to learn more about ISTA, follow us on social media: @ista.tribeOr visit our website: ista.life

In this episode, Usha talks with ISTA Facilitator Aya Kamānakai about reclaiming sexuality as a pathway to personal empowerment and spiritual connection.Growing up in the Christian church, Aya was taught to shut down her sexuality. As she moved into adulthood, she found herself unable to access pleasure in her body and had resigned herself to a life without it. This was until, in desperation, she sought out a sexual healer who guided her into releasing her full, orgasmic potential. Almost immediately, she was able to allow this release of repressed energy to literally pour out into other areas of her life: her relationships, her business, and her visions for cultural evolution. Sex magic, as she explains in this episode, is possible when we use pleasure as a doorway to whatever wants to be expressed. We can use the power that comes with this deep freedom of expression to bring what we dream into reality. Some of the topics Aya and Usha discuss are: The profound significance of Aya's first time squirtingThe connection between sexual energy and purposeHow self-pleasure works best when we don't feel like itFinding our easiest access points to pleasureHow you can transform any aspect of your sexuality, even physiological onesHow to access your sexual energy by yourselfAnd, as a delicious extra, at the end of the episode, Aya leads a beautiful meditation into connecting with life-force (44:00-49:00). About Aya:Allured by the wild and the beauty within us, Aya Kamānakai is a passionate advocate for embracing pleasure and reclaiming our sexual energy. With a deep reverence for ancient wisdom and a belief in the intelligence stored inside our bodies, Aya calls upon all beings, but especially women, to reconnect with their innate power and unlock their highest potential. 

Picture this: you're in a long, long-term relationship with another person. You both have dynamic, ‘larger-than-life' personalities. You have four kids together, and busy schedules full of big projects. It seems almost impossible to fit in time for each other. Life is interesting, but you're realizing how easy it is to put off moments of deeper connection. Then, one day, almost out of nowhere, you decide together that you're going to make love every day.Every. Single. Day.This is no imaginary story! In this episode of the Spiritual, Sexual, Shamanic Podcast, ISTA organizer and certified coach, Matilda Gregersdotter, talks with Ria about how her and her husband have had s*x everyday since 2008. That's 15 years, if you do the math. As she explains, it has been a beautiful journey, with many benefits she is keen to share with others.These are just some of the topics that Matilda and Ria cover:how regular love-making is nourishing and refreshinghow to effortlessly include love-making in a busy schedulethe idea of ‘meeting each other'resolving conflict that would make s*x impossibleexpanding what love-making meanshow the body and mind become more receptive to touch, not lesshow it's impossible to get bored when you treat each time as the first timehow to practice the art of coming back to lovethe brilliant Game of “Yes”what happens when we find ways to release unnecessary resistanceIf you loved this episode, share it with your friends and leave us a 5-star review!To learn more about what we do at ISTA, visit ista.lifeYou can also follow @ista_tribe on Instagram and Facebook.

If you've ever been to a spiritual retreat, you might know that they can be totally blissful places. Dancing, good food, vibrant people, deep teaching. Paradise! Yes, they can involve difficult emotions, and sometimes the teachings can be complex, but that's often part of the experience.So, what happens when it all comes to an end and you have to head back home and, somehow, put all you learned and experienced into action for real? Well, in this episode of the Spiritual, Sexual, Shamanic podcast, ISTA Lead Facilitator Crystal Dawn Morris tells us about her own experiences with blissed out states of being and how she integrates them into her ongoing life. She shares about some important tools she teaches in ISTA trainings for processing tough emotional experiences and maintaining our sensitivity, and goes deep on a unique experience she has designed especially for bringing spiritual training into every day reality, "Living Level One."She also talks about: Her first ever altered state of consciousnessThe concept and practice of "sonic driving"Our Emotional Guidance SystemThe practice of Aspecting and how to do itHow the emotional body worksIf you loved this podcast, leave us a review! And you can follow us on social media @ista_tribeTo learn more about ISTA teachers and our retreats, visit http://ista.life

In this episode of the Spiritual, Sexual, Shamanic Podcast, ISTA facilitator Aaron Kleinerman delves into the topic of men's work and the importance of creating safe spaces for men to explore their vulnerability and receptivity.Through many years of holding these kinds of spaces, Aaron has found that there is great benefit in men embracing both their masculine and feminine energies. It can lead to a deeper sense of inner union and empowerment. He acknowledges that societal conditioning often discourages men from fully embodying their feminine side, and that this can hinder their personal growth and evolution. The overall aim is for men to be able to break free from these constraints and unlock their full potential.In response to criticism of men's work, Argues argues that it is not about reinforcing the patriarchy or promoting conservative gender roles. Instead, he sees it as an opportunity for men to relax into their masculinity, to let go of their fears and insecurities, and to share experiences with other men who may have had similar life experiences. From this more relaxed place, men can show up for themselves, the people in their lives, and their communities in a more healthy way.Overall, Aaron's message is one of empowerment and growth. By embracing both their masculine and feminine energies, and by creating safe spaces for exploration and growth, men can achieve a deeper sense of inner union and become better equipped to navigate the challenges of life.If you loved this episode, leave a review and share it with your friends!To learn more about ISTA, visit our website: https://ista.life/Or follow us on social media: @ista_tribeTo learn more about Aaron, visit his website: https://aaronkleinerman.com/

In this episode, Usha talks with s*x engineer, Elisa Caro. An Apprentice Facilitator with ISTA, Elisa dives into one of her favorite topics: the many different kinds of orgasm that people in femme bodies can experience. Elisa covers some of these juicy and, some may consider, controversial areas of discovery: how femme bodies are wired for pleasurethe importance of breast playthe difference between implosive and explosive orgasmhow you can turn waves of pleasure into states of orgasmhow to access orgasm if you find it difficultprioritizing comfort and pleasureallowing time for arousal to developmentSo much of ISTA's teaching is about coming back to feeling subtle energy as it moves through the body. As Elisa explains, this process of coming back to feeling is a beautiful and profound journey, especially for people in femme bodies. The kinds of orgasm Elisa talks about are: nipple ones (yum)anal ones (lube and slowness, please)vaginal opening ones (lots of nerve endings)g-spot ones (requires preparation)cervical ones (super deep)clitoral ones (glorious)full body ones (the ultimate)Get ready to learn a whole bunch about what your beautiful body can do!

Dos conceptos que suelen encontrarse separados, pero ¿Cuál es la relacion entre ellos?En esta conversación con Luis, KamalaDevi McClure nos habla sobre:El uso del Eros como medicina sagrada, su experiencia como figura poliamorosa, coach y madre, y el potencial del chamanismo para sanar heridas sexuales.El matrimonio Interior, y cómo el cosmos está contenido dentro de cada uno de nosotros.El aprendizaje y estudio del chamanismo.Las experiencias "negativas" en los viajes chamánicos.Contenidos de los niveles 1 y 2 de ISTA.Si te ha gustado este episodio, déjanos una valoración y una reseña. Para conocer más sobre trainings de ISTA o para trabajar con nuestro profesorado, visita www.ista.life , o encuentranos en las redes sociales. FB: ista.life e IG: @ista_tribe

Initiation is an unavoidable part of life. We're constantly being initiated into new experiences, whether we like it or not. Sometimes we thrive in these experiences, but sometimes they can be traumatic. Sometimes we get stuck in a loop in the process. What a dedicated space for initiation can provide is a way to go through important rites of passage deliberately, powerfully, and with the attentive support of a community…Laura Deva, who is a ISTA + Highden Temple facilitator and psychotherapist, illuminates this on our show. In conversation with Simon, she explores the differences and similarities between therapeutic spaces and spaces of initiation. Some of the topics Laura touches on are: Getting stuck on ‘loop' when life is giving you an initiationThe importance of resolution and integrationThe power of group processesThe element of surpriseLetting our bodies guide usReaching out for helpIf you like this episode, please leave a rating and review! To find out more about ISTA trainings or to work with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

When ISTA Apprentice Dane Tomas got started in spirituality, his focus was on ascension. "It was 'go up to the higher realms'; it was Buddhism, it was psychedelics, it was meditation, and it was all so wonderful," he says. But he started to realize that, although the people he was hanging out with there "in Rainbow Dolphin Land," were mentally and, maybe, ethereally powerful, "they were all fucking broke and couldn't pay their rent." What he found, through experimenting with his own life, is that the missing piece was integration. The people who knew a lot about money and how to get it were blocked in their sexuality, and the people who were super juicy in their sexuality struggled to make any money. So, Dane started working with people on embodiment, creativity, shadow work, and being unapologetically themselves, creating modalities like The Spiral to make this teaching around manifestation stick. Now, he helps people understand what magic actually is: getting your intention and your reality into alignment. In this episode, hosted by Ria Yoshida, Dane talks about: Beginning as a broke Aussie rapperHating the coaching industryHow to use spiritual techniquesThe nervous system's tolerance for changeNavigating open relatingWhy we get rejectedHow paying your taxes is sexyIf you like this episode, please leave a rating and review! To find out more about ISTA trainings or to work with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

In this episode, Simon talks with ISTA faculty Stephanie Phillips, who happens to be his biological mother! They dive into issues of inter-generational healing and what it can really look like to address family relationships head-on. Simon explores with Stephanie her signature teaching: “being in the body brings us home.” By coming back to the body, Stephanie says, we give ourselves the chance to be alive to our life-force, our orgasmic energy. Maybe it's this realisation of the energy running through our bodies that is the key to feeling safety in ourselves, feeling a full range of emotions, getting in touch with our natural innocence, and awakening to exciting future possibilities. Learn more about the ISTA Family Fusion event: www.istafamilyfusion.com

"Once you know, you know," an old sage once said. And the power of sexual shamanism is one of those things. You can't forget it once you've experienced it. In this episode, ISTA Level 1 and 2 facilitator, Michal Mayan Don, marvels at the rapidly emerging culture of people who now carry this knowledge. As she explains, what we are doing when we train in sexual shamanism is preparing our bodies to be able to hold more energy. To be able to move intense feelings, sensations, and experiences through our bodies with ease.  When we do that, we can use that energy for magic!

The midwest region of the USA is not famous for its radical attitudes towards sexuality. You might usually associate that area of the world with conservative values, fields of wheat, unpredictable weather (hello cyclone season!), sports, and very nice folks. In today's episode we hear from ISTA facilitator Briana Cribeyer who grew up in the Midwest reveals a different story, one of a land that has been a place for spiritual, embodied emergence for, literally, thousands of years. In this episode we also get into the the art of group transformation, priestess mothers, what to do with the subtle signs of nature, how to approach life with a generous outlook, the magic of new relationship energy, a beautiful poetry reading, and lot of laughter.Learn more about Briana at her website: brianacribeyer.comSign up for an ISTA Level 1 training at the ISTA website

A life full of creativity, sensuality, beauty, and connection… How to cultivate it? In this episode, we talk with ISTA Lead Faculty member Raffaello Manacorda about what it means to bring the culture of conscious sexuality into your life, and how to share it with those around you. And it's not just about sex. We can do this through delicious meals, slow walks through the forest, cuddles on the couch, and moving our bodies in ways that feel good. We can also do it by listening to music that carries the energy of the reality we are calling in, and maybe learning how to play it. Raffaello led the creation of the first ISTA Songbook, a compilation of songs written and performed by musicians from the ISTA community. We discuss how the songbook came to be, listen to some he has developed a close connection to, and dive deep into their unique gifts.You can visit the songbook yourself here. 

​​Coming from his experience as a soldier in the Israeli military, and from studying Kung Fu in a Chinese temple, ISTA Facilitator, Or Koren, speaks about how you can integrate ALL parts of yourself into your life on this planet. The body is central. "If we choose to walk this path of embodiment and integration in the attempt to heal our trauma," he says, "we have to do so slowly, step by step. And we have to be in the heart." Join us as Or takes us through the practicalities of how can do this. 

The word "Tantra" gets used a lot these days, sometimes in ways that challenge what the word really refers to. ISTA Facilitator, Bynoi D'Souza, has tracked Tantra from the root, growing up in India, reading and speaking Sanskrit, travelling the world, and teaching what could be called the path's ever-erupting LIFE. In this episode, Bynoi explores some heights and depths of Tantric study, including the teaching of cultivating kundalini energy, the life-force energy that runs through every body. Tune in!

We can all, perhaps, relate to feeling older. We might feel it more acutely at one time, or another. But, often, as we notch up the years — or decades — there can be a feeling that we're supposed to slip into the background. To stop participating in life. To turn our volume down and be less visible.As ISTA Facilitator, Penny Goldmuntz, explains, this absolutely does not have to be the case. "What I want people to understand," she says, "is that all of life has these spirals of things that we're dealing with. They're the same issues, but they're different. We're always going through the seasons of change. We go through this process in all of the ages we pass through. What keeps me feeling vibrant is allowing myself to feel the rebirth." Listen-in for an enlivening episode for people at every stage of life! 

When you hear the word "shamanic," what do you think of? Maybe you think of plant medicines, psychedelic drugs, or transcendental experiences. Maybe you think of energy, and the world of the immaterial and spiritual. In this episode, ISTA Facilitator, Juan Es Alzate Mejia, talks about what shamanism means to him and how he discovered that he had access to subtle layers of reality that shaman are known to have access to. Most importantly, he explains how to stay connected to these magical abilities once you know how to access them. 

What does my soul really want, and how do I dream it? Then, how do I make it a reality? In this episode, ISTA faculty member and CEO of the conscious dating app, Lua, Makatu Roni, guides us through some answers to these questions. For him, they hold the key to what is missing in the world right now. He tells his story of manifesting his soul-calling in Lua and, before that, the ecstatic dance community in Israel. It is so important, he says, to become aware of where we, ourselves, shine. Maybe it's in a surprising way, or in an unexpected role. Then, we must be patient. Opportunities will arise. And when they do, go for it! See it all the way through... Tune in for this and more. You can download the Lua app here: https://www.lua.earth/

Do you struggle with navigating multiple relationships while staying committed, to yourself and to your partner? Do you want to explore surrendering to the essence of love while staying authentically true to yourself? In this episode of The Spiritual Sexual Shamanic Podcast, Ria Yoshida (who usually asks the questions!) answers on leaning into partnership as a growth opportunity and spiritual practice. Ria is an author and relationship coach, supporting people around the globe with their sex lives and intimate relationships.Listen in to hear Ria on:• polyamorous open relating and marriage• clearing distortions through sacred relating• meeting extraordinary growth and spirituality in the mundane • marriage and sovereignty• 'infinite chances' as a practice of forgivenessIf you liked this episode, please leave a rating and review! To find out more about ISTA trainings or to work with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

In this fascinating episode, Javi Martinez shares about her journey as a shapeshifter, not falling into any of the conventions. Javi is a bridge between the worlds, and embodies a direct transmission of what it means to transcend massive barriers, courageously exploring gender with full guidance from Spirit. Javi is a LGBTQI Educator and Trainer, a Mental Health Counsellor, a Sex and Sensuality Educator for the Trans-Feminine and their lovers, and a bridge that connects all within the spectrum of Gender through understanding and compassion.Listen in to hear Javi on:• living in the mystery of gender transcendence• transitioning and the deep medicine of self-love• living with a male brain while developing a feminine brain • going through female adolescence in your 40's!• living in full devotion to Spirit• WET - World Empowerment Trust, ISTA's program for diversity and inclusionIf you liked this episode, please leave a rating and review! To find out more about ISTA trainings or to work with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

Most of us have been brought up in a culture that is traumatized around sex... Ellie Wilde is deeply interested in redefining sexuality so that being in the experience and enjoying is more important than performing. In this episode, Ellie shares about her exploration of how relaxed states of arousal can foster profound restorative Eros, and bring about more connection with oneself and with the partner.Listen in to hear Ellie on: redefining the linear and goal driven narrative around sexuality that we most grow up withthe beauty and pleasure of more down regulated states of beingthe massive realm of subtle exploration, much more internal and passive, when we learn to deeply relax the bodyletting go of the agenda for arousal, and exploring the organic flow that is present  how to cultivate yin sexuality, so that we can be energised and deeply relaxed at the same time If you liked this episode, please leave a rating and review! To find out more about ISTA trainings or to work with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

Do you sometimes feel yourself accelerating in ways that aren't the most supportive to your authentic being? Do you long for respecting the pace of your heart, of your body, of all your emotions and hidden places where your true power and beauty reside? Avishag aims deep, and shares here with us her research on slowing down in order to feel more. Listen in to hear Avishag on:- daring the intimacy of the deep waters- moving slower and doing less, in order to feel more- discovering that feeling more doesn't need more stimulation- taking the time to visit some of the hidden parts in ourselves- changing patterns in sexuality, taking a different turn at the usual junctionsIf you liked this episode, please leave a rating and review! To find out more about ISTA trainings or to work with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

Are you interested in increasing your focus, energy and motivation by tapping into the immense possibilities of your sexual energy? Do you want to live in a way that you can embody your full potential and manifest your deepest desires? Buddhi Dana is welcoming you to come closer and explore... Buddhi is a man of the heart who is walking the Tantric path for the last 20 years. A spiritual leader, skillful Temple priest, ISTA facilitator, yoga teacher, DJ, and a vessel for divine energy. Listen for Buddhi's inspired wisdom on…How to climb to orgasmic heights without losing your energyHow dopamine, oxytocin & serotonin are working together during orgasmHow to work with these hormones so that they work for youGrowing up as men and manifesting our deep desires in the worldThe difference between orgasm and ejaculationBreathing exercises to move from sympathetic to parasympathetic nervous systemGenerating DMT in your body with breathing!Harnessing the potential available from your libidoIf you liked this episode, please leave a rating and review! To find out more about ISTA trainings or to work with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

Regardless of your sex, you embody masculine and feminine energy. The question is, how are these energies showing up? Are they in harmony or dominating each other? Are they in service to your life, or sabotaging it? Clara Gomez Santos, ISTA facilitator, shares with Ria how females can bring forward ‘The Man Within’. Listen in to dive into…Cultivating and embodying the mature aspects of your masculine energyHow to develop the inner masculine so that there is inner balanceHow your inner man can show up for you in your daily lifeDeveloping non-judgement & compassion towards the masculineInner masculine initiation & the inner marriageCommitting the inner gaze to looking at the undeveloped parts, and to loving themGrowing and maturing the inner masculineIf you liked this episode, please leave a rating and review! To find out more about ISTA trainings or to work with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

Jasmeen Hana, ISTA Faculty and shamanic guide between worlds, our guest in this delightful episode, takes us on a journey of sex & spirit, soul & animal, dark & light, to remember our primal and innocent nature, through the ancient and recorded wisdom of the Egyptian Temple Arts.In this episode, dive with Jasmeen into…Finding our place in the Tree of Life, getting to know the anatomy of our SpiritWhat is a Temple Art?Egyptian cosmology and working with the intelligence of the different Gods and Goddesses in daily lifeLife as a Temple Art, choosing to live in the sacredness of Life itselfThe Lotus flower medicine, beauty rising from the muckThe journey into the Underworld and the gateways to keep lightening the heartVibrational and sound workIf you liked this episode, please leave a rating and review! To find out more about ISTA trainings or to work with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

Have you ever felt like you’ve been pressed into a mould, and asked yourself if you can live a bigger life than this? Patrik Oltermann, a radical Christian pastor, ISTA facilitator, Bhakti Yogi and queer pirate, shares wisdom from a lifetime of not fitting in, happy and humorously following the path of Freedom. Hear Patrik on...Navigating the tension between the ordinary and the extra-ordinaryInnocently ignoring cultural and spiritual norms, when society tells you to stay smallNavigating and being ok with being the crazy one Embodying and vibrating who you truly areWhy we need more pirates!If you liked this episode, please leave a rating and review! To find out more about ISTA trainings or to work with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

Rituals can be small or elaborate, but when done with intentionality, they all hold creative and spiritual power. But what makes something a ritual vs a habit? How does one 'do' ritual? What are the keys for deep and transformative group rituals?Dawn Cherie Ezrahi, Lead ISTA Facilitator and initiatress of SSSTar (Spiritual Sexual Shamanic Ritual Theatre) speaks with us about the anatomy of ritual and what happens when theatre meets this sacred art.Dawn shares...How to know when the mundane has transformed into ritual spaceThe role of presence and intentionKeys for holding a container in a group ritualThe importance of releasing expectation in ritualThe role of gratitude in ritualWhen art meets ritual: Ritual TheatreRitual as an antidote to materialistic busynessDeath and ritualIntentional prayer vs worryA must-listen for any priestees, practitioners, facilitators or artists who work with groups.

Falling in love can bring up intense emotions and ecstatic experiences. With tsunamis of neurochemicals and exhilarating heart-opening, we can meet our own soul, taste unconditional love, and experience wholeness in deep ways. It's big stuff for our spiritual evolution.But what happens when the 'love potion' runs out? Lead Facilitator Aramina Barbour shares with us how modern society throws in the towel so easily in relationship and we risk becoming branch jumpers, searching for the next high.Hear Araminta's personal relationship and break up stories as she shares...How to navigate when 'things get hard'Knowing if you should break up or hunker downUnderstanding golden shadows in relationshipWhy expectations and projections make relationships a minefield and how to go beyond themHow to know if you're addicted to the high of falling in loveRelationship as an opportunity to explore God and Goddess within yourselfHow to navigate the intensity of break up emotionsGrief as a precious messengerRecognising where you seek outside ourselves for sustenance (it will never be fulfilled there!)If you liked this episode, please leave a rating and review! To find out more about ISTA trainings or to work with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

Tune in to hear Bruce Lyon (ISTA Pioneer/Wisdom Circle and Highden Founder) share truth bombs about...Living beyond instinctual herd life and finding your authentic coreHow to burst into flame and radiate who you really are regardless of what others thinkLiberating your sexual energy and your emotional energy to find your powerHow to go beyond being an 'individual' and wake up to your part as a cell in the Great organism of LifeConfronting the death-wish that's in the shadow, personally and collectivelyGoing beyond survival to live something far wilder and more adventurousWhen love has grows stronger than the desire to be likedReceiving projection as a way to water blast remnants of the egoTesting the 'friendly universe' and taking risks towards authenticity.If you liked this episode, please leave a rating and review! To find out more about ISTA trainings or to work with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

Trauma processing and trauma awareness has risen a lot in the healing fields. While trauma has been primarily boxed in a psychological model, shamanic perspectives can offer a wider lense.Janine Ma-Ree, ISTA Lead Facilitator, speaks with us about how an earth-based shamanic understanding of the body and trauma can support deep personal and collective healing, empowerment and community. Janine shares on...What 'shamanic' means in the context of traumaHow the elements are essential to understand in the healing journeyWhat 'trauma' meansWhy the same experience may be traumatic for one person, but not for anotherShamanic perspectives of the FREEZE response and how to honour and support frozen parts of ourselves, friends, lovers or clientsHow to avoid looping in processing the emotional body (which can retraumatize you!)If you liked this episode, please leave a rating and review! To find out more about ISTA trainings or to work with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

"A daring life means following what's real for you. Sometimes it's crazy, sometimes it's boring, but it's real." In this episode, Komala Lyra, Lead ISTA Facilitator, shares wisdom gems from a daring life spent listening to her truth. Sharing deeply about how to surrender, listening and authenticity, Komala offers a potent transmission of how to be totally present, totally alive, and totally out of control.Hear Komala share about...How to trust what feels real to you ('right' and 'wrong' are irrelevant)Breath as the baseline on a spiritual journeySurrendering to the inner aliveness or boredom within without resistanceWhen you listen within, the world can't control youWhy 'protection' and 'consent' can do more harm than goodWhy trauma will become obsolete for humanityIf you liked this episode, please leave a rating and review! To find out more about ISTA trainings or to work with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

In this episode, Elaine Yonge, ISTA Lead Facilitator, explains sexual styles and discusses the four erotic themes: 1. Longing and anticipation, 2. Violating prohibitions, 3. Searching for power, and 4. Overcoming ambivalence. Referring to the brilliant book The Erotic Mind by psychologist Jack Morin, Elaine says understanding our erotic themes supports mind-expanding, heart-opening and soul-renewing sexual life. It's big!In this episode:Learn how erotic themes and sexual styles affect sexual pleasure, power and growth Begin to identify your erotic themes and sexual stylesUnderstand relationship dynamics in the context of matched or clashing themes and stylesHow intention changes EVERYTHING when it comes to sexHow to recognise the signs of trauma in sexual energy and support healingTips for practitioners, facilitators, and coaches working in the field of sexualityReleasing shame around emotion and sexThe interrelationship between emotional honesty and understanding one's sexual energy. If you liked this episode, please leave a rating and review! To find out more about ISTA trainings or to work with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

Raffaello Manacorda, Lead ISTA Facilitator, shares how sex and the shadow (repressed parts of ourselves) are parts of life but are both hidden. To live and express ourselves fully, we need to dive into these parts with full transparency and radical honesty. Because of the cultural and societal nature of this repression, unravelling the hiddenness needs to be done in groups, not alone or with another therapist only...In this episode, hear Raffaello discuss:Rape fantasies which exist at the intersection of sex and the shadowHow bringing shadows into the light dissolves shame and restores joy and powerThe role of partners and close friends in identifying our shadows (and their limits for effective support)Why it's essential to do shadow work in the contexts of dedicated groupsHow leaving your shadow hidden makes you susceptible to influence and being controlledWhy the shadow is NOT a solely psychoanalytical beast — it has a physical, visceral natureThe powerful role of sexual energy and relationships in shadow workIf you liked this episode, please leave a rating and review! To find out more about ISTA trainings or to work with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

If we are in a relationship and don't have strong self-love or we haven't done our healing work, we look to others to fulfil the lack within and to validate our worth. Often, what we understand as love has more to do with fear and insecurity than with actual love (it can be mired with neediness, expectations and attachments).So, what is love, really? How can we truly love without limit in relationship? In this episode, hear ISTA Lead Frank Mondeose share his decades of wisdom on this.In this episode, discover...Expanded and empowered ways of understanding love in relationshipsWhat to do when your partner's desires clash with your ownUnderstanding why we get hooked in relationships and how to reclaim power, strength and loveHow to avoid the toxicity and suffering of relationships that simply won't dieLove and pain go hand in hand and how to dance with bothSelflessness and letting go of neediness to invest in the act of lovePlugging into the Universal energy of love (which is infinite and comes from many places) rather than solely requiring it from our one belovedEmotional hygiene and healing core wounds vs looking outward for the mother/father figure to caretakeWhat to do when we experience insecurity, fear, competition, or jealousy in relationshipsWhen boundaries do and don't truly serve your growthIf you liked this episode, please leave a rating and review! To find out more about ISTA trainings or to work with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

Laurie Handlers, ISTA Lead, shares how great sex is really not just a transaction between people, but a portal to discovering who we really are. In terms of healing, empowerment, joy, vitality, self-actualisation, and awakening, "sex has everything to do with it!"Listen to hear Laurie share more on...How the first and second chakra relates to our lives: money, sex, power, origins, trauma, security, groundedness...Bioenergetic emotional release and using sexual energy clear baggageRecognising our own sexual powerHow to use pleasure as medicine for psychological, physical and spiritual healingTapping into the "compound effect" to grow transformation exponentiallyAs within, so without: your sexual healing and happiness is OUR liberationSecrets of longevityIf you liked this episode, please leave a rating and review! To find out more about ISTA trainings or to work with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

Shachar Caspi, ISTA Lead Facilitator and Organiser, has been in non-monogamous relationships for a decade. As a husband, lover and father to young children, he's the 'go to person' for support if you're curious about exploring open-relating (or better said, 'choice-relating'). If you're totally new to this path or you've been exploring it for some time, listen to Shachar's reflections and practical tools for more easeful, potent and heart-opening relationships.Tune in to for more on...The #1 essential agreement for open-relating: being allowed to make mistakesShadow stalking on the path of opening relating: digesting the pandoras box of all your demonsHow to balance safety and freedom in open relatingThe role of consciously monogamous periods of 'focussing' and stabilising a relationshipHow to be authentic and share experiences without causing more contraction in your partnerUnderstanding the nature of mind/body/soul attraction and desire during the life of a relationshipUnderstanding your emotional body so you and your partner can avoid unnecessary triggersIf you liked this episode, please leave a rating and review! To find out more about ISTA trainings or to work with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

We have ISTA Lead Facilitator Triambika Ma Vive on the show, sharing how sound can powerfully support release, healing and activation. Sound is medicine and sound is an avenue to claiming space. Hear Tri share her wisdom on... Specific steps for using toning to create space in the body and open contracted partsThe power of vibration, specific sounds, and elongated vowels in healing and when to use themHow to expand with power when we meet darker parts of ourselves rather than shrink or diminish ourselvesTuning within to finding the DivineA WHOLE spiritual life: integrating the sacred light AND dark togetherIf you liked this episode, please leave a rating and review! To find out more about ISTA trainings or to work with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

How do we open, surrender, and show up fully in life? And what does it mean to be spiritually awake? Despite common misperceptions, it doesn't require a perpetually ecstatic state! In this conversation, our guest, Crystal Dawn Morris, Lead ISTA Facilitator, shares how being fully open, and in a state of loving acceptance with what is is key.Crystal Dawn has a long career across midwifery, Tantra, and shamanic healing. In this episode, she shares on...Journeying with 'What am I, really?' and remembering our true nature.Touching forms of awareness: Shiva (empty pure potential) and Shakti (creative force).What happens when we pause in a world steeped in stimulation.The sacredness of birth and death (and overcoming the growing anxiety and medicalization of each).Celebrating the cycles of life beyond the culture of youth-worship and fear of aging.'The Five Acts of God' as a way of understanding ourselves as "acts of creation".If you liked this episode, please rate and review! To find out more about ISTA trainings or working with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

We find ourselves in a time where civilization is shifting. Lead facilitator Ohad Pele shares how this means that everything we do is political even if it seems removed from 'politics'. From the way we relate to each other, how we see gender, how we share power, and most importantly how we care for the heart.Hear Pele talk about...The 'golden cage' of modern slavery where our careers, marriages, financial systems are built on the survival of the body/personality and may involve high compensation, but they do not care about the awakening of our hearts. How ISTA and new paradigm communities are building a civilization that cares about the individual and their soul more than what they produceRadical freedom and fully trusting the life force in others: desiring their ultimate freedom because you trust what is in their core completely.Reflections to help us function in the world in this new way, especially in the realms of business.How to regain trust after it was broken subconsciously as babies (we're taught to betray our soul to survive and not face rejection).Why speaking "personality" to "personality" rather than soul to soul doesn't work and how to overcome this.Love is POWER: stronger than any law or decision. Stay connected to your heart!To find out more about ISTA trainings or working with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

Ria invites Baba Dez, ISTA Pioneer, onto the show to talk about embodied awakening. Dez has a wealth of wisdom and experience and shares how embodied awakening means deeply knowing you are a soul, and you manifested this body to bring awareness to consciousness into every cell. You are an energetic being having a human experience. Dez elaborates on this in terms of 'total integration' which is when consciousness meets the body, the heart, the emotional body, and all the aspects of the Self.Hear Baba Dez share more about...Moving beyond the old paradigm model of “power over” which is not aligned with love (and is expensive on us, our environment, and those in our lives).Understanding new paradigms of power through the chakra system.Sharing power: when you can share power within yourself you can share it with others.Total integration of consciousness and matter (ALL) means you have to FEEL, not just think.The relationship between the law of attraction and embodiment.Going beyond addiction to mask discomfort and choosing to feel, even when it's not easy.Embracing our animal nature while reprogramming unhelpful survival instincts to consciously decide to share love and power.To find out more about ISTA trainings or working with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe

In our debut episode, we have lead facilitator KamalaDevi on the show! In this conversation, KD goes deep on how "when we heal the wound within, we heal the wounds in our external relationships. If you're suffering in any area of your relating, the healing of your inner marriage will produce instantaneous effects in your outer relationships." Listen in to explore...The fullness of the inner marriage: it's not just about masculine and feminine uniting within us, it's also about the inner child and inner parent, animal and spirit, wounded and healed one coming together.Identifying if you've accessed embodied experience rather than just conceptual understandingHow inner marriage affects your attractivenessThe intimate relationship between shadow work and your inner marriageHow sacred wounds can become superpowers in your inner marriageHow the Law of Attraction and inner marriage work togetherEcosexuality with Mother Earth / Father EarthTo find out more about ISTA trainings or working with our faculty, see www.ista.life, or find us on social, FB: ista.life and IG:@ista_tribe