Initiation & The Nervous System - Bruce Lyon

Initiation & The Nervous System - Bruce Lyon

"The abyss that we are so afraid of is actually our connection to the deep love that underlies everything." – Bruce Lyon Bruce Lyon is a teacher, author and international facilitator who has spent over thirty years working in esoteric wisdom, the tantric arts, cosmology and universal spirituality. He is the founder of Shamballa School [https://www.shamballaschool.org/] and Highden Temple [https://www.highdentemple.org/], modern day mystery schools built to support human beings in remembering their essential embodied divinity, and the author of several books, including his newest, Our Dark Divinity. His path has moved from marine biology to psychology to spiritual and esoteric study, and his work now centers on the yoga of relationship, humanity's collective initiation, and helping people live as fully, richly and freely as possible while empowering others to do the same. In this episode, Bruce shares: * How he holds the polarity between the way of fire, intensity and initiation, and the way of water, surrender and trauma informed care, after three decades of transformational work * The trauma at the root of his own awakening at six years old, and how it shaped a lifetime of teaching through fire * His move into eldership, stepping back from leading Highden Temple into a more participant role * What he makes of the public scrutiny and cult accusations aimed at Highden Temple * The cosmology behind his new book Our Dark Divinity, and what he calls humanity's planetary initiation Listener Survey! https://podcastsurvey.paperform.co/ Connect with Bruce Shamballa School: shamballaschool.org [https://www.shamballaschool.org/] Highden Temple: highdentemple.org [https://www.highdentemple.org/] Our Dark Divinity (book): Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DY2X43Q4] Connect with Rachel Rachel's Email List: subscribe [http://rachelrickards.myflodesk.com/subscribe] Rachel's Website: rachelrickards.com [https://rachelrickards.com/] The Field Facilitator Training: www.the-field.com [https://www.the-field.com/] Find us on Instagram The Field Facilitator Training: instagram.com/thefieldfacilitation [https://www.instagram.com/thefieldfacilitation] Rachel Rickards: instagram.com/rachel.rickards/ [https://www.instagram.com/rachel.rickards/] Our Cover Art was Designed by Oana Serbana Instagram: Oana_flowingart [https://www.instagram.com/oana_flowingart?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==] Etsy: Oana Flowing Art Etsy [https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/OanaFlowingArt?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAafd4m-TiOod9_P0Sln92LKN4cSXMqHrSAvS3u3Qmt92o6gzDGaIhmBC-iP37w_aem_Mtshh2dBeZpKlOCiv6VW1w]

Meeting the Inner Child - Dr. Stacy Ellis

"You cannot have meaningful change and integration if you do not bring your nervous system with you." – Dr. Stacy Ellis Dr. Stacy Ellis is a trauma-informed psychologist and group facilitator who bridges clinical rigor with deep, embodied transformation. With over fifteen years of clinical practice, a decade of ongoing group work, and training in modalities like EMDR, somatic therapies, TRE, IFS, breathwork and sound healing, she helps people reprogram childhood imprints in the nervous system so they can live as their authentic adult selves. In her work, Stacy weaves science, insight and somatic practice to create spaces where inner child work, group healing and nervous system literacy come together. She has a particular gift for helping people understand why they are the way they are, and then offering real, embodied pathways toward wholeness. In this episode, Stacy shares: * How her own journey from people-pleasing and caretaking into wholeness led her from conventional therapy into inner child and group work * The story of a four-day intensive that "updated" her nervous system and transformed her relationship with her mother * What actually happens inside well-held group containers, and why collective mirroring and co-regulation can create change that one-on-one work alone often cannot * How she designs inner child workshops to keep the nervous system online, weaving teaching, tools, play and ritual for real integration * Her working definitions of psychological safety and trauma-informed facilitation, and why they are about empowerment and depth, not coddling Listener Survey! https://podcastsurvey.paperform.co/ [https://podcastsurvey.paperform.co/] Connect with Stacy Stacy's Website: drstacyellis.com [https://drstacyellis.com] Connect with Rachel Rachel's Email List: subscribe [http://rachelrickards.myflodesk.com/subscribe] Rachel's Website: rachelrickards.com [https://rachelrickards.com/] The Field Facilitator Training: www.the-field.com [https://www.the-field.com/] Find us on Instagram The Field Facilitator Training: instagram.com/thefieldfacilitation [https://www.instagram.com/thefieldfacilitation] Rachel Rickards: instagram.com/rachel.rickards/ [https://www.instagram.com/rachel.rickards/] Our Cover Art was Designed by Oana Serbana Instagram: Oana_flowingart [https://www.instagram.com/oana_flowingart?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==] Etsy: Oana Flowing Art Etsy [https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/OanaFlowingArt?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAafd4m-TiOod9_P0Sln92LKN4cSXMqHrSAvS3u3Qmt92o6gzDGaIhmBC-iP37w_aem_Mtshh2dBeZpKlOCiv6VW1w]

The Myth of Transformation - Dave Booda

"Treating people with just the smallest amount of dignity in a space where they're routinely gaslit and made feel small… it's amazing how people will respond." – Dave Booda Dave Booda is a writer, musician and social entrepreneur. He is the co-founder of IntimacyFest and hosts the Darkness Experiment, a five day relational retreat in complete darkness. Over the last 15 years he has led more than 450 workshops on connection, touch and relationships, consulted for communities, festivals and companies, and published over 200 essays on boodaism.com [http://boodaism.com]. He also performs as his alter ego "Boodananda," a satirical spiritual sex shaman teaching about abuse and predator warning signs, and serves on the board of the Foundation for Intentional Community while living in rural San Diego, California. * Why the word "transformation" is so often misused in our industry and how overpromising can leave participants feeling more broken, not more whole * The difference between transformation, peak experience and community and what ethical containers for each actually require * How to design intense workshops as if participants were on a medicine journey, including pacing, aftercare and integration once they go home * Practical facilitation upgrades like real customer service, high touch pre event calls, end of retreat debriefs and asking the sharpest 10–20 percent of the group for honest feedback * His own growth edge around service, moving from "making rich people feel good" toward work that serves communities and people who would not normally access retreats Tell us what you think about the podcast!https://podcastsurvey.paperform.co/ [https://podcastsurvey.paperform.co/] Connect with Dave Dave's essay on ethical ecstacy: https://boodaism.com/lgat/ [https://boodaism.com/lgat/] Website and writings: https://boodaism.com [https://boodaism.com] Connect with Rachel Rachel's Email List: http://rachelrickards.myflodesk.com/subscribe [http://rachelrickards.myflodesk.com/subscribe] Rachel's Website: https://rachelrickards.com/ [https://rachelrickards.com/] The Field Facilitator Training: https://www.the-field.com/ [https://www.the-field.com/] Find us on Instagram The Field Facilitator Training: https://www.instagram.com/thefieldfacilitation [https://www.instagram.com/thefieldfacilitation] Rachel Rickards: https://www.instagram.com/rachel.rickards/ [https://www.instagram.com/rachel.rickards/] Our Cover Art was Designed by Oana Serbana Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oana_flowingart [https://www.instagram.com/oana_flowingart] Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/OanaFlowingArt [https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/OanaFlowingArt]

Embodiment in a Disembodied World - Mark Walsh

"Embodiment is the subjective experience of the body. The body as subject, not object." – Mark Walsh Mark Walsh has spent the last 20 years helping people get out of their heads and into their bodies, sometimes gracefully, sometimes not. He's the author of The Body in Coaching and Training and Embodied Meditation, hosts The Embodiment Coaching Podcast (3M+ downloads), and ran The Embodiment Conference with 1,000 teachers and 500,000 attendees. As founder of Embodiment Unlimited, he has trained over 2,000 coaches across 40+ countries. In this episode, Mark shares: * What embodiment actually is beyond trends and why understanding the body as "subject" is central for facilitators * How embodiment helps us stay sane in a hypercognitive world * The four elements model of facilitation and how to cultivate real range boundaries presence and humor * What facilitators often get wrong about embodiment and the shadow side of our field around jealousy money and power * Why simple everyday practices like nature connection community breath and prayer matter more than intense state chasing If you are interested in deeper study and certification with Mark through Embodiment Unlimited- Where you can train as an Embodiment Coach (ICF CCE) 6 months online fine out more HERE: https://rachelrickards--embodimentunlimited.thrivecart.com/cec-feb-2026-super-early-bird/ Connect with Mark https://markwalsh.info/ [https://markwalsh.info/] Connect with Rachel Rachel's Email List: http://rachelrickards.myflodesk.com/subscribe Rachel's Website: https://rachelrickards.com/ The Field Facilitator Training: https://www.the-field.com/ Find us on Instagram The Field Facilitator Training: https://www.instagram.com/thefieldfacilitation Rachel Rickards: https://www.instagram.com/rachel.rickards/ Our Cover Art was Designed by Oana Serbana Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oana_flowingart Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/OanaFlowingArt

Can BDSM Teach Us to Be Better Facilitators? - Nadia Munla

"Containment is the process of creating a permission field, a safe container, a somatic experience of being grounded and held." – Nadia Munla Nadia Munla is an embodiment and intimacy coach known for her pioneering work bridging sensuality, power, and leadership. She's the creator of Embody by Nadia™, a movement method that brings women back into connection with their bodies, pleasure, and truth. With over a decade of experience as a coach and facilitator, Nadia weaves together somatic wisdom, kink-informed energetics, and feminine leadership to help people reclaim safety, depth, and aliveness in how they lead, love, and express. In this episode, Nadia shares: * How the worlds of embodiment, kink, and facilitation intersect through energy, trust, and consent. * Why healing our relationship to power and control is central to personal and collective transformation. * The difference between containment and penetration—and how these dynamics shape every relationship and facilitation space. * What it means to lead from loving dominance instead of control. * How facilitators can hold stronger containers without losing attunement or softness. * Practical ways to build embodied resilience and nervous-system awareness as leaders. Connect with Nadia https://nadiamunla.com/ [https://nadiamunla.com/] Connect with Rachel Rachel's Email List: subscribe [http://rachelrickards.myflodesk.com/subscribe] Rachel's Website: rachelrickards.com [https://rachelrickards.com/] The Field Facilitator Training: www.the-field.com [https://www.the-field.com/] Find us on Instagram The Field Facilitator Training: instagram.com/thefieldfacilitation [https://www.instagram.com/thefieldfacilitation] Rachel Rickards: instagram.com/rachel.rickards/ [https://www.instagram.com/rachel.rickards/] Our Cover Art was Designed by Oana Serbana Instagram: Oana_flowingart [https://www.instagram.com/oana_flowingart?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==] Etsy: Oana Flowing Art Etsy [https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/OanaFlowingArt?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAafd4m-TiOod9_P0Sln92LKN4cSXMqHrSAvS3u3Qmt92o6gzDGaIhmBC-iP37w_aem_Mtshh2dBeZpKlOCiv6VW1w]