Sacred Illness™

Ep. 61: “What are You Doing for You?”: Cancer as a Return to the Self with Kassondra Walters

When Kassondra Walters was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, she was told the standard protocol: eight rounds of IV chemo, radiation, and five years of hormone therapy. But something in her body said no. This is a story about what happens when you stop letting fear drive your decisions and start listening to the quiet, unwavering voice of intuition. It’s about the courage to walk a path no one else is walking, to trust that your body is your ally, not your enemy, and to discover that healing is not about following an algorithm—it’s about coming home to yourself. Episode Overview In this conversation, I sit down with Kassondra Walters, an indigenous entrepreneur, yoga teacher, Reiki master, and survivor from Ontario, Canada. Kassondra walks us through her journey from a lifetime of autopilot and hypervigilance to the moment her body screamed for her attention with a lump in her breast. We explore her decision to decline conventional treatment after surgery, the fear and pushback she faced from the medical system, and the deep inner work that led her to trust her own knowing. Kassondra shares the pivotal moments—the cardinals that appeared after surgery, the acupuncturist who asked “What are you doing for Kassondra?”—that reset her compass. We discuss the emotional releases stored in the body, the power of returning to indigenous ways of knowing, and what it means to live with rather than just manage illness. 🌿 What You’ll Discover * The moment her body screamed for attention—right before she was to step into her mission. * Why she went vegan, stopped drinking alcohol, and returned to hot yoga before she even had a diagnosis. * The surgery that felt like a rebirth—and the grief of family who didn’t show up. * The cardinal moment: how ancestors sent a sign that she would be okay. * Sitting with the oncologist: “What’s the percentage you’re reducing risk by?” and choosing to focus on the 70%. * The shift in treatment when she declined chemo—and the doctor whose tone changed. * The acupuncturist’s pivotal question: “You’ve done a lot for your cancer. What are you doing for Kassondra?” * Emotional releases stored in the body: craniosacral therapy, meridians, and the pain that came up at the breast cancer point. * Why she left the cancer care program—not because she’s cancer-free, but because she doesn’t want what they’re offering. * The ongoing teaching: falling off the wagon, meeting yourself with compassion, and returning to presence. ⏳ Timestamps 00:00 - Kassondra’s Opening: “I’m Grateful for My Illness” 01:00 - Introduction & The Big Question of the Podcast 03:00 - Welcoming Kassondra Walters from Ontario, Canada 05:00 - The Summer of 2022: When Her Body First Started Speaking 08:00 - Two Terminations and a Mental Health Crisis 10:00 - The Night Before: Finding the Lump 12:00 - Fighting to Get Into the Medical System 14:00 - The Diagnosis Call in the Bathroom 16:00 - The Death Journey and “I’m Not Done” 18:00 - Surgery as Rebirth and the Family Who Didn’t Call 22:00 - The Cardinals: Ancestral Signs That She Would Be Okay 25:00 - The Pathology: Microscopic Cells in One Lymph Node 28:00 - Sitting with the Oncologist: “I Want to Focus on the 70%” 32:00 - The Doctor Whose Tone Shifted 35:00 - Discovering Radical Remission and Finding Hope 38:00 - The Five Months Off: Creating a New Lifestyle 42:00 - The Center for Health Innovation and Listening to Practitioners 45:00 - The Acupuncturist’s Question: “What Are You Doing for Kassondra?” 48:00 - Emotional Releases in Craniosacral Therapy 52:00 - The Biopsy She Wished She Hadn’t Done 55:00 - The Final Appointment: Rage, Powerlessness, and Walking Away 58:00 - Living Chronic Faith: Choosing Joy and Connection 01:02:00 - Falling Off the Wagon: Compassion and Returning to Presence 01:05:00 - Who Has Her Illness Invited Kassondra to Become? 💫 Guest Information & Links Connect with Kassondra Walters: * Instagram: @alchemistelevating [https://www.instagram.com/alchemistelevating] * Website: https://kdmanagementconsulting.ca [https://kdmanagementconsulting.ca] * Upcoming Book (2026): This Business is My Ceremony (co-authored, for indigenous entrepreneurs) * Organizational Development Consulting: Supporting nonprofits, for-profits, and government organizations 💫 Want to Go Deeper? → Begin your Sacred Illness® Journey: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/community [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/community] Use coupon code PODCAST for 20% off your first month. → Become a Sacred Illness® Practitioner: click the link to get on the waitlist. https://www.aurorasomatic.com/practitioner-training [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/practitioner-training] → Apply to be a podcast guest: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest] → Apply to be an Affiliate and help share this work: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate] → Follow Dr. Erin on Substack: 🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic [https://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe [https://sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Ep. 60: Your Body is Your Friend: A Story of Autoimmunity, Having Faith, and Reclaiming Identity with Allison Hampton

When Allison Hampton was diagnosed with lupus, Sjogren’s, fibromyalgia, and arthritis, she realized she had been speaking negatively about her body—saying it wasn’t on her team, that it was fighting her. But then came the revelation: her body had been compensating for her, running on a backup generator for years until she could figure out what was wrong. Even when she didn’t know what she needed, her body kept showing up. This is a story about reframing our relationship with illness, reclaiming our identity from our activity, and discovering that a chronically ill body is not a downgrade—it’s just different. Episode Overview In this conversation, I sit down with Allison Hampton, a Christian speaker, playwright, author, and life coach from Indianapolis, Indiana. Allison walks us through her journey of receiving four chronic autoimmune diagnoses—lupus, Sjogren’s syndrome, fibromyalgia, and arthritis—after two years of being dismissed by doctors. We explore the painful process of learning to trust herself again, the importance of firing doctors who won’t listen, and the sacred practice of managing wellness. Allison shares her revelation that “your body is your friend,” the power of grief and gratitude coexisting, and how she learned to stop associating her identity with her activity. We also discuss the creation of her nonprofit, Living Chronic Faith, which builds community for those navigating chronic illness and their support systems. 🌿 What You’ll Discover * The two-year journey to diagnosis and the self-doubt that comes from being dismissed by doctors. * Why you are the expert on your body—and how to reclaim that authority. * The revelation that changed everything: “Your body is your friend, not your enemy.” * Why grief and gratitude can coexist—you don’t have to choose one or the other. * The danger of associating your identity with your activity, and what remains when activity falls away * How a tetanus shot triggered temporary paralysis and became a turning point in her healing. * The snowman vs. racetrack eight: adapting without losing the essence of the thing. * Why chronic illness requires a faith as chronic as the diagnosis (Living Chronic Faith). * How a late-night conversation with a grieving nurse revealed that even from a hospital bed, she could still help. * The power of community, virtual gatherings, and having things to look forward to. ⏳ Timestamps 00:00 - Allison’s Opening: “Your Body is Your Friend” 01:00 - Introduction & The Big Question of the Podcast 03:00 - Welcoming Allison Hampton from Indianapolis 05:00 - The Two-Year Journey: Being Dismissed by Doctors 08:00 - Firing the Doctor and Reclaiming Self-Trust 12:00 - The Lupus Support Group and the Physician Who Walked Both Sides 15:00 - “My Baseline Pain is a Five” — Communicating Chronic Pain to Loved Ones 18:00 - Boundaries, Spoons, and Power Save Mode 22:00 - The Revelation: Your Body Has Been Faithful to You 25:00 - Grief and Gratitude Can Coexist 28:00 - The Tetanus Shot That Triggered Temporary Paralysis 32:00 - The Snowman vs. The Racetrack: Learning to Adapt 35:00 - Chronic Illness as Identity Theft — And How to Reclaim Yourself 40:00 - The Hospital Room Conversation with a Grieving Nurse 45:00 - Living Chronic Faith: The Nonprofit and Its Mission 50:00 - Virtual Gatherings, Bingo, and Having Things to Look Forward To 55:00 - The Sepsis and Respiratory Failure: Revisiting Square One 58:00 - “Do the Thing” — Fill the Gap Only You Can Fill 01:02:00 - Who Has Her Illness Invited Allison to Become? 💫 Guest Information & Links Connect with Allison Hampton: * Website: www.livingchronicfaith.com [http://www.livingchronicfaith.com] → for information on the community, workshops, and other resources * YouTube: Living Chronic Faith channel [http://www.youtube.com/@livingchronicfaith] * Instagram: www.instagram.com/livingchronicfaith [http://www.instagram.com/livingchronicfaith] * Book: Chronic Faith (available now) 💫 Want to Go Deeper? → Begin your Sacred Illness® Journey:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/community [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/community]Use coupon code PODCAST for 20% off your first month. → Become a Sacred Illness® Practitioner: click the link to get on the waitlist.https://www.aurorasomatic.com/practitioner-training [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/practitioner-training] → Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest] → Apply to be an Affiliate and help share this work:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate] → Follow Dr. Erin on Substack: 🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic [https://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe [https://sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Ep. 59: Your Body is a Map — Learning to Read It Through Ritual and Attunement with Shayla Covington

What happens when the very people meant to care for you tell you that you’re not experiencing what you know you’re experiencing? When Shayla’s body began to collapse—down 68 pounds, unable to speak, losing mobility—she was told by her doctor, “I have no reason you can’t work other than you saying you feel horrible.” Living with invisible illness means existing in two realities: the one your body knows to be true, and the one the world refuses to see. This is a story about what happens when you stop waiting to be believed and start believing yourself. When you cancel all your appointments, thank the doctors for their time, and choose to become the one who decodes your own body. Episode OverviewIn this conversation, I sit down with Shayla, a chronic illness advocate from California, who has navigated a complex web of diagnoses including endometriosis, MCAS, histamine intolerance, autoimmune disease, and connective tissue symptoms. Shayla walks us through her rapid and profound healing journey—from being dismissed by the medical system to canceling all her appointments and diving deep into self-directed healing. We explore her discovery of fasting, embodiment practices, mirror affirmations, chakra work, and the rituals that became her medicine. Together, we examine the thread of not being seen or heard that followed her throughout her life, and how her body’s collapse became the ultimate wake-up call to devote herself to herself. Shayla introduces the concept of “self-data literacy”—reading your body like a map and becoming the master decoder of your own healing. 🌿 What You’ll Discover * The painful reality of invisible illness: living in two realities while being told you’re not experiencing what you’re feeling. * How a childhood memory of putting her arm in ice water revealed early nervous system dissociation. * The moment Shayla canceled all her medical appointments and chose to pursue another avenue of care. * How a five-day fast reset her system and allowed inflammation to subside. * The power of mirror affirmations to rewire a neural pathway shaped by childhood silencing. * Why the root, sacral, and throat chakras were blocked—and how opening them shifted everything. * The Latin root of “cure” (cura) means “to care for, to give attention to”—not to eliminate. * How regulatory T cells and the FoxP3 gene connect to chronic illness, and why rituals naturally sedate the nervous system. * The intelligence of water and bringing intention to daily rituals like drinking tea. * Why healing doesn’t mean returning to who you were—it means becoming who you are now. ⏳ Timestamps 00:00 - Shayla’s Opening: The Hardest Pill to Swallow with Invisible Illness 01:00 - Introduction & The Big Question of the Podcas 03:00 - Welcoming Shayla from California 05:00 - The Childhood Clue: Dissociation from Temperature at Age Fiv 08:00 - The Assault, The Car Accident, and The Body’s Collapse 12:00 - “You Are a Complex Case” — Being Dismissed by the Medical System 15:00 - The Endometriosis Diagnosis and the Two-Month Wait for a Surgeon 18:00 - The Turning Point: Canceling All Appointments and Going Inward 20:00 - The Five-Day Fast That Reset Her System 22:00 - Self-Data Literacy: Reading Your Body Like a Map 25:00 - Mirror Affirmations and Rewiring Childhood Patterns 28:00 - Chakras as Energetic Distribution Hubs: Root, Sacral, and Throat 32:00 - The FoxP3 Gene and Regulatory T Cells: The Immunology Behind the Healing 35:00 - Rituals as Medicine: Tea, Intention, and the Intelligence of Water 38:00 - Living Without Autopilot: Why Illness Demands Active Participation 42:00 - Where Shayla Is Now: Eating Freely, Living Simply, Staying Attuned 45:00 - Light Weaver: Shayla’s Mission and How to Find Her 💫 Guest Information & Links Connect with Shayla (Light Weaver): * Instagram: @iamlightweaver [https://www.instagram.com/iamlightweaver] * Coaching: Available through her Instagram and Facebook coaching page 💫 Want to Go Deeper? → Begin your Sacred Illness® Journey: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/community [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/community]Use coupon code PODCAST for 20% off your first month. → Become a Sacred Illness® Practitioner: click the link to get on the waitlist. https://www.aurorasomatic.com/practitioner-training [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/practitioner-training] → Apply to be a podcast guest: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest] → Apply to be an Affiliate and help share this work: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate] → Follow Dr. Erin on Substack: https://drerinhayford.substack.com 🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic [https://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe [https://sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Ep. 58: Pain is a Stuck Emotion with Lyn Cole

When Lyn Cole looked up at a small whiteboard in a chiropractor’s office and read the words “Pain is an emotion,” everything shifted. After more than two decades of severe chronic pain that left her 90% immobile and using a walker, she realized that her body wasn’t failing her—it was holding onto emotions she had never been able to express. This is a story about what happens when we stop suppressing and start listening, when we trade fear for curiosity, and when we discover that the path to healing is not a protocol to follow but a self to become. Episode Overview In this conversation, I sit down with Lyn Cole, a longtime artist and teacher from Central Victoria, Australia, who has navigated health challenges her entire life—from severe childhood asthma to a 23-year journey with debilitating chronic lower back pain. Lyn walks us through her unique perspective, having been deeply immersed in both the conventional medical model and the world of natural healing since her late teens. We explore her discovery that “pain is a stuck emotion,” the tiny “sesame seed moments” that slowly built her hope, and how a gentle chiropractor using applied kinesiology became the catalyst for her healing. Together, we examine why the medical model’s early approach to “mindset” felt insulting, and how true healing requires us to process what we’ve pushed down—often through self-expression. Lyn shares how her lifelong love of art became not just a career but a container for others to heal, and why creativity—whether painting, baking, or gardening—can be the antidote to swallowed pain. 🌿 What You’ll Discover * The profound realization that “pain is an emotion”—a stuck, unprocessed feeling we hold in the body. * Why fear-based choices keep us stuck in illness, and how to learn to trust intuition instead. * The difference between the medical model (which suppresses symptoms) and true healing (which addresses mind, body, and spirit). * How a tiny whiteboard quote became a light bulb moment after decades of suffering. * The power of “sesame seed moments”—tiny shifts that build hope and lead to transformation over time. * Why being forced into the medical model through insurance became an unexpected teacher. * How creativity and self-expression—through art, baking, gardening, or any hands-on activity—allow trapped emotions to surface and release. * The importance of safe spaces and being witnessed without judgment for healing to occur. * Why patience and baby steps are essential: Lyn was wheeled into a hydrotherapy pool for six months before she could walk again. * The simplest answer to “who has your illness invited you to become?” — Me. ⏳ Timestamps 00:00 - Lyn’s Opening Reflection: “Pain is an Emotion” 01:00 - Introduction & The Big Question of the Podcast 03:00 - Welcoming Lyn Cole from Central Victoria, Australia 05:00 - The Early Years: Asthma, Allergies, and Questioning “Why Me?” 10:00 - Leaving Home at 17 and Discovering Natural Healing 15:00 - The Shift: Developing Severe Lumbar Pain as a Single Mom of Four 20:00 - Being Forced into the Medical Model and Insurance System 25:00 - The Insulting Early Days of “Mindset” Pain Management 30:00 - The Chiropractor Who Listened: Applied Kinesiology as a Catalyst 35:00 - The Whiteboard Moment: “Pain is an Emotion” 40:00 - Pain as Stuck Emotion: The Sesame Seed Analogy 45:00 - Art as Healing: Creating a Safe Container for Others 50:00 - From Art Teacher to Trauma-Informed Guide 55:00 - The Power of Baby Steps: Six Months Floating in a Pool 01:00:00 - Who Has Her Illness Invited Her to Become? 01:02:00 - Lyn’s Daily Doodles and What’s Coming Next 💫 Guest Information & Links Connect with Lyn Cole: * Instagram: @the_studio_handmade [https://www.instagram.com/the_studio_handmade] * Daily Doodles and Thoughts: Posted daily on Instagram—a sketch or painting with a matching thought * In-person studio classes in Central Victoria, Australia (re-launching March 2026—follow on Instagram for announcements) 💫 Want to Go Deeper? → Begin your Sacred Illness® Journey: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/community [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/community] Use coupon code PODCAST at checkout for 20% off your first month → Want to learn how to do this work? Become a Sacred Illness® Practitioner. Join the waitlist here: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/practitioner-training [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/practitioner-training] → Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest] → Apply to be an Affiliate and help share this work:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate] → Follow Dr. Erin on Substack: 🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic [https://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe [https://sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Ep. 57: What You’re Trying to Heal is Here to Heal You with Shenal Arimilli

What if the thing you’re trying to heal is actually here to heal you? When Shenal Arimilli was diagnosed with breast cancer, she did everything “right”—she changed her diet, eliminated toxins, and pursued every physical protocol imaginable. Yet the cancer kept returning. It wasn’t until she stopped seeing her illness as an enemy to be conquered and began hearing it as a sacred calling that her healing truly began. This is a story about moving from fighting the body to listening to the soul, and discovering that the most profound medicine lies not in what we take, but in who we become. Episode Overview In this episode, I sit down with Shenal Arimilli—a transformational expert with a background in quantum physics, neuroscience, and physiology, and a three-time cancer survivor. Shenal shares her 11-year journey through breast cancer, from exhaustive physical interventions to the deep spiritual unraveling that finally led to complete healing. We explore the paradigm-shifting realization that “I didn’t heal the cancer, the cancer healed me,” and what that means for anyone facing illness today. Together, we examine how symptoms—whether physical, emotional, relational, or financial—are all messengers calling us back to our greatness. Shenal introduces her “ice cube” metaphor for trapped trauma and emotion, her T-E-A framework (Thoughts, Emotions, Actions) for shifting energy, and the profound lesson that healing requires surrendering control and receiving—even when receiving looks like the very thing you once feared. 🌿 What You’ll Discover ✨ The pivotal quote that changed everything: “I didn’t heal the cancer, the cancer healed me.” ✨ Why doing everything “right” physically isn’t always enough—and what’s missing when it isn’t. ✨ The “ice cube” metaphor: how unprocessed trauma, emotions, and ancestral patterns become stuck energy in the body. ✨ How to understand symptoms as messengers, not problems—whether they appear in the body, relationships, or finances. ✨ The T-E-A framework: shifting Thoughts, Emotions, and Actions to create new neural pathways and energetic alignment. ✨ Why asking “What if I’m healing?” is more powerful than forcing affirmations that don’t feel true. ✨ The truth about genetics: being “energetically predisposed” versus “genetically predisposed.” ✨ How Shenal made peace with chemotherapy—the very thing she once feared—and received it as light. ✨ The question every listener must ask: “What needs are being met by this illness?” ✨ Why the best guides are the ones who empower you to never give away your power. ⏳ Timestamps 03:00 - Welcoming Shenal Arimilli 06:00 - The Diagnosis: Stage One Breast Cancer & The Physical Journey Begins 10:00 - Doing Everything “Right”: Cleansing, Detoxing, and the Box of Supplements 15:00 - The First Recurrence: When Physical Protocols Aren’t Enough 20:00 - The Dark Decade: 11 Years of Deep Healing 25:00 - The Ice Cube Metaphor: How Unprocessed Trauma Becomes Stuck in the Body 30:00 - The Wishbone of Healing: Ancestral, Soul Level, and This Lifetime Energy 35:00 - The 11-Year-Old Girl: How Fast Healing Can Happen When We’re Ready 40:00 - The T-E-A Framework: Thoughts, Emotions, Actions 45:00 - “What If I’m Healing?” vs. “I Am Healed” 50:00 - The Voice on the Couch: “You Do the Simple, I Do the Complex” 55:00 - Making Peace with Chemotherapy: Receiving the Very Thing You Once Feared 01:00:00 - The Question: What Needs Are Being Met by This Illness? 01:05:00 - Who Has Her Illness Invited Shenal to Become? 01:10:00 - Never Give Away Your Power: The Healer Who Said She Would Die 01:12:00 - Shenal’s Free Offerings & How to Connect 💫 Guest Information & Links Connect with Shenal Arimilli: * Website: www.shenalarimilli.com [https://www.shenalarimilli.com/] * Free Ebook: “Seven Keys to Reclaiming Your Power” available on her website * Infinite Power Circles - sign up for free community healing circles twice monthly - https://shenalarimilli.com/infinite-power-circle/ [https://shenalarimilli.com/infinite-power-circle/] * Social Media: Instagram @shenalarimilli [https://www.instagram.com/shenalarimilli], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shenal-arimilli-03692254], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@shenalarimilli6028/videos] * Upcoming Book (2026): Shift Your Energy: An Inner Journey to Transform Your Life from Cell to Soul (working title) 💫 Want to Go Deeper? → Begin your Sacred Illness® Journey: Join the Community https://www.aurorasomatic.com/community [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/community] Use coupon code PODCAST for 20% off your first month → Apply to be a podcast guest:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/podcast-guest] → Apply to be an Affiliate and help share this work:https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/affiliate] → Become a Sacred Illness® Practitioner: Join the waitlist: https://www.aurorasomatic.com/practitioner-training [https://www.aurorasomatic.com/practitioner-training] → Follow Dr. Erin on Substack: https://drerinhayford.substack.com [https://drerinhayford.substack.com] 🎶 Music by: “Instructions for Living a Life” by Savfkhttps://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic [https://www.youtube.com/@SavfkMusic] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe [https://sacredillness.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]