Cycles of Surrender with Emma Wertheim

In this episode of the Divine Flow Podcast, I’m joined by Emma Wertheim - meditation and yoga teacher, artist, and author of the Yoga Mudra Oracle, and a contributing author to She Who Flows.

Emma shares her story of navigating a life-changing health diagnosis and how it led her to step away from the pressure of the corporate world and into a more intuitive, creative, and aligned way of living. 

We talk about the fear and guilt that can come with slowing down, what she discovered when she created more space in her life, and how reconnecting with your inner voice can open the door to something completely new.

If you’ve been feeling the pull to do things differently - to work less, create more, and trust what’s unfolding - I think you’ll really feel something in this conversation!

📖 Read Emma's full chapter inside the book, She Who Flows: https://amzn.to/4sqPCCb

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Find Emma elsewhere:

• Website: https://www.emmawertheim.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmawertheim_
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@emmawertheim

>> Learn about contributing to our next multi-author book, What the Soul Knows: https://divineflow.co/writing-opportunities

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Working just a little bit less and creating a little bit more space was it just opened so much up within me.

SPEAKER_00 0:24

Welcome to the Divine Flow Podcast and our series of stories of surrendering to the Divine Feminine. I'm your host, Natalie Wolstein, and this week our guest is Emma Wertheim. She's one of the authors of She Who Flows, our brand new book about slowing down, tuning in, and letting your intuition guide you as you prioritize your energetic alignment above everything else. Emma Wertheim is a Sydney-based meditation, yoga, and sacred dance teacher with a special interest in yoga mudras. She is also the author and artist behind the Yoga Mudra Oracle and a contributor to our previous multi-author book, Soul Rising: Guidance for Navigating Your Spiritual Awakening. In this episode, I'm excited to hear from her about her experience writing a chapter for this book and working with the Divine Feminine in her own way.

SPEAKER_01 1:37

And it's my own personal story about a very difficult time in my life when I was 39 and I was diagnosed with endometriosis, stage four endometriosis, and also a few other health issues. And it's really about how these times of great challenge can hold really incredible silver linings. I believe that is the divine feminine working through us to help us to bring us to a much more softer place within. Because when we start to go into that inner space that is very connected to our intuition, that quieter space within, we gain so much insight, we reconnect in with our heart and our heart's wishes. We let a different voice within come to the fore. That voice is very deeply woven and connected with the Divine Feminine. It wishes for only the best for us and it wants us to honour that space so we can live a much more authentic life that is more deeply in tune with our heart, with our soul. I really feel the only way we can find our way to that inner space is uh through challenge. There is great benefit in having challenges. I mean, of course, there's other ways to find our way to that inner space. But I just feel for me anyway, I needed a real health breakdown in order to stop and listen and have the opportunity to reassess. But of course, when I was going through all of that, it was incredibly challenging and it was a very difficult and dark space to be in. You know, there were many little gems within that time that really grew and caught my attention and ended up really putting me on a completely different path. And that path is uh much more in tune with everything I could hope for, everything I was wishing for. You know, I used to spend hours every day in my corporate roles over two decades daydreaming about doing something else, and I really didn't know how to make that happen in my life, but it was almost as though I was living another life in my imagination, and it's only when I look back the life that I was living in my imagination is now the life that I have. I feel incredibly grateful for going through that challenging time because it really did change my whole life. My chapter also, you know, it explores self-care, which is something that is unfolding still for me. It's something that I have to work hard at, you know, nurturing more that part of myself that I was really hard on during many, many difficult years of health issues that remained undiagnosed. And I really pushed very, very hard, and I really ignored a part of myself that was kind of screaming at me for support, like I wasn't nurturing something in myself. So now that I'm on the other side of all of that, like having a diagnosis, having a name for what was wrong with me was just such a massive key in being able to then implement more self-care, but it is still something that I feel I have to work on because I spent so many years ignoring looking after a part of myself, so that's all just a work in progress, and I'm I'm really upfront and honest about that in my chapter. And you know, it also explores the defined feminine again, which is something that is just forever evolving in my consciousness and in my awareness and in my body, but I believe through the exploration in my chapter that and also in myself, of course, that surrender, you know, through surrender there is great strength, and I believe that is an expression of the divine feminine, it's a key almost, you know. Like when I was looking to cut down my working days in corporate, I remember feeling quite terrified. Like I really didn't understand why I was so scared to step out of the fold, so to speak, and it was like the stream of life is just moving with so much force and momentum, and stepping outside of that just felt really unknown, even though I had to because I was so unwell, it actually terrified me. But what I found on the other side of that, stepping out of that stream, cutting down my days, was that it was just incredible, it was like the world's best kept secret, like working just a little bit less and creating a little bit more space was it just opened so much up within me. And uh, that was just when I went down, you know, from from working full-time to working four days a week, and it was incredibly beneficial to my inner world. I feel so grateful for that, for going through that difficult time and now being able to lead a much more authentic life, creating things that I feel really good about and proud of, letting that creative energy be more a part of my everyday rather than something I had to push down because I didn't have time or energy for it. So my message is really about not fearing disappointment, heartache, challenge, difficulties, because more often than not, something really wonderful will come of those hard times, and they may come in a different way than you might expect, but it's all part of how we grow and learn is to really put faith and trust that something, there's a learning, something really good will come of this. It's been shown to me time and time again, so much so, I really have so much faith now that everything will be well, everything will be okay. Now let's hear a little bit from the next chapter. Flowing after the diagnosis, I needed to reduce my working days. Finally, I was able to do this. But stepping out of the rat race felt terrifying. There was a sense of guilt, like I was leaving the fold and throwing myself under the bus. A case of what is sometimes called tribal shaming, except I was doing it to myself. However, I found that working less meant less stress and more time on my hands to nurture inner space. It was like stumbling across the world's best kept secret. I felt like shouting from the rooftops. Work less, people. I was able to hear and act on my intuitive voice. Slowly I began to nurture creative flow and answer its call. I started creating art again, something that has always felt natural and free-flowing. I also got back into writing and even created an oracle deck. I believe we all have an intuitive inner compass, and in heeding it, we become an expression of the divine feminine in action. It points to our true path, one that aligns with our heart, our higher self, and our soul. When we listen, we honor this gift and move toward our destiny. I am reminded of a sacred principle that comes up in fourth way work, the law of seven, which tells us that everything that happens is like an octave. Just as in music, there are intervals where rhythm changes, and sometimes shocks are needed in life to move us through points of resistance. For me, it took a health crisis to get my attention and give me the time and space to rediscover creative flow and begin a whole new octave in both my spiritual journey and life. Since listening more to my intuitive voice, I've started to build a business that is uniquely my own, one created from my heart, incorporating all my loves, including yoga, spirituality, and creativity. Sure, there have been setbacks, but just like the law of seven says, there's always something invaluable waiting to be found when resistance hits.

SPEAKER_00 12:41

So beautiful. What really stands out to me about your story, Emma, is how for so many years you tried to basically measure up to what was going on in the world around you. But when you finally, finally, finally came to a place where you could honor yourself more and make the world around you rise up to meet you, in other words, giving you fewer working hours, for example, it unlocked your truth even more. And I totally get the guilt around stepping away from the rat race because it's also you basically stepping into a new identity, an identity that's all your own, and it isn't tied to other people's perceptions of you anymore. But what you're given in return is something so much more deeply nourishing, time and space and the ability to actually hear yourself again. So, how does it feel to have your words published in this book?

SPEAKER_01 13:49

It feels absolutely incredible having my words published in a book. It's been such a beautiful exercise writing this chapter and going through the creative process of that. I'm always so amazed at how it works, and often you'll be thinking about what you're going to write, but the ideas just seem to kind of float into your mind, usually at very inconvenient times, like when you're in the shower or when you're driving your car, and I would usually have to pull over and make a note, otherwise, the idea just disappears into thin air. So there's just so much magic in writing in itself, and it's also of course very healing, and sharing these vulnerable stories and parts of yourself actually feels really beautiful. It's like you're giving voice to something very personal, perhaps even something you've never shared with anyone else. And I feel there's a lot of power and liberation in doing that. And of course, being a part of this project is extra special having everyone else's stories alongside your own, and so many different stories, so many different perspectives. It just feels like a very rich tapestry of voices from all over the world, but there's a common thread, you know, there's something in common, and and I believe anyone reading the book too will feel that their story could have been in this book, you know. There's we all have something to say and share, no matter how dull we might think our lives are. So it's been just a great honour to be to be in She Who Flows, and I'm also very fortunate because I was in uh another anthology last year, Soul Rising, so I have had the experience of being published. Yeah, it's it's just a it's a beautiful thing, and I actually am really excited to now try and write a book myself. Having written two chapters now for for the two books for Soul Rising and She Who Flows, I feel like it's actually prepared me to understand what is now involved in writing a whole book. And of course, that feels a little overwhelming, but I'm just going to go at it slow and uh methodical and not get too far ahead of myself. I think that's the only way to approach it for me anyway. So it's been like a great kind of teaser uh writing this chapter for me. I've I've just really enjoyed the process. It's also shown me how much I love writing, and of course, I think you always feel like you can improve, and I'm sure I'll read back my chapter in time and think I wish I did this and that, but it's just all it's just all a journey, all of this. And the more you do it, I think the more eloquent the language, and it and it's just a it's a learning, a forever learning. And I just have been, I've I've loved it. I've absolutely loved participating in this book.

SPEAKER_00 17:25

Yes, I love that so much, and I'm so excited for your book. That was really my hope with the multi-author book projects, is to help new authors get a taste of the publishing process and be able to actually step into the shoes of being a writer and have your work taken seriously and an audience ready to read it so that you can discover what wants to come through you, which yes, is very, very healing. Besides working on your own book, which is amazing all on its own. What else are you feeling into as being next for you? And tell everyone where we can find out more about you as well.

SPEAKER_01 18:07

Gosh, what is next? That's a wonderful question, and quite a tricky one for a double Gemini, a Gemini Sun and Rising, because I'm always I've just got too many ideas, there's too many things I want to do. And this year I'm really trying to be very clear and just simple, and just maybe do a couple things and ignore the rest and just make lots of notes, and perhaps one day I'll get to some of those things on my list. But for now, my focus is to write a whole book. That's my initial plan for this year, and I'm hoping to also work on some more Oracle decks. I have already worked on one and it's called Yoga Mudra Oracle, and I just absolutely loved the process of writing the guidebook and creating all the art in collaboration with my wonderful husband Steve Denham. So I'm really hoping to get back to doing that again. Got a lot of ideas for themes, but I'm not quite settled yet on what the next deck's theme will be. I also teach a lot online and in person, and I'm going to be looking at creating some more trainings around meditation and yoga and mudras. I love teaching, I also love creating, you know, creating these courses because there's so much creative energy that goes into working on your own business. You can find out more about me through my website, which is emmawertime.com, and I have lots of free content if you're interested in learning more about mudras, which is something I'm incredibly passionate about. Mudras are beautiful, sacred, ancient hand gestures of the yogic tradition. They activate prana and energy in the body, and they're just so beautiful for healing and for spiritual growth. So if you're interested in any of that, you can learn more at my website, sign up to my newsletter, and I also have lots of yeah, just so much free content available online on YouTube. You can just search for me, Emma Wertheim. I should just come up or connect with me on Instagram. And uh my handle is Emma Wertheim underscore. And again, I post regular content on mostly on mudras, but also on meditation and spirituality and all the things I'm interested in, art and so on. Thank you so much for having me on your show, Natalie. And thank you too for creating She Who Flows and bringing us all together and creating this incredible, beautiful offering to the world.

SPEAKER_00 21:19

It's been so wonderful to have you here. Thank you so much for sharing about yourself and your journey with the divine feminine. If you haven't ordered your copy of the book yet, you will be able to read Emma's entire chapter inside the book She Who Flows Guidance for Surrendering to the Divine Feminine and Witnessing the Miracles of Self Love. You can grab your copy on Amazon or visit our website at divineflow.co slash shop. And if you're feeling called to become a contributor and write your own chapter of our upcoming multi author books, You can find out more at divineflow.co slash writing dash opportunities. All of the links mentioned in this episode will be below in the show notes. Thank you so much for listening. I hope you have such a magical week, and I'll talk to you next time on the next episode of Divine Flow.

unknown 22:44

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