Ep. 75: Moving What Words Can’t: Letting the Body Speak Through Creative Expression, Movement & Touch — with Charlotte James

Welcome back to the HEAR HER podcast!

In this episode, Heather is joined by Charlotte James for a deeply creative and body-led conversation about art, dance, and the wisdom that lives beyond words.

Together, they explore how movement and creative expression become powerful pathways into intuition—how dance, color, and art allow us to access parts of ourselves that thinking alone can’t reach. Charlotte shares how the body speaks through movement and touch, and how giving it space to express can open the door to insight, release, and connection.

This conversation is an invitation to step out of your head, into your body, and let yourself be moved—literally and creatively.

We Explore:

• Art and dance as gateways into intuition and inner knowing
• Touch as a relational experience that reaches layers intellect cannot
• Creating without needing it to be perfect or understood
• How movement can shift energy and unlock emotion
• The connection between creativity, presence, and aliveness
• Trusting what wants to move through you

Connect with Today’s Guest

Website: www.heartsprings.art

Instagram: heartsprings.charlottejames

Work with Heather

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Thank You for Listening

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Until next time, may you remember to quiet the chaos, tune inward, and 

HEAR HER, she speaks your deepest truth. ✨

Transcript

Speaker 0:06

Hello, lovely listeners and welcome back to another episode of the Hear Her podcast. It is so wonderful to be here with you if you're new around here. Welcome, welcome, welcome. I'm Heather, founding mother of Divinely Sensitive, an energy doula and spiritual guide. Us Walking Women Home to themselves and at the heart of my work is the Hear her sister. An online space to come home to yourself again and again and again. It's a place to explore your intuition at your own pace, rooted in the sacred feminine, the seasons, and the natural world. Inside, you'll find monthly guided journeys. Meditations, Oracle Readings, live gatherings. Simple yet potent practices and so much more. All alongside a loving community of like-hearted women, learning to trust themselves in these uncertain times. So if you're feeling the pull for connection or support, there's a link in the show notes to join our online community. And if you're local to the Charlottesville area or passing through, come see me at Overs, soul Healing Center. It's such a cozy spot. I offer Reiki, private sound, bath, and intuitive energy medicine sessions. I would love to meet you where you are.

1:43

Today's guest is one of those people you meet, not even in person, where you can truly feel their light and their heart through the screen. We've yet to meet in person, and I know when we do, all of my feels will be confirmed. Charlotte James is a soulful, creative, and multi-passionate human, committed to her path of purpose and service. In her private practice, heart Springs, she offers somatic integrative arts, a dynamic fusion of relational body work, somatic coaching and expressive arts. Her work is an innovative approach to living. An embodied, creative, and purposeful life. I am so excited to share this intuitive conversation with you. All right, here we go.

Heather 2:35

Charlotte, welcome, welcome, welcome to the Hear Her Podcast. Thank you so much for joining us today.

Charlotte 2:42

Hmm. Thank you for having me. Yeah.

Heather 2:46

So my beautiful listeners, we're gonna do a little grounding exercise to bring us into the present moment. If you can close your eyes, I invite you to do so. Just noticing where your breath is, feeling the air coming in and going out. Exhaling shame and judgment. Inhaling awareness and love. As you breathe, inviting you to feel your feet on the ground, feeling the energy between your feet and the floor, or if you're outside between your feet and the earth, feeling your body on whatever surface you're sitting or laying on. Inviting you to just take your hands and gently squeeze your arms, your legs, wherever feels intuitively good for you. Just saying hello to your body, deepening your breath. With each breath, allowing yourself to come into your body little by little. As much as you feel safe and comfortable in this loud, chaotic, modern world, we, we tend to live from the neck up a lot, and so this is an opportunity to pause and breathe with us. And bring yourself down from the head and the neck into the body, letting your belly soften and place your hands on your belly, if that feels good for you. We're gonna take a nice deep breath together. Here we go. Beautiful. And as you continue to breathe, inviting you to let go on the exhale of anything that was happening before you landed here with us. And on your next exhale, letting go of anything that you have going on after you listen, knowing it'll be there, waiting for you as you breathe. Bringing yourself into this present moment, giving yourself this gift. Of being here now, and we'll take one more really nice deep breath together. Maybe you can take that breath from the earth, from the energy below your feet and bring it all the way up to your heart space. Let's do that together. Tapping on your heart space, if that feels good for you. Waking up all that love and beauty that lives within, all of that wisdom that lives within. And when you feel complete, inviting you to open your eyes. And welcoming you to this present moment. Thank you so much for being here. Yeah. I'm happy to be here. Yeah. So Charlotte, as we always start on the podcast, we'd love to know how you sprinkle your magic in the world.

Charlotte 6:55

Hmm. One way that I sprinkle my magic in the world is noticing. Appreciating and sometimes sharing like the little things in life. So, um, like an example, maybe like, yeah, noticing the flowers is a classic one, or noticing how much I'm liking what I'm eating or, um, you know, those moments of pause in life and, um. Yeah. At one point in my life I called them like joy points. Really taking in the little things.

Heather 7:36

Yeah. Hmm. That's so beautiful and such a lovely thing for us to think about and keep on our heart space. Uh, all those little moments, all those joy points really add up to something so much bigger. Especially in a world where we're so focused on everything else and, and what is going on in the world that might be more fear-based, uh, or, or only focusing on the big things. That was the first thing that came for me When you said. You know, focusing on the little things. Um, I feel like we may have a tendency to only put focus on the bigger accomplishments or the bigger things that are going on in our life. And, um, it's those little moments I feel that really keep our heart in, in a beautiful space of gratitude and joy, which we need. In this loud world.

Charlotte 8:37

Mm-hmm. Yeah, I agree. Yeah. There's a certain kind of listening or attunement or paying attention. Yeah. But I attempt to cultivate more and more, but yeah. There's a lot of things to be afraid of, you know, in life in general and in this particular time. And, um, so that's, yeah, it's one of the things that I attempt to do.

Heather 9:03

Beautiful. Beautiful. So what's coming up for me now is talking to you about. Intuition, inner wisdom, whatever you wanna call it. Psychic ability. Uh, was this part of your life always? Is it something that was like part of your family and growing up? Is it something that you always felt and knew but maybe didn't have the language for? Or was there a spiritual awakening or a big moment for you where all of this came into play? Hmm.

Charlotte 9:41

I am really appreciating this question, uh, looking at my life, like the timeline of my life through the lens of intuition. My, like, when did I start noticing, when did that happen? And yeah, as you're asking the question, what comes up for me is that I have always. Been fairly intuitive.

Heather 10:12

Mm-hmm.

Charlotte 10:12

And I think it's been, uh, quite a journey and landing in that and then being able to tap into it in various ways. And I would say that in this period of my life, I'm really learning to. To use it more and more as a resource, and that I don't have to really work to get to it. That if I turn my attention, it's there for me. My intuition. And I think that the things that have made it challenging for me to have an ongoing, robust relationship with my intuition is a lot actually of what you focused about or shared about your story on your website of, um, having that like core belief, like something's wrong with me. And so I came into the world as a very sensitive human, and I have often had that experience of being very overwhelmed and so. The less information coming in, sort of in a way, the easier life felt. And since life asks a lot in general, especially like when I was younger and still trying to find where do I fit, how do I fit, I think like intuition and was like a, a form of information. That I just didn't really have the capacity to see as like a companion or resource or, um, as being quote unquote useful.

Heather 11:50

Mm-hmm.

Charlotte 11:51

Um, and I think, uh, a lot of my energy went to just navigating a world that was just like a lot. Um, and then carrying that belief like there's something wrong with me. And I think sort of the non-conventional ways of understanding things, of thinking through things of feeling a lot, kind of got all bundled up in that realm of intuition in a way. Like, well, that's just like. Not normal or not what other people are doing. Um, so I've just like, that's one of the main things I've really wrestled with in my life is. Like I, yeah, do I really wanna quote unquote fit in, or do I want to really be more in touch and close to like that inherent knowing and guidance and, um, because oftentimes the information that comes from that wellspring is not. Like mainstream. It's like, do I, did I really wanna know that? Do I wanna follow that guidance? Because it would kind of put me like outside of the box oftentimes. And so I think it's always been there. I was like pretty intuitive, so to speak, with like dolls and stuffed animals when I was really young, like tending to what I imagined they would need and just being into thinking that they were very alive and that was true for me up until I was like 10 years old. You know? Like really like this is the being I can take care of. And so that, that was sort of a world that. Um, of nurturing and caring and being in relationship with things that we might call like not alive. Right. Right. Um, so that is like probably my first kind of access point to what I, how I experience intuition is the imaginal realm. Mm-hmm. Kind of outside of daily rhythm, daily life, um, in the way I think most of us. Experience. Um, yeah, so that's like my first Yeah. Set of thoughts about that. It's always been there and it hasn't always been easy for me to access. Um, yeah.

Heather 14:23

You are not alone in that. And listeners, something to remember, I'm sure I've said it a million times on the podcast. Is that right? We all have this intuition, this inner wisdom, whatever it is you wanna call it. It's, it's a question of trusting it, it's a question of developing it. It's a question of, um, you know, leaning into your specific unique flavor of how it comes up for you. And I love Charlotte that you talked about being a sensitive being. Being highly sensitive, being an empath, um, definitely creates a challenge when navigating this world that is not attuned to highly sensitive people, especially as a kid. Mm-hmm. You know, especially as a kid. Um, especially when we start puberty and go into, you know, middle school and high school, it is so much about fitting in and that is not. Mainstream, and I absolutely struggled, uh, with that as well. And, you know, wanting to be normal or thinking, you know, what is normal now, I say to my kids, but, you know, um, or, or wanting to fit in. And I know for me that. It became really exhausting and overwhelming to kind of try to like contort myself into this box, to fit into this small space when I was meant for something so much grander. Mm-hmm. As I think we all are, right. I think we all fall into to that trap of like just trying to fit in, especially at that time in our life.

Charlotte 16:03

Yeah. I think of one way that I talk about it or think about it is that we each have a shape that we come into and life has a way of shaping that shape.

Heather 16:15

Hmm.

Charlotte 16:16

And for me, when I think of like really being in my full expression, I think about what is it to really fill my shape? And not like, try to be in another shape, even though that shape is always there for me. Like that outline of my unique shape, that there are ways in which I'm like, oh, I don't wanna go over there, fill that part up, or, you know, whatever, whatever reason. Um, the internal obstacles. So just like being really conscious about. Yeah. What, like being attuned to, well, what is my shape? There's, that is part of like the intu intuitive sense of, for me, the way that I think about it, I came in in a particular way. We all, I believe, all have this shape. We were born to kind of fill. Um, and yeah, and our experiences are part of shaping that and shifting it and helping us fill it out and. Yeah. But I would say, and developmentally there are all these different stages we go through of, yeah, who am I, you know, what is my purpose? And, and for, um, I. I had a real interest for, for years in helping pre-teen female bodied people, uh, identify what is intuition for them so that they could use it as a resource. And I thought, at first I thought I wanted to work with adolescents, and I thought, no, actually it's like the pre-adolescence of having that resource that's gonna help with that transformative time of, of adolescence. And um, yeah, I actually learned a lot from the girls that I. Facilitated and, um, ran groups with because yeah, I was like, well, what does intuition look like for you? One, what do you even think that is? I imagine you've heard that word. Um, yeah. And I, I helped them discover what that is and how it comes to them through, predominantly through art and movement. And so I think even just like introducing to anybody like, well, what is intuition and what does it look like for you? Because it is very individual. I believe of how it shows up. Yes,

Heather 18:36

yes. Wow. That sounds like it was a really interesting experience to work with kids that age, and I love that you were talking about, then you realized you wanted to work with the kids before they hit that adolescence time period to give them the tools to like help them navigate because it's such a tough time, um, in, in the life of. Of a human, really. Right? It doesn't matter how you're presenting, boy, girl, non-binary. Mm-hmm. Um, just that time is tough and to have tools like that is so beautiful. You did. Yeah.

Charlotte 19:17

Yeah. And I think in a lot of ways I was steeped in, in a community and in a family where maybe it wasn't explicitly talked about, but it was definitely practiced through ritual and art, predominantly, like in my life at that time and realized, you know, this would, if I had known about this earlier or had been yeah, cultivating it more, um, I think it really would've, yeah, made the shaping of life very different for me.

Heather 19:45

Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Charlotte 19:47

Yeah.

Heather 19:48

And has art always been something that you, you've used in your life to help you navigate? Is it something

Charlotte 19:59

Well, I would say that that's when, if we're talking about how to, for me, like how I cultivated that intuition and really, um. Came more into close, like intimacy with, it was through art, so drawing, sculpting, painting. And my main modality has been movement, and that has been true since I was 10, was, um, this. Aliveness that came through in freeform movement. So not like stylized, I didn't learn ballet or you know, any specific technique. Exactly. It was just like, can we move the body and listen to the body's way? Is kind of how I was initially taught about that and I was really in touch with the joy of movement and how. Images and emotions and sensations were able to move. Freely through my body, or if they weren't free, I would notice where they might need some help to just move through. Mm-hmm. I really think that life is movement. Movement is life. So if I'm in the practice of movement, then. It's like that intuitive flow has, has a way to speak, has a way to express, and also to communicate to, you know, to bridge out to others. So I realized language has not been a strong point in my life. And so once I found. The arts in that way that is more process oriented. Then I realized this is the language of intuition of like my soul, and this is how I really got in touch with like the unconscious or, uh, my wisdom self, my wisdom body. Was, yeah, through, through creating images that I could engage with through moving and movement. It is so present moment. It's, it's there and then it moves to an a, a next, right? So it's like really learning how to pay attention to what is actually here. And it's not always, um, uh, like comfortable or convenient. And so I think I also really started to bring a lot of my overwhelm, so to speak, to my movement practice, and being able to put it into color and shape and texture, view art allowed me to engage with it in creative ways that actually gave life back to me rather than overwhelming me. It gave me a way to engage with it that. Essentially is a mirror of myself right back to myself. And then I was like, whoa. Like there's a lot of information, you know, in that image or a lot of information moving through me in a dance. Um, and yeah, part of my intuition is that I. Yeah, there's like images that run through my system, but it's not exactly mind image. It's kind of like body sensation image, and I'm still learning on how to talk about that and how to cultivate that particular way. But yeah, I would say, especially starting in my teen years, art and creative expression became very important for me. Art is a way to process and integrate life and express what's happening. Um, so yeah. And to kind of like unburden the system. 'cause there's a lot going on that I was like, where, where does this belong? And so there's also a sense of companionship and belonging. To have art as like Yeah. As a way to be with,

Heather 24:01

Hmm. So powerful. I love that. That's so rich. And, and listeners, I hope this is a mirror for anyone out there, uh, who. I've had clients in the past be like, well, um, you know, I'm not a visual person. I don't, I don't see your guided meditation, so I stink at this. Or, you know, like, and just knowing, right, that as Charlotte said, and I've said in the past that our intuition, our inner wisdom comes through. All of us differently. It's as unique as our fingerprint really. Uh, and so, you know, playing and exploring as you have with music and dancing or movement or your art, um, is such a beautiful reflection for anyone listening who. May feel a little like, I don't know how to get in there. I don't know how to get to my intuition. I feel like a lot of times people try to intellectualize it too much when really intuition does live in the body. And when you were to, when you said, I think you said something like, life is movement. Movement is life. I mean, what a incredible thing to say. Like what a profound statement. I think so many people, um. Could, I'm not sure exactly how to phrase this, but. Open themselves up is what is what's coming. Um, if they allow themselves to move. I feel like again, in this society, it's like, well, I'm not a good dancer, so I don't, you know, I've had that where I've been in circle and, and we will start with some music and you know, just talk about opening the body and moving and, you know, you don't have to be. A perfect dancer. It doesn't have to be on the rhythm. It's like, what does your body wanna do? How is your body, your body, you know, responding to. This music to the energy of the other women, to, you know, the nature that's outside the natural world that's around us. How are you responding and, what a beautiful way to get in touch with intuition, because it really does live in, in your body. It's our senses. That's what our intuition is.

Charlotte 26:15

Yeah. I really love what you're saying. And my experience is different for everyone, just my experience. It's the presence and attunement to any given experience. Um, so for me, journaling is movement. Something's moving through me out onto the paper. Like that's, to me that that's like, you know, journaling or just writing down a quote or putting color on a piece of paper. It doesn't have to look like anything. It's just more like, well, what am I feeling and sensing and what's the story here for me to know even. By scribbling on a paper with a particular color. So it's really Yeah, cultivating that. Um, yeah. Sensitivity maybe. Yeah, sensitivity to our own internal experience and the material that comes from that place. Um. Yeah. And I hear it all the time in my work and in workshops. Oh, I can't do that. I can't do, you know, art. I'm not an artist. This looks like crap. Like, so there's just this, these, these ways that we can shut ourselves down. Um, because I think a lot of us have been pressured to, uh, be productive

Heather 27:43

mm-hmm. To,

Charlotte 27:44

uh, make things beautiful or things that we would. Put on the wall, like sell at an art gallery, for example. Or have to look. Yeah, like a, I'm a performer. Like a dancer that's performs for other people and it is a shift for a lot of people and a challenge and an edge to say like, let's, like what would it be to really turn inward? And also, I mean, the, the external world is definitely a part of what's happening internally there. It's a, it's a relationship. It's very relational, um, what's happening internally and externally and how they're communicating or not, um, and impacting one another. So yeah, it's um. Yeah, it's something just to say to people, this is process oriented. And one of my teachers, uh, one of my favorite quotes of hers, Anna Halprin, who, um, co-created the life art process at the Ulta Institute. She said, you know, the act of opening and closing your eyelids is a dance. They do it all the time. It's like paying attention to. What that is and the pace of it and the feeling and the, what's the imagery When we close our eyes, that's like a different imagery than when we really open our eyelids. They, it has different meanings. You know, we see emojis these days that have these slight variations in mouth and eyes and it can mean a whole different thing. So, yeah. And the other thing I really loved that she said is like the. Act of just like putting our hands up, like having our palms up towards the sky versus having our palms face down towards the earth. Just that act and movement has oftentimes very different associations and metaphors, senses the whole story that can go like, you know, with just the act of that. So, yeah, it's a, it's just to bring, helping people bring their awareness to, there's this whole world, even just to the act of opening and closing one's eyelids. So

Heather 29:56

yeah. I love that. I love that. And also, what was coming up when you were saying, you said the word sensitivity again, which is obviously a big part of my world, is it can be really overwhelming, right? We're taking in so much more, um, than someone who is not. Highly sensitive and highly attuned, and having things like journaling or art in whatever form that you do it in, in dance, sing, playing an instrument is, has been, in my experience and watching my kids such a beautiful way to move through the overwhelm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. To move through the emotions as opposed to just. Sucking 'em down and being like, okay, you know, I'm sure, I'm sure that you've heard something along the lines as you've grown, uh, to the effect of like, suck it up buttercup. Or like, it could always be worse. Or, you know, the things that people say without thinking about what they're saying when they're talking to a highly sensitive person who's clearly overwhelmed by all the energy coming at them. And so having these, these tools. Is so important. So important.

Charlotte 31:15

Yeah, I think it's really important 'cause it's almost like I live in two realms and I often prioritize the. And I'm not saying this is true, but like this shared reality of just like living through life in a particular way. And I'm like, okay, but then there's this whole rich realm, you know, that's like living through me. So the expression of that and finding ways to, and also people, I think you name that also on your website, like finding people that have like a shared understanding. Has really been reparative for me. Yes. Um, and also for me to really. Because of all of like my work, sometimes I'm like, can I just show you a picture or a collage of what's going on with me? Or you know, just finding a way to own my way of processing life and integrating life and being able to, to share that. Some people are like, have no, you know, no interest or it just doesn't resonate. But I'm like, but this is a part of honoring my knowing that just like I came in with and I think. I've also heard this on your podcast, podcast, but I believe that everyone's an artist, a dancer, everyone has intuition. Um, it's just like a lot of times we don't have time or perceive we don't have time or don't prioritize these things. Or once again, it's like, okay, if you pick up a guitar, you have to, you have to sound like the people we hear, you know, on Spotify or, or whatever. Yeah. And, um. Yeah, so it's like also bringing in play and experimentation and. What I think some people call it, the beginner's mind. And being in that place of mystery and unknown, I believe is a part of cultivating one's relationship with intuition because it is coming from, it's coming from the mystery of life itself and when we, when I can attune more to that and trust the unfoldment of life. Like, I have no idea what's gonna happen in the next moment and to really be in that reality or what the next like stroke is gonna be with my paintbrush or the next move that my body wants to make. Then there is this more like tolerance in a way. Maybe there's a different word that's more elegant, but um. For just the nature of life itself.

Heather 33:37

Mm-hmm.

Charlotte 33:38

And it life doesn't come out like knowing how to sing the song perfectly, or, and so for me it's just like, yeah, what is the scribble like? I don't care. Like, it's just like. I don't need it to be perfect. I don't need it to be, looking like anything in particular. And I think that's also working with people just saying, it doesn't matter. It's not for me. It's not for anybody. It's really like for you to, yeah, it's just like learn to be in relationship with your inner landscape, with the aliveness that wants to come forward and aliveness, like I said, isn't always like, um. Cozy and beautiful and like quote unquote Instagram worthy. It's like it's really coming into contact with the aliveness and rawness of life itself. Um. Yeah, so I, I feel really like passionate about that, about being intimate with like the cycles of life and the principles of life itself. And, um, and for me personally, it's like really my gateway into that is yeah, the arts. Hmm.

Heather 34:52

I love how you were talking about living with a mystery. Mm-hmm. And it's like we're all the magic and the juices and we can be so afraid. Aw, right. So beautiful. You were also talking about like finding. I don't know if you said your people, but finding people, who you can be in community with and share these things with and, and play and explore. I love, I think you said experiment, but playing and exploring, experimenting, uh. To me the best way to really know, um, you know, we have a tendency, I feel like, as a society of being so serious around things a lot of the time, you know, even with intuition, it's like, or, or ceremony or something. Like, it has to be this like very serious. Mm-hmm. And sometimes that's true. And especially when you're in this phase of like, really figuring out what that means for you. And, and quite honestly, I, I believe that's a lifetime. Mm-hmm. Practice that, that as we shift our intuition and how we receive shifts. And so it's something that for me personally, I'm always playing with and I'm always exploring with and on a different day, it could be very different for me, like you said, depending on the outside world too, which has so much to do with, with what's going on on the inside as well. And so I, I would love to come back to, to finding people, um, that you feel comfortable with. And community and, and what community means to you and what you're doing within the community, um, to create these spaces for people to come in and, and be like, okay, you know, like, I'm not the best artist or I'm not the best dancer, or whatever, but I feel really safe here with Charlotte because she's giving me this beautiful space to play and explore.

Charlotte 36:37

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. So I. Yeah, I have more and more interest in working with groups and group processes, um, because a lot of what we're speaking to of being in resonance with other people that might have similar sensitivities or even very different, and then how do we be in relationship with one another and. Yeah, in similar ways that like what we've been talking about, like presence and attunement and sensitivity, that when, in my experience, we can practice that in a collective, so not just one-on-one or even with oneself, but in a group setting. Then it's like the, the collective intuition, the collective intelligence starts to reveal itself. And this is something I'm very interested in. 'cause each group kind of has its own, um, entity in a way that starts to, to reveal itself. Maybe it's because we all didn't know when we like signed up for. A retreat or a workshop that we all have like very similar backgrounds or uh, similar happenings in our life that brought us to want to heal a particular thing. And so there's, uh, like it's very human and I think that art can really level like the playing ground, so to speak, where we don't have to intellectually. Talk about our experience. I think that's an important part of, I mean, art isn't like void of talking. It's like, how can we start with like what all you know? If the, if the theme, let's say were about intuition, like how can we, what's an image that everyone could create? Just take five minutes of what does intuition look like? Mm-hmm. And maybe you don't even know, but just like, pick up the first color that you're interested in and like create a shape. And then we all show that oftentimes in like situations like intuition. Intuition is very unique to every individual. And. Through art. I have found that they're often similar symbols that reveal themselves when asked, like, yeah, what does intuition look like? Or What do you think your afterlife looks like? Like it's just these things that are sort of mysterious. Actually, I think we have a collective understanding, not necessarily intellectually and sometimes that, but kind of that deeper knowing. So to be in a group where like. Like there's this pattern I'm seeing in all the images or many of them that reflects that collective. Knowing of the mystery of intuition of, um, so that's one of the things that was one of the joys of facilitating groups for me, is to help people make those connections. Like there are a lot of similarities and there are a lot of differences in self-expression in the way that we do that is really important to know. Like, I am my own person and this is like, this is me and all my colors and, um. I think that there are just some ingredients that really help people come more into their bodies, come more into their self knowing, and I really think like one of the key ingredients is attunement, is, um, paying attention not only to our own inner experience, but then like what's happening. Like the energetic, so to speak, fields like the collective presence. Um, and, and there's, yeah, I have found that it creates a sense of belonging of intimacy. Um, and there's a lot of language and words and, you know, conversations around the nervous system. So I think it's also learning like. What is the individual nervous system and then what is the collective nervous system and how do we engage with that and teach each other about it? 'cause we all have so much to teach each other. Um, yeah.

Heather 41:10

Yeah, we do have so much to teach each other. I love that you said that. I feel, uh, as a practitioner and a facilitator myself, a lot of times people will be like, even clients will say like, well, what do you get out of this? Like, aren't you so drained at the end of these sessions? Or aren't you? And it's like, no, you are this like beautiful reflection for me. And it's an honor to be within the energy of, of someone who is wanting to play and explore in these ways and willing and showing up in that way. Mm-hmm. For me, it's, it's invigorating and, and I feel like I get so much out of it and learn so much in every session and every group that I do. And, and as you said, there's something about sitting in a group for me, especially of, of people presenting as women, um, and just that collective energy that's there. And sometimes, like even without the talking. Just this feeling. It's like you can feel this beautifully woven nest of, of a safe space to just be where you are. And it's like, how often do we have that mm-hmm. In our society, not very often. So, so taking these moments and pausing and, and joining, you know, a circle with, with Charlotte or with myself or with any other, I mean, there are so many incredible people who are out there doing different variations of this work. Uh, and, and having that. Sense of belonging, which I think is something we all crave. Yeah,

Charlotte 42:43

I think it's, we all crave it and I think it's a real need. Mm-hmm. I think it's a real, like human being need and Yeah. One of the projects I just wanna share with you on the offerings that I, um, my partner and I have co-created and continue to develop is, uh, three day immersive retreat called Living Your Dying. And this is, uh, a group process where five participants each have what we call a turn based on the theme of death and dying. So it's, um. Yeah, it's one of my intentions in offering this is to co-create a culture where being with death and dying, whether it's death of a loved one or a time period in one's life, or, um, kinda unfinished business or really wanting to claim like a part of ourselves, like publicly with support. Mm-hmm. Um. Like letting go of, I'm letting go of this, and I'm by saying no to that. I'm saying yes to this. So it's, and underneath it it's like, how do we help individuals be as alive as possible, as close to their aliveness as possible? And what are the obstacles or ways in which we stop ourselves from being in our full expression? And I think a big part of that is, is looking at just the, the truth for all of us that we're all gonna die and that we have micro deaths along the way. This is also a part of my, um, yeah, my personal value and really like trusting and leaning into the. The life cycles, like life, death, and everything in between, and being really close to those things and helping people. Open their hearts and open their lives to paying attention to, to death and, and to grief, and to how, how do we be with that in the collective And in this, um, immersion retreat, um, there is art and meditation. Um, very somatic based. Turns for each participant. Everyone comes in with an intention and then either there's two facilitators, myself and my co-facilitator, and we take turns, quote unquote, facilitating these individual turns. Uh, but really it's a very emergent. Like leadership style so that we are holding space, but we're also inviting everyone else in the surround, so in the collective to participate in this per immediate, helping this person meet their intention. And so it is asking people to tune into their inner experience and say, you know, right now I feel like. Squeeze in my heart and to be able to share that. 'cause maybe it's like has, you know, when you said that this is what happened to me, or for us to take on the role of that, the person who's taking a turn like their mother or father, this is a lot of like constellation family, constellation based work. Um, but it really is. Quote unquote, trusting the process and really inviting people's intuition and knowing to come forward. And as a result, what happens is a sense of belonging. And as far as we can tell, we've done two of these retreats. You know the changes that happened in these. These containers seem to be sustainable, like seem to actually change. And then that change seems to stick with the participants over time as far as we can tell. And I think a large part of that is, is just like showing up as oneself in a container that is attempting to trust the unfoldment of what's actually happening to be a somatic based, body based, uh, not to intellectualize. But to really, yeah, be in the moment, the sensing moment, of what the body has to say. Um, and then, yeah. And the art is used in that context as a way to integrate a very oftentimes somatic process. And yeah, so we all dive in together, live together, eat all our meals together, and. You know, the hope is that the, that will ripple out in saying like, as a collective, we can, we can be attuned to ourselves, to the external world, to what's happening, and we can all be. Healers and show up for each other in these particular ways. So it's like, um, embodied training in a way, a lack of a better term for participants to say, like, to embody the experience. A reality that we're hoping to continue to build, like a culture. We're hoping to continue to build around, like we all have gifts and, and how can we use them, uh, to help one another in our journeys. I love that. Mm-hmm.

Heather 48:04

Gift of co-creation. It sounds like this.

Charlotte 48:08

Yeah.

Heather 48:09

Co-creation, which I think personally and and feel is the best way to learn more about yourself and your intuition and your body, and in your body wisdom. Mm-hmm. To be in a place like this. So thank you for offering that and I can't even believe that we've, we're, we're almost at time here. Um, but I just wanna talk about a, a couple more things, and since you're talking about this offering. Could you share with the audience a little bit about the other work that you do? I know like, just from looking briefly on your website, I saw you do one-to-one and coaching and you've, you've got this like beautiful like montage of all these things that you do. So if you wanna share, um, with us, that would be lovely.

Charlotte 49:00

Yeah, so I have a practice that I call Heart Springs. Uh, that name came to me because a big part of my journey with intuition, um, is been following the path of my heart and, um, and the wisdom that comes from that place, from that inner place. And that, that heart intelligence and, uh, yeah. So I have a private practice in Charlottesville, Virginia, and I offer online one-on-one sessions as well as in-person and then, uh, offer retreats through like, throughout the year for group, group, uh, processes. And yeah, so I have created. Body of work, or should I say, it's kind of coming through me and is forever like telling me what it is, um, is that I combine therapeutic touch, which involves working with the nervous system and, uh, using modalities like craniosacral therapy, which is to me very much about attuning to the subtleties in, in a system. And expressive arts. This is like drawing, painting, sculpting, movements, um, poetry. For, yeah, process, therapeutic purposes, and then, uh, somatic coaching. So why I call it somatic is because it's integrating both the language of the mindscape and of the body and how to have those two speak to each other, talk to each other. One is not superior to the other, it's just how do we have a more integrated. Sense of what is and of our own, own experience. Mm-hmm. And yeah, and I really, that's also like one part where I'm really growing as a person personally and professionally, is how to use what I know about. My own knowing, right, like my own like intuitive sense with with another person. So I know a lot about what it's like to tune into my own body and mind and spirit and can easily access information. Then it's just this ever-growing awareness of, okay, I'm getting an intuition as I'm placing hands on a client. There's lots of information that starts coming and how to, um, bridge it out, how to help other people, like with that information. Maybe it's useful, maybe it's not. So learning how, how to share it and. And use it in my work more and more. And so that's like something I'm really refining. Um. I just think that in my journey I was really introduced to movement, loved movement. Really wanted to be on the path of using, um, somatics and embodiments body-based modalities for, for healing, for transformation. And that put me on the path of movement-based expressive arts, um, which then also put me on the path of life coaching. Uh, 'cause I really wanted, I didn't wanna like leave out the. The action steps because I could create an image and have all this meaning and insight, and then how do I help people bring that insight into embodied action. Hmm. And so that, that like to me, both like the sort of the feminine, like I could. Expressive arts, process oriented arts can be very like, I'll take you anywhere. Anything can come out. And then it's like, okay, well what do we wanna do with that information? And how do I help you integrate it into your life? And have you have an accountability buddy around what you're saying really matters to you and what you really want? So I feel like it's a really beautiful blend. And then the touch aspect really works with the nervous system, really helps with grounding and integrating and embodying.

Heather 53:08

Um,

Charlotte 53:09

yeah, what it is we want and helps also move things. I think touch really also helps as long as well as the other modality speaking helps to move things. Um, the art aspects and I just, in my own journey. Really saw. Okay. You know, the touch is a very important piece because the relational piece, touch is also very relational, um, touches to the, the layers that we may not intellectually be able to access very easily.

Heather 53:41

So there's,

Charlotte 53:41

yeah, both the relational to one's own experience and also to another person. So I have found that to be really effective in that piece. So I'm not just sitting and talking to someone. I have my hands on on. And then also that my main intention around this work is how to help people and like, and or. Yeah, bring once again this word sensitivity awareness, um, attunement presence to their own experience. So eventually, you know, they won't quote unquote, you know, need me because I'm like, you've got it. I mean, I've heard you say many times in your podcast, in this realm, like everything you need is inside of you. And sometimes it kind of like, oh, I'm so tired of hearing that, but it's actually like. Very true. And in working with people, it's eventually they know how to, to create that image or know how to have a dialogue with their inner child through journaling in a particular way. They know how to, you know, bring themselves out of an activated state by knowing what that looks like and then tools on how to move through it. So it's very like dynamic. I think that my offering, um, can be looked. All different ways. And it is also a very intuitive process on my end. Yes, I have skills and training, but also someone comes in and, and says what their intention is. You know, my toolbox is like it's open. So I'm like, okay, cool. And then it's my intuition that says this tool and that tool, and like now this, now, you know? So it's like I work together with that intuitive sense. Yes.

Heather 55:28

Oh, that's so beautiful. And what would be the best way for somebody who's listening to get in touch with you, we'll have everything of yours in the show notes, but if there was one way that you could share what's the best way?

Charlotte 55:40

Yeah, so the best way is to reach out to me through my website, which is heart's. Springs art, uh, and you can find, yeah, my number texting me or emailing me. Reach out and I offer free discovery sessions if anyone wants to just learn more about what I do or how I could suit them and what they're seeking.

Heather 56:02

So amazing. So before we leave Charlotte, I have, um, a request, an invitation for you to take a moment with your heart space and share with us anything that's coming up that you wanna share with the audience, with the listeners before you leave.

Charlotte 56:25

Yeah, that there's, yeah, I think that for one, I'm just like, what's real for me in this moment is feeling. Yeah, like it's so cliche, but it is true, like really grateful for this opportunity to be in conversation with you, Heather, because I think that. Um, making these conversations accessible because a lot of times maybe I'm just having these kinds of conversations with a friend. Um, but to, for you to be creating space for people to learn all different perspectives and to hear different voices around this theme of inner guidance and wisdom and, you know, the inherent, inherent creativity that we all have. I think it's so deeply important for this conversation to be highlighted, so that is really like, it's important to have these conversations and to maybe turn to someone in your life and say, yeah, how, what do you know about intuition for yourself? What does that look like for you? And have it to be a topic that is visited. Often, hopefully. So I just, yeah, I'm really immensely grateful for this opportunity and for what you're offering Heather and your work and life and inviting those of us that offer, you know, different healing modalities to have a, a voice on this platform. So I really, yeah, I really appreciate that.

Heather 57:50

Thank you and thank you for being here and sharing your time with us and your perspective and your story and something that keeps coming up for me, um, that I will share before we, we leave. You were sharing about your work and you know, you were saying like, so, so that they won't need me anymore because then they can go off and have their own right. And, and what was coming up for me is, is something that I'm sure you've heard before, and maybe listeners, I've said it before, when you see a healer, they're not there to heal you. They. They're there to walk alongside of you to provide a guiding light, to hold your hand, to teach you tools, to give you the confidence to be able to play and explore with the healing that does live within, inside of you, within you. Mm-hmm. So I just wanted to share that before we, before we leave, because I think a lot of times people will be like, you know, well, you're a healer. Like. You heal, so you heal people. Mm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. You know?

Charlotte 58:50

Yeah. Yeah. I like to think of myself as like a companion or a guide or, yeah. I appreciate you saying that. Yeah, in no way do I think I know any more than any other human, right. It's just more what really lights me up is like, Hey, let's check this out together.

Heather 59:09

Oh, I love it. I love it. Well, listeners, if you wanna get in contact with Charlotte, we'll have all the ways down below in the show notes. And Charlotte, thank you so much. I know life is so busy, so I am so grateful to you for spending this time with us today. Really a joy to get to know you better. Yeah. And we live in, in close proximity, so I'm very excited to maybe attend one of your groups one day. That would be super fun.

Charlotte 59:35

I love that, Heather. All right. Thank you so much.

Heather 59:37

Amazing. Thank you. Lovely listeners. As always, it has been so wonderful to be here with you. And until next time, wrapping you in a warm healing hug. Thanks for joining us.

Speaker 59:49

It was so wonderful to be here with you today. I know you're busy and that your time is precious, so thank you. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. If today's conversation resonated, it would really mean the world. If you'd take just a moment to rate and subscribe wherever you love to listen to podcasts, and if you feel called leaving a review or sharing this episode with someone who might need, it really helps the work. Reach the hearts it's meant for. You'll find all the links to connect to today's guest in the show notes below. Until next time, may you remember to quiet the chaos tune inward and hear her. She speaks your deepest truth.