Episode 9: What does spirituality even mean?

In this episode I ponder on what being spiritual even means, after someone asked me the same thing. 

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Hey! I'm Rachel! I am a qualified Holistic Life Coach and Mind Body Practitioner, Embodiment Coach, Yoga 500hrs (plus lots more extra yoga quals). I'm also an award winning content creator and have 20 years' experience in digital. I'm a mum of 3 kids and I live in the Peak District - oh and I have ADHD and I am sober. My passion is helping midlife women turn meltdown into magic!

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Transcript

0:43

Hi everybody. Oh, I've just been to the gym, um, and I was listening to a podcast in there and, um, all about Reiki. It's a Reiki podcast and, um, and also, uh, yesterday I went to a, like a networking event, um, that was also like a brainstorming content planning session about social media. So it was a very 3D, very grounded approach, very strategic approach to your business. Uh, and I wasn't the only spiritual person there, which was really nice. I made a new spiritual friend and she's, she's great. I'm definitely going to have her on the podcast. Uh, and then there was two other ladies, one, uh, Both in non spiritual, let's call it, businesses, lovely ladies, all of them, and then the, the lady who runs the group. Um, and it was really useful, because it got me in this very grounded state of thinking, uh, what is it I actually do? What does I Help Women with Spirituality actually mean? And it was really useful to see that reflected back in people that aren't immersed in my world. You know, sometimes we can be in this, like, echo chamber of our own making, and it happens naturally on social media, the algorithm will point you to people with similar points of views. I always try and avoid that, and I get people with polar opposite political views, for example. Um, that I think are both good people and follow them both. Um, so it was very useful. However, it did exhaust me and it's, it's the 3D approach and also the socializing. I am neurodivergent and the more I grow into this authentic self of mine, I realize, wow, I really am like socializing. Absolutely. In that context with brand new people and a ton of different energies all around me, we were in like a hotel and it was just like busy and yeah, I was destroyed yesterday when I came back. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. I did and it was great. But anyway, I digress. Yeah, so then I, I came, I came back and I was like, today has fried my head, despite it being very useful. And I needed to just. Brain zombie out, which I did and then this morning still feeling really exhausted think I might have picked up a cold as well Um, I actually thought I need to go and lift some weights because I haven't been doing it and I need to do it And so I did it took an ibuprofen went to lift some weights and whilst I was in the gym I was listening to my Reiki podcast Three women, very much in their spirituality, talking about energy healing, all stuff I completely understand. I am Reiki attuned, it's not part of my business at the moment, but the more You know what? This is relevant. I was about to stop myself, but this is relevant, right? 3D, strategic, no, you have not got time to do Reiki for people. Focus on the yoga, focus on the helping women with spirituality. And then the other part of myself, the connected channel part is like Reiki, Reiki, Reiki keeps bringing me back. Um, and so it's a balance. It's a really relevant thing to talk about on this podcast because in my brain it's the conscious, it's the channeled, it's the Awakened, it's tapping into the signs and then it's the grounded. Um, feet on the floor, what do you need to do next? Are you being distracted? Da da da da da. Just to intervene here as well, but when I spoke to Alex, my yoga teacher, my first interview, go check that, that, that podcast out. It's a really, really good one. It's really interesting. She actually, I didn't reflect this back at her too much because we didn't really have the time, but she actually, when I said to her, how do you stay conscious but grounded, she saw the grounded. As the more spiritual. And this is neither right nor wrong, being grounded is spiritual. But I, in my brain, which is very like, I see things a certain way. It's like the root chakra, the grounded, is like coming back to the world. Right, we need to cook dinner for the kids. Yes. Showing up in the real world as a spiritual person is what grounded is for me. And then the conscious, the crown chakra, all the way at the other end is like I'm channeling right now, I'm meditating right now, I'm, I'm really in touch with my crown chakra. But it's really important to stay grounded there also, right? So it's the flow of energy between the two. Yeah. So, I've got this strategic notes, content planning, what do I actually do, distill it down, use plain language, don't be an echo chamber. stuff from yesterday. And I've also got this kind of like calling to do Reiki and things like that. And somewhere in the middle is, is what I should do, right? The balanced approach. It's like really remembering I need to speak in plain language because yesterday was useful. It got us all thinking about who's my actual audience here? Like, who is it I'm helping? What is it I actually do? It was really useful. And for me, I think the people that listen to this podcast, and it's going to be really interesting because you can reflect back on whereabouts you are on this scale, I think it's the people who, they might buy a crystal in the shop, they're going to buy an essential oil, they're drawn to this stuff but it's not their entire life. But also, I think a spirituality podcast is going to attract people who are really into their spirituality and who are probably trained in spirituality, you know, who listens to the big spirituality podcasts. It's people on that scale. I don't think people are going to listen to this podcast are people who have no idea what I'm talking about. Um, and to call spirituality woo woo and things like that. I know a lot of people do in spirituality circles and they don't mean it in a denigrating way, but I've kind of moved away from that. Um, even though my old podcast was called The Sober Woo, I never meant it in, um, a denigrating way, but I had a really good chat with my spiritual coach and we were like, we're no longer using that term because it denigrates something that is the opposite of that. It's like, The divine and so we won't belittle it by calling it woo woo, but i'm not offended if people do i'm just like it's okay It's fine. Um, because they don't they don't mean unless their intention is to be rude Um, I don't see that as a problem if they're like, oh, I love a bit of woo, you know What they mean is I love some crystals. I love some essential oils. I'll go to a regular healer I see that as my audience. I really feel like because i'm Humble in that I'm only five years into my this, into this spiritual journey that, that the form that it's taking. Um, I mean, I've always, like I say, I've always spoken to God since I was a little girl. So my spiritual journey is a lifetime one. But, but this, this distillation of what I'm here for, the fact that it's become my work. I'm four or five years in, in terms of my training, um, and me really picking up this Dharma and this life purpose side of it. So I wanted to explain what I think of as spirituality and I'm going to call this podcast. What does spirituality mean? What does spirituality even mean? You know, on my Instagram bio a couple of days ago, I thought, God, I'm really, I'm really putting the toolkit at the front here. And I always tell people not to do that. I was like, yoga teacher, embodiment coach. I really want to, and I know it's better to say what you actually do for people. So I was like, I help women. I'm helping women explore their spirituality. And then at the event yesterday, I like being asked questions because it's confronting me with the reality of what people are thinking and the lady said What does that even mean? Like what does spirituality mean? I don't think people know and as I've just discussed I do think, I do think that people who pick up this podcast, people who are Drawn to my work, and don't get me wrong, there's bloody loads that aren't, I lose followers all the time And that's actually fine because I want the people who want to work with me to gravitate and the people who are like this isn't for me Like, yeah, it's fine if it's not for you and it's absolutely fine to unfollow me. And so what does spirituality mean to me? So I actually had a great discussion with the spiritual person at the event and we were kind of like having some great discussions between us having these similar kind of issues and similar problems in our business and our communication and marketing. And we both agreed that people who come to us probably do know what they mean and what I mean by spirituality. But I also have this conversation with Alex on the podcast and it's like, for me, so in yoga, in the yoga sutras, they talk about prakriti and purusha. Prakriti is my skin, my flesh, my bones, my coffee cup, my car, everything. It's everything that's made, everything that's physical matter, right? Uh, and then purusha is the soul, so it's unextinguishable, um, the spirit source. And for me What I think If you're spiritual, and it's really interesting, I was watching, I was watching on Netflix the show where they date each other behind the wall, Love is Blind, last night. I told you I had to go into zombie mode and eat galaxy and just like watch Love is Blind. Um, they were talking about spirituality and the boy was saying, the guy was like, I go to church every week. I'm really religious. And the girl was saying, I believe in a higher power, but I'm not religious. My sister is gay. And so I'm like very careful around religion. Like I don't, um, prescribe to a religion dogma that's exclusive of any community. And I was like, absolutely same here. And we had an interesting conversation, my husband and I, about how. Some, um, churches, maybe in the States a bit more, would be exclusive of different communities. Because over here, I don't think they would be, necessarily. Uh, I'm sure you can find some that are, but for me, that's nothing to do with God. That's just like something that Humans have created around that fits their ideology, right? And so the conversation between them was interesting. Like, what do you view as spirituality? And it's like, for me, it's just like the acknowledgement of the existence of a higher power, um, that is not something you can physically touch. Right? So it's like consciousness, God, the universe. And even like when I met my yoga teacher, she was not, when I first met her. She was definitely, um, not really talking about God as such, and now she is. So the spiritual evolution can shift and ebb and flow, and our terminology can change, and then we're okay with this word, and then we realize it kind of doesn't fit anymore, and it's a shifting and evolving thing. So what is spirituality? It's shifting and evolving, it's belief in a higher power, um, And all the other things are beautiful add ons, right? Like crystals, and essential oils, and pendulums, and Palo Santo, and Oh, I love all those things. I mean, I'm a bit of a shopaholic, and it's something I need to work on. But I will, they are tools, they are conduits, so I'm also very sensitive. sensory, so like, I will get in the zone before I need to get on a zoom call or before I'm coaching someone or before I get on a meeting where I want to be in the zone. I will sage, I will grab an essential oil, I will drink cacao. Those things are procreaty, they're physical things, they're like, they are not the thing that I'm, um, What's the word? They are the tools. They are not the means to, you know, they are not the goal, the destination. Um, you can meditate on an essential oil and it will open a door for you into your own consciousness, right? Yes, that's what it is. Um, on that subject, I'm actually conjuring up in my mind a program with using essential oils to take you on a journey. And I'm really excited about that. So keep your eyes peeled for that. If you are also an oily. Lover. You know, people are drawn, like magpies, and I love this about women as well, and I think women just generally are just so, we're drawn to beautiful things. I mean, rose quartz, come on, jasmine oil, you know, burning incense, Palo Santo. Ugh, I mean, the scents of these things and the way that they make me feel, and this is embodiment, right? It's coming back, how do we feel? Like, so let's come out of this mind state, let's come out of these things. Thought spirals, let's detach and just come inward because that's when you're going to tap into, even if it's fleeting, your inner landscape, letting go of the things that have hurt you, letting go of the things that you think define you and coming home to your true essence. And that's your Purusha, your soul, and you've lived lifetimes before and you're gonna, gonna, gonna probably go on and live some more. Um, and a belief in that, if you're listening to this and that resonates. And you're like, even if it's like, huh, I don't know. I'm gonna have to think about that. Like, it's not like tick box exercise. Are you spiritual? Tick. It's like, it's for each of us to, to, to mull over. And I would really urge people to keep following the breadcrumbs. Right. Um, today I opened the phone to listen to a podcast at the gym and it's the, it's the Reiki podcast. And I'm sure they do this on purpose, but it was one minute and 11 seconds long. I mean, come on, of course they do it on purpose. Uh, it's what I listened to it and it was about Reiki master training, Karuna Reiki. And that's the next training level for me. However, I also haven't practiced enough Reiki on people. So I think I'm getting the bread, the breadcrumb I'm taking from that. And this is another way of viewing. Are you someone that reads signs? Are you someone that sees signs? That listens to the universe's signs? Or are you totally cut off there? Um, you know, for me I listen to the universe. I listen to the feedback. I'm like, okay. Reiki is being planted in front of my eyeballs again, um, and I'm, I mean, I'm so experimental still in this business. I really am. I started Rachel Brady Yoga in November. I've just started this podcast. You may be, you may not resonate with the fact that each podcast is a chatty, um, brain, you know, stream of consciousness exploration as it happens. That may not be for you. I know people I work with who I think are legends in what they do that other people don't resonate with. Um, so energy has to match, right? So if you're here and you love my energy and you're loving the stuff I do, I love, I love that. I'm like, thank goodness. But there's going to be so many people that don't resonate with that and that's okay too. Um, and so it's like, follow the breadcrumbs. Follow the people that you are resonating with, like when I, when I was really getting into spirituality this time, you know, this, this journey, this recent five years, you know, Gabby Bernstein was She's an amazing, um, nurturer of my early exploration into this type of spirituality, this really authentic, personalized spirituality. Her language, her approach, the fact that she was like a cool woman, like my age, everything. Um, I love her spirit, I love her vibe, her sense of humor. Um, and so it's like, go towards the teachers and the people, um, find your soul tribe. You know, yesterday at this activity, um, I boiled down and we were boiling down all kind of key message points. And one of them was like, yeah, I want to like help women and I, and I help, and this is what I do. It's like helping women who are honestly mainly in life. Transition places, transformative spots in their life, so it's like menopausal women, women who've given up alcohol, uh, women who've realized that they're neurodivergent, they tend to be the women that are drawn to me, um, women who are in the throes of motherhood and still on that journey of matrascence, you know, people who are going through something. They're tending to shed their old skin and I want to help those women, uh, align with their Real, true self. And like a lot of the time that journey is a very spiritual one. Uh, so that's what, also what spirituality can mean. And the other, uh, the other thing that I just keep coming back to is, we've gotta find our soul tribe, we've gotta find our soul sisters, we've gotta make spiritual friends. I made two yesterday! And when you start to get really into flow with this, you'll start to just magnetise people towards you. And I was buzzing when I met both of them. One was, um, At the yoga studio and the other one was at this event and I'm like when you see another person and you look in their eyes and you're like, Oh God, we're on the same page. Like this is so nice because it can feel lonely being a witch. I love saying that. Um, you know, I use that term both respectfully and also Um, yeah, so I think we're done. I think I am done. I need to go home. I have to take my eldest for a haircut and help. Um, my middle child has all of her pals over and, um, yeah, so they'll need seeing to, and then my little one. Oh, he got up too early and then so he's going to be in a funny old mood probably. I better go. I better get back to the real world. Um, so thanks so much guys. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a five star review. Please, please, please. It helps me so much to have reviews. I'm just starting out so I haven't got any yet. And so I'm actually running a competition that reminded me. I announced on my mailing list. If you want to stay in touch with me, by the way, please head over to rachelbradyyoga. com. Sign up to the mailing list. You'll get a free, um, guide to developing your own sadhana, which is a daily spiritual practice. Um, and so if you stay in touch with me on my mailing list, you will have seen that I'm running a competition until the end of February to leave. If you listen to my podcast, leave a review. Hopefully it's a good one. Uh, and then. Um, I'm going to pick randomly, I might get my son to do it. Um, the person who's left are a few and they will get the choice of either a six week block of yoga Or a coaching session with me. So that would be amazing. Thank you so much Uh, okay. Bye