Returning Inward: Poetry, Presence & the Sacred Unfolding of Life | Nadege Laure

FOR EPISODE LINKS & MORE INFO VISIT: https://samhorton.co/blog/ep117

In this deeply reflective conversation, Sam sits down with soul mentor, poet, forest bathing guide, and meditation teacher Nadege Laure to explore the inner journey of creativity, healing, and soulful living.

Together, they dive into the power of turning inward, the role of nature and stillness in reconnecting with ourselves, and how creativity often begins as a quiet whisper asking to be honoured. Nadege shares her personal journey through grief, spiritual seeking, meditation, poetry, and self inquiry, and how these experiences shaped her work supporting women through life transitions.

This episode is a gentle invitation to slow down, listen closely to your inner voice, and trust the sacred unfolding of your own path.

In this episode, we explore:

•  Healing through creativity, meditation, and self reflection 
•  Why the answers we seek are often found within 
•  The connection between nature’s seasons and the creative process 
•  Poetry as a pathway to clarity, truth, and inner guidance 
•  Supporting women through identity shifts and life transitions 
•  The balance between surrender and taking aligned action 
•  Reconnecting with your authentic creative voice 
•  Honouring the quiet inner nudges guiding your next chapter 

This episode is for you if:

•  You’re navigating a season of change or transition 
•  You feel disconnected from yourself or your creativity 
•  You long to trust your intuition more deeply 
•  You’re craving a slower, more meaningful way of living and creating 
•  You believe creativity can be a spiritual and healing practice

FOR EPISODE LINKS & MORE INFO VISIT: https://samhorton.co/blog/ep117

Transcript

Ep 117 - Nadege Laure

Sam Horton: [00:00:00]

So today I have Nadege Laure with me. Nadege is a soul mentor, poet, forest bathing guide, and meditation and yin yoga teacher who supports women navigating big life transitions. She is the author of Poems for Soulful Living, and helps soul-led creatives reconnect with their inner truth, access deeper clarity, and express themselves with authenticity and peace.

So welcome, Nadege. Thank you for having me. So let's just start with your story. Tell us about your journey and what's led you to this work. 

Nadege Laure: Ooh, it started, um, in my teenage years I was drawn to Buddhist meditation. Um, from a young age I was questioning why are we here? What is this all about? and I had this interest in Buddhist monks for some reason.

Interesting. And so I started reading a lot about the practices of Tibetan monks, and sort of [00:01:00] started meditating in my bedroom. And I remember the very first time I did that I experienced such a state of peace that I knew there was something there, and I just kept on- digging and learning about it. Um, when I was 18 years old my mom passed- Mm-hmm

and that really reinforced the want to find out, you know, the truth. What is life all about? And we're given a certain amount of time, and so we have to make the best of it. 

 we have to find our purpose and live it. I was very focused on that. And, um, when she passed that led me to go and travel all over the world, and spending time in temples and ashrams, and finding spiritual teachers.

And I really thought that this quest of finding [00:02:00] answers to life's big questions was gonna be from people who knew more- Mm-hmm ... or knew better, or people that I thought were more spiritually evolved. I really thought they would be able to give me the answers about my life or about life in general. And I remember in a hostel one day just coming across a quote by Rainer Maria Rilke who said, "The only journey is the one inwards."

Sam Horton: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And 

Nadege Laure: that really shifted my perspective from this outward search- Mm-hmm ... and thinking someone else has the keys to all of this. And it really reconnected me with that meditation practice. Yoga came into my life then. and it really encouraged me to go further within, but also to trust more those insights and the intuition and the wisdom that would come out of, [00:03:00] you know, self-reflection- Mm-hmm

or journaling. and I just kept going with that, studying different modalities and... And it, it all shifted around really help empowering people to turn within- Mm-hmm ... find their own answers, and trust that wisdom and- Mm ... their own intuition. 

Sam Horton: Mm. Beautiful. And your book of poems, um, Poems For Soulful Living, is that, that the title?

Nadege Laure: Yes, that's the title. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. So, you know, how did that come about, and what does that body of work mean to you? 

Nadege Laure: So I was teaching a lot of yoga classes at the time- Mm-hmm ... mostly yin yoga. I sort of specialized in yin and restorative practices. Mm-hmm. And that was very much a mirror of guiding people- To go within and listening to their own inner sensations and listening to their own [00:04:00] body and exploring that inner geography And depending on the themes of the classes or themes we were exploring, as I was preparing classes, often I would just have those outpours of poetry coming, you know, ideas that I had to write in a journal, and I would read bits and pieces.

And people started commenting on it and giving me feedback at the end of the classes. 

And I just thought one day, I just have to put them all together. I just have to, you know, let's collage all of those pieces of writing and see what happens, 'cause I thought it would be- Mm ... a nice thing to gift people at the end of a class or, you know, during workshops or things like that.

And when I started putting them together, I realized that's a lot of poems, and it's sort of a, there's a continuity. There's a theme of that internal- Mm-hmm ... quest. and at the start, I [00:05:00] thought I would write it for meditation and yoga practitioners or teachers, you know, poetry that they could read during Shavasana or long-held pose of yin yoga.

And then some of them were not related to yoga. It was a bigger self-exploration. And I had this image of, you know, a woman in a, by a windowsill sipping on a cup of tea and reading the book- Mm-hmm ... reading a poem and putting it down and having that self-guidance- Mm-hmm ... within. Mm-hmm. And when I released the book, it was really interesting for me to hear that a lot of women, uh, were getting it and enjoying it, and that was women who were newly divorced- Mm-hmm

or women who had experienced grief- Mm-hmm ... or women whose, you know, the kids were in their 20s, had left the house, and they were in a position to question, who am I now? You know, kids are gone. Mm-hmm. Who am I? And so it [00:06:00] reached a whole bunch of different women at different stages- Mm-hmm ... of their lives, but still in that common, spot of questioning their identity about what's next.

Sam Horton: Mm-hmm. And, you know, how was that sort of create a pr- creative process of, you know, writing those poems? How has that supported you as well? 

Nadege Laure: I think I often say it's kinda like- Mm ... I didn't do it because it feels like it just really came- Mm ... through me very easily. even somet- I always, you know, have a little journal in my bag, so even when I'm out and about, I write ideas, I write a line, or I write a combination of words- Mm-hmm

that's popping out, that's- Calling me to explore further, so I would write things down 

And, yeah, sometimes I would have to, of course, rework it and- Mm-hmm ... reorganize it, but also very often it kind of [00:07:00] just poured out. And I think the way it helped me, it gave me confidence in my own creative voice.

Okay. and the way it's been reflected back to me, and that's also another interesting thing because, you know, you write the poems, you write the book, but then when it's published and when it's released out in the world, the book has a life of its own. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. It kinda has its own energy, so it feels like a separate entity.

Sam Horton: Mm-hmm. 

Nadege Laure: And it's been really interesting to hear how it has reached people. So, you know, having that feedback of your own impact- 

Sam Horton: Yeah ... 

Nadege Laure: and how those words that seem to have come to me very easily have had, yeah, an imp- a, a big impact on people or has, you know, caused insights and revelations and ideas or, like, that spark of inspiration [00:08:00] to go and do something or to give them the courage to act- Mm

dream or an idea. So it's been, I guess, a mutual help. Yeah. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. And so on that then, you know, what kind of transformation do you hope that, this book of poetry offers other people? You know, what, what's the transformation that you kind of envisage for people? 

Nadege Laure: I hope it brings people clarity.

Mm-hmm, 

Sam Horton: mm. 

Nadege Laure: Help them, you know, reorganize their thoughts and ideas- Yeah ... so clarity on what's next, and the ability to hear their own inner voice- Mm-hmm ... that's always there in our heart guiding us- Mm-hmm ... that gets often shut down or we often doubt it, and I hope the book helps them strengthen their connection- with that inner voice. Yeah. And then ultimately, you know, from clarity to [00:09:00] listening in, building the courage to go out in the world and do the thing or speak a truth, no matter what it is, but helping women get, you know, closer to their own- Mm ... authentic voice. Mm-hmm. 

Sam Horton: And so, you know, you've spoken about it already, you know, this common thread within your work of, you know, supporting that inner journey, so why do you think we become so disconnected from that inner voice or inner wisdom?

Nadege Laure: Well, I think society has been, you know, pretty good at- disconnecting us from ourselves. Mm-hmm. And if we look, for example, you know, women's magazine and, you know, it was that, that body image or we need to look a certain way, and- ... I don't know, maybe celebrity influencer, you know, giving us an image of this is what success means.

Mm-hmm. so we- I think we were fed [00:10:00] those stereotypes or ideal- ... and kind of brainwashed into thinking this is, yeah, what success looks like. This is what a good life should look like. This is what I should be doing- ... you know, based on that societal- Mm ... pressure. 

and thankfully, I think with the arrival of yoga and meditation, you know, in the '70s, and then that really encouraged people to question themselves and their own life and their own purpose, and, you know, out of all the travels I've done and spending time with different cultures and different people, it stood out to me that we all have the goal of happiness.

We all want to be- Mm-hmm ... happy. We all want to be there with our children and protect the children and make a good life, and that's a common thread. 

And so I think more and more, you know, the trend has reversed, and people are getting more [00:11:00] and more empowered- 

Sam Horton: ... 

Nadege Laure: to connect with themselves, to use different modalities- Mm-hmm

to do so. and there's probably less pressure now to look a certain way. I think we've been a lot- Mm ... more encouraged to go on that, internal quest and follow that path. 

Sam Horton: Mm. So I saw that you, you talk about, um, the sacred unfolding of life. So what does that actually mean, and what does that look like in, in everyday life?

Nadege Laure: The sacred unfolding of life, to me, it feels like when I'm in nature- Mm ... or when I write, and, you know, this connection, this natural pouring coming over me. It's a similar thing when I tend to my garden, when I walk in the forest. There's, like, a connection with the divine, or there's a connection with God or with something [00:12:00] greater- Mm

than me that feels very supportive, that feels very peaceful, often a reflection that I'm on the right path or doing the right thing- Mm-hmm ... at that point in time. And there's also that trust of it's going to unfold the way it's meant to be. Mm-hmm. And I've been reflected lately also on- You know the balance between letting that sacredness unfold by itself- and the power of our own choices. Mm-hmm. You know, making the choice to, making the choice to be happy, making the choice to change that habit, making the choice- Mm ... to try the new hobby or something that's calling us, but that we've been afraid or- Mm-hmm ... holding back to try. And it's that delicate balance between the [00:13:00] trusting, so a daily connection with something greater, whether it's through prayer, writing, spending time in nature, moving my body in whatever way it wants to move, but allowing that connection- Mm-hmm

with God or the divine. Mm-hmm. And then taking it a step further into this reality of sort of, you know, working towards it and making it happen. 

Sam Horton: Mm-hmm. Prioritizing it. 

Nadege Laure: Yes. Yeah. And- Acting upon, you know, the insights or those urges or impulses- Yeah ... that feel aligned, that you know, ah. Yeah. Yes.

That's, you know, the next step. 

Sam Horton: And that's quite often how like the creative call comes as well, right? It's this kinda little whisper, and it's about trusting that and, and following it even if it seems like it's sort of the last thing you should be doing. 

Nadege Laure: Absolutely. [00:14:00] Yeah. 

Sam Horton: And as you were talking there, I th- I was thinking it's also about, like, honoring the season, right?

Yeah. Because we're... Yeah. So talk a bit about, you know, um, how you see that kind of interplay with, um, nature's seasons, you know, and that- Yeah ... that inner journey. Talk about that. 

Nadege Laure: Yeah, so I'm very sensitive to the actual, you know, cyclical, the seasons. and we actually moved to Far North Queensland- Mm-hmm

uh, for a while, eh, for a couple of years, and I hated it- Mm ... because it was sunny every day. And I just find that it was so boring. Mm. And it felt like I didn't have the right, you know, to be depressed or to feel- Mm ... down one day- Mm ... because of the tropical climate and the sun all the time. Mm. Whereas living in Melbourne and, and moving back here, there is that natural shift- 

Sam Horton: Mm

Nadege Laure: through the seasons. So we're just, we, you know, we're just entering autumn here- And you can feel the [00:15:00] change in the air- mm-hmm ... the colder mornings and warmer afternoons. The colors of the leaves of the trees have started to, uh, change. And then I know it's gonna be winter, and there's gonna be this call to really retreat- Mm-hmm

in the house, make it really cozy- Mm-hmm ... wear wool, and have those hot drinks, and- Mm-hmm ... ponder even more, write even more. And then, you know, it'll be spring, and you do have fostered that energy that's gonna come out and bloom, and you're gonna take- ... actions on the things that kind of were brewing during winter.

And then that summer was, you know, beautiful weather and spending a lot of time outdoors and socializing, exploring new places, all of that. And that feels like such a natural way for me to- Mm-hmm ... live and to go through, well, those physical changes, the mental changes, but also those [00:16:00] creative- Mm-hmm

cycles as well. Mm-hmm. So I do love seeing nature- Mm-hmm ... changes like that because what happens in nature is also a reflection of what's happening internally. 

Sam Horton: Yeah, so beautiful. Yeah. And so how do you think this kind of work then around, you know, the inner journey, how, how do you think that can also support our creative practice and our creative journey?

Nadege Laure: I think first of all, it's very much about, you know, making time- ... to pause and to be with ourselves and to explore whatever creative area it may be, whether it's, you know, making things or painting or writing- ... uh, working wood or any creative outlet, we really need to give ourselves that time to pause- to listen in, and to question what wants to come through me today. Mm-hmm. What wants to be birthed. [00:17:00] Not even, you know, what do I have to say, what should I be making, 'cause that's killing- Mm-hmm ... the process, but just opening, um, that quest of what wants to come through me. Mm-hmm. What needs to be said, what needs to be birthed.

Sam Horton: Mm. And it might be... And I think, once again, it's that balance of the internal exploration, allowing space and time for it to morph into something more concrete or real. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. And also that balance of also exploring the world, right? Mm-hmm. Like exploring what's outside. And pat- I know for me, particularly, it's spending time in nature.

Nadege Laure: Mm-hmm. But it might be, you know, going to an exhibition or I have a, having a conversation with a stranger, and it's gonna- Mm-hmm ... open the door onto another- Mm ... thought or idea So I think it's that balance of, you know, outward and inward- Mm ... but very much prioritizing, [00:18:00] you know, space and time- Mm ... to connect with our own creative juices.

Sam Horton: Yeah. So for all the women who are curious about deepening their relationship with their, you know, inner truth, um, what powerful message or question would you like to leave them with today? I would invite them... There's so many ways that you can go within and explore, get to know yourself better, so it's about trying also different methods or different ways that work best.

Nadege Laure: I would like to tell them that it doesn't need to be another thing or practice that we add to- Mm ... our list of things to do, but it's something that can be very easily, incorporated in your daily routine. And so you might be driving, and at every l- red light, you're gonna take three deep breaths, maybe even one hand on your heart, and [00:19:00] just tune in.

Maybe you know you've had a long day, and when we talk about walk in nature, it doesn't have to be a long hike. It can be five minutes- Mm-hmm ... around the block, you know, 10 minutes up and down the street- ... just moving and having that time. I think I would encourage them to think about the fact that we have one chance out of 400 billion, I think it is, to be born.

Mm-hmm. And, you know, each one of us matter, and each one of us has something brilliant to offer our families, our communities, and so I would say honor that inner nudge. Honor that- Mm ... inner voice because it's always there. Mm-hmm. It's always guiding us, so listening closely and- Mm ... honor, follow her guidance.

Sam Horton: Mm, beautiful. So how can [00:20:00] people get to know you better, Nadege, and get a real feel for the work that you're doing? 

Nadege Laure: So if you, um, go onto my website, nadjelor.com, there is a free journaling guide called Echoes of the Soul, so that would be very good prompts to start- Mm-hmm ... that inner journey and to dive into mindfulness, your dreams, tapping into what's happening in your body- Mm-hmm

into your heart. the next step would be a five-day, uh, called The Soul Shift Journey. Mm-hmm. And you receive in your inbox short but powerful practices for five days, aiming to bring that- aiming to help you pause and tap into that clarity and intuition. Um, so there's a meditation, there's, uh, journaling prompts- there's a sit spot practice, in nature. 

There's a soul map and a yin yoga practice. So that would be the next step, and then we can have a look at [00:21:00] one-on-one mentoring or conversation to really help those women who are at a crossroads or in transition, but they don't really know where to go next.

Mm-hmm. And so that conversation helps detangle the thoughts and help them go further inwards and really listen to their own heart and honoring that. 

Sam Horton: Beautiful. Thank you so much for coming and chatting with me today, Nadege. I really enjoyed our conversation. Thank you. 

Nadege Laure: Thank you so much for having me. I really enjoyed it as well.

Thank you.