Be Rooted: Create a Life Aligned with your Truest Self- Reiki, practices, boundaries, and community

Emily Souder, LCSW-C, PMH-C is a licensed clinical social worker in Maryland (www.emilysouder.com), as well as a writer, intuitive guide, and Reiki Master practitioner. She writes books to help readers find space to explore personal stories. She wrote Birth Story Brave in 2017 to walk parents through reflecting on their birth experiences, and published an updated version of this called Birth Story Brave, Reimagined in 2021. Her book Sparks is a self-help/memoir blend designed to inspire readers to intentionally step away from fear-based actions and move toward amusement, inner knowing, and trust. Emily's newest book, Birth Story Held for Loss, is a special space for readers who have experienced perinatal loss to explore their pregnancy/gestation, birth, and loss stories. Emily is married with two children and loves tea & all things personal growth. She believes in doing deep personal healing work, and hopes you will join her. Join Tekla's conversation with Emily, full of so many topics, including healing from birth loss and birth trauma through storytelling. Tekla & Emily have known each other for over a decade and have shared a similar healing journey- they have so much to share about: The power and importance of storytelling around birth- creating the space and time to tell your birth story, Emily has created beautiful and supported ways to do this through her books. How did Emily write books with 2 littles, and how she did it even with a pukey baby- moms are amazing! Working through grief of childbirth loss and even unexpected outcomes of birth- how these stories are held in the bodies and how storytelling and Reiki can release and heal this grief and trauma. The importance of amusement while healing and releasing energy and creating new stories. The resistance and fear that can arise when doing big healing work and how grounding and boundaries help move through these emotions. How Tekla's teaching of Reiki has evolved since Emily learned Reiki 1 with her almost 10 years ago and why it is even more supportive. We talk a lot about practice- if you've listened to the podcast, you know that is a theme! Living outside the "box" of the education system- both Emily and Tekla's choice to homeschool and why- how it is an act of resistance against white supremacy culture and the grind of our American culture. How Emily integrates social work, storytelling, and intuitive Reiki for her clients. What are stories and how can we release and change them in ourselves.  Connect with Emily and buy her books!   website (www.emilysouder.com)  IG (@overstimulated.mom.therapist)  email: [email protected] Her page on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B079KH4NDZ?ingress=0&visitId=6f352425-8fd6-46a9-80e3-49fda8fd55ce

Miranda McDaniel is no stranger to diverse groups of people, progressive minds and inclusive ways of being. Born and raised in the California Bay Area, she grew up rooted in communities that embraced these values, which served as the catalyst in wanting to create similar spaces and experiences for others. Miranda has received and led training in Restorative Practices, has served as an adult trainer in Be the Change Youth Development curriculum, and later went on to work as a CalSAC trainer and Chapter Representative. Now living in the Tampa Bay Area, Miranda works to create community and sisterhood through co-leading Black Girl Boss, a networking group for Black women entrepreneurs in the St. Pete area, and helps companies with their strategic DEI initiatives with The Unpacked Project. She looks forward to challenging the status quo by utilizing her voice to educate allies and shed light on social inequities across marginalized groups of people.  Join the conversation with Tekla and Miranda, including Miranda’s experience in DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) and Restorative Practices work, especially inviting in white women to the work- not only why they need to be doing the work, but HOW. Miranda’s past podcast, The Unpacked Project, is full of great information and conversations about why white women especially need to be aware of their own bias, internal racism and how to effectively make change, through their own internal work and learning.  Tekla and Miranda discuss: A bit about Tekla’s journey doing the internal work that is antiracism work, and how she has worked to release white guilt and fragility to be able to talk about these topics and invite more white women into the conversation. Miranda’s experience of being a WOC and teacher, educating allies and white women, and how she does not take on the labor, but educates and opens the eyes to those wanting to re-educate themselves.  Miranda’s self- care practices, including the power of journaling, and how she made choices to take herself out of the grind culture that was not supporting her highest self. Miranda’s approach to building bridges through her education and coaching work. The info-guides Miranda created, and places to start with antiracism work, More than Just an Ally and The Basics of Bias- and how she has seen these starting places support people on their journey.  The observation of the expansion of DEI work in 2020 and how in the past 2 years the support has dwindled- and how to keep doing the work even when it isn't as "popular" and the importance of the work. They discuss Tekla’s aversion to social media and Miranda shares the ways that she supports and helps entrepreneurs to use social media, giving some helpful tips and how she can be a great support to entrepreneurs. Contact Miranda for a discount for listeners of this show!  How to connect with Miranda: [email protected] On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesocialcontentlab Podcast The Unpacked Project: Join us in crucial conversations that will challenge barriers to equity and inspire action towards a more compassionate and inclusive future. On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2VQqzg4gHbtwvCrOjEsyIJ?si=c4e9db0ebace42da Black Girl Boss- Community & Sisterhood Entrepreneur Group for Black Women in the Tampa Bay/St. Pete, FL area-, find them on Facebook: Black Girl Boss

Tonja Reichley shares her journey of her pull to Ireland as a teenager, and how when she finally visited Ireland in her 30s, she knew she had to return. Her journey of returning, of learning and becoming an herbalist and teacher. She now lives in western Ireland and leads pilgrimages with people who want to connect with the land in a spiritual and ancestral way, to heal and connect to the ancestors before there was the label and construct of whiteness. Tekla will be leading a retreat/pilgrimage to Ireland September 15-22, 2025 with Tonja - details coming soon at teklacayers.com. Throughout this episode, Tekla and Tonja discuss: How a pilgrimage to Ireland can heal ancestral wounds of oppression- the importance of diving into ancestral history and traditions, and how it can heal the cycles of oppression. Irish goddess and saint Brighid- who she was and how she is inspiration and guidance for both Tonja and Tekla- Tonja shares a bit of storytelling and experience with Brighid. We begin and end the conversation pulling cards from Tonja's 2 oracle decks, and discuss the offerings Tonja shares with the world. How holding space to be in community and to have stillness and quiet is an act of healing and resistance to the capitalistic and white supremacy culture we live in. The importance of community and how what we learn in community, and in classes, ripples out beyond us when we share it with others. Tonjas' experience working through Resmaa Menakem's programs and how she brings these practices to her students. The journey that Tekla and Tonja have been on together, doing anti-racism work and sharing it with other white women through holding healing spaces. More about Tonja: She is a tender of hearths.  She tends to the hearth of her home in Kinvara Ireland where she welcome pilgrims and hold sacred space for guests. She tends the hearth of community, of the Earth, of the Cailleach, who guides her way on.  She tends to the hearth of her ancestor’s, the nameless ones who through the mists of time have created herbal remedies, as she does.  She tends to the hearth of the wise woman, the bean feasa, the hag, the crone, the witch, those who ever seek, as does she, to live outside of dominant culture with values of sovereignty, simplicity and participation.  She tends to the hearth of storytelling, sharing the myths of her heritage through lived experience and story, keeping them vibrant and relevant and ever new. She is a student and teacher of herbal remedies and of the Irish Wisdom Tradition, as she has for over 20 years.  Her legacy to these learnings includes her Way of Brighid Oracle Cards, honoring Irish goddess and saint Brighid, her book Wild Irish Roots: A Seasonal Guidebook of Herbs, Ritual and Connection.  Her latest culmination project, released November 2022, is The Way of the Wild, An Oracle Experience into the Irish Wisdom Tradition. Connect with Tonja here: www.dancingwiththewild.com- her website https://tonjareichley.substack.com/- her Substack- subscribe to receive her daily sacred act haikus seasonal spellbooks https://www.instagram.com/tonjareichley- her instagram We talked about White Supremacy Culture and the incredible resource of https://www.whitesupremacyculture.info/ and invite you to explore.

The Be Rooted podcast returns from a brief break with Tekla sharing a solo podcast about how she learned to do the work that she does, because it can be challenging to say in just a few words what work she does. She shares the highlights of her education of the past 15 years and how she brings her own healing and education to her students and 1:1 clients. She explains how Reiki isn't "just an energetic healing practice" and how she integrates somatic awareness and healing, and how intuitive work supports to release trauma from the body. She shares how her own education has trained her to hold space for others and how she teaches others to do the same with somatic and energetic awareness. Tekla appreciates you taking the time to listen, to hopefully get a better idea of what she brings to clients and students. Tekla is grateful to her teachers over the years and for how they have supported her to integrate her practices to be able to be a healing presence and space holder for others. You can read more about Tekla's teachers and mentors here: https://www.teklacayers.com/gratitude-to-my-teachers/ Please sign up for Tekla's newsletters on her website, as she is not on social media and her newsletter and this podcast are her ways of connecting! https://www.teklacayers.com/ You can schedule a free 30 minute phone call with Tekla here if you have any interest in working with her: https://calendly.com/teklacayers/free-call

Crystal Chinn is a Japanese American raised in Honolulu, HI, and who found Reiki to support her grief from 3 miscarriages. Through this conversation, Crystal shares her journey discovering Reiki and the Reiki lifestyle, including meditation, trust in her intuition, and letting go of the corporate grind culture. She is one of Tekla's students who has moved into sharing distance Reiki and teaching Reiki. She discovered Crystal Singing Bowl Healing by following her intuition, which she learned to listen to and trust, through her years of practicing daily self-Reiki, receiving Reiki and sharing Reiki with others. Listen for stories of Crystal's journey with Reiki including: How she incorporates and lives the practice of Reiki daily, practicing and sharing it with her children and family, and professionally. Finding Reiki when she was a beginner to any kind of energy work, and how powerful her first experience was- her story of healing deep grief from 3 miscarriages. Learning how to meditate after quitting after her first try- how she started with smaller steps and kept going, learning to love the practice of meditation- motivation for those people who think they "can't meditate"! How she learned through Reiki and body/mind awareness to heal herself and the pain in her shoulder- the discovery of what it was connected to and the power to let it go. Her journey as a Japanese American raised Mormon with Buddhism influence, and her instant connection with the practice of Reiki. Her connection with Reiki and knowing that her elders practice Reiki- and the Reiki connection to Hawaii and Mrs. Takata, who brought Reiki the US. Crystal explains Reiki from her Japanese American perspective and the Japanese culture, and why she says, "No wonder Reiki is Japanese!" How sharing Reiki with her grandmother in Hawaii (when she was in Colorado) helped her grandmother be able to communicate clearly and support her with Parkinson's. Some magical stories of Reiki and following her intuition- her two Reiki babies who came after her Reiki and acupuncture healing journey. We even touch on antiracism and discuss our own cultural heritage and honoring the roots of the practice. Crystal is a great storyteller and her connections of how living the practice of Reiki has changed her life for the positive, even through the unpredictable times of life. More about Crystal and how to connect with her: Crystal Chinn is a Japanese American born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii and currently resides in Colorado with her husband and 3 daughters. She found Reiki about 5 years ago after struggling with multiple miscarriages and fertility struggles. Her initial journey with Reiki was for self-healing purposes and she quickly fell in love with the community of people and was shocked to experience the level of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual healing from Reiki. When the pandemic hit, she started practicing Distance Reiki on family and friends and soon fell more in love with the power and simplicity of energy healing. Crystal specializes in Distance Reiki and works with clients over the phone and incorporates powerful meditations and visualizations to intensify the Reiki experience for her clients. Through this journey and with the assistance of Reiki energy, Crystal has learned to incorporate sound healing into her Reiki practice with Crystal Singing Bowls, and now offers group sound bath sessions in her community. Her goal is to empower her clients to take charge of their own energy with the blessings of Reiki and Sound Healing by teaching them about energetic boundaries, awareness and incorporating daily meditation practices to strengthen their mind, body and spirit. 

Tekla's incredibly talented podcast producer and friend, Carin Huebner, joins Be Rooted today to share her stories and her journey of healing. There is a lot of reflecting on the past and growing up in the grind culture, how it affects mental, physical and spiritual health. Carin also shares her journey with healing religious trauma, and her wisdom from being a spiritual director for 8 years. Listen with the amusement and laughter that Carin brings to the conversation, and how an open mind to different ways of healing can bring even more healing! Specifically they discuss: You don't know what you don't know- growing up as a teenager with physical pain, and when Western medicine is all you know, and when not exposed to other modalities, you just listen to the authority. Carin's experience of listening to the authority (doctors, pastors, Jesus, God) and how she learned to unlearn this way of being and learned to listen to her own body and intuition. The journey of learning that what we put into our body (pizza rolls, bagels and sugar) can really affect the physical and mental bodies. How Carin has healed her body when the doctors told her teenage self "there is nothing we can do". Carin shares some eye-opening stories about religious trauma and abuse, and the fear that it can bring up, and how it can engrain thoughts and ideas about healing, and Carin's healing journey and deconstruction. The neti-pot: how it can be a gateway drug to alternative and holistic ways of healing. :) Opening up and letting go of fear around energy healing modalities and realizing that there are a lot out there beyond Reiki! Specifically how acupuncture opened up both Carin and Tekla's eyes to energy and it is all connected and it is all energy. Carin's journey with Reiki- how it was for her weird friends but not her, and then how powerful it was for her, and her journey learning Reiki in Tekla's Be Rooted program. Carin's takeaways from receiving and learning the practice of Reiki, and how it is so connected to many parts of her healing journey- and how it is now a daily practice and part of her life. Ancestral healing and how Reiki and other healing modalities helps with this. You can heal your mind/body/spirit if you were pumped up with antibiotics and even if you took Accutane! Tekla and Carin share their stories here! Tekla is grateful to have Carin as her podcast producer and highly recommends scheduling a call with her if you are at all interested in podcasting. Tekla would not be doing this without Carin's expertise and support. Carin is also an amazing artist, creator, and guide. Check out her websites about art, podcasting, and coaching here: Website: https://www.carinhuebner.com/ Art Website: https://www.carinhuebner.art/ Instagram: @carinhuebner CW: religious trauma and spiritual abuse

Dr. G (Dr. Giavanni Washington) joins Tekla to share her wisdom and knowledge, and her process of creating The Black Goddess Within Oracle Deck. Dr. G is on an ancestral mission to make the world safer for Black bodied people, and she is doing it through building community, her oracle deck, educating others, and one-on-one ancestral healing sessions. Listen to learn about her Oracle deck as we discuss: The power of using oracle decks and how they can be a guiding message in life- to validate what is happening or invite a new perspective. When Dr. G was not seeing Black bodies and Black goddesses in oracle decks, she decided to make her own- how she did this and the work it took. The research Dr. G did to learn about the goddesses, and how she used her academic expertise to sift through the (white-dominated and racist) opinions of the history and stories of the goddesses. To begin the interview, Tekla pulls a card from the deck and they discuss what it means to each of them. Get a glimpse of this beautiful deck through their conversation and how they interpret the card. Dr. G is a teacher, and she shares her passion for educating about the roots of racism and especially Black bodies. They discuss the unique course Dr. G created, Liberated Bodies, and how the course showed up different for allies and for Black women who took the class. The importance of affinity spaces and spaces that are of mixed cultural bodies, and Tekla's experience being Dr. G's student in Liberated Bodies for Allies (and why she hopes it is offered again- it is a powerful class!) Tekla shares a vulnerable realization she had in Dr. G's class about her own white fragility, and how it does not serve, and how she continues to work through releasing the story that keeps her from action. They talk the history of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and some of the misconceptions many Americans may have about it, and why it is important to unlearn and re-learn history. Ancestral healing and how The Black Goddess Within Oracle Deck supports this, for all bodies, not just Black bodies. (Tekla loves the deck and uses it regularly). Creating and leading community and being an entrepreneur can be lonely- and where Dr. G & Tekla have found support around this. Learn about Dr. G's one-on-one Ancestral Alchemy healing sessions and how she is honoring her ancestry by the work she shares with the world. Tekla will have Dr. G return after her Ancestral Alchemy 1:1 session. Stay tuned! More about Dr. G and how to connect: Called to the medicine of ancestral restoration, Dr. Giavanni creates healing opportunities  to reconnect with lost histories and ignite hidden ancestral wisdom. Dedicated to amplifying Black Beauty, reconnecting to the deep roots of Black Divinity and encouraging the full expression of Black Joy, Dr Giavanni Washington's latest creative endeavor is the Black Goddess Within Oracle Deck.  Dr G, as she is affectionately known, is an intuitive healer, mother, speaker and spiritual guide who holds a doctorate from UCLA’s department of World Arts and Cultures and was recently selected for the California Creative Corps Artist and Culture Bearer Fellowship by the California Arts Council.  Website: https://blackgoddesswithin.com IG/TT: [email protected] Learn all about The Black Goddess Within Oracle Deck here- you can even pull a card virtually on the website! Check it out, it is very cool- https://www.drgiavanniwashington.com/deck

Cynthia Taylor is in her second phase of life, with her grown children and husband supporting her as she is the new business owner of South Coast Organics & Bulk Foods in Wakefield, RI. She shares her journey of being a Child Life Specialist, while finding her own healing journey through the Applied Healing Arts program at the Tai Sophia Institute. She was Tekla's accountability buddy in graduate school and they share stories of learning how to be a healing presence. You can feel Cynthia's healing presence by listening to this conversation- be inspired by her experiences and storytelling as they discuss: What do you "do" to be a healing presence? What practices are important to continue? The ripple effect of Cynthia's own healing journey with her family and her job as a Child Life Specialist. Cynthia's experience of bringing in mindfulness practices to one of the biggest children's hospitals in the country, and how powerful small changes can be for the children as well as the doctors and nurses caring for them. Why it was so exhausting to bring in new mindful ways of being (presence) into the business setting that is the hospital system. How presence is healing for others- Cynthia's experience of being a healing presence, from working with children to now being a business owner and community builder in her small town in Rhode Island. The importance of being in the season of winter and being in the unknown, and how it can be uncomfortable, yet so rewarding if you allow for the presence in the winter seasons of life. How being in the winter can blossom into a spring that is more than you may ever dream and how Cynthia fell in love with the herbs of the earth and how she is sharing them with her community. The power of practices like Qi Gong and yoga for grounding and being in the unknown or challenging times that life brings. More about Cynthia: Cynthia blessed to have a loving husband of 26 years, Will Taylor and two amazing adult children, Nick and Kaila Taylor. She earned my Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University in Child Development specialized in Child LIfe in 1997 and she earned her Masters of Arts degree from Tai Sophia University now known as Maryland University of Integrative Health in Applied Healing Arts in 2013. She worked as a Certified Child Life Specialist for 15 years at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore Maryland from 2006 - 2021. She started studying spiritual herbalism in 2020 with The Gaia School of Healing & Earth Education. She finished her first year certificate in 2022 mainly working on healing herself and family and in 2023 started working on year two on how to serve others. On her journey during and after Tai Sophia I earned my level 2 as a Reiki practitioner. Her life has taken her on an adventure from raising a family and working in western medicine in Pennsylvania and Maryland to downtown Wakefield Rhode Island owning an organic bulk food and herb shop, South Coast Organics & Bulk Foods, being a part of and serving a loving and nourishing community. Connect with Cynthia: South Coast Organics & Bulk Foods in Wakefield RI email is [email protected] and the web page is http://southcoastbulkfoods.com

Michele Bickley has practicing and teaching yoga and dance for over 20 years. She is an entrepreneur who continues to hold a kind and loving space for her students, in person, on zoom, on retreats, and in the public school classroom. She is a teacher with her own inspiring story of recovery, healing and growth through meditation, yoga and 12 step work. We dive into all these topics together. Join us as Michele holds an authentic and kind space with Tekla as they discuss: Michele's journey of first teaching dance in classrooms in LA to learning yoga from some of the top teachers on the planet, how she fully immersed herself into learning and practicing yoga, and how she honors her teachers and the roots and traditions of yoga. Teaching yoga and dance to children in the classroom setting- why it is Michele's favorite thing to work with younger people and the profound shifts she notices in kids. Why her work is never "work" from teaching outdoor yoga summer camps to kids, to yoga classes in person and on zoom, to retreats- what keeps her motivated. The community and classes that Michele has built over the years is authentic and "real life"- how she creates this community that is welcoming and gives the space to connect. (Michele is one of Tekla's favorite teachers and was her daughter's first yoga teacher when she was 2.5 years old). We dive into 12-step work for healing and recovery- the connection Tekla and Michele have with the healing they have both found through 12-step work, and how it integrates into their yoga practices. Michele shares her journey of recovery with an eating disorder, and how she found recovery in her 20s. Through the recovery conversation, they discuss denial and how it serves as great protection until one is ready to recover and heal (and why it is SOOOO worth it once the choice is made to drop the denial and heal!) Retreats! Michele hosts retreats throughout the year and we discuss our love of retreats, and the benefits of them (and acknowledge the privilege to be able to go on retreats... and why we wish we could get funded to offer them to all!) More about Michele and how to connect with her: Michele is in love with yoga and the art of sharing it creatively, in all areas of life…on and off the mat. She grew up dancing and teaching in Baltimore (studied at Baltimore School for the Arts), then moved to L.A. in 1998 after receiving a degree in Fine Arts and Dance from SMU in Dallas, TX. While living in Los Angeles, Michele had the privilege of studying with some of the finest teachers on the planet. In 2002, Michele co-founded Muv Dance and Yoga, an innovative arts organization that brought Yoga and Dance to hundreds of LA public schools, creating spaces for children to shine. She created the Yoga for the Classroom DVD that was used in schools all over the world. Over the last decade, Michele has developed “Shake Your Shakti,” a Dance / Hip Hop Yoga Method that offers a style and space for people to experience high levels of joy, freedom, connectedness, and health. Michele currently lives in Maryland where she is a proud mama of two lil’ yogis, teaches classes and workshops, leads retreats locally and internationally, and adores creating events to bring communities together to help promote peace on the planet. Her passion for creating a safe space, nurturing the spirit, moving creatively, uncovering freedom in our body, and exploring the depths of this ancient yoga practice in an accessible way, are the foundations for her teaching. Anyone can practice with Michele via her zoom classes :-) LoveLifeYoga.org Facebook: LoveLifeYogaWithMichele Instagram: @YogaForRealLife Twitter: @YogaForRealLife

Robyn Young shares deep wisdom through storytelling, to connect the listener with the philosophy and wisdom of 5 Element Acupuncture, which shows our human connection to the cycles of the seasons and the earth. She shares her experience being a mom, being a lifelong learner and someone who is in practice. She shares inspirational stories about the transformational practices she learned at the Tai Sophia Institute studying Applied Healing Arts, Acupuncture and Herbalism, and is where Tekla and Robyn met. Topics that Robyn shares: Self compassion- doing the best you can- how to live with more self-compassion. Listening to the body and how wise it is- how the daily practice of awareness brings even more self-compassion. 5 Element Acupuncture- beautiful stories and examples that bring awareness and understanding of how powerful it is to live in connection with the cycles of the earth, that we are, as humans, part of these cycles. Healing Circles for Mothers- Robyn created a beautiful 5-element inspired guide to lead mothers' healing circles that Tekla used for years- the powerful healing that comes from gathering in circles of women, especially mothers. Healing the mother wound and living against the "norms" of patriarchy. The importance of healing ourselves for the sake of our children and how much work still needs to be done- it never "ends"! A discussion on gender and the feminine, mothering and how language is so important to be inclusive. Robyn and Tekla still have a lot to talk about around recovery and narcissism, which they touch on- Robyn will be back! More about Robyn Young: Robyn has more than 30 years’ experience educating and counseling women about reproductive health including contraception, menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, post-partum care, transitioning into motherhood, and peri- and post-menopausal care. She also has extensive experience working with people in recovery from addiction, co-dependency, and trauma. Though she specializes in the care of women, Robyn is equally committed to providing a safe, comfortable, and welcoming environment for all people regardless of age, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, body size, socioeconomic status, and nature of illness. Using acupuncture, qi gong and the ancient wisdom of Chinese medicine, Robyn midwifes others through major transitions and developmental stages in their lives. ​Robyn holds masters degrees in Applied Healing Arts, Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, as well as a post-graduate certificate in Women’s Holistic Health from the Maryland Institute for Integrative Health (formerly Tai Sophia Institute). Her undergraduate degree is in Sociology and Family and Community Development from the University of Maryland. Robyn lives in Silver Spring with her family, and is a 20+ year veteran homeschooler/unschooler. How to connect with Robyn: Website: https://seasonsoflifeacupuncture.com/welcome Email: [email protected] Mama Love Collective for Healing Circles for Mothers: https://www.themamalovecollective.com/about.html

Jocelyn Hunter joins Tekla and shares many wise stories of her journey of healing through her life, which started with an interest in crystals and stones, and has evolved into her teaching classes on How to Heal Yourself and guiding Healing Circles at Psychic Horizons Center in Boulder, Colorado. Jocelyn shares how her doorway to healing work and energy work was crystals and silversmithing. Tekla has known Jocelyn for 8 years, as she was in her first Reiki class she taught here in Colorado. It is a joy to speak with Jocelyn and hear her storytelling of her healing journey. They discuss: Working with teachers- how much we can learn from our teachers and how much we learn from our students as teachers. As teachers, we share how we are space holders and guides, and how we hold the space for students to do their own healing work. The importance of community and the healing that comes from being in community- how one person's experience can remind us of layers of healing we have to do, and how others help with the healing journey. The deep healing that has come from working through healing in community and the importance of giving ourselves permission to do the work and be in these spaces. The collective expectations of mothering from our culture and how to heal and release these expectations and mom guilt that shows up for so many mothers. Staying present through healing-how Jocelyn has done this over the years and some great tips she gives and why it is all worth it. The balance between somatic work like yoga and mind/body awareness and the times when we go deep and heal energetically at a subconscious level- why we need both and how connected they are- mind/body/spirit awareness, connection, and healing of trauma. Jocelyn shares her journey with being called to work with crystals and minerals, learning silversmithing and creating beautiful art. She gives great tips on how to begin exploring if you are called to crystals and gems of the Earth. (You can even work with her to learn how to navigate gem shows and silversmith). How Jocelyn currently holds space for others teaching classes at Psychic Horizons and how she brings her wisdom and experiences to her students, while also learning from their wisdom. Jocelyn's Bio and how to connect with her: From Jocelyn: I am a Light Worker. I am here on the planet at this moment to be a channel for Divine energy. I live in the forest to the west of Boulder CO. I am a spiritual teacher and healer, an artist and creator. I work with silver and gemstones. Jocelyn's Website: http://www.jocelynhunter.com Facebook: Jocelyn Hunter Jewelry Psychic Horizon's Center where Jocelyn teaches How to Heal Yourself, Holds Healing Spaces, and teaches Women's Intuition Class: http://www.psychichorizonscenter.org View and purchase Jocelyn's beautiful jewelry at Particular's Gallery in Lafayette, CO: https://particularsart.com/ and at The Evergreen Gallery in Evergreen, CO: https://theevergreengallery.com/artists/jocelyn-hunter-jewelry/ Contact Jocelyn if you are interested in learning about crystals and silversmithing with her, or doing one-on-one energy work with her on the phone or at her home with her crystals and stones.

Tekla is honored to welcome Stacia Synnestvedt of wooversity.com to the show, to share with you some of the wisdom, knowledge and tools that she has learned from Stacia over the past decade. Stacia was Tekla's Intuitive Teacher for 2 full years when Tekla first moved to Colorado. Stacia is a gifted and compassionate teacher + psychic, and we hope you enjoy the conversation. Tekla and Stacia dive into many topics that Stacia teaches: Growth periods- what are they and are they worth it? Growth periods are those times during healing and growth that might not feel so great- Stacia gives a great analogy of healing and we dive into why the growth periods are totally worth it! Codependency- is it a bad word? How can it actually be a good thing? For many, it is safer to feel FOR others than for ourselves. Stacia shares how harmful it can be to both parties when we hold other people's puzzle pieces from them. The energetics of boundaries- Stacia shares her powerful and simple tools for setting energetic boundaries- and how to start to be able to discern what energy is yours and what is someone else's energy. Holding space for people- how to hold space in an energetic healthy and neutral way. How to be in community while noticing your body and energy. Finding neutrality- the goal of healing work, especially in relationships. How Stacia teaches and practices this. The importance of body awareness and healing- psychic work isn't all woowoo- it connects very deeply to the energy in the body and how the body holds energy, and then how we can release. We go into the mind/body awareness of healing. Do you ever get annoyed by someone else you are in a class with or healing in community with? This is good work and big healing possibilities if you can notice and stick with the uncomfortable sensations! Healing in community and resonating frequencies and the deep healing Stacia observes in her classes. Of course we talk a lot about practice and consistency of practice, individually and in community. Stacia's Bio: Rt. Reverend Stacia Synnestvedt was trained as an ordained minister and Certified Intuitive teacher at the Church of Inner Truth in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which is a non-denominational meditation center with a mission to teach practical applications of nonreligious spiritual principals which promote self awareness, healing and inner peace through experiential classes and community outreach programs. She continues her personal growth and advanced graduate level training to this day at Psychic Horizons Center, The Church of Inner Light, in Boulder, CO, where she became an ordained Bishop (Rt. Rev.) in 2015, which enables her to train and ordain spiritual ministers. Stacia has an effortless, yet certain, way of holding the space to help individuals connect inward, to better understand their body-mind-spirit relationship through the understanding of energy. Currently, she teaches several levels of an Intuitive Training & Self Healing Program, mentors advanced energy healing professionals, and offers several courses online. Additionally, Stacia works with clients in a private setting as a spiritual counselor and intuitive healer to help cultivate deep changes within their life by seeing blocks and helping to empower them with tools, especially personalized meditation techniques, that are unique to a soul’s path in the present moment. Connect with Stacia: Website Wooversity Instagram: Wooversity Facebook: EvolvewithStacia TikTok @psychicstacia

Bonnie Tarantino, Tekla's Reiki and yoga teacher and mentor, shares her wisdom and experiences with living the practice of Reiki, and how she weaves Reiki into all aspects of her life, from parenting to teaching, writing, and creating art and music. Bonnie has been practicing Reiki for over 20 years, and she has brought the practice of Reiki and yoga to over 1,000 students over her career. Bonnie created and directed Healing Pathways program at The University of Maryland School of Medicine Center for Integrative Medicine, which is where Tekla met Bonnie, as she was her student in the 200 hour yoga teacher training + Reiki training. Bonnie was the director of this program, which brought Reiki, yoga and meditation to doctors and nurses in the hospital system. Bonnie is a creative, teaching courses in Reiki, yoga, Tarot, meditation, and she is a writer, visual artist and musician. She enjoys mentoring one on one, both in person and over the phone. She holds small intimate trainings and has led spiritual trips to India, Hawaii, Peru, New Mexico, Ireland and Colorado. Recently she opened her own yoga/workshop studio on her property and is enjoying teaching in-person once again. Tekla and Bonnie Discuss How they Live and Share the Practice of Reiki Including: How Bonnie discovered Reiki over 20 years ago and how she started to teach it, along with the practice of yoga, and how she has seen the practices evolve over the past 24 years- it is hopeful! Why Bonnie teaches Reiki in a 9-month program in community, which is what inspires Tekla to teach her 9-month Reiki program, Be Rooted, in the format she does, over 9 months in community. The importance of daily practices being simple and something we want to do, and how practicing often brings ease to quickly grounding when the system gets disregulated. Raising children with energy awareness and the practice of Reiki- Bonnie's children are adults now, and she shares how she sees the benefits and importance of being mindful and present parents. How our parenting and guidance will help them to do their best work in life. Social media and how we can teach our kids to not be controlled by the algorithms, and to be mindful with social media. Bonnie brings hope during this time of great destruction and change- and why this is the time when practicing Reiki and meditation is more important than ever. Bonnie's journey with Tarot and how she teaches in interactive ways to teach others the power of the Tarot. Intuition and telepathy- is there a difference? Reiki and the connection with the cycles of the earth and the moon- including a fun story of the full moon in Ireland when Tekla was on pilgrimage with Bonnie in 2019. Creativity and Reiki- Creativity and letting go of perfectionism- Bonnie shares how she dives into creative projects and how magic is created. Quickly manifesting and when to say wait, not yet. Connect with Bonnie: Bonnie's ⁠website⁠ Bonnie on ⁠Facebook⁠ Bonnie on ⁠Instagram⁠ Check out Digital4Good and #icanhelp to learn more about educating kids and parents about safe and mindful social media use, with mindfulness around mental health (Bonnie's daughter is very involved in this and it is hopeful!)

Welcoming Sally Pelto-Wheeler to the podcast was a treat for Tekla, as Sally holds so much wisdom and is always a student and in practice, generously sharing her practices with others. Sally and Tekla talk about practices like Reiki, breathwork, language and mind/body awareness. Topics are rich with great examples you can bring to your everyday life, including your children and professional life. Topics include: Receiving Reiki and learning Reiki over the phone and Zoom during the pandemic. Learning new tools for energy awareness and sharing them with our children. Simple practices and language shifts that can make a huge difference in the workplace. The power of practice and how it ripples out. Connection to the Earth and the seasons, and living in tune with the cycles. The healing journey and how it ebbs and flows, and the beautiful analogy between growth of a flower and energy work (link below to watch the video we spoke about). Holding space for others in community spaces- why we cannot create a safe space but we strive to create a brave space. Join us for a listen, with laughter and connection and inspiration to keep on practicing and sharing with others! Sally's Bio: Sally is a highly sensitive, trauma-informed,  intuitive leadership coach and Reiki energy practitioner. She owns a consulting business, the Collaborative Training Network, that serves the Great Lakes Region, and currently resides on the sacred and stolen land of the Anishnaabe peoples in Southeast Michigan. Sally is naturally curious and considers herself a warrior of the human spirit. She uses coaching approaches to improve relationships, make processes more efficient, and helps folks understand behavioral patterns. She uses her deep intuitive skills to reflect and invite behavior change, while moving towards healthy and well-connected individuals and environments. Sally has coached and worked with staff from dozens of city and county parks and recreation departments, the Detroit Zoological Society,  several state associations, and local housing commissions. How to connect with Sally + Show Notes: Sally's Website Sally's LinkedIn Sally's Instagram Dahlia Video- healing process analogy

A solo podcast with Tekla, she shares her and her daughter's connection with owls, the barred owl in Baltimore, and the great horned owl in Colorado. Her experiences with focusing on quiet self-care and practice leads to more connection with her own intuition, and with the natural world, particularly owls! Enjoy and be inspired to connect with nature!

Tekla welcomes Maren J. Miller to the Be Rooted Podcast for conversations about learning from each other, learning in community, the power of healing through somatics and energy work- is there really a difference or is it all connected? Maren Miller (she/her/hers) is an Anti Racist & Inclusive Leadership Development, DEI Coach, Trainer, Facilitator Maren is a multifaceted leadership coach & energy healer. She teaches energy tools, holds space for change makers healing and coaches anti racist spiritual practitioners to unravel towards their authentic and energetic purpose and unique way to contribute sustainably.  Maren and Tekla talk and laugh about many topics they love to discuss: Practices and your toolbox- how Maren uses her large toolbox of daily practices, and how she can give herself permission to use certain ones depending on what she needs. The wisdom of learning more about yourself and how to apply what you learn to support others. The journey of antiracism, always learning, and what to do when you learn that you put your foot in your mouth... how to keep going when life can show up as difficult. How Maren the empath uses tools to show up for others and her inspiration to keep showing up. The things that bring Maren and Tekla awe and joy- mother nature, laughter, singing... be inspired and reminded of how to navigate this challenging world. Show Notes You can find Maren many places- please follow her, subscribe to her newsletter, check out her website and her classes! Maren's Beacon's Page- All the info and links here! Maren on LinkedIn Maren's website- subscribe to newsletter here Maren's Philosohpy- very cool website, check it out Take classes and be in community with Maren here: Presence (meets monthly- we talked about it in the podcast) White Women Doing the Work Leadership Cohort Take intuitive training classes with Maren and Stacia (who was mentioned throughout the podcast) through Wooversity Psychic Healing Programs begin March 2024 Find Maren on Social Media @marensheartscapes @lovebubblesheal @loverockresidue

Tekla tells the story of her inspiration for the work that she does, starting from being a birth doula, to being a full-time Reiki teacher and practitioner, and the name Luz de la Luna, which is the name of her LLC. Though Be Rooted more simply describes her work and her programs, Luz de la Luna (light of the moon) still deeply describes her WHY. She tells the story of how her WHY was reignited at the retreat she attended with Valarie Kaur, author of See No Stranger.

The sound quality of Tekla's voice is not great on this first interview with Katie Helms. Katie sounds great- so thank you for your patience. Listen to the I am a Beginner episode to learn why Tekla's sound is a little wonky (it will probably bring some laughter to your day). Tekla is honored to interview Katie Helms, business consultant, as her debut interview at Be Rooted. Katie is a teacher turned healer turned entrepreneur who now works as a business consultant supporting service-providers in transition. She provides small group and 1:1 consulting for business owners looking to build momentum without misery. Katie and Tekla met in 2009 in graduate school at the then Tai Sophia Institute in Maryland. There they transformed and learned so much together, which they both bring to their businesses. Katie shares so many practices throughout this conversation that she lives and shares daily. Tekla is excited to share Katie's wisdom and wit with you as we cover: Daily practices and how to remember to do those daily practices. The power of learning in community- from graduate school to business coaching cohorts. Why we don't use the word "stress" and where that term originated. The power of creating a mood and how it affects yourself and ripples out to others. Change takes time and practice, but when you live the practices, the change happens and sticks. Show Notes: I highly recommend checking out Katie's offerings- as an entrepreneur, she has been a wonderful coach and support for me over the years. Katie's website Katie's Instagram @katiehelms_consulting Free consultation call with Katie Find Your Flow (freebie) Mindset PDF (low cost)

To learn about Tekla, her podcast producer Carin Huebner interviews her, to give an overview of what brought Tekla to creating a podcast, how she started her healing journey, why she practices Reiki and a bit about her spiritual journey. This is a great way to meet Tekla and learn about her work, while being in conversation with Carin. This episode covers the topics of: Science teacher turned Reiki teacher- how did that happen? Spiritual background and Tekla's early connection to the Earth and how to be an observer. Healing and being supported in community- Tekla's journey and how Reiki and community saved her. Being a white woman teaching the Japanese Art of Reiki and Tekla's journey with antiracism work, which is always a process of unlearning and learning. How Tekla is offering Reiki and community in her practice. The power 12 step work to connect with spirituality + healing. Show Notes: Connect with Carin Huebner on her podcasts: Heal and Go Public  PodMakers Carin’s website Heal and Go Public Episode 75: How You Can Move Energy + Heal through Reiki w/ Intuitive Reiki Teacher, Tekla Ayers Nate Ishe Lappegaard- The coach whose coaching group connected Carin and Tekla -  Kite + Dart Group - Nate is on LinkedIn, Eventbrite and Facebook (he is an awesome business coach and holds amazing coaching cohorts starting in spring 2024) Children’s book Carin referred to: I Am Quiet: A Story for the Introvert in All of Us by Andie Powers- for anyone labeled as "shy".

Tekla's first solo pod, she shares with you the story of being a beginner and her journey of getting the podcast started, and finding amusement while being a beginner. She also shares about the practice of staying connected to the cycles of the earth, and to take time to let go and grieve when things do not work out as anticipated. Letting go of expectations, and finding laughter- she hopes to remind and inspire you of daily practices of life. She also shares a bit of why she said YES to creating a podcast.

Welcome to the Be Rooted Podcast, Create a Life Aligned with your Truest Self-  Reiki, practices, boundaries, and community. This is the brave space where we explore the power of Reiki energy healing, the mind-body connection, boundaries and the power of healing in community. Join your guide, Tekla Ayers, an intuitive reiki practitioner, teacher, space-holder and community builder,  as she educates and inspires listeners through discussions on various topics. Explore the power of language and practice, and the possibilities of healing trauma through Reiki and mindfulness practices. Discover the magic of connecting with natural cycles of the earth, and how it helps to be rooted in your truest self. The format of this podcast is primarily interview/conversations with people who inspire Tekla and she wants to share their gifts with you. There will be a sprinkling of solo podcasts as well. Tekla is here to offer hard conversations, while also holding hope and possibility, while remembering to practice awe and joy daily. She will continue to do this work for the future generations, holding hope that the systems that oppress do change with each one of us healing our trauma, passing on our bravery and not our fear to the next generations, and may the healing and bravery  ripple out to our circles and communities. Thank you for listening. Be Rooted!  You can find Tekla at teklacayers.com