"You must go in"

Pour a cup of tea for this chat with wise woman, mother, astrologer, yogini and friend, Danielle Carr-Jarecha of www.mothercraftherbal.com. This conversation weaves through the magical to the mundane sacred in everyday life, motherhood, and other liminal spaces. We talk about herbalism, yoga nidra + returning to our roots, both familial and in the natural world. This episode is packed with gems for you to put in your pocket and help you on your path.

This episode is for every mama doing the best she can in this moment, celebrating her and reminding her no matter how along she feels, she is not alone.

Stay connected with Danielle’s wisdom and special offerings at: www.mothercraftherbal.com

Thank YOU for sharing + subscribing to Rebirth.

Listen to the whisper, the small questions that have "no right to go away"

you ever wanted to make a change and ended up in the same cycle of “Here we go again?” In this episode, we talk about shifting our focus away from goals and honing in on the process of change. Shifting away from “by any means necessary” and moving into the slow formidable change of growth that comes from patience and presence.

I also share with you David Whyte’s poem, the forrest floor of silence in our own contemplation and create some space for you to hear your own ponderings, turning down the dial of distraction and journeying inward. The Magic in the Mundane episodes of Rebirth are Kate’s musings on the moment in our collective desire to have a little more peace and an exquisite cup of coffee (this episode was dandelion tea) with a good friend.

If you are interested in creating that space for yourself, join the Early Birds for Master your Mornings. Learn more here.

To the hard questions that have no right to go away,

Kate

"Don't Give Up."

In this chat, Kate and Lisa talk about what yoga looks like at 40 vs. 20 and why, as Lisa puts it: “Life is hard. Yoga should nourish you.” Lisa also gifts us with her story of having a stroke at 34, what a power listening to each other can be, and the decisions she made in Faith, after that moment that created her now. This episode is a must listen.

 —-> www.lisaorear.com  @lisaorear_

In this chat Kate and Lisa talk about what yoga looks like at 40 vs. 20 and why, as Lisa puts it: Life is hard. Yoga should nourish you. Lisa also honors us with her story of having a stroke at a young age, what a power listening to each other can be, and the decisions she made in Faith, after that moment that created her now.

We need to smile more often, Philly.

Two things before I get started. Actually three.

First, as I sit to write this, I realize that this is my second encounter with the human kindness of strangers over coffee. You can read about my other good Samaritan over here.

Second and third, I do not normally drink Wawa coffee (I’ve been enjoying a Rojos single origin recently) nor did I expect this to become a raving endorsement of Wawa, but, you know, it’s a Philly thing.

Okay, picture this: a mom of an early rising, ready to roll toddler, finds herself without any coffee filters. This morning could go South very quickly. She - me - remembers another refined coffee drinker mentioning that Wawa was better than some of the local roasted=to-burnt options. So I think, okay, okay. I can do this. I will scoop up a coffee and tear over to a playground, thus the successful cajoling of said toddler into car so early in the am.

My co-pilot loves and adventure, so we toddled in to the Wawa. I procured said cup - 16 oz of warm goodness - and we were on our way, a careful juggling act of masks, kids and hot beverage, when I saw a man, that I can only describe as Philly, double back at 7:10am to hold the door for us.

Masked, his eyes twinkled.

“Kindness still exists!” I belted out.

He laughed and shouted back, “Yes!”

“YOU,” I pointed at him, with an unexpected free hand as he held the door open, “Have a fantastic day!”

“You too!” I could hear his smile.

This was six days ago, and I am still smiling when I think of this beloved brother who I may never know but has reminded me that we can still be heart centered, and kind; we can still be what makes us human in uncertain times.

In fact, now is when we need kindness and community more than ever. More than ever. Our fear is masking where we are being asked to grow.

You know, I have had some phenomenal cups of coffee these past few months, but nothing has compared to what I sipped on all morning while my son traipsed through the open fields to the playground. I drank the restoration of hope that we can be the best of what we are, now.

Thank you Philly for reminding me of that community that fierce love we have for each other.

Cheers,

Kate

ps.

Some of my most precious moments have been over a cup of coffee. This simple reminder of loving-up your mornings is the inspiration behind Master Your Mornings, 21 days to reclaim your power and your purpose. With proven and playful ways to help you reclaim your day with focus and joy. Want to learn more? Join the early birds here.

"Draw yourself near."

This episode Kate connects with Dawn Smelser, yoga teacher, healer, activist and open hearted human. Dawn shares a great story of trust, dissolution and rebirth. She shares how a conversation with Ramona Africa was a moment seeded in her childhood, and how she has learned to "draw herself near," continues to do so and teaches others to do the same.

www.motherheartstudio.com

This episode Kate connects with Dawn Smelser, yoga teacher, healer, activist and open hearted human. Dawn shares a great story of trust, dissolution and rebirth. She shares how George Floyd's death galvanized her life, how a conversation with Ramona Africa was a moment seeded in her childhood, and how she has learned to "draw herself near," continues to do so and teaches others to do the same.

How can water help you be more creative?

“When I am on the verge of losing it, raging or spinning out, spiraling into how exhausted or off track I am, I call out to myself and say, `Honey, you are just thirsty. Drink. Take a drink.’”

My client said this in an appraisal of herself and I almost dropped the phone at her clarity. We are thirsty. We are dehydrated and standing atop a planet full of water.

I do this to myself too: Search and search, turning away from the simple answers because we have turned away from simplicity, or as likely, we are more comfortable struggling for our power than residing in it.

The Now only needs our presence. Asks for our presence and that simplicity is startling enough to stop your breath, and yet one of the easiest ways to be present is to breathe.

Take a breath now.

Let it go.

Take another breath now, and let that one leave, too.

 [Click here to receive a free meditation to find your center]

Why do we need to be reminded to breathe?

Why when we are invited to breathe do we relish in it yet this autonomic function is forgotten as so as we turn away our attention. Mind you, it is not the function ceasing, only our awareness of it.

This client is not the first woman to mention that “a lot of things go wrong when we are dehydrated.” That we cannot fully function without having our basics covered. Just like the overly used car analogy: we too cannot run on an empty tank; what is even more fascinating is that we are more sure to attend to the cars’ mechanics than our own. Both operating vehicles, car and body, have become things that only the “experts” know – and that is where we have gone off track so to speak. Fine that Paul, my favorite mechanic at Almond Street Garage, is keeping me informed of my cars’ needs, yet I need to be mindful of my body’s needs. I need that relationship. That is not only my responsibility as much as a key to creating my joy.

In this Now moment can we feel our feet? How about the breeze – can we reconnect to the cycle that supports life, our own and that all around us? We are mindful what gas we place in our car. Are we mindful of the octane that we put in our body? I mean really. Are we consuming quality or are we snacking on marketing? There is a major difference.

Water has become a commodity.

We can change that.

Patterns can be undone.

Water is a necessity for you.

It is.

Your power is a necessity for your creation.

Your connection to yourself is a key to your power.

So coming back to my client’s insight, our conversation wound back to: Keep it simple.

Are you doing the basic things to help keep your cup full. I mean, the metaphors are there for a reason why not use them?

Are we checking in with the simplest action or answer first?

Are we considering our body state or only our to-do list?

Can we look at the natural world for examples?

Hint. Your pets drink water when they need to. Plants bend towards the sun. Nature uses the same building blocks for you.

So Honey, take a drink.

Then with that satiated compassion for Self, let’s look at what else you are thirsting for out of your life because beauty abounds here.

Small actions can add up to big pattern changes. if you are looking to create change, establish new patterns and live more like you, you can start here: to receive a free meditation to find your center.

Stay connected,

— Kate

Who told you to think that way?

If you can site this source — please let me know in the comments and I will amend this post.

Yesterday I was either scrolling or skimming and something caught my eye. The author ‘asked you: “Have you ever received a text from a friend and took it one way, and later found out that wasn’t the senders intent?” Meaning, your friend wasn’t trying to dismiss you, but you read the content through a filter and thought they intended to hurt your feelings, say the wrong thing, discount your perspective et cetra, et cetra. They explained that when you begin to interpret something with an “I’m sure this s going South” type of reaction, pause and ask yourself:

Who told you that?

It’s a brain interrupter.

It alerts you you are creating a story from a pattern and not the moment.

Now — of course — when were in a clear situation we don’t need this. We are talking about when we write the story of hurt through assumption and - more often than naught - we don’t know we are doing it. The subconscious is a wily thing, an unreliable friend, so when we assume, well, you remember how that ditty goes.

Text and email are a heavily used form of communication, but unlike a phone call or in person conversation, there is very little subtlety or nuance of tone (emojis do not always cover it, people) and no context of body language for either of you.

So, before you text back in a frustration, ask yourself: “Who told you that?” If you cannot trace it, the source could be a story in your head that will create unnecessary heartbreak for both you and the receiver.

If you want to take another turn of the spiral, when you are having a bad day and the tape of “This will never work out” comes through, ask yourself “Who told you that"?” and let the answers come.

For more ways to sit and unravel the stories that aren’t true, or to learn more ways to become better friends with yourself, join our community newsletter here.

xo,

Kate

"Peace starts at birth."

This episode of Rebirth, Kate chats with midwife, Birth Educator, and practitioner of body balancing, specializing in trauma, Terri Simmons. Terri talks about birth preparation, how to communicate and prepare for birth, birth integration, de-stigmatizing postpartum and the invitation that postpartum integration can happen at any time. www.alchemybirthandwellness.com

Listen here

Through my work with Terri, as our family’s midwife, I have had journeys of rawness and integration. in my experiences as a body worker, healer and mother there are places where it could be easier to not feel. It could be easier to not fully stand in witness to difficulty, confusion, birth, parenting, and the list goes on. However, I know through my own life and through my clients’ that eventually the story must be witnessed, the pain held, and the difficulty be transmuted to integration.

As an independent woman and bodyworker, I never thought I would birth my child in a hospital, and I was humbled by life in the moment I was wheeled into one. I had expected to maintain my power of control (the fullness of that is a story for another day). I couldn’t have articulated that until a good year after, but I kept digging and I am glad I did. Birth - of any kind - is unique. Birth of a human demands all of the woman, her surrender, her trust, her strength , her release — not matter how it happens. I can only tell my story and share my medicine. I encourage you to tell your own, too. It is powerful to claim your victories and your lessons. Your confusion and your certainty; your pain and your triumph. I think birth carries all of that if we make ourselves available.

One of the reason that I am so deeply delighted to talk with Terri (aside from our friendship and mutual respect) is that I want every woman, no matter her age, to know that integrating your postpartum, your birth story can happen at any time.

Reach out if you have questions or if you are interested in working one on one with Kate or Terri.

We are here for you.

With love + gratitude for listening,

Kate

Listen here

Share your Story, and more gems with Ann Randolph on Rebirth

Kate + Ann Randolph chat about the courage it takes to bring inspirations to life, how Ann went from comedy improv to fillining in for a minister and how her commitment to welcome the dawn and the stories that we all carry gave birth to www.happycockchurch.com *This episode contains adult language

Rebirth: Be the power of the land speaking

This episode I am more personal than I have been before because I feel like our stories are healing us. Our land is needing us and the time is here. The episode centers around Sharon Blackie’s quote, “Be the power of the land speaking” as found in her book If women rose rooted.

When you think of connecting to nature do you think of vacation or do you think of your own surroundings? Do you think we can reestablish a sense of place?

Leave a comment and let us know.

Subscribe to Rebirth here.

Welcome to Season 3.

I appreciate your time,

Kate