49. Blending Science, Spirituality, & Sacred Sex with Samantha Charles

I met Samantha Charles at a yoni casting ceremony. Yes, you read that right! It was such a beautifully connective and healing experience, and I am grateful she accepted the invitation to come on the podcast!

In this episode, Samantha shares her journey into the realm of sacred sexuality and how she intertwines the divine and the taboo through science, spirituality, and sacred sex. We also chat about healing the feminine, spiritual bypassing, the importance of somatic practices, cycle tracking, and yoni casting ceremonies as a way to release shame, increase confidence, and step into more profound love and acceptance.

Takeaways

• Healing happens in the body, and somatic work is essential for this process.
• Integrating science and spirituality can provide a more holistic understanding of the world.
• Education and knowledge about the body and sexuality are crucial for personal growth and well-being.
• Challenging societal taboos and misconceptions around topics like sex and the female cycle is necessary for empowerment and self-discovery. Natural birth control involves understanding the different phases of the menstrual cycle.
• Ovulation is the peak of the cycle and a time of energy and outward expression.
• The luteal phase is a time of transition and introspection.
• Tracking and being in relationship with one's cycle is important for understanding and honoring the body.
• The Yoni casting kit is a tool for connecting with and honoring the body.
• We are all different and beautiful in our own unique ways.

Chapters

00:00, Introduction and Background

03:01, The Journey into Somatic Healing and Sacred Sexuality

08:55, Integrating Science and Spirituality

12:52, Womb Healing and Embracing the Female Cycle

19:05, Challenging Taboos: Education and Empowerment

26:49, Understanding the Phases of the Menstrual Cycle

27:19, The Peak of the Cycle: Ovulation

28:15, The Luteal Phase: Transition and Introspection

33:05, Tracking and Honoring the Cycle

36:31, Connecting with the Body: The Yoni Casting Kit

45:18, Embracing Our Differences: We Are All Beautiful

Connect with Sam:
Instagram
Website
Grow As We Go Podcast

Connect with Kristin:
Website
Instagram
YouTube

Kristin's Best-Selling Book:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sex, Drugs, & Soul on Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify Audiobook Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Subscribe to the Podcast:
YouTube
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For 10% off pleasure goodies at WAANDS, use code SEXDRUGSSOUL.

Transcript

Kristin: 0:00

I'm Kristen Birdwell, and this is Back, Dry, and Sol. I like breathing together. Yeah. Um, I'm so excited that you said yes to this invitation, Samantha. So just so that people know, I've met Samantha, I guess now it's been a few months at a Yoni Healing Sisterhood ceremonial space. Um oh, it wasn't a Yoni Healing. Well, it was kind of a Yoni healing thing in a way. Uh Yoni casting um ceremony, which is really cool and is on my altar meditation area now, um, which I'm sure we'll get into that. But thank you for saying yes and coming on.

SPEAKER_01: 0:44

Yeah, yeah. Thanks for having me. I'm excited to dive into all the the yummy things. Yeah.

Kristin: 0:51

Yeah. I love it. Um so I'd love to start and get to know you a little bit. Um, I listened to one episode of your podcast about your, I think the first one about your story a little bit for my listeners and stuff, um, to get to know like what led you to the realm of somatic healing and sacred sexuality and becoming a priestess in this world of Tantra.

SPEAKER_01: 1:17

Yeah, yeah. Um well, I'm Sam and born and raised in the Houston area. Uh been in Texas pretty much my whole life, um, just on the outskirts of the city of Houston. I have two boys, and they are nine and six. And I'm recent recently-ish divorced, um, about a year and a half ago. And um yeah, have just been really diving into this whole like realm of healing of within the body. Um, that's a bit more recent, maybe in the last four or five years. Um, before that, I went to therapy, like when I was 15, like I started going to therapy and have been in the mental world of healing, mental health, um, for many years. And now, you know, I find a lot of support in that. You know, there's a time and place, I think, for for mental work in that way, talking about it. Um, but I also think that there comes a point where you get to move forward and in um in the talking of it, because there's a way that sometimes that can lead us to stay stuck in these patterns. Um, just mentally assessing it, you know. Um, and it's of my belief that healing happens in the body. And so I do a lot of somatic work. Somatic is just kind of a fancy science word for of the body. Um, and so I call myself a somatic priestess, and I really love that because it incorporates two things that I've become really um passionate about. And ever since I was a young kid, just love anatomy and physiology. And I would like I grew up in the country, so I don't know how this sounds to like city folk, but we'd have like, you know, dead animals, or like my dad would kill a snake, and I would be like dissecting it, you know, as a kid, just like, oh my gosh, this is amazing, you know, the the heart and the organs, and you know, one time there was like another snake inside the snake, and that was absolutely fascinating. Yeah, that's cool. Yeah, and and in college, you know, I went to school for um like started nursing and then went into veterinary medicine instead. Um, but either way, you know, it's like we're all we're all animals at the end of the day, and and learning so much about the body and anatomy and physiology and just the mechanics of the body has always been really enthralling to me. Um and then in the last few years have gone on more of like a spiritual journey and bringing science and spirituality together, which you know is maybe kind of a taboo and things that aren't aren't put together in the same sentence, you know. Like we don't talk about that.

Kristin: 4:08

I love putting them together though, because I feel like it helps give um people more skeptic-leaning, um, you know, for the ethereal or for what you can explain. When you bring the science in there, yeah, it validates it a little bit. Or for sure.

SPEAKER_01: 4:24

Um yeah, that's been a lot of my learnings over the way um, you know, a few teachers like um Eckert Tolley and Michael Singer. I'm really a fan of his work and Joe Dispenza. Yeah, me too. Yes, Joe Dispenza, you know, guys like that, and people that are in that world of of really merging the two, you know, science and spirituality. And so that was really my first like um exposure to spirituality in any form. I mean, not in any form, because like I grew up in southern south south Texas, you know, so like I've been exposed to somehow always attracted partners and boyfriends that like were in that world pretty deep, um, compared compared to me, where like my my grandpa was like borderline atheist for a really long time and my mom was, you know, we don't we don't really know, and we're not gonna like waste our time trying to figure it out, kind of agnostic. Um, so I grew up in that, and it was really, you know, interesting having that belief in South Texas, and you know, it's just um really interesting. And so I I had had a lot of um, I would call them, you know, negative experiences with religion, um, organized religion. And so there's been a lot of unlearning and um like deconstruction in from a different aspect than what what that term is normally used for, um in into being able to integrate the more spirituality and um you know, being of oneness and also being able to hear the word God and Jesus and the Bible without being like so freaking triggered, you know.

Kristin: 6:06

Yes, I had to completely rewrite my relationship with the word God. It used to like incite such like um, I don't know if it was angst or fear or just like I just don't like that word. Um so I I worked on like healing my relationship with the word even God. Yeah, yeah. So I didn't think it that it's a driven inside of the yeah, those fearful moments, or like, oh, are you on the right side of Jesus? Are you gonna go to heaven when you did you have a car wreck tonight? You know, that sort of yeah, yeah, doomsday kind of yeah, um with me.

SPEAKER_01: 6:43

Oh yeah, yeah, same. But so then in the last, I guess three years or so, have have been pulling more of you know healing of the of my feminine and bringing more feminine aspects into my healing and somatic and um you know mental health sort of concoction that I've got going on in my my healing journey and um also the world of Tantra and those different things are are are a little bit more new-ish, I suppose. But it's it's really, really fascinating, all of all of that.

Kristin: 7:19

Um I think after I went, you know, I after I just wanted to insert a little thing here too, like the resonance is that with my the whole of the rediscovering awakening feminine, it's uh definitely want to touch on it because I felt for so long my masculinity was acting or serving as a protector. Oh, for sure. Um and yeah, like and so I'm like, no, I just want to be more of a feminine energy. What does that look like for you? Yeah, yeah. Um, well, you know, I started yeah, I started.

SPEAKER_01: 7:52

Um I went to like an it was kind of like an ecstatic dance sort of thing, and then I ran into Brittini. I don't know if you're if you know her, she's she's in the Austin area, and she has a company called Big Pussy Energy, and you know, that's that's like her big thing, right? Is like um twerking and a lot of somatic movement in a very like feminine and sexual in a in a way, but it's it's it's more deeper than like you know, I feel like a lot of the sort of dance classes or different things like that. Um, there's a deeper meaning to it with the somatics, and um so I found that and I read the book Pussy, a reclamation by Regina Tomashore, Mama Gina, and um just kind of you know spiraled from there essentially. Um started doing my own work with sensual embodiment and exploration of you know my body and bringing myself out of that mental, you know, healing space of like being so in my head and trying to figure it out and like you know, what family trauma is causing this problem in my life today, and like, okay, what if we just dance it out and you don't even have to really understand it? Like the body is so wise, you know, and it's really interesting to be witness to the shifts and like transformations in my life in the real, like, you know, my real world 3D life from just dancing and movement and getting more in tune with my body, um, even maybe more so than you know, the years of therapy and and things like that. And so it is it is interesting to notice that.

Kristin: 9:30

Yeah, no, I um can relate. I wrote a book and I feel like I had a lot of mental understandings, but then I had to couple it with like in the emotional release or um somatic release or practices. Um for so long there's two paths like that, like either trying to not necessarily bypass or maybe a little bit of bypassing the human experience, like maybe if I meditate or ascend enough, you know, or whatever. And then um then also like the connecting of the dots through like the mental understandings. Um, yeah, the main reason why, and I told you I I have a heart out at three because of therapy is that I'm exploring ketamine therapy, and so I have to have a therapist for this process. And so I was like, well, give me someone who's like woo, who like is tapped into somatics or understanding into sexuality, like on like so this magical being appeared. That sounds awesome. So oh yeah, yeah, it's it's been fantastic so far. I haven't started the ketamine therapy part of it yet. Um, that'll probably be in August, but we're just kind of establishing a baseline. Yeah, yeah, that's awesome. Yeah, I'd be curious to follow up with you about that. I've heard a lot of really good things about that. Yeah, I will totally share everything. Um, but yeah, I just think it's so important to weave those two.

unknown: 10:52

Yeah.

Kristin: 10:52

Like I can still be in my head a lot about it, right?

SPEAKER_01: 10:55

Um yeah, I think that that's a part of a thing too with um the spiritual community. Um, is this like what I like? You you kind of said it, and I think it's like, I don't know if we should say that, but it's like it feels like a form of like spiritual bypassing, right? Where it's like trying to bypass the human experience and get so quote enlightened that you can escape this body and like you know, go up into the ethers and and all of that. And then I really do believe that we we don't have to go anywhere, you know, everything is within us. And like with even with meditation, you know, for a really long time I was doing similar things of like trying to like maybe bring my attention and awareness like up and out into the whatever, you know, and the more I'm coming into my body and and feeling the sensations, it's like you can go really deep into your body and really deep into the experience. And you know, there's there's a black hole in the middle of all of your atoms that are a part of your body and your physical body. And so it's like the universe is with inside you, the same as within, so without that sort of thing. And so it's like maybe you don't have to go anywhere, maybe it's it's all within us, and we can do both where you're you're going, going in to go out, if that makes sense, you know, and not not bypassing your human experience and not bypassing the the physical and sensations and emotions and you know all the yummy juicy things that we get to experience in this lifetime.

Kristin: 12:32

Yeah, it's like I came into this body for a reason. And I feel like in some ways I was, you know, maybe it's advanced disassociation that I was practicing in some in some ways. Um and then, but yeah, the coming, the more I come home to myself and the more I embrace my humanness and my messiness and like all the you know, the the mess, really, because I think for so long I was on a perfectionistic street. Um, like I'm like the more I lean into like the humanness, I feel more spiritual and tapped in or to the mystery of it all. Like I notice more synchronicities or signs or that sort of thing. And I know so you mentioned going inside. Is that um I'm like, is this a good segue into womb healing? Like, what is it, or how you discovered it? Or I feel like that's going inside.

SPEAKER_01: 13:22

Oh, yeah, yeah. It's there's there's lots of ways we can go inside, right?

Kristin: 13:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 13:27

Um, yeah, womb healing, and and that's been something that has really captivated me. Um I mean, with the idea of you know, sacred sexuality and and all these like taboo conversations, I really have always found myself um being like a black sheep and you know, having conversations that people didn't really feel comfortable having, but like being fascinated by these topics, you know, like um the way the body works and like how sex works and um, you know, science and spirituality and you know, all these different different things that like people don't like to talk about, you know. Um and so bring it for yeah, and one of those things is like realizing how how especially things that it's like you know, we're not gonna talk about it, but also they're they're so important, like like sex. It is so important, it's the fabric of our existence, and like every every person was created through that act, and everything that you you interact with is created through that sort of energy, but we're not allowed to talk about it, but also in the same idea, like sex sells, you know, and it's everywhere and it's in your face, and it's like all these blusters women and like men that are all ripped and like shirtless and selling different things, and it and it's alluring and it is very attractive, and it and it's interesting to see that, you know, it that like contrast and polarity of things, and so finding the the weaving between the two, um, and and bringing more information and knowledge, which you know, like having curiosity and learning and and finding knowledge about things that you don't understand is like the solution to any sort of judgment or fear or any of that, you know, more like kind of they say lower vibrational stuff and emotions and energies in that way. So um one of the things that I have found is you know, the the sex is very not talked about, but so is like the human body and like the way it works and like some of the more things that are maybe quote gross about it, you know. Um and with for women, I mean, I I'm experiencing this life as a woman. And so, you know, things like your menstrual cycle and having birth, having having babies, giving birth, and and that whole system has been another, you know, that was another one of my journeys. I have two boys, like I said, and I had them both at home. Um wow. Yeah, and that was a really interesting thing because nobody in my family had ever done that. Um, it I was supported by my family, you know, but it was not like I feel like it's gotten a little bit more mainstream, a little bit. But a little bit, yeah, kind of, right?

Kristin: 16:32

But but like at least in in the well, you know, I feel like sometimes what I uh am curious about or what it finds me or pops up, right? I'm like, I don't know if it's at more mainstream or if it's just like I'm in those these circles or in those circles, certain circles, yeah, that it's more common or yeah, I'm talking about questioning things or considering alternatives and and more natural ways of of living life, you know.

SPEAKER_01: 17:00

Um, but yeah, at the time in the circle I was in too, it just was not like people didn't do that. Yeah. How did you make that decision? It felt like a very like, I guess, divine, intuitive sort of thing. Like, you know, I I knew what sex was at a very young age. Nobody had a conversation with me. I just kind of knew. Um, and I remember it's you know, you have these memories that like kind of stick with you. And I remember being like 12, 12, um, and like this thought coming of I'm gonna have my babies in this house, which is the house that I, you know, live in. I grew up on a kind of a farm-ish place in the country. Um, we had a big house and there was a big jacuzzi there. And there's like the thought that I'm gonna have babies in the jacuzzi, and I'm like, you know, okay, I don't know why 12-year-old girls thinking about that sort of thing. Um, but that really stuck with me. And so, you know, I toyed with the idea of not having kids and different stuff, and that's you know, a whole journey. But um, you know, I became pregnant and I was like, well, I know I'm gonna have a home birth, so like that's that's kind of that. And we like you guys get to figure that out.

Kristin: 18:12

We'll fill in the blanks and the pieces as we go.

SPEAKER_01: 18:16

Yeah, yeah. And it and it's just you know, I I've always had a real appreciation for the natural ways of of life, um, and uh real connection to nature, and that's been really challenging living in Houston because Houston's not really set up for for that sort of outdoor life, but um yeah, so um back to the doing like things differently, I suppose, and and having the home birth and and uh feeling like I needed to educate people about this sort of stuff. Like, no, it's actually really natural, and like what's actually harmful is potentially not having it this way, you know, um and all the all the the medical interventions that are not always necessary. Um, and you know, depending on whatever, I have my own beliefs about all that. But I think I I believe that you know, most of the way that it's done right now, it's become very medicalized and very um, you know, treated as a disease when it's a totally natural phenomena. And I don't I don't believe the you know anyway, I won't get into that. But but if you want to go into that no, I just I just think that it's more of a natural thing and in the you know interventions and the challenges that people face wouldn't be so prevalent if we weren't messing with the natural order of things. Um so that'll say I'll say about that much on that. Um, and so the same thing with like breastfeeding and things like that, you know, it's like people have a hard time with that. So there's been a lot of different little things in my life that have felt very natural um and and a bit confusing to some parts. Of me, like why is this questioned, even you know? Um, so one of those things is about you know, sexuality and the menstrual cycle and the phases of the of the menstrual cycle, not just the bleed phase, you know. They're I've gotten really into that, and that's one of the things that I educate about um is our cycle and our anatomy as well. Because that's another thing, you know, you have sex ed, but they don't really I feel like you're not really taught properly, you know. It's very like, this is what it is, and we're gonna like kind of analysis what it does, and then we're and then we'll move on, you know. We're not gonna don't ask any questions, you know. So it's very like, what's going on here? Um and don't touch one, you'll get pregnant, or you'll exactly yeah, yeah. It's so interesting. Yeah, yeah. And and and I'm really into also like natural forms of birth control and things like that, and educating about your cycle in that way because you know, birth control, I've got a vendetta against it.

Kristin: 21:01

Yeah, it's kind of saying, like, I well, when I was on it, it seemed like, okay, why is this being the only thing that's recommended? And then it messed with me, like libido, acne, just overall energetic level. So I'm like, well, I'll take my chances or I'll figure out another path versus sure. Um, yeah, that's at least like my own personal experience with it. So I love that you teach it.

SPEAKER_01: 21:26

Yeah, and I think it's really um a shame. And I it's not necessarily um the fault of any one medical professional. It's like the system as a whole and what they're taught and what they're you know told to share and different things like that. But you know, it's a common misconception that birth control balances your hormones and it it doesn't. Um, it like equalizes them, which women are not meant to have that sort of a cycle, you know. Um, and whenever you're off of it and you have the the bleed, it's like a it's a discharge sort of like um bleed. It's not like an actual dropping of the egg and that whole cycle that we go through. And so you have, you know, millions of women on that sort of stuff, and it's really, really um, you know, I I I uh I don't think that's good for people.

Kristin: 22:20

Me either, because I'm like, how do I listen to the signals that my body is trying to communicate if I'm putting something in that that throws or equalizes them? Yeah, I'm like such a consistent and cognitive basis. There's a reason why they want to, yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 22:33

Yeah. You know, there's a lot of there's a lot of different ways. I have a friend of mine that does uh a lot of nutritional work and and is really, really skilled in that um and balancing hormones in that sort of a natural way, where just by your the food that you eat, and it's not she's really adamant about not like you know, constricting and like don't do this, don't do that, but like, you know, what can we do? And um she's had a lot of really, really great success. And I think that that's you know, that sort of work is really, really amazing in the in the women's health world. That's the kind of stuff that I I'd like to see more.

Kristin: 23:07

Yeah. Well, I mean, since you mentioned um like the cycles, I'd love to like even just give I a breakdown or of the female cycle, maybe because I think that I I looked the other week and I saw like it my listeners or used to be about 50-50, and I was like, Oh, that's cool, but now it seems to be leaning 70% male and 30% female. And so I just want to do a little quick PSA, guys, that um a female cycle is so beneficial to you too.

SPEAKER_01: 23:37

I I love that you bring that up because actually I recently I'm trying to remember, I don't think it's aired yet, but on my podcast, so me, my my partner is my co-host, and um oops, cool, yeah, and he he's very well versed in this stuff because you know he's in relationship with me. Um and he he knows where I am in my cycle, and so that's been really supportive, um, just in partnership, like and and as an individual, to have somebody who also knows like kind of what to expect and and all that. But we've recorded a podcast together about the benefits of that um and why it's important for men to know to know that and to be of support in that. Um and there's a lot of you know conversation around. I know I have a friend of mine that I shared about this in the in the podcast that her and her partner would would be in this cycle of like, you know, reconsidering their marriage every month because it was like a little bit like this certain phase in her cycle that was like being triggered by him and his part, you know, it's it's it's just a fascinating um way that relationships work. I love that sort of stuff, like dynamics and you know, differences and the way that they play onto each other and and attachment styles and the way that they like ebb and flow, all that stuff is just absolutely fascinating to me. So I love relationship dynamics, yeah. Um, but yeah, I can break it down a little bit and give a little like overview. Um the way that I like to share about it is um uh like the seasons because that's something that everybody experiences and can like totally understand and get a grap on grisp on grasp on. I just like try to mix two words there. Um so if you think about we have winter, we have spring, we have summer, and we have fall. And so the menstrual phase is uh correlation to winter. So it's like this death, this release, this um your go more inward, uh lower energy production, outward stuff. It's more about going in and um you know, releasing things and and you get what I'm saying there. So then we move into spring. And spring is the time, you know, after your bleed is over. It's also called the uh follicular phase, and it's the time where you know energy is coming back up, and um, you have a lot more energy than yeah, yeah, like spring cleaning and let's go and start some projects and more outward outward focus and outward input. Um, you might be more outgoing during that time. And so then you move into um summer, and it's interesting too because like all of these different things, like they're different um portions of time, right? They're not all equal the way that like our seasons are. So, you know, I live in Texas and summer is very long, but the ovulation phase in the woman is not very long. Yeah. So, you know, the ovulation is like one day, two days, um, where there's this this brief little period of time where you can get pregnant. And that's why I think you know, natural birth control is really interesting because people like a lot of people don't even know that, which is like so basic. Um and and you know, to also be consideration that like sperm can linger for a few days, you know, and so there's there's that to to be in consideration whenever you're thinking about like natural family family planning. But at any rate, um summer is like ovulation. Ovulation is like the peak of the cycle, you know, it's what we've worked so hard for. We get to um, you know, pick our our fruit and have yummy peaches and you know, all these different things. So we've done all this work, the rest, we've done all the growing and all this work to have the peach. Yeah. Yeah, I love peaches. And so that's ovulation. And again, it's more outward. There's more energy, you know. The birds are the birds are flying around, the bees are buzzing, the butterflies, like there's so much energy happening. And so that's like the peak, peak um cycle. And then you move into fall, which is the luteal, and the luteal is the longest phase of the cycle. Um, it's about yeah, it's about like 11 to 14 days, so it could be about two weeks, depending on you know, all kinds of things that we, you know, don't have time to get into today. But yeah, um, there's so many different factors, and I find that fascinating as well. But so with the luteol, they you can you can break it down into like early luteal and late luteal because it is so long, and um, there is kind of this transitional period. So, you know, the ovulation happens, and if you're not attempting to get pregnant or that doesn't happen, you start to um, you know, you start to lose your leaves and your body starts to um release the tissues and get ready for the bleed. And so there's all of that happening, there's some hormone dipping. Um, and so if you think about fall, um, you know, it's a transitional period of like this this bright aliveness into into going into darkness and rest and recuperation. And so the earlier early luteal is kind of, you know, we're starting to slow down with our energy. Um, and then late luteal is the part that um is hated by most. It's like that P of that PMS, we're very moody. Um, yeah, it's it's more challenging.

Kristin: 29:33

And it's interesting because my yearning for horizontal time. I didn't mean to interrupt you, but yeah, go ahead.

SPEAKER_01: 29:39

Yeah.

Kristin: 29:41

It's the time where I'm like, I want to be horizontal and be inward and yeah, yeah, that's the start of that.

SPEAKER_01: 29:47

Yeah, exactly. Um, and it's interesting because I like as I've realized, learned this myself and then started living a little bit more cyclically, where you know that's a whole thing too. And I have I did a whole series on my podcast for the month of March. I called it March menstruation madness.

SPEAKER_03: 30:04

Oh, cool. I'll go give it a listen.

SPEAKER_01: 30:09

Yeah, yeah. So I had four women come on and just talking about the cycle in different ways that you can sync different aspects of your life to it, like through nutrition. There's different ways to eat throughout the cycle, exercise, um, with correlation with the moon and what all that means. And then there was a woman on there that um talked about microdosing and psilocybin in a different way. Um, because a lot of cool, I definitely want to listen to that. Yeah, yeah. So I have that. Um, and yeah, it's just it's really fascinating, you know, the way how we're we're different. We're like so many different people in one month, right? Um yeah, and so that's one of the things is that there it's Ludial is very um can be very challenging. And one of a lot of the education that I do and in my fascination with it is like Ludial's actually become like late Ludial has become one of my favorite parts of my cycle. Like I look forward to it. Um, not because it's gotten necessarily easier, but it's really fascinating to see the lessons that are available there. Um, because you know, we think like I'm just moody or I'm just irritated about something, but like truly, you know, there's there are also different archetypes associated with those things. Um I'll just go through that quickly too, where in spring it's kind of like the maiden energy, um, you know, new, blossoming, innocent, all that. And then of course, ovulation is mother energy where we're like full and in bloom and um, you know, ready for prepared for motherhood, potentially. And then fall, which is ironic because there's people talk about the archetypes of women, and it's like the the maiden, the mother, and the wise woman, and they leave out the wild woman, which is fall. Oh, oh, I love that. Yeah. And so no, let's not leave her out. I know, I know. We gotta reclaim her. So, you know, the wild woman is is is potentially chaotic, uh, emotional, and also there's a lot of like righteousness, not in the bad way, but like, you know, vent like like uh courage and uh sense of like dignity in a way, I guess. I'm trying, I'm having a hard time coming up with words for that. But there there is this like um sense of wildness, but but wildness in in a really beautiful way that if you can be curious, um, there's also an oracle in the wildness, you know, um, and being in tune with that. And I've noticed that with my partner, and that's something that he talks about a bit on that episode, um, is um the just the challenges that have come up in our relationship, particularly in that phase. And if we can be be calm enough, you know, to not like bite each other's heads off about it, there's a lot of really um a lot of wisdom there and a lot of support to our partnership and like things that are not working and things we get to reassess and and look at. Um, so anyway, that's been something I'm like, oh, what's gonna happen this time? You know, we kind of joke a little bit, like it's it's not always fun, but it's it can be, you know, and it's we're both kind of self-growth junkies. So I think that that's like a really fun.

Kristin: 33:33

Get it to the curiosity.

SPEAKER_01: 33:37

Yeah, yeah. Um, yeah. So then you have your your menstrual face, which is uh, you know, the wise woman, and it's it's more more quiet and calm and inward and and all that.

Kristin: 33:48

And um yeah, I definitely feel like intuitive insights arise a lot when I am like menstruating um and lean, I love leaning into like that self-reflection and asking myself questions, or I feel like some a lot of things bubble up to the surface.

SPEAKER_01: 34:02

Yeah, yeah. One thing that came through this last cycle for me with um in regards to my Ludial recently was um realizing that like, you know, with with the cycle and kind of also with like societal expectations on women and how we're like meant to be in the world and act, and it's like the the maiden and the mother energy are more acceptable socially, you know, it's like giving and nurturing and bubbly and innocent. And then on the other end of you know, the wild woman and potentially even the crone or the wise woman is like we don't want to hear from that, and like you're too chaotic and you're too this, to that, to whatever, you know. Um and so in in the late Ludial, you know, it's this going from more outward, more socially acceptable to like more inward and more like chaotic potentially. But there's this transition time where you know I'm still trying to operate out of that, the other, you know, what my expectations are, or expectations that are put on to me and that I, you know, accept as my own. And but then there's this wrestling inside of me, like now, you know, it's time to go inward and like stop taking so much information in and like it's a time for rest. And so that that was a lot of wisdom there for me um to have that space of rest.

Kristin: 35:35

Yeah. And I feel like back in the day, didn't they used to like honor women in their um in that phase of the cycle? I feel like yeah, the the red tent. Yeah, yeah, the red tent.

SPEAKER_01: 35:48

Yeah, like wow, yeah, all then we'd go and and bleed together and and come back with with you know all kinds of messages and and whatnot for for the uh village. And they were respected and listened to, and you know, those messages went went on. And that was one of the things that he talked about in that podcast episode. My partner was like, you know, there is a lot of wisdom, and you know, men get to listen, and that's part of the the thing I think that can be challenging is women don't feel listened to.

Kristin: 36:23

Yeah, and like we want to be heard, right, right.

SPEAKER_01: 36:28

That there's wisdom, there's wisdom even if it's emotional. Oh my god, you know.

Kristin: 36:33

Oh my god, my emotions are such teachers for sure. And yeah, I'm like, God, I remember, and I think that's probably why they scared me for a long time, because they were so intense and are like different directions too. Um, but I think there are so many um is wisdom or insights, and now kind of leaning into a little bit of the um, which I think I read in Existential Kink, uh like emotions or sensation, yeah, as truth in my body. And so it's like if I feel a ripple of something, and then I'm like, oh okay, what kind of truth is that showing me? Or I don't know, and leaning into listening to that more. And just I'm so emotional. I've got a lot of water in my chart too. But a lot of water. Yeah, yeah, that's funny. Yeah, I'd love to touch on like um I what are some ways that the either like the cycle or like uh leaning in more to psych cyclical leave line uh living or um like the womb wisdom or um yeah, any practices that you love to to practice or do or implement into your day or week or month or life in general?

SPEAKER_01: 37:56

Yeah. Well, I think you know, for people just starting out, I think the first step is to start tracking tracking your cycle, you know, and is be in relationship with it. And if you think about the way that you're in relationship with anything or anybody is you spend time and energy with it. Um and so you know, being aware of of when it's coming or what part, what phase you're in, um, is is really really a good a good starting place, you know, and then and then it'll I'm I imagine it'll snowball from there, you know. And different teachers teachers will come into your life and and learnings and different practices that work for you because I I do really believe that healing is so um individual, you know, it's like what works for me might not work for somebody else. And um, but yeah, I mean that's that's I I kind of am a little basic about that, honestly. So um I keep track of it, I know where I'm at, and um, you know, I don't do the like temperature to see like exactly, you know, I just keep track of what day I'm on and and have relationship with when my cycle is coming and when the luteal's coming. And um yeah, same.

Kristin: 39:13

I kind of I have the an app and I'm like, okay, I know um and I can tell like just uh consistency-wise, I'm like, oh, I'm ovulating. Yeah. Um, or or like I'm like, if I'm really horny, I'm like, it must be ovulating. Sometimes I'm like, that's a great window, guys. Feral, you know. Yeah. Like, do I like him or am I just ovulating? Yeah, yeah, you gotta be careful about that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 39:41

Yeah. So there's that, and like I think too, just like forming a relationship with your body, you know, and and however that looks for me. Um, breath work and dance have been really like ecstatic dance or um, you know, slow sensual using of the senses where you're using touch a lot, um, breath. And movement and sound, and I'm just finding a really a cool playlist that you enjoy and um putting on a couple songs. You know, it doesn't have to be like a really long, drawn-out thing, it's just having connection to your body and the sensations of this experience here. And um, having relationship to your body is a really, really good place to to start and continue on that journey too, to have relationship with your body. You know, a lot of us try to escape the body as much as possible with all kinds of different activities, and you know, people go on ayahuasca and mushrooms and alcohol and like all kinds of things to escape the body and um you know, all those things. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm on a cleanse right now, which has been really great. Oh, how's that going? Good. I I kind of have been like halfway committed for like the first part of this month, but um this last half I'm like I deleted the app and I'm just not gonna get on it. Oh wow. It's it's been really interesting um to notice like the habits that I formed around it and then also the presence that I have without it. And so, you know, with my kids and with who I'm with and stuff.

Kristin: 41:18

For sure. Yeah, I mean, I think I did that once where I was like, oh, my finger I found my fingers just going automatically to where the app lives on my phone. I'm like, whoa, like that's default mode. Like, no, let's just take a step back.

SPEAKER_01: 41:32

Yeah, it's been really interesting.

Kristin: 41:34

But yeah, I'm like, I don't have the yearning to do how long are you gonna do it for?

SPEAKER_01: 41:39

Or have you just till the end of the month, so it's like two weeks. Yeah. Um, I have my boys a little bit differently this month, uh, as far as like you know, custody and childcare and different things like that. So I figured it's a good time to like be intentional with them and and also take a break. And yeah, I think it'll be it'll be good so far, so good.

Kristin: 42:01

Yeah, that's it, yeah. I love that. And like this an intentional fast or social media fast. Well, I definitely want to touch on um, or I'm and I'm curious about how the Yoni casting came up into be because I remember like watching fried green tomatoes like way back in the day, and like she brought out a mirror or something and like looked at her pussy, and I'm like, and so I think I did it once then, but um like whenever yeah, I'll just love for you to share like how that idea came to fruition or like the story behind it. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_01: 42:38

Well, I think it started with that book pussy. Um, you know, she does some of the homework that she gives you is like getting in again, like getting in relationship with your pussy, you know. It's like we start to get in relationship with our bodies, but it's like, no, we don't touch down there, we don't look down there, like I don't even know what it does, you know. I don't even want to touch it. Weird things come out of it, you know, it stinks or it smells different sometimes, and like, you know, there's all these different things. And so having a relationship with it and knowing how it works and and forming like a self-pleasure practice and and all those things. Um, and so it was around that journey that I found this girl who who was making kits. Um, she's actually in Australia, and I was like, man, like I wish somebody here did that. And little did I know that that was gonna be my journey, you know. Oh my god. I know she's like, oh, I have this kit, and I was like, oh, cool, like I'd like to do it and just you know, have it, and kind of went out of went went about it in a very like masculine, goal-oriented, like I just want the thing, you know. Um but it was very much a more of an experience than I had expected it to be, and like, you know, block like the experience of it and like asking permission. I don't know that I had ever asked permission before that day. And that was a really beautiful thing for me. Um, and so whenever I do the the Yoni casting ceremonies, that's really important to like make it a serum ceremony and have it be very intentional and also, you know, maintain our attention and consciousness while we're there. Um, because I know that a lot of women and me too, um, you know, would go to the gynecologist or even sometimes in sexual experiences, it it like I detach, you know, just like disassociate and like kind of pretend like I'm not really here and I'm not, you know, different things like that. And so just take this over with type of thing. Yeah, yeah, exactly. And so bringing more slowness and and intentionality to that experience. And um, yeah, started doing the ceremonies, and that's how you and me connected at one of them, and it's kits for sale now, and so it's it's been really yeah, I I I loved the ceremonial space.

Kristin: 45:00

I think what called to me on it was also like a healing of the sister, sister wound, and yeah, um, and I I loved the and I just loved the idea too of honoring my a part of my body that way and um and creating a more loving relationship versus coming from like a judgmental place, like oh leaning more outy or da-da-da, or this just am I normal, or like all some of those common questions. Um, and like really get to, you know, I get to speak from my experience. It's like I loved, you know, a piece of it where it's like, oh, I look and see what what messages my Yoni has for me, or that kind of thing. Like, do I see a flower or do I see a butterfly? Or like I love that aspect of it too. Um and so it's very beautiful and connected. Yeah. And so with the Yoni casting kit, I'm curious. So do they do that on their own? Do you I saw I think I saw something where you may be leaving a um ceremonial space or yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 46:08

So for the launch of them, um, which is kind of over by now, um just for the listeners. Yeah, but the launch, like the the pre-launch of them, like so it was like my first, you know, I did a couple beta tests, and then, you know, okay, we're gonna do this, and I got all the kids together, and like kind of as a celebration, um, putting together an online, like virtual ceremony, which I've never done anything like that before. So I'm really curious how that's gonna go. Um, have only done it in person, and so I'm hoping, you know, to be able to still create that container and it's still be a good experience for people because there is something about in-person things, you know, and there also is something about like the sisterhood, you know, um, in the in the live in-person ceremonies, you you get a partner, a sister that you are giving and receiving um the casting two and four. And so that's a really beautiful experience as well. Um, and I also can recognize that not everybody's ready for that. Um yeah, so guiding them through um, you know, an intentional and um ceremonial experience and as well as instructions similar to how I did in the in the live space with you. Um, so I have that and then for people who aren't available to join that, um, or if people order after, like because they're still available to purchase, it's just like this particular date is not, I mean, unless you get your kit on time, it won't be available. Yeah. Um but every every kit comes with like step-by-step written instructions, as well as like I made a video that I privately posted on YouTube so that way you can be because I'm more of a visual learner, and so like I felt like that was missing for me and my experience of having that, like, okay, what is it supposed to look like? Or like, you know, so took took care of that with the video, and so every kit comes with that, um, all the supplies you'll need, and um yeah, the instructions on on how to do it, and and there's technically enough in each kit to do two. Um, just because it's like sometimes you might mess up, and then like it's really good to be able to like be able to have another try if I'm not like there helping you.

Kristin: 48:28

Um yeah, or if there's like if you want to do it, somebody can help you do it. Like one, yeah. Someone can help you, you can help them.

SPEAKER_01: 48:35

I love that aspect too. Yeah, yeah. So they're they're available, and I can share the link with you and um if people want to get on that. They're 150. Yeah, they're 150 dollars and it includes everything, and then as well as shipping in the US.

Kristin: 48:52

Lovely. Yeah, I can't wait to share that. I know when I shared it with a girlfriend of mine, and she's like, This is incredible. I think right now she's in Mexico, so uh maybe when she comes back to the States, she can get a get a kit and honor her part of her. So yeah, that'd be fun. It's like how cool to treat ourselves with that reverence, and then you can do all kinds of cool things and decorate. Like you could I spray painted mine gold, uh-huh.

SPEAKER_01: 49:17

Golden pussy, golden pussy, yeah.

Kristin: 49:21

I'm like, I'm like, we could do it created, they'll do some markers, some glitter.

SPEAKER_01: 49:25

I'm like, yeah, yeah, I'd love for um somebody. I have one girl that painted hers like the universe, you know. She painted it kind of like a bluish, and then she like speckled like white paint on it. Um, and so it really looked like I was like, dude, this is like the Yoni verse. I love it so much. I love it when people get creative like that. Oh, I love that. Another friend of mine was like, yeah, yeah, yeah. Another friend of mine was talking about exactly um painting it like the mother, Mother Mary or Mother Magdalene, because that's that was the shape of hers, you know. It had very much like the hood, and and so it's interesting too. Like you were talking about, you know, we're all different and we're all beautiful.

Kristin: 50:07

Mm-hmm. I love that. And I think that's a good note to end on, too. Yeah, all different and we're all beautiful. Well, how can people find you and the kits?

SPEAKER_01: 50:17

Yeah, well, I'm not on Instagram until August, so yeah, but I do have an Instagram. Um, and I'm planning on coming back under a different name. So check out that. Wow. Um, okay. Yeah, nobody knows that except for you. So oh cool. I love okay. I get to see it first. Yeah. Um but right now it's Samantha underscore underscore Charles. Um, but I'm planning to, I made up my new account, it's gonna be the Somatic Priestess. So I love it. Yeah. Um doing that, and I do have a website, but mostly I'm I'm kind of on Instagram, and you can always reach out that way or through my website. I have a newsletter and you know, the podcasts that I do weekly as well. So yeah.

Kristin: 51:06

So beautiful. Awesome, thank you.