Join Dayna, Megan, and Islena in what it really means to “gather without expectations.”

Inspired by the Ram Dass quote, “If you think you’re enlightened, spend a week with your family,” we bring light to emotional literacy, generational conditioning, and how family gatherings—especially during the holidays—can awaken our oldest, most defaulted patterns. We bring warmth & humor towards how chosen family, boundaries, and self-awareness help us stay grounded and compassionate amid old dynamics.

🕰️ Timeline

00:00 – 03:30 | Opening reflections on Ram Dass quote03:30 – 06:00 | Emotional literacy in families of origin—generational differences and survival values.06:00 – 09:00 | Chosen family vs. family of origin—finding safety and emotional intelligence in friendships.09:00 – 14:00 | Dayna’s story: her father’s visit triggers old patterns; witnessing her younger self and re-parenting through awareness.14:00 – 17:00 | Healing through ritual—how writing, yoga, and Vedic chanting restore self-connection.17:00 – 20:30 | Inner child work, “bids for connection,” and how unmet needs resurface during gatherings.20:30 – 23:30 | Boundaries, chosen family, and learning to stay regulated around triggering relatives.23:30 – 26:30 | Mirroring in relationships—how our parents reflect our unhealed parts and opportunities to reformulate connection.26:30 – 29:30 | Recognizing triggers as invitations to awareness; managing expectations with compassion.29:30 – 33:00 | Closing insights—releasing expectations, witnessing loved ones with grace, and blessings for presence during the holidays.

Memorable Quotes: "May your holidays be blessed with no expectations!"

In this episode of Soul Net Sessions, we share some of the ways we celebrated this year's Autumn Equinox with rituals welcoming change, honouring the light within the dark, and bringing warmth into our homes and bodies. We get witchy as we explore life and death, new moons, tarot cards, and the fire within!

✨ Cold plunges contrast therapy • Ayurveda • Feminine energy • Ritual & rebirth ✨

As the wheel turns to Fall, seasonal rituals reconnect us to nature, body, and spirit. From cold plunges and candles to sacred boredom, cozy up with us and slow down to find the magic in the mundane.

Timestamps:

00:00 – 02:00Soul Net Sessions at Henry’s Studio in Vancouver, BC. during Autumn Equinox and the meaning of seasonal transitions.

02:00 – 04:00Islena shares her ritual of ocean plunges in Point Roberts as summer wanes. Body memory, climate, and menopause in changing seasons.

04:00 – 06:00How cold plunges affect midlife women, Ayurvedic perspectives on vata and pitta doshas, and finding your personal window of tolerance in ritual.

06:00 – 08:00Ritual as play and honoring your body’s edge. Using sunrise swims and moments of stillness to reconnect with life force energy.

08:00 – 10:00Autumn rituals for warmth and grounding: lighting candles, fire, sun symbolism, and the power of gentle contrast therapy for the nervous system.

10:00 – 12:00Dayna shares her inward Equinox rituals: journaling, meditation, rest, and “sacred boredom.” How spirituality evolves from external gatherings to inner quiet.

12:00 – 14:00When commercialized wellness doesn’t align — trusting your felt sense. Discovering the magic in the mundane and creating ritual through simple acts.

14:00 – 16:00Everyday rituals: fire-lighting, washing dishes, greeting the sun, and connecting to primal elements of Earth, warmth, and ancestry.

16:00 – 18:00What feels truly aligned in ritual? Discerning authenticity, resonance, and what actually regulates the body versus what overstimulates.

18:00 – 20:00Reflections on connection — from youthful ecstatic experiences, to sacred choices like Islena purchasing her burial plot. Joy, death, and belonging to place.

20:00 – 22:00Death rituals and personal agency: choosing how to leave, death doulas, and assisted dying as acts of consciousness and ceremony.

22:00 – 24:00Letting go as seasonal practice. Humor and heart in shadow work — Islena's “Dr. Death” moments and embracing life through awareness of mortality.

24:00 – 26:00Megan shares her Autumn ritual: tarot with the Empress card, embodying feminine energy, and rebalancing emotional boundaries.

26:00 – 28:00Honoring self, releasing energy drains, and choosing relationships and environments that nurture intuition and soul connection.

28:00 – 30:00Ritual as personal and evolving. Preview of next episode on gratitude and community.

In our newest Soul Net Session, we delve into making time for joy amid life’s challenges. We discuss how continuous growth and learning can reshape our narratives at any age. Megan shares uplifting stories of joy found in nature and a rainy-day swim, while Dayna recounts returning to a sport she loves after a hiatus, detailing the joy and pain that followed. The sisters recognize the recurring themes of joy and pain, light and dark, as they navigate new experiences and revisit the old.

Episode Timeline:

00:00 – Welcome, Soul Net community intro
03:30 – Podcast growth, learning new skills, new beginnings
06:00 – Early autumn reflection, fresh starts, world events
09:00 – Coping with uncertainty, finding levity, joy snacks
12:00 – Nature nourishment, sit spot club experiences
15:00 – Adventures: swimming in rain, embracing mystery
18:00 – Rediscovering travel, feminine inspiration
21:00 – Quebec City drag brunch, gender reflections
24:00 – Beach volleyball, athlete archetype, aging & change
27:30 – Sport adaptations: resilience and menopause
30:00 – Honoring personal growth, closing life loops
33:00 – Memoir writing, integrating trauma and creativity, invitation for next episode, shout-out to cohost Islena
36:00 – Joy and pain coexistence, wisdom for balance
39:00 – Roots, autumn equinox preview, closing thoughts

Join us as we explore how to find joy amidst global uncertainty and personal growth.

Broadcasting from Henry’s studio, we celebrate new beginnings, the value of community, and the power of “joy snacks”—small, nourishing moments—from nature walks to adventures in beach volleyball and drag brunches.

We reflect on honoring the athlete archetype, embracing change in midlife, and integrating pain with creativity and purpose. With resilience, balance, and honoring the inner child, we invite you to seek levity and meaning—especially as autumn approaches and the world feels heavy.

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Available wherever you stream podcasts, or watch on YouTube to see our smiles.

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