July 31, 2023 • 37 mins
During my postpartum days, I found solace in Emma Howarth's book, A Year of Mystical Thinking, and I couldn't be more excited to have her as my guest on this episode. Imagine improving your life by exploring a different mystical or spiritual practice every month for a year – that is exactly what Emma did, and she shares her incredible journey with us.
We dive into Emma's book and discuss the importance of venturing into the mystical world. Get ready to be inspired by Emma's insights and learn how to make your own life more magical!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the Balance and Bliss podcast.
I'm your host, andrea Mondu, athree-time published author,
speaker and a lifestyletransformation coach who
believes everyone should begiven the gift of knowing how to
live their lives feelinghealthy and empowered.
Things like moving your bodyregularly and feeling it well,
taking care of your mind,setting boundaries, practicing
(00:23):
self and body, acceptance,personal growth, manifestation
and everything in between.
This is not linear and it's notjust one thing.
It expands into so many areasand on this show we're going to
talk about just that.
We're all striving to live alittle more healthy and a little
more well, but what does thateven mean?
(00:43):
My goal is to help you see thatyou can move from the mundane
to the magic when it comes toliving aligned and fulfilled,
and by tuning in each week youcan be assured you'll leave with
nuggets of wisdom that you canimplement into your day to day,
like right now, to help youmaximize your health, wellness
(01:04):
and your life.
Now let's dive in.
Hey everybody, welcome back toanother episode.
I am so, so pumped for today,and I think the reason that I'm
so excited is because when Iread Emma's book, i felt like so
connected to it.
But so today we are joined byEmma Howard, and she is the
(01:29):
author of A Year of MysticalThinking, and so I have to tell
you how I actually came acrossthis book, which is kind of
funny.
And before I get into thatstory, though, this interview I
feel like has been a little bitin the making.
I was so excited when I wasreading your book that I like
immediately reached out to youlike the second.
I started reading it because Iloved it And I was in the thick
(01:50):
of early postpartum days And I'mlike I really want to have you
on the show, but I don't knowwhen this baby is going to be
napping, and there's a timedifference, of course, because
you're in the UK, and so it waslike we've I've been waiting on
this interview for a while toactually have the time, like to
be able to book something thatmade sense for your time.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Yeah, i know it was a while ago, wasn't it Like last
November or something?
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Yeah yeah, it was So.
Okay, I have to tell you how Ifound this book.
I don't know about you, but,like as an author myself, i'm
always curious how like peoplecome across the books that I've
written, because it's like, ifyou don't know me or if you're
not in my circle, or that sortof thing, it's like how do you
find it?
So I was like very close tohaving my daughter And I was
(02:36):
like, okay, i'm coming up to mymaternity leave, i'm going to
have all this free time to likefree time.
I'm using air quotes to likeread And I wanted like a new
book that I could read while Iwas, you know, in this new stage
.
And so I'm wandering around myfavorite part of indigo, which
is like the spirituality area,and I saw your book and I looked
(03:00):
the cover of it first of alljust like drew me in.
I was like this is sointeresting And I'm like this is
going to be the book.
I read the back, i was like, ohyes, this is so good, this is
going to be the book that I likeuse to kind of come out of that
like postpartum in this newstage, because I'm, you know, as
you know, being a mom yourself.
You go through like thesealmost like rebirths, when you
(03:23):
have a new person and you'relike navigating a new family.
So, yeah, anyway, it just itreally really like spoke to me
right away And well, as you know, I just I really enjoyed
reading it.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
So I would love if you would tell everybody who you
are And and share with us likea little bit, yes, so as already
beautifully introduced, myname's Emma Howard And I'm the
author of A Year of MysticalThinking, which is the book that
you've just been talking about,which is a book I wrote.
Well, it's a book that actuallystarted as a project that I
(03:59):
undertook after a really badyear had kind of left me a sort
of broken, exhausted rock bottomplace, a place that I think
we've all been at some point inour lives And I was just really
looking to add a bit of magicback to my life after a really
(04:20):
tricky time.
So I decided that I was goingto.
Well, first I mean, the storygoes back a bit further than
that because at first I was likewhat I need is like to go on a
spiritual journey, and obviouslymy first thought was like I'll
book a flight and I'll go toBali and I'll meditate on a
beach for three months with asunset backdrop, wearing, you
(04:40):
know, matching yoga clothes.
But then I remembered I had twokids and a job and a husband
and like life had to carry on.
So basically, what I decided todo was my own sort of spiritual
journey, but pretty much fromthe comfort of my own home, And
if something was free or easy oryou know, you didn't have to
(05:03):
have lots of time available tomake it happen.
That's kind of what I did.
So it's a very accessible bookAnd what happens in the book is
I set out to discover orrediscover a different mystical
or spiritual practice everymonth for a year in a bid to
make my life better.
And yeah, it works.
So that's the book.
(05:24):
Another book coming out inSeptember, which is an astrology
almanac.
I write full scale book on themagazine.
That's really cool.
Yeah yeah, it's really cool.
It's going to be a lovely book,so it's going to be a perfect,
like Christmas present foranyone who's into astrology or
just into nice, pretty books.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Definitely be sharing that.
I think that that's what I lovedso much about this book because
, you're right, most people andI see this a lot like with
clients that I work with it'slike they're feeling some sort
of low, maybe they have hit arock bottom moment and they're
like I need to make a change Andthey feel like that change has
to be like this big, huge,monumental shift that they make.
(06:06):
And oftentimes, when we like setout to do that, we fail because
it's like such a big shift thatwe're trying to make And it's
like it's really hard to shifteverything all at once.
And so I also really liked andmaybe you can speak a little bit
about this like this must beyou as a person That's what I
gathered from this book isyou're very real in saying that
you know I tried this and itfelt weird And I wasn't really
(06:29):
sure about this and this didn'twork, and I thought you know,
okay, i'd done this for threemonths and I have it all figured
out.
But then life happens, likethroughout the book, you're very
, very real when it comes totaking on a new journey and what
that looked like for you.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Yeah, i mean, i think that was really important for
me to do because, you know, i amjust an ordinary person.
You know like I'm a mother oftwo children And yeah, i'm very
privileged, lucky mother of twochildren.
He has a job that I can do fromhome.
But ultimately, you know,modern life is busy and hectic
(07:05):
and chaotic And if we wait foreverything to be perfect for us
to kind of find the magic in ourworld, we'll be waiting forever
.
So what was really important tome throughout the book and
throughout all my work really isto make things feel more
accessible.
So you know whether that's likeyou don't have to be young and
(07:29):
living in a hipster city full ofcool crystal shops to get into
crystals, or whether that's youdon't need to know every single
thing about astrology to enjoy alittle bit of astrology, and
it's just about being flexibleand really like trying to
empower people to find the magicin their own lives.
You know right where theyalready are, like amid the
(07:52):
childcare, amid the fish fingersyou're cooking for tea or
whatever.
Do you have fish fingers?
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Yeah, big, yeah we do .
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Yeah, Very like that's like felt like a British
reference.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
No, i mean we call them fish sticks, but it's like
the same thing pretty well.
Yeah, you know that's sort ofyellow food.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Yeah, whatever you're doing, you know Mac and cheese.
Yeah, we're not all like sortof making these beautiful flower
stream smoothie bowls.
Like, real life is real life,and so I'm very honest about
that.
In the book, you know, there'sa whole chapter, the March
chapter, where I'm like, oh,basically now I've got a
spiritual to-do list and how canI really drill this down and
(08:34):
turn things I'm doing anywayinto magical rituals?
So that's the chapter thatpeople actually write to me the
most about, because it's quitesort of.
You know, it can be quite like alight bulb moment really when
you read that, because I'm likebasically making magic spells by
stirring my tea in the morningAnd, yeah, you know really
(08:56):
simple things like having.
You know I'm a Pisces, so Ilove a bath And so every time I
have a bath, i visualize, youknow, anything I'm going to let
go of going down the drain atthe end And simple practices.
That's really it's.
The thread that holdseverything together, i think, is
just realism.
Keeping a bit of realism,because it's very easy to look
(09:19):
at Instagram and see perfectimages of perfect people doing
perfect mystical spiritualthings and moon rituals
surrounded by expensive candles,and it doesn't have to be like
that.
You can have to have lots ofmoney or lots of time to find
some magic in your life.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Well, there was one part and I actually think that I
shared this on Instagram andtagged you in it.
When I was coming up with theintro for the season three of
this show, i was like I want to,you know, i want to include
manifestation and spiritualityand all those sorts of pieces,
because I think that those canbe like really valuable anchors
(09:59):
for people in their lives,especially when they're going
through hardship.
To, you know, have that to likelean on, but also, like you're
saying, you know, to find theselittle like ways to make
everyday kind of feel magical.
And so one of the things I sayin the intro is like you know,
how can you take your life fromthe mundane to the magic?
And so I like really connectedwith that.
(10:19):
When I read that, i was like,see, the universe is telling me
that I need to have this book,like on my path, and I remember
I would love to hear a littlebit more about, especially for
people who are listening whomaybe haven't read it yet,
because you tell this one storyin your book And I remember I
remember I brought your bookwith me to.
(10:40):
We have a spa here, it's calledthe Scandinave Spa And it's like
cold, plunging and like watertherapy essentially.
And then there's like hammocksoutside.
It's just like a beautifulplace.
I would live there if I could.
And I brought the book and I'mlaying on the hammock and I'm
reading.
And I was reading about thepart where you had went to see
the Reiki master and how she,like he, went with a friend of
(11:04):
yours And it was like reallylike you're like what is this
place that we're going to?
And like can you tell everybodyabout that story?
Because I loved reading that.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Yeah, i mean, that was that the Reiki master I went
to see.
I mean she is absolutelyamazing, she's properly magical
person.
Yeah, i think I'd kind of likesort of I think I'd spoil myself
.
I've been at this point in thebook.
I've been quite a few like.
I've been to like a sound bathin a really swanky hotel in
(11:35):
London.
Yeah, and I kind of spoiledmyself a bit and I kind of got
to her house and I didn't reallyknow what to expect.
And then it was like a sort ofa Reiki, like a massage table in
like a garden shed.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
And it was quite funny.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
I was a bit like hold on a minute, like going in the
garden shed of it, but yeah, butit was.
It was amazing, i mean atotally amazing experience.
And yeah, that experienceactually made me want to learn
Reiki myself.
So, which is a kind of a threadthat again runs through the
book, that once you start kindof exploring the mystical world
(12:15):
a little bit like it's a bitlike a domino effect, like one
thing will lead on to the nextthing.
And yeah, a lot of question Iget asked a lot is how do I find
practitioners?
How do I know who I can trust?
How do I know who's good?
And my answer is always just,you know.
I mean, if you live near me,the list is in the book, but if
not, just you know, find oneperson, like one recommendation,
(12:39):
and then it will just dominatefrom there.
So the next thing you knowyou're like, oh, maybe I'll
learn Reiki, or that Reikipractitioner recommends you a
really amazing sound bath andyou go to that, and then that
person recommends you a yogaclass And the next thing you
know you just you found allthese amazing resources right,
right in your local neighborhood, which is brilliant.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Yeah, and I think it's also important, like for
people to remember too that noteverything, like in the magical
spiritual world, is going toresonate with you, nor does it
have to right.
Like you will intuitively bedrawn to some things and some
things you could leave, andthat's okay.
like you don't have to fullyimmerse yourself in everything
(13:23):
and do all of the things.
you can kind of just be likeand I guess this, this comes
back to just like listening toyour heart and listening to your
intuition, like when you trythings.
you know, oh, i like that, likemaybe I could kind of pursue
doing more of that.
And you know, i tried this onething I did a sound bath at, or
I went to like a sound bathevent, and I'd only been one
(13:45):
time.
So you know I think I need togo back again.
But when I was there, it waslike 20 minutes of just laying
down and listening And I it wasactually really hard for me to
just like lay there for 20minutes.
my brain was like all over theplace And you know I was giving
myself some grace of like okay,you know, let the mind wander
(14:05):
and then bring it back.
But I found myself going Oh mygosh, how much longer are we
going to be laying here?
for You know, and like it's, itwas just, it was different than
I thought it was going to be,but again, i feel like I need to
try it again.
But there's some things thatwill work and some things that
won't, and I know that you foundthat as well.
right, that, like, you triedsome things and you're like I
(14:26):
don't know, and then otherthings that you've continued to
pursue, doing right?
Speaker 2 (14:30):
Yeah, definitely I think.
I think that's just true.
You know of anything really,and there's no one right or
wrong way to do anything either.
So you know, say meditation,for example.
You know there are lots ofdifferent ways to meditate and
not all of them have to be thekind of 20 minutes at the
(14:51):
beginning of the day and 20minutes at the end of the day
that we might think we should do.
You know like a walk can be ameditation, like if you just
mindfully put your phone in yourpocket when you're doing the
school run, if you walk on theschool run or or whatever.
You know the bit when your kidsaren't with you.
But you know things like that,like you can, you can turn
(15:16):
anything into a meditation, intoa meditation, and there's no
right, there's no wrong.
If it doesn't resonate with you, try something else, you know.
I just think it's reallyimportant for people to find
their own path, because theother thing I try to try to sort
of impress on people throughoutthe book is that it doesn't, it
(15:37):
doesn't all have to come fromexternal sources, either.
A lot of it is just itsinternal work and it's your.
It is that intuition andworking out what you want and
what makes you happy, anduntangling the version of that
which is partly influenced bysociety and the version of it
that is really the truestversion of it, like deep within
(15:59):
you, because often they'recompletely different things.
You know, it's very easy tothink we want all these
glamorous, materialistic,wonderful life experience things
whatever they might beachievements, accolades But
actually, when it really comesdown to it and we really tune
into what we really want out oflife, it's usually something a
(16:19):
little bit more simple and easyto make happen.
So, yeah, there's something foreveryone, i think, and it's
just about finding what reallyworks for you and what makes
your life, your actual, reallife here and now more magical
for you.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
So, and you can refresh my memory on this, When
you came up with the book thencause you did each month you
decided you were gonna pursuesomething different and you were
gonna try out that thing thismonth, Like, did you plan for it
to look like that Or did itkind of just naturally flow that
way?
Cause I mean to read that inbook format.
It's like you said, it's reallyaccessible, It's really easy to
(17:02):
kind of take in, and it'salmost like people could do that
too pick a month and then picka chapter and kind of work
through that way.
So how did that unfold?
Speaker 2 (17:11):
I mean, i planned it that way, but I didn't plan it
to be a book.
It was always a personalproject that I was doing because
that's what I was interested inand because I genuinely was in
such a bad place.
I was trying to sort my lifeout, basically.
So I always planned like, howyou know, i didn't feel like I
could commit to everything allat the same time, so it's like
(17:34):
just one new thing a month andsee what sticks.
You know, which felt like a veryfree way free and easy way of
exploring things.
So yeah, it was always going tobe a month but you know, as the
year evolved I would sort ofswitch things around.
you know, i'd have an idea thatI might explore something next
month and something else wouldcatch my eye, and yeah, but it's
(17:57):
actually really good because itdoes work very well as a book.
It does.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
It does, and did you decide that you were going to
put it into a book, like afteryour year was done or as you
were?
kind of rounding out the yearwhere you like.
I think people might enjoy this.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Yeah, i mean, i'm a writer, so I was all yeah.
I was Instagramming about itand I was blogging about it, but
I hadn't really thought aboutthe idea that it might be a book
.
Really, while it was happening,people had said that to me and
I've been like oh, for once inmy life, i want to not be
writing a book.
Yeah, i want to not be writinglike or turning it into work.
(18:35):
It was a personal project forme.
Yeah, i think it's myself notfor a work thing.
But then the more people said,oh, you should turn that into a
book, the more I kind of startedworking on the proposal.
And I think I probably wouldhave worked on the proposal
forever and never got round tosending it to anyone.
(18:56):
But then I kind of had like anintervention from the universe
basically, which was during thepandemic And I'd been running
these like full moon and newmoon circles locally And someone
who'd attended one of them hada brother who was a literary
(19:17):
agent And he was looking forsomeone who could maybe write an
astrology book, because he hada publisher who was looking for
an astrology book.
And so she introduced us.
And I think because it was inright in the middle of the
pandemic and we were in lockdown, whereas normally I'd have been
like quite busy and like doinglots of things I probably might
have just let that slide.
But this time I was like, well,i've got nothing better to do,
(19:39):
right?
I emailed him and I said, yeah,i can write you an astrology
book.
I write you a porous gates, apaper llama, and you know I've
written travel guides Used towork, to climb out, like this is
what I do.
I can do this, but then I alsojust found myself writing and I
also have this other idea for abook.
At the bottom of the email, andwithin like a couple of hours
we'd like had a conversationabout it and he decided he was
(20:01):
going to take it on.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
So yeah, oh, and so that astrology book that you had
originally talked about, isthat the one that's coming out,
this like, later this year?
Speaker 2 (20:12):
Well, I suppose in a weird kind of way it's not the
exact one, because this, yeah,this astrology book just kind of
happens, but yeah, like it'sgone full circle.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
I have a liking of the astrology book, but, yeah,
but not the one that he waslooking for.
It's a different one.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
But again, it's funny how like the universe is always
like it really is always atplay and it's always working,
and then it's giving you signs,right, provided that you are
intuitively listening.
So then, how, like you know,does your life look now You've
got this new book coming out?
(20:52):
You mentioned that you wererunning like full of new moon
circles before.
Like, what do things look likenow for you?
Speaker 2 (21:01):
So I mean I've spent a lot of time working on this
astrology almanac.
Like all of the ended last yearand quite a lot at the
beginning of this year was takenup with that, and now I'm kind
of in it's publishing.
It's a bit like having a baby,actually Like it does take a
really long time to sort of jumpdate the book and then bring it
(21:23):
into the world.
So I'm kind of in that likeplanning the launch for the
astrology almanac at the moment.
But I'm also working on aproposal for what I hope will be
the follow up to a year ofmystical thinking.
And so, yeah, life is very much.
Yeah, it's more in this bookworld, i guess, whereas before I
(21:45):
was more in the journalismworld, but it definitely there's
still a lot of magic.
So that's just the work life,but the magic life I mean, yeah,
i'm still like obviously, but avast majority of the practices
I was exploring andrediscovering then are still a
part of my everyday, which isvery nice Not necessarily my
(22:08):
everyday, because you can't belike doing all these things
every day.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
But yeah, I was recently on a podcast and one of
the questions that she asked mewas like, do you have a full
moon ritual?
And I was like, listen, I lovethe full moon, I love the moon.
Do I have a full moon ritualevery full moon?
No, because sometimes thingsare happening, and same with the
(22:35):
new moon, right, It's likesometimes I know we just had one
Some things are happening and Ijust don't get around to doing
it, but that's okay.
It doesn't mean that it's likeoh, I'm not somebody that
doesn't.
If you don't do the rituals allthe time, then you're not the
this person, right?
It's like very much like whereyour life is at that day or what
have you, and it can still be apart of you.
(22:56):
Again, like you were sayingthat thread, like it can still
be that thread.
That's a part of who you are,even if things are a little bit
busier in whatever season thatyou're in, and you can just be
gentle and kind with yourselfaround that, right.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
I think that's one of the most important things
really.
Yeah, i mean, i would sayexactly the same.
Like again, it's easy to fallinto this sort of comparison
trap where you see all theselike beautiful rituals or it
feels like everyone's at somefancy circle somewhere with like
a flower man and a girl, and itdoesn't have to be like that,
(23:32):
like it can sometimes.
I just I'd say I do a ritualevery new moon and every four
mean, but sometimes my ritual islike I'll just think the things
that I want to call in as myhead hits the pillow.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
That's literally what I did the last one.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Yeah, that's enough.
Like type it on the notes appof your phone, like write it
down, you know, write down on ascrap of paper or on a bus
ticket, i don't know.
Like all of this stuff it doescount.
It's just for me, the sort ofwhole moon thing is really very
much about what you just said.
It's about that cyclical thingof knowing that you don't have
(24:11):
to be full and bright andglowing all the time, like
there's time to slow down andretreat and rethink and then
start afresh, and it's like anongoing cycle which is is
magical.
And yeah, these rituals can beas simple as just full moon.
(24:32):
Go outside, look at the fullmoon, notice the full moon.
That's enough, that's a fullmoon ritual.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
You're like oh yeah, there it is.
It looks beautiful.
Okay, i'm going to go backinside now.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
Yeah, maybe you look at it for two seconds longer
than you would do otherwise.
It's enough.
It's enough.
That's the thing We have to.
Just, you know, take what wecan and find our own ways to
make magic that makes sense tous, that fit into our lives, and
that doesn't mean like justsort of squeezing it all in,
(25:03):
packing more in It does.
It is really good to take sometime to do something, to spend
some time journaling, commit togoing to a yoga class once a
week, like these things arebrilliant.
But if you're in a live stage,like you are with a young baby,
like, where you just need tolike, maybe slowly work up to it
(25:23):
, doesn't mean you have toforego everything because you're
not in a position to take thathalf an hour right now.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
Well, and I think that all of these practices
really are just ways for you tolike reconnect to yourself,
right?
So spending just a little bitof time journaling or those
extra two seconds to look at themoon, like to just be in your
body, to be in and with yourself, can be really powerful,
because often a lot of us are onautopilot and we're in the busy
(25:56):
and we're in the doing.
We don't spend a lot of timetuning inward.
And all of these like practicesor rituals or moments that we
can find magic in our day,allows for us to remember, to
like tune inward and do a checkon ourselves and get to know
ourselves a little bit more.
(26:17):
When we can start to understandourselves a little bit more, it
just it creates more ease.
It doesn't make life easy, comeon now, but it definitely
creates more ease and in those,like we were saying earlier,
like in those hard moments, thenwe can just like have something
to connect to, to like regroundus.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
Yeah, definitely, i think that it's really the crux
of all of it, isn't it?
Just having finding ways tojust to bring it back to what
actually matters, like even justthe simplest little, you know,
that little ritual that a lot ofpeople do when they're
overwhelmed or feeling reallyanxious of just like, what can
you see, what can you hear, whatcan you touch, what can you
(26:58):
smell?
Like just being present in themoment as it is is often enough.
And yeah, i mean definitely,the March chapter of my book is
really all about this, likeabout finding something that you
do anyway, because we all havethings that we do every day.
And so say, you're someone whoalways does a three step
(27:18):
skincare routine.
Unfortunately, i'm not.
I wish I were There, you are,there are lots of people who are
, so you do that anyway.
You can turn that into intoyour ritual, like, say, you
always apply makeup or drychampagne, whatever it is.
You can turn anything into aritual, like with me it's the
(27:43):
cups of tea, because I drinkendless tea.
And or maybe you water plantsin your garden and you can like
really think about what seedsyou're sowing, what you're
watering, what you're bringinglife to.
While you need that, i talk tomy plants.
Yeah, i mean really find, findsomething you're doing anyway.
(28:03):
And the principle practicesagain in that chapter, like
things like choosing a sign andthat being your sign from the
universe.
That is, you know, takes notime at all.
You decide what your sign isAnd I decided mine was going to
be rainbows, and then you startnoticing them and you'll see
them and you can, you can sortof ask, you can be like am I
(28:23):
doing the right thing?
Am I on the right path?
The next thing, you know you'rescrolling Instagram and every
post of rainbow in it And that'sa really magical way to, you
know, to sort of engage withsomething a bit unknown and
otherworldly.
That takes no time at all to Ilove that.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
I love that.
Find a sign.
I was as you were speaking.
I was just trying to think ofwhat book I originally read that
in.
This was years ago.
I want to say I think it wasGabrielle Bernstein.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
Yes, i think it probably was, because that's
what I read.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
Yeah, the universe has your back, right.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
Yeah, I was reading.
The universe has your back andshe was talking about how you
choose a sign and I was likeright, I'm going to choose a
sign.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
So it's just, it's really cool and it can be so
powerful, like mine is adragonfly, and I can't tell you
how many times where I've beenlike in my head about something
And then all of a sudden I youknow.
One story that's coming to mindfor me is I was really stressed
about an event that I wascoordinating when I worked for
non for profits And I was doingerrands and I slammed my hand
(29:33):
like in a door as I was likeleaving a business.
And then I went to the bank andI was like kind of doing this
with my hand and the teller waslike, oh my gosh, like are you
okay?
This like lovely woman?
And I was like, oh yeah, i justlike slammed my hand in a door.
It's fine, she's like I'm goingto go get you some ice, which I
thought was really kind of her.
And she came back and as she'shanding me the ice, she's
(29:54):
wearing a bracelet that has adragonfly on it.
And I was like, oh my gosh,okay, like thank you, you know,
like just just things like that.
Like it's really like you said,it just allows for you to like
know that you're being guidedand supported and and all that
stuff Totally unrelated, as thiswhole time we've been talking,
i'm looking at your.
Is it a dress?
Is it a shirt?
I don't know what it is, butit's beautiful.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
It's a dress.
Yeah, it's so pretty.
It's a really really old dress.
that's like held together likea safety pin at the back.
Oh well, it's beautiful, it'sbeautiful.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
So where can people buy your book, and I will share
where they can find you onInstagram, but can you share all
that information with us beforewe wrap it up?
Speaker 2 (30:38):
Yes, so I mean the books available.
I think it's one of those allgood bookstores type thing.
It's definitely been publishedin America So you should be able
to find it, you know, on Amazonand what's your big bookshop
there?
Amazon's Noble is that.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
Oh, i'm in Canada, so we're, we're, i am.
Do you have Bonson able inCanada?
We don't, but we have likeIndigo and Indigo.
Yeah, indigo, books and Walmart.
Speaker 2 (31:07):
It's the boarders starting Canada.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
Pardon me, it's the boarders bookshop starting
Canada?
Speaker 2 (31:10):
I don't think so.
It doesn't ring a bell to me.
No, anyway, wherever, wherever.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
Canada's big, big shop is Perfect.
I'm sure you can get it there.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
And definitely like places you know, like Amazon.
I know we don't, we don't alllike Amazon, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
You know what It's convenient Like there.
there are some really like forus.
for example, like I just keepordering formula on there
because like I'm like looking atthe jar or at the container and
I'm like, oh my gosh, we'realmost out And I just use Amazon
and it comes the next day andit's really lovely.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
So there's you know, be that earlier with a mop.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
Listen, we all do it.
It's fine, But I will link itin the show notes for people too
.
And then you're on Instagram,yeah, so Emma Howard writes.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Yeah, and I did mean to me to leave out the Southern
hemisphere either.
Like I think the book is alsobeen published in Australia,
that's all So.
So you should be able to findit, definitely.
I mean, i'm a Canadian,definitely America, australia,
so you should.
It should be pretty easy tofind.
If it's not, find me onInstagram And I'll find a way to
(32:22):
get it to you.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
That's beautiful.
Well, i am just like sograteful for your time And I
just like I said I I'm a big fanof the book and I am going to
be watching for that Almanac tocome out and get a coffee over
to get in love, okay.
Listen, i am in the process ofwriting a book proposal right
(32:45):
now for my next solo book Andit's it's no, like it's not an
easy feat to make sure that youhave enough in there that when
you're going to go take it topublishers, they're going to one
understand what your brain babyis about and have it on paper
and and present it in a waythat's going to make people go.
Oh yeah, i would.
I'd like to pick that up.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
So I commend you for the time it takes And I know how
exciting it is when it's likefinally coming, you know, yeah
definitely I, you know I really,since I've like gone through
the process of writing a book,i'm literally like anyone who's
written a book, like respect,i'm almost like I don't think
(33:25):
you should be allowed to writebad reviews of books until
you've written one yourself.
Speaker 1 (33:31):
Yeah, it's like years , it's years in the making.
Speaker 2 (33:35):
Yeah, and you just kind of now I just think, well,
not everything's for everyone,but like, yeah, i, i would never
.
I mean, I've never been thekind of person who's write a bad
review anyway, but I wouldnever write a bad review for a
book now.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
It's so true.
It's like it's some, it'ssomeone's baby, like you said
earlier.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
So thank you for sharing your baby with us.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
Yeah, okay, well, enjoy the rest of your day and
everybody.
Thank you so much for listening.
Go buy a book.
Go to the show notes, find it,And we'll catch you next week.
Thanks, emma.
Thank you for having me.
You're very welcome.
Thanks so much for being here.
I hope you're leaving with afull heart, some inspiration, or
(34:16):
you're feeling the kick in thebutt you felt like you needed.
If you really enjoyed thisepisode, be sure to share it
with a friend or let me knowRates, reviews, subscribing and
sharing are all great ways tosupport the show And if you want
to stay in touch, follow meover on Instagram at
thebalancebless.
Thanks for listening today andstay well.
Welcome to the Balance and Bliss podcast.
I'm your host, andrea Mondu, athree-time published author,
speaker and a lifestyletransformation coach who
believes everyone should begiven the gift of knowing how to
live their lives feelinghealthy and empowered.
Things like moving your bodyregularly and feeling it well,
taking care of your mind,setting boundaries, practicing
(00:23):
self and body, acceptance,personal growth, manifestation
and everything in between.
This is not linear and it's notjust one thing.
It expands into so many areasand on this show we're going to
talk about just that.
We're all striving to live alittle more healthy and a little
more well, but what does thateven mean?
(00:43):
My goal is to help you see thatyou can move from the mundane
to the magic when it comes toliving aligned and fulfilled,
and by tuning in each week youcan be assured you'll leave with
nuggets of wisdom that you canimplement into your day to day,
like right now, to help youmaximize your health, wellness
(01:04):
and your life.
Now let's dive in.
Hey everybody, welcome back toanother episode.
I am so, so pumped for today,and I think the reason that I'm
so excited is because when Iread Emma's book, i felt like so
connected to it.
But so today we are joined byEmma Howard, and she is the
(01:29):
author of A Year of MysticalThinking, and so I have to tell
you how I actually came acrossthis book, which is kind of
funny.
And before I get into thatstory, though, this interview I
feel like has been a little bitin the making.
I was so excited when I wasreading your book that I like
immediately reached out to youlike the second.
I started reading it because Iloved it And I was in the thick
(01:50):
of early postpartum days And I'mlike I really want to have you
on the show, but I don't knowwhen this baby is going to be
napping, and there's a timedifference, of course, because
you're in the UK, and so it waslike we've I've been waiting on
this interview for a while toactually have the time, like to
be able to book something thatmade sense for your time.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Yeah, i know it was a while ago, wasn't it Like last
November or something?
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Yeah yeah, it was So.
Okay, I have to tell you how Ifound this book.
I don't know about you, but,like as an author myself, i'm
always curious how like peoplecome across the books that I've
written, because it's like, ifyou don't know me or if you're
not in my circle, or that sortof thing, it's like how do you
find it?
So I was like very close tohaving my daughter And I was
(02:36):
like, okay, i'm coming up to mymaternity leave, i'm going to
have all this free time to likefree time.
I'm using air quotes to likeread And I wanted like a new
book that I could read while Iwas, you know, in this new stage
.
And so I'm wandering around myfavorite part of indigo, which
is like the spirituality area,and I saw your book and I looked
(03:00):
the cover of it first of alljust like drew me in.
I was like this is sointeresting And I'm like this is
going to be the book.
I read the back, i was like, ohyes, this is so good, this is
going to be the book that I likeuse to kind of come out of that
like postpartum in this newstage, because I'm, you know, as
you know, being a mom yourself.
You go through like thesealmost like rebirths, when you
(03:23):
have a new person and you'relike navigating a new family.
So, yeah, anyway, it just itreally really like spoke to me
right away And well, as you know, I just I really enjoyed
reading it.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
So I would love if you would tell everybody who you
are And and share with us likea little bit, yes, so as already
beautifully introduced, myname's Emma Howard And I'm the
author of A Year of MysticalThinking, which is the book that
you've just been talking about,which is a book I wrote.
Well, it's a book that actuallystarted as a project that I
(03:59):
undertook after a really badyear had kind of left me a sort
of broken, exhausted rock bottomplace, a place that I think
we've all been at some point inour lives And I was just really
looking to add a bit of magicback to my life after a really
(04:20):
tricky time.
So I decided that I was goingto.
Well, first I mean, the storygoes back a bit further than
that because at first I was likewhat I need is like to go on a
spiritual journey, and obviouslymy first thought was like I'll
book a flight and I'll go toBali and I'll meditate on a
beach for three months with asunset backdrop, wearing, you
(04:40):
know, matching yoga clothes.
But then I remembered I had twokids and a job and a husband
and like life had to carry on.
So basically, what I decided todo was my own sort of spiritual
journey, but pretty much fromthe comfort of my own home, And
if something was free or easy oryou know, you didn't have to
(05:03):
have lots of time available tomake it happen.
That's kind of what I did.
So it's a very accessible bookAnd what happens in the book is
I set out to discover orrediscover a different mystical
or spiritual practice everymonth for a year in a bid to
make my life better.
And yeah, it works.
So that's the book.
(05:24):
Another book coming out inSeptember, which is an astrology
almanac.
I write full scale book on themagazine.
That's really cool.
Yeah yeah, it's really cool.
It's going to be a lovely book,so it's going to be a perfect,
like Christmas present foranyone who's into astrology or
just into nice, pretty books.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Definitely be sharing that.
I think that that's what I lovedso much about this book because
, you're right, most people andI see this a lot like with
clients that I work with it'slike they're feeling some sort
of low, maybe they have hit arock bottom moment and they're
like I need to make a change Andthey feel like that change has
to be like this big, huge,monumental shift that they make.
(06:06):
And oftentimes, when we like setout to do that, we fail because
it's like such a big shift thatwe're trying to make And it's
like it's really hard to shifteverything all at once.
And so I also really liked andmaybe you can speak a little bit
about this like this must beyou as a person That's what I
gathered from this book isyou're very real in saying that
you know I tried this and itfelt weird And I wasn't really
(06:29):
sure about this and this didn'twork, and I thought you know,
okay, i'd done this for threemonths and I have it all figured
out.
But then life happens, likethroughout the book, you're very
, very real when it comes totaking on a new journey and what
that looked like for you.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Yeah, i mean, i think that was really important for
me to do because, you know, i amjust an ordinary person.
You know like I'm a mother oftwo children And yeah, i'm very
privileged, lucky mother of twochildren.
He has a job that I can do fromhome.
But ultimately, you know,modern life is busy and hectic
(07:05):
and chaotic And if we wait foreverything to be perfect for us
to kind of find the magic in ourworld, we'll be waiting forever
.
So what was really important tome throughout the book and
throughout all my work really isto make things feel more
accessible.
So you know whether that's likeyou don't have to be young and
(07:29):
living in a hipster city full ofcool crystal shops to get into
crystals, or whether that's youdon't need to know every single
thing about astrology to enjoy alittle bit of astrology, and
it's just about being flexibleand really like trying to
empower people to find the magicin their own lives.
You know right where theyalready are, like amid the
(07:52):
childcare, amid the fish fingersyou're cooking for tea or
whatever.
Do you have fish fingers?
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Yeah, big, yeah we do .
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Yeah, Very like that's like felt like a British
reference.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
No, i mean we call them fish sticks, but it's like
the same thing pretty well.
Yeah, you know that's sort ofyellow food.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Yeah, whatever you're doing, you know Mac and cheese.
Yeah, we're not all like sortof making these beautiful flower
stream smoothie bowls.
Like, real life is real life,and so I'm very honest about
that.
In the book, you know, there'sa whole chapter, the March
chapter, where I'm like, oh,basically now I've got a
spiritual to-do list and how canI really drill this down and
(08:34):
turn things I'm doing anywayinto magical rituals?
So that's the chapter thatpeople actually write to me the
most about, because it's quitesort of.
You know, it can be quite like alight bulb moment really when
you read that, because I'm likebasically making magic spells by
stirring my tea in the morningAnd, yeah, you know really
(08:56):
simple things like having.
You know I'm a Pisces, so Ilove a bath And so every time I
have a bath, i visualize, youknow, anything I'm going to let
go of going down the drain atthe end And simple practices.
That's really it's.
The thread that holdseverything together, i think, is
just realism.
Keeping a bit of realism,because it's very easy to look
(09:19):
at Instagram and see perfectimages of perfect people doing
perfect mystical spiritualthings and moon rituals
surrounded by expensive candles,and it doesn't have to be like
that.
You can have to have lots ofmoney or lots of time to find
some magic in your life.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Well, there was one part and I actually think that I
shared this on Instagram andtagged you in it.
When I was coming up with theintro for the season three of
this show, i was like I want to,you know, i want to include
manifestation and spiritualityand all those sorts of pieces,
because I think that those canbe like really valuable anchors
(09:59):
for people in their lives,especially when they're going
through hardship.
To, you know, have that to likelean on, but also, like you're
saying, you know, to find theselittle like ways to make
everyday kind of feel magical.
And so one of the things I sayin the intro is like you know,
how can you take your life fromthe mundane to the magic?
And so I like really connectedwith that.
(10:19):
When I read that, i was like,see, the universe is telling me
that I need to have this book,like on my path, and I remember
I would love to hear a littlebit more about, especially for
people who are listening whomaybe haven't read it yet,
because you tell this one storyin your book And I remember I
remember I brought your bookwith me to.
(10:40):
We have a spa here, it's calledthe Scandinave Spa And it's like
cold, plunging and like watertherapy essentially.
And then there's like hammocksoutside.
It's just like a beautifulplace.
I would live there if I could.
And I brought the book and I'mlaying on the hammock and I'm
reading.
And I was reading about thepart where you had went to see
the Reiki master and how she,like he, went with a friend of
(11:04):
yours And it was like reallylike you're like what is this
place that we're going to?
And like can you tell everybodyabout that story?
Because I loved reading that.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Yeah, i mean, that was that the Reiki master I went
to see.
I mean she is absolutelyamazing, she's properly magical
person.
Yeah, i think I'd kind of likesort of I think I'd spoil myself
.
I've been at this point in thebook.
I've been quite a few like.
I've been to like a sound bathin a really swanky hotel in
(11:35):
London.
Yeah, and I kind of spoiledmyself a bit and I kind of got
to her house and I didn't reallyknow what to expect.
And then it was like a sort ofa Reiki, like a massage table in
like a garden shed.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
And it was quite funny.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
I was a bit like hold on a minute, like going in the
garden shed of it, but yeah, butit was.
It was amazing, i mean atotally amazing experience.
And yeah, that experienceactually made me want to learn
Reiki myself.
So, which is a kind of a threadthat again runs through the
book, that once you start kindof exploring the mystical world
(12:15):
a little bit like it's a bitlike a domino effect, like one
thing will lead on to the nextthing.
And yeah, a lot of question Iget asked a lot is how do I find
practitioners?
How do I know who I can trust?
How do I know who's good?
And my answer is always just,you know.
I mean, if you live near me,the list is in the book, but if
not, just you know, find oneperson, like one recommendation,
(12:39):
and then it will just dominatefrom there.
So the next thing you knowyou're like, oh, maybe I'll
learn Reiki, or that Reikipractitioner recommends you a
really amazing sound bath andyou go to that, and then that
person recommends you a yogaclass And the next thing you
know you just you found allthese amazing resources right,
right in your local neighborhood, which is brilliant.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Yeah, and I think it's also important, like for
people to remember too that noteverything, like in the magical
spiritual world, is going toresonate with you, nor does it
have to right.
Like you will intuitively bedrawn to some things and some
things you could leave, andthat's okay.
like you don't have to fullyimmerse yourself in everything
(13:23):
and do all of the things.
you can kind of just be likeand I guess this, this comes
back to just like listening toyour heart and listening to your
intuition, like when you trythings.
you know, oh, i like that, likemaybe I could kind of pursue
doing more of that.
And you know, i tried this onething I did a sound bath at, or
I went to like a sound bathevent, and I'd only been one
(13:45):
time.
So you know I think I need togo back again.
But when I was there, it waslike 20 minutes of just laying
down and listening And I it wasactually really hard for me to
just like lay there for 20minutes.
my brain was like all over theplace And you know I was giving
myself some grace of like okay,you know, let the mind wander
(14:05):
and then bring it back.
But I found myself going Oh mygosh, how much longer are we
going to be laying here?
for You know, and like it's, itwas just, it was different than
I thought it was going to be,but again, i feel like I need to
try it again.
But there's some things thatwill work and some things that
won't, and I know that you foundthat as well.
right, that, like, you triedsome things and you're like I
(14:26):
don't know, and then otherthings that you've continued to
pursue, doing right?
Speaker 2 (14:30):
Yeah, definitely I think.
I think that's just true.
You know of anything really,and there's no one right or
wrong way to do anything either.
So you know, say meditation,for example.
You know there are lots ofdifferent ways to meditate and
not all of them have to be thekind of 20 minutes at the
(14:51):
beginning of the day and 20minutes at the end of the day
that we might think we should do.
You know like a walk can be ameditation, like if you just
mindfully put your phone in yourpocket when you're doing the
school run, if you walk on theschool run or or whatever.
You know the bit when your kidsaren't with you.
But you know things like that,like you can, you can turn
(15:16):
anything into a meditation, intoa meditation, and there's no
right, there's no wrong.
If it doesn't resonate with you, try something else, you know.
I just think it's reallyimportant for people to find
their own path, because theother thing I try to try to sort
of impress on people throughoutthe book is that it doesn't, it
(15:37):
doesn't all have to come fromexternal sources, either.
A lot of it is just itsinternal work and it's your.
It is that intuition andworking out what you want and
what makes you happy, anduntangling the version of that
which is partly influenced bysociety and the version of it
that is really the truestversion of it, like deep within
(15:59):
you, because often they'recompletely different things.
You know, it's very easy tothink we want all these
glamorous, materialistic,wonderful life experience things
whatever they might beachievements, accolades But
actually, when it really comesdown to it and we really tune
into what we really want out oflife, it's usually something a
(16:19):
little bit more simple and easyto make happen.
So, yeah, there's something foreveryone, i think, and it's
just about finding what reallyworks for you and what makes
your life, your actual, reallife here and now more magical
for you.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
So, and you can refresh my memory on this, When
you came up with the book thencause you did each month you
decided you were gonna pursuesomething different and you were
gonna try out that thing thismonth, Like, did you plan for it
to look like that Or did itkind of just naturally flow that
way?
Cause I mean to read that inbook format.
It's like you said, it's reallyaccessible, It's really easy to
(17:02):
kind of take in, and it'salmost like people could do that
too pick a month and then picka chapter and kind of work
through that way.
So how did that unfold?
Speaker 2 (17:11):
I mean, i planned it that way, but I didn't plan it
to be a book.
It was always a personalproject that I was doing because
that's what I was interested inand because I genuinely was in
such a bad place.
I was trying to sort my lifeout, basically.
So I always planned like, howyou know, i didn't feel like I
could commit to everything allat the same time, so it's like
(17:34):
just one new thing a month andsee what sticks.
You know, which felt like a veryfree way free and easy way of
exploring things.
So yeah, it was always going tobe a month but you know, as the
year evolved I would sort ofswitch things around.
you know, i'd have an idea thatI might explore something next
month and something else wouldcatch my eye, and yeah, but it's
(17:57):
actually really good because itdoes work very well as a book.
It does.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
It does, and did you decide that you were going to
put it into a book, like afteryour year was done or as you
were?
kind of rounding out the yearwhere you like.
I think people might enjoy this.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Yeah, i mean, i'm a writer, so I was all yeah.
I was Instagramming about itand I was blogging about it, but
I hadn't really thought aboutthe idea that it might be a book
.
Really, while it was happening,people had said that to me and
I've been like oh, for once inmy life, i want to not be
writing a book.
Yeah, i want to not be writinglike or turning it into work.
(18:35):
It was a personal project forme.
Yeah, i think it's myself notfor a work thing.
But then the more people said,oh, you should turn that into a
book, the more I kind of startedworking on the proposal.
And I think I probably wouldhave worked on the proposal
forever and never got round tosending it to anyone.
(18:56):
But then I kind of had like anintervention from the universe
basically, which was during thepandemic And I'd been running
these like full moon and newmoon circles locally And someone
who'd attended one of them hada brother who was a literary
(19:17):
agent And he was looking forsomeone who could maybe write an
astrology book, because he hada publisher who was looking for
an astrology book.
And so she introduced us.
And I think because it was inright in the middle of the
pandemic and we were in lockdown, whereas normally I'd have been
like quite busy and like doinglots of things I probably might
have just let that slide.
But this time I was like, well,i've got nothing better to do,
(19:39):
right?
I emailed him and I said, yeah,i can write you an astrology
book.
I write you a porous gates, apaper llama, and you know I've
written travel guides Used towork, to climb out, like this is
what I do.
I can do this, but then I alsojust found myself writing and I
also have this other idea for abook.
At the bottom of the email, andwithin like a couple of hours
we'd like had a conversationabout it and he decided he was
(20:01):
going to take it on.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
So yeah, oh, and so that astrology book that you had
originally talked about, isthat the one that's coming out,
this like, later this year?
Speaker 2 (20:12):
Well, I suppose in a weird kind of way it's not the
exact one, because this, yeah,this astrology book just kind of
happens, but yeah, like it'sgone full circle.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
I have a liking of the astrology book, but, yeah,
but not the one that he waslooking for.
It's a different one.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
But again, it's funny how like the universe is always
like it really is always atplay and it's always working,
and then it's giving you signs,right, provided that you are
intuitively listening.
So then, how, like you know,does your life look now You've
got this new book coming out?
(20:52):
You mentioned that you wererunning like full of new moon
circles before.
Like, what do things look likenow for you?
Speaker 2 (21:01):
So I mean I've spent a lot of time working on this
astrology almanac.
Like all of the ended last yearand quite a lot at the
beginning of this year was takenup with that, and now I'm kind
of in it's publishing.
It's a bit like having a baby,actually Like it does take a
really long time to sort of jumpdate the book and then bring it
(21:23):
into the world.
So I'm kind of in that likeplanning the launch for the
astrology almanac at the moment.
But I'm also working on aproposal for what I hope will be
the follow up to a year ofmystical thinking.
And so, yeah, life is very much.
Yeah, it's more in this bookworld, i guess, whereas before I
(21:45):
was more in the journalismworld, but it definitely there's
still a lot of magic.
So that's just the work life,but the magic life I mean, yeah,
i'm still like obviously, but avast majority of the practices
I was exploring andrediscovering then are still a
part of my everyday, which isvery nice Not necessarily my
(22:08):
everyday, because you can't belike doing all these things
every day.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
But yeah, I was recently on a podcast and one of
the questions that she asked mewas like, do you have a full
moon ritual?
And I was like, listen, I lovethe full moon, I love the moon.
Do I have a full moon ritualevery full moon?
No, because sometimes thingsare happening, and same with the
(22:35):
new moon, right, It's likesometimes I know we just had one
Some things are happening and Ijust don't get around to doing
it, but that's okay.
It doesn't mean that it's likeoh, I'm not somebody that
doesn't.
If you don't do the rituals allthe time, then you're not the
this person, right?
It's like very much like whereyour life is at that day or what
have you, and it can still be apart of you.
(22:56):
Again, like you were sayingthat thread, like it can still
be that thread.
That's a part of who you are,even if things are a little bit
busier in whatever season thatyou're in, and you can just be
gentle and kind with yourselfaround that, right.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
I think that's one of the most important things
really.
Yeah, i mean, i would sayexactly the same.
Like again, it's easy to fallinto this sort of comparison
trap where you see all theselike beautiful rituals or it
feels like everyone's at somefancy circle somewhere with like
a flower man and a girl, and itdoesn't have to be like that,
(23:32):
like it can sometimes.
I just I'd say I do a ritualevery new moon and every four
mean, but sometimes my ritual islike I'll just think the things
that I want to call in as myhead hits the pillow.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
That's literally what I did the last one.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Yeah, that's enough.
Like type it on the notes appof your phone, like write it
down, you know, write down on ascrap of paper or on a bus
ticket, i don't know.
Like all of this stuff it doescount.
It's just for me, the sort ofwhole moon thing is really very
much about what you just said.
It's about that cyclical thingof knowing that you don't have
(24:11):
to be full and bright andglowing all the time, like
there's time to slow down andretreat and rethink and then
start afresh, and it's like anongoing cycle which is is
magical.
And yeah, these rituals can beas simple as just full moon.
(24:32):
Go outside, look at the fullmoon, notice the full moon.
That's enough, that's a fullmoon ritual.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
You're like oh yeah, there it is.
It looks beautiful.
Okay, i'm going to go backinside now.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
Yeah, maybe you look at it for two seconds longer
than you would do otherwise.
It's enough.
It's enough.
That's the thing We have to.
Just, you know, take what wecan and find our own ways to
make magic that makes sense tous, that fit into our lives, and
that doesn't mean like justsort of squeezing it all in,
(25:03):
packing more in It does.
It is really good to take sometime to do something, to spend
some time journaling, commit togoing to a yoga class once a
week, like these things arebrilliant.
But if you're in a live stage,like you are with a young baby,
like, where you just need tolike, maybe slowly work up to it
(25:23):
, doesn't mean you have toforego everything because you're
not in a position to take thathalf an hour right now.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
Well, and I think that all of these practices
really are just ways for you tolike reconnect to yourself,
right?
So spending just a little bitof time journaling or those
extra two seconds to look at themoon, like to just be in your
body, to be in and with yourself, can be really powerful,
because often a lot of us are onautopilot and we're in the busy
(25:56):
and we're in the doing.
We don't spend a lot of timetuning inward.
And all of these like practicesor rituals or moments that we
can find magic in our day,allows for us to remember, to
like tune inward and do a checkon ourselves and get to know
ourselves a little bit more.
(26:17):
When we can start to understandourselves a little bit more, it
just it creates more ease.
It doesn't make life easy, comeon now, but it definitely
creates more ease and in those,like we were saying earlier,
like in those hard moments, thenwe can just like have something
to connect to, to like regroundus.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
Yeah, definitely, i think that it's really the crux
of all of it, isn't it?
Just having finding ways tojust to bring it back to what
actually matters, like even justthe simplest little, you know,
that little ritual that a lot ofpeople do when they're
overwhelmed or feeling reallyanxious of just like, what can
you see, what can you hear, whatcan you touch, what can you
(26:58):
smell?
Like just being present in themoment as it is is often enough.
And yeah, i mean definitely,the March chapter of my book is
really all about this, likeabout finding something that you
do anyway, because we all havethings that we do every day.
And so say, you're someone whoalways does a three step
(27:18):
skincare routine.
Unfortunately, i'm not.
I wish I were There, you are,there are lots of people who are
, so you do that anyway.
You can turn that into intoyour ritual, like, say, you
always apply makeup or drychampagne, whatever it is.
You can turn anything into aritual, like with me it's the
(27:43):
cups of tea, because I drinkendless tea.
And or maybe you water plantsin your garden and you can like
really think about what seedsyou're sowing, what you're
watering, what you're bringinglife to.
While you need that, i talk tomy plants.
Yeah, i mean really find, findsomething you're doing anyway.
(28:03):
And the principle practicesagain in that chapter, like
things like choosing a sign andthat being your sign from the
universe.
That is, you know, takes notime at all.
You decide what your sign isAnd I decided mine was going to
be rainbows, and then you startnoticing them and you'll see
them and you can, you can sortof ask, you can be like am I
(28:23):
doing the right thing?
Am I on the right path?
The next thing, you know you'rescrolling Instagram and every
post of rainbow in it And that'sa really magical way to, you
know, to sort of engage withsomething a bit unknown and
otherworldly.
That takes no time at all to Ilove that.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
I love that.
Find a sign.
I was as you were speaking.
I was just trying to think ofwhat book I originally read that
in.
This was years ago.
I want to say I think it wasGabrielle Bernstein.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
Yes, i think it probably was, because that's
what I read.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
Yeah, the universe has your back, right.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
Yeah, I was reading.
The universe has your back andshe was talking about how you
choose a sign and I was likeright, I'm going to choose a
sign.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
So it's just, it's really cool and it can be so
powerful, like mine is adragonfly, and I can't tell you
how many times where I've beenlike in my head about something
And then all of a sudden I youknow.
One story that's coming to mindfor me is I was really stressed
about an event that I wascoordinating when I worked for
non for profits And I was doingerrands and I slammed my hand
(29:33):
like in a door as I was likeleaving a business.
And then I went to the bank andI was like kind of doing this
with my hand and the teller waslike, oh my gosh, like are you
okay?
This like lovely woman?
And I was like, oh yeah, i justlike slammed my hand in a door.
It's fine, she's like I'm goingto go get you some ice, which I
thought was really kind of her.
And she came back and as she'shanding me the ice, she's
(29:54):
wearing a bracelet that has adragonfly on it.
And I was like, oh my gosh,okay, like thank you, you know,
like just just things like that.
Like it's really like you said,it just allows for you to like
know that you're being guidedand supported and and all that
stuff Totally unrelated, as thiswhole time we've been talking,
i'm looking at your.
Is it a dress?
Is it a shirt?
I don't know what it is, butit's beautiful.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
It's a dress.
Yeah, it's so pretty.
It's a really really old dress.
that's like held together likea safety pin at the back.
Oh well, it's beautiful, it'sbeautiful.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
So where can people buy your book, and I will share
where they can find you onInstagram, but can you share all
that information with us beforewe wrap it up?
Speaker 2 (30:38):
Yes, so I mean the books available.
I think it's one of those allgood bookstores type thing.
It's definitely been publishedin America So you should be able
to find it, you know, on Amazonand what's your big bookshop
there?
Amazon's Noble is that.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
Oh, i'm in Canada, so we're, we're, i am.
Do you have Bonson able inCanada?
We don't, but we have likeIndigo and Indigo.
Yeah, indigo, books and Walmart.
Speaker 2 (31:07):
It's the boarders starting Canada.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
Pardon me, it's the boarders bookshop starting
Canada?
Speaker 2 (31:10):
I don't think so.
It doesn't ring a bell to me.
No, anyway, wherever, wherever.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
Canada's big, big shop is Perfect.
I'm sure you can get it there.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
And definitely like places you know, like Amazon.
I know we don't, we don't alllike Amazon, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
You know what It's convenient Like there.
there are some really like forus.
for example, like I just keepordering formula on there
because like I'm like looking atthe jar or at the container and
I'm like, oh my gosh, we'realmost out And I just use Amazon
and it comes the next day andit's really lovely.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
So there's you know, be that earlier with a mop.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
Listen, we all do it.
It's fine, But I will link itin the show notes for people too
.
And then you're on Instagram,yeah, so Emma Howard writes.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Yeah, and I did mean to me to leave out the Southern
hemisphere either.
Like I think the book is alsobeen published in Australia,
that's all So.
So you should be able to findit, definitely.
I mean, i'm a Canadian,definitely America, australia,
so you should.
It should be pretty easy tofind.
If it's not, find me onInstagram And I'll find a way to
(32:22):
get it to you.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
That's beautiful.
Well, i am just like sograteful for your time And I
just like I said I I'm a big fanof the book and I am going to
be watching for that Almanac tocome out and get a coffee over
to get in love, okay.
Listen, i am in the process ofwriting a book proposal right
(32:45):
now for my next solo book Andit's it's no, like it's not an
easy feat to make sure that youhave enough in there that when
you're going to go take it topublishers, they're going to one
understand what your brain babyis about and have it on paper
and and present it in a waythat's going to make people go.
Oh yeah, i would.
I'd like to pick that up.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
So I commend you for the time it takes And I know how
exciting it is when it's likefinally coming, you know, yeah
definitely I, you know I really,since I've like gone through
the process of writing a book,i'm literally like anyone who's
written a book, like respect,i'm almost like I don't think
(33:25):
you should be allowed to writebad reviews of books until
you've written one yourself.
Speaker 1 (33:31):
Yeah, it's like years , it's years in the making.
Speaker 2 (33:35):
Yeah, and you just kind of now I just think, well,
not everything's for everyone,but like, yeah, i, i would never
.
I mean, I've never been thekind of person who's write a bad
review anyway, but I wouldnever write a bad review for a
book now.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
It's so true.
It's like it's some, it'ssomeone's baby, like you said
earlier.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
So thank you for sharing your baby with us.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
Yeah, okay, well, enjoy the rest of your day and
everybody.
Thank you so much for listening.
Go buy a book.
Go to the show notes, find it,And we'll catch you next week.
Thanks, emma.
Thank you for having me.
You're very welcome.
Thanks so much for being here.
I hope you're leaving with afull heart, some inspiration, or
(34:16):
you're feeling the kick in thebutt you felt like you needed.
If you really enjoyed thisepisode, be sure to share it
with a friend or let me knowRates, reviews, subscribing and
sharing are all great ways tosupport the show And if you want
to stay in touch, follow meover on Instagram at
thebalancebless.
Thanks for listening today andstay well.
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