She Makes Magic: The Podcast Series

Today, an announcement: after five incredible years of creativity and growth together, we have decided to close She Makes Magic. To explain this decision, and to celebrate the immense beauty of all She Makes Magic is and was, we recorded a special podcast for you.

Katie Dean, Mindset and motivation mechanic, first dropped into my life just over a year ago when she invited me to be a guest on her website YOUR WILD LIFE. I was instantly attracted to Katie's quirky sense of humour, her down-to-earth nature and her pure heart of gold. As you'll hear in this interview, Katie has this unique capacity to go deep and honest in conversation while keeping things light-hearted and simple. You'll hear her talk about her journey with anxiety, what this has meant for her family life and for her business, why she ultimately decided to take anxiety medication, and how she's learnt to find the humour as she's navigated this path. In this interview, Katie shares: + Her journey with anxiety, why she ultimately decided to take anxiety medication and the stigma she faced around this. + Redefining success after the birth of her son. + The reality of being a Mum while running an online business. + Why your outside world is a direct reflection of your internal landscape. + The danger of defin

Vienda Maria's first memory of the desire for freedom came at the age of six when her step-father cut off her beautiful long hair. From that day forward, she dreamed of living life on her own terms. And, just like the manifesting goddess that she is, that's exactly the life she has created. Vienda has spent the majority of her life travelling the world and choosing a path that best honours the desires of her soul. You'll hear her explain that, more often than not, this has required her to go against the status quo. But, in turn, has taught her how to deeply trust in her own inner guidance. Here's a woman who walks her talk and is a shining example of how magical life can be when we stop looking for the answers outside ourselves and start listening to the wise voice within. In this interview, Vienda shares: + Her story from psychology student, to the music festival scene, to blogger, to online biz owner and mentor. + Her experimentation with psychedelic drugs and how this gave her a deeper understanding of hum

Caroline Sanchez, an oncology nurse, hoop dancer and women’s movement guide, began her soul work at the age of 21 when her mother Grace passed away from breast cancer. Following the subtle thread of her soul’s guidance, she became an oncology nurse, discovered hoop dancing in a city park, married the alternative art of hoop dancing with the Western medicine world through her Masters thesis, and became a Women's Empowerment Movement Mentor. Having worked as an oncology nurse for over 12 years, supporting women newly diagnosed with breast cancer, Caroline has a very unique and potent way of looking at the world. Be inspired by her joy for life and her message of letting go of the good girl archetype and learning to resource from the fierce unapologetic love for our gifts and passions. Even when this might look wild, crazy, ugly or inappropriate to others. In this interview, Caroline shares: + Discovering her soul work at the age of 21 after her mother Grace passed away from breast cancer. + Her experience with

If you're here, it's likely that you have, at some point in your life, felt the nudge of your soul calling you to explore deeper and ask the bigger questions. This soul inquiry process often starts out gentle – like a small quiet whisper – but eventually it gets louder and more urgent. What this can often lead to is a stripping away, crumbling or destruction of all that no longer serves us. Often we drop into a period of unknown mystery. A time when we are no longer the person we once were but who we are to become is yet to make itself known to us. I like to think of these periods as stripping for the soul. A process of removing all the layers we have outgrown. These times can be wild, erotic and empowering or they can feel awkward, uncomfortable and very vulnerable. This interview catches Laura Anne Page three years into a period of soul stripping or, what she refers to as, journeying into the soul underworld. Intrinsically tied to Laura's story is her former name Shakti Sunfire. A name which she used for ov

Nadine Lee has always had a deep connection to her spirituality and sexuality. At the age of 14, she had an intense and totally unexpected Kundalini awakening. At the time, Nadine thought she was losing her mind. With no one to turn to and no idea what was going on, she shut down her connection to spirit. What followed was total abandonment of her soul path. Her life became filled with self-destructive habits -  partying, alcohol, drugs, casual sex and eating disorders. Listen in as Nadine shares her journey from a disconnected marketing and advertising guru to connected tantra yoga teacher, sacred sexuality guide, energy healer and nutritionist. In this interview, Nadine shares: + Why she shut down her connection to spirit after an intense Kundalini awakening at the age of 14 and how this impacted her schooling, career and life choices. + What it feels like in the body to be disconnected from your soul path. + Using drugs, alcohol, sex and food to fill the void. + Her experience with sexual abuse as a young

Back in 2003, Michelle Marie McGrath was living in Australia in a beautiful house on the water. She was excelling in her career and winning national awards. She appeared to be happily married. For an outsider looking in, it seemed Michelle was living the dream. On the inside, however, Michelle was miserable. She says she felt like she was living someone else’s life. One night, while deep in meditation, Michelle found herself asking “What do I most need?” "Self-love" was what she heard in return. This simple yet profound question propelled her down a path of deep introspection and awakening. As you’ll hear Michelle share in this interview, committing to self-love wasn’t easy. She suffered a miscarriage, her marriage broke-down and she battled with illness, anxiety and depression as she rediscovered her lost love for herself. Yet, what I adore about Michelle’s story, is her unwavering commitment to herself and her trust in her own intuition. You see, even though it seemed like her entire life was crumbling arou

A few years back, Bec Shann swapped her plum job as a government agricultural research scientist for a simpler life on the land. She and her husband went to live in a tiny two-bedroom cabin on an Australian organic farm, where they became solely responsible for growing an enormous veggie patch and raising chickens and pigs. Out there in the sunshine and rain, Bec came up with a beautiful alternative theory that you need to know about if you’ve ever dreamed of embracing the simple life. In this interview, Bec shares: + How she stumbled across the very thing that made her feel super passionate – despite previously having no idea what she wanted to do in life. + Why she describes being made redundant as one of the most fortuitous turning points in her life. + How honing in on how she wanted to feel created stepping stones of opportunity toward the life she craved. + Why she says the simple life isn’t necessary easy, but rather it’s a life of intention. + What growing a garden has taught her about wider life. + H

If you've been following us for a while you'll know, a couple of years back, I hit publish on a very vulnerable post about my sexuality. To this day, it is still the most vulnerable post I have ever shared. Funny, it was about that same time that our community really started to grow and engage. And then, the stories rolled in. Emails, Facebook messages, even conversations with my closest friends. Women opening up to me and telling me that, at some point in their life, in one way or another, they had been through the same thing. And I thought to myself: why the hell isn't anybody talking about this? Finally, I decided to do something about it. Meet Juliet Allen. A straight-talking sexologist with a passion for empowering women to embrace their true sexual nature. This interview is slightly different from the ones I've done before. Sure, we talk a little about Juliet's journey from coffee barista to sexologist. But the juice is in Juliet's sexual awakening. Listen in as we take a deep dive into her sexual journ

Last year, Amanda Sandlin discovered almost by accident that practice not only makes perfect, but can also help us unearth our elusive true voice. An artist and graphic designer, Amanda embarked on The Year of Making and found that, after months of consistently showing up and doing the work, she began to make art that felt like an honest expression of herself – for the first time in her life. In this interview, Amanda shares: + How being self-taught made her feel like an impostor, and how her Year of Making helped her shift into fully owning her creativity. + How she found her own aesthetic and voice simply by dutifully turning up to do the work every day for a year. + Why she believes totally free yet regular creative experimentation – even if you don't like what you're making – is the number one way to crack yourself open and find your true voice. + How she turned an internet hater into an empowering moment and a brand new art product for sale. + Why she's against people waiting around for the perfect busin

If you could do anything in the world, and you knew that you could not fail, what would you want to do? Back in 2012, sick, stressed and tired from working in the corporate world, this was the question that Rosie Rees' good friend asked of her. Rosie, without pausing or even thinking, responded with "sex therapist". Strangely, at the time, Rosie was working as a recruitment agent, she was in a toxic relationship with an abusive and controlling man, and her Christian upbringing had imposed on her a whole world of hidden shame and guilt around her sexuality. It felt like a sex therapist couldn't be farther from Rosie's truth. Yet Rosie says that her friend's question sparked a fire and passion within her, giving her hope that her life could be turned around. And, with this new-found hope, she went on to leave her corporate job and toxic relationship, start her online blog and coaching business, become a yoga instructor, quit meat, alcohol and cigarettes and, most recently, birth her Australian nude yoga tour. O

Beáta Alföldi's journey begins all the way back at the age of four when she fell in love with dancing. Later in life, after winning a scholarship, she trained in America and eventually moved to England to work in the theatre. An opportunity, she describes, that allowed her to combine her love for dance, creative inspiration and travel. It would seem like Beáta was living the dream life. Yet the Universe had bigger plans. One evening, as she looked out over the theatre show she had tirelessly worked on for months, a little voiced asked "Is this it? Is this going to be it for the rest of my life?" Many people would shy away from this question but Beáta – having always had a stead-fast commitment to only ever doing what she loves – set about rectifying the in-congruency between her current life and her soul's desires, opening herself to a series of synchronistic events that propelled her down the path of yoga and then eventually leading her to discover shamanic and energetic healing. In this interview, you'll he

When I last spoke to my awesome big sister and fellow She Makes Magic co-creator Alana Helbig for the podcast series (episode #002), she was standing right at the foot of an epic adventure – preparing to drive all the way around Australia in Walter the Campervan, all on her own. Nine months and 30,000km later, Alana's returned home. This is the story of her adventure, her journey within. Because Alana used her road trip to step away from a lifestyle that no longer felt right, instead delving deeply into her own self. A period of intense introspection. In this interview, Alana shares: + Why the breakdown of her campervan proved to be a major awakening moment. + The lightbulb moment she experienced after being coached (live on the She Makes Magic podcast!) into embodying her depression and how she continues to use embodiment practices to shift intense emotional pain.  + How she began to break down the walls she'd built around her heart and move into a more open-hearted and vulnerable existence. + How she cultiv

  Dr Ezzie Spencer left her law career to turn her personal practice – cultivating inner peace and prosperity by following the moon's cycle – into a thriving business.   These days, Ezzie's Lunar Abundance practice is gaining international recognition. Through her online Salon program and via regular speaking events, Ezzie teaches women worldwide how to cultivate inner peace and prosperity by following the moon's cycle.   In this interview, Ezzie shares: + How she turned her personal moon practice, developed over years of scribbling in her journal, into a thriving business helping hundreds of women worldwide. + What lunar abundance actually is – and why abundance is about far more than just money  – and how to tap into it in all areas of your life. + Why women, particularly, need help with the yin side of life, the practice of resting and receiving. + How the heady, intellectual, masculine world of law took Ezzie away from feminine connection with her body, intuition, feelings and emotions – and how she used

Have you ever dreamed of packing a few things into a suitcase, saying adios to your current life and jet setting off to faraway places? No time frame. No definite plans. No responsibilities. Meet my beautiful and brave friend Che Johnson, who has done just that. Inspired by the empowering and soulful words of Susana Frioni, this year Che decided to leave behind her job, her friends, her family and her incredible life in Brisbane, trading it all in for the life of a wandering gypsy. Che's solo soul journey -- as she has thoughtfully titled it -- is much more than external adventuring and sight-seeing. For Che, this journey is about doing the inner work. At the top of her priority list you'll find things like: strengthening my spiritual practice and my relationship with myself, freedom, fun and clarity. Though Che and I have only met twice, we have become solid pen friends, mutually bonding over our own solo soul journeys. This year, via email, as we adventured externally (and internally), we have shared with e

Over the past five years, Jenna Ward has made a dramatic transformation from uninspired hospital pharmacist to freedom-loving kinesiologist and embodiment coach. And she’s done it all using one simple strategy: following her curiosity. In this chat, Jenna delves deep into how she made the change, revealing how she dealt with doubt and judgement from close friends and family, while letting old relationships die in a healthy way. Plus, she offers wisdom on financial fear, career confusion, emotional turmoil and building self-trust. Jenna also shares: + The one daunting question that changed her life, and how she broke it down into small, achievable stepping stones. + How you can open to more joy, more passion and more pleasure, accessing near limitless energy reserves. + Why opening to our true passions often also opens the door to pain and sadness – and how to cope. + How she discovered an old family story was keeping her own savings locked in an “energetic safe” – and how she freed up her cash. + Why the stor

Today, a conversation with Kelley Sheenan, founder of the delightful Australian eco fashion and lifestyle magazine, Peppermint. It was while pregnant with her son that Kelley first began to take an interest in sustainable fashion. That curiosity eventually grew into an all-consuming obsession that turned her life upside-down. Back then, Kelley was moderately happy working as a graphic designer and selling clothing at local markets in New Zealand. Then, someone mentioned green cotton. What does that even mean, she wondered? After moving to Australia, and trying her hand at everything from selling car batteries to telemarketing for charities, Kelley decided to launch a sustainable fashion magazine. Friends told her she was crazy. Print was dead, they said. Besides, it was 2008 and the world was in the grip of financial crisis – a terrible time to launch a new business. Still, Kelley would not be dissuaded. She was driven by a burning desire, a feeling that she just had to pursue this, no matter what. In this po

Though I've never met Bec Van Leeuwen in person, I've watched with quiet admiration as she's created her heart-centred, soul-aligned biz -- Soul Sister Circle -- an organisation that creates opportunities for women to come together to learn, be inspired, forge meaningful friendships, and create powerful collaborations. You only need to glance briefly at the work Bec is doing to know that she is in tune, connected, and committed to her soul's work. My assumption was that Bec had always been this way. So, when Bec began sharing her story with me, I was shocked to find someone whose past story was just like mine. Her need to control, her struggle with letting go, her unattainable desire for perfection, her fear of letting herself truly feel, defining her own self-worth and identity by her job title.  I felt the grip around my heart release slightly as she shared all this with me. Finally, here is someone who has been entrapped in her own struggle cycle of control and fear but has somehow managed to break free. H

Tabitha Jayne is an eco-psychologist, author, speaker and the founder of The Nature Process – an online program that teaches you how to tap into the power of nature so that you can discover the power and potential of your natural self. Tabi's love for and connection with the natural world started when she was just a child. As you’ll hear in this interview, Tabi has endured some extremely dark experiences throughout her life — severe ill health, bullying, childhood abuse, rape, and the death of her younger brother in a car accident — more darkness than any woman should have to experience in a lifetime. Yet again and again, Tabi returned to the healing power of nature to release her trauma. The sudden death of her brother and a profound awakening experience with an old oak tree propelled her into a period of deep healing and spiritual growth, eventually leading her to uncover and develop The Nature Process. Yet, her journey did not stop here. This interview catches Tabi in the midst of another profound awakenin

Sarah Durnham Wilson used to be a rock journalist interviewing stars for top magazines like Rolling Stone and GQ, until her non-stop party girl lifestyle took its toll. Burnt out and broken-hearted, Sarah fell to her knees beside her bed and begged for change – or death. Hitting rock bottom sparked a monumental transformation that has seen Sarah emerge as a deeply wise divine feminine writer and artist. She writes under her pen name Doitgirl, and also runs powerful courses and retreats dedicated to healing the self to heal the world. If you've ever felt like you're too messy, too out of control, or too close to rock bottom, this deeply honest podcast is for you. For links to all the resources mentioned in this podcast, head to http://shemakesmagic.com/podcast-013-sarah-durham-wilson/.