Welcome to Tales from the Tub, a special solo episode where I share reflections inspired by the December full moon. This is an intimate look into my personal rituals and the profound connections between celestial cycles, motherhood, and self-discovery.

I share how I've honored the full and new moons for over two decades, initially holding a "steady practice" of dedicated ceremonies as an act of self-mothering. I describe the detailed rituals, from bathing with candles and flowers to giving reverence to all aspects of my being. Now, my practice has evolved to be looser, accepting that any acknowledgement of these times supports the soul’s energy.

This full moon also brought an unexpected focus to my daughter Hannah's birth as she approaches her 27th birthday and Saturn return. I open up about the "new, deeper, expansive flavor" this is taking on, connecting the night before her home birth, watching the movie Contact, to the later revelation that she is a "star child" in her first incarnation. I also discuss the piece of tile on my bathroom wall that I was kneeling on during her birth, a tangible anchor to that powerful birthing energy.

Finally, I touch on my own continuous journey of "birthing," sharing the "euphoric, expansive, and scary" experience of freeing myself from a restrictive environment since July 2022 to write my book and launch my company, Kalimar.

You'll also hear about:

• (01:38) The ritual of the full moon: an "invitation to stop and be with" and a long-standing practice of self-mothering.
• (03:06) How her full moon ritual was historically about "giving to myself" through a slow, beautiful bath ceremony with flowers and candles.
• (07:13) The story of the framed tile on her bathroom wall: the exact spot she was kneeling on when she gave birth to her daughter, Hannah.
• (07:46) Discussing Hannah's 27th birthday on December 26th and her personal exploration of her Saturn return.
• (08:12) The two movies watched the night before Hannah's birth - Phenomena and Contact - and the deeper meaning of Contact in light of Hannah being a "star child".
• (10:26) The belief that "we're never not giving birth" and are constantly, continuously birthing new creations .
• (11:54) The "euphoric, expansive, and scary" freedom found since leaving a "restrictive environment" in July 2022 to write her book and start her company, Kalimar .
• (12:50) Her commitment to self-correction by noticing when she minimizes her knowing or apologizes for her sharing, and inviting listeners to call her out.
• (23:07) A recent intuitive reading predicting "big media" and "networks" in her future, and the mix of fear and excitement that brings.
• (24:24) Exploring authenticity versus perfection, and realizing that presenting a "perfect" image was a safety mechanism learned in childhood .
• (31:31) Inviting honest feedback from her audience as she steps into this new, more vulnerable iteration of sharing her truth.

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts!

Follow Dr. Gertrude: 

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s Website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on Instagram
• Stay in the loop and sign up to Dr. Gertrude’s Substack
• Order Dr. Gertrude’s new book “Rewrite the Mother Code”