What happens when the dark night of the soul isn't just a chapter… but your whole life?

In this final episode of Mapping the Descent, Amy Ray joins us to share her extraordinary journey from years of addiction and despair to a near-death encounter that awakened her to the Goddess—and to her true self.

Amy shares her experience of being shown a vision of divine feminine love, and her initiation into a new path of purpose, healing, and deep embodiment. What followed was a 10-year spiral of recovery, remembrance, and reclamation.

Together, we explore:

• The underworld experience of addiction and the alchemy of awakening

• Mystical experiences, nervous system healing, and synesthesia

• The return of the Goddess and feminine face of God

• Tantric views of suffering, desire, and the purpose of incarnation

• Why embodiment is the true path of integration

• The importance of rites of passage and the rebirth of sacred ritual

This episode is a rite in itself—a transmission of tenderness, courage, and divine remembrance.

About Amy Ray:

Amy is a soul-doula, Gene Keys guide, and spiritual teacher who walks beside others as they reclaim their power, purpose, and divine essence.

Connect with Amy Ray:

Learn more about Amy and her work with Gene Keys, coaching, and rites of passage at illuminedessence.com or on Instagram @illuminedessence.

Connect with Michelle:

Website: www.embodiment-alchemy.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/michellelynnembodiment

Work with Michelle:

Force of Nature 1:1 Coaching for leaders and creatives who want to embody their power to move the world

Resources:

FREE MEDITATION - Embody Your Feminine Wisdom

FREE MINI COURSE - Moon Cycle Magic

The Non-Linear Movement Method Classes - Somatic Practice

The Secret Art of Breast Massage Course

What happens when life brings you to your knees—and you don't know if you'll rise again?

In this soul-rich conversation, Dr. Tamsin Astor joins us in the Mapping the Descent series to explore what it means to face real death, cultural death, and identity death... and emerge to tell the tale.

Tamsin shares how her child's life-threatening medical diagnosis pulled her into the underworld, how Western culture's discomfort with death shaped her experience, and how she began rebuilding from the ground up with the tools of mindfulness, movement, habit, humor, and spiritual curiosity.

We talk about:

• Why the descent asks us to stop trying to fix ourselves, and what to do instead

• The role and rediscovery of rituals—and our collective loss of them

• Why joy isn't always a feeling, but a practice

• Navigating trauma, mental health, and dark seasons of life

• The power of community where you can be messy and still be loved

This episode is a balm and a reckoning. A reminder that when everything breaks apart, something ancient remembers how to begin again.

About Dr. Tamsin Astor:

Dr. Tamsin Astor is Chief Habit Scientist, Executive Coach, and Founder & CEO of Yoga Brained LLC. She works with ambitious leaders who want to exceed their goals without burning out, those who are ready to ditch the "shoulds" and lead with intention. Her clients replace indecision and overwhelm with purpose and sustainable success, through learning how to lead from within. As a facilitator, she designs and lead gatherings that spark insight, foster connection, and unlock collective intelligence. She uses research-based methods and guide from the side with presence, clarity, and trust in the group's wisdom. What sets her apart? A unique blend of neuroscience, mindfulness, and real-life resilience. She holds a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience and certifications in executive coaching, yoga, Ayurveda, and facilitation. She's meditated for 18+ years and draw from lived experience: parenting a child through cancer, navigating divorce, an adult ADHD diagnosis, and supporting children with mental health challenges. Clients don't just grow professionally — they evolve personally. Boundaries strengthen, relationships deepen, and self-leadership becomes second nature.

Connect with Dr. Tamsin Astor:

https://tamsinastor.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamsin-astor/

Connect with Michelle:

Website: www.embodiment-alchemy.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/michellelynnembodiment

Work with Michelle:

Force of Nature 1:1 Coaching for leaders and creatives who want to embody their power to move the world

Resources:

FREE MEDITATION - Embody Your Feminine Wisdom

FREE MINI COURSE - Moon Cycle Magic

The Non-Linear Movement Method Classes - Somatic Practice

The Secret Art of Breast Massage Course

In this soul-stirring installment of Mapping the Descent, women's mentor and facilitator Jen Wyatt joins us to explore the storms that reshape us—and the rituals that help us remember who we truly are. We dive into:

• How a paralyzing anxiety within a relationship became the doorway into an underworld journey

• The mythic thread of Inanna's descent into the underworld, and her resonant message for anyone journeying the darkness

• The visceral experience of surrendering to unraveling

• How letting go—laying down swords and armor—helped her alchemize pain into sovereignty

• The reclaiming of body, spirit, voice, and intimate self-trust born from that crucible

• Why initiation is not punishment—but an invitation to deeper freedom, creativity, and love

If you're teetering on a threshold—mourning a loss big or small, diving into grief, or blazing new ground without a roadmap—this episode is a light on your path. It offers both mirror and mantra: you're in the descent for a reason, and you'll emerge differently… more embodied, more alive, more free.

About Jen Wyatt:

Jen Wyatt is the founder of Wander Free Wellness and a guide for women on the path of wild remembrance. Her work is rooted in ritual, nature, and the mythopoetic—woven with archetype, embodiment, and wild feminine soul. Jen creates sacred spaces that honor descent as a sacred rite of transformation, guiding women to shed old skins, reclaim their creative life force, and return to what is true beneath the noise of conditioning. Through circles, retreats, and ceremonial journeys, she invites women to awaken intuition, aliveness, and authentic expression.

Connect with Jen Wyatt:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/wanderfreewellness

Website: www.wanderfreewellness.com

Connect with Michelle:

Website: www.embodiment-alchemy.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/michellelynnembodiment

Work with Michelle:

Force of Nature 1:1 Coaching for leaders and creatives who want to embody their power to move the world

Resources:

FREE MEDITATION - Embody Your Feminine Wisdom

FREE MINI COURSE - Moon Cycle Magic

The Non-Linear Movement Method Classes - Somatic Practice

The Secret Art of Breast Massage Course

What happens when everything familiar falls away—and there's no map to guide you home?

In this first interview of the Mapping the Descent series, Michelle Lynn sits down with writer and soul guide Kelci Heart for a raw, poetic conversation about her journey through the underworld. From the loss of identity to the surrender of control, Kelci shares how her descent unraveled everything she thought she knew—and how it revealed something far more true.

Together, we explore:

• What it really means to be "held in the dark"

• The difference between spiritual bypassing and true surrender

• How the descent reshapes your sense of self, power, and purpose

• The deep feminine wisdom encoded in grief, rage, and stillness

• How myth and metaphor help us survive—and integrate—spiritual unraveling

This episode is a balm and a lantern for anyone navigating liminal space, spiritual breakdown, or soul initiation. It reminds us that descent is not the end of the story—it's a sacred threshold into a deeper kind of knowing.

About Kelci Heart:

Kelci Heart is a ritual guide, sacred bodyworker, and intuitive mentor devoted to helping others reclaim their sensual power, self-love, and soul freedom. Through a unique blend of intuitive guidance, embodied ritual, and ceremonial medicine work, she supports deep personal alchemy — turning life's grit and grief into beauty, bravery, and liberation.

Her work is a wild and sacred remembering, where the body becomes the altar, pleasure becomes prayer, and presence is the gift. Kelci weaves the mystical and the real, the sacred and the simple, creating spaces where people come alive again — fully, fiercely, and unapologetically.

Connect with Kelci Heart:

Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, TikTok: @kelciheart

Website: www.kelciheart.love

Connect with Michelle:

Website: www.embodiment-alchemy.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/michellelynnembodiment

Work with Michelle:

Force of Nature 1:1 Coaching for leaders and creatives who want to embody their power to move the world

Resources:

FREE MEDITATION - Embody Your Feminine Wisdom

FREE MINI COURSE - Moon Cycle Magic

The Non-Linear Movement Method Classes - Somatic Practice

The Secret Art of Breast Massage Course

In this illuminating episode of Mapping the Descent, we sit with Rosa Santoyo—witchy business mentor, somatic guide, and spiritual entrepreneur. Together, we explore:

• How launching a healing business can trigger a profound underworld journey—collapsing identity, relationships, and security

• The mysterious moment when resistance meets transformation: "the divine midwife cuts through the old way by force"

• The somatic descent into grief, loss, and disconnection from the self and the Divine

• The sacred role of mentors, circles, and containers to hold us in our unraveling

• The treasures that emerge: reclaimed embodiment, fierce self‑trust, intuitive clarity—even in the void

• How these journeys ripple out, guiding not just personal sovereignty, but also collective feminine reclamation

This is a fierce and tender invitation: if you've felt the business of your soul fall apart—or you're birthing something new that the old self can't hold—this conversation will offer a map, a midwife, and an empowered voice rising from the dark. Tune in to remember: you are not alone, and what is unfolding within you seeks to be seen, reshaped, and reclaimed.

About Rosa Santoyo:

Rosa is a sacred feminine-led creative, mother, and marketing mystic whose path has been shaped by dark nights, ego deaths, and the slow reemergence that follows. This journey has guided her to work with healers, visionaries, and witchy creatives to build visibility rooted in heart and devotion. Her approach to ads and strategy is deeply embodied, turning platforms into portals and messaging into prayer—what's arisen is creative holy marketing. Her work serves those ready to be seen without losing the thread of who they are in the process.

Connect with Rosa Santoyo:

Substack: https://adsasritual.substack.com

Website: https://somamoonsanctuary.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/somamoonsanctuary

Connect with Michelle:

Website: www.embodiment-alchemy.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/michellelynnembodiment

Work with Michelle:

Force of Nature 1:1 Coaching for leaders and creatives who want to embody their power to move the world

Resources:

FREE MEDITATION - Embody Your Feminine Wisdom

FREE MINI COURSE - Moon Cycle Magic

The Non-Linear Movement Method Classes - Somatic Practice

The Secret Art of Breast Massage Course

What if the unraveling of your life isn't a failure—but a sacred invitation?

In this opening episode of the Mapping the Descent series, hostess Michelle Lynn guides us through the landscapes of the dark night of the soul, the underworld journey, and the metaphorical winter—those bewildering, disorienting, and ultimately transformative experiences that so many women are quietly navigating.

Drawing on myth, mysticism, feminine archetypes, and her own deeply personal stories, Michelle reveals why descent is not a detour from the path, but the path itself.

If you've ever felt like you were dissolving, like the world stopped making sense, like God went silent—this episode offers both map and mirror.

We're talking soul-making. Feminine wisdom. Sacred undoing. And the mysterious grace that lives inside the dark.

In This Episode, You'll Explore:

• What the "dark night of the soul" really means and how it differs from depression

• The mythic and archetypal dimensions of an underworld journey

• How the metaphorical winter holds regenerative wisdom (if we let it)

• Why spiritual awakening often leads not to bliss, but to unraveling

• How stories, myths, and symbols offer lifelines in the descent

• The feminine spiritual current that's reawakening through modern women

• Why descent is a necessary part of the soul's evolution—and how to recognize its gifts

✨ Plus, Michelle shares a deeply personal story of awakening, rage, and reconnection that became her own initiation into the descent.

Listen now and begin to map your own descent. And stay tuned for five powerful conversations with women sharing their raw and wise stories of soul-initiation.

Connect with Michelle:

Website: www.embodiment-alchemy.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/michellelynnembodiment

Work with Michelle:

Force of Nature 1:1 Coaching for leaders and creatives who want to embody their power to move the world

Resources:

FREE MEDITATION - Embody Your Feminine Wisdom

FREE MINI COURSE - Moon Cycle Magic

The Non-Linear Movement Method Classes - Somatic Practice

The Secret Art of Breast Massage Course

A lot of women are abandoning the idea of feminism in an effort to reclaim their feminine essence. They say we've been sold a bill of lies when it comes to women's empowerment.

Is the path to true power in embracing traditional women's roles?

Just what exactly is happening in the collective that gives rise to these ideas and are they worth pursuing... is this the missing puzzle piece to how we become happier and more fulfilled?

In this controversial episode we dive into the trad wife phenomenon, what true feminine embodiment is about, and how to reclaim our feminine essence.

Connect with Michelle:

Website: www.embodiment-alchemy.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/michellelynnembodiment

Work with Michelle:

Radiant Woman Feminine Embodiment Mentorship

Force of Nature 1:1 Coaching for leaders and creatives who want to embody their power to move the world

Resources:

FREE MEDITATION - Embody Your Feminine Wisdom

FREE MINI COURSE - Moon Cycle Magic

The Non-Linear Movement Method Classes - Somatic Practice

The Secret Art of Breast Massage Course

In this episode, we delve into the mystical and transformative energy of the Dark Goddess archetype. Join us as we explore four key aspects to help you connect with and embody this powerful energy, and chat about how to:

• Discover the rich symbolism and cultural significance of goddesses like Kali, Hecate, and Lilith. Learn how these powerful figures can inspire and guide your spiritual journey.

• Gain practical insights into rituals and meditations designed to help you connect with the Dark Goddess.

• Understand how embracing the Dark Goddess can facilitate profound healing and personal transformation, including navigating and integrating your shadow aspects.

• Receive practical tips on how to weave the wisdom of the Dark Goddess into your daily routine.

Whether you're drawn to the Dark Goddess as a symbol of empowerment, wisdom, or renewal, this episode invites you to reclaim and honor her sacred presence in your spiritual journey.

Connect with Michelle:

Website: www.embodiment-alchemy.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/michellelynnembodiment

Work with Michelle:

Radiant Woman Feminine Embodiment Mentorship

Force of Nature 1:1 Coaching for leaders and creatives who want to embody their power to move the world

Resources:

FREE MEDITATION - Embody Your Feminine Wisdom

FREE MINI COURSE - Moon Cycle Magic

The Non-Linear Movement Method Classes - Somatic Practice

The Secret Art of Breast Massage Course

In this episode, I dive into a topic that's been feeling incredibly present for me lately and one that I often see in my clients: the overwhelming sense of exhaustion that can arise during an embodiment or somatic practice.

Join me as I explore two key reasons why you might encounter this exhaustion and how to approach it with compassion and curiosity. We'll discuss:

• The pervasive issue of depletion and burnout in our culture and how it impacts our personal growth journeys.
• The importance of rest and nourishment as fundamental components of any spiritual or personal development practice.
• How our nervous systems create resistance to protect us and why we might feel tired when confronting deeper, shadowy aspects of ourselves.
• Practical insights on staying with and moving through the exhaustion to uncover deeper layers of wisdom within.

If you're finding yourself constantly tired, burnt out, or struggling to connect with your embodiment practice, this episode is for you. Learn how to honor your body's needs, navigate the depths of your fatigue, and create a more rooted, nourishing foundation for your life.

I also share a bit about my recent personal journey through illness and recovery, and how it's reinforced the vital need for true rest and nourishment.

Tune in and let's explore together how to embrace and move through these challenging but essential aspects of our embodiment journey.

Connect with Michelle:

Website: www.embodiment-alchemy.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/michellelynnembodiment

Work with Michelle:

Radiant Woman Feminine Embodiment Mentorship

Force of Nature 1:1 Coaching for leaders and creatives who want to embody their power to move the world

Resources:

FREE MEDITATION - Embody Your Feminine Wisdom

FREE MINI COURSE - Moon Cycle Magic

The Non-Linear Movement Method Classes - Somatic Practice

The Secret Art of Breast Massage Course

Have you ever wondered why becoming more sensitive to what's happening in your body is beneficial, especially if it feels uncomfortable or chaotic? In this episode, we explore why anyone would want to take this path of embodiment.

Join me as I share five practical reasons to embrace embodiment, even when it feels unpredictable or scary. We chat about how:

• Expanding your capacity for pleasure starts with inhabiting your body more fully.
• Feeling more allows you to be touched by life in deeper, more meaningful ways.
• Tuning into your body's signals can amplify your intuitive knowing, and create better boundaries and clarity.

If you're ready to dive deeper into life and connect with your body's wisdom, this episode is for you.

Listen today, or on your favorite platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and iHeart Radio. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed here.

Connect with Michelle:

Website: www.embodiment-alchemy.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/michellelynnembodiment

Work with Michelle:

Radiant Woman Feminine Embodiment Mentorship

Force of Nature 1:1 Coaching for leaders and creatives who want to embody their power to move the world

Resources:

FREE MEDITATION - Embody Your Feminine Wisdom

FREE MINI COURSE - Moon Cycle Magic

The Non-Linear Movement Method Classes - Somatic Practice

The Secret Art of Breast Massage Course