Ariel Szabo, a midwife of intimacy and connection, and dear friend, comes on the podcast for a deep and yummy conversation about pleasure, grief and spirals. In this episode we discuss imagination, dearmoring, vulnerability, conflict as an opportunity to get closer, and the practice of using pleasure to integrate all parts of us. Ariel shares about bodywork and the gift it offers through giving and receiving it, seeing people come alive when they give themselves permission to express themselves fully.

We hear about genital de-armoring, a practice that brings presence and loving connection to our body's resistance and blocks to liberate them. The conversation turns to a discussion of shame and grief. We talk about masturbation, the commonness of childhood sexual abuse and Ariel’s journey of healing and integration. We celebrate the magic of mirror work.

The conversation, unsurprisingly, turns to plants and how much we love them. Plants as teachers, showing us possibility, plants resourcing us to feel. We touch on how colonization has impacted us in our bodies and as a society, and the beauty in reclaiming our inherent belonging with the plant, animal and fungi kingdoms.

Ariel shares about two upcoming offerings as well - Temple of the Womb, a six week in-person immersive in Salem, MA this fall and an Ayahuasca & Huachuma Plant Medicine retreat in Peru in March 2024.

Bio: Ariel is dedicated to walking with people back to their bodies, their hearts, and their souls. Formally trained as a sexological bodyworker, somatic sex educator, and psychedelic therapist; all in service of supporting people in remembering their inherent value and belonging. She weaves together spiritual and western teachings, integrating the wisdom she receives from the consciousness of the plants and elements she sits with and western knowledge on working with the nervous system and trauma.

Links: IG - @‌sacredmoonflower

www.sacredmoonflower.com

https://www.sacredmoonflower.com/temple-of-the-womb

https://www.awamayu.com/return-to-the-womb