What does it mean to be human in an endless universe? And how do we find meaning when science seems to have declared God dead?

In this profound conversation, Dr. Margot Brouwer shares her personal journey from childhood panic attacks about death to becoming an astrophysicist—and ultimately discovering a philosophy that dissolves the fear of mortality entirely.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why time isn't what you think it is (and how Einstein's physics proves we're always in the "here and now")
• The philosophy of Spinoza and how it bridges science and spirituality
• What non-duality means and how it can change your relationship with existence
• Why consciousness doesn't disappear when we die
• Practical ways to experience timelessness through meditation
• How seeing the universe as divine changes everything

About Dr. Margot Brouwer:

Dr. Margot Brouwer is an astrophysicist and author who has been preoccupied with existential questions for as long as she can remember. From a young age, she suspected that studying the universe would provide answers to life's biggest mysteries.

She became the first student to complete a Master's degree in Gravitation and Astroparticle Physics at the University of Amsterdam. At Leiden University, she earned her PhD for mapping dark matter in the universe and was the first to test Professor Erik Verlinde's new theory of gravity. After her PhD, she worked as an astronomical researcher at the Universities of Amsterdam and Groningen.

But despite gaining an ever-deeper understanding of the universe, she couldn't find answers to her childhood questions about meaning, consciousness, and death. Her continuous immersion in philosophy culminated in reading Spinoza's Ethics, where she finally found the key to translate her scientific knowledge into answers to her greatest existential questions.

This pantheistic vision opened the door not only from science to philosophy, but also to mysticism—the spiritual realization that everything consists of one divine whole and that we are inseparable parts of it. Her journey is chronicled in her book "We Are Stardust" (currently available in Dutch, with hopes for an English translation).

Connect with Margot:

• Website: www.margotbrouwer.nl
• Email: [email protected]
• Watch her life-changing conversation about death: Search "Is Death the Gaping Darkness of Eternity" on YouTube (Unmani's channel)

If you know of a publisher that might be interested in translating "We Are Stardust" from Dutch to English, please reach out to Margot through her email.

Connect with us:

• Instagram: @gardenofbecomingpodcast
• Email: [email protected]

Review and Share: If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review to help others find this show, and share it with someone who needs to hear this message.

What if the thing triggering you right now is actually a gift? What if shame, guilt, and fear around your body aren't personality flaws—they're just human patterns you can interrupt?

In this raw, honest conversation, Aaron Mandelbaum—philosopher, tantra facilitator, and transformation guide—breaks down the invisible blocks keeping us from pleasure, presence, and authentic connection.

We explore:

• Why triggers are information, not punishment (and how to use them)
• The nervous system hack animals use that we've forgotten
• How to find your real yes and no (versus the ones you think you should have)
• The two magic words that create clear consent: "may I" and "will you"
• Why most of our sexual and relational wounds come down to three core beliefs
• How ritual brings intention beyond talk therapy
• The energetic body as your early warning system
• Why being "divine" doesn't mean bypassing your very human reactions

This isn't theory—it's practical wisdom from someone who's guided thousands of people worldwide through shame, trauma, and transformation. Whether you're exploring tantra, healing triggers, or just want to stop repeating the same patterns, this episode gives you tools to choose a new path.

Content note: This episode includes frank discussion of sexuality, trauma, and healing practices.

Key Themes & Topics

• Transformation & healing
• Triggers as information
• Nervous system regulation
• Shame, guilt & fear around bodies and sexuality
• Tantra & neo-tantra
• Consent & boundaries
• The energetic body
• Ritual & intention
• Finding your yes and no
• Clear requests ("may I/will you")
• Aftercare & relationship agreements
• Embodied vs. intellectual healing

Resources Mentioned

Books:

• Tantra Illuminated by Christopher Wallace
• The Recognition Sutras by Christopher Wallace
• Urban Tantra by Barbara Carrellas

Workshops & Training Programs:

• Wheel of Consent training
• ISTA (International School of Temple Arts)
• Liberation Childhood/Adolescent Experience
• Landmark Education
• Emergence Brotherhood
• Barbara Carrellas events
• Shamanic Kink (Francesca Gentile)
• Conscious Kink Training (Seani Love)
• Aaron's "Voyage Into Presence" (3-day intensive)

Connect with Aaron:

• Instagram: @aaronmstagram
• Website: https://aaronmandelbaum.com/

Connect with us:

• Instagram: @gardenofbecomingpodcast
• Email: [email protected]

Garden of Becoming explores the messy, beautiful work of becoming whole. New episodes drop weekly every Tuesday. Subscribe and follow for conversations that go beneath the surface.

Review and Share: If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review to help others find this show, and share it with someone who needs to hear this message.

What if the healing you've been searching for isn't in another app, book, or wellness trend? What if it's literally growing all around you?

In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Andrea Jaramillo - a public health nurse, certified forest therapy guide, grief and ceremony holder, and founder of Forest Nurse - to explore forest bathing as medicine for our modern burnout.

Originally from Ecuador, Andrea has spent her nursing career walking with people through life's biggest moments, from birth to death. Through this work, she discovered that nature isn't just nice to have - it's medicine we all need.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why slowing down is a radical act in our culture
• How to introduce yourself to new land like meeting a friend

• Why your anxiety and burnout aren't personal failures but collective symptoms
• Practical ways to begin forest bathing in your own backyard and how to turn your morning coffee into sacred ritual

• How we heal collectively, not individually

Garden of Becoming explores the messy, beautiful work of becoming whole. New episodes drop weekly every Tuesday. Subscribe and follow for conversations that go beneath the surface.

Connect with us:

• Instagram: @gardenofbecomingpodcast
• Email: [email protected]

Connect with Andrea:

• Instagram: @forest.nurse
• Website: https://forestnurse.com
• LinkedIn: Andrea Jaramillo

Review and Share: If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review to help others find this show, and share it with someone who needs to hear this message.

In this powerful conversation, men's work facilitator Blake Zealear opens up about the unique challenges facing men today and the transformative power of authentic brotherhood.

What You'll Learn:

• Why most men struggle with feelings of inadequacy and constant comparison
• The difference between men's work and co-ed personal development spaces
• How childhood bullying and male relationships shape adult patterns
• The missing rites of passage in modern culture and their impact
• Practical tools for developing self-compassion and inner dialogue
• Understanding and expressing anger in healthy ways
• The connection between sexuality and emotional intimacy
• The "Diamond Rule" - treating yourself as well as you treat others

Guest Bio:  Blake Zealear is a certified sex educator, lead facilitator at ReMenber Brotherhood Journey, faculty at the International School of Temple Arts, and an empowerment coach.

Resources Mentioned:

• Brené Brown
• King, Warrior, Magician, Lover by Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette

• The Way of the Superior Man by David Deida
•  Masculine in Relationship by Youngblood
• Bill Plotkin's work on rites of passage
• Works by  John Weyland

Connect with Blake:

• Website: blakezealear.com
• Follow on social media @blakezealear

Garden of Becoming explores the messy, beautiful work of becoming whole. New episodes drop weekly every Tuesday. Subscribe and follow for conversations that go beneath the surface.

Connect with us:

• Instagram: @gardenofbecomingpodcast
• Email: [email protected]

Review and Share: If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review to help others find this show, and share it with someone who needs to hear this message.

Join us for an intimate conversation with poet and author Meredith Heller as she shares her powerful journey from homeless teenager to guide helping women worldwide reclaim their authentic voices through poetry. We explore how writing serves as deep medicine for the soul, transforming our relationship with difficult emotions.

Guest: Meredith Heller, author of "Write a Poem, Save Your Life" and "Writing by Heart." After leaving home at 12, she found healing through poetry and now leads transformational writing workshops globally.

Befriending Your Inner Critic

• Why silencing the critic drains our energy
• The practice of "inviting the critic over for tea"
• Working with beginner's mind at any experience level

Embracing Your Wildness

• Redefining wildness as courage to feel fully
• Why difficult emotions are "wildness trapped"
• Moving from surviving to expressing life force

The Power of Witnessing

• How sharing stories transforms shame into self-acceptance
• Healing that happens in circle and community
• Moving from isolation to "hive heart, hive mind"

Practical Tools

• Weekly writing dates in different environments
• Notice what sparks you and ask "Why is this meaningful to me?"
• Write for yourself first, not external audiences

Key Quotes

"The wildness is the capacity, willingness, courage, and curiosity to express ourselves, to feel what we feel fully, no matter what it is."

"Write to touch your own truth. Write to reach your own hallelujah."

Resources:

• Books: Write a Poem, Save Your Life, Writing by Heart, Caterpillar Girl (Aug 2025)
• Website: meredithheller.com
• Global Zoom poetry workshops available

Garden of Becoming explores the messy, beautiful work of becoming whole. New episodes drop weekly every Tuesday. Subscribe and follow for conversations that go beneath the surface.

Connect with us:

• Instagram: @gardenofbecomingpodcast
• Email: [email protected]

Review and Share: If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review to help others find this show, and share it with someone who needs to hear this message.

Have you ever known exactly what you need to change but felt unable to actually do it?

This conversation with transformation facilitator Karlijn Kouwenhoven reveals why traditional approaches often fall short and how working with your emotional body creates lasting change.

Karlijn left her corporate career in leadership development after discovering the power of embodied transformation work. Now she facilitates life-changing retreats worldwide, helping people move beyond intellectual understanding to create real shifts in their lives.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why your body might be sabotaging your best intentions to change
• How to work with fear as a teacher rather than an obstacle
• The difference between healing alone vs. in community
• Three practical tools you can use immediately to process emotions and stuck patterns
• How to listen to your body's wisdom when making difficult decisions
• Why multiple conflicting voices in your head are actually normal (and how to work with them)

Key Topics Covered:

• The limitations of purely intellectual approaches to healing
• How shame keeps us stuck and practical ways to move through it
• Why transformation requires both individual work and community support
• The role of emotional reclaim tools in releasing stored tension
• Navigating relationships while you're changing and growing
• How to expand your capacity for uncertainty and the unknown

About Karlijn Kouwenhoven:Karlijn holds a Master's in Social & Organizational Psychology and worked in leadership development at a major consulting firm before discovering transformational body work. She's now a certified Tantra and Hatha Yoga teacher and founder of KABIRA, facilitating development retreats across three continents. Her approach integrates mind, body, and soul through what she calls "cutting through the bullshit" to create real change.

Mentioned Resources:

• CORE Retreat: https://www.kabi-ra.com/core-retreat

Take Action:Try one of Karlijn's three practical tools:

1. Write down your inner judgments, read them aloud, and notice what happens
2. Put on music and let your body shake or dance for 5 minutes
3. Face one small fear this week and pay attention to your body's response

Please note: This episode discusses approaches to emotional processing and transformation. These techniques are meant to complement, not replace, professional mental health support when needed.

Garden of Becoming explores the messy, beautiful work of becoming whole. New episodes drop weekly every Tuesday. Subscribe and follow for conversations that go beneath the surface.

Connect with us:

• Instagram: @gardenofbecomingpodcast
• Email: [email protected]

Review and Share: If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review to help others find this show, and share it with someone who needs to hear this message.

With Rahi Chun, Somatic Sex Educator & NeuroAffective Touch Practitioner

What if the tension you carry isn't something to fix, but wisdom your body is trying to share?

In this raw and transformative conversation, Somatic Sex Educator Rahi Chun explains why your body holds onto emotional experiences - and how to work with it, not against it, to release what's been holding you back.

What You'll Learn:

Understanding Armoring:

• Why your body creates unconscious muscular guarding
• How emotional threats create physical tension
• Where different emotions get stored in your body

The Foundation of Healing:

• Why safety is crucial for any therapeutic work
• How to create nervous system regulation
• The connection between childhood experiences and adult patterns

Practical Tools:

• How to develop consent with your own body
• The Three Minute Game for building attunement
• Self de-armoring techniques you can try at home

Body Wisdom:

• The anatomical connection between throat, heart, and pelvis
• Why your jaw tension might be connected to your hips
• How unexpressed emotions create physical symptoms

About Rahi Chun:

Rahi combines training as a CA state-certified Somatic Sex Educator, NeuroAffective Touch Practitioner, and Life Coach with an M.A. in Spiritual Psychology. His global training includes work in India, Austria, and Sweden, specializing in de-armoring arts, family constellation therapy, and somatic sexual wholeness.

Resources Mentioned:

• The Three Minute Game by Dr. Betty Martin
• Rahi's website:  www.rahichun.com and www.somaticsexualwholeness.com
• Course: "Three Keys to Genital De-armoring” https://somaticsexualwholeness.mykajabi.com/3keys
• Course: “Divine Union for Lovers” https://divineunionforlovers.mykajabi.com/course

Content Warning:

This episode contains mature discussions about sexual health, trauma, and intimate body work. While educational in nature, listener discretion is advised.

Garden of Becoming explores the messy, beautiful work of becoming whole. New episodes drop weekly every Tuesday. Subscribe and follow for conversations that go beneath the surface.

Connect with us:

• Instagram: @gardenofbecomingpodcast
• Email: [email protected]

Review and Share: If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review to help others find this show, and share it with someone who needs to hear this message.

Welcome to the Garden of Becoming!
Weekly episodes invite you into soulful conversation with healers, artists, and embodied guides exploring transformation, trauma healing, conscious sexuality, spirituality, creative expression, and the raw magic of being human. We speak to the things that move us—grief and joy, fear and freedom, shame and sovereignty—because becoming your most authentic self asks for courage, community, and the willingness to feel.

Subscribe to grow your roots, unfold your wings, and walk the path home to yourself!

For daily reflections + soulful tools for healing and embodiment, visit:

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