Grow Through It Podcast With Phi Dang

Celebrating 2 years full time in her own business as a life coach, Phi shares insights on what she’s had to unlearn in here journey.

Get ready for a thought-provoking discussion on how unlearning has become a crucial mindset and skill in navigating the ever-changing world of business and personal development. 

Hi Beautiful Soul, welcome to this week’s Grow Through It Podcast Episode and in exciting news I wanted to share at the beginning of this month November 2023, I crossed over the line of having my own business as a full time life coach for 2 years now. 

I’ve been busy (hello manifesting generator with the channel of charisma and power) as well as hibernating (that’s my 2 profile line) and I’ve finally had an intentional week of slowing down, nourishment, rejuvenation and pause to reflect and take this in! 

It’s been so nice to reflect and I did my best to capture 2 years in an 11 second reel on Instagram but that’ll never do it justice! Watching it made me smile for all the amazing moments. 

Even though its been a couple of weeks hitting that milestone it still feels so surreal especially thinking of my second year in business and trust me it’s been a rollercoaster. In the second year so much has happened. I’ve had wobbly moments where I was very scarce and tight on money just barely paying for my expenses contrasted with the biggest months in my business in overflow of abundance. 

I was reflecting with some girlfriends last night how at one point earlier this year we went to dinner and I didn’t eat because I was on a tight budget so for a month or two I remember I was eating at home before going out with friends, I didn’t drink and what not to now the contrast of having excitingly bought a new dyson vacuum, previously paying for a retreat in instalments and now paying for it in full with overseas flights and upgraded seats next year and had a big birthday month of spending. For my birthday I had never spent so much in my life for individual things such as the dress I wore was $450, my nails cost $150, blow dry $200, cake $200 and so fourth.

https://www.amazon.com.au/Great-Unlearning-Awakening-Aligned-Authentic/dp/0645344494In terms of clients I’ve had lean months the first in a long time but also contrasted by seeing the most clients I ever have in my business whether it be in a day, month, year or quarter. I think despite it all whilst a lot has unfolded for me personally over the last 2 years whether it’s quitting my corporate job, relationship changes, moving homes it’s been really grounding to have my business as the most stable core in my life: the essence of what I do and being able to return to my grander purpose which is to make the world a better place and help people live their best lives: at peace, happy and soul fulfilled. Really trusting and returning to that in moments of fear, doubt, worry has been humbling and gratifying. 

On June 23rd this year I released my debut book The Great Unlearning: Awakening to Living an Aligned and Authentic Life which was a year and a half journey in the making and two years from the idea of the book conceived whilst I was side hustling as a coach and full time in my corporate career landing a book deal, writing the book and editing process. The excitement as it hit #1 in Amazon for particular categories in Australia and did well in the top 3 or was it 5 in the US too, trending domestically on Booktopia when it first released too.

This has also been the year of being a guest on other podcasts such as with Georgie Stevenson on Rise & Conquer and I’m really feeling the desire to consistently do more podcasting on my own here on The Grow Through It podcast too. I’ve been so fortunate to travel extensively this year for personal reasons such as going back to my ancestral roots and lineage on my mum’s side in Vietnam and work including recording my talk unlearning and unbecoming through writing with Janelle Hardy for Day 2: Taking the lid off grief and rage the Healing Through Writing Festival from a gorgeous 5 star retreat in Bali, visiting clients and doing in person coaching and business sessions and what’s been really exciting is working with business teams in terms of planning, strategy, energetics and human design of course. 

I was reflecting with some girlfriends last night how at one point earlier this year we went to dinner and I didn’t eat because I was on a tight budget so for a month or two I remember I was eating at home before going out with friends, I didn’t drink and what not to now the contrast of having excitingly bought a new dyson vacuum, previously paying for a retreat in instalments and now paying for it in full with overseas flights and upgraded seats next year and had a big birthday month of spending. For my birthday I had never spent so much in my life for individual things such as the dress I wore was $450, my nails cost $150, blow dry $200, cake $200 and so fourth.

The growths and changes in the clients I work with has been so incredibly rich and rewarding in year 2, my heart feels all warm and fuzzy and I get teary thinking about it. The biggest trends I’ve seen with my clients are working more with entrepreneurs or people wanting to start their own business, younger women starting their personal growth and development journeys at 18-24 (hats off to you, I can only imagine how different my life would’ve been having the tools, mindset and support from a coach in my early 20s vs starting later), beautiful mamas navigating life in all facets and in particular getting to the core of their identity and self outside being a mother, couples (a lot of work coaching couples, reconciliation or transitioning to a conscious uncoupling) and men — at one point this year half my clients were males aged between 28-47. Moreover this year has been deeply intense work in terms of the feminine: sensuality, sexuality, slowing down, embracing cycles whether moon or menstrual and womb healing.

To name a few of the amazing achievements in year 2 so far, clients that I have in e-commerce and manufacturing have doubled their revenue since I’ve started working with them and I’ve also seen clients break through income plateaus and receive pay rises and promotions. Clients have fallen in love (yay) and met a significant other whilst working together. Clients have left jobs and religions that are no longer in alignment with them and sought out more soul fulfilling and gratifying paths. Clients have moved homes and countries and started a new chapter in their life. Clients have broken familial and ancestral patterns and chains holding them back in particular being that support person for the family at their own expense. Clients have moved past and healed from heartbreak and break ups. Clients have reconciled in important relationships whether romantic, friends or family. 

Honestly I could go on, so much has happened and I can’t even do it justice talking about it because when I hear from clients about how they’ve grown and changed so much, talking about how they can’t even put a price on their transformations it’s truly mind blowing and blows the water on what one think can logically happen when you work and invest in yourself.

In honour of this 2 year milestone, I thought I would share a few musings of what I’ve had to unlearn in my journey thus far particularly in my second full year of running my own business…

I don’t know why I had so much resistance to recording this episode: I felt bad for missing a week of podcasting last week with personal things arising to the surface and so ultimately I’m preaching done is better than perfect! Knowing why I want to do the podcast, it’s not about me it’s about you the listener.

Having your own business means complete freedom and so you’ll be happy all the time – I would say for the most part it really is true!

I have to say one of the best parts is not having to be bound by a certain time to wake up and hear that pesky alarm. It’s true being able to go on holiday whenever you want, being able to work from anywhere you want — that’s a dream! Being able to set your own schedule and shuffle it around for appointments or to help out friends and family is a blessing too. 

Not forgetting freedom in terms of this poignant point that remember why you started your business and personally for me one of the driving factors  was freedom. So I always come back to applying that principle – I get to do business my way and forge my own path. I get to show up in a way that I want to not what the industry standard/expectation is or what some person online says. 

I have found my flow in creating content I really love which is writing turned into a book this year (The Great Unlearning) and at the moment online reels, in turn clients are able to find me to do 1:1 coaching and human design readings despite not actually ever posting content about that. Logically one may say it doesn’t make sense but hey it works for me! 

Again it’s not about this method working for you but the core message is give yourself full permission to do business and run your business in a way that lights you up and really excites you, that feels really good in your soul. I think that’s coming up for me next year, now I’m less in ‘survival’ mode in business and serious, how can I have more fun and pure joy that tingles up my sacral in true manifesting generator magic?

Change is a part of life and business, I remember everyone saying you have to be on TikTok but again my main platform is Instagram and I’m still getting my work out there and having clients without necessarily having to follow trends, pay for advertising and show my face all the time. Although I’ve definitely pivoted and done more reels because I love having the visual and audio aspect accompany my words. I want someone to see a piece of content and really feel the message I am conveying in all senses. 

Intertwined with this all, is a deep genuine to the core, heart and soul feeling of being really grateful that you are able to do what you love everyday. I think that’s why you don’t hear many people talking about the downsides to running your own business at least for me I feel a resistance because it’s like I should be so grateful you know? It’s also that whole everyone wants the success but don’t realise that with it comes other things too: as I always say new level, new devil.

Such as life, no matter who you are, how much money you have, how much personal development work you do and what you do — it’s not always happy! I have definitely struggled with bouts of loneliness and I’m a natural hermit too. Especially the beginning of this year where everything was perfect on paper yet I live by myself, work by myself and was single. It was exacerbated as I live at the beach known to be it’s own bubble and the majority of my friends live half an hour to an hour’s drive away. I was humbled by a friend who reminded me it was my choice to live at the beach as I could also easily live closer to my friends in the suburbs. It’s true I value the beach lifestyle and environment so much, it’s the glitter for my soul.

There was no where to hide by just throwing myself into work so I really spent the beginning of this year in contemplation and making the most of the time I have alone. It taught me to put more of an effort in to connect with people whether driving to see friends or really savouring a conversation at my local cafe or a kind stranger walking by at the beach because apart from clients at time was my one piece of personal interaction for the day!

Not everyone has the same lifestyle as you so therefore even though I can work anywhere from the world, I’ll likely be by myself unless a friend and partner can take that time off work for example. You can go the beach at 2:30pm on a Wednesday but not many people you know will be able to unless their circumstances are similar. You can work overseas for 2-3 months straight, again doesn’t mean your partner can too.

The things you think about and experience again will be different for example the way you approach money and investments. One of your main interests naturally will be your business and the nature of business: growth and the pains that come with it. You’ll be questioning “do people get me?” 

I’m the first in my friend group to have my own business, so it’s quite an adventure on your own and wondering do other people experience this or feel that way? The answer is yes! The absence of colleagues or a team makes it important to find community in the day to day and have a support network. 

With success I also found it interesting to see who have been the people that have supported me from day 1 vs now especially when I released my book I found it interesting people from my past that suddenly reappeared again acting all friendly when I hadn’t heard from some of them for at least 5 years!

Feeling less of the need to prove myself. I used to feel the need to be online 24/7 showing off being achievements or luxurious purchases/holidays. It could be the fact I have a 2 profile line hermit yet nowadays I like to keep some things private and sacred for myself. I don’t feel as though I need to post all the time my successes and testimonials because I’m grateful to have built my business that the work speaks for itself and the majority of clients I get are from referrals or content I put out online. 

I feel at peace but of course you still have the shaky moments from time to time where you fear oh my gosh what if I don’t have enough money as an example but that happens less now, it’s like my brain can now logically click well it’s been 2 years and I’ve been doing this full time without a need to get a second job or a casual job for sustainable income. 

In saying that achieving things, it can be so easy to tick it off and move onto the next. It’s so important to celebrate yourself and hitting achievements and milestones. This year I really allowed myself to do that financially as well as with taking time off. I really went all in on celebrating with my book launch earlier this June, having a month in Bali and Vietnam and throwing a huge party for my birthday in October. It can be big celebrations but I also had the practice of celebrating solo with Uber Eats and a kombucha on the couch too.

Hence the next unlearning: Don’t be afraid to spend money. I feel that the initial first few years of business even now still the majority of money is being reinvested back into myself and the business in terms of scaling, growing and expanding. It’s true what they say spending money to earn money of course getting to that sweet spot. My money mindset has rapidly expanded because have you ever noticed that rich people keep spending money? They don’t stop and hoard. That’s what people do with less money and a poverty mindset. The richer get rich because they invest… whether that’s in stocks, property, other businesses, themselves catapulting them to create more money in their existing business by scaling or even starting more businesses. It’s something I’m definitely thinking of doing and looking to in the future whether it’s another service business or an e-commerce one. 

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should – It’s realising I can do many things and I am good at many things but where does my joy lie? I’m at a point where I can do less jobs in my business, whereas the first year I was the coach, admin, accountant, marketer etc. Where is my effort and energy bests place within my business? What is the opportunity cost of me doing a instead of doing b? What is the cost of me doing something I dread vs love? How do you put a price on that? Financially? Mentally? Physically? Emotionally? More than ever I really value my time, energy and input. 

This year I’ve had to drop out of plans even though I felt bad because I had to honour my body or mind being tired or just not feeling it or being in the mood for it. I’ve had to have firmer boundaries especially with family, friends or strangers seeking guidance, advice or to pick my brain. I truly honour my clients, prioritise and put them first and give them my all when it comes to my life coaching and intuitive abilities. That put an end to receiving voice notes from people that went from anywhere between 2 to 10 minutes, I simply didn’t have the energy for that after working with clients all day.

With that I’ve really had to honour my natural working flow and style instead of working against it: it’s taken the majority of the year to come to my conclusion that I have a maximum amount of clients I can see a day with at least 15-30 minutes in between, I do not work weekends and the majority of my work is done during the day, not too early because I love a sleep in now and it takes time for my brain to wake up and not at night where I feel tired and taking into account insights previously where I  was guilty of that one when I was single I would work days and nights but now I have a partner I prioritise our relationship). I was definitely guilty before of putting work before my relationships and perhaps even having a sense of getting complacent or taking it for granted prioritising work you know? 

2 years in business I can afford to invest more in myself and business and that has resulted in me going on a retreat at the beginning of this year, having just paid for one in India next year as well as being able to have my virtual assistant work more hours to support me in the things that I don’t enjoy such as admin work: reposting my content to my website, sorting out my inbox, scheduling in my calendar. This is an area I continue to identify as something for me to work on as I can really be in the feminine flow and I really crave and need to plan, organise and structure my business. I used to think it slowed me down but I needed to slow down in order to speed up. All of this makes for the second year in more refined, I feel more on top of business and it’s manageable whereas the first year for me was experimenting, trial and error: figuring it out. 

Having regular consistent mentorship is a game-changer too, I really honed in on having a mentor for the year consistently which is dedicated time for me to reflect, express myself and access new perspectives or guidance. Once your business is established I find it’s more personal things that I discuss and work on as opposed to necessarily business problems. It’s always refreshing to see things from a different perspective. 

You don’t know everything and that’s a beautiful thing. I never want to get to a point where I think I know it all. In fact I would prefer to be the beginner in a room and take the most out of speaking with people than being the expert, that’s how I grow the most. Your interactions with people help you to grow, especially in the field I work in, a lot of the times the things i’m coaching a client are resolidfying insights and experiences I have so really adopting all connections and relationships as a valuable mirror and opportunity to grow. 

In saying that I think people have this idea your business has to always grow year on year a crazy exponential amount and I’ve come to realise that’s not sustainable or enjoyable (for me at least anyway). My business has undoubtedly grown in it’s second year but part of it is the ebbs and flow. I launched a book and a part of me felt the pressure to do even more however when I tuned in with my soul it said the book is huge, this is enough. You don’t have to do the group coaching program or retreats until next year (hence watch this space!). Just like personal development we need integration time, stabilisation time, like the new norm for me is like it’s okay, I have a consistent stream of clients, I won’t die and run on out of money. I don’t need to show up online all the time to make money. In fact this year I’ve shown up the least and I’m okay! Which comes to another insight yes consistent revenue is important to sustain your business and self especially soothing your nervous system.

This was the year I truly understood how much I need to pause, rest, integrate and recharge. Business is a marathon not a sprint. Essentially you are the driving engine and compass of your business. You need to be on top of your energy to have the desire, drive and motivation to keep your business going. This is an area I want to focus on particularly next year consistency in my health: fitness, diet and meditation. Knowing myself when it gets busy I prioritise work and in turn work out less, eat bigger portions for comfort and energy or do the opposite I forget to eat and all I’ve had is a coffee until dinner, meditate less… or I’m so tired I lack the energy and feel lazy: I’m not swimming as much or walking as much — always areas to improve and work on! 

No matter what happens it’ll always come back to this: keep going! The journey is never going to be perfect and you won’t be ‘put together’ all the time. In life naturally challenges and obstacles arise and what I’ve found is that the anxieties and fears in my head, are always worse and scarier than what actually unfolds in reality. 

I still remember my first day in business and now two years later, the life that I live today is far greater than I envisioned for myself. If you told me where I would be today when I started I would’ve been like what you’re crazy, how!? 

And that’s thing for me really knowing my own human design, responding to the world, following those intuitive nudges and breadcrumbs to take inspired action step by step has led me here. Knowing I am here because of the me that made decisions despite fear, worry, doubt and insecurity a month ago, six months ago, a year ago, two years ago… 

If you’re listening with an idea or passion of something to do, this is your sign to go for it, see what happens – it might not work out but what if it did… that is something powerful enough to pursue in itself! Thanks for listening beautiful soul, until next week but in the meantime if you’d like to work with me I offer 1:1 coaching and human design readings. Details on my website phidang.com or message me on Instagram @thephidang. 

Phi returns to the podcast and shares super exciting life updates including something very special and spills the tea on what happened during her month away in Vietnam and Bali.

As she’s turned 30, she also shares the top 10 juiciest things she had to unlearn in her 20’s to be the happiest in her life she’s ever been.

So usually when you turn 30 you see those top 30 things I learnt by 30 or what I wish I knew in my 20’s – but in Phi Dang style, of course I’m going to share the top 10 things I unlearnt by 30 to honour my book The Great Unlearning.

The book really does capture my 20’s if you’re interested and has 29 full chapters of unlearning. These are my own musings pulling from the book and reflections in this present moment. It’s honestly so hard to pick only 10 so I’m going to tune in and trust my intuition that I’ve chosen these specifically to resonate with you listening to this podcast!

THE LEARNING 

There’s a set timeline of key milestones in life you need to achieve in order to be happy and fulfilled. 

THE UNLEARNING 

There are no set timelines in life. 

Truly because I think 30 is one of those ages we build up in our heads and decide we have to get everything done, yet funnily enough the less pressure I put on myself, trusted in my own path and timeline, the more amazing things I’ve achieved unexpectedly. I mean my unexpected biggest month in business happened only a few months before turning 30! Anything can happen.

Some excerpts from the book to share:

“Timelines have been mostly imprinted subconsciously on our minds. We seem to be always working towards a timeframe, often speeding towards it. In fact, it’s made us feel like we’re always rushing to hit our next life milestone, whether it’s love, money or career.”

“The problem is that when we don’t hit these timelines, we feel like failures. We feel like we’re moving slower than those around us and it quickly turns into a crippling game of comparison. It’s important to remember that life isn’t a race and it isn’t a competition.”

THE LEARNING 

Success means having money, being in a relationship and at the peak of your career.   

THE UNLEARNING 

Success isn’t clear-cut or one size fits all, it’s something you define on your own. 

The old status symbols for success were a fast car, a big house and millions… billions of dollars.

The ultimate new flex is freedom, joy and inner peace—to live a life where your soul is pure love and happiness; where your highest self is realised; where your inner child is seen, heard and loved; where you find security in yourself and not others or things. It’s a life that your ancestors would be proud of; a life that’s a dream. Unlearn what you think you know is success and redefine what it means to you.

Some excerpts from the book to share:

“A lot of sayings we know are for a reason and it really is true. You hear it thrown around casually and in all the self-development books that money doesn’t buy you happiness. I would always roll my eyes and think deep down well, maybe not, but I’d rather cry in a mansion and Ferrari, that’s for sure. However, have you ever actually stopped for a moment to consider what your definition of success is and why?”

“Having had the taste of success, money, status and achievement at the height of my career – something still felt missing. Being in a relationship with what on the outside superficially a handsome man that loved me – something still felt missing. I mean even the bloody beginning of this year everything except a partner – something still felt missing. It had to hit home time and time again, success isn’t what it looks like and what you have. For me it really is a feeling and ultimately that feeling is inner peace, being content and self love. Not only that success is different for everyone, I never thought I could work for myself doing what I love yet again here I am! Success beyond what I thought was possible for me”.

THE LEARNING 

Money is hard to make but it will solve all my problems.

THE UNLEARNING 

Money doesn’t have to be hard to make, but it won’t solve all your problems either. Wealth is the consciousness of abundance and poverty is the consciousness of lack.

Do yourself a favour and seriously understand that money is mindset led. Once you can identify and understand your beliefs you can do amazing work to unlearn limiting money beliefs.

I used to be someone so scarce all the time and hoarding money. Now I don’t even need to check my bank account for purchases. Everything I want, I can afford. Do I buy everything? No because I have different priorities.

Right now in my life I am in the enjoying phase because why work hard not to harvest the bounty you planted (which is also why I’ve been less online social media and more living life and actually coaching/working with clients).

What I will also say is that throughout by 20’s I’ve been a lot of debt and I’ve had a lot of money, it continues and will continue to fluctuate. I don’t attach myself so deeply to money, I’m in flow with it, I trust it and somehow always it comes to me in any way!

I remember being petrified going full time in my business, being afraid I’ll have no money and die. I told myself I can get a part time or casual job to support myself in the worse case scenario… two years later that’s never happened. I’ve always been financially supported by my business.

THE LEARNING 

You can’t have it all.

THE UNLEARNING 

You CAN have it all.

Seriously here right now in this moment, I have it all. I have everything I desire and dream of. I write in my book The Great Unlearning, We’re conditioned to have things in life as ‘good enough’—good enough sex, good enough money, good enough relationships, good enough jobs. But what about great? What about excellent? In fact, we’re shamed for wanting more—more pleasure, more money, more appreciation.

We’ve been conditioned to equate wanting more as superficial, dirty and to the detriment of others. We’re told it’s ridiculous to believe we can be an amazing partner, mother and career woman at the same time.

Our culture celebrates sacrifice through these beliefs: If you want lots of money, you have to work lots. If you want to be successful at work, you have to spend less time with loved ones.’ I say screw that you can.

At times this changes, everyone’s definition is different, maybe you have the majority of what you want at one moment in time and that flips in another… but for you listening I dare you to not only dream of having it all but know that you can have it all.

If I can, so can you, why not?

THE LEARNING 

You are (insert name). You are (insert number) years old. You are a (insert job here).

THE UNLEARNING 

You are a soul having a human experience. Your identity is a costume you wear and you’re the one that gets to decide what that looks like. 

I think in your 20’s it’s a normal and common experience to question who you are (especially my fellow open g centres in human design). Again through conditioning I felt as if I had to know who I was? But I can say I’ve changed every year in my 20’s leading up to my 30’s.

I used to identify so much with my material possessions and appearance in my early 20’s then in my mid 20’s to end my career… now I just know who I am and I know I am beyond all of this stuff which is human.

I’m a soul underneath it all. I honestly didn’t have it figured out for a long time and that’s okay, embrace the unknown and process of figuring it all out in your 20’s.

So I ask you… Who are you? Who are you really? Are you you because of you or because the world made you this way? Do you know your place in this world? What makes you, you? 

THE LEARNING 

It’s easy to love others but hard to love yourself. 

THE UNLEARNING 

What if it’s not about loving yourself but loving being yourself? 

Self love has evolved rapidly in my 20’s to now being 30. At times even in the book I mention feeling sad and now ultimately having so much compassion for myself in my 20’s in my self love journey.

I used to be someone who needed to be externally validated especially by men and social media. It’s funny that this year I’ve been on social media less in my business yet incredibly abundant despite changing algorithms too. I’ve been less on social media in personal life and more happier and carefree than ever too. Again not to go to extremes because I also love social media as a conscious tool to connect and help people!

Something that really made me question things is how I start the Self Love chapter in The Great Unlearning.

“If I were to ask you to name all the places, things and people you love, I can almost guarantee that your name is last, if it is even on the list at all. It’s about unlearning that self love can’t be bought. It can’t be earned by being pretty, smarter, more successful and so fourth. Self love takes work. Self work is a conscious on going journey”.

THE LEARNING 

Everything you think is a fact and must be true.

THE UNLEARNING 

Your thoughts are not facts, but they do form your reality. 

A simple game changer for me that really unlevelled my awareness and consciousness.

At the end of the day, your thoughts are just thoughts. We are conditioned to believe our thoughts should be or need to be a certain way but they don’t. Our minds are great storytellers! 

THE LEARNING 

You should be happy all the time (everyone else is!).

THE UNLEARNING 

You don’t have to be happy all the time. You say you want to be happy but only when you’re a certain way or something in particular has happened in your life. That’s not happiness. That’s self-imprisonment. 

This stemmed from toxic positivity culture and well-meaning socio-cultural conditioning having been raised Vietnamese Chinese in Australia. It was so freeing to understand it’s okay not to be happy all that time and it’s normal not to be happy all the time.

Sure, you can chase happiness but really it can’t be bought, caught or obtained. You see, so many people seem to miss that happiness doesn’t suddenly start in the relationship, the job, the degree or money… happiness isn’t an object.

Which goes in to my next unlearning.

THE LEARNING 

Feelings are scary and should be avoided at all costs. 

THE UNLEARNING 

Feelings aren’t scary. They are what make us human.

We live in a society that is ruled by the mind. We must do the logical thing. We must analyse it. Feelings have become foreign. We are scared of feelings. Feelings are uncomfortable.

Again learning my human design was a game changer – I am an emotional authority. We are all built to feel our feelings that’s why we are humans and especially as an emotional authority my soul has been designed and orchestrated to really feel it all as part of my life’s storyline in this lifetime. That yes indeed sensitivity isn’t a curse it’s a superpower and blessing.

My sensitivity helps me attune to clients energy and channeling to receive messages for them. My sensitivity is beautiful because I get to feel the lowest of lows and highest of highs. The two go hand in hand. Duality.

Leading to…

THE LEARNING 

Spiritual breakthroughs are sudden epiphanies after dedicated practice and learning.

THE UNLEARNING 

Your biggest spiritual breakthroughs won’t be found on a yoga mat or in meditation. You’ll find them through the greatest spiritual practice of all: your life.

I chose this unlearning to best encapsulate the majority of my life experiences navigating difficult circumstances, tough emotions and moving through mental health whether it be deep grief from losing my dad at 20 or the grief that came with leaving my corporate job even though it was what I wanted, my ego death of who I thought I was before becoming a life coach, the end of a three year relationship, moving out of my dream home at the time that had so many significant memories such being able to afford an apartment by the beach due to a promotion and pay rise in my corporate career, as where I started my side hustle turning business/career, where I first lived with a partner for 3 years.

My biggest breakthroughs happened in my biggest breakdowns.

We can know this and still feel how difficult it is because alas the experience of being human.

This leads to my wrap up in a big beautiful bow because turning 30 coincides with the end of your Saturn Return which is the equivalent of turning 21 spiritually.

Thus turning 30 this is only the beginning… I’m sure many more unlearning are to come and be shared with you.

If you are in your 20’s and 30’s wanting help, guidance and support from me I strongly recommend reading my book The Great Unlearning which can be purchase online via Amazon and other retailers, as well as in store (you can get your book store to order it!) as well as getting a Saturn Return reading with me and 1:1 coaching.

All details can be found on my website otherwise you can DM me on Instagram @thephidang or email me [email protected].

Phi shares practical tips and journaling prompts to harness the celestial energies of the Lions Gate Portal and Venus Retrograde in 2023. Get ready to align with the stars, planets and open your heart.

You’ll want to, grab your journal for this episode beautiful soul to write notes and answer powerful journaling prompts to navigate all this energy with awareness and intention.

Hi beautiful souls, welcome to a special episode of the Grow Through It Podcast today that’s all about empowering you to harness the celestial energies of the Lions Gate Portal and Venus Retrograde!

Today, we dive deep into the mystical realms of astrology and energy, exploring the powerful convergence of energies that can guide us towards profound transformation and self-discovery. 

My friend Japna who is an energy healer and I ran the most beautiful ceremony over the weekend and I felt really inspired to share the insights that came from the channeling I did for the event. My heart is so full and we had so many incredible moments at the ceremony such as mother and daughter healing and bonding, souls moving on from heartbreak, souls calling in love and a real desire to step in to one’s power and true authentic self. 

Get ready to align with the stars, planets and open your hearts, as I share practical tips and journaling prompts to help you make the most of this cosmic energy.

The Lions Gate Portal, a powerful cosmic alignment that occurs every August, brings with it a surge of heightened energy and spiritual insights. It’s been open since the end of July, peaking on the 8th of August and closing on the 12th of August. It connects us to ancient wisdom and empowers us to tap into our inner strength and courage. 

But that’s not all! We also have the magical influence of Venus Retrograde, coming to a new height this week — urging us to look inward, examine our values, beliefs, and patterns around love, relationships, and self-worth. This is a time of deep reflection and healing, as we let go of old emotional wounds and make space for more authentic connections and fulfilling experiences.

You’ll want to, grab your journal for this episode beautiful soul to write notes and answer powerful journaling prompts to navigate all this energy with awareness and intention.

The stars and planets are in true alignment this week and I’m here to help you make the most of this and get ready to shine bright like Sirius herself, the Spiritual Sun associated with Lions Gate as well as Venus, our planet of love, values and money. Let’s get into it!

The number 8 holds cultural and symbolic significance in various societies and belief systems. Some common associations with the number 8 include:

– What areas of your life require courage and strength right now? How can you tap into my inner lion/lioness to face these challenges?

– Reflect on times when you displayed courage and resilience in the face of adversity. How did it change you, and what did you learn from that experience?

– Reflect on moments when you have felt most confident and self-assured. What were the factors contributing to that sense of empowerment, and how can you cultivate more of it?

– Consider the concept of “infinite potential” associated with the number 8. What new opportunities and possibilities do you see on the horizon? How can you seize these opportunities and step into a new chapter of your life? Feb 2024

– What creative pursuits or projects do you feel inspired to explore during this season? How can you express yourself more authentically through your creative endeavours?

– Leo season and Lion’s Gate is associated with the heart chakra. How can you open your heart more fully to love and compassion, both for yourself and others? Inner child, inner teenager

– Leo is ruled by the Sun, Sirius is aligned with the spiritual sun representing vitality and life force. What activities or practices can you engage in to recharge your energy and feel more alive?

– Leo season and Lion’s Gate often encourages us to shine and be seen. In what areas of your life do you want to step into the spotlight more, whether personally or professionally?

Heightened Intuition: Increased clarity and insights, as well as a stronger connection to one’s inner guidance.

Energy Shifts: Some may feel sudden bursts of energy or fatigue as their energy bodies adjust to the influx of cosmic energies.

Emotional Release: Emotions may surface more intensely during this time, leading to cathartic experiences and emotional release.

Spiritual Awakening: Some people report experiencing significant spiritual growth or awakening during this period.

Synchronicities: Increased occurrences of meaningful coincidences or synchronicities that may hold spiritual significance.

Enhanced Creativity: A surge in creative inspiration and expression.

Lucid Dreams: More vivid and memorable dreams, often with spiritual or symbolic themes.

Similar to the energy of the upcoming new moon, refer to the August energy update, it’s like a new Venus in the sky where the alignment means Venus disappears for a few days creating a blank canvas for us to rewrite our love stories as well as money stories. 

Some journaling prompts to guide you are:

LOVE

This concludes our special episode on the powerful cosmic alignment of the Lions Gate Portal and Venus Retrograde! The Lion’s Gate Portal, with its heightened energy and connection to ancient wisdom, reminds us to tap into our inner strength and courage. It’s a time to embrace change, release the old, and step into the fullness of our true selves. 

With Venus Retrograde adding its influence, we’ve explored the themes of love, relationships, and self-worth. This cosmic reset gives us the opportunity to reflect on our values and beliefs about love, clearing the path for more authentic and fulfilling relationships.

It’s a powerful period of introspection and self-discovery, allowing us to let go of old patterns that no longer serve us and make room for new, positive experiences in love, abundance, identity and confidence. 

Sending you so much love and light during this energetic week beautiful soul. Until next time. Love & Positivity. 

In this episode Phi shares an update of the collective energy in August 2023 which promises to be a celestial spectacle with two supermoons in Aquarius and Pisces, the Leo New Moon, and several planets in retrograde. She also touches on the the heart chakra, love, soul mates, starseeds and light councils. 

Hi beautiful souls, can you believe it’s August 2023 already!? By demand this episode is all about the energetics of August and there is a lot going on and to be honest I think I’ve said that about most months this year. It feels like 2023 is this huge energetic shift all year setting up for what is going to be a BIG 2024. 

This month promises to be a celestial spectacle with two supermoons in Aquarius and Pisces, the Leo New Moon, and several planets in retrograde. So, let’s dive right in and uncover the cosmic influences that will shape our spiritual paths.

August begins and ends with two super full moons. At the time of recording this we’ve just had the Aquarius full moon and the majority of many have been feeling all the feels. It’s interesting because this moon in particular is known as the “Sturgeon” moon, named after the fish and is symbolic of the older parts of ourselves that may be hidden and want to come to light — hence the super full moon illumination. 

Full moons are about release and emotions (the moon symbolic of the feminine and emotions) yet the Aquarius flavour gives us a practicality and groundedness to it. A full moon represents the closing of a chapter so this one links to the Aquarius New Moon that happened in January 2023. Compare where you were then and how you were feeling vs where you are now.

What’s the difference between a Supermoon and normal full moon, well everything is amplified and heightened! Already the case with a full moon and even more so with a supermoon. Energy becomes more intense. Emotions become more intense. Intuition becomes more intense.

Now I will intuitively let you know that the Supermoon that closes the month will be way more emotional than the one that opened because it’s Pisces energy and the beginning was Aquarius. Pisces is a water sign known to be sensitive and in the depths of the feels. 

Another aside is the strong Alien/Starseed/Light council energy we have coming to the forefront in August. Starseeds are souls that have incarnated on Earth from other star systems, dimensions, or planets to serve a specific purpose. They are believed to have special gifts, knowledge, or abilities that can be used to assist in the spiritual evolution and transformation of humanity and the planet. You can tell if you have star seed origins based on your natal chart and for example I know I come from an Arcturian background. A great way to tap into this all is through meditation setting the intention to connect to the light and spending time in physical sunlight too. 

On August 8th of course we have the Lion’s Gate portal. We move from water into the fires of Leo season to transform our emotions into propelling us to new heights of our best selves.

The Lion’s Gate portal has it’s roots in Ancient Egypt and is linked to Sirius, one of the brightest stars in our sky known as the ‘Spiritual Sun.’ It is a special time to align with your highest self and receive energetic upgrades and downloads because of the powerful portal created when Earth aligns with Sirius and the Sun.

On a side note, if you are based in Sydney Australia I will be running an in person event on Sunday 6th of August in Newtown with my beautiful friend Japna. Themes we will explore in this ceremony: Connection. Courage. Manifestation. Abundance.

This supercharged event will help you unlock your infinite potential, make the most of this vibrant energy, access your higher consciousness and accelerate your personal growth and transformation. It also serves as a great check in with your intentions you set at the beginning of the year and an opportunity to recalibrate with your goals for the year.

The Experience:

The word that’s prominently coming through for this event is ‘receive’. Spirit is guiding all souls that are feeling a call to attend this ceremony to step forth and receive the magic of this powerful portal.

Mid month comes the new moon in Leo to further amplify the magic of the Lion’s Gate. During this phase, we’re encouraged to express ourselves authentically and passionately. This period serves as an excellent time for setting intentions related to self-confidence, creativity, and stepping into leadership roles in our lives. The Leo New Moon may inspire you to take center stage in your life, stepping into main character energy and to express yourself unapologetically  . 

The backdrop to the month of August is of course Venus retrograde – which isn’t bad. Retrogrades aren’t bad, there is so much fear mongering amongst the spiritual community. Retrogrades are beautiful opportunities to reflect and pause. A good guiding mantra is review, revisit and reflect. 

Venus retrograde is linked to Leo all about relationships whether love, family, friends, colleagues and community. Themes to be aware of and contemplate are areas associated with Leo: love, romance, passion, dating, creativity, being in the spotlight, expression, fertility, children, your inner child. Venus retrograde is also known for bringing together soul mates, soul contracts and twin flames. Venus is also linked to money so don’t be surprised if your relationship to money pops up in August too. Not only that Venus is about beauty and the arts too!

Particularly personally channeling I am feeling such a strong collective energy of the heart chakra and in particular a focus on love especially soul mates. Soul mates are not limited to romantic relationships; they can manifest in various forms of connections that go beyond romance. Soul mates can be found in a range of relationships, including: friendships, family, mentors, within our communities, animals and creative collaborators. 

I love Liz Gilbert’s perspective on soulmates: 

“People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that’s what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life.

A true soul mate is probably the most important person you’ll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then leave.

A soul mates purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life, then introduce you to your spiritual master…”

Putting too much emphasis on the idea of finding a soul mate can lead to unnecessary pressure and disappointment, as relationships are inherently complex and multifaceted. Ultimately, what matters most is cultivating genuine connections, personal growth, and loving interactions with the people who come into our lives.

To summarise;

Self-Expression: Leo is the sign of self-expression, and during the New Moon in Leo, there’s a focus on embracing your unique identity unapologetically. It encourages you to step into the spotlight and let your true self shine.

Creativity: This New Moon phase is an ideal time to tap into your creative potential and engage in artistic pursuits. Whether it’s through art, music, writing, or any other form of creative expression, this is a time to nurture your creative spirit.

Confidence and Courage: Leo’s bold and courageous nature comes to the forefront during this time. It’s an opportunity to boost your self-confidence, take risks, and pursue your goals with determination.

Leadership and Initiative: The Leo New Moon inspires leadership qualities. It’s a time to take the lead in your life and projects, becoming the master of your destiny.

Passion and Romance: Leo is a romantic sign, and the New Moon in Leo may bring opportunities for passionate encounters and the expression of heartfelt emotions.

Inner Child: Leo is also associated with the inner child and playfulness. This New Moon encourages you to reconnect with the joy and innocence of your inner child.

After Leo comes Virgo season and Mercury Retrograde. The infamous Mercury Retrograde is back and it means doubling down on clear communication and watching out for those from the past returning (especially with Venus retrograde about with people you used to date, ex’s and all that).

Virgo is ruled by the planet Mercury, which governs communication, intellect, and analytical thinking. As an earth sign, Virgo is associated with practicality, groundedness, and a focus on the material world.

So interesting the contrast of emotional supermoons with more logical grounded energy.

With Virgo season we can expect the following themes:

Details: Virgos are known for their keen attention to detail and their ability to analyse situations thoroughly. They have a sharp mind and a practical approach to problem-solving.

Practicality and Methodology: Virgos are highly organised and systematic in their approach to tasks and responsibilities. They excel at planning, scheduling, and executing projects efficiently.

Service-Orientation: Virgos have a strong sense of duty and a desire to be of service to others. They are often helpful, reliable, and willing to assist those in need.

Perfectionism: Due to their attention to detail, Virgos can sometimes be perfectionists. They have high standards for themselves and others, which can lead to frustration when things don’t meet their expectations.

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Critical Thinking: Virgos have a critical and discerning mind. They can be excellent critics and provide valuable feedback, but they should be mindful of not becoming overly critical or nitpicky.

Being Practical and Realistic: Virgos tend to be pragmatic and realistic in their approach to life. They prefer to deal with concrete facts and may be skeptical of overly idealistic or impractical ideas.

The month ends dipping back into emotional waters with a Pisces full moon. Pisces is associated with qualities like intuition, sensitivity, empathy, imagination, and spirituality. The energy of the Pisces Full Moon can be both uplifting and intense. It’s a time for going inwards, self-reflection, and embracing the emotions that arise.

Themes to be explored with this are: 

Emotional Sensitivity: Pisces is a deeply emotional sign, and during the Full Moon, emotions may run high. People may feel more empathetic, compassionate, and tuned into the feelings of others.

Intuition and Spirituality: The Pisces Full Moon is a powerful time for spiritual insights and intuitive revelations. It encourages us to trust our inner guidance and connect with the unseen realms.

Dreams and Imagination: Pisces is associated with dreams, imagination, and creativity. This Full Moon phase can be a time when vivid dreams and creative ideas are more prevalent.

Boundaries and Compassion: With the heightened sensitivity of Pisces, it’s essential to be mindful of setting healthy boundaries while maintaining compassion for ourselves and others.

Connecting with the Divine: Pisces is linked to the spiritual and mystical aspects of life. During the Full Moon, people may feel a stronger desire to connect with higher consciousness or the divine.

Venus and Mercury aren’t the only retrogrades. The end of the month Uranus will be also in retrograde known for the unexpected… expect the unexpected. Uranus, the planet of innovation, rebellion, and unexpected change, goes retrograde for approximately five months every year. During this period, the energy of Uranus becomes more internalised and introspective.

Themes to contemplate with the Uranus Retrograde are:

Breaking Free: Uranus is associated with liberation and breaking free from the status quo. During its retrograde phase, we may become more aware of areas in our lives where we feel restricted or held back. It’s a time to find innovative solutions to overcome limitations.

Unconventional Thinking: Uranus rules innovation, technology, and original thinking. When retrograde, it can stimulate unique and unconventional ideas or approaches. Doing something different and new to shake things up.

Surprise: Uranus is known for its erratic and unpredictable nature. During its retrograde phase, unexpected events may occur, prompting us to embrace change and adapt to new circumstances.

Rebellion and Independence: Uranus encourages us to question authority and societal norms. During its retrograde, we may find ourselves challenging established structures and seeking greater independence.

This in total brings 6 planets in retrograde as we close out August. Yup!! It’s a whole lot and I hope this podcast helps you to better understand everything that’s going on in August. The Leo season has ignited our creative fires, encouraging us to express ourselves boldly and fearlessly. As we move into the practical and analytical realm of Virgo, let us harness this energy to bring order and clarity to our lives, and to take practical steps towards our goals.

After all this heightened energy of releasing and planting new seeds, may we carry with us the lessons learned, the insights gained, and the intentions set. May the seeds we’ve planted in the fertile soil of this month grow into beautiful manifestations in the months to come.

Remember to take moments of stillness and reflection, to connect with nature, and to honor the cycles of life. Embrace the abundance around you, and express gratitude for the blessings in your life.

Until next time beautiful soul, take care and lots of love. 

In today’s episode Phi speaks with Michi Kwan, who like Phi, left the high paying corporate world to pursue her own passion. Michi is now an alternative health practitioner focusing on subconscious reprogramming and EFT. We speak about entrepreneurship, inner child activation and healing, being your highest quantum self, discipline, masculine and feminine energetics in dating + so much more!

Michi in terms of human design is a 1/3 manifesting generator with an emotional authority. 

Michi also has her own podcast: Source of Truth which bridges everyday topics with spirituality all about energy, the laws of the universe, channeled messages from God and pure love.

This episode covers topics such as:

In this magical interview, Phi and Paige interview each other. Paige Kane is a shaman, volva, psychic, intuitive and mentor.

This episode will take you on a potent and powerful journey of unlearning and unlocking your intuitive potential as we dive deep into these enlightening topics, including Paige’s personal story becoming a shaman, leaving her hospitality career, the recent shift in her business creating new space for alignment, her life’s work and purpose and healing the throat chakra.

We also talk about love and money, two universal themes, come into focus, as we delve into personal growth and the transformative nature of relationships.

You’ll hear about the unlearning process surrounding love, and the power that arises from embracing one’s challenging experiences.

You’ll also learn the basics of Human Design, how it compares to astrology and the importance of honouring your unique energy. You’ll gain insight from highlights of Paige & Phi’s charts throughout the episode – giving practical guidance on how Human Design can be seen (and applied) IRL.

I am so excited for this podcast episode with Paige Kane. Paige is a shaman, volva, psychic, intuitive and mentor. She is a 6/2 Sacral Generator, Capricorn Sun, Cancer Moon and Cancer Rising. She’s been in the industry for over 6 years! I’ve done energy healing and readings with Paige myself meeting her through a friend and client who recommender her. 

This episode was incredibly potent and powerful as we both were in the flow zone of channeling and sharing messages from our respective spiritual teams. We interview each other in this episode so it’s really fun and there’s so so much to take out of this episode. Paige has her own podcast the Powerful Practitioner Podcast too. 

Paige actually started her career in hospitality which led into luxury 5-star Beverly Hills Hotel Management. While working a part-time job, she went for her Master’s in Nutrition. Doing this time she found her spiritual mentor and went to Shaman school. Paige’s business is called Feed your Intuition  helping to unlock your intuition, step into your power and live the life. Enjoy today’s episode beautiful soul! 

This episode features Courtney Wallbank from the Proudly Imperfect Podcast. In this episode we talk all things anxiety, self love, perfectionism, fear of failure, money mindset, moving countries and so much more. You’re in for a juicy episode as Courtney shares more on how to truly be proudly imperfect as well as Grow and Glow!

Hi beautiful souls, I am so happy today to have Courtney Wallbank on the Grow Through it Podcast. I was recently on her podcast Proudly Imperfect. Courtney is a NLP and Mindset Coach who helps you break free from the chains of anxiety and fear so you can grab life by the tits and be unapologetically you.

Would you be able to let everybody know in your own words who you are?

We discuss how we met by Courtney sending me a message in 2021 when I announced I was going from my full time corporate job and you were at the beginning of your journey. She was part of a free masterclass week I held and won a human design reading.

We also cover how Courtney got into personal growth, her journey, handling projections, shadow work, self love, money mindset, being proudly imperfect, perfectionism: that it’s a learned behaviour and you have the power to unlearn it. It can also be interpreted as a trauma response as a coping mechanism.

Courtney shares her tips about perfectionism, how she personally handles perfectionism, the fear of failure as well as her Instagram handle of Grow and Glow.

Not only that we talk about anxiety, her brave move from Manchester in the UK to Sydney Australila.

Happy Launch Day! Phi’s debut book The Great Unlearning: Awakening to Living An Aligned And Authentic Life is now available worldwide! 

In this episode she shares a preview of the audiobook (Chapter 2: Timelines). You can purchase the book in store, online, ebook or audiobook. 

This episode features Ell Duclos and Courtney from the Thoughts That Manifest Podcast. We chat all things about friendship, family, abandonment wounds, loss and grief, self care and astrology + so much more. Ell is a Manifestation and Mindset coach and Courtney works in Critical Care. A powerful episode on all things deep, dark and beautiful in life.

Hello Beautiful Souls, today I am so excited to have Ell and Courtney from the Thoughts That Manifest Podcast which is all about inspiring people to awaken their mind to their limitless potential. I was recently on their podcast a couple of weeks ago and I’ll link it to you in the show notes it was such a beautiful deep conversation on uncovering your soul purpose through human design. We also discussed all things related to self love, self care and soul alignment!

This episode is all about how your period syncs up to the moon cycle in different phases. The most commonly known are the white moon cycle or red moon cycle, however did you know there is also the pink moon cycle and purple moon cycle? Learn more about your period, menstruation and moon cycles.

Hello beautiful soul! 

Wow what a momentous week it has been. I started off the week not feeling great if I’m honest. On the dot of the peak full moon in Sagittarius we had last week, I got one of the heaviest periods I’ve ever had in a long time. We are talking no match for my period undies. So much so for two days I could barely get out of bed, I couldn’t even cross the road to the shops to buy pads. Bless my mum had to come help me this week as it was quite crippling and debilitating. 

She was so lovely despite the fact I was tearing up, frustrated and angry because I was triggered by a conversation we had. It took a lot for me to ask my mum to come help me as I live alone and I don’t like to rely on anyone really. I was annoyed finding myself wishing I had a partner who could help me you know?

Don’t get me wrong I am so happy and I do enjoy being single. It’s given me so much time to reflect, work on myself and business after a break up which again was around a year ago. It’s crazy how life changes on the other side and no regrets. I am truly living my best life but I still have my moments.

It was a triggered reminder despite how successful and happy I am in life with my business, friends that I was single and love seemed to be evading me. A very human moment and I ultimately am so grateful my mum was able to help me. Even as a life coach, I still get triggered. 

What matters is I face my triggers, I don’t run from them. That meant throwing a tantrum in the moment and apologising to my mum after. That meant going into shadow work about why I felt ashamed being so successful but wanting love too it felt weak but it’s not, it’s a very human desire. 

Looking at my human design helped too because I am single definition which means I am actually naturally wired to be independent and not need anyone, that doesn’t mean I can’t want someone and to be transparent that’s where I am at. I don’t need a partner for financial, emotional support or connection but yes I do desire it!

What else has been happening? In divine timing my episode with Georgie Stevenson on the Rise & Conquer podcast came out which was very exciting. Thank you so much for all your beautiful messages and I am so happy to be meeting everyone through human design readings. I have opened my calendar up with more availabilities so if you’d like a reading please book in, I would love to connect with you and read your human design chart. 

It’s been incredible what’s been uncovered in the readings I’ve had this week from loved ones who have passed away making appearances, picking up on pregnancies as well as uncovering karmic relationships and predicted ex’s returning for clients!

If you haven’t listened to the episode with Georgie, I’ll link it in the show notes because I do a live reading for Georgie if you have ever been interested as to what goes on in a reading. She said it was one of the most mind blowing interviews she has done which made my heart so happy. If you love this podcast, you’ll absolutely love her podcast Rise & Conquer too.

Not only that I cannot believe that we are under 2 weeks away from my book The Great Unlearning: Awakening to Living an Aligned and Authentic Life to release and being officially published worldwide. For those in Australia and New Zealand listening, if you order from Booktopia have kindly given me a code PHI2023 for you to use for a cheeky little discount! 

Post personal update, now periods aren’t all doom and gloom, I definitely want to release and talk about on another episode all about periods. In general. We need to talk more about our periods. What impacts and influences our period such as stress levels and the pill. What it means to have our periods physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

Upon reflection, I feel so happy I am in a place where I can talk about this open and freely without judgement through my own personal work. I used to think talking about periods was taboo and gross when I was heavily in my masculine energy for my corporate career (not only that I also I felt it was awkward when I had my corporate job talking about air marks “personal” things but not anymore!).

In fact I posted on my Instagram stories this week asking a poll, that on your period you actually are at your most intuitive and an overwhelming amount of people did not know that. Now in saying that periods and moon cycles are linked when you are not on the pill. This is because spiritually it is believed that women without hormonal birth control naturally fall to ovulating with the moon cycle either the new or full moon and in between when going through a life transition.

Please note before I begin this episode I am not a medical professional by any means. I am not sharing medical advice or guidance. I am sharing this episode from a spiritual perspective and through my own personal experiences of menstruation and moon cycles. Please use your discernment, take what resonates and discard the rest. 

When it comes to your health, consult your doctor as well as a naturopath (as personally having a naturopath really helped me when it came to all things period and cycles). For me personally working with a naturopath and coming off the pill within a few months my cycle naturally synced to the new moon cycle and in the past year ago has shifted naturally to the full moon cycle. 

So what does the moon have to do with periods/your menstrual cycle. It dates back in history. The terms menstruation is derived from the Latin mensis (‘month’), which in turn is linked with the Greek mene (‘moon’) and the roots of the English words month and moon. The menstrual cycle of 28 days is roughly the same as the fact the moon has 28 days in it’s cycle. Please do note sometimes this is considered 29 days, even 29.5 days and they don’t exactly sync up — it’s a general guideline. Also consider Monday stems from Moon-day. 

Scientifically it’s been said there’s no correlation but that doesn’t mean it’s not true again there are many things that science cannot prove such as intuition itself. Spiritually speaking we know the moon affects nature such as the ocean and tides. In fact traditionally farmers used to harvest according to the moon. 

Bringing up water again, you could also say we are a body of e-m-oceans (get it?). We know animals are also impacted by the moon in terms of behaviour. Going further along this line of theory, you can say humans have a high water content and are animals, you get the point. I will make the assumption if you are listening to this you have an open mind and likely consider yourself spiritual. 

The moon spiritually is representative of the feminine. As a modern society we have lost touch with our roots and origins in nature, such as women congregating in red tents together at the time of their bleed. There’s a beautiful passage from Native American stories that goes as such:

“One day, a woman was out in the forest crying because burden had become so great, a raven heard here and asked why as she responded ‘I love my family so very much. I hold my family in my heart and soul, but the pains of life have filled me up. I can no longer help my family. I can no longer take their burdens from them. I just don’t know what to do.”

The Raven responded that it understood the pain and sought out Grandmother Ocean advice. 

Grandmother Ocean spoke to her sister, the Grandmother Moon, of the women’s plight. Grandmother Moon responded, ‘I am the power of the feminine. I will send into the women, my sisters, your waters carrying my power. Once every moon cycle, you shall come into the women through me and purify them.’ And, she did this. Ever since then, every woman has a time each moon cycle when she embodies the power of the moon and her flow is the cleansing of the ocean. We call this the woman’s time of the moon, or moon-time.”

This was an excerpt from The Bringer of Life: A Cosmic History of the Divine Feminine by Hayley A. Ramsey.

The moon like our menstrual cycle represents different phases birth, emergence, death and rebirth. The cyclical nature. The ebb and flow.

The two most talked about menstruation moon cycles are either the ‘white moon’ cycle or a ‘red moon’ cycle. However there’s actual four including the ‘pink moon’ cycle and ‘purple moon cycle’ No cycle is better than the other! It’s best to go with the flow (pun intended) and see where your body is naturally geared towards. Just like the moon different phases for different energies. Do note it can change in different times in your life too, for me intuitively as I awakened more into my gifts, deeply surrendering and trusting it aligned with a red moon cycle as I did more intuitive work through 1:1 coaching and human design readings. I was still intuitive on my white moon cycle! 

White Moon cycle is when you bleed with the new moon and ovulate during the full moon. A red moon cycle is when you bleed with the full moon and ovulation during the new moon. A pink moon cycle is when you bleed when the full moon is transitioning into the new moon (the waning moon phase). The pink moon cycle occurs during the first quarter moon, the waxing moon between the new moon and full moon whereas the purple moon cycle occurs during the waning moon which is the last quarter of the moon transitioning from full moon to new moon. 

The easiest way to figure out where you fall is to track your periods, day 1 being when you first bleed and you can easily look online to see what phase the moon is in or look outside at the moon and you’ll see too!

The White Moon cycle is most common. This cycle mirrors the traditional cycle and energies of the moon. Bleeding occurs when the moon is it’s darkest, with the energy going inwards whereas ovulating is when the moon is at it’s brightest (the full moon). 

Traditionally this is associated with women in the ‘mother’ phase of their life because well before artificial light, people would have fun when there was light including under the moon. That’s also because when you’re ovulating your sex drive is the highest so for the white moon cycle during the full moon your wild woman may be unleashed. 

In modern days we would say women who are pouring energy into themselves and potentially those around them too. You don’t have to be a mother or wanting to be a mother in this phase. It’s the cycle linked to Mother Earth too – being amongst and grounded in nature as well as fertility which is also about being creative, nurturing, nourishing.

Are you taking on the role of nourisher and nurturer in relationships around you if you don’t have children such as family, friends or colleagues. Perhaps this energy is going into nourishing a channel that needs nurturing such as a new task, creative outlet, project, business venture.

Purple Moon Cycle aligns with the waning phase of the moon moving from brightness to darkness. If you find yourself bleeding in this phase it’s often a call for release: slowing down, healing, reflection and rest. Just like the moon herself growing smaller, withdrawing into the darkness. 

In terms of seasons this is like Autumn or Fall. Shedding what no longer serves you and letting go. Figuring out where you want to direct your energies. Seeking change whether that’s how you live your life, where you live, careers and relationships. 

Perhaps if you have children they are becoming more independent or you are not wanting children or at peace with not having them. 

It’s also akin to a caterpillar going into the cocoon. Perhaps you are going into shadow work, the darker hidden aspects of self. Doing the deep inner work to emerge a butterfly. See yourself if you are in this phase like your period is a portal to being more receptive to downloads and signs available to you and grounding as after a full moon it can be intense at times.

Bleeding occurs when the moon is it’s light at the new moon therefore it has been said women who are able to hold space in the darkness because they can innately connect to their own darkness. 

In ancient times, the red moon cycle was associated with shamanism, witches, high priestesses, and healers directing their energy outwards in times of bleed to  help others from their own experience and wisdom. 

Do note this isn’t always the case as I’ve found on a red moon cycle I don’t always feel like being vibrant and outwards facing. If you are in this cycle of your life you may be more focused on self growth, personal development and mentorship. In terms of children it could be finishing having children or postponing having children. It’s also a phase known to be more in touch with your physicality, your body, your sexuality. 

Pink Moon Cycle aligns with the waxing phase of the moon moving from darkness to light. If you find yourself bleeding in this phase it’s often a transition: a call for stepping into and expanding into your power, coming into your strength. 

A new self discovery phase. Coming out of rest and reflection into love and light. Aligning to the archetype of the Maiden, like Spring energy, playful, curious, enthusiastic, a new direction, more energy mentally and physically and greater clarity. 

This stage maybe you are feeling called to be more bold and tapping into your feminine.

The coloured moon cycles are for when you bleed what cycle you are in.

Within the typical cycle for menstruation it goes (white moon cycle):

Remember the order and what stage it represents change as the order as stated reflects the traditional white moon cycle so if you’re on a red moon cycle it’s flipped mensturation isn’t your winter but your summer as an example.

When it comes to the cycle the best thing to do is be aware of your own timings and note things down so you can see patterns that emerge in terms of your energy and mood.

Do note in terms of the moon and syncing with it, medication, illness, stress and food consumption. Seriously I’ve had month long bleeds whilst being very stressed in my corporate job and also being on the wrong pill for me previously that did not agree with my body.

To realign with the moon here are some tips it’s about going back to the natural beat and rhythm of nature. For example your circadian rhythm is highly affected by light and in turn artificial light. Think scrolling at night. Laptops at night. Blue light. Minimise use of screens at night. Use softer, dimmed light like a salt lamp. 

I’ve not tried this myself but I’ve read online you can try sleeping in complete darkness 14 days in the lead up to the full moon, then during the 3 days of the full moon dimmed light and then back to darkness. 

Alternatively sleeping with your curtains open or ajar to allow natural moonlight to filter through.By that same thinking because when there’s a new moon it isn’t as visible in the sky so that’s when you want to keep your room as dark as natural to mimic the absence of the moon’s light.

You can immerse yourself in nature particularly during the day as our ancestors would be, particularly in or by the ocean which we know is so heavily influenced by the moon. You can also bring nature to you, have plants around you. You can even try moonbathing which is the same principle as sun bathing, going outside when the moon is in full view and soaking in the energy of it. 

I have a lot of people ask me about crystals and the obvious one to work with for your period and moon cycles is moonstone. Obvious as the stone is connected with the moon and nevertheless a great stone to support connecting to feminine energy. It goes back to ancient civilisations and times where they believe moonstone was part of the moon itself once, formed through drops of moonlight. The divine feminine associated with moonstone is Diana. She was associated in the times of the Romans with hunting and protector of childbirth. Her Greek equivalent is Artemis.

You can have moonstone next to you as your sleep and if you’re lying down or meditating having it placed on your womb space. With any crystals of course make sure they are cleansed physically and energetically before using and after using. 

As I’ve mentioned it’s worth speaking to a naturopath or holistic health expert. I’ve recently learned about seed cycling which is a gentle way to rebalance your hormones incorporating different seeds depending on different parts of your cycle to help your hormones. The seeds being pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, sunflower and sesame seeds. 

I hope today’s episode has spread light and given you more awareness about your period and how it aligns with the moon cycle. Use this episode as a springboard to your own deeper enquiry and investigation. Until next time beautiful soul, take care.