"You never know what will wake you up and bring you back into the awakened state that you were born in." —Osho Zenju Earthlyn

Osho Zenju Earthlyn, a poet, author, ordained Zen priest, and medicine woman of the drum, has written the manuals for our time. Years ago, after reading two of her books—Opening To Darkness and The Shamanic Bones of Zen—it was clear to me that she understands the medicine that would be deeply needed now. I was excited for our conversation, and it offered profound gems of wisdom for these times. We talked about how she arrived on the Zen Buddhism path, how she considers it a path of liberation to live a full life, exploring the layers of meaning of darkness, extraction that takes place in spiritual circles, rituals and ceremony, and so much more. Connect with Zenju at zenju.org and find her upcoming events here

Books

• Opening To Darkness: Eight Gateways for Being with the Absence of Light in Unsettling Times

• The Shamanic Bones of Zen: Revealing the Ancestral Spirit and Mystical Heart of a Sacred Tradition

• Full list of Osho Zenju Earthlyn's books

Article in Tricycle

Meditation Is Not Required

About Our Guest

Osho Zenju Earthlyn Marselean Manuel, poet, author, ordained Zen priest, and medicine woman of the drum, was born in Los Angeles, California. She is the middle daughter of Lawrence Manuel Jr. and Alvesta Pierre Manuel, who both migrated from rural Louisiana. Zenju Osho was raised in Los Angeles, with her older and younger sisters. As a child, she was referred to by the name her mother gave her, Earthlyn, her middle name Marselean (Marceline) was her grandmother's name. Zenju is a dharma name. Osho is a title meaning Zen teacher. She is the dharma heir of Buddha and the late Zenkei Blanche Hartman in the Shunryu Suzuki Roshi lineage through the San Francisco Zen Center (SFZC). She was Shuso (head Student) with Kiku Christina Lehnherr Roshi and her Dharma Transmission was completed by Osho Shosan Victoria Austin. Prior to enter Zen Buddhism, Zenju practiced in the Nichiren/Soka Gakkai tradition for 15 years. She entered Zen in 2001 and began again as a beginner on the path. Zenju's practice is influenced by Native American and African indigenous traditions. She participated in ceremony with Ifá diviners from Dahomey, Africa and briefly studied Yoruba. She was raised in the Church of Christ where she was an avid reader of the Bible and adored the true mystic teachings on Christ's path well into adulthood. She holds a Ph.D. and formally worked for decades as a social science researcher, development director for non-profit organizations and those serving women and girls, cultural arts, and mental health.

Photo Credit: photo by Anna Cummings

Connect with host Tracee Stanley:

Radiance Subscription Online Community—try it for a month FREE!: https://www.empoweredlifecircle.com/join-today/

Website: https://www.traceestanley.com

Newsletter: https://www.traceestanley.com/#newsletter

Instagram: http://instagram.com/tracee_stanley

Radiant Rest book: https://www.traceestanley.com/radiant-rest

The Luminous Self book: https://www.traceestanley.com/luminous-self

Podcast: https://www.traceestanley.com/podcast

"The moment of our death, all we have is our breath. The moment of our life, all we have is our breath," says Elena Brower. "So why not clue in with it now, get really relaxed around it, and learn who I am in this quiet."

In Elena's upcoming new book, Hold Nothing: An Invitation to Let Go and Come Home to Yourself, she shares how the Zen Buddhism practice of silence and stillness has landed in her heart and her life, bringing with it profound teachings.

Enjoy a cup of tea with this deep and inspiring conversation: In this episode, we discuss how this path of practice requires bravery, the deep-seated grief we experience on a daily basis, altars as beautiful thresholds, lessons from Elena's service work in hospice centers, and what it really means to practice letting go.

Preorder Hold Nothing, Receive a Free Virtual Workshop: Altar of Your Heart), & Discover More Gifts at this link:

https://elenabrower.com/holdnothing/

About Elena Brower

Mother, mentor, poet, artist, volunteer, bestselling author, and host of the Practice You Podcast, Elena Brower is a celebrated international yoga and meditation teacher on Glo, guiding transformative practices since 1999. Her debut book, Art of Attention: A Yoga Practice Workbook for Movement as Meditation, was published in 2012 and has since been translated into seven languages. Her bestselling journals Practice You and Being You, her collection of poetry Softening Time, along with her courses, classes, and talks, explore stages of studentship, practice, life, and listening.

Her next book, Hold Nothing, will be published by Shambhala Publications on November 18, 2025. Her column on Substack supports girls and women, through On The Inside, Girls on Fire Leaders, Women for Women, and Free Food Kitchen.

She hosts the acclaimed podcast Practice You, a series of deep, compassionate conversations with teachers, artists, and thinkers, designed to support you through life's transitions, encouraging presence, care, and openness. Offering two new virtual weekly classes on Glo, Elena weaves body, breath, art, and contemplative mindfulness into practice. Bridging ancient yogic precision with creative depth and emotional intelligence, she serves individuals in cultivating resilience and inner alignment.

In 2023, she received Jukai (lay Buddhist vows) from Roshi Joan Jiko Halifax at Upaya Zen Center, and is a student in Upaya's Chaplaincy Training. As part of her service, she volunteers in hospice and penitentiary settings, bringing yoga, meditation, and compassionate presence, aligning with Upaya's commitment to local service and community support.

Connect with host Tracee Stanley:

Radiance Subscription Online Community—try it for a month FREE!: https://www.empoweredlifecircle.com/join-today/

Website: https://www.traceestanley.com

Newsletter: https://www.traceestanley.com/#newsletter

Instagram: http://instagram.com/tracee_stanley

Radiant Rest book: https://www.traceestanley.com/radiant-rest

The Luminous Self book: https://www.traceestanley.com/luminous-self

Podcast: https://www.traceestanley.com/podcast

Welcome to a bonus episode of Radiant Rest Podcast!

Recently I was honored to host author and teacher Anjali Rao for a workshop detailing a feminist lens in yoga history. Here on the podcast, I had to share our brief introductory conversation in which we discussed the patriarchy in yoga, the guru-student relationship, and more. I hope you enjoy the brilliance in this 10-minute episode!

Resources:

Want to tune in to Anjalil's full workshop? You'll find it in my online community, Radiance Subscription.

Try a 30-day free trial—cancel anytime: https://www.empoweredlifecircle.com/join-today/

Anjali's book, Yoga As Embodied Resistance: A Feminist Lens in Caste, Gender And Sacred Resilience in Yoga History, comes out Tuesday, October 14!

Get your copy here: https://www.yoganjali.me/book

Join her upcoming reading circle: https://www.yoganjali.me/reading-circle

About Our Guest

Anjali Rao brings an intersectional and decolonial feminist lens to the study of philosophy and yoga history integrating storytelling, art and poetry. Emphasizing an embodied approach, her work interrogates the link between religions, politics and yoga. She is on the faculty of multiple yoga teacher training programs. She is the host of The Love of Yoga podcast bridging scholarship, activism and yoga. She has served as the President of the Board of Directors of Accessible Yoga Association, a non profit dedicated to ensuring accessibility and equity in yoga spaces to people of all backgrounds.

She is currently pursuing a PhD student in Philosophy and Religion in California Institute of Integral Studies.Her book, Yoga As Embodied Resistance: A Feminist Lens in Caste, Gender And Sacred Resilience in Yoga History (North Atlantic Books, October 14, 2025 is available for preorder.

Connect with Anjali on http://www.Instagram.com/yoganjali and at yoganjali.me

Connect with host Tracee Stanley

Website: https://www.traceestanley.com

Newsletter: https://www.traceestanley.com/#newsletter

Instagram: http://instagram.com/tracee_stanley

Radiant Rest book: https://www.traceestanley.com/radiant-rest

The Luminous Self book: https://www.traceestanley.com/luminous-self

Podcast: https://www.traceestanley.com/podcast

With an MD and background in neuroscience and behavior change, Dr. Siva Mohan believes in Ayurveda as a path of better understanding our lives, habits, and behavior—and of creating shifts that lead to a greater sense of well-being.

In this conversation, Dr. Siva and host Tracee Stanley discuss Ayurveda as an energy-mapping system that impacts our neurobiology, how deeply listening to our emotional and energetic body builds Self awareness, skills for emotional well-being, and more.

Resources mentioned:

Dr. Siva's books, workshops, and free offering: https://members.ayurvedabysiva.com/events/

Workshop on Friday, October 24, 2025—Biohacking with Ayurveda with Dr. Siva, hosted by Tracee https://www.empoweredlifecircle.com/biohacking-with-ayurveda-dr-siva-mohan-hosted-by-tracee-stanley/

About our guest:

Dr. Siva Mohan is a big picture person. An integrationist. A pattern seer.

As a UN Social Affairs Officer and working globally with private clients for over 15 years, Dr. Siva realized that even educated, active people are missing the basics of wellness. Across cultures and continents, we are leading lives set up for chronic disease and discontentment.

Siva's mission is to teach people to feel again; to be able to hear what their bodies and hearts are guiding them to shift.

And then, to give them tools and approaches to accomplish those healthy shifts.

With an MD, and background in behavior change and education, Siva presents an empowering East-West Mind-Body version of Ayurveda.

She guides her audience to individualized wellness lifestyle with tools and approaches from Ayurveda, emotional wellness, and modern science.

Her book, courses, free offering, and content can be found at https://members.ayurvedabysiva.com/

Connect with host Tracee Stanley:

Radiance Subscription Online Community (try it for a month FREE!): https://www.empoweredlifecircle.com/join-today/

Website: https://www.traceestanley.com

Newsletter: https://www.traceestanley.com/#newsletter

Instagram: http://instagram.com/tracee_stanley

Radiant Rest book: https://www.traceestanley.com/radiant-rest

The Luminous Self book: https://www.traceestanley.com/luminous-self

Podcast: https://www.traceestanley.com/podcast

"In times marked by turmoil and uncertainty, honeybees offer a powerful example of how to turn toward each other, to deeply commit to creating conditions for survival of all beings, and to build a future where all can thrive." —Michelle C. Johnson & Amy Burtaine

Bees are life-giving. They are vital pollinators that support our food supply, and they are also teachers with healing and wisdom to share.

In this episode, host Tracee Stanley sits down with coauthors of Wisdom of the Hive: What Honeybees Can Teach Us about Collective Wellbeing, Michelle Cassandra Johnson and Amy Burtaine, bee-lovers and bee-tenders, activists, and individuals deeply committed to healing work that supports bringing individuals, the collective, and our entire ecosystem back into balance.

They discuss being drawn into the mysterious and sacred world of the bees, connecting with the bees and cultivating a non-extractive relationship, the deep lessons from the bees, and so much more.

Order your copy of Wisdom of the Hive here: https://www.michellecjohnson.com/wisdom-of-the-hive

ABOUT OUR GUESTS

Michelle Cassandra Johnson is an author, activist, spiritual teacher, racial equity consultant, and intuitive healer. She teaches workshops and leads retreats and transformative experiences nationwide. She is the author of Skill in Action, Finding Refuge, We Heal Together, and more.

Connect with Michelle: https://www.michellecjohnson.com/

Amy Burtaine is a leadership coach and racial equity trainer. Her trainings for meaningful social change include work with Google, the DNC, and the ACLU. With Robin DiAngelo, she is the co-author of The Facilitator's Guide for White Affinity Groups.

Connect with Amy: https://www.amyburtaine.com/

Connect with host Tracee Stanley:

2026 Empowered Wisdom Yoga Nidra Teacher Training with Tracee Stanley & Dr. Chanti Tacoronte-Perez—the interest list is now open! https://www.empoweredlifecircle.com/empowered-wisdom-yoga-nidra-teacher-training-interest-list/

Radiance Subscription Online Community (try it for a month FREE!): https://www.empoweredlifecircle.com/join-today/

Website: https://www.traceestanley.com

Newsletter: https://www.traceestanley.com/#newsletter

Instagram: http://instagram.com/tracee_stanley

Radiant Rest book: https://www.traceestanley.com/radiant-rest

The Luminous Self book: https://www.traceestanley.com/luminous-self

Podcast: https://www.traceestanley.com/podcast

"All of the lineages of yoga nidra are pretty magical. It's so important to have different perspectives and to allow permission for each of us to be creative and to be open in recognition of who we are." —John Vosler

In this episode of Radiant Rest, Tracee Stanley welcomes her longtime friend John Vosler, who leads Yoga Nidra Certification programs and holds multiple certifications in various healing modalities. Their inspirational exchange dives into the power of yoga nidra as well as:

• How John (accidentally) first experienced the practice of yoga nidra

• The yoga nidra teachers and lineages that invited him onto the path to learn more

• The question that Tracee gets the most in her level 2 yoga nidra teacher trainings

• Responsibilities of yoga nidra facilitators

• How yoga's teachings—including pairs of opposites, Sutra 2:48 (the loosening of all effort), samskaras, and kleshas—intersect with yoga nidra

• Yoga nidra as a tool to help us balance our nervous system and remember who we are

• Much more!

About John Vosler: John Vosler is dedicated to guiding others back to the truth of who they are—the unchanging, unshakable presence beneath all thoughts, emotions, and experiences. With over 25 years of experience as an energetic bodyworker, meditation teacher, and facilitator of Yoga Nidra, John has helped thousands of clients reconnect with their innate wholeness and inner healer. His work bridges ancient wisdom and modern science, demonstrating how sensations in the body, the flow of emotions, and thought patterns are deeply interconnected. Through meditation, movement, holistic bodywork, and Conscious Coaching, John's Los Angeles-based practice—and his retreats worldwide—offer profound opportunities to rest deeply, release old conditioning, and live from a place of clarity and love. Known for his intuitive presence, heartfelt compassion, and a sense of humor that keeps things real, John creates safe and transformative spaces where people can honestly remember: nothing is broken, and nothing needs fixing.

Connect with John at JohnVosler.com and check out his upcoming retreats:

A Yoga Nidra Retreat: Rest, Restore, and Remember Yourself at Omega Institute on August 17-22 https://www.johnvosler.com/omega-retreat-august-2025

I AM Yoga Nidra™ Certification Retreat with John Vosler and Kamini Desai at at Omega Institute on September 19-28 http://johnvosler.com/omega-retreat-sept-2025 Deep Dive into the True Essence of Self Retreat at the Imiloa Institute in Costa Rica on April 21-26, 2026 https://www.johnvosler.com/2026-costa-rica-retreat

Connect with Tracee:

2026 Empowered Wisdom Yoga Nidra Teacher Training with Tracee Stanley & Dr. Chanti Tacoronte-Perez—the interest list is now open! https://www.empoweredlifecircle.com/empowered-wisdom-yoga-nidra-teacher-training-interest-list/

Radiance Subscription Online Community (try it for a month FREE!): https://www.empoweredlifecircle.com/join-today/

Website: https://www.traceestanley.com

Newsletter: https://www.traceestanley.com/#newsletter

Instagram: http://instagram.com/tracee_stanley

Radiant Rest book: https://www.traceestanley.com/radiant-rest

The Luminous Self book: https://www.traceestanley.com/luminous-self

Podcast: https://www.traceestanley.com/podcast

"Tea ceremony is about creating space to connect with the experience of being alive." —Colin Hudon, founder of Living Tea

In this conversation, Tracee Stanley, teacher and author of The Luminous Self and Radiant Rest, is joined by Colin Hudon, founder of the Telluride-based business Living Tea, to discuss:

• The benefits of tea ritual
• The difference between a "living" tea and the tea bags you find at the market
• Tea as a medicine and longevity herb for its effects on physiology as well as its ability to calm the mind, open the heart, move stagnant energy
• 5 approaches to preparing and serving tea
• How to start a daily tea ritual practice

Want to explore tea ceremony, yoga nidra, and meditation with Colin and Tracee in the breathtaking mountains and deep forests of Telluride? Join them for a transformative 4-day retreat on May 22-26, 2025. Learn more the retreat at https://www.livingtea.net/pages/retreats

Learn more about Living Tea at livingtea.net

Connect with Tracee:

Radiance Subscription Online Community (try it for a month FREE!): https://www.empoweredlifecircle.com/join-today/

Website: https://www.traceestanley.com

Newsletter: https://www.traceestanley.com/#newsletter

Instagram: http://instagram.com/tracee_stanley

Radiant Rest book: https://www.traceestanley.com/radiant-rest

The Luminous Self book: https://www.traceestanley.com/luminous-self

Podcast: https://www.traceestanley.com/podcast

We've been separated from the profound wisdom and kinship in the natural world... it's just waiting to be remembered. In the latest episode of Radiant Rest, host Tracee Stanley welcomes Crystal Marie Higgins—a lineaged Initiated High Priestess in Celtic traditions, an Initiated Witch, as well as a yoga teacher, a folk herbalist and an ethical marketer—to dive into the ways we can rekindle our relationship with the green realm.

They discuss:

• How to attune to the cycle and rhythms of life

• Crystal's path of studying Celtic wisdom, earth and plant wisdom, and becoming initiated witch

• The wisdom of plant and herbal allies, and how to deepen our relationship with them

• 3 guiding principles to know before harvesting a plant

• Much more!

If you'd like to deepen your relationship with plants, Crystal is hosting a yearlong online course, Journey with 13 Herbal Allies, which starts on May 2. (Register by March 31 for Early Bird pricing and a free gift!)

Learn more here: https://www.empoweredlifecircle.com/journey-with-herbal-allies-crystal-marie-higgins/

Connect with Crystal

Explore Crystal's herbal offerings and upcoming plant walks at crystalmariehiggins.com

Learn more about Crystal's boutique Seasonal Herbal Box at seasonalherbalbox.com

Follow her on Instagram at @crystalmariehiggins

Connect with Tracee

Order Tracee's books:

— Radiant Rest: https://www.traceestanley.com/radiant-rest

— The Luminous Self: https://www.traceestanley.com/luminous-self

Website: traceestanley.comSign up for Tracee's newsletter https://www.traceestanley.com/#newsletter

Follow Tracee on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tracee_stanley

Rest is not only restorative—it connects you to your inner wisdom and is a portal to revelation. That's the theme of a new book, Rest Is Sacred: Reclaiming Our Brilliance Through the Practice of Stillness, by Octavia Raheem, who joins Tracee Stanley, author of Radiant Rest and The Luminous Self, for a conversation about rest as a deep spiritual practice. In this conversation, they discuss:

• What inspired Octavia to write Rest Is Sacred
• Powerful lessons around distraction
• Rest as a form of protection and nourishment
• How rest connects us to our dreaming selves
• Much more!

Order Octavia's book, Rest Is Sacredhttps://www.restissacred.com

Join Octavia's next Mastermind, Devoted to Rest® https://www.octaviaraheem.com/devoted-to-rest

Mentioned in this episode: Dr. Gail Parker http://www.drgailparker.com "That which you seek is seeking you." —Hafiz "There is nothing new under the sun. There are new suns." —Octavia E Butler

About our guest Octavia Raheem is a wife, mother, author of three books, Pause, Rest, Be (award winning), Gather, and Rest Is Sacred. She is a rest/restorative coach, yoga + meditation educator, and former wellness studio owner. She is the creator of Devoted to Rest™, a transformational rest focused experience for visionary women leaders making a high impact in their fields. Within her rest and work she threads time tested practices, depth skill and knowledge about what supports rest and what doesn't, wisdom rooted in Black American Southern traditions, and intuition into a blanket of experience under which individuals can gather and rebuke stress, fatigue, and burnout. Her offerings lead driven, inspiring, creative, and purpose centered individuals and companies to awaken the fullness of their potential and power through rest.

Connect with Tracee

Order Tracee's books:

— Radiant Rest: https://www.traceestanley.com/radiant-rest

— The Luminous Self: https://www.traceestanley.com/luminous-self

Website: traceestanley.comSign up for Tracee's newsletter https://www.traceestanley.com/#newsletter

Follow Tracee on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tracee_stanley

What determines the path of discovering our true Self? Sometimes it begins with realizing who we are not…

In this conversation, host Tracee Stanley and Caverly Morgan, spiritual teacher, non-profit founder, speaker, and author of The Heart of Who We Are: Realizing Freedom Together as well as A Kids Book About Mindfulness, dive into the increasingly vital call of these times to remember who we really are, not only for ourselves but also for the collective.

This rich discussion covers:

• Caverly's experience as a monastic practitioner

• How our approach to practice can reinforce our karmic knots

• Bringing practice into our lives vs. bringing our life into practice

• Snapping out of our culture's illusion of grasping for "one more thing" when wholeness is something you can only experience, not consume

• Experiencing timeless reality

• Recommends practices for these heartbreaking times

• Wisdom found in Caverly's book as well as Tracee's book, The Luminous Self: Sacred Yogic Practices & Rituals to Remember Who You Are

• The power of healing in community

• Much more!

Connect with Caverly and her books:

The Heart of Who We Are: Realizing Freedom Together

A Kids Book About Mindfulness

Tracee's books:

• The Luminous Self
• Radiant Rest

Visit TraceeStanley.com to find out more and join her newsletter to discover more events and retreats that center rest, creativity, and earth-centered practices.

About our guest

Caverly Morgan is a spiritual teacher, non-profit founder, speaker and writer who blends the original spirit of Zen with a modern nondual approach. She is the author of The Heart of Who We Are: Realizing Freedom Together as well as A Kids Book About Mindfulness. Caverly is the founder of Peace in Schools, a nonprofit that created the nation's first for-credit mindfulness class in public high schools. Her practice began in 1995 and has included eight years of training in a silent Zen monastery. She has been teaching contemplative practice since 2001. Caverly leads meditation retreats, workshops and online classes internationally. Learn more at caverlymorgan.org.