Room to Evolve

What if the natural world is already speaking to us—through trees, land, and sacred places—if we only learn how to listen?

In this episode of Room to Evolve, Jessica Goulding speaks with spiritual director Nancy Herlin about sacred places, eco-spirituality, and the quiet wisdom that emerges when we slow down and pay attention.

Nancy shares the story of how Five Oak Ranch became a retreat space dedicated to listening, contemplation, and connection with the natural world.

Nancy Herlin is a spiritual director certified through the Stillpoint Center for Christian Spirituality, where she also serves on faculty. She works with individuals and groups in both spiritual direction and eco-spiritual direction.

She is also a Veriditas-certified Labyrinth Facilitator and a commissioned Centering Prayer presenter through Contemplative Outreach.

Nancy is most alive when she can hold holy space for others to listen for God’s voice in their lives—and when she spends time with her six grandchildren, who remind her of her Essence.

Learn more:
fiveoakranch.com

Listen to Jessica and Nancy discuss Centering Prayer:
Contemplative Prayer and Spaciousness for Peace

Visit and Subsribe to Room to Evolve:
roomtoevolve.com

Following our recent conversation with Jill Geoffrion, it’s time to explore the theme of thresholds in our own lives in an embodied way.

This episode is the first of a series of podcasts that will follow our interviews each month on the Room to Evolve podcast. They are called Labyrinth Walk Companions.

In this Labyrinth Walk Companion episode of Room to Evolve, we explore the theme At the Threshold. This guided walk invites you to pause before taking the first step and notice what life is calling you into right now.

Whether you are tracing a handheld or printed labyrinth, or walking one of the thousands of labyrinths around the world, these recordings are here to help you pause, reflect on what life is calling you into right now, and meet yourself exactly where you are before taking the first step.

You might also use them as meditation prompts, or as preparation for a yoga or movement practice.

You will begin with centering and breath, open the labyrinth with awareness, and step forward with reflective guidance to accompany you.

If you are practicing from home, you can download a printable tracing labyrinth below. Paid subscribers to Room to Evolve receive access to downloadable Labyrinth Walk Companion Guides.

May your life’s thresholds be blessings, and your walk sure-footed.

Much love,

Jessica

The inspired reading for this episode is Blessing the Threshold,

© Jan Richardson from How the Stars Get in Your Bones: A Book of Blessings. janrichardson.com

...

Locate a labyrinth near you at labyrinthlocator.com, hosted by The Labyrinth Society and Veriditas:

HERE

Order a handheld labyrinth from Veriditas:

HERE.

Download a printable tracing labyrinth PDF:

HERE

Access this episode’s Labyrinth Walk Companion Guide by becoming a paid subscriber.

What happens when we listen to a call we don’t fully understand?

In this first interview episode of Room to Evolve, Jessica Goulding sits down with Jill Geoffrion, one of the world’s leading voices on labyrinth prayer, pilgrimage, and Chartres Cathedral. Together, they explore pilgrimage not as tourism, but as transformation—an outer journey with an inner purpose.

Jill shares her origin story: how a simple paper labyrinth traced with her finger revealed her life story back to her, and how that moment led her into decades of walking, studying, and teaching labyrinth prayer across the world. From Chartres to the Camino, from sacred geometry to modern thresholds, this conversation gently unfolds what it means to say yes to a call—especially when we don’t yet know where it leads.

You’ll hear reflections on:

• What defines a pilgrimage (and what doesn’t)

• Why the labyrinth is a practice of trust and surrender

• Chartres Cathedral as a “tuning fork” for the soul

• Threshold moments—when to step in, when to step out

• Hospitality as a spiritual path

• How beauty itself becomes a form of prayer

• Living at the threshold with love in uncertain times

  
  

This episode is an invitation to slow down, listen deeply, and consider where your next threshold may be waiting.

As you listen, notice:

• Is there a place, practice, or path that keeps calling you back?

• Where might you be standing at a threshold—ready, or almost ready, to step in?

You don’t need to know the destination.
Sometimes, the pilgrimage begins the moment you say yes.

Join Jessica and Jill October 3-10, 2026

Hidden Things: Pilgrimage to Chartres Cathedral

https://roomtoevolve.substack.com/p/go

Subscribe and enjoy Room to Evolve: A spiritual sanctuary for pilgrims, seekers, mystics, and creatives to move, breathe, and walk together through the labyrinth of life. http://roomtoevolve.com

Jessica Goulding, C-IAYT, E-RYT500, Labyrinth Facilitator

Jessica Goulding is a yoga therapist, labyrinth facilitator, and retreat leader—a pilgrim of the inner life whose teaching and writing accompany others through thresholds of change, weaving yoga, contemplation, and sacred practice.

https://roomtoevolve.com

Subscribe on Substack:

https://substack.com/@roomtoevolve?

The Rev. Jill Kimberly Hartwell Geoffrion, PhD, DD, is a world-renowned expert on labyrinths, labyrinth prayer, and the Chartres Cathedral. She has published seven books and numerous scholarly and popular articles on labyrinths. Her most recent work, Visions of Mary, Art, Devotion, and Beauty at Chartres Cathedral, combines stunning images and historical insights. As a professional photographer, Jill’s visual work points to the unique character and inspiration of labyrinth prayer, the Chartres Cathedral, and sacred sites around the world. In her global ministry on four continents, Jill installs large-scale, Chartres-style labyrinths, often working in places of violence and acute suffering. When serving as a guide, workshop leader, and retreat facilitator, she enjoys connecting the spiritual needs of others with God’s bountiful love. Jill’s writing, art, and leadership style are inspiring, encouraging, and experience-based.

Learn more about Jill at

https://jillgeoffrion.com/

Browse Jill's books at

https://jillgeoffrion.com/writings/books/

Book mentioned in this episode:

Visions of Mary: Art, Devotion, and Beauty at Chartres Cathedral Brewster, MA: Mount Tabor Press, 2017

Tags:
Pilgrimage
Labyrinth
Chartres Cathedral
Sacred Journey

Hosted by Jessica Goulding, Room to Evolve is a contemplative podcast for pilgrims, seekers, yogis, and creatives—and for those who sense they’re standing at a threshold but don’t yet have the words—offering a place to listen before they move.

Rooted in yoga, sacred practice, and contemplative spirituality, this podcast is a room of noticing: a spacious, reflective container where we learn to recognize the quiet (and not-so-quiet) calls toward change, expansion, and deeper truth.

Each month offers two complementary practices.

The first is a conversation with a fellow traveler—someone living at the intersection of work, creativity, practice, and spirit. Together we explore how they have navigated threshold moments in their lives: what helped them listen more deeply, what practices or metaphors guided them, and what they had to release as they moved closer to the center of themselves.

The second is a simple breath or meditation practice, or a Labyrinth Companion—an audio guide created to accompany intentional labyrinth walks wherever you are. These episodes carry themes from the conversations into embodied practice, supporting reflection, prayer, meditation, and inner listening as you walk.

From story and silence alike, living metaphors emerge. Rather than offering answers, Room to Evolve creates space—to notice what is stirring, to listen with greater care, and to trust the slow, faithful unfolding of transformation.

This is not a podcast about getting somewhere faster. It is a place to recognize when you are being called—and to begin by paying attention.

Jessica Goulding is a yoga therapist, labyrinth facilitator, and retreat leader—a pilgrim of the inner life whose teaching and writing accompany others through thresholds of change, weaving yoga, contemplation, and sacred practice.

Learn more and join the full Room to Evolve community at https://roomtoevolve.com

Subscribe on Substack for weekly musings and thoughtful reflections from your host, Jessica Goulding → https://substack.com/@roomtoevolve

Follow on 

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/room.to.evolve/

Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/roomtoevolve

What do you do when a spiritual framework that once held you beautifully begins to feel too tight?

In this brief transition episode of Chakra Savvy, Jessica Goulding reflects on a season of change and names a threshold moment—one shaped not by dissatisfaction, but by deep listening and lived experience.

Honoring decades of teaching, practice, and community, Jessica shares why she’s answering a quiet but insistent call toward a more spacious container for her work. Drawing from contemplative practices like labyrinth walking, centering prayer, and lectio divina, she invites listeners to pause, breathe, and notice where expansion may be asking to happen in their own lives.

This is not an episode about answers.
It’s about listening.
About honoring what has been.
And about making room for what wants to emerge next.

If life feels like it’s shifting beneath your feet, this reflection is an invitation to stand at the threshold—and stay curious.

Topics & Themes

• Spiritual thresholds and seasons of change

• Honoring the evolution of Chakra Savvy

• Chakras as living, embodied wisdom

• Labyrinths, pilgrimage, and contemplative practice

• Letting go of containers that no longer fit

• Making room for deeper listening and expansion

Today I’m going a little old-school. Back in my first podcast, Ready Get Centered Go, I used to share the dharma talks that opened my public yoga classes. Today, I’m bringing that back with a heartfelt message about fear, confusion, and how we can respond with presence, hope, and purposeful action.

You’ll hear a real intro from one of my Online Yoga Membership (OYM) classes called “Planting Seeds of Hope.” I created this class in response to the unsettling energy in the air—politically, socially, and energetically. When things feel chaotic, it’s more important than ever to stay rooted and uplifted. This is my offering toward that.

💚 Spring is the season of planting seeds, so I invite you to reflect: What seeds will you plant today that symbolize hope for tomorrow?

Resources Mentioned:

• Chakra Savvy Quickie Quiz → jessgoulding.com/quiz
  

• Chakra Check-in Self Assessment → jessgoulding.com/chakras
  

• Full class on YouTube: Planting Seeds of Hope → https://youtu.be/1cFvmiugFEE?si=NQmbMMLuOacXNWZm
  

• Free 10-day OYM Experience → jessgoulding.com/OYM
  

Let’s walk forward together with love, courage, and intention. 🌸

Much love,

Jessica

More about Jessica:

Website jessgoulding.com

Resources:

Chakra Savvy: Reset Your Life Game Plan

Chakra Savvy Cheat Sheet ⁠

Embodiment Online Course. Harness the energy of chakra one, and set a new foundation built on connection, gratitude, and trust in the world. Use coupon code PODCAST!

More resources, links, and a form for thoughts and questions are at ⁠Jessgoulding.com/podcast.⁠

Connect with Jess: 

Facebook⁠⁠, @jessgyoga, and the Jess G Yoga Facebook Group, ⁠⁠

Instagram⁠⁠, @jessgyoga  

YouTube⁠⁠ @jessgoulding

LinkedIn: Jessica (Jess) Goulding  @jessgyoga

TAGS

awareness,  mindfulness,   self study,   svadyaya,   self awareness,    chakras,    yoga,   yoga therapy, self improvement, transformation, spirituality, self help, yoga, meditation, philosophy, psychology

Today I’m sharing what I’ve been uncovering about how to craft a strong, clear, and effective intention—one that your whole system understands and responds to. It’s not just about setting a goal; it’s about shaping your identity. I’ll guide you through a process that moves you out of your mind and into your body, helping you hear what your soul is truly asking for. Then, I’ll show you how to shape that message into a potent sankalpa—succinct, present, and bold.

If you’ve ever felt like your intentions get lost in the noise or don’t quite take root, this episode is for you. Let’s refine your words, align them with your breath, and watch them become your life!

Join me for our next New Moon Intentions session on April 27—we’ll be diving into the heart chakra, and it’s going to be a beautiful one. See you there!

Links & Resources:
✨ Free Chakra Check-In & Quick Quiz: www.jessgoulding.com/chakrasavvy
✨ Join the Chakra Savvy Community for replays & live sessions!

✨ Download the new Powerful Intentions Worksheets:

www.jessgoulding.com/podcast

More about Jessica:

Website jessgoulding.com

Resources:

Chakra Savvy: Reset Your Life Game Plan

⁠Chakra Savvy Quickie Quiz⁠ ⁠⁠

⁠Chakra Check-In Self Assessment⁠ ⁠

Chakra Savvy Cheat Sheet ⁠

Embodiment Online Course. Harness the energy of chakra one, and set a new foundation built on connection, gratitude, and trust in the world. Use coupon code PODCAST!

More resources, links, and a form for thoughts and questions are at ⁠Jessgoulding.com/podcast.⁠

Connect with Jess: 

Facebook⁠⁠, @jessgyoga, and the Jess G Yoga Facebook Group, ⁠⁠

Instagram⁠⁠, @jessgyoga  

YouTube⁠⁠ @jessgoulding

LinkedIn: Jessica (Jess) Goulding  @jessgyoga

TAGS

awareness,  mindfulness,   self study,   svadyaya,   self awareness,    chakras,    yoga,   yoga therapy, self improvement, transformation, spirituality, self help, yoga, meditation, philosophy, psychology

Ever feel like your sleep patterns are all over the place? You’re not alone—I’ve been there too! In this episode, I’m diving into the importance of sleep, how life’s disruptions can throw us off rhythm, and why the first step to getting back on track is self-compassion.

I’ll be sharing insights from yoga therapy and Ayurveda, exploring how different times of day affect sleep and energy. Plus, I’ve got simple, effective tools to help you sleep better—without overcomplicating things or relying on tech.

Tune in for practical wisdom, sleep-friendly practices, and a fresh perspective on rest.

🌚 New Moon Intentions: Join me on March 29 at 10 AM CT to align your goals with the energy of chakra three! Learn more at https://www.jessgoulding.com/chakrasavvy

🦶Ayurvedic Foot Massage: https://youtu.be/NoVz7AvLybg?si=ddKUpmwSrga8EJYl

🤓 There are tons of chakra wisdom resources on my podcast page: https://www.jessgoulding.com/podcast

👉 Which sleep tip resonates with you? I’d love to hear!

More about Jessica:

Website jessgoulding.com

Resources:

Chakra Savvy: Reset Your Life Game Plan

⁠Chakra Savvy Quickie Quiz⁠ ⁠⁠

⁠Chakra Check-In Self Assessment⁠ ⁠

Chakra Savvy Cheat Sheet ⁠

Embodiment Online Course. Harness the energy of chakra one, and set a new foundation built on connection, gratitude, and trust in the world. Use coupon code PODCAST!

More resources, links, and a form for thoughts and questions are at ⁠Jessgoulding.com/podcast.⁠

Connect with Jess: 

Facebook⁠⁠, @jessgyoga, and the Jess G Yoga Facebook Group, ⁠⁠

Instagram⁠⁠, @jessgyoga  

YouTube⁠⁠ @jessgoulding

LinkedIn: Jessica (Jess) Goulding  @jessgyoga

TAGS

awareness,  mindfulness,   self study,   svadyaya,   self awareness,    chakras,    yoga,   yoga therapy, self improvement, transformation, spirituality, self help, yoga, meditation, philosophy, psychology

Today we’re diving into how to regain energy and confidence when life feels out of control.

We’re in the midst of our series: Seven Practices for Fostering Equanimity During Times of Change, and today’s focus is the third chakra, Manipura—your center of power, motivation, and will.

If change (or outright chaos) has left you feeling:

⚡️ Exhausted and unmotivated

⚡️ Stuck in avoidance or low energy

⚡️ Like you’ve lost your drive to take action

…this episode is for you.

I’ll walk you through a simple journaling practice to rebuild confidence, plus a powerful breathwork and mantra exercise to reignite your solar plexus energy.

🎧 Tune in to hear:

🔥 Why control is an illusion—and what to focus on instead

🔥 The key to shifting your energy when you're feeling drained

🔥 A short but powerful third chakra practice to restore your inner fire

Ready to reconnect with your power? Hit play and let’s dive in!

Resources & Links:

✨ Take the Chakra Savvy Quickie Quiz or Self Assessment: jessgoulding.com/podcast

✨ Explore my Whole Life Alignment Coaching program: jessgoulding.com/align

✨ Attend a New Moon Intention online meetup!

jessgoulding.com/chakrasavvy

More resources, links, and a form for thoughts and questions are at ⁠Jessgoulding.com/podcast.⁠

Connect with Jess: 

Facebook⁠⁠, @jessgyoga, and the Jess G Yoga Facebook Group, ⁠⁠

Instagram⁠⁠, @jessgyoga  

YouTube⁠⁠ @jessgoulding

TAGS

awareness,  mindfulness,   self study,   svadyaya,   self awareness,    chakras,    yoga,   yoga therapy, self improvement, transformation, spirituality, self help, yoga, meditation, philosophy, psychology

Today my guest is Erin Mursch of Organized For Good, and we are exploring the “energy of your stuff,” how your home environment has energy, and you’re connected to that energy!

We cover questions like:

~ How does our material life reflect our interior life? 

~ How does your stuff block or guide your energy?

~ How does material chaos prevent your Zen, and what can you do about it?

~ How does aparigraha pertain to your stuff?

~ How can letting go of your stuff make you feel good?

~ What happens when you have reverence for your stuff?

~ If your stuff is overwhelming, where do you start?

~ How does gratitude foster a more joyful connection to your stuff, as well as the chores that go with life?

Be sure and join me at the next New Moon Savvy Intentions! Next up: Thursday, February 27 at 5pm Central. Join the Savvy Community and have access to the replay, the challenge, and all future Savvy Intention meetups! https://www.jessgoulding.com/chakrasavvy

Erin Mursch is a Master KonMari Consultant and Professional Home Organizer based in Austin, Texas where she offers hands-on decluttering, organizing, unpacking, downsizing, and storage recommendations. Erin naturally gravitates toward a mindful approach to decluttering and organizing that brings clarity, efficiency, and a sense of ease.

You can hire Erin to help you get organized, or invite her to be a speaker or lead a workshop for your organization. 

Learn more about Erin:

Website: https://www.organizedforgoodatx.com/ 
IG: https://www.instagram.com/organizedforgoodatx

More about Jessica:

Website jessgoulding.com

Resources:

Chakra Savvy: Reset Your Life Game Plan

⁠Chakra Savvy Quickie Quiz⁠ ⁠⁠

⁠Chakra Check-In Self Assessment⁠⁠

Chakra Savvy Cheat Sheet ⁠

Embodiment Online Course.Harness the energy of chakra one, and set a new foundation built on connection, gratitude, and trust in the world. Use coupon code PODCAST!

More resources, links, and a form for thoughts and questions are at⁠Jessgoulding.com/podcast.⁠

Connect with Jess: 

Facebook⁠⁠, @jessgyoga, and the Jess G Yoga Facebook Group, ⁠⁠

Instagram⁠⁠, @jessgyoga  

YouTube⁠⁠ @jessgoulding

LinkedIn: Jessica (Jess) Goulding  @jessgyoga

TAGS

awareness,  mindfulness,   self study,   svadyaya,   self awareness,    chakras,    yoga,   yoga therapy, self improvement, transformation, spirituality, self help, yoga, meditation, philosophy, psychology