Episode 100

full
Published on:

27th Feb 2025

The Flow State of the Feminine with Ixchel Munay

On episode 100 of the Home to Her podcast, I'm joined by Ixchel Munay, who has spent more than 20 years walking the path of plant medicine, conscious living and supporting thousands of people around the world in her immersions and sessions to come home to themselves. Through her work, Ixchel draws upon her initiations with yoga, meditation, tantra, shamanism, magic, somatic therapy, dance, breath work, NLP, non-violent communication, permaculture, natural medicine, neuroscience and more. She’s spent nearly the past 20 years of her life based in Bali, the mystical land of her father’s ancestors. For the past four years she’s been spending half the year in Costa Rica devoted to creating Yacumama ("Mother of Water") - a regenerative community land project that hosts transformational experiences.

On this episode we discuss:

  • Ixchel's introduction to the Sacred Feminine via her experience meeting Amma, the hugging saint, and her work with a tantric master in Bali
  • Her experience with plant medicines and the value they offer us currently, as well as why it's so important to approach them medicine with respect and via a credible teacher
  • Why she believes the feminine is the flow state that athletes describe, and how when we step into it, our divine path unfolds much more easily
  • The ways women have been disconnected from our bodies, particularly through birth control and medicated childbirth
  • Her work with Yacumama, and her vision for it in terms of land regeneration and as a cultural center to preserve and teach indigenous ways of being

Notes related to this episode:

And here are a few more details about this show and my work:

  • If you’d like to know whose ancestral tribal lands you currently reside on, you can look up your address here: https://native-land.ca/
  • You can also visit the Coalition of Natives and Allies for more helpful educational resources about Indigenous rights and history.
  • Please – if you love this podcast and/or have read my book, please consider leaving me a review, and thank you for supporting my work!
  • You can also access the video version of this episode on YouTube
  • For more Sacred Feminine goodness and to stay up to date on all episodes, please follow me on Instagram: @hometoher. To dive into conversation about the Sacred Feminine, join the Facebook group, also @hometoher.
  • And to read about the Sacred Feminine, check out my award-winning book Home to Her: Walking the Transformative Path of the Sacred Feminine (Womancraft Publishing), available on Audible and wherever you buy your books!. If you've read it, your reviews on Goodreads and Amazon are greatly appreciated!
  • Visit www.hometoher.com to learn more about your host, download a free meditation and sign up for my newsletter to stay up to date on all the latest episodes.
Transcript
Speaker:

Liz Childs Kelly: Hello, and welcome

to Home to Her, the podcast that's

2

:

dedicated to reclaiming the lost and

stolen wisdom of the sacred feminine.

3

:

I'm your host, Liz Kelley, and on

each episode, we explore her stories

4

:

and myths, her spiritual principles,

and most importantly, what this

5

:

wisdom has to offer us right now.

6

:

Thanks for being here.

7

:

Let's get started.

8

:

Okay.

9

:

Okay.

10

:

Okay.

11

:

Okay.

12

:

Hey, everybody, and welcome to the show.

13

:

This is Liz, joining you as usual from

central Virginia and the unceded lands of

14

:

the Monacan Nation, and I am so glad that

you are here with me again, five years

15

:

into the show, and we're still doing it.

16

:

It's pretty great.

17

:

As always, if you want to know

whose native lands you might be

18

:

residing on, go to native land.

19

:

ca.

20

:

You can check it out.

21

:

They've got a map of the whole world.

22

:

It's especially helpful for North

America, other, other places too, but

23

:

I know for sure for North America.

24

:

And if you want to learn about the

sacred feminine, there's so many

25

:

different ways that you can do that.

26

:

If you want to learn from me.

27

:

You can listen to all the

episodes of this podcast.

28

:

There's a whole lot of them at this point.

29

:

And you can also go to home to her.

30

:

com.

31

:

You'll find articles, you

find links to the podcast.

32

:

There's going to be some

on demand courses coming.

33

:

And I know I've said that before,

but I really truly mean it this time.

34

:

Y'all it's going to happen.

35

:

2025 is the year, hopefully

sooner rather than later.

36

:

So keep an eye out for that.

37

:

And I'll put all this in the show notes.

38

:

If if you forget that you

don't have to remember.

39

:

Okay, so I met today's

guest earlier this year,

40

:

the very, very beginning, very beginning

of the year, like, like day one,

41

:

I think, or day two while I was on

vacation in Costa Rica, which was such

42

:

a magical and Ammazing experience.

43

:

And I was just so moved by her

incredible grounded presence, her

44

:

relationship with the land that

she was on, and her commitment to

45

:

stewarding and nurturing the land.

46

:

And I was.

47

:

Oh my gosh, I gotta see if

she'll come on the show.

48

:

So I'm so happy that she is here.

49

:

So let me go ahead and

introduce her to you now.

50

:

Ixchel Munay's work with living wisdom

is born from the embodied wisdom that she

51

:

has gathered in 20 plus years of walking

the path of plant medicine, conscious

52

:

living, and supporting thousands of people

around the world in her immersions and

53

:

sessions to come home to themselves.

54

:

She is committed to radical presence

and deep intuitive listening to see what

55

:

is alive and needed in the moment and

draws upon her initiations with yoga,

56

:

meditation, Tantra, shAmmanism, magic,

somatic therapy, dance, breath work,

57

:

neurolinguistic programming, nonviolent

communication, permaculture, natural

58

:

medicine, neuroscience, and And more.

59

:

Ixchel is the mother of a passionate

18 year old artist who has been

60

:

raised with inspiration by a village

in the community she co founded

61

:

with his father 18 years ago.

62

:

And she's spent nearly the past 20

years of her life based in Bali, the

63

:

mystical land of her father's ancestors.

64

:

For the past four years, she's been

spending half the year in Costa Rica,

65

:

devoted to creating YacumAmma, a

regenerative community land project

66

:

that hosts transformational experiences,

including one that I got to be a part of.

67

:

It's pretty great.

68

:

And she's joining us today from

YacumAmma in Ojochal in Costa Rica.

69

:

Ixchel, welcome.

70

:

I'm so excited to see you again.

71

:

Thank you for being here.

72

:

Ixchel Munay: Oh, thank

you so much for having me.

73

:

It's great to see you again as well.

74

:

Liz Childs Kelly: Yes, and I was

just thinking as I was preparing this

75

:

morning for our conversation that when

I was with you, you were, you were

76

:

facilitating a retreat experience for us.

77

:

And so I'm just super excited to be

able to listen to you talk and to

78

:

get to know a little bit more of your

story and be in dialogue with you.

79

:

So.

80

:

This is quite delightful.

81

:

I usually start with my guest asking

about their spiritual background

82

:

and what it was like growing up.

83

:

And the reason I do that is

I'm just curious, first of all.

84

:

I like to hear these details, but I

also really love to hear what that

85

:

trajectory has been like for you.

86

:

And if the parts that were

supportive, maybe the parts

87

:

that you had to leave behind.

88

:

So I'd love to start there,

if that's okay with you.

89

:

Ixchel Munay: Yeah, sure.

90

:

Well, I grew up with a Balinese father

who, you know, in Bali, our spiritual

91

:

tradition is so deep and so alive.

92

:

And he was wanting to be American

and, you know, didn't share as

93

:

much of his spiritual life with

me as, as I would have hoped.

94

:

He did always listen to a little cassette

of the Gayatri Mantra every single day.

95

:

And so I have that programmed

into me on such a deep level.

96

:

And the Gayatri Mantra is an

ancient Sanskrit mantra that is

97

:

essentially praying for the awakening

and the liberation of all beings.

98

:

And, you know, mantras, they, they just

have a profound, deep resonance that,

99

:

you know, that from, from an ancient

language that brings that meaning in

100

:

that prayer so powerfully, even if you

don't understand it with your mind.

101

:

And, you know, I always felt like there

was, , growing up in the US without.

102

:

much spirit.

103

:

I always felt deeply connected

to nature and that's where I

104

:

found my spiritual connection.

105

:

And I found the teachings of yoga , I was

a teenager, so 30 years or so ago, and I

106

:

feel like that's when I started dropping

deeper into, you know, what is beyond

107

:

this 3D dimension, the deeper energetics

of my body and how I could connect to

108

:

spirits and how I could connect to life,

you know, through the portal of my body.

109

:

You know, which is interesting

because that's still really one

110

:

of the most powerful ways that I

find I can connect to spirit is.

111

:

starting to lose the mind by,

you know, downs and accessing

112

:

those other levels of reality.

113

:

And yeah, as you shared in my

bio, I've been working with plant

114

:

medicines for about 20 years and

psychedelics way before that.

115

:

I, you know, was fortunate enough to

start to experiment with psychedelics

116

:

when I was a teenager as well.

117

:

And so I feel that, you know,

that was really my introduction to

118

:

spirituality to, you know, piercing

the veil of illusion and, and getting

119

:

to experience more of what's really

available and what's really happening.

120

:

In the multi dimensional

reality that we live in.

121

:

And so, yeah, from then, you know,

going into deeper into, you know,

122

:

shAmmanic work with plant medicines

about 20 years ago, that was Really a

123

:

grand opening into my spiritual path.

124

:

Liz Childs Kelly: Okay, I'm going

to put a little pin on that because

125

:

I want to go back to that and

talk about that a little bit more.

126

:

Love to ask you too about your

understanding of the divine feminine,

127

:

the sacred feminine, whatever.

128

:

language you like to use around that.

129

:

But how you, how you know that particular

energy and if there was a particular

130

:

moment in time when you became more of

aware of the presence of divinity in

131

:

that, in that female form, feminine form.

132

:

Ixchel Munay: Yeah.

133

:

I'd say there's two profound experiences

in my life that really tapped me

134

:

into what the divine feminine is.

135

:

And one of those was meeting Amma.

136

:

Amma, who is also known

as the Hugging Saint.

137

:

Yes,

138

:

Liz Childs Kelly: I've met her twice.

139

:

Oh, well, I've gotten hugs from her twice.

140

:

I don't know if I get to

say I met her, but yes.

141

:

Ixchel Munay: That's, that's a meeting.

142

:

That's definitely how she's Darshan.

143

:

And that's a powerful meeting.

144

:

And yeah, the first time that I met

her I was a little bit skeptical of

145

:

the energy of the guru in the ashram.

146

:

And, you know, that, Those judgments of

my mind were washed away immediately as

147

:

soon as I came into, I would say a few

hundred feet of her, the energy of the

148

:

divine feminine completely overtook me

and I was flooded in tears and shaking

149

:

and there was, there was an undeniable

presence of the divine feminine, the

150

:

feminine aspect of what we would call God.

151

:

And I've never felt it as powerful in

any other being that I've encountered.

152

:

In a body.

153

:

And when she took me in her arms and

held me with the love of the Divine

154

:

Mother, I completely left my body.

155

:

I, you know, it happens to quite a few

people who received Darshan from her.

156

:

I passed out.

157

:

I fainted.

158

:

The energy was just so strong.

159

:

And in that moment you know, they

ask you if you want to take her

160

:

as your guru and receive a mantra.

161

:

And I did, and my entire

life changed in that moment.

162

:

And you're not supposed to tell

anybody what your mantra is about, but

163

:

mine was about service to the earth.

164

:

And many magical things happened

as soon as I, I took that devotion.

165

:

As soon as I took that commitment on.

166

:

And Amma sits on my altar to this

day, and my prayer in my work is to

167

:

be able to hold that level of pure,

unconditional love that she holds

168

:

for everybody that I work with.

169

:

And in a lot of what I do in my immersions

and my ceremonies and my retreats.

170

:

Is hold people and, you know, there's

something about the somatic experience

171

:

of being held by a feminine presence

that is holding just pure love that

172

:

can reprogram us on a cellular level.

173

:

I can reprogram our nervous

systems to feel safe in the world.

174

:

And so that was my first true experience.

175

:

of the Divine Feminine and I'll pause

there before I share the second part of

176

:

initiation I have if you want to share

anything about your experience with Amma.

177

:

Liz Childs Kelly: I do, I

love hearing about yours and I

178

:

so yeah, I saw her the first

time in California, and I was

179

:

in a really different place.

180

:

I had just gone through my own

awakening experience, and so, it,

181

:

it was, The whole experience was a

little overwhelming for me as someone

182

:

who grew up in a Christian household.

183

:

Like the, the experience of

it and the, the music and

184

:

the, the crowds and all of it.

185

:

I was like, wow, what

is, what, this is wild.

186

:

But yeah, I, I had a very physical,

I didn't leave my body, but I

187

:

had a very physical reaction.

188

:

To being in her presence and my

ear, you know, was ringing for at

189

:

least an hour after she spoke in it.

190

:

I went home and had a whole

bunch of physical sensations

191

:

moving up and down my spine.

192

:

It was quite wild.

193

:

And then the second time that I saw

her was actually this summer in D.

194

:

C.

195

:

And I was with a friend.

196

:

And the friend went ahead

of me and got her hug.

197

:

And then it was my turn.

198

:

And, you know, right before I went

up, I They, they actually said Before

199

:

you got the hug that you know, hold

your prayers in your heart, but Amma

200

:

really appreciates prayers for others.

201

:

And at the time, I remember

a little bit of thing in me.

202

:

I was just getting divorced and I'm like,

I don't want to pray for somebody else.

203

:

I want to pray for myself,

you know, like this very like

204

:

spoiled child impulse in me.

205

:

And then I sat with it and then I

started thinking about all the people

206

:

that had supported me through this

really difficult transition and process.

207

:

And then it wasn't hard at all.

208

:

I'm like, Oh gosh, I want to, I

want to dedicate my prayer to them.

209

:

And so, coming up to Amma, I was also just

so aware of what a challenging assignment

210

:

she's taken on in this lifetime.

211

:

And none of us have to say yes, right?

212

:

We can say no.

213

:

Like, we're not required, I

don't think, to do anything.

214

:

And so, I was just full of gratitude that

she had said yes to this assignment and

215

:

that she's doing this beautiful thing,

which is so taxing on the body, I think.

216

:

We don't think about it that way,

but just hugging thousands of people,

217

:

many of whom are desperate and

Really, really searching for healing.

218

:

It's a huge, huge life

mission that she's taken on.

219

:

So, I was sending her gratitude for

that, and then when I got my hug,

220

:

I was awash in the scent of roses.

221

:

Like, awash.

222

:

And it stayed on me.

223

:

It was, it was just everywhere.

224

:

Every time I inhaled, all

I could smell was roses.

225

:

And it lasted all day and all night.

226

:

And about an hour after that, we, I was

sitting with my friend in the little

227

:

cafeteria eating and I'm like, oh

my, the smell of roses is so strong.

228

:

And she's like, what

are you talking about?

229

:

I'm like, Amma, she,

she, she reeks of roses.

230

:

My friend's like, I, I didn't smell that.

231

:

I don't smell anything.

232

:

She's like, well, maybe my sense of smell.

233

:

And I'm like, no, this is like, I can't

breathe in without smelling the roses.

234

:

And it was on me.

235

:

It was on me through the end of the night.

236

:

So it was just, it was Ammazing.

237

:

Ixchel Munay: Yeah.

238

:

Yeah.

239

:

There's so much magic.

240

:

She gives you know, part of her Prasad,

like a little offering of, of sacred food.

241

:

At one time she gave little

Hershey's kisses and I opened

242

:

one up and it was flowers.

243

:

It was not a normal Hershey's kiss.

244

:

It was full of roses and

just divine feminine essence.

245

:

Yeah.

246

:

There's so much magic.

247

:

Liz Childs Kelly: I love it.

248

:

And I, I'll just mention quickly too,

for those who are interested, because

249

:

I do understand for Westerners,

a lot of Westerners, the concept

250

:

of the guru feels incompatible

to divine feminine exploration.

251

:

And I have a really good episode that

was the beginning of last year with

252

:

a woman named Arundhati Subramaniam,

who wrote a beautiful book called

253

:

Women Who Wear Only Themselves.

254

:

And we talked about this

in, in quite detail.

255

:

In a lot of detail.

256

:

So I'll put that in the show notes.

257

:

Ixchel Munay: Yeah.

258

:

And I think, you know, just to give a

little bit of a frame around it, the way

259

:

that I see it is that, you know, it's not

giving your power away to some, you know,

260

:

guru who's higher than you, but it's.

261

:

It's being around somebody who is

embodying a frequency that simply

262

:

by being in their presence awakens

that which is already inside of you.

263

:

Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah, beautifully said.

264

:

Yeah.

265

:

Ixchel Munay: Yeah.

266

:

And so, you know, what you shared

is actually a perfect segue

267

:

into my second initiations with

the, the sacred feminine energy.

268

:

And it was, gosh, I think it was

about 15 years ago in Bali, there

269

:

was a tantric teacher that came into

town and just ignited all the women.

270

:

And there were some very simple but

profound practices of breathwork and

271

:

tantric movements that were, that

were just awakening these massive

272

:

experiences of Kundalini awakenings

and just all of us really opening

273

:

to the Shakti that, you know, for

many women is latent inside of us.

274

:

There's not a safe space for

us to be experiencing that

275

:

much feminine power and energy.

276

:

And of course, you know, it's

actually been quite suppressed

277

:

because it is so powerful.

278

:

And So I started circles with some of

the women that had experienced these

279

:

activations with this tantric master.

280

:

And that is what opened up a whole other

realm of being able to tap into life force

281

:

energy, being able to tap into Shakti.

282

:

And one, I'm not exactly

sure the timing, but.

283

:

A came to me at one point and shared

an activation with me and it's how

284

:

I have been able to create so much

in my life without getting depleted.

285

:

You know, you just shared the

mission that she's taking taken on.

286

:

It can seem exhausting.

287

:

You know, she sits there.

288

:

Many times for 24 hours without

getting up without food, and

289

:

just gives and gives and gives.

290

:

And of course, you know, this can be the

out of balance feminine, this can be when

291

:

we come into that energy of the martyr.

292

:

And I think, you know, especially

us mothers have all experienced this

293

:

energy where, you know, we put ourselves

last and we just give to our children.

294

:

First, we give to our families,

and then we start getting Dry and

295

:

brittle and resentful and depleted.

296

:

And the way that Amma gives is she

steps out of the way completely.

297

:

It is not her human form

that is given at all.

298

:

She taps into the Endless wellspring

of Shakti that is in the earth

299

:

and that is all around us.

300

:

And when we're tapped into that

place, we can create anything.

301

:

We can move mountains.

302

:

We can give so much love because it's the

energy of the divine mother that's giving.

303

:

It's not this human

body in this human form.

304

:

And so that is.

305

:

The way that I've remembered to take

care of myself to fill my cup first,

306

:

you know, it's that when we get on a

plane, they say, put your own oxygen

307

:

mask on before taking care of your

children or anybody else, because we

308

:

can only take care of other people.

309

:

We can only be in service to humanity and

we can only live our fullest missions.

310

:

When we are doing our practices first

of filling up our cups and tapping into.

311

:

That wellspring of Shakti.

312

:

So those that time in my life of going

really deep into the tantric practices as

313

:

well as Amma coming to me and and giving

me that transmission were really the

314

:

way that I found feminine spirituality.

315

:

Not in any kind of any kind of

mental understanding, but an actual

316

:

transmission and energetic and physical

transmission of what it feels like

317

:

Liz Childs Kelly: to be

318

:

Ixchel Munay: to the feminine.

319

:

Liz Childs Kelly: Yes, I love that

and I can relate to that so much and

320

:

I think you're, we're already speaking

around, but what was my next question?

321

:

So let's keep doing it.

322

:

Is this idea of, I've been thinking

a lot of I'm always interested in the

323

:

practical application of this particular

thing that we call the sacred feminine.

324

:

If it's a conceptual thing, that

doesn't feel that useful to me.

325

:

So what is it really teaching us about

how we show up in the world differently?

326

:

And one of the things that I've been

really curious about and playing

327

:

with in my own life is what it

teaches about the idea of power.

328

:

Outside of the way we have traditionally

thought about and understood power in

329

:

patriarchal constructs, you know, power

really, if we look around the world, the

330

:

greatest expressions of it are in the

ability to create death through war the

331

:

ability to control via hierarchy and, and

the ability to hoard resources, right?

332

:

Like those are, that's really, if

you think about what, what we, how

333

:

we see power traditionally reflected

back to us, it's, it's those ways.

334

:

I'm curious about, like, what, when

we tap into this sacred feminine

335

:

and this Low of the feminine.

336

:

What does that teach us about power

and different ways to understand power

337

:

and different ways to relate to it?

338

:

And I, I feel like you've already

spoken to that a little bit, like

339

:

the endless well of tapping into

something that's larger than yourself,

340

:

the aspect of embodiment and how we

find power beyond mental constructs.

341

:

But I wonder if you could maybe just

riff on that a little bit more and

342

:

how you've seen that in your life.

343

:

Ixchel Munay: well, you know, all of

those things you spoke about in the

344

:

patriarchy are in some way a response

to the patriarchal fear of the power

345

:

of a woman that she has to give life.

346

:

That is the most primordial potent

power that exists in humanity.

347

:

And, you know, for all of us who've been

through the initiation of giving birth.

348

:

You know, for me, that

was one of the most.

349

:

Psychedelic experiences of my life and

one of the most powerful initiations of

350

:

my life of surrendering to the flow of

life moving through me and surrendering

351

:

to the biology of my body being built to

create life and to bring life through.

352

:

And so when we are surrendered

into feminine power.

353

:

There is an experience of letting go

of my will and my desires and what

354

:

I feel that I want to create and

truly tapping into the divine will.

355

:

And when we're aligned in such a way

that we are creating and that power

356

:

is coming through our alignment and

our connection to divine will, then

357

:

there's no limit to what can happen.

358

:

Can actually be created,

359

:

And when we can tap into the river of

life in that way, then we're, we're tapped

360

:

into that, that power that is truly so

far beyond our limited desires or the

361

:

limited power that we have as humanity.

362

:

Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah, absolutely.

363

:

I was thinking of the idea of

364

:

the co creative process of it all,

you know, like my own experience of

365

:

childbirth, like I'm, I'm the portal,

I'm the vessel through which this life

366

:

is moving through, and it, it can't,

it, well, that particular aspect

367

:

of life can't get, get here without

me, but really my job Up to assert.

368

:

Well, I have a job, right?

369

:

But then when the actual life is getting

here, my, my biggest job is to get out

370

:

of the way and to just let that higher

intelligence do what it knows how to do.

371

:

Which is so hard for us from

an ego perspective, right?

372

:

To actually step back like that.

373

:

And it's scary, but yeah, the whole co

creative nature of that is, is also what,

374

:

what came to mind as you were speaking.

375

:

Ixchel Munay: And, I had a

completely natural childbirth.

376

:

And , that is something that is taken

away from the majority of women, in the

377

:

Western world, because, it's it's it's

part of the patriarchy suppression of.

378

:

the raw feminine power that, is so

feared, you know, when women are able

379

:

to tap into that raw feminine power

that comes through birth or that comes

380

:

through being tapped into our sexuality

and our life force energy and our bodies.

381

:

There's just a, I would say a

misunderstanding of the patriarchy.

382

:

A misunderstanding that creates

fear from the masculine.

383

:

And, it's led to, you know, numbing

women in their childbirth, numbing women

384

:

through birth control, numbing women,

through education and, and all the

385

:

systems of oppression that

we are currently living in.

386

:

And so when you asked how to bring

it back to a practical way, coming

387

:

into our bodies and coming into

the natural rhythm of our bodies.

388

:

I was just having a conversation

with an incredible anthropologist

389

:

that I met in the Ammazon jungle.

390

:

I just came back from the Ammazon jungle.

391

:

It was at the indigenous ayahuasca

conference in the Yawanawa village.

392

:

And there was a beautiful anthropologist

that I met and one of her.

393

:

One of the books that she wrote

was on, women's power in relation

394

:

to our reproductive freedom.

395

:

And, the level of manipulation

and suppression and control just

396

:

hit me on a whole other level.

397

:

When you think about how the,

all the different forms of

398

:

birth control that we have.

399

:

Take us away from our true power, numb

our emotions, and just how many women

400

:

are on birth control from such a young

age that they don't even know themselves.

401

:

They don't even know their feminine power.

402

:

And so, what I would say to

women, I was actually on birth

403

:

control for a very short time.

404

:

Period of time, a year or two when I

was a teenager, and I remember coming

405

:

off of birth control and just feeling

like I had woken up from a dream,

406

:

like I'd come out of a deep fog,

and I was like, Whoa, what was that?

407

:

Who was that?

408

:

I was completely taken out of myself

into a whole other personality and

409

:

coming back into my true essence.

410

:

It was like waking up from being sedated

and, most women don't realize that that's

411

:

actually how birth control affects us.

412

:

And so I'd say coming back into our

natural rhythms is one of the most

413

:

simple and, and empowering ways

that we can take our power back.

414

:

And of course, eating natural foods

and, , connecting to the earth.

415

:

But really coming back into our bodies,

you know, through embodiment practices,

416

:

through dance, through yoga, through

just being outside in nature, swimming

417

:

in the ocean, swimming in the rivers.

418

:

So that is really my prayer for

all women, that we can just come

419

:

back into our natural cycles and

experience what it feels like.

420

:

Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah.

421

:

And as you were talking, I was

also thinking about something you

422

:

said sort of towards the beginning

of this line of dialogue about

423

:

the level of misunderstanding

patriarchal misunderstanding of

424

:

feminine power and what that's done.

425

:

And I know for me, sometimes I feel,

especially right now with the political

426

:

climate in the United States, I feel

really Overwhelmed at the mountain that

427

:

we are facing and like, wow, how do we

even to the point where sometimes it's I

428

:

find it challenging to even talk about.

429

:

These concepts, like for example,

if I, I'm actually working on a

430

:

proposal right now for a workshop

around these ideas of feminine power.

431

:

And the automatic assumption is that

it's for women only, whereas we can

432

:

have women learning from men repeatedly.

433

:

There's no question.

434

:

We just assume that the male is the norm.

435

:

So we don't say male

power, but we have to put.

436

:

Feminine power on it, you know, to

indicate that it's something different

437

:

that we haven't had before and then

automatically that drops out 50 percent of

438

:

the population and how What a what a bind

that is and how frustrating it is as women

439

:

to be caught that way And then as you

were speaking I want to share something

440

:

that I experienced at Yacumama because I

thought it was so beautiful and maybe we

441

:

can kind of riff on that a bit but, One

of the things that we had the opportunity

442

:

to do while I was there was to sing with

the band Curawaka, and I will put a link

443

:

to them if you don't know their music.

444

:

It's just, oh, it's next level.

445

:

So incredible.

446

:

And we were being led by the woman named

447

:

Anna is leading us in singing in a

practice she calls weaving, where

448

:

we are weaving our voices together.

449

:

She starts us off, and then it's a very

intuitive practice where everybody's

450

:

weaving their voices together.

451

:

And there were overwhelmingly more

women than men participating in this

452

:

experience, but there were about

five men that were there, I think.

453

:

And Dustin, who is a co land steward

of Yacumama, I, I don't know his

454

:

official title, but he holds that, that.

455

:

that space with you made the comment that

how healing it felt for him just to be

456

:

held in these feminine voices and how

he couldn't even he couldn't even hear

457

:

the men because the women were just so

it was just it was just the women and he

458

:

said i want to lay down in the middle of

this circle and have the women sing and

459

:

so we ended up putting all the men in the

middle of the circle these five men with

460

:

their heads you know in towards each other

their feet out and we did the weaving and

461

:

then they shared about their experience

and it was so Beautiful and simple.

462

:

Like sometimes I get in my head

about how do we unwind these systems?

463

:

And rah, it's gotta be hard.

464

:

And what it really looked like in that

moment was men just laying down and

465

:

surrendering to allow the women to

lead in something that we intuitively.

466

:

Really already knew how to do and for

them to just put, put down their egos or

467

:

whatever is stopping them and receive it.

468

:

And it was so beautiful and so magical.

469

:

And I kind of don't know where I'm

going with that, except I, I don't know.

470

:

I wonder what

471

:

Ixchel Munay: inspires me to share.

472

:

Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah.

473

:

What comes up for you?

474

:

Ixchel Munay: The first is that, you know,

what we're dedicated to at Yacumama is to.

475

:

Regenerate not only the land

with permaculture practices,

476

:

but regenerate the human spirit.

477

:

And the ways that we do this is

through, you know, we bring a lot

478

:

of indigenous leaders to Yacumama

to share their culture and their

479

:

medicine, which of course supports them.

480

:

But it helps us to remember,

, because primarily what we're

481

:

doing is singing and dancing.

482

:

And that's what humans

have done for millennia.

483

:

It's what brings us together.

484

:

It's what unites us, and it's what

helps us to remember who we truly are.

485

:

And so, your experience of that

is, it shows you that once we drop

486

:

into a place in circle, in community,

we don't need to know what to do.

487

:

It's naturally inside of us.

488

:

And, then we can be informed by the

energy of the moment, and that for

489

:

me is divine feminine leadership.

490

:

There's no plan.

491

:

There's no preconceived notion

or projection on what is going

492

:

to be needed in the moment.

493

:

There's a listening, a listening,

not only with the ears, but with

494

:

the body to everybody else's nervous

systems to the field that is alive.

495

:

And that's what informs how we

lead as women and what we create,

496

:

it's, it's alive and it's in the

moment, and it's surrendered.

497

:

And that's interesting that

you're having that experience.

498

:

about putting together this, how

to explain what a workshop is.

499

:

Because I just had a very similar

experience with a co creation that

500

:

I'm doing with a dear friend and it's,

it's quite interesting because the,

501

:

the both of us, I work with a lot of

powerful men, I haven't shared that

502

:

much about my path, but, from these

first experiences that I had with the

503

:

tantric practices and with Amma, I started

guiding women's retreats, and women's

504

:

circles, and it was only working with

women for, a certain period of time.

505

:

And what life has brought me right now

is working with a lot of powerful men.

506

:

And, not because I've intended it that

way, but it's because of, the men that

507

:

I work with just refer me to more CEOs

and founders and friends of theirs.

508

:

And so that's primarily who I'm

working with right now in my sessions

509

:

and in my, in my private ceremonies.

510

:

And so the two of us working with men.

511

:

And seeing how deeply they need to bring

more feminine leadership into their

512

:

work, we're looking at how can we explain

it beyond the duality of masculine and

513

:

feminine, that just creates, it creates

a lot of polarity and misunderstanding.

514

:

And so we're, looking at it and how

can we, explain what is going to be.

515

:

Created in these situations in these

workshops in this, in this retreat,

516

:

and, , it is really that feeling of

surrendered leadership and devotion

517

:

to something that is greater than us,

and coming into, , Our communities are

518

:

companies with a way that we are listening

to everybody else that's involved and

519

:

listening to what's needed, as well as

putting the devotion to something that is.

520

:

Much higher than our individual

desires or needs at the priority at

521

:

the forefront and so you know how we

can translate that into companies.

522

:

It's like we look at what is the

mission of the company and no matter

523

:

what happens inside of the processes of

decision making, we always have that,

524

:

at the forefront of our awareness.

525

:

And when we can listen from that

space, then, things open up, ways,

526

:

pathways forward that we would

have never even imagined present

527

:

themselves, , that are so far beyond.

528

:

the strategic thinking of the mind.

529

:

We actually get into the flow state,

, that the feminine is the flow state.

530

:

It's what all the top athletes experience.

531

:

It's what, , people who are truly

tapping into their, their, their genius

532

:

experience, , it's surrendered leadership.

533

:

Feminine leadership is truly

the ultimate flow state.

534

:

Liz Childs Kelly: I think of it as

the like the principle of emergence

535

:

to and allowing like just what you

said, like, it's okay to not have a

536

:

plan or to go in and have a very loose

plan and understand that if we are

537

:

really tapped into the energy, it's

going to point us where we need to go.

538

:

And It's funny because I will find myself

getting, there's certain things I get

539

:

really stubborn around and one of them

is this dance of like, to your point,

540

:

we're really, you know, when we look at

this at a certain way, we're not like

541

:

masculine and feminine themselves begin

to limit us, , it's not really about that.

542

:

And yet I think sometimes my own

stubbornness comes in because we

543

:

have not been able to name the

feminine specifically, or when

544

:

we do, there's a reaction that

it is lesser or less important.

545

:

And so the stubborn part of me

wants to put down my foot and be

546

:

No, we're going to fix that too.

547

:

We're going to, we're going to

shine the light on where you're

548

:

holding that bias because that's

part of the healing process as well.

549

:

And I don't know how you feel about that

or like that kind of navigational thing.

550

:

It's a, it's like a little fiery

thing that I notice in myself that

551

:

I sometimes I get a little stuck on.

552

:

Ixchel Munay: Yeah.

553

:

The divine feminine has many faces.

554

:

And sometimes I feel that energy,

which, I feel is the energy of Kali.

555

:

It's like the roar, like, we are

going to chop off these heads of

556

:

illusion and ego and separation

and suppression of the feminine.

557

:

And, there's a time for that.

558

:

There's a time for that, like

raw, fierce, primordial feminine

559

:

power, mAmma bear energy.

560

:

However, I feel for us to make the

quantum leaps that are necessary in

561

:

this time and to really make change

that it's important that we're not

562

:

coming from a place of resistance,

that we're not coming from a place of.

563

:

reaction.

564

:

And, when we are fighting the

patriarchy, , , what you resist persists.

565

:

We're actually feeding that energy.

566

:

And so, what I feel is so much more

powerful is like coming into our

567

:

surrendered feminine power that is

so magnetic that it just, it has the

568

:

power to shift everything around it.

569

:

Without needing to resist

or push or name anything.

570

:

And , those who are ready to feel it.

571

:

They will feel it.

572

:

And, , there's we're in

such an interesting time

573

:

on planet Earth right now.

574

:

And, , I truly feel that it's so much

less about creating change in resistance

575

:

to the structures of oppression that

exist in the government and, , that

576

:

is how The revolution is happening.

577

:

It is happening.

578

:

It's so easy to, look at the news and

look at what's happening on the planet.

579

:

Look at what's happening in the United

States and feel incredibly hopeless.

580

:

But, when we see what is happening around

the world, there are so many beautiful

581

:

movements that are gaining momentum.

582

:

And the way that I've seen it is that it's

like, It's a shift in frequency, like

583

:

when we look at quantum physics, we see

that everything is energy, everything is

584

:

frequency, and there is a mass that is

developing right now of harmony of truth.

585

:

And as more and more people come back to

our deep inner truth, and creating harmony

586

:

and beauty and structures of truth.

587

:

regeneration, then there's going to be

this critical mass that's, that's achieved

588

:

and the frequency will just shift . And

I've seen that I've been shown that

589

:

and that's what I am choosing to put my

energy towards rather than resistance.

590

:

Liz Childs Kelly: I love that reflection.

591

:

Thank you for that.

592

:

And as you were saying that I was, my mind

was again, going back to seeing these five

593

:

men laying down in this circle and the

women singing around them and how soft it

594

:

It was just an emergent experience that

wasn't planned, and they sit up at the

595

:

end of it and they all look transformed.

596

:

And in the moment I remember

thinking like, oh my god, what

597

:

if it really is that simple?

598

:

And of course it is and it isn't, right?

599

:

Like, it is that simple, and then,

you know, you magnify it on a

600

:

much bigger scale, but it can be.

601

:

It can be.

602

:

So thank you for that.

603

:

I want to ask about your experience

with psychedelics and plant

604

:

medicine, especially how you see that

dovetailing with the sacred feminine.

605

:

That's actually a topic I've been wanting

to approach on the show for a long time.

606

:

So I would, I'd love to hear

you say a little bit about that

607

:

and your experience with them.

608

:

Ixchel Munay: Yeah.

609

:

We're living in a psychedelic

renaissance on planet earth right now.

610

:

And it's a very beautiful thing.

611

:

And it's also, can be quite a scary

thing because there's a lot happening

612

:

with psychedelics and plant medicines

that is not happening in the best way.

613

:

And, there's also the beautiful

side of it where, human

614

:

consciousness is evolving.

615

:

Collective human consciousness is

evolving, thanks to the plants.

616

:

And I really feel that, this is a time

where the plants have devoted and offer

617

:

themselves in service to the expansion

and reawakening of human consciousness.

618

:

And when we are tapped in

to universal consciousness,

619

:

we're naturally tapped into.

620

:

No, without needing to go into the

polarity of masculine and feminine,

621

:

what we could say is, , the divine

feminine energy is in service to life.

622

:

It is in service to life, to

crystalline pure waters that give

623

:

life to everything on planet Earth.

624

:

It is in service to the forest

and the jungle that give life,

625

:

that give us the air to breathe.

626

:

And, from being inside of the plant

medicine space for 20 years and doing

627

:

my own anthropological study of seeing

what people receive in ceremony.

628

:

One of the most universal themes

is dissolving the illusion.

629

:

Illusion of separation, that we are

separate from life, that we are separate

630

:

from nature, and coming and having

a visceral experience of oneness.

631

:

, beyond that concept that

many spiritual traditions.

632

:

share that, we are one

with all of creation.

633

:

There's something that happens when people

experience plant medicine and they have a

634

:

visceral, tangible experience of actually

feeling one with the waters and the trees

635

:

and the insects that are crawling upon

them and all of the animals in the forest.

636

:

And what's perhaps even more important Is

all of the different colors of humanity.

637

:

And when we have that experience

of oneness, it awakens something

638

:

inside of us that, one, allows us

to, , the only way that we've gotten

639

:

to where we are on planet Earth

is because of that disconnection.

640

:

You know, when we, when we're

disconnected from the waters and

641

:

the Earth, we're able to pollute.

642

:

We're able to rape and pillage and destroy

the sacred earth, and we're also able

643

:

to pollute our bodies just with the, the

chemicals and the toxins and the, the

644

:

foods that people are eating right now.

645

:

And so there is this remembrance.

646

:

Of connection that changes our

relationship to our bodies ourselves

647

:

and our, and the earth as our body.

648

:

And, I wish I could say that people

having, one profound experience of

649

:

remembrance and oneness and connection

is enough to change our behaviors.

650

:

For many people, that process is gradual,

but our behaviors are changing slowly.

651

:

And one of the reasons that I am so

passionate about integration is that

652

:

I feel like there's, there's a link

that's missing between having these

653

:

experiences of, dissolving separation

and coming back into oneness with

654

:

psychedelics and with plant medicine

to actually embodying oneness and

655

:

making those changes in our lives.

656

:

And so, there's, there's some

really beautiful steps that

657

:

are being taken right now.

658

:

And there's a lot more that needs

to happen with integration for us to

659

:

embody that, that oneness with how we're

living in our families or relationships

660

:

with how we treat our parents and

our children and our loved ones.

661

:

With how we are treating the earth.

662

:

Liz Childs Kelly: And I wonder if you have

any thoughts that you could share on how

663

:

to be in relationship with these plants

in integrity and in intention, because

664

:

I, that's another thing that I am curious

about and I certainly hear much more

665

:

about psychedelics than, you know, I did.

666

:

And it could just be this point in my

life and people that are in my life,

667

:

but much more than I did 10 years ago.

668

:

And this is also really powerful medicine.

669

:

And I think here in the U.

670

:

S.,

671

:

I don't see many examples of existing

ritual ceremony moving into relationship

672

:

with anything with deep intention,

which I would think would be a big

673

:

part of working with this medicine.

674

:

So I wonder if you could, you

could speak to that a little bit.

675

:

Ixchel Munay: I'll do my best, this

is an enormous topic and there's

676

:

so much to share and I'm really

deeply passionate about this topic.

677

:

And so what I could say is

that it is really important

678

:

to come into a relationship.

679

:

Because, it is truly a relationship and

even the concept of that is something that

680

:

is, is not understood, to be able to.

681

:

receive and commune with

the spirits of the plants.

682

:

It is a relationship that is

necessary to be, to be cultivated.

683

:

Listening is such a huge part, , of

course, it's important to tune into

684

:

our why, you know, to, to really look

at our intentions, , and it's, it's

685

:

important that we are not, coming

to the plants, or the psychedelics,

686

:

just to have a peak experience.

687

:

But , to have a deeper intentionality To

get to know ourselves on a deeper level.

688

:

And to get to understand and know the

nature of reality on a deeper level

689

:

to be able to be better humans, better

stewards of this planet and of this earth.

690

:

And, , I think it's really important that

people are understanding that there's a

691

:

level of safety that's required to be able

to to work with these very, very powerful.

692

:

Substances like psychedelics or plant

medicine teachers and that there's, that

693

:

they're looking at who they're engaging

in these ceremonies or these experiences

694

:

with and that they're there with people

that are properly trained and that have

695

:

integrity and that are able to navigate.

696

:

The, the realms that are opened up when

we are, , it's, it's not a game when we're

697

:

opening up this multidimensional reality.

698

:

And so I think that that's,

that's really important.

699

:

And it's, it's important, I think, for

people to start slowly with that, with

700

:

this relationship that's being cultivated.

701

:

Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah.

702

:

Makes a lot of sense.

703

:

I would love to hear you too.

704

:

I want to give space for you to talk a

little bit about the vision of Yacumama.

705

:

I felt so privileged to

be able to experience it.

706

:

And if there's anything that

you've got coming up that you

707

:

would like to share about as well.

708

:

Maybe you can tell us a little bit

about the vision for it and how it's

709

:

evolved over the last four years.

710

:

.

Ixchel Munay: Well, in being true to divine feminine leadership, it is evolving

711

:

and changing as we listen as we listen

to the land as we, create, , I think

712

:

that there's one thing that you know that

we touched on before is that when we're

713

:

tapped into that endless wellspring of

Shakti, it's, it's really easy to create.

714

:

And, it takes quite a lot

to sustain these creations.

715

:

And so, , we have to sustain our, our

feminine practices and those things that

716

:

nurture us to be able to sustain projects

and, this, this project stewarding almost

717

:

a hundred acres of land in the jungle has

been very humbling, but it's taken so much

718

:

to be able to sustain this project and.

719

:

Our vision has always been to live

as an eco village and community.

720

:

And the way that we started

was, , creating a cultural center.

721

:

And, it's, we have a place

now that we're able to welcome

722

:

about 30 people on the land.

723

:

And we bring a lot of our

indigenous communities.

724

:

plant medicine teachers here to

hold immersions, to share their

725

:

culture, to share their wisdom.

726

:

So in many ways, it's a dream, that

we're able to create this bridge to bring

727

:

people here to receive their teachings.

728

:

And, to, to support their culture

to, to, to continue to thrive

729

:

and, support their communities.

730

:

So we're functioning as a nonprofit

cultural center that is really

731

:

devoted to regenerating the

land and regenerating culture.

732

:

And as I shared, regenerating

the human spirit.

733

:

And so what we've been focusing

on these past four years has

734

:

been planting thousands of trees.

735

:

, the land was about half forest which,

, is incredible to be able to, , come

736

:

into a place with so much biodiversity.

737

:

We're only about two hours away from

the Osa Peninsula, which is the fifth

738

:

most biodiverse place on the planet.

739

:

, there's so much life here.

740

:

We actually just saw sloths on

the land for the first time the

741

:

other day, which is incredible.

742

:

Such a gift.

743

:

And, the other part of the land had

been completely stripped or cattle.

744

:

And so we've been in a process

of regenerating that part of

745

:

the land, letting, the, the

indigenous species, just take

746

:

over planting thousands of trees.

747

:

And so, that has been a very beautiful

process seeing how much life has

748

:

come back over the past four years.

749

:

And, our our vision is to keep bringing,

indigenous leaders here and to grow

750

:

the eco village part of the project.

751

:

And so that's kind of the

next step that we're taking.

752

:

And we have so many beautiful

cultural immersions coming up.

753

:

I'm sure there'll be

a link to our website.

754

:

And yeah, that's, it feels like, it

feels like truly, a spirit mission.

755

:

This was a vision that I had seen.

756

:

In ceremony, for many, many years, and,

devoting ourselves to creating this and

757

:

bringing this forth feels like a spirit

mission, , it's, if I would have known how

758

:

much work it would have been, I probably

would not have said yes, from my mind,

759

:

but it's just like, it's kind of like the

river of life, it's like the river of

760

:

life has just taken us, and, we've just

been responding to, to everything that

761

:

has been, been needed to bring this forth.

762

:

Liz Childs Kelly: I love it.

763

:

And I will definitely put a link in

the show notes so that people can

764

:

check out what you've got coming up.

765

:

And I, so relate, I've kind of joked

you know, since I kind of had my own

766

:

calling to the divine feminine, I, I

left my business career, I left my home

767

:

in California, my marriage has ended.

768

:

I'm like, if somebody had told

me I was going to have to give

769

:

all this up 10 years ago, I think

I would have said, no, thanks.

770

:

So I'm profoundly grateful that it's.

771

:

You know, it's just been revealed,

it just, it's a calling and then we

772

:

follow and we see where we're going.

773

:

And it's all been, it's all

been fine, as it's evolved, so.

774

:

This feels like a good place to stop.

775

:

I want to thank you so much for your

time, and your energy, and your heart,

776

:

and for those of you who are interested,

do check out the links in the show notes.

777

:

It was really a privilege to be able to

be on the land and experience it, so I

778

:

would encourage you to go check it out.

779

:

Thank you so much.

780

:

It's been wonderful to be with you.

781

:

Ixchel Munay: Yes.

782

:

Thank you so much for your devotion to the

feminine and yeah, I'm just congratulating

783

:

you on five years of this podcast and all

the people whose lives you've touched

784

:

and the profound ripple that impact

that you've had through this podcast.

785

:

And so, yeah, for everybody

listening, I think the, the final

786

:

thing that I feel to share is that.

787

:

, when we're making the transition from,

, the way that we've been conditioned to

788

:

live in the patriarchal systems that

we've inherited to more of the feminine

789

:

way, just like what you shared about

leaving everything behind and whatever

790

:

I've experienced in my own life.

791

:

What I feel like is the most

important and powerful piece is trust.

792

:

When we're devoting ourselves to

something that's greater than us.

793

:

We can trust that we are going to be

taken care of when we don't see the

794

:

way forward, when we're in that field

of emergence and it's not quite clear.

795

:

We can trust that it will be revealed

and it will be so much more magnificent

796

:

than we could have ever imagined.

797

:

And that is truly my experience of living

in surrender to the feminine and being

798

:

in service to the feminine in this way.

799

:

Liz Childs Kelly: I love it.

800

:

Yes.

801

:

Here's to trust and stepping

into the flow of life.

802

:

Thank you.

803

:

And yeah, thanks to all of

you for listening as always.

804

:

This is, I thank you for the excuse

to have these amazing conversations.

805

:

It makes it easier for people to

come and talk to me if I can say

806

:

that you're out there listening.

807

:

So thank you for joining.

808

:

And as always, if you like the show,

there's a few things you can do.

809

:

You can subscribe, you can leave

a favorable review, you can tell

810

:

all your friends about it, you

can do all those three things.

811

:

And until next time, take really

good care of yourselves, and

812

:

I'll be with you again soon.

813

:

Home to Her is hosted by me, Liz Kelley.

814

:

You can visit me online at hometoher.

815

:

com, where you can find show

notes and other episodes.

816

:

You can read articles about the

Sacred Feminine, and you'll also

817

:

find a link to join the Home to

Her Facebook group for lots more

818

:

discussion and exploration of Her.

819

:

You can also follow me on Instagram,

at home to her, to keep up to

820

:

date with the latest episodes.

821

:

Thanks so much for joining us

and we'll see you back here soon.

All Episodes Previous Episode

Listen for free

Show artwork for Home to Her

About the Podcast

Home to Her
Exploring the roots of female power and wisdom
The Home to Her podcast is dedicated to elevating ancient feminine wisdom via the exploration of herstory, mythology, philosophy and more. Join host Liz Childs Kelly for intimate conversations with acclaimed authors, artists, teachers, poets and mystics, each of whom will help us uncover our unheard stories and reclaim the roots of the ancient female power in our own lives.

About your host

Profile picture for Liz Kelly

Liz Kelly