Spirituality & Motherhood Episode 3: Sarah Marshall Neal

Me: [00:00:00] Peace and innumerable blessings. My name is Jeanette And welcome. Welcome. Welcome to this motherhood and spirituality podcasts. You could be doing a lot of other things, but you're here with me listening. And I'm glad. So thank you for being here. 

[00:00:14] In this podcast, we're going to explore different ways of honoring your spiritual path, your spiritual gifts, your divine connection. All while being a mama. My intention here is to support your spiritual path, your spiritual gifts and your divine connection by sharing the wisdom and experience that comes through me and the wisdom experience of other mothers who are on the path. Like you. 

[00:00:37] You're not alone. You don't have to do it alone. We're here with you and we'll support you. And we're gonna love you. I come to this work as a mother of two boys ages four and six. As a root worker. As a psychic. As a Hoodoo. As a tree talk and herbalists yay. Also come to you as an entrepreneur, I run a website called simple weekly ritual. 

[00:01:01] That offers full and new moon ritual. To support you and work in full of new energy.

[00:01:08]Through simple rituals and food for thought. So let's dig into what's going on. With this episode. This episode, I'm so excited. I'm going to offer you, um, Some rituals. For the, for whenever you get here. To support you. And your kids. And then we're going to dive into an interview with Sarah. Marshall Neal. I'm very excited. As you can tell by my hand. 

[00:01:37] About this interview, right? So Sarah Marshall Neal. Has been Oh, pagan for 20 years. And she's  a priestess of Freya for 10. And it was a very interesting conversation, at least for me. And I prayed it blesses you and you find it interesting too. Because I have all these sort of ideals in my head about what spirit, what, you know. 

[00:02:01] Um, spirituality and motherhood look like. And what, you know, how they intertwine and how, like, you know, as an intuitive, I'm supposed to be like, you know, Doing these things. 

[00:02:15] So it's, it's nice to talk to another mama and to hear her stories and to hear her experiences. And kind of be like, yo, this is how this is one way things combined. This is how you combine it. And it's juicy and it's awesome. And it's inspiring. So I pray this interview is a blessing to you, but before we get there, 

[00:02:33] We're going to do some rituals. Because spirit was like, he's fitting to duties. I was like, really? And he was like, yes, I'm like, Oh, So let's dig in. 

[00:02:42] To the ritual. Of the week. 

[00:02:46] 

[00:02:46] 

[00:02:52]Ritual the week. Okay. So this is just for you. This is like, as if you are having that, as Sarah says that divine mama time, this is for you when your divine mama time. And your divine mama time. 

[00:03:09]Express your divinity. And honor your divinity, right? Expressing your divinity is, um, Doing that thing that we do, you know, that thing where it's just the divine expressing through you and it feels good. It feels juicy. It feels like more you van. 

[00:03:29] Anything else? Right. And sometimes that can be challenging and difficult, right? Because we all have ideas about who we should be. We all have ideas about who we should, how we should be expressing, especially as mothers. We all have these ideas, but our divinity, it kinda just is. All right. So even if it's not like, you know, 

[00:03:50] Honoring the fact that you're an amazing Baker and baking some, I don't know, Apple strudel. Baking a sweet potato pie. Or like, you know, Being like, I'm an awesome singer. My divine expresses through to, through me as like an artist, a vocal artist vocalists. So I'm going to sing in the shower. It could also just be like sitting there. 

[00:04:14] Knowing that divine is within you and imagining radiating that from your heart center or your core or your feet, wherever it is, allowing the divine to express and radiate through you. Right. That's the purpose. It doesn't have to be big. Does that have to take 25 hours? And 65 minutes to set up. Just be sitting there and be like, knowing that you are divine. 

[00:04:38] And, and being divided in that moment. Whether it's. By yourself. At dinner, surrounded by whoever you're surrounded with, with your dog or cat to sit there and know your divine. It could be as simple as that. But once you've done that now, once you've done whatever. That is allowed the divine. Acknowledge the divine flowing through you. 

[00:05:03] Honor yourself for doing that. Celebrate yourself for doing that. And again, it could look as simple as like, yay me. I did that and it was fabulous. Okay. Now on with the day. Or it could be like, I'm going to make myself my favorite tea, not put an extra dollar bill honey in it. Cause I did this thing to the ADA was I'm proud of me. 

[00:05:24] Or it could be like, I'm making myself a cake, I guess I need to make a cake. I'm gonna make myself a cake. Or I'm going to take a walk with these kids. Why they on their bikes? Or. I'm a buy myself some flowers or I'm a rub my feet and draw myself a bath. Whatever it is. It's something that sh that. 

[00:05:45] Honors you and makes you feel good. About giving more space for the divine to express through you, right? Cause we all are the divinity unfurling and expressing. Oh, pushing out into space. But it's important that we, um, Give that more time. Give that more energy. Give that more space. 

[00:06:11] Because it's too easy, especially right now to get caught up in all these other things that, you know, 

[00:06:22] It's just easy to get caught up into, in life. Right. And all the many things that need to be done. And then also just kind of like the drama that is COVID and however, your particular country might or might not be handling it. It's easy to get caught up in that drama. And not pull back and recognize that like, Hey, divinity is flowing through me. 

[00:06:40] We're going to be fine. 

[00:06:44] You're going to be fine. You got this. The divine is going for you. You got this. You're going to be okay. You got this? 

[00:06:51] Yes. And that's for you, that's for you and your divine mama time. For the key. 

[00:06:58] But the kids remind them that divinity flows through, through them too. Right. So you can do this by just being like, Hey. I see God in you. I see a dividing you, I see the organizing creative principle in you, and I'm thankful that you are here with me. I'm thankful that I get to mother you, I get to parent you. I get to be with you while you are figuring out that this expression. 

[00:07:21] Just to just quick, quick acknowledgement of that within them. 

[00:07:27] Is helpful because kids need to hear that kids need to be reminded of that. That allows kids to be rooted. Into, um, A space of innate knowing and an innate connection rather than rooted in like, A space where they maybe don't know. Cause kids are learning. They're figuring out life. And they're exploring. Right. But it's also good to sit back while you're exploring and remember that, Hey. 

[00:07:55] There's a piece of you that knows there's a piece of you. That's connected to all of this. And it's going to be okay. Because you connected. And you're infinitely wise and you got this. Another way to honor your kids divinity. Is to catch them doing those things that they do that is like their gift and praise them for it. 

[00:08:17] So, you know, 

[00:08:21] One of the sons is really just super creative, like super matte ones, really super imaginative. And the other's creative with his hands. So whenever I catch him creating, creating with his hands, I'm like, Oh my God. That's amazing. Thank you. Like. This is awesome. What you have made. I am so proud of you. So how do we use this? Oh my God. This is awesome. I never would've thought of this. 

[00:08:44] The other ones really. Imaginative. So it's always good to just support him and picking imaginable. By sometimes playing with them and then sometimes just watching him and being like, that's awesome. That's awesome deer. 

[00:08:58] So support your kids and expressing their own divinity. 

[00:09:03] By like, support, like. Giving them sugar, not sugar. Like proverbial sugar, like spiritual, like sweetness and praise when you see them doing that thing that they do, but also remind them that the divine resides with them and that you see it. And it's beautiful. And you're thankful. All right. That is the ritual the week. 

[00:09:24] Let's dig in to this interview. Pray. It's a blessing for you. 

[00:09:32] How the heck, did you start in high school? Like how did it, 

[00:09:37] Sarah: [00:09:37] so my mom was a Methodist minister, like more of a pastorial counselor, not like go to church Methodist minister, like preacher, even still, she would talk to us about maybe God as a parent, not God as a father.

[00:09:57] And so when I began to question things, she was like, you know, okay. go question things. And, um, as long as you get fit their beliefs for as long as you have something, and I was a part of an Episcopal youth group at all, saints, Atlanta downtown. And I called my, our youth minister. I was like, look, I'm not buying this Jesus stuff anymore.

[00:10:21] Like I just, I'm sure he existed. I'm sure he was a great man, but I'm just, I don't know. And he's like, that's cool. You know,  go explore your spirituality, go explore what you feel and, but keep exploring Christianity too. So I had a lot of support from the people I needed support from. And then, you know, of course being in that whole goth stage, like freshman year kind of thing, might've propelled me in that direction just a little bit.

[00:10:54] And then I, I found color and Technicolor, so that was, that was better. But yeah, so, I mean, my parents were always, cause I, you know, before high school I was all about going to church and all that stuff and. Then I started realizing at night when I was praying that I was praying to ask for forgiveness of sins that I may or may not have known I committed.

[00:11:17] And I was like, Oh, see, I don't think I could do that. Like, that doesn't make any sense to me. 

[00:11:23] Me: [00:11:23] Yeah. 

[00:11:24] Sarah: [00:11:24] And then the idea of a divine  mother is what really holds me in because my mom. Was definitely not maternal affectionate mom. And then I felt that I needed. So the idea of having that divine mother who was always with you just really pulled me towards the idea of Wicca.

[00:11:50] Yes, I guess. So that's where I started. I heard that and that's why I started that and how I started on that path. 

[00:11:58]Me: [00:11:58] I want to ask about Freya and how  your relationship with Freya developed because you're Preistess of Freya and you have been for like, This is your 10 year anniversary, 10 years with Freya. So how did, how did that develop? 

[00:12:15]Sarah: [00:12:15] In the pagan community, you come across a lot of priests and priestesses and practitioners who had their matron goddess or their patron God, and their path. And I always felt. Uh, out of place, I guess, because I never really felt one in particular speak to me.

[00:12:37] And so I studied some of the native American spiritual wisdom. I've studied some of the Celtic, some of the Greek going down these different paths and it always felt like I was trying to fit into an outfit that wasn't mine. Um, so I would take on the general lord and lady in my prayers and then a former friend of mine, and I  decided that we're going to challenge each other and we're going to spend a month each studying a particular goddess who called out to us.

[00:13:15] So I think that first month I chose Carrdwyn   and worked with her for a little bit. And then the next month I was like, I need, I need a  Love Godess like. I don't know, just something I need this love goddess here. And so I'm and through, and so many love goddesses are also like warrior goddesses or goddesses of death and, and all this.

[00:13:37] And I was like, I just can't, I can't. And then Freya kept popping up and the more I would look into her and the more things started to make sense to me, especially because her coming from the. Germanic culture and Nordic culture, which is a lot of my ancestry. I was like, Oh, this is starting to, Oh. And then I felt like I slipped into Cinderella shoe and it just fit perfectly.

[00:14:08] Everything's started to like spiritually just kind of fall into place, like a puzzle piece. For me, the more I worked with her, the more I talked with her, the more I learned about her, I was like, well, that's why things just started making sense again. I was like, Oh, okay. Yes. All right. That's it. So it's, it just felt like, yes, I've been here, but you haven't been ready for me yet.

[00:14:33] Like you haven't been ready for it. Me to show you who I am and now you're ready to live in it.

[00:14:44] Me: [00:14:44] I love it. And I also love the fact that you mentioned  your  ancestral lineage in terms of like finding a fit with the goddess that you are priestess of.  How do you work with your ancestors and your practice? Because you've mentioned your ancestors before.

[00:14:59]Sarah: [00:14:59] So whenever I do a formal ritual or a formal spell casting or whatever, I will call them in as soon as I call whatever Diety I'm going to work with, because I don't, even though I'm a priestess of Freya, I'm cognizant enough that she's not the end all be all.

[00:15:18] And sometimes other gods and goddesses work better for whatever purpose I'm working towards. And so I will call in my ancestors to come in and bless the work and protect me. Right after I call in her , or whomever I'm working with. And I also keep an ancestral altar in the center of our home, where all these offerings , there have been losses, especially during rough times, lots of prayers to the ancestors, because they want us to succeed.

[00:15:55] They want us to do well.  They're our biggest supporters. But I'm also aware I got to keep up that connection with them on a daily basis. So I try to, you know, even if things are rushed, even if , I'm walking to the ancestral table, putting my hands on it and just saying, I love you.

[00:16:12] Thank you. Good morning, good evening, whatever. And then out for the day. So it's not this huge formal practice with them, but it's that every day, familial practice. And leaving them treats and offerings. Although I have to be careful because we have a big dog who would, um, try to get such delicious.

[00:16:39] Me: [00:16:39] Yeah, we don't have a dog, but the children, the children, but that for me, no, it was for the ancestors. 

[00:16:50]Sarah: [00:16:50] Don't pick up that delicious piece of candy. If I can't touch it, you can't touch it. 

[00:16:55] Me: [00:16:55] That chocolate is from mama G. You put that down! 

[00:17:01]Can you tell us like about your family

[00:17:04] Sarah: [00:17:04] So I have a blended family. I have three girls from my first marriage. They're 17. One's going to be 16 in less than a month. And the other one's 14. Ugh, they're growing so fast! And then I have my bonus son who is 17.

[00:17:24] So we have a house full of teenagers. Which isn't as bad as it sounds for us, or we're pretty blessed. For the most part, our, our teen drama comes from the boy, not from the girls.  

[00:17:39]

[00:17:39] Yeah. So he's. Yeah. He lives with us. Full-time now he's been living with us for a few years and he was an only child. So, um, it's yeah. An adjustment for him. Yeah, no, we have our three doggos. We have, um, three rescues one's a long hair, Dauschund, gizmo, long hair dots, and poppy on mic. And then we have Sherlock's, who's like hounds and they told us blue healer.

[00:18:13] And so he shouldn't have been very big, but I think it's , Doberman  and hound because that dog is huge. And then we have my Freya who's part pit bull part Siberian, Husky, and some other mud mixed in there. And she is pretty precious. 

[00:18:32] Me: [00:18:32] Sounds beautiful. So like a full house, like, what  does your your spiritual  practice look like.Because you have dogs, you have teenagers.. 

[00:18:41] Sarah: [00:18:41] It's changed over the years.

[00:18:43] Of course, for us right now, because I'm, I don't want to put pressure on the kids of their special path. So we have a short little blessing we do before each, you know, before supper, when we sit down at the table together, um, it's just very Lord and lady, thank you for the food and all of our blessings, very short and sweet.

[00:19:10] Uh, around the winter solstice, I will get some spiritual type gifts, whether it's a piece of jewelry or statuary or something, um, And then I'll have the girls focus energy on like the ancestor altar as far as like making sure they're at least not always. Cause walk-ins that's it. Um, so it's been, it's, it's gotten simpler as 

[00:19:43] I've grown and things have gotten chaos. So I do a lot of my spiritual practices by myself. Um, which is nourishing in its own own, right? Get that mama, that mama divine time. 

[00:20:00] Me: [00:20:00] Yes, it is nourishing. I feel like it helps, um, it helps us be mothers cause it's like sort of  connection from a deeper source and guidance from a deeper source that just kind of lets you in, helps you do what needs to be done.

[00:20:18] Beacuse, it's not easy.

[00:20:20] Sarah: [00:20:20] No, It's not it fills your tank a little bit more, um, and help helping you get grounded and centered. Um, I've struggled a little more over 2020, everybody has, um, and trying to keep holding on to that space. With all the grief and anxiety and all that, it's tough, but then your kids are watching too, and then watching how you hold it.

[00:20:54] And if I can hold on to my spirituality and my faith with even if it's by a thread and I can project that to my kids and they can see, you know, things got really bad there for a while, but mom. Pulled through and she still kept her faith and it paid off. Um, and so, you know, as in everything, even though we don't think they're watching, they're watching and the kids are watching.

[00:21:31] So, um, I mean, things for me got really pretty dark there. Um, and, um, I'm driving to come back through very slowly. Um, and I've just a little five minutes prayer in the morning where some beautiful beads that a friend of mine made for me and then moving forward. But the kids they see that movement forward and they see that little thing on and they seen how my faith has helped get me through.

[00:22:08]Me: [00:22:08] So like, how has your practice changed with subsequent children? 

[00:22:12] Sarah: [00:22:12] Cool. All right. So, you know, with the first child, it's all. You do everything you want to do everything. Cause that's what we do as moms, especially with that first child. And I had my kids all very close together as you heard their ages.

[00:22:27] Um, so , when I was pregnant with Tara, I had the blessing way, you know, when you're pregnant and my, my spiritual group coming and went to him, the body cast and the beautifulness. And, um, I think they even made her a. Build a bear and put like special herbs and charms and stuff there. I made her little cloak, like all, all this stuff.

[00:22:54] Right. Um, and I had all the books on being a spiritual mama and raising kids spiritually. And then 18 months later I had another one.

[00:23:10] It was a little less, but also we were very far away in Wisconsin and all of our family was in Georgia. So that was a little different. Um, there wasn't as much of that spiritual support there. And then a few months later we had another one and we were in Florida. So, um, I always would say a bedtime for, with him.

[00:23:38] And I'll actually I'll message you the words to it, but it was very sweet. And then I would cast this protective spell for a lullaby with them that I made up when they were my youngest, my middle girl was very terrified as any insects that flew. And so we'd make up a little. Um, I made up a little spell for her to learn and to chant, you know, with grandmother, spider, you know, catching the, the scary things to keep her safe and, and that sort of stuff.

[00:24:14] And, you know, and I had this book where I'd write down all these little spiritual things. And, um, when I was a part of group, I would take them to certain rituals that were family friendly. Um, And then as I, as they got older and less prone to really need in their minds, the lullabies and the bedtime prayer, they, um, they, they kind of petered off as they got older.

[00:24:51] So I have found a way. I used to have alters with altar cloths that I made for every Sabbath and turn of the seasons. I have no idea where half of those are anymore. So, you know, it just is, as they've gotten older and busier, then things have had to adjust. And as I've gotten older and busier things, I've had to adjust and not it's just.

[00:25:18] Very, very simple. Um, they grew up. Hearing, you know, if they heard noises that went and bumped in the night, they would just say us, the, the ancestors, you know, so, Oh, it's just a good spirit. So they were very open and okay. With the idea of our house being full of, you know, these spirits that would, they knew were there to protect them.

[00:25:48] When we first moved back to Atlanta and we had a house warming and house Blessing, I had the girls go around with me for the whole thing to do the saging or smuding of the house and the protections around the doors and stuff. And, you know, it was as simple as them saying get out yuckies. You're not welcome here.

[00:26:10] Because they're all pretty little. So that's what we called. The things that were a little old, might've been a little scary. They're just yuckies. And we can take care of those. They're nothing to be afraid of becasue  we got this. So, cause I am powerful too, even as a little witch.  I wanted them to establish early on to know that they too can be as powerful spiritually as they want to be, because I think that's important to instill in kids.

[00:26:39] Me: [00:26:39] Yes

[00:26:42]Sarah: [00:26:42] a lot of religions don't do that. I mean, it's like, Oh, you're just kids. You're just kids. And. And kids like, especially when they're younger, their connection with divine and other things, spiritual can be so strong and inspiring. I didn't want to like squash that and be like, no, mommy's got to do it all.

[00:27:03] You know? So even in rituals of there were plenty where they were calling quarters, um, and doing that magic too. And, you know,  an adult would always be near them to help. Them channel their energy. But a lot of times after ritual, I would have people go, I didn't have to do anything for so-and-so, you know, um, they, they were on it, they had it.

[00:27:29] So, you know, they be there as backups, but they were, they had it. And I think that we kind of forget it as adults and as parents. So I tried not to.

[00:27:45] Me: [00:27:45] I kind of also wonder if we're intimidated by it, because I feel like as adults we're, so in kind of like, I have to be this after being in control, I have to be doing everything or blah, blah, blah. Like the idea that your kids are just, they come in flamed on  

[00:28:01] Sarah: [00:28:01] yes. Yeah. I mean, that's possible too, because it's, it's the idea that I think we come in as moms and we have in our heads, what the idea of a perfect mom is. And, Oh my gosh. If our kids at a young age can do something so powerful and spiritual then that, can't be good. Or, you know, we've got to kind of get control of that so that we can, uh, I guess in our heads protect them, even though it's not necessarily, um, Protecting them, but kind of sheltering and, and bubble wrapping them.

[00:28:39] And I think in this world, we need to empower our kids as much as possible, especially on the spiritual realm. 

[00:28:49] Me: [00:28:49] Yes. Yes. So what's been most challenging for you in terms of spirituality and motherhood.

[00:29:00] Think 

[00:29:03] Sarah: [00:29:03] it's been not trying to pressure my kids into or onto a spiritual path and letting them explore what they need to explore on their own or not to explore if they don't want to and just letting them find. Their spiritual path and their way along it. And you know, my oldest is agnostic at best right now.

[00:29:38] And it's hard. It's really hard not to be like, but, but, but, but I also know that she's a good person and she has a kind heart. And so. I need to trust that she will find her way. And I think that even if someone's atheist or agnostic, that's still a spiritual path. So, you know, it's, um, letting them have that freedom to figure out where they feel the most comfortable, knowing that at any given point in their growing lives, they're going to change.

[00:30:22] Because mine certainly changed, you know? So yeah. Allowing them to have that freedom and it is, it is tough because of course I want them to have a deep sense of spirituality and a deep connection with divine, but that's something they've got to find on their own because if , if I shove it down their throats, then , they might probably vomit it back up or, you know, or completely defy it when they get older, I knew a young person who I knew them when they were 14 and they were raised by a pagan Wiccan moms. And now they're like, Nope, I'm out. You know, so, and she has a, they have their own path. And so. I don't want to do that to my kids.

[00:31:18] Like I want them to feel at home on whatever path they choose at any given point in time. So I think that's been my most challenging thing is backing off enough to let them figure that out for themselves. 

[00:31:32] Me: [00:31:32] Did you have help with that?

[00:31:36]Sarah: [00:31:36] no, I mean maybe in that remembering what my parents did for me, I think that helped because my parents didn't shove too much religion down our throats.  , as I got into high school and didn't want to go to church anymore, it was. The threat was made. Well, if you don't go to church and you can't go to youth group, I'm like, well, that's stupid, but yeah.

[00:32:05] Finally weaseled my way out of that one.

[00:32:11] It wasn't shoved down my throat all the time. I think they're more afraid of me like getting them into no good. And while they were away at church, more than anything, but , I think having that helped a lot to let me trust that they're going to do what's best for them on this path. So I think part of it was my upbringing and how my parents handled mine as I was starting to waver back and forth and trying to figure things out for myself.

[00:32:47] So they gave me the freedom to do that. And I wanted to give the girls the same freedom to do that too.

[00:32:53] Beating anything down their throat.  

[00:32:55]Me: [00:32:55] How do you maintain like some sort of space for your kids to explore when everything around them is super Jesus-y . 

[00:33:05] Sarah: [00:33:05] Um, home home is a safe space. Always like I try to keep our home as their safe--our safe space. Um, my youngest is in her goth emo phase. So she's all about wearing all the big pinnacle earrings and penticale necklaces.

[00:33:25] And she's all proud. Like I'm a witch and my mom's a witch, so don't mess with me. And he, and, you know I love it. But when the girls were little, I would explain , you know, there are some people who seem to think or who think that their spiritual path is the only path out there. And no matter what you do or say, if it is not aligned with their beliefs, you are wrong and you are not changing their minds.

[00:33:56] Yeah. And then there are some who feel that their path is the right path, but there are tolerant of others having different beliefs. And then there are people like my mom who, you know, thinks that there are many paths up the same map kind of thing, which is what I've also tried to teach them. So. We would have those talks at young ages.

[00:34:26] And you know, sometimes you're going to have to monitor your talk around certain people because they don't get it. They don't understand. And they're going to be very, very turned off by it. They've learned how to either keep quiet about things. Or filter things or like my youngest, just the loud and proud and I don't care cause yeah,  whata re you going to do, but that's just the young child who would like bow up to boys twice her size when she was two and three,

[00:35:07] so she loves, she loves that. Mama is a witch and. No. So that makes her a witch and she is, she'll tell, still tell anybody, but this was also the child who, when she was about four, maybe five said, mommy, when you're older, will you please text me the prayers that we do every night and the lullaby?

[00:35:30] Oh, so yeah. So she's always been, um, Very much. Yes. I'm a little witch and that's who I am, because Iam my mommy's, she might be a little bit of a mommy's girl.

[00:35:51] So I was thinking, you know, with all those books that I bought when I was pregnant with Tara, I. Not sure. I actually got through any of them. And I think, cause I'm really bad at reading a lot of those kinds of books sometimes anyway, but yeah.

[00:36:17] And you know, when you have a child in a baby, there's the, you don't have that for anything else.

[00:36:25] Yeah. Well, what I realized is I needed to trust my own intuition. And just kind of go with the flow and go with what we needed to do. 

[00:36:38] Books and stuff , in the end they didn't do anything. It was my own intuition with my kids and feeling well, my kids might need at any given certain point in time. Um, and then just go on from there. And I think as moms, it's really hard to trust that intuition because we have people from every which direction telling us we're not doing something right.

[00:37:04] We gotta do it a certain way. And it's intimidating and anxiety inducing and scary as hell. So learning to lean into that. And knowing that you're doing the right things for your kids may not be the right thing for somebody else's kids, but for your kids, knowing that that's, we're all instilled with the divine mother and we have to lean into her and trust her.

[00:37:39] And, um, that's hard sometimes. 

[00:37:45] Me: [00:37:45] Yeah. It's scary. Especially , these days it's really scary and it feels so important to leave kids connected to their, their, their center and their core, and just connected to themselves and their own divine connection now, because it's, what's going to move things forward and, and help us all out.

[00:38:10] Yeah. Yep. Wow. You kind of like answered all the last question. Nobody's perfect. Like the advice around leaning into your intuition, because that's, that's key, like, especially like being online and kind of like, like just kind of watching more and more like the spiritual side of the internet. It's very interesting. 

[00:38:37]Sarah: [00:38:37] the internet can be a really good resource, but if something doesn't make sense to you, something doesn't resonate inside of you walk away from it, like just get the hell out. And, um, I always, always, always caution against the everything must be love and light all the time. Idea becasue  it's bullshit. So, um, sorry, life isn't like that. And I don't think any of the gods are like that. Um, I mean, especially the Christian God is most, definitely not in love and light all the time. T

[00:39:26] That is such a juicy conversation about what the gods are like, because like the more I kind of. I'm not a God-y person. Cause like the deeper I get into stuff, I'm like, I just need a tree.

[00:39:39] Me: [00:39:39] I can not be dealing with capriciousness no, this toast needs to be..... No this being as happy. I brought it honey and we chill and that's what I need.

[00:39:54] Like, yeah, because you're right. Gods are not all like, I love you all the time. Sometimes they bring thunder. Sometimes they do stuff that you not ready. And you're like, wait, we were on this frequency. We're not on this.

[00:40:08] Sarah: [00:40:08] I call those, my spiritual two by fours at the head. So, okay. Always trying to duck them. They still knocked me out with them. And even in nature, nature is definitely not all sunshine and roses all the time. 

[00:40:24] Me: [00:40:24] Oh no. But for some reason I roll with it better. Some reason I'm like when it happens, I'm not like. Like, I have issues with authority anyway. So , there's only certain things I'm willing to listen to.

[00:40:38] And I've realized that like about myself and my own spirituality, like certain things. It's like, if I can see your shit coming, I don't want to mess with you

[00:40:45]Sarah: [00:40:45] there are some who, there are some spiritual leaders out there who are all about it for the power or for them, because they want to be loved and adored, and they want to be these leaders because of ego.

[00:41:01] Not because they want to genuinely help people discover their own power inside of them. They want these people to find the leader's power and, you know, be in awe of it and afraid to go against them. And so, um, even now, you know, it's all cultish. And I think it's, it's easier to see it. If you are making sure that who you're looking at is not trying to do this thing same.

[00:41:42] Or if you get involved with someone and see that they are little cultish to recognize it and get the hell out. That's no good, but yeah, there's, there's a lot of spiritual leaders out there who are spiritual leaders because it makes them feel it duals their ego and those are stay away from them. .

[00:42:08]Me: [00:42:08]  Is there  like wisdom you want to give or anything you would like me to add at the end?

[00:42:18]Sarah: [00:42:18] Trusting in yourself and your connection and remembering that spirituality isn't about religion. It's about your connection with divinity. And as long as you are listening to your heart and it feels good in your heart, then it's right. Um, in your heart of hearts, then it's right.

[00:42:40] And you don't need a book or a priest or priestess to tell you if you're doing something right. Or if you're doing something wrong. Because I think we all innately know if we look inside our heart of hearts.

[00:42:53]Me: [00:42:53] That's it. That's so perfect. Thank you for joining me, Sarah. 

[00:42:58] Sarah: [00:42:58] Thank you for having me very honored and humbled to be here. 

[00:43:03] Alright, thank you so much for being here. Thank you so much for listening and I pray this episode was a blessing for you. So if you'd like to support this work, Feel free to like leave a review, feel free to like subscribe. Feel free to share, please, please share. Please share. And, um, you can also subscribe to my mailing list. 

[00:43:29] Me: [00:43:29] Which is free subscribed to my newsletter. You'll get. GC ritual in your inbox every Sunday, before the full moon and before the new moon. And you can also slip me some change via PayPal. All right. I look forward seeing you. For the next episode. Stay blessed. Peace.