- Ep 111: The Creative Soul Practice is HERE! & Heart Chakra Writing Meditation
The Creative Soul Practice is officially LIVE! It's a 7 day guided writing meditation series to help you reconnect back to your writing practice and your creative soul.
Listen to this episode as I share the WHY behind creating The Creative Soul Practice and what you can expect inside
+++PLUS a SNEAK PEEK of the practice - Get Day 4 completely free inside this episode, connecting you to your heart <3
The Heart Chakra Meditation starts at 16:29
Purchase the Creative Soul Practice HERE
Use code "CREATIVESOUL10" for 10% off
Discount Available through December 21st, 2023
Website: www.leyavandoren.com
The Creative Soul Practice: https://leyavandoren.com/the-creative-soul-practice
34m | Nov 30, 2023 - Ep 110: Learning Self-Care Through The Seasons
Tune into this week’s solo episode as Leya explores the topic of self-care and how to support and take care of ourselves through the darker, colder seasons:
- What does it mean to really take care of ourselves?
- Why millennials are the “self care” generation and why it’s not a bad thing
- Who are examples in your life of women who take care of themselves?
- Allowing self-care to change with the seasons
- How plants can support your self-care practice
- How where you live can affect your self-care routine
- Some of my favorite ways to take care of myself through the seasons
Join me on December 5th for a free workshop:
The Poetry of Plant Magic
hosted with Creative Mornings. Sign up here
Rate and review the podcast for a free guided writing meditation!
21m | Nov 16, 2023 - Ep 109: On Body Love And Self Acceptance
In this episode, Leya shares about her soul sister retreat weekend in San Diego and talks about the lessons she learned from letting herself be seen in her most natural form in a photoshoot.
We also talk about:
- How ancestral work deepens your sense of belonging
- Leya discovering her great great grandmother is from an indigenous tribe in Siberia
- The Taurus/Scorpio Eclipse cycle from November 2021 to October 2023
- Lessons from the Taurus Lunar eclipse
- The importance of female friendships
- Letting yourself be witnessed and seen
- Recapping the soul sister retreat weekend in San Diego
- The feminine form
- Releasing shame and judgement about our bodies
- Being a future ancestor
Resources:
Connect with @leyavandoren
Photographer: @ashleycreatrix
51m | Nov 2, 2023 - Ep 108: ft. Amikaeyla Gaston on Music as Medicine
Amikaeyla Gaston is a force for change. Proclaimed as one of the “purest contemporary voices” by National Public Radio (NPR), Amikaeyla is a public keynote speaker, performer, educator, and author. She travels the world serving as a Cultural Arts Ambassador for the State Department and is the Founder of the International Cultural Arts and Healing Sciences Institute and co- Executive Director for World Trust Educational Services Organization.
In this episode we talk about:
- How music helped Ami heal from a traumatic hate crime
- Restorative Justice
- The subconscious power of music
- How to start singing even if you think you're a bad singer
- Using the voice to heal the body
- Sustaining hope through hopeless times
- Examining privilege and power
Creative Resources:
- Ami's Ted Talk: Dare To Be Dauntless
- Appalachia Rising
- Kiva
Connect with Ami:
Get on the waitlist to be the first to know when The Creative Soul Practice launches!
DM @leyavandoren
55m | Oct 19, 2023 - Ep 107: ft. Jamie Varon on Identity Shifts and Writing her Book, Main Character Energy
Jamie Varon is a Writer, Course Creator, Branding Expert and Executive Producer. Her first book “Radically Content” (along with the companion journal Radically Content: The Journal) was released in 2022 and her fiction book, Main Character Energy was released in 2023. She also created a course called Live With Intention and writes a newsletter on Substack called Plot Twist.
In this episode, we talk about:
- The Identity Shifts That Come with Reaching Success
- How Writing For 2 Hours A Day Is More Productive Than Writing For 8 Hours
- Finding Internal Self-Worth As A Creative, Even After Achieving Your Dreams
- How To Live With Intention In The Age of Social Media
- Dealing With Criticism Once Your Book Is Published
- Valuing Your Own Creative Voice and Writing What You Believe In
- How to Cultivate a Growth Mindset
- The Differences of Writing A Self-Help Book Vs. A Fiction Novel
- Her Book Writing Process for Main Character Energy
Creative Resources:
- Outrageous Openness by Tasha Silver
Connect with Jamie:
Website: https://www.jamievaron.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamievaron/
DM @leyavandoren for first access to The Creative Soul Practice - a 7 day guided writing meditation series to start your daily creative practice.
1h 8m | Oct 5, 2023 - Ep 106: How to Plan a Conscious and Intentional Bachelorette Trip, Maiden to Bride Ceremonies + my bachelorette trip RECAP to Tulum
In this episode, Leya shares about her bachelorette trip to Tulum, Mexico.
We talk about:
- How to curate an intentional bachelorette trip and shift the focus from excessive drinking to conscious ceremony
- Mindful travel
- Navigating fears, self doubt, and low self worth when having an event celebrating the BRIDE!
- How to ACTUALLY support the brides in your life
- The full bachelorette itinerary in Tulum, Mexico
- Why women gathering is SO healing
- How to create intentional ceremonies to honor the transition from maiden to bride
+ Leya sings a special song devoted to Goddess Ixchel at the end :)
This episode is a must listen for any bride or maid of honor planning a bachelorette trip who wants to do it in a mindful, conscious, intentional way to really HONOR the transition and CELEBRATE with the women in your life.
Connect with Leya:
Write a rating and review to receive a free guided writing meditation.
1h 2m | Sep 21, 2023 - Ep 105: Welcome to Season 2 - Life Updates, Upcoming Creative Writing Workshops, and a NEW ERA
Welcome to Season 2 of The Creative Soul Podcast!
In this episode we talk about:
- Post wedding energy and the change Leya has felt since getting married!
- Navigating a dark night of the soul and making it to the other side
- Stories from our honeymoon ft. turtles, the full moon, and the sea
- Embracing change and new beginnings
- What you can expect for Season 2 of the podcast!
- Shares upcoming exciting creative projects, including The Creative Soul Practice - a guided writing meditation series, writing workshops focused on herbalism, ancestral work, finding the magic in everyday life, and RETREATS coming to you in 2024.
Join the waitlist for the upcoming writing workshops:
Write a rating and review and receive a free guided writing meditation!
47m | Sep 7, 2023 - Ep 104: WE'RE GETTING MARRIED IN TWO WEEKS! A Convo with Paxton on Spirituality, Love, and Growth
In this episode, Leya and Paxton discuss their 5 year journey on the road to marriage, with their upcoming wedding in 2 weeks!
They discuss:
- What brought them together as a couple
- The differences they had when they first met
- The growth they've experienced as a couple
- What Paxton is most excited for the wedding
- Their different perspectives on religion and spirituality
Connect with Leya:
1h 40m | Jun 13, 2023 - Ep 103: ft. Alexandra Franzen on Marketing Without Social Media for Self Employed Creatives
Alexandra Franzen is a best-selling author, award-winning editor, and entrepreneur based in Hawaii. She has written seven books including two novels. She has written articles for Time, Forbes, Newsweek, The Huffington Post, and Lifehacker. Her work has been mentioned in The New York Times Small Business Blog, The Atlantic, The Los Angeles Times, Fast Company, BuzzFeed, Inc., in Tim Ferriss’ newsletter, and she has appeared on the Peabody Award-winning radio show, Marketplace.
She’s the co-founder of a company called Get It Done and a brick and mortar bookstore called One Idea Books and Gifts.
In this episode, we talk about:
- How she became a self-employed creative
- Her decision for getting off social media
- How to market without social media
- Her daily routine
- Why she instituted a 4 day work week for her company
- Working on projects for clients vs yourself
- Self publishing vs Traditional Publishing
Creative Resources:
- Alphabetizer
- The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Connect with Alex:
Website: www.alexandrafranzen.com
57m | Feb 23, 2023 - Ep 102: ft. Amy Green Smith on Having Difficult Conversations and Speaking Up For Yourself
Amy Green Smith is a certified and credentialed life coach and hypnotherapist, masterful speaker, and personal empowerment expert. Amy uses her roles as coach, writer, podcaster, and speaker to move individuals to a place of radical personal empowerment and self-worth. With acute focus on helping people “find their voice”, she is highly sought after for her uncommon style of irreverence, wisdom, and humor and has been a featured expert in Inspired Coach Magazine and on Fox 5 San Diego.
In this episode we talk about:
- Having difficult conversations with grace
- Being in relationship with people you disagree with
- Setting boundaries
- How to have better communication with your coworkers, family, and friends
- Regulating your nervous system to not be triggered during conflict
- Cultivating Emotional Intelligence
- Why hypnotherapy can help
Creative resources:
- Atlas of the Heart by Brene Brown
Connect with Amy:
- Website: www.amygreensmith.com
- Podcast: The Bold Faced Truth
1h 4m | Feb 16, 2023 - Ep 101: ft. D'Ana Joi Spencer on Focus & Prioritization as a Multi-Passionate Creative
Joi is a multi-passionate, educator, community builder, and content creator. She believes having many passions is a gift, not a burden and she’s on a mission to rewrite the narrative around “choosing one thing” being the only path to success. Through her e-book, signature course, and podcast, Joi teaches creatives how to make friends with focus, overcome overwhelm, and step into their Multi-Passionate Mastery.
In this episode we talk about:
- How to know if you're a multi-passionate creative
- Finding focus as a multi-passionate creative
- Prioritizing different creative projects
- Tips for following through on your creative projects
- Building structure for your creativity to flow
- Marketing as a spiritual practice
Creative Resources Mentioned:
- Libby
- Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
- Finding Me by Viola Davis
Connect with Joi:
Website: www.joi-knows-how.com
Priority Mapping Method Free Training Here
Podcast: Multi-Passionate Mastery
1h 7m | Feb 9, 2023 - Ep 100: Celebrating 100 Episodes with a SONG!
Tune into this special episode to celebrate 100 episodes of The Creative Soul Podcast. Leya shares a prayer and offering from her heart and sings for the very first time on the podcast.
Song begins at 5:25
Song: Please Prepare Me by Beautiful Chorus
Take a moment to pause, integrate, and celebrate how far you've come.
Leave a rating and review on the podcast and receive a free guided writing meditation.
Connect with Leya: @leyavandoren
10m | Feb 2, 2023 - Ep 99: ft. Kat Daou on Family Constellations Therapy Healing Generational Trauma
Kat Daou is a Family Constellation Therapy Facilitator helping people clean up intergenerational trauma and support them back to their innate wholeness. She is trauma informed and utilizes parts work, inner child work, felt sense bodily awareness, and intuitive guidance to support clients in moving from "what's wrong with me" to "what happened to me". With a philosophy of one foot in the spiritual world and one foot in the physical 3D, FCT brings life force energy back into the family system and creates healing for 14 generations backwards, and forwards.
We talk about:
- How to Face Negative Emotions
- How she went from an Eating Disorder, Toxic Relationships, Depression, to Healing and Empowered
- Family Constellations Therapy for Healing Generational Trauma
- Why You May Be Called to Heal Ancestral Trauma
- Millennial’s Current Role in Society
- Epigenetics
- Systems of Support for Processing Trauma
Resources Mentioned:
- What Happened To You? By Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey
- @the.holistic.psychologist
- @mindfulmft
- Gabor Maté
Connect with Kat:
1h 16m | Jan 26, 2023 - Ep 98: ft. Nadia Last on Using Human Design to Connect to your Life Path
Nadia is a Human Design teacher, spiritual mentor, and host of The Current podcast, a show unpacking the changing energetic tides of our collective consciousness. Nadia also assists psychedelic therapy retreats and is currently a therapist-in-training.
In this episode we talk about:
- How to use your human design type to rest
- Navigating dark nights of the soul
- Growing up religious and finding spirituality later in life
- Masculine/feminine energies in the chart
- Using human design to understand your life path
Creative Resources Mentioned:
- The Book of Destinies by Chetan Parkyn & Carola Eastwood
- Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
- The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
Connect with Nadia:
1h 9m | Jan 19, 2023 - Ep 97: ft. Megan Leatherman on Aligning your Life & Career with Nature's Seasons
Megan Leatherman is a career coach, mother, writer, podcast host and amateur ecologist living in the Pacific Northwest. Through her nature-based and seasonal perspectives, she’s helped thousands of professionals reconnect to their strengths and to what deeply matters to them. She has a Master’s degree in conflict resolution, a background in Human Resources, and believes that our work can be a spiritual practice.
In this episode we talk about:
- Aligning your work and life according to the different seasons
- Holding all of Earth’s Season to where you are
- Internalized Capitalism and How it Shows up in our Nervous System
- Being A Highly Sensitive Person In A Work Environment
- What to do If You Hate Your Job
Creative Resources Mentioned:
Women Who Run With The Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes
Circle Round by Starhawk
Meditation Teacher: Jessica Snow
Martin Shaw
The Living Myth Podcast by Michael Meade
Connect with Megan:
Website: www.awildnewwork.com
Order her book: Winter at Work: Navigate Mystery and Cultivate New Vitality on your Vocational Journey
Podcast: A Wild New Work
59m | Jan 12, 2023 - Ep 96: SOLO 2022 Year in Review
Can you believe it's already 2023?
Tune into the first solo episode of 2023 where Leya share some of the lessons and learnings from the last year.
We talk about:
- The themes of 2022: Home, Grounding, Grief
- Experiencing burnout and overwhelm
- Experiencing abuse at a personal and collective level
- Ways to practice self-care
- Why millennials need extra self-care right now
- Why truth is love
+ Leya shares a reading from a poem she wrote, a sacred offering and expression of her heart.
Connect with Leya:
44m | Jan 2, 2023 - Ep 95: SOLO on Stories From Going on a Safari in South Africa
The perfect solo episode to kick off Sagittarius season - this one's all about travel, new experiences, expansion, and joy. I share about my recent once in a lifetime trip going on a safari in South Africa and the stories and lessons it taught me.
In this episode we talk about:
- Traveling solo vs traveling with friends - pros and cons!
- A scary close encounter with an elephant!
- The daily schedule of our safari and some of the animals we saw
- Sharkdiving in Capetown
- Discovering my Leo Moon
- Western Astrology vs. Vedic Astrology
- Connecting to animal medicine
- Why Africa feels like the birthplace of God
- The importance of joy during the healing journey
Resources Mentioned:
Connect with Leya:
53m | Dec 2, 2022 - Ep 94: SOLO Wedding Planning as a Spiritual & Creative Process - Part 2
Leya shares an update on why the podcast has been on a short break and returns with part 2 of what she is learning during the wedding planning process.
She shares vulnerably about managing finances, feeling unsupported, feeling unworthy of love, and the body image issues that came up while shopping for her wedding dress.
She also shares an update of how the vision of the wedding has changed and evolved in this perfect, co-creation with the universe.
She also shares:
- Why wedding planning is the ultimate manifestation
- 3 key steps to manifest anything you want in life
- Choosing to change the wedding venue from Florida to Michigan
- Dealing with body image struggles during an engagement photoshoot
- The importance of size inclusivity for brides and wedding dress boutiques
- The story of finding her dream wedding dress
- Rejecting tradition and embracing tradition
- Raising your self-worth and self-love
- Stepping into the worthiness to receive the manifestations you desire
Episodes Mentioned:
Wedding Planning as a Spiritual & Creative Practice - Part 1
Unmasked & Open Hearted Podcast: Healing in Relationships with Leya Van Doren
Connect with Leya:
Rate and review the podcast to receive a free guided writing meditation!
48m | Nov 11, 2022 - Ep 93: ft. Natalie Calzadilla on Low Self Worth, Codependency, and How it Suppressed her Dreams of Being an Artist
Natalie Calzadilla, MBA is a Cuban-American T1D mom, mystic, illustrator, 1/1 NFT artist, and podcaster born and raised in Miami, FL. She teaches women how to connect to their inner knowing, experience divinity, and connect to their child-like wonder so they can feel empowered to face all of life’s situations and have the courage to be themselves.
In this episode we talk about:
- How she went from quitting art school because she didn't believe in herself to becoming a full-time artist
- Healing low self worth and codependency
- Navigating grief during a pandemic
- Flower essences as a healing modality
- What happens when "the work" stops working
- Finding different tools for different stages of your life
Creative Resources Mentioned:
- essencementoring.com
- Insight Timer
Connect with Natalie:
Website: nataliecalzadilla.com
Podcast: Pachanga and Possibility
Leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and receive a free guided writing meditation!
1h 12m | Aug 4, 2022 - Ep 92: On Foraging and Feminism and What It's Teaching Me about Value
In this episode, Leya shares what is currently fueling her creative soul in this season of life.
She shares how taking a vacation showed her how to practice being, why she is questioning how we work and why we work, tying your worth and value to how much you can produce, feminism and capitalism, unlearning hustle culture, and how we can look to nature to teach us how to be truly creative and create from a place of rest, ease, and flow.
She also shares how foraging and learning about herbalism is connecting her to the magic within. Stay to the end to hear the story on how she almost died from eating a potentially poisonous plant.
Creative Resources
- Seek - Plant App
- Making Plant Medicine by Richo Cech
- The Herbal Apothecary by JJ Pursell
- Feasting Wild by Gina Rae La Cerva
Connect with Leya
leyavandoren@gmail.com
Leave a rating and review and receive a free guided writing meditation!
53m | Jul 28, 2022
