- 40. Pleasure Priority with Shauna Burns-Thomson
TODAY ON THE GODDESS MOVEMENT:
⚠️ Content Note: This episode explores themes of sexuality, including kink, and contains important discussion around differentiating healthy sexual play from sexual abuse.
Now—let’s get real. I’m sitting down with sex therapist and all-around powerhouse Shauna Burns-Thomson to pull back the sheets (literally and figuratively). Together, we digest the raw truths from our last show, The S Word, and tease what’s coming in our unapologetic new series, The F Word. These conversations aren’t about shock value—they’re about creating an inclusive, judgment-free zone where folks can actually explore their sexuality without shame.
From kink curiosity to boundaries, from play to consent, we’re diving headfirst into the messy, liberating, oh-so-human reality of sex. And because we’re not just here to talk the talk, we’re also launching a 3-part seminar series dedicated entirely to Pleasure!—because your body deserves it, your spirit craves it, and your life will thank you for it.
Tune in, get curious, and let’s turn those whispered questions into unapologetic conversations.
PLEASURE PRIORITY 3-part sex health seminar with Shauna
Hosted at The Goddess Movement at 33739 Essendene Ave in Abbotsford, Shauna will lead this 3-part series through October, November and January. For more info and all the juicy details, go to:
https://app.schedulehouse.com/SH/Client/003701#workshops
and use the pulldown menu to select “Pleasure Priority.” All three seminars for $99+gst. It’s the perfect Saturday night out!
CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST ARYN SAVARD
- https://www.instagram.com/aryn_savard?igsh=MWJtcHVzZmZ5dmpibg==
- https://www.instagram.com/thegoddessmovementpodcast?igsh=MWYxOGN5Z3diY3pubg==
CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST, SHAUNA BURNS-THOMSON
- https://fraservalleysextherapy.com/home-1
- https://www.facebook.com/FraserValleySexTherapy
- https://www.instagram.com/fraservalleysextherapist/
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1h 43m - Aug 27, 2025 - 39. Choice Paralysis
This episode is your permission slip to stop letting fear boss you around. Aryn is ripping the lid off decision paralysis and showing you how to get out of your own damn way. From real-life screw-ups to listener “oh-my-god-that’s-me” questions, she proves that bravery isn’t about being fearless—it’s about making moves while your knees are shaking. You’ll learn how to break big scary things into bite-sized wins, why flopping is just part of the glow-up, and how every single choice—even the messy ones—pushes you forward. Tune in, grab your courage by the throat, and turn that fear into fuel.
26m - Aug 19, 2025 - 38. Begin as you mean to continue
“Not just when you are on stage. Record yourself when you are in your group rehersals and see what you show up like. Because if you are not showing up with big energy in your class rehersals, you are going to diminish your opportunity to show up big when you are on stage. But do both! Record both! And see what happens. Look at it again through the lens of your best friend who wants to give more energy. And then be very honest with yourself. Go, where are the places where I could show up bigger? And is that in my body movement, or is that in my face, or is that with my overall energy? These reflective surfaces can be a very powerful tool.”
TODAY ON THE GODDESS MOVEMENT:
- We’re back! Aryn offers a new biz update and note about the frequency of future podcast episodes on The Goddess Movement
- Begin as you mean to continue - a piece of advice that guided the way as Aryn became a parent
- She relates this concept to the student journey in our pole and LUVEN programs, breaking down common experiences through ‘archetypes’
- About setting a goal or charged awareness as we begin or engage in something, and how to create a focal point (and stick to it)
- How creating expectations part way through the experience becomes problematic, with reference to pole competition and performance
- Tips for students who desire to stretch and advance to higher levels through taking accountability and allowing proper time and/or training
- Fast-tracking this process: What do I need to get there? Get feedback right from the source (us, the facilitators!)
- When a lack of fundamental skills is clear and hinders a student’s ability to advance (and our solution: psst… take our workshops)
- Why getting comfortable with the mirror and video recording can greatly improve confidence, energy and skillset in dancers
- Reflective tools as your best friend: how to show up with even more energy come performance day
- Choosing to learn rather than feel or behave defeated
- Receiving feedback from people who you respect and seeking out opportunities to gain feedback in real time, most beneficially via private lessons
- An invitation to relate this process as an athlete, professional, facilitator, parent and in our everyday jobs
CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST ARYN SAVARD
- https://www.instagram.com/aryn_savard?igsh=MWJtcHVzZmZ5dmpibg==
- https://www.instagram.com/thegoddessmovementpodcast?igsh=MWYxOGN5Z3diY3pubg==
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46m - Feb 19, 2025 - 37. Home, Sweet Studio Home with Allycia and Kim
“The way this space went down… it was like, had I been 12 hours later, I likely wouldn’t have got the space. But now I think even moreso, it was in not telling anybody it allowed me to process it in a really real way with my own thoughts and feelings and instincts about it. Without being pressured by the excitement of what it could be. Especially because the space is so f*cking beautiful.”
TODAY ON THE GODDESS MOVEMENT:
- Aryn brings on Allycia and Kim on the podcast to talk about our new studio!
- Kim introduces herself as a current TGM staff member and tells the story of how she found the studio at 17 yrs old
- Allycia shares how she was referred to The Goddess Movement, and began a journey of healing
- How their kids have been positively impacted by experiencing the studio culture and our Legacy of Love
- Everyone discusses their favourite things about our original home on Sumas Way, and express their excitement for creating abundance in our new space
- Thoughts about being seen through our big, beautiful windows in the new location – as our authentic, uninhibited selves
- About creating resonance in a studio space – through decor, energy, furniture etc.
- The origins of “faaaaancy” and the birth of the Gold & Velvet Era
- A moment of gratitude for Dynamic Dance; the studio we currently share space with
- Aryn shares more about the journey of searching for our new home – from frustration, to fear, to excitement, to elation
- How the acquisition went down (beginning with the full moon) and all the magic that surrounded the swift process (think unicorns & pegasus')
- How this level of risk and commitment deeply stretched Aryn
- A sneaky peak about our brand new “XO” Pole & Spin Pole series coming in 2025
- Kim shares her desire to express her sensual side, and engage in contemporary performance in the future
- Allycia and Kim share what they are most excited about after seeing the new studio downtown Abbotsford
- Bonita the Badass helping us communicate our culture of the messy middle (stay tuned!)
CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST ARYN SAVARD
- https://www.instagram.com/aryn_savard?igsh=MWJtcHVzZmZ5dmpibg==
- https://www.instagram.com/thegoddessmovementpodcast?igsh=MWYxOGN5Z3diY3pubg==
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SPECIAL SHOUT OUTS
- Jesse Urquhart, Realtor > https://www.jesseurquhart.com/
- Theo Katsiris, Stamina Construction > https://www.facebook.com/theokatsiris/
1h 36m - Dec 11, 2024 - 36. Why isn't it happening yet?!?
TODAY ON THE GODDESS MOVEMENT:
Aryn creates this little “express” episode where she shares her thoughts on the pressure of time and timing. She ponders how her interaction with timing has shifted from forcing timing like an angry bull in her 20’s into the playful curiosity and surrender of it in her late 40’s. Join Aryn for this episode as she leaves a trail of cookie crumbs to ponder in your relationship with timing!
CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST ARYN SAVARD
- https://www.instagram.com/aryn_savard?igsh=MWJtcHVzZmZ5dmpibg==
- https://www.instagram.com/thegoddessmovementpodcast?igsh=MWYxOGN5Z3diY3pubg==
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BOOKS
- WILD POWER by Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer
- WISE POWER by Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer
30m - Nov 27, 2024 - 35. Transformation + Enterpreneurship wth Nicole
“I think entrepreneurs are incredibly multifaceted. I think there’s a lot of things that we're capable of learning and doing, but if we spend all of our time doing those things (even if we don’t like it or we’re not necessarily efficient at it) it prevents us from doing the things that do make a big impact. I’ve come to realize that if I am going to be behind my business, where I thrive is in the creative aspect of things. I tend to be the spark of stuff, and then I have this beautiful team that can follow through on it. Which is allowing then the business itself to start to grow and amplify and do more of its purpose – which is touching people and connecting people.”
TODAY ON THE GODDESS MOVEMENT:
- Aryn invites on the podcast guest Nicole Moore, Owner of Tidal Wave Collective
- Nicole shares about her first experience at The Goddess Movement and how welcome she felt
- About the journey of coming out as gay
- They reminisce on Nicole’s first retreat experience, hosted by Aryn called Lion + Rose retreat
- How to ‘do life in the body you have’
- About challenging the societal norms that say our worth is derived from what we accomplish or how we look
- Nicole takes us through her leadership career in aquatics and the tech world as an ‘entrepreneur’
- About the naked ocean cold plunge: how it started and what it evolved into
- Connecting with your senses, becoming curious and playing with textures
- Trusting intuition and tapping into our innate knowings through embodiment
- Nicole takes her passion for leadership processes and systems to go out on her own
- How Tidal Wave Collective helps entrepreneurs work smarter
- All about leadership – with staff, with students, with community
- When letting others shine and giving them the podium promotes our Legacy of Love
- Natural consequence as a leadership style
- About collaboration, delegation and communication within a business' ecosystem
- Aryn asks Nicole’s top 2 tools for systems optimization for solopreneurs
CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST ARYN SAVARD
- https://www.instagram.com/aryn_savard?igsh=MWJtcHVzZmZ5dmpibg==
- https://www.instagram.com/thegoddessmovementpodcast?igsh=MWYxOGN5Z3diY3pubg==
CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST NICOLE MOORE
- https://www.instagram.com/nic.tidalwavecollective/
- https://www.tidalwavecollective.com
- nicole@tidalwavecollective.com
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1h 22m - Nov 13, 2024 - 34. Opening Pandora's Box
“I don’t feel like I need to always be on track anymore. I used to… I used to a lot. But I don’t feel like that is realistic anymore. I feel like the more things you do in life, and the more experiences you have in life, the more I in particular, realize there is no such thing as being in track all the time. You can have goals, you can have desires, you can have actions and at no point in time will they all perfectly align so that everything is exactly the way you want it. It will never happen. So, the way I manage all these things is I immediately take responsibility; not try and point fault at other people or other things. The ability to take responsibility when I fall off track or drop a ball is hugely empowering because now it’s not about life happening TO me, it’s about how am I shaping life.”
TODAY ON THE GODDESS MOVEMENT:
- Aryn continues to respond to her prompt on Instagram about what people would like her to blab about
- The topic of getting out of your own way and getting back on track paralleling with getting back in your body
- When acute trauma makes this work debilitating, and how to move forward with a professional
- How the body perceives sensuality as sexuality, and how this shows up in the studio at The Goddess Movement
- How the internal dialogue gets loud and leans into what it knows in order to create a truth
- About replacement dialogue and finding a point of reference through personal experience as an individual
- The value in asking a dear friend about your own behaviours & self-sabotage
- A question from Aryn’s coach prompts her to go deeper into doable action
- When we demand that fears gets specific – “What do you actually want from me?”
- How to empower yourself by taking responsibility for getting off track rather than beating ourselves up
- When bucking societal agreements causes friction and how you can develop more ability to not give f*cks
- Feeling safe in your body: make it a solo activity first ie. body scan
- Connecting to your body through movement and why slowing down promotes proper awareness
- The energetic portal through our pelvis region and how women lock it closed as an emotional trauma response
- As seen in the studio – when having a larger shaped body leads to a preconceived notion of failure (and how to shatter that narrative)
CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST ARYN SAVARD
- https://www.instagram.com/aryn_savard?igsh=MWJtcHVzZmZ5dmpibg==
- https://www.instagram.com/thegoddessmovementpodcast?igsh=MWYxOGN5Z3diY3pubg==
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PODCAST LOVE-BYTES
BOOK
- The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.
43m - Nov 6, 2024 - 33. If I were to write a commencement speech...
“I have so much respect for the teacher of that class because trying to bring forward the principles of philosophy, and create active thinking and curiosity-based questioning around concepts, and not making things right or wrong with a lot of our young people right now… is very difficult. Because it's a skill that you have to learn. But he f*cking loved that class because it was all of that stuff. It was theorizing and thinking and poking holes at things. So that would be one; question everything. Question everything people tell you about what you are supposed to be as a grown up, the responsibilities you're supposed to have, the pathway you're supposed to lead, the choices you make. Question everything that you find interesting.”
TODAY ON THE GODDESS MOVEMENT:
- When creativity strikes (at 3 AM)
- Responding to a poll created @thegoddessmovementpodcast Instagram stories; asking what people would like to hear here
- What advice Aryn would give to someone in their 20’s
- About questioning everything – including what we learn about relationships from rom-coms
- A podcast testimonial that comes in via text while recording
- The value of money as a rule
- Basic curiosity and a stories about Aiden being persistent as a kid in school
- Aryn expands on the vibe of episode 32 about questioning the rules of the game of life
- About taking risks in money, marriage, and hobbies like diving
- Releasing perceived pressures and changing direction to explore other interests – a permission slip
- Prioritizing play and how it pays
- “Just f*cking do it” :: not your commonplace commencement speech
- Falling in love with potential and establishing core values over searching for your “calling”
CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST ARYN SAVARD
- https://www.instagram.com/aryn_savard?igsh=MWJtcHVzZmZ5dmpibg==
- https://www.instagram.com/thegoddessmovementpodcast?igsh=MWYxOGN5Z3diY3pubg==
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43m - Oct 30, 2024 - 32. Busting the "Brules"
“This is f*cking phenomenal. Now, the problem with it, is unless you get other tools to learn how to deal with the anxiety, it can get worse and worse and become a massive, interruptive problem because it just disrupts your entire life. Usually it’s at that point that we start to seek help – we deal with these coping mechanisms forever until we can’t function with life anymore. Drugs and alcohol are coping mechanisms to deal with things that are intensely uncomfortable; whether that is trauma, or an experience you’re in. I think it’s amazing that our brains find ways to blow off the steam. The challenge with it is, when it starts to disrupt your life to the point where you are no longer thriving, you are no longer moving forwards, and in fact you are starting to become destructive, that’s when we want to start introducing some other tools that can be more generative for you. So, giving all the grace in the world to coping mechanisms. For anybody who has needed them, or who has engaged with them and are trying to navigate through them – please have grace, please give yourself and your coping mechanism an intense amount of grace.“
TODAY ON THE GODDESS MOVEMENT:
- This week’s episode was inspired by shower thoughts
- Aryn dissects parts of a book she read (linked below) regarding 'BRULES', being bullshit rules
- About questioning everything – the difference between absolute and relative truths
- Community truths adopted by groups and how they do and don't serve future groups
- We look at laws just like rules imposed on us by our parents
- Some examples, including religion, that can play a part in the unconscious following of ideologies, principles and rituals
- Poking around the status quo as a generative offering to create deep roots for what you do and believe in, based on lived experience
- The power of personal truth – a life hack
- Universal truths that we can all get behind, as foundations of the human experience on planet earth
- Aryn revisits a course she created in 2018, The Clarity Project and poses 4 epic questions (see below)
- About coping mechanisms, martyrdom and hiding parts of ourselves as ways of living, and the potential detriment if not dissected
- What cheerleading and grocery bags taught Aryn about her strength
- The importance of WHY we are poking around at foundational beliefs, to avoid unnecessary destruction
- Leaving you with a guiding thought on grace
CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST ARYN SAVARD
- https://www.instagram.com/aryn_savard?igsh=MWJtcHVzZmZ5dmpibg==
- https://www.instagram.com/thegoddessmovementpodcast?igsh=MWYxOGN5Z3diY3pubg==
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SHOUT OUTS
- BOOK > The Code of the Extraordinary Mind by Vishen Lakhiani
QUESTIONS FROM ARYN’S COURSE “THE CLARITY PROJECT”
- What are some beliefs, habits, or ways of being that have been passed down to you from your parents, grandparents, authority figures, or religion/cultural structure?
- What are some behaviors, patterns, or coping mechanisms you have been doing life with because of trauma or something difficult you have experienced?
- What behavior or habit have you developed to find yourself in because is served in gaining you attention, validation, or favour?
- Is there something about yourself that you hide, protect, or diminish that you wish you could shout from the rooftop? Can you identify why you bean to tuck it away?
43m - Oct 16, 2024 - 31. Droppin the f^King ball
“This is something I am seeing happening a lot. It’s something I have been addressing in my business with my team, it’s something I have been working on myself, and it's something that I see even though our clientele. I feel like we are all very over-extended and have been that way for quite some time. I feel like the level of busy in people’s lives is f^@king insane. I am on a personal quest of… I don’t want to say being less busy. I feel like I have cultivated a pretty good balance these days. For me, it's now finding joy and making sure that joy is being prioritized in my life. There are moments of course when I am really f^@king busy, which was these last two weeks, which was also when I dropped the ball.”
TODAY ON THE GODDESS MOVEMENT:
- This episode was inspired by a scheduling conflict Aryn faced last week
- The challenge of managing such a variety of items, aspects and people in her business
- Asking the question: What does it tell us, when we drop the ball?
- Aryn reads the October 1st excerpt from the daybook ‘Simple Abundance’ all about burnout
- Pinpointing “care exhaustion” as a form of burnout, and from a business owner’s point of view
- A look into how this constant stream of thoughts affect our ability to be present for sexual intimacy
- How FOMO can add to our level of exhaustion
- Diving into the things we don’t love to do, but are necessary for long-term success and joy
CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST ARYN SAVARD
- https://www.instagram.com/aryn_savard?igsh=MWJtcHVzZmZ5dmpibg==
- https://www.instagram.com/thegoddessmovementpodcast?igsh=MWYxOGN5Z3diY3pubg==
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PODCAST LOVE-BYTES
SHOUTOUTS
- BOOK > Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach
- BOOK > Come as You Are by Emily Nagoski, Ph.D.
- Nicole Moore > Systems Specialist: https://www.instagram.com/nic.tidalwavecollective?igsh=bWR5NWJycGlvaTNj
34m - Oct 9, 2024 - 30. Counterbalance
“When I'm afraid, when I'm experiencing fear… if I can understand that vulnerability is what's being asked of me and start to digest what that vulnerability looks like, feels like, can be experienced like – then when I step into courage and bravery, I kind of understand the assignment. The assignment isn't getting rid of fear. The assignment is tapping into what vulnerability is asking you to hold and love and shape within self.“
TODAY ON THE GODDESS MOVEMENT:
- Aryn shares a thought about fear and it’s potential counterbalance
- An invitation to join the conversation is shared
- Reflections on Mackelmore’s recent videos and posts on social media regarding the plight in Palestine
- How polarizing topics and fear can affect human behaviour
- Vulnerability as the counterbalance to fear and the pathway to bravery
- Holding the polarity of ‘both’ and acknowledging the endless nuance of social, political and economic challenges
- The willingness to step out and be vulnerable, and it’s ripple effect on the many
- Aryn processes this thought about vulnerability in relation to her ongoing studio search
- The assignment vulnerability is asking of us
CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST ARYN SAVARD
- https://www.instagram.com/aryn_savard?igsh=MWJtcHVzZmZ5dmpibg==
- https://www.instagram.com/thegoddessmovementpodcast?igsh=MWYxOGN5Z3diY3pubg==
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SHOUTOUTS
- Macklemore music video >>> warning: graphic images <<<
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAJKvGZPLIV/?igsh=cnZ4aWk1bXFya3Z3
14m - Oct 2, 2024 - 29. Goodness Pie
“When I look at the pie of life, we have to look at - what are we putting into the pie that we’re baking? What are WE as the individual, responsible for putting into the pie? Not, what everyone else is throwing into that pie. But more so, what am I baking into that pie. Is it fear? Is it insecurity? Is it judgement? Is it overactive ego? Or is it grounded confidence? Is it curiosity? Is it vulnerability? Is it desire for deep connection? All of those things will bake very different pies. And what’s really cool, is if you can put more good ingredients in it than sour ingredients, you still will end up with an edible pie.”
TODAY ON THE GODDESS MOVEMENT:
- A small reminder about how to engage with the podcast and an invitation to dive in anywhere
- Aryn talks about her trip to the Okanagan and all that came through on her drive up and home
- The frustration that comes with the 'in-between' phases of life
- Reflections about the podcast by Gary Vaynerchuk and his views on culture, community and humanity
- The difference between observing and judging, while dipping our toes into communities
- A deep dive into the evolution of our nervous systems, through understanding of the ego over the span of human existence
- About social acceptance, fitting in and being our true selves in groups of people, and specifically women
- The beauty in assuming the best case scenario
- Making a conscious decision not to take things personally, and mind our own business
- “What am I looking for?” the golden question to combat excessive gossip
- Aryn processes the dynamic of comparing her business to others, from personal feelings of lack, and acknowledgement of gifts in the mirror
- On seeking acceptance and recognition through performance, and the remedy
- How heightened egos shine a light on personal insecurity, while authentic confidence inspires a sense of humility
- Dissecting the desire to be the centre of attention, and how to steer this type of interaction in a generative direction
- Baking goodness pie: selecting ingredients for delicious goodness
CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST ARYN SAVARD
JOIN US IN STUDIO
PODCAST LOVE-BYTES
SHOUTOUTS
- Gary Vaynerchuk Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6SZVsPIxPfVs6aavqM1peY?si=Ue9pDV7tSbeBsBZvfUpzkw
46m - Sep 25, 2024 - 28. A love note to the str!ppers that came before us with Tammy Morris
“It felt like there was this sense of righteousness I’ll call it… where it’s like, because you didn’t strip, or because stripping is ‘dirty’ or it’s an underground industry, these are the thoughts that people have. That somehow I’m now approaching it better because I’m doing it in a studio. And to that I call 100% bullshit because as I said before — the only reason we’re able to do this is because people did strip and continue to strip. And how dare you, we, us in this pole studio industry, want to come in and embody what it is that strippers do every night on stage and then shun them from being the forerunners of what we do and not give some sort of reverence.”
TODAY ON THE GODDESS MOVEMENT:
- Aryn recalls how she met today’s guest, Tammy Morris (Owner Tantra Fitness & Former Naked Athlete) during a private lesson
- Tammy takes us down memory lane to when she invited Aryn to come judge Miss Pole Dance Canada
- how together they helped expose pole dancing as a sport by creating the CPFA (Canadian Pole Fitness Association)
- Tammy’s experience as a pole dancer in the mid-nineties
- How she decided to take a break from studying and took up an agent on their offer to dance overseas, beginning in Japan and ending in New York
- Tammy tells the story of how her parents found out about her career
- All about safety, compensation and mentorship in the strip world
- The downfalls of making a ton of cash without guidance or avenues to invest responsibly
- When Tammy returned from overseas and the struggles that came with opening and marketing her new studio
- Aryn addresses the righteousness of people who were taking pole classes but had never stripped before
- How Tammy’s dancing career ended in national scandal; full of celebrities, paparazzi and harassment
- The ways in which they (as pole studio owners) make sure to pay reverence to strippers in their practice and businesses
- Aryn takes us through the beginning of her interest in pole including some rather undesirable experiences with those who she previously considered role models
- How joining Vancouver circus inspired Aryn’s passion and identity as a performer, before the reality of injuries and running a business came to manifest
- Aryn and Tammy pay tribute to the front runners of pole fitness
CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST ARYN SAVARD
CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST TAMMY MORRIS
- https://www.instagram.com/tammy_the_real_deal_morris/
- https://www.instagram.com/tantrafitness/
- tammy@tantrafitness.com
- www.tantrafitness.com
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1h 22m - Sep 18, 2024 - 27. Thief of Joy
“Gratitude feels a lot like joy in that it is a state of being. I think the beingness of joy is an openness and to be able to accept the gifts of what is in the present, regardless of your circumstances. We can be in sadness and we can really be struggling AND we can also experience joy. I think what happens when we’re in sadness and when we’re struggling is it feels hard to open up to those things, to be able to recognize them, to be able to accept gifts in that moment because we are so entangled with the struggle, or we’re so entangled with the sadness. This is something I talk to my coaching clients about – which is an over-identification with sadness, with struggle. Yes, these things happen, we have these emotions. But when we start to over-identify with them, we start to cultivate them out of nothing, or to cultivate them out of memory“.
TODAY ON THE GODDESS MOVEMENT:
- Aryn shares about the Metallica concert she recently attended with Randy and Aiden
- Being inspired by the band’s camaraderie, gratitude and joy
- About the performing arts and giving your all (including dynamic atmospheres)
- Aryn takes us back to when her META accounts were restricted and shut down a few years ago
- She grieves the loss of old content after being reminded of a helpful video from a coaching client
- Finding excitement for choosing the avenue of podcasting to continue her evolution of expression
- Juggling what “is” and what is simply a construct within our economic systems right now
- Choosing to connect with humanity rather than buying into the concept of separateness
- 'Expectation is the thief of joy’ Aryn breaks it down on multiple levels
- A story about Luke Combs and abundance
- All about JOY :: a choice and a state of being despite circumstances
- The dangers of over-identifying with sadness and struggle
- Developing hope in dark times by observing joy and beauty around us
CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST ARYN SAVARD
JOIN US IN STUDIO
PODCAST LOVE-BYTES
41m - Sep 12, 2024 - 26. When Feeling Stuck Makes Angry Soup
“The second one is finding something that sparks some semblance of passion in you. And the passion doesn’t have to necessarily be something that you care deeply about but it can just be something that moves you. One of the things that I have been diving into probably in the last two years is fantasy books. I love books about dragons, I love books about fantasy characters, faeries, warlocks — anything that is not real and carries some tone of magic. And so when I start to feel like this, I pick up my book. And even if I can spend 5 pages in my book, it helps me fall into this idea of non-reality. And not as a point of escapism, but what it does for my brain is it helps me start thinking in a creative way. It gives me a break from feeling like I have to be an adult and I have to be really responsible, and it drops me into this world that doesn’t exist — in such a way that I can start to think a little bit differently about things. I can start to feel into the magic in the book and then I can start to bring that forward in my life.”
TODAY ON THE GODDESS MOVEMENT:
- Aryn recalls a recent experience that left her feeling sensitive and squirrelly
- The episode inspiration coming from a dear friend who inquired about feeling stuck this time of year, and how to navigate moving forward
- About reaching out to friends to help clear your lens
- The brain-loop of the fruit salad of failure
- Reframing the dialogue of failure by recognizing and participating in things you love
- Creating a game plan how to correct, make amends or change the situation moving forward
- Allowing and inviting a different set of emotions to come through in the aftermath
- Aryn offers a 3-step system to get through feelings of being stuck: 1) finding the joy in the mundane — “go hug a rock” 2) finding something that sparks passion or moves you ft. the googley eyes challenge 3) therapeutic hopelessness — what if it never changes?
- the in between phase of manifesting :: finding presence and gratitude in the space we are now
- Aryn uses the example of how searching for the new studio has brought about a need to release the attachment to an outcome
- holding the possibility for more clarity through the waiting period on the way to actualizing the vision
CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST ARYN SAVARD
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PODCAST LOVE-BYTES
32m - Sep 4, 2024 - 25. I Got it From My Mama with Joni
"My mom was always a natural-born leader, and my dad was always a natural-born problem solver. And those are probably two of the things I appreciate most about learning from you guys. Because I have been able to incorporate both not only into who I am and who I teach my kid to be, but also how I've built the community with my studio. And how I've been able to survive a lot of the stuff that small business usually can't survive -- and as a small niche business. It's not like I am making shampoo that everybody needs, what I do is not necessary. It's weird, and nobody knows what it is until they come and do it."
TODAY ON THE GODDESS MOVEMENT:
- Aryn invites her mom, Joni Kistler on The Goddess Movement podcast
- They discuss the trip from Florida to BC in the 'Scooby-Doo van"
- Joni shares the story of how Aryn's parents met and her birth in New Mexico
- Joni recalls her teaching experience beginning to shape her leadership style
- How travelling young teaches kids they are not the center of the universe
- How Aryn's surrogate grandmother Mary, taught them both about unconditional love
- All about Joni's corporate career in California, beginning in the mail room
- How mentors helped Joni stop feeling inferior as she consistently climbed the ladder in a 'man's world'
- How delusion and saying 'YES' before you're ready helps build the hard and soft skills needed to succeed
- More stories about paving the way for women by building the foundation itself
- Joni shares two concepts that make a successful leader
- Joni's hardest parenting moment: Aryn's best and worst highschool boyfriends
CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST ARYN SAVARD
CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST JONI KISTLER
JOIN US IN STUDIO
PODCAST LOVE-BYTES
1h 12m - Aug 28, 2024 - 24. Boring Sh*t IS the Sparkly Unicorn
“When we are trying to reach goals, we forget about the things that we learned or did in the very beginning that we had to put a lot of attention into because they were brand new. And when it comes to leaping beyond or reaching over a plateau, usually the answer is not anything drastic, its not anything life-altering, its not some massive message that’s going to drop into the backyard on a sparkly unicorn. It literally is the things you already know how to do and what’s being asked of you is to come back to them and for you to hold them with deep curiosity again.”
TODAY ON THE GODDESS MOVEMENT:
- Aryn opens the dialogue about progression within our two main programs at The Goddess Movement
- How the programs were designed to help students succeed over time within the building blocks
- Becoming a “slave” to the foundations
- Working with neural pathways to rewire mindset and behaviour
- Aryn shares about her journey through physical training and introduces the concept of plateauing
- How we support students through various cycles of plateaus in the studio
- Getting curious about the foundations by breaking them into smaller pieces
- Taking shortcuts in working towards our accomplishments – a disservice to all
- Going back to basics: a spicy tangent about healthy eating
CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST ARYN SAVARD
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PODCAST LOVE-BYTES
24m - Aug 14, 2024 - 23. Elevate your Game in Choosing + Communicating
“She’s definitely asking me to show up in a much more bold way. She’s asking me to make choices that a lot of people aren’t going to understand. And though I feel like I’ve been doing this most of my adult life – creating things and/or doing things that most people don’t understand – I feel like what is different about this, is wherever this is going next, it’s going to ruffle feathers. It’s not just going to be things that people don’t know about. I’m going to have to choose shit that makes people really uncomfortable.”
TODAY ON THE GODDESS MOVEMENT:
- Aryn offers an official invitation to reach out and request a certain theme or topic to be addressed on the podcast
- How the last few days she has felt something big is coming, and how she is navigating feelings of anxiety
- Aryn tells the story of a recent experience where she was presented with a concern – and the steps she took to discern whether to engage and how to engage
- Observing the intention of divisiveness currently happening in the matrix
- Leaving space for others to experience or process things differently than ourselves
- On perspective :: being right vs. being curious
- How Aria has been asking Aryn for a new level of leadership, and the mirroring affect in all aspects of life
- Making choices that cause people to feel very uncomfortable
- A deeper level of understanding and belief in self in order to make important choices, and using the gut-brain axis support the decision
- How and who to draw counsel from
- Aftermath of the choice :: the value in both generative and restrictive consequences
CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST ARYN SAVARD
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PODCAST LOVE-BYTES
33m - Aug 7, 2024 - 22. Returning Home to the Body + Dance with Laura
“They dance from their gut. And what they have is presence. No one ever asked me if I felt present when I was dancing. And when I recently went back to training for the first time, I was like, wow I am the least present ever when I’m dancing. I am so out of my body. I don’t feel anything. I’m so in my head. The amount of times we come off stage and the choreographer goes ‘how was that, how did that feel?’ and I’m like, ‘I don’t know, I don’t remember’. I still see that with kids, I watch them come off stage and they don’t remember what happened. Part of it is nerves, but part of it is not teaching presence as an artist, as opposed to tricks.”
>>> IMPORTANT NOTICE <<< This episode carries themes, personal stories, discussion of recovery, and ongoing management of eating disorders.
TODAY ON THE GODDESS MOVEMENT:
- Laura tells her story of becoming a competitive dancer as a young child
- Aryn dives into the theme revealed after the last LUVEN performance — healing dance trauma
- How Laura found TGM studio as the photographer for our 1885 production in June of 2023
- The struggle of body image from a young age, how it turned into body dysmorphia and eventually an eating disorder
- How leaving the dance world helped Laura heal, and then flipping the role to become a dance teacher
- All about leadership, responsibility and the cascading impact of self-criticism as the role model for kids and teenagers
- How beneficial basic resources could be if this industry took more responsibility for mental/emotional ‘injury’ rather than just physical injury
- Having boundaries as dance teachers — and and leaving the saviour archetype behind
- The damage done by the lack of information around diet pills and shakes
- Ways we can support kids with high-performance tendencies in nervous system regulation
- Laura shares her wish for people to understand that sacrificing our health for excellence is NOT the answer to achieving goals
- Signs and signals someone may be struggling with an eating disorder
- Laura reflects on her partner Bri (who also teaches for The Goddess Movement) and her teaching style with kids
- Aryn recalls the evolution of pole fitness becoming competitive in nature, how scoring came to be, and the lack of artistry
- Prioritizing artistry and presence with kids to ensure a healthy balance of excellence and somatic experience
- How costumes can work for or against our self-esteem and how to advocate for ourselves in group formats
- Tuning in to where we get our validation from as leaders, instructors and teachers
CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST ARYN SAVARD
- https://www.instagram.com/aryn_savard
JOIN US IN STUDIO
- https://www.instagram.com/tgm.studio
- https://www.thegoddessmovement.com
PODCAST LOVE-BYTES
- https://www.instagram.com/thegoddessmovementpodcast
CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST LAURA TENCER
- https://www.instagram.com/laur.tencer/
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR TEENS + ADULTS
PROGRAMS/ONLINE RESOURCES
- Fraser Health: https://www.fraserhealth.ca/Service-Directory/Service-At-Location/5/C/eating-disorders-program---fraser-health-south
- Child + Youth Mental Health Offices: http://childandyouth.com/
- BC Children’s Kelty Mental Health: https://keltyeatingdisorders.ca/
COUNSELORS
- THRIVE COLLECTIVE > Alison Esau, Sarah Price, Vanessa Brown:
https://www.thrivewellbc.com/meet-the-team
- TIA PRINCE > private practice: https://callistocounselling.ca/
- TIA PRINCE > group work: https://www.vitalitycollective.ca/tia-prince
1h 49m - Jul 31, 2024 - 21. Health + Hope with Elise
“The gut-brain axis is fascinating, there’s so much new research coming out. The microbiome — they are just fully starting to understand how diverse and how impactful it is. What’s wild is the majority of our serotonin (our happy hormones) 90% is produced in our gut. So if you don’t have happy bacteria going on, you’re not going to have a happy mood.”
TODAY ON THE GODDESS MOVEMENT:
- Elise Cochran (Certified Nutritional Practitioner) tells the story of how she found TGM and her pole journey
- Aryn and Elise recall the many Vertical Theatre productions that inspired their friendship to begin
- About being challenged as performers beyond just skills; about bravery, embodiment and transformation
- Where “but did you die?” originated, and continues to serve
- The journey through adrenal burnout after being railroaded by western medicine
- Together they debunk the concept that conditions and disease happen in singularity, but rather an interconnectedness exists within the human body
- The lack of research, resources and knowledge around women’s health and specifically the reproductive organs
- Elise shares about her career in the medical field as a ultrasound sonographer, and her exit of the healthcare system
- The absence of consent being the catalyst for ‘the riskiest move’ Elise has ever made, and how she leaned on intuition and spiritual guidance
- Elise dissects popular themes between her clients, like: hormones, gut health and reproductive health
- Using eating and superfoods to heal the digestive system, improve mental wellness and promote more restful sleep
- All about genes and the genetic testing Elise is ecstatic to be offering most recently in her practice
- How our bodies are designed to heal themselves - tuning into and learning why our body is sending us messages through signs/symptoms so we can understand ourselves on a greater level
- Touching on free tools, tips and resources that are accessible to most people as a starting point and opportunity for empowerment
CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST ARYN SAVARD
JOIN US IN STUDIO
PODCAST LOVE-BYTES
ELISE’S OFFERINGS
1. Genetic Testing (since it's the bomb and best proactive healthcare approach).
2. Root based nutritional consulting to get to the bottom of specific issues
https://www.elisecochran.com/services
EXTRA RESOURCES from Elise
BOOKS
- GUT
- TAPPING INTO INTUITION > YOU ARE INTUITIVE
PODCAST EPISODE
CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST ELISE COCHRAN
1h 46m - Jul 24, 2024
