This week on the podcast, I’m thrilled to be speaking with Briana and Dr. Peter Borten of The Dragontree. If you’ve been a listener for a while, you’ll remember that they were on the show last year, and I could not be more excited to have them back. They have a new book, Rituals for Transformation and they are here to talk about creating rituals in your daily life to support the structure, sweetness, and space which lead to balance, happiness and peace.
Since they were last on the show, the Bortens have written a new book, Rituals for Transformation. Ever since they were on episode 72 (one of last season’s top 10 episodes!), I’ve wanted to have Briana and Dr. Peter Borten back to continue our discussion. At the time, it felt like there was so much room to talk about how we find our center, and find sweetness even when there are so many awful things happening in the world. I was totally overjoyed to find out they had a new book out that addresses the HOW to find your way back to yourself. And, as Peter says at the end of this discussion, it’s one of the perennial discussions – I really loved getting to chat with both of them again.
In this episode, we talk about:
– Rituals, and how they can support your focusing on what matters, and how to be happy in difficult times
– Guidance on how to create rituals that feel authentic and supportive
– How to drop in on what matters to you, in your life
– Ideas on how to create ritual in your life
– How sinking in to, and speaking about, your spiritual beliefs can bring you closer to your authentic nature
– How to weather the storms when things feel heavy
– Seeing the divinity and connected-ness in everyone
– That action is a key part of life when talking about transformation
– Making a project plan to plan for things to get better
What I loved about this discussion:
I think that so many of us feel fairly disconnected, both from each other, but even from ourselves. Whether it be the shift in the political climate, or the natural disasters, or the tragedies around the world, it’s very true that each of us is being bombarded with negative and difficult things daily. And yet, this is also the time when you and I are challenged to find our internal compass, it’s a time that you really have to know who you are, and what you stand for, or we are at risk of being tossed about from one bad thing to the next without a break.
In the middle of this, Briana and Dr. Peter Borten are sharing about how self care, and ritual can offer peace and transformation. I love that we talk about limiting the drama intake, and protecting your energy, and then taking actions based on the feelings you have. It’s easy to feel stuck or helpless, but it’s also true that right now you can take meaningful action in ways that will change your outlook, and help others.
And that’s the real challenge here, in the middle of things – to find a way to hold each person you meet in the light of their own divinity, but also hold true to your own light and truth in the same moment. And, to come to terms with the fact that you may have feelings of discomfort when someone doesn’t believe the same things you believe, but learning that you don’t have to act on that discomfort.
I also love that we talked about how for a time, the Bortens had avoided the discussion about divinity, but have since brought spirituality into their discussions. Near the end of our interview, we got into very interesting territory in our discussion of getting “in touch with divinity and essence,” and I love what Briana has to say about “be willing to be uncomfortable, and resist attacking what makes you uncomfortable.”
A Project Plan for Things to Get Better
In this episode, I also share that I am rising to the occasion by making a “project plan” for things to get better. It’s an unusual plan to make … and I find myself hesitant to put dates to these deliverables, but here’s what I can commit to:
1. Look for the connection in other people. In my day to day, whether this be in face to face interactions or regarding the show. Connect, connect, connect.
2. Be clear about my role in things, and avoid meeting situations from a place of reaction. When I see my role as being the light, and being joy, how can I play that out in a situation when things are going the way I’d imagined they would?
3. Plan a family holiday vacation. We want to do it, and we have the time off, so it’s time to plan it. And, allow for there to be down time, time for laughing, time to soak up what our small family has to share with each other.
4. Savor slowness – this one came from episode 101, and it’s something I’m trying to live daily. It’s OK for me to have down time. It’s OK to enjoy a nap. It’s OK to allow other people in my life to also savor slowness, and even encourage it.
5. Keep pushing to streamline the podcast back-end work. I will get full shows over to my editor, and get ahead of myself. I need to do this so I can have more time in my days for 1-4 (and to connect with more listeners).
Resources for this episode:
The Dragontree Website
Rituals for Transformation website
The Well Life by Briana and Dr. Peter Borten (affiliate Amazon link)
Episode 72: Briana and Dr. Peter Borten on The Well Life
