The Leap of Faith
I feel so grateful to have Natalie Cooper as my first ever guest on the podcast. She’s been a true guiding light for me and is someone I reached out to very early on in my podcast journey.
Natalie hosts her own podcast, Mind Your Own Life, which is all about aligned living. After being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and then Multiple Sclerosis, Natalie embarked on a path to self-healing that has brought her to where she is today, reinforcing her belief in the power of mindfulness. She practices Reiki, specializes in meditation, offers doula services and coaches self-healing as part of her multi-pronged approach.
In this episode, we talk about the connection between the mind and the body, touching on everything from meditation and yoga to Reiki and acupuncture. One of the recurring themes of our conversation is being an active participant in the healing process, which I think is so relevant nowadays, both to us as individuals and to society as a whole.
In particular, Natalie shares her own leap of faith. She is beautifully open and honest about how she went in search of healing through diets, mindset, meditation and restorative yoga to help her get in tune with her body.
Natalie’s story is so inspiring, and I loved discussing spirituality, meditation and healing techniques with her in more depth. I hope you’ll find our conversation full of light, encouragement and new ideas.
What You’ll Hear Us Talk About in This Episode
Having more control and input over what’s happening in your life
The power of the spiritual and philosophical aspects of yoga and other practices
Connecting your mind and body
Illness-based anxiety
The impact that our beliefs can have on our realities
The importance of feeling that our emotions are valid
Holistic approaches to healing and finding what works for you
How medication can be an important part of the healing process
The benefits of understanding the origins of practices we bring into our lives
Guided meditation vs self-meditation
Separating our thoughts from our identity
The Japanese healing technique of Reiki
Being intentional with our time
Main Takeaways from Natalie’s Experience
By bringing the mind and body together, you can create an opportunity for change and healing in your life.
It’s so important to be an active participant in the healing process, understanding the cause of what’s happening rather than simply clearing the smoke.
Medication can be an essential part of the healing process to get you to a place where you can work on yourself.
“Witnessing” your thoughts can be really useful in helping you to take a step back and separate your thoughts from your identity.
When trying to lead your own meditation, try watching a candle and following the flame.
Reiki is often really interesting for those who are “woo-curious”; it can act as a bridge between science and spirituality.
Even if something is so overwhelming that it feels as though there’s no way out, there is always a way out and a way to switch how you’re reacting to the situation.
We can learn to be grateful for dark times in our lives; they sometimes make us confront things we wouldn’t otherwise have dealt with.
Resources
Mind Your Own Life - Natalie’s podcast
@mindyourown.life - Natalie’s Instagram profile
The Secret - book by Rhonda Byrne
HEAL - Netflix documentary directed by Kelly Noonan Gores
The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself - book by Michael Singer
You Are the Placebo: Making Your Mind Matter - book by Joe Dispenza
The Next Right Thing - song from Frozen II by Kristen Bell
Natalie deserves a special shout-out for all the guidance and support she’s given me on my own journey. I really hope you enjoyed listening to this episode as much as I did hosting it and would love to hear your thoughts. If you’d like to share anything with me, you can leave a comment below, email me at connect@shebered.com or send me a DM on Instagram @maddie_shebered.
