1 00:00:00,070 --> 00:00:02,490 (Transcribed by TurboScribe. Go Unlimited to remove this message.) I have a hard time when people ask 2 00:00:02,490 --> 00:00:05,850 me what I do, actually explaining what it 3 00:00:05,850 --> 00:00:06,750 is that I do. 4 00:00:07,250 --> 00:00:10,430 I'm a wild spirit storyteller, I'm a yoga 5 00:00:10,430 --> 00:00:14,730 instructor, a meditation instructor, I'm a Reiki master, 6 00:00:15,230 --> 00:00:17,850 I am currently in training to become an 7 00:00:17,850 --> 00:00:22,350 animal chaplain, I run an eco-spiritual church, 8 00:00:22,370 --> 00:00:24,950 I do a lot of different things, and 9 00:00:24,950 --> 00:00:27,310 they all go hand in hand. 10 00:00:28,110 --> 00:00:31,430 And the reason why I offer so many 11 00:00:31,430 --> 00:00:33,290 things and I talk about so many things 12 00:00:33,290 --> 00:00:38,750 on this show is because my communities, whether 13 00:00:38,750 --> 00:00:41,950 you're neurodivergent, whether you're queer, whether you have 14 00:00:41,950 --> 00:00:45,990 a chronic illness or disability, or consider yourself 15 00:00:45,990 --> 00:00:49,030 disabled because of your neurodivergent brain or your 16 00:00:49,030 --> 00:00:52,330 chronic illness or another medical condition or mental 17 00:00:52,330 --> 00:00:56,310 health condition, no matter kind of where you 18 00:00:56,310 --> 00:01:00,950 fall on that Venn diagram, I feel like 19 00:01:00,950 --> 00:01:06,730 because we bring such different life experiences to 20 00:01:06,730 --> 00:01:11,230 our own selves, to discovering our true selves, 21 00:01:11,230 --> 00:01:14,950 to connecting with the wild world around us, 22 00:01:15,270 --> 00:01:18,550 our animality, the fact that we connect with 23 00:01:18,550 --> 00:01:21,010 animals, sometimes we connect very deeply with pets, 24 00:01:21,110 --> 00:01:26,130 for example, or with wildlife, the fact that 25 00:01:26,130 --> 00:01:28,910 all of this kind of is part of 26 00:01:28,910 --> 00:01:32,810 the magnificent kaleidoscope that makes up our lives 27 00:01:32,810 --> 00:01:36,750 and our lived experiences means that push button 28 00:01:36,750 --> 00:01:42,010 or turnkey or one answer type work really 29 00:01:42,010 --> 00:01:43,310 doesn't work for us. 30 00:01:43,810 --> 00:01:44,910 And so that's what I want to dive 31 00:01:44,910 --> 00:01:47,170 into on this episode of the Feathermane Soul 32 00:01:47,170 --> 00:01:47,910 Wisdom Show. 33 00:01:49,030 --> 00:01:52,750 You're listening to Feathermane Soul Wisdom, a podcast 34 00:01:52,750 --> 00:01:55,610 for those looking to rediscover their wild spirit 35 00:01:55,610 --> 00:01:57,150 in spite of life's challenges. 36 00:01:57,430 --> 00:01:59,870 If you're living with a chronic illness or 37 00:01:59,870 --> 00:02:03,630 neurodivergent or consider yourself disabled and you're looking 38 00:02:03,630 --> 00:02:06,130 to connect with your own inner untamed essence, 39 00:02:06,450 --> 00:02:08,130 then this show is for you. 40 00:02:08,530 --> 00:02:11,550 Your host is Kit Kaelstow, wild spirit storyteller. 41 00:02:11,970 --> 00:02:13,950 Thanks for listening and now on to the 42 00:02:13,950 --> 00:02:14,410 episode. 43 00:02:15,510 --> 00:02:18,070 I've actually been thinking about this topic a 44 00:02:18,070 --> 00:02:18,370 lot. 45 00:02:18,370 --> 00:02:22,990 Hi, I'm Kit Kaelstow, wild spirit storyteller and 46 00:02:22,990 --> 00:02:25,110 host of the Feathermane Soul Wisdom Show. 47 00:02:25,630 --> 00:02:27,930 If you could, while you're listening to this 48 00:02:27,930 --> 00:02:29,910 podcast, just take a moment and leave us 49 00:02:29,910 --> 00:02:32,830 a five star review or share this podcast 50 00:02:32,830 --> 00:02:35,130 with somebody who you think you might enjoy 51 00:02:35,130 --> 00:02:35,470 it. 52 00:02:35,770 --> 00:02:38,210 I really want to grow my audience and 53 00:02:38,210 --> 00:02:39,790 I really want to get the word out 54 00:02:39,790 --> 00:02:41,770 about the work that I do here at 55 00:02:41,770 --> 00:02:42,610 Feathermane Soul. 56 00:02:44,450 --> 00:02:48,490 I've been thinking about how I have several 57 00:02:48,490 --> 00:02:50,730 different modalities, if you want to use a 58 00:02:50,730 --> 00:02:54,130 technical term, several different things that I do 59 00:02:54,130 --> 00:02:55,710 and ways that I help people. 60 00:02:56,630 --> 00:02:58,130 I've been thinking about this for a couple 61 00:02:58,130 --> 00:02:59,190 of different reasons. 62 00:02:59,590 --> 00:03:02,570 One of which is the more that I 63 00:03:02,570 --> 00:03:05,410 actually go deeper into the work that I 64 00:03:05,410 --> 00:03:10,650 do, deeper into wild spirit storytelling, deeper into 65 00:03:10,650 --> 00:03:13,790 my training to become an animal chaplain, the 66 00:03:13,790 --> 00:03:17,110 more I'm realizing that even though somebody could 67 00:03:17,110 --> 00:03:18,610 look at what I'm doing and say, hey, 68 00:03:18,630 --> 00:03:20,070 that's like five separate things. 69 00:03:20,070 --> 00:03:21,270 What are you talking about? 70 00:03:21,530 --> 00:03:24,990 The truth is that those things actually do 71 00:03:24,990 --> 00:03:28,010 connect and go hand in hand in the 72 00:03:28,010 --> 00:03:29,490 work that I do and in the lives 73 00:03:29,490 --> 00:03:30,850 of the people that I help. 74 00:03:31,590 --> 00:03:34,910 The other thing is, and I admit this 75 00:03:34,910 --> 00:03:37,670 has been prompted by a social media post 76 00:03:37,670 --> 00:03:40,990 I saw recently, the social media post that 77 00:03:40,990 --> 00:03:43,730 I saw, and I see this periodically, it's 78 00:03:43,730 --> 00:03:46,110 not just one post, so please don't think 79 00:03:46,110 --> 00:03:48,190 I'm trying to call somebody out or something. 80 00:03:48,790 --> 00:03:52,550 But it's amazing that somebody will post that 81 00:03:52,550 --> 00:03:56,130 they finally were able to get a medication 82 00:03:56,130 --> 00:03:58,010 or treatment that they needed. 83 00:04:00,150 --> 00:04:03,510 Especially in terms of mental health, that they 84 00:04:03,510 --> 00:04:06,070 were able to get the treatment that they 85 00:04:06,070 --> 00:04:06,510 needed. 86 00:04:07,210 --> 00:04:08,690 And all of a sudden that made it 87 00:04:08,690 --> 00:04:12,710 so much easier to actually use the tools 88 00:04:12,710 --> 00:04:15,290 that they had been working on with their 89 00:04:15,290 --> 00:04:16,410 mental health professionals. 90 00:04:17,230 --> 00:04:19,730 And this is very common and not limited 91 00:04:19,730 --> 00:04:20,670 to mental health. 92 00:04:21,070 --> 00:04:23,170 I've talked a bit about my alpha-gal 93 00:04:23,170 --> 00:04:28,270 diagnosis, but I have been absolutely amazed at 94 00:04:28,270 --> 00:04:31,690 how different I feel now that I know 95 00:04:31,690 --> 00:04:34,630 that I have alpha-gal and avoiding animal 96 00:04:34,630 --> 00:04:35,270 products. 97 00:04:35,570 --> 00:04:37,530 And I've also talked about how it was 98 00:04:37,530 --> 00:04:39,170 a gift because I wanted to eat more 99 00:04:39,170 --> 00:04:43,250 passionately, more environmentally friendly as well. 100 00:04:43,630 --> 00:04:46,010 And I was struggling because of my neurodivergence 101 00:04:46,010 --> 00:04:48,350 and safe foods as I was just simply 102 00:04:48,350 --> 00:04:51,090 being burnout and exhausted and not having the 103 00:04:51,090 --> 00:04:54,210 executive function to plan anything usual than what 104 00:04:54,210 --> 00:04:54,690 I put on the menu. 105 00:04:55,790 --> 00:04:58,850 And I think that is one of the 106 00:04:58,850 --> 00:05:02,090 reasons why I have so many modalities that 107 00:05:02,090 --> 00:05:02,750 I work with. 108 00:05:03,330 --> 00:05:07,330 And that is because our connection with ourselves, 109 00:05:08,150 --> 00:05:13,190 our connection with the wider world, really is 110 00:05:13,190 --> 00:05:15,890 not a one-size-fit-all situation. 111 00:05:16,890 --> 00:05:18,830 Like I could tell you to go outside 112 00:05:18,830 --> 00:05:21,970 and touch grass, but if you have a 113 00:05:21,970 --> 00:05:25,070 mobility issue, if you live in an extremely 114 00:05:25,070 --> 00:05:27,870 urban environment where the only grass you might 115 00:05:27,870 --> 00:05:29,630 see are the weeds that poke up between 116 00:05:29,630 --> 00:05:32,310 the cracks in the sidewalk, where maybe you 117 00:05:32,310 --> 00:05:34,330 don't have access to a local park or 118 00:05:34,330 --> 00:05:36,050 the local park isn't safe. 119 00:05:36,870 --> 00:05:39,910 Maybe you have to work two jobs and 120 00:05:39,910 --> 00:05:41,870 you literally leave the house before the sun 121 00:05:41,870 --> 00:05:44,390 comes up, get home when the sun goes 122 00:05:44,390 --> 00:05:46,310 down and you're just too exhausted to touch 123 00:05:46,310 --> 00:05:46,750 grass. 124 00:05:46,750 --> 00:05:50,610 There are a million reasons why a phrase 125 00:05:50,610 --> 00:05:52,670 like, hey, touch grass, it'll help your mental 126 00:05:52,670 --> 00:05:55,370 health really doesn't work for a lot of 127 00:05:55,370 --> 00:05:55,790 people. 128 00:05:56,330 --> 00:05:59,430 And what I have found as I have 129 00:05:59,430 --> 00:06:02,470 understood myself better, as I've understood my brain 130 00:06:02,470 --> 00:06:06,530 better, as I have learned more about what 131 00:06:06,530 --> 00:06:10,830 it means to be AUDHD, what it means 132 00:06:10,830 --> 00:06:15,910 to have alpha-gal or what it means 133 00:06:15,910 --> 00:06:21,450 to basically have this fibromyalgia diagnosis that I 134 00:06:21,450 --> 00:06:24,630 have had for like 20 plus years that 135 00:06:24,630 --> 00:06:27,010 doctors really haven't wanted to touch or do 136 00:06:27,010 --> 00:06:27,790 anything for. 137 00:06:28,310 --> 00:06:30,350 And then understanding all the bits and pieces 138 00:06:30,350 --> 00:06:33,410 of my life that goes into all of 139 00:06:33,410 --> 00:06:33,690 that. 140 00:06:33,690 --> 00:06:36,030 When I start putting all of that together, 141 00:06:36,490 --> 00:06:42,030 well, it totally makes sense why it took 142 00:06:42,030 --> 00:06:44,690 me over 20 years to find a therapist 143 00:06:44,690 --> 00:06:48,730 who totally understood or at least can empathize 144 00:06:48,730 --> 00:06:52,470 with, if not under completely understanding my lived 145 00:06:52,470 --> 00:06:57,810 experience and why a lot of the soundbite 146 00:06:57,810 --> 00:07:01,910 or social media friendly mental health advice really 147 00:07:01,910 --> 00:07:02,990 doesn't work for me. 148 00:07:03,550 --> 00:07:04,670 And again, it has to do with that 149 00:07:04,670 --> 00:07:10,950 Venn diagram, being neurodivergent, being ADHD that, and 150 00:07:10,950 --> 00:07:12,450 for those that don't know, that means that's 151 00:07:12,450 --> 00:07:15,550 autism and ADHD, that creates a tug of 152 00:07:15,550 --> 00:07:16,330 war in my brain. 153 00:07:16,930 --> 00:07:18,430 And I'm probably going to talk about that 154 00:07:18,430 --> 00:07:21,330 in more detail because it's a tug of 155 00:07:21,330 --> 00:07:25,730 war that even though I intellectually understood, I 156 00:07:25,730 --> 00:07:29,010 did not emotionally understand for a very long 157 00:07:29,010 --> 00:07:29,450 time. 158 00:07:30,230 --> 00:07:32,050 But having that tug of war in my 159 00:07:32,050 --> 00:07:36,490 brain, understanding my complex PTSD that came from 160 00:07:36,490 --> 00:07:41,450 living without having that knowledge of myself, all 161 00:07:41,450 --> 00:07:44,930 of that really understands that in any given 162 00:07:44,930 --> 00:07:48,830 moment, I may need something different. 163 00:07:49,470 --> 00:07:53,230 So I may need to actually get away 164 00:07:53,230 --> 00:07:54,730 from the computer sometimes. 165 00:07:54,910 --> 00:07:56,030 I know, shocking. 166 00:07:56,730 --> 00:07:59,650 But I could be working and writing and 167 00:07:59,650 --> 00:08:00,950 feeling really good and then all of a 168 00:08:00,950 --> 00:08:02,330 sudden my brain just checks out. 169 00:08:03,190 --> 00:08:06,210 And usually that tells me that I've overwhelmed 170 00:08:06,210 --> 00:08:09,650 my autistic side of my brain or I 171 00:08:09,650 --> 00:08:13,390 have bumped up against one of my prickly 172 00:08:13,390 --> 00:08:16,230 points as far as my mental health, as 173 00:08:16,230 --> 00:08:18,650 far as worrying about what people will think, 174 00:08:18,730 --> 00:08:20,630 whether I can be my true self, all 175 00:08:20,630 --> 00:08:22,010 that stuff that we deal with. 176 00:08:22,670 --> 00:08:24,210 And it's time for a change. 177 00:08:24,670 --> 00:08:28,450 So in that moment, going outside, spending time 178 00:08:28,450 --> 00:08:31,350 with the horses, doing yoga, even if it's 179 00:08:31,350 --> 00:08:33,330 just a couple of poses or some stretches, 180 00:08:34,330 --> 00:08:36,549 doing that can be good. 181 00:08:36,610 --> 00:08:39,270 In other moments, I may need to take 182 00:08:39,270 --> 00:08:40,230 some deep breaths. 183 00:08:40,390 --> 00:08:42,049 I may need to do meditation. 184 00:08:42,610 --> 00:08:44,530 I may need to give myself a Reiki 185 00:08:44,530 --> 00:08:45,090 treatment. 186 00:08:46,150 --> 00:08:48,810 Only I know what I need in those 187 00:08:48,810 --> 00:08:49,370 moments. 188 00:08:50,270 --> 00:08:53,070 And so I've talked before about offering a 189 00:08:53,070 --> 00:08:57,770 spiritual buffet or spiritual care buffet, because you 190 00:08:57,770 --> 00:09:00,670 may not know what you need until somebody 191 00:09:00,670 --> 00:09:02,030 says, well, here's all the options. 192 00:09:02,130 --> 00:09:03,070 What feels good to you? 193 00:09:03,170 --> 00:09:04,430 Where do we want to start? 194 00:09:05,390 --> 00:09:08,930 And at that point, you can choose what 195 00:09:08,930 --> 00:09:10,050 works best for you. 196 00:09:10,710 --> 00:09:13,750 The purpose of this podcast episode this week 197 00:09:13,750 --> 00:09:15,930 is not to tell you all about me 198 00:09:15,930 --> 00:09:16,690 and my problems. 199 00:09:18,150 --> 00:09:21,430 The purpose is to basically tell you that 200 00:09:21,430 --> 00:09:25,210 there are options and give you permission to 201 00:09:25,210 --> 00:09:27,170 try different things. 202 00:09:27,910 --> 00:09:29,190 Now, I want to be very clear. 203 00:09:29,590 --> 00:09:33,430 There is a place for licensed mental health 204 00:09:33,430 --> 00:09:34,130 practitioners. 205 00:09:34,390 --> 00:09:36,150 There is a place for therapy. 206 00:09:36,350 --> 00:09:37,770 There is a place for psychology. 207 00:09:38,930 --> 00:09:41,810 And if you are currently thinking that you 208 00:09:41,810 --> 00:09:43,490 may need that kind of help, or you're 209 00:09:43,490 --> 00:09:46,130 currently experiencing some benefits from that type of 210 00:09:46,130 --> 00:09:48,670 help, if you currently are on a medication 211 00:09:48,670 --> 00:09:50,990 that is helping you, I want to encourage 212 00:09:50,990 --> 00:09:52,770 you to continue to do that and seek 213 00:09:52,770 --> 00:09:54,330 the help that you need from practitioners. 214 00:09:55,610 --> 00:09:58,130 Nothing that I am talking about will ever 215 00:09:58,130 --> 00:10:00,690 replace that type of help. 216 00:10:01,450 --> 00:10:05,210 What I do certainly compliments that type of 217 00:10:05,210 --> 00:10:05,550 help. 218 00:10:05,710 --> 00:10:08,490 Or if you are in a situation where 219 00:10:08,490 --> 00:10:10,810 that type of help is unavailable to you, 220 00:10:11,150 --> 00:10:15,050 especially here in America, where our insurance and 221 00:10:15,050 --> 00:10:17,290 our medical system as far as payments and 222 00:10:17,290 --> 00:10:19,090 Costco is kind of shit. 223 00:10:19,270 --> 00:10:21,730 I mean, let's be honest, I'm kind of 224 00:10:21,730 --> 00:10:23,850 navigating that a bit myself right now. 225 00:10:23,850 --> 00:10:25,350 And it is shit. 226 00:10:26,450 --> 00:10:28,590 So if you are in a case where 227 00:10:28,590 --> 00:10:31,530 you can't afford mental health care, where mental 228 00:10:31,530 --> 00:10:34,570 health care seems out of reach, or if 229 00:10:34,570 --> 00:10:36,310 you were in the situation that I've been 230 00:10:36,310 --> 00:10:38,510 in for a while, where you tried to 231 00:10:38,510 --> 00:10:40,370 seek help, and you just don't feel like 232 00:10:40,370 --> 00:10:42,370 they get it, or it's just not connecting 233 00:10:42,370 --> 00:10:43,030 with you. 234 00:10:43,450 --> 00:10:46,710 I want to encourage you that while you 235 00:10:46,710 --> 00:10:49,830 are trying to find a practitioner that is 236 00:10:49,830 --> 00:10:52,970 complimentary and works well with you, that you 237 00:10:52,970 --> 00:10:54,770 also try other things. 238 00:10:56,650 --> 00:11:00,270 Everything that I talk about is a yes 239 00:11:00,270 --> 00:11:02,630 and, not a replacement for. 240 00:11:04,150 --> 00:11:06,810 To connect this with our animal cells or 241 00:11:06,810 --> 00:11:10,790 animalality, I can't even say that word, animalality. 242 00:11:11,790 --> 00:11:16,970 I think it's important to look at the 243 00:11:16,970 --> 00:11:19,910 animals in our lives, whether that's companion animal, 244 00:11:20,450 --> 00:11:23,870 whether you have an outside animal like a 245 00:11:23,870 --> 00:11:29,190 horse or goats, whether you are interacting or 246 00:11:29,190 --> 00:11:32,870 watching wildlife, from the squirrel in your yard 247 00:11:32,870 --> 00:11:36,070 or the deer in your yard, to something 248 00:11:36,070 --> 00:11:36,970 on a documentary. 249 00:11:37,830 --> 00:11:40,310 If you think about the way that these 250 00:11:40,310 --> 00:11:44,690 animals live their lives, they tend to their 251 00:11:44,690 --> 00:11:49,710 needs first, sleep, natural drives that are driven 252 00:11:49,710 --> 00:11:54,910 by their hormones, and food, water, shelter. 253 00:11:56,990 --> 00:12:00,050 Once those needs are met, and a good 254 00:12:00,050 --> 00:12:02,550 example of that would be like a house 255 00:12:02,550 --> 00:12:02,930 cat. 256 00:12:03,130 --> 00:12:04,590 I'm surrounded by cats here. 257 00:12:04,690 --> 00:12:05,750 They're sleeping at the moment. 258 00:12:06,730 --> 00:12:10,390 So like the cats, the cats have shelter. 259 00:12:10,650 --> 00:12:12,750 They have a heated or air-conditioned house, 260 00:12:12,770 --> 00:12:13,690 depending on the season. 261 00:12:14,310 --> 00:12:15,750 They are well-fed. 262 00:12:16,850 --> 00:12:18,190 They have water. 263 00:12:18,930 --> 00:12:20,230 They have attention. 264 00:12:21,310 --> 00:12:24,330 They have food, water, sleep, shelter. 265 00:12:24,830 --> 00:12:27,330 They're fixed, so the biological urges kind of 266 00:12:27,330 --> 00:12:27,850 aren't there. 267 00:12:28,170 --> 00:12:29,670 But again, I took care of all that. 268 00:12:30,510 --> 00:12:32,870 They got medical treatment when they're not feeling 269 00:12:32,870 --> 00:12:33,210 well. 270 00:12:33,210 --> 00:12:34,570 Medicine is necessary. 271 00:12:34,810 --> 00:12:37,070 All of those base needs are met. 272 00:12:37,810 --> 00:12:40,930 So if we think about our cats, and 273 00:12:40,930 --> 00:12:42,470 this would apply, I think, to some extent 274 00:12:42,470 --> 00:12:43,730 to big cats as well. 275 00:12:44,670 --> 00:12:47,250 Well, they do spend a large portion of 276 00:12:47,250 --> 00:12:48,590 their day sleeping or resting. 277 00:12:49,070 --> 00:12:52,130 So they do take that time to refill 278 00:12:52,130 --> 00:12:57,130 their energy reserves, but they also play. 279 00:12:58,570 --> 00:13:04,630 And they might, you know, stretch on a 280 00:13:04,630 --> 00:13:05,670 scratching post. 281 00:13:06,770 --> 00:13:09,690 They might play with a dangly toy. 282 00:13:10,390 --> 00:13:12,750 They might use different scratchers throughout the day. 283 00:13:12,770 --> 00:13:15,930 If you've got like the cardboard scratchers, or 284 00:13:15,930 --> 00:13:17,950 a scratching post, or a cat tree. 285 00:13:20,140 --> 00:13:22,440 They have, you know, hopefully they have different 286 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:24,260 types of toys to keep them entertained. 287 00:13:25,020 --> 00:13:27,040 Some would say ours have too many toys. 288 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:30,200 And sometimes they just get the zoomies and 289 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:30,760 run around. 290 00:13:31,220 --> 00:13:33,420 And of course, like with our our biggest 291 00:13:33,420 --> 00:13:36,360 cat, it's always kind of funny to see, 292 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:39,280 you know, this 17-pound cat just racing 293 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:39,940 around the house. 294 00:13:40,060 --> 00:13:41,980 Because it's like, you know, this bowling ball 295 00:13:41,980 --> 00:13:43,780 basically going through the house. 296 00:13:45,260 --> 00:13:48,680 And likewise, we've got a couple of older 297 00:13:48,680 --> 00:13:49,380 cats. 298 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:51,000 Don't know their ages. 299 00:13:51,140 --> 00:13:53,040 They came to us with litters of kittens, 300 00:13:53,140 --> 00:13:54,920 or gave us litters of kittens shortly after 301 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:55,700 they arrived. 302 00:13:56,020 --> 00:13:58,080 So I know that they're older than the 303 00:13:58,080 --> 00:13:59,640 vast majority of our cats. 304 00:14:00,420 --> 00:14:03,040 And like one of them, she just, you 305 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:05,960 know, every evening it's pretty much like clockwork. 306 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:08,180 She sleeps on the end of the bed. 307 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:10,600 I have some of my pillows I use. 308 00:14:10,700 --> 00:14:11,620 I put them on the end of the 309 00:14:11,620 --> 00:14:13,120 bed during the day. 310 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:14,640 So I can sit on the bed, or 311 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:16,720 read, or something without, you know, dealing with 312 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:17,660 this mound of pillows. 313 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:21,080 And there's little strings on the corner. 314 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:22,880 And she will play with those strings every 315 00:14:22,880 --> 00:14:23,980 evening without fail. 316 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:29,060 One of the other old mama kitties, she 317 00:14:29,060 --> 00:14:31,340 will still pick up toys and walk around 318 00:14:31,340 --> 00:14:33,600 the house, you know, meow, meow, meowing, like 319 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:35,940 she is trying to feed her kittens food. 320 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:38,460 Her kittens are now 10 years old. 321 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:40,540 They are also very well fed. 322 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:42,600 And so usually she meows, and they just 323 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:44,080 look at her, like, what, we were sleeping. 324 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:49,000 But the truth is, they do what they 325 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:51,440 feel they need to do in the moment. 326 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:53,320 If their body tells them to move, they 327 00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:53,780 move. 328 00:14:54,260 --> 00:14:56,460 If their body tells them to sleep, they 329 00:14:56,460 --> 00:14:56,960 sleep. 330 00:14:57,560 --> 00:14:59,580 If their body tells them to just kind 331 00:14:59,580 --> 00:15:01,740 of curl up next to their favorite person, 332 00:15:01,740 --> 00:15:04,860 or maybe their favorite fellow cat, and just 333 00:15:04,860 --> 00:15:07,440 spend some companionship, they do that as well. 334 00:15:08,860 --> 00:15:13,480 They don't really think about trying to force 335 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:15,080 themselves into a routine. 336 00:15:15,860 --> 00:15:17,840 And in fact, some would argue that when 337 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:20,900 we force them into a routine, that is 338 00:15:20,900 --> 00:15:23,440 when we cause problems with the animals that 339 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:24,240 we care for. 340 00:15:25,940 --> 00:15:29,780 So if we think about wildlife, well, wildlife 341 00:15:29,780 --> 00:15:32,140 does have to worry more about food, about 342 00:15:32,140 --> 00:15:35,900 shelter, about water, especially during, it's still so 343 00:15:35,900 --> 00:15:37,120 hot here in the Ozarks. 344 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:41,960 So during the heat here, these are all 345 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:46,400 very much concerns for wild animals. 346 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:53,580 Additionally, wild animals do have those natural hormonal 347 00:15:53,580 --> 00:15:56,980 seasonal urges that they deal with. 348 00:15:57,180 --> 00:15:58,460 We're in the fall right now. 349 00:15:59,020 --> 00:16:04,280 So now is actually the time when bucks 350 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:08,680 in the deer population, bucks are searching out 351 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:11,220 mates, or maybe fighting one another for the 352 00:16:11,220 --> 00:16:12,080 right to mate. 353 00:16:12,300 --> 00:16:14,260 So, you know, all of that happens in 354 00:16:14,260 --> 00:16:19,800 the wild, but we still have animals that 355 00:16:19,800 --> 00:16:21,700 take time to rest when possible. 356 00:16:22,460 --> 00:16:27,300 We still have animals that will play. 357 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:32,540 We still have animals that will enjoy the 358 00:16:32,540 --> 00:16:35,040 company of other animals when that's as part 359 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:35,660 of their nature. 360 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:40,320 And the animals still kind of operate on 361 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:41,540 their natural cycle. 362 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:44,140 So like it's been so hot, I haven't 363 00:16:44,140 --> 00:16:46,260 seen a lot of animals out when I'm 364 00:16:46,260 --> 00:16:48,400 out during the day doing farm chores or 365 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:49,340 watering or whatever. 366 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:55,720 But the evenings, you know, when it starts 367 00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:57,880 to get a little bit cooler, maybe six 368 00:16:57,880 --> 00:16:59,960 or seven o'clock, I start to see 369 00:16:59,960 --> 00:17:00,680 the armadillos. 370 00:17:00,900 --> 00:17:02,480 I start to see the opossums. 371 00:17:03,460 --> 00:17:05,240 I, you know, you start to see the 372 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:07,579 animals kind of come out of their shelter 373 00:17:07,579 --> 00:17:09,520 and start to do their things. 374 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:14,000 And so they don't have one thing that 375 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:14,500 they do. 376 00:17:15,260 --> 00:17:17,200 They may go to different parts of the 377 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:17,619 yard. 378 00:17:18,099 --> 00:17:20,440 They may have different territories that I don't 379 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:23,740 even see because they move beyond the boundaries 380 00:17:23,740 --> 00:17:25,859 of our property and I stick pretty close 381 00:17:25,859 --> 00:17:26,500 to home. 382 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:30,780 The point I'm trying to get across here 383 00:17:30,780 --> 00:17:34,360 is that by offering a buffet, a spiritual 384 00:17:34,360 --> 00:17:38,360 care buffet, and the truth is the work 385 00:17:38,360 --> 00:17:40,120 I am doing to help you connect with 386 00:17:40,120 --> 00:17:43,860 yourselves, to help you connect with your wild 387 00:17:43,860 --> 00:17:47,160 spirit, to help you be your authentic self, 388 00:17:47,580 --> 00:17:49,160 that is spiritual care. 389 00:17:49,260 --> 00:17:53,900 Because that is helping you realize things, helping 390 00:17:53,900 --> 00:17:58,040 you come into self-realization, that is possibly 391 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:00,820 helping you connect with something larger than yourself. 392 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:03,980 Again, whether that's the universe in general, whether 393 00:18:03,980 --> 00:18:07,160 that is being a part of an ecosystem, 394 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:12,020 whether that's your community, whether local or online, 395 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:15,600 it is helping you with all of that 396 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:17,600 and that is spiritual care. 397 00:18:18,420 --> 00:18:22,460 And having several different things to choose from 398 00:18:22,460 --> 00:18:25,380 in the spiritual care mean that I am 399 00:18:25,380 --> 00:18:28,920 not limited by a specific narrow range of 400 00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:29,480 tools. 401 00:18:30,420 --> 00:18:32,980 It does mean that obviously, as I said 402 00:18:32,980 --> 00:18:36,300 before, I do have to understand scope of 403 00:18:36,300 --> 00:18:40,060 practice and not step into a realm that 404 00:18:40,060 --> 00:18:43,360 might be more medicinal in a traditional sense 405 00:18:43,360 --> 00:18:48,960 or a more psychology-based level. 406 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:50,800 I can share what I know about psychology 407 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:51,360 with you. 408 00:18:51,500 --> 00:18:53,100 I can share as a peer, as a 409 00:18:53,100 --> 00:18:55,400 mentor, as a coach, but there are things 410 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:57,140 that I'm not licensed to do and I 411 00:18:57,140 --> 00:18:58,440 need to be aware of that. 412 00:18:58,980 --> 00:19:02,940 But within those boundaries, within those boundaries, there 413 00:19:02,940 --> 00:19:07,320 are plenty of options and I would almost 414 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:11,980 argue that the options that I have are 415 00:19:11,980 --> 00:19:17,040 far broader and far more interesting than the 416 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:22,180 mental health options that are often provided by 417 00:19:22,180 --> 00:19:26,980 specific practitioners because they're usually trained in a 418 00:19:26,980 --> 00:19:30,440 few different methods and for the most part, 419 00:19:30,780 --> 00:19:32,820 they are tied to those methods. 420 00:19:32,820 --> 00:19:35,300 In fact, I'm working on a podcast right 421 00:19:35,300 --> 00:19:39,120 now talking about dogma in the wild and 422 00:19:39,120 --> 00:19:42,000 I'm thinking now as I'm explaining this to 423 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:45,840 you that in many ways, psychology can be 424 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:46,700 too dogmatic. 425 00:19:46,700 --> 00:19:49,920 If you encounter practitioners that say, well, this 426 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:50,720 is what I know. 427 00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:52,560 This is what's supposed to change it. 428 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:54,760 This is what's supposed to fix your condition. 429 00:19:55,900 --> 00:19:59,840 If you are, for example, neurodivergent, then things 430 00:19:59,840 --> 00:20:03,680 like cognitive behavioral therapy may not resonate with 431 00:20:03,680 --> 00:20:03,880 you. 432 00:20:04,060 --> 00:20:05,700 They may not work well for you. 433 00:20:05,820 --> 00:20:07,460 They may not feel good for you. 434 00:20:08,340 --> 00:20:10,880 And so it's a matter of finding the 435 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:14,980 different therapies that may work better for you. 436 00:20:15,180 --> 00:20:19,280 You know, I personally, I prefer dialectic therapies 437 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:22,400 or internal family systems for the practitioner that 438 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:23,700 I work with. 439 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:25,700 You know, those seem to work better for 440 00:20:25,700 --> 00:20:26,000 me. 441 00:20:26,700 --> 00:20:30,120 But it's a matter of you may be 442 00:20:30,120 --> 00:20:33,020 limited when you go seek help that person, 443 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:35,100 you may have a limited buffet. 444 00:20:35,420 --> 00:20:37,620 And like in my case, if I go 445 00:20:37,620 --> 00:20:39,840 to somebody locally, that's pretty much all that's 446 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:42,660 offered is just kind of the basic bread 447 00:20:42,660 --> 00:20:44,740 and butter cognitive behavioral therapy. 448 00:20:45,420 --> 00:20:47,720 And that just does not work with my 449 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:48,080 brain. 450 00:20:48,980 --> 00:20:52,780 And that does not really feel good because 451 00:20:52,780 --> 00:20:55,620 it feels very dismissive of my lived experience. 452 00:20:56,520 --> 00:21:01,020 And so by offering this large spiritual buffet, 453 00:21:01,020 --> 00:21:04,880 by working on different levels on an energetic 454 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:07,720 level, looking at the energy body, how is 455 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:09,380 energy flowing through your body? 456 00:21:10,140 --> 00:21:13,000 How is energy feeling, you know, does it 457 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:14,020 feel stuck? 458 00:21:14,500 --> 00:21:16,560 You know, if you scan your body right 459 00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:17,780 now, is there a part of your body 460 00:21:17,780 --> 00:21:20,200 that just kind of feels tight and hard, 461 00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:23,040 and just feels like there's stuff stuck there. 462 00:21:23,060 --> 00:21:24,380 I know I've got one of those parts 463 00:21:24,380 --> 00:21:26,860 of my body right now that I'm working 464 00:21:26,860 --> 00:21:27,320 on. 465 00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:33,260 But, but the truth is, to resolve that 466 00:21:33,260 --> 00:21:36,400 issue, I can do energy work. 467 00:21:37,020 --> 00:21:39,300 But I can also do yoga. 468 00:21:39,740 --> 00:21:41,660 I can also do meditation. 469 00:21:42,220 --> 00:21:45,220 I can also do just plain general physical 470 00:21:45,220 --> 00:21:51,480 activity by going outside, doing some chores, spending 471 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:56,320 some time walking around, spending some time with 472 00:21:56,320 --> 00:21:57,180 my animals. 473 00:21:58,620 --> 00:22:00,780 There's many different things that I can do 474 00:22:00,780 --> 00:22:02,940 to move that energy through and to feel 475 00:22:02,940 --> 00:22:03,360 better. 476 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:05,580 And that's what I want to share with 477 00:22:05,580 --> 00:22:05,740 you. 478 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:07,300 That's what I want to invite you to 479 00:22:07,300 --> 00:22:07,880 think about. 480 00:22:09,730 --> 00:22:12,550 So I know this was kind of a 481 00:22:12,550 --> 00:22:15,110 general podcast this week. 482 00:22:15,470 --> 00:22:17,510 It's just something I felt like I had 483 00:22:17,510 --> 00:22:18,110 to share. 484 00:22:18,270 --> 00:22:19,590 I felt like I had to say at 485 00:22:19,590 --> 00:22:20,850 this point in time. 486 00:22:21,470 --> 00:22:23,770 I hope that you have found this helpful. 487 00:22:24,070 --> 00:22:26,650 I hope that this is at least made 488 00:22:26,650 --> 00:22:31,530 you curious about your own care about your 489 00:22:31,530 --> 00:22:33,850 own spiritual care about the ways you care 490 00:22:33,850 --> 00:22:36,150 for yourself or maybe ways others have cared 491 00:22:36,150 --> 00:22:36,710 for you. 492 00:22:37,830 --> 00:22:40,650 And I hope you are curious enough about 493 00:22:40,650 --> 00:22:42,650 that to maybe think about that and think 494 00:22:42,650 --> 00:22:47,190 about ways that you can actually improve that. 495 00:22:47,930 --> 00:22:49,310 So that's where I'm going to leave it 496 00:22:49,310 --> 00:22:49,950 for today. 497 00:22:50,130 --> 00:22:52,350 If you do like my work and you 498 00:22:52,350 --> 00:22:54,750 want to work with me, please visit feathermanesoul 499 00:22:54,750 --> 00:22:55,570 .com. 500 00:22:55,810 --> 00:22:58,370 You can sign up for a free call. 501 00:22:58,510 --> 00:22:58,970 Let's connect. 502 00:22:59,090 --> 00:23:00,690 Let's talk and see how I can help 503 00:23:00,690 --> 00:23:01,030 you. 504 00:23:01,750 --> 00:23:06,470 If you go to feathermanesoul.com slash tip, 505 00:23:07,690 --> 00:23:11,110 then if what I've said here has helped 506 00:23:11,110 --> 00:23:13,290 you, feel free to drop me a few 507 00:23:13,290 --> 00:23:13,750 dollars. 508 00:23:14,150 --> 00:23:16,590 That actually helps keep this podcast on the 509 00:23:16,590 --> 00:23:16,850 air. 510 00:23:16,970 --> 00:23:18,510 That helps keep my work going. 511 00:23:20,010 --> 00:23:21,290 And again, I want to encourage you to 512 00:23:21,290 --> 00:23:23,950 please like, subscribe or follow wherever you're hearing 513 00:23:23,950 --> 00:23:24,790 my voice. 514 00:23:25,250 --> 00:23:28,310 Check out Muse Charmer Radio Network where this 515 00:23:28,310 --> 00:23:29,650 podcast airs. 516 00:23:30,010 --> 00:23:32,590 Thank you so much for listening and I 517 00:23:32,590 --> 00:23:34,770 will talk with you next week. 518 00:23:38,260 --> 00:23:41,100 You've been listening to the Feathermane Soul Wisdom 519 00:23:41,100 --> 00:23:43,460 Podcast hosted by Kit Kaelstow. 520 00:23:43,740 --> 00:23:47,440 Learn more about Feathermane Soul at feathermanesoul.com. 521 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:50,600 As a wild spirit storyteller, Kit is passionate 522 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:54,780 about helping those who are neurodivergent, disabled or 523 00:23:54,780 --> 00:23:57,740 living with chronic illness rediscover their own inner 524 00:23:57,740 --> 00:23:58,480 wild spirit. 525 00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:03,020 Visit feathermanesoul.com to receive free gifts or 526 00:24:03,020 --> 00:24:04,880 book a free call with Kit to discuss 527 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:07,220 how wild spirit storytelling can help you. 528 00:24:07,900 --> 00:24:10,000 Music is Running with the Horses by Purple 529 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:10,740 Planet Music. 530 00:24:11,360 --> 00:24:13,860 This podcast is hosted on the Muse Charmer 531 00:24:13,860 --> 00:24:14,840 Media Network. 532 00:24:15,460 --> 00:24:19,440 Find out more by visiting feathermanesoul.com slash 533 00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:21,960 so and following the links to the Muse 534 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:22,640 Charmer Network. 535 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:25,760 Please don't forget to like, subscribe or follow 536 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:28,360 wherever you're hearing my voice or tell a 537 00:24:28,360 --> 00:24:29,400 friend who may be interested. 538 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:30,200 Thank you.