In a grind culture addicted to over-efforting and achievement, even the spiritual practices that can most benefit us become another ladder to climb. How might we do less and make the felt sense of peace as captivating as conflict?

In episode 26, we drop into deeper layers of ease, enoughness and somatics with Julie Ann Otis, an intuitive healer and artist committed to an experience of ease for every body. Through Samana Consulting, she offers civic engagement art, courses, and one-on-one sessions for leaders all over the world in universities, non-profits, lobbying organizations and social justice spaces to change the landscape of what is possible in healing, pleasure and innovation. After 10+ years in nonprofit management, Julie Ann now dedicates her life’s work to supporting her clients embody what they know is already possible -- her modalities range from focusing-oriented therapies, creative visualization, meditation, neurobiology, somatic feedback, and Metta meditation practices. She has published two poetry collections -- elastic union and Sermons of the Real. 

In a culture that prizes achievement and scarcity, even the spiritual practices that can most benefit us become a sport. Julie Ann bridges East and West (or in other duality, materialist and spiritual) to language a much needed reimagining of our times -- the importance of taking up space in our birthright states of being, with as much pleasure and ease as possible. After grappling with her own existential crisis and subsequent healing journey in Bali, Julie Ann emerged with a new window into the world that very acutely discerns “accomplishment-oriented” healing with the possibility of healing outside a consumerist Western lens steeped in grind culture and over-efforting. Like a tour guide into the inner unseen landscape, Julie Ann shines a curious light on all of ourselves with a touch of poet, artist, healer and social justice activist. “How do we make peace as captivating as conflict?”

In this soul-alivening conversation, we peek under the hood around:

• The legacy of Amanda Gorman during the Presidential Inauguration and her gift of embodied presence as a cultural leader of our times

• The journey from a hardcore materialist to an intuitive healer, artist and pleasure activist (and the role Bali played in this life-changing sojourn) 

• How to embrace somatic-intuitive intelligence in the body, and the power of this energy 

• Knowing the felt difference between over-efforting and enoughness (especially if you find yourself hopping from one healing to the next)

• Reimagining culture if love and power were to take up the same space 

• Reflecting on the ever-abundant question, “where can we do less?”

Called to produce your own podcast? We’d love to support you.