Nervous System Regulation in Midlife: From Burnout to Balance + Reconnecting with Your Body with Corrine | Hot Flushes & Higher Self

Introduction: Welcome to Season 2

Introducing Corrine & Amrita Holistics

0:45 Soraya: So today I'm so happy to be joined by Corrine. Corrine's a holistic therapist, energy worker, yoga and meditation teacher, and the founder of Amrita Holistics. Her work is deeply rooted in supporting women through life transitions with compassionate wisdom and practical embodied tools. And what I literally about Corrine's work is a soul-to-salt approach. She doesn't believe in fixing or overriding the body, but in gently listening, creating safety and reconnecting women with their own inner rhythms and wisdom, especially during midlife, hormonal shifts, burnt out, or times of change.

1:20 Soraya: Corrine, I'm so happy to have you here. Welcome to the Hot Flushes and Higher Self podcast.

1:26 Corrine: Thank you so much, Soraya. It's lovely to be here. And thank you for inviting me into this conversation. It uh it really feels like such an aligned space to be in for me, as you know.

Corrine’s Journey: From Burnout to Embodied Healing

1:38 Corrine: Much of my work around nervous system regulation, embodied healing, and women's well-being, um, particularly women um navigating midlife transitions or moments where life is asking them to slow down and listen more deeply, really, and reconnect with their inner self. So I'm really looking forward to this conversation and talking with you today.

2:02 Soraya: Yes, me too, Corinne. So, first of all, just share a little about a little bit about your journey personally and professionally, and what led you into holistic healing and the work that you do today.

2:13 Corrine: Okay, well, um, my path hasn't been a straight one. Yeah. So my journey into uh holistic healing and well-being. So I spent around 15 years working in the corporate world in HR management and with an occupational psychology background, and I already always felt like I was not on the right path. But um, on the outside, everything looked like you know, I was successful, stable, I had it all together. But underneath, really my nervous system was constantly in overdrive. I was always, you know, in a state of fight or flight a lot of the time, and I was increasingly disconnected, stressed, and um becoming unwell, really, in initially in subtle but persistent ways.

3:08 Corrine: Um, so during that time I began experiencing anxiety, burnout, and a deep sense that something was missing. And I'd always felt from an early age that there was a deeper meaning to life and really living in the way that I was, it didn't feel very meaningful to me or very healthy, to be honest. So, um, yeah, so I was really living so much in my head, constantly doing, striving, pushing through. Um, and eventually my body and my nervous system just started to speak louder, and I realized I couldn't keep living in that way.

3:47 Corrine: And really at that point, everything all seemed to come to a head, a relationship uh broke down, I was on my own again, and uh that's when I found meditation. I joined a local um meditation group and I learnt a practice called transcendental meditation, you might know it.

4:06 Soraya: Um, I don't what what is that?

4:10 Corrine: Um transcendental meditation is basically um you you're taught a basic meditation practice, but the the difference with transcendental meditation is that you're given a um a sound, like um a beech mantra, we would call it in yoga, it's like a seed, um, just a sound that you repeat over in your head silently. So it's really I would say it's really uh beneficial for people that you know have very overactive minds. You can't switch off that thinking, which which I had that at the time. Um, and you know, you you practice it 20 minutes in the morning, 20 minutes in the afternoon, and then I also started combining it with a preney arm, uh breathing exercise, which was very balancing.

5:04 Corrine: Um and it really um it was really uh life-changing for me. Very quite quickly, it changed it.

The Power of Nervous System Regulation

5:14 Corrine: I felt like it changed my whole physiology, and it really opened me to a deeper sense of stillness, um, inner connection and self-awareness. It really sparked my interest really in um learning more about it and where it come from. Um, and it is it is a practice that was taught by um an Indian teacher, and you know, from there I really just wanted to immerse myself more into uh different practices like yoga, um, became interested in energy healing, Ayurveda, and other holistic practices then uh naturally followed.

5:55 Corrine: So I actually decided to leave the corporate world and take a year out of travel. I wanted to go to India, it inspired me so much. Um, and I really found that the ancient wisdom tradition in India, which is still very much alive, uh, was so inspiring to me. You know, I felt like wow, this is they have the the answers to my questions, you know, um, in terms of uh living a more meaningful and purposeful life. Um and so I just really wanted to immerse myself in that that spiritual culture. And I ended up uh leaving the corporate job permanently and living there for much of the last 10 years.

6:38 Corrine: Uh where I that's where I set up Amrita holistics. Um and yeah, so I recently I moved back last year. And so really what began as a personal healing journey for me, it slowly became a calling. Um and yeah, as I say, I I left that world to immerse myself into in holistic well-being because to me it made more sense, you know, to live it as a lifestyle. It wasn't just about tools or techniques, or as you said earlier, about fixing people. It became like a way of living to me that I need to share with other people.

7:14 Corrine: So today, really, that's inspired my work is around supporting other people really to come back into relationship with themselves, their bodies, emotions, energy, and inner wisdom that um in a way that really feels gentle, empowering, and sustainable.

7:37 Soraya: Yeah, I love it. Thank you for sharing that story. That's really powerful. The fact that you're not actually just preaching, you know, you practice what you're preaching, you've applied it to yourself, and it's obviously changed the way you see your life, right?

7:49 Corrine: Yeah, well, I try to. I mean, I'm not perfect either.

7:53 Soraya: We're all imperfect in our own ways, nobody's perfect, but you know, we're trying to haven't got it all sussed, and uh yeah, there are times where I still, you know, things still knock me off course.

8:05 Corrine: So um, but yeah, I think having, you know, once you have these things as a foundation and have a strong spiritual practice, that really helps you to deal with the ups and downs of life a lot more.

8:18 Soraya: It's like an anchor, sorry to interrupt, but I thought, you know, when you have that guidance and the guidance like an anchor. So no matter what's happening around you, it's how you're reacting differently than you would have done before.

8:29 Speaker 3: Yeah.

8:30 Soraya: You work with a rich blend of modalities, you mentioned from yoga therapy, Ayurveda to energy medicine and flower remedies. How do you intuitively weave these together in your work?

8:40 Corrine: I myself and my work has grown and evolved um with it, really, as my offering has.

What is Embodied Healing?

8:46 Corrine: So, you know, initially I started actually um, you know, with meditation, and then I went on to learn aromatherapy um and energy healing, um, and then things just grew from there. But um, for me, everything really starts with listening, listening to um the person that's in front of me and to what their body and nervous system are communicating. So I don't really see you know these separate modalities from a toolkit, but they're really like different, different languages just speaking the same system.

9:24 Corrine: So really it's more around a more outcome-focused approach, I would say for me. So listening to really what the client wants um and you know, using different things for different uh different reasons. So um there's certain aspects of yoga that I would use in one-to-one that might support physical and nervous system regulation. Um Ayurveda um is an amazing tool for, you know, a foundation for living a health more healthy and balanced life. And it really helps to understand somebody's, you know, constitution and their you know, uh their balance that's ideal for them, and how we can work with that in terms of their diet, their lifestyle, what um practices might suit them better.

10:16 Corrine: Um and yeah, the vibrational therapies, energy healing and flower remedies have you know really helped us support emotional uh patterns, release um transitions, and we're working on a more subtle level. But really, I'm always guided by what feels most uh appropriate in the moment. Um so yeah, sometimes the work's very practical and grounding, other times it's more energetic or emotional, but the intention is always around integration, really, and empowering, empowering the client. Um, because you know, as I say, the the um the practices that I really uh live and work by are all about uh around you know the the the belief that we all have this innate um ability to heal ourselves.

11:11 Corrine: Um so it's all in the hands of you know, it's in your own hands, your own healing, really. So I'm just kind of a facilitator to that.

11:21 Soraya: Yeah.

11:22 Corrine: Um so yeah, I do and I do offer a number of programs and packages that combine some of the different um modalities. Um so and there on my website, um, there's the Limitless Living Program. Um and yeah, a few other different things I do as set uh programs that combine a number of different sessions with a number of different techniques, but ultimately it's uh you know in collaboration with the client and an outcome-based approach that I like to work with. Um, and that's why I always offer a free clarity call to discuss um you know needs and how we could work together, see what resonates.

12:06 Corrine: Yeah.

12:08 Soraya: Got it. Okay, so how sorry.

12:11 Corrine: Sorry, I was I was gonna I was just gonna Yeah.

12:15 Soraya: You go Kareem.

12:18 Corrine: So yeah, yeah, so yeah, it can be difficult to explain sometimes, but the um and uh because of I do have quite a number of different um modalities, it's a multimodality background I come from, and it's also one of the reasons that I um I recently trained in um soma psych alignment therapy, um, which actually um it's uh a wonderful way to blend some of these things in together quite intuitively.

The Role of Yoga & Meditation

12:47 Corrine: So that goes back to the original question, really. So this technique actually uses um kinesiology muscle testing to get to the root of an imbalance or a trauma safely, um, without the person necessarily you know having to relive it or talk through it in any detail. Um, and also through the muscle testing, we can determine how the body actually wants to bring balance and alignment through the tools and the techniques that I work with. So I'm really guided by the client's energy in that process through the muscle testing as to what it needs to balance from um from the things, you know, that I work with.

13:29 Corrine: So, you know, a rebalancing could involve a combination of different things. So yeah, it's really is a blended approach, which is uh, you know, guided by the client ultimately.

13:42 Soraya: Okay. And so I yeah, thanks for explaining all of that. This I can understand the different modalities, and you you're quite intuitive in the way that you work, depending on the client, what they need, and and which kind of you know thing you're going to tap into. So, but how do you see the relationship between the nervous system, emotional well-being, and the physical health? I know at the beginning of the journey you were explaining how you were burnt out, and that's how your body was signalling to you you had to change your direction.

14:07 Soraya: Yeah.

14:09 Corrine: Yeah, very much. So the relationship between them really, I see them as being inseparable. Um, the nervous system is essentially a bridge between our inner and outer worlds. So when it's under chronic stress, um, the body stays in survival mode, which impacts so many things. It impacts, you know, everything from hormones, our digestion, immunity, sleep, mood, our emotional resilience, um and you know, emotional experiences that haven't um been fully processed often that live in the body as tension, pain, um, tiredness, fatigue.

14:55 Corrine: And when we support the nervous system to feel safer, the body can begin to shift out of this defense and into um repair. And I think, you know, when we talk about the nervous system, one of the you know that we can't not mention the is the vagus nerve, is um the most important um player in that um because really it's the main communication pathway between the brain and the body, it's um connected to the heart, the lungs, digestive system. And so it doesn't just influence how we feel emotionally, it's directly affects all these other things, the digestion, immunity, hormones.

15:37 Corrine: So and even you know how safe we feel in our relationships. So it's why, you know, in times of stress we can get an upset uh stomach, for example. You know, that's how linked it is. That's one of the easiest examples I can probably think of to explain it. And, you know, um in my case, you know, I was felt like I was stuck in that fight or flight. My nervous system couldn't regulate, you know, um, back into the parasympathetic state. So um, you know, I ended up, you know, I was in that state for so long that this the digestive symptoms in it that started initially turned into IBS in the longer term.

16:20 Corrine: So, you know, that's quite a common thing that can happen. And so this, you know, the the uh the vagus nerve, the polyvagal theory really helps us to understand that the nervous system isn't simply just calm or stressed, it's constantly scanning the environment for safety or threat. And in the world that we live in where we're constantly overstimulated and switched on, um, you know, we're stuck in this fight or flight mode, and the the vagus nerve then can't um do its normal function in switching us back into the rest and digest state.

Creating Safety for Healing

17:01 Corrine: So, you know, that's something that I really found. You know, I would get home from a really, you know, a long day at work, and I would just, you know, sit on the sofa and uh try to relax or watch the TV or something, but you know, that's still stimulation. I would be wondering why my heart doesn't calm down, you know. Um, and that's just um, you know, when you realize that you are constantly stuck in that state, and it's it can be really, really um damaging.

17:30 Soraya: Yeah, and your body is kind of like ringing the alarm bells, kind of reminds me of a car, you know. The car has got the flashlight coming on, something's going on, and you have to pay attention before the car breaks down.

17:43 Corrine: Yeah, exactly, exactly.

17:46 Soraya: Yeah, so we just I think you know it's really important for especially for us women to just really be in tune into our bodies, what our bodies are telling us when it's time for us to rest, because I think we try to do too much as well, don't we?

18:00 Corrine: Yeah, no, we absolutely do. And um, yeah, as I said, the vagus nerve plays a really important role in in helping us return, you know, to regulation. So we can really influence that through many different things and support if we're doing things every day, we can support it through our just through our breath, um, gentle movement, sound, um, many different things, just bringing us back into that feeling of safety and connection, um, then we can more easily shift out of survival mode into a state where you know the repair, the healing, uh, emotional processing can actually happen.

18:44 Soraya: Yeah. And going back to that about the safety in your experience, what happens when women begin to feel safer and more settled in their bodies?

18:52 Corrine: Yeah, so yeah, so that's so important. Um because when, you know, when uh when we feel safe, then the body uh the system starts to settle and the body remembers how to self-regulate again. Yeah. So there tends to be a relief, you know, and a release, um and sometimes even a sense of grief. Um, you know, as you know, you might realize how long you've been in living in this survival mode and holding on to things. So you know, it can be quite an overwhelming release um when that does happen. Um but really when when that sense of safety returns, there's a natural softening, a release, a letting go.

19:41 Corrine: And um, I also find that um we reconnect with our intuition, you know. As women, we have a very strong sense of intuition, but when we're stuck in a stressed out state all the time, always doing, then that's often something that. Becomes very clouded and more difficult to connect with. So when you know we're feeling safe in our bodies again, we're feeling more connected with our intuition, there's also a deeper sense of clarity, connectedness within themselves. The boundaries then can also become clearer.

20:20 Corrine: There's more self-trust. Um physically, you might feel like the breath deepens and calms down. You know, when I first started meditating, I felt, you know, that constant rapid heartbeat was um calmed down again. I could breathe more deeply. Um the sleep improves, tension starts to unwind. You feel you might even look younger, you know. You feel and look more relaxed. Uh so you know, emotionally there's more space as well. So um not as um reactive, maybe. And also, you know, when I first started meditating and I started to regulate my own or you know, I didn't realise I was doing it at the time, but it just happened, um just things automatically start to shift and change in your life.

21:12 Corrine: And the first time I actually felt like I had more time, um, which obviously I didn't, but I was just prioritizing myself more and taking care of myself more. So I, you know, there was non-negotiable time I would block out slots in my diary for going to the gym and to even just doing something simple like taking a walk at lunchtime rather than you know constantly sitting at a desk or being in meetings. So um, so yeah, you you know, once you make small changes, then bigger changes can then flow quite naturally.

21:50 Corrine: And uh yeah, you can really I really surprise myself with that actually.

21:56 Soraya: Yeah, but I think you're right though, it's not some people think there's you know one thing you do and it makes a massive change, it's more the little things you do in the day step day, and it's kind of it's compounded, isn't it? And it becomes naturally, you feel different.

22:08 Corrine: Yeah, absolutely.

22:10 Soraya: And you know, and I I think it's a misconception. Some people think with meditation you've got to dedicate hours to that. I don't think that's true. I mean, me personally, I might just do 10 minutes, but it does make a difference to how I feel in that day, making that time for myself.

22:24 Corrine: Yeah, absolutely, definitely.

22:26 Soraya: Yeah, so it's just realistic stuff that we can do on a day-to-day basis, but like with everything, it's consistency, isn't it?

22:34 Corrine: Yes, definitely. Yeah, consistent, consistency, and um yeah, you have to want to do it as well. You have to want to make those changes and be believe you deserve it, right? Yeah, exactly. Um but yeah, it has to work for you, it has to be something that you know everyone has different slightly different um, you know, lifestyles, um ways of living. So that's also something that's important, you know. It's not all it's never a one-size-fits-all approach, it's about what works best for you. Um, and as you say, yes, just making making the small changes, um, and so it doesn't feel like a chore, but it actually feels like something you look forward to, you know.

Navigating Midlife & Perimenopause

23:20 Corrine: This is my time, this is my little ritual that I do, you know.

23:24 Soraya: And I think it's um especially more so nowadays, because we're always switched on, aren't we? You know, we're constantly being stimulated, like you said earlier when you came home, you put the TV on thinking you're gonna rest, but actually that's stimulating, and you're never, you know, we're not used to sitting with ourselves. There's always something on in the background, we have so many tabs open, especially as women trying to multitask.

23:45 Corrine: Absolutely, which puts it yeah, people don't realise, you know, because it's it's become so um so much the norm. Um, but there are so many things we can do to bring that back into balance, and yeah, that's really why I love um Ayurveda so much is that it's you know, is as I say, it's an ancient wisdom tradition, but it's so relevant today, and it explains um so beautifully, you know, about the balance of energies that we have within ourselves and and and all around us, and you know, the ultimate, you know, we're trying to, you know, we're trying to get the best balance within our unique self.

24:27 Corrine: Um and so yeah, it's uh it it's I I don't know how I can't explain it into in too uh in in such a small time because I I don't want to go too deep into theory and uh confusing.

24:44 Soraya: But I understand what you're saying, it's a kind of it's a holistic thing, and it's about taking all the ancient wisdom and applying it to now, which we we need it more now than ever before because of the pace our lives are in and we're always trying to fit as much as we can into the day. And I think everyone's always measuring productivity. And I think as women, women in general, they feel they have to be productive. I know, as me, as a mum, I thought you know, I it's it's it's difficult not to feel guilty when I'm resting because I feel like I should be doing other stuff.

25:11 Soraya: So uh, which is quite bad because obviously that affects my nervous system and it puts me a lot of stress. So I have to actively work on doing the meditation and really making time for myself and reminding myself why I'm doing it.

25:25 Corrine: Yeah. But I'm human. Yeah, exactly. We're all human, and so it's about you know, not making, you know, the things that are supposed to support us, not making them as just another chore of something to do, something that's another pressure. Um, it's you know, there are many things that we can do that are small things that we can just implement to um support us, that we can actually look forward to doing and to enjoy doing. And so it just it just becomes like a natural thing. And then when you start feeling the benefits from it, then yeah, then I think it it just happens more naturally.

26:04 Soraya: Yeah, that's why I say it's like when you get used to doing something so much, it's like brushing your teeth in the morning, you just do it. You don't think about it, you'll just get up and brush your teeth. You don't have to think about the process involved. So going back to a midlife, Corinne, it often brings hormonal shifts, identity changes, and a reassessment of priorities. How do you see the stage of life as an invitation to slow down and listen more deeply to the body?

26:29 Corrine: Um, good question. I think um in this stage of life, um it's often when our body stops tolerating what it once did. There are, especially for women, you know, hormonal shifts going on that amplify the consequences of chronic stress, um, people pleasing, which I see a lot of um in women especially, and um, you know, neglecting ourselves, always prioritizing other people and other people's needs above ourselves. Um so as I say, the consequences are often amplified by the you know the physiological changes that we're going through.

27:16 Corrine: Um but I also see this phase as an initiation, you know. It's um it can be an invitation to uh really reassess how we live, where our energy goes, and what truly nourishes us and you know um what we you know what we want. Um the body becomes a wise guide, you know, if we're willing to listen to it. And actually this phase of life, um, you know, if you look at again in some of the ancient traditions and the goddess traditions, um the wise woman um or the sage, you know, entering into that phase, it's kind of it is a rite of passage, you know, it is an initiation.

28:02 Corrine: Um and I think um I think you might have described it in in in one of your um one of the things that you shared as an awakening, which um I really do, I couldn't agree more with. We start to reassess, you know, every aspect of our our lives. It's it's often, you know, the phase where um a lot of things change. Um, you know, um often um around this time uh children are growing up, they're less dependent.

The Invitation of Midlife: What’s Next?

28:33 Corrine: Um, if you have children, um and so the relationship with a partner can change, um parents are getting older, and so the focus changes and we start to have more time for ourselves in some cases, or even if we don't, we're strongly being urged to prioritize ourselves more and to be ourselves more. And um, I think it's a time when we start to question, you know, who do we want to really do we know who we are? Do we really know who we are? Who am I? And for me, you know, this is the most fundamental spiritual question.

29:10 Corrine: Who am I?

29:11 Soraya: You know, I think it's a really powerful time of our lives. I think a lot of people I've spoken to in our age, my stage group, they're saying, you know, their partners are saying that they've changed. And I'm like, yeah, I think that's a very common thing I've seen in my clients, as well as friends and family. It's um, you know, the partner not liking the change because you know the wife is no longer the same person he was when he married her like 10, 15, 20 years ago. And yes, I think that's inevitable.

29:42 Soraya: I think women, we do change because we're evolving, that we're at the stage of our life where you know we realize that we have to be ourselves and actually ask ourselves what we want.

29:51 Corrine: Yeah, absolutely, and you know, we carry so many labels, you know. So, no, as I say, going back to this, who am I? Um, you know, who am I beyond these labels of mother, wife, carer? Um, you know, there's so much conditioning that goes on. So beyond all of that conditioning, expectation of others, the roles that we're assigned to, all that external noise, you know, it's it really invites us to, you know, look at that and ponder that more deeply, I think, at the midlife stage. And the midlife stage might span quite a long time as well, you know.

30:31 Corrine: Yeah, um, so this can go on for a long time, and it can be quite a period of confusion, actually. And it's a break. Everyone involved, I think. Breaking down to break through. Sorry.

30:45 Soraya: I think it's for everyone involved because it's confusion in yourself who you are, and the people who are used to you being a certain way. So I think it's um there's a lot of different like relationships you're navigating, and they want you to stay how you were, you know, they're they're surprised by your reaction. But you know, I I think it's so important at this stage just to really be your authentic self and to be you.

31:09 Corrine: That's it. You've hit the nail on the head. I think it is, it's about being stepping into your authentic self. Who am I? You know, and being a more authentic version of yourself. And as you say, some people don't like that. And I think whatever, you know, whatever, you know, whether you have children, whether you don't, whether you're married or unmarried, women go through this regardless of their circumstances in some shape or form, really. And um, a big part of my journey really has been in the um unlearning, the unlearning of things, the deconditioning and realizing, you know, what was not mine, what have I just accepted.

31:51 Corrine: And uh yeah, so a big part of the process really is about peeling back these layers with so many layers. And um, you know, in a in a spiritual sense, um, I I always say that you know, the the journey is more like a spiral than a straight path.

32:11 Soraya: 100%. I definitely can say that's the truth as well. It's um it's not an easy one, but I think it's a very powerful stage in our lives when it's just about you know really embracing the change and going inside of ourselves to get that power to kind of move through it as well. And embrace life. Like, you know, it's I I love on social media there's so many very powerful um ladies who are a lot older, like 70s, 80s, and they're they're doing amazing stuff. Just um idea, societal ideas of how you should behave at a certain age and what's expected of you.

32:46 Soraya: So I love that when you can just throw that off and just be who you want to be.

32:50 Corrine: Yeah, and without guilt, you know, because that's another thing. I think as women, we carry so much guilt and shame around things. So this is another, these are other themes that come up, I think, around this age and working with them and trying to uh release, you know, get to the root of where these uh you know these limiting beliefs and things have come from, and to really to start shedding and letting go.

33:19 Speaker 3: Absolutely.

33:20 Corrine: In doing that, we do naturally become more authentic, but uh it's an ongoing process, it's not, you know, yeah. You go for a few years of midlife and then it's all it's you're all kind of enlightened and awakened, or whatever it's it's uh like I say, the path is a spiral and there's always more layers to look at.

The Layers of Healing

33:42 Soraya: But it's exciting though. I yeah, I think it's that when you reframe it in a way, like you know, we're halfway through our lives, and like you said, it's like we know in we would have been like the old wise ladies in the communities at the stage. We have so many years of experience, and we've learned a lot, it's just about really stepping into ourselves, right? To being our true self. So I think it's exciting.

34:05 Corrine: Yeah, absolutely.

34:08 Soraya: So, from your experience, Corinne, how can holistic practices support women going through pain menopause, menopause, and other major life transitions?

34:17 Corrine: Yeah, well, I think um I think we've touched on some of it already in that they um they offer us regulation, um, emotional support, um, bringing more rhythm into our lives and meaning. Um to practices like yoga, um breath work, Ayurveda, for living in more harmony and balance with ourselves and our environment and um our nervous system. Um and you know, um they help us adapt rather than fight fight the change really. And and also in providing a sense of continuity and self-connection um when you know times these times might feel you know quite uncertain for some people.

35:09 Soraya: Yeah. And what patterns do you commonly see when women move from pushing through life to living in greater rhythm and alignments?

35:18 Corrine: Um I think you know, when when women start to move into a greater alignment, they stop pushing so much. Um they, you know, there's a sense of, you know, uh resting without guilt. You know, I'm I'm I'm allowed to uh take time for myself and you know I deserve it. And um you know, it's about becoming more empowered um in yourself and and I think that's why some people um you know don't react as well to that, you know, people that have always seen you in a different way or you've always tried to do things to uh please other people or because you want to, you know, you want to um you know do the right thing by other people or whatever, you you become more empowered in yourself to do the right thing for yourself.

36:18 Corrine: And um I think there's a realization of the poor importance of taking care um of yourself more and uh the consequences actually of not doing that. So um I think you know, when we're in that, you know, in greater alignment, it's about making decisions more intuitively. Um and as yeah, as I think I mentioned before, life just becoming a little bit simpler, uh more intentional, um authentic and more more truthful, really.

36:50 Soraya: Yeah, and I also find you know, when you're in your flow, like things come easier and you know, you you notice more like synchronicities and it's all about the universe bringing stuff towards you as opposed to you constantly feeling like it's a struggle.

37:04 Corrine: Yeah.

37:04 Soraya: Do you agree?

37:05 Corrine: Yes, absolutely. Yeah, definitely. Because, you know, it's not just uh, you know, it's it's about the you know the changes that happen on all levels. So energetically, you know, when we start to make these changes into our routines and doing you know, physical practices like yoga or meditation or breath work, um, it has an effect on your energy. And uh yeah, so absolutely.

37:34 Soraya: And so I'm really excited that you'll be joining us at the February um self-love retreat. And you're gonna be guiding women into nervous system regulation. Why do you feel it's such an important way to be to begin a shared healing space?

37:52 Corrine: Um yes, I'm I'm well, I'm really looking forward to it, first of all. Um, and I think it's so important to begin um a retreat like that with the nervous system regulation, is because really safety is a foundation of healing.

Safety as the Foundation of Healing

38:10 Corrine: And so when the the nervous system feels settled, um you know, we can actually really receive what's being offered the practices, connection, and uh can also really um take away practical tools to practice at home um and to help support um you in in life and and keeping the regul uh the you know regulated nervous system, but you know it's about balance on all levels, mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual. Sorry, did that answer the question?

38:49 Soraya: Yes, you did. You did answer the question perfectly. So why do you thought immersive and nourishing environments like retreats can be especially powerful for women in midlife or during times of transition?

39:02 Corrine: Yeah, well, I think they can be powerful for anyone really at any age. But I think at this stage, um, if we're talking about this stage specifically or especially, then I think um they can be so powerful because, well, first of all, they remove us from the daily demands of life and offer that permission, you know, to prioritize, to prioritize ourselves. You know, if you've booked out a retreat or a day, it's like right, okay, this is my time, it's non-negotiable, you've signed up to it, you know, without any guilt or anything, hopefully.

39:38 Corrine: Um it's that permission to prioritize yourself. And it's um for some women it's something that they may not have done for themselves in years, you know. So it's actually that's actually quite a significant step to take. It's actually saying, I could actually this is okay. I'm I'm investing in my well being. And that sends quite a strong message, you know. Um um uh inwardly into your subconscious and you know energetically yeah um but also um as i think i mentioned in just in learning um there can be very simple tools and practices that you might feel like you have to go on a retreat to do but actually there might be a realization that actually some of these things are really simple but I can I can feel the effect of them immediately and um to to you know to bring you back to yourself and your sense of self um and as an individual and that's so important it can be really transformational so as I said you know I learned a meditation practice and that was so transformational for me so hopefully you know if um if um it can just take away one or two things from the retreat it could really make a difference in in your life and um hopefully leading to more more time for yourself more time to invest in yourself and and why that's you know important.

41:03 Corrine: Thank you so and how do you personally define wellbeing now compared to how you did earlier on in your life oh completely differently before I didn't even think about my wellbeing I just thought about oh god I have to go to work and pay all these bills and yeah you know now um you know I just totally ignored all the signs and what my body was screaming at me and I was very disconnected um yeah um earlier but you know it's been a big change since then and for me now well being is um being much more aware it's about you know cultivating that sense of um awareness and feeling at home in myself um being regulated connected and able to respond to life with more presence uh rather than reactivity um and it's also about finding balance in life on all levels you know not just on one level it's about all the levels mentally physically emotionally spiritually in the best way we can for for us and for our lifestyle as I say everyone has different lifestyles and everyone has ups and downs in life busy periods difficult times you know life can be really messy so it's not about perfection that's another big learning thing that I've I've had over the years it's not about perfection you know we're all a work in progress at the end of the day so it's not about being hard on yourself or what you're doing or what you're not doing.

42:42 Corrine: It's just about cultivating this deeper sense of um as I say um awareness really self-awareness so that you can respond more to your own needs more easily so yeah I I see really now all of life as a healing journey um it is all a learning journey as well isn't it as we get along with so yeah exactly everything you do every meeting is there's some kind of a lesson or a learning from it and yeah I really do believe that all of life is a healing journey and it's not straight path and that's why yeah and that's why I sometimes believe you know we have maybe bad relationships it's just to learn I think it's a shadow of who you are you see yourself in the other person that's what you're learning about yourself as well right that's a reframe yeah differently yeah well for me as I as I said before I think you know having sadhana a a spiritual practice is that you can come back to every day is really like an anchor and and as I say even if you can start for you know as you said just 10 minutes or even five minutes to start with then you'll gradually start noticing the changes it has a cumulative effect but it's about doing it regularly and consistently so then even when life gets tough you can stay steady and maybe you know less fall apart than you would have done before you can deal with things more easily it's not like you're as likely to go off balance and um yeah I've and it's and it's interesting because often the times when we really realize and experience this the most is um at times when you're not doing your practice and um you know when I've not been as regular with my practice um you know that's when I've noticed the difference the most so that's what I say for people who say they haven't got time for meditation or anything that's when they need it the most when you're not making time is when you probably need it the most that's what I find when when in the part and I thought I haven't had time I've missed out on meditation I've noticed that's a difference in how I'm reacting to situations.

The Shadow Side of Healing

44:55 Corrine: But if you really look at your day and all the things that you do in the day just think how many things that we do without even thinking about it. So you know if you're spending an hour on the phone scrolling every day that's something that's something that you can change differently about your day. If you spend however long watching the TV or whatever that's something that you can change there's always ways that we can make changes it's about making conscious choices in all aspects of life I think for me.

45:29 Soraya: Absolutely so we can always make the time it's just we might not always want to and uh yeah you know that's the thing in I sorry go on it's very great because you know for for the listeners who don't know we can't see each other because of the bad internet so we're just listening to each other's voices it's very difficult when you're not seeing the other person there's like we have a no nonverbal communication right now it's just our voices that I can't see when you're about to speak. So sorry for interrupting you go ahead.

45:57 Corrine: It's okay. No I was just gonna say that's why I love um Ayurveda you know so much and one of the key things in Ayurveda is around um dinacharya which is daily routine um so having a daily routine and rituals that really align with you know our own internal rhythms but also also the rhythms of nature and it really guides us into living a more holistic and balanced um lifestyle and that can really help you know if you're thinking oh god I'm so stressed I haven't got enough time in the day all these things that's where that can really come in so it's so such a useful tool really to help you you know think about your day and to start making more conscious choices.

46:44 Soraya: Yeah. And and I think going back to that it's I I think it comes down to also to habit as well. I think you know we so as as you know humans we're used to things that are familiar. So if you're used to a certain way you carry on doing that thing and you know when you you ask someone to meditate it seems very unfamiliar to them and it's hard to do it at first but the more you do it the easier it becomes as it's less resistance over time.

47:08 Corrine: Yeah.

47:09 Soraya: So exactly yeah but yeah great tips um and I would like to ask you to share one simple grounding or nervous system supportive practice listeners could try today.

47:24 Corrine: Yes of course so okay so this is just um a breathing practice then I think I will I will share with you. So just make sure that you're if you're sitting on a chair that your feet are just flat onto the ground. Okay. And you might like to even place one hand on your heart and one hand on your lower belly or you can just relax your hands down whatever you feel more comfortable with. And we're just going to start by inhaling deeply and fully from the bottom of the belly through the lungs from the bottom of the lungs through the middle up to the very top of the chest and then exhaling slowly and gradually down from the top to the middle emptying out the b to the bottom of the lungs and inhaling deeply again up to the top and exhaling slowly and gradually down and this helps to just breathe fully and fill out the entire lungs we often we only use a small small part of the lungs to breathe very shallow and we can take this a step further by again breathing in deeply on the inhale and as we exhale just blow out the mouth as though you're blowing out a candle and inhaling deeply and slowly up to the top of the lungs and exhaling out of the mouth as though you're blowing out a candle and one more time inhaling deeply and fully to the top of the lungs and exhaling out the mouth as though you're blowing out that candle and you can take this one step further even by inhaling deeply in through the nose and as you exhale out just humming loudly and as you're humming as you're exhaling all the air you're kind of pushing into the front of your head third eye area and so the vibration is really relaxing and calming you should feel it in your head in your chest and your neck even this really helps to you know to balance the vagus nerve and to switch us into this more relaxed state and connect in with yourself.

A Simple Breathing Practice

51:04 Corrine: And the humming on the exhale is especially calming if you're experiencing a lot of stress um and also if you have a lot of thoughts. So if you have trouble sleeping and you're having too many thoughts um it's a really helpful practice to do inhaling deeply and exhaling with a humming until you can just feel the test the stress and the tension begin to melt away and you feel a lot more relaxed if you do that for as many rounds as you feel comfortable doing for you.

51:44 Soraya: That makes me feel I feel very relaxed thank you Karina. And so other than the breath work you recommended just now do you have a another kind of daily ritual you do or non-negotiable practice that helps you stay nourish and and um center centered um yeah I think for me really is um is taking quiet time so I think the important thing for me is is to get up early um before anyone else is awake and the the ideal time for me is around between 5 and 6 a.m and that's that time of stillness in the morning and to just take some time for myself to meditate and to then move into some gentle movement before the day takes over you know and that enables you to start the day um with a much more sense of you know groundedness clarity and uh that you know you haven't got up late and you're scrabbling around oh my god what do I do now I've lost all that was me before I started meditating sorry that's what I used to do before I meditated so I've been meditating now for three years and before that I'd be waking up running like my feet to the ground just trying to do everything for the kids and you know and I'd be the last person when you start the day off when you start the day off in that way the whole of the rest of the day exactly it would be like nonstop yeah you you have that control as to how you start your day and that sets you up for the rest of the day really yeah and I've noticed that with clients when I work with my clients I always encourage them to meditate first things even if they've never done it before just to kind of change up the way they wake up in the morning while they're going on their phone and they've noticed a difference as well and that's something they keep doing after we work together just to incorporate that into their morning that in itself is in a really big shift in their day.

53:52 Corrine: Yeah that's another good one you know if you know if you're having even trouble with the meditation or anything just start by getting up a little bit earlier and just not having the phone on having the phone still switched off for at least maybe two hours after you've woken up.

54:08 Soraya: That's the worst way to wake up to your phone because you know you're you you start getting stressed straight away as soon as you go on there and then you just kind of like get into the rabbit hole of like going for messages and emails and it's just stress um levels go up as from the morning don't they? Exactly the cortisol is just shooting up I mean yeah double more than what it would normally in the morning so yeah yeah yeah that's when you're most kind of you know suggestible and you're just half asleep still why would you want to go into that phone?

The Habit of Distraction

54:39 Soraya: But it's just a habit again talking about habits Corrine that's what people are used to.

54:43 Corrine: So it's about breaking the habit so true yeah and Corinne what's lighting you up most in your work at the moment so okay so what's lighting me up most at the moment I would say is really actually it's been for the last year or so it's really connections and collaborations with other women over the last two years. So yeah as I think I mentioned you know we're all on uh different paths uh towards the same goal ultimately yeah so whatever you're going through you know when you have um you know um connections meaningful connections with other people you you know that you're never alone and that's something uh you know that's really um really been amazing for me um and uh you know I I've experienced that really profoundly over the last year and I've been so grateful for it it's really taught me how invaluable community connection and supporting uh one another really is and you know it really it reminds me of this quote there's a Ram Das quote that I love which is um that we're all just walking each other home yeah I love that that really is what lights me up that you know we're all learning and growing together and each um each one of us is a teacher and a student and um lessons there's lessons to be learned in all of our connections experiences and interactions and I'm always learning something new from the women that I work with the clients that I work with yeah likewise yeah that's really I I love that saying it's um really it gives you got a nice little warm feeling yeah to remember that we're all kind of connected it's all this collective consciousness anyway we're all supposed to be together harping one another collaborating um not pulling each other down so yeah absolutely yeah it's lovely okay and if you could leave listeners with one message about honouring their bodies rhythms and inner wisdom what would it be okay I think I think what I'd say is that your you know your body is wise and just to slow down enough to listen to it because it already knows the way the answers are already within you and um yeah so when you feel really embodied and connected with yourself as well as your higher self your soul level that's really when we come into alignment and that's really when you know you feel unstoppable whatever life challenges come your way you're able to deal with them.

57:30 Soraya: So so yeah it's really about going within and listening because yeah you already know the way yeah so true and to close as part of the podcast tradition there's two questions I always ask my guests number one what's something your body or nervous system has been teaching you lately I think um just simply the importance of rest simplicity and honouring my own rhythms um yeah and just going back to this reminder really about the importance of having regular spiritual practice because yeah I've also been through quite a challenging year over the last year a lot of change a lot of upheaval moving countries again and um yeah that's when I've really noticed you know when things have slipped and I've not been prioritizing um or it's not been fully as fully honored as it normally would be that's when the imbalance happens really so yeah it's about consistent um going going back to my practices and to to honor honor what um what my body's telling me really.

58:46 Corrine: Yeah and last question what does living as your limitless self mean to you right now okay so I feel like living as my limitless self really means um I think I've said all some of these things already what I'm gonna say but about living in alignment and trusting my inner guidance without needing to prove anything or to push anything you know so um seeing as every every challenge in life as an opportunity to grow evolve and expand um you know I really believe that we are all limitless beings we're all spiritual beings here having a human experience in this life and we're actually far more powerful than we realize so I feel like really um you know really feeling connected at soul level experiencing yourself as a soul means also being connected with source higher consciousness god universe whatever you want to call it and you know for me that's really is the goal of yoga that's where the union happens and uh for me that's the purpose of Life really is when you know we feel that connectedness and then we we feel this but we are limitless.

We Are All Limitless Beings

1:00:08 Soraya: Yeah, it's a self-actualization, isn't it? To go to that point. Yeah. Yeah. Love that. Thank you so much, Corrine, for coming today to be interviewed. And I'm so looking forward to seeing you at the library, which is gonna be so much fun.

1:00:24 Corrine: It's my absolute pleasure. Thank you so much. I'm really looking forward to it too.

1:00:29 Soraya: Okay, so see you next month. Bye Corin.

1:00:34 Corrine: Look forward to it. See you there. Bye.

1:00:36 Soraya: Thanks so much for listening to Hot Flashes and Higher Self. And if something in today's episode spoke to you and you're feeling ready for deeper support, then you can book a one-to-one session with me. I work with women around the world to help them shift from stock to self-led. And if you're craving real connection, movement, rest and reset, then check out the women's retreats I host. They're a beautiful mix of cleaning, hot yoga, incredible food, and soul deep conversations and connections. And you can find all the details at wwwlslypentherapy.com or come hang out with me on Instagram at Limitless Salt Therapy.

1:01:16 Soraya: You can also reach me directly anytime at sway at lstherapy.com. I'd love to connect. Take care of you, fill that cup of yours and remember your next chapter is already unfolding.