Ep. 5 - How to Love your Meditation Practice with Erica Galia

In this interview episode with Erica Galia, we share our experiences with meditation, and how we’ve learned to love, trust, and take care of ourselves better now than ever before.  This interview is packed with practical tips on:

• Starting a meditation practice you actually enjoy
• Living from the heart and showing up with more authenticity
• Cultivating more compassion and patience
• Being present, accepting reality, and staying with yourself through discomfort
• How to recognize the voice of your intuition and listen to your inner-guide 
• Developing a strong sense of trust and self-worth
• How nature connects us all, and always has something to teach us
• The importance of balancing kindness with setting boundaries
• How slow mornings, daily movement, and time with animals can always bring us back to the love space!

With a Midwest heart, a child-like spirit and a birds-eye view, Erica Rachel Galia has the innate ability to always see the bigger picture while being kind, empathetic, compassionate, yet present, observant and progressive. She has a strong understanding of human connection, how to actively listen, how to make others feel seen, how to nurture thoughts, and how to inspire others to be more than they ever thought they could be. And through her continuous commitment to her self, her meditation practice, to mindfulness and her advocacy of birth work, she has been able to tap deeper into her personal purpose of being here on this planet; to be love, to embody love, to show love. Erica is dedicated to carrying these vibrations with her as a meditation guide, birth guide and co-founder of Rooted Beings, a mission-driven meditation collective; in hopes of raising the heartbeat of humanity, of ending the journey of separation and beginning our journey of bliss and connection.

You can learn more about Erica on her website and on Instagram at @ericarachelgalia and @rootedbeings.  To stay up to date on LOVE SPACE, follow us at @lovespacepodcast and @itsarynlove, subscribe, and leave us a review.  Thank you for supporting the show!


[Intro music by Coubo + vocals by Aryn]

Transcript

Hi, welcome to love space. I'm your host Aryn Evans. This week I interviewed Erica Galia. It was really a pleasure to sit down with Erica. She is a childhood friend of mine. She's a meditation guide, a birth guide co-founder of rooted beings. A mission driven meditation collective. Erica. And I really got into how it feels to live from our heart and that really heart-centered living as opposed to living in our mind and getting caught up in the stories of our mind.

She's got such a strong relationship with herself and she treats herself and everyone she knows with such compassion and love. So I think this is going to be a great episode for anyone who is curious about meditation, or maybe is sick of hearing about meditation and doesn't think it's for them. We really got into some practical tips on how to make your meditation practice.

Well, first of all, how to start making it really easy. Two minutes, I'm making it playful and something that you look forward to and making it your own. We talk about developing more compassion for ourselves and how that can translate to us having more compassion for others and just how much we can inspire others just by being present and being able to accept reality.

All of these things are benefits of meditation practice. So we sort of share that experience and really just coming home to yourself. I know you're going to love her. So without further ado, here's our interview. All right. So you want me to say,

okay, welcome back to the left is welcome, Erica. I'm so glad you're here. Thank you for having me. I'm excited to be. Yay. So the first question that I ask everyone is what is your cultural background in. Wow. I was privileged in the fact that I have grown up with both of my parents and they're still together, high school sweethearts.

My mother is Mexican and my father is Polish. So that was a really nourishing way to, to have an upbringing. You know, it was my mom's side was kind of loud and a little bit slightly crazy in the best way possible. Lots of cousins, our family gatherings were always above and beyond and so bright and colorful and completely vibrant.

And so, so loving and nurturing. And my dad. Was this files a little bit more quiet, but had its own ways of making me feel again, so loved and supported. And so in that way, I feel very grateful to have always felt like there were individuals cheering me on and that there was no such thing as failure.

And there was a way for me to use times where maybe it did feel like failure is a portal of self-discovery as experimentation. And I think that is kind of a common theme that made me feel like I could experiment throughout high school and college. And even now when it came to career or what I wanted to do with my life.

And you know, now as I reflect and I think about my upbringing and how, you know, the various elements were infused in that way, it all makes sense now, so, but yeah, so that's a little bit more about my history and a little bit more about my. I love that. And just for the benefit of the listeners, Erica and I went to high school together.

So I know your family, I love your family. But thank you for sharing. I just love to set the stage and yeah, just to introduce yourself, all of the things that go into what makes you, you, so, so how are you doing? I know. Okay. So Erica is like super, super pregnant and the baby is due tomorrow, right? Or today I know I'm trying to, I'm trying to manifest her to come tomorrow, but I know she has her own timeline.

So if she doesn't, that is all right. But yes, I am very pregnant right now. I'm 40 weeks and that in itself has been, been a whole journey. So I feel great though. I, I know mindfulness and meditation is so close to your hearts, Erin, and I think it's. I don't know what I would've done. If I didn't have that practice throughout this journey of growing a human within, in order to stay connected to myself.

I think, you know, as women, we live in a world where we're easily influenced and we sacrifice so, so, so much whether that's consciously or not consciously, and having that as a practice, as an, as a route to constantly bring me back to who I actually am outside of what the world should tell me who I should be, whether it says as I enter through motherhood or as a pregnant person, this, you know, meditation and mindfulness is the constant that always guides me back to my heart and guides me back to who I actually am.

Especially when I get lost. I think we're meant to get lost for meant to like lose our way and everything. But having that as this kind of self healing modality to constantly bring me back home. So, so necessary. So I'm so happy that you are using this platform to, to normalize it and to do mystify it. Because even though we surround ourselves with people who have maybe similar interests and have maybe similar beliefs and values around consciousness and oneness and mindfulness it's still not the norm.

So I'm grateful for you using your love space to, to try to make it the norm. Well, I'm so glad that you mentioned meditation because that's one of the first things that I wanted to ask you about. You know, I know you're a meditation guide. You are a co-founder of rooted beings, which we'll we'll get into.

I want to know more about the origins of that, but, you know, I really would love to hear your journey with meditation. Has that always been something you've been drawn to, or when did you first find the practice of meditation and how has that developed. Yeah, I would say I probably found it in my mid twenties.

I was probably around like 24, 25 or all of I think many of us hit some sort of low or some sort of rock bottom in our twenties to kind of reawaken us and to kind of put us back on a path that's meant for us. So, you know, growing up I meditation and mindfulness definitely wasn't that in our household, there were, you know, we were Catholic.

Like I said, my mom is Mexican, so I did all of the sacraments. I did all of the things that we were definitely non-practicing. We were those families that would show up on Christmas Eve and everyone would point you'd be like, oh my gosh, they're the chemics. But you know, I think, again, my family did always try to instill that this idea of self-connection and this idea for believing something that's much larger than your individual life and that.

Connected and intertwined in some way, regardless of what exactly you believe in, you know, where there's a bigger source and there's a bigger energy here that's watching over. And so with that as a thread to my mid twenties, I, you know, you think that you're doing all the things you, you go, you go to high school, you go to college, you graduate, you check all the boxes, you get your first job.

And all of a sudden you start to you're like this doesn't feel. Like what I thought it was going to feel like, or what they told me, it was going to feel like I still have this underlining lack of fulfillment. There's this underlining an ease, or is this really what I want to do for the rest of my life?

And so then you, you know, you, you do take care of yourself. I was physically, you know, running, eating all the, all the greens and what I failed to do though. And I think most of us do at that time in our lives. And I think it's getting a little bit better now is I was failing. I was failing to take care of my emotional and mental wellbeing.

You know, I was kind of pushing away those feelings that I was having about work or about myself. I was pushing away some of those thoughts that maybe I should've just paid more attention to because I think some, what I thought were just thoughts maybe could have been some inner pings or my inner tuition trying to speak to me.

And I found myself in the advertising space for quite a while. Well, it looks all fun and games on the outside and the inside. It wasn't the best environment for myself. And I started having some panic attacks at work in the bathroom. And just like, I remember sitting on the toilet and just be like, what the heck's wrong with me?

Like, why am I, I have like my dream job, you know? And I, you know, it was taking care of myself. I had a loving partner because my now husband, I have a wonderful dog. And I was like, what is what's missing? What's the missing puzzle piece that's causing all of this anger and this inner turmoil and all of this unease and chaos.

And like, I felt like there was just complete chaos and storm and. So I'll never forget. It's like, I remember like it was yesterday and I remember after work one day I came and I sat on my couch and I was having another way. It wasn't quite a panic attack, but just like, when you feel like you can't catch your breath and your breath is so shallow in your chest, I know we all have felt that and experienced that before.

And I just laid back on my couch and I like let out the loudest exhale. I closed my eyes and I started following my breath just intuitively. I was just like, you know, I, I'm not dying. If I can just follow my breath. And I was like, well, you know, I am breathing in, I am breathing out. I am breathing in and I am breathing out.

And even though the quality of my breath probably wasn't the best. It did start to cultivate some balance. And I started to feel a little bit. More content with what was happening and just more accepting of what was unraveling before me. And then, you know, after it felt like 10 minutes, but it was probably like two minutes.

I was actually doing that. I I would say, I think I was meditating and that kind of was what opened up the door to so much more exploration in under, you know, mindfulness and spirituality. And, and from there, I just decided to deepen my practice, play around with different types of meditation. I did a meditation training and completely, completely changed my life for the better.

Wow. So it's almost sounds like you had like an intuitive hit to do that, that like, whether it was your body or your heart was like calling you to come back to your breath, how did that feel in the moment? What did it feel like your intuition or like, where do you think that came from? Yeah, you know, I. I think I was so disconnected from myself and I was not in alignment with my life path so much so that I didn't have any other choice, but to listen to the loudness of my intuition, I don't think I would have said it was my intuition at that time, but I think it was, you know, I think that for a long time there were some subtle signs and I was ignoring for a while as we all do.

And so it is like if she's going to keep ignoring us, we're going to just make this so loud and clear and directly in her face that she doesn't have any other choice, but to surrender to it and to just take it in. And I think that's what happens. That's exactly what happened. And I think now, as I've said it, I look back, it was clearly with my intuition, but at the time I just thought that I was at rock bottom and there was nothing else to do.

Yeah. Wow. Okay. It almost sounds like when you say we're going to, we're going to yell and make her listen. Like we being your angels, your everything. Exactly. Yeah. Whatever it is. All of my, my forever support system, you know, it was just kind of, you know, it, you, you need to really step into a new way of living and we've been trying to be kind and gentle with you, but you're not listening.

You're not listening. So here you go. No, we have to shake you. Yes, exactly. Oh, wow. So what is your meditation practice look like now? Of course it's evolved and it's changed so much over the years and I still have so much fun with it. And I like to keep it super playful. When I first started, I, I was at a place where I needed something extremely consistent, so I was doing more of and I still one of my favorite practices, but mantra meditations, where you, you know, you use a mantra, whether it's a state, like I prefer Sanskrit words because my mind is less likely to attach judgment to it when I'm repeating it.

So I was using like doing 20 minutes a day, twice a day, that was kind of my bread and butter for a while. And that was, again, I think it was able to kind of create a really, really strong foundation for me. And then from there I was, you know, now, you know, I'm, every day looks different and. We've also as a society have come to a place where we're not so rigid and we're trying to embrace a little bit more fluidity.

So instead of being so honed in and focused, I'm like, okay, I have to meditate for 20 minutes this morning. I have to do a mantra meditation. Sometimes that creates a little bit of resentment with me and kind of, I don't, I don't need that right now, nor do I really want that. What if I just close my eyes?

And I asked myself, what is it that I need right now? And sometimes that's just five minutes with my hands on my chest, breathing into my heart center. Sometimes it's going for a walk without my phone, but what's most important is the ritual of just starting my day with some sort of mindfulness and meditative components.

It's just, but what that actually is, is going to change from day to day. And I've been able to create some more space around that. And again, taking out that rigidness of routine, some cause sometimes routine can just feel. You, you forget the, why, the why behind them doing this routine. And then you just go on robot mode and then it starts a whole other cycle of just like, you're just kind of checking the box, like what we were doing.

We go to college, we graduated college, we get the job. And so I don't want to ever get into that type of habit again. And so again, every morning I wake up, close my eyes. I asked myself what I need. And so that's what it looks like now. I love that. I love the practice of waking up and saying, what do I need?

That's really beautiful. And how do you feel like those answers come through? Because I think a lot of people that maybe never thought to ask themselves what they did. How does that come through the answer? Of course, I think in the beginning, you're going to feel a little silly. You're having to like, well, what if it wakes up?

And it says, I need coffee. And it's like, well, what do I need before the coffee? You can have a coffee afterwards, but you know, I think it's like, it's that first voice that comes to you. And even you want to catch it before the mind starts to judge it or to create any sort of story around it. It's like that first.

And most of the time it's quiet. It's so quiet that you start to second, guess it. And so it's like that little ping and that, that inner voice, it's always going to be the first that you hear. And then of course, like I said, the mind will start to jet. Well, you don't really need that. You should probably get up and brush your teeth first, so you should, you know, and then, and then it spirals.

But yeah, I think it does feel a little silly in the moment. And then, but the more you get used to it, the more you embrace it, I actually heard this 1, 1, 1. She says a psychologist. I can't remember her name, but she starts every morning with putting her hands on her chest. And she'll say, you know, good morning, Erica, I love you.

And that's yes. Yeah, yeah. Yes. And she says, good morning. I love you. I read that. And I have done that since then. I love it. I really like, I love it so much. And I think again, that can feel really silly too, but what is so silly about that? Like what, you know? Yeah, no, that's a great point. I think when, and I don't know if you've heard, she did a, like she came out with a book recently, the high five habit Mel Robbins about high-fiving yourself in the mirror and it's sort of the same idea of good morning.

I love you, you know, just showing yourself that love, you know, one thing I've heard her say before, and that I've thought about since. Is that there is a resistance to that and what's in there. Why do we feel silly looking in the mirror and saying, I love you. And I remember going to yoga teacher training, and there was some component where we were supposed to write a love letter to ourselves.

And now I'm like, that's my daily journal. I'm like, girl, you're great. But when you're first kind of getting used to that, there is a resistance. And I think really looking at that and like, why does it feel icky to tell myself I love me, you know, I might not the most deserving of love, you know? I mean, we all I can say, I love you to a squirrel.

You know what I mean? Like, why am I having this resistance to saying it to myself? And what is it about our culture that makes that feel silly? And how could that be silly when it's actually so healing? So I think it's interesting to kind of look at that, you know, in this, in the same way that I think.

All the things that bring me back into the love space or that bring me back into that heart centered space. What are all the things that are keeping me from accessing that space? You know, I think it's both, it's like these practices of asking myself what I need, but then why am I having this voice in my head?

That's telling me that's really silly and you should just go brush your teeth. You know? So I think it's interesting to look at that and what comes up resistance wise. Absolutely. I think, you know, resistance is there to, to lean in a little bit, right into to try to learn, like you just, just start to question it in a very, very innocent manner of just like, why, why is that?

Did something happen to me a while ago? That's causing me to like, not want to tell myself that I'm worthy of this love or to tell myself something kind. But I think, you know, yeah, I completely completely agree that for whatever reason we've grown up in a world where it's uncomfortable. To be kind to yourself, at least for, I mean, I, that's how I feel, at least in the, you know, and I do think it's changing, but it's very true.

Just you've been brought up in this, this world where it's, we just taught and to stay disconnected from ourselves and just to not go against the grain and just to kind of mold and stay with what's considered normal in our world and not stick out too much, not love too hard, or you have to kind of just blend in, but there's no beauty in that.

Yes, totally agree. I think it's fear. I think it's fear of being too much or not enough, you know, fear of sticking out. And I think our response to fear is to like play it safe and tow the line. What's culturally acceptable. I also think if I'm feeling resistant to looking at myself in the mirror and saying, I love you, good morning.

I love you. If that feels weird, how am I possibly going to actually love myself in action? That's why I think these little practices it's like, if it, if it becomes easier to do that, just putting your hand on your heart and like, what do I need? How much easier is it? Then if you have practice doing that every morning, how much easier is it then to show up to your partner and ask for what you need or to show up to your work and ask for your needs to be met.

I think it's almost like we have to practice with ourselves first, right? Absolutely. And I think that's what is so potent and powerful about meditation is that when we're able to harness and strengthen this, the connection, then it's almost impossible for that to. Cause a rippling effect with all of our relationships, whether they're relationships that are deep, or if the relationships that are surfaced, but we're able to meet individuals that we come across on our path with more empathy and kindness, not to say that you have to agree with them, but you just, you just show up in the world with so much more openness and willingness to accept people for who they are in that exact moment.

And acceptance doesn't mean like bypassing anything or it means acceptance is being present. You know, acceptance is just seeing what is real in this moment. And meditation and mindfulness helps us do that, you know, because become so secure in ourselves. We are so deeply aware of who we are, that when we show up in the world, we're able to.

Easily influence all of those around us. So they too can also more embody who they really are. And that can be absolutely triggering for some people, if we're not meant to agree with everyone. And we're not meant to get along with everyone all the time, because that would make for a very boring, boring world.

But, but we're, we're giving people permission and, you know, by showing up it's, I almost feel like it's like a self responsibility. It's like, it's an obligation that we're all meant to take on is to just become more and more ourselves so that other people can become more and more of themselves. And as we do that, I think I'm, I got, who knows what could have.

Oh my gosh. Yes. It, there is so much there that I want. You're such a powerhouse by the way. I'm so glad you're here. I completely agree with what you said. I think there's so much there. So the, the kinder and gentler we are with ourselves, the more we can accept and be gentle with others. I think I'm hearing a little bit of that and hearing the acceptance of what is, is being present.

I think Geneen Roth, I don't know if you have read any of her stuff, but she talks about like never underestimate the inclination to bolt, which she works with people with like overeating and food issues and addictions. Whatever is happening in the present. You can either accept it or you can try to bolt.

Yeah. So you bolt by like picking a fight or running away or numbing, or just checking out distracting. But I think this is where meditation for me has been so helpful is the more I can just sit with this comfort. I don't want to sit still. Oh, my mind is crazy today. I just want to get up and stop the more I can just observe that and say, oh, that's what's going on right now.

Okay. My mind's really busy. I noticed that I accept it without needing to change it. The more I can accept my reality when things get a little uncomfortable in my day to day life, you know? Yeah, absolutely. And I mean, it's much easier to bolt, like you were saying, it's like, that's, it's much easier to numb ourselves or to zone out, to turn on the TV, to do whatever it is to distract ourselves from feeling or going through or accepting whatever it is that is happening before us.

But like you said, that's where meditation comes in is like, it gives us a bit more spaciousness and it's slow. It slows our world down a bit. So we aren't so reactive and we can move through things and heal and grow and slowly, you know, peel away parts of us that aren't serving us, then evolve into this.

You know, version of who we're meant to be. You know, I actually, I came across this quote and it, it said to, to, to live each day as if it were a lifetime, which I thought was so interesting. And, and I think, you know, I've been thinking about that because if we were to think that every day was like our life starting all over, I think we would be able to embrace, like we were talking about more kindness and gentleness with ourselves, because if we end one day with some slight disappointments, all I wish I would have done this, or I wish I would've done that.

Well, guest spot your life is going to start all over again on Tuesday and you can, you can go about it so differently. But I thought that was kind of, it's a really refreshing perspective to, to just add on top of that, the meditation and the mindfulness to, by cultivating more spaciousness and just being really, really gentle with yourself.

Yes, definitely. And I love that. Cool. What comes to mind for me is if today is my life, then. I'm not attached to stories from yesterday or years before. It's almost like taking the present and like really spreading it out. And let's look at what's here right now. And today, if this today is my whole life, what does it look like?

And let's play with what's here, you know? And you're not worried about how or yesterday, so that's really cool. I like that. Before we move off of the topic of meditation, what do you say to somebody who's really resistant to meditating in general, but knows that they should meditate because people keep telling me, what do you say to someone like that?

I mean, I always start the conversation around you've actually, you've probably been meditate. You probably meditate and you haven't even known know that you've been meditating, whether if you're a runner and you've had that runner's high, if you like to garden, And you're just kind of, you know, so focused on and gardening, or if you like to knit or paint or whatever it is, like your choice of where you're only honed in on the present moment and that action that you kind of lose track of time and space.

It's like, you've probably already been meditating. You've just been meditating in a very non-traditional way. And so how I would approach that conversation is first by asking that and saying, I'm like, I'm most of the time, like, oh yeah, you're right. Or I have done that. It's like, well, you've been meditating, you've already done it.

And so taking away your judgment, your perception of what you think meditation is, which is probably someone cross-legged with like a hand mood jaw. And so, so still, whereas like the funny cartoon where there's like a fly buzzing around him, he doesn't put, that's not. That's a complete stereotype. There's so many modalities and meditation.

I think that's, and that's part of why we started Ruby's too, is that it's not a one size fits all. Not everyone is going to fall in love with mantra meditation. Not everyone is going to fall in love with visualizations or loving kindness, meditations, just like how everyone's not going to fall in love with yoga or not.

Everyone is going to fall in love with glottis or running or any type of workout. You have to experiment and open yourself up to try different modalities and see what works for you. And maybe what works for you. Only works for a month and then you want to try something else. Like with me, like I did much meditation for awhile and then I switched it up and now my meditation practice is constantly changing.

But if you're, if you're trying to start and you're trying to create a habit of meditation, You want to do it in a way where you're encouraging yourself to succeed too. So don't set yourself up for failure, set yourself up for success by doing it. First thing in the morning, starting with two minutes, you know, really, really start small because if you're going to again, go all of a sudden skyrocket to 20 minutes, you're never going to stick to that practice.

You're never, you're never going to actually do it. And you're going to just be thinking about how you're doing it wrong the whole time to the 20 minutes and making yourself suffer. So if somebody says that, you know, they know it's great for them, I know I should be doing it, but I don't want to, I just say, you know, create some sort of habit that you know, that you, that is attainable for you, like two minutes in the morning.

And then from there you can evolve, you can grow and you can experiment and be in, like I said, just keep it light and playful because if you're able to do that, and you're more likely to want to come back to it too. I love that. And I think one thing that I also hear a lot is, oh, I'm just not good at meditating.

And I think if you're sitting down and you have the intention to meditate, you're meditating and you're doing great. And I have a strong practice and I, a lot of the time in my meditation, my mind is going, you know, for sure I'm following it down the rabbit holes. And I'm thinking about what I'm going to eat later.

It's all there. And at that moment when you notice and you're like, oh, I'm going to come back to my breath. I see this train of thought. I'm actually here to meditate. I'm going to come back to my intention. That's it keeping, just coming, noticing and coming back, noticing and coming back. Yeah. If you, if you're doing that, you're, you're meditating as best as you can.

And we always remind clients or students or community the latest remind them. There's no such thing as a bad meditation. Like you said, if you're choosing to become self-aware and just sit with yourself, you're doing incredible. Knowing that there's going to be meditations that are very gratifying, where you're like, oh my gosh, I feel so good.

I feel so much ease in my body. And then there's going to be some where you get out of it and you feel very agitated and it's not gratifying. But again, like you were saying at the end of the day, if you're choosing to sit with yourself and choosing to be with yourself, you've already won. That's the most difficult part is just showing up for yourself.

Everything else is just, that kind of would just come naturally, but like choosing to truly just be with yourself as the most difficult part. Yes, I agree. And I love what you said about if you could do it first thing in the morning, I think that's really important because the rest of the day kind of gets out of your control.

So those first moments who waking up, what do I need? You know, Hey buddy, Hey Hart, what do you mean. I love you. If you can work your way up to, and I love you. And then maybe meditating, if it's two minutes what do you have a morning ritual or a routine that you love? Yeah, I mean, I think that's, that's exactly it.

So I love to wake up in the morning. I greet myself, I asked myself what I need. Baby girl, what she needs as they, she needs from me today. And I, I usually try to carve out like the first 20 to 30 minutes of my morning of just pure self connection. And like I said, that looks different every single morning, but the conference are the slowness being intentional and mindful.

So for example, today I woke up and I actually, I did a, it was just under a 20, it was probably a 15 minute meditation where I was just kind of tired and tired. It's kind of a theme in my life right now. But

yeah, so I did my meditation right from my bed this morning, lying down, whereas usually I'll go to my corner or, you know, I'll go somewhere else in the house. So I'm a little bit more awake and alert, but today my body and my home. And baby girl, tell me, like, no, you're going to say horizontal in bed. We're going to meditate right from here.

And that, and that's exactly what I did. And it was, it was perfect. And I opened my eyes and I was like, oh my gosh, I, I really needed that. And then from there, I can go about the busy-ness of my day, you know, whether it's making a morning match, whether it's putting some juicy serum on my face and doing some glass Shaw and whatever it is I need from beyond that.

But it's that I need to start my day with slowness and some sort of stillness to, to create the foundation and the grounds for the rest of the day. And like you said, if I don't do it, first thing in the morning, my, I will create every opportunity to come up with an excuse. I don't have time throughout the rest of.

Yeah. That's how it goes. Yeah. I find that's how I feel about my movement practice now, because if it's just such a, it makes me so happy once I do it to just move my body, even if it's gentle some days, but if I don't get it in those first couple hours of the day, it's just less, less likely to happen that I love it.

Yeah. So it's like, okay, can I show up for myself? Even if it's 10 minutes. It's so nice. So I want to ask you about the origin story of rooted beings. Can you tell me how you felt inspired to start that and tell me the story? Yeah. So my co-founder and I Chelsea and I, we used to live in Manhattan beach together, this cute little beach town in Los Angeles.

And we. Both had similar. I think there's a lot of females who have a similar story. Like what, how I shared earlier too, of just being on this path of, with your career. And then all of a sudden, you're just, you're not as happy as you thought you were going to be. You know, it's like almost like you keep searching outside of yourself for something to, to, to fill this void.

And so she is an attorney and she, I believe she was in at affirm and she was having similar experiences, just like she loves the work that she does, but she doesn't didn't necessarily love who she was doing it for. And same thing with me. It's like, you, you can love what you do, but your environment can play a huge toll and role and how you're feeling and your wellbeing and whatnot.

So the Los Angeles cheesy, and the fact that it's kind of like a Mecca of like wellness and spirituality and, but where we were, it was. A little bit south of where everything was. And so when we wanted to participate in kind of those full moon circles and new moon circles and sound baths and all of the wonderful stuff, we would always drive up to LA and go.

But what we saw, what was missing in our area and what we were craving was this was a mindful community who have of individuals who are curious about meditation, who are curious about becoming better humans in real in-person like human connection too, because that's what we loved. And that's how we drove up for, like, we would sit in an hour of traffic because we wanted that in-person connect.

Yeah. And so we decided to actually open up a studio in Manhattan beach. It was kind of like a pop-up studio. We shared it with a yoga space and it's so funny as I reflect now and think about like how even the name root it beings came to fruition and how our, just our aesthetic and just our overall vibe came to fruition.

It was just, it was so organic. It was just like, I, I can't even pinpoint a specific day of when it just all unraveled, but it did. And the word we came up with rooted beans first. And then from there, when we were thinking about our classes and everything, it just kind of naturally all came together, you know?

And just to kind of give you a little bit more insight. So we do offer six different classes and this is, this was all. Started, like I said, at Manhattan beach with our in-person studio, obviously since then a lot has changed. I'm in Austin, she's in Chicago and we've digitalized, everything which has been such a blessing.

But when we were had our in-person studio, we had these six classes where, again, going back to the idea that meditation isn't a one size fits all. It's important for you to try everything. So we have mantra meditation, which we call the seed which, or you can use a centering thoughts. And we have, remember your root, which is Metta meditation or loving kindness.

Meditation keep growing is our class. Whereas I'm more visualization. A light as a leaf is more like breath work and pranayama work. Plant yourself is similar to like a yoga nidra class where you're, you are lying down. And then lastly, we have been like a brand which is seated, gentle. Stretching meditative stretching.

And so as you can see that all of our turns are nature infused. I love them. They're great. They're very nature of use. And the, also there is a lot of intention behind that because living in, in a world where we're nature is something that we can all connect to. We're all walking, we're all having different life experiences, but we're all having a human experience and we're all living on mother earth together.

So we all can relate to nature. It's very inclusive or all expressions in nature. And the fact that when I say light as a leaf, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Or if I mentioned to bend your arm like a branch, you know exactly what I'm talking about. And so it makes it relatable. You know, it just, it's not intimidating.

Mindfulness and meditation can be very intimidating. And I think about like our Midwestern parents, my dad would never sit down. And if I was talking about right away the chakras, or, you know, as much as I love talking like that, even I never sit down. And, but if I approach it as, okay, dad, we're gonna we're going to do a guided visualization.

It's called keep growing. And it just it's much more approachable. So the origin of these like natured infuse terms and just like our overall vibe, if using mothers as the influence for everything that we do was very, very intentional. But as far as like how everything came to, came to fruition, it was just, it was kind of natural.

That's great. I always say nature is the teacher to everything. And I think even just like what you said about like light as a leaf, I already have an image in my mind when you say that, and I know how light the leaf is and how it just kind of. You know, so, yeah, that's really cool. It's just a very approachable that we all have some familiarity with nature.

So you're now based in Austin, Texas. Yes. You have. Do you have a little nature by you? Do you have a lot, like a lot, you know, it's surprising, it's surprising when you think of Texas, you don't think of nature, but Austin is like, we're surrounded by these beautiful Oak trees and there's the Colorado river comes through here and it's like damned off.

So there's a lot of different kind of like lakes, but they're just stamped. It's the damned river, but yeah, we're, I completely, it's a completely different feel from Manhattan beach. Palm trees, ocean sand here. It's much more earthy in a way where it's like trees, rivers, lots of greenery. It's much more like I keep saying earthly, I feel more grounded here.

Whereas in Manhattan beach, it was much more a theory all in just like lights and yeah, like the elements, right? Yes. Exactly more airy was in Manhattan beach and here it's much more like grounded, like a more grounded, like Kafa and G yeah, there we go. So I, when I was looking at your website, I wanted to read this.

So it says we meditate to forge a path in our forest, hidden within to become grounded, expansive, resilient, and more at one with our true self. This interconnection contributes to a deeper, richer, and more present experience in our journey of life. In this way, we become a rooted being, I think that's so beautiful.

I love forging a path in our forest hidden within I'm like, this is, this is what I'm trying to capture with the love space. It gives you find your path in the forest and then the love space is where you reach your destination. Yeah, I think it's like within all of us, are there any other practices other than, you know, of course, meditation that you feel bring you kind of back into that love space or that forest, that home within?

Okay. Let's see here. I would say like movement too. I have to get movement, whether it's, I'm a big walking fan these days stretching, yoga, and also just nourishing myself with, with good food with, with whole foods. And again, I think. It's been such a beautiful practice to really let go and release the rigidness of, of routine or like following certain protocols that we learn that are good for us, like in the health and wellness space, whether that's food or diet driven or movement driven and exercise, and just really doing what I want to do, that feels good for me.

You know, I know that I need to take care of my mental wellbeing, my emotional wellbeing, my spiritual wellbeing and my physical wellbeing. And that's my responsibility and how I go about doing that is going to be unique to me. And so I'm so grateful that I've had the life experience to be able to experiment with so many different physical movements, whether it's, you guys said yoga, Pilates, running various bootcamp, whatever it might be.

But at the end of the day, now I'm at a place. I think this also comes, which is. Come into your own, and you are more secure with yourself and connected to yourself where I don't really care as much. What certain things are telling me that I need to do to be healthy and to stay connected to myself.

Now I have come into a place where I'm just going to do me someday. That's walking some days that, you know, meditating outside some days that is eating eggs. I was vegan for gosh, like seven years, and now I have eggs. So I'm letting go of the rigidness and just allowing myself to embrace what feels good in the here and now, because I think sometimes with rigid.

That's where that's like the ego a little bit sometimes and say, you have to do this because whatever, you know, like I don't want to get them the whole veganism topic, but I was there. I was plant-based for so long. I think it, at the end of the day, you know, I, I want to do what goes, what feels good for me and what, what is best for me in this moment, at this time.

And that might look different tomorrow. It might look different 10 years from now, but right here, right now, this is what's going to nourish you. I relate to that so much. I mean, I know, I know that we're the same age, so I wonder if it's like this, this age we're at or where. I also know that we're both experimenters.

And I think you were saying like your life experience of experimenting, I personally can totally relate to having tried pretty much everything. I'm such a nerd for all things wellness, as I know you probably are too. And I've tried plant-based and I've tried running, not a huge fan of running, but I love walking.

I love dancing and moving. And I think anytime you have an idea, a rigid idea, it is from the ego of like, oh, I'm somebody who does this. You know, even with me, maybe I'll be a runner or something who knows. I think we're, we're growing and evolving, but I just love the, the common thread here that I'm hearing from you that I think is so important is.

Checking in with yourself. What do I need? Because you trust yourself, you've built that trust with yourself. And I think once you build that trust with yourself and you know, your intention is to take really good care of yourself with good food and movement and nature time. And, you know, meditation time, you can trust yourself that you're going to know what you need in the moment and present, and you don't have to kind of like lay it out ahead of time.

I I'm wondering what has helped you to build that trust because I, when I hear you in ICU, I think that's, she, she knows herself and she trusts herself to take good care of yourself. And how did you build that? Or took years and years of practice and I'm still practicing, but I know we've, it's been, what we've talked about.

Meditation definitely has helped me create this self-trust and even more so recently, I think since I found out I was pregnant too, that has opened up a whole other, I don't know this other part of me where it's just not only do I have to strengthen this self trusting muscle and I have to strengthen my intuition, not only for myself now, but also for this little girl who's coming earth side any day.

Now it's everyone says that, you know, like a mother's intuition is, is so strong and it's, you know, it's so important when it comes to parenting and motherhood. And I feel that deeply, you know, since becoming pregnant, it's just that it's like, you don't have any other choice, but to trust yourself and to, to trust your inner wisdom.

And so. But for those who are not with child and for those who are choosing, who would, who don't even want children, I think when it comes to strengthen that muscle, you absolutely have to have some sort of meditative practice because it's only when you're quiet that you're actually going to be able to hear that part of you that wants to be heard that the mind is all.

If, if there's a choice, the mind is always going to be turned all the way up. Like that dial is at a hundred at all times. It's, it's a thinking tank. It wants to, it wants to be heard, wants to like, know you that know that you're listening. And in order for us to comment a bit, we need some sort of meditative practice.

That's going to support that. And so when then we can slowly turn the volume up of that inner voice. And then that's where the self-trust comes in learning to. That quieter voice and trust that that's the voice that needs to be heard. And that's the voice that's going to serve you. And that's the voice that's never going to change or never going to disappear.

You know, the tone and the quality of the mind is like a rollercoaster. It's going to constantly, it's going to be all over. It's going to have its highs. It's going to have its lows, but the, the voice in your hearts is, is going to be constant. It's always going to be kind. It's always going to be loving.

It's always going to be truthful. It's always going to be you. So learning to trust that is, I mean, is a skill set that we are going to constantly need to strive for. It's not something that's going to come natural. That's definitely right. I like that. The sort of the dichotomy between living in the mind and living in the heart, just from what you share in the, in the social media realm and with your, with your meditation company.

I think this idea of being heart-centered like living from the heart is something I always associate with you. And that seems to be what that is. It's like, instead of living in the mind, which is so much a part of our culture, at least the way we were brought up, you're kind of like putting that on pause or like, Hey, I see you mind, thank you for keeping me alive, but I'm going to, I want to live from the heart.

Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. And it's obviously, always easier said than done, but we always have an opportunity to return to that place. You know, they say, I think we, we live in an outer world. That's constantly trying to derail us from ourselves. And the more that. Again, strengthen that trust muscle. We trust our intuition.

We trust ourselves the easier and the easier is to find our way back is like to return to that loving space. And sometimes, and actually I think the more that we do this, the quicker that journey comes or the shorter, I guess the shorter, the journey becomes more shortened back to this heart space. The more, more deeply connected that we are with ourselves.

Yeah. I always describe it as like a shorter rebound time. Yes. That's a, that's a great, that's a great way of describing it. So I'm studying herbalism right now with the school of evolutionary medicine and they're very heart centered and really beautiful. So total credits to Sage for this one over there, but so he has talked about.

The world versus the earth. So like the world is like this creation, like from human minds, basically like human minds got together and created the world. So like the skylines, the subway system, like all very useful things. But then I kind of think like taking our analogy a little further, that the earth is kind of like our heart, you know and so when you're talking about kind of the universality of our connection with nature and that, like, we all kind of know, you know, there's something about nature that we just all kind of feel connected to a know, some people feel more strongly than others, but we all can relate to it.

And I think it's like, we are nature. Our bodies are nature. And I think that's one reason. So many people have told me that being in nature brings them back to the love space. It brings them back to this heart space. Like I think the world, you know, as much as I know, we both have lived in cities and enjoyed all of that.

And all the wonderful things that, you know, it's nice to like go get a fancy juice. Okay. Like, of course, but I think just seeing the world for what it is, is that okay, the world is almost like this manifestation of our minds and our egos. So the earth is like our heart space. I love that now I think that makes so much sense.

Yeah. And then there is, and I'm so bad at remembering names right now, but there is also that quote too. I can't remember who, who said it, but it's like, when we become disconnected from nature, we become disconnected from ourselves. I can't John mere, maybe. I can't remember who exactly who it was. It's it's so, but it's so true.

You know, the more we disconnect from nature, we are disconnecting from ourselves. And in order to reconnect with ourselves, like you said, what you hear we're from, when you talk about with, you know, your, your community or what, you know, with your herbalism class too, it's like people talk about how they feel so much better when they take a weekend trip and they go camping or they go for a walk in the park or whatever, however, close to nature that you are.

I think everyone always feels better. Like automatically you already, you know, you already feel, you just feel more. Just more in tune with, with yourself, with your breath, with your body. But I think that's what nature is. Like nature is kind of like this bridge back to ourselves. And so yeah, I love the imagery of that.

One of the things that I have to ask you about, because I know you said this is all easier said than done. Okay. But you've always been very kind, very loving soul. And I think a lot of the resistance that I hear to people like of people who are almost afraid to live in that HeartSpace kind of confusing compassion and acceptance of others with like being a doormat.

How do you navigate sort of balancing having compassion and like living from your heart and living with love, but also having boundaries and making sure your own needs are met, you know, kind of balancing those concerns. Oh man, this a doozy. But I think that I've been I've been presented. With a lot of opportunities as a result of my kindness and my softness, I've been presented with a lot of opportunities where I've had to create strong boundaries.

I've had to lean on my, my, maybe not so strong backbone at the time, but have had to speak up for myself specifically in the work like in the workspace with some toxic men where there were definitely instances where, whether, you know, whether I would just wasn't treated in a positive manner whatsoever, the way that I was spoken to or spoken down to in the workplace, whether it came to financial conversations in the workplace.

And I think there's a way to, to keep your integrity as a heart-centered person, but also. I think part of being heart-centered is also standing up for yourself, you know? And I, and I also think this comes with life experience. You know, there were times in my, you know, early twenties when I was in the advertising space and I was dealing with, you know, toxic men and clients, and I would just laugh it off, you know, certain things, you just like, you put a smile if you just like laugh it off, but that doesn't feel good.

And then you come home and you're like, why did I do that? Like, why didn't that wasn't funny. Or, you know, that, that actually hurt my heart. I feel icky. I feel, and you remember that? You're like, okay, well, next time I'm going to, I know my worth. And I'm going to show, you know, universe source, you know, whatever it is that you, you believe in higher power nature.

I am going to show them that I am worthy because I know they see my worthiness and I I'm born worthy. It's not going to make me any less worthy. If I speak up for myself, it's actually gonna make this like magical. Stance. And so hopefully I won't attract these opportunities, these incidents, where I have forced to stand up for myself as much, you know, I hope they'll still come along, but maybe there'll be more far and few in between, but I, I think there's, there's a way to go about.

And, and there was definitely a pattern for a few years where like the same, the same thing was happening. You know, and it was the same type of person and the same somewhat instance. And I think it was a direct result of me not sticking up for myself and not value myself and honoring myself and kind of being more of like that passive doormat, just like, Hey, laughing it off, smiling.

Everything's okay. I'm always positive, but that's not the case. You know, there's a way to be that person and just stick up for yourself and to keep your integrity. It's like, I'm still, I'm still the same kindhearted person. I'm still, I still know like my truth, but there's absolutely a way to, to stand up for yourself and, and vocalizing that like, no, you know what, that's not okay.

And whether that's received while or not is on them, how you share it, how you go about it. Like you can always, you can set, you can talk about it and, and speak your truth in a very mindful way, in an intentional way, in a way that you feel like needs to be shared. If the other end of the spectrum, if they aren't receiving it the way that you are intended to be received, that's on them too.

So, yeah, I, yeah, I think, and I think for me, when I hear you explain that it almost seems like. The energetics. Okay. We're going to get, we're going to get a little LA woo. Here. I know Erica is right here with me. To me, it sounds like the energetics of manifestation and like the law of attraction. You know, people talk about these, but I think it goes beyond like thinking positive.

And I think what you're describing sort of this pattern of I keep being present. This is how you said it too, which is so beautiful. I keep being presented with these opportunities. It's like the universe is always working in our benefit. God, spirit, whatever you choose to call it. I believe that the universe is always supporting us.

So if we keep being presented with these opportunities, it's almost like these tests from the universe, like, are you going to act, are you going to act in your worth? Are you going to put a boundary here? Because you're either going to be. Abandoned caring what this person thinks of you or you're going to abandon yourself and yourself.

You always feel it. You know, you almost feel like a little hangover from it. Like you described coming home after having lifted it off. It's like in the moment laughing and off me and the other person more comfortable of course, but at the risk of kind of leaving yourself in alert and neglecting yourself.

And so I think, you know what you're describing about like, I'm worthy. I want, I'm going to show the universe that I'm worthy. AKA, I'm going to show the universe. I don't need this test anymore. So stopping me, these guys that are going to disrespect me, I'm going to act in alignment with my heart and my worth.

I'm an advocate for my needs. And what's interesting, I think from an energetic perspective, and this is where it does get a little woo, but I really. The more you do that, the less you're tested because you're putting that energy out there of like, I know who I am, I'm I know what I deserve. And I'm not really going to stand for being disrespected.

And just like that, it gets a little easier. Yes. It gets a, it gets a little easier every time. Right. And then a new test comes and then, you know, but then we conquered and then we overcome that test and with these new skills and these new talents, and these are our new toolbox we'll pull from there and, and overcome the next, you know, the next test and whatnot.

But, but yes, that's definitely, you know, When it comes with somebody who is, I like to call it soft strength too. Like you're, you're able to keep your softness, like guys that you know, that you're in, you're very soft, that very soft strength about you too, where it's like, you, you want to keep harmony amongst all you like staying balanced.

And it's just, it's just part, it's part of our nature. We have a bit more of a gentle nature than some people, and that's beautiful, but also there's a way to. To be strong, you know, there's a way to speak up. There's a way to cultivate boundaries. There's a way to say no, there's a way to say yes while still staying true to yourself.

So yeah, I call it our, I call it our stop strength. Well, I love that. Thank you. I'm happy to be in the soft strength. Yeah, it's interesting. I think, I think when I was younger in my twenties and especially going through all the terrible things that happen along the way, sometimes I think you feel like, like it's not safe to be soft and you have to almost like harden yourself.

And I think that's doing a disservice. I think the world is really more beautiful when we can really be who we truly are, you know? And I think I certainly sense from you having known you for years, like a gentleness. Yeah. And just a, yeah, like a soft strength about you, that if you were to put on some kind of mask of something else, it just wouldn't really be you, it wouldn't feel authentic.

Right, right, right. True. Oh my goodness. I'm so glad that we could talk. I can't wait to hear how everything goes. If you're a little baby comes tomorrow. I know you have an adorable dog, Bo, how do you think Bose is going to be jealous? Not to be the baby anymore? Or what do you think? I think he's very protective actually.

Yeah. Yeah. I think he's going to be slightly, but he's already protective of me right now. Like, since I've been pregnant, he's the whole reason why I took a pregnancy test, actually funny Stripe. Okay. So we were we're Airbnb being kind of all over, trying to figure out what we want, where we wanted to end up.

And we were in, I think actually we were still in LA air being, and my husband was gone. But when I, our dog, he was following me around, he always follows me. But to the point where I was like, okay though, like what what's going on? He was following me to the bathroom. I would, I would be in the bathroom. He would sit in between the toilet and the wall.

He's telling you, the kid wouldn't leave me alone. And I was like, okay, I'm either sick or there's something wrong with me or I'm pregnant. And I was like, there's no way I'm pregnant. I was like, it's impossible. But I went to the drug store. I bought some tests just to be safe, share enough, you know, like five later I was like, oh, I.

I'm absolutely. Wow. The first to know he was the first to know he was the first now and he, I mean, dogs, animals are incredible. Like, oh my gosh, they're so special. They're so sweet. So he was the first. Yeah, he was the first to know animals really are the best though. They're like so sensitive in ways that we don't even understand.

And I feel like they're just always present. They're just, yeah, exactly. Talk about like a creature it's always present and like never judging and like, he's able to just like move on. I don't think. Goodness. Exactly. I know my dog he's been with me for 11 years. I love him so much, but I'm like, okay. You've seen two 11 years.

Yeah. Yeah. And he's just starting to get like little white hairs, you know, like in his eyebrows and his cheeks and. He is, he's very sweet. And we have we have like a cat named Luna and she's two now, but she, she keeps wanting to play with him and he's like, no, I'm too old for this. Like you better keep your distance.

Yeah. Oh yeah. He's good with, he's got good boundaries for sure. Well, thank you so much. I'm so excited that we got to connect. Where can people connect with you if they want to learn more? Yeah, absolutely. So for our meditation collective or rooted beings, which is also, I failed to mention earlier is mission-driven.

So apart a portion of our proceeds goes to right now we're partnering with the thirst project, which digs. It helps communities in east Swahili put in. So, I mean, that could be a whole other conversation, but it's on our website as well. If you want to learn more, my business partner actually was able to go over there and help with a well two years ago.

So, so with that, so it's really beings.com. Our Instagram is rooted beings. We have digital courses on there. We have an on demand studio and we'll be offering another teacher training in the end of the fall. So fall of 20, 22, that's something that you're interested in. And then me personally, you can just find me.

My website is Eric, Rachel Galya. And my Instagram is Eric. Rachel galleon. Yay. Well, I just know people are going to love you if they don't know you already, and you're just such a light and just, I feel your heart and everything that you do. So I'm really grateful that you came to chat with us today. Oh my gosh.

It's been so fun to reconnect. Like I said to the fact that we've known each other, since you were 14 years old is saying it's been so fun just to watch each other evolve and change and to just to be here with you and to be here in this love space. Thank you for allowing me to share my voice and speak my truth and to, and just to connect with you.

It's been such a wonderful conversation. It's been so nourishing and I wish you nothing. The best with growing love space and continue to reach as many hearts as you need to. Thanks so much. .