00:00:00 Sana: There is a kind of exhaustion that isn't just about sleep. It's the exhaustion of holding it together while something inside you is quietly asking to be heard. And a lot of women, especially in seasons of burnout, grief, identity shifts, motherhood or who am I now moments. There is a conversation happening beneath the surface. Listener. Sometimes it's emotional, sometimes it is spiritual, sometimes it's in the body. So today, on this episode of Mindful Living, we are exploring a phrase that can sound mysterious, even a little loaded with wisdom. What does it actually mean? Without turning it into any trend or slogan? And how, if at all, can this connect to mental health in a grounded way?

00:01:10 Sana: welcome back, listeners, and let me share a bit about my guest today. Sharon Ann Rose, a ceremonial list author and shamanic priestess has spent over twenty five years guiding women through life's thresholds. Burnout, unravelling, identity changes, grief, and the deep spiritual longing that can show up when the old version of your life stops fitting. She is the author of faces of the mother, and her work beautifully bridges feminine wisdom traditions with real lived experience without bypassing the messiness of being human. So with that, let's begin the beautiful conversation. And Sharon, welcome to the show. And as always, it is, it is such a such an honor. And it's such a heartwarming feeling to have you sharing your insights on all of our shows. So thank you so much.

00:02:12 Sharon Ann Rose: Thank you Sona. I'm so delighted to be back here with you again. You were such a very astute and heartwarming host as well.

00:02:22 Sana: Oh, thank you so much. Thank you. Okay. Um, so, Sharon, I'm, I'm so curious to learn from you and I'm very sure our listeners will be as well. When you say wisdom, what are you actually referring to?

00:02:41 Sharon Ann Rose: Yeah. So womb wisdom, it obviously has existed as long as the female body has been here. The body of woman holds womb. And even when a woman has had a surgery and had her womb, her uterus removed. This is where it's gotten so fascinating because those who work in the field of body work with women and a lot with pelvic therapy have discovered women still hold the womb wisdom. They still hold a relationship to theirs. And this surpasses whether you have become a biological mother or not. This literally is a living organism inside of the female body that literally replicates the womb that we have all journeyed through to get here. And so we can look at that at the layer of a cosmic womb. We can look at it at the layer of the divine mother's womb or the great mother's womb. And we also can look at it as an understanding of what everything we see on this planet lives inside of. It's literally a living organism of generative intelligence birth, rebirth, death, existence.

00:04:11 Sana: Any of that that makes so much sense. So much sense. I mean, um, not going with the literal meaning of it, but then kind of a more of a symbolic meaning here. Like, you know, this, um, a center of, uh, creation intuition, um, listening to your body then, you know, all the cycles and, and if I, if I kind of put it in the frame of our mother earth, then it kind of makes so much sense because we have creation, we have destruction, we have intuition, we have, um, seasons as the cycles in there. We have so much of history when it comes to our planet. And even if we look at the universe, I think, you know, it had to, I mean, I don't know whether, you know, it had happened or not, but then as scientists would say that, you know, it all started with a single point. Um, but then it was the womb that kind of created the whole universe in there. The visible universe at least. So it's it's quite a very symbolic meaning in there.

00:05:21 Sharon Ann Rose: Yeah. Yeah. You go, girl, you're, you got this. Listen to you. And you know, here, here we are living inside of this. And it also helps to orient back to feminine wisdom because so often we are hearing, and again, I'm not here to protest or go up against the science. That's that's not my field. That's not my specialty. I'm very much more about the energetic, um, aspects of, of, of wisdom. And so here we, when we return to the literally the womb of creation that we all, everything we see has passed through to arrive here, to awaken here. That's very feminine. That's much more about being Birthed a lot of times what we've, you know, the Big Bang theory and other theories about the world have come through very masculine, analytical, scientific understanding. So again, it's just a different framework. And for women, it often really helps them settle back into what they've been feeling all along. And they know inside of their bodies. And, and so that womb wisdom helps a woman to, to actually get realigned again, often in a, in a culture where she has felt so misaligned and not even understood why or how.

00:06:49 Sana: Yeah, I agree one hundred percent. No doubt, no doubt. you work with, uh, women when the life that they build, it starts to crumble. I mean, it kind of becomes unbearable. Um, and I don't know. I mean, there's always, always this kind of stigma or a huge misconception that it's, it's all about your hormones. It's all about, you know, women be crazy. Like, you know, I don't know, it's, it's, it's very demoralizing and it's very kind of sensitive. It kind of absolutely defeats the entire, you know, beauty and that complexity inside, especially a woman's body and her mind, her emotions, her spirit. So, um, Sharon, you know, when mental health is struggling, like there's anxiety, numbness, overwhelm, how does that show up in the body in your experience? And where does the womb? Uh, let's say like biologically, we also see the pelvic center fit in, if at all.

00:08:03 Sharon Ann Rose: Yeah. So I'm gonna work, um, work at the larger realm and then move down into the female body with the. So if we look at the cosmic womb or the womb of creation, we know as you were saying, it, it holds it all. It has held and birthed it all. So it knows, you know, those, um, palpations it knows those contractions of birth and also death. It knows the amazing lightness, you know, of sunrises and sunsets and different seasons and cycles. And it knows the density, you know, the density of immense loss and grief. And so, for example, when I'm working with a woman, because I don't do, you know, there's, there's a whole gorgeous realm of work called pelvic, physical therapy. And that is literal internal, like you're literally doing internal trigger points and releases. And the way that I work with a woman's body is to help and support her, to tune in and have an intimate relationship with her own womb wisdom, which is immediately connected to the creation womb. And so I'm supporting her in that. And, and what often is happening then is she's then experiencing a much larger framework of what her womb is capable of working with, of holding of literally, energetically and symbolically and archetypally birthing and rebirthing through her. And so when these moments of rupture and collapse and these moments of like, I can't go on being the woman that I've been happen. That's when she can turn towards this amazing womb that that is literally inside of her body, whether still physically or energetically, and tap into the larger infrastructure that holds and supports that, that it's connected to, to begin to help her, you know, rebuild, to literally be reborn. And that process is absolutely connected to what what we were speaking about the larger framework of rebirth, death, all the cycles, creation and destruction. And so this helps her to have both a visceral because she'll have a visceral sense of being held in the world differently when that womb inside of her connects with the, the womb of creation. And then she just slowly and very, very gently begins to bring, you know, these ruptures, these losses, these sadnesses and these griefs, as well as these longings and desires and ecstasies, you know, into her own womb space and, and work with those.

00:11:02 Sana: Yes. Yes. Yes. And I, I.

00:11:05 Sana: And I completely agree with that. Um, because, you know, when, when, um, there is pain. Um, you know, I think it makes us vulnerable to, um, simple explanations, like our mind kind of tries to just look for simple answers, but sometimes it can be simple. We may not find it simple, but then sometimes it can be, it can take time to find those answers. And I think the, the real care, it often includes, uh, both like body awareness and the humility to get checked out, you know, uh, not to romanticize kind of thing, but at least having that acknowledgement that yes, there is pain and I need to understand it. I need to acknowledge, and maybe this is something kind of, you know, a kind of a new reckoning for me, like a new calling for me for something new or something better, something different. Mhm.

00:12:14 Sharon Ann Rose: Yeah. Yeah. And this word reckoning, you know, and, and what you were speaking about how it's, it is quite simple. And then it's not at the same time, it's so nuanced, it's so subtle. And the womb again, is it's a fascinating thing because if, if you just put your hand on your womb and you just turn inward and take a breath and you just be with with it for a second, it's pretty, you know, pretty clear. Often tears will just rise out of nowhere or that, you know, that feeling of just, oh my gosh, it's, it's such a, um, grounding doesn't quite encompass it, but it's, usually a very visceral, intimate experience. And so when we're talking about mental health and this reckoning that you're, that you're speaking of, it does require us to realize that it is that simple and it won't always feel like that. And it is about taking the time each day hand to womb, taking a breath, feeling yourself. They're centered, they're present. They're breathing with the womb. And the womb is not gonna come out and make things really rational. It will be a felt experience. It will be a felt pathway that we just breathe and feel our way with it and through it. And, you know, we want to turn everything into a clear explanation and have be able to say, well, this is what's going on for me now. And this is why. And this is what it's connected to. However, the womb literally is connected to all of life, and it gives us the permission to drop that and not have to rationalize because we can't, we can't rationalize how inside of the womb, we can feel something happening on the other side of the world through our womb. Like we can't rationalize that. So we don't have to. And the liberation for our mental health comes when we start approving and giving permission and honesty of like, oh, these, this is the intuitive medicine. I just need to breathe into this and touch my womb and really be here for a moment each and, you know, many moments, certainly in the day, especially with the intensity of the world. Um, so yeah, it's simple and, and not so simple. And it does change our framework of how we show up for our mental health.

00:14:59 Sana: Okay, exactly. I love your explanation because I could picture, you know, especially that hand to wound and how it kind of, you know, it's a visceral experience. And then when you, when you keep a hand on you like how sometimes, you know, tears can come without any, any explanatory reason in there. It's just, you know, they start to flow out. And that is something sometimes, you know, like the so-called practical world that people would say, oh, don't be so emotional. Uh, it's, it's, it makes you feel weak. But I think some, I think emotions need to flow because that's what make us humans. I mean, if we are without emotions, then we are just not living things. Yeah.

00:15:52 Sharon Ann Rose: Yes. And this is like the womb gives us permission to not have a reason to feel anymore. It's much more like what one would hope. You know, children were raised under, which is the energy of oh sweetie, you're crying. I see you as simple as that. Or, oh, sweetie, look, you're laughing. I see you just as simple as that. And what has, you know, happened? Whether for the better, for the worse. I don't think that even matters anymore is that we actually feel we need a valid reason. And as soon as we do that with our feelings, we start going down a very mind centered path looking for proof. And then on comes in all these issues. And this is where the mental health, you know, gets really, um, contorted where then we're trying to prove ourselves that we have a reason why we're crying or why we feel freaking amazing. Same thing. We feel like we have to have a really good reason and prove our worth. And on and on and on versus when we touch into that womb and we just feel we don't need a reason, it just is.

00:17:07 Sana: Okay. Told me, um, Sharon, uh, also before we conclude, I think, um, this one is also such a beautiful question. Um, and specifically about your book. I mean, it is the faces of the mother. I mean, archetypes can be powerful, but then, um, they can also sometimes feel abstract. So how do mother, you know, archetypes connect to our mental health in a tangible way? You know, like what changes in someone when they understand the faces, they are quote unquote faces that they are living through. HMM mm.

00:17:52 Sharon Ann Rose: Very potent.

00:17:54 Sana: Yeah.

00:17:55 Sharon Ann Rose: You know. So like you said, it can be quite abstract because we're used to having kind of a one dimensional sense of ourselves. We're used to being X, Y, z and that's it. You know, like in my experience, I'm Sharon, I'm mother, I'm teacher, you know, like bam. But when we start turning towards archetypes, archetypes become kind of this living expression of qualities and aspects, you know, and, and they can be so broad and so specific and they give us again, returning to that word of permission, they give us permission to realize all of this lives inside of us. Again, the one who can absolutely birth and create a beautiful universe, and the one who can tear that down when she's just like, enough, enough. This isn't working. And everything in between. And so we often need a little hand from beyond or from within to allow us to move into these new qualities, these new perspectives of ourselves, giving us permission to stretch into things and, and character traits that, that you know unto ourselves. We're not going to often go there because it's too terrifying if we're so used to being a certain way. Seeing ourselves drastically different is like, that's just way too big of a, of a leap. And when we can turn towards archetypes, they show us that here were these, you know, here are these beings, here are these beings that were many, many had they they held many different qualities. Like when I, um, I worked with goddesses of war for for quite a while to really understand so many of them. They were the goddess of war and the goddess of love. And so it just shakes our brain when we're like, what? Or the goddess of birth and and, and she was also the goddess of war. She was the goddess of battle. And she was also the one who watched over women, you know, so there's so many different aspects of these archetypes through history, through every single culture and path of, of spiritual and faith based traditions where we get to see that what we thought was so contradictory actually isn't they are these qualities are meant to work together. They're meant to be in partnership because they make us whole.

00:20:39 Sana: That's very powerful. And I don't know, um, maybe that's something that I'm now what I'm going to say may or may not connect with this, but, um, you know, I mean, when they are worshiping the feminine energy, it could be in terms of goddesses or idols or the divine feminine or the Shakti that we call. I mean, in Hindu mythology, um, and in the Hindu religion, uh, we, we, uh, we believe and we worship and we know for the not fact, but once again, I'll be just be very careful. But that's a belief and it's a faith that all of the creation happened with from a single divine feminine energy. So when with that faith and power and spirituality and sacredness, we are worshiping the feminine goddesses out there. If that much amount of respect is also given to the feminine energy as humans. I think that can change a lot in this in this world, at least for the entire humanity. Yes.

00:22:01 Sharon Ann Rose: Yes. And bringing in this, you know, reverence for that feminine, for the divine feminine face, it really also allows it to be very human and very intimate. And we are used to. And again, this, this isn't something that has to be dismantled per se, but we're so used to placing it outside of us, like in the idols, in the images, in the deities. And that has its place. And when we as a culture, and especially when the female beings and female bodies. When women can turn towards this inside of themselves and really hold that and then everyone around them. Actually also then really can feel it. It deeply shifts, deeply shifts. And, you know, it's a it's not just that women need to wake up to their divine nature inside. That's that's not the whole part of it is also what you're saying too. It's but it is a seed that begins to, um, literally erupt. And then an entire world is transformed by it, which is what's obviously happening now as women come into a very different relationship with themselves, with their identities and with their own internal power.

00:23:27 Sana: Exactly. No doubt.

00:23:28 Sharon Ann Rose: In the.

00:23:28 Sana: Sharing. Beautiful. How beautiful. So, um, it's always a ritual. I have to ask. I'm very sure our listeners will be so much eager to explore more around and about wisdom, and I'm very sure. And I'll recommend everyone out there to, um, check out faces of the mother. So for that, Sharon, how can this, this connect with you and you get a hold of your book? Yes.

00:23:57 Sharon Ann Rose: Yeah. So you can get faces of the mother. It's um, online and in all, you know, the variety of Amazon locations internationally as well as places like Barnes and Noble and all different like Waterstones in the UK, different places. You also can go to my website and find it there. Sharon Anne rose dot com. I'd love to be in connection with your listeners. You can find me online on social media also at Sharon Ambrose.

00:24:33 Sana: So listeners, as I mentioned, I love all the links mentioned in the show notes. So go check out faces of the mother and, um, also. Shan, I really want to thank you. Because you brought depth. You brought care because, you know, these conversations, they can go off the rails when they probably become overly mystical or overly dismissive. But I think this is such a grounded conversation. Um, so thank you so much. I'm really grateful.

00:25:10 Sharon Ann Rose: Thank you, Sana, and thank you for holding it with that same quality. It's so much respect and willingness to explore, you know, a topic that may not be as familiar. So I'm really, really grateful to your compassion and your, your rooted, um, care.

00:25:30 Sana: Anytime, anytime. Thank you so much. And listeners, thank you to every one of you who are tuning to this episode. And if you are in a season where your mind, it feels tired or your body it feels disconnected, or your life feels like it's asking for a new language. I hope, I pray this episode gave you at least one honest place to start. Not a finish line, but a start, a new beginning. So if you want more conversations like this where we talk about mental health, mindfulness in a way that's real, embodied, and not performative, follow the mindful living not because you need more content, but because sometimes you do need a steady voice in your week that reminds you that you are not broken. You are a human. And healing doesn't have to be lonely. And if this episode brought something up for you, share it with one person who's been caring too much quietly. Until next time. This is your host, Sana, and you are listening to the Mindful Living. I'll catch you in the next episode. Thank you.