**Trigger Warning**
We cover sexual assault in this episode, and we go into deep grief space as Erin lost her sister in a brutal way.
In this episode, we talk about breathwork as a therapeutic modality that bypasses the mind, the role of emotions, and dealing with grief. We ended up in some deep archetypal shizzle. The story of Erin’s family, her mother and her sister has so many miraculous and redemptive elements for them as souls and family, but for us all. This episode took me to a place I wasnât planning to go, and I think it is very rich. We laughed and cried a lot.
EP15: Erin Telford on Breathwork, the Role of Emotions, Grief & Redemption
What Youâll Hear:
- Why Erin chooses Breathwork as her main healing modality.
- The archetypal journey of Erinâs sister (and their family) as a belly dancer and Zapatista activist in Mexico, and her motherâs response.
- Erinâs journey of leaving her wordly life in NYC and setting out on the road- first stop Joshua Tree
- Breaking the threads of aloneness
- How working with emotions allows for deep healing and getting to the root of things.
What Erin Shares:
- What is Breathwork? (2:45)
- Emotional health as a corner (9:30)
- First part of Erinâs story about her sister (9:40)
- Dealing with significant loss and grief (11:00)
- Erinâs family story (14:00) including her mom getting pregnant, after the Dalcon shield, with her sister.
- Her sisterâs story (16:10)
(Audio problem from 19:10-19:25)
- Her motherâs response to her sisterâs murder in Mexico (20:20)
- Her motherâs model of grieving and how it has healed their family (25:45)
- Giving up the supportive structures of life to move into true surrender (27:45)
- Working at Prada (32:30) and getting sick
- Lama Tsultrim Allione (35:30)
- Emotionsâare they a liability? Safety in mental practices. When are you really doing the Work? (38:00)
- The role of DIY self-healing (40:30)
- Role and purpose of emotions (42:00)
- Kimberly doubts about doing things alone and confesses she doesnât like practicing yoga alone đ (44:55)
- Dissolving stigma (48:20)
- Life as a single woman with no children at 42 & 43 (49:30)
- Putting lots of energy into work and healing practice, but personal life was not supportive enough, because there was not the right thread of personal community (51:40)
- The giving/receiving balance (52:30)
- Creating the rite of passage and sisterhood for her birthday (55:00)
- STAND on the EARTH (58:38)