What can ancient plant traditions teach us about healing, consciousness, and living in harmony with nature?

In this episode of The Awakened Heart Podcast, I sit down with Jason Grechanik, a tabaquero, podcast host, and guide who has spent more than 25 years studying plants as medicine and over 15 years immersed in Amazonian traditions.

Jason shares his journey into the world of plant medicine, his work guiding plant dietas in Peru and around the world, and the unique ways he weaves Amazonian tobacco traditions with Celtic tree wisdom. Together, we explore the relationship between humans and nature, the role of plants as teachers, the importance of direct experience, and how ancient wisdom traditions can help us navigate modern life.

Whether you're curious about Amazonian traditions, consciousness, personal growth, or deepening your connection to the natural world, this conversation offers a thoughtful and grounded perspective on the human experience.

Topics discussed include:

• Jason's journey into Amazonian plant medicine
• What it means to be a tabaquero
• Plant dietas and working with plant teachers
• Amazonian tobacco traditions
• Celtic tree wisdom and nature connection
• Consciousness and personal transformation
• Living in greater harmony with nature
• Ancient wisdom in a modern world

key topics

• Amazonian plant medicine
• Tobacco as a sacred gateway
• The spiritual role of trees in indigenous cultures
• Integration of plant medicine experiences
• The importance of relationship and harmony with nature

sound bites

"To the Awakened Heart Podcast."

"Thank you, thank you Nancy, thank you for having me."

"Tobacco traditionally is a very strong antiviral."

CONNECT WITH JASON

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Ep #144 - In this episode of The Awakened Heart Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Diana Driscoll - optometrist, inventor, and leading expert in the autonomic nervous system and “invisible illnesses” such as POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), vagus nerve dysfunction, chronic inflammation, and post-viral conditions.

After her own battle with POTS, Dr. Driscoll spent over a decade researching the root causes behind symptoms that are often dismissed or misunderstood, becoming known as “the patient’s researcher.”

Together, we explore how the nervous system impacts everything from fatigue and brain fog to digestion and emotional regulation, and why so many people feel something is off in their body but can’t find clear answers.

This conversation also dives into the concept of “inflammaging,” the connection between chronic inflammation and long-term health, and what you can begin doing today to support your nervous system and stay sharp, resilient, and energized as you age.

If you’re on a path of healing, self-discovery, or navigating symptoms that don’t quite fit into a traditional diagnosis, this episode offers both insight and practical guidance to help you better understand your body and take your health into your own hands.

Episode Highlights

• Why so many people feel “off” in their body but can’t get clear answers
• The hidden role of the autonomic nervous system in fatigue, brain fog, and chronic symptoms

• What POTS is and why it’s often misunderstood or misdiagnosed
• The connection between inflammation, aging, and long-term health (“inflammaging”)
• How the vagus nerve impacts digestion, mood, and overall regulation

• Why traditional approaches often miss the root cause of chronic illness
• Simple ways to start supporting your nervous system in everyday life
• The link between brain health, resilience, and staying sharp as you age

• What “invisible illness” really looks like and why patients feel dismissed
• How to begin listening to your body and advocating for your own health

• 
  

Sound bites

"My symptoms kept shifting and changing over time"

"The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in symptoms"

"True wellness is beyond just being symptom free"

CONNECT WITH DR. DIANA:

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RESOURCES:

Vagus Nerve

POTS

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Episode #141 - In this deeply grounding and expansive conversation, I sit down with author and embodiment teacher Cynthia Abulafia, creator of Embodying the Goddess, to explore what’s often missing from modern spirituality: the return to the body.

For centuries, spiritual traditions have emphasized transcendence — rising above the body, the mind, or the human experience itself. Cynthia names this pattern the “transcendence bias”: when a tradition teaches us to go up and out, but forgets to teach us how to come back in.

Drawing from over two decades of Shakta Tantra study and trauma-aware yoga therapy, Cynthia introduces a radically inclusive spiritual map rooted in divine feminine principles of curiosity and reverence. Together, we explore what it means to integrate spiritual awakening into everyday life — limitations and all.

Cynthia shares her personal journey through a Kundalini awakening and the profound lessons that followed, including the role of motherhood, breathwork as a bridge between mystical experience and grounded presence, and the importance of safe, supportive relationships during spiritual transformation particularly in the context of the Crone energy/.

This conversation also addresses:

• The dangers of spiritual bypassing
• How to recognize dissociation disguised as awakening
• The power of curiosity in healing trauma
• Why embodiment becomes especially important in midlife
• The wisdom of Crone energy as integration, not decline
• How Shakta Tantra reframes the Goddess as lived experience

If you’ve ever felt destabilized by a spiritual awakening, disconnected from your body, or confused by teachings that seem to prioritize escape over integration, this episode offers a grounded and compassionate reframe.

Awakening is not about leaving the body.

It is about remembering that the body was never separate from the sacred.

Takeaways

• Awakening means coming home to the body, not transcending it.
• Curiosity is essential for integrating spiritual experiences.
• Motherhood embodies the goddess through creation and nurturing.
• Spiritual bypassing can lead to disassociation from the present.
• The breath serves as a bridge between mystical states and grounded presence.
• Every life phase offers unique opportunities for growth.
• Tantric relationships involve mutual reflection and kindness.
• The goddess is not just a concept; she is the world.
• Listening to the body is crucial for spiritual integration.
• Choosing supportive relationships enhances personal growth.

sound bites

"We are always birthing something new."

"Every phase of life is different."

"Notice what you notice."

Connect with Cynthia

@embodyingthegoddessbook

my book.

YouTube.

Substack.

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Episode #140 - Exploring spirit teachers, intuition, and communication beyond the physical world.

In this episode of The Awakened Heart Podcast, I sit down with spiritual seeker and author Michael McAdams to explore the mysterious and often misunderstood world of spiritual communication.

Michael is the co-author of An Angel Told Me So, a book documenting more than two decades of messages received by his late mother, Wilma Jean Jones. Through her experiences receiving teachings from what she described as spirit teachers, the book offers a unique perspective on the possibility of guidance beyond the physical world.

Together, we explore the nature of spiritual connection, the role of discernment, and the ways individuals might begin to recognize intuitive signals or guidance in their own lives. They discuss the difference between angels and spirit teachers, the challenges people face when opening to spiritual awareness, and how to remain grounded while exploring unseen dimensions of consciousness.

The conversation also touches on fear surrounding death, the continuity of consciousness, and why many spiritual traditions throughout history suggest that life extends beyond the physical body.

Whether you’re deeply spiritual, quietly curious, or approaching the topic with healthy skepticism, this episode invites listeners into an open-minded conversation about intuition, spiritual awareness, and humanity’s long-standing search to understand what may exist beyond this life.

Key Topics

• The nature of the spiritual realm and communication
• Channeling and verifying high-source information
• Reincarnation and the purpose of life
• The universe's vastness and intelligent life
• Grounding, protection, and recognizing spiritual messages

Sound bites

"Reincarnation is just graduation, not an end."

"Heaven and hell are the ultimate carrot and stick."

"Karma ripples out like a pebble in a pond."

Connect with Michael:

SpiritsSpeaks.com

Book: Angel Told Me So

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Episode #139 - this episode of The Awakened Heart Podcast, I sit down with Steven Kubacki, a clinical psychologist, applied philosopher, and author whose life and work explore the intersection of psychology, consciousness, and lived experience.This episode unfolds in three movements — beginning with Steven’s disappearance and non-ordinary experience, expanding into consciousness and the multiverse, and returning to what it all means for authentic connection, community and being human in the world today.Steven shares reflections from his disappearance in 1978—and the decades of silence and integration that followed—offering insight into what it means to live meaningfully after one’s understanding of reality has been profoundly altered. Rather than focusing on mystery or spectacle, our conversation centers on integration, responsibility, and the embodiment of insight through praxis.We explore themes of expanded consciousness, identity, and the challenge of navigating certainty in a complex world. Steven also discusses the idea of the multiverse as a lens for understanding interconnectedness, diversity of experience, and the importance of community and care for others.This episode invites listeners into a grounded conversation about spiritual awakening, psychological integration, and what it means to live with an awakened heart—staying human, connected, and compassionate while honoring mystery without losing clarity.Takeaways* Steve Kubacki emphasizes the importance of lived action over mere thought.* His disappearance was a conscious choice to protect others and explore deeper truths.* The multiverse concept suggests infinite possibilities and dimensions of existence.* Kubacki's experiences on the ice led to profound interdimensional insights.* He reflects on the challenges of individualism in a disconnected society.* Listening and caring for others are essential for personal growth and community.* The journey of understanding the multiverse is ongoing and personal.* Certainty can be a delusion that limits our understanding of reality.* Community and connection are vital for overcoming societal challenges.* Living with an awakened heart means embracing flaws and fostering acceptance. Sound bites"We are social creatures.""I think certainty is a delusion.""Caring for others is essential."CONNECT WITH STEVEN:Website: stevenkubacki.comBook: https://amzn.to/4kdXcwZCHECK OUT MY PODCAST: "The Awakened Heart Podcast" available on all podcast players:Rumblehttps://rumble.com/c/c-2225362Website: https://contactradiantlydi.wixsite.com/awakenedheartLinktreehttps://linktr.ee/awakenedheartcollectiveFOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/awakenedheartcollective/TIK TOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@awakenedheartcollective?Linkedinwww.linkedin.com/in/nancy-walters48307FREE MEDIATION GUIDE https://theawakenedheartcollective.com/awakened-heart-meditationRelocation Mastery Program: https://www.getreadysetmove.com/