LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:Recorded between London and Austria. We acknowledge the colonial histories of the UK and Austria, and honour the diverse communities whose lands and labour built these cities. We also honour the Indigenous peoples of Guatemala and Mesoamerica, whose sacred relationship with cacao is central to this conversation.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE:Content Warning: This episode references parental depression, suicide, and mental health medication.

Maria's dad took his life when she was 16. Her mum fell into a decade-long depression. And Maria made it her mission to bring healing... first to herself, then to her mum, then to the world. This is a conversation about following intuition even when it terrifies you, the magic of cacao, and how Maria met her husband in India after seeing the exact place in a meditation a year before she got there.

🎁 FREE GIFT FOR LISTENERS:Download your free Joy Hour resource at www.mayagandaia.com/joyhourgift

IN THIS EPISODE:From corporate life to cacao ceremonies, sound healing and coachingThe first cacao ceremony that changed everything... and the vision of GuatemalaLearning from shamans and finding her own way with the medicineSinging through fear: overcoming a throat chakra blockageHelping her mum heal from 10 years of deep depressionThe meditation vision that led to India, to Varkala, to her future husbandTrusting intuition even when you have no plan BAsking her boss for remote work... and getting a yesFinding joy in the little things: presence, nature, breath

TIMESTAMPS:00:00 – Introduction01:26 – What does Maria's life look like now?03:43 – The first cacao ceremony and the vision of Guatemala07:41 – Singing through fear: the throat chakra journey10:26 – The ceremony where she made 20 mistakes12:26 – Life between Austria, Egypt and India13:11 – The meditation vision of a cliff in Kerala14:58 – Meeting her future husband at a yoga resort17:14 – From rational thinker to visionary20:42 – Her mum's 10-year depression23:19 – "I'm her daughter. I have the power."23:42 – Drinking cacao together: the moment her mum cried26:38 – What role does joy play in your life?28:30 – The bridge: authenticity and vulnerability31:49 – From full-time to 15 hours and travelling the world36:52 – How to live a life of joy

ABOUT THE GUEST:Maria describes herself as a joyful being, deeply connected to nature, channelling her wisdom to bring healing to others. At 16, both her parents fell into depression. Her dad took his life and her mum remained in deep depression for years. Knowing she carried a strong energy, Maria made it her mission to bring healing... first to herself, then to her mum, then to the world. After years of personal growth and travelling, she helped her mum fully recover after 10 years. Today her mum is the healthiest she has ever been and medication-free. Maria now offers 1:1 intuition coaching, in-person cacao ceremonies and sound healing in Austria and wherever she travels.

RESOURCES & MENTIONS:William Whitecloud: Natural Success and intuition trainingsArush: intuition coaching (Maria's first coach)Lake Atitlan, Guatemala: birthplace of modern cacao ceremoniesVarkala, Kerala, IndiaCeremonial cacao as heart-opening medicine

CONNECT:Ella MesmaWebsite: www.ellamesma.co.uk | www.mayagandaia.comBook: https://mayagandaia.com/journal-to-joy/Current offers: https://mayagandaia.com/links/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellamesma/

MariaInstagram: @maria.earthrituals

LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE TO THE JOY HOUR:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-joy-hour/id1849505845Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1e2AslgK9q1hnEimdgQHzrYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4ybUzyvIV4PVoZ3S9ZK1pEGKuY7XcY8M

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & THANKS:Music: LamRockEverything else: Brought to you by Ella and guests ❤️

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LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

Recorded in London. The JOY Hour acknowledges the colonial histories of the UK and honours the diverse communities whose lands and labour built this city.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE:

Harinder Virdee spent 25 plus years in large multinational corporations working in finance across the US, Austria and the UK... then one day chose something completely different. In this conversation, we explore what she calls "gloopy time": this unhurried, present, heart-led way of experiencing life that opened up when she stepped away from the doing and the delivering. We talk about the tussle between head and heart, the courage it takes to park everything you know and try something different, and how the body always knows the truth before the mind catches up.

🎁 FREE GIFT FOR LISTENERS:

Download your free Joy Hour resource at www.mayagandaia.com/joyhourgift

IN THIS EPISODE:

"Gloopy time": the unhurried experience of presence after leaving corporate lifeThe tussle between head and heart... and choosing the heartMoving from productivity and "doing" into being and receivingNot being good enough, not being worthy... and the burnout that followedThe ego growing alongside us and continuing to "protect"How the body knows before the mind does, every single time"My head drew the lines, but my heart adds the colour"Looking for the stars: finding light in the darknessLife in two tomes... and choosing to open the second book

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 – Introduction

00:38 – A day in the life of Harinder: unhurried

01:32 – Gloopy time and the quality of presence

03:38 – Drawing, presence and stepping into infinity

05:41 – The transition from structure to beingness

06:15 – Moving from masculine doing to feminine being

08:36 – The old me versus the emerging me

09:34 – Life in two tomes

11:03 – When you're not on the right path, you'll get hints

13:52 – Spiralling to be more childlike

15:32 – Moving from acquiring into being

17:11 – Who am I actually living this life for?

17:49 – The body knows before the mind does

20:19 – Life before: not knowing what I was feeling

21:07 – Not being good enough and not being worthy

24:18 – Gravitating towards coaching

26:44 – The catalyst: was there a definitive moment?

29:01 – Where the joy exists

29:37 – Carrying the light into the darkness

32:01 – Closing

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Harinder Virdee spent over 25 years working in finance across large multinational corporations, living in the US, Austria and the UK. It was in the corporate world that she first found coaching, and when she stepped away three years ago, everything opened up. Today, Harinder is a transformational coach, artist, illustrator, clothing designer and host of the Belly Button Musings podcast. She describes her life now in one word: unhurried.

CONNECT:

Ella Mesma

Website:

www.ellamesma.co.uk | www.mayagandaia.com

Book:

https://mayagandaia.com/journal-to-joy/

Current offers:

https://mayagandaia.com/links/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/ellamesma/

Harinder Virdee

Podcast:

Belly Button Musings (available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1bPubYSYTRkzdFWrsgJjuq

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/harinder-virdee-73a54630/

LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE TO THE JOY HOUR:

Apple:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-joy-hour/id1849505845

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1e2AslgK9q1hnEimdgQHzr

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4ybUzyvIV4PVoZ3S9ZK1pEGKuY7XcY8M

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & THANKS:

Music: LamRock

Everything else: Brought to you by Ella and guests ❤️

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