Human Awareness

A while back, I was at a workshop, and Jennifer DeRuff performed a spoken-word piece called Coming Home. It touched me pretty deeply - and I wasn’t alone. So I invited Jennifer to try something new on the podcast - instead of a full interview, I invited her to come and perform the piece into a microphone, so we could share it with the wider HAI community.

In this episode, we speak to psychologist and startup whisperer Kari Sulenes to figure out what it takes to bring your full self to work. What does it mean to be vulnerable, curious, and showing allyship?

In this episode, we go deep into jealousy and the story of Sumati, who went on a journey from deep, core-wound level jealousy and came out the other side teaching others how to manage their jealousies.

For over twenty years, Sumati Sparks has been coaching people of all relationship configurations, gender expressions, sexual orientations and cultures to create successful consensual, ethical non-monogamous love and intimate connections. She is a no-nonsense wisewoman, a loving empath, a wounded healer and a powerful stand for love. Since 1984, she has been on a personal path of 12-step work and recovery, has studied directly and taught with many spiritual & relationship teachers including the great Indian saint "Ammachi" who gave her the name Sumati, Since 1997, she has been on her own transformational path of conscious consensual non-monogamy.

For our third episode in season five, Julia joins us to talk about travel, building community, and how yoga of the mind helped her connect with the humans around her more deeply.

Julia Tindall has been a community builder, teacher and traveler for the past 30 years. She taught yoga and tantra workshops at Harbin Hot Springs, Esalen and around the world up until Covid time, but now focuses on community building through travel. She takes small groups of like-minded people to exotic destinations such as Bali, Africa, Egypt and Argentina. Through amazing shared experiences, hearts open and deep connections are made.

Originally English, Julia now lives in Sacramento CA and is the author of 5 books, one of which is the hilarious memoir, "Left at the Big White Pig."

In this episode, we speak with Naomi, who works as a therapist, and believes that love isn’t nearly as big of a mystery as many of us seem to think.

In this episode, we speak with Leah, who was eager to talk about radical self-acceptance, and the path she took to get there.

Leah is passionate about guiding women to empower themselves to take a leadership role in their lives, speak their truth mindfully and with integrity in all situations, so they can get more of what they want! Leah Diamond is a Mindful Leadership and Meditation Teacher, a Public Speaking Coach, and Women's Empowerment Workshop facilitator. She helps anxious speakers feel confident & relaxed to speak the truth mindfully & with integrity.

Hello all! It's been a hot minute since we've done a Human Awareness episode, but guess what... We're baaaaack. This time, we're joined by one of the most freshly baked HAI facilitators, Tony Holmes, who came to talk to us on a Monday immediately after facilitating a Loving Yourself workshop for HAI. As you might expect, they are still glowing from the Room of Love, and the wonderful warmth of this episode shows that beautifully. 

We cover all sorts of beautiful topics, and Tony even leads us in a brief meditation, and an exploration of how to find the things that are blocking you in finding your path. We also talk about the 'value of the repaired human,' and why we are collectively feeling driven to 'do the work'. 

Join us for a rich and stimulating conversation about what our guest, Carolyn Arnold, calls her “dating experiment.” She takes us through her process of setting up the experiment, and we get a peek into the valuable lessons she learned as she set out to date 50 different people after she had turned 50 years old. Kate and Haje also share some of their dating experiences and we explore what it would be like to shift the focus of dating and our assumed goals.

When Leah first showed people her podcast, one of her early listeners gasped - but good girls don't talk about sex! - and, of course, that became the name of her podcast. She hastens to add that the podcast isn't just good girls - and, in fact, not just girls, either. She joined us on the Human Awareness podcast for a most delightful episode talking about body image, emotional pressure, and how she went from being frozen stiff with fear at the thought of someone seeing her body naked - to finding herself in spaces where nudity was normal and okay. 

In this episode, we talk with Sarah Belzile about the joys of reconnecting with nature in a deeper sense than you might be used to - what happens when we open our heart to the deeply erotic within ourselves - and the natural world around us?

When Patricia was diagnosed with cancer, she found ways of processing her grief and recovery with art - and soon made it her life's mission to help others do the same. In this episode, she talks with Kate and Haje about how creativity, the healing process, and how all forms of art can be used to shift the experience of one's journey with cancer, pain, and illness. 

Patricia is a publisher, author, artist and leadership coach recognized for her ability to engage people in their healing process. Her signature program Create to Heal is taught in hospitals and cancer centers across the country, as well as in domestic violence shelters worldwide. Also a survivor, Patricia works with patients, providers and medical school students on the art and practice of mindfulness, gratitude and compassion.

There’s a special kind of bravery associated with knowing what you want - and then daring to ask for it. In this episode, Haje interviews Marcia, about the wants and needs of humans, and how to dig deeper into the likes and wants lurking inside us.

Marcia is an internationally recognized speaker, writer, coach, and expert on sexual communication, relationships, and women’s empowerment. Her primary mission is to help women and the people who love them to overcome shame and get in touch with what they truly want — romantically, sexually, and relationally — even if it’s off the beaten path.

As co-founder of Cuddle Party, Marcia has helped tens of thousands of people to speak up for the kind of touch they want, say No unapologetically, and foster more connected, affectionate relationships. Her popular virtual course, “The Good Girl Recovery Program,” helps women to break out of the roles that keep them small and unsatisfied, and move into being more of who they are in all areas of their lives.

"I've always been told I give great hugs, and I really wanted to share them with people.” Dr. Yoni Alkan explores the beauty of hugs, cuddles, and other forms of non-sexual touch. On this episode of Human Awareness, we talk about Cuddle Party®, being a Cuddlist®, and the importance of sharing touch with other human beings. We all may recognize the value of affection - but what if we lived in a world where it was more readily given and received? We explore this idea and more on this particularly cozy episode.

Is there a space for being ‘real’ in the world of Instagram and the endless hunt for dopamine hits in the world of Social Media? In this episode, Kate talks with Sarah Yates Mora about the highs and lows of being a heart-open human being in the universe of influencers, internet trolls, and endless distractions. They talk about how to tame the “dragon mom” inside, and how to find an authentic connection in a rapidly evolving digital world.

Sarah Yates Mora is a photographer, interior designer, and artist who creates beauty with everything she touches. Her authenticity and stunning imagery has drawn over 35 thousand followers. Her work is inspired by earth tones and a connection to nature, and her philosophy is rooted in speaking honestly and from the heart.

Can aging deliver us from the limitations of youth? Does sex and intimacy really get better with time?  In this rich and fun conversation, Laurie presents her lifetime evolution towards more free and enjoyable sex – but also, how she learned to enjoy aging. Spoiler-alert: they go hand in hand.

In this episode, Kate and Haje interview Arielle Brown. Reducing this episode to ‘phone sex’ is like saying that a three-Michellin-star meal is about ‘absorbing nutrients’ - what was meant to be a Valentines-themed guide to how to make erotic connection happen from a distance turned into something far deeper - and far yummier - than we would have dared hope for. We think you’re going to love this one…

Frank Mondeose joins Kate and Haje in this episode to talk about marriage. We talk about the history of marriage, and whether the social circumstances have shifted far enough that marriage itself still makes sense. We get deep into a conversation about what marriage is, how it serves us, and whether it run its course as an institution.

As you can imagine, all three of us have a lot of thoughts and curiosities about marriage, and the resulting conversation serves as a wonderful examination of how people make decisions about their lives and about how people can evolve in the context of a relationship.

In this episode, we talk about the importance of experiencing and expressing your emotions in a non-destructive way. Primarily, we take a deep look at jealousy. Why do we feel jealous? What can we do to embrace this feeling and use it for good in our life and our relationships? As we talk about jealousy, themes of self-worth, beauty, belonging, and even our relationship to our pets emerge and illuminate just how complex this topic is.

In this episode, Haje interviews Jason, one of the facilitators at HAI, about racism and prejudice, gender identity, and having love for every human who ever lived - and ever will live. It’s a beautiful episode full of gentleness and exploration - we think you’ll love it!

Jason Weston has been a part of the Human Awareness Institute community for more than 40 years. As a facilitator, Jason assists individuals and couples in creating for themselves the lives they really want by guiding them to see and express their own beauty, power and love. He was trained at the Process Therapy Institute and holds a degree in philosophy from the University of California, Berkeley. Jason served for many years as the Executive Director of HAI Global, and is passionate about creating a world in which all people have their needs met, and nature is allowed to thrive.

In this episode, Cindy Gallop takes us into her work of carving out a platform for “social sex.” Her organization, “Make Love, Not Porn,” is pro sex, pro porn, and pro knowing the difference between the two.

Listen in as Cindy describes how reshaping how we think about porn can lead to world peace – yes seriously.

Kimball Lane took the helm as Executive Director for The Human Awareness Institute nine months ago. Since then she has made a reputation for herself as someone who has clarity, vision, and the ability to move mountains with grace and care.

During this intimate interview, Kimball shares many of her personal life experiences that have led her to become the heart-first leader that she is.   We learn how Kimball moved from holding Love as something big and unattainable to something much more simple… something that was there all along. Kimball shares with us her personal life philosophy that “it doesn’t matter who you love, but how you love.”

Sex educator, researcher and author, Emily Nagoski, pulls us into this compelling conversation where we learn the meaning behind her message that “we are normal,” that pie is an excellent metaphor for emotion, and the secret to dealing with burn-out (it’s not what you may think!)

Emily Nagoski is an expert on women's sexual wellbeing, healthy relationships, and the prevention of sexual violence and harassment.  She earned her Ph.D. from Indiana University and interned at the Kinsey Institute Sexual Health Clinic. She worked for eight years as a lecturer and Director of Wellness Education at Smith College before transitioning to become a full-time speaker and writer. She has authored two books, “Come As You Are” and “Burnout.”

Monica Jayne speaks to the importance of really knowing ourselves. There is nothing to fix. Nothing to change. Rather, if we give ourselves permission to live fully and explore the full version of ourselves, we create a safer world for everyone. In this episode, Haje and Kate are taken through a series of brilliant concepts for deeply understanding our erotic and human selves. Learn about “erotic blue-prints,” listen in as we share personal stories about identity transformation, and share in the many giggle fits we have during this interview.

We are so pleased to offer you this valuable, sometimes silly, and at other times heart-wrenching, conversation. May it bring you as much pleasure as it did us. 

Monica Jayne has facilitated, taught, nurtured, and witnessed 1000s of men and women across 45 countries and 5 continents transforming their lives and influencing them to discover, love, accept, and be who they truly are. She considers herself a “promissory” – being full of acceptance for herself and others. Monica Jayne delivers practical, applicable adult education on sexuality, relationships, communication, identity, expression, authenticity, and vulnerability: all the things we were never taught but should have been. 

Thank you for listening to May I Have This Dance. In this episode, Kate and Haje share our favorite episodes from Season 1, tell you a bit about season 2, and invite you to join us for the live Q&A on April 20. 

In the last episode of Season 1, we are talking to Dr. Alison Ash, who has dedicated her life to relationships, play, and sexuality. We talk about how to break the intensifying loop of being in your head, bringing your attention back to your body,  and much more besides. It’s a beautiful, intimate conversation that we’re beyond excited to share with you!

In a beautiful conversation with Danielle Harel, co-founder of the Somatica Institute of Sex and Relationship Coaching, we learn about living life from your “Turn-On”. What makes you excited, tingly and awake? Danielle describes using her “Turn-On” to guide her decision-making processes and explores how to connect with the creative energy that stimulates and enlivens us. We talk about family and immigration, her sex-coach work and more. YUMMY.

In this episode, Kate and Haje talk to Alicia Davon. She’s a teacher of sexuality and intimacy, alongside her husband Erwan Davon (who we interviewed for Episode 4). In this conversation, we get into the contrasts between being a sexual being, a lover, a wife, and a mom - and how to stay present for shifting dynamics and shaking off the social conditioning that goes with all of that.

In particular, we explore how to keep intimacy in a relationship in combination with working together, and how to notice challenges in relationships in real time - as they come up - and how to tackle them as they come along.

Listen in as Kate and Haje indulge in our second, hosts-only conversation of the season. This time, Kate interviews Haje and we learn more about how his mind, highly active and imaginative, has brought him on a somewhat eclectic journey of passion, creativity and self-discovery.

When Siobhan went through a difficult break-up, she was left with a heavy heart and a difficult challenge: How do you bounce back from heartbreak?

The old saying “you have to love yourself before you love someone else” sprung to mind, and she came to a realization: The one relationship that is going to exist for all of her life, is that with herself. Why not make it official, and marry herself?

So, that’s what she did. In this episode, Haje dives into a wonderful conversation with Siobhan about what being an actor has taught her about being human - and what being human has taught her about connecting with people. They are also getting into how life as a newly-wed - to herself - has impacted her life, and how making a commitment to herself has changed the way she sees relationships, and life itself.

With Erwan, we talk about how when you’re a child, you don’t necessarily know that you are having a difficult childhood, and the ripples that has had on his life, how that ultimately led him to his current career.

Erwan has been a relationship coach for 25 years, helping couples carve out a pathway to the high-vibe, passionate, romantic, and lasting relationships we all crave. We get into that, and so much more - enjoy!

May I Have this Dance is a brand new podcast produced by the Human Awareness Institute. This episode is the teaser - an introduction of sorts to your co-hosts Kate and Haje, and a bit of a sneak preview for what you can expect going forward.