We also talk about self care and what we are doing to help our nervous systems. We discuss a few of our favorite listens-slash-reads. Here are a few that we mention:

• Impact the World with Lee Harris - May 2026 Energy Update
• The 30 Day Meditation Challenge - Adyashanti (Day 19 is referenced)
• Ram Dass

Here is also a quote Annie sent to River that made her feel not so terrible this week:

• "'Remember: You are the loving expression of God." - Imbolo Mbue, who quoted it from a dear friend.

We are talking about...

1. The genes we were born with
2. Our Soul self (who we are in spirit after all of our many incarnations)
3. The karma we are healing

This discovery, although so simple, Annie describes after River has a moment of feeling like her path is "no path." Who can relate to that? Although "no path" is fun, we all have a purpose in this life.  

We also discuss spiritual bypassing (how to fully embrace this world and others with compassion without detaching into spiritual la la land—while also not getting pulled into FEAR with a capital F with no f'ing way out). It's a balance people and WE GOT THIS. Join us for an episode about everything and nothing at all.

Annie also shares her secret at interpreting dreams, which she's pretty good at! (And you get to hear two of our recent and terrifying dreams.)

Happy Easter everyone!  Cheers!!

Some highlights:

• Sapians by Yuval Noah Harari — we want to read it next!
• The real world is a true test for enlightenment
• The pause between things and finding rest
• Losing our sh@t when our dogs were puppies
• Finding our tribe (is it possible?)
• The 30-Day Wake Up Challenge by Adyashanti (audio book style!)

Join us and find connection and peace in a time of separation and turmoil in the world!!  

Get to it! screams your inner voice. 

But—how? Is it supposed to be this hard if it's your divine path? Forget divine, if it's just YOUR PATH? 

Today, we discuss hard work, unconscious resistance (River recording her audiobook), the comparison trap and just going BELLY UP, like a flipped beetle. (I'm done, is where we are.) And THEN WHAT?

Themes of discussion:

• Gratitude
• Coincidences
• Martial arts energy (to face resistance)
• Hard work (again)
• Just doing THE THING
• The spiritual heart

Join us and hear our stories of inspiration, coincidences, and hope. (And a little bit of surrender.)

Mentioned Publications:

• Oprah Daily Magazine, Special Edition 2026: Find Your Purpose
• The 30-Day Wake Up Challenge, By Adyashanti (audiobook)
• Aleph, By Paulo Coelho

We discuss the power of presence in a world of suffering and obvious karmic outcomes. Just because we are feeling afraid or sad or full of anxiety, it doesn't mean we have to succumb to it. We can stay with it, witness it, and simply be present. Fear will stir up all kinds of emotions in us as we honor our soul path. 

In this episode, we talk about enlightened beings, as well as the non-verbal autistic children spoken about in the podcast The Telepathy Tapes (by Ky Dickens). What is it about those beings that sets them apart? 

Life—what's the biggest message from masters and those with spiritual gifts?—don't take life so seriously. Stay present, be humble, try not to compare yourself to others, and remember there's no wrong choice. 

"But we're all really moving towards the Light, right?" - Annie

Recommended Podcasts:

• Rom Dass Here and Now, episode 283: Your Karma Defines Your Dharma
• The Telepathy Tapes, 1st episode: Unveiling The Hidden World of Telepathic Communication in a Silenced Community

We discuss the agreement: "Be impeccable with your word" from Don Miguel Ruiz's book, The Four Agreements. How can we plant seeds in people's lives by choosing our words and thoughts mindfully? It's the seeds we plant that matter. You can plant a good seed or a bad seed. Remembering to stop seeds of negative thoughts in your mind and replace them with loving thoughts.

Other topics mentioned:

• Unseen suffering (not posted on social media)
• Projection and being projected onto
• Owning our beliefs and letting them go
• Retraining our minds
• Alchemy

We talk about what it really means to not take anything personally (another one of Ruiz's agreements).  It's not how people treat you that matters, it's what you believe about yourself. Even if someone points out a "weakness" of yours, you can let that go at any time, and remember you are pure spirit, pure awareness. Those people who judge you may be in fear and you don't have to take on their energy.

River shares her experience with this—and we discuss tools to stop the mind when it wants to get on that negative train. Why are low vibe states not healthy? And will your mind derail you when you're following your dreams and challenging fearful unconscious beliefs? 

And then Annie talks about a message she received recently... green lights versus gray lights.

Today we talk more about “A Little Bit Of Angels” by Elaine Clayton, and we share how angels are giving us messages and also bringing us a sense of peace.

River talks about Not Knowing, and the importance of this.  What it means and how A Course in Miracles describes it.

And then we discuss choice.  How can we Not Know, be authentic, make choices, without giving up free will and also without letting our minds take over. 

It’s a free for all. We don’t know anything but we have to make decisions and own our thoughts and our choices.  How is this possible?

This and more we discuss today.  (With NDEs sprinkled throughout—because they just seem to make everything better.)  Join us and find solace in the confusion of spiritual “teachings” and all the things we want to learn and unlearn. 

Who put us in charge? We don’t know but we are.

And we’re not.

There are tears, there are answers, and then Annie says, "it's like my soul had a chill."

They play around with a fun practice the book offers right in the beginning. They talk about the messages that are coming for them and how to understand them. And they learn—a little bit about grace.

Grace for ourselves—right now. However we are. In this moment. With all of our pain and struggles and hurts.

Grace for humanity—for the pain others have gone through or are going through now.

Grace.

----------------------------

Resources mentioned: 

• One Life (2023 movie)
• A Little Bit of Angels by Elaine Clayton

"If we can be dramatic at times and feel deeply lost or ruined, then we need to be just as dramatic about the wispy, gold and silver, silent, unseen, magical presence of tender mercies upon us too.  For every little worry you have, put a wish on it for love, for kindness, for sweetness.  It is part of the human condition to suffer and yet there is that within us that cannot be destroyed—our soul's presence."  - Elaine Clayton

Annie and River discuss Matt Haig's  novel, The Midnight Library, and what they learned from it. Regrets, choices, new choices, more regrets, and a life that turned out to be not-so-much-the-hero's-journey. Can we get back the life we missed? Would we want to? What regrets do we still have and how can we let them go?

Without a "Midnight Library"?

Join us as we explore this and themes of forgiveness, perspective, and living the life that's right in front of us.

Today we explore how to have grace with ourselves when we don't know which way to go. Annie talks about a new favorite book, The Midnight Library, and River talks about how she has so many regrets already while "attempting" to raise her teenage son. How do we know if we aren't making decisions that negatively impact others? How do we know we are choosing Our Highest Life Path while embodied in this one little (but BIG) lifetime?

We talk about this and more:

• Adyashanti
• Nala The Goldendoodle (reincarnated from a life of trauma)
• Goats
• Having The Faith of a Mustard Seed

References:

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (Amazon link to purchase)

Adyashanti  (@Adyashanti via YouTube)

We also talk about Annie spending money to nourish herself, and  how The Artist's Way is helping her. Her current lesson TELLS her to go buy one outfit.

What do religious people think about the Big Bang?  Can we disprove science?  Or is there a way to merge it all?

River talks about wanting more answers from the Universe, from Spirit, and how she feels left out sometimes when all of these other "spiritual leaders" hear/see (and experience) the Unknown. Be that God, angels, or answers in visions. 

Why are so many people feeling disconnected right now?  And how can we connect?  

THESE ARE OUR TOPICS THIS WEEK.  We are happy you are here. :)

A lot of fun things are discussed. Come along and listen! If anything else, you get a free meditation in the beginning where you can throw some shi%t into a fire.

Books recommended in the episode:

"When Things Fall Apart" by Pema Chödrön

"My Heart Will Triumph" by Mirjana Soldo

"The Age of the Heart" by Sebastián Blaksley

"Leap" by Howard Yu

Have you ever tried naked yoga? Annie sits back and eagerly listens to what this amazingly, humbling experience was like for River. 

River also discusses an experience she recently had where she felt more connected to Divine Source — to God. The Universe. The One who has always known her, just as she is and always has been — and always will be. 

Relax and get comfy while River starts the episode off with a grounding prayer/set of intentions for us and you all.

Thanks for joining us!

Resources mentioned: 

• Wim Hof breathing: https://www.wimhofmethod.com/
• The Goop Lab with Gwyneth Paltrow (Netflix): https://www.netflix.com/title/80244690

Share stories and questions at wpuicpodcast@gmail.com

Annie talks about a moment years ago when one of River's children told her he "saw Aunt Annie from the sky before he was born". River talks about the challenges of raising a teenager. Annie and River both talk about challenges with toddlers and teens–and the similarities between them.

Do you speak another person's language in order to be heard? Is raising your voice and being emotional ok and to what extent? Is anger never justified? Or are we just messy creatures that deserve endless compassion?

Do you feel overwhelmed making decisions for your children, when it is hard enough just making decisions for yourself?

Please share any stories, advice, tips or humor surrounding teens, toddlerhood, stories toddlers tell you when they see past loved ones or flying butterfly angels in the sky. wpuicpodcast@gmail.com

We forgive ourselves for our big emotions and we think you are forgivable also. 

We are all human. Be easy on yourself.

River talks about what she notices in her classroom when kids shift from age seven to eight, and Annie shares what she's learning about chakras. It's all about stuck energy, where we hold negative (hidden) beliefs, and how sometimes the only choice is to surrender. 

If you're tired of everyone telling you what you need to do to have a better life (ie, healing your lower chakras), and you want to find some solace in the surrender to the sh@t life deals you, this episode is for you.

We don't know anything.

We are always in the right place at the right time, even if everything sucks.

We are surrendering (and crying) and trying to find gratitude too.

Sometimes our deepest dreams and desires seem to flush up unconscious fear and resistance that may look like road blocks, or enormous boulders, blocking our way. Annie and River share their experience with this, as they talk about dreams, jobs, feeling worthless and finding time for creativity. And stress—and how it shows up in our body when we make life-changing decisions.

Not to mention, River's homemade shampoo that almost made all of her hair fall out.

Some interesting talking points:

• When you are doing two things at once you are doing neither
• Looking at fear (and fearful beliefs) with curiosity
• Why Denmark was ranked the #1 happiest country

"Are you really doing your most deep-hearted work? Are there aspects of your day that you really don't like—and is it because it's hard because you're putting in the time and the dedication to what you love and that's why it's hard? Or is it hard because you feel like you're taken advantage of and you're not appreciated for the skill that you have?" - River

What does it mean to be worthy in our world? Worthy of work, of pay, of creating and of being appreciated for the subtle gifts we have—that are more nuanced and subtle, and based in spiritual wisdom? (i.e., compassion, empathy, nurturing and listening gifts of the Soul.)

In this episode, River shares how hard it was to own her feelings when she felt love for another man while she was married, and at the same time, not feel shameful for having those feelings. She also shares the lesson(s) she learned from the spiritual man she met in the Caribbean.

Annie and River reflect on a Near Death Experience (story) and how humbling it is to learn that it's the spontaneous acts of kindness we do that really matter in the end. The little things are the big things and the big things are usually much smaller than we think. And a few others:

• Judgment binds people to the beliefs we hold over them, and it's never our job to judge someone else.
• Emotions have the ability to take you away from an experience—and take you into another one. 
• AND, surrender is always the answer.

Resources mentioned: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle and the mystical energy of Mooji and Adyashanti.

Who we are is how we feel.

How we feel is what moves us and attracts things to us.

In this episode, Annie and River remember that there is a time to be bold and a time to rest. It all is important and we are meant to turn inward to turn out. The Artist's Way is briefly mentioned, along with the band Rising Appalachia.

In lieu of regular advertisements, Annie and River are taking donations. We will add a link soon, if you feel so inclined! <3

Today we discuss how:

• Moms can follow their instincts and empower each other
• To honor motherhood—our animal instinct to protect our children
• Women are creative, nurturing and intuitive, and so valuable to society

Why do women have to work when they are on their menstrual cycle?   We talk and laugh about the ridiculous ways women have to conform to a man's world and how it feels so unnatural.  We don't have any answers, but we have a lot of questions.  Are there women walking through the streets of Manhattan (happy & content) with leaky boobs?   Or, are they like Annie, feeling the darkest part of their soul when they have to work with a baby at home?  

Annie recommends Obama's Netflix show Working: What We Do All Day to gain insight on how pay range (and salaries) were determined by men-in-power in the early 1900s, and how that has affected most women and the jobs they choose naturally.

This show is add-free, and we hope to keep it that way!  

Today Annie decides to google spiritual awakening where she finds a post on quara.com.  There are only more questions as they hear the struggles of others online.

• Are we trying to control too much?
• Are we all lost and confused?
• Are we really in control of healing our pain anyways?
• Do we have to live a depressing life to heal emotional pain?

Some answers are found and some bring a sense of connection to the world of the Internet. Maybe we are not the only ones who are feeling lost and scared right now.

Today we discuss perception of ourselves and others, and the splintered soul—which we can perhaps gather up again in an adorable basket. 

Should we add psychedelics to our journey or allow the greater Self to see through our eyes, without the use of drugs? Is there therapy that helps when drugs are not an option? What is EMDR and Somatic Therapy? 

Trigger warning: There is a brief mention, with no details around it, of childhood sexual abuse. 

If talk about sexual abuse and body therapy helps: listen today.

If it triggers: skip today.

CW: sexually abused

Sometimes you just need to sit with the pain and let things be just the way they are. 

You may realize there is a bigger lesson for your Soul that makes it all worth it in the end. 

We have learned that in the Buddhist tradition, suffering is a part of life. It is not just for people who aren't "good" at manifesting their dreams or for people who aren't doing it right. And—when you get a chance, throw some stuff out. Lighten your load physically, it helps.