S3|EP2: Exploring Pleasure and Embodiment (with Erica Wiederlight)

Intro

Hey y’all, welcome back to The Soul’s Work Podcast, the show about uncovering our authentic selves through doing both the light work and the shadow work. I’m your host Janice Ho, and I have another amazing guest episode for y’all today. If you haven’t gotten caught up yet with the last episode – Episode 1 of Season 3 – where my guest Allyn Reid and I talked about how we can do the work of reconnecting with our soul – I mean, such a huge topic for The Soul’s Work Podcast – make sure to listen in on that conversation.

Today, we are talking about exploring pleasure and embodiment with my guest Erica Wiederlight. I absolutely loved this convo – which was recorded in early February. It was so good. It was real. It was nuanced. Erica is so much fun to talk with. And we got to continue this conversation that Season 3 started off with about really tapping into the body and hearing, like, what is our body telling us?, versus just staying in our heads and thoughts, which can be so transformative in one’s healing and personal growth journey. So, super excited to introduce you to Erica in just a moment and dive into that convo. 

But first, I just wanted to check in really briefly. Today is March 9, 2022. I landed in Costa Rica a few days ago for a short getaway. And I’m so grateful and content and excited to be in warmer weather. I’m at the beach twice a day, definitely indulging in some pleasureful activities. 

And also, while all of that stuff is really amazing, I’ve also been experiencing some waves of grief, sitting with a heavy heart about the war that Russia has waged against Ukraine, the suffering and displacement of the Ukraine people. 

Also, it was International Women’s Day yesterday, and I was there on the beach reflecting on and dreaming about the kind of world I want to see for my sisters around the world – you can read that on my Instagram account @janicehoimages. And as I was writing my notes about that, a parade of largely women and girls came down the beach chanting, with signs. And I couldn’t understand it all, but I got the impression that it was something about women’s and girls’ empowerment or rights. And I later learned that they were protesting the domestic violence that is commonly present in Latino/machismo culture – and this was how a Latino man explained it to me, by the way – and that there were two, I believe, deaths very recently here in those town related to that.

So, I’ve been trying to find that balance between not looking away and ignoring what’s going on outside of my immediate bubble, because that’s all really important, while also staying committed to my own self-care, my boundaries, and yes, my pleasure. And it’s, as I said in the Season 2 finale, and it’s as Erica mentions in this episode, but the human experience is really about this complex range of what might sometimes feel like conflicting emotions and experiences. But cultivating the capacity to hold all of it is really important so that even in a world where we’re going to have ongoing stressors and really tragic news, we can still find those moments of pleasure and being present and connected.

Okay, last thing, huge news: I did get accepted into my therapist training program of choice. I had my interview on Friday, less than a week ago and was accepted during the interview. So it was absolutely amazing to get that news the day before I flew to Costa Rica. I’ll definitely fill y’all in more about that soon.

But for now, let’s do our housekeeping and dive into the episode. Okay, so I’d love to make a request, as always, if you’re enjoying the show, if you like what you hear today, please do support the podcast by leaving a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts, or Podchasers, or right on the website. You can go to www.thesoulsworkpodcast.com to do that and even from there access the direct links to Apple Podcasts and Podchasers. There is a Leave a Review page on the website that makes this all very simple.

And on the website, you can also find all of the episodes, my blog. And as always, you can connect with me by email at thesoulsworkpodcast@gmail.com. Let me know what else you want to hear this season. What is on your mind, in your heart? I’d love to know. And you can connect with me on Instagram @janicehoimages as well. All the links to all of these things will be in the show notes for this episode.

But for now, let’s dive into this convo with Erica. So, Erica Wiederlight is a sexual empowerment and dating coach, speaker, podcaster and expert. Her mission is to help humans feel more alive, confident, embodied and to have an epic relationship with themselves and others. 

You can get free goodies and read more about Erica and her work at www.wethelight.org. You can also follow Erica on instagram at @wethelight_llc For a short time, Erica is offering a limited amount of free 60 minute sessions to those who are curious about what it would be like to work with her. The goal of the complimentary session is to have you feeling empowered, inspired, and to put some badass tools in your toolbox. If you want to go ahead and book that free consultation, check out the link in the show notes: https://wethelightschedule.as.me/schedule.php

Okay, without further delay, here is Erica and our amazing conversation about exploring pleasure and embodiment. Enjoy the show.