Episode 91- PODSWAP: Adventure is Calling with Christine Winebrenner Irick
This episode originally aired on June 14, 2022 on the Lunar-Inspired The Flow Mama's Podcast and starts with a celebration of the Full Moon in Sagittarius and honors the fun loving, adventurous part of yourself.
After the celebration of the Full Moon in Sagittarius, Christine joins Monica de Vitry to share about the transformative power of travel and celebrating the voices of women.
In this pod swap, Christine had the joyous experience of being interviewed by Monica de Vitry on her Lunar Inspired: The Flow Mamas Podcast. Monica, the Flow Mamas Founder, is an Artist, Teacher and Lunar Coach.
Christine love getting to share a bit more about who she is and why she’s so passionate about building community and designing spiritual adventures for women.
Christine Winebrenner Irick has worked in the tourism industry for 20 years, concentrating on community-based tourism and sustainable tourism development. She brings these passions into the journeys she creates and guides for Lotus Sojourns, founded in 2019.
She is a natural connector and is dedicated to creating space for women to authentically connect around the world. She also wants each woman to connect to their purpose and know themselves as valuable and equal members of this global community.
In the spring of 2020, Christine launched her award-winning Soul of Travel interview series to celebrate the impactful work of her colleagues as they navigated the challenges and loss associated with the shut-down of tourism during the Covid-19 pandemic.
She later began specifically focusing on the Voices of Women in this field, discussing the ways they have pursued their dreams, empowered others, and continue to work to create change around the world.
Monica has been helping people to connect with their creative essence for over 12 years. She draws upon her trainings across multiple creative and healing modalities to create transformative experiences for her students and coaching clients.
Monica is a certified monologist, or a Reiki two practitioner and a yoga instructor who has completed her ry T 500 and holds a BS in Art Education.
You can connect with her and learn more over on her website www.flowmamas.com
Make sure you take a moment to share with Monica some of the things that you love about this episode on her lunar inspired page and leave a comment or you can share it here after listening and I'll be sure to let her know what you took away from this conversation.
Soul of Travel we'll be back in a few weeks with season four.
I can hardly believe we'll be celebrating our 100th episode soon!
Join Christine for her soulful conversation with Monica de Vitry.
In this episode, Monica and Christine discuss:
Who Christine is in the space of travel?
Launching Christine’s award-winning Soul of Travel interview series to celebrate the impactful work of her colleagues as they navigated the challenges and loss associated with the shut-down of tourism during the Covid-19 pandemic
Christine’s transformational travel company, Lotus Sojourns - Why there is a need for transformational travel companies and how they help travelers deepen their experiences
Why a trip to the middle east right after 911 opened up Christine’s eyes to how others live and the pride they have for their culture
How Christine is creating space for women to open up and embrace exploration
Why Christine created Sojourn Book Club and some of Christine’s favorite books
Becoming a yoga instructor and how Christine weaves this practice into her transformational journey
The ways women have pursued their dreams, empowered others, and continue to work to create change around the world.
Resources & Links Mentioned in the Episode
To listen to the original interview, head over to the Lunar-Inspired: The Flow Mamas™ Podcast!
Join me for my Women’s Wilderness and Yoga Retreat in Alaska in March 2023!
We’ll be traveling 63 miles north of the Arctic Circle to stay at Arctic Hive, owned by my friend Mollie Busby and her husband Sean. This boutique property nestled in the Brooks Range is way off the beaten path and also off grid. We’ll stay in beautiful cabins built by hand by our hosts, practice yoga in their yoga dome lovingly referred to as The Hive, with gorgeous views of the surrounding nature.
We’ll explore the wilderness by snowshoe and dog sled, connect with members of the local community to learn about living in this remote environment, enjoy daily yoga practice and vegan meals all while keeping our eye out for the beautiful northern lights that like to show off their magic this time of year.
I only have 6 spaces for this unique adventure and a few are already taken. Hop over to the Lotus Sojourns website to book yours today.
Please share this experience with anyone you know would love this restorative adventure.
Want to learn more, you can listen to my Soul of Travel conversation, episode 67 with Mollie Busby
Visit www.lotussojourns.com/journeys to join this unique travel experience today.
To watch this interview on YouTube HERE.
Learn more about Lotus Sojourns
Looking for ways to be a part of the community, learn more here.
Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.
Follow us on Instagram: @lotussojourns or @souloftravelpodcast
LOVE these conversations...support the production of this podcast by making a donation here!
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WE WON A BESSIE AWARD! The Bessie Awards recognize the achievements of women and gender-diverse people making an impact in the travel industry. To view the complete list of this year’s winners, visit bessieawards.org.
About the Soul Of Travel Podcast
Soul of Travel honors the passion and dedication of the people making a positive impact in tourism. In each episode, you’ll hear the story of women who are industry professionals and seasoned travelers and community leaders who know travel is more than a vacation. It is an opportunity for personal awareness and it is a vehicle for change. We are thought leaders, action takers, and heart-centered change makers.
The guests work in all sectors of the tourism industry. You'll hear from adventure-based community organizations, social impact businesses, travel photographers and videographers, tourism boards and destination marketing organizations, and transformational travel experts. They all honor the idea that travel is more than a vacation and focus on sustainable travel, eco-travel, community-based tourism, and intentional travel.
These conversations are meant to educate, inspire and create community. They are directed to new travelers and seasoned travelers, as well as industry professionals and those who are curious about a career in travel.
If you want to learn about new destinations, types of travel, or how to be more intentional or live life on purpose, join Christine Winebrenner Irick for soulful conversations with her community of fellow travelers exploring the heart, the mind, and the globe. These conversations highlight what tourism really means for the world.
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Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor.) Monica de Vitry (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing and production by Rayna Booth.
Transcript
KEYWORDS
travel, people, yoga, women, conversation, create, world, podcast, hear, hike, part, journey, read, understand, feel, lotus, yoga teacher training, space, experience, Peru
Christine Winebrenner Irick 00:08
Thank you for joining me for soulful conversations with my community of fellow travelers, exploring the heart, the mind and the globe. These conversations highlight what travel really means for the world. Soul of Travel honors the passion and dedication of the people making a positive impact in tourism. Each week, I'll be speaking to women who are tourism professionals, world travelers and leaders in their communities will explore how travel has changed them and how that has rippled out and inspired them to change the world. These conversations are as much about travel as they are about passion, and living life with purpose, chasing dreams, building businesses, and having the desire to make the world a better place. This is a community of people who no travel is more than a vacation. It is an opportunity for personal awareness, and it is a vehicle for change. We are thought leaders, action takers, and heart centered change makers I'm Christine Winebrenner Irick. And this is the Soul of Travel.
Hey, Soul of Travel listeners! We're trying something new this week, and you'll get to hear from one of my favorite podcast hosts when she interviews me. In this pod swap I had the joyous experience of being interviewed by Monica de Vitry on her Lunar Inspired Flow Mamas Podcast.
Monica the Flow Mamas Founder is an Artist, Teacher and Lunar Coach. She has been helping people to connect with their creative essence for over 12 years. She draws upon her training across multiple creative and healing modalities to create transformative experiences for her students and coaching clients. Monica is a certified monologist, or a Reiki two practitioner and a yoga instructor who's completed her ry T 500 and holds a BS in Art Education.
You can connect with her and learn more over on www.flowmamas.com. This episode originally aired on June 14, and starts with a celebration of the Full Moon in Sagittarius honors the fun loving and adventurous part of yourself. She offers journal prompts to tap into this energy. And then I joined her to share about the transformative power of travel and celebrating the voices of women. I love getting to share a bit more about who I am and why I'm so passionate about building community and designing spiritual adventures for women. I hope you enjoy this bonus episode.
Make sure you take a moment to share with Monica some of the things that you love about this episode on her lunar inspired page and leave a comment or you can share it here after listening and I'll be sure to let her know what you took away from this conversation. Soul of travel we'll be back in a few weeks with season four. I can hardly believe we'll be celebrating our 100th episode soon.
Until then enjoy the soulful conversation with me and Monica de Vitry. Hello, everybody,
03:34
I'm here with my friend Christine. And I'm so excited to have her here for this episode to share all about wanderlust and travel and the wandering heart and soul. Welcome, Christine, thank you so much for being here.
Christine Winebrenner Irick 03:49
Thank you. I'm so excited for this conversation and kind of this unique look at framing travel. Hi.
03:57
So would you just give us a little overview of who you are, where you're from and what you do to get started?
Christine Winebrenner Irick 04:05
Sure. Well, my name is Christine and I am the founder of Lotus sojourns, which is a women's mindful adventure travel company. And I found that just a little over three years ago. But I've definitely been ebbing and flowing with the tides of the world the last couple of years, which actually brought about my podcast, which is called the soul of travel. And in that I connect with women who are using travel as a vehicle for change in the world. And so we talk about how travel has inspired them to create change based on different shifts they've felt through travel, which has really been a fun, unexpected journey for me. And yeah, my travel experiences are really founded in Connect Action to self and to destination where we're traveling, exploring our internal landscape as much as we explore wherever we are, and then really focusing on the transformation that can happen when we are really present to our travel experiences. So cool.
05:18
Oh my gosh, yeah. When I first heard about what you were doing, I think it was in a group call in the course that we were both and and I was like, That is such a cool take on thinking about traveling, because you're really interested in bringing other people into travel as well. So can you share a little bit more about what you're doing with your load of sojourns? And all of that?
Christine Winebrenner Irick 05:40
Yeah, sure. So as I mentioned, I've had my company for three years, but I've been in the industry for a little over 20 years. And when I decided to create my own travel program, I really reflected on the experiences that I had that have kind of really stuck with me, or were those moments where I felt like something came alive inside of me. And I just couldn't really shake the experience. And what I really found is what I couldn't shake was these connections and these awarenesses about myself. And so when I started to create Lotus sojourns, I wanted to instead of having these be like, these happy accidents that happened, when I would travel, like I'd look back over a 10 day trip, and there'd be like, one moment that would stick out.
And I thought, Oh, my goodness, what if we could create or craft an itinerary that really focused on that instead of it being just like one peak moment, but like that being the intention for the journey was that connection and discovery. And then I'm also really passionate about creating opportunities for women, where I'm traveling, and so I focus on building partnerships with local social impact projects, women owned businesses, and really try to bring that in, and then also have a background in sustainable tourism. And so that's like another layer. It's kind of just all of these ways, how can we make travel the most meaningful and beneficial for us as travelers, but also for the communities and destinations that are hosting us?
07:18
Amazing, oh, my gosh, and is there like a key moment that really sticks out for you, and you think about one of those key moments in your past, where you're like, Oh, this is like, what it should feel like.
Christine Winebrenner Irick 07:32
Um, I just like I said, those connections for me were really powerful. One was, with connection to nature, traveling finally to Peru, which is something I had wanted to do since I was a small child, actually watching cartoons and seeing cartoon characters go to this place that looked like it had to be imaginary, because it just didn't seem like it could be possible. And I then later learned that things like the Amazon and Machu Picchu really existed. And I was like, Okay, I have to, I have to do that I have to see what that's all about. And for me, that was just such a deeply moving experience. And like walking on land that just holds such a sacred journey in and of itself.
And for me, I am empathic and I'm very intuitive. And so I think sometimes those places literally speak to me. So I think that in and of itself is really powerful. But then I did this hike in the middle of the not the middle of the night, but the very early hours of the morning, up above Machu Picchu, and we were sitting there in the dark on this cliff, we couldn't even really tell where we were. And then the sun began to rise and the like sun shone down on Machu Picchu, and you just like the clouds parted, and it was just like this magical gift. And I was like, it's just this moment of deep gratitude for being where you are, when you see something so powerful like that. It's like, also cultivating a sense of awe, which is something we have no power over.
But that sense, I think, creates this awakening in our soul. Like we become so aware of the vastness of the world and the magic of the world. And then also like, it really shrinks us down and allows for us to understand kind of our insignificance in the trajectory of things, which sounds kind of odd, but if you've had the feeling then you think you understand and it's just such a powerful experience. So that's one really with nature, and I could share others with people in place, but yeah, that's kind of what I I'm looking for
10:01
amazing. Oh my gosh, that gave me chills, the part where the sun is rising and the clouds are partnering. That's so magical. Yeah, I actually had the opportunity to go to Peru almost 10 years ago. And it is such a magical feeling to be in a place that has such layers of history. And yeah, like seeing the pictures of it. You're like, what is that? And then that really, really tall skinny mountain like that you can see from the match up to I can't remember. But people hike it. And I was like, Oh, my gosh, this
Christine Winebrenner Irick 10:35
is crazy. Yeah, so yeah, why Anna Picchu. That's the one that we hiked. And we couldn't see it. And we got there at like, 430 in the morning to get our park tickets. And so we had no idea what we were even hiking. We were just like, Well, this sounds like a great experience. We'll do it. We start hiking, again, like the whole time. You never can see anything that you're doing. You're just like the trail with your headlamps in front of you for like two and a half hours. And then we get up there. And yeah, it was pretty, pretty amazing. Just to like having that. That is a deeply revealing experience.
11:11
So beautiful. Oh my gosh, wow. So that was a natural one, I would actually love to hear a story about a people's experience and that I place experience as well, because these are great stories.
Christine Winebrenner Irick 11:25
Yeah, I mean, people I've had a lot, but one of the ones for me that really stuck out. I was traveling in the Middle East. And we ended up going to a visitor center, which is a kind of very curated experience. But there was a young girl there, a young woman who was just available for us to sit and ask questions about where we were in the culture. Really, she opened herself up to asking any sort of question, she just was very open, which for me, was pretty unexpected. I was coming from a Western mindset, not really sure how to engage with a woman from the Middle East. She had her head fully covered. And, you know, the time I went was not long after 911. So there was a lot of cultural tension as it were, and then the dynamic of women and there were also men in our group. And so like, I was really just trying to like, again, like to use my empathy and like my mighty spider powers and be like, Okay, what is okay about this situation? What isn't? Okay, what can we ask and really quickly realized that she was very open, and also really, really deeply proud of her country and her heritage and who she was as a person.
And you could really, really feel that sense of pride. And she talked about coming to the United States to study, she had won a fellowship, and just kind of it was really great to hear her perspective on being immersed in our culture as well. And she told and I wish I could remember now, I can't remember all the details, but the story of why women cover their head. And I think we really feel like it's this very oppressive reasoning. And she was in Dubai.
So she didn't have to do that, it wasn't required, but it was something she felt more comfortable with. And just the way she explained it was as if it was a part of a love story. And it just was a really powerful way of understanding something that we don't understand. And in part, because I don't think we create a space for connection, conversation and questions, because of all those tensions I mentioned. Like we don't want to say the wrong thing. Even if we are curious. We're not sure what's appropriate.
There's not spaces created for authentic connection and conversation. And I think that, like we all kind of sunk into that space, we were like, in this tiny little room all sitting on the floor. And it just was really, really powerful to like, share that space together and let everybody kind of let their guard down, kind of admit what they didn't know and what they didn't understand. And I think all of those things are really, really powerful because we're so protective of our sense of knowledge and our sense of understanding and we don't want to look like we don't know. And then I think specifically after the last couple of years, and looking at Black Lives Matter and some of the more deep racial discussions that we've been having, there's even this greater sense of like concern about saying and doing the wrong thing. And also like acting, like putting on a front as if you know, all the right things, which both things are impossible.
And so that's kind of what I also love is just, I find that when you bring together groups of women, they can really open up to each other. And in almost every place I've ever been, you know, sitting in a village in Uganda, or Kenya, sitting somewhere in the middle of nowhere in Peru and, or in meeting with women who are weaving in Guatemala, like, every single time conversations come back to, like, what I want for my children, what I want for my parents, access to education, access to health care, women's rights, laundry, school schedule, like all these things that are like, you really see this similarities between the issues that women face around the world, which I also think is super humbling.
I think it's really valuable when women in what we would call a developing country and the you know, that we would think there would be such different, you know, different issues, or maybe they would think we wouldn't have these issues.
And it's so amazing and powerful to see that there are similarities. And obviously, there's so many differences. And I'm not trying to belittle hardships that we don't face, but it's those moments when you're like, yes, you know, my husband does that exact same thing. And like everybody giggles and you're like, it's just this raw sense of humanity that sweeps over and breaks down those barriers, and really creates connections that we don't tend to expect when we travel.
16:54
Wow, that's so beautifully explained. And it's so true, like so much of it, it's just so universal, but it's like our ego thinks, oh, this is just, you know, what I know, or what I don't know, is usually what it is that the sacrum, asking those questions and getting out of that comfort zone. So do you see that a lot when you leave these trips with women, with the women that you're traveling with, like kind of that hesitancy to connect and lean in a little bit?
Christine Winebrenner Irick 17:26
Yeah, I think that there's a little bit of that. But I really tried to create a space for that openness and that connection. I also lead a women's book sojourn, which is kind of like a book club. But it came out of this time of the pandemic, when we couldn't travel, but I still wanted to create space for this type of inner and outer exploration. And so you know, we'll sometimes be reading a book and I have maybe read it five or six years ago, and I pick it up again, I think, oh, gosh, I forgot about this part that's gonna like probably be really uncomfortable, or this part that's really going to dig into a thing.
And, and then like, as I start to get to know, the women I like, know what their pain point is going to be. And I'm like, a little nervous going into the conversation, and we all drop into zoom. And it usually just takes like, 10 minutes and like one person to either be like, this just slayed me, or like, this is beyond my understanding, or this like, like, you know, rip me wide open. And everyone's like, Yes, me too. Like, it's just, it's so amazing to watch that happen.
Because I think, you know, kind of like I was saying, where we think someone from halfway around the world isn't having a slimmer, similar experience to us. We also don't think someone from you know, the other side of the state or the country or our neighborhood, we were so inside of ourselves, that it's really hard for us to understand that other people are navigating the same challenges. And even like witnessing it over and over and over. And in myself, I still will be like, completely surprised that I can see this happening again.
19:08
Wow, such a great idea to take that into a book club when you couldn't be actually traveling. So in my astrology studies that came up of like, if we can actually be traveling somewhere a great way to travel with, like, quote unquote, is with studying and expanding your mind in that way. So that's the main thing. What are some of the books that you've read in that book club? Um,
Christine Winebrenner Irick 19:35
oh my goodness, we've read so many we just finished dancing at the Dissident Daughter by Sue Monk Kidd. And we also last year read the book of longings that she wrote . I cannot highly recommend a book of longings, maybe my favorite book ever. I am waiting for the book that steps up. overtop of that one. But it is so beautifully written. And just like, have you happened to have read that?
20:07
I have not heard that down, though, I'm definitely gonna check it out.
Christine Winebrenner Irick 20:11
So, so beautiful. It's historic or historical, I always think it's historical. It's a historical fiction. But it's written from the perspective of the fictitious wife of Jesus, and what it would have been like to have had a relationship with him as a man in that journey in his life and what it would have been like to have been a woman during that time and her journey in finding her voice. It's like, super powerful. Um, yeah, so we've read a lot that are either focused on like women's journeys in finding their voice and examining their power, like real, straight travel memoirs. But they all come down to a focus of women. I'm like, looking all over my office trying to find them. We just read Atlas of the heart by Brene. Brown as well. And we read. Gosh, we read a great Yama, Sunni omise, which is a lot of people that have their yoga certification read that. Yeah, so just kind of like all of these different examinations of self and the world and a lot of focus on Feminine Spirituality and strength and gender equality and, and nature, kind of all the things I love when I travel into books. Oh,
21:42
my gosh, that's so cool. Is this? Is this something that's like open for new members?
Christine Winebrenner Irick 21:47
Yeah, we are. We're actually just getting ready to start like the next six month journey will begin in July. So people want to join us. Yeah, it's a great time to be able to hop in and read the last few books with us. And it's done on Zoom. So we meet twice a month, we have pretty lengthy discussions of 90 minutes and two hours so that we can really dive into some of these conversations, which, like I mentioned, become pretty, pretty revealing and amazing. Like really uncovering a lot of stuff when within ourselves. Hey, it's Christine. Interrupting this episode. For just a moment, I wanted to share with you a podcast that I've recently found that I think will be the perfect complement to this episode.
If you've ever encountered a situation while traveling where you felt a little uncomfortable, then you're really not alone. Each week unpacked by a far will unpack a single, ethically complex question. For example, how can I travel with a lighter footprint without spending hours researching Zero Waste travel hacks? Or I know I can't ride an elephant. But Can I swim with dolphins? When it comes to animal tourism? How do I figure out what's okay and what's not okay? Through a mix of First Person stories and interviews with experts in the field? unpacked, we'll explore answers to those questions and offer new ways to engage with the places we visit and the people we meet. Because the world is so complicated. Being an ethical traveler doesn't have to be to listen to search for unpacked by afar on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. I hope you enjoy it. Now let's head back over to our soulful conversation
23:50
oh man thing oh my gosh, we'll be sure to put that in the show notes how people can get connected because that sounds incredible. And I keep saying I'm not gonna sign up for anything else. But
Christine Winebrenner Irick 24:04
yeah, I'm really bad with that boundary as well. Because I love learning and I love that. And we're gonna get into this, I'm sure. But that sense of expansiveness, I think, is a little bit addicting as well. Just as addicting as travel. It's probably what makes travel so addicting. I know, for me, it is but that for me that just like that growth is so powerful, and it feels so good. Like it's uncomfortable while it's happening, oftentimes. But when you get on the other side of it, and you see yourself as the person that just navigated that journey, then it's like, oh, yeah, I'll do that again. Please. Yes.
24:44
Okay. Let's talk about that. Because that is definitely something that I want to talk about during this episode. So I would love to hear your perspective on expansion and also on that discomfort that often comes up because I feel like a lot of times that stop As people from taking that next leap and making that forward motion, because it's like, oh, actually, you know, I'm just gonna stay where I'm comfortable. So I would love to hear you speak to that.
Christine Winebrenner Irick 25:12
Yeah. So when I started my company, my first thought was to call it a transformational travel company. And when I came up with that idea, it was not something that a lot of people were talking about. And so when I would tell people, that's what I was doing, and they would just stop because they have no idea what I was talking about most of the time. And I also have a degree in sustainable destination management, which gets the same look out of people, like I just have no idea what you're talking about.
But I really loved the focus on transformation. And so I really wanted to find a way to, I guess, bring that into people and, and give that to them in a way that they can understand. And so I think, beginning to focus on the emotions that you feel that leave you looking for this kind of experience, whether you're specifically hoping for transformation, or some sort of awakening or awareness, it's that, that call to adventure. A lot of people might be familiar with the works of Joseph Campbell, and talking about the hero's journey. And there's that like, I just call it the whisper of the universe that just makes you start to like, start seeking something and start like, I longing, it's like book of longings, you're just like, you notice a part of you can't be satisfied by what you have in your immediate space. And no matter what you do, it just doesn't. It's just not quenched. And so for me that's like, that's kind of that wanderlust, like that initiation into what could What could this be.
And I think a lot of people then start maybe that's also the beginning of a spiritual awakening that people don't have language for. It's just this, this feeling of, of, of like an unquenchable desire for expansion really, is probably what it is. But we don't have the language for it. It's like, you walk into the bookstore, and you have no idea what book you want, like, you know, like kind of what it feels like.
But I feel like it's so hard for people looking for this. Because when you're when you start looking, you don't know what you're looking for. And travel, I think, really allows you to step into that because you slowly do something you're comfortable with. And you can, like, be guided into having it be a more expansive experience. So when I connect with people, if they hop on my website and book a call with me, one of the first things we'll do is say, we'll have a conversation about what are you looking for out of this travel experience? What kind of experiences have left you feeling, you know, really inspired or really satisfied? Like what really brought you joy? What are you looking for? Have you experienced a transition in your life? What is kind of like getting at what is that?
That hole that they're looking to fill? And really like, asking those questions ahead of time, I think a lot of people don't know. But that's that first step. And they go, Oh, I just really wanted to go hiking with women. And they had no idea that they also were deeply craving connection or like minded people, people who are having similar calls from the universe. And then once you get them into that container, then they start to like, feel around, and they'll like, I know that word now. And that applies to me. And oh, now I know that feeling kind of falls into this bucket. And I can start to like the shape, the experience I'm having. And I think when we travel, why it's so important to mix the two is because when you travel, you step out of your normal routine, you step out of your normal expectations of yourself, and you're just a lot more open. And then also there's kind of what I describe as like your inward gaze and your outward gaze.
And when you are in your daily life, you're on autopilot and your head is literally down most of the time probably in your cell phone. And you're just you're just going going going you're not responding to anything around you because it's stagnant. It's what you expect it to be. And the minute you travel, you have to like you get to the airport you have to figure out what gate you're going to have to figure out, you know where to board the plane and then you land and you're maybe reading street signs in a different language and you're trying to navigate and you immediately go from down and and, and if you're listening to the podcast, you can't see my posturing to like, up and out and you leave this part of yourself. And then like, that all starts to creep in, and you see bright colors and different sounds and smells.
And like, you really start to like to push outside of yourself and absorb your surroundings. And then I think like, when that opening starts happening, then you start seeing, like parts of yourself that have been asleep. And they just, like, wake up. And like you remember that you love the sound of water, like running down the side of a building, or I don't know, there's like these little hidden secrets about ourselves that start to come alive as we like, move through a new place. And it doesn't have to be a foreign country or anything.
Like the last two years, talked a lot about like the art of travel and bringing like this awe and wonder and curiosity into your daily life and maybe walking a different way to your neighborhood coffee shop, or going to a different park or just like going a different neighborhood and a different restaurants and like anything you're not familiar with, where you have to have your head up and your eyes open, and you have to pay attention to what's around you. So yeah, that felt like a really long winded description.
31:41
Oh, my gosh, it's really hot in here. But I keep getting chills because it's like, oh, like, the way that you're describing is, is just so, so profound. And it's so evident that this is something that you have really been living for so long, and just experiencing bringing other people on this journey with you like, what beautiful work. That's amazing.
Christine Winebrenner Irick 32:05
Thank you, thank you. I just took my daughter to New York, actually. And it was kind of fun, because I was trying to play with her a little bit without her knowing. And we were in Manhattan, and then we went to visit a friend who was in Staten Island, or not Staten Island, Long Island City, and like, you get on the ferry and you go five minutes, and it's completely different. And her whole energy shifted. And I was like, what, what are you like, here, what's different here, and she was like, it's so green, it's so quiet, the people are so spread apart. And I'm like, you like that better? Yes, it was so crazy. And she was like, I do not like Time Square and like then trying to like, you know, tap into that a little. And then we got home and she's like, space, like I'm really noticing the space in Colorado. And you know, just, I don't think we pay attention to those cues.
But our body is telling them to us all the time. And so was just trying to, like, guide her into that because I was really noticing it more for myself as well. And then I could see the same response in her. And so like I said, you don't, you don't have to be, don't have to be traveling far to like to have these interactions with yourself until like start to witness yourself and, and create an understanding of, of how you're moving through spaces.
33:32
So beautiful. And like that inner guidance system of like, what actually feels good, because it's gonna be a little bit different for everybody or a lot a bit different. Like we're all like, when we're moving through the world, the things that are, you know, feeling in alignment, and they're going to be different for everybody. So how old is your daughter?
Christine Winebrenner Irick 33:49
She's 12. So, but she's, she's an old soul. And she's had astrological readings and the woman one time said, Oh, your soul is much older than your mother's. I was like, That is the worst thing you could ever tell someone's child, because we'll be doing something and she was like, yes, but remember how when that lady said My soul is much older than yours, actually. So that's why I really understand this. I'm like, okay, sometimes she's really right.
34:21
Amazing. That's and have you traveled a lot with your kids?
Christine Winebrenner Irick 34:26
I've traveled a fair bit. We've traveled my family lives in Montana and we spend every summer with them and we road trip, you know to and from and I've taken them to a few other places, but we're getting ready to spend a year traveling. Leaving not this July, but next July.
34:44
So amazing. And will you homeschool them or something? Yeah. Oh my gosh. That's the dream.
Christine Winebrenner Irick 34:52
Go Yeah. So people if you're listening, you'll be able to see on the website a few places. We're still scheduling but where You can actually come and join us, we're going to create different itineraries in Africa. And I think Slovenia, Croatia, Costa Rica, probably Peru and Guatemala, where people can come and kind of join are here in the world. So,
35:15
yeah. Oh my gosh, yes. That sounds amazing. Oh my gosh, so cool. Wow, so much good stuff. Um, so can you share a little bit about your yoga practice as well, because I know, you said you've been a yoga practitioner for a long time, and then you decided to become a teacher as well. So I'd love to hear kind of how you weave that in with this whole transformational journey.
Christine Winebrenner Irick 35:39
Yeah, I started yoga in college. Because it was like, just an elective that was available, honestly. And, and there were parts about it that I really loved and parts about it that I really hated. And now when I reflect back, I think I really was resistant to the mental conversation that was required to like to hold poses for a really long time. Like that particular instructor in college, she loved to just hold poses forever. And I just didn't want to do it. But at that moment, I just was like, I don't like this, but I didn't really have any, again, like, didn't have that language to understand that.
This was like, actually, what yoga is, is that conversation. And, and then, like, a few years later, I ended up taking a, I don't know, three month yoga intensive, where I went every morning before work and did yoga. And it was just, again, like, there was something about that, like listening to myself, that was really powerful, because I am so intuitive. And because I am empathetic, like I described my existence in the world, there's constantly like 27 radio stations going, and I just hear all of them. And sometimes I'm listening to three, and I'm doing my own thing, or five of them.
And like very seldom is it, me and myself. Like just very rarely is. And I just that was the space where I could kind of quiet it down and then maybe hear like my own guides and my own guidance instead of like the jibber jabber of everything else. And so and again, like, this is all awarenesses I had no idea what's happening then. But I think I felt, I felt that. And so I just kind of kept leaning towards it. And I would be really diligent and then life would happen, and transitions would happen. And I've moved, I can't even tell you how many times so like finding a place to do yoga is like turning into a real practice in and of itself. Like, I don't want to just take yoga from anyone, like it's not about a fitness experience.
For me, it's about and again, I didn't know this, but it was about the spiritual experience. And I would have certain teachers that just be like, Okay, this is a yes. And I would be like, I just want to go there all the time. I want their energy. And again, I didn't really know about being empathetic or anything, but I was like, I could feel how they held space. And in that space, I was okay. And that was just the feeling I was after. And so like I said it was kind of ebbing and flowing and ebbing and flowing and then had children and would find that that would be the only time we could be quiet when we would do yoga.
So we did so many yoga videos. And my kids are so cute, that will just be like we might do yoga. And they were just like go get their mats out and do a yoga video. And I was like, Oh, this is like, this was like it's important actually. And I could see them also being steel and I could see them start to have those conversations with their mind over their body. And then that's when I started to like, really start to think about that. And then like when they were probably oh gosh, when my youngest was probably like just a toddler was really when I like really started to enter into my own spiritual practice and like started to fill my own awakening and like wanting to understand more and my all of my kids are also like insanely gifted in that realm, I think, which also made me like start asking questions, but cuz I'm like, wait, they're, they feel like they are still immersed in, like more than one space in time.
And so like that just was like this, I guess kind of like a validation that what I thought I could see was maybe real. And so then I really wanted to take a yoga teacher training because I thought this was going to be a way that I'm going to maybe see all of the parts and pieces lined out, like I was really still feeling rigid. I have been fighting like being total type a control freak and yoga, like, for some reason is so good and so bad for that because it's like, trust. And I'm like, oh, what box does that go into? And so, like, it was very, very hard. And then I just like this overwhelming urge as I was doing my business, and all these things just kept pointing to the spiritual nature of, of everything. And so I was like, Okay, I'm gonna do my yoga teacher training.
But how do I find the place? There's a million places. And I was in Montana. And I really, there was this place I'd heard about wanting to try it forever. And my girlfriend was like, let's go to yoga this morning. And she's like, there's this one place. It's called, blah, blah, blah. I was like, Oh, I really wanted to do this other one. But okay, let's go to your place. And then we get there. And she's like, oh, yeah, that's right. That one's not what it was. It's this one. Well, it's the place I had been wanting to go forever, because whether they happen to have an office or not, they have a yoga studio in Colorado and Montana. And since I spend time in both, I'm like, What are the chances? And then we show up and the woman that was going to teach us she's like, Oh, I almost closed because I thought no one was coming this morning. So you guys just get a private class. And part of you know, my journey was that I really wanted deeply spiritual practice.
But I also was questioning whether I wanted breath work, or energy medicine or yoga, like, I didn't know what I wanted. And we sat down, and she was like, I just want to let you know that my practice is a little different. I really incorporate breathwork and energy medicine, and yoga. And I was like, okay, universe, I'm hearing Yeah, I'm hearing Yeah. And I did this practice, and I cried like, five times. And I was like, okay, whatever just happened. This is yoga. Like, this is what I wanted. And, I have a pretty good connection with my guides, who are also very humorous. And I was like, Okay, I think this is where I want to do my teacher training. But I just need to sign because like, all of that that just happened of course, is not a good enough sign for me, because I just need more boxes to check.
And I was like, if this is the place, I should take yoga teacher training, just like send me a sign. And I got in my car and my phone rang. And one of my friends was like, Hey, did you see on Instagram? You just won this package that I was giving away? And I was like, Oh, I didn't like you just like, you just need to like, do you need to send this thing really quick, so that I can say that you did it the right way or whatever. And I was like, oh, yeah, I probably just liked liking your posts and commenting because it was your post and I just wanted to like, boost your algorithm or whatever. And she's like, well, you just won a yoga mat and yoga blocks and a towel and some straps and the yoga bag. And I was like, okay, of course I did. So anyway, I signed up to do this. I signed up to do this yoga class. And it was amazing. It was the best thing ever. And so I did my 200 hour with them.
And it just kind of was perfect. I was gonna say into this journey, but like middle to this journey. And being able to teach yoga was terrifying for me, because I did not want to be in front of people I just wanted. I started the yoga teacher training because I wanted this comprehensive knowledge of yoga. And I don't think in my mind I ever thought I would actually teach it. And then they're like, Well, you have to teach it to get your training wheels like oh, and then COVID happens. So we ended up doing everything virtually.
I thought, well, now I'll get out of the teaching part. No, no, no, you just have to then teach on Zoom, which maybe is worse, I don't know. Because you can't see your students. They're like this big, and you're supposed to be connecting to them. But right after I finished one of my co students was leading a retreat, and she asked me to teach a class. And I was like, Okay, sure. I'll teach in your retreat. And she's like, Well, you got a meditation too, because you're so good at that. And I was like, okay, and I'm just also at this point in my journey where I was just saying, I was like, I will say yes. Like, unless it feels like a no, no, no, no, no. I will say yes, if it still feels scary, but it feels like growth, I will say yes. And so I did that. And my friend was like, I don't even know what just happened.
But whoever just taught that class was not the same person who just took yoga teacher training with me, she's like, I don't even understand what happened in the course of like, one month. And anyway, it was just a huge part of my journey. And so I really believe deeply in the like, the teachings and the philosophy and the mindset and the way of, like, engaging with the world. And so that's part of why we read the yamas and the Yamas, in my book club, because I just remember reading that and I was like, no one said there was an extraction manual for living.
I'm like, why were we given this a long time ago, I just, there were so many books that I read through that process that really just felt like they were the answers. And like, the me who might have sat down with that book six years ago, would have not been able to read it and understand. So there's so much value in understanding where people are on their journey. And then also like, the ability to, like, have read all these things and have all these experiences. And then to be able to kind of use my energy assessment and say, like, this person, just like needs this piece handed to them right now. And not always right. But like, it's fun to kind of, like play with it and see like, like, I feel like it's like sprinkling magic. I'm like, Oh, my gosh, I know this thing that's just going to make you go oh, and I'm like, it's my favorite thing to watch that happen. So gosh, I
46:52
so relate to that. I'm a yoga instructor as well. I don't know if I shared that with you. But yeah, just that feeling of like, kind of being able to tune in at the moment to read the room and read what people are needing. And it's your right, like, the texts and yoga and all of the yoga philosophy stuff is like, such great Rules for Living and such great stuff. Oh, my gosh, what a cool story about like, just how you followed the breadcrumbs. And you know, the signs just kept showing up. So that's amazing. I hope you can't hear the ice cream truck going by. Can you hear that? Okay. Now an ice cream truck in my neighborhood is like, that's my practice now is like not getting so angry when I check. No, except in the whole world. But, um, wow. So where do you bring that in? Now with your, when you're taking women on these group travel excursions? Like, how do you bring yoga into all of that?
Christine Winebrenner Irick 48:00
Yeah, so I think in the design, it starts in that, that beginning first conversation is just kind of bringing in some of that attention and that mindset and that discovery and using it as a way to create connection with what they're really looking for. And then as far as the travel experience itself is like really leaving time and space and flow in the travel experience, and not having things be so busy and rushed and understanding like the value of the space between things. And I think that's very much just like, for me, it's that energy of yoga, and it's like, the understanding of the process of the journey is more important than the beginning, middle and end of the journey. Like it's again, it's that space between and really like nurturing and cultivating that and knowing full well that that's really what we're there for. And while people again, like they think they're there for the hike, and they're there to see Machu Picchu, they're not there for those things.
They're there for all these other parts that happen. And so I think that, like, I really needed to progress in my own understanding of things before I could create a container where that could happen. And then also, there's just really the idea of like, maybe we're in a spot where the energy of the land is really powerful. Well, we should definitely just stop and do 10 minutes of breath work, or meditation or yoga and part of why I wanted to do that. Like in a more, I guess, professional capacity and getting yoga teacher training is just so I understood a little bit more about the process of teaching yoga. I also needed it for the checkbox in the spreadsheet which is so horrible to say cuz it goes against the whole thing of yoga, right? Like, I could have done it before. But I felt like I needed the validation and the accreditation of that certificate in that stamp.
But yeah, I really wanted to be able to just harness the energy of yoga whenever it needed to happen, and not rely on like having to bring in an instructor, although in some places, I very much want to do that, because I want them to bring their connection to the space and to culture and the locale and like, incorporate their wisdom, not my wisdom into the journey.
50:38
Amazing. Yeah, that makes so much sense to, even though it's like, yeah, it's checking a box in a certain way. But also, it's like, like, you said that before you took the teacher training, you felt like you had all these little pieces that were kind of like, not like, if you didn't have, like the puzzle wasn't fitting together. And then once you take the training, and you kind of can put all those pieces together, then you can pick and choose and decide, like, you know, oh, here, this is a really good time for this or whatever. So yeah,
Christine Winebrenner Irick 51:11
and I think a huge part of that, too, was having people witness me in that space, which is what I really also needed. And I think that is also like having felt that is also very helpful on the other side of guiding a trip and understanding how people need to be seen. In an experience, it's really important. For instance, last summer, we took a guided trip. A girlfriend and I got a trip to hike a fourteener in Colorado, and to witness the people having this experience of hiking and overcoming fears and challenges and physical barriers and mental hurdles to get to the top. And then they needed someone to witness them. As the woman who just hiked a 14,000 foot mountain, I mean, come on. And like you need someone to do that for you. Because there's something weird about us not being able to do it for ourselves. And so that is also a part of me sitting there, like at the end of the teacher training and having people say, this is how I saw you here, that I could be like, Okay, that is who I am, like, we just need that. That reflected back on us. And I think that's really a part of the travel experiences as well.
52:34
Oh my gosh, so beautiful. So if someone is sitting at home, and they're like, I want to, you know, hike or fourteener or go to Peru, or go to Africa, but I, I'm actually afraid to push myself to do that, like, what do you tell someone who's struggling with like getting out of their comfort zone for the first time?
Christine Winebrenner Irick 52:59
I mean, that's so super valid. And I think you have to be ready for it. And I think that that's also part of the process of coaching someone through that. And I also think that people that, for instance, that are doing the book sojourn with me like they're kind of getting to build that muscle a little bit at a time in a container that feels a little less risky. Like they're definitely stretching themselves in ways they wouldn't have expected I'm sure when they thought they signed up for a book club. But yeah, just to kind of, I think you just have to like to learn, learn what is fear? And what is discomfort, and even in fear, learn what is actual, like, something that's not safe. And something that just is like your resistance to expansion. And I think that has been a huge if I can think about it, I'll give you the podcast to share.
But there was this woman who is like the first fire chief in San Francisco, and she was talking about fear and she's like, You have to have fear or else you'll die. Like you need fear. But fear doesn't always operate in our brains the way it needs to. It's meant to tell you if you are safe. And when we were hiking that fourteener there was this point where we're going across a self saddle that felt like it was like two inches wide and 9 million feet down for me. I have a terrible fear of heights. And I made it tingles. It makes my hands sweat and my feet sweat and everything. Yeah. And, and I looked and I'm like, is this four inches wide? No, it was probably like five feet or six feet was not very wide. But I was like, Are you safe? Yes. Is it okay to be afraid? Yes. Are you safe? Yes. Can we take one more step? Yes. So like, I had to coach myself all the way across that thing. And I think that's just where we have to understand like, is the fear actually to keep you safe?
Or is it to keep you stuck. And I think we have created this conversation in our bodies for fear to keep us stuck. And that this could be a whole, like another six hour conversation about the ways systems are created in our world. But I think that has been something that's been manufactured to keep us stuck.
And so that's part of the process, too, is just like helping people through that hurdle to say yes, which honestly, I think is the hardest thing people are really scared, they don't want to transform necessarily, or to change and, and a huge thing for me is to and might be valuable for anybody listening is that for me, transformation doesn't actually mean change, per se, like the beginning of my trip to Peru, and the end of my trip to Peru.
I'm still Christine. But what has changed is how I know myself. And so that relationship, and that conversation is what is transformed. And so I now know myself as the person who does XYZ, and it's that transformation that I'm really after. And I'm not asking people to become someone else. I'm just asking them to change their relationship and their conversation with who they are.
56:31
So beautiful. I love that, can we take one more step like when we are feeling afraid, and that can be applied to so many things. Like, you know, like you said, like travel doesn't mean that you have to go very far like you could travel reading a book or you know, taking a walk around your neighborhood, and then a direction or something and just coming up against that feeling of like, you know, things are shifting, it feels uncomfortable. Things might even be scary. But can we take one more step? Oh, that's yeah, such a great question to ask.
Christine Winebrenner Irick 57:07
Yeah, I do it in my business. I do it all the time. Yeah, it's really bad. And also, if you take one more step, and it's horrible, like it's just one step backward, and you didn't figure out like, you don't have to go to the beginning of the trail again, just like take one step backward and take a breath and then like, reassess. And because I know for me, I'm like all or nothing mode, and it's like, well, if I take the one step, and it's wrong, and I step back, I've failed. No, you just start reassessing. And, I think, yeah, people will go through that, as they're asking themselves to expand and when they're asking those questions about themselves, and when they're hearing that nudge, and having to like, start to fight all of these identities and parameters and barriers that really come from this journey.
57:55
Do you see that a lot like that all or nothing mentality of like, if I take the one step, and it's not good, I might have to go back to square one.
Christine Winebrenner Irick 58:02
Yeah, definitely. I think that is huge. I mean, I spent a lot of time in the entrepreneur world, and I think it feels like that a lot. You're like, it takes a lot to say like, I am going to be a woman who owns a travel company. Oh, by golly, I better be that person. Once I say I am. And like I when I wanted to start my podcast, and I'm like, I don't even know what a podcast is. If I said, if I put that out there, like what's going to happen? When everyone notices I'm doing a podcast and everyone notices I'm not. And then I was like, Well, here's the real trick. It's no one's noticing that you have the podcast, and then no one's noticing. You're not like, there's a few people. You know, that's a whole nother thing. Like our ego was like, everyone on Facebook is going to notice that I said, I now do a podcast, and they're gonna be like, where's the next episode? I can't believe this isn't coming. And you know, again, a whole nother conversation. But it's like one step forward is fine. And so is the one step back.
59:02
Yeah. And like, right, and even if someone did notice, and they were like, Hey, why didn't you do that thing that you're doing? Yeah. You just be like, cool. I just took my one step back, because that actually didn't feel good, right? Yeah, that's okay. So yeah. Yeah. So important. Such an important reminder to like as an entrepreneur, and yeah, I struggled with that. Like when starting my podcast, too. I was like, I over thought it so much until I realized like, okay, all I actually have to do is just talk to cool people. I think I could do that.
Christine Winebrenner Irick 59:34
Yeah, yeah. I feel like, particular journey is one that people really resist. Well, you really do feel like you're putting yourself out there. And in a way you are like, you are I mean, at this point, I'll look and I'm like, oh, like 260 people listened last week, and I probably don't know who they are. And it's really okay, like, there's something that shifts. I mean, like your ego, let go of caring about it. Like, you have to just know that whatever you are creating in the world is meant to be received by some people. And it's not meant to be received by some people. And like, if you start trusting in that magic, you're just like, I know that I meant to create this. And I just kind of set it on the shelf for the person that needs to come by and pick it up. And whether that's one person or if that's a million people, like it already just is. And we really have no control of that; we just have our voice. And so I think that's been a huge part of the process as well for me. And I think that's why podcasting is so fun, because it really is like, amplifies that process and that message and that experience.
1:00:50
Me a thing. Oh my gosh, well, this has been so fun. I could keep talking to you for a long time. I have a lot more things I would love to ask you. But I am gonna wrap it up here. Before we do that, would you share just one if you could just leave our listeners with one piece of advice around expansion and travel and, you know, loving their life even a little bit more?
Christine Winebrenner Irick 1:01:19
Um, oh my gosh, that feels like a means to have something in my mind. That's already really huge. No, I just would say like really learning to trust yourself. And learning to say yes, when you need to say yes. And learning to say no, when you need to say no, which is really a lot harder, and a lot bigger than that. But it also can be really simple and powerful too and so I think learning to have that conversation with yourself and with your environment applies to travel, but it applies to everything.
1:02:02
Amazing. I love that. Thank you so much. And would you be able to just share where listeners find you to connect?
Christine Winebrenner Irick 1:02:10
Yeah, if they visit Lotus sojourns, which is LOTUSSOJ, o u, r and s which I learned later is really hard to spell and really confusing. And if you're creating a brand, not the thing to do, but it meant something to me, so therefore it is but yeah, Lotus sojourns.com You can find the trips there. Backslash soul dash of Dash travels where the podcast is, but everything is on that page and Instagram also is the same load of sojourns and that sort of trouble podcasts so and if people want to reach out they can email connect at Lotus sojourns.com or DM me or anything I am. Community is my happy place. Finding the people that need to find me is my happy place. So I'm so excited if people reach out and don't think that you can't actually do it. I would love to hear from you.
1:03:05
Awesome, and I'll make sure to link all of that below. So amazing. Thank you so much.
Christine Winebrenner Irick 1:03:11
Thank you for listening to the Soul of Travel. I hope you enjoyed the journey. If you love this conversation, I encourage you to subscribe, rate the podcast and share the episodes that inspire you with others. I am so proud of the way these conversations are bringing together people from around the world. If this sounds like your community, welcome.
I am so happy you are here. You can find all the ways you can be a part of the Soul of Travel and Lotus Sojourns Community at www.Lotussojourns.com. Here you can learn more about the Soul of Travel and my guests.
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