Oula Connected from the Vault

Kali and Bernice are back at the mic after taking a bit of a hiatus! The Super Bowl sprung them out of Podcast Retirement because they were all fired up about peoples' responses to the halftime show. On this podcast they try to understand the strong push back that men and women alike gave to Shakira and JLo's performance! As you can imagine, Bernice was pole dancing while watching it and Kali and her girls were talking about whose costumes were their favorite without even a clue that this was going to be controversial. Is it fear based? Is it learned? Is it from the Puritans? Is it from our witchy background being burned at the stake? WHAT IS IT? Take a listen to our perspective!

This week, Bernice and Kali discuss our human tendency to rationalize grief. The truth is, grief doesn't follow the rules. It can not be compared or put on a timeline or diminished and whatever you are feeling right now, and especially during the holiday season, deserves your attention. They talk about their own experiences with loss and grief and even their own shame about their grief. Have you ever felt like you shouldn't be so sad about something because someone has it worse? Yes this thought process can sometimes be of assistance with cultivating gratitude, but it can also stop you from fully feeling what is coming up. We hope this podcast gives you permission to be sad or disappointed or longing during the holidays.

In this episode, Bernice and Kali refer to their new song of the week, "She'd Say" by Andy Grammer, about what his mother who has passed would say to his daughter. This song prompted them to reflect on their own knowledge of their lineage and how to tap into ancestral wisdom. They wrestle with cultural appropriation and their longing for connection to the wisdom that elders hold. Their ancestors migrated to the United States, and like so many others, lost their ancestral wisdom. Did they give it up, was it taken from them, where is it and how do we find it?

This week, Kali and Bernice respond to a listener's message about feeling like an imposter. They explore why we doubt ourselves and how to believe in ourselves. Imposter Syndrome is common and can either make us want to shrink or over-inflate to compensate for our feelings of inadequacy. They talk about where they feel inadequate and imposters in their own lives and roles and hopefully give some tips for how to manage your own feelings of being an imposter.

In Episode 2 of our 2020 Vision Series, Kali and Bernice talk about the importance that friendship plays in their lives. After being friends for nearly 10 years, they talk about their own friendship and their generation gap, what they look for in friends, why their friendships last (or not!) and the importance of maintaining them, especially through difficult times like Covid. Thank you to you, our friends, for being a part of our lives.