If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍

Welcome to Light Work, a soft place to land in what could otherwise be a hard moment.

We’re two sisters walking the path of healing together. In this space, we share honest conversations about the practices that have helped us reconnect with presence and a deeper sense of meaning in our daily lives.

This episode is the third part of our multi-part series on healing modalities and today we’re diving into herbal support for periods, perimenopause and beyond. Plant allies for those who move through the world with (and without) a uterus.

Jen, who is currently completing her herbalism certification, takes us through some of the plants she reaches for to support the bodies, brains and nervous systems navigating the hormonal tidal wave that is life. We talk brain fog, energy, cramps, sleep, rumination, nervous tension and the particular chaos that can come with perimenopause.

Along the way, Jen introduces us to Schisandra, Motherwort, Passionflower, Skullcap, Stinging Nettle Leaf and her beloved Cramp Bark, including how she uses them, when she reaches for them and some important cautions to consider. We also somehow determine what each plant would wear to prom, because apparently that is useful botanical information.

We finish with a simpler herbal toolkit for teens and younger menstruators, including ginger, chamomile, peppermint and nettle leaf, plus an important reminder that severe pain, unusual symptoms or anything that feels concerning deserves proper medical attention.

As always, none of the information presented here is meant to replace medical advice. Herbs are powerful, they can interact with medications and what works for one body may not work for another. Do your research, start gently and talk to a qualified healthcare professional when appropriate.

You don’t need to be a seeker, a healer or anything in particular to be here, just curious, open or tiring under the weight of what can often feel like unending chaos.

As always, love, light & good night 🤍

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍

Welcome to Light Work — a soft place to land in what could otherwise be a hard moment.

We’re two sisters walking the path of healing together. In this space, we share honest conversations about the practices that have helped us reconnect with presence and a deeper sense of meaning in our daily lives.

This episode is the second part of our multi-part series on healing modalities, beginning with something beautifully simple and profoundly accessible: meditation — or presence practice, if structure isn’t your thing.

Today we’re continuing our conversation about what meditation can look like in real life, how it can be easily accessed in ordinary moments that don’t take you away or require you to plan or “make time” for it.

We touch on why embodied presence practice touches deeply into the feminine (not female, but feminine) and why structured, hierarchical, masculine (not male, but masculine) practices like silent, seated meditation often feel so removed from daily life and unachievable.

Our aim is to gently bring presence practice back to where it lives — in the breath, the body, the senses, and the everyday moments we’re already moving through.

Whether you’re drawn to noticing your breath, feeling the aliveness within your body, spending time in nature or finding presence while washing your hands or eating, we hope this conversation encourages you to explore what feels natural and kind for you.

You don’t need to be a seeker, a healer, or anything in particular to be here — just curious, open, or tiring under the weight of what feels like unending chaos.

As always, love, light & good night 🤍

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍

Welcome to Light Work — a soft place to land in what might otherwise be a hard day.

We wanted to offer up a short, unguided drumming meditation as another way to rest the thinking mind and allow the body and nervous system to lead.

The buffalo drum has deep roots in Indigenous and shamanic traditions across many cultures. This offering is shared with respect for those lineages, without claim to title or ancestry, and with gratitude for the wisdom carried through rhythm, frequency, and vibration.

The drum is played at a rhythm of 3–4 beats per second, a tempo that can gently guide the brain into a theta state. This is a slower, dreamlike brainwave often associated with deep relaxation, meditation, creativity, and inner imagery. Through a natural process called entrainment, your nervous system will begin to match the drum’s rhythm, allowing your body to relax and your mind to loosen its grip.

This kind of meditation practice can be especially supportive for those who find guided meditation distracting or effortful. Rather than following words or instructions, the vibration of the drum offers a direct, somatic invitation. It’s a call to the most ancient, instinctive parts of ourselves that remember how to rest and recalibrate.

You don’t need to visualise, journey, or “do” anything. Simply allow the sound to move through you - it might feel grounded and heavy, spacious, emotional, or simply calming. All responses are right.

We invite you to meet this practice with curiosity rather than judgement, and to return to it whenever you’re seeking a different way to unwind, release, and gently reset.

We recommend listening while sitting or lying down in a safe, comfortable space. This practice is not intended to be used while driving or doing anything that requires your full attention.

After listening, move slowly and give yourself a little time to re-enter your day. Make as much space as possible for hydration and good nutrition to support your body.

Love, light & good night 🤍

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍

Welcome to Light Work — a soft place to land in what might otherwise be a hard day.

We wanted to offer up a short embodied presence practice for moments that feel heavy, loud, or disconnected. Making time in your day to pause & connect back in is a beautiful way to be present.

In this practice, we focus on the body and the breath first and then notice the subtle aliveness that’s always present in us beneath thought, tension, and distraction.

Whether you’re new to mindfulness, a returning practitioner, or just in need of a moment of steadiness, this practice is here to meet you.

You don’t need to feel calm, be spiritual, or have any intention other than a willingness to pause and listen inward.

Come back whenever you need space, softness, or a reminder that presence is always available.

After listening, move slowly and give yourself a little time to re-enter your day. Make as much space as possible for hydration and good nutrition to support your body.

Love, light & good night 🤍

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍

Welcome to Light Work — a soft place to land in what could otherwise be a very hard day.

We’re two sisters walking the path of healing together. In this space, we share honest conversations about the practices that have helped us reconnect with presence and a deeper sense of meaning in our daily lives.

This episode opens our multi-part series on healing modalities, beginning with something beautifully simple and profoundly accessible: meditation — or presence practice, if structure isn’t your thing.

We talk about what meditation actually looks like in real life, how it shows up in ordinary moments, and why so many of us feel we’re “doing it wrong” before we’ve even begun. We explore the myths and expectations that can make meditation feel distant or unreachable, and gently bring it back to where it lives — in the breath, the body, the senses, and the everyday moments we’re already moving through.

Whether you’re drawn to noticing your breath, feeling the aliveness within your body, spending time in nature or finding presence while washing your hands or eating, we hope this conversation encourages you to explore what feels natural and kind for you.

You don’t need to be a seeker, a healer, or anything in particular to be here — just curious, open, or tiring under the weight of what feels like unending chaos.

As always, love, light & good night 🤍

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍

Welcome back to you - and to us! We're returning to our regularly scheduled podcasting (sort of) and we're so excited to take you along on our amazing journey of exploring different healing modalities and ways to bring lightness, and Light Work, into all of our lives.

We're looking forward to sharing the future with you - it's going to be a beautiful ride...

Lisa & Jen xo

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍

Welcome to season 5 of the Dear Patriarchy Podcast - we're back, baby!

Season 5 is the beginning of our evolution of the Dear Patriarchy offering. A year and a half ago, we stepped away to start healing and we're bringing back what we've learned and want to continue the healing journey with you.

Our first conversation is with the incredible Kat Courtney, founder of Plant Medicine People, who has been involved in the plant medicine and shamanism communities for the last 2 decades. She is a loving source of wisdom and this episode is an outpouring of her knowledge, gained through 20+ years of experience in ceremonial healing.

In this episode, we discuss what plant medicine actually is, specifically focusing on ayahuasca, and discuss Kat's journey with this beautiful medicine. Kat deep dives into her experiences of finding patriarchy within plant medicine & shamanism communities, and gives us a guideline of how to find safe retreat spaces, including things to look out for and red flags to be aware of. She shares her decades-long experience of sitting in, and holding, ceremony space and how plant medicine can not only heal, but also offer support and wisdom in helping you find purpose in the work that you're most passionate about. Towards the end of the episode, she offers up a powerful process for transmuting anger into purpose which we hope will help you as profoundly as it has helped us.

We'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode once you've listened - share with us on Instagram or at patriarchypod@gmail.com

If you want more Kat Courtney in your life (because of course you do!), find her here:

• Discover the Plant Medicine People community
• Dive into excellent articles by Kat here & here
• Read Kat's fantastic book "Plant Medicine Mystery School Volume I"
• Connect on Instagram with Kat here and with Plant Medicine People here
• Retreat scholarship information

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍

Welcome to the ninth episode of series 4, where we’re focusing on the educators, activists, and influencers who inspire and guide us.

In this week’s episode, Lisa chats to the fabulous Nila Varman, host of the Nila Extract, an award winning radio show and educational platform that amplifies the voices of those from minority ethnic communities, dispels stereotypes and navigates socially pressing issues that are not spoken about enough. Nila has won many awards for her work, including a Diana award, Frontline 50 award, and SRA & BBC Award for Best Student Radio Presenter.

We dive right into how Nila’s journey into activism was accelerated by the surge in global awareness of social justice issues at the start of the pandemic. Nila shares how, as a “British Tamil gal”, clearly seeing the everyday racism directed towards Tamil and South Indian communities, as well as occurring inside them, made her eager to speak out about its impact as well as other “taboo” topics.

Nila is a passionate creative and speaks beautifully about how her work affects her own life and the lives of those around her. She talked about the constant pressure to create and how she finds balance on platforms that demand continuous content production.

Listening to Nila, it’s impossible to miss the joy that infuses her work which, a lot of the time, is focused on heavy, hard issues. Nila consistently brings lightness to these important conversations, an invaluable skill which sets her apart as a truly joyful activist.

You can find Nila & her award winning work here:
- Nila’s website
- Find Nila on Instagram at @the_nila_extract and on TikTok at @thenilaextract
- Listen to The Nila Extract podcast, available on all major streaming platforms!

- Continue the conversation by picking up our book Dear Patriarchy: The Gaslit Women's Guide to the (Corporate) World

• International orders
• North American orders

- Please check out our "Feminism 101" suggested reading list here if you're at a loose end for a great read from an incredible female author.

- Find out more about Nubefy, the amazing artists behind the graphics we use, here.