My guest Dawn Torres is a super versatile and long-time alternative healing practitioner and teacher. In this episode Dawn shares her perspective on healing, one that was born out of the various modalities she’s studied and practiced, as well as some of the personal experiences she’s had that inform how she approaches helping others.
What's on the menu at Lucid Cafe? Stories of transformation; healing journeys; thought-provoking conversations about consciousness, shamanism, psychology, ethics. Hosted by Wendy Halley of Lucid Path Wellness & Healing Arts.
There's Magic in Your Story with Dawn Torres
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Wendy: [00:00:00] This is Wendy Halley and you're listening to lucid cafe.
Hi there. Welcome to another episode of lucid cafe, a podcast, exploring healing consciousness and the complexities of being human. I have my dental hygienist turned yoga teachers. Sister-in-law Teri, who you might remember from season one of the podcast, to thank for connecting me with today's guest, Dawn Torres.
Teri's not only a badass yoga instructor. She's also my unofficial booking agent. Dawn Torres [00:01:00] is an alternative healing practitioner and teacher whose practice borrows from the many disciplines she's explored over the years. She guides clients and students to wake up their deeply rooted inner guidance systems through yoga, Reiki, sound healing, and a multitude of transformation tools.
She's come to know that the body's natural inclination is towards wellness and it's her passion to assist others, to become aware of and remove the obstacles in the way of that natural pathway to health. Needless to say, in this episode, we cover a lot of ground Dawn shares her perspective on healing.
One that was born out of the various modalities. She studied and practiced as well as some of the personal experiences she's had that inform how she approaches helping others.
Please enjoy my conversation with Dawn Torres.
Hi Dawn. Thanks so much for coming on the show.
Dawn: Hi Wendy. And thank you for having me. [00:02:00] I feel like we're both ready to crack up about all the great stuff to come.
Wendy: Yeah, no pressure there. Okay. I have to thank my new Lucid Cafe publicist. My sister-in-law Teri.
Dawn: She's your greatest, she's your greatest voice out in the world, for sure.
Wendy: No kidding. You're the second person I've had on the show she's connected me with, so thank you for coming on.
Dawn: Well, she's been singing you faces for years, just so you know, she's told me for many years that you and I have to, so, yeah, it's wonderful.
Wendy: And here we are.
Dawn: Here we are.
Wendy: I don't know much about you, so,
Dawn: Okay.
Wendy: I think that's a good place to start.
Dawn: It's great place to start.
Wendy: I mean, other than the few things that Teri has told me over the years, but I would love to hear your perspective, what it is that you're up to these days.
Dawn: Okay. That's a big question. My work, like all of [00:03:00] ours has evolved. I would say that the very beginnings of my work in the healing arts was with Reiki.
Like so many, we call it the gateway drug to energy healing for many of us. So started with Reiki over 20 years ago. And, next I found yoga, the practice of yoga, the physical practice, which. Really dropped me quickly. As I took a teacher training into the whole, I would say spiritual teachings of yoga, the whole kind of psychology and into the layers of the yamas NEMA truths of the yoga practice, and then just kept growing from there.
So I do sound healing now is a large part of the. Private sessions and group work that I do is to offer sound baths. I love offering group gatherings, retreats, those places where we can come together to use the yoga teachings, everything that I'm talking about to kind of come together and lift each other up and support each other as we grow.
[00:04:00] Most recently, I would say in the couple years I've been really diving deeper into just the study of mediumship and how. Perhaps the psychic gifts that have come throughout my life often, not knowing that they were coming, but that they were coming. So working deeper with how that's evolving and again, my private work and then group gatherings as well.
And then most recently in the past couple years, I've been working with a process called Emotion Code. Do you know that work? Emotion Code?
Wendy: I heard the phrase, but I don't know anything about it. So why don't you educate me?
Dawn: Sure. What I love about it is that, it was created by Dr. Bradley Nelson, is that it combines all of the amazing parts of energy work when we're getting in there to do clearing or raising vibrations and release blocks and all of that good work.
But in Emotion Code, I feel like it's just really direct. So I, I always love the feel good body you work. I'll never let that go. But what I love about emotion code is that we're specifically talking to this, the person's subconscious [00:05:00] and asking a very specific question. So say for example, if a student or client comes in and says I have chronic back pain and have for 20 years, or I have depression or having addiction issues.
So it can be mental, physical, spiritual, whatever, but I love it for. For more longstanding things that people are struggling to move past. And, you know, we're intelligent enough to know. I know I want it to change and yet why can't it? I love this process for that, because to just go right to a person's subconscious, I'm using muscle testing to get answers and just ask, are there any Trapp Unheed emotions at the cause?
Fill in the blank, there's a chart of 60 different emotions. And so there's this really quick way to narrow that down, to get the answer. And the idea is that wherever that stuff is stashed in our bodies, that sort of, as we even ask the question and it's rising to consciousness, I see it as literally kind of traveling through those Nadis or energy channels, [00:06:00] making its way up to of consciousness.
And then we clear down the spine or that governing Meridian with the magnet or a hand, or I like to use both. And so. Little more to it than that, but that's the quick synopsis of it. And so I've just seen the most miraculous things happen. After you, when you bring up a specific emotion, you then ask to clarify the age that it kind of came to be, or when it became blocked in your system.
And that can go back to childhood in. Even inherited. So it really taps into the whole epigenetics of did this come down, the lineage of mother or father and how many generations back. So it can be really fascinating for somebody, for one, if something's coming up in utero or early childhood, we don't remember that, but we know subconscious has stored.
Every bit of it. And so the gift of actually getting in there, bringing it to light and clearing, and I love the ahas that often come when a person's like looking at something that they've long forgot and then go, [00:07:00] oh yeah. That at four or five or whatever. That's yes. That's when my parents split up or yes, that's when something happened.
And so we really. On many, many levels or layers kind of brings the whole kind of getting into subconscious lifting and releasing, and also allowing the person to like, just have something doesn't matter if we remember it or not. But I just know for myself, when I worked this process on myself, there's been some really amazing like, oh, I know that to be true.
You know, I know even from what my parents have said, that was a crazy time in their lives. And so while I don't remember it, my body does so anyway, I, I love bringing that in for those sort of. More constant or long standing issues that, like I said, are persons just in that place of like, why, why can't I change this?
I've tried everything. And I, and I wanna know how I can and it's, I find it really useful for that.
Wendy: You know, what it kind of reminds me of is Eileen McKusick tuning fork. Biofield. Yeah,
Dawn: I dunno it [00:08:00] works that process, but I know of that process. So I guess that's the beauty, right? Is that we could do this in many different ways is sort of like just the, just the simplicity of going, oh yeah. We can just ask what's happening there. And can we clear it.
Wendy: Right. And I guess what you're saying is that where Eileen is using tuning forks to listen for dissonance at certain points around the body. \
Dawn: Yes.
Wendy: And I guess she's mapped it out as to various ages. I'm trying to recall my, I had her on the podcast. I'm trying to recall how she described it, various ages, and then that she's also mapped out what types of issues fall in certain positions on the body, right. Or away from the body. Anyway. And you're talking about capturing that through kinesiology.
Dawn: Yes.
Wendy: And then using the chart.
Dawn: Yes, the chart has the, the chart of emotions and even the way he's created it, I think is pretty brilliant in [00:09:00] columns and layers so that you can sit and go.
We're asking, are there any trapped emotions getting a yes or a no. And is it in column a or B and then, so it's within a few seconds. You've got your answer. And then just that in. And identifying the age, we start with a halfway mark. So if a person's 50, I'm gonna say, did this happen before the age of 25 and then maybe 2010 and so going backwards or forward that way.
And with the idea that we know subconscious is not timebound or linear, it's pretty accurate within a year or two. And I. Again, well, I love doing the energetic and the, and the body feel good release work that way. I think it's really powerful to actually sometimes when it's been this type of an issue, walk out with a, just that kind of a, wow. That makes such sense. And how often people go. I didn't even know I was holding onto that. I didn't even know that was in there anymore, but yet as, and we know if something's not been done to clear it, release it, let it go. Of course. It's. [00:10:00] Still in there. So yeah, that's been a great addition. And what I love about that work is that I can do that with just like this.
We can do that virtually. We can do that by phone.
Wendy: I was just gonna ask if it's something that can be done remotely.
Dawn: Yes.
Wendy: In case people are listening and are curious.
Dawn: Yes. Which again, I've just seen and I'll tell you I'm the biggest skeptic. So when I started training in is really amazed at what I saw happening, but I am such a hands on touchy person that way I love connecting one on one.
So initially I was like, I don't know if this is gonna be as effective to work with people virtually and to see the power of the work has been for me really. And of course it makes sense because we don't need to be embody the energy's there, but it's always helpful. I'm sure as you know, when we get to see how profound or that it's still just as powerful, if not more.
So yeah, it will of it for.
Wendy: So then did you capture all of the things that you wanted to capture? Cause I mean, that's quite a list of modalities that,
Dawn: yeah, I, I think, yeah, that's the bulk of it now. It's just like a fast synopsis of [00:11:00] how I got to where I am now. And I mean, there's some other things in there, but that's sort of the.
I think that encapsulates mostly what I'm doing right now. As I said, taking these things out into the world, feeling really fortunate to sort of be in a bubble right now. I think I told you, I used to own a yoga studio about eight years that I had the studio, which I loved, loved, loved this space. But when you learn about yourself, I loved having a, to bring people together and to build community and just share the teachings of yoga and the healing work.
And I think just a space to bring people in where. You know, you can bring people into a space where they can feel loved and feel accepted and feel seen. I always felt like it was like the cheers. Maybe all studios feel like that. Like this is the cheers. Everybody knows your name. So that was what I loved about that space.
But I found after a time, I just never mastered managing a good balance with that. A meaning my work life, my home life. And I don't know that anybody probably feels that way, but I just felt like far more of [00:12:00] my time was spent managing. The business end of things, and less and less of my time was going towards what I love, which is the work, which is working with people.
So, so that decision was, was great in the end to now. Yeah. Allow myself. And so more time, you know, I leading a yoga retreat next June to Montero and just bringing women together for that retreat. But it's again, that space to go and be in a beautiful location. And in that just have the time for really great healthy food movement.
You know, I was thinking before we got on today of talking about just that the koshas or the layers of where we're bringing healing or balances into people's lives. And when you go on retreat, you have the ability to not go into a healing session and then go right back into your daily life. It's like just these days to really be absorbed in it and absorbed in the energy and in beautiful convers and surrounded by other people that are interested in the same things in terms of growth and healing and awareness.
So. I think like right now, I feel really fortunate to be [00:13:00] doing exactly what I love. And also, probably for the first time in my life to feel like I don't say yes to anything that I don't really wanna do. And yeah, that's, that's new for me. And I'm really excited about that.
Wendy: Yeah, no, that's wonderful that you've gotten to that place, cuz I don't know if a lot of us can say that. Right? I mean...
Dawn: Well, it took a long while it takes enough knocks on the head, right? to where you go. Why did I say yes to that? I had the nudge that I shouldn't and yet I did. And so yeah, I think it's enough of those of going the no more.
Wendy: Well, is that a byproduct of, I mean I think about being a woman in our culture, the idea that we tend to go in the people pleasing direction and put others ahead of ourselves.
And if somebody makes a request, of course...
Dawn: You say yes.
Wendy: yeah. You say yes. And then resentment grows. [00:14:00]
Dawn: Yes.
Wendy: Yeah, which is poison.
Dawn: Because I feel like there's clearly, we're all different. So I think yes, to the whole masculine, feminine aspect of that. I think also the house I grew up in there was definitely a fear of not doing, as you're told cuz there were severe consequences for that.
So there, there was my nurture in that. And then sometimes in the business world, you it's the whole idea of say yes to everything, cuz you might not get another opportunity. And even getting past that and, and going. I don't want every opportunity if it's not the right opportunity or it doesn't resonate with me cuz then I'm not really being of service.
So even learning that right. And getting clear. So. All of those things.
Wendy: Yeah. That's a really good point.
Dawn: Yeah.
Wendy: So your retreats, it does sound like, I mean, the whole idea of being able to indulge in your growth for a period of time and self care, there is something really powerful, right. About just the cumulative effect [00:15:00] of that kind of focus.
Dawn: Absolutely. And I think coming probably from my, my very first experience of going away for 10 days on a retreat out of the country. And probably what I said earlier, the idea that I was at that point had three of my kids still at home, worked stupid long hours, did everything for everybody else and to go have that much time to get knocked out of my comfort zone of dysfunction long enough to go, oh my God. Like, this is what it could and should be like to take care of yourself. So yeah, it made a really big impact on me. And I feel like it's such a blessing to you wanna gift that to others. So yeah, long enough, as I said, like good food. For enough days and moving your body for enough days.
And if we're bring, whether we're bringing in sound healing or just the vibration of what wisdom teachings, but nonetheless, to be that long to give your system that feel good feeling long enough, I think it's [00:16:00] harder than you get home. And it's harder to just bounce right back into routine that maybe wasn't so healthy.
I think it, it right. It gives us a little stronger. Helps us maybe to hold that vibration longer or stronger to be able to go. Like I, okay. I can make at least this one change or a couple of changes that really resonated with me there.
Wendy: Yeah, no, I can say similarly with my training. Yes. I don't know if I've ever done like a retreat actually. It always feels like it's time away working. And I guess, yeah, I guess a retreat, if you're on a healing retreat, it could feel like work as well because you're working on yourself.
Dawn: For sure. Go back to talking about even just saying. Yes. And is that a part of the culture of maybe being in a feminine role is. Similarly, right? If, if a lot of women are showing up, maybe near my age, I'm in my late fifties. So if a lot of women are showing up at my age, we've been through this, that cycle of being the mom, a lot of us or working really hard or whatever our roles have been. And so [00:17:00] to. Maybe step out of those even for a time and look at what is my mindset or what are my thoughts around self care?
Do I feel guilty about being good to myself? Do I feel like this is frivolous to actually take care of myself and be good to myself? So, so many things we could be doing specific work, but also I think just being pulled back and kind of coming into that next mind, body spirit way. Why do I just feel so amazing? And it's okay. Not only okay. But yeah, this is how we should feel more of the time. So I think just on so many levels, which I kind of drop back into that idea of the kosha or the layers of the being in yoga, where I feel like in this healing world, as you know it, it's why. I think so often if we just try to hit healing on the mental level, it just goes so far because if we're not hitting it on the, you know, the body level to, to kind of move the stuff and sink it into the physical to release it.
So the mental, the body, the wisdom body, the prana body, I think [00:18:00] that's the connection. And when you go on those retreats, your hitting all of that every day, you're, you're sinking it into all the aspects or layer layers of the beam. And it gives all that space for processing. When you have some downtime in there too.
So powerful, I think.
Wendy: Do you have any thoughts or suggestions for people who may not be able to manage going on a retreat for how they can access all those aspects of themselves?
Dawn: That's great question. Fortunately, as we know the way the world is right now, there's so much available online. I know you have the beautiful and lovely Gina Caputo on not long ago who's also an amazing yoga teacher. There are so many teachers that I know that now are including the movement of yoga or other types of movement intermingled with the yoga teachings, intermingled with some breath work. And so all of those things are getting into those layers. So I guess that's what I would say is go online and look for a teacher.
That's offering things that resonate with you, even if you. Have [00:19:00] never done them before, but you're curious, of course, that's intuition going. Hmm. I'm curious. That's talking to me, give it a try. So if we're getting in there into the breath, into the pro, getting into the mind, slowing it all down, moving the body, cuz I don't even care so much.
I'm always complete advocate of yoga because I don't know. The any other movement that moves the body in every way forward, back twisting side, getting into all the organs in every single way. So of course I believe in it so much, but any kind of movement is, is wonderful. So even runners that get that runner high or out there moving, breathing processing.
So yeah, I would say that I would say, you know, I'm always offering something I'm. Course, I'm gonna say, you know, go look at what I'm doing, look at what Gina's doing, but teachers now that have sometimes they're offering half day online retreats, even. So you can find these things really, really affordable. Sometimes there are free offerings, but look for that mixture of, oh, there's breath work here. [00:20:00] There's some movement here where having DMIC or wisdom and talk so that to help ourselves get into that. So I guess that's what I would would say.
Wendy: Okay. Let's go back in time.
Dawn: How far back, Wendy?!
Wendy: I'm curious how you ended up on this path.
Dawn: Okay. We can go back that far. Cuz I actually remember that. I would say, as I expressed Reiki was the first modality that I tapped into. and it's so funny to look back that far. That's that spoke to me for a couple of reasons. I actually like in a former life, I used to own a hair and nail salon, and I also did nails, which is really funny.
I always joke the asthmatic that sat and did acrylic nails so bad, but I was starting to realize that something was happening and holding hands with people. I didn't know what, I didn't know anything about this whole energy world. I just know things were starting to happen. And within [00:21:00] the course of a few years of having that salon, a lot of what I would've called Ben really weird people started finding me, but now I know my spiritual team just started dropping it.
Literally this one lady dropped in to lease a room from me for Reiki, told me, "I won't be here long, just so you know, I just came here for you." And I mean, that's what started happening for me all the time. Another woman who just the most magnificent teacher who started teaching me about auras and angels and all of these things dropped into my life shortly before my mom passed, I had had a dream that my mom was passing.
It was my first prophetic dream and knew not what to do with that. And here's this angel in my life that. Knows exactly what I need to do with that. So, so just because of what was happening and what I was experiencing energetically and having kind of some visions and dreams and having these. Teachers in my life that said, you need to go pursue that.
Like, what are you doing here doing [00:22:00] people's nails. like, what is wrong with you? So that was the catalyst to even start looking at. Well, here's this woman talking about Reiki. Let me go look into that first. So I had started down that field and then popped into a yoga class with a friend. Didn't even want to, she pulled me into that class and after one class, I just, I mean, I got off the floor and went, what just happened to me?
You know, I struggled with my breath, my whole life. I was an asthmatic since infancy and to have a whole class where you're just breathing deeply. and to feel strong, you know, to feel strong in your body. I never would've said I felt strong in my body before that. So one class and I was hooked. I mean, it was just, again, like those things just dropped and I, it didn't take me long to start finding teacher trainings because I just, it was so profound for me.
Of course. Then you want to go share that? So, yeah. Yoga as teacher training started heading off to India and other places and opened a studio. [00:23:00] Yeah. Just became everything. That's my short answer. okay. Okay.
Wendy: So your mom's death was unexpected?
Dawn: Yes. Yes. She was a lifetime smoker. I mean, she passed from emphysema, so technically it could be expected, but no, we were actually at a, my mom was going through some some emotional stuff.
I, we won't ever really know she'd had a brain tumor. And before that, But her behavior started becoming really erratic. So she and I were not talking like ne we just couldn't get to her to pull her out of whatever was happening, which was really a traumatic time for me. My mom had been my best friend. It was a really rough time to go through.
So even more impactful when she's choosing to not speak to me to have this dream. And it was very clear, like, you know, I knew it wasn't just a dream that she was dying. So, you know, I. Chose to call her. I didn't tell her I jumped. She was dying, but [00:24:00] I, I told her, I, mom, I, I had a dream that just reminded me of the importance of how short life is.
And like nothing's worth this. Nothing's worth the disconnection from people we love. And. Yeah, she didn't hear it. she didn't hear it in that moment. I still spoke it, which even all of that was a lesson. When I went back to my mentor and said, you know, what's the point of the dream or being given the message when someone else doesn't hear it, you know, the point is we all have our own karma and I acted online and it did come around mean within a couple months she was diagnosed after that dream and she had four months to live.
The fortunate thing was when I showed up, she then let me be there. And we did have the chance for all of that healing and connection to happen. So, you know, I'll be forever grateful for that dream because I had that processing time before she finally, the fear of dying, allowed her to kind of snap out of it.
But I had that window of time to be really clear on what I wanted with her and [00:25:00] what I wanted to resolve before she went. So yeah, that, even that nudge of that happening and being able to go through her death, very aware and doing some really deep work, I was working with one of my mentors with hypnotherapy and some processing to really lot of the crap from my childhood that needed to be clear to, oh yeah.
I think for most of us, we do this work because of our own past shit. trauma.
Wendy: Yup.
Dawn: That makes us, you know, as you feel, and you want to support others in doing the same work. So yeah. Again, short, short answer. How old were you when your mom died? I was 38. She was 58. She, she was, I told Terry she is, she passed at the age.
I am right now. 58 years old. So this whole year has been a really special year for me. I've kind of been decided at the start of the year that I'm walking it in sort of a P pilgrimage like candid hand with her as if, what if this were my last year, you know, how would I live it and making sure that I'm saying yes [00:26:00] to what I want saying no to what I don't want.
Making sure you're telling the people you love, you love just those simple things, but it's actually been a really powerful and beautiful year to kind of walk it that way with her. So, yeah, it's young. I'm 58. How about that? Yeah, I know I'm not far behind you. I think it's young. I mean, clearly when we were younger, I thought 58 was old, but now where we're sitting it's who knows really how many days we have left, but I feel young in spirit. I'll say that. So.
Wendy: That's true.
Dawn: I feel like there's so much life to live.
Wendy: And 60 is the new 40...
Dawn: It is,
Wendy: is what people have told me.
Dawn: If we choose it to be, it is yeah. 60, the new 40.
Wendy: Yes. Yes.
Dawn: Yeah.
Wendy: I just think it's funny too. The reason why I asked you about your mom and your age is I'm wondering if for you, her death and the knowledge of her death prior to her knowing, if that had any, looking back now, any kind of [00:27:00] unconscious impact on your spiritual path or your trajectory into what you're doing now?
Dawn: I would say absolutely a hundred percent I had after she passed, just to share with you some, just another woowoo experience after she passed. And I, you know, I felt really, really clear with looking at a lot of childhood things and all the forgiveness work and those things that we do, but I was in a meditation one night and had, cause I love evening meditation for just, they feel a little bit more to trick or something, you know, sometimes I kind of can go in a different place with evening energy, but I'm in this meditation and all of a sudden I like somewhere out in space. That's all I'll say.
It's like, I'm. In the middle of a dark sky and I'm a, a little light, like a star, but yet I know it's me. And it's sort of like, again, you're projected might be my own business and my meditation and like, well, what's happening. So as I'm there, this little [00:28:00] light, there's another little light and it's the voice is my mom's voice.
And I'm what I know then is I kind of come into an awareness of what I'm seeing is that I'm seeing myself before I come into this body, into this lifetime. And I'm all excited telling my mom, oh my gosh, I'm so excited. I know what I wanna do when I, when I go down, I, I know what I wanna be and all of these things, and I'm sharing this work with her on and you're gonna be there.
And so I'm talking with her about soul family and she stops, it gets quiet for a second. And she says, well, I'll go with you, but you know, you're asking me to hurt you. Right? I said, what are you talking about? Like, I'm setting this all up. No, like, no, we're gonna go do things she says, but you won't remember that you set this all up.
It like, Wendy, it was such a moment of clarity of. Even the thinking I'd let go of all my stuff with her, where you realize there still is a little bit of stuff in there. I just sat there and cried. And I like my heart. I just had [00:29:00] such compassion in that moment because we do know regardless it is those that hurt us the most often that are our best teachers and teach us the very most, but to realize, yep.
Yeah, this person that's come in and poke you in every kind of way and triggered you and, and all my expectations of what mother's supposed to be like all the ways and in that moment to go. But. All of those ways are what created, who I am today or supported creating, creating that. So it was this. That was a beautiful moment of having clarity on that.
So when you ask me that I bounce back to that moment, because I believe even that some of those moments are a little bit predestined. I believe like at some point I'll be leaving and it's gonna be a part of the catalyst to wake you up to wake you up even deeper, because that was the beginning of where I really.
Started meditating on a regular basis and going in and doing that work, which is, you know, like that starts to open vision and, and those sorts of things. So had I not lost her young in that way, who knows [00:30:00] if, if or when that would've happened. Taking that challenge and also allowing it to be a big push for my growth.
Wendy: What a powerful experience.
Dawn: Yeah. Yeah. It was. Grateful to this day.
Wendy: Yeah. I love that pre-life conversation you had with your mom. It seems to sort of be in alignment with my shamanic experiences in that realm where the, the part of us that's deciding at least this is my experience. The part of us that's deciding to incarnate is not human. There's nothing human about that part of you. And it can get very excited about coming to this crazy planet even knowing how challenging it can be. Especially for...
Dawn: yes.
Wendy: Some of us who have very challenging lifetimes that there is kind of a blueprint.
Dawn: Yeah. I think it, I don't know about you, but, well, you're right.
Like, cuz I, I got to witness that excitement. I was just like busting at the seams. So there must be some when [00:31:00] we're fully back in spirit. A little bit of forgetting the pain in the human body, right? Just like in the human body. There's the forgetting somewhat of pure spirit. And I, I, I liken it to maybe it's almost like mothers that have more than one child.
They say, you joke that. Cuz why would you have more than one when you know how painful it is? And there's some sort of forgetting a little bit, you know, just enough that you are crazy.
Wendy: I've heard that, yeah..
Dawn: So, yeah, I mean, I fully was in that of, but for some reason, wherever my mom was on that plane, she, she knew. And maybe that means she's an older, wiser soul.
I don't know, but that she knew, no, this is gonna hurt you. I mean, it was, yeah, it was just really beautiful. And so I guess to me, those moments, when we have those ex and the, and less personal, it becomes for. Is that making sense? I, I it's like those moments for me, make it so much less about me. It's just the whole
Wendy: oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I get what you're saying now. Yeah. [00:32:00] It gives you, I call it that more cosmological perspective. That bigger perspective of, okay. Had your mom already died when you had that experience?
Dawn: Yes.
Wendy: All right. So I mean, if you think about it, and this is just my take on what you just described. The part of you that was having that visionary experience was still connected to your humanness.
Dawn: Yes.
Wendy: So you may not have had that wide access that your mom had because she wasn't connected with the human experience anymore. So she could kind of give you that broader, like, "oh, remember?"
Dawn: Yeah, exactly. Yeah. It was, it was, is fascinating as, as you know, like those journeys allow us to get into those places and see beyond which is really amazing.
But even that to go, even when you think you've completely cleared, healed, whatever, and have to, to, oh, there's a teeny little bit there or just, or maybe even the wisdom to see it even broader. Like it was that for me.
Wendy: So many layers of learning that we can [00:33:00] experience. I mean, it's likely unending which can be a little vexing. Did you say never again?
Dawn: Never done, which is why we need so many lifetimes to figure it all out.
Wendy: Yeah, no kidding. I was gonna say, if you said never again, that's a phrase I hear so many times with the folks who come in and work with me that, yeah. That they make the proclamation that, "This is my last lifetime. This is it. I'm not doing this anymore. I'm gonna get it all right this time."
Dawn: Yeah, we'll see.
Wendy: And I'm like, All right. All right then.
Dawn: I just know I'll be taking my last breath on my deathbed with like a book. Wait, trying to research one more thing or, you know, I, that's I think the beautiful thing is something about when the whole idea of healing or seeking or transcending or all of those things like, like when we get to a place where it's less and less about that. [00:34:00] And maybe that just means a certain degree and, or enough of a degree of healing has happened where, oh, it's kind of no longer about that anymore. Now it's about just growth now. It's about just. Right. Just the beauty of wanting to know more and broaden and understand.
Wendy: Yeah. Maybe, also just living too, just like actually.
Dawn: Yes.
Wendy: Trying to... after you've sifted through and sorted through some of the wounds, like you've, you've gotten a handle on some of the wounding that you've experienced, then maybe it's like, you can have moments of enjoying your experience here on this amazingly beautiful planet that we're fucking up. But...
Dawn: Imagine that!
Wendy: Imagine that yeah, like you could really taste the chocolate. You could really, really enjoy that piece of music in a way that you couldn't before, because maybe your shit was getting in there.
Dawn: I, well, I love that you [00:35:00] say that I, that is a hundred percent where I am in the last, I don't know how many years I'm really. It's about now. It's like your inner child coming out on steroids. It's like every part of me that didn't get to play or got held back or got whatever, or, you know, now is like, wow, just coming out. And again, who knows how many days we have left? So exactly that going, where am I that I'm not enjoying a moment? And if that's the case, Stop go in really, and, and not being afraid to be ridiculous, not being afraid to do the thing you wanna do, but you did it because you're afraid you're looking silly. And again, I go back to retreats. I think those are so powerful because you're there together in a group and encouraging, and let's step out of our box. Let's have fun. Let's play, let's laugh. And I think as you, you know, far too many people are not getting to do that. Because life feels hard and it's work and it's serious and it's all the things.
And so more and more going that's a spiritual practice is to play. Maybe [00:36:00] the most important spiritual practice is to play.
Wendy: Yes. An important reminder.
Dawn: Yes.
Wendy: If you can access that even for a moment, I think it's a good thing.
Dawn: Yes.
Wendy: What are you most excited about right now?
Dawn: Hmm, couple of things. I, as I said, really developing in terms of mediumship and learning to take those visits from spirits that come and. Trust to work with that more broadly in the past. I don't, I don't take that out into the world other than really in this healing space. So, you know, if I'm working with somebody and the spirit comes through with a message, which is always just a loving healing message, I deliver those.
But because those have been coming more and more in different ways, I'm just working now taking some training to kind of develop that and. Just ask, what am I supposed to do with that? So working on that, and then a book that I've been writing for a hundred years that always gets put on the back burner, but I've [00:37:00] really been working.
Wendy: That's a long time.
Dawn: Way before I was born. I was working on it. But you know, again, post closing a yoga studio, really making that a priority for myself and deciding that it's something that I want to finish. So. I did a lot of work on that this year. And even next year, I, I wanna make that a stronger, a stronger commitment too, that it changes.
I, you know, you write so, you know, it's like it, I, I, it's the first thing that I'm trying to actually write and complete. I like to write, I'm an Aries. I like to write in short bit quick things and send them out like that suits my personality. So the bigger struggle for somebody like that is that staying consistent.
And so anyway, I've done a lot of work on that. It's getting there.
Wendy: It is quite a discipline. What is it that you're writing?
Dawn: So...
Wendy: I know, I know it's a book, but what is the book about?
Dawn: Comic book, a spiritual comic book. I actually like that. So there's a couple things I'm writing. The first one that I'm wanting to complete is really, it's a [00:38:00] combination of a couple of the stories that I've talked to you about, but it's really just my own version of, what are the processes for supporting anybody who just wants to deepen their connection to spirit, to answer the questions of how do I get those messages? How do I have that connection? Because some people feel like they don't and everybody else does. And so just, you know, it's some personal story, but also some spiritual practices.
To support that. So that's first and it's kind of, like I said, just my own journey of the things that kind of poked me into getting there. So a lot of other stories that were a part of that, and then the practices along the way that can help a lot of energy practices, third eye awareness practices, energy clearing, and all of that good stuff to support those things happening.
Wendy: No, it sounds cool. It, it sounds like a similar format to a guy I recently had on the show. Oh, who's that his name is Carl Greer, but his life story is different, but it's like [00:39:00] a memoir based on his learnings and his experiences.
Dawn: Right.
Wendy: Things that you can reflect on. So it's kind of got the self-help thread through out based on his life experiences and his own challenges. It sounds similar in that way, combining of genres of self-help and memoir.
Dawn: Yes. And you know, when you say that, what I like about it is, I mean, I don't know. I think we all teach best from our personal experience. I really can't teach from anything but that, and the idea that I think in sharing that with others, I think sometimes people think, oh, if I just go be like her, I can do that. If I just go be like her, I can do that. And it's not, that's not ever true. I think as teachers, if we're teaching people, no, no, no, no, go, go be you .
Wendy: Yeah. It's also a little creepy.
Dawn: Yeah, it's creepy. Yes. And so, but it's more getting people to trust. Like no within you is this magic and it's gonna look different and your story's gonna be, and your experiences are different, but within them are your own keys.
So hoping, I love that. I'll have to go check out [00:40:00] his book. But within our own stories going, they're all just showing up to show us the way the breadcrumbs to say, look here, here are your answers. And I think sometimes each of us needing to be reminded, oh, there's actually magic in that story of mine and in that pain of mine and, and all of that.
So yeah, hopefully it's, that's what I want it to be is just more. Yes, it's our stories, but it's a revelation that your stories hold the same magic in their own way and just look into them and they absolutely do.
Wendy: I agree. And that's powerful medicine because each one of us, whether you're Carl Greer
Dawn: yeah.
Wendy: Or you're Dawn Torres, you never know whose story is going to impact you.
Dawn: No.
Wendy: And whose story is gonna find its way to you.
Dawn: Agreed. And maybe thinking about, I don't know about you, but I think younger there's the real naive, even innocent me that I ever, that maybe thought. Most people have some charming, perfect life. And I'm the only one who doesn't, or there's just a handful of us that don't.
And at some point you realize [00:41:00] really most everybody's life is insane. Most of us are having, who gets through life without struggles and hurts and pains. It's part of the human experience. And so this idea of, as we tear down walls of ideas or expectations that life was ever supposed to be something like that instead. That is the human experiences we come in and through, you know, what we call pain or suffering instead of going, oh, these are experiences to help us look, experiences to show us, oh, there's something there for me to learn and a reason for me to grow. So I love the idea of that. And I just keep going back to groups and retreats because probably like you, I see a lot of people that what ever they're going through, you keep it tight to the self. You keep it tight to the cuff. And especially if it's personal things, like if it's addiction or problems in a marriage or relationship. So they're sitting and suffering alone, maybe a therapist, if that, but if not feeling so alone and isolated and like they're one of the few going through the [00:42:00] suffering, instead of always, when we get together in groups where it's safe to share and you realize, oh, everybody's having, or had really deep, profound stuff. And I think that just helps us all not to feel so isolated, alone, strange like, oh, I'm just one of the many.
Wendy: Absolutely. I agree. Yeah. Being human can feel very lonely. I think
Dawn: Sad, isn't it? I know there's great work in the loneliness.
Wendy: Yeah. It is sad.
Dawn: But it's hard when we're there.
Wendy: Yeah. That kind of lonely though. Like suffering in silence kind of loneliness.
Dawn: Right.
Wendy: Is, it's heartbreaking.
Dawn: Yes, it is. Yeah, it is.
Wendy: So that's a lovely note to to wind our conversation down on, huh?
Dawn: Something happy to end on .
Wendy: So for whoever's listening, if you're suffering in silence, my heart goes out to you.
Dawn: And I'm here contact me because honestly, like, I think there's nothing more beautiful. And those of us, again, [00:43:00] that I think, I don't know anybody, who's not in the role or capacity of teacher, healer, whatever we call ourselves that we're here because we've been through it on some level and we're here because we want to be of support a light holder until space for those that are in like.
That's what you feel like be that light at the end of the tunnel to go, there is a way out you will get out and here's some beautiful tools to support you along the way. Doesn't have to feel like this forever, but I wish I'd had those younger, that's the beauty of once you find them sharing them.
Wendy: Oh yeah. If only ...dot, dot, dot.
Dawn: Yes.
Wendy: So how would people find you? What's the best way to find you to learn more about your work and connect with you?
Dawn: Learn more about my work. My website really is where I'm gonna always have whatever event or ongoing is happening. There's the list of what I do and the different modalities that I do and my social media too, but there's a lot of playing on my social media.
So if somebody needs some good joy, they can go look at that too. [00:44:00] That's where my inner child comes out. So all of those places.
Wendy: Okay.
Dawn: Yes.
Wendy: What is your website?
Dawn: It is Dakini, D A K I N I healing.com and then same with social media and stuff.
Wendy: All right. Thank you so much for coming on the show, Dawn. It was fun to talk with you.
Dawn: Thank you so much. Fun to talk to you also, Wendy. Thank you.
Wendy: I've decided that Dawn is like a spiritual Swiss army knife. She's got all kinds of tools up her sleeve. If you'd like to learn more about Dawn's work or perhaps tap into your playful side at one of her upcoming retreats, please visit her website. Dakini healing.com. Thank you so much for tuning in. I'll be back in a few weeks with another thought provoking episode. Until next time.[00:45:00]