From Footwear to Freedom: Sasha Archer on Career Vs Calling via Shamanism

Ever found yourself yearning for something different despite having reached the peak of your career? My guest, Sasha Archer, knows exactly what that feels like. A former footwear designer, Sasha embarked on a transformative journey from designer to healer, letting go of societal norms and embracing her soul's deepest desires. You'll hear the story of Sasha's personal evolution and the moment she decided to stop adhering to expectations and follow her soul. She faced trials, like losing her job and the absence of joy in her corporate role, that ultimately pushed her to reconnect with her true calling. 

Here's something that might pique your interest - shamanism. Sasha walked me through her exploration of this alternative healing method and its profound effects on her life. She talks about the reconnection with her creativity and dormant gifts from childhood, and how this healing journey helped her overcome anxiety. You'll also hear about Sasha's mission to support others in finding their purpose, and her unique approach of fostering connection through creativity and nature. 

Sasha reveals her personal healing journey and the importance of tapping into spiritual guidance. She takes us through her transition away from footwear design, the difficulties of getting acceptance from those around her, and the enlightening realization that losing a job can sometimes be the best opportunity for reflection and the start of a new journey. Listen to Sasha's compelling story and get inspired to challenge the norm and let your soul lead the way...

Transcript

Sasha: 0:00

To be honest, it terrified me at points because as a child I'd see like the feet of people that weren't there walking past me and you'd just be like oh no, like shut that down, I don't want to see it. All People's pets that had passed away and things would be coming up, yeah, but I'd be terrified, so I'd be like no, no, no,

Zoe: 0:29

Hello and welcome, or welcome back to The Mischief Movement Podcast,your weekly inspo for people looking for more hell yeah in their life. Consider this you're one way to get out of mid-life mediocracy towards fun and positive impact via playful disruption. Wouldn't you love to wake up and feel like a total badass? How about breaking some rules, throwing two fingers up to society and doing more of the things you love? I'm talking full on freedom, adventure and those meaningful connections I know you've been craving. Stop waiting for your amazing life to happen and go get it. I'll be picking the brains of some true game changers and mischief makers so I can share what I find and hopefully inspire you to shake things up, do more of what makes you feel alive and boldly rebel against the ordinary. I have no idea what I'm doing, to be honest, but I've got a mission and I'm here to start a movement. This could be quite the adventure. Care to join me? Okay, here goes.

Zoe: 1:27

If you've ever been curious about what it means to choose a truly unconventional path, had some sort of spiritual gift that you couldn't understand, or simply wanted to pivot into a surprising new career, do not miss this amazingly candid interview with a beautiful soul that is Sasha Archer. I first came across Sasha when she was starting her own footwear brand and as a footwear designer myself a few years ago. I followed her journey with interest on social media, but one day in 2022, after not posting for a while, she started to show previously unrevealed parts of her story, first by demonstrating her new passion for pottery, but then, as the post became more frequent, there was mention of working with nature, connecting with something greater than us, and eventually it became clear that she was tentatively exploring a new, more spiritual path. I had to get her on the podcast to ask her just how she navigated the transition and what it means to her to have reconnected with herself after a tumultuous few years in footwear, to now embrace life as a healer. Stay tuned, you are not going to want to miss this.

Zoe: 2:49

Right then. This week, I am super excited. I think I say that every week. I am I'm very happy to have Sasha back because we had a little chat. Well, it must have been over a month ago now, but I'm joined by Sasha Archer and I'll let her explain to you exactly why I've bought her on the podcast. No pressure, perhaps I should ask you the first question that I always ask my guests, which is what is your mischief? And then that allows you to kind of tell us much or as little about what you do and what you get up to as you like.

Sasha: 3:25

Okay, that's a great question. I think my mischief is following my soul and not following what is expected of me. That leads me on all sorts of crazy adventures. It really does, so I love that. Yeah, I got to a stage where I just stopped doing what was expected of me and really tuned into what I was thinking, how I was feeling, and I just was followed by soul and what lights me up and thought about what's important to me, what my purpose is, what my goals are, and my mischief is going for my goals, not anybody else's expectations of me.

Zoe: 4:10

Brilliant, and how did that come about? Was there something that happened in particular? Did you get to a particular moment in your life and go oh my God, this is not working for me. Or was there a catalyst?

Sasha: 4:23

Definitely yeah. So I studied footwear design, which we've spoken about before yeah, and I loved it. I was so involved in the craft side of it and the creation of it and when I left university and went into work, all of that was stripped away from me and it was all about making sales and making money and the joy just left. And I got to a stage where I think I did footwear design for 10 years. But throughout that time I kept trying to follow my soul by running away. I'd do like a couple of years in a corporate environment and I was like I just can't face it, I can't do it anymore and I'd pack it all in and I'd go go work with some shoemaker somewhere and I was like I've got to go back for the money. I'd go back to the designing in a corporate role and then I'd pack it in again and I was just flitting between this kind of sensible job and then running away. I just couldn't do it.

Sasha: 5:34

So there came a point where, if I'm honest, I just got to a stage where I couldn't do it anymore and I really crumbled and I felt awful and I realized I had to focus on what made me happy and I got the opportunity to really look at that when I lost a job. I lost my footwear job and, although it felt terrifying at the time because my income was taken away from me, I saw that this amazing opportunity, like it just been removed from my life and I could start afresh, and it was so. It was incredible. I was so excited about that and yeah, then it's. I think it was from that moment that was just like I need to continue doing this now, Like I can't ever go back to doing something that is destroying my soul. Really, I don't think that answered your question.

Zoe: 6:30

I think it did. I think it did because losing that job was the opportunity that you gave yourself to then reflect okay, am I going to go and look for another job as a footwear designer, or is there something else? And was there something else, Did you already feel like you knew where to go next? Or was it a case that you were kind of sat there going I've just lost my job? I know I don't want to go there, but I actually don't know what it is I do want to do and you know, I think that can be quite scary sometimes. If you just like, what next?

Sasha: 7:08

Yeah, definitely. I had no idea. I was just floating around for a little bit. I've always thought I would just do shoes. It was like I put so much time and effort and money into getting a good career in footwear and, as you're aware, I was like I'll start my own label. So that's how I began. I thought I can take a step away and bring that excitement back into footwear If I just manage it myself. I didn't want to be part of the mass produced world and throw away fashion. So I thought, well, I can do something differently and start my own label.

Sasha: 7:49

But with the pandemic, a lot of that then fell away again. So I was faced yet again with having to reevaluate, and at that time I had no idea what I was going to do, but I just lent into that because there was no other option at that time. So I started doing pottery, which was a childhood love of mine, just to pass the time and to occupy my mind. And as I started to get back into it I was like, oh my gosh, this just makes me feel so whole. I absolutely loved it and it made me start thinking differently. I realized that he had totally yeah, I totally pigeonholed myself into footwear, so I had everything every time I drew anything. This sounds ridiculous, but anytime I picked up a pen or pencil I was thinking of footwear. But all of a sudden, having clay in my hand you can't make a shoe out of clay. So I had to start thinking differently and, yeah, it just evolved.

Zoe: 8:56

I know exactly what you mean about, you know, having the pen in your hand and then relating whatever it is you're doing to footwear. I think that's so interesting. Just changing the media changes the way you think, because you said two really powerful things there. I think the first is that you tapped into something that you loved as a child, which we often hear, but I don't think many people actually take it seriously enough to go. No, I really really did enjoy that as a child and I'm going to now bring that back and make the time to do it just for the pure joy of doing it. And the second thing was what you said about changing media and it changing the way you think, and I think those are two massive takeaways for people there. Really, you know, that's a really interesting point, yeah.

Sasha: 9:48

And I don't think I would have thought to do that. I didn't know how to remove myself out of this weird cycle that I'd got myself into. Like I said, I just totally put myself in a box of like I'm a shoe designer, I'm going to just make footwear, and it wasn't until I had it removed and had to do something else that something else came about. And so interesting, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's been a fascinating journey because it's just sparked my love of creating again and it's really it's just fed my soul. I feel so much better for doing it. It's been a blessing.

Zoe: 10:33

So where did the, where did the pottery take you? Then you said it. It kind of got you thinking about things differently and did it help to understand what your next move might be.

Sasha: 10:50

As you're aware, I've been juggling quite a few balls at the moment, so you know it is entwined in other work that I do as well. So I've mentioned to you before, I've just completed my shamanic practitioner training and as part of that I've been using I'll show you these smudging chalices and smudging balls, but they were really difficult to come across in England. They were all imported and I just thought I'm going to make one for myself. What are they for? So it's like you can use them to burn resin and incense. That's how I use mine and it's to clear the energy of a room or yourself a space.

Sasha: 11:38

So I wanted something that would really hold the heat and I could you know, wouldn't damage my hands whilst I was holding it. So I came up with like a prototype and I shared them with some friends and they were like, oh, these are great. And they bought them. So I say, oh, maybe I'm onto something with this. And then I ended up doing a few more prototypes and improving and improving on them and I started attending craft fairs and festivals and began selling them. And they were so well received. And there's something I wouldn't I could never have dreamt up in my life. I could never imagine that I would have ended up doing this work. It just naturally evolved and it felt so right. So I've just continued doing that and I'm doing a commission at the moment for it. Absolutely whopping one. Wow, that's exciting.

Zoe: 12:32

That's really big. Okay, so I feel like you're doing if I'm trying to piece together your journey. You had this kind of what would you call it? A bit of an awakening when it came to reconnecting with your creativity. Was there an interest in the kind of what do you call it Shamanism? Yeah, was there already an interest there? How did that come about?

Sasha: 13:06

Okay. So it is actually linked to the work as well. So when I kept having these lulls and this low point right, I knew something wasn't right. I was out of kilter when I was having to go, and you know people say, oh, work's really soul destroying or soul sucking. When I was going into these corporate environments I truly felt my soul was being sucked. I just couldn't manage it. I could put a face on for a little while but I felt awful.

Sasha: 13:37

So, yeah, when I lost the job, I faced a period of high anxiety and I tried to heal myself of that by using alternative methods. So you know I'm not ashamed to admit I ended up taking medication for it and it didn't help. So I thought I'll just see what else is available. And I ended up going and doing Kundalini yoga, I did Reiki training, I was meditating. I was, you know, trying everything to piece myself back together again.

Sasha: 14:15

And then a friend of mine got in touch and said that she had left but where and was now working as a shamanic practitioner. I was like I've never heard of this, like what is she talking about? But it was weird because I hadn't spoken to her for about 10 years and she just appeared out of the blue to say how are you getting on? Gave me this little piece of information, and then disappeared again. Maybe this is the secret thing I need to know to fix myself. So I went to see Healer. What was the information? What did she tell you? She said to me that I need that she could see, that it might sound extreme to some people, but that she could see my third eye was frobbing and that I needed to work with some Labradorite to help myself. So I was just like what?

Zoe: 15:00

Because she was working with crystals. That's right.

Sasha: 15:03

Yeah. So I was like, but this was really so far out there at the time I was like, said, open to anything. So I thought, right, I'm going to go get this Labradorite, I'm going to find a Healer locally to me and I'm going to go and see them. But, as I said, I've lost my job. I had hardly any money, so I took what little I had, saw the Healer and then I had one healing which was phenomenal. It changed my life. It sort of got to the root of what my where my anxiety was coming from, and I just started to feel immediately better and I thought, right, what?

Zoe: 15:39

what happened in that experience.

Sasha: 15:41

So she works with the drum Like she was working with the drum to put your change your gosh. I actually really know this and I've gone brain dead.

Zoe: 15:56

I'm just, I'm to be honest, I'm just really curious. I'm just like you know, if it had that much of an effect, I'm like, yeah, I'd love to hear about it.

Sasha: 16:04

Phenomenal, so it changes your brainwave so that you're in a sleep state, is the simplest way to explain it. And then they, the Healer, can go into your energy field so you're sort of on the same level. The way I can describe it is it's like turning a radio dial All of a sudden you're both on a different wavelength and then you can settle into this space and they can look into your energy body and see what's going on with you, if you've got any, you know, thing that needs addressing or balancing. I think that's the simplest way to explain really. So that's what happened in this healing.

Sasha: 16:44

And then I went away and I was like I need to do this for myself. So I did, and I, as I did that, I began to open up sort of dormant Gifts that I've had from childhood. So I, when I was a kid, I could communicate with other the other realms and things like that. But I just squashed it down because it's not really conducive to living a normal life, you know. So I don't want to be part of that and, to be honest, it terrified me at points because as a child I'd see like the feet of people that weren't there walking past me and you'd just be like, oh no, like shut that down, I don't want to see it. All People's pets that passed away and things would be coming up. Yeah, I'd be terrified. So I'd be like, no, no, no.

Sasha: 17:36

But as I started to do this healing work on myself, it all started to come back and I found myself a bit overwhelmed, like considering I'd been trying to get rid of the anxiety. It did that too for a while. So for the first couple of years it was incredible. I felt great. But then, after that, all of this, old gifts started to resurface and come up to the forefront and I was like I don't have any idea how to deal with this, like who am I, what on earth is this and how can I help myself? So I started to reach out for some support and I gained a bursary placement to do the shamanic practitioners training with a guy called Jez Hughes, based in England, second site initiatives. So we have just completed three years training with him, which, yeah, last weekend. It's incredible.

Zoe: 18:32

Amazing Congratulations, thank you. So you actually went through that to kind of figure out how to how to cope with all of this stuff that was coming up. But in the end you've now become a practitioner yourself, that's right.

Sasha: 18:53

Yeah, yeah and the whole. Now that I look back on it, I can see that it was all meant to happen with the jobs and things like that. But at the time when you're stuck in that situation, you can't see what's meant for you. I feel like I was getting in my own way, so I had no idea what I was capable of, and the unknown within me. And I think so many of us go through life telling ourselves we're one thing or we're this or we're that, and we have no idea. Like if we just get out of our own way, it's incredible and who you are, who you can become, and I feel like that's the, this beautiful space that I'm in at the moment, where I realize like I don't have to have one label, I'm not defined by one thing.

Sasha: 19:43

So, yeah, I do in the pottery and now I'm stepping into this place as a shamanic practitioner and I, as I've spoken to you about before, I've just handed in a book proposal as part of the Divya's Wisdom Programme with Hay House Publishers. So I've started writing and that's something else. I think if I hadn't of just allowed myself to open up, like, none of this could have happened. So I'm so grateful that I lost the job, I had a terrible breakdown and then I had to build myself, because if that hadn't of happened, I wouldn't know myself at all. Really yeah.

Zoe: 20:24

Yeah, don't you think, like so often, that is the kind of thing that has to happen in order for people to actually find the path that they should have been on from the beginning, or just this sense of losing everything to then start again Definitely.

Sasha: 20:41

Yeah, I feel like it's quite a common occurrence for it, and the appellate part of me as well is like oh, if I'd have just listened. I feel like I knew this was going on whilst it was happening. All the times that I ended up back in that same spot, I was like I'm keeping myself there. Why didn't I just listen to my intuition? And so I feel like I knew I could have stepped out of this and made the change, but there was something I had to have that crumbling before I could grow into a new space. But, yeah, I feel.

Zoe: 21:11

What was it? Do you think that kept you there? Was it? You know Fear? Yeah, OK.

Sasha: 21:17

Definitely fear of telling everybody. Actually I don't. Whenever I did say to someone like I don't want to do this, I'd be like, oh yeah, but you do. And I'm like I don't know if I do, but because you put all of that time and that effort and I could have the money into it. You feel like you. I felt like I had to stick at it or I had something. I felt like if I had left it back then I would have felt like a failure. But what I've come to realise is that quitting is one of the greatest, bravest things anyone can do and it is not failing at all. I think quitting is for winners. Now you know that you have to do that. So sometimes you have to see that it's not working and allow yourself to move on. But I had to learn that the hard way.

Zoe: 22:06

Absolutely, yeah, absolutely. Tell me about this book proposal. That sounds very exciting, yeah, so that's another thing.

Sasha: 22:17

Like I said, I just followed my heart on, so I kept getting this sort of message. That just is quite funny again because it comes back to the shoes. Again it's message to share my story, share my story. No, I said well, quite frustrated, because I'm trying to share my story and my story is about shoes and how we should be creating sustainable footwear and people should be making more conscious choices about their fashion you know clothing and stuff. So I said, well, if I can't make these shoes and I can't share them, how can I share my blimmin' story? I was like, oh no, but what I did have a paying attention to was all the other stories going on in the background, you know. And then I had this email just drop into my email box from this lady that I follow, rebecca Campbell, and I read one of her books and I really liked it and it's a similar story actually, how she was like I think she was in marketing and then she had this big crumble and then found her path and yeah.

Sasha: 23:16

So I got this email from her and it said to apply, send in a synopsis for a book idea. I was like, oh, I could share my story. So I just said to my husband could you go after the kids this afternoon? I need to write and send in a book proposal. So he took the kids out and I just sat there tapping away and I wanted to talk about how I'd lost my job and I had no money and I was going through this awakening which was terrifying at the time, and I had to find my way on my own because I just couldn't afford the teachers and the training and I wanted to be able to reach out to anyone else that was going through that and say look, it's OK, don't? You don't need to panic. So I sent this off and I didn't really think much more of it and then I was accepted onto the course. There's a group of 16 of us. We were taken to Edinburgh to play part of this Hay House Writers Workshop, so I had a couple of nights in Edinburgh and then I had nine months of mentoring to get my book proposal together and sent off, and that on its own.

Sasha: 24:27

I feel like everybody should sit down and write themselves a book proposal, because that teaches you so much about your purpose and your message to the world because it really makes you condense what you want to tell people and how you want to help others, and I feel like that's one of the important things about work is that it has to. For me, I feel like it has to serve others for it to give it meaning to you and purpose for you. So writing this book proposal really helped me see my purpose and how I want to step forward. So in August I find out the outcome whether I get to continue writing the book or whatever the feedback is. We'll see.

Zoe: 25:12

Yeah.

Sasha: 25:13

Fingers crossed. Yeah, did you have any aspirations to write a book?

Zoe: 25:15

before then, or was it something that just kind of one of those weird moments where you just felt compelled to do it?

Sasha: 25:23

Yeah, I never in a million years thought I would sit down to write a book. I didn't think I had it in me, and that's another wonderful thing. I loved in again as a child, english one of my favorite subjects, and when I left school I began my English A levels, but it coincided with one of my art classes and they were in different towns, so I couldn't do both at the same time and I was like, oh, do you know what? I'm just going to have to sack off English, and it's one of those things that's always played on my mind. I really wish I'd continued doing that, yeah. So when it came to the writing, I was like I don't have this. I don't have the abilities. I've not been trained to do this, I can't. But I surprised myself I could.

Zoe: 26:13

So yeah, and if you had to sort of describe what your message is now, what? How do you think you would describe it off the back of going through that writing experience?

Sasha: 26:26

Well, I feel like I want to be able to support anybody that's trying to find their purpose and trying to follow their dreams, and it's not always accessible to all. I know it's can be very difficult. So I feel like I want to support those that may be struggling with having a little less to help them to reach their goals and find their purpose, spiritly that's.

Zoe: 26:52

So it's not specifically, you know, to people who are interested in the shamanic side of things, or is it?

Sasha: 27:00

Yeah, I feel like this first book is definitely about that. Oh, this first book oh gosh, that's just about my accident Like I have no plans for another one, but I feel like, if there was going to be more, this book is definitely to help those that are in that space where they're going through an awakening and don't know how to handle it. Yeah, what I'm going to be doing in the future One of the things that the creativity part of it is that I want to be able to help people, through creativity, connect back into nature and the elements and things so that they feel more grounded and supported, because I've really found that by doing that myself. That's given me a greater strength, and I think that's something that we've all come through. The shamanic work as well We've been so disconnected from, because we're so busy in our day to day life that we don't do that anymore.

Zoe: 27:56

So what do you think that might I mean? What does that look like then?

Sasha: 28:02

Well, this is actually now I'm opening up to the things that I was thinking like to talk about. So, actually, this answers one of your questions. I have spoken about this, but this is one of the things that I am selective over sharing. So the first of what how I began working shamanically when things swapped from being seeing deceased people into working with a greater source like the unknown, and I was going. It was on a whole journey to try and figure out what my soul path actually was.

Zoe: 28:45

Have I told you this before I don't know.

Sasha: 28:48

So when I was at a loss, when I was in that space, like what, if I'm not meant to be doing the shoes, what am I meant to be doing? And I was so confused so I just put a big shout out to like Spirit the unknown and just like what am I meant to do? And I just give us your worries. They write your worries down on a piece of paper and bury in the earth with an offering, I know. So this is when I was exceedingly skeptical and I was just like no, that's mad. But I took my family, I got shown where I had to go to as well and this tree that I had to go to. And I was shown I had to create a pouch where around my neck and to put this acorn from a tree into this pouch. And I was just like this is absolutely bonkers.

Sasha: 29:36

But I went out with the family, I buried my note with an offering and then I walked over to the trees to try and find this acorn. But it was out of. It was a wrong season, so there wasn't many acorns. So the oak trees that I was leading up to the tree I had to go to had nothing beneath it. I was just like, oh, this is stupid.

Sasha: 29:55

But then when I got to the oak tree I needed, I found the acorn. It was there was an acorn, so then I had it in this pouch. So when I started carrying this acorn, I started to get a song from this tree and I was like I have gone back to my afterspawn because I thought I'd gone back shit, crazy. And that's when I was like I need to get help because I have crossed the line. Now I was like I'm a lunatic. Yeah, that was the first time that I realised that we are part of something much bigger, much greater, something that I could never understand, that I don't know whether science can explain to me, so I've just had to seek others that were experiencing the same so I could get some understanding of it.

Zoe: 30:43

Really, this episode is kindly sponsored by Plyte Club, a brand whose mission is to change the attitude towards vulnerability by encouraging more conversation around it, in order to increase real human connection. When you can express your feelings constructively, you can work through your fears, open your heart and find your place in the world. The vehicle for these conversations is clothing, or connection clothing as it's become known. Connection is one of my core values, so I'm thrilled to be able to partner with Plyte Club so we can join in our collective goal of bringing people together and helping you rebel against staying the same Sustainable, organic and rebellious. Of course, plyte Club also uses 50% of their profits to fund proactive suicide prevention in the form of coaching, support and awareness. Amazing, which enables people to understand their emotions and express how they feel constructively. Become a vulnerable with us. For more info on the brand or to buy online, go to Plyte Clubcouk or follow an Instagram at Plyte Club HQ. Now back to the show.

Sasha: 32:01

I've had lots of other things since then I have to work with or carry with me and connect with. That's one of the offerings that I want to give others. You know how people work with crystals and that's completely normal. Everyone accepts that, don't they? This is the same thing. It's just yeah, not a crystal.

Sasha: 32:27

I think my friends that know me I'll be really laughing at this if they can hear it, because I'm obsessed with a rock near my house. It's like this there's a slate, a little slate cave near where I live and there's these big hills that are. I kept getting. This is everything.

Sasha: 32:43

I kept trying to leave less this year and I kept getting drawn, being drawn back and moving closer and closer to this area where I'm now going to do some work on. It's got these ancient hills where lots of people go and like the druids and the pagans and that they all go and pray there. That's where I was told to go and connect to. I was like, yeah, like I said, had no idea what was going on, but I've since learnt that it's not just me that goes to this sacred site.

Sasha: 33:13

All the people I know that work in this area go to this place, though it's a common thing. But yeah, there's this slate and the rock there. It's really good at clearing the whole of your energy body and I want to help people because it really helps stabilise them. I want to help people create their pouches and things so that they can put these pieces with them and work with them, and I just hope it would give people a little bit more I don't know connection to something else, so that they know they're not on their own when they are going through these changes or trying to make big adjustments in their life, like they've got something else to ask support from which I didn't realise that and it's given me so much more strength since I've seen that it's possible to ask for greater help.

Zoe: 34:05

Do you think that it's something that's possible for everyone, or do you think people have to either be open to the idea or I don't want to say like have a special gift? But I mean, so often I've talked with friends who tell me about their experiences and I think you know I have a friend who's very she's very into crystals and she tells me a lot about going to certain places and feeling the energy in that place where I could be in the same place and I turn around and say I wish I could feel what you feel, because I think it would be amazing, but I can't. And I just wondered what you thought about that because you know, I know there are people who will go. I don't believe any of it. I didn't believe any of it.

Sasha: 34:59

That's fine.

Zoe: 35:01

Yeah, but if there are people there who are kind of open to things that maybe science can't explain and they can't explain, but they're open to it, can they then tap in to feeling these kind of things and hearing this kind of guidance? Or do you have to be a certain kind of person with a certain kind of gift or something, I think?

Sasha: 35:27

it depends, obviously. I think everyone can tap in to getting the guidance that they require and the support that they need, because we're all connected. Even though we can't see it, we all have guides that you could appear and have no belief in it whatsoever, but you'd still have a team behind you that are supporting you to get to your goals. So it doesn't matter if you believe it or not, like they're there, but I think everyone has different gifts and abilities. So everybody that will have something is just the case of discovering what it is and being in an environment where you're able to explore that. So you might not feel the energy of things, but I know people as well like you that really do. And then I've got friends that get great insights through dreams I don't get anything through a dream, you know right, or yeah. And then I have friends that just use, like, the divination techniques and they're spot on with all of that. I think it's finding what works for you really.

Zoe: 36:32

Where is it leading you to now? Now you've just finished your certificate, do you know what your next step is going to be, or yeah?

Sasha: 36:44

Well, this week is definitely about relaxing, trying to enjoy myself, because the pressures leading up to now have been on really struggling, work, writing, children, all of that stuff. So, yeah, this and the course. So this last few days feels such a beautiful space of breather, but I'm already thinking about well, I'm going to continue doing the one on one. I've got to do 12 case studies, which I've just begun, so I'm working through those and then, when I feel it's time's right, I will do one on one healing work with others. But I have started to talk with a friend about creating workshops to help people feeling powered and using their creativity in order to do so. So that's, yeah, we're speaking about that. We just started chatting about that today, actually. So, yeah, there's a date booked in October for our first one in London, but still got to be all confirmed and tidied up.

Zoe: 37:48

Yeah, and just kind of give a brief description of shamanism for anybody that's not really familiar with it.

Sasha: 38:00

Well it varies through, like different lineages, so I could talk from my experience. That might be best. So for me, how much detailed?

Zoe: 38:14

Well, okay, I am imagining that somebody's listening to this conversation, going this is great. I get it like I understand the journey of somebody leaving one career and then following their soul into something completely different, but perhaps not necessarily understanding the term shamanism.

Sasha: 38:33

Okay, so for me, shamanism is about working with spirits and the elements to bring balance and restoration to yourself, to the planet and to others, so to bring healing. Basically, that is the short answer.

Zoe: 38:52

That's very concise.

Sasha: 38:55

But it is. It's a very old way of working that we probably were once all in tune with. Okay, that have been disconnected from over time. So if we love the F-Mod, people work with it. I think for themselves and the planet.

Zoe: 39:16

So do you end up doing the healing work still on yourself? Yes, I don't want to say, you healed.

Sasha: 39:27

It's an ongoing journey honestly, it's very cyclical.

Sasha: 39:31

Like I thought when I started my course. So I had been working on the anxiety for years and when I began my course I was just like, yeah, I've smashed it. And then all of a sudden I was back to square one and it felt I was just in absolute shock. And then it was almost like I'd gone through down into another layer of having to clear myself off and heal myself again. So I think you get through one area and aspect of it and then another little thing creeps up and then you've got to sweep away and then keeps resurfacing. So I don't know we'll ever all be truly fully healed. It's an ongoing journey.

Zoe: 40:09

Yeah, and are you still selling your pottery? That you're still making everything?

Sasha: 40:15

Yes, yeah, I am. I need to get back to a lot of people about craft fairs. I've got some booked in going to be booked in leading up to Christmas.

Zoe: 40:27

And how do you feel now that you've actually kind of allowed yourself to say goodbye to footwear Because I know it was hard, because, especially as other people kept trying to put you back there, almost like that's what you've studied, but that's who you are, that's what you do. Why would you stop, or at least that's the impression that you give me.

Sasha: 40:49

Yeah, it was a slow break up. I couldn't do it for a long time. So I met what talking to you from my little workroom and it was such a mess because I couldn't transition fully into the pottery because I still had footwear things around and I kept feeling like I can't actually I can't move it out and I had to keep pieces around. And when the day came I was like all right, I'm going to clear all the last salt. You know that you make the shoes on and I'm going to. I took a lot of the materials to my mum's house as I could just store these in your loft for a little bit, and that felt like a real final, like the end to it. But it was going on for about two years of me trying to separate myself from it.

Zoe: 41:37

It's hard, isn't it? When you want to go into a different direction, because I know that I felt a little bit like that, moving out of leather and for so long people knew me as a footwear designer and then with my own accessories line and then to kind of turn around and say, not sure if I want to carry on doing this. Really, it's often harder to convince the people around, harder to convince them than it is to convince yourself, I think.

Sasha: 42:10

Yeah, there was a bit of that. But also, I think, for me I hadn't got all the answers. I felt like I hadn't had all the answers. So for the shoes, I knew I could have done more. I kept thinking I could do better than this. I know it could go further. So it was having to make that decision whether what was most important if it was important to see how far it could progress, or not. I knew I could do it if I wanted to, but yeah, I had to just make that this. I had to really what's the word? Just evaluate again what my priorities were, what was most important, what I wanted.

Zoe: 42:50

What was the question, then, that you asked yourself in that moment? What did you ask yourself in order to make that decision? I'm going to cut the ties with this or I'm not. Can you remember?

Sasha: 43:02

Yeah, I did a vision board around it and really looked at the future that I wanted and I was like, does the full effort into that and it just didn't. And so that made it a lot clearer for me to be able to say no, actually I don't think I'm going to carry on. And also the fact that lots of crazy things kept happening. So, you know, I said like I feel like you need to listen. You get signs, just bloody, listen to them.

Zoe: 43:36

Okay. Well, I would like to unpick that, though, because I hear a lot of this sense of you need to listen to your inner voice or you'll be guided. What?

Sasha: 43:49

does that sound like so for me? I use divination techniques as well, so I would pull a card to see, if I could, what I needed to know about the situation. So not so much a do I carry like giving my power away to the card and saying, do I need, should I carry on this or shouldn't I? Or be like what's the? What do I need to know about this situation? You know, if I carry on this route, what will happen if I carry down this route, what will happen in the footwear For me as well. I hear the voices. So I would go to bed and hear stuff. Like you know, you need to stop. Just stop this now, kind of thing. And I'd be like no, no, no, constantly battling it. But then some sure signs were.

Sasha: 44:31

There were like some big interventions, the factory that I had made the lasts I'd spent ages developing my lasts with. When I contacted them again to reorder some lasts, they'd burnt down. So it was just like where's my? What do you mean? We'll have to start again. We've lost your work. And I said they have got to be joking, you know, like it was almost being told just stop.

Sasha: 44:55

And then one of my parcels that I sent out to Italy to get the insoles made, because that's the thing as well. So when COVID came, I was making, trying to make everything in England, but then a lot of the suppliers that were working with my bust and I had to start resourcing materials. So that felt like one of the first signs you know like it's going to get difficult. And then the factory bow parcels went missing. It was just constantly like small things like that that kept happening. Why am I pushing so hard to do this? It just felt I was being pushed up against the whole time and it was a battle. So I feel for me if it's, it's tricky, because things aren't always going to be easy, but there are times that you can tell this is just too big a battle for it to be actually in alignment with what I'm supposed to be doing. It's just ridiculous. So it felt ridiculous.

Zoe: 45:52

Yeah, what's something. You think that what's something you've never told anyone before.

Sasha: 45:58

Something I've never told anyone before. Right, I'm going to start sharing that now. I don't really know if I'm really I'm very honest person and after this intense training, I I figure I've shared quite a lot with a lot of people now, so that's a difficult one to answer. Hmm, it really is like the course I was on makes you very. You have no choice but to be open and vulnerable in front of a group of people and it brings you together. It brought us together very quickly because the things that you you know as you're growing up with a friend, that might take 30 years for you to learn about them. In this three years I think I learned we all learn so much about each other because you just have to clear yourself of it all to heal yourself. So you're in a good position to do the work for others. But yeah, I'd have to think about that. I don't think, no, I can't think of anything that I have not told anybody. I'm a bit too honest, honest that I really am.

Zoe: 47:19

I'll ask you a different question what do you, what would you like people to, to take away from this conversation? Because I would hope that some of the things that people think when they hear your story is that it's okay to change direction, that it doesn't have to necessarily make sense to anybody else. It might not even make sense to you at the time, but I mean, I imagine that there's something driving you. Whether it makes sense or not, there's something that you're going to, that you're probably listening to and you know. Going back to the things that you said at the beginning about tapping into the things that you enjoyed as a child and maybe being creative in different ways, what do you think yeah, what do you think you would like people to take away from your story?

Sasha: 48:14

Oh, definitely to not fear the unknown, that, and to just get out of your own way. I found that when I'm afraid, that's when I'm just about to tip into something exciting. So that terrifying space where you don't know where you are, you don't know what's happening, you don't know where you're going, is normally for me I'm on the edge of stepping into something wonderful. So, don't fear the unknown and, yeah, get out of your own way. Don't put yourself, don't put boundaries around you, don't put yourself in a box, because there's just so much unknown potential within that you can't know, unless you throw yourself into something that you wouldn't expect yourself to do.

Zoe: 49:03

What does that look like? Do you think Like I hate this expression all the time and I think I've been very guilty of it as well like getting in your own way? But how do you then break that cycle and break out of that? And you know, is it about the labels that you're giving yourself? Is it about giving yourself permission, do you think, to step out of one role and just explore another?

Sasha: 49:29

That's a really good question, because you need the space to be able to do that. Really, I don't think. Yeah, I think it's about being kind to yourself and giving yourself some space to try other things, because when you are in that cycle of like a nine to five and you're going to work every day and you're coming home and doing the mundane, you know the time to eat the dinner you're just in that cycle. It's very difficult to break it. So I feel like it is about giving you. You must give yourself some space. Prioritize your creativity and your wellbeing and silent time. I don't think we do that enough nowadays. Every minute is crammed with trying to do something else or because we're so busy all the time, and I think what we need is, yeah, just so simple is just give yourself some space. Even if it's just a 20 minute walk outside, I feel like that allows things to start flowing differently for you. And writing, just allowing yourself to write or doodle or something, just get your mind out of that same constant cycle, that pattern. Are you a?

Zoe: 50:45

journaler. Do you write regularly?

Sasha: 50:50

Not regularly. I used to, and I still use it as a practice every now and then, and now I'm about to talk about it, I've forgotten the name for it. It's writing where you don't think about it.

Zoe: 51:06

So you put some music on. Are you writing unconsciously?

Sasha: 51:10

Yes, so you sometimes would write myself a title of an area that I'm struggling with, so I'd give myself an intention. So you know how I was saying what do I need to know about the footwear, or what's holding me back right now? Because if you're thinking from the mind all the time, if I was thinking from the mind all the time, I'd be coming up with the answers for me. But if I tap into my subconscious, it gives me a different response. So I would put some meditation, music on or the writing so simple, where you're writing.

Sasha: 51:45

Yeah, I think either yeah, so I would just give myself an intention to set my question, put some music on, go into some space of my meditation and then switch my mind off and just write the response, and then I'd often read it back Like I could never have found the answer for myself. But it's just me giving myself a different perspective, which is fabulous.

Zoe: 52:09

Personally, I'm really curious to know if you still are seeing the spirits and how you deal with that, having told me that you used to as a child and it terrified you. How do you feel about it now, if it still happens?

Sasha: 52:23

I find now like it. I've seen more since. That's actually the easy part. So, yeah, it doesn't disturb me, it wants it. And actually that's the whole reason I went on the court on the training was so I could manage it.

Sasha: 52:42

So now I work with the drum before they would just drop in. So whenever I Was let myself go off into a daydreams and I would be washing up or in the shower or Drifting to sleep, that's when all of a sudden they would just sweep in and I'd be like that's because I thought my mind was drifting into a different space. But now I've got clear boundaries so it's just like I would speak to a friend. I can say I'm not working now, they you're not welcome, not that they're not welcome, but come back later. So yeah, I manage it very differently and I choose when I'm going to Into that work. So I've got a very clear distinction between I'm Sasha Potter and Sasha doing shamanic work kind of thing the healer. So yeah, that's really interesting. I'm so glad that I got the support, because I think I could have ended up in a different place If I hadn't got the help with it to manage it.

Zoe: 53:42

So yeah, how do you then manage what you're doing with with your family and your kids? You know, sort of on a day-to-day basis.

Sasha: 53:54

It's been really hard work, has it? Yeah, yeah, really hard work, especially this year's a lot better. But especially the first year of the training, where I was coming back and having these big realizations and having to do more work on myself and then having to still be present for these lovely small children that needs you to feed them and clean them, and getting that balance between Sorting yourself out and looking after them and still trying to Earn money to keep everyone alive, and it felt it was a lot, it's been a lot, but now it's Settling. So, also, I didn't know how as that's the other thing about footwear it felt safe. We tell someone you're a footwear designer, everyone's like that's amazing, that's so cool and that's a really easy thing to talk about. But when you change to do something else, that's a bit different.

Sasha: 54:51

I really struggled with Coming out with that. So how are my children going to be treated? If I Am, I going to be seen as this crazy lady. You know how is it going to affect all my family's life? Well, they're so. All of them are so supportive of it and it's just very normal to them and, yeah, they're loving. Support has really helped me to just own it now. So it's fine. It's really not that Crazy. It's just that in our Western culture it's it's not openly discussed as much so no, it's not.

Sasha: 55:29

No.

Zoe: 55:31

Do you get people that Find out what you do and then say, well, my husband passed last year or something. Can you get in touch with him for me? Do you get these kind of odd, you know, random requests from people? Yeah, yeah definitely how do you deal with that?

Sasha: 55:51

Well, it doesn't work. I just tell them it doesn't really work like that. You know, I don't. I don't really pick who. Even if I was working with you, I wouldn't be able to pick who's available From your ancestors to pop in for a chat. You know that's not how it works for me. So yeah, I just say it does work like that.

Zoe: 56:11

How does it work?

Sasha: 56:12

I'm intrigued Well now Before, and it would just be, they would just swing in so Say, I'll use my aunt as an example. Her partner has passed away and she had she. She has children with him. So sometimes he would swing by, be like I've got a message, can you pass this on? And he'd shown me what I needed to share. And I'd always be like, oh my gosh, I could felt Uncomfortable for me, I didn't like it, and it's also could be really upsetting. Yeah, as well.

Sasha: 56:48

You know, how it's going to affect the other person. I didn't know if I was meant to tell them. You know things like that, but now it only happens if I'm asking for the information. So it doesn't work like that. So now I will open up a space to say I'm working with Zoe, for example, has anybody got anything but? And I'll go into the healing and whatever comes through would come through then. Yeah, it's not free for all anymore.

Zoe: 57:15

Oh, it's been so lovely talking to you about this whole experience. Please tell me there is going to be a second book at some point.

Sasha: 57:25

Wow, it's going to seem like it's going to be a first one. That's right. In my mind it's a done deal, oh thank you, just keep putting that out there, yeah yeah, thank you.

Zoe: 57:38

No, but it's so lovely to hear that you know you took the risk, you had the courage to completely change direction and, even through the struggles of working out how that was that kind of going to work, you've made it out the other side as a more empowered, and You're more empowered with a deeper understanding of who you are, I think.

Sasha: 58:04

Yeah, definitely I'd agree about that, yeah it's really beautiful.

Zoe: 58:10

Thank you so much for sharing your story with me. Thank, you.

Sasha: 58:15

It's been lovely, that was really good.

Zoe: 58:21

So how did you find that? Here are my takeaways. There's eight of them this week. Number one losing a job can also be a fantastic opportunity for introspection and re-evaluating life. Two revisiting a childhood passion could be the key that unlocks your next step. Three being creative with a different media to what you usually work with has the ability to change the way you think.

Zoe: 58:47

Four we are not defined by one label. Five quitting is for winners. It's not failure if we're brave enough to stop and take stock of what we really want. Six don't fear the unknown. Being scared and feeling excited are almost the same. Seven get out of your own way and don't put yourself in a box. And number eight give yourself space to try other things. Prioritize your creativity and your well-being. I hope you loved today's episode and it made you think differently or perhaps nudged you into changing something in your life that's not working for you. I'd love to give you a shout out right here on the podcast too, so let me know what you think, what you'd like to hear more of, or how you've been inspired by what you've heard. Let's keep in touch over on Instagram at mischiefandhide, or sign up to my newsletter at soegreenheartcom If you're enjoying being part of the mischief movement. Please consider telling a friend or leaving me a review wherever you download your episodes, which will seriously help my mission to inspire and empower more people like us to choose mischief over mediocre.

Sasha: 1:00:08

Ciao, what's the word? Oh, you're going to have to edit this bit out.

Zoe: 1:00:44

Oh, what is it? Except now, I forgot what I was going to say next.

Sasha: 1:00:52

That's alright.

Zoe: 1:00:56

This is why people keep saying to me are you going to put these on YouTube? And I'm like I could never, because I lose my plot like halfway through.

Sasha: 1:01:04

And you just have to go like uh uh.