Embracing Spiritual Leadership with Rachel Hunter

Rachel, a massive welcome to the Life On Purpose podcast.

Thank you for inviting me. It's been a long time. Coming every time I'd like. Yeah, it's good to be here. Thank you.

Things take time.

Yeah.

Now, I really wanted to chat a little bit about where you started, where your journey began, before we get to what you're doing now and who you're serving. I'm coming to you from New Zealand and you're coming in from la, but where did your journey begin?

Where did it begin?

I don't know. I guess it happened.

Inside my mother. Like, let's just take care. Like, really does it not. Right. It's. Where does it begin? It begins from probably somewhat. Those, you know, those. For me, that moment, you know, and then it's just forever changing and, you know, obviously with what is known as my journey and the idea of like.

With modeling and stuff, I guess, you know, that started when I was like 17 for. What I'm known for, I guess, is when I started was when I was 17, 16, 17, and that started actually on the beach. I actually had a. A blood disorder called toxoplasmosis, and that is around cats and meat. And somehow I got this.

Toxoplasmosis and was very, very sick. And it really changed the direction because I was actually a trained ballerina. Well, not training. It was a. Training to become a ballerina at that point. And it was my everything as a very, very much introvert as a child.

You know, really loved being around animals.

And just was very, very quiet, quiet child. So. And that kind of changed everything for me. I was sick. I couldn't actually go to school.

For some of my exams and stuff. So that took about over a year to get over. And by that point I had lost so much muscle in my body and all that training for all those years. The next thing I was. Started running to get my strength back and. And then I was found at the beach. So you just. It's funny because at that moment.

Like, when you look at those pivotal parts in your. In your life, they're actually barely any of them are planned. They don't have a preconceived, you know, idea of. Of like, I want that. I mean, eventually that happens. We eventually have that. That idea of, like, we can. We know that entry point. We know we can. Where we can put our perception. We know where we can put our attention. All of these beautiful, you know, sayings and these. And these, you know, incredible philosophers over the years, you know, where you put your attention.

But at that point it was very innocent. And I think that's where a lot of natural.

Progress happens. I guess in my evolution is when there is no.

Aggressive thing and things just naturally happen is where actually where you naturally feel your path is and you're not worn out by it. You're not fatigued, you're not adrenally drained, you're not like, what am I doing here? You're actually doing what you love. And I think, yeah, so that's kind of what happened. And the next thing I knew, I was in, you know, in New York City and modeling. I had no intention to do that at all.

That's amazing. And so it sounds like you didn't push towards that as like I'm going to try and manifest this. You were pulled towards it. It was like something that was pulling you.

I mean I got a blood disorder. I was, I, I loved ballet. I was also an athlete at school. The idea of modeling was just ridiculous to me. I mean I was buck tooth, I had wiry hair, I had a gap between my teeth. Like it was not even something that I could even I would even think of. And you know, there you are running along the beach and the next thing you, you know, but everybody's everybody path is obviously different. But there's always those pivotal moments that happen in life that really create those huge transformational shifts.

Within wherever you are going. If you're not either on the so called path, you know, you get this jarring, you know, redirection.

Or maybe not. But yeah, I had no intention to become a model at all. Had no interest in it.

So going from like no interest, not even knowing it was a thing to then embracing it. What, what led to you embracing it and going, hey, this is actually pretty cool. I'm going with this for now.

It was never, I never fully embraced it. I had a great time. It was great, but it wasn't really.

You know, oh wow, this is amazing. There was never any of that in my mind. Like.

How incredible I think now when I look back on it, it was amazing. Like it traveled the world and I got to, you know, be with incredibly artistic, you know, photographers and I mean I had a very good experience when I was modeling. So yeah, there was never any, everything just I was very much like that.

That chameleon. I just adapted to whatever happened in my life at that point. It just happened. Yeah.

It's so interesting because before we hit record we were talking about evolution and how we evolve and it sounds like through life you've just evolved and you've went with it, as you said, a chameleon. You can adapt and grow into your circumstances.

Yeah, yeah, it was, you know, and I think that's, it's a, you know, you do. And then you have these beautiful moments where you're like, this is what I want to bring into my life. How do I bring this into my life? And, and you can manifest those. And there's times that, that happens. And then there's times when obviously when you're manifesting this, then something comes along and just completely knocks you off and goes, yeah, no, this is what's happening now. And then how do you adapt to that? So there's this, just this ever changing atmosphere that's just constantly changing within, which is. I'm obviously speaking constantly from my experience, because that's all I can speak from. And then something else comes along and you're like, oh, wow. I didn't expect it to be like this, but this is how it is.

Yeah, it's amazing. And as a high performer, as someone who was doing incredible things and traveling the world and then say, becoming a mother. So for me, becoming a father was a very pivotal moment in my life. Things changed big style. What about for you? So when you became a mother, what changed there internally for you?

Well, I definitely didn't think I would have children that young.

At all. And so when I did have my kids, it was like again, I was just like, I'm having kids. Okay, let's go. I was very, I don't know, just really.

Just went with the flow, kind of. With what. What kind of happened and just kind of trusted, I guess. But I mean, it was that to me, all of a sudden, again, the part that was given to me as far as my two children.

Became like the most enriching, most enlivening experience obviously that ever happens to you because you become this. They become like the biggest teachers you'll ever have because they're constantly teaching you all the time. And to have that gift in your life was pretty incredible. So again, it was something that came along that was just, again, really, really enriching. And.

Life, obviously, life changing. And one, obviously one of the best things I've ever done in my life. But, you know, it's. And it's heartbreaking. And you're like, you know, you're doing the same things as your parents. You go, oh, you shouldn't do that because that's going to happen, or this is going to happen. I mean, you might as well just like, we don't Learn from our parents. In some ways, we still have to say the same things as what we're told that we shouldn't really say, but we say it because we've had the experience and blah, blah, blah. So, yeah, but, you know, but having the kids was incredible. And obviously in that time I got divorced and had two young children. And, you know, there was that adjustment of, you know, being a solo, you know, a single parent.

And then moving into that stage. And again, like, we just don't give ourselves credit that we're. There seems to be this. This idea of how things should be. And the beauty of it is, is then that it never ends. And you can do it. You've got this, you know, we just have to trust. You just have to trust. And it's the hardest thing for me, trust as being something. I think I wrote about it just before I left New Zealand in June. And it was still that trust, you know, of trusting, you know, that. And why do we keep questioning this?

You know, that's powerful because I think no matter who it is, we go through all these changes, we think life is set and our job is set and our family is set, and all of a sudden something major changes. So what's your advice for people who are going through change right now? And it's like, it's uncomfortable. They don't really want to be doing it. They didn't expect it. How can they just let go and traverse?

There's stages like, I think there's stages like, there's like. Again, I'm going to speak from my own experience. You go through the angry stage. You're like, this isn't real. This is not okay. I didn't ask for this. How did this happen? You know, And I've got this opinion. And then you're trying to change someone else's mind because you want them to think like you, like whoever dreamt up that, like, you have no power to change anybody, you know, like really.

You know, as far as their thinking, the way that their opinion is, and as far as, again, how I see it. So, you know, I think there is.

Again, that process that we keep doing and do. How do we keep doing this with more ease, you know, how do we keep doing this with less? Oh, my God, I'm going to go into the drama of it rather than going, okay, this is really shitty. This is. I've just been given the worst, you know, scenario and now listen, I'm talking of scenarios that obviously.

Normal, obviously when my mum got sick, that was so big and you're looking at scenarios that are really, really devastating. I'm talking on general scenarios because, I mean, it doesn't matter. Every. Whenever you're given news or a change, there's an adjustment period that. That happens. And that adjustment period could set off all sorts of ranges of emotion from anger or. I've got this. We've got this. I can get through this. This fight or flight. Like, we can survive, like, you know, and then we go into this emotional stage of it. Fire comes back and no, I've got this. We've got this. Then there's this surrender that happens in the heart and you just go, you know, you're either full of love or sadness. And then there's this knowledge that comes out of that. So there's this beautiful process that kind of we go through. Like I go through when I go through these different stages. And obviously when it's great news, I mean, the excitement and then you kind of get into it and then you find that there's more depth, more, you know. Like, when I got into modeling, yeah, I was really excited, but then I was like, I had to deal with the fact that I'm going to be alone, I'm going to be without my parents. I miss my boyfriend. I want that. So whether it's great news and then you've got to deal with it a little bit after, there's always this beautiful state that of integration, of integrating.

Our evolution and the stages of evolution. There's integration that happens. And sometimes, I mean, for me, those things can hold on for months or years or sometimes they can. You just snap right through them. Right. I mean, you must have had situations like that. Like you snapped straight through it. Or you can still be holding onto something when you were like 2 years old, 100% a problem with it.

Yeah, absolutely. I've been through all different things. Earthquakes and divorces and all different experiences in life and miscarriage. And some of it was quick and easy and move on. Others was. It was traumatic. And you still carry it for. For some time.

Yeah, yeah. Like, you know, it's. It's amazing because we actually was up here in the earthquake for. In 94 in Los Angeles. And, you know, to go through all those different things that were served, whether it's through natural disasters or your loved one or yourself or anything. Like you said, it's just amazing. Our ability, like, we're so incredible. Like, we're incredible. And I think that's the reminder to self is just how unique and how incredibly important. Like every single soul on this planet is that's all it comes down to. And the, and the fact is, is that all we want is love. And this sounds so squishy because I've got a lot of fire in me and I'm like, love. No, let's be fierce, let's be strong. But no, what it comes down to is your, the fear comes from, you know, you're scared of loss or losing. So it comes down. But the heart is. Love is fierce. You know, it's strong. Like when you grab your kid before he's about to go, or my dog, you grab them. It's. It's strong. And then there's the softness. So you've got to stop me because sometimes I go off on tangents. So I love it.

Keep going.

I just think there's this beautiful part of just, just understanding, like how the complexities, but also the simpleness of, of our evolution and who we are and how important. Like every single. I just wish, you know, and we all fluctuate. If we each treated each other like it was your child or your mother or your, you know, we would, it would be so different. But it's not that way. And we have thoughts and feelings. But my main thing is, especially when you're going through hard times of. Even with mental health, you know, it's just like, just remember how unique you are and how beautiful are and how important you are. An importance. It's not even you. You touch people's hearts no matter who you are. You know, you touch people.

Yeah, 100%. It's so relevant. I think the time that I'd reached out to you was around a time I was working at a private school in New Zealand and I've been working there for 13, 14 years. And we had about 10 kids who took their own lives over that period. And the teenage suicide. I didn't realize it was so bad when I came here. And so for me, it set me on this mission. I just became a dad and I was like, okay, I need to do everything I can to understand this so that I can try and selfishly help my little boy, he's only five right now, but help him guide through those teenage years. And spirituality in itself, I think is very lacking in the education system certainly where I grew up in the uk and then from my experience in New Zealand, it's, it's kind of there maybe under the well being tag and it's kind of brushed over a little bit. But I see it as being like a crucial part of parenting, of living life. Of engaging with others. So I look to you often and I often follow what you're doing because what you're doing spiritually is really inspiring. So how do you think we can, like, as linear people? Often if I'm working with a client, a high performance leadership client who are maybe running a business or in a team, sometimes it's very linear. It's like results, it's metrics. It's like, how do we win? That's one side of it. But how do we get them to look at like, hey, there's actual spiritual side to who you are and it's important for you to thrive by tapping into your spirituality.

The.

It's so funny because we had separated this, this aspect of ourselves because as soon as anything goes wrong, usually we're dropping to our knees just calling somebody's name for help. Right. And, and I think.

One of the beautiful parts that I learned, especially in India, is the elements that we're basically surrounded by all day long, as well as these are basically internally within us as well as far as air and water and even the fire, the food that we eat, all that. And even to connect with nature, there's this spiritual aspect of that that helps to then go further as far as just feel that, that warmth and the fact that we come from potentially obviously something so much bigger. And I think, you know, when we.

Usually, I mean, you could probably, definitely, probably maybe say, yes, this is true, is eventually to sustain.

Success from when you're 16 to when you die. Is that even possible?

Yeah.

So at some point there's going to be something that, you know, happens because that's what we are. We're human, I guess. And, and I mean, again, like I'm talking from my experience and then, and like you go, what else is there? What else is there? You know, And I always look to children because they're, when you see them in the, in nature, there's imagination and there's this innocence and they listen, they're listening to nature and they're curious and they're talking to it and they have their own magic that's happening there. And I think also that's a beautiful place. And I think that's where our bodies rest at ease too. And we're very, very lucky. Even in England and in New Zealand, anywhere in the world, we can have this.

This ability to connect to nature. And there's a beautiful spiritual aspect, I feel, to nature that is literally immediate. Even just understanding, just sitting in the wind and realizing what is sustaining us, you know, and even in that aspect. And I think also, you know, you know, they say that we're spirits having a human experience.

But not to complicate it, but just the fact that.

I think that's why meditation is such a great entry point of just sinking into your own being, your own self, your own soul. You're expressing yourself. You're responsible for yourself. Do you. And then from that, you will find these moments of beautiful waves of just.

Connection and bliss and happiness. And I always say, sometimes even I look at, you know, Rod, and I'm like, here's this man on stage living his dharma, like, living his full life, bowing to his audience at the end of. Of it, right? But there's this. He's fully living his. And that, to me, is spirituality, too. Deep connection to the creativity that you are, the evolution that you are living it fully, being that fully. Yeah, we're going to trip up. We're going to do things here and there because we're human beings. But really enlivening your inner, you know, the matter of who you are. But your inner soul, your inner dharma, to me is spirituality. But if there's a dollar sign in there, only people, there's. To me, there's. It just becomes a little bit. For me, it becomes a little bit, like.

Empty. You know, empty, because you can sit in the big house, but you could be sitting there alone. That's right.

And that's not fun when you look at some.

So I think nature's a great place. Meditation is a great place.

Can we chat about meditation? I'd really love to chat to you, but. So I've been meditating for maybe four or five years, maybe a little bit longer, but I just love it. And I experience euphoria. I experience stillness. I can. Like, it's amazing. I just love it. So for you, where did meditation start for you? Like, how could someone get started? Most of my clients, like James, I can't do it. Like, it's too difficult. So I try and step them through how to get started. But how would you help someone get started on a meditation journey?

I sometimes using a mantra with, like, the so hum mantra, which is so hum. And bringing that into the attention in between your eyebrows or bringing that attention as soon as the thought rise. Because, I mean, we're going to think. We're all going to think. We're all going to sit there. Some of us have been, you know, some people like yourself, you probably sit there and go, oh, my God, did I do this? Did I do that? And then you go, okay, no, back to my meditation. Oh, but hang on. Did I do this? You know, and that happens. And then some days it can just be like you say, you just feel so still and everything is just incredibly beautiful and in that bliss state. And I think that really just connecting to your breath, finding somewhere either in the mornings or in the evenings as the sun's going down, less activity, more soothing, I think, when the sun's going down or the sun is rising, and then just connect to your breath, put on some nice music, create a sacred space. Kids are fascinated by sacred spaces, too. It could be you put a plant and, you know, I don't know, a rock. Like, you know, whatever it is that you've collected on the beach, I mean, whatever that sacred space is.

Let them find that because it's beautiful. For imagination, too. I'm talking about adults, too. Not any. And then I think as far as an adult finding that sacred space, you can even put some music on. But then just allowing the breath just to connect and then just bring so humor as a mantra to that space in between the eyebrows, and then just every time a thought rises, just bring that mantra in. And then eventually, you know, if you bring that. And then those gaps will happen. They don't look sometimes, like I said, they don't happen all the time. But even just to do that, you know, for 10 minutes a day is, you know, at the beginning is great. Mantras do help, though, because the mind, it's got something to think about then.

You know, like a focal point. So we're not going in that monkey mind.

Yeah, yeah. And. And as far as, like, relaxing the nervous system, stabilizing yourself, you're able to come from, you know, people go, that's going to make me boring. No, it makes you actually more dynamic because you're coming from a really centered place. You know, there's nothing worse than someone going, what are you doing that for?

And then you see someone who's really grounded. The force that comes out of their voice, projecting. And the space they're able to hold, that's grounded strong and, you know, almost intoxicating because they're so grounded. You pay more attention to that because you're like, oh, okay, I got it. You know, but the person who's losing their mind in the corner, you're like.

I don't even. Like, no, you're not going to listen to that.

And that's amazing for entertaining to watch. Yeah. From the distance.

I agree. Yeah. But I guess for leaders, whether that's like a CEO, whether That's a mom, a dad, whoever it might be, a community leader. For them to learn that meditation can actually help them lead with more influence and more love. And doing that 5 minutes, 10 minutes a day can make a difference.

Yeah. Do you actually use a mantra? Do you use just, just connecting to your breath and just having a moment's peace and quiet?

I use a little bit of both sides, a little bit of transcendental meditation where I just get some white noise and focus on my breath. And then I've got a track I play called the Devi Prayer and it's a mantra and it's just, it's stunning. So I play it for like 40, 45 minutes.

Yeah.

I feel like a different human afterwards.

Yeah. Well, that's beautiful. Yeah.

And you write about kids. Like my 5 year old boy, he knows like 5, 5:30am Meditation time, he will come in and he knows just to sit beside me and he just, he listens and he might stay for five minutes, but he's interested in it and he's wondering what it's about and it's not weird to him at all.

No. And also you find animals start like sleeping usually if I'm doing like, I'll do a couple of courses or something every now and then. And my dog's actually snoring on his back with all his legs in the air because he's doing some chakra medit meditation that I'm like learning or whatever and I'm just like going, oh my God, you are just in heaven. It's like getting all these healings.

I love it. What's your favorite type of meditation?

I love using different mantras. Like I was in India, I learned a foundation course. And as far as Jyotish meditation, which is the Vedic, not meditation, Vedic astrology. And so we got to learn for different times of the day, different.

Months or whatever, there's certain mantras used for certain things. It's just, I would say the mantras are pretty incredible. But at the same time, the, the less I do, the more I enjoy just by even just connecting to the breath. It's very subtle. I also enjoy that. So it kind of, kind of ebbs and flows all the time.

I do have one meditation practice that I do do and it's, it's kriya and mantra. So. Yeah.

And is it daily, like you commit daily to that practice?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

That's great. So it's like a discipline built and it's like who you are.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, absolutely.

Was there a point where you actually, in your life, have you always been spiritual and interested in rituals? Or was there a point where you were like, I'm getting interested in this, I'm going to follow this path?

No. So when we grew up, like, we were basically born into that because Mum was very.

She is, she was very spiritual. So we were brought up and born again Christian. I was baptized, received the Holy Spirit, like, you name it. Like we Buddhism. So we kind of did quite a bit. And also pagan.

Wow.

It was, it was quite. Yeah. And. And I loved. I love all of it. Like there's. I just. I love all of it. And so it was always a part of our life all the time.

Whether it's meditation or whether Mum was making wands or Mum was painting fairies or doing art with Alia, like, whatever it was, she was. We were always around it. So it wasn't anything new to me at all.

It's amazing.

I mean, I think there's this kind of shrouded thing where people kind of feel they used to. I think there's so much now where they, you know, that you.

You kind of are nervous to bring up the fact that you like to meditate or like tarot cards or crystals or, you know. But I mean, you look at all the. See, some of the biggest CEOs were in the Himalayas.

You know, a number of my clients have went and did ayahuasca and they're running, you know, like multi billion dollar companies and they've been like, that ceremony changed my outlook on my life, on perspective. You know, others are doing, you know, psychedelics, clinical microdosing and others are going to India and spending three, four months and just going within. But it's helping them to be better for everyone around them, including themselves.

Yeah, I think it's really given us this opportunity and especially when last year when everything got shut down, obviously got shut down and locked in in India and, you know, the first kind of cries we heard from everybody is this time that we get to spend with our families that we don't. We're not getting in the car, going to work. We're not. Don't have to do this, we don't have to do that. We'd filled our life with so much and then it got brought to, I mean, less for New Zealand at that time, but the rest of the world was in this for a very, very long time. As you know, from your family, probably in the uk, who have dealt with us for a very, very long time.

That we, you know, we were looking at how do we treat the environment? How do we.

How do we feel about being in. How do we. What is our relationship with our children? So all this beauty started happening in this time. I just hope it hasn't been forgotten, you know?

And that's. You're so right. Like a client in Canada who said, I've spent six weeks with my young kids and I'm treasuring it because I know this is the last time until I retire. And this guy's in his, like, late 20s, early 30s. Until I retire in my 60s, this is the last time I will spend that length of time with my kids. I'm like, wow, we have got life totally the wrong way around. That's such a shame. So you were locked in in India? You were. You were in India during COVID Yeah, I got.

So I got locked in in an ashram for five months. I was actually in Sadhguru's ashram in that time, and it was amazing.

We were. I think there was about just under or just over a thousand people, I think were in there.

Wow.

Maybe less, I'm not sure. But then once I left, because I started coming out of there, there was a repeat repatriation flight. So then I came into the US at the. In the beginning of August last year, and.

By that stage, I had already been in three weeks of quarantines. Then I came back here, had another two weeks of quarantines, and then the US started getting really bad here.

And I was here. I was exposed to Covid twice during that time and then had to do more isolations. Then I ended up in the uk. The minute I got off the plane, it went into a double lockdown.

Following you, Rachel.

Tier 2, Tier 3, Tier 4, Tier 5. Like, what are the tiers is there for me to get involved? So everywhere I went, it just felt like it just. Yeah, just. And then I came back here. So, I mean, when I counted it up, I'd actually been in three months of or four months of. Of isolations by myself. And once I've gotten back here to the US after, I tried to see my children.

And I couldn't because the uk, it was just. It was so bad. I came back here to quarantine before I got on the plane to New Zealand, and we had to wipe my dog down because the UK variant was being so bad at that point. So there was so much. It was so. There was so much. And, you know, we had to wear our masks outside. That was when you had to wear your masks outside as well, because it was, you know, there was so much information that was just. Yeah. And so I think by the time I got to New Zealand, I was absolutely.

I don't think I really went to, out to dinners very much. I kept myself. I was by myself a lot for those five months I was there. I did some retreats and.

It made me nervous. It was very, I was very nervous because I was like, when is this thing gonna hit? You know, like it. Because you're used to being around it and you're, it's how you open a door, it's how you put your mask on. How many times are you touching your. You know, and I know everybody has their opinions and, you know, with, you know, theories and all the rest of it and everyone, to each their own, but I'm just doing me and just following whatever needs to get done, you.

Know, and that's awesome. And I think you're right. There's like a neurological conditioning that happens when you're exposed to and you wear a mask and you're sanitizing. It changes how you think about yourself and the world around you.

Yeah. And literally when you're like, you're pushing doors open with your feet, you know, you're, you know, using your elbows, like at that stage there was, it was just how do you use your body in order to, you know, not get this thing? It was just so. There was so much unknown at that point.

But now, you know, when I came back from New Zealand and I came back here, I. And you just, you know, I mean, I've been living with it for. Since it came out, but at the same time I feel.

We'Re open here, you know, and it's open.

That's great.

Yeah. And you feel like there's less stress on. Like I found for me it was less stress because I knew how to be and you. What I needed to do and. Yeah, and I'm responsible for myself and responsible for other people, you know, and when I do even seasonal things, I would get, I mean, I tested like a lot in New Zealand because I have allergies and I was like, I was so used to testing that I was testing in New Zealand.

I remember a friend of mine, there.

Was somebody I know like do it myself.

I mean, when I got out of miq, I went and quarantined again still again at home because I was just like, I what if I got it on the way out? You know, I. The over responsibility of it and it caused a lot of stress.

I bet.

Yeah.

See with your. I followed Your tour of beauty a number of years ago that it was an amazing show that you put on and you really researched all the different cosmetics and all the different foods that we can eat. So do you feel that some of your learnings in life around nutrition and around spiritual practices, do you think that can help boost your immunity during times of crisis?

I always love like researching all that kind of, you know, stuff and definitely I do include things into my life.

As far as like, you know, getting the right amount of air and the meditation as well as using the right, you know, vitamins or whatever. Yeah, I mean, without a doubt.

But I don't want to say any one particular thing because I think people should really find out what their bodies are because we're so different and there's so much incredible information out there in regards to vitamins and stuff that, I mean, people can, can do that for themselves. You know, the anti flams, anti inflammatories.

I mean, I've always taken what they, you know, the D's and the C's and the, you know, all that kind of stuff. I mean that became pretty much routine when you're traveling through. In fact, I remember I would always take the zinc chord, like the infant ones.

And yeah, I just always took the typical stuff that we were told to take in the last 18 months. Yeah, of course, that's all I'll say yes to.

And what about breath work?

Vitamin C, zinc?

I love it. I'm the same. I take all the basics and I guess covering it off with nutrition is probably, to me, I find that try and stay plant based with my eating and that definitely helps.

Absolutely. Plant based. And also less sugar, you know, less of the.

Breads and stuff as well. So I definitely eat a lot more plant based food. I would eat healthy. You know, I just, I've adjusted. Obviously my metabolism has changed as I'm getting older. I do do pranaya, like breath work, the yoga. I walk 10,000 steps at least a day on top of doing that. So it's just really keeping active as well as, you know, I want to, you know, besides what's going on right now, I want to live a good life. I want to be active. You know, I want to keep, you know, you want to keep that moving.

And the prana so interesting. The breath I love. I've done a lot of stuff with Wim Hof's breath work. I've really enjoyed it. So do you have any breath like techniques or anything that you use on a regular basis?

Oh my God, yeah. Yeah, you know, there's the simple breath work and then there's the pranayama, which you can really, you know, with the different holds and the different, you know, using the breath as you're working through. Through stuff and creating really.

Strong.

Pranayama exercises. But I think also just again, meditating at first, doing simple breath work, just connecting to your breath. Just stabilize your system at first because I think it's really important to come from a stable place with that. And then being with a great teacher or obviously Wim Hof is incredible with what they have a certain system that works. And it's pretty amazing from what I've seen.

Yeah, I've been checking out what you offer, so I'd love to chat just a little bit about what you do and how you can help people who are listening. So I seen the rituals with Rachel. That looked awesome. I got a little visitor. Hey, buddy.

For those listening on the little old. He's sitting there patting my leg and I'm going, you're like, bring him up. He's diabetic, bless him.

For those who can't see the video and you're just listening on Apple, we've got a beautiful little dog on screen. Gorgeous. He's stunning. What's his name?

Oh, don't you know what his name was? Chief? Then it became Relic. And then everybody just called him Baby because he looks like a baby bear. He's actually getting older now. Anyway, we're not going to do the dog thing right now. The small dog. I've owned big dogs my whole life, by the way. This is the first tiny dog I've ever owned. And he's the biggest attitude out of all my dogs.

I love it. I love it. Well, let's chat about rituals with Rich also. Can people engage with that?

So it's a different exercise as basically Kriya. So I really wanted to. There's this.

What is your intention when you go into something? What is the action and what knowledge are you feeling when you come to the end of that? You know, and that might be just that you're sitting in the bliss and the. And the happiness or you feel like more energized. And so the, the pillars that I really love working for are. They're not even pillars, they're ancient.

You know, energy that basically I looked at when I was, when I was in India and, you know, what is that? What is the will? What is your intention behind something? Like when, you know, we're talking about manifesting that when you do, when you, when you go into the gym, if you're just plotting, putting one foot in front of the other.

Fine, go. Like, I'm sure it's going to do something, but if you're going to go, go, you know, and I'm sure you speak to this probably with all the work that you do, but if you're going to do your experience is what you put into it. And when you, when I love to say, like, you can blame a teacher, you can blame anybody externally you want, you know, that's, that's the easy way out. Or you can, you know, and you know what, some teachers may not be the teacher that you want, and you need to find someone with a better voice or a dev. And that's perfectly, perfectly fine. But, like, what is your intention? Like, you know, bringing your hands to your heart as you're bringing just the power of your hands, like, just if you go like that, the heat that is going on between your hands right now is crazy.

Yeah.

And so when you join these two, like the left and the right, you're drawing masculine, feminine, so you're immediately uniting, you know, the masculine, feminine, you know, and then bringing it to the heart is. There's a huge electromagnetic field there. So the heart really, so really bringing, like, what do you want? What is your intention? When you start something, you know, is it love? Is it gratitude, is it trust? Is that you just want to explore? So what is your intention? And so from here to carry that. Obviously there'll be an evolution with different types of exercises or breath work that you're doing, but throughout that, that will change. And then through the kriya, which means action. So you're, you're creating this heat in your body or that the action of pulling down or really like, you know, because again, we can go like that, or you're, you know, are you really, you know, creating that, you know, resistance, letting go, you know, letting go, resistance, letting go, resistance. Like, what kind of intensity are we living our life?

And then obviously after this, we really feel this moment.

You know, you'll feel the heat or you feel the cooling effect or whatever it is. And I'm talking about mainstream life. This is not just about the exercises or whatever is in there. But, you know, what is your will, what is your action? And from there you can speak from the knowledge. Now, that knowledge could be silence and that could be everything. So from.

Intention and action, from that comes your wisdom, you know, your experience, what you experience and what your wisdom is. And I mean, especially.

With how, I mean, I've Spent. And I cannot wait to go back to India. And India is just opening up soon.

Is how I'm taught is we experience it first and then to speak from it, you know, then you can speak from it. If I just read a book.

I can't. I couldn't teach you, but what I can teach you is from experience. And that's what makes us all so beautiful and special, is, like, what you're into, what the other person is. You're experiencing that. And that intensity when you're telling me of what you're experiencing draws me in. But if you're just running your mouth off some other thing, I mean, that's, you know.

It'S, you know, great. Like that person said that quote. But what's your quote? What's your three words? What's your quote? What's your story? I want to hear that because I don't really care about the other, you know.

And. Yeah, so, I mean, that's what makes writers just so incredible, because they're really experiencing what they've written through these pages.

That's really powerful, Rachel. Like, that hits me pretty deep. That's phenomenal. In this world of digital dementia and everyone so connected, hyper connected and sharing and swapping and quoting, our story is the one that matters, and that's the one that people who love us want to hear. Right. They want to hear our story, not our theorized version of what we picked up in a book.

Yeah. And I think when there's, like, you're going to put a quote from a book up because you just experienced it, that hit you hard. I've always noticed if I put something on Instagram when it's not backed with how I actually feel, I don't know. This is weird to say.

But it's. You can feel it.

The reaction is bad. Like, there is no reaction. And the same thing, I think, in life, like. Like if you read an amazing quote or have an experience, then that's because you're going to put that up. And.

You know, it's so backed with the experience of what you just went through, whether you read it, whether you experienced or, you know, someone's dying or someone's just getting married, but this is this euphoric feeling that you had a new. And it hits people.

Life is experiences. We are human beings. We're not made to.

You know, just sit there and read from a. Like, no, it's not an algorithm. Yeah, it's. That's the beauty, I think, of children is because we get to. We get to see Them and we get to watch them and we watch them play. And every single one of them is different, but they'll all come back with a different story. They'll all come back with a unique.

And unique experience, a unique emotion from them. From it. Yeah.

Such a. Honestly, a great way to think of it. I learn from my son more than I learned from most other people around me. He's five years old, but I'm learning every day about perspective, about patience, about boundaries, everything. He's teaching me so much. And I think you're right. If you don't have children, go and be around children and learn from them.

And also that childlike quality in us to be a know it all like that, you're. No.

Trust me, I've been there. Like the person who has to know everything.

Yeah.

I mean, who have you ever been in that place?

Yes, I have.

Okay, so we can all put our hands up 100%. I just want to be the know it all. I just want to be like, yeah, I know. Yeah, I know. I know.

And I've been practicing this because I'm like.

I know it all. Like, it's. That's no fun to be around the know it all. Yet, like, you know, when you.

When you just be quiet and listen to someone else's story and just let them have that moment, let. Listen to them and let them have that experience. Experience. And yet you're just clouding it back. Oh, yeah, no, I did that already. It's fine. Everyone's done everything before. Everyone's written a book. Like, you know, not everyone's written a book, but they've written a page or an essay or whatever. I mean, there's been plenty of books written. So I think that it's.

Yeah. Being a know it all is. Yeah, you're. You're not. You're not listening. And I think there's this beautiful part to. As far as.

Listening to people and not saying anything, because while I was in India, by the way, I did 19 days of silence, and that was a whole other.

Wow. They say that there's a certain point I've never experienced. I would love to do it. And people say, james, you could never be silent for more than five days. And there's a certain point where there's like, an inner, like, breakthrough or a discovery or something deep within you that happens, and it's very emotional. Did you experience that?

So I went into silence and I. This is. I had. I came out because I kind of knew that I actually was like, oh, do I Have allergies. And I knew this virus was around, but.

I actually never got mad. Like, I never got like.

Until probably like day 14. And then it didn't last very much, but I just kept going. And yeah, I don't know. I actually was quite fine. And at times I thought, have they forgotten that I'm in silence because you have to wait for someone to come. And I was like, have they forgotten that I'm.

And then like, you know, two days later, basically.

We were locked down in the country. Like they shut the. Like everything was shut down, but it is. Do you know what happens is basically all these stories come up is what happened with me. Like, this happened when I was a child, this happened when those things. Maybe this was a past life experience, maybe this, maybe that.

And then all of a sudden none of it matters anymore. And within that moment, for me, my experience was, was then I could just start living and being me. Because why am I identifying with these stories that are only making my life, my path harder when I can just drop them? And that's what happened for me in the silence was the stories dropped and I was like, this is not whether I was something in the past life. This is about now. This is me right now. Whether I'm multi dimensional or I have this, you know, because when people say you have real, you know, realities, all the rest of it. But this is me right now. This is my experience and this is how I'm going to be in life. I'm going to. And it's very hard to be in the now. I mean, we constantly. But the stories started dropping.

Yeah. So it was. It was really amazing.

Sounds amazing. It sounds like something I need to do.

It sounds familiar. Yeah.

And Rachel. Yeah.

And I think to do it. Do it in places that you. That people teach that.

Yeah. Don't try and do it at home.

Yeah, that would be a good. It'd be a funny Irish joke in that for sure. I bet.

Yeah.

Tell me this. Where can people come to join your community to learn from you and be part of your journey?

It's so funny. Well, obviously my website, I have that and I also have the online.

Online rituals with Rachel Hunter, which I want to develop more into just even rituals that we do in everyday life. But also I do meditations and I will be doing probably more free meditation at some point.

And yeah, I mean, right now I'm. I don't know if. I mean, it'd be interesting. I'm just in this place where I just don't even know what to say, you know, because there's so much. There's so much noise. And for me right now, it just, you know, I'm just. Yeah. And I love teaching the classes, so I do do I do. On my website, there is events that I do do. I like, I'm doing breath classes on Saturday mornings with people who want to join there. So I just kind of am slowly building that and just seeing what that looks like.

That's fun. Well, make sure everyone please go and follow Rachel on Instagram. Check out. Yeah, I'll make sure all the socials. I'll share. Share this all with all of your details so people can actually connect with you.

Okay.

You've got so much to share, and it's. It's phenomenal. And we do want to learn. We look to you and we see what you're doing. I think, wow, I don't have the skill set, the knowledge, experience. And you do have those lessons and learnings. You've lived in an ashram. This has been part of your life. And it's. You've got a lot to teach others.

Oh, you're very sweet. No, it's. Honestly, to see all your stuff on. God, what's happened with you, too. You just must be like.

Everything that's just unfolded for yourself though, right?

A hundred percent. Yeah. It's been. The last two and a half, three years have just been massively transformational.

Like, it's just. And again, like, living in your dharma, like, do you not love waking up doing what you do, like, with all the people that you do it with? And just life is just incredible.

It's amazing. It truly is. I've got an energy and a passion, and I don't wake up going, oh, what's Monday? I love Monday. I wake up for Monday. Monday is the best.

Yeah.

And there was a moment. I was actually at a Tony Robbins event many years ago, and I had this, like, moment, and it was during meditation. Like, what am I doing with my life? I'm not enjoying my life. I'm not doing what I think I should be doing. What? Stop. It took me about six months or 12 months to figure out what I needed to do. But I'm so lucky and so fortunate to connect with amazing people like you and to coach the people that I coach and to be a dad to Finn and have a lovely partner. I'm very fortunate.

So let me ask you something. So when, like, when you do go into these, like. Like, you know.

These funks where you actually just don't. You're in your own void of rediscovering yourself yet again. Do you encourage people to stay within that void? Or do you say, these are the steps you need to take to get out of that? And before it hits a spot where you go.

That'S going into, not depression, but like into. You need to snap that and break it off. You need to own your shit. Like, let's go. Like, at what point? Because I mean, there's so many times, especially, you know, up here, you know, obviously New Zealand's getting into somewhat longer lockdowns, but up here has been long lockdowns. And. And I remember waking up and putting my feet on the floor and going, what is going on? Like, where do I fit into the world right now? You know, like, where do you fit in? And so how do people live in that void of rediscovering themselves? Because we all do it. I'm in that chameleon phase again. Like, where do I fit in? Because there's so much of this out there, the self help and this wellness and spirituality. Where do you fit in? So how do you break that with like, what can you give advice to people? Just because.

I think it's really interesting from, like, yeah, I love it.

Well, I think we all want to find our uniqueness and exploiting our uniqueness in the service of others. To me, that's the greatest thing we can do. And I mean, exploding in the most beautiful, holistic, like a harmony way. So when people are struggling and I've been there, I've struggled, like, what am I doing? What is life about? Why am I doing what I do? I think you need to sit in it and you need to feel the pain. And there's a point where you're kind of like going around in circles at that point. You want to get out of the holding pattern, but you actually need to sit in the pain. Because when the pain's not enough, then you kind of just settle for mediocrity. It's like, oh, whatever, I'll stick with this job, it's fine. Or this relationship, it's okay. And I think we do need to hit a point where the pain has enough leverage on us, where we go, okay, I need something to interrupt my pattern. And that could be a coach, that could be a death in the family, it could be a splitting of a relationship, it could be immigration. But breaking patterns are generally not pleasant and they're not expected. So I think once you get to that pain point, you're like, I've had enough. I'm Frustrated. I don't know where you feel it, but when I'm frustrated and a bit lost and stuck, I feel it. My solar plexus.

Oh, yeah.

Oh, it's horrible.

So that's where our fire. That's the solar plexus. You know, I'm sure you know the chakra that it's in, that. That's where our will, our drive, how we see, like, where we see things. Like, it's.

Yeah, it's hard.

It is. And it. And the holding, like you're holding your breath there. Like, I mean.

I find. And I wait for those moments and they surge up. Like right now, I'm in one. Like, I'm fairly Not post. Like, I mean, you go, I'm not posting on. Like, you have this accountability, right? And then I go, hang on a second. And this is where I think it's important too, is.

Say your truth, because there's someone else out there. Like, I'm in a funk and I've been in a funk, like, if that's what you want to say. But even coming to that surrender, right. Is just being honest and going, actually, I have no idea what to say. I'm in this place. And then speaking from your truth. And I've always found those just flushes. Because it's like, you're holding. Right? Yeah.

100%. You liberate yourself when you actually admit, hey, I don't know what to say here. I'm stuck. I'm lost.

Yeah.

And that's hard.

Exactly.

Often we always.

Yeah. So probably it's so liberating.

It is. And the biggest breakthrough I've found is when you're thinking about something like, I need. I need to figure out who I am. I need to figure out what my purpose is. I need to figure out what to do next. When you stop trying to figure it out, when you stop asking the question, it arrives.

It's literally the universe goes slam across the face. Like, what do you mean? You're. You stop it.

Totally. And we need that from time to time.

Yeah. Yeah, you really do. Like, and it's. Someone always said to me, well, who you're meant to be is. You're. You're. It's right in front of you every day. And I used to get so angry at that. I'm like, what do you mean? It's right in front of me every day. Every day. I'm like, looking. I'm looking for the signs. I'm looking at the person who's got this and, okay, I've got that. Is it that? No.

No, it was like, who am I? Like, not the density to. I. But what is my. What is my dharma like? What am I passionate. Passionate about? Which is like. You're talking about that. The solar plexus thing. That passion, that drive that. You know, and that gets. That gets stuck. So flushing that out and going, you know, like, if someone said to me when I came back from India, like, what. When did you become spiritual? And I was like, we always are. And, you know, that the modeling and my incredible husband. Ex husband and my kids and everything were all.

It's all. It's. It's that all that made this and is still part of my life. That that happens. And it's just like, sometimes you go off these little tangents and you go off the path and you're going through, you know, a thorn bush and you've got scratches or else you're in a. You know, and I'm in the amusement park for a bit, but you're gonna come back to that place again. And. And. Yeah. And that truth is everything. Truth and honesty and trust is incredible. And when it's coming from that place of fierce love is. You can't falter that.

And that's just with yourself. Right. Trusting yourself, like, because often, as you say, the narratives that we have about our life and who we were and what we did and why we did it, that just keeps us stuck.

Yeah. The stories. Those stories, you know, the identities that we've attached ourselves to. You don't have to. You don't have to suffer with that. But obviously, there is really incredible, you know, things that people have obviously gone through that need to deal with it in a professional way. But in some, you know, that just need to pass through this. Then you need a. You need to, you know, stop identifying. I came from, you know, this and.

Whatever. Yeah. And live in your. You know, your truth.

And I love that word, Dharma. Like, it's so. It just kind of describes that whole essence perfectly perfect. And I always think, why should make you cry? So you said a minute ago about your passion. So what. What is your. We'll wrap up pretty shortly. I know you've probably got ahead, but what's your passion? What makes you cry? What gets you emotional?

Sometimes it would just be the oddest thing that makes me just start crying from. And that's happened since I've been doing the work that I've been doing. And they call it grace because it just arises and it just is really beautiful because it can be something that you don't even know somebody. But it's not from a conditioned purpose. It's not from a conditioned place of identity. All that hurt me. I'm crying that because I can understand that. But this place of. Of.

Wow, that person is just so beautiful or that is just so beautiful that. That grace. So there are no conditions to it. It is just. It is what it is. But one thing that did my. My pet. One of my passions was. Was when I was. Whenever I needed to cry when I was a kid as I went and saw gorillas in the mist. Because animals to me just have this ability to get my Achilles heel all the time. As far as just their, you know, as we see an animal when it. When it runs. It's running because it's got its purpose, it's got its passion. It's going for food, it's going after certain mates. You know, a flower who's bruised, it blooms. It doesn't go, oh my God, I'm bruised. I can't do that. So there's no identities to these. These.

Breakdowns is what we would see them. They're fully just blooming because they're incredible. And yeah, they're bruised, but they're just as incredible because they're bruised. You know, the flower petals. So I mean, as far as, like, my passion is just seeing someone who is fully living in their, like their dharma, their. Who they are. Like they're alive inside. And I don't give it. I don't care what they do. But their passion when they walk in there, that can be from anyone who comes in and fixes your tv. But they just love what they do. Like watch that. They're painting the house because they love what they do. And that's why nobody is any. There's no. In my book, there's none of that superior everybody's doing. You know, some people, yes, we have to survive. We've got to do our work. We've got to do, you know, certain things. But when we're. When we're living in that place because we love what, you know, what we do. And it's a privileged place at times. Very privileged.

And in those circumstances, in some ways is not okay. But.

Yeah, just. Just watch the beauty in that. Like how someone just sits on the lawn. Like, how many times have you sit with it? You see this man who's mowing the lawn, it's like a sit watching a symphony. Like he's got his headphones on and he's driving, making these patterns and the lawns. I know it's amazing.

Totally. Or a baker, someone who's baking and they're creating something. There's that passion that oozes out of them.

Yeah. So just watch for those. For that. Because that's what's so incredible. The person who looks after plants like this, whoever these, you know, scientists, whatever, like, seeing someone fully love what they do and be in their dharma, whatever it is, is really what brings tears to my eyes.

That's beautiful.

Yeah.

And I know that a lot of people see that when they see you, and that comes through. And so when I do see some of your posts come through or some of your lives, I can see that you are sharing something you're passionate about. And that in itself is inspiring. So whatever you do, please continue with that.

I know I will. I'm not. Yeah, no, I. Absolutely. I love what I do. And I just, you know, you just want to. You just go be you. Go express yourself. Go live your life. Go express. Experience stuff. Yeah. Things are a little bit hard right now. I know there's been an adjustment in New Zealand, but it's going to shift and there's going to be an integrated part of that, I'm sure at some point. And.

Yeah, everyone's just so special and. And.

Yeah, I hope to see people along the path.

I'm sure you will. And one last question just before we wrap up. If you had to give your children any advice or grandchildren or somebody you loved and it was advice around leading their life on purpose, what advice would you give them to lead their life on purpose?

Oh.

Do you know I did a. Yeah.

Lead your life on purpose. To me, there's such an evolution of purpose that it consistently changes.

So be willing to change.

Beautiful.

Always.

There may be one idea that you have, but be willing to have a. Not so much this, but more that. Because that might not be actually what you might be doing. You might be doing something that's within that field. So I would just be. I would say just make sure you're just willing to change and change your purpose. Purpose changes consistently.

And be willing to make that change. Yeah.

That's beautiful. That's a Rachel Hunter quote right there. Be willing to change always. I love that.

Always. Yeah. We're just such incredible creatures. And with our depths, stability is just incredible. We're playing into this rigidness right now. Like, just.

Do you do what you need to do? Let's get living life again.

And be open and chat and evolve from. We're evolving.

Totally. That's amazing what you've shared with me. Gives me lots of food for thought. So I have no doubt that the listeners will be feeling the same way. So, Rachel, I want to say a heartfelt thank you for taking the time to connect, and I look forward to connecting with you again. I'll certainly be looking out for any of your programs that are coming up, particularly the meditation and breath work ones. I'll be interested for sure.

Oh, no. Amazing. I'd love to do some. I was actually doing some men's workshops, too, and it was so amazing to be a part of the men's workshops. Just men only, actually. And it was really beautiful. So we need it.

Us men need it.

Absolutely. The more we think collectively as unity is where we're really going to evolve.

There'S that unity of just having that respect for each other is really important.

100%. Yeah, I agree. Rachel, thank you so much.

Thank you for everything you do. Thank you.

It's my pleasure. I look forward to connecting with you again soon.

Yeah, for sure.

All right, take care. Hey, guys. If you enjoyed the content today, please smash that subscribe button below. And if you want to become part of my community, I've got an amazing free Facebook group, please come and join us. The link is in the description below. And also, if you've got any questions about today's session, I'd love to know. Just comment below and I'll be sure to get back to you guys. Have the most amazing day.