Soul Sparks

What the Heck is Self-Love Anyway? Healing Grief and Rediscovering Love with Jonathan Aslay

In this heartfelt episode of Soul Sparks, host Saima speaks with Jonathan Aslay—midlife self-love and relationship coach, and author of What the Heck is Self Love Anyway?. After the tragic loss of his son, Jonathan transformed grief into a lifelong path of healing and introspection. This conversation dives into how grief can open doors to love, why self-love is more than just self-care, and how relationships reflect our unhealed wounds. If you've ever struggled with loss, loneliness, or self-worth—this episode offers clarity, tools, and hope.
About the Guest:Jonathan Aslay is one of America's top midlife relationship and self-love coaches. His journey shifted after losing his son, leading him to write What the Heck is Self Love Anyway?—a guide rooted in personal growth, emotional awareness, and spiritual inquiry. Through coaching, writing, and speaking, Jonathan empowers others to choose love over fear and heal from within.
Key Takeaways:
Grief can be navigated through love, not just suffering.
Self-love means nurturing the inner child and showing up with self-worth, not just self-care.
Awareness is the first step to healing; relationships mirror our internal world.
Speaking your truth with kindness is a foundational self-love practice.
Self-love practices like introspection and compassion are not luxuries—they're essential.
Connect with Jonathan Aslay:Visit: www.jonathonaslay.comListen to his podcast: What Would Love Do?Explore his book: What the Heck is Self Love Anyway? available online
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Bold Voltage & the Art of Healing: A Conversation with John Wandzilak

In this moving episode of Soul Sparks with Saima, we sit down with illustrator and storyteller John Wandzilak, creator of the post-apocalyptic graphic novel Bolt Voltage. Born from a personal storm of grief, caregiving, and emotional struggle, John’s journey reveals how creativity can become a survival tool and a source of connection. From turning loss into art, to building a healing community through storytelling and color, John opens up about finding clarity in chaos. His robot protagonist becomes a surprising mirror to the human experience—teaching us about stress, transition, and resilience in unexpected ways.
About the Guest:John Wandzilak is an artist, father, and the mind behind Bolt Voltage—a black-and-white graphic novel that channels emotion, therapy, and imagination. What started as a character sketch evolved into a powerful narrative blending grief, sci-fi, and spiritual growth. Through Kickstarter, John is building a collaborative space for readers to color, share, and heal together.
Key Takeaways:
Bolt Voltage began as a small act of creative therapy and grew into a story of emotional survival.
The robot protagonist reflects real human experiences—grief, anxiety, transitions—and subtly teaches readers about healing.
John highlights how sharing vulnerability online can open space for deeper connection and self-expression.
A community-driven art experience helps readers color pages and share reflections, turning passive reading into active healing.
His advice: Don’t wait to feel “ready.” Even one small act of creation—sketching, writing, coloring—can be the start of emotional release.
Connect with John Wandzilak:Support the Bolt Voltage Kickstarter and explore John’s work via Facebook, where readers share colored pages and reflections from the graphic novel. You can find it at http://kck.st/4knPVKN or search 'Bolt Voltage' on Kickstarter.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jdubsarts/ 
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One Year With My Soulmate: Grief, Awakening, and the Soul’s Journey with Beau Williams

In this deeply moving episode of Soul Sparks, host Saima sits down with writer and producer Beau Williams to explore his new memoir One Year With My Soulmate. This isn’t just a story of love or loss—it’s a powerful spiritual blueprint for healing, transformation, and reconnecting with purpose after devastation. Beau opens up about the sudden loss of his partner Melanie, how it cracked open a new spiritual path, and the practices that helped him survive, thrive, and awaken. From breathwork and journaling to channeling guidance from beyond, this episode invites listeners into a raw, honest, and life-affirming conversation on the soul’s resilience.
About the Guest:Beau Williams is a screenwriter, producer, and the author of One Year With My Soulmate. Formerly an event producer in Los Angeles, Beau now leads healing retreats in Bali that integrate fitness, breathwork, journaling, and energetic practices. His memoir is a testament to the possibility of transmuting grief into love, loss into awakening.
Key Takeaways:
Grief can be a portal to spiritual growth if we allow ourselves to sit with pain and ask deeper questions.
Healing is multidimensional—emotional, energetic, physical, and spiritual.
Daily practices like journaling, ice baths, HIT workouts, and breathwork can radically shift energy and help us reclaim purpose.
The soul does not die—Beau shares his real experiences communicating with his late partner and the guidance that emerged.
Creating from a place of purpose can transform tragedy into a mission that helps others awaken.
Connect with Beau Williams:Instagram: @sunflowersignalsReach out for retreat info, grief support, or mediumship guidance through the website as well - https://www.sunflowersignals.com/ 
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Soul Stamina & Single Motherhood: A Conversation with Gail Showalter on Faith, Resilience & Growth

In this deeply reflective episode of Soul Sparks with Saima, Gail Showalter—educator, author, and founder of Single Moms Empowered—shares her hard-earned insights on developing soul stamina. Drawing from her experience raising three children alone and helping countless women build resilient lives, Gail speaks about the power of faith, solitude, education, and the small steps that lead from surviving to thriving. Listeners will walk away with actionable tools for inner renewal and the reminder that growth often begins in stillness.
About the Guest:Gail Showalter is the founder of Single Moms Empowered, a non-profit supporting women with education, childcare, and emotional empowerment. A mother of three, educator, and author of Living, Learning, Loving, Gail is passionate about helping women uncover their soul strength and pursue lives of meaning and dignity. Her work combines faith-based resilience, educational advocacy, and personal development strategies tailored to the struggles single mothers face around the world.
Key Takeaways:
Soul stamina is the inner strength to keep going, built not from circumstance but from spiritual grounding.
Faith, solitude, and listening to your inner voice are essential tools for clarity and decision-making.
Resilience isn’t a personality trait—it's a daily practice that starts with small, consistent steps.
Education is one of the most powerful tools to lift women from survival to stability.
Every act of self-care, from lighting a candle to learning a new skill, strengthens your soul’s capacity to grow.
Thriving begins when you believe you can, gather information, and move forward intentionally.
Connect with Gail Showalter:Website: https://www.singlemomsempowered.orgBook: Living, Learning, Loving by Gail ShowalterNon-Profit: Single Moms Empowered
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Write to Heal: Journaling, Storytelling, and Self-Discovery with Leigh Shulman

In this transformative episode of Soul Sparks, host Saima welcomes Leigh Shulman—writer, mentor, and founder of The Inspired Writer Community—to explore the profound healing power of writing. Leigh shares inspiring stories of how journaling, storytelling, and gratitude practices can foster emotional and physical well-being. From memoirs that help process trauma to gratitude journaling that reshapes our thought patterns, Leigh offers practical insights on how anyone can begin writing their way to clarity and connection—even in just 10 minutes a day. Tune in to learn how the simple act of putting pen to paper can unlock deeper self-understanding and healing.
About the Guest:Leigh Shulman is a seasoned writer, mentor, and founder of The Inspired Writer Community, dedicated to empowering writers worldwide. From hosting global retreats to helping thousands of aspiring writers find their voice, Leigh believes in the transformative power of storytelling. Her book The Writer’s Roadmap guides readers toward creating a fulfilling writing life aligned with their core values. Living creatively in Argentina, Leigh’s approach blends personal growth, writing craft, and community support.
Key Takeaways:
Writing can heal emotional and physical wounds by offering new perspectives.
Journaling, gratitude lists, and storytelling serve different emotional needs.
Start small: 10 minutes of unfiltered writing can spark profound clarity.
Writing within a supportive community fosters accountability and growth.
Authentic storytelling allows us to be seen and loved for who we truly are.
Connect with Leigh Shulman:
Website: https://leighshulman.com/
The Inspired Writer Community: https://leighshulman.com/community/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theleighshulman/
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Speaking Your Truth: Healing, Liberation & Empowerment with Kath Essing

In this powerful episode of Soul Sparks, Kath Essing, author and fierce advocate for survivors, joins us to share the courage it takes to speak your truth about healing, liberation, and empowerment. Kath opens up about her memoir, "The Courage to Speak Your Truth," highlighting her journey from silence to vocal empowerment after childhood trauma. Listeners gain insights into her transformative SHIFT framework, designed to guide survivors through emotional healing and reclaim their personal narratives.
About Kath Essing:  
Kath Essing is an author, speaker, educator, and advocate dedicated to amplifying silenced voices. Her memoir combines poignant poetry with personal stories, serving as a beacon for survivors of childhood trauma. Through workshops and her SHIFT framework, Kath empowers individuals to reclaim their voices and transform pain into purpose.
Key Takeaways:  
Kath emphasizes the importance of listening to your body and intuition throughout the healing process.
Her SHIFT Framework helps survivors move from silence to empowerment:
S - See: Becoming objective observers of their experiences.
H - Hear: Identifying internal voices and distinguishing current reality from past trauma.
I - Identify: Recognizing and reshaping childhood belief systems.
F - Feel: Experiencing and processing emotions authentically.
T - Talk: Finding safe avenues to articulate and reclaim personal stories.
Poetry acts as a bridge, allowing access to deeper emotional healing.
Engaging with the inner child is crucial for overcoming past trauma.
Connect with Kath Essing:  
Website: www.bespeak.au
Book: Available on Amazon and as an audiobook on Audible and Spotify.
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Shamelessly Human: Tash Doherty on Peyote Ceremonies, Sensuality & Spiritual Awakening

In this powerful episode of Soul Sparks, host Saima sits down with writer and revolutionary thinker Tash Doherty to explore the intersection of spirituality, sensuality, and ancestral healing. From her transformative peyote ceremonies in Mexico to breaking societal taboos on female pleasure and body autonomy, Tash shares how ritual, storytelling, and radical honesty have shaped her journey. Together, they unpack how reconnecting with the body and lineage can ignite deeper personal freedom. This is an unapologetic conversation on reclaiming agency, breaking cultural conditioning, and honoring the messy, sacred path of becoming.
About the Guest:Tash Doherty is a British-Irish-American writer, TikTok creator, and author of This Perfectly Careless Thing. Known for her viral takes on birth control, sensuality, and shame-free living, Tash lives in Mexico City where she immerses herself in indigenous rituals, peyote ceremonies, and temazcals. Her work challenges patriarchal narratives and empowers women to embrace their desires, autonomy, and spiritual roots—without apology.
Key Takeaways:
Peyote ceremonies helped Tash reconnect with her Irish and Jewish ancestry through embodied, emotional healing.
Integrating spirituality and sensuality is key to reclaiming wholeness, especially in cultures shaped by patriarchy.
Sharing taboo experiences publicly breaks societal silence and empowers collective healing.
"Being shamelessly human" requires knowing what you want, believing you deserve it, and asking for it.
Writing fiction with honest depictions of female pleasure can shift cultural narratives for young women.
Connect with Tash Doherty:Website: https://www.tashdoherty.com/ 
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Awakening the Soul Path with Marko Petrovic: Elemental Wisdom, Pilgrimage & Legacy

In this transformative episode of Soul Sparks, host Saima sits down with world explorer, mystic guide, and bestselling author Marko Petrovic to explore what it means to walk a true soul path. Marko shares how pilgrimages to sacred sites like the Mexican desert reshaped his identity and purpose, blending ancient wisdom with modern seekers’ longings. Together, they unpack the power of earth, water, fire, and air in daily rituals, the lost art of initiation in modern life, and what it really means to craft a legacy beyond material success. Whether you're standing at a crossroads or craving deeper meaning, this conversation invites you inward to reconnect with the unseen forces guiding you.
About the Guest:Marko Petrovic is a world explorer, mystic guide, and two-time bestselling author of Soul Path and Embrace of the Elements. Through his Mara Project, Marko leads soul-stirring pilgrimages to sacred sites worldwide, weaving ancient rituals with modern transformation. His work is a map for those seeking not just to travel the world, but to chart the inner terrain of the soul.
Key Takeaways:
Pilgrimage transforms not by changing who we are but by uncovering hidden layers of self.
Simple rituals—like blessing a glass of water—can reconnect us to elemental wisdom.
Fire, once central to human gathering, is the element most disconnected in modern life.
True legacy is less about material inheritance and more about cultivating the “inner kingdom.”
Modern culture lacks rites of passage; reclaiming ritual can mark life’s pivotal transitions.
Connect with Marko Petrovic:Follow him on Instagram @meetmarko for upcoming pilgrimages, writings, and elemental wisdom.
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The Truth About Showing Up with Marcy Axelrod

In this powerful episode of Soul Sparks, host Saima sits down with bestselling author, TEDx speaker, and consultant Marcy Axelrod to explore what it truly means to show up in life. Marcy breaks down the three levels of showing up—barely there, just showing up, and truly showing up—and explains how our roles as individuals, situation members, and community contributors shape our ability to engage authentically. This conversation challenges listeners to reflect on how societal conditioning pulls us away from deeper presence, connection, and care, offering a new lens on living fully and meaningfully.
About the Guest:Marcy Axelrod is the award-winning author of How We Choose to Show Up, a TEDx speaker, TV contributor, and Fortune 500 consultant. Her groundbreaking work merges neuroscience, psychology, and behavioral economics, offering a transformative model of human engagement endorsed by Mel Robbins and celebrated by Forbes.
Key Takeaways:
Showing up happens on three levels: barely there, just showing up, and truly showing up.
We each play three roles: self, situation member, and contributor to the larger whole.
Authentic engagement is not about doing more, but being more present and aligned with nature’s design.
Society often pulls us away from depth; reclaiming presence is an act of care and contribution.
Our impact extends beyond us, influencing people we may never meet.
Connect with Marcy Axelrod:Website: https://choosetoshowup.com/
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Walking the Camino: Forgiveness, Healing & Spiritual Wisdom with Kathleen Donnelly

In this heartfelt episode of Soul Sparks, host Saima welcomes Kathleen Donnelly Israel, author of Wisdom on the Camino. Kathleen shares her transformative journey walking Spain’s famed Camino de Santiago after caregiving for her husband with Parkinson’s for 18 years. She opens up about the healing power of forgiveness, her insights from spiritual teachings like Ho'oponopono, and the unexpected lessons she learned on the road. Kathleen reflects on how the Camino became a metaphor for releasing burdens, building compassion, and embracing unconditional love. Whether you're seeking personal healing or inspiration for your own path, this conversation offers grounded, relatable wisdom.
About the Guest:Kathleen Donnelly Israel is the author of Wisdom on the Camino: A Spiritual Journey Sharing Forgiveness and Possibilities to Inspire the Rest of Your Life. After years as a caregiver, she embarked solo on the Camino de Santiago, weaving spiritual practices, healing tools, and life reflections into her journey. Today, she shares her story to inspire others to embrace forgiveness, possibility, and love.
Key Takeaways:
How walking the Camino became a path to healing after loss
Why forgiveness isn’t just freeing others, but liberating ourselves
Practical insights on Ho'oponopono and unconditional love
The power of small moments and kindness from strangers
How reframing worry into hope shifts energy and outcomes
Connect with Kathleen:Get Wisdom on the Camino on AmazonVisit her website for her free gift with purchase:    https://www.wisdomonthecamino.com/
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