Belonging: Conversations about rites of passage, meaningful community, and seasonal living
Becca Piastrelli
Welcome to Belonging, a podcast that explores being alive in the age of loneliness. Becca Piastrelli is your host and guide on a journey of courageous reconnect...
Today’s episode is a rerelease of the beautiful conversation I had earlier this year with Becca Rich, in celebration of her hosting the 2025 ‘Living in Sync Roundtable’, during which I will be a guest speaker. You can find more details below.Becca Rich is a trauma-sensitive, certified holistic coach with a background in engineering and mindfulness, who teaches Holistic Time Management. In this episode, she shares with us her wisdom on the meaning of time, the role of control, how we can honor the cyclical nature of our bodies within our digital calendars and so much more. She also coaches me on the part that grief plays in experiencing loss of time and freedom, especially with having a child.Tune in to hear more from us on:The perspective on time that it is everything and that it is short but it is longTime anxiety and feelings of grief at the loss of time freedom with having childrenFinding satisfaction at the end of the day and embracing a digital calendar liberation practiceHow to deal with overcommitment and overwhelmThe importance of respecting our natural cycles and working with our bodies, minds, and spirits instead of forcing them into a rigid structureResources + Links2025 Living in Sync Round Table by Becca Rich (with me as a guest speaker!)Becca Rich’s podcast Not Too Productive + website TheHolisticTimeCoach.com + Instagram @theholistictimecoachBecca’s Course: Digital Calendars for HumansBlogpost: A practical guide to applying your human design type to your scheduleBlogpost: Top 10 ADHD Time Management ToolsStephanie Burg’s episode on the Belonging Podcast #21 ‘Opting out of Linear Time’ and the book It’s About Time by Leslie KeenanEpisode #132 of the Belonging Podcast: ‘I Became Allergic To My Computer’Nick North’s Instagram @wethenorthsMy book, Root and Ritual: Timeless Ways to Connect to Land, Lineage, Community, and the SelfConnect with me on Instagram @beccapiastrelliTimestamps[00:00] Introducing Becca Rich and her work[10:56] Understanding & shifting our relationship with the concept of time[15:10] Navigating time in different life seasons[22:24] Finding satisfaction at the end of the day[24:06] Chasing productivity and overcoming disappointment[32:04] Embracing a digital calendar liberation practice[39:00] Creating a weekly template[41:01] Calibrating the calendar with menstrual cycle[46:01] Dealing with overcommitment and overwhelm[48:11] Respecting the cycle[49:09] Different Levels of time privilege[49:39] Divesting from productivity hustle culture[50:26] Healing ancestral stories for the future[52:53] Life is short, but life is also long[53:16] The spiritual component of time[53:35] The simplicity of taking a breath
--------
57:10
Reclaiming Motherhood As A Rite Of Passage With Jessie Harrold
In today’s episode, I am joined by Jessie Harrold, a coach, doula and author of ‘Mothershift: Reclaiming Motherhood as a Rite of Passage’. A couple of years ago, I followed Jessie’s course by the same name and it held me deeply in the depths of my postpartum identity shift. This conversation dives deep in the process of matrescence, the part community plays in this and how, as mothers, we can learn to become recipients of care in ways we don’t always see portrayed online.Tune in to hear more from us on:The concept of Mothershift and how to navigate this identity shift postpartumCommunity as the mother power and how motherhood is shifting people away from hyper individualismWhat it means for us to be reproductively hyperburdened as humansMenopause and the grandmother hypothesisPostpartum depression and experiencing maternal rageExperiencing a nourishment barrier in receiving care and support and the myth of being perfectly resourcedPerforming vulnerability on social mediaThe impact of having a baby on relationships and how heteronormativity plays a role in thisResources + LinksEpisode 78 of the Belonging podcast with Jessie Harold on Non-Linear ReciprocityJessie’s book ‘Mothershift: Reclaiming Motherhood as a Rite of Passage’Jessie’s podcast Becoming, season 6 episode 7, with Mara Glatzel and myself on MothershiftMara Glatzel’s book ‘Needy: How to Advocate for Your Needs and Claim Your Sovereignty’Episode 101 of the Belonging podcast on Delayed Postpartum Depression + RageEpisode 127 of the Beloning podcast with Amelia Hruby on Social Media for the Anxiously AttachedMy book, Root and Ritual: Timeless Ways to Connect to Land, Lineage, Community, and the SelfConnect with me on Instagram @beccapiastrelliTimestamps[0:00] The Mothershift and Matrescence[16:14] Navigating Postpartum Emotions: Rage and Acceptance[19:10] Social Media's Role in Motherhood Narratives[20:11] Cultural Expectations and the Reality of Motherhood[30:37] The Importance of Community in Motherhood[44:42] Navigating Under-Resourced Care & The Nourishment Barrier[50:10] The Impact of Parenthood on Relationships
--------
56:53
The Sharing Table with Stevie Storck
In today’s episode, I am joined by Stevie Storck, founder of the Cross Quarter Club, a creative seasonal living community focused on gardening and nature connection. When Stevie and I first connected through my circle facilitation training Circle Craft, she introduced me to the concept of the Sharing Table, a tradition that encourages community members to share resources and foster connections. We both share our experiences with this meaningful way of community building and also explore what it means to right-size creative ambitions to fit personal responsibilities.Tune in to hear more from us on:The origins of the Cross Quarter Club and the Sharing TableWeaving ancestral traditions into modern communitiesHow the Sharing Table reflects a larger movement towards community careHow creating community involves being the kind of community you want to seeHow embracing the reality of caregiving can inform and enrich creative workThe challenges we, as millennials, face when it comes to cultivating communityHow right-sizing creative work is crucial for sustainability and fulfillmentHow simplicity and being limited in time and resources can enhance creative endeavoursStevie is an alumni of Circle Craft, my circle facilitation training, which as of now is available on demand. If you want to bring your vision of circling and facilitation to life and would like me to walk alongside you in that process, visit my website to learn more and join Circle Craft today.Resources + LinksLearn more about Circle Craft, my circle facilitation training that is now self-study!Stevie’s Sharing Table blog postBecca’s video on her sharing table experimentFind Stevie’s work on Instagram @steviestorck and her websiteMy book, Root and Ritual: Timeless Ways to Connect to Land, Lineage, Community, and the SelfConnect with me on Instagram @beccapiastrelliTimestamps[00:00] Introduction to Cross Quarter Club and Community Building[12:50] The Sharing Table: Origins, Intentions and Experiences[26:58] Reviving Ancestral Traditions in Modern Communities[34:17] Evolving Plans for Cross Quarter Club[41:13] Navigating Burnout and Creative Ambitions[43:58] Right-Sizing Creative Work and Responsibilities
--------
49:34
“I Became Allergic To My Computer”- A Conversation On Land & Community With Sarah Wildeman
Immersing myself deeply in the season of Summer here on the East coast has meant that I went on a little hiatus when it comes to sharing about my journey with moving my whole family across the country, purchasing land, learning farming, building community, and everything else. So, for this episode, I asked my friend Sarah Wildeman, who’s been a beloved guest on the podcast before, to interview me about what has been present in my life in this season. I’m on the cusp of the anniversary of our move from the West coast to our farm in the Hudson Valley and my relationship with this land and the community around me is ever evolving, changing, sometimes challenging and very much deepening.Tune in to hear more from us on:The importance of choosing to be present and slowing down in order to fully connect with the land and communityThe challenges and tensions that arise when building community in a new placeThe process of letting go of old identities and finding a new sense of purpose and worthThe ongoing journey of grappling with challenges and staying true to oneselfReconnecting with the land requires trust in intuition and working with the energy of the seasonsSupporting each other through transitions and embracing different roles in a relationship is essentialEmbodying generosity and celebrating differences in partnership allows for flourishingResources + LinksEpisode 118 with Sarah Wildeman: “Community Living Wherever You Are”Episode 121 with Hillarie Maddox: “WTF did I just do? A Conversation on Rewilding with Hillarie Maddox”Find Sarah’s work on Instagram @sarahwildeman and @our__common, and her websiteMy book, Root and Ritual: Timeless Ways to Connect to Land, Lineage, Community, and the SelfConnect with me on Instagram @beccapiastrelliTimestamps[0:00] Introduction[3:51] Longing for the East Coast and Connection to the Land[10:40] Building Community and Navigating Tensions[16:29] Slowing Down in Work and Choosing a Different Way of Life[20:29] Letting Go and Finding New Purpose[27:30] The Ongoing Journey of Grappling and Growth[32:22] Living Life Through the Lens of the Farm[34:04] Reconnecting with the Land and Trusting Intuition[37:27] Supporting Each Other Through Transitions and Embracing Different Roles in Partnership[42:47] Feeling Satiated and Accepting What Is[48:48] Embodying Generosity and Celebrating Differences in Partnership
--------
57:01
Ritualizing Challenging Life Transitions With Lara Vesta
In today’s episode, I am joined by Lara Vesta, author of ‘The Year of the Dark Goddess’ and ‘The Moon Divas Guidebook’ (among other titles). In this conversation, we explore navigating difficult rites of passage, learning its culture through myths, fairytales and other symbolism and calling in our webs of support - whether they be human, spiritual, animal, plant or otherwise.Lara offers us tools and insights how we can empower and transform ourselves through the processes of grief and fear, drawing from ancestral traditions and the wisdom of the Dark Goddess.Tune in to hear more from us on:Learning the culture of rites of passage and the role of the dark goddessHonoring the shifts in our lives and identity with a new status or nameGrowing our internal knowing and webs of supportExperiencing disorientation in a culture that can’t meet youCreating seasonal awareness and honouring the pacing of the ceremonial yearLara’s non-negotiable integration practicesThe time it may take to integrate a rite of passageLearning to create ceremony and ritual for integrating and honoring a rite of passageResources + LinksLara Vesta’s book The Year of the Dark Goddess: A Journey of Ritual, Renewal & RebirthFind Lara’s work on her website laravesta.coMy book, Root and Ritual: Timeless Ways to Connect to Land, Lineage, Community, and the SelfConnect with me on Instagram @beccapiastrelliTimestamps [0:00] Introduction [5:46] Navigating Rites of Passage [8:11] Learning How to Cope with Challenges through Myths and Fairytales [11:38] Developing our Internal Knowing and Webs of Support [13:16] Becoming Sovereign in your own Process [15:58] The Transformative Power of a Daily Ritual and Recording it [19:32] Introducing the Dark Goddess and her Many Forms [23:23] Our Culture’s Separation from Death and Discomfort with Grief [27:26] Seasonal Awareness, Ritual and Self Care for Rites of Passage [32:48] The Time it Takes to Integrate a Rite of Passage [36:09] The Garden as a Mirror for Life and Navigating its Hardships [35:37] The Purpose of Challenges
About Belonging: Conversations about rites of passage, meaningful community, and seasonal living
Welcome to Belonging, a podcast that explores being alive in the age of loneliness. Becca Piastrelli is your host and guide on a journey of courageous reconnection as we explore topics like rites of passage, cultivating meaningful community, seasonal and cyclical living, and what it means to be a good ancestor in these times. She has thought provoking conversations with friends, teachers, elders, and ancestral medicine keepers to help support you in bringing more meaning and connection to your life. She also pops in here and there to share updates and learnings from her own story because we were meant to do this together - cosmically holding hands as we walk the spiral of life. You can expect to be challenged by new (or old) ideas, face your beliefs and what systems informed them, get curious and brave to tell the truth about the deeper, harder things, and feel comforted in the knowing that you don’t have to navigate it all alone.
Listen to Belonging: Conversations about rites of passage, meaningful community, and seasonal living, The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames) and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
UK