• 31 minutes 32 seconds
    Ep 190. Feeling Lost? The Daily Spiritual Practice That Brings You Back to Yourself, with Ash Butterss

    Fresh from running her retreat in Bali, Ash is back with another solo episode exploring  why so many of us feel disconnected from ourselves, and how a simple daily spiritual practice can help us step off the hamster wheel and come back to what truly matters. Inspired from the practices she was sharing on retreat, Ash shares what sadhana really means, the difference between filling your life with more things to do and creating practices that genuinely support you, and how meditation, pranayama, breathwork, yoga and stillness can become part of your everyday life.


    Ash also takes you behind the scenes of the retreat, from temple visits and Agni Hotra to kirtan, floating sound healing, sauna, cold plunges and the power of sisterhood. She reflects on how sobriety and recovery opened the door to a life she once could not have imagined, and why she now considers facilitating retreats her dream job.

    This episode is for anyone who feels exhausted from constantly doing, achieving or performing, yet still feels as though something is missing. You do not need to attend a retreat or completely overhaul your life to begin. Transformation can start with ten quiet minutes, one honest question or a single practice that brings you back to yourself each day.


    Ash also shares details of her upcoming retreats in Bali, Melbourne and the Gold Coast, including the newly announced A Sacred Return retreat in 2027.


    Join Ash’s community newsletter! Click the link here to join.


    Upcoming Workshops:

    The Renewal Ritual | September 13th | Buy Tickets Here


    Follow and connect with Ash on: 

    ⁠Instagram⁠ @ashbutterss

    TikTok @behindthesmilewithashb

    Website⁠ www.ashbutterss.com

    Watch Ash’s TEDx Talk here!



    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 August 2026, 7:00 pm
  • 1 hour 5 minutes
    Ep 189. The Secret That’s Kept Sanjay Sober for 21 Years

    My guest this week is Sanjay, a father in recovery who has been sober for 21 years. Born in Uganda, raised in London and now living in Melbourne, Sanjay grew up watching his father drink before taking his own first drink at fifteen. He spent the next two decades chasing that initial feeling through alcohol, drugs and gambling, while his life quietly unravelled behind the scenes.

    In this conversation, Sanjay shares the unexpected moment a psychiatrist broke through every wall he had built, what it took to finally surrender, and why getting sober was only the beginning. He opens up about losing his father to alcoholism, navigating divorce without returning to old behaviours, and the role yoga and spirituality have played in helping him continue to grow.

    But the real secret to Sanjay’s 21 years of sobriety has been getting out of himself. Through service, connection and giving back to the recovery community, he has found a sense of purpose that has carried him through every season of life. This is a warm and honest conversation about why sobriety cannot be sustained in isolation, and how helping others may be one of the most powerful ways we help ourselves.


    Episode chapters:

    00:08 Introducing Sanjay

    04:39 The Photo: Hiding Behind the Smile in London

    07:48 Growing Up: A Father's Drinking and Life on Eggshells

    10:49 A Refugee Identity and the Feeling of Not Belonging

    13:07 The First Drink at Fifteen and Why He Loved It

    17:15 Chasing the Feeling: Rave Culture, Drugs and Excess

    19:37 When the Consequences Started to Show Up

    23:57 Rock Bottom: Isolated, Broke and Calling Crisis Lines at 2am

    26:22 The Health Insurance Letter and the Road to the Priory

    29:02 The Psychiatrist Who Saw a Little Boy

    31:06 Surrender Day: January 13, 2005

    36:50 What Happened Inside the Priory

    38:12 Building the Foundation: Big Book Recovery and Service

    52:43 Whack-a-Mole: What Comes Up When You Put the Drink Down

    56:47 Yoga, Chanting and the Practices That Quieten the Noise

    59:35 What Recovery Looks Like 21 Years In


    Join Ash’s community newsletter! Click the link here to join.


    Upcoming Workshops:

    The Renewal Ritual | September 13th | Buy Tickets Here


    Follow and connect with Ash on: 

    ⁠Instagram⁠ @ashbutterss

    TikTok @behindthesmilewithashb

    Website⁠ www.ashbutterss.com

    Watch Ash’s TEDx Talk here!

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    23 August 2026, 7:00 pm
  • 50 minutes 57 seconds
    Ep 188. The Unexpected Gift of Trauma and Pathway to Post-Traumatic Growth, with Dr. Edith Shiro

    My guest this week is Dr. Edith Shiro, a clinical psychologist and author who has spent more than three decades working with trauma survivors, refugees, and communities navigating profound adversity. She is also the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors and Syrian refugees, and that lived experience sits at the heart of everything she does.


    In this conversation, Dr. Shiro and Ash explore what trauma really means, how it shows up in perfectionism, people pleasing, dissociation, and addiction, and why so many people move through life not realising they are carrying wounds at all. 


    Dr. Shiro also touches on her five-stage framework for post-traumatic growth, including the science behind why spirituality changes the brain and how individuals can transform their pain into purpose. 


    We will all experience trauma in some form. This conversation is about what you choose to do with it, and whether you allow it to define you.


    Episode chapters:


    00:22 Introducing Dr. Edith Shiro

    02:03 What Trauma Really Means

    03:35 Trauma Responses: Fight, Flight, Freeze and Fawn

    06:32 Minimizing Trauma: When You Don't Think You Qualify

    07:56 Micro Traumas and How They Accumulate Over Time

    10:22 Dissociation: The Protective Tool That Keeps Us Stuck

    13:25 The Invisible Armor and the Emptiness Underneath

    17:41 The Universal Wounds: Shame, Rejection, and Not Belonging

    20:53 The Unexpected Gift of Trauma: The Book and the Title

    23:06 Why Two People Can Experience the Same Trauma So Differently

    27:47 Intergenerational Trauma and the Science of Epigenetics

    29:29 Becoming the Intergenerational Alchemist

    30:52 Radical Acceptance: The Hardest and Most Essential First Step

    31:43 The Parallel Between Stage One and Step One

    36:21 Why We Lie: Fear, Shame, and the Double Life

    39:10 Why Spirituality Is Essential for Post-Traumatic Growth

    41:45 Turning Pain into Purpose

    45:55 Dr. Edith's Own Spiritual Practice

    49:25 There Is Hope and There Is a Way Out


    Connect with Dr. Edith below:

    Instagram 

    Website

    Linkedin

    The Unexpected Gift of Trauma: The Path to Posttraumatic Growth by Dr. Edith Shiro


    Join Ash’s community newsletter! Click the link here to join.


    Upcoming Workshops:

    The Renewal Ritual | September 13th | Buy Tickets Here


    Follow and connect with Ash on: 

    ⁠Instagram⁠ @ashbutterss

    TikTok @behindthesmilewithashb

    Website⁠ www.ashbutterss.com

    Watch Ash’s TEDx Talk here!

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    16 August 2026, 9:00 pm
  • 1 hour 6 minutes
    Ep 187. The Spiritual Thread Between Recovery and Yoga, with Mark Purser

    My guest this week is Mark Purser, a yoga teacher, meditation guide, and founder of the Yogic Meditation Institute, based in Byron Bay. With over 20 years of study across almost every major yoga tradition, Mark brings a rare depth of knowledge to his teaching. But behind all of that wisdom is a story of years spent swinging between intense spiritual practice and alcohol, trying to find a way out that didn't involve fully surrendering.


    In this conversation, Mark shares the moment his last drink became his last, alone in a national park on his birthday with no phone reception and a choice to make. He and Ash explore the relationship between yoga philosophy and 12-step recovery, the power of stillness as a daily practice, and why Yoga Nidra remains the one tool he would never give up. This is a conversation for anyone looking to understand what it really takes to build a life rooted in meaning, community, and presence.


    Episode chapters:

    00:00 Introducing Mark Purser

    03:29 Life in Byron Bay: Surfing, Tango, and Sadhana

    07:04 How Tango Became a Moving Meditation

    10:00 Scent of a Woman and the Seed That Was Planted

    12:07 The Photo: Hiding Behind the Smile in Byron Bay

    15:15 Yoga Without the Inner Work

    18:31 The Tango Class, the Pub, and the Night It All Unravelled

    21:28 Being a Dad and the Shame of a Blackout

    26:29 The Last Drink: Alone in the Bush on His Birthday

    29:44 Choosing Sydney Over the Pub

    31:49 The Balance Between Horror and Hope

    33:05 A Cousin 35 Years Sober and the Power of Living Proof

    35:29 Why Ash Resisted AA and What Changed

    37:13 The Gift of Desperation

    45:00 Where Yoga Philosophy and the 12 Steps Meet

    51:48 Why He Still Needs Help After 15 Years

    53:44 The Stillness Practice and Why It Changes Everything

    57:45 Yoga Nidra: The One Tool He Would Never Give Up

    59:39 Three Non-Negotiables for a Happy, Authentic Life


    Connect with Mark below:

    www.bambooyogabyron.com 

    Instagram

    Podcast: The Gentle Revolution


    Join Ash’s community newsletter! Click the link here to join.


    Upcoming Workshops:

    The Renewal Ritual | September 13th | Buy Tickets Here


    Follow and connect with Ash on: 

    ⁠Instagram⁠ @ashbutterss

    TikTok @behindthesmilewithashb

    Website⁠ www.ashbutterss.com

    Watch Ash’s TEDx Talk here!

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    9 August 2026, 7:00 pm
  • 1 hour 3 minutes
    Ep 186. How Sobriety Revealed the Truth About Her Sexuality, with Alexandra McRobert

    Getting sober gave Alexandra McRobert more than freedom from alcohol, it gave her the clarity to explore who she truly was. Despite having dated men and previously being married to a man, it was during a deep meditation that Alex came to the life changing realisation that she was a lesbian.


    Alexandra is a yoga teacher, author, and founder of the Mindful Life Practice and Mindful Bali Yoga School. She got sober in 2019 after years of drinking her way through life in the Middle East, where securing her next drink had quietly become the centre of everything she did.


    In this conversation, Alexandra shares how sobriety created space for her sexuality to unfold, the assault that cracked her life open and propelled her to build the yoga shala she had always dreamed of, and why she created the sober community she wished had existed when she needed it most.


    Alexandra and Ash also explore the profound overlap between yoga philosophy and the 12 Steps, and what becomes possible when you stop numbing long enough to hear the truth of who you are.


    TW: This episode contains discussion of assault.



    Episode chapters:


    00:00 Introducing Alexandra McRobert

    03:09 Life in Ubud: Yoga, Pilates and Kirtan

    04:34 How Bali Called Her In

    06:19 A Marriage That Lasted Two Months

    09:08 The Photo: Hiding Behind the Smile in Morocco

    11:42 When Alcohol Consumes Everything

    13:08 The Rock Bottom in a Classroom in Abu Dhabi

    16:12 Deciding to Get Sober on the Plane Home

    18:00 Getting Sober Without Traditional 12-Step Access

    19:54 Finding Community Through an Online Sobriety Group

    22:35 How COVID Gave Birth to Sober Girls Yoga

    24:02 Why Yoga and Sobriety Are the Same Thing

    26:23 The Yoga Sutras and the 12 Steps

    28:19 Ahimsa and Satya: Love Everyone and Tell the Truth

    30:07 Building a Life and a Business in Bali

    32:00 Being Drugged and Assaulted: The Turning Point

    34:33 Building the Shala and Starting Kirtan

    36:11 Trusting the Universe Over the Plan

    38:19 How Alcohol Shaped Her Relationships and Marriage

    40:19 Coming Out as Queer

    43:11 The Vipassana That Changed Everything

    51:48 Kirtan, Meditation, and Moving Through Self-Hatred

    55:45 Craniosacral Therapy and What the Body Holds

    58:01 What Daily Life Rooted in Presence Looks Like

    01:02:13 Three Non-Negotiables for a Happy, Authentic Life


    Connect with Alexandra below:

    Check out Alexandra’s Substack here. 


    Join Ash’s community newsletter! Click the link here to join.


    Upcoming Workshops:

    The Renewal Ritual | September 13th | Buy Tickets Here


    Join Ash on retreat in 2026!

    Rest and Renew Holistic Retreat in Bali | August 2026



    Follow and connect with Ash on: 

    ⁠Instagram⁠ @ashbutterss

    TikTok @behindthesmilewithashb

    Website⁠ www.ashbutterss.com

    Watch Ash’s TEDx Talk here!

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    2 August 2026, 7:00 pm
  • 1 hour 13 minutes
    Ep 185. She Nearly Lost Her Life: Addiction, Violence and Recovery, with Shannan Walsh

    My guest this week, Shannan Walsh, lived in the grip of addiction for 18 years. It took her from alcohol and drugs to crime, prison, homelessness and a relationship that nearly cost her life. Eventually, she reached a point where there was nowhere left to run.


    In this raw conversation, Shannan shares what it took to survive, get sober and rebuild her life from the ground up. She speaks about motherhood, violence, shame, spirituality and the slow work of learning to trust herself again.


    Shannan’s story is confronting, but it is also a hopeful reminder that recovery is possible. 


    TW: This episode contains discussion of family violence and suicide. 


    Episode chapters:


    00:00 Introducing Shannan Walsh

    03:23 The Photo: Hiding Behind the Smile

    04:39 A Life Built Around the Drink

    07:06 What Shannon Was Like Before Alcohol

    08:05 Early Depression and the Hole in the Soul

    09:51 When Drugs Entered the Picture

    11:00 Ecstasy, Meth, and the Escalation of Addiction

    13:22 Crime, Violence, and Running on Rage

    18:07 Where Did That Anger Come From?

    18:34 Withdrawal, Seizures, and Drinking Against Her Will

    20:07 Coming Out of Prison and Falling Pregnant

    22:08 Trying to Do the Normal Thing

    27:46 The Rock Bottom That Changed Everything

    29:59 The Day Intuition Saved Her Children's Lives

    33:22 The Attempted Attack and the Fire

    35:32 Homeless, in Court, and Holding It Together

    39:22 The Verdict and the Aftermath

    41:15 The Spiritual Awakening That Cracked Her Open

    43:51 Morning Routines, Journaling, and the Small Things That Built Her Back

    45:00 12 Step Meetings, Sober Apps, and Finding Community

    47:02 Studying Addiction and Training to Be a Counselor

    47:55 Navigating Cravings Through Strength Training and Presence

    50:52 Sitting with the Discomfort of Sobriety

    56:05 Feeling Behind and Finding Her Place

    57:20 How the Embodied Woman Retreat Restored Her Faith in Women

    59:16 Spiritual Practices That Keep Her Connected

    01:02:03 Learning to Pray and Finding a Higher Power

    01:04:13 Emotional Regulation and the Biggest Shift of All

    01:06:00 Self-Esteem, Self-Love, and the Journey Home

    01:07:00 The Gift of Being Present with Her Children

    01:10:21 Three Non-Negotiables for a Happy, Authentic Life


    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannantayla/


    Join Ash’s community newsletter! Click the link here to join.


    Upcoming Workshops:

    The Renewal Ritual | September 13th | Buy Tickets Here


    Join Ash on retreat in 2026!

    Rest and Renew Holistic Retreat in Bali | August 2026


    Follow and connect with Ash on: 

    ⁠Instagram⁠ @ashbutterss

    TikTok @behindthesmilewithashb

    Website⁠ www.ashbutterss.com

    Watch Ash’s TEDx Talk here!

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    26 July 2026, 7:00 pm
  • 46 minutes 48 seconds
    Ep 184. Ask Me Anything: Sobriety, Spirituality, Purpose & Relationships, with Ash Butterss

    What does rock bottom really feel like? How do you find your purpose, build a life that keeps you grounded, and learn to trust that even your hardest experiences are leading you somewhere?


    In this latest “Ask Me Anything” episode, Ash answers six deeply personal questions about sobriety, spirituality, friendship, marriage, purpose and the practices that continue to shape her life.


    From the moment everything changed on Valentine’s Day 2020 to the words she wishes she could offer her younger self, Ash shares the truth behind who she is today, what she has learnt along the way, and why she no longer believes life is happening to her, but for her.


    If you’re on your own transformation journey, or navigating the messy middle between who you were and who you’re becoming, this episode is for you. 


    Episode chapters:

    00:00 Bali Retreat Announcement

    01:13 Welcome and a Wintery Melbourne Morning

    03:31 Q1: The Rock Bottom That Changed Everything

    08:10 Entering Rehab and Learning to Sit with Discomfort

    12:42 Finding Hope in 12-Step Recovery

    15:09 Why Ash Stays Sober Today

    17:31 Q2: Finding Purpose After Leaving the Corporate World

    19:56 How Sobriety, Meditation, Breathwork, and Yoga Revealed Her Path

    22:16 Q3: Daily Practices That Have Had the Biggest Impact

    24:36 Readings, Journaling, Two-Way Prayer, and Gratitude

    27:02 Movement as an Act of Self-Love

    29:25 The Power of Monthly Breathwork

    31:37 Q4: How Sobriety Changed Friendships, Relationships, and Marriage

    33:51 Letting Go of Old Social Scenes

    36:12 Building a Healthy, Sober Partnership

    38:37 Q5: The Biggest Lesson Learned Through Adversity

    41:01 Q6: What Would You Tell Your Younger Self?

    43:29 A Letter to Little Ash


    Join Ash’s community newsletter! Click the link here to join.


    Upcoming Workshops:

    The Renewal Ritual | September 13th | Buy Tickets Here


    Join Ash on retreat in 2026!

    Rest and Renew Holistic Retreat in Bali | August 2026



    Follow and connect with Ash on: 

    ⁠Instagram⁠ @ashbutterss

    TikTok @behindthesmilewithashb

    Website⁠ www.ashbutterss.com

    Watch Ash’s TEDx Talk here!

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    19 July 2026, 7:00 pm
  • 57 minutes 57 seconds
    Ep 183. The Transformational Power of Meditation, with Tom Cronin

    This week, Ash sits down with Tom Cronin, meditation teacher and international speaker, for a deeply honest conversation about what it really looks like to hold everything together on the outside while quietly falling apart within. Tom opens up about the two parallel lives he was living during his 26 years in the high pressure world of global financial markets, one of outward success, pinstripe suits, and Bondi beachside living, and another of crippling anxiety, panic attacks, chronic insomnia, depression, and a growing reliance on drugs and alcohol that eventually led to a breakdown at age 29.


    It was from that rock bottom that Tom discovered Vedic meditation, a practice that not only transformed his mental health but ultimately became the foundation of an entirely new life and purpose.


    Ash and Tom explore the science of stress, why alcohol numbs but never heals, and how meditation actually expands brain function rather than impairing it. Tom shares the journey from seeker to finder to sharer, including the challenges of leaving the golden handcuffs of finance behind, producing his feature film The Portal, and building his mission to inspire a billion people to meditate daily.


    The conversation weaves through ego, ego transcendence, contribution, and the holistic practices Tom uses to remain grounded and performing at his best. It is a rich and wide-ranging episode about the courage it takes to change course, the intelligence of the body's warning signals, and the profound freedom that comes from finally looking inward.


    Episode chapters:

    00:07 Introducing Tom Cronin

    04:44 Hiding Behind the Smile: Life on the Trading Room Floor

    06:16 Shame, Guilt, and the North Star

    11:48 The Golden Handcuffs

    12:54 When Drugs and Alcohol Entered the Picture

    15:53 Rock Bottom and the Rashi

    18:06 The Breakdown and the Turning Point

    20:09 Discovering Vedic Meditation

    24:46 The Allostatic Load and Why Alcohol Does Not De-stress

    28:43 Why Sobriety Supercharges Meditation

    33:37 From Seeker to Finder to Sharer

    35:44 Leaving Finance and Leaping into Purpose

    38:08 Navigating Challenges with Meditation as a Tool

    41:09 The Stillness Project and the Making of The Portal

    46:45 The Importance of Service and Contribution

    49:02 B1G1: Giving Back Through Business

    54:05 Three Non-Negotiables for a Happy, Authentic Life


    Connect with Tom:

    Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/stillnessproject

    Website: http://www.tomcronin.com/

    Tom's free book to reduce anxiety and depression https://tomcronin.com/free-calm-book/

    Socials:

    https://www.instagram.com/tomcronin/

    https://www.facebook.com/tomcronincoach

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomcronin1/

    https://www.tiktok.com/@_tomcronin


    Join Ash’s community newsletter! Click the link here to join.


    Upcoming Workshops:

    The Renewal Ritual | September 13th | Buy Tickets Here


    Join Ash on retreat in 2026!

    Rest and Renew Holistic Retreat in Bali | August 2026



    Follow and connect with Ash on: 

    ⁠Instagram⁠ @ashbutterss

    TikTok @behindthesmilewithashb

    Website⁠ www.ashbutterss.com

    Watch Ash’s TEDx Talk here!

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    12 July 2026, 7:00 pm
  • 31 minutes 27 seconds
    Ep 182. Have You Had Enough? Why Your Old Ideas Are Keeping You Stuck, with Ash Butterss

    How much longer are you willing to suffer before something changes?

    In this powerful solo episode, Ash explores a recurring theme she’s been discussing with people lately: have you truly had enough? Because whether it's alcohol, a relationship, a career, perfectionism, or an old way of thinking, lasting change rarely happens until we're willing to let go of the ideas, stories, and identities that are keeping us stuck.

    Drawing on her own recovery journey, Ash speaks candidly about the gift of desperation, the stigma surrounding the word alcoholic, and why so many of us continue negotiating with our own suffering long after we've realised something isn't working. She shares what it really takes to create meaningful change and why partial willingness often keeps us trapped in the very cycles we're desperate to escape.

    This conversation extends far beyond sobriety, inviting listeners to honestly examine where fear, familiarity, and old beliefs may be preventing them from stepping into a more authentic life.

    Ash also reflects on celebrating her first wedding anniversary and the unexpected lessons that came from eloping in Italy, including a deeper understanding of people pleasing, self-worth, and the quiet cost of abandoning ourselves to keep others comfortable. She shares why esteemable acts are one of the most powerful ways to build genuine self-worth and how authentic relationships are forged when we stop performing for approval.

    Plus, Ash leaves listeners with five thought-provoking journal prompts designed to help you uncover where you may be ready, or almost ready, to finally let go.



    Episode chapters:

    00:00 Bali Retreat Announcement

    01:12 Life Update: A Busy Week and a Wedding Anniversary

    03:31 Elopement in Italy and Lessons in People Pleasing

    05:53 The Hidden Cost of Saying Yes When You Mean No

    08:12 Building Self-Worth Through Esteemable Acts

    10:33 Have You Had Enough?

    12:53 What It Really Takes to Be Ready for Change

    15:16 Breaking the Stigma Around Alcoholism

    17:39 The Power of Identification and Finding Your People

    19:56 Sobriety as a Superpower

    22:18 The Gift of Desperation

    24:26 Divine Timing and Letting Go of Old Ideas

    26:48 The Difference Between Pain and Suffering

    29:09 Reflective Journal Prompts to Provoke Change


    Join Ash’s community newsletter! Click the link here to join.


    Upcoming Workshops:

    The Renewal Ritual | September 13th | Buy Tickets Here


    Join Ash on retreat in 2026!

    Rest and Renew Holistic Retreat in Bali | August 2026


    Follow and connect with Ash on: 

    ⁠Instagram⁠ @ashbutterss

    TikTok @behindthesmilewithashb

    Website⁠ www.ashbutterss.com

    Watch Ash’s TEDx Talk here!

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    5 July 2026, 7:00 pm
  • 43 minutes 55 seconds
    Episode 181. How to Truly Love Your Life, with Danni Carr

    This week, Ash welcomes back her sober soul sister Danni Carr, for a wide ranging chat on Bali, yoga, and the spiritual practices that underpin their sobriety. Danni shares the Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Karana, the three-part connection to the divine, community, and land that keeps life in balance, and reflects on how a once reluctant relationship with yoga, born from hungover gym sessions and stormed out shavasanas, slowly became the foundation of her recovery and her sense of coming home to herself.


    The conversation moves into deeper territory as Danni and Ash explore what the divine means to them now, the science behind spiritual practice and the brain, and the unexpected friendships that sobriety has made possible. Danni speaks candidly about needing daily practice not to recover but to keep expanding and staying regulated, and reminds listeners that spirituality doesn't have to be serious or precise to be powerful.


    It’s a heartfelt conversation between two friends about connection, consistency, and choosing a life that feels good without needing to numb out to get there.


    Episode chapters:

    00:00 Reconnecting in Bali: A Spiritual Journey

    03:56 The Balinese Philosophy of Trihitakarana

    07:23 Cultural Immersion: Sharing Bali's Rich Heritage

    11:59 The Transformative Power of Yoga

    18:55 Finding Stillness: The Challenge of Shivasana

    21:17 Embracing Autonomy in Yoga Practice

    22:45 Finding the Right Teachers

    24:07 Provoking Thought Through Stillness

    25:51 Navigating Friendships in Sobriety

    28:56 The Importance of Consistency in Recovery

    32:27 Spirituality as a Foundation for Sobriety

    34:16 Understanding the Divine

    37:05 The Value of Connection and Community

    37:48 Finding Joy in Spiritual Practices


    You can connect with Danni through:

    Check out Danni’s 4 Week Sober & Transformational Challenge 

    IG: @howiquitalcohol 


    Recommendations:

    The Awakened Brain by Lisa Miller 


    Join Ash’s community newsletter! Click the link here to join.


    Upcoming Workshops:

    The Renewal Ritual | September 13th | Buy Tickets Here


    Join Ash on retreat in 2026!

    Rest and Renew Holistic Retreat in Bali | August 2026



    Follow and connect with Ash on: 

    ⁠Instagram⁠ @ashbutterss

    TikTok @behindthesmilewithashb

    Website⁠ www.ashbutterss.com

    Watch Ash’s TEDx Talk here!

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    28 June 2026, 7:00 pm
  • 28 minutes 8 seconds
    Ep 180. Come Back to Yourself: A Mini Life Update + 10 Minute Guided Meditation with Ash Butterss

    This week, Ash drops in with a mini solo episode to share a life update from her recent trip to Bali and to offer something she herself has been craving - a guided meditation to help you reset. She reflects on attending the AA convention, what it’s like to travel sober after years of using airports and planes as a reason to drink, and the joy of being surrounded by like-minded people who truly understand the recovery journey. She also speaks about the not so pleasant reality of getting Bali Belly, and the lessons in surrender, self-care, and taking quick action. 


    For the first time on the podcast, Ash is also sharing a guided meditation. One she specifically wrote for her Behind The Smile listeners. A 10-minute guided meditation designed to bring you back to yourself, whether you’re at home, walking, or listening on the go, offering a simple way to slow down, breathe, and reconnect with what actually matters today.


    Episode chapters:

    00:00 Welcome, Intentions & Gratitude

    00:56 Post‑Bali Life Update & Mini Solo Setup

    02:10 Bali AA Convention & Joy of Sober Travel

    03:11 Sunur, Ubud & Favorite Bali Rituals

    05:32 Ubud Hotel Recos, Monkey Story & Bali Belly

    10:11 Calling the Doctor & Reframing “What a Gift”

    12:32 Coming Home Gently & Loving Life You Don’t Need a Holiday From

    14:54 Returning to Meditation & Idea for a “Reset”

    17:19 Guided 10‑Minute Reset Meditation

    27:14 Final Reflections, Gratitude & Call to Action


    Join Ash’s community newsletter! Click the link here to join.


    Join Ash on retreat in 2026!

    Rest and Renew Holistic Retreat in Bali | August 2026


    Follow and connect with Ash on: 

    ⁠Instagram⁠ @ashbutterss

    TikTok @behindthesmilewithashb

    Website⁠ www.ashbutterss.com

    Watch Ash’s TEDx Talk here!

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    21 June 2026, 7:00 pm
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