Spiritual Awakening with Shaz

Healing the Mother Wound, Feminine Wisdom & Ancestral Healing with Misty Giordano
Episode 106 | Spiritual Awakening Podcast with Shaz
Healing the mother wound can mean rediscovering the wisdom, nurturing and guidance we never received growing up. What happens when our mothers were emotionally or physically unavailable, and how do we learn to reconnect with our feminine power, ancestral roots and the parts of ourselves we may have forgotten?
In this episode of Spiritual Awakening with Shaz, I'm joined by Misty Giordano, founder of Vesta Village, a nonprofit community helping women reclaim practical life skills, ancestral wisdom and traditional feminine practices that have been lost through generations.
Misty shares her experience of growing up with a mother who battled prescription drug addiction and cancer, losing her at just 33, and discovering how much she still needed to learn about nurturing herself, understanding her body and trusting her intuition.
As a third-generation Italian American, Misty also felt disconnected from the traditions and cultural wisdom of her ancestors. This inspired her to create Vesta Village, a free learning community bringing together practitioners and teachers to share the knowledge that women once passed naturally between generations.
Our conversation explores the divine feminine, spiritual traditions, ancestral connection and the importance of honouring our body's natural rhythms rather than constantly pushing ourselves to do more.
We also explore a message that sits at the heart of my own spiritual mentorship and healing work.
You are the mother and caretaker of your own soul.

In this episode, Healing the Mother Wound, Feminine Wisdom & Ancestral Healing with Misty Giordano, we discuss:
Misty's journey through maternal loss and the inspiration behind creating Vesta Village
healing the mother wound and learning the emotional and practical skills we were never taught
reconnecting with ancestral heritage, cultural identity and the forgotten wisdom of our grandmothers
traditional Italian spirituality, folk healing, patron saints and the sacred feminine
Mother Mary, Mary Magdalene, Archangel Michael and their spiritual significance
honouring feminine energy, menstrual cycles, rest and the natural rhythms of our bodies
exploring holistic health, intuition and making empowered choices about our wellbeing
why women need to stop putting themselves last and learn to nurture their own souls
recognising inherited beliefs, changing negative self-talk and breaking generational patterns
creating space for synchronicity, spiritual guidance and a life that feels aligned with who we truly are
how Vesta Village is making feminine wisdom, cultural education and practical life skills accessible through free workshops

Reclaiming the wisdom of the women who came before us
One of the beautiful themes of this conversation is recognising that ancestral healing isn't always about what happened in previous generations. Sometimes it's about rediscovering what was lost.
I share my own experiences of reconnecting with my Maltese heritage through the wonderful Italian and Maltese women who taught me traditional cooking, homemade pasta and the value of passing knowledge between generations.
Misty explains how these everyday experiences create belonging, connection and a deeper appreciation of our cultural and spiritual identity.
We also explore the feminine wisdom surrounding traditional healing, spiritual practices and the importance of listening to our own inner guidance.
Learning to become the mother of your own soul
A powerful part of our conversation centres on the way women care for everyone around them while forgetting to extend that same nurturing energy towards themselves.
Misty shares how learning to honour her body's natural cycles, recognise when she needs rest and create space for herself has transformed the way she approaches life.
We discuss the importance of understanding your needs, changing your inner dialogue and recognising that self-care is an ongoing relationship with yourself.
You don't have to repeat the patterns you inherited. You can choose how you nurture yourself and the life you want to create.

Episode Highlights of Healing the Mother Wound with Misty Giordano
Misty's journey reminds us that even when we haven't received the guidance, emotional support or cultural wisdom we needed, we can still find teachers, communities and experiences that help us reconnect with ourselves.
Through Vesta Village, she is creating a space where women can explore new possibilities, rediscover their ancestral wisdom and learn to trust their own choices.
And perhaps the greatest reminder from our conversation is that the most important relationship you will ever nurture is the one you have with yourself.
Give yourself permission to slow down, listen to your intuition and become the loving caretaker of your own soul.
Connect with Misty Giordano
Vesta Village is a nonprofit virtual learning community offering free workshops on practical life skills, feminine wisdom, holistic wellbeing and Italian American cultural traditions.
Membership is free, and Misty welcomes practitioners and teachers interested in sharing their knowledge with the community.
Website: https://vestavillage.org/
Connect with Misty: https://www.instagram.com/vestavillageorg/
🎧 Listen now on:
🔹 Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | ShazCini
 
Enjoying the Podcast? Leave a review & share it with someone who needs to hear this!

🔗 Follow & Connect with Me:
Instagram: @shazcini
Facebook: @shazcini
YouTube: @shazcini

You can also join me for regular healing tips and sessions in Skool - Shaz Cini Healing Hub

📩 Subscribe for exclusive tips & guidance → www.shazcini.com
 
Did you know that when you join the mailing list, you get all future guides and downloadables from the podcast sent to you straight away?
 
🔔 Subscribe & turn on notifications so you never miss an episode!
💖 If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review - it helps us reach more souls on their healing journey!
☕ If this episode resonated with you, you're welcome to buy me a coffee.

My new book, Journeys with the Archangels: A Practical Guide, is now live on Kickstarter, and if this podcast has supported you, inspired you or helped you trust your own spiritual path, I’d love you to support the book and help bring it into the world.

Books-Presale<...

Healing After Narcissistic Abuse with Diane Clair
Episode 105 | Spiritual Awakening Podcast with Shaz
What happens when everything you've spent your life building comes crashing down, and the person you trusted most turns out to be someone you barely knew?
Healing after narcissistic abuse can mean rebuilding far more than your relationships. It can mean rediscovering your identity, reclaiming your self-worth, finding your voice and learning to trust yourself again after years of being made to feel that you were never enough.
In this episode of Spiritual Awakening with Shaz, I'm joined by author, mentor and spiritual explorer Diane Clair, whose extraordinary journey through narcissistic abuse, divorce, financial devastation, grief and spiritual awakening has led her to a completely new chapter of life.
After 35 years of marriage, Diane discovered that the relationship she believed she had built was not what she thought it was.
At 58, she faced bankruptcy, the loss of her family home, the breakdown of her marriage and the painful reality of having to begin again. Her youngest child was preparing to leave for college, her familiar community was disappearing, and the identity she had spent decades creating was suddenly gone.
But the emotional devastation didn't begin with her marriage.
Diane had already experienced profound grief after losing her twin sister in a tragic car accident when they were just 24. She also spent much of her life navigating a difficult relationship with her mother, where criticism, rejection and the feeling of never being good enough had shaped how she saw herself.
For decades, Diane had been the giver, the caretaker, the woman who held everything together for everyone else.
Now she had to discover who she was when there was nobody left to hold everything together for.
What followed was a journey of spiritual discovery, personal healing, independence and the gradual transformation Diane describes as going from solo to sovereign.
Today, at 70, Diane is the author of A Girlfriends Guide to the Other Side: Reclaiming Your Mind, Body, and Soul After Narcissistic Abuse, Divorce, and Relational Trauma. She is building a community of women who are ready to reclaim their lives, rediscover their confidence and move beyond simply surviving their past.
But this conversation goes much deeper than recovering from a difficult relationship.
In this episode, Healing After Narcissistic Abuse with Diane Clair, we discuss:
Diane's journey through a 35-year marriage and the devastating discovery of betrayal, infidelity and narcissistic abuse
the financial devastation of divorce, bankruptcy and losing the home and community she had spent decades building
what happens to your identity when the roles of wife, mother and partner suddenly disappear
recognising the patterns of narcissistic abuse when you've spent your life believing you're the problem
how emotional manipulation, financial abuse and coercive control can exist without physical violence
the relationship between childhood conditioning, people-pleasing, empathy and accepting unhealthy treatment
Diane's difficult relationship with her mother and the lifelong impact of criticism, rejection and being the family scapegoat
why narcissistic abuse can occur in families, friendships, workplaces and romantic relationships, regardless of gender
the profound grief Diane experienced after losing her twin sister in a car accident at 24
how her connection with angels and her sister in Spirit became part of her spiritual awakening
the moment in a Beijing church when Diane received a spiritual message about why she was still here
moving from solo to sovereign, learning to travel alone, discovering independence and creating a new relationship with yourself
how Diane's career as a flight attendant helped her maintain a sense of identity, confidence and purpose during her darkest moments
why having people who recognise your worth can become an important part of rebuilding your self-esteem
the connection between prolonged stress, trauma and physical health, including Diane's experiences with psoriasis
Shaz's personal experiences with PTSD, physical symptoms and the emotional healing that became part of her spiritual journey
understanding the impact of long-term trauma on the nervous system and why healing can involve both emotional and physical support
using meditation, journaling, yoga, crystals, essential oils and creativity to reconnect with peace and calm
why writing down your experiences can help you process emotions and recognise how far you've come
how travel, watercolour painting, flowers, beauty and new experiences helped Diane rediscover the parts of herself she had forgotten
recognising the difference between being alone and being free to make your own choices
the importance of education, boundaries, financial awareness and practical planning when leaving an abusive relationship
why women need sisterhood, community and people who understand the complexities of relational trauma
how Diane turned her experiences into her book, coaching, mentorship and resources for women rebuilding their lives
the power of taking the next right step when the future feels overwhelming
why healing after narcissistic abuse doesn't have an age limit and your next chapter can begin whenever you choose
transforming painful experiences into wisdom, compassion and a renewed sense of purpose
the spiritual significance Shaz associates with 11:11, awakening and recognising the guidance that leads you towards your purpose
why your past does not have to define who you become, and how you can begin creating a life that finally belongs to you

One of the most powerful conversations in this episode centres around the identity we lose when we spend our lives trying to be enough for someone else.

Diane speaks openly about being the giver in her relationships, investing her inheritance into her husband's business, raising her children, supporting the family and building a life around their shared future.
Yet when that relationship ended, she was left facing financial hardship and the emotional reality that the person she had trusted did not show her the same care and consideration.

She also began recognising similar patterns in her relationship with her mother.

For years, Diane believed the criticism and rejection she experienced reflected something wrong with her. Like so many empaths, she had become accustomed to giving more, trying harder and questioning herself whenever a relationship went wrong.

We explore how these patterns develop and why emotional abuse can be difficult to recognise when it has become your normal experience of love.

Diane explains how she began educating herself about narcissistic behaviours, listening to specialists, joining support communities and slowly recognising the emotional, financial and psychological abuse she had experienced.

That knowledge helped her begin separating who she truly was from who she had been conditioned to believe she was.

And that is where rebuilding self-worth becomes such an important part of healing.
We also share our personal experiences of growing up with difficult family relationships, the impact of rejection and what happens when you finally begin recognising patterns you no longer want to carr...

Archangel Crystals: 15 Angels, 30 Crystals & 32,768 Possibilities
Episode 104 | Spiritual Awakening with Shaz Cini

What if the crystal you hold could help you deepen your connection with the Archangels, strengthen your intuition and bring spiritual guidance into your everyday life?
In this special episode, Shaz Cini takes you behind the scenes of her upcoming book, Journeys with the Archangels: A Practical Guide, and shares the extraordinary journey of creating her exclusive Archangel Crystal Collection.
With 15 Archangels and 30 carefully selected crystals, Shaz discovered something remarkable. By choosing one of two crystals for each Archangel, she can create 32,768 different combinations, allowing every one of her 200 crystal collections to be completely unique.
Each crystal is personally selected and energetically activated by Shaz through her connection with the Archangels, creating a spiritual tool designed to support your own journey.
But this episode goes much deeper than crystals. Shaz explores the individual energies of all 15 Archangels, the healing and spiritual properties traditionally associated with their crystals, and how you can use them for protection, confidence, emotional healing, manifestation, spiritual development and everyday guidance.
In this episode, Archangel Crystals: 15 Angels, 30 Crystals & 32,768 Possibilities, we discuss:
Archangel Michael: Black Tourmaline and Pyrite for protection, courage, confidence and personal power.
Archangel Raphael: Bloodstone and Green Aventurine for healing intentions, vitality and emotional balance.
Archangel Gabriel: Citrine and Blue Apatite for communication, creativity, confidence and self-expression.
Archangel Uriel: Amethyst and Smoky Quartz for spiritual wisdom, intuition and grounding.
Archangel Chamuel: Rhodochrosite and Green Fluorite for self-love, compassion and healthier relationships.
Archangel Ariel: Rose Quartz and Rhodonite for unconditional love, forgiveness and emotional healing.
Archangel Jophiel: Pink Agate and Ametrine for beauty, joy, perspective and spiritual awareness.
Archangel Azrael: Apache Tears and Black Obsidian for grief, transition and releasing attachments.
Archangel Haniel: Selenite and Opalite for energetic cleansing, emotional cycles and intuition.
Archangel Jeremiel: Rainbow Moonstone and Blue Calcite for dreams, visions and inner wisdom.
Archangel Metatron: Howlite and Rainbow Fluorite for mental clarity, focus and bringing order to chaos.
Archangel Raziel: Labradorite and Clear Quartz for spiritual mysteries, psychic development and amplifying intentions.
Archangel Raguel: Amazonite and Moss Agate for fairness, truth, boundaries and harmonious relationships.
Archangel Sandalphon: Angelite and Unakite for angelic communication, prayer, pregnancy loss and spiritual connection.
Archangel Zadkiel: Dumortierite and Sodalite for learning, memory, concentration and spiritual understanding.
Episode Highlights

32,768 possibilities, 200 unique collections
Discover how Shaz transformed 30 crystal choices into thousands of possible combinations and why she is personally creating 200 different collections, each containing one crystal representing every Archangel.

How Shaz activates the Archangel crystals
Go behind the scenes as Shaz explains her personal process of creating altars, calling upon the Archangels and setting energetic intentions for each crystal before it reaches its new owner.

Working with crystals in everyday life
Learn how Shaz uses crystals as physical connection points during meditation, distant energy healing, manifestation, job interviews, public speaking, studying and spiritual development.

Grief, love and connecting with Spirit
Shaz shares her personal experiences of grief and pregnancy loss, exploring how her spiritual practices and connection with Archangel Sandalphon have supported her healing journey.

The deeper meaning behind the books
Discover how My Soul Activated: From Despair to a Life by Design and Journeys with the Archangels complement one another, sharing Shaz's personal transformation alongside practical spiritual tools to help you create your own life by design.

Discover the Shaz Cini Collection

To celebrate the release of her two books on 11 November 2026, Shaz has created a special author-direct presale collection.
For A$111 plus postage, the collection brings together her books, a specially prepared Archangel Crystal Collection and additional gifts.

Each 15-crystal set is individually assembled, with Shaz selecting one crystal for every Archangel and preparing them with her spiritual intentions.

This special presale collection is available for a limited time before the official book launch.
Explore the collection and discover the books at:
https://shazcini.com/shop/

Connect with Shaz
Website: https://shazcini.com

Discover more about the Archangels, spiritual awakening, intuitive development and creating a life aligned with your soul.
Have a question about the Archangels or the crystals featured in this episode? Shaz would love to hear from you.

Remember, the answers are inside you. Trust your intuition and let your spirit soar.

🎧 Listen now on:
🔹 Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | ShazCini
 
Enjoying the Podcast? Leave a review & share it with someone who needs to hear this!

🔗 Follow & Connect with Me:
Instagram: @shazcini
Facebook: @shazcini
YouTube: @shazcini

You can also join me for regular healing tips and sessions in Skool - Shaz Cini Healing Hub

📩 Subscribe for exclusive tips & guidance → www.shazcini.com
 
Did you know that when you join the mailing list, you get all future guides and downloadables from the podcast sent to you straight away?
 
🔔 Subscribe & turn on notifications so you never miss an episode!
💖 If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review - it helps us reach more souls on their healing journey!
☕ If this episode resonated with you, you're welcome to buy me a coffee.

My new book, Journeys with the Archangels: A P...

Spiritual Awakening, Dark Night of the Soul & Mediumship with Nicole Pope
Episode 103 - Spiritual Awakening Podcast with Shaz
What happens when the spiritual gifts you never knew you had suddenly switch on, and the life you thought you understood begins to unravel?
In this episode of Spiritual Awakening with Shaz, I’m joined by evidential medium Nicole Pope for a deep, honest conversation about spiritual awakening, mediumship, the dark night of the soul and what really happens when Spirit begins calling you towards a completely different life.
Nicole spent much of her life in the corporate world, working in technology, project management and private equity. Mediumship was nowhere on the career plan. Then her young son began seeing what he described as shadow people in their home.
What initially looked like childhood imagination eventually led Nicole to a medium, who gave her an answer she certainly wasn’t expecting.
Her son wasn’t the only one connected to Spirit.
Nicole was a medium too.
Once she began developing that ability, the door opened quickly. Mediumship, the clairs, Akashic Records, Shamanic study and a completely different relationship with Spirit began unfolding, eventually leading Nicole away from her corporate career and towards the work she now feels called to do. 
But this conversation goes far beyond how someone becomes a psychic medium.
In this episode, Spiritual Awakening, Dark Night of the Soul & Mediumship with Nicole Pope, we discuss:
Nicole’s unexpected journey from corporate executive to evidential medium
her son seeing Spirit and how his experiences became part of her own awakening
what happens when mediumship abilities suddenly begin opening
clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience and how different intuitive abilities communicate
why your strongest intuitive gift may not be the one you expect
the everyday signs from Spirit people often overlook
why developing mediumship involves much more than simply “seeing dead people”
the importance of discernment when connecting spiritually
vibration, frequency and what you may connect with when you open spiritually from fear, grief or emotional distress
Nicole’s experience of the dark night of the soul and having Spirit come through intensely
why spiritual awakening can initially feel more like a breakdown than an awakening
the difference between being gifted and believing the gift makes you special
moving beyond the spiritual ego and understanding yourself as the channel rather than the source
why ethical mediumship requires boundaries, integrity and consent
respecting sovereignty and free will when receiving information about another person
why Shaz and Nicole refuse to treat mediumship like a performance
the danger of practitioners feeling they need to prove their gifts
recognising when your own intention or ego begins interfering with intuitive information
personal responsibility as part of spiritual development
shadow work and learning to become curious about the parts of yourself you would rather avoid
inherited behaviours, childhood conditioning, lineage and past-life patterns
Nicole’s journey with her parents and the lesson Spirit brought through about no longer allowing another person’s behaviour to determine who she becomes
boundaries, forgiveness and the difference between healing something and allowing harmful behaviour back into your life
releasing survival patterns that once protected you but no longer belong in the life you are creating
moving from constant doing and productivity into trust, surrender and receiving
why healing does not mean pretending the past never happened
the idea that the experiences you survive can become part of the wisdom you eventually offer others
soul lessons, reincarnation and whether some of our hardest experiences form part of a much bigger journey
trusting Spirit when the road towards your purpose looks nothing like the route you expected
why your soul purpose keeps finding ways to get your attention until you finally listen
One of the strongest conversations in this episode centres around ethics in spiritual work.
Nicole and I talk openly about consent, boundaries and the responsibility that comes with being able to access information intuitively. Having the ability to read someone does not automatically give you permission to do it. We explore the difference between receiving information and believing you have the right to deliver it, why practitioners need to examine their intentions, and what can happen when ego becomes involved in spiritual work. 
We also go deeply into the dark night of the soul.
Nicole shares how opening so rapidly to Spirit became overwhelming and contributed to what she describes as a mental breakdown. That experience forced her to understand frequency, discernment and the parts of herself that still needed healing. Rather than treating spiritual awakening as endless love, light and beautiful signs, we talk about why awakening can expose everything within us that is asking to be faced. 
From there, the conversation moves into shadow work, ego and healing.
We discuss why the goal is not to destroy the ego, but to understand it. As we develop spiritually, the focus begins shifting away from look what I can do and towards understanding that we are channels through which the work happens. The deeper work becomes clearing our own patterns so that fear, wounds, ego and expectations interfere less with what we receive. 
Nicole also shares one of the most personal lessons from her own awakening. After distancing herself from difficult family dynamics, Spirit challenged her to recognise that true freedom would come when she stopped allowing another person's behaviour to change who she chose to be. It becomes a powerful conversation about boundaries, family patterns, healing and becoming emotionally sovereign rather than continuing to react to somebody else’s journey. 
And, naturally, Nicole and I wander into past lives, soul contracts, reincarnation and those sliding-door moments that seem insignificant at the time but may completely redirect your life.
The underlying message becomes beautifully simple.
You might resist your calling. You might take the scenic route. You might even convince yourself you have chosen the wrong path.
But if something genuinely belongs to your soul’s journey, it has an incredible way of finding you again.
Nicole’s final message is to trust the process, give yourself grace and find people who can support you through your development. Mediumship kept finding her until she finally said yes, even though saying yes eventually meant leaving a successful corporate career behind. 
Episode Highlights

This episode explores mediumship from both sides of the journey. Nicole discovered her abilities later in life, while I grew up experiencing Spirit from childhood. Those very different beginnings create a fascinating conversation about how spiritual gifts can present differently while still leading us towards the same fundamental lesson: learning to trust ourselves and the connection we have with Spirit.

We also strip some of the glamour away from spiritual awakeni...

What If Your Life Falling Apart Is the Reveal?
Episode 102, Spiritual Awakening with Shaz

What if the thing you think is falling apart is actually showing you what can no longer stay the same?

In this episode of Spiritual Awakening with Shaz, I explore the idea that some of the biggest breakdowns, endings, losses and setbacks in our lives are not always punishment or failure. Sometimes they are the reveal. They expose what is no longer aligned, what has run its course, what we have outgrown, and who we are being asked to become next. 

I share parts of my own journey, including losing my business, watching plans fall apart, rebuilding my identity and learning that what looked like failure at the time often became the very thing that redirected me towards the work I now do. This episode is about looking at your life through a different lens and asking what your current challenges may be trying to show you. Podcast 102

In this episode, we discuss:
Why life falling apart can sometimes be a reveal rather than a failure
How awakening can involve removal, endings and redirection
Why relationships, jobs, friendships and business models sometimes stop fitting
How identity changes as we grow and evolve
Why grief is not only about death, but also the loss of a future you thought you would have
The difference between a setback and a deeper misalignment
Why some cycles have to end before something new can begin
How losing a job can become an opportunity to ask what you actually want next
Why comfort and familiarity can keep us stuck in situations that no longer serve us
How breakdowns can expose the truth about relationships and support systems
Why the role of “the strong one” can become part of your identity
The importance of allowing grief, anger and pain instead of spiritually bypassing them
How unresolved trauma can sit in the body and affect your wellbeing
Why freedom can feel scarier than staying with what you already know
How to question the identity you have built around work, relationships, family and responsibility
Why awakening is not always about more, but sometimes about less
Letting go of people pleasing, self-abandonment and living for other people’s approval
Why your life may not be collapsing, but becoming more honest
How to ask what you are ready to build next
Highlights

One of the strongest messages in this episode is that we often judge a breakdown too quickly. We call it failure, punishment or proof that something has gone wrong, when it may actually be the moment that exposes where our life has become misaligned. 
Sometimes the ending itself is what forces us to stop and ask what we truly want. 
I also share how losing my business years ago became one of the biggest identity shifts of my life. At the time, I could not see what would come next, but that loss eventually led me towards creating my cards, journals, books and this podcast. The version of me that exists today would not have been created without that breakdown. 
Another major theme is identity. We can become so attached to roles like partner, parent, rescuer, business owner or employee that we forget who we are underneath them. This episode asks you to look beyond those labels and reconnect with your values, your truth and the life your soul is actually asking you to create. 
The episode closes with one of the most important questions you can ask yourself when life feels uncertain:
What am I ready to build now?
🎧 Listen now on:
🔹 Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | ShazCini
 
Enjoying the Podcast? Leave a review & share it with someone who needs to hear this!

🔗 Follow & Connect with Me:
Instagram: @shazcini
Facebook: @shazcini
YouTube: @shazcini

You can also join me for regular healing tips and sessions in Skool - Shaz Cini Healing Hub

📩 Subscribe for exclusive tips & guidance → www.shazcini.com
 
Did you know that when you join the mailing list, you get all future guides and downloadables from the podcast sent to you straight away?
 
🔔 Subscribe & turn on notifications so you never miss an episode!
💖 If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review - it helps us reach more souls on their healing journey!
☕ If this episode resonated with you, you're welcome to buy me a coffee.

My new book, Journeys with the Archangels: A Practical Guide, is now live on Kickstarter, and if this podcast has supported you, inspired you or helped you trust your own spiritual path, I’d love you to support the book and help bring it into the world.

Books-Presale