Episode 124 - Sonic Serenity: Exploring Sound Healing With Intuitive Sound Alchemist Monica Baddar (Full Transcript)

This is a full transcript of the Nirvana Sisters podcast Episode 124 .

Editor’s Note: Please know that this podcast transcript is automatically generated and may contain minor errors such as typos and word switches. For more information, be sure to listen to the podcast here.

Unknown Speaker 0:06

Welcome to Nirvana sisters podcast where we take the intimidation out of well being and beauty to help you achieve your highest state your nirvana. We are sisters in law and your hosts. I'm Amy Sherman. And I'm Katie Chandler. So let's get into some real conversation

Unknown Speaker 0:27

Welcome back to the show Nirvana sisters family. Today we are sitting down with Monica podar. She is very special to me. We had a great experience together this summer that we're gonna dive into. She's helped me get back into my modeling career and a really great way. And I can't wait to kind of chat a little bit about that because I'm super grateful for Monica. But today we're also going to discuss Monica being an intuitive sound Alchemist. She is an Egyptian American intuitive sound Alchemist and photographer. She is dedicated to help empower the collective, specifically the feminine as both an artist and a healer. And I'm really excited to kind of like dig in and, and better understand what all of that means and how you're helping heal people, especially women. So welcome to the show. Monica.

Unknown Speaker 1:16

Thank you for having me. I'm so grateful to be here. So before we get into it, let's do our nirvana of the week. I'm going to kick it to Amy to give us what was your nirvana. So you came?

Unknown Speaker 1:27

Yeah, so I just got back from family vacation at the beach. And it was just a great week, the week back has actually been hectic, but the week prior was great. And it was just a time. Just what with my husband and my two boys and we had some other families that were there. So it's just like a chill no agenda kind of week at the beach every day. Like just you know, dinners out at night. Lots of fun stuff with the kids. It was just like, really relaxing and just like a nice way to reconnect after kind of like the summer and the kids were away camp and stuff. So it was really nice. And I'm so grateful that I was able to do that sounds great. You Katie um my nirvana is kind of coming off of something that's like totally the opposite of nirvana. I felt lousy all week and my nirvana is this morning. You know, with autoimmune stuff with my stuff, Amy? I'm always going through like, Wait, isn't this? Is it this? Should I do this? Should I do that to feel better, and I try all the things. And then this morning, it clicked. And I realized it was my vitamin D. And I've been like heavily dosing on vitamin D all day, and I'm starting to feel so much better. So that doesn't matter, Monique? Because I feel so much better than I did all week. What about you, Monica? Awesome. Yeah, this is actually kind of a hard question. I feel like I truly try to live every moment in Nirvana and always just be grateful to be alive and here. But specifically, I will say probably this weekend, because after this, I will be going to Joshua Tree and doing nothing reading books, meditating, just relaxing, calm out of the cities. So I'm super excited. That sounds.

Unknown Speaker 3:02

That sounds fun. I know. I've heard such amazing things about Joshua Tree. It's very cool.

Unknown Speaker 3:06

All right. Well, let's get into it. Tell us Monica. Explain. I mean, we we we have an understanding of sound healing. Right, Amy? So the intuitive to ative sound outcome as tapas better understand what that means?

Unknown Speaker 3:22

Sure. So intuitive sound Alchemist is kind of a term I guess I just I'm sure it was not the first person to come up with it. But it's just my way of saying that I facilitate sound ceremonies on meditation, sound baths, if you've heard of any of those things, it's all talking about the same thing. And how did you how did you get into it? Because Monica has, like I should I call it your day job. Like your main profession is your photographer. You're brilliant photographer. You do the most beautiful photography, she shoots. You ship models, you shoot celebrities. I mean, you have ad campaigns, like you run the whole gamut with your photography, right?

Unknown Speaker 3:57

So how, how have you found yourself into the sound bath healing world?

Unknown Speaker 4:03

Yeah, so I guess my entry point into this whole world of spirituality or the journey within, I would say started when I was 23, or 24. I'm 34. Now so it's been about 10 years. I love the quote. I'm not sure who said it first, but your mess is your message. So I found myself in a really really difficult place at 24 I had gone through I suppose you could say my dark night of the soul. Really horrible breakup. That led me left me pretty empty, I would say and just confused and lost. And I was living in Los Angeles at the time. And I remember I was walking up La Brea and I found this place called the den meditation. And they had just opened and they were having like a month like trial. Come try it out. And I wasn't sure what it was. But I was like, Yeah, I'm gonna go because I had need something to help and I

Unknown Speaker 5:00

I became obsessed. I was in there twice a day, every day, they had all kinds of classes such as breathwork, yoga, Nidra, Kundalini Yoga, just all kinds of classes. And I took all of them and I saw was the first Kundalini yoga meditation that blew my mind. We were laying, or we were in class, and a lot of it was heavy breathing, kind of like you feel like you're hyperventilating, almost. And then at the very end, you lie in Shavasana. And I remember the room being closed, there were no windows in the room, and I'm lying down with my eyes closed. And then all of a sudden, I started seeing like fireworks shooting, and we're like, wow, in my vision, and I was like, what's going on? This is wild. So after the class, I spoke to the instructor, and I explained to her what I saw. And she was like, that's amazing. That means you're clearing things. And so I just became fascinated with the, I guess, subtle energies and how all of that works, and everything is interconnected.

Unknown Speaker 5:56

Fast forward to 2019, I went to Peru, I did my first Ayahuasca ceremony. And that was the first time I really experienced what it's like to be so open through psychedelics and have mu, energy sound moved through you. And that just blew my mind. And I was like, I need to share this with everybody. Like, I'm obsessed. So since then, it's just grown from there. That's very cool. How is the iOS experience? Yeah, okay. I've seen like, you know, films and stuff on that. But like, it seems very interesting. Like how it was your first time doing it, obviously. So was it like a few days? Like, tell us about that a little bit? Yeah. So I went, the first time before Peru actually was upstate New York. And I had did a three day weekend, Friday through Sunday ceremony every night. And I mean, it's such a

Unknown Speaker 6:54

unique experience. It's so different for every single person, and every single time will, you will have a completely different experience. But the best way that I can explain it is that my very first experience, I was almost fighting with myself, because everything in my body was like you're back. You've been here before. Welcome back. And I'm like, No, I haven't. What is this? What is going on? You know? And then it's like, yes, you have no, I haven't what's, but the whole thing felt so familiar, and very nurturing and loving to me. And

Unknown Speaker 7:27

yeah, it's, it was interesting, because my ceremonies are always about like, the collective or the world at large and like my place within it, and like why I chose to come here on this planet.

Unknown Speaker 7:40

Like, sometimes it is personal stuff, but I always invite

Unknown Speaker 7:45

I guess you could say like any sort of triggers, or anything that sort of makes you stop abruptly, and make maybe makes you not feel good. I love those times, because I feel like that's moments for expansion. So I invite them in because I want to take a deeper look like, Why is this here? What is this blockage? Why am I resisting? How can we move past this? And the iOS experience? Also, like really lends itself to that, right? Like anything, anything like sort of trauma or experience, it's hard to dive into? It opens the world up so that you're able to process things, right?

Unknown Speaker 8:20

Absolutely. And it does it in such an intelligent way of like, the universe just works in the craziest ways of things that you wouldn't think the way that it'll come up. But it's always, I would say palatable for because it's you, at the end of the day, it's always going to come as an experience in a way that you can relate to it, or that will best be suited to you to understand yourself deeper. So when did if that meant Yeah, no, it totally does. So when did you start doing these healing ceremonies? And who are you working with? Or who have you worked with?

Unknown Speaker 8:53

Yeah, so I would say pretty shortly, I would say, maybe 2021, I started helping out with two of my friends, male friends that do ceremonies, and they kind of wanted to have a female energy. So that was really awesome to kind of explore and be open and just kind of played around. And then I started doing one on ones with people. And everything is word of mouth. And so I do it two ways. One way is just with sound only. And then the other way is with psychedelics, if you so choose, and they're both very different, but yeah, very healing. But just kind of depends on what you're looking for, or what you're looking to get out of.

Unknown Speaker 9:35

With the sound. Is it always like a sound bath? Or are there other ways to do the ceremony with a different kind of sound?

Unknown Speaker 9:43

Yeah, so it's actually a mix, I would say of instruments that I have. And sometimes I will also play like mantra music or binaural beats like high frequency music for me to hertz up. It sort of depends. So the intuitive part of the sound out

Unknown Speaker 10:00

Coming comes from, I have a layout, but it's kind of open ended because I really zoned into the person that I'm with. And it's really important for me to connect with them and to kind of help them. I'm gonna walk you to the door, you're gonna walk through the door, but I will lead you there. Mm hmm. So and so that lends you to decide what kind of sound to use in the ceremony is it was kind of intuitively what you're feeling the person needs?

Unknown Speaker 10:27

Absolutely. How long are the ceremonies? How long do they usually last?

Unknown Speaker 10:31

So without the use of any psychedelics, it's about an hour to an hour and a half the actual sound part and then I love to have like an integration talk afterwards. If it's not right after then a few days later, just to kind of see like, what was your process? What did you go through, I wrote during the ceremony, I really tried to stay out and give the person the space, all I'm doing is creating a space for you to feel comfortable and safe to explore whatever you want. And I'm kind of just on the side there for you, bringing you whatever you need to make you feel safe. And that's it. And then like later, we can dive deeper if you want to share it. And if you don't, that's also fine. And then with psychedelics, it's going to be like a three and a half to four hour process, I serve a tea, mushroom tea. Using a tea I feel I've kind of experimented a little bit with like different modes of ingesting. And I think the tea is the best because it takes about 10 minutes to hit you and it's a very smooth, you don't even really feel it just all of a sudden it's here. And it's great. And it kind of starts quickly and ends quickly. So if you're eating mushrooms, it goes through your digestive tract, and it can take 45 minutes to an hour. So I prefer the tea. I also depending on again, like the intuitive part, I serve the cow in the middle of my ceremony as well, which is the natural heart opener. So kind of just brings all the good, yummy feelings and gets you in a nice loving state. Yeah, you were telling me about the cacao? Let's talk about that a little bit. Because that's something that I can go, anyone can just go to Whole Foods and pick up. And so tell us about cacao and why you like I know you just touched on it, but I've never heard about that. Regarding cacao.

Unknown Speaker 12:16

Yeah, so cacao is chocolate. And it grows primarily in the Amazon. And it's not the chocolate that you would see out. Because that's usually like has sugar and all this other stuff, binders that you don't really need. But essentially it is just raw cacao, which is actually bitter in taste. And I like to sweeten it with honey or agave and maybe put a little bit of cinnamon. And you basically sit it snippet in like a ceremonial way. And you're just kind of like taking sips and just feeling how it's going through your body. Cacao is super good for you. It has tons of magnesium. It relaxes you, it's a heart opener. So I feel like it's another way to really connect deeply with yourself. Nice. That's an easy one that we can do it don't have to go out and get the psychedelics.

Unknown Speaker 13:07

Yeah, I was I was gonna I was gonna also ask you for those that are interested in like sound healing or selling sound healing ceremonies, and they're not in LA to visit you like what could they do at home? Are there apps? Are there things? Like what would you recommend if someone wants to do something like this, especially our listeners who I think are probably newer to this type of

Unknown Speaker 13:29

practice, but I've done a song about a few times, and I've really enjoyed it. It's just super relaxing and like gets you in that like Zen state.

Unknown Speaker 13:38

So yeah, if there's anything you can recommend people could do at home.

Unknown Speaker 13:42

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, YouTube is a great free resource. And all you have to do is type in you can type in 432 hertz.

Unknown Speaker 13:52

So 963 would be like the crown chakra. So basically, I have seven bowls that are tuned to the seven chakras. I'm not sure if you guys are familiar with chocolate, but they all also have a hertz frequency attached to them. So you can also just go into a meditation listening to the sounds just observing your thoughts, seeing what comes up. I feel like a lot of this work is kind of in the subconscious mind. Anyway, so if we can just quiet your prefrontal cortex, your monkey mind, reptilian brain, all these things, the voice that keeps chatting forever, but you're really like behind that voice. We want to kind of make that voice feel comfortable enough to be quiet so that the real yo can come through. Hertz music is a great way. But yeah, there's a ton of like meditation apps and body movement is a great way as well. Like I always like to stretch every day. And I can almost feel where I'm tight. And then I'm like focusing on that area and it changes every day. Depending on what we're doing. Do you do meditation and some sort of like sound? Bath healing for yourself? Daily? Yeah, I would say the sound

Unknown Speaker 15:00

Because I all my instruments are here in LA. So I am definitely playing those every single evening. But in terms of like meditation, I do a lot. I'm pretty, I'm not really rigid or structured with it. I like to do like walking meditations. So I will be walking down the street. And I will simply observe like, there's a car, there's a cat, there's a garbage man, no judgment or thought about it. I'm just listing what I see. And that's it. And the second I have a sort of like, thought or eye color, the experience, I'm like, wait, and then I pull myself back, because I love them. And I think that practice is just being aware that your mind is just like, non stop, you know? Yeah, yeah, that's very grounding, just being where you are, and pointing out what you see without it taking you anywhere else. So it's very, that's such a great. That's a cool practice. Yeah. So you work. You do a lot of your ceremonies. I know you work with two men, but you also do a lot of work with women, which is amazing. How, how's that experience working with women every day?

Unknown Speaker 16:02

Yeah, I mean, I guess that started with photography, I would say. So I have been shooting for 14 years now. And so what got me into photography basically, is I feel like as a kid growing up in an Egyptian household, both my parents are born and raised in Egypt, first generation American. Although I was born in America, my household was still very much Egypt, very rigid, very patriarchal. I definitely felt like I didn't have a voice, I was super, super shy growing up. I found photography pretty early on, I would say in middle school, because I just became obsessed with like, the fantasy of like, I can, like, I was looking into fashion magazines. And I was, like, put into this world of, you know, beauty. And I could just, I feel like I wanted to create images like that to kind of and when I look through the viewfinder, I essentially feel like I'm meditating. I've entered a portal and like, whatever's in this box is the only thing that exists, and how can I make the most interesting image within that.

Unknown Speaker 17:05

So when I started working with talent, specifically female models, I started to notice pretty quickly, that take having a photograph taken is a very vulnerable thing. And like, so I need to do my part to make them feel comfortable. So it's not about me. So I need to get over myself quickly, and be able to be there for them to like, speak to them. And kind of before any shoot, I generally like to sit and like just get to know the person and talk to them. Because I can sort of feel their energy. And so that I can, I can see what's the best way to photograph them. Like how can I make them feel the best look the best, all of that. So it kinda was helped, helping me in a sense, gain my confidence and ability to be able to speak. And then it's just it's so funny. Like, I feel people and I maybe you can also speak to this, since you're in the industry as well, that it's just seemed so glamorous and beautiful. But a lot of the times like everybody's human, everybody also has their own problems and insecurities. And so I almost, I like to say I'm a photographer slash therapist.

Unknown Speaker 18:12

No, I can, because I can totally attest to everything you just said about like, making the other person comfortable that I've so I found Monica, because my agency gave me a list of like, you know, 15 photographers that they suggest their their models to use. And I looked at every single person's work and Monica's work was, you could just see how relaxed. The models in the photos were, they were just at such ease. And there was a vulnerability exactly like what you just said, you, you just bring something out of you make you make them comfortable. I haven't done a photo shoot and over 10 years. So the first person that I shoot with, it was like very important that I was comfortable. And you were I mean, you're amazing. Her work is so stunningly beautiful. And we had so much fun together, and you made me so comfortable. You're really really good at what you do. And you're right. I mean, industry seems glamorous, and seems like everyone's so confident everybody really has, you know, their shit together. And they're so excited to be in front of a camera. And that's not necessarily the case. Like it's not like I hate being in front of a camera. And I'm sure there's a lot of models that that deal. And working with the right person makes all the difference in the world. But it's really, it's really beautiful. What you do. We'll have to we'll have to share some of your work when this episode airs because it's gorgeous. Yeah. And your picture because I saw them and they're stunning. They're absolutely, like blown away. But yeah, I can imagine that's a really hard thing to do to make people comfortable. And then I mean, I can't even imagine being being in front of the camera like Katie does.

Unknown Speaker 19:58

But I could say that

Unknown Speaker 20:00

I'm sure most people are so uncomfortable and just insecure because you're right. It's a very vulnerable space. Everyone's looking at you. You're like, it's just so that's, that's incredible that you have that skill, because I think it's it's true what Katie said, I'm sure. Many photographers are not in tune with the other person's energy. And they're just like doing their job and kind of checking the box. And it's really important

Unknown Speaker 20:22

to have that connection. Yeah.

Unknown Speaker 20:24

You do. create that connection instantly. So it's your you're so fun to work with, you know, just circling back really quickly. And has anyone ever said, so the ceremonies that you perform as well, like, it's, it seems a bit and tell me if I'm wrong, because I've very well could be like, you're also a shaman. Is it? Is it not similar to what shamans do? Yeah, I mean, I guess technically speaking, a shaman would be someone that is able to work with energy and sort of go in and out of, I guess, different dimensional realities, or see the subtle realms. I sort of, I mean, I try, I don't have a problem with the term, but I do see in Western culture, it's been thrown around. And a lot of people are shamans. And I know that this is something that you're sort of born into, it comes from a lineage, you know, from Africa, the Amazon, but mostly like, indigenous tribes. So I, that's why I like to stick with a tater because also, like an important thing is like, so shaman is sort of a hierarchical term term. So if you're going to see a shaman or a healer, it's almost like you're putting yourself beneath them. And I'm really all about empowering the person, right, because if you have a problem, and you will not open up, no therapist or healer, or whomever can help you, you're the one that opens the door. So it's really important for people to sit in their own seat and know that they are powerful and sovereign beings. And you can do whatever you want, you have freewill. And you have a mind and you have a heart, most importantly, and your heart is the gateway. And that's your path. And if you follow that, you will never be led in the wrong direction. So I really try to make that a very important point that you are the healer, essentially.

Unknown Speaker 22:12

Not anyone else. Yeah, that's a great education on the word shaman, because you're right people do. So use it, throw it around, and I've never understood like the true meaning of what it is. And I'm sure a lot of people don't the egos a tricky thing. Yeah.

Unknown Speaker 22:28

Tell us before we get into our rap session. Well, I know that you're still, you know, doing photography and everything. But how much are you trying to segue into doing more of the ceremonies? And how can our listeners find you if they want to work with you?

Unknown Speaker 22:43

Yeah, absolutely. So I'm currently in between New York and LA right now. And wherever else in the world that I, you know, I'm able to go to, and pretty much since January of this year have kind of been more of a nomadic flow state. It's been, I would say I am in New York and LA, every month and a half, probably, like just do this back and forth. So two months. But it really depends on when I'm called and when I'm needed. And then I fly out there and I make it work so I can be available anywhere. So between New York, LA Miami, I traveled to a lot as well. So I can pretty much be anywhere and I do one on one sessions. I do group sessions. I have people that also help with me, if it's a bigger group, so I'm pretty easy, flexible, it can all happen. And I don't have like a page yet for the sound healing specifically, but Monica podar, my name at Gmail or Monica dora.com. That's all my photography work, but it's all me. It will all take you to the same place. And I saw your Instagram page too. It's beautiful. Yeah. Instagram works as well.

Unknown Speaker 23:52

Yeah, work is great. Yeah. Although my Instagram is all like photography. I feel like my stories are always tidbits of little spiritual nuggets of wisdom that I find and like to share. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Love it. That's great. Well, I'm excited to get into a rap session because your skin is gorgeous. So I know that there's some good like wellness tips we can learn from you. So what is your favorite wellness or beauty hack? Okay, so again, since January, I've been traveling a lot and I'm always on planes. And I am since I'm Egyptian I am a desert person. I'm chronically dry all the time. Coconut water. I know it's simple, but really, really has saved because I Arizona, it's so dry. I can feel like my hair gets brittle my skin gets dry. And I've been chugging wanted to like the big jars of coconut water every day. That by itself has like has done wonders water is not enough because the electrolytes and I feel like it gives you a nice plumpness in the fat from the coconut as well as like very good for your skin brain.

Unknown Speaker 24:58

So I guess

Unknown Speaker 25:00

Good Yeah, we haven't heard that like that one. Nice. Yeah, I love alright the next one we call it your five minute flow you just got out of the shower and dried off and Uber has pink do their five minutes away What are you going to do to get out the door and in that Uber on time?

Unknown Speaker 25:14

Yeah, so I love this because I feel like I'm pretty minimalist. I want to be quick and fast and run out the door. So I will get out of shower, make sure my face is clean. So during the day, I like to use resveratrol, which is a poly phenol antioxidant, and it's very good for your skin. So I apply it topically and then moisturizer. And then at night with SPF and then at night. I will do like a retinol. And then I will do like a thicker kind of moisture cream. So I'm all about like moisture. Yep. Yeah, it's like, never

Unknown Speaker 25:49

feel nice. Okay. And last one is how do you maintain your daily nirvana? I mean, we already kind of touched on it a little bit, but maybe there's more.

Unknown Speaker 25:59

I feel like just being always trying to be in tune with myself like I'm very I think the mind body. heart connection is very important. So I'm always scanning my body and trying to see like where do I feel tightness or tenseness? Do I feel good. Because if your body is not working properly, nothing else will work. Because if you're sick, your reality will be a sick reality. Everything that you look at will be I like to think that the world is neutral. Things are always happening, but it's sort of neutral. And your perception or perspective is what is what color's your reality. So although we are all living on Earth, we can have so many different realities, because we're thinking different. So I'm always trying like, and I'm also very aware of I spiritual bypass is a thing, but I, you know, when people just are always like love and light and all this stuff, we all have shadow, I'm very aware of mine. But that being said, I know there is darkness in the world. I choose to stay in the light and always try to find ways to be grateful and happy for things because it's just not going to serve you if you're always focusing on negative stuff. So I'm always just trying to find the beauty in every situation. Monica, we usually usually not always we've been kind of bad about it. Right, Amy? We need to talk I now have better sorry. My mantra has not been with every episode lately, guys. But Monica is gonna

Unknown Speaker 27:23

help us so graciously, a mantra for it to wrap today's episode. So what is it, Monica?

Unknown Speaker 27:31

Yeah, okay. So it's quite simple. It is three words. The phrase is in Sanskrit and it is that chit ananda. Start meaning existence. Chit meaning consciousness and under meaning bliss. So we exist. We are here. We are conscious that we are here. And then once we are conscious that we are here, we can go to Bliss. So it's kind of like the circle of life. I suppose you can say you're a baby and then you're aware that you have things and you can see yourself in the mirror. You're like, that's me. And then you can go out have a great experience and be blissful in your life. That's beautiful. Now that's a good one to keep repeating I want to say Sat Chit Ananda. Is that right? Okay, perfect. Doesn't have to just energy me. I mean, like the best so peaceful and that I feel like so much better after talking to you. I was feeling like tired and kind of like blocked today. And you just hurt me. I feel I can feel your energy through the amazing another phone. Yeah. Good to have Yeah, we'll have to come visit you next time. We're in. So are you based in LA? I forgot what you said. I'm back and forth. So I'm on I'm here now. And then I think in a week and a half. I'll be back in New York, but I'm just kind of bouncing around. So yeah, we can definitely well, yeah, we should meet up when I'm back. I've booked my flights. Alright. Well, thanks for being with us, Monica. Thanks for listening to Nirvana sisters. For more information on this episode, check out the show notes please subscribe and leave us a review. also find us on Instagram at Nirvana sisters. If you loved what you just listened to or know someone that would please share it and tag us. Tune in next week for a fresh new episode of Nirvana sisters will continue to watch out for all things wellness so you don't have to. Bye