Imagine standing at the crossroads of change, holding the weight of grief in one hand and the hope for healing in the other. Life is full of transitions—some we celebrate, others we endure. How do we mark the moments that shape us? How do we find meaning in the spaces where loss and growth meet?
Read MoreWelcome to Shame Piñata
Shame Piñata: Creating Rites of Passage for Real-Life Transitions. Stories from people who have used ceremony to create authentic weddings, make it through hard times, honor deep loss, or reinvent themselves.
Browse Previous Episodes by Topic
→ Episodes on Rites of Passage: https://ever-changing.net/rites-of-passage
→ Episodes on Authentic Weddings: https://ever-changing.net/authentic-weddings
→ Episodes on Grief & Loss: https://ever-changing.net/grief-loss
→ Episodes on Challenging Times: https://ever-changing.net/challenging-times
Support the Show
→ Subscribe In Your Favorite Player: https://kite.link/shamepinata
→ Rate & Review: https://ever-changing.net/rate-sp
About the Show
Shame Piñata is hosted by Ritual Artist Colleen Thomas, a Certified Meditation and Mindfulness teacher who helps people make sense of life through ceremony. Music by Terry Hughes.
Listen If
→ You’re feeling stuck
→ You’re going through a tough time
→ Something significant has happened and no one gets it
Transcript
Hi, I'm Colleen. I host a show called Shame Piñata. That's "shame" as in there's nothing to be ashamed of and "piñata" as in something that is ready to be broken open. On Shame Piñata, we talk rites of passage for the significant personal moments that aren't talked about, like making it through year three after losing a parent or choosing not to start a family. If you're going through your own personal transition right now and want some cool ideas on how to make it through, join us. You can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and go to shame pinata dot com to learn more.
Bonus: Additional Offerings
Episode Summary
You're invited to check out two additional offerings from the Shame Piñata team:
10 Minutes for Your Heart, a 10-part limited meditation series for Ukrainians - now available in both English and Ukrainian!
Join us for one or both!
Learn More:
→ 10 Minutes for Your Heart: https://10minutesforyourheart.com
Shame Piñata Episodes by Topic
→ Episodes on Rites of Passage: https://ever-changing.net/rites-of-passage
→ Episodes on Authentic Weddings: https://ever-changing.net/authentic-weddings
→ Episodes on Grief & Loss: https://ever-changing.net/grief-loss
→ Episodes on Challenging Times: https://ever-changing.net/challenging-times
Support the Show
→ Subscribe In Your Favorite Player: https://kite.link/shamepinata
→ Rate & Review: https://ever-changing.net/rate-sp
About the Show
Shame Piñata is hosted by Ritual Artist Colleen Thomas, a Certified Meditation and Mindfulness teacher who helps people make sense of life through ceremony. Music by Terry Hughes.
Listen If
→ You’re feeling stuck
→ You’re going through a tough time
→ Something significant has happened and no one gets it
S5 E8 Insights Into Authentic Weddings
Weddings are more than just a celebration. They are markers of a profound life transition that affects not only the couple but also their families and community. Today we reflect on the full range of emotions that can accompany this pivotal rite of passage and learn how our guests made room for them in the wedding time.
Read MoreS5 E7 Insights Into Rites of Passage
Imagine navigating the journey of life with the power of ritual in your hand. From births and weddings to grief and personal growth, each change shapes who we are. Today we reflect on five seasons of conversations with ritual makers and look at how they have used the tool of ritual to heal, grow, and transform.
Read MoreS5 E6 The Emergence Ceremony (April Cantor)
How can we honor our youth as they come of age in ways that are strengthened by tradition and also allow their unique spark to shine? What would happen if we let them tell us what they need and co-created ceremony with them? Join us as we hear the story of the Emergence Ceremony that bridged into a powerful transformation for the entire family.
Read MoreS5 E5 Baptism as a Rite of Passage (Tina Torres)
Being part of a religious or spiritual community can be a wonderful support in life. Shared customs and traditions can bring comfort, connection, and a shared experience of the Divine. But what role does ritual play in all of this and how does it help us connect to the Divine? Join us for an exploration of Baptism as a Rite of Passage - from both sides of the pulpit.
Read MoreS5 E4 Blooming Amidst the War - Pt 2 (Alina Zievakova)
Imagine being able to attend a bold and beautiful theater performance that gives voice to a path you might know all too well, a path of healing from the impacts of violence or trauma. Imagine what that might feel like in your core, to see someone go on a journey similar to yours and get to the other side of it. (Part 2 of our interview with Alina Zievakova.)
Read MoreS5 E3 Blooming Amidst the War - Pt 1 (Alina Zievakova)
Imagine having a silent witness, a partner who is with you all the time, even when you go through the hardest moments of your life. Imagine not being alone but instead being held, accompanied, supported. What might that feel like in your heart, in your body, in your bones? (Part 1 of our interview with Alina Zievakova.)
Read MoreS5 E2 Techno Cosmic Wedding (Pt 2 - The Event)
So it’s the big day. The day of the Techno Cosmic Wedding. With your virtual invitation in hand, you walk into the venue. Prayer flags hang from the ceiling above you. A set of handmade neon signs rests neatly in the window ledge, spelling out “Marry Me Colleen” The neon question mark at the end is no longer working, but that’s okay because she said yes. (Part 2)
Read MoreS5 E1 Techno Cosmic Wedding (Pt 1 - The Plan)
What would you think if you received an invitation to attend to something called a Techno Cosmic Wedding? Would you be curious? Avoidant? Undecided? What if it was framed as a post-modern, rave-inspired event where your whole self was welcome. How would you feel then? (Part 1)
Read MoreIntroducing 10 Minutes for Your Heart
Episode Summary
"10 Minutes for Your Heart" is a trauma-sensitive meditation series specifically designed for Ukrainian listeners. The series, hosted by a Certified Meditation and Mindfulness teacher, offers 10-minute sessions to explore power, passion, and essential life-force. The meditations focus on connecting with breath, body, and personal power, providing flexibility for listeners to decide how they want to participate and what their body needs in the moment. Presented in English with transcripts available in both English and Ukrainian, the series aims to create a safe and supportive space for listeners to engage in healing and self-discovery. English level B2/C1 suggested.
Episode Resources
→ 10 Minutes for Your Heart on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL16dvREXasBeNtZmWhifjNpmtuiquNzeE
→ 10 Minutes for Your Heart Website: https://ever-changing.net/10-minutes
Full Transcript:
Привіт, друзі! Мене звати Коллін. Please join me on a new adventure, a series of meditations created especially for my Ukrainian friends. Together we will shed our skin, wash away doubt, and remember that we can move mountains.
The series is called 10 Minutes for Your Heart. Find it on YouTube and at 10minutesforyourheart.com.
Welcome to the circle!
S4 E9 Embracing Shame (Sheila Rubin)
What happens when shame stops us in our tracks? When we find ourselves in freeze mode and realize that it’s actually shame that’s holding us there? How do we break the spell and move through that paralysis - and what if there is a way to release that shame back to wherever it came from?
Read MoreTEMPLATE
Episode Summary
A significant loss can come in many shapes and sizes and has the power to change us at a fundamental level. That rebirthing we go through after a big loss is so important and can also be so painful. Two questions that can often come to mind are: “How long will this take?” and “Can I make it through?”
Episode Resources
→ Betty Ray: https://www.bettyray.net/
Episodes by Topic
→ Episodes on Rites of Passage: https://ever-changing.net/rites-of-passage
→ Episodes on Authentic Weddings: https://ever-changing.net/authentic-weddings
→ Episodes on Grief & Loss: https://ever-changing.net/grief-loss
→ Episodes on Challenging Times: https://ever-changing.net/challenging-times
Support the Show
→ Subscribe In Your Favorite Player: https://kite.link/shamepinata
→ Rate & Review: https://ever-changing.net/rate-sp
About the Show
Shame Piñata is hosted by Ritual Artist Colleen Thomas, a Certified Meditation and Mindfulness teacher who helps people make sense of life through ceremony. Music by Terry Hughes.
Listen If
→ You’re feeling stuck
→ You’re going through a tough time
→ Something significant has happened and no one gets it
Full Transcript
Moon: I think death has always been a really great, so to speak force in my life, it has been the thing that has pushed me forward to do things that I might not have done. Or taught me that I can get through really hard things.
S4 E8 How Long Does Grief Take? (Irisanya Moon)
A significant loss can come in many shapes and sizes and has the power to change us at a fundamental level. That rebirthing we go through after a big loss is so important and can also be so painful. Two questions that can often come to mind are: “How long will this take?” and “Can I make it through?”
Read MoreS4 E7 Discomfort As Ally (Irisanya Moon)
We love to be in control. We love to know what’s going to happen, how long it will last, and what effects it will have on us. But what if, like a tree in the wind, flexibility and surrender are our greatest tools? What if discomfort can be our friend?
Read MoreS4 E6 Surviving the First Year
The first year after a significant loss can be so hard. As the wheel turns and the light changes, visceral memories can arise of this time last year when things were different. How do we create space for our hearts as we go through a year of firsts?
Read MoreS4 E5 Entrepreneurship as a Rite of Passage (Molly Mandelberg)
Finding our right work can be a journey. In our life, we may have had many jobs, explored many paths. What might it feel like to live your passion, to bring your full self to your work? If you listen very carefully, is your heart actually telling you which way to go?
Read MoreS4 E4 The Power of Tears (Ryan Kluttz)
When someone passes away, the loss can bring us to our knees metaphorically - and sometimes literally. When it’s literal, that’s the body talking, echoing the heart. Crying can be like that too. Today we look at intention, death, and tears.
Read MoreS4 E3 There Must Be Something Wrong (Sheryl Paul) [Remastered]
Today we revisit one of our most popular episodes, an early interview with Sheryl Paul, author of "The Conscious Bride". Sheryl's work allows us to reflect on how the pain, grief, discomfort, and vulnerability that can arise throughout the wedding process can actually be doorways into joy if we are willing to let them in.
Read More