If you've carried the belief that something about you will never be chosen or belong — this Soul Session is a love letter to your return to radical self-love. Today, we sit down with the wonderful Educator, Full Spectrum Doula, and fellow Curious Human — Nonny Maphoka Mbathane. She has walked through the wilderness of childhood grief, loss, and displacement, and emerged as a living testament to the power of care, connection, and community. She reminds us that we are ALL grieving something in our lives at any moment — and that “Grief work is Birth work”. Nonny Maphoka Mbathane invites us into the tender, raw, and profoundly beautiful terrain of childhood experiences of grief and loss that taught her that love was conditional, that belonging had to be earned, and that her truth was dangerous. She shares the stories she learned and is working to unlearn on her healing journey.This conversation is especially tender for anyone who has experienced early grief, for those who have felt like they don't quite belong, and for sensitive souls who have been taught to shrink, play small, and perform massive acts in order to receive love and care. Maphoka shares her unique take on spirituality, culture, and language. She shares her journey into doula work, her relationship with her ancestors, and the sacred practice of honoring both the past and the future as she continues to rebirth herself.In today’s Soul Session, you are divinely reminded of your inherent and infinite worthiness. Maphoka also reminds us that you are allowed to express yourself and start over as many times as you feel called. Join us for a heartfelt, soulful conversation.Key Topics Explored: ✨ The meaning of the soul✨ What navigating early grief experiences can do to a child✨ Learning to trust that you are carried by a higher power✨ Spirituality as creative, expansive, and deeply personal ✨ Unconditional positive self-regard as the foundation of healing ✨ The revolutionary power of care and softness ✨ Doula work, birth work, and grief work✨ The courage to start over and rebuild your life — again and againChapters:Chapters00:00:00 Welcome & Intro00:04:58 What is the Soul?00:15:41 The Fear of Not (Quite) Belonging00:25:53 You Did Nothing Wrong: The Key to Healing00:29:38 Soul Destiny & Reconciling Death00:39:27 Grief as a Childhood Teacher00:52:25 Healing Modalities1:03:59 What the Body Knows1:17:18 Ancestral Connection and Care1:27:23 How to Cultivate Faith & Trust01:39:59 Camagu: Divine Xhosa Word01:45:19 Unconditional Positive Self-Regard01:52:46 "Birth Work is Grief Work": Becoming a Doula02:04:54 The Courage to Start Over at 35 02:08:47 Closing Reflections02:16:42 Free Gift: The Soulful Visibility GuideFollow Nonny Maphoka Mbathane: ✨ Instagram: @maphokanoni https://www.instagram.com/maphokanoni/Next Steps:💖 Get the FREE Soulful Visibility Guide to help you overcome the fear of being SEEN: https://ayandastood.com/🫂 Join the FREE Soul Salon Collective and meet fellow soul siblings from all over the world 🌍: https://www.skool.com/soul-salon-collective-7003#innerchildhealing #spiritualawakening #indigenousknowledge #care #sovereignty #ancestralhealing #startingover #ayandastood #soulsalon #healingjourney #startingover #grief #doulaFollow me on socials:✨ TikTok: @ayandastood https://www.tiktok.com/@ayandastood✨ IG: @ayandastood https://www.instagram.com/ayandastood/✨ YouTube: @ayandastood https://www.youtube.com/@ayandastood✨ Website: https://ayandastood.com/Soul Session No. 110