Monthly Muse: Michelle Baker
Our Monthly Muse and latest podcast guest is Michelle Baker. She left the US for love and ended up on the west coast of Sweden. Since Michelle moved over here she has put a lot of work into building a strong community from scratch by sharing her wisdom through practices such as yoga, reiki and breathwork. Her community loves her for her poetic approach, her epic playlists and the way she holds space with, integrity, warmth and humor. We didn’t think our over an hour long conversation was enough so we took the chance to get to know her even further below, enjoy!
Do you have a morning routine, if so, what does it look like?
I'm consistent with not being super consistent, so my routines often shape shift from one day to another or one season of my life to another. At the moment it looks like warming up some bone broth and enjoying a moment on the couch before heading out for a long morning walk with our dog Bodhi. Then it’s breakfast and coffee before either heading into my home office or setting up in the living room to work.
What do we find on your nightstand?
Oh! Love this one. I actually just moved our nightstands into another room (I often move the furniture around), so at the moment it's not much because I just have a tiny little stool on my side of the bed which has enough room for my alarm clock, a glass of water, a book (currently Consolations by David Whyte) and my Dvala sleep mask that I can't sleep without.
Do you have any life advice that you carry with you?
I'm not sure it would fall under life advice, per se, but there are few things that my mentor introduced to me over the last couple years that I return to time and time again:
What are you not doing that you say you're going to do?
Things take the time they take.
I tend to be an over-thinker and can spend a silly amount of time planning out what I'm going to say for a conversation that ends up never needing to happen. These two simple statements (also from my mentor) have been helping me with that:
I'll know what to say when I need to say it. I'll know what to do when I need to do it.
Is there anything that you’re longing for at this moment?
We just booked a trip to see my family in upstate New York at the end of June. I'm very close with my three older siblings, which is one of the most difficult parts of having created a life on the other side of the world, so our yearly gathering is one I really long for. And, of course, I'm longing for warm summer days in my garden.
What are your go to practices/products when you feel a little out of balance?
Breathwork, Yoga Nidra, writing, staying hydrated, a quiet moment in a quiet room or some kind of movement are my tried and true go to practices when life feels wobbly.
But, the best recalibration and grounding I know is a good conversation with one of my dearest friends — the ones I can unravel, have a good laugh or cry and really be myself with. Those conversations always help me to see where I’m getting sidetracked by an old pattern, where I might be taking things too personally or offer me a good perspective shift, all of which can bring me back to center if I’m feeling off in any way.
What do you save right now on Pinterest?
Ha, I save such a random variety of things. I actually think I spend too much time on that platform. One of my favorite boards right now is one I have dedicated to my Elder Self. Other than that I save poetry, gardening tips, style inspiration, quilts I want to make one day and other more quirky photos that I like to pair quotes with.
What are your sources of inspiration?
It depends a little bit on what the inspiration is for. I can be easily inspired by a number of things like books, poetry, a good conversation or even something interesting I’ve learned about the brain or the body, especially when it comes to theming nidras, meditations and breathwork classes. Inspiration for these also come through via a red thread that I’m seeing move through client sessions, conversations with friends or even my own personal life.
Nature and the body are my main sources of inspiration. I love working with the seasons, the elements, the spirit of the organs and our internal nature and emotional realms.
Any pet peeves?
Oh, yes! They are all mostly around sounds that people make (myself included) — having really sensitive ears and excellent hearing doesn’t help the issue.
My biggest pet peeve is when people smack or chew with their mouths open or slurp soup or drinks. Even if I hear that lip-smacking sound when I’m listening to a podcast or a meditation I have to switch it off. My partner Fredrik hopes that there’s a cure for it one day, ha.
Want to share something that you listen to right now?
I’m usually listening to a wide range of music genres, it would be embarrassing if you knew how much time I spend creating playlists every week.
Podcast wise, I always look forward to the next episode of The Telepathy Tapes with Ky Dickens. I also often return to The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett, Tetragrammaton with Rick Rubin and I loved this Mark Groves podcast episode with Cathy Heller and any podcast that has Esther Perel on.
