Golden Cor Podcast

Motherhood and rest have a complicated relationship. In this Mother’s Day episode of the Golden Cor Podcast, I reflect on taking two weeks away from the podcast and social media while recovering from an injury - and the discomfort, guilt, and emotions that surfaced when I finally allowed myself to slow down. We explore the pressure many women and mothers feel to constantly give, produce, nurture,...

A humbling reflection on what it really means to listen to your body. In this episode, I share my recent experience of moving through a shoulder, neck, and back injury - and how, even as a somatic teacher and physiotherapist, I found myself overriding the very signals I guide others to listen to. We explore the gap between knowledge and embodiment, the subtle ways we can lose ourselves in the rhyt...

In this episode, I share a deeply personal reflection on fear, embodiment, and the quiet medicine of autumn. We begin in a simple moment of arrival - softening into the body, noticing the breath, and asking a question that opens everything: what is alive for you today? From there, I trace my own experience of discovering how fear can live subtly in the body, revealed through sensation, posture, an...

In this episode, I share a personal and intimate glimpse into my journey with cacao - how this sacred plant first found me, the moments that shaped my relationship with it, and the path it opened within my life and work. From early encounters in Brazil and Mexico, to sitting in women’s circles, moving through loss, training with teachers from the Mayan lineage in Guatemala, visiting the lands of c...

Episode 52 marks a meaningful milestone. One full year of the Golden Cor Podcast. 52 episodes recorded. Over 1130 listens. Over 4000 monthly impressions. But beyond the numbers, this episode is about something deeper: consistency, courage, and self-trust . Showing up week after week is not always easy. There were moments of inspiration and moments of doubt. Times when imposter syndrome appeared. T...

This is the final episode in the breath trilogy, and we are exploring a quieter form of power, the kind that builds slowly through consistency. In this episode, we explore how gentle breathwork supports nervous system resilience and why the body responds so well to predictable, repetitive practices. You’ll learn how smooth nasal breathing influences heart rate, stress resilience, emotional regulat...

Today we move from philosophy into physiology. Breath is not mystical, it's mechanical. And that is what makes it powerful and accessible. In this episode, we explore the anatomy of breathing: the diaphragm, the ribcage, the pelvic floor, and how the body was designed to breathe in a three-dimensional, responsive way. We gently unpack how stress reshapes our breathing patterns -chest breathing...

Before identity, before language, before story, there was breath. In this first episode of our three-part exploration, we return to breath not as trend, performance, or intensity - but as origin. We explore the ancient roots of pranayama within the yogic tradition, where breath was understood as life force and practiced as preparation for steadiness, meditation, and self-awareness. We look at how...

Why do you push when you’re overwhelmed… but shut down when something really matters? Why do you over-give in some relationships… and withdraw in others? In this episode of Golden Cor, we explore your nervous system - not as something to fix, but as something that has been trying to protect you. Your patterns are not random. They are intelligent. Over time, your body develops protective responses...

There’s a lot of noise about winning the morning. Wake up earlier. Do more. Be more disciplined. But what if sustainable success doesn’t start with pushing harder? In this episode of Golden Cor, we explore something far more foundational than a “perfect” morning routine - the state your body is in when you first wake up. Because before you check your phone… before you think about your to-do list…...

In this enlightening conversation, Marina Stumpf and Adrianna Zaccardi explore the transformative journey of motherhood, self-discovery, and the importance of connecting with the feminine archetypes. Adrianna shares her personal experiences of healing, the role of dance and creative expression in her life, and the significance of the mother archetype for all women. The discussion emphasises the ne...

To close our Ritual & Rhythm series, this episode widens the lens. Ritual is not something we do from time to time - it is a way of meeting life. Living ceremonially does not mean turning daily life into performance or rigidity. It means relating to moments with attention, sincerity, and presence. This episode explores what it means to let ritual shape a life - not through perfection, but thro...

Ritual is often associated with softness and care, but it is also a powerful act of agency. In this episode of our series Ritual & Rhythm, we explore ritual as a way of reclaiming choice in a world that constantly pulls at our attention. Without rhythm, life can begin to happen to us - our time fills, our energy depletes, and decisions are made in urgency rather than clarity. This episode invi...

Most of life doesn’t happen in the big moments. It unfolds in the quiet spaces between: between roles, conversations, places, and phases of the day. In this episode of our series Ritual & Rhythm, we explore transitions as sacred thresholds and why the nervous system needs these moments to be consciously tended. When transitions are rushed or ignored, the body carries unfinished energy forward,...

Ritual is not only symbolic or spiritual. It is physiological. In this episode of our mini series Ritual & Rhythm, we move out of the abstract and firmly into the body, into the nervous system itself. Many of us live in a subtle state of vigilance: not acute stress, but a quiet, ongoing readiness shaped by pace, unpredictability, and constant stimulation. Even when nothing is technically wrong...

January often arrives with pressure - to begin again, to do more, to be better. But what if January is not a true beginning at all? In this episode, we explore January as a threshold - a liminal space between what has ended and what has not yet fully begun. Drawing on astrological, lunar, and embodied understandings of time, this conversation offers permission to move slowly, to listen, and to hon...

This week, we move with the Metal element, the Autumn energy of letting go, refining your life, and strengthening boundaries. We explore how the Lungs and Large Intestine help you release what no longer serves you. This episode includes gentle breathwork practices, decluttering rituals, grief support, and journalling prompts to create clarity and spaciousness. Journal Prompts: • What am I ready to...

In this episode, we look into the Earth element in TCM - the centre of nourishment, stability, routine, and grounded presence. We explore Spleen Qi, overthinking, and the importance of receiving support. This episode offers grounding rituals, slow nourishment practices, and journalling prompts to help you feel centred and supported. Journal Prompts: • What truly nourishes me? • Where am I giving m...

In this episode, we dive into the Fire element - the Summer energy of joy, expression, play, and heart-led living. Discover the role of the Heart and Shen in emotional wellbeing, and learn simple practices to cultivate joy, deepen connection, and support emotional balance. Includes heart-opening rituals, breathwork, and reflective prompts. Journal prompts: • What brings me genuine joy? • Where am...

This week, we explore the Wood element in TCM - the force behind growth, creativity, vision, and Spring energy. Learn how Liver Qi, anger, and decision-making influence your direction in life. This episode includes movement practices, creativity rituals, boundary tools, and journalling prompts to help you clear stagnation and step into aligned growth. Journal prompts: • What is trying to grow thro...

In this episode, we explore the foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine and explore the Water element - the energy of rest, intuition, and deep replenishment. Learn how the Kidneys, fear, and the winter season shape your vitality, and receive simple Yin practices, rituals, and journalling prompts to support your nervous system and restore your inner reserves. Perfect for anyone wanting to unde...

This episode offers a grounded, human-centred exploration of shadow work. Marina breaks down what the shadow actually is - not flaws, insecurities, or “lower” traits, but the unconscious parts of us that were once deemed unsafe or unacceptable. Through a vivid story of meeting the shadow with compassion, we explore why force and self-judgment only deepen fragmentation, and how real integration beg...

In this episode, we explore the power of pausing before moving forward . Amid the constant rush of life, taking intentional moments to reflect can bring clarity, insight, and alignment. Marina guides you through the practice of slowing down, noticing what’s working in your life, and gently releasing what no longer serves you. Learn how to tap into your inner guidance , revise your vision, and prep...

As the year draws to a close, many of us feel the pull between outer busyness and inner longing - the desire to slow down, to feel held, to soften into presence. The holiday season can awaken tender parts of us: the inner child seeking belonging, the caretaker holding everything together, the woman remembering what it feels like to truly rest. In this episode, Marina explores the emotional landsca...

In this heartfelt episode, Marina explores what it truly means to feel safe being seen. From childhood memories of being laughed at for standing out, to the healing power of performance and embodied expression through contemporary dance, she shares a personal journey of reclaiming visibility as something sacred, not shameful. Together, we’ll look at how early experiences of being called “too much”...