Enter the Mystic's Garden

Ellen M.Laura
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Religion & Spirituality
  • Updated Daily

Welcome to The Mystic’s Garden, where Power and Beauty are Reclaimed. This is for those who have known moments—or even seasons—of deep inner peace, subtle joy, wonder, and mental clarity, and who now find such experiences more rare, fragile, or harder to access. Together, we explore what nourishes vitality and joy, what diminishes them, and what it takes to return to what is sacred. New episodes on the new moon and full moon — short, soulful, and made for headphones. ellenmlaura.substack.com

  1. 6h ago

    What is Alive in the Waiting

    What if the waiting isn’t empty? What if something in you is still becoming ready to recognize what you’ve been asking for? The New Moon is traditionally associated with beginnings. But what if you don’t feel ready to begin? Sometimes one current urges us to move, decide, and do something now, while another part is still listening, gathering itself, and waiting for clarity. In this episode of Enter the Mystic’s Garden, I explore that delicate balance between effort and grace—and the ways the body may reveal when we’ve tipped into forcing, exhaustion, or passivity. For me, effort prepares the vessel to carry grace. We show up. We do the practice. We tend the body and heart. We keep the inner door open. But we cannot command the Beloved to walk through it. In this episode, I also share a little of my own story through my dear friend Paul Hugel and a loving-kindness ceremony we shared in Maui seventeen years ago. The form of a relationship can change while something sacred within it remains recognizable. Below, I’ve included a short archival clip from that Loving Kindness Ceremony. And Bella, naturally, contributes her own teaching on waiting: longing should be expressed loudly at four in the morning, and breakfast should never be delayed for metaphysics. I close with “Caravan of Light,” a song about continuing on the road even when we cannot yet see where it leads. For this New Moon, I’m not asking you to make another list of intentions. I’m asking something quieter: What is still alive in you while you wait? Created and read by Ellen M. Laura. Audio produced and edited with AI assistance from Minou (ChatGPT). Opening Music by Ani Williams, “Mag-Ma-of the Deeps,” from the album Return of the Silent Ones, used with permission. Get full access to Velvet Realms with Ellen M. Laura at ellenmlaura.substack.com/subscribe

  2. Sep 25

    At the Threshold of Devotion

    What happens when we become so practiced at protecting ourselves that we leave the sacred standing at the threshold? In this Full Moon episode of Enter the Mystic’s Garden, I explore the ancient mystical relationship between the Lover and the Beloved—and the tension between devotion and discernment in a culture with good reasons to question spiritual authority. I share memories of listening to Ram Dass on Maui and noticing how easily people received his teachings about love, compassion, aging, and presence—yet something seemed to contract when he spoke about his devotion to his guru. I witnessed something similar around the Tibetan Buddhist teacher Kalu Rinpoche. But this episode is not only for those who have entered into a relationship with a Beloved Teacher. Perhaps you never have. Perhaps your deepest longing has appeared through prayer, music, creativity, nature, an animal you love, the search for consciousness, or an ache you have never quite been able to name. Under this Full Moon, I’m asking whether we can remain open without becoming naive, receptive without surrendering our authority, and discerning without allowing wisdom to harden into armor. Perhaps maturity is not choosing between devotion and discernment. Perhaps it is learning how to hold both. And stay with me through the end. I close this episode with “The Call of the Beloved,” a song born from this same exploration of longing, surrender, and recognition. Come to the threshold. You can decide for yourself whether to enter the garden. Created and read by Ellen M. Laura. Produced and edited by Darrell K. Whaley. Opening Music by Ani Williams, “Mag-Ma-of the Deeps,” from the album Return of the Silent Ones, used with permission. Get full access to Velvet Realms with Ellen M. Laura at ellenmlaura.substack.com/subscribe

  3. Sep 17

    The Call of the Beloved

    Today I found myself reflecting on the old ache of longing I recall from decades ago. Not everyone feels it, but for those who do, it consumes you. Totally. Without a pause to catch your breath or recover. This song grew from that memory, and I invite you to pause from the noise of your day and listen. The Hunger Underneath the Hunger is about the longing beneath all longing—the ache that doesn't mean we are empty, but may be the Beloved's very movement calling us home. Inspired by Rumi's mystical tradition, this song follows the seeker through longing, surrender, and recognition until the distance between the one who searches and the One being sought begins to disappear. What if the longing itself is already an answer? What if every step toward the Beloved is the Beloved calling us by name? Long for Me, and I will meet youIn the chamber past all sound,Where the seeker and the sought oneLose the borders they had found.There is no distance left between us,No beginning, no departure.Your longing was My longing too—Your heart awakening My heart. Created with Suno AI from original lyrics by Ellen M. Laura. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. Get full access to Velvet Realms with Ellen M. Laura at ellenmlaura.substack.com/subscribe

    The Call of the Beloved

  4. Sep 10

    Return to the Primordial Light

    In this New Moon episode of Enter The Mystic’s Garden, we explore a difficult and timely question: what happens when a spiritual container remains, but the living current that once moved through it begins to weaken? From the neon seduction of Las Vegas to the ancient silence of the Mojave, this episode reflects on false nectar, honest poison, spiritual hunger, and the deeper meaning of discernment. We’ll look at why people become vulnerable to false teachings, why even something destructive can seem preferable to counterfeit hope, and how to recognize what truly carries life. This episode invites you to listen beneath the noise, beneath the performance, and beneath inherited belief. Bring your discernment. Listen deeply. And ask yourself: Where do I still experience the living current? At the closing, I share an excerpt from a rare recording by James, the shaman who became one of my teachers. More than thirty years ago, he spoke of healing as a frequency the body remembers and of the cell as carrying an extraordinary capacity to return toward health. Today, as longevity science explores cellular repair, epigenetic memory, and the biology of aging, his words sound surprisingly current: What does the body remember? And is there an underlying pattern of vitality that the organism continually tries to restore? I’m inviting you to listen—and notice what happens in your own body. Created and read by Ellen M. Laura. Produced and edited by Darrell K. Whaley. Opening Music by Ani Williams, “Mag-Ma-of the Deeps,” from the album Return of the Silent Ones, used with permission. If you’d like to listen to the full recording, I’m sharing it here: The Seven Gland System. To receive new podcasts and support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. Get full access to Velvet Realms with Ellen M. Laura at ellenmlaura.substack.com/subscribe

  5. Aug 27

    The Sacred Sound Beneath the Voice

    As we meet beneath this Full Moon and lunar eclipse, familiar light moves for a time into shadow. It feels like an especially potent moment to listen beneath the familiar—to the voices we’ve carried, the truths that have changed, and the deeper sound that may still be moving through us. In this episode of Enter the Mystic’s Garden, The Sacred Sound Beneath the Voice, we explore the mystery of what happens when breath becomes sound. We travel from the ordinary to the mystical: how words shape the atmosphere around us, why certain voices and chants seem to carry an unmistakable presence, what remains after teachers and spiritual traditions change, and how breath itself can become a doorway into initiation and transformation. I share experiences from more than fifty years on the Mystic’s Path—from listening inwardly for the Sound Current, to witnessing the unusual power of a shaman’s voice, to a very ordinary birthday moment that reminded me that truth can be spoken clearly without becoming cruel. And then we move beyond talking about it. I’ll guide you into the Inner Temple, where you can listen for the voice beneath the acquired voices and allow breath itself to become sound. At the close, my dear friend Ani Williams, whose life’s work has explored sacred sound, voice, and healing, carries us the rest of the way with her music. Listen if you’re drawn to sacred sound, the mystery of the human voice, spiritual initiation, or the possibility that your own breath may carry more than you realize. Created and read by Ellen M. Laura. Produced and edited by Darrell K. Whaley. Music by Ani Williams, “Mag-Ma-of the Deeps,” from the album Return of the Silent Ones, used with permission. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. Get full access to Velvet Realms with Ellen M. Laura at ellenmlaura.substack.com/subscribe

  6. Aug 11

    One Hand Touching Eternity

    Some endings really are endings. Others leave a seed behind. As this New Moon and solar eclipse arrive, I’ve been reflecting on what is ready to be released—and what still carries enough life to be nurtured. That question has become personal as Blossom Joyfully, a book born from the collapse of Amazon Vella, begins to find a new home. In this episode, I explore what happens after a taste of what I call the Nectar of the Divine—when the ordinary world is still waiting for you. My friend Brian Kimmel, an ordained meditation teacher in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, joins us again. As he chants the Loving Kindness mantra, allow the transmission to move through your body, mind, and spirit. And, naturally, Bella makes an appearance. Because perhaps this is the real practice: One hand touching eternity.The other washing the cup. The energy of an eclipse can be felt in the days before and after, so you may find yourself returning to this episode as its message continues to deepen for you. Listen for what is still alive. You can discover more about Brian Kimmel, his music, and his teachings on his website. Created and read by Ellen M. Laura. Produced and edited by Darrell K. Whaley. Opening Music by Ani Williams, “Mag-Ma-of the Deeps,” from the album Return of the Silent Ones, used by permission. “Washing the Cup” carries the heart of this episode into music—a gentle invitation to release what is too heavy to carry and nurture what is new and alive. Listen on YouTube. This is a reader-supported project. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Velvet Realms with Ellen M. Laura at ellenmlaura.substack.com/subscribe

  7. Jul 28

    What the Lotus Reveals about Rising Toward the Light

    Some seasons of life don’t look or feel like transformation. They feel like mud—grief, betrayal, exhaustion, or the relentless responsibility of holding everything together while some quiet part of you is still trying to breathe. We don’t always recognize our strength while it’s carrying us through the mud. You may believe you’re barely surviving when, in truth, something fierce and beautiful within you is already reaching toward the light. Or perhaps you’re shining brightly now—and ready to extend a hand to someone who is still finding their way upward. In this Full Moon episode of Enter the Mystic’s Garden, my dear friend Laura Zollar joins me to explore what the lotus reveals about rising: how we move through pain without allowing it to define us, how creativity can transform what we carry, and why loving ourselves harder doesn’t mean hardening our hearts. Laura is a gifted artist, energy healer, psychic, and tarot reader whose life has required her to embody the very wisdom expressed in her white lotus painting. She speaks candidly about grief, caregiving, psychic experiences, and the moment she finally looked back at everything she had carried and realized: I had to be superhuman. She also offers a special Full Moon tarot reading, tuned to those listening, revealing the themes that may be surfacing in your life now. Whether or not you’re familiar with tarot, her guidance may illuminate what you’re moving through—and help you meet it with greater clarity, discernment, and grace. You can follow Laura on her YouTube channel, Laura Zollar Tarot, or on her website: LauraZollar.com Created and read by Ellen M. Laura. Produced and edited by Darrell K. Whaley. Opening Music by Ani Williams, “Mag-Ma-of the Deeps,” from the album Return of the Silent Ones, used by permission. Thanks so much for listening and supporting this creative journey. Please share this freely. Get full access to Velvet Realms with Ellen M. Laura at ellenmlaura.substack.com/subscribe

  8. Jul 13

    The Prayer Beneath the Prayer

    What in your life feels as if it might be slipping away? A home. A career. A relationship. Your health and vitality? A sense that the world still holds beauty, sanity, tenderness, and magic. Sometimes the prayer beneath all our practical prayers is the one we barely dare to say: Please don’t let the good things disappear. In this episode of Enter the Mystic’s Garden, I explore the hidden longing beneath our desires, the discernment needed to know what truly nourishes us, and the difference between what merely excites us and what blesses us. SnowLion, a real white cat from my past, and Alaya, a real swan, return in symbolic form: the innocent seeker and the soul’s quiet wisdom. At the end, I share the song that grew from their moonlit conversation. You’re invited to hold the flame, hold the feather, hold the song we almost hear, and keep the blessings near. For those who feel drawn to SnowLion and Alaya, there’s more to the story. StarBorn Cats: A Shaman and a Swan offers another glimpse into my life with the small feline, the swan, and the strange, beautiful ways spirit weaves its threads. Created and read by Ellen M. Laura. Produced and edited by Darrell K. Whaley. Opening Music by Ani Williams, “Mag-Ma-of the Deeps,” from the album Return of the Silent Ones, used by permission. Thanks for listening and supporting my creative journey. Please share this freely. Get full access to Velvet Realms with Ellen M. Laura at ellenmlaura.substack.com/subscribe

See All (15)

About

Welcome to The Mystic’s Garden, where Power and Beauty are Reclaimed. This is for those who have known moments—or even seasons—of deep inner peace, subtle joy, wonder, and mental clarity, and who now find such experiences more rare, fragile, or harder to access. Together, we explore what nourishes vitality and joy, what diminishes them, and what it takes to return to what is sacred. New episodes on the new moon and full moon — short, soulful, and made for headphones. ellenmlaura.substack.com

Information