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2025 has been a year of relentless waves — uncertainty, upheaval, and unexpected turns.

In this episode, co-hosts Belinda Liu and Omar Brownson are joined again by Dr. Paul Wang to explore how Daoist seasonal wisdom can guide us through noisy, volatile times.

Together, they reflect on the transition into the metal season in Chinese cosmology, represented by autumn — a time of discernment, boundaries, and filtering out noise so we can hear the deeper signal of what truly matters.

From the symbolism of sound and silence to the lessons of animals, oceans, and plants, the conversation reveals how remembrance, grace, and inner stillness help us navigate change.

The Gratitude Blooming card they draw — the Poppy (Remembrance) — invites us to pause, honor what we want to sustain, and release what no longer serves.

💡 Themes we explore:

• Navigating VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) with presence
• The yin and yang of sound and silence — cultivating inner quiet in a noisy world
• Lessons from snakes, crows, coyotes, and manta rays as wayfinding guides
• Remembrance as a path to wholeness — restoring what matters most
• Practices for resilience in the metal season: breathwork, skin-brushing, and choosing what to receive

✨ Whether you’re leading others, holding space, or simply seeking clarity in uncertain times, this conversation offers grounding practices and soulful reminders to help you stay connected to your own center.

Immerse yourself on the land in Hawaii with Belinda and Omar this October for their upcoming Gratitude Blooming retreat!

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Create an intentional practice with your own Gratitude Blooming card deck, notecards, candle and much much more at our shop at www.gratitudeblooming.com.

Learn more about our co-hosts and special guest for Season 4:

Co-host Belinda Liu | Hestia Retreat Centers

Co-host Omar Brownson | Trickster's Guide to Immortality on Substack

Special Guest Dr. Paul Wang | The Dao Center

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to leave us a 5-star rating and review. Your feedback is valuable to us and helps us grow.

Share your thoughts and comments by emailing us at hello@gratitudeblooming.com. We love hearing from our listeners!

Send us a text

How might letting go open space for something new (and even different) to grow in your life?

In this episode, co-hosts Belinda Liu and Omar Brownson, joined by season 4 guest, Dr. Paul Wang, explore how we move from the heat of transformation into grounded stillness — from fire to soil.

Through their personal stories from Hawai‘i, Los Angeles, and the Galápagos, they reflect on navigating rapid change, embracing uncertainty, and trusting the slow process of adaptation.

Dr. Paul shares Daoist wisdom on late summer’s elemental shift, reminding us that fire’s intensity naturally gives way to soil’s stability. Together, they draw the Gratitude Blooming card for Forgiveness, sparking conversation about shedding what no longer serves and letting go with grace, not force.

Whether you’re in a season of growth, shedding, or simply holding steady, this episode offers grounded insight for finding balance, even in turbulent times.

Meet us in person at our upcoming October Gratitude Blooming retreat at Belinda's newest retreat center on the Big Island of Hawaii — use promo code BIGTHANKS for 20% off.

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Create an intentional practice with your own Gratitude Blooming card deck, notecards, candle and much much more at our shop at www.gratitudeblooming.com.

Learn more about our co-hosts and special guest for Season 4:

Co-host Belinda Liu | Hestia Retreat Centers

Co-host Omar Brownson | Trickster's Guide to Immortality on Substack

Special Guest Dr. Paul Wang | The Dao Center

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to leave us a 5-star rating and review. Your feedback is valuable to us and helps us grow.

Share your thoughts and comments by emailing us at hello@gratitudeblooming.com. We love hearing from our listeners!

Send us a text

In this episode, hosts Omar and Belinda, joined by Dr. Paul Wang, explore the intense transition from spring to summer—a time of rapid blooming and expansive energy. Omar shares a profound moment of wayfinding amidst a board meeting, guided by nature’s messages of patience, kindness, and the unexpected wisdom of a slithering snake.

Dr. Paul offers insights from Daoist wisdom and Chinese medicine, emphasizing the power of aligning with the season’s fire energy while honoring the balancing yin. As they draw the 14th Gratitude Blooming card, the pasque flower symbolizing Destiny, the conversation turns to how we choose our path—or how sometimes, the path chooses us. They delve into the dance of shadow and light, personal triggers, and how aliveness guides us towards what matters most.

Join us for this heartfelt conversation on allowing the season’s full bloom to guide your inner journey—and perhaps reimagine destiny not as a final destination, but as an invitation to respond with more presence, grace, and curiosity.

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Create an intentional practice with your own Gratitude Blooming card deck, notecards, candle and much much more at our shop at www.gratitudeblooming.com.

Learn more about our co-hosts and special guest for Season 4:

Co-host Belinda Liu | Hestia Retreat Centers

Co-host Omar Brownson | Trickster's Guide to Immortality on Substack

Special Guest Dr. Paul Wang | The Dao Center

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to leave us a 5-star rating and review. Your feedback is valuable to us and helps us grow.

Share your thoughts and comments by emailing us at hello@gratitudeblooming.com. We love hearing from our listeners!