Episode 3: The Refusal of the Call

Welcome to the sHeroe’s Journey Podcast^©, a podcast for sHeroes and the people who love them. I’m Pamela Prather and for over twenty years, I have been empowering actors, executives, and curious humans with tools to unlock their voices and tell their stories.

Today’s episode is all the refusal of the call. I get to speak with Ekaterina Valeeva-Farrington about why she resisted the call to her journey and how she has combined her knowledge of linguistics with Tibetan contemplative practices for a rich curriculum for vocal and emotional health.

INTERVIEW NOTES

Segment 1: Ekatarina talks about her beginnings in Tibetan studies – Phowa “Dying in Consciousness” When you die, you are knowing and you can control the process.

Non buddhist parents did not approve, they were scared of what was going to happen!
Made her pause for 12 years, went to St. Petersburg University – Was overcome by doubt and insecurity, manifested as physical illness
She realized after awhile that she was a “highly sensitive person” – “If i don’t change my life now, I could die this week, anything could happen to me”
And then there was a reconnection with Tibetan studies and Tibetan medicine
But she only wanted to be a patient, not to learn the language or medicine
Her doctor changed her mind and made her an ardent student of Tibetan medicine
Stephane Mallarme “”much of Mallarmé’s work influenced the conception of hypertext, with his purposeful use of blank space and careful placement of words on the page, allowing multiple non-linear readings of the text.”
His last work, “The Book” was never finished, more of a concept. Blank pages, you discover the truth through your one self. – He never finished, but it affected her because she realized you cannot find absolute truth through relative things like languages.

Segment 2: Ekaterina discusses her career in academia and Tibetan medicine.

Bumped into the right person at the right moment, who reintroduced her to the teaching.
Became a translator at the academy for years
Met her husband when she was about to start her Tibetan medicine career and they moved to London…another pause
She had to start over again and started something new. Started teaching accents, first in a college setting, then onto actors and actresses to be more believable in film/TV.
Next step was moving on to the voice
Then onto the school and teachings of Yantra yoga
Anyone who is interested can find classes and teachings online

LINKS AND INFORMATION

Ekatarina’s Contact Information:

betweenheadandheart.co.uk

ekaterina@betweenheadandheart.co.uk

Links and additional information:

Phowa “Dying in Conciousness”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phowa

Dr Elaine Aron “The Highly Sensitive Person” : https://hsperson.com/

Tibetan Buddhism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_Buddhism

Tibetan Medicine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_Tibetan_medicine

VASTA – voice and speech: www.vasta.org

Stephan Mellanarme: The Book: https://hyperallergic.com/544591/the-book-by-stephane-mallarme/

Yantra Yoga – The Tibetan yoga of movement: http://www.yantrayoga.net/about