170: Great Awakening Show with Joanne-Divine Life Yogini - Episode 170170: Great Awakening Show with Joanne-Divine Life Yogini - Episode 170
UK Health Radio Podcast
Joanne Lee speaks with mindfulness coach and author Marijke McCandless about presence, self-acceptance and her book *Naked in the Now*. Their conversation centres on practical ways to quiet the mind, embrace vulnerability and build a more intimate relationship with each present moment.
45:44•16 Aug 2026
Naked in the Now: Presence, Playfulness and the Courage to Be Real
Episode Overview
- Question long-held beliefs and cultural conditioning to see where they may be increasing suffering rather than reducing it.
- Cultivate presence by returning to your senses; simple acts like washing dishes can become grounding practices when you’re fully there.
- Treat the busy "monkey mind" like a playful puppy—observe it kindly, count thoughts, and gently bring attention back to the present.
- Embrace vulnerability and emotional pain instead of pushing it away; meeting it with awareness allows it to soften and heal.
- Short, regular practices of stillness and curiosity can reveal a deeper, steady sense of being beneath chaos and feelings of inadequacy.
“"This moment is everything."”
What insights can experts and survivors share about addiction? Here, the focus widens to something everyone in recovery and self-healing can relate to: presence, self-acceptance and the courage to sit with discomfort.
Host Joanne Lee chats with writer and mindfulness coach Marijke McCandless, whose book *Naked in the Now* uses playfulness and simple practices to help people "shed their inhibitions and skinny dip into the present moment." Marijke shares how her own crisis and years of silent retreat pushed her to question deeply held conditioning, move beyond ego, and see where her beliefs were actually causing suffering rather than easing it.
You’ll hear a powerful story about her granddaughter’s traumatic birth and how all her years of practice came down to one choice: stay with the raw, painful immediacy of the moment or mentally escape it. "This moment is everything," she says, describing how peace was only available when she stayed fully present with what was happening, not with what she wished would happen.
The conversation ranges from mindful dishwashing to meditation, from monkey mind to what Marijke calls an "inner striptease"—gently peeling away layers of fear, ego and old stories to reach authentic self. She explains how short, ten-minute practices can help even the busiest person return to their senses, question thoughts like "I am inadequate", and taste that subtle, steady ease beneath the chaos.
Joanne brings in themes of the divine feminine, shadow work and the idea that "the wound is where the light enters," linking presence to deep self-love and spiritual growth. Together they show how embracing vulnerability, rather than suppressing it, can feel like being lovingly "seduced by a lover"—fully here, curious, and alive.
If you’ve ever wondered whether you can actually learn to be with yourself without numbing or running, this conversation might be the gentle nudge you need to sit, breathe, and ask: what if this very moment is enough?
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