Play-Powered Living: What It Looks Like and How to Get There w/ Rabbi Jessica K. Marshall
Release Date: 04/15/2025
Be. Play. Love.
Most people don’t think of themselves as creative. We say, “I’m not artistic,” or “I can’t perform,” and leave it at that. But the truth is, creativity isn’t reserved for the select few. It lives in everyone. It’s baked into how we think, feel, dream, and respond to the world. The problem is that most of us were taught to shut it down. We were told to color inside the lines, follow the rules, and keep things appropriate. Over time, we stopped expressing the weird, wonderful parts of ourselves and started believing that creativity belonged only to the professionals. But...
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In a world that worships productivity, we’ve traded our inner spark for efficiency and completely lost the creativity that’s vital to flow. For many of us, this disconnection with our creativity goes back to childhood. This is where we were taught not to be weird. Where we were trained to do things in one specific way, and forced to correct ourselves when we didn’t. For years, we’ve heard negative things that have shaped how we feel about our creativity, so no wonder we’ve suppressed it. But without play, coloring outside the lines, and trusting the parts of ourselves that don’t...
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You’re standing in front of a mess…clothes, memories, identities…scattered on the floor. A rod gives out, a shelf falls, or maybe your inner structure does. It looks like chaos, but it might just be intuition telling you: it’s time to release the weight, it’s time to let go. Whether it’s a closet full of old identities, a childhood belief you’ve outgrown, or a lingering fear that you’re still “too much,” life finds ways to show us what no longer fits. But what if that collapse isn’t a failure but an invitation to release, integrate, and reclaim ourselves? It’s a shift...
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Creativity isn’t just a skill, it’s a lifeline in a play-deprived society. When young people feel unseen, unheard, and unwelcome, they shut down. Their development gets interrupted. Their story gets cut short. But give them the joy of movement, and a place to express their creativity, and something transformational happens. They come alive. Not because someone told them what to say or how to be, but because someone finally asked: Who are you? And what’s inside you, waiting to be expressed? In this episode, we explore what happens when we stop trying to “fix” kids and instead create...
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The power-over / power-under / power-with dynamic isn’t just something we have with other people, it often resides inside us. When we override our emotions, suppress our sensations, and try to outmaneuver our discomfort, we manifest that dynamic. We see it when we push past our sadness, armor over vulnerability, or try to exert power in ways that are loud and forceful instead of connected and quiet. Maybe it’s thinking we need to toughen up and act like a badass in reaction to our sadness. That’s what we think being powerful looks like. But what if the...
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Here’s an uncomfortable or even painful experience many people are having right now. Losing a friendship over differing political views or fundamental values. It hurts…but what if it’s also a window into something deeper? In today’s cultural climate, the divide between people often goes far beyond a simple disagreement or differing opinions. It can reveal a far deeper truth: when values clash, friendships can break. But what does that rupture reveal about how we relate, how we build trust, and how we stay open in moments that hurt? Most of us are taught to manage difficult emotions by...
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Sometimes, the danger isn’t real, but our bodies still act like it is. You’re stuck in traffic, someone you love is upset, or a friend doesn’t text back, and suddenly, you’re spiraling. Your heart races, your thoughts scramble, and before you know it, you’re either fixing, fleeing, or shutting down. What’s happening? In a world that constantly pushes us to stay in control, we forget how to stay connected, to ourselves, to others, and to the moment. But our bodies remember. They hold wisdom, intuition, and the capacity to guide us, if we’re willing to...
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There are many ways we try to heal. Therapy, meditation, breathwork, movement, and mindset work - just to name a few. These paths are powerful, transformative, and often life-changing. But sometimes, despite all the tools and effort, there are places within us that remain untouched, places our intellect can’t quite reach. We’re exploring one such threshold, where healing stops being something we do and becomes something that happens to us at a cellular level. Where transformation drops from the head into the body through the quiet, mystical intelligence of mushrooms. Journeying...
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We all do it. When there’s silence, ambiguity, or the absence of clear feedback, we fill in the blanks with stories. But here’s the problem: our minds don’t reach for generous interpretations. They default to criticism, fear, and doubt. Whether it’s giving a talk, navigating a friendship, or reflecting on ourselves, we often assume the worst, even when reality is far more kind. Evolutionary survival instincts, societal conditioning, and inner critics keep us stuck in fear-based thinking. What if there was a powerful alternative (spoiler alert, there is!) - reconnecting to the...
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In our world, productivity and creativity occupy two different buckets. The former is functional, necessary, and purposeful. The latter is frivolous, chaotic, and irresponsible. It should be put on the back burner so that we can focus on “more important things.” As a result, creative expression ends up as an afterthought, something we can only do after the real work is done. The problem is: so many of us end up feeling disconnected from our creativity, cut off from a vital resource for resonance. What if instead of putting off creativity for later, we could integrate it into...
info_outlineAn aligned life filled with presence, playfulness, freedom and growth expresses itself in many ways. It shows up in our choices (and how we make them), our relationships, our words and how we live.
In short, it’s highlighted in our ability to Be, Play, and Love.
Most people miss the fact that the process of finding one's own alignment is an inner game. It has little to do with what’s happening outside of us, and rarely stems from finding the right routine, ritual, or life hack.
It’s continuously dropping into our heart space, feeling into what’s right, releasing fear, and expanding our capacity for good things. This sounds like a lot of serious work, but it doesn’t have to be! There’s nothing better than when we can weave together deep wisdom and playfulness. That’s where life gets delicious!
How do we find what flow and alignment mean to us? What gets in the way of it?
In this episode, we’re doing something different. Spiritual coach Rabbi Jessica K. Marshall joins us today to ask us some questions! We share what’s most meaningful and joyful to us and how we express it in our lives.
Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
-Weave deep wisdom into play
Is there a way to grow in our purpose without losing our playfulness? How do we find that balance?
-Be willing for things to be easy
Our society is attached to the idea of struggling if something is right. The truth is, when we’re on the right path, there’s less friction. How do we identify when we’re out of alignment and pushing harder than life wants us to?
-From control to curiosity
In most relationships, the intention is to be right and in control. How do we let go of those old patterns and get to the part where we can explore, grow, connect, and play together?
Guest Bio
Rabbi Jessica K. Marshall’s soul is nourished by loving connection to others and the natural world. She serves by creating a sacred space to honor moments of joy, tenderness, and overflowing possibility. For the last 20 years, in environments as diverse as colleges, congregations, and secular settings, Rabbi Jessica K. Marshall has nurtured each person’s inner and communal connection so their path lights up with ease, abundance, and JOY! Fusing personal growth and inclusive spiritual paths beyond Judaism, she draws on nature-based ritual, energy practices, and a healthy dose of playfulness and humor. Jessica is a devoted galvanizer of sacred community, which she uses to reveal the depth of meaning that awaits us when we bring our full selves to communal experiences. She offers weddings, a virtual spiritual community, and one-on-one support to bless the love and spirit present in each chapter of life's journey. Find out more at rabbijessicamarshall.com.
About Your Hosts
Katie Hendricks, Ph.D., BC-DMT, is a pioneer in body intelligence and conscious loving with over 40 years of experience. Known internationally as a presenter and seminar leader, she focuses on authenticity, responsibility, and appreciation in conscious living. She co-authored 12 books, including best-sellers Conscious Loving and Conscious Loving Ever After and she has appeared on over 500 radio and TV programs.
Sophie Chiche is a seasoned coach and consultant who has worked with thousands of individuals and teams globally. With a focus on helping people live fully expressed lives, she guides clients and facilitates group sessions to remove obstacles and design meaningful lives. Sophie has developed unique methods, mindset shifts, and healing modalities to create lasting change.
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