I Had a Wonderful Life. I Just Didn't Know How to Enjoy It | Rocío & Angel Aquino

What if two minutes of breath could change the story you're living? We sit down with Rocío Aquino & Ángel Orengo to trace a path from chaos to center, through failure, forgiveness, and the everyday practices that make self-love practical. Their novel, The Orchid: The Secret Code of Modern Goddesses, isn't just a beautiful narrative; it's a field guide woven into story, where five women mirror our realities survival, perfectionism, hidden truth, anger, and longing and offer tools to move from pain to possibility.

We unpack why Orchid became their symbol: resilient, diverse, unmistakably feminine yet rooted in a surprising masculine etymology, embodying the balance our culture craves. Rocío speaks to trauma, nervous system safety, and the long road from external approval to inner harmony. Angel shares the ego's impulse to interrupt, the discipline of awareness, and the power of choosing where attention goes in a noisy world. Together they model respectful communication, mindful pauses, and a love that holds space for growth without codependency.

Expect practical takeaways: an accessible forgiveness framework, a two-minute mindful reset that actually works, mirror work to rebuild worth, and gratitude practices that shift focus from lack to sufficiency. We also explore how to navigate hard headlines without bypassing pain redirecting energy toward peace and intention while honoring reality.

The heartbeat is simple and brave: when you love yourself deeply and completely, you stop living at the mercy of externals and become the force in your own life. If this conversation sparked a tear, a laugh, or an aha, share it with someone who needs it.

Connect with Rocío Aquino & Ángel Orengo
https://www.theorchidbook.com/

Chapters

• 0:00 Presence Over Lack
• 1:06 Meet Rocio And Angel
• 4:22 Hitting Bottom And Choosing Life
• 9:02 Careers, Failure, And Forgiveness
• 14:20 A Turn Toward Spiritual Psychology
• 18:44 Family Shifts And Living In Bliss
• 22:18 Culture, Courage, And Collective Renewal
• 24:04 Guided Mindful Moment
• 29:10 Why Orchid Became The Symbol
• 34:00 The Spa-School And Five Women
• 38:14 Communication, Ego, And Awareness
• 44:00 Self-Love As Relationship Freedom
• 49:10 Choice Over Meaning And Healing
• 54:40 Navigating Hard Realities With Focus
• 1:01:20 From Victimhood To Possibility

Transcript

LiftOneSelf - NatNat Be: 0:00

Welcome to the Lift One Self Podcast. I'm your host, Nat Nat. And today I know that we are going to have a delightful conversation because before we started recording, we were going deep into, you know, the work that I do and the work that they do and just what it is to be present with what's with you right now and to have gratitude for the things that you do have and not be so caught up into the lack because the world is always enticing us to throw the message that we're not good enough, that we are lacking things, and that we have to achieve and strive to get to this place of gratitude, of feeling good about ourselves, of appreciating what we have. So we uh Rocio, did I say that correctly? Yes, Rocio and Angel, or is it Angel?

Ángel Orengo: 0:51

It's both. Angel, it's perfect. Yeah. Okay.

LiftOneSelf - NatNat Be: 0:54

So Rocio and Angel, if you could please introduce yourselves to myself and the listeners to let us know a little bit about yourself before we go into this nice deep dive.

Rocio Aquino: 1:06

I would love to begin. Hello, my name is Rocio Aquino. I'm from Mexico City. I was born there. Then I have the pre very difficult life at the beginning of my life with a lot of challenge. But you know, I was almost to give up. At one point, I tried to end my life because I didn't know what is gonna come when I was 20. And from there I was really one step ahead, one step at a time to go and try to live. And that made me a person very curious. And thanks to the curiosity, I became and I have a wonderful life. And even though that I have a wonderful life living in Mexico, Miami, Hong Kong for six years, London for five years, I didn't enjoy that life. So I was continued to searching for okay, how do you forgive? What how you really can go deep. So thanks to that, to that curiosity, after going around the world and visit a lot of places, I discover myself in the most beautiful and pure way. So who I am today, I'm a happy person. Very, very, very happy. I understand difficulty, but I don't want to stay there. It's like uh I choosing to move in another direction. So that's today who I am, and you.

Ángel Orengo: 3:04

And uh I'm from Puerto Rico, born and raised, have lived in many places as well. I think Rusia at one time counted that she had lived and moved in probably more than 30-something homes throughout her life. I've done 20-something. So there's some uh something that brought us together, I think. Um I uh moved around from New York to LA to Miami to Mexico, where we met and pursued a career in entertainment, tried many things, wanted to be a physician at some point early in my um educational career, but something led me in a different direction. And so we entered entertainment. I used I've sold content throughout the world, working for a Hollywood studio, uh, led Latin America, led Asia Pacific, and later led also Europe, Middle East, and Africa. So that coincides with the places where Rocio mentioned before. And I didn't know that next to me, the woman that I was living with was not happy. I just thought that the world was like I always saw it, that you know, I always saw the glass half full. And I I never understood that other people have different experiences. I mean, you kind of know, but it's sometimes difficult to put yourself in their shoes until we started going down the path and we invested all of our savings on a project that failed. I was able to take radical responsibility for that decision and let it go. But Roccio couldn't. Um, it was deeper for her, it was a family member as well for her. So it just led her down a path of, and how do you forgive? And all I could say was, let it go, because that's how my system worked. And she goes, No, it's it's that's not working for me. I need the one, two, three or the ABC of forgiveness. And that led us to a conversation in which she says, I'm going to take a course in spiritual psychology. I'm going to dedicate some time to figuring this out. Would you join me? And I it was coinciding with my exit from a very successful corporate career. And I it the wisdom in me, although I didn't understand it at the time, said, a door is closing, but another one is opening. Go ahead and walk through it. And so we began what became this beautiful dance. After 23 years of being married, we became, we really started, even though we have danced together in the most beautiful ways, always with challenges, ups and downs. But we started a dance that we couldn't put, and you said it earlier before we started the podcast. We couldn't put words to it, but we had each other to validate it. And we would come out of our lessons. We always took lessons individually in our rooms. Um it was always online. And I would say to her, Are you feeling the way I'm feeling? And she said, Yes. And we just started to talk about it. And because we could, it just became bigger in our lives. And then our children, even though they weren't taking the classes or the books, started to change as well. And we started to notice that our world became, it just turned upside down. And we were living in bliss. And when that happened, and as we started to truly experience it from within, from the gut, that's when one day Rosia turns and says, How do we share this with the world? And can we do a television show to do that? And that has not become a TV show, but led to the book yet. That led to the book, and um, we published our book in February of 24. So that's a little bit of us.

LiftOneSelf - NatNat Be: 6:56

I love it. Um, what has been popping in my head is that I want to ask you did you go see the Bad Bunny concert in Puerto Rico?

Ángel Orengo: 7:06

No, we haven't. The the Rocillo and our daughters went to see it here in Los Angeles.

LiftOneSelf - NatNat Be: 7:14

Hey, I but it's different now. Yeah, like to be in Puerto Rico and what he was standing for, I really appreciate the courage it took because being in the industry to decide like I'm doing this in my home country, I'm not listening to the whole big machine and everything else, and going there and just really feeling the empowerment of the culture and standing by it because, you know, what we hear, you know, I'm just going by what I hear in media and stuff like that. Puerto Rico isn't regarded as part of the United States and always pushed aside. And it's like, wait a minute, like we have it, it's okay, you know, right now, the way the United States is going, it's like we could be our own country. It's all right. But it's really appreciating the culture and really helping the economy, having all those people come there and really boost the economy and support the locals. I think that was a tremendous stance that he did as an artist, as a person and as a human being, of really seeing what are the needs and really using his artistry for that. I got really sidetracked, but I heard Puerto Rico, and I think that's one of those, you know, things of 2025 that's really gonna stand out. That one artist, you know, we always ask for an artist to show up in a certain way, and he showed up tremendously for, you know, Puerto Rico and the people, and then now branching it out and you know, going to the Super Bowl and everything else, which will bring even more dialogue and conversations and everything else. So I'm looking forward to all of that. But it's very empowering that that energy of, you know, I feel like what he has brought to is renewal of what humanity is and and how we can connect in the collective and really support what cultures are and traditions and not be so stuck on what mainstream says is the perfect place. It's like no, appreciate where you're from and the diversity and the cultures and everything else. So before we go into a deep dive, would you join me in a mindful moment so we can ground ourselves and open our heart?

Ángel Orengo: 9:32

Please. Fantastic.

LiftOneSelf - NatNat Be: 9:34

Okay, so before we begin, for the listeners, many of you listen to this while driving or needing your visual. Safety first, please don't close your eyes. Yet the other prompts you're able to do with me. So I'll ask you to get comfortable in your seating. And if it's safe to do so, you're gonna gently close your eyes or soften your gaze. And you're gonna bring your awareness to watching your breath go in and out. And if it's comfortable to do so, breathe only out and in through your nose. Just bring in that awareness, watching the rhythm, not trying to control your breath, just being aware of it, allowing it to guide you into your body. There may be some sensations or feelings coming up, and that's okay. Let them come up. You're safe to feel, you're safe to let go. Surrender the need to control, release the need to resist and just be with your breath, drop deeper into your body. Now there may be some thoughts or to-do lists that have popped up in your mind, and that's okay. Gently bring your awareness back to your breath, creating space between the awareness and the thoughts, and dropping deeper into the body. Allowing yourself to just be again more thoughts may have popped up. Begin again, bringing your awareness back to your breath, creating even more space between the awareness and the thoughts, and completely dropping into the body, into the breath, into now. Just always bringing that awareness back to your breath. Now taking a nice deep breath in through your nose, and when you exhale, let it out through your mouth. Taking another big deep inhale through your nose. And when you exhale out of your mouth, let it all go. Now at your own time and at your own pace, you're gonna gently open your eyes while staying with your breath. How's your heart doing?

Ángel Orengo: 12:35

Wonderful.

Rocio Aquino: 12:39

Full of joy.

Ángel Orengo: 12:44

That is my happy place. That peace that you find when you go to that place is my happy place.

LiftOneSelf - NatNat Be: 12:54

Yeah. I was uh when I introduced this into my podcast over a year ago, I was a little hesitant because silence and meditation isn't the norm of what we say. We we tell people to meditate, yet I was like, why don't I invite it in so that we start to model what it is, what it looks like, and how it feels, and give that permission to somebody to take those two minutes. And, you know, two minutes does a profound effect on people that they can recalibrate and you know, have clarity of seeing where they're stuck in their head and to come back into presence and take responsibility of their biology and start to make friends of it with it. Because when a nervous system is activated, it's very difficult, as you mentioned, Rusia, um, the dysregulation, the fear, the victim mentality, because that has been home. Chaos has been home. To venture out into the openness, into an open heart, that feels like very threatening. Yet the more that you do it, the more you see how profound it is. I am looking behind you and I see orchids and I see the book orchids. I want to ask first why the title Orchid? Where did that come from?

Ángel Orengo: 14:20

When we were when we were looking to just one second, just one second.

Rocio Aquino: 14:26

You know what came to me, Natna? That finally what I found after being in that difficult environment of the city, the noise, the family, the society, and finally what I found was harmony and how we can find that in us. That's the most amazing experience that today I share share it with so much careful because finally when you find that is nothing, nothing, nothing, you don't give it to anything else. And it's like a because you are very clear of every move, every word, every thought to really have an experience of freedom, of past, peace. So thank you so much. I really love I was not a person that used to meditate, and today my meditation is like for two hours, only to really understand better myself. And because I do that, my reaction to the world and everything that I've been living is another experience. So for your listeners is is very important, and what you just did, this meditation is incredible. Incredible in general. So thank you so much to give us always this opportunity to experience. So now, where is about the orchid and the secret coat of modern goddesses?

Ángel Orengo: 16:36

Look, when when we were working on the project, uh a lot of the of the orders, we call it orders because we feel that we're serving something much greater than us. What the orders arrive through Rocio most of the time. And at some point, Rocio turns around and says, Hey, you know that project that we think we're gonna work on? Yes, it's about women. And I stood there for 30 seconds and it was like, Oh, of course it is, because I had to just look at my life and everything behind me that had supported me to where I am today, and a lot of female faces came through, a lot of female energy as well within me. So when we were looking for a name for this project and we searched everything, at first the book was going to be called The Garden because it was kind of the going back to that sacred place that we've been told the story about and so on. And but what kept popping up was orchids and orchids and the orchid. And so we at some point embraced it and embraced it for a couple of reasons. Number one, one that we knew, and two that we learned much later after the book was published. But the first one was we were looking for a symbol that represented all of these amazing women that we were talking about in the book. And orchids are each one of them is more beautiful than the other. And then if you go in circle, it just keeps getting like that because they are so unique. And they're also emblematic of the female genitalia. And there's so much of it that it's just resilience. They grow in the weirdest and craziest and most difficult of places. And so it became a symbol of who, of how we wanted to portray the book. Later, we found out, and even though we did research at the time, it never showed up, that the word orchid comes from orchids in Greek, and it means testicles, because some orchids have roots that look like testicles. So, unbeknownst to us, we chose a symbol that was very feminine and very masculine at the same time. And so we embraced it. And my gosh, we could have today, looking back two years after writing and publishing the book, we couldn't think of a better title and symbol to represent it. And not only the book, but what has become sort of a movement as we have continued pushing it.

Rocio Aquino: 19:09

And let me add that the orchid in our novel is the name of the place.

Ángel Orengo: 19:16

Yes.

Rocio Aquino: 19:17

It's like when you go to a place called like Hilton Marriott, is the orchid, but in this case is the best the best spa school in the world. It's a combination of teachers and healers who they bulk all their knowledge and care for every person who goes to this place, have all the nutrients for your mind, for your body, for your soul, for everything to really help you to be in a safe place, is a container of love that is gonna hold yourself to really begin to open to find your light. So is it's a product of imagination, but probably in the future we're gonna do a place like that because it's really important for us to experience ourselves in places like this, where you can go and open yourself, you begin to explore what is happening and and and really be that is safe, that we can do it, that is holding you. So for that for that reason, we put like a name, the orchid, and the first book is the secret code of modern goddesses. So the book in general is a story of five women, but really is a bridge, it's a bridge to understand yourself and to understand others, and what are the journeys of the human? Every person has a different journey, and is what every person is gonna live. But if you know some tools, then you can begin to change your experience for being a victim or sadness, or you are not enough, to a place of empowerment. Oh, I I understand, I can use all this for my advantage. So that's the place, that's the story, and Angel has a beautiful way to describe all of the characters and the story in general, Nana. I you're gonna love it.

LiftOneSelf - NatNat Be: 22:13

I know I'm looking forward to it. Uh, as I mentioned before, you guys have sent me the book, but I didn't get a chance to go pick it up yet. So I will read it, and I am looking forward to what it's gonna dive into because as you're saying, you're using experiences, and you know, what came to mind as a listener, an audience, it's like, well, can men read this? And the answer that came for me is like, of course they can, and they can have a better understanding about goddesses and women and what's within themselves. Another thing I want to ask the two of you guys, how did you get to the space where you're able to communicate in such a way of honoring each other and not interrupting and using those pauses and really respecting each other? I feel that there's been a lot of work that's been put in place, yet there is a really good connection between the two of these guys.

Ángel Orengo: 23:14

I will yes, thank you for that. I will tell you it is work in progress, right? I she doesn't know this. I actually never said this, so I'm gonna say it for the first time. Wow. There's often times when she's speaking where my ego wants to jump in, you know, and it's no chill, it's okay. And so I think you get to a point of self-observance, of self-everything, right? Responsibility, I mentioned before, where you know what your center is, you know you're not in danger, you know that the ego works to protect you, you know that the ego is eager to just. I want that, I want to be the one talking, I want to do this, and so being really centered, meditations like the ones you did just now helps you because you remember your center, and it's knowing that that ultimately allows for this perfect dance and balance, which is what life is all about. You mentioned also earlier that we're used to the chaos, and I think that stepping away from that chaos, you kind of look at it and you're like, oh, how interesting. And it's in fact, is our number one lesson at the orchid when you go and go to this amazing spa is awareness. When you become aware, in fact, if all you do in life is become aware of yourself, it starts to lead you in a different path. And so that it's really a lot of awareness. And then on top of that, if you sprinkle it with love and respect and the understanding that every person who's sitting at the table with you was brought to this world to contribute to this world, and if they're in your universe, probably to contribute to your universe as well, then you say, Then why are you here? I'm eager, I'm curious to learn about you and what you bring to this table because I have a feeling we're gonna learn so much from you. And if you approach life that way, my gosh, then you're always learning and receiving and appreciating. So that I believe that's the reason why we have this connection. It's it's for me as awareness.

Rocio Aquino: 25:55

And for me, it has been, of course, a learning curve where society tells you your relationship needs to be like this, like this, like this, like this, like this. And at one point, when I learned, like, yes, society tells you many things, but at the end, you need to do your own relationship with yourself and when someone else. All my life I was trying for him to tell me, do I look okay? Do you like me? Like a proof. And he never, never since the beginning, was like a do you feel good about yourself? And of course I was not. So was until three years ago that I love myself for the first time that I understand, like now I understand what you were saying 23 years ago. Wow, what because I didn't know that I was putting all my value to out of me, and I was really lost to try to please him, my girls, my the everyone around me. But when I gained that confidence, when I gained that understanding, wisdom, I became free. And then of course that I respect him more because he was able to provide the space for me to experience myself, like now we are doing in the novel for everyone to experience themselves with a lot of love. You see, he provides that space for me, and I provide that space for him. So it's an understanding that we have a lot of love, and it's not a competition, it's only an experience. So when you understand that, that deep is like a okay, so how cool, let's have fun, and in that case, our personalities kick in. He celebrates like this, and I celebrate like ah uh, you know, like a super loud and like uh dancing. If you see somebody in a party dancing, it's me, and he's more quiet, and he's having fun right now, but he is this is his phone, and this is my phone, is like a my ecstasy is this, it's just calmness, it's understanding that we are different, but he compliments me, and I compliment him, and he's is this dance that we do, and I to be honest, I didn't know that it's gonna be this good because you never know.

Ángel Orengo: 29:11

Because you never know, and it's the best it's been in 25 years. We've been married 25 years, and the past three have been just bliss because we have found that, and it really does come down to do you love yourself fully? Because when you we have a uh a saying which is um when, and I'm gonna say it with regards to women, but it applies to men to your earlier point. When a woman loves herself deeply and completely, she's no longer at the mercy of external forces because she becomes the force. And that's true, it's what you said about um uh bad bunny. He's a force. He knows it. And he's choosing to use it. And so, and I think the message to your audience and to everyone who's watching and listening, that force is within you as well. You just need to figure out how it is looking to express itself. Bad bunny is through singing, and maybe now politics for us is through a story. To you, well, maybe it's cooking, maybe it's child caring, maybe is medicine, whatever. Figure it out. That is what I think true authenticity is when you become in tune with the force and what it's trying to become within you.

LiftOneSelf - NatNat Be: 30:44

A quarter of a century. That is a long time to be partnered with someone. And as you said at the beginning, you were looking for validation in him. And he was like, Nope, I am not a meshing in that. That is your responsibility. So I'm sure there was a lot of this going on at the beginning because you were, you know, did not know what he was trying to invite you into. And he was refusing to get caught up in the codependency and you know, feeding the wound where he wanted you to be worth.

Ángel Orengo: 31:22

But NatNat, you're saying it with an incredible amount of eloquence. I had no idea what I was doing. This was just automatic. It's just my reaction. Now I understand. Looking back, I was as blind as she was from the different side of the coin, if you will.

Rocio Aquino: 31:40

We were in different parts of the coin, totally.

LiftOneSelf - NatNat Be: 31:44

Oh, yeah. And not understanding, like you said, um, is that your childhood, I take it that there was a lot of safety and there was a lot of exploration for you. And Roccio didn't have that. There was a lot of survival, there was a lot of unsafety and unpredictability. So when you come from safety, your perception is totally different and you have different tool sets. Whereas somebody that comes from survival doesn't even know anything about the tools that they have within. So they have to bridge it. So for her, I'm sure it felt like she was invalidated a lot of times. And for you, you were like, this is just, this isn't my responsibility, but not being able to articulate it. And the way that you guys still stayed in connection and still work through the journey so that you could come to here is a testament of what really a relationship is. A lot of people think it's, you know, shitting out like a unicorn, shitting out rainbows, and it's so bliss and everything else. And marriage is difficult. It's huge. And especially when we don't understand our nervous system language, what trauma does, really what safety really means, and how to communicate. Many like a communication is always evolving because it means to reveal the parts that you don't even know about yourself and to show it to somebody else and be feeling safe that you won't abandon yourself when everything starts rising up of feeling unsafe. Yet it's beautiful that you trusted, you know, the wisdom that was within so that it could bring you to the journey here and that you have lived experience to share with others. That it didn't just all come like, oh, great theory and all beautiful. It's like the diversity of your lived experiences of where you went in the world, what you discovered with yourself, and how you still stayed committed into the growth of the marriage, which is a beautiful love story, how I see it, and would be translated to so many people of really what it is to process the shit. Like that's what you guys did is process have a beautiful garden from it.

Ángel Orengo: 34:02

Thank you. Thank you for saying that. It's we often don't um recognize it. Um yeah, we become we survive. We survive. Look, I I want to add something, just I also experience an incredible amount of pain and hurt in my growing up. I come from a very humble background. I remember eating of the same soup for a week at a time because we were very poor. I was sexually abused when I was a child. I come from a, you know, a single mom. In fact, when we when we describe the five women that we follow in the book, the five women are the two of us. There is a sexually abused model, there is a divorced woman. Um, we come from divorced parents and single mothers. There is a woman that is at the height of her game. She just finished giving a discourse at the United Nations and steps down from the podium, and all she can think is everything she did wrong. This is us through our careers just looking at that glass half empty. There's a woman who's gay and hasn't, at 30 years old, not told her parents that she is for fear of not being loved. In our case, it wasn't gender, but it's about the masks that we wear in order to fit in. And then there's another woman who's really angry at the world for everything she's had to fight, tooth and nail, to make it where she is and tell me who hasn't been in that role, right? And so the women are the two of us, but our experiences from where we were coming were quite different. And I did bring along, now I know, this set of wisdom tools that accompanied me throughout my growing up and evolution that led me down a path and didn't allow for these things to weigh on me in the way in which it weighs on other people. And the last thing I will say, I also understand that I was born into a privileged gender that for 2,000 plus years, if not more than that, the male gender, the masculine energy, has been sort of allowed to be to exist where everything flows a little bit easier. You get the job, you get the promotions, you get the opportunities, while the female gender and the feminine energy has been suppressed. So I also understand that there's an incredible amount of pain and healing that needs to happen at an energetic level, which is why our first effort is about the feminine energy, which is, you know, modern goddesses.

LiftOneSelf - NatNat Be: 36:43

I love it. I'm like, I'm like, so I'm going to get this book today. Um I love I love how you just broke it down for people to really understand the blendedness of how we can meet ourselves, meet our humanity, meet our wounds, meet our experiences, and then make the choice of you see, a lot of people want to make meaning of things, and some things you cannot make meaning of. You know, uh, I think it is such a painful thing when somebody says, well, it happened for a reason. I'm like, no, you cannot, you're trying to appease and sue something. It's like, okay, this is here. Now, what are you going to choose to do now? Like the worst has happened. Now you have the power of what is the choice? Are you going to repeat it or are you going to work at creating something different? And I think that is the most important thing because when we use that, well, everything happens for a reason. It's like sexual abuse and murder and all these different things to tell somebody that I get it in a higher perspective that we don't control the world and everything. Yet in our humanness, in our mind that wants to always make meaning, not everything is going to make meaning. It's just the power of choice. And what are you going to do with that power of choice? So the way that you've weaved that into the book is like magnificent. And it really shows the groundedness of listening intuitively, what wants to come through. So, like being that vessel and being that muse of, okay, what is the message that will go to the masses? And that you're able to use your lived experience with it, not just it being a theory or it being this and that. Like, this is our roadmap, and this is what it looked like. And I'm showing you what's possible. I want to bring you into somewhere right now that is pertinent. You said that you're in Los Angeles right now. You're from Puerto Rico, you're from Mexico. And the story that we're hearing is about ice and how that is very prevalent. How do you ground yourself around all of that energy?

Ángel Orengo: 39:10

You want to try or me. We know this is one of the most difficult, challenging topics right now. We did an exercise at a retreat. We were in a not particularly pretty area of the city. It was very near the airport, which is very industrial. And this wasn't our retreat. We were attending and participating in the retreat as participants. And they gave us envelopes that were sealed. And they put us in couples or in groups of two or three. And they sent us away, and they say, When you're away walking through the street of this not particularly pretty place, open the envelopes. We're like, okay. So we did. And one of the instructions in the envelope was find love around you. Another one was find happiness around you. And we looked at each other like, how the heck are we going to do that in this industrial place? But we kind of stayed true to the task. And you know what happened? We found love and happiness around us. Eventually, we walked into this store, and there were a couple of people laughing with each other, workers, having a great moment together. I guess what I'm saying is, where do you want to put your attention? There's a lot of things going on around us. And perhaps we're living in one of the most challenging times because we know everything all the time very quickly. On top of that, now there's other great people out there who've thought that it's a really good idea to create even more chaos by telling us things that are not happening, but that appear to be real. And so. And so the question for the person who's listening, which is the question I now more than ask myself where I go to, is where do I want to put my attention? Because yes, there's a lot of pain in the world. There's always been an incredible amount of pain. We just didn't hear about it, right? There were earthquakes somewhere, storms and fights and civil wars, but we didn't hear about it, and now we do. But it's something happens when you put attention, your attention, into something that is positive for you, and you have that choice. That's where the choice comes in. And somehow you get diverted. It's like when you buy that car and all of a sudden you buy, you see your car everywhere because all of a sudden your attention is on your brand new car. So that's how I do it. This is not to redirect, it's what's happening is difficult, is challenging. But the question then is for the people who are experiencing, especially, it's always like this with trauma and pain. What's your responsibility in the manner? And I think there's responsibility all around. There's never fully one victim. Even feeling like a victim is, in fact, something that you might want to work on because it changes the way and the reality in which you live. And so for me, is that is we see it, we pray, we meditate on it, we send good energy. And I'll close by saying that once I read, and I think it was Mother Teresa who said it, but I'm sure it's been said many ways. You're never gonna never invite me to an anti-war rally. Because when you add energy, that it's anti-whatever it is that you're against, all you're really doing is reinforcing that very same energy. And so she said, invite me to a peace rally. That is the only antidote to war, and that I will support. And so I try to be very mindful of where I put my energy, knowing that if I join that, I'm only reinforcing it. And what we do is take a we need is to take away its power, and it's one by one individually that we do that.

Rocio Aquino: 43:31

Yeah. I want to add something. I love what you say, and thank you for going first because give me the opportunity to think. So, in my case, I was born in Mexico. My mom lost everything in an earthquake in '85. And she was a single mother with four kids. So after five years, six years, she died of depression, and because she was focused all her attention in the difficulties, in how she was alone, how she was terrible was feeling. So since 85, I've been searching for how you can contribute to people in those states, in the states of most difficult and vulnerability. And then at night, I have the opportunity to go around the world and see the world. And what I discover is in the moment that you help the individual to feel better about who he is and forgive the past and the story that they have, they feel empowered. They feel empowered to act and to do something. And that's why the book is helping people through storytelling to feel better about their story and what happened five seconds ago. And it's how I'm gonna act with intention and how I'm gonna forgive. Yes, they abuse me, they I was sexually harassed, no, sexually abused, but that doesn't defy me. And it's like a this is we need to appeal to that part of us that is more stronger, and it's not stronger, it is is light, is power, is freedom, is expansion, is possibilities, abundance, creativity. We need to put our attention to those areas of our being to really, when you are there in front of someone who is losing everything, is like a you know, it's terrible, it feels difficult, but you have an option, and now you can work on that, and it's personal because for me it took me many, many years to find the answers, but because now we can't have this conversation, we are putting in a book, more and more podcasts and more information. People instead of taking 30 years is gonna do it faster, and that is the better place, is that is the better place to be. So, of course, I can concentrate in in the negative, but you know, better to teach people to concentrate in the possibilities and how you can go out and how you can do how you can pass this information to your kids. Because if more people know and more people understand, and they have the bridge to themselves, to others, we can make changes for a place of abundance and creativity. So that's is let's find in each other the force to become Bad Bunny, Taylor Swift, and all the people who inspire you to be your best version of yourself, really, because the world is waiting for us right now to act. Really, at one point, a lot of people tell me, don't you miss to take a coffee with your friends? And is I think what we are doing right now is so important to really help people to understand how powerful they are, how we are not so fragile. We've been believing that we are fragile, but now that more people are showing us, I went out, I went out of alcoholism, I went out to be an addict, I went out to to sexual abuse and not being enough, and all the victimhood cult. I went out, so people begin to see, huh? If they can do it, I can do it. And that's is that simple, is to inspire people to feel better about themselves, even though society or the consequence are telling you you are not. So it's it's a beautiful time to be alive and to really do in this work because it's so incredible reward. Rewarder?

Ángel Orengo: 49:09

Rewarding.

Rocio Aquino: 49:10

Yes. So not not I love this conversation.

LiftOneSelf - NatNat Be: 49:17

I thank you. I wanted to bring it up because it's happening right now, and when we talk about inner work, a lot of people will bring the pessimistic of, oh, that's airy fairy, or that's woo-woo, and it's easy for you to say you're not in the trench work. Yet I used you guys as an example because you're living it right now, and of course there's going to be activation, and of course there's gonna be things. So I love how you expect.

Rocio Aquino: 49:48

The areas who people lost everything is humongous. So I've been in front of people who lose their houses, and I told them, you know, I lose my house 40 years ago.

Ángel Orengo: 50:02

Yeah.

Rocio Aquino: 50:04

But in the moment, it's gonna be super difficult, and then you're gonna lose your story, but you need to, we need to survive.

Ángel Orengo: 50:15

May I add something? Um, Nanad, I I I have this ability to hear stories and integrate them in a way in which many people can't. I it's always been that way. So, for example, sayings of wisdom are very dear to me. So for the one that says life is 10% what happens and 90% how you react. Our book is written that way. It's 10% about the stories of the women, and 90% of it is about the tools that we are providing throughout the narrative of the story that the reader can use to get out of that hole. But I say that because I also heard stories of things that have happened, and there are examples. There's this thing about human beings that if we see someone else doing it, we're like, oh, wait a minute, if they can do it, I can do it. So I heard this story of a family, a couple who was going to Africa to adopt a child. And it was like, hmm, okay, that's it's fairly common. And then the story continues, and they say, and the person that they adopted was the killer of their son, who had been a missionary, went to live in Africa, and that other child had killed their child. And I, it's like, wow. And then one of our daughters, through a series of experiences, ended up going to Rwanda for two weeks with a gentleman who was one of the only Americans to remain behind when the Rwandan genocide was happening. And he saved 400 children, and so he became a bit of a local hero. And what she was explaining is mom, dad, in Rwanda, you have the offspring of the family that was killed, and next door, either the person who did it or the offspring of the person who did it, and they're learning to live together. And I was all I could see was examples of extreme forgiveness, of the extreme letting go that is possible by human beings when they train themselves, when they work their issues, when they understand that we at any time can be the perpetrator or the victim of a situation. We all have been there in one way or another. Anyone who says who hasn't, it's probably not being entirely honest. And when you do that and say, then who am I? And then you, you know, you read the Bible and it says, whoever is free to throw the stone, right, to throw it first, no one is. And so when you start to look at life that way, what you see is opportunities to go within and become something more than it is possible, it is there, and that we're often told we're not capable of achieving. Because everything we're told in our society is you're not good enough for this, for that, etc. Only the geniuses, only the people who are special. That's not true. We're all special. But only when you go within, only when you learn and you give it a try and you try to ride that bicycle, you're gonna fall a few times. But if you persevere, you tap into a something that allows you to pick up that thing and ride it in complete balance. That I believe is the ability that the human beings have. And I think it's untapped. It's for healing, physically, emotionally, spiritually. And when you do, you become the force. And then it's just beautiful. And I love it because I think when everybody becomes that, our world is better because everything they do gets looked at from that point of view. It's more empathetic, more masculine-feminine balance between the two. And that's what I'm excited about, and that's why I live my life now the way I do, because I contribute more by being centered and in a high energy than by being afraid, guilty, angry, shamed, etc.

LiftOneSelf - NatNat Be: 54:28

Yeah. I'm mindful of time, so I'm gonna I wanna do it this way. I want to ask you to empower the listeners. And I want you to tap into your native tongue. I would love if you would speak it in Spanish and speak to the listener of what you want to empower them with, and then if you can translate it after in English a little bit, that you can. Yet I want you to be in your your native tongue and just speak it freely from the heart of what you think a listener can use right now in the empowerment. Okay, I'm gonna do it.

Ángel Orengo: 55:07

First of all, can I just say thank you for that? Um, it's touch me, so I'm a bit emotional now. You'll go first, but it's beautiful. So thank you. Yeah, I'm not sure if I can. No, I can't, I can't feel it. Hombre, mujer, quizás no sabes, no importa. Estamos aquí, Nat Nat, Joángel, Rocío, porque creemos que a través de ciertas herramientas, en nuestro caso es conciencia, gratitud, perdón, aceptación e intención, vas a acceder a un poder inmenso dentro de ti que te va a permitir vivir tu vida de diferente manera. También creemos que cuando lo accedas, nuestro mundo is mejor. Porque cuando tú te encuentras in ese lugar, in ese lugar donde fluyes, donde sabes, donde te quieres, donde aprecias y donde comienzas a ver el mundo de different maneira, my mind is more. But most important, connect with vibration alter. Muchas gracias.

Rocio Aquino: 56:50

You want to say it in English? You go first. You go first. Sabes una cosa. Nosotros venimos a este mundo maravilloso a disfrutarlo, a ser nuestra mejor versión. Realmente conectar con lo que nos hace único. Encuéntralo. Te estamos esperando. Queremos apoyarte. Queremos que seas exitosa, exitoso. Queremos verte brillar en un escenario, en un concierto, tocando el violín, o bailando, o creando cualquier cosa que tú quieras. En una gimnasia. Llevando los números. Te queremos ver ganar. Te queremos que nos hagas. Que nos sorprendas. Muchísimas gracias. Tú puedes. Tú puedes porque ya lo estamos viviendo nosotros. Y es precioso estar en este lugar y lo único que queremos es compartirlos con más personas. Así que muchísimas gracias.

LiftOneSelf - NatNat Be: 58:24

I want to leave it there. For the listeners that are listening to this, and if you know you don't understand Spanish, I understood some words because I speak French and I'm very engaged in wanting to learn more about Spanish. If you want to know what the meaning was because it moved you, you're going to find out how you can reach out to them so that they can translate it to you. So Anhal, is that how? Because I heard her not pronounce G.

Ángel Orengo: 58:55

That's perfect. That's perfect.

LiftOneSelf - NatNat Be: 58:57

Anal and Rio, could you let the listeners know where they can find you, where they can find the book and everything about you? Yes.

Ángel Orengo: 59:07

Nana, thank you again for that opportunity, that experience. Nothing like connecting with your tongue. And I would just like to remind the listener and the viewer: our native tongue is love. All of us. When you tap into that, language is not even necessary because you understand, you know. Um, we you can find us everywhere. The book is in English and Spanish, is in electronic, physical, and audiobook format. And you can find us on Instagram at theorchidbook underscore. You can also find us, and here you'll find every single link on our website, www.theorchidbook.com.

Rocio Aquino: 59:56

The audiobook is in English and Spanish. Yes. Do it for a professional and is has been awarded for the sounds and everything. It's really beautiful, and the Nobel has been receiving different awards. And we are really happy to be doing what we do. I love what we're doing. So it's with a lot of love.

Ángel Orengo: 1:00:26

And it's available everywhere. I failed to mention. You can find it anywhere where books are sold in some books, small bookstores in the middle of nowhere. You may have to find a few days until it arrives. But Amazon, Audible, Apple, many other platforms, Google, um, Spotify Premium. So quite available. Yes, everywhere.

LiftOneSelf - NatNat Be: 1:00:48

Thank you. I love when we are open to connect and grow our light, our presence and our spirits really opened up a really in-depth conversation. So, listeners, if you reach this far, I'm sure your heart has been touched and you have the transmission of energy of what's possible and the empowerment. And if at any time there were goosebumps or aha, a tear, please go get the book. It will reinforce more of that depth and of that inner knowing and trusting yourself and trusting what you were brought to create in this world, whatever that may look like for you, and finding that peace and that center of allowing joy to be felt and be a part of your being, no matter what other emotions you're feeling, that you can recognize when your heart has been closed that you have the ability to open it back up. So, Anel and Rocío, I want to thank you for the alchemy you have done in your life. You have taken those purities and you've turned them into gold. Yet you didn't keep that gold just for yourself. You're sharing it with others. So thank you so much for the warrior work you have engaged in and you continue to engage in. Thank you for being you. Thank you for what you have brought to this podcast, to the listeners, most of all to myself. I thank you tremendously.

Rocio Aquino: 1:02:26

Oh, the same.

Ángel Orengo: 1:02:27

Nana, thank you for this space. Uh I'm sure every single word you've said and shared with us, we can repeat right back to you. So, you know, the the divine in me acknowledges and sees the divine in you.

LiftOneSelf - NatNat Be: 1:02:42

Please remember. Oh, go ahead.

Ángel Orengo: 1:02:44

Thank you.

LiftOneSelf - NatNat Be: 1:02:45

You're welcome. Please remember to be kind to yourself.

Rocio Aquino: 1:02:49

Yes, to the audience. Be nice to you is so important, right?

LiftOneSelf - NatNat Be: 1:02:56

It is, it is, and we forget that. So that's why I tell people, but it's really for me to listen to myself also, to remind myself.

Ángel Orengo: 1:03:04

There is an exercise in our book, which literally is to sit in front of a mirror and tell yourself I love you 108 times. So until you feel it, until you feel it. So yes, thank you for that. Thank you for that reminder.

LiftOneSelf - NatNat Be: 1:03:21

Hey, you made it all the way here. I appreciate you and your time. If you found value in this conversation, please share it out. If there was somebody that popped into your mind, take action and share it out with them. It possibly may not be them that will benefit. It's that they know somebody that will benefit from listening to this conversation. So please take action and share out the podcast. You can find us on social media, on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok under LiftOneself. And if you want to inquire about the work that I do and the services that I provide to people, come over on my website or come into a discovery call at liftoneself.com. Until next time, please remember to be kind and gentle with yourself. You matter.