“I know my kinks to a T”

Virgin Island Season 2 contestant Marianne Banda is much more than her participation in the Channel 4 show. She is an actress and a singer/songwriter with a spice of ADHD.

Such an open-hearted, authentic, clean and clear communicator, Marianne Banda was a joy to meet. She taught me with grace some terms about race and let me in on her experience of being brought up in South Africa, which I greatly appreciate. I found her balance between humour and grounded humanity really lovely.

Talking about your sexuality and sex life with a stranger in a bath isn’t your everyday experience but she rose to it with zeal. This is Marianne: a joyous ray of sunshine who wears her heart on her sleeve and has a lot to give.

She feels life deeply, through the lense of neurodiversity and I know that this isn’t an easy ride at times. We dive into her transition to the UK, her parents' relationship and the impact upon her, race and neurodiversity and of course, Virgin Island, the cast and crew and what an amazing experience this was for her sexual awakening and sense of self.

P.S. I want to apologise for my feet appearing in the camera shot. I know there are some who find feet rather unappealing and I am sorry when they emerge out of the water. For those that loved it.. Enjoy!

In this episode, Marianne mentions the Loop Experience earplugs that help cancel background noises. They can be a life-save for neurodiverse people or people with anxiety, whether it’s at a festival, a party, a concert or a walk through a big city. You can find them here: https://www.loopearplugs.com/

👀 Watch this episode of Biting Lemons: https://youtu.be/Ti8w5rD1vnM?si=TOn9TtpcXNZW0Vg_

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If this conversation moved, challenged or inspired you, subscribe and come join us for the next one.

You can find Marianne on:
https://www.instagram.com/mariannebanda/
https://www.tiktok.com/@mariannebanda
https://www.facebook.com/bandamarianne
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianne-banda-25ba35141/

Want to learn how to listen and connect with people from all walks of life like Beth does? You might have noticed us mentioning the ART Affiliate link. We highly recommend their training for everyone who wants to improve their communication and understanding of each other. The ART International courses are there to help you nourish your relationships and the world around you.

It’s easy and accessible, online and in person, across the world. On behalf of this world, thank you for wanting to be better!

Get a 5% discount on Level 1 ART courses. Use our code BL:
https://authenticrelating.co/courses/level-1/artpartner/BethHardwick/

“I went up to the mirror, opened my gown and thanked my breasts”

Hazel is a mum to four, one of which is Beth herself. She has been married to her husband for 57 years and together they have seen 11 grandchildren grow up before them. Hazel is a singer, author and counsellor living in East Sussex.

My mum. Just saying that brings a swell of tenderness. Having her step into the bath with me felt like such an honour and also like stepping into a very exposed place. Our relationship is good, loving, steady… and yet nearly half a century of shared life means there are layers, silences and old family patterns that could easily tug at us.

But at this moment, we chose something different. We chose to sit together, open to whatever might rise, trusting that we could meet it with dignity, with grace, with the kind of courage that only grows between two people who have lived a lot of life side by side.

It felt like a soft rewriting of something old.

Want to listen to more conversations from the bath? Find the podcast, explore more episodes and connect with Beth here:

👀 Watch this episode of Biting Lemons: https://youtu.be/NTv0AVyW2r8

🍋 Follow Biting Lemons:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biting_lemons/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@biting.lemons
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bitinglemons
Website: https://bitinglemons.com/

If this conversation moved, challenged or inspired you, subscribe and come join us for the next one.

Hazel wrote a book about how to look after your guts and the importance of doing so. A vital message. I want to celebrate that with anyone who has children in their family or friend circles:
Gran’s Guide to Good Guts: My Friend Mikey (Find it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.it/Grans-Guide-Good-Guts-Friend/dp/1739855701)

Want to learn how to listen and connect with people from all walks of life like Beth does? You might have noticed us mentioning the ART Affiliate link. We highly recommend their training for everyone who wants to improve their communication and understanding of each other. The ART International courses are there to help you nourish your relationships and the world around you.

It’s easy and accessible, online and in person, across the world. On behalf of this world, thank you for wanting to be better!

Get a 5% discount on Level 1 ART courses. Use our code BL:
https://authenticrelating.co/courses/level-1/artpartner/BethHardwick/

“Energy Orgasms are for Everyone!”

Barbara Carrellas is an author, sex/life coach, sex educator, university lecturer, workshop facilitator, motivational speaker and theatre artist, specialising in Tantra and holistic sexual exploration.

Barbara Carrellas is a big name in her field: a pioneer whose work has spanned decades, sparked originally by the AIDS crisis of the 1980s and carried forward with unwavering devotion. Over the years she has written books, taught around the world and changed countless lives through her exploration of joy, pleasure and freedom in the mind, body and heart.

I had the privilege of sharing a bath with Barbara at the cusp of her latest book launch, a moment that felt both intimate and historic.

In this episode, we return to where it all began: the roots of her work, the experiences that shaped her and the character behind the teachings. We explore what matters to her and how she unboxes life in all its forms. She offers a rare glimpse into her long‑term lovership with Kate Bornstein, a relationship that has held depth, creativity and devotion for many years.

This is a beautiful episode to deepen into the woman behind an extraordinary body of work and behind an exciting new book for anyone who wants MORE THAN.

Want to listen to more conversations from the bath? Find the podcast, explore more episodes and connect with Beth here:

Website: https://bitinglemons.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biting_lemons/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@biting.lemons
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BitingLemons-BL
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bitinglemons
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/biting-lemons-bl-79703a400/
Substack: https://substack.com/@bitinglemonsstories

If this conversation moved, challenged or inspired you, subscribe and come join us for the next one.

You can find Barbara on:
https://www.barbaracarrellas.com
https://www.instagram.com/urbantantrika/
https://www.tiktok.com/@urbantantrika
https://www.youtube.com/@BarbaraCarrellasUrbanTantra
https://x.com/urbantantrika
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bcarrellas/

Experience Barbara’s work:
Breath & Energy Orgasms: A Guided Meditation https://barbaracarrellas.com/breath-and-energy-orgasms-meditation/
The Urban Tantra Professional Training Program https://urbantantraprofessionaltrainingprogram.com/

Want to learn how to listen and connect with people from all walks of life like Beth does? You might have noticed us mentioning the ART Affiliate link. We highly recommend their training for everyone who wants to improve their communication and understanding of each other. The ART International courses are there to help you nourish your relationships and the world around you.

It’s easy and accessible, online and in person, across the world. On behalf of this world, thank you for wanting to be better!

Get a 5% discount on Level 1 ART courses. Use our code BL:
https://authenticrelating.co/courses/level-1/artpartner/BethHardwick/