Susan Drouilhet | Episode 030
Reclaim Your Power: Guru Myths, Agency, and Authentic Success in Business & Wellness
Reclaiming Your Power: Rethinking “Guru Culture” and Personal Agency
Rethinking the Guru: More Than Robes and Mantras
When we hear the word “guru,” it often evokes images of spiritual leaders, ancient rituals, and distant lands. But as Susan Drouilhet, an experienced life coach, energy healer, and consciousness expert, so aptly points out in her conversation with Alison Dean on The Dean’s List, the modern guru often wears a business suit as much as ceremonial robes. Today’s “teachers” or “gurus” are as easily found holding a CEO title, running wellness Instagram accounts, or leading thought-leadership seminars as they are leading meditations.
Susan, led to holistic health as a young adult, has seen firsthand how power dynamics unfold in spiritual and corporate settings alike. She explains that while the word “guru” traditionally means “teacher” in Sanskrit—literally, the dispeller of darkness—our culture has borrowed and morphed the term. Now, it’s used in everything from tech and finance to lifestyle and healing, which can create slippery slopes in expectations and power imbalances.
The Danger of Giving Away Your Power
Susan’s insights highlight a key theme: with every leader, expert, or influencer, there’s an inherent power dynamic. Problems arise not simply because someone holds power, but when either party (the “guru” or follower) forgets this dynamic is at play. People may project unrealistic expectations onto leaders or surrender personal agency in hopes of receiving guidance or validation.
This can show up in daily life far beyond spiritual circles: “Any conversation we have—a parent to a child, a manager to an employee, a teacher to a student—carries this potential for imbalance,” Susan reminds us. If we’re not careful, we risk losing our voice and agency—not by someone forcibly taking it, but by unconsciously offering it up or disconnecting from ourselves.
Returning to the Self: Body, Heart, and Intuition
How do we reclaim our agency? For Susan, the journey starts with becoming grounded in our own experience. Drawing on three decades of expertise in bodywork, yoga, qigong, and coaching, her approach is simple: we need to return to our bodies and hearts.
Susan’s own entry into the field came from a pivotal reading experience as a teenager, consuming a holistic health primer between lifeguarding shifts. This inspired a life dedicated to real, grounded, and heart-centered work—from founding college wellness programs to exploring diverse healing modalities and eventually coaching others to find their voice.
One foundational tool she recommends is tuning in: “What’s happening in my body right now?” This simple question interrupts the autopilot of daily life, helping us to reconnect with sensation, emotion, and intuition. Susan also points to practices like gratitude, which she describes as her “non-negotiable” for maintaining a joyful, holistic view of life—especially when other wellness routines falter.
Navigating the Wellness World (Without Getting Lost)
The explosion of wellness offerings—from apps to retreats, coaching styles to supplements—can leave even experienced seekers feeling overwhelmed. Susan counsels discernment, encouraging consumers to follow their hearts and trust their gut instincts when vetting programs or practitioners. If something feels amiss, it’s worth paying attention. If a teacher, healer, or community doesn’t honor your voice and agency, it may not be for you.
Similarly, for those in the wellness field, she stresses the need for continual self-work: regularly checking in around motivations, boundaries, and self-care to maintain integrity in a highly commercialized space.
The True Measure of Wellness: Joy and Consciousness
Ultimately, Susan circles back to a simple metric—joy. True wellness isn’t measured solely by blood tests or fitness accomplishments, but by our ability to engage our full “voltage” in life. By honoring our voice, reconnecting with our bodily wisdom, and approaching every dynamic—guru or otherwise—with a sense of conscious agency, we create healthier lives and communities.
As she puts it, “If you’re in joy, you can tolerate a whole bunch of garbage and still connect with wellness... Wellness is bigger than just rules and routines; it’s about coming home to yourself.”
Ready to tap into this wisdom and reclaim your agency? You can hear the full conversation on The Dean’s List, or check out Susan Drouilhet’s coaching and forthcoming book at susandrouilhet.com.
Follow Susan:
Instagram: @susandrouilhet
Website: https://susandrouilhet.com/
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