The Venus Flytrap Game | Stephen Paul Edwards | Podmasana Preview

Podmasana: Global Spirituality, Timeless Wisdom

May 06 2026 | 00:05:12

00:00 / 00:05:12

Episode • May 06, 2026 • 00:05:12

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Show Notes

In the next episode of Podmasana, spiritual counselor and author Stephen Paul Edwards shares the untold story behind his memoir, The Venus Flytrap. From Blackpool to Beverly Hills, Stephen explores how a tumultuous relationship became his greatest spiritual teacher. Discover the power of soul contracts, why "nothing happens to you, it happens for you," and how ego death opens the doorway to freedom. A must-listen for anyone navigating heartbreak, codependency, or seeking meaning in life's most challenging relationships.

Key Topics:

Stephen's journey: Blackpool, England → Florida → spiritual counselor & author
The Venus Flytrap memoir: love, obsession, betrayal, and awakening
Soul contracts: relationships as divine invitations to evolve
"Nothing happens to you, it happens for you" philosophy in practice
Bipolar disorder, mental health stigma, and spiritual growth
Codependency, addiction, and breaking toxic relationship cycles
Ego death as liberation, not destruction
The mirror principle: external relationships reflect internal work
Breath, awareness, and connection as spiritual anchors (ABC)
Self-forgiveness as the foundation for forgiving others
Wealth, luxury, and the illusion of material happiness
Navigating the "new sexual revolution" and evolving perspectives on monogamy
Practical wisdom for finding meaning in suffering without spiritual bypassing

Get a free copy of Stephen’s bonus book, The Venus Flytrap: Madness and Mayhem. See Stephen’s coaching and counseling services.

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Chapters

(00:00:00) - In the Dark With Tomaz

Episode Transcript

[00:00:00] Speaker A: And so the book, Stephen, chronicles your relationship with Tamaz, a woman you describe as both irresistibly beautiful and ultimately dangerous. Much like the Venus fly trap itself. Right. When did you first recognize this dynamic? And why did you keep going back? Maybe despite knowing the risks. [00:00:21] Speaker B: Yeah, great, great question. So how did it come about? Okay, so this is quite extraordinary because I met her online sometimes doesn't go very well, but anyway, I met her online and I was immediately, you know, it was an international website, right? So I was immediately, obviously struck with how beautiful she was and her background. You could see that she was, we would call it in England, a blue blood from high society. Her father turned out to be a billionaire. And so she'd done the question show jumping. She'd lived in Paris and Brazil, in Miami, in la. She doesn't say on that, she didn't say that, that she was a model, but it was pretty obvious that she was. And she's 5 foot 11 in her bare feet, which she's never in a bare feet because she usually wears five or six inch heels. So when, when she had her six inch heels on, she towered above me, right? Which actually I loved. But anyway, she's in this picture. One of the pictures is her in a museum, standing in front of a wall of antique typewriters, raising up above her head and pretending to type. So anyway, here's how this plays into it. I've been trying to get her to go on a date. One day she agreed to go for coffee, the next day she canceled. So one day I'm like, yes, and the next day no, right? So finally I, I just take a shot in the dark. My humor is my biggest strength, right? So I, I texted her, I said, listen, I'm looking for a high handed typist. Do you know anyone high handed typist, right? So she goes, so she goes, me, me, me. You're a bit enthusiastic, aren't you? I said, we do an interview over dinner. So she laughed, right? So we, we arranged dinner, right? And I was so enthralled by her beauty. I never ever imagined that I would stand a chance with her. Right? Something. I got to tie this down. I went to extreme lens for this first date, which was, it was crazy, right? Like I'm crazy. So anyway, and then I think, well, I'm gonna, I'm gonna text her and I'm gonna let her know I'm gonna buy her flowers as well. I mean, no one's gonna break, no one's gonna cancel a date when they know you're gonna get your flowers, right? That was my thought. So I texted her, you know, in the conversation, and I go, by the way, what's your favorite flower? She texted back, bird of paradise. So continuing to be playful, I said, nuh, it's mine too. It's a bit expensive, though. So what's your second favorite? [00:02:44] Speaker A: Right. [00:02:45] Speaker B: It's just a shocking. Brandon, I kid you not. It came back within seconds. Venus flytrap. So she named herself. So she was this dichotomy between this beautiful bird of paradise and the Venus flytrap. And when she said that, I intuitively knew that was dog, right? And I knew intuitively that I was going to be the fly and she was the Venus flytrap. And that's exactly how it played out. And me as the fly was constantly getting away from her, devouring me. And that became the game we played. And we both loved the game, right? She would do something to me, I would do something to her. And around and around we went, right on this crazy ride. And so when you say, you know, why did you go back? Because I loved it. Right. This is me, you know, I. Because of my mental illness, because of being bipolar, your life is just ups and downs, right? Extreme highs and extreme lows. And so that becomes mirrored in your life, what it did for me. Right? So I. I've made and lost many millions of dollars, but I never did any of it for money. I did it all for the excitement, for the win. And then when I would win, I'd lose interest and it'll fall apart, but it never bothered me, you know, so I'm constantly rebuilding myself, which is a great thing. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't want to keep losing millions and millions of dollars, and I have to make it back because I'm going to run out of time. But my point is, I like to. One of the benefits of living in so many different places is everywhere I went, I could restart. I wasn't living around people that already had decided who I am and would hold me in that person. So I was able to go somewhere else and literally rebuild myself into a different person. If you ask people in the different places I've been, how would you describe Stephen Edwards? Every. Probably every place would be different. And then you tell them some of the things they've done since and they go, no way. Him. [00:04:56] Speaker A: Right. [00:04:56] Speaker B: Like you said, everything has a positive and a negative side to it, just like we do, right? We have life. Yeah, yeah. [00:05:04] Speaker A: And I mean, moving is obviously challenging, but it sure is an opportunity to grow or as you said, reinvent yourself. For sure. For sure. Yeah.

The Venus Flytrap Game | Stephen Paul Edwards | Podmasana Preview

Show Notes

Chapters

Episode Transcript

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