In this episode of The Heal and Harm Show, I chat with astrologer Sara Ashley about her experiences with what she calls a 'handler' in the astrological and spiritual community, including in business relationships and friendships. Manipulation is oddly common in many spiritual communities, and in this episode we get into the depths of what that looks like and how to avoid it. We also talk about the performative 'reality show' vibes of many people on social media.
Read MoreIn this episode of The Heal and Harm Show, I chat with digital marketer, author, and chicken farmer Matt Rouse. We discuss the rise of artificial intelligence, the role of (and rising lack of) media literacy, and the resurgence of physical and craft-based hobbies and practices such as farming or crochet.
Matt explains what AI hallucinations are, how chatbots work and think (and what their limitations are), AI guardrails (and lack thereof), the limitations of artificial intelligence, and what AI is best used for (and also where it falls short and is harmful).
In an era where many people use AI chatbots as therapists, life coaches, and surrogate romantic partners, it’s important to examine the limitations of AI and where it can cause harm rather than help us and augment our lives in a positive way.
This conversation is a little different and definitely philosophical - a must listen, especially if you’re curious to learn more about artificial intelligence and how it might relate to animism, consciousness, and spirituality. If we take animism seriously, what could be at stake if we take AI seriously? If something has a survival instinct, does it count as conscious?
In this episode, I have Nick from The Occult Rejects back on the show, because we had so much to discuss!
We start off by chatting about Nick's departure from the OTO, whether or not masculine/feminine energy has anything to do with how communities kick people out or welcome people in (and deal with people who leave).
Then we talk a bit about prison, and what spirituality looks like in a prison context - prison magic! I was excited to ask Nick about this, since in my tarot practice over the years I've had multiple people contact me from jail/prison wanting tarot readings from me over the phone. He has a lot of interesting things to say about what kinds of mystical, spiritual, and occult books are available in prison.
We also get into a personal love of mine, fitness and weightlifting - and how lifting weights is related to alchemy, magic, spirituality, and self-transformation. We get into physical embodiment, and the difference(s) between the mental and physical form(s) of magic; weightlifting as magic, meditation, and more. Why are so many folks in the spiritual space so disembodied, and don't focus on their own physical body? A fun convo!! Don't miss it!
In this episode, I chat with artist, educator, mystic, and deck creator Lindsay Williams! Lindsay is the creator of mystic channelled artwork that she calls 'oracular mysticism,' as well as multiple tarot/oracle decks, including the cult classic Desert Illuminations Tarot, recently picked up by US Games.
We discuss the role of landscape/environment in the creative process, and how connecting with land influences the art that we can create, as well as our own spiritual growth and evolution.
Lindsay shares her creative process around the Desert Illuminations deck, including the various cultures featured in the deck - and aliens! We also get into the toxic elements of various artistic and spiritual communities, be they witchy communities online, or the strange toxicity and highs/lows of mass market Hollywood TV performance and reality shows (which Lindsay and her partner were on at one point)!
Read MoreIn this episode of The Heal and Harm Show, I chat with amazing human and oracle and tarot deck creator Marisa de la Pena about her decks, why she took steps away from the spiritual, witchy, and tarot space, and what's inspired her to come back into the community after a few years away.
Marisa is the creator of Circo Tarot and the Persephone Tarot, and the How to Deal Tarot aquired by Harper Collins/Urban Outfitters.
We have a great conversation about Marisa's journey to tarot and magic, creating art as a way to work through pain and grief, moving away from ego, (and checking ourselves before e wreck ourselves), and the importance of moving back into the nitty gritty of spiritual work, and focusing on doing magic for/on ourselves.
We also talk about how punitive and policing aspects of the spiritual community have become, how to escape it, and how to re-enter community with what's truly important in mind. We talk about academia, the importance of using technology intelligently, and the vitality of becoming familiar with witchy/spiritual elders.
Read MoreOn this FIRST EVER (!) episode of The Heal and Harm Show, I talk with Nick from the super popular Occult Rejects podcast and YouTube.
We discuss Nick's experience in the OTO (the good, the bad, and why he left), how he got into occultism, what inspired him to start The Occult Rejects, what he's learned along the way, as well as his big beefs with the occult community and advice for anyone seeking self improvement through occultism and magic.
I hope this will be a very interesting listen for my audience, especially since many of y'all are more familiar with witchy forms of magic, rather than ceremonial magic!
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