Halfway To Dead, A Midlife Spiritual Journey – Détails, épisodes et analyse

What if your next chapter is already speaking to you through simple shapes and colors? We sit down with Michele Takei (Shelley), a transpersonal psychologist and owner-trainer of the Mandala Assessment Research Instrument (MARI), to unpack how a Jungian, intuition-led tool can reveal where you are now and where your energy wants to move next—without collapsing your story into a diagnosis. Instead of long questionnaires and labels, the MARI pairs six “liked” symbols, one “dislike,” and two private “guidance” choices with a rich palette of colors, then places them on the Great Round: a 13-stage developmental map that tracks beginnings, identity, struggle, completion, and transformation.

Shelley walks us through the quiet power of the initial mandala drawing, why boundaries show up in heavy outlines, and how a sparkly gold overlay can signal a transpersonal sense of being in the world but not of it. We talk about the speed to clarity this method offers—how an hour of intuitive choices can surface themes it might take weeks to uncover in talk therapy—and why that matters for midlife listeners facing divorce, empty nests, career pivots, or the restless pull toward something more. You’ll hear how MARI complements therapy and coaching, exposes spiritual bypass when our colors don’t match our claims, and consistently delivers direction over diagnosis.

We also connect the map to Joseph Campbell’s arc—home, call, ordeal, return—naming that vulnerable moment when you stop fitting your old circle but haven’t yet landed in the new one. If you’ve felt invisible while life changes shape, this conversation offers a kinder lens and concrete footing. Come for the Jungian roots; stay for the practical, soul-honoring guidance that helps you trust your intuition, choose your next true step, and see your whole picture at once.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review—we love hearing what clicked for you and what you want us to explore next.

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Michele Takei, PhD, holds a doctorate in transpersonal psychology and women’s studies from Union Institute. She has been professor at numerous universities where she has taught courses in both traditional and transpersonal psychology. Takei has worked with thousands of women as the director of a single parent and homemaker program, as well as in her private psychological practice. She is the owner and trainer of MARI (Mandala Assessment Research Instrument), a Jungian-based psychological assessment based on symbols and colors.

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Ready to trade barns and blinders for open fields? We dive into the rare Fire Horse year and show how to turn its heat into momentum—without burning your life down. Think fierce independence, bold creativity, and steady, controlled action that makes space for the truest version of you.

We start with a vivid image of the wild horse and layer on the fire element to frame 2026 as a season of initiation: release what keeps you small, claim your pace, and build a foundation that actually holds. From there, we map this energy into practical steps—clear intentions, a simple release ritual, and micro-habits that compound. 

Eclipses bring a second current: light meeting shadow, truth surfacing, clarity sharpening. We unpack the “ring of fire,” the power of 3 and 333, and why March 3 at 3:33 is a potent checkpoint for visualization and gratitude-driven manifestation. Expect grounded advice on speaking your truth, choosing wild-horse friends over convenience circles, and directing your flame toward your own path. The result is a playbook for midlife reinvention that blends spirituality with strategy, numerology with nerve, and community with courage.

Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a quick review to help more midlifers find their fire. What will you release—and what will you run toward—this year?

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Ready for a reboot that starts with rest instead of hustle? Jen kicks off season two by sharing her truth; sometimes the most powerful move is to hibernate, listen to your intuition, and let alignment find you. Jen's pause started after a pilgrimage to Egypt—into the Great Pyramid at 2 a.m., to sunrise by the Sphinx, and onto a wooden boat on the Nile under a blood moon—yet the heartbeat of the journey was the sisterhood of sixteen women who turned a bus into a moving sanctuary.

I share how a young singer’s voice filled the King’s Chamber like a tuning fork, why the Sphinx’s energy surprised me from an unexpected excavation site, and what fertility temples taught us about devotion, patience, and quiet ritual. We talk Sekhmet and Hathor, subtle downloads, and the gritty side of travel too: navigating toxic masculinity, spotting spiritual bypassing, and choosing boundaries without closing your heart. Along the way, we swap glossy “transformation” for something real: presence, play, and the courage to admit you’re still integrating.

Most of all, I make a case for accessible growth. You don’t need a passport to evolve; you need curiosity, community, and a willingness to follow the pull—into a new breathwork class, a local retreat, or a circle where strangers become mirrors. Season two is stacked with guests, collabs, and deeper dives into these themes, but it starts here, with a reminder to honor winter, trust your inner compass, and let sisterhood amplify your path. If this resonates, hit follow, share it with a friend who’s craving a reset, and leave a review so more midlife seekers can find us. What sacred place—or practice—is calling you next?

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What if the scariest moments of your life were actually your training ground for love? We welcome author and guide Regan Caruthers to share the raw arc behind her memoir, Tragic Magic: a childhood steeped in meditation and mysticism, a nine-year-old’s choice to shut down her gifts, and a 27-year awakening that turned terror into courage and survival into service. One phone call of unconditional love to a violent stepfather catalyzes a decades-long transformation—and offers a living case study in how forgiveness cuts ties without excusing harm.
 

Regan lays out a clear, repeatable process for healing the mother wound: map your developmental stages, get radically honest, and re-parent each age with the felt frequency of love. Discipline matters here—daily meditation, heart-focused breathing, and gratitude as sensation (not lists) reorganize the nervous system and lift your resonance. Expect science-backed coherence, practical tools, and no fluff.

Faith gets a compassionate reframing. Regan doesn’t identify as Christian, yet her devotion to Jesus (Yeshua) is deep and studied. We separate Jesus’ teachings from later doctrines, explore Aramaic translations and Gnostic gospels, and anchor on a simple truth: “The kingdom of God is within you.” That through-line meets a modern miracle—an urgent inner directive leads Regan home, where top surgeons discover a congenital heart defect “incompatible with life.” Surgery succeeds; recovery humbles; and on Palm Sunday, her sternum scar shifts into a cross. Even her lead surgeon has no medical explanation.

If you’re navigating midlife deconstruction, mother wounds, or the heavy static of our media age, this conversation offers a grounded path: less noise, more practice; less judgment, more coherence; less dogma, more direct love. Grab Tragic Magic, subscribe to Reagan’s Substack, and try the heart-breath practice we share. 

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More than just a memoir, Tragic Magic is an intimate and raw account of Regan’s remarkable transformation from a corporate executive in Silicon Valley to a spiritual guide and healer.

Her journey, marked by immense childhood trauma and miraculous moments of divine intervention, ultimately led her to reclaim her life through spiritual discipline, faith, and inner strength.

Through her candid storytelling, Regan shares the life lessons that helped her embrace her divine gifts and reconnect with her true self. Tragic Magic is an inspiring testament to the resilience of the human spirit, offering readers insight into how to transform personal pain into purpose.

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Recommended Book: A New New Testament 

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What happens when a devoted pastor of 20 years suddenly questions everything he's preached? Aaron Tomlinson's journey from Christianity to authentic spirituality offers a roadmap for anyone navigating the confusing terrain of religious deconstruction.

 In our conversation, he courageously unpacks how the doctrine of original sin creates harmful distrust of our bodies and intuition, while explaining how biblical texts about sexuality have been weaponized far beyond their original context.

With compassion and clarity, Aaron reveals why the common understanding of Jesus's purpose may have missed the point entirely. "Christ in you, the hope of glory" suggests we're inherently divine, not fallen beings needing salvation from eternal torment based on historical beliefs. This perspective offers liberation from fear-based religion while honoring authentic spiritual connection.

Drawing from his expertise as a licensed professional counselor, Aaron explains why midlife spiritual questioning isn't a crisis but a neurologically-supported developmental phase. Those who embrace rather than resist this transformation consistently report more fulfilling lives. His insights bridge psychological understanding with spiritual wisdom, offering hope to those who feel caught between worlds.

Whether you're deconstructing your faith, exploring new spiritual paths, or simply curious about different perspectives, this conversation offers profound insights on trusting your authentic self. As Aaron reminds us, "At your core you're divine," and recognizing this truth might be the most liberating spiritual journey of all.

Ready to trust your own spiritual intuition? Listen now and discover why your midlife spiritual awakening might be exactly what your soul ordered.

Aaron Tomlinson is a licensed professional counselor and former pastor who deeply understands the challenges of leaving organized religion and stepping into authentic spirituality. After surviving a life-threatening heart crisis—where both medical care and profound spiritual guidance played a vital role—Aaron now shares his journey of integrated healing: mind, body, and spirit. His story offers hope and practical wisdom for those navigating the often confusing and painful path beyond religious dogma toward a healing, empowering spirituality. Aaron gently bridges the gap between evidence-based psychology and real spiritual experience, helping listeners move from fear and anger into faith, peace, and renewed purpose. If listeners are wondering, “What’s next after religion?” Aaron’s compassionate guidance shows the way forward to wholeness without judgment or pressure.

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Monica Rodgers joins the Halfway to Dead podcast to shatter the "trance of unworthiness" that keeps women from embracing their full power. A catalyst for awakening women, Monica shares how her own dark night of the soul at age 39 transformed her life, pushing her to question everything she'd been conditioned to believe about success, spirituality, and her own worth.

The conversation explores how patriarchal conditioning creates what Monica calls "death by a thousand tiny paper cuts" – subtle messages that teach women they're either too much or not enough. This conditioning leads many women to disconnect from their bodies, suppress their emotions (especially rage), and dim their light to fit in. Monica and host Jen Lovell dive into practical ways women can reclaim their authentic selves, from processing suppressed emotions through "swamping" to celebrating rather than criticizing themselves and other women.

At the heart of this powerful discussion is Monica's "Revelation to Revolution" framework – seven transformative steps that guide women from radical honesty about their current reality to fully activating their truth in the world. The steps include reckoning with one's part in patterns, reflecting on dying identities, recovering through new storytelling, reauthoring with boundaries, and reclaiming one's inner heroine. Monica emphasizes that while most women will move through all these steps, there's no prescribed timeline – each woman's journey unfolds in its own way.

The episode takes a fascinating turn when Monica shares how creativity and art became vital tools in her healing journey. After being told as a young woman that art school wasn't a legitimate path, she returned to art in her 50s, discovering how creative expression bypasses the analytical mind to access deeper wisdom. This connection between creativity, spirituality, and authentic self-expression reveals how women can access their innate power through multiple channels.

Ready to disrupt your own trance of unworthiness? This episode offers both the validation and practical guidance needed to reclaim your right to shine without dimming anyone else's light. Download Monica's Women's Bill of Rights from her website as your first step toward living life on your own terms.

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Terry Tateossian's journey from struggling with emotional eating to shedding 80 pounds in her forties isn't just inspiring—it's a blueprint for anyone feeling defeated by midlife health challenges. The former immigrant who once found herself 80 pounds overweight and still wearing pregnancy clothes at age 37 now helps women reclaim their vitality through evidence-based approaches to nutrition and fitness.

The conversation takes a surprising turn when Terry challenges our most common excuse: "It's my hormones." While acknowledging that hormonal changes play a role (about 20%), she emphasizes that the bigger culprit is our accumulated decades of habits. This perspective shift feels both confronting and liberating—we have more control than we've been led to believe.

Perhaps most eye-opening is Terry's passionate clarification about resistance training. Those daily walks, yoga sessions, and swimming laps? Wonderful for health, but not resistance training. The distinction matters because only true resistance training builds the muscle mass critical for metabolism, bone density, and preventing falls (the number one cause of hospitalization for older adults). Studies show quad strength is more predictive of longevity than many other health markers—a compelling reason to start incorporating chair squats, wall push-ups, and other accessible strength moves into our routines.

The emotional eating discussion resonates deeply as Terry describes her former nightly pint of Häagen-Dazs and the neural pathways that make sugar "more addictive than cocaine." Her practical approach to breaking these cycles—observing without judgment, preparing protein-rich alternatives, and addressing the emotional needs behind cravings—offers a compassionate framework for those struggling with similar patterns.

 

At 42, Terry embarked on a profoundly life-altering journey, successfully shedding over 80lbs in her mid-forties, overcoming emotional eating and discovering an untapped source of incredible physical and emotional strength. However, her journey was much more than a physical one. It was an experience thatchallenged and transformed her at every level, reinforcing her belief in the potential for renewal, growth and change, regardless of life's stage or the roles one is juggling. Terry's journey is particularly relevant for women in the peri-menopausal and post-menopausal phases, a time when the body undergoes significant changes that can often feel insurmountable.Her success story is a testament to the fact that with the right mindset, tools, and support, it is possible to reclaim one's health and vitality during and after these transitional years.

Currently, Terry has completely transitioned into the health & wellness industry. Her passion for fitness and newfound love of helping mid-life women regain their health and vitality has compelled her to start a new career path in health coaching as the founder of THOR. THOR is an exclusively curated experiential brand focusing on fitness, wellness and whole body health. We blend in-person retreats, a wellness community for women over 40, ongoing 1:1 fitness and nutrition coaching & support and world-class wellness & longevity products to empower women to take back their health.

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Have you ever yearned for a place where spiritual connection isn't just accepted—it's the very foundation of the community? Tucked away on the shores of Cassadaga Lake in Western New York sits Lily Dale, America's oldest continuously operating spiritualist community and quite possibly the most energy-rich small town you'll ever experience.

In this deeply personal episode, I take you with me through my recent three-day journey to this remarkable spiritual haven. The moment you pass through Lily Dale's gates, something shifts—the veil between worlds feels paper-thin, and synchronicities abound. I'll guide you through the charming neighborhood of colorful Victorian cottages where mediums conduct readings on welcoming porches, and share my unexpected first experience channeling for a complete stranger during a spirit art workshop (spoiler: it was surprisingly accurate!).

You'll discover the sacred spaces that make Lily Dale special—from Inspiration Stump where twice-daily message services connect visitors with loved ones who've passed, to the Healing Temple where energy practitioners facilitate profound healing experiences. Some of my most transformative moments happened spontaneously, like the impromptu ceremony on a coffee shop porch where passing a crown of fallen leaves led our group to tears as we shared our deepest truths.

Whether you're a seasoned spiritual seeker or simply curious about expanding your awareness, Lily Dale offers accessible entry points to spiritual exploration. The entire experience is remarkably affordable—just $15 daily admission includes access to numerous services and sacred spaces. I share practical tips for planning your visit, from accommodation options (including the famously haunted Maplewood Hotel) to what to expect during readings and group experiences.

As we navigate midlife, finding communities that nurture our spiritual growth becomes increasingly precious. My time in Lily Dale reminded me that sometimes the most profound healing happens when we least expect it. Have you visited a place that shifted your spiritual perspective? I'd love to hear about your experiences—or perhaps you'll join me on a future Halfway to Dead meetup in this magical spiritual community.

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When was the last time you truly celebrated your birthday? Not just with cake and presents, but with a deep recognition of its spiritual significance? In this enlightening conversation, I sit down with Tamar Hurwitz-Fleming, birthday coach and author of "How to Have a Happy Birthday," who reveals why our birthdays are far more than just annual milestones—they're powerful spiritual portals.

Tamar explains that our birthday represents the sacred marriage between our soul and physical body—the day we chose to incarnate into this human experience. Astrologically, it's the one day each year when the sun aligns perfectly with where it was when we were born, creating a unique energetic opportunity for transformation and manifestation. Yet many of us, especially in midlife, have complicated relationships with our birthdays. We may dread the reminder of aging or sabotage our joy through what Tamar calls the "upper limits problem"—our discomfort with experiencing too much positive energy.

Throughout our conversation, Tamar offers practical wisdom for reclaiming your birthday as a sacred personal holiday. From creating a birthday altar and celebrating "Birthday Eve" to starting your day with spiritual rituals and making intentional birthday wishes, she outlines a framework for meaningful celebration that honors your journey. We also explore how to overcome common birthday pitfalls, including society's negative messages about aging and the mistake of outsourcing our birthday joy to others.

This episode isn't just about having better birthdays—it's about recognizing that your birth was a profound spiritual choice, and each year you get to celebrate that choice. As Tamar beautifully puts it, "It's a privilege to age," especially when we consider those who didn't get the opportunity. Whether your birthday is tomorrow or months away, this conversation will transform how you approach this special day and perhaps even how you view your entire life journey.

Tamar Hurwitz-Fleming is a birthday aficionado who is dedicated to helping people harness the transformational power of their birthdays so they can experience more joy, meaning, and fulfillment in their lives. Growing up, Tamar had a string of happy, sad, and terrible birthdays until she realized that having a fulfilling birthday was entirely up to her. In her new book, “How to Have a Happy Birthday,” Tamar explores why birthdays matter, why they can be hard for many of us, and what we can do to fully put ourselves in the center of our day. 

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Barbara is back!!!

Have you ever felt that your spiritual journey doesn't fit neatly into the boxes others have created? You're not alone. In this deeply moving conversation, Barbara Burgess takes us on a breathtaking tour through decades of spiritual exploration, from her rigid Catholic upbringing to her transformative experiences at sacred sites across the globe.

Barbara's story begins with childhood questions about divine appearances and evolves through college encounters that shattered her religious framework. But it's her experiences on spiritual pilgrimages—standing in a mosque in Morocco, connecting with Sikh teachings in India, and discovering Celtic Christianity's earth-centered wisdom—that reveal how different faiths contain universal truths when approached with genuine curiosity rather than judgment.

What makes this episode extraordinary is Barbara's practical wisdom about incorporating diverse spiritual elements into everyday life. She explains how she communicates with angels through journaling, surrounds herself with meaningful symbols from various traditions, and uses gratitude practices to shift her energetic frequency. Her understanding of multiple realities draws from quantum physics while remaining refreshingly accessible: "I think of it as like a video game adventure—I signed up for this one and tuned my radio to this frequency."

The conversation takes fascinating turns into unexpected territories—the spiritual significance of octopuses (with their autonomous yet connected tentacles), the communication abilities of elephants, and the special connection neurodivergent individuals may have to spiritual realms. Throughout, Barbara emphasizes that authenticity creates our highest vibrational state, explaining why being genuinely ourselves matters more than adhering to rigid spiritual frameworks.

Whether you're questioning your religious upbringing, curious about different spiritual traditions, or simply feeling called to something beyond material existence, this episode offers permission to explore the mystery with an open heart. As Barbara suggests, "We don't have to conform to any belief system—we get to share, explore, and discover." Your spiritual journey is uniquely yours. Where might it take you?

Barbara Burgess is an author, mother, executive, and unapologetic dark-chocolate lover who’s embraced the beautiful messiness of life. She founded Corluma (cor = heart, luma = light), a Chicago-based consulting firm, wrote and performed a one-woman show “The Extraordinary Experience of Being Ordinary” and most recently wrote her first book, Enough: Finding Peace in a World of Distractions, Hustle, and Expectations.

Known for her humor, vulnerability, and practical wisdom, Barbara shares simple shifts to help people remember they are enough and have enough. Her ego is kept in healthy check by two teenage children and career adventures that included selling candy bars for Nestle Foods, launching Grainger into internet commerce, a brief marketing stint at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and most recently overseeing operations, marketing, and finances as the COO of a non-profit. Like all of us, Barbara says, she’s still figuring it out.

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