Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Observatory | Discovery of Consciousness & Awareness

In this episode of The Observatory, Scott and LaRae share powerful insights about breaking through cognitive rigidity and embracing authentic self-expression. LaRae opens up about meaningful conversations with her siblings that sparked deeper reflection, while exploring Dr. Todd Rose's research on how we perceive differences versus similarities in others. They also examine the striking statistic that only 10% of people create 80% of social media content, revealing how cognitive rigidity keeps most of us silent and conforming.

Timestamp

[07:09] The meaningful interactions that LaRae had with her siblings
[08:32] Mel Robbins podcast episode with Dr. Todd Rose
[11:00] The statistic of 10% of people sharing 80% of the content on Social Media
[13:11] Cognitive rigidity
[18:14] The power of authenticity
[31:40] The importance of listening and trusting your intuition
[35:50] A challenge for the week

Notable quotes:

• “We are more similar than we are different.” - LaRae Wright [09:44]
• “Authenticity is compelling because it brings us to our present selves all the time with one another.” - LaRae Wright [19:30]

Relevant links:

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast

Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright sit down with Dr. Stormy Hill for a deeply personal conversation about aliveness, intimacy, sensuality, pleasure, and what it means to fully participate in your own life. Stormy shares the unexpected path that took her from medicine to occupational therapy and intimacy coaching, including her son’s serious heart condition, the end of her marriage, and her discovery of Tantra and sacred sexuality as pathways toward embodiment, connection, and a more expansive understanding of intimacy.

As Stormy approaches her 50th birthday, the conversation turns toward the second half of life, relationships, nervous-system patterns, what she calls “adaptive inertia,” and the ways we can unknowingly adapt to lives that make us smaller. She also shares her recent 85-mile hike around Mont Blanc, her return to writing poetry after nearly 25 years, and why she is shifting her measure of a meaningful life away from achievements and toward awe, creativity, receptivity, pleasure, and the question: what makes you feel most alive?

Timestamps:

[00:00:03] Welcome to The Observatory Podcast
[00:00:18] Introducing Dr. Stormy Hill and the pursuit of aliveness
[00:03:43] Expanding intimacy, pleasure, and sensuality beyond the bedroom
[00:05:14] Approaching 50 and discovering the common thread of aliveness
[00:07:46] Medicine, motherhood, and her son’s rare heart condition
[00:14:45] Tantra, sacred sexuality, embodiment, and the divine
[00:19:18] Growth, the nervous system, and “adaptive inertia”
[00:25:08] The second half of life, relationships, and creating what comes next
[00:30:08] Turning 50, resilience, and hiking Mont Blanc
[00:38:12] One long blink of a life and helping people feel more alive
[00:40:02] Keeping score with the wrong scorecard
[00:49:24] What makes you feel alive and the practice of intentional participation
[00:52:05] Poetry, grief, and rediscovering creative expression
[00:58:24] Letting go, receptivity, and making room for what comes next
[01:03:29] Living now instead of waiting for later

Notable Quotes:

• “We are wired for growth, but we are also wired for pattern recognition.” - Dr. Stormy Hill [00:20:26]
• “We give this one long blink of an eye of a life if we're lucky, and how do we bring aliveness and pleasure and joy to it?” - Dr. Stormy Hill [00:38:14]
• “I was keeping score with the wrong scorecard.” - Dr. Stormy Hill [00:40:02]
• “What makes you feel most alive? What keeps you from feeling alive? And how about we do more of what makes us feel more alive?” - Dr. Stormy Hill [00:50:02]
• “You arrive in innocence, you lose your innocence, and then at a certain point in life you realize that you've been innocent all along.” - Scott Wright [00:57:40]
• “Nobody on their deathbed says they wish they worked more.” - Dr. Stormy Hill [01:03:29]

Relevant Links:

www.Instagram.com/docstormy1 — on IG for more on aliveness 
www.Drstormyschiller.com — for speaking inquiries 
www.Lovedeeplab.com — for intimacy coaching

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcasts
Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright celebrate their 14th wedding anniversary and reflect on the marriage, growth, and deep partnership they have built together. Married on the fall equinox in an aspen grove above Park City, Utah, they revisit the symbolism that surrounded their wedding and explore how their relationship has become a place for self-discovery, curiosity, emotional safety, creativity, and becoming more fully themselves.

Scott and LaRae also open up about the parts of marriage that required real change—from career transitions and co-parenting to unhealthy coping mechanisms, communication patterns, and the runner-and-chaser dynamic they had to recognize and reshape. They discuss why partnership can become a mirror for unfinished inner work, what it means to be someone’s safe place, letting go of the need to be right, and the simple but powerful realization that after 14 years of marriage, they are still each other’s favorite person.

Timestamps:

[00:00:03] Welcome to The Observatory Podcast
[00:00:18] Celebrating 14 years of marriage on the fall equinox
[00:02:28] Aspen trees, shared roots, and the symbolism of their wedding
[00:05:48] Virgo, the fall season, and finding someone whose waters run deep
[00:10:00] Why LaRae wanted a relationship with emotional depth
[00:16:48] Letting go of the need to be right and becoming more curious
[00:19:00] Why partnership became a witness to LaRae’s inner work
[00:22:20] Can you say your spouse is your favorite person?
[00:25:00] Marriage, unfinished business, and the stories we carry
[00:26:45] Career changes, co-parenting, coping mechanisms, and adapting together
[00:29:34] The runner, the chaser, communication, and emotional safety
[00:32:18] Independence, curiosity, creativity, and learning from each other
[00:34:17] Writing, self-judgment, and simply showing up as yourself
[00:36:38] Music, creativity, and releasing attachment to what we create
[00:37:54] How partnership helped them become more fully themselves
[00:39:24] The honeymoon, deep water, and a metaphor for their marriage
[00:43:50] Preparing yourself for partnership and the journey ahead

Notable Quotes:

• “We couldn't have goal set ourselves to where we are. We had to just show up and live our lives.” - LaRae Wright [08:55]
• “It prevented me from being curious.” - Scott Wright [17:05]
• “But you've always been my safe place.” - Scott Wright [30:58]
• “The one thing I do know is that I don't know everything.” - Scott Wright [32:23]
• “Just show up and be who you are.” - LaRae Wright [36:01]
• “The magic that has happened in being in partnership and marriage with you has been the ability for us to find ways where we can both be more and more and more of who we are truly meant to be.” - LaRae Wright [37:54]

Relevant Links:

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcasts

Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright sit down for a tender conversation following the sudden loss of Scott’s brother Jeff. Together, they reflect on grief, family, unexpected loss, and the way love, music, memory, and shared experience can keep someone close even after they are gone.

Scott shares what it was like to gather with Jeff’s family, feel the shock of losing his first brother, and find comfort in the music that connected them. This episode is a gentle invitation for anyone who has lost someone they love to feel the grief without getting stuck in it, to honor the people who have shaped their lives, and to keep living with presence, purpose, and love.

Timestamps:

[00:00:03] Welcome to The Observatory Podcast
[00:00:18] Scott introduces a somber conversation about losing his brother Jeff
[00:01:24] Jeff’s sudden passing and gathering with family
[00:04:28] Brotherhood, cousin brothers, and Jeff’s role in bringing family together
[00:06:18] Sudden loss, grief, and making space to feel
[00:07:03] A renewed sense of urgency around time, healing, and purpose
[00:08:46] Feeling Jeff’s presence through music
[00:11:30] Funeral preparations, family support, and what family means
[00:14:15] Grief, drumming, and a ceremony of remembrance
[00:16:05] Missing Jeff and the surrealness of sudden loss
[00:17:25] Jeff’s final family visits and unfinished plans
[00:19:03] Music as legacy, expression, and a way to honor Jeff
[00:20:53] Paying attention to love and the way we spend our days
[00:22:17] Not getting stuck in grief and continuing to live fully
[00:27:14] A musical tribute and closing song

Notable Quotes:

• “It was hard to lose my first brother.” - Scott Wright [03:48]
• “For that time could be short for any of us, and so it's important to take advantage of of that time.” - Scott Wright [07:27]
• “Not just playing music, but being music.” - Scott Wright [09:11]
• “Because these relationships have been witnesses to our life from the start.” - LaRae Wright [12:25]
• “Keep doing this. This is what you're supposed to do.” - Scott Wright [19:33]
• “The best way to honor them is to continue to live life not get stuck in life.” - LaRae Wright [24:15]

Relevant Links:

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcasts

Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright return from their summer hiatus to celebrate four years and more than 200 episodes of The Observatory, reflect on what the podcast has brought into their lives, and explore the power of curiosity in a divided world. They discuss how curiosity can create common ground, soften frustration, and help us approach people, words, beliefs, and conversations with more openness.

The conversation moves into preferences—how they shape our reactions, become confused with truth, align with fear, and influence the way we view news, politics, relationships, community, and ourselves. Scott and LaRae share how the podcast has expanded their own curiosity, helped them see how similar we are beneath their differences, and invited a deeper commitment to community, flow, and conversations that bring people together rather than divide.

Timestamps:

[00:00:03] Welcome to The Observatory Podcast
[00:00:18] Returning from summer hiatus and introducing curiosity and preferences
[00:02:06] Four years of The Observatory and more than 200 episodes
[00:02:58] Creating community through curiosity and conversation
[00:03:41] Curiosity as a bridge between difficult and elevated emotions
[00:06:10] Words, meaning, vibration, and common understanding
[00:09:33] Preferences, self-observation, and The Untethered Soul
[00:11:40] When preferences become personal truths
[00:12:49] Fake news, media perspectives, and questioning assumptions
[00:15:00] Fear, alignment, and validating what we already believe
[00:18:02] A listener challenge about news, politics, and emotional reactions
[00:19:25] Middle ground, humanity, and belonging to the human family
[00:20:30] Small communities and supporting one another
[00:23:40] How the podcast has stretched Scott and LaRae
[00:25:18] Curiosity, openness, and letting the flow continue
[00:26:35] What is coming next for The Observatory
[00:28:35] September celebrations and closing thoughts

Notable Quotes:

• “We don't want people to think just like us.” - LaRae Wright [03:37]
• “When we become curious, we can move from that fixed mindset, that tends to keep us stuck somewhere.” - Scott Wright [05:13]
• “I didn't really understand that they were preferences. I held them more as truths.” - LaRae Wright [11:48]
• “If you can become curious about what is not your preference, there's such learning in there.” - LaRae Wright [17:29]
• “We realize we're all human.” - Scott Wright [21:26]
• “To also see how we are more similar than we are different.” - LaRae Wright [24:18]

Relevant Links:

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcasts

Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of The Observatory, Scott and LaRae share the different aspects of trauma and how we can heal from them. Hear LaRae’s traumatic event of losing her mother in a road accident and how it shaped her life differently, Scott’s traumatic experience in 1967, and the traumatic event that Scott and LaRae almost died. They also share tips for healing childhood trauma as a family and what LaRae has learned from the Compassionate Inquiry with Dr Gabor Mate.

Timestamps

[03:22] Events in our childhood that create patterns in our lives
[07:25] The feeling of being stuck
[09:54] LaRae’s traumatic event of losing her mother and how it shaped her life differently [13:12] The different aspects of trauma
[21:15] Scott’s traumatic experiences in 1967
[26:46] The traumatic event that Scott and LaRae almost died
[31:30] What LaRae has learned from the Compassionate Inquiry healing model
[43:00] The purpose of the message today
[47:00] Healing childhood trauma as a family

Notable quotes:

• “No one experiences childhood the same, even though you are all raised by the same parents and in the same home.” - LaRae Wright [06:09]
• “The first aspect of trauma occurs when something happens, leading you to interpret it in a way that creates rigidity. This causes you to frame your experience in a programmed manner that constrains you.” - LaRae Wright [13:11]
• “The second aspect of trauma is when your feelings become overwhelming, causing you to disconnect from them.” - LaRae Wright [13:27]
• “Life is a defensive game, and we are constantly seeking unconsciously validation of our experience.” - LaRae Wright [31:57]

Relevant links:

Compassionate Inquiry https://drgabormate.com/compassionate-inquiry/

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast

Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of The Observatory, Jeff Low joins the show to discuss men’s mental health and steps toward forging lifelong bonds and reconnecting with your purpose. Jeff founded Bonded Brotherhood, a safe space where men can connect, grow, and find strength in authentic community with the raw power of the outdoors. Hear Jeff’s lowest moment and turning point into personal work and healing, his growth since meeting Scott and LaRae in February, and how working on himself has influenced his relationships. You will also learn the power of vulnerability and being in a community in your healing journey, and what Bonded Brotherhood is all about.


Timestamps

[03:37] Jeff Low’s background information and what led him to what he is doing now
[07:08] Jeff’s biggest regrets in life 
[10:00] The pressure of growing a business
[13:36] Jeff’s turning point into personal healing
[18:00] The thought of committing suicide in February 2025
[23:57] Jeff’s growth since meeting Scott and LaRae Wright
[27:57] Working on yourself so that you can help others 
[29:03] How working on himself has influenced Jeff’s relationship with his wife
[33:00] The power of vulnerability and being in a community 
[34:32] The story of Bonded Brotherhood
[41:45] What does Bonded Brotherhood do?
[50:57] The future of Bonded Brotherhood
[01:00:20] The importance of curiosity in your healing journey
[01:04:00] Learning how to feel

Notable quotes:

• “The gift that you two have of providing a loving, safe space 100% saved my life.” - Jeff Low [18:36]
• “You are not alone, you are not crazy for feeling and thinking the way you are feeling and thinking, and there is peace, and it comes by putting yourself first.” - Jeff Low [25:29]
• “You have to be healthy before showing up the best way for others.” - Jeff Low [26:24]
• “Bonded Brotherhood is all about building connection and support.” - Jeff Low [46:11]

Relevant links:

Bonded Brotherhood website: https://bondedbrotherhood.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonded.brotherhood/

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast

Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of The Observatory, Samuel Beautysta joins the show to discuss the ancient art of Zapotec weaving and the living stories carried in each thread. Samuel, a traveling weaver from Oaxaca, Mexico, shares how his curiosity about identity and lineage led him deep into the Benizaa tradition, uncovering the meanings behind patterns, the natural colors drawn from the earth, and the symbols that honor life, death, and ancestry. He reflects on his family’s response to his search for knowledge, his experiences traveling and teaching, and how weaving becomes a language that connects cultures and generations. 

Timestamps

[02:31] How Scott and LaRae first met Samuel Bautista
[05:36] Samuel’s background information on the weaving culture and tradition
[13:33] How things unfolded for Samuel after the curiosity of wanting to know who he is
[19:02] Samuel’s experience in the United Kingdom
[20:10] The similarities of Samuel’s culture to that of other cultures during his research
[25:46] How Samuel’s parents reacted to his journey of seeking knowledge about their tradition 
[29:11] How Samuel discovered the natural colours of weaving
[38:43] Samuel’s episode on The Reluctant Traveler Show about the Day of the Dead
[49:27] Connecting to one another and the Mother Earth
[55:34] How Samuel created a community of collaboration and co-creation

Notable quotes:

• “History is always written with an agenda and a hidden power, like governments and institutions. It’s up to us to answer questions for ourselves, who we are, our lineage, and our story.” - Samuel Beautysta [11:59]
• “When we start to discover that we are more similar than we are different, it changes our whole perspective on what our parents taught us.” - LaRae Wright [25:46]
• “To survive the hottest days of summer, you have to feed your roots, your ancestors, and remember your teachings.” - [43:25]
• “For us, instead of fearing death, we embraced it and added it to our symbols and rituals.” - Samuel Beautysta [50:38]
• “All the knowledge is lying dormant within you, just like a seed that is buried in the ground and ready to sprout. ” - Samuel Beautysta [01:07:42]

Relevant links:

Samuel Beautysta Website: https://dixza.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sam_dixza/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dixzarugs

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcasts
Produced by NC Productions

In remembrance of Carol Lynn Pearson, we are honored to reshare this October 2023 conversation and celebrate the extraordinary legacy she leaves behind as a writer, poet, advocate, and courageous voice for love, faith, women, and the LGBTQ community.

In this episode of The Observatory, Carol Lynn Pearson joins the show to talk about the doctrine of plural marriage in Mormonism. Hear about how the doctrine of polygamy developed, how polygamy causes irreversible damage, the importance of resonating with love, practical solutions to the problem, and Carol’s upcoming books.

Timestamps

[03:53] Have Carol Lynn’s views changed on the doctrine of polygamy.
[10:14] Mormonism and polygamy.
[18:00] How the doctrine changed over time.
[21:11] How polygamy showed up in Carol Lynn’s story.
[26:54] The damage that this doctrine causes.
[44:27] Resonating with love.
[51:30] Carol Lynn’s favorite passages.
[70:41] Solutions to the problem.
[74:15] Carol Lynn’s diaries.

Notable quotes:

• “It benefits no one.” – Carol Lynn Pearson [04:27]
• “However we deal with the past, it is the past.” – Carol Lynn Pearson [26:48]
• “Society must move historically into more and more of a place of light.” – Carol Lynn Pearson [72:15]

Relevant Links:

Website: carollynnpearson.com

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

In remembrance of Carol Lynn Pearson, we are honored to reshare this October 2023 conversation and celebrate the extraordinary legacy she leaves behind as a writer, poet, advocate, and courageous voice for love, faith, women, and the LGBTQ community.

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright sit down with author, poet, playwright, and longtime Mormon feminist voice Carol Lynn Pearson for a powerful conversation about Finding Mother God, Heavenly Mother, the divine feminine, LGBTQ compassion, and the work of bringing women’s spiritual value back into full view.

Carol Lynn shares her personal story, from her early life in Utah and her marriage to Gerald Pearson, to the writing of Goodbye, I Love You and her lifelong advocacy for queer and marginalized voices within Mormon culture. The conversation then moves into Finding Mother God, the sacred feminine, patriarchy, partnership, and why restoring the feminine face of God may be essential to healing families, faith, and the human family as a whole.

Timestamps:

[00:00:03] Welcome to The Observatory Podcast
[00:00:18] Introducing Carol Lynn Pearson and Finding Mother God
[00:01:28] Carol Lynn’s background, diaries, theater, and early writing
[00:05:18] Gerald Pearson, marriage, and what the 1960s misunderstood
[00:10:39] Gerald’s AIDS diagnosis, death, and the beginning of Goodbye, I Love You
[00:16:00] Carol Lynn as a pioneer in LGBTQ understanding and Mormon culture
[00:20:46] Women’s issues, gay issues, and the lifelong work of gender
[00:24:33] “If God is male, the male is God”
[00:25:30] Finding Mother God, feminine power, and LaRae’s connection to the book
[00:31:21] Mother Wove the Morning and the feminine face of God
[00:33:16] Heavenly Mother, the Goddess, and restoring the feminine origin
[00:41:07] Moving from patriarchy into partnership
[00:42:17] Carol Lynn reads from Finding Mother God
[00:48:17] Moving beyond words, pictures, and gendered ideas of God
[00:51:58] Paradigm Shift and the heavenly he and her
[00:56:09] Carol Lynn’s calling and bringing humanity to higher ground
[00:59:06] The Ghost of Eternal Polygamy and a future conversation
[01:00:23] Current projects, diaries, and closing thoughts

Notable Quotes:

• “Well, originally I am from heaven.” - Carol Lynn Pearson [00:01:59]
• “I pretty suddenly knew that this was the correct thing to do.” - Carol Lynn Pearson [00:11:56]
• “I was born into what we call women's issues, and then I married into what we call gay issues.” - Carol Lynn Pearson [00:20:52]
• “If God is male, the male is God.” - Carol Lynn Pearson quoting Mary Daly [00:24:33]
• “It is a historical necessity that we move across the planes of patriarchy into the promised land of partnership.” - Carol Lynn Pearson [00:41:17]
• “This is what I was called to do in the world. I know that.” - Carol Lynn Pearson [00:56:09]

Relevant Links:

Website: carollynnpearson.com

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

In this episode of The Observatory, Gina Scarpino joins the show to discuss her journey as a psychic medium, the reality of communicating with the other side, and how emerging mediums can confidently develop their gifts. Gina is a Psychic Medium & Spiritual Life Coach who has dedicated her life to uplifting the spirits of others. She shares her first telepathic connection with her grandfather after his passing, how her calling unfolded, and why she feels compelled to support others on a similar path.
 
Timestamps

[02:00] Gina’s Journey to being a Psychic Medium
[04:20] The telepathic connection that Gina had with her dead grandfather
[07:57] Gina’s why in her Psychic Medium work
[09:46] Gina's experience with other mediums in England
[13:00] What ‘Psychic’ and ‘Medium’ means
[20:54] Gina’s biggest lesson of healing
[22:17] How Gina engages with people spiritually
[30:11] Gina’s experience of teaching 30 students while grieving
[34:41] How does medium training look?
[38:13] The things that Gina loves doing that keep her energized
[44:39] The ‘Charmed to Life Project’ Podcast
[54:05] Balancing the feminine and masculine
[55:40] Gina’s revelation about Scott and LaRae Wright

Notable quotes:

• “The term 'medium' means you can communicate with people that have crossed over to the other side.” - Gina Scarpino [13:09]
• “Where there is a will, there is a way, and you’re always guided to where you need to be.” - Gina Scarpino [36:40]
• “When you bring in the science element to all the spiritual subjects, it gives you something concrete when the spiritual aspect is more fluid.” - Gina Scarpino [46:52]

Relevant links:

Gina Scarpino Website: https://www.ginajulianscarpino.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GinaScarpinoPsychicMedium
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-charmed-life-project/id1829457788

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright sit down for a short, intimate conversation about prayer—not as a rule-bound ritual, but as a living practice shaped by words, intention, gratitude, and alignment. They unpack how prayer can evolve beyond fear-based asking, and why the language we use—internally and out loud—can land as either medicine or venom. If you’ve ever felt conflicted about prayer, spirituality, or how to “talk to the Divine,” this episode offers a grounded reframe you can actually use.

Timestamps

[00:00:18] Scott introduces the topic: prayer (and why this conversation may surprise you)
[00:01:20] Setting the scene: a quiet Sunday afternoon, post–Valentine’s Day reflections
[00:04:39] Scott shares a moment from his men’s group that sparked this episode
[00:08:39] What prayer meant growing up: structure, habit, and fear-based “asking”
[00:10:07] When prayer feels like a ritual—or a task—instead of communication
[00:13:30] Reframing prayer: intention, energy, and how words shape experience
[00:19:34] Gratitude as a shared frequency: how prayer can create resonance
[00:20:58] Scott reads a prayer that shifted his relationship with “prayer language”
[00:24:39] “Toxic positivity”: when words sound good but aren’t aligned underneath
[00:29:20] The line that hits: “no venom passes my lips” and why it matters
[00:30:16] Venom as poison: what words can do once they’re released
[00:34:46] Emotional regulation, balance, and not getting stuck in heavy energy
[00:39:05] Closing takeaway: your words are either venom or medicine

Notable Quotes

• “It felt more like a ritual or maybe a task. Task that I had to do.” – Scott Wright [10:07]
• “Well, it creates a resonance like a song would. Those words create a resonance.” – LaRae Wright [19:48]
• “So no venom passes my lips and no destruction results from my speech.” – Scott Wright [21:50]
• “That venom is like poison. It’s not retractable.” – Scott Wright [30:16]
• “Just everyone pay attention to your words. Pay attention to whether they are venom or medicine.” – Scott Wright [39:05]

Relevant links:

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright sit down with Nathan Chase Plummer and Zaid Plummer to explore the story behind Guardian Mansion — a bold cross-country move, a historic restoration, and a shared vision rooted in partnership, creativity, and purpose.
Together, they reflect on how a simple dream of restoring historic spaces evolved into a life-changing journey. Nate and Zaid share how they discovered the Kentucky property, what it felt like stepping into the mansion for the first time, and how the process of renovation mirrors deeper themes of identity, resilience, and co-creation. This episode dives into the emotional realities behind chasing big dreams — the hard days, the unexpected beauty, and the profound connection that comes from building something meaningful together.

Timestamps:

[00:00:18] Introducing Nate and Zaid Plummer and the story of Guardian Mansion
[00:01:05] Early dreams of restoration and historic properties
[00:05:17] First conversations about buying and restoring old buildings
[00:09:51] Working through challenges together and trusting the vision
[00:12:54] Discovering historic architecture styles and the “Second Empire” home
[00:15:54] Traveling to Kentucky and arriving at the Bluegrass region
[00:17:43] Turning into the driveway — the first emotional moment seeing the mansion
[00:26:40] The deeper meaning behind restoring a historic space
[00:38:15] Creative vision, storytelling, and preserving history
[00:52:20] The realities of renovation and learning as you go
[01:04:30] What Guardian Mansion represents today

Noteable Quotes:

• “I would love to buy it and renovate it and restore it.” – Nate Plummer [05:17]
• “The houses we were drawn to were the antebellums or the Greek revivals — like this house, a second empire.” – Nate Plummer [12:54]
• “Sometimes we have really hard days. But, we work.” – Zaid Plummer [10:08]
• “We flew into Lexington airport where my family for years had lived and done the horse business.” – Nate Plummer [16:03]
• “A dream together...” – Zaid Plummer [01:14:43]

Relevant links:

Follow the adventure here: 

Guardian Mansion Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/guardianmansion/
https://www.tiktok.com/@guardianmansion
Guardian Mansion YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GuardianMansion

Also, listen to Nate's story;  coming out at 30, business & authorship, meeting Zaid — the big wedding, and manifestation of the Guardian: here!

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

In this episode of The Observatory, Jake Orak joins the show to discuss his journey of self-discovery, spirituality, and what it truly means to live authentically. From his early years in drumming to life-changing experiences in Vietnam, Switzerland, Bali, and Nepal, Jake shares how travel, entrepreneurship, and personal breakdowns opened the door to deeper self-awareness and intentional living. He reflects on closing one chapter of his life through a powerful completion ceremony, the origins of his meditation and inner work, and how these threads eventually wove into his book, Threads of Change.

Timestamps

[02:02] Jake Orak’s background in drumming
[03:00] Jake’s background information
[06:00] Jake’s experience in Vietnam and Switzerland
[14:07] Jake’s entrepreneurial journey
[23:57] The completion ceremony that Jake did with his ex-wife
[27:28] How Jake nurtured his self-awareness and intentionality
[29:40] The nervous breakdown that Jake had in Bali
[37:30] The genesis of meditation and personal work
[47:57] How Jake’s trip to Nepal influenced his life
[01:08:45] Jake's connection with Utah
[01:17:20] Jake’s journey of writing the book: Threads of Change
[01:21:28] How Jake met his partner, Adrian
[01:24:57] The Inner Circle Stewards Drum Session
[01:30:41] Developing your spirituality
[01:35:24] The difference between living in the space of being and the space of doing

Notable quotes:

• “When you start doing things consciously for yourself and developing your own flavor of spirituality, that’s when things start to unfold, especially when you are able to share that openly within a group.” - Jake Orak [01:30:41]

Relevant links: 

Jake Orak Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakeorak/?hl=en

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Stephen Karafiath steps into the interviewer role alongside LaRae Wright to turn the conversation toward host Scott Wright himself. What unfolds is an honest and expansive discussion about Scott’s personal awakening, the evolution of his relationships, and the inner work required to live life from the inside out.

Scott reflects on pivotal life experiences that reshaped how he views identity, connection, and spiritual growth. Together, they explore vulnerability, shadow work, emotional responsibility, and the courage it takes to dismantle old belief systems while building a deeper sense of authenticity. This episode offers listeners a rare look behind the microphone as Scott shares his own story — not as a teacher, but as someone continually learning, questioning, and growing.

Timestamps

[00:00:03] Welcome to The Observatory Podcast
[00:00:18] Stephen Karafiath introduces the idea of interviewing Scott Wright
[00:01:12] Why turning the lens inward feels different
[00:03:40] Scott reflects on early identity and personal shifts
[00:08:22] Awakening moments that changed his trajectory
[00:15:06] Navigating relationships through transformation
[00:21:55] Vulnerability and emotional honesty as a practice
[00:29:14] Letting go of certainty and embracing curiosity
[00:37:45] The cost of authenticity and redefining success
[00:48:30] Shadow work and self-accountability
[00:59:11] Building emotional resilience through discomfort
[01:10:44] Partnership, growth, and relational evolution
[01:22:05] What it means to live from the inside out
[01:33:50] Integration — how Scott applies these lessons daily
[01:44:12] Reflections on hosting the Observatory Podcast

Notable Quotes

• “Sometimes the hardest thing is realizing you don’t have to defend the version of yourself you used to be.” – Scott Wright [29:14]
• “The work isn’t about becoming someone new — it’s about remembering who you’ve always been underneath the noise.” – Scott Wright [37:45]
• “When we stop trying to control how others see us, that’s where real freedom begins.” – Scott Wright [48:30]
• “You can’t bypass the shadow… you have to sit with it long enough to understand what it’s asking from you.” – Stephen Karafiath [59:11]
• “Living from the inside out means you’re willing to let your life look different than you imagined.” – LaRae Wright [01:22:05]

Relevant links:

Earlier episode with Stephen can be found here.

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright sit down with Bob Coleman, with Wendy Wilde joining the conversation, to explore what it means to retire on your own terms and rethink your relationship with money. Bob, a non-traditional financial and investment advisor and author of Retire on Your Terms, shares why many people feel stuck inside the traditional financial “industry matrix” and how curiosity, access, and education can open up new possibilities around retirement planning, investing, prosperity, and abundance.

Together, they discuss inherited money stories, scarcity conditioning, financial safety, the difference between retail and wholesale thinking, Blue Ocean Strategy, the Prosperity Code, work becoming optional, and why money does not have to be separate from spirituality, healing, or personal growth. This conversation invites listeners to question the old voices in their heads, get curious about new options, and imagine a more aligned relationship with money, retirement, and freedom.

Timestamps:

[00:00:18] Introducing Bob Coleman, Wendy Wilde, and Retire on Your Terms
[00:04:02] Non-traditional financial advising and the “Industry Matrix”
[00:05:23] Relationship with money, abundance, and asking better questions
[00:13:03] The traditional advisor box and how financial products are packaged
[00:16:22] Breaking old money rules and creating open architecture
[00:20:49] Questioning money conditioning, programming, and safety
[00:24:47] “Whose voice is in your head?” and inherited money stories
[00:26:16] The Prosperity Code and access to new possibilities
[00:28:49] Curiosity as the doorway to a different financial path
[00:40:57] Blue Ocean Strategy and moving out of financial competition
[00:48:56] Retire on Your Terms, Money is My Friend, and redefining success
[00:55:53] Why Bob gives the book away and invites curiosity at any age
[01:00:15] Energetic exchange, love, and abundance beyond money
[01:06:42] Aligning money, spirituality, healing, and financial well-being
[01:10:20] Enlightenment, poverty, and closing thoughts

Notable Quotes:

• “And most people don't know that they have options and choices that are out of the traditional advisor and industry created box.” - Bob Coleman [00:05:02]
• “What if we think about it differently and say, what if we recreate the rule? What if we unwind the rule and look at it differently and create a whole new one?” - Bob Coleman [00:16:41]
• “Whose voice is in your head telling you that truth? Whose voice is that? Is it your own?” - Bob Coleman [00:24:47]
• “We could not have goal set our way here to where we are, to how abundant our life is, how abundant our relationship is.” - LaRae Wright [00:31:28]
• “One percent of curiosity is all it takes and it will open you up to a whole new way of doing life.” - Bob Coleman [01:04:55]
• “Money is not separate from the rest of you.” - Wendy Wilde [01:07:40]

Relevant Links:

Non-Traditional Financial Solutions: www.nontraditionalfs.com
Email Bob Coleman: bob@nontraditionalfs.com

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright explore primitive skills gatherings—family-friendly, community-centered events where people learn ancestral skills like fire-making, basket weaving, pottery, herbalism, animal processing, drum making, flute playing, and nature awareness. Scott shares his experience with Fire to Fire, Elkhorn, and Rabbit Stick, and how these gatherings helped reconnect him to music, nature, community, and the deeper traditions carried through human history.

Together, they discuss why these spaces are about more than survival skills. They are places of learning, wellness, creativity, barter, storytelling, and connection back to the land and each other. Whether you are curious about wilderness skills, ancestral technology, natural medicine, family camping, or simply finding a more grounded community, this conversation is an invitation to step out of everyday noise and into something older, simpler, and deeply human.

Timestamps:

[00:00:03] Welcome to The Observatory Podcast
[00:00:20] Introducing primitive skills gatherings and why they matter
[00:01:20] Fire to Fire, Elkhorn, and Rabbit Stick
[00:03:21] Why people seek community and family-friendly learning spaces
[00:04:35] Fire-making, basketry, plants, pottery, and ancestral skills
[00:07:02] Learning as beginners and the joy of community
[00:11:20] Reconnecting with nature, ancestors, and older technologies
[00:12:27] Camping, primitive living, and stepping into a time capsule
[00:13:11] Scott’s transformative first experience with drumming and fire
[00:14:20] Mercantile tents, handmade goods, and barter fair traditions
[00:19:00] Why the education and experience are so valuable
[00:20:15] Camp Mom, newcomer support, and feeling safe in community
[00:23:07] Elders, younger teachers, and keeping traditions alive
[00:27:00] Presence in nature, owl eyes, and meditative awareness
[00:28:22] Upcoming gatherings and how listeners can get involved

Notable Quotes:

• “They've been very transformational in my life and I've watched it transform other people's lives as well.” - Scott Wright [00:40]
• “And you're learning in a community of people that everyone's a learner.” - LaRae Wright [07:02]
• “They come from all over and it's a great way to again build this community, build this sense of connection back to nature, connection back to you know, our ancestors in many ways and what they may have experienced or what they were doing and have a real sense of appreciation for the technology they lived with and the technology that we live with and how to find balance between the two.” - Scott Wright [11:20]
• “And it's connecting back to those, those ancestral roots that we all have encoded in our DNA somewhere.” - LaRae Wright [11:48]
• “I mean, you can't even put a price on the kind of education that you're going to receive at those.” - Scott Wright [19:04]
• “You can feel the difference because it's like checking out of all of those, those day to day things that we experience like traffic and being on your phone and social media and the news and it's just an opportunity to check out of all that stuff and take a break.” - LaRae Wright [21:26]

Relevant Links:

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright sit down with Stephen Karafiath and Carrie Cox, two friends in a new relationship who are intentionally building love through secure attachment, emotional honesty, and nervous-system awareness.
Together, they explore what it means to “wade through the muck” instead of bypassing discomfort — how trauma can be alchemized, how boundaries create safety, and how a shared relational container allows for co-regulation, depth, and intimacy. This conversation touches on vulnerability, conscious partnership, and the courage required to stay present when things get messy — because that’s often where transformation lives. 

Timestamps

[00:00:18] Scott and LaRae introduce Stephen Karafiath and Carrie Cox
[00:01:03] A new relationship built on depth, presence, and intention
[00:02:45] Referencing the Safe to Love podcast conversation
[00:03:44] Growth, humility, and learning to soften
[00:04:42] Experiencing secure attachment for the first time
[00:06:25] Vulnerability, grief, and emotional safety
[00:09:22] Metasound, play, and relational witnessing
[00:10:31] Water rituals and nature as grounding allies
[00:12:46] “Wading through the muck” and where alchemy happens
[00:26:02] Alchemizing inherited shame and childhood beliefs
[00:26:21] Letting water and nature help hold what can’t be fixed
[00:32:45] Polyamory as a doorway into deeper relational conversations
[00:34:04] Creating a relationship container that doesn’t leak energy
[00:40:32] Exploring depth together — even where there might be dragons
[00:48:17] A shared nervous system and the power of co-regulation
[00:49:29] Boundaries, communication, and relational clarity
[00:55:46] Relational pillars: emotional, physical, spiritual, sexual
[01:10:04] Closing reflections and gratitude

Noteable Quotes 

• “From secure attachment, for what feels like the first time in my life.” – Carrie Cox [04:42]
• “I love to wade through the muck because I know that’s where the alchemy occurs.” – Carrie Cox [12:46]
• “Setting a container around our relationship that’s bigger than both of us, and not leaking any energy outside of it.” – Stephen Karafiath [34:04]
• “We can go right back down to the depths — you’re not afraid to explore coves that might have dragons.” – Stephen Karafiath [40:32]
• “We’ve created this shared nervous system, and the benefit is co-regulation.” – Carrie Cox [48:17] 

Relevant links:

Stephen Instagram
Carrie's Instagram

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, LaRae Wright joins Tessa Arneson and Rocky Donati on the Heart + Head Work podcast for a powerful conversation about moving beyond traditional goal setting and learning to live, work, and grow from a grounded sense of self. This conversation explores presence, intuition, receiving, self-worth, business growth, and the shift from constantly striving toward success to allowing life and work to unfold through deeper inner knowing.

LaRae shares her journey from corporate life into intuitive entrepreneurship, the moment she began moving from overthinking into trust, and how redefining success changed the way she approached business, purpose, and personal growth. Together, they discuss why rigid goals can sometimes limit possibility, how receiving differs from chasing, and what becomes possible when you stop letting business drive your life and begin building from who you truly are.


Timestamps

[03:57] How Tessa, Rocky, and LaRae are doing
[09:00] What Tessa’s grandfather revealed to her during meditation
[10:02] How Tessa and LaRae first met
[11:40] LaRae’s background information
[15:02] LaRae’s journey from the corporate life to being present
[19:08] How LaRae grew her sense of self
[20:40] The earliest moment that LaRae shifted from thinking to knowing
[23:58] How to be better about receiving versus hunting
[30:28] Not letting business drive your life
[37:31] LaRae’s business, which used intuition and was successful
[40:54] Knowing your drive [51:53] Learning from your adversities
[01:00:13] Episode wrap-up
[01:04:25] The upcoming ‘You Are The Medicine’ retreat that LaRae is hosting

Notable quotes:

• “All you have to do is show up and be yourself.” - Rocky Donati [04:52]
• “The sense of self is our strongest asset.” - Rocky Donati [17:54]
• “Setting goals narrows the potentiality of what is out there for you.” - LaRae Wright [30:19]
• “The answer is all about the gifts that you have, the way you see the world, the story that you have created, and how you live in the world.” - LaRae Wright [49:39]
• “Grow down so you can become the original version of yourself that was so big and beautiful.” - Rocky Donati [01:06:37]

Relevant links:

Heart + Head Work Podcast Apple Podcast

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright sit down with Dr. Reid Robison to explore psychedelic therapy methods, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, clinical research with psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, and the deeper relationship between mental health, spirituality, healing, and self-awareness. Dr. Robison shares how psychedelic medicines are being studied and used in careful therapeutic settings to help people work through depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction, end-of-life fear, and deeply ingrained patterns of suffering. Together, they discuss the difference between symptom management and true healing, the importance of preparation and integration, the role of music as medicine, and why awareness may be one of the most powerful gifts these experiences can offer. This conversation also explores the future of psychedelic medicine, the evolving legal landscape, and the hope that these therapies may help more people access healing in safe, supported, and meaningful ways.

Timestamps: 

[00:00:03] Welcome to The Observatory Podcast
[00:00:17] Introducing Dr. Reid Robison and psychedelic therapy for mental health
[00:05:40] Dr. Robison’s path through psychiatry, ketamine, ayahuasca, MDMA, psilocybin, and LSD research
[00:08:00] The 1960s, the war on drugs, and why psychedelic research disappeared for decades
[00:13:35] Depression, anxiety, trauma, addiction, and stuck thought patterns
[00:16:10] Awareness, self-observation, and learning to see yourself clearly
[00:19:31] The harm chart, psilocybin, alcohol, and rethinking risk
[00:26:23] What ketamine is and how ketamine-assisted psychotherapy works
[00:30:00] Preparation, dosing sessions, music, and integration
[00:31:32] Neuroplasticity and reshaping old patterns
[00:35:40] Music as medicine in psychedelic journeys
[00:44:39] End-of-life anxiety, terminal illness, and psilocybin as a sacred passage
[00:46:49] Spirituality, religion, and reconnecting with belief in a higher power
[00:52:34] Healing stories, family work, couples work, MDMA, and PTSD
[00:58:12] Psychedelic therapy, suicide, religion, and signs of cultural change
[01:02:11] The future of psilocybin, MDMA, DMT, and legal therapeutic access
[01:04:57] Self-awareness, sovereignty, and becoming your own curriculum

Notable Quotes:

• “Psychedelics have proven to be a really effective way of doing that. Especially when an individual is really stuck in an inability to see themselves clearly and see what they're stuck in.” - Dr. Reid Robison [13:07]
• “Depression doesn't become just ruminating about the past as much and the anxiety doesn't become as much about worrying about the future. It becomes a thought pattern loop that we're stuck in.” - Dr. Reid Robison [13:57]
• “The single greatest thing that psychedelic medicines, plant medicines have given to me, in my experience with them and what I've observed with so many others is awareness.” - Dr. Reid Robison [16:59]
• “These medicines open up a window of opportunity, not just with awareness but also with neuroplasticity.” - Dr. Reid Robison [31:32]
• “They don't impose a religious belief.” - Dr. Reid Robison [46:56]
• “You are your own curriculum, you know, you are what you need to kind of understand.” - LaRae Wright [01:05:09] 

Relevant Links:

Dr. Reid Robison: www.reidrobison.com
Numinus: numinus.com
Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers: therapyfrontiers.com
Instagram: @innerspacedoctor

Produced by NC Productions

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright sit down with returning guest Amayra Hamilton in Cornville, Arizona, just before she begins a major new chapter: moving back to Holland after nearly 30 years in the United States. Together, they explore grief, aging, home, self-love, and the wisdom that comes from learning to accept what is.

Amayra shares the story behind her book, Coming Alive Again, born from the loss of her son and later the passing of her husband, Michael. The conversation moves through the spiritual and practical sides of grief, channeled writing, life after loss, the realities of aging, and the courage it takes to keep choosing awareness, gratitude, and compassion.

Timestamps:

[00:00:54] Scott and LaRae visit Amayra Hamilton in Cornville, Arizona
[00:03:08] Amayra’s book, Coming Alive Again, and the grief work behind it
[00:05:29] Why grief can require “coming alive again”
[00:06:31] The practical and spiritual sides of grief support
[00:07:49] Channeled writing, automatic writing, and messages from loved ones
[00:11:34] Amayra hears her son’s voice while preparing to move
[00:13:22] Why there is no fixed timeline for grief
[00:15:33] The many forms of loss and why every grief is unique
[00:19:00] Grief, love, and the pain of what was never there
[00:20:01] Aging, death, and learning to talk honestly about both
[00:24:10] The realities of energy, caregiving, and the “golden years”
[00:32:26] Honoring limitations and releasing resistance to aging
[00:35:44] Accepting “what is” as wisdom grows with age
[00:38:32] Amayra’s decision to move back to Holland
[00:45:42] Home, native country, and carrying home within yourself
[00:54:21] A possible Dutch translation of Coming Alive Again
[00:55:45] Amayra’s closing wisdom on awareness, gratitude, self-love, and aging

Notable Quotes:

• “The book is called Coming Alive Again, which has been very much the theme of, when a loved one dies, a part of you dies with them. And that has to come alive again, otherwise you will leave yourself.” - Amayra Hamilton [05:29]
• “Mom, you have been able to let go of me. This is just a house.” - Amayra Hamilton [11:41]
• “There is no time on grief. You cannot say it takes so much time. It takes whatever it takes.” - Amayra Hamilton [13:30]
• “Grief is love. The more love there is, the deeper the grief feels.” - Amayra Hamilton [19:00]
• “I think it’s when you become in resistance to aging that everything then seems to accelerate.” - LaRae Wright [32:40]
• “Because without the loving of yourself, you cannot love anybody else.” - Amayra Hamilton [57:00]S

Relevant Links:

Coming Alive Again: http://comingaliveagain.com
Amayra Hamilton: http://amayrahamilton.com

Produced by NC Productions

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright sit down with Dr. Larry Norris, co-founder of Decriminalize Nature, for a powerful conversation about plant medicine, entheogens, ayahuasca, consciousness, community healing, and the human right to relationship with nature.

Dr. Norris shares how the Decriminalize Nature movement began, why language matters when discussing psychedelics and plant medicine, and how decriminalization can reduce harm by allowing underground communities to come into the open. Together, they explore the bridge between science and spirituality, ayahuasca integration, grassroots policy change, and what it means to reconnect with nature as teacher, healer, and living relationship. 

Timestamps:

[00:00:17] Introducing Dr. Larry Norris and Decriminalize Nature
[00:01:17] What is Decriminalize Nature?
[00:04:32] How the Oakland movement began
[00:07:55] Neuroscience, mushrooms, and consciousness
[00:10:21] Ayahuasca, plant teachers, and dissertation research
[00:11:13] The right to relationship with nature
[00:17:17] Why language shapes fear, healing, and understanding
[00:20:56] Integration, implementation, and meaning-making
[00:24:54] Decriminalization as risk reduction
[00:30:09] Hawaii, embodiment, and bridging science with spirit
[00:35:03] “You are your own curriculum”
[00:39:08] Language, scripture, music, and describing oneness
[00:47:14] Shared experience, grief, and deeper communication
[00:53:28] Planting seeds for future generations
[00:57:00] What is on the horizon for Decriminalize Nature
[01:01:20] Building community and protecting plant medicine access

Notable Quotes:

• “Why is nature against the law? Why is it against the law to grow a plant? Why is it against the law to grow a mushroom?” - Dr. Larry Norris [00:01:28]
• “There’s no real conversations about the individual’s right to have their own relationship with nature.” - Dr. Larry Norris [00:11:13]
• “Integration, kind of like the meaning making process. You make meaning of that experience. But that implementation process, that’s where it’s at.” - Dr. Larry Norris [00:20:56]
• “We really see decriminalization as sort of a risk reduction strategy.” - Dr. Larry Norris [00:25:04]
• “You are your own curriculum.” - LaRae Wright [00:35:03] “Helping steward changes in policy to allow people to have access to consciousness is just such a beautiful thing.” - Dr. Larry Norris [00:53:45]

Relevant links:

Decriminalize Nature: www.decriminalizenature.org
Decriminalize Nature Michigan: www.decrimnaturemi.org

Produced by NC Productions

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast

In this episode of The Observatory, Anna Dickson joins the show to discuss trauma healing. Anna is a Clinical Director,  Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, and Psychotherapist who specializes in trauma healing and recovery, anxiety, depression, substance use, mood and personality disorders, history of suicide attempts, ideation, and self-injuring tendencies. Hear about the different childhood and intergenerational traumas and how to heal from them, the power of being present in trauma healing, and the importance of your loved ones in your healing journey. You will also learn the different color shockers in healing.

Timestamps

[02:46] Anna Dickson’s background information
[06:35] Childhood and early attachment trauma
[07:30] Intergenerational trauma and how to heal from it
[12:36] Anna’s journey into psychology [16:24] Anna’s ideal clients
[20:05] The book: The Body Keeps the Score
[23:03] The power of being present in trauma healing 
[31:54] Identifying where we carry our energies
[35:36] Anna’s opinion on the different psychedelic medicines
[42:26] How the different childhood experiences of siblings affect their lives and healing journeys
[51:51] The importance of your loved ones on the healing journey 
[56:33] Anna’s healing journey
[01:05:45] The color shockers in healing 
[01:07:42] The uniqueness of traumas 

Notable quotes:

• “If we can resolve the past, we can help people live more unburdened, freer, and more authentic lives.” - Anna Dickson [05:30]
• “Trauma therapy helps you rewrite the narrative.” - Anna Dickson [10:23]
• “Being with our person allows us to heal spontaneously.” - Anna Dickson [51:11]
• “As long as your heart is still beating, you have a choice to change, to resolve, and a choice to become.” - Anna Dickson [01:02:43]
• “Trauma is so unique to each individual, and so it requires a level of uniqueness in reprocessing.” - Anna Dickson [01:07:42]

Relevant links:

Anna Dickson Website: https://www.ember-root.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ember.and.root/

Produced by NC Productions

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright sit down with Darren Parry for a powerful and deeply meaningful conversation about history, identity, and healing. Darren shares his lived experience as a descendant of the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation, offering insight into generational trauma, cultural preservation, and the responsibility of carrying forward truth. Through storytelling and reflection, the conversation explores how understanding the past shapes the present—and how acknowledgment, compassion, and connection can create a path toward healing. This episode is both grounding and expansive, inviting listeners to consider their own relationship with history, identity, and the shared human experience.

Timestamps:

[00:00:22] Introducing Darren Parry and the conversation ahead
[00:02:10] Darren shares his background and connection to the Shoshone Nation
[00:06:48] The importance of remembering and honoring history
[00:12:35] Generational trauma and its lasting impact
[00:18:42] The role of storytelling in preserving culture
[00:25:10] Healing through understanding and acknowledgment
[00:33:58] Identity, responsibility, and carrying legacy forward
[00:41:27] Bridging divides through compassion and dialogue
[00:52:14] What reconciliation really means
[01:03:36] Final reflections and closing thoughts

Notable Quotes:

• “History isn’t just something that happened… it’s something we’re still living.” – Darren Parry [06:52]
• “If we don’t tell our stories, they disappear.” – Darren Parry [18:55]
• “Healing begins when we’re willing to acknowledge what’s been carried for generations.” – Darren Parry [25:22]
• “It’s not about blame… it’s about understanding.” – Scott Wright [41:35] 
• “We’re more connected than we realize—we just have to be willing to see it.” – LaRae Wright [52:28] 

Relevant links: 

https://www.instagram.com/shoshoneelder/

Produced by NC Productions

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright sit down with Mike Canales, Adam Heaps, Jesse Rich, and Dan McFarland to explore the heart behind the Energy Stack and the Virtual Men’s Council they’ve built together. What unfolds is a thoughtful, vulnerable conversation about men’s work, healing, brotherhood, and the kind of relational space that allows real transformation to happen. The four guests share how the work began, what drew each of them into it, and how these gatherings have changed their lives from the inside out. Along the way, they talk about safety, being witnessed by other men, learning to show up authentically, and the power of creating containers where men can heal, connect, and remember they are far more alike than different. This episode is both an invitation and a testimony to what becomes possible when men gather with honesty, intention, and heart.

Timestamps:

[00:00:17] Scott introduces the Energy Stack and the four guests joining the conversation
[00:01:27] Mike Canales, Adam Heaps, Jesse Rich, and Dan McFarland join Scott and LaRae
[00:02:53] Mike shares how the Energy Stack began and how the retreats took shape
[00:08:23] Adam reflects on stumbling into the work and discovering the need for men’s circles
[00:12:52] Jesse shares how brotherhood and safety with other men were missing in his life
[00:17:37] Dan opens up about being witnessed, healing, and finding a place to belong
[00:23:19] LaRae reflects on the depth she sees and asks how the work has changed them over time
[00:42:28] What would they say to men who feel hesitant about joining something like this?
[00:53:05] Memorable stories and meaningful moments from the in-person and virtual gatherings
[01:04:09] The role of food, hospitality, and care in the retreat experience
[01:09:10] Dan closes with gratitude for the women and feminine support behind the work

Noteable Quotes: 

• “And it's just been pure magic.” – Mike Canales [06:30]
• “It showed us what it is and it's still showing us and it's been showing us layer by layer.” – Adam Heaps [09:21]
• “I didn't feel safe enough to connect with men.” – Jesse Rich [14:58] 
• “That I deserve the air that I breathe and. And the space that I take up in this world.” – Dan McFarland [35:26]
• “It shows me every single time that what I get out of it, I didn't see coming out of left field.” – Dan McFarland [44:59]
• “An immense amount of gratitude for all the feminine and the women that makes this stuff possible.” – Dan McFarland [01:09:19] 

Relevant links:

https://www.instagram.com/theenergystack/
https://www.instagram.com/mikecanales_/
https://www.instagram.com/adamheaps/
https://www.instagram.com/jessleerich333/
https://www.instagram.com/mistermcfarland/

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast

Produced by NC Productions. 

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright explore the subtle but powerful ways awareness shifts how we experience life. What begins as a reflection on communication and perception evolves into a deeper conversation about how we interpret reality, the language we use internally, and how small realizations can create profound changes in how we show up. Through personal experiences and thoughtful dialogue, they unpack the difference between reacting and observing, how meaning is created, and why paying attention to the smallest details can transform relationships, self-awareness, and presence. This episode invites listeners to slow down, listen more closely, and reconsider how they engage with the world around them.

Timestamps

[00:00:18] Opening reflections and introducing the theme of awareness
[00:02:12] How language shapes perception and experience
[00:05:44] Noticing patterns in communication and internal dialogue
[00:09:31] The difference between reacting and observing
[00:13:12] Awareness as a practice, not a destination
[00:17:40] How small shifts create meaningful change
[00:21:18] Letting go of rigid interpretations
[00:25:06] Recognizing where we assign meaning
[00:28:33] Applying awareness in everyday life

Quotes

• “Sometimes we’re not reacting to what’s actually happening… we’re reacting to the meaning we’ve assigned to it.” – Scott Wright [05:52]
• “When you start paying attention, you realize how much of your experience is created internally.” – Scott Wright [09:38]
• “It’s not about controlling your thoughts… it’s about noticing them.” – LaRae Wright [13:20] 
• “Awareness isn’t something you arrive at, it’s something you practice.” – Scott Wright [13:42] 
• “The moment you see it, you can choose something different.” – LaRae Wright [21:24]

Relevant links

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast

Produced by NC Productions. 

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright explore an unexpected but powerful topic: hearing aids—and the deeper awareness they bring. What begins as a conversation about sound and technology quickly expands into a reflection on perception, presence, and how much of life we move through without truly noticing.Scott shares his experience of wearing hearing aids and the surprising realization of how much he had been missing—not just physically, but in awareness. Together, they unpack how tuning into subtle details can shift your entire experience of the world, relationships, and even your inner dialogue. This episode is a reminder that sometimes the smallest adjustments create the biggest shifts in how we experience life.

Timestamps

[00:00:18] Scott introduces the topic: hearing aids and unexpected awareness
[00:01:05] The moment Scott realized he wasn’t hearing everything
[00:03:12] First experiences wearing hearing aids and noticing new details
[00:05:40] Sounds that were always there—but never noticed
[00:08:22] Awareness vs. assumption in everyday life
[00:11:03] How perception shapes experience and relationships
[00:14:45] The connection between listening and presence
[00:18:12] Subtle awareness and internal dialogue
[00:21:30] Expanding awareness beyond physical hearing
[00:24:18] Applying the lesson: where else are we “not hearing”?
[00:27:05] Final reflections on awareness and attention

Noteable Quotes

• “I didn’t even realize how much I wasn’t hearing until I started hearing it.” – Scott Wright [01:12]
• “It’s amazing how many things are happening around us that we’re just not aware of.” – Scott Wright [05:48]
• “When you start to actually listen, everything changes.” – Scott Wright [14:52]
• “It’s not just about hearing better—it’s about being more present.” – LaRae Wright [15:10]
• “Where else in our life are we not really listening?” – Scott Wright [24:25]

Relevant links

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast

Produced by NC Productions. 

In this episode of The Observatory, Jeremy Robison joins the show to discuss the different flutes they produce at the I am Sound business. Jeremy is a music enthusiast who founded I am Sound, which creates beautiful, eco-friendly musical instruments priced much lower than they "should" be. It aims to make them more affordable and accessible to as many beings as possible, especially to the rising generations. Hear Jeremy’s journey into the flute business, his first experience with flutes, the different flutes they produce, and the journey to making a 3D printed flute. 

Timestamps

[04:28] How Jeremy got into the flute business
[09:00] Jeremy’s story with the clothing business
[12:54] Jeremy’s collaboration with other artists
[13:08] Jeremy’s first flute experience 
[16:15] Jeremy’s relationship with music
[19:45] The journey to making a 3D-printed flute 
[22:15] The frequency of the top of the Pyramid and Mother Earth
[28:41] How many flute varieties do you have?
[34:30] The community that Jeremy is building with the flute business 
[41:29] The art of trusting the universe
[46:00] The time it takes to produce the 3D-printed flute 
[48:10] The number of flutes Jeremy sells in a day
[53:10] The different experiences of the flutes with different people
 
Notable quotes:

• “432 Hz F sharp is the frequency on the top of the pyramid and Mother Earth.” - Jeremy Robison [22:15]
• “Music can change culture. It can infiltrate and do some healing.” - Jeremy Robison [57:06]

Relevant links:

Jeremy Robison Website: https://iamsound.one/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ias.creations
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ias.creations

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast

Produced by NC Productions. 

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright welcome Kandis Larson back to the show for a powerful update on her health, her mindset, and the major changes she has made over the last year. What begins as a conversation about her creative sticker business quickly opens into a deeper story of healing, discipline, freedom, and learning how to show up for yourself one small choice at a time.Kandis shares the moment she hit rock bottom with her health, how a frightening bloodwork result forced her to get radically honest about what needed to change, and the intentional path she took to reclaim her energy, reduce pain, and rebuild trust in her body. Along the way, the conversation expands into self-imposed limitations, making healing fun, the mantra “happy, healthy, free,” and the moving reminder to live your dash. This episode is an inspiring reflection on what becomes possible when you stop waiting for someday and begin with today.

Timestamps

[00:00:18] Kandis Larson returns to the podcast for a one-year update
[00:02:01] Looking back at the last episode and what has changed since then
[00:05:21] Kandis talks about her sticker business and how she creates new designs
[00:10:13] A health turning point: blood work, Lyme disease, and rheumatoid arthritis markers
[00:11:14] Rock bottom and the decision to change her relationship with food
[00:12:33] Three months of intentional eating becomes a much longer commitment
[00:20:14] Tiny daily choices, consistency, and the power of staying with it
[00:21:04] Tracking blood markers, body measurements, and progress over time
[00:26:10] Self-imposed limitations, awareness, and choosing differently
[00:29:29] Food videos, simple meals, and making healthy living feel accessible
[00:39:27] “Happy, healthy, free” and what freedom now means to Kandis
[00:50:19] Why movement and discipline have to be fun to be sustainable
[00:54:45] “Live your dash” and the legacy of Eric Edges
[01:01:20] Meaning, the beauty way, and how we choose to experience life
[01:02:11] Kandis shares about her new house, creating gathering space, and future possibilities
[01:10:38] Menopause, community conversations, and offering what she has learned

Noteable Quotes

• “But I was like, I am, determined to not get RA.” – Kandis Larson [11:04]
• “Because every single day, I was making that tiny little choice, that little change every single day.” – Kandis Larson [20:14]
• “Six months from now you will either have six months of excuses or six months of progress.” – Kandis Larson [27:20]
• “I'm happy, I'm healthy, I'm free.” – Kandis Larson [39:32]
• “They say is live your dash.” – Kandis Larson [54:45]
• “There's meaning in everything.” – Scott Wright [01:01:20]

Relevant Links: 

Kandis Instagram
https://www.erikedgeslegacyofkindness.com/ - silent auction Sept 12th

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright reflect on their recent trip to Greece and the deep impact it had on them. From Santorini’s volcanic history to ancient ruins, sacred spaces, spontaneous music, and shared moments of community, this conversation explores how travel can become more than sightseeing — it can become a mirror. Together, they unpack the humbling experience of standing where civilizations once flourished, feeling the energy of those who came before, and recognizing how history, mythology, and culture continue to shape the way we understand ourselves today. Along the way, they reflect on music as offering, the divine in everything, and the truth that kept returning throughout the journey: we are more similar than we are different. 

Timestamps

[00:00:03] Welcome to The Observatory Podcast
[00:00:18] Scott and LaRae introduce their recent trip to Greece
[00:01:26] How the invitation came together and why Greece had long been on their list
[00:02:45] Santorini, earthquakes, and entering a place with deep history
[00:05:23] The past as a mirror and how truth can shift over time
[00:07:44] Ancient ruins, excavation, and the sophistication of early civilizations
[00:12:58] Humility, presence, and feeling the energy of those who came before
[00:17:49] Playing music in sacred spaces and honoring place through reverence
[00:22:57] Greek mythology, elemental traditions, and the divine in everything
[00:28:20] “More similar than different” across cultures and shared humanity
[00:30:37] Spontaneous dancing, celebration, and creating community while traveling
[00:34:46] Travel stress, self-awareness, and getting to know yourself on the road
[00:37:49] A tribute to Greece and closing reflections

Noteable Quotes :

• “What we hold so close to being a truth, whether it’s a truth that I hold for myself or one that you hold for you, may not be a truth for everyone.” – Scott Wright [05:32]
• “It’s just a very humbling experience for you to reconcile what you’re experiencing, what you believe, and then to just be in presence with it all and feel the energy of all who came before you in that place.” – Scott Wright [13:03]
• “It’s the feeling of being in a place that’s sacred to other people and then honoring it in reverence and honoring it in the music that just flows through.” – Scott Wright [19:45] 
• “That is such a beautiful way to create some sort of energetic exchange between yourself and that environment, as well as make a prayerful offering.” – LaRae Wright [20:09]
• “God is everything, that the divine is everything. And when we say everything, that’s exclusive of nothing.” – Scott Wright [24:31] 
• “We’re more similar than we are different.” – LaRae Wright [28:42]

Relevant Links: 

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of The Observatory, Iilona Nielson joins the show to discuss her journey to releasing the attachment with the Mormon Church and coming out on the other side. Hear how Iilona realized something was wrong, the experience of building a family on a belief that feels wrong, and how she navigated the journey of getting out of Mormonism with her husband. Iilona also shares the challenges of getting out, the things that helped her on the journey, and the experience of being on the other side. Scott also shares his story of getting out of Mormonism.
 
Timestamps

[01:57] Iilona Nielson’s background information
[05:14] The time Iilona moves from Ireland to the USA
[08:02] The first time Iilona realized she was brainwashed
[11:40] How Iilona met with her husband
[13:58] The Masonic Temple
[17:14] The experience of building a family on a belief that feels wrong
[22:06] How Iilona realized that something is wrong
[26:19] Scott’s journey out of Mormonism
[28:20] How Iilona navigated her journey of getting out with her husband
[36:00] Things that helped Iilona on her journey of getting out 
[37:40] The challenges of getting out of the Mormon Church
[43:00] The experience of moving to North Carolina
[48:50] How the kids responded to the new environment 
[54:00] The best gift that Iilona gave her kids
[01:00:44] Shifting from the outside to within
[01:01:18] Plato’s Allegory of the Cave
[01:07:23] How Iilona got into breathwork yoga
[01:08:27] Iilona's relationship with herself now
[01:14:26] Advise to people with self-doubt and fear of the unknown
 
Notable quotes:

• “It’s powerful for people to know they are not going to Hell. Hell is invented just like Heaven. It’s all right here.” - Scott Wright [16:28]
• “The process of doubting helps you understand that things are not right.” - LaRae Wright [34:09]
• “It’s challenging to be authentic and speak the truth when everything around you says something different.” - Iilona Nielson [54:45]
• “The only true wisdom is in knowing that you know nothing.” - Scott Wright [01:06:06]
  “ The home is not external but when you are in balance with yourself.” - Iilona Nielson [01:08:13]

Relevant Links: 

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of The Observatory, Dan and Ally McFarland join the show to discuss their journey through marriage, highlighting what makes their relationship thrive. Hear the origin of their drive to provide service to people, the first time they met, how their lives came together, and their lives before the awakening.  They also discuss their battle with addiction, their turning point to getting sober, the tools that helped them navigate addiction and strengthen their marriage, and how their marriage is different now. You will also learn how to combine the masculine and feminine energies, as well as the importance of having men's and women's groups.
 
Timestamps

[02:30] The drive of Dan and Ally to provide services to people
[09:29] Dan and Ally’s lives before the awakening
[13:29] The first time that Ally and Dan met
[23:41] How Dan and Ally's lives came together
[27:22] Their battle with addiction
[35:13] Dan and Ally's turning point to getting sober
[41:17] The tools that helped Dan and Ally navigate addiction and strengthen their marriage [46:59] Finding love for yourself
[53:15] The marriage work that Dan and Ally did
[01:04:03] How their marriage is different now
[01:07:19] Combining the masculine and feminine energies
[01:15:40] The importance of having the men’s and women’s groups
[01:26:18] ‘You are Medicine’ retreat

Notable quotes:

• “For you to heal, you have to put your trust in something outside yourself.” - Dan McFarland [37:39]
• “The principle of spiritual enlightenment is that you have radical control over yourself and take accountability.” - Dan McFarland [41:24]
• “You can always start afresh in your relationship.” - Ally McFarland [01:16:13]

Relevant links:

Dan McFarland Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mistermcfarland/
Ally McFarland Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intent.ion.ally/?hl=en

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast

Produced by NC Productions!

In this revisited episode of The Observatory, while our hosts are globetrotting, Scott and LaRae share the transformative power of creativity, a fundamental aspect of human nature that enables self-discovery, emotional fulfillment, and the pursuit of meaning in life. Creativity is a universal capacity that allows us to express our authentic selves, connect with others, and find joy. Hear Brené Brown’s perspective on creativity, how you can start to be creative, and how a bigger imagination prompts beautiful experiences.

Timestamps

[05:40] Brene Brown’s perspective of creativity
[07:00] Why are many humans not creative?
[16:19] Having a bigger imagination that prompts beautiful experiences
[18:34] The book: Mary Jane Wild by Brooke
[22:43] Creating the internal landscape of you
[23:21] Starting the journey to being creative
[29:02] Where is your creativity showing up?
[33:00] Allowing things to unfold naturally
[39:34] The real meaning of abracadabra
[44:51] Keep dreaming

Notable quotes:

• “There is no such thing as creative people and non-creative people. There are only people who use their creativity and people who don’t.” - Brene Brown [05:40]
• “The unused creativity stays inside of us because we are creating a life.” - LaRae Wright [21:48]
• “If you don’t feel creative, this is a good place to start. Go into nature and observe.” - Scott Wright [22:54]
• “Open yourself up to the possibility that you don’t have to know what you will do when you begin to do it. You are opening a space to allow yourself to create.” - Scott Wright [31:26]

Relevant links:

The book: The Gifts of Imperfection
The book: Mary Jane Wild

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright sit down for a short, intimate conversation about prayer—not as a rule-bound ritual, but as a living practice shaped by words, intention, gratitude, and alignment. They unpack how prayer can evolve beyond fear-based asking, and why the language we use—internally and out loud—can land as either medicine or venom. If you’ve ever felt conflicted about prayer, spirituality, or how to “talk to the Divine,” this episode offers a grounded reframe you can actually use.

Timestamps

[00:00:18] Scott introduces the topic: prayer (and why this conversation may surprise you)
[00:01:20] Setting the scene: a quiet Sunday afternoon, post–Valentine’s Day reflections
[00:04:39] Scott shares a moment from his men’s group that sparked this episode
[00:08:39] What prayer meant growing up: structure, habit, and fear-based “asking”
[00:10:07] When prayer feels like a ritual—or a task—instead of communication
[00:13:30] Reframing prayer: intention, energy, and how words shape experience
[00:19:34] Gratitude as a shared frequency: how prayer can create resonance
[00:20:58] Scott reads a prayer that shifted his relationship with “prayer language”
[00:24:39] “Toxic positivity”: when words sound good but aren’t aligned underneath
[00:29:20] The line that hits: “no venom passes my lips” and why it matters
[00:30:16] Venom as poison: what words can do once they’re released
[00:34:46] Emotional regulation, balance, and not getting stuck in heavy energy
[00:39:05] Closing takeaway: your words are either venom or medicine

Notable Quotes

• “It felt more like a ritual or maybe a task. Task that I had to do.” – Scott Wright [10:07]
• “Well, it creates a resonance like a song would. Those words create a resonance.” – LaRae Wright [19:48]
• “So no venom passes my lips and no destruction results from my speech.” – Scott Wright [21:50]
• “That venom is like poison. It’s not retractable.” – Scott Wright [30:16]
• “Just everyone pay attention to your words. Pay attention to whether they are venom or medicine.” – Scott Wright [39:05]

Relevant links:

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Stephen Karafiath steps into the interviewer role alongside LaRae Wright to turn the conversation toward host Scott Wright himself. What unfolds is an honest and expansive discussion about Scott’s personal awakening, the evolution of his relationships, and the inner work required to live life from the inside out.

Scott reflects on pivotal life experiences that reshaped how he views identity, connection, and spiritual growth. Together, they explore vulnerability, shadow work, emotional responsibility, and the courage it takes to dismantle old belief systems while building a deeper sense of authenticity. This episode offers listeners a rare look behind the microphone as Scott shares his own story — not as a teacher, but as someone continually learning, questioning, and growing.

Timestamps

[00:00:03] Welcome to The Observatory Podcast
[00:00:18] Stephen Karafiath introduces the idea of interviewing Scott Wright
[00:01:12] Why turning the lens inward feels different
[00:03:40] Scott reflects on early identity and personal shifts
[00:08:22] Awakening moments that changed his trajectory
[00:15:06] Navigating relationships through transformation
[00:21:55] Vulnerability and emotional honesty as a practice
[00:29:14] Letting go of certainty and embracing curiosity
[00:37:45] The cost of authenticity and redefining success
[00:48:30] Shadow work and self-accountability
[00:59:11] Building emotional resilience through discomfort
[01:10:44] Partnership, growth, and relational evolution
[01:22:05] What it means to live from the inside out
[01:33:50] Integration — how Scott applies these lessons daily
[01:44:12] Reflections on hosting the Observatory Podcast

Notable Quotes

• “Sometimes the hardest thing is realizing you don’t have to defend the version of yourself you used to be.” – Scott Wright [29:14]
• “The work isn’t about becoming someone new — it’s about remembering who you’ve always been underneath the noise.” – Scott Wright [37:45]
• “When we stop trying to control how others see us, that’s where real freedom begins.” – Scott Wright [48:30]
• “You can’t bypass the shadow… you have to sit with it long enough to understand what it’s asking from you.” – Stephen Karafiath [59:11]
• “Living from the inside out means you’re willing to let your life look different than you imagined.” – LaRae Wright [01:22:05]

Relevant links:

Earlier episode with Stephen can be found here.

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright sit down with Nathan Chase Plummer and Zaid Plummer to explore the story behind Guardian Mansion — a bold cross-country move, a historic restoration, and a shared vision rooted in partnership, creativity, and purpose.

Together, they reflect on how a simple dream of restoring historic spaces evolved into a life-changing journey. Nate and Zaid share how they discovered the Kentucky property, what it felt like stepping into the mansion for the first time, and how the process of renovation mirrors deeper themes of identity, resilience, and co-creation. This episode dives into the emotional realities behind chasing big dreams — the hard days, the unexpected beauty, and the profound connection that comes from building something meaningful together.

Timestamps:

[00:00:18] Introducing Nate and Zaid Plummer and the story of Guardian Mansion
[00:01:05] Early dreams of restoration and historic properties
[00:05:17] First conversations about buying and restoring old buildings
[00:09:51] Working through challenges together and trusting the vision
[00:12:54] Discovering historic architecture styles and the “Second Empire” home
[00:15:54] Traveling to Kentucky and arriving at the Bluegrass region
[00:17:43] Turning into the driveway — the first emotional moment seeing the mansion
[00:26:40] The deeper meaning behind restoring a historic space
[00:38:15] Creative vision, storytelling, and preserving history
[00:52:20] The realities of renovation and learning as you go
[01:04:30] What Guardian Mansion represents today

Noteable Quotes:

• “I would love to buy it and renovate it and restore it.” – Nate Plummer [05:17]
• “The houses we were drawn to were the antebellums or the Greek revivals — like this house, a second empire.” – Nate Plummer [12:54]
• “Sometimes we have really hard days. But, we work.” – Zaid Plummer [10:08]
• “We flew into Lexington airport where my family for years had lived and done the horse business.” – Nate Plummer [16:03]
• “A dream together...” – Zaid Plummer [01:14:43]

Relevant links:

Follow the adventure here: 
Guardian Mansion YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GuardianMansion
Guardian Mansion Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/guardianmansion/

Also, listen to Nate's story;  coming out at 30, business & authorship, meeting Zaid — the big wedding, and manifestation of the Guardian: here!

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright sit down with Stephen Karafiath and Carrie Cox, two friends in a new relationship who are intentionally building love through secure attachment, emotional honesty, and nervous-system awareness.
Together, they explore what it means to “wade through the muck” instead of bypassing discomfort — how trauma can be alchemized, how boundaries create safety, and how a shared relational container allows for co-regulation, depth, and intimacy. This conversation touches on vulnerability, conscious partnership, and the courage required to stay present when things get messy — because that’s often where transformation lives. 

Timestamps

[00:00:18] Scott and LaRae introduce Stephen Karafiath and Carrie Cox
[00:01:03] A new relationship built on depth, presence, and intention
[00:02:45] Referencing the Safe to Love podcast conversation
[00:03:44] Growth, humility, and learning to soften
[00:04:42] Experiencing secure attachment for the first time
[00:06:25] Vulnerability, grief, and emotional safety
[00:09:22] Metasound, play, and relational witnessing
[00:10:31] Water rituals and nature as grounding allies
[00:12:46] “Wading through the muck” and where alchemy happens
[00:26:02] Alchemizing inherited shame and childhood beliefs
[00:26:21] Letting water and nature help hold what can’t be fixed
[00:32:45] Polyamory as a doorway into deeper relational conversations
[00:34:04] Creating a relationship container that doesn’t leak energy
[00:40:32] Exploring depth together — even where there might be dragons
[00:48:17] A shared nervous system and the power of co-regulation
[00:49:29] Boundaries, communication, and relational clarity
[00:55:46] Relational pillars: emotional, physical, spiritual, sexual
[01:10:04] Closing reflections and gratitude

Noteable Quotes 

• “From secure attachment, for what feels like the first time in my life.” – Carrie Cox [04:42]
• “I love to wade through the muck because I know that’s where the alchemy occurs.” – Carrie Cox [12:46]
• “Setting a container around our relationship that’s bigger than both of us, and not leaking any energy outside of it.” – Stephen Karafiath [34:04]
• “We can go right back down to the depths — you’re not afraid to explore coves that might have dragons.” – Stephen Karafiath [40:32]
• “We’ve created this shared nervous system, and the benefit is co-regulation.” – Carrie Cox [48:17] 

Relevant links:

Stephen Instagram
Carrie's Instagram

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

Revisiting this episode of The Observatory, in a time when it is much needed in our country, Scott and LaRae discuss the profound concept of healing, exploring what it truly means, emphasizing why we crucially need healing, and guiding us through the transformative journey to achieve inner healing. Hear why the healing journey is so personal, how your belief system impacts it, and the things in your life that can ignite it. They also share the steps to take in your healing journey and why it’s important to let go of the need always to be right. 

Timestamps

[03:44] What is a healing journey?
[10:58] Why the healing journey is so personal
[13:04] God is a mirror
[18:03] How your belief system impacts your healing journey 
[21:02] The book: Wonderland by Steven Johnson
[27:33] The evolution of taste, music, and fashion 
[34:00] How the mind works 
[43:03] The moments in your life that can ignite your healing journey 
[50:34] The steps to take in your healing journey
[53:34] The importance of letting go of the need to be right 

Notable quotes:

• “A healing journey starts from the desire to become more aware of yourself.” - LaRae Wright [05:12]
• “Everyone is a mirror, and we get to see different perspectives of other people’s lives.” - Scott [13:08]
• “Your belief system is going to limit your ability to see other things differently.” - Scott [18:05]
• “Just because we think differently doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.” - LaRae Wright [29:37]

Relevant links:

LaRae Instagram: @larae_wright
Scott Instagram: @scott_david_wright
The book: Wonderland by Steven Johnson

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

In this episode of The Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright sit down with Jennifer Holland for a deeply grounded conversation about what it means to come home to yourself—through the body.

Jennifer shares how her life unfolded in “two large chapters,” including growing up LDS, navigating anxiety, and untangling the places where external authority and internal knowing got crossed. Together, they explore somatic wisdom, nervous system trust, relational safety, and what it looks like to create containers where the body can finally exhale.If you’ve ever felt stuck in your head, unsure who to trust (including yourself), or curious about embodiment as a path to healing—this episode offers a compassionate, practical doorway inward.

Timestamps:

[00:01:00] Welcoming Jennifer Holland
[00:01:20] Scott: coming in “open” and letting the conversation unfold
[00:02:00] Jennifer: “two different large chapters” + growing up LDS
[00:02:36] Anxiety as a formative thread in childhood/young adulthood
[00:04:30] “Mind, Body, Spirit” class + early expansion beyond the script
[00:06:39] Divorce + faith questioning + beginning to re-orient inward
[00:10:06] Discernment: “Do I trust these people?” (authority vs inner knowing)
[00:16:27] When intuition gets twisted (and what it costs)
[00:19:32] The body path: yoga, breathwork, sensual touch, massage
[00:31:29] Trust + boundaries: holding containers that let people soften
[00:36:56] Nervous system relaxation + why safety changes everything
[00:37:06] Deep safety without sex “on the table” (deconditioning performance)
[00:45:45] Jennifer: slow trust + letting time reveal what’s true
[00:54:15] “What keeps your breath breathing?” (presence and the unseen support)
[00:55:00] Breath as steady baseline (even when life isn’t)
[00:58:25] Retreat/container rhythm: arriving, stillness, breath, connection
[01:09:34] Closing reflections + gratitude

Notable Quotes:

• “I said, you know, we like to come into these podcasts pretty open and just allowing it to unfold as it unfolds.” — Scott Wright [00:01:20]
• “I feel like my life has two different large chapters.” — Jennifer Holland [00:02:00]
• “And I was riddled with anxiety most of my childhood and teenhood and young adulthood.” — Jennifer Holland [00:02:36]
• “I did take a class called Mind, Body, Spirit, though, that really expanded my mind.” — Jennifer Holland [00:04:30]
• “I was going through my first divorce, so I was just like, I don’t know about the church…” — Jennifer Holland [00:06:39]
• “Even just like, do I trust these people… and should I be following them?” — Jennifer Holland [00:10:06]
• “It was starting to kill me essentially, started to twist my intuition up.” — Jennifer Holland [00:16:27]
• “So what happens when we can attune our nervous systems to deep safety without sex even being on the table.” — Jennifer Holland [00:37:06]
• “So my, my nervous system takes a really long time to actually trust.” — Jennifer Holland [00:45:45]
• “What keeps your breath breathing?” — Jennifer Holland [00:54:15]
• “Your breath has been breathing at the exact same rhythm.” — Jennifer Holland [00:55:00]

Relevant Links:

www.drippractice.com
www.instagram.com/drippractice
www.instagram.com/strongandsultry
or email her directly at Jen@strongandsultry.com

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

In this episode of The Observatory Podcast, hosts Scott and LaRae Wright sit down with Bobby Ahlander for an expansive and deeply human conversation about suffering, healing, and what it means to truly come home to yourself. Bobby shares his journey growing up in a rigid religious environment marked by instability and fear, living much of his adult life on “autopilot,” and eventually reaching a breaking point that included leaving the Church, divorce, job loss, and a prolonged season of depression with suicidal ideation.

Through therapy, psychiatry, EMDR, Buddhist study, and eventually plant medicine, Bobby describes the slow and nonlinear rebuilding of his inner world. He introduces a personal “numbers” framework that helped him track emotional states — from survival, to “fine,” to happiness, joy, bliss, and ultimately a state he later names cosmic union. At the heart of this conversation is the embodied realization that arrived not through force or fixing, but through surrender: peace feels good.

Timestamps 

[01:10] Introducing Bobby Ahlander and the theme “peace feels good”
[04:05] Childhood in a conservative religious home marked by instability
[08:45] Learning invisibility, safety, and survival as a child
[14:55] Living adulthood on “autopilot” and inherited identity scripts
[20:15] Becoming a bishop and the weight of enforcing institutional rules
[25:35] LGBTQ+ policy conflict and values colliding with authority
[31:50] Leaving the Church, divorce, and relocation all at once
[36:40] Wiping the slate clean and questioning every belief
[41:05] First acts of autonomy and reclaiming personal choice
[46:00] Discovering Buddhism and non-dual thinking
[51:40] First psilocybin experience and expanded awareness
[58:45] COVID, job loss, unhealthy relationship, and emotional collapse
[01:05:40] Suicidal ideation and surviving for his children
[01:12:30] Therapy, medication, and the “numbers” emotional scale
[01:20:10] Ayahuasca: opening a door that never closes
[01:27:30] Integration, healing, and learning to live at “fine”
[01:33:40] Oregon coast turning point and happiness returning
[01:38:10] Discovering joy, bliss, and something beyond the scale
[01:41:00] Embodied peace, “peace feels good,” and what comes next
[01:41:58] Closing message and listener invitation

Notable Quotes

• “You have just opened a door that can never close again.” — Scott Webb (quoted by Bobby Ahlander) [00:36:08]
• “I don’t want to die, but I don’t want to be alive.” — Bobby Ahlander [00:31:58]
• “The whole choice to awake puts you on a path.” — Scott Wright [01:13:33]
• “So we honor you for being there and being able to express that.” — LaRae Wright [01:29:42]
• “The cost of the new is the old.” — Scott Wright [01:32:36]
• “Turbulence is just a reminder you’re flying.” — Bobby Ahlander [01:34:42]
• “You will continue to suffer until you’ve learned the lesson that the suffering is trying to teach you.” — Bobby Ahlander [01:38:18]
• “This is peace.” — Bobby Ahlander [01:23:57]
• “Peace feels good.” — Bobby Ahlander [01:25:01]

Relevant Links

Bobby's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyahlander/

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

In this episode of The Observatory, Scott and LaRae share what they are consciously choosing to let go of this year and what they are welcoming in as new anchors for joy, creativity, and connection. They reflect on releasing the need to earn joy, opening more fully to music and vibrational engagement, and embracing a deeper relationship with nature as a way to remember their place in a larger harmony. This new year, Scott and LaRae invite you to consider your own “ins and outs” so you can align this season with what truly nourishes your spirit and life.

Timestamps

[04:09] What’s out and what’s in for Scott this year
[05:00] What’s in and what’s out for LaRae this year
[06:20] The big out for both Scott and LaRae this year
[09:58] Sharing of experiences
[13:43] Letting go of the feeling of having to earn joy
[16:49] What we can learn from the older cultures
[19:16] Having a deeper connection with nature
[21:50] A challenge for the new year

Notable quotes:

• “The connection to nature allows you to understand that we are in harmony with nature.” - LaRae Wright [17:48]

Relevant links:

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

In this episode of The Observatory, Scott and LaRae share practical guidance for breaking through limiting beliefs and stepping into a freer, more authentic self, so growth comes from within rather than from chasing external validation. They explore how healing beliefs shape creativity, voice, and everyday actions, and offer actionable steps to rename, reframe, and release mental barriers. Through personal stories and heartfelt insights, they explain how belief-work can unlock greater compassion, connection, and impact in life and work.
 
Timestamps

[01:52] The episode on healing from limiting beliefs
[03:46] Scott on using his voice in many ways
[09:00] How the song ‘A Way in a Manger’ came to form
[11:55] How Scott feels after completing the song he promised
[13:29] Scott’s advice to people with limiting beliefs
[20:15] The idea of renaming the song from ‘A Way in a Manger’ to ‘Right Here in a Manger’ [23:54] Scott and LaRae wish you happy holidays
[24:06] Scott playing the song ‘Right Here in a Manger’

Notable quotes:

• “Anytime you are helping yourself to be more free, open, loving, caring, and compassionate, you’re permitting other people to do the same, and that's what makes the world a better place.” - Scott Wright [14:06]
• “The key is to recognize where it is that you have some limiting belief about yourself that is keeping you from doing something so beneficial to yourself.” - Scott Wright [13:39]
• “Each of us is connected to everything.” - Scott Wright [21:58]

Relevant links:

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

In this episode of The Observatory, it's a special day, it's LaRae's birthday, and she joins the Heart + Head Work show hosted by Tessa Arneson and Rocky Donati to discuss the shift from chasing goals to living with a grounded sense of self in the present moment. Together, they explore how redefining success beyond constant striving can open up far more possibilities than rigid goal-setting ever could, especially when you learn to receive instead of always hunt. LaRae shares her journey out of corporate life, the moment she moved from overthinking to inner knowing, and how she built a business guided by intuition rather than hustle.
 
Timestamps

[03:57] How Tessa, Rocky, and LaRae are doing
[09:00] What Tessa’s grandfather revealed to her during meditation
[10:02] How Tessa and LaRae first met
[11:40] LaRae’s background information
[15:02] LaRae’s journey from the corporate life to being present
[19:08] How LaRae grew her sense of self
[20:40] The earliest moment that LaRae shifted from thinking to knowing
[23:58] How to be better about receiving versus hunting
[30:28] Not letting business drive your life
[37:31] LaRae’s business, which used intuition and was successful
[40:54] Knowing your drive [51:53] Learning from your adversities
[01:00:13] Episode wrap-up
[01:04:25] The upcoming ‘You Are The Medicine’ retreat that LaRae is hosting

Notable quotes:

• “All you have to do is show up and be yourself.” - Rocky Donati [04:52]
• “The sense of self is our strongest asset.” - Rocky Donati [17:54]
• “Setting goals narrows the potentiality of what is out there for you.” - LaRae Wright [30:19]
• “The answer is all about the gifts that you have, the way you see the world, the story that you have created, and how you live in the world.” - LaRae Wright [49:39]
• “Grow down so you can become the original version of yourself that was so big and beautiful.” - Rocky Donati [01:06:37]

Relevant links:

Heart + Head Work Podcast Apple Podcast

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

In this episode of The Observatory, Samuel Beautysta joins the show to discuss the ancient art of Zapotec weaving and the living stories carried in each thread. Samuel, a traveling weaver from Oaxaca, Mexico, shares how his curiosity about identity and lineage led him deep into the Benizaa tradition, uncovering the meanings behind patterns, the natural colors drawn from the earth, and the symbols that honor life, death, and ancestry. He reflects on his family’s response to his search for knowledge, his experiences traveling and teaching, and how weaving becomes a language that connects cultures and generations. 

Timestamps

[02:31] How Scott and LaRae first met Samuel Bautista
[05:36] Samuel’s background information on the weaving culture and tradition
[13:33] How things unfolded for Samuel after the curiosity of wanting to know who he is
[19:02] Samuel’s experience in the United Kingdom
[20:10] The similarities of Samuel’s culture to that of other cultures during his research
[25:46] How Samuel’s parents reacted to his journey of seeking knowledge about their tradition 
[29:11] How Samuel discovered the natural colours of weaving
[38:43] Samuel’s episode on The Reluctant Traveler Show about the Day of the Dead
[49:27] Connecting to one another and the Mother Earth
[55:34] How Samuel created a community of collaboration and co-creation

Notable quotes:

• “History is always written with an agenda and a hidden power, like governments and institutions. It’s up to us to answer questions for ourselves, who we are, our lineage, and our story.” - Samuel Beautysta [11:59]
• “When we start to discover that we are more similar than we are different, it changes our whole perspective on what our parents taught us.” - LaRae Wright [25:46]
• “To survive the hottest days of summer, you have to feed your roots, your ancestors, and remember your teachings.” - [43:25]
• “For us, instead of fearing death, we embraced it and added it to our symbols and rituals.” - Samuel Beautysta [50:38]
• “All the knowledge is lying dormant within you, just like a seed that is buried in the ground and ready to sprout. ” - Samuel Beautysta [01:07:42]

Relevant links:

Samuel Beautysta Website: https://dixza.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sam_dixza/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dixzarugs

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcasts
Produced by NC Productions

In this episode of The Observatory, Gina Scarpino joins the show to discuss her journey as a psychic medium, the reality of communicating with the other side, and how emerging mediums can confidently develop their gifts. Gina is a Psychic Medium & Spiritual Life Coach who has dedicated her life to uplifting the spirits of others. She shares her first telepathic connection with her grandfather after his passing, how her calling unfolded, and why she feels compelled to support others on a similar path.
 
Timestamps

[02:00] Gina’s Journey to being a Psychic Medium
[04:20] The telepathic connection that Gina had with her dead grandfather
[07:57] Gina’s why in her Psychic Medium work
[09:46] Gina's experience with other mediums in England
[13:00] What ‘Psychic’ and ‘Medium’ means
[20:54] Gina’s biggest lesson of healing
[22:17] How Gina engages with people spiritually
[30:11] Gina’s experience of teaching 30 students while grieving
[34:41] How does medium training look?
[38:13] The things that Gina loves doing that keep her energized
[44:39] The ‘Charmed to Life Project’ Podcast
[54:05] Balancing the feminine and masculine
[55:40] Gina’s revelation about Scott and LaRae Wright

Notable quotes:

• “The term 'medium' means you can communicate with people that have crossed over to the other side.” - Gina Scarpino [13:09]
• “Where there is a will, there is a way, and you’re always guided to where you need to be.” - Gina Scarpino [36:40]
• “When you bring in the science element to all the spiritual subjects, it gives you something concrete when the spiritual aspect is more fluid.” - Gina Scarpino [46:52]

Relevant links:

Gina Scarpino Website: https://www.ginajulianscarpino.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GinaScarpinoPsychicMedium
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-charmed-life-project/id1829457788

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions

Revisiting one of our most powerful and unforgettable conversations — our interview with Betsy and Gentry Mikesell. These inspiring entrepreneurs, known for creating Beddy’s, the bedding company that transformed how families make their beds, open up about more than business success in this episode. They share the life-altering plane crash that reshaped their family forever — and the profound gratitude that came from surviving the unimaginable. As we enter the Thanksgiving season, their story is a reminder of what truly matters: family, faith, resilience, and the ability to find gratitude even in the hardest chapters of life. Their words still echo with one of the most powerful lines from the episode: “It was the worst thing to happen to our family… and yet the best.” This is an episode that will warm your heart, move you deeply, and inspire you to reach out to the people you love with a little extra gratitude today.

Timestamps

[2:56] Being an entrepreneur and the start of Beddy’s 
[10:43] Snapshot of what Beddy’s looks like today 
[17:10] The plane crash
[21:33] Gaining consciousness 
[27:20] Having to wait for Gentry to heal 
[37:42] Fearing he might not make it 
[41:20] Learning to not be judgmental or critical 
[42:51] Where Alyssa was and how this experience touched her 
[49:35] Moving to Tennessee and how life was later 
[53:51] One final nugget of truth 

Notable quotes:

• “There were just so many things that came into place, like if we had crashed 20 seconds earlier, we wouldn’t have crashed near campers. We would have been so remote that nobody could get to us. So we feel super lucky for the way it turned out.” [20:11]

Relevant links: 

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of The Observatory, Jake Orak joins the show to discuss his journey of self-discovery, spirituality, and what it truly means to live authentically. From his early years in drumming to life-changing experiences in Vietnam, Switzerland, Bali, and Nepal, Jake shares how travel, entrepreneurship, and personal breakdowns opened the door to deeper self-awareness and intentional living. He reflects on closing one chapter of his life through a powerful completion ceremony, the origins of his meditation and inner work, and how these threads eventually wove into his book, Threads of Change.

Timestamps

[02:02] Jake Orak’s background in drumming
[03:00] Jake’s background information
[06:00] Jake’s experience in Vietnam and Switzerland
[14:07] Jake’s entrepreneurial journey
[23:57] The completion ceremony that Jake did with his ex-wife
[27:28] How Jake nurtured his self-awareness and intentionality
[29:40] The nervous breakdown that Jake had in Bali
[37:30] The genesis of meditation and personal work
[47:57] How Jake’s trip to Nepal influenced his life
[01:08:45] Jake's connection with Utah
[01:17:20] Jake’s journey of writing the book: Threads of Change
[01:21:28] How Jake met his partner, Adrian
[01:24:57] The Inner Circle Stewards Drum Session
[01:30:41] Developing your spirituality
[01:35:24] The difference between living in the space of being and the space of doing

Notable quotes:

• “When you start doing things consciously for yourself and developing your own flavor of spirituality, that’s when things start to unfold, especially when you are able to share that openly within a group.” - Jake Orak [01:30:41]

Relevant links: 

Jake Orak Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakeorak/?hl=en

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of The Observatory, Scott and LaRae Wright share the timeless wisdom they would impart to their younger selves. Through reflection and heartfelt honesty, they explore three powerful lessons each has learned along the way. LaRae opens up about embracing changing perspectives, nurturing her gifts, and cherishing time spent with elders. Scott shares the importance of self-compassion, respecting the earth and all living things, and honoring the feminine on a deeper level.
 
Timestamps

[02:50] LaRae’s first advice: It’s okay for your perspective to change
[04:11] The biggest contributing factor to LaRae not being open to perspective change
[11:11] Scott’s first advice: Don’t be so hard on yourself 
[19:02] LaRae’s second advice: Nurture your gifts and talents 
[26:57] The book: The Artist’s Way
[28:33] Scott’s second advice: Respect the earth and all living things on earth
[35:39] LaRae’s third advice: Spend more time with the older people 
[38:45] Scott’s third advice: Have a deeper respect  for the feminine

Notable quotes:

• “For us to have the fully human experience that we are meant to have, allow and expect your perspective to change, and it’s okay.” - LaRae Wright. [03:52]
• “You should question everything because it gives you a deeper understanding, commitment, and a deeper sense of knowing.” - LaRae Wright. [07:05]
• “Learn to be in a relationship, not just for physical reasons but for emotional, mental, and spiritual reasons.” - Scott Wright [43:04]

Relevant links:

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of The Observatory, Bennett Maxwell joins the show to discuss his personal path to self-discovery and the deeper meaning of joy and fulfillment beyond success. As the CEO of Franchise KI and founder of Dirty Dough, Bennett opens up about how his entrepreneurial journey became a catalyst for inner growth, teaching him to find peace and purpose even in life’s imperfections. He shares how serving others, exploring spiritual truths, and facing his own challenges led to greater clarity and alignment.
 
Timestamps

[02:09] Bennett Maxwell’s background information
[06:50] Bennett’s entrepreneurial journey
[13:02] What drove Bennett to the self-discovery journey
[15:18] Finding joy and fulfilment despite life’s dirtiness
[18:25] Finding joy in serving others
[23:19] How entrepreneurship has shaped Bennett’s personal life
[26:11] How Bennet started the journey of self-discovery
[37:12] The thought storm
[41:18] How the next 60 years look for Bennett
[52:00] True alignment in life
[59:36] Bennett’s addiction to nicotine

Notable quotes:

• “Don’t wait for life to be perfect to find that joy and fulfillment.” - Bennett Maxwell [15:22]
• “Everything is of God or nothing is of God.” - Scott Wright [46:03]
  “True alignment is having no preference in life.” - Bennett Maxwell [52:00]
• “All suffering comes from desire. Desire is the root of all suffering.” - Bennett Maxwell [54:22]

Relevant links:

Bennett Maxwell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennett-maxwell-703717126/ 
Website: https://bennettmaxwell.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bennettmaxwell35
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bennett.maxwell#

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast

Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of The Observatory, Chad Nielsen joins the show to discuss how men can heal past wounds, deepen their understanding of masculinity, and embrace their true sexual power. Chad Nielsen is an intimacy coach who helps men heal and expand their relationship with their Masculinity & Sexuality. Hear Chad’s childhood trauma, his experience with drug addiction, his biggest turning point to getting better, the 12-step heling program and how his kid influenced his emotional growth. You will also learn the importance of acceptance, hope, and community in your healing journey, and how to create a safe space for others.
 
Timestamps

[03:29] Chad Nielsen’s background information
[07:15] Chad’s memory of his father
[11:05] Chad’s childhood trauma
[17:03] The importance of hope in healing
[22:47] Chad’s experience with drug addiction
[27:22] The 12-step healing process
[32:22] Chad’s biggest turning point in getting better
[37:22] How Chad’s kid influenced his emotional growth
[45:28] Chad's sponsor in the healing program that made a huge difference
[52:43] How Chad uncovered the unhealed parts of sexuality, masculinity, and intimacy
[56:34] Bill Wilson, the author of the book: Alcoholics Anonymous
[01:01:25] Learning to hear the voice of intuition
[01:04:25] The Hero’s Journey by Joseph Campbell
[01:11:34] Building a safe space for others
[01:19:56] The importance of community in your healing journey
[01:26:11] The secret sexuality coaching for men
[01:35:04] The crisis of identity as a man

Notable quotes:

• “There is no place of being too broken to have a happy, joyous, and purposeful life.” - Chad Nielsen [14:24]
• “When you leave behind something that no longer serves you, it will be painful for a while.” - Chad Nielsen [01:02:27]
• “You have to jump into the unknown, and it's not going to be easy at first, but you have to do it anyway.” - Chad Nielsen [10:03:43]
• “You can never give someone anything until you have it for yourself.” - LaRae Wright [01:10:16]
• “We all have gifts and life experiences that give us a unique ability to help people.” - Chad Nielsen [01:37:25]

Relevant links:

https://www.instagram.com/safetoloveshow
https://www.instagram.com/chadonlove
https://www.instagram.com/aprilbenincosa

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast

Produced by NC Productions!