The Skeptical Shaman – Détails, épisodes et analyse

In this third episode of Season 11 of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Jesse James Freeman and Jennifer Hotes of the Is AI The Devil? and the Curious Cat Podcasts all about the spiritual implications of our brave new techno-feudalist world. 

Was Rudolf Steiner right about Ahriman? Are there really ghosts (and demons) in the machine? How can we reclaim our sovereignty, human dignity, AND spiritual independence in a time such as this?

Jesse and Jen offer their insights, gleaned from both the Woo and secular research, all while giving us some much needed (and realistic) hope for the future!

Rachel's LINKS:

• TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com
• TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com
• Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach

Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:

• Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmM
• TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem
• The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG
• The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX
• TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching
• TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo

Our guests' links:

• Jesse's Substack: https://jessejamesfreeman.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips
• Jennifer's Substack: https://jenniferhotes.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips
• The Curious Cat Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/curious-cat/id1617885857

Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

In this second episode of Season 11 of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Renee Puvvada (of Smoking Hot Books) about the writerly window of opportunity being presented by the unique and dynamic Fire Horse Year: a year that welcomes, supports and celebrates unique voices, authentic storytelling and independent publishing.

Renee Puvvada failed at four books, lost $20k, and then sold 10,283 copies in a single year with 183 Instagram followers. Now, as founder of Smokin' Hot Books, she helps soul-led entrepreneurs turn their self-published books into authority-building, business-growing assets, all while you keep full rights and royalties. Jack Canfield noticed. Your future clients will too.

Rachel's LINKS:

• TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com
• TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com
• Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach

Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:

• Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmM
• TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem
• The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG
• The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX
• TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching
• TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo

Renee's Links:

• Book a call with Renee here: https://smokin-hotbooks.com/get-in-touch
• Connect on Substack: https://smokinhotbooks.substack.com/
• On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reneepuvvada/?hl=en
• On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renee-puvvada/

Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

In this long-awaited episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Clay Martin, Priest of the Path of the Barbarian Spirit and author of three incredible books including: Barbarian Spirit, Prairie Fire, and Wrath of the Wendigo. 

Clay has taken an unusual-- but very shamanic-- road to becoming a full-time Woo Woo practitioner. He had a long and illustrious military career in active duty, having served as an infantryman, Scout Sniper, and Reconnaissance Marine and, after transitioning to the Army, he joined the 19th Special Forces Group before returning to active duty with the 3rd Special Forces Group. 
​
In 2013, Clay was medically retired, and what followed was a difficult spiral into chaos. But, in 2022, Clay underwent transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy for traumatic brain injury. Six months later, he had his first psilocybin experience. 

Clay now calls psilocybin "the Sacrament", and believe that true healing begins at the spiritual level. Since his use of the Sacrament, he has encountered Norse gods, channeled visions of the future, and dedicated himself to a life of healing service to other wounded warriors. He is also now an active, working priest in his pagan church, reconnecting military veterans to the old gods and the old ways. 

Clay upends everything The Business of Woo tells you a New Age practitioner looks, sounds, and acts like. This episode kicks off our dude-only season of the podcast for precisely this reason: men are often underrepresented and underserved by the Business of Woo, often feeling alienated and "uninvited" to this space. The result? We all suffer from the monopoly of enshittified sameness.

Clay, and others like him, are challenging this paradigm. And we here at TOTEM and The Skeptical Shaman podcast sure are happy about it.

LINKS:

• Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.com
• TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com
• Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach

Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:

• TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totem
• The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsG
• The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATX
• TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coaching
• TOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-woo

Clay's Links:

• Website: https://www.barbarianspirit.com/
• IG: https://www.barbarianspirit.com/

Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

In this episode of the Skeptical Shaman Podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Elisha Halpin, a nervous system-training coach that works with individuals wanting to get out of adrenal fatigue, effectively retraining their brains to not freak the f*ck out all the damn time.

Elisha calls herself an ‘awakened academic’, having extracted herself from the grind of higher education to work with clients to heal trauma through meditation, somatic therapy, and much, much more. She works with clients to achieve better nervous system regulation—no small feat in our nervous system-destroying world.

In this discussion, we explore the hyperstimulation of the simulacra in which we live: a world obsessed with the “viral”, the hyper-novel, and the increasingly depraved and intense as we hunt for the illusive brain chemicals that generate the happy feels.

 Long story short: there are no cheat codes are hacks to mental health or spiritual development, so stop treating this stuff like a vending machine. There is no short cut. 

The bottom line? Chasing the dragon of dopamine while fighting off the monster of cortisol is no way to go through life. Sometimes, we all just need to get back to the somatic and cerebral version of the missionary position. With socks on. And lights off.

I realize this is a daring and risqué metaphor, but it’s also apt.  I mean, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Join Elisha and I in our crusade to empower others to chop wood and carry water: i.e. embrace the meditation of the mundane and the recalibration to normal that our nervous systems are dying to experience again. All of life is sacred—not just the neon, smell-o-vision stuff!

We wrap up our discussion with a card pull from the TOTEM Tarot Deck, and it does not disappoint!

LINKS:
Rachel's Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach
TOTEM Readings website (Rachel's practice): https://www.totemreadings.com
TOTEM Tarot Deck (card used in episode): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578980126?ref=myi_title_dp
TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com
Elisha’s IG: @elisha_halpin
Elisha’s Website: https://elishahalpin.com 

Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

In this episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) sits down with Nichole Bigley of the incredible podcasts A Psychic's Story, Supernatural Matters, and A Psychic Story: Kids' Edition.

Nichole is also a psychic intuitive that has been I’ve been talking to angels her whole life. It started at a very early age when her memories of before being born on Earth suddenly returned. She is currently cowriting the book Looking for Angels: A Guide to Connecting with Angels in the hopes of putting more people in touch with their own angelic guides.

In this episode, we dispel the myths of the angelic realm and help folks figure out what angels are-- and what they're NOT (hint: it has a little something to do with toxic positivity and Precious Moments dolls).

Rachel and Nichole both share their early and very personal first encounters with angels, and how these experiences have shaped their psychic client work and broader lives. Long story short: angels are pretty high impact and basically change the trajectory of your whole life!

And, of course, we pull a card from the TOTEM Tarot Deck and it does NOT let us down! So, stay to the end-- that's where the good stuff is in any case;)

LINKS:
Rachel's links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach
TOTEM Readings' Website: https://www.totemreadings.com/
The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578980126?ref=myi_title_dp
A Psychic's Story Podcast: https://www.apsychicsstory.com/
Nichole's Book: https://www.lookingforangelsbook.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apsychicsstory/

In this episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White of TOTEM Readings sits down with The Tarot Lady herself: Theresa Reed.

Not only has Theresa been a professional tarot card reader for her entire adult life, she's translated her arcane know-how into success as an author, having created a multitude of published works: The Tarot Coloring Book, Tarot For Troubled Times, Astrology For Real Life, Twist Your Fate – Manifest Success with Astrology and Tarot, and Tarot: No Questions Asked – Mastering the Art of Intuitive Tarot Reading.

Theresa boasts a LARGE social media and Patreon following, so she knows a thing or two about converting tarot into professional success. But this means she ALSO knows all about the flip side of making it big: from con artists to impersonators to people with poor boundaries.

In this episode, Rachel and Theresa chat about red flags for folks to look out for when seeking a tarot card reader or psychic practitioner and, conversely, what GOOD attributes to keep an eye out for in the ethical-- and talent-rich-- world of woo.

Theresa is not only a tremendous talent, but a gracious, generous and insightful human being-- so listen to her words of wisdom before leap into the wild unknown!

Of course, we wrap up with pulling a TOTEM Tarot Card and, as per usual, it just doesn't disappoint.

LINKS:
Rachel's links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach
TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com
The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578980126?ref=myi_title_dp
Theresa's links: https://linktr.ee/thetarotlady

This episode is very near and dear to my heart, as it will surely be for any of you familiar with our work here at TOTEM and "friend of the program", Roger Oney.

In this episode, I sit down with my friend of more than 15 years (yes, we're very, very old) and producer of The Skeptical Shaman podcast to talk about the literal and figurative end times. We chat about the energetic and spiritual impacts of AI and the rapidly accelerating rate of change across all industries, geographies, and professions.

Will there be refugees and remnants after this technological and sociological revolution? Will these enclaves form a modern version of the ancient mystery schools, reminding society of the "before times" and what it means to be a human being? What parts of our spiritual traditions and practices need to be carried on in a kind of living time capsule?

My friend, Roger Oney, aka the High Mesa Mystic, works with clients across a variety of energy healing, spiritual coaching, and just straight up life guidance modalities-- all with a focus on navigating change in a strange, constantly-shifting world. He's a talented psychic with an open mind and even more open heart.

And, of course, we pull a TOTEM Tarot Deck card at the end of our chat so as to stave off the tyrannical abuses of our show's sponsor. And, as per usual, the card is absolutely perfect for the themes of our discussion-- and our action items moving forward!

LINKS:
Rachel's Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach
TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com/
The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578980126?ref=myi_title_dp
Roger's Links: https://highmesamystic.com 

In this episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) sits down with Colleen Soisson, Ayurvedic Practitioner and actual wellness expert to discuss the tension inherent to getting healthy and embodied in a world built on convenience and time-scarcity.

Ayurveda is a 5,000 year old form of holistic medicine from India, mirroring much of what makes Chinese medicine (and functional medicine) tick.

In this discussion, Rachel and Colleen debate the answer to this perennial existential question: what feeds your soul?

But like, literally.

We play the hits: why is everyone so unhealthy? Why is everything in our world literal poison? How can we survive, thrive, and not go nuts in the process?

The long and short of it? We’re on our own, kids. Time to take accountability for our own well-being, happiness, diet and lifestyle because there is NO knight on a white horse rolling up to save our asses!

What’s more: a lot of this comes down to personal accountability. Are we addicted to the very thing that’s bad for us? Are we in a cycle of simply being drawn to what we know, like a kind of personal gravity that pulls us into what we’ve been eating, doing and thinking? ENTROPY?!?

F*ck. No one told me being a grown up was going to be like this. It’s actually a lot of work to survive and thrive in this world!!!

What's more: we discover that Rachel is addicted to her fire dosha, that Colleen's dosha doesn't love air travel, and that both shamans and Ayurvedic practitioners can spit fire when they're tired or overworked.

It's not all light and love;)

Of course, we pull a TOTEM Tarot Card to wrap up our dynamic chat, revealing a not-so-subtle message from spirit;)

LINKS:
Rachel's links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach
TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com
The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578980126?ref=myi_title_dp
Colleen's website: Website: colleensoisson.com
Colleen's IG: @colleen_ayurveda

In this episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White sits down to chat with real deal, actual hero and cult whistleblower Susan Dones, MA LMT.

Susan was featured in the HBO's The Vow, a docuseries detailing the rise and fall of  NXIVM: an American-based "personal development" program that was, actually, a highly abusive cult. NXIVM's leader, Keith Raniere, is currently serving a 120-year sentence for his crimes, and survivors and whistleblowers like Susan are spreading the word to help mitigate future fallout from similar "high control groups", as well as help survivors heal.

Susan is a fascinating individual who's bonafides totally upend the flattened-- and horribly misinformed-- stereotype of a "cult member".  Before entering NXIVM and becoming a coach, Susan was a decorated aircraft mechanic in the U.S. military, a licensed massage therapist, and a therapist-therapist with a Masters degree in psychology who had been working to help clients heal through the mind + body connection.

In other words: she wasn't a slouch before entering NXIVM, but that didn't protect her from dealing with a multi-decade back-and-forth with a multi-million dollar juggernaut that launched more than 200 fake legal claims her. Susan was capable and intelligent enough to beat NXIVM's powerful lawyers across all of this "vexatious litigation", and yes: she represented herself.

I know, right? Super. F*cking. Impressive.

Now, Susan is focused on helping others heal after being in coercive control, high-demand groups or just abusive and traumatic dynamics more generally. She joined The Skeptical Shaman podcast to talk red flags when exploring personal and spiritual development, as well as why she likes to stay away from big groups and stick to a small, decentralized "pod" of good friends.

Stick to the small pod, my friends. Decentralization is the key.

Her lessons learned translate across the woo world, giving all of us line of sight into how to navigate an often nebulous, tricky landscape riddled with spiritual narcissists, abusers and con artists. And, because Susan is super f*cking cool, she indulged our very demanding and temperamental sponsor-- The TOTEM Tarot Deck-- as we pulled a tarot card to summarize our discussion and provide a bit of spiritual insight to the listeners.

LINKS:
Rachel White Website (TOTEM Readings): https://www.totemreadings.com
Rachel's Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach
The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578980126?ref=myi_title_dp
Susan Dones Website: https://susandones.com
Sustan Dones IG: @susandones456
The Vow Docuseries Website: https://www.hbo.com/the-vow/season-1

In this episode of The Skeptical Shaman, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) interviews Lianne Arends, researcher and author of the in-progress book series titled “The Godessy”. 

Lianne’s life’s work is all about researching and understanding the origins of the Ancient Mystery Teachings, which have been shrouded in secrecy for millennia. The Godessy is historical fiction, detailing the story of a very real scientist that got swept up in a very real ancient mystery school that emerged in the wake of World War 2. 

The Godessy—and Lianne’s research—is all about how the ancient world worshipped the goddess alongside the god, and how our society might just benefit mightily from bringing a little bit of yin back into the mystical (and pragmatic) mix.

Lianne and I bond over our love of all things ancient (and dorky), including the hieroglyphic nature of the ancient Hebrew language, it’s meaning in the study of the ancient mystery schools, and what the true nature of our origins as a species might be. Hint: the clues are right in front of our face (and in our genome)!

We dig into the incredible work of Graham Hancock, the world of Ancient Egypt, and how what we may be going through now as a species—including with the emergence of AI—might actually be part of a much older, repeating pattern. To this end, digging into the mystical past (and our own spiritual birthrights) may just give us the map for this new (and often scary) terrain.

Interesting in ancient wisdom and mystery schools? Kabbalah? Hebrew? Goddess worship? The severely misunderstood figure of Lilith? This episode has the high strangeness and occult goodies you’ve been craving!

As always, we pull a TOTEM Tarot Card…and it’s so on point, creepy doesn’t quite cover it! 

Links:
•The TOTEM Tarot Deck (used in episode): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578980126?ref=myi_title_dp
•TOTEM Readings (Rachel’s website): https://www.totemreadings.com
•Rachel’s IG: @totemrach
•Liane’s Website: www.liannearends.com
•Liane’s IG: @arends_lianne