The Skeptical Shaman

In this episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings), chats with the totally awesome Kaity Craven of the Moonflower Moments YouTube Channel. Kaity is the rare practitioner that actually makes quality tarot deck, oracle deck, and "how to" divinatory content on YouTube-- without making it all about herself, brand deals, or the overdone same old, same old permeating an already overly saturated social media landscape littered with useless noise.Rachel and Kaity discuss life as professional card readers and psychics, as well as their respective gardening and herbalism work in the strangely magical American South (Rachel lives in Texas, Kaity in Louisiana). To this end, Kaity shares a very cool and super easy to execute herbal "spell jar" recipe that we can all use in this Summer Season!Please note: TOTEM is running a Review Raffle through 6/26/25, so if you feel compelled to review The Skeptical Shaman podcast, TOTEM Readings, TOTEM Flower Essences, or either of the TOTEM Decks (links below), email her a screenshot to enter to win one of three Grand Prizes: rachel@totemreadings.com. Rachel's LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachOur Sponsors' LINKS:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooKaity's Links: YouTube: https://youtube.com/@moonflowermoments?si=X6F1BydhdqlpyLaSInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/themoonflowermomentsPlease 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 Lisa Amato, energy healer, reiki practitioner, and wounded healer of the highest order. Why the wounded healer part? Well, Rachel and Lisa both have a history of early childhood trauma, and this episode they dig into the hairy details-- but also focus on the redemptive power of transmuting said wound into its corresponding "medicine", both for the self and for others.Lisa is a hilarious, no nonsense ball-buster of a reiki practitioner, bringing the grounded presence so often lacking in the "airy fairy", "love and light", "crystal hippy lady" set. Said another way? She can actually hold the requisite space required to undertake the real deal energy healing work for those that have suffered trauma in their lives. Not all wounds can be seen. Many of them lie in our energy bodies. And, for those of us lucky enough to have found our own healers and teachers that enabled us to step into this work for others, Lisa's story will resonate like hell.Please note: TOTEM is running a Review Raffle through 6/26/25, so if you feel compelled to review The Skeptical Shaman podcast, TOTEM Readings, TOTEM Flower Essences, or either of the TOTEM Decks (links below), email her a screenshot to enter to win one of three Grand Prizes: rachel@totemreadings.com. Rachel's LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachOur Sponsors' LINKS:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooLisa's Links: Lisa's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calm_ya_mind_and_soul/Lisa's Calendly (for booking): https://calendly.com/calmyamindPlease 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 the *very beautiful* and *very soulful* Andrew Madsen: a 40-year old creative intuitive defiantly and intentionally embracing the slower paced liminal space "between opportunities". How is he doing this, you might be wondering? Well, he's making friends with nocturnal animals in New York City's Central Park at night-- and producing stunning photos and videos of his nighttime adventures along the way! Chief among these animals are Andrew's merry band of rascally raccoons, including standouts like the larger than life "Deborah". Rachel and Andrew discuss the intensity of being in the "in between" against all odds-- and in the face of a modern world that wants to squeeze us to death with the increasing pressures of money, time, productivity and constant digital accessibility-- and the negative nervous system stimulation that results. But, as scary as it is to not have a plan or be pushing and grinding 24/7, all of the REAL magic happens precisely in these sacred gaps.Please note: TOTEM is running a Review Raffle through 6/26/25, so if you feel compelled to review The Skeptical Shaman podcast, TOTEM Readings, TOTEM Flower Essences, or either of the TOTEM Decks (links below), email her a screenshot to enter to win one of three Grand Prizes: rachel@totemreadings.com. Rachel's LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachOur Sponsors' LINKS:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooAndrew's Links:Personal Instagram: @mercibeaudrew Animal Sanctuary Instagram: @sowagoatsanctuary 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 the illustrious Miguel Conner: host of the *very* popular Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio AND Gen Wasteland podcasts. He is the author of many books, including Voices of Gnosticism, Stargazer, Heretic, and The Executioner's Daughter. In this episode, Rachel and Miguel discuss his latest book, The Occult Elvis: The Mystical and Magical Life of the King-- the cover of which, as it turns out, Joe Rogan recently posted to his Instagram stories!Turns out, Elvis was a straight up f*cking shaman, magi, and Woo Woo practitioner of the highest order! In this episode, Rachel and Miguel dig into the nitty gritty of the King's spiritual explorations and adventures-- including an obsession with observing childbirth and corpses in morgues, revealing a fascination with the liminality of birth and death that so engrosses the ancient occult world.And, if you enjoy this episode, remember: Rachel has been a guest on BOTH of Miguel's podcasts, too-- check them out HERE and HERE for more of these two mixing it up on all things weird and Woo!Please note: TOTEM is running a Review Raffle through 6/26/25, so if you feel compelled to review The Skeptical Shaman podcast, TOTEM Readings, TOTEM Flower Essences, or either of the TOTEM Decks (links below), email her a screenshot to enter to win one of three Grand Prizes: rachel@totemreadings.com. Rachel's LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachOur Sponsors' LINKS:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooMiguel's LinksWebsite(s) Link: miguelconner.comInstagram Account: @aeonbyteX Profile (Twitter): @AeonByteYouTube Channel: Aeon Byte Gnostic RadioPlease 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 the incredible Vanessa Reiser: licensed clinical social worker, narcissistic abuse survivor and author of the incredible new book Narcissistic Abuse: A Therapist's Guide to Identifying, Escaping, and Healing from Toxic and Manipulative People.Vanessa is the human embodiment of the phrase: "New levels, new devils", having been shot into the world of narcissistic abuse-- and helping others in healing from it-- after a terribly abusive romantic relationship with a...drumroll please...NARCISSIST!Vanessa is the best-- and we were so pumped to close this season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast out on the same note we brought it in: identifying narcissistic abuse, freeing ourselves of it, and recovering and healing after the trauma. Rachel's LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachOur Sponsors' LINKS:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooVanessa's LINKS:Linktree: https://linktr.ee/VanessareiserWebsite: Tellatherapist.netWebsite: Tellatherapist.orgWebsite: Tellalifecoach.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanessareiserlcsw/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 the lovely Mark Phillips of The Mind's Aye: medium, psychic, and avid student of all things Woo! Not only does Mark have a beautiful Scottish brogue-- and the arcane abilities of mediumship and psychic communication-- but he has also been attending incredible classes and workshops at the real life Hogwort's: The Arthur Findlay College in Great Britain.Mark shares his awesome journey to accepting his own psychic abilities, and how he gave (and continues to give) himself permission to pursue his Woo passions. Mark is a prime example of an otherwise "normal" person with a day job and a family that also wants to help clients connect to their dearly departed-- and to the other side!Rachel's LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachOur Sponsors' LINKS:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooMark's LINKS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themindsaye/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 the incredible Cyndera Quackenbush of Story Through Stone Substack and the Archetypal Tarot podcast about the magic, wonder and spiritual power of stones.Cyndera is also the creator of the Story Through Stone Reflection Cards-- a new, 54-card deck featuring photographs of rare, billion year-old stones sourced, polished and organized by Cyndera's family. Cyndera made the unusual (and awesome) decision to NOT include a guide book for this deck, asking that the reader take this as an opportunity to trust their own intuition-- and how the images in the deck stimulate it!This episode is all about the magic of discovery, especially when that discovery is BEYOND ANCIENT-- and opens up a channel to the arcane wisdom buried beneath our feet!​Rachel's LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachOur Sponsors' LINKS:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooCyndera's Links:Archetypal Stories (my Substack with the card reveals)Website: storythroughstone.orgInstagram: @story.through.stoneCards can be purchased on my website or on Etsy          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 Audrey Moore (of Audrey Ayurveda) all about how to leverage Ayurveda in this turbulent Wood Snake Year.While Audrey's client-facing Ayurvedic practice is relatively new-- as is her auspiciously timed snake-themed branding-- her knowledge of all things herbal, nutritional, and natural is anything but. Audrey leverages her deep educational background in the history of pharmaceuticals, hedge witchery, and Indian herbalism to work 1:1 with clients all around the country (and the world) to achieve greater harmony and balance. Many practices like Ayurveda, European herbalism and even yoga are effectively us reaching back through time to access the wisdom that came before the peak modernity (and dis-ease) in which we currently live.Rachel's LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachOur Sponsors' LINKS:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooAudrey's Links:https://www.audreyayurveda.comhttps://www.instagram.com/audreyayurvedahttps://audreyayurveda.substack.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 week's episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) digs deep with The Skeptic Metaphysicians, exploring their shared love of all things Woo AND skeptical!Like Scully and Mulder from the X-Files, The Skeptic Metaphysicians Will Rodriguez and Karen Endsley are caught between two worlds—the allure of life's mystical mysteries and the grounding force of scientific scrutiny. It's a quest to peel back the layers of the 'woo,' seeking to find what's real, what's illusion, and what lies in the realm of endless possibilities.Will Rodriguez and Karen Endsley are the real-life husband and wife duo behind 'The Skeptic Metaphysicians' podcast. From unraveling metaphysical enigmas, past life regression and life after death experiences to exploring spiritual awakenings, they dive deep without making it cringy. Their contrasting views—one is a true pragmatist, and the other a wonder-filled explorer—make them the perfect guides for today's journey into the great unknown.And wait-- it gets better! The Skeptic Metaphysicians and The Skeptical Shaman herself have a special offer to WIN a gift of TOTEM products worth $300-- just for following The Skeptic Metaphysicians' podcast! check out the details here: https://station.page/skepticmetaphysician?g=RY6O3vRKJrAFPhBKTRzARachel's LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachOur Sponsors' LINKS:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooThe Skeptic Metaphysicians Links:https://www.skepticmetaphysician.com/https://newrealitytv.com/tv-show/skeptic-metaphysicians/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 a mysterious, underground figure whose nom de guerre shall henceforth be "Sam the Sky Guy." Why all of this cloak and dagger around a simple podcast guest's identity? Well, simply put, Sam has a real deal "big boy job" that would NOT appreciate his wading into the Woo in the bright sunlight of The Skeptical Shaman podcast. (I mean, we're not the Joe Rogan Experience in terms of numbers, but we're not doing bad, either!)What are Rachel and Sam talking about, you might be wondering? Well, Sam is a deep geek EXPERT on all things astrology, and Rachel became utterly intrigued with Sam's perspective in an unrelated discussion. This interaction was so inspiring, so memorable, and so game-changing that she (somewhat impulsively) demanded he share his unique insights on the podcast. So, to make it all make sense, Sam literally "reads Rachel's chart" live and direct in this episode, revealing just how powerful astrology can be-- with the right astrologer! It's the good, the bad and the ugly, but at the very least this human-scaled dig into Rachel's birth chart reveals the complex energies and attributes we're all harnessing-- or fighting to contain! Rachel's LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachOur Sponsors' LINKS:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooSam's Links:Email: skyguyreadings@gmail.comPlease 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 Nicholas Pearson, crystal and plant medicine expert and author of Crystals for Psychic Self-Defense: 145 Gemstones for Banishing, Binding, and Magickal Protection; Crystal Basics Pocket Encyclopedia: The Energetic, Healing, and Spiritual Power of 450 Gemstones; Flower Essences from the Witch's Garden: Plant Spirits in Magickal Herbalism. Nicholas is a veritable walking encyclopedia of all things Woo and wonderful, and in this episode he dives into practical, human-scaled tips and tricks to work with our plant and crystal allies in this Wood Snake Year!Rachel's LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachOur Sponsors' LINKS:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooNicholas' Links: https://theluminouspearl.com/ https://www.innertraditions.com/author/nicholas-pearson 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 previous guest and friend of the show, Natalie Fehlner of Sidhe AND the *new* podcast: Tales from the Truth Seekers.In this episode, Natalie shares her journey from spiritual awakening (see previous episode for more details on her awesome experience) to spiritual confusion to disillusionment to her recent six month journey in the TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching Program-- and the new businesses, products and podcast that came out of it!Natalie creates one-of-a-kind, custom pieces of art for sale on Etsy, offers channeled messages and incredible astrology readings, and works to bring her curiosity for all things Woo to life in episodes of Tales from the Truth Seekers. The upshot? You can just DO STUFF. You don't need to ask permission or get approval or encouragement from anybody to pursue your dreams, make your art, or start a new thing that no one has ever thought of before. And, the only way to find out if it's going to work is if you actually do it!The world needs your special slice of Woo, guys-- so listen to Natalie's success story and allow yourself to dream the impossible dream. Oh, and then go DO STUFF!Rachel's LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachOur Sponsors' LINKS:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooNatalie's Links:All links: https://linktr.ee/nataliefehlnerWebsite: https://www.sidheart.comEtsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/nataliesidhePlease 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 the *very* handsome and dynamic host of the Lit Up Lightworker podcast, George Lizos all about the world of Greek Mysticism-- and the Greek Gods, their myths, and their alignment with astrology, ritual magic, and much, much more!George is the author of the new book Secrets of Greek Mysticism: A Modern Guide to Daily Practice with the Greek Gods and Goddesses-- and, in this episode of the pod, George shares some key insights with Rachel and her listeners-- all with a focus on these primordial powers and their potential positive impacts on our lives!The coming Year of the Wood Snake is going to be a great time to resurrect the ancient wisdom of previous civilizations-- and a great time to revivify this incredible polytheistic pantheon in our modern lives!Rachel's LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachOur Sponsors' LINKS:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooGeorge's Links:George Lizos Website: https://georgelizos.com/George Lizos Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgelizos/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 special Valentine's Day week episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Katie May: host of the Love Wild Podcast, founder of Embrace Yourself Whole Coaching, and creator of The Sacred Year Project and Sacred Mother Sanctuary.The upshot of their chat? Self-love and re-wilding are crucial ingredients to a happy, whole life-- never mind a loving relationship with anyone else (including our pets and children)!The Year of the Wood Snake (2025) is going to bring in more of the yin energy-- a welcome downshift from the hardcore yang of the Wood Snake Year. The potential downside of all these lady vibes? Grief. Surrender. Being instead of doing. And, while all of this might sound like a welcome change, they're generally pretty challenging to navigate IRL. After all: the map is not the territory.But here's the silver lining report: Katie and Rachel have some pragmatic tips and tricks to make the most of this molting-- and how to relearn to re-wild and "be" instead of "do". Rachel's LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachOur Sponsors' LINKS: The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooKatie's Links: Website: https://www.embraceyourselfwhole.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/embraceyourselfwholePlease 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 the inspirational Dan Reeves of the Spiritual Underground podcast all about addiction recovery, healing, and....drumroll please...emotional sobriety!Dan shares his incredible story of overcoming addiction and transforming his life, as well as what drives him to continue to talk to addicts and non-addicts all about dependency, spiritual dis-ease, and radical personal accountability. Dan's podcast, The Spiritual Underground, shares stories of recovery and of spiritual enlightenment, arming listeners with actionable insights to leverage in their own lives. Rachel and Dan deep dive into what-- and why-- stuff triggers us, and how we can overcome our inflammatory responses in pursuit of becoming truly emotionally sober. After all: what's the point of all of this Woo-based personal growth stuff if we continually react out of a place of pain, revealing our unhealed trauma? The Woo isn't all crystals and candles. In fact, some of it can be downright ugly-- but, if we're willing to look at it and work with it, we just might be able to turn this ugly duckling into a beautiful swan.Rachel's LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachOur Sponsors' Links: The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooDan's links:Podcast Website: https://spiritualunderground.org/index.html#/YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@spiritualundergroundpodcast?si=rkQ6OUOGv_2sKVuMPlease 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.

The Lunar New Year-- and Year of the Wood Snake-- is officially upon us in 2025, and with it a focus on intentions, resolutions, and manifestation efforts. But, in a veritable grifter soup of interchangeable manifestation coaches, influencers and life coaches, how can you separate fact from fiction?Sara Rae (of the Spiritually Inspired podcast) joins host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) for a discussion on this very topic, digging into the reality of manifestation-- and how it often bumps up against our shared 3D material reality.Spoiler alert: you can't just vision board your way into millions of dollars, and even a journey to abundance will be, from time to time, wrought with potholes of scarcity, fear and hardship-- and that doesn't mean you're not doing it right (or that you're a bad person)!This episode is all about the reality of manifesting while in the material world-- a challenging, rewarding and ultimately uplifting journey worth taking!Rachel's LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachOur Sponsors' LINKS: The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooSara's Links:Website: https://www.spirituallyinspired.coIG: https://www.instagram.com/sararae.coach/Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/211-a-moral-obligation-to-thrive-with-rachel-white/id1510808815?i=1000683461314Please 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 special episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats all things Hellier with friend of the show Angela Gore. Some of you might remember Ms. Gore from a previous episode of this very podcast-- titled "Keep the Dead Close"-- digging (pun intended) into the world of archeology, anthropology, and ancestral connection. In this episode, we deep dive into the television series Hellier-- a conversation sparked by what host Rachel White has called, "literally the funniest note" she has ever received in her time doing Spiritual Transformation Coaching work. In this note, Angela gave her blow-by-blow reactions to watching Hellier, and the team dives into these hilarious bullet points in this conversation. Hits from the note that sparked this dialogue include: "Dana should stay off of neopagan subreddits" and "On the fence about Prison Amy's sanity here", to name just a few. And, while this episode is a great pairing for anyone watching or just reflecting on having watched the first two seasons of Hellier on Amazon, literally anyone can enjoy this discussion of all things supernatural and American Gothic. We've got Kentucky green goblins, The Mothman, Green Man, Thelema, human sacrifice, and even a sentient tin can!This episode is the perfect chaser to our last two episodes featuring the Chesire Cat of Hellier himself: Mr. Allen Greenfield. Stay alert for high strangeness out there, folks-- you never know when you're going to see a totally innocent and perfectly normal shiny Happy Birthday balloon out on a nature walk;)Rachel's LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachThe TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooPlease 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.

Well, well, well. This is a big one, ladies and gentlemen. So big, in fact, that we needed TWO episodes just to cover it.What what, exactly? Well, in this episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) sits down for a fireside chat with famous ritual magician, Kabbalist, and former Thelemite Allen Greenfield-- recently featured as a subject matter expert in Amazon's Hellier TV series.In a world of superficial spiritual LARPers, Allen Greenfield is a bonafide real deal-- a national treasure with all manner of arcane knowledge across his more than 60 years of hands-on esoteric experience. With legit certificates and bonafides from the Knights Templar, the Illuminati, and the World Association of Egyptian Obediences, Allen is a throwback to a time when sorcerers, magicians and practitioners dug deep into ancient, esoteric knowledge-- instead of just pulling an oracle card and issuing false profundities on Instagram.In this episode, Allen shares previously unheard insights into the unfolding Hellier magic-- an exciting behind the scenes sneak peek for listeners of The Skeptical Shaman to enjoy pending the much-anticipated Season 3 of the series.Enjoy the second half of this epic, late night marathon between two neurodivergent acolytes of the arcane and mystical. And by late night, we mean 8 PM.Join us on a magical journey into the heart of sorcery-- and hear Allen's tarot reading for Rachel (using, of course, the TOTEM Tarot Deck)!Rachel's LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachThe TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooAllen's links:BOOKS: https://t.ly/zkwriWEBSITE: http://thesecretcipher.com/WEBSITE (2): https://lexicon.thesecretcipher.com/PERSONAL INFO: https://bishop171.wixsite.com/allen-greenfieldPlease 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.

Well, well, well. This is a big one, ladies and gentlemen. So big, in fact, that we needed TWO episodes just to cover it.What what, exactly? Well, in this episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) sits down for a fireside chat with famous ritual magician, Kabbalist, and former Thelemite Allen Greenfield-- recently featured as a subject matter expert in Amazon's Hellier TV series.In a world of superficial spiritual LARPers, Allen Greenfield is a bonafide real deal-- a national treasure with all manner of arcane knowledge across his more than 60 years of hands-on esoteric experience. With legit certificates and bonafides from the Knights Templar, the Illuminati, and the World Association of Egyptian Obediences, Allen is a throwback to a time when sorcerers, magicians and practitioners dug deep into ancient, esoteric knowledge-- instead of just pulling an oracle card and issuing false profundities on Instagram.In this episode, Allen shares previously unheard insights into the unfolding Hellier magic-- an exciting behind the scenes sneak peek for listeners of The Skeptical Shaman to enjoy pending the much-anticipated Season 3 of the series. And remember: this is just the first part of this epic, late night marathon between two neurodivergent acolytes of the arcane and mystical. And by late night, we mean 8 PM. Join us on a magical journey into the heart of sorcery-- and hear Allen's tarot reading for Rachel (using, of course, the TOTEM Tarot Deck)!Rachel's LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachThe TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooAllen's links:BOOKS: https://t.ly/zkwriWEBSITE: http://thesecretcipher.com/WEBSITE (2): https://lexicon.thesecretcipher.com/PERSONAL INFO: https://bishop171.wixsite.com/allen-greenfieldPlease 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.

Welcome back fellow spiritually-homeless, skeptical seekers!You're in for a treat. Why? Well, the Skeptical Shaman podcast is kicking off 2025 with a real bang: no more walking on eggshells, clenching our jaws, or tip-toeing through the metaphorical tulips of cognitive dissonance, coercive control, or mass formation psychosis!Said another way? "Behold the field in which we grow our f*cks, for it is barren!"To kick off this new season of the pod, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) interviews award-winning film maker and NXIVM cult survivor/ whistleblower Mark Vicente, prominently featured in the HBO documentary series 'The Vow'. But Mark's not just a "cult survivor"-- he's actually a whole, dynamic human being that is currently leveraging his considerable talents as an author, speaker, and award-winning Writer/Director/Producer to create the film ‘Empathy Not Included' (The Narcissist's Playbook), a feature-length documentary exploring one of the most pervasive and often misunderstood mental pathologies in our culture: narcissism. Shot in seven countries and viewed through the lens of four self-confessed, self-aware malignant narcissists who openly share the secrets of how they operate with uncensored candor, 'Empathy Not Included' follows their disturbing stories, juxtaposed with the growing body of wisdom from victims, survivors, scientists, and mental health professionals.Previously, Mark unified his love of science, philosophy and film-making to create  the wildly successful independent film, “What the BLEEP do we Know?!”. He is also the host of the incredible podcast 'WTF is on my mind, with Mark Vicente"-- and the brain behind one of the funniest, sharpest Instagram accounts around.Rachel's LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachThe TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooMark's LINKS: https://www.markvicente.com/https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/https://x.com/markvicentehttps://www.empathynotincluded.com/https://www.instagram.com/empathynotincluded/Podcast: WTF is on my Mind?!Youtube ChannelPlease 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 seventh episode of our Supernatural Stories series, Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with guest Brittney Barney all about her recent experience with none other than Jesus Christ!I know, I know. The name "Jesus" is SUCH a trigger across religious AND New Age circles, making him a hard figure to chat about as a spirit guide. So, JESUS BLESS Britt for her bravery, curiosity and, above all else, spiritual honesty. I mean, it's not like she MADE this all happen!In this episode, Rachel and Britt discuss her spontaneous vision of Jesus, as well as his seemingly very effective efforts to heal her energetically-- and possibly even physically. Britt was very pregnant at the time, and woke up the next day to an epic detox-- some might say the "detox from heaven"!We discuss how Jesus is an unusually polarizing figure in spiritual circles, despite the regular and totally accepted appearance of religious figures from other faith systems like the Buddha, Durga, Artemis, Zeus, and even the Archangels of Christianity. Even the concept of Jesus has become a serious third rail in most polite circles, which may be limiting folks from having healing contact with this loving energy.Don't worry-- Rachel isn't going full Jesus people on you like Doreen Virtue did (whoops). She's just trying to open the dialogue up and create some sacred space to chat about direct spiritual experiences without judgement or knee jerk reactions.It's in the objective, messy middle that all the magic happens...and Britt is well on her way!LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXPlease 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 sixth episode of our Supernatural Stories series, Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) sits down with friend and client Mary Blanchard to chat all things Archangel Michael.Is Mary a professional psychic? No. Does she do angel readings with her Doreen Virtue deck? No. Is she selling some angel merch, like bless'd fanny packs or anointed oils? Certainly not.Mary is just a normal, high-functioning professional living with her husband and son in the Chicago suburbs. It's not her fault that Archangel Michael keeps saving her from harrowing car accidents and demonic attacks, but here we are;)This episode is a great example of what a human-scaled, long-term interaction with an archangel is really like. Michael's presence in Mary's life is both subtle and shocking overt-- including saving her from a very harrowing and impossible-to-survive winter car wreck! And, while it's taken her some time to navigate her bond with her feathered, angelic friend, she now has an incredibly strong connection to him-- and won't hesitate to shine the Bat Signal if she needs help in the future!This is an uplifting supernatural story-- no spooky bumps or moans in the middle of the night! Lock in, relax and enjoy with your favorite cup of chamomile tea...or maybe a stiff whisky in the winter months!LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXPlease 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 fifth episode of our Supernatural Stories series, guest Laura Oxendine breaks down what it's like to get a bear hug from the great "beyond"-- courtesy of Bear as a TOTEM Animal! This one's a bit softer and warmer and, well, Teddy Bear-adjacent. Well, except for the scenes of fiery vengeance and Lord of the Rings-level violence. Which, for the record, was totally justified (trust me-- just listen to the episode)!Working with TOTEM Animals and Spirit Guides is often frustrating, challenging spiritual work, but in the case of Laura (and everyone else that does this work consistently and within the proper framework), it ABSOLUTELY delivers a significant return on investment.What is this ROI, you might be wondering? Well, self-healing, soul part recollection, clarity, life's purpose, and recovery after trauma (just to name a few key bullet points off of the top of the dome).Laura's story is sweet, personal, and deeply meaningful, and her journey from "WTF?" to bonafide spiritual practitioner is inspirational to us all.Besides: fall is the season of Bear Medicine. So, warm up a bowl of autumnal soup and lock in for yet another real deal, bonafide supernatural story that an actual person has lived to tell the tale of it!LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachLaura's Website: https://phosphorus.inkPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXPlease 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 fourth episode of our Supernatural Stories series, guest Christine McLaughlin shares her incredible experience with Oscar Wilde's ghost. Yah. Read that last bit again.Wild, isn't it?Not only was Oscar Wilde an iconoclastic, singular literary talent, but apparently he's a large orb hanging out in Canada, too! Christine shares her experience with bringing this famous author home as a "spiritual hitchhiker" from a trip to a beautiful (and old, and haunted, and magical) inn! Thankfully, her trip did not take a hard left turn into The Shining territory, and there weren't terrifying topiaries or homicidal interludes...but there was more than a splash of magic and a vignette that sounds an awful lot like astral travel.It's not everyday we get a real deal, lived, human-scaled story about a famous ghost, but thanks to Christine we can all have line of sight into this incredible tale. It's a good one, guys. Light the candle on your altar, bust out your favorite glass of scotch, wine or kombucha, and tuck in for a heartening, uplifting tale from beyond the veil!LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXPlease 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 third episode in our special Supernatural Stories series, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with client and friend Natalie Fehlner (of Sidhe) all about her real deal, actual, lived experience GHOST STORY.Spooky stuff, guys.But also, very funny and very cool!This story starts with a totally innocent musical theater production, which seemed to stimulate a spirit to commit great feats of spectral strength. Turns out: a notoriously cranky stage hand had passed away in that very location, and his haunting was just a continuation of his famous antics while alive!Natalie shares everything that went "thud" (literally), and shared more about how this experience kindled her curiosity about all things Woo and her still-unfolding spiritual awakening, which now includes psychic readings, astrology, and channeled art.Ghosts are super fun stuff, guys. After all: they're just people! The only difference is they don't have a physical body anymore!Wrap yourself with a cozy blanket and froth up a seasonal soup to enjoy with this very spooky season story!LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachNatalie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/nataliefehlnerPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXPlease 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 in our special Supernatural Stories series, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with client and friend Hannah Schwartz all about her recent connection with the ancient Norse God Odin-- aka "Mr. Wednesday".Hannah first encountered Odin as a person-sized raven watching over a flock of chickens in a dream, not immediately understanding just "who" the sentient being behind those massive bird eyes actually was. But she started to see more and more clues in her spiritual scavenger hunt, eventually reaching out to Rachel about an uncanny Substack post featuring chickens and eldritch terrors.As Hannah continued to follow the metaphorical rabbit down the rabbit hole-- going into deeper and more ancient layers of research and meditation-- she realized that her "Mystery Man" was, in fact, the famous Mr. Wednesday!In this episode, Hannah shares her very personal and very unexpected experience encountering and befriending this ancient deity, leveraging her burgeoning powers of prophecy and divination to continue to collaborate with her spiritual mentor. The bottom line? Odin doesn't bet on losers. He always picks a "winner winner chicken dinner", and Hannah is going to LOVE her unfolding experiences with her absolutely top shelf Spirit Guide.This is a good one, with all of the makings of a great Spooky Season share out, so bundle up, light a cozy fire, and tuck in for a real deal, human-scaled Supernatural Story from yet another practitioner that is shattering the stereotype of the crystal hippy lady!LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXPlease 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 first episode in our special Supernatural Stories series, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with client KC Gale all about her now *infamous* visit from a Mayan Death Bat!Despite what spooky or downright terrifying images the phrase "Mayan Death Bat" might initially conjure, KC is here to flip the script-- and explain how this unusual Spirit Guide is actually a spiritual sweetheart. No, really. He's a total pussycat!Well, a pussy cat with flappy wings;)In this episode, Rachel and KC methodically walk through how KC developed a more meaningful, direct relationship with this Spirit Guide-- who initially emerged in a Channeling Session with Rachel. The weeks and months to come brought a series of undeniable events, synchronicities and symbols, all of which made KC grateful that she had a helping hand from an ancient Mayan deity.This is a great, human-scaled example of how developing and deepening relationships with Spirit Guides can make a measurable, positive impact on us in our daily lives. Consider your Spooky Season officially launched! Gather around the camp fire, get a mug of apple cider, and dig in for a binge-worthy bundle of supernatural stories this fall!LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXPlease 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 Voodoo practitioner, author and business owner Sallie Ann Glassman all about the realm of spirits, otherwise known in Voodoo as "loa".Sallie has been practicing Vodoo in New Orleans since 1976 and is the owner of the Island of Salvation Botanica, a store and gallery specializing in Vodoun religious supplies, medicinal and magical herbs, and Haitian and local artworks. She received her spiritual training in Haiti in November, and is ordained as a Manbo Asogwe, or Priestess of Vodou-- and is one of the few white Americans to have been ordained via a traditional Haitian initiation.  Sallie is also the creator of one of Rachel's favorite all-time tarot decks: The Voodoo Tarot of New Orleans, which features the various Voodoo loa, their invocations, and their special gifts and blessings for human practitioners. In this episode, Sallie and Rachel discuss just how powerful working with the world of spirit can be-- including Sallie's experience using ceremonial magic to quite literally stop crime in her New Orleans neighborhood! In fact, the crime-busting ceremony was so effective (resulting in arrests, etc.) that the New York Times and Smithsonian Magazine (among others) featured the story in their publications!Sallie and Rachel also address the ontological fallacy of "toxic positivity" within the World of Woo, urging the spiritually homeless to keep an open mind and abandon their limiting, Puritanical beliefs to receive profound-- and tangible-- insights. Voodoo and the city of New Orleans serve as powerful reminders of the need to be rooted in the material world, integrating our spiritual gifts into the here and now for the benefit of all!Links:The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578980126?ref=myi_title_dpTOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/dikcLjiTOTEM Flower Essences on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachSallie's Website: https://www.islandofsalvationbotanica.comSallie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sallieann61/?hl=enPlease 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, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) reconnects with "friend of the show" Abigail Kochunas, owner of of Sacred Healing Art AND an incredibly talented energy worker and animal communicator. Abigail outlines her journey discovering her natural talents with animal communication and energy work, and how she's adding these services to her otherwise human-centered spiritual healing practice--not to mention to her charity work at a variety of animal sanctuaries and equine therapy facilities. Rachel shares her recent experience with Abigail's remote animal communication and reiki work with her four backyard TOTEM Flower Essence garden chickens: Circe Lannister, Melisandre (The Red Witch), Arya Stark and Sansa Stark. Needless to say, Abigail-- the real life, psychic Dr. Doolittle-- totally tapped into issues and behaviors impossible for her to observe in real life from her home in California!Spoiler alert: Circe really is the HBIC. I know. You're shocked;)What's more: two of Rachel's chickens had major health turnarounds after their remote energy session with Abigail, laying their first eggs the next day and exuding health and happiness everyday since!Animal communication is anything but silly. When done properly-- by practitioners like Abigail-- it can be a game-changing, value add Woo service that brings your whole family (pets included) closer together!The TOTEM Tarot Deck (deck used in episode): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578980126?ref=myi_title_dpTOTEM Readings Website (Rachel's practice): https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachAbigail's Links and Website: https://linktr.ee/sacredhealingartAbigails IG: https://www.instagram.com/sacredhealing_art/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 friend of the show Roger Oney about her super-duper, not-so-fun week with an ancient Sumerian demon.Yah. You read that right.Listener beware: this episode IS spooky. So spooky, in fact, that it took Rachel more than a year to decide that it was ultimately a net positive for clients and listeners to hear about her brief, harrowing ordeal. The long and the short of it? Rachel spent a whole week handling (more like "getting handled by") a negative entity that was none-too-pleased with her efforts to empower a client. With nightly visits, Rachel found herself researching specific mentions in Milton's Paradise Lost, the Book of Exodus, and even Aleister Crowley's translation of the Lesser Key of Solomon. It was some real Hereditary shit, and was so harrowing that Rachel legitimately contemplated closing her spiritual practice and abandoning her life's work-- and soul's purpose! Spoiler alert: she didn't close anything or stop doing this work, but this vignette stands as a memorable example of the stakes of spiritual exploration-- and what creatures may dwell just beyond our vision. The good news? While negative, these experiences prove the existence of spirit beyond the shadow of a doubt. What's more: everything worked out just fine, as Rachel used her spiritual and energetic tools to intentionally and methodically cut cords and remove the sticky energy of this particular parasite.LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXRoger Oney links:Roger's substack: https://rogergoesrogue.substack.comWebsite: https://rogeroney.comPlease 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 Britt Sandkulla-Sinclair (of Golden Thread Alchemy) to discuss the crucial need for release and surrender as we enter a new epoch on planet earth.Not only is Britt an astrologer and witch, but she's also a certified Death Doula--and very well versed in the world of letting go with grace. Rachel and Britt discuss this time of intense transition and transformation, and explore the nature of the forces converging to create this churn. They also dive into what human-scaled, daily practices we can all leverage to help us take the edge off during this very, very edgy time.The executive summary? Death is inevitable, so if something is dying in your life-- like an old job, profession, industry, relationship, habit, or location-- then all you need to do is acknowledge and accept its coming. Don't white knuckle. Don't leave claw marks. And make adjustments as you-- and the world-- evolves. You don't have to be the same person forever. Everything else changes. You can-- and should-- too!TOTEM Readings website (Rachel's practice): https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Tarot Deck (card used in episode): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578980126?ref=myi_title_dpTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comBritt's IG: @goldenthreadalchemyGolden Thread Alchemy Website: www.goldenthreadalchemy.comPlease 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 Rebecca Szymczak, aka Cardsy B (of The Hex and the City Podcast and The Saturn Diaries).Cardsy B returns to The Skeptical Shaman to dig deep into the turbulence hitting planet earth-- and all of the other planets, for that matter-- at the present moment. What's going on with Saturn? Uranus? Pluto? And why is it making everything and everyone so f*cking crazy?The answer? We're leaving one epoch and entering another, and the planets are conspiring to help us shake off our old skins and embrace the new 2.0 version available to us on the other side of these contractions. Cardsy and Rachel explore what this means for us as individuals and as a collective, and work to map out some tangible, next steps.The long and the short of it? "Please remain seated with your seatbelt fastened, seatback and tray table in their full-upright and locked position, and all carryon items completely under the seat in front of you. We're expecting some turbulence."Said another way? We're not in control of what's happening. We ARE in control of how we react, how we live, and what we choose to cultivate. So, focus on yourself and your own, inner work! I mean, if ever there was a time to get our shit together, it's now;)LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXCardsy B's Links: Cardsy B's website: https://www.cardsyb.comCardsy B's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cardsyb/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 Brandon Page, an Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP) experiencer.Brandon and Rachel connected "randomly" on LinkedIn, learning after the fact that they both worked at the same global corporate real estate firm and are, within reason, total "normies" on paper-- with, of course, the exception of their respective intense spiritual experiences!Brandon shares his lifelong interactions with craft, orbs and lights in the sky, and how these experiences came rushing back into the fore in the last few years-- getting so intense that his young daughter has also had a few moments with these objects! He also relays the strange dissonance of being just a regular person having extraordinary experiences, and how he has navigated this tension point in his own life. The long and the short of it? He doesn't know exactly what these things are, why they're showing themselves to him and his family, but he does feel that it's significant-- and he's done hiding or withholding for fear of judgment. We're all past that at this point, and all signs point to increasing UAP activity-- and perhaps some disclosure this year!LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXPlease 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 Summer Sanders (of Sabai Studio). Summer shares her experience of owning and managing a brick and mortar healing center in Chicago's West Loop: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Things have changed for small business owners since the onset of Covid, and this is doubly (if not triply) true for those that deal in the Business of Woo. Summer details how this shift has forced her to shift as well, ultimately deciding to change her business model and move to Florida later this summer.In this episode, Rachel and Summer pull back the proverbial kimono on what the last 4-5 years have been like for your friendly neighborhood healer, and how we can all best support the sincere, knowledgable practitioners to keep on keeping on. They also dive into how best to work with a healer, maximizing your ROI while simultaneously making your practitioner's day a little bit more manageable. The bottom line? Things have changed. A lot. And with that change, healers across  modalities (from Feng Shui to Reiki to Tarot and more) are experiencing exponential change fatigue. So, be kind, rewind, and support your local practitioner if you want to continue to benefit from their offerings!LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXSummer Sanders Links: Website: https://sabaistudio.orgIG: https://www.instagram.com/summersanders_official/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 SPECIAL GUEST Emma Cook, the designer and artist behind the TOTEM Tarot Deck and the TOTEM Flower Essence Deck. Rachel and Emma dig into the very strange-- and some very challenging-- spiritual experiences that came along with the production, printing and publication of the new TOTEM Flower Essence Deck. On the one hand, there were incredible, overt signs of encouragement from the Fairie realm, who seemed super pumped on our nature-oriented creation. On the other hand, there was some real Amityville Horror-level shit, too. We're talking plagues of flies, absolutely shit luck, and lurking entities bringing banged up, oppressive energy. Does it sound totally nuts? Yes. But did it totally happen? Yes it did. Oh-- and Emma and Rachel do actually share a bit of insight into he process of making a tarot or oracle deck: how to build out vision boards, front-load your text content, and then dial in design and final art at the end. They also dig into the process of self-publishing, and why this is the preference for the kids around TOTEM.This is a real peek behind the proverbial kimono. In a world dominated by influencers and coaches whose income depends on them asserting confidence and worshipping at the altar of toxic positivity, Rachel and Emma wanted to tell the real deal, behind-the-scenes story behind the new TOTEM Flower Essence Deck.It didn't all come up roses, but there are certainly some roses involved!LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXEmma Cook links:Emma's Website: http://eecookdesign.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 SPECIAL "Emergency Transmission" episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with comedian and podcaster Robbie "The Fire" Bernstein. Robbie is the host of the Run Your Mouth Podcast and frequently co-hosts the Part of the Problem podcast with Dave Smith. He is also currently driving across the country to bring comedy and free speech to Americans right in their backyard. Like, literally. It's called the "Summer Porch Tour" and TOTEM is being graced with his presence-- and that of other, incredible comics-- this Thursday, July 11th (link to purchase tickets is below). In this episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, we dive into a lively discussion about free speech, creative expression, empowerment, personal agency, and even a little bit about shamanism. The executive summary? Psst-- the government, media, and other authority figures might not have your best interests at heart!The solution? Empower yourself. Start doing something you love. Being iconoclastic and embrace what the new day holds for you. No one is coming to save you, but that means that YOU can be the hero in your own story. Joseph Campbell AND Ayn Rand would be proud!LINKS:Join us this Thursday, July 11th for the Summer Porch Tour by getting your tickets here:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/robbiethefire-summer-porch-tour-austin-texas-tickets-890747809677Robbie's Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/run-your-mouth/id1549622417Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXPlease 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 friend of the show Colleen Soisson (of Feather Mountain Ayurveda).Rachel and Colleen dig into the big, ancient world of Ayurveda: the 6,000 year old Indian equivalent of Chinese Herbalism and Medicine that leverages herbs, food, massage, and oils to create balance and vitality in the energy and physical bodies. And guess what? It doesn't have to be complicated. In fact, much of what Colleen outlines is crazy simple. The catch? Just because something is simple, doesn't mean it's easy.This is especially true in a world built on the myth of "convenience"-- a myth that Colleen dismantles with expert precision. The trick? You gotta be consistent and you gotta be patient. That's the hard part, and many of us are quick to release new, healthy habits or mindfulness practice within a matter of days before they ever get a chance to take root!In a world of fads, quick fixes, cheat codes and snake oil salesmen, investing in our health in a consistent, balanced way can seem like a real buzzkill. But it's not. The buzzkill is already here in the form of exploding autoimmune disorders, a looming global health crisis, and the emergence of "dis-ease" throughout the otherwise "healthy" modern world. So, long story short: we have nothing to lose by changing our habits, slowing down, and sticking to a simple plan!LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXColleen Soisson Links:Website: https://www.feathermtn.comIG: https://linktr.ee/ColleenAyurveda?utm_source=linktree_profile_sharePlease 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 friend of the show Roger Oney about the truth and fiction of spiritual conspiracy theories.First up? The strange and very real case of Michael Aquino: a Colonel in the United States Army that literally wrote the handbook on 4th and 5th generational information warfare, titled: "Mindwar". An open Satanist, he founded the Temple of Set, the Church of Satan, and many assert he also founded the Process Church-- the official church of serial killers Son of Sam and Charles Manson. Despite being interviewed on national television many times by the likes of Oprah and Geraldo-- and showing off his ritual occult Nazi dagger in these televised appearances-- he continued to be promoted in the military, and was even knighted by the Queen of England, who also gave him land in Scotland.That all seems weird, right? Michael Aquino is just one of MANY intelligence and military officials involved in the dark side of the occult, experiments on mind control, and much, much more, and his case study can provide a map for navigating the more treacherous waters of the Woo.In this conspiracy theory-inspired episode, Rachel and Roger sift through what's fact and what's fiction...and trust us when we tell you: the truth really is stranger than fiction. Satanic Panic? Sure, there was some of that. But actual demon worship? Yah, there's was (and is) a bunch of that, too. So why are people super quick to dismiss objective reality as crazy conspiracy theory? Something about how the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXRoger Oney links:Roger's substack: https://rogergoesrogue.substack.comWebsite: https://rogeroney.comTopics discussed in this episode (with links and resources):Michael Aquino: https://youtu.be/qnM95xmLoMY?si=Ch2piIC90Bs7YXKyMK Ultra: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MKUltraChaos (Book About Charles Manson and MK Ultra): https://a.co/d/4Ug5EdvPoisoner in Chief (Book About MK Ultra and Bioweapons): https://a.co/d/2AbYeyeOperation Paperclip (Book about MK Ultra and Nazi Scientists): https://a.co/d/33DjsJhThe Process Church and Son(s) of Sam (Netflix Documentary): https://youtu.be/ICFZ1wS8Fuc?si=1sIC7H1ecXBMpkdvPlease 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 Damla Aktekin of A Drop of Om all about the inner child-- and how to energetically heal wounds from our early years and experiences. Damla is the host of the Conversations with Healers podcast, a forum in which she explores topics centered around the art (and the science) of energy healing-- particularly when this healing is focused on the inner child.In this episode, Rachel and Damla chat about Shamanic Soul Part Recollections, what the "wounded" inner child looks like, and how to actually, for realsies do the critical healing work required-- not just write it off as "healed" after going to a finger-painting party or weekend retreat in Bali.As we tackled in a previous episode, "Spirituality is NOT an aesthetic", and Inner Child work can be dark, grueling, and emotionally (and physically) draining. But it's also the key to unlocking a lot of our otherwise unrealized (and stifled) potential.LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachDamla's Links: https://programs.adropofom.com/learn-morePlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126TOTEM Flower Essences on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXPlease 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 the incredible mother/ daughter team of Norma and Nisha Burton, the creators of the Lucid Dreaming, Lucid Living Oracle Deck.Norma and Nisha are legitimate, bonafide experts in the space of dreamtime, vision questing, shamanic journeying, and....drumroll please...LUCID DREAMING. In this episode, we dig into:- How to lucid dream more- How to leverage insights from lucid dreaming for better living- What the meaning of lucid dreams really are- Why lucid dreaming is so important for spiritual developmentAnd, of course, we pull a very weird and very relevant TOTEM Tarot Card to sum it all up!LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachThe Lucid Living, Lucid Dreaming Deck on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0lVDajBLucid Living, Lucid Dreaming IG: https://www.instagram.com/lucid_dreaming_lucid_living/Please support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126TOTEM Flower Essences on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXPlease 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 Casey St. John, fellow spiritual explorer!Casey's story follows a very well-worn path: girl goes exploring, finds a reiki studio, signs up for a session, has her mind blown by the utterly unexplainable energetic and spiritual phenomenon, and then finds herself on a quest to learn the who, what, when, why and how of it all. Much like a merry troupe of fictional Hobbits before her, she encounters some challenges and obstacles: most notably that of the absolutely decoherent noise dominating the Woo landscape. There is so much contradictory information, and the stakes feel so high, that the obvious next step is to find a mentor or guide to assist with your travels. But the quality of that guide matters. A lot. And an inexperienced, incompetent, delusional or even nefarious guide can cause a lot more harm than good.So, what's to be done? Well, Casey's working her way through it all, using discernment, common sense, intuition, best practices and lessons learned to cut a path of her own. She may not have all of the answers just yet, but she's clear on what she wants and how she's going to get it moving forward.The upshot? Give yourself permission to change your mind. Give yourself permission to leave something that isn't working for you. Give yourself permission to change and evolve and, yes, make a few "mistakes" along the way!LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126TOTEM Flower Essences on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXPlease 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 Megen Mundy, the owner of Austin's oldest and most established herbalism store, the Herb Bar.Rachel and Megen kick off this new season of the Skeptical Shaman podcast with a deep dive into the wide world of herbalism: how herbs support wellness, what issues they treat + support, and what herbs everyone should have as their "go-to's" in their pantry. This isn't hippy shit. This is human shit, and people like Megen and her team at the Herb Bar are working to bring back the old ways and reconnection shoppers and clients to the healing, plant magic all around us.And our discussion of "le milky oats" is enough to make you blush!Rachel and Megen also discuss flower essences: how they are the gentle, "gateway drug" for more intense herbalism protocols and tinctures-- not to mention witchy AF! The Herb Bar carries several TOTEM Flower Essences, and will be hosting our joint TOTEM Flower Essence Deck-themed event on the Summer Solstice. LINKSSecure your ticket (and swag bag) for the TOTEM Flower Essence Deck event at the Herb Bar on June 21st here: https://www.theherbbar.com/product/a-dark-garden-party/5235?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=72Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachThe Herb Bar's Website: https://www.theherbbar.comPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126The TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/3PMGghqTOTEM Flower Essences on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXPlease 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 special, solo episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) digs a bit further into The Business of Woo: the "industry" of psychics, shamans, energy workers, and yes-- even the dreaded, mythical "life coaches".Next up on the Business of Woo myth-busting list? Self-care. If you're a full-time practitioner of the Woo, odds are: you're sensitive. Like, really sensitive. That's kind of how this whole psychic thing works. In fact, we're so sensitive that it can read as a bit high maintenance, ala the fairy tale The Princess and the Pea. Now, multiply that inherent sensitivity by the variables of psychic and energetic client work against the backdrop of our overstimulating, relentless world and you've got a classic recipe for epic burnout. So, what can we do? Turns out, we can do a lot-- but we have to be consistent about it, even when we're busy or tired or a bit lazy. Salt baths, sage, grounding food, and the rest of the usual suspects really do help, but what really helps is building systems into your Business of Woo model:Group like tasks: organize dates/ times for client sessions and separate dates/ times for administrative work so you're not switching so hard between "radio stations"-- energy flows where attention goes, and this approach helps you harness natural momentum and reduce the grind on your gears!Maintain boundaries: energy and spirit go where they're allowed to go, so maintaining consistent containers for your life and time are super important! There will always be tasks to do and clients wanting urgent help, so it's up to you to build in the barriers so everyday isn't an energetic negotiation.Give yourself a break: client-facing psychic work is a real workout for your mind, body and spirit-- so planning out breaks and scheduling self-care (like massages, salt baths and more) needs to be a standard, daily part of your business model. This isn't heading into a corporate office, sending a few emails and chatting in the lunchroom!Fill your spiritual cup: as practitioners, it's vital that we set time aside for our own spiritual practice-- and not just the work we do with clients! Not only will this get you out of a pity party or stress spiral, but it's a reminder of why you started doing this in the first place-- a crucial ingredient to a long, successful Woo-based business!A lot of this stuff sounds obvious, but it's significantly harder to operationalize in the brutal day-to-day of also being a small business owner in a time of intense competition, a rapid rate of change/ churn, and economic pressures like inflation. The irony? It also matters now more than ever. So, give this episode a listen and see what elements of Energetic Hygiene you can make a consistent thread in your workday-- and then watch as a thousand flowers bloom!Interested in working with Rachel in a coaching or mentoring capacity? Here are the links to learn more and/or book a free consultation to discuss:The Business of Woo Mentoring Program: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching Program: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingOther links to learn more about TOTEM Readings and Rachel White:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease 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 special, solo episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) digs a bit further into The Business of Woo: the "industry" of psychics, shamans, energy workers, and yes-- even the dreaded, mythical "life coaches".Next up on the Business of Woo myth-busting list? Sabotage! Online harassment! Intellectual property theft! Abusive clients! Para-social strangeness! Along with the new levels you reach in your Woo-based business, come along a myriad of proverbial "devils". Think Super Mario Brothers: every time you beat a level, you enter a new level with an increasingly fast and imposing Bowser.I know what you're thinking. I used to think it, too:"Who has the time to cause problems for someone with a small little business like yours?"The answer? Some people. I know. I'm just as surprised as you are. And who is usually behind the Scooby Doo mask when you pull it off? Competitors. I know. It's insane to act out of pocket and spend time or energy on a competitor. More times than not, we can all actually collaborate and help each others' Woo-based businesses. But not everybody sees it that way. And, for that matter, not everybody believes in basic civility. But never fear: new levels, new devils? Sure. But with new devils come new devil-destroying tools and tricks, and we're here to share them with you!Interested in working with Rachel in a coaching or mentoring capacity? Here are the links to learn more and/or book a free consultation to discuss:The Business of Woo Mentoring Program: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching Program: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingOther links to learn more about TOTEM Readings and Rachel White:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease 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 special, solo episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) digs a bit further into The Business of Woo: the "industry" of psychics, shamans, energy workers, and yes-- even the dreaded, mythical "life coaches".Next up on the Business of Woo myth-busting list? Client retention. What is it? How do you do it? Why does it matter? And why is it actually for realsies way more important than any bullsh*t you're up to on social media. Spoiler alert: your clients are your business, so by focusing on the fundamentals of your service delivery and just being a f*cking human being, you're already ahead of the curve.After all: a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. My hot take? The very best new customers come from current client referrals, so focusing on delivering exceptional services and products in the moment is the most important marketing technique you can master.Your brand is your most important asset, and as we've already covered: your brand isn't just a logo. In fact, your behaviors are the most critical, experiential aspect of your brand, and can either reinforce or erode your reputation in the marketplace. In this episode, we dig into the crucial importance of "chopping wood and carrying water" in your Woo-based business, and why focusing on the basics and getting present and focused with each client meeting, session or consultation is the real competitive advantage.Interested in working with Rachel in a coaching or mentoring capacity? Here are the links to learn more and/or book a free consultation to discuss:The Business of Woo Mentoring Program: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching Program: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingOther links to learn more about TOTEM Readings and Rachel White:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease 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 special, solo episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) digs a bit further into The Business of Woo: the "industry" of psychics, shamans, energy workers, and yes-- even the dreaded, mythical "life coaches".Next up on the Business of Woo myth-busting list? Content creation. What is it? How do you do it? And, more importantly, how do you make it work for you-- instead of just turning into the "dry hump of marketing campaigns"? A simple trick? Figure out what you're going to say before you start saying it. Another trick? Don't say (or write or post) stuff unless you have something to say-- and a good reason to say it.Nothing is new under the sun, and we need look no further for proof than in the PowerPoint slide-style, rote "three things to remember" bullet-point social media posts littering the landscape. Spoiler alert: when you boil something down to the very nub of the basics, you're not actually saying anything anymore. People can handle content. They have attention spans. They read text-heavy, long-form posts-- and they're thirsting for thought leaders, business owners and spiritual practitioners that offer them value instead of constantly vying for position-- and their hard-earned money.What's more: people are getting savvy, and they're sick of the same, regurgitated, commoditized race-to-the-bottom drivel. They're starting to pick up on the soft bigotry of low expectations, and they're not too fond of the feeling of grabby hands in their pockets.There's a better, more natural way to share your thoughts and create content. And it's pretty simple: you just need to think about whether or not you would be interested in hearing or reading what you're about to communicate. And this The Business of Woo series is here to help!Interested in working with Rachel in a coaching or mentoring capacity? Here are the links to learn more and/or book a free consultation to discuss:The Business of Woo Mentoring Program: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching Program: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingOther links to learn more about TOTEM Readings and Rachel White:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease 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 special, solo episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) digs a bit further into The Business of Woo: the "industry" of psychics, shamans, energy workers, and yes-- even the dreaded, mythical "life coaches".First up on the Business of Woo myth-busting list? Differentiation and branding. What is a brand? What is a differentiator? And how do these super duper corporate concepts come into play for a Woo-based business? What's more: how much should you pay someone for a "brand" or for help with you differentiating your offering in the marketplace? And what do these deliverables look like?There are a lot of children playing "office" on social media, garnishing their word salad with these words in an effort to seem knowledgable against an intensely curated (and very expensive) backdrop of lifestyle flotsam and jetsam-- but are they experts? After all, the ubiquitous focus on "authenticity" and "sincerity" is reading a bit saccharine, don't you think? Or, as the brilliant Rick Rubin put it: "Sweetness made small. A hollow rhyme in a greeting card."Don't be a hollow rhyme. Don't do what everyone else is doing. Don't indulge the urge to ugly cry on Instagram in the hopes of coming across as "sincere".  People are getting pretty good at smelling the proverbial manure from greater and greater distances. What's more: that's not a brand. That's not a differentiator. That's not a value proposition.There's a less cringe way to brand and market, and guess what? It's pretty simple. You just need to put your big kid pants on for a minute and look at things objectively. And this The Business of Woo series is here to help!Interested in working with Rachel in a coaching or mentoring capacity? Here are the links to learn more and/or book a free consultation to discuss:The Business of Woo Mentoring Program: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching Program: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingOther links to learn more about TOTEM Readings and Rachel White:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease 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 SOLO episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) digs into The Business of Woo: the "industry" of psychics, shamans, energy workers, and yes-- even the dreaded, mythical "life coaches".With the economy and job market doing STRANGE THINGS and the rate of change and churn hitting an exponential pace, more and more folks might get the idea that they should dive into the deep waters of the Woo, perhaps even becoming a professional practitioner. And, while those that are genuinely getting pinged by the Universe should embrace their destiny, the same isn't true for the spiritual grifters, hustlers and get-rich-quick schemers that think the Business of Woo is an "easy way to make money".It's not.And you better be genuinely obsessed with it if you want to do it for a living.This episode explores the myths of "passive income", social media as a guaranteed business amplifier, and why book deals and retreats aren't all they're cracked up to be.Spoiler alert: the thoughtfully-curated world presented to you by other coaches or influencers on social media isn't the whole picture-- and, in many cases, is a purposeful (and profit-driven) misdirection.The Business of Woo SOLO series of The Skeptical Shaman harkens back to the tagline of MTV's The Real World: "This is what happens when we stop being polite, and start getting real." Interested in working with Rachel in a coaching or mentoring capacity? Here are the links to learn more and/or book a free consultation to discuss:The Business of Woo Mentoring Program: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching Program: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingOther links to learn more about TOTEM Readings and Rachel White:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease 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 the "Woo Woo Woman" herself: Shelly Saunier. Shelly is a holistic yoga instructor, registered nurse and the host of the Woo Woo Woman podcast, which is designed to help listers unlock their empowerment and self-improvement through tapping into the deep Woo all around us.Rachel and Shelly explore the reality of running a Woo business-- and why having something interesting to say is more important than just feeling compelled to say SOMETHING! What's also important? Keeping it really real in a world serving up a steady diet of raw bullshit from "influencers" and "content creators" that compulsively share and post without first thinking through the "why". Shelly shares her experience posting insights from the meditative temple of the toilet (as in, literally) and why she's breaking her own "rules" to pursue a more fluid, yin way of being in business-- and in the world more broadly. Life isn't perfect, and neither are practitioners. Investing all of your energy into a false, curated "persona" is a waste of critical time and energy that can otherwise be spent actually working with real life humans in meaningful, poignant ways!Of course, we pull a freakishly on point card from the TOTEM Tarot Deck!LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126TOTEM Flower Essences on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXShelly's Links: https://linktr.ee/shellysaunierThe Woo Woo Woman Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0z79EyGYVSlE9jq7J240PX?si=9b7bd9ba5cc14a85Please 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 Natalie Fehlner, writer, teacher, theater artist and actual, real-deal spiritual seeker all about Natalie's spontaneous spiritual awakening-- and the good, the bad, and the ugly that followed!Rachel first stumbled upon Natalie and her story via the most unlikely of sources: a poem read aloud on Instagram! This poem, titled, "Spirituality Is Not An Aesthetic", sums up the inevitable disillusionment that comes along with any spiritual journey: first you have the incredible, paradigm-shifting experience, then you reorganize your personal belief system, and then you get super excited to venture out into the world of Woo to meet other, like-minded spiritual explorers. The upshot? A lot of spiritual teachers, gurus and "experts" are a big fat disappointment to those coming off a fresh (and genuine) spiritual experience. The let down is inevitable, as you go from healing circle to urban sweat lodge filled with performative, spiritual LARPers wearing their requisite costumes and leveraging their requisite New Age vernacular. But it's not all bad. That disappointment in outside voices redirects us back to ourselves-- and to direct revelation from and communication with spirit. F*ck all those life coaches and green juice drinkers and pashmina-wearing spiritual narcissists! We've got something better: ourselves and our spirit guides.And Natalie's unabashedly honest and vulnerable story-- very much in-progress-- gives us all line of sight into our own journeys, as well as the necessary radical self-acceptance required for the REAL journey ahead.LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachNatalie's IG: https://www.instagram.com/nataliefehlner/Natalie's Substack: https://nataliefehlner.substack.comPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126TOTEM Flower Essences on Etsy:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXPlease 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 Matthew Gindin, freelance writer, teacher, acupuncturist and author of the Philosophy as Therapy Substack. To say that Matthew's background is eclectic is an understatement. When he was 21, he lived as a monastic Forest Monk in the Thai Buddhist tradition for three years. Since then, he has continued to explore and examine, experimenting with observant Jewish practice, Advaita Vedanta, Zen, Tibetan Buddhism, and Western Esoteric traditions while all along the way reading philosophy and science. He also taught meditation and yoga and has worked as an Ayurvedic counsellor and Chinese medical acupuncturist.Yah. It's a lot of stuff, and it's all informed his new writings on the Philosophy as Therapy Substack, which brings together his dynamic background with the philosophical teachings of the Buddha and Hellenic (particularly Stoic) philosophers-- all with the intent of offering relief from suffering through the cultivation of meaning. Rachel and Matthew also explore how true spiritual and intellectual exploration and growth will inevitably lead to ego death, the destruction of closely-held paradigms, and the exponential expansion of personal perspective, sharing their personal stories of evolution. In other words: tribalism and teams don't survive true spiritual growth OR intellectual honesty. And yes, it really pisses people off when you grow or, worse yet, "change your mind".The upshot? Your old, bad ideas and beliefs have to die so you don't have to suffer in ignorance. And, to do this, you must expand out beyond your limitations and explore new intellectual, existential and spiritual cultures and concepts. Regardless of what Becky at the lunch table has to say about it.Is it hard to face facts? Let go of your closely held beliefs? Sit in the "in between" of the messy middle?Yes. But it's also totally worth it.LINKS:Rachel's Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachMatthew's Substack: https://matthewgindin.substack.comMatthew's Medium: https://matthewzgindin.medium.comPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast: The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/TOTEM-Tarot-Deck-Rachel-White/dp/0578980126TOTEM Flower Essences on Etsy:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXPlease 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.