In a time that feels disconnected, scary and isolating, Pascha and Susan Miller McGowan, LMT discuss seven threads of hope to connect to the true essence of humanity. They suggest ways to be the magic by activating Balance, Harmony, (Cosmic) Order, Truth, Justice, Connection and Love into our personal lives, actions, communities and beyond, thus weaving a web of authenticity and possibility for the human experience.

For over 30 years, Susan has been actively studying and practicing healing modalities from around the world.  With a PhD in East-West Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies, Susan had the opportunity to embrace Integral Philosophy and focuses her work on the integration of body, mind and spirit, the integration of all spiritual paths and all dimensions of existence to support clients in finding their most powerful, authentic expressions.  Susan is especially passionate about helping others understand their underlying beliefs and patterns and find unique ways to transform limitations and bring their gifts and purpose into the world more fully.  Susan uses her intuition as the foundation to explore each person's unique challenges and gifts.  In addition to her work as a therapist, Susan is passionate about the gifts that the Earth abundantly gives to us and can often be found wondering the woods on her farm and harvesting wild plants. Susan has also volunteered to coordinate a Rites of Passage based week long wilderness experience for teenage girls for the past 13 years. She teaches meditation and spritual wellness in her community and leads retreats that support women in healing from trauma and reclaiming their spiritual power

Magic can appear in our lives in the most unlikely of circumstances and to the most unsuspecting of people. Is there magic in a coffee trolley? A pair of boots? A song or a mystery package? How about a rainbow? What would it take to convince you that magic is real. This special guest shares her story of how minor shifts in perspective led to major shifts in experience. She went from someone who didn't believe in magic, to realizing not only that magic is real but it's available to her through connection, reciprocity, synchronicity and joy. And learns that she might just have some magical powers herself.

Song of the Mountain: Roots, Connection, Relevance, Reciprocity & Magic From the heart of Appalachian ballad singer, Melanie Rice

Melanie Rice is an 8th generation Appalachian Ballad singer from Madison County, NC. She joins Pascha to talk about being a tradition bearer, how the ballads connect her to her ancestors, and of the deep, magical connection to her the mountain, the waters and the land.

Melanie Rice grew up in Sodom Laurel, where ballads and stories were as much a part of life as the land itself. Singing on stage since she was three, Melanie learned many of her songs from her mother, Sheila Kay Adams. As part of the younger generation of ballad singers from Madison County, she’s performed at festivals like the Bluff Mountain and Bascom Lamar Lunsford Festivals, even earning the Bascom Lamar Lunsford Youth Award for Balladry in 2005.

While at Mars Hill University, Melanie spent a year in Ireland, exploring her family’s musical roots. She graduated in 1994, becoming the first person to earn a minor in Regional Studies, and went on to complete her MA in Appalachian Studies, from Appalachian State University, in 1999. Melanie likes to joke that she’s earned both her "papers and her pedigree." Today, she lives in the old home place, where the wind on the ridge tops keeps her connected to both the land and her ancestors’ songs.

Learn more about Melanie at www.nestofsingingbirds.com

When Hurricane Helene roared through the Appalachian Mountains on September 27, 2024 the tiny town of Hot Springs, NC was changed forever as catastrophic flooding wiped out homes and businesses, shattered lives, and devastated the community. In the wake of the disaster, help arrived from unlikely heroes-the Vikings!

In this episode of Be The Magic Nils, Heath and Kyle from the Fellowship of Northern Traditions share how their Heathen values and devotion to service motivate them as they bring hope, connection, and inspiration through their disaster relief volunteer efforts.

The Fellowship of Northern Traditions is a religious non-profit organization, recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) “Church”, dedicated to promoting Northern spirituality in the modern world. We hold seasonal weekend-long gatherings across the United States and Internationally. The Fellowship of Northern Traditions started unofficially in March of 2020 when 9 people met together in the rolling hills of Kentucky to honor the Norse Gods. That first gathering established the blueprint for several more that year, including a December Yule gathering in Kentucky with over 50 in attendance. Over the course of 2021 the leaders of the community were put to the test, holding dozens of gatherings. What started as one man’s dream now included over 20 individuals working together to put on events across the country.

Learn more and support the Fellowship of Northern Traditions at northerntraditions.org or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568667392579

Donations to support their relief efforts can be made at https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/nilstheironwolf?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US

To learn how you can support Artisun Gallery and the other small businesses of Hot Springs, email [email protected]

Support the Town of Hot Springs, NC through their non-profit organization here:

https://hotspringsrecovery.org/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIAtn1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHYKcuzuhz3uUc0eMMVzE2zDIS_0MC0nRpWJPjFAh3NivhX80MzaFp-nMhA_aem_vTUtXlKP-yoldeVgDmTxlg