In this week's edition, I cover the weird origins of Kombucha and tie-dye clothing, "ethnic blankets" (like serapes), a new type of yoga called RAGE yoga and magical salamanders called axolotls. 

You can also read this blog article at: hippiecritical.org/edition-8

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In this week's edition, I dive deep into the world of mushrooms. Did you know mushrooms are a superfood that now command a $50 billion industry? And that's not even including the psychedelic kind. Oz gets edumacated on the basics of shrooms, and highlights some ridiculous facts about fungi. 

Read the visual essay here: hippiecritical.org/edition-7

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Deepest thanks to Kayla Gignac. Check out her art on Instagram: @kaylove.creations

In this week's edition, I cover: Weird points, Birthdays, Sage, Wellness and Church of Satan.

You can also read this blog article at: hippiecritical.org/edition-6

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In this week's edition, I cover: DMT, the Third Eye, Facebook Crackdown, Weird EMF Products and my favorite meditation.

You can also read this blog article at: hippiecritical.org/edition-5

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In this week's edition, I cover: Sungazing, Sunning your butthole, Breatharians, Earthing and Orbit toys.

You can also read this blog article at: hippiecritical.org/edition-4

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Episode editing and art by Kayla Gignac, IG @creative.kale

In this week's edition, I cover: Raw Water, Erowid, New Age Statistics, Legal Psychedelics and Stardust.

You can also read this blog article at: hippiecritical.org/edition-3

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Episode editing and art by Kayla Gignac, IG @creative.kale

Welcome  to The Hippiecritical, your weekly dose of weird. This is a roundup of  interesting gems from the world of the weird, new age and esoteric.

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You can also read this blog article at: hippiecritical.org/edition-2

Episode editing and art by Kayla Gignac, IG @creative.kale

Welcome to The Hippiecritical, your weekly dose of weird. This is a roundup of interesting gems from the world of the weird, new age and esoteric.

- - - - - 

You can also read this blog article at: hippiecritical.org/edition-1

Episode editing and art by Kayla Gignac, IG @creative.kale

Before talking to Elize Todd, I've never met anyone who's attended a 10 day silent meditation retreat. So many surprises and delights in Elize's colorful storytelling of her first silent Vipassana meditation retreat in Burma. 

We dive into what is silent meditation, the specific benefits of vipassana meditation, and recommendations for those looking to experience a very different type of meditation. 

Resources mentioned...

Satya Narayan ("SN") Goenka, who helped popularize Vipassana meditation through centers around the world. More background on him here in a post-humous write up. He died at age 90 in 2013. 

Here's a Youtube video playlist of Goenka speaking after each of the 10 days of silent meditation.

Oz recommends first timers to try guided meditation. He uses Headspace. He also loves poetic, produced meditations like Learning to Surrender by Sarah Blondin. 

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You can find Elize's work as a UX Designer, Educator and Career Coach at elizeuxmakeovers.com and  her Youtube channel at: youtube.com/user/weezytodd/. 

This episode is packed with interesting nuggets about the benefits and misconceptions about barefoot movement and barefoot shoes. I chat with Mountain Chang, a CPA turned founder of the barefoot shoe company, Carets. Carets makes classy high end dress shoes - think Allen Edmonds - but with barefoot features like a zero drop design and wider toe box.  

(I don't receive a commission for this: you can use the coupon code 2019hippiecritical for $30 off if you shop at Carets.) 

In this episode, we talk about...

Other resources mentioned: 

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Credits:

Intro music: "Good Tone" by Nordgroove from Fugue 

Outro music: "Sincerely" by Kevin Macleod