Why do we call people “weird”… and when did that become an insult?

In this episode of the Life By 8 Podcast, Rebecca Grugan sits down with Jessicka Anne, founder of Artemisia Alchemical College and creator of the Shamanic Shadow Work Method, for a deep and provocative conversation about weirdness, belonging, shame, and truth.

Together, they unpack the original meaning of the word weird, rooted in fate and destiny, and explore how something once associated with power became something we hide. They dive into masking, nervous system responses, shadow integration, identity vs personality, and the energetic cost of trying to be normal.

From bullying and outsider scripts to the current state of the coaching industry, AI acceleration, discernment, and the collapse of the “normal” box, this episode is an invitation to stop rejecting the parts of you that feel too much, too strange, or too different… and to recognise that those parts may be the exact medicine you’re here to bring.

This is a conversation about truth. And truth isn’t always sexy.

But it might just set you free.

Timestamps:

0:00 — Weird as Destiny: Not Losing Wonder

0:32 — Welcome & Introduction to Jessicka Anne

0:41 — The Etymology of “Weird”

1:40 — Shadow Work & The Shamanic Shadow Work Method

2:43 — Redefining Weird in Today’s Context

3:56 — Weird as the Outsider & Childhood Conditioning

4:47 — Why We Mask to Fit In

5:17 — Belonging, Survival & Tribal Instincts

6:22 — Social Media, Loneliness & Disconnection

7:14 — The Fracturing of Consensus Reality

8:56 — Emotional Intelligence & Human Maturity

9:17 — Presence: What It Means to Relate as a Human

10:07 — Projection, Assumptions & Conflict

10:59 — Weird as Shadow in Adulthood

12:34 — Weird, Otherness & Unfamiliarity

13:36 — Belonging vs Individuation in Human Evolution

14:19 — Nervous System Responses: Fight, Fawn & Vigilance

15:18 — Vigilance in Leadership & Relationships

16:49 — The Energetic Cost of Being “Normal”

18:33 — Identity vs Personality

19:36 — Suppressing Weirdness vs Outgrowing It

20:38 — Working with Shame & Repressed Parts

23:03 — Culture, Race & Who Gets Labelled “Weird”

24:22 — Weirdness, Innovation & Human Evolution

25:55 — Expressing Your Weird Publicly

28:13 — The “Weirdest” Thing About Jessicka

29:32 — A World Without Shame

30:35 — Shame vs Guilt & Desiring Outside the Norm

32:27 — The Collapse of the “Normal” Box

33:45 — Truth, Discernment & Embodiment

36:27 — Astrology, Archetypes & Shadow Potential

38:11 — You Are More Powerful Than You Think

39:43 — Society at a Turning Point

42:57 — Nervous System Overload & Disassociation

44:40 — Nervous System Tools: Ascension vs Descent

46:37 — The Coaching Industry: Integrity vs Influence

51:42 — Embodiment, Safety & Depth in Coaching

54:57 — “Be Who You Are” vs “Be Who You Want to Be”

56:01 — The Trap of the Constructed Self

58:37 — Final Thoughts: Your Weird Is the Magic

Ready to take the next step in your journey?

The I AM Profile Assessment is a private, secure self-discovery tool designed to help you understand how you’re wired across eight key dimensions that shape identity, connection, and behaviour:

• Take your free I AM Profile Assessment here: https://blueprint-lb8.replit.app/

• Discovery Call: https://bit.ly/Lifeby8DiscoveryCall

• Work with Bec: https://bit.ly/Lifeby8DiscoveryCall

• Learn more: https://lifebyeight.com/

Follow Rebecca:

• Instagram: @rebeccagrugan

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