The Observatory | Discovery of Consciousness & Awareness

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright sit down with Chelsea Daily, host of The Fool, for a conversation about intuition, life transitions, self-trust, tarot, shadow work, and what happens when you stop needing to know exactly where the path is leading. Chelsea shares why she identifies with the Fool archetype, how learning to follow her inner knowing has shaped her life, and why some of our most uncomfortable transitions may not be punishment at all — but a realignment toward something new.

Chelsea also opens up about experiencing gaslighting in a long-term relationship, rebuilding trust in herself, her journey with plant medicine and ayahuasca in Peru, and the difficult integration period that followed. Together, they explore surrender, meditation, ego, Buddhism, goal setting, corporate life, and the difference between using tarot to predict the future versus using it as a tool for awareness. Ultimately, the conversation asks what becomes possible when we stop outsourcing our knowing, release some of our need for control, and learn to trust ourselves through the unknown.

Timestamps:

[00:00:58] Introducing Chelsea Daily and The Fool
[00:02:34] Soul callings, transition, rebirth, and realignment
[00:05:19] The Fool archetype, tarot, intuition, and taking the leap
[00:11:00] Ayahuasca, depression, solitude, and trusting the timing
[00:16:10] Gaslighting, social conditioning, and following your inner knowing
[00:21:35] Gaslighting in a long-term relationship and learning to trust herself
[00:28:00] The internal compass, goal setting, and letting the path unfold
[00:34:50] Shadow work, ego, fear, and compassion
[00:41:59] Meditation, becoming the observer, and questioning our stories
[00:45:00] Mushrooms, plant medicine, and the call to Peru
[00:48:40] Ayahuasca integration, feminine energy, and rebuilding afterward
[00:50:59] Job loss, isolation, surrender, and discovering she was still held
[00:54:00] Tarot as intuition rather than prediction
[00:58:00] Buddhism, depression, autonomy, and creating your own reality
[01:04:39] Chelsea’s coaching, sound baths, retreats, and what she is creating now

Notable Quotes:

• “I think that sometimes we think that transition is just this beautiful, luxurious thing, but it comes with so much discomfort.” - Chelsea Daily [03:05]
• “I know what's true, and I'm going to move in this direction regardless of what you tell me.” - Chelsea Daily [16:36]
• “I learned that I don't need evidence to know what's true.” - Chelsea Daily [23:05]
• “Your intuition does not come from your head. It comes from your body.” - Scott Wright [43:04]
• “It's okay to let go.” - Chelsea Daily [52:56]
• “We don't have to be victims of our circumstances. We really have so much autonomy.” - Chelsea Daily [59:28]

Relevant Links:

Podcast: The Fool Podcast
Instagram: The Fool Podcast

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcasts

Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of The Observatory, Scott and LaRae share powerful insights about breaking through cognitive rigidity and embracing authentic self-expression. LaRae opens up about meaningful conversations with her siblings that sparked deeper reflection, while exploring Dr. Todd Rose's research on how we perceive differences versus similarities in others. They also examine the striking statistic that only 10% of people create 80% of social media content, revealing how cognitive rigidity keeps most of us silent and conforming.

Timestamp

[07:09] The meaningful interactions that LaRae had with her siblings
[08:32] Mel Robbins podcast episode with Dr. Todd Rose
[11:00] The statistic of 10% of people sharing 80% of the content on Social Media
[13:11] Cognitive rigidity
[18:14] The power of authenticity
[31:40] The importance of listening and trusting your intuition
[35:50] A challenge for the week

Notable quotes:

• “We are more similar than we are different.” - LaRae Wright [09:44]
• “Authenticity is compelling because it brings us to our present selves all the time with one another.” - LaRae Wright [19:30]

Relevant links:

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast

Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright sit down with Dr. Stormy Hill for a deeply personal conversation about aliveness, intimacy, sensuality, pleasure, and what it means to fully participate in your own life. Stormy shares the unexpected path that took her from medicine to occupational therapy and intimacy coaching, including her son’s serious heart condition, the end of her marriage, and her discovery of Tantra and sacred sexuality as pathways toward embodiment, connection, and a more expansive understanding of intimacy.

As Stormy approaches her 50th birthday, the conversation turns toward the second half of life, relationships, nervous-system patterns, what she calls “adaptive inertia,” and the ways we can unknowingly adapt to lives that make us smaller. She also shares her recent 85-mile hike around Mont Blanc, her return to writing poetry after nearly 25 years, and why she is shifting her measure of a meaningful life away from achievements and toward awe, creativity, receptivity, pleasure, and the question: what makes you feel most alive?

Timestamps:

[00:00:03] Welcome to The Observatory Podcast
[00:00:18] Introducing Dr. Stormy Hill and the pursuit of aliveness
[00:03:43] Expanding intimacy, pleasure, and sensuality beyond the bedroom
[00:05:14] Approaching 50 and discovering the common thread of aliveness
[00:07:46] Medicine, motherhood, and her son’s rare heart condition
[00:14:45] Tantra, sacred sexuality, embodiment, and the divine
[00:19:18] Growth, the nervous system, and “adaptive inertia”
[00:25:08] The second half of life, relationships, and creating what comes next
[00:30:08] Turning 50, resilience, and hiking Mont Blanc
[00:38:12] One long blink of a life and helping people feel more alive
[00:40:02] Keeping score with the wrong scorecard
[00:49:24] What makes you feel alive and the practice of intentional participation
[00:52:05] Poetry, grief, and rediscovering creative expression
[00:58:24] Letting go, receptivity, and making room for what comes next
[01:03:29] Living now instead of waiting for later

Notable Quotes:

• “We are wired for growth, but we are also wired for pattern recognition.” - Dr. Stormy Hill [00:20:26]
• “We give this one long blink of an eye of a life if we're lucky, and how do we bring aliveness and pleasure and joy to it?” - Dr. Stormy Hill [00:38:14]
• “I was keeping score with the wrong scorecard.” - Dr. Stormy Hill [00:40:02]
• “What makes you feel most alive? What keeps you from feeling alive? And how about we do more of what makes us feel more alive?” - Dr. Stormy Hill [00:50:02]
• “You arrive in innocence, you lose your innocence, and then at a certain point in life you realize that you've been innocent all along.” - Scott Wright [00:57:40]
• “Nobody on their deathbed says they wish they worked more.” - Dr. Stormy Hill [01:03:29]

Relevant Links:

www.Instagram.com/docstormy1 — on IG for more on aliveness 
www.Drstormyschiller.com — for speaking inquiries 
www.Lovedeeplab.com — for intimacy coaching

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcasts
Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright celebrate their 14th wedding anniversary and reflect on the marriage, growth, and deep partnership they have built together. Married on the fall equinox in an aspen grove above Park City, Utah, they revisit the symbolism that surrounded their wedding and explore how their relationship has become a place for self-discovery, curiosity, emotional safety, creativity, and becoming more fully themselves.

Scott and LaRae also open up about the parts of marriage that required real change—from career transitions and co-parenting to unhealthy coping mechanisms, communication patterns, and the runner-and-chaser dynamic they had to recognize and reshape. They discuss why partnership can become a mirror for unfinished inner work, what it means to be someone’s safe place, letting go of the need to be right, and the simple but powerful realization that after 14 years of marriage, they are still each other’s favorite person.

Timestamps:

[00:00:03] Welcome to The Observatory Podcast
[00:00:18] Celebrating 14 years of marriage on the fall equinox
[00:02:28] Aspen trees, shared roots, and the symbolism of their wedding
[00:05:48] Virgo, the fall season, and finding someone whose waters run deep
[00:10:00] Why LaRae wanted a relationship with emotional depth
[00:16:48] Letting go of the need to be right and becoming more curious
[00:19:00] Why partnership became a witness to LaRae’s inner work
[00:22:20] Can you say your spouse is your favorite person?
[00:25:00] Marriage, unfinished business, and the stories we carry
[00:26:45] Career changes, co-parenting, coping mechanisms, and adapting together
[00:29:34] The runner, the chaser, communication, and emotional safety
[00:32:18] Independence, curiosity, creativity, and learning from each other
[00:34:17] Writing, self-judgment, and simply showing up as yourself
[00:36:38] Music, creativity, and releasing attachment to what we create
[00:37:54] How partnership helped them become more fully themselves
[00:39:24] The honeymoon, deep water, and a metaphor for their marriage
[00:43:50] Preparing yourself for partnership and the journey ahead

Notable Quotes:

• “We couldn't have goal set ourselves to where we are. We had to just show up and live our lives.” - LaRae Wright [08:55]
• “It prevented me from being curious.” - Scott Wright [17:05]
• “But you've always been my safe place.” - Scott Wright [30:58]
• “The one thing I do know is that I don't know everything.” - Scott Wright [32:23]
• “Just show up and be who you are.” - LaRae Wright [36:01]
• “The magic that has happened in being in partnership and marriage with you has been the ability for us to find ways where we can both be more and more and more of who we are truly meant to be.” - LaRae Wright [37:54]

Relevant Links:

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcasts

Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright sit down for a tender conversation following the sudden loss of Scott’s brother Jeff. Together, they reflect on grief, family, unexpected loss, and the way love, music, memory, and shared experience can keep someone close even after they are gone.

Scott shares what it was like to gather with Jeff’s family, feel the shock of losing his first brother, and find comfort in the music that connected them. This episode is a gentle invitation for anyone who has lost someone they love to feel the grief without getting stuck in it, to honor the people who have shaped their lives, and to keep living with presence, purpose, and love.

Timestamps:

[00:00:03] Welcome to The Observatory Podcast
[00:00:18] Scott introduces a somber conversation about losing his brother Jeff
[00:01:24] Jeff’s sudden passing and gathering with family
[00:04:28] Brotherhood, cousin brothers, and Jeff’s role in bringing family together
[00:06:18] Sudden loss, grief, and making space to feel
[00:07:03] A renewed sense of urgency around time, healing, and purpose
[00:08:46] Feeling Jeff’s presence through music
[00:11:30] Funeral preparations, family support, and what family means
[00:14:15] Grief, drumming, and a ceremony of remembrance
[00:16:05] Missing Jeff and the surrealness of sudden loss
[00:17:25] Jeff’s final family visits and unfinished plans
[00:19:03] Music as legacy, expression, and a way to honor Jeff
[00:20:53] Paying attention to love and the way we spend our days
[00:22:17] Not getting stuck in grief and continuing to live fully
[00:27:14] A musical tribute and closing song

Notable Quotes:

• “It was hard to lose my first brother.” - Scott Wright [03:48]
• “For that time could be short for any of us, and so it's important to take advantage of of that time.” - Scott Wright [07:27]
• “Not just playing music, but being music.” - Scott Wright [09:11]
• “Because these relationships have been witnesses to our life from the start.” - LaRae Wright [12:25]
• “Keep doing this. This is what you're supposed to do.” - Scott Wright [19:33]
• “The best way to honor them is to continue to live life not get stuck in life.” - LaRae Wright [24:15]

Relevant Links:

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcasts

Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of the Observatory Podcast, Scott and LaRae Wright return from their summer hiatus to celebrate four years and more than 200 episodes of The Observatory, reflect on what the podcast has brought into their lives, and explore the power of curiosity in a divided world. They discuss how curiosity can create common ground, soften frustration, and help us approach people, words, beliefs, and conversations with more openness.

The conversation moves into preferences—how they shape our reactions, become confused with truth, align with fear, and influence the way we view news, politics, relationships, community, and ourselves. Scott and LaRae share how the podcast has expanded their own curiosity, helped them see how similar we are beneath their differences, and invited a deeper commitment to community, flow, and conversations that bring people together rather than divide.

Timestamps:

[00:00:03] Welcome to The Observatory Podcast
[00:00:18] Returning from summer hiatus and introducing curiosity and preferences
[00:02:06] Four years of The Observatory and more than 200 episodes
[00:02:58] Creating community through curiosity and conversation
[00:03:41] Curiosity as a bridge between difficult and elevated emotions
[00:06:10] Words, meaning, vibration, and common understanding
[00:09:33] Preferences, self-observation, and The Untethered Soul
[00:11:40] When preferences become personal truths
[00:12:49] Fake news, media perspectives, and questioning assumptions
[00:15:00] Fear, alignment, and validating what we already believe
[00:18:02] A listener challenge about news, politics, and emotional reactions
[00:19:25] Middle ground, humanity, and belonging to the human family
[00:20:30] Small communities and supporting one another
[00:23:40] How the podcast has stretched Scott and LaRae
[00:25:18] Curiosity, openness, and letting the flow continue
[00:26:35] What is coming next for The Observatory
[00:28:35] September celebrations and closing thoughts

Notable Quotes:

• “We don't want people to think just like us.” - LaRae Wright [03:37]
• “When we become curious, we can move from that fixed mindset, that tends to keep us stuck somewhere.” - Scott Wright [05:13]
• “I didn't really understand that they were preferences. I held them more as truths.” - LaRae Wright [11:48]
• “If you can become curious about what is not your preference, there's such learning in there.” - LaRae Wright [17:29]
• “We realize we're all human.” - Scott Wright [21:26]
• “To also see how we are more similar than we are different.” - LaRae Wright [24:18]

Relevant Links:

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcasts

Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of The Observatory, Scott and LaRae share the different aspects of trauma and how we can heal from them. Hear LaRae’s traumatic event of losing her mother in a road accident and how it shaped her life differently, Scott’s traumatic experience in 1967, and the traumatic event that Scott and LaRae almost died. They also share tips for healing childhood trauma as a family and what LaRae has learned from the Compassionate Inquiry with Dr Gabor Mate.

Timestamps

[03:22] Events in our childhood that create patterns in our lives
[07:25] The feeling of being stuck
[09:54] LaRae’s traumatic event of losing her mother and how it shaped her life differently [13:12] The different aspects of trauma
[21:15] Scott’s traumatic experiences in 1967
[26:46] The traumatic event that Scott and LaRae almost died
[31:30] What LaRae has learned from the Compassionate Inquiry healing model
[43:00] The purpose of the message today
[47:00] Healing childhood trauma as a family

Notable quotes:

• “No one experiences childhood the same, even though you are all raised by the same parents and in the same home.” - LaRae Wright [06:09]
• “The first aspect of trauma occurs when something happens, leading you to interpret it in a way that creates rigidity. This causes you to frame your experience in a programmed manner that constrains you.” - LaRae Wright [13:11]
• “The second aspect of trauma is when your feelings become overwhelming, causing you to disconnect from them.” - LaRae Wright [13:27]
• “Life is a defensive game, and we are constantly seeking unconsciously validation of our experience.” - LaRae Wright [31:57]

Relevant links:

Compassionate Inquiry https://drgabormate.com/compassionate-inquiry/

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast

Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of The Observatory, Jeff Low joins the show to discuss men’s mental health and steps toward forging lifelong bonds and reconnecting with your purpose. Jeff founded Bonded Brotherhood, a safe space where men can connect, grow, and find strength in authentic community with the raw power of the outdoors. Hear Jeff’s lowest moment and turning point into personal work and healing, his growth since meeting Scott and LaRae in February, and how working on himself has influenced his relationships. You will also learn the power of vulnerability and being in a community in your healing journey, and what Bonded Brotherhood is all about.


Timestamps

[03:37] Jeff Low’s background information and what led him to what he is doing now
[07:08] Jeff’s biggest regrets in life 
[10:00] The pressure of growing a business
[13:36] Jeff’s turning point into personal healing
[18:00] The thought of committing suicide in February 2025
[23:57] Jeff’s growth since meeting Scott and LaRae Wright
[27:57] Working on yourself so that you can help others 
[29:03] How working on himself has influenced Jeff’s relationship with his wife
[33:00] The power of vulnerability and being in a community 
[34:32] The story of Bonded Brotherhood
[41:45] What does Bonded Brotherhood do?
[50:57] The future of Bonded Brotherhood
[01:00:20] The importance of curiosity in your healing journey
[01:04:00] Learning how to feel

Notable quotes:

• “The gift that you two have of providing a loving, safe space 100% saved my life.” - Jeff Low [18:36]
• “You are not alone, you are not crazy for feeling and thinking the way you are feeling and thinking, and there is peace, and it comes by putting yourself first.” - Jeff Low [25:29]
• “You have to be healthy before showing up the best way for others.” - Jeff Low [26:24]
• “Bonded Brotherhood is all about building connection and support.” - Jeff Low [46:11]

Relevant links:

Bonded Brotherhood website: https://bondedbrotherhood.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonded.brotherhood/

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast

Produced by NC Productions!

In this episode of The Observatory, Samuel Beautysta joins the show to discuss the ancient art of Zapotec weaving and the living stories carried in each thread. Samuel, a traveling weaver from Oaxaca, Mexico, shares how his curiosity about identity and lineage led him deep into the Benizaa tradition, uncovering the meanings behind patterns, the natural colors drawn from the earth, and the symbols that honor life, death, and ancestry. He reflects on his family’s response to his search for knowledge, his experiences traveling and teaching, and how weaving becomes a language that connects cultures and generations. 

Timestamps

[02:31] How Scott and LaRae first met Samuel Bautista
[05:36] Samuel’s background information on the weaving culture and tradition
[13:33] How things unfolded for Samuel after the curiosity of wanting to know who he is
[19:02] Samuel’s experience in the United Kingdom
[20:10] The similarities of Samuel’s culture to that of other cultures during his research
[25:46] How Samuel’s parents reacted to his journey of seeking knowledge about their tradition 
[29:11] How Samuel discovered the natural colours of weaving
[38:43] Samuel’s episode on The Reluctant Traveler Show about the Day of the Dead
[49:27] Connecting to one another and the Mother Earth
[55:34] How Samuel created a community of collaboration and co-creation

Notable quotes:

• “History is always written with an agenda and a hidden power, like governments and institutions. It’s up to us to answer questions for ourselves, who we are, our lineage, and our story.” - Samuel Beautysta [11:59]
• “When we start to discover that we are more similar than we are different, it changes our whole perspective on what our parents taught us.” - LaRae Wright [25:46]
• “To survive the hottest days of summer, you have to feed your roots, your ancestors, and remember your teachings.” - [43:25]
• “For us, instead of fearing death, we embraced it and added it to our symbols and rituals.” - Samuel Beautysta [50:38]
• “All the knowledge is lying dormant within you, just like a seed that is buried in the ground and ready to sprout. ” - Samuel Beautysta [01:07:42]

Relevant links:

Samuel Beautysta Website: https://dixza.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sam_dixza/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dixzarugs

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcasts
Produced by NC Productions

In remembrance of Carol Lynn Pearson, we are honored to reshare this October 2023 conversation and celebrate the extraordinary legacy she leaves behind as a writer, poet, advocate, and courageous voice for love, faith, women, and the LGBTQ community.

In this episode of The Observatory, Carol Lynn Pearson joins the show to talk about the doctrine of plural marriage in Mormonism. Hear about how the doctrine of polygamy developed, how polygamy causes irreversible damage, the importance of resonating with love, practical solutions to the problem, and Carol’s upcoming books.

Timestamps

[03:53] Have Carol Lynn’s views changed on the doctrine of polygamy.
[10:14] Mormonism and polygamy.
[18:00] How the doctrine changed over time.
[21:11] How polygamy showed up in Carol Lynn’s story.
[26:54] The damage that this doctrine causes.
[44:27] Resonating with love.
[51:30] Carol Lynn’s favorite passages.
[70:41] Solutions to the problem.
[74:15] Carol Lynn’s diaries.

Notable quotes:

• “It benefits no one.” – Carol Lynn Pearson [04:27]
• “However we deal with the past, it is the past.” – Carol Lynn Pearson [26:48]
• “Society must move historically into more and more of a place of light.” – Carol Lynn Pearson [72:15]

Relevant Links:

Website: carollynnpearson.com

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcast
Produced by NC Productions