The Skeptical Shaman

In this episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) sits down with Nichole Bigley of the incredible podcasts A Psychic's Story, Supernatural Matters, and A Psychic Story: Kids' Edition.

Nichole is also a psychic intuitive that has been I’ve been talking to angels her whole life. It started at a very early age when her memories of before being born on Earth suddenly returned. She is currently cowriting the book Looking for Angels: A Guide to Connecting with Angels in the hopes of putting more people in touch with their own angelic guides.

In this episode, we dispel the myths of the angelic realm and help folks figure out what angels are-- and what they're NOT (hint: it has a little something to do with toxic positivity and Precious Moments dolls).

Rachel and Nichole both share their early and very personal first encounters with angels, and how these experiences have shaped their psychic client work and broader lives. Long story short: angels are pretty high impact and basically change the trajectory of your whole life!

And, of course, we pull a card from the TOTEM Tarot Deck and it does NOT let us down! So, stay to the end-- that's where the good stuff is in any case;)

LINKS:
Rachel's links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach
TOTEM Readings' Website: https://www.totemreadings.com/
The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578980126?ref=myi_title_dp
A Psychic's Story Podcast: https://www.apsychicsstory.com/
Nichole's Book: https://www.lookingforangelsbook.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apsychicsstory/

In this episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White of TOTEM Readings sits down with The Tarot Lady herself: Theresa Reed.

Not only has Theresa been a professional tarot card reader for her entire adult life, she's translated her arcane know-how into success as an author, having created a multitude of published works: The Tarot Coloring Book, Tarot For Troubled Times, Astrology For Real Life, Twist Your Fate – Manifest Success with Astrology and Tarot, and Tarot: No Questions Asked – Mastering the Art of Intuitive Tarot Reading.

Theresa boasts a LARGE social media and Patreon following, so she knows a thing or two about converting tarot into professional success. But this means she ALSO knows all about the flip side of making it big: from con artists to impersonators to people with poor boundaries.

In this episode, Rachel and Theresa chat about red flags for folks to look out for when seeking a tarot card reader or psychic practitioner and, conversely, what GOOD attributes to keep an eye out for in the ethical-- and talent-rich-- world of woo.

Theresa is not only a tremendous talent, but a gracious, generous and insightful human being-- so listen to her words of wisdom before leap into the wild unknown!

Of course, we wrap up with pulling a TOTEM Tarot Card and, as per usual, it just doesn't disappoint.

LINKS:
Rachel's links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach
TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com
The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578980126?ref=myi_title_dp
Theresa's links: https://linktr.ee/thetarotlady

This episode is very near and dear to my heart, as it will surely be for any of you familiar with our work here at TOTEM and "friend of the program", Roger Oney.

In this episode, I sit down with my friend of more than 15 years (yes, we're very, very old) and producer of The Skeptical Shaman podcast to talk about the literal and figurative end times. We chat about the energetic and spiritual impacts of AI and the rapidly accelerating rate of change across all industries, geographies, and professions.

Will there be refugees and remnants after this technological and sociological revolution? Will these enclaves form a modern version of the ancient mystery schools, reminding society of the "before times" and what it means to be a human being? What parts of our spiritual traditions and practices need to be carried on in a kind of living time capsule?

My friend, Roger Oney, aka the High Mesa Mystic, works with clients across a variety of energy healing, spiritual coaching, and just straight up life guidance modalities-- all with a focus on navigating change in a strange, constantly-shifting world. He's a talented psychic with an open mind and even more open heart.

And, of course, we pull a TOTEM Tarot Deck card at the end of our chat so as to stave off the tyrannical abuses of our show's sponsor. And, as per usual, the card is absolutely perfect for the themes of our discussion-- and our action items moving forward!

LINKS:
Rachel's Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach
TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com/
The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578980126?ref=myi_title_dp
Roger's Links: https://highmesamystic.com 

In this episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) sits down with Colleen Soisson, Ayurvedic Practitioner and actual wellness expert to discuss the tension inherent to getting healthy and embodied in a world built on convenience and time-scarcity.

Ayurveda is a 5,000 year old form of holistic medicine from India, mirroring much of what makes Chinese medicine (and functional medicine) tick.

In this discussion, Rachel and Colleen debate the answer to this perennial existential question: what feeds your soul?

But like, literally.

We play the hits: why is everyone so unhealthy? Why is everything in our world literal poison? How can we survive, thrive, and not go nuts in the process?

The long and short of it? We’re on our own, kids. Time to take accountability for our own well-being, happiness, diet and lifestyle because there is NO knight on a white horse rolling up to save our asses!

What’s more: a lot of this comes down to personal accountability. Are we addicted to the very thing that’s bad for us? Are we in a cycle of simply being drawn to what we know, like a kind of personal gravity that pulls us into what we’ve been eating, doing and thinking? ENTROPY?!?

F*ck. No one told me being a grown up was going to be like this. It’s actually a lot of work to survive and thrive in this world!!!

What's more: we discover that Rachel is addicted to her fire dosha, that Colleen's dosha doesn't love air travel, and that both shamans and Ayurvedic practitioners can spit fire when they're tired or overworked.

It's not all light and love;)

Of course, we pull a TOTEM Tarot Card to wrap up our dynamic chat, revealing a not-so-subtle message from spirit;)

LINKS:
Rachel's links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach
TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com
The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578980126?ref=myi_title_dp
Colleen's website: Website: colleensoisson.com
Colleen's IG: @colleen_ayurveda

In this episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White sits down to chat with real deal, actual hero and cult whistleblower Susan Dones, MA LMT.

Susan was featured in the HBO's The Vow, a docuseries detailing the rise and fall of  NXIVM: an American-based "personal development" program that was, actually, a highly abusive cult. NXIVM's leader, Keith Raniere, is currently serving a 120-year sentence for his crimes, and survivors and whistleblowers like Susan are spreading the word to help mitigate future fallout from similar "high control groups", as well as help survivors heal.

Susan is a fascinating individual who's bonafides totally upend the flattened-- and horribly misinformed-- stereotype of a "cult member".  Before entering NXIVM and becoming a coach, Susan was a decorated aircraft mechanic in the U.S. military, a licensed massage therapist, and a therapist-therapist with a Masters degree in psychology who had been working to help clients heal through the mind + body connection.

In other words: she wasn't a slouch before entering NXIVM, but that didn't protect her from dealing with a multi-decade back-and-forth with a multi-million dollar juggernaut that launched more than 200 fake legal claims her. Susan was capable and intelligent enough to beat NXIVM's powerful lawyers across all of this "vexatious litigation", and yes: she represented herself.

I know, right? Super. F*cking. Impressive.

Now, Susan is focused on helping others heal after being in coercive control, high-demand groups or just abusive and traumatic dynamics more generally. She joined The Skeptical Shaman podcast to talk red flags when exploring personal and spiritual development, as well as why she likes to stay away from big groups and stick to a small, decentralized "pod" of good friends.

Stick to the small pod, my friends. Decentralization is the key.

Her lessons learned translate across the woo world, giving all of us line of sight into how to navigate an often nebulous, tricky landscape riddled with spiritual narcissists, abusers and con artists. And, because Susan is super f*cking cool, she indulged our very demanding and temperamental sponsor-- The TOTEM Tarot Deck-- as we pulled a tarot card to summarize our discussion and provide a bit of spiritual insight to the listeners.

LINKS:
Rachel White Website (TOTEM Readings): https://www.totemreadings.com
Rachel's Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach
The TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578980126?ref=myi_title_dp
Susan Dones Website: https://susandones.com
Sustan Dones IG: @susandones456
The Vow Docuseries Website: https://www.hbo.com/the-vow/season-1

In this episode of The Skeptical Shaman, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) interviews Lianne Arends, researcher and author of the in-progress book series titled “The Godessy”. 

Lianne’s life’s work is all about researching and understanding the origins of the Ancient Mystery Teachings, which have been shrouded in secrecy for millennia. The Godessy is historical fiction, detailing the story of a very real scientist that got swept up in a very real ancient mystery school that emerged in the wake of World War 2. 

The Godessy—and Lianne’s research—is all about how the ancient world worshipped the goddess alongside the god, and how our society might just benefit mightily from bringing a little bit of yin back into the mystical (and pragmatic) mix.

Lianne and I bond over our love of all things ancient (and dorky), including the hieroglyphic nature of the ancient Hebrew language, it’s meaning in the study of the ancient mystery schools, and what the true nature of our origins as a species might be. Hint: the clues are right in front of our face (and in our genome)!

We dig into the incredible work of Graham Hancock, the world of Ancient Egypt, and how what we may be going through now as a species—including with the emergence of AI—might actually be part of a much older, repeating pattern. To this end, digging into the mystical past (and our own spiritual birthrights) may just give us the map for this new (and often scary) terrain.

Interesting in ancient wisdom and mystery schools? Kabbalah? Hebrew? Goddess worship? The severely misunderstood figure of Lilith? This episode has the high strangeness and occult goodies you’ve been craving!

As always, we pull a TOTEM Tarot Card…and it’s so on point, creepy doesn’t quite cover it! 

Links:
•The TOTEM Tarot Deck (used in episode): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578980126?ref=myi_title_dp
•TOTEM Readings (Rachel’s website): https://www.totemreadings.com
•Rachel’s IG: @totemrach
•Liane’s Website: www.liannearends.com
•Liane’s IG: @arends_lianne

In this episode of the Skeptical Shaman, host Rachel White chats with "The Emotional Entrepreneur": Scout Sobel. Not only is this the title of Scout's book, but it's also her life's mission statement. As the owner of Scout's Agency and the cohost of the "Okay, Sis" podcast, Scout is upending every pre-conceived "rule" of what it means to be a woman, a mother, and a business owner, harnessing the power of her emotions and intuitions instead of fighting them at every step.

Scout's Agency has a simple but powerful mission: to get women as guests on podcasts, and through delivering this incredible product Scout has absolutely gained invaluable lessons learned across business, personal development, and spirituality more broadly.

In this chat, Rachel and Scout dig into the crucial importance of the chakras, how to radically accept your nature and your soul's purpose, and how to navigate the "shadow aspect" of your incredible super powers...you know, because we all have them!

Scout credits her bipolar disorder with many of her own superpowers, market differentiators and--frankly speaking-- her competitive edge, but also acknowledges that "with great power comes great responsibility".  Scout shares her own best practices for self-care, how to manage the instinct to "fawn" in a society obsessed with customer service, and what she needs to fill her tank up after an exhausting workday.

We end our discussion with Rachel pulling a TOTEM Tarot Card for Scout, who reflected a totally awesome, totally curious open mind when faced with an often misunderstood mythical character!

TOTEM Readings website (Rachel's spiritual practice): https://www.totemreadings.com
TOTEM Tarot Deck (deck used in episode): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578980126?ref=myi_title_dp
TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com
Scout's Agency website: https://www.scoutsobel.com
Scout's IG: https://www.instagram.com/scoutsobel/

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.

Ralph Sarchie is a retired NYPD Sargent and an active Traditionalist Catholic Demonologist and Exorcist. Ralph’s story can be found in the book Deliver Us From Evil, which was also converted into a film of the same name. Ralph refers to his efforts as a police officer as “the Job”, calling his work as a Demonologist and Exorcist “the Work”.

Ralph joins me, Rachel White, host of the Skeptical Shaman and owner of TOTEM Readings, to discuss the phenomenon of evil: what it is, why it matters, and why we should care in a woo world intent on ignoring the dark side. Ralph describes his journey with demonology, exorcism and traditional Catholicism more broadly. He mentions several key mentors and teachers, including Ed and Loraine Warren (of Amityville fame) and Father Malachi Martin, a Jesuit priest that translated portions of the Dead Sea Scrolls. 

Ralph also explains the difference between his Catholic Church and the one headquartered in Rome. At which point, of course, Rachel just had to make her standard joke about the Papal Audience Hall being designed in the shape of a giant snake with a snakey, firey statue flanking a bunch of dudes dressed up as evil Nazi wizards from some yet-to-be-screened Star Wars movie. 

 It’s a classic.

Whether you’re a hard core Catholic or spiritually-homeless agnostic, this discussion is all about the importance of prioritizing your spiritual life…and what happens when you put material concerns above all others.

Ralph is a legitimate kind soul and open-minded guy, and we’re grateful he spent some time with us at The Skeptical Shaman.

TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.com
TOTEM Tarot Deck: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578980126?ref=myi_title_dp
TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com

Ralph Sarchie's Book, Deliver Us From Evil: https://a.co/d/eukZMlt

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) sits down with Britt Sandkulla-Sinclair of Golden Thread Alchemy to discuss what it's like to "come out of the broom closet" as a witch.

Britt is a witch, astrologer and integral coach. She's been a practicing witch for 20 years, mainly as an individual practitioner. Through her practice, Britt's offers includes coaching, astrology readings and in-person New Moon women's circles in her area.

In this discussion, Rachel and Britt get into the definitions-- and differences-- of witchcraft, Wicca and paganism, as well as how listeners can harness a bit of witch woo for themselves (book recommendations from Britt are included with links below). We also explore the upcoming Summer Solstice (aka Midsummer) and what this special celestial event-- and pagan holiday-- mean for us mere mortals.

Britt and Rachel also discuss the very modern urge to "outsource" spirituality to practitioners, along with our society's "perpetual summer" problem, exploring potential nature-based (and very yin) solutions. Emotional sobriety? Embracing archetypes? The Year of the Witch? Yes, yes and yes!

We wrap up with a particularly poignant TOTEM Tarot Card pull, giving Britt a very powerful spiritual "wink" from the other side.

TOTEM Readings website (Rachel's practice): https://www.totemreadings.com
TOTEM Tarot Deck (card used in episode): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578980126?ref=myi_title_dp
TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com
Britt's IG: @goldenthreadalchemy
Golden Thread Alchemy Website: www.goldenthreadalchemy.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 episode of The Skeptical Shaman, host Rachel White sits down to chat with Abigail Kochunas of Sacred Healing Art. Abigail is an actress, artist, psychic and energy worker and the owner of Sacred Healing Arts in Los Angeles.

Abigail is also the author behind the "My Post Cult Life" Substack, detailing her experiences and insights across narcissistic abuse, cultivated from 14 years in a cult...within a cult. In this episode, we discuss Abigail's experience with an infamous Hollywood acting coach, her introduction to and experience of Scientology, and how Covid-19-- and reliance on Zoom-- helped break the spell and free Abigail from many unseen (but very real) prisons.

And, when we scheduled this discussion, we had no idea it was literally the two year anniversary of Abigail's jail break...and, later in the day, we would learn that famous actor and Scientologist Danny Masterson was convicted of rape after two trails that brought the dark side of Scientology out into the sunlight of public discourse.

So, the woo was strong with this one, my friends.

We wrap up this discussion by pulling a TOTEM Tarot Card for Abigail and the collective, exploring the necessity of time, space and silence in which to cultivate inspiration and psychic revelation.

The TOTEM Tarot Deck (deck used in episode): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578980126?ref=myi_title_dp
TOTEM Readings Website (Rachel's practice): https://www.totemreadings.com
TOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.com
Rachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrach
Abigail's Links and Website: https://linktr.ee/sacredhealingart
Abigails 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.